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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Orthodox Jews Aren’t Allowed To Watch Porn. This Website Helps Them Cope
On Yeshiva World News, an Orthodox Jewish news site, typical advertisements ask readers to join the “Stop Talking in Shul!” movement, book a kosher cruise or donate to needy Orthodox institutions. Alongside the cheery faces of smiling boys and men, there is often a nondescript blue advertisement depicting two silhouettes: one man in front of…
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Americans Need A Dose Of German Guilt
12 years ago, I met with a young German Christian woman who sought my assistance in converting to Judaism. As I listened to her reasons for wishing to be Jewish — her marriage to a Jewish man, her partnership in raising a Jewish daughter, her affection for the customs and traditions of Judaism — I…
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The Peace Process Isn’t Bringing Jews And Arabs Together — But Running Is.
A version of this article originally appeared in Plus61J, an Australian-Jewish publication. The Israeli-Palestinian peace process may be going nowhere, but in Jerusalem, a grassroots initiative connecting Jews and Arabs through physical activity is giving residents hope for a better future in a divided city. Some 1,000 teenagers and adults gathered on November 9 at…
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Can Prayer Help Us Heal? Doctors Say Yes.
As the medical director of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a world-class neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph Maroon has seen his share of frightened patients. And he’s found that the most effective way to calm down a patient before surgery is to pray. If a patient is willing, Dr. Maroon will take his or her hand and quietly…
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You Don’t Have To Be ‘Good With Anti-Semitism’ To Support The Women’s March
I was taken aback when I saw a New York Post article entitled, “Don’t join this year’s Women’s March unless you’re good with anti-Semitism.” I support the right of every woman to weigh in and decide whether joining the Women’s March is right for her, and offering false choices like the one above is poisoning…
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Stop Alienating Jews Of Color In Synagogue
Last week, Marra went to synagogue in her adopted hometown for the first time. She was not greeted warmly. As she entered the synagogue, she was pointedly asked, “Are you invited to be here?” Not dissuaded — a Hollywood producer by trade, she is not easily daunted — she let the questioner know that she…
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I Was A Trump Troll — Here’s Why I Joined The #BlueWave
I used to be a Trump supporter, even a Trump troll. But in the past several months, my eyes have been opened to the true nature of President Trump’s base — and of President Trump himself. In the past, I’ve always relied on conservative pundits for answers. As a Jew, I cared a lot about…
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Brooklyn Hasidim Lost A Vote — Which Might Save Their Children From A Life Of Poverty
In a last-minute backroom deal in April of 2018, a New York State Senator managed to dramatically reduce the ability of the government to enforce educational standards at Jewish day schools. Senator Simcha Felder, an Orthodox Jew who ran as a Democrat but caucuses with the Republicans, represents large swaths of the Hasidic community in…
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80 Years After Kristallnacht, Holocaust Education Is More Important Than Ever
Two-and-half-weeks ago, the Philadelphia community came together to formally open the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Plaza at the first public Holocaust memorial in downtown Philadelphia. Just five days later, a gunman killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue, and it became tragically clear that our concern about history repeating itself was warranted. November 9th marks the 80th…
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I Survived The Holocaust — And Pittsburgh Brought The Old Fears Rushing Back
My name is Johanna Reiss. You may already know it; I am the Author of the memoir The Upstairs Room and other books about my experiences as a Jewish child hidden in Holland during World War II and how I managed to live through it. Since 1945, I thought I was done with my old…
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For Jewish Students On Campus, The Pittsburgh Shooting Was Tragic — And Unifying
In response to the horrific synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, we asked three of the Forward’s Campus Ambassadors to tell us how they are dealing with the tragedy in their universities and home communities. Their responses are below. What was your reaction when you heard the news of the shooting in Pittsburgh? Where were you and…
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