May 20, 2009 / Columns

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Should a Tel Aviv Univ. academic support a boycott of Israel?

Like many academics at Tel Aviv University, Omar Barghouti, Ph.D., is a political activist. More...

Taking responsibility is a value few Israelis have yet to learn

There is a Talmudic principle that all Israel is responsible for one another and indeed I learned at a very early age that this is a Jewish value central to most of our beliefs and practices. More...

The rebbitzin's recipes: Family favorites for Shavuot

COOKING
DEBI EPSTEIN

The holiday of Shavuot does not get the attention that Passover, Sukkot, and the High Holy Days get. The festival, however, celebrates the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai 3321 years ago, and is of equal importance. More...

Myth surrounds the Birthright Israel 'list'

DANIEL S. BRENNER

NEW YORK (JTA)—Ever since I began steering "post-programming" for Birthright Israel NEXT, I've had the frustrating question, "Why can't I get the list?" thrown at me by wellmeaning organizational leaders, rabbis and fund-raisers—as well More...

Pope's visit to Israel must be put in context

By ABRAHAM H. FOXMAN JTA

NEW YORK—When his plane touched down at Ben Gurion International Airport, Pope Benedict XVI became only the second pope in the history of the Catholic Church to officially visit the State of Israel. More...

Rabbi Jill Jacobs out to change the world

By BEN HARRIS JTA

NEW YORK—The tale Jill Jacobs tells of the first steps in her journey to becoming one of the most recognizable names in Jewish social justice work has something of a storybook quality. More...

Muscles aren't the only things that grow during gym workouts

SALLY'S WORLD
SALLY FRIEDMAN

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'll never love exercising. I do it because I know I should. I do it faithfully while my resolve is strong, and not so faithfully when it falters. More...