Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

Robin Dellabough (Photo by Alhy Berry)

When Irvingtons Robin Dellabough opened up her packet from 23andme, she was eager to learn more about her background and ancestry. What she saw challenged everything she knew about her family life as she soon found out she was not biologically related to the father who raised her. Dellabough began to explore this discovery through poetry as she unearthed new information about her parentage over the years, which she shares in her new book, Double Helix.

Dellaboughs first surprise in her ancestry chart was learning she was half Ashkenazi Jewish, which excited her. She always felt a strong affinity to Jewish culture that she could never explain. I literally shouted out loud, she said. I was just elated. But her son pointed out that the results meant one of her parents was 100 percent Jewish, which didnt track. One of her five younger siblings had also done a genetic ancestry test, and a comparison revealed that they were in fact half-sisters. That was my first big clue, she said. I went from being euphoric to grief-stricken.

The rest of the family followed suit, and all had matched as full siblings, except for Dellabough. She knew from stories that her mother, Dorothy, was engaged before she met Grant, the father she knew, and that her mother was pregnant when they married. By a stroke of luck, she also knew the name of the man her mother never wed, Norman, so she did some digging.

After finding Normans obituary, she tracked down his two children, who recognized Dorothys name from stories. One agreed to take a DNA test, which confirmed they were half-siblings, but Dellaboughs newly discovered family knew there was a connection from the start. I had sent a picture of myself, she said, They said they didnt even need a DNA test. When they saw the picture of me, they said it looked like I was a twin of their father. The resemblance was so strong, they had no doubt he was my father.

With her mother, Grant, and Norman deceased, Dellabough was left with few clues to make sense of it all. She got to know her biological father through her siblings, and even found a eulogy he wrote when her mother passed away. But many questions lingered, including why her biological parents broke off their engagement. Thats the killer question, she said, among many questions. It still haunts me that I cant talk to them and find out what happened, who knew what.

She began writing her book as she went through the process of unpacking a lifetime of questions, like whether the lullaby her paternal grandmother wrote for her was still hers.

I started out writing about this feeling of falling off a family tree, she said. But in the end, I kind of came full circle, that I hadnt lost a family. I gained a family. In the end, I just felt very lucky and grateful as opposed to bereft, or as though I lost something.

Double Helix will be published in May 2022 by Finishing Line Press. To preorder the book and learn more, visit finishinglinepress.com/product/double-helix-by-robin-dellabough.

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Local Authors, Local Books: Irvington Writer Unlocks the Mystery of Her Family - River Journal Staff

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

Project Supported by Cougar Initiative to Engage Grant

By Mike Emery, 713-743-7197

The story of the Sephardic Jewish community often is overlooked when addressing Latinx culture in the United States. Only 300,000 Americans identify as Sephardic Jewsor those descended from 13th century Jewish populations that resided in the Iberian Peninsula prior to expulsion by Spanish and Portuguese royalty.

This spring, 16 University of Houston students have been learning more about Sephardic Jewish heritage, particularly as it relates to the Latinx experience in Houston. They have been meeting and interviewing Latinx Sephardic Jews in Houston and documenting their stories as part of an oral histories course.

Credit Mark Goldberg, director of the UH Jewish Studies Program, Holocaust Museum Houston, and the Cougar Initiative to Engage (CITE) program for providing this academic opportunity to students and for a closer look at a niche segment of the citys population.

Goldberg, associate professor of history, has focused his own research on Cuban Jews and recognized the scholarly possibilities for students.

I was doing my own research and capturing oral histories when I realized how powerful interviews can be, Goldberg said. Sitting down with a person, asking questions, and listening to their stories is critical for historians. I thought this would be an outstanding experience for our students.

In designing an oral histories class, he applied for and obtained a grant from CITE, which supports academic initiatives with real-world implications. The grant, he said, helped purchase audio and video equipment and hire a transcription professional. Additionally, the course was made possible by a partnership with Holocaust Museum Houstons Latino Initiatives Project.

Goldberg, a native Houstonian and a Latino Jew himself, identified six Houstonians with Sephardic Jewish ancestry and divided his students into groups to interview them.

Growing up here, I was raised in a predominately Jewish community, Goldberg said. Some of the people I knew while growing up are indeed Sephardic, so I reached out to them. Someone at the museum then volunteered to be interviewed, and through word of mouth, we gathered more interviewees.

