Jewish Exponent

01/01/2023

Happy New Year!

12/28/2022

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George Santos Should Resign
Before and during his recent campaign for office ...

12/28/2022

www.jewishexponent.com

Machers Share Their Resolutions for 2023
What’s in a New Year’s resolution? The cliché is that it’s a shallow promise to better yourself — like by going to the gym more.

12/23/2022

The United Nations, Disappointment and Irrelevance - Jewish Exponent

Editorial: "The list of U.N. disappointments is long. Two more occurred over the last few weeks and have been largely ignored. Perhaps the lack of protest or comment reflects the irrelevance of the world body."

We have long been critical of the world body known as the United Nations. Born of a noble purpose as an intergovernmental organization created to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, promote social progress, better living standards and human rights, ac...

12/23/2022

No ‘One Size Fits All’ in Protecting Minorities - Jewish Exponent

Editorial: "The combination of so many different forms of bias — antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Black hatred, anti-Asian hatred, homophobia, transphobia and more — into a homogenized melting pot of a (White House) response risks not adequately dealing with the complexities of bias against any minority."

The announcement that the Biden administration is establishing an inter-agency group to coordinate U.S. government efforts “to counter antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination,” shows that the White House is interested in more than a ceremonial approach to address...

12/23/2022

Trump for Sale - Jewish Exponent

Editorial: "There seems to be no limit to former president and current candidate for president Donald Trump’s narcissism. Nor does there appear to be any limit to his quest for cash."

There seems to be no limit to former president and current candidate for president Donald Trump’s narcissism. Nor does there appear to be any limit to his quest for cash. In a video posted last week on Truth Social, Trump promised that he would soon make a “major announcement.” Speculation reg...

12/23/2022

Chanukah and Joseph Inspire Us - Jewish Exponent

Rabbi Linda Holtzman on Parshat Miketz: "Miketz falls during Chanukah, so dreams are especially important to us right now. We need dreams to give us the impetus to move ahead, to gain vision, to process all that happens in our lives and our world."

The story of Joseph is a story of dreams:

12/23/2022

Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel Honors Long History - Jewish Exponent

Synagogue Spotlight on...Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel in Center City, where leaders and members do the hard work of maintaining an almost 200-year-old congregation.

Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel in Center City is a combination of three different synagogues that once existed in Jewish Philadelphia — Temple Beth Zion, Temple Beth Israel and the Neziner Congregation. The first to open, Temple Beth Israel, did so in 1840. That makes BZBI the third-oldest congregat...

12/22/2022

Deli Development and Bagel Boom: Area Jewish Restaurants Expand - Jewish Exponent

Diners in the Greater Philadelphia area are hungry for more of their favorite Ashkenazi comfort foods, evidenced by the growth of multiple Jewish-owned and Jewish-style food establishments.

Diners in the Greater Philadelphia area are hungry for more of their favorite Ashkenazi comfort foods, evidenced by the growth of multiple Jewish-owned and Jewish-style food establishments. Last month, Russ Cowan, owner of Famous 4th Street Deli in Queen Village, signed a lease for the space that fo...

12/22/2022

You Should Know...Sam Salz - Jewish Exponent

Sam Salz, 20-year-old sophomore running back for Texas A&M from South Philadelphia, plays with No. 39 on his jersey, representing lamed tet melachot, the 39 categories of work forbidden on Shabbat.

Sam Salz is meticulous in matching his kippah to his football uniform: The white and burgundy of the head covering matches his Texas A&M football jersey and makes it easily visible to a crowd, he said. In a Nov. 26 primetime television broadcast, Salz can be easily recognized by his kippah as he jum...

12/22/2022

Zoom Beit Midrash Celebrates Kiloversary, 1,000 Days of Meeting - Jewish Exponent

Most COVID era Zoom groups have long since stopped gathering. But this one about Torah, prayer and Jewish philosophy and culture continues on.

