The state of Israel, formerly a model of immigrant integration, can and should do more to address the refugee crisis in the Middle East, said Harvard University Associate Professor Tally Kritzman-Amir during her talk at the University of Maryland, College Park on Sept. 6.
For weeks, consumers who frequent the Seasons Kosher supermarket chain took to social media to report bare shelves, particularly in the meat department, at the company’s eight locations — including the one that opened in Baltimore in 2017.
Three Israelis living through the latest round of hostilities in the Gaza border area shared their experiences with a full auditorium at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (CESJDS) in Rockville, Maryland. Other community members and leaders also spoke at the Jewish National Fund (JNF) event on Aug. 27.
A changing of the guard took place this month at the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington.
On Aug. 22, volunteers assembled at Adas Israel Congregation in DC to bake challahs for community members who need a little extra support throughout the High Holidays (people in mourning, ill, home-bound, juggling life with a new baby, and so on). Leah Hadad and Healey Sutton demonstrated different techniques for making the round shape traditional at this time of year. It is customary to eat round challahs during this period as a symbol of our desire for a year in which life and blessings continue without end. The group baked 30 challahs total.
It generally isn’t a good day for a baseball team when they have as many errors as hits, but the Miami Marlins versus Washington Nationals game at Nationals Park on Aug. 19 was about more than just the box score. The 1,500 baseball fans from the Jewish community at The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s fourth annual Grand Slam Sunday still had plenty of reasons to celebrate.
A $14.25 million settlement was reached in the class action lawsuit brought by victims of Barry Freundel against four organizations named as associates with the former rabbi of Kesher Israel Congregation.
Members of the local Jewish community were among the 27 leaders from 17 national Jewish organizations who traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border Aug. 21-22 for a firsthand look at the conditions facing immigrants there. The delegation was led by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and HIAS. Originally founded to aid the resettlement of Jewish refugees in America over 100 years ago, HIAS presently works with refugee populations of different backgrounds from around the world.
On Aug. 19, the Chodoff family, with the help of Yehuda Dachman, held their second annual Lemonade Stand for Charity in the Kemp Mill neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland. The kids, who are participants in the Camp Ahava team of Chai Lifeline’s annual summer Chai-a-Thon, raised over $110. Chai-a-Thon is a special peer fundraising program benefitting Camp Simcha/Camp Simcha Special, the only kosher camp for sick kids and teens.
On Sunday, Aug. 26, 75 cyclists raised a total of $35,000 in Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington’s annual MiztvahCycle bikeathon. Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington (BCGW) is a nonprofit, volunteer-based service organization that provides assistance to people and their families when facing medical challenges.