Anti-semitism has been alive and well not just for decades, but for centuries, and has expanded its grasp to reach every corner of the world. As society has progressed with technology, specifically towards social media, the expression of hate has…
#JewishAndProud?
I’m sick of responding to antisemitism. I’m burnt-out on the hashtags and the Facebook profile picture frames. And I’ve just about had it with the way that every Jewish thing I do feels calculated and performative. Our institutions instruct us,…
Your Feelings are Valid. Your Trauma is Valid.
Spanning from ancient history to modern times, the Jewish people have endured an abundance of trauma. Every day there is a new anti-Semitic attack making the news. Additionally, many individuals continue to be affected by the Holocaust even 80 years…
Masked
As I strolled down Pico Boulevard on my second day back in America, I was struck by the friendliness of all the security guards I passed while en route to my destination. It took me a while to realize that…
Disloyal: Fascists Come to UCLA
This article includes a statement from Bruin Republicans. The statement can be found at the end of the article. Fascists are organizing at UCLA. It’s no secret that the word “fascist” has largely lost its meaning in casual conversation.…
A Jewish Girl’s Guide to Understanding Kosher
So what exactly is kosher? What does it mean to keep kosher? And what exactly are all the rules one must follow to keep kosher? For someone who (kind of) identifies as Jewish, I found myself asking these questions quite…
Was Mr. Hillel’s Promotional Content Offensive?
I was scrolling through Instagram last week when a post by Hillel at UCLA showed up on my feed. It was a photo of eight men, this year’s Mr. Hillel contestants, in tutus, posing as a group. Upon further investigation…
The Art that Fought the Holocaust
“Black milk of morning we drink you at dusktime We drink you at noontime and dawntime we drink you at night We drink and drink We scoop out a grave in the sky where it’s roomy to lie.” Those are…
Historical Ha’Am: “Why I am a Jew…” by Mayim Bialik
In the always confusing and violent world that we live in, it can often be difficult to reconcile our faith with trauma and acts of violence. It is not always to easy to devote the time to work on our…
Dear Rabbi: In the face of anti-semitic acts, how should we act?
“Dear Rabbi” is Ha’Am’s advice column. Every month, Ha’Am will ask one question posed by our readers to five UCLA Jewish leaders: Rabbi Aaron Lerner, Rabbi Alex Kress, Rabbi Naftali Hanfling, Rabbi Dovid Gurevich, and Sharona Kaplan. Their answers will…