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JCC spring sports, fitness for all ages This April, the J will begin to offer new classes and fitness programs. The new classes include outdoor instructional tennis for kids (ages 4 — 16) and adults, instructional basketball for
grades K— 2, girls’ basketball for grades 2 – 6, and a new beach body workout series for adults. The new JCC outdoor instructional tennis class is taught by Xavier University’s head tennis coach and head ten-
nis pro at the Losantiville Club (formerly Ridge Club). This class is available for children and adults on Wednesday afternoons and evenings. There’s also indoor tennis for ages 3 — grade 6, taught by a U.S
Professional Tennis Association pro. The new family fitness programs include a family jump rope workout or a hula hoop session, family Taekwondo, beach body workout, co-ed family vol-
leyball, family gym time and interactive playtime for families with children (ages 2 – 5). In addition to the new programs, there is a varied selection of regular ones. For more information, contact the J.
Jewish Cemeteries completes its first year; elects new officers, board Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati (JCGC) is comprised of 22 Jewish cemeteries, almost all of the Jewish cemeteries in Cincinnati and Hamilton, Ohio. It represents the culmination of more than 10 years of community efforts to address the financial, succession, upkeep and other challenges facing Cincinnati as well as many Jewish communities. Cincinnati is a leader national-
ly in creating this type of organizational model to take care of its cemeteries in perpetuity, according to the organizations’ executive director, David Hoguet. “We are very pleased with our progress since the organization began operating in mid-2008. Our financial performance has been better than both our budgeted goals and the projections made by the consultants that were engaged
by the community leaders collaborating to form JCGC. We’ve also been able to improve the maintenance and security of the cemeteries, which will continue to be an ongoing project. In addition, we are actively looking for land for a new cemetery to serve the entire Jewish community,” said Hoguet. Ed Marks, outgoing board president, added, “Our initial board consisted of the cemetery
operators that contributed their cemeteries and endowments to JCGC, but our Code of Regulations provides for a three year transition to a community board. With the election of our new trustees, JCGC has begun the transition to a community board.” This month JCGC announced the election of new officers and trustees. Elected to serve as officers
for a one-year term are Jan Armstrong Cobb, president; Elinor Ziv, vice president; Norman Frankel, treasurer; and Bradley Kaplan, secretary. New trustees elected to a three-year term are Michael Bergman, Alan Brown, Tovah Kirschner and Joshua Shapiro. Tom Rinsky and Mack Evans, current trustees, were reelected to new three-year terms.
Reflections from Holocaust Survivor, Zahava Rendler As I prepare for the “March of the Living,” a variety of overwhelming feelings run through my mind. Beginning with the flight, just listening to all the instructions in Polish startles me. What am I doing going to a place that did not want me, my family and my people? I am going to a country where every step of the ground is covered with Jewish blood, the blood of my people. I was born in Poland, shunned because of my religion; hunted like an animal and hidden in a dark place where my only companions were hunger, fear and the cold. My name was changed in order to survive
Zahava Rendler prepares for “March of the Living.”
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being separated from my parents. Instead of nourishment, I was given sleeping pills. Am I wrong asking for more? The Jews were killed only because they were Jews; others were murdered because they were Polish or Russian. I ask myself, “Why was the world silent?” Why did the world allow such a terrible thing to happen? I just hope that people will never again be so helpless, and that a human being will never again be considered just a number; that nobody will be forced to wear striped clothes, or be tortured until he loses his last breath. Silence never helps the victims; silence only helps the attackers.
Going on the “March of the Living” says to the entire world— including all the deniers and the ones that break the holy monuments in the cemetery—that we will never forget. No, I am not a masochist; I am a proud Jew. Going with all these young, wonderful teenagers, I know that we will always remember what the Nazi Amalekites did to me and my Jewish brothers and sisters. Haman and Hitler are dead, but as the Haggada reminds us “In every generation one rises up to destroy us, in every generation we must seek our freedom.” We are here and the people of Israel live forever and ever.
The young marchers affirm my belief. To them I say, you are my strength and hope. As a Holocaust survivor living in Cincinnati, it is with great pride to be with you. Though you were born and grew up in a free and democratic society, you decided to carry on the memory and embark on this sacred and most demanding journey into the darkest period of our collective history. So it is not without fear that I embark on this journey; but I remember my mission. My goal in life is to teach about the Holocaust. To teach about Judaism. To teach mankind that we have to be better people. Am Yisrael Chai.
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Model Matzah Bakery at Kroger This past Sunday, Blue Ash Kroger hosted a Model Matzah Bakery. The Model Matzah Bakery is modeled after an authentic Shmurah Matzah bakery, where all Matzah is handmade and baked in an authentic brick oven. Participants winnowed and ground wheat stalks into flour, kneaded and rolled the dough before baking their Matzah. “What is unique about this program is that it brings Passover to life with an activity which appeals to all ages, so the entire family can participate together,” said Rabbi Berel Cohen, of Chabad Jewish Center. “When I see parents
One happy baker!
and kids, and even grandparents working together to make Matzah,
it is often hard to tell who is enjoying it the most. But one thing is for
sure, for all those who come, the Matzah at the Seder table will never again be the same!” Passover celebrates the liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt over 3,300 years ago. On Passover, Jews eat Matzah, special unleavened bread, to commemorate the hasty departure from Egypt that occurred so fast, there was no time to let dough rise in preparation for the subsequent journey in the desert. The Model Matzah Bakery will be traveling to schools and organizations throughout the greater Cincinnati area. For more information, call the Chabad Jewish Center.
Changing roles in Judaism topic of Wise Temple Men’s Retreat On Saturday, March 13, the Isaac M. Wise Temple Brotherhood held its second Men’s Retreat at Wise Center. The theme of the Retreat was the “Role of Jewish Men in the 21st Century.” Rabbi Lewis Kamrass discussed how roles have changed in recent years with the increase in participation of women in Judaism—there are more females in the rabbinate, more women participating in Temple life, and various roles are gender specific. He urged the Brotherhood to continue its active programming
but to expand this to include younger boys in the congregation who view their fathers and grandfathers as role models. Activities could be developed where both fathers and sons could participate, men of the congregation could engage in teaching roles as religious school teachers or B’nai Mitzvah tutors. He praised the Brotherhood for their busy schedule and community service, yet suggested that some of the programs could be more spiritually based. Four individual breakout sessions dealt with the role of men in
the congregation, workplace, home and community. Rabbi Michael Shulman of Wise Temple discussed men’s role in the community. Aaron Meyer, a 4th year rabbinic student at Hebrew Union College and rabbinic intern at Wise Temple, led a discussion of men in the congregation and how their roles have changed in recent years. Facilitator Chris Kraus, an attorney and religious school teacher, led the discussion of men’s role in the workplace. Rabbi David Burstein from Temple Beth Or in Dayton, discussed how to make
the home a more sacred place, and how we can intentionally recognize our blessings on a daily basis. “Programs like this will undoubtedly be continued as men are looking for more opportunities to have these discussions among themselves. For example, in the very near future, Wise Brotherhood will be sponsoring our second Burgers and Beer with the Rabbi, another chance to spend quality time together,” commented Wise Temple Brotherhood president, Scott Joseph.
Cedar Village to recognize ‘Eight Over Eighty’ honorees Eight members of the Greater Cincinnati Jewish community over the age of 80 who have made and continue to make a difference by dedicating their time and talents to both the Cincinnati community and the Jewish community have been selected to be honored at the “Eight Over Eighty” event on Sunday evening, May 2 at Adath Israel Congregation. “Each of these people has made a difference in the lives of others and it will be a privilege to salute them and their lifetimes of achievement and community service. We invite the community to join us on May 2 to celebrate their accomplishments,” according to Carol Silver Elliott, CEO of Cedar Village. Funds raised will be used for the expansion and renovation of Cedar Village’s rehabilitation services. Roz Harkavy is chair of the event.
The eight honorees who were nominated to receive this honor were: Wilbur Cohen, Dave Jacobson, Bob Kanter, Florence Lieberman, Lou Nidich, Sue Ransohoff, Dick Weiland and Florence Zaret. Wilbur Cohen has been active in both Middletown and Cincinnati for many years. He has been a leader with the Middletown Hospital (now Atrium Medical Center) and was instrumental in the development of the new hospital. Wilbur is also an active board member and supporter of Cedar Village. Dave Jacobson played an instrumental role in the merger between the Orthodox Jewish Home and Glen Manor, leading to the development of Cedar Village. He is also involved with a number of other community organizations including Adath Israel Congregation.
Bob Kanter has been an active volunteer in the Jewish community for more than 40 years and has been involved with the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Foundation and Jewish Hospital, playing leadership roles at all. He’s also been active at Hebrew Union College, the JCC and Wise Temple. Florence Lieberman has volunteered “since grade school.” Her accomplishments include leadership roles in Hadassah and serving as the first woman president of the Jewish National Fund in Cincinnati—a position she held for 13 years. Lou Nidich voluntarily solicits and distributes donations of food for the needy and as well as for the Cedar Village Golf Classic. Sue Ransohoff has been a longtime member of the board of Wise Temple. She’s developed a support group for seniors and has organized many projects at the
temple. She’s also active with the Hearing, Speech and Deaf Center, Planned Parenthood and the Adoption Network. Dick Weiland has been active in the Jewish community for many years, raising funds for Hebrew Union College, being an advocate for Israel, and serving as part of the national leadership of Jewish Federation. Also, he lobbies for local Jewish agencies. Florence Zaret has a distinguished history of volunteering, from the Red Cross to Jewish Hospital, from the Orthodox Jewish Home to the Jewish War Veterans. She has also been a Cedar Village volunteer since Cedar Village opened in 1997. The evening begins with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and the program. For more information or to make a reservation for the dinner, contact Cedar Village.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
The oldest English-Jewish weekly in America Founded July 15, 1854 by Isaac M.Wise VOL. 156 • NO. 35 Thursday, March 25, 2010 10 Nissan, 5770 Shabbat begins Fri, 7:37 p.m. Shabbat ends Sat, 8:37 p.m. THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE CO., PUBLISHERS 18 WEST NINTH STREET, SUITE 2 CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202-2037 PHONE: (513) 621-3145 FAX: (513) 621-3744 publisher@americanisraelite.com editor@americanisraelite.com articles@americanisraelite.com production@americanisraelite.com HENRY C. SEGAL Editor & Publisher 1930-1985 MILLARD H. MACK Publisher Emeritus NETANEL (TED) DEUTSCH Editor & Publisher AVI MILGROM MICHAEL McCRACKEN Assistant Editors ALEXIA KADISH Copy Editor JOSEPH D. STANGE Production Manager JUSTIN COHEN Advertising Sales LEV LOKSHIN JANE KARLSBERG Staff Photographers JANET STEINBERG Travel Editor ROBERT WILHELMY Restaurant Reporter MARIANNA BETTMAN NATE BLOOM RABBI A. JAMES RUDIN RABBI AVI SHAFRAN Contributing Writers CHRISTIE HALKO Office Manager
THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE (USPS 019-320) is published weekly for $40 per year and $2.00 per single copy in Cincinnati and $45 per year and $3.00 per single copy elsewhere in U.S. by The American Israelite Co. 18 West Ninth Street, Suite 2, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2037. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE, 18 West Ninth Street, Suite 2, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2037.
The views and opinions expressed by American Israelite columnists do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the newspaper.
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Hillel’s 13th Operation Warm-up Over 100 students volunteered at Hillel on a snowy, rainy day last month to assemble thousands of bags filled with food, toiletries, and blankets — all donated by local Cincinnati companies. The bags were destined for Washington Park, various shelters, churches and missions, including the Jewish Food Pantry, for those in need.
Participants reported that this had an “incredible” impact in Over the Rhine where bags couldn’t be distributed fast enough. Recipients seemed shocked that people were taking the time out to perform such random acts of kindness. It was reported that “Thank you” and “God Bless You” were frequently heard by those who benefitted from Operation Warm-Up.
