Boulder Jewish News Arts, Culture, Events, Lifestyles, Holidays, Synagogues, Education
Shabbat shalom and Happy 250th birthday to our own United States of America! I know the mood seems less than festive these days, and it’s hard for many of us to feel good about where the country is and is going right now, but the fact remains that the civic and political experiment called the United States has managed to survive for a quarter of a millennium. And, what’s more, all things considered, Jews have had a pretty remarkable run of freedom in most places in most times here in this social experiment — so much so, that at times, it was thought that Jews would actually disappear into the melting pot. That of course hasn’t happened — the US is still home to the largest population of Jews outside of Israel, despite Jews still only constituting roughly 2% of the country. In this easiest of countries to assimilate and disappear into, roughly 8 million people still identify as Jewish.
Yes, we’ve had some times of unpopularity – now being one of them — but this country continues to be exceptional in the way that the vast majority of its citizens are tolerant — if not downright welcoming — of people that are different than the majority. We just happen to live in a period where those who are not so tolerant are very visible and outspoken about it. That still doesn’t make them a majority, but it does constitute a threat. So far at least, Jews in America and their many allies can counter that threat by being just as vocal and just as visible in our own defense. In fact, we must remain so in order not to lose ourselves in the many-times debunked myth that staying quiet, keeping our heads down, will somehow offer some protection. It never does.
So, I say let’s celebrate, as Americans and as Jews, the birthday of our country’s founding. America isn’t perfect, it hasn’t yet lived up to its founding principles, but it has made some progress towards them in 250 years. Jews have been part of that progress both as activists and as a sort of conscience of the nation, and we can continue to play our part in “We the People.” Happy 4th of July!
In September, we began a new column with Rabbi Charna Rosenholtz, a 12-part column exploring the spiritual and psychological wisdom of each Hebrew month. Drawing from Torah, Kabbalah, Mussar, and seasonal awareness, each installment highlights core themes, practices, and reflections to help ground us in sacred time. Join us on this monthly journey through the Jewish calendar. We are now into the ninth month, Tammuz, so be sure to check out this latest entry. Links to her earlier columns are included.
Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with our brothers and sisters under attack in London, West Bloomfield, Australia, the UK, Israel, Ukraine, and in Boulder. Am Yisrael Chai!
Here are the stories from this week.
News/Columns/Letters
- Column: Sore-Thumb Department: The Two Worst Israel-Bashers Bound for Congress (7/2/2026) - Bruce Ticker weighs in on the results of recent Democratic Congressional primary elections. Continue Reading
Jewish Life
- Mini Mensches is Back! – Congregation Har HaShem (7/2/2026) - Join us for Har HaShem's Mini Mensches, an energetic, fun-filled Sunday morning program designed for kiddos age 3 through pre-school, full of singing, stories, learning, laughter, and connection! Led by Caroline & Leah. Continue Reading
- The Jewish Agency to Bring 1,000 Israeli Teens to Jewish Camps Worldwide (7/2/2026) - Campers2Gether will host over 700 Israeli teens at North American Jewish camps this summer, while expanding support for IDF reservists' children in global camps. Continue Reading
- Ryder Goldfine Bar Mitzvah (7/2/2026) - On Saturday, June 27th, 2026, Ryder Goldfine was called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah with Adventure Judaism. Continue Reading
Arts and Culture
Events
- Give Blood, Give Life: Roll Up Your Sleeves at the Boulder JCC Blood Drive (7/2/2026) - Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion. Donate at the Boulder JCC Blood Mobile on July 30 to impact lives and support your community. Continue Reading
- The Magical Thread of Anne Frank: An Evening with Gillian Perry (7/2/2026) - Join us on July 16 for a lecture by Gillian Perry exploring Anne Frank's legacy, her diary's publication struggle, and its impact on human rights and history. Continue Reading
- God Bless the Pill: Book Talk with Author Samira Mehta (7/2/2026) - The Boulder JCC hosts a discussion with Samira K. Mehta about her book "God Bless the Pill," revealing religious support for birth control's role in family planning and stability. Continue Reading
