November 2019

Posted

In this issue

  • We are read

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    We Are Read in Denmark – Sheila and Alan Kaplan, of Warwick,  and Barbara and Billy Karetny, of East Greenwich, were at the Danish Jewish Museum in August.

  • We are read

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    We Are Read in Florida – Ida and Tom Brown (right) of Hopatcong, New Jerse, (Ida is originally from Rhode Island) recently met up with John and Beverly Gilmore of  Davenport, Florida (they …

  • We are read

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    We Are Read in portugal – Karen Borger (left) and former Providence resident Ruth Stevens recently enjoyed a Jewish tour of Lisbon, Portugal, with guide Davide, ending at the Lisbon Jewish …

  • Mazal Tov

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Skyler Lavalla and Leah Charpentier were married in Stowe, Vermont, on Oct. 20. The wedding took place at the Green Mountain Inn.  Skyler is the son of Terry Schuster and Kevin Lavalla, and …

  • The Holocaust Stamps Project finds a home in Pennsylvania

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    The Holocaust Stamps Project is on the verge of acquiring a permanent home for its 11 million stamps and the 18 collages fashioned from them.  A national stamp-collecting organization …

  • Wildfires across California lead to closing of some Jewish institutions

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    (JTA) – Wildfires across California have led to the evacuations of several Jewish institutions in the Los Angeles area and communities in the northern part of the state. The Getty Fire in …

  • Creative Hands Art Sale celebrates five years at Temple Emanu-El on Nov. 3

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Ever since God commissioned Bezalel to build the Tabernacle in biblical times, art has played an important role in Judaism. The value of “hiddur mitzvah” (beautification of the …

  • Avraham Infeld shares his vision for the Jewish people at Teverowlecture Nov. 13

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    What is the future of the Jewish people? Very few have truly developed a comprehensive vision. Avraham Infeld is one of those few, and he will share this vision at the Joseph Teverow and …

  • Annual Women’s conference will feature ‘Small Miracles’ author

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    On Dec. 8, Jewish women will gather at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center in Providence for a day of study, dialogue, inspiration, learning and friendship.  The annual …

  • Some debt is good, some debt is bad

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Debt is truly a double-edged sword – a blessing when used thoughtfully and selectively, but a curse when overused and relied on indiscriminately. With so much potentially at stake, anyone …

  • Angela Merkel honored for fighting anti-Semitism

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    BERLIN (JTA) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel was honored by the World Jewish Congress for her role in fighting anti-Semitism. The annual Theodor Herzl Prize recognizes individuals who …

  • People with dementia have a monthly café of their very own at Temple Beth-El

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    For people with memory loss , the world can be overwhelming. Even everyday activities, such as running errands or going out for lunch can become too difficult to navigate, leaving them increasingly …

  • What your mother didn’t tell you!

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    It turns out that the majority of women experience mid-life and beyond with many unanswered questions about their changing bodies. To help disseminate much needed information on the topics of …

  • The joys of a large international family

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Pam and Mel Hanzel, active members of Providence’s Temple Emanu-El, have hosted exchange students for decades. I recently met with them and Britta, their third exchange student, from …

  • JWA national head visits RI

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    On Oct. 13, National Commander Harvey Weiner met with members of the Rhode Island department Jewish War Veterans USA. He discussed his goals for the year, his vision for the future and offered …

  • M’Dor L’Dor: Bubbe’s recipes communicate love

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Like any cultural group worth its salt, Jews communicate love through cooking. And while many epically outstanding women who also happen to be loving Jewish grandmothers do not cook (see: Ruth …

  • I’m grateful for Thanksgiving in Israel

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Adapting to a new country and culture often means having to shed aspects of where you originally came from. It’s a personal choice. When it comes to holidays, I continue to embrace the …

  • Alicia Svigals returns to Temple Emanu-El with The Beregovski Suite

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Musician Alicia Svigals returns to Temple Emanu-El on Dec. 14 with her latest project, The Beregovski Suite.  Together with Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Uli Geissendoerfer, they bring …

