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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Orthodox Jews Have White Privilege, Too
The issue of whether or not fair-skinned Jews are white has been fiercely debated at length in the American Jewish community. I don’t want to get into that. However, I saw the issue reframed in an interesting way the other week. Assuming white Jews, in general, have white privilege, does that privilege still exist when…
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We Jewish Women Must Show Up At The Women’s March
Why is it essential for Jewish women to commit to marching at the Women’s March in Washington DC on January 19, 2019? As conflict continues to blow up around the 2019 Women’s March and as Jewish organizations pull out and rescind their endorsements, I confess that I feel the hot breath of history blowing on…
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I’m A Rabbi — And I Love Christmas
How do I feel as a rabbi during Christmas? I feel great. First of all, I love Christmas music. The innocent, hopeful melodies, the joyous diddies, the corny jingles — all of them bring smiles to my face. And when they become too cheesy or too much, I change the station. The fact that many…
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What I’ve Learned About Life Preparing Jewish Bodies For Death
It’s a crisp autumn day in Madison, Wisconsin, and I’m running late for a meeting with a dead person. I volunteer with my congregation’s Chevra Kadisha, a group that helps prepare Jewish bodies for burial and ensures that every congregant has company from the moment they’ve passed away until the last clump of dirt covers…
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Stop Criticizing Interfaith Families Who Celebrate Christmas
This month, many interfaith families are celebrating Christmas. Unfortunately, there won’t be many expressions of “Happy Holidays” coming from the Jewish world. Recently, Gil Troy described the very existence of intermarriage as “the great unspoken yet perennial source of anguish haunting the Jewish world…American Jewry’s great divider,” and said that “no Jewish community could ever…
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Six Years After Newtown, We’re Making Important Progress To End Gun Violence
On Sundays, our synagogue holds a family prayer service. It’s nestled between two busy sessions of religious school. It’s a quick service — a little praying, a little singing, a few announcements and a whole lot of reflection. At the close, we’re asked to share the name of someone who is sick or has passed…
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Could Benny Gantz Become The Next Prime Minister Of Israel?
Despite multiple corruption scandals, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu retains significant public support and still has the best chance of any candidate to keep his position when the next Israeli elections roll around. But a new political player is rising in the polls: Benny Gantz, former chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces. Over…
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Less Than Half Of Jewish Israelis Want Netanyahu To Remain PM
According to the latest monthly update of the Peace Index of the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University, just 46% of Jewish Israelis named current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as their preferred candidate for the next prime minister. Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, a former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, followed…
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An Outspoken Orthodox Rabbi Is Breaking The Rabbinate’s Monopoly On Marriage
A version of this article originally appeared in Plus61J, an Australian-Jewish publication. Israelis love complaining about the overbearing power of the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate. Few, however, have done more to challenge the Rabbinate’s monopoly over Jewish life choices than Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz of Jerusalem. After completing his struggle to introduce alternative kosher certificates to restaurants…
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A Group Of West Bank Homeowners Is Twisting US Law To Line Their Pockets
Recently, Airbnb delisted around 200 apartments and houses for rent in Israeli settlements in the West Bank after pressure from various groups and an internal review of the situation. Gilad Erdan, Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs, made a statement denouncing the decision as “discriminatory” against Israeli citizens, and asked why Airbnb wasn’t focusing on other…
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The Great Latke Debate: Applesauce vs Sour Cream
For many American Jews, Hanukkah is synonymous with latke season. Pillowy on the inside and perfectly crisp on the outside, these potato pancakes are delicious just about however you serve them. But like any Jewish matter, a contentious debate takes place every year over what the best way to top them is. Traditionally, either sour…
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