The Dayton Jewish Observer, January 2019

B’Shevat Seven 19form p. 22 David Moss Tu designs Grace AfterSpecies Meals inBabka comic p. book

THE DAYTON Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton

January 2019 Tevet/Shevat 5779 Vol. 23, No. 5

OBSERVER

The Miami Valley’s Jewish Monthly • Online at daytonjewishobserver.org Peter Wine

Israeli & Dayton women’s interfaith

Novelist’s respite in Yellow Springs

6

Marshall Weiss

dialogue

Israeli-American author Moriel Rothman-Zecher

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID DAYTON, OHIO PERMIT NO. 59

Toledo attack thwarted

4

DOJ

Damon M. Joseph

New Year’s behind the Iron Curtain

Address Service Requested

Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton 525 Versailles Drive Dayton, OH 45459

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Florence Spitzmiller of Dayton talks about the value of harmony with women of various religions from across the Miami Valley and Israel’s Western Galilee Region, Nov. 14 at the Boonshoft CJCE

Masha I. Kisel

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Rabbi Ari Ballaban, director of Dayton’s Jewish Community Relations Council and assistant rabbi with Temple Beth Or, recites the blessings before lighting a Chanukah menorah in New Carlisle on Dec. 8 as New Carlisle Mayor Ethan Reynolds and his fiancée, Stephanie Willis, look on. This year, the city of New Carlisle decided to add a menorah lighting to its Christmas tree lighting, in memory of the 11 victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre.

‘We are standing with the people of the Jewish faith,’ Reynolds told the Dayton Daily News. ‘It’s about having light to stamp out intolerance and hatred.’

MLK Weekend interfaith programs Congregants and clergy of Omega hold their annual Dr. Martin Luther King Baptist Church and Temple Israel will Jr. Interfaith Service on Friday, Jan. 18 come together for their annual pulpit at 7:30 p.m. at Beth Abraham, 305 Sugar exchange on Friday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m.

Camp Circle, Oakwood. Pastor Dr. P.E. at Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Dr.; and Henderson Jr., Rabbi Joshua Ginsberg, Sunday, Jan. 20 at 10:15 a.m. at and Cantor Andrea Raizen will Omega Baptist, 1821 Emerson lead the service, which will Ave. feature singers and musicians Pastor Joshua Ward will with Corinthian Baptist Church deliver the Friday night sermon, and Beth Abraham Synagogue. and Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz Beth Abraham will also host will deliver the Sunday morning a brunch with Dr. Derrick L. sermon. For more information, Forward, president of the Daycall Temple Israel at 496-0050. ton Unit NAACP, on Sunday, Dayton NAACP Beth Abraham Synagogue and Pres. Dr. Derrick L. Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. The cost is $7.

Corinthian Baptist Church will R.S.V.P. to 293-9520.

Forward

Devorah Mangel (L), co-director of Chabad of Greater Dayton, gives a tour of the Miami Valley Mikvah, at Sugar Camp in Oakwood, to members of the JCC Book Club. After reading the memoir Uncovered by Leah Lax, who lived as a Chasidic Jew for 30 years, several members of the group realized they had never seen a mikvah (ritual bath) and knew little about what takes place there. Shown with Mangel are (L to R) Linda Shapiro, Karin Hirschkatz, and Margaret Maimon.

Call Wendy Archer for details at 937-837-5581 ext. 1269 5790 Denlinger Road • Dayton, Ohio 45426 • fvdayton.com PAGE 2

IN THIS ISSUE Ar ts............................................21

N o s h e r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 9

Calendar of Events.......................17

O p i n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 5

Family Education............................20

Obituaries.............................23

L i fe cyc l e s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 6

Re l i g i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 8

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

DAYTON

Israeli & Dayton women bond through interfaith dialogue

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Israelis (standing, from L) Hanaa Younis and Dalida Biromi meet Daytonians (seated, from L) Salwa Shalash and Dr. Ramzieh Azmeh at the Boonshoft CJCE for a Partnership2Gether women’s dialogue program

By Martha Moody Jacobs Special To The Observer Women who are activists in Dayton’s interfaith community met their counterparts from Israel when the Jewish Federation hosted a delegation of 13 Israelis over four days in November as part of the Federation’s Partnership2Gether program.

For almost a year before their arrival here, Women Leading a Dialogue — an all-female, all-Israeli friendship group of Jews and Muslim and Christian Arabs in the Western Galilee — The Adventures of

Partnership2Gether connects met twice a month on Sunday 14 Jewish communities in evenings.

They began sharing food and the central United States and Budapest, Hungary to Israel’s cultural history, with bondWestern Galilee region. Its ing exercises to break the ice. goal is to build relationships Eventually, the women met and strengthen global Jewish as friends and began to share identity through a network of stories, joys, and worries. people who exchange ideas and “My husband knows that programs.

Sunday night is my time to go Few Americans realize that off and — ahhh,” Israeli Jew Irit 21 percent of Israel’s populaCohen said of the sessions, retion is Arab: of them, 85 percent laxing her neck and shoulders. are Muslim and the remainder A project of the Jewish Fedare Christian, Druze, and other eration under the auspices of Continued on Page Five the Jewish Agency for Israel,

Bark Mitzvah Boy

‘Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.’

- The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

MLK Day & Tu B’Shevat 1/21/19 c O Menachem

BMB

From the editor’s desk One of my favorite aspects of editing The Observer is seeing all the joyous goings-on listed in Rachel Haug Gilbert’s Kvelling Corner column each month. But as The Marshall Observer now enters its 24th year, it’s Weiss time to say goodbye and thank-you to Rachel, who has written our Kvelling Corner column for more than five years. Rachel will continue to proofread The Observer as a volunteer and now leads the Jewish Federation’s PJ Library programming. And with an expanded tribe under her own roof, she decided the time was right to leave the column in someone else’s hands.

It’s my pleasure to let you know that as of next month, Scott Halasz will take over the column. Please be sure to send all of your items for the column to Scott, care of jewishobserver@ jfgd.net. Wishing you much good news to send our way in 2019, best health, and happiness.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

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Today...and for Generations PAGE 4

THE REGION

Toledo breathes sigh of relief after attack thwarted

By Jane Kaufman, Cleveland Jewish News More than 400 Jews packed Temple Shomer Emunim in Sylvania Township on Dec. 11 to hear about a Holland, Ohio man’s plot to attack two Toledo-area synagogues.

Damon M. Joseph, 21, who has the alias Abdullah Ali Yusuf, was arrested Dec. 7 and accused in federal court of planning an DOJ attack on two synagogues after he took possession of two AR-15 rifles. He was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group.

The meeting was called for Damon M. Joseph members of the Jewish community. Speakers included Justin E. Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, FBI acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Fortunato of the Cleveland office, and Sylvania Township Police Chief Paul Long.

“In the weeks leading up to his arrest, we worked very diligently to ensure that we knew what he was doing, who he was talking to, and what he was doing in the community, to make sure that there was a mitigated threat to the Jewish community in Toledo,” Herdman told the Cleveland Jewish News on Dec. 12. Long said he learned of the investigation of Joseph the week of Dec. 3. “We just let our people know,” he said, adding that his 44-person police department stepped up patrols around the area’s four synagogues. “A little extra attention is always good. We were very much assured there was no imminent danger.”

Among their questions, Jews at the meeting asked whether to arm themselves when attending services and whether to step up security at synagogues. Fortunato told those gathered that he was comfortable with the level of security in synagogues around Toledo and that he would willingly attend services with his family at the synagogue where the meeting was held.

“The system, as structured, worked with these joint terrorism task forces,” he said Dec. 12, adding that vigilance on the part of the public can make a difference. “The public has a huge role.”

With a Jewish population of between 2,200 to 2,500 depending on the season, two of the synagogues share a campus with the Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo and the merged JCC and YMCA. Joseph toured that campus with an undercover agent prior to his arrest.

“They told us prior to last night’s meeting that they would never have allowed him to come prowling around here alone from when they first became aware of him,” said Chuck Traugott, synagogue administrator at Congregation B’nai Israel in Sylvania Township.

Tina Stieben, interim COO of the Jewish Federation of Toledo, said she was surprised to learn of the arrest on the morning of Dec. 10.

“We are just very grateful that they arrested him before any act was committed,” she said. “You never think it’s going to happen in your community.

We were surprised to hear that he was just in the neighboring town. I think anybody would be.”

Stieben said on Dec. 12 that she believed the community meeting allayed fears among Jews.

Continued on Page 18

Editor and Publisher Marshall Weiss MWeiss@jfgd.net 937-853-0372 Contributors Martha Moody Jacobs Masha I. Kisel Candace R. Kwiatek Advertising Sales Executive Patty Caruso, plhc69@gmail.com Proofreader Rachel Haug Gilbert Billing Jeri Kay Eldeen, JEldeen@jfgd.net 937-853-0372 Observer Advisor Martin Gottlieb Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton Bruce Feldman President David Pierce Immediate Past Pres.

Todd Bettman President Elect Joel Frydman Foundation Chair Dr. Heath Gilbert Treasurer Beverly Louis Secretary Dan Sweeny VP, Resource Dev. Mary Rita Weissman VP, Personnel Cathy Gardner CEO The Dayton Jewish Observer, Vol. 23, No. 5. The Dayton Jewish Observer is published monthly by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, a nonprofit corporation, 525 Versailles Dr., Dayton, OH 45459.

Views expressed by guest columnists, in readers’ letters and in reprinted opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Dayton Jewish Observer, The Dayton Jewish Observer Policy Committee, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton or the underwriters of any columns. Acceptance of advertising neither endorses advertisers nor guarantees kashrut.

The Dayton Jewish Observer Mission Statement To support, strengthen and champion the Dayton Jewish community by providing a forum and resource for Jewish community interests.

Goals • To encourage affiliation, involvement and communication.

• To provide announcements, news, opinions and analysis of local, national and international activities and issues affecting Jews and the Jewish community.

• To build community across institutional, organizational and denominational lines.

• To advance causes important to the strength of our Jewish community including support of Federation agencies, its annual campaign, synagogue affiliation, Jewish education and participation in Jewish and general community affairs.

• To provide an historic record of Dayton Jewish life.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

DAYTON

Tim Sweeny

Peter Wine

Women’s dialogue

Continued from Page Three religions.

Dayton organizers for the Israelis’ visit included Jewish, Christian, and African-American women, and the leaders of the Dayton Women’s Interfaith Discussion group, Bushra Shahid (an Ahmadi Muslim), Phyllis Pavlofsky Allen (a Jew), and Sister Jeanette Buehler (a Catholic). The women also recruited hosts for the Israelis.

“My two guests had never left their husbands and children before, and they had family support and encouragement in coming here,” local host Beth Schaeffer said.

Topic cards to prompt dialogue at the Partnership2Gether women’s dinner Before arriving in Dayton, The group’s visit also includ- a non-Jewish Israeli may feel the 13 Israeli women visited ed a dinner at El Meson and a Youngstown, Dallas, and Fort when she is asked to join in the fused-glass workshop in which Israeli national anthem, with its Worth; Jewish Federations in those cities are also members of the women made coasters as mention of “Jewish souls.” the Partnership2Gether consor- personal souvenirs.

After a group dialogue activ“The one thing we do this tium with the Western Galilee. ity at the tables, all the dinner trip, just for us!” one visitor Following a tour of Prejuparticipants joined in a “love dice and Memory: A Holocaust exclaimed at that class. Jewish circle” (Israeli Jew Eynat BarExhibit at the National Museum Israeli Tali Shalev Weisz said zilay’s words) and sang John of the U.S. Air Force, the Israelis it was her favorite activity in Lennon’s Imagine. Jewish Israeli Dayton. joined Trotwood Mayor Mary Yael Haimovich said it gave her Hosts and guests also snuck McDonald for lunch at the Trot“hope and belief that the world in shopping, a college basketwood Community Center. is a good place to live.” ball game, and home meals Dalida Biromi, a Muslim Is“Never before did I witness raeli, noted that seeing McDon- prepared by hosts and visitors. how much (an event) impressed The highlight for many of the everyone who participated,” ald, a black woman “leading Israeli women — and for the a professional staff of women said Jodi Phares, the Federaand men, for me it’s not a usual Dayton women who attended tion’s project manager for the — was the celebration dinner thing, and I have to say that it visit. “We all want a better at the CJCE on the group’s last gives me hope, especially as a world. Getting to know each night in Dayton.

Muslim-Arabic woman.” other better is a good first step.

