The highly anticipated Marvel superhero series, Moon Knight, which is scheduled to debut on the streaming platform Disney+, has sparked a great deal of excitement among comic book fans, among other reasons because it features, for the first time, a superhero who is overtly Jewish. 

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The official trailer for the series, which aired on Monday, has garnered considerable interest from fans.

Moon Knight is not the first Jewish superhero – there are many claims that Superman and Spiderman are Jewish, and of course, we can't forget Magneto, the X-Men supervillain who was portrayed in the first film in the series as a child in a Nazi concentration camp. Two of Marvel comics' most well-known characters, meanwhile, twins Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, are the children of Magneto, a plotline that couldn't be referenced by Marvel due to legal reasons. 

The history of Jewish comic book heroes, however, is small. Until Moon Knight, the son of a rabbi and the alter-ego of Marc Spector, a Jewish American from Chicago who became a boxer, joined the Marines, the CIA, and later became a mercenary. After almost being killed, the dying Spector is brought into a recently unearthed tomb for shelter and placed before a statue of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Spector seems to die but then suddenly revives, fully healed. He claims Khonshu wants him to be the "moon's knight," redeeming his life of violence by now protecting and avenging the innocent. 

The character Moon Knight first appeared in Werewolf by Night #32 in August 1975.

The new series, which is part of "Phase Four" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is expected to debut in March 2022 and will consist of just six episodes. The role of Moon Knight is played by Oscar Isaac, who is not Jewish. The series co-stars actor Ethan Hawke as Moon Knight's mysterious antagonist Arthur Harrow.

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Chief Rabbi David Lau has sent a harshly-worked letter to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett protesting plans to promote a reformed system of conversion to Judaism in Israel and remove Rabbi Moshe Weller as head of the Conversion Authority in the Prime Minister's Office.

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In the letter, Lau writes, "The role of the head of Conversion Authority is to implement the halachacic instructions of the president of the Great Rabbinical Court. And the head of the Conversion Authority has an obligation to ensure that the halachic instructions are followed."

The reforms to Israel's conversion system, initiated by Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana, would among other things allow city rabbis to operate conversion courts in the hope of helping tens if not hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens of Jewish heritage who are not recognized as Jewish to convert. The conversion reform bill is due to be presented to the Knesset plenum for a first reading on Wednesday.

In his letter to Bennett, Lau also writes, "Removing from office the person who is in charge of implementing halachic instructions cuts off the connection between the conversion system and the Chief Rabbinate, and will lead to a disconnection and lack of halachic responsibility for what happens during conversions."

In addition, Lau warns, "Unfortunately, this step is part of a dangerous trend to promote a system of conversion that is currently being discussed. I once again state that the proposed conversion reforms will cause a massive rift in the Jewish people that cannot be healed."

According to Lau, "If the conversion reforms are implemented, it will split the Jewish people, who in the future will have to grapple with the question 'Who is Jewish?', whom they can marry or – heaven forbid – not marry, a terrible situation of two states for two peoples, a split Judaism rather than a united one."

Lau concludes by informing Bennett "with great regret" that if the reforms are passed and Weller is removed as head of the Conversion Authority, "I will be forced to remove myself from any responsibility for conversions, and will immediately stop approving any conversion certificates issued under [the new system]."

Responding to Lau's letter, Kahana said, "It's painful to see that the chief rabbi intends to stop conversion in Israel just because a functionary's job has not been extended. The move will hurt new immigrants from Ethiopia, IDF soldiers seeing to convert, and thousands of other potential converts."

Kahana said that in an attempt to reach as broad a consensus as possible, the government was promoting a conversion reform bill that would allow Israelis to want to convert to do so in accordance with Jewish law.

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Kahana urged Lau to reconsider his intention of stopping conversions and continue the dialogue, so all sides concerned could reach better agreements about government-run conversion that follows Jewish law.

Associates of Kahana accused Lau of going "out of bounds."

"Stopping all conversions is the 'nuclear option,' and the strongest tool against converts. It's an immoral, unjustified act," they said

Associates of Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata said that she would "not allow the rights of immigrants to be violated."