Diversity was key in identifying these interviewees, he added. The group of participants was divided equally by gender, but their origins varied (Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina) as did their Sephardic histories (Syria, Turkey, Palestine).

Students completed their interviews this month, and the oral histories of these individuals will be shared online through Holocaust Museum Houstons Latino Initiatives website. Students also will share their experiences working on this semester-long project during a special event conducted at the museum at 6 p.m., April 25.

Goldbergs students will be on hand to share their experiences with the project this semester, as well as to present posters based on their research. Those interviewed for this project also will be in attendance to provide perspective on this project.

According to Goldberg, these oral histories help shed light on Latin American Jewish immigrants in the U.S., particularly those with Sephardic lineage.

Sephardic history is very much overshadowed, he said. In America, when people talk about Jewish history, they talk about Ashkenazi Jews, those of eastern European descent.

For students, the experience was enlightening, particularly to those with Jewish Heritage.

Student Miranda Ruzinsky found the project especially rewarding as she was able to expand her knowledge of the Jewish culture.

I learned a lot about the history of Judaism beyond the Ashkenazi traditions I have grown up with inside my own family that practices Judaism and whose lineage hails from eastern Europe, she said. I believe this importance not only extends to Jews like me within the Houston community but also to the entire city's population as well.

Ultimately, Goldberg not only wants to shine a spotlight on an often-unnoticed segment of the community, but to provide students with an experience that is academically and culturally enriching. He particularly credits Holocaust Museum Houston and CITE for achieving this goal.

Our students gained historical empathy through this project by engaging with people from different communities, he said. That is so important to our students and a key mission at our university to learn cultural and social responsibility. This semester, we have certainly accomplished that.

Link:

Students Partner with Holocaust Museum in Documenting Oral Histories of Latinx Sephardic Jewish Communities - University of Houston

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

JERUSALEM (VINnews) The month of Ramadan varies annually as the Muslim lunar calendar does not have a leap year to keep up with the solar calendar. This year the month coincided with Nissan, a time when Jews hope and pray that the redemption from Egypt will presage a renewed redemption from the nations of the world. The Pesach festival marks the exodus from Egypt and many people flock to the Kotel, the Western Wall of Temple Mount, to pour forth their supplications for a speedy restoration of the Jewish people to its former glory.

Yet even before reaching the Kotel, many visitors this year were in for a rude shock as Arab hooligans, incited daily by their imams to preserve their holy places from the infidels, attacked Jews on a number of occasions. Miraculously the Arab attacks, including stonethrowing at buses travelling to the Kotel and setting upon Jews in taleisim[prayer shawls] walking through the Muslim Quarter, ended in minor injuries. However they served to deter many people from making a pilgrimage to the Kotel.

A determined response by right-wing Israelis would have included a march through Damascus Gate by thousands of Israelis in a show of solidarity with Jews walking to the Kotel but police, fearing violent reactions to the march, nixed it. Thus the Arab aggression and the meek Israeli response (arrest the suspects and let the incitement go on) led to a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety on the Jewish side and belligerent rhetoric from Arabs against Jews ascending Temple Mount. Predictably, the government closed Temple Mount for the last two weeks of Ramadan yet another concession to terror.

As a Jerusalemite, it was important for me to at least reach the Kotel during Pesach and demonstrate that I would not be cowed into submission by the Muslim threats. Despite Damascus Gate being the closest route to the Kotel, I did not feel secure enough to traverse the Muslim quarter on a Friday and chose the more conventional Jaffa Gate route. The Kotel was as usual a mass of eclectic different forms of prayer and I joined an Ashkenazi minyan in the open plaza.

As we sang the Hallel prayer, we heard a commotion above on Temple Mount. Suddenly shots rang out, presumably rubber bullets being shot by police in response to fireworks and stonethrowing. A few moments later, smoke started billowing over the Kotel from above and ashes started raining on our heads, covering the plaza with soot. We hurriedly covered the Sifrei Torah and ran for cover. Apparently a firework had set a tree on fire and the resulting blaze had caused the ashes to spray on the Kotel but the symbolism did not escape us. As we prayed for a final redemption, we were being showered with the very symbols of the destruction of the Temple from the place of the Temple.

View from Temple Mount of rioters, 4.22.22

There was however one consolation in the situation. Jews are prohibited from planting trees on Temple Mount and must uproot trees from the holy place. In the current situation this is not possible but at least we had the satisfaction of knowing that the Arabs themselves had burnt one of the trees at the site.

