Rabbi Ari Weiss honored for Cornell Hillel leadership
By Joe Wilensky
Rabbi Ari Weiss, executive director of Cornell Hillel, is one of 16 honorees recognized by Hillel International, the largest worldwide Jewish campus organization.
Weiss, who has led Cornell Hillel since July 2016, received the Richard M.… Read the rest
By Miriam Schachter, LCSW for The Times of Israel
When my mother, Pnina G. Schacter, פנינה בת לאה פעשע וחנוך העניך, died on October 31st, 2018, I was determined to say Kaddish in her memory over the course of the year.… Read the rest
Rabbi Noah Leavitt to run for Friendship Circle in New York Marathon
By McKenna Corson
Over 52,000 people crossed the finish line at the TCS New York City Marathon in 2018, and among them was Noah Leavitt, senior rabbi of Oheb Zedek Cedar Sinai Synagogue, running the race for the first time.… Read the rest
Philadelphia Commemorates One-Year Mark of Pittsburgh Shooting
By Jesse Bernstein
The drive from Center City, Philadelphia, to the Tree of Life synagogue building in Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh is a straightforward one, even if it’s a bit long. From the Jewish Community Services Building at 2100 Arch St.,… Read the rest
Written by Rabbi Avram Mlotek’s (’15)
I spend a lot of time in cemeteries. It’s part of the gig: I’m a rabbi. And my Hebrew name — Avraham Yitzhak — is common enough that I often see myself on gravestones, an eerie reminder of the liturgy we’ll recite this Rosh Hashana: “A man’s origin and end is from dust.”… Read the rest
Rabbi Frank wants to guide students in their faith, not force them to feel a certain way about Judaism and their beliefs.
“Many people think if you have ‘rabbi’ in front of your name that you’re going to impose, and there’s going to be coercion,” Frank said.… Read the rest
Rabbi Jacob Siegel, ’16, Director of Engagement for JLens, an organization that serves as a bridge between the Jewish community and the responsible investing arena, writes:
Kosher and halal slaughter is being vilified in Europe. Here’s what concerned investors can do about it.… Read the rest
“No frills is a euphemism for no differentiation. Small class sizes and individualized instruction means more teachers, which means more salaries. Providing the type of support that helps learners of divergent interests and abilities thrive is, simply put, expensive. Students are different, and learn differently, and Jewish day schools have a responsibility to engage each and every student.”… Read the rest
YCT Musmakh, Rabbi Avram Mlotek (’15), co-founder of Base Hillel and Rabbi at Base MNHTN, writes:
Attempting To Rebuild Ties Between Israeli And American Jews
The state of Israel, now having marked its 71st year of statehood, is for many Jews not only a dream fulfilled but one that is still unfolding.… Read the rest
By Rabbi Akiva Herzfeld (’07), Coordinator of English Educational Programs, Neemanei Torah V’avoda (NTA), Chashmonaim, Israel
Almost a year ago, I received an urgent phone call from a woman (let’s call her Dina), who told me that the chief rabbinate’s office had just telephoned her here in Israel. … Read the rest