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ADL guidelines help Miami cope with controversial picketing By Barbara L. Morgenstern Senior Writer
Iran observers: Assassination bid underscores nuclear threat
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OXFORD, Ohio — Miami University has looked to guidance from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in order to deflect publicity from the Westboro Baptist Church’s (WBC) planned picketing here against homosexuals. Having experienced anti-Semitic picketing by the Topeka, Kan., church group, the ADL advises minimizing publicity as much as possible, according to Dean of Students Susan Mosely-Howard, who also serves as Institutional Response Team co-chair with Oxford Chief of Police John McCandless. “Every mention of WBC in the media is considered a victory by the group,” said Mosely-Howard, citing the ADL on the subject. In an email to university employees last week, Mosley-Howard said, “WBC members normally bring a videographer to identify counter-protestors. Their goal is publicity.” The church group was scheduled to picket on the corner of Spring and Maple streets near the Shriver Center last Tuesday. Nationally, the church has targeted homosexuals, Catholics, Jews and other groups in public protests. To counter the group’s desire for publicity, Mosley-Howard urged the university community to attend an event scheduled at the same time, which was organized by Miami’s undergraduate LGBTQ
Creative Commons / k763
A girl affiliated with the Westboro Baptist Church pickets the offices of the Anti-Defamation League in the Pacific Southwest region, June 19, 2009.
(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning)Straight Alliance, “Unite Miami: Love is our Resistance.” That event was designed to raise money for charities with music and speakers. A “teach-in” also was planned. Mosley-Howard said volunteers were recruited to suggest alternate routes around the pickets, in order to help people avoid the WBC demonstration. She added that counseling would be available for
those who might be emotionally affected by WBC’s presence. Mosley-Howard urged Miami University employees to “show strength in avoiding the protest area” and to “White-Out Hate” by wearing white shirts “to show your stance against hate.” In its website, the group describes Israel as a “savage hypocritical (sic) nation of filthy sinners before G-d disproportionately engaged in sodomy, abortion, pornography and
idolatry, while claiming to be the chosen people.” Picket signs carry messages that say “G-d Hates Jews,” “The Jews killed Jesus,” and “Some Jews will Repent,” among others. In a U.S. Supreme Court case last March, the court affirmed the group’s constitutional right to picket against homosexuality at the 2006 funeral of Marine Matthew Snyder, who died in a vehicle accident at age 20 while serving in Iraq. He was not gay. The Westboro members held signs with messages that included “Thank G-d for dead soldiers,” “You’re Going to Hell,” “G-d Hates the USA/Thank G-d for 911,” and a sign that combined the U.S. Marine Corps motto, Semper Fi, with a slur against gay men. According to its website, the church group contends G-d continues to kill American soldiers “in righteous judgment against an evil nation. In the 8-1 high court decision, with Justice Samuel Alito the lone dissenter, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the First Amendment protects “even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.” Regarding such protests here, Mosley-Howard said, “Miami’s long-standing practice is to allow individuals or groups not sponsored by a university group to rally or speak on the perimeter sidewalks of campus. Many of us are concerned about this protest, and students, staff and faculty have made plans to try to ensure a peaceful, uneventful visit.”
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Zoo animals visit B’nai Tzedek/Beit Chaverim Few biblical stories capture our imagination as the story of Noah: the story of the flood and its end with the “rainbow promise” of no more water destruction of life on earth; the building of the massive ark; the renewal of the covenant; and, of course, the menagerie of animals, pair by pair, that takes us back to the picture books of our childhood. We relive the magic of these stories again and again when we
tell the story of Noah and when we teach the names of various animals to our children. It is through their eyes that the excitement and the awe of discovery of the natural world gets reignited in us. On Saturday, October 29— Shabbat Noah—around 11:15 a.m., join Congregations B’nai Tzedek/Beit Chaverim to welcome the messengers of the Cincinnati Zoo with a selection of animals to meet face-to-face after the serv-
ice. Taking the place of the regular D’var Torah, the keepers will share some thoughts about their charges and will explain the conservation efforts of the zoo. Do not expect large animals—the elephants and the lions and even okapis will stay at the zoo. You are strongly encouraged to bring the children in your life for this encounter. For more information about this event, contact congregation B’nai Tzedek.
Cincinnati Chapter of Hadassah holds pre-donor brunch Cincinnati Chapter of Hadassah will hold a Leading Gifts Pre-Donor Brunch on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 10:30 a.m., at the home of Edie Rau. The donor chair is Ghita Sarembock and special guest speaker, Judith Saxe, will give an update on the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Tower in Jerusalem, which will be dedicated on Hadassah’s 100th anniversary in 2012. For nearly 100 years, Hadassah has set the standard for healthcare in the Middle East, serving all people regardless of race, religion or nationality. The Sarah Wetsman Davidson Tower, under construction at the Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem medical complex, is currently the largest building project in Israel. When it opens in 2012, it
will touch countless lives with the precious gifts of health and hope. The Tower is a 19-story structure—five floors below ground and 14 floors above ground—with 500 beds, 20 operating rooms, 60 intensive care beds and an ultramodern Heart Institute. It will host expanded centers of excellence in invasive angiography, immune-mediated disorders, minimally invasive surgery and computer-assisted surgery, cell therapy, and molecular medicine, as well as trailblazing research in stem cell treatment, heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer's disease, and gene therapy. It will feature the most advanced imaging in operating rooms, robotics and computer-
guided surgery, cutting-edge monitoring and telemedicine. Saxe, a Hadassah National Board member, is Midwest Area Resource Chair. She is a former national vice-president and has served as chair for Young Judaea Regional Programs and the Young Women/Young Leaders Department. A graduate of Brandeis University, Saxe also holds a master of Social Work degree from the University of Washington, Seattle. She has visited Israel more than 30 times and lives in Lexington, Ky. with her husband Stanley, professor emeritus at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. required. Please RSVP for this event.
92nd Street Y returns with ‘Iranium’ The 92nd Street Y returns to Wise Temple on Monday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. with a panel of influential and provocative people who will discuss the threat of a nuclear Iran, live via satellite. The program will feature clips from the critically acclaimed documentary, “Iranium,” a stinging indictment of the current Iranian regime, highlighting revolutionary efforts within Iran to topple the government. How dangerous is a nuclear Iran, even if it never detonates a weapon? What are the guiding principles of the Iranian leadership? To what lengths would the regime go to carry out its agenda? How far have Iran’s leaders already gone to fund the world’s most powerful terrorist organizations? And why have American leaders failed to gain the upper hand in relations with Iran during the past 30 years? In approximately 60 minutes, Iranium powerfully reports on the many aspects of the threat America and the world now face using rarely-before seen footage of Iranian leaders, and
interviews with 25 leading politicians, Iranian dissidents, and experts on Middle East policy, terrorism and nuclear proliferation. The panel who will be discussing the threat of a nuclear Iran are: John R. Bolton, a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; Richard Perle, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who served as chairman of the Defense Policy Board during the Bush administration; Alex Traiman, the director of Iranium and a professional journalist covering breaking events and analysis in the Middle East; Richard Green, the executive director of the Clarion Fund, the nonprofit organization that produced and distributed Iranium as well as other documentary films on threats to international security; Nazie Eftekhari, the director of the Iran Democratic Union; and Ethan Bronner, the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times. IRANIUM on page 22
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Melissa Fay Greene speaks at JCC, Nov. 9 How does a woman with nine children find the time to write concrete and philosophical advice about adoption and parenting in general? Luckily for readers, author Melissa Fay Greene did just that in her new book, “No Biking in the House Without a Helmet.” Meet this award-winning author in an informal setting on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., at the Mayerson JCC Speaker Series, presented by the Wolf Center for Arts and Ideas at the Mayerson JCC. This annual literary lecture series, a local celebration of Jewish Book Month, features presentations by a different author
each day, Nov. 6 – 10. Everyone is welcome to come together for intriguing presentations and interactions with the authors. Space is limited and advance registration is recommended. Hear this award-winning author give a humorous and intriguing account of her neverboring, boisterous brood. She will share her experience and stories about raising four biological children, and then how she and her husband expanded their family to embrace five more, adopted from orphanages in Bulgaria and Ethiopia. Greene’s four works of nonfic-
tion have been recognized with two National Book Award finalist citations, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist citation, and the Hadassah Myrtle Wreath Award. “We are proud to partner with Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation and Adoption Connection of Jewish Family Service to bring Melissa Fay Greene to Cincinnati to enlighten us with her experience of adopting five children from different countries,” said Courtney Cummings, JCC Cultural Arts coordinator. “In this utterly winning memoir, Greene chronicles her family’s
evolution from a fairly conventional four children to nine. Greene, an Atlanta-based journalist who has written about race, history, and the South, is enormously sensitive to how children think and feel, and equally open when chronicling her own emotions. By the book’s end, many readers will find themselves either yearning to adopt or wishing their own mother had been more like Greene,” said Kate Tuttle, Boston Globe. For information about the event or “Authors Out Loud,” call Courtney Cummings, Cultural Arts Coordinator, or visit the JCC website.
Mayerson JCC offers Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving break kids’ camps If you aren’t sure how or where your children will spend their days off school for Veteran’s Day and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, remember the J. Even though school is out, many parents may still have to work and need a plan how to keep the children entertained. That’s why the Mayerson JCC offers a Veteran’s Day Camp on Friday, Nov. 11 and a Thanksgiving Break Camp on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Advance registrations are required. At the Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving Break Camps, children in grades K - 6 can take advantage of all the fun activities
at the J. They can splash in the water park, play games in the gym, create great art projects, and enjoy the awesome game room. The kids can also enjoy interactive video games, as well as traditional games like air hockey and foosball, in the JCC Club J Room. JCC school break camps are open to everyone, and you do not have to be a member to enroll your child(ren). J Members, however, receive discounted rates. Tonya Baldwin enrolled her son last year in the Veteran’s Day Camp and plans to enroll him again this year. “He enjoys coming to the JCC because his experience
is always delightful. He really enjoys the camp counselors and the activities. The JCC offers him a lot. I’m a single parent and I don’t have anyone to watch him, so it’s especially convenient for me. Without the camp I would have to take off from work. We love it!” Lisa Wolf said her children loved the JCC Thanksgiving Day Break Camp last year. “My kids always have a good time at the JCC. The Thanksgiving Day Break Camp worked out so well because they get out of school that Wednesday, and I needed a place for them since I had to work. They
have always enjoyed it. The JCC offers so many great activities. My kids especially love the swimming. I plan to enroll them again.” The JCC Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving Break Camps at the Mayerson JCC operate from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Before and after camp options are available each day for an additional fee. Before camp care begins at 8 a.m., and after camp programs conclude at 6 p.m. Open registration for JCC Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving Break Camp is now available for the entire community. For more information, call the Mayerson JCC or visit their website.
