News Analysis
By Judith Fein Photographs by Paul Ross It started a few weeks ago in Santa Fe. The passport line snaked out the door of the post office and almost everyone on it was Latino or Hispanic and was accompanied by children. The people didn’t necessarily know each other but
Food
The Jews of Rome perceive themselves as “the people of the artichoke, not just of the Shoah,” according to their Chief Rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni. I came upon this quote shortly after my husband and I returned from a two-week trip to Italy in December, when we indulged in fried
Traveling while Jewish
Story and Photos by Lena S. Keslin It’s interesting how some memories can stay with us for many years. In 1984 I came across a deserted Jewish cemetery on the Lido. The old stones inscribed with Italian and Hebrew were leaning over and partially submerged in the murky water
Traveling while Jewish
by Edie Jarolim When I received my brown cardboard-encased review copy of the Holocaust: A Guide to Europe’s Sites, Memorials & Museums in the mail, I approached the package with a mix of curiosity and trepidation: curiosity because, as a guidebook author and editor, I was interested in the
Traveling while Jewish
Story and Photos by Lena S. Keslin Just the name Amsterdam conjures up images of a quaint city with its picturesque canals and bridges. Each of the 17th century Dutch colonial homes is different from the next as they line the canals. There are narrow cobblestone streets with more bicycles
Traveling while Jewish
By Norma Libman If you’ve ever wondered what life was like for your grandparents and great-grandparents, how they lived in the “old country,” as my grandmother used to call it, you really must read The Spoon From Minkowitz by Judith Fein. Yes, you can trace your genealogical history on
Genetics
by Schelly Talalay Dardashti In 2000, the advent of consumer DNA testing forever changed the Jewish genealogy world, when FamilyTreeDNA.com (FTDNA) was created. To be sure, two earlier events contributed in a major way. Following the 1978 “Roots” television series, Jewish genealogists realized they could also find family and
Traveling while Jewish
by Carl Montoya As a native-born New Mexican, my family history took an unexpected turn when I decided to study Spanish, my parents’ first language. Fueled by a lifelong desire to learn the language my parents did not speak at home, the pandemic presented me with the perfect opportunity. I
Traveling while Jewish
by Neala McCarten photos by Neala McCarten Last year I was in Israel for the first time, seeing the Israeli flag flying over a building in Tel Aviv was the most inspiring sight the Jewish side of my identity had ever seen…until I walked into the Great Synagogue of
Lists
by Ron Duncan Hart The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, located in the Negev, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for its “groundbreaking work in the fields of dialogue and diplomacy, climate engagement, education, and research.” The Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, an Arab
Traveling while Jewish
By Michael Wald photos by Michael Wald Are there Jews in Panama? Let’s take a first-hand look. I served two years as a Peace Corps volunteer with my wife, Jackie, in Panama from 2008 to 2010. We were stationed in the remote city of Santiago about four hours by
Lists
“Nature Heals” program by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel provides eco-therapy experiences that help restore the soul by Rachel Canar, Executive Director of Nature Israel Each Spring, we are reminded that life returns even after the dark and cold winter. Life always finds a way to