CHEERING ON THE ROYALS FROM ISRAEL —Yoni (age 25) and Naftali Schwartz (27), lived in Kansas City from 1991-2000 when their father Rabbi Morey Schwartz was the rabbi at Congregation BIAV.
{mprestriction ids="1"}In an email to The Chronicle, Yoni Schwartz said, "During that time we fell madly and deeply in love with our beloved Royals." After the family moved across the world to Israel in 2000, the Schwartz brothers "continued to follow and root for our Royals every day and every early morning and every long 162-game season, and waited and prayed for the day that ‘Our Boys in Blue’ would finally clinch a playoff spot after so many years." (FYI: Games are broadcast live online and typically air about 3 a.m. Israel time.) Now that the Royals are actually in the playoffs after 29 years, the Schwartz brothers "are beyond psyched."
"But one thing is missing, and that is a chance for us to experience this possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see our beloved Royals first hand in the ALCS!" The Royals will be hosting the Baltimore Orioles in Kansas City for games three and four of the American League Championship Series on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 13-14. Unfortunately they cannot afford the airfare and tickets to the games, which they estimate total about $3,500.
So they have launched a fundraising campaign. The campaign site is http://www.gofundme.com/fh7qxo. If they don’t reach their goal, they plan to return all donations. Yoni and Naf, please let us know if you make it here in time!
NEW APP SUPPORTS BUY ISRAEL — A free application (app) for those who want to support Israel by buying Israeli-made products has just been unveiled, downloadable on all major smartphones including Apple, Android and Windows Phone.
The new app, Am Yisrael Buy, was created by Rabbi Daniel M. Cohen, spiritual leader of Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange, N.J.
"There is an international movement called BDS — Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions — aimed at boycotting Israel and its products," said Rabbi Cohen. "The movement demonizes Israel and has, as some of its leading proponents, anti-Semites whose ultimate goal is the destruction of the State of Israel. When I learned there are BDS apps that make it easier to boycott Israeli products and goods and spread their hatred, and then found there was no commensurate pro-Israel app, I just had to act. That was the impetus for creating Am Yisrael Buy."
The app offers a list of Israeli made products and where to buy them, as well as additional ways to support Israel.
"As I was putting together the list I realized there were other ways to support Israel, so I added a section with some of the media outlets that cover Israel, outlets that help expose media bias against Israel, and included a number of ways people can donate to pro-Israel organizations," added Rabbi Cohen.
Still in its grassroots stage, Rabbi Cohen is hoping to find someone with the development skills and monetary backing to take the lead in improving the app, making Am Yisrael Buy even more powerful and effective.
SIRIUSXM LAUNCHES "RIGHTEOUS RADIO — ay announced the new Sunday morning series "Righteous Radio," began last month. It airs at 8 to 9 a.m. local time on SiriusXM’s Indie Channel 102. The program is hosted by Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove, Ph.D., of New York’s Park Avenue Synagogue. The rabbi engages listeners in discussion around Judaism and Jewish Culture and how our religious beliefs play a critical role in how we choose to live our lives.
Rabbi Cosgrove will lead a thorough and thoughtful exploration and discussion of Judaism as a way to help reconnect those who may have strayed from the faith, and bring them the culture and traditions they may be lacking. As Jews head into the holiest time in the Jewish calendar, the first show will feature themes and traditions of the Jewish Holidays. Rabbi Cosgrove, named in 2013 as one of the Top 50 American Rabbis by The Daily Beast, began his tenure at the Park Avenue Synagogue in 2008.
"I spend my days working with Jews who have self-selected into congregational life. This is my opportunity to bring the Jewish conversation to those who are not in the pews," said Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove. "I hope that ‘Righteous Radio’ is a place to discuss what it means to lead a spiritual life in the modern world."
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