Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The officials of the Saudi information ministry who waited for us in the royal terminal of the international airport in Riyadh had but one duty: to see to it that we received as quickly and easily as possible our entry visas for the summit of the Arab League, which was due…
The heads of United Jewish Communities, the troubled umbrella organization of American Jewish federated charities, dropped a bombshell on their officers and constituents this month in the form of a sweeping and largely unexpected plan for restructuring the flagging organization. The plan, laid out in a strategy paper that has only recently begun to circulate…
Almost every self-employed person has financial ups and downs. For me, last year was one of the downs — not a calamity, but business was slow. And when you have the expenses that come with a young and growing family, it’s easy to be concerned. I was concerned. As Judaism teaches in such circumstances, to…
All six major Democratic contenders – Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Biden and Dodd – will be on hand at the National Jewish Democratic Council policy conference to be held April 23-25 in Washington, D.C.
The portion of Shemini details laws of animal sacrifice and of kashrut. Without a Temple, we no longer bring God animal offerings. As a result of rabbinic interpretation, we now observe many more rules of kashrut than those written in the Torah. Over time, Jewish practice sometimes expands and sometimes contracts. For what reason? One…
There are some places so inherent in their power that they’re no longer places; they are living lessons. The realization came to me last summer, following a visit to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. I stood at the entrance of 267 Prinsengracht, waiting on line in the hot July sun as gangs of tourists…
The Diary of Petr Ginz, 1941-1942 Edited by Chava Pressburger, translated by Elena Lappin Atlantic Monthly Press, 192 pages, $24. When the Columbia space shuttle exploded in February 2003, there was a drawing on board — a moonscape by a young Auschwitz victim named Petr Ginz. In the aftermath of the explosion, news reports mentioning…
Along with sheer luck, I believe that most Jews who survived the Holocaust had adaptability, shrewdness and an irrepressible will to live. One such person is Zyga “Zygie” Allweiss of West Bloomfield, Mich. I am proud to be his daughter. This past September, my father returned to Poland for the first time since 1945. I…
Members of New York’s Jewish community have joined forces to organize the Lower East Side Yom HaShoah Commemoration, an event taking place at the Bialystoker Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. The commemoration features a variety of exhibits, including multimedia art by T. Weinstein called The 36 Unknown; photographs from survivors, and work celebrating modern-day life…
Forget about “Blazing Saddles” — there really is Jewish history in them thar hills. Last May, I was heading to the Land of Enchantment — New Mexico — for a writing workshop and decided to indulge my curiosity about frontier Jews and their interactions with Native Americans. This is an interest I first cultivated a…
New York Take a look at Israel through a whole new lens at the JCC in Manhattan’s third annual Yom Ha’atzmaut Film Marathon, Israel-in-Short. The event marks Israel Independence Day with a variety of short films created by up-and-coming Israeli filmmakers, offering portraits of contemporary life in Israel. *JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. (at…
