Journalism by Jewish college students, for Jewish college students.
I have written in the past about my experiences with gender, privilege, Jewish ritual, and the need to find new and creative ways to engage both men and women ritually. Women, I’ve argued, should be encouraged to try out more traditionally masculine rituals, and men should be encouraged to try out more feminine rituals. There…
In this week’s Torah portion, Naso, we receive two new laws. First, is the law of Sotah, a process in which women accused of adultery are given a special water that will prove whether they are innocent or guilty, then the Nazirite, someone who has taken a special oath to not drink alcohol, cut…
Throughout the last few weekly readings, things have been going quite well for the Hebrew tribes—nothing bad has really happened and everyone is excited to have the Tabernacle up and running. This week in Parashat Shmini, still on the high of the last few weeks, we move to the last day of sacrifices, with the…
When I first started to attend a local Orthodox shul, I approached with what could be considered a strong level of trepidation. I grew up mainly Conservative, and considered myself as falling somewhere between the lines of Conservative and Reform. When I thought of Orthodoxy, I thought of my Pop’s narrow-minded uncle who never struck…
Jon Stewart has occasionally joked about the inferiority of Jewish holidays when compared with our Christian counterparts. He’s lamented the cardboard taste of matzah, expressed his jealousy at the yummy chocolates given out on Easter, and generally represented the sentiments of many Jewish Americans that our calendar of holidays is not quite so fun. Well,…
Who could have predicted that LMFAO’s 2009 Top Forty Hit would actually later double as the soundtrack for our 2012 presidential debate season? Such keen cultural insight, such profound political understanding. Debate drinking games are all the rage right now. Facebook statuses and Twitter references are aflood. To give a brief historical overview of the…
This reading list also counts for Friday. Can’t get enough Jewish a cappella? You’re in luck! Kol HaOlam, the first Jewish student a cappella competition, took place this past weekend, and some videos are here. [Gather the Jews] Speaking of Jewish a cappella, here’s the Pesach offering from the Fountainheads. Rebuttal, Maccabeats? And speaking of…