Articles written by penny schwartz
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 53
A collection of Yiddish songs was thought lost forever-now they've been nominated for a Grammy
BOSTON (JTA)-In the despair of the Soviet Union's fierce World War II battles against the Nazis, a 42-year-old Jewish man from Odessa wrote a song in Yiddish poking fun at Hitler's failures to seize... Full story
Jewish Patriots fans, from seventh-graders to senior citizens, celebrate yet another Super Bowl win
CANTON, Mass. (JTA)-At a kickoff party Sunday night at the Orchard Cove senior home in this suburb about 25 miles from Boston, boisterous cheers erupted from a small ballroom. Dozens of residents had... Full story
Alfred Bader, Milwaukee philanthropist and art collector, dies at 94
(JTA)-Alfred Bader, a refugee who escaped Nazi-occupied Vienna as a young teen in 1938, and later became a chemist, businessman, philanthropist for Jewish and other causes, and an influential art... Full story
What's new for kids to read at Chanukah? Try a fresh take on the trailblazing 'All-of-a-Kind Family.'
(JTA)-Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte and Gertie. The names of the five fictional sisters bring a smile to generations of Jewish Americans who grew up reading "All-of-a-Kind Family," the classic... Full story
Tufts students say 'Colonizing Palestine' class demonizes Israel
MEDFORD, Mass. (JTA)—Pro-Israel students at Tufts University say a new course on Palestine is one-sided and demonizes Israel, and violates the university’s own policies on taking political stances. The course, taught by Thomas Abowd, a faculty mem... Full story
A Jewish atonement ritual gets an eco-friendly makeover
SOMERVILLE, Mass. (JTA)-On the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Eliana Jacobowitz led her congregation on a walk to the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse on the Mystic River for tashlich, a... Full story
Unique museum tells story of Polish family murdered for hiding Jews during Holocaust
MARKOWA, Poland-Memorial plaques bearing the names of Poles killed for rescuing Jews line the pathway leading to a small, austere structure built into a hillside in this rural village in southeastern... Full story
Century-old Boston synagogue receives $500,000
BOSTON (JTA)-A century-old synagogue in Boston that now serves as a Jewish cultural center will receive $500,000 from the city for historic preservation. On the recommendation of Mayor Martin Walsh,... Full story
Seven treasures from a centennial exhibit on Leonard Bernstein
(JTA)-From his birthplace in Boston to New York, Berlin, South Africa, China and Israel, Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), the larger-than-life conductor, pianist, composer, educator and bon vivant, is... Full story
Passover children's books: choo-choos, baa-baas and back to Sinai
BOSTON (JTA)-When Deborah Bodin Cohen immersed herself in rabbinical school in the early 1990s, she expected to spend a year in Israel as part of her studies with Hebrew Union College-Jewish... Full story
Boston mourns Jewish girl and best friend run down by motorist
BOSTON (JTA)-A synagogue, a Jewish summer camp and the wider Boston community are mourning two teenage best friends who died Feb. 10 after being struck by a car. Talia Newfield, 16, who is Jewish,... Full story
A son of refuseniks chronicles the slow dissolve of Russia's Jews
(JTA)-When Maxim Shrayer traveled to Moscow for a five-day visit at the end of October 2016, his itinerary included a trip to the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center. Shrayer, who emigrated from... Full story
The Reform movement is alive with the sound of music
BOSTON (JTA)-Emily Katz and Liora Hyman arrived early enough to snag front row seats for a concert with some of their favorite performers. But this show wasn't at one of Boston's storied nightclubs. R... Full story
Here are eight new children's books for Chanukah
BOSTON (JTA)-Move over, potato latkes. Make room for dosas. The savory fried Indian lentil and rice pancakes take center stage in "Queen of the Dosas," a gem of a new Chanukah book by the award-winnin... Full story
Harvard honors a professor who helped its Jewish life flourish
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (JTA)-When Henry Rosovsky first arrived at Harvard University in 1949, a newly minted graduate of the College of William and Mary, the young Jewish refugee could hardly have imagined... Full story
Julian Edelman's children's book gets a Jewish makeover
BOSTON (JTA)-If New England Patriots star Julian Edelman retires from the NFL anytime soon, he clearly has a promising second career as a Jewish children's book writer. In front of about 400 children... Full story
School project to remember Holocaust victims surpasses goal of 11 million stamps
BOSTON (JTA)-A 9-year-old school project to commemorate Holocaust victims surpassed its unlikely goal to collect 11 million stamps, representing the lives of 6 million Jews and 5 million other... Full story
Five new kids' books for the High Holidays
(JTA)-A challah-baking Jewish giant, a young baseball champ and an endearing boy in a pumpkin patch are among the stars of five delightful new books for kids published just in time for the High... Full story
Brandeis U's new president: 'Discomfort is an important element of education'
BOSTON (JTA)-After 32 years at Middlebury College, the last 11 as its president, Ron Liebowitz is calling Brandeis University his new academic home. On July 1, the 59-year-old New York native took the... Full story
Passover books for one kid-or many
(JTA)-Afikomen hunts, a rambunctious pup and the catchy classic "Dayenu." All are featured in a half-dozen new Passover books for children that will inform and entertain even the littlest kid-or a... Full story
Read all about it: The five best new kids' books for the High Holidays
(JTA)-From Antarctica to Shanghai and farms to cities, this year's crop of High Holidays books for children offers a globe-trotting exploration. Friendship and family are the themes that run through... Full story
Jewish artist's Lincoln portrait gets a brief moment in the sun
BOSTON (JTA)-Most days, a little-known 19th-century portrait of Abraham Lincoln by Solomon Nunes Carvalho (1815-1895) is tucked away in archival storage at Brandeis University's Rose Art Museum. But... Full story
Celebrating Eric Kimmel's Hershel, meeting new characters
BOSTON (JTA)-Back in 1984, when Eric Kimmel was an up-and-coming children's book author, he tried his hand at a Chanukah story, one featuring goblins. Overly cautious Jewish editors rejected the... Full story
New books: Marvelous menorahs, purple gorillas and back to '64 Berkeley
BOSTON (JTA)-A gift-giving, angst-ridden purple gorilla is among the characters who help enliven the Chanukah celebrations in eight new holiday books for children, families and young adults. One,... Full story
For the New Year, children's books opening new worlds
BOSTON (JTA)—Shofars, apples and honey, make room for pomegranates, couscous and pumpkins. The new crop of children’s books for the High Holidays opens a world beyond the beloved traditional sym... Full story