Both Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are, in fact, holidays about tension between cultures. Both offer opportunities to celebrate our Americanness as well as our ethnic distinctiveness.
Every generation reads Talmud from its own perspective. Rabbi Amy Scheinerman brings her modern perspective to the story of a woman who was refused the cup of blessing.
Civic engagement—ensuring that a congregation’s public actions reflect Jewish values—allows Jews to embrace the values of Torah both inside and outside the synagogue walls.