The all-female crowd was di- This makes me want to do Tiffany Taylor Smith, Universe in religion, race, and age, versity of Dayton’s director of more.” yet cohesive in spirit. Sixty-six diversity, hosted the Israelis “I was hosted by a religious Daytonians attended. Women for a discussion with a Native Muslim family of Pakistani oriwere asked to sit at tables with American about the Nagin,” Haimovich said. “With me those they didn’t know. tive American perspective of was a Christian woman from “I felt amazing in the last Thanksgiving, and for a session our group...(I)t teaches us that evening,” Jewish Israeli Nofar on women’s empowerment we are all human beings and Levy said, “being in a women’s all of us need to live in dignity, with UD staff and faculty, and high school students from Day- environment and having an peace, and love.” interesting discussion.” ton Early College Academy.

After the meal, the Israeli “Amazing to see and feel Bestselling novelist Martha Moody women introduced themselves the woman power of Dayton,” Jacobs chairs the Dayton Jewish and spoke about their personal Community Relations Council. In Biromi commented. experiences.

They met with members of 2007, she co-founded the DaytonThey explained how the the Dayton Women’s Interfaith Deir al Assad Project, a summer group had become so close Discussion group for a tour of camp English workshop for Arab that they could share sensitive the local Ahmadiyya mosque, Israeli middle-school students in issues such as the discomfort which Israeli Nofar Levy says Israel’s Lower Galilee. was a memorable experience for her as a Jewish woman.

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“Even the rabbi joined us on this tour,” Israeli Christian Mariana Triandafillidis noted.

During a luncheon at the MANAGEMENT RECRUITERS Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education, three of the visiting women talked BUILDING THE HEART OF BUSINESS about their dialogue experi228-8271 228-0060 ences, and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley shared reflections from Jeff Noble • mridayton.com • info@mridayton.com her May trip to Israel.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

PAGE 5

Marshall Weiss

MLK Weekend Interfaith Service

IsraeliAmerican novelist’s respite in Yellow Springs Israeli-American author Moriel Rothman-Zecher has returned with his wife to Yellow Springs, where he lived for much of his childhood. He’s stepped back from left-wing activism for now, to focus on parenting and writing.

Rabbi Joshua Ginsberg

Pastor Dr. P.E. Henderson

Cantor Andrea Raizen

Friday, January 18, 7:30 p.m. with Corinthian Baptist Church at Beth Abraham Synagogue Join us for uplifting music and inspiring words, featuring clergy, singers and musicians with Corinthian Baptist Church and Beth Abraham.

Brunch with Dayton Unit NAACP President

The Hon. Dr. Derrick L. Forward

Dr. Derrick L. Forward

Sunday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m. $7. R.S.V.P. to 293-9520

Social Justice Sunday Brunches $7 • R.S.V.P. to 293-9520

Jan. 13, 10 a.m.: Advocates for Basic Legal Equality Attorney Jessica Ramos, Immigration in the Trump Era. Jan. 27, 9:45 a.m.: Marshall Weiss, Dayton Jewish History: A Legacy of Caring. At Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Dr. Beth Abraham, Dayton’s only Conservative synagogue, is enthusiastically egalitarian and is affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. For a complete schedule of our events and times, go to bethabrahamdayton.org.

Service Schedule: Mornings, Mon. & Thurs., 7 a.m.; Tues., Wed., Fri., 7:15 a.m.; Sunday, 8:30 a.m. Evenings, Mon.-Fri., 5:30 p.m. Sat. Morning Service, 9 a.m.; Youth Service, 10:30 a.m.; Kiddush lunch following.

305 Sugar Camp Circle Dayton, Ohio 45409 937-293-9520 bethabrahamdayton.org PAGE 6

An Interview With Moriel Rothman-Zecher

By Marshall Weiss, The Observer It’s been a year of roller coaster highs and lows for Moriel Rothman-Zecher, who with his wife, Kayla, moved from Jerusalem to his childhood home of Yellow Springs in November 2017. The Israeli-American’s first novel, Sadness Is A White Bird, published in February 2018, earned him a 2018 National Book Award 5-Under-35 honor. Their first child, daughter Nahar, was born in April. But in July, Israel’s Shin Bet detained Rothman-Zecher for nearly three hours at Ben-Gurion Airport connected to his left-wing activism.

Here, he talks about his refusal to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, his subsequent imprisonment, and how this led him to write Sadness Is A White Bird. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

are certainly parts of it that are drawn from my lived experience, and that chapter definitely was drawn from my experiences.

You were born in Jerusalem?

Both of my parents are American. But both made aliyah and have Israeli citizenship as well. I was born there, lived there for the first five years of my life. Basically living there off and on, and then we came back to the states and settled here when I was 8. My grandfather moved here from Philadelphia. My grandfather was teaching education at NYU, and then got an offer to teach at this small college (Antioch) in southwest Ohio. And 75 years later, their great-granddaughter was born here. I lived here (Yellow Springs) from ages 8 to 16, and it was a hugely formational place in my life.

We live with two other friends of ours from Israel.

How did you find an agent?

I was working on an anthology called Kingdom of Olives and Ash, an anthology of writers from around the world about the situation in the occupied territories.

The editors of the anthology were Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon. At some point I had mentioned to Ayelet that I was considering writing a book. She put me in touch with what was then her agency.

What was growing up Jewish in Yellow Springs like?

It was, by and large, curious, occasionally fraught and unpleasant. I joke that my close friends growing up, none of whom are Jewish, all de facto kept Shabbat because they would come over to our house on Friday nights.

But then there were certainly some more fraught times, coming from a place of ignorance or trying to be edgy. Jokes and comments. It wasn’t necessarily constant, it wasn’t like a strong feeling of animosity or feeling targeted, but I certainly did feel like it was on my shoulders, that I had to represent the Jews at large. There’s a chapter in the novel that draws largely on that experience of Jonathan feeling like he has to defend the Jewish people by himself in the face of this guy who is making these crude, bizarre comments.

Jonathan finds in Israel an imaginary answer to all of those insecurities and pains.

I no longer see the novel as autobiographical. There

Why did you shift your story from non-fiction to fiction for the book?

It was a wild process. I thought I would write a political memoir, poetry, non-fiction, something like that.

(But) I was a little bored telling the story that I had already told so many times. I was much more interested in examining what didn’t happen in my own life, but what could have. And I felt fiction was a real opening for me to explore what kind of truths could come to the fore while letting go of actualities. As soon as I made that decision, the novel writing itself was a very quick process.

You were in an IDF prison because chose not to go with the draft. How did you come to that decision?

It was something I wondered about and debated about from when I was maybe 11. When I was 17, my family moved back to Israel to Zikhron Yaakov in the north. I spent my senior year of high school there, connected with friends, and fell in love with people and the place, and the language, and just had this really beautiful year there. My friends were getting ready to enlist and I was thinking that I probably would too, but my parents had encouraged me to try out college for a year beforehand. I went (to Middlebury College, Vermont) and started studying Arabic, and decided I’d finish college or at least I’d continue for another year, and then maybe after college I’d return and enlist.

It was between my first and second year in college and throughout my second year that things started to look a little different; after my first year of college, actually, with a Jewish American novelist from Dayton, Martha Moody. She had spoken to my mother and said that she was planning to go to live in a Palestinian village inside of Israel and teach English and get to know the kids.

My Mom said, ‘Well you know my son Mori’s taking THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

Arabic. Could he come along?’ And she said, sure, why not. She asked Jamal Assadi, who was coordinating things from his end, if he knew anyone who could host me. So Jamal ended up having me hosted by a man named Rihan Titi and his wife and family in Al-Bi’neh.

Rihan’s work is calligraphy; he writes everything from calligraphy of poetry to high school diplomas, an incredibly talented artist. He said he learned part of his art from an Egyptian Jew. And so for him it felt like a beautiful way to repay this favor on a broad, national level as it were, to host a young, Jewish man at his house for a few weeks that first summer.

It was a pretty wild experience. Having lived in Zikhron Yaakov, which is right across the street from Faradis, a Palestinian village inside of Israel, if you had asked me when I was 17 what life was like in Faradis, I would have shrugged and said to you, ‘I don’t know. I know that you can get good hummus and fix your car for cheap on the outskirts, and that during the Intifada they threw stones and burned tires and it was scary for Jews.’ And that’s it. I couldn’t tell you anything else because this radical separation exists between Jewish Israel and Palestinian Israel, let alone the West Bank and Gaza and refugee camps.

There were maybe a few negative interactions (during the stay in Al-Bi’neh), things people said that were upsetting or strange and a few times when people glared at me. But for the most part, feeling welcomed and embraced. They were just people. And that’s a very different experience than thinking about all of the Palestinians as a very distant concept.

A few months later, the winter of 2008, Operation Cast Lead started. I was watching it from afar and just the sheer amount of Palestinians that were killed over the course of that month was something that I couldn’t process based on the formulas that I had grown up

with: that Israel did everything possible to minimize Palestinian civilian death or suffering and that this war wouldn’t have happened unless it was absolutely necessary. I couldn’t find myself convinced of either of those two things. That was a pretty jarring experience.

And so, that was the long and short of what led my thinking and my politics to shift. I started the Middlebury chapter and then was (national) president of J Street U when I was a senior in college.

When I returned to Israel by the time I was 22, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I thought for a while that maybe I’d enlist but I’d probably refuse to serve in the territories. Or that I would find a quiet way to get out of my draft. But I was involved in a lot of activism, and activism is a very theatrical endeavor.

I saw at that point, in my draft notice, a potential for an activistic stance and not only a personal one. I decided to refuse. A strange part of the experience was hearing people later on saying, ‘Well, you probably don’t understand anything about what goes into someone’s mind when they enlist.’ And, ‘It sounds like you’re judging other people for enlisting, and it sounds like you think you’re better.’

I understand how people could think that. Because you can see someone taking another action, you can assume there may be some judgment embedded in this.

But for me, it was so crucial and so urgent to emphasize that I didn’t see myself as superior, I didn’t see myself as more ethical. I just think my life had taken a very different path. A big part of writing the novel was partly saying to others but mostly saying to myself that this experience of the young Israeli Jew enlisting and wanting to be part of the military is not only not foreign to me, but is something that I can deeply, deeply embody, I can deeply live, I can feel it pulsing inside

of me. My dearest friends and members of my family and a slightly alternative version of myself all enlisted and were combat soldiers and served in the occupied territories. And so, it was a very important follow-up for me to my political decision, to continue to explore different parts of reality and different parts of empathy and different truths that don’t need to contradict each other, that can exist in the same reality.

Your father’s field is conflict resolution. Did that have an influence on your trajectory?

Absolutely. My Dad still works in the field of conflict resolution and mediation. (My mother), she’s a mental health therapist. She works now in hospice care out of Hadassah in Jerusalem. That also has a deep influence on me, this combination of my father operates from this place of wanting to see a myriad of perspectives and the truth that exists sort of across boundaries and the way that these truths need not be mutually exclusive — but can all exist at once in the same space. And my mother does work that is just profoundly laden with empathy, of not flinching away from pain and not flinching away from suffering but rather facing pain and suffering head on with an open heart.

What was it like being in military prison in Israel?

It was unpleasant and disturbing but not singularly traumatic. I was never singled out, I was never mistreated by the prison staff or by other prisoners.

It was a short period. I was never physically attacked or abused. It was predictable. But at the same time, it’s a bizarre experience even though there was something volitional about this. Someone asked me, ‘You could have just stayed in America forever.’ And that’s absolutely right. No one forced me to go back to Israel.

It (prison) increased my dismay with what this place I love is doing to so many people, that essentially many Palestinians have this as an everyday experience. Their Continued on Page 10

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Psychology 217: The Psychology of the Holocaust (3 credits) with Dr. Anes

After cleaning a portion of the Łódź Jewish cemetery “The trip was enjoyable as a life experience even outside of an academic context. We met so many people who were kind and welcoming of us into their country. We had time to enjoy amazing, beautiful places, from enormous cities to national parks to sunny beaches.” — 2018 participant

Cost Estimate: $5,255 trip and meals. $1,300 flight.

In the Tatra Mountains

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

Visiting the Kruszyniany Mosque

PAGE 7

We’re Worth The Schlep.