Temple Sholom News and Jewish traditions, and to share experiences. The next workshop will be an Interfaith Shabbat Program on April 25. Later in the year, there will be an interfaith program on Israel on May 16; an Interfaith Picnic on July 18 and an Interfaith High Holy Days Workshop on August 29. Earlier this month, Temple Sholom put on an Interfaith Outreach Passover Program. The first program was held this past December and explored the “December Dilemma” that is often experienced by interfaith families, particularly with Hanukkah and Christmas. The program offered some education about the customs and practices of Hanukkah and also had group discussions with interfaith families to allow them to share issues and how they deal with the December holidays. “I have been working with interfaith couples for almost 30 years,” stated Rabbi Rick Shapiro, Interim Rabbi of Temple Sholom, who is facilitating this program. “The Reform Jewish Movement has made outreach to interfaith families a major priority, one that I wholeheartedly endorse. We have a successful track record of helping to create an open and welcoming environment for these families to explore and experiment with Jewish life. The members of Temple Sholom hope to accomplish the same thing here in Cincinnati.” Contact Temple Sholom for more information.
Temple Sholom sponsors Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park tour On the morning of Tuesday, April 13, Temple Sholom will sponsor a docent escorted bus tour of the park. Located in the city of Hamilton, the park is an outdoor museum of huge sculptures set in 265 acres of meadows, forests and gardens. Within the park there is an “Ancient Sculpture Museum” with Roman, Egyptian, Greek and Etruscan sculptures that are thousands of years old. The park’s mission is singular: To build a collection of sculptures that will demonstrate the complete history of the art form. Guests will carpool from Temple Sholom; they should bring their own lunches. Beverages and dessert will be provided. There is a charge for the tour. Call Temple Sholom for more information. Temple Sholom offers interfaith workshops As part of its commitment to interfaith outreach, Temple Sholom is sponsoring a series of interfaith workshops and programs in 2010. These are open to the community and are especially for anyone who is part of an interfaith family where at least one member is Jewish, including partners, spouses, children or any other family member. The programs are meant to provide opportunities to discuss interfaith issues, learn about Judaism
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(L-R) Sharon Spiegel (J-Fed of Cincinnati), Tomer Peretz and Chen Ezer, Chaverim M’Israel, Tobe Snow (president, Cinti Chapter of Hadassah), and Suzanne Schweiger (hostess and event co-chair)
Haddassah holds Youth Aliyah/Children at Risk Tea Earlier this month, the Cincinnati Chapter of Hadassah held its Youth Aliyah/Children at Risk Tea at the home of Suzanne Schweiger. Chen Ezer and Tomer Peretz, two young Israelis from Cincinnati’s sister city of Netanya, were guest speakers. The two were brought to Cincinnati by the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati through Partnership 2000 for the program Chaverim M’Israel (Friends from Israel). They are in our community for a year teaching about Israel
and bringing the culture of Israel to our secular and non-secular schools and organizations. Recently they returned from a visit home to Israel and spoke about their visit to Hadassah Neurim, a Youth Aliyah village not far from Netanya. They showed a PowerPoint presentation that included family photos and photos of the village. Also, Suzanne Schweiger spoke about the project as well, one of three Youth Aliyah villages in Israel and Sharon Spiegel, from the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, spoke about the
Chaverim M’Israel program. Youth Aliyah services disadvantaged native-born Israeli children, abused and neglected children, children with learning problems, and recent immigrants from countries like the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and Argentina. Hadassah has responsibility for three Youth Aliyah villages: Hadassah Neurim, Meir Shreyah and Ramat Hadassah Szold. Started in 1934, Hadassah Youth Aliyah/ Children at Risk is one of many educational programs sponsored by Hadassah in Israel.
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At JOFA conference, passion shifts to women’s leadership by Ben Harris Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — The last time the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance organized a conference at Columbia University, in 2007, Israeli activist Tova Hartman electrified a crowd of several hundred with her call to “stop kvetching” and start acting until the plight of “chained women,” or agunot, was resolved. “Let this be the last JOFA conference where we need to ask if there’s a halachic heter [permissive legal ruling] for agunot,” Hartman said of women seeking divorces from husbands refusing them a religious writ of divorce, or get. The audience roared its approval. Three years later, Hartman has her wish. Agunot activists are no longer asking if methods consistent with Jewish law exist to help such women; they know that they do. But the anger and passion that once characterized JOFA’s work on the issue was noticeably absent at the organization’s conference Sunday, and not because the agu-
nah problem is close to resolution. It’s not. A reference to agunot during the conference’s opening plenary drew only polite applause. Rather it was the appearance of Rabba Sara Hurwitz that brought the faithful to their feet — twice. “I stand here, I’m filled with emotion,” Hurwitz said during the conference’s opening plenary. “The support I feel in this room is palpable.” Hurwitz is, and may well remain, the world’s only rabba, a feminized version of the title “rabbi” that she was given by her mentor, Rabbi Avi Weiss. Weiss’ announcement of the title in January set off a firestorm of criticism that resulted in his public pledge this month not to ordain any more rabbas. While some Orthodox feminists were disappointed by the move, seeing it as a step back from the eventual ordination of Orthodox female rabbis, Hurwitz still enjoys something akin to rock star status at JOFA. She represents, for now, the upper limit of what women can achieve in Orthodox communal leadership. Hurwitz herself urged her audi-
ence not to despair. “If it’s these words that will prevent women from greater acceptance in the community, rather than rejecting or losing faith in our rabbis, we must not give up,” she said. “Perhaps now is the time to create and shape language that is more in tune with the political reality.” The issue of agunot has hardly faded from the JOFA agenda. It was the subject of several panel discussions, and the screening of parts of a documentary on the subject drew an overflow crowd. The Center for Women’s Justice, an Israeli advocacy group that files lawsuits on behalf of agunot, set up a table to distribute literature. But the shift in focus was unmistakable, resulting at least in part from the fact that despite 40 years of activism and much progress, the agunah problem remains as intractable as ever. “I think there is a sense that if you can’t move something, and you’ve tried, people just back off,” said Robin Bodner, JOFA’s executive director. “There’s kind of an apathy. There’s a great number of people out there who have gone and given up.”
JOFA
Rabba Sara Hurwitz was greeted with a standing ovation in her address to the opening plenary of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance conference in New York, March 14, 2010.
Blu Greenberg, JOFA’s founding president and the inspiration for a generation of Orthodox feminists, noted during a session on the history of agunah advocacy that the organization’s president vowed years ago that the issue would be resolved on her watch. “Here we are, 6 1/2 years later, and we’re just as far from resolution of the problem,” Greenberg said. Women’s leadership, on the
other hand, has come a long way. Along with Hurwitz, a handful of women are serving in rabbinictype positions at other Orthodox congregations. Yeshiva University has a program dedicated to training and placing women in such positions. And Hurwitz herself is the dean of Yeshivat Maharat, which offers training and placement services to women comparable to what male rabbinical students receive.
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Netanyahu to AIPAC: Jerusalem not a settlement by Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told AIPAC activists that “Jerusalem is not a settlement,” and also depicted the Palestinian Authority as not taking steps for peace. During the comments on Jerusalem, the 8,000 American Israel Public Affairs Committee activists packed into the Washington Convention Center burst into lengthy cheers Monday evening, underscoring how the U.S.-Israel tensions over Israeli building in the eastern part of the city have yet to subside. In her own address Monday morning to the annual policy conference, Hillary Rodham Clinton, the U.S. secretary of state, described building in eastern Jerusalem as frustrating an “atmosphere of trust.” Netanyahu, who had met Clinton earlier Monday, told the AIPAC crowd that building in Jerusalem was a natural Jewish right, but stopped short of pledging to keep launching new building projects. “The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 year ago and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today,” he said.
“Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is our capital.” Netanyahu also depicted the Palestinian Authority as not taking steps for peace. “What has the Palestinian Authority done for peace?” Netanyahu said. “They have placed preconditions on peace talks, waged a relentless international campaign to undermine Israel's legitimacy, and promoted the notorious Goldstone Report that falsely accuses Israel of war crimes.” Netanyahu blamed the Palestinian Authority for continued incitement. “A few days ago, in a public square near Ramallah, the Palestinians named this square after a terrorist who murdered 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children, including the murder of an American photographer, Gail Rubin, and the Palestinian Authority did nothing.” The Palestinian Authority has refused to rejoin talks with Israel until it imposes an absolute settlement freeze; the Netanyahu government has imposed a partial freeze and has improved movement in the West Bank. “President Abbas, come and negotiate peace,” Netanyahu said. Peace, he said, was not sustainable when “Israel makes all the concessions and the Palestinian Authority makes none.”
In her speech, Clinton blamed the incident involving the square on the Palestinian Authority's Hamas rivals. The Palestinian Authority has in recent years introduced anti-incitement measures, including mass firings of militant Islamist preachers and teachers. A number of Jewish groups say the P.A. has not done enough, citing provocative broadcasts on P.A. television. The Obama administration — backed by Israeli defense officials — says P.A. troops in the West Bank have made strides in maintaining law and order and helping to prevent terrorism. P.A. leaders initially did not oppose U.S.-led efforts to quash the U.N. Goldstone report, but after their tacit cooperation was made public — reportedly through leaks by Israeli officials — they reversed course. Netanyahu also said Israel would not hesitate to defend itself from the Iranian nuclear threat. “Today, an unprecedented threat to humanity looms large,” he said. “A radical Iranian regime armed with nuclear weapons could bring an end to the era of nuclear peace the world has enjoyed for the last 65 years. Such a regime could provide nuclear weapons to terrorists — it might even be tempted to use them. Our world would never be the same.”
Hillary, AIPAC leaders: Making the hurt plain — but the love, too by Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — It was like one of those “good” family fights the shrinks on TV urge in marital spats: Make the hurt plain, but make the love plain, too. The leaders of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton did not back down from their bottom lines when Clinton spoke Monday morning at the annual AIPAC policy conference: The Obama administration will make its unhappiness clear and public when it regards an Israeli action as undermining the peace process; AIPAC would prefer such talks take place behind closed doors. For AIPAC, Jerusalem is off the table; for Clinton it’s very much part of the discussion. Yet Clinton and the speakers before her — AIPAC President Lee Rosenberg and Executive Director Howard Kohr — made it
emphatically clear that they not only remembered the “good times,” they are trying to bridge the gaps as well. Clinton’s speech culminated two weeks of tensions sparked when Israel announced a major housing start in eastern Jerusalem during a visit to Israel by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden that had been aimed at underscoring the close U.S.-Israel friendship and restarting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. “It is our devotion to this outcome — two states for two peoples, secure and at peace — that led us to condemn the announcement of plans for new construction in East Jerusalem,” Clinton said Monday. “This was not about wounded pride. Nor is it a judgment on the final status of Jerusalem, which is an issue to be settled at the negotiating table. This is about getting to the table, creating and protecting an atmosphere of trust around it, and staying there until the job is finally done.” Clinton’s mild rebuke brought
surprising, if light, applause. It was a mark of the success of repeated pleas from AIPAC’s leadership to the 7,500 activists in attendance to keep things civil. Clinton earned standing ovations coming in and out, and there was no audible booing. Kohr and Rosenberg were equally as determined to make Israel’s point. “Jerusalem is not a settlement,” Kohr said in the line of the morning that brought the greatest cheering. “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.” Kohr also made the case for keeping such disputes out of public view. “When disagreements inevitably arise, they must be resolved privately as is befitting close allies,” he said. That’s been the mantra of AIPAC, along with the center and right in the pro-Israel community — and Clinton turned it around. HILLARY on page 22
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Book on Israeli start-ups bolsters Israel’s image
JTA Photo
“Start-Up Nation” authors Dan Senor, left, and Saul Singer.
