Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

Last Sunday was September 11.

It seems somehow appropriate to write about it after it happened, because September 11 now is our past; it happened well within our living history, but its stopped being as visceral as it was a decade ago.

Even last year, on its 20th anniversary, it seemed closer somehow; in part but not entirely because so many people in uniform the police officers and firefighters from whose ranks the first responders had come, and to which so many of them could not return came and stood in solemn silence to remember.

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But now, it seems, we are past that. I wonder what it felt like on December 7 1962, 21 years after Pearl Harbor. I wonder its like now, where it feels remote and close, at the same time.

Because still, I find that when the sky is that perfect cloudless blue, so beautiful that you can cry from the beauty, I cant tell if I want to cry just for the beauty or also because of the memory of the smoke that smudged it when I looked south that day.

Sometimes I remember the sounds of those shellshocked days that came right after, when the bridges and tunnels reopened but armed men stood by each lane and looked into each car. I remember the sound of helicopters over the river, constant sirens in the street, and the terrible smells at night, when the wind blew northward.

Then as now, the start of the new year, the High Holy Days, followed close after September 11; in 2001, it was not quite a week later. I remember the disconnect we all felt; it made some of us cling more closely to religion, and thrust others of us away.

Now, too, we are living through a dangerous time, although the enemy is different. Now its more internal. Were fighting each other.

But I also am reminded of one of the signs, one among many, that was taped onto the statute at the end of my block. Its the Firemans Memorial, erected in 1913, featuring a bas relief of horses pulling fire engines and sculptures of women Duty and Sacrifice cradling dying firefighters.

Now, every year, police officers and firefighters hold a ceremony remembering the 9/11 victims there. Its deeply moving every year.

But in my minds eye I still see the handwritten sign that was posted there.

Kol haolam kulo, gesher tzar meod, it said in Hebrew, quoting a popular Hebrew song set to lyrics by Nachman of Breslov. Vehaikar lo lifached klal. And it supplied the English translation: All the world is a narrow bridge; the essence is to have no fear. No fear at all.

Its a hard thing, to move ahead with no fear. Probably not within reach. But this week Askhenazi Selichot starts, and then Rosh Hashanah next week, and then Yom Kippur, and the rest of the holidays, with their complicated rituals and bone-deep memories.

And the thing of it, the essence of it, is to move forward. To live with the fear. To see the blue beyond the smoke.

JP

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The essence of it - The Jewish Standard

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Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

Headline in the Hebrew newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, on Sept. 13, 2022. Headline is translated as "Core studies paid the price of the (politcal) agreement"

In Israel, both state and religious schools must teach core subjects such as math and science in order to be eligible for governmental funding.Failure to do so will greatly limit their financial assistance.

However, this may soon change if Benjamin Netanyahu forms a coalition and becomes prime minister. In exchange for political support, Netanyahu promised to give more government funding for ultra-Orthodox religious schools yeshivas even if they dont teach the core subjects of math and science.

Just as theres a double standard whereby all ultra-Orthodox men and women do not need to serve in the Israeli military, another double standard may soon be on the horizon as standardized education is now a political pawn.

The background

As the next Israeli election is approaching on Nov. 1, 2022, all kinds of deals are being made by political parties who attempt to consolidate into one block to ensure passing the threshold of 3.25% of the vote. One such deal is between Netanyahu and the United Torah Judaism party.

United Torah Judaism (Yehadhut HaTorah in Hebrew) is actually comprised of two ultra-Orthodox religious parties: Agudat Israel, made up of various Hassidic groups, and Degel HaTorah, made up of a Lithuanian Jewish stream. Although the two ultra-Orthodox groups have been allied up until now, the recent issue that separated them is the teaching of core subjects, math and science.

Agudat Israel intended to teach all core subjects, which resulted in the ire of Degel HaTorah which is bitterly against such a move as they feel that yeshiva students should focus on studying the Torah. Netanyahu needs both parties in order to win in the upcoming elections. If the two parties run separately, theres a chance that one party or both parties will not have enough votes to pass the threshold and thus enter the Knesset.

Netanyahu understood that Degel HaTorah would split from Agudat Israel if they were to implement their core study plan. Therefore, Netanyahu resorted to the oldest trick in the book money to make sure this wouldnt happen. In most settings, this is tantamount to bribery, but in the political arena, its, unfortunately, considered shrewd politics.

Netanyahu promised both parties that their government funding will not be at risk if they choose to forgo the teaching of core subjects, something which flies against Israels basic values of providing quality education for all of its children whether secular or religious.

The takeaway

In the end, the price for a Netanyahu government will be at the expense of Israeli students who will be the losers of crucial educational studies which prepare and equip youth for competing in the marketplace as they build a future for themselves and the families they hope to have one day. Israels ultra-Orthodox children should not need to bear this price.

Biblical perspective

(Deuteronomy 25:13-15)13Do not have two differing weights in your bagone heavy, one light.14Do not have two differing measures in your houseone large, one small.15You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live longin the land theLordyour God is giving you.

(Proverbs 20:10)Differing weights and differing measures theLorddetests them both.

The Bible is clear on not having different measures. Thus, different measures in basic education based on religious or ethnic background should not even be an option for political maneuvering. The criteria for government school funding should be the same for all sectors of Israeli society

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Not teaching math and science - another double standard for the ultra-Orthodox in Israel - All Israel News

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Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

Nearly 30 years ago, scientists discovered a pair of mutations that sharply increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Yet so far, surgery to remove those organs is the only preventive option for people with either of these mutations, which occur in genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2.

The sister of a woman who died from ovarian cancer hopes to change that with a $55 million donation to the University of Pennsylvania.

