- NEWS & COMMENTARY
Cleveland kidnappings: We must be our brother’s keeper
The exterior of the house where three women who had disappeared as teenagers approximately ten years ago were found alive on May 7 in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Pugliano/Getty Images
7 Rules for Perfect Hummus
When was the last time you opened a tub of hummus and swooned? When was the last time a restaurant put a plate of hummus in front of you, and you said, “Oh my God.” Most of the hummus recipes…
Palestinians mark Nakba with West Bank protests
Thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank marked the 65th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel, which they call the “catastrophe,” with marches and protests.
- HOLLYWOOD
The Office’s best Jewish moment
Funny music, sad life
On an otherwise unremarkable day in 1938, a chubby but charming student at John Burroughs Junior High in Los Angeles “cracked the code of his comic gift and discovered his…
Filmmakers reveal magician’s secretive world
A British journalist recalls how she once sat down at a cafe with the legendary magician, author, historian, actor and, perhaps, the greatest sleight-of-hand artist on the planet in the documentary…
- LIFE & CULTURE
7 Rules for Perfect Hummus
When was the last time you opened a tub of hummus and swooned? When was the last time a restaurant put a plate of hummus in front of you, and…
Survivor: Irene Rosenberg
“Mommy, I’ll be right back.” Irene Rosenberg — then Irene Grunfeld — said as she was leaving the apartment of her cousin Mancy Weiss, where she and her mother were…
The Divine Wedding and Kiss - Parashat Naso
“O for your kiss! For your love / More enticing than wine, / For your scent and sweet name – For all this they love you. Take me away to…
- BLOGS
What would my Israeli grandmother think?
When I hear about the latest events in Israel – the air strikes on weapons facilities in Syria, the flare-ups over women donning prayer shawls at the Western Wall –…
A hot topic, a great panel, and chance to learn and discuss—immigration at issue
It's a critical time for immigration reform in this country. Washington is getting set to make major changes, the likes of which haven't been seen since the 1980's under President…
State 194: A Documentary About Palestine
Opening this weekend at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 is a very hot-button new documentary called State 194, which follows the recent history of Palestine. Many will approach this film with…
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An Evening with the USC Shoah Foundation Institute
Meet the filmmakers of the French megahit “The Intouchables” [VIDEO]
Mel Gibson Needs a Jewish Mother
Right Now, Kids are Dying, Because They Are Gay
Jersey Shore vs. Chaz Bono – Who is Classy? Who is Trashy?
Cambodia’s killing fields revisited
I can vividly remember the first time I visited the Museum of Tolerance, in seventh grade. Not personally knowing anyone who had survived the Holocaust, I had been shielded from the grisly details of World War II.
Multifaith clergy dialogue in the name of peace
Jews must never use the term ‘shvartza’
About a year ago I wrote a column about how the word "shvartza" must be retired forever. It is an insulting, offensive, and derogatory term that has no place in the mouths of people committed to ethics.
Our place in this world
The ancient rabbis were astute psychologists. They reflected on the inner life, not through theories, but through narratives, especially their analyses of and speculations on the narratives in the Torah.
Organize now against oppression in Burma
The U.S. Campaign for Burma puts together an internet and television campaign, with the hope that their messages will reach not only millions of Americans but also the rank-and-file soldiers in Burma, who may not even realize how closely the world is looking at the atrocities many of them are carrying out.
Diversity lost
Are we electing a candidate based on his or her ability to lead the country, or are we crowning a king who looks good in pictures and who is above criticism, examination and challenge?
Beit T’Shuvah, Jewish/Arab day schools, Charlton Heston
letters to the jewish journal
Black and Jewish leaders work to rekindle friendships at interfaith seder
A group of blacks and Jews have in recent months sought to rekindle a decades-old friendship in hopes of fostering better relations among their broader communities. Sponsored by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), First AME Church, the Brotherhood Crusade and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an interfaith seder became the object of much anticipation earlier this month after one of its organizers was accused of being an anti-Semite.
Ex-JDL member urges faith without fanaticism
Review of former Jewish Defense League member Brad Hirschfield's "You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism" (Harmony Books, Random House, 2007).
Latino pastors celebrate Sukkot and Israel in Westwood
About 200 Latino evangelical Christians were guests for a Sukkot meal and Israeli flag ceremony hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Israeli consulate. The event was designed to strengthen relations between Jews and a specific segment of the Latino community -- evangelicals.
‘A Mighty Heart’ needs moral clarity
The political lesson of Russell's paradox is that there is no such thing as unqualified tolerance. Ultimately, one must be able to expound intolerance of certain groups or ideologies without surrendering the moral high ground normally linked to tolerance and inclusivity.
