Great Neck, New York, United States

For Iranian Jews who have been cheering Trump on, his new deal is hard to stomach

Simone Saidmehr in Forward · 15 Jun

Iranian Jews in the U.S., who had initially celebrated the American and Israeli military action against Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, are now grappling with disappointment following a U.S.-Iran deal.

0 Ethics Philosophy

Five Minutes a Day: Lessons from a Life Approaching Seventy

Efraim Jaffe in Jewish Action · 2 Jun

Efraim Jaffe reflects on approaching his seventieth birthday, comparing it to biblical milestones and his earlier expectations of aging.

0 Communities Politics

Monitored phone calls and fear of arrest: What life looks like for Iran’s Jews now

Simone Saidmehr in Forward · 30 Apr

Iran's Jewish community, estimated at 10,000 people, navigates a complex and dangerous landscape amid ongoing tensions between Iran, the U.S., and Israel.

0 Communities Jewish Law

Our pioneering Reform synagogue has shrunk, but remains as vibrant as ever

Jordana Levine in Forward · 19 Apr

Jordana Levine, President of Temple Beth-El in Great Neck, NY, responds to an article about her synagogue, addressing mischaracterizations of its current state.

0 Communities Jewish Law

A pioneering Reform synagogue makes way for a booming Iranian Jewish community

Lauren Hakimi in Forward · 15 Apr

Temple Beth-El, a historic Reform synagogue in Great Neck, New York, is downsizing due to shrinking membership amidst a demographic shift towards a growing Iranian Jewish Orthodox population.

0 Culture Communities

Jews in Iran and in the diaspora find respite in celebrating Nowruz amid war

Simone Saidmehr in Forward · 27 Mar

Jews in Iran and the diaspora are finding solace in celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year, amidst ongoing conflicts.

0 Communities Antisemitism

At Temple Israel, both security training and sacred relationships prepared us for the worst

Jason Plotkin in JTA · 16 Mar

In light of a recent attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Executive Director Jason Plotkin reflects on the critical role of security training and community partnerships in safeguarding Jewish institutions.

0 Politics Communities

Jewish teens with roots in Iran follow the war with hope, worry and unanswered texts

Micah Bidner in JTA · 9 Mar

Jewish teenagers in the United States with Iranian roots find themselves closely following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, experiencing a blend of geopolitical awareness and personal concern.

0 Culture Communities

The Long Walk to Moving On

Efraim Jaffe in Jewish Action · 9 Mar

Efraim Jaffe reflects on the emotional complexity and process of moving on after significant life changes, such as the death of his first wife Esther and selling their longstanding family home.

0 Communities History

For Iranian American Jews, Trump’s talk of regime change stirs hopes of return

Simone Saidmehr in Forward · 2 Mar

The recent demise of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a result of a U.S.-Israel operation, has sparked hope among Iranian American Jews who fled the regime post-1979 Islamic Revolution.

0 Culture Jewish Law

Mourning on Purim

Efraim Jaffe in Jewish Action · 18 Feb

Efraim Jaffe reflects on a deeply personal and poignant moment as he recounts the passing of his wife on Purim, blending mourning and the holiday's inherent joyousness in a unique tapestry of emotion.

0 Politics Communities

Iranian Jews caught between frustration and hope as US debates intervention

Simone Saidmehr in Forward · 30 Jan

As an uprising unfolds in Iran, Iranian American Jews grapple with anticipation and anxiety.

0 Communities Politics

As protests grip Iran, fears grow for a Jewish New Yorker held prisoner there

Simone Saidmehr in Forward · 13 Jan

Amid the escalating protests in Iran, the Jewish community faces increased danger, highlighted by the plight of Kamran Hekmati, an Iranian Jewish New Yorker imprisoned in Iran for previously visiting Israel.

0 Politics Communities

As protests grip Iran, fears grow for a Jewish New Yorker held prisoner there

Simone Saidmehr in Forward · 13 Jan

As Iran faces significant protests, concern rises for Kamran Hekmati, a 70-year-old Iranian Jew with American citizenship from Great Neck, New York, who has been imprisoned in Iran.

0 Communities Politics

The immigrant New Yorkers beloved by Zohran Mamdani all feel warmth for their homelands. Why can’t Jews?

Rabbi Joe Schwartz in JTA · 10 Nov 2025

Rabbi Joe Schwartz reflects on the multicultural identity of New York City and the emotional bonds immigrants maintain with their countries of origin, using Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's recent speech as a catalyst for discussion.

0 Politics Communities

Jewish Iranian-American sentenced to prison in Iran for visiting Israel 13 years ago

Grace Gilson in JTA · 7 Nov 2025

Kamran Hekmati, a 70-year-old Jewish Iranian-American from Long Island, has been sentenced to two years in Iran's Evin prison for visiting Israel 13 years ago.

0 Politics Israel

‘While Israel Slept’: A Reckoning

Gary Rosenblatt in Between The Lines · 2 Nov 2025

In his article, Gary Rosenblatt delves into the lessons learned from historical Israeli military oversights, drawing parallels between the Yom Kippur War and the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

0 Communities Language

Could dementia be the key to saving endangered Jewish languages?

Lauren Hakimi in Forward · 11 Oct 2025

The revival and preservation of endangered Jewish languages, such as Judeo-Kashi and Judeo-Tuyserkani, are finding unexpected allies in older generations affected by dementia.

0 Culture Politics

Comic Gianmarco Soresi mines his mixed Jewish background for laughs

Steve North in JTA · 15 Sep 2025

Stand-up comedian Gianmarco Soresi draws humor from his mixed Jewish and Italian background, underscoring his identity as a cultural Jew.

0 Culture Holidays

Sounds of My Youth

Efraim Jaffe in Jewish Action · 12 Sep 2025

Efraim Jaffe recounts a poignant Rosh Hashanah experience that intertwines memories of his past with his present spiritual journey.

0 Education Communities

A Sephardic Jewish day school grows on the Upper East Side

Jackie Hajdenberg in JTA · 3 Sep 2025

The Stanley I. Chera Sephardic Academy of Manhattan, an Orthodox Sephardic Jewish day school located on the Upper East Side, is experiencing significant growth with the upcoming school year seeing 26 students in two kindergarten classes, a notable increase from nine two years prior.

0 Music Communities

Songs in the Key of October 7

Rahel Musleah in Hadassah · 2 Sep 2025

Following the tragic events of October 7, 2023, at the Nova music festival, music has become a powerful medium of memorial and healing for grieving families in Israel.

0 Culture Food

Persian Jews Find Solace in the Kitchen

Adeena Sussman in Hadassah · 1 Sep 2025

Faced with the geopolitical tension between Israel and Iran, Persian Jews like Arielle Nir Mamiye and Nicole Dayani find solace in their culinary heritage, using cooking as a means to navigate their complex cultural identities.

0 Television/Film Culture

In unheard recordings, Andy Kaufman emerges — a kinder, gentler soul than you may expect, or hope to see

PJ Grisar in Forward · 9 Jun 2025

A new documentary, "Andy Kaufman Is Me," directed by Clay Tweel, explores the multifaceted persona of comedian Andy Kaufman through unheard tapes recorded throughout his life.

0 Communities Ethics

It’s Okay to Eat by Yourself

Efraim Jaffe in Jewish Action · 18 Mar 2025

Efraim Jaffe shares a heartfelt account of his journey through grief after the passing of his wife, Esther.

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