The Insecurity of Freedom

By Beit T'shuvah
Published on April 19, 2013

The Blame Game

By Beit T'shuvah
Published on April 9, 2013

A Reflection on Responsibility

By Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz
Published on February 10, 2013

Books: Yehoshua’s latest explores boundaries of responsibility

By Paula Margulies
Published on April 26, 2007

The U.S publishers hated the title of A.B. Yehoshua's latest book "The Mission of the Human Resources Manager." It was, they argued, better suited to a personnel manual than the work of one of Israel's most venerated authors. Ignoring Yehoshua's pleas, they christened the novel's English translation "A Woman in Jerusalem," and the book became a nominee for this year's prestigious Los Angeles Times Book Prize, to be announced at the Times' Festival of Books this weekend (see story page 36).

Closing the curtain

By Orit Arfa
Published on April 12, 2007

n March, I had the privilege of co-starring in the Jerusalem premiere of Neil LaBute's play "Some Girl(s)" at the Center Stage Theater at Merkaz Hamagshimim Hadassah. The play follows Guy, an about-to-be-married 33-year-old American writer, as he tracks down his ex-flames to "right some wrongs" so he can begin his new life with a clean slate ... or so it seems.

For German Teens, Shame Stirred Action

By Adam Deutsch
Published on April 5, 2007

When six German teenagers entered the beit midrash at YULA boys high school, there was an indescribable sense of tension in the air. The four girls and two boys seemed hesitant and slightly anxious as they faced 60 Jewish boys eager for discussion. As a natural skeptic, my personal attitude toward conversing with people of possible Nazi ancestry was not very optimistic.

Wanna drink? Think again!

By Louis Keene
Published on March 1, 2007

Recognizing alcohol's long-standing presence in Jewish custom, tradition and culture -- especially on Purim, when drinking is a mitzvah -- and hearing from some rabbis that it would be impossible to have shuls go completely dry, Aleinu has tried to work directly with the shuls and parents to take responsibility for their teens.

Eve Marcus: Soul of the Food Pantry

By Jane Ulman
Published on December 28, 2006

"Eve is the soul of the Food Pantry. She just knows that people cannot be hungry and we need to do whatever is necessary," said Joy Grau, a member of St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church in Studio City and a 15-year volunteer.

Mayor implores people of faith to fight homelessness

By Naomi Glauberman
Published on December 7, 2006

"Homelessness is curable and we must cure it," Leo Baeck Senior Rabbi Kenneth Chasen said in his welcoming remarks. "Jews know too well the experience of being strangers and outsiders. We have lived in countless places where there were no homes for us."

Pick a cause

By Amanda Martin
Published on November 30, 2006

In addition to my business, I always take on the opportunity to help in my own community. I believe that it is important to help out whenever you can, whether it's picking up trash at the beach or working at a charity benefit, as well as taking on new challenges.

A ‘Nice’ Idea Blossoms Into a Group of ‘Niceaholics’

By Rebecca Raphael
Published on July 27, 2006

"I realized that if you have the ability to help other people, you're in a pretty good place," says Debbie Tenzer. "It's not always easy, because basically, we're selfish creatures, many of us struggling every day. We have to make a choice, and it starts by doing just one nice thing."

The IDF and Civilians:  A Personal Account

By Rabbi Daniel Bouskila
Published on July 27, 2006

It was July 12, 1984, my first day on the Ketziot basic training base, my new "home" as an IDF soldier in the Givati Infantry Brigade. One by one, we were issued what was then the standard IDF infantry weapon, the Israeli-made Galil rifle.

A Different War

By Rob Eshman
Published on July 6, 2006

The Times' editors no doubt also took into account the fact that reports on financial tracking had appeared numerous times before, beginning with the president's 2001 announcement that his administration would do everything in its power to disrupt the source of terrorist funding.

We Must Treat Others With Kindness

By Rabbi David Wolpe
Published on May 18, 2006

The Haggadah tells us "you were strangers in the land of Egypt." Here is the interesting thing -- because we were strangers, we are supposed to learn not how the Israelites should have acted, but -- how the Egyptians should have acted. We are supposed to learn how not to oppress others. Don't treat others the way we were treated.

I’m Going to Jail Over Darfur Genocide

By Rabbi Steve Gutow
Published on April 27, 2006

The situation is extraordinarily complicated. Human rights groups say the rebels are also responsible for abuses, including looting humanitarian aid convoys. Chadian bandits encouraged by Sudan's actions also prey on the tribal population. Still, if the Sudanese government could be taken to task and forced to stop the abuses, most would stop.

Video Takes Bite Out of Kosher Slaughter

By Gabriel Sanders
Published on April 20, 2006

Jonathan Safran Foer, author of the best-selling novel, "Everything Is Illuminated" (Houghton Mifflin, 2002) and last year's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" (Houghton Mifflin) released a video earlier this month in which he argues that the slaughtering practices employed by modern factory farms are out of step with the spirit of the kosher laws. The film ultimately calls upon viewers to consider vegetarianism.

