Galilee Diary: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke
…So I know the sea was not split in vain Deserts not crossed in vain – If at the end of the story stand Daddy and the kid Looking forward and knowing their turn will come. -from "The Kid of the Haggadah" by Nathan Alterman (trans. Arthur Waskow and Judy Spelman)
Is Religion Blind to Its Own Flaws?
Hardly a week goes by without news of religious extremists committing atrocities against people of other faiths in the name of God or some other holy cause. As a result, “religion” itself has been put on trial. Is religion to blame for the moral failures of the world, as some charge, or is it humankind’s best hope for peace?
Why I Wrote A Kinder, Gentler "Chad Gadya"
“I have no problem with the melody,” my daughter-in-law told me, “but those lyrics are so violent. I am just not comfortable exposing my children to them.” That’s how I ended up sitting down to write kinder, gentler lyrics to the Passover faborite 'Chad Gadya.'
Immigrant Roots, Immigrant Rights: The Ten Plagues
The following is an excerpt from “Immigrant Roots, Immigrant Rights,” a haggadah created for Jews United For Justice’s 11th Annual Labor Seder.
What's at Stake? A Look at the Western Wall Agreement
The compromise will bridge a festering schism between Israel and American Jewry, who have voiced concern about the government’s failure to recognize their authenticity and their needs. The hope is that the Western Wall will be an enduring symbol of Jewish unity, not fractious division.