Scribe, the Forward’s curated contributor network, is a place for showcasing personal experiences and perspective from across our Jewish communities. Here you will find a wide array of reflections on Jewish issues, life-cycle events, spirituality, culture and more.
Community
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You say matzah — and matzo and matzuh and matzee and more
Readers respond to our editor-in-chief’s column about a Passover copy-editing conundrum
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It’s time for Jews to mobilize for climate action
In the last month, record heat waves descended upon the Pacific Northwest, killing hundreds. Concurrently, wildfires are spiraling out of control, while once-in-a-generation flooding hits the Midwest. Last week, New York City’s air quality declined precipitously as a result of the fires more than 3,000 miles away. At this point, it is inarguable that climate…
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Want to help Israel? Recite this four-part mantra
What can we do to help Israel’s fragile new government survive? During three intense days this month, as part of a leadership delegation sponsored by Masorti (Conservative) Judaism, I met with a full panoply of Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum, inside the new government and in the opposition. The new government knows that…
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Morrie Arnovich, not Jacob Steinmetz, was baseball’s first Orthodox player
The Associated Press, the Jewish media and ESPN have all got a sports story wrong. Over the past month, all these outlets have reported that Long Island’s Jacob Steinmetz is, according to an AP headline, “The First Known Drafted Practicing Orthodox Jew,” and that, per JTA, Elie Kligman is the second Orthodox Jew in the…
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We asked readers about Ben & Jerry’s pullout from West Bank settlements. Their 132 responses were as divided as chocolate vs. vanilla.
Jonathan Fenster, who lives in London, said he would continue to buy Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Israel — “but not elsewhere.” Jules Sigler of Ottawa, Canada, declared, “I’ve had my last lick!” and other readers said they would not only boycott Cherry Garcia, but also Hellman’s Mayonnaise, Dove soap, Lipton Tea and all…
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We are all mourners on Tisha B’Av
Collectively, we are in the period known as the “nine days,” a time of mourning leading up to Tisha B’Av, the day on which, according to tradition, both the First and Second Temples were destroyed. Personally, I am observing shiva for my father-in-law, Henry Hantgan, who passed away on July 8th. I am grateful to…
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I grew up in the same community as the star of Netflix’s ‘My Unorthodox Life.’ Here’s what I wished she remembered.
Dear Julia, Can I call you Talia? The same Talia the young me watched in total awe, dancing and leading her way thru our high school concerts? The Talia that headlined so many local Monsey events leaving her audience in stitches with her comedic genius? The beautiful and graceful and oh so well dressed Talia…
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I resigned from the CUNY union because of its antisemitism
Last week, with deep regret, I resigned from my union— the Professional Staff Congress of the City University of New York (PSC-CUNY) — due to its antisemitism. I joined the union when I became a professor of Jewish studies at Hunter College in 2018. I was extremely proud to do so, as union organizing was…
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What Tisha B’Av teaches us about remembrance
As a young, intrepid graduate student in history, I learned to call many places home: Moscow, Kyiv, Jerusalem, New York and the Yiddish-speaking space I lovingly called “Yiddishland.” This past year, I have learned to give one home many names: my apartment has served as a synagogue, workplace, cafeteria and gym. Rebuilding a multiplicity of…
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Enough with the ‘ex-Orthodox’ drama. The path back to Judaism isn’t always traumatic.
(JTA) — Last month, Pixar released “Luca,” the animated tale of a sea monster who becomes a boy on dry land. The protagonist must come to terms with the part of himself that makes him different, even reviled. And of course, by the end, Luca learns to love himself, bringing most of the townspeople along with him….
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Next Pride month, we need to talk about LGBTQ food insecurity
While Pride Month recently gave us the opportunity to reflect on all of the contributions and successes of the LGBTQ community, it also demanded an awareness of the many challenges the community continues to confront. At MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, we know that among those challenges is food insecurity — a challenge too…
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I’m a Hillel director. My fiancé is a pastor. Here is how we are making it work.
“It’s like when one person likes chocolate and one person likes vanilla, but they both hate bigotry,” I said, explaining to my father how his son— a Hillel director— was dating an ordained Christian minister. Our faiths may be different, but our values are the same. Jen and I first met in January 2020 —…
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