editorial archive heading

An Impending Split? The Ultra-Orthodox and Everyone Else

by Daniel E. Levenson, ALM

July 27, 2010

Over the past few months things have been heating up in the Israel political and judicial system over the question of who is a Jew, and in a larger sense, who gets to make that decision. Apparently this is such a big story that even the New York Times has devoted digital ink to it, with reporter Ethan Bronner noting in a piece on the NY Times website that: “The more liberal forms of Jewish practice advocated by the Reform and Conservative movements, with which most American Jews are affiliated, have never taken root here. Israel has left liturgy in the hands of the Orthodox, with most Israeli Jews leading almost completely secular lives, seeking out rabbis only at birth, marriage and death.”

Thoughts on Creative Writing, Jewish Community and BCI

by Daniel E. Levenson, ALM

July 22, 2010

For the past three and a half weeks I have been out in the desert where I had a chance to do some thinking, writing, teaching and learning. I have always found inspiration in arid places, whether hiking in the Negev in southern Israel or exploring the American southwest. This time I was lucky enough to spend some time getting to know a new desert environment while teaching a creative writing workshop at the Marylin and Sigi Ziering Brandeis Collegiate Institute in southern California. BCI, as it is popularly known, is a program that brings Jewish young adults from communities around the world to spend 26 days together to explore Jewish ideas, strengthen their sense of Jewish identity and learn about themselves through participation in daily arts workshops.

A Deepening Divide Between Haredim and the Jewish Community

by Daniel E. Levenson, ALM

June 16, 2010

One of the things that really stood out when I was living in Jerusalem last year was the degree to which the Hardei, or ultra-Orthodox, community seems to be separate from other Jews and the rest of Israeli society. We see traces of this here in the United States as well, as ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities are often relatively closed-off, keeping them separate not only from the rest of American society, but from other Jews as well. While there have always been differences, regardless of where Jews have lived, in terms of degree and manner of observance, I can’t help but feel that in the last 15-20 years these differences are becoming more prominent, and consequently, more problematic.
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In the Face of Global Eco-Threats, JNF and Others Lead the Way

by Daniel E. Levenson, ALM

June 9, 2010

It should be clear to anyone who pays attention to the news that the world is currently facing a serious crisis when it comes to the state of our natural environment. A dependence on fossil fuels, a myopic view of land use and conservation, and a willingness to place profits ahead of long-term sustainability have left us with a planet that is in serious peril. While the United States drags its feet on alternative energy technology and seems relatively laid-back when it comes to finding alternatives to mining coal (which has had a tremendously negative impact on the American landscape) or offshore drilling for oil (we all know how that has turned out lately) there is an impressive array of groups and individuals working to become global leaders in environmental protection in the Middle East from whom the rest of the world could learn a thing or two. And not only are they helping to solve key environmental problems, but they are often doing so across political, ethnic and religious lines.

Is it Time to Let Go of Gaza?

by Daniel E. Levenson, ALM

June 1, 2010

When President Obama announced a renewed effort at making peace between Israel and the Palestinians earlier this Spring, I felt a mix of emotions - curiosity as to what this process might look like, fear that pushing both Israel and the Palestinians too far too fast might have a long-term detrimental impact on negotiations, and hope that after so many years of fighting both sides had finally reached a point where painful but necessary compromises could be made. As the proximity talks began and progressed, they seemed to be going well (from what one could see from the outside) and in the last week there were also noticeable improvements in US-Israeli relations at various levels, including between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu. When I went to bed on Sunday night I had just finished writing a blog post for the Jewish Boston site about the threat that Hezbollah continues to pose to both Israel and Lebanon and the implications of this for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. When I got up on Monday morning I was shocked to read about the incident which took place in international waters off the coast of Israel between those trying to run the blockade of Gaza and the Israeli navy.

An Award Well-Deserved for Jeff Robbins

by Daniel E. Levenson, ALM
May 26, 2010

As I was driving home last night, from the American Jewish Committee’s Human Rights Award Dinner, I was listening to the BBC in the car. After a few minutes a report came on about an Israeli air strike that was carried out earlier in the day in response to a Palestinian bomb and mortar attack from Gaza. As I listened to the news, I couldn’t help but think of what Jeff Robbins, the lawyer, writer and long-term human rights advocate who was honored at the dinner, said about the cycle of violence in the Middle East, the ways in which terrorist groups help to fuel the conflict and the myopic view that the rest of the world seems to take when it is innocent Israelis, who are dying at the hands of terrorists, while doing nothing more than going about the ordinary tasks of everyday life.