Mindy Gray and her husband, Jon, president of the Blackstone investment firm, announced the gift Thursday.

The money will support research on cancer interception detecting abnormal, cancerous cells at the earliest stages and disrupting their progress before the disease gets underway. That could include giving patients an anticancer vaccine, one of which already is undergoing tests at Penn Medicine and elsewhere.

The gift will establish an institute within Penns Basser Center for BRCA, which was created in 2012 with an earlier, $25 million gift from the Grays. The center is named for Mindy Grays sister, Faith Basser, who died of ovarian cancer in 2002 at age 44.

Susan Domchek, executive director of the center and an oncology professor at Penns Perelman School of Medicine, said the new gift will help in developing vaccines and early-stage treatments.

Its an amazing opportunity, she said.

All told, the Grays have now given $110 million to the Basser Center over the years. In 2013, sister Shari Potter and her husband, Len, also established an annual $100,000 Basser Global Prize to fund research on BRCA, which stands for BReast CAncer.

Everyone has a pair of BRCA genes, which produce proteins that help to repair damaged DNA. But one out of 200 people has a mutation in one of the two genes, disrupting the ability to suppress cancerous cells. The mutations are more common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, occurring in 1 out of 40 people in this population, Domchek said.

Women with one of the mutations have a 50% to 70% chance of developing breast cancer over their lifetime, compared with 12% in the general population, she said. The mutations also raise the risk of male breast cancer, though that is less common.

Mutations in either of the two genes also increase the risk of ovarian cancer, especially those in the BRCA1 gene. The mutations also are associated with increased risk of prostate and pancreatic cancer, though this is more likely in the case of BRCA2.

Unlike many slow-growing prostate cancers, cases in people with these mutations tend to be especially aggressive, Domchek said.

The prostate cancer that occurs is the kind men die of, not that they die with, she said. This is the kind of prostate cancer that needs to be found and treated.

Yet just one in 10 people with either mutation is aware of it, the physician said. The family learned after Faith Basser died that she had one of the mutations.

Citing patient privacy regulations, Penn Medicine said it could not disclose the health status of other family members.

In a statement provided by Penn, the Grays said they gave the money to turn research into options for patients.

The dream of intercepting these cancers at their earliest stages or preventing them in the first place is no longer science fiction, the couple said.

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$55 million gift to Penn is aimed at stopping breast cancer before it starts - The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

By Chris Devonshire-Ellis

One of the more unusual state visits was made this week as Pope Francis, the Head of State of Vatican City, turned up in Kazakhstan to meet with President Tokayev and attend the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions being held in Astana.

The two-day meeting, which takes place every three years, brought together religious leaders from around the world to focus this time on how religious leaders can foster the spiritual and social development in the post-pandemic world. Over 100 delegations from 50 countries attended the Congress, made up of religious, cultural, civil, governmental, and non-governmental representatives.

Pope Francis was personally invited by the Kazakh president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Other senior clerics who attended included the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau,and many other spiritual leaders.

The conference included four main sessions:

The Role of Religions in Strengthening Spiritual and Moral Values in the Modern World.

The Role of Education and Religious Studies in Respectful Coexistence of Religions and Cultures, and in Strengthening Peace and Harmony.

The Contribution of Religious Leaders and Politicians in Promoting Global Interreligious Dialogue and Peace, Countering Extremism, Radicalism and Terrorism; and

Womens Contribution to the Well-Being and Sustainable Development of Contemporary Society and the Role of Religious Communities in Supporting Womens Social Status.

Some of these subjects veer directly into politics and regional development.

In his speech to the Congress, the Pope commented that In the name of the fraternity that unites usthis shared nature then creates naturally a common bond, an authentic fraternity and expressing hopes for the encounter of religions to be based on human relationships marked by respect, sincere dialogue, respect for the inviolable dignity of each human being, and mutual cooperation.

He then directly inserted the use of religion into contemporary politics by stating The pursuit of transcendence and the sacred value of fraternity can inspire and illumine the decisions that need to be made amid the geopolitical, social, economic, ecological, but fundamentally spiritual crises that many modern institutions, including democracies, are presently experiencing, to the detriment of security and concord among peoples. We need religion, in order to respond to the thirst for world peace and the thirst for the infinite that dwells in the heart of each man and woman.

He also paid tribute to Kazakhstan, recalling how the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan has been a land of encounter involving ideas, faiths, and trade along the ancient silk road route.

Reflecting on how to offer spiritual and social support in a post-pandemic world, the Pope focused on four challenges we all face and urged religions to work together toward a greater unity of purpose. The Covid-19 pandemic put everyone in the same boat, the Pope observed, adding how it exposed our common vulnerability and need for help.

He praised the powerful sense of solidarity that resulted from the pandemic but warned that the world must not squander it. He said religions are called to be present on the front lines, as promoters of unity amid the grave challenges that risk dividing our human family even further.

The Pope then added that believers are called to care for humanity and become artisans of communion, witnesses of a cooperation that transcends the confines of our community, ethnic, national and religious affiliations. He said we begin by listening to the poor, the neglected, the helpless show suffer in silence and general disregard.

What I propose is not only a path to greater attentiveness and solidarity, but also a path to healing for our societies. For poverty is precisely what enables the spread of epidemics and other great evils that flourish on the terrain of poverty and inequality he said.

The second global challenge the Pope highlighted is the challenge of peace. Although discussed by religious leaders especially in recent decades, the scourge of war and confrontation still plagues the world, he observed. This requires a leap forward by the great religions to actively unite and commit to peace, the Pope said, if people of our day are to be inspired to engage in respectful and responsible dialogue.

