Rabbi Aaron Alexander

Associate Dean, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, American Jewish University

We praise you, God, for providing a world in which the only true hierarchy begins with you and immediately ends, equally, with each one of us. In here, out there, everywhere.

Rabbi Mishael Zion

Co-Director of the Bronfman Fellowships

On Shavuot night, thousands of Jews will place learning at the center of Jewish life, encountering texts and ideas late into the night, across Jewish practices and ideologies. What does it mean to take Jewish learning into the year?

Barbara Wind

Director, Holocaust Center of Greater MetroWest

We must raise interest and awareness of protecting the history of the Holocaust in order to protect the world. The Shoah Seder, which took place last Sunday, aims to do that.

Aryeh Ben David

Director, Ayeka: Center for Soulful Jewish Education

My father had never apologized to me. I am certain that my grandfather had never apologized to my father. Was there some wise tradition of not apologizing that I was supposed to know?

Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin

Spiritual Leader, Israel Center of Conservative Judaism

Sometimes, being in the right place at the right time, whether by coincidence or not, can lead to macro change. I don't know what is going to happen at the Western Wall in the future, but the times they are certainly a-changing.

Rabbi Michael Bernstein

Congregation Gesher L’Torah

The Torah is not really a story for kids. Many sections of it are at least PG-13, if not R or even MA. But those stories, while complicated and open to various interpretation, regard sex and sexuality as part of a bigger picture including societal status, power dynamics, fidelity and purity.  

Aviva A. Perlo

Jewish Educator, Social Worker, Artist

When tragedy, illness and accidents occur, our worldview morphs immediately. Stability is shaken as reality turns upside down. The Omer says we must go slowly.

Yaacov Cohen

Co-Founder and social CEO, harmon.ie

According to Jewish tradition, the upcoming festival of Shavuot is the anniversary of the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Oddly though, we find no clear link in the Bible between the Shavuot festival and the giving of the Torah.

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson

Dean, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, American Jewish University

Bring your entire being to the service of God and your fellow creatures. Leave no part of yourself outside. Leave no piece of yourself invisible. Be passionate in the service you offer as rabbis.

AVODAH

The Jewish Service Corps

"She's not white, she's Jewish." Sometimes I would like to say this about myself, but it is untrue. I am a proud Jew and a proud white person, but that's not so easy to say. Is there reason for white people to be proud of their race after this country's legacy of racism?

Nicholas Saidel

Associate Director, Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis & Response, University of Pennsylvania

An old saying within the Israeli political establishment goes something like this: "You haven't made it in Israeli politics until you've been cursed by the Pulsa Dinura." The latest such threat is a conjuring-of-last-resort by those within the ultra-Orthodox community who feel sidelined.

Rabbi Yonah Bookstein

Executive Director, Jewlicious and author of the forthcoming book Prayers for Israel

Its a major investment of time, people power and resources to pull together in order to create a massive 30 foot-long tent that serves food around the clock in a sea of other tents.

Rabbi Jason Miller

Entrepreneur, Educator, Writer and Technologist - "Rabbi Without Borders"

The infatuation that Jews have with Jewish baseball players has led to books dedicated to the topic as well as entire sets of baseball trading cards.

Harry Rothenberg

Personal injury attorney; lecturer; video blogger for Partners in Torah

The 12 tribes are given designated places in which to set up camp in the desert. Each flies its own banner and has hand-picked neighbors. But they are all important parts of a community -- a lesson we ought not to forget.

Ari Hart

Rabbi, Co-founder, Uri L'Tzedek: Orthodox Social Justice

"Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has not made me a woman." As a committed Orthodox Jew, I'm supposed to say that each morning. But this blessing is really tough.

Yoseph Leib Ibn Mardachya

Author, 'Cannabis Chassidis: The Ancient and Emerging Torah of Drugs'

One of the things I learned in temple growing up was how to drink responsibly, focused with awesome intention, for the sake of my G-d, who delights in my joys for his sake. But in high school, I started to wonder: Why haven't I grown up with a tradition of responsible cannabis use?