Israelite 0925 rosh section

Rosh Hashanah

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Lucy Schneider, 11, Rockwern Academy

Will Schneider, 11, Rockwern Academy

Sofia Cohen, 9, Rockwern Academy

Mimi Kravitz, 10, Rockwern Academy

2014 Rosh Hashanah Cover Coloring Contest Runner-Ups

ROSH HASHANAH • 3B

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Cincinnati 5774 — Year in Review 8, 2013 at the Valley Temple.

Many of the institutions, assumptions and identities which our grandparents experienced as solid and fixed are now in a state of flux. The session explored what it means to live in community under such conditions.

The High Holidays bring a sense of family, togetherness and forgiveness within the community. As 5774 draws to a close, let us cherish the memories we made and continue to make each day.

Let us not forget the steps that got us to this New Year. The American Israelite wishes you a happy, healthy and fruitful New Year.

Shana Tovah!

September 12 – Dozens of Jewish community members learned about career strategies from a best-selling author and traded career-related tips with each other as JVS Career Services launched a series of events for the community. People from various fields heard Donald Asher share his secrets about job searching and career advancement. Asher also talked about related subjects, such as the hidden job market. He reminded attendees that networking, not filling out online job applications, is the best way to get a job.

Jay Price received the Community Service Award of American Jewish Committee’s Cincinnati Regional Office at the Initial Gifts Reception. Price brought his skills to his community work, chairing the Boards of the Cincinnati Hearing, Speech and Deaf Center and the Cedar Village Health Care Center. He also served as president of AJC Cincinnati, Jewish Family Service, and Valley Temple.

Jay Price

September 19 – The Cincinnati Chapter of Hadassah’s Opening Meeting took place Sunday, Sept.

29 at Trio Restaurant. The guest speaker David Barashi, also known as Dush the clown, a medical clown from Hadassah. He shared with the attendees the work he does as a part of the ‘Dream Doctors project’ that integrates professional medical clowning into the medical services provided at Israeli hospitals.

On Wednesday, Oct. 2 Hillel invited the community to its annual meeting “Consider the Possibilities” at the JCC.

David Barashi

Cincinnati Hillel began this new year with a new president, new board members, new interns, a new message, and several new initiatives. President Chase Kohn completed his term of service and incoming president Ronna Schneider assumed leadership.

Hillel welcomed six new community board members: Samuel Alex, Lara Danziger-Isakov, Ethan Katz, Hagit Limor, Bryna Miller and Andrea Newman, as well as three new student board members: Michael Levy, Elana Pentelnik and Luci Simon.

September 26 – The entire community was invited to attend a free concert at the Mayerson JCC on Sunday, October 13. This special event celebrated Daniel Pearl World Music Day, an international day that uses the universal language of music to encourage fellowship across cultures. That concert featured Cincinnati’s Young Professionals’ Choral Collective (YPCC), a group of energetic singers between the ages of 21-45 who live and work throughout Cincinnati.

Wise Temple brought in noted national legal expert Marc Spindelman, Isadore and Ida Topper Professor of Law at Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University, on Oct. 11 to address the Supreme Court decision on the Defense of Marriage Act and California Proposition 8 in June 2013, and what the implications for the future of the ongoing legal push for same-sex marriage equality and equal rights would be.

October 3 – The Adath Israel annual Project Isaiah Food Drive vastly exceed the past year’s collection. Adath Israel congregants donated so many bags that the Uhaul that came to pick them up was not big enough. The center had to call in four other vans/trucks, which they filled. All of the food was donated to the West End Emergency Center.

Jewish Community in Liquid Times was the topic of a special adult learning session with Dr. Michael Marmur, Vice President of HUC-JIR on Tuesday, October

October 10 – Ohio Jewish Communities (OJC) named two Cincinnatians to serve in leadership roles for the government affairs organization. Dick Weiland was appointed Co-Chair Government Affairs Committee of Ohio Jewish Communities. In addition, Jewish Community Relations Council President, John Youkilis was elected to serve on the OJC board.

Abby S. Schwartz, the new Interim Director of the Skirball Museum on the Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, began the season on October 23 by participating in the Rothenberg School dedication with the unveiling of a portrait of Louis Rothenberg. She followed the dedication with the opening of the Boris Schatz Collection at Hebrew Union College on Thursday, October 24. A third event offered that fall was the unveiling of Maria Lugossy’s sculpture commemorating the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht on Sunday, November 10.

Karyn Zimmerman

October 17 – Wise Temple installed three new rabbis, representing ordination from all three HUC–JIR campuses. On October 25 Rabbi Karen Thomashow, Associate Rabbi (ordained at HUC Cincinnati in 2007),and Assistant Rabbis, Rabbi Rachel Maimin (ordained at HUC New York in 2013), and Rabbi Sydney Henning (ordained at HUC Los Angeles in 2013) were installed at the Temple.

The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati announced the promotion of Karyn Zimmerman to Israel Travel and Overnight Jewish Camping Program

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4B • ROSH HASHANAH CONTINUED from previous page Administrator. Zimmerman will administer the generous grants provided by The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati to support Israel travel and overnight Jewish camping opportunities for Cincinnati’s youth.

October 24 – The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati welcomed David Harris as Create Your Jewish Legacy Coordinator, a newly created position funded by a grant from The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati. Harris brought a variety of valuable experience to the position, including a background in Jewish nonprofit organizations; leadership development; experiential and outdoor education; and research and writing.

Cedar Village presented the fourth annual Battle of the Bands on Sunday, November 24 at the 20th Century Theater in Oakley.

Three local bands, The Chuck Taylors, The Generics and The Mike Heile Band performed during the evening providing lively music for listening and dancing.

Proceeds from the Battle of the Bands benefited the Harkavy Fund, created in memory of Cedar Village’s first board chair, Frank Harkavy.

October 31 – Three people were appointed to senior positions at Cedar Village Retirement Community: Linton Sharpnack to Chief Operating Officer; Rachel Festenstein to Director of Independent and Assisted Living; and Diane Slovin to Special Events and Volunteer Manager.

The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati held its 17th Annual Meeting at the Mayerson JCC. The Foundation’s leadership reviewed the core themes and principles guiding its investments in our community, reported on its grant-making activity during the past year, and outlined some of the priorities that the Foundation will focus on in the year ahead. The Foundation also paid tribute to one of its original Trustees, Benjamin Gettler, who passed away in June.

November 7 – The JCC Wolf Center for Arts & Ideas and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati presented a three-part “Changemaker” series to offer fresh approaches to current issues facing our community. The series began with the provocative lecture “Correcting Injustices in the Legal System” featuring University of Cincinnati law professor Mark Godsey, director of the Ohio Innocence Project.

The Jewish Family Service opened its Barbash Family Vital

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Support Center located on the Clifton campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. The food pantry was opened to Jewish Family Service clients as well as all people in need who live in Cincinnati's 45220 zip code. It is the only food pantry in the region that also includes a section with a full array of kosher foods and meat.

November 14 – The University of Cincinnati’s Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions received two generous donations, from Nancy Felson and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s Department of Radiology, to process the “Dr. Benjamin Felson papers”. This important project was completed and is now open for research purposes.

This Hanukkah, people joined the Mayerson JCC for a unique “Thanksgivukkah” event! To celebrate such a special year of combined holidays, the JCC offered a one-of-a-kind create your own latke bar with traditional and innovative toppings for potato pancakes. The JCC lit the community Hanukkah menorah each night of Hanukkah, and on December 3 from 5 -8pm, the JCC menorah was lit by the community effort of individual bike riders who generated energy to keep the ‘candles’ burning. Each rider kept the light burning for fifteen minutes on this bike-powered menorah.

November 21 – On June 29, at Goldman Union Camp Institute (a Jewish summer camp near Indianapolis), Ethan Kadish, of Loveland, was struck by lightning, resulting in cardiac arrest.

Eighth Night for Ethan was a special event created to help the Kadish’s with their uninsured expenses. It included dreidel games and a performance by Ethan's biggest fan, singer Dan Nichols. Families were asked to forego their usual 8th night gifts and instead come to “Eighth Night” and make a donation to honor Ethan instead. The event was held on December 4 at Rockwern Academy.

On December 8 the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education and Isaac M. Wise Temple welcomed Dr. Jud Newborn as the keynote speaker for the Annual Lusia and Stephen Hornstein Program in Remembrance of the Holocaust and the Human Spirit. Dr. Newborn discussed a book he coauthored about the White Rose Movement.

November 28 – Seventeen students worked together for four hours one evening in Hillel’s kosher kitchen, baking challot and cookies. Their goal was to raise money for the medical fund for

Ethan Kadish

Ethan Kadish, local teen recovering from the brain injury suffered when he was struck by lightning last summer at camp. The challah-baking was a project of Hillel’s student Social Action Committee. After the evening of baking, the students were on the UC campus the next day selling the baked goods.

A giant menorah stood tall and proud among the holiday decorations in Mason and a communitywide celebration was held Tuesday, Dec 3 at the Deerfield Towne Center. The program featured Hanukah treats, music, prizes, the Honey Hill Petting Zoo and a Fire Show. The City of Mason’s mayor, David F. Nichols, lit the lead light and Deerfield Township Trustee President, Chris Romano, lit the torch to kindle the lights of the Menorah.

December 5 – Jewish National Fund (JNF) hosted its annual Tree of Life™ Award Dinner at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza on Wednesday, May 14, and the evening honored former Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory with the prestigious Tree of Life™ Award. Proceeds from the Tree of Life™ Award Dinner benefit JNF’s vital work in water renewal in Israel.

Alvin Lipson passed away on November 21st, 2013. Alvin left behind his beloved wife of 35 years, Gloria Rosenberg Lipson; his three children, Lisa (Ali) Khan, David (Lesa) Lipson, and Miriam (Jacob) Hodesh; and his grand-children Alexander and Talia Khan, Max and Molly Lipson, and Naomi Hodesh. He was also survived by his brother, Michael Lipson. Funeral services took place on November 24, 2013 at Weil Funeral Home, with Rabbi Kamrass officiating.

December 12 – Members of the Cincinnati Jewish community were invited to light the Hanukkah candles on the 7th day with Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, in his mayoral offices.

The Cincinnati Regional Chamber of Commerce’s “Women Excel” program honored their

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

ROSH HASHANAH • 5B

CONTINUED from previous page “WE Celebrate” finalists on December 5th, 2013. This annual awards breakfast, honors women and women-owned businesses for their achievement, innovation, social responsibility and mentoring in Cincinnati. In the Jewish community, Tamara Harkavy, of ArtWorks, Jan Armstrong Cobb, Duke Realty, Kim Heiman, Standard Textile and Emily Frank, C’est Cheese Food Truck were nominated.

Gary Heiman

Members of the Jewish community lighting the city’s Menorah.

December 19 – Standard Textile President and CEO Gary Heiman was presented with the Carl H. Lindner Award for Entrepreneurial and Civic Spirit at the 2013 Deloitte Cincinnati USA 100 luncheon on November 6, 2013. The Carl H. Lindner Award for Entrepreneurial and Civic Spirit was presented by Deloitte to Heiman for personifying the leadership, business success, and civic involvement that was characterized by Carl Lindner, who made a profound impact on the Cincinnati community.

Cedar Village hosted its annual Mitzvah Day on December 25.

The Rockdale Temple Brotherhood provided their traditional pancake breakfast and then the community was encouraged to help create two art projects for local children. There was an opportunity to register for Be The Match, operated by the national marrow donor program for potential bone marrow donors.

December 26 – Hadassah has created a Hadassah Leadership Fellows program (HLF), a twoyear leadership engagement program designed to inspire, cultivate, impact and outreach to broaden Hadassah in our community as a whole. Two women from Cincinnati were accepted into the program: LeeAnne Galioto and Beth Kotzin. They will choose a focus area (Social Justice, Venture Capitalism, Women’s Health and Medical Research, and Public Policy) to create a pilot program for during the second year of their involve-

ment.

Cincinnati Leader Richard Weiland was among 15 recipients from throughout the United States and Canada of the Israel66 Award at the Israel Bonds Prime Minister’s Club Dinner, January 26, 2014, in Boca Raton, Florida.

Weiland was recognized for dedication to Israel and the Jewish community.

January 2 – Cincinnati’s BBYO teens spread awareness and raised money to aid those affected the typhoon in the Philipines by hosting a special program called Occupy the JCC, a regional “lockin” which took place from January 11th -12th at the Mayerson JCC. Along with many other teens from across BBYO’s KIO (Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio) region, they will be “occupying” the Mayerson JCC to support an important cause they believe in.

At the first of seven ISRAELITY events, Yizhar Hess, Executive Director of the Conservative Movement in Israel, explored how the struggle toward Jewish pluralism in Israel affects all Jews, even here in Cincinnati.

Hess spoke on Thursday, January 9 and his presentation was part of “ISRAELITY: Redefining Reality in Israel,” a series of open dialogues presented by the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati’s Israel Center and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC).

memoir, author Stamler traced her family’s roots to the small Belarussian hamlet of Vashisht, narrating the story of their journey from Russia to a new life in New York City. Stamler moved to Cincinnati in the 1950s with her husband, who had landed a job at Rollman’s Department Store.

PJ Library, which celebrates reading, family and Jewish traditions with a free book each month for children six months through five-an-a-half years, extended its age range by three more years.

Now Jewish children in Greater Cincinnati up to the age of eight will have the opportunity to benefit from this groundbreaking initiative as well.

January 16 – After 39 years of service, Rabbi Gershom Barnard, rabbi of Northern Hills Synagogue - Congregation B'nai Avraham since 1975, will retire at the end of June. Rabbi Barnard came to Northern Hills as a recent graduate of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. Since joining Northern Hills as spiritual leader, he has led the congregation through many landmark events.

The Mayerson JCC served up an MLK day full of nonstop fun on Monday, January 20th Kids in grades K–6 warded off the frigid winter weather with an actionpacked indoor “day-cation” when they participated in the JCC School Break Zone camp. The 6th–12th grade set went on an MLK getaway to play in the powder at Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

January 23 – Rockdale Temple announced that they would be hosting their 190th Gala Celebration on February 22, 2014.

They planned a year of festivities to reflect on their past, celebrate their present, and energize their future as a strong and growing community.

Dr. Gary P. Zola, Executive Director of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives (AJA), and Professor of the American Jewish Experience at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of

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January 9 – Isabelle Stamler, Cincinnati author and retired schoolteacher from Wyoming and Saylor Park, published a novel, “Sarah’s Ten Fingers”. In this Rabbi Gershom Barnard

Happy New Year from

CECIL THOMAS

Democrat for Senate – District 9 www.CecilThomas.com Paid for by Thomas for Senate Committee Kristina Thomas, Treasurer, 62 Glenwood Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45217

6B • ROSH HASHANAH CONTINUED from previous page Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati, has been appointed as the Norman and Gerry Sue Arnold Distinguished Visiting Chair for the upcoming Spring 2014 semester at the College of Charleston’s Yaschik/Arnold Jewish Studies Program.

January 30 – Richard E. Friedman will lead Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati’s 2014 board of trustees as Chair.

Friedman joined ESCC’s board in 2011. He currently serves on the boards of the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame, Activities Beyond the Classroom Foundation (ABC), Tennis for Charity, LLC, and the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati.

He is also the founder and principal consultant of REF & Associates Consulting.

Northern Hills Synagogue Congregation B'nai Avraham invited the entire community to be part of a special weekend as it welcomes noted author and community leader Rabbi Naomi Levy as its Scholar in Residence during the weekend of February 14th through 16th. Saturday morning Rabbi Levy spoke on "A Single Step Can Cause Seas to Part." On Sunday morning Rabbi Levy led a prayer-writing workshop, addressing the question of whether prayer works.

February 6 – The new JCC Take & Bake program offered fresh and healthy kosher meals for the whole family on Friday nights.

Family Style meals can be ordered to accommodate families of four to sixteen people. All food cooked and prepared at the JCC is supervised by Cincinnati Kosher (Cincinnati Vaad Ho’ir.) JCC Matzoh ball soup, gefilte fish, challah and dessert platters could be added on to any meal or bought separately.

Jewish Family Service Barbash Family Vital Support Center hosted a Tu B’Shevat Seder on January 16. After clients came together for a Seder meal, they participated in an inspirational art project. A painting of a leafless tree was brought to life when the clients created leaves with their messages of hopes for the New Year. Jewish Family Service Case Manager Debbie Zimmerman, RN, shared nutrition tips with the clients and showed them how to cook food to achieve the best nutrition.

