Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 11, 2021

A crumbling synagogue in a neighborhood long ago abandoned by the Jewish community just received millions of dollars from the State of California. At a time when the state faces urgent needs for affordable housing, homeless services and drought relief, you might ask: A synagogue?

On Aug. 10, the Breed Street Shul Project announced that Californias recently passed 2021 budget includes a $14.9 million allocation for the restoration of the historic Breed Street Shul in the Boyle Heights neighborhood east of downtown Los Angeles.

Supporters of the largesse say the money will pay for much more than the rehabilitation of an old shul.

The money, said Stephen Sass, president of the Breed Street Shul Project, will not only renew a culturally iconic historic building but will spur collaboration among the Jewish, Latino and other minority communities in Boyle Heights and throughout the city.

It will be a truly transformative project, he said.

At a press conference held Tuesday outside the fenced-off shul, Sass said the newly announced funds which will be allocated to the Breed Street Shul Project through a fiscal agent, as is the case with these kinds of state allocations will help turn the long-shuttered property into a multipurpose social service and cultural space, one featuring a shared workspace for nonprofit organizations; a performance and events venue; and an exhibit and gallery space focused on the shuls unique history and Boyle Heights diverse heritage.

The building has so much extraordinary potential and need of an infusion of resources, so it felt like the right time to make a push, said California State Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who helped lead the effort to secure state funding.

Another good reason for the windfall? California has money a historic budget surplus estimated at $75.7 billion has given legislators a chance to cross some items off their wish lists.

Courtesy of the Office of Assemblymem...

From left: Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (at lectern) was one of several elected officials and community leaders at a press conference on Aug. 10 announcing a $14.9 state grant to the Breed Street Shul restoration.

The Breed Street Shul Project was one of many organizations to receive grants from the state in the 2021 budget. The state went from a massive deficit to a really big surplus due to higher than expected revenues, and were trying to bring money to the organizations that support our communities, said Gabriel, who is the chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus.

The Breed Street Shul, also known as Congregation Talmud Torah, was once the largest Orthodox congregation west of Chicago. Today its 18,000-square-foot Byzantine revival structure with a Jewish star above its main entrance is a remnant of a bygone time, a period from the 1920s to the 1950s when Eastern European Jewish immigrants populated the area alongside Latino, Japanese, and Black working-class neighbors.

During the post-World War II era, Los Angeles Jews began migrating west toward the Fairfax district and to the San Fernando Valley, and Boyle Heights became a largely Latino neighborhood.

In the 1980s, the Breed Street Shul fell into disrepair, a result of the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake as well as of neglectful stewardship of an Orthodox rabbi who took control of the building.

After wresting control of the building in 1999, the Breed Street Shul Project attempted for years to garner support for restoring the synagogue and transforming it into a community center for the surrounding population.

To Sass and others, Breed Street Shul is a symbol not of an ethnic enclave, but of a diverse community that serves as a model of American democracy.

Boyle Heights shows that multi-ethnic communities are the norm in the United States, George J. Snchez, author of Boyle Heights: How a Los Angeles Neighborhood Became the Future of American Democracy (UC Press, 2021). said in a public conversation with the Forward. Sometimes thats hidden from us right when its in front of us.

In 2001, the building, whose dilapidated interior is adorned with rare frescoes of the Zodiac, was named to the National Registry of Historic Landmarks.

In advocating for the funding, Gabriel, whose 45th district includes much of the west San Fernando Valley, worked with Assembly Member Miguel Santiago, whose 53rd assembly district includes parts of Boyle Heights.

The two met years ago at an interfaith Passover seder at the Breed Street Shuls Talmud Torah. Built in 1915, the structure behind the main synagogue served as the shuls original home and for several years now has accommodated community programming. The main building the Byzantine structure has required more extensive repairs and fundraising efforts.

Gabriel said the approval of the funds provided a rare opportunity for unity during divisive times.

At a time in our politics when a lot of folks want to divide us, we have to be intentional about creating places for people to come together, he said. And this is a spot that is going to serve as a bridge and a meeting place for communities to come together.

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Why California just gave the 100 year-old Breed Street Shul $15 million - Forward

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Posted By admin on August 11, 2021

A summer camp for preschoolers at Temple Sinai in Oakland was cut short after two vaccinated staff members and four children tested positive for Covid-19, according to Ellen Lefkowitz, the synagogues director of early childhood education.

The synagogue announced in an email to community members the closure of its on-site Camp Chaverim on Friday. None of the infected individuals has serious symptoms, Lefkowitz said.

Out of an abundance of caution, we just felt like it was safer to close, she said. It was not an easy decision, but we were just concerned about the extent of the exposure.

Sinai is the third local Jewish camp to cancel sessions this summer as Covid-19 cases have spiked across the state and country due to the delta variant. Children under 12 remain ineligible to get vaccinated, though trials are ongoing.

All the children at the preschool who tested positive were 3 years old, Lefkowitz said.

