Julie Platt is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and serves as Chair of the Foundation for Jewish Camp.
The Jewish Federations of North America are once again in the alarming position of having to condemn another despicable act of hatred, anti-Semitism, and the vilification of the “other.” Six months to the day after the devastating massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, its…
Why is it that more Jews attend a Passover seder than any other Jewish ritual or service?
Maybe it’s because it is celebrated at home, around a table with family and friends.
Maybe it’s because questions play a central role in the seder, and everyone can ask questions.
Or maybe it’s…
Earlier this week, I was privileged to lead my first board meeting as chair of the Board of Trustees of The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)—an event I was well prepared for thanks to the work of my predecessor Richard Sandler (Los Angeles). Nearly 200 Jewish leaders from across …
When getting up from shiva, it is traditional to literally get up and walk around the block. It serves the purpose of reentry into daily life, though still feeling the pain of loss. In a sense, it is a declaration of one’s choice of life over despair; to remain active and engaged with the …
He was a healer, and lost his life rushing to help the wounded. She was everyone’s bubby, a mainstay of the community. They were the gentle souls who greeted everyone with a book and a smile. It is hard to summarize the magnitude of what each person meant to so many. Eleven loved ones, wre…