February 13 – Camp Livingston was delighted to introduce Brett Schwartz as its new Executive Director. Brett had previously spent time in Cincinnati as the Youth Director at Adath Israel.

Brett's camp experience dates back over a decade. He served in a variety of positions across four

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camps: Camp Harlam, Camp JRF, Camp ArthuReeta and Camp Westmont.

Jewish National Fund took 2009 Tree of Life award recipient Father Graham on a trip to Israel.

He was joined by JNF Ambassador to KKL and Israel, Stanley M. Chesley, Ginger Warner of the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees and Rabbi Abie Ingber, Executive Director of the Center for Interfaith Community Engagement at Xavier University.

The trip was organized by Nina Paul, JNF National Vice President of Women for Israel and Eddie Paul, JNF National Vice President of the Committee on the Environment.

February 20 – Gaga, the Israelistyle dodge ball game that has been building in popularity since the 70’s can be played all year round at the Mayerson JCC, thanks to a brand new indoor Gaga arena that was unveiled to the public last month. The new indoor Gaga pit is great for year round play, but because the JCC also has a permanent outdoor arena, now twice the number of participants will have the chance to get in on the fun during the warm weather months.

A Torah scroll, once an integral part of the worship of Czech Jews and now among the treasures of the Cincinnati Skirball Museum, will once again be the center of a worship service at the Scheuer Chapel on the campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion on Tuesday, February 25. The worship service commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Memorial Scrolls Trust, which brought the scroll to the Skirball, located on the campus of the College-Institute.

Bret Caller

February 27 – Bret Caller has been appointed as the newest member of The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati’s Board of Trustees. The Foundation Board appointed Caller to serve out the remaining term of Benjamin Gettler z”l, who passed away last year. Caller is the Immediate Past President of the

Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.

Specialty Kinnus came to Adath Israel Congregation in early February. Teens in grades 8-12 from around the region, including Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Michigan, as well as Canada, gathered for United Synagogue Youth’s Specialty Convention.

Adath Israel's USY Chapter was proud to have 30 teens that attended. The weekend was filled with creative prayer, and learning sessions about Judaism and Israel.

March 6 – The Cincinnati Chapter of Hadassah hosted its inaugural Red & Black Brunch on Sunday, March 9, 2014 to kick off Hadassah's Chai Society level of giving. Attendees are asked to wear red and black in their outfits in honor of the life-saving work accomplished at Hadassah Hospital. Dr. Shelly Negari, a Hadassah Medical Center pediatric doctor from Israel, spoke about topics that are related to adolescent medicine, focusing her talk on eating disorders and the importance of the establishment of a multidisciplinary program that will address the needs of these patients.

JVS Career Services has become a key source of scholarship assistance to qualified Greater Cincinnati residents and many members of our Jewish Community. Through an ongoing partnership, JVS Career Services currently administers five different scholarship funds: The Hilb Scholarship Fund; The Anne and George Heldman Family Scholarship Fund; the Saidel Award; the Guthman Award; and the Magnus Award, each of which also direct their funds towards sub-sections of the Hilb candidate.

Temple Sholom invited the Greater Cincinnati community to the First Annual City-Wide Purim Masquerade Ball on Saturday night, March 15, 2014 at Temple Sholom. The masquerade ball featured award-winning DJ Apryl Reign from Cincinnati’s Elementz Center for Hip Hop and Respect.

The Purim ball included casino games and Esther on stilts by the Cincinnati Circus Company, cash bar at evil Haman’s hang-out, lottery drawings for cash prizes, and Vashti’s “women-only” lounge for anyone dressed as a woman.

Seven eunuchs from the Purim story served appetizers and Hamantaschen.

March 13 – Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), a national commemoration of the contributions that American Jews have made to the fabric of our nation’s history, culture, and society, announced the theme for the May 2014 celebration: American Jews and Tikkun Olam: Healing

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ROSH HASHANAH • 7B

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

CONTINUED from previous page the World. This year, honoring the 100th anniversary of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), JAHM celebrated American Jews who have made significant contributions to humanitarian causes, social justice, medical and scientific research, community-building, and philanthropy.

On Saturday evening, February 1st, the Cincinnati area’s newest congregation, Shevat Achim, held its first social event at the home of Ken & Lois Germain. The title of the event was “Saturday Night at the Games.” Many attendees participated in a large, spirited game of Pictionary, with many others observing and enjoying. In addition, everyone enjoyed the live music performed by Jeff Rubinstein. The event was attended by 50 people.

March 20 – Mrs. Elaine Kaplan was promoted to Assistant Principal at Rockwern Academy for the academic year beginning August 2014. During her 17 years at Rockwern Academy (formerly Yavneh Day School), Mrs. Kaplan has been a key teacher on the faculty and has helped advance the school in many ways. Mrs. Kaplan’s responsibilities as Assistant Principal will include: providing instructional leadership and professional development for our teachers; leading the school’s continued advancement in the area of instructional technology; overseeing the accreditation process; student discipline; MAP testing and data analysis/follow up; innovative programming; general studies curriculum review; and Student Council.

The SHAI program (Aramaic for gift, it stands for Support, Hospitality, and Assistance for Israelis) was created in the fall of 2013 to combine, expand, and further formalize the on-going efforts of the Jewish Federation, Hadassah and Cincinnati Childrens, to provide hospitality to Israeli short-term observers at Cincinnati Children’s, and more extensive services to long-term Fellows and their families.

March 27 – On the afternoon of Sunday, March 23, Rockwern Academy held its second annual “Celebration of the Book,” a day of storytelling and activities for children, parents and grandparents. The celebration featured performances by Feriel Feldman, a professional storyteller visiting from Atlanta. The festival also offered crafts, play time and games, with displays related to the sharing of old stories.

A groundbreaking exhibit entitled, When Slavery Hits Home, not just History but Here and Now, came to the Mayerson JCC,

in partnership with the National Underground Freedom Center, the Klau Library at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives and the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education. The exhibit explored slavery from biblical to modern times through art, in both Jewish and global contexts.

April 3 – The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati was excited to announce the hiring of Sammy Kanter as the Esther and Maurice Becker Networking and Mentoring Coordinator, a newly created position in the Community Building department.

Sammy was charged with retaining and attracting young adults by connecting them with successful leaders, professionals and mentors who can help them become meaningfully established in the city.

The JCC Senior Center at the Mayerson JCC offered events to celebrate and observe Passover.

One was the annual JCC senior community Seder on April 11 gave the opportunity to socialize and enjoy the retelling of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egypt. The JCC community Seder was open to all adults over 60.

April 10 – On March 2-3, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati held the 14th annual “Cincinnati Florida Reunion”—bringing together members of the Cincinnati Jewish community who spend considerable time in Florida—to share the latest developments from our local community. Two separate events were held this year, for the convenience of guests in the Palm Beach/Jupiter and Boynton Beach/Boca Raton areas.

The Miami Beach Kollel recently hosted its nineteenth annual dinner highlighting their community work and recognizing student, family and benefactors for their contributions and at the dinner, Mr. Sam Boymel was presented with a special Education Outreach Award in honor of his support of student outreach.

April 17 – The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati announced that Beth Guttman has been elected by the Trustees to serve as the next President of the Board, effective as of the 2014 Foundation Annual Meeting on October 30th.

After 37 years of service with Jewish Vocational Service, Mr. Bloch retired and on Thursday, March 18, 2014, he was honored by his peers, his mentors, several individuals who received services at Jewish Vocational Service, and leaders in our community.

April 24 – The sixth annual Eight Over Eighty event sponsored by

Peter Bloch

Cedar Village was held on Thursday evening, May 29, 2014 at Adath Israel Congregation in celebration of Older Americans Month and as a part of Jewish American Heritage Month. Cedar Village recognized Miriam Warshauer Cohen, Annette Hattenbach, Minette Hoffheimer, Ray Kantor, Jerry Klein, Zell Schulman and Vera Sanker who were nominated to receive this honor.

The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati joined local arts organizations and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber in traveling to New York to show off the Queen City and all she has to offer in the way of arts, entertainment, food, and business attraction. The collective effort, dubbed “Cincy in NYC,” was led by local Jewish community leaders Julie and Steve Shifman. Cincy in NYC’s goals were to promote the arts on a national level, build civic pride, and attract and retain talent.

May 1 – Thursday morning, April 24, 2014, Price Hill resident Ralph Ford discovered a swastika painted on his front door.

According to the police, this attack (at press time) was not formally labeled a hate crime. Ford had been planning to move out in June, but with this recent incident, he and his wife will move as soon as possible. They had been living in Price Hill in the home of a friend.

On April 1, the Association of Jewish Aging Services, which represents nearly 100 North American nursing homes, housing communities and outreach programs, presented its Jewish Programming Award to the Chesed Corps of Cedar Village at its annual conference in Jacksonville, Florida. On May 18, Partners in Senior Life, an association of North American organizations involved in senior care services, will honor the group with its Annette W. and Herbert H. Lichterman Outstanding Programming Award.

May 8 – John E. Dolibois, former U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg and last American survivor of a

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8B • ROSH HASHANAH

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May the New Year Bring Special Blessings of Peace, Health & Joy • GENE, ELISE & LARRY MESH DR. CHARLES MESH, DR. DIANNE LITWIN & FAMILY DR. MICHAEL & SYDNEY HARRIS & FAMILY SARAH HARRIS GRODKO & JOSH GRODKO

team that interrogated top-ranking Nazis for the Nuremberg Trials, died Friday, May 2, at his home in Cincinnati. He was 95. Until his death, Dolibois was a frequent speaker to students and other groups about his experiences surrounding the Nuremberg Trials.

On April 29, volunteers from 31 high schools received recognition at American Jewish Committee’s 49th annual Simon Lazarus Jr. Human Relations Awards. Junior class winner was Sydney Armstrong of Mt. Notre Dame High School, and Senior class winner was Meredith Bailey of Walnut Hills High School.

Junior finalists were Julia Engel of Wyoming H.S., Allison Flanigan of Glen Este H.S., Nancy Nzobigeza of Mother of Mercy H.S., and Kila Tripp of Ursuline Academy. Senior finalists were Catherine Corbin of St. Ursula Academy, Allison Hogan of Ursuline Academy, Madeline Martini of Villa Madonna Academy, and Sydney Schultz of Seton H.S. May 15 – Cedar Village Retirement Community elected new officers and members to its boards of trustees, including its first chair with a professional health care background. Barbara Reed of Evendale was elected chair of the board that serves the overall organization. Other new foundation officers were Harvey Cohen, vice chair; Jay Price, secretary; H. Jerome Lerner, treasurer; and Andrew Shott, immediate past chair. New foundation trustees are Andrew Heldman and Ross Vigran.

Northern Hills Synagogue Congregation B'nai Avraham installed officers and trustees on May 16th. David Bernstein was installed as President. Other officers installed included Bobbi Handwerger, Henry Spitz, and Sandy Spitz, Vice-Presidents; Joel Suddleson, Treasurer; Laurie Dubin, Financial Secretary; Holly Robinson, Recording Secretary; Amy Frankel, Corresponding Secretary; and Matt Yosafat, Cemetery Warden.

May 22 – The Cincinnati community was invited to join dignitaries and civic and religious leaders from around the world for the Inauguration of Rabbi Aaron D. Panken, Ph.D., at Plum Street Temple on June 8, 2014. The Inauguration marked the formal installation of Rabbi Panken as the 12th President in the 139-year history of Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR).

A group of 12 students representing the University of Cincinnati Hillel Jewish Student Center planned to take off on the

David Bernstein

Rabbi David Siff

Rabbi Aaron D. Panken

Suzette Fisher

trip of a lifetime to Israel on May 21, organized by Taglit-Birthright Israel. The global experience included a trip to Jerusalem, a hike in the Zavitan, a visit to Tel Aviv, a chance to float in the Dead Sea and the opportunity to see the sunrise. The trip also included a stop at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Memorial in Mt. Herzl.

ing the annual Moss Society reception at the Mayerson JCC. The sculpture is a living, pubic tribute to thank donors who have made a legacy gift commitment to a local Jewish agency, organization or congregation, and to inspire future generations to follow in their footsteps.

May 29 – After 22 years as Director of American Jewish Committee Cincinnati Regional Office, Barbara Glueck will retire this summer. Glueck is the longest-serving Jewish communal agency executive in Cincinnati.

At AJC, her longevity and wisdom have earned her the title “Dean of Directors.”

Northern Hills SynagogueCongregation B'nai Avraham has hired Rabbi David Siff, 39, to succeed Rabbi Gershom Barnard, who will retire in June after leading the Conservative synagogue for 39 years. Rabbi Siff will be assuming the Northern Hills' pulpit around the beginning of August.

June 5 – On May 21, 2014, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati welcomed a record-breaking crowd of almost 450 people to its 118th Annual Meeting, electing new President Suzette Fisher and the 2014-2015 slate of officers and trustees, showcasing the organization’s role in Jewish Cincinnati and celebrating the community’s top volunteers and professionals.

The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati dedicated The Legacy Flame: Sustaining our Future dur-

June 12 – JEEP (Jewish Education for Every Person) dedicated their new building, The Arthur Schreiber Jewish Education Center, with a ribbon cutting and installation of mezuzahs, on Sunday, June 8, 2014. The dedication included the presentation to Rabbi Baruch Cohon of the Rabbi Eliezer Silver Memorial Award. Ribbon cutting was by B.G. Younger, daughter of Arthur Schreiber. The installation of the first mezuzah was by Rabbi Baruch Cohon of Los Angeles, assisted by Rabbi Karp.

On Sunday, June 8, 2014, Rockwern Academy hosted a tribute dinner and silent auction that honored the Bernstein, Ain, Ellison, and Ganson family commitment to Jewish Day School education in Cincinnati as well as retiring teachers Dana Gehri and Judy White. The dinner was emceed by Jeremy Guttman and Rachel Ellison and the silent auction featured a wide array of items. The program featured an alumni video along with photos of students over the years, as well speeches by family members David Bernstein, Michael Ganson, Susan Bernstein and Lisa Bernstein.

June 19 – The Workum Fund was

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

CONTINUED from previous page proud to announce beginning June 1, 2014, the internship program will be administered by The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.

Sammy Kanter, Esther and Maurice Becker Networking and Networking Mentoring Coordinator at the Jewish Federation, will be the director of the program. Since 1987, the Workum Fund has offered paid, supervised internships in local Jewish Agencies to college students raised in or studying in Cincinnati. Interns included: Jay Burgin, Daniel Dolzhansky, Anna Fagin, Alex Mezhvinsky, Genevieve Pecsok, Stephanie Rosner, Adrianna Schneider, Hannah Wise, and Leah Zimmerman.

On Wednesday June 11th 2014 at the German Heritage Museum of Cincinnati, the German Jewish Society of Cincinnati was founded and a permanent collection of German Jewish history was installed. The festive occasion, complete with pretzels and beer, was hosted by the curator, Dr. Don Tolzmann. A group of approximately 30 people attended, many of whom came to Cincinnati as the result of World War II and some whose ancestors arrived before the Civil War. June 26 – Gary Heiman of Standard Textile was honored with the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award from EY, a globally integrated professional services organization that supports entrepreneurs and empowers innovation. The “Entrepreneur of the Year” of South Central Ohio & Kentucky celebrated its finalists and award recipients on June 19, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati.

Thirty-nine 10th Graders took their place on the Plum Street Bimah and declared their commitment to the Jewish faith and community during Isaac M. Wise Temple’s Confirmation ceremony on Saturday, May 31, 2014.

Confirmands were: Lauren Kohn, Amanda Peck, Joshua Pelberg, Jordan Baker, Jacob Fagin, Eli Zawatsky, Rebecca Kuhr, Claire Ruben, Alexis Czulewicz, Rabbi Rachel Maimin, Barbara Dragul, Lauren Fershtman, Claire Lefton, Isaac Delev, Michael Finer, Jason Morris, Jay Klein, Sophia Kroscher, Hannah Kaplan, Adina Ballaban, Melissa Goodman, Max Fritzhand, Carter Ross, Noah Silverman, Hannah Vigran, Amelia Pittman, Sophia Pardo, Jeremy Fogel, Jay Simha, Max Weiss, Morgen Alford, Ali Richter, Zoë Zelkind, Jacob Young, Joshua Young, Caroline Shor, Jonathan Prangley, Elijah Koreman, Gabriel Koreman, and Jared Winter.

