Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on July 13, 2017

In the 1830s, Scottish poet Thomas Carlyle authored a novel, Sartor Resartus (The Tailor Re-Tailored), in which one character expounds on the virtues of silence: Sprecfien ist silbern, Schweigen ist golden. Translation: Speech is silvern but silence is golden.

One could argue that, generally speaking, Jews are not the silent type. Many Jews like to kibitz and schmooze and, for some, small talk is their only form of exercise. (For such folks, doing a squat means sitting down and having a chat.) A few individuals, sometimes lovingly referred to as Yentas, gossip so incessantly that its like theyre being paid by the rumor. Of course, schmoozing can be a very valuable tool for discovering critical information like (i) mitzvah opportunities in your area, (ii) matchmaking candidates in your town and (iii) secret ingredients in your neighbors competition-level cholent. Of course, not all Jews excel at gabbing, just like not all Jews excel at hora dancing, shofar blowing or sukkah building. Some Jews are less loquacious than others and taciturn Jews typically excel in other aspects of Jewish life, like the silent Amidah.

There are certain instances, however, when even the most garrulous Jews embrace, or at least accept, silence. So, the question is: in the Jewish world, when is silence golden?

For the record, Jewish law is not silent on silence. The Talmud, at Megillah 18a, states: A word is worth a sela [coin], but silence is worth two. Other Jewish texts also extol the virtues of silence. In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), Section 1:17, the following is noted: I have found nothing better for the body than silence. Later in Pirkei Avot, in Section 3:17, it is written: Rabbi Akiva said... a protective fence for wisdom is silence.

In practical terms, silence can be an important asset in day-to-day interactions. For example, if you are playing hide-and-go-seek and its your turn to hide, silence is golden. If youre in the jungle and walking past a sleeping tiger, silence is golden. If your significant other asks How do I look? and they actually look awful, silence is golden. If a jeweler appraises your gold necklace for more than you thought it was worth, then, literally and figuratively, silence is golden.

There is at least one form of silence that occurs regularly in Jewish life. It occurs before a meal, right after the traditional washing of the hands but before the making of the Hamotzi (the blessing over bread). During this intermediate period, it is customary to remain perfectly silent. This practice is derived, in part, from a statement in the Talmud, at Brachot 52b, which states: Immediately after the washing is the meal. (See, Brachot 52b). Thus, Jews have developed the practice of remaining silent after washing to avoid any interruptions, disturbances or distractions before making the Hamotzi blessing and beginning the meal. Technically, the silence should not be broken until one has actually said the Hamotzi and consumed a piece of bread. All of this can lead to some uncomfortably quiet moments, especially during a meal on Shabbat involving numerous guests. The strange silence around the table can be particularly unsettling for the uninitiated who are not familiar with these pre-Hamotzi habits.

For those unaccustomed with pre-Hamotzi silence, perhaps the best way to explain it to them is through song. (Yes, teaching silence through song is oxymoronic and arguably just plain moronic.) So, lets change the lyrics of the most famous song ever about silence, namely, Simon & Garfunkels 1964 legendary hit, The Sound of Silence. Have this timeless tune in mind when singing the following:

Hello Shabbos, my old friend

Ive come to break bread with you again

All of our guests have now washed

their hands

Around the table is where they stand

But nobody, is saying a single word

They all concurred

With the sound of silence.

And in the naked light I saw

Ten silent guests, maybe more

People nodding without speaking

People shrugging without talking

People miming signs like they

were playing charades

Theyre so afraid

To disturb the sound of silence.

But the people pointed and stared

At the host who did not care

So his spouse flashed out

a stern warning

With a look that meant he was

so annoying

Her expression said: The words of the

Hamotzi are written in the

prayer book?

Dont be a schnook

Please end the sound of silence.

And so Hamotzi was quickly said

And the guests were quickly fed

The whole meal went off without a hitch

Notwithstanding the pre-Hamotzi glitch

As the guests departed, so did all

of the noise

Now the hosts enjoyed

The peaceful sound of silence.

Bottom-line: If silence is golden and speech is silvern, does that mean that yodeling is bronzen?

By Jon Kranz

Read more:

Kosher Quiet - Jewish Link of New Jersey

Category: Talmud | Comments Off on Kosher Quiet – Jewish Link of New Jersey
Tags:

Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

Women from the Jewish community of Carpentras chatting while preparing for Shabbat at the towns synagogue, July 7, 2017. (Cnaan Liphshiz )

CARPENTRAS, France (JTA) The synagogue in this Provence town is Europes oldest functioning Jewish house of worship and one of theprettiest on the continent.

The Synagogue of Carpentras, which this year is celebrating its 650th anniversary,has a Baroque-style interior and a gold-ornamented hall with a blue domed ceiling. The rabbis pulpit is, unusually, on a balcony that overlooks the pews and the Torah ark the work of thenon-Jews who built the synagogue in a Christian style in the16th century atop its earlier structure, which was first established in 1367.

Most impressive of all is that the synagogue is housed withina larger building that once functioned as an ancient Jewish community center of sorts. The space boasts spectacular facilities, including a 30-foot-deep ritual bath, or mikvah, fed by turquoise waters from a natural spring, another heated bath, a kosher abattoir and a bakery with large ovens that burned year round.

Yet the architects did their best to conceal the buildingssplendor. The small, wooden front door is buta drab opening in a simple facade that unlikeEuropes other majestic synagogues does not even hint at the bling inside.

The juxtapositionbetween the majestic interior and basic exterior is theresult of French Jewrys long-held desire to celebrate its greatness without attracting too much attention.

A view of the Synagogue of Carpentras, July 7, 2017. (Cnaan Liphshiz)

The Synagogue of Carpentras is, to French Jews today, a testament to that conflicted sentiment and tangible proof of their deep roots in a country where many of them nonetheless feel they are treated as outsiders.

At a time when on some streets in France people are shouting Jews, get out, France is not yours, the Synagogue of Carpentras and its 650th anniversary are proof of just how deep our roots run here, CarineBenarous, the communications officer of the Fleg Jewish Community Center in Marseille, 80 miles south of Carpentras, told JTA last week.