by Uriel Heilman Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — When Intel’s Israeli division proposed a new strategy to vastly improve the processing speed of the company’s laptop computer chips, Intel’s U.S. management had no interest. The idea required a fundamental change in Intel’s technological approach, which had been to build what were known as faster “clock speeds” — essentially, faster “engines” — to accelerate processing. Israel’s division proposed to run the engine of the chip slower, but to gain even more power by configuring a system that used gears like a car. The project was mothballed. But exercising typical Israeli chutzpah, the Israelis were persistent in advocating their out-of-thebox solution. They traveled back and forth to Santa Clara, Calif., incessantly pressing their case to Intel’s higher-ups. Staying the course, they argued, was riskier for the company than adopting the paradigmatic changes they were proposing. Eventually the Americans caved. Upon its release in March 2003, the new Centrino chip was widely hailed as an important innovation and became the basis for Intel’s edge in faster and more powerful chips. Originally code-named for a spring in northern Israel, the program eventually became known in the industry as “the right turn.” The anecdote is one of dozens of stories recounted in “Start-Up Nation,” a book by Israeli journalist Saul Singer and former U.S. foreign policy adviser Dan Senor that seeks to unpack the ingredients for Israel’s extraordinary success in innovation and entrepreneurship. Since its release last November by the Council on Foreign Relations, where Senor is an adjunct senior fellow for Middle
East studies, “Start-Up Nation” has garnered widespread attention and prompted a rare wave of unabashed praise for Israel. Journalists, pundits, business leaders and policymakers have cited the Jewish state as a model for emulation. In an uncommon case of good public relations for Israel, the book has helped generate discussions about what Israel is doing right in media more often focused on what’s going wrong in Israel. “Start-Up Nation” has reached the best-seller lists of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, spurred Op-Eds in Newsweek, the Times, Forbes and CNN, and been covered in numerous other news outlets. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu singled out the book for praise in a speech a few months ago, it has become a best-seller in Singapore and it was a centerpiece of a recent half-hour feature on the Israeli economy by Germany’s leading TV network, ARD. The book is being translated into Chinese, Russian and Hebrew. At a time when Israel is trying with limited success to rebrand itself beyond the conflict, the book promotes a positive view of Israel without wishing the conflict away. On the contrary, the conflict is cast as part and parcel of the reasons for Israel’s success. The relatively non-hierarchical nature of the Israel Defense Forces, and the leadership skills and maturity the army develops among its young soldiers, are important factors in fostering Israeli entrepreneurship, the authors write. The adversity Israel faces surrounded by hostile forces is cited as a reason for Israeli inventiveness. The perils of investing in a country seemingly always on the verge of war spurs Israelis to go the extra length to show foreign financiers that Israel is a smart place to invest and build. Singer, a columnist for The
Jerusalem Post, said the phenomenon of the book’s success has been uplifting. “People are tired of looking at Israel just as a conflict,” he told JTA. “They find it refreshing to hear about a completely different side of Israel.” His co-author, Senor, a private equity executive who served as a Defense Department adviser in the last Bush administration and is married to CNN anchorwoman Campbell Brown, is considering running as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (DN.Y.). Senor reportedly is expected to announce his decision in the next few days. Senor and Singer are also brothers-in-law. Singer said the pair did not write the book to bolster Israel’s public image but to tell a story about a real success. “This is the first book to look at an entire side of Israel that no one has paid attention to previously,” he said from Jerusalem. “It’s a huge story that’s essentially been missed with thousands of correspondents here.” “Start-Up Nation” considers what elements of Israeli culture make it an ideal incubator for innovation and entrepreneurship. In the process, the book tells the stories of myriad Israeli companies and connects their successes to some quintessential elements of Israeli society: its small size, dearth of natural resources, ubiquitous army service and, of course, the common national traits of chutzpah, informality and persistence. Israeli qualities that in some circumstances might be considered shortcomings, the authors find, are essential ingredients for entrepreneurial success. On Israeli unruliness: Mooly Eden, who runs Intel’s cross-cultural seminars to bridge gaps between the company’s Israeli and American workers, tells the authors, “Israelis do not have a very disciplined culture. From the age of zero we are educated to challenge the obvious, ask questions, debate everything, innovate.” On Israeli impetuousness: Mark Gerson, an American investor in Israeli start-ups, says that “When an Israeli man wants to date a woman, he asks her out that night. When an Israeli entrepreneur has a business idea, he will start it that week. The notion that one should accumulate credentials before launching a venture simply does not exist. This is actually good in business. Too much time can only teach you what can go wrong, not what could be transformative.”
Israel Briefs Rabbi Zachary Heller, ex-Masorti leader, dies (JTA)— Rabbi Zachary Heller, past president of the World Council of Masorti Synagogues and a congregational rabbi for nearly 30 years, has died. Heller died Monday after a long battle with cancer. He was 71. He served as senior rabbi of Temple Emanu-El, a Conservative congregation in Bayonne, N.J., for 29 years, and was considered “a rabbi’s rabbi,” according to a death notice in The New York Times. Heller worked as the associate director of the National Center for Jewish Policy Studies for 12 years from 1997. As president of the World Council of Masorti Synagogues from 1989 to 1994, he lectured and taught in 22 countries and mentored rabbis in many communities. The Masorti movement in Israel is affiliated with Conservative Judaism. Heller also was the author of four books. Original Schindler’s list for sale (JTA)— The only privately held original copy of Oskar Schindler’s list of Jews is on sale for $2.2 million. Gary Zimet, a historic document sales specialist in upstate New York, told news outlets that he is selling the document on behalf of an anonymous seller. It will not be auctioned but be offered on a “first come, first serve” basis on his Web site, MomentsInTime, he said. The list, dated April 18, 1945, is 13 pages and contains 801 names. It was compiled by Schindler and his accountant, Itzak Stern, and made famous decades later in the Oscar-winning film “Schindler’s List.” Several copies of the list were written; the four surviving original lists are in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, the German federal archives in Koblenz and two at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. Oregon police nab alleged anti-Semitic attacker (JTA) — Police in Eugene, Ore., have made an arrest in an alleged hate crime attack against a Jewish man. The Jewish man, 33, was attacked twice an hour apart on Saturday night near the University of Oregon campus, according to the Oregonian newspaper. Two
men punched and kicked him and, during the second assault, shouted anti-Semitic slurs. Police are still searching for the second attacker. Eugene Police Sgt. Kris Martes told KVAL News that the assault is considered a hate crime. “The purpose and the motivation behind the crime, according to the victim, is his religious orientation,” Martes said. The alleged attackers, all transients, reportedly knew each other. AIPAC head refutes ‘dangerous’ view on U.S.-Israel ties WASHINGTON (JTA) — The view that U.S.-Israel ties rest on resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians must be rejected, said the executive director of AIPAC. “This specious and insidious argument is wrong, it is dangerous and we must refute it,” Howard Kohr said Monday at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference in Washington. Kohr was referring to reports over the past week, often exaggerated, that military leaders believe the failure to resolve the IsraeliPalestinian conflict is endangering American security. In congressional testimony last week, Gen. David Petraeus, head of the U.S. Central Command, said “perception” of U.S. favoritism for Israel was one of the challenges that the United States faces in the Middle East, but he did not suggest any specific policy prescriptions for solving the conflict. Kohr said the United States and Israel are friends and “should treat each other as such.” “It is time to reduce the tension, time to set aside the past week and pledge to work to solve problems together,” he said, and that “when disagreements inevitably arise, they should be resolved privately as befitting close allies.” Kohr said that “Jerusalem is not a settlement. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.” The AIPAC leader also proposed a four-point plan to counter the “concerted campaign to deligitimize Israel” and help the Jewish state “assume its rightful place” in the community of nations. The proposal included Israel becoming a full-fledged member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; expanding and enhancing Israel’s role in NATO; getting Israel a seat on the United Nations Security Council; and having the United States urge all its allies to recognize Israel — such as saying that if a country wants to enter into a free-trade agreement with the U.S., it must drop the Arab League boycott of Israel.
NATIONAL
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
9
A new twist on spring break in Florida: Volunteering
Marisa Matluck
Hillel CEO Wayne Firestone is among those who believe that Jewish service learning projects, like the one Hillel is running in downtown Miami during spring break, are the key to engaging disaffected young Jews.
by Jacob Berkman / The Fundermentalist Jewish Telegraphic Agency MIAMI (JTA) — Spending spring break is a tradition of sorts for college students, but rather than partying, 57 Hillel members from seven campuses headed to Miami last week to volunteer at a youth center in the downtrodden Overtown district. Instead of swimming and sunning on the beach or getting soused in bars, they spent a week engaged in community service projects working with underprivileged communities. The Overtown Youth center, built by former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning, is located downtown in one of the city’s worst neighborhoods. The 20-block area, which was founded as a segregated, black neighborhood because of Jim Crow laws, once was the center of black culture in Miami. Now it is overridden with drugs and has the highest rate of violent crimes in the southern Florida city. Each morning last week, the Hillel students worked in the sun building benches and tables for an outdoor classroom for nearby Dunbar Elementary School. In the
afternoons they tutored students at the youth center. And at night they reflected on the work they were doing and the experience of learning up close about what it means to be poor in the United States. (OK, they did have a bit of free time at nights and on Shabbat to actually see Miami and, if they wished, to experience its nightlife — but just a bit.) The trip to Miami was a part of Hillel’s Alternative Spring Break program, which this year will involve 1,300 college students from around the world spending their vacations engaged in Jewish service learning projects. Such programs have been attracting increasing philanthropic support from funders who see them as a potentially effective way of building Jewish identity among high school and college students. It’s a trend that recently drew some stiff criticism from Jack Wertheimer, a professor and former provost at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Writing in Commentary, Wertheimer criticized the idea of focusing more attention and resources on creating service projects aimed at helping non-Jews. He took aim at the multimillion-dollar
endeavor Repair the World, a nonprofit that aims to help create a movement around projects such as Alternative Spring Break. Repair the World shot back that Wertheimer was dead wrong — that, in fact, the organization is spending millions to help build Jewish identity and assist Jews in need, as well as non-Jews. As for Hillel, the campus organization is working with several Jewish groups — ones that you’d expect, including the American Jewish World Service, Jewish Funds for Justice and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee — to send some students overseas and others to New Orleans. But in Miami, Hillel was working with a very untraditional partner — City Year, a non-Jewish nonprofit. The two organizations are teaming up to send a total of 140 students to volunteer in some of the country’s worst neighborhoods not only in Miami, but also in Los Angeles and New York. Hillel believes that its partnership with City Year, which it piloted last year in Tampa, is the first large-scale partnership between a Jewish and non-Jewish organization to create a Jewish service learning project. The term is used to describe a program, like the one in Miami last week, that combines volunteer work with Jewish learning about why and how community service can be understood as an extension of Jewish values.
Most of the students had never spent extended time in such an urban environment. And for many of the participants, it was their first serious introduction to Jewish learning and engagement with Jewish culture. Depending on the subsidies each school can raise, the program is a fairly inexpensive way to enjoy what the students say is a meaningful experience. For instance, the students who came to Miami from the University of Virginia each paid about $200 to participate, according to the school’s Hillel director, Jake Rubin. Most of the students had never spent extended time in such an urban environment. And for many of the participants, it was their first serious introduction to Jewish learning and engagement with Jewish culture. Ziev Beresh, a freshman at Michigan State University, said growing up in New Paltz, N.Y., he really didn’t practice much Jewish ritual aside from lighting Chanukah candles. He said that while he is active with the campus Hillel, it is only a small part of his life — a part he sees primarily as a way to meet
people. He has his Jewish circles and his non-Jewish circles. Beresh, the son of an Israeli mother, said he chose to come to Miami to do something meaningful with his free time. During his week stint, he tutored two kids, a fourthgrader named Adom and a thirdgrader named Javon. Adom wants to be a doctor, and Javon wants to be a football player. “I expected them to be sad or upset,” he said of the children, “but they were fun and are great kids.” Judging from the reactions and comments of many participants, the key question was not the religious or ethnic identity of those being helped. Instead, for many of the Hillel students, the Miami trip was eye opening because it allowed them to step outside of their relatively privileged settings. VOLUNTEERING on page 19
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INTERNATIONAL/ISRAEL
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Is Bibi beholden to the right wing? by Leslie Susser Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Nicolás Kremenchuzky
Hundreds gathered on March 17, 2010 for a ceremony marking the 18th anniversary of the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
18 years after embassy bombing, concern with Iran growing by Diego Melamed Jewish Telegraphic Agency BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — Eighteen years after a deadly terrorist attack at the Israeli Embassy here killed 29 and injured more than 200, the wounds are still fresh. On the anniversary of the bombing last week, survivors, victims’ relatives and Israeli and Argentinean government officials gathered at the scene of the bombing for a commemoration of the March 17, 1992 attack. The perpetrators were never caught. However, Iranian-backed Hezbollah operatives were linked to the attack, and Hezbollah mastermind Imad Mugniyeh, who was killed in an unclaimed car bombing in Damascus in 2008, was said to have planned the embassy bombing. Israel was seen as being behind Mughniyeh’s assassination two years ago. Despite the unanswered calls for justice in Argentina, the talk at last week’s ceremony wasn’t just about the past. It was also about the growing ties between Iran and Latin America. Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, reiterated at last year’s U.N. General Assembly a request for the extradition of several Iranian officials sought in connection with another attack on an Israeli target in Argentina – the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which
killed 85 people – but some members of her own political party continue to cultivate close ties with Iran. Argentina’s justice minister, Julio Alak, spoke with reporters at some length about the need for justice in the bombing. But when asked by JTA about the government’s stance on the increasingly close ties between Iran and certain Argentinean officials, such as unionist Luis Delia, a former official in Nestor Kirchner’s government, Alak shrugged. Earlier this month, Delia met in Teheran with Moshen Rabbani, who stands accused of involvement in the 1992 bombing. Alexander Ben Zvi, the director of the South America desk of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said that, given Iran’s increasingly close ties with the anti-American, antiIsraeli Hugo Chavez regime in Venezuela, another Iranian-sponsored attack on South American soil remains a possibility. “Latin America will be the target of another Iranian-sponsored terrorist attack,” Mark Dubowitz, the executive director of the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told JTA in an interview. “Iran has deeply penetrated Venezuela, and with active support from the Chavez government, it now has a regional base from which to recruit local operatives, fundraise, procure weapons, conduct pre-attack surveillance and hide its intelligence agents using Venezuelan political
and diplomatic cover.” Venezuela remains an important ally for Argentina. When Argentina hit an economic crisis in 2001, Venezuela was one of the few countries that provided Argentina with funds. Israel’s minister of public security, Yitzhak Aharonovitch, who traveled to Buenos Aires with Ben Zvi for last week’s ceremony, used his speech at the event to denounce Al Qaeda and Iran’s infiltration of Latin America. Argentinean Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana also criticized the “intransigent attitude” of the Iranian government regarding Argentina’s investigation of the 1992 attack and its request for the extradition of Iranian suspects. For Carlos Sussevich, who lost his daughter in the 1992 attack, the issue is personal. “It’s been 18 years since my daughter Liliana was killed,” Sussevich said in an interview before the commemoration ceremony began March 17. “In the Jewish tradition, the number 18 symbolizes life,” he said. “I hope we can catch the murderers, so that life will win over death.” While Argentinean investigators have fingered Iran as being behind the attack, no arrests were ever made of the locals who aided or perpetrated the attack. Victims’ families and their supporters have complained that Argentinean prosecutors are only focused on the international connection.
