Keeping My Hope is a 170 page historical fiction graphic novel. Ari is a teenager whose entire life is turned upside down by the horrors of the Holocaust. His family is torn apart and moved to Auschwitz, where the reader gains an inside look at what prisoners in concentration camps suffered. However, even with these atrocities, the power of friendship shines through and gives Ari hope to keep surviving through the darkest blizzards of terror. Informative yet touching, Keeping My Hope spreads the message of how powerfully racism and prejudice can affect those around us.

Aaron Herman speaks with Ramaa Mosley Director of The Brass Teapot.

John and Alice live in small-town America—20s, married, very much in love, and broke. Once voted “most likely to succeed,” Alice struggles to make ends meet while her friends enjoy the good life. Her husband John, neurotic and riddled with phobias, just wants to get the bills paid. But an accident leads them to a roadside antique shop where Alice is spontaneously drawn to a mysterious brass teapot. It isn’t long before they realize that this is no ordinary teapot and that perhaps they have found the answer to all of their financial woes… THE BRASS TEAPOT is a magical dark comedy that reminds us to be careful what we wish for.

Did you know that there are thousands of stolen Judaica from Jews in the holocaust being sold in flee markets around Germany and Europe? Aaron Herman spoke with Bill Frankel Director of the new organization Bring It Home which aims to reclaim the stolen Judaica.

Bring it Home began as a simple trip to explore the famous Budapest flea market, Ecseri. In 2007 while visiting the market, , Bill noticed a substantial number of pieces of Judaica on the vendors’ tables.: There were Kiddush cups, Hanukkah menorahs, Shabbat candleholders, Torah yad/pointers, Tzedaka boxes, and much more. There were hundreds of pieces! Every time he would inquire about a piece one the dealer would bring out more and more to show from under his table.

As he walked around, Bill grew overwhelmed by the large number of pieces and the question of how they had come to be in the dealers’ hands.Where did they come from? There could be no answer other than that they had been takenduring the war as Jews were forced from their homes during the Holocaust. Eventually, these pieces of Judaica had ended up on these dealers’ tables. At that moment, Bill felt that they did not belong in the hands of the dealers, but in the hands of the Jewish Community. He felt like he needed to Bring It Home, to bring the lost Judaica back into the Jewish community to be used as it was originally intended.

Bill decided to create Bring It Home to fund local community members to go into the markets and buy the Judaica, inventory the pieces, and then send them out to the community with the explicit stipulation that the pieces will actually be used – not to be archived or to be displayed in a museum – but to be used as they were intended.

The project is also about keeping the stories of the Jewish communities lost during the Holocaust alive through the artifacts. Each piece will be accompanied by an educational component to connect the recipient (Synagogues, summer camps, Campus Hillels, new immigrants, families still living in the local community) to it’s history, and with information on different traditions, prayers and uses for the Judaica.

How did Jews survive the holocaust? Some were hidden others found innovative ways to hide from the Nazi’s Aaron Herman Speaks with Director Jane Tobias and Caver Chris Nicola about the new movie No Place On Earth.

No Place On Earth brings to light the untold story of thirty-eight Ukrainian Jews who survived World War II by living in caves for eighteen months, the longest-recorded sustained underground survival. Built upon interviews with former cave inhabitants, as well as Chris Nicola, the caving enthusiast who unearthed the story, No Place On Earth is an extraordinary testament to ingenuity, willpower and endurance against all odds.

Aaron Herman speaks with Avi Angel Director of Here I Learned To Love. Two brothers, three mothers, a saga during the Second World War, shrouded in fog for almost six decades, the unique emotional narrative of a voyage tracing the roots of a shadowy past, unclear and confusing even to those involved.

Brothers Avner and Itzik live in Israel. As toddlers, their lives were saved first by their aunt, later by another young woman. Their past included three women who would become their mothers. But all this remained hidden — even from close family and friends.

Now, at the age of 70, Avner decides to take his brother Itzik on a journey in search of their true identity, in an attempt to piece together this incredible story of their survival and most important to deeply connect with the pain and loss of their three mothers.

Where did the Hava Nagila come from? Aaron Herman spoke with Director Roberta Grossman about her new movie Hava Nagila (The Movie) .It is instantly recognizable — musical shorthand for anything Jewish, a happy party tune that you dance to at weddings, bar mitzvahs and even at Major League Baseball games. It conjures up wistful smiles, memories of generations past…and no shortage of eye rolling. But as audiences will discover in Hava Nagila (The Movie), the song is much more than a tale of Jewish kitsch and bad bar mitzvah fashions. It carries with it an entire constellation of history, values and hopes for the future. In its own believe-it-or-not way, Hava Nagila encapsulates the Jewish journey over the past 150 years. It also reveals the power of one song to express and sustain identity, to transmit lessons across generations and to bridge cultural divides and connect us all on a universal level. “When you find a song that says ‘Let us rejoice,’ there’s no better song to leave an evening with. Hava Nagila tells us who we should be and what we, in a fundamental sense, aspire to be—peoples of love and joy and peace.”— Harry Belafonte

Featuring interviews with Harry Belafonte, Connie Francis, Glen Campbell, Leonard Nimoy, Regina Spektor and more, Hava Nagila (The Movie) follows the song from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to the kibbutzim of Palestine to the cul-de-sacs of America. It excavates the layers of cultural complexity with humor, depth and heart — traveling the distance between the Holocaust to Dick Dale and his surf guitar, sometimes in the same sentence. It stops at key places — Ukraine, Israel, the Catskills and Greenwich Village, where Belafonte performed a hopeful version in the late 1950s, only to be countered by Bob Dylan, who butchers the song in his version Talkin’ Hava Negiliah Blues. The film covers Allan Sherman’s parody Harvey and Sheila, and Lena Horne’s civil rights anthem Now — both set to the tune of Hava Nagila. The film spotlights Italian-American crooner Connie Francis, who made the song the first track on her famous album of Jewish favorites; and Glen Campbell, who released an instrumental version of Hava on the B-side of his theme song from True Grit. It also dissects the proliferation of pop culture references to Hava Nagila in film and TV and brings the song up to the present, where it’s a rallying tune at sports games, a hot dance number in nightclubs and a global hit online.

The resulting film not only entertains us and makes us laugh; but it reminds us of the power of melody to go deep and to bring a celebration to life — offering delightful moments of discovery, one after another, on the song’s fascinating journey from Ukraine to YouTube.

Hebrew Hammer Vs Hitler quick synopsis: Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the synagogue …

When Hitler gets his hand on Time Sukkah technology and begins rewriting Jewish History, Mordechai Jefferson Carver (The Hebrew Hammer) and Mohammed Ali Paula Abdul Rahim set out through time to stop him. Can the Hammer and Mo prevent Hitler from un-inscribing the Jewish people from the book of life?

This week, Aaron Herman looks at The Jerusalem House in the Old City of Jerusalem.

So you finished your Israel program and looking for a place to stay and continue your Israel adventure? Aaron Herman spoke with Rabbi Ben Parker, Director of the Jerusalem House about how young adults can further explore their Jewish heritage.

From Linked Out to LinkedIn: Unlocking the power for career success in 2013
You joined LinkedIn because a friend or colleague told you that you must join. Now that you are signed up, you are probably a bit puzzled as to why everyone is raving about the site. You know that it is a resource to advance your professional position, better market your business or find a job but you are not sure how to use LinkedIn to achieve those objectives. Creating your profile, adding connections and joining groups were no problem but now what?

This book is the tool that you need to TRULY UNDERSTAND LinkedIn and maximize its power for ultimate career success. Author and Career Coach Lavie Margolin has spent years leveraging his LinkedIn network, building valuable connections and advising businesses on how to use the site. For the first time in one book, Lavie shares his most valuable tips on how to turn your knowledge of LinkedIn from “What Now?” to “Success Now!”

