Pop Jewish: The Intersection of Judaism and Pop Culture

Justin Bieber on Anne Frank

2013-04-14T19:51:00.005-04:00

JUSTIN BIEBER DID WHAT most visitors to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam do. He signed the guest book. It's something I did as well back in February 2011. I remember taking a few minutes to myself to think about what I should write. How could I sum up my feelings after taking a 1-hour tour of the small annex where Anne Frank and her family hid? How could I leave a reflective and meaningful note in this book? I also wondered about who, if anyone, would actually read my message.

Well, Justin Bieber likely gave it a moment's thought too before autographing the book at the Anne Frank House with his signature and a message. His message, however, will be critiqued over the course of this next week until something else he does is able to take the headlines away from this story.

Bieber's message was, "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber." Not really inappropriate or tasteless. Certainly not something offensive. Anne Frank was, after all, a teen when she lived in that annex. The Anne Frank that we all know through her diary is the type of young woman who seemed more into literature than music, but I don't think Bieber deserves to be chastised for his message in the book. To be fair, as the Washington Post reported, Anne Frank’s "bedroom wall was covered with photos of teen idols of an earlier era, like Deanna Durbin and Rudy Vallee."

Photograph: http://www.facebook.com/annefrankhouse

Justin Bieber wrote the message in the guestbook at the Anne Frank House on Friday after his private tour. Museum staff posted his comments on Facebook Saturday, which of course set off the social-media cycle of condemnation. No matter what Bieber says or does, he's going to hear from his detractors. But regarding this matter I think Justin deserves a pass. Sure he could have written something more serious and meaningful, but he shouldn't be judged for his tongue in cheek comment.

Rabbi Jason Miller, co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog, is a blogger, technologist and educator. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiJason and on Facebook at facebook.com/rabbijasonmiller.

Jeremy Piven Reflects on Jewish Upbringing

2013-03-28T08:17:00.000-04:00

ENTOURAGE STAR JEREMY PIVEN will star in “Mr. Selfridge,” an eight-part Masterpiece Classics mini-series that airs Sundays on PBS starting March 31. The mini-series is about an American (Piven) who moves to London and founds a successful department store different from anything the British have ever seen.

In a new interview with the Jewish Daily Forward Piven speaks openly about his Jewish upbringing. (I wrote about Jeremy Piven's reflection on his bar mitzvah on the PopJewish blog in January.) In this interview Piven opens up about the Reconstructionist synagogue he grew up in as well as how his Jewish upbringing influences his acting.

Here are some highlights from the interview with the Arty Semite from Forward.com:

Your online bio says you had a Jewish upbringing. What does that mean?

It means I was part of a Reconstructionist congregation. We prayed “to whom it may concern.” I was bar mitzvahed and my father was very active in his community growing up in Scranton, Penn. We weren’t in temple every week, but we would attend for the High Holidays.

This may be a tough question to answer, but do you bring anything from that upbringing to your work today?

It’s not a tough question. It’s actually a great question. I think I learned a sense of community growing up that I brought to my work. I learned through osmosis that another man’s success will not take away from your own. I felt that in the congregation and I brought that to the workplace — that philosophy wasn’t always embraced by everyone.

(Source: FlynetPictures.com)

Ari Gold was Jewish and often obnoxious. Did you try to protect the character?

Well, yes. Every time I read the script I said, wow, this could be the part where we lose everyone, where the audience turns against the character because he was so offensive. It was my job to give the character as much dimension as possible. The one thing I hung my hat on is that Ari loved his family, was always monogamous and when he acted out it was only because he felt the ends justified the means.

TMZ Notices LeBron's Wedding's on Yom Kippur

2013-03-07T13:23:00.002-05:00

FOR THE RECORD I didn't get a save-the-date for LeBron James' wedding. But, even if I did I wouldn't be able to attend since his wedding is on Yom Kippur. It was actually TMZ.com that uncovered this fact when they got a hold of one of the save-the-date cards.

In TMZ's coverage of LeBron's upcoming wedding to his longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson in San Diego, the celeb gossip site headlined the article "LEBRON JAMES: My Big, Fat... YOM KIPPUR WEDDING!" Nothing wrong with that, but it's the final paragraph that gets right up close to the line of anti-Semitism when they reference the age old joke about Jews and money.

But here's the problem ... Sept. 13 is the beginning of Yom Kippur -- a high holy day in the Jewish religion in which Hebrews and Shebrews are supposed to fast for roughly 24 hours while praying their faces off in temple. And for the record, James DOES have Jewish friends ... including the famous Rabbi Yishayahu Yosef Pinto... a man known around New York as the "Rabbi to the Business Stars." The good news ... LeBron will probably save a bunch of cash on the buffet. The bad news ... he won't be able to brag about the savings to the people who would appreciate it. Mazel Tov!!!

TMZ.com

Why TMZ thinks that only Jews would appreciate saving money is beyond me. I don't know many people who don't appreciate a savings. But, I guess they needed to find the hook to the story of the wedding conflicting with Yom Kippur and the Rabbi Pinto reference was the best they could do.

If I worked at TMZ I would have gone with the story line that since LeBron James is getting married on Yom Kippur that means that neither Dan Gilbert (CEO of Quicken Loans), the Jewish owner of his former team the Cleveland Cavaliers, nor Micky Arison (CEO of Carnival Corporation), the Jewish owner of his current team the Miami Heat, will be able to attend. Not that Gilbert would have gotten the invitation.

Fathers Needed: Lebron James at the White House

2013-02-01T12:49:00.001-05:00

THIS PAST WEEK THE WORLD CHAMPION Miami Heat made their visit to the White House. These tend to be ceremonial and trite, a tribute to the team’s “perseverance” and “toughness” and a celebration of their success.

Of course, a few predictable jokes are thrown in along the way. Toward the end of his speech, President Obama mentioned a more important theme:

“And I don't know all these guys, but I do know LeBron (James) and Dwyane (Wade) and Chris(Bosh). And one of the things I’m proudest of is that they take their roles as fathers seriously. And for all the young men out there who are looking up to them all the time, for them to see somebody who cares about their kids and is there for them day in and day out, that's a good message to send. It’s a positive message to send, and we’re very proud of them for that.”

The three Heat stars have become very public about their fatherhood. Bosh showed off his kids on Oprah, LeBron’s new Nike commercial shows him joking with his children, and Wade has written a book on fatherhood and spoken about it consistently.

This should not be understated. While Chris Rock famously joked that people shouldn’t take credit for being a father because that’s what they’re supposed to do, we can’t always make that assumption. This predicament is felt most acutely in the African American community. A recent study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that a whopping 72% of African American children are being raised in a single parent home. Seventy two percent!

This attitude can be found throughout American society. As much as we have become an egalitarian society, the perception that parenting is best left to mothers is prevalent. The ubiquitous “Parents” magazine should be fined for misrepresentation. It should be called “Mothers” magazine. The focus is on motherhood, and the tone of the magazine assumes that mothers will read it. Currently on their home page you can read a story about “The Dangerous Mistakes Moms Make While Driving” or use the “Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator”. There is nothing that speaks to a father’s experience or needs.

We are making a huge mistake. Fatherhood has its own challenges and fathers need to develop their parenting skills too. We can’t assume that mothers will figure it out and dad will be along for the ride.

When we see Moshe interact with Yitro, his father-in-law, the relationship is startling. There is obvious love and affection between them. However, when Yitro thinks Moshe is mishandling a situation, he gives it to him straight. Moshe immediately follows his advice. There is no human being Moshe more readily listens to than his father-in-law. That’s because Yitro is really his father figure. Moshe grew up fatherless, and Yitro plays an essential role in Moshe’s growth. Moshe needed a father, and Yitro filled that hole in his life.

Our ancestors were active and devoted fathers. From our patriarchs to modern times, Jewish culture had relied heavily on active and devoted fathers. It has played a huge part in our strong family structure and focus on education and moral uprightness. The Jewish community needs to promote this essential component of Jewish life and bring it to the forefront.

However, in societies without strong father figures, who will be the role models to show the benefits of fatherhood and teaching young boys the importance and responsibility of being a father? For better or for worse, the LeBron James of the world can have such an impact. Just by being front and center with their children sends a message that to be a man means to be a father. Over time, that can begin to have an impact.

Now if only Parents magazine could learn that lesson as well.

Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz is rabbi of the West Side Institutional Synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiStrul.

God and the Super Bowl

2013-01-28T14:17:00.001-05:00

DOES GOD CARE WHO WINS the Super Bowl? It’s a question that has been asked numerous times in sports and in other areas of life generally considered unimportant. There’s no denying that the Super Bowl, with its half-time show and million dollar commercials, commands a tremendous amount of attention, unequaled by any other sporting event.

In 1985, the public celebration of Ronald Reagan's inauguration was shifted from the constitutionally required day of January 20, a Sunday, to the following day, Monday, so as not to conflict with Super Bowl Sunday. Prof. Joseph Price writes, “fans spend more money on the Super Bowl than Americans spend on traditional religious practices and institutions throughout the entire month.” However, as we all know, God’s policies are not dictated by the spending behavior and attitude of the American public.

