How We Celebrate Purim with Our Twin Congregation in Israel
While the Purim celebrations and unpacking of lessons continue, we continue to explore other ways to celebrate - including partnering with our "twin" sisterhood in Israel.
6 Statistics to Remember from Pew's Survey of Israelis
Much of the Jewish world has been abuzz since the Pew Research Center released results from its recent survey of Israeli society last week.
The New Zionism: Driven By Innovation in Technology
A new Zionism has emerged. It’s taking many forms, but most dramatically, I've discovered it in the startup companies that are transforming Israel into a high-tech powerhouse and an engine for improving the quality of life for millions of people worldwide.
Growing Pains: How to Teach a Young Israel to Embrace Its Diversity
How do we teach the full story while fostering a love for our homeland? Recently, I led a URJ Roswell Klal Yisrael Fellowship program Israel trip for a group of international Reform teens. We got to meet Rabbi Noa Sattath, Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC). Noa discussed how, in some of Israel’s religious neighborhoods, when an advertisement features an “exposed” female model (sometimes the only part ‘exposed’ being her face!), religious men hurry to cover it up.
Israel Education Demands Putting the Learner at the Center
How do we teach the full story while fostering a love for our homeland? The Israel I grew up with – the Israel of the 6-Day war, the Israel of the Munich massacre, of Entebbe and the 1977 European Basketball championship – is not the Israel that resonates with young people today. Today’s youth are not as willing to take on Israel “hook, line and sinker” the way many of my generation did. They have easy access to information, form their own opinions, and want to be heard. They demand discourse, diversity and accountability.
New Sentencing Commission Report Finds High Recidivism Rates
Earlier this month, the U.S. Sentencing Commission released a comprehensive report on the recidivism of federal offenders.
How Do We Teach the Full Story of Israel?
When it comes to teaching our youth about Israel, how do we foster both a deep love and a nuanced understanding of the issues at the same time? How and when do we teach a view of Israel to our children that embraces her beauty and history, her challenges and shortcomings? How do we equip our youth to learn, to enquire, and to develop their own informed understanding of her complexities? How do we teach the full story while fostering a love for our homeland?
Purim, Bed Rest, and a Hidden God: A Pregnant Rabbi's Modern-Day Midrash
Purim is coming, a wild holiday that holds its place alongside Yom Kippur and Passover as a dramatic story in the Hebrew Bible’s accounts of redemption and revelation. But, unlike these other stories, Megillat Esther does not mention God. How can this be? According to the ancient rabbis, God is hidden.
Purim: A Time to Reflect on Religious Freedom Worldwide
On Purim, we celebrate the story of Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai, who saved the Jews of Persia from Haman’s plot to kill them.