The World Health Organization declared COVID a pandemic on March 11, 2020, 1,015 days ago from this article’s Dec. 21 publication. For more than 1,000 of those days, a Zoom beit midrash has met virtually, gathering to discuss Torah, prayer and Jewish philosophy and culture. The group has hosted Ra...

12/22/2022

Fun Activities Available for Local Jews on Christmas - Jewish Exponent

You’re Jewish. It’s Christmas. Few places are open, so what to do? It’s the annual question.

We have answers.

You’re Jewish. It’s Christmas. Few places are open, so what to do? It’s the annual question. This year, you can just stay in and celebrate Chanukah, since the final night is on Christmas. But what if you want to go out? Locally, there are more answers than just getting Chinese food and seeing ...

12/22/2022

Local Organizations Receive State Security Grants - Jewish Exponent

Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Dec. 15 nearly $4 million in funding to support security enhancement projects for 93 nonprofits, including several Jewish institutions in the Philadelphia area.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Dec. 15 nearly $4 million in funding to support security enhancement projects for 93 nonprofits, including several Jewish institutions in the Philadelphia area. “While it’s a shame this has been necessary, I’m proud to have secured nearly $20 million over the past th...

12/22/2022

Jewish Democrat Rue Landau Announces City Council Run - Jewish Exponent

Jewish Democrat Rue Landau is running for an at-large seat on Philadelphia's city council. If elected, she would become the first openly LGBTQ+ council member in Philadelphia history.

Rue Landau’s father Mike Landau grew up at Har Zion Temple back when the Conservative synagogue was in Philadelphia’s Wynnefield neighborhood. And her mother Dotsy Landau came of age at a Reform temple, Congregation Rodeph Shalom on North Broad Street. But even though they hailed from different ...

12/19/2022

Happy Hanukkah!

12/19/2022

Paula Mandel Turns Discarded Items Into Art - Jewish Exponent

The Jewish Exponent's Good Life series celebrates active adults. The fourth and final installment features Paula Mandel, a Conshohocken-based artist who just completed a show at the Temple Judea Museum at Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park.

No, Paula Mandel doesn’t go from house to house sifting through trash cans ...

12/19/2022

Restroom Visits Lead to a Book - Jewish Exponent

The Jewish Exponent's Good Life series celebrates active adults. The third installment focuses on Larry Glanz, who has written “The Ultimate Book of Bathroom Etiquette,” spelling out all the do’s and don’ts of something we can all relate to.

Toilet humor.

12/18/2022

No Time to Waste on Ceremony - Jewish Exponent

Editorial: "We agree with the members of Congress’ letter that urges a 'whole of government approach' to address poisonous antisemitism. But we need the right people leading the effort."

Last week, the White House hosted a roundtable meeting on antisemitism ...

12/16/2022

Warnock, Sinema, Trump and Biden - Jewish Exponent

Editorial: "The good news for Republicans is that they have a deep bench with a full range of choices to lead their ticket. The bad news is that Trump will not get out of the way graciously. As a result, Republicans will need to navigate a complicated minefield in their own nomination process."

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock’s victory over Republican challenger ...

12/16/2022

Will We Be Judahs or Einsteins? - Jewish Exponent

Rabbi Gila Colman Ruskin on Parshat Vayeshev: "As we read this week Parshat Vayeshev, how striking are the remarkable parallels between the alleged heroics of our ancestor Judah, son of Jacob, and Albert Einstein."

I just finished reading “The Other Einstein” by Marie Benedict, published in 2016.

12/16/2022

Congregation Beth Israel Celebrates Chanukah by Conserving Energy - Jewish Exponent

Congregation Beth Israel of Media recently installed 62 solar panels on its roof that will save energy and help deal with climate change.

They call Chanukah the “Festival of Lights,”

12/16/2022

Calligraphy Artist Pays Tribute to the ABCs of Judaism - Jewish Exponent

The Jewish Exponent's Good Life series celebrates active adults. The second installment features Mordechai Rosenstein, who has created calligraphy art for almost 80 years.