The Reform synagogues camp, scheduled from June 21 to Aug. 13, had 14 staff members and 45 campers. The temple still plans on moving forward with its regular preschool classes starting at the end of this month.

According to Lefkowitz, staff members were required to wear masks while the children were highly encouraged to wear them. Over the course of the summer, the camp had five different pods with 10 to 14 children in each, she said. The classes were held both indoors and outdoors.

For 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds, it is hard for them to wear masks all day long, she said. Thats of course something we need to work on. I think were going to have to be a little more diligent about that given the current situation.

According to state guidelines, preschool staff members are required to wear masks, and children ages two and older should be taught and reminded to wear face coverings.

We will get through this together, read the Sinai email to community members. It was signed by synagogue president Jon Braslaw, executive director Terrie Goren and Rabbi Jacqueline Mates-Muchin. While the latest developments in the pandemic are limiting the ways we can be together in the short run, we are working hard to stay connected and support each other.

The positive cases pushed Sinais leaders to cancel a planned in-person Shabbat service last Friday. Congregants were directed to a virtual option.

In mid-July, Chabad of the Tri-Valleys camp in Pleasanton shut down because of five positive Covid cases among its children ages 5 to 11. And on July 29, Camp Tawonga, located a few miles from Yosemite National Park, canceled a four-day introductory camp session with 200 childrenbecause of fears of rising Covid-19 cases in Tuolumne, Alameda and San Francisco counties.

In California, cases among those under 18 more than doubled over the course of July, from 4,835 cases in the first half of the month to 13,757 in the second half, according to the Mercury News. While data from the state show nobody under 17 has died from Covid-19, the virus is sending more children to the hospital than it did in the early days of the pandemic, with some doctors blaming it on the new delta variant.

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Oakland Temple Sinai halts preschool camp due to six Covid cases J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

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Posted By admin on August 11, 2021

Lavisa Samuel Klein Joined Temple Israel in Columbus as its new rabbi educator Partly because of his strong educational program and supportive culture on July 1st, he was a perfect fit for his first job at Rabinate.

I knew this would be a great team to join, and I felt that mentors and top quality colleagues could join, Klein told Columbus Jewish News.

Klein said the position was described as an open canvas for him to begin his labinate, with the Israeli temple resuming the program in a new building following the pandemic.

I am stepping into a truly prosperous synagogue community with excellent religious schools. Many families are enrolling students in school and are highly participatory to support education here. Its a team of congregations and general leaders, says Klein. .. We have many years of proven teachers here and we are very excited to work with them. We look forward to migrating us to this new space.

As a rabbi educator, Klein is helping to lead the renewal of the synagogue teenage program. It is now completely priest-led. During the Great Holiday Worship, he directs the general adult service of the night with Rabbi Sharon Mars and Canter Bat Ami Moses, as well as the morning family service and Tashrich of the Temple of Israel.

I feel really fortunate to be here, he added. Part of the reason I became a rabbi is what Im trying to do in this position, working with all our age groups and the incredible memorable moments in their lives. Im just sharing. Im very excited and excited to be here.

Klein said he loved to get to know the congregation in the first month at the Temple of Israel and is excited to see more congregations in the coming weeks.

It was just a joy, and Im really proud to know each and every one. I get to know their names and their stories and dreams . Im really glad. Its a beautiful community, Klein said.

Originally from Champaign Urbana, Illinois, Klein was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles and earned a masters degree in literature in Hebrew. He also studied at Hebrew Union College in Israel, Shalom Hartmann Institute, and Livenot Urehibanotto in Safed. While attending school, he worked in various synagogues across the country, including serving as a student pulpit in Castro Valley, California and Fairbanks, Alaska.

Klein attended Cornell Universitys Hotel Management School before the Labinical School. I believe this experience helped him form a warm and welcoming personality.

I have cultivated this personality of how to warmly welcome people, Klein said.

While he was in Cornell, Klein began looking for more connections with the Jewish community. After graduating from college, he said he taught at religious schools in all the cities he lived in until he entered HUC. It was through HUCs fifth year rabbi student placement process that Klein finally arrived at Temple Israel.

Sammi Fremont is an editorial intern for Clifford and Linda Wolf.

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Posted By admin on August 11, 2021

European history is nothing if not turbulent. For Jewish communities, that turbulence was more like a tornado season lasting centuries: violent upheaval, death, destruction, expulsion, and less than a century ago, near extinction. Between these periods of antisemitic insanity, there were times when European Jews thrived, prospered, and ascended to elevated political positions.

In Europe, there are countless cities and towns where Jewish communities flourished, suffered, and were often obliterated. Yet, despite the most recent attempt to destroy the Jews, their stories survive in historic buildings, museums, and monuments throughout the continent.

Here are five of the most fascinating, and sometimes heartbreaking sites. Most are not as well known as Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, but they also have stories to tell and lessons to teach.

