Author: David Rutman

It’s becoming increasingly clear that when it comes to geopolitical bellicosity, there is no word for “Uncle” in Arabic or Farsi. In its war with Iran, the United States is learning what Israel has long known about its Islamist enemies: perpetually locked and loaded in apocalyptic, messianic, end-of-days dreamscapes, they will respond to total defeats […]

How does a rabbi become an author? Rabbi Moshe Engel described his unique route. “Many years ago, when I was 50, I decided I am going to write a book,” the retired 78-year-old teacher said. “The book was going to be about positive thinking because I had an excellent story about the subject,” which he […]

Jewish Federation Los Angeles’ annual Interfaith Passover seder, held March 10 at the Ebell of Los Angeles, brought together civic leaders, clergy, elected officials and community partners from across Los Angeles to reflect on the holiday’s timeless theme: Taking the path toward freedom is a collective act. Co-organized by Los Angeles City Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky, […]

Dave Cowen’s Passover Seder is one his guests are unlikely to forget. This is not the traditional evening of long, formal passages, often written in an biblical or liturgical Hebrew that can feel distant and difficult to understand even by Hebrew speakers. Instead, it moves at a lively pace, loosens the traditional structure, and blends […]

In “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” Thomas C. Foster explains that “Flight is freedom.” Whether it’s the ancient myths of Icarus, Disney’s Peter Pan, or Superman’s many adventures, flight is often associated with freedom from cages, be they physical, spiritual or emotional. And yet, in the story of Exodus, the epitome of the […]

Long before artificial intelligence entered film sets and editing rooms, director Stuart Acher spent time thinking about the future. His favorite film was “Back to the Future,” the 1985 box office hit about time travel and alternate timelines, and featured flying cars and hovering skateboards. For Acher, the film remains his north star on storytelling […]

The Islamist terrorists who struck in Michigan, Virginia, and New York last week didn’t know each other. They didn’t belong to the same terrorist group. And they attacked three very different types of targets. But they had one important thing in common: they didn’t fit the stereotypical profile of a terrorist. For years, certain politicians, […]

After teaching first grade for 43 years at the Hebrew Academy in Long Beach before retiring, and raising a family of seven children and many grandchildren, Rabbi Moishe Y. Engel did something new this year: he will be publishing his first book, “Shabbos in a Gas Station, and Other Personal Inspirational Stories.” Not only that […]

Sinai Akiba Academy celebrated community, leadership and philanthropy at its Masquerade Ball Gala on Feb. 21, honoring school leaders Jessica and Brad Smiedt and alumnus Jonah Platt. Wearing glittering masquerade ball masks and black-tie attire, members of the Sinai Akiba community gathered for an evening dedicated to the school’s mission and the individuals whose leadership […]

Celibacy used to be a religious relic; now it is a lifestyle choice. In a 2018 article for The Atlantic, Kate Julian reported on what she called a “sex recession.” In it, she cited multiple studies that document a significant decline in sexual relationships among young people. More recent studies confirm that this decline is […]