Oops…Our 20th

By Rob Eshman
Published on March 2, 2006

The news these days is gruesome, so it's difficult to feel celebratory.

Pupils Vote Yes on Democratic School

By Dina Kraft
Published on February 23, 2006

The Hadera Democratic School, which receives funding from both public and private sources, was the first of its kind in Israel. Since its founding in 1987 in this city about 60 kilometers north of Tel Aviv, 23 other schools have opened around the country based on its model of democratic education, in which student participation and choice is emphasized.

Remember Sinai?

By Rabbi Haim Ovadia
Published on February 16, 2006

Immediately following the Ten Commandments, we read a series of instructions that seem a little out of place: You shall not make gods of silver alongside me, nor shall you make yourselves gods of gold. You need make for me only an earthen altar and bring your sacrifices there, and I shall come and bless you wherever my name is mentioned.

Parent Wins School Pesticide Battle

By Idan Ivri
Published on February 9, 2006

A new law that bans that use of experimental pesticides in schools is the latest achievement of Robina Suwol, a Jewish anti-pesticide activist.

Austria Makes Reparations for Nazi Past

By Tom Tugend
Published on January 26, 2006

In a high-profile case, Maria Altmann won her seven-year battle to recover from Austria five famous paintings looted by the Nazis and now valued at $200 million. The art works were seized in Vienna in 1938 from Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, a wealthy Jewish sugar magnate and Altmann's uncle.

Juvenile Offenders Taste Teshuvah

By Sue Fishkoff
Published on October 13, 2005

Four years ago, the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles funded the joint project between Centinela and two L.A.-based Jewish groups, the Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA) and Beit T'Shuvah, a Jewish recovery program.

Articles of Faith

By Rob Eshman
Published on May 19, 2005

At least 17 people were killed in riots that broke out after the May 1 Newsweek story asserting that American interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, tried to humiliate prisoners by flushing a Quran down the toilet.

The report infuriated Muslims throughout the world. In Afghanistan, an anti-American riot broke out that left some 17 people dead and more than 100 wounded.

How Funny Is Passover?

By Shoshana Lewin-Fischer
Published on April 14, 2005

"Many people have spoken or written, thanking us for portraying characters ... in a way where their Jewishness isn't always the main point, but just another aspect of their lives," LaBan said.

Women Still Struggle to ‘Have It All’

By Jane Ulman
Published on March 31, 2005

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More than 30 years after Gloria Steinem founded Ms. Magazine and Sally Priesand was ordained a rabbi, more than 25 years after Judith Resnick became an astronaut and more than 10 years after Ruth Bader Ginsburg was appointed to the United States Supreme Court, Jewish women, along with their non-Jewish counterparts, have discovered that they can have it all -- at a steep price.

Israel Criticism Must Be Well-Founded

By Arthur Cohn
Published on March 17, 2005

What are the limits for criticizing Israel? Many condemn the Jewish community's refusal to listen to harsh criticism, while others object to the aggressiveness of the attacks against the Jewish state.

Yeladim

By Abby Gilad
Published on February 10, 2005

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy." – Abraham Lincoln

Yeladim

By Abby Gilad
Published on January 13, 2005

In last week's Torah Portion, the Israelites sat back and watched as God brought seven plagues upon the Egyptians. This week, in Parshat Bo, we read of the last three plagues.

It’s Time to Change

By Jane Ulman
Published on September 2, 2004

It's not the birth of the prehominid that scientists have named "Toumai" that marks the beginning of our moral evolution, but rather the birth of Adam and Eve.

Racist Repeats Election Stratagem

By Donald H. Harrison
Published on August 12, 2004

The leadership of our mainstream political parties meanwhile vowed that in the future, they would prevent the hijacking of their congressional nominations by extremists. For a quarter of a century, they were mostly able to keep that vow -- up until now.

We Have an Obligation to Speak Out

By M.J. Rosenberg
Published on March 25, 2004

The major reason many American supporters of Israel line up behind the policies of the Israeli government is that they do not want to be in the position of second guessing the Israelis.

The Giving Ladder

By Wendy Belzberg
Published on March 18, 2004

Even a wizard at niche marketing would tremble before the title of Julie Salamon's most recent book. "Rambam's Ladder," based on an ancient text by Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, sounds like it's bound for the remainder bins even before it hits the Judaica sections.

Googling Anti-Semitism

By Joe Eskenazi
Published on March 18, 2004

Online searchers punching the word "Jew" into the Google search engine may be surprised at the results they get.

