Halachic Left
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Halachic Left is changing the conversation about Israel/Palestine in traditionally observant Jewish communities
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✨ "Ya'aleh Zikhroneinu," our essay collection for the High Holidays, is now live!
Download and print it out to read over the chagim here: bit.ly/hl-reader-5786
יעלה זכרוננו
Essays for the Yamim Noraim
Published by Halachic Left, 5786/2025

Contributors:
Rana Bickel • Jonathan Boyarin • Rabbi Caleb Brommer • Rabbi Vincent Calabrese • Rabbi Aryeh Cohen • Rabbi William Friedman • Avi Garelick • Rabbi Avigayil Halpern • Lexi Kohanski • Raphael Magarik • Zev Mishell • Ya’aqov Shenkin • Laynie Soloman • Rabbi Leead Staller • Rabbi Lauren Tuchman

Edited by Rabbi Lexie Botzum, Max Buchdahl, Caroline Morganti, Eliana Padwa, and Noam Weinreich

[Cover image: a watercolor background of clouds in the sky near either sunset or sunrise]
halachicleft.org
Came out of Yom Kippur to this terrible news -- our hearts are with the UK Jewish community 💔❤️‍🩹
naamoduk.bsky.social
Our hearts are with the victims and their families at this terrible time.
We are heartbroken to emerge from Yom Kippur into news of the attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester. No one should face violence for attending synagogue services and our hearts are with the victims and their families at this terrible time.
For many in our community, this news may only just be reaching you after a day spent in prayer, reflection, and fasting. To be confronted with such awfulness in this moment is particularly painful: please know that you are not alone. In moments like this, it is vital that our communities - Jewish and non-Jewish alike hold one another close. Our safety and liberation depend on solidarity between all those who are marginalised and targeted, and we must not allow those who seek to divide us to succeed. Every person deserves to live, gather, and worship in safety and dignity. We condemn this act of violence unequivocally, and restate our commitment to building a world where this kind of horror is no longer possible.
halachicleft.org
You can download our High Holiday reader "Ya'aleh Zikhroneinu" (w/ different formats according to your printing needs) here: www.halachicleft.org/torah

If you would like to donate so we can continue our work (we pay writers), you can do so here: www.paypal.com/donate/?host... Thank you & gmar tov!
 יעלה זכרוננו / Ya'aleh Zikhroneinu
Essays for the Yamim Noraim
Published by Halachic Left, 5786 / 2025
Contributors:
Rana Bickel • Jonathan Boyarin • Rabbi Caleb Brommer • Rabbi Vincent
Calabrese • Rabbi Aryeh Cohen • Rabbi William Friedman • Avi Garelick
• Rabbi Avigayil Halpern • Lexi Kohanski • Raphael Magarik • Zev Mishell
• Ya’aqov Shenkin • Laynie Soloman • Rabbi Leead Staller • Rabbi Lauren Tuchman

Edited by Rabbi Lexie Botzum, Max Buchdahl, Caroline Morganti, Eliana
Padwa, and Noam Weinreich

[background image: a watercolor of the sky at either sunset or sunrise]
halachicleft.org
Ahead of Yom Kippur, we're sharing our Suggested Tzedakah page from our Yamim Noraim reader. We encourage you to donate to any of the following initiatives:

Gaza Soup Kitchen: bit.ly/gaza-sk
Umm Al-Kheir: bit.ly/umm-al-kheir
Palestine Children's Relief Fund: bit.ly/pcrf-gaza
Suggested Tzedakah
ותשובה ותפילה וצדקה מעבירין את רוע הגזרה
"But repentance, prayer, and charity avert the evil decree."

We encourage you to donate to the initiatives in both Gaza and the West Bank below:
Gaza Soup Kitchen: https://bit.ly/gaza-sk
"The initiative began by feeding 150 families a day in April 2024 and quickly grew to serving 3,000
people daily. Operating amidst unimaginable scarcity and risk, our team works tirelessly to prepare
and serve hot, nourishing meals. We are not an outside aid group; we are the people of Gaza, serving
our own community. Currently, across 10 active kitchen sites, the team prepares simple vegetarian
meals-like rice, pasta, and khubeza (a wild foraged green) — often with severely limited supplies."
Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://bit.ly/pcrf-gaza
"Gaza is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis — families are struggling to survive amid
destruction, severe shortages of medical care, food, and clean water, and a collapsed healthcare
system. PCRF is on the ground, providing urgent medical aid, food, and life-saving treatment to
those in desperate need, including orphans and amputees. We are also deploying international
medical teams, evacuating injured children for specialized care, and rebuilding healthcare facilities
to restore critical services.
"Your support brings hope, healing, and a path to recovery for Gaza’s most vulnerable."

