Posts By PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor

NEW YORK (JTA) — Exactly 25 years ago on Dec. 6, more than 250,000 people gathered in Washington to call on the Kremlin to open the gates and let Soviet Jews emigrate. Freedom Sunday, as it came to be known, was the largest Jewish-organized gathering in American history. The… Read more »

MAXWELL ISAAC SILVERMAN, son of Kris and Ben Silverman, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 8 at Congregation Anshei Israel. He is the grandson of Rosalyn Silverman of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Linda Robertson of Tucson. Maxwell attends Tucson BASIS North. He enjoys basketball, conversation and debate.… Read more »

BENJAMIN ELI MANNINEN, son of Karen Lesser and Greg Manninen, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 1 at Congregation Bet Shalom. He is the grandson of the late Elaine and late Stanley Lesser of New York, and the late Mary and the late Arnold Manninen of… Read more »

A son, ASHER GRAYSON MORRIS, was born Nov. 10, 2012 to Nicole Zuckerman-Morris and Kenneth Morris of Tucson. Grandparents are Jill and Michael Ives, Jay and Stephanie Zuckerman, Judith Morris, and Garnet Morris III, of Tucson. Great-grandparents are Enid and Mel Zuckerman of Tucson and Patricia and the late… Read more »

(L-R) Arnie and Rhea Merin and Hilda Kamenetz at the Cardo in Jerusalem

Handmaker helping hands In May, Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging launched the Handmaker Youth Leadership Team. Its mission is to increase volunteer opportunities to enrich youth, address community needs and develop a lifetime commitment to service. The group, ages 11-18, currently has 15 members. Participants learned about the… Read more »

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin [Britta Van Vranken)

On Dec. 3, corresponding to the Hebrew date of Kislev 19, Chabad followers around the globe celebrate the release from prison of the founder of Chabad Hasidism, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi. A few days earlier, Kislev 10, is named by Hasidim the “festival of liberation” as the day… Read more »

Hillel Tigay

In 1999, Hillel Tigay was one half of the now defunct Jewish rap group M.O.T., which stood for Members of the Tribe. On songs like “Kosher Nostra” and “Oh God, Get a Job,” Tigay’s “Hebe-hop” alter-ego, Dr. Dreidel, riffed on such timeworn subjects as Jewish gangsters and gelt-minded mothers.… Read more »

From Kung Pao kosher comedy to a swinging Mardi Gras version of the “Dreidel” song, two new Chanukah season releases explore the intriguing, delightful and sometimes perplexing ways in which American Jews have responded to Christmas. In a book and an audio CD compilation, the holiday season known as… Read more »

Writer Dasee Berkowitz’s 4-year-old son, Tamir, prepares to battle the the bad guys — his way of showing courage, which we celebrate at Chanukah. (Courtesey Dasee Berkowitz)

My 4-year-old son is obsessed with superheroes, dressing up at every opportunity as the superhero du jour to do battle with the bad guys lurking around the corner. (My 2-year-old daughter is just as enthusiastic, but at her age all she can really muster is a “meanie” face.) From… Read more »

Roast capon with olives makes a great Chanukah dish -- especially for olive lovers. (Ann Stratton)

When I married 55 years ago, I knew nothing about cooking. I grew up during war years in Europe when food was not available. So my exposure to food, and particularly traditional food, was nonexistent. After I married, I decided to take cooking classes, first studying with chef Michael… Read more »

Frony Chaima from Malawi, with a heifer her family received from a Heifer International supporter

Heifer International is known for practical, philanthropic gift-giving. Since 1944, Heifer’s mission has been to end hunger and poverty through gifts that provide self-reliance. The organization currently offers 30 kinds of livestock, trees, seeds and agricultural training to needy families in 42 countries, including the United States. Donations may… Read more »

On Nov. 14 — in response to an escalation of rocket attacks from Gaza — the Israeli Defense Forces initiated Operation Pillar of Defense. Since the launch, and the killing of Hamas commander and chief of staff Ahmed Jabari, Hamas has launched both a military and public relations campaign… Read more »

Pinny Dembutzer of the Seagate Association, standing on the Brooklyn community’s shore, notes the long road of cleanup that lies ahead for the community, Nov. 18, 2012. (Chavie Lieber)

Kenny Vance’s multimillion-dollar beach house has stood proudly on the Long Island shore and weathered all manner of storms since 1916. Then came Sandy. Vance, a 68-year-old musician who has lived in Belle Harbor, N.Y., for most of his life, was preparing to perform on a cruise ship when… Read more »

  In our last issue, we announced that starting with the Dec. 14 issue, the Arizona Jewish Post is changing from mail to carrier delivery. Here’s a reminder — and a few new details. Carriers for the Arizona Daily Star will handle the delivery, but you do not need… Read more »

Congregation Anshei Israel has commissioned the creation of a new Torah as part of a yearlong celebration of its 83rd anniversary, or “Second Bar Mitzvah.” A kick-off event, the “Mitzvah 613 Torah Fair” on Sunday, Dec. 16, will allow participants to fulfill the 613th commandment by sharing with others… Read more »

Temple Emanu-El is offering a new program for interfaith families, “Stepping Stones to a Jewish Family.” Stepping Stones is designed to introduce interfaith families to Judaism and Jewish rituals, synagogue life and community participation in a relaxed, informal way. Temple Emanu-El is partnering with the Tucson Hebrew Academy on… Read more »

Screen shot of the board at the United Nations General Assembly showing the 138-9 vote officially upgrading Palestine to nonmember observer state, Nov. 29, 2012. (Fox News)

NEW YORK (JTA) — The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to upgrade Palestine to a non-member observer state. The vote Thursday was 138 to 9, with 41 countries abstaining. The Palestinians had been expected handily to win the vote, which is largely symbolic. Cheers erupted in the General… Read more »

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, sitting, with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, left, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announce a cease-fire with Hamas at a news conference in Jerusalem, Nov. 21, 2012. (Miriam Alster/Flash90/JTA)

(JTA) – As Israel and Hamas mostly stilled their guns Wednesday night after reaching a cease-fire agreement, ending eight days of intense bombardment, both sides took home some new lessons about their foes. By firing longer-range rockets capable of reaching Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Hamas demonstrated for the first… Read more »

You know that feeling you get — that rush of breath-stopping adrenaline — when you watch a scary movie and you helplessly watch the main character walk across the screen straight into the death trap of pure evil? And her hand reaches for the door knob…and… BAM! Someone behind… Read more »

  Speak up, the language of the Hebrew Man,” says a song by popular Israeli singer/songwriter Ehud Banai. Of course we all know what the language of the Hebrew man is — but do we really? Does Banai refer to the current, updated, slangy Israeli Hebrew? Or does he… Read more »