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Kim Morris Heiman to receive Jewish women’s award
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Access: Helping Jewish young professionals get connected
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For Daniel Agami, 9/11 attack was a call to service — and to tragic...
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Conference for art mavens reflects European Jewry’s niche-appeal trend
Adath Israel hosts 8th annual Mitzvah Day From feeding the hungry to assembling personal care kits for the homeless, Adath Israel Congregation’s Mitzvah Day will assist 16 non-profit organizations. The Aug. 21 event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is open to anyone interested in lending a hand. Volunteers can register on the Adath Israel website. “In addition to all of the good work that has been done through all of our Mitzvah Days, there have been a lot of new people who have come into our congregation and community,” said Rabbi Irvin Wise. “Over the years that we’ve held Mitzvah Day, hundreds and hundreds of congregants and others have participated, resulting in many mitzvoth and also many new friendships. I look forward to Mitzvah Day for these reasons and more.” Activities for younger children include making greeting cards for hospice patients and assembling school supplies for kids at Santa Maria. Pillows and blankets will be made for the Lighthouse Youth Organization. Several projects are designed to fight hunger, including cleaning and stocking the Jewish Family Service food pantry. Participants will prepare 250 bag lunches for the Over-the-Rhine Drop Inn Center. The Hoxworth Blood Center will set up at the synagogue, accepting walk-ins and donations by appointment. The SPCA will also be onsite with pets seeking loving families.
Young volunteers pack school supplies for the children at Santa Maria.
Volunteers who prefer to work outside can wash cars to raise funds for children with cancer. Another crew will be at the Halom House, visiting residents and donating yard work. Samples of fair trade, organic kosher coffee will be available and all event participants will receive
commemorative t-shirts. “We hope that people looking for a congregational home will join us for Mitzvah Day and get to know us better,” said Liz Vogel, a member of Adath Israel’s membership committee. “We’ll have information available about membership and the High Holy Days.”
Located in Amberley Village, Adath Israel Congregation is a Kehillah Kedoshah, a Conservative Jewish community, that supports congregants during significant life events, and in their journeys to become more involved, knowledgeable and spiritually fulfilled Jews.
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B’nai Tikvah holds annual meeting Congregation B’nai Tikvah is holding its annual meeting and election of officers and board members on Sunday Aug. 28 from 12 – 1 p.m. This will be fol-
lowed by a picnic and socialization from 1 – 4 p.m. The picnic is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the congregation. A grill will be available at
the congregation’s building for hamburgers and non-pork hot dogs. For more information and to RSVP, please call B’nai Tikvah.
Kim Morris Heiman to receive Jewish women’s award WASHINGTON, DC – Jewish Women International (JWI) has selected Kim Morris Heiman of Cincinnati, president of SK Textile and managing director at Standard Textile Company, as a 2011 Women to Watch honoree for her business leadership and role in reaching out to develop business in Israel. Heiman is responsible for managing the decorative products division of Standard Textile and developing international business in Canada, Mexico, the Middle East and Latin America. Her international work has included opening factories in Israel and Jordan and fostering economic ties between the two countries. She is actively involved in philanthropic and communal activities and is a past president of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, an executive committee member of the
American Society for Yad Vashem and Rockwern Academy Day School, and a board member of the Hadassah Foundation. In 2001, the Cincinnati Enquirer honored her business and philanthropic efforts by naming her a “Woman of the Year.” According to Jewish Woman magazine, Heiman “considers the employment of women around the world, who are often from disadvantaged communities, to be the most rewarding part of her job. ‘By utilizing their weaving and sewing skills, these artisans are able to provide a livelihood for themselves and a more hopeful future for their children,’ she says.” Heiman is one of the exceptional Jewish women from across the United States who will receive the 2011 Women to Watch award. In addition to appearing in the fall issue of Jewish Woman, the women
will be honored at the annual Women to Watch celebration in Washington, D.C. — a gala luncheon, awards ceremony and dynamic honorees’ discussion panel. This year’s event will take place Dec. 5, 2011 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. “Women today are making an immeasurable difference in the world, and these Jewish women, who have accomplished so much in their fields, serve as role models to the next generation of Jewish girls looking to make their way,” said Loribeth Weinstein, JWI’s executive director. “We are thrilled to honor these worthy women and to give them and their accomplishments the spotlight. This is how we ensure the proliferation of women’s leadership.” For more information about Women to Watch and JWI, please visit us online.
Dan Auerbach performs at Adath Take a journey through the richness and variety of Jewish, Israeli and Klezmer music when the America Israel Cultural Foundation, in partnership with the Hazak Group of Adath Israel Congregation, presents a concert on Sunday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. at Adath Israel. Violinist and AICF scholarship recipient Dan Auerbach, accompanied by Cincinnati pianist Claire Lee, will perform music ranging from a fast moving Klezmer medley and contemporary arrangements of Raisins and Almonds and Oyfn Pripetshik to the serene and slightly jazzy Lullaby by Israeli composer Ronn Yedidia, Baal Shem (Three Pictures of Chassidic Life) by Ernest Bloch, Hebrew Melody by Joseph Achron, and Dance of the Rebbitzen, Suite Hebraique, No. 2, by George Perlman. AICF is a primary source of funding for young Israeli artists such as Auerbach who received annual AICF scholarships from his early teens through his years at Juilliard where he received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. He also received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. Described by the New York Times as a player “with quiet virtu-
osity,” and by noted cellist Harvey Shapiro as “a very passionate and committed musician with an excellent technique and an individual sense of style,” Auerbach is a classic example of AICF scholarship winners. Added the Manchester Journal, “His bow danced lightly
Violinist Dan Auerbach
on the strings, imitating the twittering of birds. He showed an excellent sense of phrasing within the style and good dynamic inflection and intonation. He breathed with each phrase and played with a rhythmic vitality that captured the pastoral nature of the piece.” Auerbach has performed solo in Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Juilliard Theater. As a chamber musician he has per-
formed with the New Brunswick and Moscow chamber orchestras, the West End Players of the Dallas Symphony, Jose Limon Dance Company and Columbia University’s Collegium Musicum. His CD releases include the American Festival of Microtonal Music, the David Glukh Klezmer ensemble, and works by Tartini, Brahms and Mozart on the Pitch Label. He has served on the faculty of Morningside College, as Assistant Concertmaster of the Sioux City Symphony, a member of the South Dakota, Des Moines, and Lincoln Symphony Orchestras, and currently is assistant professor of music at Georgia College and State University. Accompanying Auerbach will be Claire Lee, a CCM graduate with a Master of Music degree in piano accompaniment. An organist and free lance accompanist, she directs the choir at Northern Hills Synagogue and accompanies the JCC troubadours. Lee also plays flute in the New Horizons Band and keyboards for the New Horizons Dixieland group. A wine and cheese reception will follow the concert. Tickets are complimentary to members of America Israel Culture Foundation Supporters and available for a small fee for non-members.
3201 E. Galbraith Road • (513) 793-1800 www.adath-israel.org
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Tzur Shalom religious school holds open house Tzur Shalom, the combined religious school of Rockdale Temple and Temple Sholom, will hold an open house from 11 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Aug. 28, at the Rockdale/Mayerson JCC campus. Parents of prospective and current students are warmly invited to attend and encouraged to bring their children. Tzur Shalom serves pre-kindergarten through 8th grade students.
“We’re very excited to hold Tzur Shalom on the Rockdale/JCC campus this year and encourage everyone seeking an excellent Jewish educational experience for their children to attend this open house,” said Cindy Peters, chair of the Rockdale Religious School Committee. School administrators, teachers and adult volunteers from both temples will lead tours of classrooms and other facilities, provide infor-
mation on programs and curriculum and assist parents who wish to enroll their children. Refreshments will be served and children may complete a craft project based on the 2011-12 curriculum theme: Communicating with G-d. “Our focus will be on tefillah with a curriculum designed to introduce the students to many creative ways of praying through use of the five senses,” said Margaret Friedman-
Vaughan, Rockdale’s director of Religious Education. “Students will use art, music, rhythmic movement and dance, meditation, nature encounters, speaking and writing, ritual foods and service to others as they discover the countless ways of making prayer part of daily life.” Further information is available on both temple websites or by calling the offices of Rockdale or Temple Sholom.
JCC fall programs for children starting Sept. 6 The fall season brings back-toschool planning but it also brings fun programs for kids of all ages at the Mayerson JCC. Advance registration is required, and most JCC programs are open to the public. J Members pay discounted fees. A unique benefit of the JCC is that swim lessons are offered yearround in the J’s indoor water-park. Kids can continue to build upon the improvements they have made during the summer swim season. Swim lessons are available several days of the week for all ages
starting at 6 months. There are also several fitnessrelated classes for kids this fall at the JCC. Archery lessons are a great way to improve your child’s self esteem and focus. Using challenges and games, kids learn the safe way to shoot from a certified archery instructor. Archery is available for children in grades 2 8 on Sundays at 3:30 p.m. at the J. Children in grades 4 – 8 who have a dramatic flair, won’t want to miss Center Stage Musical Theater Company this fall. Act,
sing and dance in an original production of a classic melodrama complete with heroes, heroines and villains. This program meets at the J Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. In addition to creative arts programs at the J, there are fun classes for all interests. Boost your child’s memory and concentration skills with chess instruction and competition. This program is available at the JCC for grades 1 – 8 and is taught by a 10-time Cincinnati chess champion. Chess
instruction is only available this fall on Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m. at the J. The JCC offers a variety of programs for the whole family. One such program is Tae-kwon-do for families. This class offers great exercise as well as enhanced balance, coordination and discipline. It is offered Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Registration for JCC fall programs is in progress, and classes are filling up quickly. To register or for a complete list of fall classes, visit the website or call the J.
Hadassah Cincinnati holds ice cream social The Cincinnati Chapter of Hadassah will hold an Ice Cream Social on Sunday, Aug. 28 from 24 p.m. at Loveland Bed & Breakfast. Hadassah members, new members and prospective members are invited to come and enjoy a variety of Graeter’s ice creams and toppings amidst the picturesque country atmosphere while learning about Hadassah’s ongoing mission and accomplishments. Elece Kovel is Membership chair, and co-presidents are Bobbi Handwerger and Sharon Casper. Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is a volunteer women's organization
whose members are motivated and inspired to strengthen their partnership with Israel, ensure Jewish continuity, and realize their potential as a dynamic force in American society. In Israel, Hadassah initiates and supports pace-setting health care, education and youth institutions. The Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) is one of the world’s leading institutions in healthcare, comprised of two medical facilities in Israel – the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center at Ein Kerem and the Hadassah University Hospital at Mount Scopus. HMO places
great emphasis on clinical and scientific research with the aim of advancing and improving medical care. Hadassah Hospital currently participates in a medical collaboration with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, sharing training and technology. Those interested in supporting the amazing work of Hadassah are encouraged to take advantage of a special opportunity that will expire soon. It also makes a meaningful gift to children and grandchildren. Loveland Bed & Breakfast is a log home retreat about a mile from the Loveland Bike Trail, the Little Miami River and downtown
Historic Loveland. The great room has a 30’ high ceiling and stone fireplace, and the backyard oasis has a 3,000 square foot tiered deck and patio lead down to the yard, where one can stroll past the pond and waterfall to an in-ground heated pool. The proprietor, Richard Payton, is the son of Eleanor Payton, a long-time Hadassah member, and he has generously donated the use of his facilities for this event. He will speak about the history of Loveland and his Bed & Breakfast establishment. There is no charge to attend, but RSVPs are requested by Thursday, Aug. 25.
Cinti presents NY ReelAbilities Film Festival Mayerson JCC, Cincinnati Art Museum, College of Mount St. Joseph and Xavier University host award-winning films Cincinnati is the first city in the U.S. to present the traveling program of the New York ReelAbilities Film Festival. This festival features award-winning films and engaging special presentations that celebrate the lives, stories and art of people with disabilities. Never before presented outside of New York City, the ReelAbilities Film Festival is Sept. 10 – 22 at four locations across Greater Cincinnati. Award-winning films are accompanied by discussions and other engaging programs which bring
together the community to explore, discuss and celebrate the diversity of shared human experience. One of the festival’s featured films, Warrior Champions, profiles four Iraq War veterans who returned home with life changing injuries that they turned into Olympic dreams. Premiering on Sept. 12 in Cincinnati, the documentary will be followed by a post-screening discussion with local Paralympian April Kerley. “Warrior Champions is an extraordinary example of how the strength of the human spirit prevails,” said April Kerley, a local US Paralympian and teammate to cast members of Warrior Champions. “These athletes are not only my teammates, but also America’s war heroes and they continue to serve our country even after being
wounded on the battlefield. Their resolve is uncompromising and their journey to qualify and compete as Olympic-level athletes is a reflection of that and the true embodiment of patriotism and courage.” An opening night celebration will be held on Sept. 10 at the Mayerson JCC, presenting the award-winning film Shooting Beauty; guest speaker, Richard Bernstein; and a chocolate dessert reception catered by local company, Chocolate Passion. Guest speaker Bernstein has been blind from birth and has spent his adult life fighting for the rights of the disabled. His incredible story involves accomplishments in the business world and in his personal life, including running marathons around the world, finishing the Ironman Competition, and creating and hosting a television show.
Shooting Beauty, the opening night film, is about an aspiring fashion photographer who discovers the hidden world of beauty at a center for people with significant disabilities. She documents how these people with disabilities learn the art of photography, and get a second shot in life by becoming photographers. Nine different films will be shown throughout the festival. Most films will be shown at the Mayerson JCC with additional film screenings at the Cincinnati Art Museum, College of Mount St. Joseph and Xavier University. Schedules, movie trailers and tickets are available on the JCC website. Tickets should be purchased in advance due to limited space. The ReelAbilities Film Festival is presented by the Mayerson JCC and the Saul Schottenstein Foundation B.
