Dr. Leonard A. Speak out on Cinti JCC offers new classes for ‘Boomers’ Burgin remembered 2020, this week’s Facebook winner Stay Well. Do Good Work. Keep in Touch. G-d Bless America. Shalom. These five phrases were spoken whenever departing— whether after a family get-together or at the end of a telephone conversation—by Dr. Leonard A. Burgin, who died on February Dr. Leonard A. Burgin 12, 2011, at the age of 84. These phrases were more than words, they were a motto of how Dr. Burgin lived his life and what made him so special to his family and friends. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Burgin was the son of the late Sylvia and Sam Burgin. His parents had immigrated to the United States separately in 1920 and met in Cincinnati at an English-speaking class offered to immigrants.
BURGIN on page 22
The Jewish community needs you to speak your mind on Cincinnati 2020. In recent months, this paper has covered stories on the Cincinnati 2020 leaders’ forums, where communtiy members have come together to help create a longterm strategic plan for making Cincinnati a model Jewish community and destination. Now it’s your turn to add your input! First, go to www.americanisraelite.com. Click on the Cincinnati 2020 icon on the left side. Next, you will be led to the Cincinnati 2020 forum page, where you will be able to enter your comments and ideas. Finally, press the submit button. Call the Federation if you wish to submit your ideas via snail mail. In addition, we are pleased to announce Marc Fisher as the first winner of the ‘like’ us on Facebook contest. He has won a $50 gift certificate to Embers Restaurant. Continue to ‘like’ us on Facebook for your chance to win in the weeks to come.
The Mayerson JCC is launching several new programs especially designed for the “Boomer” age group (ages 48 65) this March, April and May. These new classes provide excellent opportunities for enrichment, inspiration, fitness and new friendships. Boomers can be part of a community of writers in the JCC’s new personal development writing class, “Next Stage: Coming into Our Power.” This program will be facilitated by professional author Annette Wick and writer/art therapist Katherine Meyer, both faculty members of “Women Writing for (a) Change,” a non-profit school and foundation. Using various literary genres as exploration tools, participants will explore the present to plan the future. “This is a great self-expression class for people who are transitioning between work and retirement,” commented Meyer. “I am currently experiencing this life transition myself, so I know first-hand that the writing techniques offered in this ‘Next Step’ class really help people rediscover their passions and find joy in their lives.” JCC on page 19
New Zealand earthquake kills Fallen Jewish chaplains Israeli, destroys Chabad house may yet be memorialized at Arlington cemetery
By Dan Goldberg Jewish Telegraphic Agency
SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) — For the Jewish community, the devastating earthquake that hit New Zealand struck close to home. An Israeli backpacker is believed to be among the 65 people killed in Tuesday’s quake, and the destruction in Christchurch on the country’s South Island included the city’s Chabad house. Another Christchurch synagogue reportedly suffered damage but was not destroyed. The Israeli, who was not immediately named by Israeli Embassy officials, was in a car with three other Israelis when a building collapsed on them during the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that ripped through the city around lunchtime, according to Rabbi Shmuel Friedman, a Chabad rabbi in Christchurch.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, the son of a Jewish refugee who escaped from Europe on the eve of the Holocaust, said the quake could turn out to be his nation’s “darkest day.” Israel offered to send food and medicine to help. With hundreds of Israeli backpackers visiting New Zealand each year, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said there could be up to 150 Israelis in Christchurch. With phone lines down and power lines cut, communications have been limited. Wellington-based David Zwartz, a former president of the New Zealand Jewish Council, said he received a text message from Bettina Wallace, the immediate past president of Canterbury Hebrew Congregation, the main synagogue in the region.
EARTHQUAKE on page 22
By Adam Kredo Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (Washington Jewish Week) — A campaign to memorialize 13 fallen Jewish military chaplains with a monument in Arlington National Cemetery is back on track after hitting a demoralizing snag. “I think that this will correct an injustice of history,” said William Daroff, the Jewish Federations of North America’s vice president of public policy and head of its Washington office. “This is a fitting way to recognize these brave servicemen who gave their lives for our country and our people.” The logjam broke in late January with the introduction of a congressional resolution
endorsing the effort to honor the memory of the Jewish chaplains in the same way that fallen chaplains of other faiths have been honored at Arlington. The legislation — companion measures are pending in both houses of Congress — enjoys the firm backing of more than 30 Jewish groups that JFNA organized into a coalition. Arlington’s overseers originally had told organizers that to erect the monument, they needed only to raise sufficient funds ($30,000) and secure approvals from each of the military’s chief of chaplains. Acting on that, the organizers mounted a vigorous fundraising effort early last year, and assumed that ground soon would be broken. CHAPLAINS on page 22
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011 20 ADAR I, 5771 CINCINNATI, OHIO LIGHT CANDLES AT 6:06 SHABBAT ENDS 7:05 VOL. 157 • NO. 31 $2.00
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T X PARTY Y E PLANNING N DA 6 N H U S MARC
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invites you to a special Community Briefing
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“An Insider’s Account: Germany, Israel, and the Jews”
UC’s Judaic Studies to host Professor Michal Artzy By Nicole Simon Assistant Editor On March 8, the University of Cincinnati’s Judaic Studies Department will be hosting Professor Michal Artzy of the University of Haifa, for a lecture centering on the Israeli port city of Akko. Professor Artzy is the head of the Sir Maurice and Lady Irene Hatter Laboratory for Coastal and Harbor Archaeology (the only marine laboratory in Israel), at the University of Haifa, and her specialty is in maritime excavations. “The Lab is part of the Recanati
Institute for Maritime Studies at the University of Haifa, which has been involved in underwater explorations at Akko, off and on for many years,” noted Artzy. Professor Artzy wishes to introduce her audience to the “maritime center” which was Akko that has been inhabited for 4,000 years, and will speak of its roles during the Bronze and Iron Ages. “I hope to present the audience with a town, which has been shared by Canaanites, Phoenicians, Greeks, Persians and Europeans,” said Professor Artzy. “It is a multicultural town until
today with Bahai center, Sufi Woold Spiritual Center, Christians and of course, Jews.” Also, the professor will discuss the “Total Archaeology” approach that incorporates excavation, survey, conservation and community outreach to explore Akko’s rich past and present. The professor has never been to Cincinnati before, but looks forward to coming here.The lecture will be at 7:30 p.m. in UC’s Braunstein Hall, Room 300. For directions, parking and additional information, contact the Judaic Studies department.
JFS selected as training site for UC geriatric program Jewish Family Service has been selected as a training site for the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s geriatrics program, Next Steps in Physicians’ Training in Geriatrics. Dr. Gregg Warshaw, professor of family medicine and director of the office of geriatric medicine at UC, personally chose Jewish Family Service based on the university’s previous work with the agency’s Aging and Caregiver Services. The program’s main goals are to develop effective communication and collaboration between healthcare professionals in Cincinnati’s aging network, and to increase the utilization of community-based services by older adults and caregivers.
Medical students, residents and community primary care physicians will learn how to effectively collaborate with other disciplines including nursing, pharmacy, social work, dietary and physical and occupational therapy. Students will be taught why referrals to geriatric service agencies, such as Jewish Family Service, are valuable to their patients. “We try to look at all the dimensions of wellness,” said Ann Burke, director of Aging and Caregiver Services for Jewish Family Service. She said the agency works to provide emotional, social, physical and spiritual wellness through their case managers, rabbi’s visits and programs such as this one. By offering skilled assessments
and care management, Jewish Family Service Aging and Caregiver Services professionals ensure seniors grow old with dignity and independently on their own terms. This is accomplished through supportive counseling, helping to navigate the complex maze of insurance filings and bill management, and regularly monitoring seniors’ well being through telephone calls and personal visits. “We are very proud that Dr. Warshaw recognizes our experience as experts in aging. Our care managers consistently deliver compassionate, expert, and practical assistance to older adults as well as their family and friends who provide support and caregiving help,” Burke said.
Wise Temple Brotherhood makes a difference For more than eight years, the Wise Temple Brotherhood has developed a special relationship with Lighthouse Youth Services, more specifically, the LYS – Youth Development Center. The Youth Development Center (YDC) is a therapeutic community-based residential program for teenage boys who suffer from emotional or behavioral disorders or who have been unsuccessful in other out-ofhome placements. This relationship has been based on the Brotherhood’s bringing and sharing dinner with the boys four times each year. While the men are there for a few hours, they know that their presence is appreciated. The staff, in addition to the residents, has come to count on the Brothers to help make meaningful moments. They received a call last spring asking if
they would be willing to partner with Red’s pitcher Micah Owings to create a special evening for the boys. In short order, the men provided a Wise Temple Brotherhood cookout where Owings shot hoops with the boys. Over the years, the Wise Temple Brotherhood has also provided camping gear, taken the boys rock climbing, and treated both the boys and girls of LYS to bike riding. Inspired by the bike riding experience, the Brotherhood has requested gently used bikes from Temple members to donate to the boys and girls homes. Last fall, they were able to bring a refurbished bike to dinner. The initial reaction was “This is for us to keep?” As soon as the bike was taken off the delivery car, one boy was on it the rest of the night. “You just can’t imagine
the joy and the difference a simple act can make,” commented Lew Ebstein, an active participant in this program. The Brotherhood’s annual December visit coincides with the Lighthouse holiday celebration. Each year, the Wise Temple Brotherhood provides the boys with a winter coat or a team sweatshirt and some extra goodies. A few weeks into January, it is not uncommon for the Brotherhood to receive a large envelope with thank you notes from the LYS boys. One recently described how bleak his life was until the Brotherhood members showed up and changed his personal darkness into light. Another boy asked, “Why do you keep coming back?” In response, Ebstein remarked, “Our answer is: because we know we are making a difference in the lives of these young boys.”
Featuring
AJC presents Germany’s vital role with Israel, the Arab world, and the Jewish community.
Deidre Berger Director, AJC Berlin Office
TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 7:30–9 P.M. Mayerson JCC, 8485 Ridge Road, Amberley dessert reception (dietary laws observed) $10/person • Please RSVP by calling 621-4020 with your reservations and credit card information. Questions? Cincinnati@ajc.org Chairs: Rabbi Ilana Baden, Dr. Mitchell Cohen, Dr. Michael Safdi, Cheryl Schriber, Amy Sukin
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NHS Sisterhood features scrapbooking workshop Do you have envelopes filled with travel photos or family pictures, just hidden away and forgotten? If so, learning how to prepare an attractive scrapbook can transform this random “stuff” into something you, your family and
friends can enjoy. Northern Hills Synagogue Sisterhood is pleased to present Lori Figart of Scrap Paper Scissors, leading a scrapbooking workshop on Sunday, Mach. 6, at 10 a.m. Figart will demonstrate how to cre-
ate an attractive memory book of your favorite photos using specialty papers, tools, embellishments, etc. Participants are asked to bring six photos showing travel or family. Figart will provide all of the supplies, plus instruction and sample
albums for inspiration. There is a charge for the supplies. The program will take place at the synagogue and reservations by March 1 are requested. For more information please contact Northern Hills Synagogue.
92nd Street Y: Fareed Zakaria After Iraq–Conclusions and Consequences, with Eliot Spitzer as moderator Wise Temple’s next 92nd Street Y program via live satellite is Thursday, March 10, at 8 p.m., featuring Fareed Zakaria and moderated by Eliot Spitzer. Zakaria has hosted Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN since 2008. He was introduced as Time Editor at Large in October 2010 after spending 10 years overseeing all of Newsweek’s editions abroad. His cover stories and columns have cov-
ered a wide range of subjects, from globalization and emerging markets to the Middle East and America’s role in the world. In naming him “one of the 21 most important people of the 21st century,” Esquire magazine described him as “the most influential foreign policy adviser of his generation.” He is the author of a national best seller titled “The Post-American
World.” Born in India on Jan. 20, 1964, Dr. Zakaria went on to receive a B.A. from Yale College and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He has received honorary degrees from numerous universities including Brown, the University of Miami, and Oberlin College. He currently serves as a Trustee of Yale University. Eliot Spitzer is the former New York attorney general and governor of the State of New York. He is currently a contributor to Slate and host of the new show Parker/Spitzer on CNN. The 92nd Street Y series originates and is fed live from New
York’s prestigious Jewish cultural center, the 92nd Street Y. The broadcast is fed into Wise Temple’s Wohl Chapel and Social Hall, both equipped with a large screen and digital video technology capable of state-of-the-art simulcasting. The Cincinnati audience at Wise Temple will be able to ask questions directly to Fareed Zakaria and Eliot Spitzer. The event is open to the greater Cincinnati public. There is a small fee and tickets are available at the door at 7:30 p.m. at Wise Center. For further information and to RSVP to this program contact Wise Temple.
