By Emily Moore, JTNews Correspondent How is Mount Sinai like cheese? When are fruits a sacrifice? Is there significance in a long, four-cornered wheat bread? The food-centric story of Shavuot holds the answers. These days, Shavuot is known as the “dairy holiday.” It’s a time to make luscious cheese blintzesContinue Reading

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By Joel Magalnick, JTNews Correspondent For centuries, families have passed the honor of rabbi through their generations, from father to son. In recent years, daughters have begun to have the rabbinical mantle passed from their fathers, signaling a new way of doing things. Now, however, a new tradition has begun,Continue Reading

By Britten Schear, Special to JTNews In Peru, as in many developing countries, cervical cancer is an unparalleled killer. Although it is a widely feared, despised, and humiliating process, American women are resigned to the fact that their yearly medical checkups will likely include a test for cervical cancer. ThereContinue Reading

By Janis Siegel, JTNews Correspondent Jews always seem to argue — in a good way, of course — about whether or not they are doing the right thing. It’s a long-standing tradition, but if it’s any consolation to those who engage in debates over Jewish life today, they are notContinue Reading

By Rita Weinstein, JTNews Correspondent One man’s vision has turned into a major victory for local low-income seniors. On June 4, the senior residential facility Council House and Felippe Jacques, a long-term resident, were awarded a $10,000 technology grant by the City of Seattle. The funds will support a groundbreakingContinue Reading

By Congressman Jim McDermott, Special to JTNews For a short moment, there seemed to be hope for a sincere rapprochement between the Israeli government and a new Palestinian leadership that promised to push forward democratic reform and to end terrorism. But, once again, the enemies of peace tried everything inContinue Reading

By Manny Frishberg, JTNews Correspondent Finding new ways to promote Jewish culture has moved two prominent members of the local Jewish community in new directions. Matthew Brogan and Michele Yanow will steer the direction of Nextbook, a project promoting a deeper understanding of Jewish culture in the Puget Sound areaContinue Reading

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By Joel Magalnick, JTNews Correspondent With Wednesday’s approval of the two-year budget by state lawmakers, many social service agencies can breathe a small sigh of relief. Tens of millions of dollars that had been slashed from Gov. Gary Locke’s budget proposal in January were put back on the table, whichContinue Reading

By Robert Shay, Special to JTNews I normally speak to you on these pages about Jewish films. This time, in honor of Memorial Day, the editor has graciously allowed me to tell you about some very real American Jewish war heroes of the United States. I will be upfront toContinue Reading

By Joel Magalnick, JTNews Correspondent On May 14, approximately 30 members of the Jewish community picked up their signs and marched outside of National Public Radio affiliate KUOW’s headquarters in Seattle’s University District. The demonstration, one of nearly three dozen nationwide, protested NPR’s coverage of Israel. Organizers say that overContinue Reading

By Joel Magalnick, JTNews Correspondent When Tipper Gore gives a slide show, she likes to cover her entire life as a jumping-off point for telling her stories. She also likes a large audience. In the case of her recent Seattle visit, that audience was 850 well-dressed members of the SeattleContinue Reading

By David Chesanow, JTNews Correspondent Washington has a new hate-crime law, which prohibits insurance companies from canceling or refusing to renew coverage on targets of bias attacks. House Bill 1128 was signed by Gov. Gary Locke in Olympia on May 7. “By signing this bill into law, we are takingContinue Reading

By Joel Magalnick, Editor, JTNews Educator and author Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi will join Temple B’nai Torah as a scholar in residence this June. Dr. Eskenazi is Professor of Bible at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles, the training institution for Reform rabbis and educators, where she was the firstContinue Reading

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By Jessica Davis, JTNews Correspondent Playwright Lee Blessing’s 1988 political drama, Two Rooms, about Middle East policy, terrorism and the disconnect between government and the media, is as pertinent now as when it was written. “I think that, given the focus of the world on that region right now andContinue Reading

By Jessica Davis, JTNews Correspondent For local filmmaker Ann Coppel, Jewish vocalist and composer Debbie Friedman is an inspiration. Her current documentary film project, “A Journey of Spirit,” explores Friedman and a story of community building, spirituality and healing, as well as overcoming personal and professional obstacles along the way.Continue Reading

By Emily Moore, JTNews Correspondent Who better to receive a Mother’s Day food tribute than our Jewish mothers? Even outside Jewish culture, jokes and stories have long informed society of their attributed characteristics: Strong and loving, critical yet utterly compassionate, too worried about us and infuriatingly long suffering. Above all,Continue Reading