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The American Israelite “LET THERE BE LIGHT” THE OLDEST ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN AMERICA - EST. JULY 15, 1854
VOL. 158 • NO. 4 THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011 18 AV 5771 SHABBAT BEGINS FRIDAY 8:11 PM SHABBAT ENDS SATURDAY 9:12 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 production@americanisraelite.com RABBI ISSAC M. WISE Founder, 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 NICOLE SIMON RITA TONGPITUK Assistant Editors ALEXIA KADISH Copy Editor JANET STEINBERG Travel Editor STEPHANIE DAVIS-NOVAK Fashion Editor SONDRA KATKIN 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 MICHAEL MAZER Sales ERIN WYENANDT Office Manager
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Access: Helping Jewish young professionals get connected Access has become wellknown for hosting some of the biggest social events for Jewish young professionals in the region. But big parties aren’t for everyone. While going to events in which hundreds are in attendance can be appealing to many, to others, they can be very intimidating and overwhelming. That’s why over the years, Access has developed a series of Signature Programs aimed at those looking to make more personal connections with others who share similar interests. From social events to social action projects, and everything in between, no matter what they find most appealing, Access offers something to suit just about every Jewish young professional between the ages of 21-35. Access was started eight years ago by The Mayerson Foundation in response to focus group findings that Jewish young professionals in Greater Cincinnati were looking for consistent, no strings attached programming for their age cohort. Access was born in an effort to fill this unmet need in the Jewish community. “However, it wasn’t long before our events were averaging between 250-300 guests each
time,” explains Pam Saeks, director of Jewish Giving for The Mayerson Foundation. “And while it was tempting to rest on our laurels and be happy with the number of people we were reaching, we felt it was equally important to take a look at who we weren’t reaching. We conducted more focus groups and discovered some very interesting things,” she adds. “Some didn’t know other Jewish people and didn’t feel comfortable coming to the events alone, especially women. That’s when we created No Boyz Allowed, monthly events just for Jewish women who want to get to know other women like themselves. Before long, even those women who didn’t know anyone made lots of friends with whom they could go to other Access events,” she continues. “Based on the success of that program, we created 10 other Signature Programs over the years that have helped us serve the needs of almost everyone looking to get connected to Jewish life in Cincinnati. Now, providing interest-based programming is one of our core guiding principles.” Soon after No Boyz Allowed started, a group of guys approached Pam and the Access
Access Cincinnati’s Young Jewish professionals
staff, asking “What about us?” Thus came No Ma’am, (guys only events), followed by HeBREW Happy Hour (monthly get-togethers at local bars and clubs), JSPN (Jewish Sports Network), JCafe (discussion group and book clubs), ACTout (social action projects, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati), JGourmet (cooking classes), the Got Shabbat (Shabbat Dinner Series, Newcomers’ Nights (for those new to town or just new to
Access), Regional Speed Dating (for singles), and the newest Signature Program just for couples, Schmooze for Two’s. “Access’ Signature Programs offer a casual way to connect with other Jewish young professionals,” explains Marie Krulewitch, now a frequent Access participant. “My first event was a JGourmet cooking class. I was nervous because I hardly knew anyone in Cincinnati, but everyone was really friendly and welcoming! I
chopped and chatted alongside some great people who are now some of my closest friends!” In addition to quarterly parties, Access hosts 4-6 signature programs a month, most of which are completely free or deeply subsidized. Examples of some of the events include: No Boyz Allowed: Street Smarts: Self Defense 411, Mac Attack Makeover, Do it Herself Car Maintenance, Chick Lit and Chocolate, Ladies Night Out on the Levee No Ma’am: Brewery Tunnel Tour, Guys’ Night Out at Gameworks, What Not to Wear: Fashion Basics for Guys at Nordstrom, Paintball Battle HeBREW Happy Hour: Bartini, Penguin Piano Bar, Cock and Bull, Neon’s JSPN: Flag Football, Behind the Scenes Tour of the Great American Ballpark, Reds Games, Bengals Game and Tailgate Party, various Access sponsored CSL (Cincinnati Sports League) teams such as kickball, bowling, softball, sand volleyball JCafe: Kosher Sex, Jewish Ethics in Business, Funny, You Don’t Look Jewish, The Tribe ACCESS on page 19
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For Daniel Agami, 9/11 attack was a call to service — and to tragic destiny
Courtesy Agami family
Daniel Agami on a mission in Baghdad in 2007.
By Danielle Fleischman Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — Daniel Agami was working as a disc jockey in South Florida when the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 changed the trajectory of his life. Suddenly it didn’t feel like performing at events and parties for well-known entertainers was all Agami, then 22, could be doing with his talents. For nearly a year, Agami wrestled with his
emotions over the attacks, often talking to his parents and siblings about his anger. After about a year he enlisted in the U.S. Army, knowing full well he’d be sent to Iraq. It would not be Agami’s first time in the Middle East: As the son of an Israeli army veteran and part of a strongly identified Jewish family, Agami grew up going to Israel every year. But this would be his first time putting on a uniform. The fateful decision to enlist
eventually would earn Agami a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and an Army commendation medal. It would also exact the ultimate price: On June 21, 2007, an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad, killing Agami and four other soldiers. Service ran in Agami’s blood. His grandfather, Leonard Becker, had served in the Korean War. His father, Itzhak, had fought in the Israeli army. So when he told his family that he had signed up to serve, they weren’t surprised. “I believe had a calling,” said his mother, Beth Agami. Even as a teenager, Agami’s brother said, Daniel would sport dog tags and wear military-style gear. “He chose to join the Army to become more accomplished,” Ilan Agami told JTA. “He wanted to prove himself.” Agami wasn’t known for taking things lightly. Growing up in Broward County, Fla., Judaism played “an extreme role in Daniel’s life,” his mother said. Agami attended a Jewish day school, kept kosher and as an adult regularly went to Shabbat services with his family at the local Chabad. AGAMI on page 19
A primer on Palestinian statehood By Uriel Heilman Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — On Sept. 20, when the annual session of the U.N. General Assembly opens, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to ask U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon to present a Palestinian request for statehood recognition to the U.N. Security Council. The long-anticipated request will kick off a chain of events that some analysts are warning could result in a new paroxysm of violence in the Middle East. Here is a guide to what might happen, and what it might mean. What do the Palestinians want the United Nations to recognize? The Palestinians want recognition of the state of Palestine in the entirety of the West Bank, Gaza and eastern Jerusalem. The West Bank — an area controlled by Jordan from the end of Israel’s War of Independence in 1949 until it was captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War — includes lands on which Jewish settlements now sit. Eastern Jerusalem was effectively annexed by Israel, but the international community
views it as occupied territory. In total, more than 600,000 Jews reside in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank. What’s the legal process for becoming a state? The U.N. Security Council’s approval is required to become a U.N. member state. The United States, which is one of the 15member council’s five permanent, veto-wielding members, has promised to veto a Palestinian statehood resolution. Is there a way for the Palestinians to overcome a U.S. veto? Not in the Security Council. However, the Palestinians still could seek statehood recognition at the U.N. General Assembly. While a General Assembly vote in favor of Palestinian statehood would not carry the force of law, the passage of such a resolution would be highly symbolic and represent a significant public relations defeat for Israel. Is there any benefit short of full statehood recognition that the Palestinians can obtain at the United Nations? Yes. The Palestinians already
have non-member permanent observer status at the United Nations, which they obtained in 1974. This time, the General Assembly could vote to recognize Palestine as a non-member U.N. state, which would put Palestinian U.N. membership on par with that of the Vatican. While being a nonmember state wouldn’t give the Palestinians much more than they have now as a non-state observer, it would be another symbolic victory. If the Palestinians can get a two-thirds majority in support of statehood in the General Assembly, they also could put forward a so-called Uniting for Peace resolution. This nonbinding, advisory resolution could provide legal cover to nations wanting to treat Palestine as a state — for example, allowing sanctions and lawsuits against Israel to go forward. The Uniting for Peace option was first used to circumvent a Soviet veto in the Security Council against action during the Korean War, and it was employed during the 1980s to protect countries that sanctioned apartheid South Africa from being sued under international trade laws. STATEHOOD on page 20
Jonathan Pollack
Students preparing for the new school year participating in simulation exercises in areas such as Israel education, peer engagement and grass-roots organizing at Hillel’s annual conference at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., August 2011.
Hillel to launch its own tents for Israel By David Baugher Jewish Telegraphic Agency ST. LOUIS, Mo. (St. Louis Jewish Light) – Call it the tent movement. In Israel, tent cities are popping up throughout the country as part of a broad social protest against high housing prices in the Jewish state. In America, Hillel is planning to set up tents at 20 campuses across the country this fall as places for respectful dialogue about Israel and Middle East issues. “The purpose of the tent is to grapple with the challenges that Israel is facing and that will play out on college campuses,” said Sharon Ashley, head of the recently formed Center for Israel Engagement, which operates under Hillel’s auspices. Ashley introduced the initiative, called Talk Israel, at Hillel’s annual conference last week, held this year at Washington University in St. Louis. The tents, set to go up for a full day sometime in late September, are part of Hillel’s response to the expected vote on Palestinian statehood at the United Nations in September. The tents might involve a video link with speakers as well as other common resources, but each campus on its own will decide the crux of the tent’s activities. Hillel has not yet chosen which campuses will get a tent. “The tent has got flaps, but at the same time it’s open,” Wayne Firestone, Hillel’s president, said in his plenary address at the conference. “It’s open in the sense that we want to be open and inviting to students that want to engage in conversations about Israel that we are so passionate about, and we refuse to allow ourselves to be marginalized and polarized by those on the edges and outside the tent.” Ashley, a former journalist and longtime resident of Israel, said she hoped tent visitors would come
away with a sense that the Jewish state is more than just the conflict. Other than the existence of Israel itself, she said any issue is up for discussion. Opinions can be offered freely as long as the bounds of civility are observed. “You are welcome in this tent to ask questions, but you can’t have all the answers,” she said. “This is not a one-off event. This is hopefully something that can be replicated in the spring.” More than 400 students from U.S. Hillels came to St. Louis for the conference, and they were joined by about as many professionals from the Jewish campus group. Washington University was hosting the weeklong event for a second consecutive year. In his speech, Firestone also spoke about using social networking to connect Jews, calling Hillel the “Facebook of the Jewish people” and talking about how the models for engaging young Jews increasingly are bottom-up rather than top down. They focus on students not as passive consumers, he said, but as active “prosumers” who bring content and meaning to the interaction. Aaron Weil, a St. Louis native who now heads the Pittsburgh Hillel, said he thought the conference was valuable. “It gives colleagues the opportunity to connect with one another,” said Weil, who was honored with Hillel’s Exemplar of Excellence Award. “One of the challenges of Hillel is that because we are so spread out around the world, it can be easy to get stuck in a silo mentality where all you know is what you see and experience on a day-to-day basis.” Arielle Weil, a 19-year-old art student at Elon University in North Carolina, said the conference allowed her to understand the best ways to interact with the few Jewish students on her small campus.
NATIONAL • 7
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
Newest entrant into GOP field, Rick Perry, is longtime friend of Israel — and Jesus By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — To some conservative Jews, Texas Gov. Rick Perry would make an excellent presidential candidate. He’s been to Israel more than any other candidate in the field and has said he loves it. And Perry creates jobs. But other Jewish conservatives seeking the anti-Obama candidate look at the three-term governor and see something arresting: He believes he’s on a mission from God. Perry has nonplussed longtime Jewish supporters by claiming that he has been “called” to the presidency and by hosting a prayer rally this month that appealed to Jesus to save America. Jennifer Rubin, the Washington Post’s Right Turn columnist and a bellwether of Jewish conservatism, took liberals to task on her blog for treating the event as “a spectacle” — it was borne of deeply considered worries about the country’s parlous state, she said — but Rubin also expressed caveats about the rally. “His words at the event were restrained but not ecumenical,” she wrote. “And his use of public office to promote the Christian event was, to me, inappropriate. The event, while scheduled last December, is still reflective of the man who would be president. Would he do this in the Oval Office? Does he not understand how many Americans might be offended? Is he lacking advice from a non-Texan perspective?” Fred Zeidman, an influential Houston lawyer who has known Perry for decades and has hosted him at his home, said that “None of us remember him being quite as devout as he seems to be now, but we wouldn’t necessarily have known.” Zeidman, who for eight years served as chairman of the board of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, supports Mitt Romney. But Zeidman told JTA that before endorsing Romney, he checked with Perry last December to ask whether he would be running. At the time Perry said no. On Saturday, Perry threw his hat into the ring. “A great country requires a better direction,” he said, declaring his candidacy. “A renewed nation needs a new president.” Perry has been a conservative since before he switched parties in 1989 to became a Republican. A cotton farmer and former Air Force pilot, he led efforts in his first five years as a Democrat in the Texas Legislature to pare the budget. Perry, a devout Methodist, was attracted to Israel from the launch
Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons
Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaking at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, June 18, 2011.
of his career. One of his first acts after being elected agriculture commissioner in 1991 was to create the Texas-Israel Exchange, which promoted information and research sharing. In a 2009 interview with The Jerusalem Post, when as governor he led a delegation to Israel, Perry — who at about the same time flirted with Texas secessionist rhetoric — said the alliance was a natural one. “When I was here for the first time some 18 years ago and I was touring the country, the comparison between Masada and the Alamo was not lost on me,” he told the Post. “I mean, we’re talking about two groups of people who were willing to give up their lives for freedom and liberty.” As much as Perry’s heartfelt love for Israel makes him attractive to Republican Jews, it is the other reason that he was in Israel at the time — seeking out job creation initiatives, as he has across the globe — that has been the basis of his Jewish support. “I became intrigued by Rick Perry when I read his book ‘Fed Up!’ because it was exactly what I was feeling,” Robin Bernstein, who heads Perry’s fundraising in Florida, said in an interview. “His economic success in Texas is a model for the entire country.” Texas has managed to weather the recession comparatively well, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has reported that half of all U.S. jobs created from June 2009 to April 2011 were in Texas. Published last year, “Fed Up!: Our Fight to Save America from Washington” blames America’s woes on an arrogant power elite in Washington. In the first chapter, Perry accuses this elite of “chutzpah” — music to conservative ears seeking relief from what they see as government unbound. “We are fed up with being overtaxed and overregulated,” Perry wrote. “We are tired of being told how much salt we can put on our
food, what windows we can buy for our house, what kind of cars we can drive, what kinds of guns we can own, what kind of prayers we are allowed to say and where we can say them, what political speech we are allowed to use to elect candidates, what kind of energy we can use, what kind of food we can grow, what doctor we can see, and countless other restrictions on our right to live as we see fit.” It’s a message that resounds with Jewish conservatives — save, perhaps, for its defense of public prayer. By the same token, Perry’s declaration last month that the presidency is “what I’ve been called to”
sent a shudder through some among the conservative Jewish establishment. This month it was Perry’s leadership in organizing the massive Houston prayer rally, dubbed The Response, and his insistence that “we must come together and call upon Jesus to guide us through unprecedented struggles” that led some Jewish conservatives to go on the record with their discomfiture. “My response to The Response: No, thanks,” wrote Jacob Sullum, a syndicated columnist. “My people have managed without Jesus for thousands of years. Why start now?” Sullum also criticized Perry for seeming to abandon his previous let-the-states-decide view on social issues in favor of amendments to the U.S. Constitution that would outlaw abortion and same-sex marriage everywhere in the country. Sixteen rabbis were among 50
Houston clergy members who urged Perry not to host the rally. National groups like the Anti-Defamation League also opposed it. “He called this rally as a governor,” Abraham Foxman, the ADL’s national director, said in an interview before Perry’s formal declaration of his candidacy for president. “He didn’t try to camouflage anything. He’s pleasant and he’s smart, he has good relations with the Jewish community, but this is a conscious disregard of law and authority. What troubles me most is this is his perception of where America is at.” Bernstein, Perry’s Florida backer, said such concerns are overstated. “Nobody criticized Moses for being ‘called,’ “ she said. “The fact that he upholds the Ten Commandments is very important. I like to believe a man of faith has a moral compass.”
