Archive
As we noted the other day, the glory days of journalism for pay are alive and well here at New Voices: We’re looking for current students interested in positions as blog editor, opinions editor and as staff writers. Full details on all that are over here. And as if that isn’t amazing enough, we’re also […]
The Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories has long been a controversial topic in the United States, especially on college campuses. Personal identity can influence how people view the conflict, causing some to assume that this discussion is, or should be, conducted strictly along ethno-religious lines. This assumption, however, has the potential to chill speech and push dissenters out of their communities. As a Jewish and African American student critical of Israeli policy and involved in Palestinian solidarity organizing at U.C. Santa Cruz, I experience this firsthand.
The image has become a classic in our pop culture lexicon: Charlton Heston, arms outstretched, robe billowing about him as if wrapped in a thundercloud. He turns from the teeming masses below him toward the sea and, with a voice equal parts prophet and politician, cries out, “Behold his mighty hand.” The sea parts. People cross on dry land. Music swells. “ABC’s presentation of ‘The Ten Commandments’ will conclude after these messages.” Thankful for the brief interlude, we race to relieve our bladders.
There was a time when journalism attracted the best, the brightest, and the boldest. Journalists were brilliant and famous, changing the way the world saw the world. And yes, they even got paid for this. At New Voices, we’re keeping that era around. New Voices Magazine is a national, independent magazine written by and for Jewish […]
There’s something fundamentally Jewish about celebrating the lives of our great teachers. The challenge is in how we celebrate, whether with somber intention or with a sense of fun. JTA highlights an example of this debate in the musical “Soul Doctor,” which explores the life and times of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, known across movement lines as […]
The last few weeks have been mixed for Matisyahu: from a successful album release, to the controversy surrounding his recent re-liberalizing. On his official Facebook page, the reggae star has started responding to critics who haven’t taken too kindly to his ditching the kippah and tzitzit and, it seems, the Orthodox way of life. On July […]
In light of his new record, “Spark Seeker,” out now, I interviewed over the phone Matisyahu to discuss his body of work, the recording process and his creative future. The intent was to approach the music, rather than the chatter surrounding Matisyahu’s appearance. For a taste of that music, click the link above for information […]
If there’s one thing Matisyahu wants to make clear, it’s that he, like his music, can’t be easily understood in simple terms, in boxes or categories. “I’m a varied artist, I don’t really have my foot stuck into one genre,” he explains in my recent interview with him. Important words from a man whose career has often depended on the assumptions brought on by labels: “Jewish.” “Orthodox.” “Reggae.”
But perhaps we’re getting ahead of ourselves. First things first: “OMG, did u c Matis w/o his yamikkuh (sp.?)???” “LOL! i no, rite?”
I hate New Year’s resolutions. I apologize to those of you who committed to some sort of positive change in your lives at the beginning of 2012 or of 5772, but I think that our current system of once-a-year goal-setting is silly. The problem with New Year’s resolutions is evident from their title: They only happen once a year! We decide to go to the gym on a daily basis on Rosh Hashanah, and by Sukkot most of us are already attempting to convince ourselves that shaking the lulav counts as a legitimate workout. In the Jewish world that I envision, effort toward self-improvement would be the foundation for all of what we do. We would set personal kavanot (intentions) on a monthly, weekly or even daily basis, and the result would be a thoughtful, purposeful community, constantly working to become better Jews and better human beings.