Caroline Morganti
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cmorganti.bsky.social
Caroline Morganti
@cmorganti.bsky.social
540 followers 180 following 42 posts
Politics, tech, data, niche humor ✡️ software engineer 🧑🏻‍💻 sporadic artist 🎨 occasional writer for Jewish publications ✒️ board @halachicleft.org
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cmorganti.bsky.social
just saw a post from my high school and one of the students was named Tiana... so I looked up when Princess and the Frog came out and... the math is mathing, and I feel old.
November 26, 2025 at 7:24 AM
cmorganti.bsky.social
Uhhhh, how did I get on this texting list?
November 4, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
motownrabbi.bsky.social
My Halakhic argument against the starvation of Gaza:

thelehrhaus.com/timely-thoug...
The Starvation of Gaza: A Halakhic Argument | The Lehrhaus
David Polsky explores a passage in the Sifrei that is key to articulating a Halakahic position on withholding food as a military tactic.
thelehrhaus.com
October 20, 2025 at 12:51 PM
cmorganti.bsky.social
not all of the Florence US tour dates east of the Mississippi lining up directly with sefira 🥲
October 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM
cmorganti.bsky.social
Goodbye, sukkah! 💜
October 16, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
... please save! For I have said, ‘The world is built by chesed.’” (Psalms 89:3).”

לְמַֽעַן שִֽׁמְמוֹת עִֽירְךָֽ הַשְּׂרוּפָֽה בָֽאֵשׁ... הוֹשַׁע נָא!
“For the sake of the desolate remains of your city burnt up by fire... please save!”
October 13, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
לְמַֽעַן צִדְקָתָֽךְ. לְמַֽעַן קְדֻשָּׁתָֽךְ. לְמַֽעַן רַֽחֲמֶֽיךָ הָֽרַבִּֽים. לְמַֽעַן שְׁכִֽינָתָֽךְ, הוֹשַׁע נָא! לְמַֽעַן תְּהִלָּתָֽךְ, הוֹשַׁע נָא!
כִּֽי־אָמַֽרְתִּי עוֹלָֽם חֶֽסֶד יִבָּנֶֽה׃

“For the sake of Your righteousness; for the sake of Your holiness; for the sake of Your great mercy; for the sake of Your Divine Presence, please save! For the sake of Your praise..."
October 13, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
Scenes from an intensely joyful and painful Hoshanah Rabbah...
1/
Tweet @AlonLeeGreen: Einav won! Matan returned! Her struggle won! What an exciting moment we've all been waiting for. Unbelievable. [Photo of released hostage Matan Zangauker embracing his mother Einav] Tweet: @RamAbdu: This grieving man, Hitham Salem — Israel killed all his children and his wife weeks before his release. He made a gift for his daughter, whose birthday is in a few days. Look at the anguish consuming him. [Video still of Hitham Salem, anguished at the news of his family's death] Tweet @JohnLyndon_: Had privilege of spending time with Nimrod's Dad- Yehuda, pictured here- while in NY at UNGA & in meeting with @EmmanuelMacron. Where he not only advocated for Nimrod's release, but for Palestinian rights, statehood & lasting I/P peace. I hope I'm half the Dad/human being he is. Quoted tweet: @LucBernard: Nimrod is back 😭 [photo of released Israeli hostage Nimrod Cohen with his family, sitting together and smiling] Tweet @HowidyHamza: It's worth noting that hundreds of Gazans have been arrested by Israeli forces since October 7 under what’s called the “unlawful combatant” law, a legal framework that allows indefinite detention without charge or trial. Most of them are civilians taken from evacuation zones, hospitals, or shelters, with no evidence presented against them. Quoted tweet: @gazanotice "BREAKING: Freed Palestinian abductee embraces his son in an emotional reunion in Khan Younis Southern Gaza Strip, following his release as part of the exchange deal." [Video of a crowd of people welcoming a Palestinian released from Israeli custody, with different people embracing him as he walks through the crowd]
October 13, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
Ahead of Yom Kippur, we're sharing our Suggested Tzedakah page from our Yamim Noraim reader. We encourage you to donate to any of the following initiatives:

Gaza Soup Kitchen: bit.ly/gaza-sk
Umm Al-Kheir: bit.ly/umm-al-kheir
Palestine Children's Relief Fund: bit.ly/pcrf-gaza
Suggested Tzedakah ותשובה ותפילה וצדקה מעבירין את רוע הגזרה "But repentance, prayer, and charity avert the evil decree." We encourage you to donate to the initiatives in both Gaza and the West Bank below: Gaza Soup Kitchen: https://bit.ly/gaza-sk "The initiative began by feeding 150 families a day in April 2024 and quickly grew to serving 3,000 people daily. Operating amidst unimaginable scarcity and risk, our team works tirelessly to prepare and serve hot, nourishing meals. We are not an outside aid group; we are the people of Gaza, serving our own community. Currently, across 10 active kitchen sites, the team prepares simple vegetarian meals-like rice, pasta, and khubeza (a wild foraged green) — often with severely limited supplies." Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://bit.ly/pcrf-gaza "Gaza is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis — families are struggling to survive amid destruction, severe shortages of medical care, food, and clean water, and a collapsed healthcare system. PCRF is on the ground, providing urgent medical aid, food, and life-saving treatment to those in desperate need, including orphans and amputees. We are also deploying international medical teams, evacuating injured children for specialized care, and rebuilding healthcare facilities to restore critical services. "Your support brings hope, healing, and a path to recovery for Gaza’s most vulnerable." Umm Al Kheir: https://bit.ly/umm-al-kheir "This fundraiser is to support the community of Umm Al Khair, those most impacted by the devastating loss and brutal murder of community and human rights activist Awdah Hathaleen, and to continue projects and dreams that he had for his community. Awdah was dear friend of so many all over the world, a loving husband and father of three children...Please join us in supporting the community and his family... All funds raised will be distributed in the community in coordination with his family and the village council."
October 1, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
✨ "Ya'aleh Zikhroneinu," our essay collection for the High Holidays, is now live!
Download and print it out to read over the chagim here: bit.ly/hl-reader-5786 ✨
יעלה זכרוננו Essays for the Yamim Noraim Published by Halachic Left, 5786/2025 Contributors: Rana Bickel • Jonathan Boyarin • Rabbi Caleb Brommer • Rabbi Vincent Calabrese • Rabbi Aryeh Cohen • Rabbi William Friedman • Avi Garelick • Rabbi Avigayil Halpern • Lexi Kohanski • Raphael Magarik • Zev Mishell • Ya’aqov Shenkin • Laynie Soloman • Rabbi Leead Staller • Rabbi Lauren Tuchman Edited by Rabbi Lexie Botzum, Max Buchdahl, Caroline Morganti, Eliana Padwa, and Noam Weinreich [Cover image: a watercolor background of clouds in the sky near either sunset or sunrise]
September 21, 2025 at 4:35 AM
cmorganti.bsky.social
Two thoughts:

- withholding judgment, obviously I don't know the facts of specific cases -- but some of this sounds like the Satanic Panic, but 40 years later and in Israel

- some people are using this article for pretty extreme antisemitism
www.timesofisrael.com/horrifying-t...
Horrifying testimonies seek to lift shroud of silence around ritual sex abuse claims
Survivors tell Knesset lawmakers of organized assaults on children by those claiming mantle of religion, alleging longstanding phenomenon made worse by official indifference
www.timesofisrael.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:58 AM
cmorganti.bsky.social
Similar topic but completely different approaches and conclusions.

I have my issues with J Street, but I respect the courage, intellectual humility, and emotional self-awareness in Ben-Ami’s piece.