Pragues Jewish Quarter, located between the Old Town Square and the Vltava River, is a solemn reminder of several dark chapters in the citys history.

Most of the quarters significant historical structures are still standing, and form a complex of some of the best-preserved historical Jewish monuments in Europe. Ironically, they owe their survival to Hitlers twisted mind. He decided to turn Pragues Jewish Quarter into a museum of an extinct race. Valuable artifacts seized throughout Europe were stored there, and many are now on display at the Jewish museum.

The Jewish Museum is one of the oldest in Europe. It is a unique complex of historical sites that tell the story of the Jews of Prague. Among them are the remarkable 16th- century-old Jewish Cemetery, the Spanish Synagogue, with its impressive Moorish-style interior, and the 1592 Maisel Synagogue.

Along with the museum complex, be sure to visit the 13th century early gothic style Old-New Synagogue, the oldest preserved synagogue in Central Europe. Today it is the main house of worship for Pragues small Jewish community.

The district of Kazimierz in Krakow served as a safe haven for Jews escaping persecution elsewhere in Europe. From the 13th century, Jews could count on Kazimierz, until September 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland. At the time, there were approximately 70,000 Jews living in Kazimierz. Today, there are only 200 remaining in Krakow.

At the outbreak of World War II, Krakow was home to approximately 90 synagogues. Today, only seven remain, and of these, only four function as houses of worship. All are worth seeing, but three are not to be missed.

The Old Synagogue is the oldest Jewish house of worship in Krakow. Today it serves as a museum documenting the history of Jews in the city.

Tempel Synagogue is a truly remarkable structure with stunning stained glass windows. Services are held periodically, but the building is mostly used as a venue for concerts and other events.

Remuh Synagogue is the only one of the seven that holds regular services. Be sure to also visit the nearby historic Jewish cemetery.

In 1941, the Nazis forcibly relocated the entire Jewish population across the Wisla River to the Podgrze District. The district had been emptied of all non-Jews and closed off to become the Krakow Ghetto.

The nightmare of the ghetto is memorialized in Ghetto Heroes Square with the haunting, heart-wrenching Empty Chairs Memorial. Seventy bronze and iron chairs, each representing 1,000 murdered Krakow Jews, stand in silent remembrance.

In 1943, the Nazis liquidated the ghetto. In the blink of an eye, no known Jews lived in Krakow, with the exception of the 1,200 who worked in Oscar Schindlers enamel factory.

Oscar Schindler was a member of the Nazi party. He began employing Jews as cheap labor, but once he understood the horrific conditions under which Jews lived and died, he was determined to save as many as he could.

Schindlers factory is now a museum. Interactive exhibits tell the story of Krakow during the unspeakably brutal Nazi Occupation. The museum also delves into the lives of Oscar Schindler and the Jews who lived because of his decision to do what was right.

Pro Tip: Although difficult to absorb, the Auschwitz/Birkenau extermination camps, a day trip from Krakow, will provide a deeper understanding of Hitlers final solution to the Jewish question, and the systematic and brutal way in which it was carried out.

The Jewish District houses the remains of Budapests shattered Jewish community that once lived and thrived in the city. Two-thirds of Hungarys Jewish population was slaughtered at the hands of the Nazis who occupied Hungary in March 1944, and the antisemitic Arrow Cross Hungarian party, which seized control in October of the same year.

If you see nothing else in the district, be sure to spend some time at the Dohny Synagogue, the largest in Europe. The complex, a series of connected courtyards, also contains a cemetery, memorial garden, and museum. During the Holocaust, the complex became a stifling ghetto for thousands of Jews.

Built in 1859, Dohany Street is a Moorish-style Reform synagogue. Two 142-foot brick towers and the green onion-shaped domes are a sight you want to drink in before entering. And the 3,000 seat interior is equally impressive.

The simplest, yet most powerful tribute to the murdered Jews of Budapest isnt in the Jewish District. The Shoes on the Danube Memorial is located on the riverbank, in front of the Hungarian Parliament Building. Iron shoes of different styles and sizes point toward the river., representing one of the cruelest episodes in Hungarian history.

During the fall of 1944, Arrow Cross militiamen regularly rounded up Jewish men, women, and children, herded them to the banks of the Danube, forced them to remove their shoes, and ordered them to face the river. They then shot their victims and let the river carry them away.

The memorial plaque reads To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 194445. Erected 16 April 2005.

This delightful neighborhood dates back to the 2nd century B.C. and is the oldest Jewish settlement in Europe. It is a hodgepodge of boutiques, kosher restaurants, and bakeries alongside historic sites. You can easily access the Jewish Quarter on foot from trendy Trastevere, across a stone bridge over the Tiber River. The neighborhood is compact and is easy to navigate.

The Great Synagogue of Rome is a magnificent Art Nouveau building constructed in 1904. The synagogue is also home to a small museum devoted to Romes Jewish history.

