J Street and the Jewish Agency recently hosted discussions about the upcoming Israeli elections, in which UCLA students were invited to learn about and debate over the issues that caused the calling of early elections, and discuss how those issues…
Off Campus
Taglit-Birthright Israel: Discovery that lasts a lifetime
Let’s get one thing straight: what happens on Taglit-Birthright Israel stays on Taglit-Birthright Israel — except for the selfies you take with your seemingly evil camel, the Instagram photos with perfect lighting at the top of Masada, the videos of…
Speaking different languages, hearing nothing at all
Have you ever had difficulty trying to find the right words to say? Language allows us to communicate with one another but also tends to limit our ability to say what we mean and mean what we say. It is…
A “not so special relationship,” but a surprising impartiality
As murmurs in Hebrew permeated the room and the predominantly sprightly, older crowd found their seats, it became quickly evident that this event would exude a vibrant energy. Hosted by the UCLA Nazarian Center for Israel Studies and entitled “Not…
Debate Table: Is Israel a Jewish State?
Is Israel a Jewish State? No. But it can be. by Ha’Am Contributor Groups like Bruins for Israel love to tout the idea that Jews, like all other national groups, deserve a state. That would be a good argument if…
Anti-Israel media bias around the world and around campus
An American woman and her husband tried for three years to have a child before their daughter, Chaya Zissel Braun, came into the world four months ago. To show their gratitude to G-d for this precious gift, they traveled to…
Is protesting enough?
Protesting is quite a common subsequent reaction for Los Angeles Jews when an unfavorable incident occurs in Israel. This past summer especially, my Facebook blew up with event invites to the Federal Building or to the Israeli Consulate to protest…
Remembering Yitzhak Rabin
Nineteen years later, the Jewish people still mourn the tragic loss of a national and international hero. In the month of November, we remember the life of Yitzhak Rabin – Nobel Peace Prize winner and iconic figure of hope and…
A source of connection: food, family and Hadassah
As my grandmother Esther Moreh remembers, growing up in Iran under the monarchy was a progressive time. In the 1920’s, up until the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the country offered much promise to an Iranian Jewish woman. My grandmother was an…