“Rabinovich [the recurring butt of Russian-Jewish jokes] is taken into custody by the KGB. ‘Why do you want to leave the best country in the world?’ the KGB agent asks him. Rabinovich responds, ‘Well, I only have two reasons. My…
Canorah at UCLA
Judaism is a religion rich in celebrations and holidays. As the old Jewish joke goes, a formula unifies the many disparate Jewish holidays: our enemies wanted to kill us, we prevailed, we celebrate. And while most Jewish communities revert to…
A brokering of dialogue: Bruin Democrats/Bruin Republicans debate
While Students for Justice in Palestine occupied Bruin Walk, busy practicing moral relativism (constructing a wall perpetuating a one-sided account while supporting Hamas [a terrorist organization]) and actively refusing dialogue with any students who might not share their worldview, Bruins…
Religiously ROTC: the pros and cons of being Jewish in the US military
Rising tuition has long been a favorite gripe of college students, as those of us not blessed with the resources to get through education attempt to reconcile the harsh reality of paying many thousands of dollars per year and possibly…
Wall constructed, pamphlets passed: Palestine Awareness Week and pro-Israel pushback
Every year, Students for Justice in Palestine reserve Bruin Plaza for their Palestine Awareness Week — a week when they erect a temporary, six-paneled wall complete with drawings and multicolor, bulletpoint displays in order to inform passersby about the Palestinian…
Ask Yente
Hello everyone. Ha’Am has established a new column called “Ask Yente,” where YOU can ask questions about anything troubling you. I, your wise Yente, will try my best to answer your questions in a timely manner. All I ask is that the questions be…
Parisian Jewish art inspires pride
As my friend and I sat in a Kosher Cafe in the heart of Paris this past summer, we looked around the room and noticed the large amount of Parisian Jews. Although they live in a society that is highly…
Kosher Korner: Pumpkin Blondies
Happy Halloween from the staff of Ha’Am! Whether you choose to celebrate tonight by dressing up, trick-or-treating, devouring candy, partying, or watching a scary movie (or doing nothing special because Halloween is a pagan holiday and Purim is better), treat…
Jews United, Part 1 — Jewish Refugees in Shanghai symposium expresses Jewish identity
The soothing sounds of the pipa (Chinese lute) and other Chinese instruments resonated through the grand ballroom on the third floor of Hillel on Sunday, Oct. 27. The Jewish Refugees in Shanghai (1933-1941) symposium convened at 11 a.m. with the…
Losing Their Religion: American Jewry
In his 1997 work “American Pastoral,” novelist Philip Roth depicts the tragic decline of an assimilated Jew, Seymour “Swede” Levov, and his family in a New Jersey suburb. In doing so, Roth underlines a recurring theme throughout American Jewish literature…