The third challenge facing us is fraternal acceptance, the Pope explained, noting how every day children, born and unborn, migrants and elderly persons, are cast asideyet every human being is sacred. It is especially the task of the religions to remind the world of this, the Pope said, recalling the massive exodus of people today caused by war, poverty and climate change. He said, it is our duty to be mindful that we should regard others as the same as us, and in them to see the face of a brother or a sister.

Let us rediscover the art of hospitality, of acceptance, of compassion. And let us learn also to be ashamed: yes, to experience that healthy shame born of compassion for those who suffer, sympathy and concern for their condition and for their fate, which we realize that we too share. This is the path of compassion, which makes us better human beings.

The final challenge we all face is care for our common home, that we protect the natural environment from the damage we cause through pollution, exploitation, and devastation. He noted how the mindset of exploitation is destroying our common home and leading to an eclipse of the respectful vision of our world.

The Pope summarized his address with a plea: May we cultivate open and fraternal friendships through frequent dialogue and luminous sincerity of purpose. May we never aim at artificial and conciliatory forms of syncretism, but firmly maintain our own identities, open to the courage of otherness and to fraternal encounter.Poverty is the greatest threat to the world today because it breeds violence and greed.Our days are marked by the plague of war, the inability to reach out to another. We must listen to the most vulnerable, those in need. The pandemic has demonstrated all the inequalities on our planet.

The occurrence of the Congress at this particular time is a salient one, as increasing tensions between East and West, disruptions to supply chains, and the imposition of energy, food and other shortages all threaten the entire global population. There was criticism for just about everyone within the Popes comments, while pleading for solidarity. It is an unfortunate measure of todays world that figures such as the Pope have to give speeches such as this in the hope of reaching the politicians and world leaders who really should be listening.

El-Tayyeb, for his part, representing the Islamic world, stated We are talking together about strengthening social ties between religions and respect between people.

It is not the only time the Vatican has addressed global institutions. In June this year, the Holy See addressed the World Trade Organisation again seeking to promote solidarity and multilateral dialogue, coming at a time of intense US trade pressure on other countries. It could be construed that the Vatican is a supporter of free trade and a rules-based global trade society, which has been somewhat lacking in recent months.

One hopes the messages given will permeate through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisations summit, which Tokayev is attending, as well as the upcoming UN General Assembly.

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Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

A special guest report from Israel about the upcoming Israeli film awards - Editor

Top contenders for the Israeli Oscar

by Johnathan Tsuria

The 2022 Ophir awards will take place at September the 18th, and the film which wins the top prize will represent Israel at the Oscars. For most Israelis, that is the only point of interest about these awards, as they are plagued by countless decisions that prevent moviegoers here from caring. The major problem is that there is zero connection between the films released so far in cinemas and the films which end up competing for the awards. For example, from the 5 nominees for Best Picture, only one (Where is Anne Frank) was released before the nominations were announced. Another (Cinema Sabaya), was released after they were announced, and the presumed frontrunner (Karaoke) will be released only after the ceremony. The other two (Valeria Is Getting Married, 35 Downhill) have no release date scheduled for Israeli cinemas apart from presumably their qualifying showings. Last year's winner, Let it Be Morning, wasn't reelased for regular moviegoers until the spring of 2022.

Generally, I have to say that the nominations were something of a disappointment. Great films like June Zero and All I Can Do were mostly shut out while something like Where Is Anne Frank snagged a best picture nomination surely because the voters think it may do well at the Oscars It got one other nomination, for sound, and thats it. However, there are good films nominated so lets try to predict who will win...

Best PictureKaraoke, Cinema Sabaya, 35 Downhill, Where Is Anne Frank, Valeria is Getting Married

KARAOKEWill Win: Karaoke. The film is a major crowd-pleaser at festivals (including Tribeca where it premiered) and audiences are connecting and relating to its tale of an elderly couple dreaming of being something more.Could Win: Unless they decide that Valeria is Getting Married, now playing at TIFF, has more chance to get into the Oscar line up, in which chance it may nab the top prize. This is the result when Best Picture voting is synonymous with Oscar submission.Should Win: Cinema Sabaya. Though it's a small movie about municipal workers taking a film class it's a masterwork.

Best Director: Moshe Rozental, Karaoke; Orit Foucs Rotem, Cinema Sabaya; Michal Vinik, Valeria is Getting Married; Yona Rozenkier, 35 Downhill; Maor Zaguri, Virginity

VIRGINITY

Will Win: Karaoke. As with the Oscars in America, a Picture/Director Split is becoming more common at the Ophirs. But splits usually happen for a reason and it's hard to see a viable one this year.Could Win: Virginity. Maor Zaguris film has a certain bonkers quality to it so if youre into it than youre really into it. And the film was liked enough to get major nominations, even if it presumably just-missed the Best Picture field.

Should Win: Orit Foucs Rotem for Cinema Sabaya. A debut so strong and confident that you just want to make sure shell get the opportunity to make a second film something a lot if Israeli directors (including past Ophir winners) have had trouble achieving.

Best ActorNominees: Moris Cohen, The Silence; Sason Gabay, Karaoke; Yoel Rozenkier, 35 Downhill; Maor Levi, Virginity; Yakov Zeda-Daniel, Valeria is Getting Married

Will Win: This is Sason Gabays to lose. Even if by some chance viewers are unimpressed with the film, his performance shines bright. If he wins he'll become the first actor in history to win 4 Ophirs. He previously won forTime For Cherries(1990),The Band's Visit(2007), andGett(2014).The Band's Visitwas, of course, very popular in its US theatrical release (eventually inspiring a Tony winning Broadway musical), though it was disqualified as an Oscar submission in its year due to too much English dialogue spoken in the film.

