Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

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Nava Anne GrantOctober 06, 2022

In a recent essay on the Jewish feminist site Alma, a young woman explained that she had converted to Judaism while maintaining her atheist beliefs.

Abby Jo Morris grew up an evangelical Christian. While she no longer believes in God, she incorporates aspects of Jewish spirituality, culture and customs into her life, including blessings of gratitude.

The online discourse that followed her essays publication was intense. Some wrote that a conversion devoid of true religious belief is invalid, and took offense at the entire essay. A fellow convert tweeted that enjoying the community and traditions of Judaism is not sufficient reason to convert. To her, Jewish theology and observance itself should be the selling point for converts.

I believe that boundaries are important and that we need certain guardrails in order to maintain Jewish community and identity. Becoming Jewish is a big deal, and it should require significant investment, commitment and learning on the part of the person converting. There are serious rabbinic and legal issues surrounding conversion, and these issues are too challenging to distill in such a short piece. But the Alma piece and the reactions to it afford us an important opportunity to examine our expectations of people who convert to Judaism.

I cannot speak to the relationship between atheism and the conversion process. But to expect every convert to be a walking billboard for a totally uncomplicated Jewish life and identity is unreasonable. As someone who converted, I believe that as a community we should build our tolerance to stories such as this one. While reading it can make us tense and defensive, the experience also reminds us that Jewish identity is complicated, even for the people who choose it. And that is okay.

People who convert to Judaism are as human and imperfect as any other Jews. And like any other Jews, converts are entitled to complex, nuanced understandings of their spiritual journeys. As with any long-term commitment, there will be moments when you feel ecstasy and jubilation, but other times when you might feel uncertainty and regret.

Jewish atheists certainly exist, as do a wide range of beliefs about God in the Jewish community. Only one-quarter of American Jews believe in God as described in the Bible, according to the most recent Pew study of American Jews. Critics of Morris dont seem to be concerned with people who are born Jewish and dont believe in God, but with someone appearing to have culturally appropriated Jewish identity as an adult newcomer to the community.

Morris herself admits that she has worried about culturally appropriating Judaism. However, reflecting upon her experiences, Morris concludes that Judaism is simply the right fit for her. She says, I just love it. I love being Jewish and eating Jewish food and singing Jewish melodies. I am Jewish and, in some ways, feel like I always have been. I certainly always will be.

To me, if a person feels a deep cultural pull toward Judaism and simultaneously wants to take on the obligations and disadvantages of being Jewish by converting, I dont think thats a bad thing. As humans, we have a limited understanding of the guiding spiritual forces that could create that sort of attraction in a person. Besides, converting leaves open the door for those people to potentially expand their relationship with religious Judaism if they want to do so later.

No ones life is static. Conversion, I believe, should provide a helpful educational foundation from which one can continue to grow Jewishly long after the process is complete.

When you convert, you make yourself vulnerable. Becoming a Jew is a powerful change with many consequences, not all of them always stellar. And it is never a good idea to require newcomers to perform their Jewishness in order to prove that they belong.

Giving potential newcomers a little more breathing room not expecting them to have perfect, unquestioning relationships with their Judaism would be a helpful start in creating more emotional safety for all Jews in the community.

The way I tend to conceptualize Jewish conversion is more along the lines of joining a people with a shared destiny than a religious transformation. If you have ever attended a U.S. citizenship ceremony, you know what a moving and special experience it is. When I attended one, I was filled with a deep sense of gratitude and pride regarding my American roots and identity. OK, I cried my eyes out.

Do I expect all new United States citizens to be perfect Americans? No. Do I anticipate that all new citizens to only speak well of being American, and approve of everything the United States government does since they should just feel lucky to be one of us now? Of course not.

Would the expectation that newly naturalized immigrants adopt all our customs perfectly and enthusiastically, all of the time and unquestioningly, be unjust? Yes.

I think there are certain things we Americans shouldnt compromise on, such as a shared sense of duty, compassion, loyalty and civic responsibility. I believe most people can fulfill those expectations.

I think its time for a more realistic treatment of new Jewish citizens as well.

To contact the author, email [emailprotected].

Nava Anne Grant lives and works in New York City.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspective in Opinion.

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Do Jewish converts have to believe in God? - Forward

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Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

The Patient has a fairly simple premise. A serial killer named Sam kidnaps his therapist, Dr. Alan Strauss, hoping he can cure his compulsion to kill. Yet the Hulu series goes deeper, diving into Alans mind and memories. Slowly The Patient reveals how Alans son Ezras conversion to Orthodox Judaism caused a rift in the family. Heres why Ezra converting is such a big deal.

[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers aheadThe Patient Episode 7, Kaddish.]

In Hulus The Patient, Steve Carells character Alan Strauss and his wife Beth practiced a Liberal or Reform Judaism. They raised their children, Shoshana and Ezra, in this religion. Beth was a cantor at their temple, devoting much of her life to her faith.

At one point, Ezra seemed to have enjoyed this aspect of his mother. A flashback shows Ezra as a child running to the front of the temple to join his mother as she sings.

However, things took a turn when Ezra fell in love with an Orthodox Jewish woman and converted. According to differencebetween.net, Orthodox Jews believe that women distract mens focus during worship. Only men can perform duties such as rabbis, cantors, and educators, unlike in Reform Judaism.

In another flashback from Ezras wedding, Beth insists on singing at the reception, though an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi tells her its not allowed in their faith. Several of Ezras wedding guests get up and leave in apparent disgust.

Although Alan tried to keep the peace, Ezras conversion to Orthodox Judaism caused a massive shift in his relationship with his parents. A flashback from years later shows Ezra visiting Alan and Beth with his wife and children.

As Orthodox Jews, Ezras family eats a kosher diet. This means they only eat foods that conform to the Jewish dietary restrictions of kashrut. Alan, Beth, their daughter Shoshona and her husband and children do not appear to keep kosher.

The Spruce Eats estimates that as high as 98% of Orthodox Jews keep kosher, while only around 7% of Reform Jews upheld the practice. Ezra is shown serving his children food brought from home, while Beth gives Shoshonas children ice cream sundaes for dessert.

While this dinner scene might not be the most dramatic of the series, the importance of sharing a meal among families cant be understated. Food is a recurring theme throughout the series. Its the one thing (besides Kenny Chesney) that serial killer Sam is passionate about.

Alan and Sam share quite a few elaborate takeout meals together, something that Alan couldnt do with his own son. The rift in Ezra and Beths relationship was never repaired, even when Beth was dying of cancer, and Alans estrangement from his son deeply troubles him to this day.

Watch new episodes ofThe Patientevery Tuesday exclusively on Hulu.

