Other News

(JTA)—For years, American Jewish groups have agitated for more religious pluralism in Israel. And year after year, the Israeli government has acted as if the country’s demographic and political realities make any kind of substantial reform impossible.

The latest version of an annual survey disputes that claim: It shows that Jewish Israelis disapprove of how their government handles religious issues. It shows that they want more liberal religious policies. And it says they want American Jews to intervene in the debate.

A Jew makes news, but does that make it Jewish news?

Take the case of Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty Tuesday, August 21 to fraud and campaign finance improprieties, directly implicating his former boss, President Donald Trump. Cohen, whose father survived the Holocaust, began his education at a yeshiva day school but transferred to the Lawrence Woodmere Academy. He once described himself as an “agnostic Jew.”

But little else in his story connects him to Jewish life in an interesting or newsworthy way.

Over the past month, JFit at the Simon Family JCC, has established new programs and classes—including a massage therapy service. “I’m always looking for new opportunities for the JCC to improve our services, whether it’s a new program, equipment, or talented...

(JTA)—You know what Oreos are.
They’re two delicious chocolate cookies sandwiched around a creme filling. Oreos also come in Double Stuff, vanilla, birthday cake and pumpkin spice (really).
There is debate on how they should be eaten, but everyone knows they’re best when dunked in milk.
What you might not know is that Oreos are just a copycat of Hydrox, a sandwich cookie first sold in 1908, four years before Oreos appeared on shelves. Even though (or maybe because?) they were second, Oreos came to dominate the market, becoming a fixture in America’s grocery stores.

New York Times obituary writer Margalit Fox announced she was leaving her position after writing farewells to more than 1,400 notable, notorious or downright unusual people over a 14-year span. Fox intends to turn to book-writing full time. Among the highlights of her time on the “dead beat” were obituaries of Jewish newsmakers, which like so many of her obits stand out for the vividness of her prose and the humor she sometimes brought to solemn moments. Here are some standouts.

Congregation Beth El is opening its doors; that is, opening them wider. Recognizing that while the congregation prides itself on its hospitality, there are many ways in which the community feels it can be more actively welcoming. To that end, plans are underway to...

Created in December 2005 as a Jewish engagement and literacy program for Jewish and interfaith families with young children, PJ Library sends free Jewish children’s books and music on a monthly basis directly to families’ homes. PJ Library is a program of the Harold...

Amie and Byron Harrell do not seem like typical legacy donors. With two young sons and retirement still several decades away, they nevertheless felt compelled to help ensure the future of Tidewater’s Jewish community with a LIFE & LEGACY gift. Deeply committed to...

I have always been proud of our community. It’s what brought me to Jewish Family Service of Tidewater in 2003 after working in hospital administration. I was involved in our Federation’s young leadership programs and served on the executive board of the Jewish...

When I first walked off the plane into the Ben- Gurion Airport, I stepped straight onto a large bus that took me to my home for, what I believed, was just the next four months. I first noticed that Israel was not just a large desert, but it was more of a wonderland...

JELF (Jewish Educational Loan Fund) has assisted the Jewish community since 1889 when the doors of the Hebrew Orphans’ Home first opened in Atlanta, Georgia. Since its inception, JELF has served the five-state region of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South...

Starting this year, the standard deduction has doubled, which will significantly reduce the number of taxpayers who itemize their deductions. If you are 70½ or older (or know someone who is), here is an easy way to help the Jewish community. Rather than simply take...

Dear Readers, Ten thousand baby boomers are turning 65 each day in this country. That’s a lot of daily additions to the ‘senior pool,’ though I bet that most celebrating those birthdays cannot believe they’re actually ‘seniors.’ That said, the ‘Seniors of 2015’ remain...

WASHINGTON (JTA)—From the man who married her grandmother to the man who married her daughter, from working a room full of bar mitzvah guests on behalf of her husband’s political career to headlining major pro-Israel events during her own, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s...

WASHINGTON (JTA)—How often do you get the opportunity to pack “109 years,” #LoveWins and the rainbow colors into 140 characters? That’s how the American Jewish Committee celebrated the Supreme Court ruling Friday, June 26 extending marriage rights to gays throughout...

NEW YORK (JTA)—When Stephen Kaufer, the CEO of TripAdvisor, an $11 billion company that runs America’s leading user-generated hotel review website, thinks back to all the places he has visited, one stands out as his favorite. Jerusalem. “Oh my gosh, looking at all of...

NEW YORK (JTA)—On Saturday, June 6, a brawny three-year-old colt named American Pharoah took to the Belmont Stakes racetrack and became the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. The win has not only rocked the sports world, but is also a triumphant stand for Ahmed...

Perfect weather, a great crowd, terrific music, delicious food and a wonderful time at “Woodstockley Gardens” combined to make Ohef Sholom Temple’s Congregational Picnic a resounding success. Held on Saturday, May 9 in neighboring Stockley Gardens, the area was...

Ohef Sholom Temple’s Long Range Plan in 2006 envisioned engaging a full-time educator for its Religious School, but it wasn’t until 2013 when the Religious School Strategic Plan called for putting the vision into action. Throughout 2014, Linda Fox-Jarvis, then...

Dynamic conversations and religious discussion riveted the Klezmer Room at the Sandler Family Campus with participants of The Mothers Circle. Over the last nine months, 10 women who were not raised Jewish, but are married to Jewish men, de-mystified Judaism, learned...

NEW YORK (JTA)—If there’s one thing that can be said of longtime Anti-Defamation League leader Abraham Foxman, who is stepping down this month after nearly 30 years at the helm, it’s that he never holds back from speaking his mind. In an age of canned, anodyne...

When a former Naval officer called and asked for a speaker on a topic of interest to former U.S. Military officers, I knew I wanted the very best. Having just heard a presentation by Dr. Edward Karotkin to the 400 Club on his recent work at Zvi Medical Center of Bar...

Jewish Americans have made their marks in many fields. Entertainment is certainly among them. To celebrate the accomplishments of Jewish composers George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Stan Getz, Herb Alpert and Neil Diamond, Temple Israel presented “Let’s...

Located in Philadelphia, just a five-hour drive from Virginia Beach, the National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH) is the only U.S. venue to feature Richard Avedon: Family Affairs, from the collection of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. The exhibition presents a...

First, is Memorial Day when most pools officially open, Pungo has its Strawberry Festival and, in the ‘olden days’ white was appropriate to wear again. That start was a couple of weeks ago. The second takes place with the last ring of the school bell for the academic...