THE COMPASSIONATE CARE AND CLINICAL COMPETENCE YOU DESERVE Independent Living • Assisted Living • Rehabilitation Skilled Nursing • Short Term Stays

New Year’s Eve behind the

Iron Curtain A New Year’s Eve feast at the home of Masha Kisel and Sam Dorf. Center: Baked Salmon Stuffed and Served on Grechka (buckwheat). Clockwise from upper R: Vinegret (Beet Salad), Salat Olivier (Soviet Potato Salad), Salmon Caviar with crackers, and Shuba (‘Herring Under A Fur Coat’)

THE COMPASSIONATE CARE AND CLINICAL COMPETENCE YOU DESERVE Independent Living • Assisted Living • Rehabilitation Skilled Nursing • Short Term Stays

By Masha I. Kisel, Special To The Observer Mr. Lieberman, the principal of Solomon Schechter Day School in Chicago, called all the Russian fifth graders into his office. He drew a triangle on the green chalkboard.

“This is a Christmas tree,” he said.

He drew a cross inside the triangle. “And this is why you can’t put up a tree anymore.”

Vitalik, Zhenya, and I protested in our broken English. Our families didn’t put up Christmas trees! We celebrated New Year’s Eve! By the ripe old age of 10, all three of us had experienced lives as “good Communists” and “dirty Jews.”

Accusing us of celebrating Christmas seemed unfair.

He patiently listened to our arguments, but pointed at the cross inside the chalkboard triangle: “No tree. Now you can celebrate Chanukah.”

As an adult I now understand Mr. Lieberman’s disappointment in the awkward Russian-speaking kids who couldn’t figure out milk and meat days, who couldn’t learn the Hebrew prayers, who didn’t understand why they had to give up their old holidays.

We were not what they expected.

Having been rescued from the wreckage of an atheist empire and given a full scholarship to an expensive private school, we did not rush headlong to embrace our religious freedom.

After such a prolonged absence from Jewish life, we were in a state of cultural fugue. We continued to wander, unaware that we were already home, remained unresponsive when called by our Hebrew names. We held fast to our foster traditions, still believing we were Soviet. I wanted to please the school principal and felt a burning shame knowing that as we rang in 1990, in my house we would still put up a New Year’s tree. But we couldn’t trade New Year’s Eve for Chanukah.

Even in the days of late Soviet scarcity, New Year’s Eve delivered on its promise of abundance. In 1987, when the grocery shelves were empty, dessert was a metal spoon full of sugar held over a stove-top flame.

We didn’t wait for the amber lava to cool. A burned tongue was part of the experience.

But on New Year’s Eve, Father Frost came to our school and gave all the kids a whole bag of chocolates.

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PAGE 8

We stuffed them all into our mouths, forgetting to save any for our parents.

Preparations for the holiday started weeks in advance, as mothers, grandmothers, and aunts took the trolley or metro to the part of Kiev rumored to have a line. They waited for hours, hopeful but uncertain that once they got to the front they would be sold anything useful. It was an unwritten law that on New Year’s Eve one must procure the foods needed for the celebration.

They hunted for these items, they made deals, they found people who could make things happen, they stood in lines before and after work. Arms aching from carrying their not-so-fresh kill across the city, it was usually the women who gathered the precious ingredients for a feast no matter what it cost their wallet or their sanity.

Mr. Lieberman, unbeknownst to my 10-year old self, was correct. The seemingly secular Soviet New Year’s celebration was a slightly transformed version of Russian Christmas. Christmas traditions in czarist Russia reflected Peter the Great’s efforts to make Russia more like Western Europe, borrowing from French and German traditions.

The Bolsheviks banned Christmas entirely in 1928. In 1935, just a year before the show trials and the slow murder of millions during the years of the Great Terror, Joseph Stalin reintroduced the New Year’s Eve tree and the accompanying Russian folk characters of Father Frost and his granddaughter the Snow Maiden as a way of boosting morale. The future-oriented, atheist Soviet New Year’s Eve adopted some aspects of Christmas celebration. People exchanged gifts, made a celebratory meal, and decorated a pine tree with ornaments and a red star topper.

Holiday dishes got a Soviet remake as well. The famous New Year’s Eve salad, Olivier, was a decadent French-inspired dish in czarist Russia comprising game hens, lobster, and caviar. In the Soviet period, it was reinvented as a potato salad made with canned peas, bologna, boiled eggs, pickles, and mayonnaise: foods that were actually available in Soviet grocery stores.

The New Year’s Eve meal began late evening on the 31st of December. The table was set an hour in advance, and guests admired the appetizer course (zakuski).

We held fast to our foster traditions, still believing we were Soviet.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

Mayonnaise-laden salads were heaped into crystal bowls, green pickled tomatoes, sprats, cold cuts, deviled eggs, and red caviar stood next to sliced bread peeking out from under a cloth napkin.

This would be washed down with cold vodka and cheap champagne.

Eating began at around 9 p.m., after the host made the first toast and wished everyone health, wealth, and happiness in the New Year — while the guests downed their first shot of cold vodka with a bite of pickle or herring.

Toasts, an essential part of any celebratory Soviet meal, were often written in advance. A well-composed toast was an opportunity to show off one’s knowledge of Russian literature and the ability to parody its most famous quotations.

The second course was a hot dish, most often beef stew, cutlets or pelmeni, meat-filled dumplings. Last was the dessert with hot tea as well as mandarins, which symbolized good luck. At the stroke of midnight, the party welcomed in the New Year. Gifts were opened the following morning.

My family continued to celebrate Soviet New Year’s Eve in America for many years but gave up the traditional foods, happily replacing them with takeout from our local Greek restaurant.

We put up a tiny tree, as if apologizing for its existence.

Soviet New Year’s Eve slowly faded away as I got older and nearly disappeared — until I met my husband.

When Sam and I began discussing holiday traditions, he categorically told me that he would never have a tree, citing similar reasons as Mr. Lieberman, though he thankfully did not perform the “cross-inthe-tree” trick.

We would have a Jewish home, celebrate Chanukah, and a tree had no place in our festivities. Yet he was fascinated by the New Year’s Eve traditions as he was by all things Soviet. It was his curiosity and culinary adventurousness that brought New Year’s Eve celebrations back into my life.

Each December, we make a pilgrimage to Marina’s Deli in Cincinnati to buy

red caviar, Russian-style salami, green pickled tomatoes, sprats, and colorfully wrapped Russian chocolates, the same ones I still remember from my childhood, but now produced in a Brooklyn factory.

Sam enthusiastically finds new ways to make New Year’s Eve Soviet classics, sometimes with a bit less mayonnaise.

We don’t put up our New Year’s Eve tree until Dec. 26, when Christmas is officially over.

Sam’s Herring Under a Fur Coat Recipe (Shuba in Russian) About 1 lb. of herring filets in oil (available at Russian stores or online) 1 large white onion finely diced 1/4 lb. sour cream 1/4 lb. mayonnaise Three large beets Two potatoes, peeled Three carrots, peeled Six hard boiled eggs Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft, remove and let cool, add the peeled carrots to the boiling water. Once they are soft, remove them and let cool. Add the beets to the boiling water and cook until a knife easily pierces. Once the beets are cool enough to hold, use some paper towels to rub the skins off.

While the boiled vegetables cool, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream and set aside.

Chop the herring filets to a medium dice and place in the bottom of a pretty glass dish. Sprinkle the finely diced onion over the herring. Using a box grater, shred the boiled potato on top of the dish.

It should look fluffy.

Apply a thin layer of the mayonnaise mixture with a spatula. Using the same box grater, shred the boiled carrot on top and then the boiled beets. Apply the rest of the mayonnaise mixture on top.

Using the small holes of the box grater, shred the eggs on top of the mixture.

Soviet New Year’s Eve slowly faded away as I got older and nearly disappeared — until I met my husband.

Temple Israel &Epiphany Lutheran Chuch Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz and Reverend Tracey Paschke-Johannes examine the role of traditional liturgy in our prayer services.

January 15 at noon - Temple Israel January 22 at noon - Epiphany Lutheran

Dr. Masha I. Kisel is a lecturer with the University of Dayton Department of English.

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Electronics, Movies, Music & More Mon thru Sat 10 - 9, Sun 10 - 6

1133 Brown St. Dayton • 228-6399 secondtimearound.com

Temple Israel & Omega Baptist Joining together for our annual pulpit exchange to inspire, unite, sing, and pray.

January 18 at 6:30pm - Temple Israel January 20 at 10:15am - Omega Baptist

Temple Israel • www.tidayton.org • 937.496.0050 130 Riverside Drive, Dayton, OH 45405 A Reform Synagogue open to all who are interested in Judaism.

Childcare provided during Friday services and Sunday school.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

PAGE 9

MARCH 9, 7:30–11:30PM @ Boonshoft CJCE 525 Versailles Dr., 45459

A

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in

G H T

VEGAS J C C o f G R E AT E R D AY TO N ’ S ANNUAL FUNDRAISER

Silent auction — Raffle drawing — Music — Door prizes — Blackjack — Jenga — Israeli-inspired noshes

Special appearance by the Rubi Girls!

Tournaments: Texas Hold‘em — Euchre GENERAL ADMISSION: $30 in advance | $40 at the door ADD ONS:

Texas Hold’em tournament: $50 in advance | $75 at the door

Euchre tournament: $15

Tournaments start promptly at 8PM. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior.

High Roller VIP: $100

To purchase tickets or for more info: jewishdayton.org | 937-401-1553

Novelist

Continued from Page Seven freedom is not entirely in their own hands: freedom of movement, freedom of where they can build, freedom of where they can travel. It’s not that they’re all imprisoned in the same place, although I heard a statistic that was pretty mindboggling, that 40 percent of Palestinian males have spent some time in Israeli punitive custody.

Did you lose friends or family members over this?

Friends. A lot of it happened in the middle of Facebook, little internet puffs of, ‘Oh, now you made this decision. Now you’re dead to me emotionally.’ There were no close friends in my immediate life who threw me out, and I think it was really a powerful experience for those folks in my family and my close orbit who disagreed with my decision. But still, we managed to find the space to talk about it and the space to hear one another. And the space to continue to have love as the basis of our relationship, even as we were acting so differently in these spheres.

as an anti-Zionist, nor do I align with the term Zionist these days, for a number of reasons. For the vast majority of the serious Palestinians I’ve encountered, the term has come to mean someone who believes that they are less equal, who believes that they are less valid.

But I do think of myself in some way as an Israeli patriot. I want the best for the country, I want the best for whoever lives in Israel. But for me, when I say I want the best for Israelis, that can’t just be Israeli Jews. And that being said, this is what I love about the world of fiction.

It’s less important to me how others self-define, more important how they act.

Do you believe Israel has a right to exist?

Of course. That, to me, doesn’t need to be predicated on the question of Zionism or non-Zionism in the current (situation). For me, Israel has a right to exist and not only has a right to exist, but I hope that Israel could exist first and foremost as an Israeli state. I think that’s a whole other difference between me and the majority of the Zionist community. An Israeli state would be deeply Jewish and maybe there When were you released? would be some element in the I went in at some point in constitution of an Israeli state October 2012 and then some that would have some provipoint in November 2012 I was released from the system under sion for Jews who are in danger around the world to have a mental health exemption, easy recourse to safety. And a which was the plan from the beginning: go in and I make my Palestinian state in addition to that, or some sort of creative statement, I do my theatrical refusal, and then when I felt like confederation that allowed for degrees of autonomy but also I’ve spent enough time there, collaboration and a recognition I start to apply for the mental that for better or worse — and it health exemption. has been a fraught and in many Would you describe yourself as ways horrible history — we are bound together. There is no way a Zionist? we can make a separate ‘Jews It’s not a word I use these here, Palestinians there,’ Israelis days. No. I don’t self-describe

Community Klezmer Concert

Laugh, sing, and dance in an interactive celebration of Klezmer music

Sunday, January 27 1PM–2:30PM @ Cox Arboretum 6733 N Springboro Pike, 45449

Together with Hazzan Jenna Greenberg, the Miami Valley Klezmer Ensemble will perform, educate, invite you to sing along, and offer a small collection of hand percussion for all ages to play. Light noshes provided. No cost.

Play an instrument? Musicians of all levels can bring their instruments and join in the fun for a few songs!

RSVP by January 22 to 937-401-1553 or online at jewishdayton.org.

Please let us know your instrument and experience level when you register to receive music and more information.

This event has been made possible through funding provided by a Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton Innovation Grant.

PAGE 10

on the left and Palestinians on the right. Territorially, linguistically, spiritually, culturally, nationally, politically, we are bound together, and so I think a two-state formulation for me that seeks to concretize separation is not one that I can identify with. But a two-state formulation that seeks to ameliorate the situation while working toward some sort of cooperative mutually-intertwined future is certainly one that I think would be a positive step.

How come you decided to come back to Yellow Springs?