RELATED: The Patient: Heres Why Domhnall Gleeson Looks so Familiar

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Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

My Jewish grandmotherfrom 15 generations ago died in a Catholic convent as a nun. My spiritual return to Judaism began with dreams of becoming a nun.

I didnt go searching for Violante Fernndez Gmes, my grandmother from 15 generations ago. Thedocument with her story, along with our family tree listing my grandmother all the way back to Violante, appeared suddenly out of nowhere, sent to me by a distant cousin.

It may sound preposterous to keep track of fifteen generations of grandmothers, but when you convert to Judaism not knowing you hadanyJewish ancestors, one from 15 generations ago will do just fine.

Her story also happens to be incredible.

What does an ousted, closeted Jew who is kicked out of the palace in ignominy do? She went to live in a convent and became a nun.

Violante Fernndez Gmes was born to Victoria and Pedro Luis, descendants of forcibly converted Jews. She was stunning in her beauty, and the Prince Luis, son of King Manuel, insisted on marrying her, even though she was known to be a New Christian the daughter ofconversos(Jews of Spain and Portugal who were forcibly converted to Catholicism in the time of the Inquisition).

She bore him two sons, Antonio and Juan, and life in the palace of the prince was great for a good many years until something happened.

Violante Fernndez Gmes

Exactly what transpired 500 years ago is a mystery well probably never know. All that the accounts tell us is that something that was discovered, pertaining to her [Jewish] blood, caused her to be banished from the palace.

What does an ousted, closeted Jew who is kicked out of the palace in ignominy do? She went to live in a convent, home of Catholic nuns, and became one. Not long afterwards she died there, surrounded by the symbols and rites of Catholicism.

I like to imagine that Violante, in spite of her situation, remained true to the God of the Jewish people in her heart, praying for her children to someday return to their people, to their true faith.

In the end, her son Juan, who sailed to Mexico, married a Jewish woman, Catalina Lpez de Nava, whose family secretly adhered to the Jewish customs.Their descendants also kept the Jewish traditions alive in secret, in their new home in what is now Lagos de Moreno in Jalisco, Mxico.

Violantes son Juan

Many of their descendants were caught by the Inquisition and tragically burned at the stake, sanctifying Gods Name in Mexico City.

Violante must have cried copious tears for her son Antonio, for he was taken to be raised in the church to be a Prior, a type of clergyman. But even he managed to marry a woman, Ana Barbosa, who was descended from Jews although he remained a Catholic all his days.

Antonio, briefly king of Portugal, was ousted by Phillip II, King of Spain, and fled for his life to France, from where my great grandmother, Emilie, his descendant, emigrated to the United States in 1900, and where I was later born.

And now we have another mystery. Why did my father, who wasnt a Christian, decide to put me into a Catholic convent school? My Catholic nanny, Marie, who cared for me after my mothers passing, was very pleased at this turn of events. For two years in my childhood, I was surrounded by the nuns, statues and symbols of the Catholic church.

Because the Catholic nanny was almost like a second mother to me, by the time I was 12 I had decided to follow in her footsteps and become a Catholic. I even had hopes of growing up to be a nun like the sisters of the convent school I had attended.

My Catholic nanny was like a second mother to me and by the time I was 12 I had decided to follow in her footsteps and become a Catholic.

But then everything suddenly changed.

A Jewish girl, Leah, came to our town and became my best friend. She said, We Jews dont believe in a god thats a person. Our God isnt physical at all. He has no body, you cant see Him, and Hes All-Powerful. Hes above this physical world. Hes not a human and never was a human. He is above everything.

This shocked me. There were people in the world who didnt believe in Christianity? Who believed in a God that was purely spiritual, invisible, and above everything? This got my attention.

Her son Antonio Gmes Avis who was briefly king of Portugal

It took me some time to wrap my brain around it but when Leah brought me to her synagogue, I could somehow feel her invisible God. And this was the beginning of a new journey in my life.

Meanwhile, Leah noticed that I was somehow drawn to her people and their way of life, and without really thinking about it much, she began teaching me everything she knew from having grown up in a traditional synagogue. She saw my interest in learning Hebrew, loaned me all her textbooks from her shuls after-school program, and I learned to read Hebrew and some basic vocabulary.

Leahs family were very warm, and her parents perhaps recognizing the needs of a girl orphaned of her mother showed me a great deal of love and acceptance. This, coupled with the acts of kindness that I saw being done for others by the members of Leahs synagogue, greatly influenced my break with Catholicism and drew me towards the Jewish people.

When I graduated high school and went to college in Wisconsin, I made many Jewish friends, some of whom were on a path to reconnect to their Jewish heritage. Seeing my interest in Judaism, they brought me with them to spend Shabbat at the home of an Orthodox Jewish family.

This amazing experience transported me to another world, to a spiritual oasis called Shabbat. I was hooked.

My friends told me that as the Rabbis guests, we should be careful not to do anything to break Shabbat. So for the first time in my life, I experienced what keeping Shabbat was like. This amazing experience transported me to another world, to a spiritual oasis called Shabbat. I was hooked.

Needless to say, my plans to join a convent had been left far behind me.

But how to become Jewish? At this point, God, who had been leading me step by step in the right direction, caused me to meet and befriend Sarah, who had just converted to Judaism. She told me her whole story, explaining exactly what the conversion process entailed.

I confessed to her that I wasnt Jewish and had been confused as to how to proceed. With her amazing supportfor which Im eternally grateful after a period of study the day came when I stood before a Beit Din, a tribunal of Orthodox rabbis, and finally became a Jew.

All this occurred without me knowing anything of my Jewish ancestors.

Only many years later, after I married and my children had grown, did my daughter and I start tracing our family tree, and we were shocked to discover ancestors with Jewish-Spanish names. Suddenly we were Spanish! This was bewildering enough but at the same time, I started to feel as though my ancestors were here with me, driving me to discover more about my family, and to help others who have Spanish descent to come closer to their Jewish heritage.

She died in a convent and I started out in a convent, with dreams to become a nun but then turned around and became a Jew!

Then I received a link to the document with Violantes story from the widow of my distant French cousin. When I read it, I was overwhelmed by her story. It seemed like something out of a novel. She was aconversoand married the kings son? She was banished from the palace and died in a convent as a nun?

But even more than that, I was struck by one very interesting detail: Where Violantes story ended, mine began. She never had the chance to return to her people and live openly as a Jew. She died in a convent and I started out in a convent, with dreams to become a nun but then turned around and became a Jew!

The Divine orchestration was just too powerful to ignore.

My Rabbi told me, Maybe you are finishing your ancestors mission in this world.I suspect hes right. I can imagine Violante praying from the depths of her heart for her descendants to return home.

It seems that God has heard her tears and after 15 generations brought our family back.

