The American Israelite, June 28, 2012

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VOL. 158 • NO. 49

The American Israelite T H E

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2012 Community Campaign exceeds goal, brings in $6.3M

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Experts: Anyone can help prevent elder abuse

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Remembering local attorney, Sylvan Reisenfeld Sylvan Reisenfeld, age 78, passed away on June 10, 2012—the 20th day of Sivan, 5772. Born in Cincinnati to the late Sarah and David Reisenfeld, he was raised in Western Hills. Mr. Reisenfeld graduated from Western Hills High School in 1951 where he was a member of the 1951 State Champion baseball team.

He received his undergraduate degree in business from the University of Cincinnati in 1956.

He then received his J.D. in 1959 from the University of Cincinnati Law School.

Mr. Reisenfeld was the founding partner of Reisenfeld & Associates in 1960, a general practice with special emphasis on creditors’ rights representation. He was licensed to practice law in the state of Ohio, in the southern district federal courts, as well as in the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2010, he was honored by the Ohio State Bar Association and the Cincinnati Bar Association for 50 years of service.

In 2009, the Sylvan P. Reisenfeld Law Building was built on Red Bank Road, an accomplishment Sylvan was very proud of. Sylvan and his son, Brad Reisenfeld, were partners for 22 years. Both of them thoroughly enjoyed their personal and working relationship.

Commenting on his Dad’s 52 years of practicing law, Brad said, “Dad was a shining example of the ultimate gentleman and professional. He always went about the practice of law with class, humility, dignity and empathy for his fellow man.”

Sylvan met his wife, Beryl in 1953. The couple was married and

Sylvan Reisenfeld

enjoyed 57 years together.

Throughout the years they resided in several places around Cincinnati, including Amberley Village and Loveland. The couple loved to travel all around the world together and enjoyed many amazing experiences

including three trips to Israel, most recently in June 2010.

When son, Douglas, became active in swimming in the 1970s, Mr. Reisenfeld became very involved as well. He was a certified national official and was a starter at

swim meets both locally and nationally. He was the president of the Cincinnati Marlins, a local competitive AAU swim team. Sylvan was also on the Amberley Village Council for many years.

Mr. Reisenfeld was a lifetime member of Adath Israel Congregation. He was president from 1973-1975, and was an involved board member for many years. He chanted the Haftorah annually on Yom Kippur for the last 20 years. He was a generous contributor, not only to the synagogue, but also to Israel Bonds and he was presented with the Masada Award in recognition of his dedication to the organization. Mr. Reisenfeld was also president of B’nai Brith Cincinnati Lodge #4 and was very active with the Jewish National Fund.

“Sylvan was a faithful friend: trustworthy, honest and compassionate. He was a dedicated, knowledgeable and traditional Jew who loved synagogue, prayer, Israel and the Jewish people. Sylvan was a past president of Adath Israel Congregation providing leadership during his presidency and for all the years following. He was a confidant and adviser to me and to many others. He was very charitable with his time, concern and resources.

Over the years Sylvan did much pro-bono work for many in need of legal services who could not afford it. He was an extraordinary husband, father, grandfather and brother. Sylvan Reisenfeld was a most special person of whom there are too few of in our world,” commented Rabbi Irvin M. Wise.

REISENFELD on page 19

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THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

2012 Community Campaign exceeds goal, brings in $6.3M

Andy Berger

Dina Wilheim

Fred Kanter

Louis Guttman

Tedd Friedman

The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati is proud to announce that the 2012 Community Campaign has exceeded the $6 million goal, bringing in a total of $6.3 million! This achievement is thanks in large part to the dedication of the campaign cochairs and a partnership with The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati, whose 1-to-1 matching grant inspired the generosity of individual donors.

The 2012 Community Campaign co-chairs were Andy Berger, Tedd Friedman, Louis Guttman, Fred Kanter and Dina Wilheim. Together they have decades of volunteer experience in

the Jewish community, have served on dozens of different boards and have made giving back a focal point of their lives. Andy Berger and Tedd Friedman are both attorneys and serve on the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati board, Berger as president and Friedman as vice president of development. Louis Guttman is a longtime volunteer and philanthropist in the Jewish community. Fred Kanter is a partner at Rookwood Properties and is also a Jewish Federation of Cincinnati board member, as well as serves on the board of the Mayerson JCC. Dina Wilheim, a dedicated volunteer, is

the current PTA president of Cincinnati Hebrew Day School and vice president of the Cincinnati Community Mikveh.

This is the third year as a campaign co-chair Tedd Friedman, whose leadership has been instrumental in developing a more strategic and effective community-wide fundraising plan, which he and the other co-chairs implemented with the 2012 Campaign.

Immediate Past President Bret Caller, who oversaw the 2012 Campaign during his term, said, “This team of campaign leadership was instrumental in our success.

Understanding the needs of our community and what it would take to address them, they put everything they had into making sure we met our goal, and I commend them for it.”

The co-chairs worked tirelessly to oversee a team of 195 volunteer solicitors and to spread the word about the generous matching grant provided by The Jewish Foundation.

Thanks to their hard work, the community responded: 1,163 donors made a new or increased gift, a 24 percent increase in participation over the 2011 Campaign.

These funds go to programs that work to improve the lives of Jews in

Cincinnati, in Israel and around the world, providing emergency assistance, feeding the hungry, transporting seniors, offering financial aid for educational experiences and more.

“When we kicked off the campaign, I knew it would be important to focus on helping our donors—the stakeholders in our community— understand the impact of their contributions,” said Friedman. “I think we did that. We showed them the transformative power of their generosity. And they responded by exceeding our goal.”

CAMPAIGN on page 19

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JCGC currently consists of 22 Jewish cemeteries, almost all of the Jewish cemeteries in Cincinnati and Hamilton, Ohio. JCGC represents the culmination of over 10 years of community efforts to address the financial, succession, upkeep and other challenges facing many Jewish communities. Cincinnati is a leader nationally in creating this organizational model to take care of its cemeteries in perpetuity.

‘Wise Tykes in the Park’ Isaac M. Wise Temple’s YoFI (Young Family Involvement) group hosted its annual “Wise Tykes in the Park” program on Friday, June 15 at Montgomery’s Weller Park.

The event began at 5:30 p.m. with a semi-potluck picnic dinner.

YoFI provided sandwiches from Subway for all the participants, and each family was asked to bring a side to share. In addition, YoFI arranged for an ice cream truck to visit the park so that the families could enjoy a special dessert treat.

At 6:30 p.m., the evening con-

tinued with a YoFI Shabbat Service, which is Wise Temple’s take on the popular “Tot Shabbat” model. Director of Education and Lifelong Learning Barbara Dragul and Song Leader Sam Pollak led the service, which included an interactive Torah parade, in which the children picked out musical instruments to play, or carried a small stuffed Torah doll. Following the parade, Barbara Dragul shared a Shabbat story, and then concluded the service with the traditional Shabbat blessings over the candles,

juice and challah. Afterward, the kids played on the playground while the adults chatted and visited with one another.

Wise Temple introduced YoFI several years ago as a way to address the social, spiritual and religious needs of families with young children. While the events are designed for children from birth to age 5, all of YoFI’s programs are geared for the family.

Therefore, older siblings, parents, grandparents and friends are more than welcome to participate. The

Wise Temple Sisterhood has graciously underwritten this initiative with the understanding of how important this endeavor is to the congregation.

“YoFI has great programs all year round, but we especially look forward to the Shabbat in the Park program. It is a great way to enjoy Shabbat in a relaxed setting with other families. The kids always have a great time at the park, and the adults enjoy being able to sit back and socialize,” commented YoFI co-chair, Alison Moss.

Experts: Anyone can help prevent elder abuse

John Hadden, a fraud prevention expert. Looking on are fellow panelists, from left, Carol Silver Elliott, Cedar Village; Kevin Drummond; Warren County Sheriff Larry L. Sims; Mary Day and Dick Yost.

Cedar Village residents Elaine Dumes and Ethel Regberg give information about elder abuse prevention to Aaron Endicott.

professionals, including law enforcement officials, social workers and health care professionals.

The next day, World Elder

Abuse Awareness Day, seven Cedar Village residents volunteered to distribute informational materials about elder abuse prevention. They

traveled on the Cedar Village bus, delivering the materials to pharmacies, doctors’ offices, community centers and synagogues.

Kantor-Burman said the current state-affiliated systems for dealing with elder abuse aren’t working, so the Department of Aging is changing its approach.

Preventing elder abuse or intervening earlier is a major department priority. “We are committing to you to say, ‘no more.’”

Research indicates that more than one in10 elders may experience some type of abuse. Only one in five cases is reported. Annual estimates range from 700,000 to 3.5 millionvictims in the U.S. Elder abuse is challenging to detect because many of those abused are reluctant to admit it, especially because it often is committed by family members. There’s a perceived stigma or sense of failure attached to acknowledging that someone they raised is capable of abuse.

John Hadden, a fraud prevention expert, trains bankers to notice when patterns change, such as when a relative or caregiver starts accompanying a senior to the bank to withdraw cash. And he emphasized that abusers don’t fit any stereotype. “A well-dressed family member is just as suspicious to me as anyone else.” Warren County Sheriff Larry L. Sims added, “We never really know what goes on in ABUSE on page 19

The American Israelite “LET THERE BE LIGHT” THE OLDEST ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN AMERICA - EST. JULY 15, 1854

VOL. 158 • NO. 49 THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 8 TAMMUZ 5772 SHABBAT BEGINS FRIDAY 8:50 PM SHABBAT ENDS SATURDAY 9:51 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 YEHOSHUA MIZRACHI NICOLE SIMON Assistant Editors ALEXIA KADISH Copy Editor JANET STEINBERG Travel 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 ERIN WYENANDT Office Manager e Oldest Eng Th

ewish N h-J ew lis

People throughout the community need to help identify and prevent elder abuse because signs of abuse can be detected by a variety of people who have contact with seniors.

Experts in elder abuse shared that suggestion at a symposium organized by the Shalom Center for Elder Abuse Prevention, which is located at Cedar Village Retirement Community in Mason.

Elder abuse comes in many forms, the experts said, so bankers, pharmacists, hair stylists and many other people are in a position to detect it: A banker might notice that a senior is regularly withdrawing larger amounts of cash than usual.

A pharmacist might detect that someone is refilling pain medication prescriptions more often for their father or mother.

A hair stylist might see an older customer wincing in pain.

“We have to engage everyone in this,” said Bonnie Kantor-Burman, director of the Ohio Department of Aging, the keynote speaker. “Please keep your eyes open, your ears open and your antennas up,” urged Carol Silver Elliott, CEO and president of Cedar Village.

Since being launched in January, the Shalom Center has admitted two abused seniors. And the Shalom Center has been spreading awareness about elder abuse, including the June 14 symposium for about 80 Greater Cincinnati

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Ziv, Board president, stated, “The Finance Committee not only concluded that the financial tests had been met, but also that our financial performance was better than expected due to operating efficiencies in our first three years. While we must do additional fundraising to achieve self-sufficiency, our remaining fundraising requirement is now smaller than what was anticipated before the merger was effected.”

Est. 1854

reported to the contributing cemetery owners earlier this year that the tests had been met. The contributing cemetery owners’ 90 day review period has passed, and we are proud to report that all of the original JCGC cemeteries will continue as part of our organization, contributing to a healthy future for JCGC. Commenting on the Finance Committee’s conclusions, Elinor

• ca

We are pleased to announce that Jewish Cemeteries of Cincinnati (JCGC) has reached a significant milestone. When JCGC was formed in 2008, each of the 22 contributing cemetery owners was given a limited option at the end of three years to withdraw from JCGC, if certain financial tests to assure the long-term viability of the merged organization were not met. JCGC’s Finance Committee

r in Am ape er sp i

Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati announces milestone

THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE (USPS 019-320) is published weekly for $44 per year and $1.00 per single copy in Cincinnati and $49 per year and $3.00 per single copy elsewhere in U.S. by The American Israelite Co. 18 West Ninth Street, Suite 2, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2037. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE, 18 West Ninth Street, Suite 2, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2037.

The views and opinions expressed by the columnists of The American Israelite do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the newspaper.

LOCAL • 5

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Mitch Cohen wins national award

Mitch Cohen plays to his students.

Mitch Cohen was nominated by Mercaz Conservative Hebrew High School and Adath Israel Congregation for the GrinspoonSteinhardt Award for excellence in Jewish education this past school year. We were thrilled to learn that Mitch was chosen as one of the recipients for this National award!

Cohen will receive $2,000— $1,000 to be used for professional development and the remaining $1,000 to be used at his discretion.

Cohen was chosen among many applicants to represent Cincinnati as the winner of this award.

Cohen, who has taught at Mercaz for several years, has always welcomed the challenge to create classes that are highly interactive for the teens. He has developed these classes from scratch.

Some of his favorites have been: Everything I learned about my Judaism I learned from Star Trek; Raiders of the Lost Ark: Indiana Jones and the Third Temple; Rock the Planet; and his most recent class, GLEE: The Jew Direction!

Each of these classes had strong hands-on components: the Rock the Planet students wrote their own rap songs; GLEE students learned a new song or two each week (singing and playing instruments) that was connected to the theme of the day; and the Third Temple class built their own replica of the ark!

Cohen has also been teaching music for Adath Israel

Congregation and this year added “Trope teacher” to his resume. He has been responsible for the Kids on the Bima program and Carlebach Kids, in which the students learn several of the prayers and then help to lead services for the congregation. Carlebach Kids students played the recorder on two songs this year, as well as performed a dance choreographed by teacher Idit Moss. The Trope class for fifth and sixth graders also has a whole new level of originality this year with Cohen. Students learned the tropes and then practiced what they learned using everything from lines from Harry Potter to the words of Adon Olam!

