Daily Archives: March 8, 2007

Jewish community gathers to celebrate miracle of Purim

Venice, FL — The nature of God might occasionally be hidden, but the enjoyment of members of the Jewish community was obvious at a celebration of Purim held Sunday evening by the Chabad of Venice and North Port.

They danced, they made noise with their groggers and they ate good food. And some of them were dressed as if playing a part in “Fiddler in the Roof.”

Angelo Davis, 15, was dressed as Motel Kamzoil, the tailor, and his sister, Hava Davis, 4, was dressed as Chava, one of Tevya’s daughters. Abby Davis looked like Teyva’s wife, Golda, as she minded the food in “Tevya’s Tavern.”

Dining Halls Offer Kosher Alternative

Champaign, IL — Four-year-old Levi had his first meal at a University dining hall on Wednesday evening. In between slurps of spaghetti he paused to sing, “We’ll never, ever, ever eat milk and meat together, so join and sing the kosher song.”

Tackling the Intermarriage Question a Few Steps Before Tying the Knot

Gainesville, FL — As thousands of students dig deep to define their Jewish identities, Doron Kornbluth is adamant that one very important aspect not get lost in the equation. The successful author and lecturer is giving Jewish students across the country reasons by the dozen to not only date Jewish, but find a Jewish spouse.

Rabbi Berl Goldman, co-director of the Lubavitch Jewish Center at the University of Florida, hosted the speaker in late January and says Kornbluth’s visit to the school was one of the best received in years.

Speaking About Persia With a Heavy Accent

S. Diego, CA — Sporting a bright red top hat, a gold chain and a star painted on his face, Rabbi Chalom Boudjnah certainly did not look like your typical rabbi last Saturday night.

Maybe the flowing beard, but that’s about it.

But Boudjnah, director of the Jewish Student Life center at S. Diego State University, had to dress up if he wanted others to follow suit at the annual Purim party. With refreshments, dancing, a talent show and an ultra-fast reading of the Megillah, the party attracted a medium-sized crowd. Certainly not the packed house of the recent West Coast Shabbaton, but a decent turnout nonetheless.

Second Generation Russian Jews: Serious About Judaism

Chicago, IL — A new breed of Russian Jews, far different from the struggling, soup kitchen immigrants who never heard of Shabbat, are tackling Jewish texts and taking serious steps to educate themselves and their children in Judaism.