Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

Although I converted to Judaism at the age of 19, having been inexplicably drawn to the ways of the Torah, I had no inkling that I was descended from Jews myself. After 44 years of living a Jewish life, through tracing the names in my mothers family tree, I discovered that they were Judeo-Spanish names from Catalonia, Spain.

My search led me to get in contact with a distant French relative by marriage, Danielle, the widow of a French fourth cousin. She sent me a link to a document in the French National Library that contains our familys tree allWhat, if any, possible knowledge of their Jewish heritage or ancestors was transmitted to them? the way back to Portugal of the 1500sto Portuguese prince Luis de Beja-Avis (the son of King Manuel), who fell in love with, and married, a Jewish lady, Yolanda, daughter of a noble family of converted Jews. Their marriage was performed quietlysecretly, in fact, because he was the son of Manuel, king of Portugal, and she, from a family of converted Jews. Although they were nobility, they were of sangre soucia, suspected or tainted blood. It was evidently considered the right thing to convert the Jews, but not to marry them.

This document Daniella sent me contains not only the family tree of my great-grandmothers mothers side, but also the story of a famous figure: Antonio Gomez de Beja-Avis.

Prince Luis de Beja, son of King Manuel (his brother Juan became the next king), and his Jewish wife Yolanda Gomez had two sons, Antonio and Juan, who were Jews according to halachah, butbeing from a family of converted Jewswere raised Catholic. Interestingly, they both married Jewish women.

When I read this, I wondered: What, if any, possible knowledge of their Jewish heritage or ancestors was transmitted to them? What did they know about being Jews, and did this have anything to do with choosing Jewish wives, or was that simply a coincidence?

This is the poignant story of one of their sons, Antonio, my ancestor. It touched my heart, and Im sure that important lessons can be learned from it.

When he was young, Antonio de Beja Avis was given a higher education, and spent years studying philosophy and religious thought in a Catholic school in Coimbra, Portugal. He inherited his fathers role as a cleric, but didnt continue a spiritual lifestyle; the physical world was too compelling. He was bent on enjoying the pleasures this world had to offer.

Antonio served his country as a governor in Morocco, which at the time was partially ruled by Portugal. He was very well-liked by the common people of Portugal, and was a beloved and popular public figure. His marriage to a Jewish woman, Ana Barbosa, yielded several children, including the eldest, Prince Manuel.

At age 40, Antonio accompanied his cousin King Sebastian on a mission to subdue a rebellion in Morocco, which ended unsuccessfully. King Sebastian was killed, and Antonio was taken prisoner.

During the time Antonio was held captive in Morocco, his uncle Henrique, a cardinal, took the throne and destroyed all evidence of Antonios parents private marriage ceremony. Henrique knew the throne rightfully belonged to Antonio, the next successor, but he didnt want Antonio to be able to claim what was rightfully his.

In the meantime, Henrique, who was elderly, passed away. At this time, Antonio was also freed from captivity in Morocco. He returned to Lisbon, Portugal, and was crowned king, acclaimed by the masses of the common people who loved him.

However, Antonios cousin, Philip II of Spain (whose father was Austrian and who had grown up in the Habsburg court), was determined not to let a Jew rule over Portugal, and spent a considerable amount of money bribing the rich landowner class of Portuguese to favor his claim to the throne over Antonios. Antonio ruled over Portugal for only a month at most, until Philip sent a large army of troops to defeat Antonio, oust him from the throne in Lisbon and overtake Portugal, annexing it to Spain.

Antonio fled for his life to Terceira Island (Isla Terceira) in the Azores archipelago off the coast of Africa, about 900 miles from Portugal. From Isla Terceira, King Antonio ruled, while Philip ruled mainland Portugal. After two years, Philip was proclaimed successor to the Portuguese throne. Even though Antonio was next in line to inherit the throne, Philip raised the issue of Antonios tainted bloodthe blood of his Jewish ancestorswhich Philip claimed should rightfully disqualify him.

Antonio left with his son Manuel to Paris, where his payment in crown jewels persuaded Catherine de Medici to use her connections to obtain a fleet of ships that sailed back to the Azores to battle with Philip and reclaim the throne. But the fleet was defeated. Antonio then went to England and persuaded Queen Elizabeth (who hated the Spaniards) to once again set sail to Terceira (where Antonio was convinced that his loyal followers would rally to his cause and oust Philips men).

