Author: David Rutman

Ari Frenkel is in the middle of making a feature film titled “See You on the Other Side” that grew out of grief that has not been resolved. The film is unfinished. The production is ongoing. The fundraising continues. Frenkel describes the project as something that began while he was mourning his father and has […]

Julie Menin is the Speaker of the New York City Council, which makes her the highest-ranking Jewish official in a government headed by Mayor Zohran Mandani. As such, she may have the most complicated diplomatic challenge in American politics (Steve Witkoff and Marco Rubio run a close second and third. Rep. Mike Johnson [R-La.] and […]

Two realities coexist today: some settlers are violent – but crying “Settler Violence” distorts, weaponizes and essentializes. The charge slurs all settlers to question Israel’s legitimacy. At 11:25 AM on Nov. 15, A., a 65-year-old lawyer serving his 166th day in reserves since Oct. 7, 2023, received a disturbing report. He was running a war […]

Whenever a subject appears too complex or speculative, think of one word: survival. Whether or when President Trump will attack Iran is one of those agonizing and speculative questions that has much of the world on edge. The stakes are enormous. I’ve read reports that an attack may come any day, and other reports that […]

It’s hard to explain why certain movies move me to the point that I have regular urges to see them again. Why waste time on an old movie you’ve already seen when so many great unseen movies are available with just one click on Amazon Prime? La La Land is one of those films that […]

Halfway through his first year as leader of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center,  Rabbi Josh Ratner told The Journal that “I wanted to try everything before I knew for sure what I wanted to do.” And after five less-than-fulfilling years as a commercial litigator and 14 years after his ordination, the San Diego native […]

Some fathers have to answer questions from their sons about the birds and the bees. But in his new book “Where We Keep the Light” Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro describes his son Max asking if the firebombing of their residence (which took place after the first Seder of Passover) was because they are Jewish. […]

When I was job-hunting some years ago, I interviewed with a national Jewish organization for a position related to Israel education. A senior professional asked me how the emotional connection to Israel he had grown up with could be transmitted to younger generations. I told him that it couldn’t be done, and that I was […]