When word got out, I braced myself for some interesting reactions (and lots of questions). They ranged from “Wait, are you serious?” to “That’s weird, but cool I guess” to one of my personal favorites from a guy pal, “Ah,…
On the up and up: is Passover price inflation real?
Perhaps no holiday tests the Jewish imagination to the same extent as does Passover. Each year, irrespective of locale, Jews are asked to explore their ancestral heritage by recreating the Passover story that traces the Jewish excursion from bondage to…
Disney’s Bears: a children’s film deserving of criticism
As much as I hate to admit it, I am an urbanite. I enjoy spending time away from the city, but going on a hike is somewhat of a hassle. So when my friend told me about a nature film…
Popping the bubble: transitioning from a small, private high school to a public college
According to the Avi Chai Foundation, a small, but growing, percentage of the Jews in America attend private Jewish schools. In general, these schools are much smaller than private secular schools and even smaller in comparison to most public schools.…
Dayeinu — never enough
“Dayeinu” is one of the more perplexing passages in the Passover Haggadah. It comes as a respite after a long stretch of Talmudic exegesis, and is therefore typically chanted in an exuberant manner. This fosters its interpretation as a song…
Editorial: A response to accusations of Islamophobia and false light shed on the Jewish and pro-Israel community, and USAC candidates
Despite centuries of hostility and animosity, it is always a refreshing endeavor to explore the many similar experiences and values shared by the Abrahamic faiths. Of central importance to all Abrahamic religions is the sanctity of the spoken and written…
Jew-SAC Candidates: Jewish Identities and School Politics
If you have a Facebook account, then you are well aware that it is election season at UCLA. The Undergraduate Students Association Council — the governing body of the Undergraduate Students Association — annually holds elections Spring Quarter to elect…
LA County seal controversy is a heavy cross to bear
To those unfamiliar with the history of Los Angeles County, its official seal appears to be a strange assortment of unfamiliar symbols, with a Native American woman and some animals thrown in for good measure. To those involved in the…
Too little, a millennium too late? A right of return for Iberian Jewry
July 5, 1950 marks a historic day for the Jewish people. Eager for new immigrants, the government of the nascent Jewish State, Israel, granted the right of return to all Jews. In a historic first, Jews could now obtain citizenship…
The hidden implications of BDS
The facts are pretty straightforward: after 12 hours of public deliberation on a resolution to divest from companies operating in the West Bank, USAC rendered a 7-5-0 vote against the suggested resolution. By virtue of the polarizing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one…