We were tired on a lot of levels, my wife and I. My wife was working primarily with African asylum seekers in Israel.

Also fraught and intense work.

Work that is sometimes demonized by the government and is all encompassing. And we knew that we wanted to have a child.

And I remember my brother-inlaw said something to me that I thought was really wise. He said, ‘In this place (Jerusalem), it gives this sort of energy. It’s bolstering if you’re a committed activist or if you are a committed soldier: someone who is helping the system continue as is or someone who is working actively to change the system.

But if you’re not one of those two, then the place can be devastating. Can eat at you. Can tear you apart.’

And for me, I wanted to and still want to be a parent. That’s my primary identity right now.

Even if I were 15 minutes away from demonstrations, I don’t think it’s the same to put myself in these situations and demonstrations and potentially getting arrested if I’m a parent and a partner as it is if I’m a lone individual or even someone with a wife but not the kids. We wanted to step away at least for a little bit.

And this other sad thing happened in July, where we were returning (to Israel) for our first visit after our daughter was born, and we were stopped at the airport. I was questioned by the Shebak (Israel Security Agency) as we were returning for the first time with our little daughter, detained for three hours, a little less maybe.

We landed in Terminal 1, where we made aliyah 16 years ago. It was so nostalgic to hear Hebrew all around. We were so excited for our little daughter to get to see this country, which we love so much about and we care so deeply about. To have Abba (father) taken aside for questioning because of his involvement in left-wing organizations was a pretty awful welcome Continued on Page 23

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

Highlights JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

JCC early child

TOP LEFT: Chava Gilbert, and

Spencer and Eleanor Scarbro light candles at the Community Chanukah Celebration. TOP RIGHT: Students in JCC Early Childhood share Shabbat songs with loved ones. PHOTO CREDITS: Peter Wine LEFT: PJ Our Way celebrated the end

of Chanukah with pizza and laser tag.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rachel Gilbert

&

Greg Darling of the Disability Foundation kicks off our new Kehilah Kedosha group.

PHOTO CREDIT: Tara Feiner THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

PAGE 11

January events JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES T 1

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TUESDAY 8 BBYO (GRADES 8–12) Chapter Meeting 6:30–8PM @ Sugar Shack (400 Sugar Camp Circle, 45409) Join Dayton BBYO for a chapter meeting to prepare for board elections.

TUESDAY 15 PJ LIBRARY & HILLEL Tu B'Shevat in the Woods 6–7PM @ Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm (1000 Aullwood Rd, 45414) Chris Rowlands—artist, naturalist, musician—will share the stage with a variety of woodland puppet friends share the wonders of nature in a performance sure to delight all ages. A snack will be served.

THURSDAY 17 ACTIVE ADULTS Dine Around NOON–1:30PM @ Troll Pub at the Wheelhouse (216 Wayne Ave, 45402) Cost of lunch is on your own.

TUESDAY 22

FRIDAY 18

SATURDAY 26 JUNIOR YOUTH GROUP Ice Skating at Riverscape 7:30-9:30PM @ Riverscape (237 E Monument Ave., 45402) 6–8 graders meet your friends for ice skating and donuts! $8 per person, includes admission, skate rental, and donuts.

WED 30

RSVPs due at least 1 week before event.

Events with no price listed are free.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO RSVP (unless noted): 937-610-1555 www.jewishdayton.org

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SUNDAY 20

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MONDAY 14 JCC Maccabi Informational Meeting 6–7PM @ Boonshoft CJCE Learn about the Games and ArtsFest in Detroit this summer. Informational meeting for athletes and artists ages 12–16.

MONDAY 21 JCC (K–7 GRADE) Winter Camp Shalom 8:45AM–3:45PM @ Boonshoft CJCE Celebrate Tu B'Shevat and learn how to stand up to environmental injustices. $38/child with registration by Jan. 7; extended care available.

SUNDAY 27 JCC & MIAMI VALLEY KLEZMER ENSEMBLE Community Klezmer Concert 1-2:30PM @ Cox Arboretum (6733 Springboro Pike, 45449) Laugh, sing, and dance in an interactive celebration of Klezmer music. Musicians of all levels can bring their instruments and join in the fun for a few songs! RSVP by January 22.

Become a card shark in preparation for A Night in Vegas on March 9!

Tuesdays, 6:30–8PM @ Boonshoft CJCE

Euchre

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THURSDAY 24 YAD (AGES 21–35) Improv Class 6:30–8PM @ Wiley's Comedy Club (101 Pine St., 45402) Learn how to be in the moment and improve life skills through the art of improv at a private YAD workshop with Karen Jaffe. RSVP to Cheryl Carne at ccarne@jfgd.net or (937) 610-1778.

C• L•A•S •S•E• S @ T HE J

THU 31

SEE YOU IN FEBRUARY!

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WEDNESDAY 16 JFS Seeing into a Bright New Year NOON–1PM @ Temple Israel (130 Riverside Dr., 45405) Dr. Heath Gilbert, optometrist, presents what you need to know about eye health. Lunch provided. RSVP by January 9.

Part of our Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes speaker series.

SATURDAY 19

WEDNESDAY 23 EARLY CHILDHOOD Family Social 6:30–8PM @ Boonshoft CJCE Join us for a prehistoric good time! Enrolled children and their families are invited to enjoy dino-mite games and activities with their teachers and friends.

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January 15 & 22 Instructor Joe Beringer

Blackjack

January 29 Instructor Scott Halasz

SPEAKING OF THAT: Food Memoir Class 1–3PM, Thursdays, January 10–February 28 Calling all foodies! Whether you want to start a cooking blog, create a family cookbook, or start a food memoir, this class is for you. Former Sinclair English professor Kristina Onder will lead you through the writing process.

Register through Sinclair College of Life Long Learning, or contact (937) 512-2372. $35 per person. Minimum 14 people.

FRIDAY 25

MONDAY 28

TUESDAY 29

Coming in February...

The Beat: Making Music

The JCC is proud to offer a unique series for anyone who loves music, whether it’s playing an instrument, singing, or just listening to music. The series includes four monthly sessions, each featuring a different music genre. At each session we will focus on three or four songs within that genre and practice, play, sing, perform, and generally enjoy making music together.

Participants who wish to bring their instruments are asked to register in advance so the facilitator can send them the music a couple of weeks before the session.

Musicians and vocalists of all abilities are welcome!

Listeners are also enthusiastically welcome to join!

Tuesdays, 6:30–8PM February 12: Klezmer March 12: Folk Music April 9: World Music May 14: Israeli Music THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

Announcements JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES JEWISH

FED ER ATI O N

of G R E ATER

D I N N ER 2 01 9

PR ES I D E NTS

Did YOU know?

DAY TO N

t h e

SAVE DATE

260.4

miles driven to hand-deliver cards, donations, and well wishes from Dayton to Squirrel Hill, PA. Thanks to JFS Director Tara Feiner, who traveled to Pittsburgh and joined Federation, JCC, and JFS staff and lay leaders from around the country to show their support and solidarity in light of the tragic shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue.

Sunday, May 19, 2019 We hope to see you there.

A Biss'l Mamaloshen

Invitation to follow. Seating is limited.

Contact Juliet Glaser at jglaser@jfgd.net for more information.

Kroyn

| KROYN | noun: A crown (sometimes used as

a term of endearment for a child; cf. the Yiddish personal name Kreyne).

Expressions with kroyn: 1 A kroyn iz nokh nisht keyn refue oyf kopveytik. A crown is no cure

for a headache (i.e. don't add trouble to an already problematic situation; also, asserting one's authority is no way of solving a problem.

Legacies, Tributes, & Memorials FEDERATION

HOLOCAUST PROGRAMMING FUND IN HONOR OF › Rabbi Ari Ballaban and all who organized the remembrance › for the victims of Pittsburgh -Phil and Louisa Dreety › 90th birthday of Henry Guggenheimer -Dr. Felix and Dr. Erika Garfunkel IN MEMORY OF › Carol Denmark Felman -Mr. and Mrs. Steven Rothstein › David Chesen -Beverly Farnbacher BENJAMIN R. SHAMAN COMMUNITY RELATIONS FUND IN HONOR OF › 65TH wedding anniversary of Esther and DeNeal Feldman -Marilyn Serbin IN MEMORY OF › Dorothy Shaman Finder -Marilyn Serbin

THE TALA ARNOVITZ FUND IN HONOR OF › Wedding of Ross Schoenfeld and Kim Freier › Wedding of Becca Cohen and Alex Tumarinson › Birth of great granddaughter, Sloane Rae Small -Beverly Saeks IN MEMORY OF › Shep Rosen -Beverly Saeks ALLAN WASSERMAN YOUNG LEADERSHIP FUND IN HONOR OF › Bruce Feldman’s new leadership role -Susan and Jonas Gruenberg DOROTHY B. MOYER YOUNG LEADERSHIP FUND IN MEMORY OF › In Yarzeit memory of Elmer L. Moyer › In Yarzeit memory of Sheila D. Moyer -Moyer Family

IN MEMORY OF › Carol Denmark Felman -Ruth Goldstein -Beverly and Jeffrey Kantor › Edith Recht Aberte, mother of Sandy Schoemann › Shep Rosen -Jane and Dr. Gary Hochstein › Millie Simon Kotler, mother of Alan Berman › Carol Denmark Felman -Bobbie Kantor -Brenda and Scott Meadow

JCC

CANTOR JCC FUND IN HONOR OF › Special birthday of Bob Schriber › Special birthday of Larry Klaben -Susan and Jonas Gruenberg JOAN AND PETER WELLS AND REBECCA LINVILLE FAMILY, CHILDREN AND YOUTH FUND IN HONOR OF › 50TH wedding anniversary of Joan and Peter Wells -Elaine and Joe Bettman

FOUNDATION

FILM FESTIVAL FUND IN MEMORY OF › David Chesen -Jane and Dr. Gary Hochstein

JEREMY BETTMAN B’NAI TZEDEK FUND IN MEMORY OF › Shep Rosen -Elaine and Joe Bettman

JFS

THEODORE ARNOVITZ FILM FESTIVAL FUND IN MEMORY OF › David Chesen, father of Alan Chesen -Cathy Gardner

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES IN HONOR OF › New home of Linda and Dennis Patterson -Susan and Jonas Gruenberg

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

PAGE 13

Upcoming events JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

New! Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes NOON–1PM

presents

Travel with us from our heads down to our toes this year to create a happier, healthier you. JFS is starting free informational sessions, lunch included.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 8PM AND SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 3PM @ Stivers Centennial Theater 1313 E 5th St, 45402 In advance: $10 adults | $5 children ages 4–11 At the door: $15 adults | $10 children ages 4–11 children under 4 get in free

Tickets available at jewishdayton.org or by calling 937-401-1553.

Seeing into a Bright New Year with Dr. Heath Gilbert, optometrist Eye health as we age Wednesday, January 16 @ Temple Israel

Lifting the Weight of the World Off Your Shoulders with Joanna White, Director, Womanline and Chief Richard Biehl Mindfulness and chair stretches to reduce stress Tuesday, March 5

Keeping You On Your Toes with Dr. Erica Suprenant, DPM Proper foot care and its impact on wellness, balance, and posture Wednesday, May 22

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES of GREATER DAYTON PAGE 14

Tu b’Shevat in the Woods January 15, 6–7PM @ Aullwood Audubon Center

and Farm (1000 Aullwood Rd, 45414) Chris Rowlands, artist, naturalist, & musician, will share the stage with a variety of woodland puppet friends to entertain and inform his audience of the wonders of nature in celebration of Tu B'Shevat—the birthday of the trees. His imaginative and interactive program will delight both children and adults. A snack will be served.

RSVP by January 8 at jewishdayton.org or 610-1555.

& THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

OPINION

Will people remember Squirrel Hill?

By Stephen Renas Three days after the Oct. 27, 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh that left 11 dead, Jews in the Dayton area came together to mourn. Those from the community at large were invited to participate. In my estimation, one-third of those in attendance were not members of the Jewish community. It was heartening that the Pittsburgh tragedy engendered such an outpouring of support from members of other faiths.

Many Jews in the United States who are millennials or younger may never have even encountered an act of antisemitism. Indeed, philosemitic sentiments, in which Jews enjoy the goodwill and respect of so many of our fellow citizens, abound. Yet an event such as the Pittsburgh shooting gives us pause and forces us to reexamine whether our complacency is well founded.