July 3 – This year at Camp at the

ROSH HASHANAH • 9B

J, campers focused on a different Jewish value each week and gave back to the Cincinnati area through Mitzvah projects. The first week of camp, campers made fleece hats. Campers also baked cookies and hand-delivered them to the Amberley Village police and fire departments during the Fire Truck Spray Day event. Older campers in Raiders and Quest visited the Freestore Foodbank’s Giving Fields in Melbourne, Kentucky where they helped to harvest fresh produce for underprivileged populations in the tristate area.

On June 11, Dr. Jack Hahn, who maintains a private practice in Blue Ash devoted to the placement and restoration of dental implants, received the Nobel Biocare Osseointegration Achievement Award at the Global Dental Implant Symposium in Sochi, Russia. Dr. Hahn was recognized for his contribution to the field of implant dentistry. He has developed implants and techniques that are used worldwide as well as co-authored two text books on the subject.

July 10 – The Cedar Village Golf Classic will take place Monday, August 18 at the Heritage Club in Mason. This year, the proceeds will be used for capital improvements to enhance the lives of the Cedar Village residents. At the end of the tournament, team and individual prizes will be awarded and there will be a raffle. There will be both morning and afternoon golf sessions with a scramble shotgun start. Morning play will begin at 8:00 a.m. and afternoon play will begin at 1:15 p.m.

There will be contests on every hole, and the driving range and putting green will be open throughout the day.

Congregation B'nai Tzedek is planning a learning series for Tisha B’Av, focusing on specific events or texts from the past.

Through these series, a deeper grasp of the impact of these selected texts or historical events is sought. This August 2014 series is being developed in order to help understand the foundation of the traditional fast day of Tisha B'Av (the Ninth Day of the Hebrew calendar month of Av), through two interactive learning sessions, exhibits and a movie.

July 17 – Nominated by the Jewish Federation of Greater Cincinnati, Robert Brant and Jan Frankel were honored by the Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council with Voices of Giving Awards. Jan was recognized for her pivotal role as an advisor in cultivating planned gifts; and Bob was recognized for his foresight in contributing bequests and planned gifts to the Federation.

Rockdale Temple will honor

its roster of long-standing members (of 45 years or more) at the July 18th Shabbat Service.

Rabbis Coran and Kahan are pleased to honor this group of sustaining members who live the credo, characterizing Rockdale as the place where its members are valued and where values matter.

July 24 – Sixty eight members and friends of Isaac M. Wise Temple joined ARZA and Da’at Tours for ten days in Israel from June 26 through July 6. Beginning in Tel-Aviv, their tour started with the story of Israel’s Independence and the ten years before and after 1948 which set the stage for the Modern State. The first Shabbat service was in the port of Tel Aviv, which was followed by a Shabbat dinner, shared with members of Wise Temple’s sibling Reform congregation in Cincinnati’s sister city of Netanya. They went to Rosh HaNikra, Tel Dan, and Kibbutz K’far Blum. After Tzfat they went to Jerusalem, where they stayed the rest of the trip.

Cedar Village Medical Director, Dr. Scott Kotzin, was honored on June 13 at a luncheon sponsored by the Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty with the Caring Like Karen Award. Dr. Kotzin was the award recipient in the Physician Caregiver Category. A member of the medical staff at Cedar Village almost since the organization began in 1997, Dr. Kotzin became medical director in 2008.

July 31 – On Sunday, July 27th, the Jewish Community of Cincinnati gathered together at the Mayerson JCC to attend “Cincinnati Stands with Israel,” a rally to show solidarity with Israel and its people, to support Israel’s right to self-defense and the right of all people to live free of violence. Speakers included Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Amit Ben Harush Negari, Special Forces Battalion of Givati, and Harry and Diane Schneider. The gathering featured special presenters U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Werner Coppel, Holocaust Survivor. The event was closed with a Prayer for Peace for the State of Israel by Rabbi David B. Siff, Ph.D., of Northern Hills Synagogue and remarks by Rabbi Lewis Kamrass, Isaac M. Wise Temple.

Lois Rosenthal passed away on July 20, 2014 at the age of 75.

She was preceded in death by her parents Rose and Nat C. Reis. She was survived by her husband Richard, her children Jennie (Allan) Berliant and David, her grandchildren Elizabeth and Andrew Berliant and Eva and Mae

CONTINUED on next page

HAPPY NEW YEAR

10B • ROSH HASHANAH

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CONTINUED from previous page Rosenthal, and her brother Harvey (Mary) Reis. A memorial took place in the Marx Theater at the Playhouse in the Park at 4:30pm on September 15, 2014.

August 7 – Cincinnati Hillel and Hillel at Miami University looked forward to a great year with their new Jewish Agency for Israel Fellow, Rotem Ben-Lulu, who arrived in Cincinnati on August 10th. She immediately began her work on the two campuses. Rotem served for three years in the Office of Northern Command, Logistics Command for the Israeli Army.

She has a BA in Education and Political Science from Tel Aviv University, and just completed three years of substitute teaching and studying for a teaching certificate.

Cedar Village Retirement Community launched a program to upgrade the homes of older adults, helping them to stay safe and independent longer. With this new program called VillageCare, Cedar Village worked with its network of pre-screened contractors to make the home modifications.

This program is the only one of its kind in the region, pairing occupational therapists who are trained and experienced in home assessments with contractors who meet Cedar Village’s standards. The experts who conducted the examinations included a University of Cincinnati physician who specializes in geriatric medicine, a registered nurse, occupational therapist and physical therapist.

August 14 – This month, Cathy Heldman became the Director of the Cincinnati Regional Office of the American Jewish Committee.

She succeeded Barbara Glueck, who retired after twenty two years as Regional Director. A native Cincinnatian, Heldman has had a long career working in the Jewish community, most recently at the Mayerson JCC. The Mayerson JCC announced the addition of a Youth Fitness Coordinator to its Fitness Center staff. Julie Hagen is an expert in children’s yoga, sports training, healthy youth weight loss and pre and post rehabilitation from injury. Her new position will greatly expand opportunities for kids and teens to get involved in JCC fitness programming and personal training.

August 21 – The Mayerson JCC plans to host its 82nd Annual Meeting on Tuesday, September 16 in the JCC Amberley Room.

This event will be open to the entire community and will feature the election of the 2014-2015 board and officers, a short video and a dessert reception. A number of awards will also be presented, including the Volunteer of the

Year Award, the Kovod Award and the Sigmund M. Cohen Memorial Award.

On Thursday, August 7, the JCC Senior Center held the Power of One Award Luncheon, an annual community event that recognizes two major supporters of the Senior Center. Nearly 300 people came together to honor the Power of One Award recipient, the Philada Home Fund, and the Together We Can Award recipient, Amy Hirschman.

August 28 – The Mayerson JCC will feature JCC Fresh, a super-sized farmer’s market in its front parking lot on Sunday, September 14 from 9:30am to 1pm. The event is free and open to the public. It will feature dozens of area farmers who will be selling locally grown fruits and vegetables. The farmer’s market will also include healthy cooking demos, honey and apple tastings and a local cooking supply store will be making salsa and vegetable soup right onsite using fresh produce from the other booths. Jewish gift shops have also been invited to sell High Holiday-related items.

Wise Temple invited the community to join them for their S’lichot service on August 31 at Plum Street Temple. At 9:00pm there will be a dessert reception. At 10:00pm everyone will enter the peaceful sanctuary for a spiritual service where they will celebrate Havdalah, participate in prayer, and hear the sound of the shofar in the still of the night.

September 4 – Carol Silver Elliott, who has led Cedar Village Retirement Community through a period of strong growth, has decided to leave her position after more than seven years. Elliott has accepted the role of President and CEO of the Jewish Home Family in Rockleigh, New Jersey.

On Sunday, September 21st, Cincinnati Chapter President Bonnie Juran Ullner will pass the gavel to Ghita Sarembock at a festive Installation Dinner at Trio Bistro in Kenwood. New and retiring Board members will be honored, and three members of Cincinnati Chapter (Pilar Samuel, LeeAnne Galioto, and Beth Kotzin) will speak about their experiences at the Annual Hadassah Convention in Las Vegas in July.

September 11 – Wise Temple social justice projects this fall will make doing a mitzvah easy and meaningful. Instead of the traditional Mitzvah Day, Wise Temple will host two Mitzvah Mornings on Sunday September 21 and October 26 with various projects occurring throughout the mornings from 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM. All temple members of all ages and abilities can work side by side with other Wise Temple members doing projects that benefit Cincinnati area social service agencies.

Cathy Heldman

From Wednesday, October 8 to Sunday, October 19, the Mayerson JCC will host the “What is a Hero?”

Sukkah Art Exhibit, a collaborative, open air installation. In celebration of Sukkot, the entire community is invited to stop by the JCC and view the exhibit during its 12-day run.

More than 40 Jewish and secular organizations representing all corners of the Cincinnati community will contribute a piece of artwork to the installation.

Allison Weikel

September 18 – Alison Weikel, Director of Education of Valley Temple received the Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Education.

Ms. Weikel was nominated by her synagogue for the city-wide honor, and then was selected as one of the six national award winners, 25 others received regional honors. As part of her award, Ms. Weikel received a trip to the New CAJE conference in Los Angeles, where she was presented the award, and received a stipend for her work and her synagogue.

After reviewing statistics, discussing strategies, analyzing similarities and differences between shuls, Congregations B’nai Tzedek and Ohav Shalom have agreed to come together as a result of yearlong discussions.

The two Synagogues are also being joined by reform congregation, Beit Chaverim, to form a special Jewish community that will enable present and future congregants to choose which congregation best meets their needs.

ROSH HASHANAH • 11B

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

5774 Death Notices DONNY, Hershel B. age 63 died on September 5, 2013; 1 Tishrei, 5774.

WATZMAN, Jacqueline M. age 86 died September 12, 2013; 8 Tishrei, 5774.

GINGELL, Ronald age 67 died September 14, 2013; 10 Tishrei, 5774.

TAFT, Hope age 95 died September 14, 2013; 11 Tishrei, 5774.

KAUFMAN, Faye C. age 79 died on September 18,2013; 14 Tishrei, 5774.

STOLLER, Harry age 82 died on September 18, 2013,14 Tishrei, 5774.

HORN, Evelyn age 88, died on September 20, 2013, 17 Tishrei, 5774 UNGAR, Thomas “Tom,” age 78, died October 6, 2013; 2 Cheshvan 5774.

GOLDMAN, Mildred, age 85, died October 10, 2013; 6 Cheshvan, 5774.

LEVY, Bernard, age 89, died October 11, 2013; 7 Cheshvan 5774.

FULLER, Sandra Skurow, age 73, died on October 3, 2013, 30 Tishrei 5774 GARFUNKEL, Rabbi Janice B., age 54, died October 25, 2013, 21 Cheshvan 5774 ROSEN, Dean M., age 46, died on October 21, 2013; 18 Cheshvan, 5774 SCHILD, Nancy (Schwab), age 90, died on October 24, 2013, 20 Cheshvan 5774 TANDLER, Bernyce, age 101, died October 28, 2013, 24 Cheshvan, 5774 MARMER, Adele Cohen, age 83, died on October 29,2013; 25 Cheshvan 5774, RETTBERG, Daniel J., PhD, age 61, died on October 31, 2013; 27 Cheshvan 5774.

NAYFELD, Lev David, age 89, died November 1, 2013; 28 Cheshvan 5774 SHIFRIN, Tsipa, age 89, died November 2, 201; 29 Cheshvan 5774.

PLOTNICK, Kalman, age 93, died November 3, 2013; 30 Cheshvan 5774.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

STEINBERG, Natalie, age 76, died November 5, 2013, 2 Kislev 5774

KAUFMAN, Saul, age 77, died December 8 2013; 5 Tevet 5774.

KALLENBERG, Helene, age 95, died on November 8, 2013; 5 Kislev 5774.

KAHN, Ruth, age 88, died December 11, 2013; 8 Tevet, 5774.

KALTMAN, Simon, age 86, died on November 10, 2013; 7 Kislev 5774.

LEOPOLD, Sonia R., age 95, died on November 10, 2013; 7 Kislev 5774.

ROSENBERG, Florence, age 85, died on November 10, 2013; 8 Kislev 5774.

GOLDHOFF, Leon Louis, age 77, died on November 12, 2013; 10 Kislev 5774.

SCHWARTZ, Marilyn, age 85, died December 26, 2013; 23 Tevet, 5774.

SANDERS, Mark H., age 66, died December 30, 2013; 27 Tevet, 5774.

LEV-LEVIT, Arkady, age 63, died January 3, 2014; 3 Shevat, 5774.

MENDELSOHN, Richard B., age 74, died January 4, 2014; 3 Shevat 5774 LOSHIN, Philip R., age 87, died January 9, 2014; 9 Shevat, 5774.

DOERNBERG, Janet, age 92, died November 13, 2013; 10 Kishlev 5774.

KING, William W., age 68, died January 9, 2014; 8 Shevat, 5774.

FRIED, Theresa, age 87, died November 14, 2013; 12 Kislev 5774.

GORDON, Florence, age 94, died December 31, 2013; 28 Tevet, 5774.

YOUKILIS, Richard V., age 68, died November 15, 2013; 12 Kislev 5774.

NEWMAN, Ruth, age 85, died January 15, 2014; 15 Shevat, 5774.

LAZARUS, Arnold H., age 92, died November 16, 2013; 13 Kislev 5774.

KAHAN, Geraldine A., age 81, died November 18, 2013; 15 Kislev 5447.

UKELSON, Louis M., age 88, died on November 19, 2013; 17 Kislev 5774.

LIPSON, Alvin, age 77, died November 21, 2013; 19 Kislev, 5774.

RUBIN-WEISMAN, Maxine L., age 87, died November 21, 2013; 18 Kislev, 5774.

MOR, Marilyn L., age 73, died on November 30, 2013; 27 Kislev 5774.

POLINER, Frank L. age 80, died November 30, 2013; 28 Kislev, 5774.

KESSLER, Edris N., age 90, died on December 1, 2013 28 Kislev, 5774.

FLEISCHER, Guenter, age 90, died December 3, 2013; 30 Kislev, 5774.

RENDLER, Samuel, died December 6, 2013; 3 Tevet, 5774.

GOLOD, Anatoliy, age 86, died December 9, 2013; 6 Tevet, 5774.

ENGEL, Sam, age 67, died December 3, 2013; 30 Kislev, 5774.

KIRSH, Ilya, age 91, died January 17, 2014; 16 Shevat, 5774.

KAHN, Eleanor, age 93, died January 21, 2014; 20 Shevat, 5774.

CONTINUED on next page

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12B • ROSH HASHANAH

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CONTINUED from previous page TOBIAS, Ann, age 85, died January 22, 2014; 21 Shevat, 5774.

JACOBS, Harold, age 89, died January 23, 2014; 23 Shevat 5774.

MARGOLIN, Sonya, age 81, died January 23, 2014; 23 Shevat 5774.

MAXWELL, William A., age 86, died January 25, 2014; 24 Shevat 5774.

SIMKIN, Sonia, age 99, died January 26, 2014; 25 Shevat 5774 MAXWELL, William, age 86 , died January 25, 2014; 25 Shevat, 5774.

HARRIS, Joyce, age 98, died January 28, 2014; 27 Shevat, 5774.

ZOLLETT, Roslyn C., age 93, died January 31, 2014; 30 Shevat, 5774.

WAGSHUL, Mollie, age 89, died February 1, 2014; 1 Adar 1, 5774 HYAMS,. Shirley, age 89, died February 1, 2014; 1 Adar 1, 5774.

GREENBLATT, Edith, age 84 , died February 6, 2014; 7 Adar I, 5774.

SKOLNICK, Jack M., age 91, died February 8, 2014; 8 Adar 1, 5774.

HERSH, Barry age 82, died February 12, 2014; 12 Adar 1, 5774.

SCHEFF, Helen, age 88, died February 15, 2014; 15 Adar 1, 5774.

REVELSON, Howard J., age 89, died February 15, 2014; 15 Adar 1, 5774.

GEHLER, Valerie, age 62, died February 17, 2014; 17 Adar 1, 5774.

ZIMMERMAN, Robert L., age 95, died February 18, 2014; 19 Adar 1, 5774.

KANTER, Louis, age 96, died February 20, 2014; 21 Adar 1, 5774.

KRAKOVSKY, Alfred, age 78, died February 22, 2014; 22 Adar 1, 5774.

JAMES, Verdon Eugene, age 70, died February 23, 2014; 23 Adar 1, 5774.

GLICK, Lenore E., age 78, died February 25, 2014; 25 Adar 1, 5774.

5774.

STERN, Lillian S., age 96, died March 28, 2014; 26 Adar II, 5774.

COHEN, Dr. Paul L., age 45, died March 28, 2014; 26 Adar II, 5774.

