After an eight-month, $4 million “green” renovation of its pools, the Westside Jewish Community Center (WJCC) this week opened its new Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Aquatic Center. Children’s swim lessons resumed Monday, and other aqua programs will be phased in over the course of the summer, said Michael Kaminsky, president of the WJCC’s board.
The Jewish Journal asked several authors appearing at Sunday\’s Celebration of Jewish Books to answer a question that, at least for writers, has existential overtones: \”If you were stranded on a deserted island, what Jewish book would you want to have with you, and why?\”
The Westside Jewish Community Center (JCC) has announced plans for an Oct. 29 groundbreaking on its Harriet and Jeanette Weinberg Aquatic Center, a $4 million renovation of the center\’s pools and related areas.
\”In my country, it was always war. I saw people dying. I saw people without arms, eyes, hands — without heads,\” Mustafa said. \”We finally got away, but I was upset.\”
It was 1985, and many of the Ethiopian Jews who\’d been airlifted from Sudan were being housed in a hotel in Netanya, Israel. When writer Sonia Levitin entered the temporary nursery, she was particularly struck by all the babies and toddlers who\’d been born since their families had arrived.
Elinor Lipman, writer of smart and often hilarious modern-day social satire, considers herself \”the luckiest writer.\” Her first novel, \”Then She Found Me,\” well-received when it was published in 1990 and selling steadily ever since, has inspired the film of the same name — starring, co-written and directed by Helen Hunt — that opens in theaters this Friday.
The Jewish Journal invited writers who will be featured at Sunday\’s Festival of Books to answer the simple, essential question that every Jewish writer is often asked: \”What Jewish sources — ideas, writings, traditions — inspire you, and how do they show up in your work?\” The following show that there is no easy answer to what defines a Jewish author, but there is no question that there\’s much to draw upon within the faith.
More than most cities, Los Angeles boasts a wide array of Jewish day schools, religious schools, camps and youth and family activities. But if you\’re new in town, or a first-time parent, or just not familiar with the community, this wealth of opportunities can seem daunting. In February, the BJE launched its Concierge for Jewish Education program, focusing solely on Jewish offerings. And unlike a growing number of related services — including locally published school guides or consultants who charge fees of up to $150 per hour — the BJE provides its service for free.
In her intricately plotted story, Gilmore deftly weaves fact into fiction as she traces the fortunes of three intertwined families of Jewish immigrants in early 20th century New York. The result is a compelling portrait of hopes, both realized and dashed, that explores questions of identity, self-invention, women\’s roles and the definition of success.
Educators these days are taking a new look at homework, attempting to measure its value and to re-examine the underlying assumptions about how kids learn, the pace of their development, family life and the role of work in our lives. Despite the complexity of the issue and a lack of consensus about the research, the battle lines in the debate have been redrawn.