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Ashes On The Kotel: Analysis Of A Tense Situation - VINnews

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

Alaska-based Curyung activist Ruth Miller. (Illustration by Nathalie Cruz for Yahoo Life)

In Unearthed, Gen Z climate-change activists discuss some of the most pressing issues facing our planet and reveal what you can do to help make a real difference. In honor of Earth Day 2022, Yahoo Life speaks to Indigenous youth activists fighting for climate justice.

The most recent oil spill in Alaska is weighing heavily on Ruth Miller. In late March, in her home of Alaska, a boat carrying fuel tanks ran aground in Neva Strait and leaked thousands of gallons of oil into the water. Now the 25-year-old climate-justice activist can't wipe from her mind the image of the local herring, or yaaw, which were getting ready to spawn and lay their eggs, leaving local subsistence harvesters to suffer the most, she says.

"There are lots of days when I feel totally hopeless," says Miller, who has been advocating for environmental and climate justice since she was 15. "Climate anxiety is real, especially for a young Indigenous woman." Born and raised in the Dena'ina homelands of Dgheyay Kaq, otherwise known as Anchorage, Alaska, Miller is a member of Curyung Tribe. She's also Ashkenazi Jewish from her father's side.

"My name is Lchavaya Kisen, which means Whirlwind Woman in the Denaina language," Miller says.

Her parents, both Indigenous-rights lawyers, have been talking to her from an early age about how human rights and her heritage intersect with the land around her. And she's seen it all threatened first-hand, remembering, when she was a little girl, "where king salmon used to run in bounty and in abundance," but now, she says, "because of the port of Anchorage, all of those fish are absolutely decimated."

Miller also grew up hearing stories about how her Indigenous ancestors thrived for 30,000 years, "seeking to live in balance and in reciprocity with the natural world." Now, she notes, "as we face a climate crisis committed by the process of colonization and massive industrialization that has been forced on our lands, we know that it'll be our traditional practices that bring us back into harmony and balance."

Story continues

After graduating from Brown University in 2019 with a BA in Critical Development Studies and a focus on Indigenous resistance and liberation, she became the Climate Justice Director for Alaska's Native Movement, which she describes as "a grassroots matriarchal, Indigenous nonprofit." In that full-time role, Miller has led youth delegations to national and international climate conferences, including United Nations climate-change conferences COP25 and COP26, and worked on the ground locally to advance a range of grassroots climate justice solutions for Alaska.

And her experience leading up to that has been extensive: She was one of the youngest Capitol Hill interns to date in the office of former Sen. Mark Begich (AK-D), and beyond attending the COPs, she's been at gatherings including the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, UN Youth Climate Summit and the Continental Gathering of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA).

She's also a founding member of the Fireweed Collective, a statewide alliance of young Alaskans dedicated to activating Gen Z for a sustainable Alaska.

"I'm lucky to have a job doing this work, but it is a moral and ancestral imperative that we carry as the Earth's external stewards to teach our ways of relating and to teach our values of reciprocity and respect that have been abandoned," Miller says of the "many hats" she wears. "And then that abandonment and negligence is what got us to the crisis. We must now try to recover."

She stresses that "the worldview of all Indigenous peoples is founded on deep relationships." And a deep relationship with the land validates Indigenous science and Indigenous ways of knowing the land and how it has allowed us "to exist sustainably and in harmony for millennia," she explains. "These are principles and values that can be integrated into modern industry and must be in order to repair our relationship with our nonhuman relatives. But also to ensure survival."

Her advice for anyone "who has had their heart strings pulled on Earth Day" and wants to know what they can do to create change, "is to engage and educate yourself," Miller says. "You need to be willing to challenge the assumptions that were fed to you to build something more inclusive and more righteous. I really implore readers and listeners to take it upon themselves to seek their own decolonization of the mind and learn how to be in better alignment with the Indigenous communities around you."

She adds, "I think that we can only contribute to this movement towards justice in a good way if we ground ourselves in compassion, and that has to begin with compassion for yourself."

Spreading some of that to others won't hurt, either. Like on a recent day in April, when Ruth was making the rounds to deliver the apparently resilient herring eggs the gathering of which along shorelines is a beloved Native tradition and a sign of spring to her loved ones, noting, on Instagram (above), how "electrifying" the first Native food of the year is. "The precious Herring eggs felt all the more valuable," she wrote, "considering the overfishing and oil spills the yaaw had to navigate this year."

Find all of Yahoo Life's Earth Day profiles here.

