It’s history. You can’t deny it. The Holocaust. Just about the worst six years in Jewish history. The Nazis slaughtered our nation during its journey to world domination. Six million innocent people were murdered. We have evidence. We have witnesses. We have proof. So why are people denying it?
Judith Levy is a gorgeous French-born woman with a flair for fashion and the written word (she’s an editor for French editions of Artscroll). At the start of her second marriage she found herself in a shaitel vs. tichel predicament very similar to mine.
By Sandy Eller
Artisan gefilte fish. For some, the phrase seems like an oxymoron. While salmon, chilean sea bass and tilapia may all be in vogue, gefilte fish, the traditional ground fish mixture that is de rigueur in Ashkenazic Jewish households at Shabbos and Yom Tov meals, is like the Henny Youngman of fish: it gets no respect.
Bear Mountain State Park is situated in rugged mountains rising from the west bank of the Hudson River in Orange County and Rockland County, New York. The 5,067-acre (20.51 km) park offers lots of activities that can be enjoyed all year round.
You know what I noticed since I started writing this column? That people don’t write in to ask questions so much as they write in to complain.
Galut Mitzrayim -- the Egyptian Exile -- has come to epitomize exile in Judaism. It is the ultimate galut, the ultimate exile and it embraces all aspects of the later exiles: displacement, foreign subjugation, powerlessness, and exposure to extreme physical and mental torture.
It truly defies logic when I am told by a relative’s machataynesta that on her block in Brooklyn there are a dozen girls in their mid to late 20’s and even 30’s who are waiting in vain for the phone to ring.
Dear Dr. Yael: Your recent column on “The Wrongs Of Onas Devarim” (Dear Dr. Yael, 12-28-2012) was, for me, the worst column ever. Here’s why:
In the 1950’s, bestselling author Rudolf Flesch offered to give a friend’s son, who was a struggling reader, some help with reading. He soon discovered that the problem did not lie in the boy’s intelligence, but rather in the way that reading was taught to him in school. To set out his reading principles, Flesch wrote a now famous book entitled, Why Johnny Can’t Read – and What You Can Do About It. In it, Flesch outlined the basic approach of phonics, an effective and important manner of teaching reading.
I have been promising myself that I would write about the death of my twins when I was ready. Ever since that fateful day more than 11 years ago, I have tried to write, dozens of times, but my attempts have drawn many tears and very few words. I tried again very recently, but didn’t get very far. And then the school shooting in Newtown changed everything.
A raft washed up to the shore of a marina in south Florida recently. The rickety craft was fashioned from Styrofoam blocks. The posts were oars. The sail was a tarp. A hiker noticed the abandoned raft and reported it to authorities. It was feared that the occupants had perished in a fruitless effort to cross the waters from Cuba to the United States.
RASG Hebrew Academy held a community-wide Israel Awareness Day on December 25. The informative and meaningful event was held on the school’s main campus at 2400 Pine Tree Drive in Miami Beach.
The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) is offering a six-session winter 2013 course called “Living With Integrity: Navigating Everyday Ethical Dilemmas.” The classes will begin at 7:30 p.m. January 29. Rabbi Ruvi New will lead the sessions at 120 NE 1st Avenue, in Boca Raton.
Cantor Avi Albrecht, a major figure in the cantorial world, will appear for Shabbat Shirah, January 25-26, at the Palm Beach Synagogue in Palm Beach together with the a cappella group Kol Fusion. The program is presented by the Palm Beach Synagogue and American Friends of Meir Panim.
Young Israel of Deerfield Beach, located at 202 Century Boulevard, will host a Holocaust remembrance program on January 20. The event will mark the anniversary of the infamous Wannsee Conference, which set into motion Hitler’s plan for the genocide of the entire Jewish population of Europe.
The Chaya Aydel Seminary (CAS) in Hallandale Beach is entering its 12th (bas mitzvah) year of excellence in education. CAS has become well known for its top-notch academics and beautiful frum environment.
