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Judaism: Ashkenazi Jewish Genetic Diseases

Posted By on May 17, 2017

A number of genetic disorders occur more frequently in certain ethnic populations. In the Ashkenazi Jewish population (those of Eastern European descent), it has been estimated that one in four individuals is a carrier of one of several genetic conditions. These diseases include Tay-Sachs Disease, Canavan, Niemann-Pick, Gaucher, Familial Dysautonomia, Bloom Syndrome, Fanconi anemia, Cystic Fibrosis and Mucolipidosis IV. Some of these diseases may be severe and may result in the early death of a child. Carrier screening is available for all of these diseases with a simple blood test.

- How are These Diseases Inherited? - What are the Diseases? - What if Both Parents are Carriers? - Resources on Genetic Diseases?

In the nucleus of every cell in the body there are 46 chromosomes. Each chromosome is a package that holds many genes. Our genes contain DNA, the set of instructions that makes up who we are. All chromosomes (and the genes that are on those chromosomes) come in pairs. We receive one member of each pair of chromosomes from our mother and the other member of the pair from our father. Sometimes there is a change in a gene (called a mutation) that causes the gene to malfunction.

All of the above-mentioned conditions are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. This means that an affected person has a change in both genes of the pair of genes, one change inherited from each parent. Neither gene in the pair is working properly, which causes the symptoms of the disease.

A carrier is someone who has a change in only one gene of the pair of genes. Carriers are healthy individuals who are only at risk for passing the gene change on to their children. Most often these diseases occur in families with no prior history of the disease.

Tay-Sachs Disease A condition where children develop normally until about four to six months of age. It is at this time that the central nervous system begins to degenerate. Individuals with Tay-Sachs Disease lack an enzyme called hexosaminidase (Hex A). The child loses all motor skills and becomes blind, deaf and unresponsive. Death usually occurs by the age of four. The carrier rate in the Ashkenazi Jewish population is approximately 1 in 25. More rare than the infantile type is Late Onset Tay-Sachs Disease, where the progression of symptoms is slower and milder.

Canavan Disease Very similar to Tay-Sachs Disease, with normal development until age two to four months, followed by progressive loss of previously attained skills. Most individuals with Canavan Disease die by the age of five. An estimated 1 in 40 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier for this disease.

Niemann-Pick Disease Type A A disease in which a harmful amount of a fatty substance accumulates in different parts of the body. Failure to thrive and a progressive neurodegenerative course lead to death by three years of age. The carrier rate in the Ashkenazi Jewish population is approximately 1 in 90.

Gaucher Disease Type 1 (Pronounced go-shay) is a variable condition, both in age of onset and in progression of symptoms. A painful, enlarged and overactive spleen, with anemia and low white blood cell count are usually the initial features of Gaucher Disease. Bone deterioration is a major cause of discomfort and disability. Approximately 1 in 14 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier of this condition. Treatment is available.

Familial Dysautonomia A disease that causes the autonomic and sensory nervous systems to malfunction. This affects the regulation of body temperature, blood pressure, stress response, normal swallowing and digestion. An estimated 1 in 30 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier of FD.

Bloom Syndrome Characterized by short stature, sun-sensitive facial skin lesions, an increased susceptibility to infections and a higher incidence of leukemia and certain cancers. The carrier rate is about 1 in 100 in the Ashkenazi Jewish population.

Fanconi anemia Type C A disease associated with short stature, bone marrow failure and a predisposition to leukemia and other cancers. Some children may have learning difficulties or mental retardation. Approximately 1 in 89 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier for this condition.

Mucolipidosis IV Caused by the accumulation of certain harmful substances throughout the body. Individuals with ML IV experience a range of levels of motor and mental retardation, with developmental delays often manifesting themselves as early as the first year of life. Other symptoms can be related to the eyes, such as corneal clouding, pseudostrabismus and retinal degeneration.

Cystic Fibrosis A multi-system disorder that causes the body to produce a thick mucus. The mucus accumulates primarily in the lungs and the digestive tract, resulting in chronic lung infections and poor growth. CF does not affect intelligence. The carrier rate for CF among all Caucasian individuals is approximately 1 in 25. The CF carrier test has a detection rate of 97% in the Ashkenazi Jewish population.

If two carriers of the same disorder have children, there is a 25% chance of having an affected child, a 50% chance of having a child who is a carrier like themselves, and a 25% chance of having a child who is neither affected nor a carrier. If an individual is found to be a carrier, genetic counseling is available at many clinics throughout the country to discuss the implications of this finding. If partners are found to be carriers of the same disorder(s), a genetic counselor can provide information and support, which may be helpful in making important family planning decisions.

