I imagine that many people nodded their heads as they read the findings in the 2009 Jewish Population Study of Greater Philadelphia indicating a graying population and a dearth of younger Jews. For me, it raised more questions than answers. In the last year, I have met hundreds of young Jewish adults who have moved to Philadelphia. Some of these...
Growing up in an interfaith family -- Mom was Jewish and Dad wasn't -- our faiths were often seen from the outside as a source of tension and controversy. Inside the family, we were told that no one was worth any more or less due to the faith in which he or she was raised. But deep inside, I still...
Israelis and Palestinians are about to take a giant step backwards that might help them move toward peace. After more than 16 years of face-to-face negotiations, they are on the verge of reverting to indirect talks through an American mediator. It is a sign of the lack of trust between the adversaries, and their lack of real commitment to what...
Jewish Americans perceive a number of threats at the end of the first decade of the 21st century: Israel's security; the rise of anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism in Europe, Latin America and now North America; radical Islam; and the effects of economic conditions on their communities' vitality. These external threats add to the anxiety felt by a Jewish community facing an...
Pope Benedict XVI just became the second pontiff in history to visit the Great Synagogue of Rome. His predecessor, John Paul II, had delivered a major address there in 1986, in which he stressed the spiritual ties between Judaism and Christianity. His remarks included these oft-quoted words: "The Jewish religion is not 'extrinsic' to us, but in a certain way...
Sivan 12, 5773
