You shall count for yourselves — from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving — seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count…
Uncomfortable questions left unanswered: Ethiopian Jews in Israel and their fight for justice
A line of policemen armed with shields and stun grenades position themselves across a mob of angry protesters. The protesters wield signs reading “Stop police brutality” and “Black is not a crime.” Their hearts are filled with anger, frustration, and…
Taste of Torah: breaking free of the materialistic pursuit
Written by Gil Bar-Or It has been over 3000 years since we were freed from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, but it appears that today we are still bound by another set of shackles. The culture of materialism that…
Hiding behind progression: Jewish passivity in the 1960s and beyond in America
The 1960s marked a time of revolution and confrontation for many minorities, including Jews. However, Jews hardly addressed their experiences of anti-Semitism during this time. Why did they not respond to discrimination, and what should we should do now to solve the resulting crisis?
The difficult history of Russian Jews
How can it be that there are so few religious Russian Jews left, when the vast majority of 18th century Jews lived in the Russian Empire? In fact, it is estimated that the Russian Empire had a population of 5.25…
Kosher Korner: Shavuot cheese lasagna
Shavuot, coming up in just over two weeks, is the holiday celebrating the giving of the Torah, as well as the holiday of dairy decadence. This break from the heavy meat consumption common to many homes during most Jewish holidays…
Taste of Torah: Lag Ba’Omer Video
Video by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus ______________ This article is part of Ha’Am’s Friday Taste of Torah column. Each week, a different UCLA community member will contribute some words of Jewish wisdom in preparation for Shabbat.
A farewell to Ha’Am, my Jewish home
My journey with Ha’Am began as a freshman, when I stalked about the Enormous Activities Fair, searching for clubs to join. My eye caught a young man with a clipboard, emphatically explaining to anyone with a kippah, or a typical…
What this year’s USAC election results mean for the Jewish students
Now that the results of the USAC election are in, Jewish Bruins have begun to contemplate what the upcoming 2015-2016 term will look like. For the first time since 2012, the Bruins United slate has garnered majority representation in student…
Jews in space: a look into the Jewish world of Star Wars
A young man, alone in the “hive of scum and villainy” he comes from, becomes inspired by an omnipotent force to carry out a message of clarity and goodness. Basically, your average boy finds religion. Luke Skywalker sought something greater…