More than 175 people attended a complimentary educational program called “Respect and Resilience: Foundations for a Healthy Marriage and Family.” In partnership with Ohel Children’s Home & Family Services and The Shul of Bal Harbour, the event was sponsored by Yehi Ohr, JCS’s new initiative expanding its commitment to the South Florida Orthodox Jewish community.
Donald Trump, world-famous billionaire businessman, has officially endorsed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video posted to YouTube.
By Irwin Cohen
Last season the Philadelphia Phillies had a Rosenberg, the St. Louis Cardinals had a Rosenthal, and the Arizona Diamondbacks had a Goldschmidt.
The Jewish people have been blessed with a plethora of biographies and memoirs about our rabbis, educators, philanthropists and community leaders. Unfortunately, many that were published in previous generations have been lost to history, and the impacts that many noteworthy individuals had on our people have been largely forgotten.
Inspirational Torah leader Rabbi Shlomo Brevda, zt”l, passed away last Tuesday at the age of 81. Rabbi Brevda authored numerous books and traveled to many parts of the world delivering mussar and words of encouragement to people of all ages. He was well known for his research of the Vilna Gaon, publishing many of his writings.
So much has happened in the past few months and now the month of Shevat is suddenly upon us. And in a few days (Shevat 10) it will be your 13th yahrzeit.
Two major Japanese airlines grounded their Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplanes after one was forced to make an emergency landing due to battery problems and a burning smell in the cockpit.
By JTA
Hadassah transferred $10 million to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem to help cover its subsidiary's $50 million deficit.
By Tzvi Fishman
Not only was Tevye's family going to be together, they were going to be rich! The Baron's gift of 5000 francs would make them the new aristocrats of Palestine. But Tevye's daydreaming didn't last long. When he heard that Nachman was planning on returning the money, Tevye nearly fell out of the wagon. "I […]
With Medicare open enrollment season upon us right now (October 15th-December 7th) many seniors age 65+ are reviewing the many Medicare programs available to them. They have been inundated with marketing materials from the many health insurance companies out there to persuade them to sign up or to change their plans for the next year, effective starting January 1st 2013.
By Amy Dubitsky and Eva Yelloz
*Risa and Eli, a couple married for two years and in their twenties, were anxious to start a family, but found themselves unable to conceive. *Chana, engaged at 39, was worried that at her age it would be difficult to get pregnant. *Miriam, a widow, had three children from her first marriage. Ten years after her husband passed away, she remarried. She was now 37 and her new husband, *Avi was 40. They wanted a child of their own, but close to a year into their marriage, she had not become pregnant – what to do?
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a public health emergency on Saturday, in the wake of the worst flu outbreak in many years.
A Jewish couple from Toronto was found dead inside their Hallandale Beach, South Florida condo on Thursday night, with police investigating a double homicide.
By JTA
The Israeli former bodyguard of teen idol Justin Bieber reportedly sued the pop star for assault.
By dvora
Having said several kapitlach of Tehillim, I decided it was time to check out my surroundings. Here I was sitting in a posh heimishe dental office in Williamsburg, serenaded by soft music, and surrounded by proper reading material. Thanking Hashem one more time that it was my friend in the dental chair and not myself (such a loyal friend that I am), I decided to indulge in some reading. The first periodical that I picked up had an article that caught my eye and heart. It was entitled Orphans No More. I could not put it down!
By Anonymous
Taking the words from my mouth, Twisting them, stretching them, turning them round and round, Negating their true meaning, as it was meant to be heard, You hear what you want without really listening.
By Pnina Baim
The thing about work is that it isn’t fun. If it were, it would be called play. Most people grumble about going to work, and look forward to their time-off – especially when it is paid. And yet, polls show that most people, given the choice, would prefer to work. It’s when we get to the office that we begin to moan and groan. What’s the point in that? If we spend the majority of our waking hours at work, we might as well enjoy it! Here are some ways we can accomplish that.
The recent works of David Gelernter, artist, author and professor of computer science at Yale University, compel us to listen and really see. His statements in the gallery video are riveting and his images, especially the Kings of Israel series are revelatory. It is in the dialectic between these two distinct approaches that we can understand his insight into the past and be guided into a present appreciation of Jewish Art.
