An Uproarious Week, with More to Come

It’s been an uproarious week for progressive Jews – with game-changing Supreme Court decisions (voting rights, marriage equality), a Texas-style filibuster to protect women’s reproductive rights (take that, SB5), and even a presidential climate change announcement. And it’s only Wednesday – with immigration reform on this week’s congressional calendar, too.

Arts and Culture

The Jewish Heart

By Jody Oberfelder

Choreographer and dancer Jody Oberfelder reflects on home, heart, Judaism, and her newest creation, 4Chambers, a new experiential performance installation premiering this summer on Governors Island in New York. With onsite photos of the upcoming performance by Julie Lemberger.

Life and Action

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.”

News and Politics

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.

News and Politics

Feminists Take on Facebook

Authors

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.

Arts and Culture

Five New Poems: Jake Marmer

By Jake Marmer

New poetry from poet and performer Jake Marmer.

Media and Tech

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.

Life and Action

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.

Arts and Culture

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.

News and Politics

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.