Turning Aside: Rambam’s Test
Is My Theology Truly Jewish (Or Jewish Enough)? Liberal Jewish denominations officially reject the Orthodox contention that, in order to be a good Jew, one must embrace a traditional cosmology and accept the whole of halacha. Nevertheless, I think it incumbent upon liberal gerim to take both theology and halacha seriously; we should know what it is that we selectively accept or reject (and why). In this “Turning Aside” post, I address my relationship to a traditional Jewish … [Read more…]
JBC News of Interest – 02/23/11
Hi all, Sorry it’s been a while since we’ve posted a news roundup. Between working on podcast related issues and site maintenance, Avi and I have been pretty busy. So… off we go. There have been several stories recently dealing with the ongoing conversion train wreck crisis in Israel. In one example published in Ha’aretz, a Canadian who converted via a Modern Orthodox community with the intention of moving to Israel with his wife – an Israeli herself – and their children, was … [Read more…]
“Intermarriage” and the Problem with Black and White Thinking.
Almost anywhere in the world today, it is virtually impossible to circulate within the Jewish community without constantly hearing about how intermarriage is going to destroy us as a people. The marriage of Jews to non-Jews is discussed in singularly horrific terms; for many people, it is the most significant problem facing world Jewry today (especially in the Diaspora, and most especially in the United States). Millions of dollars and innumerable labor hours are devoted to studying the … [Read more…]
JBC News of Interest – 1/9/11
Several media outlets have reported that Rabbi Alysa Stanton, the first African-American female rabbi, has not had her contract renewed for her first pulpit at a Reform congregation in Greenville, North Carolina. Rabbi Stanton made headlines when she was the first African-American woman ordained as a rabbi by the Hebrew Union College, and indeed, the first in America (the world?). Haaretz reported on the story here, and Time magazine did a story on Rabbi Stanton shortly after her ordination … [Read more…]
Turning Aside: The Orchard’s Harvest
I often describe myself as a “closet academic.” The label is misleading, however; there isn’t much “closet” about the pleasure that I derive from studying. Not surprisingly, then, one of the many reasons that I look forward to Shabbat is because part of the day is dedicated to Torah study. Mind you, my conception of Torah study is more liberal than some Jews will accept. I consider Torah to be the written and oral traditions of Judaism, of course, but I extend the term to encompass human … [Read more…]
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Online Learning this July with JewsByChoice.org & Rabbi Juan Mejía – The Ethics of the Rambam
I’m very happy to announce that this July JewsByChoice.org will be offering our first online learning opportunity for members of our community! This is uncharted territory for us, but I’m confident that we can make this a fun and successful event. THE ETHICS OF THE RAMBAM: Rambam´s introduction to his commentary on MIshna Avot is one of the first attempts to establish a productive dialogue between the Jewish ethical tradition of the Bible and Talmud with the psychological and … [Read more…]
JewsByChoice.org Roundup – May 2011/Iyar 5771.
There are several interesting recent developments on the JBC.org site. Here are some highlights for May 2011/Iyar5771: Forum One conversation of special note is the “Why did you convert?” thread in the Conversion group. Several site regulars are or will be sharing the reasons they decided to become Jewish or to start the conversion process. Whether you are a Jew, are studying with a rabbi, or just interested in Judaism, you will find the various stories shared interesting. In the … [Read more…]
JBC Talk Ep 2 Part 2: Rabbis 101- An Interview With Rabbi Adam Kligfeld
Note: This is the second truncated (yet still long!) part of the original Episode 2 recording. Why is that?, you might be wondering. Despite our going into this episode with the intention of keeping things short, it ended up running nearly two hours. So we have decided to split Episode 2 into two, separate podcasts which will air (well you know, go live!) a week apart. As a result, there are a few breaks in continuity. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Podcast … [Read more…]
How Can We Raise Awareness in the Jewish Community for the Unique Issues Facing Jews-by-Choice?
Editors Note: The following is a guest post by friend and supporter of JewsByChoice.org: Paul Golin, Associate Executive Director of the Jewish Outreach Institute. I recently posted an essay on the Huffington Post about the complicated relationship between intermarriage and Jewish conversion. In it, I mention just a few of the challenges that many Jews-by-choice face in their interaction with born-Jews. I have a sense of what some of the other challenges might be, thanks to my position as … [Read more…]
JBC Talk Ep 2 Part 1: Observance & Going Along to Get Along
Note: This is a truncated (yet still long!) version of the original Episode 2 recording. Why is that?, you might be wondering. Despite our going into this episode with the intention of keeping things short, it ended up running nearly two hours. So we have decided to split Episode 2 into two, separate podcasts which will air (well you know, go live!) a week apart. As a result, there are a few breaks in continuity. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Podcast … [Read more…]
Passover Resources & Discussion 5771/2011
It’s that time of the year again! And whether this is your first Passover or your fiftieth, we are entering an extremely exciting and I might add challenging period of Jewish observance! There is lots and lots to do and there is lots and lots to learn! For the newishly Jewish and the soon to be Jewish all of this can be quite overwhelming but not to worry, we have your back!! This year’s Pesach Q&A and resource guide is now open for business, so why don’t you head over and check … [Read more…]
Get Involved!!!
JewsByChoice.org has a dedicated group of core contributors, but it is very much a peer-run project. We count on people like you to help us with creating/maintaining this website as a thriving, informative, and dynamic community. We are very proud of what we have been able to accomplish since our 2007 launch and, with the help of our members, we plan on continuing to grow and improve our online community in the years to come. This is where YOU come in! First, if you have been visiting … [Read more…]
JBC News of Interest – 03/13/11
Several recent news stories may be of interest to our readers, so let’s dive right in… Apparently putting on tefillin in the airport or on an airplane can still cause you some trouble in the USA. Once again there has been an incident in which observant Jews in morning prayers have caused panic in flight, this time on an Alaska Airlines flight to LA from Mexico. Shmarya over at Failed Messiah has a story with links to similar ones from recent history. Arnold Eisen, the Chancellor of … [Read more…]
Turning Aside: Rambam’s Test
Is My Theology Truly Jewish (Or Jewish Enough)? Liberal Jewish denominations officially reject the Orthodox contention that, in order to be a good Jew, one must embrace a traditional cosmology and accept the whole of halacha. Nevertheless, I think it incumbent upon liberal gerim to take both theology and halacha seriously; we should know what it is that we selectively accept or reject (and why). In this “Turning Aside” post, I address my relationship to a traditional Jewish … [Read more…]
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