Jewish law prohibits carrying an object from a private domain to a public domain (or vice versa) or within a public domain on the Sabbath. One who intentionally carries, knowing the prohibition on the Sabbath is libel to the death penalty by a Jewish court. The creation of an eruv establishes, where possible, an extended private domain in which such carrying is permissible.
Avital walked into the test feeling great. She had studied the night before and she was sure to ace her grammar test. But, suddenly, when her teacher passed out the test paper, Avital found her palms sweating and her heart racing.
By dvora
One of today’s fastest growing new dietary trends is the proliferation of foods labeled “gluten free” on the shelves of supermarkets across the country.
By dvora
Chaim* was admired in yeshiva for his incredible diligence. His days were consumed with learning and he could be found in the Beis Midrash almost 24/7. For him, sleep was a waste of time. Great things were forecast for his future until neighbors found him lying in the middle of the street in Geula, hallucinating that he was Moshiach. Medications stopped his racing mind but made him feel like a zombie. He became depressed and shell of his former self. His parents thought they were acting responsibly when they had him hospitalized and then put in a hostel.
Dear Dr. Yael: A few years ago, our family went through a very traumatic period of time when my wife was diagnosed with a brain aneurism. She has suffered through so much pain and rehabilitation, and things have not returned to normal.
This excellent, delightful and lucid collection represents some of the best in academic research. Philological, lexicographical, linguistic, epigraphical, cultural, mythological, ritualistic, and historical knowledge are informed by virtuosity in comparative ancient Semitic languages. These erudite studies by the high-powered academic scholarship of Hayim Tawil – a professor of Hebrew languages and literature at Yeshiva University – shed light on Biblical Hebrew, the whole field of Ancient Near Eastern studies, medieval exegetical traditions, and the reception history of the Biblical text from antiquity to the present day.
I’ve always had an interest in the intersect between halacha, history, and archaeology. It is this interest that led me to research and write about the status of Purim in modern-day Israeli cities that are adjacent to ancient cities that had a wall around them in the days of Yehoshua Bin Nun. I concluded, in regards to Beit Shemesh at least, that there is much merit in observing a second day of Purim, on the 15th of Adar.
Chosen People Ministries, a Hebrew Christian missionary group, has spent $2.1 million to acquire a building and nearly $1 million more on renovations to construct an 11,000 square-foot missionary center in the heart of Flatbush. It will house a “synagogue,” sefer Torah, classrooms, and a dining hall – all with the intention of attracting the general Orthodox community and particularly unaffiliated local Jews and adults at risk from frum homes who have abandoned Yiddishkeit or are on the fringe.
The Orthodox Jewish Chaplaincy Board (OJCB) of Southern California recently held its Chanukah candle lighting program with Jewish inmates at Men’s Central Jail (MCJ), Twin Towers Correctional Facilities (TTCF) and Pitches Detention Center (PDC).
By dvora
No one likes to dwell about loss, or delve into the nitty-gritty issues and emotions that come along with losing a loving parent to a horrible illness. However life happens, and the sad truth is that many people every day lose parents to illness or age. It's the facts of life.
Israeli high-tech companies earned massive profits in 2012, being purchased for a total of $5.5 billion.
"Aaron Klein Investigative Radio," hosted by Jewish Press columnist Aaron Klein and broadcast on New York's WABC, achieved a milestone in the latest rankings, becoming number 1 on the AM dial in New York City.
The North American and English aliyah organization Nefesh B’Nefesh, the Jewish Agency, and the Jewish National Fund have teamed up with the Ort Braude Academic College of Engineering in Karmiel to feature the artwork of immigrants from English-speaking countries to northern Israel.
Rumors that Apple wants to acquire Israeli social navigation app developer Waze are false, according to a report by CNET.
In the online world of split-second decision making, having the right theme for your website may mean the difference between engaging a customer or losing the sale.
Last month, I had the privilege - and I do mean privilege – of attending an event at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Toronto hosted by the Canadian Friends of Machon Lev, the Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT), at which an honorary degree was bestowed on John Baird, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister.
