Dear friends, Tuesday, September 15, was an historic occasion. The Prime Minister of Israel and representatives of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates officially opened normal relations, signing diplomatic agreements at a White House ceremony hosted by President Trump. While full details of what is being called the “Abraham Accords” have yet to be released, this is an important and much welcomed step on the long road to peace in the Middle East. It is, in some ways, sad that such a development is cause for celebration. After all, formally recognizing the existence of a country that is more than seven decades old seems rather trivial. But it’s not a trivial matter at all. It is quite significant: Bahrain and the UAE are only the third and fourth Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel and many experts predict that this will lead to more exciting announcements in the months [...]

In a fascinating, wide-ranging discussion on race in America, China and its Jewish history, and much more, Rabbi Yoshi speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Kaufman, author of The Last Kings of Shanghai and Director of the Northeastern University School of Journalism. LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE

“Whoever destroys a single life is considered by Scripture to have destroyed the whole world, and whoever saves a single life is considered by Scripture to have saved the whole world.” (Mishna Sanhedrin 4:5) Los Angeles and other cities across the United States are experiencing riots and social unrest the likes of which we haven’t seen in decades. Our nation is deeply divided politically, racially, and economically. The situation is exacerbated by a global pandemic with profound consequences to our collective health and economic well-being. And on a more individual level, our hearts are broken as we mourn the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor.  In the face of these challenges and tragedies, our Jewish tradition—as always—provides guidance and perspective. The great 20th century philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas, famously described Judaism as a “religion for adults,” one that focuses primarily on our obligations towards others as opposed to [...]

Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback chats with Dr. Dan Uslan, UCLA Health's Co-Chief Infection Prevention Officer, covering many of your frequently asked questions about the current crisis and how we can support health workers in their life-saving work. DOWNLOAD EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ON YOUR FAVORITE STREAMING SERVICE