By Rabbi Rob Toren, Samis Foundation A waiter approaches a customer to take his order. The customer, thinking aloud, says, “Let’s see. This week is the Nine Days, so I have to eat dairy. I’ll take the fish.” The confused waiter goes back to the kitchen and says to theContinue Reading
By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, Last month the North American Jewish community witnessed the public pillorying of a Jewish communal worker. Was it another horrific, shameful case of sexual abuse or harassment in the work place? One more mortifying incident of misuse of funds? No, rather, itContinue Reading
By L. S. Davis, , Olympia The “Rabbi’s Turn” on May 22 (“What we’re all about“) featured Rabbi Seth Goldstein of Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia. While he provided interesting facts about the history of TBH and Olympia’s local Jewish community, he does a great disservice to those of usContinue Reading
By Rabbi Sarah Newmark, Congregation Beth Hatikvah When I tell people I’m a Reconstructionist rabbi, I generally get this response: “I’ve heard of Reconstructionism, but I don’t know anything about it.” Those of us who trained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College near Philadelphia are used to this. In fact, inContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist To my way of thinking, summer hasn’t started until we’ve had our first big bowl of strawberry shortcake. Generally I make it with big, flaky biscuits, but for some reason this year it crossed my mind to try it with cornbread instead. Corn andContinue Reading
By Diana Brement , JTNews Columnist 1 Just a couple of weeks ago, Eliana Rudee was part of a panel on the future of Jewish leadership at the Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem. The Mercer Island High School grad, who friends and family call Ellie, was already in Israel. SheContinue Reading
By Janis Siegel , JTNews Correspondent Two of the latest studies to come out of Israel in June 2013 have given hope to sufferers of neuro-degenerative diseases and stroke victims alike, in two vividly different but successful research trials. For those who struggle with diseases like Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s, andContinue Reading
By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, I am confused. The startling revelations around the National Security Agency’s surveillance are deeply disturbing. It turns out “Big Brother” is watching, more than we had imagined, though anyone with a bit of an astute sensibility has by now noticed the “serendipitous”Continue Reading
By Marvin Stern , Special to JTNews My father Klaus Stern died on May 12. Sitting in the hospital with him those last 12 days I was constantly focused on his hands. Obviously as children we hold our parents’ hands and of course over the years I often shook handsContinue Reading
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 Rabbi Mark Spiro , LivingJudaism Prior to our arrival in Seattle nearly 10 years ago, we’d heard about the warm, close-knit Jewish community, and in many respects we have not been disappointed. But we’ve also witnessed quite a bit of controversy relating mainly to our schools and synagogues. AtContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist This is the month when seniors say goodbye to high school and start to dream of life in college. Some of my favorite memories of college are impromptu dinner parties, sharing good, simple, inexpensive food. This week’s dish of Caribbean-inspired, coconut milk-scented rice, blackContinue Reading
By Janis Siegel, JTNews Columnist More and more, scientists are becoming intrigued by the possibility that dogs may be uniquely sensitive to the distinctive smell of a cancer cell and that they may someday play a crucial role in saving the lives of patients affected by cancer. Recently, an IsraeliContinue Reading
By Donniel Hartman , Shalom Hartman Institute Dear President Abbas: The new administration in Washington has brought to our neighborhood a Secretary of State who has not yet given up on the possibilities of progress in bringing our conflict to a peaceful and just end. It seems, as well, thatContinue 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 Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, This year on Father’s Day, besides the regular celebrations, we are also commemorating a significant birthday for my father, the patriarch of our family. I have been tasked with the role of emcee at this event and must now face the dauntingContinue Reading
By Emily Katcher, , Seattle Seattle Public Schools will begin school for the 2013-14 year on September 4, erev Rosh Hashanah. Our families must choose between the first days of school and being practicing Jews. I have been in contact with my board member, Ms. Smith-Blum, who is aware ofContinue Reading
By Dennis Warshal, , Seattle While reading the article “A Jewish Tombstone“ (April 26) by Emily K. Alhadeff, I was appalled by her use and context of the pejorative word goy, referring in part to a “Jewish parent’s worst nightmare.” Her insensitivity to non-Jewish people, her use of a wordContinue Reading
By Edward Alexander, , Seattle As the IRS scandal unfolds, it is worth recalling that, according to the medieval rabbis, the practice of reciting Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead, originated in the medieval story of Rabbi Akiva found in Mahzor Vitry. Walking in a cemetery, Akiva meets aContinue Reading
By Rabbi Seth Goldstein , Temple Beth Hatfiloh Whenever I find myself outside Olympia speaking to a member of a local Jewish community, I will invariably be asked two questions. First, I will be asked, “How many Jews are there in Olympia?” When I respond that we have about 150Continue Reading
