On Meeting Your Reflection by Phil Warshauer
When asked to reflect on my personal responsibility and accountability the first thing that came to mind was the following poem written by Peter Dale Wimbrow, Sr and first published in 1934. When you get what you want in your struggle for self And the world makes you king for a day Just go to […]
Why I Fast by Louis Aiello
It all began in 2015 when I was still renting a room inside someone else’s home. I had just graduated earlier that year but by this time I had learned a lot of important things, such as spending my time wisely and making each and every minute count in order to progress. I also learned […]
The Impact of One Decision by Shayla Siegel
When I made the decision to become a pescetarian (like a vegetarian, but still eats seafood and fish) as my 2018 New Year’s resolution, I had to learn to be responsible for my body and accountable for my actions. For example, I knew I couldn’t eat mac n’ cheese and bread for the rest of […]
To Whom am I Accountable? The Answer I Found in Treblinka by Rabbi Judy Schindler
It was the final day of a two-week journey to explore the Holocaust, a trip filled with long days of study, long drives, and long hours in concentration camps and death camps. I was with fifteen other Holocaust educators learning about Holocaust history, about best practices in Holocaust education, and about personal and collective responsibility […]
What Do You Want Your Jewish Experience to Look Like? by Dave Press
Have you ever been invited to try a new restaurant, only to take one look at the menu and realize that there’s nothing there that you want to eat? It feels as if the chef focused entirely on creating a menu she would like and forgot to ask the customers what would appeal to them. […]
Self and Community: Tending to the Garden of Our Soul by Rabbi Asher Knight
I have an incredible knack – some even call it a skill – to kill every plant that’s been unfortunate enough to come near me. Even cacti and succulents can’t escape my death grip. While I’m not a great gardener myself, I actually love plants and I have read about and love the idea of […]
Finding Myself In Community by Bryan Buckler
Growing up in rural Georgia, I thought being a minority meant you were either African-American or Catholic. Our family was one of only two that were Catholic, but fortunately I never experienced any intense prejudice other than an occasional joke about the pastor, the priest and the rabbi. In fact, I had never known a Jewish person until I was 22 years old, living […]
Communities Work When They Make Room for Everyone by Nick Montoni
My mother once said to me, “You can’t wash being Jewish off in the bath.” Growing up, I interpreted this to be a statement about the complexity of Jewish identity and the interconnectedness of ethnicity and faith for the Jewish people. As I grow older, I realize the statement means even more than that. On […]
About The Israeli Nation-State Law by Rabbi Asher Knight
The Israeli Knesset recently passed a controversial “Nation-State law.” The law has received statements of opposition by Jewish organizations and communities from throughout the world. Please see the links below for more information from our Israeli partners in the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism and the Jewish Federations of North America. This is […]
