Miriam Ben-Porat: A Woman of ‘Firsts’

Posted on: September 21st, 2012

Miriam Scheinsohn was born on April 26, 1918, in Vitebsk (Belorussia), the youngest of eight children (she had three sisters and four brothers). Soon after Miriam’s birth the family moved to Kovno (Kaunas) in Lithuania, where her parents owned a textile factory.

Confessions Of a Saveaholic

Posted on: September 7th, 2012

For some of us trying to cut corners is not just something we do to save a few cents, it is practically an obsession. While we may have our little tricks designed to shave a few dollars off our grocery bill and squeeze a penny so tight that it screams for mercy, we each have our own little indulgences, the things we absolutely refuse to do just to save a few pennies. Let’s hope that none of my immediate family members read this column because I am about to share some of my personal secrets and they just might disown me.

Grace Aguilar: The Spirit of Judaism

Posted on: September 7th, 2012

Her family descended from Portuguese Marranos who had sought asylum in England in the eighteenth century. Grace Aguilar was born there at the onset of the nineteenth century (1816), and her remarkable work would exercise an impact on the historiography of Jewish life in the ensuing three decades of that century.

Yael Nitzan: The Museum Of Israeli Women

Posted on: August 23rd, 2012

TV producer and author Yael Nitzan’s decades’ old dream is becoming a reality. Through the generosity of the Haifa municipality, an empty 200-year-old palace, once owned by an Arab sheikh, will be turned into “The Museum of Israeli Women.” Although in other countries there are museums documenting the accomplishments of women, Israel, with the world’s highest ratio of museums per person, has none dedicated to the women who contributed to the founding of the State of Israel and to its development.

The Phenomenal Anastasia Michaeli

Posted on: August 3rd, 2012

Who is Anastasia Michal Michaelevski Samuelson? Fashion model, electronics engineer, Beauty Queen, Knesset Member, devoted mother of eight, champion of the underdog, passionate Israeli, committed Jew? Would you believe that she is all of the above – and more?

Insider Secrets From A Makeup Artist

Posted on: July 27th, 2012

As a newly certified makeup artist, I am eager to be able to share all the tips and tricks I’ve learned in beauty school. Truth be told, I’ve been pretty passionate about beauty products since I first laid eyes on a flavored lip-gloss as a preteen. I’ve amassed a sizeable collection of makeup over the years, experimented on many friends, and even earned a Bachelor’s degree in Cosmetics Marketing (as only someone who takes the beauty industry pretty seriously can do!) But despite my years of being involved with beauty products recreationally, training professionally as a makeup artist has taught me certain insider secrets I would have never discovered otherwise.

Agnes Keleti: The Foundation Stone Of Gymnastics In Israel

Posted on: July 22nd, 2012

"I felt here that I was at home," remarks Agnes Keleti about her arrival in Israel in 1957. An Israeli emissary had invited this leading Hungarian Jewish female athlete to participate in the fifth Maccabiah Games that year, and that’s when she discovered that Israel was “home.”

Interview Like A Pro (Part I)

Posted on: July 13th, 2012

The elevator ride seems to take forever, and your stomach feels like it is dropping. Glancing at the mirror, you realize this may be the last opportunity to be sure you look professional. You wonder if they will notice the little wrinkle in your clothes your spouse told you to take care of before you left. You take a deep breath and try to relax, but it is no use. Your heart is racing as you walk though the elevator door, and you force yourself to remember to smile.

Jeane Kirkpatrick

Posted on: July 6th, 2012

“I think the Holocaust is possible again. I didn’t think so before I came to the United Nations, but I think so now.” “Diplomacy regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict at the U.N. has nothing to do with peace, but is quite simply a continuation of war against Israel by other means.”

Shoshana Bluth: A Supermom Hotline Of Emunah

Posted on: June 21st, 2012

Shoshana Bluth’s telephone number is a help hotline for mothers and wives of Israeli soldiers – a hotline of faith, emunah in Hebrew.