GROSZ, Gyula, age 94, died March 28, 2014; 27 Adar II, 5774.

GORELIK, Khyena, age 88, died March 30, 2014; 28 Adar II, 5774.

GOLDBERG, Charles, age 94, died March 30, 2014; 28 Adar II, 5774.

SEIDNER, Peter, age 66, died March 30, 2014; 28 Adar II, 5774.

BENSON, Lillian, age 89, died March 31, 2104; 29 Adar II 5774 SHAYESON, Leona age 96, died April 1, 2014; 2 Nissan, 5774 LIKERMAN, Frances age 87, died April 2, 2014; 3 Nissan, 5774 GINSBURG, Gira, age 94, died April 6, 2014; 6 Nissan 5774

HYATT, Thomas, age 77, died February 26, 2014; 27 Adar 1, 5774.

ROTH, George, age 92, died April 7, 2014; 7 Nissan 5774

LUCAS, Rita, age 69, died February 28, 2014; 28 Adar 1, 5774.

MANTEL, JR., Samuel, age 92, died April 11, 2014; 11 Nissan, 5774.

SAMBERG, Harold I., age 80, died March 2, 2014; 30 Adar 1, 5774.

LIPP, Nancy Maslov, age 64, died March 20, 2014; 19 Adar II 5774.

DUNKELMAN, Melville J., age 93, died March 3, 2014; 1 Adar II, 5774.

SEELIG, Eva, age 87, died March 4, 2014; 3 Adar II, 5774.

SCHWARTZ, Edward A., age 98, died March 10, 2014; 9 Adar II, 5774.

WOLPA, Lester L., age 88, died April 19, 2014; 19 Nissan 5774 HYMSON, Julian H. “Junie,” age 95, died April 20, 2014; 20 Nissan 5774 FAUST, Arthur S., age 68, died April 20, 2014; 20 Nissan, 5774.

SHAPIRO, Melvin I., age 91, died April 23, 2014; 23 Nissan, 5774.

MOSKOWITZ, Shari , age 92, died March 22, 2014; 21 Adar II 5774

SCHEAR, Elaine, age 86, died April 26, 2014; 26 Nissan, 5774.

KLEIN, Mildred, age 87, died March 24, 2014, 22 Adar II 5774

COHEN, Sol, age 87, died April 29, 2014; 29 Nissan, 5774.

GUTMANN, Audrey , age 90, died March 24, 2014; 23 Adar II 5774

BACKMAN, David J., age 59, died May 1, 2014; 2 Iyar, 5774.

ELKUS, Geri Lipsky, age 82, died March 21, 2014; 19 Adar II, 5774 SPIEGEL, Leanore Rosin, age 84, died 25 March, 2014; 23 Adar II, 5774 KAHN, Margaret, age 92, died March 26, 2014; 24 Adar II, 5774 SPICEHANDLER, Ezra, age 92, died March 26, 2014; 24 Adar II, 5774 LOEWENHEIM, Jane P., age 91, died March 27, 2014; 26 Adar II,

ZEIDENSTEIN, George, age 82, died May 4, 2014; 4 Iyar, 5774.

PILDER, Freda, age 91, died May 4, 2014; 4 Iyar, 5774.

KAUFMAN, Dorothy, age 93, died May 5, 2014; 5 Iyar 5774.

SILVERMAN, Gertrude Hyams, age 92, died May 11, 2014; 7 Iyar 5774 GABRILOVICH, Isaak M., age 79, died May 10, 5774; 10 Iyar, 5774.

ROSH HASHANAH • 13B

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

BECKER, Sheal, age 92, died May 11, 2014; 11 Iyar, 5774.

BLATT, Edwin B., age 88, died May 11, 2014; 11 Iyar, 5774.

ROSEN, Eleanor, age 89, died May 14, 2014; 14 Iyar 5774.

BARNETT, Marilyn, age 84, died May 15, 2014; 15 Iyar, 5774.

FRANKEL, Gloria Gehler, died May 16, 2014; 16 Iyar, 5774.

LOSHIN, Lisa, died May 18, 2014; 17 Iyar, 5774.

FRIEDMAN, Lorraine E., age 93, died May 25, 2014; 25 Iyar, 5774 SCHWARTZ, Rose, age 101, died May 26, 2014; 26 Iyar, 5774.

MANDEL, Joan E., age 82, died May 26, 2014; 26 Iyar, 5774 COHEN, Risa Gail, age 51, died May 27, 2014; 27 Iyar, 5774.

ROSENBERG, Beverly Nathan, died May 27, 2014.

NOVEMBER, Linda, age 43, died May 28, 2014; 28 Iyar, 5774.

BLUESTEIN, Rabbi Judith, age 66, died May 29, 2014; 29 Iyar, 5774.

GOODMAN, Eleanor Darack, died May 30, 2014; 2 Sivan, 5774.

MANN, Danny, died May 31, 2014; 2 Sivan, 5774.

FOGEL, Sylvia, age 93, died June 1, 2014; 3 Sivan, 5774.

NIEBUR, Uta, age 76, died June 4, 2014; 6 Sivan, 5774.

FIXLER, Betty, died June 7, 2014; 9 Sivan, 5774.

KANTER, Ethel, age 94, died June 8, 2014; 10 Sivan, 5774.

LICHTIN, J. Leon, age 90, died June 10, 2014; 12 Sivan, 5774.

DOMBAR, Shirley, age 92, died June 9, 2014; 11 Sivan, 5774.

WACKSMAN,, Judith L., age 80, died June 17, 2014; 19 Sivan, 5774.

MESSING, Brenda Lynn Korobkin, age 74, died June 18, 2014; 20 Sivan, 5774.

FINER, Doris S., age 85, died June 25, 2014; 27 Sivan, 5774.

July 4, 2014; 6 Tammuz, 5774

August 18, 2014; 22 Av, 5774.

FINKENSTEIN, Marica, died July 4, 2014; 6 Tammuz, 5774.

LEVEY, Victor M., age 80, died August 19, 2014; 23 Av, 5774.

SCHNEIDER, Marilyn Breslow age 68, died July, 6, 2014; 8 Tammuz 5774.

LEWIS, Myron, age 93, died August 7, 2014; 11 Av, 5774.

SCACCHETTI, Marcia Gessiness, age 54, died July 15, 2014; 14 Tammuz, 5774.

LEVINE, Adrianne Mintz, age 81, died July 15, 2014; 17 Tammuz, 5774.

ROSENTHAL, Lois, age 75, died July 20, 2014; 22 Tammuz, 5774.

SHULLER, Sylvia, age 98, died July 20, 2014; Tammuz, 5774.

LEVINE, Joshua E., age 22, died July 21, 2014;Tammuz, 5774 RUBINSON, Louise, age 91, died July 26, 2014; 28 Tammuz, 5774.

WATERMAN, Leslie Stuart, age 63, died August 22, 2014; 27 Av, 5774.

GLASSMANN, Gart, age 85, died August 23, 2014; 28 Av, 5774.

STAMLER, Isabelle, age 82, died August 28, 2014; 3 Elul, 5774.

BARACH, Philip George, age 84, died August 31, 2014; 5 Elul, 5774.

LEVINE, Shirley, age 94, died September 2, 2014; 7 Elul, 5774.

SPALTER, Adam, age 43, died September 3, 2014; 8 Elul, 5774.

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CARSCH, Tom, age 79, died September 7, 2014; 12 Elul, 5774.

WYLER, Marjory S., age 100, died July 27, 2014; 29 Tammuz, 5774.

Happy New Year!

ECKSTEIN, Pauline, age 77, died September 8, 2014, 14 Elul, 5774

The Chesley Family

LIPMAN, Beverly, age 84, died July 27, 2014; 29 Tammuz, 5774

FRIEDLANDER, William, age 81, died September 10, 2014, 15 Elul, 5774

LAFFER, Barry L., age 79, died July 27, 2014, 29 Tammuz, 5774.

GROSINGER, Pamela, age 59, died July 28, 2014; 1 Av, 5774.

TUMEN, Aaron Charles, age 86, died July 28, 2014; 1 Av 5774 BANES, Lois Ungar, died July 29, 2014; 2 Av, 5774.

BORDEN, Ruth, age 81, died July 30, 2014; 3 Av, 5774 LEVINSON, Dr. Joseph E., age 94, died July 31, 2014; 4 Av, 5774.

GREENBERG, Betty, age 80, died August 1, 2014; 5 Av, 5774.

YOUNGERMAN, Ethel Lee, age 96, died August 3, 2014; 7 Av, 5774.

MILLS, Gloria Tavel, age 85, died August 4, 2014; 8 Av, 5774.

GUNN, Mona, age 95, died August 5, 2014; 9 Av, 5774.

LINDER, Freddie, age 93, died August 9, 2014; 13 Av, 5774.

NADLER, Gerald, age 90, died July 28, 2014; 1 Av, 5774.

HEYMAN, Dr, Richard B., age 66, died August 13, 2014; 17 Av, 5774.

SALINGER, James Alvin, age 92, died June 26, 2014; 28 Sivan, 5774.

BALTERMAN, Alice Heyn, age 94, died August 15, 2014; 19 Av, 5774.

KLEIN, Alvin L., age 91, died June 30, 2014; 2 Tammuz, 5774.

FIERMARK, Shirley, B., age 94, died August 16, 2014; 20 Av, 5774.

LAZARUS, Bertha, age 97, died

SIEGEL, Anne R., age 93, died

KATZ, Louis, age 95, died September 15, 2014, 20 Elul, 5774 GROETZINGER, Sidney, died September 17, 2014; 22 Elul, 5774.

HERMAN, Leo, age 89, died September 21, 2014; 27 Elul, 5774.

14B • ROSH HASHANAH

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Year in Review: 5774

By JTA Staff NEW YORK (JTA) – Read about the highs and lows of 5774 – and everything in between.

September 2013 The United States and Russia reach a deal to rid Syria of its arsenal of chemical weapons, promoting Jewish groups to suspend their efforts lobbying for U.S. strikes against Damascus.

Rabbi Philip Berg, founder of the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles and teacher of Jewish mysticism for Alist celebrities, dies at age 86.

William Rapfogel, the ousted leader of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty in New York, is arrested on charges of grand larceny and money laundering. Investigators later say the scheme involving Rapfogel netted $9 million in illicit funds, including $3 million for Rapfogel himself. Rapfogel pleads guilty the following April and is sent to prison in July for three-and-a-half to 10 years.

In his address to the U.N. General Assembly, President Obama says the U.S. focus in the Middle East will be keeping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with U.S. Jewish leaders, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says he is more hopeful now for peace than he was in the mid-2000s.

The Foundation for Jewish Culture, a 53-year-old organization

Courtesy of Uriel Sina

Prisoner protest: Israelis demonstrating against the release of 26 Palestinian prisoners, Oct. 28, 2013.

dedicated to promoting Jewish culture and the arts, announces it is closing.

Larry Ellison, CEO of the technology company Oracle, is ranked as the richest Jew in the United States, according to the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans, which puts Ellison at No. 3. Other Jews making the top 20 are Michael Bloomberg (10, $31 billion); Sheldon Adelson (11, $28.5 billion); Sergey Brin (14, $24.4 billion); George Soros (19, $20 billion); and Marc Zuckerberg (20, $19 billion).

Ruth Bader Ginsburg becomes the first U.S. Supreme Court justice to preside over a same-sex marriage, the wedding ceremony of Michael Kaiser and John Roberts.

October 2013 A landmark study of U.S. Jews by the Pew Research Center finds the Jewish intermarriage rate has risen to 58 percent and that among the 22 percent of American Jews who describe themselves as having no religion, two-thirds are not raising their children as Jews. The survey also estimates the U.S. Jewish population at 6.8 million, roughly the same estimate arrived at by Brandeis University researchers analyzing 350 separate population studies.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, a panEuropean intergovernmental organization, overwhelmingly passes a resolution calling male ritual circumcision a “violation of the physical integrity of children” and putting it in the same class as female genital mutilation. Israeli President Shimon Peres joins the chorus of voices protesting the decision. In November, the group’s leader assures Jews that the council does not seek to ban Jewish ritual circumcision.

A day after meeting with President Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells the U.N. General Assembly that Israel is ready to go it alone against Iran should it come close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the Israeli

sage who founded the Sephardic Orthodox Shas political party and exercised major influence on Jewish law, dies at age 93.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is named the first recipient of the Genesis Prize, a $1 million award for a renowned professional capable of inspiring young Jews. The prize is funded by a consortium of Jewish philanthropists from the former Soviet Union.

Arieh Warshel, a U.S. professor born and educated in Israel, and exWeizmann Institute professor Michael Levitt are among the winners of the 2013 Nobel Prize for chemistry.

Two Orthodox rabbis from the New York area and two accomplices are arrested for allegedly kidnapping and beating men to force them to grant their wives religious Jewish divorces, or gets.

Israeli forces discover a “terror tunnel” running from Gaza to an Israeli kibbutz. The tunnel is full of explosives and ends near an Israeli kindergarten.

Janet Yellen is named head of the U.S. Federal Reserve, becoming the third American Jewish central banker in a row and the first woman to hold the post.

Movement leaders at the centennial conference of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in Baltimore agree that significant rejuvenation is needed if Conservative Judaism is to reverse its negative trajectory.

November 2013 Semen Domnitser, the former Claims Conference employee who was found guilty of leading a $57 million fraud scheme at the Holocaust restitution organization, is sentenced to eight years in prison.

The scheme entails falsifying applications to two funds established by the German government to make restitution payments to Holocaust survivors.

In a survey of 5,847 European Jews, nearly one-third of respon-

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

CONTINUED from previous page dents say they “seriously considered emigrating” from Europe because of anti-Semitism.

German authorities begin taking steps to identify the provenance of more than 1,400 words of Holocaust-era art found in the Munich home of Cornelius Gurlitt.

Joseph Paul Franklin is executed for killing a man at a St. Louis-area synagogue in 1977. Franklin, 63, shot Gerald Gordon outside the Brith Sholom Kneseth Israel synagogue as Gordon left a bar mitzvah. Franklin also is convicted of seven other murders throughout the United States and claims credit for 20 deaths between 1977 and 1980.

Forty families belonging to the haredi Orthodox extremist group Lev Tahor consider fleeing their Quebec homes out of fears that Canadian welfare authorities are poised to seize their children.

The United States and a coalition of world powers reach a six-month agreement with Iran to curb the country’s nuclear program in exchange for some sanctions relief while negotiations for a final settlement on Iran’s nuclear program are conducted. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pans the deal as a “historic mistake.” The deal goes into effect on Jan. 20.

December 2013 Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress who is a former Miss Israel, is cast as Wonder Woman in the upcoming film “Batman vs. Superman.”

Swarthmore’s Hillel chapter becomes the first to join the socalled Open Hillel movement, which challenges Hillel International’s guidelines prohibiting partnerships with groups it deems hostile toward Israel. Hillel boards at Vassar and Wesleyan soon follow suit.

The Union for Reform Judaism announces at its biennial conference in San Diego that it has sold off half its headquarters in New York and is investing $1 million from the proceeds to overhaul the movement’s youth programming.

The membership of the American Studies Association endorses a boycott of Israeli universities. The controversial decision comes after months of debate and prompts several American schools to withdraw from the association in protest and dozens more to condemn the move.

Jacob Ostreicher, a New York businessman held in Bolivia since 2011, returns to the United States, in part thanks to efforts by actor Sean Penn. Ostreicher was managing a rice-growing venture in Bolivia when he was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and accused of doing business with drug dealers.

The Native American and Indigenous Studies Association becomes the third U.S. academic body in less than a year to recommend that its members boycott Israeli universities.

ROSH HASHANAH • 15B

After being pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky is released from prison and leaves Russia, where he spent 10 years behind bars.

Philanthropist Edgar Bronfman dies in New York at 84. An heir to the Seagram’s beverage fortune, Bronfman was a longtime advocate on behalf of Jewish causes, serving as the head of the World Jewish Congress and financing many efforts to strengthen Jewish identity.

Amid a public debate in France over an allegedly anti-Semitic gesture called the quenelle, the French media publish a photo of a man performing it outside the Toulouse school where four Jews were murdered. Several French cities later announce they have banned performances by the comedian who popularized the salute, Dieudonne M’bala M’bala.

January 2014 Brooklyn Hasidic real estate developer Menachem Stark is kidnapped, his lifeless body later found in a dumpster. The New York Post provokes outrage among many Jews with a cover calling him a slumlord and a headline asking, “Who didn’t want him dead?” Months later, a construction worker is arrested for the killing.

