Published Articles

Original Article Published on The JNS

For Deni Avdija and the Washington Wizards, there is no place like home. The Israeli forward and his team recently completed their longest homestand of the season with a 5-1 record. Avdija’s performance has been on the upswing, and his coach and the media are noticing.

On Nov. 10, when the then 6-6 Wizards defeated the 6-5 Dallas Mavericks, Avdija had 12 points, four assists and six rebounds in 32 minutes of action. Two nights later, when the Wizards defeated the 10-4 Utah Jazz, he notched a season-high 13 points along with seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block in 34 minutes of action.

The following evening, with the Wizards defeating the 9-5 Memphis Grizzlies, Avdija tied a career-high with 21 points, including 15 in the first half—the second time in his career with 15 or more points in a single half.

Avdija’s hot streak continued in a Nov. 16 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He grabbed seven rebounds, blocked two shots and notched 12 points, scoring in double figures for his fourth consecutive game. His scoring slowed down a bit in the Wizards’ Nov. 18 overtime win against the Miami Heat, when he hit one three-pointer and had one rebound and three assists in only 14 minutes of play.

In the Wizards’ Nov. 20 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, Avdija registered his sixth career double-double with 12 points and season-high 13 rebounds.

Following the game against the Hornets, reporters asked Coach Wes Unseld about Avdija’s impressive rebounding in recent weeks. “I love the fact that he is cleaning up the boards and we need more of it.  He’s got positional size.” Unseld is pleased that Avdija can help his teammates pull down rebounds. “It can’t be just be on KP (Kristaps Porzingas) and Gaff (Daniel Gafford). It has to be by committee and he did that tonight.”

Avdija echoed, “I always like rebounding the ball, as part of my game. I was extra aggressive tonight on the rebounds. We had an emphasis on the rebounds pregame because they are a good offensive rebounding team. I was just on the glass, trying to grab them.”

Other reporters noted that Avdija had more opportunities to bring the ball up the court, with guard Monte Morris out with a sore right ankle. “I get comfortable every time I get those assignments—even being a point guard sometimes, crossing the court and making plays for others.  I love doing that, if that’s what coach needed me to do on the court. I am capable of doing that.”

Avdija has always prided himself on his hard work and fighting spirit. He feels motivated to continue to work hard to enter the starting lineup, and does not get frustrated if he needs to serve time in the second unit.  “I feel like if I have challenges throughout the season and have to go to the second unit and battle my way back, that is fine. In the end of the day, I am going to play my role and try to master my role. Whatever I’m doing, whatever unit I’m on, second unit or first unit, I’m just going to go out there and play hard.”

On the other hand, Avdija has been frustrated with questionable fouls called against him. “I don’t know why sometimes I get this treatment. I’m just frustrated because I’m guarding the best guys on the opposite team and if I get really easy fouls and it gets me out of the game, in general, it is frustrating. I will try to get better and foul less…as I get older and [earn] more respect in this league, hopefully it will get better. Sometimes it is frustrating. I’m not going to lie.”

Yet Avdija keeps perspective and remains positive. “I am glad I am having those challenges. The grind makes me tougher mentally and makes me believe in myself more. So I’m taking it in a good way.”

Avdija continues working to improve his game. “I am trying to dunk more and trying to be more aggressive…I set a goal for number of dunks in a season so I think I’m at a pretty good spot with it. And it makes me miss fewer layups.” When asked how many dunks he planned for the season, he admits, “I don’t remember what number but I wrote it down at the start of season as a goal.”

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Original Article published on the JNS

On Sunday, Nov. 6 in New York City, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter became the most famous Israeli athlete that few outside of Israel have ever heard of, thanks to her second-place finish in the women’s division at the famed New York City Marathon.  

Salpeter, 33, completed the 26-mile, 385-yard course in two hours, 23 minutes and 30 seconds, only seven seconds behind the winner, first time marathoner Sharon Lokedi. Like Lokedi and men’s winner Evans Chebet (who crossed the finish line at 2:08:41), Salpeter was born in Kenya. However, her road to becoming an elite marathon runner representing Israel is unique. 

Salpeter was born and raised in a village in western Kenya without electricity or running water. In 2008, she came to Israel and lived and worked in Herzliya as a nanny for a Kenyan diplomat. She took up jogging in a local park as a post-work activity. Fellow runners began to notice her consistently fast pace, and Salpeter started to enter various road races.  

Three years after arriving in Israel, Salpeter met and became friends with Israeli Dan Salpeter, a physical education student, former competitive runner and coach. The two traveled to Kenya in 2013 and their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship. They married in 2014 and Lonah gave birth to a son, Roy, later that year. The family currently lives in Shoham in central Israel.

