Author: David Rutman

Visiting Rabbi Liora Alban and Rabbi Daniel Freedman in their Mid City home, it’s possible to believe they’re newlyweds, even though they’ve been married for four years and it’s been 11 and a half years since they met. “What’s special about being married to a rabbi,” Rabbi Freedman said, “is that we aren’t able to […]

Rashi’s 11th-century commentary to the Torah is so central that it has almost merged with the text in our consciousness. Rabbi Shlomo Luria declared in the 16th century that Rashi’s work is the best “translation” of the text, and people should study it weekly alongside the parsha. And “Chumash-Rashi” (with the hyphen barely pronounced) was […]

Let’s talk about hindsight, about expectations and actuality, about adaptation, about adjustments. Let’s talk about three theaters of war: Gaza, Lebanon, Iran. And let’s admit that an uncomfortable situation is still very much the reality in all three theaters. Two months after the Gaza war ended, the Israeli public is well aware that total victory […]

Does Paul Simon have a soft spot for killers? The iconic singer-songwriter this week signed a petition demanding freedom for the Palestinian Arab terrorist Marwan Barghouti, a convicted multiple-murderer. Barghouti is currently in an Israeli prison for his role in five murders. In 2001, he sent terrorists to ambush motorists on the outskirts of Jerusalem; […]

In 1944, in her final act of defiance, Hannah Senesh refused to be blindfolded. She wanted the men who executed her to look her in the eyes. Before that, she could have likely saved her life had she asked for a pardon or been apologetic, yet she brazenly criticized the Hungarian judges presiding over her […]

Frank Gehry, the Los Angeles-based architect whose buildings became iconic landmarks, died on Dec. 5 at his home in Santa Monica. He was 96. Over a career spanning more than 60 years, Gehry designed concert halls, museums, academic buildings and public spaces that shifted how people talked about architecture, Los Angeles and sometimes city planning […]

It’s that time of year again: you have to start thinking about what to get your loved ones for Hanukkah. Thankfully, the Jewish Journal is here to help, even if you’re making a last-minute purchase. Remember, Hanukkah starts the evening of Sunday, December 14 this year and goes until Monday, December 22 this year. Check […]