Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

To the Editor:

Re Cuomo Urged to Quit After Damaging Report (front page, Aug. 4):

Here is my message to Gov. Andrew Cuomo: When the allegations of sexual misconduct came out, I agreed with your stance of not resigning and that we should let the investigation take place and see what the conclusions are.

Now that the investigation is done and the findings of the report have been shared, it is time to resign. This will not take away from your previous accomplishments as governor.

So, Governor Cuomo, do the right thing, apologize to all of these women and the citizens of New York and resign. The faster you do it, the better it will be for everyone.

Choosing to challenge the conclusions of the report will cause more pain, suffering and trauma to all involved as well as provide political instability should the New York State Assembly under Democratic leadership decide to impeach you.

Michael HadjiargyrouCenterport, N.Y.

To the Editor:

I am all for replacing Andrew Cuomo, but I consider him a good governor. We are dealing with a dangerous Republican opposition that is beholden to a psychological destroyer. So because the times are threatening our Republic and our nations health, to replace Mr. Cuomo at this time would be a tricky proposition.

Elliot KotlerPleasantville, N.Y.

To the Editor:

Apart from any political issues, if Gov. Andrew Cuomo did what he is accused of doing, he should resign. If he truly cant comprehend that even the behaviors he admitted to are inappropriate and meet the definition of sexual harassment, and that that is just not who I am is not a defense, then he should resign.

His relentless bullying of Mayor Bill de Blasio over the years makes it hard to believe his denial that he abused his power.

He is right about one thing: He lived his adult life in public view and we did see his behaviors. What he cant seem to accept is that they were not OK and that those behaviors meet the standard of sexual harassment.

Elaine EdelmanEast Brunswick, N.J.

To the Editor:

I do not think it is proper for President Biden to call for the resignation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. I think it is up to the New York State Legislature, the members of the governors Democratic Party and, if necessary, the voters in New York, Democrats and Republicans, to make that choice.

The president should not use the prestige of his office to influence an issue that should be resolved in the state of New York.

John A. ViterittiLaurel, N.Y.

To the Editor:

I was born and raised in Albany, and when I was a child my father would take me to the governors mansion on New Years Day to shake hands with the current officeholder. I had a sense of history and pride about meeting these people who were chosen to lead New York State.

I met Gov. Averell Harriman and enjoyed the experience. Gov. Andrew Cuomos father, Mario, always struck me as an honorable and principled individual despite the obvious human flaws he carried with him like anyone else. His son Andrew accomplished many things I admired, but living in the shadow of his father he has sadly failed to complete his mission to improve the lives of New Yorkers.

This is a sad time for all New Yorkers.

Ray StarmanNiskayuna, N.Y.

To the Editor:

I hope my story will persuade more people to get the Covid vaccine.

When I was 6, I got polio and spent two weeks in a childrens hospital. Even my parents werent allowed to visit, except to talk with me through a window, and cry.

During those terrifying epidemic years when we didnt know how it was transmitted, anyone could get the virus, but it was called infantile paralysis because it hit young people hardest.

Although I was one of the lucky ones to walk out of the hospital, I saw many kids have trouble breathing, be placed in an iron lung, then disappear.

I made friends with some, but I was too young to realize how many were dying. At best, some went home to spend their lives in wheelchairs, on crutches or in braces.

A few years later, I lined up outside the school nurses office to get my shot. As I recall, we couldnt attend school without getting the Salk vaccine.

Heres the punchline: After a while, because of the vaccine, polio simply didnt exist. It was no longer in the news or even in casual conversation.

Please believe me: If everyone got one of the highly effective Covid vaccines, we would have no Covid variants; we would have no Covid.

Fred HeilerChester Springs, Pa.

To the Editor:

Re Vaccine Proof Needed to Dine Indoors in City (front page, Aug. 4):

Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that patrons of restaurants, gyms and theaters must show proof of vaccination. But he is not mandating the same protection in schools and is leaving children needlessly exposed to Covid.

Although teachers who are not vaccinated must be tested weekly, they can easily pass on the virus to children since testing can be too late to prevent transmittal. If a teacher does test positive, the entire class will be quarantined and sent home, forcing parents to miss work.

The mayor should revisit this policy immediately, before the reopening of schools. Our children have suffered greatly from a year of remote learning. It is time we treat the health and welfare of our children as a priority.

To the Editor:

Re Spains Reparations for Jews Become Elusive (news article, July 25):

While Spains 2015 pronouncement that it would confer citizenship on Sephardic Jews was commendable, its about-face is reprehensible.

When King Ferdinand callously ordered the expulsion of Spains Jews in 1492, it was a cataclysmic event and a truly dark moment in the annals of Jewish history. Tens of thousands of Jews were banished from Spain, leading to numerous deaths along their arduous journey and forcible conversions that robbed countless Jews of their heritage and faith.

After extending a proverbial olive branch and pledging to do the right thing for people of Sephardic Jewish descent, Spain sadly seems to have reneged.

The fact that Jews with legitimate claims to Spanish citizenship and duly completed applications would be treated so cavalierly, either being completely ignored or summarily rejected on fallacious grounds, is utterly shameful and an affront to their ancestors, whose lives were shattered when they were forcibly removed from the country they called home.