Many of us today are aware of the antisemitic screeds that appeared in Henry Ford’s Dearborn Independent in the 1920s and of Charles Coughlin’s antisemitic radio broadcasts in the 1930s. Following the Second World War, antisemitic sentiment tended to wane, but our improved fortunes were at times marred by acts of violence.

On Oct. 12, 1958, The Temple (Hebrew Benevolent Congregation) in Atlanta was bombed.

On March 25, 1960, a 16-yearold boy threw a bomb into a synagogue in Gadsden, Ala. and then fired on two congregants with a shotgun, leaving them injured. On Oct. 8, 1977, a shooter attacked following a Bar Mitzvah in St. Louis, killing one and injuring two in a synagogue parking lot. On April 13, 2014, a man opened fire at a JCC and at a Jewish retirement community in Overland Park, Kan., killing three.

This is a non-comprehensive list and does not take into account cemetery desecrations, vandalism, bomb threats, and other acts of intimidation.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, the number of antisemitic incidents in the United States — after declining over the period 2006 to 2013 — increased in each subsequent year and was nearly 57 percent higher in 2017 than in 2016, in part due to an increase in incidents in schools and on col-

lege campuses. The “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va. in August 2017 featured hundreds of antisemitic and racist marchers, many of whom displayed Nazi salutes, waved swastika-emblazoned flags, and shouted, “Sieg Heil.” The event resulted in the death of one counterprotester.

We might like to believe that the public outrage over the Squirrel Hill murders will persist. However, there are several reasons to suggest that it won’t.

In the hours and days following such a tragedy, the event dominates the news cycle as well as the public’s thoughts.

But as time passes, the event recedes in people’s minds because they have started to process it, and because their day-to-day responsibilities and concerns vie for their attention. In addition, people have become partially desensitized to news of a new shooting because of exposure to news of so many previous shootings.

Excluding shootings resulting in fewer casualties, since about the middle of 2015 we have borne witness to a shooting in June 2015 in a Charleston, S.C. African American church resulting in nine deaths; one in December of the same year in San Bernardino, Calif. resulting in 14 deaths; a shooting in June 2016 in an Orlando, Fla. gay nightclub resulting in 49 deaths; a shooting in October 2017 in Las Vegas resulting in 58 deaths; one in November of the same year in a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas resulting in 25 deaths; a shooting in February 2018 in Parkland, Fla. resulting in 17 deaths; one in May of the same year in Santa Fe, Texas resulting in 10 deaths; and one in November of the same year in Thousand Oaks, Calif., following the Squirrel Hill tragedy, that claimed 13 lives. There was a time when an American flag flying at half-staff was an unusual occurrence. Today, it seems almost commonplace.

The public may conflate all these shootings, especially the ones at the Squirrel Hill synagogue, the Charleston, S.C. African American church, the Sutherland Springs Baptist Church, and the Orlando gay nightclub, viewing them all as hate crimes. The first two were in fact hate crimes. The shooter in Squirrel Hill walked into the synagogue and shouted, “All Jews must die.” The shooter in Charleston, a white suprema-

How far will IDF go?

cist, later confessed he wished to start a race war.

The last two, while still tragic, were fundamentally different.

Authorities determined that the Sutherland Springs shooting at the Baptist church was not motivated by racism or religious animus but instead by a family dispute that turned deadly.

Similarly, it appears that the Orlando shooter may not have even been aware that the club in which he opened fire catered to gay men, so his act did not constitute a homophobic hate crime. He even inquired where the women were.

Only the Squirrel Hill and Charleston murders were crimes motivated by hatred toward particular groups of people — Jews and African Americans, respectively. But this distinction may not be readily apparent.

The Squirrel Hill shooting in all likelihood represents the deadliest attack directed at Jews on American soil, but it certainly does not represent the deadliest attack in this country.

Had the carnage been greater, and thank goodness it was not, would the public be more likely to remember Squirrel Hill?

Interestingly, greater carnage is more likely to induce a weaker and shorter-lived response, and not a stronger and longer-lived response, because of a concept called “psychic numbing.”

As Paul Slovic, a psychologist at the University of Oregon has shown, there is a limit to human compassion. As the number of victims in a tragedy increases, our empathy does not increase as one would intuitively think it should.

He demonstrates that this phenomenon starts when the number of victims in a tragedy increases from even one to two and that the human mind has a difficult time processing the concept of large numbers of victims.

So rather than a larger number of victims evoking greater empathy, a larger number of victims could conceivably evoke greater apathy. This, according to Slovic, is why it is so easy for people to ignore mass atrocities.

And perhaps this phenomenon makes it easier for those who, for their own malign reasons, try to convince others that the Holocaust never happened.

By Yaakov Amidror Operation Northern Shield, encompassing the IDF’s efforts to uncover and destroy Hezbollah attack tunnels crossing under the Israel-Lebanon border, has been made possible by technological advancements and accurate intelligence gathering.

The operation followed a detailed plan outlined by operational officials, and if the plan is implemented as presented, it will undoubtedly achieve the desired effect: neutralizing the big surprise Hezbollah was preparing ahead of its next confrontation with Israel: attack tunnels that would allow it to strike at Israel’s home front.

Hezbollah’s aim was twofold: to seize Israeli vantage points and stir panic inside Israel, compelling the Israeli military force fighting Hezbollah’s complex attack to turn back.

And no less importantly, they sought to take over an Israeli community and abduct as many civilians as possible. Thus, at the end of the war, Israel’s failure would continue to resonate for a long time after the fighting itself ends, because the hostage negotiations would take a long time and would bring Israel to its knees.

The operation currently underway in the north has the power to reverse this threat.

Without a winning card up its sleeve, Hezbollah will need to consider its next step carefully.

The many missiles (many of them advanced precision missiles) the organization possesses are still its main strength, and its ability to defend southern Lebanon tenaciously has not waned.

But without the winning tunnel card, which would have catapulted Hezbollah’s capabilities to a new level, its strength has eroded. This means the organization is more likely to be cautious and less likely to initiate a war in the near future.

Operation Northern Shield raises complicated questions about Israel’s initiative and willingness to enter a war to prevent the threat it sees growing.

When it comes to nuclear weapons, the accepted view in Israel, the Begin Doctrine, is preventive.

But when it comes to conventional weapons, Israel has launched a preemptive war only once, in 1956, when then-Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan launched a mission to keep Egyptian Stephen Renas is a forensic forces from acquiring the capaeconomist who lives in Beavercreek. bility to overpower the IDF. The

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

operation was a success and bought Israel 11 years of relative calm, at a difficult time when the country was busy absorbing massive waves of new immigrants and building its economic and military infrastructure.

Preemptive wars are considered problematic. They are hard to legitimize, because they are by definition, wars of choice. Sacrificing thousands of lives may not be necessary when the enemy isn’t pounding at the gates. The country’s citizens, like the international community, have a difficult time supporting wars if there is even the slightest possibility it won’t erupt. For example, Israel allowed Hezbollah to grow exponentially stronger and acquire the best Syrian, Iranian and even Russian-made missiles — and deploy them.

Israel spoke in extremely lofty terms following its unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, and after the Second Lebanon War in 2006, but hasn’t done anything to stop Hezbollah’s armament in Lebanon.

Only in the chaos of the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, did Israel decide to use force to prevent the transfer of sophisticated weapons to Hezbollah from Syria and Iran — while its policy of non-intervention in Lebanon persists.

Can this operation — currently carried out strictly from Israeli territory — spark hostilities on the other side of the border? The answer is yes, whether intentionally or otherwise. But even if the operation remains on Israel’s side of the fence, it could, if Hezbollah’s assets and dignity continue taking a hit, trigger a violent response.

Although the chances of this happening are presently low, this must be the IDF’s working assumption and its war readiness should be adjusted accordingly.

This situation, as stated, raises the question: How far is the IDF willing to go to impair Hezbollah’s capabilities?

Secondly, should a preemptive strike — say a large operation inside Lebanon — be considered after Hezbollah’s tunnels are successfully neutralized? These questions require considerable thought.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror is a senior fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, and former national security advisor to the prime minister.

PAGE 15

KVELLING CORNER Filmmaker Julia Reichert is the recipient of the 2018 International Documentary Association’s Career Achievement Award. Her new documentary with Steven Bognar, American Factory, will be screened as part of the Sundance Film Festival’s 2018 documentary competition lineup.

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PAGE 16

In November, the Dayton Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals honored Richard Lapedes and Maureen Lynch as its Outstanding Philanthropists for its 2018 Best of Philanthropy awards.

Mandy DuBro Kwait, daughter of Ronna and Michael DuBro, was chosen by the Cleveland Jewish News as one of its 18 Difference Makers in 2018.

Mandy was recently promoted to director of Care Coordination at Bellefaire Jewish Children’s Bureau in Cleveland. She was one of the founders of the Cleveland Moishe House, and is on the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Young Leadership

Division board. Prior to her promotion, Mandy was the director of Cleveland’s Jewish Big Brother Big Sister.

Jeremy Shaw was sworn in as a Miamisburg police officer in November.

Matthew Rosensweet has been elected president of Camp Livingston. Matthew is the son of Judi and the late Bob Rosensweet.

Jerry Halasz (R) and grandson Grant Halasz record a Chanukah program for Radio Reading Service

There’s much to celebrate in the Halasz family this month. Grant Halasz was elected president of AEPi fraternity at the University of Cincinnati. Proud parents are Teri and Mike Halasz.

Temple Israel Senior Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz and WYSO General Manager Nina Ellis are among the six recipients of the YWCA Dayton Women of Influence Awards for 2019. The awards luncheon will be held on March 21 at the Dayton Convention Center.

Rabbi Karen’s husband, Scott Halasz, was named to the Ohio School Boards Association Media Honor Roll for his fair

LIFECYCLES Judah Isaac Schwartz Pamela and Andrew Schwartz announce with joy the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Judah Isaac, on Shabbat Vayera, Jan. 5 at Beth Abraham Synagogue.

Judah has achieved high honorroll status as a seventh-grade student at Oakwood Junior High School, where he enjoys playing cello with the school orchestra and football on the junior high team. He loves experiencing the great outdoors with Boy Scout Troop #320 and spending his summers at Camp Wise. He is a member of Kadima/USY and a regular attendee at Shabbat services.

Judah is the grandson of Mrs. Lois Gross, Dr. Allan Spetter, and Mr. and Mrs. Theodore and Debra Lapedes Schwartz of blessed memory. For his Bar Mitzvah project, Judah is honored to support the Hundred Club Scholarship Fund of The Dayton

and balanced reporting of news about public schools. Scott is a reporter with Xenia Daily Gazette. He was nominated by Greeneview Local Schools in Greene County. This is Scott’s fourth time on the honor roll in the last five years.

And family patriarch Jerry Halasz, a radio personality at WSWO Oldies 97.3 and a volunteer with Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley’s Radio Reading Service, has recorded two special programs for RRS: one, a Chanukah special with grandson Grant providing accompaniment on guitar; the other a threepart reading of the book Jewish Community of Dayton

by Marshall Weiss. Both were aired several times in December. Radio Reading Service broadcasts readings of local and regional newspapers, magazines, books and other printed information to people with visual disabilities and other physical or mental impairments.

My final column

Foundation. Scholarships are offered annually to children of full-time firefighters or police officers in the Greater Dayton Area as part of an ongoing commitment to first responders in our community who daily risk their lives to protect citizens from violent crime, fire, and disaster.

Send lifecycles to: The Dayton Jewish Observer, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville, OH 45459 • Email: MWeiss@jfgd.net.

There is a $12 charge to run a photo; please make checks payable to The Dayton Jewish Observer.

Since I began writing this column five years ago, I have taken on a part-time job as PJ Library, PJ Our Way, & PJ Grandparents coordinator for the Jewish Federation, started my own business, and doubled the number of children we are raising, from two to four! With so much on my plate, this will be my final column. I have truly enjoyed sharing your good news. It’s been an honor. Thank you for your support and kindness. I am passing the reins to another capable writer, Scott Halasz. I know he’ll be great.

Send your Kvelling items to: jewishobserver@jfgd.net or to The Dayton Jewish Observer 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville, OH 45459

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Classes

Temple Beth Or Classes: Sat., Jan. 5, 10 a.m. & Sun., Jan. 20, 11 a.m.: Tanakh w. Rabbi Chessin. Sun., Jan. 13, 11:15 a.m.: Makor Adult Ed. w. Rabbi Ballaban. 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 435-3400.

Temple Israel Classes: Sun., Jan. 6 & 27, noon: Jewish Literacy/Antisemitism. Tues., Jan. 22 & 29, 5:30 p.m.: Musar.

