In the world of BDS activism “pinkwashing” has become the new black, but like most fashion trends, it’s all style and no substance. The BDS movement often incorporates catchy, but unsubstantiated phrases like “ecological imperialism,” “homonationalism,” and “pinkwashing” into their…
Book Review: The “Titan of Tehran” by Shahrzad Elghanyan
Over the summer, I had the privilege of reading the biography of former Iranian Jewish leader and businessman Habib Elghanyan, “Titan of Tehran,” written by his granddaughter Shahrzad Elghanyan. In her book, Elghanyan traces her grandfather’s rags to riches backstory,…
Seudah Shlishit: No Longer a “Third Wheel”
Picture the scene: It’s a Saturday, late in the afternoon. The sun is beginning its descent toward the horizon. The metaphysical energy of Shabbat has reached its crescendo: God’s presence is palpable. The Day of Rest is coming to a…
Keith Morris- A Jewish Perspective from the Punk Rock Legend
Playlist- https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1jeIT2vcF7Gep9WGBT7bJX Continuing our series on Judaism and punk rock, Ha’Am interviewed the half-Jewish, punk icon, Keith Morris. Morris’s influence on American hardcore punk rock cannot be understated. The genre began as a rebellion against the commodification of punk rock,…
Law or the Land?
As Israel becomes more and more enveloped in the consciousness of Jews around the world, I cannot help but question my view on what should come first, the Torah or the land. Tradition, and the laws that bind Jews to…
“Love Punk Rock, Hate Nazis”: How Punk Rock Mobilized Against Fascism and An Interview with Brian Brannon of JFA
Playlist to accompany ofc- https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3sqFbCB2Y5L0sQ4tr6Tsky NAZI PUNKS FUCK OFF! A hundred thousand punk rockers, adorned with anti-Nazi paraphernalia, band merchandise and crude denim jackets, walk seven miles through bustling Central London. Their march crosses key National Front strongholds. A masked…
Jewish World Series
There is a famous scene in the 1980s classic film Airplane, where an elderly woman asks the flight attendant for some “light reading.” Cleverly, the flight attendant hands her back a leaflet titled “famous Jewish sports legends.” From actors to…
“Off UCLA”: Jewish Resources, Organizations, and Events available during COVID-19
The pandemic has not only changed most students’ lives it has also changed the way Jewish communities on campus operate. Generally, pre-Covid, Jewish organizations such as; OU-JLIC, Hillel, Chabad and JAM would be a safe haven and a place for…
Life in Quarantine: Surviving the Zoomiverse
Welcome to the Zoomiverse, Bruins! By now you’ve probably figured out that this quarantine isn’t going anywhere (and—neither are you). That’s okay! We’re all in this together. It’s definitely tough navigating our new day-to-day world, but our HA’AM Team is…
How to Explain Judaism to Those Who Ask
“So, am I really going to Hell?” I asked, with the nonchalance of a person inquiring about the weather. It was a Monday, and I was walking back from class with my best friend, Samantha, who was Christian. She shifted…