jewish culture

World’s first Chassidic Reggae superstar off the derech.

The organizer behind the Kol Nidre service at Occupy Wall Street says the Jewish establishment has asked Jews to “check our social justice values” at the door.

A roundup of the week’s religion headlines.

A roundup of religion headlines.

Could there be any more polarizing figure in the Jewish community than Richard Goldstone? When the esteemed South African judge issued his 2009 report alleging that Israel had committed human rights abuses during the 2008-2009 Gaza War (known as Operation Cast Lead), many in the Jewish community…

There will be some politics, and there will be a lot of praying.

Elie Wiesel lost millions to Madoff because, he says, “we thought he was God.”

Worst. Analogy. Ever.

The San Francisco Campaign against circumcision has allied itself with “Intact America.” Its activists have dubbed themselves “intactavists.” In San Francisco’s annual Gay Pride Parade a group representing BANG, the Bay Area iNtactivst Group, makes their point in a vivid manner: they don puffy penis costumes and carry a poster of an indignant-looking infant asking, “You want to cut off what?”

Recently, on The Huffington Post, Rev. Chellew-Hodge suggested that gays and lesbians should never argue Scripture—in particular, the half dozen “clobber verses” that some people interpret against gays. Why? Because nobody wins, everyone’s opinion hardens, and we talk past each other, because gays and lesbians are usually not biblical literalists, while our opponents usually are. Chellew-Hodge’s suggestion sounds wise, but I want to respectfully disagree with it.