“When I think of what a teacher should ‘look’ like it is someone committed to teaching our Jewish youth who takes into account their interests while creating lessons.

Mitch uses a multi-media approach in his teaching and integrates the Arts. He lives a Jewish life and is a positive Jewish role model for the children he teaches. He is knowledgeable but isn’t afraid to admit he doesn’t know something, and will research it until he finds the answer.

“Mitch Cohen simply meets the criteria of a teacher of excellence and it was an easy decision to nominate him for this honor on behalf of both Adath Israel and Mercaz,” said Dara Wood, director of Education at Mercaz and Adath Israel. “Mitch is the embodiment

of the kind of teacher every school should have. He is creative, committed and he puts the children he teachers first. He teaches because he loves what he does. He actually gets excited when asked to create a new class or cover a new topic.”

Cohen is also an active volunteer for Mercaz and Adath Israel.

He has been a part of the Mercaz Board for many years, serving as treasurer for most of those. He is also a longtime officer of Adath Israel and is the Chairperson of the Communications committee.

Cohen has also served as the Choir Director and Music Program Chair for some time, writing many original pieces to be shared with the Adath Israel community.

In his application for the award, Cohen stated, “Who wouldn’t enjoy seeing the young kids smiling, singing and dancing in my music classes. It is an age when anything is possible, and I enjoy seeing their excitement and energy. And as they get older into High School, I can appreciate that it is a time when they are developing their identities, including their Jewish identities. Part of Jewish education to me is providing an environment where they can bond with their Jewish friends and have common experiences, while also learning about their Jewish heritage. I hope I make a difference with my students so they enjoy religious school and stay motivated. The goal is to have them continue their Jewish education throughout their lives and have good experiences when they are young as they build their Jewish identities.”

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Dr. Larry Baum discusses the Supreme Court decision July 13 In light of the anticipated landmark Supreme Court decisions this month, Isaac M. Wise Temple is excited to bring in distinguished expert Professor Larry Baum.

Lawrence Baum is a senior member of the political science department at The Ohio State University. He teaches and does research on courts in the United States, with a particular interest in the Supreme Court.

Professor Baum will be the guest speaker at Shabbat services on Friday night, July 13. He will give two talks, one during the Shabbat evening service and one following the service as part of a Shabbat dinner. During services Professor Baum will address the issue of Political Polarization and the Supreme Court.

The most noteworthy characteristic of American politics today is the

polarization of politics along partisan lines. The effects of that polarization on government are most evident within Congress and in the relationship between Congress and the president, but the courts have not been immune. Partisan polarization has reshaped both the lines of division in the Supreme Court’s decisions and the Court’s role in the political process.

Following Wise Temple’s Shabbat dinner on July 13 Professor Baum will speak on Health Care and Beyond: Supreme Court Decisions in a Polarized System. In the annual term that ends in June, the Supreme Court has heard several cases that reflect political battles outside the Court. The challenges to President Obama’s health care plan, the subject of the biggest battle over gov-

ernment policy, stand out. The justices’ willingness to hear these cases and their decisions and opinions in these cases illuminate their place in a polarized political system Professor Baum’s numerous books include The Supreme Court and Judges and Their Audiences and The Puzzle of Judicial Behavior. He has written countless articles with an emphasis on the judiciary. He has also served on many editorial boards including The American Journal of Political Science, Justice System Journal, and Law and Society Book Review. Professor Baum has won many teaching awards and honors throughout his tenure at The Ohio State University. This promises to be both a fascinating and timely program, and the service and dinner are open to the community.

Courtesy of Gershon Elinson/JTA

Two Caterpillar bulldozers used for the construction work at the Jewish settlement of Elazar, outside Jerusalem, September 2010.

Israel cited in Caterpillar’s delisting from influential investment index

Free concert for World Choir Games

By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Anticipation is building across our community about the U.S. debut of the World Choir Games, coming to Cincinnati, July 4—14. Over 350 choirs, representing more than 48 countries, will be here in our city for this Olympics of choral music. The Mayerson JCC has been selected as a prime venue to host one of 58 Friendship Concerts, as part of the World Choir Games schedule.

Israel’s Ankor Choir will perform a free concert at the J, along with two other award-winning choirs, on Monday, July 9 at 7 p.m.

The Ankor Choir is an all girls youth choir that serves as the house choir for Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Holocaust Memorial Museum. Ankor Choir members are female students of the Jerusalem Academy High School of Music and Dance. They have won numerous awards in world competitions, and Zubin Mehta, conductor of the

WASHINGTON (JTA) – The sale of Caterpillar tractors to Israel was a factor, but not the determining one, in the delisting of the company from an influential index that prioritizes good governance and human rights.The move, however, is poised to further complicate the difficult ongoing conversation about Israel taking place between American Jewish groups and the Presbyterian Church (USA).

A senior official at MSCIESG, a subdivision of MSCI, an investment advice firm, said Caterpillar already had a low rating before its delisting earlier this year, in part because of its association with the Israeli army’s use of the tractors in the West Bank and past use in the Gaza Strip. The role of Israel’s use of the tractors in the decision also suggests that a sustained campaign by proPalestinian groups has had some effect, although officials at MSCIESG and one of its clients, the TIAA-CREF pension fund, deny succumbing to direct pressure.

TIAA-CREF’s divestiture amounted to $72 million in funds, dwarfing previous divestitures by liberal religious groups such as Friends Fiduciary, a Quaker group that divested $900,000.

The news of the delisting comes ahead of the biennial general assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), where divestment from Caterpillar and other companies selling products used by the Israeli army will be considered.

Ethan Felson, the vice president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the Jewish community’s lead official in countering the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement aimed at Israel—known as BDS—said that how the movement was spinning the news of the MSCI-ESG decision would cause “damage” just ahead of the

Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, has said this choir has “… the pure sound of angels.”

“Hearing this choir of young women – a choir that exemplifies the beauty, talent and success of Israel – is a wonderful way to bring our Cincinnati community together and deepen our connection to Israel,” said Yair Cohen, Cincinnati’s Shaliach (emissary from Israel).

Two other choirs are currently scheduled to perform at the July 9 concert at the J. Vox Juventutis is an adult mixed choir consisting of students at the State School of Higher Professional Education in Plock, Poland. This Polish choir has traveled extensively across the globe, and is ranked 12th in the world in the jazz category. Their repertoire includes music from Gershwin to Simon and Garfunkel.

The other choir scheduled to perform at the J is Prime Note

Ensemble. This men’s group is the first Filipino a cappella choir from Saudi Arabia, currently based in Southern California. Comprised entirely of Filipino expatriates, this choir was founded in 2001. They have toured internationally, and performed in two previous World Choir Games where they won bronze and silver medals in the male chamber choir category.

“We are thrilled to present this Friendship Concert as part of our annual Wolf Center event series. Our goal is to bring a broad range of cultural arts to the community that enrich people’s lives, and encourage new ideas and exciting conversations,” stated Courtney Cummings, JCC cultural arts manager.

Everyone interested in attending the free Friendship Concert at the J on Monday evening, July 9, should RSVP online or call the JCC by July 6.

Investment in YPs pays off for Cincinnati’s Jewish community Earlier this month The New York Times published an article about the major development and revitalization happening in Cincinnati, including The Great American Tower, a $322 million office building that dominates the city’s skyline, The Banks, a $600 million mixed-use retail, residential and entertainment development, and coming soon, a $450 million casino, a $112 million streetcar line and a $120 million riverfront park, among other things. “We’re seeing a new Cincinnati coming from all of this,” said Mayor Mark Mallory.

“We have a new set of activities, new places to live, and new places to work. We are investing in things that grow a city.”

And while capital investments such as these are critical to the growth and vitality of any city, of equal importance are the investments that are made in the people who live and work there. Having a wide variety of things to do and likeminded people with whom to do them is key.

“To be honest when my kids were in high school I didn’t think there was a chance that one of them, let alone both, would move back to Cincinnati after graduation,” says Adina Frank, mother of Brad, 25 and Rachel, 27. “But since then, programs like Access have sprung up and have really changed the landscape for Jewish young people here!” she shares. “Because my son

didn’t have a job after graduation he decided to move back home—‘temporarily.’ However, he made it clear that he was going to look for opportunities in cities like Chicago and Philadelphia where he claimed there were tons of things going on for his age group,” she adds. “As a way to stay busy while ‘stuck in Cincinnati,’ he started going to Access events. Not only did he meet someone who knew of a job opening right here in Cincinnati, which incidentally, he ended up landing, he got to know so many people and had such a great experience that he convinced my daughter to come back here to live after grad school!”

INVESTMENT on page 20

Presbyterian colloquy.

BDS groups already were claiming a victory, although Felson noted that the sales to Israel were neither the immediate nor the preeminent factor in the divestment.

He said that linking Caterpillar to Israeli practices was “nonsensical,” noting that it had no say in how the U.S. military resells the tractors and that it could not legally turn down the U.S. military as a client.

The MSCI-ESG official told JTA on Friday that what drove Caterpillar off the index was the company’s decision in February to shutter a Canadian plant following a high-profile dispute with employees. However, the official acknowledged that several factors played into the company’s already relatively low rating, including the association of Caterpillar with Israeli army practices in the administered territories.

The death in 2003 of Rachel Corrie, an American proPalestinian activist, while she was protesting the demolition of a Palestinian home in the Gaza Strip helped spur the BDS movement.

Corrie’s parents and witnesses say she was caught beneath an armored tractor. The Israeli army denies fault and maintains that she was killed by debris.

MSCI-ESG—ESG stands for Environment, Social or Governance—has as its clients a number of progressive groups that base their investments in part on social justice issues, including care for the environment, the treatment and safety of employees, and involvement in human rights abuses.

Its decision, made in February and effective as of March 1, came to light this week because of claims by groups associated with the BDS movement that a decision

by TIAA-CREF—a pension fund for teachers and other academics—to divest from Caterpillar was a result of their pressure.

NATIONAL • 7

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Mubarak’s legacy of peace and stability has been upended

Courtesy of Moshe Milner/ GPO/Flash90/JTA

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt less than three weeks before the protests there led to Mubarak’s downfall, January 2011.

By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — Hosni Mubarak’s legacy was supposed to be an Egypt preeminent in the region and at peace with its neighbors, but the instrument he used to achieve it —the absolute power of the state — undid him and could sweep away the remnant of that legacy.

Mubarak, who as of Tuesday was reportedly in a coma, once wielded the type of power that ultimately did him in.

“It is not just Mubarak that is on life support at this moment— Egypt’s creaky institutions and its nascent democracy are as well,” Steven Cook, an Egypt expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote Wednesday on the Foreign Policy website.

“Its politics are broken, its infrastructure in disrepair, its economy near collapse, its state education system in disarray, and its public health system nonexistent,” Cook added. “If anything, this is the legacy of Hosni Mubarak: the evisceration of his beloved country.

Mubarak, sentenced earlier this month to life in prison for ordering hundreds of killings during the early 2011 protests that ended his 30-year reign, was placed on life support on Tuesday, according to media reports.

Prospects of the ailing Mubarak’s comeback were in any case worse than nil, but news of his deteriorating condition prompted renewed consideration of what the deposed president bequeathed Egypt.

Gabi Ashkenazi, the former chief of staff of the Israeli military, spoke Wednesday at the Israeli Presidential Conference of Mubarak’s importance not just in upholding the peace treaty with Israel, but in encouraging other Arabs to do the same.

“When Arafat was slow to sign the Oslo Accords, Mubarak was the one who forced him to the table

to sign—even using undiplomatic language,” Ashkenazi recalled, referring to Oslo II, signed in September 1995 in Egypt.

Mubarak, in a televised ceremony, literally nudged then-Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to the table as a bemused Yitzhak Rabin, then the Israeli prime minister, looked on. Israelis present insisted that they heard Mubarak whisper to Arafat, “Sign, you dog.”

“Try to think of an Egyptian president today doing that,” Ashkenazi said.

It was a concern echoed across the ocean, where Shaul Mofaz, the Kadima party leader, inaugurated his first Washington visit in his new role as deputy prime minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recently formed national unity government.

“Whatever happens, we will be facing a more radical regime,” Mofaz told the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank ahead of a series of meetings with top U.S. officials. He called the need to preserve his country’s peace with Egypt the “highest Israeli goal.”

Reports in Cairo said the rumors about Mubarak’s health helped swell the numbers in Tahrir Square protesting steps taken in recent weeks by the courts to support the interim military government’s decision to gut the parliament and limit the powers of Mubarak’s successor.

Both candidates in Egypt’s presidential election over the weekend—the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafik, Mubarak’s last prime minister and a candidate with the tacit backing of the military—are claiming victory.

Joel Rubin, the director of government policy at the Ploughshares Fund, a body that promotes peace initiatives, said the very autocracy that spooked Arafat and others into heeding Mubarak ultimately turned on his enterprise.

“Mubarak’s legacy is that he

created a state system that collapsed underneath him,” said Rubin, a former top Senate Foreign Relations Committee staffer who has visited Egypt multiple times.

“He certainly maintained peace with Israel—a cold peace, but he kept the border relatively calm and fought against extremist groups in the country. But he left a crushing legacy on the economy and political system. Stability under strongmen is never really stable.”