Benarous was referring to a slogan that shocked many in France in 2014, when the media reported its use at anti-Israel protests in several cities.

In May,the chief rabbi of France, Haim Korsia whom many French Jews treat with the kind of adoration typically reserved for rock stars traveled more than six hours from Paris tospend Shabbat with the Carpentras Jewish community of 125 members. Alongside a regional archbishop, an influential imam and other rabbis from across the Provence region, Korsia also attended a ceremony marking the 650th anniversary.

Here we acknowledge how deeply our history and our roots are anchored in the soil of France, he said, noting that a Jewish presence has been documented in Provence since the first century.

In his speech, Korsia recalled a different slogan one used several times by Frances former prime minister, Manuel Valls, following a wave of terrorist attacks on Jews. Valls had said that without Jews, France isnt France.

The Synagogue of Carpentras, Korsia said, is proof of that.

Meyer Benzecrit, the president of the Jewish community of Carpentras, delivering a speech at the towns synagogue, May 28, 2017. (Courtesy of the municipality of Carpentras)

I still have goose bumps from his speech, said Franoise Richez, a Carpentras Jew who gives tours of the synagogue.

But Carpentras, she added, is also a testament to the long and, unfortunately, unfinished history of anti-Semitism.

Carpentras was one of only four locales in present-day France where Jews were allowed to stay even after the Great Expulsion of French Jewry, decreed by King Philip IV of France in 1306, according to Ram Ben-Shalom, a historian and lecturer at theHebrew University of Jerusalem specializing inthe Jewry of Provence.

Jews were allowed to live in closed, guarded and crowded ghettos, known as carrieres, in Carpentras, Avignon, Cavaillon and LIsle-sur-la-Sorgue because these locales in Provence were on lands owned by the pope, who took in Jews in exchange for payment. Additionally, he said, Jews were made to wear distinctive clothing, often a cape.

As for the synagogues serving the carrieres, they were designed by Christians because the Jews were only allowed to work as traders or moneylenders, according to Yoann Rogier, a guide at the Synagogue of Cavaillon, which was built in 1494 but now functions as a museum of the towns historic Jewish population, its door frames lacking a mezuzah.

As such, in both Carpentras and Cavaillon, congregants must turn their backs to the Torah ark if they want to face their rabbi, and vice versa. (In most synagogues, the rabbis pulpit sits on a bimah, or platform, situated in front of the ark or in the middle of the sanctuary.) To read from the Torah, the rabbis of both synagogues had to carry the Torah scroll up to their balcony. The Cavaillon synagogue still has a portable ark with wheels for this purpose.

Despite the imperfect circumstances, the Jews of Carpentras ingeniously turned their synagogue into a labyrinthine community center, making maximum use of the limited space allotted to them thanks to partitions, underground passages and interior courts that offered facilities for every aspect of Jewish life. The synagogue complex even had a special matzah bakery.

Gilberte Levy, another member of the Carpentras Jewish community, is among the many local Jews who can trace their lineagenearly to the year that the synagogue was established.

They call me the communitys Brontosaurus, she said, laughing.

To Richez, whose husband is descended from a Jewish family forced to convert to Christianity in Spain during the Inquisition, the Carpentrassynagogue shows that despite everything, we prevailed, she said.

Yet Carpentras also is symbolic of more recent struggles for French Jews.

Franoise Richez talking about the ritual bath, or mikvah, of the Jewish community of Carpentras, July 7, 2017. (Cnaan Liphshiz)

In 1990, it saw one of the worst cases of anti-Semitic vandalism in France after the Holocaust: Neo-Nazis smashed dozens of tombstones in the ancient graveyard. The incidentpredated the current wave of anti-Semitic violence that is causingmany thousands of Jews to leave France and was particularly shocking.

Today, Carpentras is one of the few active synagogues in France without army protection. Unlike most French synagogues, visitors may enter without first undergoing a security inspection. While this is good for tourism, the important thing is that the tourism stops at 6 p.m. and this returns to being an active Jewish synagogue, said Richez, a mother of two. We dont want to end up with just a museum, like in Cavaillon.

There used to be more incidents, anti-Semitic shouts and such around the synagogue, Richez added, but matters improved after the municipality closed the synagogues street to vehicles.

All in all, she said, I think were pretty privileged here.

Read this article:

How this 650-year-old French synagogue withstood centuries of anti ... - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Category: Synagogue | Comments Off on How this 650-year-old French synagogue withstood centuries of anti … – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Tags:

Posted By richards on July 13, 2017

The men gather for prayers, but are short the 10 needed to complete a minyan, or quorum. They ask passing strangers to join them, and one young man not only says yes, but brings along students from his yeshiva. The man, Rabbi David (played by Aviv Alush, whom Christian audiences will recognize for his role as Jesus in "The Shack"), seems to be the answer to the congregation's prayers.

The men of the congregation, like the shopkeeper Zion (Igal Naor), are impressed with Rabbi David's passionate sermonizing. But Zion's wife, Etti (Evelin Hagoel), and the other women bristle at the rabbi's extremist reading of Talmudic law like insisting that women cover their heads.

As Rabbi David's influence grows, so does a rift within the congregation. Some of Etti's friends start shunning her, while Zion notices he's being spied on by a student of David's yeshiva. The split takes on a "Romeo & Juliet" quality when young Yaffa (Yafit Asulin), Etti's niece, starts dating Naftali (Assaf Ben Shimon), Rabbi David's loyal assistant.

First-time screenwriter Shlomit Nehama invests her script with plenty of heart, good humor and some pleasant surprises. Director Emil Ben-Shimon navigates a strong ensemble cast through Nehama's story, finding jewels for each performer to polish until they gleam.

There's a serious undercurrent running through "The Women's Balcony," a warning about the dangers of fundamentalism tearing friends and family apart. But that message is delivered in such a powerfully heartwarming way that it leaves one smiling by the conclusion.

movies@sltrib.com

Twitter: @moviecricket

Read this article:

Exuberant 'Women's Balcony' shows a Jerusalem synagogue's ... - Salt Lake Tribune

Category: Synagogue | Comments Off on Exuberant ‘Women’s Balcony’ shows a Jerusalem synagogue’s … – Salt Lake Tribune
Tags:

Posted By admin on July 13, 2017

Update 7/12/17: The article was updated to clarify the resolution the commissionersvoted on yesterday afternoon.

On TuesdaytheLandmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) debated how topreserve a Manhattansynagogue guttedby fire earlier this year. Instead of approvingthe owners request to demolish the building entirely, the commission agreed that important parts of the structure should be salvaged, where possible.

The building in question is the Beth Hamerdash Hagodol, at 60 Norfolk Street on the Lower East Side. The modified Gothic Revivalstyle structure was built in 1850 as a Baptist church and converted to a synagogue in 1885. Home to a Russian Jewish Orthodox congregation for more than a century but vacant since 2007, it was one of the first structures added to New Yorks landmark list, in 1967.

Beth Hamerdash Hagodol interior after the fire. (Courtesy HLZA/ Image via LPC)

In May,the building was destroyed by ablaze that was later characterized as arson; its missing its roof and most of the interior is filled with rubble.Given the extensive damage, the hearing focused on whether the building hasenough integrity to remain an individual landmark, and if so, how its structure should be preserved.

Plan view. (Courtesy HLZA / Image via LPC)

In testimony to the commission, Bryan Chester, an engineer fromHoward L. Zimmerman Architects, detailedthe shuls precarious structural integrity. The wooden roof trusses are beyond repair, while the masonry bearing walls are unstable and severely deteriorated. Of the two towers that flanked the main (west) entrance, the northern one is in bad shape, but the south and east facades, thoughunstable, are in slightly better condition.The building had no fire insurance, and the extent of the damages put restoration out of the questionany materials above the window sills would probably be unsalvageable, Chester said.

Areas in red were deemed beyond repair, though the south and east facades could be saved in some form. (Courtesy HLZA/ Image via LPC)

On the whole, those who testified before the commission advocated against demolition and for preservation in some form.

Simeon Bankoff, executive director of preservation group Historic Districts Council, said the group strenuously objects to demolition, while noting that the owners negligence over the years shouldnt be rewarded with a tear-down. The synagogue is on a prime lot on theLower East Side, a districtthat by some measures is one of Manhattans mostgentrified.

Speaking for Friends of the Lower East Side, a group that preserves the architectural and cultural heritage of the neighborhood, Joyce Mendelsohn said the group was in total opposition to demolition. Andrea Goldman of the New York Landmarks Conservancy agreed, noting that years before the fire, the preservation advocacy group had worked with the congregation to come up with an action plan for the building, whichwas in poor repair. (Right before the blaze, the synagogue had almost reached a deal with the Chinese American Planning Council, a nonprofit that owns two neighboring sites, to restore the buildingand erect affordable housing.)

Considering the state of the structure, demolition seemed a done deal, but the LPC commissioners were hesitant to okay the applicants request in light of the buildings cultural significance. Scaffolding surrounds the ruins; right now, theres little danger the remaining structure could topple, but Chester said that in a few more months the situation could be more dangerous.

So what could be salvaged, and how should the buildings heritagehonored?

Landmarks hired engineers at Superstructuresto independently evaluate the site. The firm concurred with the Zimmerman team that the south and east facades, though unstable, were repairable. The demolition team would deploy tall machines to take the synagogue apart from the top down, a process Chester likened to dinosaurs chomping on trees. But commissioners had questions: What if the crew destroys more of the remains than necessary? What if the building could be preserved and appreciated like Roman or Mayan ruins, or the Carmo Convent in Lisbon?

Im unconvinced of the absolute necessity for demolition, said Commissioner Michael Devonshire, even when taking into account the buildings unstable walls. Fellow Commissioner Frederick Bland added that the group needed to see whats left and re-assess after the structure has been stabilized.

At the meeting, the commissioners decided to preserve, where feasible, the buildings most important elements, but did not vote up/down on the owners demolition bid. Instead, LPC general council Mark Silberman was asked to draft a resolution on the project that modified the owners request. The resolution states that parts of the building need to be removed for safety reasons, especially around the north, south, and west facades, while retainingas much material as possible, with significant architectural featuressalvaged. The whole process will be overseen on-site by the LPCs engineers. Itwasapproved yesterday afternoon.

Edward Gunts contributed reporting.

Visit link:

Landmarks approves partial demolition of LES synagogue ... - The Architect's Newspaper

Category: Synagogue | Comments Off on Landmarks approves partial demolition of LES synagogue … – The Architect’s Newspaper
Tags:

Posted By admin on July 13, 2017

The membership committee of Cape Cod Synagogue invites Jewish individuals and families to attend an open house on Sunday, July 23, beginning at 3 PM.The synagogue is at 145 Winter Street in Hyannis.

Come explore the synagogues building and grounds from the Jerusalem stone in the synagogues sanctuary to its social hall and full service kitchen to the religious school wing. During the open house, the membership committee will be able to answer questions and talk about multiple membership possibilities; the congregations numerous programs and groups and committees; the calendar of yearlong activities; religious programming and services; and the religious and Hebrew school.

Following the open house, prospective members can stay for the synagogues annual barbecue, where they will have an opportunity to meet many synagogue members, enjoy dinner and take part in 9hole mini golf. To contact the synagogue, call 5087752988.

The Cape Cod Synagogue is a Reform Jewish congregation in Hyannis and a religious and social community of diverse ages and family structures. To learn more about Cape Cod Synagogue, visit http://www.capecodsynagogue.org.

Read more here:

Synagogue Holds Open House - CapeNews.net

Category: Synagogue | Comments Off on Synagogue Holds Open House – CapeNews.net
Tags:

Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

Although I converted to Judaism at the age of 19, having been inexplicably drawn to the ways of the Torah, I had no inkling that I was descended from Jews myself. After 44 years of living a Jewish life, through tracing the names in my mothers family tree, I discovered that they were Judeo-Spanish names from Catalonia, Spain.

