April 12, 2012

From Treme to Touro: John Boutte headlines JazzFest Shabbat

For years, John Boutte was regarded as one of New Orleans’ best-kept secrets. Last year, music legend Irma Thomas was the featured performer at Touro Synagogue’s annual JazzFest Shabbat, while that very week at the Big Easy Awards, Boutte was being honored as the city’s […]
April 11, 2012

Farrakhan Urges Students to Learn from Jewish Success

Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan addressed a packed house at the Elmore Gym at Alabama A&M University tonight, concentrating on the topic “The True Meaning of Education,” but also acknowledging the controversy over his appearance and sprinkling in numerous comments and references to […]
April 6, 2012

Huntsville faith leaders mobilize before Farrakhan visit

Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, will appear at Alabama A&M University on April 10, invited by the campus’ poetry club and student Democrats. Farrakhan has a long history of anti-Jewish and anti-white comments, as well as hostility to the gay community. […]
April 6, 2012

Editor’s Notebook: Reflections on Farrakhan’s Visit

By Larry Brook, editor On April 10, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan will appear at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, a visit that has garnered a great deal of advance controversy. It is well known that Farrakhan uses the rhetoric of race-baiting and has […]
April 1, 2012

Holocaust Commemorations in Region

Numerous events are planned in the region to commemorate the Holocaust, beginning with a city-wide initiative in Montgomery in early April. Golabek event in Montgomery April 3 On April 3, Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem, Temple Beth Or, the Jewish Federation of Central Alabama, Southern Poverty Law […]
March 22, 2012

JCCA Bienniel Set for New Orleans

In May, over 600 Jewish professionals and volunteer leaders from across North America will converge on New Orleans for the Jewish Community Centers of North America Biennial. The May 6 to 9 conference will be at the Hilton Riverside downtown, right as the New Orleans […]
March 13, 2012

New Israel Air Force Chief an Auburn-Montgomery Grad

The new commander in chief of Israel’s Air Force has Alabama ties. Jaffa native Amir Eshel graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery in 1991, after also attending the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. He was appointed commander on […]
March 12, 2012

The Eruv is Now Up in Birmingham

When Rabbi Eytan Yammer of Birmingham’s Knesseth Israel is on the phone with a potential family looking to relocate to Birmingham, two quality of life questions about Jewish infrastructure inevitably come up — are there kosher restaurants, and is there an eruv? The kosher restaurant […]
March 8, 2012

Tuscaloosa Holding 10th Jewish Film Festival

The Tuscaloosa Arts Council will present the 10th Annual Tuscaloosa Jewish Film Festival March 24 to 27 at the Bama Theatre. The festival was established in 2003 with the goals of introducing local audiences to the best of Jewish filmmaking and expanding cultural and social […]