Salpeter’s speedy rise to the upper levels of championship running is in sharp contrast to the slow process of becoming an Israeli citizen. She is not Jewish, and despite being married to a Jewish Israeli, she is not entitled to automatic citizenship under the Law of Return. In such cases, the process of becoming a citizen can take a minimum of five years. Fortunately for Salpeter, her running accomplishments helped expedite the process. 

And the accomplishments keep coming. Salpeter came in first at the February 2016 Tel Aviv Marathon with a time of 2:40:16 and qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. In order to compete for Israel in the Olympics, she needed to be an Israeli citizen, and became one just in time. Despite being in the top half of runners for 30 kilometers of the Olympic marathon, she dropped out at the 33 kilometer mark. She explained that she had been nursing her 20-month-old son at the time and experienced shoulder problems as a result of running with breasts full of milk.  

Salpeter continued racing and experiencing success at various distances. In 2017, she ran the London World Championship Marathon in 2:40 and in May 2018 won the European 10,000 meter Cup in London with a time of 31:33:03, a new Israeli record. In Nov. 2018, she won the Florence Marathon at 2:24:17. She holds the Israeli national records for the 1,500; 3,000; 5,000; and 10,000 meter runs, as well as for the half-marathon.  

From 2016 to 2022, Salpeter represented Israel throughout Europe and Asia and even in Qatar at numerous European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games, finishing 66th in the marathon at the 2021 Olympics in Japan at 2:48:31. In 2022, Salpeter has already won the bronze medal at the women’s marathon at the World Athletic Championships in Eugene, Oregon with an impressive time of 2:20:18, and won the bronze in the 10,000 meter run at the European Championships in Munich, Germany with a time of 30:46:37.

Minutes after crossing the finish line at Sunday’s New York City Marathon, Salpeter said, “I’m fine, I’m halfway happy!” 

She elaborated, “I knew I could win but I had a limitation, which I knew it before I came here with three weeks training, but in a marathon that is not enough.”  

Her husband Dan wrote on Facebook after the race, “It has been a challenging 15 months. … From dealing with ideal preparation for target competition in 2021 (Olympics), 2022 has been all about crisis management. Physical and mental.”

He acknowledged that Lonah has been dealing with sensitivity in one of the inner thigh muscles for several months.

Lona said that she had an injury over the summer and did not have enough time to train properly for the race.  

“For next year, I need to plan more, so this year was a little bit crazy,” she stated. “Even next year it will be crazy again because there are world championships (just before the marathon).”

Salpeter acknowledged that it is not easy leaving her family behind when she competes around the world. 

“My son is going to school and I don’t want to stop him from going to school,” she said. “He is in third grade, so it is also important for him to stay in his education.” 

She added that she is looking forward to being home with her family, saying, “Now it’s time to recover and be with my family and enjoy.”

Salpeter said that she is proud to represent her team and her country. “I came here for my team,” she stated. “They really wanted me here. I’m happy to represent my team. This team is really good for me.”

Salpeter proudly represents Israel wherever she races. When she received the bronze medal in Oregon in July, an Israeli flag was draped across her back. Outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid has tweeted about how proud the State of Israel feels about her accomplishments.  

After the marathon on Sunday, Salpeter said, “I think I’ve made Israel proud. I always, whatever race I do, I always remember my nation. I need to run for them! Back in Israel, every race is my way to say thank you. Thank you to Israel!”

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Original Article Published On the JNS

There is essentially no limit to Sylvan Adams’ commitment to biking, tikkun olam (the Jewish concept of repairing the world) and portraying his beloved country of Israel in a positive light. The Canadian-Israeli businessman and philanthropist, who made aliyah from Montreal along with his wife in 2015, has devoted himself to serving as a self-appointed “ambassador-at-large for the State of Israel.”

From Rwanda to Afghanistan, Adams uses his charm and philanthropy to show off Israel’s and Judaism’s finest qualities.

Adams aims to show the world what he calls the “normal Israel” and “the beautiful reality of the country to gigantic audiences around the world.” At a great financial cost, hundreds of millions of people are exposed to Israel in this light.

In 2018, Adams brought the first three stages of the Giro d’Italia, one of bicycle racing’s three Grand Tours, to Israel. It was the first time the famed race had taken place outside of Europe. More than 1 million Israelis lined the roads and cheered on riders for the three days of racing, and over a billion biking fans around the world viewed the event on TV, Adams notes.

