Hanukkah reminds us to keep our eye on the prize: the preservation of our unique heritage. This is a mission that is independent of the haters.

The post Let’s Shine a Light on Judaism, Not Jew Haters appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Exile begins with envy.

The post Driving Ourselves Mad with Envy appeared first on Jewish Journal.

A United Nations official investigating alleged Israeli abuses of Palestinian human rights is currently under fire for various remarks criticized as being antisemitic, including her use of the term “Jewish lobby.”

The post UN Palestinian Rights Official Under Fire for “Jewish Lobby” Remarks appeared first on Jewish Journal.

All candles in the festival of Hanukkah are equal, except the eighth one, which is special, since it has no sequel until the next year, so that every Jew is forced to wait a whole year till another candle with this candle’s weight, its equal and long-waited sequel, occupies a place that’s very close to […]

The post A Mixed Metaphor for the Menorah appeared first on Jewish Journal.

In our extended family, the “White Elephant” game is a fan favorite. The idea is to bring an undesirable gift from home and regift it, eventually leaving with something that is somewhat better than what you came with. As we left the family party, my son said to me, “Mommy, can we play White Elephant […]

The post A Bisl Torah — No White Elephant appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Dear all, As I look back on this photo from last year, and as we anticipate the first night of Chanukkah this Sunday, I think about the significance of light. At this darkest time of year, the small lights we kindle are reminders that each act of goodness, each outreach of kindness, each initiative toward […]

The post A Moment in Time: “Chanukkah – YOUR Light Makes a Difference!” appeared first on Jewish Journal.

On Nov. 28, a community-wide event marked the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Partition Plan of the British Mandate for Palestine. The educational ceremony was coordinated with the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles; Rabbi Pini Dunner of Beverly Hills Synagogue; and the Mensch Foundation’s Steven Geiger. It was held with the participation […]

The post Partition Plan Anniversary, SWU Festival of Lights, YU Dinner appeared first on Jewish Journal.

So he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he knew nothing about what was with him except the bread that he ate… -Genesis 39:6 left alone in the house. The house was a generic term used for whatever set of walls contained our possessions as, for sure, it was an apartment, or […]

The post Latchkey – A poem for Parsha Vayeshev appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Jason Ingber is an accomplished young attorney with an impressive resume.

The post Teaching Legal Concepts, One Fascinating Podcast at a Time appeared first on Jewish Journal.

It’s not everyone that can pinpoint the event when their life’s course was altered.

The post The Day Death Changed a Little Boy’s Life appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Nothing says Hanukkah like a fresh-off-the-griddle batch of latkes. If you like to experiment with new flavors, we’ve got you covered. Nina Safar, cookbook author and the food blogger behind Kosher in the Kitch, gives her latkes an extreme makeover. “Potato latkes are as exciting as vanilla ice cream,” said Safar. “I’m sure there are […]

The post Lotsa Latkes for Hanukkah appeared first on Jewish Journal.

We share with you a simple and simply fantastic recipe for delicate, deliciously flavorful gravlax. Perfect to top your latkes or for any special occasion. 

The post Smoking Seafood —A Gravlax Tale appeared first on Jewish Journal.

‘Tis the season to chill with friends and family to commemorate the miracle of the little crucible of oil that lasted for eight nights in the Holy Temple.

The post A Lotta Love and Lindsey’s Latkes appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Unilever announced on December 15 that their legal dispute with Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board has been resolved after the ice cream company objected to their parent company’s decision to overrule their Israel boycott.

The post Unilever Says Legal Dispute with Ben & Jerry’s Resolved appeared first on Jewish Journal.

The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has opened an investigation into Berkeley Law School over the several student groups who passed bylaws barring Zionist speakers to campus.

The post Education Dept. to Investigate Berkeley Student Bylaws Banning Zionist Speakers appeared first on Jewish Journal.

At the historic Minton's Playhouse in Harlem, the Omni-American Future Project aimed to strengthen the bonds between the Black and Jewish communities.

The post Print Issue: In Harlem, a Night of Jazz Brings Jews and Blacks Together | December 16, 2022 appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Rabbi Avi Taff didn’t want to feel comfortable.

The post Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Avi Taff: Teaching to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself appeared first on Jewish Journal.

