Woman of the pomegranate

By David Suissa
Published on June 12, 2013

Sharon Nazarian has a mysterious quality about her. I’ve bumped into her occasionally over the years, but never long enough to have a real conversation. I always knew she was highly educated and a big lover of Israel, and that a few years ago she founded the groundbreaking Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at UCLA, where she also teaches political science.

A linguist’s take on the knaidel/kneydl controversy

Published on June 10, 2013

As a linguist who studies Yiddish-influenced English, I’ve had a busy week. As soon as Arvind Mahankali won the Scripps National Spelling Bee with the word “knaidel,” the messages began to arrive. On facebook, through email, and in person, my friends, relatives, and colleagues wanted to know what I thought. Here are some of the questions I’ve been asked, along with my answers.

No one loves the stranger

By Gina Nahai
Published on May 15, 2013

I know what happened with those three women in Cleveland, how one man was able to imprison and torture them in the middle of a residential neighborhood for 10 years, even though he had grown children, brothers, cousins who visited the house for hours at a time. It’s not a pretty tale, but we’ve all heard it, although to a lesser degree, countless times before.

Jews and Christians

By Dennis Prager
Published on May 8, 2013

I have spent much of my adult life working to bring Jews and Christians together. In particular, I have tried to explain to fellow Jews that traditional Christians are our best friends in the world today.

Conversion 101

Published on May 8, 2013

Conversion to Judaism is not easy. It requires a change in beliefs, actions and lifestyle. It involves extensive study, practice, a leap of faith, a shift in perception and some sacrifice.

Torah Flight

By Michelle Azar
Published on May 6, 2013

Israel Festival brings L.A. a taste of Tel Aviv

Published on April 23, 2013

Eden Bennun craved a taste of Israel. Growing up in Kfar Saba and Rishon LeZion as a child gave her a love of Israel’s smells, sounds and foods.

This week from Israel

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on April 22, 2013

17 years of Rashi

Published on April 19, 2013

Rabbi Laura Geller is well known as a woman who does not shrink from a challenge. A senior rabbi at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, she stands as a pioneer among women rabbis, the third women ordained in the Reform movement and the first to lead a major metropolitan synagogue.

African-Israeli Splash

Published on April 4, 2013

When Yityish Aynaw emigrated from Ethiopia to Israel at age 12, she was thrust into an Israeli classroom. An orphan lacking Hebrew skills, Aynaw says she relied on other kids and her own sheer ambition to get through.

West Bank Hebrew language study is growing

Published on March 27, 2013

Listening to Hebrew songs is officially frowned upon by many West Bank residents, but interest in learning the language of the “other society that is very close but still far away” is clearly picking up among Palestinians wishing to understand Israelis.

For your seder table

Published on March 22, 2013

The following text is excerpted from “The Bronfman Haggadah,” written by Edgar Bronfman with illustrations by Jan Aronson (Rizzoli, 2012).

‘Put yourself in their shoes’

By Rob Eshman
Published on March 21, 2013

It’s been just two days since President Barack Obama touched down in Israel, and no doubt you’ve probably read and heard it all by now. The ribbing banter with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Best Frenemy Forever.

Israeli-Iranian singer Rita performs at U.N.

Published on March 6, 2013

The Israeli-Iranian singer Rita performed at the United Nations General Assembly Hall.

Pollard clemency petition reaches 103,000 signatures

Published on March 5, 2013

More than 103,000 people have signed a petition calling on President Obama to free imprisoned spy for Israel Jonathan Pollard.

Is there a shortcut to redemption

Published on March 4, 2013

Pesach - the Hebrew name for Passover-- comes from the Hebrew root PSH which means to skip over, to pass over. It appears first in the context of the ten plagues, in which God skipped over the homes of the Israelites while the rest of Egypt suffered.

Sarah Silverman’s niece can visit Western Wall on Purim despite ban

Published on February 20, 2013

The niece of American comedian Sarah Silverman will be allowed to attend a women's Megillah reading at the Western Wall despite being banned from the site.

Israel, You Got A Friend in My Kids!

By Nolan Lebovitz
Published on February 12, 2013

A Reflection on Responsibility

By Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz
Published on February 10, 2013

Hebrew Playboy coming to Israel

Published on January 24, 2013

A Hebrew version of Playboy magazine is coming to Israel.

