Blog

No, Thank *You* For Your Service

Rabbi Lawrence Freedman
November 1, 2023
It wasn't because of 9/11. It wasn't because I had a tradition of military service in my family. And while the pay and benefits are nice, it wasn't for those reasons, either. That wasn't why I joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves in 2003 and later switched to the Air National Guard. I joined for the same reason I became a rabbi: I have a desire to serve others and be part of something larger than myself.

Artists, Authors, Activists, and More: Four Inspiring Indigenous Jewish Women

Crystal Hill
October 31, 2023
In honor of Native American heritage month, I’m excited to share with you four women whose intersecting Jewish and Indigenous identities have influenced their work as authors, artists, actors, activists, lawyers, and musicians. These women come from a wide array of ages, cultures, and locations; their work speaks to the ways that Jewish values of justice, learning, and belonging overlap with Indigenous culture.

Crypto-Foods: A Warm Embrace and the Triumph of Survival

Crystal Hill
October 16, 2023
During the Spanish Inquisition, there were plenty of ways that one could be identified as a Jew. One way people would identify their neighbors as Jews was observing whether they would eat non-kosher food that was popular with the Christian population such as pork, sausage, or fish without scales.

Judgment Days

Kerry Leaf
September 21, 2023
Some label Rosh HaShanah and the period between the New Year and Yom Kippur as "Judgment Days," a time during which the trajectory of our lives for the coming year is reached.