Umm Al Kheir: https://bit.ly/umm-al-kheir
"This fundraiser is to support the community of Umm Al Khair, those most impacted by the
devastating loss and brutal murder of community and human rights activist Awdah Hathaleen,
and to continue projects and dreams that he had for his community. Awdah was dear friend of so
many all over the world, a loving husband and father of three children...Please join us in supporting
the community and his family... All funds
raised will be distributed in the community in coordination with his family and the village council."
halachicleft.org
You can now download a half-page version of the pdf to print yourself a folded booklet.

Duplex (two-sided) printers: drive.google.com/file/d/1kfHN...
Non-duplex printers: drive.google.com/file/d/146Ot...
halachicleft.org
✨ "Ya'aleh Zikhroneinu," our essay collection for the High Holidays, is now live!
Download and print it out to read over the chagim here: bit.ly/hl-reader-5786
יעלה זכרוננו
Essays for the Yamim Noraim
Published by Halachic Left, 5786/2025

Contributors:
Rana Bickel • Jonathan Boyarin • Rabbi Caleb Brommer • Rabbi Vincent Calabrese • Rabbi Aryeh Cohen • Rabbi William Friedman • Avi Garelick • Rabbi Avigayil Halpern • Lexi Kohanski • Raphael Magarik • Zev Mishell • Ya’aqov Shenkin • Laynie Soloman • Rabbi Leead Staller • Rabbi Lauren Tuchman

Edited by Rabbi Lexie Botzum, Max Buchdahl, Caroline Morganti, Eliana Padwa, and Noam Weinreich

[Cover image: a watercolor background of clouds in the sky near either sunset or sunrise]
Reposted by Halachic Left
halachicleft.org
✨ "Ya'aleh Zikhroneinu," our essay collection for the High Holidays, is now live!
Download and print it out to read over the chagim here: bit.ly/hl-reader-5786
יעלה זכרוננו
Essays for the Yamim Noraim
Published by Halachic Left, 5786/2025

Contributors:
Rana Bickel • Jonathan Boyarin • Rabbi Caleb Brommer • Rabbi Vincent Calabrese • Rabbi Aryeh Cohen • Rabbi William Friedman • Avi Garelick • Rabbi Avigayil Halpern • Lexi Kohanski • Raphael Magarik • Zev Mishell • Ya’aqov Shenkin • Laynie Soloman • Rabbi Leead Staller • Rabbi Lauren Tuchman

Edited by Rabbi Lexie Botzum, Max Buchdahl, Caroline Morganti, Eliana Padwa, and Noam Weinreich

[Cover image: a watercolor background of clouds in the sky near either sunset or sunrise]
halachicleft.org
Here's the table of contents:
Contents
Introduction • 7
Rosh Hashanah
✶ The Promise of God's Memory in a World of Lies by Rabbi Vincent
Calabrese • 8
✶ Can We Take Accountability For the Fate of Hagar? by Avi Garelick • 10
✶ Hearing the Enemy’s Mother’s Cries: The Radical Rabbinic
Reinterpretation of the Shofar by Rabbi William Friedman • 13
✶ Turning Towards Communal Teshuvah by Rabbi Lauren Tuchman • 18
✶ The Web of Life Has Become the Monster by Lexi Kohanski • 21
✶ Blessing the King by Laynie Soloman • 26
Yom Kippur
✶ Permission to Pray by Rabbi Caleb Brommer • 30
✶ Nevertheless, Doing Jewish Things by Jonathan Boyarin • 33
✶ Does God Want Our Fasts? by Ya'aqov Shenkin • 35
✶ Yom Kippur and the Jubilee by Raphael Magarik • 37
✶ A String of Crimson by Rana Bickel • 39
✶ Jewish Theology in Exile by Zev Mishell • 43
✶ No Sacrifices? No Temple? No Problem by Rabbi Leead Staller • 46
✶ Al Chet / על חטא by Rabbi Aryeh Cohen • 49
✶ Bad Feelings and the Future by Rabbi Avigayil Halpern • 53
Suggested Tzedakah • 57
About Halachic Left • 58
halachicleft.org
✨ "Ya'aleh Zikhroneinu," our essay collection for the High Holidays, is now live!
Download and print it out to read over the chagim here: bit.ly/hl-reader-5786
יעלה זכרוננו
Essays for the Yamim Noraim
Published by Halachic Left, 5786/2025

Contributors:
Rana Bickel • Jonathan Boyarin • Rabbi Caleb Brommer • Rabbi Vincent Calabrese • Rabbi Aryeh Cohen • Rabbi William Friedman • Avi Garelick • Rabbi Avigayil Halpern • Lexi Kohanski • Raphael Magarik • Zev Mishell • Ya’aqov Shenkin • Laynie Soloman • Rabbi Leead Staller • Rabbi Lauren Tuchman

Edited by Rabbi Lexie Botzum, Max Buchdahl, Caroline Morganti, Eliana Padwa, and Noam Weinreich

[Cover image: a watercolor background of clouds in the sky near either sunset or sunrise]
Reposted by Halachic Left
peterbeinart.bsky.social
@khalilsayegh.bsky.social 's father died from lack of medical attention in December 2023 while taking shelter in a church in Gaza. If he can still retain his humanity--and insist upon the incalculable preciousness of all life--so can we
halachicleft.org
We saw his name on the registration and wondered if someone was pranking us 🙈
halachicleft.org
‼️ When the author of the book shows up to the Halachic Left Book Club meeting...!

