By Norman Levin, , Seattle Kudos to the JTNews editor for his courageous stand regarding the unconscionable leniency given to Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz for his conviction of assault injury by vehicle. The letters of support from Rabbi Schwartz’s congregants were not unexpected, but in my opinion were a disgusting displayContinue Reading
By Cliff Godwin, , Olympia Joel Magalnick’s “viewpoint” on Rabbi Schwartz misses the whole point of a sentencing hearing: to take testimony of a defendant’s character and service to his family and community into consideration in setting the sentence for his crime. The purpose of a sentence is to engenderContinue Reading
By Rabbi Moshe Kletenik , JTA News & Features SEATTLE (JTA) — We are all too familiar with the stories. Someone who for his entire life considered himself Jewish is suddenly told by a rabbinical court that his Jewish identity is suspect. A woman adopted and converted as a childContinue Reading
By Lea Hanan, , Seattle After reading about Rabbi Schwartz’s sentencing and the comments from Rabbi David of the Seattle Kollel, I would like to say the following to Rabbi David and Rabbi Schwartz. I am sorry that you thought that parading a group of a hundred supporters in frontContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist Most people don’t grow up saying, “I want to be mayor of Newcastle,” but Ben Varon is delighted to have the position, which caps five years serving on that town-within-a-town’s city council. “Technically, it’s a ceremonial position,” Ben says, but he does help “make decisionsContinue Reading
By Rabbi Marc Angel and Rabbi Avraham Weiss , JTA News & Features NEW YORK (JTA) — The Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Rabbinical Council of America have concluded an agreement related to conversion that will allow the two groups to work together. This solves a problem that reachedContinue Reading
By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, In preparation for the upcoming holiday of Purim, I decided to really read the Book of Esther. I feel like I’ve been jolted into reality — I thought Purim was a fun-filled, joyous holiday, but now the mask has been taken offContinue Reading
By Sidney Stock, , Bellevue With my first step onto Israeli soil, my initial thought was of finally being home — but in a surprising way. This thought was: “Now, in Israel, if I commit some illegal act, for the first time in my life I’ll be judged on theContinue Reading
By Ami Eden , JTA News & Features NEW YORK (JTA) — Barack Obama has spent months fending off successive waves of highly misleading and outright false e-mail campaigns, but this week the Democratic front-runner found himself scrambling to respond to an indisputable YouTube-documented outrage: the inflammatory sermons of hisContinue Reading
By Rabbi Shalom D. (Berry) Farkash, Chabad of the Central Cascades Since it is Purim today, we need to say l’chaim, so l’chaim, l’chaim v’livracha! Opening the previous JTNews, I saw the Purim edition called “The Backward” and this brought to my mind an interesting halachah I learned in yeshivahContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist Most of us, I think it’s reasonable to assume, don’t know any milliners (that’s a hat maker to you). Unless, of course, you know Tanya Benzaquen, who is busy bringing this moribund art back to life with her unique designs and creations that are must-havesContinue Reading
By Celia Y. Weisman, Director of Development, Spectrum Dance, Seattle Thank you for publishing Leyna Krow’s thoughtful article, “Political movement: Spectrum Dance Theater Takes on the Holocaust and other humanitarian crises,” (Feb. 22). As Krow discusses, “The Theater of Needless Talents,” — Spectrum’s world premiere — deals with powerful issuesContinue Reading
By Gary Mokotoff, , Bergenfield, N.J. sthumous baptism of Jews by the Mormon Church, [that it was] was the act of “just nine people out of 13 million Mormons” is not true (The record keepers,” Feb. 22). Until the Mormon Church signed an agreement with certain Jewish organizations in MayContinue Reading
By Joel Magalnick , Editor, JTNews That members of the West Seattle Torah Learning Center sent Judge George Holifield 100 letters in support of Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz says something about their devotion to their rabbi. But was it the right thing to do? Rabbi Schwartz was convicted in January ofContinue Reading
By Miriam Swedlow, , Seattle I was disappointed by Leyna Krow’s recent article about the Seattle Orthodox Day Schools (“Learning curve,” Feb. 8). While I applaud her for writing an article that openly discusses an issue that has remained in whispered corners of the Orthodox community, her article completely overlookedContinue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist Debbie Sopher and Daniel Markowitz were still delighted about being honored by the Seattle Jewish Community School when I spoke to them a few days after the school’s annual gala dinner, at which their contributions were celebrated. “We are both very moved that they wouldContinue Reading
By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, When I was growing up, “Hava Nagila” was the typical, clichéd Jewish must-be-played song — now suddenly it’s “in” for real. I am being sent e-mail after e-mail with a link to a YouTube video of “Hava Nagila” that shatters its uncool standing. It got meContinue Reading
By Rabbi Yechezchel Kornfeld, Congregation Shevet Achim The “Hot Topic” in all Jewish communities throughout the world is how best to ensure the continued existence of our people. What must be said at the onset is that the existence of the Jews is not in danger. God has already promised,Continue Reading
By Diana Brement, JTNews Columnist Retired Starbucks president Howard Behar has just published his first book. It’s Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks details the philosophies Behar developed during his 17 years at the now-international coffee retailer. (The Penguin hardcover is $19.95, and was co-writtenContinue Reading
By Linda Clifton, , Seattle Thank you so much for your detailed coverage of recent successful efforts to move the 2008 Democratic county conventions off [of] the weekend that Passover begins. While I agree that the party’s scheduling of precinct caucuses on a Saturday is both unfortunate and serious, it’sContinue Reading
