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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The Price of War
As an Israeli who fought at the age of 19 in 1973 Yom Kippur War and spent 35 years as a soldier and commander of the Israel Defense Forces, I have learned many lessons over the course of my lifetime about the price of war and the limits of what it can achieve. One lesson…
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The Zionist Nightmare
As the character Walter Sobchak said in the famous Coen Brothers film, The Big Lebowski, “If you will it, Dude, it is no dream.” These words (without the “Dude”) attributed to Zionist leader Theodor Herzl have been quoted repeatedly with the intention of inspiring hope among Zionists and, really, among all Jews. We were supposed…
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Is Netanyahu Careening Towards International Isolation?
Left-wing organizations like Breaking the Silence have been controversial in Israel practically since the beginning of their existence. But this past week, they once again became the center of our attention when Germany’s Foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, scheduled meetings with the left-wing organization. This resulted in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presenting Gabriel with an ultimatum:…
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Many Palestinians Want Peace — So Why Do We Close Our Doors To Them?
“There is no one to talk to.” This has been the Israeli mantra for the past 15 years — we want peace, but there is simply no one on the other side to talk to. Once again, Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron) is with us; once again the music is sad and the crocodile tears will…
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Ritual Slaughter Bans Don’t Help Animals — They Target Jews and Muslims
Many worry that a new proposal to ban ritual slaughter in the Belgian region of Flanders is yet another attempt to mask anti-Semitism and Islamophobia with a disingenuous argument for animal welfare — and they’re right to be concerned. The draft law requires pre-slaughter electrical stunning of sheep and poultry. This proposed bans violate kosher…
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Understanding America’s Tenacious Russian Jews
The professor loitered on park benches in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and accosted people she overheard speaking Russian. She took out ads in Russian-language newspapers. She traveled to seven cities to hang out hung out in Jewish community centers, charity kitchens, and synagogues. To explore the roots of Russian Jewish identity, Anna Shternshis, professor of Jewish…
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The Jewish Lessons We Can Learn From This Young DAPL Protestor
On Sunday evening, May 21, The Shalom Center will honor Sophia Wilansky, an extraordinarily heroic young activist who was acting on the best of Jewish tradition and values as a Water Protector at Standing Rock when she was cruelly wounded — her left arm shattered — by the militarized police. Wilansky will be introduced by…
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How I Lost My Judaism In Five Somber Nights — And Found It Again My Own Way
Twice in my life did the profound symbiosis of community and Judaism yank me by the beard and bear its inescapable weight. The first time came during my father’s shiva. After four months of communal support during his time in the hospital, the Jews of Englewood, New Jersey, my Jews, multiplied their Samsonian efforts, filling…
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I Asked Trump To Bomb Syria — And I Regret It.
Recently, I signed a letter, circulated by a rabbi whom I revere, who will, I think, be remembered as one of the important rabbis of our generation. I was in august company; the letter was also signed by deeply respected teachers and colleagues. Immediately, equally respected colleagues and friends sent emails asking (in more polite…
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How Two Small Flames Restored One Woman’s Secret Jewish Past
Shabbat, as well as many Jewish holidays, begins with the lighting of candles. The candles are traditionally lit in the home at least 18 minutes before sunset. The lighting marks the beginning of a day of rest and refreshment. It seems clear that this custom began at a time when our homes were not illuminated…
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The Tiny Silver Amulet That Forged Communal Bonds
She removed a tiny silver amulet from her pocket. “This is what I wanted to tell you about,” Davy shared. Davy discovered this mysterious looking object near her school, Hunter College, when she was walking with her boyfriend, a Yemenite young man who didn’t happen to be Jewish. “Just leave it alone,” her boyfriend insisted….
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