jeremybenami.substack.com/p/genocide

yehudakurtzer.substack.com/p/genocide-a...
Genocide
Debate over whether there’s a genocide in Gaza has special resonance when your family was a victim of the crime that gave the world the term.
jeremybenami.substack.com
August 13, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
And thank you to director Omri Dayan for his discussion/Q&A with Yavni Bar-Yam after our screening of Seven Jewish Children (sevenjewishchildren.com).
All screenings raise funds for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social -- we encourage you to donate here: map.org.uk
Yavni Bar-Yam discusses the short film "Seven Jewish Children" with director Omri Dayan
August 4, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
Thank you to everyone who joined our Tisha B'Av Zoom programming!
Special thank you to Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz @rps.bsky.social and Rabbi Leead Staller for teaching!
Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz, wearing glasses with light green frames and a black, white, and light green tichel, gives a shiur over Zoom Rabbi Leead Staller, with dark hair, a beard, and glasses and wearing a navy shirt with white polka dots, gives a shiur over Zoom
August 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
Join us in coalition with other Jewish groups this Monday (8/4, the day after Tisha B'Av) in NYC! Register here: innmvmt.org/stopstarvation
Stop Starvation, Stop Ethnic Cleansing JEWS SAY: NO MORE Mass mobilization Trump Hotel, Columbus Circle Mon, Aug 4 - 6:30pm ET "Whoever can protest their people's actions, and doesn't, is responsible for them" (Shabbat 54b)
July 30, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
Come to this year's Tisha B'Av Zoom programming -- including group learning of selected kinnot, a screening of the short film Seven Jewish Children and Q&A with director Omri Dayan, and shiurim with R' Leead Staller & Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz
@rps.bsky.social

Sign up here: bit.ly/9av-zoom
Halachic Left Tisha B'Av Online Programming Sunday, August 3 via Zoom All times listed in US Eastern time Schedule: * 1:30-2:30pm EDT: Communal kinnot chaburah * 2:30-3:30pm: “Why Do We Fast on Tisha B’Av?” with Rabbi Leead Staller * 3:30-4:30pm: Virtual screening of Seven Jewish Children, followed by a Q&A with director Omri Dayan * 4:30-5:30pm: “Daughter Zion Talks Back to the Prophets” with Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz Please RSVP here to get Zoom link: http://bit.ly/9av-zoom
July 31, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
cjnv.org
"I want to live in peace. I want to raise my children in peace. I don’t want them to experience the occupation. I don’t want them to suffer like I do."

www.972mag.com/awdah-hathal...
Umm Al-Khair mourns activist slain by Israeli settler
Contrary to the settler’s account, eyewitness testimony and analysis of video footage shows that Awdah Hathaleen was gunned down in cold blood.
www.972mag.com
July 30, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
We’re having online programming again this year on 9 Av.
We'll have closer learning of selected kinnot, a screening of the short film Seven Jewish Children along w/ a director Q&A, & shiurim from R' Leead Staller & Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz @rps.bsky.social.
RSVP: bit.ly/9av-zoom
Halachic Left Tisha B'Av Online Programming Sunday, August 3 via Zoom All times listed in US Eastern time Schedule: * 1:30-2:30pm EDT: Communal kinnot chaburah * 2:30-3:30pm: “Why Do We Fast on Tisha B’Av?” with Rabbi Leead Staller * 3:30-4:30pm: Virtual screening of Seven Jewish Children, followed by a Q&A with director Omri Dayan * 4:30-5:30pm: “Daughter Zion Talks Back to the Prophets” with Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz Please RSVP here to get Zoom link: http://bit.ly/9av-zoom
July 29, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
"[A] group of traditionally observant young Jews gathered last week to engage in an age-old form of rabbinic inquiry to address what they see as the moral crisis in Judaism today: the war in Gaza."

Coverage of the HL Forum from Yonat Shimron for @rns.org:
religionnews.com/2025/07/28/a...
A group of observant Jews set out to reclaim their tradition's focus on justice, mercy amid Gaza war
NEW YORK (RNS) — The Halachic Left is one of several new Jewish protest groups that have formed after Oct. 7, 2023, to argue for a reclaiming of a Judaism of lovingkindness.
religionnews.com
July 29, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
emilyctamkin.bsky.social
For @forward.com, I wrote about how we know that Israel has been withholding food as a military tactic because Israeli officials have said versions of “we are withholding food as a military tactic” for the entirety of the war and pretending otherwise is willful ignorance forward.com/opinion/7586...
Is starvation in Gaza really Israel's fault? The facts are clear
Rising starvation in Gaza may have a number of factors. But Israel's wartime policies on humanitarian aid are inarguably among them.
forward.com
July 28, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
Can’t be here in person? Watch the livestream!
www.youtube.com/live/dUlRged...
Halachic Left Forum: Presenting Works on Nationalism, Community, Boundaries Sunday, July 20; NYC; Register: bit.ly/forum-hl Presenters and Topics: * Rabbi Lexie Botzum - Kashrut in Solidarity Work * Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Cohen - Halacha and Democracy: Rethinking the Relationship * Albert Kohn: "Delaying the Services": An Exploration of Medieval Ashkenazic Protest * Rabbi Allen Lipson: "A Prison Without a Lock": Halachic Perspectives on BDS * Dr. Raphael Magarik: Rabbinic Approaches to Ascending the Temple Mount: The Norms of Sacred Space * Rabbi Dr. David Seidenberg: Ger Toshav: Stranger and Settler in Israel-Palestine * Rabbi Leead Staller: Bal Taschit and the Laws of War * Isaac Treuherz: Shelilat HaMinhag: "Negation of the Diaspora" and the Flattenting of Our Traditions * Netanel Zellis-Paley: Law at the End of History: Is Religious Zionist Halacha Antinomian? Commentators: * Rabbi William Friedman * Rabbi Avigayil Halpern * Dr. Sarah Wolf
July 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
🚨 ⌛ Last day to register to attend in-person in NYC! All the info here: www.halachicleft.org/forum
July 13, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
🤩 Schedule and topic descriptions for the Halachic Left Forum now online here: halachicleft.org/forum

