Journalism by Jewish college students, for Jewish college students.
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?”
With the use of technology on the rise and our interconnectedness increasing, it is no surprise that for many Jews, the intersection of worship and tech — iPads, Kindles, projections screens, you name it — would be the next step. To understand the reasons for this and its implications, we spoke to Rabbi Daniel Medwin, publishing technology manager for the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Reform rabbinic organization, about the movement’s much-praised iT’filah siddur app and what it may mean for the future.
Reform rabbi added to religious council in Israel [Times of Israel] Mazel tov to the most recent addition to one of the many religious councils in Israel: a position typically held by Orthodox authorities. “Rabbi Alona Lisitsa said she did not feel hostility from the rest of the representatives — all Orthodox — of the local…
Today’s Required Reading is done, but this story was too great not to share. Y-Love, Orthodox rapper, has come out of the closet. While these kinds of stories can get old really fast due to their gossip-ready flair, this one is particularly touching because of the artist’s own thoughts on why it was time to…
Does Bugs Bunny have a thing against Arabs? [Tablet] In this piece from Tablet Magazine, Marc Tracy takes a look at some of the Arabic stereotypes in Bugs’ cartoons, in light of accusations that the work fuels hatred and mistrust of Arabs in general. “Thing is, she has a point! 1957′s ‘Ali Baba Bunny‘ is a little…
Haredim and the Internet… part whatever [Haaretz] Hmm… so it’s tough to know what to make of it, but whatever you think, it’s an intriguing report. Maya Epstein writes: “To put things into proportion, both the Arab and Haredi communities are relatively impoverished, and their proportion of households with Internet is lower. But among those who…
Is ‘TED’ all it’s cracked up to be? [Tablet] In this piece from Tablet Magazine, Liel Leibovitz explores the popularity of the TED series of educational videos, and claims that the TED-Ed program (new from the series) leaves some things to be desired: “Which is not to say that there’s no room for video, audio, and…
With the announcement that Jewish reggae/rapper/pop artist Matisyahu would be releasing a new album on July 17th (Spark Seeker, be there or be… not there) came the news that the artist would also offer a free download of its lead single. Above is the video. Click through for more info on how to get an…
Anat Hoffman, Women of the Wall, featured on CNN [Umm, CNN?] This is a little late in coming, but this great piece about Anat Hoffman, women’s rights in Israel, etc., is currently on the CNN “Amanpour” blog. Written by Samuel Burke, this is one of the widest recent exposures of the Israeli organization. “Hoffman is the…
Anytime an entertainer (actor, musician, novelist, you name it) passes away, it seems the collective culture leaps up and cries, “They were one of my favorites!” See the Internet on Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Davy Jones, Dick Clark, et cetera. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, especially when it’s true. But for every heartfelt…
Bob Marley’s heirs to Israeli MK: “Stop using ‘Iron Lion Zion’” [Haaretz] Given the title of the Bob Marley song, it’s probably a given that someone might think to use it for Israel-related material (propaganda or otherwise). But it seems a recent use of the song has raised the ire of Bob Marley’s heirs. Haaretz reports:…
Not Jewish enough [Huffington Post] While it is widely known that the Orthodox world does not accept the halachic decisions of the non-Orthodox (Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, etc.), including their conversions, being one of those converts carries with it a certain emotional weight: the knowledge that, for many, you just aren’t “Jewish enough.” In this powerful piece,…