Women of Wise hosts ‘Day of Beauty’ The Women of Wise hosted a “Day of Beauty” for residents at the YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter on February 13. The day helped residents to feel special, valued and loved around Valentine’s Day. It was a day to remember for the residents and volunteers, without question. Sisterhood volunteers provided lunch, an inspirational speaker (who, from personal experience spoke about getting through the difficulties and inspiration toward a new lease on life). Child care activities were provided so the moms could spend the day with the speaker and enjoy salon perks of hair, nails and skincare provided by Tanya’s Image and Wellness Salon. The residents were given gifts of make-up, toiletries and pink roses.
“Our goal is to make this day better than yesterday for these wonderful women who simply need a break,” stated Julie Kantor, chair of the event. “If we can brighten their day, lift their spirits, boost their strength toward self-survival, make them smile and feel loved, than we’ve had a good day!” Hearing comments such as, “You gave us such a great day,” and “It didn’t start out so great,” “I am feeling so much stronger and I haven’t felt this way in so long,” “G-d bless you for making a difference” in our lives, and “this day makes me feel beautiful,” pretty much sums up a really great Sunday afternoon around Valentine’s Day. For more information on Sisterhood programs, contact the Temple office.
Family Shabbat Celebration at NHS Northern Hills Synagogue Congregation B’nai Avraham invites all families with pre-Bar and Bat Mitzvah age children to join in a Family Shabbat Celebration on Friday evening, March 4. The event will be held at the synagogue, and begin at 6:15 p.m. According to Tracy Weisberger, Northern Hills’ director of programming and education, the program is designed to encourage families with young children to celebrate Shabbat in a fun, interactive way. The
evening will feature Shabbat blessings, songs, games and activities. A pizza dinner will be served. There is no charge for attending. “Shabbat is a time for families and friends,” Weisberger noted. “Northern Hills Synagogue is the place that will bring everything together. We want families to come and celebrate the beauty and togetherness of Shabbat.” For more information or to make reservations please call the synagogue.
‘LET THERE BE LIGHT ’ THE OLDEST ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN AMERICA FOUNDED JULY 15, 1854 BY ISAAC M. WISE
VOL. 157 • NO. 31 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2010 20 ADAR I 5771 SHABBAT BEGINS FRIDAY 6:06 PM SHABBAT ENDS SATURDAY 7:05 PM 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 RABBI ISSAC M. WISE Editor & Publisher, 1854-1900 LEO WISE Editor & Publisher, 1900-1928 RABBI JONAH B. WISE Editor & Publisher, 1928-1930 HENRY C. SEGAL Editor & Publisher, 1930-1985 PHYLLIS R. SINGER Editor & General Manager, 1985-1999 MILLARD H. MACK Publisher Emeritus NETANEL (TED) DEUTSCH Editor & Publisher BARBARA L. MORGENSTERN Senior Writer LEEANNE GALIOTO 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 IRIS PASTOR RABBI A. JAMES RUDIN ZELL SCHULMAN RABBI AVI SHAFRAN PHYLLIS R. SINGER Contributing Columnists LEV LOKSHIN JANE KARLSBERG Staff Photographers JOSEPH D. STANGE Production Manager ALLISON CHANDLER Office Manager
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AJC’s Berger to speak about Germany, Israel, Jews What role does Germany play in the Middle East? Deidre Berger, director of AJC’s Berlin office, will brief the community on Germany’s vital relationships with Israel and Iran when she speaks at the JCC on Tuesday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m. She’ll present an insider’s account of “Germany, Israel, and the Jews.” To make reservations for the program and dessert reception, please contact the AJC office. Deidre Berger has directed AJC’s Berlin office since January 2000, promoting transatlantic dialogue,
Deidre Berger
European relations with Israel, antibias education, intergroup relations, Holocaust memory issues and German-Jewish relations. Prior to joining AJC in 1999, Berger was a journalist for more than 20 years, with most of her career spent as a correspondent and producer for NPR. WGUC broadcast her news from Germany for many years. AJC was the first Jewish organization to develop programs to promote democratic institutions in Germany immediately following World War II and was the first
American Jewish organization to open a permanent office in Berlin. AJC Cincinnati President John M. Stein explains AJC’s interest in Germany: “Through its involvement with Germany, AJC seeks to achieve German-Jewish understanding. Germany is Israel’s best friend in Europe and its second-largest trading partner after the U.S. AJC has developed relationships and programs with all key government leaders and political foundations in Germany and now sponsors the Hands Across the Campus diversity
program in German schools.” Over the past several decades, a dozen Cincinnatians have traveled to Germany on the AJC Konrad Adenauer Foundation Exchange, including Dr. Michael Safdi, Jay Price, Jim Friedman, Dr. Ken Newmark, Dr. David Schwartz, Dr. Buddy Hertzman, Helen Fabe and John Youkilis. Chairing the March 1 event with Deidre Berger are AJC board members, Rabbi Ilana Baden, Dr. Mitchell Cohen, Dr. Michael Safdi, Cheryl Schriber and Amy Sukin.
Critical Topics Committee program on Juvenile Justice In the criminal justice system, should juveniles be treated the same as adults? Are some acts so heinous that age does not matter? Is the purpose of the juvenile justice system to punish or rehabilitate? Does it do either well? With new science emerging that provides insight into the adolescent brain, debate accelerates. We study and argue about what is working, what is not, why it makes a difference and what it would take to change. These questions and others will be examined by the Wise Temple Critical Topics Committee in its
program “Re-thinking the Juvenile in Juvenile Justice” on Monday, March 14, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Isaac M. Wise Temple, in Amberley Village. A distinguished panel of experts in law and psychology will look at juvenile crime and punishment nationally and in Ohio, where ratings by the National Juvenile Justice Network have been consistently low. The panel will include: Al Gerhardstein, prominent civil rights attorney of Gerhardstein and Branch law firm; Kim Brooks Tandy, executive director and
founder of The Children’s Law Center, Inc., in Northern Kentucky; Dr. Drew Barzman, founding director of The Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry Service at Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Edward J. Latessa, Ph.D., director of the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati, Marianna Brown Bettman, professor of criminal law, University of Cincinnati, College of Law. The panel will moderate what promises to be a lively discussion on a topic which has provoked deep consternation, vigorous debate and seem-
ing ambivalence in our society. Carol Goodman and Pam Kuby, co-chairpersons of the Critical Topics Committee of Wise Temple feel that the program is important in learning about what goes on when youths enter the criminal justice system. “We believe we can’t just turn our back on juveniles who have broken the law; it not only affects their lives but society as a whole,” they said. Co-sponsors of this evening, along with presenting sponsor Critical Topics Committee of Wise Temple are:
Adath Israel Congregation, American Jewish Committee, Jewish Community Relations, Council of Cincinnati, Jewish Family Service, League of Women Voters, The Lighthouse Youth Services, Ohio Justice and Policy Center, ProKids, Rockdale Temple, Talbert House and Womens’ City Club. A question and answer program will follow the presentation. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Temple office.
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Rockwern kids jump rope for heart health, American Heart Association Beginning February 7, 2011, Rockwern students were jumping rope in their physical education classes. The goal was to collect money for the American Heart Association. “Jump Rope for Heart” raises funds for research and programs to reduce heart disease and stroke and to improve health in people of all ages. Heart disease and strokes are the leading causes of death of men and women in the United States. Every 33 seconds someone in the United States succumbs to heart disease. Our older students paired up with younger students to help teach various long rope skills. The students warmed-up together by doing circuit training exercises and jogging laps. They broke into groups and worked on long rope skills such as jumping from a cold start, entering from the front door, entering from
Rockwern students warm up with some curl-ups.
the back door, multiple jumpers, hot pepper and double dutch. The older students got a chance to
demonstrate what they could do with a jump rope while helping to teach the younger students.
New ‘School Choice’ legislation to be introduced COLUMBUS — State Representative Matt Huffman (RLima) plans to introduce a bill in the Ohio legislature. This proposed legislation will, in his words, allow all Ohio families to decide about the type of education that “gives their
children the best opportunity.” If this bill is passed, it will — according to Representative Huffman — extend private school options to more lowand middle-income families. Representative Huffman’s proposed legislation has three primary purposes: 1. To provide funds for all Ohio schoolchildren to attend private schools — not just those who live in Cleveland or in certain other public school districts. 2. To provide the parents of “special needs” children the funds to send their child to a school that may better meet that child’s needs. 3. To create “education savings accounts” for families who do not spend the entire scholarship amount in any one year. Such saved funds could be used for future private school expenses or college expenses at Ohio institutions. Currently, two programs in Ohio make public funds available to certain students to help them attend a participating private school of their choice. The EdChoice scholarship goes to about 14,000 students whose public schools have been labeled as “Academic Watch” or “Academic Emergency.” The Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program gives students the opportunity to attend private schools in Cleveland and is open to students who reside within the boundaries of the Cleveland Municipal School District. According to Rep. Huffman, his proposed legislation — if enacted into law — will eliminate the “fail-
ing school requirement” and will make funds available to all Ohio schoolchildren, with amounts based on a family’s income. Currently, the state of Ohio funds each child’s education at an amount of $5,783 per year. Under the proposed legislation, any child who chooses to attend a non-public school would be eligible to receive a scholarship in an amount of up to 80% of that figure — with the scholarship to be used at a participating non-public school that meets state requirements. “No child should be denied access to any school choice options that best meets their learning needs,” Rep. Huffman said. “Above all, this legislation is designed to extend private school choice to more lowerand middle-income families who have either never had a choice or have been making tremendous sacrifices to make that choice.” In addition, Rep. Huffman’s proposal includes a scholarship for students with special needs that is modeled on Ohio’s Autism Scholarship Program. The intent is to give the parents of special needs children the chance to meet their children’s needs, without going through a long and sometimes complicated process. The third part of Rep. Huffman’s proposal creates “education savings accounts,” for parents of private school children who do not spend all of their allocated scholarship funds. Approved uses of such funds would include future private school expenses and postsecondary expenses at Ohio institutions.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011
National Briefs Award will honor student reporting on anti-Semitism (JTA) — A new award will honor student reporting on antiSemitism. The Student Free Press Association and the Institute for Jewish & Community Research are sponsoring the Gary A. Tobin Media Awards. The Tobin Award encourages students to expose and document anti-Semitism first hand, pushing the issue into the public forum through both formal and informal reporting. Original student works will be evaluated by a panel of judges that includes veteran journalists and civil rights experts. Prizes of $1,000 will be awarded in the print journalism and new media categories. Entries must be submitted by April 1. Federation, Jewish Agency leader, Yitzchak Shavit, dies (JTA) — Philanthropist Yitzchak Shavit, a leader in the Federation movement and the Jewish Agency, has died. Shavit, the senior vice president of Communal Advancement at The Jewish Federations of North America, and the executive vice chairman of the United Israel Appeal, died Sunday at the age of 67. A dedicated supporter of Israel, Shavit led NorthAmerican fundraising for the Israel Education Fund and oversaw donor-directed philanthropy for overseas. “I am devastated by the loss of someone so special,” said Kathy Manning, chair of the JFNA board of trustees. “Yitzchak was truly unique in his warmth, his irrepressible energy and dedication to the Jewish people and the State of Israel. He was a mentor, a teacher and the best fundraiser I knew.” A Tel Aviv native, Shavit served in the Israel Defense Forces, then studied economics and political science at Hebrew University. He earned his master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Alberta, and spent time as a Canadian emissary for the Jewish Agency for Israel. Before serving at JFNA, Shavit worked at the Jewish Agency as the deputy director-general for Rural and Urban Development, where one of his many highly successful initiatives was Project Renewal. This undertaking, which renovated distressed neighborhoods throughout Israel, was a pioneering joint venture between the Government of Israel and worldwide Jewish communities.