Innovation Road Show
The Innovation Road Show was launched by the US Israel Business Council (USI) in 2012. This ground-breaking initiative encompasses a series of spotlight events, showcasing innovative Israeli high tech companies to sources of US investment. The Innovation Road Show events cross a span of High-Tech industries including Bio-Tech, Clean-Tech, Agri-Tech, Media-Tech and more. Having this specialized platform allows for high level, targeted networking.

WTA is a Modern Orthodox Yeshiva day school opening in September 2013 in Westchester County. Westchester Torah Academy has adopted an innovative model for high-quality, sustainable and affordable Jewish day school education. We are committed to excellence in both Judaic & secular studies while maintaining an affordable and sustainable tuition for our communities.

• WTA will offer a more personalized learning approach for all students.
• WTA will encourage students to be lifelong learners.
• WTA will be a place where students have the opportunity to excel, both academically and personally, in an environment that acknowledges their individual needs and develops their unique strengths.
• WTA will prepare students to live and compete in our rapidly changing, high-tech world.
• WTA aspires to nurture the minds and souls of each student through a 21st century dynamic, fun and warm learning environment. We are committed to achieving academic excellence in both Judaic and secular studies while promoting character development, a deep commitment to Torah and Mitzvot, love for Eretz Yisrael, and a shared responsibility for our community and the world at large. We believe that each child was created in the image of Hashem, and we are dedicated to bringing out the gifts, talents and strengths of each of our unique students.

This week, Aaron Herman learned more about the Henna Ceremony.

What’s a Henna? We had an opportunity to speak with Sael Abecassis about this beautiful Moroccan tradition before one gets married. The henna is a mini wedding that showers the bride with gifts and culminates in the henna. The henna is a “mark” which will hopefull bring love, success and wealth.

Hurricane Sandy tore through the east cost leaving hundreds of thousand of people without electricity and water. The Jewish community sprung into action helping those in need by raising money, and brining food, water and batteries to disaster area’s. One of the Jewish communities that was decimated was the Long Beach Jewish Community. Sandy destroyed homes and displaced thousands of people. Rabbi Eli Goodman Rabbi of the Bach Jewish Center showed Sandy’s aftermath and the destruction to the Long Beach community.

To find out what you can do contact your synagogue or check out: WeRepair.org

How do you become a mohel? We had the opportunity to speak with Rabbi Paysach Krohn international mohel about the intricacies on the mohel process.

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How do you create effective Jewish engagemnt? We spoke with Jeff Seidel about his innovative programs and organization.

Among the thousands of college students who flock to Israel each year for study or travel, many are looking for a reason to be Jewish. But it isn’t easy to tap into Israel’s vast world of Jewish learning. It isn’t easy for a student from New York or Philadelphia to look beyond the stones of the Western Wall and sense their history.

Jeff Seidel and the Jewish Student Information Centers fill that need.

The Old City Center opened in 1986, functioning as a resource center for the student traveler as a guiding hand and a place offering heightened Jewish consciousness.

The second Student Information Center opened in 1992 near the Hebrew University campus offering its students an array of services such as laundry service, e-mail, Shabbat meals, lectures, wide screen Television and much more.

The third Information Center opened in 1994 near the Tel-Aviv University campus. Yearly, the Jewish Student Information Centers are visited by some 20,000 students and travelers. On Friday night you are now able to attend Shabbat Home Hospitality whether you are at the Western Wall, Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University, or anywhere around the world.

Rosh Hashanah is a time for families to come together and eat. Sometimes its hard to find the perfect dish for everyone. We had the opportunity to speak with Doris Schechter author and owner of My Most Favorite Food about innovative kosher cooking during the upcoming holidays.

We had the opportunity to speak with the writers of the Israeli play Dogs. Dogs is a new play presented by TheaterCan, an Israeli theatre company, exploring the creation of an Arab-Israeli Romeo & Juliet musical, will have its New York debut as part of the 16th Annual New York International Fringe Festival

When five men from completely different backgrounds come together to work on a new and extremely controversial show, the production threatens to turn into a spectacular and amusing disaster. As their rehearsal room becomes a demi-battlefield, filled with drama and suspense, the men struggle to keep the production alive. Will one passionate gay director, a heated Arab-Israeli conflict and a confirmed male pregnancy take the production to the next level, or manage to tear everything apart? “DOGS” is an original production exploring the creation of a play within a play. “The show is a biting comedy that was created following a workshop of Jewish and Arab male actors that aims to deal with the mutual alienation and rage that both sides have become accustomed to”, says Ido Bornstein, the playwright responsible for “DOGS” and founding member of the TheaterCan Company. “The result is a comedy that sheds light on the Israeli-Arab conflict from a gender-based perspective while incorporating social commentary in a way that is unexpected and stimulating”

The TheaterCan collective, led by Artistic Director Shlomo Plessner, will arrive in New York for 2 weeks to perform two of their critically- acclaimed plays that have been accepted into the festival. “Honest” and “DOGS”. “Honest”, a play written by acclaimed English playwright DC Moore has undergone a brilliant adaptation by the TheatreCan group, while “DOGS” is an original play written by award-winning Israeli playwright Ido Bornstein.

The cast includes Lavi Zytner (Best Actor, Israeli Theater Awards 2008), Benjamin David Elder, Mahmoud Mora, Rami Kashi and Hai Maor. Directed by Shlomo Plessner. Written by Ido Bornstein Choreography by Ronit Ziv. Original Music by Galit florentz.

TheaterCan is an Israeli dynamic troupe of acclaimed artists founded by Artistic Director Shlomo Plessner and Playwright Ido Bornstein, creators of ‘Sunrise’, ‘Lice’ and ‘Hunger’ (Best Fringe Play award, 2004, presented at the FIND Festival for International New Drama at the Berlin Schaubühne Theater). Many TheatreCan’s plays are written following workshops with the actors from diverse backgrounds. TheaterCan strives to merge the documentary art forms with poetic expression while presenting a fresh, funny and compassionate voice from Israel.

We had the opportunity to attend the NY Intentional Gift Fair and good a first look into some innovative holiday, wedding and bar/bat mitzvah gifts. Drawing 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and 80+ countries, the NYIGF is produced twice annually by GLM Shows and is open to the trade only. Held in January and August in New York City, the Fair hosts 2,800 exhibiting companies showcasing the very best lines across the home, lifestyle and gift spectrum.

How do you learn the skills to build a successful business? We had the opportunity to speak with Simcha Gluck, Senior Facilitator of FreshBiz. FreshBiz is a game that fundamentally changes the way its participants play their business and their life by simulating and then practicing new, creative methods of entrepreneurial thinking, and problem solving to achieve their most vital goals.

Through its game-based learning, participants travel through the game on a mission to win, while gaining skills, understandings and strategies that not only help them to achieve the goals in the game, but also to excel in their lives.

Utilizing common business practices, and years of insight from entrepreneurs, FreshBiz uses tools such as buying/selling businesses, leveraging, negotiations, loans, business opportunities and much more to simulate a business environment. Simultaneously, relationships are forged and the atmosphere of the room buzzes as participants engage with themselves and others in entrepreneurial, multi-dimensional thinking.

Insights gained during a 90-minute game last far into the future, as our participants claim that the game impacts them from the moment they play for the rest of their lives. There is a distinction between change and transformation. Working harder, doing something less, spending more time on something else etc… are change, while transformation through FreshBiz is what shifts your paradigm completely and creates the opportunity for you to play business, relationships, and life in a whole new way.