The results of these tests are highly accurate. However, there is a slight possibility that someone who tests negative for being a carrier could still be a carrier. There may be rare mutations that DNA testing may not pick up.

- Jewish Genetic Disease Screening Program, Albert Einstein Medical Center - Chicago Center for Jewish Genetic Disorders - Mount Sinai School of Medicine Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases - Canavan Foundation - National Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association - Fanconi Anemia Research Fund - National Gaucher Foundation - National Niemann-Pick Foundation - Late Onset Tay-Sachs Foundation - Dysautonomia Foundation - Familial Dysautonomia Hope Foundation - Mucolipidosis IV Foundation - Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - National Society of Genetic Counselors - Genetic Alliance

Sources: Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases

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Judaism: Ashkenazi Jewish Genetic Diseases

14-year-old Arrested in Arson of New York’s Oldest Ashkenazi Synagogue – Haaretz

Posted By on May 17, 2017

Built in 1850 as a Baptist church, the building was purchased in 1885 to become the first Eastern European congregation founded in New York City

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with arson in connection with a fire that seriously damaged a historic synagogue on Manhattans Lower East Side.

The boy was arrested Tuesday night at his home near the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol synagogue, the New York Post reported Wednesday morning. He was expected to be arraigned later in the day in Manhattan Family Court, according to the newspaper. He has not been named because he is a minor.

Surveillance video showed three teens running away from the building shortly after the fire began on Sunday evening. Police reportedly spoke with friends of the teen who were with him at the time of the blaze, and they said he started the fire.

The fire burned for several hours and took at least two hours for firefighters to bring under control. The building was empty at the time; two firefighters were injured putting out the blaze.

Built in 1850 as a Baptist church, the building was purchased in 1885 to become the first Eastern European congregation founded in New York City and served Russian Jews. The congregation closed the synagogue in 2007 after determining it did not have the $3 million to $4 million needed for repairs. In 1967, the building was declared a city landmark, and in 2003 it was designated an endangered historic site.

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The synagogue in recent years has sought to de-landmark the building, allowing for condominiums to be built on the site, with a small synagogue to be built on the ground floor. The synagogues rabbi, Mendel Greenbaum, told the CBS New York affiliate on Tuesday that he was in the middle of plans to renovate and restore the congregation but said that was now in doubt because of the fire.

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14-year-old Arrested in Arson of New York's Oldest Ashkenazi Synagogue - Haaretz

Playing prime ministers – Jewish Chronicle

Posted By on May 17, 2017


Jewish Chronicle
Playing prime ministers
Jewish Chronicle
Acclaimed Israeli actor, Lior Ashkenazi laughs as he explains why he needed to overcome his negative opinion of politicians when prepping for his latest role as fictionalised politician, Micha Eshel, in Norman:The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New ...
Giveaway Win A Poster From NORMAN: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer Signed By Richard ...We Are Movie Geeks

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GreenQ Hopes to Help Promote the Internet of Garbage – waste360

Posted By on May 17, 2017

The waste and recycling industry has become familiar with the Internet of Things (IoT) or the inter-networking of physical devices, vehicles (also referred to as "connected devices" and "smart devices") and other items.

Smart also is a familiar word tacked onto things like trucks and bins within the industry to signify that these devices or vehicles have additional technology and sensors that can track and monitor usage, among other things.

But the Internet of Garbage (IoG) is something one Israel-based technology company, GreenQ, hopes to make a household term.

Were all about the Internet of Garbage (IoG). Were bringing sensors and big data analytics to residential garbage routes so municipalities can reduce expenses, reduce emissions and provide better services to their citizens, according to the companys website.

GreenQ, with U.S. offices in Bexley, Ohio, was established in 2015 with the goal of bringing efficient technology to the waste management space through its monitoring device.

Waste360 recently sat down with Shlomy Ashkenazi, CEO and cofounder of GreenQ Ltd., to discuss the companys monitoring device, also known as smart truck system, and to learn more about the IoG concept.

Waste360: When and why was GreenQ established?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: In July 2015, GreenQ's founders suddenly realized there were billions of dollars being thrown into the garbage and dissolving into [greenhouse gasses] due to an unmonitored and inefficient waste collection process. Thus, they founded a startup with the goal of making garbage trucks smarter.