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First Tunisia, then Egypt: Which Mideast autocracy will be next to fall? By Uriel Heilman Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — With popular uprisings having toppled two Arab dictators in the space of just a few weeks and unrest reverberating across the Middle East, are other regimes likely to fall, too? Nearly everywhere in the region, autocratic leaders seem to be on the defensive. Using carrots or sticks, and sometimes both, they’re struggling to curb growing protest movements. In Jordan two weeks ago, amid spreading protests, King Abdullah II dismissed his prime minister and Cabinet, promising reforms. In the Persian Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, police countered protesters’ “Day of Rage” this week with rubber bullets and tear gas, while the king tried to defuse opposition by promising a $2,650 payment of “appreciation” to every Bahraini family. In Kuwait, too, the ruling emir announced cash grants to every citizen. In Iran this week, government forces used violence to block demonstrators from massing in main squares, despite Tehran’s rhetorical support for the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. In Yemen and Algeria, protesters and police battled in the streets. In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority announced that it would hold longoverdue parliamentary and presidential elections by September, and this week the PA prime minister dismissed his Cabinet. Long a mostly impotent force in Arab politics, the Arab street suddenly has discovered its power, and it’s ushering in change from Tunis to Amman — not to mention fraying nerves in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. “Activists in other countries are trying to use the example of Egypt and Tunisia to mobilize large numbers of people to the streets,” said David Siddhartha Patel, a political scientist at Cornell University. Despite the spreading protests, experts cautioned against predicting the collapse of additional regimes. While the Arab street has drawn lessons from Egypt and Tunisia, so have their autocratic rulers. “Will people demonstrate and protest? Yes,” said Barry Rubin, an Israeli scholar at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center’s program of Global Research in International Affairs. “Will people overthrow governments? I think
the answer is no.” In Israel, the sudden change in Egypt has ignited a sharp debate along partisan lines about lessons to be learned and the efficacy of peacemaking with the Arab world. “The right wing says you cannot really negotiate agreements with Arabs because the agreements will not be kept because their states are not stable,” said retired Israeli Brig.-Gen Shlomo Brom, an expert on Arab politics at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. “The left will say, the lesson is that because of the instability of the Middle East, we should be interested in minimizing friction between us and the Arab world by having ongoing negotiations for peace.” The calculus for every country is different, and the elements that made for the success of Egypt’s uprising were a uniquely combustible combination that may not transfer elsewhere. High unemployment, a yawning rich-poor gap, widespread government corruption and deteriorating quality-of-life metrics made Hosni Mubarak almost universally despised in his country, uniting Islamists and secularists in opposition. Egypt faced a looming succession crisis that undermined the legitimacy of the 82-year-old president, who wanted to hand over power to his son, Gamal. Once the protests began in earnest, Egypt’s government, which receives $1.3 billion in annual U.S. aid, was subject to American pressure on how to confront the demonstrators. Perhaps most significant, the Egyptian army opted to side with the protesters over the regime, declining to use violence against the people and essentially turning what had begun as a popular uprising into a military coup. That stands in stark contrast to Iran, which put down mass protests a year-and-a-half ago following the disputed re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The key state security forces did the government’s bidding at the time, and with gusto: They beat and shot demonstrators, jailed dissenters and executed organizers. This time, the regime is making sure that mass protests never materialize by choking off main arteries leading to central squares, deploying hundreds of riot officers and banning marches in solidarity with the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
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NATIONAL
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Moshe Tendler thinks you’re How to throw a wrong, and he isn’t afraid to say so Jewish Oscar party By Ben Harris Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — After the January shootings in Arizona and the resultant calls for greater civility and moderation in the national discourse; after an acrimonious back-and-forth over the Jewish legal approach to death and organ donation; and after still more calls for a gentler, more civil public discourse, Rabbi Moshe Tendler stood up in a Jerusalem synagogue and accused his fellow Orthodox rabbis of perpetrating one of the worst desecrations of God’s name in American Jewish history. The rabbis in question — authors of a four-year study on the Jewish legal criteria for death and
members of the halachah, or religious law, committee of the chief Modern Orthodox rabbinic group — have “not the slightest idea of what we’re talking about,” Tendler told his audience. “I want to call your attention to what has been one of the most dramatic chilul hashem [desecration of God’s name] incidents in [the] American Jewish community,” he said. Tendler wasn’t done: The paper was “pages of drivel” and “as close to a blood libel as you can come,” he said. Even the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who had endorsed the position that the paper’s authors appeared to favor, did not escape
By Edmon J. Rodman Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Ben Harris
Rabbi Moshe Tendler believes that critics of his view that brain stem death is a valid criterion for death under Jewish law eventually will see the error of their ways.
opprobrium. On the issue of halachic death, Tendler charged, Sacks also was ignorant of the relevant science. Tendler’s remarks were presaged by the disclosure in December of a paper by the Rabbinical Council of America’s committee on religious law asserting the legitimacy of the view that death occurs with the cessation of heartbeat and respiration — a position apparently rebuking one long championed by Tendler. Tendler for some time has been the leading proponent of the view that death occurs with the cessation of brain stem activity — a criterion that permits vital organs such as the heart and lungs to become available for harvest and transplant. It is a position for which he has argued passionately and unapologetically for more than two decades. As one of the deans of the rabbinical school at Yeshiva University and a leading Modern Orthodox authority on medical ethics, Tendler is an authoritative figure in the Orthodox world, but also a polarizing one. And when it comes to questions on which he is rightly considered an expert, he has neither patience nor respect for the views of those he deems less than competent to render an opinion. Several insiders say it is precisely that trait which has made it more difficult to achieve common ground on this issue and personalized a debate that should remain scholarly and dispassionate. Tendler insists that the battle mostly is substantive not personal, though given some of his quotes in the media, it’s not hard to see why his foes sometimes fail to appreciate the distinction. “You say a thing, I believe you’re ignorant on this topic,” Tendler told JTA. “That’s not an insult. It’s a fact.” TENDLER on page 19
LOS ANGELES (JTA) — With so many famous Jewish names among the Academy Awards nominees this year — Coen, Cohen, Eisenberg, Aronofsky, Sorkin and Newman, to name a few — it seems like a good time for a Jewish Oscar party. But how to make an Oscar party Jewish? In case someone like Joan Rivers asks what I’ll be wearing, I have my total Jewish designer outfit pressed and ready: Calvin Klein pants, Ralph Lauren shirt and Dov Charney (American Apparel) T-shirt. But that’s not going to be nearly enough. Should there be a set order and ritual, like the seder? Or, like Purim, an evening filled with costumes, beauty pageants, shouting at bad guys and lots to drink? Do I need a red carpet or a black-and-white tallit? Clearly I needed help. Who ya gonna call? No, not Ghostbusters. Rabbi Sara Goodman, a Los Angeles chaplain, has been holding Oscar parties for almost 25 years, even through rabbinic school. “I can’t say that I am at my holiest during the party,” Goodman told JTA. “But I do see the show as a holy event,” she added with a note of melodrama. Her parties feature a nice buffet, and a friend brings Oscar ballots. And then there are the tableaus: Goodman makes sure her table is graced each year with a few thoughtprovoking, Oscar-related creations that keep her guests guessing. “One year I had a Koran on the table,” she recalls. “It was for the movie ‘Babel.’” Another year Goodman put out a Princess Diana mug, a royal collector’s spoon and a soap box with Buckingham Palace pictured on it. That was in 2007, when director Stephen Frears’ “The Queen” was nominated in three categories. Helen Mirren won the Best Actress award. With Jewish actress Natalie Portman up for an award Feb. 27, I asked my special-effects friend Stuart Ziff for an idea for my table. Ziff worked in the first three “Star Wars” movies, and in 1982 he won a Technical Achievement Academy Award. He picked up the little-known industry honor, which is handed out at a special ceremony and dinner prior to the Oscars, for the “motion picture figure mover” — a device that was used to animate a puppet of ET in the famous scene when the extraterrestrial and Elliott ride a bicycle into the air in front of the moon. I was in the hands of a maker of movie magic.
Edmon J. Rodman
With plenty of Jews among the nominees, is this the right year for a little l'chayim at your Oscar party?
To honor Portman, who was nominated for Best Actress for her role in “Black Swan,” Ziff suggested a goose made of chopped liver. “Maybe we can figure out a way to make it move,” he said, again showing his award-winning chops. “Maybe it doesn’t need to move,” I responded, thinking the chopped liver sculpture could double as an hors d’oeuvres. Now that I had table art and food, what about the awards? The pre-show Oscar balloting, the heart of any real Oscar party, gives the guests a shot at voicing their opinions and picking the winners. Could I call them the Mazels? What would be my categories: Best Jewish actor who had a bar mitzvah? Best actress who identifies as being Jewish? Best name variation of Cohen? Best screenplay with characters who are not stereotypically Jewish? Things were getting complicated, so I needed to consult with someone who could put things in perspective. I called my uncle, a Director’s Guild member who votes for the Academy Awards and has won an Emmy for Best Director. “I agonize over the process,” Alexander Singer said. In the Best Picture category, Singer said he was torn between “Inception,” which he loved for its inventiveness; “The Social Network,” for its great characters; and “The Kings Speech,” for great storytelling. How to decide? Change the ballot. On my rejiggered Jewish ballot, if I recast the category a bit, the answer became easy: Best movie featuring the portrayal of a character who had a bar mitzvah but now considers himself an atheist (so what’s new?), and though he invented a new form of social media seems coolly distant just like your crazy cousin who sits in front of the computer all day. The envelope please? (Edmon J. Rodman is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish life from Los Angeles. He sees the Hollywood sign every morning as he walks out the door to get the paper.)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011
NATIONAL
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Danish Jewish film director behind Oscar-nominated movie an anomaly By Tom Tugend Jewish Telegraphic Agency LOS ANGELES (JTA) — Film director Susanne Bier, whose Danish movie, “In a Better World,” is a favorite for Oscar honors, is an anomaly. She is a woman director in an overwhelmingly male profession, and she is emphatically Jewish in a country and industry in which such affirmation is hardly the norm. Her parents are religiously observant. After a Golden Globe win for the year’s best foreign-language film, Bier, who studied for two years in Jerusalem, is in a strong position to repeat in that category in the Academy Awards. However, she faces stiff competition from the other four finalists representing Algeria, Canada, Greece and Mexico. Israel, which seemed close to its first Oscar when its entries made the final five cut in each of the last three years, struck out early with its entry, “The Human Resources Manager.” Bier, youthful and animated at 50, was born in Denmark, but the fates and persecutions of her forebears in Nazi Germany and czarist Russia have deeply affected her personal and artistic outlooks. Her paternal grandfather, a real estate executive in Berlin, was farsighted enough to leave Germany for Denmark in 1933, when his son, Susanne’s father, was 2 years old. Three decades earlier, her mother’s Russian family arrived in Denmark in 1903, the year of the infamous Kishinev pogrom in what is present-day Moldova. Their secure refuge in Denmark was shattered in 1940, when Nazi armies invaded the country. Both families were saved in the celebrated 1943 boatlift to Sweden, which saved almost all of Denmark’s Jews. Susanne’s father, then 12, vividly recalled the experience to his daughter. The car in which the family was driving to the boat rendezvous ran out of gas next to a German command post. After a very anxious time, a passing Danish motorist supplied the refugees with fuel. After the Allied victory, both families returned to Denmark, and from their backgrounds and experiences they transmitted two life lessons to Susanne. “I felt early on that even in the most secure life, there is always the potential for catastrophe,” she said in an interview with JTA at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. On the reverse side, her parents taught her “to address the
Sony Pictures Classics
Sussane Bier, director of “In a Better World.”
world in a positive way,” to look for the good even in evil times, and to deal morally and righteously with others, she said. Bier grew up as somewhat of a tomboy, preferring soccer scrimmages with the boys to playing with dolls. She was socially awkward, an avid reader and had a creative bent. Upon finishing high school, she decided to explore her Jewish roots by studying in Israel. She spent half a year at the Hebrew University and one-and-a-half years at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. She left Jerusalem after “two years of partying,” she says, with a working knowledge of Hebrew and a vague sense that she eventually would marry a nice Jewish lawyer and have six kids. Her religious parents, whom she phones at least once a day, approved of this tentative life path. However, Bier discovered that “all the nice Jewish boys I encountered were just too boring,” and she was more attracted to notso-nice, non-Jewish boys. In her actual marital life, Bier has struck somewhat of a compromise. “My first husband was nonJewish, my second husband was a nice Jewish boy, and I am now in a relationship with a non-Jewish man,” she said. She is the mother of Gabriel, 21, and Alice Esther, 15. Bier studied architecture in London and then attended Denmark’s National Film School, graduating in 1987. Her movie career took off auspiciously with the Swedish film “Freud Leaves Home,” which won critical acclaim. Her next effort, “Family Matters,” flopped badly, but Bier recovered and her subsequent nine films, released at the rate of about one every two years, generally have been popular and well received by critics.
