Journalism by Jewish college students, for Jewish college students.
You may not have heard, but there’s this new thing all the hip kids are using now, called the Internet. It’s the only place you can find bigfoot porn and chinchillas playing piano seconds apart from each other. And there are useful, sane things too. For instance, we can do all our banking online, learn a new…
Off the path, on the prowl [Slate] This might be the most fascinating article about former Orthodox Jews learning to navigate the complicated waters of love, lust, and being around… “the rest of us.” (Plus, the title is a winner; just click and see what we mean.) Meet Israel Irenstein, coach to the socially awkward, no-longer-frum….
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama announced new sanctions on Iran and Syria and a renewed commitment to preventing genocide and mass atrocities. “We need to be doing everything we can to prevent and respond to these kinds of atrocities, because national sovereignty is never a license to slaughter your people,” Obama said at the United…
Making Hatikvah accessible for the rest of Israel [Forward] Is Hatikvah a song for only a portion of its population? What about Israeli Arabs? In this fascinating piece from the Jewish Daily Forward, the question is explored, Can this anthem be modified to reflect the diversity that Israel houses? “‘The successful integration of Israeli Arabs into…
Urban Outfitters recently released a shirt whose insignia bears a resemblance to the Star of David bearing the word JUDE that Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust. The ADL wasted no time in condemning the Philadelphia based clothing brand, saying that it is not the first time they have marketed clothing considered offensive….
Yom Ha’atzmaut Sameach! [JTA] Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu wishes constituents a happy independence day. For those who don’t speak Hebrew, the cat and parrot at the end should make it clear that even for Hebrew speakers, this message is bizarre. Click the embedded link for the English version, as well as an insightful discussion about…
…the 41st annual National Jewish Student Journalism Conference, May 20-22 @ the NYU Bronfman Center in NYC, to be exact. It’s less than a month away and early-bird registration ends next Friday, May 4. After that registration goes up $10. You should come. Check it out on Facebook and get details here. Register and get more details…
Tradition, innovation, and Jewish Renewal [Zeek] This interview with author and scholar Chava Weissler explores Weissler’s latest book on ancient Jewish women’s prayers. Weissler also talks about her study of Jewish Renewal and the creation of Havurot (and the differences between the two approaches to Judaism), her relationship to Israel through the years, and more: “Yes!…
Cultural appropriation is, for lack of a better word, weird. An indisputable part of our cultural milieu, the lines have been blurred in an increasingly global world until origins and intent are nearly invisible. So when I read about how Israeli gas marks have been appropriated by Americans in order to smoke Marijuana, I…
Your bong’s military history [Forward] The gas mask bong, which has grown in popularity over the past few years, a phenomena some sellers are attributing to fellow Jew Seth Rogan’s character in 2007’s “Knocked Up”, has a hidden origin. Many of the rubber products being sold in the U.S. were originally produced in Israel, presumably…
One of the few Hillels in the country controlled by the local Jewish federation, the University of Chicago’s Hillel board was fired late last month by the Chicago federation in a disagreement over governance. Still controlling the university’s Hillel, the federation has appointed an interim executive director as they conduct a national search for a…
A few days ago, our Required Reading ran a story about Stonybrook University in New York. College officials have announced that the school’s schedule will now be fixed according to a secular calendar. In other words, no cancellations due to the High Holy Days for Jewish students. Certain Christian holidays, barring things like Christmas, will…
Orthodox rabbi “comes out” as LGBT ally [Jewish Journal] In this compelling piece from the Jewish Journal, Orthodox rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz expresses his feelings on the “LGBT issue,” hitting some key points about the debate on sexuality and religion. Yanklowitz writes: “I began to wonder if I was failing at making myself accessible enough to students…
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…
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…