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Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

Why is it that most Jews will celebrate Passover but not Sukkot? After all, they both share, along with Shavuot, the elevated status of pilgrimage festivals (shalosh regalim), where in ancient times Jews would travel to Jerusalem and offer sacrifices at the Temple.

Its not for lack of divine pedigree: Sukkot is biblical in origin and is described in the Book of Numbers.

At a time when so many of us are concerned about climate change and protecting our environment, Sukkot reconnects us with the priceless value and fruits of nature.

Its not for lack of relevance: At a time when so many of us are concerned about climate change and protecting our environment, Sukkot reconnects us with the priceless value and fruits of nature. As Rabbi Lori Shapiro writes in our cover story this week, Sukkot is a shared experience of earthly delights that returns us to the sensual pleasures of everything nature has to offer.

Its not for lack of spiritual and social meaning: Eating inside a frail sukkah reminds us of our vulnerability. It makes us humble and grateful for having such basics as food and shelter. It reminds us of the less fortunate who dont have those basics and who need our assistance.

And its certainly not for lack of fun: Theres something inherently festive about the very act of building a frail hut next to our homes where we will share meals with family and friends. Its like building these little forts in our homes when we were kids, except that now were adults and were building it outside. Part of the communal fun of the festival is sukkah hopping to visit other sukkahs in the neighborhood.

If Sukkot, then, is so biblical, relevant, meaningful and enjoyable, why hasnt it gained much traction in the non-Orthodox world, especially among the Reform community?

Part of the answer, I think, is that we get too attached to labels. Building a sukkah feels like one of those hardcore rituals better left to the more observant. While there are plenty of non-Orthodox Jews who observe the festival, Sukkot is still seen by mainstream Jewry as more of an Orthodox holiday.

The irony is that its a conversation with a prominent Reform rabbi that made me think of writing this column. On a recent episode of my podcast, Rabbi Steve Leder of Wilshire Boulevard Temple uttered a word so raw that I dont recall ever hearing it from another rabbi: boredom.

The biggest threat to the future of Judaism, he said, is boredom.

Its one of those ideas that is so true no one feels a need to even mention it. I mean, how could it not be true? Ive never met a human being Jew or otherwise who is craving to be bored.

Leders broader point was that synagogues and Jewish leaders have to up their game in this post-COVID world and offer a Judaism that is not just inspirational and meaningful, but also stimulating. Judaism will survive, and possibly even thrive, if it becomes an antidote to boredom.

Seen in that context, the festival of Sukkot may be just what the doctor ordered.

Unlike the more mainstream Passover, Sukkot is more demanding. Its not just a gathering around a table; its more of an adventure. Whether you buy one of those easy-to-assemble sukkah kits, or go to Home Depot and create your own, the ritual of setting up a sukkah is an involved process that requires teamwork, both to set up and to decorate.

But that is part of its value: the work we put in. The more time we invest in any ritual, the more satisfaction and enjoyment we will get back.

It all comes together in that magical moment on the first night when you finally enter the sukkah and see the fruits of your labor. This is not dining al fresco; this is dining inside the huts of our biblical ancestors as they wandered in the desert.

It all comes together in that magical moment on the first night when you finally enter the sukkah and see the fruits of your labor.

This is not dining al fresco; this is dining inside the huts of our biblical ancestors as they wandered in the desert. This is dining when you can barely see the stars through the palm fronds on the roof, and where the only sturdy thing is the table. This is dining where you might even say to yourself, Are we really doing this?

And then you might answer: Why not?

If youve never celebrated Sukkot before, I cant think of a better year than the year we emerge from nearly three years of COVID isolation, the year were craving anything but boredom.

This year, Shapiro writes, Sukkot is a call to all of us to get out and live again. Its a call to have people over, return to the sensual pleasures of redolent fruits and tactile handling of plant species. Its the clarion call to return to the roots of community.

Of course, before you start the adventure, youll need to remind yourself that, regardless of religious labels, this quirky and ancient Jewish holiday belongs to you.

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Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

Chicken Rolo with Kale Filling and Tomato-Apricot Sauce is perfect for dinner under the sukkah this Sukkot, which begins at sundown Oct. 9.

The rolo, or meatloaf, combines Italian, Sephardic and Persian Jewish foodways. Its filling symbolizes the abundance and plenty celebrated by the ancient harvest festival.

The tangy sauce is flavored with Persian black lime powder (noomi), which adds a smoky, citrus flavor. It is available in Middle Eastern stores, spice markets and specialty markets or online. See recipe for substitute. Both the sauce and filling can be made ahead and refrigerated. Use at room temperature.

Select ground chicken with 7 to 8 percent fat or grind boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a food processor. Do not use ground chicken breast.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a large baking dish. Have filling and sauce ready.

Cut and discard bread crusts. Place bread in apricot soaking liquid until liquid is absorbed. Squeeze out moisture and discard liquid. Add bread to bowl with chicken, eggs, onion, garlic, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, salt, paprika, black pepper and mint. Mix.

Shape half into a loaf 8-by-4 inches in center of prepared pan. Make a deep channel in the center of the loaf measuring 8 inches long, 2 inches wide and inch deep. Press in kale filling, mounding it above the channel. Pat the remaining chicken-liquid mixture over top and down sides, sealing filling.

Brush cup of tomato-apricot sauce over top and sides. Reserve remainder.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes, basting with pan liquids occasionally, until loaf is firm and an instant-read thermometer inserted into loafs base reads 165 degrees. Let rest 10 to 20 minutes. Use two spatulas to move loaf to serving platter. Reheat sauce. Pour half on top. Garnish with parsley and almonds. Serve with remaining sauce.

Kale filling: Place cup dried apricots in bowl. Cover with boiling water. Drain when soft, reserving liquid for apricot soaking liquid (see above). Chop apricots into -inch pieces. In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbs. oil. Saut 1 cup chopped onion until softened. Saut 1 tsp. minced garlic until golden. Stir in tsp. crumbled dried mint, tsp. salt, tsp. ground black pepper, tsp. ground cumin, tsp. ground cinnamon, tsp. ground allspice and tsp. ground clove. Add 3 cups chopped kale or chard (-inch pieces) and cup reserved apricot soaking liquid. Saut until kale is tender. Stir in 1 Tbs. tomato paste and chopped apricots. Taste, add tsp. sugar if kale is bitter. Add salt, if desired. Stir in 2 Tbs. toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts just before using.

Tomato-apricot sauce: Put 15-oz. can plain tomato sauce and cup apricot jam in small pot over medium-low heat. Stir until simmering and jam is dissolved. Stir in tsp. salt and tsp. black lime powder (or 2 Tbs. grated lemon zest in place of black lime powder). Add 1 Tbs. lemon juice (use 2 Tbs. if not using black lime powder). Return to simmer. Simmer for several minutes, stirring often. Taste. Add salt or lemon juice, if needed.