Eva Rona: Proper Nutrition As A Bridge To Health And Happiness

Posted on: June 4th, 2012

The lecturer, a soft-spoken woman radiating sincerity and warmth was especially impressive. And so was her topic: “Proper nutrition as a bridge to health and longevity.”

Creating A Winning Resume

Posted on: June 1st, 2012

To modify a line from Winnie the Pooh, “the most frustrating things about resumes is that resumes are frustrating things.” If asked to design the best way to evaluate the top talent for a job, few people would recommend the submission of a document no one knows how to prepare and that requires a great deal of professional coaching and adjustment.

Ultra Orthodox Women Speak Up: The Dialogue Is Now Open

Posted on: May 25th, 2012

Religious Jews have been getting more than their usual share of negative press lately. The papers have been full of allegations of sexual abuse in ultra-orthodox communities, and religious authorities concurrent attempts to silence the victims while protecting the accused. When earlier this week, the Rabbi’s chose to focus on the “dangers of the internet” [...]

The Martyred Woman of Valor: Dulcea of Worms

Posted on: May 17th, 2012

The Middle Ages boasted a number of outstanding Jewish women. The most remarkable among them was Dulcea of Worms, wife of Rabi Eleazar Rokeach. We learn out about her remarkable character and capabilities from an elegy her loving husband composed in the form of an alphabetic acrostic fashioned after King Solomon’s “Woman of Valor" in Proverbs 31. Dulcea of Worms, however, rose above the stature of the Biblical “Eishet Chayil” both in capabilities and character.

Holocaust Heroines: Hilda Pistiner

Posted on: April 26th, 2012

When I first saw Hilda Pistiner I believed she was a German tourist. Later, when I met her personally and found out she was an Israeli born in Bukovina, I labored under a second mistaken assumption: I believed she had been a pioneer in pre-State Israel, her fresh youthful blond looks untouched by the Holocaust. How wrong have I been!

The Heroines Of The Pesach Story

Posted on: April 16th, 2012

It’s fascinating to realize that the People of Israel growing into a mighty nation in Egypt was a reward for the heroism of the Hebrew midwives.

Staying Up In A Down Job Market

Posted on: April 13th, 2012

We are all well aware that the economy is terrible and has been for a very long time. Things may seem better, but unemployment figures are still extremely high and it is hard to know when conditions will turn around. Looking for a job can be challenging, but it is crucial to stay upbeat and positive. How do you keep your spirits up in what could be a long and arduous job search journey?

The Fast of Esther: International Agunah Day

Posted on: March 29th, 2012

This year International Agunah Day was observed on March 7th, the Jewish calendar date of Taanit Esther, the Fast of Esther. The date was determined by ICAR - The International Coalition for Agunah Rights. ICAR is a coalition of 27 organizations working together to abolish defiance in granting a “get” (Jewish divorce) and extortion in the divorce process within the framework of Jewish Law.

A Journey with Destiny: The Story Of A Righteous Filipina’s Conversion To Judaism

Posted on: March 15th, 2012

The heading of this article is the title of Angelita Valdes’ biography written by her husband, Dr. Robert Dublin. Dr. Dublin was the physician who treated and nursed the young Filipina dancer and TV starlet back to life when she became ill with tuberculosis meningitis - a life threatening disease. Angelita Valdes’ biography is an astonishing story of an amazing woman’s life.

Professional And Social Networking Sites: ‘To Tweet Or Not To Tweet?’

Posted on: February 17th, 2012

How important is social media to my job search? The Internet has revolutionized the job search process. As recently as 10 years ago, a job search entailed looking through newspaper ads and phonebooks to find appropriate organizations and employers, producing dozens of copies of a resume and cover letter on professional resume paper, stuffing those documents in matching envelopes and paying for postage. It is safe to say that it cost at least $1 for every resume sent, not to mention the investment in time.