Social Justice

The Leftist Ethicist — June Edition

By Mae Singerman

In her June column, the Leftist Ethicist tackles public displays of affection, queer solidarity, and how to combat Islamophobia: “You’re not horrible,” she says, “but you might not be very compassionate, either.”

Social Justice

Blow by Blow: Beyond Religious Liberty vs. Civil Rights

By Mik Moore

The world’s changing fast, and it’s not making the Christian Right happy. With Loving Day around the corner, strategist Mik Moore takes Jay Michaelson’s recent report on “Redefining Religious Liberty” as his point of departure. And while laws expand (or retract) civil rights, Moore argues that we should pay as much attention to changing society norms. Especially when it comes to LGBT issues.

Social Justice

Feminists Take on Facebook

By Sarah Marian Seltzer

For years, Facebook has had an aggressive policy about hate speech, nudity and other kinds of content deemed offensive. One exception to this rule? Rampant rape humor, including threats, was treated as “free speech” by the social media behemoth. Until this week.

Fiction + Poetry

Five New Poems: Jake Marmer

By Jake Marmer

New poetry from poet and performer Jake Marmer.

Culture

One Woman's Quest for Holy Chutzpah. Dude.

By Erica Brody

“I’m standing on the shoulders of hilarious giants full of chutzpah,” self-described comedienne, director, and writer Jessie Kahnweiler tells Zeek about her new web-based miniseries, “Dude, Where’s My Chutzpah?” The Six Points fellow took time out of her launch celebrations yesterday to answer some questions for Zeek.

Social Justice

The Leftist Ethicist, May Edition

By Mae Singerman

For her May column, the Leftist Ethicist offers sensible solutions for dilemmas dealing with anti-Semitism, race and class and being an ethical employer at home.

Religion

Counting the Omer by Drawing

By Jacqueline Nicholls

This year’s project began with a scratch of an idea. In preparation for Sinai, the receiving of the Torah, I wanted to explore what it means to hold on to something.

Social Justice

Five years after Postville: Standing Up for Immigration Reform

By Rabbi Morris Allen and Vic Rosenthal

Five years ago one of the worst workplace raids in American history took place in Postville, Iowa — with 389 individuals detained, many deported and a town devastated. If ever there was an event that proved why comprehensive immigration reform and worker protections are needed, it was this raid.

However, for the two of us, the story in Postville started almost two years earlier, when we met with the owners of Agriprocessors, workers from the plant, and community and religious leaders.

Culture

The Bitter & the Sweet: Reflections on Motherhood

By Rabbi Rachel Barenblat

Finding words for postpartum depression, Rabbi Rachel Barenblat bravely reflects on her difficult adjustment to motherhood, sharing a deeply personal journey and the poetry that helped her navigate this new terrain, ultimately savoring both the bitter and the sweet. This Mother’s Day, she tells struggling new moms: It gets better.