Register to attend by this Sunday! bit.ly/forum-hl
Halachic Left Forum: Presenting Works on Nationalism, Community, Boundaries Sunday, July 20; NYC; Register: bit.ly/forum-hl Presenters and Topics: * Rabbi Lexie Botzum - Kashrut in Solidarity Work * Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Cohen - Halacha and Democracy: Rethinking the Relationship * Albert Kohn: "Delaying the Services": An Exploration of Medieval Ashkenazic Protest * Rabbi Allen Lipson: "A Prison Without a Lock": Halachic Perspectives on BDS * Dr. Raphael Magarik: Rabbinic Approaches to Ascending the Temple Mount: The Norms of Sacred Space * Rabbi Dr. David Seidenberg: Ger Toshav: Stranger and Settler in Israel-Palestine * Rabbi Leead Staller: Bal Taschit and the Laws of War * Isaac Treuherz: Shelilat HaMinhag: "Negation of the Diaspora" and the Flattenting of Our Traditions * Netanel Zellis-Paley: Law at the End of History: Is Religious Zionist Halacha Antinomian? Commentators: * Rabbi William Friedman * Rabbi Avigayil Halpern * Dr. Sarah Wolf
July 9, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
halachicleft.org
🔥 Continuing our series looking at the presentations at the Halachic Left Forum on Sunday, 7/20!

Next up, Rabbi Leead Staller is writing about bal tashchit in its original context as a wartime law.

Register to attend by Sunday (July 13): bit.ly/forum-hl
Halachic Left ForumPresenting Works on Nationalism, Community, BoundariesSunday, July 20, 9:30am-5:30pm, NYC, Register: bit.ly/forum-hlBal Tashchit and the Laws of Warby Rabbi Leead StallerIn contemporary halakhic practice, the laws of bal tashchit govern environmentally conscious concerns of wastefulness. However, when one examines the textual origin and rabbinic development of that halakha, one is left with a series of questions and incongruencies between the contemporary eco-ethic and the original intent of the law. The law is found in Deuteronomy in the context of the laws of warfare for the impending siege of Israel, and seemingly has nothing to do with environmental concerns. (continued>) Ultimately, this is because bal tashchit originated as a law of the ethical limitations of wartime siege tactics, and—as one can track from the earliest midrashim to the later exilic work—as the diasporic Jewish community became further detached from practical questions of war and military force, laws such as bal tashchit were given new life by being transformed into personal ethics and ritual practices. An unfortunate byproduct of this process is that the original intent of the laws of bal tashchit are often lost or outright contradicted within Torah discourse today. Bio: Leead Staller has been a rabbi in the downtown Manhattan community for the past five years, starting with long-time members of the Lower East Side, and ultimately ending his time there working with college students. Learning Torah, sharing Shabbat meals, and being in community together with the young college students of the downtown communities reaffirmed Leead’s direction and passion for young and new projects like Halachic Left, and he’s excited to be a participant in it.
July 8, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by Caroline Morganti
sorayanadiamcdonald.com
There really is something special about what Zohran and Brad are showing the rest of the world what it still means to be a New Yorker and an American.

A Jew and a Muslim modeling a politics of mutual respect, rejecting cynicism. Human decency has been taking a beating but she's not out just yet!
June 25, 2025 at 3:50 AM