Tikkun Daily Blog Archive (https://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/category/religion-spirituality/judaism-religion-spirituality/page/25/)
Jewish law requires that all synagogues have windows. We’re not supposed to pray in separation from the world; we’re supposed to pray with the world, conscious of its cycles, in a space that invites connection with them. Unfortunately, most authorities interpret this rule as permitting synagogues to have windows that never open.
Pope Francis has been placing a great deal of emphasis on mercy and compassion. Will he also emphasize that Jews and people of other faiths, or no faith, can be just as merciful and compassionate as Christians?
Come celebrate the High Holidays with us in Berkeley, California! Featuring Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun Magazine and his dog, Chamoodie. Even if you can’t come, watch the video and tell your friends!
Universal human dignity, individual rights and collective responsibilities are the Jewish values of democracy that I was taught to take pride in as a Jewish youngster. During our current “Age of Zionism,” we have distorted Jewish ethics, forming a sort of Jewish Orwellian “doublethink.”
AVODAH corps members sign up to staff women’s shelters, advocate for senior citizens, provide services to those living with HIV/AIDS, organize youth leaders, and feed the hungry. It remains an open question as to whether the collective action that would be necessary to make real systemic change in our cities is possible with a few dozen, or even a few hundred, faith-driven volunteers entering schools of social work and becoming community organizers. AVODAH may not have the answer yet, but it is pushing forward with plans that go beyond a one-year service placement for recent college graduates.
Traditionally, the weeks after the ninth of Av, which is the traditional dark day of Jewish history commemorating the destruction of the temple, are considered weeks of hope, the weeks of being comforted. We frequently speak of hope. Hope seems one of the more lofty spiritual aspirations of mankind, but we must continue to redefine the question of hope toward what end?
Israeli archaeologists have recently discovered artifacts that give us a vivid sense of how destructive and merciless extremism of any sort and an eagerness for war can be. Reflecting on The Three Weeks, for those Jews who are not inclined to mourn the destruction of the two Temples, is there any reason to mourn? I have been thinking about this question the past couple weeks in light of the archaeological discoveries.
The acquittal by jury of George Zimmerman who shot and murdered the unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin was emblematic of the consistent racism and double standard used in the treatment of minority groups or those deemed “Other” in the U.S. and around the world. What can Judaism teach us about our response? What would a Love Rebellion look like in the face of this racialized violence?
The realms of acceptable debate in Jewish-Christian interfaith relations seem securely locked down, confined to domestic issues and the sharing of religious practice. Any challenge by Christians or Jews to the status quo on Israel is considered out of bounds. So what’s happened and what can be done to establish an honest interfaith conversation that doesn’t fall apart as soon as Israel or Palestine gets mentioned?
People and communities are transformed by retreats. We come to realize that our spirituality, our culture, our identity—Jewish and beyond—isn’t just tied to our local day-to-day world, our family traditions, our personal habits. Our identities are fluid and can evolve, inspired by exposure to a world more expansive that we could imagine. This shift is crucial to address the challenges we all face today.