A Symbol of Unity in Fractious Times

by Daniel E, Levenson, ALM

May 20, 2010

One of the things that makes the Massachusetts Synagogue Council unique is that it consistently brings together Jews of different denominational affiliations to not only talk about issues of common concern, but to engage in learning and celebration with one another. In these difficult and fractious times within the American Jewish community, when we so often find ourselves at odds over Israel, forms of ritual observance and the nuances of Jewish cultural identity, it’s encouraging to see that there are people here in Boston who are actively working to bring the Jewish people together.

Toward a More Inclusive View of Development in the Middle East

by Daniel E. Levenson

As I was perusing the internet this afternoon I came across a piece on the Brookings Institution website that caught my attention because it had to do with socioeconomic development in the Middle East. I have long felt that economic cooperation, and specifically cooperation on projects that will help build up the infrastructure of civil society, is an area that holds great promise to help bring about the eventual normalization of relations between Israel and her Muslim neighbors. To create a real and lasting peace, it will not be enough to get the two sides to stop shooting (literally and figuratively) at each other. We have seen such a solution in place between Israel and both Egypt and Jordan, and while it is certainly a significant improvement over the relationships that existed in say, 1966, it is by no means a warm peace, or one which has brought great advantages to the citizens of either Israel or these two Arab nations, aside from the cessation of open hostilities.

A Nuclear Necessity?

by Daniel E. Levenson

May 4, 2010

As discussions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty have been underway at the United Nations, the question of whether or not Israel should have nuclear weapons has been raised repeatedly by Arab leaders over the past couple of days. In a recent Associated Press article posted on the Haaretz website, it was noted that Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh expressed concern over the fact that Israel is not a signatory to the treaty, and said that “…Israel\'s failure to sign the NPT and allow international monitoring of its nuclear program renders the NPT a source of instability in the Middle East.” In the same article, it was noted that Egypt is also pushing for discussions of a “nuclear free” Middle East.

Crossing the Line between Criticism and Anti-Semitism

by Daniel E. Levenson

May 2, 2010

The line between criticism of the State of Israel for its actions vis-à-vis the conflict with the Palestinians, and Anti-Semitism, has always seemed a fine line to me, but it is a line in my mind nonetheless. There are times though when it is clear that someone is using criticism of Israel as cover for saying hateful things about Jews, and when Haaretz recently reported on comments by Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle about the State of Israel, I felt as though this line was being crossed quite clearly. After apparent anti-Israel remarks in a comedy sketch on the BBC, the network issued an apology, which prompted Mr. Boyle to call Israel a “terrorist state” and to compare the situation in the Middle East to South African Apartheid. Before he goes on another ignorant verbal rampage, it would do Mr. Boyle well, I would suggest, to take a look at a history book or two and learn something about what has actually been going on in Israel/Palestine in the last one hundred years. I have always been very vocal in my belief in a two-state solution, but I also know that it was the Arab nations (led by the Saudis) who vehemently rejected any kind of a peaceful partition in the period immediately after World War II. Instead they opted for a series of low-intensity conflicts, as well as more than one attempt at outright invasion, in order to bring about a resolution which they would have deemed acceptable. Even after the Six Day War, which shifted the balance of power somewhat, Israel found itself besieged by the PLO and other terrorist groups bent on bringing down the only democratic state in the region.

A Stroll Down J Street

by Daniel E. Levenson

April 30, 2010

Initially I was curious about J Street because I had heard them touted as an organization designed to balance out the generally right-leaning AIPAC, but from what I saw at a recent event I attended, there is more substance to this organization than simply acting as a foil for another politically-oriented Jewish group. Street seems to be trying to do something very difficult, but noble nonetheless, which is to promote the idea of peace through the creation of a Palestinian state, without threatening the existence of Israel as a Jewish, democratic and sovereign nation.