Who was Moses? Oh wait, I think I know that one…
Stephen Prothero, author of the new book "Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know-And Doesn't" and chair of the religion department at Boston University showed up on "The Daily Show" recently, hawking the fact that his book contains a quiz to test the reader's "religious literacy." Which raises the questions: Can a 15-question quiz test religious literacy?
When Ashkenazi and Persian worlds collide—community healing begins at shul
I do not want an "us" and a "them." If you are not really ready to be part of one community, which means to have friends, to marry, to rejoice together, to grieve together, then all I can tell you is you should find another place. But I think that you are, I hope and pray and believe that you are.
The Schwartzes and me
The Schwartzes have been my friends for more than 21 years. Their learning and charisma has had a deep effect on many Jews, not least among them Jews in Hollywood's Jews.
Despite past sparks, Al-Marayati wants Jewish dialogue
"I want my children to have a future of hope, a future where they can contribute positively to American society as Muslims," Al-Marayati said. "I don't want a future of prejudice, fear and victimization."
‘Yippee’—Paul Mazursky documents Chasids gone wild
"Jews are not cultured people," she complains. The other woman disagrees.
"They are cultured," she insists, "they are just different."
Need for good schools should unite Jews and Latinos
In contrast to the 1960s, when the fabled and overblown black-Jewish alliance was obsessively chronicled and debated by Jewish academics, journalists, essayists and community leaders, the rise of the Latino population has not seemed to capture much Jewish interest, either pro or con. That is especially true now, when so many activist Jews are focused only on Israel.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council distances itself from Prager
Leaders of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, ensnared in a raging controversy over one of its members, this week moved to distance themselves from the cause of the furor.
I’m… dreaming… of a white… Chri—ummm, holidays
Christmas, you know (unless you've all forgotten, which is increasingly possible), doesn't celebrate the birth of Santa, but the birth of Jesus, and Jesus was a Jew.
Chanukah holds important lesson for all faiths
Theologically, Chanukah is insignificant, yet its historical lesson is of great importance to all religious faiths.
U.S. Jewish Population Rising; California and Israel Join in Tourism Pact
Briefs
Debate on ‘minorities’ law worries Turkey’s Jews
Jewish and Christian leaders were optimistic when the Turkish Parliament began debating a bill regulating minority foundations and organizations.The draft version -- part of a reform effort driven by Turkey's bid for European Union membership -- contained provisions making it easier for minority groups to operate and reacquire properties that had been confiscated by the state. But after a heated debate on the measure, with many parliamentarians objecting to its liberal approach, the version that passed Parliament offered little improvement over the past.
Sex and God
Of the three major monotheistic traditions, Judaism has arguably done the most admirable job of micromanaging our lust.That's why Judaism has been more agile than other religions at handling modernity's revolution in sexual mores.
Fate of Jerusalem Museum of Tolerance rests with Israeli high court
B’nai Brith’s new chief visits L.A.; ‘Messenger’ unites local readers
Briefs
Conservative rabbis open doors to gays, sort of
With the endorsement Wednesday of three conflicting teshuvot, or halachic responsa, by the movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards -- two upholding the longstanding ban on homosexuality and one permitting ordination of gay rabbis and commitment ceremonies -- it's likely that other rabbis will now begin performing such ceremonies, comfortable in the knowledge that they enjoy halachic sanction from the movement's highest legal body.
Letters to the Editor
Pick a cause
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.
Jaffa flea market offers bargains and co-existence
The magic of the Jaffa Flea Market derives from both its past and present. The market began as a small bazaar in the mid-19th century. It is a rare remnant of the old Middle Eastern way of life in this modern Jewish country. But the market is also a place where Jews and Muslims work side by side as neighbors and friends.
L.A.‘s Jews and other minorities: oh, how we’ve danced!
In Los Angeles, the most diverse city in the world, we Jews have grappled long and hard with our sense of place in America. Ultimately, having found our "place in the sun," we have forged meaningful relations with many of the communities that make up this complicated goulash.
Small Things Add Up
It is the small things that merit the blessings. It is the "heel" commandments, the acts we forget about, that can change lives and bring holiness into our world.
Hush Falls Over Jewish Hollywood Post-‘Mad Mel’
Bernie Brillstein, a veteran talent agent, manager and resident iconoclast, said, "Hollywood is a small company town and you figure everyone is entitled to his position. Anyway, everybody takes it for granted that Gibson is an anti-Semite, so people say, 'Well, he did it again.'"
O.C. Incidents Raise Anti-Semitism Fears
"There has been a significant rise in the past four years in anti-Semitism generally and on school campuses," said Dr. Kevin O'Grady, associate director of the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) Orange County/Long Beach Region. O'Grady's office recorded 43 cases of harassment and vandalism last year, nearly 50 percent more than in 2003; one-third of these involved public schools.