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Spice-packed chicken rolo is a perfect dinner in the sukkah J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

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Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

Former Iranian Ambassador to Mexico and Australia Mohammad-Hassan Ghadiri-Abyaneh said in a show on Ofogh TV (Iran) that was aired on September 9, 2022, one day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, that the United Kingdom's political parties, royal family, and economy are controlled by the Zionists and the Jews. He also said that the Talmud and Jewish law do not permit Jewish women to marry non-Jewish men, but that an exception is made when the non-Jewish men are rich or powerful because then the Jews can increase their wealth and influence by inheriting it from non-Jews.

He then claimed that Kate Middleton, the wife of the new British heir-apparent Prince William, is Jewish, and he said that she is married to him as part of a Jewish scheme to inherit the royal family's riches. In addition, he claimed that the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is also part of a Jewish plot to increase the share of the royal wealth that the Jews will inherit. Moreover, he claimed that when a Jew marries into a powerful non-Jewish family such as the British royal family, members of the family start dying more frequently. For more about Ghadiri-Abayaneh, see MEMRI TV Clips Nos. 998, 8918, 9365.

Mohammad-Hassan Ghadiri-Abyaneh: "The policies of England with regard to the royal family, and the Conservative and Labour parties, are determined by the Zionists. In England and throughout Europe, as well as in America, the Zionists have an age-old influence, and they are present in all the political parties. They are the ones calling the shots. Especially with regard to the Middle East, the Zionists are the decision-makers.

[...]

"Most of the banks are in their hands. The economic issues are [decided] by the Zionists.

"In addition, [they control] the media beginning with newspapers, magazines, and TV networks, and ending with Hollywood and so on. Anyone who wants to be elected in countries where there are elections needs two things: Money and the media. Without these, [the candidates] cannot make any progress.

[...]

"One example is the Rothschild [family], which managed banks and held the money. If you examine the economic firms in Europe and America they are held by the Zionists, in most cases. The Zionists have employed various methods to gain control.

"According to the Talmud, which is the Jews' book of jurisprudence, Jewish women are not allowed to marry non-Jewish men, unless these non-Jewish men are wealthy and powerful. They plan to marry these men so that through inheritance whether of wealth or power they will be able to transfer the money and power to the children of Jewish women.

[...]

"They used the same plan for the royal family in England. The Queen's grandson [Prince William] is married to [Kate Middleton,] a Jewish woman. When they get married, they start to have children, so that their cut in the inheritance will be bigger than that of the others.

"But it does not end there. They begin to hatch schemes against the other family members. Usually, when they get married, the mortality rate in the family rises, so that the [Jews'] cut in the inheritance grows.

[...]

"One grandson [Harry] married a somewhat colored [sic] American woman, and I think that in this case it is also part of their plan. They want [William] to replace [Harry].

"Hence, I think that the Queen's successor will be vulnerable to the Zionists' schemes. Why? Because if he steps down, he is replaced by [the Queen's] grandson [William], who has a Jewish wife."

Interviewer: "Correct."

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Iranian Diplomat: The Jews Have a Plot to Lay Claim to the British Royal Familys Wealth - Middle East Media Research Institute

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Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

East Room

12:06 P.M. EDT

THE FIRST LADY: Good morning.

AUDIENCE: Good morning!

THE FIRST LADY: As we gather in honor of the High Holy Days, I know that all of our hearts are with those affected by the hurricanes.

May many have had to flee their homes, as youve seen. Temples will be shuttered on Yom Kippur. And some will have to break their fast without beloved family beside them.

I hope that their faith and our prayers bring them comfort during this dark time.

In Judaism, the Days of Awe these 10 days of reflection and repentance call for introspection. But its not an endeavor taken alone.

The prayers on Yom Kippur begin with we. We have gone astray. We have not lived up to the best versions of ourselves as individuals and as a community.

Its a recognition of a powerful truth: that we fail together, we forgive together, and we heal together, too.

Thats why there is hope to be found in this sacred time as well.

Its a chance to release the burdens that have weighed us down and reach toward the light of the divine; to be with family, facing the best and worst of ourselves surrounded by love, knowing that we will emerge stronger than before.

Its a moment to remember that we the path we walk will one day end and hold close those who travel beside us.

The Days of Awe remind us that its never too late to begin again.

We, all of us, are a work in progress. So we continue that work: speaking truth, fighting for for justice, believing that we can heal our broken world.

Let us look toward the past with wisdom and turn toward the future with joy.

Let us remember that there is hope and healing ahead. In our highs and our lows, we are not alone, and there is beauty and sweetness in every step of the way.

Now, Im grateful to be here with my family, including so many people who have become family over the years. (Laughter.) And that it now includes Kamala and Doug.

You know, there are so many things (applause) yes. You know, there are so many things that you have both brought to our lives. But during the High Holidays, I am especially grateful for the chance to join you, Doug, in honoring traditions that I know that you hold close to your heart.

So, thank you for spending this special time with us.

Everyone, please welcome the Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff. (Applause.)

THE SECOND GENTLEMAN: Thank you, my good friend Dr. Biden. You have always been such a leader in bringing people together, and you do it with compassion, and you do it with purpose. And thats exactly what youre doing here today by welcoming our Jewish community to the White House. So, thank you so much.

And on a personal note back at you (laughter) you and the President have really made our family feel like your family. So, thank you so much.

And again, I also want to echo Dr. Bidens words of comfort to those who have been affected by these horrible storms. Our prayers are with you, and we will continue to do everything we can to support all of you and your families and your communities.

And my wife, the Vice President Kamala and I (applause) were honored to join you as well as we welcome in this new year. Shana Tova.

And its a particular honor for me as the first Jewish spouse of a President or a Vice President. (Applause.)

But do you know, for years, as a lot of you know, the Bidens invited our community for celebrations when they lived at the Vice Presidents Residence. And now, the Vice President Harris and I my wife (laughter) are we are very grateful that we get to continue in the tradition that they set forth.

The doorposts there are protected by mezuzot thats two mezuzahs. We hosted a Passover Seder. Weve lit a historic menorah for Hanukkah. But now, we gather in the White House during the Days of Awe, as Dr. Biden mentioned, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Now, in my family, Rosh Hashanah meant a trip to my grandmothers apartment in Brooklyn. (Laughter.) And I can still smell that brisket cooking and burning in the kitchen. (Laughter.) I can still taste the slightly warm challah, but slightly stale (laughter) on the table.

And, of course, as a lot of you remember, my grandmother begged all of us kids not to jump on the couch because I took the plastic coverings off! (Laughter.)

But this is also a season to reflect and atone and repent for both of our shortcomings and those that we see around us.

