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By Micol (Rubin) Bayer, , Cleveland, OH I am truly honored to be voted best ketubah artist this year. I grew up in Seattle (a graduate of SHA and NYHS) and still consider it “home,” though I currently live in Cleveland, Ohio. It is very exciting for me to beContinue Reading

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By Rabbi Richard Toban , Seattle Kollel In this past week’s Torah portion, the Talmud (Megillah 10b) tells us that during the miracles at the Splitting of the Red Sea, when the Egyptians were being drowned, the children of Israel burst into song. The malachai hashareis — the ministering angelsContinue Reading

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By Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz, West Seattle Torah Learning Center It was about four years ago, at around this time of year, when many from our local Jewish community experienced what we all agreed was one of the most powerful and inspirational moments of our lives. We had gathered, along withContinue Reading

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By Boaz Hoffman, L.Ac, , Thank you for including me in the Best of 2007 list (Jan. 11). I have an important correction: I’m not a naturopathic doctor — I am an acupuncturist! I’d greatly appreciate if this fact would be corrected. I don’t know who my “fans” are, butContinue Reading

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By Rabbi Marc D. Angel, , New York, NY I have been saddened to learn of the dissension within the Seattle Jewish community in regard to the Kollel’s divisive policies. As one who was born and raised in Seattle, I feel a special connection with my “home town,” and alwaysContinue Reading

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By Eric Soll, , Edmonds I have always maintained that the Jewish concept of “tikkun olam” has been altered by the “progressive” Jewish community, seeking to substitute left-wing, feel-good activities for actual Jewish practice and ritual. The concept of tikkun olam traditionally focused on mitzvahs and good deeds within aContinue Reading

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By Rabbi James L. Mirel, Temple B’nai Torah, Bellevue On behalf of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, I want to thank all the good people at JTNews for your support and sponsorship of our recent Hanukkah event. It was touching to witness Heather Wolfson of MAZON presenting you withContinue Reading

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By Carolyn Cohen and Sally Kinney , Puget Sound Jewish Coalition on Homelessness steering committee, Seattle The steering committee of the Puget Sound Jewish Coalition on Homelessness thanks JTNews for providing its readers a detailed and very timely account of what our members learned at our December 2 meeting atContinue Reading

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By Dov Burt Levy , Special to JTNews Jewish angles in the presidential primaries? Here’s my take, so far. First, what a difference four years makes. In the 2004 democratic primary, we had Jewish connections everywhere: General Wesley Clark’s birth father was Jewish, so were John Kerry’s paternal grandparents, andContinue Reading

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By Rabbi James L. Mirel , Temple B’nai Torah There is a passage in our Reform Jewish liturgy that states: “We are an ancient people well acquainted with sorrow.” The last part is, sadly, an understatement. But is the first phrase accurate? I am not referring to those revisionists whoContinue Reading

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By Rabbi Salomon Cohen-Scali, Congregation Ezra Bessaroth The Hebrew word machloket — dissension — contains the verbal roots halak and met. The first one means to divide and the second one means death. I always believe in the powerful message that is intrinsic to the words that make up theContinue Reading

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By Rabbi Alan Cook, Temple De Hirsch Sinai In 1955, the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Sy Miller and Jill Jackson wrote a song about their desire for world peace and what they believed individuals could do to bring their dream to fruition. They decided to teach their new work toContinue Reading

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By Shana Aucsmith, Sisterhood President, Temple B’nai Torah, Bellevue Yes, you can still shop for Judaica on the Eastside! Contrary to the statement in your article (“Judaica stores disappearing from Eastside,” Nov. 2), you do not need to cross the bridge into Seattle to purchase gift or ritual items. FromContinue Reading

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By Cynthia Gamel, , Seattle tched our Jewish community undergo many changes. Some that I’ve agreed with and some that I haven’t. One that I became aware of many years ago was how the JTNews swung toward a much more liberal view. I recognize that the paper is trying toContinue Reading

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By Josh Basson , , Seattle Tom Tugend’s column was very informative (“Tough talk on Jerusalem,” Nov. 2). I respectfully disagree with Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, an Orthodox rabbi publicly advocating that his community consider a possible division of Jerusalem. Why divide Jerusalem when access to it has been open toContinue Reading

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By Jeanette Friedman , JTA News & Features NEW YORK (JTA) — The director of the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust puts into print the question on everyone’s lips when the survivors were liberated from Nazi Germany in Daring to Resist: Jewish Defiance in the Holocaust,Continue Reading

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By Rabbi Zari M. Weiss, Rodef Tzedek This past summer, on a stunningly beautiful day, I went to Ellis Island. I had been there many years ago, but had not seen it since it had been remodeled in 1990. The exhibits there powerfully depict the experiences of many of theContinue Reading

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By Josh Basson, , Seattle Daniel Levisohn’s insightful column was quite informative (“A long journey,” Oct. 19.) Bob Ross’s journey in finding hope and meaning in his brother Bruce’s death was very moving. Glad to know that Bob got spiritual guidance and helpful advice when he most needed it fromContinue Reading

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By Diane Baer, , Seattle “Explaining the Tribe of Judah” by Diana Brement (Oct. 19), does an excellent job of covering the interesting Oct. 15 Seattle program featuring Aaron Kintu Moses from the Abayudaya Jewish Community of Uganda. It also provides background to more fully understand the origins of thisContinue Reading

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By Marie (Sara) Wacht , , Seattle I just looked at the JTNews for the week and read the article about Halloween by Rivy Poupko Kletenik (“A treat that does the trick,” Oct. 19). I have two sons, 21 and 24, and my older son’s birthday is on Halloween. IContinue Reading