Freshman Finds Comfort in Jewish Community
“There are Jews in Nebraska?” said my new roommate, smiling at me with oblivious enthusiasm. “There’s a small community,” I said, thinking back to the intimate Jewish cohort of 16 I grew…
COVID Aliyah
In August 2020, despite global lockdowns, travel restrictions, and the rampant spread of COVID-19, I…
Freshman Finds Comfort in Jewish Community
“There are Jews in Nebraska?” said my new roommate, smiling at me with oblivious enthusiasm.…
COVID Aliyah
In August 2020, despite global lockdowns, travel restrictions, and the rampant spread of COVID-19, I had the unique opportunity to take a gap year and study at a yeshiva, a program for post-high school students to pursue Judaic studies in…
Freshman Finds Comfort in Jewish Community
“There are Jews in Nebraska?” said my new roommate, smiling at me with oblivious enthusiasm. “There’s a small community,” I said, thinking back to the intimate Jewish cohort of 16 I grew up going to synagogue with. Being raised in…
Return to Campus Spaces
For students coming back to Jewish spaces at UCLA, return has meant an exciting redefinition of places like Hillel and the Bayit, as well as challenges with attendance and community. During one Friday night dinner in the beginning of the…
Abolhassan Banisadr: A Power-Hungry President
In France, 88-year-old Abolhassan Banisadr died from a long illness on Saturday, October 9, 2021. After supporting Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Banisadr became Iran’s first elected president in February of 1980 but was shortly impeached and fled to France following an…
At Home at UCLA
On a humid Westwood night, my roommates, Mai and Chelsea, and I were walking back to our dorm. Our stomachs ached with laughter and our bellies were full from a night out. “Which way should we take home?” Mai asked.…
How to Succeed on Final Exams
As courses transition to an in-person format, students must adjust to the different testing conditions. Gone are the days of taking a final exam in bed on your laptop. More importantly, gone are the days of taking a final exam…
Jews in the Civil Rights Movement
On March 21, 1965, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marched from Selma to Mongtomery, Alabama in order to support voting rights for African Americans. Next to him stood Rabbi Abraham Joshua Herschel, a Jewish theologian who faced Nazi perseuction…
A Coalition to End the Reign of Prime Minister Netanyahu?
Israel’s democratic fever dream has almost broken. After four elections in two years, a coalition government finally seems poised to end the 12 year reign of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The proposed coalition could give Israel a semblance of stability…
No Action Taken Against Anti-Semitism on Social Media
Social media runs our lives. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, our phones are bombarded with notifications from various social media sites. We spend an average of over two hour a day on…
Valley Of Tears: A Somber Look at the Yom Kippur War
Earlier this year, as I was doing my patriotic duty by socially distancing and scrolling through HBO Max, I found myself watching an Israeli war series titled Valley of Tears. The show focuses on the Yom Kippur War, a traumatic…
Conflict Rises Between Israel and Gaza
Violence intensified between the Israeli government and Hamas on Tuesday, May 11, after Hamas fired initial rockets. More than 83 Palestinians in Gaza and six Israelis were killed as a result of this ongoing conflict, according to “The New York…
The Mizrahi Black Panthers of Israel
When considering civil rights in Israel you would be remiss to not focus on the treatment of Palestinians, and their relationship with Israelis. But this year marks the 50th anniversary of a different civil rights movement, one that pitted Israeli…
Let There Be Light: What to Watch During Passover Holidays
That special time of year has come again. Seder plates, cups of Maneshevitz, and whacking families members with onions during Dayenu fill our homes every March. As a child, my cousins and I loved searching for the Afikomen, a half-piece…
Historical Ha’Am: “30 Year After and the Threefold Identity of Iranian-American Jews” By Diane Bani-Esraili
In “30 Year After and the Threefold Identity of Iranian-American Jews,” Diane Beni-Esraili explores the dual identities Iranian-american Jews and the struggles of representing her countries, ethnicities, and her faith. Beni-Esraili explains the importance of taking an active role in…
Historical Ha’Am: “Gay and Orthodox: A Struggle for Religious Rights” By Yona Remer
It is always hard to balance different identities especially when facing discrimination. In “Gay and Orthodox: A Struggle for Religious Rights,” Yona Remer discusses the struggles of homosexual Orthodox Jews and their fight to be accepted. Remer explores the discrimination…
Hope Concerning COVID-19
As time goes on, promising developments have occurred in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. Listed below are some recent developments in regards to COVID treatment and prevention. According to MayoClinic, there is one effective FDA-approved medication to treat COVID-19 and…
Jewish Representation in Hollywood
Midge Maisel, Schmitt, and Larry David have all found their ways into our homes. I watched Seinfeld as a kid on my television and streamed “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “New Girl” on my laptop, like many others. I learned…
2021: A Promised Land for American Jews?
