By Jonathan S. Tobin (JNS) A curious thing occurred at the end of 2020. A program that had been promoted by the organized American-Jewish community was proven to be a tremendous success. But not everyone was happy about it. So, the news that this program is now having budget problems will probably prompt mixed responses
Birthright Budget Problems Are a Communal Emergency Read More »
Israel, Opinion, USA
By Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — For 25 years I lived opposite the Opera House in Kiev and many times I was near the scene of this murder, near the first row of the parterre and the orchestra pit. As a lover of classical music, I was a frequent visitor to the Kiev Opera House,
Murder in the Kiev Theater Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
The question of turkey’s status as a permitted (kosher) bird is a topic that comes up every Thanksgiving holiday season. Nevertheless, many Orthodox Jews I personally know will never eat turkey since there is no tradition permitting it. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
How Thanksgiving Turkey Became Kosher—For Some Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
ROCKVILLE, Maryland (Press Release) — Katie Roth of Los Angeles was selected as one of the dozens of Jewish women from around the world to share their story on Yomm, a website and complimentary app launched by the Momentum organization. Last week, Momentum, a global movement for Jewish mothers, launched its first mobile app and
Southern California Mother Featured in First App Exclusively Tailored for Jewish Women Read More »
California, Israel, Jewish Religion, USA
By Eva Trieger SAN DIEGO — Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School is no stranger to facing challenges head-on. Now, celebrating its 60th anniversary, this remains a fact. With climbing numbers of adolescents dealing with mental health issues, this courageous faculty, led by Rabbi Simcha Weiser, has engaged Stuart Katz, a Hebrew Day alumnus (class
Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School Promotes Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing Read More »
Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
(JNS) Israel on Sunday approved a proposal to allocate 3.5 million shekels ($1 million) toward documenting the testimony of Holocaust survivors worldwide. Addressing the final weekly Cabinet meeting of his government, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said, “Ten years ago, when I was finance minister, I was the driving force behind the decision to increase
Israel Greenlights Project to Document Holocaust Survivors’ Testimonies Read More »
Holocaust, International, Israel
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — If you’re looking for a love story, this week in Toldot, we read a magnificent one, in fact the first. You see, we are told that husband and wife are to, “cleave to each other and become one flesh.” This is precisely what Isaac and Rebecca teach
Parashat Toldot: Love and Prayer Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — The question of when did Jews begin to observe the practices and prohibitions of biblical laws is one of the most important yet thorniest questions that has bothered scholars for centuries. While traditional Jews believe their ancestors accepted and practiced Torah laws since the time of
When Did Jews Begin to Observe Biblical Laws? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
By Mark D. Zimmerman The city of Buffalo, New York was buried under record snowfall this past week, with some areas receiving more than 6 feet of snow. The first Jew known to reside in the Buffalo area was Captain Mordecai Myers, who was stationed at the Williamsville cantonment during the War of 1812. The Jewish population
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Mordecai Manuel Noah Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
By Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D At Princeton University, the Princeton Committee on Palestine (PCP) has had a busy year of activism with the sole purpose of maligning, libeling, and questioning the legitimacy of Israel. In March, for example, the group sponsored a referendum that called on Princeton to “immediately halt usage of all Caterpillar machinery
A Double Standard for Israel From Princeton’s Jew-Haters Read More »
Israel, Opinion, Richard L. Cravatts, USA
By Jacob Kamaras SAN DIEGO — Israeli representatives from the Sha’ar HaNegev region got a firsthand look at the American Jewish day school landscape last Wednesday as part of their six-day visit to San Diego. During a tour of the San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA), Sha’ar HaNegev delegation member Tzachi Levy said he was struck
By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — Although it has been 55 years since I graduated from college, I still fondly remember my student life being enhanced by my membership in a Jewish fraternity. Today, I might have a different attitude, now that Jew-hatred (some call it antisemitism, a somewhat innocuous term.) A recent article
Jew-Hatred Burgeons in the US Read More »
Opinion, Steve Kramer, USA
(JNS) Azerbaijan’s parliament on Friday initiated the process of opening an embassy in Israel, making it the first Shi’ite Muslim-majority country do so. “Azerbaijan is an important partner of Israel and home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the Muslim world,” Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement following the development. “The
Azerbaijan to Open Embassy in Israel Read More »
International, Israel, Middle East
By Doron Krakow A common question among JCC leaders is: “Are we a movement?” The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of a movement is: “a series of organized activities working toward an objective; also: an organized effort to promote or attain an end.” As a product of Young Judaea, the Zionist youth movement, I was inured from
A Week in the Life of a Movement Read More »
Doron Krakow, Lifestyles, Opinion, USA