permanent congregational commitment to social justice.” In the infancy of this program, it was an innovative idea, never before tried, and what some considered controversial. Reflecting on the history of this extraordinary congregational participation in such a meaningful project, Rabbi Lewis Kamrass recalled the conversation in which he, and then Senior Rabbi Alan Fuchs, proposed the idea of bringing food to the Temple on Yom Kippur Day. Some people wondered if it would offend people. “If they are offended by that idea, then they might be offended by Isaiah,” Rabbi Kamrass remembers remarking, “since it was the Prophet Isaiah’s words that we read as the Haftara for Yom Kippur Day that inspired the idea. It was Isaiah who taught us that a proper fast would not only involve cessation from labor and afflicting ourselves with hunger and thirst, but would also require a thirst for righteousness and a hunger to ameliorate the pain and poverty all around us. It is
a wonderful example of the creative and spiritual approach to our text, our tradition, and our observance that characterizes the principles of Reform Judaism.” From that initial conversation emerged a practice and a “ritual” that has been in place at Wise Temple for quite some time now, and which hundreds of other congregations around the country have learned from and instituted in their own Yom Kippur observance. This meaningful tradition not only impacts the recipients of the food, but also the individuals and families who go out and shop each year and bring their canned foods to the Temple when they come to Yom Kippur morning services. This year, the congregation’s social action program, Wise-UP, followed up with a visit to the Free Store/Food Bank to sort the 8-ton donation for distribution to food pantries and to the poor throughout the region. In addition, the Wise Temple Confirmation Class of over 40 high school sophomores spent
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VOL. 158 • NO. 14 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011 29 TISHREI 5772 SHABBAT BEGINS FRIDAY 6:25 PM SHABBAT ENDS SATURDAY 7:26 PM THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE CO., PUBLISHERS 18 WEST NINTH STREET, SUITE 2 CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202-2037 Phone: (513) 621-3145 Fax: (513) 621-3744 publisher@americanisraelite.com editor@americanisraelite.com production@americanisraelite.com RABBI ISSAC M. WISE Founder, Editor, Publisher, 1854-1900 LEO WISE Editor & Publisher, 1900-1928 RABBI JONAH B. WISE Editor & Publisher, 1928-1930 HENRY C. SEGAL Editor & Publisher, 1930-1985 PHYLLIS R. SINGER Editor & General Manager, 1985-1999 MILLARD H. MACK Publisher Emeritus NETANEL (TED) DEUTSCH Editor & Publisher BARBARA L. MORGENSTERN Senior Writer YEHOSHUA MIZRACHI RITA TONGPITUK Assistant Editors ALEXIA KADISH Copy Editor
Wise Temple continues Yom Kippur contribution to city’s hungry Wise Temple continued its major contribution of food to the Free Store/Food Bank of Cincinnati, bringing 17,002 pounds of food this past Yom Kippur, an offering sufficient to completely feed over 4,858 people for a full day. Wise Temple has offered over 615,000 pounds of food for the city’s hungry and poor since the inception of this program 22 years ago. “I am so proud of our congregational family,” commented Rabbi Lewis Kamrass, “for their consistent commitment to this important endeavor, and for continuing to contribute in record setting amounts the needed food for the hungry of our region. Often as programs become institutionalized, people’s enthusiasm diminishes, however the High Holy Day Mitzvah Bag clearly means something important to our congregants and is central to our High Holy Day observance. Our Wise Temple members have consistently responded generously for these 22 years and this reflects our
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two weekends during Sukkot preparing and serving lunch at the Over the Rhine Soup Kitchen to over 600 of the city’s poor. “There was great power for our high school students in seeing the entire congregational community at work on behalf of the hungry and the poor on our sacred day, and following up in the immediate days following with our direct response to it. Our teens and adults derived great meaning from that experience,” remarked Rabbi Kamrass. The Wise Temple Mitzvah Bag program is only one of 40 activities of social action involvement in which Wise Temple participates in its Wise-UP program. As an expression of the deepest Jewish values, over 900 members of the congregation volunteer their time in a variety of activities, including housing homeless families within Wise Center itself—as a participant in the Interfaith Hospitality Network— staffing over four soup kitchens in the tri-state, and helping low income families in various projects.
MARIANNA BETTMAN NATE BLOOM IRIS PASTOR RABBI A. JAMES RUDIN ZELL SCHULMAN RABBI AVI SHAFRAN PHYLLIS R. SINGER Contributing Columnists LEV LOKSHIN JANE KARLSBERG Staff Photographers JOSEPH D. STANGE Production Manager MICHAEL MAZER Sales ERIN WYENANDT Office Manager
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Northern Hills Synagogue presents ‘Jews: Tolerant and Intolerant’ with Professor Ethan Katz Northern Hills SynagogueCongregation B’nai Avraham will begin its series of programs on Jews, civil rights and freedom on Sunday evening, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. Featuring Dr. Ethan Katz of the University of Cincinnati, the program, “Jews: Tolerant and Intolerant,” will consider both tolerance of Jews in the larger society, and tolerance by Jews of others.
Dr. Katz is an assistant professor of History and Jewish Studies, specializing in modern Jewish history and the history of modern France and Francophone North Africa. He earned his Ph.D. in Modern European History at the University of WisconsinMadison in 2009. During the 2009-2010 academic year, he was a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for
Advanced Jewish Studies. There he was part of a working group on “securlarism and its discontents,” rethinking the meaning of the secular as a category in Jewish history and thought. Dr. Katz is currently completing a book on Jewish-Muslim relations in France since World War I. He is also co-editing a collection of essays that reconsiders the meaning of secularism and seculariza-
tion within Jewish studies and Jewish history. According to Tracy Weisberger, director of Programming and Education at Northern Hills, “The adult education committee decided to explore the topic of Jews, civil rights and freedom in order to better understand ways in which Jews impacted the world and ways in which the world impacted the Jews. The
idea of social justice, we felt, was an interesting lens to use to explore this phenomenon. Most of us know how society has treated Jews, but how have the Jews tolerated or not tolerated others in society?” There is no charge for attending the program, which will take place at the synagogue. For more information, please contact Weisberger.
Wise Temple Senior Adults plan an eventful year The Isaac M. Wise Temple Senior Adults recently rolled out their plans for the fall and winter of 2011-2012. Their calendar is filled with a combination of social, educational and religious activities. The Wise Temple Senior Adult Committee was formed more than 13 years ago, when several members of the professional and lay-leadership realized how beneficial it would be to have programs specifically available to the older adult popu-
lation. Since that time, the committee has blossomed into a vibrant and active group that sponsors monthly events for senior adults. This year, the Senior Adult Committee has arranged for a wide array of programming. Already, the group has been treated to a tour of the Rumpke Recycling Facility. Most recently, members of the committee helped lead the Isaac M. Wise Temple Sukkot Morning Service. Following the service, there was
a special Sukkot luncheon, which featured a talk by Wise Temple Librarian Andrea Rapp. Rapp spoke on the subject of “ushpizin”—the ancestral figures who are said to visit us during this holiday. However, Rapp’s ushpizin program focused on stories of Wise Temple’s former leadership who are now of blessed memory. On Thursday, Nov. 10, the Senior Adults are hosting Laurie Burman, president and CEO of the Hearing, Speech, and Deaf Center,
and Clinical Audiologist Janice Warner, who will speak about the issues surrounding hearing loss. This program will include information about the anatomy and physiology of the ear, various types of hearing loss, psychosocial effects of hearing loss and rehabilitative options for hearing loss. This program will start at 1:30 p.m. at Wise Center. For the December program, the Wise Temple Senior Adults will enjoy a food presentation by Steve Bernstein, who will share ideas on
making the most of Chanukah cuisine. This event will take place at Wise Center on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. “We are looking forward to an exciting year. The committee has worked tirelessly to provide programs of interest for all Wise Seniors. I am enthusiastic about the upcoming programs and look forward to an inspiring year for all,” remarked chairperson Suzanne Voos. For more information, please contact Wise Temple.
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Kay Granger and Nita Lowey, the congressional couple that’s odd for getting along By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — In any other town at any other time they would be a boring, if worthy, pair: Wonkish grandmothers sorting through nitty-gritty foreign policy and budgetary details to keep their country influential and safe. But in Washington at a time of intense partisan rancor, the friendly and productive relationship between Reps. Kay Granger (RTexas) and Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) is decidedly odd. Granger and Lowey, the top foreign appropriators in the U.S. House of Representatives, are being noticed for what was commonplace a decade or so ago: focusing on areas of bipartisan agreement in order to get a bill passed, and agreeing to disagree on the rest. “It’s pretty unique, especially given all the partisan problems that take place every day — it’s extraordinary,” said a top staffer with a leading pro-Israel group, speaking on condition of anonymity. Granger, the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, and Lowey, the subcommittee’s ranking member, are striving to get the annual foreign operations bill onto the floor for consideration by the full House. Yet the odds can seem as if they
Courtesy office of Rep. Kay Granger
Rep. Kay Granger, the chairwoman of the foreign operations subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, greets Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a subcommittee hearing while Rep. Nita Lowey, the subcommittee’s senior Democrat, looks on, March 11, 2011.
are stacked against them. Last year the same bill was felled, like most appropriations, by partisan disagreement, and foreign spending was wrapped ultimately into a lastminute omnibus spending bill. This year, Granger and Lowey distinguished themselves by coordinating their approach to the Palestinians’ push for statehood. While other Republicans and Democrats have introduced separate bills, resolutions and statements threatening cuts in assistance to the Palestinians and those who back them, Granger and
Lowey worked together to warn the Palestinians to change course. “Current and future aid will be jeopardized if you abandon direct negotiations and continue your current efforts,” the lawmakers wrote in a July 11 letter to Mahmoud Abbas, the first of two written to the Palestinian Authority president. Granger also raised the warning in a meeting she had with Palestinian leaders in August during a visit by Republican lawmakers to Israel and Palestinian-controlled areas. Even though Lowey was absent from the meeting, Granger
made sure that she was present in spirit, taking care to tell the Palestinians that her Democratic colleague had her back. Lowey, who is Jewish, and Granger emphasize their reluctance to cut Palestinian funding, although they say they might not have a choice. “We have taken a very tough position on abandoning the peace table,” Granger said. “But we recognize that there is funding that affects Israel and the Palestinians.” Granger and Lowey have been responsive to appeals from the Israeli defense establishment to maintain funding for the Palestinians as a means of ensuring stability. In contrast, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has said that her primary responsibility is to American taxpayers who oppose funding entities that act counter to American interests. The Palestinians receive $500 million to $600 million a year in American aid. The congresswomen, their colleagues and the pro-Israel lobbyists who work with them attribute the comity to several factors. Some say there’s an occupational factor at work: Appropriators, insiders explain, are less prone than others in Congress to bomb throwing because their rhetoric and bill writing have immediate and real consequences. “House appropriators act far more responsibly than authorizers,” said one staffer for a proIsrael group that advocates for strong U.S. involvement in the Middle East. “Authorizers” refers to those committees that set out the overall parameters for spending; appropriators, who decide actual spending, have greater influence. “[Authorizers] have to get things done or the government shuts down,” the staffer said. “The cooperation and collegial relations between Lowey and Granger are emblematic of this.” Beyond professional considerations, Lowey and Granger are friends, too. The two have similar personalities, albeit from different backgrounds: Granger, 68, was born in Greenville, Texas, a small town not far from Fort Worth, and raised as a Methodist. Lowey, 74, is from the Bronx, N.Y., and now represents parts of suburban Westchester and Rockland counties, and was active in national Jewish groups before running for Congress. “They clearly get along. You can tell when they’re together,” said a top Democratic staffer. Their friendship was in evidence when they finished each other’s sentences at a joint appearance in May at the annual American Israel Public Affairs
Committee policy conference. Each woman has a habit of invoking the other’s name in stating policies. “Both Kay Granger and I still hope that direct negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel will happen as soon as possible,” Lowey told JTA. The attraction dates to 2007 when Lowey, newly installed as the subcommittee chairwoman with the Democratic surge in the 2006 congressional elections, learned that Granger, then on the defense appropriations subcommittee, wanted a transfer to the foreign appropriations subcommittee. Lowey quietly encouraged the GOP leadership to make the appointment. She had noticed Granger’s work on the defense subcommittee and admired her detailoriented seriousness. “I made the point that she would be an excellent ranking member,” Lowey said. Then, alluding to last year’s GOP sweep, which reversed their roles, she joked, “Let me also add, I like her better as a ranking member.” Once Granger was on the subcommittee as its top GOP member, Lowey made sure to invite her to every briefing by administration staffers and foreign dignitaries. “She was very gracious and generous with meetings,” Granger told JTA. “If someone would call, she would invite me.” The congresswomen talk with one another at least once daily and meet every several days. They also travel together. “We have a good rhythm of the amount of work and the amount of communication that is needed to keep a relationship like that going to make sure we don’t have surprises,” Granger said. The friendship also runs to everyday elements. “We talk about grandkids, we talk about food and what she cooks,” Granger said. “She cooks for family, for 20 or 30 people on the big Jewish holidays. I don’t cook, and I love to hear about what she’s planning.” Granger’s moderation is also a factor. Following a popular mid1990s stint as mayor of Fort Worth, she was courted for a congressional run by both parties. In the 2008 Republican primaries, she endorsed Mitt Romney, the moderate former Massachusetts governor, for the presidency. Unlike much of the current GOP class, Granger talks up what she says is the critical role of foreign aid in maintaining U.S. influence and leverage in securing American interests and combating terrorism, even when it is directed to countries that have clashed diplomatically with the United States.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
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Iran observers: Assassination bid underscores nuclear threat By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — Iran watchers say the revelation of an alleged plot to hire Mexican contract killers to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Washington signals the Iranian regime’s deepening radicalization. It also underscores the urgency of the threat posed by Tehran’s nuclear plans, they say. “We need to be reminded that if Iran poses a threat without nuclear weapons, a nuclear-armed Iran would be a dramatically more dangerous threat,” Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), a longtime advocate of Iran sanctions legislation, told JTA. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder alleged last week that Iranian-American businessman Mansour Arbabsiar and a cousin who works for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards were caught planning to have a Mexican drug cartel kill Saudi Arabia’s ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir. Demonstrating the seriousness of the plot, the men allegedly arranged for a $100,000 down payment to be deposited into what turned out to be an FBI bank account. Iranian-backed attacks outside the Middle East once were routine news events. The years that followed the Islamic Revolution of the late 1970s brought a flurry of assassinations of Iranian exiles in foreign capitals, including Washington and Paris. In the 1990s, separate massive bombing attacks on a Jewish community building and the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires also have been pinned to Iran. Iranian-sponsored attacks abroad receded in the later 1990s as the Islamic Republic under then-President Mohammad Khatami sought international legitimacy. At the same time, however, Tehran aggressively stepped up its nuclear program, which is widely believed to be aimed at acquiring nuclear weapons. The alleged plan to kill the Saudi envoy is a signal that the regime’s conservatives are ascendant, said Roya Hakakian, who recently authored “Assassins of the Turquoise Palace,” an account of Iran’s assassination of Kurdish leaders in Berlin in 1992. Conservatives consolidated power after the mass protests following elections in the summer of 2009 that were widely perceived as being rigged, she noted. “The 2009 elections in Iran increasingly solidified the hold of the conservatives on power in Iran,” she said. “They see it less and less necessary to try and do what Khatami was doing in the
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Iran watchers say the alleged plot to kill Saudi U.S. Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir, right, shown here being interviewed at the Saudi embassy in Washington, raises alarms about the Iranian regime’s willingness to carry out extreme acts.
