It's Happening In Miami

POSTPONED: Super Sunday and Good Deeds Day

Attention, college and graduate students! Apply now to receive a grant from the Sylvia Tuman Scholarship Program, administered by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.

The Sylvia Tuman Scholarship Program provides a limited number of scholarships for Jewish students who require financial assistance to further their education. Students must be enrolled or accepted into an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program at a college or university located in Miami-Dade or Broward counties. Preference is given to institutions in Miami-Dade County.

Application deadline: June 1, 2020.

Click here for more information and to apply.

An additional resource available for your consideration is an interest-free loan from the Hebrew Free Loan Association, a subsidiary of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. For more information, please visit www.hebrewloan.org or call 305-692-7555.

College students are being taught a lot of things. They gain skills that set them on the career track they choose. They also deal with a lot of essay writing, even though most topics and assignments seem completely unnecessary. The thing that students can’t learn easily is “how to handle college with less stress and learn more in less time.”

The costs of higher education are getting higher by the semester. Students are burdened by the need to get a scholarship, choose the right major, and deliver excellent results on every single course in order to keep that scholarship. It’s a tough process and students need assistance. This is where Artificial Intelligence plays an important role.

How AI Helps Students Reach Their Degrees

1. Chatbots Are the Real Deal

Wayne State University managed to increase its graduation rates from 24% to 46% within six years. This is a major achievement. The staff understood that students were facing problems. Without any action on the school’s side, they would continue struggling and the graduation rates would continue dropping.

In 2018, Wayne State University introduced a chatbot at its website. This was only one of several steps the staff took to support students through their journey towards a degree. Chatbots were ridiculous when they first started appearing. But technology got quite sophisticated, and it’s able to deliver useful answers very quickly. This chatbot achieved great results by answering questions with a conversational tone. According to the University’s reports, it contributed towards an enrollment boost by 14.6%, but it also helped current students to get the assistance they needed.

The bot answers questions about financial aid, debt handling, and returning to college after a longer break.

2. Content Automation Tools Make Academic Writing Easier

Content automation tools are still not sophisticated enough to replace a real essay writer. These are programs that take data and turn it into a narrative. They may also paraphrase text, so the content would run clean through plagiarism detection engines. This is the kind of writing helper that most students would love to have.

AI writing technology is still under development. It can’t produce clean and unique content yet. As a comparison, expert college essay writing service Edubirdie has the best essay writers who complete content upon a student’s request. They produce high-quality papers that students can learn for. That’s not artificial technology; it’s an actual writer offering homework help online. AI will become more advanced in the future, so many students will avoid buying papers online.

Will they be able to easily write papers through a program? Hardly. They may get paraphrased content. But if it’s good, the student can use it as a base for their own project. They will find it easier to organize a paper and commit to a focused writing process.

3. Grading Can Become an Automated Process

Are grades fair? That’s a question that every student has had so far.

Introverted and socially anxious students don’t like being the center of attention. However, many of them have great listening skills. They understand what the teacher says and know the answers. They have opinions. However, they are outshined in the classroom because they cannot fit in like extroverts can. When social anxiety kicks in, it’s impossible for a student to speak up. These students usually do better on written tests, but they still get lower grades.

Other students face a fear of tests. They get completely blocked and cannot write a single answer although they prepared well.

What about essays? Is it fair for a teacher to rely on their personal taste when grading them? Someone writes a brilliant essay on a controversial topic but the teacher doesn’t agree with the arguments. They can grade it poorly and make any excuse for that. Some students like getting creative with the structure, but a conservative professor won’t like that they didn’t stick to the 5-paragraph format. It doesn’t mean that the essay is worse than the one with a higher grade. There has to be a better way. Essay-grading software is an idea that’s still in development, but it can change things. Multiple-choice tests are already being graded by programs, and AI is doing that pretty well. There’s potential, and we should be supportive of it.

AI Will Change the Future of Education

Artificial intelligence is changing the way students learn and how quickly they acquire skills. We haven’t seen major changes in this field, but the potential is there. Schools, teachers, and students can use AI systems to make different aspects of the studying process easier.

First and foremost, AI gives students access to quick and correct answers. They don’t have to wait for the right time and go to different offices to get answers about financial aid, admissions, and all kinds of inquiries. A chatbot is very useful in delivering information. Academic writing should also become easier in the future thanks to AI, and grading will definitely become more fair.

