Posts Tagged: Jewish Values
Despite Our Challenges, the Jewish People Will Unite and Survive
The fourth book of the Torah, Bamidbar, literally means “desert.” It covers the main events of the 40-year period of wandering through Sinai and the Arava,...
Judaism and Ethical Warfare
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine raises important moral issues about warfare. Some people believe that all violence is wrong under all circumstances. Pacifism has a...
The Greatest Act in the World Is to Do Someone a Favor
There is no question that the primary focus of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as well as the intermediate days, is “teshuva.” Usually translated as...
Why Judaism Requires Action on Climate Change
Although the issues of global warming and climate change are already familiar to us, it was not until this week that the indisputable facts of...
Mr. Cohen of Ballachulish Ferry
Last week, I gave a Zoom talk for the Scottish Jewish Archive center. I spoke about my experiences as the rabbi of the largest Jewish...
Ethics and Communal Responsibility in the Face of Corona
In addition to the many practical challenges imposed by this ongoing crisis, the outbreak of the coronavirus raises many ethical and moral questions. Most of the...
Jewish Lessons From the Coronavirus
To date, more than 100,000 people have been affected by the coronavirus globally, including 3,000 deaths. As we pray that this pandemic ends speedily, here...
The Significance and Shame(?) of Jewish Names
We Jews are hyper-sensitive. Recently, several people have told me how embarrassed they are that Jewish names are so prominent in the current spate of...
Silence on the Left: Isn’t Security a Jewish Value?
JNS.org - About 10 hours after the horrible murder of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb in a terror attack last Friday, I was curious to see the...
Cory Booker Weaponizes the Torah for Political Gain
By now almost everyone knows that Cory Booker and I were soul-friends who connected — beginning at Oxford where he served as my student president...
Caitlyn Jenner Expresses Her Love for Israel and the Jewish People at Awards Gala in New York
Caitlyn Jenner talked about her admiration for Israel, Jewish values and more while accepting an honor at an awards ceremony in New York City on...
Israel’s American Allies
“By punishing an Israeli soldier for finishing off a wounded terrorist, you’re trying to please the wrong gentiles.” “What are you talking about? We’re living up...
Channeling Jewish Values in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease
JNS.org -- Elizabeth Gelfand Stearns channels the Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and personal experience in her work as an advocate for Alzheimer's awareness. She...
Advocating Bias Under the Cover of Tolerance
JNS.org -- I generally enjoy the camaraderie and communal spirit of my Reform synagogue. The Kol Nidre (Yom Kippur’s evening service) sermon, however, unexpectedly strayed into...
