The other morning, I was walking my dog when I saw a sight seen in every neighborhood in Israel: a parent getting into the car with their child in uniform, likely taking them to a bus depot enroute to ...

We Jews are lucky to get a chance to start over every fall as the shofar sounds a wakeup call in each of our lives. Here's my (sometimes) annual top 10 tips to a sweeter new year. Remember: these are ...

"If we don't have peace in Israel, which is the ultimate sweet gift, then I would say I am looking forward to my friend Cindy bringing me some chocolate rugelach from Boulangerie Cheskie in Montreal.

A few years ago, Allan B. found himself in a position he'd never imagined. A seasoned nonprofit executive who'd worked for years in the Jewish community, he was struggling after a layoff, borrowing ...

Ryan Merkow—pictured with his wife and daughter—studied for his adult bar mitzvah in 2023. At 13, Ryan Merkow didn't have a bar mitzvah. But three decades later, Merkow--now a surgical oncologist ...

When Susan Weiss Liebman's pregnant niece died suddenly at the age of 36, the geneticist uncovered a family mystery dating back generations. "I believe I became a geneticist…because I was destined to ...

At just 33 years of age, Mike Berman landed his dream job in Chicago. The Northbrook-raised lifelong sports fan nabbed the gig as a sports reporter for NBC Chicago in 2016 and has since interviewed ...

JUF amplifies our collective strength to make the world a better place — for everyone. Community powered, we consider the totality of local and global Jewish needs and how to address them. From ...

The “Jew-Fro”/ By J. Kott-Wolle/Oil on Canvas, 14 x 18, painted 2019. Original photo taken in 1975 There is no moment too small or too large in contemporary Jewish life for Jacqueline Kott-Wolle to ...

Now, more than ever, Schneider Deli owner Jake Schneider feels a responsibility to showcase his Jewish pride. (Photo credit: Tim McCoy.) Jake Schneider twirls a new mezuzah between his fingertips as ...

Wendy C. Abrams' path to her new role as JUF Board Chair is guided by a powerful mindset: say 'yes' and show up. "I believe we have a communal responsibility to take care of our most vulnerable and ...

UIUC students gather at an on-campus vigil in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks. After several years of negotiations, Hillel International, Illini Hillel, and JUF have reached an agreement with ...