Two Jews Walk Into a Bar: A Brief History of Jewish Humor

Jewish history is no laughing matter; it is painfully riddled with tragedy, trauma, and loss. Yet, despite the tragic periods that often define our heritage, the Jewish experience has been the subject of countless jokes. As if by some peculiar…

This Mizrahi Heritage Month, Say A-WA to Mizrahi Music

November is Mizrahi Heritage Month, a time dedicated to bringing visibility to Jewish people of Middle Eastern and North African heritage.  “Mizrahi,” meaning east in Hebrew, describes the Jews that live in diaspora in the Middle East and North Africa.…

Chanukah 5783: What’s in a name?

Warren Buffett has famously said that while it takes 20 years to build a reputation, five minutes is sufficient to ruin one.  As someone who is only a few months older than twenty myself, I think I’ll have to take…

Jewish Diversity in Film

Within the vastness of Jewish culture, there exists an immense diversity of ethnic, religious, national, political, sexual, and gender identities. Although not regularly discussed in the mainstream media, the Jewish community’s diverse array of backgrounds bring their own unique voices…

Seudah Shlishit: No Longer a “Third Wheel”

Picture the scene: It’s a Saturday, late in the afternoon. The sun is beginning its descent toward the horizon. The metaphysical energy of Shabbat has reached its crescendo: God’s presence is palpable. The Day of Rest is coming to a…

A Holiday Welcome

Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, oh my! This year, all of the major Jewish Holidays were squeezed into the span of what felt like a few days, and although Jewish Students on campus were eager to celebrate the high holidays,…

Queen Shlomzion: The Last King of Ancient Israel

The most impactful ruler of ancient Israel might not have been King David, but a queen by the name of Alexandra Shlomzion. For a long time, this powerful queen had been forgotten from history, but with the unearthing of the…

Vegan Shavuot

Shavuot, the Jewish Spring Harvest Festival, centers around many deep-rooted Jewish customs such as all night learning, Tikkun Leil Shavuot. This kabbalistic tradition aims to correct the faults of our ancestors, who were unprepared to receive the Torah, by demonstrating…

“Love Punk Rock, Hate Nazis”: How Punk Rock Mobilized Against Fascism and An Interview with Brian Brannon of JFA

Playlist to accompany ofc- https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3sqFbCB2Y5L0sQ4tr6Tsky  NAZI PUNKS FUCK OFF! A hundred thousand punk rockers, adorned with anti-Nazi paraphernalia, band merchandise and crude denim jackets, walk seven miles through bustling Central London. Their march crosses key National Front strongholds. A masked…

Paper Golems: An Interview with Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik

“I always knew that we were going to be really Jewish,” artist Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik told me. His exhibit, Paper Golems: A Pandemic Diary is currently on display at the Dortort Center for Creativity in the Arts at UCLA Hillel.  “I’ve…