Cinti’s glaserworks Melton Adult New community mikveh opens soon to take part in NYC’s Mini-School Sukkah City project
By Nicole Simon Assistant Editor Sometime in late October, Amberley Village will welcome the newest member of the local Jewish community — The Cincinnati Community Mikveh. An apt name, as it will be a community mikveh and open to all. It has been three years since local organizations such as the Jewish Foundation awarded $1.2 million toward the new and improved mikveh, which will replace the Beth Tevilla Society’s original mikveh in Roselawn. Currently, the new facility is less than two months from opening and will allow both women and men to partake in its religious and spiritual offerings. The mikveh has been a labor of love for Beth Tevilla Society’s president, Haviva Randolph, who, with the Beth Tevilla board, “has been diligently working to build bridges with the community and getting the mikveh on strong financial ground, so that it can continue to sustain our community,”
By Elijah Plymesser Assistant Editor This upcoming Sukkot New Yorkers will have the privilege of witnessing one of Judaism’s most iconic and recognizable holidays in Union Square. The Sukkah City project, headed by Joshua Foer (the younger brother of author Jonathan Safran Foer), aims to bring innovative and artistic designs to the Jewish ritual structure. Architectural and design firms from around the world sub-
MIKVEH on page 19
returns to the JCC
mitted designs for the project, including Cincinnati’s own glaserworks: Architecture and
CINCINNATI — Between 1990 – 2002, the JCC ran classes for the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School, known as the largest pluralistic (non-denominational) adult Jewish education network in the world. Nearly a decade later, this well-known program will return to the JCC this fall. The Melton School offers a formal, written curriculum of Jewish literacy developed by a team of scholars and educators at the Melton Centre for Jewish Education of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It is based upon the study of major Jewish texts in English translation. Students weave together previous learning with an adult understanding. On Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. or Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m., adults across the community will have the opportunity to experience a “Taste of Melton Mini-School” for free during the JCC’s special “free try it” week, which runs Sept. 12 – 17.
SUKKAH on page 21
JCC on page 22
The creative process on the drawing board at glaserworks’ office.
Will the real Imam Rauf please stand up?
Survey indicates Jewish singing spurs Jewish engagement
By Sue Fishkoff and Ami Eden Jewish Telegraphic Agency
By Sue Fishkoff Jewish Telegraphic Agency
SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) — Who is Feisel Abdul Rauf? Initially the controversy over building a $100-million Muslim community center and mosque two blocks from Ground Zero was about location, location, location. Increasingly, however, attention has turned to the 61-year-old Sufi imam behind the project. Depending on who you ask, Rauf —currently in the Middle East as part of a U.S.funded outreach program to the Muslim world — is a dedicated interfaith activist, a stealth apologist for Islamist terrorism, or something else. Those looking to defend Rauf in Jewish circles have a new card to play: It turns out
Supporters and detractors are debating whether Imam Feisel Abdul Rauf is a dedicated interfaith activist, a stealth apologist for Islamist terrorism, or something else.
RAUF on page 20
SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) — In 2006, Lara Torgovnik, 21, started college at New York University as a vocal performance major. She had little Jewish background — at age 8, she chose music school over Hebrew school with permission from her “very secular” parents — but on a whim one day during her freshman year, something prompted her to Google the phrase “Jew choir.” That’s the way Torgovnik discovered the Zamir Chorale, a prestigious, New Yorkbased Jewish choir that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this fall. She auditioned, won acceptance, and on her first day of rehearsal, felt overwhelmed by what she said was a “mind-boggling realization that music can be
a means of expressing spirituality, and spirituality can lend a deeper level to my music.” Now, Torgovnik works in the Zamir office in New York and conducts HaZamir: The International Jewish High School Choir, the organization’s youth choir in Westchester — one of two dozen chapters of HaZamir in North American cities. After starting to sing in the Jewish choir, Torgovnik added Jewish studies to her program. Her experience — intensifying her Jewish engagement while getting involved in Jewish singing — is not unusual, a new survey of Jewish choral singers suggests. The survey, conducted online in May and June on behalf of the Zamir Choral Foundation, shows that Jewish choral singers are more Jewishly involved than the average American Jew. SURVEY on page 22
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010 23 ELUL, 5770 CINCINNATI, OHIO SHABBOS BEGINS 7:49 SHABBOS ENDS 8:46 VOL. 157 • NO. 6 $2.00
SINGLE ISSUE PRICE :
NATIONAL
NATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
DINING OUT
In response to vague talks, Jewish groups deliver vague message
Israeli-Palestinian preview: Who's coming to dinner at the White House?
Sarkozy's security crackdown roils France, but Jews more circumspect
Local 127 — Farm-to-table cuisine
PAGE 7
PAGE 8
PAGE 10
PAGE 14
bigg’s Highland
Prices effective through Sunday September 19, 2010
The Kosher Marketplace 3240 Highland Avenue •Cincinnati, OH (513) 731-7500
WISHING YOU A HAPPY AND HEALTHY
ROSH HASHANAH 5771 Kosher Meat First Cut Beef Brisket
Glatt Kosher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$.
4
5
99
99
Kedem Grape Juice 64 oz.
Manischewitz Gefilte Fish
4
3
99
75
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast $ Glatt Kosher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.99
1b.
1b.
Fresh Ground Chuck
$ Glatt Kosher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
David Elliot Kosher
Fresh Baked Round Challah
Boneless Chicken Breast Fillets
24 oz. Select Varieties Whole Chicken Fryer - $2.49 lb.
Wild Harvest Organic Apple Juice 64 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$
$ 25.4 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Flavorite Noodles 16 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manischewitz Egg or Yolk-Free Noodles 16 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manischewitz Broth 32 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$ $
2.49
Boneless Beef Minute Roast $ 8.99 Glatt Kosher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1b.
Tradition Instant Soup Bowls 2 oz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.49
3 oz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.49
2.69
89¢
Tradition Ramen Soup
4 for $1
Kosher Valley Frozen Turkey
Lipton Kosher Secrets Soup 2 oz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
1.79
2
99 1b.
Kosher Fresh Salmon Fillets
8
99 1b.
Kosher Lake Whitefish Fillets
8
99 1b.
Manischewitz Assorted Matzo $ $
4-5 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
8-10oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
1.69
Chopped Liver Spread
2.69
Wine
8 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
2.29
Old City Pre-baked Sliced Pizza 36 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
9.99
Les Petites Shredded Cheese 8oz selected varieties. . . . . . . . . . . . .$
3.39
2 for $5
Norman’s Non Fat Yogurt 5.3 oz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In the Deli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$
75¢
750 ml.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$
$ 750 ml.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Baron Herzog Cabernet
Fresh Washington Red Delicious Apples
11.99
Alfasi cabernet
$ 750 ml.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
49 1b.
8.99
13.99
Celebrate the holidays with these great products from Israel! Rokeach Yahrzeit Candles ..................................
Kedem Tea Biscuits 4.2 oz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All service departments are under the strict supervision of the Va’ad Hoeir of Cincinnati
2.69
6.99 1b.
Barkan Shiraz Classic
1.89
Manischewitz Tam Tams
13oz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12oz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
4.49
Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix
Spring Valley Blintzes
5.991b.
Wild Harvest Organic Honey
Kedem Sparkling Juice Flavorite Honey Bears
12.991b.
Osem Mini Mandel
89
¢ 14.1 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$
3 for $1
2.99
Osem Bissli 2.5 oz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Remke bigg’s reserves the right to correct erroneously advertised items, descriptions, prices and to limit quantities. Product packaging may vary. All items not available at all stores.
89¢
Fresh Louisiana Sweet Potatoes
79
¢
1b.
Fresh Carrots 2 lb. bag
99¢
LOCAL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
3
Northern Hills Sisterhood to feature author Arthur Katz The Sisterhood of Northern Hills Synagogue - Congregation B’nai Avraham will kick off its activities for the coming year on Sunday, Sept. 12 with a special program featuring author Arthur Katz. It will follow a short business meeting beginning at 10 a.m., and will be held at the synagogue. The Northern Hills Men’s Club
will join the Sisterhood for the program. Katz will discuss his book, “From the Embers Rising,” the story of his experiences as a Jewish-American soldier in World War II. Filled with fascinating historical details and personal insights, the book relates how a twice-wounded, decorated cavalry
officer met a local girl and fell in love, against the background of war and national hatred. Katz is a local intellectual property attorney residing in Mason, Ohio. There is no charge for attending and reservations are not required. For more information, please contact Northern Hills Synagogue.
JVS’ Cincinnati Career Network locals succeed in tough economic times Like many Cincinnatians struggling to find meaningful employment in an uncertain economy, Andrea Nadel—a recent college graduate who returned home from an internship in Israel several months ago— found few, if any, job prospects. Learning about Jewish Vocational Service’s (JVS) Cincinnati Career Network (CCN), Andrea called, seeking support and guidance from the program—which provides a wide range of networking, professional development, and individual career counseling services designed to help clients succeed in their job searches. “Cincinnati Career Network was a vital resource for me,” says Andrea, who found employment as a Planning Research Associate at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati with the support of CCN’s staff and programs. “The strategies and tools that I learned have been incredibly helpful, and the dedication of the Career Specialists was crucial in helping me land my current job.” Recently, volunteers serving on the Jewish Federation’s Planning & Allocations Committee’s Youth and Family Council made site visits to JVS in order to see firsthand how CCN is meeting this critical community need. Council members Susan Brenner, Judy Schaengold, Dr. Judith Van Ginkel and David Schimberg met with JVS personnel and participated in two workshops as part of their work—
Andrea Nadel, Planning Research Associate for the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
which includes making allocation recommendations for the program to the Planning and Allocations Committee. Van Ginkel observed that, “The JVS Career Network is meeting an important community need—helping people negotiate a difficult labor market. The JVS staff is dedicated and committed to helping people at all income levels prepare for and find jobs.” As national unemployment figures approach record high levels—and local unemployment figures exceed national percent-
Vaad Hoier receives new director The Cinicinnati Vaad Hoier, the local organization for overseeing kashrut, has appointed a new executive director, Rabbi Aaron Daniel.The community wishes to express its gratitude to outgoing director, Rabbi Yaakov Toron, for all his years of service. More information will be available in the next week’s issue.
ages—CCN has intensified its efforts to help hundreds of community members of all ages, backgrounds and abilities identify desirable employment opportunities. “First and foremost, CCN is about helping the individual do what’s best for them to find a job,” said Barry Wolfson, program manager of the Cincinnati Career Network. “Our focus is on serving members of the Jewish community who are out of work or underemployed. This also serves the Jewish community by helping its members stay in Cincinnati, and either remain as — or become — contributors to community.” Following the site visit, Youth and Family Council member David Schimberg said he was impressed with the work of CCN. “JVS’ Career network provides a critically important service to people in our community who are in a tough spot in their lives.”
TWO CONGREGATIONS
ONE COMMUNITY THE MEMBERS
OF
CONGREGATIONS
B’NAI TZEDEK & BEIT CHAVERIM
Invite You to Join Us for High Holiday Services REFORM & CONSERVATIVE HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES UNDER THE SAME ROOF
6280 KUGLER MILL ROAD KENWOOD, OH 45236
FOR
INFO ON
FREE HIGH HOLIDAY
TICKETS,
CALL 984-3393
4
LOCAL
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
Unique High Holiday services at B’nai Tzedek, Beit Chaverim The B’nai Tzedek building in Kenwood will be the site of one of the more remarkable High Holiday services in the country this year. Within the same building both the Conservative B’nai Tzedek congregation and the Reform Beit Chaverim congregation will be holding their Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Attendees of one service may also move between services if they so choose. This creative cooperation between the congregations will allow families in which one member prefers a conservative approach, and one a reform approach, to worship in the
same building. Such options are not available elsewhere in the Cincinnati area and it is believed that these options are uncommon elsewhere in the country. Additionally, the holiday season will be ushered in at B’nai Tzedek with a program preceding the Selichot services featuring a slide presentation illustrating the amazing diversity of life in the Galapagos Islands and discussion of how that diversity can enhance our appreciation of the themes of Rosh Hashanah. The themes of the High Holidays will also be illustrated in creative elements to enhance the first day of the Rosh Hashanah
musaf service and on Yom Kippur in a congregant led meditation session and in a study session led by Rabbi David Weisberg. This year B’nai Tzedek’s services will be conducted by members of the congregation. Cincinnati’s premier congregant led synagogue in the Conservative tradition, B’nai Tzedek members will play a host of critical roles. Congregants will lead prayers, read Torah, deliver sermons and lead additional selected readings. The B’nai Tzedek choir will perform both traditional as well as new melodies. B’nai Tzedek is a hospitable and friendly congregation
and welcomes new members of the community. Beit Chaverim services are in the Reform tradition and like B’nai Tzedek, Beit Chaverim services will be congregant led. Beit Chaverim is a small congregation which emphasizes a warm and welcoming approach to Reform Judaism. Members of the community are warmly invited to join Congregation Beit Chaverim in High Holiday worship. To request tickets contact the synagogue office. There is no charge for tickets, but they should be obtained in advance for access to the sanctuaries.
Exciting team to lead High Holy Days services at Congregation Ohav Shalom Congregation Ohav Shalom is honored to have Rabbi Adam Rosenthal conduct High Holy Day services this year, in conjunction with Dr. Albert Weisbrot, who will serve as cantor. Both are experienced professionals who will bring a meaningful perspective to the sacred texts of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rabbi Rosenthal was most recently the spiritual leader at Peninsula Sinai Congregation, a Conservative congregation in Northern California. He has just arrived in Cincinnati, along with his wife and two young children, to pursue a doctorate in rabbinic history at Hebrew Union College. Rabbi Rosenthal says, “I have sought to do this for as long as I’ve considered the rabbinate, and I am hopeful the degree will enrich my
Dr. Albert Weisbrot, pictured, will be leading services this year with Rabbi Adam Rosenthal.
