Samuel Griswold
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Samuel Griswold

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Aug 2, 2016, 11:17 AM
Turkish Coup or Crackdown on Democracy?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is reported to once have said “that democracy, for him, is like a bus ride… ‘Once I get to my stop, I’m getting off.” Once seen as a kind of democratic reformer, Erdogan has...
Dec 10, 2015, 7:24 AM
Hanukkah Celebrates Freedom of Belief
Today, our world is terrorized by those who refuse to accept diversity and the beliefs of others, as being equal to their own.  ISIS slaughters Christians, Yazidis, Shia Muslims and anyone else who doesn't convert and conform to their...
Nov 6, 2015, 8:10 AM
Rubio’s Novel Approach
In my new novel, True Identity, I portray the fictional President Sandoval as a leader who passionately defends human rights and the protection of minority groups around the world.  He is motivated by personal experience, as the son of Cuban...
Sep 25, 2015, 9:21 AM
No Pope? What if Rome had become Jewish?
This week, Pope Francis is making his first visit to the United States. He is treated with a unique respect unlike any other world leader.  But what if there was no Papacy?  What if there was no Pope? Most of...
Aug 14, 2015, 10:42 AM
Shabbat: A Spiritual Staycation
JewishNomad.com is all about Jewish travel.  But what if you can't get away?  What if your finances, work schedule, or family's needs keep you from going too far?  Then why not staycation? Readers Digest defines a staycation as "a way...
May 2, 2015, 8:39 PM
America, Israel Should Support Turkey’s Peoples’ Democratic Party
For many, the Arab Spring held the promise of bringing democracy and freedom to the Middle East. From Tunisia to Iran, we saw protestors take to the street and, in many cases, dictators fell. In Syria and Libya, civil...
Apr 22, 2015, 3:31 PM
ISIS destroys origins of monotheism
Islamic State (ISIS) shocked the world with the recent release of a YouTube video showing its destruction of the ruins of the ancient city of Nimrud, also known as Calah.  Militants attacked the 3300 year old archeological site with...
Feb 10, 2015, 7:14 AM
Roots of the Tree of Life
Each spring, Jews around the world celebrate Tu b'Shevat, the New Year of Trees.  Some plant trees at home, or in Israel.  Others gather for a Tu b'Shevat Seder, a mystical ceremony whose origins go back to the Kabbalists...
Dec 19, 2014, 8:33 AM
Why Everyone Should Love Hanukkah
For many in America, Hanukkah has become the "Jewish Christmas." This is true among both more liberal Christians and Jews, as well as secularists, all of whom focus on the cultural and commercial aspects of both Hanukkah and Christmas....
Dec 12, 2014, 10:06 AM
Jewish Renewal Through Sufi Mysticism
In my last article (Jewish Contributions To Sufi Mysticism), we talked about how Sufi mystics were influenced by the ideas and theories of their Jewish contemporaries.  For almost 1000 years, there was a borrowing and sharing of ideas from...
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About Me
Sam Griswold grew up as a Jew in Alaska without formal Jewish education, but proud and curious. His struggle with a spinal cord injury prompted him to question and then renew his faith in God and Judaism. He is the author of the novel "True Identity," now available on Amazon.