“Just to Make a Statement”: Power, Sincerity, and the Women of the Wall
The Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall claims that Women of the Wall “don’t come to worship, they come to demonstrate.” But what he chooses not to see is that separating worship from politics is a luxury reserved for powerful people with normative practices. If you’re a member of a group that’s “out,” accessing the same prayer sites, practices and rituals, in order to worship with the same level of respect and dignity as the “in” group necessarily becomes a political action.
Worthy is the Cat: Reflections on Feline Mortality and Psychological Mercy
More so than when beloved humans in my life have died, as I prepare for my cat’s death I find myself needing to believe—against any rational argument, against my significant philosophical problems with dualism, and even against my own tradition’s famous ambivalence about an afterlife—that she has a soul, that that soul will somehow persevere after her death, and that some day, I will see her again.
My Heart Is In Tumult: Reflections on Lamentations in the Age of Global Warming
Lamentations–the text traditionally read by Jews on Tisha b’Av– is not the first book that comes to mind when one is asked what the Tanakh has to say about the environment. But this text has some significant things to say about environmental ethics—specifically about the consequences of environmental destruction for humans. As we are forced to confront the reality and implications of unchecked climate change, Lamentations offers a prophetic and terrifying vision.
The Wronging Of Alan Turing: Sex, Shame, and the Complexity of a Human Being
Are you reading this on a computer? Then thank the guy on the left. The prosecution of computer science pioneer Alan Turing for homosexuality under Great Britain’s indecency laws is a modern example of what the Talmud refers to as “verbal wronging.”
“Rules By Which They Could Not Live:” My Bat Mitzvah Drash
How can I publicly commit to a faith whose sacred texts explicitly condemn an important part of my life? I address this in my Bat Mitzvah drash, on parshat K’doshim-Acharei Mot.
Rise up, Sotah: Contraception, Religion, and Slut-Shaming
One of the great things about the technological age is that we have a range of medicines and devices that make it possible to have a fulfilling sex life while significantly reducing the risk of an unplanned pregnancy. By all measurable standards of human flourishing, this is awesome. And yet, society has a problem with us saying this out loud.Do our traditions contain the resources to build a truly feminist, inclusive, sex-positive sexual ethic? I hope so. I think so, and I want to believe so, but I am honestly not sure.
The Times We Shouldn’t Defend Our Traditions
Martha Nussbaum writes, “Suppose Jeremiah had said, ‘the heart of Israel is corrupt utterly, but on the other hand there are some very nice people there.’” Sometimes, stating the nuance and the capacity for good in a tradition that has hurt people is deeply inappropriate. Sometimes, devotion to the underlying goodness of a tradition and to its prerogative to practice as it sees fit comes at great cost to the lives of real people. A recent article on anti-gay bullying sheds light on one of those times.
The Obligation to Vaccinate: “Health Freedom” and communal responsibility
A poster opposing “Mandatory Vaccination” speaks to a fear of losing the individual freedom to make choices about health. But is freedom really the best framework to use in this scenario? Or was the ad a demonstration of how individual freedom is a poor premise on which to base discussions of public health?
Building Hedges: What the Rabbis Taught Me About Managing ADHD
For the vast majority of my improvement since being diagnosed with ADHD, I have to credit drugs and therapy. However, learning Rabbinic texts has helped me understand the way my brain works–and the ways to manage that–much better.
The Value of Discomfort: Why I won’t make peace with my Parsha
I have encountered many mitigating interpretations of the most painful texts in my Torah portion (Lev. 18:22 and 20:13), some more rigorous and thoughtful than others. However, academically and religiously, I ultimately find all of these somewhat unsatisfying. And personally, despite all these interpretations, the verses still hurt.
Rebecca Levi
Religious Studies grad student. Amateur cartoonist and cook, even more amateur violinist and science nerd. All-around kvetch.
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Contributing Scholars
Daniel HallAs a staff member of the Soka Gakkai International-USA Buddhist Association, Daniel directs awareness raising initiatives centered on the U.N. Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. In May 2012, he completed a Master of Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California and has since conducted research in this area as an independent scholar. His research interests include faith diplomacy, media and religion, and the role of transnational non-state actors in global affairs. In 2013, Palgrave Macmillan will publish his article titled "Pope John Paul II, Radio Free Europe and Faith Diplomacy" as part of a new volume on religion and public diplomacy.
Rabbi Ari SaksRabbi Ari Saks is a recently ordained rabbi from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and a product of the various arms of the Conservative Movement. He is an avid believer and supporter of the benefits of "interfaithing" (faiths working and dialoguing together) and is particularly interested in how members of different faiths (even within one's own family) come together to do spiritually meaningful work. He currently serves as the Rabbi of Temple Beth Mordecai in Perth Amboy, NJ.
Ian BurzynskiIan Burzynski served as the first Assistant Director of Operations for State of Formation. He is a non-profit worker, intercultural communication practioner, and secular advocate for intertraditional engagement. He has worked with Pathways for Mutual Respect and the Cordoba Initiative and now serves as Chief Development Officer at Distressed Children & Infants International.