8 • NATIONAL
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After Norway and before 9/11 anniversary, U.S. answers questions about homegrown threats By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON — (JTA) With the Norway attacks fresh in mind and the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks fast approaching, are U.S. authorities paying attention to the right kinds of threats? The fear is that with polarization intensifying in America, extremists might mark the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 with a major attack, said Heidi Beirich, the research director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremists in the United States. And Beirich said the July 22 mass killing of 77 people by Anders Behring Breivik, an antiMuslim extremist in Norway, “raises considerable fears that something similar could happen here in the United States.” Asked about homegrown threats, an FBI spokeswoman pointed JTA to an April 14 speech by Mark Giuliano, the assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. In his speech, Giuliano outlined four areas of focus. Three have to
Kyle Monahan, Creative Commons
Tributes at the Oklahoma City bombing memorial on July 8 2011. Federal authorities say concerns about Islamist extremists since then have not distracted them from rightwing extremism.
do with Muslim terrorism or its potential: al-Qaeda, homegrown Islamists and the changes roiling the Arab world. The fourth was identified as domestic terrorism.
“The FBI continues to maintain a robust effort against domestic terrorism,” Giuliano said in the speech. “The domestic terrorism movement continues to remain active, and several recent domestic terrorism incidents demonstrate the scope of the threat.” Giuliano cited as examples three recent successes for the FBI: the March 2010 indictment of nine members of a Michigan militia who planned to kill police; a pipe bomb found before it exploded at a Martin Luther King Day parade in Spokane, Wash., this year and the arrest of a suspect; and the arrests of three suspects in Fairbanks, Alaska, on weapons charges. After the attacks in Norway, U.S. officials offered assurances that they are paying close attention to the homegrown potential for violence, including from white extremists. A White House strategy published Aug. 3 on encouraging authorities to use community outreach to prevent terrorism recruitment focused mostly on the Islamist threat, but made clear that anti-government extremists still posed a danger. “In recent history, our country has faced plots by neo-Nazis and
other anti-Semitic hate groups, racial supremacists, and international and domestic terrorist groups,” it said, “and since the September 11 attacks, we have faced an expanded range of plots and attacks in the United States inspired or directed by al-Qaeda and its affiliates and adherents as well as other violent extremists.” In an interview with JTA, the FBI spokeswoman would not comment on whether the United States has seen an extremism or if there was a focus on particular regions of the country. Matthew Levitt, the Washington Institute’s senior fellow analyzing counterterrorism who hosted Giuliano, said the U.S. government has been concerned about the possibility of an increase in violence from extremists since the election of Barack Obama as president. “It was the first time an African American was elected president, and it was a shot in the arm” to white supremacist extremists, he said. Levitt, who was a counterterrorism analyst for the U.S. Treasury in the mid-2000s, said the FBI’s focus is still on Islamist terror, but that it’s not neglecting homegrown threats. THREATS on page 20
The ‘mother’ of all dating sites: You-know-who goes online to make a match By Richard Greenberg Wasjington Week WASHINGTON (Washington Jewish Week) — Loren Rosenzweig earned a coveted spot in the pantheon of uber-Jewish motherhood by surreptitiously enlisting the help of a military chaplain — in Iraq, no less — to find a husband for her unsuspecting and initially mortified 25year-old daughter, Annie. Reflecting on the recent episode, the newly married Annie, who lives with her husband in the trendy Dupont Circle neighborhood in Washington, expressed conflicted feelings. Her mother’s unauthorized intervention had worked out well for her in the marital department, she conceded in an interview with the Washington Jewish Week, but adding that “it might embolden Jewish mothers everywhere” to pull the same stunt. Note to Annie: They’ve already been emboldened, thanks to a novel approach to electronic matchmaking. A new Jewish dating website called The JMom “actually encourages moms to do the picking for their children,” according to a JMom spokesperson. “As Annie learned, moms sometimes do know best.” The website is the brainchild of
Chicago-based siblings Brad and Danielle Weisberg (ages 30 and 27, respectively), whose mother, Barbara, was their inspiration for her dogged efforts to try to set them up with the right person. Alas, both are still single — but Barbara’s search goes on.
Gary Gondos of Bethesda, Md., whose mom, Myra, joined The JMom website at his request.
“That’s all she thinks about,” Brad said with a chuckle. “I think Jewish mothers get a bum rap,” said Barbara, who is in her 60s and has been married 37 years. (She met her husband, Frank, on a blind date.) “There’s nothing wrong with suggesting a date for your child, but I will not push them.
Some people are very assertive with their children in this area, but I’m not that way. It’s just that it’s very difficult to meet people, so it’s nice to have someone involved who has a different perspective.” The JMom, which was launched early this year, has about 1,000 parent members, including some from the Washington area. The children involved are mostly in their 20s and 30s, but they range in age from late teens to early 60s. For now, The JMom’s services are offered for free, “but if we keep growing,” said Brad, the owner of an Internet company, “we’ll probably have to charge something to keep the lights on.” The JMom typically works like this: A parent (usually a mom) posts his or her child’s dating profile on the site, along with a few paragraphs on family background, in hopes of connecting with other Jewish parents who have submitted the same type of data. If the two groups of parents agree that a match may be in the offing, they each press a button that sends the profiles to their respective kids, thus setting the stage for personal contact between the profilees themselves. Ideally, no information is submitted and no buttons are pressed without the consent of the profilees, according to Danielle, who recently
received her master’s degree in elementary education and hopes to go into Jewish education. “We don’t want them to do anything behind anybody’s back,” she said. Some 150 matches have been authorized by The JMom profilees, but no one knows if any have resulted in marriages. Participating Washington-area parents include Carolyn Makovi, 59, of Silver Spring, Md. A few weeks ago she asked her 27-year-old son, Matthew, if he would mind if she assembled a dating profile and posted it on The JMom. “He didn’t sound enthusiastic,” Makovi recalled, “but he didn’t say ‘leave me alone and mind your own business,’ so I figured nothing ventured, nothing gained. I’m just trying to help out and provide him with another possible avenue.” The profile describes Matthew as a 5-foot-8-inch graduate of Montgomery College who works in retail sales; loves movies, music, sports, reading and his dog; and is not religious. (Makovi, meanwhile, noted that she is a member of a Reconstructionist congregation.) Matthew has twice been to Israel, once with Taglit-Birthright. DATING on page 21
National Briefs Noach Flug, advocate for Holocaust survivors, dies NEW YORK (JTA) — Holocaust survivor leader Noach Flug, who in his younger days was part of the Lodz Ghetto underground, died in Israel at the age of 86. Flug became a leading advocate for the rights of Holocaust survivors in his later years. Serving as chairman of the Center for Organizations of Holocaust Survivors, he organized his fellow survivors to directly lobby the German government for restitution. Flug believed that survivors should work in their own interests and not rely on politicians or trustees to work for them. “Not in our name and not without us,” he once said. Flug also served on the boards of the Claims Conference, the World Jewish Restitution Organization, the International Auschwitz Committee and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. In 2006, Germany awarded Flug the country’s Grand Cross of the Order of Merit for “decades-long work on behalf of survivors of the Holocaust and his tireless efforts to promote understanding between Jews and non-Jews and between Israel and Germany.” Flug was born in Lodz, Poland, in 1925. Forced into the city’s Jewish ghetto in 1940, he joined its underground while serving as forced labor. He was deported to Birkenau in 1944 and was transferred to other concentration camps until liberation by American troops. After the war he stayed in Poland until 1958, when he moved to Israel with his wife and two daughters, working as an economist and diplomat. Flug is survived by his wife, Dorota, two daughters and four grandchildren. Oren attends White House iftar dinner NEW YORK (JTA) — Israeli ambassador Michael Oren attended the annual White House dinner celebrating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Wednesday dinner was an “iftar,” when observant Muslims break their daylight fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Along with Oren envoys from some 35 nations with significant Muslim populations were present, as well as members of the American Muslim community. NATIONAL BRIEFS on page 21
INTERNATIONAL • 9
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
As London burns, riots spread to Jewish communities International By Dan Klein Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) – While some Jews in London marked Tisha b’Av on Tuesday by lamenting the burning of the Holy Temples on that day some two millennia ago, other London Jews watched as their city burned amid widespread rioting. “Everyone is shocked,” Joel Braunold, a lifelong Londoner, told JTA in a phone interview just after leaving Tisha b’Av services Monday night. “People are angry and scared.” Violent protests that broke out last Saturday following a deadly police shooting in the North London neighborhood of Tottenham quickly turned into riots, arson attacks and looting in neighborhoods this week all over the city in the worse civil unrest that London has seen in 25 years. In some cases, the Jews reportedly weren’t just bystanders. The Guardian reported that some members of Tottenham's small Chasidic community — all that remains of a once-substantial Jewish community that earned its local soccer team the nickname “the Yids” — gathered to jeer police. A video posted on YouTube shows Orthodox men laughing and then
Creative Commons
Passers-by glancing at looted stores in a London neighborhood, Aug. 9, 2011.
scattering as a crowd of mounted police officers move in. In another video, young Orthodox men can be seen handing out challah. “When I saw Jewish people out tonight I was happy,” one protester told the Socialist Worker newspaper. “I thought, it’s not just us. They gave us bread.” Most Jews, however, appear to be eager for a return to law and order. Local rabbis and the Shomrim Orthodox security service have warned Jewish community members to stay away from the riots, the
UK Jewish Chronicle reported. As the riots spread to Jewish areas of Stamford Hill and Golders Green, several Jewish-owned businesses were ransacked. Joelle Selt told JTA that her father's general store was robbed at knifepoint by masked men, and a 71-year-old Jewish-owned store in Tottenham was looted Sunday morning, the Chronicle reported. “They are tearing up their own community,” the store's owner, Derek Lewis, said of the rioters, as reported in the Chronicle. “It’s tragic.” At least two stabbings were
reported Monday night in Stamford Hill, and clashes between rioters and police were reported in Golders Greer and Camden. Linda W., a mother of three daughters who lives in London, contrasted the rioters disparagingly with the massive but nonviolent protests in Israel over high housing prices. “It’s evident who raises the better man,” she wrote in an e-mail to JTA. Linda said the Riot Act — a 1715 law that made it a felony for groups of 12 or more to refuse to disperse after being ordered to do so — should be returned to the books. The law was repealed in 1973. “People want to enforce the law by any means necessary,” Braunold said. “They don't care anymore; they just want the riots off the streets.” The rioting began following the police shooting Aug. 4 in Tottenham of a suspected drug dealer named Mark Duggan, and spread to young people in poorer neighborhoods. Many analysts have linked the riots to the weak economy, widespread unemployment and deep budget cuts that have hurt Britain’s poor. “There are underlying causes,” Braunold said, “but first the rioting and hooliganism needs to stop. This brings out the worst characteristics in people, and they need to face the consequences.”
Conference for art mavens reflects European Jewry’s niche-appeal trend By Alex Weisler Jewish Telegraphic Agency AVIGNON, France (JTA) — The roomful of artists, musicians and cultural leaders let their imaginations run wild. Unencumbered by budgetary considerations or practical concerns, they dreamed up a theater partnership between Budapest and Bordeaux, a traveling photo exhibit on the idea of “kosher spaces” and a host of other ideas aimed at pooling the cultural capital of Europe’s Jewish communities. Last month’s European Seminar on Jewish Culture and Innovation brought participants from more than a dozen European countries to this medieval city in Provence. The three-day conference was timed to coincide with Avignon’s famed monthlong summertime theater festival. In efforts to strengthen European Jewish life, there is an increasing tendency to focus on niche appeals, said Mario Izcovich, director of panEuropean programs for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which co-sponsored the conference. “This connects with the time we are living in,” Izcovich said of specialized conferences like the
Alex Weisler
From left, Jean-Charles Zerbib, regional liaison to Israel for FSJU; Peter Gyori, vice president of the Federation of Czech Jewish Communities; and Judy Trotter, education director for the London Jewish Cultural Center, at the European Seminar on Jewish Culture in France, July 2011.
one in Avignon. “We have different niches and different targets and different interests, and that’s the way we now approach Jewish life.” Participants in the seminar, the first of its kind, came from Jewish hubs like London, Budapest and Paris, but also from smaller communities like Zurich, Belgrade and Copenhagen. In addition to JCC professionals, representatives of more outside-the-box Jewish cul-
tural initiatives were well represented in Avignon. Judith Scheer, chairwoman of Salon Vienna, a monthly gathering that uses Jewish texts and themes as the basis for artistic exploration and philosophical discussion, spoke about the struggles she faced in getting the established Austrian Jewish community to acknowledge her group’s appeal. Scheer said the focus should be on creating programs that engage
unaffiliated members of the Jewish community. “The fed-up-ness is everywhere,” Scheer said, describing the alienation of young European Jews from their organized Jewish communities. Edina Schon, the producer of Budapest’s Golem Theater, which specializes in avant-garde works, told the Avignon gathering about her unsuccessful campaigns to secure funding from her local organized community. But, she said, the upside is that it gives her theater company a greater degree of artistic freedom. “We don’t have to stay with the old tradition,” Schon said. “I think our responsibility is to give the artist the freedom to create whatever he wants to create and not be afraid of the results.” The fact that many of the seminar’s attendees were not Jewish communal professionals but rather from more independent, grassroots initiatives was a positive aspect of the conference, Izcovich told the crowd. “All over Europe what’s happening — what’s growing like ‘champignons’ everywhere,” Izcovich said, using the French word for “mushrooms,” “are Jewish initiatives that recognize that not everything needs to be provided by the formal Jewish community.”