During the game, and in FreshBiz workshops, the following areas are addressed:

• What resources are available to each person and how can they serve my goals?
• Being bold, proactive and creative
• How to create a Win-Win Situation (expanding the pie)
• Identifying partners and crafting partnerships
• What is victory?
• Do we know how to identify opportunities & create them?

Learn what MDET (Multi Dimensional Entrepreneurial Thinking) is and how to utilize it to achieve quantum leaps in your business and your life!

You have a cause and you want to rally your community. How do you do it in a innovative and meangful way. We spoke with David Kramer, Founder of NU. Nu is an Israeli organization that is using fashion to help promote causes and make a diffrence. NU Campaign supports global causes & charitable organizations through the sale of unique designer t-shirts.

On the inside of every NU shirt, a unique message is printed by your HEART. This way, every time YOU wear your shirt, you feel inspired to carry it close to you and represent it out to the world!”

How do you build organizations and get funding to sustain projects? We spoke with Sandy Cardin President of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation about funding and creating innovative Jewish programs. When Charles and Lynn Schusterman established their family foundation in 1987, they were led by a fierce determination to contribute their time and resources to the two communities closest to their hearts: k’lal Yisrael—Jewish peoplehood—and the people in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Together Charles and Lynn worked to fashion a philanthropic agenda dedicated to expanding, enriching and enhancing these communities. More than 20 years later, what started as a one-office foundation engaged almost exclusively in grantmaking is now a global network of programs, organizations and foundations that still hold true to the mission and values Charles and Lynn established with their initial investment.

Our story is the story of these values brought to life—a philanthropic vision in action. It is the story of the incredibly talented, committed individuals and organizations that inspire us every day and, with our support, transform lives, build communities and touch hearts. It is the story of an organization shaped by the vision of Day One and by the experiences of every day thereafter.

GEI ONI interweaves a unique love story with the harsh realities of the first wave of Jewish European migration to the Ottoman-ruled Palestine of the 1880’s. Having survived a Russian pogrom in which all other members of her family were killed, 17 year-old Fania (in an award-winning debut performance by Tamar Alkan), her infant daughter, her elderly uncle, and her traumatized brother arrive at the port of Jaffa, with a harrowing secret and no means of support. Having no real choice, Fania marries Yechiel, a native Jew and young widower with two small children. Fania and Yechiel set out to his small settlement near Safed, where Yechiel and other daring pioneers are trying to cultivate the barren lands which they bought from local Arabs. Though Fania is burdened by her secret, without sharing it with her husband their marriage can not be consummated and their life together cannot truly begin. On another level, GEI ONI is the story of the beginning of the realization of the Jewish dream to return to the land of Zion in the late 19th century.

The holidays are just around the corner and we got a first hand look at the newest gadgets and products on the market today. With over 120 participating companies and the support of the tech industry’s most prestigious media outlets, CEA Line Shows is a must-attend opportunity for every member of the media, retail, trade and analyst communities. If you want to know what’s happening in the all-important 4th quarter selling season then you need to find out first — and CEA Line Show is where you’ll see what’s new, what’s coming and what’s going to change the tech scene in the months ahead.

We had the opportunity to attend Presentense Launch Night NYC. We spoke with some young social entrepreneurs about their their innovative initiatives The PresenTense Group engages and inspires the most creative minds of our generation, investing in their ideas and energy to revitalize the Jewish community. PresenTense enables young Jews to have global conversations about new ideas and envision a better future. And when they’re eager to act upon these ideas, we educate and equip them for success.

In December 2000 JCINY had our first Shabbat dinner for Australians and South Africans living in the New York. From this event our community has grown to over 8,000 people over the past ten years and 78 couples met through JICNY. With an emphasis on high-quality programming and wide scale affiliation, JICNY is a United Nations of sorts, with people from all over the world gathering on a regular basis for social, cultural and religious events.

Our programs include a highly successful weekly Torah class, led by Steve Eisenberg, on the Upper West Side, followed by a unique second class, held in multiple languages which typically include English, Spanish, French and Russian. Other events include lectures, tours of the Lower East Side, picnics, Shabattons and retreats. We host a film club that raises money each month for a different charity. We also plan an annual learning mission to Israel that has enjoyed great success.

Our monthly Shabbat dinners feature guest speakers from around the world. We have less formal Shabbat meals and social events throughout the month, as well. Founder, Steve Eisenberg sets hundreds of young professionals up with welcoming places to have the Shabbat meal every year. Over the years founders, Gavin and Jodi Samuels have had over 10,000 people attend meals in their home. We recognize the interest and value of the Jewish international community in New York through all of our successes and for this reason we have created the JICNY Networking Group in order to expand on what we have previously been able to offer in the way of networking.

Living in a foreign country that is so diverse and independent, it is comforting to know that there is a place you can go where you will always be welcome; you will be able to explore your heritage and spirituality; and you will be supported by the community that surrounds you.

As technology evolves so does the way we learn and connect. We had the opportunity to attend the Jewish Futures Conference and spoke with leaders in the community about how they are utilizing technology to enhance the way they teach and engage their constituents. The Jewish Futures Conference brought together visionary thinkers, passionate individuals, and inspiring presentations in a conference designed to shift the horizon of our thinking in Jewish education. New ways of connecting are simultaneously posing challenges to traditional institutions and offering new opportunities for forging community and undertaking Jewish learning both locally and globally. The Jewish Futures Conference provided a space to imagine, learn and engage in purposeful and courageous conversation about the future of Jewish community and education and how it can thrive in today’s and tomorrow’s world.

Hillel is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life provides opportunities for Jewish students at more than 500 colleges and universities to explore and celebrate their Jewish identity through its global network of regional centers, campus Foundations and Hillel student organizations. Hillel is working to provoke a renaissance of Jewish life.

Hillel’s mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. Hillel student leaders, professionals and lay leaders are dedicated to creating a pluralistic, welcoming and inclusive environment for Jewish college students, where they are encouraged to grow intellectually, spiritually and socially. Hillel helps students find a balance in being distinctively Jewish and universally human by encouraging them to pursue tzedek (social justice), tikkun olam (repairing the world) and Jewish learning, and to support Israel and global Jewish peoplehood. Hillel is committed to excellence, innovation, accountability and results.

We had the opportunity to speak with current and former AVODAH fellows about their experience and why they decided to participate in this important inititive. AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps strengthens the Jewish community’s fight against the causes and effects of poverty in the United States. We do this by engaging participants in service and community building that inspire them to become lifelong leaders for social change whose work for justice is rooted in and nourished by Jewish values. Participants in our service Corps program live out and deepen their commitments to social change and Jewish life through a year of full-time work at anti-poverty organizations in Chicago, New Orleans, New York, and Washington, DC. This work partners Corps members with service providers and residents in low income communities and equips our Corps members and alumni to emerge as lifelong agents for social change, whose work for justice is rooted in and nourished by Jewish values. After participants complete this intensive year-long program, Pursue: Action for a Just World provides a broad platform for long-term leadership in social change and Jewish life.

This week, Aaron Herman had the opportunity to talk to attend Tech Crunch Disrupt New York, and speak with a number of Israeli tech start-ups who have new and revolutionary tech products.

Israel is at the forefront of disruptive technology. Since the beginning of the technology revolution Israeli companies have set the bar when it comes to innovation. We attended Techcrunch Disrupt in NYC and spoke with Israeli’s that are transforming the whey we connect, share and do business.

This week, Aaron Herman had the opportunity to talk to Sam Hoffman, the Producer and Creator of Old Jews Telling Jokes.