Dear Dr. Yael: My seven-year-old daughter is having a very difficult time socially in school. Another girl is making fun of her, and I do not know how to fix the problem. Because she wants to be friends with this girl (although I am not sure why), she puts herself in situations where she is the target of the girl’s ridicule.
Ask any child who the main heroes of the drama are and he will say, Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohein. No need to elaborate, the Torah is clear and explicit in assigning these roles. Despite his reluctance, Moshe is singled out for his assignment and so is Aharon. The voice of the Almighty is distinct in reiterating their mission, and they, faithful servants, obey the Divine command and earn their place in the limelight.
Meet Noam, a ninth grader I worked with several years ago. Noam came to my office because he was struggling with his biology curriculum. Though Noam was extremely smart, he had ADHD, which made it hard for him to focus on all of the material presented during class. Before we even looked at the material together, I asked Noam how he learned best. His face was blank as he responded, “Um, Mrs. Schonfeld, I really am not sure.”
Recently, there a number of articles dealing with the difficulties singles are having getting married have appeared in various publications. Unfortunately, many young people in their 20’s (and some even in their 30’s) are struggling to find their bashert.
The South Florida area is quite cosmopolitan and often hosts an array of cultural events including art shows and festivals, indie and foreign films. A movie presented in French, Hebrew and Arabic (with English subtitles) running in a small theater in North Miami Beach recently piqued my interest.
Every Wednesday evening the Young Israel of Bal Harbour welcomes an international gathering of guests for Dr. Henry Abramson’s lecture series in Jewish History.
Chabad of South Broward held its 33rd annual South Florida Chassidic Chanukah Festival on December 13, the 6th night of Chanukah, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach.
The Chabad Hebrew School in Highland Lakes held a joyous musical Chanukah Celebration on December 12. Over a hundred students performed “Chanukah Down Memory Lane.” Each class dressed in the era they represented as they sang oldies for the audience.
This September, Southern NCSY – the international youth movement of the Orthodox Union – launched an exclusive leadership program for high school teens known as Teen LLC: Leadership, Learning and Chesed. The program accepted 20 teens who spend two hours every other week learning the Torah sources on charity and meeting with representatives from various social service organizations at Yum Berry yogurt store.
By Sandy Eller
Goodbye humdrum. Hello, gorgeous!! With the release of CHIC Made Simple, an all new cookbook written by food stylist, columnist and recipe developer Esther Deutsch, kosher food continues to blaze new trails, offering sophisticated, appealing recipes that are, (surprise, surprise!) both delicious and deceptively easy to prepare.
Last month we dealt with the building of the Lloyd Street Synagogue, the first synagogue to be built in Maryland. This month we look at how the building became a church, then again an Orthodox Synagogue, and finally a historic site.
Picture this; Mr. Smith is driving down on the Brooklyn Bridge, eager to get to work on time. At the corner of his eye, something flashes. He turns to look at an electric billboard. BOOM…CRASH…BANG… he’s been hit. That billboard took more than his attention - it took his life.
Imagine, sitting through nine classes each day, not understanding the material being taught, and failing many subjects. This would be a terrible school experience.
The Supervisor of Banks revealed Israel's highest and lowest-charging banks.
By JTA
An Israeli restaurant opened in the heart of the old Jewish quarter of Krakow. Hamsa Hummus and Happiness Restobar opened recently in a historic building on Szeroka, the main square of the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz, in the Polish city. Hamsa is being called the first Israeli-themed restaurant in Krakow, and unlike most of the other […]
By JTA
The Israel Free Loan Association has provided $1.5 million in interest-free loans to over 50 small businesses in southern Israel affected by the recent Gaza conflict.
Formerly Hasidic reggae star Matisyahu participated in a candid interview with CNN, discussing his departure from observant Jewish life and his connection to his religion.
By Ron Ansel
“HELP!” “I need help in choosing my career!” “How do I decide what career to pursue?” This is a common query we hear from students. Many make their first career choice based on what other people in their lives tell them, what everyone else is doing, where the money is, what’s hot in the current job market, what job a relative can get them, the “prestige factor” of being a doctor or lawyer, or some other criteria that is external to who they are as a person.