Briefs Iran to name street for Rachel Corrie (JTA) — Tehran’s City Council reportedly will name a street for Rachel Corrie, the Jewish-American proPalestinian activist who was killed by an Israeli military bulldozer in Gaza. Thursday’s edition of Hamshari, a daily paper affiliated with the city government, reported that the council had decided to rename a street Rachel Aliene Corrie. Corrie was a 23-year-old student from Washington state who was killed while attempting to prevent the demolition of Palestinian homes. In 2010, an Irish-flagged ship in the socalled Gaza flotilla named the Rachel Corrie was stopped by the Israeli Navy. The Corrie street will be the first street in Iran named for a U.S. national since the 1979 revolution. Prior to the revolution, at least three main streets in Tehran were named for ex-U.S. presidents. Jewish groups in Uruguay protesting envoy’s Holocaust denial BUENOS AIRES (JTA) — Jewish institutions in Uruguay have planned a demonstration against statements denying the Holocaust made by the Iranian ambassador to the country. Thursday’s demonstration also will protest the growing influence of the Iranian regime in the region, as well as call for the Holocaust and other genocides to be included in the Uruguayan education curriculum. It coincides with a visit by the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister to Europe and America, Ali Ahani, who began a South American tour this week that includes Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. The rally, called “Against Memory Extermination,” was organized by the Jewish Central Committee of Uruguay, Zionist Youth Federation and the Memory of the Holocaust Center. “What happened in Uruguay shows the true intentions of the Iranian government behind commercial ties with Latin American countries,” Claudio Epelman, director of the Latin American Jewish Congress, told JTA. “Iran seeks to spread its idea of antiSemitism and hatred in the region. One cannot shield the trade relations between countries of their ideologies and politics.” INT’L BRIEFS on page 22
10 • ISRAEL
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Just how expensive is it to live in Israel? By Jessica Steinberg Jewish Telegraphic Agency JERUSALEM (JTA) What began in Israel in June as a Facebook-driven rebellion against the rising cost of cottage cheese, then morphed in July into tent encampments protesting soaring real estate costs, has since turned into a full-scale Israeli social movement against the high cost of living in the Jewish state. From Tel Aviv’s tent-filled Rothschild Boulevard to marches in Beersheva, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have participated in one protest or another. The movement’s targets have expanded from housing and cheese prices to everything from the costs of child care and gas — not to mention salaries. All this begs the question: Just how expensive is it to live in Israel? A close examination of some key metrics show that compared to the United States and Europe, Israeli costs of living are a mixed bag. Salaries are lower, but so are health care costs. Consumer goods and services costs are nearly double those in the United States, and owning a car can run about six times as much relative to one’s salary. So how do Israelis make it? Israeli retailers and banks offer easy credit on everything from bigticket items like summer vacations to everyday purchases like groceries; all can be paid in monthly installments. The result is that many Israelis are perennially in debt and are increasingly frustrated by their inability to cover costs with their monthly paychecks. Here’s a closer look at some of the costs of living in Israel. Housing: The most expensive and desirable places to live in Israel are in the center of the country, where the vast majority of the population resides and works. According to figures from the real estate company RE/MAX Israel, apartment prices in central Tel Aviv run $5,714 to $7,142 per square meter. In Jerusalem, the peripheral neighborhoods of East Talpiot and Kiryat Hayovel offer housing from $4,285 to $5,714 per square meter, while prices in the tonier neighborhoods of Baka, the German Colony and Rechavia range from $7,000 to $8,571 per square meter. That means that in Baka or the German Colony, a typical two-bedroom apartment starts at $428,571, according to Alyssa Friedland, a broker for RE/MAX. In the peripheral neighborhoods, some of which are built on territory captured from Jordan in the 1967 SixDay War, a two-bedroom apartment runs for about $343,000. According to RE/MAX figures, two-bedroom apartments in
Beersheva, Haifa, Hadera and Afula cost between $143,000 and $286,000. Mortgage rates are about 4.5 percent, according to Friedland, but the required down payment is usually about 40 percent. “Young couples are getting the money from their parents because they don’t typically have savings like that,” she said. As the economist Daniel Doron noted recently in The Wall Street Journal, “A small apartment can cost the average Israeli worker 12
an Israeli. A Honda Civic, which has a sticker price of approximately $16,000 in the United States, costs $33,000 in Israel. Gas costs more than $8 per gallon. As most Israelis earn about one-third of their American counterparts, Israelis may spend more than six times as much of their monthly salaries on car ownership as the average American. The alternative — public transportation — is cheap by comparison in Israel, though the network of
Yossi Zamir/Flash 90
Hundreds of Israelis protesting against the country's soaring cost of living in front of the Knesset in Jerusalem, Aug. 2, 2011
years in annual salary.” Salaries: In Israel, the average salary is about $2,572 per month, and the average income for a family with two wage earners is approximately $3,428 per month, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics Teachers and nurses earn about $1,666 a month, making Israeli teachers’ salaries among the lowest in the world, according to a recent report by the international Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Business managers, computer engineers and lawyers have some of the highest median salaries in Israel. A lawyer with five years’ experience can make $5,500 to $6,500 per month, and top associates earn about $8,571 per month, according to Dudi Zalmanovitsh, who runs the Tel Aviv law consulting firm GlawBAL. Technology professionals are some of the highest paid in Israel, with technical writers and software engineers earning between $2,500 and $3,500 a month, and managers making upward of $10,000 a month. Doctors, most of whom work at clinics and hospitals, earn $6,000 to $7,000 a month, unless they also have a private practice. Transportation: With a tax rate of 78 percent on new cars, a lack of competition in the import market and high auto insurance costs — not to mention the price of gas — owning a car can be one of the most expensive things for
mass transit is much less developed here than in America or Europe. A small but growing number of Israelis commute by train, but most need to take a bus to complete their commute. Buses are subsidized and therefore relatively cheap. Within cities, bus fare costs about $1.51 per ride or $65 for a monthly pass. Health care: Israel’s socialized health care system is considered among the world’s best, and taxes pay the lion’s share of costs. Based on figures from the National Insurance Institute, the health care costs deducted from the average paycheck are between 3 percent and 5.5 percent, estimates Dr. Michael Cohen, who runs an HMO in the coastal city of Netanya. With a system of universal health care run by private corporations, all citizens are entitled to the same uniform package. Whether self-employed or employed by a company, every citizen pays a basic health insurance rate to one of the four HMOs, which are heavily regulated by the government and subsidized. For Israelis who need to visit the doctor, require fertility treatment or visit the emergency room, the extra costs are minimal. Medications are cheaper in Israel than in the United States because they are subsidized by the HMOs. Many Israelis choose to expand their coverage with private health insurance that offers more access to private care or more comprehensive coverage. Private insurance costs a fraction of what it costs in
the States. “The working poor are much better off here because if someone gets sick, they still get full hospital treatment for what would be very expensive in the U.S.,” Cohen said. Taxes: Israel is more like Europe than America on taxes. The top rate of income tax is 45 percent (it was 50 percent until 2003). The value added tax, or VAT, which amounts to a sales tax, is 16 percent. That’s considered regressive because rich and poor pay the same rate. The average Israeli pays an income tax rate of 20.5 percent. The top 1 percent of salaried workers, who earn an average of $19,000 per month, pay a 40 percent income tax rate. The top 1 percent of the self-employed — the super-rich who gross an average of $121,000 per month — pay 26 percent in income tax. Education: Education is one area in which Israelis pay considerably less than Americans. Tuition at Israel’s renowned public universities is about $2,714 per year, thanks in large part to government subsidies. At Israel’s lesser-known private colleges, tuition costs about $8,571 each year. Compared with other developed countries, Israel ranks eighth out of the OECD’s 26 countries for tuition rates. Those paying tuition for Jewish day school in America would save a bundle in Israel. Public schools — whether secular, Modern Orthodox or haredi Orthodox — are free. However, parents must pay service fees for field trips and special events, are responsible for busing costs and must pay for books. The growing number of semiprivate schools that offer special pluralistic, democratic or religious curricula charge annual tuitions ranging from $800 to $1,600, and boarding schools charge $3,000 to $5,000 per year. Because the traditional Israeli primary school day is short, often ending before 2 p.m., many parents shell out money for afternoon childcare programs or afterschool activities. The most expensive part of child rearing may be day care for the under-3 set. Some day care centers cost $630 a month for private toddler day care. Once children turn 3, they can take advantage of the public school system and day care centers that charge as little as $257 a month for a six-day, sixhour program. Food: Israel’s social protest movement began with an investigative report by the Globes business daily on food prices. Globes found that prices for basic food products were two to three times higher in Israeli stores than in other Western countries. EXPENSIVE on page 19
Israel Briefs Tens of thousands protest in smaller Israeli cities JERUSALEM (JTA) — Tens of thousands of Israelis marched in social justice protests in smaller Israeli cities and in cities on the periphery. Saturday night’s protests were the first time in the last month that major demonstrations were not held in Tel Aviv. Major demonstrations took place in Haifa with about 30,000 protesters, Beersheba with about 20,000 protesters and Afula with 15,000 protesters. Smaller demonstrations took place in 18 other cities including Eilat, Rosh Pina, Nahariya, Dimona, Modi’in, Petach Tikvah, Ramat Hasharon, Hod Hasharon, Netanya and Beit She’an, according to reports. About 70,000 demonstrators rallied in the protests. Last week, some 300,000 protesters took to the streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to call for affordable housing and other demands for social justice. Barak approves 277 apartments in Ariel settlement JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved a plan to build 277 apartments in the West Bank settlement of Ariel, 100 of them for families evacuated from Gush Katif six years ago. Barak approved the marketing of the apartments last week, the Defense Ministry announced on Monday. Building permits for the apartments had been awarded previously, but marketing of the apartments had been delayed due to diplomatic concern , Haaretz reported. Construction of the units is expected to take three years. More than one-third of the apartments will go to Jewish families removed from their homes in the Netzarim settlement in Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip in 2005. Ariel is home to about 20,000 Jewish settlers. It is located some 11 miles east of the Green Line. The announcement comes a week after Israel’s interior minister gave final approval to a project to build 1,600 housing units in Ramat Shlomo, a Jewish neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem, and two weeks after 930 housing units in the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa were given final approval by the Interior Ministry’s Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee. The announcement also comes after four week of protests in Israel calling for more available and affordable housing.
SOCIAL LIFE • 11
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
2011 Rosh Hashanah Cover
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12 • CINCINNATI SOCIAL LIFE
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AJC’S JUDGE LEARNED HAND AWARD was presented to Michael W. Hawkins, partner at Dinsmore & Shohl on June 28, 2011 in the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hall of Mirrors. The event was cochaired by James A. Miller, AJC National BOG member, and George Vincent Managing partner and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Dinsmore & Shohl.
Michael W. Hawkins receives AJC’s Judge Learned Hand Award. (L-R) John Stein, Cincinnati Regional President, James A. Miller, AJC National BOG member and event co-chair, Michael W. Hawkins, partner at Dinsmore & Shohl, and event co-chair George Vincent, Managing partner and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Dinsmore & Shohl.
Michael W. Hawkins, Barbara Glueck, Director of AJC Cincinnati Regional Office, James A. Miller, AJC National BOG Member.
Paul and Marianne Nidich with Diane and Michael Hawkins
Kathy Claybon, Patti Heldman, Bill and Arlene Katz
Judge S. Arthur and Louise Spiegel, Judge Nathanial and Lillian Jones
CINCINNATI JEWISH LIFE • 13
Rabbi Julie Schwartz delivering the Benediction
Michael and Diane Hawkins, Mona and Dick Kerstine
Seth Schwartz, Julie Weisser, and Sandy Kaltman
Naomi Ruben, Karen Meyer and Rick Michelman
14 • DINING OUT
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Mecklenburg Gardens — ah ‘schnitzel!’ By Sondra Katkin Dining Editor Ah “schnitzel,” ah potato pancake, a perfect way to launch into lunch or dinner at Mecklenburg Gardens. When I tasted the veal “schnitzel a la Holstein,” all the complementary flavors flowed together so well that I could savor the sweet, tender meat, the soft smoothness of the egg, the salty bite of the anchovies and capers with the extra delight of the golden crust. To divert me from this pleasure (variety is good), the side, apple braised cabbage was “pretty in pink” and exactly the right note of sweet and sour tartness to offset the richness of the “schnitzel.” In addition, the “spaetzle,” a thick dumpling style noodle that would grace any soup, completed the entree. I was surprised that not only was it “al dente,” it had a bit of crispiness that added another pleasing layer to the “tongue feel.” After reading this, I’m ready to go back and order it again. Another stand out from that night was the pumpernickel-rye, served warm. It was fragrant, dark, dense and moist. It brought back memories of delicious “deli” sandwiches in Philadelphia. With a little mustard and more time, I might not have had any appetite for dinner. They offer an appetizer that might create the same problem, soft pretzel sticks with Dusseldorf mustard. You’ve been warned. Other appetizers include fried pickles, sauerkraut balls and Bavarian cheese spread. On a previous visit, Tom Harten, the restaurant’s co-owner, served me a potato pancake with cinnamon flavored apples, a perfect balance for the chewy, crunchy patty. To complete my meal, I had the famous homemade Mecklenburg pie. I remember tasting it many years ago after having “mud pie” in New Orleans. It satisfied my “mud,” or chocolate, need which recurs rather frequently. And once
(Clockwise) Office manager Annamarie Harten with nephew, floor manager, Chris Koncky; Co-owner, Tom Harten surrounded by his beautiful floral handiwork holding creamy Mecklenburg pie and tasty potato pancakes; “Schnitzel a la Holstein,” multi layers of flavors; Homemade desserts; Spacious, shaded “bier garden;” Cozy corner inside Mecklenburg Gardens.
