Rob Eshman dismisses the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) polling on anti-Semitic attitudes with one word — “junk” — and suggests that American Jews are deluding themselves about the level of anti-Semitism in society, which he would have us believe is virtually non-existent (“Again,” March 30). Yet the facts tell a far different story.
“Our Passover seder is translated into Arabic,” I used to tell my friends in school. “Arabic?” they responded in bewilderment. “That’s so weird! How could you translate a seder into Arabic? Isn’t Arabic the language of the enemy?”
To say that the past weeks have been unsettling for Muslims and Jews would be an understatement. The point-blank murder of Jewish schoolchildren and their teacher in Toulouse, France, can only be described as chilling and ruthless. The killer did not limit his hatred to Jews. His wrath also targeted Muslims in military uniform serving their country.
This one’s for our children — the teens and 20-somethings who were born in this country or who’ve lived here most of their life, who have no memory of Iran except what’s been passed on to them or what they’ve constructed with their imagination.
Spending five hours discussing your clothing, colors and style preferences may seem like a nightmare to some. But it’s all in a day’s work for Wendy Lehmann, a veteran professional image consultant from England who lends her passion for fashion to remaking your look in Israel. And while Pesach cleaning doesn’t usually mean editing your wardrobe, it’s as good a time as any to eliminate what doesn’t serve you. (Or at least contemplate it.)
Yoga means “union” or “union with the divine.” It doesn’t mean “contortionism,” “hippie commune” or “Lululemon.”
“Keep the politics off the bimah.” We hear this in the synagogue whenever a rabbi speaks on a topic nearing the intersection of Jewish values and public policy. While argued most vociferously by those who disagree with the rabbi’s message, the critique itself that “politics has no place on the bimah” is a decidedly false characterization of the essence of Judaism and Jewish textual tradition. (Note: I am not speaking about endorsing a candidate for public office.)
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