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Deborah Fineblum

Deborah Fineblum

Deborah Fineblum is a freelance writer and book author who made aliyah on July 4, 2013.

“We’ve heard about antisemitism around the world but thought there was nothing to worry about here,” says Australian Ronny Krite, who was on the scene on Dec. 14 in the midst of mayhem.
Until then, work on your bucket list. Or, as Sara Salansky, a senior official in Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, says: Our slogan is “Dream now, travel later.”
“You know what most of the kids want to be there this year? Superheroes: Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman. And you know why? Because superheroes prove that one person can change everything, one person can fix the world. That is something we all need to believe now.”
When he arrives in a new community, Rabbi Eliahu Birnbaum, 62, slips into detective mode: “I’ve found amazing old books, prayers, Haggadahs and more in those places.”
A new online exhibit released by Yad Vashem in time for International Holocaust Remembrance Day reveals the story of how group homes across Europe provided children with a place to heal and reconnect with the Jewish people.
“To secure its future, we’re partnering with the IDF to support each and every soldier who literally puts their lives on the line for their country and for Jews everywhere,” affirms Rabbi Steven Weil, the new national director and CEO of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.
Though the term itself has gained traction in the last decade, there have always been Jews of different races. Scan the globe today, and you’ll find Ethiopian Jews and the African Lemba tribe whose men test positive for the Kohen gene, a marker of the Jewish priests.
“We pivot on a challenge, so this year, we’ll find creative ways to celebrate and connect to the people we love,” says Neal Hoffman, creator of Jewish-themed stuffed toys.
Initially geared to help educators, the free program was designed to help everyone from parents, grandparents, clergy of all faiths, youth-group leaders and the general public seeking a way to begin to understand what really happened.