again, it was mocha “chocolatey” delicious. When I first saw Harten, my attention was caught by his imperial white mustache with two perfect curls on each side, a finely groomed facial feature. With good humor, he explained that the mustache grew with the restaurant. “It adds to the authentic German feel,” he said. We both laughed when he told me that he spends as much time in front of the mirror as his wife because he must wash and condition it, clip split ends and finally wax it for just the right curl. He calls it, “a face for the place.” “City Beat” named Mecklenberg
Gardens the best German food in Cincinnati in 2005, one of many accolades bestowed for its traditional German specialties including a large selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. There are 16 beers on tap; most are German and micro brews. A friend who had been stationed in Germany with the Air Force was pleased that they had a white beer he remembered fondly, Kristall Weissbier from the oldest brewery in the world. There is Happy Hour from 3–6 p.m. with half off appetizers and $1 off beer, wine and cocktails. Harten is very proud of his chef, Mark Fullman. He said that a
restaurant is a team effort and that together they have the best German restaurant in Cincinnati. They also serve American and Continental classics such as baked salmon, “bier” braised short (beef) ribs, “bier” battered fish and chips and portabella burger. The menu includes soups such as mock turtle, both garden and slaw salads and homemade Bavarian cream puff, apple strudel, and dessert du jour. Harten said that they will accommodate food allergies and once hosted a gluten free private dinner party. They have a new banquet room that will seat 100 guests where they frequently host rehearsal dinners, cocktail parties and other events. Mecklenburg Gardens, “the place to eat in Cincinnati,” according to “The New York Times,” is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Opening in 1865, it was a gathering place for the area’s German residents. They formed a “Kloppenburg” group that met at the restaurant to host local and world famous singing groups. At that time, Cincinnati was famous as a cultural center, even more so than Chicago because of our easy access (the Ohio River) and the German “sangerfest” heritage (Music Hall was founded to celebrate the choral tradition of the “old world”). There is conjecture that the “klop” in “Kloppenburg” refers to the sound of clinking beer mugs. Many drinking songs include those sounds in their lyrics. Art reflects life. Before purchasing the restaurant, both Tom Harten and his brother John had their own history with
Mecklenburg Gardens. John had washed dishes there as a teenager and Tom had his wedding catered there. “They did a great job and when the restaurant became available, the writing must have been on the wall,” Tom noted. Both brothers, Tom’s wife, Annamarie, an accountant and other family members have been active in the management. Tom also does the gardening and his efforts are visible with beautifully arranged flowers and shrubs in large planters and well pruned grape vines that decorate the walls and roof of the spacious, shaded “bier” garden. He has been pleased that the area surrounding the University of Cincinnati is being upgraded. “We believe in the inner city; they’ve done a lot of renovation, new housing; the neighborhood is coming around. We were the anchor; we believe we helped in the revitalization,” he said. When you visit this restaurant, be prepared for large portions. My friends shared their entree and I could have shared mine, but I didn’t. They have live music on Friday and Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. Billy Larkin playing jazz and Alpen Echoes, a German duo for “a little ompah,” according to Harten. There is a small parking lot behind the restaurant. The hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Saturday 5 – 10 p.m. Bar hours, “business depending.” Mecklenburg Gardens 302 East University Cincinnati, OH 45219 513-221-5353
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16 • OPINION
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Compromising on ‘Principle’ Dear Editor,
Saturday night saw the third consecutive weekend of largescale tent-city demonstrations throughout Israel with estimates running as high as 400,000 participants. “An outburst of frustration with housing prices”; “the revolt of the middle class;” “an ‘Arab Spring’ in Israel;” “a return to socialist democracy”—some of the descriptions pundits apply to the phenomenon—are at best only partially accurate, and in the case of the so-called “Arab Spring,” deeply misleading. The current unrest is a product of widespread middle-class frustration over two major developments, one international and the other internal. Internationally, it is important to compare income distribution in Israel to that in other countries. The recent Taub Center Report on Israeli socio-economics (presently available only in Hebrew) reports that inequality rose from 2006 through 2009, with GINI coefficients—a mathematical expression of inequality—growing from 38.2 to 38.9 over those years. According to the online CIA Factbook, the nation with the highest GINI coefficient is Namibia, with 70.7. The U.S.A. comes in at about 45. The lowest is Sweden, with 23. While the level of inequality in Israel is only moderately high, the direction is worrying. OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development),
which consists of 34 marketeconomy democracies, reports that Israel is in a group of member countries whose GINI coefficient has gone up by more than 4 percentage points since the mid1980s. OECD further reports that growing disparities in these countries are fed by three factors: globalization, changes in family formation and changes in tax/benefit systems. We see rising wage differentials between the highest paid employees and the lowest, as globalization drives higher competitiveness. A minority rides the wave to a higher standard of living but many, perhaps most, do not. Thus to some extent Israel’s problem is shared by other economically advanced countries. But a local cause that was probably more important in bringing so many out to the streets, even though it is not as widely discussed: the dysfunction of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, which has created a political vacuum. For decades coalition politics has failed to protect the level of services offered to the working majority. The most economically productive segment of the economy has felt for a long time that while its labor makes economic growth possible, the benefits go elsewhere. Theoretically, the Knesset represents the citizens and their interests, and should ensure that the vast working segment of society receives fair value for the taxes it pays. But the Knesset is
in fact chronically manipulated by small groups that hold the balance of coalition power, and so it fails to fulfill that function. The current countrywide demonstrations represent the first true exercise of power by the working middle class since the Israeli economic miracle began in the last decade. It has taken quite a bit of provocation to get these people into the streets, and the non-violence of the demonstrators has been notable. The grievances that brought the middle class out to demonstrate are real, although they need to be understood in the context of Israel’s overall economic miracle. Israel’s score on the United Nations Development Program’s 2010 Human Development Index is very high, 15th of 169 countries. Still, as in so many countries of the OECD, the benefits of enormous economic growth have not been spread widely. The direct provocation that led to the demonstrations was the unwarranted (and possibly pricefixed) rise in the cost of an Israeli breakfast staple, cottage cheese. Hundreds of thousands joined in an organized Facebook boycott that forced the price back down. That seems to have released the genie from the bottle. The direct reason given by so many of the tent city demonstrators for their participation is the sharp rise in the cost of housing. Central Bureau of Statistics figures show LETTER on page 22
T EST Y OUR T ORAH KNOWLEDGE THIS WEEK’S PORTION: EIKEV (DEVARIM 7:12—11:25) 1. Man does not live by which food alone? a.) Bread b.) Meat c.) Eggs
b.) The Hagaddah on Passover c.) Grace after meals
2. Is a vegetable mentioned among the seven special foods of Israel? a.) Yes b.) No 3. In which mitzvah do we bless Hashem? a.) Entering Israel done before the mitzvah. 4. A 10:18 Even though Hashem is exalted, he makes justice for the poor. 5. C 11:24
(Rabbi Shafran is an editor at large and columnist for Ami Magazine.)
Do you have something to say? E-mail your letter to editor@americanisraelite.com
4. Who does Hashem do justice for? a.) Widow and orphan b.) Convert c.) Everybody 5. Why is Lebanon mentioned? a.) Cedar trees b.) City of refuge c.) Border of Israel d.) Home of the Hittite
2. B 8:8 The seven fruits that Israel is praised for are grains and fruits. 3. C 8:10 The blessing, grace after meals, is the mitzvah. Other blessings are usually
“Those are my principles!” famously declared Groucho Marx. “And if you don’t like them, well… I have others.” Principles are important, to be sure. But Groucho wasn’t entirely wrong. There are principles… and there are principles. For a believing Jew, of course, religious principles are sacrosanct. And there are high principles, many in fact derived from Judaism, that have come to be embraced by much of humanity. But there are also things that people, including religious Jews, may call principles but which are really just preferences, inclinations or stances. And it is important to keep that distinction, well, distinct. What musters that thought is the language that flowed forth after the agreement between President Obama and Congressional leaders on a budget deal. Commentators pontificated about this politician “standing on principle,” that one “abandoning his principles,” a third being sent to the principal’s office (okay, maybe not). What undeserved elevation of economic and political views to high principle yielded much rhetoric. Vice President Biden was reported to have said that tea party Republicans had “acted like terrorists,” Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) called the deal a “Satan sandwich”; and Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) labeled those who disagreed with his position “arsonists.” The New York Times editorialized that the deal represented “capitulation to… hostage-taking demands.” Columnist Tom Friedman called the tea party the GOP’s “Hezbollah faction.” The vitriol was a bit much. But, of course, it was over matters of principle—at least in the eyes of the vitriolic. The one word that was treated as an expletive was “compromise,” which, of course, in the end, well described the deal. It was the ninth word (the nine including “Good afternoon, everyone”) uttered by President Obama in his brief remarks announcing the agreement; and he repeated it several times. To some, the compromise was lopsided, hence the anger at the
president from within his own party. But a compromise it was, and it had to be. In Judaism, compromise is no uncouth word; it is in fact something of a high principle itself. The Shulchan Aruch, Jewish law’s mainstay-text, states: “It is a mitzvah to ask litigants at the start [of their case] ‘Do you wish [for the case to proceed through] strict law or compromise?’… Every court that regularly delivers compromises is praiseworthy.” (Choshen Mishpat, 12:2) Thus, the coming together of two parties, each of which agrees to not stand on “principle” (i.e. position), is the Jewish ideal. Likewise when it comes to “principles” like one particular economic theory over another, or this political philosophy vs. that one: the praiseworthy path is compromise. Every special day on the Jewish calendar is a “learning moment,” an opportunity to glean a keener appreciation of the concept that attends it. Tisha B’Av is past, but as we move on we should carry its message: The evil of baseless hatred, the sort of factionalism and infighting that preceded the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdosh, or Holy Temple. Our Orthodox Jewish world today has its share of the same, of course, which is surely why the Temple has not been divinely rebuilt. And while true Jewish principles may never be compromised, many contemporary disputes are based on illusory “principles”—personal positions, not timeless truths. We approach a happy day, Tu B’Av, the 15th day of the Jewish month. It is a day of rejoicing, the Talmud teaches, partly because of the breaking down of barriers between Jews. So many contemporary barriers masquerade as principles. Recognizing that they are not, and appreciating compromise, are worthy things to carry from the ninth of the month to the fifteenth. Not standing on personal “principle”—whether with our spouses, our friends, our business partners, our employers or our employees—is key to reversing what we mourned on Tisha B’Av. Because the willingness to compromise is a true Jewish principle.
Written by Rabbi Dov Aaron Wise
ANSWERS 1. A 8:3 A person derives strength by realizing that Hashem is the source of his sustenance.
By Rabbi Avi Shafran Contributing Columnist
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
JEWISH LIFE • 17
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
Sedra of the Week
SHABBAT SHALOM: PARSHAT EKEV DEUTERONOMY 7:12 - 11:25
by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — ‘You shall eat and be satisfied and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which he has given you” (Deut. 8:10). Ekev first and foremost provides us with a paean of praise to the Land of Israel; its very special fruits and its beautiful topography. It also gives us the “mother of all blessings,” the source for all of the blessings we make on objects of physical enjoyment: “You shall eat and be satisfied and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you,” our grace after meals. This is the only time in the Bible where we are commanded to make a blessing. But this blessing is strange, because instead of thanking God for the food, we are thanking Him for the land. Why bless the land? My suggested answer partly explains why we have become a pariah nation, and why we seem to be losing our legitimacy especially in the eyes of Europe, which was originally so supportive. Yoram Hazony, head of the Shalem Institute, argues that it is not the actions of Israel but rather the values of the Western world that have changed. In the wake of the horrors of Auschwitz, not only the Jews but the Western world understood that it was the powerlessness of the stateless Jewish people which facilitated the tortures and tribulations that we suffered at the hands of Nazi Germany. Therefore, the need of the Jews for a nation-state became almost axiomatic – despite continuing anti-Semitism. During the last decade, the paradigm of the Western world has changed. It has become apparent to many political scientists and even spokespeople of popular culture that indeed it was the power of individual nation states like Germany that led to Auschwitz; by continuing such nation-states, we are merely preparing the way for another Auschwitz. They argue that the world is now changing from a separatistnationalist paradigm to a world of united peoples, individual rather
The story opens with a world of “one language and uniform ideas” — and that uniformity led to a mass totalitarian state, devoid of individual worth and rights, which ultimately self-destructed in the manner of the Nazi axis and the former Soviet Union. an innovative, warm and welcoming modern orthodox synagogue than national rights, universal ideals and ultimate demilitarization. The most powerful example of this is the European Union in which countries like Germany, France and the UK are losing their particularities and national histories in favor of a more universal cultural expression. In this milieu, Israel has become an anachronism; it is only because of this new mind-set that Israel can be called an Auschwitz state and it becomes accepted rhetoric. In an excellent article which appeared in the Shalem Institute’s Azure journal (Spring 57702010), Dr. Daniel Gordis trenchantly argues that our Bible would vigorously disagree with this new paradigm, arguing that we’ve already “been there, done that” in the story of the Tower of Babel. The story opens with a world of “one language and uniform ideas” — and that uniformity led to a mass totalitarian state, devoid of individual worth and rights, which ultimately self-destructed in the manner of the Nazi axis and the former Soviet Union. The message is rather one of universal ethical absolutism, but with separatist and national pluralism, a world of nation-states, each with its own cultural narrative and ethnic expressions, but “they will all call upon the name of the Lord to serve Him with one consent” (Zephaniah 3:9) when “nation will not lift up sword against nation and humanity will not learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4). It is within the individual ethnic expressions that cultural creativity is fostered, that national pride, which — when limited by proper ethical norms based upon every individual having been created in the image of the Divine —
will produce an idealistic national purpose that will provide the impetus to continue the narrative into succeeding generations. It is specifically in cultural diversity that we begin to appreciate the glory of a God who created people who look and think differently, which leads to creative accomplishment and healthy competition. Indeed, the European Union is lying down dead before the steady march of Islam, which is taking it over with lightning speed. The nation-state Israel may be an anachronism in the minds of the post-modern world, but the paradigm of Israel is the only way to go. Witness the uniform facelessness of the despotic Soviet Union which had no recourse but to return to the separate cultural and ethnic entities that humanity needs in order to survive creatively. Food, the staff of life, is an interesting and valid expression of cultural separatism; hence different nations have their own distinctive foods, like the pasta of Italy and the wines of France. The Land of Israel produces unique fruits that have become an expression of the uniqueness of the Jewish people who live on it and eat from its bounty, the Seven Species for which we make a special blessing. In respect to cultural separatism, our Bible crafts the blessing “You shall eat and be satisfied and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you” — the fruit of Israel, which is unique to the Land of Israel, the patrimony of the people of Israel.
