Rabbi David Saperstein: Re-inventing Chanukah in America
This post originally appeared on the Washington Post’s “On Faith” column on December 24, 2011.
The Jewish Commitment to Religious Liberty from the Maccabees to Present Day
This post was written by RAC Legislative Assistant Molly Benoit as part of the Union for Reform Judaism's "Ten Minutes of Torah" series. As a child of the 90’s I learned the Chanukah story in many contexts, from the traditional religious school recounting of the miraculous oil to the mem
The Miracle of (Solar) Light at Temple Sinai
Galilee Diary: Seasons greetings
You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me; for you will serve their gods - and it will prove a snare to you.
-Exodus 23:32-33
Don’t Curse the Darkness, Light a Candle
In his essay, “The Legacy of the Maccabees,” Dr. Shaye Cohen writes: “From the perspective of world history and Jewish history, the Hasmonean (Maccabean) revolt was epoch making.
Congregational Life: Why I Joined, Why I Stayed
I was recently asked by someone I very much respect to address "the" question. So I started to write the answer in a post... about five times without any luck. The "Why does a 20-something join a Reform Congregation" question.
Every Day is Labor Day
Every day is Labor Day. Jewish tradition expounds the importance of work and those who do it. Even God worked for six days and then rested on Shabbat. The Jewish vision of the messianic era is not an age of idleness, but rather one in which swords become plowshares.
Oy Tannenbaum!
It was over brunch on our fourth date when I told him, "This can't go anywhere...I’m Jewish and you’re not." After years of Jewish camp, Hebrew school and lectures from my parents, I was fairly certain that the eleventh commandment was “Thou shalt meet a nice Jewish boy, get married and have beau
Let's Get Sustainable in 5771
Becoming a Jewish Family
“So, how many children do you want?” Not an unusual question for a man to ask his girlfriend when he is beginning to think about a future with her. However, when I heard this question, it came from the cute, industrious Israeli I had been dating for about six months and I actually lau