Video produced by Olivia Schneider:

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Activist gets candid about pollution fears: 'Climate anxiety is real, especially for a young Indigenous woman' - Yahoo Singapore News

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

As Passover winds down, you might have some extra matzah on hand. Its kind of spectacular how many different ways you can use matzah! Theres the classic matzah ball soup, of course, and matzah granola. Ive even made a few matzah cakes myself.

But if youre running out of ideas on what to do with it or you just love matzah heres a fresh take on that old staple of Ashkenazi comfort food, matzah brei, which is one of my favorites.

Matzah brei is typically made to be like a quick egg pancake and is often topped with things like jam or butter. My version is a savory Spinach Feta Matzah Brei made with a few health tweaks: fresh spinach, garlic, parsley and feta cheese. Nothing too fancy, but definitely much healthier than the original.

And yes, matzah brei is traditionally more of a breakfast meal, but feel free to cook up a serving or two of my Spinach Feta Matzah Brei recipe any time of day.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, matzah, garlic, spinach, parsley and cheese. Let sit for 5-7 minutes or until the matzah is partially hydrated.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture, and cook until the eggs are fully cooked, about 5-6 minutes.

Excerpt from:

Get rid of that extra matzah with this Spinach Feta Matzah Brei J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

Posted on Apr 24, 2022 | Author Dr. Khalid Ur Rehman

Fallopian tube cancer forms in the ducts (Tubes) that carry eggs from the ovaries to the Womb (Uterus).Theyre a part of the female reproductive system. Most females have two fallopian tubes, one on each side of the pelvis.

This rare gynecological cancer may lead to ovarian cancer. Women who have BRCA gene mutations are more at risk. Fallopian tube cancer is the rarest cancer to affect the female reproductive system (Gynecological cancer).Fewer than 1% of gynecological cancers start in the fallopian tubes.

Causes of Fallopian tube cancer

For most people who have fallopian tube cancer, the cancer starts somewhere else in the body and then spreads to the fallopian tubes. Cancer that spreads is metastatic cancer. When cancer originates in the fallopian tubes,9 out of 10 times, it develops in Gland cells(Adenocarcinomas). The remaining fallopian tube cancers start in Connective tissue (Sarcomas).

Recent Research indicates that the most common type of ovarian cancer (High-grade Serous carcinoma or Epithelial) may actually begin as fallopian tube cancer. The cancer develops at the end of a fallopian tube where eggs enter from an ovary. It then spreads to the surface of the ovary. Fallopian tube cancer may account for up to 70 percent of all epithelial ovarian cancers. Most cancers in the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the peritoneum are grouped together for diagnosis, treatment and management.

Risk factors

Factors that increase the chances of developing fallopian tube cancer include:

a. Age: more than half of women who develop fallopian tube cancer or ovarian cancer are over 63.

b. Changes (Mutations)to the breast cancer (BRCA)gene.

c. Early menstruation before age 12 or late menopause.

d. Endometriosis.

e. Ethnicity and origin (people living in North America or those of Northern European or Ashkenazi Jewish heritage are most at risk).

f. Family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer or fallopian tube cancer.

g. Hormone replacement therapy after menopause.

h. Infertility problems or having no pregnancies.

i. Inherited conditions, such as Lynch syndrome and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

j. Obesity (especially during early adulthood).

Symptoms of fallopian tube cancer

Symptoms of fallopian tube cancer can be vague and easy to dismiss. You should see your healthcare provider anytime you notice a change in your health, especially if you have cancer risk factors.

Signs of fallopian tube cancer include:

?Abdominal pain or bloating.

?Abnormal menstruation.

?Chronic back pain.

?Constipation.

?Fatigue.

?Feeling full quickly.

?Frequent urination.

?Painful intercourse.

?Pelvic pain or mass.

?Upset stomach(indigestion).

?Watery or bloody vaginal discharge.

Diagnosis and tests

Fallopian tube cancer is difficult to detect in its early stage. It often spreads before diagnosis. Your physician may notice a lump or mass during a pelvic exam.

If you have symptoms, your provider may order one or more of these tests:

Blood test: A CA-125 blood test measures the amount of cancer antigen 125(CA-125). People with fallopian tube cancer or ovarian cancer may have higher levels of this protein in the blood.

But you may have high levels of CA-125 due to other causes, especially if you are Premenopausal.

Imaging scans: You may get a transvaginal ultrasound, CT scan, MRI or Positron emission tomography (PET) scan. These scans produce images of the fallopian tubes and ovaries and can show cysts and tumors.

