Constructive Conflict

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Robbie Gringras

Jan 16, 2025, 2:37 PM

The limits of our tolerance? ‘Mere Civility’ in wartime

Over this past year the Jewish community in the USA has found the limits of its pluralism being stretched to breaking. While there are many whose commitment to Israel has increased significantly since the Hamas attack and hostage-taking in...

Oct 11, 2024, 10:33 PM

Yom Kippur: A National Celebration of Failure

As a recovering perfectionist, I never truly allowed myself to connect deeply with the Al Chet prayers. Sometimes, I would say the words but wonder: Do I really struggle with these? Admitting failure felt overwhelming—too final. I was too...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Sep 29, 2024, 6:48 AM

Empty Nothingness (Part 1 of 2)

The Aleinu L’Shabeach prayer — which is recited multiple times daily and in the Amidah on Rosh Hashanah — declares the universal dominion of Hashem’s sovereignty and His special relationship with the Jewish People. That prayer contrasts the Jews who worship the “King...

Jonathan Freirich

Apr 26, 2024, 6:51 PM

Theology as a Dangerous Spectator Sport

Many of us root for the home team – whether the home team plays football (international or American), represents our university or college or high school (especially as student-athletes or parents), or is our religion or political party. Some...

Dec 12, 2023, 8:29 PM

Light is what we make it

Spreading happiness through joyful shared moments is something I've long championed with brands I work with as part of a holistic approach to care. It’s become abundantly clear amid the horrific reality affecting people at this moment that the...

Oct 24, 2023, 12:13 AM

Today, truth is under violent debate on campus

We live in days of division and pain following Hamas’ October 7th terrorist attack on Israel. The bloodshed has released a vile hatred into the world: there has been a major uptick in antisemitic and islamophobic attacks globally. Today,...

Andy Blumenthal

Oct 2, 2023, 5:28 AM

The Grouchy Neighbor Who Brought Me Closer to G-d

So my wife and I are walking to synagogue on this beautiful, crisp Sukkot day. Out of nowhere, I see my neighbor seemingly walking back from the synagogue. "Hello! Chag Sameach!" I greet him with holiday cheer. He stops short and looks...

Jul 27, 2023, 5:28 PM

The tragedy of being right

One school of Jewish law favored tradition, another innovation, but it was only when they tried to fix one over the other that things really went wrong

Aryeh Eisenberg

Jul 18, 2023, 3:27 PM

Sorry protesters, this ain’t gonna work

Protesters against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to overhaul the judicial system in Tel Aviv, July 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Does disrupting traffic and causing thousands of citizens to lose time, money, and patience actually solve anything?

Michael Arizanti

May 21, 2023, 1:46 AM

As a Human Rights Defender, Silence is Not an Option

In a world where injustice and discrimination continue to exist, it is the duty of every human being to speak up and fight for what is right. As a human rights defender, I firmly believe that staying silent in...

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