LAUSD OK’s English-Hebrew charter school

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on January 23, 2013

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has given a green light to a proposal for a dual-language charter elementary school to be located in Van Nuys offering classes in English and Hebrew.

Israel celebrates education gains, but challenges remain

Published on December 31, 2012

Just before 1 o'clock on a sunny afternoon, students streamed out of the Amirim Public School and headed for home. But for their teachers, the workday was far from over.

Netanyahu asks Jewish Agency to look into women’s prayer at Western Wall

Published on December 26, 2012

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked the Jewish Agency to come up with a solution for non-Orthodox women's groups that want to pray at the Western Wall.

Hebrew to be nixed as foreign language in U.K. schools

Published on December 17, 2012

The British government reportedly is planning to exclude Hebrew from a list of recognized foreign languages in the national education system.

Milken honors educators

By Ryan Torok
Published on December 5, 2012

“We are planting seeds — not me, but all of us.” With those words of hope offered to her fellow teachers, Lidia Turner, a seventh- and eighth-grade Hebrew teacher at the David Saperstein Middle School of Milken Community High School, accepted the Milken Family Foundation’s 2012 Jewish Educator Award during an assembly at her school on Sept. 21.

Home after Birthright

Published on November 28, 2012

Moledet means “homeland” in Hebrew, and it’s no coincidence that it’s been chosen as the name of a pilot program aimed at maintaining the passion of recent Los Angeles Birthright alumni following their return home from Israel.

Six women detained for wearing prayer shawls at Western Wall

Published on November 15, 2012

Six women were detained by Jerusalem police for wearing prayer shawls at the Western Wall as more than 100 women gathered there for the monthly Women of the Wall service.

21st century Tikkun Olam: An unprecedented opportunity to unite Jewish communities

Published on November 8, 2012

As a Jewish kid growing up in Israel, I never dealt with the issue of Tikkun Olam. Even though the words are in Hebrew, they say much more to Americans than to Israelis.

Conversion: Michael Pershes

Published on October 24, 2012

Throughout his conversion process, Michael Pershes claims he was an “obsessive superstar Jew.” The 42-year-old real estate developer and fashion designer studied Torah and the laws of kashrut, learned modern Hebrew at the Beverly Hills Lingual Institute, volunteered for the first time at Jewish Family Service, wrote monthly essays, celebrated Shabbat every week and joined his synagogue’s choir in the two-and-a-half years it took him to convert.

Gilad Shalit’s first full interview

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on October 18, 2012

In France, Marseille Jews look to Paris and worry that their calm may be fleeting

Published on October 17, 2012

At a time when Jewish institutions across France resemble military fortresses for their security, entering the great synagogue and main Jewish center of this picturesque city on the Mediterranean coast is as easy as pushing open the front door.

Anti-Semitic messages left on Jewish Agency Facebook page

Published on October 11, 2012

The Jewish Agency for Israel's Facebook page was inundated with hundreds of explicitly anti-Israel and anti-Semitic messages.

Once dreaming of a Hebrew charter school, now only Mandarin is offered

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on September 27, 2012

When the Albert Einstein Academy for Letters, Arts and Sciences (AEA) opened in August 2010, part of the draw for parents was the chance for students at the Santa Clarita charter middle and high school to study Hebrew. Since then, AEA backers have submitted petitions to set up elementary schools in the Newhall School District, Los Angeles Unified School District and Ventura Unified School District, without success. In August 2012, a revised version of its twice-rejected petition for an elementary charter was submitted to the Saugus Union School District in Santa Clarita. Among the changes in the newest version was eliminating offering Hebrew at the school, at least initially.

The best holiday of them all

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on September 19, 2012

City School accepting applications

Published on August 22, 2012

The City School, a new public charter school in the South Robertson neighborhood, has opened applications for the upcoming school year. Located on Robertson Boulevard several blocks south of Pico, the campus is open to sixth- and seventh-grade students only, and it plans to expand to grades six through 12.

Ben-Aharon

By Rob Eshman
Published on August 8, 2012

My childhood best friend was Billy Thein. We met at Encino Elementary School in Mrs. Bernstein’s third-grade class, and were pretty much inseparable after that. Billy was funny and smart and cool — and in a public school packed with the striving, anxious, gawkward spawn of suburban Jewry, cool stood out.

Tel Aviv council rejects proposal to put Arabic on city emblem

Published on August 6, 2012

The Tel Aviv City Council rejected a proposal to include Arabic on the city's official emblem.

