Happy Chanukah!! It is really such a delight to walk down the streets in Israel and see all the lit menorot that the municipality puts up. There are shining chanukiot on the street lights and Chabad has put up their menorah sans fire truck in the center of town. The chanukah cheer is further reinforced by the amount of sufganiyot consumed. For some reason these fried doughnuts bring a joy and happiness that surpass all other ...
As the final days of Succot (The Jewish Holiday of huts) rapidly approach I came to thinking about the different Succahs I have eaten in this year. Some were made of wood, or plastic, or PVC piping, or fiberglass, or popped up. Some had bamboo rods, or mats, or leaves and cut shrubbery. Some had heavy duty work room lighting, or x-mas tree lighting, or rope lighting, or high bears, or low ...
Janette Hillis-Jaffe, An Orthodox Jewish supporter of Senator Barack Obama who lived in Israel for five years, has released a ground-breaking video (www.JewsObamaIsrael.com) encouraging other Jews who love Israel to join her in supporting Obama. Hillis-Jaffe, who lived in Israel during the Second Intifada and ...
I am going to institute an Israel idiosyncrasy -Ism (the triple "I") to my column because.. well why not? Banks charge you for taking out your own money. ... I know!! They charge you when you want you to use your credit card. They charge you when you want to open other savings account. I'm not sure people ever explained to them how banks work.. they are to provide a service, not make money. Maybe I'm ...
Jewneric recently had the opportunity to speak with Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, who currently dedicates his time and energies to The International Fellowship for Christians and Jews (IFCJ) – Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Partnership for Children in the Former Soviet Union, committed to ensuring the well-being of tens of thousands of Jewish children in that area. The group also responds to emergencies and crisis all over the world. Rabbi Eckstein has devoted the past 30 years to building bridges of understanding and active cooperation between Christians and Jews. An Orthodox rabbi, he has helped hundreds of thousands of Christians around the world discover and understand the Jewish roots of their faith. In 1983, Rabbi Eckstein founded The Fellowship to give Christians the opportunity to meaningfully express their support for Israel and promote the well-being of Jews in Israel and around the world. In 2005, Rabbi Eckstein was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the State of Israel, with special emphasis on Israel’s relationships with Christian communities in Latin America. ...
An Arab terrorist decided to drive his car into a group of soldiers tonight. I had been close to that location earlier tonight. Although, I probably wouldn't have been at the specific spot; I can't help but think what would have happened if I was. Why can't they stop? I feel such a deep sadness for people who have no other reason to live than to take others' lives. I don't want to postulate but how ...
"Welcome to Israel." No, I'm not being redundant. This is what I hear every day, many times a day. The thing is, people aren't saying it in a friendly, warm way, but rather in a sarcastic, cynical way. For example, if your apartment has bugs in it --"Welcome to Israel." If workers do a shoddy job for you but say it's the best -- "Welcome to Israel." If you stand in line for hours -- "Welcome ...
I'm heeere! After all the waiting, all the emotion, and taking care of all the specifics, I have arrived. The Nefesh B'Nefesh flight went smoothly and all the olim were treated like rock stars. How? (you are probably wondering.) Well, tons of photographers and a half dozen videographers were recording our descent from the plane. Then there were hundreds of people, including soldiers, waving flags, and singing and dancing for us at the terminal. Even the ...
I grew up the son of a Conservative rabbi in the Twin Cities. The local Orthodox rabbi was not only a member (with my father) of the non-denominational Minnesota Rabbinical Council, he also served as its president. He cooperated with the city's Conservative rabbis in supervision of a local bakery to ensure that there would be Kosher bread for the community. He attended simchas at the area's Conservative synagogues (not the service, mind you, but certainly the reception) ...
Over the past decade over 100,000 Jews from around the world have participated on Taglit Birthright Israel's amazing 10-day trip. Each trip offers participants a unique experience to meet the people, taking in the culture, and seeing the beautiful land of Israel. Having been a counselor on the trip a few years ago, I can attest that all the above is true. However, what I found was that certain programs lack a certain something that I ...