A Look Into The Origins of Lag B’omer

by Daniel E. Levenson, ALM

April 28, 2010

Although many Jews may think of the late spring as a time when not much is happening in the Jewish year, we are in fact about to celebrate Lag B’omer, a holiday with who roots are a bit obscure, but one which is still freighted with meaning.

Is It Wise to Push for Peace?

by Daniel E. Levenson

April 27, 2010

Last week I wrote an editorial responding to Ambassador Indyk's piece in the New York Times in which he analyzed the current state of US-Israel relations and the ways that Prime Minister Netanyahu might be able to help alleviate some of the stress on this important relationship. For all of the talk, however, in the media about the importance of finding a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict for American national security, I have to admit that I am somewhat puzzled as to exactly what the relationship is between the two, and why it is necessarily more urgent to force both Israelis and Palestinians to accept a solution right now. Yes, the United States is fighting two wars in the region (and conducting covert operations, most likely, in an area that extends beyond the officially defined theatre of war) but the details of how the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is affecting American men and women in uniform seems rather murky to me. From what I can tell, the real immediate threat to American military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq comes in the form of Islamic fundamentalists, IED's and having to conduct security operations in very unstable, unfriendly places every day. It does not come from Hamas or Hezbollah, from what I have read or heard from people I consider knowledgeable about the current situation in the region.

A New Direction for the Jewish Agency?

by Daniel E. Levenson

April 24, 2010

I find it interesting that Natan Sharansky, the current chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), is shifting the main focus of the organization from that of encouraging Jews from around the world to make aliyah, to that of strengthening Jewish identity and education. When I lived in Israel last year I did some volunteer work for the Jewish Agency, and specifically for the education department so I tend to keep an eye out for stories relating to education and JAFI.

In Reply To Ambassador Indyk

by Daniel E. Levenson

Earlier this week former United States Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, published an editorial in the New York Times in which he considered the currently strained relationship between Israel and the United States. While I have great respect for Ambassador Indyk, there are several points on which I feel I must disagree with him.

Lend a Helping Hand This Spring

by Daniel E. Levenson

April 20, 2010

It is my firmly held belief that in order for people to become truly engaged in environmental concerns they need to find ways to connect to nature beyond recycling and buying eco-friendly brands. These are important, of course, but I feel that if we are going to save our planet from self-inflicted doom, that we need to take the time to become better acquainted with the natural world and find ways to become actively involved in conservation efforts right in our own backyards. This is actually a lot easier to do than you might think, and with a number of wonderful resources available on the internet, it’s fairly easy to find out how everyone – kids, adults, seniors – can lend a helping hand.

A Watched Pot That Keeps On Boiling

April 17, 2010

by Daniel E. Levenson

Although President Obama no doubt has the best interests of the United States at heart in his most recent efforts to try and broker a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and to a larger extent, a desire to create a more peaceful world on the whole, I worry about what the unintended side effects might be of such efforts. I have long stated that a just and equitable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict needs to be found, one that guarantees beyond any shadow of a doubt the security of Israel and at the same time offers the Palestinian people a chance to create a viable state of their own. To achieve such a thing would be no mean feat. In fact, to achieve anything even remotely resembling a normalized peace would constitute something of a miracle in my opinion.

Some Words for the Earth

April 15, 2010

by Daniel E. Levenson

There is no question in my mind that whatever someone’s religion or ethnicity happens to be, we all have a stake in keeping our planet healthy. There might be many people who are short-sighted when it comes to these issues, but at the end of the day, they themselves are no less dependent upon the natural world for clean air, water and food. Protecting the natural environment is something I have always felt strongly about, and although for the majority of people living in the West, our connection to the land has been altered dramatically since the industrial revolution, there are still important core ideas about the sanctity of creation and nature that can be found within a wide variety of religious and cultural traditions, and Judaism is no exception.

Looking at Hate

April 13, 2010

by Daniel E. Levenson

One of the things I that I often have trouble adjusting to, after spending time in Israel, is the degree to which so many American Jews seem complacent about Anti-Semitism and threats to Jewish communities around the world. While I would never suggest that we should go back to the bad old days when Jews were kept out of universities because of quotas or suffered outright discrimination, I also can’t help wondering sometimes if here in America the Jewish community has grown too comfortable. While Anti-Semitism may not be blatantly obvious on a daily basis in places like Boston, New York, Chicago or Los Angeles, the fact remains that even within the United States there are neo-Nazi and racist organizations that seek to blame the Jewish people for the ills of the world. Furthermore, there is still a strong undercurrent of latent Anti-Semitism (as well as racism) in places like Boston, which people are too often unwilling to address.

