Jewish Boston Archive

11th Annual Unity Shabbaton Draws a Diverse Crowd

August 21, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

The Massachusetts Synagogue Council held its 11th Annual Unity Shabbaton at the Holiday Inn in Peabody on the weekend of July 26, which drew Jews from a wide range of congregations in the Bay State to participate in a weekend of prayer, learning and community. The Shabbaton featured small group discussions, text study opportunities, insightful group learning with the Shabbaton faculty and a chance to experience different prayer services from Reconstructionist to Orthodox.

An Interview with ADL New England Board Member Lori Gans

June 17, 2088

National and New England regional Anti Defamation League board member Lori Gans recently took some time to answer a few questions for the New Vilna Review by email. Ms. Gans has been an active leader in the Boston Jewish community in both a professional and volunteer capacity for a number of years.

Jewish Community Relations Council honors Deputy Director Alan S. Ronkin at Annual Meeting

June 12, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

On Wednesday, June 11th the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston held its annual meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Boston. The theme of the gathering was "The Power of One," which was supposed to connect with the main address by Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg, who was unfortunately unable to attend because his flight was delayed due to bad weather. The event went on, however, with many local dignitaries and leaders of the Boston Jewish community in attendance to celebrate the work of the JCRC and honor this year's recipient of the Warren B. Kohn Award,  JCRC Deputy Director Alan S. Ronkin.

Jewish Vocational Services Continues to Help Those Who Seek a Better Life

June 6, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson      

Not far from downtown Boston and the Park Street “T” station there is a non-profit organization which is quietly helping new immigrants and refugees from around the world take their first steps in navigating the American workplace. Founded in the middle of the 20th century with the aim of helping Jewish immigrants from Europe, Jewish Vocational Services now works with people fleeing oppression from other parts of the globe, many of them African Muslims escaping conflicts at home. The clientele may have changed, but the mission remains the same: to help people on the margins of society improve their lives through job training and education.

High-Tech in Israel

April 2, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

While Israel is perhaps most often in the news these days for less-than-happy reasons, there was one event this past weekend at Temple Beth-Elohim in Wellesley, Massachusetts, that drew a large crowd of people focusing on positive news coming out of Israel.

Making the World a Better (and Cleaner) Place

April 9, 2008

by Daniel E. Levenson

Many different people have tried to approach the Arab-Israeli conflict from a variety of angles over the years – theologically, spiritually, artistically, and of course, politically.