We Are Not the Enemy of the Forest: Thailand’s Indigenous People Win Legal Recognition
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A victory for villagers in Thailand, years in the making
I am so happy to write you today with exciting news from Thailand. Just last week, our parliament passed the Act on the Protection and Promotion of the Way of Life of Ethnic Groups — with an incredible 420 out of 425 representatives voting in favor. This groundbreaking law is the culmination of years of …
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“Love yourself as much as you can”: The journey of a Thai LGBTQI+ rights defender
Methawee Pannon (Sai) grew up in Khon Kaen, Thailand, understanding exactly what was expected of her. Outside of Thailand’s metropolitan, progressive capital of Bangkok, traditional, conservative gender values can be completely destabilizing for queer people, especially in rural regions like northeastern Isaan. “Women are meant to be the pride and joy of our parents and …
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Just Married! A letter from a newly-wed gay Thai activist
Around the world this month, LGBTQI+ communities and our allies will celebrate the progress we’ve made — fighting not only to live as equals alongside our cis-gendered, heterosexual brothers and sisters, but for our very right to exist. And as these rights are under attack — especially in your country — I feel Pride Month …
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Risking jailtime, young Thai activists forge ahead for democracy
Growing up in a conservative, deeply patriotic Thai family, Nutchanon Pairoj (Nut) dreamt of being a soldier, serving his country and his king. But when he lost his leg in a motorcycle accident at 16, his life took a drastically different path. He enrolled in Thailand’s famed Thammasat University to study political science, and quickly …
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Aung Myo Min
Ebbing the flood of suffering after the Southeast Asian tsunami
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Dvar Tzedek
Va’etchanan
This Dvar Tzedek was adapted from Ruth Messinger’s talk for JDOV, a program that invites interesting and creative thinkers to give “the Jewish talk of their life.” Watch the full video of Ruth’s talk here. Parashat Va’etchanan includes the words of the Sh’ma[1]—a prayer so important, that many Jews recite it twice a day. Our …
Read MoreMishpatim
After describing a series of laws dealing with property, damages, injury and other torts, our parsha concludes the section with a final warning: “Do not oppress the stranger; you know the feelings of a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.[1] Explaining the seemingly odd placement of this verse, Rabbi Shimshon Refael …
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