Later Tuesday, people close to Lau said that claims he intended to stop all conversions were "a complete lie."

A statement put out in the chief rabbi's name said: "The chief rabbi is defined by law as head of the Jewish people and signs off on every conversion to the Jewish religion. As part of this, the rabbi has the head of the Conversion Authority, whom he appoints to ensure that conversions take place in accordance with the rules of Jewish law.

"The moment that person is dismissed and the rabbi has no way of knowing according to what rules conversions were carried out, the chief rabbi will by no means sign off on any conversion, regardless of the identity of the convert and what country they come from, without knowing with certainty that it was conducted according to Jewish law, as detailed in the rabbi's letter to the prime minister," the statement read.

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Is good help still so hard to find? Maybe not – an Israeli startup's robotic applications platform can be integrated into its first service robot, Gary.

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On Oct. 12, Unlimited Robotics announced the launch of its developer's platform, Ra-Ya, which is designed to make it easier for software engineers to build robotic applications even without prior experience in hard-coded environments.

The hardware and software applications can be integrated into Gary, Unlimited Robotics' first service robot, which is scheduled to hit the market for sale to consumers, businesses, and offices in 2022.

Guy Altagar, CEO of Unlimited Robotics, explains that programming a robotics application is "not that simple for most software developers," and says that his company is "democratizing the way people can build applications for robots."

According to Altagar, "We are empowering software engineers who do not have prior experience in robot programming, especially if they have experience in JavaScript and Python, to actually create pragmatic solutions for people's homes, businesses, and offices."

Gary is designed to perform chores for home, business, and office environments. Gary can autonomously navigate and move in both familiar and new places indoors, as well as adapt to multiple types of surfaces such as grass, carpets, and tile. Gary has a top speed of 1.2 meters/sec (3.1 mph).

Gary can also fetch and carry, holding up to 5 kg (11 lbs.) of payload with its two arms, each of which is equipped with a different gripper device adapted to grabbing, holding, or squeezing. The service robot features three different infrared and in-depth cameras, which help it improve its performance through artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.

"Usually, a standard robot or an electronic device can perform only one function. With our technology, we are bringing a new way to build several mechanical and operational applications – all in one device," Altagar states.

The beta version of Ra-Ya is free, and developers can integrate and offer their applications to Gary's consumers or businesses. Because the company's network features "unique" interconnectivity technology, each robot "teaches" others how to perform their next tasks better," Altagar says.

Unlimited Robotics has announced a waiting list for Gary. Anyone entering his or her name must pay a one-time fee of $99. The company plans to charge a monthly "subscription" fee for purchasers. Customers are welcome to pay in Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Ethereum.

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Sarah Silverman has claimed Kathryn Hahn playing Joan Rivers in a new TV series is akin to "Jewface."

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During the latest episode of her podcast, the comedy star tackled the topic of Hollywood casting agents regularly selecting non-Jewish actors to portray Jewish characters.

"There's this long tradition of non-Jews playing Jews, and not just playing people who happen to be Jewish but people whose Jewishness is their whole being," Silverman said.

"One could argue, for instance, that a Gentile playing Joan Rivers correctly would be doing what is actually called 'Jewface.'

"Jewface... [it' doesn't feel good to say ... is defined as when a non-Jew portrays a Jew with the Jewishness front and center, often with make-up or changing of features, big fake nose, all the New York-y or Yiddish-y inflection. And in a time when the importance of representation is seen as so essential and so front and center, why does ours constantly get breached even today in the thick of it?"

Silverman went on to insist that Hahn, who was raised Catholic, didn't do anything wrong in taking on the lead role in upcoming limited series The Comeback Girl, and she understands that "acting is acting."

"Kathryn Hahn did absolutely nothing wrong. She's a brilliant actor and she will be great as Joan, and singularly, I have zero problem with it," she continued, before listing other examples of non-Jewish women playing Jewish people or characters, such as Felicity Jones portraying Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the On the Basis of Sex and Rachel Brosnahan taking on the part of Miriam Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

And while Silverman admitted she doesn't "have all the answers," she is adamant it is time for more representation in Hollywood.