JERUSALEM (JTA) — As the dust settles in Jerusalem after the U.S.-Israel confrontation over building in the city east of the 1967 Green Line, one key question comes to the fore: To what extent is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu beholden to and dependent on the more hard-line elements in the Israeli right? The answer will have major ramifications for the viability of the peace process with the Palestinians and future ties between Israel and the United States. Netanyahu came to power last year on a cusp of right-wing support. Even though his Likud Party won one seat fewer than Tzipi Livni’s Kadima, all the right-wing parties backed Netanyahu, ensuring that he and not Livni would have a majority in the Knesset and become prime minister. Netanyahu’s connections to the right run deep. In 2007, the Likud worked out a strategy for regaining power based on an alliance with the right-wing Orthodox Shas Party. Working in tandem with his Likud colleague Yisrael Katz, Netanyahu promised Shas leaders political gains that Kadima would never grant them. A bargain was struck and Shas delivered. First, Shas prevented Livni from forming a government in the autumn of 2008, after Ehud Olmert resigned as Kadima leader. Then in 2009, Shas backed Netanyahu for prime minister. Likud leaders see the bond with Shas as a long-term investment to keep Likud in power. Although there is no similar pact with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu, Netanyahu owes Lieberman for tipping the scales in his favor in last year’s standoff against Livni for the premiership. Part of the payoff was to make the bellicose Yisrael Beiteinu leader foreign minister. Indeed, the fact that Netanyahu appointed Lieberman of all people to Israel’s top diplomatic post shows just how much he feels he needs him. Coalition partners aside, potential right-wing constraints on Netanyahu start closer to home. A majority in his own Likud Knesset faction opposes Palestinian statehood, to which Netanyahu is ostensibly committed. Many also oppose the 10month freeze on construction in West Bank settlements that Netanyahu agreed to last
November and are insisting that it be rescinded as soon as it expires, irrespective of the state of negotiations with the Palestinians. One of the Likud hard-liners, Deputy Knesset Speaker Danny Danon, claims he has a hard and fast promise from Netanyahu to resume building on Sept. 26, 2010. Danon and his fellow hardliners hope to tie Netanyahu’s hands here with a binding Likud Central Committee resolution next month.
“It’s not as if he is prepared to pay a price for peace the way former prime ministers Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert were. He fully understands that there is no viable Palestinian partner...” Danny Danon Danon warns that if Netanyahu insists on making serious moves toward Palestinian statehood, he will face rebellion both in the coalition and the party. But Danon does not expect it to come to that. On the contrary, he claims that Netanyahu’s mind-set is no different from Likud hard-liners. “It’s not as if he is prepared to pay a price for peace the way former prime ministers Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert were,” Danon told JTA. “He fully understands that there is no viable Palestinian partner, and that what we need now is to manage the conflict and not try to solve it.” Netanyahu brought the Labor Party into the coalition and publicly sought, but failed, to do the same with Kadima. But some pundits argue that Netanyahu, himself not enamored of the twostate solution, deliberately surrounded himself with coalition partners who would not allow him to make a move. BIBI on page 20
SOCIAL LIFE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
11
PASSOVER COVER COLORING CONTEST HONORABLE MENTIONS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Brooke Goldwasser, 9, Rockwern Academy
Bayley Goodman, 9, Rockwern Academy
Zakary Mitchel Kadish
BAR MITZVAH lexia and Scott Kadish proudly announce their son, Zakary Mitchel, will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, March 27, 2010 (12 Nissan, 5770) at Rockdale Temple. Zakary is a 7th grade student at Loveland
A
Kayla Israel, 7, Rockwern Academy
Lindsay Fisher, 10, Rockwern Academy
Middle School. He is the older brother of Ethan and Elyse. His maternal grandparents are Stella Leontsini of Redondo Beach, Calif. and William and Barbara Brody of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. His paternal grandparents are Susan and Ira Kadish of Mercer Island, Wash.
Naomi Horner, 8, Rockwern Academy
Jacob Englander, 10, Rockwern Academy
Dina Francus, 9, Rockwern Academy
12
CINCINNATI JEWISH LIFE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
PASSOVER COVER COLORING CONTEST HONORABLE MENTIONS
Daniel Shapiro, 10, Rockwern Academy
Eshar Bitan, 11, Rockwern Academy
Jessica Levitt, 8, Rockwern Academy
Talia Oliff, 6, Symmes Elementary
David Benzaquen, 7, Cincinnati Hebrew Day School
Brad Gallop, 9, Rockwern Academy
Sarit Benzaquen, 9, Cincinnati Hebrew Day School
Mordechai Avrohom Sollofe, 7, CHDS
Noah Vigran, 10, Rockwern Academy
14
DINING OUT
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Ferrari’s features attractively priced lunch, dinner specials by Bob Wilhelmy Restaurant Reporter When you go to Ferrari’s Little Italy and Bakery, ask about the specials for lunch and dinner. “We have a $6.95 lunch special and a $13.95 dinner special,” said Patty Bassano, in answer to what her eatery is doing to help patrons dine for less if they want. Also, the patio is open for the warm-weather season, so you can lull and eat al fresco, and do it on the cheap if you wish. Do this on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and you can add a half-price bottle of wine to your dining experience. If you have kids in tow (12 and under), go on Sunday and for each adult entrée purchased, one bambino eats for free from the kids menu. So that’s a good deal as well. Of course, if taking the kids out to dinner drives you to drink, then on Sunday and Monday evenings, you can take the edge off with a few $5 martinis. The Italian eatery is open on Saturday for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in response to interest from patrons. This move, along with a host of others is designed to offer diners more reasons to think of Ferrari’s when thinking of dining out. As has been the case even before the new Saturday lunch hours, the Ferrari bakery is open every morning, including Saturday, at 7:30 a.m. (closed Sunday) for those who want daily fresh-baked breads, and the variety of pastries, including Italian specialties such as cannolis. For the fifth year in a row, Ferrari’s has received a 4-diamond rating from AAA, which translates into a fine-dine experience with a “high degree of sophistication, thus creating an adult dining experience” centered around excellent food, creatively presented. “We’re really working to give value to customers who come out to eat,” Bassano said. With “value” in mind, Bassano mentioned that Ferrari’s has added two very popular pasta-dish specials to the regular menu at $13.95, both of which represent a lot of food for the money. These are the lead-off hitters in the pasta section of the newly crafted menu. The first is linguini rosa, featuring sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, gorgonzola cheese, garlic and olive oil. The second is tortellini Florentine, with spinach and cheese filled pasta rings tossed in a tomato-cream sauce with spinach and artichokes. If you’ve not tried it, the Ferrari patio is hemmed in at one end by a latticework trellis for wisteria vines that twist toward a pergola above. The outside wall of the restaurant is hand-painted, the subject a panoramic Italian scene that adds to the al fresco ambiance. Centerpiece of the open
Patty Bassano, proprietor, and Chris Reed, GM, are ready to dig into a mountain of lasagna and a Ferrari salad, respectively, at the iconic Italian restaurant that has been serving Greater Cincinnatians for decades.
end of the patio is a natural stone facing, constructed to form a waterfall, the splashy cascade spilling over into a small pond at its base. Beside its attractiveness, the waterfall dampens vehicle noises from the parking lot area and roadways beyond the patio setting. Flowers and low-growing plants flank the seating area to complete the patio enclave, which seats about 90 patrons. “It’s amazing how popular this spot has become,” said Chris Reed, GM. “It’s always been a draw, but it seems to be even more popular on warm spring days.” So what are the hot menu items for patrons dining on the patio or inside, where the temperature is always pleasant, no matter what the weather outside? In the pizza section, there are 11 varieties from which to choose. Two of our favorites are the margherita and the Mediterranean. The first features tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil and parmesan cheese, seasoned with garlic and “secret” spices. The Mediterranean also features the olive oil, garlic and secret spices, but is topped with artichoke hearts, calamata olives, mushrooms, Roma tomatoes, feta cheese and
fresh spinach. Both are $10.95. Called gourmet, Ferrari’s pizzas deliver the flavor, texture and eye appeal to measure up to the label. The gourmet pizzas range in price from $9.95 to $12.50. Yours truly has tried several, and all have been tasty, with crunchy, goodtasting crusts. While pizzas are a feature at Ferrari’s, the menu is loaded with Italian appetizers, salads, and entrees in every major meal category. A feature of the menu is the
Piccola (smaller) and Grande (larger) portioning, at appropriately stepped price points. Antipasti (appetizers), anyone? There are several favorites, but one I’d recommend is the toasted ravioli, featuring a vegetable-filled ravioli, hand breaded with home-made Milanese bread crumbs and served with marinara sauce, for $10.50 and $15.50 respectively. Prediction: there will not be any left at the end of the appetizer-eating session. For salad, order the insalata
Ferrari, an award-winner at the Taste of Cincinnati. It’s different, featuring dried cranberries, pine nuts, gorgonzola cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing over romaine. It is $8.95 and $14.95, respectively, for small and large portions. There are 11 fish choices, and the tops are soy tuna ($26.95), salmon ala pesto ($23.50), and parmesan-crusted sole ($22.95). Then, of course, there is the pasta, 11 selections from which to choose, with the straight pasta items featuring four choices of noodles, spaghetti, penne, rigatoni and linguini. My favorite, and done especially well at Ferrari’s, is the eggplant parmesan, served with a side of penne pasta, for $17.50 and $22.50, the piccola size (small) being more than I can eat at one sitting. Of course, there is the bakery, and it is a test of will: to eat at Ferrari’s, then walk out past the pastry and not stop to buy one of the items on display. Ferrari’s Little Italy and Bakery 7677 Goff Terrace Madeira, OH 513-272-2220
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
DINING OUT
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AUTHENTIC IRISH FARE • LUNCH SPECIALS TUESDAY IS TRIVIA NIGHT • GREAT SUNDAY BRUNCH • LIVE MUSIC ON THE WEEKENDS!
