From Crisis to Community: Reading Martin Buber in the time of Social Distancing
More than a century ago, Martin Buber worried about a crisis in modern life: how would increased alienation and āsocial distanceā of modern societies affect the well-being of humanity? Both in his writings on the notion of dialogue and his writings on Judaism, Buber speaks about the spiritual dimension of human relationships as the basis...
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From Crisis to Community: Reading Martin Buber in the time of Social Distancing
More than a century ago, Martin Buber worried about a crisis in modern life: how would increased alienation and āsocial distanceā of modern societies affect the well-being of humanity? Both in his writings on the notion of dialogue and his writings on Judaism, Buber speaks about the spiritual dimension of human relationships as the basis...
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Opening the Narrow Straits with Advance Care Planning
We have come to the end of Genesis, and with it the conclusion of the stories of our matriarchs and patriarchs. For the last several weeks we have been engaged with the stories of the children of Jacob, focusing mainly on his favored son, Joseph. Now Joseph is on his deathbed. We are privy to...
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The Daughters Who Roared and Were Heard
If the wood gatherer teaches us about the threat of a raid on the commons, the sisters reinforce the lesson by anticipating a more subtle version of it. Consider what would have happened had the daughters not acted. In short, Zelophehadās brothers likely would have fought over who should get their brotherās land. At the extreme, if all it takes to inherit land is to be the last brother standing, we face the dire prospect of a fratricidal free-for-all.
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Resources for Responding to Violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Prayers, text studies, divrei Torah, and general advice to the Jewish community, particularly American Jews, about how to help end the occupation.
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Getting to Know You
True relationships, born out of love and respect, take time to develop. These relationships require intimacy and occasionally discomfort in order to truly know each other.
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