(JNS) – As hundreds of thousands of Jews worldwide celebrate the completion of the seven-and-a-half-year-long cycle of daily Talmud study—and as women for the first time in history held their own celebration in Jerusalem—one 17-year-old is believed to be the youngest woman to ever mark this achievement. Hila Schlakman of Efrat, a senior at Ohr Torah Stone’s Neveh Channah High […]

SCHENECTADY–The Congregation Gates of Heaven (CGOH) Brotherhood will have its next monthly breakfast and speaker program on Sunday, Jan. 12. Rob Kovach will make a presentation on “Jewish Influence on the Comic Book Industry.” Kovach will discuss the early years of the comic book industry—an industry started by Jews— and share details about Jewish writers and artists who created the […]

ALBANY– “Jews in America Through Stories And Film” will be the theme for a six-part Lunch and Learn series at Beth Emeth, 100Academy Rd., Albany. Cantor Jodi Schechtman will lead the series, beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 8, with subsequent sessions on Jan. 15, 22 and 29, Feb. 5 and 12. Each Lunch and Learn will be held from 12-1:30 p.m. […]

ALBANY– Ed Rosen of Albany will discuss the topography, demography and strategic importance of the Golan Heights during the B’nai Sholom Reform Congregation “Synagogue Scholars” series following the congregation’s Friday, Jan. 10, Shabbat service that begins at 8 p.m. Rosen will present “Riding Through the History of the Golan” at the synagogue, 420 Whitehall Rd., Albany. The service and program […]

SCHENECTADY– Jewish educator and sign language interpreter EJ Cohen will join the 7 p.m. Shabbat service at Gates of Heaven, 852 Ashmore Ave., Schenectady on Friday, Jan. 10, to sign and to discuss what she does. Cohen will speak about signing prayers, how she got into signing, and the challenges of keeping the meaning and the structure of the Hebrew prayers when […]

CLIFTON PARK–Rabbi Dr. Chanan Markowitz will present two lectures entitled “Can Science And Religion Unite Making This A Better World?” The lectures will be held at 10 a.m. on Sundays, Jan. 12, and Jan. 26, at Beth Shalom Synagogue, 688 Clifton Park Center Rd., Clifton Park. According to the rabbi, these lectures will explore the often flawed interdependence of science […]

The Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY has announced that an interfaith vigil will be held Sunday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m. to express unity against hatred and intolerance. The vigil will be held at Temple Gates of Heaven, 852 Ashmore Ave., Schenectady. The community is welcome to attend. The vigil sponsors are the Capital District Board of Rabbis, The Jewish […]

ALBANY– How do you raise your child to become a mensch? A recent panel discussion hosted by the Hebrew Academy of the Capital District (HACD) featured Julie Pollack, head of school at HACD; Amie Bloom, director of the Herman and Libbie Michaelson Early Childhood Center at Temple Israel; Claire Greenhill, clinician at Jewish Family Services and counselor at HACD; and […]

NEW YORK CITY (JTA) –My Jewish Learning is launching a Talmud study series to coincide with the renewal of the Daf Yomi cycle on Jan. 5. Sometimes referred to as the world’s largest book club, Daf Yomi is a century-old practice of studying a page of the Babylonian Talmud each day. At that rate, the cycle takes 7 1/2 years […]

ALBANY–The application deadline for the Herbert A. Applebaum scholarship for male high school seniors, and the Lenore Bellin scholarship for female high school seniors is Friday, Dec. 20. The $500 scholarships will be awarded to students who have established leadership in an Albany Jewish youth organization, and involvement with the Albany Jewish Community Center (AJCC), congregation, school and/or community. Applebaum […]