DINING OUT Andy’s Mediterranean Grille At Gilbert & Nassau 2 blocks North of Eden Park 281-9791
Johnny Chan 2 11296 Montgomery Rd The Shops at Harper’s Point 489-2388 • 489-3616 (fx)
Apsara 4785 Lake Forest Dr Blue Ash 554-1040
K.T.’s Barbecue & Deli 8501 Reading Rd Reading 761-0200
Bangkok Terrace 4858 Hunt Rd Blue Ash 891-8900 • 834-8012 (fx)
Local 127 7875 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati 791-0950
Carlo & Johnny 9769 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati 936-8600
Marx Hot Bagels 9701 Kenwood Rd Blue Ash 891-5542
Embers 8120 Montgomery Rd Montgomery 984-8090
Mecklenburg Gardens 302 E. University Ave Clifton 221-5353
Ferrari’s Little Italy & Bakery 7677 Goff Terrace Madeira 272-2220
Molly Malone’s Irish Pub 6111 Montgomery Rd Montgomery 531-0700
Gabby’s Cafe 515 Wyoming Ave Wyoming 821-6040
Noce’s Pizzeria 9797 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati 791-0900
Izzy’s 800 Elm St 721-4241 612 Main Street 241-6246 5098B Glencrossing Way 347-9699 1198 Smiley Avenue 825-3888 300 Madison Avenue Covington 859-292-0065
Parkers Blue Ash Grill 4200 Cooper Rd Blue Ash 891-8300
6111 MONTGOMERY RD • 513.531.0700 MOLLYMALONESCINCINNATI .COM
(513) 791-0900 nocespizzeria.com
Rusty’s Ristorante 8028 Blue Ash Rd Deer Park 793-6881 Slatt’s Pub 4858 Cooper Rd Blue Ash 791-2223 • 791-1381 (fax) Stone Creek Dining Co. 9386 Montgomery Rd Montgomery 489-1444 Tandoor 8702 Market Place Ln Montgomery 793-7484 the Palace 601 Vine St Downtown Cincinnati (in the Cincinnatian Hotel)
381-3000 Trio 7565 Kenwood Rd Kenwood 984-1905
Sushi • Steaks • Raw Bar Live Music Every Tues thru Sat! (513) 936-8600 9769 MONTGOMERY RD. www.jeffruby.com
MEALS READY FOR PICK-UP DAILY AND FOR SHABBAT CALL 761-0200 FOR DAILY SPECIALS MON 11-2, TUE-FRI 11-8, SAT 3-8, CLOSED SUN KENNY TESSEL’S
KT’S BARBECUE & DELI 8501 READING ROAD • 513-761-0200 View our menu @ ktsbbqanddeli.com CATERING AVAILABLE FOR ANY AND ALL OCCASIONS
KIDS EAT FREE on Sundays 1/2 PRICE WINE on Tuesdays and Wednesdays $5 MARTINIS on Sundays and Mondays
In the Heart of Kenwood
www.triobistro.com
9797 Montgomery Rd
Enjoy Our al Fresco Patio Dining • Private Dining Rooms Full-service Dining • Carry-out • On-premise Italian Bakery
GREAT CASUAL DINING
984-1905 • 7565 KENWOOD RD
Pomodori’s 121West McMillan 861-0080 7880 Remington Rd Montgomery 794-0080
9386 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati, OH 45242 (513) 489-1444
Lunch: Mon - Fri 11:30–2:30 Dinner: Mon - Thu 5–10 • Fri & Sat 5–11 • Sun 4–9
7677 Goff Terrace • Madeira, OH 45243 513-272-2220 • www.ferrarilittleitaly.com
OPINION
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Not fear but fealty by Rabbi Chaim David Zwiebel Guest Columnist An editorialist in the Jerusalem Post was greatly exercised by the fact that Orthodox rabbinic leaders, including most notably Agudath Israel of America’s Council of Torah Sages (Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah), have gone on record stating what is and is not acceptable for Orthodox congregations (“Women’s rabbinical rights,” 1/03/10). So exercised, in fact, that the editorialist saw fit to distort the words of the rabbinic sages in an effort to score debating points. The distortion begins with the editorial’s very first word: “‘Assertive’ Orthodox women are making some men very nervous.” The placement of quotation marks around the word “assertive” is designed to imply that the pejorative is taken from the mouths (or pens) of the “nervous” rabbis themselves – when in fact it is the invention of the editorialist. In the scientific world, one invention often leads to another. So too, apparently, in the editorial world. The second sentence of the editorial informs readers that the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah “has excommunicated the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale…for recognizing Sara Hurwitz…as a rabbi.” In fact, the rabbinic sages excommunicated no one and nothing. Stories of excommunication may make for interesting reading, but at least in this case it is absolute fiction. What the Council of Torah Sages did say is that placing a woman in a rabbinic position is outside the bounds of Jewish Orthodoxy. The Council’s members, deeply respected senior rabbis and heads of American yeshivot, felt it important to make clear that Rabbi Avi Weiss’ conferral of rabbinical status on a woman, and her assumption of certain traditional rabbinic functions at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, represent a “radical and dangerous departure from Jewish tradition,” and that “any congregation with a woman in a rabbinical position of any sort cannot be considered Orthodox.” A strong position, to be sure – as befitting the gravity of the issue – but a far cry from excommunication. The editorial then proceeds from distortion to armchair analysis with its assertion that fear of “challenge to their hegemony” motivated the rabbinic sages. “The male-dominated rabbinic establishment seems to have a vis-
ceral (Freudian?) fear,” the editorial explains, “that female clergy will outperform them on the pulpit.” The rabbis’ rejection of the ordaining of women is further motivated, says the editorial, by their chauvinistic conviction that women should be relegated to their traditional roles of “cooking, cleaning and rearing children.” One can only marvel at the editorialist’s psychoanalytic prowess. It is worth recalling, though, that the Torah itself establishes Judaism as a deeply role-based faith. There is a role for a Cohein, a role for a Levi, roles for men and roles for women. Contemporary feminism insists that women fill every conceivable role traditionally filled by men. And many are the Jews who have stumbled over one another in a rush to jump on that bandwagon. But from an Orthodox perspective, the Torah’s truths, including the role-assignments so deeply embedded in our tradition, transcend contemporary notions, today as in the past. That Jews faithful to their religious tradition reserve the role of rabbi for men is no insult to women. What truly insult women are insinuations, like the editorialist’s, that the traditional roles of wives and mothers – including “raising children” – are somehow demeaning. Anyone interested not in reacting to the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah’s statement from a preconceived stance but in actually understanding it would do well to focus on what it said. To wit: that creating a rabbinic role for women is a radical departure from the Jewish mesorah, or religious tradition. Now, to be sure, many in our anchorless world would react with a shrug and a “so what?” But a refusal to jettison any part of the Jewish religious tradition is precisely what defines Orthodoxy. Yes, changes can occur, and have occurred, in normative Orthodox practice. But such changes are rare, and they are instituted only after the deepest deliberations of the greatest Torah leaders of a generation, not as fiats motivated by the Zeitgeist. And so there should be nothing shocking about recognized rabbinic leaders rejecting a proposed radical change in Jewish tradition. The rejection is born not of fear but of fealty – to the tradition that is the heritage of all Jews. (Rabbi Zwiebel is executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America. The above essay was published in the Jerusalem Post.)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Do you have something to say? E-mail your letter to editor@americanisraelite.com
Dear Readers, I thought it might be helpful to clarify an editorial policy for those of you who write letters to the editor. Let me first thank you for taking the time to write in and express your opinion. I do read each and every letter that is sent in to the office, and we do get many. Letters that are sent in anonymously I decline to run. If you want to send in a letter and have me withhold your name that is fine, but you must tell me who you are initially. Please write on your letter “withhold my name from the general public.” The letter will run and you will remain anonymous, it will state “name withheld upon request.” I am the only one who will know your identity and I will keep your identity to myself. I will even shield it from the other members of the staff. Please continue to send in your letters, just let me know who you are so your letter will appear. Netanel (Ted) Deutsch Publisher Dear Editor, Just when I think it’s time to retire the old computer and my uncontrollable urge to submit another editorial, along comes simpletons like Gerald Schwartz (March 18, 2010), proclaiming
peace in the Middle East is only a matter of the Israelis giving back everything they took illegally and tearing down the settlements. Wow, why didn’t anyone else think of that? “There is the test case of Gaza. When Israel withdrew all of its settlements from the Strip in 2005, it was supposed to be an opportunity for Palestinians to demonstrate what they would do with a state if they got one. Instead, they quickly turned it into an Iranian-backed Hamas enclave that for nearly three years launched nonstop rocket and mortar barrages against Israeli civilians. Israel was ultimately able to contain that violence, but only at the price of a military campaign that was vehemently denounced by the very people who had urged Israel to withdraw in the first place.” Wall Street Journal Do you think Mr. Schwartz understands that the Palestinians consider Tel Aviv as much of an illegal settlement as they did the settlements in Gaza? Where does it stop? The Israelis are broadly prepared to live alongside a Palestinian state. The Palestinians are willing to live alongside a smoldering ruin of ashes once referred to as Israel. “That should help explain why it is that in the past decade, two Israeli prime ministers— Ehud Barak in 2000 and Ehud Olmert in 2008—have put forward comprehensive peace offers to the Palestinians, and have twice been rebuffed. In both
cases, the offers included the division of Jerusalem; in the latter case, it also included international jurisdiction over Jerusalem’s holy places and concessions on the subject of Palestinian refugees. Current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also offered direct peace talks. The Palestinians have countered by withdrawing to ‘proximity talks’ mediated by the U.S.” Wall Street Journal Are you aware that last year Mohammed Dahlan, one of Fatah’s leaders, said Fatah did not have to live by the rules of the Oslo Accords of 1993? A couple of additional points: The purposed 1,600 new housing units are not settlements. They are for the exploding population in Jerusalem! But of course, they could always do the right thing and live in someone’s garage. That would keep the Palestinians happy. If the Palestinians lay down their weapons, there will be peace. If the Jews lay down their weapons there will be no more Jews. How about if Mr. Schwartz goes to the Middle East as a peace emmisary. He can hold up a sign that reads “will sing for peace, let’s hold hands.” Any bets some Palestinian terrorist sits down with him with a bomb strapped to his chest and welcomes Gerald to the Palestinian model for peace in the Middle East? Paul Glassman Deefield Township
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE of this week’s Torah portion This Week: Passover Hagaddah 1. What commandment do we perform every day between Passover and Shavout? a.) Eat matzo b.) Count the 49 days of the Omer c.) Blow shofar 2. What do we experience when performing the commandment in question #1? a.) The Exodus b.) Preparation for the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai c.) Repentance
3. How many holidays are called “festivals” by the Torah? Why? a.) One b.) Two c.) Three 4. Who wrote the Song of Songs? a.) Moses b.) King David c.) King Solomon 5. Why do we read the Song of Songs on Passover?
Written by Rabbi Dov Aaron Wise
Answers 1. B—Leviticus 23:15,16 2. B—G-d took us out of Egypt to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai. Therefore we count the days from Passover to Shavuos, to show our anticipation of this great event. 3. C—Exodus 23:14. The Hebrew word for “festival,” regel, means foot. (It is sometimes translated “pilgrimage.”)This alludes to the commandment to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem for Passover, Shavuos, and Sukkos. 4. C—Song of Songs 1:1 5. This book is an allegory for G-d’s love of the Jewish people. (G-d is represented by the man, and the Jews by the woman.) In particular, it speaks about the Exodus from Egypt.