Most people laugh at the foolishness of this question and insist that God has more important things to be worried about. They mockingly tell you that God is busy dealing with major problems like global hunger and world peace and does not pay any attention to trivial matters like sporting events, even one as grand as the Super Bowl. In their minds, the person who believes that God cares about Football is somewhat delusional.In order to provide what I feel is the correct answer to this question, it would be helpful to reframe the conversation. Does God care about each and every human being on earth? I think so. Indeed, the Talmud tells us that a blade of grass doesn’t sway in the wind without God commanding it to. Whether you agree with that Talmudic statement or not, (much ink has been spilled over its theological implications) the point is that God cares about us. We may not like His decisions, we may get angry at Him at times, but God cares.

Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens

Ray Lewis has led the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. I don’t know whether God will grant him a second Super Bowl victory, but he quite loudly and proudly believes that God has granted him these last couple of victories. After the first playoff game he wore a “Psalm 91” shirt and declared that because God is his refuge, he was victorious. After their stunning victories against the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, he preached the holy words of Isaiah to Sal Paolantonio, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper,” and concluded by claiming that “man cannot change what God has already blessed and destined.” A few years back, I wrote an article defending Buffalo Bills wide receiver, Steve Johnson, who similarly blamed God for causing him to drop a game winning catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

These men and many others know that God cares about them and their success. They understand that God desires a close relationship with everyone and appreciates every prayer- from the “mundane” to the “holy.” Three times a day, many Jews recite the majestic words of King David, “God is close to all who call upon him sincerely.” If we care, then God cares. It’s as simple as that.

So does God care who wins the Super Bowl? Well, not exactly. But He will be at that game rooting for each player, owner, fan, and concession stand worker hoping that the experience of the Super Bowl will, win or lose, enhance and deepen their relationship with Him. While some may claim that God has more important things to worry about, I believe that God is everywhere. I don’t place limits on the limitless.

Rabbi Joshua Hess is the co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog. He blogs for the Huffington Post and is an Orthodox rabbi in Linden, New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiHess

Gibson Guitars Gives Belated Hanukkah Gift to Musician

2013-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

STORIES OF AIRLINES DAMAGING travelers’ baggage are about as common as delayed flights these days, but a particularly dreadful mishap occurred recently. Dave Schneider, the lead guitarist of a Jewish band called the Leevees (with Guster’s Adam Gardner) that produces only Hanukkah-themed songs, was traveling on a flight from Buffalo to Detroit. The Delta flight went fine without any problems, but it was after landing at Detroit Metropolitan Airport that the nightmare began.

Schneider, who also is the lead singer of the Zambonis, a band that only play songs about hockey, was told by Delta Airlines that he would have to check his vintage 1963 Gibson ES-335 TD guitar rather than carrying it on the flight with him. He even offered to purchase a seat on the plane for the guitar, but Delta refused. Upon landing in Detroit Schneider shot video footage from his cellphone of the baggage handlers moving his guitar off the plane, but there was no damage then. It was only later that he was informed that his cherished guitar was crushed between a service elevator and a loading dock at the gate in Detroit. Delta authorities quickly offered Schneider $1,000 for his vintage guitar, which was likely worth close to $10,000. Of course he declined Delta’s offer as inadequate. Even to repair the classic guitar would have cost more than Delta’s measly offering.

This isn’t the first time an airline has damaged a musician’s vintage guitar. A few years ago United Airlines broke Dave Carroll’s Taylor Guitar. Carroll famously wrote a song attacking United Airlines, which became a YouTube hit, and then subsequently penned a book about the power of social media and customer service. Schneider didn’t write any songs about Delta, but he did fill out the claim forms for damaged property after declining that $1,000 check from Delta. He never received a response. His two emails to Delta chief executive Richard Anderson were never answered. Schneider, under the pseudonym Dave Leevee, used that vintage guitar to play such Jewish holiday classics as “Latke Clan,” “How Do You Spell Channukkahh?” and “Goyim Friends.” Without the guitar, Schneider lost his mojo.

The crushed Gibson guitar belonging to Dave Schneider of the Leevees and Zambonis

And that’s when Gibson, the global musical and lifestyle-oriented company based in Nashville stepped forward to present the musician who sings about Hanukkah with a belated Hanukkah present. Schneider picked up his replacement guitar in New York last week from Gibson CEO and technology visionary Henry Juszkiewicz. “At Gibson we’re committed to music and those who love and appreciate their instruments,” Juszkiewicz said. “For musicians like Dave, instruments are practically members of their family. It was only right to replace his guitar."

Schneider will be able to continue playing guitar and singing about Hanukkah and hockey thanks to Gibson’s generous gift. Where Delta left Schneider kvetching, Gibson left him kvelling. As far as air travel goes, it’s questionable if Dave Schneider will ever fly Delta again. If he does, you can bet he’ll likely send his guitar ahead of time on a different airline.

Rabbi Jason Miller, the co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog, is an educator, entrepreneur and blogger. He owns Access Computer Technology in Detroit, Michigan and is a highly sought after speaker on the intersection of technology and Judaism. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiJason.

The Meaning of Lance Armstrong

2013-01-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

OPRAH WINFREY'S INTERVIEW WITH Lance Armstrong has come and gone, revealing to the world the open secret that he used a variety of steroids on his way to unprecedented success at the Tour de France. After years of vehement denials, Armstrong is finally coming clean. What created this monster?

In this week’s Parsha, the Jewish people are given the Mitzvah of the Karban Pesach, the sacrifice they performed the night before leaving Egypt. This Karban was a focal point of the entire Seder and we still incorporate aspects of the Karban Pesach in our Seder today.

A prerequisite for a male to participate in the Karban Pesach is having had a Bris Milah. This is a rare circumstance of the fulfillment of one Mitzvah becoming a pre-condition to perform a second Mitzvah. Why would there be such a requirement?

The Karban Pesach served as an opportunity for the Jewish people to publicly declare their faith in Hashem. While they had no responsibilities before the first nine plagues were carried out, in order to be saved from the 10th, the plague of the firstborn, they needed to perform the Karban Pesach and paint its blood on their doorpost. On the precipice of salvation, they needed to be ready and willing to publicly show their commitment to Hashem. They needed to become active participants.

By requiring a Bris, Hashem was saying that the public declaration of faith was only meaningful if it was accompanied by a private declaration of faith. The Bris Milah was a private, and painful, declaration that showed a person’s true colors. The Karban Pesach would be a sham if the public declaration was allowed without the true personal commitment the Bris Milah demonstrated.

We live in a world that celebrates success and ambition. Lance Armstrong became a national hero because he demonstrated an unusual capacity to push himself to succeed. He won seven consecutive races, even after recovering from cancer. A person that driven to succeed will naturally be tempted to do whatever it takes to win. Just look at baseball. How surprised should we be that a large number of high profile players used steroids when there was no steroid testing in place? When dealing with highly ambitious and successful people, the temptation to win at all costs is enormous.

As a society, we need to ask ourselves what we truly value. Do we value success or character? At a graduation, the valedictorian gets up to speak, not the student with the best character. Our winners get lionized as “immortals” while second place finishers become historical footnotes. We’ll forgive our cheaters, be it Bill Belichick or Alex Rodriguez, as long as they win. If they lose? Then they become useless to us, and are labeled losers and cheaters.

The Karban Pesach teaches us that the public, demonstrative acts of faith are only meaningful with the sincere, private ones. By rethinking who we honor and who we consider a success, we can truly make that lesson a reality. We need to make clear that our public winners are only valuable to us if accompanied by private character. Now grab some popcorn and enjoy Oprah’s interview.

Rabbi Josh Strulowitz is the rabbi of the West Side Institutional Synagogue in NYC. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiStrul.

Jeremy Piven's EnTORAHge Bar Mitzvah

2013-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

JEREMY PIVEN, MOST FAMOUS for his role on the award-winning series “Entourage,” doesn't often talk openly about his Jewish faith. In an episode of Entourage, Piven's character Ari Gold famously donned a tallit at his daughter's bat mitzvah. In the 7th season of the show Piven appeared with rocker Lenny Kravitz at his niece's bat mitzvah. But, in real life the actor admitted last week to an interviewer that it was difficult for him to learn Hebrew as a young boy and that he had to resort to rap for help ahead of his bar mitzvah.

Speaking to Jonathan Ross on a British talk show, Piven described himself as “Jew-ish” and said he was a terrible bar mitzvah boy. "It was hard for me to learn Hebrew. I actually had to rap my haftorah portion.” The actor then launched into a short rap, putting his Hebrew skills on display.

Ross was impressed and even suggested that Piven use rap to help other boys through the bar mitzvah process. Piven quickly retorted, "Yes! We’ll get Justin Bieber and circumcise him."

Piven might have been the first bar mitzvah boy to rap his bar mitzvah portion, but he certainly wasn't the only one. A few months ago, I watched a video of a 13-year-old boy with a sever stutter rap on stage at a #140conf conference. What was amazing was that the teen, Lil Jaxe didn't stutter when he rapped, only when he spoke. The video was amazing and inspirational.

I had the opportunity to meet Lil Jaxe this past summer at the #140edu conference at the 92nd St. Y in New York. Lil Jaxe told me that he rapped his bar mitzvah rather than chanting it. Here's a video of our discussion which includes him rapping the Jewish prayer Adon Olam, just as he did in April 2012 at his bar mitzvah.