Our smart waste management services are designed to meet the needs of municipalities, integrators and collection providers. GreenQ is currently operating in seven sites, with a [software as a service] business model, that differentiate to a monthly plan and yearly plan.

Waste360: What is the Internet of Garbage?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: The world is getting in to the IoT era. We are engaging in IoT as well, but we do it in a specific niche and apply our technology on garbage trucks and waste bins, we are doing Internet of Garbage.

Waste360: What type of hardware do you provide for waste haulers?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: We provide haulers with measuring, computing and monitoring sensors designed for heavy duty. The hardware is installed on existing trucks and does not require any internal modification to the trucks.

Waste360: What does the technology do and how does it work?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: A tracking device is installed on any garbage truck, making it a smart truck in just a one-day installation, enabling monitoring waste collection to a single bin level for only few cents per can.

With every lift of a waste bin, the system on the truck measures the amount of waste inside the bin and monitors the time and location of the pickup. The data is analyzed and sent through the cloud, directly to the end user's mobile device along with notifications for any unusual event and recommendations for optimization of the collection process.

Waste360: Why did you choose to use this particular technology?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: We wanted to support the global efforts of reducing waste and enabling sustainability. We understood that the recycling and re-using spaces are getting the spotlight, while collection and disposal is left aside. The recycling hierarchy starts with collection, which is as important as the other parts of the pyramid.

Waste360: What specific benefits have you experienced?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: The GreenQ system is a learning machine that predicts waste production rates on a single bin level. After a few weeks, the hauler will know in advance when each bin will be full and when is the right time to execute every route out of its route pool. By knowing the waste production rate, the hauler could provide a better service to the municipality which enjoys a major decrease in waste related complaints from its residents.

Waste360: Is the data collected in real-time? If yes, how?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: Yes, real time status of the bins is collected and the truck is gathered and shown in an easy-to-use platform.

Waste360: How is this different than installing sensors on the bins themselves?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: Our unique technology enables large scale monitoring with minimum installations, for examplea collection of more than 500,000 residents is taking place with no more than 100 devices.

Waste360: Were there any challenges implementing?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: The challenges are mainly in are integrating technology and new ideas in to quite old-fashioned industry. For this reason, focus on the haulers and municipalities specific needs, emphasizing the value of our technology.

Waste360: Do you provide your technology to any waste haulers in the U.S.?

Shlomy Ashkenazi: We are approaching the U.S market along with strategic partners and offering medium size players to get to know our technology.

GreenQ believes in collaborations and therefore we are here, to find new partners. Our smart waste management services are designed to meet the needs of municipalities, integrators and collection providers. The technology can be applied on various kinds of collection platforms: loaders, grapple trucks, roll-off, underground bins and stationary compactors.

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GreenQ Hopes to Help Promote the Internet of Garbage - waste360

May is Jewish American Heritage Month. Heres why you didn …

Posted By on May 17, 2017

Jewish American Heritage Month is celebrated every year in May. (Top left, clockwise, Obama photo: Aude Guerrucci/Pool/Getty Images; Wasserman Schultz photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images; Calendar photo: Dafne Cholet/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; Menorah photo: National Museum of American Jewish History; Trump photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images, Museum photo: Jeff Goldberg/Esto)

(JTA) Only one religious group in the U.S. has a federally proclaimed month celebrating their history: the Jews. In 2006, President George W. Bushofficially declared May as Jewish American Heritage Month.

Yet Jewish American Heritage Month, or JAHM, hardly seems a priority not in the government, not in the media, not even withinthe Jewish community. There is not a single paid employee working to organize the commemoration, and neither the federal government nor anyJewish organization or foundation isfunding its operations. (By contrast, for example, the organization that coordinates Womens History Month lists four staff members and 16 sponsors.)

To tell you the truth, Im very disappointed,said Marcia Zerivitz, who was one of the driving forces behind lobbying Congress to establish the month. We have struggled, we have been financially under-capitalized, we have struggled to get any money to do much of anything.

The current annual budget for JAHM is about$10,000 and consists entirely of individual donations, according to Ivy Barsky, the director of the National Museum of American Jewish History and a member of the JAHM advisory committee.

Its its own tiny little 501(c)(3), all with people who run their own institutions volunteering some time to work on JAHM, Barskytold JTA. So like any of these things, until it has a dedicated staff person, its always going to be a little patched together.

Barsky hopes to change that. Her Philadelphia museum recently took over from the Cincinnati-based American Jewish Archives as JAHMspublic face and organizer. She hopes that with the museums support, the heritage month can raise its profile both within and outside the Jewish community.