Mubarak spurred privatization reforms in the 1990s that helped grow Egypt’s economy, but they did not trickle down because he also tolerated—if not encouraged —the kleptocracy of the Egyptian elites, said David Schenker, an Egypt expert at the Washington Institute and a former Pentagon Middle East official.

“As a result, people have come to associate a free market economy with crony capitalism,” Schenker said.

“There is no longer respect or fear of Egypt,” he said. “Mubarak presided over this.”

Ultimately, the thieving weakened Egypt’s economy and undercut its regional influence. Whereas in the 1990s Mubarak could strong-arm Arafat into peace, in the 2000s he was barely able to get the Palestinian polity, split between Hamas Islamists and Palestinian Authority moderates, to heed his pleas for a unified front.

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8 • NATIONAL

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Hebrew National’s owner rejects suit’s claim that products are not up to kosher standards

By Debra Rubin Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — Hebrew National boasts of “answering to a higher authority,” but several class-action lawyers are hoping to take one of the country’s largest kosher meat producers to an earthly court.

A class-action lawsuit filed recently alleges that Hebrew National’s iconic hot dogs and other meats do not comport with the brand’s claim to be kosher “as defined by the most stringent Jews who follow Orthodox Jewish law.” The suit filed May 18 in a Minnesota state court accuses ConAgra Foods, Inc., which owns the Hebrew National brand, of consumer fraud.

ConAgra, which has rejected the claims unequivocally, asked on June 6 that the suit be moved to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. The company has until July 13 to respond to the complaint.

Lawyers from firms in Scottsdale, Ariz.; Long Beach, Calif.; and Minneapolis, Minn., submitted the complaint on behalf of 11 named plaintiffs.

The lead attorney for the plaintiffs, Hart L. Robinovitch of Zimmerman Reed, is based in Scottsdale but his firm has offices in Minnesota. Robinovitch would not say how the suit was initiated.

Zimmerman Reed, however, solicited consumers through its

Courtesy of HebrewNational.com

The home page of the Hebrew National website featuring a hot dog holding a sign saying “100% Kosher Beef or Bust.”

website, where a page until recently announced a Hebrew National investigation.

“Our firm has received troubling reports that some slaughterhouse plants supplying Hebrew National with its beef may not be upholding the strict kosher standards Hebrew National promises,”the page stated. “Workers are threatened with losing their job, or demotion, if they speak up and try to point out violations of the kosher food laws.”

The firm advertised a free case review for anyone who purchased Hebrew National hot dogs in the past two years or had information about the preparation of the products.

“The lawsuit contends that ConAgra marketed, labeled and sold Hebrew National according to the strictest standards defined

by Orthodox Jews. We allege that it does not meet those standards,” Robinovitch said. “We’re certainly not alleging that they’re using pork products, or anything as blatant as that.”

The lawsuit’s 11 named plaintiffs live in various states, including California, Minnesota, New York and Arizona. JTA was unable to reach any of the individuals.

The suit, which was reported originally by the American Jewish World newspaper, is seeking monetary damages equal to the total

amount of monies that consumers in the class paid for Hebrew National meat products.

Triangle-K, the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based supervising agency that certifies Hebrew National products as kosher and the company that processes the kosher meat, also unequivocally rejected the allegations and contended that disgruntled former employees might be behind them.

Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag, who owns Triangle-K, said in a statement that the claims in the lawsuit were “outrageously false and defamatory.”

He added, “Those who make the false allegations know full well that because their identities are concealed and their false statements are made in a court pleading, Triangle-K and its principals cannot sue them for defamation.”

AER, which provides the kosher slaughtering services at Hebrew National facilities in the Midwest, including in Minnesota, rejected the charges as well.

“The company intends to defend its reputation and good name,” AER’s president, Shlomo Ben-David, said in a statement.

Teresa Paulson, a ConAgra spokesperson, said she could not comment on pending litigation, but that the company stood by Hebrew National’s kosher status.

Neither AER nor Triangle-K is named as a defendant in the suit.

KOSHER on page 22

For a National Archives exhibit, Michael Pupa finally reveals his harrowing Holocaust journey

By Zach Silberman Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — While preparing for a new National Archives exhibit that he is curating, Bruce Bustard showed some documents to his colleague, Miriam Kleiman. She was stunned to see the name Michael Pupa, father of her friend Jill Pupa, as he had never spoken to his family about his harrowing past.

“I got a phone call from Miriam before Rosh Hashanah,” Jill Pupa said. “That was really when my father started talking about his story, and it’s incredible that it’s out.”

Michael Pupa’s story of survival and emigration was featured in a June 14 preview of a new National Archives exhibit about 20th-century immigrants to America. The exhibit, which runs through Sept. 4, features 31 immigrants from diverse backgrounds.

The name for the exhibit, “Attachments: Faces and Stories from America’s Gates," comes

from the photos and documents attached to the government forms needed to enter the United States.

At the event, Pupa spoke to the audience about his gratitude for how America changed his life. A few steps away from him – and not far from national treasures — was a picture of him at the time of his entry into the U.S. and his naturalization forms.

“Everyone expects to see such items and the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights at the National Archives. I certainly had no idea that these personal documents of me … would be out in the National Archives,” Pupa said at the event.

Pupa, who grew up in the Polish town of Manyevitch, escaped from the Nazis into the Polish forests in 1942. After spending years in displaced persons camps in Germany, he came to the U.S. in 1951 as a 12year-old orphan to live with a foster family in the Cleveland area.

When he came to the country, he left his past behind. Pupa went on to

earn a degree from John Carroll University in Ohio and own a business. He married and raised two children. But Pupa did not speak about his past, even to his family.

As the only living immigrant being highlighted in the “Attachments” exhibit, Pupa has finally started to tell his story.

As a young boy, he hid for two years from the Nazis with his father and uncle in the Polish forests outside Manyevitch. His mother and young sister were killed by the Nazis, who later captured and killed his father.

Following World War II, he was smuggled back into Germany to live in four DP camps. Pupa, his uncle Lieb Kaplan and cousin Bronja lived in the camps for six years.

Kaplan put Michael and Bronja in the custody of the United Nations International Refugee Organization, pushing for their immigration to the U.S. without him. After a complicated journey via the help of various agencies, Michael wound up in the United States.

After settling in Cleveland in late 1951, Pupa was placed in several foster homes; he never discussed his wartime experiences.

“It’s still difficult to talk about it. The people that went through the trauma, it’s very difficult to talk about it,” Pupa, who still lives in the Cleveland area, told JTA. The exhibit was created, according to U.S. archivist David Ferriero, because of Bustard’s interest in a collection of documents and photos that were attached to immigrants’ forms as they entered the U.S. “As [Bustard] was going through the records, he discovered all of these immigration files that had photographs attached to the records,” Ferriero said. “He became very interested in that aspect of documentation, and as he started reading more on the case files, it became clear that there was a story to tell.

Bustard noted during his remarks that Pupa’s story was “one of the most moving stories in the exhibit.”

PUPA on page 20

National Briefs ‘Elmo’ on anti-Semitic rant ejected from Central Park (JTA) — A man in an Elmo costume was ejected from Central Park and hospitalized after going on an anti-Semitic rant in the middle of the New York landmark.

While the man’s name was not released because he was not arrested, police said that Monday’s incident was not the first time he had dressed as the Sesame Street character and gone on a racial rant.

Videos of the costumed Elmo’s anti-Semitic comments began to circulate Sunday and show him directing bystanders to read “The International Jew” by Henry Ford, the automobile manufacturer who was known for his anti-Semitic views.

“I’m not making money because the Jewish costume company is harassing me,” said the man, caught on video.

“That’s why I’m doing it and that’s why I want people to read ‘The International Jew,’ because if you start your business in this city, Jews will harass you.”

The man also complained that he wasn’t making any money because of “Jewish cops and company.”

Anti-Israel aid billboards are taken down (JTA) — A subsidiary of the CBS Corp. removed 23 billboards in the Los Angeles area calling for a stop to U.S. foreign assistance to Israel.

The Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel, which sponsored the billboards, said in a statement that it received a letter from CBS Outdoor, a subsidiary of the CBS Corp., saying the contract was canceled because the coalition “used the ‘CBS Outdoor’ name without permission” in its publicity. CBS Outdoor refunded the undisclosed amount of the contract to the group, the coalition said on its Facebook page.

The coalition is asking supporters to demand that CBS Outdoor put back the billboards.

“If you support us trying to get our message of ending military aid to Israel back up on billboards in the nation’s second largest city, won’t you help flood CBS with phone calls demanding that our billboards be put back up and our contract be honored to the full term?” the coalition said in its statement.

U.S. Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) had slammed the group for its billboards in a June 21 letter to the organization.

INTERNATIONAL • 9

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

European Jewish leaders, with ambivalence, are turning to Israel for funds to meet needs

By Cnaan Liphshiz Jewish Telegraphic Agency BARCELONA (JTA) — Jozeph Nassi, the vice president of Istanbul’s Jewish community, describes the dilemma facing Europe’s Jewish communities.

“When the father gives to the son, they both laugh. When the son gives to the father, they both cry,” he said.

Nassi was speaking of his ambivalence about turning to Israel for assistance as 80 European Jewish community leaders gathered to pursue a united agenda—a conversation dominated by the need to manage rising costs for security, Jewish schooling and aid to the needy.

Their meeting near Catalonia Square in the center of this Spanish city was a stark contrast to the celebrations outside. For the locals, Spain’s spectacular 4-0 victory over Ireland in the Euro 12 soccer championships on June 14 was a distraction from the effects of the acute financial crisis gripping the region.

The Jewish visitors, by contrast, had convened at a nearby hotel for the weekend to immerse themselves in that very problem, hoping to come up with creative ways to offset its effects in their communities.

Struggling with unexpectedly and steadily increasing expenses, the European Jewish leaders are turning for help to Israel, their traditional beneficiary and now the owner of a growing economy.

Their call came at a gathering funded by the reconstituted European Council of Jewish Communities, a group initially founded 40 years ago by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to serve as its European arm. The organization fell apart in 2010 following budget shortages and a walkout by board members over transparency issues.

The JDC helped re-establish the ECJC last year, and the latter now wants to help unite Europe’s Jewish communities along the lines of the North American Jewish federation system. The European Jewish Congress also supports the ECJC. “We believe it’s the responsibility of the State of Israel to help the Jewish communities in Europe through this difficulty,” Robert Ejnes, president of the Jewish community of Boulogne in France, told the gathering.

France’s Jewish community — with some 500,000 members, Europe’s largest outside of Russia — is struggling to meet its members’ needs and was “limited” in how it could help communities abroad, he said. Some French

Courtesy of Marguerite Zauberman/Moked.it

Evan Lazar, second from left, president of the European Council of Jewish Communities, with members of Italy’s Jewish communities, June 17, 2012.

Jewish parents, Ejnes added, can no longer afford to give their children lunch money for the school cafeteria, and the elderly are struggling to pay their utility bills.

Further, the March 19 shooting in Toulouse underlined the need to invest more in protecting the 30,000 students in French Jewish schools, Ejnes said. Three children and a rabbi at the Otzar Hatorah school were killed that day by Mohammed Merah, 23, a French-Algerian sympathizer of the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, European Jewish communities have spent decades helping Israel establish its economy and build a strong army, Ejnes said.

“Now the child is getting very strong and the parents are older,” he said. “Europe’'s Jewish communities do not have the strength they had.”

The presidents of the Jewish communities of Lisbon, Portugal, and Sofia, Bulgaria, supported his call.

Ruth Ellen Gruber, coordinator for Jewish Heritage Europe — a website supported by the Rothchild Foundation Europe — noted the mutual consent as “an important point that has not been so openly said until now.”

The acute economic crisis in Greece was not surprisingly a matter of concern. The president of the Jewish community of Athens credited Israel and American Jews for their support, and noted that European communities “gave less.”

Benjamin Albalas of Athens said the JDC alone has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Greek Jewish community since the crisis made it one of the hardest hit Jewish communities in Europe.

He declined to tell JTA how

much money Israel is giving.

“Israel has its channels to help.

It is represented by the Jewish Agency,” Albalas said.

Back home, he added, some in his Athens community cannot afford funeral expenses for their relatives. Others, he said, face eviction and can no longer afford to pay community membership fees, which are not uncommon in Europe.

So far, only one European Jewish community has helped Greek Jewry, he added. The tiny

Jewish community of Luxembourg gave 1,000 euros, or about $1,260.

Its president, Francois Moyse, said he was “surprised and ashamed” to hear that the Luxembourg community was the only one to give.

Mario Izcovich, director of pan-European programs at the JDC, urged European Jewish communities to help one another and to reconsider “a culture or tendency,” which places responsibility for action with the state. He called the donation by Luxembourg’s Jewish community “an example” for other communities.

Trying to raise funds in Europe for Greek Jews was a disappointment, Izcovich said. “Some communities we approached said it went against their by-laws. Others said they already had a separate organization for such matters.”

Compared to the U.S. community, European Jewish communities “do not have a culture of giving,” he noted. Izcovich urged community leaders to set aside money for helping other Jewish communities in crises and assume more responsibility.

Several organizations and Jewish communities signed a document last Friday—titled the Barcelona Declaration by the ECJC—in which the signatories pledge their commitment to transparency and to promoting solidarity among Jewish communities in Europe and beyond.

International Briefs March in S. Africa to protest West Bank product relabeling PRETORIA, South Africa (JTA) — South Africa’s African Christian Democratic Party is planning a march to protest a proposal to ban products from the West Bank to be labeled as originating from Israel.

Marches will be held Thursday in Pretoria and Friday at the parliament gates in Cape Town.

