When I sent out a request last month for religious humor on YouTube, Omri Ceren, who writes the Mere Rhetoric blog, sent me this commercial explaining how the Israelites really found the Promised Land.
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What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
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Latest Articles
Rabbis of LA | The Making of a Social Justice Rabbi
Ari L. Noonan
A Moment in Time: Showing Up
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
Erroneous: That Israel has Renewed an Eye for an Eye
Gershon Hepner
A Bisl Torah — Season of Renewal
Rabbi Nicole Guzik
Mark Ruffalo, Meet Dolly Parton
August 27, 2026
Instead of the arrogance of cynicism, Parton embodied the innocence of humility. We could all use some of that humility.
Print Issue: Debunking the Lie of the Century | August 28, 2026
August 27, 2026
An investigative journalist offers a primer to debunk the “genocide” libel against Israel.
Sinai Rabbis Publish Guide to Help Clergy Navigate Unimaginable Loss
August 26, 2026
For the authors, that legacy embodies the book’s central message: that even in the face of unbearable loss, compassion, presence and community can help transform grief into an enduring act of care.
Before Auschwitz: The Forgotten Nazi Program That Paved the Way for the Holocaust
August 26, 2026
This is where the Holocaust story begins – not in the gas chambers of Auschwitz, but earlier, with the Nazi regime’s Aktion T4 program, a state-sponsored campaign to murder people with disabilities.
When Renting Beats Buying, Los Angeles Risks Losing Its Jewish Future
August 26, 2026
For the Jewish community, this threat is particularly severe because Jewish life is built around proximity, continuity and intergenerational relationships.
Birthright Israel Summer Event, New Interim Rabbi, NLP Hike
August 26, 2026
Notable people and events in the Jewish LA community.
From Balaboosta to CookUnity: Chef Einat Admony Shares Her Food Across the U.S.
August 26, 2026
Long before shakshuka became a brunch staple and Israeli restaurants multiplied across the city, Admony was introducing New Yorkers to the flavors she had grown up with in Israel.
Nature’s Candy: A Sweet Fig, Date and Nut Cake
August 26, 2026
Baking this cake brought back the memories of Friday nights and holiday gatherings at my parents’ home.
Rosner’s Domain | Has Oct. 7 Made Israelis More Religious?
August 26, 2026
Several surveys showed that there is substance to the claim that a degree of Jewish “strengthening” is evident in the Israeli public. However, all the studies so far have dealt with adult society.
The Nexus of the Ruffalo Problem
August 26, 2026
Once the target is Jews rather than Israeli policy, the Nexus Document itself takes over.
Israel Has No Shortage of Biomedical Startups, but Where Are the Global Companies?
August 26, 2026
This may be Israel’s blind spot. The system is exceptionally good at creating biomedical startups but not equally optimized for turning the strongest of them into enduring global companies.
The Legacy of Everyday Love
August 26, 2026
We may not remember every conversation or every accomplishment, but we remember how people made us feel. In the end, it is those ordinary acts of kindness that stay with us the longest.
Could Jon Ossoff Become the First Jewish President?
August 26, 2026
It is possible that a record four Jewish candidates will be on a debate stage, vying to become the Democratic nominee for the 2028 presidential election.
Intermarriage and the Conservative Movement – A Different Approach
August 26, 2026
While I understand and sympathize with the issues confronting Conservative rabbis and synagogues in the United States concerning intermarriage, allowing Conservative rabbis to officiate at intermarriages will not solve that problem.
America’s First, Remarkable Flag, a Reminder of Biblical Faith
August 26, 2026
The Continental Union Flag deserves to be remembered as a window into the political process of independence, as in the time of biblical Israel.
I’m So (Sorta) Sorry
August 26, 2026
The classic case of a “nonapology” apology is when the allegedly contrite offender says something to the effect of “I’m so sorry that you’re upset.” Note that the speaker doesn’t actually acknowledge doing anything wrong.
What the Return of Yehuda Katz Says About Israel’s Covenant With Its People
August 26, 2026
Most nations honor their fallen, but Israel does something more. We make a covenant with them.