Ben Greenberg, at The Blogs

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Oct 28, 2018, 6:46 PM

The Emergency Button under the Synagogue Lectern

As a pulpit rabbi, the button was a reminder that to live a Jewish life is a potentially fatal act of defiance

Oct 23, 2018, 10:06 AM

The Challenge of Identity Politics in Israel

If we're all supposed to cast ballots based on identity, what about those of us who don't fit in any one box?

Oct 8, 2018, 7:29 PM

Forget nuance, just communicate: Lessons from aliyah

During the past couple months I have been thinking about my grandparents a lot. None of them is still alive, and I was only blessed to know two of them. Each one of them had a unique story and...

Oct 11, 2017, 8:42 PM

One reason observant Jews might not celebrate the birth control rollback

Illustrative photo of birth control pills (Public domain)

There is a reason observant Jews might not celebrate limitations on insurance coverage for birth control

Oct 6, 2016, 8:24 PM

How many times did you stare at the clock this Rosh Hashanah?

Isaiah cried out, "What need do I have for your sacrifices?" Jeremiah audaciously declared that the sacrifices were not even commanded, but rather only to follow God and listen to God's voice. Samuel rhetorically asked what is more important...

May 18, 2016, 2:42 AM

The Emperor Has No Clothes: Reflections on Authority, Leadership and Meaning in the American Jewish Community

November 15, 1825 shall be remembered forever as a watershed moment in American Jewish history. As Dr. Jonathan Sarna describes in his book, American Judaism: Given the spirit of the age and the fortunate availability of funding, it comes as no...

Apr 13, 2016, 9:52 PM

Are we really looking for unity?

We hear the word 'unity' everywhere nowadays. Politicians promise to unite the country in almost every speech. Rabbis encourage their congregants to develop greater Jewish achdut, unity. One of the greatest buzzwords of our era is certainly unity. What...

Apr 6, 2016, 5:00 AM

This blog post is not that important

Build a lively, inclusive, passionate, intellectually curious Jewish community, and don't be afraid of the blogosphere

Mar 31, 2016, 7:41 PM

Do You Live in a Jewish Bubble?

What does it mean when a member of Israel's Knesset can declare Reform Jews a "disaster for the Jewish people"? What does it mean when the biggest insult a communal pundit can offer is that you are acting like...

Mar 30, 2016, 10:20 PM

Making Room for Theological Doubt

There are some things that we do not discuss in public. We do not discuss our financial health nor our marital health. Within the Jewish community, we almost certainly never discuss our theological health. Sit in any kosher cafe...

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About Me

Ben Greenberg is a rabbi, software developer and educator. He has worked as a campus rabbi at Harvard University and as a pulpit rabbi in Denver, CO. He currently works as a software developer in Tel Aviv. He lives with his family in Israel and is originally from San Diego, CA.

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