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Lighting the Way – By Rabbi Adam Chalom
The Maccabees make complicated heroes. Yes, they stood up for being Jewish against forced assimilation to Greek culture. And yes, they achieved Jewish independence for a hundred years, a model for Jewish self-defense and dignity that resonates even today. At the same time, they were religious fanatics, the haredim of their day: the first person…
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Chanukah: When We Lost And They Won
by Peter Walters Remember Chanukah – dreidels, chocolate coins, latkes, lamp-lighting, all that stuff? Great wasn’t it? One of the really great things about Chanukah is that it’s almost as good as Christmas, but without the whole goy-guilt. Remember how it was put: the time when the few defeated the many; the small beat the great;…
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From Anger to Forgiveness
Several years have past since I wrote about anger during the early part of my journey. These days I am in a good place emotionally, and I have two miracle children, born thanks to advanced medical technology. I don’t hold grudges, but who would I be angry at anyway? I no longer believe God is…
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Chanukkah On My Own Derech
Searching for a way to bring light and meaning to the upcoming Jewish holiday? Here’s a great resource from the Society for Humanistic Judaism: http://www.shj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Hanukkah_eight_lights.pdf
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Four BIG misconceptions about Chanukkah
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Shame
As Baal Teshuvas, we had done everything right, even choosing to make aliyah so we could guarantee our kids a Jewish education. That dream dashed after a year completely opposite of what we’d expected, we came back home to a bad economy and dwindling savings, a good chunk of which went to a year of…
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Anger
I had never been angry enough at God to go against what I thought were his wise teachings. But after my second miscarriage in three years of trying to start a family, I was not simply depressed like the first time. This wasn’t just a random fluke, not only was conceiving a struggle (we had…
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Resentment
At first I had trouble thinking up any sort of resentment I have developed on this journey. In my case, my progression towards my own derech has in no way been caused by anyone in the frum community who may have wronged me, and so generally don’t carry any resentment towards my frum family, rabbanim,…
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Yoni’s Story (Part 3 of 3)
What was it like for you to lose your faith? It was very difficult for me to lose my faith. I really did enjoy every aspect of being frum. I enjoyed learning and davening. I liked the frum look. When I was growing up I dreamt of having sons with long, curly payes. I liked…
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Yoni’s Story (Part 2 of 3)
Yoni’s Story (Part 1 of 3) When did your doubts come back again? In my late twenties, I used to help my Kollel by writing fundraising newsletters. Thus, I had access to the Internet in the Kollel’s office. In my down time, I would read anything I found online remotely connected to Judaism or Charedim.…
Got any book recommendations?