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Last month the Jerusalem Post ran an interesting story about a group in Israel called “Kehilat Tzedek”.
Here is a snippet from the article.
One woman prays in a synagogue where gender separation is strictly enforced. Another is a member of a mixed-seating congregation that bars homosexuals from rabbinical ordination. A third belongs to a movement [...]

I received an email yesterday from my rav in America announcing a worldwide prayer/tehillim recitation on behalf of abducted Israeli soldier, Cpl. Gilad Schalit. At 11 AM (Eastern time) on Wednesday, 2 July 2008, Jews everywhere are asked to recite Psalm 121. (This translates into 8 AM on the West Coast, 4 PM [...]

As a sort of companion post to Avi’s Jerusalem video, I wanted to share an article I recently came across from the online Asia Times, entitled “Why Israel is the world’s happiest country.”

It’s rare to think of Israel in any terms other than negative ones these days. Our unenviable geographic position, our corrupt government, the [...]

Pesach is over now, and Israeli motorists have begun attaching Israeli flags to their cars in honor of Israel’s upcoming 60th birthday.
To honor the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence, Britain’s chief rabbi, R’ Jonathan Sacks, has compiled a double CD of readings (read by R’ Sacks himself) and songs celebrating the millennia-old attachment of the [...]

In the past couple of weeks here in Israel, several stories have broken in the press about severe child abuse, including one here in Beit Shemesh.  There is a fine old saying that “The Jews are just like everyone else, only more so.”  God forbid.  But unfortunately, spousal and child abuse do occur within the [...]

There have been several articles in the press, as well as some brief discussions on this blog, about how to achieve a closer relationship between Israel and the Diaspora.  I’ve given this topic much thought, and have recorded the results below, limited by my experience and personal outlook.  I’m sure I’ve left out things, but [...]

The following recently appeared on a chat list to which I subscribe here in Israel:
Come and see the fascinating, moving, and thought-provoking documentaryThe winner of the Israeli OSCAR for best documentary as well as 9 international awardsKeep Not SilentAt Merkaz Edna 37 Pierre Koenig TalpiotWednesday March 5th, 2008, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Ilil Alexander’s film [...]

Last week, an article appeared in the Jerusalem Post (by Matthew Wagner) announcing that “the Chief Rabbinate has agreed to recognize conversions performed by the Rabbinic Council of America.”  This sounds like a momentous occasion, trumpeting greater recognition by the Israeli rabbinical establishment of Diaspora rabbis and conversions.  However, the reality is not quite as [...]

In 1994, I backpacked through Europe for 10 weeks.  While there, I met a Swedish Jew who wasn’t religious, but was very Jewishly knowledgeable.  His Jewish youth activities had taken him all over Jewish Europe and Israel, and he encouraged me to explore my Jewish roots.  While I didn’t care much for him as a [...]

This week the Israelis and Palestinians began the process of restarting peace talks which have been stalled throughout the presidency of George W. Bush. For the first time in seven years, there is a process - however you see it - through which the parties will be attempting to figure out how to live [...]