Displaying 1 - 10 of 31
How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion
In How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion (Simon & Schuster), Northeastern University Psychology professor David DeSteno asserts that even skeptics, not just believers, can draw strength and comfort from religion in their personal lives.
I Named My Dog Pushkin (and Other Immigrant Tales): Notes from a Soviet Girl on Becoming an American Woman
Margarita Gokun Silver was 20 years old when she left her homeland, the former USSR, to live in the United States. She relates her experiences as a Jewish refugee in a series of darkly funny essays about life in the Soviet Union, family dynamics, and culture shock upon entering "Amerika," as Silver and her high school friends referred to the U.S.
Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood
Shabbat morning, October 27, 2018 marked the day of deadliest antisemitic attack in American history at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mark Oppenheimer’s Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood (Knopf), focuses not on the killer, but on the reactions of Pittsburghers in general, and especially the responses of Squirrel Hill residents.
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah – T'rumah: Building a Sacred Space
Parashat T'ruma describes building a mishkan, a sacred space, and the first central praying place in Jewish life. People were asked to give both their skills and their material possessions to build it, and together they created something both beautiful and portable.
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Wholly Jewish: Bryant: From Tennessee to Iraq and Back
In this episode: We meet veteran Bryant Heinzelman, who shares powerful and impactful moments of his journey as a Jewish man as he travels the world, and how every step along the way has shaped and strengthened his identity.
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Stories We Tell: Bundle of Sticks
There was once a group of friends who were very close. But as they grew up, each went their separate ways. They came together for one last time, and they learned that alone, they can be easily broken; but bundled together, they are stronger than they ever were alone.
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Stories We Tell: The Stolen Smell
Jacob was poor, and had only a piece of bread to eat. Setting out in search of something to put on it, he happened upon a steaming pot of soup in the kitchen of an inn. Though tempted to steal a little, he stopped himself from doing so, and instead enjoyed the wonderful aroma. It was then that the innkeeper caught him and insisted on being paid for the smell. They went to the rabbi to settle the dispute… and his answer may surprise you.
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Stories We Tell: A Drop of Honey
There was once a king and his minister who were eating crackers with honey. When the king spilled a drop, he stopped his minister from cleaning it up, dismissing it as an issue that was not their problem. A surprising chain of events happened, making them – and us - question the nature of responsibility.
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Stories We Tell: The Brisket
There once was a rabbi who traveled to many cities, and he was often invited to stay and have meals wherever he went. Everyone was very hospitable and would ask him what he liked. However, they would then serve him the one thing he said he didn’t like: brisket! Listen to this story find out why this happened everywhere he went, and what we can learn from his experience.
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Stories We Tell: Turn Your Shoes Around
A man has become so unhappy with his life that he decides to leave everything behind and live the rest of his days in paradise. It’s a two day journey, so when he stops for the night he points his shoes in the direction he needs to continue on in the morning. Somehow, the shoes get turned around overnight! Does he ever make it to paradise? Cantor Rosalie Boxt retells the story. For a similar version of this story, see When Shelmiel Went to Warsaw in “The Jewish Story Finder: A Guide to 668 Tales Listing Subjects and Sources” by Sharon Barcan Elswit.
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