N. Aaron TroodlerBala Cynwyd, Pa.

We propose four different classifications for interactions between humans and sharks: a sighting (no injury), an encounter (bump, no injury), a shark bite (injury) and a fatal shark bite. These categories do not diminish the gravity, the terror or the tragedy that shark bites represent.

In fact, they acknowledge the fact that up to 38 percent of reported shark attacks have no injury.

This discussion is not intended to influence the way victims of sharks or their families talk about tragic incidents. The experience is theirs, not ours. I am happy to take the jokes from the media, but lets also remember that there are real lives at issue.

Christopher Pepin-NeffSydney, AustraliaThe writer is a senior lecturer in public policy at the University of Sydney.

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Opinion | The Cuomo Scandal: This Is a Sad Time for All New Yorkers - The New York Times

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

THRU SEPTEMBER 26

NYACK, NY Brunchish & Beats at The Greekish, 8 North Broadway in Nyack, takes place Sundays 12-4 PM. Listen to tunes provided by Joe Davids Events as you enjoy a two-course menu featuring specials like Poached Egg Spanakopita, Greek Honey French Toast & Fruit, or Sausage Spetsofai & Sunny Egg, plus, Bottomless Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and Ros on tap. $35 per person. Reserve your spot now: 845-353-1200. More information is available online: https://thegreekish.com/.

THRU OCTOBER 5

ASTORIA The Athens Square Committee presents Greek Night at Athens Square Park, 30th Avenue and 30th Street in Astoria, with live music every Tuesday, 7-9 PM. Free admission. Please wear a face mask and keep social distance. Program will be cancelled in case of rain. The event continues with Melodia and Noora Belly Dancers on August 17, John Staikos and the Olympic Orchestra on August 24, Nick Nikolaides and the Cosmopolitans on August 31, Tasos Papaioannou and Greek American Folklore Society on September 7, Talent Night with host Aggeliki on September 14, Nick Nikolaides and the Cosmopolitans plus Noora Belly Dancers on September 21, Rebetiko and the Greek American Folklore Society on September 28, and concludes with Grigoris Maninakis and Mikrokosmos Ensemble on October 5.

THRU OCTOBER 31

STOCKBRIDGE, MA Greek-American artist Peter D. Gerakaris Neo-Byzantine Spotted Owl Mosaic site-specific installation at the Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road in Stockbridge. Translated into mosaic by Miotto Mosaic Art Studios, the installation is part of the Taking Flight outdoor sculpture exhibition curated by Beth Rudin DeWoody. Concha Martinez Barreto, Tracey Emin, Rachel Owens, Immi Storrs and Ian Swordy also have works on view in the exhibition which runs through October 31. Berkshire Botanical Garden is a COVID compliant facility. Please follow COVID guidelines. Advance ticketing is recommended. More information is available by phone: 413-298-3926 and online: https://www.berkshirebotanical.org.

AUGUST 15

FAIRVIEW, NJ Ascension Greek Orthodox Church, 101 Anderson Avenue in Fairview, Sunday services, Divine Liturgy - 2nd Sunday of Matthew, on Sunday, August 15, 8:30-11:30 AM, celebrating the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. More information is available by phone: 201-945-6448 and online: https://ascensionfairview.org.

NEW YORK Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue and Museum presents the Greek Jewish Block Party on Sunday, August 15, 12-4 PM, 280 Broome Street between Allen Street and Eldridge Street on Manhattans Lower East Side. The event celebrates the unique Romaniote and Sephardic heritage of Kehila Kedosha Janina. Experience authentic kosher Greek foods and homemade Greek pastries, traditional Greek dancing and live Greek and Sephardic music, fun kids activities and more. Performance Schedule: 12 PM Scott Wilson & Efendi, 1 PM Noga Group featuring Avram Pengas, and 3 PM Holy Trinity Dancers of New Rochelle. All public health guidelines will be followed. More information is available by phone: 212-431-1619 and online: https://www.kkjfestival.com/.

AUGUST 20-22

PAWTUCKET, RI The 94th Pawtucket Greek Festival at Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Church, 97 Walcott Street, takes place August 20-22. Enjoy a weekend at a Greek village glendi. Hours: Friday, Aug. 20, 5-9 PM; Saturday, Aug. 21, noon-10 PM; and Sunday, Aug. 22, noon-9 PM. More information is available online: https://www.assumptionri.org/festival.

AUGUST 21

ALTOONA, PA Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1433 13th Avenue in Altoona, hosts its Greek Festival on Saturday, August 21, noon-7 PM. The outdoor festival features Greek food and traditional Greek music. Gyros, chicken or lamb souvlakia from the outdoor grill, Greek salad, casseroles, dolmathes and Greek pastries may be purchased and enjoyed outside, or food may be packaged for take-out. Church tours. Some Orthodox Christian items for sale at nominal prices. Hand-crafted wreaths also for sale. Rain date is Sunday, August 22, 1-5 PM. More information is available by phone: 814-943-0091 and online: https://www.holytrinitygreekorthodoxchurch.com.