Party leader the Rev. Kenneth Meshoe, who initiated the marches, told JTA that the relabeling proposal issued by Trade Minister Rob Davies is flawed and an antiIsrael lobbying group had pushed for the measure.

“The proposal refers to ‘Occupied Palestinian Territories,’ but this is not a state,” Meshoe said. “The consumer act demands that such a notice will include the name of the state to which it refers. There is no recognized country here, so the notice cannot be applied.”

Meshoe also said the notice was promoted on the basis of unproven allegations made by the pro-Palestinian Open Shuhada Street organization.

“This group is also calling for a boycott of Israel. We are calling on our government not to act in the name of the agenda of this group,” he said.

10 • ISRAEL

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War of words breaks out between India, China experts at Israel’s President’s Conference

By Ronen Shnidman JointMedia News Service JERUSALEM (JNS) — While Europe is doomed, the world’s two most populous nations are jockeying for influence in the Middle East and trying to sway Israel into their respective camps.

Those were two takeaways from the June 19-21 “Facing Tomorrow” conference sponsored by Israeli President Shimon Peres, where economics and foreign policy experts did not restrain themselves from taking potshots at major world leaders—and each other.

A panel discussion Wednesday provided a potentially potent harbinger of a future battle for influence in the Middle East between China and India.

Attended by more than 5,000 people from around the world, “President’s Conference: Facing Tomorrow” aimed to answer one major question: How can we foster a better tomorrow for the international community, Israel and the Jewish world?

Four China experts joined London-based Indian journalist and foreign policy commentator Kapil

Komireddi at an unusually restive panel session Wednesday.

Preemptively setting the tone of the discussion, Komireddi penned an op-ed published Haaretz that morning advocating that Israel seek to forestall Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons by directly requesting that the Indian government play a mediating role in international negotiations with the government in Tehran.

In a pre-panel interview with JNS, Komireddi spoke of shared Israeli and Indian values and modern post-colonial history as an important foundational basis for the future deepening of strategic relations between the two countries.

Komireddi told JNS that “Israel has a tremendous fund of goodwill in India,” and that it was time that the Jewish State “cashed that in.” Of particular note, Komireddi emphasized the importance of what he described as the clandestine aid provided by Israel to India during the country’s 1962 border war with China, as well as its conflicts with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971.

During his panel talk, Komireddi suggested tongue in

cheek that Israelis could further develop ties with India by adopting cricket as a national sport, calling it “the most recognizably Jewish of sports” for all who play it.

However, Komireddi didn’t limit himself to advancing the cause of an Israeli-Indian alliance, but also criticized those who look to a Communist Party-led China to exert a positive influence on global affairs. In particular, Komireddi attacked the panel’s only Israeli participant, Hebrew University Professor of East Asian Studies Yuri Pines, as being an apologist for the Chinese government.

The increasingly prominent position of China and its economy will “allow countries to choose between different development models,” Pines said during his panel talk. He said, “The new century will be a more pluralistic world. A world with more choices.”

Pines noted that historically, Chinese civilization was “never a missionary society” that sought to proselytize and force its culture and political system on neighboring countries.

WORDS on page 22

Spurred by a Shas lawmaker, abortion politics arrives in Israel

By Eetta Prince-Gibson Jewish Telegraphic Agency JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s paradoxical approach to abortion — the procedure is illegal unless approved by a committee, which gives the go-ahead to 98 percent of the requests — could radically change if a Knesset member has his way.

Nissim Zeev of the Sephardi Orthodox party Shas, who has said publicly that abortion is akin to “murder,” wants to make the procedure illegal after the 22nd week of pregnancy unless the pregnancy poses a danger to the mother’s health or the fetus suffers from severe defects and is unlikely to survive.

“This has nothing to do with women’s rights,” Zeev heatedly told JTA. “I demand that we have a public debate on this campaign of murder.”

Political observers don’t think his measure will progress far, but Zeev has shined a spotlight on an issue that has never figured even vaguely in the country’s political campaigns. In fact, Israel does not even have an active anti-abortion movement.

Still, many rabbis, especially

Courtesy of Uri Lenz/FLASH90/JTA

Shas lawmaker Nissim Zeev, shown during a plenum session in the Israeli Knesset on June 11, is demanding a public debate on abortion, which he has said publicly is akin to “murder.”

haredi Orthodox, believe that the messianic redemption will be delayed until all souls are born. As a general rule, Jewish law allows abortion in the first 40 days of pregnancy and in cases where the life of the mother is in mortal danger.

“This is about the last thing we need right now—another conflict between the religious and the secular,” said one Knesset member from the coalition, speaking on the condi-

tion of anonymity. “We have enough political issues to deal with. Zeev has to understand that if it ain’t broke, it don’t need to be fixed.”

As a result, the legislator said, the proposal has been purposely buried in committee. Still, in Israel’s unpredictable political landscape, its existence on the dockets could bring it to the fore without warning.

ABORTION on page 22

At the Israeli Presidential Conference: from Dr. Ruth to Peter Beinart

By Uriel Heilman Jewish Telegraphic Agency JERUSALEM (JTA) — What do hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, Zionist critic Peter Beinart and Dr. Ruth have in common?

If you’re still puzzling over that one, you’re not alone. So are the participants at this year’s 2012 Israeli Presidential Conference, which featured those four among dozens of other panelists at the confab held this week in Jerusalem.

Titled “Facing Tomorrow,” the conference assembled leading entrepreneurs, politicians, academics and Jewish community figures from around the world, and with them a bevy of publicists, journalists and myriad other hangers-on.

There was Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the octogenarian sexologist, opening the conference in a one-on-one, center-stage discussion with Israeli technology investor and entrepreneur Yossi Vardi. There was Terje RoedLarsen, the Norwegian U.N. diplomat who played a key role in the Oslo Accords and now heads the International Peace Institute, looking lost in the exhibit hall. In a corner near the bar, Noam Shalit, father of freed captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, chatted with Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Stuck in the crowd, Alexander Mashkevich, the Kazakh-Israeli minerals oligarch and one of the conference’s benefactors, smiled politely amid a scowling coterie of thuggish men wearing shiny white suits.

It was a conference of boldfaced names without a coherent theme. Some sessions focused on Israel’s strategic threats and Jewish identity. Others were about the future of smartphones and cloud computing. A group of neuroscientists led a discussion on how machines can help the brain.

Israeli President Shimon Peres, the conference’s host, held a public work meeting with the president of Croatia.

Some of the first-timers among the 4,000 or so attendees — an overwhelmingly but not exclusively Jewish group — weren’t quite sure what to make of it.

“I’m trying to figure out what the conference is even about,” said Dov Waxman, a professor from the City University of New York who blogs on the Daily Beast and is writing a book about Jewish politics. “What is the pur-

Courtesy of Shilo Productions

Dr. Ruth Westheimer speaking about “The Future of Sex” during the Israeli Presidential Conference, June 21, 2012.

pose of this? Is it to pontificate about the Jewish future? It’s like a schmooze-fest, I think.”

Indeed, perhaps more than anything else, the conference, now in its fourth year, aspires to be a sort of Jewish Davos – a gathering where the A-listers of the Jewish world can meet, network, exchange ideas and maybe have a good time. Except unlike the exclusive Davos World Economic Forum, it’s a lot easier to get in and there’s no registration fee.

The conference is a testament to the star power and vision of Peres. Its $2.7 million price tag is paid for largely by the 88-year-old president’s friends and associates, including corporate and philanthropic sponsors, and its theme is something that Israeli politicians, at least, are not known for thinking too much about: the long-term future.

If it is to become a fixture on the annual Jewish conference calendar, the Israeli Presidential Conference will be the only real multidisciplinary one. What other Jewish forum brings together the likes of Cisco’s CEO, Israeli singer-songwriter Achinoam Nini (aka Noa), Henry Kissinger, Paralympics swimmer Keren Leibovitch, Obama administration adviser Dennis Ross, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer, Quartet Middle East envoy Tony Blair and Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar?

Where else can you go from a session in which Cisco Chairman John Chambers talks about the future of data on the Internet to a talk by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, a Princeton University psychologist, about the inherent advantage hawks have over doves in political arguments?

Or from a discourse by Leon Wieseltier, the literary editor of The New Republic, about the need for Israel to earn the conditional love of American Jews, to one in which Dr. Ruth offers tips about female orgasms?

SOCIAL LIFE • 11

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Adath Israel celebrates Confirmation Class 5772 This year’s confirmation class met with Rabbi Irvin Wise and youth coordinator, Mollie Newman, throughout the school year and focused on strengthening their Jewish Identities and giving back to their community. In the midst of high school secular studies and extracurricular activities, these students learned how to make Judaism relevant and meaningful in their daily lives.

They met once a month for an hour and a half before Mercaz Hebrew High school, and discussed topics involving Judaism with Rabbi Wise relevant to their lives. These sessions provided time for the students and the Rabbi to get to know each other better and to bring up examples of how Judaism has meaning in each of their lives.

They delved into complicated issues such as assimilation and the importance of Jewish values.

“Through our Confirmation program, our 10th grade students are able to ‘confirm’ what they did and said when becoming b’nai and b’not mitzvah now at a more mature age with more awareness and responsibility. Confirmation certainly has a positive social component but it is the educational, tzedakah, religious and ritual parts of the program that define its importance. It is wonderful to witness these students’ commitment and dedication,” said Rabbi Wise.

As a class, they decided to take on the Mitzvah Project of cooking and serving a meal for the Ronald McDonald House. They came together for several hours on a Sunday afternoon at the end of April to cook for over 125 people. They then finished preparing and serving the meal on the following Thursday at the Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House. The students worked together with help from Mikey Frank and many of their parents to make sure that they had everything organized and ready for serving on time.

When they finally lined up and served the meal to the Ronald McDonald House residents, confirmand Madison Hall remembers that, “It felt good doing something for people going through a really hard time and it was great to actually get to be with them.”

Rabbi Wise, Dena Dave, Jonathan Fisher, Paige Madison Hall, Brandon Kuy, Sam Levitt, Liam Reis, Elana Schwartz, Shana Stanton, Alex Weisser, Sarah Wolf and Mollie Newman.

The confirmation class culminated in a Shabbat service in which the confirmands led the congregation in prayer. This year the service took place on Shabbat morning, May 12, and each of the confirmation students had a significant part in leading the service. They read the Torah, Haftorah, led the Torah Service, Musaf and other prayers. It was a lively and spiritual morning.

In her Dvar Torah, Dena Dave discussed how the confirmands have a unique, close bond with each other.

She stressed the responsibility of each member of the confirmation class to continue their Jewish education. She said, “Now that we’re teenagers, it is common for us to come across situations that test just how important observing the Jewish calendar is for us. Do we go to that party on Friday night, or have Shabbat dinner with our fami-

ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE FREE! BIRTHS • BAT/BAR MITZVAHS • ENGAGEMENTS WEDDINGS • BIRTHDAYS • ANNIVERSARIES Place your FREE announcement in The American Israelite newspaper and website by sending an e-mail to articles@americanisraelite.com

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ly?...with each of our lives being even busier than the next person’s, I hope we can all find some way to take a break and find a way to make

Shabbat meaningful. I ask you all, confirmands and everyone here today, to let the Jewish calendar mean something to you.”

In addition to attending confirmation class this year, all of the confirmands attended Mercaz Conservative Hebrew High School.

12 • CINCINNATI SOCIAL LIFE

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ACCESS’ Mexican-Style Shabbat On Friday, March 30th, Access presented the latest in its Got Shabbat series with a tribute to Mexico and the four Access constituents who hail from there who helped bring an authentic sense of their country to Cincinnati for the night. Nearly 130 Young Professionals came out to enjoy an evening of mariachi, frozen margaritas and traditional Mexican fare. After dinner the piñatas came out and everyone had the chance to take part in this favorite Mexican pastime. Access is an initiative of The Mayerson Foundation for Jewish young professionals, 21-35.

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

CINCINNATI JEWISH LIFE • 13

14 • DINING OUT

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Padrino is for pizza lovers, casual food connoisseurs

By Sandra Katkin Dining Editor 20 Brix, one of a select group of gourmet restaurants, has a little sister, Padrino (two doors away). A casual, family-friendly pizzeria (with other Italian favorites), it attracts regulars. The snug restaurant is tucked into historic downtown Milford with old fashioned, tree- lined sidewalks, antique stores, bakeries, coffee and dress shops inviting visitors to stroll the “gas” lit street. An outdoor dining area surrounded by planters offers al fresco charm. Inside, there is an intimate bar area across from the dining room. Original art and European posters decorate the walls and there is a separate room for large groups, private parties or business meetings.

The young restaurant has been well received, earning the 2012 “Readers’ Choice Award” and “City Beat’s Top 10 New Restaurants.”

Paul Barraco, also the chef at Brix, oversees the artisanal ingredients that mark the difference between haute-trailer “traif” and scrumptious comestibles. What makes tall Paul (about 6’ 5”) so special? Beside the acclaim he’s receiving among gourmet diners, according to his brother Neil, Padrino’s general manager, it’s his attention to detail. As a “foodie,” talking to him is auditory addiction. I can taste the food he describes. He told me their pizza crust is seasoned first with butter, garlic and parmesan so that it is imbued with flavor even before it is topped. He knows his sources, including many local farmers who bring their fresh produce to him.

Neil told me that they inherited the tradition of fine Italian cooking from their Sicilian grandmother.