Weds., Jan. 23 & 30, noon: Talmud. Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.: Torah Study. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. 496-0050.

Temple Israel Adult Hebrew Classes: 10 weeks. $85 nonmembers, $80 members.

Beginner Hebrew: w. Teresa Wyman, Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 8. Advanced Beginner: w. Judy Heller, Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 9. Intermediate: w. Judy Heller. Tuesdays, 1 p.m. beginning Jan. 8. Beginner & Advanced at Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

Intermediate at Starbucks, 2424 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. To register, call Rabbi Sobo, 4960050.

Tuesdays @ the J: Getting Ready for Vegas! Jan. 15, 22, 29, 6:30-8 p.m. Learn/sharpen skills for euchre (15th & 22nd), blackjack (29th). 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. R.S.V.P. to 6101555.

Discussions

Temple Israel Ryterband Brunch Series: Sundays, 9:45 a.m. $7. Jan. 6: Wright State Prof. Emerita Dr. Donna Schlagheck, Security & Conflict: Israel, Syria & Iran.

How Will The U.S. Proceed?

Jan. 27: Dayton Jewish Observer Editor & Publisher Marshall Weiss, Dayton Jewish History: A Legacy of Caring. In collaboration w. Beth Abraham.

130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. 4960050.

Beth Abraham Synagogue Sunday Brunch Speaker Series: $7. 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood. R.S.V.P. to 293-9520. Jan. 13, 10 a.m.: Advocates for Basic Legal Equality Atty. Jessica Ramos, Immigration in the Trump Era. Jan. 20, 10 a.m.: NAACP Dayton Unit Pres. Dr. Derrick L. Forward. Jan. 27, 9:45 a.m. at Temple Israel (130 Riverside Dr., Dayton): Dayton Jewish Observer Editor & Publisher Marshall Weiss, Dayton Jewish

History: A Legacy of Caring.

Epiphany Lutheran Church & Temple Israel Interfaith Lunch & Learns: Liturgy in Jewish & Lutheran prayer services w.

Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz & the Rev. Tracy PaschkeJohannes. Tues., Jan. 15, noon at Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. Tues., Jan. 22, noon at Epiphany Lutheran Church 6430 Far Hills Ave., Centerville. Bring lunch.

Temple Israel Torah On Tap: Mon., Jan. 28, 6 p.m. Lock 27 Brewing, 1035 S. Main St., Centerville. Discussion & drinks w. rabbi. First round on Temple Israel.

Family

PJ Library & Temple Israel Prayer & Play: Sat., Jan. 12, 4 p.m. Havdalah, kids’ game & movie night in PJs. For ages 6 & under & their families. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. R.S.V.P. to 496-0050.

PJ Library & Hillel Academy Tu B’Shevat in the Woods: Tues., Jan 15, 6-7 p.m. W. Chris Rowlands. Aullwood Learning Ctr., 1000 Aullwood Rd., Dayton. With snack.

R.S.V.P. to 610-1555.

Children & Youths

JCC Winter Camp Shalom: Through Jan. 4, 8:45 a.m. 3:45 p.m. Special session Mon., Jan. 21. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. Grades K-6. Call 610-1555 for info.

Maccabi Informational Meeting: Mon., Jan. 14, 6-7 p.m. Ages 12-16. Learn about the Games and ArtsFest in Detroit this summer. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. 610-1555.

CKids Club Tu B’Shevat Celebration: Mon., Jan. 21, 1-2 p.m. Chabad, 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. 643-0770.

Junior Youth Group Ice Skating @ RiverScape: Sat., Jan. 26, 7:30-9:30 p.m. 237 E. Monument Ave., Dayton.

R.S.V.P. to 610-1555.

Young Adults

YAD Improv Class: Thurs., Jan. 24, 6:30-8 p.m. W. Karen Jaffe. Wiley’s Comedy Club, 101 Pine St., Dayton. For ages 21-35. R.S.V.P. to Cheryl Carne, 610-1778.

Rachel Booth & Jeff Peterson REALTORS OFFICE RACHEL JEFF EMAIL

Women

Chabad Women’s Circle Book Club & Breakfast: Sun., Jan. 20, 9:45 a.m. The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change by Adam Braun.

Chabad. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. 643-0770.

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Wishing You A Happy New Year

Seniors

JFS Speaker Series: Wed., Jan. 16, noon. Eye health w.

Optometrist Dr. Heath Gilbert.

Lunch provided. Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

R.S.V.P. by Jan. 9 to 610-1555.

JFS Active Adults Dine Around: Thurs., Jan. 17, noon: Lunch at Troll Pub at The Wheelhouse, 216 Wayne Ave., Dayton. Pay your own way.

R.S.V.P. to 610-1555.

800 SHROYER ROAD DAYTON, OHIO 45419

OFFICE (937) 293-3402 www.jtgreendds.com

Community Events

Temple Israel Chili CookOff: Fri., Jan. 11, after 6 p.m. services. Bring a pot of chili (no pork), get in free. Or bring a side to feed 10, cost is $5 adult, $3 child 4-12, free 3 & under. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. R.S.V.P. to 496-0050.

Mark S. Feuer Attorney at Law For your business & personal needs.

Tax & Business Planning & Transactions Tax Controversies Employee Benefit Solutions

Chabad Kosher Deli Night: Sat., Jan. 12, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $30. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. R.S.V.P. to chabaddayton.com or 643-0770 ext. 1.

Omega Baptist Church & Temple Israel Annual Pulpit Exchange: Fri., Jan 18, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. Sun., Jan. 20, 10:15 a.m. at Omega Baptist, 1821 Emerson Ave., Dayton.

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP 40 North Main Street, Suite 1700 Dayton, Ohio 45423-1029 641-1735 mfeuer@taftlaw.com • www.taftlaw.com

Beth Abraham & Corinthian Baptist Church Annual MLK Jr. Interfaith Service: Fri., Jan 18, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Abraham, 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood.

Beth Abraham Synagogue Decade-By-Decade Shabbat: Celebrating Beth Abraham’s 125th Anniversary. Part One, 1894-1949. Sat., Jan. 26, 9 a.m. Kiddish lunch to follow. 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood.

293-9520.

Miami Valley Klezmer Ensemble Concert: Sun., Jan. 27, 1 p.m. W. Cantor Jenna Greenberg. Cox Arboretum, 6733 N. Springboro Pike, Miamisburg. Free. R.S.V.P. to 401-1553.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

PAGE 17

CONGREGATIONS Beth Abraham Synagogue Conservative Rabbi Joshua Ginsberg Cantor/Dir. of Ed. & Programming Andrea Raizen Mornings, Mon. & Thurs., 7:15 a.m.; Tues., Wed., Fri., 7:30 a.m.

Evenings, Mon.-Fri., 5:30 p.m.

Sun., 8:30 a.m. Sat. , 9 a.m.; Youth Service, 10:30 a.m. 305 Sugar Camp Circle, Oakwood. 293-9520.

BethAbrahamDayton.org Beth Jacob Congregation Traditional Saturdays 9:30 a.m., Sundays 8 a.m., Sunday through Friday, 7 p.m.

7020 N. Main St., Dayton. 274-2149.

BethJacobCong.org Temple Anshe Emeth Reform Sat., Jan. 26, 10 a.m. with Rabbinic Interm Eliza McCarroll 320 Caldwell St., Piqua.

Call Eileen Litchfield, 937-5470092, elitchfield@woh.rr.com.

Correspondence address: 3808 Beanblossom Rd., Greenville, OH 45331. ansheemeth.org Temple Beth Or Reform Rabbi Judy Chessin Educator/Rabbi Ari Ballaban Fridays 7 p.m.

Saturdays 10 a.m.

5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 435-3400. templebethor.com Temple Beth Sholom Reform Rabbi Haviva Horvitz See Web site for schedule.

610 Gladys Dr., Middletown.

513-422-8313. thetemplebethsholom.com Temple Israel Reform Senior Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz Rabbi/Educator Tina Sobo First Friday each month 6 p.m.

All other Fridays 6:30 p.m.

Saturdays 10:30 a.m.

130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

496-0050. tidayton.org Temple Sholom Reform Rabbi Cary Kozberg Fridays 6 p.m.

2424 N. Limestone St., Springfield. 399-1231. templesholomoh.com

ADDITIONAL SERVICES Chabad of Greater Dayton Rabbi Nochum Mangel Associate Rabbi Shmuel Klatzkin Youth & Prog. Dir. Rabbi Levi Simon, Teen & Young Adult Prog.

Dir. Rabbi Elchonon Chaikin.

Beginner educational service Saturdays 9 a.m. adults, 10 a.m children. Sundays 9 a.m.

2001 Far Hills Ave. 643-0770. www.chabaddayton.com Yellow Springs Havurah Independent Services 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 10-noon. Antioch College Rockford Chapel. Contact Cheryl Levine, 937-767-9293.

PAGE 18

Toledo

Continued from Page Four “I think people felt a lot more secure, a lot more safe knowing that they had apprehended this gentleman,” she said. “Hearing the words from the FBI and the attorney general’s office directly, their fears were to put rest.”

Joseph waived his right to a preliminary hearing Dec. 10 and waived his right to a detention hearing, consenting to be held without bail. Neil S. McElroy, a Toledo lawyer, was appointed to defend him. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Baeppler and trial attorney Josh Champagne with the Justice Department’s counterterrorism section. “(Joseph) spent months planning a violent terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS here in the United States, and eventually targeted a Jewish synagogue in the Toledo area,” Herdman said during a Dec. 10 news conference. “The charges describe a calculated man fueled by an ideology of hatred and intent on killing innocent people. The FBI, our police and Justice Department employees are to be credited for working to stop the defendant before he could act.”

Earlier in 2018, Joseph drew attention from law enforcement for posting photos of knives and firearms on his social media accounts and a photo originally distributed by the media wing of ISIS, according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Toledo.

The posts led to multiple interactions between Joseph and undercover FBI agents.

According to the news release, Joseph communicated to the agents he was a supporter of ISIS. In September, he made ISIS recruitment videos that he sent to the undercover agent. He also

complained that the mosque he attended was critical of ISIS. “Joseph stated he would be willing to participate in violent attacks and operations,” according to the news release.

“For example, on Oct. 21, Joseph expressed support for ‘martyrdom operations’ and stated: ‘What must be done, must be done’ and ‘there will always be casualties of war.’”

On Oct. 30, Joseph and an undercover agent discussed the mass shooting at Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh.

Joseph said, “I admire what the guy did with the shooting actually.” He also said, “I can see myself carrying out this type of operation inshallah (God willing). They wouldn’t even expect (an attack) in my area ...”

On Dec. 2, Joseph forwarded a document on his attack plans, referring to himself as Abdullah Ali Yusuf.

“In the memo, he described plans to attack where the most people are gathered, inflict mass casualties and make sure no one escaped,” the news release said.

On Dec. 4, Joseph said he was deciding between two Toledo synagogues to attack; the choice would depend on “which one will have the most people, what time and what day. Go big or go home,” according to the Justice Department.

The next day, he met with an undercover FBI agent and discussed the attack, including the types of weapons he believed would be able to inflict mass casualties.

On Dec. 6, he said he wanted to attack two synagogues, but it was more realistic to attack one.

Joseph also said he wanted to kill a rabbi, according to the Justice Department. Vicki Anderson, special agent for the FBI in Cleveland, said the suspect did not specify a particular rabbi.

She did not identify the synagogues targeted.

Also on Dec. 6, Joseph wrote the name and address of the synagogue he planned to target and showed photographs of it to the undercover agent, saying he wanted the attack to begin in the sanctuary. Joseph told the agent he would hide two AR15s at his house once the agent purchased them.

Later that day, the agent said he purchased rifles for the attack. The two met Dec. 7 at a predetermined location and Joseph took a black duffel bag carrying two AR-15-type weapons. Joseph was then arrested, according to the news release.

“It’s obviously a disconcerting feeling since I happen to be the rabbi,” said Rabbi Samuel Weinstein of Temple Shomer Emunim. “You don’t become a rabbi expecting that this will be your life.”

Still, Weinstein said, his life was proceeding normally after the arrest of Joseph, and representatives of synagogues in the Toledo area said they were confident their existing security measures were sufficient to protect their congregants.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, comprising members of the FBI, Homeland Security and Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Toledo Police Department, is leading the ongoing investigation.

“We commend and thank the FBI for their ongoing and thorough work on behalf of the safety and security of the Jewish community, as well as our country,” said Michael Masters, national director and CEO of the Secure Community Network, the official Homeland Security and safety initiative of the organized Jewish community in North America.