One of the original goals of Jewish American Heritage Month that we havent necessarily realized as well as wed like is teaching the non-Jewish world in America about the contributions of American Jewry to this country,Barsky said.

The museum is providing some financial and staff support, but Barskyhopesto obtainfunding from corporationsand foundations. Manischewitz has served as a sponsor, promoting JAHM on its products, and Empire Kosher Poultry provided funding, but the two kosher food producers are no longer doing so.

Educating the wider American public was the goal of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who in 2005 introduced legislation in Congress to establish the month with the late Sen. Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican at the time (he later switched parties) and also Jewish.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, speaking to delegates of the partys convention in Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 6, 2012. (DNC via Flickr )

If you educated and raised awareness about contributions throughout American history all over the country, it would make people more familiar with the Jewish community and our people and hopefully impact a reduction of anti-Semitism and intolerance,Wasserman Schultztold JTA about the inspiration for the legislation.

Shemanaged to get 250 Democrats and Republicans to sign on as co-sponsors for the bill, which the House passed unanimously. Zerivitz had lobbied for the month to be in January, to coincide with Florida Jewish History Month, but it was changed to May toconcur with Jewish Heritage Week, which President Jimmy Carter proclaimed in 1980.

Following the resolutions passage in the Senate,George W. Bush proclaimed the month. Itwas observed for the first time in 2006.

Wasserman Schultz, who resigned as head of the Democratic National Committee last year following an email leak that suggested the organization was biased against presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, recalled the joy she felt upon the heritage months proclamation.

It was exhilarating. It was the first legislation that I passed as a member of Congress, and Im the first Jewish woman to represent Florida in Congress, so it was very significant for me personally, she said, citing experiences with anti-Semitism both in New York, where she grew up, and in Florida.

But has the legislationlived up to its expectations?

While calling the month still a work in progress, Wasserman Schultz said she is very satisfied with how its been celebrated.

However, Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University, disagrees. At the time of the proclamation, there was considerable excitement, but JAHM has yet to live up to its potential, he said.

So much money is spent on Jewish education in the United States that the fact that we have not been able to harness this golden opportunity given to us by the government, and really develop a month that would affect every American Jew, is a sign of the disorganization that weve seen ultimately its a sign of a problem, Sarna told JTA.

JAHMs website lists 17 events this month, most of them hosted by local groups, including a poetry reading organized by a social justice group in Connecticut and an event about Jews and jazz at a Florida library.The Library of Congress, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and the Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco are each hosting one event, and the National Museum of Jewish History is hosting two events.

Every Jewish newspaper and media outlet should be focused on American Jewish history during that month, Sarnasaid. Programming materials should be sent to every rabbi, every synagogue. Synagogues should be encouraged to have a speaker dealing with American Jewish history.

To be sure, JAHM celebrationshave had some highlights over the years.

In 2010, President Barack Obama hostedthe first Jewish American Heritage Month reception at the White House with such Jewish luminaries as Sandy Koufax and musician Regina Spektor, but the program was cut in 2013 due to the budget sequester. Also in2010, Jewish-American astronaut Garret Reisman brought the original proclamation with him aboard the Atlantis space shuttle.

Then President Barack Obama at a reception in the East Room of the White House in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month,May 17, 2011 (Dennis Brack/Pool/Getty Images)

Jewish groups, however, have been hesitant to commit money to the commemoration.

I would think that all these national [Jewish] organizations would get behind it, but everyone is struggling for funding, said Zerivitz, who is on the JAHM board.

[The] Holocaust gets the emotions going in the American Jewish community, and Holocaust things are much easier to fund than American Jewish history things, she added.

Barsky said she looks to more prominent national commemorations for inspiration.

We hope well be able to fundraise and get some great attention for Jewish American Heritage Month, so that this can grow into something a little more akin to Womens History Month in March or African-American History Month in February, she said. Weve definitely got a vision for making it pretty big.

Sarna also is optimistic about JAHMs future.

This is a lot easier than making peace in the Middle East, believe me, he said.

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May is Jewish American Heritage Month. Heres why you didn ...

Why you haven’t heard of Jewish American Heritage Month – Jweekly.com

Posted By on May 17, 2017

Only one religious group in the U.S. has a federally proclaimed month celebrating its history: the Jews. In 2006, President George W. Bushofficially declared May as Jewish American Heritage Month.

