We recently celebrated Chanukah, a holiday filled with joy and light, and yet this year’s Festival of Lights saw some horrible attacks against the American Jewish community. In New York alone, there was an anti-Semitic attack every day in one … Read More
Human Resources Lee Chottiner I have a fraternity brother who likes to debate me on a host of issues. We never agree. No matter what we’re discussing, though, he invariably breaks off, changes the subject and asks me, “but don’t … Read More
Rabbi Beth Jacowitz Chottiner A few days before Thanksgiving, I received the following emails from three separate Christian colleagues. All were responding to a disturbing video I had shared with them. There was this: “I am so sorry you have … Read More
At the recent National Jewish Retreat, Prof. Deborah Lipstadt, author of the new book Anti-Semitism: Here and Now, told the old joke about the Jew and Chinese man who were drinking together in a pub. After a few drinks, the … Read More
Human Resources Lee Chottiner Recently, after a program at my synagogue, I ducked into the Highlands Kroger to pick up a carton of milk before going home. I walked briskly to the dairy case, selected my item, then lined up … Read More
There has been a lot of talk recently about dog whistles in politics, and it is something we have seen for many years. So, what is a political dog whistle? It’s a tool used by politicians who want to say … Read More
Recently, there has been an increase in anti-Semitic incidents reported nationally, according to the ADL and the Southern Poverty Law Center, and it is manifesting itself in many different ways. We have seen increases in Swastika graffiti, online harassment, and … Read More
As I write this, the Jewish holiday of Purim is underway. It is a holiday in which we celebrate a significant victory over anti-Semitism. But it was surely not the victory over anti-Semitism, for there have been many since. That … Read More
Last August, during the height of Israel’s conflict with Gaza, Adath Jeshurun’s Rabbi Robert Slosberg was tapped by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the Rabbinical Assembly and the Masorti Foundation to lead the Conservative Movement’s Solidarity Mission to Israel … Read More
Anti-Semitism I have been thinking a lot about anti-Semitism recently, and its relationship to criticism of Israel and its demonization, as we have seen some horrible examples of anti-Semitic speech and actions around the world recently, much of it in … Read More