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.
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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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Prepent Day 21: Make Your Mark
Do we walk our talk? How do each of us help make a difference in the world and not just participate as bystanders? Now more than ever. The primary elections for local government are held today in NYC. Historically, less than 15% of the population votes in these primaries although this privilege has major impact…
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The Secret Sex Life of Hebrew Letters
This series began as an unpacking of some controversial translations of Biblical texts I offered in an Op-Ed in The New York Times, “Is God Transgender?. I argued that the Hebrew Bible is filled with gender-bending language, all intended to hint at an Israelite priestly / scribal tradition that God is “dual-gendered” – “male” and…
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Are Your Jewish Views On Intermarriage Racist?
Just over five years ago, a well-intentioned rebbetzin presented me with a gift. I thought it might be a book on Jewish feminism or ritual, the things I am most passionate about academically. Instead, I found an orange book that boldly displayed its title: “Dear Rabbi, Why Can’t I Marry Her?” At the time, I…
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Jewish Life Flourishes At Brown University
With its abundance of cultural and creative offerings, Providence has been dubbed the “Creative Capital.” Head down a typical street in the capital city of the country’s smallest state and you are likely to find a unique gallery, a memorable lecture, an edgy film screening, or a highly reviewed, locally-sourced restaurant. Drawing inspiration from its…
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An Israeli AG Battles To Reclaim His Israeli Home — And Give It To The Palestinians
A version of this article originally appeared in Plus61J, an Australian-Jewish publication. “This is breathtaking stupidity. That’s what it is.” This is how Michael Benyair, 75, Israel’s Attorney General from 1993-1996, under prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Benjamin Netanyahu, sums up the efforts by religiously and nationalistically motivated Jewish groups to create hubs of Jewish…
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Get Ready for Rosh Hashanah: How To Pair Soup With Main Courses
Rosh Hashanah is a celebratory time with friends, family, and delicious food. It is a wonderful time of the year to celebrate the Jewish new year surrounded by your loved ones. The kitchen will be bursting with flavorful fragrances as the meals and traditional candle lightings, prayers, and readings symbolize the acknowledgment of the past,…
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Modest Looks Reign At New York Fashion Week
Whether a designer debuting or a veteran of runway shows, one thing is clear: modest dressing is an important trend during this week’s New York Fashion Week. As we prepare for our Jewish New Year with food, fun and fashion, this year’s looks allow one to imagine dressing for Rosh Hashanah in looks directly off…
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Prepent Day 20: Emergency Soul Contact
Who is your emergency contact? I’ll confess that as someone who’s been single for a while this question, asked by medical staff or an airline booking agent, can trigger some anxiety. On this day, unbelievably 16 years ago, the world woke up to a global crisis and terror gone wild that now dominates so much…
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Prepent Day 19: True Friendship
Facebook changed the way friendships are forged and maintained. Hoarding aside, we know who it is we like or love; we know that we don’t need (and likely can’t support) so many people in our lives as friends. Quality over quantity. Can “friend” be, once again, a more exclusive title? There are acquaintances, colleagues, buddies…
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In New Zealand’s Capital, A Scrappy Synagogue With A Big Heart
This is the third of a series of posts on the history and lives of Jews in New Zealand. The first can be found here, the second here. Wellington is New Zealand’s capital and its second largest city, home to 405,000 people. Since the country’s founding in 1840, 38 people have served as head of…
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Prepent Day 17+18: The Ties That Bind — And When To Unbind Them.
I did not choose my DNA, my family of origin, my tribal ties. But I am choosing, hopefully wisely, each day and today, which of those ties to honor and strengthen and which ones, when honest, to thank but let go. In a world with so many more relationships than our human mind can likely…
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