Israel and Egypt at the Sea

by Daniel E. Levenson

One of the difficult issues the Jewish people have always faced is how we relate to the other nations and religions of the world. Within Judaism itself there is often a struggle between the particularistic (we have a special relationship with God, and we are his chosen people) and the universal (the God we worship is the same God who created everything and is worshipped by other people in different ways). This question of how Jews and non-Jews interact is one that has been with us since Avraham first heard the call and set out on his journey to the land that God promised him.

Avoiding a Technical Trap in the Middle East

by Daniel E. Levenson
January 26, 2010

Lately I have been spending my evenings travelling back through time. The vehicle for my journeys has been Michael B. Oren’s book Six Days of War, which chronicles the events of the June 1967 war between Israel and a coalition of Arab nations. I have read this book before, but as I pay attention to the news coming out of Israel and consider, once again, what prospects there may be for peace between Israel and the Palestinians in the coming year, I find myself looking into the past in an attempt to refresh my memory about the tangled web of political intrigue and military mayhem which is responsible for so much of the present state of affairs in the region.

Expanding the Options

by Daniel E. Levenson

June 15, 2009

JERUSALEM- When it comes to Jewish learning in this city, there is certainly no shortage of programs and opportunities, with options running from full-time learning at a yeshiva to weekly shiurim and one-time lectures. Jerusalem is a city alive with the love of learning Jewish texts, but the fact of the matter is that the majority of these opportunities are organized by or affiliated with Orthodox Jewish institutions, which may be unappealing or even off-putting for Jews who affiliate with a more liberal stream of Judaism. Since I arrived in Israel in early January of this year, I have been looking for places that offer learning opportunities in a less-Orthodox environment, which is why I was excited to recently discover the Anita Saltz International Education Center, located in the center for the World Union for Progressive Judaism, here in Jerusalem.

Taking Responsibility for Our Own Security

by Daniel E. Levenson

JERUSALEM– The recent revelation that a group of men who were angry about the war in Afghanistan were plotting to attack both a United States military target as well as two New York synagogues is, sadly, not that surprising. While it may be difficult to logically trace the connection between the war in Afghanistan to a decision by terrorists to target synagogues, if we put it in a larger context of a conflict between not just radical Islam and the west, but of the Jewish people and Islamic fundamentalism, a disturbing picture emerges of angry American radical Muslims intent on striking out at the people they see as their enemies, namely, the Western world and Jews. I have written before about the need for greater vigilance and security at Jewish institutions in the United States, but when I read about this incident in the news, it brought the point home even more that we need to be responsible for our own security.

Saving Sharks to Save the Planet

by Daniel E. Levenson

May 23, 2009

JERUSALEM- There is something truly magnificent and divine about being away from the noise and pollution (both environmental and spiritual) of man-made or altered environments. For me, it is these quiet moments in the woods or on the water, whether with friends or by myself, when I feel the deepest sense of connection to the rhythms of the universe, and to the energy that animates our world. This is just one of the many reasons it saddens me to see the rampant and thoughtless destruction of the natural world that goes on every day all around us. While we can all see the negative impact of rapid development and the loss of open space taking place close to home, there are other environmental problems which are just as serious, but because they are taking place largely out of sight of most people, they go easily ignored.

In Africa, Some See Israel as a Beacon of Hope

by Daniel E. Levenson

May 9, 2009

JERUSALEM - They are men, women and children, fleeing violence and persecution in Darfur, Sudan and Eritrea, desperate to find a safe place where they can lead lives of dignity and peace, where they will not be subject to torture, death and imprisonment over political or ethnic rivalries. A place where they can rebuild their shattered lives with the hope of returning to their own homeland one day. For many of these African refugees, the place they are desperately trying to reach is the State of Israel, and I believe that as Jews we have a moral obligation to help these people and do whatever is within our power to bring attention to this serious problem. This issue deserves not only our careful consideration, but careful action as well.

