This week, the Ha’Am staff took the challenge of learning something surprising about Jews, Judaism or Israel. Check out our favorites among them: 1. The original spy rabbi: the Mossad now has an official rabbi to rule on conflicts of…
Campus Mensch: David Joseph from head to heart
For David Joseph, the summer of 2012 started and ended the way most adventures do: without any plans, but with an amazing story to tell. When he joined the American Jewish World Service for a trip to northern Uganda, he…
Kosher Korner: Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Cookies and “Mexican” Hot Chocolate
Since both of these recipes are completely vegan (and parve), they are a delicious and easy way to conclude any meal. Chances are you already have everything you need to make the cookies in your cabinet! COOKIES Ingredients ½ cup…
Hope for dialogue in the “Promised Land”
Ari Shavit, Israeli reporter and columnist for Haaretz and author of the new book My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, made a quick stop at UCLA on his United States book tour — a stop which galvanized hundreds…
Ha’Am Hits: Jews at the Olympics
1. Games season began with a commemoration of the Israeli team kidnapped and murdered over 30 years ago in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. 2. Numerous Jews have participated in the Olympics since their inception in 1896 and hundreds…
Sandwiches for Smiles at Hillel
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” — Anne Frank Hillel at UCLA is known for its social justice projects, whether they are religiously affiliated or not. On Wednesday evening…
Achy Breaky Heart, a Collaborative Effort
Sunday night’s Achy Breaky Heart, a Valentine’s Day themed fundraiser, combined the caring efforts of Bruins for Israel and GlobeMed at UCLA to support the charity organizations Save a Child’s Heart and Mpoma Community HIV/AIDS Initiative, with a fun and…
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…
Ha’Am Hits: American Jews
This week, the Ha’Am staff followed the latest concerning American Jewry. Take a look at some of our favorites! 1. Mike Dube, also known as the “Santa of tzedakah (charity),” makes it his business to bring smiles to critically ill…
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…