Antonio was sadly mistaken. Philip had meanwhile won the people to his side, and they didnt rally to Antonios cause. He was defeated again and returned to France, broken and penniless, having spent his entire fortune trying to regain the throne.

Antonio, who is known in history as The Determined One, spent his remaining years in Paris, ever fearful of Philips assassins, from whom he fled many times.

Ill and exiled from his homeland and his people, Antonio sought solace at last in a vestige of the faith of his mothers peoplein the Psalms of King David. Antonio is considered a hero because of his determinationNo doubt he identified very much with King Davids life saga of persecution, betrayal by those whom he had trusted and constant flight from those who wished to kill him.

Antonio even wrote a book on the theme of the Psalms, titled in English The Royal Penitent. No doubt, in his last days, Antonio had come closer to Gd and regretted the ways of a youth spent in pursuit of the physical world.

And what of Prince Manuel, who followed his father into exile? He settled in Belgium and married a Belgian Huguenot princess of possible Jewish descent, Emilie Nassau, daughter of William I of Orange. They had eight children. Manuel still maintained ties to Spain, which had promised him government positions.

Since Spain was at war with the Netherlands, including Belgium, at the time, Princess Emilie considered Manuel to be a traitor to her people, and she left for Switzerland with her six daughtersone of whom, Maria Belgica, is my ancestor. Antonio died alone and broken in Paris, where he is buried.

Even though he was defeated many times, Antonio is considered in history to be a hero because of his determination in trying to maintain the independence of his homeland, Portugal. His son Cristobo, who had remained behind in Portugal, continued this cause after his fathers death.

What did I learn from this story?

Obviously, there is a lesson about the vanity of this world and its physical pursuits. In the end, we are left with only the soul. We must spend our time here on earth providing for our spiritual welfare, since this, as Antonio learned, is all that remains at the end of our sojourn here.

But I believe there is more to be gleaned from this story, which shows the strength of the pintele Yid, the spark of Jewishness inside us.

Even though Antonio was raised a Catholic and given an education within the church, in the end it wasnt the beliefs of his father, but rather the Psalms of Davidthe king of his mothers peoplethat gave him solace and to which he turned in his time of trouble.

I wonder again: Is it possible that Antonios mother, Yolanda Gomez, descendant of a noble Jewish family originally from Spain, was somehow, in spite of her upbringing as a converso, able to transmit something about the holiness and purity of Psalms to her son?

Whoever Antonios Jewish ancestors were, Im sure they are rejoicing now that their spark of Jewishness did find its way down to us, their descendants, in the beautiful Jewish family of Torah-observant children and grandchildren Gd has given me.

When our family performs mitzvot, which were lost to their descendants for 500 years, I think of these ancestors. When IWhoever Antonios ancestors were, Im sure they are rejoicing now light my Shabbat candles, I light them for all the grandmothers of Spain, Portugal, France and Switzerland who either didnt know they should light or were unable to do so. And I think of Yolanda, who was forced to hide for the rest of her life in a convent when her secret marriage to the prince was discovered. Whatever she secretly gave to her sonsthat tiny spark passed down for 500 yearswas finally fanned into a powerful flame of faith that ignited the heart of her descendant (me) and the hearts of my family!

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How a Portuguese King Found Solace in the Psalms of His Ancestors - Chabad.org

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Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

Rabbi David Lau, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, speaking in Berlin, Germany in 2013. (Sean Gallup/Getty)

NEW YORK Some 160 rabbis, including several American Orthodox leaders, appear on a list of rabbis whom Israels Chief Rabbinate does not trust to confirm the Jewish identities of immigrants.

Rabbis from 24 countries, including the US and Canada, are on the list. In addition to Reform and Conservative rabbis, the list includes Orthodox leaders Avi Weiss, from the Riverdale section of New York, and Yehoshua Fass, the executive director of Nefesh BNefesh, a group that encourages and facilitates American immigration to Israel.

The Chief Rabbinate controls all Jewish marriage in Israel, and immigrants who wish to wed there must first prove they are Jewish according to Halachah whether they were born Jewish or converted.