My search led me to get in contact with a distant French relative by marriage, Danielle, the widow of a French fourth cousin. She sent me a link to a document in the French National Library that contains our familys tree allWhat, if any, possible knowledge of their Jewish heritage or ancestors was transmitted to them? the way back to Portugal of the 1500sto Portuguese prince Luis de Beja-Avis (the son of King Manuel), who fell in love with, and married, a Jewish lady, Yolanda, daughter of a noble family of converted Jews. Their marriage was performed quietlysecretly, in fact, because he was the son of Manuel, king of Portugal, and she, from a family of converted Jews. Although they were nobility, they were of sangre soucia, suspected or tainted blood. It was evidently considered the right thing to convert the Jews, but not to marry them.

This document Daniella sent me contains not only the family tree of my great-grandmothers mothers side, but also the story of a famous figure: Antonio Gomez de Beja-Avis.

Prince Luis de Beja, son of King Manuel (his brother Juan became the next king), and his Jewish wife Yolanda Gomez had two sons, Antonio and Juan, who were Jews according to halachah, butbeing from a family of converted Jewswere raised Catholic. Interestingly, they both married Jewish women.

When I read this, I wondered: What, if any, possible knowledge of their Jewish heritage or ancestors was transmitted to them? What did they know about being Jews, and did this have anything to do with choosing Jewish wives, or was that simply a coincidence?

This is the poignant story of one of their sons, Antonio, my ancestor. It touched my heart, and Im sure that important lessons can be learned from it.

When he was young, Antonio de Beja Avis was given a higher education, and spent years studying philosophy and religious thought in a Catholic school in Coimbra, Portugal. He inherited his fathers role as a cleric, but didnt continue a spiritual lifestyle; the physical world was too compelling. He was bent on enjoying the pleasures this world had to offer.

Antonio served his country as a governor in Morocco, which at the time was partially ruled by Portugal. He was very well-liked by the common people of Portugal, and was a beloved and popular public figure. His marriage to a Jewish woman, Ana Barbosa, yielded several children, including the eldest, Prince Manuel.

At age 40, Antonio accompanied his cousin King Sebastian on a mission to subdue a rebellion in Morocco, which ended unsuccessfully. King Sebastian was killed, and Antonio was taken prisoner.

During the time Antonio was held captive in Morocco, his uncle Henrique, a cardinal, took the throne and destroyed all evidence of Antonios parents private marriage ceremony. Henrique knew the throne rightfully belonged to Antonio, the next successor, but he didnt want Antonio to be able to claim what was rightfully his.

In the meantime, Henrique, who was elderly, passed away. At this time, Antonio was also freed from captivity in Morocco. He returned to Lisbon, Portugal, and was crowned king, acclaimed by the masses of the common people who loved him.

However, Antonios cousin, Philip II of Spain (whose father was Austrian and who had grown up in the Habsburg court), was determined not to let a Jew rule over Portugal, and spent a considerable amount of money bribing the rich landowner class of Portuguese to favor his claim to the throne over Antonios. Antonio ruled over Portugal for only a month at most, until Philip sent a large army of troops to defeat Antonio, oust him from the throne in Lisbon and overtake Portugal, annexing it to Spain.

Antonio fled for his life to Terceira Island (Isla Terceira) in the Azores archipelago off the coast of Africa, about 900 miles from Portugal. From Isla Terceira, King Antonio ruled, while Philip ruled mainland Portugal. After two years, Philip was proclaimed successor to the Portuguese throne. Even though Antonio was next in line to inherit the throne, Philip raised the issue of Antonios tainted bloodthe blood of his Jewish ancestorswhich Philip claimed should rightfully disqualify him.

Antonio left with his son Manuel to Paris, where his payment in crown jewels persuaded Catherine de Medici to use her connections to obtain a fleet of ships that sailed back to the Azores to battle with Philip and reclaim the throne. But the fleet was defeated. Antonio then went to England and persuaded Queen Elizabeth (who hated the Spaniards) to once again set sail to Terceira (where Antonio was convinced that his loyal followers would rally to his cause and oust Philips men).

Antonio was sadly mistaken. Philip had meanwhile won the people to his side, and they didnt rally to Antonios cause. He was defeated again and returned to France, broken and penniless, having spent his entire fortune trying to regain the throne.

Antonio, who is known in history as The Determined One, spent his remaining years in Paris, ever fearful of Philips assassins, from whom he fled many times.

Ill and exiled from his homeland and his people, Antonio sought solace at last in a vestige of the faith of his mothers peoplein the Psalms of King David. Antonio is considered a hero because of his determinationNo doubt he identified very much with King Davids life saga of persecution, betrayal by those whom he had trusted and constant flight from those who wished to kill him.

Antonio even wrote a book on the theme of the Psalms, titled in English The Royal Penitent. No doubt, in his last days, Antonio had come closer to Gd and regretted the ways of a youth spent in pursuit of the physical world.

And what of Prince Manuel, who followed his father into exile? He settled in Belgium and married a Belgian Huguenot princess of possible Jewish descent, Emilie Nassau, daughter of William I of Orange. They had eight children. Manuel still maintained ties to Spain, which had promised him government positions.

Since Spain was at war with the Netherlands, including Belgium, at the time, Princess Emilie considered Manuel to be a traitor to her people, and she left for Switzerland with her six daughtersone of whom, Maria Belgica, is my ancestor. Antonio died alone and broken in Paris, where he is buried.

Even though he was defeated many times, Antonio is considered in history to be a hero because of his determination in trying to maintain the independence of his homeland, Portugal. His son Cristobo, who had remained behind in Portugal, continued this cause after his fathers death.

What did I learn from this story?

Obviously, there is a lesson about the vanity of this world and its physical pursuits. In the end, we are left with only the soul. We must spend our time here on earth providing for our spiritual welfare, since this, as Antonio learned, is all that remains at the end of our sojourn here.

But I believe there is more to be gleaned from this story, which shows the strength of the pintele Yid, the spark of Jewishness inside us.

Even though Antonio was raised a Catholic and given an education within the church, in the end it wasnt the beliefs of his father, but rather the Psalms of Davidthe king of his mothers peoplethat gave him solace and to which he turned in his time of trouble.