AUGUST 23

PEABODY, MA Saint Vals Mens Club 45th Annual Golf Tournament takes place Monday, August 23, at the Wenham Country Club, 94 Main Street in Wenham, to benefit the St. Vasilios Youth Programs. More information is available online: https://www.stvasilios.org/.

AUGUST 28

SOUTHAMPTON, NY The Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons invites everyone to attend the Blue Dream Summer Gala on Saturday, August 28, 6:30 PM reception, 7:30 PM dinner at The Muses, 111 Saint Andrews Road in Southampton. Island chic attire. The event honorees are the nonprofit organizations Luv Michael, committed to creating and providing meaningful culinary jobs to the Autistic population, and The LOHM (Ladies of Hope Ministries) with the mission is to create alternatives to incarceration, decarceration, and post incarceration opportunities by providing access to resources for education, entrepreneurship, and sustainability through advocacy. The Parish will donate 70% of this years proceeds to Luv Michael and The LOHM. All contributions are deductible to the extent provided by the law. The Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons is a tax exempt organization under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. More information about sponsorships and tickets available online: https://www.bluedreamhamptons.org/.

SEPTEMBER 9-12

UNION, NJ St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 721 Rahway Avenue in Union, hosts its Greek Festival September 9-12 with moussaka, pastitsio, leg of lamb, dolmades, spanakopites, tiropites, and more! There's nothing like a Greek festival and there will be a full lineup of homemade Greek food and homemade desserts, full bar, plus live music, dancers, vendors, rides, and games. Hours: Thursday, Sept. 9, 6-11 PM; Friday, Sept. 10, 5 PM-12 AM; Saturday, Sept. 11, 12 PM-12 AM; and Sunday, Sept. 12, 12-8 PM. More information is available by phone: 908-964-7957 and online: https://www.stdemetriosunion.org.

SEPTEMBER 10-12

SOMERVILLE, MA The Greek Festival at Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 29 Central Street in Somerville, takes place September 10-12 with authentic Greek food and live Greek music and dancing every day. A portion of the net proceeds will go towards the building fund and church building renovation project. Hours: Friday, Sept. 10, and Saturday, Sept. 11, noon-11 PM, and Sunday, Sept. 12, noon- 9 PM. More information is available by phone: 617-625-2222 and online: https://www.dormitionchurch.org/.

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Going On in Greek-American Community | archive , community , events - The National Herald

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

Twice as many Jewish Americans say they derive a great deal of meaning and fulfillment from spending time with pets as say the same about their religion, a Pew Research study finds. While the future of the Jewish people is uncertain, Jews can always count on Pew for provocative, and sometimes depressing, statistics about themselves.

In the organized Jewish community, all you have to say is Pew. Everybody gets the one-word referenceand knows it signifies danger ahead. Pews landmark 2013 study, A Portrait of Jewish Americans, sparked more arguments than there are Jews. But cited for years, the data lost their incendiary qualities as time went on. Fortunately, Pew has added kindling to the raging debate with Jewish Americans in 2020, a 248-page report based on interviews with 4,718 Jewish adults.

First, some good news: The global Jewish population appears to have returned to its pre-Holocaust level. Plus, from education to income and subjective well-being, U.S. Jews are doing swell. But these indicators are secular. They tell us nothing about how Jews are doing as Jews. Thats where the survey darkens.

Only 12% of American Jews attend weekly services. Progressives often counsel against despair, arguing that Jews express their Judaism through culture instead. From this emanates a different idea of an involved Jew: politics guided by Jewish values, participation in Jewish intellectual life, interest in the condition of the Jewish people, perhaps even nontraditional Shabbat or holiday observance. The Jewish future, the argument goes, can be less religious but no less Jewish.

Too bad thats not realistic. Its not the case, the study finds, that Jewish cultural activities or individualized, do-it-yourself religious observances are directly substituting for synagogue attendance and other traditional forms of Jewish observance. More often, they are complementing traditional religious participation. Drop traditional observance and Pew finds that the cultural engagement, measured along 12 metrics, collapses too.

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Chabad Ministers to Jews of No Religion - The Wall Street Journal

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

The Jerusalem Post just published an article saying that the gymnastic gold medalist, Artem Dolgopyat only the second person to ever win a gold medal for the country cannot get married in Israel. But thats not entirely true. According to an interview done by 103FM, Dolgopyats mother is not Jewish but his father is. The Post attributed Dolgopyats quandary to the lack of civil marriage in Israel and that the Chief Rabbinate (of Israel) will only marry two Jewish people. Although as an Orthodox rabbi, I, too, will not perform intermarriage; that isnt where the story ends.

Dolgopyat is a case of zera Yisrael, meaning he comes from a Jewish line but is not Jewish according to Halacha. The rabbinate has traditionally treated these individuals as someone who is born to two non-Jewish parents and the conversion process is long and arduous (as most things are with the rabbinate). But these people should not be treated as though they have no connection to the Jewish people, especially in Israel.

When someone like Dolgopyat has grown up his entire life as a Jew and as an Israeli, the nuts and bolts of Judaism are part of his cultural upbringing. For this reason alone, the process for conversion should be substantially shortened. These men and women know about Judaism, the holidays, and most importantly what it means to throw their lot in with the Jewish people. Theyve served in the IDF and feel Jewish in their essence. Its high time that we treated them that way.

