Judaism is not simply a religion: We are a tribe, an ethnicity, an extended family, as well as a faith system. The misconception that Jews are only a religion or are all white continues to be pervasive, but there are more and more Jews speaking out about the complex nature of our identity. One of […]
Important change is happening in the Belzer Hasidic community. Unfortunately, when someone decides not to remain religious anymore, they can be cut off from their family and the community they grew up in, which often, is all they know. This doesn’t always happen, but it exists, and it is now being both publicly addressed and […]
When Rough Diamonds hit Netflix, it brought up some mixed feelings. While wonderful to see Orthodox Jewish representation on screen done with nuance and three dimensionality, some of the plot lines dabbled in tropes of Jewish deception and greed. Negative minority representation increases hatred of those minorities, according to research. With attacks on all Jews, […]
“Time is like money. It’s not how much you have, it’s how you spend it,” Judge Freier says. It’s an expression her mother taught her and repeated throughout her life — one that Judge Freier clearly lives by. At 57, she was just appointed by her supervisors to the New York State Supreme Court. A […]
The word “cult” is trending right now in conjunction with the words “Orthodox Jews.” We can likely thank Julia Haart for that uptick on Google, as she’s the anti-Jewish gift that keeps on giving. I haven’t watched season 2 of My Unorthodox Life yet. I already gave up too many brain cells on watching most […]
I am regularly accused of being an apologist for the Orthodox community by those who have left observance and are angry, while simultaneously accused of being too negative by community insiders who don’t want to discuss the problems. I hope my analysis will not disappoint either group. I’ve always tried to approach issues with nuance, […]