Bier really hit her stride as director and screenwriter in the last decade. Her 2004 movie, “Brothers,” was a box office and artistic hit and was remade in an English version. Two years later, she scored even better with “After the Wedding,” which made the final cut for an Academy Award. Hollywood came calling, and in 2007 she directed “Things We Lost in the Fire” with Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro and David Duchovny. Her current Oscar contender, “In a Better World,” was released in her native country as “Hoevnen,” Danish for “Revenge,” which seems a more pointed title. The film stars some of the leading Scandinavian actors and a remarkable 12-year old boy, William Johnk (ok) Nielsen, whom Bier discovered. Like many of the director’s movies, “Better World” deals with complex family relationships, this one between two fathers and their sons, and the intense bond between the two boys. Also typical of Bier’s outlook, the movie ends on a note of hope. “Too many European films celebrate pessimism,” Bier said, “but desolation is no good. It is better to communicate that there’s some hope in the world.”
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INTERNATIONAL/ISRAEL
International Briefs Watchdog condemns Germany’s vote for settlements resolution BERLIN (JTA) — A German pro-Israel watchdog is condemning Germany’s vote for a failed United Nations Security Council resolution against Israel’s settlement policy, calling it part of a worrying trend. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has made pro-Israel policy a cornerstone of her administration, “presented herself very well initially and now is the time to remind her of what she promised and try to make her turn back,” Sacha Stawski, founder of the Honestly Concerned watchdog organization, told JTA. His group is circulating a petition criticizing Germany’s stand on the resolution. The Security Council resolution, which Germany and 13 other council members supported, called settlements illegal and condemned Israel for continuing to build in the West Bank. The resolution was vetoed Feb. 18 by the United States, one of five permanent members of the Security Council, killing the resolution. Germany, which traditionally has been supportive of Israel, won a non-permanent seat on the council last fall. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose administration openly criticized Israel’s settlement policy last year, has otherwise been viewed as a strong ally. Dutch Parliament to consider shechita ban bill (JTA) — A bill that would ban kosher slaughter is set to be presented to the Dutch Parliament. If the legislation passes, it would make Holland the first European Union country to ban shechita, according to the European Jewish Congress. Shechita is permissible under European law and to ban it goes against the E.U. Charter of Fundamental Rights, which clearly states that there is freedom of religious practice. The EJC on Feb. 18 called on Dutch politicians to vote against the bill. “Holland has always presented itself as an accepting society and a ban on a central part of Jewish identity would mean that Dutch politicians are turning their backs on the tolerant Holland that we admire,” EJC President Moshe Kantor said in a statement. “While the legislation was drafted ostensibly because of animal rights concerns, it is a slippery slope to populism, extremism and
anti-Semitism,” Kantor continued. “We call on Dutch politicians to carefully consider the ramifications of this bill and what it could do to Jewish life in Holland.” The European Union Council in December 2010 rejected a controversial kosher meat labeling requirement as part of its new food information regulation, that would have required that all meat and meat products that are kosher slaughtered to be pejoratively labeled as “meat from slaughter without stunning.” A controversial ban on kosher slaughter put in place by New Zealand’s agriculture minister was partially reversed in November 2010 amid allegations that his decision was taken to appease Muslim countries that have lucrative trade relations with New Zealand. The ban on kosher slaughter of poultry was suspended, while the ban on beef remains. The amendment to the Commercial Slaughter Code mandates that all animals for commercial slaughter must first be stunned, which is forbidden in shechita. Stop displaying religious objects, court orders cab driver TORONTO (JTA) — A Jewish taxi driver in Montreal may not display religious artifacts and other objects in his cab, a Quebec court ruled. Arieh Perecowicz, 66, a taxi driver for the last 44 years, lost his much-publicized case Feb. 17 when a municipal court upheld several fines against him for having too many personal and religious objects in his car. He was ordered to pay $1,300, about $600 of that for court costs. Perecowicz argued that he was comforted by having articles of his Jewish faith in the car, including photos of the late Lubavitcher rebbe and two mezuzahs affixed to the car frame between the front and back doors. At various times, his decorations included photos of his wife and daughter, small Canadian and Israeli flags and a Remembrance Day poppy. Over the years, Montreal Taxi Bureau authorities fined Perecowicz eight times under a bylaw that bans any “object or inscription that is not required for the taxi to be in service.” Perecowicz argued that the bylaw violated his freedom of expression. He has changed cars and now has three small images of the Rebbe which he says are not visible from the back seat, and the two mezuzot. He does not plan to remove the personal effects from his cab, and told the Montreal Gazette he will appeal the ruling “all the way to the Supreme Court, if I have to.”
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Israel Briefs
JTA
Thomas Dohlan, center, with his family, is an Orthodox convert who is being barred from making aliyah as part of a new Israeli policy.
‘Who is a Jew’ crisis moves into aliyah sphere By Michele Chabin N.Y. Jewish Week JERUSALEM (N.Y. Jewish Week) — Thomas Dohlan, who converted to Judaism in an Orthodox Canadian beit din, never anticipated that Israel’s Interior Ministry might question his Jewishness and block his bid to make aliyah. But that’s what is happening because of what appears to be a new policy that gives Israel’s Orthodox-controlled Chief Rabbinate, and not the Interior Ministry, the ultimate authority to decide which Orthodox converts are kosher enough for immigration purposes. The new policy is another sign of the Rabbinate’s strengthening power over Diaspora Jewish affairs, according to Rabbi Seth Farber, the director of ITIM, an organization that helps people deal with citizenship and religious issues in Israel. “We’d heard that the Interior Ministry has been handing over some converts’ paperwork to the Rabbinate on an ad-hoc basis, but until last week this wasn’t a written policy,” Farber told The New York Jewish Week. “Now we have proof.” While the Rabbinate already has the authority to determine whether a convert who underwent an Orthodox conversion abroad may marry in Israel — it refuses to marry Reform and Conservative Jews — it had never been authorized to decide who can immigrate because aliyah is governed by civil law. In the past, immigrants were required to bring documentation to the Interior Ministry showing that they were eligible to immigrate under the Law of Return. With few exceptions, the law permits anyone who can prove he or she had at least one Jewish grandparent to make aliyah.
Traditionally, converts from all religious streams have been expected to provide their conversion certificates and endorsement letters from their community rabbis, “and they were virtually always approved,” Farber said. The policy continues for Reform and Conservative converts, but not Orthodox ones. Farber said “a reliable senior official” read the new policy to him over the phone, but he declined to identify the official for fear of endangering the source’s job. The official said the policy was put into place during a meeting between the Rabbinate, the Interior Ministry and the Jewish Agency. Officials at the Rabbinate and ministry declined to comment. (According to a story in Haaretz Tuesday, the Interior Ministry announced explicitly for the first time that while there are no established criteria or regulations about the matter, the Chief Rabbinate is “the authorized decision making party with regard to Orthodox conversions undergone abroad.”) Farber shared with The Jewish Week two letters written on Interior Ministry stationery stating that two Orthodox converts — Dohlan and a convert from New York whose name was concealed for privacy reasons — are not Jewish for the purposes of immigration. Both letters said that “after consulting with the Chief Rabbinate, it was determined that the converts are not eligible for aliyah.” They were signed by Interior Ministry official Mazal Cohen. Asked if the policy was official, Farber said, “It’s not a consultation, it’s the policy.” The New Yorker “was converted in an Orthodox beit din that everyone in New York knows and trusts,” Farber said emphatically, but noting that it is not one of the handful of special conversion courts authorized by the Chief Rabbinate for marriage purposes.
Inquiries into left-wing NGOs could violate rights, AG says JERUSALEM (JTA) — The establishment of panels of inquiry to look into the funding and activities of left-leaning non-governmental organizations could violate basic human rights, Israel’s attorney general said. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein made the statement Sunday in a brief filed with Israel’s Supreme Court, in response to a petition asking the court to prevent the establishment of such Knesset inquiry panels. The Knesset is set to vote next week on a bill that would establish two panels to look into the funding sources and activities of left-wing organizations. “It is impossible to ignore the chilling effect of such investigative panels, should they be established, on fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of association,” Weinstein wrote. “In contrast to panels set up in the past, these panels seek to deal with what is interpreted as narrowing and limiting fundamental rights of the democratic system of government, including the fundamental right to freedom of expression, freedom of protest and the freedom to organize politically, rights that are at the very heart of a democratic system of government,” Weinstein continued. Still, Weinstein’s brief asked the court to reject the petition since the final vote has not yet been taken and it is not yet clear that the panels will ever be put into place. McEwan receives Jerusalem prize, criticizes Israel J E R U S A L E M ( J TA ) — British author Ian McEwan received the prestigious Jerusalem Prize during a ceremony in which he criticized Jewish settlement and Israel’s blockade of Gaza. McEwan was presented with the prize Sunday by Israeli President Shimon Peres at the opening of the Jerusalem Book Fair. The award, Israel’s highest literary honor for foreign writers, is given to an author whose works best exemplify the “freedom of the individual in society.” The author of “Amsterdam,” “Atonement” and “On Chesil Beach” was under pressure by pro-Palestinian groups, including British Writers in Support of Palestine, to reject the prize.
SOCIAL LIFE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011
11
International Academy visits Rockwern Academy PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PG.12
R E F UA H S H L E M A H
Summer Abdel-Aziz, Sydney Miller and Sarah Javed
Julia Weinstein, Umama Alam and Elaine Kaplan
Frieda Berger Fraida bat Raizel
Pepa Kaufman Perel Tova bat Sima Sora
Daniel Eliyahu Daniel ben Tikvah
Murray Kirschner Chaim Meir ben Basha
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
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CINCINNATI JEWISH LIFE
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
International Academy visits Rockwern Academy Students from Rockwern Academy began an innovative school-wide reading program last fall. The book chosen for this year, "Three Cups of Tea", not only introduced a cross-curricular opportunity but also, a collaborative program with the International Academy. Students in the upper grades wrote to each other as pen pals, met each other for a cup of tea and sang together at Music Hall on Martin Luther King Day.
Shawn Wyatt, music teacher from Rockwern Academy (on right), and Mollie Brewsaugh, music teacher from the International Academy.
Quinn Davidson and Ibrahim Munir find each other by matching up two halves of a tea cup.
Students singing on MLK Day in Music Hall under the direction of Dr. Catherine Roma.
CINCINNATI JEWISH LIFE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011
Nuha Syed, Tiffany Salzberg and Bayley Goodman
Soondos Mulla-Ossman and Lindsay Fisher
International Academy and Rockwern Academy students met on January 13.
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Umama Alam, principal of International Academy, with students.
