Poem | The Leaves
This poem by Rachel Mennies looks to the leaves for signs of resilience and finds them “more alive” for having braved the dark.
The Grace of Photographer Osnat Ben Dov’s “Shadow of a Passing Bird”
“I think for most of us, we’re looking for stability or safety. But life isn’t stable and a surprise is always coming. That’s what makes life, the movement of things.”
Talk of the Table | The Versatile, Vengeful, Volatile Onion
A short history on how onions are used for Jewish cooking and the health benefits of onions of all varieties.
Book Review | An Ancient Book Illuminates Our Troubled Times
The first time I found myself in synagogue for the chanting of the Book of Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes—typically read by Ashkenazi Jews during the Shabbat of Sukkot, the fall harvest festival—my first astonished thought was that I’d wandered into the wrong room, or at least picked up the wrong book.
Book Review | Ukraine’s Zelensky, Warts and All
The rise of Volodymyr Zelensky from comic improv-artist-turned-movie-star, to wealthy producer, to wartime leader of a besieged Ukraine is improbable enough to invite hyperbole.
Letter From Dearborn | Scenes From the Heart of Arab America
“There’s nowhere else in America quite like Dearborn, and nowhere else quite as American,” Jacob Forman observes.
Opinion | At Israeli Seders, Pick Your Pharaoh
This Passover, before or after reading the Haggadah, many Israeli Jews are likely to mention a casual but common Hebrew phrase: “We got past Pharaoh, we will get past this too.”
Jewish Word | Doikayt: The Jewish Left Is Here
Embraced by 1940s Bundists opposed to Zionism, the Yiddish word for “hereness” is being popularized by progressive American Jews.
Opinion Interview with Daniel Klaidman | Are Threats Eroding Our Politics?
Daniel Klaidman, coauthor of “Find me the Votes”, discusses the violent threats received by Georgia officials following the 2020 election.
Moment Debate | Should UNRWA be shut down?
We have a tremendous humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and only UNRWA has the capacity and the wherewithal to implement an effective response, not just today but probably for a year or more.
Interview | Non-Orthodox Conversion in Israel
“If the state of Israel ends the legalization of non-Orthodox conversions, my life’s work would be ended,” says Rabbi Galia Sadan.