These are only the beginnings. We’re going through an exciting era in education, and we’ll witness bigger steps in this evolution.

BIO: Ray Campbell is a blogger and writer with education as a main interest. He was always interested in finding ways to make learning easier and more accessible. Ray discusses different educational systems through his blog posts, with a goal to discover the perfect one.

North Miami Beach, Florida – Scheck Hillel Community School has been selected as 1 of 50 U.S. private schools nominated to receive education’s highest honor: the U.S. Department of Education's 2020 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence title. This nomination was announced in January 2020, by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) review panel.

Every year, the U.S. Department of Education seeks out and celebrates great American schools, schools demonstrating that all students can achieve to high levels. The National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. National Blue Ribbon Schools are an inspiration and a model for schools achieving excellence. Awards will be announced in Fall 2020. Scheck Hillel is a 2011 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

About Scheck Hillel Community School
Scheck Hillel Community School educates and inspires students 18 months-Grade 12 to become exemplary global citizens with enduring Jewish identity and values through an individualized college preparatory curriculum highlighted by Design/STEM, Capstone, college dual enrollment, arts, athletics and community service. Its 14-acres include a 115,000-sq.-ft athletic complex with academic expansion plans. Set within a nurturing, diverse community, Scheck Hillel is one of the world's largest Jewish community day schools and a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. For more information about Scheck Hillel Community School or to arrange a visit to the school, please contact our Admissions office at 305.931.2831x173 or write to [email protected].

Learn how to taste wine like a pro with Wine Connoisseur & Kosher Expert, Ricardo Kasinsky. Taste an amazing selection of world class wines, paired with delicious gourmet Passover canapés! Order Wine for Purim & Passover at wholesale prices! Art, Handmade Shmura Matzah & Seder Tickets at cost price! No charge. A donation of any amount helps cover cost.

More information at (305) 770-1919 or ChabadChayil.org

For a complete and timely schedule and other television providers, go to www.jbstv.org

JBS Film Premiere! The Story of Eddie Vitch

A daughter tells the controversial choices that her father, Eddie Vitch, a talented caricature and mime artist from Poland, made in order to survive the Holocaust. Sunday - 9pm & Midnight; Friday - 9pm

Tribute-Cantor Naftali Hershtik

A musical tribute to one of the 20th Century’s great cantors, Naftali Hershtik, featuring many outstanding cantors of today and a closing duet sung by Naftali and his cantor son, Netanel. From the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, New York.
Monday – 7:30pm & 1am; Wednesday - 1:30pm; Saturday – 10:30pm & 2:30am

ADL: Anti-Israel/Antisemitism

A discussion of “Anti-Israel vs Antisemitism” with Brian Cohen (Columbia/Barnard Hillel), Susan Heller Pinto (ADL) and Yair Rosenberg (Tablet). With Shaya Lerner (ADL) from the 2019 ADL Summit “Never Is Now” at the Javits Center in NYC.
Tuesday - 8pm & 1am; Thursday - 2pm; Saturday - 8pm

For President’s Day:

Washington's Letter To The Jews

A discussion of President George Washington's 1790 iconic letter to the Jewish community of Newport, Rhode Island with Rabbi Meir Solovietchik, Dr. Jonathan Sarna, and Dr. Louise Mirrer. Sponsored by Congregation Shearith Israel in NYC. Sunday - 1pm

U.S. Presidents & Israel

Professor Jerome Chanes of CUNY discusses how the American Presidential administrations of the 20th Century each interacted with the state of Israel. JBS exclusive coverage of Limmud NY 2016.
Sunday - 7pm; Monday - 2pm

92nd Street Y: Levy & Shama on America

Bernard-Henri Lévy, one of the West’s leading intellectuals, discusses the changing role of America on the global political scene with historian Simon Schama, author of The Empire & the Five Kings: America's Abdication and the Fate of the World. Today (Sunday) – 8pm & 2am; Monday - 10pm & 4am; Wednesday - 10:30am; Friday – 8:30pm & 1am; Saturday - 3pm

Music Industry vs BDS

Former Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Publishing, David Renzer, explains how he formed “Creative Community for Peace” to build bridges with Palestinians, to support artistic freedom and to counter the cultural boycott of Israel.
Sunday – Noon & 6pm