French swimmer explains Hebrew tattoo as a family tribute

Published on August 2, 2012

French Olympic swimmer Fabien Gilot said the Hebrew tattoo on his left arm is a tribute to his late grandmother’s husband, a Jewish survivor of Auschwitz.

Walker refuses to authorize Hebrew ‘Color Purple’

Published on June 18, 2012

The author of the “Color Purple” refused to authorize a Hebrew translation of her prize-winning work, citing what she called Israel’s “Apartheid state.”

Pickin’ up good vibrations, Tibetan-Israeli style

Published on May 30, 2012

In Jerusalem, where the cacophony of Hebrew, church bells and the muezzin fill the air, the hum of Tibetan bowls isn’t exactly a familiar sound. But its healing applications are gaining interest, thanks to a devoted Israeli practitioner.

Hebrew Bible published In Eskimo language

Published on May 18, 2012

After a 34-year translation project, the Hebrew Bible and New Testament were published for the first time this week in an Eskimo language.

A summer to remember

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on May 18, 2012

Sacha Baron Cohen To Howard Stern: You inspired me [AUDIO]

By Rob Eshman
Published on May 8, 2012

Israel and the world Pt. 4- weekly news from Israel

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on April 29, 2012

California says no to Kosher for Passover Coke

By Brad A. Greenberg
Published on April 10, 2012

A Thought for Purim

By Rabbi John Rosove
Published on March 5, 2012

Everything Is Personal Here in the Middle East

By Rabbi John Rosove
Published on February 13, 2012

Popular English word game isn’t lost in Hebrew translation

Published on February 6, 2012

When his family moved to Israel in 1998, Robert August-Dalfen probably never envisioned the day he would wear a banana costume.

S**T Gentiles say to Jews…

By Julia Bendis
Published on February 2, 2012

Hebrew support for Siri in development

Published on November 30, 2011

Apple reportedly is developing add-ons for the Siri interface that will include support for Hebrew, among other languages.

The People of the Children’s Book

By Orit Arfa
Published on November 1, 2011

When Myra Clark-Siegel, wife of Israeli Consulate General David Siegel, packed their things for their Los Angeles mission, she sacrificed a few items. But she couldn’t leave behind her children’s favorite books, no matter that they weighed down the suitcases.

N.J. again denies Hebrew-language charter school

Published on October 11, 2011

The state of New Jersey for the third time has denied a proposal for a Hebrew-language charter high school in Highland Park.

Jury Duty!

By Julia Bendis
Published on May 23, 2011

VBS’ beloved adult Hebrew tutor has a way with words

By Rachel Heller
Published on April 20, 2011

Yossi Dresner has coached teens for their b’nai mitzvah at Valley Beth Shalom (VBS) for 40 years. He has run the adult b’nai mitzvah program for 26. As ritual director, he also conducts VBS’ morning and evening minyans and coordinates holiday services.

Ventura rejects Hebrew language charter

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on March 29, 2011

Turning the world upside-down on Purim

Published on March 14, 2011

When was the last time you stood on your head? If you don't practice yoga, and you're not a 2-year-old, it's probably been quite a while. Noting that my toddler couldn’t get enough of being upside down on his little sister’s infant seat, I understood the allure. Seeing the world in a completely unexpected way is titillating. Subverting the natural order of things is energizing.

Dana International is Israel’s choice for Eurovision

Published on March 9, 2011

Transgender pop diva Dana International will represent Israel at this year's Eurovision song contest. The Israeli music star won the chance to sing the Hebrew and English song "Ding Dong," written by Zvika Pik, during a contest Tuesday night broadcast on Israeli television, where viewers voted for their choice. She won Eurovision in 1998 with the song "Diva," also written by Pik.

Still Blonde.  But Not Sixteen.

By Sarah Tuttle-Singer
Published on January 25, 2011

Mock trial team wins merely by competing

Published on May 12, 2009

The record book will say that the Maimonides School finished 20th out of 40 teams at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Atlanta, winning two trials and losing two.

The Next American-Israeli Idol

By Orit Arfa
Published on April 27, 2009

Last week a handful of yordim (Israelis who “descended” to America) were given the rare opportunity to make aliyah; that is, to rise back up to Israel--and to stardom. Kochav Nolad (“A Star is Born”), Israel’s “American Idol” knock-off, came to Hollywood, literally, to scout talent for its seventh season.