When I learned that the Pennsylvania Primary Election would be held on May 18, I was frustrated. A quick glance at a calendar won’t sound alarms for the vast majority of Pennsylvanians. That’s because many calendars miss the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. For Orthodox and traditionally Sabbath observant Jews like myself, May 18, the second

A letter from OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer: Dear Friends, The Holocaust was a period in history that demonstrated the human capacity to fail at our fundamental mission to merge power and goodness. It was a time when many used their human power to destroy, while many others stood by as if they

OU Kosher COO Rabbi Moshe Elefant: “Rabbi Senter zt”l was a pioneer in the world of industrial kashrus. He was an individual of great intellect, but at the same time very warm & easy to get along with.” OU Kosher CEO Rabbi Menachem Genack: “Rabbi Zecharia Senter zt”l and I were actually quite close. The

Schumer and a Teachers’ Union Leader Secure Billions for Private Schools The pandemic relief bill includes $2.75 billion for private schools. How it got there is an unlikely political tale, involving Orthodox Jewish lobbying, the Senate majority leader and a teachers’ union president. Tucked into the $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue law is something of a

As legislators begin to move forward with a plan for the next COVID-19 relief bill, organizations who have been actively lobbying for new legislation are busy behind the scenes trying to shape the actual proposal. In addition to signing onto a letter spearheaded by the National Council of Nonprofits outlining broad goals for the bill,

The daily study of a chapter of Nach (Nach is an acronym for Neviim and Ketuvim — the Prophets and Writings in the Hebrew Bible) is as beautiful a concept as it is daunting. Those were my first thoughts when I was approached to be a lecturer for the daily Orthodox Union Nach women’s initiative.

Living at this time is hard for everyone. There’s the constant thrum of the pandemic, with COVID-19 positivity rates climbing and ICU bed capacity dwindling to non-existence. We have seen frequent posts on social media about someone’s older relative who has died of COVID, and we fear each stranger as a potential carrier of the

Things change. They remain the same. The world changes around us but the people in the world don’t change. At our best, we adapt. Yachad is the Orthodox Union’s program for people with developmental disabilities and other learning challenges. Its motto is “Because Everyone Belongs,” and it lives out those words in visible and often

For many years, Gershon and Aviva Distenfeld of Bergenfield have been donors and supporters of two important OU programs: NCSY Relief Missions and Yachad. Both programs have grown significantly in recent years thanks in considerable part to the Distenfelds’ partnership. In recognition of their support, the New Jersey region Relief Missions were named the Fred

Chani Herrmann, Yachad’s Associate Director of Communal Engagement, spoke to Nachum Segal on JM in the AM to discuss Yachad’s sibling support groups. Listen to the full interview