Via Portico dOttavia is the street surrounding the synagogue. During the Middle Ages, it was the location of the fish market. The portico bears an old marble tablet inscribed with units of measure.,

Tragically, in 1943, this area became the site of one of Romes most infamous events. On October 16, Nazi soldiers rounded up 2,000 of the quarters Jewish residents and deported them to concentration camps. Only 16 survived. A plaque in memory of the victims serves as a reminder of what happened, and what must never happen again.

Before you leave the Jewish Quarter, be sure to stop in Piazza Mattei and enjoy the charming 16th-century Turtle Fountain, featuring boys holding bronze turtles.

Pro Tip: Jewish restaurant and shop owners close their establishments on Friday evening and all day Saturday in observance of the Sabbath. During this time, the synagogue holds services and is not open to the public. For these reasons, Sunday through Friday morning and Christian holidays are the best times to visit the Jewish Quarter.

Located on Spains Costa Brava, the medieval town of Besal is a short 35-minute drive from the city of Gerona. There, a historical stew of Roman, Jewish, and Christian structures awaits. But the most awe-inspiring experience by far lies in the Jewish Quarter, behind a hidden door and 36 stone steps down from the square. Two windows cast an eerie light into a stone chamber. This is a remarkably preserved 13th-century mikvah or Jewish ritual bath.

Orthodox Judaism requires women to purify themselves in a mikvah before marriage, following childbirth, and after menstruation. The process involves total immersion in a pool containing water that flows from a natural source, such as a spring, river, or from rain. The function of the mikvah is to cleanse the soul, therefore, the body has to be clean before entering the pool.

Besalus mikvah was in use until the expulsion of Spains Jewish population by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. Their reign of terror gave birth to the Inquisition which sought to expose and execute those who secretly practiced religions other than Catholicism.

The mikvah is hidden behind a locked door. In order to see it, you will have to request the key from the tourism office.

Pro Tip: Spring and fall are the best times to visit all these sites. Youll avoid the crowds, and have more time to explore.

Europe is a treasure trove of history, and there are many sites to visit that will help enrich your knowledge of the events of World War II:

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5 Places To Experience Jewish History In Europe - TravelAwaits

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Posted By admin on August 11, 2021

The signing of the Abraham Accords was a beacon of hope for the Middle East in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the UAEs chief rabbi has said.

Yehuda Sarna spoke to The National after creating a special prayer to mark the first anniversary of the historic accords between the UAE and Israel.

The prayer has been shared with more than 1,000 synagogues around the world before the first anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords on August 13.

Rabbi Sarna said the benediction was for the whole Middle East region, and focused on shared blessings including empowered youth, good health and blooming deserts.

For so many people the signing of the Abraham Accords was the silver lining of 2020, a year of so much suffering and isolation, he said.

It absolutely lifted so many people up in a difficult year.

Rabbi Sarna said the positive effects the accords had on international relations could not be overestimated.

For many, many people the Abraham Accords came out of nowhere, he said.

Many Jews around the world did not know about the UAE and its deep history of religious tolerance, nor did they know about the organic emergence of the Jewish community in the UAE.

He estimated there was a community of close to 1,000 Jewish people living across the Emirates, and next year they will have a new house of worship, with a new synagogue being built as part of the Abrahamic House project on Saadiyat Island.

The project includes a church, synagogue and mosque on one plot another sign of the culture of openness and tolerance in the UAE, he said.

The Emirati, Israeli and US flags attached to the first ever commercial flight from Israel to the UAE, on August 31, 2020.

Shortly after the signing of the peace accord last year, commercial flights between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi started one of many measures normalising relations.

Rabbi Sarna said the influx of Israeli visitors to the UAE, despite the pandemic, showed attitudes were beginning to change.

Over the past year, an increasing number of Jews all over the world have begun to feel differently about the relationship between Jews and Arabs, he said.

The kind of openness and hospitality that hundreds of thousands of Jewish visitors to the UAE have experienced has absolutely transformed their notion of the Arabic world.

There previously had been a perception of Arabs, shaped by western media and Hollywood.

However, the experience of visiting the UAE has transformed the possibility of resetting the conversation between Jews and Arabs worldwide.

He said he hoped his prayer would help to highlight the shared aspirations that Arabs and Jews had for the Middle East.

We are very excited to celebrate the first anniversary with the rest of the region, and prayer is one way we can do that, Rabbi Sarna said.

Our community has had the opportunity to host many Emiratis for Shabbat over the last year and we have had dynamic conversations about our commonalities and what unites us. This prayer furthers that.

Updated: August 11th 2021, 2:19 PM

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC19 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)French Open: 2 (2016, 21)US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)French Open: 1 (2009)US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL20 grand slam singles titlesWimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)Australian Open: 1 (2009)Prize money: $125m

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

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Abraham Accords 'silver lining' in a year of suffering, says UAE chief rabbi - The National

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The synagogue could be used as a dynamic arts space

By Jodie Nesling

Exciting new proposals have been put forward for Margates only synagogue after it was rescued from auction last year.