Ariel Sharon, the controversial warrior-turned-statesman who served as Israel’s prime minister from 2001 until 2006, when he was rendered comatose by a stroke, dies at age 85.

JTA and MyJewishLearning, which includes the popular parenting website Kveller.com, announce their intention to merge.

The Israeli government announces that it plans to invest more than $1 billion over the next 20 years to strengthen the Jewish identity of Diaspora Jews, particularly young Jews, but the details remain fuzzy.

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel reaches an agreement with the Rabbinical Council of America to automatically accept letters from RCA members vouching for the Jewish status of Israeli immigrants.

The agreement follows a temporary suspension by the Chief Rabbinate in accepting such letters from at least one well-known RCA member, Rabbi Avi Weiss of Riverdale, N.Y. Two modern Orthodox high schools in New York stir controversy with decisions to allow girls who wish to lay tefillin.

UJA-Federation of New York, the largest Jewish federation in North America, names attorney Eric Goldstein as its new CEO and successor to longtime CEO John Ruskay.

Actress Scarlett Johansson comes under criticism for serving as a spokeswoman for the Israeli company SodaStream, which has facilities in the West Bank. Johansson, who is Jewish, stands by SodaStream and resigns as a global

ambassador for the British-based charity Oxfam, saying she and Oxfam have “a fundamental difference of opinion in regards to the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.”

The Israel Air Force is accused of attacking a warehouse of advanced Russian-made S-300 missiles in the Syrian port city of Latakia. Israel declines to comment on the attack.

A federal judge tosses out a $380 million sexual abuse lawsuit filed against Yeshiva University by 34 former students of its high school for boys. The suit alleged that the university ignored warnings of assault by two faculty members between 1969 and 1989. In dismissing the lawsuit, Judge John Koeltl rules that the statute of limitations has expired.

Longtime California congressman Henry Waxman announces his retirement. Waxman had represented California’s 33rd District since 1975 and was considered the dean of Jewish lawmakers.

Jewish philanthropist and humanitarian Anne Heyman, founder of the AgahozoShalomYouthVillage in Rwanda, dies during a horse-riding competition in Palm Beach, Fla. February 2014 The government of Spain approves a bill to facilitate the naturalization of Sephardic Jews of Spanish descent.

Staff at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem go on strike as the hospital, facing a huge deficit, teeters on

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16B • ROSH HASHANAH

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L’SHANA TOVA Wishing our friends and family a happy and healthy New Year Drs. Robyn & Lester Suna, Michael & Elise

Wishing Everyone a Happy New Year

the edge of bankruptcy and fails to pay its workers.

Abraham Foxman announces he is stepping down as national director of the Anti-Defamation League after 27 years in the post. Foxman, a child survivor of the Holocaust one of the highest profile American Jewish leaders, says he will step down in July 2015.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, top the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of the top 50 U.S. donors to charitable causes in 2013.

In December, the couple gave 18 million shares of Facebook stock, valued at more than $970 million, to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Alice Herz-Sommer, the 110year-old Holocaust survivor and concert pianist whose life is the subject of a documentary that a week later would win an Oscar, dies.

The Giymat Rosa Synagogue in Zaporizhia, in eastern Ukraine, is firebombed, sustaining minor damage. The attack comes amid growing turmoil in Ukraine following the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovych.

Wishing you the blessings of good health, good fortune, and happiness in the New Year.

March 2014 AIPAC leaders emphasize bipartisanship and mutual respect at the group’s annual policy conference in Washington. The conference follows a bruising period in which the pro-Israel lobby had championed a new Iran sanctions bill, only to back down when it becomes clear the bill lacked the necessary support from the White House and congressional Democrats to pass.

In one of many low-level skirmishes over the course of months, Israeli aircraft strike several targets in the Gaza Strip after Palestinians fire rockets into Israel, sending Israelis into bomb shelters.

David Hellman, a New York personal trainer, pleads guilty to using violent means to force recalcitrant husbands to give their wives a Jewish writ of divorce, or get.

Hellman, who faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, was one of 10 men arrested in October 2013 in an FBI sting operation.

Yeshiva University is at risk of running out of unrestricted cash in the near-term future, warns Moody’s Investors Service , which says deep and growing operating deficits are likely to continue at the university due to “poor financial oversight and high expenses.” In May, Y.U. will announce that the Montefiore Health System is assuming operational control of Y.U.’s Albert Einstein School of Medicine.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is found guilty of accepting bribes in the corruption case involving the Holyland real estate development in Jerusalem.

Olmert, who is convicted of receiving about $150,000 in bribes through his brother, Yossi, becomes the first former Israeli prime minister to be convicted of taking a bribe. The crime carries a possible sentence of 10 years in prison.

April 2014 Casino magnate and conservative backer Sheldon Adelson buys another Israeli newspaper, Makor Rishon, making him the owner of several of Israel’s major right-wing media outlets and two of the country’s four major newspapers.

Mobilized by the death of Samuel Sommers – the 8-year-old son of Rabbi Phyllis and Michael Sommers whose struggle with leukemia was documented on a popular blog called Superman Sam – 73 rabbis shave their heads to raise $600,000 for pediatric cancer research.

American-Jewish contractor Alan Gross goes on a hunger strike to protest his imprisonment in a Cuban jail and the lack of American assistance. Later in the year, in ailing health and with no prospect of release, Gross bids goodbye to his family during a prison visit.

White supremacist Frazier Glenn Miller, 73, kills a man and his grandson outside the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and then shoots to death a woman at a

Jewish assisted-living facility a few blocks away. None of the victims are Jewish, highlighting the diverse constituency served by America’s Jewish institutions.

After weeks of near breakdowns in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks brokered by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Israel suspends all negotiations after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party signs a unity accord with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. President Obama responds by saying it may be time for a pause in Middle East peacemaking. Kerry later expresses regret for saying that Israel risks becoming an “apartheid” state or a non-Jewish one if the twostate solution is not implemented.

U.S. negotiators blame Israel for the talks’ collapse.

Gennady Kernes, the Jewish mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s secondlargest city, is shot in a suspected assassination attempt, leaving him in critical condition. The shooting comes amid growing violence between Russian-backed Ukrainian separatists in eastern Ukraine and forces loyal to the new Ukrainian government in Kiev. Kernes is airlifted to Israel for treatment.

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations rejects J Street’s bid for membership. J Street, the liberal Washington group that lobbies for increased American pressure to bring about a Mideast peace deal, lost its bid for membership in the main communal group on foreign policy issues by a vote of 22-17, with three abstentions. J Street needed the support of two-thirds of the conference’s 51 members to gain admission.

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is banned from the NBA for life and fined $2.5 million after being caught on tape making racist comments to his girlfriend. He is heard saying that his views reflect the way the world works, and as evidence he says that black Jews in Israel “are just treated like dogs.”

His girlfriend is heard countering that as a Jew, Sterling should know better than to advocate discrimination, citing the Holocaust as an example of where racism can lead.

An arm of the private equity firm Bain Capital purchases the Manischewitz Company, the iconic producer of kosher packaged goods, for an undisclosed sum. According to The New York Times, the new owners are expected to promote kosher as an indication of quality food rather than just a religious designation.

Genealogical research reveals that the late archbishop of New York, Cardinal John O’Connor, technically was Jewish. O’Connor’s mother, Dorothy Gumple O’Connor, was born Jewish but converted to Catholicism before she met and married O’Connor’s father.

May 2014 New York’s 92nd Street Y, a

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

CONTINUED from previous page Jewish center for arts and culture, names its first non-Jewish executive director, Henry Timms. Shortly afterward, Sol Adler, the previous longtime executive director, who was fired after revelations that he had a long-term affair with his assistant, hangs himself in his Brooklyn home.

An Anti-Defamation League anti-Semitisim survey finds “deeply anti-Semitic views” are held by 26 percent of 53,000 people polled in 102 countries and territories covering approximately 86 percent of the world’s population. Critics say the survey’s 11 questions are not accurate gauges of anti-Semitism.

Maccabi Tel Aviv wins the Euroleague basketball championship by beating favored Real Madrid, 9886, in overtime.

Novelist Philip Roth receives an honorary doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Now considered one of the greatest living American writers, Roth had caused outrage early in his career with his sometimes stinging portrayals of Jewish life. In 2012, Roth announced he was retiring.

The Jewish community of Sharon, Mass., is shocked as the rabbi of Temple Israel, Barry Starr, resigns amid allegations that he used synagogue discretionary funds to pay about $480,000 in hush money to an extortionist to hide a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male.

Starr apologizes to the congregation in an email.

Far right parties make gains in European Parliament elections, including Greece’s Golden Dawn.

The European Union says it has banned the import of poultry and eggs produced in West Bank settlements.

A gunman kills four people at the Jewish Museum of Belgium in Brussels. Several days later, Mehdi Nemmouche, a 29-year-old French national of Algerian origin, is arrested in connection with the attack.

Pope Francis travels to Israel and the West Bank, visiting the Western Wall, Yad Vashem and the West Bank security fence, among other sites.

June 2014 Former Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin of the Likud party is elected president of Israel, defeating Meir Sheetrit of Hatnua in a 63-53 runoff vote. Rivlin formally succeeds Shimon Peres and becomes Israel’s 10th president in late July.

Rep. Eric Cantor, the majority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives and the highestranking Jewish elected official in American history, is upset in the Republican primary for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District by a Tea Party challenger. Dave Brat, an economics professor, wins handily after attacking Cantor for drifting from conservative principles. Days later, Cantor resigns his post as majority leader.

ROSH HASHANAH • 17B

Weeks after leading Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Euroleague title, David Blatt becomes the head coach of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Blatt had played for an Israeli kibbutz team in 1979 after his sophomore year at Princeton and then competed for the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the 1981 Maccabiah Games. He returned to play nearly a decade professionally in Israel.

Three Israeli teenagers, later identified as Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach, are kidnapped in the West Bank from a hitchhiking post. Israel responds with three weeks of intensive searches, including mass arrests in the West Bank of Hamas members and the rearrest of dozens of Palestinians released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner-exchange deal. Three weeks on, Israeli authorities find the teens’ bodies and announce that the boys were believed to have been killed the night they were kidnapped. The incident sparks the revenge killing by Jews of an Arab teen, riots and a surge of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces responds by launching Operation Protective Edge – Israel’s deadliest foray into Gaza since its 2005 withdrawal – on July 8.

Israel announces that the suspect in the April 14 killing of Israeli Police Superintendent Baruch Mizrachi is Ziad Awad, a West Bank Palestinian released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) votes 310-303 to divest from three American companies that do business with Israeli security services in the West Bank. Heath Rada, the moderator of the assembly, says it’s not a “reflection for our lack of love for our Jewish sisters and brothers,” but Jewish leaders say it will have a “devastating impact” on their relations with the church.

New York Jewish teenager Josh Orlian’s raunchy stand-up routine on “America’s Got Talent” cracks up the judges, but his Orthodox day school isn’t tickled.

July 2014 Rabbi Zalman SchachterShalomi, the father of the Jewish Renewal movement, which sought to introduce more music, dance and meditation into prayer and Jewish life, dies in Boulder, Colo., at age 89.

Israel launches its third major Gaza operation in six years. Dubbed Operation Defensive Edge, the campaign begins with 10 days of intensive airstrikes in Gaza. After several failed cease-fire attempts, a ground invasion of Gaza follows. Hamas fires thousands of rockets into Israel, striking as far away as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and a Haifa suburb. In four weeks of fighting before a 72-hour cease-fire in early August, some 1,800 Palestinians are reported killed. Israel comes under heavy criticism for attacks that kill children, strike U.N. facilities and damage civil infrastructure. Israel blames

Hamas for using civilians as human shields and schools, hospitals and U.N. facilities as weapons depots.

The death toll in Israel includes 64 soldiers and three civilians. Several of Israel’s casualties are due to Palestinian infiltrations of Israel through tunnels burrowed under the Israel-Gaza border. Israel’s prime minister says destroying the tunnels is one of the war’s main objectives.

A riot outside a French synagogue is one of several incidents related to the Gaza war that threaten Jews in Europe. The riot by Palestinian sympathizers outside the Synagogue de la Roquette in central Paris traps some 200 people inside the building. A street brawl ensues between the rioters and dozens of Jewish men who arrived to defend the synagogue.

Most foreign airlines suspend flights to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv after a Hamas-fired missile strikes nearby. The suspensions, prompted by a flight ban issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, last two to three days.

Iran and the major powers, led by the United States, agree to extend negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program for another four months, citing progress in a number of areas. But the potential deal breaker remains: Iran does not want to reduce its number of its centrifuges, and the world powers say they won’t accept Iran maintaining its existing capacity for uranium enrichment.

August 2014 As the fighting in Gaza wanes and Israeli troops begin to pull back, Israel experiences several terrorist attacks inside the country perpetrated

by West Bank Palestinians, including a tractor attack in Jerusalem.

The 72-hour cease-fire that brought Operation Protective Edge to a halt expires, and Gazans resume intensive rocket fire against Israel.

The Israeli military responds with airstrikes inside Gaza. The sides then agree to another 72-hour cease-fire.

The University of Illinois rescinds a job offer to Steven Salaita, a professor of American Indian studies, following a series of anti-Israel tweets by Salaita, including missives comparing Israel to the Ku Klux Klan. Following a public outcry, university chancellor Phyllis Wise relents and submits Salaita’s candidacy to the university board while making it clear that she does not support his hire. In September, the board votes 8-1 to reject Salaita’s hire. Salaita threatens to sue.

Joseph Raksin, an Orthodox rabbi from Brooklyn, is shot and killed on his way to Sabbath services in North Miami Beach. Some activists say the murder was a hate crime, but more than a month on police still have no arrests and say the motive for the killing remains unclear.

The Wall Street Journal reports 5774 on page 28

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Rosh Hashanah synagogue services: meaningful or just a marathon?

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Courtesy of Yonatan Sindel

Selichot (forgiveness) prayers at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem on August 31, 2013, prior to Rosh Hashanah that year.

By Maayan Jaffe (JNS) – There are four sounds that the shofar makes on Rosh Hashanah. The tekiah is a basic note of moderate length. Shevarim breaks the tekiah into three short notes. Teruah breaks the tekiah into nine smaller notes. Tekiah gedola takes the standard tekiah and makes it three times as long.

Synagogue services, too, have varying lengths. There are short services, such as the evening service on Rosh Hashanah, and even shorter ones like the weekday afternoon service (mincha). The same can’t be said for shacharit (morning service) and mussaf (additional service) on Rosh Hashanah—far from it.

“The Rosh Hashanah morning service is designed like the tekiah gedola,” said Rabbi Randall J. Konigsburg of Birmingham, AL..

“The theme of the day is the coronation of God as ruler of the universe. A coronation is filled with pomp and ceremony, and that is what the Rosh Hashanah service is all about.”

“I understand having kavanah (proper intention) on Rosh Hashanah, but to elongate something that normally goes 25-30 minutes to an hour seems pointless,” laments Gabriel Lewin of Pikesville, MD. “And while I appreciate the need for shuls to raise money and to sell off honors, like getting an aliyah [to the Torah], the problem is it turns into 35 minutes of grandstanding… and it also wastes a lot of time that could have been spent doing something more kadosh (holy).”

Lewin said he doesn’t like the lengthy mishaberachs, blessings that are added during the Torah reading. Though he’s a chazzan himself, Lewin said he finds fault in cantors who “like to hear themselves sing” and turn the prayers into a performance.

Hannah Heller, also of Pikesville, says she remembers being “frustrated as a child in shul when davening seemed endless and the people talking was such a distraction that I wondered why I had to be there all those hours.”

Today, Heller said she still finds Rosh Hashanah services to be long, but they are also very meaningful for her. It was just a matter of finding the right synagogue.

Heller says the speeches at her synagogue are kept to a minimum and given not only by the rabbi, but also by members of the congregation. “If congregants feel involved, they will be far more interested in davening and less concerned with watching the clock.”

Heller also finds that being prepared can make a difference. She brings—and the synagogue provides—Jewish books in English for moments when the liturgy is too heavy or she is struggling to stay focused. In addition, Heller recommends that synagogues offer preholiday primers to assist congregants in understanding the prayers.

She says recording tunes for participants to learn in advance can be helpful, too.

“The real problem with all services is not that they are too long, it is that people are not engaged by the service,” says Konigsburg. “An opera is very long with lots of

singing, unless you have read in advance the story and know what musical highlights to pay attention to. When we understand the service and are engaged by it, we don’t really consider the passage of time.”

