Issue 2, Number 3 (2018) Spring 2019

Dear reader, 

I am Miriam Minsk, a Penn sophomore studying bioengineering and potentially minoring in Biological Basis of Behaviors. When I first arrived at Penn last year, I missed the opportunities I had to engage with Judaism and Israel at my Jewish high school. Luckily, Professor Heather Sharkey, who continues to be an outstanding mentor, suggested I work to revive Kedma. The magazine was founded in 2005 and last published in 2013 before the Spring, 2018, semester. I am excited to see Kedma continue to grow for our third issue, and I am ecstatic about the material you are about to read. Among this content is an essay about masculinity in the Singapore and Israeli militaries, a review of the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, and a paper about the Judeo-Arabic language in Maghreb, a region in Northern Africa. This variety of content demonstrates the skills and interests of our diverse community at Penn. There is something in this journal for everyone, so please dig in, engage with the content, and let your friends or us know what you think. If you find a topic or idea missing, please let us know. We would love to publish your submissions too to better fulfill our mission of including as many views as we can. Happy reading! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Miriam Minsk