January

Tevet/Shevat

Tu B’Shevat

New Year for Trees January 21/15 Shevat Marks springtime in Israel.

Celebrated with picnics, fruit and planting trees.

Shabbat Candle Lightings January 4 5:07 p.m.

January 11 5:14 p.m.

January 18 5:22 p.m.

January 25 5:30 p.m.

Torah Portions January 5 Vayera (Ex. 6:2-9:35) January 12 Bo (Ex. 10:1-13:16) January 19 Beshalach (Ex. 13:17-17:16) January 26 Yitro (Ex. 18:1-20:23)

The Dayton Jewish Observer New & Renewing Voluntary Subscribers • Oct. 30-Dec. 3 Renewing Angels Betty Crouse Donald & Carole Marger Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Rubin New Angels Judy Lipton Michael & Felice Shane Double Chai Frieda Blum Dale Goldberg & Mark Dlott Mark & Kathy Gordon Jeff & Esther Green Paul & Sondra Kulback Ronald & Susan Nelson Allan Spetter & Claudia Birch David & Arlene Stine Louise Tincher Subscribers Aaron & Servane Altman Jim & Joyce Anderson Lawrence & Frayda Beloff Stanley & Constance Blum Bob & JoEllen Cohen Marilyn Dunoff Charles B. Fox

Harry & Barbara Gerla Lois Harris Gary Holstine Joseph & Marsha Johnston William Marwil Marlene & Terry Pinsky Ilene Kahn Rachford Shirley E. Rosenberg David Rothschild Marsha B. Scherr Todd & Jody Sobol Sarah Holstine Weissman Eric Zied & Dena Mason-Zied Current Guardian Angels Howard & Judy Abromowitz Congregation Anshe Emeth Tara & Adam Feiner Groundskeeper Landscape Group Marilyn & Larry Klaben Bernard Rabinowitz Dr. & Mrs. Nathaniel Ritter Lee & Patti Schear Steve & Shara Taylor Current Angels Ken Baker, K.W. Baker & Assoc.

Skip & Ann Becker

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Bettman Amy & Michael Bloom Ken & Lisa Blum Hyman & Sylvia Blum Betty Bremen Alex & Jane Briskin Buck Run Commercial Doors & Hardware Inc. Roger Chudde Dr. Scot Denmark Esther & DeNeal Feldman Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Feldman Lynn Foster Elaine & John Gaglione Debby & Bob Goldenberg Judi & George Grampp Art & Joan Greenfield Barb Gronefeld Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Harlan Bea Harris Robert & Vicky Heuman Sylvia & Ralph Heyman Steve & Rachel Jacobs Michael Jaffe Dr. & Mrs. David Joffe Dennis Kahn & Linda Ohlmann Kahn Susan & Stanley Katz Jerome Krochmal

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

Tu B’Shevat Seven Species Babka The Nosher Tu B’Shevat, the new year for trees, falls on Jan. 21 this year. Thanks to the folks at Jewish National Fund, here’s a one-of-a-kind babka made with the seven species of Israel.

The original “tree people,” JNF has planted 240 million trees in Israel to date, making Israel one of only two countries to enter the 21st century with a net-tree gain.

The seven species of the land of Israel are mentioned in the Torah: wheat, barley, grapes (or wine), olives (or olive oil), pomegranates, dates, and figs.

It’s traditional in some Jewish communities to host a Tu B’Shevat seder, where these foods are enjoyed as part of a Passover-like seder program.

For the dough: 1 Tbsp. dry active yeast 1/2 tsp. sugar 1/2 cup lukewarm water 31/2 – 41/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 cup barley flour 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup milk or almond milk 3/4 cup olive oil 2 eggs For the filling: 1 cup dried figs, cut in half 1 cup pitted dates 1 cup water 1/2 cup wine or grape juice 1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon

For the topping: (topping is optional) date honey slivered almonds Place yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Add lukewarm water and set aside until foamy, around five to 10 minutes.

In a stand mixer fitted with dough hook or a large bowl, mix together flours, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Start with 31/2 cups of flour and add more later if dough seems too sticky.

Add milk and olive oil.

Add the eggs one at a time.

When the dough begins to come together, after about three to five minutes, turn out onto a floured surface and knead vigorously for five to 10 minutes.

Or if using a stand mixer, switch to high and mix another four to give minutes. Dough should be shiny, elastic and very soft when it is done.

If dough is sticking too much, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is no longer sticking.

Place dough in a greased bowl with a damp towel on top. Allow one to two hours to rise.

While dough is rising, make filling. Combine all filling ingredient in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce for 10 minutes, until liquid has reduced to slightly more than half. Allow to cool slightly. Place in food processor and pulse.

Note: you can also replace filling with store-bought fig jam.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut dough into two parts.

Roll out each section of dough until it is a rectangular-like shape.

Spread with filling. Working from the shorter side, roll up dough using quick fingers, like you would in order to make cinnamon rolls.

Once the dough is a long log, cut it straight down the middle so the filling is exposed. Secure the ends on one side and twist both the pieces. Pinch and secure at the other end.

Place in a greased loaf pan.

Allow to rise another 10 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle top with slivered almonds if desired (this step is optional).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Top with date honey if desired.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

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JEWISH FAMILY EDUCATION

Athens and Jerusalem The Bible: Wisdom Literature Grocery shopping with a cranky grandbaby means a quick stroller run-and-toss through the aisles, a task I recently accomplished in a record 13 minutes.

While unloading, however, I discovered two overlooked

Candace R. Kwiatek cartons of eggs in the stroller’s boot. What was my obligation?

Another dilemma arose from a faulty crib mobile. The online company opted to refund my money rather than have me return the item. With nothing to lose, I managed to fix the mobile. Since I now possessed a working product for which I hadn’t paid, what was my obligation?

Today, people too easily write off these situations as non-issues. No one saw me “take” the eggs without paying.

The toy company didn’t know I was using the mobile. Why should I feel any obligation?

Questions about what is good and how should I behave are in the realm of morals and ethics, the primary concern of the Bible.

But today’s increasingly secular societies look elsewhere: the heart, reason, or the law.

“My values come from my heart” is a common assertion by those who believe people are generally good. It turns out the heart as a moral guide has some significant downsides.

Hearts are fickle and fallible judges, buffeted in the moment by emotions, experiences, and desired outcomes, creating a kind of moral rootlessness.

Believing we are inherently moral may have a more ominous consequence as well. In a recent study, researchers at the University of London discovered people strongly believe they are moral but irrationally believe they are more moral than the average person.

This “self-enhanced moral superiority could erode our own ethical behavior,” writes psychology professor Cindi May. She explains it may actually encourage future immoral actions, an effect known as

The classic exam“moral licensing,” ple is Nazi Germany. documented in Founded on the related studies on perverted pseudosciworkplace behavior, ence of eugenics, it charitable giving, created a matching and more. moral order through In the Bible, the civil law. heart as a moral Similarly, for wellspring appears monarchism, Marxmost notably in tales ism, communism and from Judges through a whole host of other Kings. “states” and “legal “Every person did systems,” morality what was right in his simply reflects the own eyes,” intones the Book of Judges, Detail of King Solomon’s Idolatry by Salomon Koninck, 1644 ruling-class ideology.

The Bible is clear an era that devolved about the inability of states and into kidnapping, rape, murder, reason. An amoral tool, reason their laws to establish moraland general barbarity. can argue for evil as well as for ity. The prophet Samuel warns Swayed by his heart’s desire good. Like the heart, reason is Israel about kings who will rule for Bathsheba, King David influenced by passions, psywith their own passions and solved the problem of adultery chology, and experiences, and interests at heart, taking tithes, by devising a battle death for must begin with the premise commanding property, and her husband, Uriah. that people are basically good.

Even the heart of the notably Finally, even if reason does lead turning citizens into servants wise King Solomon was seto a moral conclusion, it doesn’t and soldiers at will.

Much earlier, Deuteronomy duced by treasure and pleasure, compel moral action. foreshadows these warnings to the ultimate ruination of the According to the Bible, by commanding that kings United Monarchy. humans do have a divine gift not amass excessive property, The pattern comes full circle of reason, having been made wives, or wealth. as kings of the subsequent in God’s image and eaten from To be moral leaders, they divided kingdoms pursued the Tree of Knowledge of Good should write for themselves a “what was right in their own and Evil. copy of the Torah, read it regueyes.” It turns out the heart But Isaiah cautions, “Woe to isn’t sufficient to be a moral those who are wise in their own larly, and keep its laws. It turns out neither the state nor law is guide. eyes, and shrewd in their own sufficient to be a moral guide Beginning with the philosight!” either. sophical inquiry of the Greeks Proverbs similarly advises, Instead, for moral guidance and renewed during the En“…do not lean on your own we must turn to both Athens lightenment, reason became the understanding.” It turns out and Jerusalem. The philosophy key to morality. reason isn’t sufficient to be a and reason of Athens seek to Commentator Dennis Prager moral guide. answer questions about ultipoints out four problems with Throughout history, both mate truths: what is good and the state and the law have claimed to be legitimate sources what is the best way for man to live? of morality. One of the earliThe Bible and its interpreest examples can be found in tations and commentaries the epilogue to Hammurabi’s represented by Jerusalem offer Code, where the Babylonian a transcendent moral law and king boasts any man can read ethical path balanced by reason his laws to “…find out what and compassion. Heart. Reason. is just, and his heart will be Law. No one alone suffices. glad…”

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Literature to share The Cholent Brigade by Michael Herman. When a neighbor is injured while helping his community, the whole neighborhood pitches in with a cholent brigade. In this heartwarming tale, young children are introduced to the mitzvot (commandments) of gemilut chasadim (loving kindness) and bikur cholim (visiting the sick) and how they make the world a better place. To enhance learning about the traditional Sabbath dish known as cholent, there’s even a recipe to try. A wonderful book for discussion and a shared cooking experience.

Why Judaism Matters: Letters of a Liberal Rabbi to His Children and the Millennial Generation by Rabbi John Rosove.

Written as a kind of ethical will for his children, Rosove’s series of letters makes the case for identifying as a serious liberal Jew. Drawing upon Jewish wisdom, his own rabbinic experiences, and personal introspection, Rosove explores four main topics: the essence of liberal Judaism, love and marriage, good and evil, and how to live a good life. Respectful of views across the liberal spectrum, Rosove’s writing is thoughtful and clear, interesting and compelling.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

Arts&Culture

Deborah Lipstadt wrote a book on antisemitism.

Then Pittsburgh happened.

Osnat Perelshtein

By Ben Sales, JTA The advance copies of Deborah Lipstadt’s new book, Antisemitism Here and Now, display a cover photo of a white supremacist carrying a tiki torch.

But that iconic image of the August 2017 white power rally in Charlottesville, Va. could now be replaced by another one: Police tape cordoning off the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh. Or the row of cut-out stars with the names of that massacre’s 11 victims.

Antisemitism, written in 2018 and due out in February, offers a concise, comprehensive overview of the various forms of Jew-hatred that have reappeared or intensified during the past few years.

And before Pittsburgh, there already was plenty to write about: antisemitic attacks in Europe; the “alt-right” in the U.S.; the persistence of Holocaust revisionism and denial; whether and when criticism of Israel qualifies as antisemitic; and of course Charlottesville.

Then the shooting happened. For Lipstadt, the renowned Holocaust historian and Emory University professor, the tragedy in Pittsburgh was both a surprise and a reaffirmation of her warnings.

Lipstadt, 71, spoke with JTA about what the Pittsburgh shooting means for American Jews and how Jews should fight antisemitism. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

doesn’t characterize our whole country — but it is disturbing. I tell the story, the one I end the book with, of walking into shul with a little friend who’s now 61/2, and her mother said, “Say thank you to the police officer for keeping us safe.”

She’s going to figure it out soon enough. She’ll look across the street at the church dead opposite our shul and there are no police officers there. How do you recognize a shul now if you don’t know exactly what the number is or what the cross street is? Look for the police officers. Kids recognize that.

There will be kids who say what do I want to go to Hillel for? There will be parents who will say, you know what?

Why should I take my kid to a place where there’s danger?

Deborah Lipstadt, author of the forthcoming book Antisemitism Here and

In your book, you focus largely on Now, says the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting reaffirmed her warnings people who enable or minimize antisemitism, as opposed to hardcore antisemites the person who’s going to have access to the public. themselves. Why is that?

