Tag: judaism

Would I be welcomed if I visited a local synagogue? The quick answer is, “Generally, yes, you’ll be very welcome.” That being said, a little preparation will make all the difference.

I start my column with the headlines from the past three years about the clashes between the Israeli forces and the Palestinians at the holy mosque of Masjid Al-Aqsa during the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims. 

As my years and experiences have accumulated, I’ve come to recognize something I hardly imagined in my youth: that God is so big and wonderful and complex that no one group — even my own — and no individual has a monopoly on God. Nobody understands it all.

To secure his sixth turn as prime minister, Netanyahu has forged a coalition with Israel’s most extreme political and religious interests. His retainers support settlement expansion on the West Bank further aggravating relations with Israeli Palestinians and prompting new violence.

“Judaism and Trans Identity” provided attending community members a chance for deeper insights into the controversy over transgender identity in the U.S. — a controversy that has sparked a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the country.

When we grow up, we want to be like Carla Peperzak. That was how my wife and I felt after our three-hour lunch and visit with Peperzak in her home at Rockwood Retirement Communities. At 99 years old, she is mentally and physically much younger. Her passion for teaching children about the horrors of the Holocaust is keen and always eager.

On Purim, observant Jewish men, to varying degrees, imbibe strong drink. And Jewish women do their best to keep the men safe and anchored in civilization. The holiday thus may not seem very female-centered. But, in truth, it is.