An End

By bbarer December 30, 2010

In some ways it feels like yesterday that I walked into this apartment for the first time, toured Pardes for the first time, and met the people who turned out to make up what came to be a fantastic and interesting community of friends. In reality, however, nearly four months have passed. A few weeks…

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The Reading List: Texas Christian Jews

By Ben Sales December 29, 2010

Several dozen Jewish students are going to the Rose Bowl to cheer on their school: Texas Christian University. [JTA] American students studying abroad in Israel live in a bubble. [JW] Apparently, my Jewish high school has raised $20 million in one month to build a new building. [Chicago Tribune] Protests grow against the Haredim in…

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The Conflict Over the Temple Mount Has Been Solved!

By jmerkin December 29, 2010

By a 24-year-old. The New York Observer reports that the Temple Mount is another “venue” to succumb to the mercy of four-square. Ariela Ross, editor of a geek culture website Walyou, has checked in to the Al Aqsa Mosque area the highest number of times, and has, therefore, been crowned Mayor of the what the…

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A Wake Up Call

By akinman December 29, 2010

“Who’s Hitler?” That is what my friend was asked the other day by a coworker while finishing up work. At first, I thought it was a joke. Then, I realized he wasn’t smiling. Literally in shock, I continued to ask my friend how could someone be so uninformed. He continued to surprise me by responding,…

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The JVP Conversation Continues…

By Ben Sales December 28, 2010

Does Jewish Voice for Peace deserve to be included at Hillel? Lots of people in the Jewish community have been asking this question, and New Voices has been driving the conversation on this issue during the past couple of weeks. In case you’re not on our email list, Facebook page or Twitter feed, here —…

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The Reading List: Sorry, Jewish Boys…

By Ben Sales December 28, 2010

Natalie Portman is engaged and pregnant. [People] American Football hits Israel, a step up from the storied Jerusalem yeshiva boys’ flag football league. [NYT] All the young Jews get together on Christmas Eve. [JIDaily] Seven YU high school students will get to take a class with a renowned Israeli author. [YNet] Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian…

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The Reading List: YU gets a Chabad…

By Ben Sales December 27, 2010

To reach out to all of those wayward YU Jews… [Frum Satire] How inflated is your grade? [NYT] Even on your e-reader, the siddur stays shomer shabbat. [JPost] Newsflash: Religious expression is okay on campus. [HuffPo] Is Zionism Satanism? This bishop says so. [NYT Lede]

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Will American Jewry Survive?

By mmoncaster December 27, 2010

Apparently, we have 20 percent more Jews. With the latest release of an American Jewish population study by researchers at Brandeis University, those fretting about the long-term prospects of the community can presumably breathe a little easier. If, as the study claims, there are over six million Jews in the United States today, it would…

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Witz: Incomprehensibly pretentious prose written in an invented syntax

By David A.M. Wilensky December 27, 2010

“Witz,” an 817-page tome purporting to be a novel by Joshua Cohen, has been sitting on my shelf for months. I have read fifteen pages of it. I have never been so bored by a “novel” I was so excited for. The premise had me anticipating the arrival of “Witz” with bated breath. At the…

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The Reading List: Another A-List Intermarriage

By Ben Sales December 23, 2010

This time it’s between Lauren Bush, Dubya’s niece, and MOT David Lauren, son of designer Ralph. Lauren Lauren anyone? [From Under the Fig Tree] Breaking story from Fox News: Elie Wiesel won the Holocaust! [Mediaite] It turns out American Jews aren’t an endangered species. [Forward] Stuck for plans on Christmas Eve? Here’s what the rabbis suggest….

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Time To Act

By bbarer December 23, 2010

I have spent my entire life living in the world of formal educational environments. I have learned a lot while doing so, and am immensely comfortable in such a setting. Since high school especially, much of the learning I have been exposed to — western philosophy and in-depth Jewish text study — has had a…

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The Codex is Dead! Long Live the Codex! -or- Why Jews Will Never Fully Switch Over to e-Readers

By David A.M. Wilensky December 23, 2010

Crossposted to Jewschool and The Reform Shuckle The Atlantic has this piece up this week about Shabbat observance issues surrounding e-readers like the Kindle. The article’s worth reading. Three thoughts: 1. Acts of writing should not be at issue here. From the article: E-readers are problematic not only because they are electronic but also because…

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…Let My Right Hand Wither

By bspagat December 23, 2010

Bailey Spagat is participating in Career Israel, one of Masa Israel’s 180 programs.

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If I Forget Thee, O Jerusalem…

By bspagat December 23, 2010

Bailey Spagat is participating in Career Israel, one of Masa Israel’s 180 programs.

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The Reading List: Tzitzis Are Sexy!

By Ben Sales December 22, 2010

But it depends how you wear them. [Leftover Cholent] Ramen noodles, college students’ bread and butter, may lead to chronic illness. Tradition Soup, anyone? [MainStreet] Netanyahu caves to the anti-Zionist students. [Ha’aretz] Don’t get a Ph.D. [The Economist] With DADT over, will the ROTC return to the Ivies? [NYT]

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