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DINING OUT
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Carlo and Johnny — The Wonderland of Steak By Marilyn Gale Dining Editor Carlo and Johnny restaurant is located in an historic manor house, once an old stagecoach stop. It is even supposed to have a ghost rambling throughout the premises; some angry woman who shot her husband and his mistress. An old photograph of this sour faced woman, hair in a black bun, is framed and hung between the Hollywood style glamour rooms with a notation as to her infamy. Also, the name Carlo and Johnny, as the story goes, were the names of the federal agents who were investigating the suspicious Mafia related activities in this restaurant— some say this was a former brothel— during the late 1940s. The house that sits back from Montgomery Road in the northeast suburb area of Cincinnati is a lovely pink Victorian with a long formal driveway. Following the Jeff Ruby tradition of fine dining in unique settings, the stunning mansion is adorned with antiques and unique wall hangings, including the doorknobs from Al Capone’s winter home (according to the website). As I walked into the restaurant, the elegance of the rich brown paneling and curved staircase reminded me of a time where dining was leisurely, where cigars and fine liquor always followed the meal, and where a gentlemen would take a lady to ask an important question. Pictures of a young Frank Sinatra, Elvis and B.B. King hang on the walls throughout the eating establishment. In between posters of these musician icons are Impressionist paintings of women dressed in turn of the last century finery. The booths are red tufted leather. Visually, Carlo and Johnny is divine. I met with Josh Peyton, the general manager. Gracious, the perfect host, resembling an unscathed quarterback from his younger days, Peyton told me he was a local fellow who grew up in the White Oak area. He also announced the restaurant is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary this June. Ruby apparently bought it at a sheriff’s auction; I knew this place from an earlier time to be Charley’s Crab, rustic, gingham tablecloths, and lots of fish. Seeing the Ruby transformation from down home to a dining
(Clockwise) Josh Peyton is your host and general manager; Carlo & Johnny’s promises to give your taste buds the magic of choice aged steak; Dine in old fashioned Hollywood glamour at Carlo & Johnny’s; Share an indulgence of a banana split.
spot worthy of giving Las Vegas eateries some competition, requires a few moments of deep breathing. “We’re no longer in Kansas,” says Dorothy to Toto. At this restaurant I learned about steak, how aging can transform a tender cut into a buttery gastronomical delicacy. There is Kobe beef, a special steak with marbleized flecks of fat throughout the meat. Kobe beef is from the black Wagyu cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Japan, where rumor has it that cows are fed Sake and their backsides massaged daily to enhance flavor. As it cooks, the bits of fat melt into the highly prized meat, Then there is the Kentucky Bison strip steak. Doesn’t that take you back in time? Sounds like an icon from the Wild West, conjuring up images of cowboys and Indians as well as classroom lessons about the threat of extinction for the beloved Buffalo. Yet, bison meat is returning to upscale menus and is a very lean
cut. Peyton said “Many star Cincinnati athletes often order it.” In fact, if you are a sports aficionado, it seems this is the place to eat. Many of the menu items are named in honor of our town’s sports heroes, past and present. Try the Marvin Lewis steak, peppercorn encrusted tournedos, with asparagus and mushrooms, topped with cognac cream. For smaller appetites, the queen filet mignon is a good choice, 9 ounces of melt-inthe-mouth beef. “Add to your steak” category offers intriguing sides. Imagine a wine poached free range egg on top of your steak or roasted wild mushrooms nestled next to your entrée. Steak is not the only option for dinner. Pan fried veal chop, Gerber farms chicken, charcoal grilled salmon, seared yellow fin tuna and dry-aged Colorado lamb chops are also available. Entrees start at $24 and range up to “market price” for a Kobe filet. Most steaks are priced in
the $35 range. Carlo and Johnny offers a wide range of wine. “Since it is primarily a steakhouse, the majority are red,” said Peyton. His current favorite is Malbec from Argentina. “It is reasonably priced and similar to Merlot, not as dry as Cabernet, with a nice fruit taste to it. As Napa Valley prices continue to rise, the South American wines are a good value and customers benefit.” Carlo and Johnny has revamped its raw bar, appealing to appetites who are no longer satisfied with the sushi trend. Introducing cerviche, a dish typically made from fresh raw fish marinated in citrus juices such as lemon or lime and spiced with chili peppers. Popular in Central and South America, the acidity breaks down the seafood, “cooking” the fish. If you still have room for dessert, Jeff Ruby has launched a fanciful line of homemade ice cream. “If it comes from a cow, Jeff Ruby knows what he is doing,” is
the headline on the dessert menu. I do not doubt the veracity of that statement. Try the Carson “Peanut Butter” Palmer selection or Ocho Cinco “Chocolate Chunko.” The restaurant is large and seats close to 200 people. There is a private banquet room that accommodates 70 people. It is a great place to hold corporate functions, family parties, rehearsal dinners and holiday gatherings. Happy hour is Monday – Friday, from 5 to 8 p.m., with half-price hot appetizers, $5 wine, $5 martinis, $2 domestic beers, $3 imported beers. Put Carlo and Johnny on your must-go-to list for this year. Dine in lush surroundings, drink select wines and eat lavishly. Jeff Ruby and company have revitalized America’s version of meat and potatoes. Carlo and Johnny 9769 Montgomery Road Cincinnati 513-936-8600
New Fall Menu
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9386 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati, OH 45242 (513) 489-1444
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011
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Gabby’s Cafe 515 Wyoming Ave Wyoming 821-6040
Parkers Blue Ash Grill 4200 Cooper Rd Blue Ash 891-8300
Andy’s Mediterranean Grille At Gilbert & Nassau 2 blocks North of Eden Park 281-9791
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Pundits on Pluto By Rabbi Avi Shafran Contributing Columnist Nicholas Kristof was intoxicated. That’s not a value judgment. It was The New York Times columnist’s own self-assessment in a February 1 column, his inebriation the result of having been amid a crowd of Egyptian protesters against Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in Cairo’s Tahrir Square at the end of January. No alcohol was involved, of course; the crowd was overwhelmingly Muslim. The contact high was, and remains, entirely political. The square, Mr. Kristof recounted, which in the past had been a place of unruly behavior, had “lost its menace and suddenly become the most exhilarating place in the world.” And the reason was because of the hope he inhaled from “the brave men and women of Tahrir Square,” the “peaceful throngs pleading for democracy.” The participants, in other words, in the “Days of Rage” demonstrations that in subsequent days led to Mr. Mubarak’s resignation. The Times columnist cited Egyptians he found “everywhere I go” insisting that “Americans shouldn’t perceive their [the Egyptian revolutionary] movement as a threat”; and found it “sad that Egyptians are lecturing Americans on the virtues of democracy.” He does recount a modicum of menace in some of the sentiment he heard. A medical student tells him that “Egyptian people will not forget what Obama does today. If he supports the Egyptian dictator, the Egyptian people will never forget that. Not for 30 years.” (The student didn’t have long to wait; President Obama quickly endorsed an exit from power for Mr. Mubarak.) Mr. Kristof thinks that “the protesters have a point” about initial American “equivocation” over the rebellion in Egypt, though he allows that “maybe I’m too caught up in the giddiness of Tahrir Square.” Yes, maybe. On the same day, Kristof’s colleague at the Old Gray Lady, Roger Cohen, nursed some optimism of his own, citing “the immense distance traveled by Arabs over the past month” and seeing a harbinger of hope in the fact that “the one big subject [Arabs] are not talking about…
[is] Israel.” “For too long,” he writes, perceptively enough, “the IsraeliPalestinian conflict has been the great diversion, exploited by feckless Arab autocrats to distract impoverished populations. “Now, Arabs are thinking about their own injustices. With great courage, they are saying ‘Enough!’” Not one to allow an opportunity to criticize Israel fall through his hands, though, he notes that the “fast-growing economy and institution-building [in] the West Bank is an example to the dawning Arab world—and would be more so if Israel helped rather than blocked and hindered.” But he sees hope all the same that a “representative Egyptian government” could emerge from the Cairene crowds, even if they turn out to be “less pliant to America’s will”; and that it might come to carry “a vital message for Arabs and Jews: Victimhood is self-defeating and paralyzing — and can be overcome.” There must have been some sort of Stuxnet-like virus infecting the brains of the paper of record’s pundits. The giddiness born of the sight of hundreds of thousands of angry Egyptians seemed to have spread even to the page’s “conservative” columnist, David Brooks. In his own column that same day, he kvelled at the “surge of patriotism” expressed by the Egyptian demonstrators, part of a “remarkable democratic wave.” “More than 100 nations have seen democratic uprisings over the past few decades,” Mr. Brooks asserted, something about which, he contended, “we should be glad.” I am not sure to what nations he refers, but what I am sure of is that democracy, for all its wonderful potential, is not a guarantee of anything other than the concretization of a populace’s will. And that, whatever the identities of those “more than 100 nations,” the most prominent mass expressions of collective will that come to mind are the 2006 Gaza elections that put Hamas in power there, the Iranian Islamic revolution of 1979 and the rise, a mere 50 years earlier, of the Nazi party in Germany. (Rabbi Shafran is an editor at large and columnist for Ami Magazine)
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T EST Y OUR T ORAH KNOWLEDGE THIS WEEK’S PORTION: VAYAKHEL (SHMOT 35:1—38:20) 1. Which material was used to cover the boards for the Mishkan? a.) Gold b.) Silver c.) Cooper 2. How were vessels like the Holy Ark and the table carried in the desert? a.) Loaded on wagons b.) By hand c.) The Priests carried with poles 3. Which item had square dimensions? tom of the Ark. 3. C 37:25, 38:1. only the width and length were the same, the height was not 4. C 38:9 5. B 35:13
OPINION
a.) Holy Ark b.) Table c.) Altars 4. What went around the tabernacle? a.) Wood b.) Animal skins dyed different colors c.) Curtains 5. Where was the show-bread? a.) Altar b.) Table c.) On top of the Ark ANSWERS 1. A 37:34 In addition to the boards plated with gold, the boards fitted into sockets and a rod went thru the center to hold the boards together. 2. B 37:4,15 The poles were inserted into rings that were attached to the Ark. The commentators question whether the rings were at the top or bot-
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Written by Rabbi Dov Aaron Wise
JEWISH LIFE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011
Sedra of the Week By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
SHABBAT SHALOM: PARSHAT VAYAKHEL • EXODUS 35:1-38:20
Efrat, Israel — “Take for yourselves an offering to the Lord. Let everyone whose heart moves him bring an offering to the Lord, gold and silver and copper... for the sanctuary and its tents and its coverings” (Exodus 35:5-11). The last two portions of Exodus seem to repeat the two previous portions of Truma and Tetzaveh, listing the precise dimensions, materials and furnishings of the desert sanctuary. Why is such a reiteration necessary? Before responding, we must recall that the two portions which initially commanded the construction of the sanctuary are separated from Vayakhel and Pekudei, which repeat those instructions, by the portion of Ki Tisa, which records the tragic incident of the Golden Calf. When we realize that according to most commentaries and midrashim, the idolatrous act with the calf occurred before the command to construct the sanctuary our problem becomes compounded. Why interrupt the story about the construction of the sanctuary with the account of the calf, and why repeat the instructions? An analogy comes to mind: Picture an excited, engaged couple who spend the period before their wedding carefully choosing their marital home and shopping for its furnishings. Then the young groom-to-be leaves on a short business trip and is unexpectedly delayed. In his absence, his fiancée has an all-night tryst with a former boyfriend. If after the accusations, confession and breast-beating subsides, the couple resumes the search for an apartment and its accoutrements with the same enthusiasm they had before, we can feel assured that all has been forgiven and they are opening a new chapter in their relationship. This is a metaphor for the biblical account of the Golden Calf and the construction of the sanctuary; the biblical groom is the Almighty and the bride is the People of Israel. Our analogy may well explain the repetition as well as the placing of the calf story between the two accounts of sanctuary construction. But it leaves us with a
profound religious problem. The Bible itself forbids a married (or betrothed) woman who commits adultery from returning to her betrothed/husband (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). Why does God take Israel back after the Golden Calf? I believe it was because of Moses. In his defense of the Jewish people before God, he initially presents three arguments: First, You [God] redeemed them paternalistically with Your great power and strong hand before they were religiously capable of dealing with independence; second, Egypt will think You only took them out to kill them in the desert, and not because You wish every human being to be free; and third, You made an irrevocable covenant with the patriarchs that their seed will live in the Land of Israel (Ex. 32:11-14). But it is only after Moses makes another, final plea; crying out, “And now if You would only forgive their sin! But if not, erase me now from this book that You have written” (Ex. 32:32) that God actually commands Israel to go up to the Land and conquer it – proving not only that He has forgiven them, but also that His covenant with them remains intact. The great classical commentator Rashi interprets these words along the lines of Targum Yonatan Ben Uziel: “If You would forgive their sin, it would be good and I would not ask to be erased; but if You will not forgive them, then erase me from the entire Torah, that it not be said by future generations that I was not worthy to merit Divine compassion for them.” The Rashbam explains, “Erase me from the Book of Life” and the Ibn Ezra and Sforno have “Erase me from the Book of Eternal Life… and grant my merits to the Israelites so that they be
forgiven.” The Ramban maintains, “…If You will forgive their sins out of Your compassion, it would be good; but if not, erase me instead of them from the Book of Life.” For me, however, the interpretation truest to the plain meaning of the text comes from the Mateh Yosef, a disciple of the Hatam Sofer. Based on the Talmudic axiom (B.T. Shabbat 54b, 55a) that a leader must be held responsible for the transgressions of his “flock,” Moses tells the Almighty, “How is it possible that the nation could have transgressed in so egregious a manner? Clearly I am not worthy to be their leader. Hence, whether or not You forgive their sin, You must erase me from Your book. You must remove me from leadership, because I have been proven to be ill-prepared….” God responds that He only punishes the actual transgressors, not their “minister,” and God determines that Moses is still the best qualified to lead the nation. However, God also understands that Moses has expressed a profound truth. Perhaps Moses’ flaw was that he was too much a man of God and too little a man of the people, unable to rouse and reach the Israelites in a way that would have prevented their transgression. Nevertheless, God forgives us, as we see from the repetition of Vayakhel and Pekudei even after our idolatry. After all, it was God Himself, apparently realizing that the highest priority for covenantal Israel was a leader who would convey His eternal Torah, who cajoled Moses into accepting the leadership of Israel in the first place. Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Chancellor Ohr Torah Stone Chief Rabbi — Efrat Israel
