John Wood

Tamar Yellin, winner of the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature.

Rohr literary prize symbolizes
new stature of Jewish culture
By Sue Fishkoff

SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) — It’s been a very good year for Tamar Yellin.

Last fall, the British writer and teacher won Hadassah magazine’s Ribalow Prize for her 2005 novel "The Genizah at the House of Shepher," as well as the Reform Judaism Prize for Jewish Literature for "Kafka in Bronteland," her 2006 short story collection.

This week, "Genizah" bagged yet another honor when it won the first Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, an award for outstanding work by an emerging writer that carries a whopping $100,000 purse.

"I’m thrilled and feeling slightly dizzy," said Yellin, reached at her home on the Yorkshire moors in the north of England.

That’s understandable. The Rohr Prize is the largest in the … Full Story

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Jewish Groups Sign Pledge to Remain Behind the Picket Line
If Boston’s hotel workers decide to strike next month, local Jewish organizations are vowing to stand behind them by canceling their multi-thousand dollar events being held at the upscale venues. ( The Jewish Advocate)

Conventions Come Calling
Jewish organizations are choosing Atlanta for their conventions with increasing regularity. The Anti-Defamation League was here in October. Jexnet, which focuses on Jewish experiential education, came in January. The Central Conference of American Rabbis, the organization for Reform rabbis, just concluded its annual convention downtown. (The Atlanta Jewish Times)

Mishkan T’filah to be next Reform Prayerbook
After years of development, several drafts and at least one disappointing delay, "Mishkan T’filah" - the new Reform siddur - is nearing its final publication date. (The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh )

Rare Coalition Demands Delay in Vote on Rabbinic Judge
A rare coalition of women’s groups, the National Religious Party (NRP), Orthodox and Reform rabbis united this week to call on Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann to prevent the planned meeting of the rabbinical judges appointments committee. (Ha’aretz)

Bar Mitzvah, Old Man
The bar mitzvah boy admits to being a little nervous. It will be his first time chanting the Torah in public, and friends and family members are coming from around the country for the occasion. The bar mitzvah boy also has a white beard. That’s not so surprising when you consider that he just turned 83 years old.

The "boy" is renowned Chicago Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf, rabbi emeritus at KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation, which is where he’ll be celebrating the bar mitzvah and giving a series of lectures during a festive weekend devoted to him March 30-April 1. (Chicago Jewish News)

Making Passover Work in an Interfaith Home
"Mah nishtana halila hazeh" ("Why is this night different from all other nights?") is the first of the four questions asked by the youngest child during the Passover seder. For me, it takes me back to when I was a girl growing up in a Conservative Jewish household. So, how did I take those memories and traditions and weave them into my own interfaith home? (InterfaithFamily.com)

Passover Seder can be Kid-Friendly
The Passover Seder, a 15-step ritual dinner commemorating the Jews’ Exodus from Egypt, is one of the most important events in the Jewish faith. But because the ceremony traditionally begins after sundown and often lasts well into the evening, it’s a long night for children. But with a little planning, you can make your Seder engaging and enjoyable for young guests. (The News Journal)

Sacred Aging: Telling the Story of Our Ancestors Today
Tradition teaches us that each year during Passover, the Jewish people retell the story of our ancestors leaving the Land of Egypt. As part of this ritual, the youngest person at the table asks the Four Questions to begin to convey the history of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. But what do you do if the youngest person at the table is 65 years old?

Passover Books and Music
Are your Haggadot stained with wine and charoset? Are they falling apart? Is your CD collection lacking appropriate music to play while you’re scurrying in the kitchen and your friends and family are waiting for the Seder to begin? If so, make sure to visit URJ Books and Music. From new Haggadot to children’s story books to holiday music, URJ Books and Music has everything but the matzah for your Passover celebration.

Ride4Reform 2007
As riders in the fourth annual Ride4Reform mount their bikes and take off on a cycling trip through Israel in a one-of-a-kind fundraiser for the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, you can take a virtual ride with them. Follow along as riders from around the world write about their experiences on the Ride4Reform blog.

Rabbi Yoffie: Teen Sex Out of Control
During the last six months, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, has spoken with thousands of Reform Jews at regional biennial conferences about the alarming rate of teen sexual activity, "hook ups" and the need to provide guidance to teens. In a frank look at what is happening at bar and bat mitzvah celebrations, camps, and homes, Yoffie said that synagogues have a critical role to play in helping teens cope with the most difficult issues they face in their personal lives.

Political Activism in Action
Learn the advocacy skills needed to bring about change in your community by attending the 2007 Consultation on Conscience in Washington, DC this April 15-17 presented by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. You’ll hear from from key policy makers and experts on the issues that shape our lives, explore the connection between Jewish texts and world events, and return ready to work for social change.

Point and Click Seder: Virtual Seder Plate
Looking for a fun and interactive way to teach your kids about the different parts of the Seder? Look no further than the virtual seder plate! Just point and click for pictures and links to learn more about all the parts of the Passover Seder and the holiday meal.

Expressing Gratitude
In this week’s d’var Torah Rabbi Sonsino looks into the book of Leviticus. He writes, "Except for a few sections that cover some moral and social issues, most of Leviticus is dedicated to sacrifices of all kinds…. Many of these issues are often obscure and irrelevant in our day." But as always there is a lesson to be learned from the words of Torah. See what we can all learn by reading the rest of this week’s d’var Torah.

For more information, see Union for Reform Judaism http://www.urj.org.

Market jitters don’t worry philanthropists
The Jewish philanthropic world is not worried that a downturn in U.S. stock markets so far this year will hurt investment in Jewish causes. Full Story

Groups tackle all but war
The organizational Jewish community, out front on most front-line political issues, has maintained a careful distance from the Iraq war since its inception. Full Story

Conference explores domestic abuse
Jewish women filled a Baltimore hotel for Jewish Women International’s three-day conference on domestic violence in the Jewish community. Full Story

Reform thinks big in Israel
The U.S. arm of the Reform movement announced it will invest $100 million to expand the movement in Israel. Now it just has to raise the money. Full Story

Sharing Judaism and fellowship in Moscow
Elderly members of a remote Moscow congregation are drawn to their weekly gatherings as much to spend time with fellow Jews as to learn Jewishly. Full Story

Israel torn over Sudanese refugees
Faced with genocidal threats, a legacy of the Holocaust and even echoes of the Exodus, Israel is torn between its commitment to humanitarian concerns for Sudanese refugees and its own security interests. The first installment of a multi-part JTA series on how the refugees are faring in the Jewish state explains that Israel’s courts may provide the answer. Full Story