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Divine Violence and Abolition in Egypt
In Parshat Va-eira, we watch as God's message of freedom unfolds across Egypt and is ignored, scorned by Israelites and Egyptians alike. We watch as moral suasion, peaceful resistance, and God's word fail to bring about liberation and an end to oppression. In the wake of this failure, God visits 10 plagues on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, the first 7 of which appear in this week's portion.
Nothing About Them Without Them
I took a course last semester about violence in St. Louis, looking for a thought-provoking discussion about my school-year city. I started following the local crime section of the St.
Intersectionality Is at the Core of Justice for All
My mind raced with memories over the weekend, my heart heavy as I watched on TV the horse-drawn hearse carry the body of the late Congressman John Lewis across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
"Unite the Right" Organizers Lose Big in Court
Amy Spitalnick is the executive director of Integrity First for America (IFA), the civil rights nonprofit behind Sines v. Kessler - the successful federal lawsuit against the neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and hate groups responsible for the violent "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. I sat down with Amy, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, to get her views on the significance of this lawsuit.
Afterword
New from CCAR Press, The Social Justice Torah Commentary demonstrates that the Torah is a guide to addressing the most urgent challenges of our time. This excerpt is from Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center and Senior Vice President, Union for Reform Judaism.
Jewish Leader Stands Up for a Strong VAWA
Rabbi Saperstein: "A Violence Against Women's Act that prioritizes some Americans over others is simply not acceptable; it would be shameful."
Welcome, MK Class of 2012
By Manda Graizel, the Machon Kaplan Program Coordinator.
Everything is foreseen, yet freedom of choice is given. The world is judged by grace, yet all is according to the amount of action. —Pirke Avot 3:19
The Day the Music Died: Jewish Lessons from a Previous Plague
As we consider our preparations for the Days of Awe, let us be thankful that science has permitted us to understand how plagues are spread and seek out knowledgeable guidance from those who can protect us in 2020.