In some ways, the start of school this fall and the preparation leading up to it were similar to most other years: We did some school shopping, cleaned out last year’s backpacks. The kids ordered new books. I filled out the usual school and work permit forms and scheduled their annual doctors’ appointments. But in…
Read More
Jewish Life
Torah
This Shabbat, ‘give ear’ to the calls of the prophets
The Torah column is supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek in memory of Kenneth Gordon. Ha’azinu/Shabbat Shuvah Deuteronomy 32:1-52 The…
Small Bites
Toy Boat Café gets a new owner; Wise Sons goes for kimchi in Oakland; etc.
Food coverage is supported by a generous donation from Susan and Moses Libitzky. Last year, we wrote about Shuk Shuka, a pop-up dinner with live music…
Yom Kippur
You can't visit the Western Wall — but you can still have your prayer placed there
A visit to Israel and the Western Wall before Yom Kippur is pretty much out of the question due to coronavirus restrictions, but Jews can still have their…
U.S.
How she went from the Notorious RBG to Ruth the Tzadik
Many Americans have been paying tribute to the popularized version of Ruth Bader Ginsberg — the feisty workout-devoted octogenarian Supreme Court justice…
Religion
This comedian is helping rabbis nail their High Holidays services
When the pandemic began, Alex Edelman was in the middle of a standup comedy tour of the United Kingdom, where he was performing a show based on his…
Parenting
First day of school — a new state, new anxieties
From the moment I woke up, this morning was different. My alarm went off at 6:45 a.m., one of the only times I’d set it since the pandemic hit. I got up…
U.S.
From camp ‘rabbi’ to pursuing justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Judaism
In its obituary of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Guardian wrote that the late Jewish Supreme Court justice “abandoned her religion.” That couldn’t be more…
Religion
How Ginsburg’s death changed Rosh Hashanah services this year
Rabbi Matt Soffer was leaving his synagogue on Friday evening after leading Rosh Hashanah services alone for a congregation following along online when…