Background on Shavuot: The Spring Harvest Festival The end of the Spring Quarter coincides with one of the most significant holidays in Jewish tradition: Shavuot. Shavuot celebrates the spring harvest festival and marks the acceptance of the Torah–the Jewish Book…
“Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother”: A Surprising Source for Modern-Day Motivation
Perform a quick search of “motivational quotes” on Google and you will be greeted with a large sample of internet wisdom. Like these: “Dreams don’t work unless you do.” “Nothing is impossible – the word itself says, ‘I’m possible.” With…
The Wonderful Timing of Purim This Year
While children across Jewish Day Schools are reciting the infamous Purim song La Kova Sheli Shalosh Pinot and stuffing their faces with handfuls of Hamantaschen, the reality of the ironically perfect timing of Purim this year rings a more grim…
Purim 5783: Lots of Luck
You know how it feels to search frantically for something – say, your car keys – only to discover that they were in your pocket all along? This is how I felt as I was brainstorming some topics relating to…
Explaining Judicial Reform in Israel
Following the election of long-time Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu last November, the Prime Minister has assigned positions in government to politically repressed right wing politicians who have had long-standing issues with the Israeli Supreme Court. Netanyahu himself was indicted…
What a New Democratic Iran Would be Mean for Israel and Iranian Jews
As Israel continues to thwart the Islamic Republic of Iran’s terrorist activities in the Middle East and inside Tehran, the ongoing protests inside Iran, despite the government crackdowns, many Iranian Jews and Israelis are continuing to have hope that the…
Jewish Life Across the Border: The Surprising History of Mexico City’s Jews
Behind Mexico City, known for its street tacos and Lucha Libre, there is an unexpectedly Jewish story. Over winter break, I had the opportunity to explore Mexico City and much of what it offers– from Teotihuacano pyramids to kosher sports…
The When and How of Pre-Med Decisions
One of the first questions a student thinks about upon starting their undergraduate career is, where do I go after this? Working after receiving a degree is always an option, but so is attending graduate school. However, as most current…
Far-Right Extremism and Anti-Semitism
It has been said that antisemitism is the oldest form of hatred in the world. In the Torah, the Jewish people dealt with Amalek, the greatest enemy of the Jewish people who was cursed to pursue this hatred for the…