Abraham Lincoln

Yossi Prager, Avi Chai Foundation Executive Director for North America, reviews the enduring legacy of President Abraham Lincoln, and discusses the Jewish Tradition's notion of God's role in human events.
Monday - 3pm

JFK and Israel

Professor Jerome Chanes of the Center for Jewish Studies at CUNY's Gradate Center discusses the positive impact President Kennedy had on U.S.-Israeli relations.
Monday - 9pm & Midnight; Tuesday - 3pm

Fighting BDS In Israel

The CEO of “Im Tirtzu,” Matan Peleg, and Board Chair Douglas Altabef, discuss their organization’s work as the leading Israeli organization seeking to educate Israelis influenced by the BDS Movement to doubt the legitimacy of Israel. Tuesday - 9pm & Midnight; Wednesday - 3pm

Scott Shay on Faith

Scott Shay, author of “In Good Faith – Questioning Religion and Atheism,” explains how his book encourages atheists to consider intelligent and powerful reasons to doubt their certainty and to be open to the reality of God. L’Chayim with Mark S. Golub. Wednesday - 9pm & Midnight; Thursday - 3pm

WWII Hero's Medals

Playwright and author Eric Hausman-Houston ("The Lost Artist") describes how his father escaped Nazi Germany, went to Palestine and became the highest decorated WWII Palestinian soldier in the British Army; and Eric describes his efforts to retrieve his father's stolen medals. With Mark S. Golub.
Thursday: 9pm

Kosher Movies

Film critic and author Rabbi Herbert Cohen, who co-hosts a “Siskel and Ebert” type of film review show from Israel called "Kosher Movies," discusses his favorite films and their connections to values of the Jewish Tradition. L'Chayim with Mark S. Golub.
Saturday - 6pm

In The News: Olmert & Abbas

Haviv Rettig Gur, Political Analyst for The Times Of Israel, discusses Israeli reaction to the Trump Administration Peace Plan and to Ehud Olmert’s joining in a press conference with PA President Mahmoud Abbas criticizing the plan. With Mark S. Golub. Sunday - 11:30pm; Monday - 3:30am, 8:30am & 12:30pm

From the Aleph-Bet: Lesson 17**

New vowel sounds and rules of the Sh'vah. Monday - 9am & 4:30pm; Wednesday - 7pm; Saturday - 11am

Scheck Hillel Community School’s Jordan Alexander Ressler Arts Program presents “Mary Poppins, Jr.” The student cast and crew are introducing everyone's favorite magical nanny to a new generation on the theatre stage!

WHAT:
Musical Theatre Production of “Mary Poppins, Jr.” directed by Anthony Campisi with musical direction by Laura Bass and Angelica Losada and choreography by Ashlee Brown
WHO:
Scheck Hillel Community School’s Jordan Alexander Ressler Arts Program

WHEN:
Sunday, March 29, 2020 @ 11:00 AM
Monday, March 30, 2020 @ 7 PM
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 @ 7 PM

WHERE:
Scheck Hillel Community School (19000 NE 25th Avenue, North Miami Beach, FL 33180)

BOX OFFICE:
Purchase tickets at eHillel.org/boxoffice
($13/ticket online or $15/ticket at the door)

About Scheck Hillel Community School
Scheck Hillel Community School educates and inspires students 18 months-Grade 12 to become exemplary global citizens with enduring Jewish identity and values through an individualized college preparatory curriculum highlighted by Design/STEM, Capstone, college dual enrollment, arts, athletics and community service. Its 14-acres include a 115,000-sq.-ft athletic complex with academic expansion plans. Set within a nurturing, diverse community, Scheck Hillel is one of the world's largest Jewish community day schools and a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. For more information about Scheck Hillel Community School or to arrange a visit to the school, please contact our Admissions office at 305.931.2831x173 or write to [email protected].

The Greater Miami Section of the National Council of Jewish Women, locally known as NCJW Miami, hired Amy Bloom, who is its first Executive Director in a decade. NCJW Miami has been making a difference in the lives of women, children, and families in Miami and South Florida since its inception in 1921. Now, it is reorganizing to more readily meet the needs of the community and its members, with a diverse and enigmatic new board and an Executive Director at the helm.

