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Three Self-Destructive Kvetches
By Rabbi Brent Gutmann It’s been a little under eighteen months since my family and I moved to Western New York, and after eighteen months, I am completely enthralled. This community has deep roots and rich culture. It is dedicated and resilient, exceptional and...
Home Away From Home
By Iris Danziger, MD In this week’s Torah portion, Vayetze, Jacob is running away from his brother Esau after stealing his birthright. This act of deception leaves Esau feeling violent towards Jacob. At the urging of his mother Rebecca, Jacob is told to leave...
Making Treatie
By Harvey Sanders Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav taught: “The entire world is a narrow bridge, the essential thing is not to fear at all.” I try to keep this in mind and there is a lovely song based on this quote. (If you do an internet search for Gesher Tzar Me’od...

Rick and Karen Zakalik
We are honored to spotlight Rick and Karen Zakalik who will be honored with the 2023 Endowment Leadership Award by the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies next Wednesday at the joint Annual Meeting of the Foundation and Federation. The Leadership Endowment Award is...
Rabbi Avi Okin
We are delighted to cast a spotlight today on Jewish Buffalo’s newest rabbi, Avi Okin. A graduate of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), the rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University (YU), Rabbi Okin is the new leader at Young Israel of Buffalo as well...
Ellen Dubie
The Buffalo Jewish Federation is proud to shine a spotlight today on Ellen Dubie, a second-generation Holocaust survivor. Born in Boston, MA, Ellen moved to Buffalo 9 years ago to be with her father, Stephan Lewy (1925-2021), a Holocaust survivor who was an active...

Sufganiyot
By: Hannah Mink Sufganiyot, or jelly donuts, are a Chanukah staple. To symbolize the miracle of oil lasting for eight days instead of one, these donuts are fried in oil and filled with jelly. Making sufganiyot may seem daunting, but with some patience and careful...
Potato Latkes
By: Hannah Mink As crazy as it seems, Chanukah is around the corner! For the next few weeks, I’ll be focusing on some typical recipes you can make for Chanukah. And this week, we are going to be making homemade latkes! Latkes are a classic Chanukah dish. These fried...
Sweet Potato Casserole
By: Hannah Mink One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is the side dishes. But my favorite side dish is sweet potato casserole. Every year, I look forward to my grandma bringing her sweet potato casserole to my house and getting to put a layer of marshmallows on top...