One year after the arrest of Bernard Madoff sent shockwaves through the world of Jewish philanthropy, only a handful of charities and foundations that had invested in Madoff’s funds have publicly outlined reforms of their investment processes. Many others have yet to identify measures taken to change these practices, while still others say they have…
After they retired, Ronnie Sue Ambrosino and her husband, Dominic, crisscrossed the country in their RV. They kept an American flag in the cab, and flew it on occasion. Ronnie Sue’s e-mail address included the words “patriot” and “USA.” “I wasn’t a zealot or anything,” she said, “but I was very proud to be an…
A persistent stereotype attaches itself to Hadassah: sweet, elderly ladies holding tea socials and collecting money in tin boxes for Israel. But it takes no more than five minutes with Nancy Falchuk, the organization’s national president, to dispel this image. Her Hadassah sounds like it has been processed through the meat grinder of business consultants….
When sending the grandchildren holiday gifts, should we use Christmas or Hanukkah wrapping paper? This real-life dilemma actually came up at one of the interfaith couple workshops conducted for the past 15 years at the Washington District of Columbia Jewish Community Center. With 450 couples that have already attended her workshops, and her first DVD…
With the recent announcement of Chelsea Clinton’s engagement to Marc Mezvinsky, extended family gatherings at the high-profile Clinton household look poised to become a lot more colorful. With her choice of a mate, Clinton, daughter of a former president and the current secretary of state, is marrying into a family that includes a former congressman…
A former executive of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society is about to shake up the world of refugee aid. Longtime refugee advocate, Neil Grungras, founded the Organization for Refuge, Asylum, & Migration last January and it is on the verge of launching a historic global survey about prevailing attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender…
Some conservatives are accusing the Anti-Defamation League of launching a partisan attack following its report asserting that a “current of anti-government hostility” has swept the United States in the year since Barack Obama was elected. The Jewish defense organization did not respond similarly to anti-Bush hatred during the previous eight years, the conservatives have argued,…
Two high-profile arrests in Israel of immigrants in violent and shocking crimes have prompted calls in the Jewish state for far-reaching changes to immigration procedures. Yaakov “Jack” Teitel, who hails from Florida, allegedly perpetrated a decade-long campaign of terrorist-style attacks in Israel. In late October, Teitel confessed to a long list of crimes, mostly against…
What’s Hanukkah without some festive music? Whether you’re in the mood for folk, reggae, klezmer or even live DJs spinning tracks, there are musical events across the country that promise to keep your December full of holiday cheer. We’ve pulled together eight of our favorite options — separated by event type, for your convenience —…
While potato latkes, with their glamorous sheen of oil and salt-kissed crunch, may be the star of Hanukkah cuisine, it is hard to imagine celebrating The Festival of Lights without chocolate gelt. Mesh pouches of the glinting, foil-wrapped discs have become a central part of grocery store holiday displays and a mandatory nibble at Hanukkah…
ISRAEL CANCER RESEARCH FUND HONORS BROOKLYN-BORN NOBEL LAUREATE DR. RICHARD AXEL “I called every client I knew to shoot someone [in order] to get visibility on Page Six [of the New York Post], joshed criminal defense lawyer Benjamin Brafman, master of ceremonies at the Israel Cancer Research Fund’s November 4 “Tower of Hope” ball, held…