Moris Cohen in THE SILENCECould win: Moris Cohen is great in The Silence, and he managed to get a nomination even though the film was largely shut out. But did enough people see the film? Should Win: Sason Gabay, without a doubt.

Best ActressDana Ivgy, Savoy; Dana Ivgy, Cinema Sabaya; Levana Finkelstein, The Silence; Lena Frifeld, Valeria is Getting Married; Rita Shukrun, Karaoke

Sason Gabay and Rita Shukrun in KARAOKE

Will Win: Its hard to imagine Gabay winning without Rita Shukrun also taking the prize the film works because of their chemistry and dynamic. Also, Ophir voters tend to be a bit unimaginative; If they like a film, they vote for it across the board.

Could Win: That said the Ophirs really love Dana Ivgy, and may want to give her a 4th Ophir to cement her place within the Academy but will they know which of her performances to choose? Lena Frifelds excellent turn in Valeria I'm guessing is a close third.Should Win: Strong options, but I would personally vote for Dana Ivgys turn in Cinema Sabaya.

Supporting ActorAvraham Shalom Levy, Valeria is Getting Married; Doron Tavori, The Gospel According to Judas; Dean Miroshnikov, Like There is No Tomorrow; Lior Ashkenazi, Karaoke; Moni Moshonov, All I Can Do; Shmuel Vilozni, 35 Downhill

Shmuel Vilozni and (leading man) Yoel Rozenkier in 35 DOWNHILL

Will Win: Shmuel Vilozni is the heart of 35 Downhill, a father and son drama, and they liked the film enough to give it 11 nominations. Since Lior Ashkenazi is the weaker link in Karaoke, Im betting on Vilozni.

Could Win: But a Karaoke clean sweep could happen easily and Ashkenazi is very popular. If he wins, it'll be his fourth Ophir (he previously won for Late Marriage,Footnote, and Foxtrot all of which were Israeli Oscar submissions with Footnote becoming an Oscar nominee).

Should win: A toss up between the Tavori and Miroshnikov both great in very different roles. But I have to choose, Tavori by a hair. Its that voice so commanding yet reaffirming.

Supporting ActressAviva Negosa, 35 Downhill; Esty Zakheim, The Silence; Joanna Sayid, Cinema Sabaya; Moran Rosenblat, Like There Is No Tomorrow; Tiki Dayan, Children of Nobody

Will Win: In a cast of mostly anonymous actors, Joanna Sayid stands out. Given the film's multiple nominations, it makes sense to award its standout character.Could Win: Ophir voters so sometimes fixate on young women that flirt with the Hero and/or the audiences expectations. Aviva Negosa could benefit from this in 35 Downhill. Should Win: Esty Zakheim is great (as always) in The Silence in the role of the Ex-wife who still has a good (non-romantic) relationship with the protagonist. She brings much needed heart to a film that sometimes feels akward.

Best ScreenplayVirginity, Karaoke, 35 Downhill, Savoy, Cinema Sabaya, Karaoke, Valeria is Getting Married

Will Win: I may be contradicting myself, but Im gonna go a limb and say that the Ophir doesn't go with a fullKaraokesweep, and that theyll give the Screenplay to Yona Rozenkier for35 Downhill. They liked the film a bunch, it won at the Jerusalem Film Festival and Rozenkier is a well liked figure in the industry.

Could Win: but a clean sweep forKaraokeis a too real possibility.

VALERIA IS GETTING MARRIEDShould Win: Valeria is Getting Married has a premise which fills you with dread. But the film surprises you and is brimming with life, humor, and humanity all because of its precise screenplay. Cinema Sabaya is also worthy, but as its been said There can only be one.

Have you seen any of these at festivals? Which are you most curious about?

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Who will / should win the Ophirs? - Blog - The Film Experience

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Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

by Min Straussman

In 1585, a mining expert named Joachim Gans landed on Roanoke Island in the New World. He is considered the first Jewish person to visit the Americas. Almost 70 years later, in 1654, the first Jewish community was founded in what was then known as New Amsterdam, and what we today call New York City. They came, like so many other early Europeans to the continent, in search of religious freedom. In the time since, the Jewish community in the United States has continued to grow significantly. Today, more Jewish people live in the United States than anywhere else in the world except Israel.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month, which is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the long history and rich diversity of Jewish life in the United States. Needless to say, things have changed a lot since 23 Sephardi Jews fleeing the Portuguese Inquisition first settled in 1654. We are going to use the opportunity this month to talk about terms like Sephardi Jews, what they mean, and how they help us understand the many different kinds of Jewish American heritages.

The Jewish community is tiny in comparison to the population of the United States. As a result, many people only know about Jewish American life from sources like television shows or movies. This can lead to stereotyping or worse about Jewish people and culture. To help set the record straight, we are going to talk about a variety of aspects of Jewish American life and language many may not be entirely familiar with.

Note: Some sections of this article mention anti-Semitism as well as politics concerning the nation of Israel. While we understand the topics are very sensitive, its important to recognize them within the larger context of Jewish identity, life, and culture.

For many years, especially following World War II and in reaction to the anti-Semitic use of the word, it was considered offensive to refer to someone as a Jew, using the proper noun form of the term. Instead, it was preferable to use the adjectival form, Jewish. We see this in the phrase Jewish American.

However, in the past decade, there has been a movement to reclaim use of the word Jew by some members of the Jewish community. Essentially, instead of saying I am a Jewish person, some choose to say I am a Jew. Despite this movement, when using the term it is important to pair it with the indefinite article a or no articles at all, rather than the definite article the. While the difference may seem minor, using the definite article implies a stereotypical, monolithic Jewish figure, which is anti-Semitic. Lastly, the use of Jew as a verb is undeniably offensive.

