At 95, She makes herself at home at B’nai Israel
The invitation to Sylvia Stroger’s 95th birthday party stated “no presents,” with the suggestion that a donation to Congregation B’nai Israel would be appreciated as an alternative. What does a 95-year-old need that she doesn’t have?
A...
Asenath Barzani: Remarkable Hebrew scholar
Can you fathom a young Kurdish Jewish woman in 17th century Iraq who for years served as rosh yeshivah in Mosul and as leader of the Jewish community?
Asenath Barzani was the daughter of Rabi...
‘I’ve always been seen by other people as Jewish’
My experience of comedians is that they’re rarely funny to meet. I’ve interviewed Ben Stiller, Bobcat Goldthwait, Ricky Gervais, Rob Schneider, Robin Williams and Woody Allen, and they were all interesting, intelligent individuals, but...
Jewish ‘Sopranos’ actress announces pregnancy, says she discovered the news after trip to Israel
Former “Sopranos” star Jamie-Lynn Sigler announced on Tuesday on Instagram that she was pregnant with her second child.
The Jewish actress — her father is of Greek and Romanian Jewish descent and her mother converted...
Martin Landau, Actor Who Won an Oscar for ‘Ed Wood,’ Dies at 89
Martin Landau, the tall, intense, sometimes mischievously sinister actor best known for his role in the television series “Mission: Impossible” and his Oscar-winning portrayal of Bela Lugosi in the film “Ed Wood,” died on...
Moses Mendelssohn: Personally observant progenitor of Reform Judaism
The son of Menachem Mendel, a Torah scribe, Moses Mendelssohn (“son of Mendel”) not only studied in yeshiva and became a promising rabbinic scholar, he also pursued secular learning, particularly languages and philosophy, studying...
Married couple complete bike ride from Auschwitz for Jewish charity
A woman is supporting the charity that helped her family after their escape Nazi-occupied Germany by taking part in a charity bike ride.
Suzanne Gould, 49, and her husband Michael, 51 from Bushey have raised...
Judaism exhibition opens in Wellington
An exhibition on the history of Judaism has opened in Wellington right in time for the school holidays.
The collection has taken decades to build and has been acquired almost entirely by one man.
Michael Clements...
Taube Philanthropies awards $5 million to Museum of the Jewish People
San Francisco-based Taube Philanthropies has announced a $5 million gift to the Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The gift will help fund construction of the Tad and Dianne Taube Lobby and Taube...
Meet Diego Schwartzman, the best Jewish tennis player on earth
When Wimbledon starts next week, no other Jewish tennis player will be seeded higher than Diego Schwartzman.
The scrappy 24-year-old from Argentina, fresh off an impressive five-set duel with perennial star Novak Djokovic at the...