Rabbi Adam Rosenthal
work, whether as a congregational rabbi, university instructor, or in
another rabbinic vocation.” To prepare for the upcoming
services, Rabbi Rosenthal has conferred with a number of congregational leaders who are very familiar with how services are structured and conducted at Ohav Shalom. “I’ve been meeting with (president) Shelley Kirk, (past president) Barry Joffe, (administrator) Hank Lerer, and Gabbaim Joe Goldmeier and Glenn Bochner to learn about the demographics and the particular traditions of the synagogue for the High Holy Days.” Rabbi Rosenthal is also meeting with Dr. Albert Weisbrot, a familiar personality in Cincinnati, who not only is a family practice physician, but is also a trained singer who has performed extensively in Cincinnati and in many OHAV on page 20
CHHE to hold 10th anniversary gala at Adath The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education (CHHE) celebrates its 10th anniversary at “A Decade of Difference: Honoring History, Celebrating the Future,” a gala dinner on Sunday, Oct. 10 at Adath Israel. As CHHE marks 10 remarkable years of educating about the Holocaust and its lessons, 10 community leaders will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the organization’s success. Honorees include: Dean Richard E. Friedman, immediate past president, CHHE; Fr. Michael Graham, president, Xavier University; Joe Hale, founding board president, CHHE; Shawn Jeffers, director of programs, Bridges for a Just Community; Sam Knobler, presi-
dent, MidLife Development; Dr. Michael Meyer, Adolph S. Ochs professor, Hebrew Union College; Margaret Moertl, senior vice president, PNC Bank; John Neyer, president and CEO, Neyer Management; Racelle Weiman, senior director, Dialogue Institute, Temple University; Gail Ziegler, Jewish Family Service. Cocktails and reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., with entertainment by local musician Joel Greenberg. An elegant dinner and program will follow at 6:30 p.m. The evening features a musical performance by the Northern Kentucky Concert Strings, tributes to the 10 honorees, and a reflection by Rosemarie Alway, a local educator whose work has been
impacted by CHHE. The event is co-chaired by longtime supporters Carol and Ken Kabel, and Julie and Mark Weisser. Sarah Weiss, executive director, says, “We are grateful to the hundreds of individuals who have played a role in the development of the Center, including the Holocaust survivors, members of The Combined Generations of the Holocaust, board members, volunteers, interns, and countless other groups and individuals. This event is an opportunity to honor 10 individuals who have made unique contributions to CHHE, celebrate the many accomplishments in our first decade, and glimpse our bright future.” During the past 10 years,
CHHE has informed hundreds of thousands of students and community members about the history and relevance of the Holocaust in today’s world, and transformed many lives by sharing stories of hope, courage and perseverance. Through public programming, award winning exhibits, teacher training and presentations by local survivors, CHHE impacts over 35,000 individuals per year. The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education (CHHE) remembers, informs and transforms by teaching current and future generations about the Holocaust, its victims, and its lessons in order to foster tolerance, inclusion, social justice and civic responsibility.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
The oldest English-Jewish weekly in America Founded July 15, 1854 by Isaac M.Wise VOL. 157 • NO. 6 Thursday, September 2, 2010 23 Elul, 5770 Shabbat begins Fri, 7:49 p.m. Shabbat ends Sat, 8:46 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 BARBARA L. MORGENSTERN Senior Writer ELIJAH PLYMESSER NICOLE SIMON Assistant Editors ALEXIA KADISH Copy Editor JANET STEINBERG Travel Editor STEPHANIE DAVIS-NOVAK Fashion Editor MARILYN GALE Dining Editor MARIANNA BETTMAN NATE BLOOM RABBI A. JAMES RUDIN RABBI AVI SHAFRAN Contributing Writers LEV LOKSHIN JANE KARLSBERG Staff Photographers PATTY YOUKILIS JUSTIN COHEN Advertising Sales JOSEPH D. STANGE Production Manager 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.
LOCAL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
Valley Temple invites community to connect this High Holiday season Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish holiday which marks the start of the Jewish New Year. Each fall, Jews all over the world commemorate the creation of the world with family celebrations and attendance at worship services. There has been a marked trend away from these services in recent years, and the Valley Temple (Reform) in Wyoming is working to reverse that decline. A special service with a five-piece instrumental ensemble, contemporary readings and poetry will be woven together in this opportunity for anyone who wishes to participate on Wednesday, Sept.
8, 2010 at 6 p.m., which coincides with the first night of Rosh Hashanah. “Some congregations require tickets for their service because of seating capacity or membership requirements, but this special service is active, lighter than some approaches, contemporary, and open to anyone who would like to participate,” said Sandford Kopnick, rabbi of the Valley Temple. “Our band tries to mix some traditional holy day melodies with contemporary Jewish music to give a mix of meaning and spirituality—all with an eye
toward participation,” Kopnick said. He further stated that the service hoped to inspire the themes of the holiday in very accessible and understandable ways. The congregation will continue to host its more “mainstream” service at 8 p.m. The early service is an innovation which hopes to attract unaffiliated Jews, folks who have been searching for a refreshing or new approach, and for some Jews who have a need to return to their roots, without some of the trappings. For more information, contact the Valley Temple.
Northern Hills choir prepares for High Holidays The High Holiday choir at Northern Hills SynagogueCongregation B’nai Avraham is hard at work preparing for the upcoming holidays. This all-volunteer group, under the leadership of director Claire Lee, sings at six different services, on both days of Rosh Hashanah and Kol Nidre/Yom Kippur. Though most of the music is similar from one year to the next, there is always something new to freshen the repertoire. This year, choir member and arranger
Douglas Mossman has arranged choral harmonies for one piece in which, coincidentally, he sings the solo. Between them, Mossman and Lee have arranged and/or transcribed most of the music the choir performs. “It is a great convenience for the choir to have professionally written music for what is often an oral tradition. With easy to read music and transliterations, we save a lot of rehearsal time,” remarked Lee. “It is also easier
Chabad invites Jewish community to High Holidays Chabad Jewish Center urges all Jews to participate in High Holiday services this year. “If you are not affiliated with any synagogue, and/or are not planning to join any for services, Chabad invites you to join them on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and celebrate your New Year with us,” said Chabad Jewish Center director Rabbi Yisroel Mangel. Rabbi Mangel describes Chabad’s services as “refreshing and easy to follow.” Per the distinct Chabad style that has emerged across the nation over the past 20 years, many of traditional prayers are recited or sung by the congregation in unison out of EnglishHebrew prayer books, along with commentary and insights provided by the rabbi that allow active crowd participation.
“Rosh Hashanah is a most optimistic day,” explains Rabbi Mangel. “We cut a deal with G-d, so to speak. We take new year’s resolutions upon ourselves — to improve our ways, and in return, we ask G-d to bless us and our children with health and sustenance throughout the upcoming year. It really isn’t much different than parents and children resolving their differences. We walk away from the services with a wonderful, positive feeling - full of motivation and hope for the coming months.” “I’ve always found the concept of Rosh Hashanah uplifting,” said Allen Govronsky. “The idea that you can always start again - now that’s a refreshing change from what you get in the news.” CHABAD on page 22
for new members to learn the tremendous amount of music we have.” The 16-member choir rehearses during the summer and is looking forward to the holidays, which begin on the evening of Sept. 8. Northern Hills Synagogue-B’nai Avraham is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue. Services are led by Rabbi Gershom Barnard and volunteer congregants. The community is invited to call the office for tickets and service times.
5
6
LOCAL/NATIONAL
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
JCC expands parking to match growth Additional parking is being added at The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati Campus, home of the Mayerson JCC, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, and now Jewish Family Service (JFS). The parking lot is being expanded by 153 more spaces, from 385 to 538 spaces, and the building has also been renovated to accommodate the addition of JFS. Storage and reception areas were remodeled and prior offices were moved to increase facilities for client services, programs and JFS offices, and to improve handicapped accessibility to programs and services for members and the public. Building renovations are now complete and the parking expansion should be done by early November 2010. Funding for the expanded parking, as well as the
building renovations, was provided by The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati. “Convenient access to a broadened range of services, facilities, and resources – combined with significantly expanded parking – is a win/win solution for our J Members, as well as for the entire Jewish community,” noted Jeff Baden, Executive Director of the JCC. The vision for co-locating JFS at the campus originated with the Community Efficiencies Group, convened by the Jewish Federation in response to the economic crisis. “The work of Jewish Federation’s Community Efficiencies Group facilitated the visioning and planning that allows us to now welcome JFS, and enables the community to benefit
JOIN US! www.myadathisrael.org
Complimentary tickets available to prospective members for the High Holidays "Adath Israel supports congregants during life events and in their journeys to become more involved, knowledgeable, and spiritually fulfilled Jews"
3201 E. GALBRAITH RD. CINCINNATI, OH 45236
(513) 793-1800
from an even fuller range of activities and services all under one roof,” added Baden. More than $700,000 of funding support from The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati was essential to facilitating both the building renovations and the parking expansion. “The Mayerson JCC looks forward to many opportunities to work together with JFS for the enhanced benefit of all the people we serve. We sincerely thank The Jewish Foundation for their long-term vision and support, both initially as the lead donor for building the new JCC, and currently as they provide the crucial support needed to position both the JCC and JFS for continued growth,” summarized Howard Schwartz, JCC president.
Construction has already begun on the new parking lots.
Rumors sully Jewish response to imams’ trip to Auschwitz By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — Eight imams bowed in prayer before a sculpture at Dachau vividly representing the Jewish dead of Europe. It’s a picture worth a thousand words of reconciliation and understanding. Yet even before its appearance in the Jewish media — on the front page of the Forward for a story about American imams visiting two concentration camps in Europe — it was muddied by internecine Jewish sniping and rumor-driven misapprehensions. Abraham Foxman, the AntiDefamation League’s national director, questioned the propriety of a U.S. government official joining the trip, which was sponsored by the New Jersey-based Center for Interreligious Understanding and the German think tank Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. Defenders of the trip and some liberal pundits all but accused Foxman of anti-Muslim bias, and rumors swirled that the ADL was conspiring with conservatives to discredit moderate Muslims. The brouhaha — now more or less resolved — is a signal of how fraught the tensions over a planned Islamic center near the site of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan have made JewishMuslim relations. The uproar also threatened, for a moment, to scuttle the triumph of a statement by the eight American Muslim leaders repudiating Holocaust denial and condemning anti-Semitism.
It all started when Foxman heard about the Aug. 10-12 trip of the imams to Dachau and Auschwitz from Poland’s chief rabbi, Michael Schudrich, and contacted the U.S. government official joining the group to counsel her against participating. In Foxman’s call to the official — Hannah Rosenthal, the State Department’s envoy on combating and monitoring anti-Semitism, as well as a colleague of Foxman’s from her days at the helm of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs — Foxman said his “personal, private advice” was that she should deal with government missions only. “Why is there a need for a State Department official to accompany them?” Foxman said. “There is so much to do in anti-Semitism; she should not take a role on an NGO trip.” The trip was organized by Rabbi Jack Bemporad, the director of the Center for Interreligious Understanding, and Marshall Breger, an Orthodox Jew and former Reagan administration official who teaches law at Catholic University and organizes interfaith dialogue programs. Rosenthal rejected Foxman’s counsel. “If everyone was as lucky as I am to have this job, they would do it their own way,” Rosenthal said. “I did it my way.” In the rumor mill, the conversation between Rosenthal and Foxman morphed into speculation that Foxman was pushing an antiMuslim agenda.
It didn’t help that Foxman had grabbed headlines in late July for saying that the Islamic Center planned for the Ground Zero area, which will include a mosque, should be relocated out of sensitivity to the families of 9/11 victims. Though he coupled that call with a condemnation of bigoted attacks on the center’s organizers, it was the suggestion to relocate that received attention. Following his conversation with Rosenthal, rumors circulated alleging that Foxman had said the participating imams were “bad,” that he had advised Schudrich to boycott the trip and that he had lobbied the White House to nix Rosenthal’s participation. Foxman flatly denied all the allegations. The media picked up the rumors, which seemed to be reinforced by another rumor: that Steven Emerson, who heads the Investigative Project and is known for warning about the dangers of Islamic extremism, also lobbied against the trip. At Harper’s Magazine, Scott Horton suggested on his No Comment blog that Foxman was part of a neoconservative agenda to delegitimize Islam. “The real question is why would Abe Foxman be so troubled by the prospect of a group of prominent American imams bearing witness to the Holocaust and declaring that Holocaust-deniers violate the Islamic code of ethics?” Horton wrote. Noting Foxman’s opposition to the Islamic center’s location, he wrote, “Does it get in the way of Foxman’s larger current agenda?”