Paracentesis: When you have a buildup of peritoneal fluid in the abdomen (Ascites), your provider uses a needle to sample the fluid. A lab tests the fluid for cancer cells.

Biopsy: Your provider may do a biopsy to determine the stage of fallopian tube cancer.

Staging

Healthcare providers use staging to describe cancers location and spread. This information helps providers select the most effective treatment.

Staging is often understood by Surgery, or possibly by imaging (CT or PET) scans. Most often, a biopsy is part of surgery for fallopian tube cancer. Your surgeon removes the fallopian tube and nearby lymph nodes. An expert examines samples of tissue from the tube and lymph nodes to check for cancer cells.

Stages of fallopian tube cancer include:

Stage 1: Cancer affects one fallopian tube or both tubes.

Stage 2: Cancer affects a fallopian tube and nearby tissues in the pelvic region.

Stage 3: Cancer has spread outside the pelvic region to affect lymph nodes or organs.

Stage 4: Cancer affects the liver or distant organs like the lungs or brain.

Management and treatment

Treatments for fallopian tube cancer depend on the cancer stage. Treatments include:

a. Surgery to remove the Uterus (Hysterectomy)and the Fallopian tube and ovary(Salpingo-Oophorectomy).

b. Chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery or destroy lingering cancer cells after surgical treatment. Sometimes chemotherapy is delivered during surgery to allow a higher concentration of the drug in the abdomen. This is called heated (Hyperthermic) Intraoperative Peritoneal Chemotherapy.

c. Targeted therapy to stop the growth of certain cancer cells with minimal damage to other, healthy cells.

d. Clinical trials to try promising new therapies still in development.

Prevention

If you have a family history of breast, ovarian or fallopian tube cancer, your healthcare provider may recommend a genetic test to check for changes to the BRCA gene. The test can show if you have a BRCA mutation or a syndrome that increases the risk of gynecological cancers.

If you have the Mutation, a Salpingo-Oophorectomy surgery can lower cancer risk by as much as 96 percent. This is a Prophylactic (Preventive) procedure.

These steps may also reduce the risk of Fallopian tube cancer:

?Breastfeed, if possible.

?Choose Hormonal birth control options, such as the pill, a hormone-based IUD or an implant. However, if you have a BRCA gene mutation, talk with your provider about whats right for you. These options may increase breast cancer risk in some people.

?Cut back on alcohol and quit smoking.

?Eat a healthy diet and stay physically active.

?Lose weight, if needed.

?Use nonhormonal treatments to manage menopause symptoms.

Prognosis

Survival rates for someone with fallopian tube cancer depend on the Cancer stage and other factors, like a persons age. The prognosis is best when providers catch the cancer early, before it spreads. The Five-Year survival rates (Odds of being alive five years after the initial diagnosis) are:

Stage 1: 90% to 95%.

Stage 2: 70% to 80%.

Stage 3: 50% to 60%.

Stage 4: 20%.

When to consult doctor?

You should consult your healthcare provider if you experience:

?Lump or mass in the pelvic area.

?Severe abdominal, pelvic or back pain that interferes with sleep or daily activities.

?Unexplained weight loss.

?Unusual vaginal discharge.

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Fallopian Tube Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and treatment - Rising Kashmir

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

BALTIMORE (WJZ) Its not what you would expect to see in the basement of a 100-year-old church: A Duckpin bowling alley retrofitted with the latest in bowling technology.

Duckpin bowling has a deep history here in Baltimore. With a smaller ball and smaller pins, this type of bowling still packs a lot of fun.

After closing in the 1960s, the bowling alley within the church now has a new lease on life, thanks to Pastor Dr. Terris King of Liberty Grace Church of God and Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg of the Beth Tfiloh Congregation.

They worked together to secure funding to overhaul the floors and install equipment. Renovating the bowling alley in Liberty Grace Church of God in the small Ashburton neighborhood of West Baltimore took nearly three years.

Its just one of the many projects the men have embarked on together, as they work to educate their communities on their shared history. Its a history this bowling alley is a part of.

This is what history tells us, Pastor King said. Ashburton was one of the first communities in the country where whites didnt run when African-Americans came, this bowling alley and this church and this community of Ashburton was really the center of Jews leading, working with African-Americans in the civil rights movement of Baltimore.

This used to be home to the Jewish community, but the younger generation of the Jewish community doesnt even know it exists, Rabbi Wohlberg added.