And lets be clear we all know this: Jews worldwide face horrendous discrimination and violence and antisemitism. And one of the reasons that our great President ran for president was to confront the kinds of hate and antisemitism that we all saw and were mortified by in Charlottesville. (Applause.)

And on this issue on this issue, we have a President and a Vice President who know that all Americans must be able to worship without fear or violence. (Applause.)

And we also know they are two leaders of deep faith who believe in tolerance and inclusion, not just for our Jewish community but for all communities. (Applause.)

And our President has said, and I quote, If Jewish history and tradition teaches us anything, its the resilient belief in the promise of tomorrow.

So as the Jewish community in the United States and Israel and around the world take stock and renew our hopes for the start to 5783, we are grateful to be sharing it in one of the Jewish communitys best friends.

Please join me in welcoming the President of the United States, Joe Biden. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Well, as youre about to find out, Doug and I married way above our station. (Laughter.) Youve already seen one example of that. Youll soon see another. Doug, thank you for the introduction.

And Doug is right. Youre the first, but Kamala often says you wont be the last. Kamala wont be the last woman to be Vice President or President. (Applause.)

So let me start by recognizing this reception comes at a very difficult time for so many Jewish families in Florida, possibly for some of you who have loved ones in Florida mothers, fathers, grandparents, friends. Our heart goes out to everyone there in the state experiencing what could be may be one the most devastating hurricanes in the history of that state.

And I say Ill Im going to say more about that this afternoon. Im making a major address on this.

So many families just celebrated New Years and are now in this solemn part of the High Holidays. Some of you are from the area or have family and friends there. And as I said, its got to be tough time for a lot of you.

And I want to Representatives Ted Deutch and Debbie Wasserman Schultz are here, and a lot of other friends. (Applause.) Good to see you, Ted.

And were working closely with the governor and the entire Florida delegation Democrat and Republican making sure that we do everything we can, including now search and rescue, recovery, and rebuilding efforts, which is going to go on for a while. Going to go on for a long while.

And whatever it takes, were going to be there as one nation and one America. Were not going to walk away.

So let me just say, Ted, youre a dear friend. Youre retiring after 12 years. Dont go. Change your mind. Do something. (Laughter.) Were really going to miss you, pal. No, we really are. Were going to miss you in Congress. Weve worked together closely for a long time. And I look forward to your leadership on the American Jewish Committee. So, thank you. (Applause.)

When Jill and I were Vice President and First [Second] Lady, Jill and I honored were honored to host the first Rosh Hashanah reception at the Naval Observatory.

And today, as President and First Lady, were humbled to host the first High Holidays reception ever in the White House with so many of our friends. (Applause.)

Now, if I acknowledge everyone by name, well be here (laughter) for the Hanukkah reception in December. (Laughter.)

But this is Ted Ted and Debbie, I also want to acknowledge someone else who means a great deal to our family: Rabbi Michael Beals of the Congregation Beth Shalom in Wilmington, Delaware. (Applause.) There you are.

With his predecessors Rabbi Kraft and Rabbi Geffen thats where I received my education. I probably went to shul more than many of you did. (Laughter.) You all think Im kidding. He can tell you Im not. (Laughter.) Im not.

Beth Shalom is home for countless friends. And, for me, its been its been a home. And over the years, weve shared deep conversations about faith and and finding purpose. And theyve always, always, always been there for my family in the good times and not-so-good times.

And just like rabbis, synagogues, and Jewish community centers in your hometowns, youre always there; your congregations are there for you and for everyone in the neighborhood, whether theyre Jewish or not.

And thats the tradition I got raised I spent a lot of time Im a practicing Catholic, but I Id go to services on Saturday and on Sunday. (Laughter.) You all think Im kidding. Im not. (Laughter.)

So, look, thats the power of the Jewish community all across America.

And Doug mentioned the High Holidays are a sacred time for introspection and renewal and and repentance, and a time to ask for forgiveness, to mend our relationships with God and with our fellow men.

The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who passed away two years ago, once said that the most important lesson of the High Holidays is that nothing nothing is broken beyond repair. Nothing is broken beyond repair. Its never too late to change and to be better. Ive always believed that message, and I also think its universal.

And weve emerged from one of our most difficult moments in our history. I believe nothing is broken beyond repair, and theres a lot we can do to change things and bring people together.

We can and we are emerging stronger from this pandemic. Were building an economy that works for everyone. Were were responding to the cry of for action by the climate. Were were (applause) were actually rallying the world. Were rallying the world to keep support for Ukraine strong and consistent and (applause) and Ukraines right to exist as a people.

You know, and were were showing that we can do big things as a country when we work together, regardless of our political party, from taking on gun violence, to supporting our veterans, to rebuilding America itself, to ending cancer as we know it.

But there is a lot more we can do, but we have to do it together, to restore the soul of America. When I ran, I said one of the reasons I was running, literally, was to restore the soul of America, bring back some decency and honor in the way we talk about one another, the way we deal with one another standing up to antisemitism that was constantly lurking in the shadows. (Applause.)

You know, the Jewish people know better than any what my father, who was not Jewish but would constantly use the phrase, silence is complicity. Silence is complicity.

I was reminded of that yet again during my recent trip to Israel. I reaffirmed Americas unshakable commitment to Israeli security. As a matter of fact, the Prime Minister was telling me he said, I remember what you said Id forgotten what I said when I landed. (Laughter.) He looked at me, he said he said, You looked at me and you said, Its good to be home. (Laughter.)

But, you know, the first place I went back to was Yad Vashem. And there were two Holocaust survivors there who immigrated to America after the war but returned to that sacred ground to speak to young people so we never forget.

And I think that after all they experienced in the 40s, today theyre witnessing a record high antisemitism in 2022 they never thought would be the case again. Although, maybe they did, in their hearts, think it could happen. But they were there.

I decided to run for President and this is not hyperbole you know youve heard me say this for over almost three years now that, when I saw those people walking out of the fields literally walking out of the fields in Virginia, carrying torches, Nazi flags; and chanting the same exact antisemitic bile that was chanted on the streets of Berlin and Germany in the early 30s.

And when asked, when the young woman was killed, What do you think? And the comment made by a former leader was, There are good people on both sides.

Ive made it clear since I was elected, including two weeks ago at the first-of-its-kind summit against hate-fueled violence at the White House: Hate can have no safe harbor. Its never defeated; it only hides. It hides under rocks. And when we breathe a little oxygen under those rocks, it comes out it comes out.

And failure to call it out is complicity, and the silence is complicity. We cant (applause) no, I mean it.

We cant remain silent. The rest of the world looks to us.

Thats why I established the first Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Combat Antisemitism at the at the ambassadorial level. (Applause.)

