Journalism
Some of my recent work, organized by category.
Migrants Find a Home Away From Home on Israel’s Sports Fields
Eritrean soccer players, Filipino volleyball players and Sri Lankan cricketers use sports to make a place for themselves in a country that has not always welcomed them with open arms.
Immigrants Celebrate Their ‘Aliyahversaries’
Among Western immigrants, the phenomenon of celebrating the date they arrived in Israel has taken off in recent years.
Samaritans Make Annual Sacrifice – and Preserve a Way of Life
Although there are now less than 800 Samaritans, their Passover sacrifice - set according to calendar different from the mainstream Jewish one - draws an even bigger crowd.
Torah-Based Help for Porn Addicts, Free and Confidential
Jews 'caught in the shmutz' and unable to shake off the 'yetzer hara' can find support with Guard Your Eyes. It will even snitch to the rabbi for you.
Church for Migrants in South Tel Aviv Denied Tax Exemption
Houses of worship in Israel are generally exempt from municipal property tax, but the Grace Covenant Gospel Church, which caters to Israel's migrant workers, is being accused of functioning as more than just a church.
Football in Israel?
While gridiron football may never replace the other football (a.k.a. soccer) as Israel's most popular team sport, there is strong interest in the Israel Football League from prospective players overseas.
One-Way Ticket
Many Birthrighters leave Israel wanting to come back. And some who come back opt to stay on for good.
Christian Pilgrims Traverse Afar for International Midnight Mass in Jaffa
Father Ramzi Sidawi, the parish priest, conducted the Midnight Mass in Arabic.
Arrested at the Western Wall, British Teenagers Discover the Limits of Jewish Life in Israel
'I definitely take for granted being able to pray how I like at home,' says Rhiannon Humphreys, who was detained for wearing a tallit at the Western Wall.
Ex-Hasidic Rapper Comes Out of Closet, Receives Support of Orthodox Fans
Y-Love tells Haaretz, 'I fully expected to lose most of my Orthodox fan base.'
Chronicling an Act by Soviet Jewish ‘Superheroes’
Gal Beckerman describes the failed attempt by a band of refuseniksto hijack an airplane in 1970s Leningrad, which he calls an 'epic struggle.'
‘Holding On’ Through Harvard
In Kuumba, we didn’t have to pretend to be perfect or unburdened. We sang out our frustrations and stresses, and we asked for emotional and spiritual support in closing circle at the end of every rehearsal. By singing and praying together, we tried to heal each other and ourselves.