Ruth Ellen Gruber

Ray Benson, left, and Asleep at the Wheel perform at the Country Rendezvous festival in Craponne sur Arzon, France, in July 2008.

CRAPONNE SUR ARZON, France (JTA) -- Think Jews and country music and you'll probably come up with Kinky Friedman, the cigar-chomping frontman of the iconoclastic Texas Jewboys, who is also a humorist, mystery novelist and failed but flamboyant candidate for Texas governor.

The real Jewish king of country music, however, is Ray Benson, the nine-time Grammy-winning leader of the country western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.

At 6-foot-7, Ray Benson has been described as a "Jewish giant" and "the biggest Jew in country."

He literally and figuratively towers over the stage in a Stetson and fancy tooled boots, with a grizzled beard and long, thinning hair pulled back in a pony tail.

"I saw miles and miles of Texas ... Full Story

Jewish writers recall stadium memories
Many of the sportswriters who chronicled the Yankees over the years were Jewish. The New Jersey Jewish News updates us as to what these authors have to stay about the demolition of baseball’s grand cathedral. (New Jersey Jewish News)

Survey Finds Jews Secular But Affiliated
Religiously speaking, Jews are joiners but not necessarily believers, according to a look at the data from a new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Although Jews join synagogues and send their children to religious school at rates that rival or surpass their Christian counterparts, Jews are far less likely to pray, read the bible or believe in God (The Forward)

Orthodox Rabbis Now Tie Kashrut To Ethics
Weeks after the Conservative Novement developed and the Reform Movement endorsed the “hekhsher Tzedek” certificate affirming food products were prepared in an ethical manner, mainstream Orthodox rabbis are speaking out. In so doing, the centrist Rabbinical Council of America is opening a sharp rift with the right-of-center Agudath Israel of America. (The Jewish Week)

What is Jewish literacy?
Eighty scholars representing an American secular university, two Orthodox universities and HUC-JIR gathered last week with the elusive aim of defining what Jewish literacy is -- and what role it should play in improving the quality of Jewish education around the world. “It was a very 21st-century conference," said Dr. Michael Zeldin, director of HUC's Rhea Hirsch School of Education in Los Angeles. (Washington Jewish Week)

New research: Jews, Israel suffer unfair hits in U.S. textbooks
If your child brought home a history book that said Jesus was a Palestinian, or that Jews contributed little to the arts and sciences aside from Old Testament poetry, how would you react? According to researchers Gary Tobin and Dennis Ybarra, most parents do nothing, a reaction they hope to change. (the jewish newsweekly of northern california)

Converting to Judaism connects her faith to her family
With a Muslim father, a Southern Baptist mother and a Catholic school education, Linda Aldoory grew up surrounded by religion, but not one she could call her own. It took more than a decade of being married to a Jewish man for her to realize Judaism was the right religion for her. (The Maryland Gazette)

Blessings for the Meal before the Fast
Wednesday, before the sun begins to set, we will sit with our families and friends and enjoy a special meal to provide sustenance throughout the fast that will begin when the meal is concluded. But the occasion is not simply about the soup and the brisket. Take a moment to print out the blessings for this meal and make copies for each person at the table so that together you can give praise and thanks.
 

Yom Kippur Torah Teachings
To help you prepare for the Day of Atonement, we’ve gathered together discussions of the Torah portions that will be read this Yom Kippur. Rabbis Lawrence Kushner, Rifat Sonsino and Tom Gutherz give us their thoughts about the portions from Deuteronomy 29, read on Yom Kippur morning, and Leviticus 19, read in the afternoon.

Stand up for Reform in Israel
Rabbi Miri Gold has served as the rabbi of Birkat Shalom congregation on Kibbutz Gezer since her ordination by HUC-JIR in 1999. Sixteen other local rabbis serving in the Gezer area receive a state salary, but Rabbi Gold is not among them, simply because she is a Reform rabbi. Sign a petition sponsored by the IMPJ demanding that she be recognized by the state and paid a salary.

Sukkot Preparation
Looking for ways to make Sukkot a truly “green” holiday? Need help with the Sukkot blessings? Wonder what you can do to make the holiday meaningful for young children? The Union for Reform Judaism has gathered resources to help you prepare for and celebrate Sukkot, which begins at sundown on October 13.

Calling all Young Composers
Jewish musicians, born after January 1, 1974, take note: The Guild of Temple Musicians is seeking entries for The Young Composer’s Award 2009. Entries must be a set of three pieces, which may be performed separately or as a unit, and entirely in Hebrew. The deadline for submissions is February 27, 2009.

Jewish Words and Phrases
Wonder how to greet your Jewish friends and relatives between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? Not sure about the meanings of machzor, teshuvah, yizkor or Kol Nidrei? Consult the Union’s online glossary to get the answers and talk like a pro this holiday season.

Vayeilech: Be Strong and Resolute
Yom Kippur is a preparation for death, yet this holiest of holy days is not about death, but rebirth, writes Dr. Carol Ochs in this week’s parashah. “These twenty-five hours of intense introspection, repentance, and physical affliction bring about liberation, a fresh start, a year new not only in time, but also in the opportunity to start again,” she writes. But sticking to our resolutions requires us to “be strong and resolute.”

For more information, see Union for Reform Judaism http://www.urj.org.

Groups advised against keeping Palin
Jewish groups have been accused of carrying out a partisan agenda by disinviting Sarah Palin and other American elected officials from their anti-Iran rally. But a former top IRS official says he warned organizers that her presence could end up costing them time and money. Full Story

Obama stuck at 60 percent of Jewish vote
A new survey from the American Jewish Committee shows Barack Obama still hovering around 60 percent among Jewish voters. His big problem: the undecideds. Full Story

Canadian elections coincide with Sukkot
Canada's federal election campaign has a distinctly Jewish irony this time around: The country's solidly pro-Israel prime minister reached out to Jewish voters with Rosh Hashanah cards just weeks before an election that falls on Sukkot. Full Story

China launches tours to Israel
Forty Chinese tourists departed for Israel in the first officially sanctioned tour group from the republic. Full Story

Heat, but little movement, during Iran leader's visit
With speeches, fiery rhetoric and protestations of one sort of another, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his opponents in the United States faced off against each other during his latest visit to New York. Full Story

Ukraine city building toward prominence
With money from billionaires giving back to the Jewish community, myriad construction projects in Dnepropetrovsk could make this industrial city a prominent world center for Jewry. Full Story