I wonder again: Is it possible that Antonios mother, Yolanda Gomez, descendant of a noble Jewish family originally from Spain, was somehow, in spite of her upbringing as a converso, able to transmit something about the holiness and purity of Psalms to her son?

Whoever Antonios Jewish ancestors were, Im sure they are rejoicing now that their spark of Jewishness did find its way down to us, their descendants, in the beautiful Jewish family of Torah-observant children and grandchildren Gd has given me.

When our family performs mitzvot, which were lost to their descendants for 500 years, I think of these ancestors. When IWhoever Antonios ancestors were, Im sure they are rejoicing now light my Shabbat candles, I light them for all the grandmothers of Spain, Portugal, France and Switzerland who either didnt know they should light or were unable to do so. And I think of Yolanda, who was forced to hide for the rest of her life in a convent when her secret marriage to the prince was discovered. Whatever she secretly gave to her sonsthat tiny spark passed down for 500 yearswas finally fanned into a powerful flame of faith that ignited the heart of her descendant (me) and the hearts of my family!

Read more:

How a Portuguese King Found Solace in the Psalms of His Ancestors - Chabad.org

Category: Jewish Heritage Month | Comments Off on How a Portuguese King Found Solace in the Psalms of His Ancestors – Chabad.org
Tags:

Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

Rabbi David Lau, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, speaking in Berlin, Germany in 2013. (Sean Gallup/Getty)

NEW YORK Some 160 rabbis, including several American Orthodox leaders, appear on a list of rabbis whom Israels Chief Rabbinate does not trust to confirm the Jewish identities of immigrants.

Rabbis from 24 countries, including the US and Canada, are on the list. In addition to Reform and Conservative rabbis, the list includes Orthodox leaders Avi Weiss, from the Riverdale section of New York, and Yehoshua Fass, the executive director of Nefesh BNefesh, a group that encourages and facilitates American immigration to Israel.

The Chief Rabbinate controls all Jewish marriage in Israel, and immigrants who wish to wed there must first prove they are Jewish according to Halachah whether they were born Jewish or converted.

This proof often comes via a letter from a community rabbi attesting to the immigrants Jewish identity. One person at the rabbinate, Rabbi Itamar Tubul, handles every claim.

The publication of the list comes on the heels of a clash between American Jewish leaders and the Chief Rabbinate over how to determine Jewish identity.

In June, Israels Cabinet advanced a bill that would give the Chief Rabbinate authority over all official Jewish conversions within Israel. Following an outcry from Jewish leaders in America, the bill was shelved for six months.

The Chief Rabbinates antipathy to Reform and Conservative rabbis is documented. Its distrust of some Orthodox rabbis abroad was seen last year when the rabbinate omitted some Orthodox figures from a list of rabbis it trusts to confirm the authenticity of Jewish conversions.

The rabbinates latest list comprises rabbis whose letters it rejected during 2016. In addition to Weiss and Fass, the list includes Joshua Blass, a New York congregational rabbi and student adviser at Yeshiva Universitys rabbinical seminary; Joseph Potasnik, executive director of the NY Board of Rabbis; Adam Scheier, a past president of the Montreal Board of Rabbis, and Daniel Kraus, director of education at Kehilath Jeshurun, on Manhattans Upper East Side.

The rabbinate sent the list to Itim, a nonprofit that guides Israelis through the countrys religious bureaucracy, and was obtained on July 6 by JTA.

In 2015, Itim filed a freedom-of-information request in a Jerusalem municipal court demanding a list of approved foreign rabbis, and received this list as part of that case.

Rabbi Seth Farber, Itims executive director, called it a blacklist because it shows which rabbis the rabbinate has not trusted in the past. He has called repeatedly for greater transparency in the rabbinates evaluation of rabbis, and said the way it is being handled is a stain on the state of Israel.

The Chief Rabbinates spokesman, Kobi Alter, said in a phone interview last week that there is no list of unrecognized rabbis and did not respond to a follow-up inquiry via email. Last year, the rabbinate promised to release criteria regarding which rabbis can be approved. Alter told JTA that the criteria are still being composed.

In an email to Itim obtained by JTA, Tubul, the rabbinate official, wrote that letters are approved based on a collection of data, not based on the name of the rabbi, and added that unequivocally, the attached names do not imply recognition or rejection of other rabbis not mentioned here.

Israels Ashkenazi chief rabbi, David Lau, said he didnt know about the list before it was sent out. In a public letter last week, Lau called the list damaging and sounded incredulous that it was composed without his approval.

The Chief Rabbi was shocked to discover this list. This was done without the rabbis knowledge or his agreement. How can a list like this be publicized without the rabbi being made aware of the list itself or of its publication? read the letter written by an aide on behalf of Lau and issued July 2.

The results of this are very serious.First of all, an employee in the Chief Rabbinate cannot decide on his own to publicize who the Rabbinate approves or not. Secondly, the damage this does to certain rabbis cannot be exaggerated including to the Chief Rabbinate.

According to a JTA tally of the 66 US rabbis on the list, at least one-fifth are Orthodox, including an alumnus of the Baltimores Orthodox Ner Yisroel. The other US rabbis on the list are Reform or Conservative.

In 2013, the rabbinate rejected a proof-of-Judaism letter from Weiss, then reversed course and accepted it following complaints from American Jewish leaders. Last year, the rabbinate rejected a similar letter from Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, Kehilath Jeshuruns former rabbi and the rabbi who oversaw the conversion of Ivanka Trump.

It also rejected conversions overseen by Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, the chief presiding judge of the Beth Din of the Rabbinical Council of America, the main modern Orthodox rabbinical court in the US.

In some cases, Tubul made the rejection. But in Looksteins case, a district rabbinical court in the central Israeli city of Petach Tikvah rejected his imprimatur when a woman who converted under his auspices applied for a marriage license there and was denied.

These rejections have caused consternation among American Orthodox leaders. But following Weiss initial rejection in 2013, former rabbinate spokesman Ziv Maor told JTA that examining the credentials of Orthodox rabbis is crucial to the integrity of the evaluation process.