Old Jews Telling Jokes was born in an empty storefront in Highland Park, New Jersey in the summer of 2008. Eric Spiegelman and Tim Williams of Jetpack Media had asked Sam if I had any ideas for an internet show and it was suggested: “how about we shoot my father and his friends telling jokes?” Surprisingly, they agreed. The rules would be simple. Every joke teller had to be at least sixty years old and “Jewish.” The age thing I would be strict about, the Jewish thing would be in spirit. If nothing else, we would make portraits of people who had lived at least six decades and that would be something to see.

And from there… History

This week, Aaron Herman had the opportunity to interview Yonatan Nir, the co-writer and co-director of the new film Dolphin Boy.

Seventeen year old Morad Azba’s innocent text message to a female classmate in an Arab village in the North of Israel triggers a brutal beating at the hands of the girl’s brother and his friends. Unable to speak, recognize his family, or make eye contact, Morad’s post trauma symptoms are so severe that his Israeli doctor, world renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Ilan Kutz, recommends further treatment in an institution. But Morad’s father Asad cannot bring himself to limit Morad’s freedom and asks Dr. Kutz if there’s another option. There is one alternative, albeit unconventional—Dolphin therapy in Eilat’s Dolphin Reef — contact with the Dolphins might help restore Morad’s broken life. Morad’s father sells and mortgages everything he can, including his beautiful land in Northern Israel, and accompanies his son on this riveting journey. Filmed over the course of Morad’s four year therapy, the award winning DOLPHIN BOY is a profound confirmation of the healing power of nature, patience and unconditional love—and a most under-reported and inspiring story about the relationship between Israel’s Arabs and Israel’s Jews. You can learn more at www.dolphinboyfilm.com.

This week, Aaron Herman had the opportunity to celebrate Yon Ha’Atzmaut with Dor Chadash at BB Kings in New York Ciity.

Over 1,000 New Yorkers came out to BB Kings to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) hosted by Dor Chadash. We spoke with attendees and asked them what Yom Ha’atzmaut meant to them .Dor Chadash is a dynamic community, empowering a strong network of Israeli and American Jews to:

1. Create meaningful connections with Israel through cutting edge programs and engaging events focused on Israeli culture, heritage and current events.
2. Develop social bonds with members who are equally passionate about Israel.
3. Become actively involved in the local, national and global Jewish community.

Since October 2003, Dor Chadash has successfully carried out more than 186 programs attended by more than 30,000 Israeli and American Jews in the New York area. They have discovered an incredible need among Jews in New York to connect with Israel in an authentic way. From providing educational events with prominent Israeli speakers, to showcasing the best of Israeli cultural offerings, to dancing to Israeli pop music on Jewish holidays, Dor Chadash has something for everyone who is passionate about Israel. Central to our mission is that we use the energy and passion of volunteers to carry out extremely innovative Israel-related programs that appeal to a diverse and sophisticated group of Israeli and American Jews. You can learn more about
Dor Chadash.

This week, Aaron Herman had the opportunity to visit New York Tech Day. NY Tech Day is a “science fair” for tech startups to showcase their companies to the public, investors and press.

Many of the most prominent NY Tech startups attended including tumblr, Meetup, SecondMarket, Boxee, and Knewton. The event will also showcase newbies such as SpaceSplitter, Digital Ocean, Unroll.me and Songza. In addition, more than 35 notable VC firms attended, including Spark Capital, Greycroft Partners and Lerer Ventures.

NY Tech Day is the brainchild of Alec Hartman and John Petersen who themselves are young entrepreneurs and founders of Mail Canvassing (http://mailcanvassing.com/.) “We want to create an event that benefits startups of all sizes and helps them connect with the resources they need to grow. They can demo a new product, recruit for open positions, or just say hello to the tech community. The result has transformed NY Tech Day into a ‘science fair’ for startups,” said John Petersen, co-founder of NY Tech Day.

What does it take to be a social entrepreneur? Once you have an “innovative” idea how do you get it funded? Luckily, there are opportunities for young innovators to bring their projects to market and help foster their skills. We had the opportunity to speak with Felicia Herman of Natan and Emily Comisar from Birthright Israel Next about the Natan/Birthright Israel NEXT Grants for Social Entrepreneurs.

This week, Aaron Herman had the opportunity to speak to the writer and director of “Reuniting the Rubins.”

The seder brings together families from near and far. Every family has some dysfunction. In the new film Reuniting the Rubins Director/Writer Yoav Factor puts together a truly unique story about a seder you don’t want to miss. An uptight lawyer, Lenny Rubins, (Timothy Spall — The King’s Speech), has to put his dream retirement on hold when his ailing mother (Honor Blackman — Goldfinger) emotionally blackmails him into reuniting his estranged children for a holiday gathering.

They may be peas from the same pod, but in Lenny’s eyes, his grown-up children are certainly not even from the same planet: a ruthless control-freak and hard-nosed capitalist (James Callis — Battlestar Galactica), an outspoken, argumentative eco-warrior committed to the cause (Rhona Mitra — Underworld: Rise of the Lycans), an outer-worldly Buddhist Monk; and to cap it all, a bible bashing born-again Rabbi!

While they might quarrel, fight, and perhaps even be starting a war in Africa, they are still family. It is going to take a whole lot of soul-searching and sacrifice for everyone to come together in this heart-warming and comic family reunion that will have you thinking fondly of your own.

This week, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman had the opportunity to attend the 6th Annual Manischewitz Cook Off with Celebrity Chef Claire Robinson at the JCC of Manhattan.

He got a first-hand view of the cook-off, where it is all about quick meals.

We spoke with the Finalists:
Jacquie Serebrani-Kesner—Lexington, MA
Andrew Dorsch—Scotch Plains, NJ
Jennifer Daskevich—Los Angeles, CA
Ronna Farley—Rockville, MD
Eric Silberman—Lincolnwood, IL

JCast Network congratulates Eric Silberman of Lincolnwood, IL for his “Mod” Matzo Ball Soup for winning the cook off.

This week, Aaron Herman had the opportunity to sit down with Jodi and Gavin Samuels. They have become activists in the fight to make Jewish Education available to children with Special Needs.

As parents of a child with Special Needs, they are passionate about this issue and feel that the Jewish community has not taken a strong enough stance to push Day Schools to make their programs available to children with different needs.

Ramah Day Camp in Nyack’s 50th Anniversary Gala was a magical evening with over 300 guests in attendance, time with old friends, lots of reminiscing, dancing and the spirit of Ramah. At the event they honored six amazing individuals:Estelle & Allan Eisenkraft, Sharon Rappaport Yaira Singer & Matthew Binstock, Doron Kenter and made a special presentation to Rabbi Al Thaler.

We spoke with Amy Skopp Cooper, Assistant Director of the National Ramah Commission of The Jewish Theological Seminary, and Director of Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, has received The Covenant Foundation’s prestigious 2011 Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. The Covenant Award is presented annually to three exceptional Jewish educators in recognition of their innovation, inspiration and transformative impact on Jewish education.

Ramah provide children who are entering grades K-8 with the very best camping experience…in a setting of love, friendship, wonder and discovery, a setting where Judaism is integral to daily activities.

They make sure that each camper is safe, happy and secure and that summer will be a time of growth, excitement, learning and lots and lots of fun! Ramah Day Camp in Nyack is located in Rockland County, New York just minutes from the Tappan Zee Bridge, offers the best in rural tranquility combined with suburban convenience, close to major highways and easily accessible to the areas we serve — Westchester, Riverdale, Manhattan, Rockland, Bergen and Essex counties. Air-conditioned bus service is available. Whenever possible, they provide door-to-door transportation.

Ramah Day Camp in Nyack is a proud member of the international network of Ramah camps, operated by the National Ramah Commission, Inc. under the educational and religious supervision of The Jewish Theological Seminary.