Community group Cliftonville Cultural Space formed after spearheading a campaign to raise 300,000 to buy the historic shul from previous owners Margate Hebrew Congregation, who placed the building on the market following years of closure.

Directors Jan Ryan, Francesca Ter-berg, Lucy Lyons and Kate Gillespie then applied to the Architectural Heritage Fund for a feasibility study and have since appointed London-based architects, Witherford, Watson and Mann.

Architect Chris Watson says the initial plans are designed to be flexible and are interchangeable, but ideas include a retractable screen, spiral staircase, community caf with the downstairs area earmarked for an office space and dressing rooms.

The arts space will stage theatre productions and gigs with attention being paid to soundproofing and acoustics. A presentation at Cliftonville Community Centre followed a tour of the building and saw impressions of how the space could work for the community. There will be full disabled access and a new lift.

The shul, on the corner of Albion and Godwin Roads, was built in 1928 to serve the burgeoning Jewish community but has lain empty for a number of years as the congregation dwindled, dispersing to London areas.

Some of the interior, including the bimah a centrepiece where sections of the Torah would be read were removed by previous owners before the building changed hands.

According to the Jewish Chronicle, the bimah, which included an ornate golden pineapple, was bought for 700 by Professor David Newman after it was listed by Sittingbourne antiques dealer, Patrick Wiseman. Other items of spiritual importance were disseminated throughout the Jewish community. The stained glass windows and many of the inherent features of the building such as the altar remain.

There are plans to celebrate the isles Jewish heritage with an oral history project and the first of a number of consultations with the public have taken place to inform future plans.

Director, Dr Lucy Lyons, who also teaches at The Margate School, says the community will be at the heart of their plans with further consultations to take place which will take time to organise. She said: We can do this (open the building) in a couple of years but to do it right, and that includes applying for funding, it will take four to five years. One of the biggest things we wanted to do is to make sure we are open and transparent its really important that you (community) have that involvement.

She added: There are many other community groups and we have specific for plans to reach them for throughout this journey.

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Plans for synagogue to be transformed into arts centre - The Isle of Thanet News

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As a rabbi, I want to do the right thing for my congregation. But what is the right thing?

I am the spiritual leader of a small synagogue in Sarasota, Fla. My congregation is older, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially devastating to them. The unexpected isolation was bad enough, but when it continued month after month after month, it became a gruesome reminder that time was slipping through their fingers.

The moment vaccines were available, my congregants rushed to get shots. Theyve been delighted to travel this summer to visit family, hug grandkids and begin to feel normal again. This spring, we found a new physical home for our congregation, and we had planned to resume in-person services later this month.

Jewish tradition, unlike American law, centers communal needs over individual freedoms. Though my congregants are lonely and isolated, as a rabbi, it is my responsibility to put collective safety first. This year, that means doing the hard thing and staying physically separated, even though it comes at a cost.

One way we have centered communal needs this year was creating a COVID-19 Task Force of physicians, members, and me. In mid-July, a physician member wrote to me extremely worried about the rise of the Delta variant, and suggested that we immediately cancel in-person High Holiday services. The task force met the very next day and unanimously agreed that the physicians concerns were justified. I sent an email telling the congregation that we were cancelling all in-person services.

It will not be easy for us. The majority of my congregants have no local family in Florida. We rely on one another for friendship and support, as well as for a spiritual home where we can pray together. My congregants emotions range from fear to frustration to sorrow to anger, and back to fear again. But I think that most of all, they are angry at what has been taken from them: the precious time they have with one another.

I am angry, too. Angry that my congregation is threatened because other people wont get vaccinated; angry that my congregant who had a kidney transplant and stayed at his Boston home last winter is afraid to come back to Florida; angry that other immuno-compromised congregants are living in fear once again. Angry that I cant give them what they want and in many ways, deeply need.

I was hopeful, and now Im not and that makes me angry, too.

This pandemic is stretching on so much longer than we ever imagined. I find myself unsure from day to day what the best decision is.

But Ive realized that when we rely on one another, we dont have to know exactly whats coming next to make the right decision. We can be frustrated and angry while still figuring out the best plan given the circumstances. Ive realized that my job as a pandemic-era rabbi is to bring together the people who can, with wisdom and relevant experience, make the best decision for the community based on whatever scant evidence is available.

Its not my job to know everything, but rather to shine the lights of hope and community and Gods love along the dark path as we find our way.

I know the people in my congregation have my back, just as I have theirs. We have spent 17 months supporting each other on Zoom, over the phone and in socially distanced backyard gatherings. If it rains, we grab our masks and run inside.

Though we may be afraid, we will figure this out, together.

Rabbi Jennifer Singer has served Congregation Kol HaNeshama in Sarasota Florida for 10 of its 13 years.

To contact the author, email editorial@forward.com.

