“The Tinderbox” — Documentary Looks at Israel/Palestine Conundrum With a shift in American and Israeli leadership, the armed hostilities between the Israeli government and Hamas in May, and street riots within mixed Israeli cities, Diaspora Jews are beginning to question the traditionally accepted narratives. Into the fray has stepped Gillian…

I was in search of an open post office when I saw her. Despite the mask, I recognized the candidate from a recent Bronx City Council debate that impressed me with her demeanor and energy. “Mino Lora?” I asked tentatively. “Yes,” she replied. I requested an interview on the spot…

Lilly Rivlin: Artist as Truth Seeker Every era has its moments that are written and evaluated by “historians.” Creatives capture those same events through the prism of nuance, drama, and emotion. Lilly Rivlin, now 84, is one such artist. A contemporary of pioneering feminists, she was on the ground to…

For most American Jews, the occupied Palestinian territories exist as an abstraction. Their towns are names that are heard on the news, often in a negative context. Director David Osit shifts that narrative in his new documentary “Mayor.” Osit follows the daily schedule of Musa Hadid, who presides over Ramallah…

During the month of Elul, in preparation for Rosh Hashanah, it is tradition to take stock of where we stand as individuals and communities in the moral universe. It is with pride that Reform congregations around the country have engaged in social justice actions. This includes efforts on prison reform…

When Annette Bening and Bill Nighy are featured in a film examining the dissolution of a marriage, expectations are high. In “Hope Gap,” there are truths presented, questions to be parsed, and beautiful seascapes featuring white cliffs. Yet, something remains off. The opening interior scenes feel like a filmed play…

Just in time for the exacerbated stress and anxiety brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, a new documentary, The Mindfulness Movement (originally slated for theater release) is available to stream online or buy. The 100-minute film, co-produced by Deepak Chopra and the musician Jewel, gives an introduction to using the…

Carrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge is author Sheila Weller’s newest addition to her body of work, which is often situated at the crossroads between women’s issues and cultural observation. In previous books, Weller examined several women through the prism of music and media. With her biography of…

I decided to travel to Washington, D.C. for the J Street Conference on the day that Donald Trump coined the moniker, “Disloyal Jews.” I was looking for answers and insights. I found plenty. J Street has been on my radar since its inception. I interviewed founder Jeremy Ben-Ami in 2008…