“Do Jewish prayer services nurture us… or narrow us?” — Dr Elliot Malamet This is the first installment in our special, three-part Living Jewishly High Holidays podcast series that will take a deeper look at the Jewish holidays. As we approach Rosh Hashana, the Jewish...
Borderlines: The Ethics of Immigration
Is immigration a basic human right? Or is it a privilege? This episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of What Would You Do?, a podcast about ethics. In this episode, we explore the borderlines making up the ethics of immigration.
Forgiving One Another
Before you read this, think about one person, past or present, with whom you still have some unresolved argument or hurt, whether it is something you caused or received. Maybe you need to apologize; maybe it is they who need to approach you. Perhaps a little of both. Keep them in mind.
What is your Post-Covid Bucket List?
The Internet is filled with post-Covid bucket lists. Lockdown has only enhanced wanderlust it would seem, as people muse about the places they are going to explore, whether it is vacation spots or simply parties and concerts and sporting events. Much of this is premised on economic capability, of course, and leaves out many citizens of the world for whom long term hardship is in store.
Prayer for Everyone
One of the most devastating prayer sentences in any language is also one of the most innocuous. “Lord open my lips, and may my mouth speak your praise.”
The World on Hold
How will we relate as Jews to what has transpired? Will we return to the tired and true, and treat our “time off” as a temporary nuisance? Or as a period in our history with implications for the future of Jewish spirituality?
Let’s Celebrate Boredom!
Let’s Celebrate Boredom! After all, how many Netflix series can one watch or Zoom meetings attend before your eyes and your mind just bug out?
Speaking the Unspeakable
A couple of years ago, I was invited to moderate a panel comprised of a number of Orthodox singles and one married woman, who talked about what it was like being single and trying to remain observant Jews. Halfway through the discussion I asked about how them how they...
What is Mentionable is Manageable
Content Warning: This article uses the word "Negro" and its common usage well until the mid 60s as an acceptable term. One of the most remarkable moments in television history did not take place in a scripted drama or on a playing field, on the moon or under the...
Inner Quiet
The Hebrew word netzor derives from the root “to stop.” When you push the button on a bus in Israel, to signal that you want to get off shortly, the neon word “Atzor” starts glowing near the driver. The following prayer is one part of the private meditation of a great...