Facing the Delta variant, my congregants are lonely and afraid. We are making hard choices together

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Facing the Delta variant, my congregants are lonely and afraid. We are making hard choices together - Forward

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Earlier this week, the IPCC, or Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, released a scientific report on the state of climate change. The IPCC are an international body of scientists and politicians, and this report basically confirmed much of what we already knew but significantly, a confirmation based in scientific knowledge.

Our planet is continuing to warm, and humans are most responsible for this change. So far, the IPCC attest to a 1.1C rise of average global temperatures above pre industrial levels; and this rise will continue as a result of the present rate of human caused emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The tree coverage and seas of our world, cannot any more absorb these gases.

They are remaining in the atmosphere and warming our world leading to a growth in the frequency of extreme weather patterns. Anyone looking at news these days cannot miss the reality already of such weather. Just think Greece, Turkey, Germany, Belgium and even here at home.

In this Jewish month of Ellul, the month where we begin to reflect on our own sense of self, leading up to Rosh Hashana, we cannot escape a reckoning of how we are as a species, pulling our planet towards peril.

Will the planet be destroyed? Probably not although that is not a bet anyone should want.

But one of the reasons behind the Biblical commandment to have children, is to settle the world. The prophet Isaiah claims that God did not create emptiness; He created the world to be settled (Isaiah 45:18).

It is clear that the fulfilment of the world is through the structures of life that exist on it. So if rising sea levels cause coastal areas to be inundated and uninhabitable, that should clearly bother us.

If sections of nature are endangered, that should also bother us. We know that living a life of belief also requires a significant amount of stability and so the instability and chaos that will pass over our world should be anathema to how we feel as a religion and a people.

We want people to flourish in Gods world, not to become immigrants because of extreme and destructive weather.

We, as a people, have something that can nurture our role in supporting the prevention of climate change. We are very much a community minded people. And our communities can become hubs for considering and learning about how we affect our climate.

We can learn together about climate change. We can reflect on the attitudes of the Torah and the Rabbis to the protection of our world. We can, through the EcoSynagogue project, encourage our Synagogue to play its part. Why not use the energy of the recent report and the upcoming COP26 summit in Glasgow to get your Synagogue to register for EcoSynagogues Environmental Audit.

Think how many buildings there are in the UK that service Jewish communities and think of what greater energy efficiency and green energy could do to reduce our carbon emissions. Of course this would not come anywhere near what is needed in the UK. But wouldnt it be great if we could lead the way, be out in the front of the path towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

The Board of Deputies themselves have put a marker down in the sand, aiming at net zero carbon emissions by 2050. I firmly believe that in our communities, we can do so much and work together to pave a path that fulfils the message of Creation; that we are here on earth to work it, and to protect it. As Hillel famously said, If not now, when.

Rabbi David Mason is rabbi to an Orthodox community in Muswell Hill, north London, of over 1000 people. He has a MSc in Econometrics and an MA in Conflict Resolution in Divided Societies and undertakes a great deal of civic and inter faith work. He is Chair of the Haringey Multi Faith Network and is involved in high level dialogue projects with UK Church groups. Rabbi David is passionate about social justice, and climate issues and is one of the leading Rabbis of the EcoSynagogue project. He also has two years training in family therapy.

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The community must lead the way to net zero emissions - Jewish News

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When Rabbi Ariel Shoshan and his wife, Ayala, moved to Phoenix from Baltimore in July 2002, he can only recall a handful of kosher restaurants, four daily minyanim and one K-8 school.

It is not really possible to put words to the explosive growth of Torah Judaism in the Phoenix area (since), he said.

In 2002, there were roughly 44,000 Jews living in the area, with 3%, or about 1,320 identifying as Orthodox, according to Arizona State Universitys 2002 Greater Phoenix Jewish Community Study. In 2019, there were roughly 98,750 Jews, with 3%, or about 2,962 identifying as Orthodox, according to ASUs 2019 Jewish Community Survey.

The growth mirrors that of the Phoenix metro area overall.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Arizona has experienced the third-highest population growth nationally since 2010, and Phoenix is currently the nations fastest growing city.

Growth in the Orthodox community has meant that there are now at least 15 daily morning minyanim, many kosher food options and several Jewish schools.

I think the number of children receiving a Torah education is at least seven times the size it was in 2002, Shoshan said. The most amazing element of the growth is the hundreds of families and individuals who have bravely accepted upon themselves the joy and responsibility of an observant life.

According to the Pew Research Center, 17% of Jews ages 18 to 29 nationally self-identify as Orthodox, while 11% identify as haredi Orthodox, compared with 3%, and 1%, of Jews 65 and older, respectively.

Robin Meyerson, Jeremy Rovinsky and Yisroel Loeb are among thousands of others who have contributed to the growth of the local Orthodox community over the past decade or so by becoming observant, by relocating or both.

Meyerson grew up knowing she was Jewish, but nothing more.

My mom and dad wanted to show me and my brother the world, she said. We traveled to Australia, Malaysia and England and I learned about other cultures, like Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. But not Judaism.

