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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“Good for the Jews”: Not a Zero-Sum Game
The Israelites’ Egyptian bondage was Joseph’s fault. Ok, I admit, the Egyptians were directly to blame. But Joseph’s economic reforms laid the foundation for the enslavement. Let me explain. After Jacob and his sons relocated to Egypt, the famine worsened. Joseph oversaw the collection of funds from the people of Egypt in return for rations...
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How Teshuvah Can Inform Our Thinking on Slavery and Reparations
In a d’var Torah for Parshat Bo, Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari suggests teshuvah may provide a framework for thinking about reparations.
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Awakening the World With Love
‘I was asleep, but my heart was wakeful.’ The first part of this verse is a call. ...Within myself there is something to be awakened.
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A Time for Realism, or a Time for Imagination?
For many of us, we anticipate that this week will be full of so much change and upheaval, fear and anger, anxiety and sadness, and hopefully also motivation and drive to act. So how do we respond in the face of great challenge? Our Israelite ancestors certainly faced some pretty trying circumstances, so what can...
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T’ruah FAQ on the U.N. Database of Businesses that Operate in Israeli Settlements
The U.N. released a database of 112 businesses currently operating in West Bank settlements, which are considered illegal according to international law.
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The Mournfulness of Her Song: Hearing the Cries of the Enslaved
On my recent visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, I was moved to tears by one of the readings displayed in the darkened memorial room to those who were transported to America on slave ships from Africa. I learned that the chained slaves would sing songs of...
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Understanding Antisemitism Definitions
The following definitions and links to more information are provided to give more context on how T'ruah and others understand antisemitism.
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