I'd love to see Lil Jaxe get together with Jeremy Piven and rap a Haftorah!

Rabbi Jason Miller, the co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog, is an educator, entrepreneur and blogger. He owns Access Computer Technology in Detroit, Michigan and is a highly sought after speaker on the intersection of technology and Judaism. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiJason.

Les Miserables Film is Infused with Faith

2013-01-15T11:41:00.001-05:00

LIKE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, I too was moved to write about Les Misérables after I saw the movie. This was published in Temple Beth Emeth's newsletter, The Truth, as the Rabbi's Message for the January 2013 edition:

I recently saw the new movie adaptation of the musical Les Misérables. I have loved this musical for years and it was the first show I ever saw on Broadway, on a theater club field trip to New York when I was about 16-years-old. It has been a long time since I’ve seen it, though. Watching the movie, I was struck by the extent to which the story -- which is largely bleak -- and the movie are infused with religious faith.

There is significant use of the imagery of crosses and crucifixes, and faith in God plays an explicit role in the transformation of the hero, Jean Valjean. I can’t think of any other movies or television shows aimed at a popular audience with such a clear, strong, and positive portrayal of religion, including other works that are also set in time periods when religion would have played a major role in daily life (I’m looking at you, Downton Abbey).

Religion in Les Mis is not portrayed as communal—you don’t see any church services or anyone going to church (though many people certainly would have in early-19th-century France). Rather, faith is shown as something intimate and deeply relevant to the daily decisions one makes about how to live. It is faith that leads to an act of mercy that changes Valjean’s life. The bishop who helps him sees himself as God’s agent, and tells Valjean that any sense of indebtedness or gratitude he may feel should not be toward another human being but toward God. From then on Valjean does see himself as belonging to God, and because of that he feels a duty to act compassionately toward others. In doing so, he saves lives as his life was saved.

This all happens in the context of Catholicism, but it is certainly not foreign to Judaism. We, too, have as part of our theology the responsibility to care for others through tzedakah (giving to the poor), g’milut chasadim (acts of compassion or lovingkindness), bikur cholim (visiting the sick), and more. The great 20th-century philosopher Martin Buber wrote that God is in the relationships between people in those moments when they truly connect with one another. We recognize that we are all created in the Divine image.

It is easy to point to all the damage people have done in our world in the name of religion. And it is certainly true that religion is not required to live a moral life and be an upstanding person. The story in Les Misérables, however, shows the impact faith can have when it infuses a person’s life—not in a dogmatic way, and not necessarily in a way that would be obvious to another, but as a way to remain conscious at all times of a powerful reason to be honest, to live ethically, and to strive to be a force for good in the world. Religion provides a moral anchor. The reason that religious people practice tikkun olam (repair of the world) is because we are acting as God’s agents, doing God’s work. It’s not about feeling good about yourself (though you might), it’s about serving something larger than yourself, feeling responsible to do good even when it’s hard, even when it hurts, even when it’s not in our immediate self-interest. This is religion at its most beautiful, and this is, I believe, why faith is worthwhile.

As expressed in a lyric in Les Misérables, “to love another person is to see the face of God.” In this new secular year, let us show lovingkindness and compassion to our fellow human beings, and may we see the face of God everywhere we look.

Rabbi Heidi Hoover is rabbi at Temple Beth Emeth v'Ohr Progressive Shaari Zedek, a Reform synagogue in Brooklyn, NY. She is member of Rabbis Without Borders. Follow her on Twitter at @HeidiHoover.

Is Trash Talking Kosher?

2013-01-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

WHEN YOUNG KIDS ARE VERBALLY harassed by other children they are taught to respond to their provokers by saying that, “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me,” conveying the message that words are not physically damaging and therefore aren’t bothersome. While this phrase has become somewhat effective as a tool to prevent bullying, it actually runs counter to the Jewish idea of speech.

Judaism believes that our ability to speak is a very precious gift that God has bestowed on us and must only be used for constructive purposes. Any attempt to use our speech for destructive purposes is, essentially, a rejection of our God given gift. In fact, tradition emphasizes the unique power of speech by relating that God created the world with 10 utterances. In other words, Jewish tradition maintains that words are so holy that they have the ability to create new realities.

The biblical story of the Tower of Babel is a prime example of how speech can be misused. All the inhabitants of the world, at that time, spoke one language and, as a result, were united. They decided to build a tower that would reach the heavens in an attempt to ‘fight’ with and overthrow God. These people took their gift of speech; the ability to communicate clearly with every other inhabitant of the world, and used it for harmful and negative purposes. Ultimately, God punished the people for their attempt to destroy Him by making them unable to communicate with each other.

The problem of verbal harassment is not limited to children in the schoolyard or at the park. It applies equally to adults and children alike. Athletes are certainly not strangers to ‘trash talk’. Certainly not Kevin Garnett. A couple seasons ago, Garnett, insulted Milwaukee Buck forward, Charlie Villenueva, by telling him that he looks like a cancer patient. Garnett claimed he told Villenueva that he is a cancer to his team; not that he looked like one. Regardless of which version was true, both of those statements were inappropriate. And this week, he went after Carmelo Anthony, hurling insults about his strained relationship with wife, La La.

I’m not implying that all forms trash talk are wrong. Trash talk which engenders a competitive spirit and creates a lively battle between two players can be perfectly acceptable. But I don’t believe that there is a place in sports for degrading an opponent. I understand why athletes, like Garnett, talk trash: it psychologically distracts an opponent and throws him off his game. However, there is a line that must be drawn when it comes to trash talking, and degrading another player crosses the line.

But the lesson that must be learned today is that God gives us the ability to use our gift of speech. It’s supposed to be used for productive purposes and not negative ones. The type of trash talk that Kevin Garnett employed as a strategy to get under Melo’s and Villenueva’s skin was destructive. He took his God given gift and sullied it.

And, yes, Laker fans, the “Boston Sucks” chant should be put into retirement.

Rabbi Joshua Hess is a co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog and an Orthodox rabbi in Linden, NJ. Follow him no Twitter at @RabbiHess.

Talmud for Christmas: Tractate Chopsticks

2012-12-25T18:50:00.001-05:00

A lost Talmudic tractate has been discovered that answers age-old rabbinic questions about the appropriate way for Jews to fully accomplish the obligations associated with eating Chinese food on December 24th/25th.

By Rabbi Rick Brody & Rabbi Rachel Kobrin with inspiration from: Rabbi Jeremy Winaker, Rob Kutner, Carolyn Austin, Bill Seligman, Sam Rosenstein, and Rabbi Ben Newman.

MISHNAH 1: Our Rabbis ask: When does one begin the Festive Meal of Chopsticks? Beit Shamai omrim [The School of Shammai say]: on the 24th day of the month of December, because one should “larutz la'asot mitzvah” [run to perform a holy act]. Beit Hillel omrim [The School of Hillel say]:

Through the entirety of the night of the 24th and the day of the 25th is mutar [permitted]. But the mehadrin [those who wish to embellish their osbservance] wait until the final hours of the 25th, because we “ma’alin b’kodesh v’lo yordim” [ascend in holiness and do not descend]. V’yesh omrim [And there are those who say]: “To extend the simchah [joyous occasion].”

GEMARA: Tanu Rabbanan [Our Sages taught in an earlier saying] — Amar Rebbe Szechuan [Rabbi Szechuan said]: I was a man of 70 and had always consumed the Feast of Chopsticks before the end of the first watch on the 24th. Once I fell asleep while watching The Sound of Music and slept through the entirety of the following day. When I awoke on the night of the 25th, my food was still warm! From that day on, I have followed the teaching of Beit Hillel.

And until when does the Festive Meal satiate us? Amar Rav [Rav said]: 1 hour. Amar Sh’muel [Sh'muel said]: 1/2 hour.

What do we do with leftovers? Ta Shma [Come learn from this teaching] – Amar Rav Shimon hachacham [Rav Simon the wise said] in the name of Rav Yaakov the Tzadik [righteous one]: “It is preferable that one should use small square cardboard containers with wire handles to contain the notar [remainder] of the feast, so as to prolong the mitzvah [sacred act] of the Feast of Chopsticks.” V’tov lehachmir [And it is good to be strict about this].

Pligei [there was a difference of opinion]: Amar [said] Rabbi Ben: Eat on the 24th so there will be notar [leftovers] which you must consume before the end of the next day. (Lev. 19:6).

K’lal [here is the general rule]: L’mi she’osheh l’fi Beit Shammai [For one who does according to the House of Shammai (and eats on the night of the 24th)], yeish notarin [there are leftovers]. L’mi she’oseh l’fi Beit Hillel [For one who does according to the House of Hillel (and eats on the night of the 25th)], een o’lo [yes or no]? Lo. [No, there are no leftovers]. K’lal gadol [a great general rule]: Lo mein.

MISHNAH 2: Until what time may one fulfill her obligation of eating the Festive Meal of Chopsticks? Ma’aseh [A story] of Rebbe Hunan: His daughters were at a Matzah Ball that ran into the early hours of the 26th. When they came home, he was awake waiting for them with organic non-GMO bean curd and brown rice. They consumed it because they still couldn’t tell the difference between blue and green.