When they were growing up, they woke up to the ambrosial aroma of maranara simmering on the kitchen stove. And now it simmers for hours at Padrino. Paul has added his special touch and the sauce is pleasantly sweet and chunky. The best tomatoes and fresh herbs fight for supremacy in your mouth. It’s a battle I enjoyed recently when biting into their eggplant parmesan. When Neil handed me the plate, it had heft and required both hands. He mentioned it was “a good pound of food.” It was actually a great pound of hot and crisp slices (three to four) of eggplant, a generous portion of spaghetti and enough sauce to flavor both the spaghetti and the eggplant.

How rare is that? Neil explained that they toss the pasta in the sauce first, then ladle on the sauce. How many times do you have to ask for extra sauce? That won’t happen here.

Owner Hunter Thomas is a prize-winning sommelier whose talent is reflected in their full flavored and reasonably priced wine list. They also have a wide variety of craft beers and revolving draft beers. “We like to bring in new choices and seasonal selections that

(Clockwise) Manager Neil Barraco with “server” Sam in well stocked bar area; Casual, outdoor dining on shady sidewalk; Pizza with a crust that won’t fold but will hold its roasted vegetable toppings; Audaciously saucy and perfectly crisp eggplant parmesan; Bright, cheerful colors accent the walls of the dining area.

people haven’t tasted before. This is what I like and I want my customers to have the same options,” Neil explained. Happy hour is 4 - 6 p.m. with half priced beers, appetizers and $2 off all cocktails.

Since pizza is their specialty and “Cincinnati Magazine” awarded them the number six in the city, I was anxious to try the “vegetarian” Neil chose for me. This pie had body! They describe it as crispy, which according to my host means “a crust that can hold many toppings,” and their specialty pizzas are loaded with toppings. As I chomped on my slice, the robust maranara sauce blended with the vegetables but never overwhelmed

them. The mushrooms, peppers and onions were roasted first, retaining their individual flavors with a recognizable density, simple, fresh and delicious.

The featured pizza was the “Gregorian.” I wondered if it sang Medieval chants? No, it was named after their friend Gregg. It has Alfredo sauce, mozzarella cheese and “gardiniere,” a pickled vegetable relish of cauliflower, carrots, onions and banana peppers. I’ve had this nifty relish on their roast beef sandwich and found it full of tasty tartness.

“We like to create unique toppings and rotate featured pizzas to keep things interesting,” Neil commented. When I asked what his favorite

dish was, at first he demurred, saying that he’s at the restaurant so much but then, with fondness in his voice, he replied, “I love the pizza so much, I can eat it cold.”

My husband Steve and I come here often. We enjoy their high quality, fresh salads and homemade dressings. Steve always gets the roast beef “gardiniere” sandwich without the bread (must be gluten free) with their parmesan fries. Of course, I always steal a few, yum!

My favorite is the “Nick the Greek” pizza with black olives, tomato, feta, banana peppers, green olives and spinach—my total antioxidant requirements for a week.

Most platters come with garlic

knots, baked and toasted yeast rolls with parmesan, olive oil and butter.

When you bite into one, it almost squirts at you. Duck quickly and definitely share with anyone you’re with. A commonality of garlic breath is “de rigueur,” especially if you’re sharing the same air space in a car. A varying assortment of desserts including cannolis, chocolate cake and cheese cake is available. They feature live music on Saturday evenings. Padrino is open Monday Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Padrino 111 Main Street Milford, OH 45150 513-965-0100

DINING OUT • 15

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

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16 • OPINION

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NEW YORK (RNS) It is an unfortunate tradition. Every two years since 2004, the Presbyterian Church (USA) considers resolutions that vilify Israel as the guilty party in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and recommend one or more punitive measures that fall easily into the rubric of BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) against Israel.

Now, the 2012 Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly in Pittsburgh, which opens on June 30, is poised to continue the ritual.

Resolutions already have been proposed by a few national committees and local presbyteries urging a withdrawal of church investments from companies that do business with Israel. The resolutions label Israel’s government an apartheid regime; call for boycotts of Israeli products; and moralize about Israel’s violations of human rights and religious freedom.

Some within the church have responded with counter-resolutions that call upon the church to cease and desist in trying to use BDS as a tool to advance peace.

They urge investment in the region in lieu of divestment, and call upon the church to pay at least equal attention to attacks on Christians across the Middle East as it pays to Israel’s role in the conflict with Palestinians.

It’s still unclear whether the proor anti-BDS forces will prevail in this battle within the church. Either way, this battle has wider implications for Presbyterian-Jewish relations in particular and ChristianJewish relations in general. The fact that so much time and energy are expended within the church and the American Jewish community on this constant assault on Israel threatens interfaith comity.

The pro-BDS elements within the church assert that they are motivated by a commitment to peace and justice. But even a casual look at their advocacy texts challenges that assertion. These texts fail the 3-D litmus test appropriately established by Natan Sharansky, former Soviet dissident and a current Israeli leader: their texts are

Rabbi Noam E. Marans is the director of Interreligious relations for the American Jewish Committee.

(Jewish Ideas Daily) — Jews and Catholics have so much in common that they ought to make common cause more often than they do. The friction between them is often based on mutual ignorance and mistrust. On the Jewish side, given two thousand years of the Church’s anti-Judaism, that is hardly surprising. Only after the Holocaust did a small group of Catholic thinkers—most of them converts from Judaism—have any success in persuading the Church to rethink its anti-Jewish doctrine.

It was a process that culminated in 1965’s Nostra Aetate—In Our Age—the declaration of the Second Vatican Council that definitively repudiated the ancient accusation against the Jews of deicide, and stated that the Church “decries hatred, persecutions, displays of antiSemitism, directed at the Jews at any time and by anyone.” Thus the Church, which had always seen itself as the new Israel, at last gave the people of Israel its due place in the history of salvation: the duty of Catholics to “Abraham’s sons” was not conversion but reconciliation.

This dramatic story forms the subject of John Connelly’s remarkable new book, “From Enemy to Brother: The Revolution in Catholic Teaching on the Jews, 1933-1965” (Harvard). Connelly’s book is largely peopled with “border-crossers”: Catholics who had converted or were in the process of converting from Judaism or Protestantism, inhabiting an uncomfortable noman’s-land, accepted neither by their adoptive faith nor by their former community. Some, such as the later French Cardinal Jean-Marie

Lustiger, continued to see themselves as Jews, even when the chief rabbi of Paris objected that he had turned his back on Judaism.

Perhaps the most important of these Jewish-Catholic bordercrossers was John (formerly Johannes) Oesterreicher, who helped draft Nostra Aetate.

Connelly relies heavily on Oesterreicher’s vast correspondence with the rest of this vanguard to unearth the tensions and quarrels of the struggle for reform. Reflecting on the death of his Jewish parents at the hands of the Nazis, Oesterreicher rediscovered forgotten teachings of the Church: all who lived good lives, Jews as well as Christians, could attain salvation, and the guilt for Jesus’ death was shared by all, not just the Jews.

Among other surprising discoveries, Connelly shows that several major Catholic opponents of antiSemitism were women, at a time when religious controversy was still very much a male pursuit.

Connelly also contrasts German Catholic prelates—marginalized by the Protestant majority for generations and in hock to fashionable racist and eugenicist ideology—with their American counterparts, who confidently held the Judeo-Christian belief that all human beings are created in God’s image. Rabbi James Rudin reinforces this point in a short, illuminating study of three leading American Catholics: “Cushing, Spellman, O’Connor: The Surprising Story of How Three American Cardinals Transformed Catholic-Jewish Relations” (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing). Rudin shows how the American cardinals influenced the Vatican Council to ensure that Nostra Aetate broke with the anti-Judaism of the past. In the

United States, a nation of immigrants, Catholics and Jews were more likely to make common cause than in the Old World, enduring antiSemitism notwithstanding.

According to Rudin, the influence of the American cardinals was also mobilized after 1945 to strengthen Catholic relations with Israel.

But doctrine evolves at the level of deep thought, not diplomacy, and it is this change in the theological climate that interests Connelly, though he does not attempt to resolve the vexed question of Pope Pius XII’s “silence” on the Holocaust.

This, however, does not save him from an intemperate attack from another Catholic writer, Justus George Lawler. In “Were the Popes Against the Jews?” (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing), Lawler denounces Connelly for having signed a petition to the present Pope, Benedict XVI, appealing against the canonization of Pius XII. Lawler goes on to link Israel and its Catholic defenders with the historical question of Pius XII and the Church’s conduct in the Holocaust, all but accusing Israelis of treating Palestinians as badly as antiSemites have treated Jews. Such incongruous comparisons are as odious as they are common in public discourse today.

We cannot know what might have happened had Pius XII acted more vigorously on behalf of the Jews. What Connelly shows is that the small network of Catholics who were actively seeking to change attitudes toward the Jews, several of whom were themselves baptized Jews, at the time believed that Pius should have done more. The crude CATHOLICS on page 19

T EST Y OUR T ORAH KNOWLEDGE THIS WEEK’S PORTION: CHUKAT (BAMIDBAR 19:1—22:1) 1. Did Moshe try to make peace with Sichon before attacking? a.) Yes b.) No 2. Whom did Sichon fight to take over their land? a.) Philistines b.) Canaanites c.) Moabites 3. What did Hashem say to Moshe before fighting Og king of Bashan? a.) Only take over the southern half of his fear Og's strength, but feared he had a mitzvah whose merit could help Og. Rashi.

4. A 20:25-29 Aaron merited to see his son Elazar take his place. Rashi 5. B 20:29

by Rabbi Noam Marans

rife with demonization, double standards and delegitimization.

The pro-BDS advocacy texts demonize Israel by depicting it as a pariah nation. They present a double standard that focuses on Israel’s action vis-a-vis Palestinians but ignores countries which deny Christians (and Jews) freedom of religion and protection from violence. They also delegitimize Israel by questioning the right of the Jewish people to their own Jewish state even while demanding the same for the Palestinian people.

But perhaps more disturbingly, these Presbyterians are inspired by non-representative Palestinian Christian religious leaders who want to turn back the clock on Christian-Jewish relations. They use discredited anti-Jewish tropes to characterize the Palestinian-Israeli conflict—most glaringly in the portrayal of Palestinians as the new Jesus, once again persecuted by the Jews; and the embrace of supersessionist theology that rejects Jewish connection to the land.

The last 50 years of postHolocaust Christian-Jewish dialogues should have made these themes unacceptable, and yet they have resurfaced in a nefarious contextualization of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We dare not let these strident voices drag Christians and Jews back into that discredited mire.

In a rare, perhaps historic, expression of solidarity, more than 1,300 American rabbis have called on American churches to reject those who hype divestment as a tool for resolving the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.

Rabbis representing varied ideological orientations signed a letter to “our Christian neighbors,” reaching out “in hope” that churches will not embrace one-sided approaches that strain “the relationship between Jews and Christians that has been nurtured for decades.”

Presbyterians must now decide which direction they want to go.

But they should first acknowledge that BDS will ultimately have no impact on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It is resolvable along wellknown parameters that require leadership in returning to the negotiating table without preconditions.

The impact of church statements about Israel on ChristianJewish relations is palpable. We dare not take lightly the interfaith achievements that were secured over decades and are now under assault. The Presbyterian Church (USA) has an opportunity, if it chooses, to shift course.

By Daniel Johnson Jewish Telegraphic Agency

kingdom b.) Not to fear him c.) Try to make peace with him first 4. Who succeeded Aaron as High Priest? a.) His son Elazar b.) His son Itamar c.) His grandson Pinchas 5. How long did the Children of Israel mourn Aaron? a.) Seven days b.) Thirty days c.) 12 months

2. C 21:26 The Children of Israel were commanded not to attack Moab. Meanwhile Sichon took over their land and enabled The Children of Israel to take it. Rashi.

3. B 22:34 Moshe in his righteousness did not

Point of View

Catholics, Jews, and Jewish Catholics

Written by Rabbi Dov Aaron Wise

ANSWERS 1. A 21:22 The Children of Israel made a peaceful offer, even though they were not commanded to.

Sichon did not accept the offer because the kings of Canaan paid him tribute to protect them. Rashi.

Presbyterians on the Precipice

JEWISH LIFE • 17

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Sedra of the Week

by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel - “And the pure person shall gather the ashes of the cow and shall place them outside the encampment in a pure place; this shall be a keepsake for the witness—community of the Israelites, to be used as purifying water; it is a sin-offering” (Numbers 19:9).

One of the unfathomable mysteries of the Bible is this passage about the red heifer, a law which appears to lack any rational explanation, and about which the wisest of mortals, King Solomon, declared, “I thought I could fathom it with my wisdom, but it remains far away from me and elusive” (Ecclesiastes 7:23).

We shall attempt to unlock the symbolism behind this very strange procedure, and in so doing hopefully understand the identity of the “pure person” as well as the reference to the red heifer as a “sin offering.”

The Israelites were to bring a red heifer without blemish and on which no yoke had been laid. This heifer was to be taken outside the holy encampment and slaughtered before the eyes of the High Priest, in sight of the Holy of Holies but far from it, where the Mount of Olives cemetery is now located.

The cow was then completely burned—its hide, flesh, blood and even dung—with the kohen (priest) casting cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet thread into the flames (Numbers 19:1-6).

I suggest that the cow represents the Jewish nation, the “mother” of all nations, which nourishes the world with the milk of human kindness, compassionate righteousness and moral justice, the open house hospitality taught by Abraham and Sarah.

