Fwd: Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month; Chevra Kadisha Leaders Unite at OU-NASCK Conference; How Kosher Marshmallows Are Made

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Shabbat Shalom <shabbatshalom@ounetwork.org>
Date: Thu, May 7, 2026, 5:11 PM
Subject: Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month; Chevra Kadisha Leaders Unite at OU-NASCK Conference; How Kosher Marshmallows Are Made
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>

If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

 

Plus: Rabbi Menachem Genack on the Rav, Aggadah, and the Publishing of Aggadot HaRav PARSHAT BEHAR-BECHUKOTAI May 8-9, 2026 / 22 Iyar 5786  FEATURED What’s Great About Jewish Life in America? Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month May is Jewish American Heritage Month, celebrating the history, culture, and contributions of Jews in America. As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Jewish community members from diverse backgrounds share what gives them pride and optimism about Jewish life in America today. Read More 100+ International Chevra Kadisha Leaders Unite at OU–NASCK Inaugural Men’s Conference Halacha Initiatives More than 100 Chevra Kadisha leaders united at a recent OU-NASCK conference dedicated to chizuk, connection, and practical guidance in carrying out this ultimate chesed shel emes. Read More  AROUND THE OU Jewish Action Rabbi Menachem Genack on the Rav, Aggadah, and the Publishing of Aggadot HaRav In the latest episode of Jewish Action: The Podcast, Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher and general editor of OU Press, discusses the newly published Aggadot HaRav Vol. II, shares personal memories of the Rav, and explains why the Rav’s voice continues to shape Jewish thought more than 30 years after his passing. Listen Now Teach PA 200+ Jewish Day School Students Attend Teach PA Advocacy Day More than 200 students and community leaders met with Governor Josh Shapiro and state lawmakers during a Teach PA Advocacy Mission to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, focused on advancing funding, security, and resources for nonpublic education. Read in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle OU-JLIC Israel's Government Housing Lottery Demystified for English-Speaking Couples Members of the JLIC Jerusalem community recently discovered that owning a home in Israel may be far more attainable than they realized. At a special event hosted by JLIC, an English-speaking mortgage broker explained Israel’s housing lottery program, which allows eligible buyers to purchase new apartments at subsidized prices with just a 10% down payment instead of the usual 25%. Read More  UPCOMING EVENTS Living Smarter Jewish Can I Make It in Today's Economy? Sunday, May 10, at 8:15 PM, in Lakewood, NJ Learn More  TORAH L'Kadsho Waiting Until Everyone Smells the Besamim Does passing the spices to a group of people constitute an interruption in the order of Havdalah? Rabbi Akiva Willig investigates! Plus… Rabbi Shmuel Silber on the melacha of koseiv (writing), and more! Waiting Until Everyone Smells the Besamim - Learn Now More on L'Kadsho Rabbi Menachem Genack And You Shall Blow the Shofar Why is blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah not mentioned in the Torah but derived from the mitzvah of blowing the shofar of Yovel? Read in Hebrew Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman Behar-Bechukotai: Rooted in Trust We are very familiar with this pasuk from this week’s haftarah found in bentching, “Baruch ha’gever asher yivtach baHashem, v’hayah Hashem mivtacho.” Yet if the man trusts in Hashem, what is added by saying that Hashem is his trust? Read More Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, zt"l Ten Words We must be not only discriminating in our words, but sparse as well. Our words must be few and scarce. For the more we use, the less they mean. Read More Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, zt"l The Chronological Imagination The multi-dimensionality of reality is simply too complex for us to grasp all at once. But what we cannot think simultaneously we can often think sequentially. That is the chronological imagination. Read More Rabbi Jack Abramowitz The Opposite Side of the Coin In our studies until now, the Chofetz Chaim has addressed the great rewards for performing acts of chesed. But what happens if someone chooses not to participate in acts of chesed? Find out in the latest edition of The Chesed Files! Read More Rabbi Ephraim Glatt, Esq. Kriyas Shema - Loudly or Quietly? Some people virtually shout out kriyas Shema; others almost whisper it. What’s the proper course of action? This practical question is addressed in Rabbi Glatt’s Halachic Highlights! Listen Now Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb Wild Animals: Annihilate Them or Tame Them? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai debate whether “vicious beasts” in Parshat Bechukotai will be removed or tamed. Following Rabbi Shimon and Ramban, the emphasis is on them being tamed, highlighting a vision of transformation rather than destruction, and a future of harmony and renewal. Read More Halacha Yomis Using a Frozen Roll for Hamotzi at Shalosh Seudos Can you use a frozen roll as lechem mishneh at shalosh seudos? Read More  THIS WEEK ON SOCIAL Orthodox Union Jewish American Heritage Month: how many Jewish impactful figures in America do you recognize? Watch on Instagram OU Kosher Take a closer look at what goes into making kosher marshmallows. View on Instagram   Orthodox Union