JTA staff writer Ben Sales and his son relaxing at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in September 2016. (Courtesy of Sales)
CHICAGO (JTA) — Why did my synagogue ban my baby? It had been more than a decade since I attended my hometown synagogue for Yom Kippur, and it was my first time as a father, so I didn’t know what to expect. But I never imagined standing in the… Read more »
Israelpalooza, the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation’s annual event on the UA Mall, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This year, Israelpalooza will be hosting Artists 4 Israel. Artists 4 Israel utilizes the power of art to beautify the land, uplift the people and enhance… Read more »
(Shannon Sarna)
There’s something about carrots at the farmers market that I find utterly addictive. I can’t pass by without buying them, especially when they still have their beautiful green stems. They just get me every time. Which is why I love when I come up with a recipe to use… Read more »
(Illustration from 'Shanghai Sukkah')
A family Sukkot celebration, “Shake It Up in Shanghai!,” sponsored by the Tucson Jewish Community Center and PJ Library, will be held in the sculpture garden at the J on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 5-6:30 p.m. The organizations invite families to be their ushpizin (Hebrew for “guests”) in the… Read more »
“Patagonia Moebius” by Merlin Cohen
Tucson Handweavers & Spinners Guild will present more than 60 juried fiber artists for its show, “A Palette of Fiber Arts” on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 1-6 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. The event will be a stop on the Heart of Tucson Arts Open Studios Tour.… Read more »
Pomegranates are ready for harvest at Sukkot.
(© Jacqueline A. Soule)
Fall can be a busy time of year with kids heading back to school, the High Holy Days, and for gardeners, fall planting. Fall is an ideal time to plant many things, especially trees. Which tree? The Torah specifically mentions seven kinds of foods (Shevah Minim) indigenous to the… Read more »
Rabbi Robert Eisen Ma nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol halailot …? How do we read that phrase? How is this night different from all other nights … or, How different this night is from all other nights! The first is what we are taught, the latter is how it could be better (more… Read more »
(Katt Grigg/ Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
CLEVELAND (JTA) — Thank you: two simple words with tremendous meaning. Thank you for being part of our community. Thank you for raising your children with us. Thank you for being with us. Many of us are seeking meaning in our lives and wish to be valued for… Read more »
A woman in Lithuania marking the 75th anniversary of the Holocaust at a ceremony in Veliucionys, on the outskirts of Vilna, one of the most neglected of the 227 mass graves of Holocaust victims in the country, Sept. 23, 2016. (Courtesy of Efraim Zuroff)
(JTA) — Residents of Vilna (Vilnius), Lithuania’s capital, had their pick of two events to mark the 75th anniversary of the Holocaust held this year on Sept. 23, their country’s official Shoah memorial day. The choice was rather simple because of the stark differences between the ceremonies, and… Read more »
A protester against Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip speaking into a megaphone as pro-Israel counterprotesters wave Israeli flags in Los Angeles, Aug. 2, 2014. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)
(JTA) — A Jewish educator who works on behalf of the Jewish people every single day recently received a letter that began with harsh words about her support for the anti-occupation group Breaking the Silence. Before long it took a startling turn. “I regretfully must express my utmost hope,” the author wrote,… Read more »
Rabbi Helen T. Cohn Congregation M’kor Hayim will start the new year with a new High Holidays machzor, or prayer book, recently published by the Reform Movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis. The two-volume machzor, Mishkan HaNefesh, should “add new energy and meaning to our High Holidays services,” says Rabbi Helen Cohn. Among… Read more »
Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon What is the most important institution in Jewish life? Judaism has existed for 3,800 years, and over the centuries we’ve had a variety of organizations that have effectively served God and the Jewish people. Each has played an important role in the continual evolution of our religion and… Read more »
Amy Hirshberg Lederman Recently, I heard a talk on stress management where the lecturer, holding a glass of water, asked: “How heavy is this glass of water?” The audience called out answers that ranged from eight to 24 ounces. The lecturer replied, “Actually, from my perspective, it doesn’t really matter. What matters… Read more »
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, July 28, 2016. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (JTA) — I support Hillary Clinton for president because I have seen her work up close – as first lady, senator from New York and secretary of state. She has the temperament, experience and judgment to be commander-in-chief and our country’s representative to the world. And I… Read more »
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses the crowd at a campaign rally in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 6, 2016. (John Sommers II/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (JTA) — As my family and I prepare for Rosh Hashanah, we look back with grateful hearts for the brachot, blessings, in our lives. We take time to reflect on the joys and the challenges, the ups and downs, that we experienced during the previous year. To me, a… Read more »
Jared Taylor, the editor of American Renaissance, addressing a news conference on the alt-right in Washington, D.C., while Richard Spencer, who claims to the progenitor of the term, looks on, Sept. 9, 2016. (Ron Kampeas)
WASHINGTON (JTA) — This was the unveiling of the alt-right, this was its moment, its confident stride onto the national stage, and there was unity — until there was internal dissent, until there was pronounced disagreement, until there was almost – almost – a voice raised against one’s white… Read more »
For Josh Zeid, a pitcher for Israel’s World Baseball Classic team (shown here when he played for the Houston Astros), “there’s a little bit of excitement to get back and try to win it this time.” (Hillel Kuttler)
(JTA) – What is likely the strongest squad of Jewish players ever assembled figures to have a home-field advantage, too, as Team Israel aims to reach the next round of the World Baseball Classic. The club’s roster for the qualifying tournament includes nine major league veterans of recent seasons,… Read more »
(JTA) — As university professors, as committed Jews and as friends, we were puzzled by Arnold Eisen’s recent op-ed for JTA, “Jewish pride on campus is under siege. Here’s what your kids can do to fight back.” It is not because we disagree with his positions on Zionism, on Israel and Palestine,… Read more »
A student waving a Palestinian flag at a demonstration at Hunter College, part of the City University of New York system, Nov. 12, 2015. (Cem Ozdel/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (JTA) — Last week, the chancellor of The City University of New York released a report by CUNY-hired outside counsel investigating allegations of campus anti-Semitism. The investigation was triggered by a 14-page letter from the Zionist Organization of America to CUNY’s leadership, which noted, among other… Read more »
Paul Golin NEW YORK (JTA) — I just bought Rosh Hashanah tickets for the first time ever. The last time I attended services for the High Holidays was on my parents’ dime. That was back before the World Wide Web, when Ross Perot heard a giant sucking sound and the… Read more »