By Leah Rokeach
Ms. S. is 31 years old and has been hearing voices for the past 10 years. The voices come almost every day and they tell her that she is a failure, will never amount to anything, no one likes her or respects her. Ms. S. was diagnosed with schizophrenia. At the age of 21 she was told she has a disease of the brain and will need to take medication for the rest of her life.
The blade of the penknife sliced cleanly into my thumb and a thin stream of crimson blood appeared immediately, getting thicker by the second. I dropped the penknife onto my lap and reached for the green hem of my school skirt. I pressed it tightly against my thumb. Only then did I glance up at Sister Giovanna who was standing, as usual, slightly to the right of the black board. I raised my hand and hoped that she would call on me soon.
They say there’s no bigger nightmare than starting to go out / You’re playing emotional mind games that involve another’s feelings, no doubt / Your hopes atop a roller coaster, but soon to be set in loops / Where you’ll have to make good conversation again, over your cream-of-broccoli soup.
The beautiful Banias Nature Reserve includes two main areas: the spring area and the waterfall area. And if it’s hard for you to choose which one to visit – choose both. They are equally beautiful and fascinating and a celebration of water and lush flora awaits you.
The rather large grasshoppers all have different human faces. The trees have human bodies with branches sprouting out of their heads. The animals in the Peaceable Kingdom garden seated at Isaiah’s feet are painted purple, pink, blue and red. Welcome to the visionary world of Nahum HaLevi’s Latter Prophets.
The family: Yossi (38), Yamit (33) and daughters Tohar (4.5), Romi (2) and a new baby girl. Background: Yamit is the daughter of Ezra and Malka Mordechai, the first couple in Gush Katif. Ezra arrived in Gush Katif as a bachelor in 1974 and was one of three community founders. Yamit was raised in Netzer Hazani, the first established Gush Katif community.
Dear Dr. Yael: I am the oldest child in a family of seven; one of my sisters is a year younger than me. Even though we basically have the same responsibilities, somehow I always get stuck with all the household chores. My sister has a tendency to take her time, all the while doing one job. Honestly, sometimes it takes her three hours to do the dishes. She says it is because she is a “schlep.” She actually gets angry with her when I ask her to move quicker, saying that “I am not understanding of her feelings” and “she needs time.”
Chabad Lubavitch of Utah recently hosted its annual Chanukah menorah lighting ceremony at that state’s Governor’s Mansion in Salt Lake City.
An industrial partnership between Chinese auto manufacturer Chery and the Israel Corporation – Qoros Auto Company – has manufactured its first automobile for market, the upscale compact sedan Qoros GQ3.
In a news conference on Sunday, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange announced that it may extend Israel’s trading day by an hour in order to attract more European investors and boost the amount of trading.
There has been much made in the media about the stress on marriage and the high rates of divorce affecting couples who have a child with a developmental disability. Yet at the same time, counter studies have been published that refute many of these claims – reporting that this data has been exaggerated and that these families do not have a significantly higher divorce rate.
Between 1997 and 2008, the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) increased almost fourfold, according to the National Health Interview survey. The 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health indicated that 1.1 percent of all children born in this country are on the autism spectrum.
New and veteran immigrant (olim) families, who have a special needs child or adult at home in Israel have access to a variety of government and private sector outreach services, which a growing number of Anglo immigrants claim are superior to many services available in the USA.
By Atara Arbesfeld and Rivka Mordechai
Last Thursday night, December 12, the blogger Allison Josephs, who goes by the nom de Internet Jew in the City, hosted a Chanukah bash at Kehillath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side. Since the purpose of Josephs’s blogs and videos – and entire online presence – is to highlight and present the very best of Orthodoxy, this evening too was not merely a Chanukah bash, but a celebration of the launch of Joseph’s latest video “Orthodox Jewish All Stars.”
I take my usual spot the one by the door and I let out a sigh cuz I’ve seen this scene before.
The eyes crawl down my spine. The eyes examine the bumps and ghost-like skin. Proceeding to turn around, our eyes meet. The stranger looks down.