This proof often comes via a letter from a community rabbi attesting to the immigrants Jewish identity. One person at the rabbinate, Rabbi Itamar Tubul, handles every claim.

The publication of the list comes on the heels of a clash between American Jewish leaders and the Chief Rabbinate over how to determine Jewish identity.

In June, Israels Cabinet advanced a bill that would give the Chief Rabbinate authority over all official Jewish conversions within Israel. Following an outcry from Jewish leaders in America, the bill was shelved for six months.

The Chief Rabbinates antipathy to Reform and Conservative rabbis is documented. Its distrust of some Orthodox rabbis abroad was seen last year when the rabbinate omitted some Orthodox figures from a list of rabbis it trusts to confirm the authenticity of Jewish conversions.

The rabbinates latest list comprises rabbis whose letters it rejected during 2016. In addition to Weiss and Fass, the list includes Joshua Blass, a New York congregational rabbi and student adviser at Yeshiva Universitys rabbinical seminary; Joseph Potasnik, executive director of the NY Board of Rabbis; Adam Scheier, a past president of the Montreal Board of Rabbis, and Daniel Kraus, director of education at Kehilath Jeshurun, on Manhattans Upper East Side.

The rabbinate sent the list to Itim, a nonprofit that guides Israelis through the countrys religious bureaucracy, and was obtained on July 6 by JTA.

In 2015, Itim filed a freedom-of-information request in a Jerusalem municipal court demanding a list of approved foreign rabbis, and received this list as part of that case.

Rabbi Seth Farber, Itims executive director, called it a blacklist because it shows which rabbis the rabbinate has not trusted in the past. He has called repeatedly for greater transparency in the rabbinates evaluation of rabbis, and said the way it is being handled is a stain on the state of Israel.

The Chief Rabbinates spokesman, Kobi Alter, said in a phone interview last week that there is no list of unrecognized rabbis and did not respond to a follow-up inquiry via email. Last year, the rabbinate promised to release criteria regarding which rabbis can be approved. Alter told JTA that the criteria are still being composed.

In an email to Itim obtained by JTA, Tubul, the rabbinate official, wrote that letters are approved based on a collection of data, not based on the name of the rabbi, and added that unequivocally, the attached names do not imply recognition or rejection of other rabbis not mentioned here.

Israels Ashkenazi chief rabbi, David Lau, said he didnt know about the list before it was sent out. In a public letter last week, Lau called the list damaging and sounded incredulous that it was composed without his approval.

The Chief Rabbi was shocked to discover this list. This was done without the rabbis knowledge or his agreement. How can a list like this be publicized without the rabbi being made aware of the list itself or of its publication? read the letter written by an aide on behalf of Lau and issued July 2.

The results of this are very serious.First of all, an employee in the Chief Rabbinate cannot decide on his own to publicize who the Rabbinate approves or not. Secondly, the damage this does to certain rabbis cannot be exaggerated including to the Chief Rabbinate.

According to a JTA tally of the 66 US rabbis on the list, at least one-fifth are Orthodox, including an alumnus of the Baltimores Orthodox Ner Yisroel. The other US rabbis on the list are Reform or Conservative.

In 2013, the rabbinate rejected a proof-of-Judaism letter from Weiss, then reversed course and accepted it following complaints from American Jewish leaders. Last year, the rabbinate rejected a similar letter from Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, Kehilath Jeshuruns former rabbi and the rabbi who oversaw the conversion of Ivanka Trump.

It also rejected conversions overseen by Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, the chief presiding judge of the Beth Din of the Rabbinical Council of America, the main modern Orthodox rabbinical court in the US.

In some cases, Tubul made the rejection. But in Looksteins case, a district rabbinical court in the central Israeli city of Petach Tikvah rejected his imprimatur when a woman who converted under his auspices applied for a marriage license there and was denied.

These rejections have caused consternation among American Orthodox leaders. But following Weiss initial rejection in 2013, former rabbinate spokesman Ziv Maor told JTA that examining the credentials of Orthodox rabbis is crucial to the integrity of the evaluation process.

The testimony needs to be according to Jewish law and the witness needs to have the fear of heaven, Maor told JTA. Regarding Weiss, he added, Were talking about someone on the fringes of Orthodoxy.