GEMARA: Why bean curd? L’zecher [ as a reminder of] how the Kadosh Baruch Hu [Holy Blessed One, i.e. God] conquered “tofu va’vohu” [tohu va'vohu = chaos, formlessness and emptiness (Gen. 1:2)]. V’yesh omrim [And there are those who say]: Bean curd should only be eaten b’choshech [in darkness (see Gen. 1:2)].

MISHNAH 3: B’Shabbat, lo ochlin b’chopsticks [On the Sabbath, we don't eat with chopsticks].

GEMARA: Why? L’zecher [As a reminder of] “the man who gathered sticks” (Numbers 15:32). V’yesh omrim [And there are those who say]: So that one will not be tempted to build a raft. But then someone taught–some say it was B’ruriyah, some say it was Bill, another well-regarded spouse of an esteemed sage who was able to keep up with the chachamim [Sages]–came and taught: “We don’t eat with chopsticks on Shabbat because the friction of 2 chopsticks rubbing together might start a fire, which is assur d’oraita [forbidden by the Torah].”

MISHNAH 4: Who shall prepare the festive meal? Anyone who is bak’i [expert] in the preparation, no matter her country of origin. The tavern may not have the word “dragon” in its name.

GEMARA: “Dragon” is a zecher [reminder] of livyatan [leviathan], which is not to be consumed except on Sukkot biy’mot hamashiach [on the Festival of Booths in the time of the Messiah].

And at what time does one attend the cinema? The Sages discuss this she’eilah [question] at length in Masechet [Tractate] Cinema, which has yet to be recovered from an obscure cave in Austin, Texas.

Rabbi Rachel Kobrin and Rabbi Rick Brody are married and live in Austin.

Was Heschel a Conservative Jew?

2012-12-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

TODAY MARKS FORTY YEARS SINCE the passing of Rabbi Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel. I decided to take a look at Heschel's life and legacy as well as Heschel's identity among other Jews.

In order to attain an adequate appreciation of the preciousness that the Jewish way of living is capable of bestowing upon us, we should initiate a thorough cleaning of the minds. Every one of us should be asked to make one major sacrifice: to sacrifice his prejudice against our heritage. We should strive to cultivate an atmosphere in which the values of Jewish faith and piety could be cherished, an atmosphere in which the Jewish form of living is heartily approved or at least respected pattern, in which sensitivity to kashruth is not regarded as treason against the American constitution and reverence for the Sabbath is not considered conspiracy against progress.

Without solidarity with our forebears, the solidarity with our brothers will remain feeble. The vertical unity of Israel is essential to the horizontal unity of כלל ישראל. Identification with what is undying in Israel, the appreciation of what was supremely significant throughout the ages, the endeavour to integrate the abiding teachings and aspirations of the past into our own thinking will enable us to be creative, to expand, not to imitate or to repeat. Survival of Israel means that we carry on our independent dialogue with the past. Our way of life must remain such as would be, to some degree, intelligible to Isaiah and Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, to Maimonides and the Baal Shem.

A wide stream of human callousness separates us from the realm of holiness. Netiher an individual man nor a single generation can by its own power erect a bridge that would reach that realm. For ages our fathers have labored in building a sacred bridge. We who have not crossed the stream must beware lest we burn the bridge.

- excerpted from “Toward an Understanding of Halacha” by Abraham Joshua Heschel, pages 404-405; delivered at the Central Conference of American Rabbis’ Sixty Fourth Annual Convention (Estes, Colorado), 1953, Volume LXIII, edited by Bertram W. Korn.

40 years ago today marked the passing of a long-standing professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS)–the founding bastion of Conservative Judaism. Conservative Jews have preserved the legacy of Abraham Joshua Heschel by naming after him the honors society of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s youth movement: The Abraham Joshua Heschel Honors Society of United Synagogue Youth.

A profound scholar, who once taught (albeit briefly) at the American Reform rabbinical academy, Hebrew Union College, Heschel lived a life that sounds nearly larger than life. This Jewish leader, who once marched with Martin Luther King Jr., was not only a published scholar, but also a published poet. He not only poured out his heart onto a page when comparing Kierkegaard and the lesser-studied Kotzker Rebbe, but he also fought with his soul against the War in Vietnam.

To attempt a full biography of Heschel here would be foolish, but suffice it to say that Conservative Jews often have much pride in the multi-talented rabbi who was once a teacher at their own seminary.

Despite the attitude of Conservative Jews towards him, the question must be asked: Was Heschel actually a Conservative Jew? Despite Conservative Jews’ sense of pride in Heschel, was he truly one of their own?

During his lifetime, Heschel completed his doctoral studies at the University of Berlin and sank into rabbinic studies at the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums, a denominationally unaffiliated German rabbinical seminary, where Judaism was studied through a critical academic lens. Prior to those forays into a more assimilated world, much of Heschel’s education took place within the walls of a traditional yeshivah (as it was also in the Orthodox world where he initially received his rabbinic ordination).

His religious fervor is evident in his writings–as is the immensity of his expertise in critical Jewish studies. Yet his scholarship did not appear to alter his religious practice. Despite his boldness in stating that the Torah itself is an interpretation (a midrash) of Divine revelation–the shape of his Jewish observance did not become somehow less Orthodox on account of his gutsy theology.

From my vantage point, it is tough to say that Heschel ever fully embodied Conservative Judaism. In fact, it would be say that Heschel was ever representative of a singular Judaism other than a well-read, globally minded, somewhat liberal Orthodox Judaism.

In his time, Heschel articulated beliefs that rarely matched up with those held by lay Conservative Jews and by Conservative Jewish leaders other than Heschel himself. His backgrounds in the Hasidic world and the critical scholarly world offered Heschel the combined advantages of textual knowledge and philosophical radicalism rarely found in the Conservative Jewish leaders (especially rabbis) of his time. Compared with Heschel and his upbringing, these contemporaries were raised in environments far less affected by Jewish knowledge, tradition, memory, and observance.

Yet Heschel was among the most charismatic voices in Conservative Judaism–not because what he preached most honestly matched with what Conservative Jews said, believed or ever came to believe, but because his primary audience happened to be those training to become Conservative Jews (not always leaders, and those training to become leaders did not always succeed).

If brains are not enough to impress someone, sometimes looks will make a person outstanding. Simply put, Heschel’s teachings may in ways be less preserved in the popular imagination than the way he looked. Heschel looked a lot more frum than many other leaders in the Conservative Jewish world. Conservative Judaism, often lacking strong leadership, found an inspiring–perhaps exotic–image in Heschel. While his appearance changed over the years, the visual that came to be associated with the greatness of Heschel has never been the rare clean-shaven photo of the scholar, but rather the wild hair and outstretched beard of a sage.

It is fortunate that Conservative–and non-Conservative–Jews today often embrace Heschel’s name and his writings (whereas, when Heschel was alive, JTS was apparently an atmosphere where his presence was often unwelcome and absent). But Heschel is frequently hailed by liberal Jewry as “one of their own” when, in fact, almost everything about his biography, practice and philosophy differed completely from the experience of approximately 99% of non-Orthodox Jews. Heschel–deeply spiritual and politically liberal–did not find his intellectual home in an American Hasidic community. By the sake token, Heschel–committed to traditional text study and stringent observance of mitzvot–did not necessarily find a home in the American liberal Jewish community. I wonder if Heschel actually never found a home.

My own estimation is that, as much as Conservative–or any other–Jews want to claim Heschel as their own, it is vital to recognize how he was rarely welcomed as one of anyone’s own in his lifetime. I suspect that today he still would be out of place at JTS–or any liberal or Orthodox institution.

When Heschel spoke of the Jews, he spoke fervently of K’lal Yisra’el, but he spoke on behalf of no one other than himself and a Judaism no one has ever known since. Let his memory not be a false idol. May his memory be a blessing.

Jonah Rank is a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Read his blog and follow him on Twitter at @JonahRank.

Compassion: From the Bible's Joseph to Bruce Springsteen

2012-12-17T09:18:00.000-05:00

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN’S MOST RECENT hit single, “We Take Care of Our Own” has been played non-stop throughout this year, especially during President Obama’s re-election campaign, the democratic national convention and at his victory party in Chicago. When my father in law introduced me to the song a number of months ago, I felt conflicted by its message.

On the one hand, Springsteen correctly exhorts the American people to overcome our selfish habits and take care of our country and our people. Yet on the other hand, while we strive to be one big family in the USA, the truth is that we are much more than a family that takes care of our own. We take care of everyone. We view our role in the world as a country that will do its utmost to ensure peace and democracy and opportunity in every corner of the world. Sometimes we have to tread gently, like recent events have shown with the Arab Spring, and other times we can be more assertive. Is Springsteen’s message to take care of our own in contradiction to this value?

When Joseph understood from Pharaoh’s dreams that the famine would not only affect Egypt but would spread to other countries, he didn’t inform and advise them to begin saving and storing their produce. Did Joseph not care about the inhabitants of those lands? In this week’s Torah portion, Joseph gives Benjamin a larger portion of food and clothing than the rest of his other brothers. Did Joseph not care for them because of the way he was treated?

