Israel’s rabbinate too powerful: Rabbi Avi Weiss says it’s time to “decentralize the Chief Rabbinate’s power and to give Jewish communities greater say in what is acceptable for their members.” (N.Y. Times)

My neighbor, Pete Seeger: A rabbi in the famed folk singer’s Hudson Valley hometown tells about his several appearances at the local synagogue, including a performance with Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. (Forward)

ISO Jewish video game heroes: Annoyed by a tasteless pitch with Hasidic stereotypes, a game enthusiast laments the scarcity of Jewish-themed games. (Kotaku)

Help gentile girlfriends convert: A former British “shiksa,” who is now an Israeli citizen, says the Chief Rabbinate puts too many obstacles in the path of sincere converts. (Times of Israel)

Buchenwald, Dachau in color: Rare color footage of the liberation of concentration camps shows the reactions of German citizens forced to witness the carnage there.(Jewish Press)