Partner Blogs
An Interview with Luzer Twersky: From Ultra-Orthodox to “Transparent” Star
Luzer Twersky is an actor who plays Mendel in Season Two of Amazon’s hit television show “Transparent.” He grew up ...
My Jewish Son’s Love of Christmas
My wife and I are a multiracial couple. She’s Black. I’m White. Our 4-year-old son is biracial.My wife grew up ...
Can Our Love Be Bigger Than Our Fear?
My fear is not very far below the surface. It rises when I hear about another shooting in Brooklyn, sometimes ...
Taking Sides on Hanukkah
I often wonder what group I would have belonged to when people were being asked to stand up and be ...
Beyond Despair, Our Responsibility to the Children of Newtown
What has changed in the three years since Newtown? The children and teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary were no different ...
The Beauty of Dreams
Dreams are a big part of last week’s and this week’s Torah portion. Among the dreamers are Joseph, the cupbearer, ...
How to Make A Bike-Powered Menorah in Mississippi (and Everywhere)
Spending Hanukkah in the Deep South is far from my “most remote” holiday experience. In December of 2012, I was ...
Where Are You Lighting Your Lights?
After spending two years as ISJL Education Fellows serving the South, fellowship alumni often leave for places near and far ...
Light Doesn’t Happen By Accident
A few years ago, I was browsing through a Judaica store. After looking at the books, and the Shabbat candlesticks, ...
The Gift of a Role Model
My first summer at Jewish camp was back in 1994. In a move a bit out of character, I returned ...
Don’t Let Fear Paralyze You
When I was a little boy, I went through a period of time when I was terrified of intruders coming ...
Celebrating Hanukkah… Even If You Don’t Celebrate Hanukkah
The holiday spirit is here, and I’ll be celebrating Hanukkah this week to its fullest. My family will pause to ...
They’re Coming to America
For several weeks now, I’ve maintained a careful silence in my 9th grade Jewish Literature classroom about the politics of immigration ...
8 Jewish Values I Learned From Breastfeeding
Hineni. Here I am, ready to nurse my last child for the last time. My mind is like a vortex for ...
Camp Is a Gift for Parents Too
I love my girls. We have a blast together. We ski ALOT. We make endless fun of each other. Secret ...