Scribe, the Forward’s curated contributor network, is a place for showcasing personal experiences and perspective from across our Jewish communities. Here you will find a wide array of reflections on Jewish issues, life-cycle events, spirituality, culture and more.
Community
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You say matzah — and matzo and matzuh and matzee and more
Readers respond to our editor-in-chief’s column about a Passover copy-editing conundrum
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100 Years Later, The Balfour Declaration Still Resonates
For lovers of the State of Israel, this has been a year of celebrating milestone anniversaries: the 120th anniversary of the first Zionist Congress; the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration; the 70th anniversary of the U.N. Resolution supporting the founding of a Jewish state; the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War.; and the…
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First U.S. Jewish Wilderness Therapy Program To Open In January
In January of this year, Ramah in the Rockies is opening BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy, the nation’s first Jewish wilderness therapy program, serving young adults struggling with trauma, mental health issues, substance abuse, and those struggling on their journey from adolence to independent adulthood. The Jewish tradition provides such powerful guidance, support, and strength. And it…
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Most Charedim In Israel Are Not Protesting The IDF
On Monday evening October 23, there were big protests in Jerusalem in which approximately 2,000 Charedi Israelis blocked traffic and stopped local and regional public transportation from functioning properly for a few hours. These actions took place in response to the arrest by the IDF’s military police of two Charedi Israeli men who did not…
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Is ‘Just Be Yourself’ Actually Good Advice?
A version of this article originally appeared in the Texas Jewish Post. Every new generation seems to offer up its own fresh take on life and living, sometimes building upon the sentiments and belief systems of previous generations and sometimes consciously moving away from them to forge new paths forward. An undeniable spirit pulses through…
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Taking ‘Jewish and Democratic’ Seriously
The Hebrew Republic: How Secular Democracy and Global Enterprise Will Bring Israel Peace At Last By Avishai Bernard Harcourt, Inc., 268 pages, $26.00 When Netanyahu appeared at the UN on September 22, 2017 he fretted about Iran, about the instability of Syria, about Hezbollah at the northern border, and Hamas in Gaza and the West…
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What It’s Like To Never Be Allowed To Leave Your Home
I mentor four writers in Gaza through We Are Not Numbers, a nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by an American journalist to pair Palestinians under 30 with international mentors. The goal is to help develop the English language skills of Palestinian youth and to educate Westerners about the complexity of life and identity in Gaza….
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When Converts Are Commodities
If my Facebook feed is any guide, converts to Judaism are commodities, not human beings. In countless posts, and in real life too, born Jews of all stripes opine about — depending on their ideological outlook — whether particular converts have met proper conversion standards, or whether there should be any standards at all. Not…
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The Greatest Threat To Judaism Is Ignorance
Almost 30 years ago, Metallica penned the lyrics “Arrogance and Ignorance go hand in hand” for their song “Holier Than Thou.” Now, Metallica may not be the place most people go to for thoughtful Jewish discussion, but the lyrics have been running my head since the question of what threatens Jews the most was asked…
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Brigham Young University Built A Life-Size Replica Of The Tabernacle
Just in time for the fall High Holy Days, Mormon Church-owned BYU killed a very large parcel of lawn to make space for a true-to-life-size replica of the Mishkan, the tabernacle of the Exodus. Blessed with gorgeous and fortuitous autumn weather, tours of the tabernacle booked fast. Tickets were free, but meted out so that…
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What ‘One Of Us’ Gets Wrong About My Hasidic Community
You don’t have to be one of us to be touched by “One of Us,” the recently released Netflix documentary that features the stories of three ex-Hasidim. The film captures their most intimate and personal moments as the subjects navigate their way in a confusing and foreign world. The shots are masterful, and the stories…
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The Israeli Right Versus Global Judaism
Last month, when Yair Netanyahu, son of Israel’s Prime Minister himself, posted anit-Semitic content on Facebook, the entire world watched. The picture in question, which used neo-Nazi imagery and targeted notable Jews like George Soros and Ehud Barak, forced The Anti-Defamation League into the peculiar position of having to criticize one of the most influential…
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Culture The Kennedy Center canceled its ‘woke’ programming — so why is this Jewish musical OK?
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