On March 21, Federation hosted a Passover Cooking Show, created & edited by Rachel Front. Tune in below to see Passover recipe ideas and inspiration!

The video below is from a Zoom program that was live on February 28. Kivunim CEO and Co-Founder Gidi Zur and Kivunim Resource Development Director, Michal Nitzany, lead a discussion over what Kivunim is and what changes they are leading with this organization,

Kivunim is a program for youth with special needs in Israel where they are able to learn independent skills and techniques to enhance their lives. 

This morning, we put the Food back in our virtual Food for Thought series with popular cooking star Jamie Geller. Jamie is a Today Show regular, 7-time bestselling cookbook author and mother of 6—known as the “Jewish Rachael Ray” (New York Times) and “Queen of Kosher” (CBS).

Thanks, Jamie, for getting us in the Chanukah mood! Follow Jamie on Instagram and YouTube or subscribe via her website JamieGeller.com for more kosher inspiration, with over 10,000 recipes and how-to videos..

Show your support for Federation this week by posting an #Unselfie! You can post anytime from now until next Friday, Dec. 4 (not on Shabbat please). Here's how to do it:

1. Download our printable posters and print out your favorite. Or you can print a blank version to write in your own reason to support Federation.
2. Hold the sign up in front of your face(s). If you're posing together with a family member, put your heads close together.
3. Snap a selfie - holding your phone out far enough to get the whole sign in the picture. Vertical is best for Instagram, horizontal is best for Facebook. It's nice if we can still see the top of your head so we know it's you.
4. Create a new post in your Instagram or Facebook feed and upload the image.
5. Tag the Jewish Federation of Northwest Indiana in the photo. On Instagram, we're @JewishNWIndiana; on Facebook, @federationonline.
6. Add text to your post with the hashtags: #Unselfie #GivingTuesday #JFNWI
7. Hit "Post" and feel good about helping spread the word for Federation!

Come together and laugh with us! The Jewish Federation of Northwest Indiana cordially invites you to a 2020 Annual Campaign Event featuring comedian Benji Lovitt, live from Israel via Zoom. Join us virtually on Sunday, November 15, 2020 at 4:00pm CT. Visit federationonline.org/campaign2020 to RSVP.

The Illiana News recently caught up with Benji over WhatsApp to ask a few questions.

IN: I understand you are a native Texan. What was your Jewish upbringing like?
BL: As far as I could tell, I was an average Jewish kid. New Yorker parents, public school and Hebrew school in the evenings, summer camp beginning in 5th grade....that’s really what led me here. Camp turned into to my summer Israel trip, then to my gap year in Israel, and the rest is history. We went to a Conservative synagogue, celebrated the holidays, and of course, had a family with “eccentric” characters.

IN: What was the moment you knew you were going to make aliyah?
BL: There wasn’t a single moment that I recall. It was a process of realizing I wasn’t happy living where I was, wanted to move, was interested in spending at least a year in Israel, and then understanding that going through the official aliyah process made the most logical sense. Like all major life changes—marriage, parenthood, etc.—it’s hard to really know what you’re getting into beforehand!

IN: Some of our readers may remember you performing for us here in Munster once before, several years back. What's changed for you since then?
BL: Wow—so much. It’s been almost 10 years, I think. I got my own place, a car, and a puppy (the latter two in recent months). I was just starting to do standup full-time back then, so I’ve come a long way. Not only figuring out the business side of things, but becoming so much more comfortable in my own creative skin. My material back then was probably in the voice of a new, kvetching immigrant, whereas now I really get this place a lot more and can make native Israelis laugh with my insights. I enjoy making fun of myself and Americans as much as, if not more than, Israelis.

IN: Tell us more about the new puppy!
BL: He’s giving me lots of material! Every new experience is ripe for jokes, and as an immigrant, even more so. I’m definitely learning lots of new Hebrew words (how surprising I never learned “neutered” in my previous 14 years.)

IN: What's your must-see recommendation in Tel Aviv? (ignoring Covid for the moment)
BL: So much. The beach is obvious. The food scene is blowing up. As far as tourist attractions, I’d say the Nahalat Binyamin artist market. I still go there to get great stuff.

IN: What do you love about performing for Federation audiences?
BL: They’re usually people who are affiliated Jewishly, have been to Israel, and get the jokes! 

Our program began with an introduction by our own Rosalie Levinson, drawing on her decades of personal acquaintance with the late Justice Ginsburg. Next, we watched a video presentation in which exhibit curator Arielle Weininger discussed RBG's life and toured the exhibition, complete with embedded audio, video, and photographs of artifacts. After the video, we enjoyed a live Q&A session with a Museum docent.

Since the exhibition tour is proprietary, we can't offer you a recording of the program. However, we recorded a version of Rosalie's introduction to share with the community.  

The talkback is available now to view on our VIrtual Programming page or on our YouTube channel.

Tamar exhibits a rare combination of the deeply spiritual and deeply practical, and it was a treat to get to know her. We look forward to collaborating with her in the future - and to witnessing her rabbinic ordination on December 12!

Our 2020–2021 Virtual Film Series is generously sponsored by Carol Culberg. The series will include 4 more virtual film selections starting in January 2021. Watch for upcoming schedule information at federationonline.org/film.

In the course of her talk, Ms. Rada highlighted a few specific influential Israeli women as role models.

• First and foremost of course was Golda Meir, the first female Prime Minister of Israel.
• ​Next was Lucy Aharish, notable as the first Muslim Arab news presenter on mainstream Israeli television.
• Third, she mentioned MK Penina Tamanu-Shata, the first female Ethopian Member of Knesset.

The complete program is now available for viewing on Federation's Virtual Programming page or on our YouTube channel.