Scheier, the Montreal rabbi, said he was unfazed by his inclusion. He said he is working with Itim to encourage transparency and consistency in the evaluation of rabbis. I know Im in good company on the list, he told JTA last week.

There are wonderful, honest, unparalleled rabbis that have been blacklisted by the State of Israel. No one who knows me or knows my community or knows my rabbinate could question my capacity to attest to the Jewish identity of the members of my congregation.

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New controversy from Israel: 'Blacklist' - Intermountain Jewish News

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Posted By richards on July 13, 2017

Who would have thought that a random Google search in 2013 would bring me half way around the world to the Baltics and Finland, two places I would have never dreamed of visiting before? Even more surprising is that I would discover Jewish life in these places to be thriving and hear stories of perseverance, strength, and the embrace of Jewish identity despite troubled histories.

But that experience did happen and I was fortunate that last month I joined with a group of young Jewish professionals to make our way to Finland and Estonia as part of a JDC Entwine Insider trip. Entwine is the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committees initiative focusing on young Jewish leaders, influencers and advocates who want to make an impact on Jewish needs and international humanitarian issues. The organization does this through service trips, educational opportunities and leadership development.

There were 12 of us participating, and we were joined by a JDC Entwine professional who leads every trip. The group was diverse in terms of place of origin, age, gender and Jewish observance. I was the only person from the Midwest and I appreciated the opportunity to meet people from across the United States.

After leaving from New York, our first stop was Helsinki, the capital of Finland, often known as the white city of the north because of the number of buildings built with a local light-colored granite. Prior to the trip, I had almost no knowledge about the local Jewish community and its unique history. Founded by Jews from Russias Pale of Settlement who had been forced into the Russian army, the Jewish community gained full civil rights in 1917 when Finland gained its independence. The Jewish community survived the horrors of World War II, and as we learned when we volunteered at the Jewish cemetery in Helsinki, many Jews fought in the Finnish Army, oftentimes next to German soldiers, against the Soviets. The communitys synagogue, painted in beautiful green and blue and adorned with golden stars, is filled with tributes to the communitys history.

In addition to impactful visits to Jewish sites and a visit to Suomenlinna, a sea fortress that spans over six islands and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we got to experience Jewish life today. We spent many festive meals engaging with young professionals from the Finnish Jewish community eating more salmon than I ever had in my life and visited with residents at an old-age home and talked to them about their lives.

In Finland, education is superb and the government takes great care of its citizens. The Jewish community is strong and well respected, but it struggles with the same kinds of challenges we do here in the United States: ensuring the future and finding support for its activities.

From Finland, we traveled to Tallinn, Estonia, a city noted for its medieval buildings in a country with one of the fastest growing economies, despite setbacks, in Europe.

Estonian Jews have a very different history. Estonia was the only country in Europe declared Judenfrei, free of Jews, by the Nazis during the Holocaust. In 1941, all Jews had been forced to flee the country, and those who stayed were executed. After the war, Soviet Jews immigrated to Estonia, although there was no formal Jewish activity allowed under Soviet rule. In the 1980s, the Jewish community created the Jewish Cultural Society in Tallinn giving rise to the small community found today. With support from JDC, Chabad, and other groups, the community has blossomed.

Our first day in Tallinn coincided with the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the new local synagogue. It was a big party, with renowned guests such as the president of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, the chief Rabbi of Israel, David Lau, and Ariel Klas, the wife of late composer Eri Klas. It was an amazing opportunity to help celebrate the presence of the Jewish community in Estonia, and being together as a group, we experienced try bonding.

During our time there, we baked challot and painted candleholders that we delivered to needy elderly Jews in the city. Split into small groups, and accompanied by a translator who spoke Russian, we went to do our home visits. I visited Elya, a 93-year-old who had lived through the Leningrad Blockade in Russia. She was a nurse and then became a doctor. After the war, she moved to Estonia and now lives alone in a modest apartment in Tallinn. The community visits her weekly and she cherishes those moments. The translator did a good job of sharing the conversation with all of us present. I felt as if I understood everything that Elya was saying. Someone from the group asked her what was her message to our generation. She said: Dont forget that you are a Jew.