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
NATIONAL
7
In response to vague talks, Jewish groups deliver vague message By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — Two weeks before their launch, the promised renewal of IsraeliPalestinian peace talks has already engendered a first: a joint statement of welcome by mainstream U.S. Jewish and Palestinian groups. “We congratulate the Obama administration on succeeding in getting direct negotiations back on track,” said a statement issued jointly on Friday by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the American Task Force on Palestine. “Both parties must now show courage, flexibility and persistence in order to move toward a negotiated end of conflict agreement.” Other than its joint letterhead, the document was mostly unremarkable — as were many of the reactions to the announcement — in part, because Jewish leaders were endeavoring to make sense of the vague outline of the proposed talks. The terms of the talks, set to begin Sept. 2, have yet to be determined, including whether and how the sides will discuss final status issues, such as borders, Jerusalem and refugees. In an off-the-record conference call with top White House staff just before the Sabbath on Friday, Jewish leaders pressed for details: Is there a deadline? Will there be preconditions? In response, according to people on the call, they got little more than the vague back-and-forth that had characterized the announcement of the talks earlier in the day by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. How often would the lead parties to the talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, meet, one participant asked — and how often would the teams meet? “Periodically,” Dennis Ross, Obama’s top Iran policy official said, referring to the leaders. “Regularly,” he said of the negotiating teams. Dan Shapiro, the top National Security Council staffer handling Israel and its neighbors, broke in to add that the talks would be “intensive.” What about the yearlong time frame announced by Clinton and the top Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, another Jewish leader asked. Was that a deadline? A goal? “Feasible,” said David Hale, Mitchell’s deputy. A year was the “objective.” What about the U.S. role? “Very active,” said Hale. But then: “We will need to play a role, but they still need direct talks.”
ONLINE
EDITION
T H E O L D E S T E N G L I S H J E W I S H W E E K LY IN AMERICA IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
www.americanisraelite.com
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
President Obama meets in the White House with crew members from the STS-132 Atlantis and the International Space Station, July 26, 2010. Getting to the moon was easy compared to the president’s new goal: a two-state solution within a year.
Much was made by the administration officials of the dinner that is to take place Sept. 1, bringing together President Obama, Netanyahu, Abbas, and the Jordanian and Egyptian leaders. “The dinner will help to restore trust,” Ross said. Administration officials have suggested that the outlines will be clearer after Netanyahu, Abbas and Clinton meet on Sept. 2. P. J. Crowley, the State Department spokesman, told reporters Monday that extending Israel’s partial moratorium on settlement building would be on the agenda that day. Abbas has threatened to quit the talks without such an extension. “The issue of settlements, the issue of the moratorium, will be — has been — a topic of discussion and will be a topic of discussion when the leaders meet with Secretary Clinton on Sept. 2,” he said. Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, who has been closely tracking the IsraeliPalestinian diplomatic process, said he is confident that with months of indirect talks behind them, the leaders would be able to come up with a coherent outline for the direct negotiations. “If there isn’t total clarity about the ground rules yet, there surely will be before Sept. 2,” Saperstein said. “They bring months and months of talks behind the scenes that will make a major contribution.” Seymour Reich, a former chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, wondered nonetheless if the sides were prepared for success. If the talks work
out, he said, Netanyahu and Abbas would have to pitch major compromises to skeptical constituencies — Netanyahu to the hard-liners who support him in government, and Abbas to a Palestinian electorate he hopes to wean away from Hamas, the terrorist group that continues to seek his ouster. “You sometimes get what you wish for,” Reich said, referring to Netanyahu’s vocal insistence for months on direct talks. “But then you’ve got to put up or face the consequences.”
8
NATIONAL
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
Israeli-Palestinian preview: Who’s coming to dinner at the White House? By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — The White House dinner on Sept. 1, prior to the official launch of renewed Palestinian-Israeli talks, will be key to outlining the contours of the negotiations. “The dinner will help to restore trust,” Dennis Ross, the Obama administration’s top Iran policy official, said in a conference call last Friday with Jewish organizational leaders. Unless, that is, it turns into a food fight. Until the dinner, the exact issues to be negotiated will remain unknown. What we do know is who will be there and where they’re coming from. Here’s a preview. Benjamin Netanyahu – Israeli prime minister The proposed talks will mark the second time that the 60-yearold Netanyahu has engaged in negotiations with a Palestinian partner under U.S. pressure. Last time, in 1997, while facing then-President Bill Clinton and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Netanyahu ceded a degree of control around Hebron to the Palestinians. He has since suggested that he regrets the concession: He was recorded as telling a grieving settler family in 2001 that his agreement was little more than a ruse to keep a hostile administration at bay. Also, his revered father, Benzion Netanyahu, was known not to be happy with the concession. Having completed a slow climb back to the premiership after his plunge in popularity following his first term, from 1996 to 1999, Netanyahu reportedly sees himself in a much stronger position vis-avis Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and President Obama than he was with Arafat and Clinton. Netanyahu wants to get security issues out of the way before he talks final-status issues like Jerusalem, borders and refugees. Making sure that he has a plan to protect Israelis will be key in the effort to pitch concessions to an Israeli public still wary of the pounding Israel took after it withdrew unilaterally from Gaza in 2005. The immediate question for Netanyahu is whether or not he’ll extend the self-imposed, partial, 10-month settlement construction freeze that is set to expire in late September. If he doesn’t, Abbas has said he’ll quit the talks.
Yossi Zamir / Flash90 / JTA
When Israeli and Palestinian leaders meet at the White House in September, they’ll have to surmount simmering tensions — such as riots Aug. 26, 2010 in eastern Jerusalem in which Palestinians set cars ablaze — to press ahead with negotiations.
Mahmoud Abbas – Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, 75, is a successor to Arafat who has been far less problematic for his Western allies but far less esteemed by the Palestinian people. His nadir came when Hamas militants drove the Palestinian Authority out of Gaza in a bloody coup in 2007. Since then, Abbas has endeavored to reestablish his Fatah party and the Palestinian Authority as the inevitable repository of Palestinian ambitions for statehood. Negotiations are the only way for Abbas and his prime minister, Salam Fayyad, to demonstrate to the Palestinian people that diplomacy trumps violence as a means to statehood. Abbas insists that Israel agree to a permanent settlement freeze, and he wants to make sure the talks get to the final-status issues as soon as possible so he can show his constituents that he is reaping the benefits of cooperation. Barack Obama – president of the United States It is tempting to cast the haste with which President Obama, 49, has organized these talks for early September as a sign of his panic at the prospect of November congressional elections that seem likely to result in losses for the Democratic party. However, such an analysis would ignore the fact that Obama was pressing hard for talks months ago, when his approval ratings
were much higher; it would also disregard America’s broader foreign policy strategy in the region. For the United States, having the talks now gives Netanyahu a reason to extend his settlement moratorium and thereby sustain Arab support for U.S. policies elsewhere in the Middle East. This support is seen as key while Obama attempts to juggle other crises in the region, including Iraq’s vexed attempts to set up a government and the simmering concern over Iran’s accelerating nuclear ambitions. A peace treaty also would signal U.S. strength in the region; a Palestinian state would allow Arab governments some leeway in explaining to their populace why they are aligning with a U.S. effort to isolate the Iranian theocracy. The U.S. posture has been to insist that these are direct talks, but Obama has not been shy about threatening direct intervention if there are stumbles. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordanian King Abdullah II The United States sees both these figures as critical to making the talks — and, eventually, Palestinian statehood — work. Egypt maintains some sway over Hamas, and controls access to a major entry into Gaza. Jordan has been deeply involved in helping to train the P.A. police force, and would be a natural outlet for a resurgent Palestinian economy. Both countries are Israel’s only
neighbors officially at peace with the Jewish state. Mubarak, 82, is known to be ill and eager to transfer power smoothly to his son, Gamal Mubarak; containing the Gaza problem and playing a role in birthing a Palestinian state would provide a much-needed boost to Mubarak rule. Abdullah, 48, is also eager to contain Islamist extremism and has in recent years positioned his regime as a bridge between the West and the Muslim world. The emergence of a Palestinian state in the West Bank would also help to quell the notion that Abdullah’s kingdom, where the majority of the population is Palestinian, should be the Palestinian state. Hillary Clinton – U.S. Secretary of State Clinton, 62, is set to play the role of the primary broker at the peace talks. Beginning Sept. 2, she will host the first substantive talks Israeli and Palestinian leaders will have had since 2000. That is a sign of Obama’s increasing confidence in his one-time bitter rival for the Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton aides have leaked to the press their frustration with the perceived limits on her role, saying she has been kept out of the big games. That is changing, as evidenced not only by her newly central role in these talks, but also in her recent front-line exposure as she urged her former Senate colleagues to support new arms treaties with Russia.
National Briefs Benjamin Kaplan, Nuremberg attorney, dies (JTA) — Benjamin Kaplan, who helped draft the American portion of the indictment of Nazi war criminals tried at Nuremberg, has died. Kaplan, who was a law professor at Harvard and served on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, died Aug. 18 of pneumonia at his home in Cambridge, Mass. at the age of 99. He joined the staff of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson in 1945 when Jackson had been named chief prosecutor for the United States at Nuremberg. Kaplan oversaw the legal staff in Washington that was gathering evidence for the case. He also helped draft the American contribution to the indictment, which accused the Nazi defendants of crimes against humanity. He reportedly declined the invitation to be one of the prosecutors to give evidence before the international tribunal. The army awarded Kaplan a Bronze Star for his service. Kaplan taught for 25 years at Harvard, beginning in 1947, and taught two current Supreme Court justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer, according to The New York Times. In 1972, he was appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, where he served until mandatory retirement at the age of 70. He then served on the Massachusetts Appeals Court, deciding cases until just a few years ago. Jewish schools dominate Kohl’s Cares (JTA) — Jewish schools have captured 12 of the top 20 slots in a competition for a total of $10 million. The 20 schools that have garnered the most votes on Facebook in the Kohl’s Cares competition will each receive $500,000. The voting ends on Sept. 3. Of the 12 Jewish schools from around the United States currently in the top 20, eight are ChabadLubavitch. First place is currently held by Silverstein Hebrew Academy, a Chabad school in Great Neck, N.Y., with nearly 72,000 votes. To vote, one must have a Facebook account and be a fan of Kohl’s, allowing it access profile information. Voters can offer ideas for how the school should use the money, though it’s up to the schools whether to accept or reject the ideas.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
NATIONAL
9
Im Tirtzu nonplussed by loss of funds By Jacob Berkman Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — Im Tirtzu, the Israeli organization that has launched several attacks on left-wing Israeli groups over the past year, may have gone a step too far when it threatened to mount a divestment movement against BenGurion University of the Negev. At least, that’s what its funders appear to think. The threat, issued because the university has professors on staff whom Im Tirtzu deems “antiZionist,” will apparently prompt the group’s largest donor last year, controversial evangelical Pastor John Hagee of Christians United for Israel, to withdraw his support for next year. No formal announcement has been made yet, but a member of the panel that advises Hagee on CUFI’s Israel projects has said that CUFI will drop its support of Im Tirtzu. “In light of recent events and in my discussions with Pastor Hagee, he will not continue that funding as we both believe that Im Tirtzu has morphed into a quasi-political organization and neither Pastor Hagee nor the Houston Jewish Federation will fund such groups,” the panel member, Houston Jewish Federation president Lee Wunsch, wrote in response to a query by blogger Richard Silverstein. “Im Tirtzu misrepresented its focus when they told us their mission was strictly Zionist education,” CUFI spokesman Ari Morgenstern told JTA. The threat against Ben-Gurion University was the latest in a string of verbal attacks on Israeli or Jewish groups deemed out of line with Im Tirtzu’s ideological views. In February, Im Tirtzu accused the New Israel Fund of funding organizations that provided a majority of the Israeli-sourced information used in the Goldstone Report, the report of a U.N. fact-finding mission that found Israel guilty of war crimes for its actions in Gaza during the 2009 war against Hamas. That accusation — challenged by NIF and others — brought considerable heat on the NIF from the pro-Israel community and even from some of the organization’s own donors. Now, the tables are turned, with Im Tirtzu the subject of scrutiny and donor ire after the organization’s call for the boycott of an Israeli institution. A source close to Im Tirtzu told JTA that the organization’s leadership is not overly concerned with the recent withdrawals of support, noting that the group saw a fundraising boom in 2010 from
The American Israelite is currently seeking a
SALES REPRESENTATIVE Courtesy of Ronen Shoval
Ronen Shoval, the chairman and co-founder of Im Tirtzu.
Israeli donors. Now, Im Tirtzu, which has outposts on several Israeli college campuses, may be taking another hit. A source at the Jewish Agency for Israel said it might no longer allow Im Tirtzu to use the Jewish Federations of North America as the tax-deductible address for donations by U.S. donors to Im Tirtzu. Im Tirtzu is one of about 400 Israeli charities that do not have 501c3 status in the United States and instead use the United Israel Appeal — a subsidiary of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish Agency — as a pass-through for tax-deductible gifts. The Jewish Agency handles the applications from Israeli charities that want to qualify for the service and conducts due diligence to make sure donors’ money is spent appropriately. Annual applications to re-qualify for the service for next year are due Sept. 1. A Jewish Agency source said the agency was misled by Im Tirtzu, which had represented itself as a campus educational group in its quest to qualify for the service. “This will go to serious
lawyers,” the Jewish Agency source said. “One of the questions is: Is this politics and does this fit what they promised CUFI and the UIA and American and Israeli law? If the answer to any of those questions is no, then Im Tirtzu has a problem, and if Im Tirtzu violated the agreement, then there will be ramifications.” CUFI also said it was misled by Im Tirtzu, which turned out to be a quasi-political group. “We had no prior knowledge of Im Tirtzu’s prior political actions, and we never seek to involve ourselves in Israel’s internal political debate,” Morgenstern said. Morgenstern stopped short of confirming that CUFI would cut off Im Tirtzu, indicating that CUFI’s decision would become clear when all of the organization’s grants are announced in October. CUFI, which gives nearly $10 million per year to Israeli causes, gave Im Tirtzu $100,000 in 2009. According to some reports, Hagee’s money made up three quarters of Im Tirtzu’s budget that year. Hagee also gave $100,000 to Ben-Gurion University in 2009.