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18 • JEWZ IN THE NEWZ
JEWZ
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By Nate Bloom Contributing Columnist NEW FLICKS Opening on Friday, August 19, are “Conan the Barbarian,” “Fright Night,” and “Spy Kids: All the Time in the World.” “Conan” is a 3-D re-make of the hit 1982 film, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Like the original movie, the re-make is based on a popular comic book series, and begins with Conan’s tribe being wiped out and Conan seeking revenge. RON PERLMAN, 61, plays Conan’s father, with STEPHEN LANG, 59, as Khalar Zym, a ruthless warlord. As an aside, I always wished somebody would make a short, Jewish-themed parody film called “Cohen, the Barbarian.” Ron Perlman could (also) play Cohen’s dad. Twenty-five ago, MARC SINGER, a Jewish beefcake actor who starred in the “Beastmaster” movies, would have been perfect as a crazed, sword-wielding Hebrew with muscles to spare. Now I think the best choice for the title role would be Dallas Cowboys defensive end IGOR OLSHANSKY, 29. An all-pro, he’s 6’5”, weighs 315 pounds, and can bench press 505 pounds. If “Arnold” could become an actor, so can Igor. “Fright Night” is a re-make of the hit 1985 film of the same name and differs little from the original. ANTON YELCHIN, 22, (“Chekov” in the latest “Star Trek” movie) plays Charlie Brewster, a high school student. Playing “Evil Ed,” Brewster’s best friend, is CHRISTOPHER MINTZ-PLASSE, 22 (MintzPlasse, whose mother is Jewish, is best known as “McLovin” in the comedy “Superbad”). After viewing some unusual activity, Charlie becomes convinced that Jerry (Colin Farrell), his new next-door neighbor, is a vampire and is preying on the neighborhood. Everyone else, including Charlie’s mother (Toni Collette), thinks Jerry is a great guy. Eventually, Charlie enlists the help of a vampire hunter, but in the meantime, Jerry turns Ed into a vampire, too. Singer LISA LOEB, 43, has a supporting role as Ed’s mother, and DAVE FRANCO, 26, the brother of actor JAMES FRANCO, appears in a smallish role. “Spy Kids” is the fourth film in the “Spy Kids” movie franchise, and the first to be made since 2003. Marissa (Jessica Alba), a retired secret agent, is called back into service by the OSS, a “good spy” organization, when a manically evil guy, called “The Timekeeper,” threatens the world (he’s played by JEREMY PIVEN, 44, of “Entourage”
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fame). Marissa is aided by her twin, 10-year-old step-kids, who used to not like her. The twins join the revived “Spy Kids” division of OSS. The main “Spy Kid” characters in the first three movies, Carmen and Juni Cortez, reappear to equip the twins with crime-fighting gadgets. DARYL SABARA, now 19, who played Juni in the first three films, is back for this sequel. WOMEN WE LOVE — DANIELA RUAH Each month, Esquire magazine has a feature called “Women We Love.” It highlights an attractive famous woman and includes a profile/interview and a few “cheese-cake” photos (bathing suit or exercise wear—never nudity). Actress DANIELA RUAH, 27, is featured in the September issue, now on newsstands. She is best known for playing agent Kensi Blye on the hit CBS crime show, “NCIS: Los Angeles.” As I noted last February, Ruah has an unusual background. She was born in Boston, where her father, a Sephardi Jewish doctor who was born in Portugal, was then practicing. (Her mother, who is of mixed Sephardi and Ashkenazi background, is also a native of Portugal.) When she was 5, Daniela and her parents moved back to Portugal. Her family is active in the Portuguese Jewish religious community. Daniela graduated from a British university and later became a Portuguese soap opera star. She moved to the States in 2007. Well, what can I say? The photos of Ruah, an ex-dancer with a perfectly toned body, are stunning. More revealing, in a sense, are the (easily found) “bonus” videos on the magazine’s website. One is a comically sexy short featuring Ruah speaking Portuguese with English sub-titles. The other video features Ruah lip-synching short speeches by a bunch of famous people, including DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER and Danny DeVito. She shows a real flair for capturing these celebrities’ body language. It’s quite amusing. NO CELEBRITIES, BUT MAY BE WORTH WATCHING On Wednesday, August 24, at 10PM, cable channel Spike TV begins a new series called, “Alternate History.” Its premise is to explore what might have happened “if.” The premiere episode has a chilling title: “What If Hitler and the Nazis Won WWII?” The producers of this series have made pretty good, if not great, “what if” programs for the History Channel — so this series may be worth a look.
FROM THE PAGES 100 Y EARS A GO Mr. and Mrs. Sam Joseph, of Clifton, with their son David and daughter Hazel, have gone to the lakes, where they will spend several weeks. Mr. and Mrs. N. Henry Beckman will sail on Aug. 29th for Europe, where they will join their daughter Miss Martha. They will spend the winter abroad. Mr. Isaac Levine and Miss Essie Miller were married on Wednesday evening, August 18th, at the home of the bride, 963 Francisco street, Walnut Hills, by Rabbi Mielziner. Mr. Edward L. Marks and Miss Hellen Dreifus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. Dreifus, 1342 Locust street, Walnut Hills, were united in marriage Wednesday evening, August 9th at the Stinton Hotel. Rabbi Mielziner performed the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Marks will reside in Chicago. Several canvasses of Joseph Israels, the famous Dutch painter, who died at The Hague on August 12, are owned in this city. In the Cincinnati Art Museum is “The Concalascent,” “The Sewing School at Katwick,” and another. There are four or five Israels in Cincinnati alone. “Israels is often compared to Millet,” said Director Gest of the Cincinnati Art Museum. Charles E. Levi, Jr., 21 years of age, died at his home, 6030 Hamilton avenue, College Hill, on Sunday morning, after a short illness of typhoid fever. In addition to his parents and family he is survived by his young wife (Lois Eisenberg), and an infant child. The funeral occurred on Wednesday afternoon from his late home. — August 17, 1911
75 Y EARS A GO Mr. Jay Ascheim, of Avon Drive, has returned to Cincinnati from the Bradley Farms, near Lexington, Ky. Mrs. Louis Wander and Miss Irene Wander gave a bridal shower honoring Miss Bessie Wander, of Covington, Ky., Sunday, Aug. 16th at Canary Cottage. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan I. Fleischer and son, Mr. Stanley Paul Fleischer, have left for a six-week stay in Los Angeles. Births: Mr. and Mrs. Carl Rauh (Grace Stix), 986 Dana Avenue, a daughter, Sunday, Aug. 16th. Mrs. Rauh is a daughter of Charles N. Stix. The baby is Mrs. Stix’s first granddaughter in a family of seven grandsons. Jeoffrey M. Weiler, 59, former Cincinnatian, died at his home in New York City Monday, Aug.
10th. Interment was in New York. Mr. Weiler moved to New York from Cincinnati 30 years ago. He was a son of the late Simon L. Weiler and Mrs. Julia M. Weiler. He had been a wholesale clothing salesman and was associated until recently with the firm of Joseph & Feiss, Cleveland. He leaves his widow, Mrs. Marion Weiler, New York; a brother, Lee Weiler, Cincinnati; and five sisters: Mrs. Joseph Rauh and Mrs. Clarence Loeb, Cincinnati; Mrs. Leon Greenbaum and Mrs. Carl Roberson, New York; and Mrs. Harry Mannheimer, St. Louis. Mr. Weiler was a nephew of Jacob Menderson of the Hotel Alms. — August 20, 1936
50 Y EARS A GO Ben L. Sharon, 3846 Reading Road, passed away at Jewish Hospital, Tuesday, August 8. Survivors include: his wife, Mrs. Annie Berman Sharon; a daughter, Mrs. Edward B. Doernberg of Cincinnati; two sons, Dr. L.C. Sharon of this city and Milton L. Sharon of Bethesda, Md.; and five grandchildren. Miss Jo Ellen Shore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Shore, was married to Mr. Morton Spitz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Spitz Saturday evening, Aug. 5, at the Cincinnati Club. Rabbi Albert A. Goldman officiated. Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Kohlhagen of 1710 Avonlea Avenue will be at home to their friends and relatives on Sunday, Aug. 20, from 4 to 8 p.m., when they will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. John Moskowitz, 7620 Castleton Place, wishes to thank Rabbi Silver and Rabbi Cohen, his relatives and his many friends for their kindness and good wishes shown to him during his recent stay at Jewish Hospital. He is recuperating at home. — August 17, 1961
25 Y EARS A GO Ira Joe Fisher and Joyce Wise will provide the entertainment for the Ladies Auxiliary of the Orthodox Jewish Home for the Aged’s Donor Luncheon at Adath Israel Synagogue Sept 17 at 11:30 a.m. Mr. Fisher was born in Salamanca, N.Y. on Halloween. He attended the State University of New York and Syracuse University, majoring in drama and Russian. In 1980 he came to WKRC-TV as the backward wring weather reporter. He was also on P.M.
Magazine. He became known for his unique sense of humor. Joyce Wise is co-host for the Ira Joe Fisher Show. A native of Gary, Ind., she received her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in creative writing and journalism, and started working toward her master’s degree in broadcasting at Xavier University. Ruth W. Orchin of Glen Manor Home for the Jeawish Aged passed away Aug. 11. She is survived by: her husband, Milton Orchin; three sons, Dr. Morton L. Orchin and Michael Orchin, both of Cincinnati and Dr. L. Brian Hersch of Boulder, Colo.; a sister, Mrs. Alice Barauck of Palo Alto; and a brother, Rabbi Herbert Wilner of Rochester, N.Y. — August 21, 1986
10 Y EARS A GO The Jacob Radar Marcus Center of the American-Jewish Archives will host a conference on the preservation and conservation of synagogue history Sunday and Monday, Aug. 26 and 27. The conference, “Going Beyond Memory II: A Conference on Synagogue Archiving,” will take place at the Marcus Center on the campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) The agenda of the conference, designed to teach participants from synagogues throughout the country how to establish and use their own synagogue archives, includes presentations on The Role of Archives in the American Synagogue, Synagogue Archiving on the World Wide Web and The Past Alive: Integrating the Archives into the Life of the Synagogue. Amy Isaacson has been awarded the 2001 Leshner Scholarship by Hamilton’s Beth Israel Synagogue. The scholarship was established in memory of Leo and Rose Leshner and Helen and Nathan Leshner, and supports the congregation’s youth by providing scholarships to Jewish camps, youth group programs and to colleges with Jewish involvement. Isaacson, the daughter of Alan and Lisa Isaacson of Oxford, Ohio, will begin her second year at the University of Michigan next fall. She is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon, a predominantly Jewish sorority, and volunteers through Hillel’s Volunteers in Action program at the Peace Neighborhood Center in downtown Ann Arbor, Mich. She has been accepted to the first year mentorship program at Hillel, where she will help make the transition from high school to college easier for first-year students. — August 16, 2001
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
CLASSIFIEDS • 19
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Access (513) 373-0300 • www.jypaccess.org Big Brothers/Big Sisters Assoc. (513) 761-3200 • bigbrobigsis.org Beth Tevilah Mikveh Society (513) 821-6679 Camp Ashreinu (513) 702-1513 Camp at the J (513) 722-7226 • mayersonjcc.org Camp Livingston (513) 793-5554 • camplivingston.com Cedar Village (513) 754-3100 • cedarvillage.org Chevra Kadisha (513) 396-6426 Fusion Family (513) 703-3343 • www.fusionnati.org Halom House (513) 791-2912 • halomhouse.com Hillel Jewish Student Center (513) 221-6728 • hillelcincinnati.org Jewish Community Center (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org Jewish Community Relations Council (513) 985-1501 Jewish Family Service (513) 469-1188 • jfscinti.org Jewish Federation of Cincinnati (513) 985-1500 • shalomcincy.org Jewish Foundation (513) 792-2715 Jewish Information Network (513) 985-1514 Jewish Vocational Service (513) 985-0515 • jvscinti.org Kesher (513) 766-3348 Plum Street Temple Historic Preservation Fund (513) 793-2556 Shalom Family (513) 703-3343 • www.myshalomfamily.org The Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education (513) 487-3055 • holocaustandhumanity.org Vaad Hoier (513) 731-4671 Workum Fund (513) 899-1836 • workum.org YPs at the JCC (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org
CONGREGATIONS Adath Israel Congregation (513) 793-1800 • adath-israel.org Beit Chaverim (513) 984-3393 Beth Israel Congregation (513) 868-2049 • bethisraelcongregation.net Congregation Beth Adam (513) 985-0400 • bethadam.org Congregation B’nai Tikvah (513) 759-5356 • bnai-tikvah.org Congregation B’nai Tzedek (513) 984-3393 • bnaitzedek.us Congregation Ohav Shalom (513) 489-3399 • ohavshalom.org
Congregation Ohr Chadash (513) 252-7267 • ohrchadashcincinnati.com Congregation Sha’arei Torah shaareitorahcincy.org Golf Manor Synagogue (513) 531-6654 • golfmanorsynagogue.org Isaac M. Wise Temple (513) 793-2556 • wisetemple.org Kehilas B’nai Israel (513) 761-0769 Northern Hills Synagogue (513) 931-6038 • nhs-cba.org Rockdale Temple (513) 891-9900 • rockdaletemple.org Temple Beth Shalom (513) 422-8313 • tbsohio.org Temple Sholom (513) 791-1330 • templesholom.net The Valley Temple (513) 761-3555 • valleytemple.com
EDUCATION Chai Tots Early Childhood Center (513) 234.0600 • chaitots.com Chabad Blue Ash (513) 793-5200 • chabadba.com Cincinnati Hebrew Day School (513) 351-7777 • chds.shul.net HUC-JIR (513) 221-1875 • huc.edu JCC Early Childhood School (513) 793-2122 • mayersonjcc.org Kehilla - School for Creative Jewish Education (513) 489-3399 • kehilla-cincy.com Mercaz High School (513) 792-5082 x104 • mercazhs.org Reform Jewish High School (513) 469-6406 • crjhs.org Regional Institute Torah & Secular Studies (513) 631-0083 Rockwern Academy (513) 984-3770 • rockwernacademy.org
ORGANIZATIONS American Jewish Committee (513) 621-4020 • ajc.org American Friends of Magen David Adom (513) 521-1197 • afmda.org B’nai B’rith (513) 984-1999 Hadassah (513) 821-6157 • cincinnati-hadassah.org Jewish Discovery Center (513) 234.0777 • jdiscovery.com 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
DO YOU WANT TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED? Send an e-mail including what you would like in your classified & your contact information to
production@ americanisraelite.com ACCESS from page 5 ACTout: Sunday Fun Day with Starfire, Light the Spark with the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education, Crayons to Computers, JCC Senior Home Repair Day, Bricks for Breast Cancer, Chrismitzvah JGourmet: Jewish Holiday Favorites, Mediterranean Meals in Minutes, Shabbat Made Simple, Jewish Deli, Happy Healthy New You, Top Chef Smackdown Got Shabbat: Shabbat ShaBark in the Park, Israeli Shabbat, Indian Summer Shabbat, Celebrussian AGAMI from page 6 After 9/11, Agami said the Army would give him a chance to do something good for his country, and he was excited about the challenges ahead, his family members said. It was all he would talk about in the months leading up to his deployment. Agami’s first stop was Fort Benning, Ga., for basic training. Maintaining his religious identity in the Army wasn’t easy, particularly in boot camp. The meals were not kosher, and Agami was confronted once by his sergeant for not eating. When he explained his dietary restrictions, the commander went to prepare a plate of fruit and vegetables for him to eat, his mother recalled. Agami encountered his first derogatory remark about Judaism in Schweinfurt, Germany, where he stopped en route to Iraq. Agami didn’t take it sitting down, in the process earning the respect of fellow soldiers, his mother said. They often came to him with questions about his kosher diet; for many, Agami was the only Jew they knew. “Daniel stood up to people for EXPENSIVE from page 10 An 8-ounce container of cottage cheese costs $1.68; a pound of hummus costs $4.54; 2 liters of orange juice — in a country that exports oranges — cost $6.54; 2 pounds of rice cost $1.94; and a 13-ounce container of Israeli Osem soup nuts costs $4.54 — more than it costs in American stores that import the soup nuts from Israel. A 6-ounce can of Israeli-made sunscreen spray can cost approximately $40.