Konigsburg says that rabbis and cantors can work hard to engage their members, but ultimately, “each of us is responsible for our own spirituality.”

“You have to know yourself,” says Lewin. “Don’t be afraid to go somewhere else. Be honest about what you want and find it. In big cities, it all exists.”

Andrew Lavin attends a synagogue in Port Washington, N.Y. He says he also used to find the length of the High Holiday prayer experience challenging, but as he has gotten older, he finds synagogue to be “one of the few places in the world where I can get peace and quiet and solitude and get into my own thoughts.”

Lavin, however, says he does not judge others who feel differently.

“No one says you have to get there at the beginning of the service,” he says. “I think you should go the length you want and feel comfortable with that. If you can be spiritually fulfilled in just a few hours, then that’s good. … It’s a new year, so let go of the meshugas (craziness) and be hopeful for the future.”

Konigsburg says, “The Rosh Hashanah service is not a marathon, but an appropriate entrance to a Jewish New Year.”

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

ROSH HASHANAH • 19B

5774: Top Jewish entertainment moments

By Anthony Weiss LOS ANGELES (JTA) – Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow and the power couple Beyonce and Jay-Z (we’re not kidding) are among those who made news on the Jewish entertainment scene in 5774. Here are some of the top moments from the Jewish year soon to depart.

Scarlett tells Oxfam, pop off: Actress Scarlett Johansson got an earful from the international aid organization Oxfam for promoting SodaStream, which has a factory in the West Bank. Johansson responded by dumping Oxfam (where she was an “ambassador”) rather than SodaStream (where she is a paid spokeswoman). Johansson accused the British charity of supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and praised the Israeli manufacturer of home soda makers for providing good jobs for Palestinians.

Gwyneth at the mikvah?: After

consciously uncoupling from hubby Chris Martin (of Coldplay fame), Gwyneth Paltrow decided to consciously recouple with her Jewish heritage and reportedly is converting to Judaism. She proudly comes from a long line of rabbis on her father’s side (some of whom shared her interest in kabbalah). Key question: Will she revive the Paltrovich family name?

God declares: Jewish humor is dead: Well, not God, but Mel Brooks, who is as close as one gets to divinity in Jewish comedy. Brooks said that in a world in which we all read, watch and hear the same things, Jewish humor is no longer any different than any other kind of comedy.

Somewhere, Bialystock and Bloom are crying.

Bey, Jay-Z visit to Anne Frank’s house: It’s been a rough year for the first couple of hip-hop, but the superstar sweethearts proved they know what counts when their trip to Amsterdam included a long, pensive

visit to the Anne Frank Museum (documented on Instagram). And unlike Justin Bieber, Beyonce managed to sign the guest book without suggesting that Anne Frank would’ve been a fan (a Bey-liever?).

Classy lady.

Jewish Bachelorette to inmarry (kinda): In a major cultural breakthrough, “The Bachelorette” had its first Jewish contestant, Andi Dorfman. And in a moment that warmed the hearts of Jewish continuity advocates everywhere, Andi chose Jew-ish (albeit New Testament-tweeting) bachelor Josh Murray. Truly a match made in heaven – or at least Hollywood.

In the beginning, and then: First, Darren Aronofsky brought back the blockbuster biblical epic with “Noah.” Then Ridley Scott teased us with a trailer for his upcoming “Exodus: Gods and Kings.” So, logically, the next one is Leviticus, right?

Can’t wait to see how they dramatize the section on ritual uncleanliness.

Who will live and who will die?

Confront the ultimate question

By Dasee Berkowitz JERUSALEM (JTA) – My kids are the first to tell me that God does not have a body. “But how can He write us in a book of life? God isn”t like a person, ima!” Indeed.

The image of an anthropomorphic God is rife, however, throughout the machzor, the High Holidays prayer book. God sits in judgment, counts our deeds and records them in a grand book that captures the narrative of our past year. And while the image is one that even our children may question, the metaphor is a daunting one.

Particularly poignant is the Unataneh Tokef prayer, which we first see in the Rosh Hashanah liturgy and then again on Yom Kippur. Allegedly written by the 11th-century sage Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, it begins, “on Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed.”

Next come the dreadful musings of the author: “Who will live and who will die? Who will rest and who will wander? Who by fire and who by water?"

The poem evokes a particular feeling of angst for synagogue-goers the world over, putting us in direct confrontation with our own mortality. And while we may find the poem theologically problematic – the tension between our free will and God”s providence – it remains a focal point of our High Holidays experience.

In that moment, the curtain falls away and we are alone as we face ultimate meaning. Will we actually die this year? Will we become infirm or impoverished, or have our lives degraded in another way? Will we lose those we love?

Could we have imagined that one year ago, when we were last confronted with this prayer, that we or our loved ones would have encountered difficult trials? With the benefit of hindsight, would we have acted any differently, been more compassionate and loving?

Since moving to Israel this summer with my family, I feel like a confrontation with ultimate meaning is not limited to the High Holidays – especially when you move with your husband and three kids during a war.

When I had made aliyah 20 years earlier I was single. I lived through the hope of peace with the Palestinians and the Oslo Accords, which too soon gave way to despair when Yitzchak Rabin was assassinated.

There were other painful interruptions to an otherwise carefree life of a young woman in her 20s – the second intifada, bus bombings, death of friends. While it was dangerous living here, uncertainty was something we faced daily and learned how to cope with. Friendships were stronger and plans to go, to do, to experience and to love were a part of a daily calling to make meaning. The raw beauty of life was fully seized, in part because the fear of life”s end was all too palpable.

With a family, especially during the most recent bout with Hamas, we face ultimate meaning by realizing how little is in our control. While we build a secure framework for our children of schools, playgroups and enrichment activities, ultimately the future is uncertain. No Israeli will tell you otherwise.

I might think that as a parent I have a godlike ability to protect my children, but I know in my heart that I am like a giant in their eyes only.

The encounter with death makes

our own lives so much more vivid.

Ernest Becker knew this well when he wrote "Denial of Death" back in 1973.

We put up so many defenses in our day-to-day lives to feel safe and secure, to think it will all last forever and we deny the fact that at the end of the day, we are all ultimately very fancy worm feed.

Becker wrote, “Man cuts out for himself a manageable world ... he doesn”t bite the world off in one piece as a giant would, but in small manageable pieces, as a beaver does ... he learns not to expose himself, not to stand out ... the result is that he comes to exist in the imagined infallibility of the world around him. He doesn”t have to have fears when his feet are solidly mired and his life mapped out in a ready-made maze.”

This is how so many of us behave during 11 months of the year. But in the month of Tishrei, as we prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we have an opportunity to take away the artifice of our manageable and prescribed lives and face our mortality directly. Like with the Unataneh Tokef poem, the answer to the question of “who will live and who will die,” as Rabbi Edward Feinstein notes, is “me.”

Having a death consciousness makes us healthier, more real, more daring. We stand up for what we believe in, we repair broken relationships, and we take risks - by caring about people and causes that need us.

Your life is happening right now.

The metaphor of God counting our deeds in the book of life during the High Holidays enables us to make our lives count.

L’Shana Tova 5775 May the community be blessed with health, happiness, and success in this new year.

Netanel (Ted) Deutsch & Family

20B • ROSH HASHANAH

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A new way to prepare for the High Holidays

By Tsafi Lev

H APPY N EW Y EAR from

James A. Volz, CPA 9900 CARVER ROAD, STE. 100 CINCINNATI, OH 45242 • (513) 794-1551

Happy New Year to our dear friends who have been so kind.

The Family of Benjamin Gettler

(JTA – I’m advocating a new angle on Heshbon Nefesh, “soul’s accounting,” that we do in preparation to the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

This soul work begins with the ancient Greek dictum “know thyself”? Or, to put it more rabbinically, “know before whom you stand?” I ask myself: What am I afraid of? Deep down, what are my real hopes?

An investment of time and focus in anticipation of the holidays elevates the experience.

Without the prep work, is there any doubt that five-hour services could be a drag? It’s like showing up to the Olympic marathon having not stretched, not worked out, and perhaps not having run in an entire year (or more). The results won’t be good.

I base my approach on practices of the Penn Resiliency Project, of Positive Psychology – this soul’s accounting tackles our fears and hopes for the coming year head-on and in a practical way.

Here are the steps: For each of the categories of your life (friends, relationships with each family member, work, personal health, etc.), do the following: 1) List three things that you are most afraid will happen in the coming year. (I encourage you to be honest with your fears – just get the realistic and unfounded flow out of you).

2) List three things that you deeply hope will happen in the coming year.

3) List three things that are most likely to happen this year.

You’ve just put pen to paper about your worries and your hopes as well as what is most realistically going to happen – Reality is most often found in that middle ground between worst and best.

Now, list steps to take: A) For each of your fears listed, give yourself three simple steps to take to prevent the worst from happening.

B) For each of the things you hope will happen this year, give yourself three simple steps that would help make that happen.

Having the opportunity to be honest about our hopes and fears, and creating realistic steps about how to prevent or coax them along, has a tremendous empowering effect on our spiritual preparation for the New Year. It leads to greater joy and to greater optimism.

Give up the guilt: A proposal for the New Year

By Ruth Abusch Magder (JTA) – Here is a radical proposal for the New Year: Forget the guilt and instead lean into what you love to become the best possible version of yourself.

The liturgy for the Jewish New Year has us taking a long hard look at all the mistakes we have made over the previous 12 months. Soul searching is good, but for the most part if we are honest, we already know where our faults lie and, if we were able to change them with ease, we would have already done so.

This is not to say that we should forgo striving to be our best selves. On the Jewish calendar, the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah is called Elul.

One rabbinic interpretation of this name is that it is an acronym for the Hebrew Ani L’Dodi v’Dodi Li, “I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me.” A lovely romantic notion, the rabbis also take it to be a tribute to God’s love for us. It is not accidental that the month leading up to the New Year is one that takes love as a main theme. Love can be a powerful force for change, easier to embrace and more satisfying than guilt.

There are many ways to use love as a means of encouraging yourself to its best self.

Love exists on many planes; elevating any one of them improves the world. Here are three concrete suggestions that focus on love of self, love in

relationships and love as an element of community.

Make a list of the things you love about yourself. The list should contain no less than five significant things. Take time to think about each of these attributes. Why do you love this about yourself?

Generosity?

Creativity? Silliness? Ambition?

Consider how each of these qualities helps you be a positive presence in the world.

Think back to a time in your life when those elements of your self were being fully expressed.

Are you making the most of these gifts right now? Ask yourself what you might do to expand the impact of that strength in the world.

If you are struggling to make a list, then ask for help from those around you.

Part of the process of preparing for the New Year is repairing relationships. While I believe that apologies are important, taking time to focus on what works in relationships is important as well.

Set aside time with those with whom you are close. Tell them what you love and appreciate about them. Give them examples of how this strength inspires you or affirms something about the world. The more concrete the better.

Knowing they are appreciated and truly seen for who they are will help them start the year in a better place and strengthen your relationship. If there is repairing to be done, spelling out the love first will set the

stage for positive engagement.

What do you love to do?

Lean into your talents to make a difference in the community around you. Volunteering can be about need, but it can also be about sharing a passion and capacity.

Play sports? Then offer to coach Little League. Bake?

Then bring cookies to firefighters, bread to shut-ins. Sing?

Take your talent to the local hospital.

Sure, any of this takes time, but if you volunteer to do what you love, you will get a great bang for your buck. The parts of you that you love will have a chance to shine and your passion will inspire others. Studies show those who give feel great.

And the world will be a better place.

When love takes center stage, we poise ourselves for success. When we feel strong about ourselves, we are more capable of hearing the criticism that will undoubtedly come.

When we know we are loveable, loved and capable of sharing love, then we can work toward making the New Year that Rosh Hashanah ushers in one of light, goodness and change.

ROSH HASHANAH • 21B

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Beyond the synagogue, a shofar’s call makes connections

By Edmon J. Rodman LOS ANGELES (JTA) – In preparation for the High Holidays last year, my community sent its shofar blower on the road.

During the month of Elul, in the run-up to Rosh Hashanah, we are supposed to hear the shofar blown every day except Shabbat. Traditionally this is done in shul.

But our small, lay-led congregation does not meet on weekdays. So my wife, Brenda, who blows the shofar for the Movable Minyan, as our congregation is called, offered to visit member’s homes to perform the ritual there.

“It will be more personal,” I remember her saying.

Wanting to see how personal, I offered to be the chauffeur, scheduler and emcee. Once the show went on the road to our approximately 20 households spread throughout Los Angeles, I called ahead to work out the times.

Even though we had announced the shofar calls would be on Sundays, I still received a few incredulous “you’re coming to do what?” kind of responses. Undaunted, we hit our first location in the Hollywood hills.

We were welcomed in and escorted to a back outdoor deck overlooking an oak and chaparral-filled canyon. In front of the family group that had gathered, I tried out my explanation as Brenda readied the small shofar she had been using for several years.

“The shofar is blown to remind us that the High Holy Days are approaching and that we should start thinking about repentance and spiritual repair,” I said, suddenly aware of how personal this all was.

“Elul can be seen as an acronym for ‘ani l’dodi v’dodi li’ – ‘I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me,’ “ I said, cribbing from something I had studied. “During the year God may call to us, but during Elul we must call to him – or her.”

Then Brenda, who had learned to blow the shofar as the result of playing trumpet in junior high school, recited the blessing and blew.

Hearing the shofar in their homes struck people in different ways. One woman, with her cat following, took us out to her back balcony to make sure her neighbors, some of whom were Orthodox, also would hear the sound. At another home, a 7-

Courtesy of Edmon J. Rodman

At a traveling shofar stop by Brenda Rodman, an unexpected light show at the home of neon artist Stuart Ziff.

year-old proudly brought out a full Yemenite shofar and blew it along with Brenda, much to the delight of his father.

At several homes neighbors, as well as their children, extended family and even a boyfriend, had been invited over to hear the call.

One woman placed small figurines that she had inherited from her grandparents around the living room in hopes that the sound would reach across the generations. A member in her 90s smiled and showed her appreciation by handing us a donation for the minyan.

At the home of a rabbi, it seemed the sound of the shofar was a kind of alarm, alerting her to the time she had remaining to complete writing those services outlines and sermons for the nearing High Holidays.

At a condo not far from the ocean, Brenda demonstrated the shofar’s sounds and I explained what they were: Tekiah, “the longest sound, calling us together,” I said. The Shevarim: “three broken sounds resembling sighing.” And the Teruah: “nine rapid sounds that can be thought of as a kind of wailing.”

On the way out, the man of the house, perhaps thinking that the mobile shofar blower needed to get around in better style, showed us his classic car and hinted that it was for sale.

When we visited his home, Stuart Ziff, a neon artist, asked Brenda if she wanted to blow the shofar in front of one of his works. The spiraled glass contraption, looking like something from an old Buck Rogers movie, had at its core a Jacob’s Ladder,

a device that sends a crackling high voltage arc traveling upward between two wires.

As Brenda blew the shofar, Ziff joined in by pushing the “on” button, enveloping the room in a soft pink glow.

Savoring the moment, he invited us to sit down for a bowl of homemade ice cream.

There were other surprises.

Driving up to one location, we couldn’t believe how close it was to our home; it was like finding a new neighbor.

Then there was the unexpected audience.

After sounding the shofar at a downtown condo and walking back to the car, we spotted a beautiful, long, curvy shofar in a music store window. On an impulse we walked in. With me egging her on, Brenda asked to try it out, and to the amazement of the store’s mostly Latino customers and personnel who had gathered around, blew a long beautiful Tekiah.

“I can give you a very good price on the shofar,” the salesman said.

As we walked down the street, recounting the ways her shofar had reconnected our community, she explained why she didn’t go for the one in the store.

“I don’t need it,” she said.

“This one works fine.”

22B • ROSH HASHANAH

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Should young families have to pay to pray?

By Adina Kay-Gross (JTA) – Have you heard the one about the young Jewish couple who have a kid while living in a big city and find themselves searching for community around the High Holidays?

You know, the couple who decide to pony up for synagogue membership at a large congregation in their city neighborhood and then subsequently become involved through the synagogue preschool, the young sisterhood and various holiday events?

This couple basks in the warm glow of baking challah and attending Tot Shabbat services.

They introduce their kids – first the one kid, then two – to more Judaism in five years than either of them had been exposed to in over 25. And they enjoy it! Never before had they yearned for Jewish connection and yet here they are, singing the prayers, making Jewish friends, teaching their kids Hebrew.

Then, as the creep of kindergarten approaches, said couple feels the need to find a new home in the suburbs. As a consequence, they leave their big warm city shul and head east (or in this case, north).