I appointed Deborah Lipstadt, a Holocaust expert, to this critical position. She is here today. Where are you, Deborah? All the way in the back. (Laughter.) Thats usual with her humility. But, Deborah, thank you for being willing to do it. (Applause.)

And we worked with Congress to secure the largest increase in funding ever for physical security of nonprofits, including synagogues, religious organizations. (Applause.) Because nobody nobody should fear going to a religious service or a school or walking down a street wearing a symbol of their faith. Nobody. Nobody. Period. (Applause.)

We launched the first National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism and its first-of-its-kind White House Initiative on Hate-Motivated Violence, working hand in hand with the Jewish community. And many in here are working with us.

Im not going to remain silent. We cant remain silent. I mean this sincerely. If we let it go, democracy and everything else is at stake. We cant remain silent.

So, let me close with this. The Jewish tradition holds that from the time the Book of Life is opened on Rosh Hashanah until the gates close on Yom Kippur, our fate hangs in the balance. Its in our hands its in our hands to change, to do better to ourselves, for ourselves, and for others.

I believe we face a similar inflection point as a nation.

My hope and prayer for the year ahead is that, for one of the most difficult moments that weve gone through in a long time, we emerge stronger.

That resilient belief in the promise of tomorrow is embodied in thousands of years of Jewish history and in the story of America.

So lets do the work ahead lets do the work together, regardless of what your political persuasion. Lets recognize the work of our democracy.

You know, as the Talmud instructs, It is not required that you complete the work, neither may you refrain from it. It is not required you complete the work, but neither may you refrain from it.

To bridge the gap between the world we see and the future we seek, to keep the faith, to remember who we are. Were the United States of America, damn it. Theres nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.

So God bless you all. May this be a happy, healthy, and sweet new year. And may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life.

But before I leave today, I have a special part of this program I want to mention.

One that of things that Jill and I appreciate the most about opening the White House to celebrate people who mean so much to the country I cant think of anyone better who embodies the sacred spirit of this season than the special guest we have here today.

Born in Tel Aviv. Stricken by polio as a as a child thats made it difficult for him to walk ever since. Came to America to pursue his God-given talent that moves our souls. An Israeli-American icon of our time. One of the most celebrated violinists of our times. Please join me in the Foyer to hear a special performance from Itzhak Perlman. (Applause.)

Itzhak. He plays from the heart. As the rabbis tell us, What comes from the heart enters the heart. And youre about to experience it.

God love you all. God be willing that we have a good year. Thank you. (Applause.)

Q Mr. President, whats your message to Vladimir Putin today, following the annexation?

THE PRESIDENT: Ill be talking about that a little later today, okay? Lets celebrate now. (Applause.)

12:27 P.M. EDT

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Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

Lithuanias capital, Vilnius (Vilna), is a thriving European city where young couples push babies in strollers down Jewish Street now lined with cafe tables. In one courtyard, where Jewish families once lived, a bright yellow Porsche is parked amid the crumbling pre-war brick walls.

Like many other such European cities, Vilnius retains a dark past. While the Nazis wiped out most of its Jewish inhabitants, channeling them first through two ghettos and then killing them in the nearby Ponary Forest, they didnt accomplish their heinous crime alone. Lithuanian citizens are well-documented pre-empting Nazi aktions and participating in them directly. While this is an uncomfortable narrative for Lithuanias youth today, it must be told so future generations understand that never again not only means the Jewish people will never again remain defenseless, but that the average person must never again sink to such low levels of hatred and bestiality as many Lithuanian citizens did in World War II.

Famed Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel himself once argued that the Lithuanians had been part of the problem, not the solution. Michael MacQueen, chief of Investigative Research in the United States Department of Justices Office of Special Investigations (OSI), where he investigates crimes committed in German-occupied Lithuania, Belorussia and Poland, illustrated through case studies that Lithuanians were willing and often eager to collaborate in the Final Solution. He detailed several factors motivating those directly involved in killing Jews and noted that many killings and lootings occurred in rural villages, where Lithuanians often inflicted brutal violence on their longtime Jewish neighbors, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

While the guiding hand was almost invariably German, in a high percentage of cases, the bloody hand of the murderer was Lithuanian, MacQueen wrote.

The Soviet suppression of crimes against Jews, both by Nazis and Lithuanian collaborators, was documented by Masha Rolnick, who wrote I Must Tell, a diary of the life of a 14-year-old girl in the Vilna Ghetto.

According to Nora Levin in her book The Holocaust, Three hundred Lithuanians were found to serve on Einsatzgruppe A. At the climax of the mass shootings of Jews, there were eight Lithuanians to every German in Stahleckers firing squadsAltogether 136,421 people were liquidated in a great number of single actions By the end of December 1941, 30,000 Jews in Vilna had been killed.

Vilniuss Jewish influence until the 20th century has led to it being described as the Jerusalem of Lithuania. Napoleon named it the Jerusalem of the North as he was passing through in 1812. The Vilna Shas became the standard for the printing of all editions of the Talmud until today. A major scholar of Judaism and Kabbalah who lived in Vilna was Rabbi Eliyahu ben Solomon Zalman, the famed Gaon of Vilna (1720-97), who astounded and impressed the Jewish world when at age 6, he delivered a homily in Vilnas largest synagogue. The synagogue, a magnificent and grand structure built in the 17th century, was damaged during the war in a Nazi bombing raid and destroyed completely by the Soviets after the war. It has been replaced by a nondescript, two-story building and nothing but a plaque and sculpture of the Vilna Gaon remain in the area. The nearby Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum is dedicated to the history of Jewish life in Lithuania.

Eleventh-grade students Guste Butenaite, Laura Rakauskaite and Rimante Skarnulyte, along with their teacher Diana Murauskiene and headmaster Zilvinas Damijonaitis, met with JNS in the quiet lakeside city of Vievis, on the outskirts of Vilnius, before the annual commemoration of Vilnas liquidation on Sept. 23, to discuss what they learn about the Holocaust.

The students said that as part of their Holocaust studies in school, they created an interactive map that showed where Jews had lived throughout the country. They also said they had had the opportunity to meet Holocaust survivors and watch videos of survivors testimonies on YouTube.

The headmaster explained that while in some schools, there is a lack of readiness or competence to teach such sensitive subjects, many students in other schools are actively involved and eager to learn about the Holocaust. There is a team of teachers who work together with the students and, in addition to classroom lessons, the teachers also engage the students in interactive projects, theater productions, and field trips to memorial sites.

And while there exists a heavy focus on the Holocaust, the students said they also learn about Judaism in the 21st century, as well as Jewish life, culture, and traditions and they are learning about what causes anti-Semitism and how to minimize or eradicate it.

This is, of course, encouraging, but it can never be enough.

Lithuanias Prime Minister Ingride Simonyte (front, third from left) marching with students in Vilnius on Sep. 23, 2022. Credit: Courtesy March of the Living.