I think it’s fair to say that both Joseph and Springsteen care deeply about everyone, but recognize that priority must be given to their own. We can all agree that as much as Springsteen cares about his fellow Americans, he cares doubly as much for his family. Joseph too: as much as he cared about the other inhabitants of the world, he loved and respected his fellow Egyptians that much more. Moreover, as much as he loved his half-brothers, Benjamin was his full brother, so he naturally had a greater affinity for him.

We see a similar concept in Jewish law as it relates to giving Tzedakah. “Aniyay Ircha Kodem,” our greatest priority is to give Tzedakah to people in our city before anywhere else; even more than the needy of Israel (according to most opinions). Does that mean Jewish law places little to no value on giving charity to needy people outside of our community? No, it means that the rabbis adopt the Springsteen approach to take care of our own. Frankly, if everyone takes care of their own community, we would not need to care for someone who is from a different one!

In the spirit of “taking care of our own,” there are many issues that the Orthodox Jewish community needs to address, be it the recent sexual abuse scandals, the drug and alcohol abuse that plagues our communities, and the way in which we treat homosexuals. But after the events on Friday in Newtown, Connecticut when a young man brutally murdered 20 kindergarteners and 6 adults, what’s most important right now is for all of us to “take care of our own” in a different way. Let’s hug our children tighter. Shower them with more love and affection than ever before. Help them to understand that God’s children are placed in this world to be forces for good and people filled with compassion and loving kindness.

We are tasked to be “Oheiv Et Habriyot,” lovers of all the inhabitants of the world. At the same time, we need to be “Springsteenian” and take care of our own; to shower our children with extra love, attention, and guidance so that they can grow up to be a true beacon of light unto the nations. May evil cease to exist and I pray that God wipe away all the tears from our faces. Amen.

Rabbi Joshua Hess is a co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog and a dynamic Orthodox rabbi. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiHess.

Hanukkah Fun with Too $hort, Zooey, Jimmy Fallon and the Houston Rockets

2012-12-16T10:06:00.001-05:00

Cross-posted to Blog.RabbiJason.com

A COUPLE YEARS AGO I wrote about non-Jews observing certain Jewish customs. I looked at such examples as Justin Bieber reciting the Shema in Hebrew before each concert as well as non-Jews maintaining kosher diets, hanging mezuzahs on their front doors, dancing the Hora at weddings and erecting sukkahs.

The new trend seems to be non-Jewish celebs adopting Hanukkah rituals. While conservative pundits in the media claim there is a war on Christmas, just the opposite seems to be true about Hanukkah. More menorahs are being displayed in the public square. Chabad Lubavitch has politicians and celebrities light super-sized menorahs. Even Gene Robinson, a gay Bishop, brought a Hanukkah gift of dreidels to Jon Stewart when he visited the Daily Show during the holiday. And a call for new Hanukkah songs has been answered by a rapper.

Heeb asks, "Has Hanukkah become the must-be-seen celebration for the hip and famous, regardless of semitic bona-fides?" What prompted that question was a simple tweeted photo from singer/actress Zooey Deschanel, who is Roman Catholic. Deschanel's tweet said "Happy Chanukah y’all!!!" and was linked with an Instagram photo of her lighting the Hanukkah menorah. That photo has received close to 100,000 likes on Instagram.

During the Hanukkah holiday this year, we also saw one NBA team pay tribute to their Jewish fans. The Houston Rockets posted a video of their players singing the Dreidel song. Some of the players really got into the spirit. The video includes former New York Knicks surprise star Jeremy Lin, but the highlight is Carlos Delfino who seems to have a lot of fun singing about the dreidel he made.

Jimmy Fallon also got into the Hanukkah holiday spirit by singing a dreidel parody to the tune of Flo Rida's "Whistle" song. With Rashida Jones, who is Jewish, Fallon pulled a dreidel out of his pocket and began signing, "Can you spin my dreidel baby, dreidel baby, let me know. Girl I know that you’re not Jewish so I’ll start real slow. Then Rashida Jones sings, "Just put your fingertips together and you say Shalom."

The ultimate in non-Jews doing Hanukkah this holiday season has to be the recently released Hanukkah rap by Too $hort, one of West Coast hip hop's pioneers. While Too $hort might be best known for his hit song "The Ghetto," his Hanukkah rap might catch on (at least in Jewish high schools). Too $hort released the Hanukkah rap song exclusively on TMZ.com and it can be listened to here. He's not the first non-Jew to release a Hanukkah song of course. The Barenaked Ladies have sung several Hanukkah songs and rock band Incubus put out a nice Hanukkah song back in 2007.

So while many Jewish parents complain that not enough emphasis is placed on Hanukkah during the winter holiday season, many non-Jewish celebs have catapult the Jewish holiday into the mainstream. Maybe rapper Too $hort wouldn't be Jewish parents first choice to sing about Hanukkah, but the thought is there. Hanukkah will never be as popular as Christmas, but the Jewish holiday about the miracle of light and an unforeseen victory over the tyrant Greco-Roman army is getting its due in pop culture.

Rabbi Jason Miller is a blogger, educator and entrepreneur. He's the co-creator of the PopJewish.com blog and the creator of TorahDaily.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiJason.

Win 2 Tickets to See Matisyahu

2012-12-04T14:09:00.001-05:00

Win 2 tickets to see Matisyahu live in concert.

Just go to the PopJewish.com Facebook page and click "Like". Then leave a comment to the Matisyahu post with "Matisyahu concert tix" as the comment text. One Facebook user will be drawn to see who gets the tickets. Details of the concert below.

Stevie Wonder Not Overjoyed About Israel

2012-11-30T12:40:00.001-05:00

WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH HEARING Stevie Wonder sing "Isn't She Lovely," but it's become clear that he wasn't talking about Israel when he sings that song. The Grammy-winning singer and song-writer was all set to perform at a Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fundraising gala, but he is now refusing to appear.

The event is set to occur on December 6 in Los Angeles and Stevie Wonder has performed in the past for other Israel-related celebrations and fundraising events. His reps claim that Wonder's decision to pull out of this event is based on a strong recommendation from the United Nations to withdraw his participation based on his participation with the U.N. as a "Messenger of Peace."

What's odd about this is that the UN supposedly doesn't tell its "Goodwill Ambassadors" where they can and cannot support. Most likely this was a result of pressure from fans through social networking sites, including an online petition with several thousand signatures.

The change.org petition states, "You were arrested in 1985 protesting South African Apartheid, now we ask you: please remember that apartheid is apartheid, whether it comes from White Afrikaaner settlers of South Africa or from Jewish Israelis in Israel. Desmond Tutu has recognized that Israel’s Apartheid is worse than South Africa’s -- will you stand with us against apartheid and cancel your performance at the IDF fundraiser."

Of course, Stevie Wonder is not the first performer to back out of a concert to support Israel. More common, however, are cases in which celebrities and musicians cancel planned appearances and concerts in Israel after facing pressure. Recently, Elvis Costello and Lenny Kravitz canceled planned concerts in Israel, but the reason was unknown. In June 2011, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, legendary basketball player who, declined to appear in Israel as planned due to “concerns arising from Nakba day violence.”

It would be nice if performers like Stevie Wonder upheld their prior commitments. Bowing to pressure over a political issue isn't necessary. Rather, a celebrity like Wonder should have issued a public statement explaining that he is a proponent of peace and thus he is willing to celebrate with and help support both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Rabbi Jason Miller is the co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog and an prolific blogger. He is president of Access Computer Technology and is on Twitter at @RabbiJason.

Lincoln's Time Machine

2012-11-27T17:40:00.002-05:00

THEY SAY THE BOOK IS always better than the movie, and for the most part that tends to be true. But when it comes to “Lincoln”, Steven Spielberg’s biopic of Abraham Lincoln, I don’t think that’s the case.

The most difficult part of truly understanding history is that we inevitably view the historical figures through our modern sensibilities. Since we didn’t live in the times they were living, it is impossible to fully comprehend the conventional wisdom of that time and the culture they lived in. It is unfair to look back fifty years, let alone a hundred and fifty years, and ask “How could they have done that?” Much like fifty years from now people might look back at our generation and ask things like, “Why was it such a big deal that an African American was elected President?”, “Why did they allow children to play tackle football?” or “They used to sell cigarettes in supermarkets?” You have to live in the times to understand the mindset of those times.

Two years ago I was watching an old “Meet the Press” episode with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I was shocked by some of the questions, as they asked him if the restaurant sit-ins were doing more harm than good and whether they had a right to break the law since segregation was legal in much of the south. My immediate visceral response was abject shock. How could they ask Dr. King these questions? Why weren’t they thanking him for his work? Why weren’t they supporting him?

In order to understand the entire dialogue I needed to put myself in their times and to understand their mindset. This was a country that still was unsure about the immorality of segregation.

This same difficulty applies to the Torah. As we try to understand the lives of our matriarchs and patriarchs, we need to understand their mindset. Take, for example, the difficult story of Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery. It seems incomprehensible and unconscionable. Yet, to fully understand their actions we need to put ourselves in their shoes. The first two generations of the Jewish people had seen a succession of father to son. Avraham handed the reins to Yitzchak, and Yitchak to Yaakov.

