LABA 
by, Mindy Pfeffer LABA fellow 2021 As a Sesame Street song says – one of these things is not like the other… Katherine Switzer became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as anofficially registered competitor – in 1967. She had to register with her initialsinstead of her first name because women were not
by Rebecca S’manga Frank, 2021 LABA Fellow Thank you Gil Scott Heron (not me) for the reminder that whatever the revolution is, it does not happen in a virtual world from home. That means that revolutionary change would appear to be hamstrung by the Covid-19 pandemic, but not necessarily so. There are at least two
By, Laura Beatrix Newmark, Director of LABA NY Welcome to a new year of LABA. A new year of ancient questions and modern realities. A new year of investigating the core tenet of much of Judaism, to ask questions, and that very elusive concept of choice and chosenness. This is a year like no other,
By Laura Beatrix Newmark, Director of LABA NY Hillel said many things in his lifetime but a particular few lines has gotten more air time in recent years than many other Rabbinic scholars. “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I’m only for myself, who am I? If not now,
by, Ronit Muszkatblit, Director of Arts & Culture, Artistic Director of LABA These days, when I watch a movie, or a video of a dance or theater piece, the first thing that strikes me is that I am watching a world from the past: the people are in crowded rooms together, they are hugging, touching
by LABA Rabbinic Fellow Kendell Pinkney Several years ago, I was fortunate to travel to Stockholm with a group of young American and European Jewish lay leaders and entrepreneurs to take part in a Jewish life program. The program was described as a week-long intensive where we would discuss “big Jewish ideas,” study with renowned
JEWISH ARTISTS & MUSEUMS LAUNCH GROUNDBREAKING DWELLING IN A TIME OF PLAGUES. Coinciding with the Jewish holidays of Sukkot and Passover, outdoor artinstallations — in Portland, Ore., LA, Tucson and New York — respond to contemporary crises. At a time when artists, along with countless others, are facingunprecedented challenges as a result of the global
LABA Rabbinic Intern Kendell Pinkney interrogates the meaning of America today. ‘I wish I could be optimistic,’ I uttered hesitatingly, my eyes more pinned to the ground than on the faces arrayed across my computer screen, ‘but to be real, I think I am done with the American Project.’ As soon as the words dribbled
LABA Fellow Anna Lublina takes a thorough look at the intersection between humor and the theatrical. When Sarah laughs at the Lord in Genesis, whose power is stronger? Is God wielding power as he tells Sarah that she will become pregnant in her 90s? Or does Sarah assert her power as she laughs, publicly expressing
LABA Fellow Charlie Buckholtz writes about his experience giving free advice as both a standup comic and a rabbi. I’d felt for a while that I was stuck in my standup, and it sucked. I mean for one thing…I was doing standup! Writing jokes and stories I thought were funny and getting up on open