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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.

Across Israel, doctors push aside personal loss and damaged homes to care for their patients during the war with Iran.
Israeli doubles team Daniel Cukierman and Edan Leshem retired against the Czech team of Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek due to an injury to Cukierman’s hamstring.
“I noticed that non-working parents often did not have the funds to buy personal army gear for their kids,” says Ashkelon resident Beth Newmark.
Throughout Jewish history, public fasts have responded to and beseeched God for mercy at times of great pain and uncertainty.
Harriet Schleifer, newly 70, is the rare leader who has distinguished herself in multiple spheres.
“Disabilities should not hinder individuals and their families from … participating in cultural exchanges like any neurotypical individual would,” said Michael Storz of the Chapel Haven Schleifer Center in New Haven, Conn.
The day-school-educated son of immigrants from Lviv and Kyiv who now live in the Baltimore area has raised more than $20,000 to bring food to some 1,100 Ukrainian Jews.
“It is a crazy business,” said the shortstop’s father, Steve. “It is extremely stressful all of the time.”
“We love baseball, and we love Israel. What better way to spend time than cheering on Jewish sports,” Jeff Goldstein of Toronto, who went to see the players with his whole family, told JNS.