It’s a mix of awe and awesome. The setting of the US Capitol emancipation hall; and eclectic range of statues from Frederick Douglas to the gold draped Hawaiian King Kamehameha, who is credited with uniting the islands in the late 18th century. The centerpiece, the statue of freedom, rises 30 feet above the floor and …
By Robin Jacobson. In the two years since our daughter Minna made aliyah, my husband and I have been captivated by her tales of life in Israel. But there is one odd motif that repeats in her stories. Many of Minna’s new friends and acquaintances are into yoga, meditation retreats, overseas travel to sparsely populated …
“My beloved speaks and says to me, Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away. For, behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing bird has come and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” (Shir HaShirim …
This week is the fourth week of the month. For Reflections Off the Bimah, the fourth week features thought leaders drawn from throughout the Jewish world. These special posts give you the opportunity to consider important opinions you may not readily encounter. These outside pieces are brought because their ideas are worth struggling with even …
Thoughts and Prayers aren’t enough, but we do need healing and we do need hope. We are extraordinarily proud to support the March For Our Lives that will come to D.C. on March 24th. These teenage leaders emerging from Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL are an inspiration to us all and have clearly …
The hallways and exhibit spaces of the DC Convention Center were energetic with the 18,000 pro-Israel activists attending AIPAC’s annual conference this week. This is a conference I attend each year to understand the nuances of the Middle East, hear the inspirational stories of Israel such as when this tiny county acts as a first …
By Robin Jacobson. Jewish texts and stories, however ancient, often seem eerily relevant to present-day events. This year, the Purim story reads like a newly reported sexual harassment scandal. Beauty pageants! Powerful men demeaning women! Even Queen Esther feels like a modern heroine. Like the women in the #MeToo movement, Esther broke silence, revealed her …
Have you ever davened in Israel ( at Shira Hadasha, Yakar…etc) Have you ever sung in a High School Choir? Have you ever attended a Jewish camp? If so, you have experienced the power of communal singing, a force that moves us to feel something that is often missing. I believe when we sing together …
Finding my expressive ‘voice’ is not an easy undertaking. I do not mean my voice which emerges through my throat. I am focused on my expressive voice which arises from my heart. In this regard, my voice is what makes me or you an interesting conversationalist to some people yet disagreeable to others. My voice …
By Robin Jacobson. “You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt” Exod. 23:9. Can reading books and stories help children develop empathy – to care about other people, especially those who are different from them? Recent scientific studies suggest the …
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