JCRC

Talia Levanon, director of the Israel Trauma Coalition, which deals mostly with the effects of rocket attacks on civilian areas, will brief community and faith leaders, first responders and social workers here on how to alleviate the suffering caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Some 35,000 marchers will be stepping out Sunday for the annual Celebrate Israel Parade up Fifth Avenue under banners heralding this year’s theme, “Israel Branches Out.” And for the second year in a row, Channel 9 will carry the parade live from noon until 2 p.m.

“Year after year the parade never ceases to be a thrilling experience, bringing the unflagging spirit of Israel to the streets of New York,” said Michael Miller, executive vice president and CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the parade organizer.

Matthew Goldstein, chancellor of City University of New York, recalled a commencement where he introduced the speaker and told him, “Marvin, be brief because no one will remember what you say.”

Marvin got up and addressed the audience:  “When you leave here remember one thing: make money.”  He sat down and got a standing ovation.

For the first time in its history, New York’s annual tribute to Israel parade up Fifth Avenue will be televised live. WWOR-TV Channel 9, which is owned by Fox Television Stations, is slated to carry the march, now called Celebrate Israel, from noon until 2 p.m. on June 5.

The decision to have the parade carried by one of the two Fox broadcast channels in New York — the other is Channel 5 — has nothing to do with Fox’s pro-Israel stance, according to parade organizers.

Here we were at a dinner for the Jewish Community Relations Council in the elegant ballroom of New York’s luxurious Pierre Hotel when Joel I. Klein remarked, “The fact that you can come from any zip code to this event is due to the power of education.”

It was the power of education that catapulted Klein, a product of the city’s public schools, and of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, to the role of chancellor of New York’s 1,600 public schools.

WASHINGTON (JTA) – The speaker invited then uninvited. The signature on the petition removed. The activity joined, then unjoined.

The job threatened.

Rabbis and Jewish professionals increasingly are being faced with a dilemma over discussing divisive topics -- especially regarding Israel -- central to how they see their Jewish missions without losing their professional mission.