Tag: jewish

The Purim festival of fun and frivolity has been harder for some Jews to celebrate in the wake of the destruction of Gaza.

As Netanyahu slammed protesters in front of Congress, thousands gathered outside, many accusing him of war crimes.

In the aftermath of the ordeal and as antisemitic attacks are on the rise in the U.S., many security experts say protecting synagogue buildings and other Jewish institutions may mean reinterpreting the commandment — what Jews call the “mitzvah” — to welcome the stranger.

How do you have a bat mitzvah ceremony when you can’t even have 10 people in a room together?

In the days following the vandalism there was considerable teeth gnashing in Spokane, the usual “this is not us,” or “hopes and prayers,” and so on. But I doubt there is a Jew in our community who was surprised by the vandalism – or found much comfort in the expressions of sympathy and concern.

So much of the political rhetoric this cycle is about restoring Christian values in the United States. But which Christian values?

What is the significance of these holy days for orthodox Jews, secular Jews and perhaps even for non-Jews?