Writing from Cameron Wheeler

The vast majority of religious Jews in the United States are familiar with the activities of the United Jewish Appeal and have laid eyes on the unmistakable blue charity boxes of the Jewish National Fund. These organizations in their history stretching back to the pre-state Yishuv, have supported the foundation of the Israeli State from its beginnings and continue to do so now through depositing their donations with the Jewish Agency. Yet where these organizations hold name and pushke recognition, Americans in the 1970s began to reexamine how these organizations’ objectives aligned with the values they held dear. This ongoing process of examination has given rise to the New Israel Foundation (NIF), an American-based nonprofit which collects funds from around the world to fund progressive causes in Israel.

The question of which cultural practices one must participate in to be considered part of a culture, and how they are to be performed is matter of great debate. In France, where historic movements have sought to reinforce the idea of French citizenship as the sole criteria for what it means to be French reign supreme, this complicated question might appear to be rendered moot. But in an almost perfect case of Appadurai cultural flows…

Within Hebrew Scripture and subsequent Rabbinic Literature there exist a number of references to the creature Thomas Hobbes’ chooses to entitle his most known work after. Yet Hobbes’ work does not go into detail to explore the history or use of the term within Hebrew Scripture. Instead, it appears he makes use of the creature’s name in allegory, and casts his reader’s attention not to the religion of old, but toward the emerging sensibilities…

A favorite film, and subsequent musical, of mine is John Waters’ 1988 hit Hairspray. The film, which centers its drama around the desegregation or integration of a popular teen-dance television series, emphasizes the absurdity through which—primarily white—Americans attempt to sterilize and oversimplify the Civil Rights Movement to meet their expectations of a young and good generation annihilating the old and bad values of the prior generation. However, in recent years I have encountered negative reactions from others when bringing up the film…

“Things may not always be as they seem,” speaks the age-old adage, reminding its audi-ence not to judge rashly, but for Linda Martin Alcoff in her essay, “Sotomayor’s Reasoning,” the relevance of such an adage falls into question…

As part of an activity where students practiced performing rituals associated with Shabbat, I created an organizational aid for students to reflect on each of the rituals; HaMotzi for bread, Kiddush for wine, and L’hadlik Ner for candles. Lastly, the organizer challenges students to reflect on the rituals they have performed and discuss their impact on creating the atmosphere of Shabbat, and of shalom bayit, or a peaceful, wholesome home and family.

Looking to explore an often forgotten holiday, I created and led my students in a Tu B’Shevat Seder. But every seder needs a haggadah!

The Old Patent Office Building in Washington today sits as the home of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum, but it is a building which has lived many lives. It has served as a hospital…

Abstract

Students were assigned an interest group and tasked with conducting research to determine its key components in the categories of: mission, membership, budget, staff, lobbying, partisanship, and accomplishments. Lastly, students were to form an evaluation of the interest group based upon the information gathered.

Originally published via Medium on January 21, 2015

Originally published via CHS.Today on December 2, 2014

The following is a writing assignment I received to create a colorful character and write a letter to the editor of our newspaper in their persona.

Originally published via Medium on April 13, 2014