  • A little less ‘progress’ would do us a world of good

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Our collective human problem is not how to save the planet for us ... but rather from us!  We must back off from “civilizing” the poor troubled planet, and leave some space to …

  • My favorite musical returns

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Recently, I was astonished to read that Broadway will soon host a third revival of my favorite musical, “The Music Man.”  I can’t wait!    Since I became …

  • In celebration of Nov. 11 in the past and present

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Armistice: A temporary cessation of war; a cease-fire.   For some of us of a certain age (and there are fewer and fewer of us), Nov. 11 – Veterans Day – will always be …

  • Everyone is responsible and needs to take action to make a difference

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    THE SCIENCE OF the climate crisis has been clear for decades, and the need for action has never been more urgent.  Reliable, peer-reviewed research shows that half of plant and animal species are at risk for extinction by the end of the century. Wildfires, droughts, hurricanes and floods will become more deadly and destructive. Millions of climate refugees will need safe haven in coming years.  This is only the tip of the iceberg. 

  • Transportation is key and simple steps like riding a bike can help

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    H.G. Wells said, “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” Wells lived in the golden age of bicycling, street cars and railroads in the late 19th century. But with the advent of the automobile, America handed over the keys to our transportation system to motorized vehicles and the fossil fuel industry.

  • What we can still learn from the Lubavitcher Rebbe about climate change

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    PENN YAN, N.Y. (JTA) – When the refineries were ablaze recently in Saudi Arabia, you might be forgiven if you forget that in the Amazon and Indonesia, forests were ablaze as …

  • How Naama Issachar became a political pawn

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    By now the story of Naama Issachar, the U.S.-Israeli citizen imprisoned in Russia since April, has exploded in the Israeli media and has been covered in various international news sources. …

  • The United States: Still the best place in the world to live

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Twenty years ago this month, my wife and I were getting ready to celebrate what we believed would be a particularly meaningful Thanksgiving, because it would be the first since our then-only daughter Arianna became a naturalized American citizen, at age 3.

  • Swim with the sharks

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    The TigerSharks Swim Team at the Dwares Jewish Community Center is in full swing as kids start moving from other sports to swim season. We hope to have 30 kids participating this year with many …

  • Jewish veterans, are you out there?

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    The Jewish War Veterans of the USA is the oldest organized veterans group in the United States. It was founded in 1896 by veterans who served in the North and the South during the Civil War. It was …

  • Our urgent need for heroes of virtue, courage and cunning

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    The Starbucks just off Wayland Square in Providence is not only a place where I enjoy a good mug of coffee several times a week, but also an environment that inspires me to write, in longhand, …

  • Oslo bans purchase of Israeli settlement goods

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    (JTA) – The recently elected Oslo City Council is getting right to work: The Norwegian lawmakers are banning the purchase of goods and services from Israeli Jewish settlements by municipal …

  • Israeli judge halts auction of Holocaust victim’s letter

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    JERUSALEM (JTA) – A court in Israel has blocked the sale of a letter written by an 11-year-old Polish girl who was killed in the Holocaust, following a protest by family members. Five …

  • Noah’s story is a tale of hope

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    This week, we read the story of Noah and the flood. You might be familiar with it as a cute kid’s story about finding two of each animal and bringing them into a giant boat. Or perhaps you …

  • Loeb Visitors Center celebrates 10 years

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    “Well, we don’t like Hitler, but at least he’s killed the Jews.” Those were the words spoken to John J. Loeb in 1945, by his classmates at the Hotchkiss School. At the …

  • Or Cohen: Bringing a little of Israel to her new home

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Or Cohen came to Rhode Island in August to serve as the Israeli emissary (shlichah) to the Rhode Island Jewish community through summer 2021.   As a teen, the 28-year-old Israeli was a …

  • Fighting terrorism in courts and banks

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    PROVIDENCE – It’s an innovative idea: Fighting terrorism by bankrupting terrorist organizations. But that’s exactly what Israeli attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner is working to …

  • Step away from the rat race

    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Do you find that you have trouble slowing down? After the introspection and renewal of the high holidays, do you launch back into your schedule with the vigor of a speeding train? I know I do. …