Inescapable Face

“There is a commandment in the appearance of the face, as if a master spoke to me. However, at the same time, the face of the Other is destitute; it is the poor for whom I can do all, and to whom I owe all. “ —Emmanuel Levinas Rabbi Joshua, the son of Levi, said: at...
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How to Plan a Delegation to Wendy’s

Four of the five major fast food chains have joined the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW)’s Fair Food Program. Who is the major holdout? Wendy’s, who has not only failed to join the program, but has actively chosen to move its tomato purchases out of Florida, where real changes are taking root. Since 2013, T’ruah has engaged with Wendy’s...
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Extra Virgin Human Rights

Parshat Tetzaveh focuses on the priests’ vestments and ordination, building on last week’s plan and vision of the mishkan. The pivot point between these topics is a singular commandment about a particular activity within the daily service: “You (Moses) shall further instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for lighting, for...
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Klinghoffer and Me

Last week, my worlds collided. I once trained as an opera singer, and though I have traded Gluck for gemara, I remain a fervent supporter of the arts. I have a weekly appointment that brings me within a block of the Metropolitan Opera House, at Lincoln Center, and I often stroll through the plaza, admiring...
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“The Part About The Stars”

The girl who will become bat mitzvah in my shul on Parshat Lech Lecha has noted that her special day falls a week before the anniversary of Kristallnacht, which members of her family witnessed. So she requested I let her leyn her portion from the Czech “Shoah” scroll in our ark. Those who possess such...
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