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JEWISH LIFE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
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Sedra of the Week by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
Shabbat Shalom: Tzav Leviticus: 6:1-8:36
Efrat, Israel — The Sabbath before Pessah is called “The Great Sabbath” (Shabbat Hagadol) after the last verse of the reading from the prophets (haftara) for that day: “Behold I send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord” — the day of Redemption (Malachi 3:23). It is certainly logical that Elijah the herald of the redemption features before Pessah, the “time of our freedom” and redemption from Egyptian servitude. But what kind of person is Elijah who will be the: “messenger of good news, salvation and comfort” (Grace after Meals)? The biblical Elijah was a zealot who slaughtered 450 prophets of Baal after a contest at Mount Carmel, and challenged G-d to punish the Israelites for having rejected His covenant and allowed Jezebel to murder the Lord’s prophets (I Kings 19:10). But somehow in Talmudic and folk tradition, Elijah morphs into a benign, grandfatherly figure who drinks from a special goblet at everyone’s Seder table, graces every newborn male baby with his presence at their circumcision and frequently appears as a deus ex machina to teach important lessons and save people’s lives at critical moments. Just when, why and how did this fiery fanatic become a venerable sage? Let us look again at the biblical text and I believe we’ll discover the dynamics of the process. Elijah lives in Israel under the idolatrous monarchy of Ahab and Jezebel, Baal devotees who murdered the prophets of the Lord. The wrath of G-d is expressed in the form of a drought which wreaks havoc on the land. Elijah stages a Steven Spielberg-style extravaganza: He convinces King Ahab to invite all the Israelites to the foot of Mount Carmel, where he has the 450 prophets of Baal choose a bull. Elijah takes another bull, and each animal is cut in half and placed on an altar without a fire — one altar to G-d and one to Baal. The victor will be the person whose altar is graced by fire from on high. After the better part of a day of fruitless prayers, incantations and orgiastic immolations by the prophets of Baal, Elijah drenches his offering in water and then calls out to G-d. A fire descends from
heaven, consuming his offering together with the wood, the stones, the water and the earth. The Israelites cry out: “The Lord! He is G-d!” Elijah then slaughters the 450 prophets of Baal, clouds gather and a great rain comes down. Elijah is exultant, until he receives a message from Queen Jezebel, who vows that “at this time tomorrow I shall make your soul like one of those [prophets of Baal].”
first revelation at Sinai, they worshiped the Golden Calf, and after the revelation at Mount Carmel, they didn’t repent of their idolatry, despite their shouts of “The Lord! He is G-d!” The Israelites will be moved only by learning of G-d’s second revelation at Sinai — the glimpse He shared with Moses into His divine essence by the still, small voice of kindness and understanding, by the G-d of love and for-
Elijah is shocked that she does not repent or seek forgiveness for her idolatrous ways. Elijah is shocked that she does not repent or seek forgiveness for her idolatrous ways. Yet he also understands the shrewdness in her words. After 24 hours, she shall have him killed! Why not immediately? Because it will take the Israelites only 24 hours to forget the immediacy of the miracle. After only one day, the Israelites will forget about G-d and allow the wicked queen to destroy His only remaining prophet. Elijah escapes to Beersheba and asks G-d to take his soul. An angel provides him with food and sends him on a 40-day journey to Mount Sinai. When he arrives, Gd asks why he has come, and he responds: “I have been a zealot, yes a zealot for the Lord G-d of hosts, because the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant; they have destroyed Your altars, they have killed Your prophets and they now seek to take my life as well, I who am now left alone” (I Kings 19:10). Elijah understands that despite the great miracle he wrought at Mount Carmel, no one has repented, nothing has changed, and his life is in danger. G-d then sends Elijah a vision: a great, powerful wind, but the Lord is not in the wind; an earthquake, but the Lord is not in the earthquake; a fire, but the Lord is not in the fire. And after the fire comes a still, silent sound — the voice of the Lord. G-d is telling His prophet that people aren’t moved in the long term by miracles on a mountain — whether Mount Sinai or Mount Carmel — and that the Israelites will not be forced into submission by dire punishments. After the
giveness (Exodus 34:6-8). And this is precisely what Malachi says at the conclusion of his prophecy. There is the possibility that “the end of days” will be awesome and awful, replete with war, destruction and the bare survival of the faithful remnant; but the preferred possibility is that the end of days comes as a result of national repentance for ignoring the voice of G-d, and the return of Israel to our heavenly Father in love and gratitude rather than out of fear. Elijah must “turn back the hearts of the parents to their children and the hearts of the children to their parents” with the still, silent sound of unconditional love. G-d does not want to “strike the land with utter destruction” at the end of days (Malachi 3:24). The rabbis of the Midrash go one step further. G-d is teaching Elijah that the prophet wanted to punish Israel only because he grossly misjudged them when he said, “They rejected Your covenant.” Elijah will be “taken to heaven” (II Kings 2: 11, 12), but he will have to shuttle between heaven and earth, he will attend every Pessah Seder where Jews celebrate G-d’s promise of redemption, and be present at every circumcision where Jews demonstrate their willingness to shed blood for the covenant. The prophet will transform his people not by judging (or misjudging) them, but only by loving them with the still, small sound of our Father’s unconditional love. Shabbat Shalom Shlomo Riskin Chancellor Ohr Torah Stone Chief Rabbi — Efrat Israel
3100 LONGMEADOW LANE • CINCINNATI, OH 45236 791-1330 • www.templesholom.net Richard Shapiro, Interim Rabbi Marcy Ziek, President Gerry H. Walter, Rabbi Emeritus March 26 6:00 pm Shabbat Nosh 6:30 pm Shabbat Evening Service 6:30 pm Family Shabbat March 27 10:30 am Shabbat Morning Service
April 2 6:00 pm Shabbat Nosh 6:30 pm Shabbat Evening Service April 3 10:30 am Shabbat Morning Service April 5 10:30 am 7th Day Pesach Service/Yizkor
Sincere Sympathy To: Andy Kaplan on the death of his father, Eugene Kaplan
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JEWZ IN THE NEWZ
Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom Contributing Columnist HOMER AT THE WESTERN WALL “The Simpsons” episode airing on Fox on Sunday, March 28 (8PM) is titled “The Greatest Story Ever D’Ohed,” and includes scenes of Homer and Bart Simpson at the Western Wall with Jacob, their Israeli tour guide (voiced by SASCHA BARON COHEN, 38, of “Borat” and “Bruno” fame). Jacob also exchanges some barbs with Marge Simpson (voiced by JULIE KAVNER, 59). In the episode, Homer gets “Jerusalem Syndrome” and believes that he is the Messiah. (There is a well-known clinical condition called “Jerusalem Syndrome.” A small, but statistically significant number of tourists visiting Jerusalem have a mental breakdown of a religious cast — often manifesting in believing themselves to be the Messiah or some other important religious figure. Last year, a Simpsons’ producer said of the episode: “We’re going to do one [episode] next year where they [the Simpsons] go to the Holy Land…The premise will be that the Christians, Jews and Muslims are united in that they all get mad at Homer. It’s the only thing they can agree on.” CALL ME “DIDI” As I write this, Vered “Didi” Benami, 22, is still in the running to be this year’s “American Idol,” having made it to the final 11. The pretty blonde singer was raised in Knoxville, Tenn. She was working as a waitress in Los Angeles before the “Idol” competition started. Her given name (which means “Rose” in Hebrew) was often mispronounced down in Knoxville, so she says she told everyone to call her “Didi.” Benami has real talent and charm, so she may have a big career, whether or not she wins “Idol.” However, her religious background is “murky.” A couple of Jewish papers have reported that her parents are Israeli. My research indicates that her father is an Israeli Jew—but her mother is probably a non-Jewish native of Tennessee— and Benami made a comment that may indicate that she was raised in her mother’s Christian faith. I hope to clarify her background as I learn more. DRAGON TRAINING Opening this Friday, March 26, is the animated comedy, “How to Train Your Dragon.” It’s set on a mythical island where Vikings fight dragons. One young Viking, named Hiccup Haddock II (voiced by JAY BARUCHEL, 27) captures and
befriends a dragon. CHRISTOPHER MINTZ-PLASSE, 20, does the voice of Fishlegs Ingerman, Hiccup’s friend, and JONAH HILL, 26, voices Snotlout Jorgenson, a mean and smelly Viking who dislikes Hiccup. GREENBERG BEN STILLER, 44, stars in “Greenberg,” as Roger Greenberg, a New York Jewish guy and former musician who finds himself at midlife without a career. A nervous breakdown prompts him to move to Los Angeles to house-sit for his wealthy brother. He dislikes himself and his disdain extends to just about the whole world — labeling anyone successful a “sell-out” (Opens Friday, March 26). Ben Stiller has become a film star by repeatedly playing virtually the same character: a nice guy— frequently identified as Jewish— who is subjected to comedic humiliations. Eventually, Stiller’s character gets some gumption, stands-up for himself, and the movie ends with him “on top.” In “Greenberg,” Stiller plays a much darker version of this character—Greenberg is not a nice guy; he is not very sympathetic; he is only occasionally funny as he is humiliated—and the film ends with no guarantee that his life will get much better. In the movie’s only overtly Jewish scene — Greenberg meets up with some old Jewish friends at a barbeque one of them is throwing at his fancy L.A. home. These friends are successful and enjoy bantering about “Jewish things” like going to each other’s seders. This type of camaraderie appalls Greenberg — who doesn’t see himself as connected to any “tribe.” Two women figure prominently in the film — Greenberg’s ex-girlfriend (played by JENNIFER JASON LEIGH, 48, who cowrote the film) and Florence, his brother’s pretty young assistant (Greta Gerwig). The ex-girlfriend has moved on with her life and doesn’t have time for Greenberg’s mishigosh. Florence, something of a lost soul herself, enters into a rocky romance with Greenberg. The film is directed and co-written by NOAH BAUMBACH, 40 (“The Squid and the “Whale”). Baumbach and Leigh have been married for five years and are now expecting their first child. Leigh is the daughter of actor VIC MORROW (1929-83) and screenwriter BARBARA TURNER. Morrow, who was the co-star of the ‘60s TV series, “Combat!,” was killed — along with two child actors — when a stunt helicopter crashed on top of them while they were filming a segment of “Twilight Zone: The Movie.”