1990s, to bring Iran into the fold of Western civilization and community. It’s a sign of further polarization inside Iran between the nation and the regime, but also outside of Iran between Iran and the international community.” The plot also is a sign of a regime driven increasingly desperate by its mounting isolation, said Heather Hurlburt of the National Security Network, a liberal Washington foreign policy group. The Obama administration has drawn traditional Iranian partners Russia and China into the sanctions regime, she said, and Iran’s nuclear program apparently has been sabotaged at least once. Moreover, the Iranian regime is attempting to respond to a burgeoning regional pro-democracy wave that it fears could spread to Iran. “What you’re seeing in these plot allegations and in the region is an Iran that perceives its interests to be at risk because of the Arab Spring,” Hurlburt said. “You see an Iranian government exploring all avenues — they couldn’t come up with a better plot than a crazy guy trying to hire druglords.” The plot underscores the need for a heightened awareness by the West of a regime that is ready to take extraordinary measures, said Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the conservative Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. “This regime will continue to target its enemies,” Dubowitz said. “They will not let up until there’s a success.” Outreach to a drug cartel is typical of a regime that has cultivated rogue actors throughout the Middle East, in Europe and in Latin America, Hakakian said. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards “has been smart,” she said. “They have been solidifying relations with Venezuelans, with the Cubans, and now they have been
moved into Mexican territory.” Working through interlocutors as unlikely as murderous drug dealers makes sense, Dubowitz said, because the regime has always sought plausible deniability in plotting such attacks. The immediate response to the plot, said Dubowitz, should be to further isolate the Iranian regime by enforcing existing sanctions and enacting new ones, as well as reinforcing backing for Iran’s democracy movement. He suggested, among other measures, a strike fund to assist Iranian oil workers and others.
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Jewish activists try to fight Wall Street — and some protesters’ anti-Semitism By Dan Klein Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — The most unloved man in Zuccotti Park, the epicenter of the Occupy Wall Street protests, isn’t a Wall Street banker but a fellow who wears a baseball cap and carries signs denouncing “Jewish bankers.” The man, who refuses to share his name, comes almost daily to broadcast messages against Jews, Zionists and President Obama, whom he calls a “Jewish puppet.” One recent placard read “Google: Zionists control Wall Street.” Organizers and activists have tried to provide a counterpoint when he speaks to reporters and gawkers, holding their own signs deriding him. “A—hole” reads one. “Who’s paying this guy?” reads another. In one video, demonstrators nearby can be seen chanting “Nazis: Go home!” “Everyone’s been trying to get rid of him,” said Dan Sieradski, a Jewish activist who organized a mass Yom Kippur service at the site of the protests, which are now entering their second month. “But the police say he has a right to stay there, and he does.” Though the man is one of the few overtly anti-Jewish protesters at
Courtesy of neolibertariannet via YouTube
An Occupy Wall Street protester who says his name is David Smith holding aloft a sign in Zuccotti Park in New York that offers an overtly anti-Jewish message, Oct. 11, 2011. Protest organizers say his type is a fringe element of the movement.
the site in New York, he is a sign of an undercurrent of anti-Semitism that runs through some of those protesting at the Occupy Wall Street gatherings across the United States. While movement organizers and sympathizers are quick to argue that such protesters are a fringe element, they are a reminder of the small proportion of Americans that still clings to the canard that Jews control the nation’s money. According to the Anti-Defamation League, 16 per-
cent of Americans hold anti-Semitic beliefs about Jewish control of the banking system. “With any kind of populist movement, you’re going to have that kind of expression popping out,” said the ADL’s civil rights director, Deborah Lauter. “But this is a particularly sensitive one in the Jewish community, and we have to make sure it doesn’t take hold.” For the Jewish activists who see great merit in the Occupy Wall
National Briefs
Street protests and have been trying to amplify their impact, they have had to do double duty tamping down anti-Semitic and, in some cases, anti-Zionist expressions. That task has gained greater urgency as critics of the protests — within and outside the Jewish community — have pointed to the anti-Semitic ferment of a few to disparage the larger anti-Wall Street movement. The conservative Emergency Committee for Israel released a video calling for Democratic leaders to denounce the protests. It featured both the nameless man at Zuccotti Park and a young New Yorker named Danny Cline who was caught on video telling a yarmulke-wearing man to “go back to Israel.” Cline later claimed to be Jewish and a descendant of Holocaust survivors. Radio personality Rush Limbaugh said the protesters’ rants against bankers and Wall Street were coded references to Jews. Similarly, Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin accused politicians and the media of hypocrisy for a lack of coverage of the antiSemitic content compared to coverage of racism at Tea Party events. ACTIVISTS on page 22
Without jobs in U.S., college grads are finding opportunities in Israel By Danielle Fleischman Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — In her final months as a political science major at the University of Pittsburgh, Susanna Zlotnikov had a positive outlook about landing a job. But as the months passed and her network of contacts led only to dead ends, Zlotnikov decided she needed a backup. Instead of spending the summer after her May graduation sending out more resumes, Zlotnikov took a pair of internships and moved to Israel. It worked out well: In November she expects to be starting a full-time job in Israel as grants coordinator with Save a Child’s Heart, an Israelibased humanitarian organization that provides cardiac surgery for children from the developing world. With the U.S. economy still sputtering, a growing number of college graduates are turning to Israel programs to bridge their educational and professional careers. In many cases, these young American Jews are drawn to the programs not out of Zionist sensibilities but because they’re looking for workplace experience or seeking a way to do something Jewish. Some are even finding
jobs in Israel and staying. After losing a job in Hollywood, Jessica Fass decided to go on a Birthright Israel trip and then stayed in the country for an extra month. Upon returning to the United States, Fass felt as if she were in culture shock and kept thinking about returning to Israel. She decided to do an internship through WUJS Israel Hadassah, which helps college graduates find opportunities in Israel. “It seemed like the perfect time go,” she said. Within six months, Fass had found a full-time job in Israel and now is working in marketing for a company in Tel Aviv, which she described as being like Los Angeles “but with Hebrew.” Fass said she was surprised to find how much more willing Israelis were to take a chance on a new hire. “I don’t think that would have happened in the States because I had no experience in marketing,” she said. Organizations that bring Jewish youth to Israel are trying to capitalize on the bleak job prospects for college graduates in the United States, and programs that offer internships in Israel say they have seen a spike in applicants since the recession hit in 2008.
“I remember in 2008 when our numbers skyrocketed,” said Amy Gross, the program recruiter at WUJS Israel Hadassah. “It’s mostly recent college graduates because they have trouble finding a job, but they want to experience Israel as well.” WUJS offers five-month internships in Israel. Participants also have weekly trips to explore the country, Hebrew classes twice a week and immersion in Israeli culture. MASA Israel, which helps place Diaspora Jews in long-term Israel programs, created a program called A Better Stimulus Plan targeted at recent college graduates looking for internship opportunities in Israel while they wait out the economic troubles in the U.S. Avi Rubel, MASA’s North American director, says about 1,800 participants are doing postcollege internship experiences — double the rate of recent years. “So many grads are at a loss because there aren’t opportunities and they need to find ways to differentiate themselves to get the jobs that are there,” Rubel told JTA. “For young Jewish students, coming to Israel gives them career development experience, which is likely more substantive than one in
the States. In Israel you will end up in the mix of interesting things instead of making coffee.” Roselle Feldman had just returned to the United States from a Birthright Israel trip before the economy collapsed. She had been scheduled to teach more than 30 hip-hop classes at dance studios in Massachusetts, but the market crashed and her gigs disappeared. Instead of filing for unemployment, she hopped on a plane to Israel for MASA Israel’s Dance Journey, a five-month program for international dancers aged 18 to 30 in the western Galilee. She received training from the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, and at the end of the program Feldman was invited to audition for a spot with the dance company. “I loved every second of it,” she told JTA. “There’s nothing else like it in the world. It’s such a unique experience. I would go back in a heartbeat if I could afford it.” Now she is back in Massachusetts, teaching dance as the director of her own performance company, Intensity Dance Company. Soon she hopes to be teaching at a Jewish school — a desire she credits to her experience in Israel.