During the rest of our time in Tallinn we visited the Jewish kindergarten and celebrated Shabbat as a group with Jewish young adults, many who participate in JDC programs focused on Jewish identity and culture. I attended services the next morning at the beautiful synagogue. I sat in the womens balcony, and a young woman helped me find the siddur in English. When I said goodbye, the woman gestured that I should stay for lunch. And although I had to leave, I left feeling happy that, wherever I go, Jews are always the same.

We also engaged with the communitys madrichim, teenagers who volunteer to be trained to do programming with Jewish children. This group was full of positive energy and really cares to be part of the Jewish community.

During the trip, it was not just the local Jews with whom we formed strong bonds. We also forged ties among ourselves. I tended to join a woman who really liked to explore the cities we were visiting, and knew a lot about Tallinn.

I never expected anyone to be so excited about visiting Estonia, so when I asked her about this she explained that her family came from Tallinn. Her great-grandfather and grandparents were buried at the Jewish cemetery. She had never been to Estonia, and wanted to go to the cemetery, but her parents told her to not go alone.

So I joined her. When we got to the cemetery, we had to follow directions that her father gave her, but we still had to walk through most of the small cemetery to find them. Both of us read Russian, but I worried we might not find the graves as a lot of stones had the names eroded. As I walked through one of the paths, I heard my friend call my name. She had found the tombstones. I stood next to her as she placed rocks on each. This, to me, was the most special part of the trip. My friend came back to her roots, and I was very glad I could accompany her during this special moment.

By the time we returned to New York, my heart felt so full, and my mind had truly expanded.Wanting to share that experience with others, I am going to host an event for young adults who want to learn more about these trips, and how to get involved with the JDC Entwine.

Gaby Szteinberg is a Project Coordinator of General Chemistry Supplemental Programs at Washington University in St. Louis. She is involved with local Jewish young adult organizations, and is passionate about traveling and learning languages. For more information about JDC Entwine, contact Gaby at gabys912@gmail.com.

Link:
Experiencing Judaism in the Baltics - St. Louis Jewish Light

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Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

Please note this was last updated on March 21, 2017.

The Anti-Defamation League is tracking bomb threats made to Jewish institutions across the country. Some institutions may share the same space as a community center, Jewish federation or school of some kind. In those instances the institutions are listed together.

The total number of bomb threats made is 167 in 38 states and 3 Canadian provinces.

The total number of institutions targeted is 120.

The total number of Jewish day schools that received threats is 18.

The total number of ADL offices that received bomb threats is 5.

January 4, 2017 Chabad Center of Jewish Life in South Orlando Orlando, FL

January 4, 2017 Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando/Jewish Academy of Orlando Maitland, FL

January 5, 2017 Tampa JCC South Pre-School Tampa, FL

January 5, 2017 Tampa JCC North Pre-School Tampa, FL

January 5, 2017 Atlanta Jewish Academy Atlanta, GA

January 9, 2017 Siegel JCC Wilmington, DE

January 9, 2017 Jewish Community Alliance of Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL

January 9, 2017 Tampa JCC North Pre-School Tampa, FL

January 9, 2017 Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando Maitland, FL

January 9, 2017 Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center Boca Raton, FL

January 9, 2017 Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center Miami, FL

January 9, 2017 Miami Beach JCC Miami Beach, FL

January 9, 2017 Marcus Jewish Community Center Atlanta, GA

January 9, 2017 Augusta Jewish Community Center Evans, GA

January 9, 2017 JCC of Greater Baltimore Baltimore, MD

January 9, 2017 JCC of Greater Washington Rockville, MD

January 9, 2017 Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center Charlotte, NC

January 9, 2017 Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Tenafly, NJ

January 9, 2017 Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center Columbia, SC

January 9, 2017 Gordon Jewish Community Center Nashville, TN

January 11, 2017 JCC of Staten Island Staten Island, NY

January 17, 2017 Staenberg Family Jewish Community Center Creve Coeur, MO

January 18, 2017 Levite Jewish Community Center Birmingham, AL

January 18, 2017 Osher Marin Jewish Community Center San Rafael, CA

January 19, 2017 Wornick Jewish Day School (JCC Peninsula) Foster City, CA

January 18, 2017 JCC of Greater New Haven Woodbridge, CT

January 18, 2017 Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford West Hartford, CT

