Reform Movement Mourns Sikh Tragedy
Saperstein: "America is the most religiously diverse nation in the history of humankind and hate crimes targeted at religious, racial or ethnic groups tear at the fabric of our nation."
Changed for the Better
“Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better? Because I knew you, I’ve been changed for good.”
A Shabbat Prayer for Joplin Mosque and Sikh Temple
The tragic shooting at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, WI last weekend that resulted in seven deaths and scores of injuries has horrified us all. Acts of violence fueled by ethnic hatred, including what may be an act of arson against a mosque in Joplin, MO this week, have no place in ou
Reform Movement Mourns Sikh Tragedy
Yesterday afternoon a 40-year-old man, Wade Michael Page, opened fire in a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, fatally wounding six members of the community and injuring three others.
Reform Movement Condemns Death Threats Against Israeli Arab Knesset Members
Saperstein: "While we may not always agree with the ideas expressed, our deep commitment to Jewish and democratic values requires that we defend the free speech of all Israel's citizens, including its Arab citizens."
Noah and How We Live with One Another in Our Time
Every few years we are treated to the same news item. It proclaims breathlessly that a new expedition to Mount Ararat has located remains of Noah's ark. Of course, it always turns out that the boat was not found after all, and future reports will run the same course.
The Dove Flyer: A Novel
Eli Amir was 13 years old when his family left Baghdad for Israel in 1950. They spent their first seven years in Israel living in tents, and the trauma of that experience led him to devote his career to issues of immigrant absorption.
Rape, Abortion and Judaism
The Creative Power of Words
"Sticks and stones," the nursery rhyme says, "may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." The intent of this pithy statement is probably to help children solve disputes with words rather than physical violence. Its message does, however, raise serious doubts. Words can and do hurt us.
L’arche ou le Triomphe?
In Parashat Noach, the Torah builds on the founding myths of Parashat B’reishit by showing us a fascinating cycle of destruction and rebuilding, speaking both to the immense positive power of human planning and execution, and to the inherent negative possibilities that come with it.