Lawyer for Leiby Kletzky’s alleged murderer: My client is insane (JTA) — A lawyer for the man who confessed to killing 8year-old Leiby Kletzky said the confession was coerced and his client is insane. Howard Greenberg, an attorney for Levi Aron, said during a hearing Monday in New York State Supreme Court in Brooklyn that he will prove that Aron is not guilty by reason of insanity in the July murder. Aron appeared in court through a video conference. He reportedly did not move or say a word during the hearing, according to the New York Post. A psychological exam found Aron competent to stand trial, although he has admitted to hearing voices. Aron pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and kidnapping. Aron is charged with murdering Leiby near his Brooklyn home. He said he picked up the haredi Orthodox boy in his car when the boy became lost while walking home from camp for the first time and asking for directions. Aron said he panicked after the boy was reported missing. Parts of Leiby’s dismembered body were found in Aron’s freezer. Imams and rabbis to talk religious laws WASHINGTON (JTA) — Jewish and Muslim clergy, along with scholars, will meet to talk about halachah and shariah, the religious laws of their faiths. The meeting in New York on Oct. 30, convened by the Washington D.C.-based Catholic University and the Center for InterReligious Understanding, will feature presentations by Rabbi David Silber of the Drisha University in New York and Ebrahim Moosa, a professor of Islamic studies at Duke University, as well as prominent rabbis and imams. The symposium comes in the wake of concerns among Jewish religious leaders of all streams about a campaign among conservatives to ban shariah, or Muslim religious law, and how that could limit or even squelch the use of halachah, or Jewish law, to settle disputes among the observant. The Center for InterReligious Understanding organized last year’s visit to Auschwitz by U.S. imams.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
Finding Jewish leadership in far-flung Iceland By Alex Weisler Jewish Telegraphic Agency REYKJAVIK, Iceland (JTA) — For Mike Levin, a native of Chicago, it took a move to Iceland to turn him into a Jewish leader. More than 25 years ago, Levin met an Icelandic woman while both were studying music at a university in Vienna. They married soon after, moved to Reykjavik and had two children. Levin runs a catering service in Iceland’s capital and largest city. In Chicago, Levin occasionally had filled in for the cantor at his local synagogue, but beyond that his Jewish leadership experience was limited. Now he is the de facto head of Iceland’s tiny Jewish community, which numbers just a few dozen people in a country of some 320,000. “I sometimes have thought that hey, this is kind of weird,” Levin, 50, told JTA in an interview. “You can’t even get matzah in Iceland or kosher wine.” Had he stayed in Illinois, Levin says it’s unlikely he would be involved in Jewish life to the degree he is in Iceland. Here he organizes holiday celebrations, leads the occasional service with the community’s paper Torah scroll and coordinates practical affairs for the country’s Jews, such as symbolic bar mitzvahs and the rare Jewish funeral. In the contemporary experience, Jews from large Jewish communities sometimes find their place in the Jewish constellation after a trip to or a few decades of living in a far-flung place. In this case it happened in a country with no synagogue, no Jewish community center and no Jewish organization. Judaism is not even one of Iceland’s state-recognized religions. For Levin, as for many Jews, a big part of the motive for becoming active in Jewish community was for his children—a 17-yearold daughter and a 15-year-old son. “I wanted them to know what Judaism was, to participate, to know more than what they hear in the schoolyard,” he said. “My daughter doesn’t have the traditional Icelandic Christian upbringing, but she doesn’t have a real Jewish identity either — she’s sort of stranded somewhere in the middle.” Over the years in Iceland, Levin, who doesn’t keep kosher or wear a yarmulke, says he has come to realize that he sometimes underestimates his place on the spectrum of Jewish knowledge and action. “There was once a woman
who brought bread to the seder,” he recalled. When there was no matzah in the country to buy for the seder, Levin baked his own. “The things we’ve been able to do,” he said, his voice trailing off. “Sometimes I think, oh wow, it’s good that I know these things because otherwise we’d be worse off.” Even Iceland’s most famous Jew — President Olafur Ragnur Grimsson’s Israeli-born wife Dorrit Moussaieff — doesn’t participate in Jewish communal events. Sigal Har-Meshi, an Israeli who has lived in Reykjavik for seven years and does volunteer Jewish work, praises Levin’s leadership of prayer services. “He’s singing just like in Israel,” she said. Over the past few months, Levin says he’s been helped greatly in his Jewish work by Rabbi Berel Pewzner, a Chabad emissary who has begun to come to Iceland to strengthen its Jewish community. In April, Pewzner led two Passover seders here, and last month he coordinated High Holidays services. Levin says that in the past, new Jewish arrivals to Iceland have been anxious to become involved before discovering the lack of Jewish resources and growing disappointed and dispirited. “Sometimes people come and they’re really gung-ho, and then they realize how little there is Iceland,” he said. “In the end you can’t fight it. It’s just overwhelming.” Pewzner calls Levin an important resource for Iceland’s Jews — and a warm, friendly public face for the community. “He has a big heart. He has a good laugh, a nice laugh — he makes people feel comfortable,” the rabbi said. In their hometowns, Pewzner says, Jews like Levin may not have played such an active, crucial role, “but because they are here, they’re keeping things going.” Despite the many hats he has worn for the Jewish community over the years, Levin says he’s not ready to officially lead the community if a campaign to get Judaism recognized by the Icelandic government ever comes to fruition. Har-Meshi says the Jewish community of Iceland owes its very existence to Levin’s hard work. “Everything is because of him,” she said. “He’s never given up.”
INTERNATIONAL • 9
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Shalits trying to adjust to new normal By Marcy Oster Jewish Telegraphic Agency JERUSALEM (JTA) — A week after Gilad Shalit returned to Israel after being held in captivity for more than five years in Gaza, things were getting back to normal at the Shalit family home — sort of. The Israel Police said they would remove a barrier placed in front of the family’s house in Mitzpe Hila. The flowers, placards and other paraphernalia that littered the streets of the northern Israeli town following the celebration marking Shalit’s return have been cleaned up. Even the Shalit protest tent opposite the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem was taken down and carted away. But with the 10-day moratorium on Israeli media intrusion in the Shalits’ town set to expire, and with Israelis still eager for images of the newly released soldier, it’s unlikely that Gilad, 25, will be able to have a normal life anytime soon. On Monday, Israeli President Shimon Peres paid a visit to the Shalit family home, the first visit by an Israeli official. Almost immediately, photos and video of Peres and Gilad Shalit sitting side by side on the family couch landed on Israeli news websites and TV programs. “You have no idea how thrilled I am to meet you here in your home alive, healthy and whole,” Peres said. “I came to express to you how proud I am, and how proud the entire nation is, by your
ability to withstand extremely difficult conditions in captivity.” Shalit thanked the president. A day earlier, Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni, head of the Kadima Party, slammed the prisoner swap that brought Shalit home Oct. 18 in exchange for the release of 1,027 Arab prisoners, saying it has weakened Israel and strengthened Hamas. Her criticism during interviews with the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot and Reshet Bet Radio did not sit well with lawmakers in the coalition or the opposition. They swiftly assailed Livni for waiting until Shalit was freed to voice her opposition to the deal, saying it showed a lack of leadership. Livni reportedly did not go public earlier with her dissent at the request of Noam Shalit, the soldier’s father. The Israeli Cabinet approved the deal by a 26-3 vote. In the few days since his release, Shalit has been captured by news photographers lying in wait for his next move. He was pictured taking a short walk with his mother — and several security guards — on the first morning following his release and riding a bicycle near his home. He also has played PingPong. On the Simchat Torah holiday, he met with old friends, his father told reporters. The Shalits are starting to learn that they have to maneuver to avoid the paparazzi. On Saturday, Shalit and his father left home early and took a side road to evade photogra-
Courtesy of Israel Defense Forces/Flash 90
Gilad Shalit making his way to his home in Mitzpe Hila as a free man, more than five years after he was taken captive by terrorists, Oct. 18, 2011.
phers on their way to a beach outing reportedly at Gilad’s request. But a photographer from Haaretz was camping on the beach with his fam-
ily and snapped a photo of the soldier swimming near the shore as his father watched over him. “In the last few years I have
taken many photographs of the Shalit family surrounded by countless cameras,” photographer Yaron Kaminsky told his newspaper. “It was nice to just run into them like that, at the beach, during Gilad’s first Saturday since being freed from captivity.” Kaminsky said he told Noam Shalit that he had taken the photo and received his tacit approval to publish it. Meanwhile, supporters and curiosity seekers continue to flock to Mitzpe Hila for a glimpse of Gilad or simply to have their photo taken in front of the Shalit family home. Many are leaving flowers, drawings and packages containing candy and other gifts for the family. Noam has provided reporters with several updates since his son returned. On Oct. 20, he said he does not believe Hamas’ claims that Gilad was not tortured while in captivity. “Gilad went through harsh things, at least in the first period. It is correct that after that, after that first period, the way he was treated improved,” the elder Shalit said. During the same news conference in front of the family home, Noam Shalit also told reporters that Gilad had an appetite for food but that he was having trouble sleeping through the night. On the day of his release, Gilad appeared wan and pale. Noam added that his son had few requests and that he was “going with the flow.”
How a new Israeli attache renounced his U.S. citizenship By Eli Groner Jewish Telegraphic Agency TEL AVIV (JTA) — After being named Israel’s minister for economic affairs to the United States, Eli Groner was required by U.S. law to revoke his U.S. citizenship. The following is the statement he submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv upon his renunciation. Because I love America, it is with hesitant hands and a heavy heart that I am writing this note. I never expected to request revocation of my citizenship, and while I certainly understand the circumstances requiring me to do so, it is important for me to share with you why I have decided to take this step. The United States has a perfectly sensible law that does not allow for diplomats from foreign countries serving in the U.S. to hold U.S. citizenship. The fact that this is eminently reasonable doesn’t make this any less difficult. Much of who I am is based on my childhood in the U.S.; as a 4thgeneration American growing up in quintessential Small-Town America, the values inculcated in me in school and at home were American. Many of those values
are shared by Israel, which I believe to be the destined homeland for Jewish people of all nations. As Israel builds its place among the nations, it has much to learn not only from its Jewish and biblical roots, but also from the ideological foundations which built the United States of America – the greatest country of the past 240 years. Every week in synagogue, Jews around the world read a portion of the Bible. Last week, we read the Ten Commandments. One of the many lessons of these commandments is that the Jewish nation left Egypt not simply to survive, but rather with a greater purpose of building a just and moral society. Now, some 3,300 years after the revelation at Sinai and 63 years after the establishment of the State of Israel — two of the most momentous occasions in Jewish history — the guidance from Sinai is all the more relevant. In this spirit, a very small piece of what Israel needs to do is to continually strengthen its economic foundations. Like other dimensions required in building the State of Israel, I consider this to be my generation’s holy work; therefore, when I was asked by Israel’s
Finance Minister to serve as the country’s Minister of Economic Affairs to Washington, the decision to accept was easy. That doesn’t make my decision any less painful.
Courtesy of JTA
Eli Groner says he revoked his U.S. citizenship with a “heavy heart” when he became Israel’s minister for economic affairs to the United States.
I will never forget the horrific terrorist attacks of 9/11, which took place roughly two miles from my classroom where I was beginning my graduate school studies. At the time, there was significant uncertainty as to how the United States would react. A very close, very educated friend of mine told me that
day — as we walked uptown amidst the rubble in the traffic-less streets of one of the greatest cities on earth — that America didn’t have the stomach to deal with the terrorists the way they needed to be dealt with. He said that America had gotten too complacent. Fortunately for mankind, my good friend was wrong, as President George W. Bush announced to the world that America would not rest until the people responsible would be dealt with – a promise eventually fulfilled by President Barack Obama. When I saw President Bush’s proclamation that day, I thought that here is a man who understands that the price of liberty is, indeed, eternal vigilance. I thought of that moment five years later when my professional career in the world of management consulting took me to one of the world’s leading investment banks. I was commuting from my home in a Jerusalem suburb to London’s Canary Wharf each week to work on what the bulge bracket bank defined as its number one strategic objective for that year. Three months into the six-month project, I was drafted by my reserve unit for the Second Lebanese War. While many of my international
colleagues and clients thought I had lost my mind, the decision for me to leave that project to go assist in destroying terrorist cells in Lebanese villages was an easy one. It was exceptionally frightening, yet easy. For I grew up in America, and I had been taught that personal commitments must be made to ensure a land of the free and a home for the brave. One can love two countries just as one loves two parents. Today, I voluntarily give up my citizenship, but I do not give up my values; indeed, in giving up my citizenship to help further the economic development and strength of Israel in a diplomatic role, I believe I am living those values I was educated to cherish. During my 10 years of schooling in wonderful Upstate New York, I pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States each and every day. And today, more than ever and despite the renunciation of my citizenship, I remain committed to the Republic for which it stands. G-d bless America; land that I love. (Eli Groner wrote this statement in August. He begins his post in Washington on Oct. 24.)
SOCIAL LIFE • 11
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
Mercaz begins its 2011-2012 School Year with exciting new classes! Mercaz started the year on September 11th with a dinner and social prior to classes beginning. A homemade meal sponsored by Mitch and Sherry Cohen was a great way to start the evening. This fall we are offering another one of our “Experiencing Jewish Education through the Arts” Courses, Focus your Jewish Lens, a photography class with a focus on Jewish History. We are excited to have Carole Lichty-Smith and professional Photographer and Teacher leading this class on the technical side. We also are proud to have our Community Shliach, Yair Cohen, teaching a course entitled Israel Here I Come, where students learn what they may not have seen when visiting Israel as well as new things to look at if they haven’t yet been there. We are also offering a wide variety of courses such as; Zap Pow Bam Oy: Graphics Novel, the Magic of Midrash, Conversational Hebrew, Holocaust, Kabbalah, Everything I Learned about Judaism I learned from Star Trek, JEWGLE (using the Internet to learn about Israel), Jews and Sports and Kabbalah, to name a few! Mercaz meets on Sunday nights from 6:30-8:30 pm and has a monthly pre-Mercaz dinner and social beginning at 5:30. It is open to any Jewish teen in 8-12th grades regardless of affiliation.
