Sandra Lawson (NC): ‘If It Stops Being on the News, People Will Stop Caring’
Rabbi Sandra Lawson serves as Jewish educator and associate chaplain for Jewish life at Elon University near Burlington, North Carolina. Since September, Lawson has been a participant in our Jewish Political Voices Project, where Moment is exploring the views of American Jewish voters in the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election. Moment contributor Dan Freedman spoke with Lawson about the recent events surrounding the murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed.
The Complex Relationship Between AIPAC and Black Americans
AIPAC is a political organization, and as such, it has been engaging with black voters, activists and lawmakers for years on a political level. The lobby has been actively seeking these engagements, reaching out to African-Americans in all stages of their political careers, from college student body presidents to state and federal lawmakers, and by featuring prominent figures in the community, such as Bakari Sellers, as key voices within AIPAC.
Beshert | He Was Nothing Like I’d Pictured
I met my husband 33 years ago at a party for a physicist I didn’t know. My neighbor invited me to increase the estrogen quota....
Right-Wing Anti-Semitism Takes Center Stage in Recent Incidents
There are two important, but seemingly contradictory, takeaways from this laundry list of anti-Semitic incidents from May of 2020. First, we are experiencing a resurgence of extreme right anti-Semitic rhetoric in the United States. Second, don't let anyone tell you that the danger from anti-Semitism in the United States (or most other countries) comes largely from the racist, xenophobic or white supremacist right. This past month the right-wing version of anti-Semitism was most ubiquitous. Next month it may very well be another manifestation of anti-Semitism that dominates the headlines. This disease shapeshifts over time and place, maximizing the damage it can inflict.
Stories and Songs of Theodore Bikel with Aimee Ginsburg Bikel
Aimee Ginsburg Bikel, Theo’s wife and director of the Theodore Bikel Legacy Project, gives us an up-close and personal look at the man behind the legend. Aimee shares stories about Theo’s life, from his acting roles to a sampling of his folk music, as well as his passion for tikkun olam (repair of the world). Aimee also presents an excerpt from her recently released book, Theodore Bikel's: The City of Light, which recounts moments from Theo’s childhood in Vienna.
Where Do Race Relations Fit Into the Jewish Political Agenda?
Jewish Americans have always been reliable allies in civil rights battles and have consistently led advocacy and legislation aimed at helping minority communities and denouncing injustice and inequality. It’s no surprise that the community is once again standing up for African Americans in their struggle for justice and for reforming the way police forces deal with black Americans.
Where can the Jewish community play a part this time around?
Beshert | A Face in the Crowd Led Me Home
At 26, I was coming off a traumatic divorce that led me to distrust everything I knew to be true in this world. Desperate to...
Pro-Israel Democrats’ Moment of Truth
President Trump’s peace plan challenges long-held views of the Washington foreign policy establishment, including those of pro-Israel Democrats. When the government of Israel, backed by...
The Heavy Price of Israel’s Coronavirus Lockdown
Flinging their doors open, Israelis are running outside, hugging their grandchildren, sunning on the beaches, strolling the parks and crowding the outdoor markets
After two months...
The Case Against Benjamin Netanyahu
History was made Sunday in an over-crowded, bare-walled room in Jerusalem’s district court building. A defendant, facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, took his seat and acknowledged, in front of the three-judge panel and the entire State of Israel, that he had read the charges and fully understood them.
Opinion | ‘Mrs. America’ Gets It Wrong
"It galls me when Mrs. America keeps underscoring the friction among feminists rather than grappling with the complexity of our challenges."
Beshert | Sealed with a Kiss
The kiss could have been in a movie. Fun, spontaneous, performed in a crowded room for everyone to witness. Unfortunately, I was not the recipient. With horror, I watched as my Russian uncle, newly arrived in the United States, grabbed my future husband’s face with both hands and planted a heavy lip-on-lip kiss blaring in Russian, “Hello, I am your uncle!”