As our community continues to face civil rights issues to this day, the pair is looking to inspire future generations to continue working together by showing them they have more in common than they might think.

Our schools are now making good connections, Wohlberg said. Otherwise, our kids and his kids would never know each other. They would only know each other as Black and white. Not as human, not as real.

While the partnership has been a positive experience, it has produced some intense moments, opening eyes to overlooked prejudice.

Wohlberg described one such moment.

One day, Terris brought his choir to sing in my congregation. I saw people in tears and when I spoke to them after, I said, Why are you in tears? And they said, Rabbi, Im embarrassed to admit, but until this moment, if you mentioned Black teenagers, I think of a criminal. I dont think of a churchgoing, beautiful child singing the praises of God. Its as basic as that.

Now, as walls are being broken down, a brighter and intertwined future is unfolding. Pastor King is now featured on Beth Tfilohs Centennial Timeline as a symbol of the two communities coming together.

It puts it as part of our history, Wohlberg said. But its not only part of our history, its also a part of our future.

Back at Liberty Grace, they too are planning a display to show their history. It will be painted above a lane they chose to leave unfinished.

We left it in the original state because we want to tell the story, King said. In order to tell the story, you have to see the way it was designed.

Its a story that adds to Liberty Graces growing list of community resources. A place that already provides food, education and health services now has a space dedicated to family fun.

It may seem controversial to join hands with Mitchell, but Im following Gods lead and Im doing the right thing for my people in this congregation and beyond these doors in this community, so Im humbled. And I believe the best is yet to come, King said.

Its an unexpected bowling alley and an unexpected friendship that show what is possible if we take a little to get to know one another and maybe bowl a few frames together.

I dont know if the Jewish community from Pikesville is going to move back here so that they can use the bowling alley, Wohlberg said. Its moving peoples minds and hearts. Its not moving their homes. Its seeing each other as real and getting to know each other and everything that we have done together.

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Striking Pair: Pastor & Rabbi Team Up To Bring Community Together With Duckpin Bowling - CBS Baltimore

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

The pandemic has been a challenging time, but for Jeffrey Schesnol, ordained madrikh and rabbinic candidate, it expedited the completion of his goal to become a rabbi. I couldnt have proceeded with the ordination until I got my masters degree, he said. Its part of whats required, and luckily I was able to do it in a year and a half instead of three, or more, years.

Schesnol is 79 and admits he had doubts about whether he was ready to become a rabbi. A conversation with Holocaust survivor Oskar Knoblauch alleviated those doubts.

I said to Oskar, who was 93 at the time, Am I getting too old to consider going all the way for rabbinic ordination? and Oskar said, If youre passionate about it, do it. So I said, Well, I have the passion and Im going to follow your advice. So here I am and Im glad for having done so.

He was able to complete his Master of Arts in Jewish Studies from the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership online instead of traveling to Chicago for in-person classes and received his rabbinic ordination from the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism on April 22.

Or Adam Congregation for Humanistic Judaism has never had a Humanistic-ordained rabbi and Schesnol has served as their ceremonial and spiritual leader since 2013. Or Adam, Hebrew for Light of Humanity, is planning a celebration for the congregations 35th anniversary and Schesnols ordination at the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, where he is the associate director, on May 21.

The congregation feels that this is going to give the whole organization a level of recognition, and I would say acceptance, which isnt always the case when youre dealing with a little bit different approach as Humanistic Judaism is, he said.

He explained the essential tenets of Humanistic Judaism. We feel that its up to each of us as individuals and for us as a community to try and make the world a better place. We shouldnt wait for God or the government or any other individual or organization to do that important work. Its up to us. Its our responsibility to perform tikkun olam and make this world a better place.

Or Adam has been meeting via Zoom during the pandemic, but they will begin a hybrid model of both in-person and virtual services starting on May 21. Schesnol states that since holding services over Zoom the last two years, the congregation has become borderless and now has members in Tucson, Casa Grande, Calif., Illinois and even New Zealand.

When we start our services at 7 p.m. on Friday night, its 3 in the afternoon on Saturday in New Zealand, so weve definitely expanded our horizons geographically, he said.

Schesnol, who admits that he doesnt know the meaning of the word retire, will also continue his work with the Jewish Historical Society. He is a certified PMP (project management professional) and has taken on the role of project manager for the new Holocaust and human rights center. The center will be added to the existing Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center in downtown Phoenix.