HIGH COMMISSION • NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED PART TIME OR FLEX TIME
For more information or to apply, call Ted Deutsch at (513) 621-3145 or send your resume to publisher@americanisraelite.com
10
INTERNATIONAL/ISRAEL
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
Sarkozy's security crackdown roils Israel’s latest France, but Jews more circumspect diplomatic flap is By Devorah Lauter Jewish Telegraphic Agency
with itself
PARIS (JTA) — With a preponderance of voices from the international media, human rights groups, the French clergy and some politicians denouncing French President Nicolas Sarkozy for fueling negative ethnic stereotypes with his new immigrantfocused security crackdown, many Jewish community representatives in France are taking a more measured stance. In July, Sarkozy launched some security-related initiatives that included a proposal stripping French nationality from foreignborn individuals who attack police officers and starting a program to rapidly deport Roma—or Gypsy —migrants to Romania and Bulgaria. The French leader also is dismantling hundreds of illegal Roma homes in shantytowns in France. Sarkozy says the government is merely upholding French and European law, not “stigmatizing.” But critics say Sarkozy is pitting communities against one another and violating the French constitution. Some have gone so far as to compare Sarkozy’s policies with the Nazis’ treatment of the Jews, calling it a tactic for gaining support from the far-right National Front Party. Jewish community organizational leaders have tried to take a more diplomatic course regarding the controversial policies of a president who, as interior minister during a wave of anti-Semitism in France in 2002-04, took a hard line against those who posed a security risk to French Jews. At first the community leaders sat out what has evolved into a major political storm for the government. Now some are responding, but their divergent responses reflect the divisions among French Jews about the efficacy of Sarkozy’s proposals. France’s main Jewish umbrella group, the CRIF, has not put out any statement on Sarkozy’s new policies. But in an interview with JTA, CRIF President Richard Prasquier said he supports the idea of expelling illegal Roma from the country and that the idea of denaturalizing certain foreign-born criminals is “understandable” if they are guilty of attacking officers. Prasquier warned, however, against allowing prejudice to develop against Roma migrants who are French citizens. “When we become French citizens, it must be merited,” he said. In explaining Jewish reticence to weigh in on the matter, Marc
By Leslie Susser Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Courtesy of Devorah Lauter
This Roma camp in Pantin, north of Paris, received an eviction notice at the end of July as part of the French president’s crackdown on illegal Gypsy shantytowns.
Knobel, the editor for CRIF’s newsletter, said that “Jewish institutions are generally more discreet when handling questions that mostly concern the French.” The tepid reaction from Jewish officialdom has upset some Jews here. “I think it’s the role of the Jewish community to be heard,” said Patrick Klugman, a member of the CRIF director’s committee and co-founder of JCall, a Europeanwide group that supports pressuring Israel into cutting a two-state deal with the Palestinians. Jewish leaders traditionally were “reminders of the principles of equality,” Klugman said. Now, “I notice that almost all of French society has criticized Sarkozy, except the Jewish community.” Catholic leaders have not been silent as Sarkozy has dismantled Roma shantytowns and deported Roma. With Sarkozy’s security program, “an unhealthy climate has developed in our country,” André Vingt-Trois, the archbishop of Paris, told French radio last week. One Catholic priest returned his national medal of honor to protest Sarkozy’s policies. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance said it is “deeply concerned” about the treatment of Roma in France and warned that Sarkozy’s “government has taken action stigmatizing Roma migrants” who “are held collectively responsible for criminal offenses.” “Government policies or legislative proposals that are grounded in discrimination on ethnic grounds are impermissible and run counter to legal obligations binding on all Council of Europe member States,” the commission said in a statement. France’s chief rabbi, Gilles Bernheim, was more circumspect. “This affair is not easy,” he said
last week. “It requires both moderation and firmness.” While Bernheim said he hoped decisions on security “are made case by case, and that we never stigmatize a community,” he also voiced support for Sarkozy’s toughcop proposals. “I haven’t forgotten that there’s a real war that has been established against the police, against the forces of order, and when I see the violence that is exercised against the representatives of public order, I tell myself that we also need firmness to react to that,” he said. Like Jewish officials, most official Muslim community representatives, traditionally reluctant to publicly comment on French policy that does not refer directly to their community, also have stayed quiet about Sarkozy’s security plans. The new security measures were announced following two separate incidents of violent skirmishes between youth, believed to be partly of immigrant origin, and the police, plus a case involving violence by some Roma migrants who appeared to be French citizens. Sarkozy’s new policy proposals include denaturalizing those who attack public officials if they had become French fewer than 10 years before committing the crime, and denying automatic citizenship to immigrant youth approaching the age of eligibility but who are “anchored” in criminal activity. He is also dismantling Roma encampments that include people of Roma origin who are French citizens and has proposed legislation that will make it more difficult for deported Roma to return to France. Roma have been subject to discrimination throughout Europe for decades, and hundreds of thousands were exterminated in Nazi death camps. Roma rights groups say Sarkozy’s new policies paint them as criminals.
JERUSALEM (JTA) — In Israel’s latest diplomatic flap, actions by Mossad agents in Greece have caused a normally friendly foreign ministry to sever ties with the Israeli intelligence agency. The foreign ministry in question? Israel’s own. It’s all part of a labor dispute at the Israeli Foreign Ministry that threatens to harm Israel’s delicate diplomatic relationships, scuttle overseas trips by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — including this week’s to Washington — and bring Israel international embarrassment. Only an 11th-hour appeal from Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman saved Netanyahu from suffering the consequences during his planned trip to Washington this week for a summit with President Obama and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. On Monday, Foreign Ministry workers on a work slowdown decided that they would, after all, handle Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. capital. “Given the importance of the occasion and our sense of national responsibility, we will probably allow our employees to provide all the necessary services,” Hanan Goder, chairman of the workers’ committee, told JTA. Just a few days earlier the diplomats, already barely on speaking terms with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Treasury and the Mossad intelligence agency, threatened to suspend ties with the Israel Defense Forces. It was just the latest salvo in a six-month pay dispute at the Foreign Ministry. The threat against the IDF came after Netanyahu, fearing that he might be left in the lurch in Washington without any support staff, approached the IDF’s procurement division in D.C. for possible help with his visit. That led to an angry letter from the Foreign Ministry workers’ committee to IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi urging him not to allow the government to use the army as strike breakers. To do so “would violate democratic norms,” the strike leaders argued. Eventually the Foreign Ministry staff agreed to serve Netanyahu during his visit while maintaining all other strike action. The Foreign Ministry officials launched their work slowdown in February by withholding political estimates and position papers, as
well as restricting contacts with the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Council. They also stopped sending diplomatic cables and providing logistics for visits by Israeli dignitaries abroad. In June, staffers started coming to work in jeans and sandals rather than their regular business attire. Things escalated a few weeks later with a string of diplomatic gaffes involving high-level foreign dignitaries. First, the Estonian president’s wife was left stranded at a restaurant outside Jerusalem when her Foreign Ministry driver disappeared. An irate President Toomas Hendrik Ilves retaliated by visiting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah instead of laying a wreath at the Jerusalem tomb of Zionist founding father Theodor Herzl. Similarly, a hired car had to be arranged when Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov was abandoned at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and museum. Worse, there was no full protocol reception or even a car for Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov when he arrived at Ben Gurion Airport in late June. The Russians nearly decided to cancel the visit, and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon had to drive down in his own car to meet Lavrov at the airport. Netanyahu has been in the thick of the labor dispute twice thus far. During his July summit with Obama in Washington, Israeli diplomats suspended their slowdown in response to an appeal from Histadrut Trade Union boss Ofer Eini, who promised to take up their cause. But Eini has failed to deliver in negotiations. Burned once, the diplomatic staff adamantly refused to provide the logistics for an ensuing Netanyahu trip, this time to Greece in mid-August. So the prime minister asked Mossad officials in Athens to take care of the arrangements, which they did. The normally urbane diplomats went ballistic. “We took it very badly,” Goder said. “The last time a security organization was used to break a strike in Israel was with the big seaman’s strike in 1951.” In retaliation, the Foreign Ministry threatened to withhold payment of expenses — like rent and children’s school fees — to Mossad officials working out of Israeli diplomatic missions abroad. At one point the ministry even considered withholding Mossad salaries, but relented for legal reasons.
SOCIAL LIFE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
2010 ROSH HASHANAH COVER
COLORING
CONTEST
11
BARRY KAPLAN
“SERVING THE LOCAL REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY FOR 23 YEARS.”
(513) 368-9000 AboutBarry.com
L’SHANA TOVA from the Fisher Family and Jones the Florist
SIZE:
Art must be no larger than 8.5" Wide x 11" High. MATERIALS:
Anything that shows up bold and bright, such as markers, crayons, paint or cut paper.
Call Jones the Florist for all your High Holiday arrangements! …proud to be part of the Cincinnati community
8950 Rossash Rd | Cincinnati, OH 45236 (513) 961-6625 | Jonestheflorist.com
AGE CATEGORIES:
Open to children of all ages. All entries must be received by FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE 18 WEST NINTH, SUITE 2 CINCINNATI, OH 45202 Entries must have a completed entry form attached to the back. Please print clearly.
2010 ROSH HASHANAH COVER COLORING CONTEST ENTRY FORM R E F UA H S H L E M A H Frieda Berger Fraida bat Raizel
Pepa Kaufman Perel Tova bat Sima Sora
Daniel Eliyahu Daniel ben Tikvah
Murray Kirschner Chaim Meir ben Basha
Mel Fisher Moshe ben Hinda
Alan Schwartzberg Avraham Pesach ben Mindel
Edith Kaffeman Yehudit bat B’racha
Ravid Sulam Ravid Chaya bat Ayelet
Roma Kaltman Ruchama bat Perl
Edward Ziv Raphael Eliezer Aharon ben Esther Enya
SPECIAL ISSUE
ROSH HASHANAH THIS IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE OF THE YEAR AND THE BEST WAY TO REACH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF GREATER CINCINNATI. PURCHASE A PERSONAL GREETING OR AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR YOUR BUSINESS AND KETIVA VE-CHATIMA TOVAH” TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS, “K (MAY YOU BE WRITTEN AND SEALED FOR A GOOD YEAR).
Publishes Thursday, September 9 Advertising Deadline is Thursday, September 2
1/16 $113.75
1/8 $227.50
1/4 $455
1/2 $910
Full $1,820
4 in. X 2 in.
4 in. X 4 in.
6.083 in. X 5.45 in.
10.25 in. X 6.5 in.
10.25 in. X 13 in.
Please include my personal or business greeting in the special issue. (PLEASE PRINT)
SIZE:
PRICE:
NAME or BUSINESS GREETING (As you want it to appear):
NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: EMAIL:
STATE:
ZIP: PHONE:
THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE, 18 West 9TH Street Ste. 2 Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: (513) 621-3145 • Email: publisher@americanisraelite.com
14
DINING OUT
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
Local 127 — Farm-to-table cuisine By Marilyn Gale Dining Editor
9797 Montgomery Rd
(513) 791-0900 nocespizzeria.com
LUNCH - DINNER COCKTAILS COCKTAILS - CARRYOUT CARRYOUT Free Valet Parking
R EGENCY 2444 M ADISON R D . C INCINNATI , OH 45208 (513) 871-6888 www.orientalwok.com THAI, SUSHI & PASTA
Lunch Special (M-F) Dine-In / Carry-Out / Catering Patio Dining Convenience free parking next to building (2 mins from Hyde Park Square)
513.351.0123 | 2912 WASSON RD. www.blueelephantthaisushi.com
HAPPY HOUR 2-7 MON-SAT LUNCH, DINNER, LATE NIGHT (1 AM) PARTY ROOM
FOR UP TO
50
PEOPLE
4110 HUNT RD. • 793-2600 WWW.INCAHOOTSOHIO.COM
Local 127 is an odd name for a fine restaurant, especially one located on 4th street in the spot of previous premier culinary showplaces in downtown Cincinnati. But don’t be fooled by the plainness of its name, Local 127 is an example of the new trend in farmto-table dining where seasonal, locally grown produce and nearby food suppliers are the main providers of the menu. Freshness is in, and Local 127 is proud to be a leader in this go-green cooking trend. And yes, like its forbearers, Local 127’s ambience is one stylish place with its plush seating, earth tone colors, soft lighting and a bar that caters to classic bartending. Head chef Steve Geddes brings an expertise to gastronomy, having started his cooking career over 25 years ago in Las Vegas. He also brings his talent as a certified master sommelier to Cincinnati. Many of the food preparations reflect his sensitivity and creativity as he infuses wine into the taste of the entrées. His menu features American heritage recipes using modern, refined cooking techniques. Food selections are based on the local economy. The suppliers are found as close to 127 W. 4th Street as possible. Chef Geddes tries to buy produce from a local supply company if it can’t be grown in the Ohio Valley farm belt. But it is not just in the choice of food, cautions Geddes, it is in handling it with care and with respect, as well as storing it properly. I learned about the agricultural belt throughout the entire Ohio River Valley. I gained a greater sensitivity to closeness in the food (farm-to-table idea), which allegedly enhances flavor. I tasted the cold potato soup on a hot summer day and was surprised at the invigorating freshness. Chef Geddes was grateful for the diversity of his suppliers in the area and stressed the importance of “forging a relationship with the farmers.” As we are entering an era where we want to know exactly what we are eating, Local 127’s philosophy has begun to take that desire seriously and is skillfully increasing our food consciousness. There are many things I can mention about this restaurant. The attention to detail is precise. From classic bartending to multiple city awards, to chicken liver mousse and pears, infused with a sweet taste of wine, to a wine list that only aficionados can fully appreciate to a young enthusiastic staff, a few born and bred Cincinnatians who had graduated from our nationally known Walnut Hills
Local 127 promises Queen city residents farm to table cuisine.
