EmmaEducating

Where is Steve Kornacki when you need him? (resting up for 2026, I hope)

I miss teaching preschoolers so much!

Reform Jewish Movement Statement on Starvation in Gaza July 27, 2025 - The ongoing crisis in Gaza is a devastating reminder of the immense human cost of war. Nearly two years into Israel's war against Hamas, Israelis are still waiting for the return of their loved ones held hostage, and innocent Palestinians are caught in a mounting humanitarian catastrophe. Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to sacrifice the Palestinian people in its pursuit of Israel's destruction, but Israel must not sacrifice its own moral standing in return. Neither escalating military pressure nor restricting humanitarian aid has brought Israel closer to securing a hostage deal or ending the war. While long-delayed and not-yet-certain to be more effective than previous efforts, we are encouraged by Saturday night's announcement that the Israeli military would revive the practice of dropping aid from airplanes and make it easier for aid convoys, including those from the UN's World Food Program, to move through Gaza along "designated humanitarian corridors," and to temporarily cease fighting in Gaza for a humanitarian pause. No one should be unaffected by the pervasive hunger experienced by thousands of Gazans. No one should spend the bulk of their time arguing technical definitions between starvation and pervasive hunger. The situation is dire, and it is deadly. Nor should we accept arguments that because Hamas is the primary reason many Gazans are either starving or on the verge of starving, that the Jewish State is not also culpable in this human disaster. The primary moral response must begin with anguished hearts in the face of such a large-scale human tragedy. Our tradition teaches that all people are created b tzelem Elohim — in the image of God. One consequence of this is the moral priority, which is affirmed throughout the Bible and rabbinic tradition, of feeding the hungry - both for the individual and for the self-governing Jewish community. More than a few members of t…

Despite PM Netanyahu's calls to ignore these full members of his cabinet, their presence in this government has consistently morally compromised Israel's actions. Starving Gazan civilians neither will bring Israel the "total victory" over Hamas it seeks, nor can it be justified by Jewish values or humanitarian law. It's hard to imagine that this tragic approach will bring home the 50 remaining hostages, including the 20 who we pray are still alive. It's imperative that the Government of Israel ensures that the recently announced plans to deliver humanitarian aid succeed as Israel works with international partners to ensure its safe and sustained delivery and do whatever possible to reduce or eliminate the shootings and other injuries sustained at food distribution centers. We applaud Israel's green light for foreign nations to resume providing humanitarian aid to the Gaza population desperate for food and are confident that they will do all they can to ensure that such aid does not fall into the hands of Hamas. As Israel has effective control of 70% of Gaza, with the intent to remain in significant swaths of it, even if only temporarily, it should be directly involved, facilitate and cooperate with the international community, international humanitarian NGOs, and regional friends, to take urgently needed actions, such as these suggested by Israeli Reform rabbi and Member of Knesset Gilad Kariv: • To prevent the alarming number of civilian deaths in and around the food and humanitarian aid distribution sites. • Opening a significant number of food distribution centers at various locations across the Gaza Strip. • Large-scale entry of infant formula (especially liquid formula) and ensuring safe delivery to both functioning medical centers and the few remaining international aid facilities. • Establishing secure methods - potentially through cooperation with regional countries - for delivering food supplies to aid organizations and international agencies. • Resuming su…

Finally, while it is imperative that Israel and the U.S. resume diplomacy to bring home all hostages and end this war, denying basic humanitarian aid crosses a moral line. Blocking food, water, medicine, and power- especially for children- is indefensible. Let us not allow our grief to harden into indifference, nor our love for Israel to blind us to the cries of the vulnerable. Let us rise to the moral challenge of this moment. Union for Reform Judaism Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her) North American Board Chair Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him) President Central Conference of American Rabbis Rabbi David A. Lyon (he/him) President Rabbi Hara Person (she/her) Chief Executive Officer American Conference of Cantors Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him) President Rachel Roth (she/her) Chief Operating Officer

INBOX: Union for Reform Judaism, Central Conference of American Rabbis & American Conference of Cantors issue a lengthy statement declaring:

"Starving Gazan civilians neither will bring Israel the 'total victory' over Hamas it seeks, nor can it be justified by Jewish values or humanitarian law."

Haha I thought of you and S while posting this!

I am aware that I’m probably posting like HM the dude with no memory but can’t a girl have a little whimsy???

Just when life could not get any more perfect I hear the jingle jingle of a dog’s collar and I get to see a dog!!!

NEW IDEA an app that tracks cool cement mixer trucks and garbage trucks and ambulances etc so your toddlers can wave to them when they’re coming

little known fact Massachusetts is the birthplace of America’s revolution. shocking. Really makes you think huh.

I am a simple person, I desire only Bench to Sit On and Either Cellular Service or WiFi Connection and I am happy. Also everything going exactly my way ever.

Multi part crosswalks at triangle intersections not synced up WHY??? Must we be forced to jaywalk?? Surely not what was intended

I know my emotional support third place air conditioned centrally located coffee shop hates to see me coming

+ foreseeable future and then return next year and the year after that and the year after that and also Get Worse

It’s all fun and games to have Self Awareness about what makes you emotionally dysregulated until you realize the air outside will be Too Hot for a large part of the day a large part of the year and you will have to brave the Too Hot to do virtually anything and the Too Hot will continue for the +

Rivers and greenways? Also rad.

I can do all things through MBTA frequent bus service and air conditioning

I love the MBTA! And walkable neighborhoods! And waiting for the bus silently with strangers! And whatever Jane Jacobs said! And MBTA bus operators! And flowers that poke through fences so neighbors can smell them! In this essay I will

Hooray for friends and good days!

Here’s what to know.

Jewish Americans suffer another horrific violent antisemitic attack. Sending solidarity & support to the victims & to everyone grappling with fear in the face of more utterly indefensible violence. There is no justification for hate violence and terror.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/01/u...

4. With her consent, the University can confirm that Ms. Oztürk is a third-year doctoral student in good academic and administrative standing. Her research focuses on how young adults can use social media in positive, prosocial ways and she is described by her faculty as a hard-working student dedicated to her studies and the Tufts community. The University has no information to support the allegations that she was engaged in activities at Tufts that warrant her arrest and detention. The University has seen an outpouring of support for Ms. Öztürk over the last week from Tufts students, faculty and staff. These individuals have described Ms. Öztürk as a valued member of the community, dedicated to her academic pursuits and committed to her colleagues.

NEW: Tufts files a declaration in support of Rümeysa Öztürk: "The University has no information to support the allegations that she was engaged in activities at Tufts that warrant her arrest and detention." www.tufts.edu/president/sp...

Holy guacamole, CORY BOOKER.

Cory Booker has just surpassed Ted Cruz’s speech in 2013 that went on for 21 hours and 19 minutes. Booker now has the record of giving the fourth longest in history. According to Manu Raju, if he makes it to 7:19pET he will defeat Strom
Thurmond’s record. Go, Booker, go!!

The Massachusetts governor, the city, and the university needs to drop everything to locate and free this girl and make sure this doesn't happen again.

This is DEFCON-1. If they do this to someone who wrote an op-ed in a college newspaper, they will do this to anyone they don't like.