I think being a rabbi will enable me to have more opportunities with other organizations, to be able to make what were trying to build even more legitimate, significant and important, he said.

Schesnol noted that Phoenix is one of the few large cities in the country that doesnt have a Holocaust education center and he feels that overall the Jewish community isnt anywhere near as informed as they should be, or could be, about their own Jewish culture and heritage.

He states that the project will take about $15 million and the Arizona Jewish Historical Society has already raised $6.25 million. Their goal at the end of the summer is to be at $8 million. The next step is to have a planning meeting with Gallagher & Associates, an internationally recognized museum planning and design firm whose projects include the ANU-Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix.

The next milestone will be raising $10.5 million or 70% of their goal. Reaching 70% means the ability to apply for a grant from the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, which, if awarded, will be $1.5 million.

So, if we get to $10.5 million, then get another $1.5 million from Piper, we will be at $12 million then were in the home stretch, said Schesnol. Well start pulling permits, doing zoning and any variances required. Then we talk in earnest with the city. We have already approached them and asked for $2 million toward this project.

Schesnol said that Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego (who is Jewish) has visited the Arizona Jewish Historical Society on numerous occasions and he points out that most cultural museums in Phoenix have had financial support from the city.

If all these things fall into place, there will be either a groundbreaking or ceremonial groundbreaking in 2023 and the center will be open in 2024.

Its not easy, no, said Schesnol. But you know, you do things in life youre passionate about and you do them because youre really committed. JN

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79 year old becomes new rabbi | Community | jewishaz.com - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

The period of the Omer is characterized by mourning over the tragic deaths of Rabbi Akivas 24,000 students. The Talmud explains that they were punished because they did not give sufficient honor to each other.1 However, the Midrash offers a different explanation. It states that they died because they were unwilling to share their Torah with others. How can these two seemingly contradictory Rabbinic sources be resolved?

In truth, it is possible that both failings emanate from the same source: They both came about as a result of a slight lack of appreciation for the importance of Torah2. The root of their failure to attribute sufficient honor to their fellow Torah scholars was a lacking in some small way in appreciation of the importance of Torah and the accompanying honor one must give those who learn it.

It would seem that the Midrashs criticism that they did not that they did not share their Torah could also emanate from a lack of respect for the importance of Torah. This is borne out from the following gemara, as explained by the Maharal. In Shelach, the Torah, in describing one who worships idols, says that "he disgraced the word of Hashem." The gemara in Sanhedrin ascribes this degrading description to a number of other negative forms of behavior such as denying that the Torah is from God. The gemara adds; "Rebbe Meir says; one who learns Torah and does not teach it is included in the category of, 'for he disgraced the word of HaShem'3." It is very difficult to understand why learning and not teaching can be placed in the same category as truly terrible sins such as denying that the Torah is from God4! The Maharal explains that the honor of the Torah is greatly enhanced when one spreads the word of Hashem to others. One who does not do so prevents Torah from being learnt by others. Therefore, he disgraces the word of Hashem because through his inaction he hinders the enhancement of Gods honor5. We see from the Maharal that a failure to teach others is indicative of a lack of true concern of the honor of the Torah.6

With this understanding, it seems that the gemara and Midrash are not arguing both agree that Rebbe Akivas students were lacking in a slight degree in the appropriate appreciation for Torah. The consequences of these sins were so significant that all of these great men died, and as a result the gemara tells us that the world was desolate of Torah. This would seem to be a measure for measure punishment of their inability to spread Torah to others since they did not teach Torah, they were punished that with their deaths, the continuation of the Torah would be under severe threat.

This is not the only example where we see that a lack of teaching Torah was the cause of great desolation. The gemara in Avoda Zara describes the first two thousand years of existence as being years of desolation7. This period ended when Avraham began to teach Torah to the world. At that time, the period of Torah began. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein notes that there were individuals who learnt Torah before Avraham, accordingly he asks how this period can be described as being one of spiritual desolation? He explains that since these men were not going out to teach others, it was impossible for Torah to spread throughout the world. Thus, even though there were individuals learning Torah, it was a time of great desolation. The desolation only ended when Avraham began teaching the world.8

We have seen how the failure to honor and spread Torah led to the devastating tragedy of the death of 24,000 Torah scholars. It is little surprise that the rectification of the sin was that the new students should spread Torah. Accordingly, the Midrash informs us of Rebbe Akivas exhortation to his new students. He told them. do not be like the first students. The Midrash continues that that when they heard this, they immediately got up and filled all the land of Israel with Torah.9

Based on all the above, we have a new perspective about the reasons for the practice of mourning the deaths of the 24,000 students before Lag BOmer. Some commentaries have pointed out that we do not mourn the deaths of people for longer than twelve months, no matter how great they are. In the Omer we are not mourning the deaths of the student, rather the devastating loss of Torah that came about as a result of their deaths. By mourning this loss of Torah, we can hopefully increase our appreciation for the Torah and the need to spread it to all Jews.

