For most of the 1,600 students in Magen David Yeshivah’s Elementary School (MDYES), one of the first greetings they receive each morning is a smiling and warm welcome from their new Principal, Rabbi Alan Berkowitz. And the comment that causes them to chuckle as they leave at the end of the day is his question, “Who’s coming back tomorrow?”
There is new awareness emerging in the Jewish community regarding food, especially amongst wise women. “Let’s be healthy, whilst we are strictly kosher,”—this is the guiding light of De La Rosa Real Foods, whose mission is to Put “Soul” Back Into Food.
Congregation Shaare Shalom recently held their Annual Purim Party in celebration of the joyous holiday. Members of the congregation, young and old, came to celebrate. The family atmosphere generated by the congregants and the hard work of the committee led to the success of the evening.
The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan. It commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt and by following the rituals of Passover, we have the ability to relive and experience the true freedom that our ancestors gained.
For me, Passover time is a gourmet adventure. It’s a time to get back to basics. Being a chef, I have learned how to make something from nothing and that is what I pass onto my students at the Jerusalem Culinary Institute.
I was raised in a home where terms like “Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Haredi, Secular, Zionist” or the like were not a part of our vocabulary. Jews were Jews. In our home, we observed and respected our traditions, including Shabbatot, holidays and synagogue life. Perhaps we were viewed as “not religious enough” by some in the community, but we were unapologetic about who we were. We did not see our Jewish practices as having to conform to somebody else’s opinion, nor did we change our way of life because a rabbi wrote an article deciding to impose new strictures on the community.
Are you looking for a great book to share with friends and family? Do you want a book to relax with? We hope the following compelling story lines will evoke interesting and thought provoking discussion. The books are geared for adults. Thank you for all of the suggestions I received.
Contrary to popular misconception, the Jewish community has struggled with addiction just as much as every other community. As Chairman of the Assembly’s Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee, I have heard too many tragic stories. One community teen is addicted to painkillers he first found in his parent’s medicine cabinet, another young man habitually “shul hops” to take advantage of the whiskey at his community’s kiddushim.
Noting the short time frame until the April 1st deadline to pass the New York State budget, Lt. Governor Robert Duffy and several other legislators urged the OU Advocacy-Teach NYS delegations that came to Albany recently to “keep up the pressure” on elected officials and remind them to support the initiatives that help Jewish education with consistent and persistent lobbying until the budget is passed.
Different Jewish communities around the world prepare fresh, intensely flavorful recipes on Passover. Try some of these traditional dishes to spice up your own meals this Passover!
IMDB’s (Internet Movie Data Base) plot summary for the film Aftermath is just one sentence: A Polish man who returns home after the death of his father unearths a secret about the now-deceased Jewish residents of his village. From that brief description, one would never guess that the movie is a tense, must-see, gripping thriller based on true events.
What does refusnik mean? It was an unofficial term for individuals, typically—but not exclusively—Soviet Jews, who were denied permission to leave the country. Over time, it has entered colloquial English meaning a person who refuses to do something, especially by way of protest.
In today’s world desires are met almost immediately. We all enjoy having instant answers from the Internet, skipping commercials, and next-day shipping, but we should know that in this climate of speedy satisfaction, it’s much harder to strengthen that part of the brain that controls one’s impulses. The reason it is important to have well developed impulse control is because there are links between this ability and success, as well as the reverse: studies show a connection between poor impulse control and addiction. Without giving up the convenience of a more efficient lifestyle, there are ways to develop one’s impulse control.
Judaism is a system for living that is built on obligations as opposed to rights. This is especially true with respect to the Jewish approach to marriage. Obligations foster responsibility and giving. Rights foster a sense of entitlement which can lead to irresponsibility. In Judaism, one is not entitled to anything. Everything good we have is a gift.