High School. I could go and on, but then this is only a review and not a booklet on a new concept in dining merged with the wisdom of the past. Menu options come in small or large portions. In the small category, the Waldorf salad with apples, walnuts and Riesling-soaked raisins, as well as the house made gnocchi with mushrooms, spinach and parmesan cream ought to satisfy the taste buds of the most steadfast vegetarian. The large entrée category showcases grass-fed burgers, using local beef, and farmraised chicken, accompanied by fresh, homegrown vegetables delicately seasoned. Wednesday night features the Fried Chicken Special: a three-course farm-to-table dinner, with a green salad or chilled potato soup, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and vegetable of the day. Dessert is panna cotta, similar to flan but made with soymilk. Cooking magic appears to be alive and well at Local 127 with
other dessert options, such as cheesecake with sweet basil and in- house preserves, a taste of dark chocolate rice pudding or caramelized tree fruits with oat crumble. I spoke with Benjamin Grant, general manager of Local 127, who educated me on the almost lost art of classic bartending. Tonic on 4th, an upscale bar, is adjacent to the restaurant so patrons can easily stop in for a drink and appetizer or choose to meander next door and have dinner. Both congenial spots share the roots of classic bartending. “A hundred years ago, everything was made from scratch,” said Grant. “There were no premade mixers. We make our own aromatic bitters. We use homemade floral bitters in our Jequitaba Sour, which is half citrus juice and half simple syrup, combined with top shelf liquor. We add an egg white, which gives texture to the drink and creates a velvety
Benjamin Grant, manager, specializes in the art of classic bartending.
smoothness. Then we shake it and a meringue appears on top. It is visually pleasing when poured into a champagne glass and crowned with house floral bitters. A beautiful aroma emerges and adds to the complexity of the drink.” Grant said the restaurant caters to a broad clientele and can be a perfect first time date for foodie sophisticates. Impeccable service is a management value—servers are friendly and trained to listen to diners’ preferences, making suggestions as well as imparting knowledge to guests as to the source of the food. “We work as a team,” said Grant, “and when the entrée comes to the table, the table has been cleared of extraneous utensils. If it is bison or beef, the steak knife is set. When a wine glass is empty, another is offered, or the empty goblet is removed. The table is our stage to present the diner with the fine dining experience.” Local 127 has a visually charming menu, old fashioned in its font. The management wisely gives credit to inspirations from the past, with “All Grandmothers” at the top of the list. Julia Child comes second. Treat yourself and your taste buds to Cincinnati’s new American eatery at Local 127. You’ll gain a greater respect for the richness and abundance in our agricultural backyard. Local 127 127 W. 4th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 513-721-1345
DINING OUT
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
15 Dine-In / Take-Out / Delivery
DINING OUT Andy’s Mediterranean Grille At Gilbert & Nassau 2 blocks North of Eden Park 281-9791 Apsara 4785 Lake Forest Dr Blue Ash 554-1040 Aroma Restaurant & Sushi 7875 Montgomery Rd Kenwood 791-0950 Bangkok Terrace 4858 Hunt Rd Blue Ash 891-8900 • 834-8012 (fx) Bella Luna Cafe 4632 Eastern Ave Cincinnati 871-5862 Blue Elephant 2912 Wasson Rd Cincinnati 351-0123 Carlo & Johnny 9769 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati 936-8600 CUMIN 3520 Erie Ave Hyde Park 871-8714 Embers 8120 Montgomery Rd Montgomery 984-8090 Ferrari’s Little Italy & Bakery 7677 Goff Terrace Madeira 272-2220 Gabby’s Cafe 515 Wyoming Ave Wyoming 821-6040 Incahoots 4110 Hunt Rd Blue Ash 793-2600
Izzy’s 800 Elm St • 721-4241 612 Main St • 241-6246 5098B Glencrossing Way 347-9699 1198 Smiley Ave • 825-3888 300 Madison Ave Covington • 859-292-0065 Johnny Chan 2 11296 Montgomery Rd The Shops at Harper’s Point 489-2388 • 489-3616 (fx) K.T.’s Barbecue & Deli 8501 Reading Rd Reading 761-0200 Kanak India Restaurant 10040B Montgomery Rd Montgomery 793-6800 Local 127 127 W. 4th St Cincinnati 721-1345 Marx Hot Bagels 9701 Kenwood Rd Blue Ash 891-5542 MEI Japanese Restaurant 8608 Market Place Ln Montgomery 891-6880 Mecklenburg Gardens 302 E. University Ave Clifton 221-5353 Noce’s Pizzeria 9797 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati 791-0900 Oriental Wok 2444 Madison Rd Hyde Park 871-6888
Pomodori’s 121West McMillan 861-0080 7880 Remington Rd Montgomery 794-0080
✳EXOTIC DISHES✳ ✳ADJUSTABLE SPICE SCALE✳ ✳FABULOUS DRINKS✳ ✳VEGETARIAN - FRIENDLY✳
4858 Hunt Rd • Blue Ash, 45242 (513) 891-8900 • Fax 834-8012
www.BangkokTerrace.com
Rudino’s Pizza & Grinders 9730 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati 791-7833 Slatt’s Pub 4858 Cooper Rd Blue Ash 791-2223 • 791-1381 (fax)
ANDY’S STIMULUS PACKAGE "Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in America" Chinese Restaurant News - 2004
CINCINNATI ENQUIRER: Banquets
1/2
. Sushi Bar . Full Bar, Liquor . Sunday Brunch
The Shops at Harpers Point . 11296 Montgomery Road
Stone Creek Dining Co. 9386 Montgomery Rd Montgomery 489-1444
(513) 489-2388
3 Course Dinner for 2 for $25 Add Wine for $15
CATERING NOW AVAILABLE! Intersections of Gilbert & Nassau
513-281-9791 www.andyskabob.com
Sugar n’ Spice 4381 Reading Rd Cincinnati 242-3521
Ask about our Specials! Sukhothai Thai Cuisine 8102 Market Place Ln Cincinnati 794-0057 Tandoor 8702 Market Place Ln Montgomery 793-7484
American Cuisine with an Italian Flair
the Palace 601 Vine St Downtown Cincinnati 381-3000 Through The Garden 10738 Kenwood Rd Cincinnati 791-2199
MONDAY ITALIAN NIGHT! LIVE MUSIC ON SATURDAY NIGHT! Open for lunch & dinner everyday 515 Wyoming Ave • Wyoming, OH 513-821-6040 • gabbyswyoming.com
VIEW 2200 Victory Pkwy Cincinnati 751-8439
Parkers Blue Ash Grill 4200 Cooper Rd Blue Ash 891-8300
TUE - 1/2 PRICE BOTTLE WINE • WED - 1/2 PRICE SUSHI(BAR) Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-3 Dinner: Mon-Thu 5-9:30 Fri 5-10:30 • Sat 4:30-10:30
8102 Market Place Lane Cincinnati, OH 45242 794-0057 • 794-0235 (fax) www.sukhothaicincy.com
8170 Montgomery Rd • 984-8090 • embersrestaurant.com
GUEST APPRECIATION NIGHTS
OPINION
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
Great Expectations
Do you have something to say? E-mail your letter to editor@americanisraelite.com
Dear Editor, Agudath Israel of America was among the signatories to a letter received by every member of the U.S. Congress this week concerning a proposed change in the law governing the rules for faith-based organizations’ participation in federal programs. Although the provision at issue concerns only one such program, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the groups signed to the letter fear that it could be read to affect other social services programs as well. Religious groups receiving federal funds to administer social services are already required to provide their services to anyone who needs them, regardless of the client’s religious affiliation or belief. The proposed provision aims to prohibit such religious groups from hiring only staff who share each group’s religious beliefs. The proposed change, the signatories contend, would not only
prevent their groups from helping the federal government reach many of those in need of social services but also runs afoul of the First Amendment’s protection of citizen’s religious rights. Rabbi Avi Shafran New York, N.Y. Dear Editor, Last week The American Israelite wrote and printed an article about Jewish Family Service’s relocation to our new offices on The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati Campus and questioned confidentiality in our new office space. Obviously, Jewish Family Service did such a fine job of protecting client confidentiality that when you visited our office space, you were not even aware that private space for client needs existed. So please allow me the space to correct your article of last
week: • Clients are seen in five completely PRIVATE meeting rooms. • There is a private locked entrance to Jewish Family Service space, used only by JFS. Clients are allowed entrance by the receptionist who sits outside and are immediately escorted into a private client meeting room located in a secluded hallway. In addition, privacy screens protect the view into the hallway. • The Jewish Family Service adoption program, Adoption Connection, has a private suite of offices down a main level hallway of the JCC building. Included in their suite is an additional private client meeting room that can be used for any JFS client needs. • Clients who prefer not to enter through the JCC main entrance can access the private room in the adoption suite from a discrete side building entrance if arranged with a JFS staff person. LETTERS on page 22
C O R R E C T I O N: Last week’s story on Jewish Family Service moving in to the Mayerson JCC overlooked the fact that there are four private, soundproof therapy rooms in order to maintain clientele confidentiality. The article did not address these rooms. We apologize for any misunderstanding this has caused. Netanel (Ted) Deutsch, Publisher
T EST Y OUR T ORAH KNOWLEDGE THIS WEEK’S PORTION: NITZAVIM-VAYELECH (DEVARIM 29:9—31:37) 4. What will happen after Hashem brings the punishment? a.) A long exile b.) Rebirth of the Jewish spirit c.) Prosperity
1. Was everybody present when Moshe spoke to the people? a.) Yes b.) No 2. What were the water carriers in the Parsha? a.) A special unit in the Army b.) Officers of the court c.) Also present when Moshe spoke
5. Is there a mitzvah to bring children to the Torah reading after the Sabbatical year? a.) Yes b.) No
3. Which city did Hashem overturn? a.) Jericho b.) Sodom c.) Ramses 3. B 29:22
4. B 30:1
5. A 31:12,13
OPINION on page 22
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
2. C 29:11
Thoughts of consequence can sometimes arise from the most mundane experiences, even a headache. Opening the medicine cabinet one day, I was struck by a sticker on a prescription container. “Not for use by pregnant women,” it read. “And why not?” part of my aching head wondered. Because, another part answered, a fetus is so much more sensitive to the effects of chemicals than a more developed person. Partly, of course, because of its very tininess, but more importantly because it is an explosively developing thing. While a single cell is growing to a many-billions-of-unbelievably-variegated-cells organism in a matter of mere months it is easily and greatly affected by even subtle stimuli. Which thought led, slowly but inexorably, to others, about the creation of the world – the subject, soon, of the weekly Torah portion – and about the beginning of a new Jewish year. “The Butterfly Effect” is the whimsical name science writers give to the concept of “sensitive dependence on initial conditions” – the idea that beginnings are unusually important. A diversion of a single degree of arc where the arrow leaves the bow – or an error of a single digit at the beginning of a long calculation – can yield a difference of miles, or millions, in the end. For all we know, the flapping of a butterfly’s wings halfway around the world yesterday might have set into motion a hurricane in the Atlantic today. The most striking butterfly effects take place during formative stages, when much is transpiring with particular rapidity. Thus, the label on the medication; the gestation of a fetus, that single cell’s incredible journey toward personhood, is strikingly responsive to so much of what its mother does, eats and drinks. The developing child is exquisitely sensitive to even the most otherwise innocent chemicals because beginnings are formative, hence crucial, times. Leaving the realm of the microcosm, our world itself also had a gestation period, six days’ worth. Interestingly, just as the initial developmental stage of a child takes place beyond our observation, so did that of the world itself. The event and processes of those days are entirely hidden from us, the Torah supplying only the most inscrutable generalities about what actually took place then. Thus, the Talmudic rabbis applied the verse “the honor of G-d is the concealment of the thing” (Proverbs, 25:2) to the days of creation. Honest scientists admit the same. E.A. Milne, a celebrated
British astronomer, wrote “In the divine act of creation, G-d is unobserved and unwitnessed.” Despite our inability, however, to truly know anything about the happenings of the creation week, to think of those days as a gestational time is enlightening. It may even help explain the apparent discrepancy between what we know from the Torah is the true age of the earth and what the geological and paleontological evidence seem to say. Consider: What would happen if the age of an adult human since his conception were being inferred by a scientist from Alpha Centauri, using only knowledge he has of the human’s present rate of growth and development? In other words, if our alien professor knew only that the individual standing before it developed from a single cell, and saw only the relatively plodding rate of growth currently evident in his subject, he would have no choice but to conclude that the 30-year-old human was, in truth, fantastically old. What the Alpha Centurion is missing, of course, is an awareness of the specialized nature of the gestational stage of life, the powerful, pregnant period before birth, with its rapid, astounding and unparalleled rate of development. If we recognize that a similar gestational stage existed for the universe as a whole at its creation – and the Torah tells us to do precisely that – then it is only reasonable to expect that formative stage to evidence a similarly accelerated rate of development, with the results on the first Sabbath seeming in every detectable way to reflect millions of years of development, eons that occurred entirely within the six days of the world’s explosive, embryonic growth. Rosh Hashana is called “the birthday of the world.” But the Hebrew word there translated as “birth” – haras – really means the process of conception/gestation. And so, annually, at the start of the Jewish year, it seems in some way we relive the gestational days of creation. But more: those days are formative ones, the development period for the year that is to follow. Beginning with the “conceptionday” of Rosh Hashana itself, and continuing to Yom Kippur, the period of the early new Jewish year is to each year what the creation-week was to the world of our experience: a formative stage. All of which may well lend some insight into a puzzling Jewish religious law. We are instructed by halacha to conduct ourselves in a particularly exemplary manner at the start of a new Jewish year. We are cautioned to avoid anger on Rosh Hashana itself. And for each year’s first 10
Written by Rabbi Dov Aaron Wise
1. A 29:9
By Rabbi Avi Shafran Contributing Columnist
ANSWERS
16
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
JEWISH LIFE
17
Sedra of the Week by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
PARASHAT NITZAVIM VAYELECH