Remembering

by Daniel E. Levenson

April 28, 2009

JERUSALEM- On this day, April 28, 2009, the nation of Israel is pausing to remember all those who have fallen in defense of this land. Whether they were killed in 1948 or 2006, whether in uniform on the front lines, or while riding a bus to school in Tel Aviv, throughout this country the memory of those who have been lost is being honored. I find it particularly interesting, and moving, that the victims of terror attacks are also remembered on this day. For most Americans, whose lives are untouched by war or terror attack, Memorial Day is a day off from work, a day to have a barbecue and relax. In Israel, Yom Hazikaron is a very different day. The security fence may have made things safer, but everyone in this country is still, sadly, vulnerable to attack at any time, which means that the police and army must constantly be on alert, ready to respond to the actions of Hezbollah and Hamas.

Saying No to Torture

April 25, 2009

by Daniel E. Levenson

JERUSALEM- There are many things about the recent revelation that the United States government, under the leadership of former President George W. Bush, used torture, that I find upsetting. Chief among them is the misguided notion that we could somehow preach to the rest of the world about respect for human life in the media and public statements, while so blatantly violating these principles ourselves behind closed doors. Let me be clear here, I am in no way suggesting that we go easy on terrorists – I hold no illusions about the incredibly dangerous nature of the world in which we live today – but I do want to state unequivocally that from every perspective - morally, politically and tactically, that using torture on suspected terrorists runs counter to the interests of the United States and our allies around the world.

A Western Front with Hezbollah?

April 14, 2009

by Daniel E. Levenson

JERUSALEM - For many years now the border with Egypt has been a point of concern for Israel’s security establishment with attacks on tourists in places like Sharm-el-Shekh and the smuggling of weapons and terrorists through the Sinai and Gaza, the relative lack of adequate security along this border has been apparent. Egypt has also had its share of trouble by virtue of an insecure border with Gaza, with Hamas encouraging the digging of tunnels and smuggling between Gaza and Egypt, an endeavor that has taken lives and has had a destabilizing effect on the border. Egypt is undoubtedly in an uncomfortable place when it comes to dealing with this latest incident, in which Hezbollah apparently dispatched operatives to Egypt in order to attack Israeli tourists as well as Egyptian infrastructure. As Haaretz reported recently on their website, Hezbollah terrorists were in Egypt preparing to carry out attacks in revenge for the killing of terrorist mastermind Imad Mughniyeh, and according to an Egyptian newspaper had “ … surveilled tourist sites in Taba, Dahab and Sharm el-Sheikh and tracked Israeli ships passing through the Suez Canal.”

A New Image for Israel and America

April 8, 2009

by Daniel E. Levenson

JERUSALEM -There are those around the world who view recent political change in Washington and Jerusalem as an opportunity to raise questions about the close relationship between Israel and the United States. In both countries there are those who are uncomfortable with the strong ties between Israel and America, and have as their agenda the loosening of these ties, and in extreme cases, the severing of them. I acknowledge there are times when the national interests of these two great (but not perfect) democracies are not in perfect harmony with each other, but despite the occasions on which interests appear to diverge, I would argue that many of our core values, as well as long-term strategic goals in the Middle East and around the world, are in line with one another.

Another Day, Another Challenge

March 23, 2009

by Daniel E. Levenson

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – When I turned on my computer the other day and read about the attempted car bombing in Haifa, I have to admit I was not all that surprised. Disturbed, upset, concerned, slightly worried about my own safety – yes, but surprised, not really. While it may be very easy for an American living in west Jerusalem to walk around with a certain degree of blissful ignorance of the realities of the region simply by avoiding newspapers and cable TV, the sad truth of the situation here in Israel is that there are still a very large number of individuals, organizations and even other states which would like nothing better than to kill every Jew living here and bring an end to the state of Israel.

