Opinion

From the Desk of the Federation Executive Director: With Gratitude 6/28/24

By Shelley Hubal

The Federation is blessed to have so many dedicated people who do everything from attending board meetings to chairing committees to making Campaign calls. Each volunteer brings something special to the community and I am so very grateful to work with compassionate people.Â…

In My Own Words: Miscellaneous things

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Two trials

After learning former President Donald Trump was found guilty of felony charges of falsifying business records, unlike many of my friends, I didn’t rejoice in the verdict. Instead, I found it profoundly sad that a former president of our country was fo…

Holocaust remembrance: “Go live for us”

By Bill Simons

It is Sunday, May 5 – 27 Nisan 5784 on the Hebrew calendar – and I am at Temple Emanu-El, located at 1 East 65th St., on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, to observe Yom Hashoah. One of the largest synagogues in the world, the main sanctuary of this venerable Reform templ…

Passover: After the eighth day

By Bill Simons

“In every generation, each Jew should regard himself as though he too were brought out of Egypt. Not our fathers alone, but us also, did the Holy One redeem; for not alone in Egypt. Not our fathers alone, but us also, did the Holy One redeem; for not alone is Egypt but in m…

In My Own Words: Zionists and anti-Zionists

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Zionism is defined as “an international movement originally for the establishment of a Jewish national or religious community in Palestine and later for the support of modern Israel.” I am a Zionist because I believe …