Do you know what happens next in this all-too-familiar-tale?

The couple, with their two tots in tow, feels lonely around the Jewish holidays. So they call up their old friends at the big warm city synagogue and inquire about tickets for holiday services. But this young, participatory, involved family is told that alas, because they are no longer duespaying members, there are no seats for them this year. We have no room for you to join us for Rosh Hashanah services, they are told. Shanah Tovah.

And so, we are left to assume that this formerly engaged young family of four will spend Rosh Hashanah not at synagogue with their community but at home, alone, or maybe even at McDonald’s. Who knows?

If you haven’t heard this story, you most likely know other stories similar. Stories where monetary, proprietary, yucketary issues got in the way of what Judaism and holiday worship is all about – community.

Sure, I’m being melodramatic. And yes, the family I mention above could easily seek out a congregation near where they now live and go knocking on doors, and possibly pay a few hundred dollars to sit with a community they don’t yet know.

But chances are this family won’t. Chances are very high that this experience will sour the family on synagogue worship for quite some time and truthfully,

who could blame them?

The notion of paying for High Holidays tickets is an old practice and yes, in many ways, necessary for a synagogue to keep its lights on. In short, if you are not a member of a synagogue and you want to attend services, and there’s a rabbi and cantor who need to be paid, and a building that needs to be heated and cooled, and booklets to print up and Kiddush wine to order and, you get the idea – then this sort of tithe, if you will, is necessary.

Yes, many synagogues have sliding scales for ticket prices or will offer special community services – held at off-hour times during the holidays – for those who don’t want to pay but do want to pray.

And yet I’m here to argue – looking at you again, machers – that our community isn’t doing enough to welcome in the young and exhausted, who are just trying to connect, without strings attached. Turning a young family away, when they want to come to synagogue and worship with a community? Wrong. And at the risk of sounding histrionic, the stuff that total assimilation is made of.

There are five words that the Jewish establishment must remember when thinking about how to engage young people: Meet Them Where They Are. To wit: I recently took my kids to a PJ Library event at a local synagogue in our new town. While a friend who happens to be closely connected to this particular congregation invited me, PJ Library events (Jewish-themed activities for young kids based around a PJ Library storybook) are open to the community. So off we went on a Friday afternoon, my twin toddlers and I, to read a story, do an art project, bake challah.

The girls had fun. The challah they “baked” actually tasted good. Everyone was incredibly friendly, hands were outstretched, introductions were made, the young rabbi of the congregation came to visit, took photos, made introductions, helped his own kid color on a challah cover. We enjoyed.

Fast forward not even a week.

I’m at home. My kids are upstairs napping. The mail arrives. I run to catch the carrier before he slams our mailbox cover, setting off a domino effect of barking dog and kids awakened too soon. Top of the mail pile? Envelope addressed to my children. Not in the handwriting of their grandmothers.

Who else sends them mail?

I check the return address: It was from the shul we had just visited for the challah-baking

extravaganza.

I open the envelope. Inside is a letter to my kids thanking them for coming to the PJ Library event and two High Holidays tickets, one for me and one for my husband, along with an invitation to join the congregation at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services as guests of the synagogue. No fee required, no RSVP necessary, no literature on synagogue membership. No “pay for pray.” Just a warm and welcoming gesture from an established community to a new family in town. It was so simple, so menschy and so right.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have a lot of time on my hands these days.

Raising my kids has sapped me and my husband of basically all the juice we might have otherwise put toward community building. We feel around in the dark for old friends, make tentative plans, frequent neighborhood parks, try and catch a PJ Library event when we can. But honestly, we’re mostly focused on keeping it together.

“These are the lost years,” a veteran parent told me not long ago, as she spied me chasing my girls down the hall of the local JCC. I’d rather not think of them as lost, but yes, these are not easy years, though I know they are precious and will pass by too quickly. In my heart I want to be building a Jewish presence in my kids’ lives. In my reality, I’m lucky if I can bathe them regularly without passing out from exhaustion.

The Talmud teaches kol yisrael arevim zeh le zeh, which basically translates as “all of Israel is responsible for one another.” This synagogue took responsibility for my family. And it didn’t take much. They sent a note in the mail. They made it easy for us. They let us know they wanted us around.

Temple trustees, board members, presidents and staff: During this High Holidays season, if you find yourself in a position to open your doors to the young and unmoored, do so! Worry not about hosting poker nights or golf club extravaganzas.

Don’t send bulletin after bulletin to a ream of addresses that mean nothing but wasted paper.

Identify a family; throw two tickets in the mail. Include a schedule of child-care hours at the temple. Make it easy. They will come. And it will be sweet.

(Shanah Tovah!)

ROSH HASHANAH • 23B

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Sneakers on fast days: When spirit and leather collide

By Binyamin Kagedan (JNS) – The wider world of traditional Judaism is moving in fits and starts toward a renegotiation of the terms of halakhic observance. At question is the importance of social change in the understanding and application of the legal logic of the sages of old. In the last several years, voices from within the Orthodox fold have raised a formidable challenge to certain established norms of Jewish life and law, especially regarding the possibilities of female religious leadership.

Though not as emotionally charged, there are many other points of striking dissonance between codified law and modern reality that dot the landscape of Jewish observance. One that has caused something of a stir lately is the ban on legumes and rice for Ashkenazi Jews on Passover, a rule that everyone seems to know and bemoan as an artifact of early-modern grain storage techniques. Another, which appears to have escaped popular scrutiny so far, is the injunction against wearing leather shoes on the fast days of Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur— though the reason for the disparity in critical interest should not be hard to comprehend.

Rabbinic law from the Talmud delineates five prohibitions that apply equally on Tisha B’Av, the day of greatest tragedy, and Yom Kippur, the day of gravest repentance.

These are: eating/drinking, marital relations, applying cosmetics, bathing, and wearing leather shoes. The intention is to create an experience of uncomfortable abstinence, in one case as a sign of mourning, and in the other as a method of self-purification.

And yet for the observant Jew living in the age of Nike, the prohibition against leather shoes has only meant that twice a year, every year, on the two most solemn days of the year, we were allowed to wear our most comfortable shoes to synagogue. True, not everyone came in gel-soled basketball shoes.

Many opted for funky rubber flip-flops with socks, or the ubiquitous white Keds.It isn’t as though the irony of the situation is totally lost on modern Jews. I recall my elementary school teachers taking the time to explain the reasoning behind the prohibition as that leather shoes were once the most comfortable kind of footwear, back when these rules were first being written. Implicit in the inclusion of

Courtesy of Ken Banks

Adidas sneakers on display.

this clarifying detail was an acknowledgment that we are now living in the absolute reverse situation: that at this point in history, the leather shoe epitomizes podiatric discomfort.

Traditional halakha, as it often does, stands firmly planted in an older order of things, in this case collapsing upon itself in a way that precludes any of its original meaningfulness.

That the prohibition against leather shoes is really a prohibition against comfort—rather than stemming from some ritual problem with leather itself—is demonstrated meticulously by Dr. Ari Zivotofsky of Bar-Ilan University in an article featured in Jewish Action magazine in 2011. Zivotofsky cites a wealth of legal writings beginning with the Talmud that address the problem of what type of shoe ought to be worn on Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur. The masters of the Talmud variously sported shoes of bamboo, reeds or palm branches, or wrapped simple pieces of cloth around their feet.

Maimonides advised that whatever shoes are chosen should be flimsy enough so that the wearer feels virtually barefooted as they walk. In a similar vein, the Ba’al HaMaor, a contemporary of Maimonides, includes within the category of prohibition any shoe that is especially protective of the feet.

Although many Jewish communities continue to “sidestep” the sneaker contradiction, some contemporary authorities have issued rulings intended to rescue the spirit of the law. Zivotofsky

notes the opinion of Rabbi Yaakov Ariel of Ramat Gan, Israel, who adds to the prohibited list any non-leather shoe that one would commonly choose to wear day in and day out for their comfort, i.e. sneakers and other leisure footwear. Other legalists such as Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch uphold the “protectiveness” approach, expanding the prohibition to any material construction that functions as well as leather.

On the other side, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach manages to resolve the problem more leniently, asserting that all modern people fall under the Talmudic category of istinis, roughly meaning “persnickety.”

In Rabbi Auerbach’s view, given our very low tolerance for physical discomfort, banning comfortable non-leather shoes on Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur would be tantamount to unnecessary cruelty.

Wishing all a mindful and meaningful fast this Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur, and remember: don’t judge another man’s shoes until you’ve walked a mile in them.

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR Dr. Barry Gibberman and Family

Happy New Year from your friends at

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At Yom Kippur, dreaming of a white yontif

By Edmon J. Rodman LOS ANGELES (JTA) – These days, more people are wearing white after Labor Day, especially on Yom Kippur. Last year, to keep up with the trend, I looked to buy a white suit to wear during my yearly battle of spirituality vs somnambulism. I had heard that everyone else in my congregation was going to wear white, and on this day of communal confession, I wanted to be part of the crowd.

Why wear white and not the more traditionally somber black?

White is also a symbol of purity and repentance, and on the Days of Awe it’s what all the Torah scrolls are wearing.

White, it should be remembered,

is what many Jews are wearing when they are buried. The kittel, as it is called, is a kind of white robelength shirt that many traditional Ashkenazic men wear on Yom Kippur. Wearing the kittel is meant to remind us of the gravity of a day in which we are struggling with life and death.

For a lot of us, wearing white at anytime is a bad idea. It makes us look pale, sickly or like Tom Wolfe.

I know this day above all others is not about earthly style, but looking in the mirror on my way out to shul, I could barely believe my eyes. I didn’t look much like an angel; more like an angel’s milkman.

The effect of wearing white was more than uniform. Though each person wore white differently, the

effect was of a common fabric wrapped around the entire congregation – a shechinah in cotton and light.

For sports, we put on the team’s colors, sit in the stands and cheer.

For war, we put on our country’s uniform and try to stay alive. On St. Patrick’s Day, even Jews wear green to fit in.

Is wearing white any different on Yom Kippur – a day of cheering for our side and trying to stay alive for another year, even if we do it just to fit in?

For a day, white on white are the team colors drawing us together.

And even if we have an accident at the break fast, like I did, we still can start anew. That is, if you have one of those stain remover pens on you.

Why do we fast on Yom Kippur, and who shouldn’t?

By Deborah Fineblum (JNS) – “I felt proud,” she says nearly two decades later. “I was so proud that I could do it.”

These days, Shitrid spends much of her time serenading with her harp the passersby at Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City. But back when she was growing up in the southern Israeli city Beersheba, fasting on Yom Kippur was one way to emulate the adults’ process of teshuva—to repent, or to return to your faith and your highest self.

“If we’re asking God to delete our sins, we have to show Him we’re willing to sacrifice a little bit,” Shitrid tells JNS.org.

Indeed, that sense of overcoming our own bodily needs to invest every moment of the day in the act of repentance is one of the mainstays of the fasting experience. But afflicting ourselves comes in a number of forms. In addition to not working and eschewing food and drink, Jews on Yom Kippur traditionally don’t wear leather shoes or any other leather garment such as belts and coats, etc.; don’t bathe, swim or wash; don’t use perfumes or lotions; and avoid marital relations. Yom Kippur is a legal holiday in Israel, with no radio or TV, buses or trains, and certainly no shopping. (History buffs may recall that one Yom Kippur did see a broadcast: during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, to alert the Israeli citizenry to Egypt and Syria’s attack).

In today’s heavily secular Israel, along with bicycling on the (nearly empty) streets, fasting is one traditional observance that is stubbornly clung to—nearly three-quarters of Israelis planned to fast last year. No wonder Israelis of all stripes wish each other a “Tsom Kal” (easy fast) or “Tsom Mo’iil” (beneficial fast).

Israelis, of course, are not alone in this practice. Regardless of what they do the rest of the day, many

Jews fast on Yom Kippur. But why?

“When we walk around with a full belly, we develop a sort of haughtiness, a sense of self-satisfaction,” says Rabbi Avi Moshel of Jerusalem. “So in the 25 hours of fasting, we actually put ourselves in a state of humility.”

“Being hungry and thirsty reminds us that all we eat and drink, in fact, all we have in life, comes directly from God,” he adds. “The goal of the day is to bring ourselves down enough to sincerely ask for forgiveness, increase our awareness of God in our life and our commitment to hands-on Judaism, the religion of action.”

The idea is that the prayers and spiritual and emotional tasks of the day are so compelling that they wipe food (more or less) out of our minds.

Rabbi David Aaron of the Jewish education organization Isralight likes to tell the story of the old-country rabbi who was asked by his students how many times a year he fasts.

When he answered that he never fasts, they were shocked, asking, “You mean you eat on Yom Kippur?

“Eat on Yom Kippur? Of course not!” the rabbi shot back. “On Yom Kippur I am far too busy doing teshuva to even have an appetite!”

The point, Rabbi Aaron tells JNS.org, is that “when we are truly in the spirit of these days, the desire for food just falls away.”

But who exactly should fast?

Youngsters start fasting for real at bar/bat mitzvah age, but also beginning as young as age 9, Jewish tradition encourages children to postpone their meals a bit and skip the candy and ice cream treats.

Besides little kids, who shouldn’t fast on the holiest day of the year?

Women in their first 72 hours after birth, certainly, and even those during the first week should work closely with their rabbi and doctor to determine how much fasting they

should do. As for pregnant women, all those except for the ones having high-risk pregnancies are expected to fast. The others need to again coordinate with their rabbi, or doctor, or midwife.

Judaism insists that life comes first, and gives guidelines for the sick to take in needed sustenance while respecting the spirit of the fast. After checking in with their rabbi and doctor, they typically restrain themselves to 30ml of water or food (one fluid ounce) every 10 minutes or so to prevent dehydration and weakness. It’s usually suggested that they focus on simple high-protein foods which have more power to strengthen than empty calories. In the case of required medications, rabbis and doctors make provisions on a caseby-case basis.

In fact, Jewish tradition is ready for them. An ancient High Holiday prayer book provides this blessing for someone sick before eating on Yom Kippur: “Behold I am prepared to fulfill the mitzvah of eating and drinking on Yom Kippur, as You have written in Your Torah: ‘You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, which a man shall do and live with them. I am God. In the merit of fulfilling this mitzvah, seal [my fate], and [that of] all the ill of Your nation Israel, for a complete recovery. May I merit next Yom Kippur to once again fulfill [the mitzvah of] ‘you shall afflict yourselves [on Yom Kippur].’ May this be Your will.

Amen.”

But with the vast majority of Jews fasting, there is another, less spiritual benefit to hosts and hostesses everywhere: the break-fast, when the most humble hard-boiled egg is lauded for its luscious perfection. You will never have such appreciative guests at any other time during the year!

ROSH HASHANAH • 25B

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

What we can learn from the rich symbolism of Sukkot

By Andrew Sacks (JTA – There are more spiritually resonant symbols associated with the Festival of Sukkot than with any other major Jewish holiday. On Yom Kippur, the only visual marker is the special clothing many wear as symbols of teshuvah. On Passover, the redemptive symbol of matzah is joined by the visual and performative symbolism of the seder. Shavuot has almost no visible reminders of the holiday other than the special liturgy.

But Sukkot offers the four species (lulav, etrog, willows and myrtle), each with their own multilayered significance, as well as the sukkah itself, a symbolically powerful stage that encourages those celebrating the holiday to open their hearts, their minds and their homes to a transformative experience of the divine. During the seven days of Sukkot, observant Jews live – or at least eat their meals – surrounded by the walls of a fragile hut with a roof covered in branches sparse enough to allow glimpses of the heavens and an expanded field of vision.

As the weather begins to cool, and the rainy season draws near – at least in Israel – the Jews go outside to a structure far from the comfort and reassurance of the bricks, mortar, steel and concrete that normally shelter them, literally and figuratively, from directly engaging with the outside world. During the rest of the year, even when Jews leave their homes to join together as a community, they usually gather in synagogues for prayer and study, in schools for learning and training, and in Jewish community centers for fun, leisure and public programs.

In all of these communal institutions, as in our own homes, solid walls provide structure and safety, boundaries and reassurance. Those inside are protected from the outside elements and from those not like themselves, able to feel safe with their own kind. Seeking community and shelter within, these communal structures keep out those who, the people inside feel, may pose a danger – those with whom they feel less comfortable.

Yet the Zohar, the central text of Jewish mysticism, suggests that it is not those structures built on strong foundations, however grand and however beautiful, that call to the Divine. Rather, it is the frail and unstable building, the sukkah, that generates such energy that the divine presence manifests itself in these small booths along with the souls of Judaism’s righteous ancestors.

