Proposed civil marriage bill in Israel misses mark
By GILAD KARIV JTA
      JERUSALEM—The promoters of Israel's new bill for civil marriage for those without religion are hurrying to present it as a significant and historical legal breakthrough, but actually it's nothing other than political trickery.
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What role for NIF?
New Israel Fund should not give to anti-Israel groups
By DAN KOSKY JTA
      JERUSALEM
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Democracy means listening to unpopular voices
By LARRY GARBER JTA
      WASHINGTON—"They hate him who reproves them in the gate, and they despise him who speaks uprightly." So said the prophet Amos 2,800 years ago, and so it is today. Amos' message did not make him popular with the powers that be.
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Star of 'Blossom' reflects on how belief changed look
By MAYIM BIALIK JTA
      LOS ANGELES (TABLET)—Earlier this year, producers from the TLC makeover show "What Not to Wear" chose me to "fix." It was eight months after I had given birth to my second son (my first was three years old), and I had just completed a doctorate in neuroscience.
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The gown goes into storage, the tiara comes off, but love remains
SALLY'S WORLD
SALLY FRIEDMAN
      It's been a strangely lovely space of time, enclosed by a wedding at one end, and a 50th anniversary at the other. A metaphor, perhaps, for life itself, this spell of such contrasts. The wedding was spectacular. A radiant bride walked down an aisle strewn with rose petals.
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JCF is there for synagogues & organizations building endowments
MONEY MATTERS
JEFF KLEIN Executive Director Community Foundation
      Is the roof leaking at your synagogue? Is there a special program that is rumored to be cut because the funding just isn't there this year? Is your organization facing a downturn in membership, while expenses remain the same or even increase?
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Neat Company's NeatDesk tidies up desk with a neat solution
COMPUSCHMOOZE
STEVEN LUBETKIN
      In June 2006, I wrote about a novel idea for road warriors to get their expense reports organized faster and more cleanly than stapling crumpled receipts to a handwritten expense form. We reviewed NeatReceipts, the first product from a company now called The Neat Company.
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The rebbitzin's recipes: Wake up for the month of Elul!
COOKING
DEBI EPSTEIN
      The Jewish lunar month of Elul will arrive on Thursday evening, Aug. 20. We are given a month of introspection during this time for us to WAKE UP and for the Jewish New Year, 5770.
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