On Monday, November 28 in the middle of the Trump/Kanye/Fuentes storm, what felt like the beginning of a revolution took place.

The post A Jazz Concert Relives a Dream appeared first on Jewish Journal.

There once was a time when Jewish activists traveled to the Soviet Union to meet with Soviet Jews, bringing them Jewish books, trinkets, Stars of David and, for the more religious, siddurim, chumashim, tallitot and tefillin.

The post ‘I Seek My Brothers’: Jonathan Porath’s Many Journeys to Russia appeared first on Jewish Journal.

CUNY Event Disrupted by Pro-Palestinian Activists Pro-Palestinian activists disrupted an event featuring pro-Israel academics at the City University of New York (CUNY) on December 8. The Algemeiner reported that the event, which took place at the CUNY Graduate Center, featured Academic Engagement Network head Miriam Elman, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East head Asaf […]

The post Campus Watch Dec. 15, 2022 appeared first on Jewish Journal.

There is a truism in Israeli politics that Israeli elections are not about issues, but rather personalities. 

The post Israel Needs a Zionist Party appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Iran was expelled from the United Nation’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on December 14.

The post Iran Removed from UN Women’s Commission appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Before there was Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, or any of the young female singer-songwriters on the charts today, there was Debbie Gibson.

The post Debbie Gibson on Her New Hanukkah Song and Connection to the Jewish Community appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Being a road comic I’ve probably stayed in more hotels than Conrad and Paris Hilton combined.

The post A Blossoming Love Story appeared first on Jewish Journal.

The Biden administration announced on December 12 that they are launching an inter-agency group to fight antisemitism.

The post Biden Admin Launches Inter-Agency Group Against Antisemitism appeared first on Jewish Journal.

A new report released by the AMCHA Initiative on December 14 found that American universities’ policies are insufficient in protecting Jewish students from anti-Zionist harassment on campus.

The post Universities Inadequately Protect Jewish Students from Anti-Zionist Harassment, Report Says appeared first on Jewish Journal.

At the midway point of the Biden-Harris ticket’s term in office, it is clearly Emhoff who has emerged as the most impressive member of the VP family on the national political stage.

The post Kamala’s Struggles appeared first on Jewish Journal.

In December of 2020, after Joe Biden won the presidency and while the Biden transition team was settling into the executive branch, Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff recorded a short video wishing Jewish Americans a happy Hanukkah.

The post Stop Sending Jews Christmas Cards appeared first on Jewish Journal.

On December 14, TMZ reported that Stephen “tWitch” Boss, a famous dancer and DJ, had committed suicide. He was talented, he had a beautiful family and amazing career and he was only 40 years old. He left behind a wife and three children. The news was absolutely heartbreaking. I always enjoyed watching videos of Stephen […]

The post Have Depression? You’re Not Alone appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Like with all Jewish holidays, there is a strong focus on food, such as traditional jelly-filled doughnuts (sufganiyot) and fried potato pancakes (latkes), during Hanukkah.

The post Eating Disorders and Hanukkah: Finding Light in the Darkness appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Josh Freeman and Paul Small are on a mission to make Hanukkah more open and inclusive. 

The post ‘A Festival of Light’ An Expansive Approach to Hanukkah appeared first on Jewish Journal.

If you are used to thinking about Israel as a country divided between left and right, or between religious and non-religious, or between Jews and Arabs, or between pro-Bibi and anti-Bibi – think again.

The post Rosner’s Domain— Israel’s Two Camps appeared first on Jewish Journal.

This Hanukkah, make a menorah just for the kids.

The post A Cardboard Tube Menorah For the Kids appeared first on Jewish Journal.

“I ask everyone here to open your heart and create space—space to speak up for your brothers and sisters in pain and fear,” said Grammy Award Winning Songwriter Autumn Rowe to a packed and star-studded crowd of entertainers and industry executives at Creative Community for Peace’s 4th Annual Ambassadors of Peace Awards Gala on October […]

The post Eugene Levy, Autumn Rowe, and Other Entertainment Leaders Call for Action Against Antisemitism at Creative Community for Peace Gala appeared first on Jewish Journal.