Yet Jewish American Heritage Month, or JAHM, hardly seems a priority not in the government, not in the media, not even withinthe Jewish community. There is not a single paid employee working to organize the commemoration, and neither the federal government nor anyJewish organizations or foundations are funding its operations. (By contrast, for example, the organization that coordinates Womens History Month lists fourstaff membersand 16sponsors.)

To tell you the truth, Im very disappointed,said Marcia Zerivitz, who was one of the driving forces behind lobbying Congress to establish the month. We have struggled, we have been financially undercapitalized, we have struggled to get any money to do much of anything.

The current annual budget forJAHMis about$10,000 and consists entirely of individual donations, according to Ivy Barsky, the director of the National Museum of American Jewish History and a member of the JAHM advisory committee.

Its its own tiny little 501(c)3, all with people who run their own institutions volunteering some time to work on JAHM, Barskysaid. So like any of these things, until it has a dedicated staff person, its always going to be a little patched together.

Barsky hopes to change that. Her Philadelphia museum recently took over as JAHMspublic face. She hopes that with the museums support, the heritage month can raise its profile.

One of the original goals of Jewish American Heritage Month that we havent necessarily realized as well as wed like is teaching the non-Jewish world in America about the contributions of American Jewry to this country,Barsky said.

Educating the wider American public was the goal of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida), who in 2005 introduced legislation in Congress to establish the month with the late Sen. Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican at the time (he later switched parties) and also Jewish.

If you educated and raised awareness about contributions throughout American history all over the country, it would make people more familiar with the Jewish community and our people and hopefully impact a reduction of anti-Semitism and intolerance,Wasserman Schultzsaid about the inspiration for the legislation.

Shemanaged to get 250 Democrats and Republicans to sign on as co-sponsors for the bill, which the House passed unanimously. Zerivitz had lobbied for the month to be in January, to coincide with Florida Jewish History Month, but it was changed to May toconcur with Jewish Heritage Week, which President Jimmy Carter proclaimed in 1980.

Following the resolutions passage in the Senate,George W. Bush proclaimed the month. Itwas observed for the first time in 2006.

Wasserman Schultz, whoresignedas head of the Democratic National Committee last year, recalled the joy she felt upon the heritage months proclamation.

It was exhilarating. It was the first legislation that I passed as a member of Congress, and Im the first Jewish woman to represent Florida in Congress, so it was very significant for me personally, she said, citing experiences with anti-Semitism both in New York, where she grew up, and in Florida.

While calling the month still a work in progress, Wasserman Schultz said she is very satisfied with how its been celebrated.

Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University, disagrees, saying JAHM has yet to live up to its potential.

So much money is spent on Jewish education in the United States that the fact that we have not been able to harness this golden opportunity given to us by the government, and really develop a month that would affect every American Jew, is a sign of the disorganization that weve seen ultimately its a sign of a problem, he said.

JAHMs websitelists17 events this month, most of them hosted by local groups, including a poetry reading organized by a social justice group in Connecticut and an event about Jews and jazz at a Florida library.The Library of Congress, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and San Franciscos JCRC are each hosting one event, and the National Museum of Jewish History is hosting two events.

The San Francisco event, hosted by the Jewish Community Relations Council, is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 24 at City Hall, with registration at 5:30 p.m. The event is free, but attendees must RSVP at and are asked not to carry large bags.

Every Jewish newspaper and media outlet should be focused on American Jewish history during that month, Sarnasaid. Programming materials should be sent to every rabbi, every synagogue. Synagogues should be encouraged to have a speaker dealing with American Jewish history.

To be sure, JAHM celebrationshave had some highlights over the years.

In 2010, President Barack Obamahostedthe first Jewish American Heritage Month reception at the White House with such Jewish luminaries as Sandy Koufax and musician Regina Spektor, but the programwas cutin 2013 due to the budget sequester. Also in2010, Jewish-American astronaut Garret Reismanbroughtthe original proclamation with him aboard the Atlantis space shuttle.

Jewish groups, however, have been hesitant to commit money to the commemoration.

I would think that all these national [Jewish] organizations would get behind it, but everyone is struggling for funding, said Zerivitz, who is on the JAHM board.

[The] Holocaust gets the emotions going in the American Jewish community, and Holocaust things are much easier to fund than American Jewish history things, she added.

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Why you haven't heard of Jewish American Heritage Month - Jweekly.com

Sen. Lovely honored by Anti-Defamation League – Wicked Local Beverly

Posted By on May 17, 2017

On Wednesday, May 17, the Anti-Defamation League presented State Sen. Joan Lovely with the North Shore Community Service Award at the Essex County Law and Education Day Event in recognition of her outstanding community service and longstanding efforts to promote equality across the North Shore.

