“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…
Film Review: The Last of the Unjust
An achievement in the school of physically oppressive cinema, Claude Laznmann’s The Last of the Unjust spans slightly more than three and a half hours and relies on two factors to compel its viewers to keep to their seats: the…
Charedi Jews and Israeli draft exemptions
Mandatory army service and religious exemptions from such service constitute one of the most provocative issues in Israeli society. This has been a hotly debated topic since 1948, when David Ben-Gurion authorized the postponement of the draft for a small…
Editorial: A more understanding academic calendar
A scheduling decision recently brought to light by the University of California system to push the beginning of the 2014 fall quarter back a week has elicited some harsh responses from UC students. The newly arranged schedule ensures that the…
Problems in Poland
From the shady unveiling of an infamous blood libel painting that could only perhaps be excused in the name of art, to far more egregious transgressions against not just the Jewish community but any veteran and survivor of the Second…