A Program for Future Leaders from Around the World, in Israel

March 11, 2009

by Daniel E. Levenson

Leadership within the Jewish community, both in Israel and in the Diaspora is something which I am keenly interested in, so when I saw the flyer advertising the MASA Building Future Leaders seminar, I was intrigued. The idea of the seminar, from what I experienced, was really twofold: the first part involved bringing in different speakers ranging from former Chairman of the Israeli Defense Forces, and present member of the Israeli Knesset, Moshe Ya’alon to Merav Ben-Ari, founder of a center for at-risk youth called “Derech Ha Etgar” in the Israeli cities of Natanya and Herzillyah, as well as field trips to Har Hertzel, where most of Israel’s former prime ministers are buried and the Begin Center, which celebrates the life of former Israeli Prime Minister Menachim Begin.

A Walk in the Desert

by Daniel E. Levenson

January 28, 2009

JERUSALEM- Leaving Jerusalem the bus rolls along the highway, moving quickly from a green and gray patchwork of roadways and walled gardens to the desert, where the earth takes on tones of brown and beige, mountains loom purple in the distant haze and the only man-made structures we pass are Bedouin shanties set in among the hills, flimsy shelters of corrugated metal and scavenged wood, with livestock pens and fire pits behind them. Herds of sheep and goats, an odd camel or two, make their way down a hillside along with men on horseback as they move from pasture to pasture in the sparse landscape, looking for what little sustenance these rocky hills can offer. A female antelope browses in an open field. At the trailhead we leave the bus, stepping out into cool morning air, the northern edge of the Dead Sea is visible in the distance, and on the shore beyond it, the nation of Jordan.

Getting Egypt to Lend a Hand

by Daniel E. Levenson

January 12, 2009

JERUSALEM - Here in Jerusalem the moon is out, the air is cool and the mood is hard to gauge. Although things feel normal on the street during the day, and shops and restaurants have customers, there is an underlying awareness that these are not normal times. Most people seem upset at the civilian deaths in Gaza, but at the same time, it is incomprehensible that any nation-state would continue to tolerate indiscriminate rocket attacks aimed at civilian population centers. And so the fighting goes on.

2006 and 2009, A Comparison

January 2009

by Daniel E. Levenson

I am still a few days away from leaving for Israel, but as I sit here in suburban America watching the news reports on television and reading articles online, I can’t help but compare the situation in Israel in the summer of 2006 with what is happening there now. When I was there in 2005 the process of disengagement was about to begin, and there were very visible protests happening in the country. I admit that it was difficult for me to watch the news about disengagement, and to see images of Israeli police officers having to drag defiant settlers from homes, synagogues and community centers that they had literally risked their lives to create. At the same time, I genuinely thought that perhaps if Israel could withdraw completely from Gaza, that such an action might offer a new platform or angle for movement on the peace process.

More Trouble in Gaza

December 30, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

Looking at the latest news reports out of Gaza it is hard not to feel pessimistic about the potential for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Or to put it more precisely, between the Palestinians in Gaza and Israel. The fact is that Israel finds itself in a particularly difficult situation in which there seems to exist, at times, the possibility of a real and lasting peace between the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and the Jewish State, while simultaneously facing a serious threat from Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Confronting Terror in India

November 27, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

As I am writing this, the TV is on behind me, and I am listening to news of the horrific terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, where terrorists have murdered over a hundred people, injured hundreds more, and continue to hold an unknown number hostage. The loss of even one human life in sectarian violence is deeply disturbing, but this assault on so many places and so many people, with attackers reportedly firing randomly at people in restaurants and hotel lobbies, is particularly upsetting. We can only hope that those who are still being held hostage will be released safely, and that the Indian authorities will be able to bring the situation to a swift and peaceful resolution.

The Work of the Jewish National Fund

November 12, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

I have to admit that until recently, when I thought of the Jewish National Fund, I thought mainly of trees. I did have a vague sense that they might work on other issues as well, but if anyone had asked me what the JNF did, my first answer would certainly have involved planting trees in Israel. In fact, the JNF does that and a whole lot more, and at a recent event I had a chance to learn a little about some other JNF initiatives as well as to hear former United States ambassador to Israel, and current director of the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution, Martin Indyk, discuss his views on the future of the Middle East peace process under the incoming Obama administration.

A Season to Remember Those in Need

October 12, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

On Yom Kippur we spend the day fasting and praying, considering past transgressions and looking ahead to the future. For me, this day also reminds me that there are people in the world, indeed within our own towns and cities, who are in need of our help. For some of these people, a day spent in hunger is not a spiritual challenge (at least not in the same sense) but a painful reality, which is why many synagogues collect bags of food to donate to food pantries during the High Holiday season. During these difficult economic times, I think it is especially important to be aware of our good fortune and not forget those who are struggling.