The testimony needs to be according to Jewish law and the witness needs to have the fear of heaven, Maor told JTA. Regarding Weiss, he added, Were talking about someone on the fringes of Orthodoxy.

Scheier, the Montreal rabbi, said he was unfazed by his inclusion. He said he is working with Itim to encourage transparency and consistency in the evaluation of rabbis. I know Im in good company on the list, he told JTA last week.

There are wonderful, honest, unparalleled rabbis that have been blacklisted by the State of Israel. No one who knows me or knows my community or knows my rabbinate could question my capacity to attest to the Jewish identity of the members of my congregation.

See the original post here:

New controversy from Israel: 'Blacklist' - Intermountain Jewish News

Category: Ashkenazi | Comments Off on New controversy from Israel: ‘Blacklist’ – Intermountain Jewish News
Tags:

Posted By richards on July 13, 2017

Who would have thought that a random Google search in 2013 would bring me half way around the world to the Baltics and Finland, two places I would have never dreamed of visiting before? Even more surprising is that I would discover Jewish life in these places to be thriving and hear stories of perseverance, strength, and the embrace of Jewish identity despite troubled histories.

But that experience did happen and I was fortunate that last month I joined with a group of young Jewish professionals to make our way to Finland and Estonia as part of a JDC Entwine Insider trip. Entwine is the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committees initiative focusing on young Jewish leaders, influencers and advocates who want to make an impact on Jewish needs and international humanitarian issues. The organization does this through service trips, educational opportunities and leadership development.

There were 12 of us participating, and we were joined by a JDC Entwine professional who leads every trip. The group was diverse in terms of place of origin, age, gender and Jewish observance. I was the only person from the Midwest and I appreciated the opportunity to meet people from across the United States.

After leaving from New York, our first stop was Helsinki, the capital of Finland, often known as the white city of the north because of the number of buildings built with a local light-colored granite. Prior to the trip, I had almost no knowledge about the local Jewish community and its unique history. Founded by Jews from Russias Pale of Settlement who had been forced into the Russian army, the Jewish community gained full civil rights in 1917 when Finland gained its independence. The Jewish community survived the horrors of World War II, and as we learned when we volunteered at the Jewish cemetery in Helsinki, many Jews fought in the Finnish Army, oftentimes next to German soldiers, against the Soviets. The communitys synagogue, painted in beautiful green and blue and adorned with golden stars, is filled with tributes to the communitys history.

In addition to impactful visits to Jewish sites and a visit to Suomenlinna, a sea fortress that spans over six islands and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we got to experience Jewish life today. We spent many festive meals engaging with young professionals from the Finnish Jewish community eating more salmon than I ever had in my life and visited with residents at an old-age home and talked to them about their lives.

In Finland, education is superb and the government takes great care of its citizens. The Jewish community is strong and well respected, but it struggles with the same kinds of challenges we do here in the United States: ensuring the future and finding support for its activities.

From Finland, we traveled to Tallinn, Estonia, a city noted for its medieval buildings in a country with one of the fastest growing economies, despite setbacks, in Europe.

Estonian Jews have a very different history. Estonia was the only country in Europe declared Judenfrei, free of Jews, by the Nazis during the Holocaust. In 1941, all Jews had been forced to flee the country, and those who stayed were executed. After the war, Soviet Jews immigrated to Estonia, although there was no formal Jewish activity allowed under Soviet rule. In the 1980s, the Jewish community created the Jewish Cultural Society in Tallinn giving rise to the small community found today. With support from JDC, Chabad, and other groups, the community has blossomed.

Our first day in Tallinn coincided with the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the new local synagogue. It was a big party, with renowned guests such as the president of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, the chief Rabbi of Israel, David Lau, and Ariel Klas, the wife of late composer Eri Klas. It was an amazing opportunity to help celebrate the presence of the Jewish community in Estonia, and being together as a group, we experienced try bonding.

During our time there, we baked challot and painted candleholders that we delivered to needy elderly Jews in the city. Split into small groups, and accompanied by a translator who spoke Russian, we went to do our home visits. I visited Elya, a 93-year-old who had lived through the Leningrad Blockade in Russia. She was a nurse and then became a doctor. After the war, she moved to Estonia and now lives alone in a modest apartment in Tallinn. The community visits her weekly and she cherishes those moments. The translator did a good job of sharing the conversation with all of us present. I felt as if I understood everything that Elya was saying. Someone from the group asked her what was her message to our generation. She said: Dont forget that you are a Jew.

During the rest of our time in Tallinn we visited the Jewish kindergarten and celebrated Shabbat as a group with Jewish young adults, many who participate in JDC programs focused on Jewish identity and culture. I attended services the next morning at the beautiful synagogue. I sat in the womens balcony, and a young woman helped me find the siddur in English. When I said goodbye, the woman gestured that I should stay for lunch. And although I had to leave, I left feeling happy that, wherever I go, Jews are always the same.

We also engaged with the communitys madrichim, teenagers who volunteer to be trained to do programming with Jewish children. This group was full of positive energy and really cares to be part of the Jewish community.

During the trip, it was not just the local Jews with whom we formed strong bonds. We also forged ties among ourselves. I tended to join a woman who really liked to explore the cities we were visiting, and knew a lot about Tallinn.

I never expected anyone to be so excited about visiting Estonia, so when I asked her about this she explained that her family came from Tallinn. Her great-grandfather and grandparents were buried at the Jewish cemetery. She had never been to Estonia, and wanted to go to the cemetery, but her parents told her to not go alone.

So I joined her. When we got to the cemetery, we had to follow directions that her father gave her, but we still had to walk through most of the small cemetery to find them. Both of us read Russian, but I worried we might not find the graves as a lot of stones had the names eroded. As I walked through one of the paths, I heard my friend call my name. She had found the tombstones. I stood next to her as she placed rocks on each. This, to me, was the most special part of the trip. My friend came back to her roots, and I was very glad I could accompany her during this special moment.

By the time we returned to New York, my heart felt so full, and my mind had truly expanded.Wanting to share that experience with others, I am going to host an event for young adults who want to learn more about these trips, and how to get involved with the JDC Entwine.

