How could this newspaper feature on its front cover a handwringing and unnecessarily lengthy editorial about the cost of turning back the BDS (boycott, divest and sanction) resolution at the University of Washington student senate (“How much have we lost?” May 30)? Rather than simply reporting the news on itsContinue Reading
I commend Rabbi Oren for his article in this week’s JTNews (“How much have we lost?” May 30). His argument that winning the battle against the divestment vote at UW came at a high cost of alienating many of Hillel’s students. Those who specifically were in favor of the divestmentContinue Reading
I was shocked and deeply disappointed to read Janis Siegel’s article (“Arrest made on inappropriate behavior charges,” May 30). There is no greater sin than the public humiliation of a fellow Jew. What possible purpose does this article have other than destroying this young man’s reputation and well being, beforeContinue Reading
Amalya will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on June 21, 2014 at Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue in Seattle. Amalya is the daughter of Amy Bearmon and Rabbi Olivier BenHaim of Kenmore and the sister of Lior. She is the granddaughter of Lee and Barbara Bearmon of Minneapolis, Minn., Richard BenHaim ofContinue Reading
Gabriella will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah June 21, 2014 at Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue. Gabriella is the daughter of Kevin and Sheila Bates of Bellevue and the sister of Victoria. Her grandparents are Melvin and Barbara Roseman of Kingwood, Tex., and Charles and Iona Bates of Cave Spring, Ga.Continue Reading
Marc celebrated his Bar Mitzvah June 7, 2014, at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Marc is the son of Anthony and Rene Egnal and the brother of Yael. His grandparents are David and Verona Forman of Cape Town, South Africa, Max and Lynette Langman of Northridge, Calif., andContinue Reading
Roy celebrated his Bar Mitzvah May 31, 2014 at Herzl Ner-Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Roy is the son of Daisy Matsa-Dunn and Abraham Dunn of Mercer Island, and the brother of Noa and Jonathan. His grandparents are Fruma Dunn of Mexico City, Mexico, and the late Nahum DunnContinue Reading
Evan celebrated his Bar Mitzvah May 24, 2014 at Herzl Ner-Tamid Conservative Congregation. Evan is the son of Tracy and Sean Sigmon of Mercer Island and the brother of Nate. His grandparents are Shainie and Michael Schuffler of Mercer Island, Monika Vacca of Green Valley, Ariz., Dave Sigmon and KrinaContinue Reading
By Boris Kurbanov, Special to The Jewish Sound When I was 14, my friend Yoni and I took in a Yankees game on a late spring night. As we watched Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Shawn Green — first-round draft pick, two-time All-Star, Jew — take batting practice in the humidContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, Jewish Sound Columnist Even when work is going well, personal problems always seem to rear up. At least that is how it goes for these female and Jewish protagonists — whether in the 21st or 16th centuries — featured in a crop of newly published novels. SharingContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, Jewish Sound Columnist Cookbooks One might assume that “Eating the Bible” by Rena Rossner (Skyhorse, cloth, $24.95) would give you recipes using garlic, leeks, melon, cucumbers and well-cooked meat — all foods mentioned in the Bible. But Rossner makes clear from the start that her intent wasContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, Jewish Sound Columnist “I’ve been doing geometric designs my entire life,” says Dorienn Medrano, whose designs were featured on the front and inside cover of a recent Jewish Day School alumni newsletter. But surprisingly, Dorienn adds, “I didn’t realize I was artistic” until a few years ago.Continue Reading
On Wednesday, the Associated Students of Western Washington University in Bellingham voted unanimously that it would not consider boycott and divestiture campaigns based upon national origin. According to a press release from Israel advocacy organization StandWithUs Northwest, “the 7-0 vote represents the first time ever that a North American university’s studentContinue Reading
By Janis Siegel, Jewish Sound Correspondent Eli Varon, 28, of Seattle appeared briefly in a King County Superior Court on Tuesday, June 10, flanked by his attorney David Marshall, who asked Judge Jim Rogers for more time to gather evidence and negotiate the charges with deputy prosecutor Corinn Bohn. TheContinue Reading
By Emily K. Alhadeff, Associate Editor, The Jewish Sound Jean (Mosseri) Naggar was 19 when her family received an expulsion notice. It was 1957 Cairo, in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis, and Jews were fleeing Egypt en masse. The office they were to report to, ironically, was on aContinue Reading
By Ron Kampeas, JTA World News Service WASHINGTON (JTA) — Eric Cantor’s defeat in one constituency, Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, triggered mourning among another: Republican Jews. Since 2009, Rep. Cantor (R-Va.) has been the only Jewish Republican in Congress. After the 2010 GOP takeover of the House, he became theContinue Reading
By Abdullah H. Erakat, The Media Line [AL-QUDS UNIVERSITY] — The Palestinian professor who touched off a maelstrom of controversy by taking a group of students to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps in Poland is now at odds with his former employer after the school accepted his resignation. Dr. MohammedContinue Reading
By Boris Kurbanov, Special to Jewish Sound When I was 14, my friend Yoni and I took in a Yankees game on a late spring night. As we watched Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Shawn Green — first-round draft pick, two-time All-Star, Jew — take batting practice in the humid NewContinue Reading
(JTA) — Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling will not support the sale of the team and will go forward with a federal lawsuit against the NBA. Sterling’s attorney on Monday said his client would not approve the $2 billion sale to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer — a dealContinue Reading
By Deborah Gardner, Special to The Jewish Sound Michael Chabon’s popular 2001 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,” is packed with themes of metamorphosis and reinvention. It’s 1939, the golden age of comics, when Brooklyn-stifled Sammy Clay meets his cousin, Joe Kavalier, a fresh escapee ofContinue Reading