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I am far from the only person asserting this claim. Rav Chaim Amsalem is one of the most vocal proponents for bringing zera Yisrael into the fold. His organization aptly entitled Zera Yisrael following in the Sephardi tradition works tirelessly to change rabbinic opinion and convert both parents and children of mixed marriages. He correctly writes that the strict practices of the rabbinate are causing assimilation and we need to make it easier for people to become full-fledged members of our community.

For some time now, Ive served on an independent beth din (court of Jewish law) that has no connection to the rabbinate. We convert men and women such as these on an expedited basis; the reason for this is obvious. These Israelis, for all intents and purposes, are Jewish. Some may not even know they are not Jewish in accordance to Halacha until much later in life. When they come before our beth din we tell them that they have a Jewish soul but this process is a legal technicality that has to be done to make it official.

Many of our converts come to our beth din so they can get married. It brings me immense joy to help these people become officially Jewish and marry their beshert (soul mate) in the most meaningful and stress-free way possible. The road to Judaism should not be one of pain and bureaucracy. We should do our best to welcome all who want to become part of the Jewish people with open arms, but especially those who have lived as Jews their entire lives.

So Artem Dolgopyat, even if you werent an Olympic gold medalist, our beth din would be happy to convert you, and Id be honored to officiate at your wedding.

The writer is a mohel, who performs britot all over the world and is the founder of Magen HaBrit, an organization protecting both brit milah and the children who undergo it.

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I will convert Artem Dolgopyat and officiate his wedding - opinion - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

Tucked away in a converted 17th century mansion Pariss third arrondissement lies the Muse dArt et dHistoire du Judasme (Museum of Jewish Art and History), commonly referred to as mahJ. Located in the historically Jewish neighborhood of the Marais, mahJ is unique among museums dedicated to Jewish history, in that it is not primarily dedicated to history of the Holocaust (though Paris does have a Holocaust museum in the Marais, the Mmorial de la Shoah).

The central courtyard where visitors enter the museum has lived many lives. Originally a private home, the aristocrats who inhabited it were chased out during the French Revolution. It later became part of the bustling garment industry in the early 20th century, where youd be as likely to hear Yiddish in the streets as you would to hear French. Unfortunately, much of the original signage was taken down when the building was restored in the 1960s, after which it served briefly as a mairie before becoming mahJ in 1998.

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Instead, the museum takes a holistic approach to Jewish history, integrating it within French history in a way that encourages viewers to consider our collective history. In other words, its not just a museum for les juifs. With items ranging from 3rd century Roman oil lamps to contemporary pieces, mahJ covers a grand swath of history. The Introductory Gallery provides a poignant point of entry, with items like a papier mache Relief of Jerusalem made in 1892 in Odessa, a vision of the holy city created by people who had likely never seen it, painted to look like silver and gold by humble craftsmen in Russias shtetls. Fragmented medieval tombstones once torn down and found in the dug-up foundations of a Parisian bookstore offer a haunting tribute to members of the Jewish diaspora, twice buried and yet impossible to keep hidden.

Past the Introductory Gallery, the museum takes us through history chronologically, with an early section dedicated to medieval Jewish culture. Before 1394, Jews were expelled from France four times, and artworks and various ritual items from all over Europe and North Africa can trace the journeys they were forced to take. Many of these objects of Judaica show the assimilation and cultural exchange they experience, like a Medieval Hanukkah lamp with rosettes recalling Christian architecture and design, exactly what youd expect from Jews living literally in the shadow of the Notre Dame.

Later sections include other quintessentially diasporic objects, such as a 19th century Sukkah Booth for the Feast of the Tabernacles from Austria/Germany, with images depicting both traditional images of Jerusalem blended with small Germanic villages. Precious garments are similarly mixed, like a Moroccan Berberisca (traditional Sephardic wedding dress) topped with a Spanish bolero.

The story returns to France with a section dedicated to the Dreyfus affair, including the long-lost military honors stripped from Alfred Dreyfus, gifted to the museum by his descendants. Moving forward a few decades, there are of course items connected to the 76,000 French-Jewish victims of the Holocaust, confiscated objects from deported families (a silver Torah Shield, a spice box, a Hanukkah lamp), humble household items not even valuable enough to melt.

The current temporary exhibit is Chagall, Modigliani, Soutine Paris pour cole, 1905-1940, on display from June 17 to October 31, 2021. The exhibition will showcase 130 works by Jewish artists who came to Paris in the early 20th century, as part of the School of Paris. According to the museum, The artists, including Chagall, Soutine and Modigliani, came to Paris from across the world to create their art in a free and modern context, without the constraints present in their home countries. Some, like Chagall, display Jewish influences in their works, while many of the others fully integrated into the avant-garde movement of the time.

But the mahJ is not just a history museum. It is also well-known for its contemporary art exhibits, containing works from artists like Christian Boltanski and Si Lewen. Their inner courtyard hosts frequent concerts and film screenings, and they have a 200-seat auditorium with events several times a week, including workshops and plenty of family-friendly activities. They offer walking tours of the Jewish Marais every other Sunday at 3pm from May to August. During lockdown, mahJ also began offering online tours, available the following dates:

The cost is 4 per connection (several people can attend on one computer). These tours are also available for groups upon request (160 for up to 30 people).

