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By Rabbi Sholom Ber Levitin , Chabad-Lubavitch of the Pacific Northwest Caring about people and issues is a very important character trait. As young boys, growing up in Hassidic homes in a Hassidic community, influenced and inspired by the personal example of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (ofContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik , JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, As we approach the High Holidays this year, the words of the prayer ‘who by fire who by water’ keep going through my mind. What does it mean that we are being judged on Rosh Hashanah? Does this mean that lastContinue Reading

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By Jack L. Greenberg , , Seattle Norm Levin (Letters, Aug. 19) should get the pro-Sharon speck out of his eye and read up on some of our recent weekly Torah parshas, our Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim, ch. 329), our daily Birkat Hamazon, and refer to the Nuremberg Trials beforeContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik , JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, I read your previous column about the Jewish summer and the fast days that are observed. I guess I don’t quite understand the notion of mourning for the Temple. Why should I be sad about its destruction? I can’t imagine needingContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, Our first child is going to start school this fall for the very first time, and I think I’m having separation anxiety. It feels so sad to leave the summer for the classroom. Where did schools come from? Are schools a JewishContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, Is it my imagination, or are people far vainer and more obsessed with their bodies than they have ever been? In addition to wrinkle prevention creams, exercise-crazed programs, and extensive menus of elective surgeries, we now have “Extreme Makeover” television shows thatContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, I noticed that the popular, very cool new Hasidic reggae artist, Matisyahu, made a single appearance this spring, right here in Seattle. When I asked about his lone tour date, the answer I was given was that Matisyahu will only sing onContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, My spouse comes from a more observantly Jewish home than I, and now that we have kids he would like us to begin to celebrate Shabbat. I am not saying that I am opposed, but I don’t understand why we should allContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, When I would bottle-feed my newborn child during his first few weeks of life, he would curl his hands to his chest as if he were engaged in transcendental meditation. Now that he’s a few weeks older, and has begun to recognizeContinue Reading

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By Rivy Poupko Kletenik, JTNews Columnist Dear Rivy, Do you have any ideas about how to inject some substantial content into our Hanukkah celebration? Hanukkah is very fun, and at our home we light the menorah, we serve holiday foods, we sing songs and play driedl, but it feels likeContinue Reading

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By The JTNews Board , JTNews As American citizens, it is your right, your privilege, and your duty to vote in the election next week. This election, more than almost any other in our lifetimes, could be the most important in deciding the direction our country will take over theContinue Reading

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By Bill Block , Special to JTNews I take great pride in the Seattle Jewish community’s commitment to tikkun olam, the obligation to make the world a better place. From aiding the homeless to feeding the hungry, to helping those with HIV/AIDS, the Jewish community can be counted on toContinue Reading