Bethany Mandel is a contributing writer for Deseret News and is a home-schooling, stay-at-home mother of six. She is the co-author of “Stolen Youth” and an editor for the patriotic children’s book series “Heroes of Liberty.”
Bethany Mandel
By Bethany Mandel
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Opinion Abortion Extremists – On Both Sides – Are Overplaying Their Hands
There are few issues more polarizing in America than abortion. Few issues split Americans so perfectly and so consistently and down the middle: [About] (https://news.gallup.com/poll/235445/abortion-attitudes-remain-closely-divided.aspx) half of Americans consider themselves” pro-life,” while the other half consider themselves “pro-choice.” In fact, it’s exactly 48% on each side, according to Gallup polls. But these categories are not…
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Opinion Trump’s Hanukkah Party Reminded Me Why America Is Great For Jews
Several weeks ago, the Forward hosted a symposium about being Jewish in America in the wake of the Pittsburgh massacre. If I’m being honest, some of the responses annoyed me; we aren’t living in 1930s Europe, or 1900s Poland, or 1490s Spain. There is no need to keep bags packed waiting for a pogrom; we…
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Life In Lakewood, Pushback Against Anti-Vaxxers Is Going Strong
A friend of mine was recently blessed with the birth of a son. A prominent Rosh Yeshiva in the ultra-Orthodox town of Monsey, New York wished him Mazal Tov — and then swiftly advised him to avoid immunizing the newborn. “The needles are very bad,” the rabbi told him. “Immunizations inject lead into your body.”…
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Life Why You Shouldn’t Talk Politics With Family Members This Thanksgiving
We’ve forgotten a great deal of age-old wisdoms over the years, but here’s a reminder about a rule most of us grew up with: Religion and politics have no place at the dinner table. In my family, either topic might have been a welcome distraction from fighting about everything else in our lives; politics and…
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Opinion Trump’s Angry Pittsburgh Response Killed GOP Chance Of Midterms Victory
In the aftermath of the terrible synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, President Trump has been forced to figure out how to respond sensitively while also campaigning for the looming midterm elections. In a world in which 71% of Jews vote for Democrats, many of whom have decided to leverage this tragedy into a political call to…
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Opinion My Father Committed Suicide Just Before Yom Kippur. It Taught Me To Choose Life.
In the weeks after my father’s suicide, life was mostly a blur. Time stood still, but at the same time, it raced by. I often found myself not knowing where I was or what I was doing. I would suddenly have no idea where I was, and have to trace back my steps until I…
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Life The ‘Other Shidduch Crisis’: Dating While Convert
For regular consumers of Jewish news, the phrase “shidduch crisis” needs no explanation — the phenomenon of Orthodox singles, usually women, facing difficulties finding suitable spouses. But for converts, the struggle of finding a mate takes a strikingly different form, and goes to the very heart of one of the Jewish community’s most important obligations….
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Opinion Please Leave Politics Out Of Your High Holiday Sermons
Almost ten years ago, I was living in Cambodia in the tourist city of Siem Reap, home of the Angkor Wat temple complex, teaching fifth grade to local gifted Cambodian students. It was an incredible experience — except spiritually. I felt completely isolated from anything resembling a Jewish community. This was right at the cusp…
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