January 18, 2017 Siegel JCC Wilmington, DE

January 18, 2017 Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando Maitland, FL

January 18, 2017 Mandel JCC of Palm Beach Garden/Meyer Jewish Academy Palm Beach Gardens, FL

January 18, 2017 Chabad Center of Jewish Life in South Orlando Orlando, FL

January 18, 2017 Miami Beach JCC Miami Beach, FL

January 18, 2017 JCC of Greater Kansas City Kansas City, KS

January 18, 2017 The Worcester JCC Worcester, MA

January 18, 2017 Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston Newton, MA

January 18, 2017 Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine Portland, ME

January 18, 2017 JCC of Metro Detroit Detroit, MI

January 18, 2017 Sabes Jewish Community Center St. Louis Park, MN

January 18, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Central Jersey Scotch Plains, NJ

January 18, 2017 Middlesex Jewish Community Center Edison, NJ

January 18, 2017 Sidney Albert JCC Albany, NY

January 18, 2017 JCC of Syracuse DeWitt, NY

January 18, 2017 JCC Manhattan New York, NY

January 18, 2017 Barry and Florence Friedberg JCC Oceanside, NY

January 18, 2017 Mayerson JCC Cincinnati, OH

January 18, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus Columbus, OH

January 18, 2017 Gordon Jewish Center Nashville, TN

January 18, 2017 Aaron Family JCC of Dallas Dallas, TX

January 28, 2017 Jewish History Museum New York, NY

January 29, 2017 Jewish History Museum New York, NY

January 31, 2017 Lawrence Family JCC La Jolla, CA

January 31, 2017 Alpert Jewish Community Center Long Beach, CA

January 31, 2017 Boulder Jewish Community Center Boulder, CO

January 31, 2017 Elaine Frank JCC Apachi Day Camp Lake Zurich, IL

January 31, 2017 The Worcester JCC Worcester, MA

January 31, 2017 Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Tenafly, NJ

January 31, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Metrowest New Jersey West Orange, NJ

January 31, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM

January 31, 2017 JCC of Syracuse DeWitt, NY

January 31, 2017 Sidney Albert JCC Albany, NY

January 31, 2017 Binghamton JCC Vestal, NY

January 31, 2017 Sylvania YMCA/JCC Toledo, OH

January 31, 2017 JCC of London London, ON, Canada

January 31, 2017 I.J. &Jeanne Wagner Jewish Community Center Salt Lake City, UT

January 31, 2017 Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center Milwaukee, WI

February 1, 2017 Hillel Day School Farmington, MI

February 9, 2017 Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community Center Town & Country, MO

February 16, 2017 Consulate General of Israel in Florida Miami, FL

February 20, 2017 Levite Jewish Community Center Birmingham, AL

February 20, 2017 Tampa JCC South Pre-School Tampa, FL

February 20, 2017 Hyde Park Jewish Community Center Chicago, IL

February 20, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Greater St. Paul St. Paul, MN

February 20, 2017 Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM

February 20, 2017 JCC of Greater Buffalo Amherst, NY

February 20, 2017 Mandel Jewish Community Center Beachwood, OH

February 20, 2017 Jewish Federation of Tulsa/JCC Tulsa, OK

February 20, 2017 Gordon Jewish Community Center Nashville, TN

February 20, 2017 Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish community Center of Houston Houston, TX

February 20, 2017 Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center Milwaukee, WI

February 21, 2017 Lawrence Family JCC La Jolla, CA

February 22, 2017 Lerner Day School Durham, NC

February 22, 2017 Anti-Defamation League National Head Quarter New York, NY

February 23, 2017 New Orleans JCC New Orleans, LA

February 27, 2017 Calgary JCC Calgary, AB, Canada

February 27, 2017 Aaron Family JCC of Dallas Dallas, TX

February 27, 2017 Lubavitch Center of Alaska Anchorage, AK

February 27, 2017 N.E. Miles Jewish Day School Birmingham, AL

February 27, 2017 Valley of the Sun JCC Scottsdale, AZ

February 27, 2017 Tucson Jewish Community Center Tucson, AZ

February 27, 2017 Westside Jewish Community Center Los Angeles, CA

February 27, 2017 Anti-Defamation League San Francisco Regional Office San Francisco, CA

February 27, 2017 Lawrence Family JCC La Jolla, CA

February 27, 2017 Merage JCC of Orange County Irvine, CA

February 27, 2017 Alpert Jewish Community Center Long Beach, CA

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Bomb Threats to Jewish Institutions in 2017 | Anti-Defamation ...

