(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 […]

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 […]

By LAURA E. ADKINS NEW YORK CITY (JTA)  – Eight unassuming gourmet latkes have become the latest controversy on Jewish Twitter. A recent holiday issue of Food & Wine magazine featured a piece titled “8 Ways to Make the Best Potato Latkes of Your Life.” The problem? Two of those luxe latkes featured decidedly non-kosher toppings. One latke calls for […]

By BEN SALES NEW YORK CITY (JTA) – Michelle Farber has spent decades teaching Talmud to Jewish women. But when her first child was born, she was relieved it was a boy. “When my son was born, I said, ‘Good, we had a boy first, it’ll give the world a little time to catch up for women,’” Farber said. “Well, […]

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 […]

By Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought: a US-Israel Initiative” December 10, 2019, https://bit.ly/2PoPwd6 The roots of the December 6, 2019 murder of three US soldiers on the Pensacola Naval Air Station, by an Islamic Saudi terrorist, are independent of US policy in the Middle East and beyond, as are all previous cases of anti-US and anti-Western Islamic terrorism. For […]

WACO, Texas– Americans travel farther on average to their worship places than they did a decade ago. But while those who belong to a congregation in their neighborhood attend more often, “worshipping local” does not make them feel closer to their neighbors or more satisfied with the neighborhood, according to a new study by researchers at Baylor University and Calvin […]

TROY–The Chill and Schmooze Lodge, located at Beth Tephilah Synagogue, 82 River St., Troy, has announced a two-part workshop on Sundays, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15, at 1 p.m. entitled “Our Special Connections.” Attendees, who are invited to attend either or both sessions, will have an opportunity to share life lessons of loved ones who have died and review the […]

Congregation Agudat Achim reported to The Jewish World on Oct. 24 that the “Beyond Dispute Class” has changed the dates of its classes.  According to organizers, the Jewish Theological Seminary, developers of the curriculum, have not quite finished creating it, so classes will not start in November. SCHENECTADY– Congregation Agudat Achim’s Adult Education Committee has announced a course to be […]

By Rabbi SHMUEL GOLDIN (JNS) – I can clearly remember the moment when I finally joined the club that I had dreaded joining for years; when I found myself remaining in shul to recite the prayer of Yizkor for the first time. Hesitantly, I waited with trepidation to experience the power of this first Yizkor … only to be sorely let down. “This is […]