Background: Throughout our history, Jewish communities across the world have developed slow-cooked stews in order to have warm food on Shabbat without violating its laws. Ashkenazi Jews developed Cholent, and Sephardic Jews came up with similar stews like Chamin and…
Ask Rebecca #1: Relationships, recommendations and politics
People tend to love my honest opinion and unique persona, although at times my outspoken personality has gotten me in trouble. I enjoy expressing my thoughts and helping others; thus, I have decided to create a column in which I…
Purim costumes at UCLA!
As the story of Purim goes, the Jewish people had to conceal their Jewish identities, thus explaining one of reasons why we adorn ourselves with costumes on Purim. Regardless of the reason, who doesn’t love a good dress-up party? On…
Taste of Torah: The golden calf and blind decision making
Written by Devorah Friedman, Ha’Am’s External Managing Editor This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tisa, begins with the completion of the Tabernacle and ends with a description of Moses’ relationship to G-d and his devotion to the people he led through…
New UCPD policy inspired by Jewish holiday of Purim
Inspired by the holiday of Purim, the University of California Police Department has implemented a new test to determine student driver intoxication levels. The new policy, which goes into effect Friday, will have an officer showing students side-by-side photos of…
The Book of Esther and what makes a Jewish hero
In the Torah, a hero is not someone who chooses to do precisely what he or she wants to do as an individual, not someone who never does wrong, and certainly not someone who never errs. In the Torah, a…
The practicality of the Shurat Hadin lawsuit
Last Monday, a US jury ordered the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to pay over $218 million to the victims (and their families) of terrorist attacks in Israel that the PA provided material support for. The trial provided…
JSwipe: coloring outside the lines of dating
Modern Jewish dating has moved way past the traditional matchmaking days á la Yenta of Fiddler on the Roof. Nowadays, Jewish dating generally involves the following questions: Is he a nice Jewish boy? Does she attend synagogue? Is she going…
Taste of Torah: the ultimate leader
Written by Rabbi Jacob Rupp, Jewish Awareness Movement at UCLA In this week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, Moses’ name is not mentioned. The Talmud explains that after the sin of the Golden Calf in next week’s Torah portion, G-d was prepared…
The persistent stream of Jewish sectarianism
Hinduism has been compared to the Ganges River, for it has been flowing and evolving over many centuries. In order to extend this metaphor to Judaism, one would need to alter it slightly. Judaism is best compared to the river…