Additionally, the spelling of anti-Semitic itself is controversial, with some arguing that the hyphen should be dropped. You can read a summary of this debate here.

Like in any community, there are a wide variety of preferences and opinions within the Jewish community about how we wish to be described. As a general rule, it is always best to ask someone what their personal preferences are. That said, there are some basic guidelines to consider when using the terms Jewish or Jew.

Like any religion, Judaism has many different denominations or internal religious divisions. In the United States, liberal Jewish traditions such as Reform and Conservative Judaism are especially prevalent. Here are some of the Jewish practices you can find in the US:

Regardless of the tradition they practice, Jewish people give immense importance to the holiday of Passover. Learn about the significance of the holiday here.

In the United States, there are Jewish people of every race, color, ethnicity, national origin, language group, you name it. Despite common stereotypes, there is no particular way a Jewish American looks or sounds or acts or is named. To put it bluntly, not all Jewish Americans are white Ashkenazim who live in New York City and eat lox and bagels. Like all Americans, theyre an incredible mix of cultures and experiences. We cant possibly cover all of these experiences here, but we wanted to touch on a few of the different Jewish cultural groups in the United States:

By the middle of the 18th century, most Jews in the United States were Ashkenazi, of German or Eastern European descent. The language many members of this Jewish community spoke was Yiddish, a mix of German, Hebrew, Polish, and other languages. Yiddish is written using the Hebrew alphabet and is read from right to left. Today, only the Orthodox speak exclusively Yiddish, but many American Ashkenazi Jews still sprinkle their language with Yiddish words and phrases. Some of these terms have filtered into the wider American lexicon and you may recognize them:

If youre interested in learning more words and phrases that come from Yiddish, check out our primer here.

While Jews of different denominations and cultural backgrounds have different practices, there are some terms that come up across the board.

Zionism is a global, political movement for the creation and support of a Jewish state in Israel. There is a long history of American Jews supporting Zionist movements and causes. However, it is important to note that Zionism is a political movement, not a religious one. That means not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews. For example, an evangelical Christian who supports a Jewish homeland in Israel is a Zionist, even though they are not Jewish.

Today, many Jewish Americans, especially and increasingly younger ones, are critical of Israel. One popular outlet for this criticism is BDS, or Boycott, Divestment, Sanction, a movement that puts economic pressure on Israel to change its policies towards Palestinians.

The question of support for Israel is a highly contentious one for the Jewish American community. That said, we should keep in mind that the Jewish American community is distinct from the Israeli one in many ways. As we have seen, there is a lot more to Jewish American cultural and religious life than Zionism.

There are hundreds of Jewish American organizations that have worked for decades to create political and social change. Some of these groups support Jewish Americans specifically, others work on behalf of marginalized communities regardless of religious denomination. A few examples of prominent Jewish American organizations are:

This article has drawn on a variety of sources about Jewish American culture. Obviously, weve only highlighted some of the key elements here, and we encourage you to keep learning more on your own. We found these sources invaluable, and theyll provide a great start to your own studies:

If youre interested in hearing even more from us about the unique history of the Jewish people in the United States, check out our entry on Jewish American Heritage Month. With over 400 years of history in North America, there is a lot to discover about Jewish American life, past and present.

Min Straussman is a freelance writer and educator from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A frequent contributor to Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com, his work has also appeared inHey Alma,beestung, and other publications. He lives in Paris.

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Glossary Of Jewish & Judaism Terms | Dictionary.com

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Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

(September 15, 2022 / JNS)

For people around the world, food is arguably the most natural entry point to gathering and to learning more about one anothers cultures. It is no coincidence, then, that food could very well be the next force that unifies the Israeli people and American Jewry.

Growing up in New England, I was accustomed to traditional Ashkenazi foods like bagels and lox, stuffed cabbage, and chicken soup with matzo balls. But once I met my wife, Shira, a native Israeli, I was exposed for the first time not only to Israeli ethnic cuisine but also to the diversity within that spacefrom the Persian stewGhormeh sabzito the Yemenite pastryJachnun.

The impact of this immersive culinary journey extends far beyond the palate. It shatters stereotypes about Israeli cuisine.

Today, as the discourse surrounding key issues in the Israel-American Jewry relationship occasionally veers in a controversial or even confrontational direction, food offers a more relatable way for members of the worlds two largest Jewish communities to connect. It helps them transcend the stereotypes that they may hold regarding one another, interact in an unfiltered and authentic manner, and discover new and surprising layers of their cultures.

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That sentiment is the essence ofJewish Foodie, a 10-part original video series that was launched last month by the Ruderman Family Foundation. The series aims to encourage Israelis to deepen their knowledge about U.S. Jewish communities, and Jewish Americans to become better acquainted with their rich and diverse heritage and culture, all accomplished through a rich and fascinating culinary and cultural journey to Jewish and local food across the U.S.

Jewish Foodie takes viewers on a tour of the broad diversity of American Jewry as a whole and its communities in particular through the innovative vehicle of food. The episodes focus on the personal stories and cultural influences associated with Jewish food in the Northeast, with its bagels and lox, knishes, delis, hot dogs, Chinese food and vegan fare; the Southeast, including BBQ, bourbon and baked goods; the Southwest, featuring tacos, Jewish-style burgers with latkes (Jew Boy Burger), huevos rancheros and rodeo food; and the Midwest, with pastrami sandwiches, bison burgers and Chanukahgelt-making.

