Category: Uncategorized
-
Translating the past
When author Dani Shapiro took a DNA test at age 54, she discovered that the man who’d raised her wasn’t her father. Her 2019 book Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love, details her search for answers surrounding her conception and her painful and miraculous journey toward gaining a truer expression of her identity.…
-
Not OK Boomer
Boomers grew up hearing we shouldn’t trust anyone over 30. We were the generational revolutionaries living in the Age of Aquarius. We were gonna speak truth to power, fight The Man, and change the world. That revolution ushered in change both positive (an end to the Vietnam War, incremental progress in the area of civil…
-
The 2,500 Year-Old Battle Cry
We all heard the battle cry loud and clear on Saturday, October 27th. “All Jews must die!” the gunman said before he mowed down worshippers at Tree of Life (Etz Chaim) Synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11 and wounding 6 more, including four police officers. The Anti-Defamation League reports a marked uptick in anti-Semitic incidents in the…
-
Some Netflix Picks To Introduce You To Modern Israel
I’m often asked questions about Judaism by my Gentile friends. I count it an honor to help educate them about Jewish culture and history. I’m always happy to share the story of my own faith journey, as well as correcting misconceptions about what Jewish people may or may not believe about God. Recently, I’ve had…
-
Donald Trump and The Jerusalem Embassy
Ever since Donald Trump announced the U.S. would relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, people have been asking me for my thoughts on the decision. I am a Messianic Jew, and serve as the U.S. Administrator for a discipleship and education ministry based in Jerusalem. I do English-language editing for a weekly round-up of stories…
-
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
I wrote a few of those “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” essays when I was growing up. You too? I think it was a quick way for a teacher to gauge the writing skills and interests of a new class full of students. The events of this summer called for an grown-up version…