Bill Seeks to Cure Health-Care Plague

By State Sen. Sheila Kuehl
Published on March 11, 2004

Today we are beset with a series of health-care plagues, each seeming worse than the one before. The number of Californians without health-care insurance coverage hovers between 6 million and 7 million people -- that's about one in five of us. About 85 percent of those people are working in jobs where health care is not provided. Nationwide, health-care costs are the second largest cause of personal bankruptcy.

Vote No on 57, 58: They Erode Duty

By Douglas Mirell
Published on February 26, 2004

A 55 percent vote still requires a larger majority to pass our budget than 47 other states and the federal government. Arkansas and Rhode Island are the only other states that currently require a two-thirds vote to pass a budget.

Put Mitzvah in Bar Mitzvah for non-Jews

By Rabbi Ken Chasen
Published on January 29, 2004

On Jan. 14, you could hear the wake-up call sounding for Jews all across America. Perhaps you noticed the article by reporter Elizabeth Bernstein in that morning's Wall Street Journal. Perhaps someone e-mailed it to you. Perhaps numerous someones emailed it to you.

Your Letters

Published on January 22, 2004

I was deeply disturbed to read Marc Ballon's article on "Low Wages Force Workers to Struggle" (Jan. 2). Where is the outcry from the community?

Who’s to Blame for Palestinian Despair?

By Loolwa Khazzoom
Published on December 25, 2003

Like many hothead progressives around the world, I preach antiracism, teach multiculturalism and recognize the United States to be a politically and culturally imperialistic society.

Gaza Terrorists Target Americans

By Dan Baron
Published on October 16, 2003

Any doubts about the close link between the war on terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have gone the way of a U.S. jeep loaded with diplomats on a dusty Gaza highway.

The Few, The Proud, The Jewish

By Mikhail Ekshtut
Published on July 3, 2003

In the entire U.S. military there are about 50 Orthodox Jews -- and I am one of them. Why am I telling you this?

Spiritual Parenthood

By Rabbi Gidon Shoshan
Published on May 29, 2003

Why did God count the Jews in this protracted census? And why did the Torah bother to tell us about it?

State Fund to Keep Israel Investments

By Buzzy Gordon
Published on March 27, 2003

Campus activist groups -- led by Arabs in Students for Justice in Palestine and Jews for a Free Palestine -- had been gaining ground in their campaign for divestment from Israel, to the point where the UCLA Daily Bruin editorially endorsed divestment last July.

Jews in Crisis IV

By Rob Eshman
Published on March 6, 2003

On Feb. 16, Israel's previously ruling Cabinet agreed to expedite the immigration of Falash Mura to Israel from Ethiopia. The ruling affirms Israel's responsibility to these people, but it also raises significant questions. No one can say when the immigration will occur, or what aid and absorption services the Falash Mura will receive in Ethiopia or in Israel. Nor is it clear who will pay the cost of immigration and absorption, which some estimates put at $400 million over four years.

Domestic Violence: A Jewish Issue, Too

By Mel Roth
Published on February 6, 2003

During Jewish holidays and festivals, many of us recite the familiar blessings for our loved ones.

The Consumer

By Rabbi Ed Feinstein
Published on February 6, 2003

Ancient Greek democracy created the "citizen." Renaissance Europe invented the "gentleman." Colonial America produced the
"frontiersman."

Argentina

By Richard S. Gunther
Published on January 2, 2003

The Argentine government owes $135 billion to the IMF and the world bank, with little chance of ever repaying this staggering amount. In addition, over the past 45 years, 15 of the 19 agreements with the IMF have been broken, and thus, Argentina has zero credibility for further borrowings.

Kenya Attacks Blur Lines of Terrorism

By Matthew E. Berger
Published on December 5, 2002

"It highlights the fact that the myth -- that all terror against Israel is because it occupies Palestinian territories -- is wrong," said Matthew Levitt, a terrorism expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Israel Joins Global Anti-Terror War

By Leslie Susser
Published on December 5, 2002

Despite two years of relentless Palestinian terrorism that has claimed nearly 700 Israeli lives, last week's coordinated attacks on Israeli targets in Kenya are being seen as a watershed: They herald Israel's full-blown entry into the global war against terrorism, according to defense sources.

Your Letters

Published on November 28, 2002

Your Letters

Man as Creator

By Nancy Sokoler Steiner
Published on November 28, 2002

A woman who had taken fertility treatments became pregnant only to learn that she was carrying four embryos.

Your Letters

Published on December 6, 2001

As a longtime Jewish Community Center (JCC) devotee and one-time Hollywood-Los Feliz director, I find our community's possible loss of any part of the JCC system as tragic and appalling ("Flourish, Not Fail" and "JCCs in Jeopardy," Nov. 30).

Guilt and Responsibility

By Yoram Ben Ze
Published on August 14, 1997

Since the barbarous July 30 bombings that claimed the lives of 13innocent Israelis, we have heard and read the following claim: Notonly was the atrocity predictable, but it was also a direct result ofIsrael's recent actions. I strongly take issue with this.