SENIOR SERVICES
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Up to 24 hour care Meal Preparation Errands/Shopping Hygiene Assistance Light Housekeeping
(513) 531-9600 Shabbat Newcomers’ Nights: Buca Di Beppo, Max and Erma’s, A Tavola, Art Attack For more information about Access, please contact Rachel Plowden, Access coordinator. For contact information, consult the community directory in the back of this issue. Access events are open to Jewish young professionals, ages 21-35. Non-Jewish significant others are welcome to participate in all Access events, and non-Jewish friends are welcome to attend all Main Event programs. our religion,” his brother told JTA. In Iraq, Agami’s infantry unit saw frequent combat. “I go on daily or nightly missions raiding Iraqi homes to find weapons and bombs,” Agami told a Newsweek interviewer in 2007. “I lost six of my closest friends.” When an insurgent threatened to blow up his tank, Agami jumped off the turret, cornered the insurgent and, armed with just a pistol and wearing night vision goggles, killed him. The action would earn Agami a Bronze Star, the army’s fourth-highest combat award, given for bravery, acts of merit or meritorious service. Some time after Agami was killed, his mother received a phone call from a non-Jewish chaplain who said that her son had expressed an interest in becoming a religious leader in the military. He had wanted to dedicate himself to America by combining his patriotism and faith, she said. “This was something he would be amazing at had he had the opportunity,” Beth Agami said. “He re-enlisted for four more years and planned on making the military his career.” “Prices have gone above what the middle class and weaker classes can afford,” said Rami Levy, who owns 22 supermarkets nationwide. He attributed the rise to Israeli supermarket chains that collude to set prices. “I started my business with the goal of selling to my customers at wholesale prices,” said Levy, who started with a stall in Jerusalem’s open-air Machane Yehudah market. “I wanted them to be able to buy what they needed and still have money left at the end of the month.”
20 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM
The Russian-American Jews of ‘Russian Dolls’ By Allison Hoffman Tablet NEW YORK (Tablet)—In the first episode of “Russian Dolls,” a new Lifetime reality show set in Brooklyn and billed as a cross between “Jersey Shore” and the “Real Housewives” franchise, a 23-year-old bleached blonde named Diana Kosov spends a lot of time fretting about her new boyfriend, Paul, who drives a Maserati and lavishes her with flowers and teddy bears but who is unfit to bring home to her parents. The problem? “He’s Spanish and I’m Russian,” Kosov explains. “In this community, if I date someone who’s not Russian, it’s a big deal.” Later, her mother, Anna, shows up to prove the point. “I would like you marrying Russian guy,” she tells her daughter, as they practice making borscht. “We have same kultur. It’s very important, you understand?” The astute viewer will notice that in both interludes, Kosov is wearing a large Star of David pendant that dangles above her dramatically pushed-up cleavage. In a recent phone interview, she said the message she heard was clear: “I’m looking for a Russian Jewish guy.” STATEHOOD from page 6 Why are the Palestinians seeking statehood recognition from the United Nations rather than negotiating directly with Israel? The Palestinian leadership has eschewed renewed peace talks with Israel, either because Abbas believes that talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won’t produce desired results or because Abbas believes he has more to gain by going to the international arena — or both. Abbas essentially is gambling that the U.N. move will give him more leverage vis-a-vis Israel, making it more difficult for the Israelis to stick to their current negotiating positions and establishing the pre-1967 lines as the basis for negotiations. What tools does Israel have to respond to the Palestinian bid? Israel’s strategy now is trying to persuade as many nations as possible — as well as the Palestinians — that a U.N. vote favoring Palestinian statehood would set back the peace track. The argument is that it would make it less likely that Israeli-Palestinian negotiations would succeed, forcing Israel to dig in its heels. Beyond that, Israeli experts have warned, Israel may consider the unilateral Palestinian bid for U.N. recognition an abrogation of the Oslo Accords, which stipulated that
But on the show, the word Jewish never enters the dialogue — not in an aside to the camera, not with Kosov’s mother and not, eventually, with Paul, who gets the heave-ho over a plate of tuna tartare. “My parents, they came to America for a reason,” Kosov says earnestly. “To look for Russians?” Paul retorts. “Yeah,” Kosov replies, without elaboration. The pattern repeats itself throughout “Russian Dolls,” which is centered in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach, long a Jewish neighborhood and today dominated by Russian Jewish emigres. Its characters, almost all of them Jewish, arrived in the largest historical movement of Jews in the postwar era — but aren’t explicitly introduced as Jews. It’s tempting to chalk up the disconnect to the producers’ desire to expand their potential audience or, equally plausible, to head off criticism from the Jewish community in Brooklyn, which circulated petitions last winter objecting to the program’s display of outrageous materialism. But it turns out this show, as trashy and juvenile as anything else in the reality genre, reveals a
deeper sociological truth about its subjects: These Soviet Jews, singled out and in some cases persecuted in their native country for being Jews, didn’t come to New York for the freedom to live as Jews — or, for that matter, to assimilate as Americans in the tradition of their Eastern European predecessors. What “Russian Dolls” confirms is that 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, its Jewish exiles have found in America a place where they can finally live freely as Russians. “For most Russian Jews it’s so entangled,” said Alina Dizik, one of the show’s creators, about religious and national identity. “You really can’t separate one from the other, and most of us are so secular that a lot of the Jewish traditions get mixed up with the Russian traditions.” She added that getting a reality show is proof that the Russian community has arrived — as the show’s promo says, in block letters, “The Russians aren’t coming, the Russians are here.” The goal was to broadcast some hallmarks of Russian-American life without getting too deeply into the heavy details of the Cold War. Later episodes include nods to Jewish life in Brighton, including a fash-
ion show benefiting an Israeli charity, Dizik said, but the show starts at the beginning. “We tried to explain as much as possible without being boring,” she said. “There’s no Russian history, but we explain what a banya is and what some of the customs are in terms of going out to eat, and family relationships.” Which seems to suit the show’s stars just fine. “There are people who are antiSemitic who will say this one is only half-Russian,” explained Michael Levitis, one of the show’s main characters, in a recent interview. “The only person who makes this distinction is anti-Semites and Communists.” The Brighton Beach nightclub Levitis runs with his wife, Marina, is called Rasputin and operates in high Moscow style, with a cabaret dinner show and a menu of shellfish and other treif luxuries. (Levitis was sentenced this month to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to lying to FBI agents about his involvement in an alleged plan to bribe New York State Sen. Carl Kruger.) “To American people, especially outside of New York, if you came from Russia, you’re Russian,” Marina Levitis said on the phone. “They don’t care if
you’re Jewish or Christian or ethnically Russian or not.” But, she added, “We don’t pretend to be Russian Russian. We don’t pretend to be anything other than what we are.” She’s right: As with Kosov’s Star of David necklace, there are plenty of subtle clues that the Levitises are Jews. They are introduced on the show with a montage that includes a wedding glamour shot in which Michael sports a large velvet kipah, and the camera pans over a mezuzah nailed to their front doorpost. But the show doesn’t explain that they met as students at Jewish high schools and send their own children to a yeshiva elementary school. Instead it plays up their mini-oligarch habits. In an on-camera shopping spree, Marina tries on a $28,000 pair of 11-carat diamond bangles, noting approvingly, “Big and blingy and definitely Russian style.” Meanwhile, Michael’s 56-yearold mother, Eva, reveals her longdormant dream to be onstage and enters her Slavic belly-dancing act in a local talent show. “I was in Russia engineer,” Eva tells Marina. “All my life I loved to sing and dance, but I never had a chance to do this in Russia.” In New York, she does.
the framework for resolution of the conflict be negotiations between the two parties. If the Oslo Accords, which provides the basis for the limited autonomy the Palestinians currently have in the West Bank, are nullified, Israel may re-occupy portions of the West Bank from which its forces have withdrawn, end security cooperation with the Palestinian Authority and withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in tax money it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.
Palestinians. But in the absence of progress on the ground in the Middle East, a U.N. vote could set off popular Palestinian protests against Israel that could escalate into another Palestinian intifada. No one knows what another Palestinian intifada will look like. It’s possible that soon after a U.N. vote, Palestinians will march on Israeli settlements and military positions much like Palestinians in Syria and Lebanon marched on Israel’s borders in mid-May to commemorate Nakba Day — the day marking the anniversary of the “catastrophe” of Israel’s founding. Or a U.N. vote could unleash a new wave of violence, with attacks and counterattacks that destroy the relative calm that has held between Israel and West Bank Palestinians since the second intifada waned in 2004. The outbreak of violence, however, could undermine Palestinian interests. In the relative absence of Palestinian terrorism in recent years, the Palestinians have managed to get increased economic assistance, established upgraded diplomatic ties with nations throughout the world, rallied more global support for their cause, and seen a considerable rise in their GDP and quality of life in the West Bank. They don’t want to throw that all away. That may leave the Palestinians and Israel back where they started before talk of U.N. recognition began: at a standstill.
THREATS from page 8
the 2009 slaying of three Pittsburgh policemen by an extremist obsessed with the notion of a “cabal” of Jews running the United States, and the fatal shooting that same year at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Left off the law center’s list are recent planned attacks by groups or individuals backed by overseas Islamists — for instance, the 2010 Times Square bombing attempt. Pakistani extremists might have funded that attempt, authorities have said. The group listed 23 attacks from Sept. 11, 2001 until Obama’s emergence as the likely president. Other groups that track extremists say it doesn’t help much to track one extreme separately from another; a holistic strategy is required. “We have extremists across the ideological spectrum in this country,” said Oren Segal, the codirector of the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. “To describe one threat as more dangerous than another is not a luxury we have.” Levitt of the Washington Institute agreed. “A lot of the efforts the bureau and others have done have been efforts to constrict the environment whatever the ideology,” he said, citing as an example tracking the sale of quantities of fertilizer that could be used to build a large bomb.
What are some of the other possible negative consequences for the Palestinians of U.N. statehood recognition? The U.S. Congress has threatened to ban assistance to the Palestinian Authority if it pursues recognition of statehood at the United Nations. That could cost the Palestinians as much as $500 million annually, potentially crippling the Palestinian government. What’s the plan for the day after the U.N. vote? It’s not clear. The Palestinian leadership doesn’t seem to have a plan. The Palestinian public is expected to stage mass demonstrations. Israel is preparing for a host of worst-case scenarios, including violence. If the United Nations does endorse Palestinian statehood in some form, it will be seen as a public relations victory for the
“They are focusing on jihadi networks, which are by any measure the major threat,” Levitt said, but noting that Giuliano at the April 16 meeting at the institute “made it a point that the bureau still has an independent section focused on domestic terrorism.” The Southern Poverty Law Center says the attention paid to domestic terrorism is inadequate. “Are we safe from the threat of right-wing terrorism?” Mark Potok, the director of publications for the center, rhetorically asks in the latest issue of Intelligence Report, its signature publication. “As the Patriot movement that wreaked so much havoc in the 1990s comes roaring back and hate groups soar to record levels, is the American population being protected adequately?” To underscore the threat, the law center ran an accompanying list of planned and successful homegrown terrorist attacks since the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that is top-heavy with events since June 2008, when Obama emerged as the presidential front-runner. Of the 31 events listed since June ‘08, only one is by a purely indigenous Muslim group. The rest were carried out by an array of militias and lone wolves seemingly motivated by anti-government, anti-abortion, anti-Muslim and racist rhetoric. Some of the attacks had an anti-Semitic component, including
FIRST PERSON • 21
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
Saying happy birthday the old fashioned way Incidentally Iris
by Iris Ruth Pastor As soon as I pulled out of my driveway on the morning of my 64th birthday a few weeks ago, I was deluged with a steady stream of texts and calls emanating from my cell phone. Instantly bathed in an aura of appreciation, I thought with fresh gratitude of the large numbers of friends and relatives who cared enough to remember my birthday. Of course, being Jewish, a product of the repressive 1950s and female, I was also suffused with a bothersome weight of melodramatic guilt – stemming from remorse over all the birthdays I fail to acknowledge throughout the year: buddies, coworkers, family members, DATING from page 8 “My son is fiercely loyal and very sensitive,” the profile continues. “Outwardly, he may come across as ‘prickly’ but deep inside he is a loving soul. He values his friends and does not use the word ‘friend’ lightly. He has his friends’ backs, and he expects them to have his.” What’s he looking for in a significant other? Someone who is loyal, apolitical (or centrist), loves Israel and “identifies strongly with the Jewish people, even if she is not ‘religious,’” according to his profile. Elaborating on Matthew’s political stance, Makovi said in an interview that he’s a libertarian who “calls himself an anarchist, but that doesn’t mean he throws firebombs or anything like that. He just thinks that the government is too big and he doesn’t need it to tell him how to live his life.” Sort of like a tea partier? “Sort of, but he doesn’t like Sarah Palin,” Makovi said. Makovi said she has not yet found a likely match through The JMom, but she’ll continue to look. Nor has she been contacted by prospective in-laws. Matthew, whom his mother described as being “very private,” could not be reached for comment. The JMom member Myra Gondos of Oakton, Va., credited the long-distance matchmaker
acquaintances, business associates, neighbors, long-lost sorority sisters, etc, etc. Through carelessness, lack of organization and often oppressive time constraints, too many people I truly cherish end up unacknowledged by me on their special day. And on my own birthday, I am reminded of just how much it means – no matter your age – to be remembered on the anniversary of the day that you came into this world. To know that for those that count with me, that I also count with them is sweet nirvana. Further confirmation came during my first stop of the day — which was the office of my chiropractor for a neck adjustment (that’s what we do in our 60s, years ago it would have been a tanning booth pit stop or a boot camp class). He told me that he sends out 300 birthday cards a month to his clients – all handsigned. He seems to “get it” – he seems to intuitively know that people crave being singled out in an individualized way and that a physical acknowledgement of a birthday is, in this techy time, a surprisingly artistically fresh way to do so. Sitting in the staff break-room later that day at work, noisily
slurping a bowl of low-sodium soup (which I add a ton of salt to anyway), I was joined by a colleague who happens to be very technologically savvy. To add to this enviable state, he also takes the time to set up systems that vastly benefit him professionally and personally as new and quicker and more efficient ways emerge to do things in the virtual universe. He began by telling me I should look into Google Plus rather than just relying on Facebook to stay in touch. I was flattered that he even assumed I was Facebook savvy. “You know, Iris,” he began, “unlike Facebook, on Google Plus you can separate your friends into groups and target only the groups you want with effort and ease.” My eyes started to glaze over, as usual, when the subject veers toward communicating via social media. I’m still one of those people in the Stone Age of the virtual world, discovering new features every day on my four-year old, totally antiquated Samsung cell phone. I get excited that I can set my alarm on my cell phone and actually have it go off – at the correct moment and in the a.m., not the p.m. I guess what I’m getting at is
that emerging technology will always be challenging to me. And heightened watchfulness of what I can do with what I’ve got and what’s available for me to purchase seems to require more effort than I am willing and able to put forth. So given my self-imposed limitations, I’m re-thinking the paradigm of how I do birthdays. I’m turning my back on Blue Mountain cards (which I signed up for, paid for and seldom use), Facebook pokes, text messages, twitter and Skype. I am going to sit down with an actual piece of paper and a pencil. I am going to hand write a list of people whose birthdays I want to remember. (With the trend to abolishing handwriting instruction in elementary schools, this is something my grandchildren may not be capable of doing so I am fully savoring my ability to communicate with my fingers and a writing element.) And I am making a vow to myself that those on my birthday list will be sent— through snail mail—either a store bought card or one I have created on Publisher (I’m not a total computer disaster) so that they can prop it up on their mantel, window sill, desk or kitchen counter and savor it to their heart’s content. In the days following my
birthday, I find myself gazing at the large menagerie of birthday cards lined up on my own kitchen counter – some are funny, some are poignant, many are personalized. And I find myself re-reading their messages again and again. So before I get caught up in the frenetic pace of living – of just trying to get through the day with a modicum of grace and dignity – I am going out and buying commemorative stamps, colored markers and a vast array of birthday cards. I am going to stockpile them in a place I will remember (no easy feat at my age) and send them out in a timely manner. In spite of world-wide chaos, tumbling stock markets, massive unemployment and a pervasive feeling of anxiety and dread that seems to permeate the psyche of so many of us each day, I am going to faithfully do something that will engender good will and repair the world—Tikkun Olam. For me, remembering dear one’s birthdays with a tangible card is a fine start. And maybe I will even follow it up with a text or cell phone call for that instant gratification that is so headily sweet too.