Lithuanias Prime Minister Ingride Simonyte told JNS there is always more to do in terms of Holocaust education.

The main point is to be constant, she said. Not to just do a lot now and then nothing. It is not the intensity that matters, but the consistency.

She said it is so easy to forget, especially since we have fewer people who are living witnesses who can recount the horrors of the Holocaust.

She also said that reading a book about the Holocaust is not sufficient since ones imagination is not the same as hearing the memories of a witness.

There are things in history that maybe are not that important to remember, such as all the names of the battles or the dates or how many people were on what side, she said, but there are some things that are persistent because some atrocities in the history of humanity happened because of the same thinghatred.

Simonyte emphasized there must be a cultivation of intolerance to hatreda complete ban of thinking that some people might be worse than you or that you might be better than other people, because this sense of superiority is something that sooner or later, unfortunately, turns out to become what the Holocaust was.

Emanuelis Zingeris, chairman of the International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania, and the only Jewish member of the countrys parliament, told JNS there are a number of ways Lithuania can and should keep the Holocaust alive in everyday discussion.

First, the effort at Babyn Yar in Kyiv, Ukraine, where an educational center and museum is being built to commemorate the Jews murdered there, should be replicated across Poland and in Lithuania.

Second, Lithuanias government must ensure that any commemoration of the Holocaust must include that Lithuanian collaborators were involved and it was not just a Nazi crime.

Third, rescind recognition of Lithuanian heroes who were in fact collaborators with the Nazis. A number of Lithuanian citizens recognized for their bravery against the Soviets had also colluded with the Nazis and were directly responsible for the murder of Jewish Lithuanians.

Zingeris listed Silvia Foti as an example of a woman who was raised on reverent stories about her hero grandfather, a martyr for Lithuanian independence, and an unblemished patriot. Jonas Noreika, remembered as General Storm, had fought the Germans and Soviets in World War II, surviving two years in a Nazi concentration camp only to be executed in 1947 by the KGB. Foti, who grew up in Chicago, was treated like royalty in her tight-knit Lithuanian community.

But in 2000, when Foti traveled to Lithuania for a ceremony honoring her grandfather, she learned that her grandfather had been a Jew-killer and was not the hero she was raised to believe he was.

Her book, The Nazis Granddaughter: How I Discovered My Grandfather Was a War Criminal, is a gripping account of her discovery that her grandfather was a Nazi collaborator responsible for killing Jews.

Zingeris expressed his gratitude to the International March of the Living for helping to bring attention to Lithuanias role in the Holocaust and encouraging Holocaust education. Zingeris also noted that his Commission sent 300 teachers to Yad Vashem to learn about the Holocaust.

Each year, on Jan. 27, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the date of the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945, Lithuania holds a national conference of its tolerance centers when teachers and students meet to discuss the Holocaust.

We must continue to bring knowledge from books and exhibitions, from the intellectual level to the masses, through education, he said.

Ronaldas Rainskas, executive director of the International Commission, told JNS that the next steps in Lithuania are to create the narrative of Lithuanian citizen collaboration, spread the narrative, and develop an official national calendar by which to mark and commemorate tragedies that took place at the hands of Lithuanian citizens throughout the country.

Rainskas said he believes the younger generation is growing more open and mature and said he hopes the International Commissions efforts at education and commemoration will have an effect.

People are cultivating a narrative in their closed circle of family and friends. We are afraid to leave our own ghettos of memory, he said. The point is to leave our ghettos and meet others from their own ghettos.

On Sept. 23, the day Lithuania commemorates the Nazi liquidation of the Vilnius ghetto, a large crowd including leaders, diplomats, representatives of the International Commission and the International March of the Living as well as school students, teachers and principals retraced the footsteps of Vilnas Jews and marched from Vilniuss historic Ghetto Victims (Rdninkai) Square to the train station where they took the train to the Ponary Forest.

Holocaust survivor Saadia Bahat addressed the crowd at the ceremony and recounted his story.

We were pushed to the ghetto in 1941, Bahat said. I happened to be among other prisoners of the ghetto who were taken by trucks to the railway station. The train had to go to a camp in Estonia, but it started moving towards Ponary and we wept. Everyone wanted to kill us. Today, when we are on the train to Ponary, none will weep. I am so thankful that I am standing here in front of you, and nobody wants to kill me.

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Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

By Yoni Michanie

Levi Duchman, the chief rabbi of the Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates, celebrated his own wedding on Sept. 14. It happened to be the first Jewish one in Abu Dhabi.

With a guest list of 1,500, including the Egyptian, Moroccan and Chinese ambassadors to the UAE, the wedding simultaneously celebrated the second anniversary of the Abraham Accords signing.

Jews, Muslims and Christians joined together to celebrate the union of Rabbi Duchman and Lea Hadad, both emissaries of the Chabad movement, as well as the fruits of normalization, cooperation and peace.

As the first rabbi in the UAE, Duchman says he has spent the last eight years building up infrastructure to facilitate the viability of Jewish life in the Gulf nation.

The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Q: How long have you been living in the UAE?

A: I have lived in the United Arab Emirates for approximately eight years. Before the normalization agreements, I was living in Casablanca, Morocco. During my time in Morocco, I had the opportunity to travel to the UAE and host a Passover seder for New York University in Abu Dhabi. Nearly six years before normalization, I moved to the UAE.

Q: From your perspective, how has Jewish life in the UAE changed as a result of the normalization agreements?

A: A lot has changed. If you look at the UAE, it is composed of seven different Emirates that agreed on unification [in 1971-72]. The UAE was always a welcoming place in terms of welcoming all religionsI mean, there are over 200 nationalities living here. Having said that, the Jewish community always received support from the government.

In terms of the relationship with Israel, the government did not have that until the signing of the Abraham Accords. Prior to that, living as a rabbi in the UAE, I always felt very welcomed by the government; they always ensured our community has everything we need. In terms of kosher slaughterhouses, institutions for Jewish education, places of worship, or anything else our community needed, we could always count on the full support of the government.

Now, with the Abraham Accords, a huge door was opened for Israelis and Jews around the world who had never heard of the UAE or its levels of religious tolerance. The growth of the Jewish community meant growth in infrastructure, for example, bigger educational facilities, more kosher restaurants, bringing more rabbis into the country, and building Jewish cemeteries.

Q: How would you describe education about Jews or the knowledge of standard Jewish history in the UAE?

