Reposted with thanks to Times of israel Although the burkini affair was definitely put to rest by France’s highest administrative court, it left many Americans wondering about the level of islamophobia in France. Understandably, the media coverage relied heavily on the voices of influential French Muslim activists who have been at the forefront of the fight against islamophobia. The message of these activists has been especially damaging to the French
There are moments and meals that leave an indelible mark. For me, a semi-recent one was a breakfast meeting that I had with Wexner classmate Ron Beller (SF 14) and Noa Kushner, the seriously cool and brave Founding Rabbi of The Kitchen in San Francisco. This defining discussion took place in April of 2015 at a now-defunct diner in San Francisco — we were meant to be discussing The Kitchen’s
Dec 2016
Reposted with thanks to The Times of Israel Cohen was not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet. He was actually the son of a beloved Jewish Montreal family and the grandson of a religious man with whom he used to study the prophets — the Book of Isaiah to be exact — in the original Hebrew. But in his way, as much as rock and roll and
I know many in the Wexner network are working to fight BDS on campus, so I thought I'd share this article with the story of how my wife and I pushed back at the pro-BDS forces at UCLA. We have to shift the agenda on these campuses any way we can. This was my only leverage with the University so I used it. I’m sure there are many more creative
Nov 2016
After attending an absolutely shocking BDS seminar, I decided to create a pro-Israel comic to educate people through humor. Having worked as a prosecuting attorney, I appreciate zealous advocacy, however, through my life experience, I have come to see that often humor is actually more effective. When I argue facts that I feel unquestionably defend Israeli actions or policy in my own liberal community, people just tune me out and
Nov 2016
From left to right: Rachel Tevet-Wiesel (WSL '15), Ram Shmueli, WIF Alum (Class 11), Noam Tibon, WIF Alum (Class 13) and Sharon Avraham-Weiss, WIF Alum (Class 23). Israel’s Wexner Leadership Forum provides an excellent opportunity for connecting with colleagues from the various Wexner programs, including American alumni living in or visiting Israel. We meet twice yearly — in the spring and fall — to discuss public policy and leadership issues in Israel,
Nov 2016
Even in times of change and uncertainty there is always room for gratitude. Last week more than 100 Wexner alumni came together for a video call of healing following the negativity and divisiveness of the 2016 U.S. election. As we near the end of this difficult year, we look to the coming days where we will join with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. As with many Jewish holidays, Thanksgiving
Nov 2016
I’m staring intently at one of the 40" flat screen TV’s in a standing-room only sports bar in Skokie, IL, and I stand out like a sore thumb. In the mob surrounding me, every soul, patron and server, is laden with Cubs gear. I, on the other hand, am wearing a blue blazer, dress shirt, slacks… and my Red Sox hat. I didn’t think ahead when packing for this business
After months of a caustic US election cycle, American Jews woke up on November 9th (or let’s face it, a lot of us didn’t ever fall asleep on the 8th) to face a dramatic shift in the sociopolitical direction of our country. On the 12th, thousands of us convened in Washington, DC for JFNA’s annual GA conference. I’ve attended the GA a few times before, and, while political topics are
Nov 2016
In the next week our constituents will be receiving a copy of The Wexner Foundation's just released More than Managing: The Relentless Pursuit of Jewish Leadership, published by Jewish Lights, an imprint of Turner Publishing. This book of essays, written by a sampling of alumni, faculty and friends of our programs, was curated and edited by longtime friend and faculty member Rabbi Dr. Lawrence Hoffman. This article serves as an