A Glimpse Into Israel’s Booming Film Industry

Indeed, the Israeli film industry has gained remarkable traction in recent years, thanks in part to over $10 million in public funding and international investments the industry has received yearly since 2000. This has led to more opportunities for filmmakers and thus, better films. In 1995, .3% of Israeli moviegoers bought tickets to Hebrew-language cinema. Today, 10% of Israel’s box office sales are for Israeli films.

A Conversation with Acclaimed Writer Yossi Klein Halevi

Temple Israel and Adath Jeshurun hosted Klein Halevi as scholar in residence at their congregations last weekend. The two congregations and JCRC hosted a breakfast for communal professionals Friday morning. TC Jewfolk caught up with Klein Halevi during the busy weekend. Below are excerpts from our conversation.

Win A Nice Jewish Guy… Calendar

Do you often find yourself needing a calendar to stay organized? Do you hate the way the wall calendar business has been commercialized with puppy calendars, kitten calendars, and calendars with Vincent Van Gogh paintings?

Confidence in Conservative Judaism

This year I was lucky enough to attend and present at the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s Centennial Conference. It was truly an amazing experience and a Yasher Koach to all those who put it together. On the heels of the craziness (and some would say depression) of the Pew Research survey, I experienced a room full of over 1,200 participants excited to learn, over a hundred teenagers welcoming in the conference by singing with Jewish pride, and an authentic reflection of 100 years of the USCJ and the future of Conservative Judaism.

The New (Old) Dilemma of the Modern Jew

To use Tevye’s method of dissecting a problem, on the one hand, Judaism is an ancient religion. We, as Jews, define ourselves by our ability to act within a unified community where our practices bind us to each other and God. By bending Judaism to the aesthetics of a modern world, it loses its identity and ceases to be the community-defining force it has traditionally been.

A Sense of Belonging: My Conversion Story

I grew up in a silent spiritual world, the seed of what was yet to come, planted so deeply, it took years to sprout. But when it did I discovered healing, wholeness, a sense of belonging—to my synagogue, Shir Tikvah, and Judaism. But it took a long time, and required a lot of help, to get there, to get to this moment.

Wendy's Wiggle Jiggle, and Jam!

The rush of holidays is behind us, but now it is time to think of fun activities to keep us busy until Thanksgiving!
The stories in the Torah are at their most kid friendly this time of year. Thinking about the story of Noah and the rainbow open up all kinds of fun food activities, toys to play with and of course great songs to sing. At the end of this note, please feel free to click on links to get full lyrics to the songs. For a free MP3 of Rise and Shine, just e-mail me at [email protected]. Enjoy!

Win Tickets to "Classics to Klezmer" Concert

With the Minnesota Orchestra on indefinite hiatus, many Minnetonka residents and those in surrounding suburbs may be craving some good classical music. Now add a little Klezmer music, a young hip clarinetist who was raised in Israel, and you have the perfect mix for a concert at Adath Jeshurun Congregation in Minnetonka at 7 PM this Sunday, October 20.