While the series strives to expand Israeli viewers awareness of the Jewish food landscape in the U.S., many American Jews also stand to learn something new. During my childhood, Jewish-style or kosher cuisine hardly seemed as diverse as I know it to be today. Bagels were only available at kosher bakeries, not in supermarkets. Boston had just one kosher restaurant (Rubins deli, which closed in 2019) and virtually no sushiof the kosher or even non-kosher variety. On Passover, we essentially ate matzo and cream cheese for an entire week.

Jewish Foodie reveals the far more diverse mosaic that exists today, alongside the broader character of Jewish communities and their members. The shows host, well-known Israeli actor and comedianOri Laizerouvich, discovers hidden gems from the burekas of Hot Springs, Arkansas, to thehuevos rancheros-style shakshuka of Austin, Texas, to the HavdaChallah (a mashup of the end-of-Shabbat ceremony and challah) of Jackson Hole, Wyoming,to the music-and-food session that brings together Orthodox Jews and African-Americans in Memphis, Tennessee.

The series representsour Foundations latest effort tostrengthen the bond between Israel and American Jewry. It builds off the momentum generated in June with our launch of the Third Generation online series, which introduces candid conversations between American and Israeli grandparents with their grandkids, covering the generational gaps and points of view on Jewish life and Israel.

Jewish Foodie is a seamless next step in pursuit of this mission. Given how food is such a powerful connector between people, it is an ideal vehicle for forging warmer ties between Israelis and American Jewsenabling them to not only break bread, but also to break down stereotypes.

Jay Ruderman is president of the Ruderman Family Foundation.

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Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

As a kid in a small Jewish community in the northern Italian city of Milan, Rabbi Michael Beyo was steeped in Sephardi traditions. His father was born in Turkey, the country where his family had lived for 500 years after being expelled from Spain during the Inquisition. But when he stepped outside his home, Beyo was surrounded by the dominant Ashkenazi culture of his mother and his country.

For years he didnt question the prevalence of Ashkenazi Jews. But when he was 12, a teacher told him that if his Hebrew pronunciation was Sephardi, rather than Ashkenazi, God wouldnt hear his prayers.

He was a teacher, and I believed him, Beyo said.

A lot has changed in the years since for the CEO of the East Valley Jewish Community Center, and recently, he was named one of the leadership fellows in the Sephardic Leadership Institutes (SLI) first national cohort. The program, intended to develop and support a network of Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewish professionals, will last six months.

Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa (JIMENA), a nonprofit located in Northern California, launched SLI this summer in an effort to connect North African and Middle Eastern Jewish professionals and increase their representation in Jewish organizations.

Beyo learned of the fellowship program and decided to apply, both as a way to network and to look for possible collaborations with the EVJCC.

And personally, it was intriguing.

Before he moved to Israel in his 20s where he would receive three rabbinical ordinations Beyos experience of the wider Jewish world was dominated by Ashkenazi Jews; whether in Italy, England (where he moved when he was 15) or France. Much later, when he moved to the United States, he would find the same was true here.

I studied in Ashkenazi schools and went to their yeshivot, he said. I only realized later that I had been deprived of my Sephardi heritage.

In Israel, he saw something new. Sephardi Jews there had started to assert themselves and their traditions in a kind of counter revolution. Young Sephardim were saying, Enough is enough! We want to celebrate our traditions, our foods, our music, Beyo said.

When you are in the system, you dont realize what they teach you is slanted in only one way, he said. Being in Israel helped me understand that 100%.

Beyo explained that in modern times, Sephardi Jews living in predominantly Ashkenazi communities have been discriminated against in one way or another.

Thats the reality, he said. Its true in Italy, and its true in America. It was also happening in Israel where discrimination against Sephardim was institutionalized.

Echoing his point, last month, Israels national statistical bureau decided to begin publishing data statistics on socioeconomic differences between Jews of Ashkenazi or European origins, and those of Mizrahi or North African and Middle Eastern origin, according to Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Historically, and to a significant extent still, Ashkenazi Jews have populated Israels upper class while Mizrahi Jews have been poorer as a whole, with discriminatory policies from Israels early years to blame for the inequality.

Countering that reality is one of the goals of JIMENA. It is giving Sephardi leaders tools to rediscover Sephardiness and assert itself against Ashkenormative life, Beyo said.

Personally, he feels pretty lucky to be part of both worlds. His Ashkenazi mother, a combination of Czech, Polish and Austrian Jewish ancestry, was born in Milan after World War II. Thus, Beyo feels comfortable in both environments, and he can make jokes about both, he quipped.

Comfort is one thing, but when it comes to his home, what he enjoys and how he understands the world, he is Sephardi.

The music I listen to is Sephardi, the food I eat is Sephardi and the way I understand Judaism is through the Sephardi traditional, historical approach to Judaism, he said.

He even attributes his ability to serve as both an Orthodox rabbi and the CEO of a JCC to his Sephardi heritage and outlook.

In the Sephardi world, he explained, there are no Reform or Conservative Jews, just Jews. Whether one keeps kosher or drives to services all Jews go to the same synagogue.

While a traditional Ashkenazi Orthodox rabbi might not be accepted as a JCC CEO, or feel comfortable there, Beyo is both at ease at the EVJCC and accepted.

I am not trying to make Reform Jews become Orthodox, he said. I try to help every Jew be the best Jew they want to be.

When he was awarded the fellowship, Beyo was surprised to find so many new organizations he didnt know existed and connecting with new people was really cool.

After having been around the block a few times, he admitted most of the topics are pretty familiar. Still, he said the work JIMENA is doing is amazing, and he appreciates every encounter and learning opportunity.

We can learn from everyone and we should learn from everyone and never stop learning, said Beyo. Its important to relate to Jews of different backgrounds in order to have more empathy and appreciation for the diverse reality of the American community and those of Phoenix and the East Valley.