This week, Aaron Herman had the opportunity to attend the Jewish Week Grand Wine Tasting at City Winery.

Wine is critical part of passover. You need to have 4 cups of wine during your seder and there are a lot of wines to select from. We attended the Jewish Week’s Grand Wine Tasting at the City Winery and got an in-depth look into the best kosher wines and liquors on the market today.

In addition to wine, Aaron spoke with the owner of Skyview Wine and Spirits, and got a little information about what kinds of spirits are available this Passover.

If you would like to order kosher wine or spirits,, please visit Skyview Wine, at SkyViewWine.com
 or 888-SKY-VINO and tell them you heard of them from JCast Network.

Technology is transforming the way we play and learn. Apps are a wonderful way to learn in a fun and interactive environment. We had the opportunity to speak with Barry and Ronnie Schwartz of Rusty Brick about their work and the Jewish app landscape.

RustyBrick is a New York Web service firm specializing in customized online technology that helps companies decrease costs and increase sales. RustyBrick’s Web services include; Web page design, Web development, logo design, e-commerce, mobile Web development, iPhone development, search engine optimization and more. Since 1994, RustyBrick has been creating Web software for businesses and organizations of all kinds.

RustyBrick designs premier iPhone & mobile applications for the Jewish market. They also work with clients such as MTV, Harper HarperCollins, Comedy Central, Harvard University and many more. RustyBrick also designed the most popular Siddur for the iPhone athttp://rustybrick.com/siddur and has some of the most popular Jewish apps at http://rustybrick.com/iphone.

This week, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman was on vacation. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have a new episode for us. Insteard, Aaron gave us a look at what to do when you are on a vacation where there is no kosher food available.

He shows us how he prepares La Briute foods, kosher foods that can be prepared on-the-go.

LaBriute Meals is an exciting product line. LaBriute has become a leading force in the ever expanding Kosher food industry. Their raison d’être is the belief that the Kosher consumer is no less entitled to the latest opportunities and conveniences available to the broader consumer market. Hence, for close to a decade now, LaBriute Meals has stood at the forefront of this emerging market, integrating contemporary innovations in food production, packaging and preparation technologies into the Kosher food sector.

With their close involvement in the foodservice industry, LaBriute Meals has its “finger on the pulse” of the ever-evolving lifestyle of the Kosher consumer. The increasing prominence of the kosher observant dieter in all segments of society is steadily giving rise to new needs for Kosher provisions in remote or limited access locations. This led them to become active in the developing market for shelf-stable and self-heating meals. Based on a technology developed for the US Armed Forces, this idea is actually a two-fold breakthrough for the Kosher food vending industry. Firstly, the creation of a refrigeration-free shelf life of up to 36 months is unprecedented. In addition, the Flameless Heat-Up option of creating a hot, nutritious, Glatt Kosher meal wherever… whenever… is nothing less than revolutionary.

LaBriute’s meals are wholesome and nutritious, and our unique retorting process has absolutely no effect on the taste or texture of the food. The flameless food heater is also 100% safe for use anywhere.

Following extensive research and development, we are now proud to present you with our exciting product lines. Utilizing the latest cutting edge technology; we take pride in being the innovators of “Glatt Kosher Shelf-Stable and Self-Heating Meals”.

In this episode, he explored what it takes to be a judge in a wine competition? How do you judge wines? He also had the opportunity to learn how the judges of the Jewish Week’s Grand Wine Tasting rate wines and pick the finalist for the wine competition.

At the Jewish Week’s grand wine tasting you will be able to:
• Taste dozens of exciting new Kosher wines, including the winners of The Jewish Week’s recent Top 18 Kosher Wine Competition

• Talk to Kosher wine vintners, wine experts and local retailers

• Enjoy food from various leading NYC Kosher restaurants and food 

Visit the City Winery website for more information about this event.

This week, Aaron Heman had the opportunity to attend the ultimate kiddush. He had the opportunity to attend the 2012 Kosher Food and Wine Experience at Chelsea Piers. Hundreds of Jews from around the Tri-State area came to taste wines from all over the world and have amazing kosher food.

If you would like to order kosher wine, please visit Skyview Wine, at http://SkyViewWine.com or
888-SKY-VINO and tell them you heard of them from JCast Network.

This week, Aaron Heman had the opportunity to attend the Advancing Jewish Professionals New York City  where Alisha Goodman, Executive Director of The Jewish Lens and AJP founder facilitated an engaging session examining what makes for a good elevator speech and how we can write our own, whether for our organization, our job, or ourselves.

Advancing Jewish Professionals of NYC is a professional development and networking association for emerging nonprofit Jewish communal professionals.  Our events provide our constituents with the opportunity to make meaningful connections with colleagues throughout the field and learn from distinguished speakers on topics key to their professional development.

This week, Aaron Heman had the opportunity to attend the Masa Israel Journey and 3GNY: WEDU Showcase at the Hummus Place in NYC. 3g’s mission is to: 

1. EDUCATION- To act, as the last living link to survivors, on the mandate handed down to us to perpetuate the memory of the Holocaust, telling the story of our families, survivors and victims.

2. ACTION -To use our personal connection to the Holocaust to be active in fighting intolerance, no matter who or where the victims.

3. REFLECTION -To provide a forum for grandchildren of Holocaust survivors to meet, connect and express ideas with one another. 

WEDU” (We Educate) — is an education initiative that empowers grandchildren of survivors to bring our family stories and lessons of the Holocaust to school classrooms. Developed under the guidance of Facing History and Ourselves, along with support from Yad Vashem, WEDU prepares participants to learn and teach their family stories..

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In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman had the opportunity to speak with Dr. David Ellenson and Dr. Daniel Gordis about their new book Pledges of Jewish Alleglance:Conversion,Law and Policy-Making In Nineteenth-and Twentieth-Century Orthodox Responsa. Dr. David Ellenson and Dr. Daniel Gordis probe the challenges to Jewish self-definition in the modern period by examining a wide array of legal opinions on conversion and intermarriage, written by nineteenth- and twentieth-century Orthodox rabbis in Europe, the United States, and Israel, and discover how these rabbinic decisions are, in fact, attempts to define policy for Judaism in the modern period.

Dr. David Ellenson is President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion — the 8th President in its 125 year-long history. He holds the Gus Waterman Herrman Presidential Chair and is the I.H. and Anna Grancell Professor of Jewish Religious Thought at HUC-JIR in Los Angeles. A member of HUC-JIR’s faculty since 1979, he has served as Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor of Jewish Religious Thought. From 1981-1997, he also held the post of Director of the Jerome H. Louchheim School of Judaic Studies.

Dr. Daniel Gordis is President of the Shalem Foundation, and Senior Fellow at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem. He is a regular columnist for the Jerusalem Post, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, in print and on-line. The author of numerous books on Jewish thought and currents in Israel, and a recent winner of the National Jewish Book Award, Dr. Gordis was the founding dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism, the first rabbinical college on the West Coast of the United States. Dr. Gordis joined Shalem in 2007 to help found Israel’s first liberal arts college, after spending nine years as vice president of the Mandel Foundation in Israel and director of its Leadership Institute.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman sat down with the Producers of Follow Me The Jonathan Netanyahu Story at it’s premier a the New York Jewish Film Festival.

JULY 4, 1976 ENTEBBE, UGANDA…. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Netanyahu, crack Israeli commandos race from their airplanes covered by the midnight darkness.

Methodically, they approach a non-descript airline terminal, burst inside, killing the stunned terrorists. Helpless and shocked, 103 hostages lift their heads and gratefully weep at the mesmerizing sight of their saviors.