The event also included Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett and members of the ADL. The featured speaker at the event was State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg.

The North Shore Community Service Award is an award given out by the New England Chapter of the Anti-Defamation League to an individual on the North Shore who helps to work to end anti-Semitism and promote racial equality across the North Shore and equality among the LGBT community.

It is a great honor to receive the ADLs North Shore Community Service Award, stated Sen. Lovely. Id like to offer a sincere thank you to the Anti-Defamation League for recognizing with this tremendous honor.

The Anti-Defamation League is an organization that is dedicated to preventing anti-Semitism and combating hate and discrimination across the United States. They also help to promote racial justice and justice among the LGBT community and also work to raise awareness of the dangers of anti-Semitism, hate and discrimination in schools throughout the country.

Massachusetts has become a national leader in the issues of equality - in particular of gender equality - and ending gender bias, added Sen. Lovely. Womens issues are everybodys issues. They are family issues, workers issues and business issues. These are issues of humanity and I am proud to continue to fight for them as a member of the Massachusetts Senate.

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Sen. Lovely honored by Anti-Defamation League - Wicked Local Beverly

ADL to train Mexico consulates in US on hate crime reporting | The … – The Times of Israel

Posted By on May 17, 2017

RIO DE JANEIRO The Anti-Defamation League will train the staff of Mexicos 50 consulates in the United States on how to assist nationals who are victims of attacks and harassment.

Through our regional offices we are the first to be called in case of a hate crime. When a synagogue is defaced, when a Jewish person is assaulted, but also when black person is attacked or a Latino or a Hispanic person, often we get a call, said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt during a news conference on Friday in Mexico City, reported the Elance Judio news website.

We hope to share our expertise, to do hands-on training, to make it easier for Mexican consular officials to handle the incoming calls, to prepare their staff to reach out to understand whats happening and track the information more effectively, he said.

Several Mexican consulates have recently reached out to ADL to help deal with an increase in attacks against Mexicans and Americans of Mexican background.

Many of the immigrants who are citizens or who are not yet citizens are afraid to call the authorities. They are afraid of the questionsfor this reason they call the consulates. Ambassador [Geronimo] Gutierrez is very enthusiastic, Greenblatt explained.

This robust collaboration will allow your government to do its job to protect your own citizens and compatriots abroad and syncs with our mission, which is to fight discrimination, added Greenblatt, who also praised Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto for his commitment to supporting his countrys Jewish community.

On May 21, Mexican-Jewish diplomat Andres Roemer, who was fired from his ambassador position for walking out an anti-Israel vote at UNESCO in October, will receive the International Sephardic Leadership Award by the American Sephardic Federation.

In March, the mayor of Mexico City laid the foundation stone of a Jewish community center slated to cost nearly $5.3 million. Miguel Angel Mancera considered the initiative a sign of trust in the countrys growth.

Mexico is home to some 50,000 Jews, Latin Americas third largest Jewish community after Argentina and Brazil.

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ADL to train Mexico consulates in US on hate crime reporting | The ... - The Times of Israel

‘Walk Against Hate’ for All Walks of Life – Jewish Exponent

Posted By on May 17, 2017

Last years Anti-Defamation League Walk Against Hate drew thousands of people from all different backgrounds. | Photo provided

The Anti-Defamation League is encouraging Philadelphians to take a step in the right direction.

Those steps will lead from the Marine Parade Grounds and loop around to the Navy Yard on May 21 for the ADLs seventh-annual Walk Against Hate.

Dan Keefer, the local associate director of development for the ADL, said that the location, which was first used at last years walk, is more accommodating to the crowds expected for the event. For the first five years, the walk occurred along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, he said, but quickly grew to the point that it needed a larger space.

The walk was initially conceived and implemented in Philadelphia, but has since spread to other ADL locations, such as Las Vegas, which boasted an attendance of more than 800 people last month. At the Navy Yard, Keefer estimated, more than 2,000 both Jews and non-Jews will participate.

Thats whats neat about it. Its many different groups religious, ethnic, social, economic, absolutely everything, he said. We have schools, temples, churches, mosques, everyone. And also, of course, our business partner community.

The walk intends to raise $500,000 as of press time, the events website indicated a hefty $382,945 pledged to support the ADLs work in schools, like its No Place For Hate initiative, and with law enforcement.

Every Philadelphia Police Department recruit since 2008 has been to the Holocaust Museum down in D.C., Keefer noted. We also train [officers] in anti-bias initiatives.

