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
-
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
-
Poll: Should Rabbis Keep Politics Out Of Their Rosh Hashanah Sermons?
On Sunday evening September 9, Jews around the world will begin two days of celebrations for the Jewish New Year, [Rosh Hashanah](https://forward.com/schmooze/320610/rosh-hashana/ “Rosh Hashanah”) — and many of them will do so by going to synagogue. As rabbis take to the pulpit for one of the most highly attended synagogue days of the year, should…
-
Celebrating 20 Years Of Family Camp — Just For LGBTQIA+ Jews
20 years ago, Deborah Newbrun was the only openly lesbian director of a Jewish residential camp in the country, and wherever her family engaged in the Jewish community — from preschool to synagogue — she felt like an outsider. “I needed a place as a young lesbian mother where my family could be in the…
The Latest
-
I’m A Jew of Choice And My Wife Is A Jew Of Color. We, Too, Are Questioned About Our Judaism
Judaism and identity have a long and complicated relationship. No two Jews have the same answer for what Judaism is, much less for who is a Jew. The Tablet Magazine revelations regarding 28-year-old Congressional hopeful Julia Salazar, who identifies as an immigrant and as a Jew of Color, have been eye-opening for a number of…
-
Self-Care Is Not A New Age Idea — It’s A Religious Imperative
As a rabbi, I’m often tasked with helping others find meaning in suffering and hope in times of despair. Drawing from the wellspring of biblical and rabbinic wisdom, I frequently find support for a wide range of broken hearts, and I typically have a comforting text to point to. Existential loneliness? Turn to Psalms 23:4:“Though…
-
How Bukharian Jews Built A Home At Queens College
Prior to my college years, I was only acquainted with a few Bukharian Jews my age. I was aware of my native culture and traditions, but I never understood their significance or origin. I thought I did certain things and thought a certain way simply because that’s how I was raised. It wasn’t until I…
-
Jeremy Corbyn Envisions A Britain For The Many — Not The Jew
Over the past several months, Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party has made international headlines over its anti-Semitism crisis. In July, Britain’s three leading Jewish newspapers, The Jewish Chronicle, the Jewish News and the Jewish Telegraph, in an unprecedented display of unity, published identical front-page editorials warning of the “existential threat” Jeremy Corbyn poses to the Jewish…
-
How Schechter Manhattan Is Working To Create An ‘Anti-Racist’ Day School
At Schechter Manhattan, we share Emma Bronznick Goldberg’s conviction that Jewish educational environments needs new ways of talking, acting and educating about race in America as one component of a broader and more inclusive education. We aspire for Schechter Manhattan to be an anti-racist Jewish day school, one in which students and faculty have opportunities…
-
What Palestinians Mean When They Talk About A ‘Two-State Solution’
At a recent campaign-style rally, President Donald Trump said that Israel is going to have to pay a “higher price” in future negotiations for his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The Palestinians, he added, “will get something very good, because it’s their turn next. Let’s see what happens.” Whether this was an off-the-cuff remark…
-
Britain’s Labour Party Should Serve As A Warning For U.S. Democrats
In light of anti-Semitism scandals plaguing the Labour Party in Britain, and increasing incidents of far-left anti-Semitism on North American college campuses, contemporary anti-Semitism and its overlap with anti-Zionism have been subjects of significant discussion and disagreement. Anti-Zionism is not inherently anti-Semitic — but it very often is, and the separation of the two is…
-
A Year After Hurricane Harvey, The Houston Jewish Community Still Needs Our Help
This August marks the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, and it is amazing to see how far the Jewish community in Houston has come, thanks to its resiliency and the support offered by Federations and Jews worldwide. However, challenges continue to arise, and many miles remain on the road toward recovery. In addition to supporting…
-
Feeling Burned Out? Try These 14 Jewish Breaks
In today’s world, racking up stress and desperately searching for daily or weekly releases is almost an obligatory part of work culture. We call it work-life-balance, a term invented to justify the overwhelming amount of time we dedicate to our burgeoning careers. But millennials aren’t the first to need this balance and they won’t be…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
News What a Secretary of State Marco Rubio would mean for American Jews and Israel
- 2
Fast Forward Trump AG nominee Matt Gaetz has left a trail of antisemitic comments
- 3
Opinion Trump’s first picks are die-hard Israel supporters, mocking the pro-Palestinian protest vote
- 4
News Your complete guide to Trump’s Jewish advisers and pro-Israel cabinet
In Case You Missed It
-
Opinion Trump wants prayer in schools. The Bible tells us how dangerous that is
-
Opinion Will Trump’s efforts to fight antisemitism help degrade democracy?
-
Culture A Jewish snowman movie would have made a lot more sense than Netflix’s ‘Hot Frosty’
-
Fast Forward Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Jewish Democrat, launches bid for New Jersey governor
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
