SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Allan Finkelstein, who has spent his entire career working to strengthen Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) and the role that they play in American Jewish life, will retire from leading the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America, where he has served as president and CEO since 1994. His retirement is effective […]
Allan Finkelstein to retire from JCCA Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–A unique prayer book commissioned by the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council will be first used at Shabbat services on Friday and Saturday, March 28-29 during the JCC Association Biennial in San Diego. It is the first time since World War II that a siddur (Hebrew for prayer book) has been created expressly
New siddur for military to debut at JCCA Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County
CHICAGO (Press Release)–The world’s Reform rabbis will convene in Chicago Sunday, March 30, through Wednesday, April 2, 2014, for the 125th Convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR). The CCAR is the representative organization of nearly 2,000 Reform rabbis, the world’s largest group of Jewish clergy. Over 570 registrants will gather to consider
Reform rabbis to convene in Chicago March 30 Read More »
Jewish Religion, USAPARIS (Press Release) — AJC is appalled by the violent assault on a Jewish teacher in Paris. The man, who was wearing a kippah, was brutally beaten after he left a kosher restaurant on Thursday evening. The assailants broke his nose, drew a swastika on his chest and reportedly shouted anti-Semitic epithets in French and Arabic.
AJC deplores brutal beating of French Jew Read More »
International, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — This question is based on a question posed to the “Ethicist” column in the New York Times Sunday Magazine. My colleague at work spends most of his time posting to the website, Reddit. He could be posting information about his boss or work environment that could
Employees surfing unrelated Internet sites are stealing Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Sean Savage/JNS.org In a throwback to the golden age of cinema, Hollywood has declared 2014 the “Year of the Bible.” From Ridley Scott’s Exodus starring Christian Bale as Moses, to Russell Crowe playing Noah, Hollywood is gambling on new innovations in technology and star power to revisit some of the most popular stories
Hollywood rediscovers the Bible Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Garry Fabian MELBOURNE, Australia — Every year for times immemorial one of the features of a Seder is the parting of the seas, when the Children of Israel left Egypt. One year our Seder also featured the seas, but with a difference. We were on a cruise on the Queen Mary 2, sailing from Melbourne,
On that Passover, Jews went over the Sea Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO—Many Bar and Bat Mitzvah students suffer from PBL (Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah Letdown) after their simcha. They spend many months, if not years, preparing for their special day and approach it with excitement and anticipation. The day after the service, however, their excitement disappears and they feel a void in
A cure for post- Bar/Bat Mitzvah letdown? Read More »
Jewish ReligionTEL AVIV (Press Release)- White City Shabbat has announced that it will be setting the Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Shabbat Dinner set to take place in June 2014, at the Hangar 11, Tel Aviv Port. In order to break the record, at least 1,000 Israelis and new immigrants must attend the dinner.
Tel Aviv to seek Shabbat dinner guest record Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Pesach is just around the corner. As we do our Pesach shopping and preparations, here is a nice story to keep in mind: Rabbi Yosef Charif of Slonim was known for his sharpness and insight. Every year as Pesach approached, he received a multitude of queries concerning the
The Wise Rabbi and the Passover Turnabout Read More »
Jewish Religion
CHICAGO, Illinois (Press Release) — The Central Conference of American Rabbis will honor Rabbi David Ellenson, Ph.D., at the Crown Family Symposium on Rabbinic Leadership on Monday, March 31, 2014, as part of the 125th annual CCAR Convention, in Chicago. The CCAR is the representative organization of nearly 2,000 Reform rabbis, the world’s largest group
CCAR to honor HUC-JIR’s Rabbi David Ellenson Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA
HARTFORD, Connecticut (Press Release)– Trinity College professors Barry Kosmin and Ariela Keysar are embarking on an online national survey of Jewish university and college students. This large-scale study is a follow-up to their 2013 online national survey of the worldviews and opinions of all American college students. The focus on college students differentiates the Trinity
Professors to survey Jewish college students Read More »
Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–Are all jokes about Jews inherently anti-Semitic? I suppose to some extent that depends upon who is telling them. When Jews tell derogatory jokes about Jews, it is from the perspective of insiders poking fun at themselves. However, when a non-Jew tells the same joke it is offensive and racist.
Some Purim thoughts on anti- Semitism Read More »
Jewish Religion
GENEVA (Press Release)– The World Jewish Congress (WJC) on Wednesday called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to recognize as violations of religious freedom any bans or limitations on the right to practice Jewish and Muslim ritual slaughter of animals and male circumcision. “We call on the governments of all UN member states to
WJC seeks UN protection for shechita, brit milah Read More »
International, Jewish Religion