A Brief History of Jews and Presidential Politics
American Jewish leaders used to insist that there is no such thing as “Jewish politics,” but their actions tell a quite different story.
Mixed Multitude: On Judaism and Racial Justice
We carry memories of racial solidarity past even as we turn a blind eye to racial injustice today. We love to celebrate our legacy as leaders in the civil rights movement, forgetting, by the way, how many Jews 50 years ago thought we should keep our heads down and stay out of it. We pat ourselves on the back with pictures of Rabbi Heschel marching with Rev. Dr. King, even as we let that legacy lapse. As one of my colleagues put it: “Are we just running on the fumes of Heschel?” When did prophetic zeal turn to privileged complacence? How did solidarity turn to silence and separation?
My Love Affair with Cuba’s Jewish Community
My love affair with Cuba’s Jewish community began in 2005, with my first mission to the country, where I quickly learned that my guitar did all the talking.
My Jewish Manic Episode
Mania can be challenging. Normally, it’s fairly easy to act properly and lawfully. But when much of your brain is malfunctioning, it can be difficult, if not impossible.
#10YearChallenge: The Struggle for Equal Pay Remains
Here’s what you can do to ensure that we continue to make progress toward pay equity.
Cold: Prayer for a Chilly Shabbat
Snow days can be fun; not so this kind of cold. It was colder in Chicago this week than it was in the North Pole.
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah – Mishpatim: When Judaism Calls Us to Speak Out Courageously
Parashat Mishpatim presents a full catalog of laws, rituals, observance, and obligations that guide us in living a Jewish life of moral depth and courage. But, Rabbi Rick Jacobs asks, how do we, as liberal Jews regard these laws – which of them are we obligated to observe, and how?
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah – T'rumah: Building a Sacred Space
Parashat T'ruma describes building a mishkan, a sacred space, and the first central praying place in Jewish life. People were asked to give both their skills and their material possessions to build it, and together they created something both beautiful and portable.