A fatal traffic collision outside Valley Beth Shalom (VBS) in Encino on the morning of Sept. 12, as High Holiday services were underway, claimed the life of synagogue board member Karen Rubinstein and left VBS members Kyle Meyerowitz and her son, Elon Van Pelt, hospitalized. In the days since, the community has stepped up to provide […]
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Ido Goldfarb would arrive at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem at 9 a.m. every morning to start his day. The eleventh grader, who attends Shalhevet High School, worked at the hospital this past summer, learning about medicine in a place he loves: Israel. He was participating in NCSY/JSU’s Next Step summer program, which gives […]
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The silver anniversary of 9/11 was marked this year by not only the annual recitation of the names of the dead, but the maiden voyage of a steel beam recovered from the Ground Zero wreckage. What had fallen from the sky will now cross the country as a symbol of Islam’s war against the West. […]
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Something that comes once a week can never compete with something that comes once a year. Rosh Hashanah is our New Year. That gives it a certain magic, even a sense of urgency. Shabbat comes once a week. We’re used to it. We see it all the time. Tonight, the annual and the weekly will […]
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If episode one was the brain of this two-part 9/11 series, episode two is the heart. Both are crucial to watch, and each is vital to help ensure you and your children never forget. The best way to honor those who were directly devastated on September 11th is by listening to their stories, remembering their […]
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Picture this: a ceremony at sunrise in a cork oak grove, quiet enough to hear the leaves. By sunset, the same wedding party is standing above a UNESCO-listed river valley, watching the hillsides turn gold. Not two weddings, not two destinations. One country, one day, one couple who decided their wedding would be an adventure […]
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On Tuesday morning, Nov. 12, 2024, I stepped out of the shower in my home, slipped on the finished wooden floor, and fell backward, hitting my head on the side of the bathtub on the way down. The result was a catastrophic injury: I was rendered quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down. Fortunately, I sustained […]
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With the 25th anniversary of 9/11 fast approaching, I knew it was high time to bring everyone back together into the same room, to learn and remember what the community actually consists of. Survivors and First Responders. Those are likely what you first think of. If I say “9/11 Survivor,” your mind will go to […]
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I was working on a column on humility when I got interrupted by my obsession with sports, a childhood condition I still can’t shake. The story of the NBA imposing one of the harshest penalties in league history to the Los Angeles Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer has buzzed throughout the sports world this week. […]
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This year, as Rosh Hashanah lines up with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Repair the World and Hillel International are joining forces for a day of service. Across the country, more than 800 college students at 22 campus Hillels will be honoring this day through acts of service in their communities. The initiative, which was […]
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