Judaism

If the allegations are true, I’ll be deeply saddened and, frankly, pissed. Pissed because someone who supposedly represents Orthodox Judaism as a spiritual leader ignored its principles. Pissed because his actions are inevitably associated with a community with which I identify. Pissed because his identity as a rabbi implies that his behavior is OK within our value system. It’s not.

As kids, we like our world to be black and white. We want good guys to don capes and bad guys to twirl mustaches. We prefer answers from our parents like “yes” and “no” instead of the far more mystifying “maybe.”

Three experts discussed religion’s role in Israel-Palestine conflicts Wednesday night at UC Berkeley. The discussion was organized by the Olive Tree Initiative, a student- and faculty-founded group with chapters on five UC campuses.

Potential danger aside, I am a true lover of religion, even though I consider myself an atheist at this particular moment in time. My interest in religion stems from a long and complicated history in which people, places and dramas have left an indelible mark on my religious identity.