It’s farfaln (Yiddish for a lost How do you view Linda Sarsour’s activism and cause) to try to change those people. fundraising on behalf of Jewish causes, and her I could write about David Duke collaborations with progressive Jewish groups? from here until the cows come. I’m There are lots of people who proclaim they’re not going to change David Duke’s against antisemitism — “Pittsburgh? Terrible!” Linda mind. We all know David Duke is a Sarsour, you know. At the same time, on the other side lowlife of the first order, but it’s the of her mouth, she’s talking about don’t humanize Ispeople who might be influenced by rael and when you wear a Jewish star it makes me feel David Duke who I want to reach. unsafe. She’s talking out of two sides of her mouth.

Farrakhan, he’s a disgusting exI don’t trust people like that. One of the reasons I’m cuse for a human being. But it’s the particularly not trusting of someone like that is that people around him, Linda Sarsour, there are so many Jews on the left who come so cheap.

(Women’s March co-chair) Tamika They wrote me, “Look, Linda Sarsour criticized PittsMallory, who have the voice of burgh, look, she’s helped to rebuild a cemetery,” etc. the press, who are listened to. They’re enablers. The Give me a break. Anyone who’s not going to enablers are much more dangerous to me than the criticize what happened in Pittsburgh...someone gets people we recognize. credit? OK, so she’s raising money to help rebuild a On some level, it’s the non-Hitlerian kind of anticemetery, that’s very nice. But at the same time she’s semite, the one who doesn’t quite present as an antimaking awful statements about Jews. Not just about semite, who’s much more dangerous because that’s Continued on next page

‘I wasn’t surprised because I kept saying something’s going to happen in our country, and had been happening.’

What are your thoughts about the book following Pittsburgh?

I wasn’t surprised by Pittsburgh, but I was shocked. I wasn’t surprised because I kept saying something’s going to happen in our country, and had been happening.

It would be easy to say everything changes after Pittsburgh, and I do think everything changed for Jews, for synagogues. Any synagogue board that hasn't met to discuss security operations is crazy.

That’s the new normal.

We had one incident, a horrible incident — it

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

PAGE 21

Lipstadt Continued from previous page Zionists but about Jews.

Farrakhan, he called Jews termites, and Linda Sarsour and Tamika Mallory and leaders of the Women’s March are embracing him and praising him. He called us termites. How much more do you need?

On the right, is a person with 50 Twitter followers who sends a meme something we really need to be concerned about?

If it were one person with 50 followers I’d say let’s get a life. But it’s not one person with 50 followers. It’s 500 people with 50 followers and one of them with a thousand and another, like a Richard Spencer, who figures out how to take those 50 and 50 and 50 and turn them into something more acceptable and more mainstream.

It’s a ripple effect. The internet can be a weapon or it can be a great tool for connecting people. Given that we now have the internet, given that these right-wingers have learned how to use it, they have a tool they didn’t have before.

The thing that really galvanized it was, of course, having a president who — I don’t know if Donald Trump is an antisemite, I doubt that he’s an antisemite. But that’s the wrong question to ask. The question to ask is, does he enable antisemites?

(Lipstadt then refers to antisemitic abuse from Trump supporters directed toward reporter Julia Ioffe, who wrote a critical profile of Melania Trump in 2016.)

That would have been the moment for him to look straight into the camera and say, “Listen, this is not how I want to win the presidency. This is not what

America is about.” Instead he said, “I have no message for them.”

(Trump told CNN, “I don’t have a message for the fans.”)

You have a president who glorifies violence. You have this violence, this glorification of violence.

You put it together with white nationalism, white supremacy. At the heart of that white nationalism is a deep-seated antisemitism.

You criticize activists who lead the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, or BDS, against Israel. But could you explain why you also have harsh words for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who they oppose?

Bibi has done a number of things. First of all, his welcoming and embrace of (Hungarian prime minister) Viktor Orban, who has been pushing this Soros imagery (billboards criticizing the liberal Jewish philanthropist George Soros) and cracking down on the Jewish community of Budapest in a horrible, horrible way.

No. 2, what happened with the critics of BDS and that policy of keeping them out (of Israel)? Not only is it antithetical to Israel being a democracy, but it steals us of our best argument against BDS. BDS says “shut down the conversation, don’t bring anybody who might disagree with you,” and we say “no, open up the conversation.”

Most of all, the Polish law (criminalizing blaming Poles for collaborating with the Holocaust). When the Polish law came out, Israel was appalled and was

‘Don’t see antisemitism only on the other side of the political transom from which you are located.’

absolutely critical of Poland for this law. But then they announced with great fanfare, with Bibi at the table, we’ve worked things out with Poland, and Poland is changing the law so that it’s not as offensive.

What they had done is essentially changed the punishment from criminal to civil, but at the same time taken away protections for professors and artists.

This bending to Poland on this law was realpolitik. Bibi did it because he wants Orban in Hungary and whoever’s leading the Polish government at the moment, and Austria to be his friends.

Now you can say that’s realpolitik, but don’t do that and then claim Israel is the primary spokesperson and the address for fighting world antisemitism when you have coddled an antisemite like Orban, when you have made room for a soft-core Holocaust denial law like the Polish law. When you’re talking about antisemitism, there’s a red line.

You criticize people on both left and right, anti-Israel activists and the Israeli prime minister. Do you feel like you’re fighting a losing battle trying to carve out space in the middle?

I call it as I see it. If I thought it was a losing battle I probably wouldn’t do it.

I think there are a lot of Jews who feel like I do. I think there are a lot of Jews who will read half the book and remember half the book, who will be appalled when I’m putting down the right and love it when I’m putting down the left and be appalled when I’m putting down the left and love it when I’m putting

e r h e w y t h r e i v s e w s i i n S u s o y a w e b ter y u a s F .

M . .

J

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... work ing with JCC Ear ly Childho od

... out educating the community THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • JANUARY 2019

down the (right).

I’m not out to win a popularity contest. I hope I’m not a voice crying out into the dark. I didn’t write the book to convince people who already know what they think. If the book makes people a little bit uncomfortable, and makes them reassess where they are and what they’re doing and where they see things, that’s good, too.

So what should we do to fight antisemitism?

I compare antisemitism to herpes. For more of the time we’ve had herpes, it couldn’t be cured. And if you were suddenly under stress, boom, up would come a herpes infection.

Antisemitism is like herpes.

When a society is under stress, it appears.

I would say the following things: They won’t cure it, but at least it might help alleviate it.

Don’t see antisemitism only on the other side of the political transom from which you are located. All these Jews on the left who suddenly, when Trump was running, saw antisemitism on the right and began to get all upset about that. And they weren’t wrong. But they had a patch on.

All those people on the right who are now saying Pittsburgh was a one-off, but we really should be worried about BDS. Of course we should be worried about BDS, but if you're on the right you can have a conversation with those people. If you’re on the left you can try to have a conversation with those people.

If you’re only seeing it on the opposite side of the transom, you’re instrumentalizing this for political purposes.

I call for civil society. It used to be we could take our lead from government and leadership. We can’t. So it becomes incumbent on civil society to take a role.

A healthy democratic society cannot tolerate antisemitism and racism. If that is festering in its midst, it says something is unhealthy about the society.

It’s not just Jews for whom this is dangerous. This should terrify you. Because if this is happening to Jews, it may start with the Jews but it doesn’t end with the Jews.

OBITUARIES Edwin Harold Gessel, age 94 formerly of Dayton, died in Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Mass. on Nov. 14. He was born in Philadelphia on May 20, 1924 to Cecelia and Jacob Gessel. He is survived by children Ira Gessel (Abigail Bordeaux), Louise Gessel (Martin Larson), and Michael Gessel (Marcy Gessel); grandchildren Rosanna Gessel-Larson, Benjamin Gessel, Robert Gessel, and Daniel Gessel; and nephews David Gessel and Daniel Gessel. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rosanne Gessel; brother, Arnold Gessel; and

companions Ruth Sommer and Esther Fried. Mr. Gessel served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II. He is a graduate of Philadelphia’s Central High School. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Temple University, a master’s degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in counseling from Wright State University.

He owned the Snelling & Snelling employment agency of Dayton, which he opened in 1962 and managed for three decades. He served as president of the Dayton Area Private Employment Service Association. He taught economics at Sinclair Community College and also taught Sunday School at Temple Israel. His

Novelist

him to warn you these demonstrations can devolve into violence?’ I don’t buy that they believe that I was a threat. I don’t buy that they were doing it as a friendly warning. I think it was a tactic of intimidation.

And they were doing it to a lot of people at that period. A week later, Simone Zimmerman from If Not Now was detained. A week after that — it was Sunday after Sunday — Peter Beinart was detained and questioned. It’s a good tactic of intimidation. Because it made me feel intimidated. It made me feel like, oh, next time I come back for a visit with my daughter I do have to take into account — will they detain me, will they not? If they detain me, for how long? Am I still on the blacklist, am I not? And it’s a terrible thing to have to think about.

Continued from Page 10 home.

How specific did they get?

They asked, ‘What’s your involvement in All That’s Left,’ which is this diasporic antioccupation collective I helped start. ‘What’s your involvement in Breaking The Silence,’ and I worked with Breaking The Silence on this literary anthology. And they said, ‘You know, you’re not accused of anything, you’re not suspected of anything, we just want to warn you that it can be a slippery slope. You go to these demonstrations and you think they’re very legitimate but they can very quickly wind out into violence. And we think about the radical left and the radical right.’ And I said, ‘What do you mean by that?’ And they said, ‘Well, radial right like Baruch Goldstein, who massacred 28 Palestinians, or like the people who killed the Dawabshe family or the people who burned Mohammed Abu Khdeir.’ And I said to them, ‘Are you making a comparison between these people who killed unarmed civilians and killed children, and between Breaking The Silence and B’Tselem and All That’s Left and me?’ And he said, ‘No, no, no, I’m not making that comparison. I’m just saying we do extreme left and extreme right. And you, you seem like a good guy. I just want to warn you. Think about this as a warning conversation. You’re free to go.’

People have asked me, ‘Isn’t that legitimate, important for

What do you think after a year in Yellow Springs?

Something I like about my mode with Kayla, my partner, is we always operate with the sense of, for good for now.

When we were in Jerusalem, we were in Jerusalem for good for now. Which means, we’re here. We’re not looking left and right trying to figure our ways out, but we also know that things could change. We’re here for good for now. My partner works with refugees in the field of human rights law. We like it here, and we like the community here. It feels like there’s a lot of work to do and a lot of involvement that is needed here in the United States, whether that’s on the literary level or on the human rights level.

many hobbies included woodworking, photography, crafts, folk dancing, and jewelry making. Since 2009, he had lived in Cabot Park Village, a retirement community in Newton, where he founded a weekly discussion group and served as president of the residents’ association. Interment was at Riverview Cemetery.

Contributions may be made in Mr. Gessel’s memory to Temple Israel.

Ian G. Mendelson, 77, formerly of Dayton, lost his long battle with cancer on Sept. 3, 2018, in Atlanta.

Throughout his battle, he kept a positive outlook and a great sense of humor. He was preceded in death by his father, Sam L. Mendelson of Solon; his mother, Sarah L. Mendelson of Phoenix; and his in-laws, Dr. Sam and Mae Chudde of Dayton. He grew up in University Heights and was the first Jewish graduate of Solon High School. Mr. Mendelson loved to travel, the outdoors, woodworking, and photography. He was devoted to his wife and daughter. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Saundra (Saunie) Chudde Mendelson and daughter Shelah Mendelson, both of Roswell, Ga.; brother and sister-in law, Harvey and Sharon Mendelson of Monte Rio, Calif.; nieces and nephews.

Interment was at Riverview Cemetery. Donations may be made to Weinstein Hospice of Atlanta (weinsteinhospice.com) or Temple Israel in Dayton (tidayton.org).

Ann Rubin, age 80 of Dayton, passed away peacefully in the company of family on Dec. 1 at Kensington Place, Columbus.

She was born April 25, 1938 in New York to William and Vivian (Frankel) Seplowitz.

She married Ira Rubin on Dec. 20, 1966. Mrs. Rubin is survived by her sister, Susan Rosenblum of Coral Springs, Fla.; son, Scott (Karina) Rubin of Columbus; daughter, Amy of Chicago; and two grandchildren, Max and Tobey.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Ira Rubin. She was a teacher for many years, spending most of the latter portion of her career focused on those with learning disabilities. Mrs. Rubin will be remembered as a caring mother, a dear friend, and a wonderful person who set the bar of kindness and thoughtfulness very high. Contributions may be made in her memory to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, ncld.org. Interment was at Riverview Cemetery.

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