A New Recipe for Israeli Heroism: Makings of Falafel Man by Dorit Maya Gur My Israeli hero has red hair and a friendly, smiling face. He’s a chubby fellow who shoots falafel balls and protects the State. As a comic book artist, I created this hero in response to trends in Israeli society today - and in doing so, I realized that I had a winning recipe on my hands. Superheroes like Superman, Spiderman, the Flash, and WonderWoman have physical powers beyond the ordinary: Some of them can lift a car with one hand, some run as fast as the wind, and others can fly. Superheroes are usually human, but possess almost divine powers. Not to mention that the best ones are beautiful, moral people who fight for justice. These are, for most of us who grew up with comics, the heroes. Israeli culture, on … Continue Reading
The Path of the Entrepreneur
The Path of the Entrepreneur: 21st Century Hero by Lianna Wolfson Jogging in the park, brunching at a café, or sitting in class in 2010 usually entails having a smart phone stuffed into a pouch, resting on a lap, or squished into one’s back pocket. Our generation of college graduates thrives on efficiency. Contrast that with how we’ve grown to see corporations - static, stodgy, old-fashioned - and it is no surprise that our generation is drawn to the calling of entrepreneurship like never before. Mix that with the heroic successes of the young entrepreneurs behind companies that have shaped our world - such as Google and Facebook - and the draw becomes even stronger. While generations past lionized captains of industry such as Jack Welch and Warren Buffett as heroic company builders and … Continue Reading
Don’t Worry, Be Breslov
Don't Worry, Be Breslov: Signs Point Young Jews to the Na-Nachs by Shifra Mincer In a post-modern, post-Nietzschian world where God, apparently, has supposedly been dead for decades, many young American Jews have not given up on spirituality or the hope of finding that elusive sense of “meaning,” a connection to something larger than themselves. In recent decades, increasing numbers of young Jews are finding that sought-after spark in the writings and communities of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. He has acted as a symbol of meaning, driving them to make personal decisions that can change their lives. Violet Gurian is a former punk rocker with pale skin, bright red lipstick, and jetblack hair, cut straight with bangs. From a secular Jewish background, she first explored her Jewish identity in … Continue Reading
For Israel’s Sake: Abba Eban
by Chaim Landau We live in a fast-paced media age of shock culture. Those with extreme, black-and-white viewpoints have no problem having their voices heard in the media, while complex and nuanced opinions struggle to be heard above the din. When it comes to Israel, the lines are even sharper - one has the choice of being branded a fascist, an apartheid practitioner, and a human rights violator, or a traitor, an extreme leftist, and a self-hating Jew. In this polarized culture, the example of Abba Eban, Israel’s most famous diplomat and foremost statesman, is all the more relevant. Eban exemplified the traits of Jewish self-confidence and pride, alongside critical thinking, respect, and empathy for the other. He combined his defense of Israel’s interests with a strong commitment to universal … Continue Reading
Blazing Saddles: Jewish Life in Argentina
by Lina Tuv A long time ago, in a far away land, there lived a Jewish gaucho in a settlement called Moisesville. This first Jewish colony in Argentina was comprised of Jewish cowboys. Fleeing pogroms, they arrived from Russia in 1889 and established agricultural settlements in the vast, unpopulated land of Argentina’s Santa Fe province. In the Pampas - Argentina’s fertile lowlands where gauchos once reined - vast blue skies meet large stretches of flat grasslands speckled by solitary shrubs in the distance. A man dressed as a cowboy with his facón, a large knife tucked into the rear of the gaucho sash, greets tourists as they descend from the bus. As most of the descendents of the original founders moved to large cities, today the settlements are mostly empty, except for a few that cater … Continue Reading
Smile: Worthwhile – Volunteering in Rwanda
by Mike Brand Rwanda is covered by a lush green landscape with rolling hills and red earth. In Kigali, the capital, there are large modern buildings, bumper-to bumper traffic, Internet cafés, and electronics stores. But just a few miles outside the city are mudbrick homes, without electricity or running water. The conflicting smells of tropical flowers and burning trash fill the air. It’s possible to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables at the market for less than $1, but a box of Frosted Flakes costs $20. After an initial experience in Rwanda volunteering for Never Again Rwanda - teaching Rwandan youth how to use human rights to combat genocide ideology - I joined the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s Jewish Service Corps, a one-year version of the Peace Corps for Jews. … Continue Reading
Rules of Engagement: How Heroes Show Us The Way
by Ezra S. Shanken Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.” How can we relate to those historical figures who hold a place in our Jewish life, having been braver for five minutes longer? Are they a tool to be used by our teachers, or reminders of our own ability reach farther, do more, and make a real difference in the world? We turn to three young rabbis from different streams of Judaism for their thoughts. Rabbi Ethan Tucker (Independent) is Rosh Yeshiva of Mechon Hadar and Chair in Jewish Law. He was ordained by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and earned a Ph.D in Talmud and Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was a founder of New York’s Kehilat Hadar. Rabbi Ari Weiss (Modern Orthodox) is Founding … Continue Reading
Conversation for a Change: Power of the Great Schlep
by Amy Beth Schneider In his campaign for the American presidency, Barack Obama inspired his supporters to become vocal as leaders and organizers. The organized support for Obama within the Jewish community sparked an intergenerational dialogue that revealed the broader possibility for achieving political change through conversation. These conversations also reset the timbre of political dialogue, rediscovering a spirit of debate that is integral to Judaism. The Great Schlep, a movement organized in the fall of 2008 by Ari Wallach and Mik Moore and publicized with an online video featuring comedian Sarah Silverman, encouraged Jews to convince their elderly relatives in Florida to support Obama. This effort inspired an intergenerational political dialogue within Jewish families, and the Great … Continue Reading
Seeking Spiritual Shepherds
Seeking Spiritual Shepherds: The Crisis in Religious Leadership by Adir Glick Judaism scored the lowest of all the world’s major religions in its members’ satisfaction with their leaders, according to a survey released by the Elijah Interfaith Institute. Jews also scored lowest in perceiving that their religion has a message relevant to their lives and today’s world, and were twice as likely as members of other faiths to become less religious. As the Jerusalem-based Elijah Institute pointed out in its conclusion to the survey, “Jews seem to have significant difficulties and distrust in relation to their religious leadership.” For many Jews, this crisis in religious leadership is an unspoken reality. The American Jews I spoke with related the crisis to the new wave of independent … Continue Reading
In Memory of the Fallen: Honoring Heroes of Israel
by Moti Vaknin The place, and the time: Israel on Yom Hazikaron - Israel’s Memorial Day - held on the fourth of Iyar, the day before Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day). Fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism are remembered at national memorial services, such as this one for victims of terrorist attacks at the military cemetery in Haifa. The somber mood of the day takes effect with radio and television programs on Israel’s wars, the closing of all venues of entertainment nationwide, and two air raid sirens which sound throughout the country, causing all traffic to stop in commemoration of Israel’s fallen. images courtesy Israeli photographer Moti Vaknin : top - Two people sit and read from the Book of Psalms on behalf of a family member who was killed during a … Continue Reading
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