Beginning at 9 a.m., the two-mile walk will also be surrounded by multicultural entertainment, food, family-friendly activities and a diversity expo, where participants will showcase more than 30 nonprofits that share ADLs mission and represent a broad spectrum of religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds, Keefer said.

We just like to promote other organizations that share our values, he said.

This years diversity expo will include participants from the American Jewish Committee, Al-Aqsa Youth Club, Bhutanese American Organization, Black Women in Sport Foundation and many others.

Additionally, attendees will be able to enjoy performances by local dance troupes and bands musical artists Airways and BriaMarie, as well as actor Matt Barr will make appearances or partake in face paintings and carnival games for children.

(Last year, Philadelphia native Bryshere Y. Gray, also known as Yazz The Greatest and actor on the popular Fox show Empire, stopped by to perform.)

Keefer said the event is significant for the community at large.

It shows ADLs mission isnt just to fight anti-Semitism though that is half of our mission but were also dedicated to curing injustice and fair treatment to all, he said. We advocate on behalf of all people.

Nancy Baron-Baer, ADL regional director, added that people are yearning for the opportunity to come together to do good things together in light of hateful incidents and crimes perpetrated againstJewish community institutions and other minority groups.

The ADL released its annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents last month, which found that anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. increased more than one-third in 2016. The audit also recorded 86 percent more incidents to date in 2017 over the previous year.

The first quarter of 2017 saw 541 preliminary reports of anti-Semitic incidents, which includes harassment, bomb threats, vandalism (including cemetery desecrations) and physical assaults.

Within Pennsylvania, investigators recorded 54 percent more incidents in 2016 thanin 2015.

According to the regional director, the ADL received more than 300 requests for assistance in 2016 based on bias incidents and discrimination a 35 percent increase over 2015. This year looks to be on track to exceed 2016s numbers.

Thats a reason for all of us to come out and stand up to hate, Baron-Baer emphasized.

Here is an opportunity for all of us in the Jewish community and the community beyond to stand up together and walk against hate, she continued. But, we hope that this provides the community with an opportunity to [also] gather together to celebrate. We certainly gathered together as a community in the aftermath of the cemetery desecration. But this is an opportunity to enjoy each others company and to learn from one another and isnt that what America stands for?

Baron-Baer said that the walks popularity and attendance has grown becauseof increased interest due tothe divisiveness that is present in the nation today. People from all over have had enough, she said.

People want to be engaged, she explained. People want to do something good each and every time they see or read about another act of hate.

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'Walk Against Hate' for All Walks of Life - Jewish Exponent

Can Donald Trump’s Lies Be Excused By Talmud And Torah? – Forward

Posted By on May 15, 2017

We are living in an age when world leaders regularly deny historical facts and therefore, defining what the word lie means is an urgent concern.

Its also an ancient concern.

Both the Torah and the Talmud seem a bit clairvoyant these days in their interest in delineating what a lie is, when its okay to lie and what the punishment for lying might be. I was rereading all this when President Trump asserted that there was no reason for the Civil War:

People dont realize, the Civil War you think about it, why? People dont ask that question. But why was there a Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?

This statement, which appears to deny the existence of slavery, comes just days after the French press reported that the interim leader of Frances National Front party claimed it is impossible for Jews to have been gassed in the Holocaust:

I consider that, from a technical standpoint, it is impossible and I stress, impossible to use it in mass exterminations. Why? Because you need several days to decontaminate a space where Zyklon B has been used, said Jean-Franois Jalkh, a member of the National Front.

Not too surprising, considering that Marine Le Pen, shortly before she was defeated in the recent French elections, asserted that the French were not responsible for round-ups of French Jews during the Holocaust.

I think France is not responsible for Vel dHiv, she said, referring to the notorious roundup and deportation of 13,152 Jews from the Vel dHiv stadium in Paris on July 16 and 17, 1942. On its website, the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum defines that incident as a symbol of the responsibility of the regime and the French nation for the Holocaust In response to her comments on the Holocaust in France, Yad Vashem issued a statement of, well, facts.

So what exactly is a lie? What was it once, and what is it now?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, which has become a celebrity of sorts in the Twitter age, dates the word lie to before the 12th century.

The English verb lie derives from the Old English logan, akin to Old High German liogan, to lie, and to Old Church Slavonic lgati.

Merriam-Webster defines the intransitive verb lie as, first, to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive, and second as to create a false or misleading impression.

