Sephardic genetics are widespread and common across Latin America

The Latin American Jewish & Gender Studies project, a new initiative of the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, will explore myriad aspects of Latin American Jewry.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s historic visit to Mexico and Argentina in mid-September is expected to improve trade ties for Israel and open the dialogue with Latin America’s Jewish community.

Nine Venezuelan converts, have been told they cannot immigrate to Israel ,despite evidence provided to the contrary, they are not actively engaged in Jewish communal life.

I had the opportunity the play the role of "ambassador" of my country at Camp Be'chol Lashon. It was one of the most meaningful experiences I have ever had.

Carnival, Mardi Gras, Carnaval.  These words convey exhuberance, dancing, masks, and overflowing joy (and often excess).

The “Derby Bunch”, or “Six Pack” as my parents like to call them, are a motley crew of grandkids – three of each gender – born within a six-year span to my two siblings and myself. And though all Jewish, we are spread across the ethnic and denominational map as well.

It begins like an old Hasidic story. A reluctant maskil is strong-armed into visiting a chasidic rebbe. In this case, the rebbe was Reb Zalman and the maskil was myself. I was to serve as the translator for a virtual yechidus, an intimate one-on-one meeting, between Reb Zalman and a grateful Latin American student, Dr. Juan Jimenez Bravo.

I happen to love when my two cultures intersect, as they often do, and on May 15th, I get triple the joy, as some of my favorite Jewish organizations come together for an authentic taste of Jewish Cuba.