The cow is red because red is the color of blood, and blood is the life/soul of humanity. Without the moral teachings of Israel, without the seven Noahide Laws and the Ten Commandments, the free world would cease to exist, and

SHABBAT SHALOM: PARSHAT CHUKAT NUMBERS 19:1-22:1

The Israelites were to bring a red heifer without blemish and on which no yoke had been laid. This heifer was to be taken outside the holy encampment and slaughtered before the eyes of the High Priest, in sight of the Holy of Holies but far from it, where the Mount of Olives cemetery is now located. The cow was then completely burned—ts hide, flesh, blood and even dung—with the kohen (priest) casting cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet thread into the flames (Numbers 19:1-6).

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humanity would dissolve in a blast of nuclear explosions.

“Israel” was to be taken outside—beyond the encampment of moral, human beings—to the bestial world of Auschwitz and Treblinka, where 6 million innocent men and women, totally pure children and babies, people who had not known any enslavement before, would be slaughtered by fire; human lives and human dreams were charred black in a hell devised by human demons, human remains going up in the smokestacks of Satan’s funeral pyre.

There were no exceptions, no reprieves for those doomed to die only because they were Jews: The Jews’ proud, straight and tall cedar trees—communal leaders such as rabbis, judges and philanthropists—were taken along with the lowly, poverty-stricken Jews, akin to the hyssop plant. And yes, within this fiery mix was also the scarlet color of sin, for there were sinning Jews as well.

What heinous crime had been committed by the “cow” to make it deserving of such a fate?

Perhaps it was no sin at all, perhaps it was merely the price exacted from the messengers of the good, the teachers of compassionate righteousness and social justice, the upholders of individual human dignity and freedom by the

evil powers of fascism, fanatic jihad and totalitarian enslavement.

Do not our sages teach that from Sinai itself descended the sin’a – hatred against the people of the ethical way? But then our biblical text does call this “red cow” a “sin offering,” albeit for an inadvertent transgression. After all, were we not intended to be “a blessing to the families of the earth,” to teach future generations compassionate righteousness and moral justice, to be a light unto the nations? Is it not biblically sound to suggest that we are the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, bearing the sins of the world because we did not fulfill our mission as a “sacred nation and a kingdom of priests/teachers?” And a sin offering brings atonement and forgiveness.

Hence the pure person—and only God is a truly pure “person” —will gather the ashes of the cow, mix them with the living waters which symbolize our sacred Torah and, by means of His agent the kohen, sprinkles the mixture on the hapless individual who has become impure by contact with death.

Only God can save a mortal from death.

Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Chancellor Ohr Torah Stone Chief Rabbi – Efrat Israel

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18 • JEWZ IN THE NEWZ

JEWZ

IN THE

By Nate Bloom Contributing Columnist NEW FLICKS “People Like Us” stars Chris Pine (“Star Trek”) as Sam, a 20something, unsuccessful salesman whose father suddenly dies, leaving Sam the job of putting his father’s estate in order. He discovers that he has a 30-year-old alcoholic sister, Frankie (ELIZABETH BANKS, 38), whom he never knew about. Frankie has a 12-year-old son with anger management issues. Sam's father leaves Frankie $150,000, which Sam is supposed to deliver. Sam doesn’t want to part with the money, but does contact Frankie without revealing who he really is. As you might imagine, things change as they get to know each other. (Opens Friday, June 29.)

The strong cast includes Olivia Wilde as Sam’s girlfriend and Michelle Pfeiffer as his mother. Mark Duplass plays a neighbor of Frankie who develops a romantic interest in her.

“People” is the first movie directed by ALEX KURTZMAN, 38, who co-wrote this film. He also co-wrote the hits “Star Trek” and “Mission Impossible III.” By the way, Pine’s maternal grandfather, a big time Hollywood lawyer, was Jewish.

“Ted” marks the big screen debut of Seth MacFarlane, the creator of the hit animated TV show “The Family Guy.” MacFarlane wrote and directed “Ted,” which is mostly live action with some animation. The plot of “Ted” is certainly not conventional. The main character is John Bennett (played as an adult by Mark Wahlberg). John is a normal kid except for one thing: when John is 8 years old he wishes that this teddy bear would come to life and his wish comes true. The bear, Ted, (voiced by MacFarlane) remains John’s best friend into his adulthood. Things turn sour when Ted’s vulgar slacker lifestyle hampers John’s attempt to become a mature adult and pursue a romance with Lori (MILA KUNIS, 28).

ALEX BORSTEIN, 39, has a supporting role as John’s mother.

Borstein has been a main voice actor (“Lois Griffin”) on “Family Guy” since 1999. Kunis began doing the voice of “Meg Griffin” on “The Family Guy” back in 2000 when she was only 15 and continues to voice Meg to this day. (Opens June 29.)

SOUPER-MAN The press description for the

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NEWZ

new book “Superman: The HighFlying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero,” succinctly summarizes it: “Seventy-five years after he came to life, Superman remains one of America’s most adored and enduring heroes. Now Larry Tye, the prize-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author of ‘Satchel,’ has written the first full-fledged history not just of the Man of Steel but of the creators, designers, owners and performers who made him the icon he is today.”

TYE, 41, is especially well qualified to write about the “Jewish roots” of Superman — his other works include a book of essays about Jews in the Diaspora (“Homeland”) and a biography of EDWARD BERNAYS, a nephew of SIGMUND FREUD, who was the founder of the field of modern public relations.

On June 18, Tye appeared on “Fresh Air,” the NPR radio show hosted by TERRY GROSS, 61, and Gross asked him about Superman’s ‘Jewish “roots,” noting first that JERRY SIEGEL, the creator/original writer of Superman was Jewish—as was JOSEPH SCHUSTER, the original illustrator of Superman. Tye replied: “Jerry called his character, as he came down from Krypton, ‘Kal-El’ which [means] ‘a vessel of God’ in Hebrew. So we have this character coming down, being put down in space by his parents to try and save him, and being rescued by two gentiles in the middle of the Midwest somewhere in America. If that’s not the story of Exodus and Moses, then I’ve never seen that story told well. This was a time when we were on the eve of World War II, and the Nazis were on the brink of coming to power in Germany. ... I think this idea of this baby being rescued was a sense of what was going on in Europe, where Jerry’s ancestors had come from. ... And it’s a rule of thumb that when a name ends in m-a-n, the person whose name that is, they’re either a superhero or Jewish or both.”

Gross laughed at the “m-a-n” comment and proceeded to pronounce a couple of superhero names as if they were Jewish last names — and I laughed, too. Try it yourself: say the superhero’s name like this: “Souper-man.”

Sounds like a Jewish last name, nu? Or pronounce Spider-Man like Gross did: “Spy — DERmin.” In an instant the name ceases to be a superhero and sounds like any name on a synagogue membership roster.

FROM THE PAGES

Wood’s Theater closes this season with the performances this Friday evening. This has been the most prosperous of any season at this cozy little place of amusement. Indeed it could not well be otherwise under the efficient corps of gentlemen connected with it — Messrs. Wood, Collins, Gilbert and the entire company — male and female — constitute a band rarely excelled at any theater.

The theater will be completely renovated and shortly be ready for another season. — July 4, 1862

The fine bronze statue of King David, the work of Moses Ezekiel, the scuptor, together with its marble pedestal, which ornamented the foyer of the Cincinnati Club for so many years, was presented by the members of the Club (which ahs been dissolved) to the Union of American Hebrew Congregations President J. Walter Freiberg accepted the gift on behalf of the Union. The building committee has already received the statue and it will probably be placed in the great reading room of the new Bernheim library of the Hebrew Union College. — June 27, 1912

125 Y EARS A GO

75 Y EARS A GO

Miss Josie Gottlieb, who for eight months has been visiting her sister, Mrs. Joseph Andrews, at Memphis, has returned home. The young lady speaks in glowing terms of the Memphis hospitality.

Mr. Jacob Ezekiel, the courteous and efficient Secretary of the Hebrew Union College, celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday last Tuesday. Mr. Ezekiel is still vigorous, physically and mentally, and bids fair to remain at his post for many years to come.

Mr. and Mrs. M. Tuch, of West Seventh Street, celebrated their silver wedding anniversary on Wednesday evening, June 22nd. Mr. Tuch is Vice-President of Sherith Israel congregation, and a longtime resident of this city, and both he and his wife are honored and beloved by all who know them. Rabbi Davidson performed the ceremony, assisted by Cantor Rappapart, who chanted some old Hebrew melodies There were many valuable presents and a number of floral tributes, among them a large piece on an easel, surrounded by twenty-five silver bells. Among those present was the mother of Mrs. Tuch, a hale and hearty old lady of sixtyfive. The festivities were kept up until a late hour, and the pleasant affair will be long remembered as an event by the Tuch family, their relatives and friends. — July 1, 1887

Mrs. Burt Weil of Losantiville Country Club won the woman’s metropolitan championship for the third consecutive year Saturday June 26th, at the Cincinnati Country Club, defeating Mrs. Mont Reid, Camargo, 2 and 1, on the 17th hole.

Protests against Poland’s treatment of her Jews were adopted by resolutions Tuesday evening, June 29th, at the Cincinnati Jewish Center.

Speakers included the Rev. Dr. Jesse M. Halsey, president of the Cincinnati Federation of Churches; John D. Ellis, city solicitor and acting city manager; and Rabbi Samuel Wohl of Wise Temple, chairman of the Emergency Committee for Jews in Poland.

The meeting was called by Oscar Berman for the American Jewish Congress and Rabbi Wohl for his Emergency Committee.

Mr. Ellis said in part: “No decent man can sympathize with physical mistreatment or economic boycott such as the Poles are practicing against their Jews.”

As a friend of the Poles — who was in Poland after the World War, and helped in her economic revival — I say that Poland owes its welfare to Jews. — July 1, 1937

150 Y EARS A GO

100 Y EARS A GO Clarence l. Fernberg, who was the class orator of Hughes in 1908, has graduated with honors from Harvard College after completing the acedemic course in three years, one year less than the usual time.

Among the notable men who received honorary degrees from Harvard at the annual commencement services was Dr. Fred Forchheimer of Cincinnati. In giving the doctor a degree as Doctor of Science, President Lowell said to him: Frederick Forchheimer, who, in his practice, by his teaching and with his pen, has contributed to the marvelous advance of medicine in our day, is a man, in the judgment of his peers, worthy to preside over the Association of American Physicians.”

50 Y EARS A GO Psychiatrists at the UC Medical Center have launched a training program for physicians to help them recognize emotional problems in patients, know what to do about treatment, and do preventative work.

Dr. Maurice Levine, professor and director of the department of psychiatry in UC’s College of Medicine, announced June 23 the University has received $150,000 from the National Institute of Mental Health of the U.S. National Institutes of Health to back the program for the next five years.

Mr. and Mrs. Mitchel Better, 3821 Winding Way, announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Stanley Lee, Saturday, June 30, at 9 a.m., at Adath Israel Synagogue.

A kiddush will follow the services.

A reception will be held in Stanley’s honor on Saturday June 30, at 8:30 p.m. at Ohav Shalom

Synagogue, 1834 Section Road.

Friends and relatives are invited. No cards.

Stanley is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Hazen and the late Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Better. — June 28, 1962

25 Y EARS A GO Rabbi Stan Meisels is the new principal of Yavneh Day School, Ron Wise, president, announced.

Meisels and his wife, Carol, will be moving here in mid-July, officially beginning his duties at Yavneh on Aug. 1. Meisels holds a bachelor’s degree in Jewish education, a master’s degree in Hebrew letters and a rabbinic degree from Heberew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati.

The Carl H. Lindner Educational and Cultural Center is presently under construction on the grounds of Givat Katznelson, Cincinnati’s Project Renewal neighborhood in Nahariya, Israel.

The center is being built as a tribute to financier Lindner for his friendship and support of the Cincinnati Jewish Community.

Financed entirely by contributions to Cincinnati’s Project Renewal campaign, the center will serve the educational, recreational and cultural needs of the Givat Katznelson residents.

Due to be completed in early Nov., the center will house a sports facility, library and seminar rooms.

— July 2, 1987

10 Y EARS A GO On May 28, The Hillel Jewish Student Center celebrated the unveiling of the parochet, a Torah ark curtain, from Stadttemple, the only synagogue in Vienna to survive Kristallnacht.

Miriam Abrams (nee Rubin), 87, passed away June 11. Mrs. Abrams was born in Cincinnati. She was a daughter of the late Harry Michael and Rachel (Hirschfeld) Rubin. Mrs. Abrams is survived by a daughter, Debby Abrams, and a son, Mark Abrams. Mrs. Abrams was the youngest sister of Ethel Shafer and Gruna Bernstein, both of whom predeceased her. She is also survived by an extended family, which includes many nieces and nephews.

In 1933, Mrs. Abrams graduated from Hughes High School, by 1937 she had earned a degree from The University of Cincinnati’s College of Design Architecture and Art. Her talents as an artist found expression in the many sketches and patterns which she created for The Gibson Greeting Card Company, with which she was associated until 1942, when she married. From 1967, until her retirement in 1985, she worked as a licensed insurance agent for Frederick Raugh and Company. — June 27, 2002

CLASSIFIEDS • 19

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Access (513) 373-0300 • jypaccess.org Big Brothers/Big Sisters Assoc.