Gaby Szteinberg is a Project Coordinator of General Chemistry Supplemental Programs at Washington University in St. Louis. She is involved with local Jewish young adult organizations, and is passionate about traveling and learning languages. For more information about JDC Entwine, contact Gaby at gabys912@gmail.com.

Link:
Experiencing Judaism in the Baltics - St. Louis Jewish Light

Category: Jewish American Heritage Month | Comments Off on Experiencing Judaism in the Baltics – St. Louis Jewish Light
Tags:

Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

Please note this was last updated on March 21, 2017.

The Anti-Defamation League is tracking bomb threats made to Jewish institutions across the country. Some institutions may share the same space as a community center, Jewish federation or school of some kind. In those instances the institutions are listed together.

The total number of bomb threats made is 167 in 38 states and 3 Canadian provinces.

The total number of institutions targeted is 120.

The total number of Jewish day schools that received threats is 18.

The total number of ADL offices that received bomb threats is 5.

January 4, 2017 Chabad Center of Jewish Life in South Orlando Orlando, FL

January 4, 2017 Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando/Jewish Academy of Orlando Maitland, FL

January 5, 2017 Tampa JCC South Pre-School Tampa, FL

January 5, 2017 Tampa JCC North Pre-School Tampa, FL

January 5, 2017 Atlanta Jewish Academy Atlanta, GA

January 9, 2017 Siegel JCC Wilmington, DE

January 9, 2017 Jewish Community Alliance of Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL

January 9, 2017 Tampa JCC North Pre-School Tampa, FL

January 9, 2017 Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando Maitland, FL

January 9, 2017 Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center Boca Raton, FL

January 9, 2017 Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center Miami, FL

January 9, 2017 Miami Beach JCC Miami Beach, FL

January 9, 2017 Marcus Jewish Community Center Atlanta, GA

January 9, 2017 Augusta Jewish Community Center Evans, GA

January 9, 2017 JCC of Greater Baltimore Baltimore, MD

January 9, 2017 JCC of Greater Washington Rockville, MD

January 9, 2017 Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center Charlotte, NC

January 9, 2017 Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Tenafly, NJ

January 9, 2017 Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center Columbia, SC

January 9, 2017 Gordon Jewish Community Center Nashville, TN

January 11, 2017 JCC of Staten Island Staten Island, NY

January 17, 2017 Staenberg Family Jewish Community Center Creve Coeur, MO

January 18, 2017 Levite Jewish Community Center Birmingham, AL

January 18, 2017 Osher Marin Jewish Community Center San Rafael, CA

January 19, 2017 Wornick Jewish Day School (JCC Peninsula) Foster City, CA

January 18, 2017 JCC of Greater New Haven Woodbridge, CT

January 18, 2017 Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford West Hartford, CT

January 18, 2017 Siegel JCC Wilmington, DE

January 18, 2017 Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando Maitland, FL

January 18, 2017 Mandel JCC of Palm Beach Garden/Meyer Jewish Academy Palm Beach Gardens, FL

January 18, 2017 Chabad Center of Jewish Life in South Orlando Orlando, FL

January 18, 2017 Miami Beach JCC Miami Beach, FL

January 18, 2017 JCC of Greater Kansas City Kansas City, KS

January 18, 2017 The Worcester JCC Worcester, MA

January 18, 2017 Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston Newton, MA

January 18, 2017 Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine Portland, ME

January 18, 2017 JCC of Metro Detroit Detroit, MI

January 18, 2017 Sabes Jewish Community Center St. Louis Park, MN

January 18, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Central Jersey Scotch Plains, NJ

January 18, 2017 Middlesex Jewish Community Center Edison, NJ

January 18, 2017 Sidney Albert JCC Albany, NY

January 18, 2017 JCC of Syracuse DeWitt, NY

January 18, 2017 JCC Manhattan New York, NY

January 18, 2017 Barry and Florence Friedberg JCC Oceanside, NY

January 18, 2017 Mayerson JCC Cincinnati, OH

January 18, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus Columbus, OH

January 18, 2017 Gordon Jewish Center Nashville, TN

January 18, 2017 Aaron Family JCC of Dallas Dallas, TX

January 28, 2017 Jewish History Museum New York, NY

January 29, 2017 Jewish History Museum New York, NY

January 31, 2017 Lawrence Family JCC La Jolla, CA

January 31, 2017 Alpert Jewish Community Center Long Beach, CA

January 31, 2017 Boulder Jewish Community Center Boulder, CO

January 31, 2017 Elaine Frank JCC Apachi Day Camp Lake Zurich, IL

January 31, 2017 The Worcester JCC Worcester, MA

January 31, 2017 Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Tenafly, NJ

January 31, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Metrowest New Jersey West Orange, NJ

January 31, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM

January 31, 2017 JCC of Syracuse DeWitt, NY

January 31, 2017 Sidney Albert JCC Albany, NY

January 31, 2017 Binghamton JCC Vestal, NY

January 31, 2017 Sylvania YMCA/JCC Toledo, OH

January 31, 2017 JCC of London London, ON, Canada

January 31, 2017 I.J. &Jeanne Wagner Jewish Community Center Salt Lake City, UT

January 31, 2017 Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center Milwaukee, WI

February 1, 2017 Hillel Day School Farmington, MI

February 9, 2017 Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community Center Town & Country, MO

February 16, 2017 Consulate General of Israel in Florida Miami, FL

February 20, 2017 Levite Jewish Community Center Birmingham, AL

February 20, 2017 Tampa JCC South Pre-School Tampa, FL

February 20, 2017 Hyde Park Jewish Community Center Chicago, IL

February 20, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Greater St. Paul St. Paul, MN

February 20, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM

February 20, 2017 JCC of Greater Buffalo Amherst, NY

February 20, 2017 Mandel Jewish Community Center Beachwood, OH

February 20, 2017 Jewish Federation of Tulsa/JCC Tulsa, OK

February 20, 2017 Gordon Jewish Community Center Nashville, TN

February 20, 2017 Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish community Center of Houston Houston, TX