Once you can appreciate diversity among one specific group, he said, its easier to appreciate it among others, as well. JN

For more information on the East Valley Jewish Community Center, visit evjcc.org.

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East Valley rabbi and CEO connects with his Sephardi side - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

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Posted By admin on September 16, 2022

My grandson Lucas can really put the terrible in the terrible twos. Like most toddlers, hes a delight, except when hes not. Hell hurl berries from his high chair like an Olympic shot putter, smear sour cream on his placemat like a tiny Jackson Pollock, and sometimes, when he doesnt get what he wants, he will scream loud and louder, high and higher, until only bats and dolphins can hear him.

If I were a stranger dining at a nearby table during one of those episodes, Id ask the restaurant manager to throw the kid out. But Lucas is mine, and my love for him burns brighter than a thousand Karens.

Sept. 11 is National Grandparents Day, and for me, it turns out grandparenting is as good as advertised. A 2019 study by the Jewish Grandparents Network confirms this. Of all respondents, 94% agreed that being a grandparent is generally a joyful experience.

So far, I simply adore dor vdor.

When Lucas was born in 2019, my wife Robyn and I flew to New York to visit him as a newborn, and again when he was 5 months old. He was super cute and we loved him dearly, but entirely from afar once the pandemic hit. We didnt see Lucas again until he was nearly 18 months old, when his family moved to San Francisco.

No longer a continent away, we were now a mere bridge away. So Robyn and I spent most of the last year and a half bonding with Lucas day by day, hug by hug, lullaby by lullaby. We would take biweekly walks along the pond at the Palace of Fine Arts, smiling at the crinoline-skirted quinceaera girls posing for glam shots by the waterside. I told Lucas they were princesses.

Last Hanukkah, he got to light the menorah, in this case a cool S.F. Giants menorah I picked up at a Jewish Heritage Night a few years ago.

When Lucas brother was born in May 2021, I instantly loved Chris, too, but not in the way I loved Lucas. I couldnt possibly, yet. Thankfully, Ive had plenty of time to spend with both kids, and slowly, the same sort of bond began to develop between me and my new grandson.

Still, Lucas had an 18-month head start. And so, he and I kept developing our own private Imaginarium of songs, jokes, games, storybook time, and all the things that make grandparenting the most fulfilling avocation in the world.

Yet for all that, I feel a trace of sadness in and around my role as zayde.

My son and his wife are terrific parents, and once my daughter-in-laws mother moved in with them seven months ago to provide full-time help, my own helping out was no longer so essential. I realized I am not Lucas parent. Im just G-pa (thats what Lucas calls me), and that requires some distancing. I have to allow my son and his wife the freedom to figure out parenthood on their own.

I also feel sorrow knowing I probably wont be around to see the kids grow up into adulthood. Maybe their young adulthood if Im lucky, but it would be a miracle of longevity if I were there for Lukes 30th birthday. It has occurred to me that Lucas and Chris will probably be the last human beings who will remember me, way off in the 22nd century.

I try not to dwell on that, especially when Im with the kids. I focus on the moment: play, play and more play, and getting them to squeal with delight in whatever game were playing.

It became clear to me that I got what I wanted when my son recounted something that had happened at preschool. The teacher asked the children, What makes you happy? One kid said candy, another said going to the park. Lucas said, G-pa. Ive never felt more honored in my life.

That was six months ago. Were still at it, hanging out together several times a week. Its different now because Lucas and I can talk to each other. Amazing as it is to converse with someone who only recently was a babbling baby, he and I communicate on a deeper level.

For example, since Im Mr. Fun compared with Mommy and Daddy, who make him do horrible things like go to bed, he hates to say goodbye to me. And for a while, he would cry hard when I had to head home.

One evening as I was leaving, I held him, wiped away his tears and said, Its OK, Lucas. You know, I always come back. And it worked. He understood and stopped crying. Now I say that to him whenever I leave. A few weeks shy of his 3rd birthday, Lucas now knows hes made of sterner stuff.

I didnt grasp how deeply he took that lesson to heart until a few days ago. Lucas mom told me that the day before, she had separated Lucas from Chris while they were playing together in order to take Lucas up for a nap. Chris cried hard when his brother was led away.

Lucas turned to Chris and said to him, Its OK, Chrissy. I always come back.

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All those adages about being a grandparent? They're true. J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

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Posted By admin on September 13, 2022

Ramallah, occupied West Bank Israeli military raids and killings have become an almost daily reality in Jenin and Nablus over the past year.

The raids are part of a campaign Israel calls Break the Wave', under which it carries out mass arrests and killings in places such as the two northern occupied West Bank cities, aimed at fighters affiliated with armed groups such as the Palestinian Islamic Jihads (PIJ) al-Quds Brigades, and Fatahs al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

The campaign is aimed at crushing a growing shift towards an increasingly organised Palestinian armed resistance in Jenin and Nablus that emerged on the heels of a mass popular outburst of Palestinian resistance in May 2021. It began in occupied East Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood and led to Israels war with armed groups in Gaza.

Israels military campaign, however, began shortly after a string of attacks by Palestinians that killed 19 people in Israel between March and May 2022. Two of the men who carried out the attacks were from Jenin.

Break the Wave is not just restricted to raids Israels three-day assault on the blockaded Gaza Strip in August, in which 49 Palestinians, including 17 children, were killed, was also conducted as part of that campaign.

In Jenin, the Israelis have found a capable adversary, a group known as the Jenin Brigades, which has carried out shootings on Israeli military checkpoints and engages in armed clashes during Israeli raids. Now, when the Israelis enter Jenin, they are not just met by rocks, but by bullets too.

