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Sports

Phillies Head to the Playoffs Minus Their Jewish Reliever

By:

Mordechai Shinefield, JE Feature

When the Philadelphia Phillies called him up from the minors in mid-August, Michael Schwimer joined an elite group with a tiny membership -- Major League Baseball's small band of Jewish players. Now, with the Phillies on deck to start the post-season on Saturday, Schwimer won't have the chance to fulfill his dream of contributing to his team in the playoffs...

Local

The Untold Story of Josh Fattal

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

By now, the whole world knows the name and face of Joshua Fattal, the 29-year-old Elkins Park native who spent 26 months in an Iranian prison before being reunited with his family last week in Oman and arriving back on U.S. soil on Sunday. But one aspect of the story that has largely gone unreported is the fact that Fattal...

Rosh Hashanah

Do You Find Yourself Dozing on the Days of Awe?

Don't let Maimonides catch you napping on Rosh Hashanah. His famous quote, "Awake, awake, you slumberers from your sleep, inspect your actions and return" -- usually found in the High Holiday prayerbook before the sounding of the shofar -- is meant as the ultimate shluf alarm, his righteous tap on your shoulder. But what if, while sitting in services one...

Synagogue Life

Keeping the Interfaithful

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

In the 10 years since she married a Jewish man, Kari Kohn has learned a thing or two about synagogues -- how some can make her feel alienated and others can make her feel welcome. One cue about a synagogue's vibe is how members react when she reveals she's not Jewish, said Kohn, who was raised a Presbyterian. Do they...

Local

Rev. Discusses His Take on Peace in Middle East

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

The Rev. William Borror, religious leader of the Media Presbyterian Church, wants to make it clear that not all members of his denomination are reflexively anti-Israel. In fact, he said, it's a small minority that has repeatedly raised the issue of divesting from certain companies with ties to Israel. The Church's Committee of Mission Responsibility Through Investment recommended on Sept...