AGE: 78 FAMILY: Wife Judith; son Ian; & two grandchildren, Alex (13) and Rachel (10) PETS: Cinnamon, a Lhasa Apso HOBBIES: Reading & sports (Eagles, 76ers & Phillies) FAVORITE AUTHORS: James Michener & William Saroyan FAVORITE FOODS: More...

Hundreds of demonstrators blocked the street leading to a Jerusalem parking lot that the municipality operates on Shabbat. Some 15 fervently Orthodox men were arrested for blocking the entrance to the Carta parking lot. One policeman was injured and taken to the hospital after being kicked in the stomach. More...

The Second Annual Summer MusicFest attracted over 300 people to the Katz JCC on Aug. 3. Welcoming the crowd to the joint Katz JCC and Federation Young Adult Division YAD) event were (from left), Andrew Mulberg, JCC board member and Adult Department chair; Claudia Sparacio, representing lead event sponsor Metro Bank; Sareh Yashaya, JCC board member and event co-chair; and Julia Roberts, Federation Young Adult Division chair and event co-chair. More...

As the 2009 Annual Campaign approaches its Sept. 30 closing, the Jewish Federation is again partnering with an Israel-based group called Green Point Technology Services to continue fundraising efforts. Despite the countless volunteers and staff making calls, not everyone in the community has been reached. More...

NEW YORK—B'nai B'rith International lashed out at Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for imposing restrictions on free speech in his country. Officials of the Jewish rights organization said the leftist politician's recent order to close dozens of independent radio and television stations and reassign their frequencies to his supporters was an "outrage. More...

MAURY BETCHEN, of Voorhees, died on July 24. Husband of the late Bessie (nee Kornberg) Betchen. Father of Henry (Barbara) Betchen and Lynda (Martin Isenberg) Scher. Grandfather of five and great-grandfather of three. More...

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 TEMPLE SINAI OF CINNAMINSON Shabbat Services with an Ice Cream Topping begins at 7:15 p.m. Call 829-0658. SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM "Havdalah at the Beach" at 8:45 p.m. at The Island House in Margate. It will be a casual adult only evening with wine and dessert. Call Jennifer Stofman at 751-6663. More...

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12 MOSAIC OUTDOOR CLUB OF PHILA. Dinner and planning meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Benny the Bum's Restaurant in Northeast Phila. Call Jon at 787-0325. THURSDAY, AUGUST 13 SJ JEWISH SINGLES Broadway Under the Stars at 8 p.m. at Cooper River Park. Meet at 7:45 p.m. in front of the stadium seats across from Cooper River Plaza Apts. Bring a lawn chair. More...

A truly amazing event happened last week. Human Rights Watch (HRW) declared that rocket attacks on Israel launched from Gaza amounted to war crimes. What was astonishing was that HRW took time out from criticizing Israel to actually point out that when Hamas targets Israeli civilians with rockets, it is committing a war crime. More...

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. More...

I would like to address the current state of support for Israel among American Jews. It is sad to see that the most vocal support for Israel today comes from Christian Evangelicals. Not that their support is not needed or wanted, but rather that the Jewish community is not leading the way. More...

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