Alleged Swampscott synagogue vandal faces hearing via Zoom
SWAMPSCOTT – A Dracut man who police say tried to run over a Star of David at the entrance of Congregation Shirat Hayam appeared via Zoom at a pretrial hearing in Lynn District Court on Friday, Aug. 7. He is facing charges of destruction of property, a civil rights violation and other counts after allegedly […]
Israeli native to lead Peabody’s Temple Ner Tamid
An Israeli native with an environmental and educator background whose family survived the Holocaust will be the new rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid of the North Shore in Peabody. When Rabbi Matan Peled starts this summer, he will fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Rabbi Richard E. Perlman, who became rabbi emeritus at […]
The violin that saved Ladislaw Rado from a death camp
Ladislaw Rado might have perished in a concentration camp were it not for his violin. Not much is known about Rado. From his handwritten will, we know he was born on Oct. 17, 1904. Before the war, he lived in Budapest and played violin in a symphony orchestra, possibly the Hungarian National Philharmonic. Along with […]
Sharonna’s Bakery brings traditional Israeli pita to New England
CANTON – There’s nothing quite like pita fresh out of oven. So when we reach that part of the tour, baker Hen Haras plucks one off the line, still inflated with hot air into a doughy UFO shape, and balances it carefully on his fingertips. “For us, for me, it’s all about keeping the […]
Is living longer your New Year’s resolution? Doctors have advice
The latkes are in the rearview mirror, the calendar has flipped to 2026, and the post-holiday health reckoning is upon us. This year, we thought we’d look beyond the superficial promises of dropped pounds and exercise routines to the goal that really matters: a long, healthy life. More than 20 years ago, one of my […]
A couple of Kupel’s: Brookline’s bagels roll into Somerville
BROOKLINE – Two decades ago, Farzad Ghorbi and his wife took ownership of Coolidge Corner’s go-to place for kosher bagels, Kupel’s Bakery. Soon, their son Ali will open a second location in Somerville, just outside Porter Square. Their story begins in 1983, when Farzad, an Iranian immigrant, began working for Kupel’s founders, Allan and Diane […]
Ever hopeful, Jews seek peace in Israel and the US in the new year
Despite what some see as the grimmest of circumstances in the U.S. and in Israel, many of us remain resilient as we prepare to greet the Jewish New Year of 5786 on the evening of Sept. 22. “I am always hoping that my children will have a safe, successful year, and that includes a broader […]
Feeding the hungry made Danny Epstein’s bar mitzvah extra special
For his bar mitzvah project, Danny Epstein thought it only fitting to perform service at an organization his grandmother helped start three decades ago. To address food insecurity in the Springfield/Longmeadow area, Danny’s grandmother, Judy Ingis, in 1992 helped found that region’s chapter of Rachel’s Table, as a member of the Women’s Philanthropy Division of […]
Next year in Jerusalem. This year at your community Seder.
Emphasizing kinship, belonging, and the relevance of Passover to Jews today, congregations across the region will gather – mostly on the second night of Sunday, April 13 – for the annual tradition of holding a community Seder. For many congregations, community Seders are just that: an opportunity to bring Jewish people together. Beverly’s Temple B’nai […]
What we’re talking about this Passover
MARBLEHEAD – From the personal to the global, conversations around Seder tables this year will reflect a diverse swath of topics that Jews consider meaningful. For many families, the Seder is a deeply personal experience. “I think this particular Passover is going to be very different than most in the past, because we just lost […]
