"...In more than a few races, both candidates and voters are spending a huge amount of time exploring and attacking the personal faith of those running for office -- so much time that the issues over which the candidates will have influence, should they be elected, are often ignored..."

"...Instead of debating issues over which they would have real influence, if elected, Paul and Conway raced to the bottom of personal attack and religious critique..."

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From Windows & Doors, Brad Hirschfield’s daily blog on Beliefnet

"Two New Jersey rabbis have been selected as fellows in the second cohort of an initiative to help religious leaders make Jewish wisdom accessible to the wider American public. Rabbis Steven Bayar of Congregation B’nai Israel in Millburn and Justus Baird of Princeton were among the 22 rabbis selected for the Rabbis Without Borders fellowship, a program of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership...."

"‘They Are Both Fools, or the Electorate Is’ argues Rabbi Brad Hirschfield at Beliefnet. If the debate’s ‘sermonizing ‘works’ i.e. persuades voters in one direction or the other, then shame on the voters.

"Over the past 69 days we have been witness to reality TV at its best. Not the faux reality TV staged to titillate or humiliate which leaves us entertained but needing to take a shower, rather a media experience that elevates and inspires and leaves us believing we are capable of no less than miracles...."

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From Irwin Kula’s blog on The Huffington Post

"A recent Pew Forum poll showed that atheists and agnostics scored more highly than Jews, Mormons and Christians in their knowledge of religion. Reflecting on the finding, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, suggested that knowing God is different than knowing about God: a person doesn’t need to be learned in the dogma of religion in order to feel connected to it...."

"...Homosexuality is among the most polarizing issues in our society. And like so many polarizing issues, religion enters the fray in some of the most helpful and also some of the most destructive ways...."

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From Brad Hirschfield’s blog in the Washington Post-Newsweek’s "On Faith" Column

Clal's Rabbis Without Borders and The Abraham Fund convened a meeting entitled: Three Israelis: Muslim, Christian, and Jewish — Israel as a Shared Society for its Jewish and Arab Citizens. Read more...

The Jewish Week, 10/14/10

"I am traveling in Israel this week leading a group of American Jews committed to making the world a better place - a place of greater dignity for all people, a world in which Jews feel more deeply connected to each other, and a world in which they and others can find faith/religion/spirituality/meaning on their own terms. And it is meeting this last challenge that interests me this Friday as Jews around the world prepare to Parashat Lekh Lekha beginning with Genesis 12...."

Regarding the controversy, Lewinson said there have been ‘misquotes on both sides.’ Still, he said, he is an eternal optimist and is convinced that the issue will be resolved. ‘It doesn’t have to be all or nothing,’ said Lewinson, who has called the JCRC offering the JCC as a resource for community forums.