In 2019, when Tel Aviv hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, Adams was the money and brains behind bringing legendary singer Madonna to make an appearance. More than 280 million people around the world saw Madonna—and Israel—on TV.

This summer, Adams was responsible for bringing three of soccer’s biggest stars to Tel Aviv for the Trophée des Champions, the annual match between the champions of France’s top league and the winners of the Coupe de France, in 2022 Paris Saint-Germain and FC Nantes, respectively.

Lionel Messi, Neymar and Sergio Ramos all scored for the Paris side in the sellout match at Bloomfield Stadium, which was viewed by 400 million fans, in addition to the hundreds of millions of social media followers of the game’s stars, who all posted from Tel Aviv.

The soccer event took place one week after Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (commonly referred to as Ichilov Hospital) inaugurated the Sylvan Adams Emergency Hospital, made possible by a $28 million gift from Adams. The 8,000-square-meter (86,000-square-foot), three-floor facility is the largest ER in the world.

Adams has also supported the creation of the Sylvan Adams Children’s Hospital at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon. The facility is the home of Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), a non-profit organization Adams also supports that has provided care to more than 5,400 children from 62 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and South America. The NGO has also performed life-saving surgery for Israeli and Palestinian children.

“SACH shows the true heart of Israel, fulfilling the Jewish imperative of tikkun olam around the world,” Adams says.

To date, he is the only Israeli member of the Giving Pledge, the organization started by Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates in which billionaires and near-billionaires commit to giving away the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

When Adams is not busy improving the world, the 63-year-old can be seen on his bike—around Israel and around the world. And he has found numerous ways to combine biking, charitable giving and Israel hasbara (public diplomacy).

The devoted biker won the World Masters Championship in Manchester, U.K., in 2017 and is co-owner of Israel-Premier Tech, Israel’s top cycling team that was formerly named Israel Start-Up Nation, and of its development team, Israel Cycling Academy. Israel-Premier Tech competes in the Union Cycliste Internationale’s World Tour, including the Tour de France, known for the 2.5 billion TV viewers and 15 million live spectators who line the streets and roads of France to experience the 23-day cycling event, and the Giro d’Italia, the second-biggest bicycle race in the world. Adam’s team features Chris Froome, a four-time Tour de France winner.

While Israel Premier-Tech was competing in the Tour de Rwanda, Adams observes how integral bikes are for Rwandans. “Everybody rides bikes with baskets stuffed to the brim. We decided to take on a social mission and adapt the bikes. We provide bikes, helmets, shoes and Israeli cycling clothing. We also provide coaching from Israel and mechanics. Their enthusiasm and appreciation is infectious.”

Adams has also committed to promoting professional biking in Rwanda. “We fund the women’s team in Bugesera [district].” He is quick to add, “Our work is based on the Jewish value of tikkun olam—our Jewish culture stresses the importance of tikkun olam—all they need is a chance.”

Over the past year, Adams has helped resettle more than 400 refugees from Afghanistan. Perhaps not surprisingly, this group includes some of the country’s top female cyclists.

Adams shared the behind-the-scenes rescue story with JNS in a recent Zoom interview. “Out of the blue, I got a call from a cycling reporter who works in Afghanistan. People were being killed and tortured for the sin of riding a bike. Is there anything you can do?”

Adams went to work. “I started making inquiries.” He contacted IsraAID.

When he learned that it would be possible to locate and assist all the members of the female national cycling team, Adams recalls resolving, “I got this—let’s try to save them. We need to act quickly.”

To date, more than 400 refugees have been rescued and resettled, in three waves.

The rescue mission, which began in 2021, continues to have a biking connection. The last group of female riders to escape the Taliban arrived in Switzerland for the Oct. 22 UCI Afghanistan Women’s National Championship after receiving special visas.

Marjan, the former captain of the Afghan national team, recounts, “I am a human being. I am a woman and I am a cyclist. To bike, I risked my life. I was a victim and shot at just because I rode my bike. I thought I would die but I got back to my bike, but when the Taliban came back, I thought they would shoot me again. I escaped, found a new home, and now I am on my way to my first race in freedom! We are racing to show the world that Afghan women never give up. We are strong.”

Adams came out to greet the team. “I felt obligated. To save one life is to save the world. To see them race is uplifting. When I heard about the plight of the Afghan cyclists stranded in Afghanistan, a place where these women would be persecuted or possibly killed merely for riding their bikes, I felt an obligation to try to help. To be able to offer this help as a Jew, and as the owner of an Israeli team, felt even more meaningful, a sign of true shared responsibility. Indeed, the Talmud tells us that even a single life saved uplifts our world, and we saved 400 worlds.”

