Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rabbi Emily Cohen

@thatrabbicohen.bsky.social

5.3K followers 510 following 860 posts

Happy Brooklynite. Lefty in all the ways. Rabbi of West End Synagogue but views here are only my own (She/Her/Hers) www.rabbiemilycohen.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · Nov 13

And for those who don't know me and ended up following by...chance? Algorithm? Recommendation? Idk how this works exactly... a tiny intro to me:

-rabbi
-brooklynite
-writer
-musician
-queer
-progressive
-(married) cat lady

website is www.rabbiemilycohen.com

my shul is West End Synagogue!

Rabbi Emily Cohen

www.rabbiemilycohen.com

5 7 74

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 22h

Dammit and to think I was planning to run for mayor

2 36

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 22h

Text here: morethanfourquestions.beehiiv.com/p/question-2...

Question 22: How do we live knowing we will die?

On encountering death on Yom Kippur so we can live fully the rest of the year

morethanfourquestions.beehiiv.com

1 1 5

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 22h

This is much less controversial than my Kol Nidre drash, but sharing my Yom Kippur sermon anyway. On living fully knowing that we're going to die.

The Most Important Dress Rehearsal - Yom Kippur 2025/5786

YouTube video by Rabbi Emily Cohen

youtu.be

2 1 8

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Baby Boy Monaghan @babyboymonaghan.bsky.social · 1d

Every time Judaism becomes a national topic -- which seems to be every day -- it's like a free-for-all of gentiles confidently being publicly wrong about us.

7 13 76

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Erin Biba @erinbiba.bsky.social · 23h

Tell me your bagel order and I will tell you *based on NYC cultural expectations* if you have won or lost your election for political office in NYC.

Erin Biba @erinbiba.bsky.social · 23h

One of my favorite things about NYC is whenever anyone runs for office here they are required to disclose their bagel order.

620 68 850

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 22h

Pumpernickel Everything (yes this is a thing at the bagel place on my corner and it is the best thing) with scallion lox spread. Toasted unless it's still warm from the oven.

8 70

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 1d

Hey we’re doing a pre-Shabbat young adult (20s-40s) happy hour tonight at 5! If you’re interested in learning more about WES and will be on the uws lmk and I’ll share location! Alcoholic and non-alcoholic bevs. Cash bar. Join us??

Photo shows an invitation to a happy hour on a purple/red background

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

John Collins @logicallyjc.bsky.social · 1d

I like how they gave the Nobel Prize to someone fighting for democracy in Venezuela, instead of someone sinking fishing boats off their coast.

520 2.4K 11K

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 1d

New Yorkers know Attorney General James for who she is: a champion for justice who fights relentlessly for the people. Donald Trump knows her only as an obstacle to his corruption.

My full statement:

72 1.7K 7.4K

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 1d

Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

580 6K 19K

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

RevDaniel 🇨🇦 @revdaniel.bsky.social · 1d

Nobel Peace Prize goes to lMaria Corina Machado opposition leader to Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro widely believed to have stolen the election in 2024.

Prize committee states "When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist”.

Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado awarded Nobel Peace Prize | CBC News

The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, it was announced Friday at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo.

www.cbc.ca

11 31 180

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

New York Attorney General Letitia James @newyorkstateag.bsky.social · 1d

This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..

1.8K 11K 39K

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 2d

FWIW it is both possible and appropriate to be grateful for the possible freeing of the hostages and withdrawal from Gaza without praising Trump, Bibi or Hamas, none of whom cares about anything but keeping power.

1 16 58

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 2d

But honestly jwitter (RIP) helped me connect with so many progressive, activist Jews and allies all over the world. As awful as social media can be, in some ways it’s pretty miraculous.

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 2d

I got to open for @aoc.bsky.social at a breakfast because of some Twitter connections!

Also got to write for @teenvogue.com!

Also got an (unfortunately now-disgraced 🫣) author to write a b mitzvah message for a kid in my shul who was really having a tough time with the process

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 3d

Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?

1 1 18

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Rabbis for Ceasefire @rabbis4ceasefire.bsky.social · 2d

1 8 17

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 2d

Nothing remotely resembling an insurrection is happening anywhere in the country. Any violence associated with protest has been isolated, mild, and, in nearly every case, instigated by federal law enforcement. If we let Trump get away with calling dissent an insurrection, our republic is over.

BREAKING: Trump Admin 'Seriously' Considering Using the Insurrection Act, Reports NBC

President Trump is "seriously" considering invoking the Insurrection Act in order to more easily deploy National Guard troops to major cities as part of crime crackdown, NBC reported on Wednesday

www.mediaite.com

120 1.3K 3.4K

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 2d

While we've passed the 2nd secular anniversary of October 7th, the Hebrew one— Simchat Torah— is next week. If this report is true, there will truly be reason to rejoice in community on Tuesday night.

Nothing can bring back the dead, but we can work to repair our world for the living.

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 2d

BREAKING: Hamas will release all 20 living hostages this weekend, AP sources say, as Israelis will withdraw from majority of Gaza.

Israel, Hamas agree to 'first phase' of plan to end fighting, release hostages, Trump says

President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first Phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners.

bit.ly

9 42

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Tzfardea Tzedek 🐸 @jsx.bsky.social · 2d

ברך אתה אדוני אלוהינו מלך העולם הטוב והמתיב

apnews.com/article/egyp...

Israel and Hamas agree to 'first phase' of plan to end fighting and release hostages, Trump says

President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first Phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners.

apnews.com

3 7 27

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 2d

repost this if an editor has ever saved you from yourself

violent alien @blipstress.bsky.social · 2d

An actual hot take: Too many authors are afraid of editors watering down their voice or whatever and not afraid enough of editors letting you put any old slop on the page.

59 1.1K 3.7K

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · 2d

Toldya. He was seeing if he could get away with bombing Venezuelans, and now he's going to go after Americans.

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 2d

My gosh. After the US bombed multiple boats in the middle of the ocean, murdering people on grounds that they were allegedly "carrying drugs," the US Attorney General says "Just like we did with cartels, we're going to take the same approach, President Trump, with Antifa."

37 160 390

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Megan Piontkowski illustration @meganpiont.bsky.social · 5d

#NYC! We have an ICE Watch Hotline! I repeat, we have an ICE Watch hotline! I updated the zines to include the hotline #. FINALLY!!!

(If you have the old zines, you have my blessing to write the # in with a sharpie or pen.)

drive.google.com/file/d/1y2S_...

NYC-SALUTE-zine-10-6.pdf

drive.google.com

3 16 30

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

brent is Saw Gerrera-pilled @therealbrent.bsky.social · 5d

Heads up there’s an ICE checkpoint in Harlem right now apparently

6 190 210

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Claire Willett @clairewillett.bsky.social · 4d

it’s actually so insane that having a huge following, bringing tons of high-profile active users to the site, and generating exactly the kinds of lively and thoughtful conversations social media companies want to be perceived as facilitating makes you a bad guy here

8 120

Reposted by Rabbi Emily Cohen

Rick Caruso’s Private Fire Crew @amandasmith.bsky.social · 4d

Suspending Erin Biba, a Jewish woman for this skeet is nasty work. Between this and intentionally misreading Link’s use of a meme as a threat, bsky mods are more than willing to ban based on the Spirit Of The Law for *some* posters but never Jesse Singal.

bsky.app/profile/aman...

"All the Jews have to die or convert to trigger the rapture. Then our dead bodies surround Jerusalem and they climb over us to reach Jesus, who will bring them to heaven. It's why they're all Zionists obsessed with Israel.
Cause they need Jews to go there so we can die"

27 590 2.1K