One of the best parts about the fall is participating in American pastimes. Now that our month of time-intensive Jewish holidays is over we can focus on the World Series, apple picking, watching the NFL, jumping in leaves and preparing that turkey. Yet as Jews our identity never strays too far from our choice of activities.
Celebrating Halloween is a tricky one. Costumes and candy define the day (Purim anyone?), but ghosts and ghouls are definitely not Jewish themes. Two authors tackle the topic. Ben Garner writes that Halloween is just an excuse to have a party, while Chava Sneiderman believes Jews should ignore the pagan celebration. What do you think? You can respond in a letter to the editor at freshinker@yahoo.com.
Fresh Ink is all about covering topics through a Jewish lens, and we continue to do so in this first issue of the new year. Sara Koutcher writes about the allure of colored contact lenses: Are they a kosher form of body art? Michelle Bayefsky investigates the subject of sex education in day schools: Can schools reconcile Jewish values with the tawdry aspects of our modern culture? Our writers also cover stem cell research and students’ reactions to President Obama’s education speech on the first day of school. On the lighter side, we tackle family, music, sports and the stress of being in high school. Our writers have worked very hard on content so enjoy this autumnal treat.
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