During Sukkot, the Zohar tells us, the souls of 7 historic leaders of Israel (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David) leave the heavens to visit with the Jewish people (Zohar – Emor 103A). Called the ushpizin, the Aramaic word for “guests,” observant Jews welcome a different guest

each day as they begin their Sukkot meal.

Today, many also welcome female guests from the Jewish tradition: Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Hannah, Abigail, Hulda, and Esther.

While having its roots in some classic sources, this is a sign for many women of a greater inclusivity in Jewish ritual as the tradition continues to evolve. Women who were once outsiders are now invited in, and women who were once forgotten or cast aside are remembered.

Some years back when a sukkah put up by the ultra-Orthodox Chabad Lubavitch outreach organization in Venice was filled to overflowing, the rabbi asked of the women who were present to sit at a series of tables that were extended just outside the sukkah. They were not, he pointed out, bound by the same halachic obligation as the men to eat under the roof of the sukkah – a mitzvah delineated in the Torah.

Some out of duty and some so as not to cause trouble, followed the request.

A male friend of mine, Daron, felt the insult in the request, so he too moved to the area where the women were now seated. In the seat next to him he met the woman who would soon become his wife. Break down the traditional barriers and new possibilities emerge.

The sukkah is a sign to open one’s hearts at this season. Just as its roof opens to the sky, so too may those celebrating Sukkot be open to the stranger, the other, and the guest who they do not see everyday in their synagogues, in their JCCs, and in their homes. On the High Holidays, many synagogues may require tickets to enter the building.

Most JCCs require membership or charge entry for events and programs. But all are welcome into the sukkah.

The sukkah invites the Jewish community to effect change in the way it treats all people. This may include those to whom Jewish institutions may be blind – singles, gays, lesbians, transgender people, the unengaged, the elderly, newcomers, and the marginalized (as well as a whole host of other community members with special needs). These “outsiders” may already be in synagogues, quiet and in the back, but on Sukkot, Jews are commanded to welcome them as guests. Those on the outside are invited inside and welcomed to join the community in sisterhood and fellowship.

There are other times when Jews may feel as though they welcome others into their institutions. On Passover, tradition demands that all who are hungry be invited to a Passover table. But, while observing the seder ritual, most stay in the comfort of their homes. The door may be opened to welcome the presence of Elijah, but only for a brief moment.

On Sukkot, living quarters them-

selves become open, ready to receive guests, both invited and unexpected. The sukkah reminds Jews of their collective and individual vulnerability — no walls, no guards, and also no high holiday tickets to collect, nothing regulating the gates of entry and access. As one may see out to the stars, so too can anyone see in.

Sukkot reminds us that our structures and institutions need to be opened up. Only when those in the community open their homes, even temporarily, to those outside – only then can they draw near to God and receive the sacred gift of the presence of the ushpizin. And only when welcoming the outsider into our lives can we return to the everyday of permanent structures, concrete, brick and walls, with a new love and respect for all humanity.

The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 30:12) teaches that each of the 4 species represents a different type of Jew. The lulav has taste but no smell, symbolizing those who know the traditions of Judaism but do not practice them. The myrtle (hadass) has a good smell but no taste, symbolizing those who do good deeds but do not have knowledge of Judaism. The willow (aravah) has neither taste nor smell, symbolizing those who never study Torah and never carry out good deeds. The etrog has both a good taste and a good smell, symbolizing those who know the traditions of Judaism and apply them in their lives.

26B • ROSH HASHANAH

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Take it outside: Hail kale salad, bring on the beef stew (JTA) – During the summer we all relish al fresco dining. The moment we can bring our meals outside is always a happy one, and we schedule the summer months with picnics, barbecues and rooftop cocktails as much as possible.

Then the autumn arrives, and we box up our plasticware and move indoors. But Sukkot offers us such a beautiful moment to extend our time outside and enjoy the tastes of early fall.

Give me a salad with some roasted beets and I am a happy lady.

The Chopped Kale Salad recipe with Apples and Beets is satisfying and sweet with crunch from some walnuts and a hint of tartness from dried cranberries. The kale is hearty and will hold up well if you need to transport it to someone’s sukkah for lunch or dinner.

Apple Cider Beef Stew uses one of my favorite fall treats, apple cider, to make a rich stew that is perfect to serve on a chilly fall day over some egg noodles or rice. It’s also a great alternative to cholent for a hearty Shabbat lunch in the sukkah.

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting will have your guests asking incredulously, “are you sure these are nondairy?” And yes, they are.

The sweet potato ensures a super moist cake even without milk or butter, and the slight spice sings of fall flavors. The marshmallow frosting is super easy to make and even more fun to toast using the oven broiler or a small hand torch if you have one.

Chopped Kale Salad with Apple and Roasted Beets Ingredients: 3 cups chopped fresh kale 2 medium beets 1/2 apple, diced 1/4 cup chopped candied walnuts 1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries Olive oil Balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and dry the beets. Place in tin foil and roast in oven for 45-60 minutes, or until soft. Allow to cool. Remove the outer peel of beets using hands or a vegetable peeler.

Cut beets into bite-sized pieces.

Place chopped kale in a large salad bowl. Add beets, apple, candied walnuts and dried cherries or cranberries. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or salad dressing of your choosing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 4 servings

Courtesy of Shannon Sarna.

Chopped Kale Salad with Apple and Roasted Beets is satisfying and sweet in the sukkah.

Apple Cider Beef Stew Ingredients: 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2 inch cubes Salt and pepper All-purpose flour 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, diced 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced 3-4 garlic cloves 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch crushed red pepper 2 cups apple cider 1 cup red wine 1 cup vegetable or beef stock 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 4-5 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces Salt and pepper to taste Preparation: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Sprinkle salt and freshly ground pepper liberally over beef. Cover beef in light coating of flour.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large oven-safe pot. Brown meat on all sides and then remove from pot and set aside on a dish.

Add another tablespoon olive oil and saute onions, carrots and garlic cloves, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add cinnamon, bay leaves and pinch of red pepper flakes, continuing to stir. Saute vegetables until transluscent.

Add apple cider, red wine, stock and balsamic vinegar and let come to simmer. Add salt and pepper.

Place beef back into the pot, stir and cover cooking for 2 hours in preheated oven.

At the 2-hour mark, add the potatoes. Taste the stew, and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Put stew back into the oven for another 45 minutes.

Serve with rice or noodles.

Yield: 6 servings Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes 1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ginger 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork and wrap in tin foil. Roast for 40-50 minutes or until soft. Let cool.

Cut potatoes in half and scoop out flesh. Place in a food processor fitted with a blade and pulse until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add pureed sweet potatoes, sugar and oil to a large bowl. Beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture in batches; beat just until blended.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line and grease muffin tins. Fill muffin trays until 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out cool. Allow to cool.

Make frosting (see recipe below).

Pipe frosting in a swirl on top of each cupcake. Using a hand-held blow torch, gently drag the torch across the frosting, toasting the frosting until just lightly brown.

Yield: 12 cupcakes Marshmallow Frosting (half recipe) (via Jennifer Shea of Trophy Cupcakes) Ingredients: 8 large egg whites 2 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Preparation: Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water.

Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

Yield: enough for 2 dozen cupcakes

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

ROSH HASHANAH • 27B

Break-fast pickle: Try cucumber salad and your own cream cheese

By Shannon Sarna (JTA) – Fasting on Yom Kippur is one of my least favorite parts of being Jewish. I recognize the value of reflective fasting, and I know some people even enjoy the fast day, but for me it is a torturous 25 hours until I can break into the bagels and kugel.

The last thing anyone wants to do after fasting and sitting in synagogue is to start cooking and prepping a complicated or heavy meal. The dishes I like to serve for Yom Kippur can all be made in advance – in fact, they are better when prepared well ahead of time. And not just for the sake of your sanity.

A quick pickled cucumber salad is a standard in my home and a dish I learned to make from my grandmother. It’s slightly sweet, just a tad spicy, and the crunch of the cucumber is really satisfying next to a bagel schmeared with cream cheese.

You need to make this recipe ahead of time to properly allow the cucumber to absorb the flavors.

Anyone can break open a tub of cream cheese for a break-fast.

But if you make your own custom cream cheese flavor – like the Chipotle Cream Cheese Spread below – your family and guests will think you spent hours and hours in the kitchen. Making your own cream cheese is very easy and a fun way to take the spread up a notch.

If butternut squash kugel and a coffee cake had a baby, the Cakey Crunch Sweet Potato Kugel below would be the result. It is absolutely delicious, but I make sure to warn people: It’s highly addictive, you won’t be able to eat just one portion. It is also the perfect dish to make ahead and reheat once the fast is over.

Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad Ingredients: 1 large seedless English cucumber 1 onion, thinly sliced 6 tablespoon white wine vinegar 3 tablespoon water 2 or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Pinch crushed red pepper (optional) Preparation: Slice cucumber 1/4- to 1/2inch thick.

In a medium bowl, whisk

Courtesy of Shannon Sarna

One warning on the Cakey Crunch Sweet Potato Kugel: It's addictive.

together vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and dill.

Add thinly sliced cucumbers and onions to bowl and mix until liquid coats all the cucumbers and onions.

Place salad into container and allow to chill several hours or overnight.

Yield: 14 servings Chipotle Cream Cheese Ingredients: 2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature 1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle in adobe (depending on your tastes), minced 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Preparation: In a mixing bowl, combine minced chipotle and liquid, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add softened cream cheese and mix until combined thoroughly. Serve with fresh bagels and sliced avocado.

Yield: 12-14 servings Cakey Crunch Sweet Potato Kugel Ingredients: 8 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3-4 heaping tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup orange juice or orange-flavored liqueur 8 ounces mini marshmallows 1 box yellow cake mix 2 sticks margarine or butter, melted Preparation: Boil sweet potatoes in large pot of water until tender, around 20-25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Drain the sweet potatoes and mash in a large bowl. Add vanilla, brown sugar, nutmeg, salt and orange juice or orange-flavored liqueur and mix well.

Grease a 9-by-11 baking dish.

Layer half of the sweet potato mixture evenly in the baking dish.

Sprinkle marshmallows over the top. Add remaining sweet potato mixture on top of marshmallows and spread evenly using an off-set spatula or knife.

Sprinkle yellow cake mix evenly over the top of sweet potato mixture. Pour melted butter or margarine evenly over the top of the cake mix.

Bake for 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 16 servings

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New children’s books: A tale from Spain, easing a young girl’s pain

By Penny Schwartz BOSTON (JTA) – Fourteen years ago, sitting in her synagogue during Saturday morning services, Jacqueline Jules was browsing some Torah commentary when a story about a medieval poet struck an inspirational chord.

“It was an “aha” moment. This will be my next writing project, my next children”s book,” recalled Jules, an award-winning children”s writer who at the time was also working as a school librarian.

The historical note that captured her imagination was a reference to Samuel HaNagid, a Jewish Talmudic scholar who in the early 11th century served as vizier, the highest adviser, to the Muslim royal court in Granada.

According to the legend, HaNagid is said to have made friends with a man who cursed him “by tearing out his angry tongue and giving him a kind one.”

“I was smitten by the story,” said Jules, adding that she saw the tale as a powerful metaphor for turning a violent act into an act of kindness.

Over the next dozen years, Jules discovered that turning the tale into a 5774 from page 17 that the White House took the extraordinary step in July of halting the Pentagon’s delivery of U.S.made Hellfire missiles to Israel in the midst of its conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The denial came as the Obama administration urged Israeli restraint in its Gaza operation and days before Israel rebuffed a ceasefire proposal from Secretary of State John Kerry. A State Department spokeswoman denies any change in policy, saying, “Given the crisis in Gaza, it is natural that agencies take additional care with deliveries as part of an interagency process.”

Writer and liberal activist Leonard Fein dies at age 80. Fein had founded Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger and the National Jewish Coalition for Literacy, and co-founded Americans for Peace Now and Moment Magazine. A few weeks later, Fein’s older brother, Rashi Fein, a Harvard professor known for his contributions to medicine and social policy, dies at age 88.

In a rare instance of violence from the Gaza conflict reverberating in New York, a Jewish couple is accosted by pro-Palestinian assailants on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The incident prompts Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, the head of a prominent modern Orthodox day school in the neighborhood, Ramaz, to consider instructing students not to wear the kippahs in public. He later changes his mind.

Celebrants rededicate Nariman

story for children was challenging.

The author of “What a Way to Start a New Year!,” about Rosh Hashanah, and “The Hardest Word: a Yom Kippur Story” told JTAthat she wrote as many as 20 versions of the tale.

In “Never Say a Mean Word, A Tale from Medieval Spain” (Wisdom Tales, 32 pp, $16.95, ages 4-8), illustrated by Durga Yael Bernhard, Jules has reimagined the tale into one about two young boys.

It is among several new children”s books available for the High Holidays season.

The themes in the Jules book of forgiveness and starting anew resonate with those emphasized during Rosh Hashanah, the two-day Jewish New Year that begins this year at sundown on Sept. 24, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which starts at sundown on Oct. 3.

“Never Say a Mean Word” is a simple yet lyrically told story that has garnered a starred review from Publisher”s Weekly.

In the opening pages of the book, set in medieval Spain, the young Samuel, an innocent, head-in-theclouds fellow who is the son of the vizier, has one accidental encounter

after another with Hamza, the tax collector’s quick-witted son. Hamza refuses to accept Samuel’s apologies and taunts him with cruel names like “Donkey brain! and Stupid!”

Samuel’s father refuses to punish Hamza. Instead, he gives his son a broad directive: “Make sure Hamza never says a mean word to you again.”

As Samuel tries to exact a stern lesson on Hamza, the story takes a surprising turn and misunderstandings give way to an emerging friendship.

Bernhard’s simple yet expressive illustrations evoke the colors, landscape, architecture and patterns of the era. One full-page illustration depicts Samuel’s imagined scheme of a monkey perched on a stone wall while clamping Hamza’s lips.

The book explores tough questions, Jules says, such as what constitutes fair punishment and how do you get someone to stop calling you names.

“I hope the book gives young readers and the adults in their lives much to think about and discuss,” she wrote in an email.

House, the reconstructed Chabad house in Mumbai that was closed after Pakistani terrorists killed six people there, including Chabad emissaries Gabriel and Rivky Holtzberg, as part of a massive attack in November 2008 that left 166 people dead.

Hamas and Israel agree to a cease-fire that ends their 50-day war.

In all, the war leaves an estimated 2,200 Palestinians dead. Sixty-seven soldiers and six civilians are killed on the Israeli side, including two soldiers who die of their wounds after the cease-fire is completed and a 4year-old boy killed shortly before the truce. Brokered by Egypt, the ceasefire stipulates that Israel and Egypt open all border crossings to allow international humanitarian aid and construction materials to enter Gaza.

In Israel, the verdict is mixed over whether the Israeli operation achieved its aims.

Israel sets off international condemnation with its announcement that it is appropriating nearly 1,000 acres of West Bank land near the Gush Etzion bloc. Peace Now says it is Israel’s largest West Bank land grab since the 1980s.

fueling the U.S. decision to expand its airstrikes against ISIS and enlist other countries in the cause.

Joan Rivers, a Jewish comic who broke barriers for women in comedy and on television, dies at age 81.

Rabbi Brant Rosen decides to quit his 17-year pulpit job at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, Ill., after his outspoken criticism of Israel becomes too divisive for his congregation. Rosen is one of the leaders of the rabbinical council of Jewish Voice for Peace, a group listed by the Anti-Defamation League as one of the top 10 anti-Israel organizations in the United States.

A group of 43 reservists from the Israel Defense Forces’ famed 8200 intelligence unit causes a stir by publicly vowing to stop collecting information on Palestinians. “The intelligence gathered harms innocents and is used for political persecution and for invading most areas of Palestinians’ lives,” the reservists write in their public letter to Israel’s prime minister and IDF top brass.

“Our conscience no longer permits us to serve this system.” The IDF says it will take disciplinary action against the reservists.

More than two weeks after over 40 United Nations peacekeepers from Fiji are kidnapped from the Golan Heights by the Al Nusra Front, an al-Qaida-affiliated rebel group in Syria, the peacekeepers are released and cross the Golan border into Israel.

September 2014 Jewish journalist Steven Sotloff, an American-Israeli who had been taken captive while covering the Syrian civil war, is beheaded by ISIS, the outlaw group that has declared an Islamic state in parts of Iraq and Syria. ISIS published video of Sotloff’s beheading and that of another American and a Briton,

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

ROSH HASHANAH • 29

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