On October 14, I was privileged to be a student delegate at 30 Years After’s 3rd Biennial Conference. 30 Years After is the civic and political voice of America’s Iranian Jews, the first and only organization of its kind. The…
Israel and apartheid: a lesson in the risks of media bias
For Israel, a country trapped under the brutally judgmental microscope of global scrutiny, public image is everything. A recent poll published on October 23, 2012 by Haaretz (a leading Israeli news source), and its accompanying piece by Israeli journalist Gideon…
Anti-Semitic graffiti “un-Kiwi?”
Sprayed in black, the swastikas show up clearly against the pale gray tombstones in a historic Auckland, New Zealand cemetery, where vagrants drift and troublemakers lurk. The Hebrew words meaning May his/her soul be bound into the bond of life…
Kosher Korner: Pumpkin Spice Latte
Despite the sweltering LA weather, it is indeed fall. What better way to usher in autumn than with a delicious pumpkin spice latte? Although many coffee shops offer tasty fall drinks, it’s often difficult to find kosher options and even…
Blurring democracy: the Orthodox vision of respecting women
It was my first time at the Western Wall. It should have been a beautiful and emotional moment, one that allowed me to connect to the history of the Jewish people. And yet, something irked me. Perhaps it was the…
Yiddishkayt’s Helix Project: a modern adventure into the forgotten Yiddish past
Cobblestone paths and narrowly winding streets. Freshly painted yellow buildings and crumbling courtyards boarded up in disrepair. Vilnius, summer 2012, or as the Yiddish speaking Jewish population called it prior to World War II, Vilna, the Jerusalem of Lithuania. Ten…
‘Outfitters’ of outrage: Urban Outfitters sells ‘Holocaust t-shirt’ and offends
Popular retailer Urban Outfitters is known for catering to the so-called ‘hipster’ culture, and it does so by incorporating influences from past decades into their vintage, bohemian, and retro clothing lines. According to the company’s website, Urban Outfitters’ “established ability…
The Jewish Casualties of Adler’s Assassination Comments
The Atlanta Jewish Times is looking for a new owner. The reason? Its founder and original publisher, Andrew Adler, is facing investigation by the FBI and United States Secret Service. In a piece dated January 13th, 2012, Adler decried the…
Orthodox Judaism in the western world: a harmonic business deal
Businessmen Steven Spira and Paul Cohen address a roomful of students at the JAM building at UCLA. (photo by Tessa Nath) Observant Judaism and the modern world are not always seen as a completely cohesive pair; people often equate the…