“And you shall return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice in accordance with every thing I have commanded this day... with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 30:2). So begins the Biblical portion which Nahmanides (12th century, Provence) calls “The portion of repentance.” The commandment to repent is germane 365 days a year, but it is especially relevant during the 10 days beginning with Rosh Hashana and concluding with Yom Kippur. Hence reading this particular passage less than one week before Rosh Hashana, is especially opportune. How do we fulfill this commandment? Maimonides seems to explain it in clear terms: “If an individual transgresses any commandment of the Torah, whether it be a positive or negative command, whether he transgressed wittingly or unwittingly, when he repents [does teshuva] and turns away from his sin, he is obligated to confess before God, blessed be He, as it is written, ‘A man or woman who transgresses... must confess the sin they have committed...’ This refers to a verbal confession, and this confession is a positive commandment...” (Laws of Repentance, 1,1). I would have thought that the command to repent would be an inner process, a shredding of one’s evil impulse and the uplifting of the Divine which informs the soul of every human being, but from here it seems that it could be reduced to a mouthing of words which may be uttered by rote. Why is that? My teacher Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik taught that there are actually two aspects to the commandment of repentance: firstly, kappara, forgiveness, the mechanical bringing of a sacrificial offering and/or the mouthing of the confessional — which are minimal, at best — and secondly, the more optimal tahara, purity, which requires a transformational experience. Maimonides discusses this second, more powerful aspect of repentance in his second chapter, and calls it “complete repentance” (teshuva gemura). Despite the classical brilliance of Rav Soloveitchik’s interpretation, these last three years have taught me that Maimonides hit
upon a significant existential truth when he insisted that the fundamental commandment centers on confession. Apparently, what many might think of as a fairly simple and even mechanical formula — “Please [God, spouse, parent, child, neighbor, coworker] forgive me, I have transgressed, sinned, rebelled against you by having done what I did; I am contrite and ashamed by my actions and will never do them again” — is exceedingly difficult for most individuals. Over the past few years, an inordinate number of high-powered civil servants, cabinet ministers and even our foremost citizens have been indicted by the attorney-general, several have been found guilty and several are beginning prison sentences. We have also seen a number of highprofile rabbis and communal leaders apprehended and charged with crimes. To the best of my knowledge, none of them has confessed to wrongdoing, none has publicly admitted guilt. No one stood before the public that elected him, or the congregants who revered him, and said “I’m sorry; I repent of my actions, I’m ashamed. Please forgive me.” Why not? Why is confession so difficult? A great sociologist-psychologist once wrote: “There are four ‘yous’ to every individual: Who you think you are, who others think you are, who you think others think you are, and who you would like others to think you are.” The distance between these four “yous” especially between who you are and who you would like others to think you are, is what can cause a tragic disconnect within the psyche of many individuals, producing hypocrisy at best and psychosis at worst. Every human being, from the biblical perspective, is a complex creature consisting of earthly flesh and Divine image: “And the Lord G-d formed the human being of dust from the earth, and He breathed in his nostrils the breath of life, and the human became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). Each morning as we get up, we say the prayer: “My Lord, the soul you have given me is pure. You created it. You fashioned it. You breathed it into me from your divine essence.” Here the rabbis were teaching us that the essence of every individual is the Divine entity within them. The external body is merely a shell, which can be peeled away. Each of us wears
DEUTERONOMY 29:9- 31:30 an outer uniform: the soldier, the policeman, the rabbi, the businessman, the politician, the parent. The word persona or personality comes from the Greek word meaning “mask.” Many of our professional identities, the clothes we wear and/or the personality we exude, are meant to express the way we want others to see us. They are the manner in which we want to impress others, but are not necessarily our real selves. Sometimes the garb, the mask becomes so powerful that it overwhelms the Divine image within. And if our transgression is of such a nature that it will cause the mask to fall away and reveal the nakedness of the emperor beneath, then one dare not admit one’s guilt — perhaps not even to oneself. If we do, it would be like committing suicide, because there would be nothing of ourselves left. If, however, we do play act — utilize an external mask to appear to others the way we wish them to see us, but nevertheless maintain a Divine image within us not so far from our public persona — there is still the pristine “you” lurking behind the covering curtains. Then, one can apologize; peel off the external trappings, and the real “you” within the image of the divine can be freed from the mask we thought society wanted us to wear. Even the High Priest began his holy-day ritual, in his eight priestly vestments, with a cry of repentance: “Please, God, forgive.” His divine image within was always waiting to come out. The Talmud (B.T Hagiga 13,14) speaks of a once-great Rabbi; Elisha ben Abuya, who became a heretic, joined the Roman philosophers and was called Aher, the other one. Rabbi Meir, his disciple begged him to come back, to repent. “No,” he said. “For me it is too late. I heard the divine voice from behind a partitioned veil say, ‘Return, wayward children, except for Aher.’” Rabbi Soloveitchik explained: Aher had overwhelmed his Divine Image; indeed, as long as Elisha was submerged, it would be too late for repentance. But for Elisha ben Abuya it’s never too late. Reactivate your truest self and no matter how far you may have wandered, you too can return to the God whose essence initially formed you. Shabbat Shalom Shlomo Riskin Chancellor Ohr Torah Stone Chief Rabbi — Efrat Israel
MODERN ORTHODOX SERVICE Daily Minyan for Shacharit, Mincha, Maariv, Shabbat Morning Service and Shalosh Seudas. Kiddush follows Shabbat Morning Services
RABBI HANAN BALK & ASSISTANT RABBI STUART LAVENDA
6442 Stover Ave • 531-6654 • golfmanorsynagogue.org
Over 125 years in Cincinnati and 10 years at Cornell. Egalitarian • 8100 Cornell Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45249 (513) 489-3399 • www.ohavshalom.org
3100 LONGMEADOW LANE • CINCINNATI, OH 45236 791-1330 • www.templesholom.net Miriam Terlinchamp, Rabbi Marcy Ziek, President Gerry H. Walter, Rabbi Emeritus September 3 6:00 pm Shabbat Nosh 6:30 pm Shabbat Evening Service
September 10 8:00 pm Shabbat Shuvah Evening Service
September 4 10:30 am Shabbat Morning Service 10:30 pm Selichot Reception and Service
September 11 10:30 am Shabbat Shuvah Morning Service
Call the Temple Office for the High Holy Days Worship Schedule
18
JEWZ IN THE NEWZ
Jewz in the Newz Nate Bloom Contributing Columnist YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN JERRY STILLER, 83, who played Frank Costanza on “Seinfeld,” recently visited a house in Astoria, Queens, N.Y. whose exterior was used in “Seinfeld” episodes as the (supposed) home of the Costanza family (ESTELLE HARRIS played Mrs. Costanza and JASON ALEXANDER played their son, George). The visit was part of a New York Daily News series on historic places in Queens. Jerry was supposed to just pose in front of the modest two-story brick house, but on a whim he decided to knock on the door. The homeowners, Jack and Bessie Lopiperos, couldn’t have been more thrilled. The couple, both over 80 years old, are huge “Seinfeld” fans and Bessie said she never missed an episode (“I watched…hoping I could see my house”). Stiller spent an hour with Jack and Bessie—chatting, looking at family photos, and posing for snapshots. Bessie gushed, “This is the happiest day of my life. You really made my day.” Stiller seemed equally thrilled by the whole heartwarming experience, telling the News: “This is probably the best thing I ever did in my life.” LOVE-MAKING OKAY; TREIF NOT Drew Barrymore and Justin Long co-star in the romantic comedy “Going the Distance.” (Opens Friday, Sept. 3.) Barrymore plays Erin, a charming gal who is spending the summer in New York City before heading home to San Francisco. She meets and hits it off with Garrett (Long), who lives in the City. Their six-week romance turns into something serious and when Erin returns home, the pair tries to pursue a long distance romance via the tools of modern technology Their friends and relatives (Christina Applegate and Jason Sudekis) tell them it won’t work. But they have to try. “Distance” is directed by NANETTE BURSTEIN, 38, who is making her feature film debut. Burstein, who grew up in a Reform home, and attended an Orthodox day school, is best known as a documentary maker. Her works include “The Kid Stays in the Picture” (2002), an Oscarnominated documentary about legendary Hollywood executive ROBERT EVANS. Several of the movie’s scenes, including one that featured very hot lovemaking, were filmed in a Queens, NY home owned by an
Orthodox Jewish couple. Justin Long told talk show host George Lopez that the homeowners had no problem with the lovemaking scene, but something else really annoyed them. Long said: “They were incredibly sweet people... [but] we did one scene where we had to eat around this dinner table and we were eating these hamburgers and the prop guy was making the burgers on the grill that the Orthodox couple owned and they found out and they got very upset about it. They took issue with it because it was not kosher food and it had touched their grill, so they wanted the studio to replace the grill, which they [the studio] did, and they wanted to replace any utensil that had touched the grill. That’s how serious these people were.” HIGH HOLY DAY CONFLICTS The “early” coming of the High Holy Days has resulted in a lot of problems in the “greater” entertainment world. The very prestigious Toronto Film Festival and New York Fashion Week both begin on Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 9. London Fashion Week begins on Yom Kippur, Sept. 18. The organizers of all three events said they couldn’t re-schedule “due to logistical problems.” The Toronto Festival was supposed to open with the premiere of “Barney’s Version,” a film about a Canadian Jew based on a novel by the late MORDECHAI RICHLER. However, the film’s producer, ROBERT LANTOS, insisted it not premiere on Rosh Hashanah. (The film stars Paul Giamatti and will open in theaters this December.) Several Toronto culture writers have noted that the overlap of the Festival and the holidays will hurt the Festival since so many key industry players are Jewish, like buyers and sellers of films. Likewise, many Jews in the N.Y. fashion industry say that they are astonished that no scheduling change was made for Rosh Hashanah, one of the two holidays that most Jews celebrate. Several said that the effect will hurt the local fashion industry. (A few Jewish designers have made sure their runway shows aren’t held on Rosh Hashanah.) SUZY MENKES, the International Herald Tribune fashion editor, told a UK Jewish paper that she blamed the insensitivity of the British Fashion Council for the conflict, saying: “In three decades in fashion I have never known a show in any part of the world to be scheduled on Easter Sunday or Monday.”
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
FROM THE PAGES 100 Years Ago Miss Irene H. Isaac, 2856 May Street, has returned home after a pleasant trip to Mansfield. Mrs. S. Simon and daughter, Julie, have returned from Frankfort, Mich., where they have been spending the summer. Master Milton Emden, of Zanesville, O., is spending the remainder of the summer with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Mund, of East Walnut Hills. Mr. and Mrs. Louis Marx and daughters, Stella and Bernice, who have been summering at Frankfort, Mich., have left there to spend sev-
eral weeks at Charlevoix, Mich., before returning home. Mrs. A. Sommerfield and daughter, Miss Elsie, and Miss Hildred Diamond and Mrs. J. E. Sommerfield and son Alan, of Atlanta, Ga., will return home on Friday, after spending the summer at Wallon Lake, Mich. Arrangements are being made to hold an Agricultural Bazaar at the Settlement building on Clinton Street the latter part of October. The colony of Jewish farmers near New Richmond, O., being desirous of erecting a synagogue to serve also as
a general meeting-place and social center, recently made an appeal for aid. The matter was brought to the attention of Mrs. Gotthard Deutsch, who conceived the idea of a bazaar, and who now has the entire management in hand. It will be given under the auspices of the Council of Jewish Women, Mrs. Deutsch being chairman of a sub-committee appointed for that purpose. The proceeds are to be turned over to the farmers, who will themselves supply and decorate the principle booth with the products of the season’s harvestings. — September 1, 1910
75 Years Ago Mr. and Mrs. A Silversteen, of Rockdale Avenue, announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Janet, to Mr. Leo Fleischer, of Middletown, O. Miss Silversteen is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati. Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Bunis and their son have returned from a three-week visit to Connecticut and New York. Mr. Harvey Oppenheimer and
his little niece, Miss Carolyn Oppenheimer, have returned from an enjoyable trip to Buffalo, Niagra Falls and Canada. Miss Oppenheimer attended Camp Claybanks, in Glendale, earlier this summer. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse C. Oppenheimer. Announcement is made of the marriage of Miss Belle Kramer, of New York City, to Mr. Max Sien, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sien, of Wilson Avenue. Mr. Sien is dramatic editor of The Cincinnati Post. They were married in the study of Dr. Victor Reichert, in the presence of the immediate family, on Saturday evening, Aug 31st. After a motor trip through the South, Mr. Sien and his bride will reside on Burnet Avenue. — September 5, 1935
50 Years Ago The wedding of Miss Mary Wolf to Mr. Peter Fredric Levin took place Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Hamilton City Club, Hamilton, Ohio. Rabbi Murray Blackman officiated. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Wolf of Hamilton. The bridegroom’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Leo Levin of Bronxville, N.Y. Miss Wolf graduated from the University of Michigan last June. Mr. Levin, a graduate of Williams, is
a senior law student at the University of Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Sigmund Raab announce the engagement of their daughter, Nancy Ellen, to Mr. Howard Kinsler Starnbach, son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris S. Starnbach. Miss Raab is a senior at Vassar College. Mr. Starnbach attended the Ohio State University, and is a member of Sigma Alpha Mu. He is a senior at the Ohio State University, College of Dentistry, where he is
affiliated with Alpha Omega. A June wedding is planned. Mr. and Mrs. George L. Sturm, Jr. (Tina Bailes), 5407 Newfield, daughter, Cythia Gail, Friday, Aug. 26. The maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. George Bailes. The paternal grandparents are Mrs. George Newburger and Mr. George L. Sturm, Sr., Mrs. David J. Joseph, Sr., is the paternal great-grandmother. —September 2, 1960
25 Years Ago Stephen L. Rosedale, prominent Cincinnati business executive and communal leader, has accepted the chairmanship of the Mid-West Region of the American Committee for the Shaare Zedek Hospital of Jerusalem. Mr. Rosedale has been involved in many phases of community activity, serving on the boards of the Jewish National Fund, Cincinnati Hebrew Day School, and Cincinnati Friends of Yad Voshem. Rosedale is president of
CommuniCare, a health care management company, operating nursing homes, retirement centers and home care agencies in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. John Olman (Lynn Rosenberg) announce the birth of a son, Jay Alan, Aug 27. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Morton W. Olman and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Senior of Cincinnati and the late Alan L. Rosenberg. Great grandmother is Mrs. Sidney Rosenberg of Miami Beach.
