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1 month ago | 
futureofjewish.com | Ted Goldstein
Future of Jewish is the ultimate newsletter by and for people passionate about Judaism and Israel. Subscribe to better understand and become smarter about the Jewish world. This is a guest essay written by Ted Goldstein, a Jewish poet and educator. You can also listen to the podcast version of this essay on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, YouTube, and Spotify. The siren shattered Shabbat. It was 10:30 in the evening, and we had just started dessert.
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1 month ago | 
open.substack.com | Ted Goldstein
The siren shattered Shabbat. It was 10:30, and we had just started dessert. My hosts, their 15 year old daughter, and I rushed into the shelter. I wasn’t worried so much as I was annoyed. I happened to be in the middle of a particularly good piece of rugelach when the siren went off, and I foolishly forgot to bring it with me. My tea, I knew, was getting cold. Living in Jerusalem, you get far fewer sirens than the rest of the country.
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1 month ago | 
futureofjewish.com | Ted Goldstein
Future of Jewish is the ultimate newsletter by and for people passionate about Judaism and Israel. Subscribe to better understand and become smarter about the Jewish world. This is a guest essay written by Ted Goldstein, a Jewish poet and educator. You can also listen to the podcast version of this essay on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, YouTube, and Spotify. I am the luckiest Jewish educator who ever lived. The yeshiva I taught in was half Ashkenazi and half Sephardic, mostly Persian.
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Sep 3, 2024 | 
tedgoldstein.substack.com | Ted Goldstein
An American citizen was murdered by terrorists four days ago. The American president has been silent everyday since. In times of great national crisis, we expect our leaders to show up. We expect our leaders to stand before the nation and speak to us. We expect their presence. But Biden has been anything but present for American Jews. Sadly, his silence on Hersh’s death is just another betrayal in a long train of neglect. I take great pride in my American citizenship.
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Jul 19, 2024 | 
tedgoldstein.substack.com | Ted Goldstein
This week’s Torah portion is one of the strangest in the entire Torah. Parashat Balak tells the story of an antisemitic king named Balak who hires a sorcerer named Bilaam to curse the Jewish people.
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Jan 20, 2024 | 
tedgoldstein.substack.com | Ted Goldstein
Only a monster could look at the devastation in Gaza and not be moved to tears. And only a fool could look at it and blame Israel. Hamas, in addition to all of the unspeakable crimes they have committed against the Jewish people, has committed an even greater crime against their own – they have turned innocent Palestinian people into politically expendable propaganda pieces.
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Nov 29, 2023 | 
tedgoldstein.substack.com | Ted Goldstein |lost Romance
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedI’ve staked my life on losing hands, On failed business, and lost Romance,I’ve lost much more than twenty grand, Chasing dreams, without a plan. I’ve split tens, facing a six, Just because, I like the risk, In a world, where wise men sit, I’d rather play, and take the hit.
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Nov 23, 2023 | 
tedgoldstein.substack.com | Ted Goldstein |To march
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedAnd what if it were me,Postered on a wall,Face to a faceless street,Watching people making calls? I swear I’ve seen their faces,Once or twice before,I recognize her braces,I know I’ve heard him snore. And though I can’t quite place it, This thought can’t be ignored,They could be my relations,The posters they have torn. And what if it were I?
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Nov 14, 2023 | 
tedgoldstein.substack.com | Ted Goldstein
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedThe truth is a violent truth, but truth is not violence. Violence is the intent to harm, and truth has no intentions. We may intend to harm with the truth, but the truth is not the harm. Harm is what comes from violently denying the truth. Denial is the harm. The truth will set you free, but you must freely pay the cost. The truth will not be cheap, but it is cheaper than its loss.
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Nov 8, 2023 | 
tedgoldstein.substack.com | Ted Goldstein
When I was in 10th grade U.S. History, in the middle of one of his historical tirades, Mr. Kodama slammed his hand on the white board. He said: “You kids just don’t get it, do you? You think you want the government to legalize marijuana, and you think the government is going to legalize it because you asked them so nicely, but you’re all fools.