(513) 761-3200 • bigbrobigsis.org Camp Ashreinu (513) 702-1513 Camp at the J (513) 722-7258 • mayersonjcc.org Camp Livingston (513) 793-5554 • camplivingston.com Cedar Village (513) 754-3100 • cedarvillage.org Chevra Kadisha (513) 396-6426 Cincinnati Community Mikveh 513-351-0609 • cincinnatimikveh.org Fusion Family (513) 703-3343 • fusionnati.org Halom House (513) 791-2912 • halomhouse.com Hillel Jewish Student Center (513) 221-6728 • hillelcincinnati.org Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati 513-961-0178 • jcemcin.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) 214-1200 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 • 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 Congregation Zichron Eliezer 513-631-4900 • czecincinnati.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 Kulanu (Reform Jewish High School) 513-262-8849 • kulanucincy.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 BBYO (513) 722-7244 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

SERVICES

SENIOR SERVICES

Personal Driver $10/hr.

If you need a driver, I am avaiable for you. I will take you to Doctor appt., grocery etc. I can stay with you as long as you need me. I can also take you or pickup someone at Cincinnati airport for $25 or Dayton airport $70.

Will go both directions. Please call me a day notice or possibly the same day.

Please call Shelley Harris at 641-4123 or 315-1225.

REISENFELD from page 1 Mr. Reisenfeld is survived by his wife, Beryl; his sons, Douglas (Lynda) and Bradley (Connie); his grandchildren, Devi, Laina, Kyra and Kelvin Reisenfeld, Natalie, Noah, Ethan and Lillian Reisenfeld, and Brittany Herthel; and his great-grandchildren, Olivia, Faith and Hadley. He is

CAMPAIGN from page 3 In addition to the Community Campaign, the professionals and volunteers of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati also raise money for special supplemental projects at the six partner agencies (Cincinnati Hebrew Day School, Cincinnati Hillel, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Vocational Service, the Mayerson JCC and Rockwern Academy). This year has seen over $1.6 million in gifts for such projects.

They also work to sustain the future of the local Jewish community through planned giving and ABUSE from page 4 The Shalom Center is Ohio’s first elder abuse prevention shelter and one of the first in the nation.

Until now, police, social service agencies, hospitals and other organizations in Southwest Ohio have not had appropriate places to refer victims of elder abuse. “No matter how full our nursing facility is we can always provide shelter for someone who needs a safe haven,” Elliott said. Cedar Village will do so even if it’s unlikely to receive reimbursement. Providing that safe haven is part of Cedar Village’s social and community CATHOLICS from page 16 caricature of “Hitler’s Pope” that had its origins in Soviet Cold War propaganda is as false as the uncritical dogmatism of those who want Pius XII canonized without proper scrutiny of the evidence, still only partially open

• • • • •

Up to 24 hour care Meal Preparation Errands/Shopping Hygiene Assistance Light Housekeeping

(513) 531-9600

also survived by his brother, Herb (Susie) Reisenfeld.

Services were held for Mr. Reisenfeld at Adath Israel Congregation on June 12, and officiated by Rabbi Irvin M. Wise.

The family would greatly appreciate memorial contributions to Adath Israel Congregation, 3201 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236; (513) 793-1800. gifts to the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati’s endowment or that of its partner agencies. In the past year, endowment bequests have brought in an additional $1.5 million in cash.

With the close of the 2012 Community Campaign, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati will move its focus to the allocations process, in which 83 volunteers will make sure that community dollars go where they are needed most. They will spend hundreds of hours thoroughly assessing and evaluating agency and congregational programs that apply for funding from the campaign. responsibility as a faith-based organization, Elliott said.

The Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale in New York City, the first such center in the nation, provided guidance and inspiration for the creation of the Shalom Center.

The Shalom Center accepts referrals for abused seniors, aged 65 and over, from local agencies, hospitals and other organizations in Hamilton, Warren, Butler and Clermont counties. Arrangements can be made for a victim to be cared for at the Shalom Center by calling. to scholars. Connelly’s book, while it has no direct bearing on the papal controversy, hugely enriches its historical context.

Catholics and Jews alike should welcome such a scholarly reappraisal of the most painful chapter in the history of their relationship.

20 • FINANCE / BUSINESS

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Rising above stock market volatility New Massage Envy Spa Financially Yours opens in Kenwood

by Pamela Schmitt CFA, CDFA

Take emotions out of investing, focus on ‘true value’ Stock volatility is the new norm. It is no longer a rare event for the overall market to fluctuate by 2-3 percent in a day. And in the last 100 trading days of 2011 we saw seven days where the S&P 500 moved more than 4 percent on a single day! Individual stocks have seen even wider swings, easily moving 5 or 10 percent in a day, based on favorable news or negative news. When these moves have continued for days and weeks in succession, market values have recently changed by 20 or 30 percent in many individual stocks and 10 percent or more in the overall market over a span of only months.

We know that these stock prices reflect their “market values” and what the market considers these companies to be “worth,” but does the true value of these companies really change so significantly in such a short period of time?

In some cases, the answer is “yes,” when the market is reacting to news about a company that will affect its earnings. The true value of a company does depend greatly on what its earnings will be in the future. Certain types of companies also have “true values” tied closely to the assets they own, such as energy companies that own oil reserves or commodity companies mining for gold, copper, iron ore, etc. Hence the value of these types of companies will fluctuate with the market prices for these assets, which can be quite volatile.

There is another factor, though, that plays into the fluctuations of the stock market...the “human” factor of emotions, i.e. “fear and greed.” When we see stock prices going up, we wish we had more shares of them. Many investors then act on the emotion of “greed” and buy more. With more buyers than sellers, this buying activity pushes prices up, making these investors want even more, and the cycle continues, sometimes creating a bubble. When this happens, does it mean that companies’ earnings are suddenly better or their assets are worth more? No. We also

see the reverse phenomenon. When stock prices go down, the “fear” emotion can take over. As declines worsen, many investors fear the trend will continue and sell their stocks at even lower prices. Does this mean that companies’ earnings or asset values are suddenly worth less? Of course not.

The key to successful stock investing is to remove emotion from the decision-making process.

If we understand a company, its earnings and asset composition, then when its stock price goes down, we should buy more, recognizing that it is “on sale.”

Likewise, if we see the stock price go up significantly without a change in its financial outlook, we should be disciplined enough to sell it. As legendary investor Warren Buffet has said, “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy only when others are fearful.” I challenge you, fellow investors, to heed this advice and use the volatility to your advantage. Put your emotions on a shelf and focus on the “true value” of your investments.

Ms. Schmitt is a Senior Portfolio Manager with RiverPoint Capital Management, a $1.2 billion investment advisory firm in Cincinnati. She has nearly two decades of experience and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

INVESTMENT from page 6 she continues. “My husband and I couldn’t be happier that they’re both back in town and that they’ve found a connection to other Jewish young people and Jewish life!”

“As a new crop of college grads come back to Cincinnati, and as all the new hires from other cities get ready to make their homes here, Access will be ready to welcome them with a whole summer’s worth of activities that will help them make the transition to their new lives a lot easier and a lot more fun,” explains Rachel Plowden, Access coordinator. “From our great Newcomer’s Gift Boxes and Get-toKnow-You gatherings to four-six free or deeply subsidized events each month, Access offers the perfect way for all Jewish young professionals to get connected to one another and the community.”

There is literally something for everyone between the ages of 2135 who is looking to meet new people and get connected this summer. For example, the following are some great programs specifically offered for YPs in the Jewish community in just the next two months alone. All are FREE and open to Jewish young professionals ages 21-35. Non- Jewish significant others are always welcome: 1.) FREE—Saturday Night

Jewish YPs on a recent Access Duck Tour of Cincinnati

Pregame Party—Saturday, July 14 from 8-10 p.m.: Access will be taking over the third floor lounge and top two decks of the Mt. Adams Pavilion, for a private Pregame Party sure to help guests get their evening off to a great start, no matter what their plans for later that night. Jewish YPs and their nonJewish friends (all must be 21-35) will be treated to free appetizers and the beverage(s) of their choice— first drink on Access with advance RSVP, second drink free with ticket sent by mail. After that, cash bar.

There will be a live DJ for people who want to hit the dance floor, and plenty of patio space for people who just want hang out! Whether they have another party to get to, or the

Pavilion’s their only stop for the night, guests are welcome to stop by for a drink and get on their way, or stick around and get with a group going out on the town afterward.

2.) FREE—YPs at the JCC’s Dodgeball & Pool Party— Wednesday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m.: Go “old school at the pool” and enjoy a game of Dodge Ball, or other popular playground favorites such as Four-Square or Corn Hole.

Then, guests can take a dip in the J’s outdoor pool, or just hang poolside with other young professionals at this private event, and enjoy a great mid-week pick-me-up sure to help them cool down! Dinner and drinks are included.

3.) FREE—Access’ JGourmet

Earlier this month, Massage Envy, the nations’ pioneer and largest massage therapy provider, held the official grand opening of its newest Massage Envy Spa located in Kenwood. The new clinic is located on Kenwood Road across from Kenwood Towne Centre.

The state-of-the-art 3,500 square-foot clinic has 12 therapy rooms (including four dual purpose for facials and massages and one couples’ room) and is located in on the second floor in Kenwood Place.

“We are thrilled to open our doors in Kenwood and offer our members and guests affordable customized therapeutic massages and healthy skin facials,” said Tanya and Francis Victa, Massage Envy Spa Kenwood owners.

“We’re proud to offer wellness plans that include relaxation and stress relief as well as skin bene-

fits.” Tanya and Francis also own the Massage Envy Spa in Hyde Park.

Massage Envy Spa offers both rejuvenating massage therapy and unique skin care treatments— administered by licensed massage therapists and estheticians.

Treatments are available at convenient times, even on weeknights and weekends. With Massage Envy Spa, you can relax muscles plus soothe aches and pains with a customized massage and restore and strengthen the health of your skin with a restorative facial. Massage Envy offers massages of varying prices and also has discounts for first-time guests.

The new Massage Envy Spa is open to customers from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.

– 8 p.m. on Sundays.

PUPA from page 8 He told JTA that “We try very hard to have a diversity of stories in our exhibits. For the most part, we managed to pull that off in the ‘Attachments’ exhibit. Also, the immigration of Eastern European Jews in the early 20th century and the American response to the Holocaust are both very important topics in American history.”

Jill Pupa said, “The exhibit as a

whole really is about the U.S., and we are all children of immigrants, and that’s what makes our country great. It shows the bigger picture … and this is the fabric of the U.S.” As to the profound impact of the exhibit on the Pupa family, Bustard said he was deeply touched.

“I never dreamed in my career that something I would put on display would have that effect on somebody,” he said.

presents a Wood Fire PizzaMaking Class—Monday, July 23 at 7 p.m. Pizza, it’s practically the world’s most perfect culinary creation! Join other Jewish YPs who love to cook for a pizza-making party at A Forkable Feast, where culinary experts will teach everyone how to build a wood-fired pizza from scratch. Choose from sautéed veggies, pesto, a variety of cheeses and more. Gluten free ingredients will be available.

4.) FREE—ACTout presents: Splish Splash Beat the Heat Bash— Sunday, Aug. 5 at 1 p.m.: In partnership with the Cincinnati Police and Fire Departments and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC).

More than 100 ACTout volunteers will help give inner-city kids, most of whom don’t have air conditioning, pool memberships or even fans to help cool themselves off in the sweltering summer heat, a day they’ll never forget when they transform the Lincoln Community Center in Over the Rhine into a water park. This event will feature The Niagara, a jaw-dropping, three-story inflatable waterslide, a smaller slide for younger children, pool activities, carnival games and prizes, face painting, a meet and greet with police officers and their horses, and a chance to get sprayed by fire hoses. There will also be a free cookout, Yagoot Frozen Yogurt and other treats.

5.) FREE—Tuscan Summer Shabbat—Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m.: Guests will return to the Renaissance for the night and enjoy a relaxing evening with other YPs as they wind down their workweek with a Shabbat dinner under the stars. From the world famous art and architecture of Florence, to the serene Siena countryside, Tuscany is as renowned for its rich history as it is for its rolling hills and abundant orchards.

Participants will bid arivaderchi to America for the night and experience the flavor and flare of Italia, including an Italian wine tasting, an authentic 4-course Italian dinner that guests can enjoy in the outdoor trattoria all while celebrating “la dolce vita” (the good life) right here in Cincinnati.

6.) FREE—Access’ No Boyz Allowed presents: Pottery Painting—Thursday, Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. The women of No Boyz Allowed will fire up the fun at Funke Fired Arts Pottery Studio, where they can enjoy dinner and drinks and a chance to paint a oneof-a-kind piece to keep for themselves or give as a gift. Choose something from a wide selection of items that Access will cover at no cost, or pick out something different and just pay the difference!

For more information or to RSVP please consult the Community Directory in this issue for Access’ contact information.

FOOD / AUTOS • 21

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

Summer is here Zell’s Bites

by Zell Schulman Summer is here. My body needs less food and lots of liquids.

Water is our best friend in the summertime. My fondest memory is going berry picking. As a teenager living in Park Hills, Ky., there were wild berry bushes growing near my house, and nothing tasted better than a bowl of fresh blackberries with cream to start the day. The local Farmer’s Markets give us a variety of choices. Not only do we have berries, but many fruits to choose from. I want to share two of my favorite summer recipes with you.

The sugar syrup can always be found in my refrigerator. Enjoy.

FRUIT SYRUP This makes an elegant, quick and easy dessert. It’s great over pound cake, angel food slices or ice cream. Choose your favorite fruit, add the fruit syrup and set it in the refrigerator until ready to use.

FRESH FRUITS AND LIQUEUR’S —Strawberries and raspberries with Kirsch or Cognac —Apricots and Peaches with Grand Mariner or Amaretto —Black or green Grapes plus Pineapple chunks with Brandy —Sliced oranges with Cointreau Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons Liqueur 1/2 cup water 3 cups fresh fruit Method: Stove Top 1. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, water and liqueur of your choice together.