Mrs. Edna Jean Davis of 3501 Section Rd. passed away Sept. 1. Mrs. Davis was a life member of Hadassah, Wise Temple Sisterhood, and Brandeis University Women’s Committee. She was also a member of Adath Israel Synagogue Sisterhood; United Order of True Sisters, Ruth Lodge 18; the Orthodox Jewish Home for the Aged; National Council of Jewish Women; and many other community service organizations. — September 5, 1985
10 Years Ago Talbert House, a multi-service organization providing services in criminal justice, substance abuse, and mental health, will celebrate its 35th anniversary with a gala dinner honoring Richard Shenk and Bob Hoverson on Sept. 7. Chairman of the anniversary dinner is board member Richard A. Weiland. Talbert House began as a single halfway house opened by a small group of caring Cincinnatians back in 1965. The road that brought them to the multi-service organization they’ve become is paved by count-
less dedicated community members like Shenk and Hoverson. Dr. Fred A. Elkus, 72, medical director of ambulatory care at Drake Hospital, passed away on August 17, 2000. He was born in Cincinnati to the late Maz and Rose Elkus. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Elkus. Dr. Elkus also was the husband of the late Judith S. Elkus, who predeceased him in December 1989. He is also survived by his children: Martha Elkus and Bill Harris of Portland, Me.; Steve and Nancy Elkus and Barry and Julie
Elkus, of Montgomery, Ohio; Roger and Beth Elkus, of Portsmouth, N.H.; Andy and Cathy Elkus, of Alexandria, Ky.; and Susan and Geoff Pittman of Milford, Ohio. Dr. Elkus is also survived by step-children: Marc and Melissa Greenberg, of Durango, Co.; and Jason Greenberg, of New York City. Other survivors include Dr. Elkus’s 18 grandchildren, and a brother Robert Elkus, of Kenwood, Ohio. Dr. Elkus was the brother of the late Eugene Elkus who predesceased him in 1999. — August 31, 2000
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
CLASSIFIEDS
19
RETAIL
ACCOUNTANT/ BOOKKEEPER/ OFFICE MANAGER
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 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 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
EMPLOYMENT
Must know QuickBooks inside/out. Accounting background. Flex Time. Downtown w/ Parking.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Call 382-1007 or 621-3145
RICHEY CONSTRUCTION
SENIOR SERVICES
Carpentry, Remodeling Repairs, Gutters, Siding, Windows, Roofing, Decks, Tile, Drywall, Painting, Kitchen, Baths References. Insured.
731-9721 Shomer Shabbat
• Up to 24 hour care • Meal Preparation • Errands/Shopping • Hygiene Assistance • Light Housekeeping
513-531-9600
EDUCATION Chabad Blue Ash (513) 793-5200 • chabadba.com 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 Jewish War Veterans (513) 459-0111 • jwv.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
MIKVEH from page 1 noted Rabbi Sigma F. Coran, the current president of the Greater Cincinnati Board of Rabbis. “It is my hope that it will be a place for spiritual experiences, both through traditional rituals and new rituals within the context of Jewish law,” said Rabbi Coran. “I believe the mikveh will be a place of healing, celebration and joy and that the new building that houses it will be appropriate to those experiences.” Using the mikveh is of one of the highest orders in biblical commandments. As recorded in the book of Leviticus, The Laws of Family Purity prohibit a husband from having relations with his wife while she is menstruating. In addition to women using mikvehs on a monthly basis to become ritually pure, others are also expected to use them as well; for example, when someone converts to Judaism, Jewish men at times such as before Yom Kippur, or a groom on his wedding day (the bride can as well). Some Chassidic men even use the mikveh before daily prayer. Despite sometimes being referred to as a ritual bath, the purpose of the mikveh is solely ritual purification, not physical cleanliness. One must scrupulously bathe before using a mikveh. According to the Beth Tevillah Mikveh Society website, the facility will be “modern, beautiful, and [an] accessible mikveh facility for use by the entire Jewish community of Cincinnati.” Modern is good, especially when compared to the open-air mikvehs of the old desert town of Qumran near the
Dead Sea. Also, like the Qumran mikveh, the ancient facilities were simply functional in both use and appearance. In more modern times, some mikvehs tend to rival spas in terms of space and richness, and the Beth Tevillah’s pictures allude to the new mikveh providing such an ambient space. Even though the mikveh will be open to all, the mikveh will uphold all aspects of Jewish law related to the rituals of living waters, according to Golf Manor Synagogue’s Rabbi Hanan Balk. “The Beit Din confirmed the new mikveh is in accordance with all halachic requirements,” said Balk, who is a member of the Beit Din, the rabbinic authority for Cincinnati, whose collective job is to see that halachic (religious) laws are kept. One aspect of their job was observing that the rainwater for the new mikveh was being gathered properly. If any questions come up regarding the mikveh they will be submitted to the Beit Din for review. “The mikveh is deeply woven into the fabric of Jewish history,” said Randolph. “Today, mikveh immersion is witnessing a revival, as Jews across the spectrum of Jewish identity are coming to find the mikveh experience personally meaningful, and are incorporating this ancient tradition of spiritual transformation into their lives. Judaism is a religion exemplified by ‘experiential learning’ — Jewish wisdom understands that we learn and grow best via intentional action. We experience transformation in mind and body by unifying the physical with the spiritual through immersion in a mikveh.”
20
LEGAL
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
Judicial Elections Legally Speaking
By Marianna Bettman Contributing Columnist Let’s face it. Judicial elections are weird. Or used to be. If you’ve ever attended a candidates’ night, here’s what used to happen. Candidates for the political offices like city council, county commission, state legislature, or governor give campaign speeches in which they make promises about what they will do if elected, and run on platforms clearly setting forth their positions. Candidates for judge used to stand up, talk about their backgrounds and why they were qualified for the position, and say nothing. They would usually explain that they couldn’t make any promises or take positions on anything. The audience yawned a lot. More weirdness. In Ohio, judges first run in a primary, which is a partisan race. When that is over they run on the nonpartisan ballot. They didn’t always. Judicial elections used to be partisan, but in 1911, Ohio switched to the nonpartisan ballot. What this means is that when it comes to electing judges, there are no party labels under the candidate’s name, as there would be under the name for candidates for governor or state RAUF from page 1 that the imam delivered a moving speech at the 2003 memorial service held in a Manhattan synagogue for Daniel Pearl, the journalist murdered by Islamist terrorists in Pakistan. Invoking Pearl’s final words before his beheading, Rauf declared: “If to be a Jew means to say with all one’s heart, mind and soul, ‘Sh’ma Yisrael Adonai Elohenu Adonai Ehad — hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One,’not only today I am a Jew, I have always been one.” The speech was cited last week by Jeffrey Goldberg on his influential Atlantic blog, and then mentioned on one of journalism’s biggest stages: Frank Rich’s lengthy Sunday column in the Week in Review section of The New York Times. On his blog, Goldberg called Rauf “a moderate, forward-leaning Muslim,” and said the imam’s words showed courage because “any Muslim imam who stands before a Jewish congregation and says ‘I am
legislator, or any political office. So many people don’t have a tool they otherwise use to decide for whom to vote. In Ohio, as in many states, the state supreme court sets the rules for judicial elections. Judges or judicial candidates who violate these rules can be disciplined (both incumbents and challengers are subject to these rules). Ohio’s judges have long been subject to rules that do not apply to other kinds of candidates. These have included restrictions on speech, political activity, and fundraising. For many decades judges and judicial candidates could not speak about issues that might come before the court. They could not personally solicit funds. They had to have a committee do that for them. And they could not include their party affiliation on campaign literature after the primary was over. There is a reason for all this, and to my mind, a very good one. Judges aren’t representatives. Their only constituency is the law. They cannot promise how they will rule in a particular type of case. It is a judge’s job to decide the individual case in front of him or her, based on the facts and law in that situation. In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a blockbuster decision called Republican Party of Minnesota v. White. A judicial candidate in Minnesota challenged Minnesota’s restrictions on judicial candidates. In a 5-4 decision authored by Justice Antonin Scalia, the Court agreed with the candidate that many of these restrictions violated his First Amendment rights. According to Scalia, if states chose to elect their judges (and he was
not saying that was a good idea; to the contrary, he seems to suggest it is not), then judges must be allowed the same rights to speak freely as other candidates so people know why they are voting for a particular judge. Since the White decision came out, state supreme courts have been struggling to try and decide what to do about their judicial elections, and whether to remove some of the restrictions placed on judicial candidates. Last year, the Ohio Supreme Court loosened up the reins a bit on judicial candidate speech. The Court’s rule now says that “in connection with cases, controversies, or issues that are likely to come before the court,” a judge or judicial candidate cannot “make pledges, promises, or commitments that are inconsistent with the impartial performance of the adjudicative duties of judicial office.” So on those candidates’ nights, if they want to, judges can now say more than they used to. But just because they can doesn’t mean they must. Some still don’t like the idea of speaking out on issues. Judicial candidates across the country continue to challenge other campaign restrictions placed on them by their state supreme courts. In 2006, a candidate for the Kentucky Supreme Court named Marcus Carey challenged a number of Kentucky’s judicial campaign rules. He argued that Kentucky’s rules forbidding a judge or judicial candidate from including his political affiliation in his campaign ads, bans on soliciting campaign funds, and the rules limiting campaign speech were unconstitutional. That case, Carey v. Wolnitzek, was just decided by the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which covers Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. In an opinion written by Judge Jeffrey Sutton, the court struck down the party affiliation and solicitations bans, and sent the case back to the trial court for more work on the campaign speech issues. Ohio’s political affiliation and anti-solicitation bans are similar to Kentucky’s. After the Carey decision came out in July, the Ohio Supreme Court made two major changes to its rules of judicial campaign conduct. First, the Court removed the ban on identifying party affiliation in campaign ads once the primary is over. Candidates now are free to include their party affiliation in their campaign advertisements all the way up to the general election—if they want to. Again, just because they can doesn’t mean they must. The Ohio Supreme Court also amended its anti-solicitation rule. Personal monetary solicitations by the judge or candidate are still banned, but judges and judicial candidates can now make a general request for campaign contributions when speaking to an audience of 20 people or more, and are now allowed to sign letters soliciting campaign contributions if the letters are for distribution by the campaign committee, and the letters clearly state that contributions go to the committee, not the judge. Meanwhile, while all of this was going on, a statewide labor union, three Ohio Judicial candidates (two incumbents and one non-incumbent candidate) and the Ohio Democratic party filed a lawsuit in federal district court here in Cincinnati asking the court to
throw out the nonpartisan judicial ballot and to allow judges’ party affiliations to appear on the ballot. They also asked the court to throw out the rule prohibiting personal solicitation and receipt of funds. One of the reasons for the challenge to the non-partisan ballot is that there is so much fall-off in the number of votes in these races. In Ohio, by law, the nonpartisan ballot follows all the partisan elections. Every single partisan office—like coroner, clerk of courts, and county engineer— appears on the ballot before judges. And when electors finally reach the non-partisan ballot, the judicial races aren’t even first on that ballot—candidates for the state board of education are. So there is a huge drop-off in the number of people who actually vote for judges. Chief Judge Susan Dlott, to whom this case was assigned, rejected both of these challenges. She noted that the Ohio Supreme Court had just changed its antisolicitation rule in light of the 6th Circuit opinion, and declined to invalidate the new rule. She also declined to strike down the nonpartisan judicial ballot for the upcoming election. I particularly like this part of Judge Dlott’s opinion about judges asking for money. “Abolishing all restrictions on personal solicitation could undermine public confidence that the judiciary is fair, impartial, and independent…Whether or not a judicial candidate’s unbridled solicitation and receipt of campaign contributions actually resulted in favoritism, it certainly could erode the public’s trust in the integrity of its judges.” Amen.
a Jew’ is placing his life in danger.” Rauf’s other supporters note that he is a frequent participant in interfaith dialogues, who condemns terrorism and fanaticism. His critics, however, paint a different picture, accusing Rauf of paying lip service to such sentiments, while either failing to offer strong criticism — by name — of foreign governments and organizations engaged in terrorism, or making common cause with antiAmerican Islamists. The critics come armed with their own set of quotes: Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the imam told “60 Minutes” that “I wouldn’t say that the United States deserved what happened; but the United States policies were an accessory to the crime that happened.” In a radio interview in June with WABC’s Aaron Klein, Rauf described himself as a “supporter of Israel,” but declined to label Hamas as a terrorist group, saying, “I do not want to be placed nor will I accept a
position where I am the target of one side or another.” And, this week, his detractors are trumpeting a 2005 speech in Adelaide, Australia, in which he cited the impact of U.S.led sanctions on Iraq and asserted that “we tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands than Al Qaeda has on its hands of innocent non-Muslims.” The stakes are high in the battle to define Rauf as an interfaith leader or terrorist sympathizer, as the controversy over the proposed Islamic center has quickly turned him into the most famous imam in America. How he is perceived by the wider public could play a key role not only in how Americans feel about the project —polls continue to show large majorities opposed — but also in influencing U.S. attitudes toward Islam in the years to come. So far on his State Departmentfunded trip to Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, Rauf reportedly has avoided answering
questions about the controversial project, stressing instead his efforts to “Americanize” Islam and find a formula for Muslims to stay to true to their faith while assimilating into Western societies. The Bush administration sent him on a similar trip. In an interview Sunday with ABC, Rauf’s wife, Daisy Khan, connected these efforts to the drive to build the Islamic center. She also said that her husband’s comment in 2001 about the United States being an “accessory” to the World Trade Center attacks was a reference to support that the United States provided to Osama bin Laden and the Taliban in the 1980s. Regarding Hamas, the website of Rauf’s Cordoba Initiative states: “Hamas is both a political movement and a terrorist organization. When Hamas commits atrocious acts of terror, those actions should be condemned. Imam Feisel has forcefully and consistently condemned all forms of terrorism, including those committed by Hamas, as un-Islamic.”
