Posts in Jewish
Family, Art And Judaism: How ‘The Fabelmans’ Explores Spielberg’s Biggest Questions

(FILM REVIEW) The seven-time Oscar-nominated movie “The Fabelmans” is Steven Spielberg’s reflection on his early family life and filmmaking aspirations. It’s also a reflection on his Jewish roots.

Read More
🕎 At The Anniversary Of Texas Synagogue Hostage Crisis, A New Report On Antisemitism 🔌

This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights a new report on rising antisemitism in the U.S. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

Read More
Faint Signs Of Faith Part 4: Maintaining An Age-old Jewish Community In The Czech Republic

Old Prague’s Jewish quarter was once a walled-off ghetto where the bulk of Bohemia’s Jewish community resided apart from the Christian majority, partly for their own protection. It is now little more than an open-air museum.

Read More
West Bank City’s Christian Residents Face Uncertain Future As Emigration Takes Toll

The town in the West Bank where the Magi are believed to have followed the star toward newborn Jesus is today a shrinking community of Greek Orthodox Christians. At a recent Christmas tree lighting, residents spoke about family members who have moved abroad, mostly to the United States, South America and Europe, leaving behind an ever-shrinking and aging community.

Read More
Jewish Law Invites Complex Questions On Abortion

Every month, Orthodox Rabbi Michael Broyde receives at least one question from an Orthodox Jewish woman seeking his advice on whether she can, according to Orthodox Jewish law, proceed with an abortion — a question that does not yet have a rabbinic consensus.

Read More
Palestinian Arabs May Face Eviction From Historic Inns In Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter

After an Israeli Supreme Court ruling, a right-wing Jewish group may proceed through the courts to evict the Palestinian Arabs who are protected tenants at two historic hotels in Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter. The Greek Orthodox Church leasing the properties is opposing the transfer of leases by arguing the agreement made by a former church finance director is void and illegal.

Read More
Israeli Government Coalition Collapsing Over Kosher Hypocrisy

(ANALYSIS) The Jewish state may be on the brink of declaring its fifth election in three years after losing a legislative majority. Member of Knesset Idit Silman of the Yemina Party resigned last week amid building tensions over her view that government facilities should enforce Passover dietary restrictions for everyone and that the Western Wall should not include an ecumenical prayer space for non-Orthodox Jews.

Read More
Jews Encouraged To Abandon Zoom Seders This Passover As Pandemic Eases

Passover is a time for the Jewish community to reflect on the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and hosting a Seder is one way families and communities come together to celebrate this biblical event. OneTable and Haggadot.com have joined forces this year to provide people with the tools needed to host their own unique Seder.

Read More
Comparisons To Nazis That Minimize Their Evil And Exaggerate Modern Issues Must Stop

(OPINION) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comment to a Jewish MP that, “Conservative Party members can stand with people who wave swastikas” has rightfully drawn sharp criticism and rebuke. Under no circumstances can his comments be justified. Unfortunately, his is but the latest — and worst — misuse of the Nazi image.

Read More
Israel Mourns Esther Pollard, Wife Of Convicted Spy Jonathan Pollard

A standing–room only crowd of 500 packed the Heichal Ya’acov synagogue in Jerusalem this week to pay their final respects to Esther Pollard, the wife of convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Jay Pollard. Esther Pollard, 68, died on Jan. 31 of septic shock complicated by COVID-19. She was also battling breast cancer.

Read More
Texas Christians, Muslims, Jews Pray For Congregation Beth Israel As Community Recovers From Hostage Event

Christian, Jewish, Muslim, atheist and other community members gathered Monday night in the sanctuary of White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake, Texas, and applauded Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker — just two days after the rabbi and three others were held hostage in Congregation Beth Israel in neighboring Colleyville.

Read More
Nearly A Year After Jewish Festival Crush, As COVID-19 Surges, Israel Flip Flops Over Rules

(ANALYSIS) After the mismanagement of a Jewish festival in Meron, Israel in which 45 pious Jews were crushed to death in a stampede and tens of thousands more exposed to COVID-19, there was only one reasonable course for the government to follow in advance of last week’s planned Baba Sali celebration – cancel it. And then flip-flop.

Read More
What's Going on with Faith Trends in American Judaism, Nationally and in your Locale?

(OPINION) The media has neglected to portray the cultural and demographic challenges facing Judaism, the nation's second-largest religion behind Christianity. Jewish news coverage in the mainstream press tends to focus on Democratic Party politics, trends in anti-Semitism and attitudes toward Israel and the unending Mideast mess. A new Pew Research Study demonstrates much more.

Read More
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Under Fire For Nazi Comments, Fires Back

Rebuked for linking COVID-19 measures to Jewish suffering at the Nazis’ hands, the controversial Georgia congresswoman was on the offensive the night of May 27. Other Republicans in the House, like minority leader Kevin McCarthy, publicly debunked her comparisons between mask mandates and proof of vaccination to the Holocaust.

Read More
Jewish community in Portugal inaugurates Holocaust Museum to remember country's role aiding refugees

A new Holocaust Museum in Porto, Portugal tells the story of the more than 100,000 Jewish refugees who passed through Porto and Lisbon desperate to book passage from the neutral country to the United States during WWII to escape the Nazis.

Read More
Mourning two amazing people and journalists: Rachel Zoll and Amy Raymond

This week’s Weekend Plug-in mourns the loss of two incredible people and journalists: Rachel Zoll and Amy Raymond. Plus, catch up on all the week’s best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

Read More
A civilian clings to hope in Jerusalem

(OPINION) An Israeli reflects on the recent violence in Jerusalem that has killed at least 30 people, set off when thousands of flag-waving Jewish youth celebrating Israel’s victory over Arabs in the 1967 Six Day War marched down an alley where Muslim activists had arrived during Ramadan to pray at a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews.

Read More