Yaakov now prepared himself for a similar transition. He had to fight for his father’s recognition as the next leader, and it made his life exceedingly difficult. So he figured that by declaring his intentions from the outset it would simplify the process. Yosef would be the next leader, and that was that.

However, Yaakov’s eleven other sons were not a collective Eisav to be dismissed. Their actions were not spurred on by petty jealousy and sibling rivalry. They were not young children, they were adults. They saw that Yaakov was trying to recreate the leadership structure he had inherited, but that leadership structure was now obsolete. The twelve sons would become twelve equal partners. They were right, they saw the future. They should not have sold Yosef, this could have been handled in a much more peaceful manner, but to understand the issue we need to understand their collective mindset.

To me, that’s what struck me about Lincoln. I found myself thinking and feeling as they did. The heroes of the movie are pushing for the ratification of the 13th amendment abolishing slavery, but in no way support voting rights for African Americans or women. They are not ready to declare that people are truly equal, merely that everyone should be equal before the law. Lincoln himself openly supported the idea of colonizing the freed slaves in Liberia or Haiti. At times I felt guilty seeing them as paragons of virtue, when today their views would be virulently racist.

Yet, the power of film is that we are truly transported into their times. You begin to feel as they feel and take their world at face value. Even though some of their ideas would be anathema to us, when you understand the times they lived in you can appreciate the courage they showed in espousing controversial beliefs.

I thank Lincoln for providing me with that experience and allowing me to live in that world, even if only for two and a half hours.

Sometimes the movie is better than the book, because it can help us think and feel as they did. The vivid presentation and incredible acting act as a time machine into a forgotten world. Lincoln teaches us the most valuable of lessons, to understand another’s thoughts and actions you truly need to put yourself in their shoes.

Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz is the rabbi of Congregation Adath Israel in San Francisco. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiStrul

We Should All Learn From Magic Johnson, Especially the New York Jets

2012-11-18T11:14:00.002-05:00

ANONYMITY OFTEN SERVES A very important purpose in religious and secular life. The Talmud teaches us that one of the greatest forms of charity is “Matan BiSeter,” anonymous giving, which spares the recipient from embarrassment and shame. It can also be used as a sort of deterrent: Moshe asked God to delete his name from the Torah if He destroyed the Jewish people after they worshipped the Golden Calf. Ultimately, God had mercy on them. In our society, anonymous reporting of information can play a crucial role in our national and local security.

Under some circumstances, however, anonymity is a vice and not a virtue. The New York Jet football players who anonymously criticized Tim Tebow acted cowardly. Giving constructive criticism can be helpful to an individual, if it’s done in a respectful and sensitive fashion. Indeed, the Torah commands us to reproach someone about their negative behavior as a means of improvement and not for the sake of shaming them; but public criticism is only warranted if the transgression necessitates it. If Tebow’s teammates honestly believed that he was failing the team, they had a right to be critical. It would have been proper for them to approach him privately with their criticism, or, if they felt it necessary, they could have criticized him publicly, but in that case, they should have the courage to stand behind their criticism. Instead they made a public mockery of him for no rhyme or reason and did so anonymously!

I found it ironic that the same day this NY Post expose on the Jets was published, Laker legend, Magic Johnson, showed them “how it’s done” when confronted with a similar challenge and frustration. When it comes to basketball (or real estate) decisions, it’s hard to argue with Magic. He knows his beans. If he believed that Phil Jackson or even (gasp) Jeff Van Gundy were the best available choices to serve as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, he may well be right. He was angry that Jim Buss chose Mike D’antoni (I like the choice, personally), but he didn’t share his anger with the world. Quite the opposite; he kept his composure.

Two days after the hiring he tweeted, “The reason I haven't tweeted in 2 days is because I've been mourning Phil Jackson not being hired as the Lakers head coach.” He followed it up with this: “My mother always taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.” Later that evening he was on NBA countdown on ESPN and explained that D’antoni is a good coach, but not the best fit for the Lakers and that he doesn’t trust the decision making of Jim Buss.

There’s probably more to both the Tebow and Jackson stories than we know. As a long time Laker legend and former part owner of the team, Magic surely knows much more than he’s sharing. But his behavior shows us how we need to act when we are upset and frustrated with a person or situation. Magic didn’t stand behind the veil of anonymity, when he had something critical to say. In fact, Magic reminded everyone on Twitter a few days back that, as a player, he took responsibility for having Paul Westhead fired. He’s blunt and frank, but always acts respectfully.

Thanks Magic for showing us how to handle ourselves the right way. But I hope you are wrong about D’antoni.

Rabbi Joshua Hess is the co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog and a rabbi in Linden, New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter at @Rabbi_Hess

Call Girl; No Phone - Sex Trafficking On Rise in Pop Culture

2012-11-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

ED SHEERAN RECENTLY RELEASED THE SONG "A TEAM". The lyrics go like this: And they scream, “The worst things in life come free to us”, 'Cause we're just under the upper hand and go mad for a couple grams. And she don't want to go outside, tonight. And in a pipe she flies to the motherland or sells love to another man…Loose change, bank notes, weary-eyed, dry throat, call girl, no phone.

The video is a little intense but ultimately tells the sad story of a young homeless woman with no means who sells sex for drug money to escape the pain of her existence.

The music is ironically sweet for such a chilling portrait of a life on the streets. But it tells an incomplete and unrealistic tale. This woman has no pimp threatening to beat her if she doesn’t bring in enough cash for the night. She is free to come and go as she pleases instead of being locked in a hotel room being sold online by a third party. The song says she is 18 but most these women are not women at all-they are girls. The average age is 11-13 years old.

I met with an anti-sex trafficking advocate his week who said “trafficking is the new black.” I didn’t get permission to quote that line so I can’t tell you who said it to me but I promise this person is super cool and meant it to be as snarky as it sounds. Oh, and I am pretty sure they meant ANTI-sex trafficking is the new black. Given that 7200 men have sex with trafficked minors each month in Georgia alone, I would say the act itself is, well…so last season.

The trend has been rising to the fore for a while. MTV has a (slightly ironic) do not objectify women campaign, Jada Pickett Smith spoke out to Congress, Olivia Wilde, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, America Ferrera, Dipti Mehta and Gabrielle Union all appeared in Nick Kristof’s PBS documentary, Half The Sky (where are all the men?). The Demi and Ashton Foundation (still going strong even though they are not), and the super cool “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls” video with John Legend, Heath Evans, Simon Baker, Ludacris, Bradley Cooper, Jason Mraz, Justin Timberlake, Thomas Jane, Sean Penn, Jamie Foxx…well the list goes on (and I guess we found the men) all have been out there for some time.

We now even see it on tv shows. Law and Order SVU, Human Trafficking; a Lifetime TV movie with Mira Sorvino and Donald Southerland, Criminal Minds, NCIS Los Angeles and many other popular shows have episodes taking on the topic.

But not until the ultimate trend setter stepped in-no, not Isaac Mizrahi, not Elle magazine, not-oh heck, who am I kidding-I don’t know enough about fashion to list names…but it was President Barack Obama in his speech at the Clinton Global Initiative. Our fight against human trafficking is one of the great human rights causes of our time …The change we seek will not come easy, but we can draw strength from the movements of the past. For we know that every life saved -- in the words of that great [Emancipation] Proclamation -- is "an act of justice," worthy of "the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God." That’s what we believe. That’s what we're fighting for.

Well if words like that don’t make a trend take off, I don’t know what will.

Subsequent responses by Nick Kristof, Melissa Harris-Perry and the ABC OpEd aired last month have solidified the issue as the hottest fashion in injustice this season.

Soon we will have rubber bracelets and hipster t-shirts-all the accoutrement for a good fall trend.

Forgive the term, but without action, all of this is social action masturbation. We feel good that we are battling an injustice-but what have we done other than join the outrage? It is a critical first step, but cannot be the last one.

As Jews, we are called to act. Deuteronomy 16:20-Justice justice though shalt pursue. It is not a passive command but a rigorously active one. So what do we do? There are four ways of engaging in justice work:

1. Educate yourself and others about the issue and HOW TO GET INVOLVED because this is happening to 250-500 new GIRLS each month in every city 15-20 times per night just to meet the demand.

2. Donate funds to organizations you trust who are will be worth ambassadors for you in fighting this fight (check out trafficking.openjewishproject.com for a list of organizations)

3. Volunteer with a group and in a way that feels comfortable for you in your community

4. Advocate for laws which will help make a change such as Trafficking Victims Protection Reallocations Act (TVPRA) which is poised to lose funding any second now. To pass this critical bill out of the Senate, your sign on is needed. Click here to encourage your Senators to push this through especially if you live in Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Alabama, South Carolina, or Arizona where there has been the most resistance.

Nationwide there is a three-pronged attacked: Educate law enforcement so they know the girls are the victims not the villains. Increase services for victims of trafficking. Reduce the demand for paid for sex. So join the trend. “Like” the fan page, learn more about it, get involved!

Rabbi Rachael Bregman is an alum of Clal's Rabbis Without Borders fellowship. She's the founder of the Open Jewish Project and a rabbi at The Temple in Atlanta.

