JewsByChoice.Org

I spent this past Shabbat (or Friday night of it, at least) at Goldman Union Camp Institute in Zionsville, Indiana. GUCI is part of the URJ camp system and is the regional camp that kids from my temple attend. My rabbi has been either a camper or a staff member there for a good chunk [...]

Some thoughts on this weeks Torah portion: Sh’lach L’cha.
20 And the Lord said, “I pardon, as you have asked. 21 Nevertheless, as I live and as the Lord’s Presence fills the whole world, 22 none of the men who have seen My Presence and the signs that I have performed in Egypt and in the [...]

During an adult education at my temple to discuss the book Jews and Judaism in the 21st Century: Human Responsibility, the Presence of God, and the Future of the Covenant a congregant and my rabbi got into a discussion about whether one can respect someone else’s beliefs while holding firmly to their own. It [...]

This opinion piece by a Modern Orthodox Jew by Choice was linked from On the Fringe-Al Tzitzit and I think everyone should go and read it.
I have to admit I am increasingly frustrated as I read articles and opinions on the conversion crisis in the Orthodox community, partly because they seem to just now be [...]

This past Shabbat we read the Torah portion of קדושים, referred to commonly as the Holiness Code. Friday night our intern gave a sermon that referenced the fact that God commands Moses to speak to the entire congregation of Israel (kol adat Yisrael) and not just the children of Israel (b’nei Yisrael) that we usually [...]

Recently I read an essay in the OU’s online version of their publication entitled “An Unintentional Intermarriage.” The author was born to a Jewish mother and father, the mother having converted to Judaism through the Conservative movement. As the author and her husband took on more observances she came to the realization that (in her [...]

I’ve been thinking a lot about the discussion on Shimshonit’s post (Truth Holders v. Truth Seekers) and the idea of a Rav and whether or not liberal Jews have Ravs. I will admit that I was initially annoyed at Avi’s implication that having a Rav (and not just your congregational rabbi) is much less prevalant [...]

This article from The Forward brings up some interesting points. It addresses the existence of LGBT congregations and whether they are still necessary in our ever more inclusive society.
These are just my initial reactions: I can understand why many queer and questioning Jews would want to affiliate with a queer synagogue; if you are in [...]

Last week was the conclusion of a 3 week adult education course at my temple on Jewish prayer. In the last session one woman raised the question about how people can feel more connected to the service; the woman is not a regular attendee of Friday night or Saturday morning services, though she is there [...]

A couple of weeks ago a friend’s husband asked her if “the little Jew-girl wanted to join us to eat fish for Jesus,” in reference to me. I kind of laughed it off at the time, but later thought about it and was bothered.
Then last night I was at my mom’s for dinner and my [...]