In Israel, your politics determine everything — where you sit in synagogue, what falafel stand you frequent, and especially what football (soccer) team you support. Israeli football culture, stemming from longstanding traditions of European football hooliganism and city pride, takes…
Thanksgivukah
Background and Celebration: Christmahanukwanzukah. Christmukah. Kwanzukah. You will not hear any of these terms this year because Chanukah does not fall on Christmas or Kwanza, but on an entirely different holiday. For the first time in many years, the second…
Kosher Korner: Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi
As I have mentioned, I absolutely refuse to throw out my Halloween decorations and am always looking to find new ways to incorporate pumpkin into my meals. One of my favorite fall dishes is a kind of squash ravioli with…
Eden Atias murdered, American media forgets
Controversy is quickly brewing over purportedly skewed media coverage of the fatal stabbing of 19-year-old Israeli soldier Eden Atias on a bus en route to Tel Aviv. The suspect is a Palestinian teenager, residing in Israel illegally. The main catalyst…
Jews United Part 2—Laughing All the Way to Freedom: Social Functions of Jewish Humor of Modern Day Exodus
“Rabinovich [the recurring butt of Russian-Jewish jokes] is taken into custody by the KGB. ‘Why do you want to leave the best country in the world?’ the KGB agent asks him. Rabinovich responds, ‘Well, I only have two reasons. My…
Canorah at UCLA
Judaism is a religion rich in celebrations and holidays. As the old Jewish joke goes, a formula unifies the many disparate Jewish holidays: our enemies wanted to kill us, we prevailed, we celebrate. And while most Jewish communities revert to…
A brokering of dialogue: Bruin Democrats/Bruin Republicans debate
While Students for Justice in Palestine occupied Bruin Walk, busy practicing moral relativism (constructing a wall perpetuating a one-sided account while supporting Hamas [a terrorist organization]) and actively refusing dialogue with any students who might not share their worldview, Bruins…
Religiously ROTC: the pros and cons of being Jewish in the US military
Rising tuition has long been a favorite gripe of college students, as those of us not blessed with the resources to get through education attempt to reconcile the harsh reality of paying many thousands of dollars per year and possibly…
Wall constructed, pamphlets passed: Palestine Awareness Week and pro-Israel pushback
Every year, Students for Justice in Palestine reserve Bruin Plaza for their Palestine Awareness Week — a week when they erect a temporary, six-paneled wall complete with drawings and multicolor, bulletpoint displays in order to inform passersby about the Palestinian…
Ask Yente
Hello everyone. Ha’Am has established a new column called “Ask Yente,” where YOU can ask questions about anything troubling you. I, your wise Yente, will try my best to answer your questions in a timely manner. All I ask is that the questions be…