Touching the world of Jewish philanthropy, here are a few items appearing in the press this morning.

from Chabad.org:

Hundreds Attend Siberian Inauguration

The Jewish community of Irkutsk, Russia, inaugurated its renovated synagogue last week. One of the largest of its kind, the Siberian synagogue now houses a nursery, computer room, library, youth hall, cafeteria and the local offices of the Jewish Agency.

from Haaretz:

Frank Stein, ‘the face of Australian Jewry in Israel,’ dies aged 52

He was called “the face of Australian Jewry in Israel,” so it is not surprising that several hundred Australian Israelis showed up yesterday for the funeral of Frank Stein, the former director of the Zionist Federation of Australia’s Israel office.

Stein died Monday at the age of 52 of kidney failure, after a brief but intense battle with cancer.

from The New York Jewish Week:

Can Jewish Tradition Shed Light On The Financial Crisis?

Alan “Ace” Greenberg, a legendary figure in both finance and Jewish philanthropy, believes hedge-fund executives deserve whatever they’re paid, even if their salaries are 400 times the income of their lowest-paid employees.

He also has no idea what, if anything, Jewish wisdom can teach corporate America, saying that Jewish values are conveyed at home, through family, and that by the time someone is grown up, ready to enter the business world, that person should already know right from wrong.

Shifra Bronznick looks at those same issues quite differently, reflecting her many years of involvement in Jewish organizations that promote social justice.