Students enjoy the home cooked dinner before Mercaz sponsored by the Cohen family. This is an opportunity for them to catch up with their old friends and make new ones!
Brandon and Jared hanging out at the dinner before classes begin.
Ethan, Jordan, Anna & Allison in Rabbi Wise’s class where they will learn about the Conservative views on death, dying and the afterlife.
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Mercaz begins its 2011-2012 School Year
Sharon Spiegel, the Coordinator for the Chaverim M’Yisrael program, Jenna (Mercaz office assistant) and our Chaverim for the 2011-2012 school year, Danielle and Roni.
Students in Elana Kuperstein Rosen’s Zap Pow Bam Oy! Graphic Novel class gear up to learn about graphic novels by Jewish artists and about Jewish superheroes!
Students have time to socialize during our snack break between classes each week.
More social time during snack.
Dena, Allison and Ethan learn about Kabbalah.
Students go outside and start to learn how to use their cameras in the Focus your Jewish Lens course. This assignment had them taking photos of things from different levels, not just their eye level.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
CINCINNATI JEWISH LIFE • 13
Ben checks out the photos he has taken so far. Later in the evening the students learned how to do light drawings with their cameras.
Becca turns the camera on the other photographers! During the class the students will not only learn the skills to become a better photographer they will also be exploring their Jewish history at the same time.
The Senior Class meets with their teacher, HUC student Brent Gutmann, as they begin their final year of exploration at Mercaz.
Elana and Angela have been friends since before they started Mercaz 5 years ago. Coming each week allows them to continue to see each other on a regular basis.
Everything I learned about Judaism I learned form Star Trek students.
Conversational Hebrew with Zahava is a great way for students to keep the Hebrew skills that they have sharp and learn something new!
JEWGLE class will use their phones and the internet to investigate new information about Israel.
Hanging out with our new Chaverim M'Yisrael at the Pre-Mercaz dinner and social!
14 • DINING OUT
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Superb Chinese food at Johnny Chan 2 By Sondra Katkin Dining Editor Framed by floor to ceiling windows, the dining rooms at Johnny Chan 2 Chinese restaurant were filled with the light of the sunny day. The spacious rooms, tablecloths, linen napkins and Asian art basked in the sun’s rays and enhanced the jewel tones of the fresh ingredients chef, owner Frank Shi serves his customers. His mantra is, “everything must be fresh, very fresh.” He added, “We get frequent deliveries, baby corn, pea pods, cabbage, water chestnuts, broccoli, carrots, bamboo shoots and hand cut everything every day. I’m the chef and keeping food fresh is the number one important thing.” He studied his craft in China and has been cooking since he was 17. In the 13 he’s managed Chan’s, it has been named “Best of Taste” for best appetizer and seafood entree in the top 100 Chinese restaurants in the U.S. and awarded three and one half stars by the “Enquirer.” Perhaps he’s on to something. Shi has excellent sauces for his selections, ranging from savory brown to light, white wine. The menu also includes a diet section with sauce on the side. My friend Judy orders the chicken with string beans because, “it’s healthy, the sauce doesn’t overwhelm and I feel like I’m doing something good for myself.” She is an avid international traveler and a brilliant chef in her own home. I was glad to visit a place she thinks so highly of. She also praised the chef and his wife as superb cooks whose sushi her grandchildren adore. The carryout is another outstanding feature she noted. “It’s nicely packaged so it will stay hot for you and they help you to your car.” A patron of Chan’s for many years, she is friends with the staff, especially Yu Yu, a hostess, server she introduced me to when we dined there together. When I interviewed her for this article, she reminded me that they serve Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve buffets. Some friends took me there for Christmas and explained that that’s what the Jews do on Christmas. Yu Yu corroborated this: “We’re full of Jews on that day.” Definitely make a reservation. Judy pointed out that, “There is easy access from Interstate 71 to North/South Indians Indo Chinese
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(Clockwise) Charming hostess/server Yu Yu with dessert delectables; Chinese “tchatchkalas,” fine china, porcelain and other imported collectibles; Kitchen artistry, a ravishing, radish rose; Wall of windows brightens front facade of Johnny Chan; You won’t scale back on these tasty scallion pancakes; Golden almond cookie, luscious lychees with strawberry, creamy chocolate confection and cream puff; Hearty and tasty Mongolian beef.
Harper’s Point (where Chan’s is located) with a splendid amount of parking, and if you should run out of milk, Kroger is practically next door.” When asked if she spoke from experience, she replied, “Absolutely.” I thanked her for being of great assistance to me. Friends, food, fun — a trio of unbeatable entertainment. Chef Shi spoke quickly, enthusiastically describing the preparation of each selection and had the food on the table “lickety split.” His energy and passion were reflected in the efficiency and professional service from his staff. We sat in a comfortable booth and shared chicken with vegetables and Mongolian beef. Both were accompanied by rice. The beef was crispy with a pungent, scallion taste. Shi explained, “(the) shredded meat is crisped in oil; we stir fry by hand with hot fire, then add soy sauce for (a) stronger flavor.” This process added a glaze, and with the contrasting dark green scallions and white onions had a pleasing plate presence. Our other entree, with its white wine sauce and enough vegetables to satisfy your mother’s requirement for a healthy diet, was sublimely delicious. It’s
exhausting to contemplate the labor required to prepare this veggie list: broccoli, baby corn, cabbage, pea pods, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, carrots and mushrooms. Now, there’s a good reason to eat out. In both selections, the amount of meat was generous; no need to ask, “Where’s the beef?” I was there in the late afternoon when the buffet was winding down like an old victrola. Yet, I did manage to sample one of my favorite comfort foods (a regular on the buffet), the scallion pancake. It is like a very flat foccacia that you bite into and suddenly the most heavenly fried onion flavor permeates your taste buds and makes you wonder if you need any other lunch. There is also a tangy sauce to dip it into. Excess is best. Now to pile it on; they have more desserts than I’ve ever seen on a Chinese lunch buffet. A fresh fruit selection was improved by lychee nuts which taste like cherries only they’re white. I have loved these little delights since childhood when restaurants actually gave away the dried lychees in Philadelphia’s “Chinatown.” Crunchy, almond cookies were begging to be dipped in my hot Chinese tea as I enjoyed
the soft, Brahms lullaby coming from the speakers. Two pastries completed the dessert choices, cream puffs and a layered chocolate confection that instantly melted in your mouth. Dessert and classical music, wow. Yu Yu’s favorite dinner is the mango entree with sweet peppers and sweet and sour sauce “because (it’s) very healthy for your body; (it doesn’t have) heavy gravy.” She also likes the orange chicken, made with orange peel and orange sauce. Calling Chan’s a family friendly restaurant, she described the children’s choices, designated by a tiger, panda or lion, as combinations of tasty chicken and vegetables prepared with fried rice. Two aquariums filled with colorful, tropical fish, fairy tale sea sculptures and graceful greenery were points of attraction for this old child. The menu offers a large array of Asian choices including Moo-Shu style dishes, appetizers such as minced chicken with lettuce cups, egg and spring rolls, edamame and sesame noodles; soups, meat and seafood dinners, noodle specialties, and many vegetarian selections. There are various house specialties that I would love to try. The Kung
Pao delight with beef, chicken, vegetables and peanuts in spicy brown sauce, served in a crisp, fried nest sounds particularly intriguing. They have artists in the kitchen and this sounds like a dish they would hone their skills on. Another creation, a carved “radish” that resembled a rose, more beautiful than any I’ve ever been able to grow in my garden, is served with the sesame chicken and General Tao’s chicken. Johnny Chan 2 offers full bar service, wines by the glass or bottle, domestic, imported and Chinese beer (Dsingtao), cocktails and tropical drinks. They cater banquet menus and prepare party trays to go. The restaurant is open for buffet lunch Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and for dinner buffet on Monday from 6 – 8:30 p.m. Regular hours are Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Johnny Chan 2 The Shops at Harper’s Point 11296 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, OH 45249 513-489-2388
DINING OUT • 15
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16 • OPINION
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A triumph of the heart
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Dear Editor, To those against ISSUE 2 (voting No), please ask yourself this: If we allow firefighters and police officers full union powers shouldn’t we also allow members of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines the same right? Then who could object if the military, backed by the solidarity and clout of the Teamsters, UAW, et al, struck or developed an “olive drab flu” during (or creating) a national emergency? Vote YES on Ohio Issue 2— preserve the power and control of emergency workers to those we’ve elected to manage these public employees. Chuck Klein, Former police officer Georgetown, Ohio Dear Editor, The United Nations will soon consider the application of the Palestinians for admission to full membership or, at least, official visitor status. Surely the world has not forgotten that last week Israel exchanged over 1,000— including murderers—for the release of only Gilad Shalit who was held hostage for five years for the sole crime of being a 19year-old Israeli soldier assigned to border patrol. Hamas has just publicly announced, and Prime Minister Abbas has condoned by his silence, that their future strategy
should be kidnapping Israeli civilians and soldiers so that they can negotiate future unbalanced prisoner exchanges. Will the U.N. seriously consider a favorable vote on the Palestinian application when they advocate such uncivilized and heinous acts? Jerome S. Teller Cincinnati, Ohio Dear Editor, On Oct. 10, an amazing film presentation hosted by Cincinnati Hillel was held to celebrate and raise awareness for National Coming Out Day, a national LGBTQ holiday. On Oct. 11, the LGBTQ community has a holiday for those willing to come out and be proud of their true selves, along with also raising awareness of support systems for those individuals. Hillel along with the collaboration of the following organizations: Women’s Center of UC, LGBTQ Center of UC, Judaic Studies Department, Women, Gender and Sexuality Department and Binah Jewish Women’s Group, saw the day before this national event as a way to get some of UC’s students and faculty together to show that there is a great support system for LGBTQ students on campus. The movie titled, “Heneini: Coming out in a Jewish High school,” was produced by Keshet, an inclusion advocacy group for LGBTQ Jews in their Jewish jour-
neys. More information on Keshet can be found at Keshet’s website. Following the showing of this teenage girl’s inspiring journey to create a gay straight alliance in a pluralistic Jewish High school was a panel discussion lead by Rabbi Elana Dellal, the director of Hillel Jewish StudentCenter. With her thank you to the 75 students and faculty in attendance, she discussed the importance of a support system for queer identifying students and how UC’s Hillel is one of those supports along with the rest of the organizations that helped out in this great event. Following her was the rest of the panel that included Dr. Gila Naveh, Department Head of Judaic Studies, Leisan Smith, Programming Director of the LGBTQ Center, and Hebrew Union College Rabbinical Students Ariel Naveh and Dana Benson. Each one of the panelists talked about how they think it is important for LGBTQ students to feel a sense of community. Hillel and the supporting organizations for the event understand the need for this community and by having this film presentation, they have started the building blocks to create this important network. To find out more information on the support systems around the University of Cincinnati, contact one of the many organizations that held this event. Hannah Henschel UC student LETTERS on page 22
T EST Y OUR T ORAH KNOWLEDGE THIS WEEK’S PORTION: NO’ACH (GENESIS 6:9—11:32) 1. What sin caused the flood? a.) Rampant stealing b.) Murder c.) Idolatry 2. What sign did Hashem give that the flood would not reoccur? a.) Rainbow b.) Northern lights c.) Solar eclipse his mind. Rashi 3. C—9:20 Noah brought grapevines and branches from fig trees into the ark to plant after the
flood. However, he should not plant the grapevine first. Rashi 4. B—9:21 Noah was unable to have anymore children afterward. Rashi
Elijah G. Plymesser is a new immigrant to Israel living in Jerusalem, and a former Cincinnati resident. He is currently completing his MA thesis on the Israeli-Bedouin land struggle in the Negev.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
3. What did Noah do after the flood? a.) Invent the wheel b.) Build pyramids c.) Plant a vineyard 4. Did this venture end on a positive note? a.) Yes b.) No decree was sealed because of theft. 2. A—9:13,14 The rainbow shows that Hashem thought of bringing darkness to the world, but changed