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Posted By simmons on July 13, 2017

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has announced a number of new initiatives to expand its efforts in helping the Hispanic community report hate crimes and incidents.

The new initiatives, which will be implemented in partnership with Latin American consulates across the United States, were announced on Monday, July 10, by ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt during the National Council of La Razas (NCLR) annual convention, held this year in Phoenix.

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ADL pledges support to Hispanic community - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

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Posted By simmons on July 12, 2017

The Beth Hamedrash Hagodol synagogue was largely destroyed in a massive fire. View Full Caption

DNAinfo/Janon Fisher

LOWER EAST SIDE The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission has approved a plan to knock down partsof the historicBeth Hamedrash Hagodolsynagogue, which was ravaged by fire when a teen set it ablaze in May.

The commission onTuesday signed off on the synagogue board's general application to demolishthe structure at 60 Norfolk St. with modifications giving engineers permission to remove the unsafe chunksof the crumbling building but requiring thatother parts be assessed and preserved if possible, according to LPC's Director of CommunicationsDamarisOlivo.

The commission found that the 167-year-old house of worship was significantly damaged by the May 14 inferno, and that parts of the structure especially on the west, north and south sides of the building must be removed because they pose a safety hazard, the Olivo said.

Other parts of the structure, however, need to be inspected before it is determined whether they can be saved, said Olivo.

The work will be monitored by the LPC's engineer and will be done in such a way that minimizes the amount of the structure that must be removed the facade will be demolished only to the extent that it must be in order to stabilize the structure, said Olivo.

The LPC'sinsistence on preservationechoes the wishes of both the synagogue's rabbi and engineers hired to assess the damage, who last month pledged to salvage as much of the synagogueas possible.

Engineers have said a full demolition is likely, but that they have not yet been able to assess parts of the structure because parts of the facade are dangerously unstable.

Rabbi Mendel Greenbaumhas also stated he will resurrect a synagogue at the site regardless of what happens to the original structure.

The beloved building hadserved the neighborhood's Russian Orthodox community for over a century, but had sat derelict for roughly a decade after falling into decay.

It was first built in 1850 as a Baptist church, then in 1885 was acquired by the oldest Russian Orthodox congregation in the country, LPC documents show. It was designated a city landmark in 1967.

But the structure had fallen into dangerous disrepair by 2007 and was shuttered by the rabbi, who says he had briefly considered demolition but ultimately favored preservation and had been fighting for the necessary funds for years.

Shortly before the fire, the rabbihad beenworking in partnership with the Chinese-American Planning Council to sell the synagogue's air rights to a developer in order to facilitate synagogue renovations and the construction of a neighboring community center the planning council has said they are still keen on pursuing a similar arrangement, but details and a timeline remain up in the air following the blaze.

The synagogue still must apply for a demolition permit through the Department of Buildings before work can begin. An application had not been filed as of Tuesday evening.

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Teen Accused of LES Synagogue Arson Released Without Charges, City Says

'Suspicious' Footage Shows 3 Fleeing Area Near Synagogue That Burned: NYPD

Historic LES Synagogue Fire Believed to Be Arson, NYPD Says

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City Approves Partial Demolition of Historic Synagogue on Lower East Side - DNAinfo

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Posted By admin on July 12, 2017

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The Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Alexandria, Egypt. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

JNS.org The Egyptian government has reportedly approved a budget of $2.2 million for the restoration of the centuries-old Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Alexandria.

The Project Sector of Egypts Ministry of Antiquities last week sanctioned the funding for the restoration and development of the historic synagogue, which was recently closed for several months after its ceiling collapsed, the Egypt Independent reported.

Al-Saeed Helmy Ezzat, head of Egypts Islamic and Coptic Monuments Department, said that although Egyptian law requires local communities to pay the cost of such repairs, the national government is funding the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue restoration.