Mahraz, 16, left her entire family behind but expressed happiness here: “We are racing to show the whole world that Afghan girls never give up. They are strong.”

“It is all about our Jewish value of tikkun olam.”

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Original Article Published On the JNS

Judaica artist Jeanette Kuvin Oren calls the stamp the “culmination of a lifelong dream.”

American Judaica artist Jeanette Kuvin Oren is well-known for her work in many media. She designs unique Torah mantles, ark curtains, chuppah wedding canopies, ketubah marriage contracts, papercuts, stained glass and nearly any ritual object or decoration a synagogue, Jewish home or family would ever need.

On Oct. 20, Kuvin Oren added “designer of a U.S. Postal Service stamp” to her impressive résumé. The “Hanukkah Forever” postage stamp is based on one of Kuvin Oren’s works.

“Jeanette’s art came to my attention several years ago and I am very happy to be able to bring her work to a very wide audience,” Ethel Kessler of Kessler Design, who serves as art director for stamps at the USPS, says enthusiastically. “Her work has a glowing and joyful spirit and that’s what I wanted to add to our U.S. Hanukkah series.”

A first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the stamp was held last Thursday at Temple Emanu El in Orange Village, Ohio, an eastern suburb of Cleveland. This year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Dec. 18.

Kessler adds, “Stamps are a joy for me to art direct. What it entails is getting familiar with people across the country who are making interesting art that can be used at stamp size.”

The USPS states, “The stamp art features the design from an original wall-hanging. The fiber art was hand-dyed, appliquéd and quilted to form an abstract image of a hanukkiah.”

The stamp is being issued in panes of 20. It will always be equal in value to the current First Class Mail one-ounce price (currently 60 cents). Kessler acknowledges, “First class mail may have dropped off in the past decade…But we still print over 10 million Hanukkah celebration stamps.”

Kuvin Oren has now received an education in stamp collecting and stamp releases. She explains that the first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony took place in Cleveland since the USPS wanted it to be in the Midwest. And Emanu El was enthusiastic to host.”

She has also learned that the stamp date and location will appear on every 6-3/4 inch envelope with the state and date of issue and location. Stamp collectors traditionally go to the post office to buy new stamps, put them on a clean white blank envelope and mail them for a first-day-of-issue cancellation. These are known as first-day covers. Many aficionados also collect cachets, an illustration usually on the left side of the envelope.

“The USPS doesn’t create a cachet so it is up to the artist or a dealer to create one. It is a nice souvenir for the first day of issue so I created my own,” reports Kuvin Oren.

Kuvin Oren, a resident of Connecticut and Jerusalem, recently offered a tour of her home studio in Woodbridge, Conn., and enthusiastically shared her many works in progress and stories of her artwork with JNS.

In describing the process of being discovered by the USPS, she reports, “I sent a piece 30 years ago to the USPS and always had a dream of being on a stamp—this is the culmination of a lifelong dream. I am very honored and it is very emotional to see my artwork there. It is something so historical.”

Kuvin Oren explains that a small wall hanging of her stamp will hang in the National Postal Museum in Washington. “It will be Hanukkah forever!”

Jeanette Kuvin Oren presents her “Hanukkah Forever” postage stamp at Temple Emanu El in Orange Village, Ohio, Oct. 20. Credit: Courtesy Jeanette Kuvin Oren.

The artist, a graduate of Princeton and Yale universities, has talents in many areas. She completed a master’s degree in public health and most of her doctorate in epidemiology. Since deciding in 1984 to work on commissioned art and graphic design full-time, she has created installation pieces for more than 400 houses of worship, schools, community centers and camps around the world. She specializes in large installations of glass, mosaic, metal, fiber art, calligraphy, paper-cutting and painting. Her Torah covers, ark covers, ark curtains and wall hangings may be seen in homes and Jewish institutions around the world.

Kuvin Oren shares with great excitement a donor recognition art wall project she recently worked on for a synagogue in Miami. She demonstrated the special equipment and process (in her basement studio) needed to produce 40 Torah covers for a shul that has three sanctuaries.

She has also shared her talents close to home—at her beloved synagogue, Congregation B’nai Jacob in Woodbridge. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped create a video of departed members of the synagogue; the faces of each person were incorporated into the video, which was shown as part of the Yizkor memorial service.

Kuvin Oren plans to use the Hanukkah postage stamps on the invitations to the wedding of one of her daughters, which will take place in March 2023.

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