2. Pour into a 2 cup saucepan and heat the syrup to 230˚ or until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Remove from the heat and allow

to cool about a minute.

3. Add the appropriate liqueur to the sugar syrup and allow to cool about 4 minutes while preparing the fruit.

Method: Microwave Oven 1. Pour the syrup into a microwave safe 4 cup container and microwave 5 minutes on High setting, until bubbly, then set the microwave to medium and microwave for 3 more minutes.

2. Add the appropriate liqueur to the sugar syrup and allow to cool about 4 minutes. Pour over the fruit. Chill and serve.

COLD ORANGES WITH COINTREAU Serves 6 I’ve had more requests for this dessert recipe than any. Since oranges are available all year round, this dessert is quite refreshing and elegant..

Ingredients 4 navel seedless oranges 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar l cup water 1/4 cup Cointreau 1/2 cup sugar Drop of red food coloring Method: 1. Peel and section the oranges. Slice sections in half.

Remove any white pith that may cling to the sections. Save the peel.

2. With the tip of a very sharp knife, remove the white pith from the peel and slice the peel into thin slivers.

3. Place slivered orange peel, water, sugar, and cream of tartar in a l quart saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Turn to simmer and cook 20 to 30 minutes until thick and syrupy.

Add Cointreau and red food coloring if desired. The food coloring adds a nice orange color. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. About 1 hour.

4. Pour the cooled syrup over sectioned oranges. Chill well before serving.

Zell’s Tips: The oranges may also be peeled and served prepared whole. Pour the cooled syrup over each orange, garnish with candied violets, and serve individually. This dessert makes a smashing finish for an elegant dinner party. You may wish to double the recipe for a large crowd.

Porsche Cayenne—a family car From saftey to entertainment the Porsche Cayenne is a car made for family.

The unibody of the Cayenne chassis is a safety cage structure made from hightech steels. In the event of an accident, a system of side- and cross-members at the front of the Cayenne helps to channel impact energy in a predetermined manner. The passenger cabin is protected by hot-formed super highstrength steel reinforcements, including side intrusion beams in each door.

The Cayenne models are all equipped as standard with an engine immobilizer and anti-theft alarm featuring ultrasonic interior monitoring.

The alarm circuit includes all four doors, hood, tailgate, rear window, interior, ignition and trailer (when attached). The interior monitoring can be deactivated via a switch next to the driver seat, below the seat-belt adjustment. The immobilizer system works by automatically communicating with the vehicle key. If the key is approved, the engine will start normally.

Key features include a seveninch high-resolution touchscreen display. As before, you can also operate Porsche communication management (PCM) using the rotary push-button control.

Radio functions comprise 42 presets, (not that you would need that many) and an FM dual tuner.

The CD/DVD drive plays CDs and audio DVDs and is MP3-compatible. Audio playback of video DVDs

www.porsche.com

Porsche Cayenne Turbo

is also supported. An optional integrated six-disc CD/DVD changer is available for the PCM. The Cayenne models have an optional High-End Surround Sound System from Burmester®,. which offers concert-hall sound qualities.

The Burmester® High-End Surround Sound System is available as an option for all Cayenne models with CDR and PCM. The Cayenne also has Bluetooth hands free, Lane change assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic climate control, park assist and review camera, panoramic roof system and rear seat entertainment.

To keep your kids from asking “Are we there yet?” the rear seat enterainment is designed to the highest standards of safety and

ergonomics. The Porsche Rear Seat Entertainment blends harmoniously within the passenger compartment. Available as a factory-fitted option from Porsche Exclusive, the package includes two display consoles, each with an integrated media player and USB port, and two wireless infrared headphones.

Each one contains a high-resolution seven-inch color display. For greater convenience, they are swivel-mounted and feature touchscreen operation. The system is compatible with CDs and DVDs, and boasts built-in anti-shock protection. It is also possible to connect two separate and individually selectable AV sources, such as a game console or digital camera.

This beautiful car starts at an MSRP of $48,850.

22 • OBITUARIES D EATH N OTICES LEVITE, Louis, age 85, died on June 20, 2012; 30 Sivan, 5772.

O BITUARIES MILLER, Nancy Haas Nancy Haas Miller, age 80, passed away on May 29, 2012— the 8th day of Sivan, 5772. Born in Cincinnati, she was the daughter of the late Adrian and Irene Haas.

Mrs. Miller grew up in Avondale, attended University School, Walnut Hills High School and was a 1953 graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Mass. She taught kindergarten in Cincinnati Public Schools.

She was married to Sam Miller for 58 years, and she lived KOSHER from page 8 Triangle-K has been supervising Hebrew National products since 2004. The Conservative movement accepts the Triangle-K kashrut certification.

Kosher consumers choose among hundreds of companies nationwide as to which certifications they trust.

There are about 750 Orthodox kosher certifying organizations in the United States, according to Rabbi Yosef Wikler, editor of Kashrus magazine, which also maintains a website for nonOrthodox certifiers.

“Almost no kosher organization accepts 100 percent of any other kosher organization 100 percent of the time,” Wikler said.

WORDS from page 10 Komereddi took umbrage at Pines’ positive characterization of Chinese civilization, wondering aloud if Tibetans would agree with Pines’ description of China as a non-proselytizing culture and power. Pointing to China’s 1951 annexation of Tibet—a traditional issue of concern among Indian policymakers—and its Han settlement policy in China’s far western provinces, Komereddi said in a barbed comment that he would be “very wary of praising Communist China.”

The off-topic mention of Tibet unleashed a Pandora’s box of political grandstanding among both

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for her children and grandchildren, enjoyed getting family together and organizing family dinners out for birthdays and holidays.

Said her son, Harry, “She was the best mother, friend and role model one could have. Mom was so selfless, she always put everyone else first and her greatest joy was seeing those she loved and other people happy. She was always so positive and full of sunshine. She was the best friend and made everyone’s life better.”

Her son, Sam, added, “She was loyal to her family and supported us in every situation. She was always there to listen. She taught us to appreciate the good things in life and to look for them.”

Mrs. Miller was a member of the Losantiville Country Club,

where her father, Adrian, was a charter member. She ran special events for Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy and other philanthropic organizations. In Florida, she volunteered at the Art Museum and at Jupiter Hospital, counseling patients and families.

“Nancy was a good friend to others, giving and empathetic.

Some of her friends date back to nursery school. She made friends easily. She was fun to be with, wise and empathetic. People from all walks of life confided in her.

In Florida, she volunteered at a hospital where she counseled patients who were concerned about their loved ones,” reflected her sister, Jane Haas Friedman.

Mrs. Miller enjoyed flowers and floral arranging. She was the president of Home Gardeners.

She liked to draw, read

Shakespeare and she took advanced classes after college.

She also enjoyed modeling clothes for charity events.

As a young girl, she was a member of Isaac M. Wise Temple, where her grandfather, Charles Haas, was one of the founding fathers. While married, she was a member of Valley Temple.

She was also a member of National Council of Jewish Women, where she was in charge of decorations for several “Angel Ball” charity events. She was a member of the Brandeis Women’s Committee and helped with book sales.

Sam Miller shared, “I could not have asked for a better partner. She was a great wife and mother. Everyone liked Nancy.

She was so giving and was always there for everyone. She

was a beautiful person in every way and I was very lucky to have been with her for a great 58 years.”

Mrs. Miller is survived by her husband, Sam Miller; two sons, Harry Charles Miller and Sam Adrian Miller; grandchildren, Brandon Albert Miller and Jared Ryan Miller; sister, Jane Haas Friedman (Fred); nieces, Karen Friedman Cooper (Peter), Dr. Jennifer Ringel (Bob); nephew, Tedd Haas Friedman (Sherri); and great-nephews, Jake and Seth Friedman and Charlie and Jack Ringel.

Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Palm Beach, 5300 East Avenue, West Palm Beach, Fla. 33407; Council on Child Abuse, 4155 Crossgate Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242; or the charity of one’s choice.

The suit, which does not attribute the allegations to anyone by name, alleges that the Hebrew National brand was not, as the company advertises, kosher “as defined by the most stringent Jews who follow Orthodox law.” As result, plaintiffs, who paid a premium price “believing the kosher title and certification made them a higher quality product than other meat products on the market” were “deprived of the value of the goods they purchased,” the complaint states.

Among the suit’s allegations: Knives used in the slaughtering process were nicked, preventing a clean cut mandated by kosher law; Organ meat was not consistently inspected after slaughter, as required for kashrut; The blood of

slaughtered animals was not consistently removed within 72 hours, as required by kosher law; Managers took certificates that had been issued to trained slaughterers and replaced their names with individuals who had not been trained; Kosher meat was not consistently kept separate from nonkosher meat.

In his statement, Ralbag said, point by point, that all the allegations are false.

The suit also alleges that workers at some AER facilities, including in St. Paul, Minn., kept kosher, but would not eat the Hebrew National products. Those workers, according to the complaint, were allowed to purchase meats from “specifically selected cows [that] would be slaughtered and checked in strict

accordance with all kosher laws, unlike the cows that routinely slaughtered for sale to Defendant and use in Hebrew National Products.”

AER said the allegation is misleading. According to AER, employees who eat only glatt kosher were provided meat to comply with their personal preferences.

Glatt is a higher standard of kosher and means that the lungs of the slaughtered animal are free of any blemishes. If the lungs are blemished, the meat is still considered kosher, but not glatt. TriangleK does not claim that the products it certifies are glatt kosher.

Additionally, the suit alleges that employees involved in the kosher slaughtering process complained to AER supervisor Rabbi Moshe Fyzakov and Ralbag, but

those officials “did little or nothing to correct the transgressions.

Rather, the persons making the complaints were terminated or otherwise threatened with adverse retaliation, such as job transfers to other facilities or states. In turn, non-kosher meat was delivered to ConAgra and packaged, labeled and sold to the public [including the plaintiffs in the lawsuit] as strictly 100 percent kosher.”

A Triangle-K spokesman said, “Every complaint was followed up on, and no one was disciplined for making a complaint.”

The spokesman also said it is “totally false” that non-kosher meat was delivered to ConAgra to be sold as kosher and that “We have clear distinctions in place to prevent such happenings.

panel participants and audience members. A young Chinese student in Israel, whose name could not be verified, responded to the Tibet issue by using the audience Q&A session to state for all present in unequivocal terms that successive Chinese governments and representatives of Han Chinese culture have been present in Tibet for “over 2,000 years.”

Later on, the panel broached the issue of the difficulty of predicting the future political and policy orientation of China’s leadership, due to the closed nature of policy discussions of the CCP leadership and the selection process for the next generation of senior CCP leaders.

ABORTION from page 10

consent of parents or guardians.

Israeli medical coverage offers an array of free testing for genetic and congenital birth defects.

Both Zeev and feminist organizations such as the Israel Women’s Network confirm that the committees approve 98 percent of requested abortions.

Less than 10 percent of abortions in Israel are carried out after the 22nd week and some 20,000 legal abortions are performed in public hospitals every year in Israel, according to the Knesset research department.

This does not include abortions performed because of concern for the mother’s physical health, which especially if there is any medical emergency are often not even brought before the committee.

It is unknown how many women avoid the committee— whether because they are between 17 and 40, or because of personal preference—and turn to a private doctor. Having an abortion is not a criminal offense and, according to binding legal norms, unless medical malpractice is involved, the physician performing the abortion will not be prosecuted. Private abortions cost $1,500 to $1,750.

Finally, making it impossible to

know how many of the procedures are performed in total is that they can be listed as “medical interventions,” which can cover a broad category.

With all that in mind, most Israeli feminists and others favoring the availability of the option have been hesitant to challenge the status quo. But Zeev’s proposal may force their hand, acknowledges Tal Tamir, the director general of Women in their Bodies, a feminist health organization.

The huge gap between the law’s paradoxical contradictions and practical life, she explains, reflect an attempt by Israeli society to live with all its internal tensions.

“On the one hand, some parts of Israeli society are very liberal, while other parts are very conservative,” Tamir told JTA. “By making abortion illegal, the patriarchy maintains its hold over women’s bodies, but by making it available, it maintains a progressive, liberal facade.”

Indeed, there is a widely, liberal, even permissive attitude toward sexual activity in much of the Israeli secular culture. Secular schools provide coed sex education. The Israeli health plans don’t offer free birth control, but some high schools provide condoms through vending machines.

The unveiling of the monument for

Hilda Felman Blatt Will be held on Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 12:30 p.m.

Rabbi Irvin Wise will be officiating. It will be at Montgomery Cemetery, 7885 Ivygate Lane, Cincinnati, OH 45242.

Family and friends are welcome.

It’s quite a contrast to the United States, where since the 1973 Roe v.

Wade case legalizing abortion, the topic has been a heated political and social issue. The lack of controversy in Israel stems mostly from the large gap between law and practical reality.

The Israeli penal code states that termination of pregnancy is a crime that carries a prison sentence of up to five years. But the code also broadly addresses numerous circumstances in which an abortion may be legally performed, including benefit to emotional and financial well-being.

The procedure must be approved by a special committee with at least two physicians and one licensed social worker; at least one of the three must be a woman.

Yet approval is practically automatic if the pregnant woman is younger than 17 or older than 40; if the conception was a result of rape, incest or extramarital relations; if the pregnancy is likely to endanger the mother’s physical or mental wellbeing; or if the fetus has been diagnosed with a possible birth defect.

Women also do not need the consent of any male, including the father of the fetus, nor do minors need the

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