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Paris's Museum of Art and History of Judaism, mahJ, is back with a new exhibit on "The School of Paris" - Frenchly

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

At the start of a clip from their Showtime series latest episode on Thursday, comedy show hosts Desus Nice and The Kid Mero proclaim outside a synagogue that they dont know that much about Jewish culture.

But thats not entirely true The Kid Mero, whose real name is Joel Martinez, is raising four children with his Jewish wife Heather. And the non-Jewish Jamaican-American and Dominican-American pair have often cited tidbits from Jewish culture in earlier iterations of their popular late night comedy show, which was hailed as a Black alternative to the mostly white world of late night.

When the duo felt the need to celebrate a bar mitzvah of sorts on TV, and they called in one of their Jewish friends to help them prepare: the wild child comedian Eric Andre, who often uses Jewish humor in his standup routines.

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Fersko told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that she accepted the invitation to be part of the segment because she knew that by appearing on Desus and Mero, she would be reaching many people she strives to engage.

They have a significant Jewish audience and I think its essential to meet people where they are, she said. One of my goals is to show that rabbis look different than many people might assume or imagine and to have meaningful conversations about Judaism.

But Fersko said she was surprised by some of the questions she got during taping such as the question about whether cocaine is kosher. (Andre says it is if its blessed by a rabbi; Fersko remains silent. In fact, whether a product is kosher depends on how it is produced, not the blessing of a rabbi.)

As for the afterparty held in the synagogues social hall (the first during the Covid era), Fersko didnt attend, though she said she assumes that as the rabbi, she was invited.

What I wanted to say about the party is its a commandment to be joyful in Judaism, she said. So the party is not necessarily a frivolous expression. Its actually the fulfillment of something much deeper: communal joy and pride.

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Desus and Mero get a bar mitzvah with the help of Eric Andre and a rabbi - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

Israelis were surprised by the recent study that 25% of US Jews see Israel as an apartheid state though one has to wonder who this unheard of group who did the study is, and what its methodology was. Ben and Jerrys Ice Cream has decided their newest flavor is We Dont Like You. And during the recent conflict with Gaza, some students at liberal rabbinical schools in the US seemed to have more sympathy for the Palestinians who launched the conflict, than Jewish children huddling in bomb shelters in Israels South. All of this has created a sense of unease amongst Israelis who wonder, Whats going on with the American Jewish community?There are no simple answers, but clearly there are two opposite trends occurring in US Jewry. Jews who have a knowledge of Jewish history, Torah, and tradition are still fully supportive of Israel. Others, including a large percentage who have been educated in Western liberal universities that are mostly hostile to Israel, have a variety of attitudes that range from indifference to hostility. The deciding factor on how a person feels about Israel is how important Judaism is to them. In most cases, the less Judaism is important to a person, the less they care about Israel. Look at the Aliyah numbers of US Jews: While only 10% of US Jews consider themselves Orthodox, some 70% of US immigrants to Israel are religious.

The solution to the so-called crisis in Diaspora-Israel relations will not be found in more conferences, restarting the Kotel deal or yet another study about US Jewry. The building blocks of identity are an intellectual and spiritual appreciation of Judaism. In the past, institutionalized antisemitism or a sense of nostalgia pushed Jews inward toward community. But today, antisemitism remains active only on the periphery of society, and most US Jews do not feel threatened. And nostalgic memories tend to fade. But the more Jews know about Judaism, the more they will understand the value of a Jewish homeland.

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HERE IS where Israeli leaders can help. Its time for Israel to invest its moral authority and resources into Jewish education, to encourage US Jewish philanthropists and communities to make it their top priority. We cant ignore the issue of antisemitism, but far greater of a threat to our existence as a nation is disintegration from within, not hatred from the outside. The fear over antisemitism plays to peoples anxieties, and its easier to get a person to reach into their pocket if they worry about an external threat. US Jewry is spending a hundred million dollars a year on a variety of organizations who fight antisemitism. They do good work in this arena, but also duplicate their efforts in their quest for institutional relevancy. This, while the vast majority of young US Jews dont know the difference between Moses and Maimonides.

There are some effective efforts supported by Israel, like Masa, Birthright, Mosaic and others. But so much more needs to be done. For decades, money flowed from US Jews to support the building of a state, and now it needs to head in the other direction, strengthening the Diaspora Jewish people. What is needed is Jewish education, real teaching of history, language, Torah and tradition.

Imagine if every Knesset member would stress the need to bolster Jewish education in the Diaspora in both public and private talks. Imagine they would challenge Diaspora leaders to make it their top priority. Couple that with funding from government and national Zionist institutions for programs that make an impact and the potential is immense. It wont be simple to rollback over a century of assimilation. Its a daunting challenge and it will not happen fast. But it will work. And aside from support for Israel, true Jewish education will also instill in Diaspora Jewry the pride and knowledge needed to stand up to antisemitism.

