Judaism

In the city of its birth, Jews reject Zionism

Sacred Nation

Among Jewish people around the world, there’s a growing movement that’s challenging the pairing of Zionism with Judaism. In Vienna, Austria, where the idea of modern political Zionism was born, Jewish organizers held a first-of-its-kind congress to challenge the idea.

For more than a century, a synagogue known as the ‘Carnegie Hall of Brooklyn’ has been home to the US’ greatest cantors

Sacred Spaces

Kolkata’s Jewish population is dwindling

Sacred Spaces
Jewish man prays at altar with pews behind him, USA flag in background

A gift from small-town Iowa brings light to Paraguay’s capital

Religion
Ivanka Trump Jared Kushner inauguration

Does Israel recognize Ivanka Trump’s Jewishness? It does now.

Global Politics
For the Jewish ritual of Kaparot, a person's sins are symbolically transferred to a chicken, and then the chicken is slaughtered.

My sins are cleared for the year, but the chicken wasn’t so lucky

Religion

This is a personal tale of atonement and chickens: Sarah Birnbaum and her mom went to Brooklyn to take part in a Jewish ritual called Kaparot.

Shimon Peres was a proud holder of an Israeli organ donor card.

Shimon Peres wanted Israelis to be organ donors — like him

Belief

Israel has one of the lowest rates of organ donation in the developed world. But advocates hope that religious and political leaders like the late Shimon Peres can help persuade Israeli Jews to sign up.

Visitors to the new Space of Synagogues memorial place stones in remembrance of the dead in Lviv, Ukraine on Sept. 4.

Why Ukraine’s newest Holocaust memorial is so important

Culture

The Space of Synagogues memorial comes at a time when Ukraine attempts both to sort out its national identity and commemorate its Jewish past. Neither effort has been straightforward.

Fatima Elati

Two friends find common ground in a divided Holland

Belief

A sense of mutual distrust has descended upon Amsterdam’s Muslim and Jewish communities. Anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise and Jewish institutions are now guarded by police. Despite this, two activists — one Jewish, and one Muslim — have found common ground, and friendship, though not without personal cost.

A Palestinian teenager checks his Facebook account, keeping tabs on the back and forth violence between Palestinians and Israelis.

Escalating Middle East violence helped along by social media

Conflict

In the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, both sides use social media as armor — and ammo.