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Odds & Ends / Webmaster's Odds & Ends

DNA analysis solves mystery of bodies found at bottom of medieval well

By Katie Hunt, CNN  Tue August 30, 2022

Construction workers breaking ground in 2004 on a shopping mall in Norwich, England, found 17 bodies at the bottom of a 800-year-old well. The identity of the remains of the six adults and 11 children and why they ended up in the medieval well had long vexed archaeologists. Unlike other mass burials where skeletons are uniformly arranged, the bodies were oddly positioned and mixed — likely caused by being thrown head first shortly after their deaths. (more…)

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President's Message

September 2022: President’s Message

September 2022

I haven’t been in the magazine publishing industry for several years, yet here I am, writing my first regular bulletin article on deadline day, August 12th.

My first few weeks as President of Temple Beth Sholom have been both exhausting and rewarding at the same time. Every morning, I wake up to several new emails or text messages that must be answered. My phone’s calendar app is being used more than ever before to keep track of meetings…and there have been a lot of them. Most of these meetings are just to prepare for the many wonderful things to come this year. (more…)

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Rabbi's Corner

A Religion of Love

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

If you grew up when I did, you probably remember the book and movie Love Story. The book, published by Erich Segal in 1970, was a bestseller. The movie based on the book, released in the same year, made stars of Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw. They play college students Jenny and Oliver from opposite social economic backgrounds who fall in love and marry. They then must deal with tragedy as she contracts cancer. This is not a spoiler; her death is the first line of the book. (more…)

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Israel Matters!

Israel Matters! – September 2022

Ma Yesh b’Telivisia? (Which of course means “what’s on TV?”)

TV programming might seem a stretch for an issue of Israel Matters, but of course, here we are talking about what’s on Israeli TV. There was a time when there was only a single channel in Israel, and it was multipurpose – news followed by entertainment at night, kid shows in the morning, game shows and special features in the afternoon followed by an hour of Arabic and all of ten minutes of news in English, along with religious programming very early in the morning and late at night. But those days are gone, and Israelis have countless channels of their own to surf, not to mention international channels from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as some American channels and lots of Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. (more…)

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President's Message

July/August 2022: President’s Message

Shabbat Shalom.
I would like to begin with a special thanks to Shira Rosenblatt. I was thrilled when you replied to my text message that you would be honored to be our installing officer this year. I’ve always admired your dedication to this synagogue. I look forward to working with you this year as you embark on your role as Programming VP. I know you think you’re going to do this for just one year, but we’ll see what happens. (more…)

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Israel Matters!

Israel Matters! – July/August 2022

Festival Fun in the Israeli Sun

It doesn’t seem possible that a country as small as Israel could fit so many different festivals in just the summer months! Everything from wine, to music, to films, to dance, to arts and crafts, Israel has a festival for you! And – most of the activities at every festival are free! Here’s a small taste of some of the festivals you can enjoy. (more…)

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Odds & Ends / Webmaster's Odds & Ends

Two Torahs? Origins of the Karaite schism explored in new book

Lasker’s book offers an extremely well-researched introduction to the relatively unknown and un-researched branch of Jewish history that includes Karaite Jewry and its texts, commentaries and records

By HADASSAH FAUR  Published: MAY 28, 2022

TOURISTS VISIT a Karaite prayer house (‘kenesa’) in the ancient town of Chufut-Kale near Bakhchisaray, Crimea. (photo credit: MAXIM ZMEYEV/REUTERS)

TOURISTS VISIT a Karaite prayer house (‘kenesa’) in the ancient town of Chufut-Kale near Bakhchisaray, Crimea.

(photo credit: MAXIM ZMEYEV/REUTERS) (more…)

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Odds & Ends / Webmaster's Odds & Ends

The failed Western Wall compromise has led to religious cooperation

Spiritual leaders have been establishing communities in Israel that don’t fit into any traditional Jewish category.

By ZVIKA KLEIN  Updated: MAY 20, 2022

 

 

A FAMILY prays at the section of the Kotel designated for non-Orthodox worship. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

A FAMILY prays at the section of the Kotel designated for non-Orthodox worship.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

 

It felt surreal: A group of rabbis – male and female, from diverse backgrounds, including Orthodox – met this week at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens in Jerusalem. The weather was perfect for an outside gathering, the first of its kind. (more…)

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