Community | Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle - Part 3

Community

Jaclyn Skalecki Orozco visited Congregation Shalom with a church group. Years later, she was bat mitzvahed

Jaclyn Skalecki Orozco visited Congregation Shalom with a church group. Years later, she was bat mitzvahed

Posted on: September 19th, 2025 | 26 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

For Jaclyn Skalecki Orozco, choosing Judaism wasn’t a moment – it was a journey.   On June 21, she marked a powerful milestone in that journey by celebrating her adult bat mitzvah at Congregation Shalom in Milwaukee. A member of the congregation for more than eight years and a convert since 2019, Orozco’s decision to step […]

Ashley Boros-Rupp’s Jewish journey led her to a bat mitzvah

Ashley Boros-Rupp’s Jewish journey led her to a bat mitzvah

Posted on: September 19th, 2025 | 26 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

Ashley Boros-Rupp finally found what she was looking for.   She said she’s long had a relationship with God. Boros-Rupp was raised in a family that could be described as agnostic yet attended church, she said. She felt she could maintain her relationship with a higher power independent of organized religion.   That changed when Boros-Rupp, who […]

James Wiley’s adult bar mitzvah journey became a message to his children that Judaism is theirs to claim  

James Wiley’s adult bar mitzvah journey became a message to his children that Judaism is theirs to claim  

Posted on: September 19th, 2025 | 26 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

When James Wiley stepped up to the bimah for his adult bar mitzvah, he sent a clear message to his children: belonging is yours, if you choose to embrace it.   “I wanted to relay to my kids that belonging is for you, and it’s something that you can have faith in…The land of milk and […]

Ellen Eckman becomes b’nei mitzvahed after pledge to grandson

Ellen Eckman becomes b’nei mitzvahed after pledge to grandson

Posted on: September 19th, 2025 | 26 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

When Ellen Eckman’s grandson expressed interest in a bar mitzvah, she made a pledge to him: If he pursued his, she’d pursue hers.   Ellen didn’t have a bat mitzvah growing up. Although she was raised Jewish and had three brothers who celebrated bar mitzvahs with full ceremonies and parties, there was  less opportunity for girls […]

In 2022, Lawrence and Jill Tarnoff got b’nei mitzvahed — 60 years after his first

In 2022, Lawrence and Jill Tarnoff got b’nei mitzvahed — 60 years after his first

Posted on: September 15th, 2025 | 22 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

Sixty years after his first bar mitzvah, Lawrence Tarnoff stood on the bimah once more, this time alongside his wife, Jill.   For most of his life, Lawrence felt more culturally Jewish than religious. He connected with Jewish family, food, and holidays, and was bar mitzvahed as a teen. He even worked within the Milwaukee Jewish […]

At the Madison Farmer’s Market, lessons in antisemitism 

At the Madison Farmer’s Market, lessons in antisemitism 

Posted on: September 12th, 2025 | 19 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

“What does the Holocaust have to do with Gaza?”   My 17-year-old daughter and I were wandering through the Dane County Farmer’s Market in August.  I love walking from stand to stand sampling unfamiliar produce.  My favorite spot is always the small patch of real estate with the Capitol building as its backdrop. This is where […]

Woodale Crossing, the newest development of Jewish Family Services, offers 56 units of affordable senior housing

Woodale Crossing, the newest development of Jewish Family Services, offers 56 units of affordable senior housing

Posted on: September 12th, 2025 | 19 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

Jewish Family Services has opened a new supportive housing residence, aimed at addressing Milwaukee’s affordable housing shortage for senior citizens.    The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Residences at Woodale Crossing Senior Affordable Housing, an $18.7 million project, began welcoming residents in early August.   Located in Brown Deer, the new 56-unit building is a step forward in […]

Local thoughts after a positive tale – from the Holocaust 

Local thoughts after a positive tale – from the Holocaust 

Posted on: September 12th, 2025 | 19 Elul 5785 by Rob Golub

When a documentary illustrated Sweden’s role as a haven for Jews during the Holocaust, some audience members took note of the positive take on a terrible moment.  About 70 people gathered on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Curtin Hall for a screening of “Passage to Sweden.” The film was co-presented by the […]

Honey-glazed, air-fried chicken thighs: Deliciously ready for the holidays – tested in our Glendale kitchen

Honey-glazed, air-fried chicken thighs: Deliciously ready for the holidays – tested in our Glendale kitchen

Posted on: September 11th, 2025 | 18 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

InPamsKitchen  Honey-glazed, air-fried chicken thighs with apples and onions are a flavorful and symbolic dish that is perfect for Rosh Hashanah—the Jewish New Year.   Apples and honey are among the most beloved Rosh Hashanah foods, and their significance is layered with meaning. Apples are symbols of beauty, sustenance, and healing. Honey represents sweetness and abundance.  […]

What a Holocaust education unlocked for students

What a Holocaust education unlocked for students

Posted on: September 5th, 2025 | 12 Elul 5785 by Special to the Chronicle

In July, we had the privilege of a lifetime: to travel with 89 high school students and their chaperones and companions from the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra as part of their tour to Poland and the Czech Republic.   Representing MYSO’s cream of the crop, these highly skilled musicians from across southeastern Wisconsin practiced for months […]