The Judaism in thanks-giving

Thanksgiving is perhaps one of the American people’s favorite national holidays. It is a time when individuals unite with friends and family to bask in one another’s company, increase their caloric intake, and brag about the items they intend to…

Our democratic fight

As a student who grew up in a democratic and liberal environment, I was constantly told to be proud of myself and to stand up for who I am and what I believe in. Earlier this week, the student government…

Non-denominational or non-Orthodox?

As an Orthodox Jew, there have been many times in my life where I have felt unwelcome in the wider Jewish community. This feeling of discomfort has arisen in a wide variety of circumstances: from being unable to attend certain…

JWW honors Gabriel family with night of music, art

At their annual gala in recognition of leading community philanthropists, Jewish World Watch presented the Katzburg Gabriel family with the Global Soul Award Wednesday night in Royce Hall. According to co-founder Janice Kamenir-Reznik, Jewish World Watch (JWW) was founded in 2004 in…

Taste of Torah: God is in this place

This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Vayetze, starts with Jacob camping for the night and resting his head on a stone to sleep. He dreams of a ladder stretching to the heavens, with endless angels ascending and descending the ladder (Genesis 28:10-12).…

Kosher Korner: Soul-warming onion soup

As the weather turns cooler, it’s nice to enjoy some hot, comforting soul food. To me, a rich onion soup is the peak of comfort and definitely something to anticipate at the end of a long, windy day spent trudging…

Wake up, world: It is not just Paris

Unless you live under a rock or do not have a Facebook account, you have probably noticed that almost everyone on Facebook has changed his or her profile picture to include the French flag filter. People have done this to…

My night at the Friends of the IDF Gala

As I entered the glamorous Beverly Hilton Hotel last Thursday, November 5, for the Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces Gala, I felt a strong sense of community. Surrounding me were philanthropists, professionals, actors, and of course, American and Israeli…

The question of woman Orthodox rabbis

I have always had a love-hate relationship with the Jewish laws and traditions pertaining to women. There are various accounts in Judaism where women are held in high esteem, and others where women are caught in a multitude of restrictions…

Taste of Torah: positive transformations and Torah

By Elisa Gurevitch, co-director of Chabad at UCLA   This week’s parashah, Toldot, includes the famous story of Rivkah (Rebecca), who, after many years of marriage, was finally blessed with twins, Yaakov (Jacob) and Esav (Esau). Our Sages tell us that, while…