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Finance, rabbinics and practical experience fuel L.A. Jewish community foundation’s new top exec
Even in laid-back Los Angeles, the full-size surfboard propped upright in Rabbi Aaron Lerner’s (YCT ’13) office stands out — the board nods to the CEO’s enjoyment of surfing, and — displaying logos of some of the L.A. institutions that have shaped him — charts where he’s been professionally. Lerner,...
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Torah Essay Contest: What does the Torah have to say about the climate crisis?
Prompt: What does the Torah have to say about the climate crisis? How can it inspire us to mitigate it? Winning essay will receive $1,000 and be featured on YCT website!
How Hillel at UCLA Moved beyond Tolerance to Embrace Difference
The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles announced Thursday the hiring of Rabbi Aaron Lerner, executive director of Hillel at UCLA, as its next president and CEO. Lerner will take over the new post Jan. 2, succeeding Marvin I. Schotland, who has led the foundation since 1989 and will retire...
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El Salvador: A Trip Beyond My Comfort Zone
by Balbino Cotarelo Núñez for JewishLink It’s hard not to read “Lech Lecha” as an invitation to Avraham Avinu—and each of us—to go beyond our comfort zones. In this spirit, I’m recapping my recent trip to spend time with the unsung kehillah in El Salvador, and invite you to consider...
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Rabbi Kyle Savitch (’21) Holds Both Jewish Tradition and Modern Sensibilities in His Hands with Kehillat Harlem
“They want to make the most amount of people comfortable without sacrificing traditions.”
Learn about Rabbi Kyle Savitch’s innovative and maximally inclusive work building the Harlem Orthodox community—and the $100,000 grant he got to do it.
Amid Record Growth, YCT 2.0 Brand Identity Launches
Over the last three years, YCT has been undergoing a period of major institutional growth. This growth is being propelled by a fresh, new vision and is evidenced by its expanding range of initiatives and the generous and enthusiastic support from its growing funder base. This new YCT, dubbed “YCT...
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Jason Mark (’22), rabbi at Congregation Etz Chayim, observes High Holidays in Toledo
Death and dying are persistent themes for Rabbi Jason Mark. He’s a full-time hospital chaplain in West Virginia, and reflected on the themes in preparation for the Jewish New Year in late September. He again brought those spiritual questions with him on his 4 1/2-hour drive from Morgantown, W.Va., to...
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Rabbi Aaron Lerner (’13) Selected as Next President and CEO of Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles announced Thursday the hiring of Rabbi Aaron Lerner, executive director of Hillel at UCLA, as its next president and CEO. Lerner will take over the new post Jan. 2, succeeding Marvin I. Schotland, who has led the foundation since 1989 and will retire...
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YCT Launches LGBTQ+ Community Initiatives and Welcomes Its First Director
YCT is pleased to announce the launch of its LGBTQ+ Community Initiatives and the hiring of David Pernick as Director of the Initiatives. The LGBTQ+ Community Initiatives project seeks to help create a culture of true inclusion in Orthodox communities for our gay, trans, and queer members. The need for...
Read more >Jerusalem Post – NYT exposé of hassidic yeshivot brings feelings of rage, nostalgia – opinion
by Rabbi Ysoscher Katz As one who was raised in the Satmar community, reading the recent New York Times exposé of hassidic yeshivot turned me into an emotional wreck, simultaneously filling me with contradictory feelings of rage and nostalgia. On one hand, the article brought back painful memories of violent corporal punishment, and also...
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