Rosenzweig with being “very smart,” but added, “I don’t think we should be hovering mothers.” Moms add a critical element to the matchmaking process, she said, because their goal is to act in the best long-term interests of their children — something the children themselves sometimes overlook. Young romance-seekers often are preoccupied with looks and other superficial characteristics that don’t necessarily translate into a long-lasting relationship, according to the creators of The JMom. Plus, exposure to a profilee’s parents can produce invaluable intelligence about the culture in which that child was raised, potentially a good tipoff on whether that person might make a good life partner. Gondos joined The JMom at the request of her son, Gary, 39, who suffered a stroke following surgery and has a disability as a result. “Naturally he has found it difficult to meet someone,” the profile states, but he has managed to retain his independence. His religious background is Modern Orthodox. He lives in Bethesda, Md., does computer work for the government, and his interests include sports, travel and theater, according to his profile. “He may not be able to dance,” said his mother, “but he’s a caring, loving individual and he would make a good husband and father.”
NATIONAL BRIEFS from page 8
years in prison since their son Mark, 46, committed suicide last December, according to Diana Henriques, author of “Bernie Madoff: The Wizard of Lies.” Another son, Andrew, reportedly has not had contact with his mother since the suicide, and turned her away from a memorial service for Mark at his home in Greenwich, Conn., the New York Post reported. The brothers, who turned in their father, broke off contact with their mother after she chose to support her husband during legal proceedings. Henriques told CBS’ The Early Show that “there are good signs of reconciliation” between mother and son. Bernard Madoff bilked investors out of approximately $20 billion during his 20-year Ponzi scheme. He is serving a 150-year sentence at the federal prison in Butner, N.C.
State Department convoy on the way to Gaza City to interview Palestinian Fulbright applicants in 2003 when a roadside bomb detonated, killing Parsons and the other guards. Parsons’ family sued the Palestinian Authority under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1991, alleging that the PA had provided material support for and conspired with the terrorists who detonated the bomb. Specifically the suit alleges that PA soldiers did not stop terrorists from planting the bombs and gave them information about the approaching convoy. The suit also accuses the PA of providing the terrorists with explosives. The Gaza Strip was under the authority of the PA in 2003.
In a note on Facebook, Oren noted that three years ago he was the first Israeli ambassador to attend the White House dinner and was “deeply honored.” “This time,” Oren wrote, “in addition to the privilege, I felt at home. Around me sat representatives of the Muslim countries, many of whom are my acquaintances, as well as Ambassadors of Muslim countries, many of whom I consider to be my esteemed colleagues.” He added that he will be hosting his own iftar meal reception, which he said would be the first at the Israeli ambassador’s residence. President Bill Clinton hosted the first iftar dinner at the White House, and both presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have upheld the tradition. In a speech given at the dinner Obama honored the contributions that Muslim Americans have made to the country since September 11. He stressed their role as first responders, EMTs and nurses in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Obama also honored Muslim Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ruth Madoff reportedly to divorce Bernie (JTA) — Ruth Madoff will divorce her husband, Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff, in order to reconcile with her son, a Madoff biographer said. Ruth Madoff, 70, reportedly has not visited her husband of 52
Bombing victim’s family wins appeal to sue PA (JTA) — The family of an American contractor killed in the Gaza Strip can sue the Palestinian Authority, a U.S. appeals court ruled. Saturday’s ruling by a threejudge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington overturns a ruling last year by the U.S. District Court in Washington in favor of the PA. Mark Parsons and two other security guards were protecting a
Keep coping, Iris Ruth Pastor
Foundation for Jewish Camp receives $3.3 million jobs grant NEW YORK (JTA) — The Foundation for Jewish Camp has received a $3.3 million grant for a new program to create jobs for Jewish educators. The Nadiv program will fund the creation of three new educator positions for Reform nonprofit Jewish overnight camps and Jewish day or synagogue schools, plus the other positions shared between community camps and day or synagogue schools. The Jim Joseph and Avi Chai foundations are funding the pilot initiative, which was designed with the Union for Reform Judaism.
22 • OBITUARIES D EATH N OTICES BARON, JoAnn Sue, age 73, died on August 10, 2011; 10 Av 5771 GREENBERG, Herbert J., age 94, died on August 10, 2011; 10 Av 5771
INT’L BRIEFS from page 9 Iran’s ambassador in Uruguay, Hojatollah Soltani, has prompted an angry reaction from Jewish leaders in Uruguay and in the country’s government with his statements about the Holocaust. “Two million, 4 million, 6 million ... there are different figures on the Jews’ news,” Soltani said in late July during a public meeting LETTER from page 16 that since about 2008 the real price of housing has risen approximately 37 percent, taking the dream of homeownership out of the reach of many hardworking people around the country. There are widely held suspicions (think of it as the “cottage cheese syndrome”) that contractors are supporting the price rise by slowing construction in the hopes of greater future profits. Israel has never been an inexpensive place to live. The famous “McDonald’s Index” shows that a combo meal in Tel Aviv is 35.44 percent higher than in New York City. However, the combination of an expanding economy, relatively fixed salaries for the majority of employees, conspicuous consumption by some newly prosperous members of the top decile, rising prices for basic commodities like dairy foods and apartments, coupled with privatization of much of the public service and rising expectations, are proving a potent mixture.
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at the Uruguay-Sweden Cultural House. “This was named a ‘Holocaust,’ and Israel is using this issue to present itself to the world as a victim, and asking for economic and political support from some countries in Europe. “Maybe some people died, some were murdered, I don’t know, maybe thousands of Jews. But that figure of 2 million, 4 million, 6 million is a lie according to some European historians who have submitted documents.” The Foreign Ministry of Uruguay on Aug. 1 said in a statement that the Holocaust is an “undeniable historic event and denying that it happened, or questioning its extent, was equal to incitement to discrimination.” Foreign Minister Luis Almagro noted that “survivors of the
Jewish Holocaust” still live in Uruguay. He added that diplomatic relations between Uruguay and Iran would not be affected by the incident. The Simon Wiesenthal Center called on Almagro to “expel” the Iranian official for “deleting from history 6 million Holocaust victims.” The center’s Director for International Relations, Shimon Samuels, said “Iran demonstrates genocidal intent as the only state to deny the Holocaust as policy. Its nuclear designs transmit a clear message: ‘There was no Holocaust, let’s make it a reality.’ Tehran brought its terror to the continent at the AMIA Jewish Center in Buenos Aires. Now it exports its genocidal hate to neighboring Montevideo.”
Romanian dictionary to change slur’s definition (JTA) — Romania’s highest cultural forum, following a request by a watchdog group, agreed to make clear in the definition of an anti-Semitic slur that the word is a pejorative. The Center for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism on Tuesday had urged the The Romanian Academy to change its definition in the official DEX dictionary, or The Explanatory Dictionary of the Romanian Language, of the word “jidan.” The word is described in the latest edition of the dictionary as a “popular” alternative name for Jew; in previous editions it is defined as a “familiar and pejorative” term, the French news
agency AFP reported. “‘Jidan’ was the last word to be heard by the hundreds of thousands Jews whose belongings were stolen and burnt and who were themselves crammed into death trains or killed like animals simply because they were born Jewish,” the center said in a letter to the academy. At least 280,000 Romanian and Ukrainian Jews died in Romania and its territories during the Holocaust. “The effort to gloss over the word’s pejorative content is an offense to the memory of the victims (of the Holocaust),” Elan Steinberg, vice president of the American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants, said in a statement Tuesday.
Middle-class Israelis speak of two major dysfunctions that block a more equitable distribution of the nation’s growing economic resources: concentration of wealth in the hands of widely resented “tycoons” and the large distribution of welfare payments to the Haredi and Muslim Arab communities. In addition, some who object to the settlements also resent the high costs of the settler communities (although, with the exception of poverty-stricken Haredi settlements like Betar Ilit and Modi’in Ilit, these are generally middle-class communities of two-earner families). Dr. Yuval Steinitz, the minister of finance, speaking at Haifa University last November, noted that 80 percent of Israeli poverty is found among the Muslim Arab and Haredi populations. Current estimates put Haredim at about 8.5 percent of the population. Muslim Arabs make up about 16 percent. OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria, speaking at the same conference, noted that their poverty is directly correlated to culturally determined decisions to have only one wage earner and large families. The impoverished components of these two populations pose unique socioeconomic challenges that do not lend them-
selves to short-term solutions. Both groups have relatively low rates of participation in the work force and consequently high rates of poverty. Haredi culture encourages males to study Torah until well into the fourth decade of life. While Muslim Arab culture is undergoing important changes, it continues to encourage women to stay at home. Since both subcultures encourage large families, the result is self-perpetuating, unsustainable poverty that must be supported at the expense of the working middle class. Here is where parliamentary governance has failed. Rather than develop incentives to expand the work force in these communities through education and preparation to join the modern economy, Haredi MKs work to provide ever larger government transfer payments that necessarily come at the expense of other government outlays. Israeli experts like Taub Center director Dan Ben-David have been warning of the consequences for years. Professor Ben-David makes the important point that civilian expenses (government outlays minus security costs and interest on loans) have been remarkably stable in Israel since the country overcame the hyperinflation of the 1970s and
1980s. So while the size of the pie has stayed the same, larger slices have been delivered as transfer payments to the underemployed poor. One result has been the growing privatization of government services, transferring costs directly to the working middle class whose salaries have not risen proportionally. The sticking point is that the underemployed poor populations can only be weaned off overdependence on public transfer payments through long-term processes of education and social change. Simply cutting off funds would generate intolerable suffering. As for the tycoons, these talented entrepreneurs have done much to create the new wealth in the Israeli economy. However, they also dominate the allocation of credit in ways that do not necessarily serve the broader Israeli public. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, the conservative Israeli economist Daniel Doron pinpointed the problem: “… a tiny fraction of the population still uses a third of all credit, which they leverage into highly risky investments, mostly in foreign real estate. Small and medium-size businesses, the most productive enterprises in the economy, are credit-starved, as are the outlying areas of the Galilee and the Negev.” This could be dealt with by a government initiative to generate funds for economic development in the short term, without breaking the budget. Putting it all together, several tentative conclusions suggest themselves. The government can do things to correct the distorted credit market that is throttling economic development. It can find ways to free up more land for construction while cutting red tape and bringing down the cost of housing. It can open the market to greater competition by removing import restrictions (on dairy foods, for example). But the sad fact is that three decades of wel-
fare dependence on the part of between a fifth and a quarter of the population cannot be reversed overnight. That places the government between a rock and a hard place, as there are few shortterm tools to address the chronic underfunding of the needs of the middle class without breaking the budget in ways that may not be sustainable in the current international financial crisis. Long-term changes—and a good deal of political courage—will be needed to address the economically unsustainable subcultures that teach behavioral norms that generate poverty for large swaths of the population while demanding that the general public subsidize them. The argument that proponents of the tent-city demonstrations want to take us back to a social democratic, highly centralized economy is off the mark. To be sure, some of the ad hoc leadership expresses that political orientation, but anecdotal and journalistic evidence suggests that most demonstrators do not want to dismantle the structural changes that have made the Israeli economy so much more efficient and competitive. They seem more concerned with the question of how the distribution of investment (government and private) can be reformed within the new structures, for the good of more citizens. To date, the “Arab Spring” analogy is misplaced. The tent cities of Israel are the product of a thriving democracy, not a demand for it as in the demonstrations in the Arab world. They are a magnificent exercise in petitioning the government for redress of grievances. At a time when some in the Israeli Knesset have been busy pushing undemocratic bills, they provide an invigorating push back. Ed Rettig AJC Director Jerusalem, Israel
2011 CALENDAR Special Issues & Sections J ANUARY
F EBRUARY
M ARCH
6
3
3
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13
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10
20
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17
17
24
24
27 Mature Living/Senior Lifestyles
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10 Purim
31
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5
2
12
9
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26
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21
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Rosh Hashanah Jewish Year in Review
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22
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