The Shehebar Sephardic Center (SSC) held a three day rabbinical conference in which 17 rabbis from 11 countries gathered to discuss 21st century problems faced by Diaspora rabbis. The rabbis—graduates of the SSC—hailed from Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Turkey, Columbia, the Philippines, Israel and the United States.
An official ground-breaking ceremony for the Ohio Holocaust and Liberators Memorial took place recently at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. Ohio will be the second state after Iowa to have a Holocaust memorial constructed on state grounds. Governor John Kasich attended the ceremony along with memorial designer Daniel Libeskind. Kasich first called for a Holocaust memorial to be built at the Ohio Statehouse in 2011. The $2 million project is expected to be completed in April 2014.
Yehuda Bauer, a pioneer of Holocaust studies, and Xu Xin, who introduced the subject to universities in China, participated in a discussion hosted by USC Shoah Foundation—The Institute for Visual History and Education. Chinese Professor Xu Xin became a scholar in Jewish literature before he ever met a Jew. Czechoslovakian-born Yehuda Bauer has long been regarded as a pioneer in Holocaust studies.
Barkai’s early childhood and 2nd grade students got their fingers dirty while learning hands-on about a plant’s life cycle, when horticulture and ecology enthusiast, David Geliebter, visited them to discuss how plants contribute to our lives. The students learned what a plant needs to grow. Then, with trowels in hand, they set out for their outdoor classroom.
It seems like everywhere we look, we’re being told that we should not eat sugar. However, in small amounts sugar is not bad for most people. The natural fructose sugar found in fruits and vegetables and lactose sugar in milk and dairy is part of a healthy diet. The problem lies with processed foods packed with high amounts of sugar (namely sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup). It’s not just the obvious culprits, like soda, candy, and cakes.
In the winter, our skin reacts to the cold air, We sleep with the heat on, and the wind outside blows against our faces. When we’re not outside in the freezing cold, we’re inside, where the air is heated. With the extreme cold and hot, most of us need to add to or alter our skin care regimen.
When you think about fatal illnesses, the flu isn’t the first disease that comes to mind. However, the flu is a serious illness that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes can be deadly. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others.
If you’re in the mood for a quick nosh or nibble, beware. Research shows that reckless snacking is the cause of most Americans’ excess calorie consumption—and it can very easily add up to weight gain. Similarly, mid-morning snacks can detour a diet because many people snack out of routine, not hunger, and their snacks are often too high-calorie.
As an educator and as a principal, I am often asked, “When does reading begin?” Traditionalists would say reading begins in the first grade, with reading readiness as a precursor in kindergarten. This thinking is based on the assumption that the stronger the level of reading readiness, the more successful the reader. Few would disagree with this assertion.
The second annual gathering of Jewish refugees from Arab countries was held recently at the UN. The event was organized by the Israeli delegation to the UN, headed by Ambassador Ron Prosor, the World Jewish Congress and the World Organization of Jews from Arab Countries (WOJAC). The event featured esteemed panelists, testimonials of Jewish refugees from Arab countries, and the screening of a short film entitled “The Forgotten Refugees.”
According to the holy Zohar, the term Shabbat can be used to refer to an exceptional tzaddik, such as Ribbi Shim’on bar Yohai. Just as the spirit of Shabbat gives life and meaning to the rest of the week, the tzaddik gives life and meaning to his generation. Reflecting on the life and deeds of Maran Hakham Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, we might say that the term fits him aptly—he was the Shabbat of our generation.
The Peruvian Jewish community is small. Out of a general population of about 27,000,000, there are fewer than 3,000 Jews. Almost all of them reside in the capital city of Lima. There are traces of remains of other Jewish communities in other cities, but most of these consist of intermarried descendants and are not counted in the official community calculation. Stories also surface occasionally of Converso communities in remote jungle areas but, once again, as these rumors remain unsubstantiated, members of such groups are not considered part of the contemporary community.
Doctors around the world still hold the writings and manner of care of medieval philosopher-physician Moses Maimonides (Rambam)in high regard. His teachings have left a significant mark on modern medical practice. Famously dubbed the Prince of Physicians, Maimonides’ 10 influential medical texts find their basis in Jewish law and advance a philosophy with significant implications for modern doctors, nurses, and hospitals.
On the second day of Yom Tov Shavuot in 2012, Rabbi Shlomo Braun, Director of the Aleh Foundation passed by the Bikur Cholim Hospital on Rechov Haneviyim in Jerusalem where he had the accidental privilege of meeting and greeting the late Great Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l as he was exiting the hospital.