The connection to community and Israel will be far greater if people have a greater appreciation for the depth of Jewish learning that has been the centerpiece of Jewish life since the dawn of Jewish history. Just look at countries like the UK and Australia, where higher percentages of Jews receive a Jewish education. The rates of assimilation there are lower than in the US and support for Israel is much stronger. If Ben and Jerry had attended a Jewish school that imbued them with a love of Judaism and Israel, they would be creating new flavors celebrating Jerusalem, instead of supporting boycotts. Sadly, whatever Judaism they got was probably minimal and simplistic, with a good chance the primary focus was all about social action, tikkun olam, instead of a serious intellectual engagement with Jewish wisdom.

Israel can help change the direction of world Jewry by focusing on strengthening Jewish education. It comes down to one basic fact: When Jews care about Judaism they care about Israel.

The writer is the president of the Rabbinical Council of Orange County California, his email is rabbi@ocjewish.com

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The state of United States Jews - opinion - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

Do glamour and high fashion bring freedom? Is wealth the antidote to a sheltered religious existence? For Julia Haart, matriarch of My Unorthodox Life, the answer seems to be a simple and resounding YES. But if you peel back some of its layers, the series actually suggests more complicated answers to these questions.

Ultra-orthodox Judaism has been having a pop-culture moment, and I was initially drawn to MUL for its apparent connection to shows such as Unorthodox and (the especially brilliant) Shtisel which movingly depict people negotiating ( or leaving) their lives within strict religious communities.

But MUL is nothing like those series. First, because those shows are dramas and this is reality TVa supposedly unscripted genre, starring real people. And next, paradoxically, because MUL feels so much less real than those other series. Or at least, it feels less human, foregoing deep exploration of emotion or spirituality in favor of a splashy consumerism that resembles a Jewish version of the Kardashians franchise. Admittedly, theres a novel attraction in thisI cannot recall ever seeing overtly Jewish people getting to be as uber-glam, even decadently sexy on TV, as the Haarts. (Mrs. Maisel may dress well, but shes too wholesome and UWS-secular to figure in such comparisons.)

I consumed My Unorthodox Life in nearly one gulp, hypnotized by the Haart family refugees from the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community of Monsey, New York, who emigrate to Manhattan for a life of utter fabulosity.The luxury and visual pleasure are off the charts.In MUL, good-looking people frolic in delectable settings: a sky-high Tribeca penthouse, Paris couture shows, private helicopters, and even an actual medieval French castle which the gang uses as an AirBNB.

That castle felt especially suitable, given the shows fairy-tale vibe. Yes, MUL relies heavily on that old pop culture stand-by: The Cinderella story in which a humble woman magically acquires wealth, happiness, a better wardrobe, and of course a prince. (Think My Fair Lady, Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries, etc.)And as with all such stories, MUL strongly encourages us to believe that such transformation is unequivocally desirable. The series presents the Haart familys before life in Monsey as oppressive, and their after life in New York as a grown-up Disneyland.

Fiftyish Julia is the duckling-turned-swan of MUL (to mix fairy tales) who at 43, fled her life as a modestly dressed, sheitel-wearing, Orthodox wife and mother, to morph into a sex-positive, skimpy-couture-wearing, Champagne-sipping, multimillionaire designer and fashion mogul. Shes a foxy and fit brunette who rocks skinny jeans and cat-suits. She dispenses sex advice, gives vibrators as gifts, and can do body rolls in a flash mob. The transformation seems improbable. How did someone with virtually no training, connections, education, or experience beyond her kitchen, become in under seven years first, a high-end shoe designer (specializing in comfortable six-inch, fuck-me platform stilettos), then artistic director of La Perla, then the CEO of Elite World Group, a vast international modeling and talent agency? MUL offers little explanation, save for the presence of Julias second husband, Silvio Scaglia Haart (yes, he took her name) an Italian billionaire who just happened to own La Perla and oh, just happens also to be co-owner of Elite World Group. Silvio, in other words, is Julias fairy godmother (as well as her Prince Charming).It would be great to learn more about their working relationship and how he might have mentored her. Instead, Silvios role consists mainly of gazing adoringly at Julia and pouting when she is too busy for the romantic interludes he plans. Silvio then is a cipher, the sexy Italian lover who serves as anti-type to Julias unglamorous, observant, first husband (who appears occasionally and seems reasonable and kind, though Julia describes that first marriage as a prison).

And in fact, the characters are mainly played as stock here static types with one-note plot lines, rather than fully delineated humans. Younger daughter Miriam seems committed to being Julias mini-me an adventure-seeking, hot-pants-wearing provocatrice French-kissing her girlfriend in full view of her mothers business associates. The elder Batsheva is framed as an earlier incarnation of Julia herselfmarried since the age of 19, and struggling to balance career aspirations with the demands of her more traditional husband. With son Shlomo, a law student, MUL focuses almost entirely on his sex life, or lack thereof. Still a virgin at 24 (pre-marital sex being verboten in Orthodox Judaism) Shlomo is tiptoeing into modern dating, with much prurient cheerleading from Mom (which he tolerates with good-natured stoicism). And while it feels uncomfortable to watch Shlomos private religious and sexual struggle used as TV fodder, its downright excruciating to witness his younger brother Arons situation.

