Last week, I blogged about the closing of the Ziv Tzedakah Fund. Today I received this letter from their Israel representative, who put into perspective the transition.
As the year comes to a close and we think of endings and beginnings, I think his attitude is an outstanding way to look at change in the Jewish […]

For more than 25 years, Danny Siegel, aka the Mitzvah Man, has been distributing money to little-known tzedakah projects primarily in Israel through the Ziv Tzedakah Fund.
He also frequently lectures about the small-time “Mitzvah Heroes” of the world, whose good actions and kindness have made a big impact. In response to why people should do […]

This past weekend, I spent time with a dear friend from college. He’s always full of interesting, if not bizarre facts. And this tidbit I couldn’t keep to myself.
We got to talking about Jewish music, and he asked me if I knew the story behind the Israeli song “A-Ba-Ni-Bi.” The song won the Eurovision Song […]

Still looking for a holiday gift? Got $25 million just laying around?
The Streit’s Matzo factory, prime real estate located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, is available, just in time to start producing our favorite flat bread for Passover. Or more likely, to be torn down and used as land for an overpriced, posh condo building.
Link […]

We’ve learned through both our user survey and anecdotally that many of our readers are not Jewish. To those readers we wish you a happy holiday, which ever ones you may celebrate.

Beliefnet has been polling its readers for a little while now, trying to decide on the most inspiring person of 2007.
They finally named the winner, Liviu Librescu. Librescu, a Holocaust survivor, was a professor at Virginia Tech. He used his body to barricade the door of his second-story classroom so his students could escape out […]

Today is the 10th of Tevet, a minor fast day that symbolizes the first of a series of events which led to the destruction of the First Temple.
For more information, read our article on the why we commemorate this day.

You know when all of the Jewish blogs are talking about the same thing that either a) We all got the same email asking us to promote a program or b) It’s a slow season.
I think this week is a little of both. But some of those programs we’ve been receiving emails about are so […]

-When an interfaith center building is owned in part by a Messianic Jewish organization, should a rabbi agree to officiate at a Bar Mitzvah held there? (Washington Jewish Week)
-Jeffrey K. Salkin argues that strengthening the Jewish people and the Jewish future requires greater synagogue affiliation. But that “will mean re-imagining what Jews should “get” from […]

Last week, the House passed Resolution 847, recognizing Christmas and the Christian faith. Not a big deal. They pass these type of resolutions all of the time.
However, nine members of the House voted against bill. Rarely do resolutions simply marking a holiday or recognizing a person receive “Nay” votes. As sponsoring Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) […]