Faith and Practice

How Is This Rosh Hashanah Different from All Other Rosh Hashanahs?

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow

At the religious and spiritual level, 5775 will be a seventh year according to the ancient counting, a Sabbatical Year of Shmita (“release” or “non-attachment”). In such a year, Torah (Leviticus 25) commands that the earth be allowed to rest. This will be the first Sabbatical/Shmita Year since the dispersion and exile of Jews from the land of Israel about 2,000 years ago.

At the political and activist level, we are entering Rosh Hashanah with a major leap in involvement of the American Jewish community in addressing the climate crisis that is bringing global scorching upon the world — unprecedented droughts, floods, famines, with worse to come.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of ZEEK’s series on Jews and climate justice.

Arts and Culture

Poetry: Facing the Mark

By Alissa Romanow

Original, new poetry from Alissa Romanow.

News and Politics

The Truth About the “Border Crisis”: How Partisan Politics Hurt Children

By Liza Lieberman

This weekend, the White House announced that President Obama will not seek to fix our broken immigration system before the November elections. These children are fleeing peril and seeking safety in the US, yet their stories are quickly muddled with political rhetoric. This is a letdown for Americans and aspiring Americans alike.

Life and Action

On Despair and Hope: A Jewish Call for Climate Action

By Hila Ratzabi

It’s an unusually cool late July night in Philadelphia. I’ve just returned home from a planning meeting with a group of Jews organizing to join the upcoming People’s Climate March, taking place September 21 in New York City. The march is expected to be historic, and coincides with the latest UN Climate Summit. Though I’m not much of an organizer, and tend to get impatient at committee meetings, I left that meeting feeling something I haven’t felt in a long time when it comes to climate change: hope.

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Arts and Culture

Morning Jew: The Joan Rivers, Ben Stein & Elvis Edition

By Heather Gold and Katie Halper

This week, comics Heather Gold and Katie Halper tackle Ben Stein’s racism, Elvis’ Judaism, and Joan Rivers’ legacy!

News and Politics

Labor Day: Who Steps Up for Justice in the Death of Maria Fernandes & Too Many Other Innocent Workers

Maria Fernandes was a hard worker. Not just at her job. At her three jobs, including shifts at three different Dunkin’ Donuts. Our sacred text is clear: “measure the distance to the cities which are around him who is slain.” Measure the distance. The cities of the slain are our cities. The responsibility is on our elders. On our judges. On our leaders. On us. Who will step forward?

Life and Action

Morning Jew: Lady Parts, Princesses & Funerals

By Heather Gold and Katie Halper

Get behind the headlines with comics Heather Gold and Katie Halper. This week, the comic duo talk about women’s bodies and take a fresh look at that super-loaded ‘80s-girl stereotype: The Jewish American Princess, but also their male counterparts.

Faith and Practice

Should Rabbis Proselytize Non-Jewish Spouses? A Response to JTSA Chancellor Arnold Eisen

Responding to “Wanted: Converts to Judaism,” Shaul Magid proposes an alternative to proselytizing, calling for creativity in crafting a new Jewish strategy for inclusive liturgy and rituals in a “post-ethnic” America.

News and Politics

Morning Jew: Tackling Rhetoric (and Anti-Semitism)

By Heather Gold and Katie Halper

Get behind the headlines with comics Heather Gold and Katie Halper. This week, how American Jews talk about the Middle East and the Eggshell Walk, including acronyms like PEP, short for “progressive except on Palestine.”