Washington - After three years of partisan wrangling, the US Senate followed the House in passing a landmark farm bill. The measure will now move to the presidential signing stage. Many of its provisions call on the Secretary of Agriculture to implement an Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)—a hunger-reduction program—that increases the purchase of Jewish-certified (kosher) and Halal food. It also calls for the use of new labels so that entities participating in the program—such as food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens—can better identify Jewish (kosher) and Halal food.
Sochi, Russia - Rabbi Ari Edelkopf of the Sochi Jewish community said that Chabad in Russia is ready to serve thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish visitors during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Since Sochi won the right to host the Olympics in 2007, Rabbi Berel Lazar, the chief rabbi of Russia and president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the former Soviet Union, has worked closely with government officials and event organizers to ensure that Chabad's programs and products are seamlessly integrated into visitors' experience. Rabbi Edelkopf expects to provide 7,000 kosher meals. In addition to the three-story Jewish community center in the city center, Edelkopf said there will be two temporary Chabad houses strategically placed in the area.