Like thousands of non-Orthodox American Jews, I have enjoyed the privilege of participating in b’nai mitzvah and Shabbat services at the southern egalitarian prayer section of the Western Wall, or Kotel, in Jerusalem. These events were deeply spiritual and inspirational precisely because t…
Imagine a nurse who works for a local hospital posting on her Instagram page that she won’t treat Black people, whom she refers to as “monkeys” and “apes.” Following an uproar from the Black community, the hospital fires the nurse. Only a few months later, however, the state nursin…
To the extent that the Jewish community has thrived in the U.S., it has been because we live in a democratic, pluralistic society. However, our democratic norms and ideals are now under threat, and it’s therefore imperative that the organized Jewish community speak out. That starts with us…
As a native Portlander whose family has lived here for nearly 120 years, I was hopeful that the new Portland City Council members who were elected in 2024 would work to build consensus and a sense of unity in addressing the city’s major crises. Imagine, then, my dismay, when I learned of a…
