On February 21 (subject to change), SpaceIL is scheduled to launch Beresheet, an unmanned spacecraft, onboard an American SpaceX rocket. It will be the first non-governmental spacecraft to land on the moon. The iCenter - the North American educational partner of SpaceIL - has released The Landing Page - An Educator’s Launch Kit to help people engage with this historic moment. The Launch Kit, designed for use by parents and educators, includes … [Read more...] about Israel to the Moon
Fidelity Charitable reports Record Grants in 2018
Fidelity Charitable donors recommended a record $5.2 billion from their donor-advised funds (DAFs), according to a just released report by the charity. Last year’s grantmaking activity - $700 million more than in 2017 - underscores the value of DAFs, which continue to be the fastest-growing vehicle for giving in the United States. Nearly 1.3 million grants benefited over 140,000 charitable organizations around the world. Fidelity reports the … [Read more...] about Fidelity Charitable reports Record Grants in 2018
Al Vorspan, z”l
Al Vorspan, former senior vice president of the of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC, now Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and director emeritus of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism, passed away on Saturday, February 16th, at 95. Vorspan, who worked tirelessly to found and strengthen the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, D.C., was one of the g’dolei hador, “great ones” of Jewish social justice … [Read more...] about Al Vorspan, z”l
BBYO receives historic $25 million Pledge to Support Women’s Leadership and Empowerment
Chicago industrialist/philanthropist Ted Perlman and his wife Harriette have pledged $25 million to accelerate BBYO’s initiatives for young Jewish women and teens. The gift, one of the largest single commitments to a youth-serving organization in modern history, provides immediate resources for BBYO to launch and expand new programs and provides endowment funding that will support such activities in perpetuity. The Perlman's gift will … [Read more...] about BBYO receives historic $25 million Pledge to Support Women’s Leadership and Empowerment
A Birthright Program for the American Jewish Home
By Rabbi Michael M. Cohen In his 1925 Rosh Hashanah sermon, Rabbi Israel Herbert Levinthal of the Brooklyn Jewish Center prophetically preached, “We build here in America magnificent synagogues, centers and temples. Very good! But if you think for a moment that that will bring back the Jewish world, I say to you that you are suffering under a great illusion. That is the mistake we are making in America. We are working and spending, but not … [Read more...] about A Birthright Program for the American Jewish Home