OHAV from page 4 locales around the United States and Canada. Dr. Weisbrot was one of the Three Jewish Tenors, who together with Ohav Shalom’s previous rabbi—Moshe Meirovich—and Rabbi Tom Heyn, sang the National Anthem at Great American Ballpark for American Jewish Heritage Day in 2005. Dr. Weisbrot has been the Cantor at High Holy Day services at locations as diverse as Cincinnati, the JCC of Oyster Bay in Long Island, and in Montreal. He says, “I’m glad to have this opportunity at Ohav Shalom. I hope the congregants will walk out grateful that they came and that they have a great holiday.” Weisbrot says his favorite place where he has performed is Fenway Park, where he sang the National Anthem.
NEWS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
SUKKAH from page 1 Design firm. Foer partnered with Reboot—a Jewish group which aims to modernize Jewish ritual— in order to provide the city with a look at a more artistic side of Jewish holiday life. The sukkah, a traditional threesided structure built to commemorate the temporary housing of the ancient Israelites during the Exodus, places importance on communal sharing and coming together during the harvest season. This tradition of coming together has been duly represented in the incredible amount of collaboration between Jews and non-Jews in designing these whimsical structures, which will be displayed around the square. In an interview with The Architect’s Newspaper Foer stated, “The idea is to take this ancient architectural identity and reinvent it and really see what we can do with it, to really push the boundaries.” Glaserworks’ unique design aimed to reimagine traditional sukkot imagery—such as by using the shape of the Etrog, one of the four species used during sukkot celebrations—and can be seen in the firm’s curving design reminiscent of the fruit. In a statement put out on their design glaserworks stated: “Our design solution reacts to the complexities involved in fashioning a shelter to convey historical, ritual and spiritual aspirations collectively. The dedication exhibited by the Jewish People as they traveled through the desert carrying and erecting the Mishkan, the temporary temple, is re-imagined utilizing similar parts and assembly techniques. Other Archetypal forms are re-imagined such as the Etrog, one of the four species used collectively during the holiday, is reflected in the shape and individual members. The undulating form further seeks to lift the eye up to realize one’s place within the city enveloped by trees, buildings and sky. In this room within the ‘room’ of the urban park, the Sukkot City is again symbolic of the Mishkan placed within the Court and then in the midst of the Jewish People. The City Sukkah forms an
21
enclosure that shields, yet connects. “The seating or ‘walls’ of the sukkah are arranged for dining in community or sleeping in privacy. Sitting on the bench below the schach (roof covering), one not only fulfills the requirement of being within the Sukkah, but physically takes part in it as the back of the bench completes the enclosure. The participatory nature of the holiday to not only create the Sukkah but ‘dwell’ within is further realized by the mobility of the ‘walls’; moved depending upon the function wishing to be partaken. “The detailing of the Sukkah was drawn from our chosen Archetypal forms but influenced by economy, ease of assembly and portability.” Michael Maltinsky, principal at glaserworks stated, “For me the design and final submission is only half the story. At glaserworks we create and manage our projects collaboratively. We have found this yields the best results for all involved. This competition allowed us to collaborate on a smaller scale than is typical. It was great fun for me to work with others in our firm, none of whom are Jewish, on a very detailed and complex Jewish-law infused project. It was truly exciting listening to and seeing ideas generated by those not familiar with the holiday. I had to work hard to keep up with their great enthusiasm and questions.” In order to help with keeping with the halachic requirements, Rabbi Yuval Kernerman, principal of Cincinnati Hebrew Day School, was consulted to help with the project, providing rabbinical insights as well as opinions on the multiple designs. In their own words the Sukkah City project website details the initiative as one that, “will re-imagine this ancient phenomenon, develop new methods of material practice and parametric design, and propose radical possibilities for traditional design constraints in a contemporary urban site.” Of the 12 finalists to be selected, one will ultimately be chosen to be the official “Sukkah of New York City.”
Where else can you get information on the Local, National and International Jewish community without bias? NAME ADDRESS CITY
STATE
CHECK TYPE OF SUBSCRIPTION
1 YEAR, IN-TOWN
CHECK TYPE OF PAYMENT
CHECK
VISA
ZIP 1 YEAR, OUT-OF-TOWN
MASTERCARD
LIFETIME
DISCOVER
1 Year, In-town Subscription - $40 1 Year, Out-of-town Subscription - $45 Lifetime Subscription - $500 Fill out the form and mail to:
Glaserworks’ design submission for the Sukkah City competition, inspired by the shape of the Etrog.
THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE 18 W. 9TH ST, STE 2 • CINTI, OH 45202-2037
U.S U.S.. MA MAIL IL
22
OBITUARIES
DEATH NOTICES BLUMBERG, Morton, age 82, died on August 28, 2010; 18 Elul, 5770. MARMER, Milton N., age 91, died on August 29, 2010; 19 Elul, 5770. JCC from page 1 These university-quality classes involve scholarly levels of thinking and discussion, and at the conclusion of the program, participants receive a certificate of completion from Hebrew University of Jerusalem. These classes are often more appealSURVEY from page 1 The foundation is the umbrella body for an extensive network of Jewish choral singers and music, including the Zamir Chorale. Responses to the survey received from more than 2,000 Jewish singers, cantors and music lovers show that people who take part in Jewish choral singing are more likely to do more Jewish volunteering, give to Jewish causes, and belong to synagogues than the American Jewish community in general. CHABAD from page 5 Age-appropriate, interactive children’s services and programs led by Rabbi Berel & Zipporah Cohen, Chabad’s youth program OPINION from page 16 days, we are encouraged to avoid eating even technically kosher foods that present other, less serious, problems (like kosher bread baked by a non-Jewish manufacturer), and to generally conduct ourselves, especially interpersonLETTERS from page 16 • Only JFS administrative staff are in open cubicles within, but
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
ing than other schools because there are no prerequisites, no grades, no exams and no homework. The two-year Melton core program includes four courses which are taken two at a time (each year), two hours/week for 30 weeks. The first two classes, “Rhythms of Jewish Living” and “Purposes of Jewish Living,” start at the JCC the week of Oct. 3. Advance registration is required by Sept. 26. The second set of Melton core classes include “Dramas of Jewish Living” and “Ethics of Jewish Living,” which will be offered at the J in fall 2011. Melton graduate Dan Hoffheimer says, “The Melton curriculum is the perfect path to Jewish literacy. It provides an intellectual and spiritual foundation for lifelong
Jewish learning and spiritual growth.” When students complete the twoyear course of study, they automatically qualify to enroll in the graduate or scholars curriculum, which consists of several courses. Two of these upper-level scholars classes will run 90 minutes/week for 10 weeks at the J this year, starting the week of Oct. 3. The classes are “Shivim Panim: Seventy Faces of Wisom – Bereshit I (From Adam to Abraham)” and “Jewish Denominations: Addressing the Challenges of Modernity.” These classes are perfect for people who already completed the core program when it was offered 1990 – 2002. Renee Roth, Jewish Community Education Council (JCEC) chair and Melton graduate, is looking forward
to taking Melton scholar classes at the J this October. “So many people in the community are excited about the return of the Melton MiniSchool. The unique learning style of this award-winning program has always been extremely successful and educational!” Elizabeth Woosley is the director of the Melton Mini-School at the J, as well as the JCC’s new community educator. Her extensive professional experience, as well as her long-term involvement in the local Jewish community, made for an easy transition to her new position. Woosley, along with an advisory board of members from the JCEC, professional staff from the Mayerson JCC and Jewish Federation, and several local rabbis
collaborated to make the final decision to reopen the Melton MiniSchool at the J. “I am tremendously honored to facilitate the re-opening of the Melton Adult Mini-School in our community,” said Woosley. “Like most JCC programs, these classes are open to everyone, and we’ve already received high-levels of interest from local community organizations and synagogues.” For more information about the Florence Melton Adult MiniSchool at the J, contact Elizabeth Woosley or visit the JCC website. Registration is required for all classes. Space is limited and enrollment is on a first-come firstserved basis. Financial assistance may be available.
“There is a somewhat faulty assumption that people who sing in Jewish choirs are already engaged in Jewish life,” said Diane Tickton Schuster, a researcher at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. Schuster conducted the study along with Ezra Kopelowitz, CEO of the Jerusalembased Research Success Technologies. “Sometimes, being involved in a Jewish choir is their entry point into Jewish life, and we didn’t know that before,” Schuster said. One middle-aged Atlanta man
said in his written response to the survey that singing in his local Jewish choir “lets me develop musically, spiritually and Jewishly all at one time.” Allen Podell of Palo Alto, Calif., said that helping others get involved in the Jewish choir he helped to found more than seven years ago makes him feel more Jewish. “I’m not much on pomp and circumstance, and I have problems reciting things like ‘God created the heavens and the earth,’ which I don’t believe,” said Podell, a retired electrical engineer. “But I certainly feel a
connection to Judaism through Jewish music. There is a mystery to life, and Jewish music describes it.” Increasing Jews’ sense of connection to each other and their heritage was his goal when he created the Zamir Choral Foundation 20 years ago, according to director Matthew Lazar. “The music is the hook, but it’s the identity piece we’re interested in — connecting the text of our people with the music of our people, and doing it in community,” said Lazar, who also conducts the Zamir Chorale and HaZamir.
Lazar and others describe Jewish choirs as one of the few remaining venues where Jews of various religious and political persuasions create something Jewish together. Seventy-one percent of survey respondents said that singing in Jewish choirs makes them feel connected to klal Yisrael — the Jewish people. “Choir is the embodiment of klal Yisrael,” Lazar said. “It’s transdenominational and, even more important today, transpolitical — the only place where pro-Bush and proObama Jews come together.”
coordinators, will also be conducted, while a professional cantor from Pittsburgh, Penn. will lead the main services utilizing popular traditional Ashkenazic and Sephardic melodies.
“We open our doors to the entire Jewish community regardless of background or level of observance” said Rabbi Mangel. Chabad’s Rosh Hashanah services begin Wednesday evening, Sept.
8, 2010 at 7 p.m. and resume on Thursday and Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m. Yom Kippur services will begin Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. and resume Saturday, Sept. 18 at 9:30 a.m. A festive, full-course holiday dinner will
follow the Rosh Hashanah evening services on Sept. 8, reservations only. A “break-fast” will likewise follow the Yom Kippur services. Services are free and open to the public.
ally, in a more careful manner than during the rest of the year. It is a strange law. What is the point of pretending to a higher level of observance or refinement of personality when one may have no intention at all of maintaining those things beyond the week?
Might it be, though, that things not greatly significant under normal circumstances suddenly take on pointed importance during the year’s first week, because those days have their analogue in the concept of gestation Might those days, in other words, be particularly sensitive to
minor influences because they are the days from which the coming year will develop? Observance and good conduct are always in season, but our tradition teaches us that they have particular power during Rosh Hashana and the “Ten Days of Repentance” – that we should
regard these days with the very same vigilance and care an expectant mother has for the rapidly developing, exquisitely sensitive being within her. Let us seize the days and cherish them; they are conceptual butterfly-wings, the first unfoldings of a new Jewish year.
separate from, the Federation’s open cubicle plan. No clients visit this area. If necessary, private phone calls and discussions are
transferred to a private client room. • JFS direct service staff who work with clients now share a single-room workspace environment behind a discrete closed door. Their shared room is completely private from all other staff, and inaccessible by employees or patrons of the other agencies. In this area, the caseworkers
and counselors catch up on documentation, make phone calls, plan home visits, and share resources and ideas with each other. Again, they meet personally with clients in the individual PRIVATE client rooms. • By locating on the campus in a building which also houses the Mayerson JCC and Jewish
Federation of Cincinnati, clients who seek help from Jewish Family Service blend in with the normal flow of activities. They may be here to exercise at the J, attend a meeting at Federation, grab a bite to eat at the JCafe…or meet with a JFS professional. You were accurate in your statement that “part of what makes JFS effective is the setting of privacy and confidentiality necessary to foster a trusting environment to share deeply personal issues.” Maintaining confidentiality was the driving force behind the configuration of the new offices, and why any available private offices were dedicated to client needs.
KRAIG MONUMENT CO. — Established 1870 —
MARKERS | MONUMENTS | INSCRIPTION ALL WORK PRODUCED IN OUR OWN PLANT Specialists in Hebrew Lettering, Custom Design, Etching 4122-24 Spring Grove Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45223 (513) 721-5050 | www.acsentnow.com
Beth Schwartz, MSW, JFS Executive Director