Elijah Schulman, a young bar mitzvah boy from Bethesda, MD, is planning to hold his bar mitzvah at a struggling synagogue, Mishkan Israel, in Selma, Ala., as a way to help the synagogue in need.

The text discusses the challenges and experiences of a young Jewish student trying to find a sense of Jewish community and identity on a college campus.

Families are increasingly opting for destination bar and bat mitzvahs outside traditional synagogue settings as a way to personalize the ceremonies and create meaningful experiences for the young celebrants.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the country's largest gay synagogue, celebrated her 20th anniversary with a Hanukkah event attended by prominent figures like Cynthia Nixon and Christine Quinn.

Chava Rosenfarb's trilogy, "The Tree of Life," offers a detailed and authentic portrayal of the destruction of the Jewish community in the Lodz Ghetto during the Holocaust.

Oklahoma state representative Dennis Johnson used the anti-Semitic phrase "try to Jew me down" during a debate on price controls in the state's House of Representatives, stating it's acceptable as part of the free market.

Ruthi Cohen, a devoted woman with a deep faith, is at the center of a narrative detailing the life and tragedy of her family in Gush Katif.

The text discusses Jewish identity and the challenges surrounding it, focusing on how individuals grapple with their Jewishness in a modern context.

The text discusses the independence in prayer in the Jewish community, particularly focusing on funding and critique of the independent minyan movement.

"Leap of Faith" is a documentary exploring the journeys of individuals and families converting to Orthodox Judaism, highlighting the sacrifices and challenges they face in embracing a new religious life.

Christopher R. Browning's book "Remembering Survival: Inside a Nazi Slave-Labor Camp" examines survivor testimonies from a Polish town's slave labor camps during the Holocaust.

American Judaism in America, especially non-Orthodox movements like Reform and Conservative, has seen a significant decline over the past few decades, with decreased enrollment in religious education programs, dwindling synagogue affiliations, and declining philanthropic support.

Israeli artist Rafram Chaddad, known for documenting Jewish heritage in Libya, recounts his five-month imprisonment in a Libyan jail in 2010 in his book "Rafram's Guide to Libyan Jail."

In this personal reflection by Etgar Keret, he describes taking his 7-year-old son Lev to vote in the 2013 elections, reflecting on his own childhood memory of voting after the Yom Kippur War.

The author reflects on the trade of R.A. Dickey from the New York Mets, drawing parallels between the management decisions in sports, like adhering to Moneyball strategies, and in religion, where institutions prioritize balance sheets over fans' desires.

A person recounts their first experience of Simchat Torah before officially converting to Judaism.

"In the Narrow Places: Daily Inspiration for the Three Weeks" by Erica Brown explores the challenge of truly experiencing mourning during the period between Shivah Asar B'Tammuz and Tishah B'Av.

The documentary "Inventing Our Life" explores the history and evolution of the kibbutz movement, shedding light on the communal lifestyle and its significance in Israeli society.

Hosted in Beijing, the writer reflects on the complexities of celebrating Passover in a place like China where themes of freedom, oppression, and social justice resonate deeply.

Bees play a crucial role in pollinating plants and are key to a healthy environment.

On September 11, 2001, Esty and Dovi Scheiner carried on with their planned wedding despite the chaos of the terrorist attacks, creating a moment of joy in a city gripped by fear.

Mexico City is a vibrant hub for kosher food with a mix of Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews.

Blair Nosan, the founder of Suddenly Sauer, a Detroit-based pickle business, creates innovative Jewish-inflected cuisine like maple gravlax and homemade cream cheese.

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, was a prominent figure at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, embodying the intersection of sports and analytics.

In a rural village in Kenya, a small Jewish community led by Yosef Njogu and Avraham Ndungu is striving to maintain their Jewish identity while incorporating local customs.