Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS
Howard Blas

Howard Blas

Howard Blas is a social worker and special-education teacher by training. He teaches Jewish studies and prepares students with a range of disabilities for b’nai mitzvah. He regularly leads Birthright Israel “classic” and service trips for people with disabilities. His publications can be viewed here.

Home Front Command and “purple” initiatives help vulnerable populations access shelters, information and essential services.
Ronen Bar-Abraham, director of Adraba-The Shirley Lowy Center for Children with Disabilities, says it was founded “to fulfill an unmet need in Israel.”
“I call on those who meet the requirements to come to Israel, gain top-tier training and become a part of our cutting-edge innovation ecosystem. We need your spirit and commitment,” said Israel Innovation Authority CEO Dror Bin.
Families typically receive 500 shekels ($155) of food per month, consisting of fruit and vegetables, dry goods and money on a debit card that can be used in supermarkets for perishables, adhering to the specific religious and dietary needs of diverse communities.
The 21-year-old Israeli has the distinction of being one of only five NBA players to play in all 82 regular season games.
Alone on a snowy Friday night, the sophomore made dinner for 15 of her teammates—“all the classics … cholent, deli rolls, schnitzel, challah. It was really special how interested they were.”
He broke records in the 1972 Munich Olympics, refusing to let the devastating events of those games break his spirit or his Jewish pride.
A fixture in the entertainment marketing space, he spends a good deal of time with pro-athletes, hip-hop artists and other high-profile people at such events as the NBA All-Stars, Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, Grammy Awards, MTV Awards and Sundance Film Festival.
Executive director Naomi Eisenberger is no stranger to helping others.