Returning to a Better World

October 10, 2008
by Daniel E. Levenson

Yom Kippur is a day on which we stand alone before God at a kind of crossroads – behind us lie all of the experiences of the previous year, both good and bad, while ahead of us is an unknown path, the coming year, the future. It is also a day which brings Jews together, to offer prayers of repentance and express our deeply held desire to be inscribed for another year in the book of life. As with any other form of ritual or observance, I find that I have many more questions than answers - What is the purpose of Yom Kippur, I’ve often asked myself, why do we need to spend a day, once a year, fasting and considering past transgressions? What is it about setting aside this time that can make a difference in my own life and community?

Thoughts on Justice

September 6, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

In Pirkei Avot there is a curious passage in which Hillel is walking along and sees a skull floating on the water. He addresses the skull in an even stranger manner, saying “Because you drowned others, they drowned you; and those who drowned you will be drowned eventually.” This comes between two sections in which Hillel is quoted on seemingly different matters, relating to leadership, education and the value of avoiding excess materialism. Leaving aside, for now, the location of this passage, which seems strange in and of itself given that the topics which surround it seem to have little to do directly with justice or death, I’d like to take a minute to look at what the editors of Pirkei Avot might be trying to tell us here.

A Third Temple?

July 9, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

I have always been curious about the role of the idea of the temple in a modern Jewish context. Clearly we derive many of our customs and religious practices from the days when the temples stood, both from actual practices conducted in the temple service, and from the larger Jewish culture that existed at the time, so I was particularly interested to read an article in Haaretz about a group of people who are not only eagerly anticipating the building of a third temple, but are hard at work creating (or recreating) all of the physical trappings of priestly culture, from incense burners to custom tailored robes for those who claim familial descent from the kohanim.

Redeeming the Captives

July 3, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

In the summer of 2006 Hezbollah launched a violent assault from Lebanon, killing several Israeli soldiers and kidnapping two others during a border incursion that sparked Israel’s most recent war of self defense. The capture of these two young men, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev was international news and a clear sign that Israel could not trust either the Lebanese government or the small group of UN observers charged with keeping the peace along its northern border, to prevent hostile actions by Hezbollah.

Choosing Our Communities

June 25, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

What makes a community is something we think about a lot here at the New Vilna Review. It is a question that goes back to Revelation and beyond, when Moses, as the leader of an often unhappy group of former slaves, embarked on a 40-year sojourn in the desert. We see these challenges virtually everywhere in the narrative of the Israelites wandering – they are constantly complaining, pointing out how much easier things had been in Egypt and at times directly challenging the authority of Moses and of God. When it comes to prayer, we know that we traditionally need a group of 10 – a minyan – to constitute a “community.” I had always wondered where this number had come from and was happily surprised to notice a footnote in the Chumash I was perusing this past Shabbat. It mentioned that one of the roots of the designation of 10 individuals as constituting a minyan comes from Parsha Shelach, in which god calls the 10 spies who return from scouting the land (and lie about it) a “ wicked community.”

Boston’s Jewish Past

June 18, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

Many people have asked me in the last few months how I came up with the name for this online Jewish publication. It’s a good question, and I have in fact had a few people who wanted to know more about us simply because the word “Vilna” is in our name, and it piqued their interest because they had relatives in Vilna (or in a few cases, had actually come from Vilna themselves). The idea for the name “New Vilna Review” came to me while I was reading a biography of Abraham Joshua Heschel, and in this volume, the Jewish world of pre-World War Two Vilna was described in vivid detail as a vibrant landscape of Jewish learning and culture, with groups ranging from socialist Zionists to traditional orthodox rabbis and their followers. When the Nazis came to Vilna, however, most of this was completely destroyed.

