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Including Everyone in Jewish Life: A Message from Gil Preuss
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. The truth is, religious entities are exempt from this law to “allow them to design their facilities and perform their services in accordance with their religious tenets.” But, as Jews, we know that even if some of our institutions are considered legally exempt, we are neither morally nor ethically exempt. We also know that our community is made stronger and richer when we include everyone.
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Aspiring to Perfection and Embracing Brokenness
We have all heard of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is marked with penitential prayers and fasting, all focused on repairing our relationship with our fellow human beings and with our Creator. We gather to publicly acknowledge our failings and pledge to be better in the coming year. But here is an interesting issue–after years of this pattern of falling short and pledging to do better, is it hypocritical to go through this process, knowing we as humans will continue to “miss the mark” and may never reach perfection?
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Federation Grants More Than $100,000 to First-Time Overnight Campers
Children with pivotal Jewish camp experiences are more likely to become adults who value their Jewish heritage, support Jewish causes, and take on leadership roles in their communities. That's why, for the past nine years, Federation has partnered with the Foundation for Jewish Camp's One Happy Camper program, which facilitates the 100% Federation-funded grant distribution for first-year Jewish overnight campers. This year, thanks to Federation's JCYCLE Community Bike Ride to support local Jewish summer camps, funding for One Happy Camper increased from $97,000 to $115,000, including $50,000 in additional funding for Northern Virginia families.
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The Power of Cabinet: A Reflection by Young Leader Matthew Berger
Four years ago, when I first joined The Jewish Federations of North America’s National Young Leadership Cabinet, I didn’t know what to expect. While friends had told me it would be a great opportunity, I didn’t see how it would be different from my involvement in my local Federation. Today, as my time on Cabinet is waning, I have come to appreciate the uniqueness of this experience, and the transformation it has had on how I see Jewish philanthropy and community service.
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The Sweet Sephardic Tastes of Atonement
Bagels and lox, cheese blintzes, sweet noodle kugel, honey cake. Such are the rewards promised to most of us to break our Yom Kippur fast. But walk into one of many varied traditional Sephardic break-fasts, and you will be greeted not just with different foods, but also often a different pacing to the break-fast gathering. Local chef and teacher Susan Barocas, shares memories from her family's Sephardic table and a recipe for delicious Tishpishti (Syruped Honey Nut Cake).
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