By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist Susan Monas was inspired by her daughter. Shoshana Wineburg, the daughter in question, spent nine months on a service-learning project in Israel sponsored by the Israeli organization Yahel. Yahel places participants in Gedera, Israel, for nine months to live and work with its Ethiopian-immigrantContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist When I last spoke to Chelsea Garbell in early 2012, she had been named one of New York University’s most influential students. Now she’s garnered another honor: She was student commencement speaker at the all-school graduation ceremony at Yankee Stadium on May 22. The NorthwestContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, Jewish Sound Columnist At the book launch party for “Horatio’s One Wish,” held at Seattle’s Mockingbird Books, newly minted children’s author Joshua Kriesberg related that he’d written voraciously as a child. In writing “Horatio’s One Wish,” a book for middle-grade readers (ages 8 to 12) he triedContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist 1 I suspected Seattle-area traffic reporter Sprince Arbogast was Jewish because I assumed “Sprince” was a variant of the Yiddish name Shprintze. Then one really messy traffic night this winter I heard her mutter on KPLU, “Oy vey, the traffic,” and I was sure. Sprince,Continue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist The words “Jewish” and “homeschooling” are not frequently seen together, especially outside of the Orthodox community, but the idea appealed to North Seattle resident Deb Harrick the moment it was planted in her head. “It was such an unusual thing…I was always explaining [it],” saysContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist When I called Spokane resident Julie Morris just before Passover, she was hands deep in matzoh ball batter and revealed she makes two recipes in advance, half fluffy and half “bombs,” to suit the whole family’s tastes. A long-time member of the national boardContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist A friend with cancer says her doctor is “the singing oncologist.” Recently, he sang the Misheberach (prayer for healing) with her. Intrigued, I called Dr. Sheldon Goldberg of Minor and James Medical in Seattle to ask if he sings to all his patients. HeContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist As a new member of the Jewish Theological Seminary’s administrative team, Aliyah Vinikoor is looking forward to implementing the school’s JustCity social justice summer program for high school juniors and seniors “who have demonstrated a commitment to social change,” according to its website. The SeattleContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist “If you have [a] passion, which I do in politics, then it’s not a job, it’s wonderful,” says Sandy Kraus, the volunteer state public affairs (SPA) chair for the National Council of Jewish Women’s Seattle section. NCJW, a national women’s political advocacy organization, has surprisinglyContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist When you see “The Music Man” at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater (starting Feb. 7), keep your eye on 9-year-old Jasmine Harrick. The North Seattle resident plays Gracie Shinn in her first professional stage production. Getting the part first involved an open audition with 400Continue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist 1. Although executive directors of radio shows usually stay behind the scenes, you can often hear Arik Korman on air during the Bob Rivers morning radio talk show on KJR-FM in Seattle (and on the web). He describes his on-air persona as “traveling philosopher, walkingContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist “It started over a dinner conversation a few years ago,” recalls Jeffrey Kay. “We were talking about…[taking] virtual communities and somehow [creating]…real community,” and then taking “advantage of it for the Jewish community.” Jeffrey wanted to see if he could make this work, so theContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist 1 Comedian and actor Adam Ray says he tells people he’s from Shoreline because if he says he’s from Lake Forest Park he’s accused of making the place up. The native of that small Seattle suburb went to Shorecrest High School, where “I quit footballContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist It’s hard to have a phone, or even a Skype conversation with someone in rural Nicaragua, so my interview with Mercer Island High School grad Talia Langman, currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua, was by email. Talia is no stranger to travel. BornContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist Hurricane Sandy wreaked destruction in the Northeast, but in Issaquah it caused two neighbors to meet. Growing up in Kew Gardens, Queens, Sabina Honig had dreamed of running the New York Marathon since she was 10. She didn’t start running until about 2001, tryingContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist I only recently noticed that the children’s section of my local Northeast Seattle Public Library branch was designated the “Jodi Green and Mike Halperin Children’s Area.” My curiosity piqued, I tracked down Jodi who says she and Mike “love words, books and a lifelongContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist That funky part of The Ave — Seattle’s University Avenue — above NE 50th St., has some fun restaurants, including Jaclyn Roth’s Fat Ducks Deli and Bakery in a converted house at 5509. Open for about a year, Fat Ducks has gotten high marks forContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist As a recent UW graduate, Max Alcabes was barely 20 five years ago when his parents, Carlos and Meryl, brought him in to help run the family business. Sleepers in Seattle is a sleeper sofa specialty store located in West Seattle. Max went toContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist “I studied painting in college and got away from it when my kids were growing up,” explains artist and businesswoman Stephanie Schriger. About 10 years ago, she and her husband Stan bought a cabin on Whidbey Island and “I started painting there [again].” SheContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist If you’ve been to a San Francisco 49ers football game in Candlestick Park, then you’ve heard Matt Crevin’s voice as he calls the plays in the stadium. “I’m up in the press box,” he explains. “I’m the voice up there.” Matt riffed on that part-timeContinue Reading
