What does J Street's motto "Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace" really mean? That question calls for grasping the context of Zionism among Jews in the United States -- aspects of history, largely obscured and left to archives, that can shed light on J Street's current political role.
Exodus teaches us the baseline requirement: not to oppress the stranger. Leviticus magnifies the demand. And Deuteronomy raises the stakes even higher: Loving the stranger is a crucial form of 'walking in God's ways.'
What follows is the text of an address I shared with the members of my Conservative synagogue on January 18th, 2014 during a weekend family retreat. ...
Fifty years later, a faith-based partnership of Blacks and Jews laboring side by side as Dr. King and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marched, and as Cheney, Goodman and Schwerner died, could go a long way toward leading America closer to making Dr. King's dream real for all Americans.
Not only do we have to improve data collection mechanisms and accountability for such crimes, but we must also explore ways to build bridges between communities within our societies to help foster greater mutual understanding among diverse groups.
Once again, in the attempt to make Jesus relevant to the twenty-first century, another of his followers winds up mischaracterizing first-century Judaism.
As we celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I have the good fortune of seeing up close how his efforts continue to promote social justice. I must confess, though, that I sometimes worry about the distance -- some would say tensions -- that exist between blacks and Jews.
A History Slim Peace grew out of a documentary film to become an internationally acclaimed non profit organization. In 2007, Slim Peace founder an...
I almost never pray. But a few months ago, I decided I would go to the Big Man for a big win. We were headed to Green Bay to face a frighteningly good offense led by Aaron Rodgers, and I was pretty certain God wasn't enough -- but I figured, why not?
In the face of such horror, many folks in the West feel powerless to prevent more senseless death in Sudan. In fact, there are two simple steps that each and every American can take right now to make a difference: one for the short-term, one for the long-term.
When it comes to the sensitive issue of Jerusalem and recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, Arab leaders have proved, over and over, that they will not budge under American pressure, and Abbas knows this well.
It is customary during Tu B'Shevat to eat a new fruit, or to eat one of the Seven Species mentioned in the Bible. Being that it is the New Year for trees, I thought it would be the perfect time to make a "tree" resolution. So, mine is to introduce a new fruit or vegetable at least once a month to my kids.
Contemporizing biblical figures is not the end of the story. It's the starting point of a gross misunderstanding. Contemporizing -- and fashioning in your own image -- is one thing, but erasing identities is another matter, a serious matter with serious consequences.
This week, throughout the world, synagogues and Jewish Community Centers will gather to mark Tu B'shevat, the birthday of the trees, by holding specia...
The Jewish community in the United States has been changing, and who takes the court and the field has started to change in response. What passed for history in Ann Arbor last week might become a regular occurrence in the years to come.
We've decided to dedicate the bar mitzva of our second son to life in the communities of Judea and Samaria, with guests and family from Hebron, Itamar, Eli, Gush Etzion, Har Bracha.