Articles from the March 20, 2020 edition
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 28
By 
Netanyahu and Gantz agree to work toward emergency unity government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the formation of an emergency government to confront a growing crisis over the coronavirus, offering a potential way out of the...
New Jersey rabbis decide to shut down their Jewish community
(JTA)-Larry Rothwachs, a rabbi in Teaneck, New Jersey, walked into the meeting Wednesday night between local Jewish leaders and health officials with one set of ideas about how his community should...
Federation, JCC closes for 2 weeks
Keith Dvorchik, executive director of the Federation and The Roth Family JCC, made the decision to close both facilities for two weeks, beginning last Monday, March 16. They currently plan to reopen on Monday, March 30. This was a result of the...
Gantz tasked to form government
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will give Benny Gantz the task of forming a new government, his office said Sunday. Rivlin met Sunday with the heads of all the parties that won seats...
Jewish Academy kindergarteners support Pearlman Pantry
Jewish Academy of Orlando kindergarteners raised funds at the school for the Pearlman Food Pantry at Jewish Family services by operating a healthy snack store. The annual program at JAO begins with a...
The Roth Family JCC events canceled, postponed or waiting to see
If you have purchased tickets to an event, we will email you with details about refunds. Saturday, March 21: The Tribe at Magic game CANCELED Wednesday, March 25: 35+ Basketball League start to season POSTPONED Thursday, March 26: 50+ Basketball...
From 'Spock' greetings to chopstick Torah pointers, synagogues are getting creative amid the coronavirus outbreak
(JTA)-On a typical Friday, some 200 people show up for services at Temple De Hirsch Sinai, a Reform congregation in Seattle. But last week, there was no one in the pews as Rabbi Daniel Weiner welcomed...
Rabbis give spiritual guidance in handling the coronavirus crisis
(JTA)—At this point, we know well how to wash our hands to protect ourselves from the coronavirus. But how do we soothe our souls? When we recently asked for stories about how local Jewish communities are adapting to the public health threat, we r...
US State Department changes name of eastern Jerusalem Palestinians in annual report
(JNS)—The U.S. State Department has changed its official description of Palestinians living in eastern Jerusalem from “Palestinian residents” to “Arab residents” or “non-Israeli citizens” in the department’s annual global human-rights re...
What has changed since the 'Black Death'?
(JNS)—The numbers are rolling in, and they make for grim reading. In four European countries with significant Jewish communities—France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy—statistics gathered during 2019 by communal organizations and law-e...
The coronavirus could be disastrous for Israeli service workers
By Laura Ben-David JERUSALEM (JTA)—For the young and healthy, the coronavirus itself is likely to be mostly an inconvenience. But for many workers, the COVID-19 pandemic could literally cost them their livelihoods. Obviously, many of us are deeply c...
Proud of Israel for valuing health above wealth in confronting coronavirus
I am proud to be Israeli and I am proud of my government. In the last few days, as the coronavirus was spinning out of control around the world, Israel has consistently been taking proactive decisions, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere in...
A fine line between sensible caution and outright hysteria
(JNS)—It’s time to take the threat from the coronavirus seriously. That’s as true for local Jewish communities as it is for governments. But just like some of our leaders have been slow to comprehend the peril from the spread of the disease, the s...
A virus is uniting us, whether we like it or not
(JNS)—I read in The New York Times this week that German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that two-thirds of the German population could end up infected by the coronavirus. That would be 55 million people—in one country alone. Meanwhile, all of Ita...
Asian Americans are facing violent xenophobia during the coronavirus outbreak
NEW YORK (JTA)—In recent weeks, we’ve seen an unprecedented epidemic of the coronavirus spread across the world. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen a spike in anti-Asian violence and prejudice. In the U.S., racist and xenophobic outbursts, assau...
A hard worker for the Jewish Pavilion
Brenda Fisher Wetmore uses her talents in many ways. An avid supporter of The Jewish Pavilion, Wetmore has been on the Friends of the Jewish Pavilion Board for many years. She actively helps plan...
Thousands of Israelis in the US called home as coronavirus restrictions tighten in their homeland
NEW YORK (JTA)—Purim celebrations at Oakland Hebrew Day School on Tuesday included a surprise, un-festive addition: farewells to two young Israeli women whose work in the Northern California school was being cut short by the global coronavirus p...
Seniors connect with their heritage through the holidays
The programs offered by the Jewish Pavilion provide Jewish residents at senior living facilities opportunities to connect with their heritage as they share their holidays and Shabbat with their...
Jews in the Land of Disney: Meet the multi-talented Rabbi David Kay
Born and raised on the southwest side of Chicago, Rabbi David Kay of Congregation Ohev Shalom grew up in an area rife with anti-Semitism. This was the late 1960s, early '70s. Surrounding their tiny Je...
Scene Around
"Representatives of the World Jewish Congress met with JAN HAMACEK, minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic, as a follow-up to methodology provided by the WJC to the government for protecting...
Israel's hospitality industry suffering worst-ever crisis, says Israel Hotel Association
(JNS)-Amid the worldwide tourism slowdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, Israel Hotel Association president Amir Hayek warned on Monday that the hotel industry is "on the brink of collapse." "Mass...
Walter Goldstein's celebration of life was all music, laughter and light
Sometimes sad things happen in beautiful ways. Ways that make you think about the blessings in your life. Ways that make it important to tell those that you love how special they are, and times that l...
These 7 Jewish actresses shaped Hollywood as we know it
This story originally appeared on Alma. Both on screen and behind the scenes, Jewish directors, producers and writers are credited with developing the Hollywood system as we know it today. These...
'King of Weed': Meet the Jewish mogul who's smokin' the competition
(J. The Jewish News of Northern California)-Michael Steinmetz was uncertain about inviting his grandmother to visit his marijuana factory in Mendocino County. Masha Steinmetz is 89 and an observant...
Weekly roundup of world briefs
Netanyahu plans to mobilize students to disinfect public areas By Ben Harris (JTA)—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he plans to enlist schoolchildren to help disinfect public areas from the coronavirus. “This virus is sen...
