Robert Bank
My Summer 2024 Reading List
Though summer is well underway, if you’re an avid reader like me, it’s never too late to get a list of good summer reads. And perhaps like me, you also have a towering stack of titles on your nightstand (or a growing list on your Kindle). But who can resist a clever short story, a …
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An historic victory for LGBTQI+ rights: Thailand to legalize marriage equality
There are moments in history that spark change on a global scale, change that ripples outward and truly makes the world a better place. As I write to you now, I am thrilled to say: this could be one of those moments. Today, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage equality …
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Robert Bank’s must-reads for the summer
This summer reading list features recommendations from the AJWS community. Though the storylines span different eras and regions of the world, each title is engaging, eye-opening, and most of all, deeply inspiring. I know you’ve grown accustomed to me sharing my must-reads for the summer. This time, however, I thought it would be fun to …
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New Year, New Recommendations: Sharing Stories that Inspired Me
As we start a new year, here are some books, a documentary and a play from which we can all draw inspiration. Each, in its own way, calls us to take action in the face of injustice. And they are reminders that we must never let oppression of any kind go unchecked. In the spirit …
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In the Fight for Climate Justice, David Can Beat Goliath
In the coming days, representatives from more than 190 countries will descend on Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, for the Conference of the Parties, the annual climate summit known as COP.
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My Must-Reads for the Summer
I confess that I have a book problem. Even though many have taken to audiobooks and e-readers, I still like the feeling of a book in my hands. As a result, my husband is starting to have difficulty moving around our apartment. That said, here’s a list of my summer reading recommendations. Surprise, surprise, they lean toward …
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Pride in the Face of Prejudice
Last month, the world lost a transformational giant in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Urvashi Vaid was a pioneering social justice activist, attorney and award-winning author. She was also one of my great human rights teachers. Urvashi was bold, unflinching, driven. She brought the question of race, nationality and ethnicity into the LGBT space in the …
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Writing the Wrongs: Why Journalists Give Me Hope
A few weeks ago, I woke up to news that filled me with hope. After nearly four decades, justice prevailed for 36 Indigenous Achi women who were raped and tortured by paramilitaries during Guatemala’s civil war. After enduring years of taunts, threats and outright denials, vindication came on January 25 when a tribunal sentenced their …
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My Chanukah & holiday book list
As we enter the second winter holiday season in our changed world, I’m thankful for the solace and strength reading has given me. Books have been steady companions throughout the pandemic—sometimes nourishing and comforting me, and sometimes reigniting my lifelong passion for justice. On this holiday of giving thanks, and with Chanukah and other holidays …
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