"It has to also finally matter for Jews as well. Especially Jewish women," she added.

This story was originally published by Cover Media. 

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To mark the 31st anniversary of Shalva, an Israeli organization that works on behalf of people with disabilities, American Friends of Shalva recently held their annual gala.

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This year's event made a nod to the Middle East peace process of this past year, with the Shalva musical group, along with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, performing Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" with a group of musicians from the United Arab Emirates.

The special rendition, performed online, was sung in English, Hebrew, and Arabic. Emirati Singer Tariq Al Menhali took part in the musical gesture.

Guest of honor, His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, the Emirati Ambassador to the US, said it was a "great honor" to take part in the event honoring 31 years since Shalva was founded. Otaiba is also one of the architects of the Abraham Accords, and along with officials in the UAE and Bahrain is promoting programs modeled after Shalva to help children with disabilities.

The ambassador said that the UAE shared Shalva's "unwavering commitment" to improving the lives of people with disabilities, noting that in the Emirates, individuals with mental or other special needs were called "determined," a recognition of their achievements in various fields.

Otaiba said that the special rendition of the Simon and Garfunkel classic showed how "we must continue to work together" regardless of nationality, religion, or culture.

Shalva founder Kalman Samuels said that the gala event had made its theme "Building Bridges to the Future" in order to reflect the way in which Shalva inspires society to be more accepting, build bridges between people with disabilities and the community, with special emphasis on the relations that recently opened between Israel and the Arab world as a result of the Abraham Accords.

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The British Embassy in Israel's entrepreneurship center is teaming up with a cluster of NGOs and tech players to foster Arab-led startups in Israel in a program called MoveUp.

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Partners in the initiative include PresenTense, a non-profit organization that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion in Israel;s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Citi Foundation, the British Embassy, the UK Israel Tech Hub and with Takwin VC, which invests in Arab-led startups.

The new post-accelerator aims to assist in advanced levels of product development and provide the founders with relevant tools, consulting, guidance and networking with their next steps.

A group of 10 to 12 entrepreneurs will participate in an intensive two-month program designed to include 12 virtual group sessions led by local and UK experts in fields ranging from finance to intellectual property and more. Participant will also be connected to potential investors in Israel and the UK.

Khouloud Ayuti and Ariella Rosen, co-CEOs of PresenTense, said that "In these times of growing uncertainty and increasing social gaps between diverse communities in Israel, we are proud to launch MoveUp together with our partners to provide immediate support for Arab entrepreneurs, promoting them to take part in the 'startup nation.'"

British Ambassador to Israel Neil Wigan said, "Promoting values of diversity and inclusion is of great importance for the UK, and we are happy for the opportunity to assist and contribute to the promotion of these values in the Israeli tech ecosystem.

"I believe in the power of technology and entrepreneurship as a catalyst for a diverse and inclusive society and as a tool to address social gaps, and I welcome the collaboration between Embassy and PresenTense on this mission. We look forward to continuing to work together for a diverse future in the Israeli tech sector," Wigan said.

Citi Foundation Israel CCO Neil Corney said,"The unique partnership between Citi and PresenTense concerning shared social values and perceptions leads to fruitful results."

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Agam is transgender.

"This morning I am proud to be Israeli and the first transgender [person] in history to be featured on the Foreign Ministry calendar, which goes out worldwide this week," Agam told her 54,0000 Instagram followers on Thursday.

"I'm proud to represent my beloved country. Thank you to the Foreign Ministry for choosing me, what an honor," Agam added.

The August page of the calendar shows a picture of Agam sporting a black and white suit, photographed in front of Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv.

Agam, 37, was born Nissim Ajmi. "Around age 10, I started feeling confused," she told Globes in an interview in 2018. "It's not that I felt that I wanted to be a woman, but I realized that I was attracted to my feminine side."

Also in 2018, Agam was voted "Israel's mentor of the year" for setting up a support group for transgender girls, which she runs on a volunteer basis.