NCJW Miami Board Co-President, Jenni Person responds to its new direction, “Coupled with the redevelopment of a new, dynamic Board, the appointment of an Executive Director marks an exciting moment of infrastructure expansion for NCJW Miami. Our section can now take on our justice-centered work and mission with the impact of a solid organization while modeling the priority of professionalizing and elevating women’s roles that have historically been volunteer and undervalued as such.”

Amy Bloom brings a wealth of non-profit experience. Previously, Amy established herself as a leader in the LGBTQ community in her native Chicago as co-chair of the Human Rights Campaign’s Chicago Gala and Executive Director for Equality Illinois. She also successfully managed her own company, supporting the fundraising and marketing efforts of over a dozen organizations. Moving to Miami six years ago, Amy most recently served as NCJW Miami’s Director of Outreach & Engagement. In this role, she led the organization’s governance transition from a presidium to a twenty-six member Board of Directors. Amy brings to NCJW Miami her expertise in strategic planning, grassroots organizing, and building coalitions that drive a wider movement.

Caren Kamlet, Board Co-President adds, “It has been my pleasure to volunteer for this amazing organization. As part of the fabric of Miami’s social justice history, NCJW has been helping those in need for almost 100 years. It’s the relationship between the community and the organization that has kept us strong. Our community service and advocacy efforts have uplifted lives across race, gender, culture and spirituality.”

Amy Bloom has her eyes set on the future, "I am honored to be NCJW Miami's Executive Director, and to have the opportunity to work with and build powerful women leaders who want to bring the organization into its second centennial."

ABOUT NCJW Miami: NCJW Miami currently advocates its progressive ideals with local, state and federal legislators. NCJW Miami will accompany NCJW members from around the state to Tallahassee in early February to promote reproductive rights and justice, gun safety, women’s equality and civil rights legislation. In April of 2019, members joined over 400 national NCJW members in Washington D.C. to promote similar legislation. NCJW Miami provides a leadership program for professional women, NCJW Teens, forming the future of women’s leadership and educational opportunities on advocacy, community building and spiritual enrichment. The section’s community service efforts include providing comfort for cancer patients, rides to polls, supporting local public education and immigrants’ needs. For more information visit www.ncjwmiami.org.

Press Contact: Laura Guren Rodriguez (305) 335-0606 [email protected]

A Conversation with Shirley & Arthur Sotloff

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, 7-9 p.m.

Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU FIU Professor Tudor Parfitt will moderate a discussion with Shirley & Arthur Sotloff about the life and career of their son Steven Sotloff and the issue of wartime journalism.

Arthur and his wife Shirley founded the 2LIVES Foundation soon after their son, journalist Steven Sotloff, was brutally murdered on international tv after being held hostage for one year. Their mission is to provide scholarships to women and men of excellence seeking careers in journalism in a changed world.

For a complete and timely schedule and other television providers, go to www.jbstv.org

92nd Street Y: Humor-Guide To Jew People

Stand-Up Comic Judy Gold sits with Dave Barry, Adam Mansbach and Alan Zweibel, award-winning humor writers and the co-authors of A Field Guide to The Jewish People. From the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Today (Sunday) – 8pm & 2am; Monday - 10pm & 4am; Wednesday - 10:30am; Friday – 8:30pm & 1am; Saturday - 3pm

Jewish Cinematheque: Yaron Zilberman

Israeli director Yaron Zilberman discusses his film, Incitement, story of the assassination of Yitzchak Rabin through the eyes of the murderer, Yigal Amir. With Jewish film scholar Eric Goldman. Monday – 7:30pm & 1am; Wednesday - 1:00pm; Saturday – 10:30pm & 2:30am

ADL Summit: “Never Is Now”

ADL: Broadway Responds To Hate

Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) and Broadway stars discuss how artists can help combat hate and promote freedom of expression. With Lisa Kron (Fun Home), Adam Kantor (Band’s Visit), Daniel Watts (Hamilton) and Benj Pasek (Dear Evan Hansen). From the 2019 ADL Summit in NYC. Monday - 8pm & 2am; Wednesday - 2pm; Saturday – 8pm & 1:30am

ADL: Elan Carr, Joan Ryan, Isaac Herzog

At the 2019 ADL Summit “Never Is Now,” Elan Carr (U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism), Joan Ryan (UK MP) and Isaac Herzog (Chairman, the Jewish Agency) address "Global Approaches to Fighting Anti-Semitism." Tuesday - 8pm & 1am; Thursday - 2pm; Saturday- 8pm