At fourteen, and still living part-time in Monsey (in a shared-custody arrangement), Aron is the family holdout, clinging to strict Orthodox practice, in seeming protest of his mothers hedonism. His scenes with Julia invert the usual parent-child conflicts: She scolds him for NOT watching television, for not talking to girls, for not listening to secular music. For not having fun. With Aron, as with everyone else, Julias approach seems to consist of bullying, goading, and manipulating him into behaving freely, which means, as she tells him to. He tends to respond with a sweet smile and a murmured restatement of his religious beliefs. When (the utterly winning) Aron declares that, for religious reasons, hes cut off contact with a female classmate, instead of discussing his motivation, Julia forces the issue by engineering a cringing chance encounter between the two teens, shaming her shy, pious, adolescent son into talking to the girl in full view of the cameras. (To be fair, Aron seems half-grateful to break his vow of silence around girls. In some way, his self-imposed constraints may derive partly from a teenaged need to rebel against his rebellious mother, and Julia seems to understand that.)

Overall though, Julia is a pint-size dynamo with an oversized need to control those around her. She preaches her gospel of money, pleasure, and sex with all the zeal of the convert she is. When Batsheva excitedly describes a business deal shes pulled off, Julia berates her for not demanding more money. When the crestfallen Batsheva then dutifully tries to extract more money from her client, she loses the deal entirely. When Julias colleague, Robert Brotherton (the only non-family regular, and by far the most fully drawn and poignant character), confesses his deep unwillingness to pursue romantic relationships, Julia ambushes him with an on-camera session with an intrusive matchmaker. The normally genial Brotherton storms out of the room. In one extended subplot, the three oldest Haart children come to believe their mother is pitting them against one another to determine who will be granted a coveted job in her agency. In the end, she explains that there was never any competition, but that shed merely been testing their trust in her. The kids accept this explanation with relief, seemingly untroubled or perhaps just all too familiar with their mothers Machiavellian tactics.

Time and again, Julia demonstrates that rather than jettisoning the lifestyle she found so oppressive in Monsey, she has instead incorporated its tactics as her own. She has simply replaced the rules and regulations of Orthodox Judaism with those of high-stakes capitalism, and other commercial regimes, and replaced the head rabbi with herself.In Julias hands, for example, the fashion business feels a lot like another restrictive and demanding religion.

When Shlomo suggests he might buy a Chanel garment in advance, to give to a hoped-for girlfriend sometime in the future, Julia snaps that no woman worth her salt would ever want an outdated item of couture. With this, not only does she again deflate one of her childrens dreams, she proves her utter devotion to the religion of fashion with its unforgiving dictates and calendar observances. And while Julia may eschew the modest garb of Monsey, how liberating really are the catsuits, hot pants, and un-walkable stilettos she wears and markets now? Dont both extreme styles of dress regard womens bodies as hypersexualized objects requiring either protective cover or ultraracy exposure? (Does anyone else remember the jeweled fishnet naked gown Julia designed for Kendall Jenner a few years ago?)

Finally, I cant help noticing the Trumpian overtones of My Unorthodox Life, with its dynastic family business, wealth porn, ginned-up rivalries, super-sexy women, and a CEO at the helm who seems to mistake corporate success and unreflective indulgence for freedom. In the end, MUL feels less like the tale of a womans liberation and more like a cautionary story of the uneasy proximity between the worlds of extreme religion and extreme capitalism.

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Losing My Religion - The Cut

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

A sense of belonging is an essential part of any community, and 18 Doors is dedicated to providing that feeling of inclusion for those seeking their place in the Jewish community.

The organization recently changed its name, from Interfaith Family. Its core mission of fostering the inclusion of such families in the larger Jewish community remains unchanged, but the new name recognizes that interfaith families are, themselves, diverse.

"We're here to uplift the diversity of the Jewish community, to make inclusion an interwoven part of Jewish life," explained Tani Prell, the new director of 18 Doors' Chicago office. "The growing diversity of the Jewish community includes that of the interfaith Jewish community," along every aspect of identity - diversity that 18 Doors recognizes as "as part of our larger web of inclusion."

While it has offices in cities across the U.S., Chicago's office is considered one of 18 Doors' "innovation hubs," along with those in Boston and Atlanta.

18 Doors works with individuals and couples from diverse backgrounds, helping them find their place in the Jewish community, and simultaneously works with community organizations to help them become more welcoming to people who have historically been marginalized.

Prell considers herself "a matchmaker" between couples and community organizations.

"We want to give people a space for belonging, and to see the thriving that happens when doors are open," she said. "We are open to partnering with anyone with whom we can foster Jewish inclusion, in ways that are meaningful to them," Prell said. "If you are a Jewish professional, I want to be talking to you."

18 Doors' partners range from OneTable, Honeymoon Israel and JCC Chicago to congregations nationwide. Others include Be'chol Lashon, which raises awareness about the ethnic, racial and cultural diversity of Jewish identity, and Keshet, which equips Jewish organizations to make LGBTQ Jews feel welcome.

