It seems like every now and then, another Hollywood movie star steps into the Jewish spotlight. The most recent was actor James Franco, who announced his bar mitzvah ceremony through Instagram. Born to a Jewish mother, Franco is indeed Jewish,…
American Jews and voting rights
In California, 6.6 million eligible voters are not registered — and that is truly pathetic. From Saudi Arabia to North Korea, in so many countries around the world, people do not have a say in the policies that directly affect…
California’s End of Life Option Act and the value of dignity
The End of Life Option Act was recently passed in the California legislature and signed into law by Governor Brown to great anticipation on behalf of euthanasia and assisted suicide advocates, as well as many patients with terminal illnesses. It…
A ‘shameful’ schnoz
Think you can recognize a Jew at a single glance? I doubt it. Many believe they can distinguish a Jew solely by his or her appearance. In reality, the type of Jew classified in such cases is just one particular…
Returning to Zionism’s roots: Leon Pinsker, Auto-Emancipation and the real meaning of Zionism
Few political terms have such a hazy and imprecise definition in popular discourse as “Zionism.” In part, this is due to the political agenda behind the views of both self-professed Zionists and anti-Zionists. And yet, it is critical for us,…
Keeping friends close and enemies closer: a look into the world of self-hating Jews
We are always our own greatest critics. And rightly so, for only we can truly possess the fundamental understanding of the motivations and inner machinations that drive our transgressions. No one else can judge and scrutinize with a parallel level…
Thinking scientifically about religion
What would it even mean for science and religion to be compatible? Science acquires knowledge by examining the evidence presented to us by our senses. The meaning of evidence in this context is expressed very clearly in the following example,…
Opposites attract: the compatibility of science and religion
When one looks at a list of best-selling books for the last ten years he is almost guaranteed that a few of those books will be written by what pop media is now calling militant atheists. These writers, who have…
Misconception of the Jew
A commonly asked question is: What is a Jew? There is no simple answer to this question. Jews vary from their geographic location to their religious beliefs (whether it be Orthodox, Reform, etc.). However, no matter where they may come…
The health and hypocritical horrors of “Hookah in the Sukkah” parties
Not just a public-health concern! A holiday hypocrisy! Coming from a proud Persian family, my exposure and experience with hookah was an integral component of family life. As a young girl, I vividly recall parties where my family, particularly the…