Arthur J. Epstein, business executive and philanthropist, dies
Arthur Joseph Epstein, who rose from modest roots in Malden to become a business executive and philanthropist, died on May 21. 2023. He was 86. Epstein began his career with Midas Muffler in 1965, when a friend of his mother offered him the opportunity to buy his Malden Midas shop. Eventually, he became the owner […]
CJP Greater Boston launches campaign to Face Jewish Hate
Local targets of antisemitism whose stories became symbols of a horrifying trend are among those who are standing with Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston (CJP) to elevate their voices and urge action to stop Jewish hate in Boston and across Massachusetts. The region has seen antisemitic incidents sharply rise in recent years. A new […]
Khazatsky comes full circle, from client to CEO of Jewish Vocational Service
A former client of Jewish Vocational Service who immigrated to the United States from Russia as a child was recently named to head the organization that assisted her and her parents when, in her words, “We had nothing.” Kira Khazatsky, the new president and chief executive officer of JVS – one of New England’s largest […]
With Joe Biden, Jewish Americans have a strong ally in the White House
For the past 66 years, the federal government has produced bound editions bearing the title “Public Papers of the Presidents.” Hardly anyone ever opens these books; I have spent a lifetime covering and studying presidents, and even I seldom pierce them. But there is reason to hope that, sometime in the future, someone might open […]
Arthur J. Epstein, business executive and philanthropist, dies
Arthur Joseph Epstein, who rose from modest roots in Malden to become a business executive and philanthropist, died on Sunday, March 21, 2023. He was 86. While in high school, Arthur worked in his father’s Wakefield factory, Mystic Enterprises. After his father passed when Arthur was 16, he took on more responsibilities at Mystic. Arthur […]
Editorial: Honoring our community leaders, and supporting the Jewish Journal
The North Shore, and Greater Boston, are blessed with dedicated, compassionate community Jewish leaders. While they are volunteers, many see their work as a 24-hour job. And over the last three years during the pandemic, the pressures of the job have been intense. As people moved online and away from in-person gatherings, the work continued […]
A giant among us: Bernie Hyatt, former Jewish Advocate owner, dies at 99
Bernie Hyatt always seemed to be around a story, or telling one. A Harvard-educated attorney and the son of a rabbi, Hyatt rejected law and instead combined two of his strongest passions: Judaism and journalism. For more than half a century, he embodied Jewish journalism in Boston. A dapper dresser and raconteur, he wrote over […]
Editorial: Happy Passover
Passover began this week and runs until April 13. According to a Pew Foundation study, 70 percent of American Jews participate in a Seder, making it the most popular holiday Jews observe. It is a social holiday that brings families, friends and strangers to the table to partake in a night of storytelling and food. […]
Honorable Menschion: Jerry Somers
Jerry Somers spent his formative years in Brookline involved in a variety of Jewish organizations that later led to his passion for social justice. His law career at Goodwin Procter was instrumental for the many leadership roles he later assumed at Temple Emanu-El, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC), the Jim Joseph Foundation and […]
Editorial: On Passover, Israelis help define the meaning of freedom
On Saturday evening after Shabbat, Israelis taught the world a lesson about democracy. Hundreds of thousands could not sit still after they learned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Gallant had warned that Netanyahu’s plan to reform the country’s judiciary system was becoming a threat to Israel’s security. Pilots, key […]