Posts in Judaism
Museum Of The Bible Offers Up Faith, History and Easter Activities

Washington, D.C.’s Museum of the Bible is fascinating for Christians of all denominations and even for people who identify with another faith tradition. The museum — in addition to highlighting Hebrew texts and the time Jesus lived — also integrates how the Bible and Christianity have influenced American culture and society since the early 1600s to the present.

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Why So Much Hatred Against Jews?

(OPINION) Why is it that, “among all racial and religious groups, Jews remain the greatest hate crime target”? And why is it that Jews are targeted by both White supremacists and Black supremacists? I began documenting this more than 30 years ago. It is even worse today.

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Israel’s Baseball Team Brings Together American Players Of Jewish Heritage

Modeled after soccer’s World Cup and organized after the International Olympic Committee’s decision in 2005 to remove baseball from the Summer Olympics, the World Baseball Classic is contested every three years. The WBC returned this month with 20 teams, including Israel, which is made up largely of Americans of Jewish heritage.

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Israeli Earthquake Rescue Team Returns 200-year-old Scrolls of Esther to Turkey

The goodwill Israel earned when she sent a team of nearly 700 emergency medical responders to Turkey following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that devastated Hatay province on Feb. 6 evaporated after the revelation that the search and rescue team secretly exported two 200-year-old Scrolls of Esther from Antakya at the end of its six-day mission there.

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Sassoon Codex Part 2: The Narco Business And International Intrigue Of Sassoon And Sons

For a fraction of the cost of a comparable hotel in relatively expensive Bollywood, all Jews are welcome in the air-conditioned kosher guesthouse that operates thanks to the perpetual generosity of the Sir Jacob Sassoon Trusts. And the impact of the Sassoon family traces forward to 2023, when a valuable Hebrew Bible from 1,000 years ago, the Sassoon Codex, goes to auction at Sotheby’s this spring as previously reported by ReligionUnplugged.com.

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Sotheby’s To Auction Off 1,000-year-old Hebrew Bible For Up To $50 Million

The Codex Sassoon has 24 books divided into the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Writings, abbreviated as TaNaKH in Hebrew. About 15 chapters are missing, including 10 from Genesis, but it is far more complete than the Aleppo Codex. Another medieval Bible text, the Leningrad Codex, is “entirely complete,” but is more than a century younger than Sassoon 1053, Sotheby’s said.

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From Catholicism To ‘Jew-ish’: How George Santos Pulled Off His Religiously Intersectional Fraud

(OPINION) Santos’ intersectionality worked perfectly in a congressional district that is itself exceedingly diverse and arguably somewhat tribal. I write from experience as I lived in that district for several years and understand the dynamics firsthand. 

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Jewish Fashion Photographer Erwin Blumenfeld On Display At Paris Museum

(REVIEW) Erwin Blumenfeld was the perfect fashion photographer. The Museum of the Art and History of Judaism in Paris is showcasing this work in over 180 photographs with the temporary exhibit “The Trials and Tribulations of Erwin Blumenfeld, 1930-1950.” It spans Blumenfeld’s most active and influential period.

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No, The Holocaust Is Not Just One Of Many Tragic Events Of Human History

(OPINION) According to a tone-deaf editorial published on Holocaust Remembrance Day in the Kentucky Courier Journal, “Jews do not have a monopoly on persecution and atrocities,” and “Hitler was just one of many dictators.” But it is right and fitting to commemorate the singular sufferings of particular people or nations, as in the Holocaust.

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Family, Art And Judaism: How ‘The Fabelmans’ Explores Spielberg’s Biggest Questions

(FILM REVIEW) The seven-time Oscar-nominated movie “The Fabelmans” is Steven Spielberg’s reflection on his early family life and filmmaking aspirations. It’s also a reflection on his Jewish roots.

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Faint Signs Of Faith Part 4: Maintaining An Age-old Jewish Community In The Czech Republic

Old Prague’s Jewish quarter was once a walled-off ghetto where the bulk of Bohemia’s Jewish community resided apart from the Christian majority, partly for their own protection. It is now little more than an open-air museum.

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West Bank City’s Christian Residents Face Uncertain Future As Emigration Takes Toll

The town in the West Bank where the Magi are believed to have followed the star toward newborn Jesus is today a shrinking community of Greek Orthodox Christians. At a recent Christmas tree lighting, residents spoke about family members who have moved abroad, mostly to the United States, South America and Europe, leaving behind an ever-shrinking and aging community.

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International Composers Translated Religion To Music For The Abrahamic Symphony

The Abrahamic Symphony, which is being billed as the first international interfaith symphony, features three celebrated composers who each represent one of the Abrahamic religions. Its goal is to promote unity and harmony between religions. The symphony is rich with diverse culture and religion, featuring an ensemble of talented musicians and dynamic vocalists.

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Leonard Cohen Documentary ‘Hallelujah’ Solidifies The Power Of A Song

(REVIEW) Leonard Cohen’s life and musical legacy are explored in a thoroughly engaging new documentary through the lens of his famous song “Hallelujah.” The documentary explores Cohen’s inner turmoil regarding his Jewish faith and his humanity and how that influenced his music. It also proves the massive influence of the song on music history by making “Hallelujah” accessible to everyone.

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Q&A With Anila Ali: Empowering The Next Generation Of Muslim Peace Builders

Earlier this summer, Pakistani-American interfaith activist and former teacher Anila Ali led a historic delegation to Israel that brought together political leaders and influential Muslims and Jews to foster trust and develop relationships between the Abrahamic faiths. Ali recently spoke with ReligionUnplugged.com about her activism.

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Palestinian Arabs May Face Eviction From Historic Inns In Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter

After an Israeli Supreme Court ruling, a right-wing Jewish group may proceed through the courts to evict the Palestinian Arabs who are protected tenants at two historic hotels in Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter. The Greek Orthodox Church leasing the properties is opposing the transfer of leases by arguing the agreement made by a former church finance director is void and illegal.

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The Ordination Of The First Female Rabbi 50 Years Ago Has Brought Many Changes — And Some Challenges

(ANALYSIS) Fifty years ago, on June 3, 1972, as Sally J. Priesand became the first woman ordained a rabbi by a Jewish seminary, her 35 male classmates spontaneously rose to their feet to acknowledge her historic feat.

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Israeli Government Coalition Collapsing Over Kosher Hypocrisy

(ANALYSIS) The Jewish state may be on the brink of declaring its fifth election in three years after losing a legislative majority. Member of Knesset Idit Silman of the Yemina Party resigned last week amid building tensions over her view that government facilities should enforce Passover dietary restrictions for everyone and that the Western Wall should not include an ecumenical prayer space for non-Orthodox Jews.

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Jews Encouraged To Abandon Zoom Seders This Passover As Pandemic Eases

Passover is a time for the Jewish community to reflect on the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and hosting a Seder is one way families and communities come together to celebrate this biblical event. OneTable and Haggadot.com have joined forces this year to provide people with the tools needed to host their own unique Seder.

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