The group, mainly supported by the PIJ but also includes young men from Hamas, Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), has come to pose a significant challenge to the Israeli occupation.

They first emerged in September 2021, in an effort to protect six Palestinian prisoners from Jenin who had gone on the run after breaking out of an Israeli jail.

It is worrying for Israel because these fighters now represent a problem; during any raid, these fighters will confront and resist, political analyst Ismat Mansour told Al Jazeera.

In May 2022, the birth of an armed resistance group called the Nablus Brigade was announced. In June, the Tubas Brigade was also formed, in the northern West Bank.

In Nablus, one of the faces of Palestinian armed resistance was 19-year-old Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, a fighter from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, who, despite being a target for Israeli forces, openly attended funerals held for fellow fighters.

The Lion of Nablus, as he was known, was killed by Israeli forces on August 9, but is emblematic of a new generation of Palestinian fighters, who are often not following orders from any of the traditional armed groups even if they do have ties with them, a phenomenon that the Israeli military is struggling to deal with and wants to nip in the bud.

From an Israeli perspective what is dangerous about this phenomenon is not the operations that these groups carry out per se because this brigade [Jenin] has not really carried out any operations, said Mansour. Its about it spreading. It started from Jenin, it extended to Nablus, now there are armed clashes in places near Ramallah. This manifestation has become like a contagion. The reality in the West Bank is changing in an observable way and the Palestinian Authority (PA) is unable to control the situation.

The groups appear to be more capable of conducting defensive operations rather than anything more substantial, observers say.

These weapons are being used to defend during confrontations when the Israeli army wants to raid Jenin camp or Nablus city, or for example against the [Israeli] occupation when settlers want to get to Josephs tomb, Sari Orabi, a Palestinian political analyst, told Al Jazeera.

This weaponry has not yet been used for offensive resistance action that would require spreading outside of the areas where the groups are based, and requires operating in secret, Orabi explained.

While discussion of a large-scale invasion of Jenin seemed possible for a while following last years prison break, Israel has chosen instead to use more focused means rather than entering into an open confrontation.

Instead, Israel intends to drain and pursue the resistance fighters, to keep them in a permanent defensive state, and to eliminate the largest number of them possible, said Mansour. Its a surgical operation it happens in a specific, targeted way, using a small number of undercover forces.

Currently, the cost for Israel is the confrontation between Palestinian fighters and its soldiers, he continued, adding that the equation would be different if a scenario emerged where the new brigades start to send fighters to carry out armed operations such as suicide attacks, and Israel pays a daily cost.

In the blockaded Gaza Strip, Israel has chosen different tactics. According to Mansour, Tel Avivs assault on Gaza was aimed at creating deterrence, and to tell the PIJ that, if Palestinian armed groups continue to grow in the West Bank, the PIJ will pay the price in Gaza.

That is why, he says, the last war had to be short, with quick, with consecutive fast hits on the PIJ. If it had gone on for longer, then we may have seen armed operations emerge in the West Bank, Mansour said.

One of the main catalysts for the phenomenon of the growth of new armed groups in the West Bank is the declining popularity of the Fatah-run PA,which governs limited parts of the occupied West Bank, and cooperates on security with the Israeli army.

The groups would likely not have emerged if the PA had a political project, argues Mansour.

The [Israeli] occupation adopted an approach, that through economic support it can empower the PA, and ease some restrictions on it so that it can become more popular than Hamas. This has failed, he said.

Next year, Palestinians will mark 30 years since the PAs creation. It was supposed to be a five-year interim government serving as a precursor to a state in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967. That state has never come about.

While the PA has publicly condemned attacks carried out by Palestinians against Israelis and aids Israel in thwarting them, many of the men taking up weapons in Jenin and Nablus have traditionally been affiliated with Fatah, exposing a rift in the party, one that Orabi calls a rebellion within Fatah.

Jamal Hweil, a Fatah political leader living in the Jenin refugee camp, and a former member of its armed wing, said that while the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade was set up by Fatah, ties are loose.

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade do not take political considerations into account, he told Al Jazeera, highlighting that the many men within the armed wing do not follow the PAs position, which is largely against armed resistance.

To Hweil, who fought Israeli forces in a deadly 2002 battle for Jenins camp, the lack of a realistic political outcome that would lead to an end to the occupation is leading many young men to take matters into their own hands.

The President Mahmoud Abbas does not want one bullet to go towards the occupation he says this day and night but what has the occupation presented to us? said Hweil.

Youth in the camp began taking steps on the ground retrieving power and the ability to defend not to attack, but to defend our people and our land in Jenin, Hweil added, explaining that the majority of them grew up in the shadow of the 2002 battle.

It is a message to the world that we will not accept what the US and Israel want to impose at the expense of the Palestinian people it will not pass, he added.

But Ata Abu Rmeileh, the secretary of the Fatah movement in Jenin, disagreed that there was any rift.

Everything that is happening is happening as part of an organisational Fatah decision and it is not a rebellion, Rmeileh told Al Jazeera. We are with resistance in all its forms, armed, popular, peaceful.

What is required of the PA is to enforce the decisions of the central committee in ending the recognition of Israel and ending any relationship with Israel, the main thing being the security coordination, he added.

For Hweil, the key factor bringing fighters together is the national unity that exists in the Jenin refugee camp between different political parties.

Khader Adnan, an Islamic Jihad political leader who lives in the village of Arrabeh, in the Jenin governorate, agreed.

There is definite national unity that goes beyond only the military aspect, adding that the strongest relationship between resistance factions was the one between the [PIJs] al-Quds Brigades and Fatah.

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The occupied West Bank cities at centre of resistance to Israel - Al Jazeera English

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