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Archive for the ‘People You Should Know About’ Category

If you’re looking for the definition of an Israeli hero, here’s my nomination: human rights activist Ezra Nawi.  Well-known in the Israeli-Palestinian peace movement, Nawi is a true original. This is how he was described by journalist Neve Gordon in a recent Guardian article:
Nawi is not a typical rights activist. A [...]

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I was so saddened to read of the passing of the great Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf of Chicago at the age of 83. From his obituary:
Rabbi Wolf served as a Navy chaplain during the Korean War. In 1957, he returned to Chicago and became the founding rabbi of Congregation Solel in Highland Park. In 1972, [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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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!

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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