A Responsibility to Act

June 9, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

The images in the film are graphic and disturbing: dead bodies, burned-out villages, a child wandering aimlessly. They are images of the Darfur region of Sudan, where a genocide is taking place. I recently saw these images when I attended a screening of the film “Sand and Sorrow,” co-sponsored by the New England office of the Anti Defamation League and American Jewish World Service. AJWS president Ruth Messinger was in attendance at the event, which was held on June 5th at Cloud Place in Boston. Ms. Messinger introduced the film and then answered questions afterwards about the situation in Darfur and the steps AJWS is taking to try and help bring peace to the troubled region. “The film is provocative,” Ms. Messinger said, “but not as provocative as what is happening on the ground.”

Books and Blintzes, Thoughts on Shavuot

June 5, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

While many (perhaps most) American Jews today may not be too familiar with the holiday of Shavuot, it is in fact, a major Jewish holiday which celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, no small event in the history of the Jewish people. Whether you think that God dictated the torah to Moses verbatim, or that it was pieced together by a number of different authors over the centuries, or something in between, the idea of setting aside a time to remember the arrival of this gift seems like it should occupy a more central place in modern Jewish life.

Arks, Blogs and Global Warming

May 28, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

Ever since I can remember, I have been aware of the natural world. Some of my earliest memories are of times spent outdoors – I have one particularly vivid memory of standing on a boardwalk in a wetland with my father when I couldn’t have been more than 5 years old, looking at Skunk Cabbage, a large leafy wetland plant that smells much like it’s namesake when one of the leaves is torn. When I first began to write for publication, my focus was on the outdoors and environmental issues, and as the child of two dedicated recyclers, environmental issues are never far from my mind.

The Place of Hebrew in Jewish Life

May 20, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

One of the educational goals of all Jews who care about their history and culture should be to learn Hebrew, and I don’t mean just enough to become bar or bat mizvahed, either. As my parents would no doubt be able to attest, Hebrew School was not exactly my favorite activity as a child, in fact, I would guess that I probably spent more time figuring out ways to avoid having to go, than I actually spent in class.

Questions of Identity: Present, Past and Future

May 13, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a unique and thought-provoking conference at Harvard University. Entitled “New Approaches: Home, Nation and Landedness in Modern Jewish Identity,” the conference brought together faculty and graduate students in Jewish studies from across the country for two days of talks, presentations and informal conversations at Harvard Hillel.

What is Prayer?

May 8, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

For me, the idea of prayer has always seemed a little strange. I mean, after all, if god really is omniscient, then he/she/it must already have a pretty good idea of what’s going on here in the world, including what people are thinking and feeling. I would say that up until the last few years if someone mentioned praying I would think either of last ditch efforts to produce divine intervention on behalf of my performance on a final exam in college, or of what I had heard on the high holidays in shul. I have given the subject a lot more thought, however, over the last few years, both from what I might term a “spiritual” as well as a “critical” perspective.

Another Step Toward Putting the World in Order

April 15, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

It seems like even Jews who do not make it to services on Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah somehow still seem to make their way to a Seder, a concept that I have always found very interesting. Passover Seders are also a time to share Jewish culture with non-Jews who might be curious about Passover for a wide variety of reasons.

Brandeis Takes an Important Step For Israel Studies

April 7, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

Looking at the calendar of events in the Jewish community around Boston I am struck by the sheer diversity and number of happenings taking place. Although I was unable to make it to all of the great events going on around Jewish Boston this Sunday, including the ADL’s Nation of Immigrants Seder which sounded fairly intriguing, I did find my way to a conference at Brandeis on Israel.

Anti-Israel Propaganda?

March 30, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

The traveling exhibit “Breaking the Silence,” which is presently on display at Harvard University Hillel, has been, to say the least, controversial. The series of photographs, testimonials from former soldiers, video presentations and other items highlights the negative aspects of the way that the Israeli Defense Forces carry out border control operations and security operations within the territories.

Increasing Security

March 23, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

We all know that the world can be a dangerous place; all one has to do is open up a newspaper (or go online) on any given day to read about the latest acts of violence taking place around the world.

DANIEL E. LEVENSON

Editor in Chief

At the root of faith is a question or many questions perhaps, about the nature of the universe and the meaning of life.

New Vilna Review Insulated Travel Mug

This 16 oz. travel mug features an original design by local New England artist Sarah Pelletier. These mugs make great gifts for friends, family, colleagues or treat yourself and know you are helping to support Jewish arts and culture.

Cost:$15.95
S&H: $2.00