The synagogue is one of the largest in the Middle East, with a seating capacity of more than 700. Originally built in 1354, it was bombed in 1798 when France invaded Egypt. The synagogue was rebuilt in 1850 with contributions from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty.

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Egypt Allocates $2.2 Million to Restore Historic Alexandria Synagogue - Algemeiner

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Posted By admin on July 12, 2017

JERUSALEM (JTA) Israeli and Diaspora Jewry are in a very precarious place, the head of the Conservative movements synagogue organization in the United States, Rabbi Steven Wernick, warned members of Israels Knesset.

Wernick, CEO of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, spoke Tuesday in front of the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs, which was meeting in a special session devoted to Israels image abroad.

We are on the edge; on the edge of very real, very serious and very harmful distancing of Israeli Jewry with Diaspora Jewry, Wernick said in his remarks.

Wernick addressed the committee in the wake of two government decisions, taken on the same day nearly two weeks ago, which sends a message of disrespect and delegitimization of Klal Yisrael, he said, using a term for the Jewish people. One decision was to freeze the agreement to expand an egalitarian prayer section at the Western Wall. The second was to advance legislation giving the Chief Rabbinate complete control over conversions in Israel.

Our feelings go beyond the intellectual, they are emotional, he added. If we are brothers and sisters, if we are family, then the sense of betrayal feels like abandonment.

The rabbi pointed out that North American Jewry has lobbied their governments for political, economic and strategic support for Israel; responded to the BDS movement against Israel and the United Nations delegitimization of Israel; invested billions of dollars in Israel and sent billions in charitable contributions; supported aliyah and sent their own children as lone soldiers.

He reiterated that Diaspora Jewish supporters of Israel do not support Israel for any benefit. We support Israel because we are Zionists. We share the vision of a nation-state for the Jewish People lihiyot am chofshee bartzaynu,' or a free people in our land, he said.

And an essential element of that vision, a key ingredient of what it means to be a free people in our land, is for our religious expressions that give meaning to our Jewish identities and lead us to be Zionists are respected and supported in our Jewish homeland by its government, he added.

Wernickdescribed the Diaspora Jewish community as feeling betrayed.

On the issues of religious pluralism in the Jewish State we have lost our patience and thats why weve seen the response we have, he added. It is no longer acceptable for Israel to simply claim it is the Jewish Homeland without it actually being the Homeland of all the Jews.

Wernick concluded by calling on the Knesset to be the Parliament of the Jewish people.

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Head of US Conservative synagogue network warns of 'distancing' between Israeli, Diaspora Jews - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

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Posted By admin on July 12, 2017

Congregation Shaare Zedek in New York City (Jim Henderson/Wikimedia Commons)

(JTA) A historic 179-year-old Conservative synagogue in New Yorks Upper West Side is moving forward with plans to house a 14-story apartment building.

The proposed project for the Shaare Zedek synagogue includes 20 condominiums, with a community center for the synagogue in the buildings first three floors, The Real Deal, a website focusing on New York real estate news, reported last week.

Some community members, concerned about issues such as increased traffic in the area, had asked the citys Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider naming the synagogues building a city landmark, but the commission issued a decision in October that the building didnt rise to the level of an individual landmark, The Real Deal reported.

Synagogue president Michael Firestone said in September during a community board member meeting that the congregation could not remain solvent without partnering with a developer, as several New York synagogues have done in recent years, The Real Deal reported, citing DNAinfo.

The synagogue, the third oldest in New York City, was established in 1837 by Polish immigrants,according to its website. It started on the Lower East Side and moved to Harlem before building at its current location. The current synagogue building was dedicated on April 15, 1923, and in 1944 the congregation paid off the mortgage.

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179-year-old NYC Conservative synagogue to go condo - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

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Posted By richards on July 12, 2017

Patch.com

Synagogue Ravaged By Fire Is Beyond Repair, Architects Say - Patch Patch.com Lower East Side-Chinatown, NY - The Beth Hamedrash Hagadol synagogue, largely destroyed by a fire in May, is beyond repair, according to an architectural ... and more »

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Synagogue Ravaged By Fire Is Beyond Repair, Architects Say - Patch - Patch.com

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