Thank you to Prof. Avi Shlaim for his surprise appearance at our Zoom discussion of his book "Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew," and for graciously answering all of our questions!
HL's Aaron and Prof. Avi Shlaim on the Zoom meeting for the Halachic Left book club
halachicleft.org
"Yes, you don’t trust Hamas, but Israel doesn’t allow reporters in...Every bit of information that I’ve been able to ascertain, and I read different things, and I listen to reports from doctors, is that it’s a [humanitarian] crisis [in Gaza]." - R' Yosef Blau
www.jta.org/2025/08/28/i...
Yosef Blau, author of an Orthodox rabbis’ letter calling out Israel, responds to his critics - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
The longtime student adviser at Yeshiva University says Israel, and Orthodoxy, are strengthened by dissenting voices.
www.jta.org
halachicleft.org
You can also watch our Q&A with Omri Dayan, director of the film "Seven Jewish Children: A Film for Gaza" youtube.com/watch?v=plz-...

Watch the film for free at sevenjewishchildren.com
Every screening of the film raises money for
@medicalaidpal.bsky.social: map.org.uk
Q&A with "Seven Jewish Children" Director Omri Dayan
YouTube video by Halachic Left
youtube.com
halachicleft.org
Didn't get to make our Tisha B'Av zoom programming last week? Watch Rabbi Leead Staller's shiur "Why Do We Fast on Tisha B'Av?" here!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtK0...
"Why Do We Fast On Tisha B'Av?" shiur with Rabbi Leead Staller
YouTube video by Halachic Left
www.youtube.com
halachicleft.org
A year and a day ago, @bradlander.bsky.social stopped by our Tisha B'Av vigil on the Upper West Side and took time to look through our read, which includes Megillat Eicha surrounded by Palestinian voices (along with other essays and tefilah):
drive.google.com/file/d/1FDnU...
Brad Lander holding our "For These Things I Weep" Tisha B'Av supplement in August 2024 Brad Lander reading our "For These Things I Weep" Tisha B'Av supplement in August 2024.
halachicleft.org
Gazan Palestinian @motazazaiza.bsky.social: “my grandmother is starving in Gaza… my neighbor was killed by a sniper when trying to get flour.”
#JewsSayNoMore
Motaz Azaiza speaks at the "Jews Say No More" rally in Columbus Circle, NYC
halachicleft.org
“We are called on to stop this chillul Hashem! We are called on to say ‘Eicha!’” — @bradlander.bsky.social

#JewsSayNoMore
Brad Lander speaking at the "Jews Say No More" rally in New York City
halachicleft.org
And thank you to director Omri Dayan for his discussion/Q&A with Yavni Bar-Yam after our screening of Seven Jewish Children (sevenjewishchildren.com).
All screenings raise funds for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social -- we encourage you to donate here: map.org.uk
Yavni Bar-Yam discusses the short film "Seven Jewish Children" with director Omri Dayan
halachicleft.org
Thank you to everyone who joined our Tisha B'Av Zoom programming!
Special thank you to Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz @rps.bsky.social and Rabbi Leead Staller for teaching!
Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz, wearing glasses with light green frames and a black, white, and light green tichel, gives a shiur over Zoom Rabbi Leead Staller, with dark hair, a beard, and glasses and wearing a navy shirt with white polka dots, gives a shiur over Zoom
halachicleft.org
TODAY!!!!
halachicleft.org
Join us in coalition with other Jewish groups this Monday (8/4, the day after Tisha B'Av) in NYC! Register here: innmvmt.org/stopstarvation
Stop Starvation, Stop Ethnic Cleansing

JEWS SAY: NO MORE

Mass mobilization
Trump Hotel, Columbus Circle

Mon, Aug 4 - 6:30pm ET

"Whoever can protest their people's actions, and doesn't, is responsible for them" (Shabbat 54b)
Reposted by Halachic Left
halachicleft.org
Join us in coalition with other Jewish groups this Monday (8/4, the day after Tisha B'Av) in NYC! Register here: innmvmt.org/stopstarvation
Stop Starvation, Stop Ethnic Cleansing

