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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2017 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award Winners
The Helen Diller Family Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, today announced the recipients of its annual Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards. Now in its 11th year, the national Awards recognize young entrepreneurs who are committed to establishing methods for social change that…
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Controversial Art Museum In Jerusalem Battles To Survive
Located on the very edge of West Jerusalem, Museum On The Seam has been committed to presenting thought-provoking art about Israel’s complex socio-political reality since opening in 1999. Soon, the small museum with lofty aims may be forced to shutter its doors — the museum’s main backers have announced they will stop funding the institution….
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Explore Germany’s Erfurt Old Synagogue
Erfurt is a jewel-box of a city. Nestled along the banks of the Gera River in the heart of Germany, Erfurt boasts a beautifully preserved medieval center, replete with the storybook spires of a fortress and cathedrals. The Krämerbrücke, or Merchant’s Bridge, is lined with lovely half-timbered houses — which are still in use as…
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In Defense Of The Star Of David
When my grandparents gave me a Star of David necklace in elementary school, they did not mention Israel. A few years later, they told me about my family members who survived and died in the Holocaust, and the Star of David they were required to wear on their clothing. Still, no utterance of the Jewish…
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The Secret Jewish History Of A Violent New Zealand Cult
This is the second of a series of posts on the history and lives of Jews in New Zealand. The first can be found here. Samuel A. Levy was almost certainly terrified as he sat across from Patara Raukatauri on February 25, 1865, the latter being a member of the infamous and supposedly violent Pai…
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Our Modern Chieftain King
The biblical King David was a poet, musician, and conqueror, but we remember him primarily as a warrior. Indeed, all of David’s most notable exploits were martial: his duel with Goliath, his conquest of Jerusalem, his enlargement of the Kingdom of Israel — he even enabled his affair with Bathsheba by sending her husband, Uriah,…
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We’re All Faking Hebrew — And That’s Just Fine.
Harei at m’kudeshet li b’tabaat zo k’dat Moshe v’Yisrael. Harei atah m’kudash li b’tabaat zo k’dat Moshe v’Yisrael. Behold, you are consecrated for me, with this ring, according to the religion/tradition of Moses and Israel. We memorized these Hebrew vows for weeks, drilling until we could recite them without a hitch when the pressure was…
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Interfaith Marriage Is A Matter Of Integrity — And It’s Time For Creative Solutions
The issue of whether or not a Conservative Rabbi can officiate at an interfaith marriage ceremony is first and foremost a matter of integrity; integrity not only for the officiant but also for the couple and witnesses. Integrity means there is alignment between a person’s inner essence, their words and actions. It would be disingenuous,…
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Worried about Jewish Assimilation? Be A Good Person — For Judaism’s Sake
A version of this article originally appeared in the Texas Jewish Post. It was one of the more uplifting articles I had read this year. The Jewish News Service reported on the inspiring story of Rabbi Ari Sytner, who had donated a kidney to a stranger living in Israel back in 2012 when he was…
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Beyond Anti-Semitism: The Biggest Progressive Problem At The Chicago Dyke March
The Chicago Dyke March is supposed to be an especially inclusive gathering of progressives. Shockingly, Jews carrying rainbow flags with the Star of David were asked to leave. One Dyke March collective member told the Windy City Times the women were told to leave because the flags “made people feel unsafe,” that the march was…
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Why You Should Give Kosher Restaurants A Second Chance
When I first moved to NYC in 1995, there were few quality kosher dining experiences available. Only a handful of establishments could be relied on to offer an upscale dinner or well made meal. It was in that environment, when the kosher world was just starting to bloom, that many clichés about kosher restaurants find…
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Opinion Zohran Mamdani’s victory proves it: The ‘gotcha’ mode of fighting antisemitism has to go
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News What a Mayor Mamdani would mean for New York Jews
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Fast Forward Mamdani tells Colbert — and a national audience — why NYC Jews shouldn’t fear him as mayor
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Opinion Mamdani’s victory is an opportunity for Jews to relearn the art of disagreement
In Case You Missed It
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Music Anyone who tells you that you shouldn’t meet your heroes never met Jill Sobule
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Opinion Can we say Donald Trump’s Middle East nuclear strategy is dangerous — if it isn’t even a strategy?
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Opinion ‘Israel is seen as violent’ — and Israeli chefs, once global culinary icons, are feeling the heat
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Culture As Mel Brooks turns 99, his wisdom matters more than ever
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