As the alarms begin to sound, the Israeli soldiers strike with surgical precision and speed — a lightning bolt of controlled, finely rehearsed fury.

It is all over in a few minutes.

Terrorists lay dead.

The hostages rush out to board the transport planes waiting to evacuate the hostages to safety.

During the mission, a lone shot from a control tower burst in the night — and a sharp cry for help is heard.

That cry would become the cry of an entire nation, mourning the loss of its prodigal son…

Thirty-year-old Jonathan Netanyahu has been shot dead.

After leading the dramatic raid to free the hostages at Entebbe, Jonathan Netanyahu becomes the “impossible mission’s” most tragic casualty.

With his death, Jonathan became an international hero.

The story of Jonathan Netanyahu is an intimate journey into a young hero’s mind. The narration for this compelling journey will be drawn from Jonathan Netanyahu’s own letters and words, which unveil the complex character of this thoroughly modern young hero. Jonathan’s words are deeply moving through his deep-rooted introspection, self-understanding, and heartfelt passions.

Jonathan Netanyahu’s American/Israeli adolescent life took a dramatic turn when he entered the Israeli military at the age of eighteen. His thoughts and worry turned from relationships and girls to guns and nationalism. Through his bravery and selflessness on the battlefield, he was recognized as a national hero. However, Jonathan questioned the core value of war. Obsessed with his duty to his young country, he put aside his personal life and feelings, resulting in a failed marriage. Years later, Jonathan would find love again and vow to change his life’s course… but it was not meant to be, as his life was suddenly cut down on the airstrip in Entebbe, Uganda.

What makes Jonathan’s story both universal and unique are his poetry, prose and letters which allow us to see beyond this tough soldier’s exterior, into a deep inner personality where heroism, duty, love, turmoil and doubt raged. Jonathan’s writings describe with striking clarity the exhilaration and fear he faced during the critical crossroads of his short but fascinating life. But the most important aspect of Jonathan’s letters is the recognition of his human frailty. Jonathan’s sensitivity to his shortcomings and flaws led to his seemingly prophetic knowledge that these very flaws would lead to a tragic, untimely death. Nevertheless, Jonathan Netanyahu dared to make a difference, and is a true modern day hero.

The film will consist of two story arcs that will tragically and heroically connect. The first is the dramatic Entebbe hijack and rescue — 8 days when a nation held its breath and executed a military miracle that redefined the Jewish Nation’s call – “Never Again!” The second is the remarkable life story of Jonathan Netanyahu, a young soldier who struggled to find the balance between the people and the Nation he loved. This film is about Jonathan’s life, and what led these two dramatic story arcs to intersect on that fateful day.

Birthright Israel Alumuni community gives individuals the opportunity to celebrate their own Bar or Bat Mitzvah with family and friends in just 8 weeks.

This program was created in response to the great number of Birthright Israel alumni who shared with us that they had never had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, or felt they didn’t fully appreciate its significance.

Throughout the course of 8 weeks, participants will be exposed to various aspects of Judaism including Jewish history, holidays, and how to read Hebrew. Everyone learns his or her personal Torah portions while gaining the knowledge, skills and experience that a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is really about!

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman talks to a number of people involved in the Jewish New Teachers Project.

The Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) is dedicated to improving student learning by accelerating the effectiveness of beginning teachers in Jewish day schools and yeshivot. JNTP’s teacher induction model focuses on improving the classroom practices of beginning teachers through high quality, intensive mentoring, resulting in reflective practitioners who are responsive to the needs of all students.

The Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) is part of the New Teacher Center in Santa Cruz, CA, which, since 1998, has been renowned for its comprehensive, research-based instructional mentoring and professional development programs. JNTP mentors guide beginning teachers in understanding standards of professional teaching and utilizing a system of formative assessment. JNTP is generously funded by the Avi Chai Foundation, the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Alan B. Slifka Foundation.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman talks to the creator of Dveykus, the Semitic Keffiyeh.

Dveykus is a transcendent contemporary accessories line exploring the cultural, historical and spiritual spectrum of Jewish consciousness. Launched in 2009 by fashion industry insider Baruch Chertok, the line mixes thought-provoking imagery, Semitic influences and pop culture to give Dveykus its distinct, iconic style. Our goal is to inspire Jews of all backgrounds to explore the beauty and wisdom of their heritage by using the rich mediums of fashion and visual art to promote conversation and connection, thereby fostering a sense of Jewish pride and relevance in our 21st Century generation.

Baruch, currently based in Brooklyn, seamlessly bridges the gap between art, music and fashion as well as culture, spirituality and philosophy into his designs. A graduate of FIDM in San Francisco and a fashion & graphic designer by trade who has worked for industry leaders such as Bisou Bisou and Z.Cavaricci, his relationship with Judaism sprouted from a seemingly simple question: What does it mean to be Jewish? The question had a profound impact, leading Baruch on an exploration that resulted in a major shift in his perspective. Dveykus is a byproduct of his journey.

The line was first made famous by the Semitic Keffiyeh, a design which illustrates Dveykus’ reaffirmation of a positive and informed Jewish identity. Variations of the keffiyeh have been worn by many peoples in the Middle East for generations, but in recent times this symbol has become a divisive and politicized one. The Semitic Keffiyeh celebrates our shared Middle Eastern heritage while challenging misconceptions that it has always been the exclusive garb of any particular group. Media reaction to the Semitic Keffiyeh was swift: the NY Times, Jerusalem Post, Arutz Sheva and more ran articles that propelled Dveykus to the forefront of discussions regarding Jewish consciousness. The Semitic Keffiyeh has therefore become a barometer for one’s self-perception based on one’s upbringing, education and personal biases about being Jewish. Baruch continues to boldly examine modern Jewish identity with an ever-evolving product line that both taps into our Semitic traditions and reflects current trends.

The Dveykus message expands beyond fashion to promoting positive action as well. We strongly believe in giving tzedakah (charity) and are happy to announce that 10% of every Dveykus purchase will go to a Jewish charity that customers select at check-out. This way, your purchase also becomes a tangible contribution towards Jewish continuity and social action.

The Hebrew word dveykus means “cleaving” or “attaching oneself” to something transcendent, i.e. G-d, in all areas of life. It is our hope that you not only find a piece that speaks to you, but that your experience here at Dveykus is one of a positive and uplifting nature.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman lights the candles for Chanukkah and then interviews Jack Abramoff and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach.

In a stunning fall from public grace, Jack Abramoff went from the halls of power and a major supporter of Jewish charities to becoming America’s most notorious lobbyist and a symbol of Washington corruption. He is now on a journey of repentance and renewal, a subject he will share with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, “America’s Rabbi” in This World’s upcoming “Renewal and Repentance — Earning Personal Redemption & Public Grace” discussion.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman attended a live performance by the Maccabeats in honor of Chanukkah.

In the fall of 2007, a few students at Yeshiva University came to a startling realization: Jewish collegiate a cappella groups had been formed on almost every college campus with a substantial Jewish student community – every campus, that was, except for YU! This realization soon led to the formation of the Maccabeats, YU’s all-male a capella group. At first, the Maccabeats sang mostly in the privacy of their own practice room, developing a repertoire. Soon, though, their music began to spread and be performed all over campus at a plethora of university events and at numerous concerts. The Maccabeats have since performed all around the country, from New York’s Madison Square Garden to Los Angeles, California (and everywhere in between).

Strongly committed to the philosophy of Torah u-Madda, the integration of traditional and secular wisdom, the Maccabeats perform an eclectic array of Jewish, American, and Israeli songs. Their breakthrough piece, Lecha Dodi, is the epitome of this synthesis, combining some of the most beloved words of Jewish liturgy with Leonard Cohen’s meaningful and melodic Hallelujah.