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JEWZ IN THE NEWZ
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Jewz in the Newz By Nate Bloom Contributing Columnist THE OSCARS, PART II The Academy Awards ceremony takes place this Sunday, Feb. 27 (ABC, 8PM EST). The ceremony is being co-hosted by actress Anne Hathaway and actor and Oscar nominee, JAMES FRANCO, 32. Last week, I covered the Jewish nominees in the categories other than those below. Directors, Best Foreign and Best Animated, Actors Vying for best director are ETHAN, 53, and JOEL COEN, 56 (“True Grit”); DARREN ARONOFSKY, 41, (“Black Swan”); and DAVID O. RUSSELL, 52 (“The Fighter”). Russell is the secular son of a Jewish father. SUSANNE BIER, 50, a Danish Jew, directed and co-wrote “In a Better Place,” a best foreign language film nominee. If her film wins the Oscar, like it won the Golden Globe, Bier will be the one accepting the award. Likewise, if “Toy Story 3” wins the Oscar for best animated film, like it won the Globe, the award will be presented to LEE UNKRICH, 43, the film’s director and co-writer. HAILEE STEINFELD, 14, whose father is Jewish, is nominated for best supporting actress for her debut film performance in “True Grit.” In the best actress category, NATALIE PORTMAN, 29, (“Black Swan”) is the Oscar favorite following her Golden Globe and Screen Actors’ Guild award wins for “Swan.” When Portman won the Golden Globe last month, she said a “big hello” to her grandmother, “Bernice in Cincinnati” and, if she wins the Oscar, she may say “hello” again. Bernice is BERNICE STEVENS, 85, the mother of Natalie’s mother, SHELLEY STEVENS HERSHLAG, and the widow of ART STEVENS, Natalie’s grandfather. (Natalie’s parents met at the Jewish Center at Ohio State Univ.) Art Stevens, who changed his last name from “Edelstein,” began the family showbiz tradition—doing his own TV ads for his windows company. Shelley and her only sibling, a sister, settled in New York City. Back in 2004, Bernice told the Cincinnati Enquirer that she visited New York about six times a year and that, “I never miss a chance to see my children and my three grandchildren. And even though Natalie and I have never lived in the same city — we bond-
ed when she was a baby.” Nominated for best actor is JESSE EISENBERG, 27, (“The Social Network”). In “Network,” Eisenberg played MARK ZUCKERBERG, the co-founder of Facebook. On Feb. 7, Eisenberg spoke to reporters gathered outside a luncheon given by the Motion Picture Academy for all the Oscar nominees. He said that the endless round of Oscar-related events, like the luncheon, was a bit exhausting — and it also reminded him of his youth: “When I was 13 I had to go to Bar Mitzvahs every weekend, and this is like the same thing: Put on a suit every weekend to go meet with a lot of Jews,” the actor joked. “I guess the alternative is worse, where no one likes your movie. I’ve experienced that and this is better.” Eisenberg, who describes himself as an “inconsistent Jew,” had his own bar mitzvah in 2009. He visited the Chabad/Lubavitch Brooklyn headquarters to research playing a Hasid in the movie, “Holy Rollers.” He was asked if he had had a bar mitzvah. When he said, “No,” — the rabbis explained the process — the prayers and the laying of tefillin — and, right there on the spot, Eisenberg had a brief, but valid bar mitzvah ceremony. Eisenberg vies with James Franco (and three other nominees) for the best actor Oscar. Franco, the secular-raised son of a Jewish mother and a non-Jewish father of Portuguese and Swedish descent, is nominated for his performance in “127 Hours,” a film based on the memoir of Aron Ralston, a desert hiker who had to cut off his own arm (2003) to free himself from some rocks and survive. It’s astonishing how many serious artistic projects Franco is involved with (films, TV, painting, short story writing). Plus, in the last three years, he’s managed to finish up his UCLA college degree and earn a graduate degree in the arts from Columbia Univ. He is now enrolled in a Yale doctorate program in English. So, when he said in 2009 that he regretted not having a bar mitzvah and planned to have one someday—I think he was more than half serious. Certainly he has what it takes to complete a bar mitzvah course of study. Last month, his great friend, actor SETH ROGEN, said he was planning a bar mitzvah for Franco that would take place around the same time as Rogen’s own (Jewish) wedding — but no date for either event was specified.
FROM THE PAGES 100 Years Ago The engagement of Miss Sara, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Greenbaum, to Mr. Julius Schild has been announced. At home at Hotel Alms, Sunday afternoon, March 5. Cincinnati friends of Mrs. Claude Deutsch, of Cleveland (nee Freda Herman, of Cincinnati), will be pleased to learn that she is doing fine work with her voice. It will be remembered that Mrs. Deutsch took active parts in opera before leaving her home city. She is making a decided hit in Cleveland musical circles. The residence of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Joseph, 2017 Wayland Avenue,
Norwood, was the scene of a pretty wedding, Tuesday evening, when their daughter, Elsa, was married to Mr. Erving J. Troutstine in the presence of about fifty relatives and friends. Dr. Louis Grossmann performed the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Troutstine left for the east, to be gone about two weeks, after which they will return to Wayland Avenue, Norwood, to reside. They will be at home after March 10. Charles R. Rothschild, 59 years old, died Friday, February 17, at his home, 3597 Wilson Avenue, Avondale. He had been sick only two weeks and confined to his bed only since last Sunday. Death
was due to diabetes.He is survived by a widow and two daughters, Mrs. Julius D. Jacobs and Miss Miriam Rothschild. Mr. Rothschild was born in Fartherm, Germany, and was very young when his parents came to Cincinnati. At the time of his death he was president of the Globe Security Company and manager of the Merchandise Wrecking Company. He was a member of the Masons for over a quarter of a century. He was also associated prominently with the B’nai B’rith. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon at the United Jewish Cemetery, Dr. Grossmann officiating. — February 23, 1911
75 Years Ago Mr. and Mrs. Philip Steiner, who returned recently from a six-week stay in Florida, entertained a group of friends Sunday, Feb. 23rd, at their residence in Vernon Manor. This group assembles each week for an evening of contract. Among those present were Mr. and Mrs. John Wachman, Mr. and Mrs. Charlton Wallace, Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Fields, Mr. John Friendlander, Mr. Albert Steiner, and Mr. Walter Schmidt. Most of these players will take part in the Ohio Valley Tournament soon. The
host is the winner of the midwestern championship in the last contract held in Cincinnati. Mr. Herbert Byer, formerly of Cincinnati and now of 295 S. Dawson Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, is the author of a book, entitled “Immortal,” recently accepted for publication by Doubleday and Doran. Mr. Byer is president of the Byer & Bowman Advertising Agency in Columbus, first winner of the annual Robert F. Wolfe journalism medal at Ohio State University and formerly of The Columbus Dispatch editorial staff.
Junior and Senior honor pupils of the Cincinnati and nearby high schools invited to attend Dr. Saul Arenson’s Saturday morning honorary high school group, under auspices of the University of Cincinnati, include: Walnut Hills High: Martin Littman, Herbert Blackschleger, Leonard Dine, Isadore Eppstein, Helen Flarsheim, Philip Jacobson, Sigmund Kriegsman, Joseph Levinson, Edgar Menderson, Jr., Don Rindsberg, Martin Rosen, Elaine Rosenthal, Sam Shane, Allen Sievers, Israel Toran. — February 27, 1936
50 Years Ago The Child Guidance Home board reelected the following as officers at its recent annual meeting: Herbert Hoffheimer, Jr., chairman; David B. Dupee, first vice chairman; Carl A. Strauss, second vice chairman; Dr. John Winget, secretary; Dr. Frank Seinsheimer, treasurer. New three-year board members: Mrs. Herbert R. Bloch, Sr., Rev. Robert J. O’Brien, John J. Frank, Jr. Mrs. Robert S. Johnson and Mrs. John J. Gilligan were elected to fill unex-
pired terms. Re-elected for three-year terms expiring in January 1964 are Mrs. Charles Aring, Mrs. Vivian Beamon, Mr. Hoffheimer, Mrs. Elmore Kindel, Miss Jean Leach, Wendell Pierce, Miss Blanche Sullivan. The marriage of Miss Alice Rita Lowenthal, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Gerson Lowenthal, to Mr. Stephen Strauss Shapiro was solemnized Sunday evening, Feb. 19, in the Continental Room of the Netherland Hilton. Mr. Shapiro is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Mortimer J. Shapiro of West Orange, N.J. Mr. and Mrs. Bert Stein, of this city, announce the marriage of their daughter Bonnie Gail, to Mr. Marvin Burton Turk, son of Mrs. Samuel Turk and the late Mr. Turk, on Sunday, Feb. 5. The ceremony was performed by Rabbis Samuel Wohl and Albert A. Goldman of Wise Temple at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald B. Tonkens on Knoll Road, Amberley Village, in the presence of the immediate families and close friends. — February 23, 1961
25 Years Ago Dr. Malcolm H. Stern will present the keynote address at Founders Day exercises at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, President Alfred Gottschalk announced. Exercises will take place Wednesday, March 5, at 11 a.m. in the Scheuer Chapel. Dr. Stern, a native of Philadelphia, earned a bachelor’s degree in Semitics from the University of Pennsylvania. He received Smichah, rabbinic ordination, at the College-Institute. Dr. Stern was the fifth member of his family to graduate
from the Cincinnati campus. He continued his studies at the College and in 1957, earned a doctorate in Hebrew Letters concentrating in American Jewish history. He has served as a rabbi of congregations in Philadelphia and Norfolk, Va. Barbara C. Rabkin, long active as a volunteer in the Jewish and general communities, has been named by the Cincinnati Enquirer as one of 10 “Women of the Year” for 1986. Recently appointed by Gov. Richard Celeste to the Governor’s Commission of
Volunteerism, Mrs. Rabkin is vice president of community services for the National Council of Jewish Women. In that capacity she oversees volunteers for the NCJW’s affiliated programs at Allen House, Call 5, Parents Anonymous, Victim’s Assistance at Talbert House and Radio Reading Services. She is also a volunteer and day care evaluator for Comprehensive Community Child Care of Cincinnati and project chairman of the Job Readiness Program at the YWCA. — February 27, 1986
10 Years Ago Dr. Meyer R. Schneider, 93, passed away at his home February 7, 2001. Dr. Schneider was born in Middletown, Ohio. Mike, as he was known, was the oldest of four children of the late Harry and Anna Schneider. Dr. Schneider is survived by his wife of 57 years, Bernice (Hecht) Schneider; and his children: David and Diane Schneider of Munster, Ind.; Daniel Schneider of DeKalb, IL; and Judith Schneider of London, England. Surviving grandchildren are:
Nicholas (Candice), Joel, Anna and Claire Schneider. Dr. Schneider is also survived by two sisters: Tillie Schkloven of Farmington, Mich., and Louise Hecht of Vero Beach, Fla. Dr. Schneider was predeceased by a brother, Sol Schneider. In spite of Palestinian violence and worrisome signs of an international business slowdown, the Committee for Economic Growth of Israel (CEGI) predicts that continuing evidence of strength, particularly in the high-tech sector, will
enable Israel to surmount current economic difficulties. Milwaukee-based industrialist Elmer L Winter, CEGI chairman, concedes that a “mixed bag” of complicating factors have made “firm and reliable” economic forecasting for Israel more difficult than in the recent past. But he adds that projections for 2001 show that continuing expansion of Israel’s technology sector has been virtually unaffected by current violence. — February 22, 2001
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011
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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) 204-5594 • 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
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JCC from page 1 Both men and women are encouraged to sample the new “Next Stage” class at the JCC at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1. There is no charge for this sample class, and it is open to the entire community. The complete six-class series will then be available for a moderate fee on Tuesday evenings, April 5 through May 17. The JCC will also offer “J Dancing,” a new eight-week beginner dance class for Boomers, April 14 to June 9 on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. Professional choreographer, Rene Micheo, will teach dance styles like the Tango, Jazz, Flamenco, tap, contemporary dance and many others. The steps are easy to follow, and the program is aimed to help improve health and wellness in a fun, high-energy, social environment. For Boomers who like to be active but may not like to dance, the J will offer a unique one-day workshop focusing on the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga. This workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18 starting at 1 p.m. Mike Simmons of Cincinnati Karate will teach both male and TENDLER from page 8 Tendler’s willingness to publicly call out rabbis with whom he disagrees is unusual within Modern Orthodox circles, where internal disagreements on sensitive issues are resolved more typically behind closed doors, often with vague language that allows everyone to declare victory. Tendler’s style could not be more different, and over the years he has developed a reputation as something of a go-to guy for an
needed for Kulanu: the Cincinnati Reform Jewish High School. Must be organized, responsible, have great communication skills, professional. Email resume to Liz McOsker at mco@fuse.net SERVICES
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female participants several quick, simple and effective self-defense moves that use minimum movements. He will coach participants about how to think differently when facing potentially dangerous situations. Physical health is just as important as physical activity, so the JCC is also offering wellness programs like the new “Healthy U” Diabetes self-management class, originally developed at Stanford University. Anyone in the community with Type 2 Diabetes (as well as caregivers) can enroll in this free, sixweek class. Attendees will learn several ways to reduce health care expenses, deal with common issues and control symptoms. “Healthy U” classes at the JCC are held at 10 a.m. on Thursdays, April 7 through May 19. Advance registration is required by April 4. The JCC also offers ongoing evening and weekend programs for Boomers, all of which are open to the public. These include a Book Group, Wii Bowling, Walks in the Park and dinners. For more information about all the programs for Boomers at the J, contact Susan Bradley at the JCC or visit their website. incendiary quote. When a group of prominent Modern Orthodox rabbis and congregants in the mid-1990s created Edah in an attempt to counter what they asserted was Orthodoxy’s rightward drift, few would say anything on the record despite the ire it had evoked. Tendler, however, told The New York Jewish Week that Edah’s founders were ignorant and lacking integrity, and that attendees of the group’s 1999 conference were in violation of Jewish law.
