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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A Letter To Couples Of Jewish And Non-Jewish Backgrounds
Dear Couple of Jewish and non-Jewish Backgrounds: It’s possible you decided not to meet with me because I could not be with you under the chuppah (Jewish wedding canopy). I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is that I missed out on hearing your story. Getting to know you and your relationship….
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Over 100 Rabbis Call On Hillel International To Reinstate Booted LGBTQ Group
To: Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of Hillel International Dear Mr. Fingerhut, We write to you as LGBTQ rabbis, rabbinical students and allies from a range of Jewish denominations living across the United States. We are teachers, scholars, activists, and leaders of communities and congregations; we have dedicated our professional lives to serving the Jewish…
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Are You Contributing To Islamophobia? A Recipe For Anti-Muslim Hatred
In light of the recent fatal attack on a Muslim teenager in Virginia and a crowd of worshippers leaving a mosque in London (as well as the shooting of worshippers in a mosque in Canada earlier this year), I think it’s time to ask ourselves if the way we talk about Muslims contributes to hatred…
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Marching For Pride In New York — And Fighting For Activists Around The World
Two weeks ago, I was in Haiti visiting AJWS’s grantee partner Kouraj, which is the Creole word for “courage.” What an apt name for an organization led by courageous activists who are fighting for a very simple human right that still eludes people in more than 70 countries around the world. That right is the…
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The Secret Jewish History Of The Greatest General You’ve Never Heard Of
John Monash is probably the greatest general of the 20th century that you’ve never heard of. It’s understandable – we do not teach or study WWI the way we do WWII, and especially for Americans, we focus hardly at all on Australian forces and commanders, of either war. In terms of skill, aptitude, ingenuity and…
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The Case For Jewish Vegetarianism
The first time I became a vegetarian I was 14. I liked to think it was for ethical reasons, but it was because I had a crush on a girl. I sat beside her in a kosher deli during a 9th grade class trip to New York. Our rabbi was also there, and as I…
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Inside The Lives Of Middle Eastern Refugees
I’m old enough to remember a time way back before the 2016 presidential election, when political leaders of both parties saw refugees as victims. While the United States didn’t always fulfill its rightful role as a safe haven, there was nonetheless a basic bipartisan commitment to help those “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Now…
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Who’s Afraid Of Evil Eyes?
Ever notice how many of us Jews are afraid to receive compliments or get too positive? When you want to jump for joy or celebrate some good news, do you find yourself reluctant or do you actually stop yourself? It may be the kine hara principle working on you. A kine hara is Yiddish for…
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The Grave And Mortal Danger of Calling ‘White’ Jews Privileged
At The Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington, an angry mob descended upon Bret Weinstein, a professor of biology and evolutionary studies. As Weinstein recounts: In a widely disseminated video of the first recent protest on May 23, an angry mob of about 50 students disrupted my class, called me a racist, and demanded that…
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Remembering My Mentor Elie Wiesel On His First Yahrzeit
Today is the first yartzeit (anniversary of the Hebrew date of one’s death) of a beloved teacher, mentor, writer, reluctant modern prophet and a unique voice for humanity that can’t be replaced. It’s the first yartzeit of Professor Elie Wiesel of blessed memory. Our hearts are aching today. Last night I was privileged to participate…
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Should Israel Be Cozying Up To Iran?
One of the most prominent arguments for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians is that it would integrate Israel into the regional fabric and create a new alliance between the Jewish state and the remaining Arab states of the region that have no diplomatic relations with it. Already, Israel has shown tacit approval…
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