Agam gained fame in 2004 on the second season of the reality show "Project Y," and since then has acted in the series "HaAlufa" (the champion) and "HaTachana" (the station). The latter role marked the first time that a transgender actress played a female part in Israel.

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All of Dor's friends and family who watched the ceremony on a livestream knew how far Dor had come to fulfill his life's dream. Twenty years ago, he was born with cerebral palsy, which caused him issues with his legs and arms.

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Only when Dor started studying karate under Yisrael Siyali did his life begin to change. He gained strength, overcame his mobility difficulties, and enlisted in the IDF as a combat soldier. According to IDF figures, he is the first cerebral palsy sufferer to serve as a combat soldier.

"Yisrael believed in me," Dor says. "He taught me to walk correctly, to run in a straight line, to stand up straight. He worked hard. He changed my life. I joined the Armored Corps, and in spite of the tough periods, I proved I could overcome almost any physical difficulty."

Dor talks to Israel Hayom at his family's home in Rishon Lezion while he is enjoying a week's leave. Someone watching him move around the house can't tell he has cerebral palsy.

His mother, Sigal, says "We took him to treatments with neurologists and orthopedists. We had an amazing private doctor, and we did everything to help him progress as much as possible."

As a child, Dor did not entirely understand his condition. He couldn't play much at recess, because he would constantly fall.

"I was full of energy and just wanted to work it off, so it was really frustrating to fall down in the middle of a game. It wasn't nice," he says.

"From a young age, I realized I couldn't fall into a cycle of feeling bad and bad moods, because it would never end. I always got back on my feet, physically and emotionally. Luckily, the kids in my class never made fun of me. Sometimes I was embarrassed, but I got over it."

Dor says, "I wanted to move ahead, like everyone … For me, the worst thing was to be pitied or for people to go easy on me. I didn't go easy on myself."

When he was nine, Dor's doctors said he had gone as far as he could in terms of walking, running, and stability. Then Siyali, the karate instructor, came to the family's house and met Dor.

"He wasn't in good shape. When he stood or walked, his feet turned in. His knees were bent, his bottom stuck out. He wasn't standing straight. The bones in his leg weren't straight, and he didn't open his hands properly. He didn't use his fingers properly," Siyali says.

Siyali wasn't ready to accept the doctors' decree and started studying cerebral palsy.

"I studied Dor's functioning and racked my brain about what to do with him. I sat him down and said, 'I believe in you, and you believe in yourself.' I realized that with a lot of faith, consistency, and work, we could fix a lot in his brain. I decided to make him my life's work," Siyali says.

The two started to work together. At first, Siyali didn't even teach him karate. He focused on straightening Dor's feet and posture.

"I demanded a lot of him, and he met all the challenges. It's really hard for a person to change habits, but Dor did it like a champ."

Dor say, "Every week we'd take over the living room, and Yisrael just changed my entire posture. He helped me stand differently, and suddenly I started to walk and run in a straight line.

"After a few months of work, I felt that I was gaining confidence in my body. I was falling a lot less, and it strengthened me, physically and mentally. For me, Yisrael was an angel who appeared in my life and never stopped pushing me forward."

Three years after Yisrael started working with Dor, his son, Doron, was killed in a car accident in Tel Aviv.

"With all the grief and sadness, I knew I wouldn't stop treating Dor. I found comfort and healing in working with him, from giving something to someone else," Siyali says.

The two continued to work together until Dor started 12^th grade.

"I wasn't afraid to play soccer. I didn't fall down, and I was comfortable running. It was a huge change for me," Dor says.

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Dor also did well academically, completing the highest-level matriculation exams in physics, mathematics, computers, and English.

Although his military profile allowed him physically undemanding service in the IDF's Intelligence Corps or in one of the army's tech units, Dor wanted to serve in a combat role.

"I didn't want to sit in front of a computer all day. I wanted to challenge myself. I decided to do all I could to make it into a combat unit. I knew I wouldn't give up on that dream."

When the time arrived for his first enlistment interview, he came armed with his medical file and "a huge drive to show the doctor that I was fit for combat service."