Last week something very peculiar and unprecedented happened in Israel. One man, a young Israeli soldier, was returned home to his family in exchange for the release of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. 1:1,027. Not a very favorable or even logical ratio. While the flurry of media coverage and op-eds have already covered every conceivable angle of this prisoner exchange— from the initial Egyptian “interview” to Gilad’s first visit to the beach in five years—fewer have sought to analyze the core motivator of such an illogical exchange. Most striking about this exchange is the discrepancy in how it was viewed by American Jews versus their Israeli counterparts. Though some Americans were sympathetic to the idea of bringing Shalit home at all costs, the dissenters were many, citing Israeli leaders’ willingness to both negotiate with terror groups and upend the rule of law as a very foolish path to go down. The first distinction between the American and Israeli reactions lies with the overall relationship between society and the military; the entwined reality of the two in Israel make for a more sympathetic and understanding public. Whereas in America our own captured troops receive very little, if any, media attention, the opposite is true in Israel, because at some point in time everyone in Israel is in that person’s shoes (or boots more accurately). Naysayers claim that if Israel can’t make the kinds of heart-wrenching tough choices required in such an intractable conflict, her position will invariably continue to be one of disadvantage when dealing with Palestinians. But even in such darkness there is a speck of light, the light of solidarity, the love between brothers and sisters who are willing to stop at nothing to get one of their own back into safe hands. For the past five years everyone in Israel was Noam and Aviva Shalit. In an essay published this past summer in Commentary, Daniel Gordis, the director of Jerusalem think-tank The Shalem Center, wrote about the changing attitude of young Jews toward Israel, particularly focusing on young rabbinic students. One of his main points was on the evolving notion of Jewish particularism, the type of “us” and “them” attitude that many Jews my age are taught is bad in contemporary Western-liberal democracies. Yet it is this tenacious idea of “us” and “them” that has led to Jewish continuity in the face of adversity, and has led us to care for our own before caring for others. Which is something that sounds
very much crass and selfish, yet is at the heart of the idea of the Jewish “peoplehood.” He writes that, “today’s universalism leaves no room for the particularism that has long been at the core of Jewish life” and attributes it to the relative safety, comfort and assimilation of American Jews. This is the dividing line between the American and Israeli responses to the exchange of Shalit for over a thousand Palestinian prisoners, some of whom committed the most heinous crimes of the second Intifada. The issue of negotiating with terrorists can be explained quite easily, in that whether we like it or not, they (Hamas) are the de facto government of Gaza, and in some capacity must be engaged if we want our ends achieved. These are our neighbors, and though we happen to view them as terrorists (which they are) they must be engaged. Unlike the U.S., Israel has been negotiating with terrorists for decades now. In a place where Jewish nationalism is much more integral, taking care of “us” trumped our distaste for “them.” Hamas will not stop trying to kidnap soldiers, prisoner exchange or not, and in all likelihood, Israel will not stop caring deeply for the lives of its children. As for upending the rule of law, if this indeed is a democracy then it is no doubt that the will of an overwhelming majority was carried out by bringing Shalit home. The families of victims from terror attacks carried out do indeed have the sympathy of the Israeli public, but it is our tradition and heritage to honor and pursue life rather than glorify death. As someone who will soon be drafted into the IDF, I take comfort in the knowledge that my government and my society will do whatever it takes to ensure me and my fellow citizens’ protection. It is my sincerest hope that future exchanges will not be so asymmetric, but they will continue to occur so long as terror groups continue to take hostages and the Israeli public demands their release. The Shalit swap was a momentous event in Israeli history, one in which the heart won out over cold calculation. “Us” versus “them” triumphed, and though it may not seem so, perhaps we are the ones who have won the numbers game for it is our single person who is worth 1,000 of theirs. Upcoming: A look at the celebrations of the Shalit Prisoner exchange from Israeli and Palestinian perspectives.
Written by Rabbi Dov Aaron Wise
ANSWERS 1. A—6:11-13. Rashi explains that mankind had become steeped in both immorality and theft, but the
Elijah G. Plymesser Guest Editor
JEWISH LIFE • 17
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
Sedra of the Week
by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Noah is the towering but complex personality who dominates this week’s biblical portion. On the one hand, he is a “man of righteousness, wholehearted in his generation; Noah walked with G-d” (Genesis 6:9). Indeed, he is so pious in the eyes of G-d that he alone (with his immediate family) is deemed worthy of surviving the deluge brought upon the world as the consequence of human perversion and violent conduct. Nevertheless, the very same individual becomes drunk toward the end of his life and fails to emerge as one of the patriarchs of the burgeoning Hebrew nation. Where and why does Noah not quite “make it?” Names are very significant in describing — and perhaps even foretelling — the characteristics of biblical personalities. Abram, the exalted father, becomes Abraham, the “father of a multitude of nations,” and Jacob, the “heel-sneak,” is transformed into Israel, the “one who will enable G-d to triumph,” or “the individual who has emerged triumphant from both human and divine encounters.” Let us explore Noah’s name and how it — and he — played out in his lifetime. At the end of last week’s biblical reading of Bereishit, we read how Methuselah was a descendant of Adam from the lineage of Seth, and he “begat” Lamech, who in turn “begat” Noah; and Noah received his name because “this one shall comfort us (yenahamenu) from our work and from the anguished toil of our hands, extracting produce from the earth which the Lord had cursed” (Gen. 5:29). The classical commentary Rashi immediately points out that according to the biblical explanation, he should have been named Menahem, the one who will give comfort. He would have fulfilled the role of a second Adam who would guide humanity out of its exile and back to Eden. This would also provide a most apt play on words, contrasting with the idea that G-d will soon “regret (vayinahem) that he ever made the human
SHABBAT SHALOM: PARSHAT NOAH GENESIS 6:9-11:32
In his own conduct, he always acted properly; but when G-d told him to build an ark to save his family from an impending flood, he neither remonstrated with G-d to save the world, nor did he remonstrate with the people to change their evil ways. All he could do and be was Noah, to make life easier and more comfortable through technology. being on earth” due to mankind’s rampant immorality (Gen. 6:6). Noah would be the antidote and comfort for G-d’s discomfiture with His human creation. However, this is not quite how things work out. Noah means “ease” or “comfort” (nohiut, a place for rest and refreshment) rather than the comfort (nehama) that comes from making up for a human loss or for a human failing by giving those who have fallen the strength and courage to rise once again. This was the biblical hope for Noah, that he would teach the new world the importance of being righteous, and that through compassionate righteousness and moral justice, the exile would end and the world would be perfected in the kingship of G-d. But Noah was somehow unequipped to give over this message. He could not assume the role suggested by his name Menahem (comforter). He was never a people person, given to inspire others with the desire to do what was righteous and good. In his own conduct, he always acted properly; but when G-d told him to build an ark to save his family from an impending flood, he neither remonstrated with G-d to save the world, nor did he remonstrate with the people to change their evil ways. All he could do and be was Noah, to make life easier and more comfortable through technology. And so explains Rashi, in his commentary on the verse that gives Noah his name: “Until Noah came into the world, there were no implements such as the plow, which Noah fashioned for them. Until then, when the people planted wheat [with their hands], the earth would bring forth thorns and thistles as a result of G-d’s curse
of Adam. In the days of Noah, the farmers were able to take it easier [because of the plow]” (Rashi, Gen. 5:29). Noah was not a rabbi comforter, spurring humanity on to perfect itself; he was rather Dr. Take-It-Easy, inventing the technology to help people relax. He should have been an outreach preacher, but instead he became an isolated technologist. Perhaps he lacked the self-confidence and the profound faith in G-d’s message to enable him to charismatically reach out to others. When the biblical text hints that he entered the ark only “because of the waters of the deluge,” that he waited until the flood made it impossible for him to live in his home before he went into the ark, Rashi calls Noah a “man of little faith” – G-d’s word alone was not sufficient for him (Rashi on Gen. 7:7). Perhaps this is what the Bible is hinting at when our sacred text records Noah’s drunkenness. Only an individual who doesn’t believe in himself and in the divine within him would require external stimuli such as alcohol or drugs to give him the “high” rather than developing his own inner powers and strengths. Whatever the reason, clearly Noah was not on the same level as Abraham, the man who “walked before G-d” to prepare the way and reached out to “make souls” inspired to emulate G-d’s righteous ways. That’s why Abraham is considered the first Hebrew and not Noah. Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Chancellor Ohr Torah Stone Chief Rabbi — Efrat Israel
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18 • JEWZ IN THE NEWZ
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By Nate Bloom Contributing Columnist KOPPEL COMEBACK Veteran TV news journalist TED KOPPEL, 71, has signedon as a correspondent for the new NBC newsmagazine, “Rock Center” (Starts Monday, Oct. 31, at 10PM). Anchored by Brian Williams, the program replaces “The Playboy Club,” a drama that premiered last month and never found an audience. Koppel, of course, was the first host of ABC’s “Nightline” and stayed with that newsmagazine for 25 years. Other “Rock” correspondents include Meredith Viera and Harry Smith, with the “Today” show’s MATT LAUER, 53, listed as a “Rock” contributor. (Lauer, who is secular, is the son of a Jewish father/non-Jewish mother.) Koppel was born in Britain, the son of German Jewish refugees. He came to the States when he was 13. There’s a persistent false story that Koppel converted to Catholicism. In his autobiography, Koppel explains that his wife is Catholic and for a time they attended a Unitarian church as a compromise. Neither found it satisfactory, he says, and he went back to being a synagogue member and she went to Catholic services. Their children, he wrote, were exposed to both faiths. (His daughter, ANDREA KOPPELPOLLACK, 47, formerly a CNN reporter, and now Director of International Communications for the Red Cross, wed foreign policy expert KENNTH POLLACK, 45, in a Jewish ceremony.) HALLOWEEN TRIVIA TREATS The American candy business is dominated by three big companies (Hershey, Nestle and Mars) that have squeezed out or taken over most of their competitors. Most of the remaining “players” are small regional companies or niche gourmet firms. The Tootsie Roll Company is a stand-out survivor. While nowhere as big as the big three, it has managed to prosper as a mid-size company by deftly acquiring other smaller candy companies that made a candy or candies with a strong national or regional following. Among its iconic brands are Tootsie Rolls, Dots, Charms, Double Bubble, Charleston Chew, Cella’s Chocolates and Sugar Babies. The history of the company goes back to 1896 when an Austrian Jewish immigrant, LEO HIRSCHFELD, invented the Tootsie Roll candy in New York City. Hirschfeld died in 1922, shortly after leaving the company that made Tootsie Rolls. The same year, the Tootsie Roll Company
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went public. Enter WILLIAM RUBIN and his wife, CELE RUBIN. William made cardboard boxes for Tootsie Rolls. Cele bought stock in the company and encouraged relatives to do the same. In 1935, the Tootsie Roll Company had hit hard times and the Rubins took over. Their daughter, ELLEN RUBIN GORDON, now 80, attended Vassar for a couple of years and left (1950) to marry MELVIN GORDON, now 92. Ellen got her college degree from Brandeis in 1965 and, in 1978, succeeded her husband as president and CEO of Tootsie Roll. She still holds those posts. In 1968, the company moved from Hoboken, N.J. to Chicago. (Melvin’s sister, NATALIE GORDON STONE, who died in 2010, once served as vice-president of the New York Jewish Federation. One of Ellen and Melvin’s daughters, KAREN GORDON MILLS, 58, is currently head of the federal Small Business Administration. Her husband, BARRY MILLS, is president of Bowdoin College, a fine school in Maine.) In 2009, the original Tootsie Roll candy and Dots got their kosher certificate from the Orthodox Union (some other Tootsie products had long been kosher). Last year, Ellen Gordon told the Chicago Jewish News that she had thought about making the company’s products kosher for some time. She said: “We found that we were actually using all kosher ingredients and (the products) were really kosher. We were just not certified. We contacted the OU and they came in, looked everything over and certified us. We’re very excited and pleased.” It is believed that the Gordons intend that one or more of their daughters will succeed their mother as head(s) of the company. Last year, a re-make of the 1941 horror classic, “The Wolf Man,” came out. The re-make got so/so reviews, but it did result in a flurry of publicity about CURT SIODMAK (1902-2000), the original’s screenwriter. Siodmak, who was a famous science fiction novelist as well as a film writer, was born in Germany to Polish Jewish parents. He fled Nazi Germany in 1933 and settled in Hollywood. While Sidomak didn’t invent the myth of the werewolf, he created from his imagination most of the werewolf legends, including being marked with a pentagram star and being invulnerable to anything but a silver bullet. The director of the remake, JOHN LANDIS, commented: “Siodmak knew full well the real-world significance of people marked for death with the sign of a star.”