For Tu BiShvat

Talmud: Tu BiShvat

As Jews celebrate Tu BiShvat this evening and tomorrow, the Jewish “New Year for Trees,” when trees begin to bloom in the Land of Israel, Rabbi Mordechai Becher (Gateways) discusses the Talmudic view of the holiday on JBS’s “Dimensions of the Daf.” Today (Sunday) – 9am

Noah’s Flood & Climate Change

Three panels discuss the Biblical story of the Flood and how it relates to contemporary challenges of climate change. By the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (Fairfield, Ct) and the Jewish Federation of Upper Fairfield County, from Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, Ct). Today (Sunday) – 2pm

For Valentine’s Day -Talmud: Love, Marriage & Giving

On the week of Valentine’s Day, Rabbi Mordechai Becher (Gateways Organization Senior Lecturer) discusses the Talmud's attitude towards love and marriage, and how the Jewish Tradition teaches love is the pursuit of “oneness” achieved through acts of giving. On The JBS original series “Dimensions Of The Daf.” Thursday – 7pm & 1am

L’Chayim: Psychology of Love

Dr. Aaron Ben-Ze'ev, former President of the University of Haifa, professor of philosophy and author of "Love Online", sits to discuss the psychology of love. Thursday - 9pm & Midnight; Friday - 3pm

Film: The Pin

After being left for dead and waking up in a shallow grave, Jacob runs to the first hiding place he sees, a broken down barn where he is saved by a young girl. A love story in the shadow of the Holocaust. In Yiddish with English Subtitles. Friday – 9pm; Saturday – 4am

Also On L’Chayim This Week

Monday: Dr. Mordechai Kedar Pt. 1

Mordechai Kedar, a leading scholar on Arab culture (Bar Ilan University), addresses the profound misconceptions Americans have about the structure and mentality of the Palestinian world and offers an alternative peace plan. Monday - 9pm & Midnight; Tuesday - 3pm

Tuesday: Mordechai Kedar Pt. 2

Mordechai Kedar, a leading scholar on Arab culture (Bar Ilan University), explains why the Arab world needs to recognize Israel as a Jewish State and why the issue of Palestinian refugees reflects an anti-Israel bias. Tuesday - 9pm & Midnight; Wednesday - 3pm

Wednesday: Music Industry vs BDS

Former Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Publishing, David Renzer, explains how he formed “Creative Community for Peace” to build bridges with Palestinians, to support artistic freedom and to counter the cultural boycott of Israel.
Wednesday - 9pm & Midnight; Thursday - 3pm

Saturday: Abraham Lincoln

For Presidents’ Weekend, Yossi Prager, Avi Chai Foundation Executive Director for North America, reviews the enduring legacy of President Abraham Lincoln, and discusses the Jewish Tradition's notion of God's role in human events. Saturday - 6pm

For Parashat Yitro

Talmud: Honor Father & Mother

As the Jewish world reads parashat Yitro and the Ten Commandments this week, Rabbi Mordechai Becher (Gateways Organization Senior Lecturer and author of Gateways To Judaism) discusses the commandment to "Honor Your Father and Mother" and why the Jewish Tradition teaches that respect for elders is so important. On JBS’s original series “Dimensions of the Daf.” Tuesday – 9am & 4:30pm; Friday – 2pm

Jewish 101: Standing At Sinai

As the Jewish world reads sedra Yitro dramatically describing how the Children of Israel received the Torah at Sinai, the midrash describes that each person heard the words of God in his and her own way. “Jewish 101” with Mark S. Golub. Wednesday – 9am & 4:30pm; Friday – 1pm

ITN: Alan Dershowitz Answers

Alan Dershowitz responds to criticisms of his Constitutional arguments debunking the impeachment of Pres. Trump; discusses the impeachment process in both houses; refutes the Epstein charges; and describes the vitriol directed at him. Today (Sunday) – Noon & 6pm; Monday – 3pm

From the Aleph-Bet: Lesson 16

Learn about exceptions to vowel pronunciation and review the entire Hebrew alphabet Monday - 9am & 4:30pm; Wednesday - 7pm; Saturday - 11am