ADL Youth DREAM of Promoting Tolerance
DREAM is an acronym for Developing diverse, Respectful relationships, Empathy and Action with Meaning through dialogue. The program is a youth leadership project of the ADL's World of Difference Institute, run by the ADL's West Coast office.
Europe’s Jews Caught in Cartoon Furor
As frequent targets of anti-Semitic cartoons -- many of them in the Arab press -- Jews on one hand sympathized with the Muslim outrage over depictions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed, which is considered by Muslims to be blasphemous.
But Jews joined many others in expressing shock at the level of violence the controversy sparked.
AF Academy’s New Religion Rules Hit
A number of Jewish leaders say their efforts to change the Air Force Academy's position on Christian proselytizing were overmatched by the evangelical community, which fought any move to restrict religious discussion on campus.
Cowboy Cupid Bares His Horse Sense
Filmmaker Michele Ohayon's career previously highlighted serious (and politically correct) subjects, such as oppressed Palestinians and homeless women. She won a 1997 Oscar nomination for "Colors Straight Up," her profile of urban youth in the aftermath of the L.A. riots.
Out of My Comfort Zone
Having never been to a Jewish prayer service before, the non-Jewish students wanted to see what it was like. The tradition fascinated many, and everyone could relate to the singing and dancing.
Iranian Muslims Brush Up on Shoah
Local Iranian Jewish leaders George Haroonian and Bijan Khalli were involved in setting up the Museum of Tolerance event. They said they felt a responsibility as Jews to inform their non-Jewish Iranian compatriots about the truth of the Holocaust.
Lesson in Tolerance Seeks to Aid School
This tour is no typical high school field trip, with its predictable mix of unruly, disinterested teenagers. These students are here mainly because their school, Jefferson High, became a flash point last year for fights between Latino and African American students. The overcrowded, underperforming campus in South Los Angeles was 92 percent Latino, 7.5 percent black and, seemingly on a handful of occasions, nearly 100 percent out of control.
7 Days in The Arts
7 Days in the Arts
Bye Bye Diaspora, Hello ‘New Jews’
The authors propose a new map with "multiple homelands" that displaces Israel from "the center of the Jewish universe." They point out that since the mid-19th century, most Jewish religious innovation has originated in the United States, rather than in Europe or Israel. As of 2003, more people emigrated from Israel to Russia than vice versa, and New York is the communal and philanthropic center of Jewish life. Ultimately, the authors find, contemporary Jews are at home wherever they live. "New Jews," they argue, "connect emotionally and culturally with multiple places and traverse routes across national boundaries but are nonetheless rooted in a specific place they call home."
Still Strong in Westchester
Education
Jordan King Courts U.S. Jews on Future
More than any other Arab leader -- and even more than his father, the late King Hussein -- Abdullah has attached his fate to the West.
Wiesenthal’s Work Beyond Words
The exhibit's powerful collection of photographs, awards and artifacts is a virtual walk through history with Wiesenthal, seemingly, as your personal guide. There are his personal pencil sketches of the camp as well as photos and handwritten notes.
A Picture of Hate
I attended the "Liberation!" exhibit at the Museum of Tolerance -- photos and objects and footage from the moments in the spring of 1945 when the doors of the Nazi concentration camps were thrown open to the world, and when those few remaining within were set free.
Air Force Flies New Tolerance Guidelines
Just in time for the High Holidays, U.S. Air Force officials are disseminating new guidelines for religious tolerance, in hopes of improving an atmosphere that some airmen say is unwelcoming to religious minorities.
However, while some are calling the new regulations a good first step, others remain concerned that little will change at the Air Force Academy and bases around the country.
Schneider’s Deuce Is Wild Again
In his grossout-doofus comedies, Rob Schneider plays the ultimate schlimazel.
The Circuit
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) recently recognized Steven Spielberg's Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation in Washington, D.C., by bestowing on it the Boxer Excellence in Education Award.
Circuit
Circuit
Jewish Split Marks Armenian Genocide
There's always been a strong Jewish angle to the story of the Armenian genocide, whose 90th anniversary is commemorated this weekend
Prince’s Nazi Uniform Spotlights Problem
Prince Harry's Nazi uniform costume might have outraged the world, but most of his British peers can't see what all the fuss is about.
Jehovah’s Witness Recalls Nazi Capture
A 99-year-old Jehovah's Witness who survived Nazi persecution has been touring the United States and giving people a face to put on the usually obscure story of the estimated 2,000 Jehovah's Witnesses killed in the Holocaust.
UC Irvine Graduation Clash Fizzles
On-campus Jewish groups were upset that the administration did not get outside verification of the meaning and symbolic nature of the stole, said Jeffrey Rips, executive director of the Hillel Foundation of Orange County.
‘Heart’ Celebrates a Nation’s Dream
If the controversy pumps up "Heart," its Jewish filmmaker, Louis Schwartzberg, isn't taking advantage.
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