By Leah Garber Today marks the Fast of Queen Esther, commemorating two communal fasts undertaken by the Persian Jewish community of Shushan in the 5th century B.C. Haman, a senior … Continued
Israel
Day 139: Iron Swords War
By Leah Garber Everything but Lonely Imagine your son or daughter, graduating from 12 years of schooling and instead of joining their friends in academic studies, they pack their bags, … Continued
Day 31: Iron Swords War
By Leah Garber The fifth week of the war has begun, bringing with it more casualties, new graves being dug, and words of farewell interwoven with heartbreaking cries that tear … Continued
Day 27: Iron Swords War
By Leah Garber Like most soldiers who serve at least three years of intense, dangerous, and stressful mandatory army service, 25-year-old Lieutenant Yuval Zilber, a reservist soldier in an infantry … Continued
Day 26: Iron Swords War
By Leah Garber Yesterday I gave myself a day of grace, allowing my heart—filled with gratitude for the rescue of the soldier from her captors in Gaza—to lead the way, … Continued
Day 20: Iron Swords War
By Leah Garber When poet Haim Gouri, z”l, an Israel Prize laureate, was asked about his well-being, he would answer: “I am doing as well as my country is,” which … Continued
Day 19: Iron Swords War
By Leah Garber The parents of October 7, 2023 “A global humanitarian catastrophe” is how Rachel Goldberg-Poulin—the mother of 23-year-old Hersh who was kidnapped to Gaza after the massacre at … Continued
Day 10: Iron Swords War
By Leah Garber Is there a more painful, horrifying, moving image than this collage showing the kidnapped and missing children, all being held hostage in Gaza? Will these beautiful, happy … Continued
Day 3: Operation Iron Swords
By Leah Garber Times are tense, nerves are exposed, and emotions alternate among fear, frustration, and worry but also great love and pride. Along with the horrors, cruelty, and intense … Continued
Why JCC Maccabi® Is Vitally Important to the Jewish Future
By David Unger It’s easy for me to say that after working in the JCC field for more than 25 years—I left in 2003—some of my best memories of my … Continued