Bill Motchan

1 week ago | columbusjewishnews.com | Bill Motchan

Norman Lear was considered one of the most innovative comedy minds in the 20th century. Lear, who died in 2023, greatly influenced a new generation of Jewish comedians, including Alex Edelman. The 36-year-old Edelman got to meet his hero when he hosted “Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter” for ABC TV in 2022. “Oh, my G-d, it was the coolest thing in the world,” Edelman told Columbus Jewish News. “Look, in his time, he was television. He had eight of the top 10 shows on TV.

2 weeks ago | clevelandjewishnews.com | Bill Motchan

Susan Ringel uses her smartphone to text friends, play Scrabble and FaceTime with her grandchildren. The device has one more important use for Ringel. Her phone helps commemorate one of the most solemn days of the year in the Jewish community. Ringel’s iPhone has the Shoah Yellow Candle Phone App. The app is used primarily to recognize Yom HaShoah, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, this year on April 23 and April 24.

2 weeks ago | stljewishlight.org | Bill Motchan

A proposed bill in the Missouri House of Representatives that guards against antisemitism in public schools and colleges advanced through the legislative process on April 7, when it passed during a vote on the house floor. Initially, HB 937 passed by a vote of 96-44. The bill was introduced on Jan. 16 by Rep. George Hruza, R-St. Louis County. Hruza, who is Jewish, was motivated by the experiences of his mother, a Holocaust survivor. His goal is to create a safe environment for students.

2 weeks ago | stljewishlight.org | Bill Motchan

Two dozen Russian residents attended a bilingual pre-Passover seder at Crown Center on Monday, April 7. The annual Russian resident seder has been a tradition at the senior living facility for more than 10 years. Florence Schachter, who served as master of ceremonies, explained why the Russian Jewish residents look forward to the event. “It’s really celebrating their resilience and their strength,” Schachter said.

3 weeks ago | clevelandjewishnews.com | Bill Motchan

The prospect of a job interview can strike fear into even the most confident graduate student. Honing interview skills is just one goal of the office of career management at the Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland. Sandra English, the assistant dean of career success, wants to make sure CWRU graduates have the tools to get good jobs and succeed in their careers.