This week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sarah (“The life of Sarah“) ironically begins after she is already dead. It is our job to reflect on her life and learn any lessons that we can from her actions. Interestingly enough, when one…
Exploration of the -isms: Shabbat
This year, I moved into an apartment with a diverse group of individuals. Two of them, Yash Joshi and Rahul Vasandani, are childhood friends from Mumbai, India. Both of these Mumbaikars are Hindu, although Yash considers himself more religious than…
Laniado Hospital – a paragon of coexistence
And it continues. Every morning we wake up hearing about more horrific attacks in Israel, and it seems that there is no way to stop them. The mainstream media carelessly throws around the word “Intifada,” seeking to grab attention, but…
L’Chaim to our furry friends
On a shivery Shabbat night in Israel, I was shocked to see callousness towards animal cruelty. My friends are I were spending the weekend away from seminary in Ashkelon. After Friday night dinner, we, like all the other youths in…
Israeli-Druze Delegation Panel results in uproar, tears
This past Monday, October 26, UCLA welcomed seven Druze Israelis to speak at the law school as part of their two-week long tour in the United States. The event was hosted by several Jewish and Jewish-affiliated organizations, including Bruins for…
ARTiculations: Week 6
The ARTiculation of this week is by alumnus and long-term Ha’Am staff writer Moshe Kahn. This is an image of Noah’s ark. There are three components to the image: the ark (can you spot the giraffe couple?), the mountain peak,…
Taste of Torah: To be one who binds or one who frees
This week’s Torah portion, Vayera, tells the story of two very different Abrahams. In the first part of the portion, we see Abraham argue with G-d regarding the fate of the people of Sodom (Genesis 18:22). Not long after that,…
Saving Judaism from extremism
“I hope god smites you for your blatant disrespect for rabbis in general who have light years of experience in life more than you..” “You’re the dog that the satan has to send to bark against him to try and…
“I’m So Stressed”: a “Be Our Guest” parody
Ah studious Bruins, it is with utmost delicacy and genuine sympathy that we prepare you mentally, for the week that lies ahead. Crack open your books as your professors proudly present — your midterms! I’m..so..stressed! I’m so stressed! Have yet…
Avigdor Lieberman’s political silver lining to the current tensions in Israel
The recent uptick of interethnic violence in Israel is likely to benefit Avigdor Lieberman, one of the biggest losers of the last elections. Lieberman is the head of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, whose base is the large number of…