A: Prior to the Abraham Accords, very little education existed about Israel and Jewish history. Now, this has very much changed. For example, Ive been to a few Holocaust remembrance events in the UAE and have seen in attendance members of the government such as the minister of culture. Jewish and Israel education has certainly risen in the UAE as a result of the Abraham Accords. We, for example, run a Jewish nursery school and Talmud Torah in our Mini Miracles Educational Center [in Dubai]. Our Sunday and after-school programs for children going to non-Jewish schools hold extremely high standards of Jewish and Israel education. We were successful in bringing different madrichim and madrichot (youth guides in Hebrew) from both Israel and France to help strengthen our educational programming. As of now, we have 112 children signed up for these programs. We have a beautiful center in Dubai and are currently constructing a second one in Abu Dhabi.

Q: Have more Jews been moving to the UAE since the Abraham Accords were signed?

A: Tremendously. Much of it is coming from Israeli startup companies. Major Israeli companies such as Rapyd (a fintech company) are establishing offices in the UAE. This in turn has led to a surge of Jewish families moving to the country since the normalization agreement. You have companies like Hilton, where top Jewish executives have begun moving to the UAE knowing that the community now has the infrastructure in place to cater to their needs. Our community has grown from a few hundred to several thousand.

Q: What was it like to have your wedding in the UAE?

A: My wedding was in Abu Dhabi; it was the first Jewish wedding in Abu Dhabi. It was quite incredible because we had 1,500, if not more, attendees at our wedding, including ambassadors, UAE government officials, and both colleagues and friends from around the world who came to Abu Dhabi to celebrate a Chassidic wedding. It was absolutely incredible. We had a Chassidic singer, Israeli band and Neshama choir, all coming to Abu Dhabi to celebrate a kosher Jewish wedding.

It was at our wedding, where we saw Chassidim dancing and celebrating with Emiratis, that we truly saw the power of the Abraham Accords. We had the chief rabbis of Iran, Singapore, Nigeria and Turkey attend and dance at the wedding. We had the Chinese, Egyptian, Moroccan and Irish ambassadors to the UAE attend as well. I did not expect all of these guests to attend, and the wedding was beautifully covered by both Arab and Jewish news outlets. I have been the first resident rabbi here in the UAE. After eight years, I was able to see all the meaningful and wonderful relationships we have built in this country, and it was absolutely incredible.

Q: How would the Jewish experience be different in other parts of the Arab world?

A: I think the main difference is that the United Arab Emirates gave us the opportunity to build the Jewish infrastructure needed to further develop the community. Mikvahs, places of worship, kosher restaurants have simply made it easier for Jews to build a life here. Judaism can mean a variety of things to different people. It can mean having a place to eat a kosher meal, to do Kol Nidre or to buy challah in order to do a blessing. What we are here to do as a rabbi for the community is to make sure all Jews in the UAE are catered to. Members of the community are feeling more comfortable because they know they can preserve a Jewish way of life in the UAE. I dont want to name other countries specifically, but many do not have the infrastructure to attract a Jewish community and allow it to flourish. For example, next week there are some NBA gamesI believe the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks. Some members of their ownership are Jewish and they are joining us for Yom Kippur services because they know they can have that here.

Q: Should future normalization agreements depend on Arab states willingness to help rebuild and strengthen Jewish communities within their borders?

A: It is incredibly important to support the building of Jewish infrastructure in the Diaspora; this is exactly what we are doing here in the UAE. Normalization agreements should not be contingent on Arab states agreeing to rebuild and strengthen Jewish communities, but the agreements would be enhanced by such a commitment. For example, many of the Jewish CEOs and executives working for companies in all different types of sectors have willingly moved here because the UAE government has shown a commitment to protect the Jewish community and help it flourish.

Q: What advice would you give to countries in the region seeking to attract and strengthen their Jewish communities?

A: I think its about learning about the basic needs of the community, whether it is education or kosher foods. This can be done by working closely with Jewish leaders on the ground who understand the needs and wants of their own community members. We work continually with the UAE government and have achieved incredible advancements through this close collaboration.

Its about having people on the ground and providing them with the infrastructure needed to live a Jewish life. It is actually easier for me to find kosher food in the middle of Dubai than in central London. Etihad Airways, the national airline company of the UAE, has its own kosher kitchen.

The government is currently building the Abrahamic Family House, which consists of a mosque, church, synagogue and educational center to be built on Saadiyat Island, the cultural heart of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. For our wedding, we didnt have to import kosher food, everything was done locally. The work cannot be done remotely; we need to be on the ground and infrastructure is key.

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Posted By admin on October 4, 2022

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) will review its education materials provided in bias training for K-12 education after evidence of Critical Race Theory and other radical left-wing ideologies, such as intersectionality, was found.

Critical Race Theory is the idea that white supremacy pervades all U.S. institutions and American society. Intersectionality is the idea that supposedly oppressed groups must support one another a concept that has led a variety of left-wing groups to embrace the anti-Israel cause, which often crosses the boundary into antisemitism. (Jews, ironically, are excluded from intersectionality.)

The ADL was founded as a Jewish civil rights organization, but has lately veered into left-wing politics under CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, a former Obama administration official.

Fox News Digital conducted an investigationthat showed the ADLs materials repeated left-wing propaganda on race, including exercises on white privilege and reparations for slavery.

Like school districts that have been caught teaching Critical Race Theory, the ADL denied that it does so. However, it admitted that it was far from perfect, andannounced that it would review materials that it said were misaligned with the organizations values.

Critics, however, allege that the materials are entirely in line with the ADLs left-wing values under Greenblatt, asnotedby Jonathan S. Tobin of the Jewish News Syndicate:

What Fox discovered was entirely consistent with the organizations actions and decisions in the years since Jonathan Greenblatt took over as CEO replacing longtime leader Abe Foxman. Greenblatt has helped shift the ADL from its former stance as the nonpartisan gold standard for monitoring hate to being just another liberal activist group whose priority is helping the Democratic Partysomething that makes sense for a former staffer in the Clinton and Obama White Houses. Rather than being misaligned, endorsements of CRT teachings are very much aligned with the way the ADL has made it a priority to stay in sync with fashionable radical ideas about race and to avoid being tagged as a bastion of Zionist privilege by their left-wing allies.

The ADL has long been primarily interested in attacking anti-Semites on the far-right that it tries to link to Republicans and conservatives while downplaying the way left-wing anti-Semites have taken over academia and gained acceptance in popular culture and the left-wing of the Democratic Party. But the content of school curricula in their hate-education program speaks to the way these ideas have become integral to the ADLs core business model and seem in line with much of the material that is routinely tweeted out by the @ADL_education Twitter account.

As Breitbart News has reported over the years, Greenblatt and the ADL supportedBlack Lives Matter together with antisemitic organizations, backing a statement that called for the leadership of the movement to be black.

Earlier this year, the ADL changed the definition of racism on its website after Breitbart News and other pointed out that the definition was actually racist against white people.

The ADL has also backed campaigns to censor free speech online, targeting Breitbart News along with hate groups.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.

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