February 20, 2017 Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center Milwaukee, WI

February 21, 2017 Lawrence Family JCC La Jolla, CA

February 22, 2017 Lerner Day School Durham, NC

February 22, 2017 Anti-Defamation League National Head Quarter New York, NY

February 23, 2017 New Orleans JCC New Orleans, LA

February 27, 2017 Calgary JCC Calgary, AB, Canada

February 27, 2017 Aaron Family JCC of Dallas Dallas, TX

February 27, 2017 Lubavitch Center of Alaska Anchorage, AK

February 27, 2017 N.E. Miles Jewish Day School Birmingham, AL

February 27, 2017 Valley of the Sun JCC Scottsdale, AZ

February 27, 2017 Tucson Jewish Community Center Tucson, AZ

February 27, 2017 Westside Jewish Community Center Los Angeles, CA

February 27, 2017 Anti-Defamation League San Francisco Regional Office San Francisco, CA

February 27, 2017 Lawrence Family JCC La Jolla, CA

February 27, 2017 Merage JCC of Orange County Irvine, CA

February 27, 2017 Alpert Jewish Community Center Long Beach, CA

Continue reading here:
Bomb Threats to Jewish Institutions in 2017 | Anti-Defamation ...

Category: Anti-Defamation League | Comments Off on Bomb Threats to Jewish Institutions in 2017 | Anti-Defamation …
Tags:

Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has announced a number of new initiatives to expand its efforts in helping the Hispanic community report hate crimes and incidents.

The new initiatives, which will be implemented in partnership with Latin American consulates across the United States, were announced on Monday, July 10, by ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt during the National Council of La Razas (NCLR) annual convention, held this year in Phoenix.

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Please click the button below to manage your account.

kAmx? E:>6D @7 EC@F3=6 H6 EFC? E@ 72>:=J] x> 27C2:5 E96D6 2C6[ :?5665[ EC@F3=65 E:>6D[ vC66?3=2EE E@=5 E96 82E96C:?8 @7 ?62C=J a[___ }r{# =6256CD[ 24E:G:DED 2?5 DFAA@CE6CD] (6 2C6 AC@F5 E@ 36 H@C<:?8 4=@D6=J H:E9 {2E:? p>6C:42? 4@?DF=2E6D 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ E@ 96=A E96> 6DE23=:D9 C6A@CE:?8 >6492?:D>D @? E96:C H63D:E6D D@ E92E 2?J@?6 H9@ 6IA6C:6?46D @C H:E?6DD6D 2 92E6 :?4:56?E 42? 92G6 2 A=246 E@ C6A@CE E96> 😕 E96:C =2?8F286] %9:D H:== 96=A @FC 4@F?ECJ 36EE6C EC24< :?7@C>2E:@? @? 92E6 :?4:56?ED 2?5 24E:G:E:6D 😕 E96 &]$][ :?4=F5:?8 4C:>6D E92E A6@A=6 >:89E @E96CH:D6 36 27C2:5 E@ C6A@CE E@ =2H 6?7@C46>6?E]k^Am

kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ 2? ps{ AC6DD C6=62D6[ E96 52E2 @? H63D:E6 7@C>D 82E96C65 😕 A2CE?6CD9:AD H:E9 E96 4@?DF=2E6D H:== 36 288C682E65 2?5 2?2=JK65 E@ AC@G:56 4@?DF=2C @77:4:2=D[ w:DA2?:4 4:G:= C:89ED @C82?:K2E:@?D[ =2H 6?7@C46>6?E 2?5 @E96CD H9@ 25G@42E6 282:?DE 92E6 4C:>6 H:E9 C62=E:>6 :?7@C>2E:@? @? 2?E::>>:8C2?E 2?5 2?E:w:DA2?:4 2EE246C:42]k^Am

kAm%96 ps{ 6IA64ED E96 $A2?:D9=2?8F286 7@C>D E@ 36 A@DE65 @? 2 ?F>36C @7 4@?DF=2C D:E6D 3J >:5pF8FDE]k^Am

kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 ps{[ E96 @C82?:K2E:@? 92D 56=:G6C65 EC2:?:?8 E@ >@C6 E92? `d_ AC@E64E:@? 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 2772:CD @77:46CD 2E |6I:42? 4@?DF=2E6D[ 2?5 92D EC2:?65 E96 DE277 @7 E96 |6I:42? 4@?DF=2E6D 😕 {2D '682D[ !9@6?:I[ $2? uC2?4:D4@[ $24C2>6?E@[ !9:=256=A9:2 2?5 }6H *@C< @G6C E96 A2DE `g >@?E9D]k^Am

kAm%96 ps{ C6=62D6 2=D@ DE2E6D E92E E96 8C@FA H:== AC@G:56 EC2:?:?8 E@ 2== d_ |6I:42? 4@?DF=2E6D 😕 E96 &]$] %96 EC2:?:?8D D92C6 :?7@C>2E:@? 2?5 C6D@FC46D @? 2?E::>>:8C2?E 2?5 6IEC6>:DE 8C@FAD 😕 p>6C:42] %96J 2=D@ AC@G:56 8F:52?46 @? 9@H E@ C6DA@?5 E@ 2?5 C6A@CE :?4:56?ED 2?5 92E6 4C:>6D]k^Am

kAm%96 ps{ 92D 366? H@C<:?8 H:E9 E96 }r{# @? 2 ?2E:@?2= =6G6= D:?46 a__e] pE E96 }r{#D 2??F2= 4@?G6?E:@?D[ E96 ps{ 92D AC@G:565 H@C:DE 2?5 92E6 C96E@C:4 2:>65 2E w:DA2?:4D 2?5 {2E:?@D[ 2D H6== 2D 255C6DD:?8 D64FC:EJ 4@?46C?D 2?5 <66A:?8 4@>>F?:EJ :?DE:EFE:@?D D276] kDEC@?8my}k^DEC@?8mk^Am

Go here to see the original:
ADL pledges support to Hispanic community - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

Category: Anti-Defamation League | Comments Off on ADL pledges support to Hispanic community – Jewish News of Greater Phoenix
Tags: