Issue 2, Number 6 (2022) Fall 2022

Dear reader, 

Thank you for choosing to read our journal, Kedma. Kedma was founded on Penn’s campus in 2005 and last published in 2013 before the Spring 2018 semester when it was revived. The COVID-19 pandemic impact brought the editing team on a path of success, with the team graduating mid pandemic. Luckily, Professor Heather Sharkey, who continues to be an outstanding mentor, helped initiate Kedma’s revival. Sophomores Sam Finkelstein and Harry Kilberg, along with help from the Jewish Studies Program and other mentors, have helped to once again revive the journal.We now have the opportunity to publish the work of undergrads across campus on a variety of topics, from commentary on Jewish religious practices to modern-day Israeli culture. We are excited to see Kedma continue to grow for our fourth issue and are ecstatic about the material you are about to read. 

Among this content is an essay presenting the challenges of designing a common curriculum amongst Israeli Jews and Arabs, and a paper analyzing the Bosnian Civil War through the lens of the Holocaust. 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! 

Sam Finkelstein and Harry Kilberg