He was assigned a medical profile of 72, which made him eligible for combat service. The doctor told him he was unusually high-functioning.

Dor enlisted at the end of July 2018 and was sent to basic training in the Armored Corps. "It was clear it was going to be tough. Stressful. Exciting. All of a sudden I signed off on a weapon, and I was a member of the legendary 7^th Armored Brigade. All I wanted and dreamed of and hoped would happen, was happening."

"Basic training lasted four months, and on the first trek, which was five kilometers [three miles], I felt good. But the more time went by, the harder it was, mostly physically. My legs weren't used to the round-the-clock effort. They would make us run from place to place, and it was hard. I fell down a lot. It frustrated me every time, and it was embarrassing, but I always got up and continued. Lucky for me, the soldiers with me were great."

"My platoon commander in basic training knew about my problem, but I didn't explain it to the other soldiers. I asked them not to go easy on me. I said I wanted to be exactly like everyone else," he says.

After three months, Dor gathered his comrades and told them his full story. "They listened and responded warmly. None of them made fun of me, the opposite."

There were difficult moments. At one point, Dor called his parents and told them he didn't know what he was doing.

His father, Yuval, says, "We know what kind of character this kid has. But when he enlisted, it was clear that this was something else entirely. We were concerned. We waited for him to call, to let us know that everything was all right."

At the end of basic training, Dor and his comrades completed a 24-kilometer (15 mile) march from Jerusalem to Latrun, where they marked the completion of the first stage of their service.

Dor was named the outstanding recruit of his basic training course. His platoon commander handed Dor his own beret as a badge of respect.

Dor's parents and younger brothers, as well as Yisrael Siyali, were all present.

"I was so proud of the kid, the outstanding soldier who didn't go easy on himself for a single second," the teacher says.

Dor progressed to specialized training in the Armored Corps. "That was easier, because we dealt more with tanks and less with running and marching."

When he was through with specialized training, Dor was assigned to the 75^th Armored Battalion, where he serves as a gunner on a Merkava tank.

"I was really happy to join the company, and I like it there. We trained in the Golan Heights, and then we were deployed near Mount Hermon. I'm with good friends, and I feel like I've improved."

"The difficulties I had in basic training and specialized training only moved me forward. It proved more than anything that I can handle physical challenges and difficulties. Military service has been really empowering for me."

At the beginning of May, the head of the Northern Command named Dor an outstanding soldier. His parents drove north for the ceremony, even though they knew they would not be allowed to attend because of coronavirus restrictions.

Dor is slated to be discharged from the military next year. For now, he isn't thinking of making the army his career.

"I'm thinking about traveling. Maybe I'll go to Australia, if the skies are open by then.  Then I'll study at university," he says.

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An Amazon Alexa Fund portfolio company, Voiceitt's technology allows people with severe speech impairments to communicate through speech.

The 25-person startup has already partnered with the state of Tennessee, whose Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities participated in a pilot of the Voiceitt app.

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DIDD Commissioner Brad Turner cited "impactful results for people with intellectual disabilities," and said the department hoped to provide more opportunities for people "using this technology as a bridge for communication with their loved ones, friends, colleagues, and communities."

Danny Weissberg, CEO and co-founder of Voiceitt, said after the financing round closed that "Voiceitt provides a new dimension of independence and quality of life for people with speech and motor disabilities, and a compelling tool for those who care for and about them. Our technology helps with this and much more.

"With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our objectives are not only to support the individual's in-person communication, but also to assist healthcare professionals and support the continuum of care for their patients," Weissberg said.

Sara A. Smolley, executive vice president and co-founder, said the company's long-term vision is to "integrate Voiceitt's customizable speech recognition with mainstream voice technologies to enable environmental control through a universally accessible voice system."

The company's work has caught the attention of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, with the Technion's investment arm, AMIT Ltd., endorsing its application.

"Voiceitt's technology generates significant social value and creates real opportunities for individuals with speech disabilities by granting them with the two most prominent human life qualities: communication and independence," AMIT said.

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