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Scharf appointed Hospice of Cincinnati Development Officer Hospice of Cincinnati is pleased to announce the appointment of Lauren Scharf as senior development officer. Scharf will manage Hospice of Cincinnati fundraising activities in collaboration with Bethesda Foundation, which oversees Hospice of Cincinnati’s donations and fund development. She will also support the development efforts of Fernside, Hospice of Cincinnati’s children’s bereavement program. Scharf has over 16 years of professional experience in fundraising, including Women’s Division director at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, event manager and guild
Lauren Scharf
coordinator for Cincinnati Opera, assistant director of development for University of Cincinnati College of Law, and director of development at Cancer Family Care. Scharf currently serves on the board of directors of Jewish Family Service and is a past president of the Cincinnati Chapter of Hadassah and Yavneh Day School (now Rockwern Academy) PTA. “We are thrilled to have Lauren on board. Her expertise and community outreach skills will be instrumental in raising funds that will equip Hospice of Cincinnati to continue to fulfill its mission,” said Sandra Lobert, president and CEO.
Courtesy of Robbie Cohen
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz holds the Theodore Herzl award as it is presented to Israel Bonds President and CEO in tribute to his accomplishments as Israel Bonds President and CEO for the last nine years. From left to right David Halpern, Vice Chairman of the Board; Minister Steinitz; immediate past Chairman of the Board Michael Siegal; Mr. Matza; Richard Hirsch; Chairman of the Board.
Camp Manitowa, ‘the Great Spirit’ Israel Bonds launches After devoting nearly 30 years to leading and nurturing young campers, two St. Louisans have achieved their dream by purchasing an overnight camp of their own. Andy Brown and Dan Grabel conducted a nationwide search for camp properties and found the ideal site just 300 miles from Cincinnati in southern Illinois. The camp they’ve selected is on the banks of Lake Hamilton, a 40-acre area adjacent to 19,000-acre Rend Lake. The property borders Wayne Fitzgerell State Park. Well-respected and beloved leaders in the camping profession, Brown and Grabel have worked as leaders and directors at Camp Sabra, Camp Livingston and Goldman Union Camp. They recently purchased the former 50year-old Lake Benton Baptist Camp and renamed the property Camp Manitowa, “the Great Spirit.” They plan to bring the great spirit of nature, sportsmanship, team-building, cooperation, character-building and positive selfesteem to their campers. The camp opened in the fall 2010 for school and business retreats and this summer 2011 will be the camp’s first season. More than $1 million was invested on renovations and remodeling of the cabins, dining hall, athletic fields, activity areas and more, as well as construction of team building and personalized challenge courses. The camp also will offer a wide range of activities, some of which include: swimming, sailing, fishing, water-skiing, baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer, golf, Frisbee golf, Ga-Ga, archery, horseback riding, orienteering, geocaching, hiking, photography, filmmaking, mountain biking, beach volleyball, wilderness education, canoeing, kayaking, outdoor cooking, and arts & crafts. In addition to their decades of camp experience, both men have
extensive professional backgrounds in education and clinical training. They understand how to orchestrate the magic that occurs when children succeed in new challenges, build self-confidence and create lasting friendships. And although this magic occurs during the summer sessions, the relationship between Camp Manitowa and its campers will continue throughout the year. This will include fall and spring family camps, open
Dan Grabel and Andy Brown
invitations to use Camp Manitowa’s facilities, its family resource team, and counselor follow-ups after camp. Camp Manitowa will be more than a camp known for its world-class facilities, teaching- based programming, and year-round connections. Andy Brown earned his master’s of social work (MSW) from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. He has worked as assistant director at Camp Sabra, The St. Louis Jewish Community
Center’s co-ed residence camp on the Lake of the Ozarks, and director of Camp Sydney R. Baer, the JCC’s largest day camp. Brown also was the executive director of Camp Livingston for more than 10 years, an independent not-for-profit Jewish summer camp serving youngsters throughout the Midwest. Under his leadership, Camp Livingston experienced unprecedented growth. Enrollment doubled and he was involved in raising nearly $5 million and spearheading a four-year capital improvement project that resulted in a complete overhaul of the camp’s facility. Brown is married to Stephanie Zetcher Brown. The couple has four children, ages 7 to 14. Dan Grabel also earned his MSW from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. In addition, he earned a master’s in education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Grabel has more than 20 years of experience working with children and young adults. For 10 years, Grabel worked with Brown at Camp Livingston as assistant director. Additionally, he was the assistant director at the JCC’s Camp Sabra, as well as a social worker at Camp Interlaken in Wisconsin. Grabel also served as the administrator at Camp Charles Pearlstein in Prescott, Ariz., and as an adventure trip leader at the YMCA’s Camp Greenville in Greenville, N.C. He also has worked in Illinois and Missouri public schools as a social worker and school counselor. During this time, he has provided individual and group counseling, and served on school-wide and district level leadership teams. Grabel, who grew up as a camper at Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI) in Zionsville, Ind., and his wife Lisa, have a two-year-old daughter.
2011 campaign; Finance Minister hails Israel Bonds as an ‘Anchor of stability’ A night of extensive highlights culminated with the announcement of $140 million in Israel bond sales and commitments to purchase as the Bonds organization officially launched its 2011 campaign on Jan. 30 in Boca Raton, Fla. The campaign inaugural, hosted by television icon Henry Winkler and chaired by Bonds National Chairman Fred Zeidman, featured the presentation of the Theodor Herzl Commemorative Medallion to 11 distinguished recipients.
Courtesy of Robbie Cohen
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz congratulates Israel Bonds President and CEO Joshua Matza (Right) on his successful tenure as Israel Bonds President and CEO.
Bonds President and CEO Joshua Matza, who will be returning to Israel in the coming months after heading the organization for over nine years, received a special tribute led by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz. In his remarks, the finance minister — who praised Israel Bonds as “an anchor of stability” — called Matza’s achievements
“remarkable,” citing accomplishments in sales and promoting a positive image of Israel. Following his remarks, the finance minister joined in presenting Matza with a special sculpture created by renowned Israeli artist Frank Meisler. Joining in the presentation were Chairman of the Board Richard Hirsch, Vice Chairman David Halpern and immediate past chairman Michael Siegal. In his acceptance, Matza said Israel Bonds and its supporters were building “a beautiful state — the homeland that belongs to all of us.” Over the course of Matza’s tenure, the organization has realized more than $11 billion in worldwide sales. Recipients of the Theodor Herzl Commemorative Medallion were: Frances Chan and Richard Allen, New York; Beth and Marc Andler, Boston; Sandra and Malcolm Berman, Baltimore; Sandy and Stanley Bobb, Washington, D.C.; Nancy and Alan Bomstein, Tampa; Alvin Lloyd Brown, Miami; Marian and Leo Goldner, Toledo; Anne and Norman Jacobson, Palm Beach; Sharyn and Bert Model, New Jersey; Beverly Sandler, Chicago; and Ann and Murray Spain, Philadelphia. Development Corporation for Israel/State of Israel Bonds, which has been consistently praised by international ratings agencies Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch, as well as the IMF, offers securities issued by the government of Israel in the United States. Israel has never defaulted and maintains a perfect record on payment of principal and interest on securities it has issued. Capital realized from the sale of bonds has been utilized to develop every facet of Israel’s economy.
FASHION/FOOD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011
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Spring fashions to start wearing now Fashionably Late
By Stephanie Davis-Novak Fashion Editor As the winter clearance sales are finally clearing out, department stores are beginning to stock more spring pieces. Here is a guide for some key looks to stock up on. In the spring fashion shows, white was all over the runway, so invest in a few key pieces in either ivory or white. For example, white wide-legged trousers are an elegant, sophisticated look that works for the office and after-hours. For the ultimate in professional attire,
try a striking all-white suit, such as Armani Collezioni’s off-white wool crepe skirt suit. White dresses are another easy way to carry off this trend. Keep your look out of bride territory by choosing a clean, minimalistic style. Antonio Melani has several work-friendly designs, while Amsale’s ivory jacquard dress is a great option for a night out. If an all-white wardrobe isn’t your thing, there’s no need to worry. Vivid colors – even neon, in some cases – are also having a moment. Try some jewel tones such as deep blue or emerald green, and don’t be shy with color coordination. For example, in their spring shows Gucci and Diane von Furstenberg both paired purple and orange separates, and that combination works just as well off the runway. Other combinations that work are yellow and green, or blue and green. The key is to choose bright, bold colors. To try this look on a
This Antonio Melani dress is both work-friendly and meant for a night on the town.
smaller scale, pair basic black with a bright shade. For example, a fitted black t-shirt is a great contrast to Costume National’s orange silk wrap skirt and really makes the vivid color pop. Another way to
sample the look without a full-scale commitment is to try bold, bright accessories. Bottega Veneta offers several kinds of leather bracelets in bright colors, or carry a boldly colored handbag by MCM or Marc Jacobs. Whether you prefer subtlety or a bold look, you can’t go wrong with a splash of color. Another look that you’ll be seeing more of in stores is a longer hemline. Although there will be no shortage of fitted sheaths anytime soon, many designers are offering fuller skirts that hit as low as midcalf. Behnaz Sarafpour’s silk taffeta wrap skirt and Piazza Sempione’s pleated cotton long skirt are examples of longer lengths that are great daytime pieces. For a more polished look, Carolina Herrera and Donna Karan both have taffeta full skirts. Other interesting takes on the full-skirt trend are asymmetrical hemlines, such as Akris’ floorlength cotton version, or sheer skirts, such as Opening Ceremony’s
version with a silk overlay. In menswear, a key look on the spring runways was a more relaxed take on suiting. Take a more casual approach to dressing up, such as skipping the tie or even wearing a suit with a nice tshirt. For a stylish departure from the basic black and gray suits, opt for a brown suit. Shades range from the more conservative deep brown, such as Nuvo’s wool suit, to a lighter tobacco brown, such as Giorgio Armani’s cotton suit. For those who want to stick with their traditional black suits but still work in some color, pocket squares are getting more attention lately, and come in a variety of patterns from plaids to polka dots. When in doubt, keep the scale of the pattern small. Another stylish way to add some personality is with this season’s plaid tie. Rag and Bone and Club Monaco are just two of the many designers offering plaid selections.