Could Toronto Blue Jays Choose Rabbi As Manager?

2012-11-15T19:38:00.000-05:00

WHILE THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS have already been having an active off-season with some big potential trades, the baseball talk in Toronto's Jewish community has to do with the team's next manager.

Zev Icyk is currently studying at the Rabbinical College of America, one of the largest Chabad Lubavitch yeshivas. Located in Morristown, N.J., the 25-year-old has bigger plans than just becoming another Chabad rabbi. He's interested in getting an offer to be the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays next season.

Originally from Thornhill, Ontario, Icyk is a lifelong Toronto Blue Jays fan. He's also got some baseball experience. He even threw a no-hitter playing for his college team. He pitched for the Canadian Thunderbirds under coach Allan (Tex) Montgomery, and attended Muscatine Community College in Iowa in 2008-09 as Warren Icyk.

According to the Toronto Sun, Icyk wrote in an email to the Blue Jays organization, explaining: "I have drive, motivation, experience and personality to take the Jays where Alex Anthopoulos wants them to go... The Jays would be the most aggressive and exciting team in the bigs. I am the only rabbi in the world with the ability to manage in the majors."

Zev Icyk will soon be ordained as a Chabad rabbi, but he's willing to put that aside if the Toronto Blue Jays want him as their new manager.

Icyk said, "I just got married. My wife Sara asked, 'why devote your life to baseball since you were three years old and not apply?' If I can get an interview with Mr. Alex Anthopoulos, I'll be on a plane to Toronto the next day."

While the future rabbi is a long shot (okay, he's not shot) to become a manager in Major League Baseball, it does make for a great story. If nothing else, the Blue Jays should comp him a few tickets for next season (no Shabbos games!) and let him throw out a ceremonial first pitch.

Rabbi Jason Miller is the co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog. He's an educator, entrepreneur and blogger from Metro Detroit. He blogs at Blog.RabbiJason.com and is on Twitter at @RabbiJason.

The Downfall of David Petraeus and Why Leaders Disappoint

2012-11-14T09:41:00.002-05:00

TWO DAYS AGO MY COLLEAGUE, Rabbi Amy Small, wrote a powerful piece putting the news glut on the David Petraeus scandal into perspective as neighborhoods continue to reel after Hurricane Sandy and many are still without light or heat in their homes. While I wholeheartedly agree with her call for priorities, particularly when it comes to what gets the media’s attention and our own, I find myself reflecting on the Petraeus case this week, and looking at another aspect of the story. I think it is because I can empathize with many who feel such disappointment in a man who was held in such high esteem.

And what I notice is that it is not unusual in these situations, when the esteemed fall off the pedestal that we have put them on, for our society to take things to the other extreme. Disgust is expressed; more than disappointment, so often the whole being and legacy of an individual is put down and not just the specific behavior that is the focus of attention. I’ve noticed many commentators on the radio and TV in recent days questioning Petraeus’ judgment on all matters, given his clear poor judgment on the matter of an illicit relationship.

My reflections and empathy stem, I think, from my own experience of watching an admired teacher fall from grace. When it happened, it also involved inappropriate relations that, as is so often the situation with men in positions of power and influence, were largely inappropriate because of the unequal power relations involved. While it was questionable whether the behaviors were illegal, there was no question that they were morally and spiritually deeply flawed.

How do we react when someone we have learned from and admire acts in a way that deeply disappoints or, more, causes hurt and harm to others? Is it possible to maintain a connection or a friendship? As a rabbi, should I continue to share wisdom in the name of the teacher I learned from? Should one simply stop speaking of the person, or do we have an obligation to speak out and loudly about their deficiencies so that they become known to all?

Clearly the answers to these questions will depend on the nature of the behavior. Sometimes we must speak out. Sometimes we simply walk away in disappointment.

In my own life I have tried to walk the line, distinguishing between the behavior and the broader legacy, teaching or guidance received. I continue to share the wisdom of my teacher and recognize its value. I do not speak of him, knowing that we live in a society that so often conflates words with personality, and I do not wish to lead others to flock around him. But the line that I try to walk is one where I recognize, with humility, that our leaders who disappoint are often holding up a mirror to our own souls. We may be repulsed, but is it solely because of our leaders’ behavior, or because we are reminded that even people who do great things are flawed human beings?

And, if those we mistakenly placed on pedestals can fall off them so easily, that must surely mean that each and every one of us, even if we think of ourselves as good people, are equally capable of revealing our flaws and weaknesses at any time. And that is a picture we don’t like to look at. So we ostracize and demonize the one, blotting out their good, so that we can more easily label them and their actions as ‘not us.’ But, in the quiet of a moment alone, if we are willing to take a good, hard look in the mirror, we find that its really not quite that simple.

Rachel Gurevitz is a PopJewish.com blogger and the Senior Rabbi of Congregation B'nai Shalom, Westborough, MA.

Hurricane Sandy: Boss Springsteen to the Rescue

2012-11-01T22:02:00.002-04:00

ON FRIDAY NIGHT, WHILE JEWS around the east coast will gather together at Synagogues for their first Shabbat davening since the devastating Hurricane, the pop-culture world will be having their own spiritual experience at the Rockefeller Plaza in NYC. Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Sting and “the Boss” Bruce Springsteen, among others, are headlining a benefit concert to help raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

As someone who grew up in the teeny bopping, R&B and Rap world of Los Angeles, my exposure to these “God's of Rock N Roll” is somewhat limited. Nevertheless, I am most certain that “the Boss” will sing, “My City of Ruins,” a song which he wrote to honor the victims of 9/11 and one which provides inspiration following any tragedy, and certainly in the aftermath of Sandy.

The song highlights different images of people trying to cope with tragedy: the guy depressed to find his congregation gone, “the younger ones on the corner like scattered leaves,” without direction and unable to process the tragedy that unfolded in front of them. The robbers and thieves who use tragedy as an opportunity to exploit others, the fellow that's deep in prayer and is unsure how to proceed and move on with his life. And finally there's a devastated spouse who has lost his life partner. Springsteen exhorts them to “rise up;” to show the resolve, strength, and fortitude to re-focus and put the pieces of their lives back together.

My favorite part of the song is when Springsteen invokes the Biblical imagery of Moshe holding up his hands to the sky as the Jews battled with Amalek, “Vayehi Yadav Emunah,” his hands served as a testimony [of the faith of the Jewish people]: “Now with these hands, I pray Lord, with these hands, for the strength Lord, with these hands, for the faith Lord.”

In times of tragedy it is understandable to have feelings of anger and abandonment towards God. Springsteen encourages us to work past those feelings by explaining that it's specifically during these times of uncertainty when we need to pray to God with greater passion and fervor, both for the strength to continue and to keep the flame of faith alive within us.

In a world where it's so easy to use celebrities, athletes, politicians, and musicians as punching bags, “the Boss” continues to champion important causes and inspire us with timely messages. As a rabbi, it gives me hope that I'll be able to inspire people when I'm 63 years old. I hope that the younger musicians follow his lead and learn to use their prominence to educate and inspire us by emulating the charitable impulses of those who are performing in Friday night's concert.

Rabbi Joshua Hess is co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog and an Orthodox rabbi in Linden, New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiHess.

The New Halloween

2012-10-31T21:51:00.003-04:00

LAST SUNDAY I WENT WITH MY FAMILY to the Bronx Zoo, and suddenly Purim broke out. In the weeks leading up to Halloween, I am used to seeing the paraphernalia all around, and children in costume for weeks on end. However, it seems to me that Halloween has changed. Halloween used to represent cartoonish gore, a mixture of carved-out pumpkins, bats and cobwebs. It used to be Casper the Friendly Ghost. Halloween is now Tim Burton. Walking around the Bronx Zoo, I was struck by how realistic the imagery was. It was replete with tombstones, lifelike corpses and skeletons, and dismembered limbs. It has gone from cute and scary to gory and morbid.

You can now find Halloween depictions like the one below across the country. What has changed? Why has Halloween become so morbid?

When we try to understand the greatness of our patriarch Avraham, we must take into account his social context. The Talmud is Avodah Zarah (19a) explains that Avraham lived during two of the most persuasive societies we have ever seen. He lived during the generation that built the Tower of Bavel, and he rejected their forced collectivity. It wasn’t only Avraham. At the end of Parshat Noach (10:11-12) we learn that Ashur went and built big cities, especially the city of Ninveh, which we know from the book of Jonah. Rashi (quoting the Midrash) says that Ashur saw that his sons were getting swept up in the culture of Nimrod and wanted to join the group building the Tower of Bavel, he decided to pick up his family, move far away and start a new town, a new society. That is why the city of Ninveh was so dear to Hashem and why Jonah was sent to tell them to repent, its origins were pure and holy.

Avraham fought that culture, and then encountered the city of Sodom, a wealthy and influential society that demanded complete loyalty to its ideals. Avraham was able to fight all of this and still be true to his own beliefs and show a willingness to promote them as well.