She didnt know what it was, but she was always searching for something. Looking back, she believes it was the pintele yid: a spark of Jewishness within every Jew, observant or not.

When she was 11 and living in the United States for a year, she asked her parents to find a synagogue. For one year she went to Sunday school at a small temple in Paducah, Kentucky.

In high school, she played Auguste van Pels in the school play, The Diary of Anne Frank.

And thats it. That was the extent of my Jewish knowledge, she said.

Meyerson, who lives in Scottsdale, met her husband when she was 19 studying business at Arizona State University. Coincidentally, he also did not know much about Judaism. After the couple married and had their first child, they began exploring Judaism together.

They began at Temple Chai, a Reform synagogue, then went to Congregation Har Zion, a Conservative synagogue, and ultimately landed at Ahavas Torah, which they helped found. That path mirrored her own practice she started by adding a mezuzah to her home, then keeping kosher and then observing Shabbat.

It was a journey, it was not overnight, she said. Through a free telephone service called Partners in Torah, she learned from a woman in New York over the course of eight years.

We became really good friends and I met her in person a few times. She taught me almost everything I know, she said.

Meyerson is now co-director of Project Inspire Arizona, chair of the Shabbos Project Arizona and provides life coaching to Jewish women.

Meyerson said becoming Orthodox has been the greatest decision of her life.

I felt blessed that I found this secret society, she said.

Rovinsky grew up Reform on Long Island, New York. It wasnt until he was a preteen that he was introduced to Orthodoxy. And in college, while he studied philosophy and political science at American University in Washington, D.C. in preparation for law school, he learned as much about Judaism as he could.

I always had questions, he said. Some things didnt make sense to me.

He became active in Hillel and participated in a program by the Avi Chai Foundation, which exposed him to the whole spectrum of Jewish ideas. The program took him to Israel, where he realized he wanted to study abroad. During his second semester of his junior year in 2006, he did.

While in Israel he spent time in different synagogues. I was looking until something clicked, he said. That click came when he met Rabbi Beryl Gershenfeld.

He really spoke to me. He is the most self-actualized person Ive ever met. When I met him I was in awe. I was like, Wow. Whatever this guy has is what I want.

After Rovinsky graduated from American University, he decided to learn from Gershenfeld and applied to Machon Shlomo yeshiva, where Gershenfeld teaches and is dean.

He had already been accepted to George Washington University for law school, but deferred a year to attend yeshiva.

Rovinsky knew the path he was headed down once he made the commitment to go to yeshiva, and hes grateful he made the choices he did.

The more you learn, the more questions you have. But the basic questions that Ive always had, theyve been answered, Rovinsky said. Living with the answers that Ive always searched for and gotten has given me a deep, fulfilling feeling.

Rovinsky, his wife and their young sons came to Arizona in 2013, when he had the opportunity to take a judicial clerkship.

Yisroel Loeb grew up in Far Rockaway, a neighborhood in Queens, New York. He was always aware that being Orthodox is a choice. His parents became religious independently before they got married event though nobody else in their families did.

I was close with my extended family and none of them are Orthodox Jews or even totally Jewish, he said. Nobody else in my family married a Jew.

He appreciates that about his upbringing, because it allows him to be in many different worlds and helps him as a clinical psychologist.

Now as a parent to an 11-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old son, he also wants his kids to know that being Orthodox is a choice.

I would like them to choose the lifestyle that I have chosen so I can eat in their kitchen, he joked.

He and his family moved to Phoenix from New York in 2015 for his residency in clinical psychology. People generally move to the Southwest to start over, and to reinvent themselves, he said.

And that is no different for the Orthodox community, he said.

Loeb feels the local Orthodox community is warm and welcoming, and not insular.

If youre Orthodox, youre not just going to be involved in the Orthodox community, or if youre Conservative youre not just going to be involved in the Conservative community, etc., he said. There is communication and respect between the various branches in the Jewish community that may not be present in other communities.

He noted the local community is one that allows people to explore their own Jewish identity on their own terms.

Phoenix is a live-and-let-live type of place, more than the East coast.

In their years in the Phoenix area, Meyerson, Rovinsky, and Loeb have watched the community grow firsthand.

Meyerson recalls when there was only one mikvah. Now there are three and a few more being built, she said. We used to be one of a few families walking to synagogue on Saturdays in Scottsdale, but now the streets are growing so much we have a dedicated traffic light to help the Orthodox Scottsdale community.

Rovinsky compares the rapid change to dog years.

In one year, its like seven years worth of change, Rovinsky said.

He has helped to represent Phoenix at the Orthodox Unions annual community fair, geared to people living in the New York area to learn about different Orthodox communities around the country.

But Phoenix hasnt been represented for several years.

Its more for communities that are desperate for people to move there. Were kind of the opposite, he said. Phoenix is a really great place; we dont need to offer incentives, like other communities offer, to get people to move here.

