This year’s film festival will include “Matchmaking 2,” set in Israel’s Orthodox community, continuing the story from a film featured last year: “Matchmaking.” The Milwaukee Jewish Film Festival will return for its 28th year with five films in all. They will explore themes of identity, history, and love. The festival runs October 26–30 at Marcus North Shore […]
A jury is scheduled to hear the case against a father and son accused of removing a swastika mural from private property after a Milwaukee judge denied a motion claiming the district attorney’s office had engaged in selective prosecution. Zechariah Mehler and his father, Peter, are accused of using an ax and a sledgehammer on Sept. 14, 2024, to rip down the […]
Milwaukee Jewish Federation has launched J-Hub, a new initiative designed to serve as a central resource for K-12 schools and families seeking to teach about Jewish identity and fight antisemitism in Wisconsin classrooms. J-Hub brings together the expertise of four Federation programs: the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center, the Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Museum Milwaukee, […]
Things are happening behind the scenes to maintain and grow kosher services in the Milwaukee area. Among the changes – Hannah’s Kitchen is now Mosaic Catering, after a change in ownership. Meanwhile, Milwaukee Jewish Federation is assisting the kosher food service with a new grant. Hannah’s Kitchen has been rebranded as Mosaic Catering, and the company, previously owned solely by Hannah Sattler, has now become a business partnership between Sattler and Mordechai Bates. […]
Two recent headlines in a Wisconsin newspaper may be difficult for you to stomach: “Israel no longer has the right to exist” and “In defense of October 7th.” After Rabbi Noah Chertkoff asked The Lakeland Times in Minocqua, Wisconsin, to do better, and after the Chronicle contacted the newspaper for comment, publisher Gregg Walker said it is phasing out both the columnist, Ted Rall, and the […]
MILWAUKEE — For Eitan and Mia, both 18, their teenage years have been a time of change, challenge and growth. Two years ago, they lived in Israel through the attacks of Oct. 7. Now, they’re in Milwaukee, serving for a year as emissaries from their nation. They are called “shin shins” and they arrived in Milwaukee last month as part of a program of the […]
Rep. Ron Tusler, a Republican representing part of the Fox Valley area, has been asking others in the state Assembly to support a bill to define antisemitism. It’s expected the bill will soon be sent to a committee for consideration, Tusler told the Chronicle. The definition, favored by Milwaukee Jewish Federation and other Jewish organizations, is by the International […]
Sunday, Oct. 5 Marking Oct. 7 Oct. 7, 2023 was a day of profound loss, as Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israel —taking lives, tearing families apart, and shaking communities worldwide. This year’s commemoration invites us to honor, support one another, and uplift our spirits through music, poetry, storytelling, text study, and meditation, culminating in a shared gathering in […]
Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky (z”l) survived the Holocaust and immigrated to Madison, becoming the first rabbi of Temple Beth El. When he accepted the position in 1940, the synagogue had 12 members, which grew to over 400 families during his 36 years of tenure. He is a beloved figure of Madison’s history; in 2024, Temple Beth […]
The electric toy train, which millions of Americans enjoy at Christmas, needed a Jewish family to popularize it. I explore this theme and the influence of Lionel trains on American life in my new book: “Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! A Photo History of an American Icon,” which features 250 photographs and 100 essays. The cultural […]