Shatner Beams Down to Israel
Eager to get in touch with his Jewish roots — and to lend a helping hand to Israeli children with disabilities — actor William Shatner is “boldly” going to Israel later in the month to assess the condition of the country’s “therapeutic riding centers.” A longtime equestrian, the former “Star Trek” star has in recent years been active with American charities involved in using horses to help handicapped children. Now, he said, it’s time to make a difference internationally. The actor, who today stars on the ABC drama “Boston Legal,” has teamed up with the Jewish National Fund to help raise $10 million for therapeutic riding centers across Israel. The program hopes to facilitate cooperation among Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians. “What better way to create a dialogue than by helping handicapped children from different countries feel good about themselves?” Shatner said.
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
