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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Attention, Jewish Moms: The Y-Studs Just Released A Passover Music Video
With nary two days to spare, the Y-Studs, third only to the Maccabeats in the hearts of Jewish mothers (their own children are the best singers in the world have you heard them, of course), released their 2018 Passover music video, The Greatest Passover. I’m far from being a mom myself, but I’ve gotta say…
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Is Israel Really Surrounded By Enemies?
“Just look at the map,” my high school Jewish history teacher said. “There are dozens of Arab countries and only one Jewish one. We are surrounded by our enemies.” This narrative was how my high school friends and I looked at Israel and the criticisms leveled against it. This argument is not only racist but…
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Squaring The Freedom Of Passover With The Struggles Of Life
We talk a lot about freedom at this time of year. Freedom from bondage. Freedom from our narrow places. Freedom from constriction. But what do we do with this talk of freedom if we ourselves feel stuck, if liberation seems impossible? What are the psycho-spiritual implications of that narrow place, the one that feels existential…
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To Combat Gun Violence, This Upper East Side Synagogue Let A Teen Leader Take The Bimah
I am a senior in high school, and I am the President of my youth group at Temple Shaaray Tefila on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Like many, I walked out of my school on Wednesday, March 14th to commemorate the 17 lives lost in Parkland, Florida and to protest gun violence in our…
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3 Ways To Transform Your Passover Cooking — With Booze
Passover is a perfect time to experiment in the kitchen. Because I don’t use many of the imitation condiments, I try to use more herbs and alcohol in my cooking and baking. Here are a few of my favorite recent discoveries: Tequila Marinated Chicken Cutlets A company favorite which makes great leftovers are my lettuce…
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My Synagogue Welcomes Spirited Debate Over Israel — But We Can’t Promote J Street
It saddens me that a member has twice maligned in this publication the congregation of which I am privileged to serve as rabbi. It pains me even more to lose two members, who have contributed so much over so many years to the vibrancy and energy that has been the hallmark of our synagogue since…
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5 Proven Ways To Fight Carb Cravings During Passover
From beautifully braided challah to bagels and savory kugels, there’s no denying that traditional Jewish dishes are both delicious and full of flavor. Unfortunately, many of those delicious dishes are also packed with carbohydrates, low in nutrients and not exactly great for your overall health. A diet high in refined carbs (from sources like challah…
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The Benefits of Going Bread-Free — During Passover and Beyond
You know that giving up bread is a Passover tradition, but you may not know that passing the bread basket can also make significant improvement to your health. While only a small percentage of the population suffers from celiac disease, research suggests that many more may suffer from symptoms caused by a gluten intolerance or…
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If Cleaning For Passover Is Easy, You’re Doing It Wrong
Passover preparation has always been a heavy-duty task. For thousands of years, Jews throughout the world, in every Sephardic and Ashkenazic community, invested serious amounts of time and effort cleaning their homes, kashering their kitchens and sealing away utensils used for chametz (leavened grain products). The Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) devotes approximately 40…
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Germany Paid My Late Father Holocaust Reparations — And Now They Want 410 Euros Back
Dear Gertrud F: I received your official-looking letter just the other day. I could tell immediately its origin was from a foreign land: an evocative, welcome throwback to the tactile pre-Web era, when missives would arrive from beyond our shores bearing exotic-looking stamps, redolent of faraway places. All rendered basically obsolete, of course, by the…
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Why Should We Trust The Ancient Rabbis?
A version of this article originally appeared in the Texas Jewish Post. Can you trust the rulings of the rabbis? This is a question that my brother and I have discussed and debated for quite a while now. The root of our brotherly debate is not what you might imagine. Neither my brother nor I…
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