Did you know the undisputed mother of women’s judo is a Jewish great-grandmother named Rena Glickman? And did you know that Japan’s government recently awarded her with one of its highest honors, the Emperor’s Order of the Rising Sun?
I kid you not. The mighty Rena Glickman (known to millions of judo-devotees as Rusty Kanokogi) has [...]
Archive for the ‘People You Should Know About’ Category
Bubbe in the Dojo
Posted in People You Should Know About, Sports, Uncategorized on November 24, 2008 | No Comments »
“From Somewhere in the Mediterranean…”
Posted in Israel, Palestine, Peace, People You Should Know About on August 28, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Abie Nathan has died and the Jewish world has lost a truly original voice for peace. He was and will remain one of my big, big heroes. Boy do we need him more than ever.
How do I even begin? Born in Persia; grew up in India; volunteers as a fighter pilot during Israel’s 1948 War [...]
In Memory of Judy Frankel
Posted in Jewish Music, Judaism, People You Should Know About, Sephardic Judaism on June 11, 2008 | 4 Comments »
I was so very saddened to learn about the passing of Judy Frankel, the luminous musician/singer of traditional Sephardic folk melodies, after a long illness.
I first encountered Judy’s music fifteen years ago or so and was immediately transfixed. There are many new interpreters of Sephardic music on the Jewish music scene today, but Judy always [...]
People You Should Know About: Stellamaris Mulaeh
Posted in Africa, Nonviolence, Peace, People You Should Know About on May 22, 2008 | No Comments »
Here’s a great story of hope from a country that has seen its share of tragedy in recent months. An article from last month’s Christian Science Monitor profiled Stellamaris Mulaeh (above), a young Kenyan women who is spearheading grassroots conflict resolution efforts in her home country.
Before the recent post-election crisis, Mulaeh founded the 65-member Peace Working [...]
Coexistence at Dunkin’ Donuts
Posted in Coexistence, Peace, People You Should Know About, Religion on November 21, 2007 | No Comments »
Check out this great NY Times article about a Dunkin’ Donuts in Flatbush run by Sam Habib, a Muslim immigrant from Egypt and Mindy Gluck, an orthodox Jewish woman from Borough Park. I guess religious coexistence and cooperation can sometimes spring up in the unlikeliest of places!
Intellegence and Compassion
Posted in Human Rights, Nonviolence, Peace, People You Should Know About on October 30, 2007 | 1 Comment »
I’ve written about Burmese peace activist Aung San Suu Kyi in an earlier post - and we’ve been reading a great deal lately about her role in current protest movement in that country. I recently came across this interview clip from 1999 in which she offers her definition of non-violence. You’re [...]
It’s Pronounced “PUTS!!!”
Posted in Baseball, Current Events, People You Should Know About on July 25, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Did you know that one of the best relief pitchers in the major leagues is named JJ Putz?
That’s right: Putz is the closer for the Seattle Mariners and he’s currently tearing up the stat book. He has more saves (29) than base runners (28) in 46 1/3 innings. He’s also given up just one [...]
The Cantor from Poughkeepsie
Posted in American Judaism, Comedy, Jewish Music, Movies, People You Should Know About, Religion on July 15, 2007 | 5 Comments »
Thanks to my good friend (and clergy partner-in-crime) Cantor Howard Friedland for steering me toward this amazing piece of footage: cantor-comedian Shepsil Kanarek doing one of his routines.
This particular bit involves Shepsil’s outrage at being forced to audition for a High Holiday position at a synagogue (”Me?! Shepsil Kanarek from [...]
People You Should Know About: Sari Nusseibeh
Posted in Coexistence, Human Rights, Interfaith, Israel, Palestine, Peace, People You Should Know About, Politics, Politics/Middle East, Religion/Politics, Terrorism on May 9, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Just finished “Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life,” the recently published memoir of Sari Nusseibeh. The president and professor of philosophy at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, Nusseibeh also served as the PLO’s chief representative in Jerusalem from 2001-02. But more to the point, Nusseibeh is one of the great heroes of our time: a [...]
Where are the Peacemakers?
Posted in Human Rights, Judaism, People You Should Know About, Politics, Religion, Religion/Politics, Spirituality, Torah Commentary on June 22, 2007 | 1 Comment »
In this week’s Torah portion, Hukkkat, we read of the death of Aaron:
Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments and put them on this son, Eleazar. When Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, the whole community knew that Aaron has breathed his last. All the house of Israel bewailed Aaron thirty days. (Numbers 20:28-29)
It [...]
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