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
FROM THE PAGES 100 Years Ago Cal I.M. Martin, manager of the Orpheum and Chester Park, is in the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, recovering from the effects of an operation. Cincinnati Jewry is going to be taxed pretty heavily this spring. It will of course have to maintain, as usual, its congregations, charities, hospital, religious schools, settlement, ledges, Council of Jewish Women, Junior Council and Zionist societies. It will, of course, continue to contribute to such national organizations as the Cleveland Orphan Asylum, the
Jewish Consumptive Hospital and Consumptive Relief Association at Denver. In addition to this, they are asked to increase their subscriptions to the Associated Jewish Charities, the Home for Jewish Aged and Infirm, and the Hebrew Union College, as their incomes are inadequate to meet necessary expenses. In addition to this, the Hebrew Union College is asking for donations to its building fund, as it can not very well solicit these outside of the city, until the citizens of Cincinnati have indicated what they are going to do. The Alliance
Israelite Universelle is asking for funds to carry on its work in the Orient, the Jewish Publication Society of America and Central Conference of American Rabbis have joined in the task of preparing a new English translation of the Bible and want to raise one hundred thousand dollars for this purpose, of which Cincinnati is expected and requested to give five thousand. So, taking it all in, charitable and public-spirited Cincinnati Jews have not far to go just now to look for good causes requiring help. — March 24, 1910
75 Years Ago This season is marked annually with visits from the young people who are away at college for the greater part of the year. With them come schoolmates and the attendant parties. The Misses Marjorie Straus, Betty Pollak, and Duffy Brown are spending the holiday from Wheaton with their parents. Miss Betty Jane Shroder is visiting in St. Louis. Home from Wellseley are: the Misses Mildred Ann Rosenberg,
Regine Altman amd Dorothy Becker.; from Smith, Frances Isaacs, Peggy Frank and Rita Mayer. Miss Mary Straus is expected this week; she attends Wells College in Aurora, N.Y. Since recess comes later at the University of Wisconsin, Miss Katherine Ronsheim will not be in Cincinnati until April. Arriving from Eastern schools are: Messrs. Harry Hoffheimer, Stanley Strauss, Thomas Freiberg,
Julius Freiberg, Jr., Frank Fox, David Joseph, Jr., Thomas Stix, James Reis, Jr., James Heldman, all Yale men; Robert S. Levy, Eugene Saenger, Joseph Ransohoff, Leo Westheimer, Jr., S. Lawrence Ach, James Lehman, Gilbert Bettman, Jr., Charles Westheimer, Eugene Sterne, Jr., Carl I. Straus, Richard Guggenheim, William Shroder, Jr., and John Eisman, all of Harvard; from Wharton, Leo F. Oppenheimer. — March 28, 1935
50 Years Ago Robert Frost, widely regarded as America’s greatest living poet, will speak at a special convocation at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion April 2, at 2:30 p.m., it was announced by Dr. Nelson Glueck, HUC-JIR president. The College-Institute will confer an honorary doctorate of humane letters on the poet. Dr. Victor E. Reichert, of Rockdale Temple and close friend of
Mr. Frost, will be his sponsor. Jonathan B. Aaronsohn, son of Rabbi and Mrs. Michael Aaronsohn, class of 1961, West Point U.S. Military Academy, has won the national championship on the Flying Rings and has been selected captain of the 1961 Gymnastics Team at West Point. Jonathan is a graduate of Walnut Hills High School. Ben L. Mandel, president of the Artistic Furniture Manufacturing
Co., passed away Thursday, March 17, at his home in the Belvedere. Mr. Mandel was 57 years old. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Adele Mandel; two daughters, Miss Joan Mandel of Cincinnati and Miss Lois Mandel, St. Louis; his mother, Mrs. Jennie Mandel, St. Louis; a sister, Mrs. Nettie Gladstein, Oklahoma City; and a brother, Lester Mandel, Cincinnati.— March 24, 1960
25 Years Ago Evelyn Pollak, president of Brandeis University Women’s Committee, announced that Janice Goldstein will be chairman of the “One Hundred Years of Fashion” gala, to be held on Saturday, April 20 at the Cincinnati Fire Museum. The fashion show, dating from 1840-1940, will be preceded by a cocktail buffet dinner beginning at 7 p.m The cost of the Brandeis
fundraiser is $37.50 per person. Assisting Mrs. Goldstein will be Rita Finer and Pearl Spitz, models co-chairmen; Pat Weimer and Carol Demetrion, acquisitions cochairmen; Frank Sullivan and Lee Batsakes, decorations co-chairmen; Helene Cohen, reservations; and Kathy Richards, invitations. Mrs. Annette Pastor of Glen Manor Home for the Jewish Aged
passed away March 17. She is survived by two brothers, Martin and Leon Pastor of Cincinnati; and eight nieces and nephews, Harris and Marjorie Loftspring, Bernard and Beverly Rosenberg, Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Pasor of Tulsa, Okla.; and Mr. and Mrs. Murry Schonfeld of Dallas, Texas. She was the wife of the late David Pastor. — March 21, 1985
10 Years Ago Senior Benjamin Sommers, a 1996 Cincinnati Country Day graduate, was named co-winner of the Moses Taylor Pyne Prize, the highest honor conferred on a Princeton undergraduate, at Alumni Day ceremonies held on the Princeton University campus February 26. H. Jerome Lerner, Cedar Village chairman of the board of trustees, has announced that Sally
Korkin has been appointed director of development. In this new position, she will be responsible for the implementation of the new Fund Development Program, including an annual campaign, special projects and fundraising events, planned giving and Grants. Elfie Young, 94, passed away on March 14, 2000. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. On May 19,
1990, her husband, Louis Young, predeceased her. She was also predeceased on July 4, 1965 by her daughter, Gloria Collins. She is survived by a grandson and his wife, Joel and Lisa Collins of Cincinnati. She is also survived by two great granddaughters, Jennifer and Sydney Collins; and a sister, Jene Mazer. — March 23, 2000
CLASSIFIEDS
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Big Brothers/Big Sisters Assoc. (513) 761-3200 • bigbrobigsis.org Beth Tevilah Mikveh Society (513) 821-6679 Camp Ashreinu (513) 702-1513 Camp at the J (513) 722-7226 • mayersonjcc.org Camp Livingston (513) 793-5554 • camplivingston.com Cedar Village (513) 336-3183 • cedar-village.org Chevra Kadisha (513) 396-6426 Halom House (513) 791-2912 • halomhouse.com Hillel Jewish Student Center (513) 221-6728 • hillelcincinnati.org Jewish Community Center (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org Jewish Community Relations Council (513) 985-1501 Jewish Family Service (513) 469-1188 • jfscinti.org Jewish Federation of Cincinnati (513) 985-1500 • shalomcincy.org Jewish Foundation (513) 792-2715 Jewish Information Network (513) 985-1514 Jewish Vocational Service (513) 985-0515 • jvscinti.org Kesher (513) 766-3348 Plum Street Temple Historic Preservation Fund (513) 793-2556 The Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education (513) 487-3055 • holocaustandhumanity.org Vaad Hoier (513) 731-4671 Workum Summer Intern Program (513) 683-6670 • workum.org CONGREGATIONS Adath Israel Congregation (513) 793-1800 • adath-israel.org Beit Chaverim (513) 335-5812 Beth Israel Congregation (513) 868-2049 • bethisraelcongregation.net Congregation Beth Adam (513) 985-0400 • bethadam.org Congregation B’nai Tikvah (513) 759-5356 • bnai-tikvah.org Congregation B’nai Tzedek (513) 984-3393 • bnaitzedek.us Congregation Ohav Shalom
(513) 489-3399 • ohavshalom.org Golf Manor Synagogue (513) 531-6654 • golfmanorsynagogue.org Isaac M. Wise Temple (513) 793-2556 • wisetemple.org Isaac Nathan Congregation (513) 841-9005 Kehilas B’nai Israel (513) 761-0769 Northern Hills Synagogue (513) 931-6038 • nhs-cba.org Rockdale Temple (513) 891-9900 • rockdaletemple.org Temple Beth Shalom (513) 422-8313 • tbsohio.org Temple Sholom (513) 791-1330 • templesholom.net The Valley Temple (513) 761-3555 • valleytemple.com EDUCATION Chabad Blue Ash (513) 793-5200 • chabadba.com Cincinnati Community Kollel (513) 631-1118 • kollel.shul.net Cincinnati Hebrew Day School (513) 351-7777 • chds.shul.net HUC-JIR (513) 221-1875 • huc.edu JCC Early Childhood School (513) 793-2122 • mayersonjcc.org Mercaz High School (513) 792-5082 x104 • mercazhs.org Reform Jewish High School (513) 469-6406 • crjhs.org Regional Institute Torah & Secular Studies (513) 631-0083 Rockwern Academy (513) 984-3770 • rockwernacademy.org ORGANIZATIONS American Jewish Committee (513) 621-4020 • ajc.org American Friends of Magen David Adom (513) 521-1197 • afmda.org B’nai B’rith (513) 984-1999 Hadassah (513) 821-6157 • cincinnati-hadassah.org Jewish National Fund (513) 794-1300 • jnf.org NA’AMAT (513) 984-3805 • naamat.org National Council of Jewish Women (513) 891-9583 • ncjw.org State of Israel Bonds (513) 793-4440 • israelbonds.com Women’s American ORT (513) 985-1512 • ortamerica.org.org
VOLUNTEERING from page 9 Beresh recounted that it felt dangerous when the group walked from the youth center to Dunbar Elementary. “People were staring at us because we were white,” he said. Some 20 Hillel students from Michigan State sitting in a circle at a field outside the youth center expressed a similar sentiment. Wayne Firestone, Hillel international’s CEO, asked if the students felt they had taken a risk by coming to Miami. Nearly all raised their hands. Asked by an observer if they would consider coming to a place like this to volunteer alone or with one other person, only three raised their hands. At the discussion it was clear that most of the students believed that helping the kids in Overtown was a Jewish ideal. At the same time there clearly was a large chasm between the Jewish students in Miami taking part in a one-week highly organized program and the City Year volunteers, who were about the same age but were spending a year of their lives immersed in Overtown. Firestone — whose largest budget item is immersive Jewish programming, such as the 10-day Birthright Israel and the weeklong Alternative Spring Break — acknowledged the real challenge of helping students see service as a Jewish value to be lived rather than merely experienced on a one-week trip. After all, many of the scores of students being flown into Miami this month for the project do not volunteer during the rest of the year on their home campuses. And while many Jewish students came from out of town to help out, the Hillel at the University of Miami does not have any involvement with City Year. Several participants in the Hillel program said that since arriving in Miami, they had started talking about how to create volunteer opportunities on their home campuses. And Firestone said that Hillel would like to make Miami and South Florida a hub for a broader City Year-Hillel partnership that would allow for more opportunities for local students. So while the debate has been over whether such programs should be focused on helping Jews or non-Jews, some Jewish service learning organizers are beginning to wrestle with a possibly more difficult question: How do you convince students that volunteering to help the less fortunate is a Jewish value that should be pursued all year, not just as a component of a really neat trip?
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BUSINESS
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
BIBI from page 10
Floral designer, Tina Hammond and owner, Sandy Hatfield serve customers in front of the original Frisch’s drive through window.
Oasis Florist celebrates 35 years by Avi Milgrom Assistant Editor For 35 years, this second generation – woman owned – business has been spreading happiness. It is especially well-known in the Jewish community and in Reading and has won many awards. Thirty-five years ago it planted itself in the same spot it stands today, in the same building that once housed Frisch’s prototype, Teddy Bear Hamburgers – check out the window and awning behind the counter. It was Teddy’s drive through. The marquee facing Reading Road is the original, too – Big Boy sized. Today, the second generation owners are sisters, Sandy Hatfield and Laurie Seltzer. Their brother, Scott Geltner helps out, too. Their mother, who established the business was Marcia E. Geltner. She passed away in early 2007. To celebrate its 35 years in business, this year Oasis is offering a special on wrapped roses. “I am extremely positive,” said Hatfield when asked about her view of the shop’s future. “I am looking forward to summer.” For two times in Oasis history, summer has been the time for major changes – the kind of lifechanging events that are celebrated with flowers – and the time of year when flowers re-emerge, filling our world with color. In June 1975 the shop first emerged in Deer Park as a plantscaping business. Of the first four such businesses that entered the Cincinnati market, it is the only one left. For those who may not know, plantscaping is like land-
scaping, but it is indoors. Then in summer 1977 Oasis Florist moved to its present location, still operating as a plantscaping business. But that fall, Hatfield’s Mom opened the shop as a florist just in time to celebrate “Sweetest Day,” a day when folks are supposed to do sweet things for their respective “sweeties.” “It was Mom’s fourth child,” said Hatfield of the importance of Oasis in her life. And her Mom was a protective mother. Hatfield has a story to prove it. “In December 2001, the flower shop was a victim of a robbery. Not knowing if he was armed with a weapon, Marcia, her sister Jackie Cohen and myself tried to stop him from leaving.‘You son of a (expletive). I’ve worked too hard for you to steal from me’ said Marcia. He managed to get out the door. However, he did not get out without a fight. Marcia laid across the hood of the car and Jackie was trying to pull his pants down, as he was trying to get in the car. I was punching him in the head while all this was going on. “He did manage to get away, however, we got his wallet, shoe and coat. When he was caught, we all went to court. He was sentenced to 15 years. “‘You walked into a buzzsaw there,’ Judge Norbert Nadel said to him. When Marcia was asked about this later, she said ‘Yeah honey, you see where he’s at now. The bottom line is I’ve got a bad temper. I don’t appreciate somebody doing that [stealing].’” When she was 14, Hatfield started working in the shop. She didn’t like it. But she continued to
help her Mom through school and college, while she earned her college degree in education. In the end her Mom needed help in the shop, so Hatfield began to work with her full-time. There her Mom taught her “every customer is a great customer.” She continues to carry the torch: her mission is that no customer should go away dissatisfied. This mission is apparent even in the shop’s delivery service. Serving a wide radius that includes Independence, Ky., Bethel and Cleves, the shop delivers their flowers themselves — not through a third party like most — in order to ensure fresh flowers and customer satisfaction. In addition to flowers — they’ve belonged to Teleflora for 30 years — Oasis makes a variety of gift baskets. As members of Valley Temple, the owners make custom baskets including for those who keep kosher, those who are diabetic or for those who just want to pig out. Another service that sets Oasis apart is that no one will be turned away for lack of money. Explained Hatfield, if a bride has only two hundred dollars for her bridal bouquet, she will get an arrangement to remember. Is she glad to be in the flower business? “Flowers are happy,” she explained. You can’t be unhappy in a flower shop. And you can’t be unhappy receiving flowers. It must be true! Over 150 years ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Earth laughs in flowers.” Is that why the shop is named “Oasis?”
