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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Despite An Active Anti-Israel Community, Columbia Is A Place Where Jews Thrive
Pundits have called this year the beginning of a new post-fact order, and a recent ranking of colleges by the Algemeiner lends credence to that classification. In a list entitled “The 40 Worst Colleges for Jewish Students, 2016,” the Algemeiner ranks Columbia University as #1. I graduated from Columbia University just this week, and I…
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Jewish Life at SDSU is Not Defined By The Haters
For the second year in a row, San Diego State University, my campus, has been called an unsafe place to be Jewish. In 2015, David Horowitz listed SDSU as the “sixth most anti-Semitic campus” in the United States. This year, The Algemeiner’s first annual list of the “40 Worst Campuses for Jewish Students” in Canada…
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Columbia Is Far From ‘The Worst College’ For Jews
A report by The Algemeiner recently named Columbia University as the “worst college for Jewish students in 2016.” In my five years leading The Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, Columbia/Barnard Hillel, I have seen multiple articles and reports criticizing Columbia University as being hostile for Jewish students. I cannot express in strong enough terms…
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Illinois and UChicago Administration Consistently Stand With Israel
For much of its history, The University of Chicago has been a leader in supporting free expression, and its current administration continues to uphold this legacy proudly. While there are certainly problems for Jews on campus —I received anonymous death threats in my first year for defending Israel — the administration has taken major steps…
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Don’t Be Fooled by Kosher Accommodations: At Columbia, It’s Hard To Be A Pro-Israel Jew
I was not surprised when seeing Columbia University ranked #1 in the Algemeiner’s latest study of The 40 Worst Colleges for Jewish Students. It has been over a year since I co-founded Students Supporting Israel on campus, and everyday our team wakes up ready to fight for Israel. It is important to mention that Columbia…
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Geography, Trade and Peace With Our Neighbors
Historically speaking, we know Eretz Yisrael as the land of the Jews, living alongside many Nations who resided near and with the Israelites, and traded with them. Israel’s ancient lands were, and are, a crossing point for many peoples, not just our own. In that regard, we tend to think of maps of Israel as…
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What the Holocaust and Coming Out Taught Me About Hard Choices in 2016
My mother, Wilhelmina Herberdina Cornelia Visser Faas, will be turning 98 next April. Although her body is frail, her mind is agile and she continues to follow and weigh in on current affairs. Now that she has lost much of her sight and hearing she is more dependent on individual discussions to keep abreast of…
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The Top 6 Peace Obstructing Perceptions in Israeli Society
Most of Israeli society is not fully prepared for the possibility of peace between Israel and the neighboring Palestinian and other Arab nations. Although the vision and occasional programs of peace are being advocated by political organizations, peace movements and the international community, they fail to gain sustainable public acceptance. Israeli media channels constantly cover…
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Anti-Israel Activism Comes To Elementary School
Anti-Israel activism at colleges and universities receives a lot of media attention and debate, typically surrounding the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. The BDS debate typically includes a cast of players who are capable of speaking for and defending themselves, including student and outside groups on each side, video and adult witnesses. Yet it would…
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How an Orthodox Rabbi Became A Reform Jewish Educator
In 1979, I was ordained as a rabbi by a prominent yeshiva. My training prepared me to become a modern Orthodox rabbi, presumably in a congregation. I previously served as a Jewish youth educator in the Chicago region of NCSY and as a visiting staff member for other regions around the Midwest. So, when the…
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What Are We Actually Celebrating On Hanukkah?
In less than a week, we will light candles to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah. Hebrew school pop quiz: What miracle are we celebrating? Classic Hebrew school answer: According to the Talmud, it’s that a small jar of oil lasted for 8 days. But this is not mentioned in any historical record (see the Book…
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