In 2019, Gallup reported that ninety-five percent of American Jews have positive feelings toward Israel, and that seventy-six percent of American Jews said they “were at least somewhat emotionally attached to Israel.” I often like to juxtapose these data points with the statistics on how American Jews have voted in the past decade. Read more » »

This week marks the 65th yahrzeit of the leader of one of the most important Jewish boycott movements in history. Long forgotten but deeply deserving of remembrance, J. George Fredman was part of the national leadership in the American Jewish community only briefly—but at exactly the right moment, when the community needed him most. Read more » »

Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man, who died this month at 89, was a Renaissance man who walked many paths and deeply influenced all who knew him. His nobility, humility, keen intellect and wisdom will always be remembered.  Born in England, Omer-Man made Aliyah, and lived and worked the land in Kibbutz Amiad. In his early 20s, he contracted polio. Read more » »

Rabbi Rochelle Robins grew up surrounded by spirituality. Her father was a rabbi in her hometown, San Jose, California; she would go to Hebrew school and Camp Swig and participate in B’nai B’rith and NFTY (The Reform Jewish Youth Movement). “I always felt connected to Jewish community, which was spiritual to me,” she said. Read more » »