The result has been a performance strikingly similar to that of Netanyahu’s first term as prime minister from 1996 to 1999. Then, too, he navigated between a U.S. administration seeking movement on the Palestinian track and a defiant right wing. Eventually he was brought down by the right for succumbing to U.S. pressure to hand over 13.5 percent of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority. While those like Danon recognize the existential importance for Israel of the strategic relationship with Washington, they believe wholesale concessions to the Palestinians could put Israel’s survival at risk. They argue that once started, there is no saying where an inevitably salami-like process of compromise will end. “I think the prime minister realizes that every concession he makes simply invites more pressure,” Danon said. “If he hadn’t agreed to freeze construction in the West Bank, no one would be demanding a freeze in Jerusalem. Every time he gives in, he invites more pressure from the American administration — and we get nothing in return.” In the past, Netanyahu has spoken of a need for flexibility on the Palestinian track for the sake of more intimate cooperation with the United States against the far greater Iranian nuclear threat. Some pundits have even suggested the possibility of a “grand bargain” under which Israel helps boost America’s regional standing by making serious peace moves with the Palestinians in return for which Washington helps neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat. The hard-liners tend to reverse the linkage: First defang Iran to facilitate peacemaking — or to
decouple the Iranian and Palestinian issues altogether. They argue that defanging Iran is as much an American as an Israeli interest, and should have nothing to do with the state of play on the Palestinian track. But those close to Netanyahu acknowledge that any perceived tensions in the Israeli-U.S. strategic alliance could send the wrong message to Tehran. “There must be a perception in Tehran of a strong, coordinated Israel-U.S. strategic alliance,” Zalman Shoval, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States who now advises Netanyahu on American affairs, told JTA. “Otherwise the Iranians will say if America and Israel are not on the same wavelength, we can certainly go on doing what we are doing to develop a nuclear capability.” Some observers argue that the right-wing hold over Netanyahu — or any prime minister, for that matter — goes well beyond party and coalition politics. In a new book titled “The Shift: Israel and Palestine from Border Conflict to Ethnic Struggle,” Menachem Klein, a political scientist at Bar-Ilan University, maintains that elements of the pro-settler right have infiltrated the establishment on a scale that makes withdrawal from the West Bank in the context of a two-state solution with the Palestinians virtually impossible. “That’s one of the main reasons that the political leadership is backing away from the showdown, because it will mean confrontation with large segments within the establishment itself,” Klein told JTA. If Klein is right, Netanyahu, a prisoner of the right, will not be able to make serious moves toward a deal with the Palestinians even if he wishes.
David Vaaknin/ Flash 90 / JTA
Deputy Knesset Speaker Danny Danon, a member of the Likud Party, visits the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo, where an announcement about Israeli housing starts became a flashpoint in U.S.-Israeli relations, March 10, 2010.
AUTOS
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
21
A great entry-level sports car
2010 Porsche Boxster Spyder
Porsche’s mid-engine roadster, the Boxster is the German brand’s entry-level sports car. Though it’s Porsche’s least expensive car, it is certainly not cheaply made. The 255 horsepower 2.9 liter flat-six provides the driver with plenty of fun behind the wheel. All Boxsters are available with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) dual-clutch automatic transmission. Even the base model goes from 0-60 in less than six seconds. Add the optional Sport Plus package, and that time goes down to 5.3 seconds. The “S” level comes with a 310horsepower, 3.4-liter six-cylinder, that goes from 0-60 in 5.0 seconds. The highest-performance Boxster is the Spyder that comes equipped with a 320 hp engine that is .2 seconds faster than any other model. A standard limited-slip differential and 20 mm lower sport suspension also makes the Spyder even more responsive. Fuel economy is 19/27 mpg city and highway for the base Boxster with the manual, or 20/29 mpg with the PDK. The Boxster S scores 19/26 mpg with the manual and 20/29 with the PDK. The interior of the 2010 Boxster is sporty and luxurious. The power convertible top is easy to use and the seats are well supported. The two people who occupy a 2010 Porsche Boxster will enjoy the leather seats that seem to hug the body. Fully adjustable sport seats are an available option. In an unusual feature for a sports car, the Boxster provides an unusually large amount of storage space. The cargo compartments offer a total of 9.9 cubic feet of storage volume. The 2010 Porsche Boxster is a sports car, but it’s a luxury sports car, and that becomes obvious when the cabin’s materials and finish are examined. Easy-touse controls are placed conveniently at hand, and though the audio
system leaves a bit to be desired and offers too many buttons to manage, the overall experience isn’t spoiled. The interior features premium materials with leather everywhere. Safety equipment abounds in the 2010 Boxster, including standard anti-lock brakes and stability control, plus front, side, and headprotecting side-impact airbags mounted in the door window sills. The Porsche Stability Management System boosts driver safety and confidence, while not interfering with the fun of driving a sports car. “Park Assist” is a great feature that helps in close quarters — especially parking lots. The 2010 Porsche Boxster offers many standard features, but the list of options is extensive. Air conditioning is standard on all but the Spyder, as are a CD stereo, rear spoiler, partial-leather upholstery, heated washer nozzles, and locking alloy wheels. The electrically heated rear glass panel does not fog up nor does it get blocked by frost. The power top lowers in 12 seconds. The wipers are variable and come with heated washer nozzles. Generous options include: ceramic composite brakes and 19inch wheels; and fully leatherupholstered power heated seats with climate control. The Sport Chrono package allows for modification of throttle, suspension, traction control, and antiskid system. Many custom features are also available, including: a premium sound system and PCM Communication Management option that controls the audio, communication and navigation systems. The Porsche Boxster is available in four standard colors — Black, Carrara White, Guards Red and Speed Yellow. Add to that eight metallic colors and five special colors and the buyer has a literal rainbow from which to choose. The 2010 Porsche Boxster has an MSRP starting at $47,600.
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OBITUARIES
DEATH NOTICES DRINNAN, Caroline, age 55, died on February 17, 2010; 3 Adar, 5770. LEVY, Joseph, age 72, died on March 16, 2010; 1 Nissan, 5770. RUBIN, Seymour, age 86, died on March 17, 2010; 2 Nissan, 5770. GLASSER, Stanley, age 83, died on March 19, 2010; 4 Nissan, 5770.
OBITUARIES DRINNAN, Dr. Caroline Rachel Caroline Rachel Drinnan, M.D., M.P.H., age 55, passed away at home in San Mateo, Calif. on February 17, 2010 – the 3rd day of Adar, 5770. HILLARY from page 7 The announcement of new construction in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, she said, “exposes daylight between Israel and the United States that others in the region hope to exploit. And it undermines America’s unique ability to play a role — an essential role, I might add — in the peace process. Our credibility in this process depends in part on our willingness to praise both sides when they are courageous, and when we don’t agree, to say so, and say so unequivocally.” It was clear, though, that Clinton was sensitive to Israeli and pro-Israel complaints that the opprobrium she had heaped onto Israel — she called the announcement an “insult” — was one-sided and that she had ignored Palestinian violations. In fact, her spokesmen have condemned Palestinian incitement. And Monday, Clinton picked up the two signal issues that have exercised Israel’s advocates: the naming of a public square in Ramallah for a terrorist who led a deadly 1978 attack, and Palestinian rioting greeting the rededication of an Old City synagogue destroyed during the 1948 Independence War. “These provocations are wrong and must be condemned for needlessly inflaming tensions and imperiling prospects for a comprehensive peace,” Clinton said to applause. AIPAC and the Obama administration have differences on Iran as well: AIPAC activists will push hard for enhanced Iran sanctions when they lobby Tuesday afternoon on Capitol Hill, while the administration wants time to exhaust the prospect of multilateral sanctions. Here, though, Clinton was able
She was born to Dr. Robert and Myfanwy Smith on September 11, 1954 near London, England. She was preceded in death by her sister, Alison Smith. Dr. Drinnan was the beloved wife of Dr. Michael Drinnan, the mother of Andrew, Jonathan, Alex and Jacob, the daughter of Dr. Robert and Myfanwy Smith, the sister of Dr. Jennifer Margolis and Rosemary Smith and the aunt of David, Ben and Ari. Dr. Drinnan was an internationally trained pediatrician who studied in London, Montreal, Cincinnati and Berkeley and practiced for many years in Foster City, Calif. She will be sorely missed by her husband, sons, family, friends and a multitude of grateful patients. Visitation followed by a memorial service was on February 24 at the Lifemark Center of Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo, Calif. Interment was in Skylawn Memorial Park to throw the crowd some meat, saying that whatever sanctions emerged, they would not be glancing. “Our aim is not incremental sanctions but sanctions that will bite,” she said. “It is taking time to produce these sanctions, and we believe that time is a worthwhile investment for winning the broadest possible support for our efforts. But we will not compromise our commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring these nuclear weapons.” Rosenberg, just inaugurated as AIPAC’s president and a key fundraiser in candidate Barack Obama’s presidential run, also made sure to hit affectionate notes, noting Clinton’s pronounced proIsrael record in her eight years as a U.S. senator from New York. Among other things, she led the successful effort to force the International Committee of the Red Cross to recognize Israel’s Magen David Adom. Kohr, the longtime AIPAC director, used the policy conference to outline the group’s priorities. He focused on gaining Israel its deserved entry into the international community through membership in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which coordinates economic policy in the developed world; getting Israel a seat on the U.N. Security Council; and forging a closer relationship between Israel and NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. All have been Israeli priorities for years, but throughout the Bush administration and the prevalence of neoconservatism in its foreign policy, AIPAC’s embrace of these issues was lowgrade. In fact, in making the case for advancing Israel in the United Nations, Kohr even asked: “Now,
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
February 25. Rabbi Robert Barr of Congregation Beth Adam in Loveland officiated at both services. If desired, memorial donations may be sent to Brain Tumor Research, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or UNICEF. RUBIN, Seymour Seymour Rubin, age 86, passed away on March 17, 2010 – the 2nd day of Nissan, 5770. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was one of five sons of the late Frank and Anna Rubin. Mr. Rubin was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 66 years, Florence, as well as by his four brothers, Matthew, Abraham, Saul and Aaron Rubin. Mr. Rubin will be missed dearly by his four children: Warren (Sherry Lynn) Rubin of Dallas, Texas, Dr. Ronald (Janice) Rubin, Patrice (Tom) Hunt, and Peter (Diane) Rubin of Cleveland, Ohio; his 10 grandchildren: Debra
Mason, Stuart (Stephanie) Rubin, Michelle (Jay) Lewis, Elliott (fiancée Kelli English) Rubin, Benjamin (Maureen Christakos) Rubin, Evan Rubin, Justin (Coleen) Wiener, Jeremy Wiener, Corey and Alex Rubin; and his five great-grandchildren: Gabrielle, Joshua, Spencer, Findley and Zachary. Having served in the U.S. Army (1943-1945) as a chaplain’s assistant, after the war Mr. Rubin returned to New York. It was there that he and his four brothers started Eastern Wood Products, specializing in kitchen cabinets. These cabinets were in high demand in the years following the war due to the population explosion in Greater New York. Mr. and Mrs. Rubin eventually moved to South Florida where he worked for Sunshine Kitchens until his retirement in 1988. In 2002, the couple moved to Cincinnati in order to be closer to family. They lived in Amberley
Village and then Cedar Village. A tremendous fan of music, opera and theater, Mr. Rubin was involved with B’nai Zion, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Israel. He was also an active member at Adath Israel Congregation. In October 2009, Mr. Rubin was very proud to be selected as a member of the Cedar Village B’nai Mitzvah Mission to Israel. He joined nine other residents, along with several caregivers, on a 10-day trip to Israel. Services were held for Mr. Rubin on March 19, 2010, at Gutterman Funeral Home on Long Island, N.Y., officiated by Rabbi Harvey Abramowitz. Interment was at New Montefiore Cemetery in Farmingdale, N.Y. The family suggests memorial contributions to the General Fund at Adath Israel Congregation, 3201 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236; (513) 793-1800.
AIPAC
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaking to thousands of pro-Israel activists in Washington at the annual AIPAC policy conference, March 22, 2010.
some of you may be asking, why does it matter?” He ran through an explanation of the U.N. Security Council’s powers, but left unsaid why else it matters: The Obama administration’s emphasis on multilateralism and on working out differences in international forums. Kohr was telling his activists that this was the new Obama order. Perhaps most telling was where Clinton ad-libbed away from her prepared remarks and revealed a soft affection for Israel and its friends.
She delivered a prepared line about “pioneers who found a desert and made it bloom,” then paused and said, “There were people who were thinking, how could that ever happen? Ahh, but it did.” She amended a line about warriors offering peace to describe them as “so gallant in battle.” Clinton asked the crowd if they thought she thought it necessary to speak “because AIPAC can get 7,500 people in a convention center? I don’t think so.” In her lengthiest unscripted passage, Clinton recalled traveling the
world during the 1990s, the heyday of Arab-Israeli peace talks, and never hearing anyone mention the conflict outside the confines of the Middle East. These days, she said, its periodic explosions into war is often the first item, however farflung her travels. It was a gentle unsettling of the belief that the Israel-U.S. relationship exists in a bubble unaffected by outside realities. “We cannot escape the impact of mass communications,” Clinton said. “We can only change the facts on the ground.”
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