Home Blog Page 130

The Jews of Argentina

The Sephardic Temple in the Barracas district of Buenos AiresArgentina is the second largest nation in Latin America and boasts the largest Jewish community in the region. From an open door policy of immigration to the harboring of Nazi war criminals, Argentina’s Jews have faced periods of peaceful coexistence and periods of intense anti-Semitism.

SEAD: Saving Our Students

Many of us know the feeling of being the last one picked for a team. Most of us know the feeling of failure or feeling like a square peg in a round hole. Many of us still recall the first hurtful thing that happened to us when we were young that still smarts today. I know I do.

Luckily, as children we were resilient, and with time, maturity, love and external encouragement, most of us were able to work through those tough times and actually become stronger as a result.

SBH Hosts A Night in Syria

I’ve been a part of the Sephardic Bikur Holim youth committee for a full year now. I’ve seen many acts of hesed and kindness in my life, but never did I see anything as amazing as ā€œA Night in Syria,ā€ our most recent event.

Yeshivah Kids Register Thousands To Vote

City Council Member David Greenfield addresses yeshivah studentsOver 200 elementary school students from six yeshivas ended their school year with a hands-on lesson in civics and walked away with some great prizes, including iPads, iPods, bicycles, and Monopoly Deal games.

These students went door-to-door, registering over 2,500 Brooklyn voters on behalf of Teach NYS in an effort facilitated by the Sephardic Community Federation. Two boys received iPads by registering 100 voters each.

Designer's Showroom To Benefit the Sephardic Community Center

The interior designers with the committee and the vendorsThe Sephardic Community Center’s DĆ©cor by the Shore designer show house was unprecedented and an overall success. The house captured the sophistication of a museum and the elegance of a Syrian household simultaneously. The motivation, inspiration, and all out determination of the committee, designers, and community made for one spectacular achievement.

Raise Your Good Cholesterol

Raising HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is recommended for protection against cardiovascular disease. HDL helps remove the cholesterol that clogs arteries by taking it to the liver for elimination. It appears that high levels of HDL cholesterol (more than 35 mg/dL) are protective even if your total cholesterol levels are high. In addition, having a low level of HDL is now considered an independent risk factor, meaning that if your total cholesterol is within limits but your HDL is too low, your risk of heart disease is still elevated.

Relationship Matters

When scientists study the universe, they agree that if one member of a constellation changes in any form, the result on the others may be profound. In the realm of human relationships, this is also true; namely, that couples, families, communities, etc. interact on a myriad of different levels, and a change in one member affects the entire unit.

How to Keep a First Date from Being the Last

Let’s face it, getting a first date is relatively easy. A guy spots you at a professional conference; he reads your profile on an online dating site; or a mutual friend sets you up on a blind date.

The trick is to get a second date. Here are some tips to help you keep that first date from being the last.

I Am A Good Parent

Have you ever wondered how you stack up as a parent? Are your skills up to par? Are you approaching discipline and daily decisions with the right focus?

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, even when it comes to raising children. Once you recognize the areas where you excel, and identify those where you need to make some changes, you can focus on learning new skills and creating a parenting plan of your own.

New York Senators Brief SCF on Foreign Policy

United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand addressing the crowdAs the White House was preparing to release to the public news of death Osama Bin Laden’s death, both of New York’s United States Senators—Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand—were briefing 100 community leaders in the Midwood home of Joe and Trina Cayre on the key foreign policy challenges relating to the safety of the State of Israel. All were there to honor the Sephardic Community Federation (SCF), which in turn presented its highest honor—the annual Jacob Barsimon Award to Senator Gillibrand ā€œin recognition of her exceptional service to the public and her dedication to improving the lives of all New Yorkers.ā€

Holocaust Records Put Online

Papers and photographs documenting the lives of Holocaust victims and survivors—including notable names like Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel and former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin—are part of a collection being put online by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

The Power of the Torah

On Shavuot, lovers of Torah never fail to tell the old midrash of Rabbi Avram and his beautiful Torah. The rabbi lived by himself in a one-room, wood frame structure that held a table for studying, a bed for sleeping, and a stove for cooking.

ā€œWhat else do I need?ā€ he would ask his friends and students.

Shavuot: When G-d Gave Us the Torah

boy-with-torahThe holiday of Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah by G-d to the entire Jewish people. This occurred on Mount Sinai over 3,300 years ago. The imparting of the Torah and biblical commandments was more than just a historical date. It was a far-reaching spiritual event that touched the essence of all Jewish souls for all time. On Shavuot, the Jewish people agreed to adhere to the commandments of the Torah. Every year, Shavuot is a special time for us to strengthen our unique relationship with G-d.

SPARKS Raises Awareness on Capitol Hill

Rabbi Levi Shomtov of American friends of Lubavitch speaking. Seen in photo Rabbi Elie Abadie and Congressman Jerry NadlerSPARKS, an organization founded by Esther Kenigsberg with a mission to combat and raise awareness relating to women who suffer from postpartum depression  and related illnesses, recently paid tribute to several prominent business and religious leaders, including Rabbi Dr. Elie and Esti Abadie, Rafi and Ruthie Fouzailoff, Rabbi Joel Eisdorfer, Rabbi Naftali Horowitz, Susan Stone, Yossi Itzkowitz and Suri Krauss, in a tribute luncheon held in Washington, DC.