This definition, focusing on intent, is very close to what New York Times columnist David Leonhardt wrote recently, that knowledge of the fact that a statement is untrue is what qualifies it as a lie. In other words, intent is what matters.

When it comes to the noun lie as opposed to the verb lie, things get a bit dicier, with three meanings:

1a: an assertion of something known or believed by the speaker or writer to be untrue with intent to deceive 1b: an untrue or inaccurate statement that may or may not be believed true by the speaker or writer

2: something that misleads or deceives

3: a charge of lying

In the noun as in the verb, intent is the key. And if definition 1b sounds vaguely familiar from recent presidents weapons of mass destruction, anyone? definition 1a is a more radical departure.

None of this is news, apparently lying was an ancient problem.

Lies and truth get prime real estate in the Torah. Exodus 23:7 and Leviticus 19:12-13 deal explicitly with the question of what lies are. The sages also cite Leviticus 19:35-36 as they discuss the issue. After all, the Ten Commandments include a prohibition against false testimony. Its hard to think of a more prominent placement than that.

But, as usual for Jewish thought, its more layered and complicated than it initially appears; according to rabbinic interpretation, punishment for lying is limited to a case of a false oath. And getting a dictionary definition of lie in Judaism is not easy, even from scholars of the subject.

The exact definition of a lie seems hard to pin down, explained a professor of Jewish law who wanted to preserve anonymity on this hot-button issue. It may be more legal, as in a lie in court; it may be more something that leads to a monetary loss, or it may be broader. In addition to all this, there are clear statements that ones words have to all be truthful so one cannot enunciate x while secretly intending y and that one must make an effort to live up to ones statements.

Desperate for clarity, I turned to the dead.

Deceiving others is strictly forbidden, the late Rabbi Louis Jacobs, the first leader of Masorti Judaism in the United Kingdom, wrote in The Jewish Religion: A Companion, published in 1995 by Oxford University Press Jacobs quotes the Talmud Bavli, or Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 113b, which reads: The Holy One, blessed be He, hates a person which says one thing with his mouth and another in his heart.

Presumably the Holy One is hating this political age.

At the same time, Jewish law has long recognized that there is nuance in lies and truth. The Talmuds discussion of when it is okay to lie is quite moving, as Jacobs observed.

Yet, for all the high value it attaches to truthfulness, the Jewish tradition is sufficiently realistic to acknowledge that there are occasions when the telling of a so-called white lie can be in order; for instance, where the intention is to promote peace and harmony ([Babylonian Talmud] Yevamot 85b), Jacobs wrote.

The kind legal scholar who wanted to remain anonymous also sent me to the Talmud Bavli, but to a different spot; this time to Bava Metzia 23b24a. There, the Talmud charmingly notes that a scholar will never tell a lie except in three situations: tractate, purya and hospitality.

Tractate is generally understood as a scholar who is trying to be modest; he may say that he is not familiar with a portion of the Mishnah in order not to show off his knowledge.

Purya is a bit more controversial.

Rashi translates purya as bed the biblical pru urvu means Be fruitful and multiply and understands purya to mean that if a scholar is asked personal questions about his marital life, he is not obligated to answer truthfully.

But then it gets wilder.

Medieval talmudic commentators, i.e. the Tosafot, understand purya differently. Apparently a rather polite lot, they cant imagine that anyone would ask a scholar (or anyone else) such questions, and so they see purya as related to Purim. They sweetly state that if a scholar is asked whether he was drunk on Purim, he can lie about it.

As for the third instance of when it is okay to lie, hospitality a scholar may lie about a hosts generosity to prevent that host from being besieged by unwelcome guests.

I tried to translate this idea into 2017 terms. Imagine that the Trump-Kushners invite a scholar for Shabbat and that scholar accepts the invitation, despite the recent headlines. The scholar discovers that the presidents daughter and son-in-law present each guest with a basket of homemade breads and jewelry worth a year of college tuition. In this imaginary example, it is probably okay for a scholar to channel the Tosafot and tell others that the experience was subpar.

In an era when slavery can be forgotten by a sitting president, and when the leader of a French party can claim that gassing of Jews in the Holocaust was impossible, the Talmuds allowance for lying saying that hosts were subpar when they were gracious seems like barely a lie at all.

Aviya Kushner is the Forwards language columnist and the author of The Grammar of God (Spiegel & Grau, 2015). Follow her on Twitter at @AviyaKushner

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Can Donald Trump's Lies Be Excused By Talmud And Torah? - Forward


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