While studying at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art, Mordechai Rosenstein learned figure drawing and color theory, which he calls the “ABCs” of fine art, the fundamental skills needed to be an artist. But Rosenstein had a fascination with his own ABCs, which served as his fundamentals before...

12/16/2022

David Groverman Helps Athletes Find Jewish Identities, But First Had to Discover His Own - Jewish Exponent

The Jewish Exponent's Good Life series celebrates active adults. The first installment is about David Groverman, a Blue Bell resident who helped organize a wrestling tournament in Israel earlier this year.

David Groverman lettered in soccer, lacrosse and wrestling at The Haverford School and helped lead its wrestling team to three consecutive Inter-Academic League championships from 1968-’70. So, as he put it, you can imagine how he felt about Judaism when his religious parents told him he couldn’...

12/16/2022

Choosing a Camp: Why Start Now? - Jewish Exponent

It may not be the first thing that comes to mind amid the hustle and bustle of the late fall and early winter holiday season, but now may be a good time to lock in a summer camp program for your child.

It may not be the first thing that comes to mind ...

12/15/2022

You Should Know ... Michael Moshkovitz - Jewish Exponent

Michael Moshkovitz, a 24-year-old University of Pennsylvania senior from Jerusalem, has spent the last two seasons playing for Steve Donahue’s Quakers. But his hoops career may be well nearing its end.

Don’t expect Michael Moshkovitz to become the eighth native Israeli to make it to the NBA.

12/15/2022

Congregation Beth Or in Maple Glen Continues to Thrive - Jewish Exponent

Synagogue Spotlight on...Congregation Beth Or in Maple Glen.

Beth Or has lost about 100 households in the last five years but retains an active membership of about 985 families. It is also in a good place, with a recently paid-off mortgage, 450 students in the religious school, 185 kids in the preschool and more than 100 weekly attendees at hybrid Shabbat services.

On Dec. 7, Rabbi Gregory Marx presided over the funeral of the last living founder of his synagogue: Congregation Beth Or in Maple Glen. The man, who died at 104, was a member of one of the six families that started Beth Or in 1955. It was a sad day, according to Marx. As the […]

12/15/2022

Beth Chaim Reform Congregation Selling Banned Books - Jewish Exponent

A 2022 Pen America study found more than 2,500 instances of school districts around the country taking books out of their libraries and curriculums during the 2021-’22 year. A local synagogue, Beth Chaim Reform Congregation in Malvern, is trying to combat those efforts.

A 2022 Pen America study found more than 2,500 instances of school districts around the country taking books out of their libraries and curriculums during the 2021-’22 year. More than 40% of the 1,648 titles impacted contained LGBTQ+ themes and/or characters, while 40% included Black or brown char...

12/15/2022

A Symbol Endures: Public Menorah Lightings Withstand Controversy, Antisemitism, Pandemic - Jewish Exponent

This year's National Menorah lighting is especially important. In a climate of increasing antisemitism, the menorah represents defiance against hate, as it did 2,000 years ago when the Maccabees overthrew their Greek-Syrian oppressors, the sustained light of the menorah representing Jewish resistance.

The crowd for this year’s National Menorah lighting in Washington, D.C., is expected to exceed 4,000 guests. That’s the estimate of Rabbi Levi Shemtov, executive vice president of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), the group that has lit the menorah and put it on display near the White Hous...

12/15/2022

Josh Shapiro Transitions to Governor’s Office - Jewish Exponent

Josh Shapiro will be inaugurated as Pennsylvania's 48th governor on Jan. 17 in Harrisburg. As the day approaches, he is continuing to rack up wins as attorney general and putting together a transition team that reflects his diverse coalition.

In late October and early November, as Josh Shapiro’s resounding victory over Doug Mastriano in the Pennsylvania governor’s race became apparent, a new narrative emerged about the Jewish Democrat: Could Shapiro become the future of the Democratic Party in the post-Joe Biden era? And could he run...