There’s a concept in Judaism known as “teshuvah,” which means “returning.” The term implies a return to righteousness, and repenting for past sins. In Judaism, when we think of teshuvah during Rosh HaShana (the New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), we think in terms of collective sin: We ask G-d to forgive us for the sins “we” committed, even if we did not personally commit those sins. We also pledge to right wrongs, even where we did not personally engage in wrongdoing. This is what I am thinking about as we inaugurate the Biden-Harris Administration after four years of President Trump.
Jewish
A Light in Dark Times
In the immortal words of Adam Sandler, “It’s time to celebrate Hanukkah!” But what exactly is Hanukkah, and why is it relevant to us today? About 22 hundred years ago, a Seleucid king occupied Jerusalem, looted the Temple, and outlawed Judaism. The Seleucids had inherited part of Alexander the Great’s empire, and they were culturally … Read more
The Jewish Holocaust Deniers
President Trump recently spoke to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas. The speech was vintage Trump: Lies, distortions, middle-school insults. Frankly, it’s no longer news worthy or even interesting. But what’s different here is the audience. They were Jews. And for me, as a Jewish attorney who represents asylum seekers, their reaction to the … Read more
In Defiance of Hate
The massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh hits home for me, as a Jew and as an immigration lawyer. The murderer shouted anti-Semitic slurs as he gunned down innocent parishioners. His on-line rants point to his motivation: Hatred of HIAS (the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, a Jewish resettlement agency) and “invaders,” i.e., … Read more
The Muslim Immigrant’s Guide to a Donald Trump Presidency
Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to bar Muslim foreigners from the United States. More recently, he’s called for “extreme vetting” of such people. Given his pronouncements, it’s not surprising that Muslim immigrants and asylum seekers are worried. But fear not – there is an easy solution for people affected by the ban: Convert to Judaism. … Read more
The Way We Mourn Is Part of the Problem
The Jewish community around the world has recently been in mourning for the loss of three young Jewish men, kidnapped and murdered in the West Bank. Their bodies were found on June 30, more than two weeks after they were taken. Israel blamed Hamas for the kidnapping and, since the three teens disappeared, has been … Read more
Bill Linking Palestinian and Jewish Refugees Sets a Dangerous Precedent
A new bill in the House of Representatives seeks to link resolution of the Palestinian refugee situation with the plight of Jews (and Christians) expelled from Arab lands. Both Palestinians and Jews suffered as a result of expulsions from their home countries during and after the creation of the State of Israel. Palestinians left and … Read more
Book Review: The Struggle to Save Soviet Jewry
Gal Beckerman’s new book, When They Come for Us, We’ll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle to Save Soviet Jewry, has been widely touted as the definitive work on the subject, and earlier this month, it was crowned Jewish Book of the Year by the Jewish Book Counsel. As far as I know, Mr. Beckerman is the … Read more