In March 2010, the Maccabeats released their first album entitled Voices from the Heights, which is distributed by Sameach Music.

In November 2010, the Maccabeats released “Candlelight,” a Chanukkah themed video produced by Uri Westrich, which garnered international attention and was covered by the major news sources. The song is available for download on iTunes or MP3, and the video can be viewed on YouTube.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman attended the Shaare Zedek Medical Center Gala Event in New York City.

In celebration of Hanukkah we light the menorah together and give back to the community. We attended the Project Ezra holiday package delivery to elderly of the Lower East Side. Project Ezra is an independent, non-profit grass-roots organization serving the frail elderly on New York’s Lower East Side. We provide a variety of services to a largely homebound population. We are not a member of any Federation or umbrella organization. We do not seek or accept government funds and our existence depends on the tzedakah (justice impulse) of the community at large.

There is an exceedingly sensitive and appropriate phrase in the Yom Kippur liturgy: “Do not forsake us in our old age; as our strength seeps away, do not abandon us.” The sun shines mightily and the light is abundant when we are young. Life becomes difficult and gray as we reach old age. We wanted to be there to make a difference.

Project Ezra’s population includes over four hundred frail elderly who are economically, physically or psychologically marginal. In addition, throughout the year, we have contact with hundreds more when they are in need of certain of our services. We offer social work services, including assessment and evaluation, as well as ongoing support and counseling. We provide crisis intervention and make referrals to appropriate agencies when indicated.

J-Care is Birthright Israel Alumni Community/JEC’s community service initiative that allows young Jewish New Yorkers the opportunity to give back and have fun in the process. J-Care typically occurs 3-4 times a year so be sure to check back for upcoming events.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman attended the Shaare Zedek Medical Center Gala Event in New York City.

For more than a century, in Jerusalem, a 500-bed facility located in the center of the city, has been known as the Hospital with a Heart. Patients have consistently streamed to our hospital, seeking top level treatment in a compassionate, supportive and nurturing environment. Today, Shaare Zedek is the most exceptional hospital for health care treatment in Israel. Shaare Zedek has taken its commitment to its patients to the next level by providing industry leading, cutting-edge medical care.

Shaare Zedek first opened its doors as a 20-bed facility on Jaffa Road in 1902 with Dr. Moshe Wallach serving as the Medical Director for the first 46 years. In 1979, now a thriving and esteemed medical facility, the hospital moved to a more central location, a 14-acre site opposite Mt. Herzl. To fully ensure the safety of its patients, the first three stories of the ten-floor complex, housing vital areas such as the operating theaters, Emergency Room, Pharmacy and medical supplies, were built underground, so that even in times of military attack, the hospital can continue to function.

Shaare Zedek is a public non-profit hospital with 40,000 admissions, 125,000 outpatient visits and 60,000 Emergency visits annually.

Their departments gained international acclaim, the spectrum of treated ailments and diseases has become as vast as the diversity of the population we treat. Shaare Zedek staff of more than 2000 employees is made up of the most highly acclaimed and sought after physicians, nurses and medical professionals in their respective fields.

From the most advanced procedures in Laparoscopic Surgery to the latest technology in robotics, from the treating of victims of terror and IDF soldiers, to expectant mothers needing advanced prenatal care; from seniors with tragic illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease, to cancer patients fighting for their lives, we provide a full range of services at the highest level to every patient who walks through our doors.

Like all other hospitals in Jerusalem, Shaare Zedek does not receive ANY funding from the Israeli government and therefore they rely on the generosity of their friends and family from around the world to help them to continue to provide the healthcare experience our patients have come to expect.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman attended the Friends of The Israeli Defense Force event in New York City.

Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors to provide for the wellbeing of the men and women who serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as well as the families of fallen soldiers. Headquartered in New York City, FIDF is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation that operates 13 regional offices in the United States and one office in Latin America.

The strength of the IDF, which has been guarding the State of Israel since it declared independence in 1948, derives from the selfless determination and great capabilities of the young men and women who form it. At the tender age of 18, all Israelis are drafted into the IDF. Those who serve commit to uphold the difficult tasks of defending Israel’s borders and guaranteeing the safety of its people.

The Israeli government is responsible for training IDF soldiers and providing them with the necessary tools for their service. FIDF is committed to providing these soldiers with love, support, and care in an effort to ease the burden they carry on behalf of the Jewish community worldwide.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman attended Chabbad’s Children of Chernobyl Event.

The members of the CCOC office are asked to spell Chernobyl dozens of times each day by people scattered throughout America. . In 1986, a nuclear reactor blew up. People died instantly, the government announced that the radioactive debris falling was actually snow, and cancer rates and birth defects skyrocketed; and yet, people are still asking how to spell Chernobyl.

In that same year, 1990, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, stood up for the children who could neither physically nor financially stand for themselves. He called upon a group of his students to establish Chabad’s Children of Chernobyl (CCOC).

This group united in one paramount goal that has not been altered— to rescue the children of Chernobyl, bring them to Israel permanently, and to care for them fully once they began their new chapters of life. From a humanitarian perspective, the process is simple. From a legal perspective, it is a constant battle. The bureaucratic red tape in the former Soviet Union is as difficult to penetrate as the iron bars of a jail cell; but, the CCOC staff and supporters have worked tirelessly and against huge odds to guarantee the children’s safety. CCOC is the only organization in the world to bring children out of the contaminated areas permanently.

Temporary “cleansing vacations” from the contaminated region help to an extent, but permanent evacuation is the only option for the most complete recoveries. CCOC understands that there are also children who cannot or will not leave the Chernobyl region for a variety of reasons; medicine, medical equipment, therapeutic aids, and other needed items are airlifted into the contaminated areas to help those who remain there. Additionally, CCOC has trained local physicians to specialize in radiation-induced illnesses and has built a mammography clinic to help combat the artificially high rates of breast cancer in the area.

Today, the situation in Chernobyl has worsened. The sarcophagus built around the reactor to confine the radioactivity is cracking under pressure; the whole structure can tumble if the cracks continue to grow. If this scenario occurs the result will be more destructive than the original meltdown in 1986. The fractures are hazardous in and of themselves as they have allowed rainwater to seep in, which allows the semi confined contamination to enter the drinking water when the rainwater flows out. And yet, people are still asking how to spell Chernobyl. Radiation lurks in the drinking water, the soil, the cattle, the milk, the food and the air; the longer the children remain in this radioactive environment, the longer this cycle is pushed forward.

In this epsidode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman attended the AJWS Global Circle Event.

AJWS is the only Jewish organization working to promote human rights through grassroots development in the most marginalized communities around the world. We believe that local organizations know what’s best for their own communities, and so we support their work to fight poverty, hunger and disease from the ground up.

Global Circle is the community of young professionals who support American Jewish World Service (AJWS).

There are thousands of ways to make a difference in the world, so why be a part of Global Circle?

Great cause. AJWS is recognized as one of the most reputable and effective charitable organizations today, working to alleviate poverty, hunger, and disease in the developing world. Global Circle exists to ensure that AJWS continues to grow for decades to come and for as long as the world needs us.

Great events. From backstage tickets to Broadway hits, to meeting and learning from AJWS grantees, to intimate discussions with New York Times columnists, to laid-back happy hour gatherings, Global Circle has amazing events year-round in New York, D.C. and beyond.

Great people. Global Circle is comprised of young Jewish professionals from the finance, media, medicine, law, nonprofit, and arts sectors. It’s a great way to meet people who are passionate about making a difference.

