After 19 years of teaching the class, Professor of Bible Elsie Stern rebuilt the opening weeks around empire and migration. By Erica Levi Zelinger When a student asks why God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, Professor of Bible Elsie Stern has a ready answer: “God didn’t.” The better question,
By Erica Levi Zelinger The well-worn mantle covering a beloved Torah at Congregation Dorshei Emet in Montreal had been repaired more than once. But even well-loved fabric can only be mended so many times. What began as a practical need for a new one became a years-long communal undertaking, with
There are many explanations why on Rosh Hashanah, we read the story of the Akedah, wherein Abraham is tested by binding his son, Isaac, on an altar for ritual slaughter. Largely, these detail the lessons we learn from Abraham’s perspective and the oath that God’s messenger shares with him. But what lesson might we learn from Isaac?
Thursdays, January 15, 22, 29 @ 8:00pm-9:30pm We are witnessing a resurgence of antisemitism across the political spectrum that, for many Jews, has strained relationships, communities, and political alliances. Yet the way we speak about antisemitism often fails to capture the multiple identities we hold as Jews, particularly racial identity.
Why continue to work on reparations when the environment seems so hostile to all things progressive? For one thing, the hardest hits coming down at the moment have the heaviest impact on people of color, whether it’s roundups and deportations of immigrants, abolition of DEI programs and bashing people of color as DEI hires, layoffs of civil service workers in federal jobs, banishing of Black history curriculums, shutdowns of abortion services or the ramping up of dirty fossil fuels. The hits aren’t equally distributed, and neither are the costs. We’re not starting on an equal playing field since so much that’s already owed is past due; therefore, the need to struggle for past-due reparations th
“We strive to become an anti-racist organization. We commit to creating a model of antiracism within our organization and to cultivating a shared commitment to this work among our staff and board.” Reconstructing Judaism Strategic Plan Change is possible. We have successfully transformed our Jewish communities in the past. Those
In this can’t-miss Evolve web conversation, Deitra Reiser, Ph.D., explores the meaning and importance of pursuing diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging in Jewish spaces. She eloquently defends Jewish investment in DEI initiatives at a time when such efforts face growing governmental hostility. Pressing forward, Reiser asserts, is ultimately about pursuing collective liberation.
“I know our ancestors had it rough, but honestly, what we’re living through feels almost unreal.” Do you find yourself feeling this in your heart? We thought the vulnerability we experienced after the Tree of Life shooting in October 2018 rocked our personal and communal lives enough. But just as
The Department for Thriving Communities is sharing a printable resource that congregations and individuals are welcome to use in connection with this year’s observance of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), which begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 and continues through the day on Thursday, April 24. The resource
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