Twenty years ago, Larry Ceisler challenged State Rep. Babette Josephs (D-District 182) in a primary. He lost, joining a long list of Democrats who tried over the years to unseat the Center City lawmaker. Though Ceisler, a well-known political and communications strategist had once been an opponent of Josephs, he grew to appreciate her style of politics. He described her...
With the Presbyterian Church USA once again poised to debate divestment from companies that do business in Israel, the Presbytery of Philadelphia has adopted its own resolution that rejects such a stance. And the local clergy opposed to divestment are taking their opposition a step further: The Philadelphia resolution -- known in church parlance as an overture -- will be...
The Philadelphia SPHAS, the long defunct South Philadelphia Hebrew Association's basketball team, are getting a historic plaque from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The team, which existed from 1918 to 1959, first as an amateur squad and later as a professional club, played an important role in both the history of Philadelphia Jewry and the development of pro-basketball. Most...
After months of debate and even a rally organized by the Jewish community last summer, Abington and Cheltenham townships have passed anti-discrimination policies that make a point of including protections for sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. Despite legal and cultural progress in the realm of civil rights, federal laws only specifically prohibit discrimination when it comes to race, religion,...
On a recent weekday morning, Eileen Sklaroff rolled her shopping cart through a well-stocked produce section at an enormous local supermarket. Despite the plentiful selections, her options were limited by her meager budget. The bag of potatoes Sklaroff held cost more than $4 -- too much. Then she looked closer and realized that the item was certified organic. Fortunately, she...
Sivan 13, 5773
