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Hip-Hop in Palestine
July 15, 2010 | Carly Silver
For every critic who disparages hip-hop as being all about "booty-shaking" and liquor, there's a rapper who defies that stereotype by putting out "conscious rap." This subcategory of the genre often deals with real life problems that the artist faces, everyday dilemmas that are problems common to the artist's listeners. As an area with its share of problems, the Middle East has spawned some notable rappers in the past decade. One group, called DAM, short for "Da Arabian MCs," finds the Hebrew word for "blood" (which also means "forever" in Arabic) written in its name. These rappers are bound to spawn controversy: they're Palestinians who rhyme about Israelis.
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Where is the love?
July 13, 2010 | Elle Weiss
At least there is some good news today. There is obviously no Zionist conspiracy to run the world. Given the division in the Jewish community, it’s unlikely the community can agree on who a Jew even is, and the meaning of Judaism.
With assimilation at an all time high, one would think the Orthodox world would be rejoicing to hear people wanting to participate more. Considering Anat Hoffman was arrested for carrying or reading from a Torah (reports differ), perhaps assimilation seems better to the Orthodox. Anat and the Women of the Wall are routinely subjected to spitting and abuse for daring to have a minyan by the Kotel, the place that is supposed to be holy to all Jewish people. Video has shown chairs being thrown at the women and the women being screamed at. In the holiest place in the world to many Jews, is this supposed to be a clear indication of how the pious ones behave?
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Remembering Rav Amital
July 12, 2010 | admin
 Adam Sales is a graduate student at the University of Michigan.
HaRav Yehuda Amital, one of the great contemporary Jewish leaders and thinkers--and one of my personal heroes--passed away in Jerusalem last Thursday night, July 9, at the age of 86.
Rav Amital emerged as a leader of Israel's religious Zionist community and encouraged simultaneous engagement in Torah study and modern, secular life. He insisted that his students study in a library with windows that looked out onto the wider world. In opposition to the idea that students could skip the army to study Torah, he helped found the "Hesder" program, which enabled religious boys to alternate between Torah study and army service.
Rav Amital was unique because he blended passion with humility. His vision allowed him to found new institutions and pioneer innovative methods, but his drive never kept him from understanding the other side of an issue. When compelled by evidence, he would change his views.
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