Around Town
Annual AJC Thanksgiving Diversity Breakfast Stands Fast Against Hate Crimes
American Jewish Committee Westchester/Fairfield (AJC) held its 21st annual Thanksgiving Diversity Breakfast on Thursday, November 17th at the SUNY Westchester Community College, the first time held in person since 2019. Event sponsors included AJC Westchester/Fairfield, (Founding Sponsor), SUNY Westchester Community College and Westchester Jewish Council (WJC).
Sigd, Beta Israel Jewish Ethiopian Holiday, Celebrated at Bet Am Shalom
Israel Action Committee (IAC) of Five Synagogues of White Plains, in conjunction with Jewish Agency for Israel’s (JAFI) Shlicha Shachar Liran Hanan and Shinshinim; UJA Federation of New York and Westchester Jewish Council (WJC) presented “Sigd,” an ancient Jewish holiday observed for centuries by the Beta Israel (Jewish Ethiopian) community, at Bet Am Shalom Synagogue, White Plains, on Tuesday, November 29th.
PJ Library Offers Families Everything for a Lively and Entertaining Hanukkah
As fall moves toward winter, Jewish families begin to look towards Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. Celebrating the rededication of the Jewish temple after it was taken back from the Greeks in the 2nd century BCE, it’s a fun and festive holiday spanning eight days and is best known for menorahs, latkes and dreidels.
A Kid Friendly Donut Recipe for Hannukkah
In the Hanukkah story, one tiny jar of oil keeps the lamps burning for eight full nights. Since Hanukkah celebrates this miracle, it’s traditional to eat foods fried in oil as part of the festivities.
AMCHA Discovers Attacks on Jewish Identity Doubled on U.S. Campuses
AMCHA Initiative’s annual campus antisemitism report, released on November 16, unearthed an insidious and never-before-exposed phenomenon taking root on college campuses: a pervasive and relentless assault on Jewish identity.
Spotlight Organization: CyberWell
Online antisemitism is the most prevalent form of Jew-hatred today. Recent events have clearly demonstrated the critical importance of removing this vitriol before it festers.
Support Needed for Birthright Israel Program
Inflation and increased travel expenses post -COVID are significantly affecting Birthright Israel’s budget, causing the organization to slash by up to a third the number of participants it can take to Israel in 2023 and beyond.
Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center Offers Annual Middle School Institute Program
The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center {HHREC} hosted their 8th Annual Human Rights Institute for Middle School Student Leaders on November 15th, 16th and 17th at Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester in Rye. Students and teachers from thirty public and private middle schools in the Lower Hudson-Westchester region attended.
New Holocaust Educator School Partnership and Estelle Lubliner Scholarship
In its 25th anniversary year, New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is deepening its commitment to Holocaust education with the launch of two new initiatives designed to engage teens and young adults as students, peer educators, and ambassadors for Holocaust education.
The Jewish Museum Celebrates Hanukkah
Celebrate Hanukkah with the Jewish Museum! Highlights include a selection of Hanukkah lamps on view from the Museum’s renowned collection; special family programs including a concert with Oran Etkin on December 25; and unique menorahs, dreidels, and gift items available for sale in the Jewish Museum Shop.
Pew Survey on Jewish Identity
Birthright Israel, a program that since 1999 has brought more than 800,000 young Jewish adults on a ten-day trip to Israel to introduce them to the country’s ancient roots and modern wonders, significantly strengthens American Jewish young adults’ connection to Israel and commitment to leading Jewishly engaged lives. This finding was based on recent analyses of the Pew Research Center’s survey of nearly 5,000 American Jews conducted from late 2019 through mid-2020 and released last year.