In this episode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman talks to the attendees of the Beit Issie Shapiro Event in Manhattan. During this episode, Aaron spoke with:
•Dr. Ruth Westheimer•Alicia Post
•Ruvan Cohen•Hillel Jaffe
•Jean Judes, Beit Issie Shapiro’s Executive Director

Beit Issie Shapiro is a national, multi-purpose organization that develops and provides services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. It has played a leading role in promoting the inclusion of people with special needs in society and is a vigilant advocate for better legal provisions for and with people with special needs.

The organization was founded in 1980 and has a measurable impact on some 30,000 people, annually. Through its international affiliations, community education and training programs its impact is also reaching professionals in other countries around the world.

In this epsidode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman talks to a number of people at the Jewish Hearts for Israel event in New York City.

Jewish Heart For Africa is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that brings sustainable israeli technologies to african villages. our mission is to save african lives with Israeli innovation, all while supporting israel’s economy and image abroad. founded in 2008, in less than three years jewish heart for africa has provided light, clean water, food and proper medical care to more than 150,000 people in ethiopia, tanzania, malawi and uganda.

In this epsidode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman visits an event sponsored by Paeel that related to dating and relationships.

PaEel, a group based on the core Jewish values of Tzedaka (charity) and Gemilot Chasadim (Acts of Kindness), is about opening up opportunities to actualize one’s potential to do good by giving to the Jewish community. It enables one to connect with Jewish causes that one finds meaningful through creating and running events that increase one’s awareness of Jewish, charitable causes. These events also serve as a fundraiser to support such causes as poverty, health, orphans, disabled children, elderly in need, victims of terror, as well as Jewish culture and the State of Israel.

The word, PaEel, meaning “active” in Hebrew, is derived from the Hebrew root word, פ.ע.ל (PEL), which implies a deeper level of acting. Contributing one’s time and services, as well as giving financially, to build the Jewish community is a form of action that PaEel promotes based on Jewish principles.

Living in a society that tends to de-moralize Israel, the Jewish homeland, and a world that sometimes even devalues the struggles that our People have faced throughout generations of persecution, it is crucial to strengthen our ties to the Jewish community and stand united. PaEel is here to assist you to accomplish this goal in a fun and meaningful way.

In this epsidode, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman visits the PresenTense Idea Slam. Aaron watches and explores the ways in which brainstorming can help create innovation.

Innovation was in full force at the PresenTense Idea Slam in NYC. The slam process has a basis in contemporary social thought and is derived from the concept of design thinking developed at Stanford University.

The process also draws on NASA research on brainstorming that found that the first person to articulate an idea in a brainstorming session tends to define everything that follows.

The slam process tries to avoid that pitfall by having participants write their ideas on sticky notes, which are then organized on the wall as “clouds” of related ideas that may be further refined as the slam process proceeds.

The PresenTense Group engages and inspires the most creative minds of our generation, investing in their ideas and energy to revitalize the Jewish community. PresenTense enables young Jews to have global conversations about new ideas and envision a better future. And when they’re eager to act upon these ideas, we educate and equip them for success.

For more information about PresenTense, please visit their website at PresenTense.org

As we approach the end of the holiday of Sukkot, Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman hits the streets of New York to look at a few innovative ideas for Sukkahs.

Aaron shows us the first sukkah (booth) he has ever owned, an easy to assemble one-man sukkah made by PopUpSukkah.com as well as the Sukkah on Wheels created by Chabbad, and that can now be found all around the city during the holiday.

This week Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman returns to Occupy Wall Street to talk to Daniel Siradsky who created the Occupy Judaism project as part of Occupy Wall Street.

Jewish activists across the United States constructed sukkahs as part of ever-growing Occupy Wall Street movement and to mark the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. We had the opportunity to speak with Daniel Sieradski about his initiative to Occupy Judaism and how it is influncing Jews around the world. Daniel has coordinated various events during Occupy Wall Street protest. Over 1,000 people came out to the Kol Nidre service and thousands of people have come by to learn more about Sukkot. Daniel has erected a sukkah to teach people about the holiday.

Aaron then discussed the vast differences in prices for Etrogs, and found out what makes an Etrog more or less valuable.

Guest, Rabbi Chaim Shapiro walked him through the different components that affects the beauty and kashrut of an etrog.

On behalf of JCast Network, we wish you a Chag Sameach.

(Due to the timeliness of this episode, we have published it on Tuesday rather then our usual Wednesday morning.)

Join Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman in this weeks special addition of Schmoozer as he talks to Daniel Sieradski, the Social Change Agent behind the Kol Nidre Services at  Occupy Wall Street.

Occupy Wall Street is a movement created in response to the current financial realities of today.

Daniel Sieradsky, seeing that the protests were falling during the same time as the Jewish High Holidays decided to promote a Kol Nidre service to make it possible for those committed to the project to NOT have to decide between religious services and the protests.

Daniel Sieradski is also the host of another JCast Network podcast, Jewish Tech Meetup.

Can you bend a spoon with your mind? Can you hear the thoughts of others? One man can and his name is Ehud Segev. We had the opportunity to see his incredible talents and learn more about his amazing talents.

His first experience with mysticism came when a young Segev begged his mother to buy him Tarot cards, because he could see and feel a powerful energy from them. At the age of 12 he started doing Tarot readings friends and neighbors. Segev used these cards as a tool to connect to the universe’s powers as his own connection to himself developed.

For More information about Ehud Segev, please visit his site.

Join Aaron “The Schmoz” Herman this week at the Red Carpet Premier of 50/50 the new film staring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen. In this episode, Aaron gets a chance to talk to star Gordon-Levitt as well as director Jonathan Levine.

What’s so funny about cancer? Well if you are Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt you will be laughing for hours. We attended the NYC premiere 50/50 and got an first hand account about what it so funny about 50/50.

A young man turns a devastating illness into a unique opportunity to experience life in 50/50, a funny, touching and original story about friendship, love and survival starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen.

Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has a pretty great life—with a talented, sexy artist girlfriend and a cool job with NPR, the 27-year old seems to have it all. But when Adam discovers he has a rare and possibly fatal form of cancer, his entire life turns to chaos. Writer Will Reiser experienced his own personal battle with cancer, and was inspired to write an original story which reflects the humor and heartbreak which collide in a poignant and often hilarious journey the main character is completely unprepared for.

As his world starts to unravel in every way, Adam finds himself dealing with the wellmeaning but totally outrageous attempts by his friends and family to make it all better. His best friend, Kyle (Seth Rogen), uses Adam’s condition to lure girls into sympathy sex, his overbearing mother (Anjelica Huston) loses sight of him in her own fears, his otherwise-occupied girlfriend, Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) tries to distract herself an increasingly frantic social life, and Katherine (Anna Kendrick), the inexperienced therapist assigned to his case, struggles to keep up with the needs of her third client ever in this unexpectedly funny movie that reminds us that sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.

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The film is based on Jewish author, Mordecai Richler’s prize-winning comic novel, Barney’s Version. It is the warm, wise, and witty story of Barney Panofsky (played by Paul Giamatti), a seemingly ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life.
Barney’s candid confessional spans four decades and two continents, and includes three wives (Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, and Rachelle Lefevre), one outrageous father (Dustin Hoffman), and a charmingly dissolute best friend (Scott Speedman). Barney’s Version takes us through the many highs — and a few too many lows — of a long and colorful life with an unlikely hero at its center — the unforgettable Barney Panofsky.

The Groggers new album “There’s No I in Cherem” is available for purchase.

The Groggers will be performing with The  Moshav Band on September 22nd at the Canal Room.

FOJNP is a project of Causil. Causil’s mission is to engage organizations in the best practices of communications, marketing and technology. Dave Weinberg, CEO of Causil created a unique envirment where people were able to learn from each other and network.