He gets calls all the time from people interested in relocating to Phoenix. He attributes the interest to Phoenixs cost of living and Jewish schools.

The schools here are top quality schools if you are looking for an Orthodox school, he said. And Arizona is the best for tuition assistance, so its very affordable as well.

Rovinsky and Loeb agree that one of the things that makes the citys Orthodox community special is that there are still many ways to make a difference.

The community has infrastructure, but its not built up the way that bigger Orthodox communities are, Rovinsky said. In 2019, he helped to launch the Orthodox Unions Semichas Chaver Program in Phoenix, for example. The program teaches practical lessons in Jewish law and ethics in six-month intervals.

Shoshan moved to Arizona to become director of the Phoenix Community Kollel.

The founding rabbi of Ahavas Torah in 2004, Shoshan said the community had a strong foundation created by the rabbis and community leaders before him.

Today, there is a sense of togetherness and mission in an environment of religious sincerity and passion, he said, We have great schools and state programs that make school more affordable, and we have excellent shuls and places for Torah learning at every level and for every age. JN

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Greater Phoenix's Orthodox community reflects on 'explosive growth' - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

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Instagram launches new privacy changes to protect young teens

Instagram will now default users to private accounts at sign-up if theyre under the age of 16 or under 18 in specific locales.

unbranded - Lifestyle, unbranded - Lifestyle

As a steady stream of scrutiny over online hate intensifies, Instagram said it is introducing new anti-hate and abuse safety measures.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram,said Wednesday theapp will attempt to protect its more than 1 billion users fromseeing abusive,racist, sexist andhomophobic content.

Instagram's new Limits feature, available starting Wednesday, will automatically hide comments and direct message requests for users from those who don't follow them or recently started following them.

Mosserisaid the platform will be issuing "an even stronger warning" where it halts immediate posting the first time when someone tries to post a potentially offensive comment to users, instead of waiting for the second or third time. Instagram is also rolling out globally itsHidden Words feature by the end of the month, which allows usersto filter abusive direct messagerequests.

"We have a responsibility to make sure everyone feels safe when they come to Instagram. We dont allow hate speech or bullying on Instagram, and we remove it whenever we find it," said Mosseri in a blog."We also want to protect people from having to experience this abuse in the first place."

Mosseri said last month that Instagram was testing the anti-harassment tools. Thenew features come afterFacebook said late last month that it's taking several steps to make Instagram saferand private for teens.Theyinclude automatically defaulting teen usersunder 16 into private accounts, making it harder for potentially suspicious accounts to find teens,limiting the options advertisers have to reach those younger viewers with ads and using AI to detect users' age. And lawmakers continue trying to prevent a proposed Instagram for kids under 13.

Regarding Instagram's latest safety steps on curbing hate and abuse, the platform still isn't doing enough, saidAriel Fox Johnson, the senior counsel forglobal policy at advocacy group Common Sense Media told USA TODAY. Fox Johnson said while Common Senseappreciates that Instagram is recognizing that hate and abuse are on the platform, "hiding it" and giving "stronger warnings" doesn't seem sufficient.

"Even Instagram recognizes there is more to do here," Johnson said."During a time when they are planning to move into a space for children, it's critical that they focus on creating a healthier space for adults and getting that product right, not moving onto kids."

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They're not the only advocacy group critical of Instagram.Groups like GLAAD,the LGBTQ advocacy organization, said in firstSocial Media Index reportreleased in May thatthe social media platforms like Instagram have a "circuit breaker" to slow down the harassment, bullying, and misinformation and discrimination, but they don't want to do it because they are monetizing off of it.

Among the key findings in GLAAD's report ofspecial concern among the platforms is "the prevalence and intensity of hate speech and harassment, which stands out as the most significant problem in urgent need of improvement." Among its recommendations for Instagram included to "refine (its) algorithms to reduce hate, not spread it," and improving its process to report hate speech and extremist content.

And, theAnti-Defamation League (ADL), recently gave Facebook,along with Instagram, a combined grade of C- on whether the platformsdoing enough to combat antisemitism in its annual online antisemitism report card.

As for its new features, Mosseri said Instagram developedLimits after hearingcreators and public figures frequently "experience sudden spikes of comments and direct messagerequests from people they dont know."

"Now, if youre going through that or think you may be about to you can turn onLimitsandavoid it," Mosseri said. "Limitsallows you to hear from your long-standing followers while limiting contact from people who might only be coming to your account to target you."

As for sending stronger warnings to users who try sending a possibly offensive post multiple times, Mosseri said,"rather than waiting for the second or third comment, well show this stronger message the first time."

Mosseri added that Instagram willcontinue to work and invest in organizations focused on racial justice and equity. and look forward to further partnerships with industry, governmental and non-governmental organizations to help root out hate.

"This work remains unfinished, and we'll continue to share updates on our progress," he said.

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How to curb hate on Instagram? New safety features Limits and Hidden Words aim to help - Detroit Free Press

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