The Latest From The Foundation

In response to The Orthodox Union’s recent statement regarding women’s roles in Orthodox synagogues, Leah Sarna, WGF Fellow (Class 27), Matt Reingold, WGF Alum (Class 23), Sara Wolkenfeld, wife of David Wolkenfeld, WGF Alum (Class 17), and Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz, past faculty for the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, voiced their reactions in a symposium featured on Lehrhaus—an online forum created to spark thoughtful discourse within the Orthodox community, which received

I was talking to an Orthodox friend who has a very influential position in the Jewish educational world.  He was, quite understandably, bemoaning the incidence of intermarriage among the Modern Orthodox.  It used to be a stigma, he explained.  No one is sitting shiva anymore.  In our increasingly tolerant world, it is not the same as it used to be.  He, of course, is right.  My generation (Orthodox Baby Boomers),

I’m staring intently at one of the 40″ flat screen TV’s in a standing-room only sports bar in Skokie, IL, and I stand out like a sore thumb.  In the mob surrounding me, every soul, patron and server, is laden with Cubs gear.  I, on the other hand, am wearing a blue blazer, dress shirt, slacks… and my Red Sox hat.  I didn’t think ahead when packing for this business

In the months leading up to the start of my Wexner Heritage experience (Boca Raton 07), I had multiple talks with alumni, who encouraged me to make the most of this remarkable gift from Les and Abigail and our community.  I remember several amazing and inspirational interactions, but none more than in Tel Aviv just before the first Summer Institute with WIF Alum Gidi Grinstein (Class 13).  Gidi impressed upon

On October 4th, at the end of Rosh Hashanah, women started marching from the four corners of Israel, organized by a grassroots group called Women Waging Peace.  The march culminated on Chol haMoed Sukkot in Jerusalem in a rally held in front of the Prime Minister’s Office with a simple message to all the leaders of our country: “Lead us courageously toward a political agreement.”  Many felt this was naive,

I dismounted the motorcycle taxi with the finesse of an intoxicated toddler, my overstuffed backpack swaying behind me.  In the hilly farmlands of Kenya, Yosef stood in front of his modest home with a huge smile and kippah sitting atop his head.  “Shalom,” he said.   I lived with Yosef, Ruth and seven of their thirteen children this summer. They live in Gathundia, a village so small that it doesn’t

As Jews, we don’t agree on much.  Two Jews, three opinions, or the old joke that two Jews stranded on a desert island build three synagogues — one for each of them, and one synagogue that no one will visit on principle.  The one thing we do agree on is that we send our kids to college.  There are roughly 400,000 Jewish undergraduate students in North America, with an additional

The following words of torah were shared this week in Utah as we gathered 182 Heritage members and their spouses for their Summer Institute, MADREGOT: Stepping Up Your Leadership.  In this week’s parsha, Shelach, Moshe sends scouts to bring back reports of Canaan — the nature of the land, its strengths and limitations and samples of its produce.  Most of the scouts bring back reports that the land is magnificent,

Our nation and our communities continue to grieve over the senseless loss of 49 precious souls from the devastating tragedy that unfolded in Orlando on Sunday.  As Jews around the world were reaffirming the Covenant on the holiday of Shavuot, recommitting to a tradition and a Torah which sanctify life — a murderer was unleashing his fury on innocent revelers.  Our hearts are anguished and we share in the pain

I fell in love with camp late; I didn’t go to sleepover camp until I was 15 — the last summer I could be a regular camper — but since then I’ve been going back, first to Camp Kadimah in Nova Scotia and last summer to Camp Ramah in Canada.  To me, there is nothing more magical and inspiring than the power of camp and I have spent years doing what I can to