A reporter once asked Michal Shahaf, a digital and social entrepreneur, if she was hoping that her unique social-musical initiative, Koolulam, would bring peace to the world. Shahaf, Koolulam’s co-founder and CEO, said her ambitions were more modest than that. “I laughed and said, ‘Unfortunately, no, but what we are trying to do is inspire […]

The post Israeli Musical Project Koolulam to Perform in Los Angeles appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Whomever is handling publicity for Adolf Hitler these days is, admittedly, doing a nice job.

The post A Hitler Makeover appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Various Jewish groups have criticized the FBI’s latest hate crimes report over a lack of data collection.

The post Jewish Groups Criticize FBI Hate Crimes Report As “Essentially Useless” appeared first on Jewish Journal.

I never asked Tom Tugend if he got a kick out of being treated like a young reporter in his prime, even though he was in his mid-90s. He never brought it up either. It was one of those things that hovered above us, never spoken but always sort of present. Right up until a […]

The post Remembering Tom Tugend appeared first on Jewish Journal.

The fruits of the rapprochement between Israel and swathes of the Arab world continued to ripen this week, with Morocco becoming the first-ever Muslim country to inaugurate a synagogue at one of its universities.

The post Congressman Ritchie Torres: ‘Holocaust Deniers Are the Scum of the Earth’ appeared first on Jewish Journal.

  The Angel – Comments on Torah Portion Va-Yishlach   In our Torah portion, Va-Yishlach, we have one of the most dramatic and vivid scenes in the Bible – Jacob wrestling with an angel. Except, in our Torah portion, it is never written that Jacob wrestled with an angel. The image that Jacob wrestled with […]

The post The Angel – Comments on Torah Portion Va-Yishlach appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Hanukkah is the time of year when you can show your family and friends your love and appreciation with gifts.

The post The Jewish Journal Hanukkah Gift Guide 2022 appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Holy Bountiful One,  You give us life as a gift, to safeguard and to relish. If we only guard, we will never truly taste. If we rashly live, we will create injury and chaos in our wake, harming ourselves and those we love.  Gift us with the wisdom, as we sail life’s seas, to tack […]

The post Adventurer’s Prayer appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Hanukkah is just around the corner. A good way to get kids excited about the holiday is with some fun food projects.

The post Creative Hanukkah Treats to Celebrate the Holiday appeared first on Jewish Journal.

The Jewish Women’s Repertory Company (JWRC) celebrated its founder Margy Horowitz and raised funds for JFS Hope with two nights of 21 musical theater songs.  With over 200 women present in person at a private residence in Beverly Hills and a video link for at home viewing, JWRC raised over $15,000.   Auditions for the […]

The post Jewish Women’s Repertory Fundraiser, Israel Phil Gala, Israel Fest Sponsor Kickoff appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Resnick worked her way up from PBS to NBC. She was living her dream, but soon, something was about to change.  

The post Molly Resnick: From Celebrity Journalist to Chabad Influencer appeared first on Jewish Journal.

For centuries, antisemites have libeled the Jews as cowards.

The post The Courage of Ordinary People appeared first on Jewish Journal.

My husband Daniel and I were stuck on the highway going into Manhattan. The traffic was at a standstill, our baby was crying in the backseat and our toddler was complaining that she was hungry. I gripped the seat as tightly as I could and closed my eyes. “I think you know what time it […]

The post Movin’ Right Along appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Dina Ben Tal Ganancia, who took office in May, traveled to Los Angeles last month to shore up ties with the region’s Jewish community.

The post In Visit to L.A., El Al’s New Female CEO Announces Expanded Service from LAX to Israel appeared first on Jewish Journal.

And Shechem the son of Hamor, the Hivvite, the prince of the land, saw her, and he took her, lay with her, and violated her. -Genesis 34:2 Consent is everything. Listen up, oh princes of Hivvite – Do not take what is not yours. Your desires and your status entitle you to nothing. Consent is […]

The post Consent is Everything – A poem for Parsha Vayishlach appeared first on Jewish Journal.

Close to 600 community members turned out for the Jewish National Fund-USA’s (JNF-USA) annual gathering at the Beverly Wilshire. 

The post JNF-USA Annual Breakfast Draws Israel Supporters appeared first on Jewish Journal.