With 2020 in the rearview mirror, it is a good opportunity to look at what 2021 holds politically for American Jews. 2020 saw the (current) best chance for a Jewish president fizzle out in March, when Bernie Sanders suffered primary…
Media to Watch and Look Forward to in 2021
New year, new media. As we wait for the fate of the world, new movies and books are being released and TV shows renewed. Here is a list of some Jewish related media to look out for: Movies: “Wonder Woman…
Fourth Time’s the Charm: the Upcoming Israeli Election
Israelis will cast their ballots on March 23 in the country’s fourth early election in the past two years. The election was spurred after two major parties, Likud and the Israel Resilience Party, failed to reach an agreement over state…
Health Resources
We know this is a difficult time for many people. In light of that, we have compiled a list of resources offered by UCLA to students. A full list of resources including on campus, online/phone, peer, and community services for…
Op-Ed: The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain Treaty
When the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain announced that they were opening diplomatic ties with Israel, the first thing that came to mind was how massive this landmark deal is. The twin announcements doubled the number of Arab countries that…
Covid Forces the Closure of Jewish Newspapers Nationwide
For over 30 years, the Jewish Journal opened the floodgates of information for the Jewish community. They published weekly print editions, and typically included a feature piece, an in-depth story, or occasionally profile, on a historic event or person on…
Exploring the Jewish-Owned Delis of Los Angeles
North Beverly Drive. Pico. Fairfax. The homes Nate ’n Al’s, Factor’s Famous Deli, and Canter’s Deli respectively. During my time in quarantine and in the spirit of supporting Jewish-owned businesses, I explored the closest Jewish delicatessens the LA area had…
Escaping the Zoom-verse
If you’re like most of us, you have spent 2020 with your butt glued to a chair, brain numb, eyes glazed over, staring at a screen that now encompasses your entire universe. This universe, or Zoom-verse, is where you conduct…
It’s never a bad time to bake. Here are some recipes to try out at home!
Whether you bake for fun, to de-stress, for friends and family, or just to eat delicious goods we understand your need to bake. So here are some fun recipes to try out, and eat too! Want something with chocolate? Smitten…
Conspiracies Have Reached The Mainstream
Conspiracy theories used to be a joke in society, fun stories that tried to explain world events in a convoluted way that assigned meaning to trivial details. People who believed in things that weren’t based on facts or science, such…
“Off UCLA”: Jewish Resources, Organizations, and Events available during COVID-19
The pandemic has not only changed most students’ lives it has also changed the way Jewish communities on campus operate. Generally, pre-Covid, Jewish organizations such as; OU-JLIC, Hillel, Chabad and JAM would be a safe haven and a place for…
COVID Revives Kavanah: A Personal Jewish Journey
Every Friday night, I would eat Shabbat dinner with my family. And every Saturday morning, we would arrive at our temple ‘fashionably’ late –– before the Rabbi’s sermon but after the start of the Haftarah. Always on PST: ‘Persian Standard…
Kosovo, Serbia and Malawi Open Embassies In Jerusalem
Three more countries have announced they will open embassies in Jerusalem in the coming months. Serbia is planning to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, following the precedent set by the United States and Donald Trump. Malawi and…
Return to the Orient: my experience as an Asian in Hebrew class
In ”Return to the Orient: my experience as an Asian in Hebrew class” Martin Chen, a contributing writer to Ha’Am, recounts his experience as a non-Jewish student in a Hebrew language class at UCLA. Chen writes about why he chose…