Blog

Dear Israel: A Story of Love and Longing

Ellie Rudee
In the pages of a hand-drawn picture book, your story first unfolded before me, telling the tale of my parents' first journey together to your distant lands.

Becoming B’nei Mitzvah at Any Age

Kate Bigam Kaput
Terms like "bar mitzvah," "bet mitzvah," and "bat mitzvah" typically evoke images of teens reading from the Torah and formally taking their place within the Jewish community. But many Reform congregations offer adult b'nei mitzvah classes, enabling people to participate in this ritual later in life.

Five Definitions of Antisemitism

Rabbi Toby H. Manewith
As antisemitism continues to threaten American democracy, many are looking for a concise, objective definition to use in online exchanges, schools, and universities to decide if a derisive comment or chanted epithet is legally actionable.

Sam Griffin: Aftermath

Jean Bloch Rosensaft
Israeli artist Sam Griffin's paintings, forged in the crisis of war, convey the human capacity for healing and hope for a peaceful future for Israel and humankind.

I Have No Other Land

Rabbi Josh Scharff
This year, Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, finds me in a place that the past 10 years have not: in my birth country, the United States. My journey to and from Israel includes chapters that people can instinctively understand: a year of protesting judicial overhaul in Israel, the events of October 7th, and the bitter war in which we are still immersed.

Five Ways Adults Can Support Jewish Teen Mental Health

Rabbi Isaama Goldstein-Stoll
Rachel Margolis, RJE
Here are five key takeaways from the study, “Strength, Stress, and Support: A Portrait of Jewish Well-Being,” for adults looking to support teens’ mental health.

Welcoming Baby

Rabbi Jen Gubitz
A brand-new baby is an astonishing being! How a tiny human could emerge from a mere bundle of cells, and the simple fact that any human being exists earthside, is truly remarkable.

Making the Target

Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz
The road of life rarely unfolds according to plan. There are undoubtedly going to be potholes, detours, and bad weather to contend with. But these challenges cultivate growth by compelling us to reroute in ways that reveal previously undiscovered capacities for self-reliance, resourcefulness, and reimagination.