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Competing School Choice Bills

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With the legislative clock ticking, Jewish groups are closely monitoring a flurry of recent activity in Harrisburg related to school choice. Proponents have been waiting for a House version of a school choice bill and now it looks as though there will be two to choose from: One introduced by Republicans and the other by Democrats, though they don't appear...

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'Love' of the Game Brings Israeli Tennis Stars

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

As Israeli tennis standout Nadine Fahoum struck a forehand, the pounded fuzz of a ball left the racquet strings on a perfect trajectory, accelerating and ascending well above the net, revolving dozens of times per second before descending and crashing deep in the court -- a puff of clay rising in its wake. Most people who pick up a racquet...

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'Writing Matters' Much in Mideast

By:

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Jewish Exponent Feature

Jerusalem The 12-year-old boys sitting in the circle of students chatted comfortably, looking like any two classmates as they spoke about how writing helps them get in touch with their feelings. The picture was deceptive, however. Abdel Al-Karim and Noam Honig both live in Israel, but as Arab and Jewish youth, they never have the opportunity to meet, look one...

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Sign of the Times

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Bryan Schwartzman

Congregation Melrose B'nai Israel Emanu-El, a Conservative shul in Cheltenham for more than 50 years, is set to move to its new home at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park. On the afternoon of June 20, congregants are planning to transport 11 Torahs from the old sanctuary to the new. Due to the number of elderly members, they hope...

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A Refusenik's Story of Never Giving In

By:

Robert Leiter

Yosef Mendelevich's memoir Unbroken Spirit, which tells of his life and times as a refusenik in the Soviet Union, begins with a bang, both stylistically and quite literally. Back in 1969, the 22-year-old Latvian-born Mendelevich and a number of other young Jews were involved in a daring plot to hijack a Soviet plane and fly it to Sweden; once in...