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(c) Rabbi Jason Miller | http://blog.rabbijason.com | Twitter: @RabbiJason | facebook.com/rabbijasonmiller

Stephanie Lowenthal, birthright israel’s 100,000th participant, arrived on Sunday afternoon in Israel. I’m not sure how they made her the 100,000th, but it is certainly a fine choise. She is a 26-year-old New Yorker who works for the communications department of the NASDAQ Stock Market, and they will no doubt capitalize off her publicity and…

I realize this video was first mentioned on the Web by bloggers way back in January 2005, but this could very well be the funniest Israeli commercial I’ve seen. Truth is, I don’t remember any other Israeli commercials. This is a McDonalds commercial for the new McSchwarma. If you haven’t seen “Pulp Fiction” (one of…

I’m extremely disappointed in Orthodox rabbi Shlomo Riskin who has backed out of his planned speaking engagement at a conference planned by the Conservative movement’s Machon Schechter in Jerusalem on a very important topic. Rabbi David Golinkin, a Conservative rabbi and the head of Machon Schechter, along with other Jerusalem-based Masorti (Conservative) rabbis has made…

When I took my son Josh to his first Detroit Pistons basketball game at the Palace of Auburn Hills back in December 2005 everyone soon knew about it. It was Christmas Day, but the Detroit Jewish Federation arranged for a special Hanukkah celebration on the court following the game since it was also Erev Hanukkah….

The Jewish weekly newspaper The Forward ran an article in today’s paper about ESPN‘s Chris Berman being the guest speaker at a Houston Jewish Federation event called “Men’s Night Out.” This paragraph is a good example of why the Jewish paper doesn’t cover sports very often: When the time came for Berman to leave his…

Ever wonder what a nice Shlomo “The Singing Rabbi” Carlebach tune would sound like sung by a Gospel choir? Well, wonder no more. Check out this beautiful rendition of “Pischu Li” from the Hallel liturgy. (c) Rabbi Jason Miller | http://blog.rabbijason.com | Twitter: @RabbiJason | facebook.com/rabbijasonmiller

After June 30th I will no longer be a Hillel professional, but I will still care passionately about Jewish life on college campuses and Jewish college students. So, I am thrilled to read what was announced at the Hillel Summit this week. Hillel will be doubling its campaign, funding to local branches of Hillel, and…

I’m blogging from one of the most beautiful places on earth — Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. I’ve been watching the Pistons-Cavaliers battle it out in the 7th game of their playoff series. The game is being broadcast here en Espanol on a tape delay (NBA en CDN) and the third quarter just ended….

I welcome my friend and colleague Rabbi Barry Leff, of B’nai Israel in Toledo Ohio, to the rabbinical blogosphere. Reb Barry has converted his wonderful personal website to a blog that can be accessed at www.neshamah.net. I have enjoyed Reb Barry’s thoughtful insights on all matters when we get together for lunch in Ann Arbor,…