Pakistani-born business executive Muslim Lakhani remembers fondly the Jewish classmates from his Karachi primary school, but prior to last week, he had never stepped foot in a synagogue.
Yet the reason for his visit on Thursday evening of last week -- an iftar, the traditional meal that ends the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- has an irony not lost on the 50-something chair and CEO of ML Resources, a Washington, D.C., investment firm.
"This was always a dream of mine, to come to a synagogue -- and to come on Ramadan with my Christian brothers," Lakhani said with a smile as he stood in the stairwell of the District's Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, with Maj. Steve Morris, area commander for The Salvation Army, an evangelical Christian charitable organization.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Zeide wasn't meshugana - family has Sephardic roots
Despite leaving behind a Yiddish-speaking home in Latvia when he came to America in 1909, Sam Gold always told his children and grandchildren that they were Sephardic Jews.
Many decades later his granddaughter Judy Simon, 60, would finally confirm her grandfather was not meshugana.
In 2004, after genetic testing became widely available for genealogists, Simon took a cheek swab from a male cousin and had his Y chromosome DNA tested.
Many decades later his granddaughter Judy Simon, 60, would finally confirm her grandfather was not meshugana.
In 2004, after genetic testing became widely available for genealogists, Simon took a cheek swab from a male cousin and had his Y chromosome DNA tested.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Food for thought -- and justice
Barbecues at the Silver Spring Moishe House are nothing unusual. The five 20-something Moishe House residents regularly host friends, neighbors and others throughout the cookout season for get-togethers that are more than just gorge-athons. Each is also a Jewish-themed presentation with an important lesson to teach.
On this steamy Sunday afternoon, the theme was social justice -- at least as it applies to food. More than 70 guests filled the front and backyard of the four-story Mississippi Avenue home, to enjoy a side order of gastronomic stewardship with their hamburgers, peaches and corn-on-the-cob. Moishe House residents dubbed it a "food justice" barbecue.
On this steamy Sunday afternoon, the theme was social justice -- at least as it applies to food. More than 70 guests filled the front and backyard of the four-story Mississippi Avenue home, to enjoy a side order of gastronomic stewardship with their hamburgers, peaches and corn-on-the-cob. Moishe House residents dubbed it a "food justice" barbecue.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Below the equator
For the past seven summers, Aliza Esenstad, 16, has looked forward to her Jewish sleep-away camp in the Catoctin Mountains of Pennsylvania. But this summer, she traveled much farther -- to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
As part of Capital Camps' four-week counselor-in-training (CIT) program, Esenstad, a rising high school senior from Rockville, and 17 other teens -- most from the Washington metro area -- traveled to the South American city earlier this month for an intensive week of community service and Jewish communal exchange.
As part of Capital Camps' four-week counselor-in-training (CIT) program, Esenstad, a rising high school senior from Rockville, and 17 other teens -- most from the Washington metro area -- traveled to the South American city earlier this month for an intensive week of community service and Jewish communal exchange.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Mideast and its chasms
Conflict in the Middle East spawned contention in the District Wednesday evening, as proponents of widely opposing views on Israel engaged in a hotly contested panel discussion on several red-flag topics.
Among them: Palestinian refugees, West Bank settlements, and even Israel's identity as a Jewish state.
Among them: Palestinian refugees, West Bank settlements, and even Israel's identity as a Jewish state.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Making a Difference
Watching her parents raise funds for the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes -- an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of adults with disabilities -- Amanda Mendelson of Chevy Chase knew she wanted to find a way for her and her friends to also contribute to the organization.
So this year, Mendelson, 14, helped organize the JFGH Juniors program -- a group of 30 teens committed to once-a-month activities with JFGH residents from three different group homes.
At the Metropolitan Center for Visual Arts in Rockville last week, Mendelson and her father, Cliff, were on hand as the JFGH Juniors program was honored with an Outstanding Innovative Program Award at the Kol HaKavod TeenFest 2009, sponsored by the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning.
So this year, Mendelson, 14, helped organize the JFGH Juniors program -- a group of 30 teens committed to once-a-month activities with JFGH residents from three different group homes.
At the Metropolitan Center for Visual Arts in Rockville last week, Mendelson and her father, Cliff, were on hand as the JFGH Juniors program was honored with an Outstanding Innovative Program Award at the Kol HaKavod TeenFest 2009, sponsored by the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
RJC Is Mischaracterized by a Disingenuous Writer
In Stas Cohen's letter ("Correct Terminology's a Must in This Case," Dec. 4), the objective and policy positions of the Republican Jewish Coalition were significantly mischaracterized.
The RJC has long welcomed -- and fully expects -- a hearty debate in the Jewish community on critical policy issues.
However, the disingenuous effort by Cohen to falsely mislead about the nature of our organization is deeply troubling.
The RJC has long welcomed -- and fully expects -- a hearty debate in the Jewish community on critical policy issues.
However, the disingenuous effort by Cohen to falsely mislead about the nature of our organization is deeply troubling.
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