Additionally, 18 Doors runs Couples and Conversation, small-group sessions led by rabbis for interfaith couples at various stages in their relationships.

Prell is a veteran of the inclusion movement. While her immediate past position was with the Art Institute, she earlier served as director of Jewish Learning and Engagement at Emanuel Congregation in Edgewater. For that work, she was honored as one of JUF's 36 Under 36 in 2019.

Additionally, Prell is a National Board Trustee for the Union for Reform Judaism, and serves on their DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) lay taskforce. She has worked for inclusion in the arts community, the justice system, and Jewish summer camps.

Prell was raised in a Lutheran home. But, she said, "I knew for a long time that I was going to convert" to Judaism - which she did as an adult, at Anshe Emet Synagogue. She is also the child of an interracial marriage, and describes herself as a "black, Italian, German, Jewish woman."

One of her own first experiences with the wider world of diversity was at a Kabbalat Shabbat service, part of a conference on Loving Day, which celebrates the Supreme Court's Loving v. Virginiacase legalizing interracial marriage.

"Now, I have a job that helps create such experiences for others," she said. "It's what I would be doing anyway, and that it's for the Jewish community is the cherry on top."

Find more information on 18 Doors at18doors.org/chicago-local.

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JUF News | Opening doors, minds, and hearts - Jewish United Fund

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Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

As universities and colleges across the country gear up for the academic year, institutional offices of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are working hard to schedule programs designed to celebrate difference while facilitating greater inclusion and delivering on the promise of equality in higher education. DEI offices usually focus on historically marginalized populations, including racial and ethnic groups that have traditionally experienced discrimination. So its strange that in the vast majority of these offices, there is one historically marginalized and oft discriminated-against group that is routinely missing altogether, if not from the mission statement, then certainly from the mission practice.

The Jewish people.

But why the gap? The reason is that universities tend to think about the Jewish issues facing students as a subset of religious issues, falling under the purview of their Offices of Religious Life, or any of the various clergy groups on campus, as opposed to a racial or ethnic problem better handled by the DEI office. But while it is true that Judaism is a religion, and that Jewish students do sometimes face issuessuch as the scheduling of exams on holidaysthat might best be defined as religious discrimination and handled by someone with a focus in that area, reflexively putting Jewish issues in an exclusively religious box is both limiting and wrong.

It is also true that for the vast and ever-expanding number of Jewish students encountering antisemitic hatred on campus, their experience has nothing to do with their religious practice, and everything to do with their racial, ethnic or cultural identity. And for the most part, handling this kind of discrimination falls outside the purview and expertise of even the most well-meaning chaplain. Universities need to realize this, adjust their lenses, and plan accordingly, just as they do for other minority groups that might need assistance.

In an age of intersectionality, appreciating that Jewish students can and do hold multiple identities should not be controversial. Federal law, for instance, has already come to this realization and corrected its own definitional understanding for how to properly protect Jewish students.

In an age of intersectionality, appreciating that Jewish students can and do hold multiple identities should not be controversial.

Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act requires schools to ensure their programs and activities are free from harassment, intimidation and discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin. Notably, the Act does not give the Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights jurisdiction to investigate religious bias, and so until 2004, OCR was making the same mistake that university DEI offices are still making today: they were declining to investigate antisemitic complaints under their regular well-established framework for dealing with discrimination against other minorities because they saw Jews as only a religious group, and not a race, ethnicity or type of national origin. Because antisemitism fell outside the bounds of the normal system, it was much easier to get away with.

In 2004, however, OCR issued a series of policy statements announcing that they would henceforth investigate antisemitism complaints, to the extent that they implicate ethnic or ancestral bias. As the policy directive explained, [g]roups that face discrimination on the basis of shared ethnic characteristics may not be denied the protection of our civil rights laws on the ground that they also share a common faith. This idea has been confirmed in both Title VI and Title VII cases. It is high time for schools to actually put it into practice on campus as well.

Around the country, antisemitism has become entrenched and systemic, with recent studies showing that the number of Jewish students experiencing antisemitism had spiked to nearly 75 percent, and that Jewish students need and want their schools to be doing more to help them. Under Title VI, administrators have a responsibility to protect students and faculty from acts of hate and bigotry motivated by discriminatory animusincluding antisemitismand to proactively work to create a safe environment for everyone. They must ensure that when people discriminate against Jews for being Jewish (as opposed to their religious practice) it is treated as seriously and as quickly, and with the same procedures and processes in place, as discrimination against any other member of a minority group targeted for their racial or ethnic identity.

A step in the right direction toward shifting the framework through which colleges and universities see their Jewish communities would be to have someone in the DEI office specifically attuned or at the very least paying attention to the different aspects of Jewish life on campus. Jewish students across all spectrums, like any other group, should be celebrated for the diversity they bring, and appreciated for the contributions they make to campus life. At the very least they should feel free to express their full identities without fear, and have proper recourse and a designated someone to turn to if they are in fact excluded.

Dr. Mark Goldfeder, Esq. is Director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center. He served as the Founding Editor of the Cambridge University Press Series on Law and Judaism.

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Universities Must Shift Their Conception of Jewish Students as a Group - Jewish Journal

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