FROM THE PAGES 100 Y EARS A GO Miss Clara Huttenbauer, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Huttenbauer, was married to Mr. August Levy, Wednesday evening, Dr. Grossman performing the service. The wedding took place in the parlors of the Sinton Hotel. Mrs. Sophie Krouse Kaichen, wife of Mr. Louis Kaichen, and youngest daughter of Mrs. and the late Mr. Jacob Krouse, died Friday at her residence 270 Helen Avenue, Mt. Auburn, after a lingering illness. The funeral took place Sunday afternoon and was largely attended. The deceased is survived by her husband and one daughter, Louise. Dr. Grossman officiated at the Chapel of the United Jewish Cemetery. Mr. Leo F. Wormser, a prominent young attorney of Chicago, IL and Miss Helen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Goldsmith, were married Monday evening, at the Sinton Hotel. Dr. Louis Grossman performed the services in the presence of a large number of invited guests and Dr. T. Schanfarber of Chicago pronounced the blessing. The young couple have gone to the Pacific Coast and on their return will make their home in Chicago. An unusual honor has been accorded Mrs. Moses Buttenwieser, wife of Dr. Moses Buttenwieser of the Hebrew Union College, by the publication of an article on “The Obstinate Child” in the current issue of a magazine edited by Dr. Stanley Hall, which is the recognized authority on educational science, and accepts only articles of unusual merit. Mrs. Buttenwieser gave a number of the ideas embodied in her article in a talk before the Susan B. Anthony club some time ago. — October 26, 1911
75 Y EARS A GO (Special to The American Israelite) LONDON – Will King Edward VIII turn his attention to London’s domestic situation after his own domestic situation has been solved? Some observers believe that if and when the British public decides to permit the King to lead his own life (now that his friend Mrs. Ernest “Wally” Simpson, and divorced Mr. Simpson), the monarch will act quickly and effectively to take East London from warring Communist-Fascist forces and give it back to democracy. Sir John Simon, British Home Minister, has placed before the King a series of proposed recommendations to end Blackshirt (Fascist) rioting against Jews in the London’s East End, says the Worldwide News Service. Mrs. B. Grad and family, 727 S. Crescent Avenue, have received word of the installation of their son, Rabbi Allan Tarshish, as rabbi of Beth Israel congregation in Hazelton, Pa. On Friday night, Oct. 18th, installation services were conducted in the Temple before a large group of other congregations and leaders of the Hazelton community. Rabbi Jacob Tarshish,
now known as the Lamplighter through his broadcasting over WOR, WLW and affiliated stations, installed his cousin, Rabbi Allan Tarshish responded. BERLIN — Jews in Germany who have managed to retain something of their businesses despite the Nazi boycott and other forms of economic persecution now face complete ruin as a result of an order demanding that all Jews deposit within eight days a sum equal to the Reich escape tax which they must pay if and when they leave Germany. This tax is equivalent to 25% of their total property and the new order therefore amounts to confiscation of 25% of the property of all Jews. — October 29, 1936
50 Y EARS A GO The Sigma Delta Tau Mother’s Club will sponsor a card party and bake sale Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. at 2121 Sunnybrook Drive. Mrs. Mable Shure is chairman with Mrs. Herman Stein, tickets; Mesdames Manny Kahn and Morris Streicher, bake sale; Mrs. Ephrahm Roth, prizes; Mrs. Maurice Golding, refreshments. A son was born Wednesday, Oct. 18, to Mr. and Mrs. John Grossman (Claire Rothenberg) of Santa Cruz, Calif. The infant has two sisters, Cynthia and Deborah, and a brother Daniel. The grandparents are Dr. and Mrs. Robert Rothenberg, Cincinnati, and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Grossman, Cincinnati. The great-grandparents are Mrs. Leo Weston and Mrs. Sadie Buram. Jack Kroll, a vice president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America and manager of the Cincinnati Joint Board, will be honored by labor and industry leaders at a testimonial dinner, Wednesday, Nov. 8, at the Netherland Hilton. Mr. Kroll will be honored for his contribution to friendship and co-operation between labor in the United States and Israel. Proceeds will be used to further training facilities for immigrants in Israel in the name of Jack Kroll. The union has been a leading supporter of vocational training to help immigrants to become productive citizens of Israel. — October 26, 1961
25 Y EARS A GO Oliver Birckhead will be the Bonds for Israel honoree on December 7, 1986, as the Man-of-the-Year. As chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of the Central Trust Company, he has successfully led his corporation to be the largest Cincinnati Bank Holding Company. While doing this, Mr. Birckhead had given of his time and effort for many causes. He is known for many causes. He is known for his philanthropic work in a quiet and unassuming manner. Through Mr. Birckhead’s
efforts, the Central Trust Company has been the second largest purchaser of Israel Bonds in Cincinnati. He is a staunch supporter of Israel and has on several occasions made speeches to encourage purchase of bonds. Mr. Birckhead serves as director of Cincinnati Gas and Electric Company, the Union Central Life Insurance Company, and West Shell Inc. and is a trustee of the Cincinnati Art Museum. Mrs. Mildred (Dahlman) Gehler of 8505 Crestdale Court passed away Oct. 26. Mrs. Gehler was a past president of the Cincinnati chapter of Hadassah, a past member of Wise Temple and a present member of Temple Sholom and Temple Sholom Sisterhood. She was active in Unicef, the International Visitors Center, Ridge Roadsters, the Alzeheimer’s Association and many other community organizations. She is survived by her husband, Charles; three daughters, Gloria Frankel of Miami, Lynn Levinson of Honolulu and Valerie Gehler of Cincinnati; one brother, Arthur Dahlman of New Orleans; and four grandchildren, Stephanie and Jonathan Frankel, Jennifer and Joshua Levinson. She was the sister of the late Leonard Dahlman. — October 30, 1986
10 Y EARS A GO Past and present trustees of Cedar Village and its antecedents, Glen Manor and the Orthodox Jewish Home, voted Oct. 16 at a special meeting to change the admissions policy of Cedar Village. The new policy, while still giving preferential admission to Jewish applicants, will now allow non-Jews to be admitted to the residential facility. The policy change does not affect admissions to the Cedar Village apartments. No other regulations were changed. The home will still adhere to kosher dietary laws and all common areas will display only symbols and decorations related to Jewish festivals. Residents will be allowed to decorate private areas in their rooms as they wish. Maryleonne Ronsheim (nee Heyn), 91, passed away in Beachwood, Ohio, October 13, 2001. Mrs. Ronsheim was born in Cincinnati and she was the wife of the late Howard M. Ronsheim. She is survived by her children, Marilyn R. Berke of Cincinnati and Elaine R. and Marvin Berg of Moreland Hills, Ohio. Other survivors include her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The surviving grandchildren include: Stephen D. Hachen, Susan H. and Paul Stoffregen; Dr. Andrew E. and Janet Katz; Michael D. and Linda Katz; Sherrie K. and Andrew Rosen. The surviving great-grandchildren are: Lauren, Eric and Lindsay Stoffregen; Jim and Becky Katz; Jacob, Benjamin and Zachary Katz; and Josh Rosen. — October 25, 2001
BUSINESS / CLASSIFIEDS • 19
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Access (513) 373-0300 • jypaccess.org Big Brothers/Big Sisters Assoc. (513) 761-3200 • bigbrobigsis.org Camp Ashreinu (513) 702-1513 Camp at the J (513) 722-7226 • mayersonjcc.org Camp Livingston (513) 793-5554 • camplivingston.com Cedar Village (513) 754-3100 • cedarvillage.org Chevra Kadisha (513) 396-6426 Cincinnati Community Mikveh 513-351-0609 • cincinnatimikveh.org Fusion Family (513) 703-3343 • fusionnati.org Halom House (513) 791-2912 • halomhouse.com Hillel Jewish Student Center (513) 221-6728 • hillelcincinnati.org Jewish Community Center (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org Jewish Community Relations Council (513) 985-1501 Jewish Family Service (513) 469-1188 • jfscinti.org Jewish Federation of Cincinnati (513) 985-1500 • shalomcincy.org Jewish Foundation (513) 514-1200 Jewish Information Network (513) 985-1514 Jewish Vocational Service (513) 985-0515 • jvscinti.org Kesher (513) 766-3348 Plum Street Temple Historic Preservation Fund (513) 793-2556 Shalom Family (513) 703-3343 • myshalomfamily.org The Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education (513) 487-3055 • holocaustandhumanity.org Vaad Hoier (513) 731-4671 Workum Fund (513) 899-1836 • workum.org YPs at the JCC (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org
CONGREGATIONS Adath Israel Congregation (513) 793-1800 • adath-israel.org Beit Chaverim (513) 984-3393 Beth Israel Congregation (513) 868-2049 • bethisraelcongregation.net Congregation Beth Adam (513) 985-0400 • bethadam.org Congregation B’nai Tikvah (513) 759-5356 • bnai-tikvah.org Congregation B’nai Tzedek (513) 984-3393 • bnaitzedek.us Congregation Ohav Shalom (513) 489-3399 • ohavshalom.org
Congregation Ohr Chadash (513) 252-7267 • ohrchadashcincinnati.com Congregation Sha’arei Torah shaareitorahcincy.org Golf Manor Synagogue (513) 531-6654 • golfmanorsynagogue.org Isaac M. Wise Temple (513) 793-2556 • wisetemple.org Kehilas B’nai Israel (513) 761-0769 Northern Hills Synagogue (513) 931-6038 • nhs-cba.org Rockdale Temple (513) 891-9900 • rockdaletemple.org Temple Beth Shalom (513) 422-8313 • tbsohio.org Temple Sholom (513) 791-1330 • templesholom.net The Valley Temple (513) 761-3555 • valleytemple.com
EDUCATION Chai Tots Early Childhood Center (513) 234.0600 • chaitots.com Chabad Blue Ash (513) 793-5200 • chabadba.com Cincinnati Hebrew Day School (513) 351-7777 • chds.shul.net HUC-JIR (513) 221-1875 • huc.edu JCC Early Childhood School (513) 793-2122 • mayersonjcc.org Kehilla - School for Creative Jewish Education (513) 489-3399 • kehilla-cincy.com Mercaz High School (513) 792-5082 x104 • mercazhs.org Kulanu (Reform Jewish High School) 513-262-8849 • kulanucincy.org Regional Institute Torah & Secular Studies (513) 631-0083 Rockwern Academy (513) 984-3770 • rockwernacademy.org
ORGANIZATIONS American Jewish Committee (513) 621-4020 • ajc.org American Friends of Magen David Adom (513) 521-1197 • afmda.org B’nai B’rith (513) 984-1999 Hadassah (513) 821-6157 • cincinnati.hadassah.org Jewish Discovery Center (513) 234.0777 • jdiscovery.com Jewish National Fund (513) 794-1300 • jnf.org Jewish War Veterans (513) 204-5594 • jwv.org NA’AMAT (513) 984-3805 • naamat.org National Council of Jewish Women (513) 891-9583 • ncjw.org State of Israel Bonds (513) 793-4440 • israelbonds.com Women’s American ORT (513) 985-1512 • ortamerica.org.org
Camp Barney Medintz sets open house in Cinti Camp Barney Medintz, a summer resident camp of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, will present their annual musical slide production and dessert reception in Cincinnati on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m., at the home of Heidi and Robert Bardach. Jim Mittenthal, camp director, will meet with new and returning families, answer questions pertaining to the 2012 summer camp season and provide applications for registration. Camp Barney Medintz is located in the North Georgia Blue Ridge mountains on over 500 wooded acres surrounding two lakes just 75 miles NE of Atlanta. According to Mittenthal, the setting facilitates “every imaginable activity,” including water skiing, hydro-tubing, wake boarding, swimming, sailing, canoeing, the “Iceberg,” the “Rave” water trampoline, leaping off the “Blob” or soaring down the 180-foot “hurricane” water slide, horseback riding, campouts, “zipping” over 1,000 feet across Lake Wendy, whitewater rafting, tennis, all land/court sports, theater, crafts, music, Israeli culture, dance, radio, video, newspaper, mountain biking, climbing the adjacent
Appalachian Trail and a series of high-adventure rock climbing, rappelling and ropes courses. Specific age groups may also enjoy fencing, karate, ceramics or scuba diving! “Camp Barney,” celebrating its 50th summer season, has created “a unique community that is all about adventure and self discovery, exhilarating activities and exciting events, being in a strong culturally Jewish environment with special friends, all under the supervision of a carefully selected group of mature, talented, conscientious, loving, and enthusiastic staff,” said Mittenthal. Camp Barney annually develops new construction projects to improve its spectacular mountain facility. Recent additions include a major cultural and performing arts complex, an exciting new sports complex and “Food Network”-type camper kitchen, and the brand new Marcus Health Center. Inquiries about the 2012 summer season are again far exceeding previous years and each of the two- and four-week sessions is likely to fill to capacity very rapidly. For more information about Camp Barney contact us.