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Rabbi Akiva's Students and the Omer - aish.com - Aish

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Posted By admin on April 25, 2022

As Russian missiles rained down on Kyiv, Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny recorded an emotional plea from a shelter in the basement of a five-story building on Feb. 25. Its a difficult time. Its very emotional, but I know that youre with us and we know that always, good is overtaking evil and this is what will happen, Dukhovny said in a speech that would soon spread internationally over social media. He was broadcasting religious lectures to his congregation throughout the 10 days he spent in the basement, reading and singing Ukrainian poetry and songs with the others taking shelter there.

The 71-year-old progressive rabbi is still leading services this Passover, the holiday that started on April 15 and ends April 23, which commemorates the ancient Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt. But now hes doing so from outside his native country. Under normal circumstances, Dukhovny would be celebrating with his congregation in Kyiv. This year, hes in Israel, where he arrived in early March.

Read More: 5 Ukrainian Photographers on Turning Their Cameras to the War

Dukhovny comes from a family in which many of his relatives have been rabbis (his surname, he points out, means spiritual), and was raised by a Holocaust survivorhis mother was taken in by a Ukrainian family during World War II. Five of his family members were killed at Babi Yar, he says. His familys past experiences with war meant that he grew up with an understanding of what it means to survive through a crisis. War gives us a good lesson: how we need to cherish every hour, every minute, every day of our life, because we dont know what will happen in a second, he says. But we never need to lose hope.

Speaking to TIME, Dukhovny reflected on the harrowing 10 days that he spent in the Kyiv basement, how Ukrainians in his community are approaching Passover, and how he is staying hopeful in wartime.

You gave an emotional speech while sheltering from airstrikes in the basement of a building. What was going through your mind when you decided to give that speech? What message did you want to convey to people?

It was a message that we dont want to be slaves. For us, this Passover isnt just an exodus from slavery to freedom. This is what the war in Ukraine is about, because we know that the new pharaoh wants to enslave us and we are trying to be free. The Jewish example is a good one for how to survive in difficult situations and how to not lose hope. It was the end of February, but spring was about to come in four days. And spring for Jewish people is always the season of hope, because thats when we have the festival of freedom. When I recall these 10 days in the basement, I remember how I led services for my congregation there. This is what is actually the role of a rabbi: a rabbi is a teacher, a role model, a psychologist.

In your speech, you spoke about the meaning of spring. What is giving you and your congregation hope at this moment?

At Passover Seder [the ritual Passover meal], we have a cup for Elijah, which is a symbol that good will prevail and overcome evil. So there is always hope. This was my message in those days and still is.

You made a plea for donations in your video message. What has that money gone toward?

The World Union for Progressive Judaism says they have raised around $2 million since the Russian invasion in February, part of which has gone toward helping refugees and bringing Seder to peoples homes. On Seder, we always ask how this night is different from other nights. We told all of our congregations to include beetroot on their Passover plate because the most famous Ukrainian food is borschta red beetroot soup. We distributed food via shops in Ukraine. This Passover is about heroismof those who are still in Ukraine and those who have left.

How has the war affected how Ukrainians approach the holiday this yearboth practically and on a spiritual level?

The synagogues in the active war zone are closed, and many people have left their towns or Ukraine altogether. But synagogues are still active in safer areas of Ukraine. Im focusing on education, and many people still have a stable internet connection to access my lectures.

The Passover story is in many ways about finding a way out of a time of darkness. Does it take on any new meaning during this time? Has the way you connect to that story changed this year?

Of course. Its really changed because Ukraine is in a war. You can see so much support of Ukraine. Instead of reading the 10 Plagues this year, I proposed that we put 10 drops of wine on our platebut each drop symbolizes something we want for us and Ukraine.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Write to Sanya Mansoor at sanya.mansoor@time.com.

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'There Is Always Hope.' A Ukrainian Rabbi on Celebrating Passover in a Time of War - TIME

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