We might think this is simple, but only because we fail to realize how overpowering society’s beliefs can be. Twenty years ago it was socially acceptable to smoke on airplanes, now it is anathema. We were just as aware of the dangers of smoking twenty years ago, but society’s tolerance for public smoking was much greater.
I think we have seen a societal transformation with Halloween as well. The gruesomeness of modern day Halloween is part of a larger trend. We have taken a collective oath that we will all live forever. It is impolite to look at it any other way. We have become a society that has trouble dealing with death. As chronicled in this Sunday’s New York Times article “The Dead Have Something to Tell You”, we are pushing all forms of death farther and father to the margins of society. We simply don’t encounter death as a part of life, and it is giving us a skewed sense of our own mortality.

When we say that “40 is the new 20” and “60 is the new 40”, we are really showing how terrified we are of aging, and how we want to distance ourselves from our own mortality. This fear of death begins to come out in other ways, and our fear of our own mortality begins to seep into our culture. We might deny its existence, or turn it into a game or even a joke, thereby bringing our fears to light is a way that protects our fragile state of mind. Video games have become shockingly graphic in their violence, and movies are in a constant competition of one-upsmanship in who can create the most realistic and gory film.

Halloween has followed the same pattern. Our growing fear and discomfort with death have given rise to the morbid Halloween. No matter how bizarre and inappropriate it seems. When we don’t encounter death in our lives, and aren’t at peace with our mortality, then those fears come out in these bizarre ways.

The horrific tragedy that happened last week to the Krim family took place a block from our Shul. Many people in our community either knew them or have surely passed them on the streets. We all just encountered death in a very real and tragic way. It is unconscionable to me that less than a week after this tragedy people will walk the street celebrating death and having fun. It is truly twisted and perverse.

There was a young woman in my community in San Francisco who was diagnosed with having severe seizures, and she lived her life never knowing when the next one would come. She was painfully aware of her mortality. She was the happiest person I ever met. Her glowing smile never left her face. She came to every Torah class, volunteered for every Chessed opportunity and worked harder than anyone I have ever known. At the tender age of 26 she died in her sleep. At her funeral I read something she had written on her Facebook page, that teaches us all that to really live life, you need to have a healthy understanding that you will not live forever.

She wrote:

You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz is Rabbi of the West Side Institutional Synagogue in Manhattan. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiStrul.

Big Bird and Binders

2012-10-18T22:18:00.002-04:00

LAST NIGHT I WAS on a cross country flight from LA on Virgin America, and on the entertainment system MSNBC and Fox News were on consecutive channels. I flipped between them to listen to their reaction to Tuesday night’s debate, and you might be surprised to hear that each network had a very different take on who won the debate.

After about ten minutes of blatant partisan salesmanship, in which they lauded the performance of their preferred candidate without a single mention of a misstep, I turned it off out of fear that otherwise I would attempt to poke my eyes out with a plastic fork. It was a close call.

Election season seems to have gotten more and more difficult to stomach, and social media is abuzz with friends and family offering their opinions on the election. The political debate dissolves into memes and catch phrases, “Big Bird”, “the Binder”, or “texts from Hillary Clinton”. Debate coverage focuses on body language and how “Presidential” the candidates seem.Has our political system gone out of control?

In this week’s Parsha, Parshat Noach, we see the fate of Noach’s generation was sealed because of “Chamas”. Rashi quotes the Talmud (Sanhedrin 108a) and explains this term to mean that the final straw was a generation of theft, where everyone was either openly or surreptitiously stealing from one another. While idol worship and sexual immorality had already been rampant and reached unfathomable levels, the world still had hope. However, once society was no longer safe, once lawlessness had engulfed humanity, there was no longer any hope and Hashem brought the flood.

The Talmud explains (Sanhedrin 56b) that there are seven Mitzvot non-Jews are expected to keep, and by doing so earn a place in the “World to Come”. They are referred to as the “Seven Mitzvot of the sons of Noach”:

1. Prohibition of Idolatry
2. Prohibition of Murder
3. Prohibition of Theft
4. Prohibition of Sexual immorality
5. Prohibition of Blasphemy
6. Prohibition of eating flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive
7. Establishment of courts of law

The name is very telling, it is the sons of Noach that are commanded to promote these concepts to the world. The establishment of a just legal system, even one that is not in any way based in Jewish Law, is a prerequisite for a moral society. The desire to acquire money and power at all costs makes a just legal system precarious even in our times. The stark contrast of the American elections and the Syrian massacres could not be more telling. Bashar Al-Assad’s brutal regime illuminates how far someone will go to maintain their power; the murder of tens of thousands of his own citizens is not nearly as important to him as his own power.

In America, our leaders are forced to concede that their power is limited. That no matter how successful they are, eventually they must willingly hand over the reins. It goes against the strongest of human instincts, but we have created a social contract that will not allow it any other way. It is truly the power of the people.
This creates an entirely different dynamic. The candidates end of pandering to voters, making promises they can’t keep and flip flopping on issues depending on whose votes they need. A politician’s job is to get elected, and often truth, integrity and even dignity are sacrificed in the name of that goal. It can be easy to lose sight of the glory of this process. They have to beg for our votes. They need to convince us, so ultimately the power remains in the hands of the people. We can’t lose sight of how rare this has been throughout human history.

So enjoy these next three weeks. The smear campaigns, the vicious attack ads, and even the partisan politics. Ultimately they are the sign of a healthy republic, and a nation living up to the “Seven laws of the sons of Noach”

Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz is an Orthodox rabbi who built the first eruv in San Francisco. He has also founded the "Jewish Ethics and the Internet" program. Follow him on Twitter at @RabbiStrul.

Gangnam Style is More Than a Horse Dance

2012-10-16T08:20:00.000-04:00

‘GANGNAM STYLE’ HAS BEEN all the rage for quite some time now and deservedly so. It's got a great beat, a Korean singer whose nickname is short for psycho, and a ridiculous dance. It shows you how far our society has evolved since the Macarena that we all clumsily danced to some 17 years ago. But in the area where the song truly excels, it has fallen on deaf ears.

“Gangnam style” is a satire not only about this ritzy neighborhood in Korea that according to PSY is very fancy and professional during the day, but has crazy parties at night, but about every neighborhood and community in which people are wholly enveloped in the pursuit of wealth. PSY reminds us all that life is meaningless when our thoughts, aspirations, and actions are centered on money. The song also laments the fact that even when we are fortunate enough to attain financial stability and flexibility, all too often, we do not know what to do with our wealth and end up spending it frivolously, without thinking or prioritizing. The music video does a great job of capturing the emptiness of it all, along with the other quirkiness and craziness. (For a great explanation of the song, check out the blog, ‘My Dear Korea.’) Apparently, Korean's spend more money on a latte at Starbucks than on a meal. Yikes.

PSY has attracted upwards of 80,000 fans to his concerts and hundreds of millions of viewers of his YouTube video who scream the lyrics of Gangnam Style on the rooftops while doing the horse dance. I wonder, however, how many of his fans have internalized the song’s message that we need to unify around values of justice, peace, cooperation, and the pursuit of other noble causes. When our lives revolve around money, the world devolves into one that is completely self-centered, arrogant, petty, disingenuous, and fractured.

Don't take my word for it or PSY’s for that matter; King Solomon said it better than we ever could, especially because he amassed more wealth than we will ever earn. In the second chapter of Ecclesiastes, he recalls all that he has acquired. “I acted in grand style: (maybe he was the biblical version of Gangnam style, dancing the epic dance of his time.....the Hora.) I built myself houses, I planted vineyards...I amassed silver and gold for myself....thus I grew and surpassed any of my predecessors in Jerusalem....then I looked at all the things that I had done and the energy I had expended in doing them; it was clear that it was all futile.”

All the money in the world didn’t satisfy King Solomon. Spending it lavishly didn’t evoke feelings of accomplishment and achievement. The Jewish community should take note. Our Birthday parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvah’s, weddings and other celebrations have often become way too excessive and unnecessarily elaborate. Even Hollywood, home to the most frivolous of spenders, has taken note of and mocked our craziness when it released the film “Keeping up with the Stein’s” a few years back.

Here in the United States, we are still in a recession and many of our friends and neighbors are suffering economically. But regardless of our financial status, we have to ask ourselves whether our lifestyles and spending habits are consistent with Jewish values? Are they rooted in acts of charity, social justice, equality, and spirituality or are we living life predicated on the values of “Oppan Gangnam Style?” Are we ready to join PSY in the quest for meaning in life, or are we content chasing the “holy dollar?”

Please don’t misunderstand me. There's nothing wrong with people earning a ‘good’ living or even amassing a fortune. Without such people, it would be impossible to support the poor and the many worthy organizations that benefit from the contributions of the generous philanthropists among us. The problem lies in the attitude of those individuals who believe that their lives are defined by their ability to make and spend money. We can do better.

As we continue to sing along with PSY, perfect the horse dance, and scream “Oppan Gangnam Style,” for a few more weeks before the craze is finally over (apparently it ended a few days ago, according to CNN), don’t forget about his challenge to us to find real meaning in life. And as Jews, let’s consider King Solomon’s final words of Ecclesiastes as our answer: “the sum of the matter, when all has been considered: Fear God and keep his commandments, for that is man’s whole duty.”

Rabbi Joshua Hess is an Orthodox rabbi in Linden, New Jersey. He is the co-founder of the PopJewish.com blog and is on Twitter at @RabbiHess.