My Son May Be Sheltered Now, But That Won’t Last Forever
For better or for worse, my son doesn’t yet know how scary this world can be – and I’m not eager to break it to him.
How My Uncle, a Painter, Inspired My American Jewish Dream
In the 1920s and 1930s, Jennings Tofel was a part of a group of talented men and women who formed an enclave within American art, a sort of equivalent to the Ecole Juive in Paris. These immigrants brought with them from the old country the Yiddish language, Jewish legend and lore, and art. Uncle Jennings was one of the best-known among this group of unknowns (the Whitney Museum of American Art purchased one of his pictures in 1932), and he became a protégé of American photographer Alfred Stieglitz.
How Jewish Communities Can Help One Another After a Suicide
Adolescent suicide is on the rise in the United States, and data indicates that suicide is a communicable disease, with one spurring others. No community is exempt: Suicide impacts our congregations, our clergy, and our camps.
What It Was Like When Abortion Was a Crime
As the abortion issue continues to divide the United States, I think back to 1968, when I was active in the Clergy Consultation Service, an underground group of Protestant ministers and rabbis dedicated to helping women in need of abortion counseling. Many years later, I still vividly remember the story of one young woman who sought my help.
Have We Forgotten What It Means to Be Outsiders?
Genesis teaches that every person is created in the Divine image. Knowing that, we are instructed to greet each person as if we were greeting God. Yet, too often, we don’t greet others at all; we look right past them.
Why Shabbat Is the Opposite of Busy, and Five Ways to Get in on It
"Busy." It’s a word that rolls off my tongue with such ease that it scares me. Being busy – overscheduled and overcommitted while deeply resenting this state of being – takes a great toll on my physical, psychological, and spiritual wellness. And I'm not alone. Busy has become emblematic of success in our 21st-century society -- and yet, more than ever, people are exhausted, burned out, and desperately seeking refuge from their everyday existence.
Elie Wiesel Calls Us to Pursue Justice
“If I survived, it must be for some reason.” Elie Wiesel spoke those words in a New York Times interview in 1981. Throughout his life, Wiesel lived with purpose and lent meaning to his survival. As a witness to the most extreme atrocities and in his lifetime as an activist, he changed the way we think about human rights and the way we understand our responsibility to each other.
A New Moment to Come Together Against Islamophobia
This week, the Jewish community celebrates Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, a holy day that continues through today.* While we in the Jewish community are celebrating a new month, the Muslim community is observing Eid al-Fitr, one of two Muslim festival holidays commemorating the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the beginning of the month of Shawwal.
This confluence of celebrations is bound to happen because both Judaism and Islam follow a lunar calendar. But even the fundamental fact that both faith traditions follow a lunar calendar is an important reminder that we have more in common than what makes us different. The coinciding holidays remind us to celebrate the similarities of our faith traditions, exploring the values, teachings, or practices that unite us.
"I Belong at Jewish Camp": Celebrating a Diverse Community
URJ Crane Lake Camp, a Reform Jewish summer camp in Stockbridge, MA, recently released this beautiful video about what it means to be a Reform Jew, both at summer camp and beyond. In sharing the video, Crane Lake posted, “We are all different and unique and yet so similar. Being Jewish isn’t about what you look like or where you come from. It’s about how it makes you feel.”
What I Learned When I Volunteered in a German Refugee Shelter
When I asked IsraAID where I could go to help refugees, they told me Berlin. I agreed somewhat reluctantly. Germany was the last place I wanted to go. My mother survived Auschwitz; the rest of her family was not as fortunate. I had a visceral dislike for the country and had never intended to visit it – but I have since changed my mind.