A sculpture in Toledo honors a medieval treasurer who was killed by the king. Toledo, Spain – There are only three sculptures depicting Jewish historical figures in Spain. Maimonides sits pensively with a book on his lap and a turban on his head in the center of Cordoba. School children touch his foot for good … Continue reading
Merida, Mexico – When Mexican abstract artist Ariel Guzman, who is 66 years old, was quarantined in his home during the pandemic, he began using the words that he was hearing around him to inspire new works of art – words like “pandemic” and “Covid” and “quarantine”. So he created a painting and named it … Continue reading
In the US, Russian Jews almost never get involved in local politics – they are too busy making a living, learning English, and trying to fit in. But on November 5, three Jews with Russian accents will run for three seats on the school committee in this small town. The reason they are doing it? … Continue reading
Phil Weiner holds the certificate in August certifying that he was admitted into the Royal Order of Cambodia Jewish attorney Phil Weiner brought home to Boston this summer something very special: a medal of the Royal Order of Sahametrei, with a certificate signed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. It is the highest recognition that … Continue reading
This fall, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow is organizing special exhibits and lectures to mark the 100- year anniversary of the Russian Revolution. On display will be leaflets from Jewish political parties and paintings by Russian-Jewish revolutionary artists, as well as letters and diary entries of Jewish revolutionaries such as Leon Trotsky. … Continue reading
Moscow – A few years ago, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center here held a special inauguration ceremony for the Schneerson library. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended. (Read more in the Jerusalem Post Continue reading
On Odessa’s main street, a restaurant boldly advertises its menu to pedestrians. A big sign lists the “most famous Odessa dishes” – forshmak from herring; tzimmes from beans, and tulechka, or sprat, “cooked the Jewish way” with onions. Forshmak and tzimmes are not Russian or Ukrainian words – they are the names of the local … Continue reading
Serghey Daniliuk is not Jewish and can’t read Hebrew. He doesn’t have any ancestors buried in Jewish cemeteries and the only Jews he ever knew were his neighbors who immigrated to Israel when he was a child. Yet, for the last two years, he’s been traveling around Moldova photographing Jewish cemeteries, camera and axe in … Continue reading
A block away from Odessa’s Jewish Street stands a gray building with windows that reach several stories high. Something about it gave me the impression that it must be a synagogue. But on the gate hangs a sign – State Archives of Odessa Region, open to visitors between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through … Continue reading
Behind a Buddhist pagoda about 45 minutes outside of Cambodia’s capital, a gray tombstone sits alone in what might be mistaken for a green rice field during the rainy season. There is no name or date carved into the stone. Skinny cows walk by in groups, and vendors sell drinks. This is the country’s first … Continue reading
JULIE MASIS 