JEWS SAY: NO MORE

Mass mobilization
Trump Hotel, Columbus Circle

Mon, Aug 4 - 6:30pm ET

"Whoever can protest their people's actions, and doesn't, is responsible for them" (Shabbat 54b)
halachicleft.org
"[O]n Sunday, the Halachic Left will hold a silent vigil on 96th Street on the Upper West Side, outside the subway station beginning at 8 am EST. Members plan to dress in black and hold photos of those killed in Gaza and sit in silence."
religionnews.com/2025/08/01/t...
This Tisha B'Av, some Jews are mourning another destruction
(RNS) — On a day when Jews mourn the destruction of the first and second temples, some Jews believe the destruction of Gaza should also be mourned.
religionnews.com
Reposted by Halachic Left
halachicleft.org
As well as essays and original tefillah...
Mi Sheberach for an End to Bloodshed 
by Anonymous

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, ה׳ אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ וֵא-לֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמּוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁאֶת הָרִשְׁעָה תְּעַקֵּר וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְמַגֵּר וְתַכְנִיעַ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, וְאֶת הַדָּם לֹא יִשְׁפְּכוּ עוֹד וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ לֹא יֵחָנִפוּ, כִּי תַּמְשִׁיךְ שָׁלוֹם גָּדוֹל וְנִפְלָא בָּעוֹלָם, וְלֹא יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל גּוֹי חֶרֶב, וְלֹא יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה. וְאַל יִשְׁלוֹט עוֹד הָאָדָם בְּאָדָם לְרַע לוֹ, כִּי גֵרִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ, תּוֹשָׁבִים כְּכָל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ.

עַל הָעֲשׂוּקִים, עַל הַשְּׁבוּיִים, עַל יִשְׁרֵי הַלֵּב וְעַל שְׁאֵרִית פְּלֵיטַת עַמְּךָ (וּבִפְרָט עַל:...), וְעַל אַחֵינוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מְיַחֲדֶיךָ, יֶהֱמוּ נָא רַחַמְךָ אֲדֹנָי אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ כִּי עָלָה מָוֶת בְּחַלּוֹנֵינוּ, בָּא בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵינוּ לְהַכְרִית עוֹלָל מִחוּץ בַּחוּרִים מֵרְחֹבוֹת. אָנָה ה׳, אַל תְּכַסֶּה דָּמָם וְאַל יְהִי מָקוֹם לְזַעֲקָתָם, עַד אֲשֶׁר תּוֹצִיא אֶת צִדְקָם לְאוֹרָה, עַד אֲשֶׁר תִּתֵּן פַּחְדְּךָ עַל כָּל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְאֵימָתְךָ עַל כָּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָאתָ, וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְפָנֶיךָ כָּל הַבְּרוּאִים, וְיֵעָשׂוּ כֻּלָּם אֲגֻדָּה אַחַת לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם. אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֵנוּ וּתְקַיֵּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב:  וְהִכְרַתִּי-רֶכֶב מֵאֶפְרַיִם, וְסוּס מִירוּשָׁלִַם, וְנִכְרְתָה קֶשֶׁת מִלְחָמָה, וְדִבֵּר שָׁלוֹם לַגּוֹיִם; וּמָשְׁלוֹ מִיָּם עַד-יָם, וּמִנָּהָר עַד-אַפְסֵי-אָרֶץ. וְיִגַּל כַּמַּיִם מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה כְּנַחַל אֵיתָן. כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת ה׳ כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים. וְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.

[At the bottom of the page is a photo of Palestinians enjoying swimming on the shores of Gaza City during the summer vacation, Gaza Strip, June 28, 2019. Photo by Mohammed Zaanoun / Activestills ]
Reposted by Halachic Left
halachicleft.org
Featuring Palestinian voices from Gaza in place of traditional commentaries...
A page showing the first chapter of Megillat Eicha in Hebrew and English texts, surrounded by quotes from Palestinians in Gaza highlighting selected verses, in a layout similar to a Mikraot Gedolot or Talmud page
Reposted by Halachic Left
halachicleft.org
Our Tisha B'Av reader in collaboration w/ @atlcol.bsky.social is just as relevant, if not more, this year. You can download it (with a preface for 2025/5785) here: drive.google.com/file/d/1FDnU...
על אלה אני בוכיה
For These Things I Weep

A reader for the Nine Days and Tisha B'Av with contributions from members of Halachic Left and All That's Left
5784/2024

Contributors:
Nathaniel Berman • Rabbi Lexie Botzum • Rabbi Sarah Brammer-Shlay • 
Rabbi Aryeh Cohen • Avi Garelick Amit Gvaryahu •  Sara Klugman • 
Tirza Leibowitz •  Shaul Magid • Rena Yehuda Newman • Noam Weinreich

Edited by Liz Bentley, Rabbi Lexie Botzum, Max Buchdahl, Caroline Morganti, Eliana Padwa, Maya Rosen, and Aron Wander