Must We Attend all the Shuls?
Even in normal times, too many people suffer from FOMO, the fear of missing out, the result of attempting to live, as the kids say, “all the lives.”
Confronting Passover, 1865
By 1865, it seemed self-evident that American emancipation resonated with biblical emancipation in powerful ways. But it had not always been so: This new resonance of meaning captured the hearts of American Jews only during the vicissitudes of the Civil War. Before the Civil War, most American Jews did not oppose slavery. There were exceptions, but most Jews voted Democrat, and Democrats were tolerant of slavery. The anti-slavery parties were tarred with nativism, which was distasteful and threatening to a Jewish community composed largely of immigrants and first-generation Americans. And many, including such luminaries as the Reform rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise and the Orthodox rabbi Morris Raphall, considered acceptance of American slavery consonant with the Bible, which documents slavery and sets parameters for its practice within the Israelite community.
The White House’s Direct Line to the Ultra-Orthodox May Save Lives
“Unusual times call for unusual measures, so it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise when a key aide to the president of the United States convenes a conference call with leading ultra-Orthodox rabbis, only to urge them to follow government instructions.”—Nathan Guttman
Jewish Objects Project Round-up
“I’m not materialistic, but I believe in the power of things to evoke people, places, days of one’s life.” These words inspired us to launch the Jewish Objects Project, where we asked Moment readers to share photos and stories of things that inspire meaning and memories of their own. Below is a collection of some of our favorites.
Natan Sharansky’s Advice for Coronavirus Isolation
Sharansky, the refusnik who spent nine years in a Soviet prison, gives advice for those facing self-quarantine.
Jewish Word | Challah
The word “challah” made its first appearance more than 2,500 years ago.
Anti-Semitism Monitor February Findings
Many of the anti-Semitic occurrences in February read like the anti-Semitic incidents of January. There were frequents cases of vandalism and anti-Semitic graffiti—particularly swastika graffiti...
Ask the Rabbis | What Is Anti-Semitism?
Anti-Semitism is a culture of commonly held malicious assumptions and attitudes toward Jews and Judaism.
Gen Z Meets Dr. Ruth
What does Dr Ruth, a 91-year-old sex therapist who seems to have done it all have to say to a 22-year-old who grew up with little to no sexual taboos?
What Would A Bernie-Bloomberg Match Look Like?
In terms of the Jewish community, a Sander vs. Bloomberg match would be a moment of pride mixed with a fair amount of communal oy vey. The pride part is obvious. The oy vey relates to the not unreasonable concern over the rise of anti-Semitic stereotypes relating to either candidate. Clearly, pride overpowers concerns about haters just using this as another reason to hate, but the ride would be a tough one.
The Mystery of the Jewish New Year Valentines
To satisfy the demand of Jewish immigrants for New Year and other greeting cards, innovative American producers started repurposing German-made Valentine’s Day cards.
Jojo Rabbit and the Nice Nazi
Much ink has been spilled on director Taika Waititi's portrayal of Hitler in his Nazi satire Jojo Rabbit, which just won the Academy Award for...