Tag: Judaism
The Truth, So Help Us God?
In a world that bombards us with information from every side, it can be surprisingly difficult to find truth. This past weekend many Jews celebrated Shavuot, the holiday commemorating God giving th... Read More
Shavuot and Taking Hold of Torah
The end of the Counting of the Omer is nearly upon us. We have spent the past seven weeks eagerly, anxiously, perhaps, counting up to Shavuot–to receiving the Torah anew. Shavuot, or the Feast o... Read More
Who Is A Jew? – Letter to a Potential Convert
My understanding of Jewish identity has changed over time, and has included ideas that touch on many of the views articulated in our texts: Jews are people who go to synagogue, Jews care about social ... Read More
Gender, Privilege, and Women of the Wall
This post was originally posted at www.queerinterfaithcommunity.org. A year ago I entered the women’s side of the mechitza at the Kotel (Western Wall) and tried to place a prayer written on a sm... Read More
What On Earth Is Lag b’Omer?
Today is Lag b’Omer, a relatively obscure Jewish holiday, yet one which is deeply meaningful for many, particularly those with a Kabbalistic or more mystical orientation. Lag b’Omer, whic... Read More
CeCe McDonald and the Need for Transformation: What Jacob’s Dream has to teach us about justice
CeCe's story is a particular story, a story of one woman living in a society with a long legacy of violence against women, violence against people of color, violence against queers, who fought back in... Read More
From the Prophetic Age to Rabbinic Tradition: Who Will Call for Justice Now?
While the messages of the prophets are still desperately in need today, we no longer accept the prophetic system as legitimate. The call for justice is essential, yet the reality of one or two people ... Read More
“Rules By Which They Could Not Live:” My Bat Mitzvah Drash
How can I publicly commit to a faith whose sacred texts explicitly condemn an important part of my life? I address this in my Bat Mitzvah drash, on parshat K'doshim-Acharei Mot.... Read More