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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Criticism Of Israel’s Arms Trade With Myanmar Is Not Exaggerated
On October 16, the Forward published a letter from Abraham Wyner, a Professor of Statistics who argued that criticism of Israel’s sales to the Burmese military is exaggerated. He was writing in response to Peter Beinart’s article in the Forward calling out mainstream Jewish organizations for failing to criticize Israel’s provision of weapons and training…
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What Survey Data Don’t Tell You
Recently, I participated in a survey of Young Judaea alumni. It has been 35 years since I went to my first Young Judaea meeting, and I can say with certainty that the experiences that followed transformed my life. My mother liked to say that she sought out a Young Judaea club because she had a…
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A Jewish Response To A Year Of Weather Calamity
Jews all over the world recently commemorated the festival of Sukkot, during which we erect and eat our meals in sukkot — small huts reminiscent of those that protected the ancient Jews during their 40 year trek through the wilderness. These huts remind us of the fragility of our lives, our homes, and our environment….
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Halloween Is Good For Our Kids — And It’s Time We Jews Embrace That
The thing about growing up in an Orthodox Jewish community is that Halloween simply doesn’t exist. It is not acknowledged, it is not celebrated and it is not noticed. But, just as I had dreamed at a young age of one day having a Christmas tree, I also dreamed of celerating Halloween. Purim is uneventful….
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Saying Kaddish For Leonard Cohen — And America
Many American Jews face two yahrzeits in the coming weeks, two memories of existential loss. The first comes November 8, when we’ll mark the first anniversary of the election of President Trump. For many of us, this wasn’t just the loss of a preferred candidate. It was the death of a certain reassuring narrative —…
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Framing Modesty As A Protection For Women Is Incredibly Toxic
This article originally appeared in New Voices. Dear Mayim, Let’s talk — Orthodox feminist to Orthodox feminist. You represent me. You might not mean to but you do. With the exception of Ivanka Trump (oy), you’re probably the most visible Orthodox woman in America today. So, when you imply in the New York Times that…
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10 Colorful Ways To Dress, Entertain And Relive The Magic Of Noah’s Rainbow This Week
Every year at this time, Jewish hostesses around the world are exhausted from a month of holiday celebrations and broken routines. Then we read the weekly Torah portion of Parshat Noach, Genesis 6:9-11:32, and the fun and festivities begin again. Noah’s story has been shared for generations in versions from fables to serious religious learning….
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Does Israel’s Macho Culture Protect Sexual Predators?
I was a victim of sexual assault in Israel, and also had numerous incidents of being cornered and aggressively “flirted” with in the United States. Travelling in Israel, as a wayward art school drop-out, at the age of twenty-three, I accepted a ride from two young truck drivers early on a Saturday morning. I was…
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3 Stalwart Acts Of Faith Saved My Family From The Holocaust
I was born in Leipzig, Germany, on May 31, 1939. I am a third-generation German. My father was born in Poland and immigrated to Germany as a 13-year-old boy to serve as an apprentice cap maker. After Hitler rose to power in 1933, things started to get bad. After the Nuremberg Laws were enacted, my…
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What Little League Can Teach Us About Post-Holiday Jewish Life
Little League for 8-year-olds should be called Error Ball. Each week when I get to watch my son’s team play, I marvel at how much errors drive the results rather than skills or strategy. An overthrow at first base gets the runner to second… or third. A moment of distraction sees the ball roll right…
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Jews Have A Biblical And Rabbinic Obligation To Oppose Trump’s Muslim Ban
On Tuesday, October 17, a U.S. district court issued a temporary stay on the administration’s Muslim Ban 3.0. Those seeking entrance to the U.S. are for the moment reprieved. Yet the government will continue to challenge the courts and ban Muslims from immigrating. I personally believe we must vigilantly oppose the government’s efforts. My grandfather…
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