Article Archive

Masorti Jews to ordain gays, lesbians; Reconstructionists lose leader in Israel; and more. (Required Reading)

By John Propper | April 20, 2012

Prominent Reconstructionist rabbi passes away (z”l) (Reconstructionist Rabbinical College) The Reconstructionist movement has announced that Rabbi Jack Cohen, an influential leader within the movement, has passed away at the age of 93. Cohen (z”l) was close to Reconstructionist figurehead Mordecai Kaplan. “He held various positions with the Foundation and with the Society for the Advancement…

20 and Pregnant (and Married) [Modern Unorthodox]

By Simi Lichtman | April 19, 2012

I walked into my high school classmate’s wedding last week and was unexpectedly overwhelmed with babies. Apparently, since our class’ last wedding/reunion (that is what they really are, after all), half my classmates had gone and gotten knocked up by their husbands. I still don’t feel mature enough to be choosing our country’s next president…

Playing politics: labeling political opponents anti-Semites

By David A.M. Wilensky | April 19, 2012

JTA has published a new op-ed by me, a response to an piece by some Zionist Organization of America honchos published in JTA earlier this week: Op-Ed: Title VI should be used only on true hatemongers, not political opponents By David A.M. Wilensky NEW YORK (JTA) – In the eyes of the Zionist Organization of…

On Remembering [Yom Hashoah]

By pkessler | April 19, 2012

I never know what to do on Yom Hashoah. Some students read names in the library foyer – a powerful experience, especially in a room with vaulted ceilings where sound reverberates throughout the entrence of the building. Some educators strive to reach out, to teach the messages of the Holocaust so that everyone, not just…

‘Get over’ the Holocaust?

By Simi Lichtman | April 19, 2012

When the paper I run, The Beacon, ran an op-ed entitled “Why it’s Time for Jews to Get Over the Holocaust,” the reaction was incensed. In fact, it was more than incensed. Readers were so wounded by the suggestion that they “get over” an event so personal and so tragic for so many of them that…

Yom Hashoah, Stonybrook no longer to close on Jewish holidays, and more [Required Reading]

By pkessler | April 19, 2012

Israeli band to perform on Yom Hashoah in Germany [JTA] Acclaimed Israeli group Balkan Beat Box (above), once members of the now defunct JDub label, were scheduled to perform Wednesday in Munich, Germany. The group released a statement saying that the scheduling was an unfortunate coincidence, but they intended to perform nonetheless. Stonybrook no longer…

Yiddish theater for anglophones

By Rachel M. Cohen | April 18, 2012

A production of an erotic Isaac Bashevis Singer story raises questions about the role of Yiddish theater.

Patrilineal conversion; inclusive mikveh; and more. [Required Reading]

By John Propper | April 18, 2012

Rabbinically intermarried [Sh’ma] Can a couple, both intensely devoted to their particular expression of Judaism, co-exist in a household? (Probably.) The more prudent question is… What does that look like? Rabbi Julie Adler, Director of the B’rit Milah Program of Reform Judaism, shares her own experience: “We’re each pretty certain that our way of observing Judaism…

Jewish media mogul compares Palestinian people to unicorns [pause, not]

By Harpo Jaeger | April 17, 2012

Apparently Facebook is more accepting of Palestinian peoplehood than, oh, I don’t know, Newt Gingrich. Obviously, this joke was too good to be missed, so I posted this very screenshot to Facebook earlier today. David (the Editor here) aptly pointed out that Facebook isn’t actually claiming that the Palestinians are a people, just that there do in…

When joking crosses the line [Stereotypes]

By pkessler | April 17, 2012

I am Jewish, and in my eyes this gives me the right to be self-depreciating. It’s the same for every culture I have encountered: each pokes fun at themselves slyly amongst themselves and (usually) gets offended if an outsider tries to do the same. So when I read Howard Meyer’s critique of tired Jewish stereotypes…

Oy with the Jewish stereotypes already; Palestinian prisoner hunger strike; Free the press, and more [Required Reading]

By pkessler | April 17, 2012

Stereotypes, Oy [Huffington Post] Howard Meyer laments the longevity of unflattering Jewish stereotypes, claiming they are representative of the prejudices of a few discontents years ago and have little relevancy in today’s Jewish communities. He cites examples from the Seinfeld episode “The Yada Yada”, above, in which Jerry’s dentist converts to Judaism “for the jokes”,…

Judaism? There’s an app for that

By Gabe Weinstein | April 16, 2012

Educating a new generation of Jewish learners

Women, the Kotel, and me. [Gender]

By John Propper | April 16, 2012

The strongest people in my life have always been women. I didn’t plan for that. It just happened. Growing up in a restrictive, uber-religious environment, I am familiar with every scripture (both Jewish and Christian) used throughout history to justify the inferior treatment of women. And yet, like something out of a fairy tale or…

Gender and public prayer; god language in liturgy; and more. [Required Reading]

By John Propper | April 16, 2012

Gender and the Wall [Tikkun] The gender segregation at the heart of politics surrounding the Western Wall has been increasingly contentious over the last few years. In this blog from Tikkun Magazine, Joan Reiss explores the challenges often faced by the Women of the Wall, an activist group seeking the equality of women… well, at the…

Hazing at Boston Jewish fraternity [News]

By John Propper | April 13, 2012

JTA reports that members of the now-defunct Boston University branch of Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi are under investigation following apparent hazings. The disturbing article reads: “Police responding to a noise complaint early Monday morning discovered the Boston University students in the basement of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house. The men were found bound together…