Orthodox and traditional Jews who strictly observe the dietary laws. The word kosher means, “fit” for use. Its opposite is t’refah (tray-fah), which literally translates as “torn by a wild beast” but has come to refer to all foods that are not kosher. The basic laws are concerned with: The detailing of permitted and non-permitted foods. The description of the way in which animals must be slaughtered and which portions may be eaten. The detailing of the way in which slaughtered meat must be soaked and salted (“Koshered”) before it’s cooked. The prohibition of mixing meat and dairy foods, based on the Biblical injunction: “You shall not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.” There are some neutral, or “Parve,” foods such as fruits, nuts and vegetables, which may be prepared to eat with either meat or milk. Today there are many kosher foods available, which have been made under supervision of a rabbi who oversees the production and sees to everything following the dietary laws. In Israel today, Jewish cooking has been altered and adapted by each entry of new immigrants in the melting pot integration process between east and west. This, and the use of new products such as the avocado, has resulted in new trends in Jewish cooking. In America, we too have added many new dishes to our culinary tastes with the wave of Russian immigrants, the availability of gourmet foods and spices, and the advent of the food processor and microwave oven.
the Jewish dishes, but I would like to share a few of the more popular ones. Bread is the staff of life for us all. The one we connect with Jewish foods and Jewish holiday celebrations is the Challah or egg bread. The shaping of loaves, as we know them today goes back to the time of the Pharaohs, maybe earlier. Rounds, cubes, braids, and rings were just a few of the shapes the Jews borrowed and developed. On the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, the challah is shaped into a round, made with honey and raisins signifying a complete year that is filled with sweetness. The Sabbath song or Zimira of the 13th century tells us “Without fish there is not Sabbath.” This song is still sung today and the fish that is served on the Sabbath as well as many of our other holidays is linked to the beginning of Creation. Its importance was more than nutritional, it was considered an aphrodisiac, and according to legend, the Messiah would come to the righteous of Israel in the form of a giant fish from the Sea. The eating of fish focuses on a hope of better days to come. Many of the laws were tied to ancient agricultural practices. The one prohibiting the particular activity of separating grain on the Sabbath was extended to the fish and therefore, worrying about the bones when eating the fish was work and took away from this joyous occasion. Therefore the fish was skinned, boned, chopped and we now have Gefilta or “filled fish.” Made into balls and cooked in a broth. The Romanians actually chopped, boned and mixed the fish with spices and flour, then stuffed it back into the whole fish serving it in this manner.
What makes Jewish foods Jewish? All About Food
By Zell Schulman Recipe Editor History Over the centuries, Jewish cooking has contributed to transforming recipes to symbols— instantly recognizable and shared by both its makers and the ones who eat it. Jewish recipes have become part nourishment, part cultural road sign, and part fulfillment of a ritual, ultimately bestowed with a significance which is much greater than their capacity to fill one’s stomach. The first foods mentioned in the Bible were grains, grapes for wine, and olives for oil. Food was baked, boiled, fried or roasted over an open fire, or by a combination of these methods. The Bible describes three types of meals: Aruhah meaning “to lodge,” was a modest meal, eaten every day in the field, or the house and prepared by the women. The Zevah, the sacrificial meal, was part of festive occasions such as a general or special holiday. It was usually a meat meal and was prepared by both men and women, emphasizing the importance of these social events. Lastly, there was the Kerah, which was a festive meal with many participants such as the Passover Seder. As it says in Prov. 15:17 “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fatted ox and hatred with it.”
Only two nuts were mentioned in the Bible: the almond and the pistachio. The almond was considered one of the “choice fruits of the land,” sent by Jacob to the ruler of Egypt (Genesis 43:13). Cooks discovered they could ground the almonds into a flour or paste to make unleavened sweet cakes at Passover. What we call marzipan, some North African Jews still make in Biblical fashion. Sesame seed cultivation began, but became common in a post-biblical period. The most common spice was salt. It was usually obtained via mining as at Sodom, and also by evaporating seawater. Various types of peppers and ginger were imported from Arabia and India for special feasts, and were considered merchandise of the highest value. Coriander and cumin were also available and all these spices were used as palate incentives in cooking. Most of the dairy items were produced from sheep or goats since cattle were scarce. Milk was drunk cold or cooked with other foods and as served in other forms for medicinal purposes and ointments. Butter and various cheeses as milk-derived products were also used for cooking. Both sparkling and spiced wines were available and made from grapes, raisins, dates, figs and pomegranates. Mead or grape honey is still popular today and is still produced in parts of Israel. Wine presses have been found in archaeological excavations dating to the Hellenistic period. The post biblical period brought the dispersion of Jews throughout the world, where they had to adopt some of the foods of their new countries. Yet they created glamorous dishes from poverty foods by
adding the local flavors or products. The most important aspects of this period are the two main categories of Jewish cooking which evolved: Ashkanazic and Sephardic. The Ashkenazic or occidental foods are those from Jews of Northern and Eastern Europe and their descendents, while the Sephardic or oriental refers to foods from the descendants of the Jews who lived in Spain and Portugal, before their 1492 expulsion. Both Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews still conformed to the requirements of the dietary laws. Though these laws have been interpreted as providing the Jews with a more hygienic approach to eating, this is not a primary justification for the Laws of Kashrut. By following the dietary laws, it is a way of hallowing G-d by the act of eating. Also, observing Kashrut is a discipline offering those who observe the Laws the daily awareness of an act that might be taken for granted. The third and final period is that of the Diaspora. This is the period we have come to know as “Culinary Judaism.” The choices we make in fulfilling the dietary laws are varied. The Reform Jews have assimilated their eating habits and find their identity in eating the proper customary dishes for the holidays: potato pancakes on Hanukkah, sweet potatoes, apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah, Matzo on Passover, and Challah on the Sabbath. Conservative Jews generally identify with the Jewish religion through their preference for traditional Jewish dishes and may or may not follow the dietary laws in their homes. Some will adhere to them at home and not when they go to social events. There are still many
Popular Jewish Dishes There is neither the time nor space to tell you the history of all
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HALL, Doris Leiser, age 82, died on February 18, 2011; 15 Adar I, 5771. BURGIN from page 1 Graduating cum laude from Walnut Hills High School, Dr. Burgin continued his education at the University of Cincinnati, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1947 with a Bachelor of Science. He was a member of Phi Eta Sigma, a national honor society for first-year college students. Dr. Burgin then went on to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine where he graduated in 1950. He interned in Internal Medicine at Kings County Hospital in New York and later served as a Resident Physician at the former Cincinnati General Hospital. Leonard Burgin met June Jaffe while she was working at the EARTHQUAKE from page 1 The text message read: “Shul damaged but fixable.” Friedman, a New York native who came to Christchurch three months ago to do Jewish outreach work, was inside the offices of the Chabad center with an Israeli backpacker when the first tremor jolted the city just before 1 p.m. local time. “All of a sudden walls, ceilings started coming in on us, the shake was shifting us side to side,” Friedman said. “We just ran. I have no idea how we managed to get out of there,” he said. “There were many people in CHAPLAINS from page 1 In November, however, they learned that they had been misinformed. Patrick Hallinan, the cemetery superintendent at Arlington, told the organizers that his predecessor, John Metzler Jr., failed to mention a law passed in the late 1980s that required congressional approval for new memorials. A major scandal at Arlington had cost Metzler his job. “It was quite frustrating,” said Rear Adm. Harold Robinson, a rabbi and director of the Association of Jewish Chaplains of the Armed
University of Cincinnati Gastric Lab. They were married in 1953 and moved to Boston where he was a Resident Physician at Boston City Hospital. Next stop was a Fellowship in Hematology at Duke University Hospital, followed by a return to Boston where he worked with the world-renowned Hematologist, Dr. William Dameshek at Tufts University Hospital. This work influenced Dr. Burgin to specialize in Hematology and Internal Medicine. His study was interrupted by the Korean War when he was drafted in the Doctor’s Draft and assigned to Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Wash. Dr. Burgin served his country for two years as a Captain in the Medical Corps before returning to Cincinnati to start his medical practice. In his free time, Dr. Burgin enjoyed gardening, traveling, playing bridge, listening to the opera and spending time with family and friends. He was an avid reader of The American Israelite and was known to read the paper each week “cover to cover.” He was also a longtime member of the Isaac M. Wise Temple and especially enjoyed celebrating the Jewish holidays with his family. In his own childhood he had a traditional upbringing where Yiddish was often heard in the house. He became a Bar Mitzvah and was well versed in Hebrew. Dr. Burgin enjoyed Shabbat dinners, and wearing his special yarmulke as he recited the Kiddush each Friday night. He enjoyed leading Seders and took his job seriously – includ-
ing growing the horseradish for the Seder plate himself. And he was truly blessed to participate in the Bar and Bat Mitzvahs of all five of his grandchildren. Dr. Burgin volunteered at Jewish Family Service in their adoption program and served as a judge at the Walnut Hills High School Science Fair. He retired from private practice and immediately went back to work part-time at the Veteran’s Hospital in Fort Thomas, Ky., before fully retiring in 2009. Reflections from Dr. Burgin’s children: “Shalom is a unique word in that it means both hello and goodbye. It is a fitting end to a life’s motto. While we say goodbye to a very special man, we also say hello as we welcome all he gave us throughout his lifetime. He is with us forever.” Surviving relatives include his wife of 58 years, June Burgin; his children, Lynn (Stuart Goldstein) Burgin of Portland, Or., Lester (Margie) Burgin, Cynthia Burgin and Seth Burgin; his grandchildren, Andrew and Douglas Goldstein, Leah, Emma and Jay Burgin; his twin sister, Phyllis Burgin and his younger sister, Esther (Herbert) Rose of Sarasota, Fla. Services were held at Weil Funeral Home on February 16, officiated by Rabbi Lewis Kamrass of Wise Temple. Interment was at United Jewish Cemetery in Walnut Hills. Memorial contributions can be made to the Isaac M. Wise Temple, the U.C. College of Medicine or the charity of one’s choice.
the street in panic and shock; it was not a pretty scene. There were people running out of buildings, a lot of screaming, damage, smoke.” Amid the chaos, Friedman was unable to assess the damage to the building but said it was unlikely to have survived the many aftershocks. Later in the day, Chabad announced that the building, which also housed the city’s only kosher cafe, had been toppled. The body of the Israeli who was killed in the quake could not be retrieved immediately. “The body is still in the car where the building collapsed,” Friedman said Tuesday.
“Emergency crews are still working on people who can be saved.” Rabbi Mendel Goldstein, the chief rabbi of Chabad in New Zealand, said he had spoken to Shemi Tzur, Israel’s ambassador in New Zealand, and Yuval Rotem, Israel’s ambassador in Canberra, Australia. Goldstein said he was frantically fielding calls and e-mails from worried parents in Israel. Tzur has asked all Israeli nationals to leave the devastated city, which has been declared a disaster zone. “We’ve asked them to take a car and drive as far away from here as possible,” he was reported as saying.
Forces and Veterans Affairs, which has spearheaded the project. Plans called for the monument to stand in a section of Arlington known as Chaplains Hill, which now houses three monuments honoring 242 chaplains of other faiths. The new monument would honor eight Jewish chaplains who perished while on active duty during World War II, two who died during the Cold War and three who lost their lives during the Vietnam War and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. The congressional resolution that would clear the way for construction of the memorial has been
actively supported by a broad swath of the Jewish community, including the American Jewish Committee, the Orthodox Union and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Members of Congress, Daroff said, “are overwhelmingly supportive” of the resolution — once they find out that Jewish chaplains who perished while on active duty have been excluded from Chaplains Hill. “Unfortunately, most folks don’t know about Chaplains Hill and beyond that, the Jewish chaplains who died,” said Daroff, who is optimistic about the resolution’s chances.
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