Israel Bonds launches new e-commerce site for online bond purchasing The Development Corporation for Israel/State of Israel Bonds has launched a user friendly e-commerce site that makes investing in Israel bonds a straightforward and convient process at any time, from any location. The e-commerce site marks a new phase for the Bonds organization, which, with its priority mission of expanding support for Israel, now provides the opportunity to express unity with just a few clicks. “Supporting Israel by investing in Israel bonds has never been easier,” noted chairman of the board, Richard Hirsch. “Users of the site will greatly appreciate its ease, functionality, and expediency.” First time users will need to complete a simple registration procedure, which entails creating an online profile and opening a new Israel Bonds account or linking pre-existing acconts. Upon completeion and once the new account is approved, site users will then be able to pruchase Israel bonds at their convenience.
Almost all Israel bonds currently offered by the Development Corporation for Israel/State of Israel Bonds are avaliable for purchase on the secure site. Purchases are expedited through electronic debiting of checking accounts. For invdividuals buying Israel bonds as gifts, the site offers purchasers the option of including a message and/or generating a gift card. For additional information, visit the new website.
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Dick Weiland endows Scholars Program In honor of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth Dr. O’dell M. Owens, president of Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, announced that Richard Weiland has gifted $500,000 to the college in memory of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. The funds will be earmarked for scholarships for deserving students from targeted communities. Shutttlesworth, who helped lift the civil rights struggle from a Southern battle to a national cru-
sade in the 1950s and ‘60s died earlier this month in Birmingham, Ala., at age 89. Weiland, a longtime Cincinnati campaigner and community activist, is founder and president of Richard Consulting Corporation that provides lobbying and mediation skills to over 60 companies and nonprofit organizations. He also plans on raising another $1.5 million for the Shuttlesworth Endowed Scholars Program. “We are deeply touched by Dick’s generous gift in memory of Rev. Shuttlesworth,” said Dr.
Owens. “What a perfect way to honor the legacy of a man who spent his life fighting to open doors for people to receive these kinds of opportunities.” “It will be a unique and we hope a national model,” Dr. Owens said. “I’ve been very fortunate in life,” Weiland said. “Education has always been important to me, and to Rev. Shuttlesworth. This is something important that I can do to honor his legacy, to honor the work O’dell is doing at Cincinnati State, and I am confident others will want to join me.”
Weiland said that he had discussed his plan with his children, Jeane, David and Fred Weiland before making the decision to give Cincinnati State $500,000. “The vote was 3-0” in favor, he said. In reference to the Cincinnati financier and philanthropist, Weiland said, “Carl Lindner taught me to ‘do your giving while you’re living,’ so I’m living by Carl’s edict.” Weiland’s renown philanthropy for decades in Greater Cincinnati includes the arts, civic and political circles. In June of this year he was honored with a “Peace of the
City” award in recognition of his tireless efforts for the betterment of the social service sector. The award ceremony also served as a fundraiser that contributed to 39 Cincinnati nonprofit organizations that includes human services, healthcare, education and the arts. Weiland serves on over 30 boards and commissions. Donations honoring Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth can be made online or by mail and made payable to the Cincinati State Foundation. For more information, please check Cincinnati State’s website.
The Goldstein Family Hospice of Cinti, Fernside Grief Center On Nov. 20, 2011 Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside, a center for grieving children, will celebrate the opening of the first and only grief center in the Tri-State area. The grief center will be located on the Hospice of Cincinnati campus in Blue Ash. Thanks to a meaningful gift from Eddie and Arlene Goldstein, the grief center will be permanently named The Goldstein Family Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside Grief Center, whose mission is to Promote Healing for Life After Loss. When Eddie Goldstein, vice chair of the Hospice of Cincinnati Board of Trustees, was asked why he and his wife Arlene were moved to make this gift he said the following: “Unresolved grief is one of the most prevalent, underserved and costly health issues that our country and our community face on a daily basis. Unresolved grief affects people for the balance of their lives and
Eddie and Arlene Goldstein
in many cases the lives of their children. This is true of adults who suffer the loss of a loved one. How much more so for a child who loses a loved one? And worst of all, a parent who loses a child? Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside address
this devastating health issue through their experienced, compassionate and caring outreach mission of grief support. These services are free and available to anyone in our community regardless of whether their loved one was cared for by Hospice of Cincinnati. Grief knows no demographics and has devastating effects. It cuts across all religions, ethnicities, income and age. Estimates show grief affects more than 135,000 people in the Greater Cincinnati area annually. A New York Times article cited an estimated 15 percent of the bereaved population remain in unresolved grief. These statistics are truly mind-boggling. “The Goldstein Family Grief Center will bring together the grief support of Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside, an affiliate of Hospice of Cincinnati, that our community has been blessed to receive for over 25 years. Last year Fernside’s support
group program reached 1,236 children, teens and adults affected by loss. Additionally, the program’s outreach on grief education reached 2,294 people. Fernside’s services include peer group sessions, school group sessions, crisis intervention, summer camp for grieving children and more. At the same time, Hospice of Cincinnati’s adult bereavement program touched 4,733 grieving adults in one of several ways, including group sessions, individual counseling, memorial services, telephone support, and more. “Now, The Goldstein Family Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside Grief Center brings all of these expert resources under one roof. This includes 10 full-time professional grief counselors who facilitate group, private,and off-premises grief support. The Hospice of Cincinnati mission is to create the best possible and most meaningful end-of-life experience for all who
need care and support in our community. Not only do we provide the very best end-of-life care for those who are making their final journey in this world, now, through the Goldstein Family Grief Center, we will bring healing to life after loss to anyone in our community who needs our help. Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside services are completely free of charge in fulfillment of their mission. These services are not paid for by private or government insurance but through charitable contributions. We are very proud to be an integral part of this most important mission and to have our family name attached to it. Arlene and I feel very blessed in many, many ways to be able to do this mitzvah. This grief center provides us with the perfect vehicle with which to leverage our personal desire to help make this world a better place, a true dwelling place for G-d.”
Indiana University Jewish Studies freshmen scholarships “If you’re considering the Indiana University Jewish Studies Program, then take a look at the courses they offer here. You will find unique and varied courses. Also, the Hebrew program is just incredible. In less than a month, we’ve covered everything that I learned over the past eighteen years, and we are already having conversations in Hebrew,” Rachel Crouch, Pomono, New York, Jewish Studies major/freshman. Indiana University welcomed one of its largest classes of incoming Jewish Studies freshmen majors this fall, including Jewish Studies scholarship recipients from all over the nation. The Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program at Indiana University is one of the major Jewish Studies programs in the country. With its large and highly accomplished faculty (27 faculty members drawn from 12 departments and enhanced by six endowed faculty chairs); its diverse and attractive course offerings —more than 60 courses a year with enrollments of more than
Professor Jason Mokhtarian (left) with Jewish Studies freshmen majors in September 2011.
1,600); its focus on education inside and outside the classroom; and its long-running junior year program at Hebrew University, Indiana University has come to be a
university chosen by top high school students and leaders because of the excellence and vibrancy of its Borns Jewish Studies Program. Nestled within a major research
university, the program offers an intimate learning environment with the type of personal attention normally associated with a small liberal arts college. 2011 freshman Jewish Studies major Amanda Phillips from Sarasota, Fla., wrote that “being a Jewish Studies student in such a large university has made this campus feel like a tightknit community. In just the few weeks that I have been here, I have already met so many other Jewish Studies majors which has helped me meet other people and get involved in other organizations on campus. I could not have asked for a better experience during these first couple of weeks.” The Indiana University Jewish Studies Program offers extensive scholarships, prizes, and internships that help to make a Jewish Studies education affordable. More than $75,000 was awarded to incoming freshmen in Fall 2011, and all Jewish Studies students — majors, Jewish sacred music students, certificate students, and Hebrew minor students — are eligible to apply for
scholarships and conference funding on an annual basis. Indiana University Jewish Studies is unique in its wide array of extracurricular activities sponsored by the program, its active Jewish Studies Student Association, the Jewish Studies Graduate Student Association, and its Yiddish Club; career counseling and support internships. What may be the greatest benefit of all for our students is the opportunity to be part of a community with other bright and highly motivated students from around the U.S. To pursue Jewish Studies at IU is to be part of a comprehensive and unusually caring program of studies, carefully built over four decades. There are few places that offer the range of intellectual, cultural, social and professional opportunities in Jewish Studies that IU can. Please check our website for information about application for incoming freshmen scholarships (deadline January 25, 2012), master’s degree program and fellowship applications.
FOOD / AUTOS • 21
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
Warm up with soups Zell’s Bites
by Zell Schulman Fall is upon us, the weather is getting cooler and it’s time to fill the freezer with soups! This time of year, I make my favorites, Moroccan vegetable soup and Vegetarian Chili. Many years ago, my late husband Mel and I traveled to Morroco with a group of Sephardic Jews from Cincinnati. The group was very kosher, and traveled with their own kosher cook. The Morroccan vegetable soup was one the Arabs made to break the fast of Ramadan. The kosher cook adapted it and served it to us for our Sabbath meal. Both the chili and the vegetable soup are hardy and quite filling. Add a salad or sandwich followed by dessert and you have a satisfying and delicious meal. VEGETARIAN CHILI Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients 1 cup cooked, basmati rice 2 teaspoon olive oil 2 medium onions, finely chopped 3 cups vegetable stock or one 14ounce box of vegetable broth 1 large, dried bay leaf 5 whole Allspice berries 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons salt 3 tablespoons chili powder 1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate 2 cups tomato sauce 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cups cooked pinto or northern beans or one 15-ounce can of beans Method 1. Cook the rice according to directions on the package. Set aside. Place the oil in a large pot, over medium high heat. Add the
onions and sauté 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Add the vegetable stock or broth. Bring to a boil. Tie the bay leaf and all spice berries in a small piece of cheesecloth. Add this, along with the remaining ingredients, to the pot. 2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Add the rice and simmer 15 more minutes. Stir well. Remove the bay leaf and berries before serving. RAMADAN SOUP — MOROCCAN VEGETABLE SOUP Serves 6-8 Ingredients 2 cups dried lentils 1 bunch celery with leaves 1 15-ounce can northern beans 2 small turnips, diced 2 pounds flanken, thinly sliced 3 medium potatoes, diced 2 medium onions, chopped 8 cups water 1/2 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 pound of vermicelli pasta 2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped or 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup parsley, chopped Roux 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups cold water 2 tablespoons vinegar Juice of one lemon Dash of cayenne pepper
Method 1. Soak the lentils overnight. In a heavy saucepan, sauté the meat and onions in oil. When meat is brown, add the tomatoes, parsley, celery, turnips, potatoes, water, salt and pepper. Drain the lentils and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn to simmer and cook, covered for about 3 hours. 2. Make the roux; mix flour and water into a paste, add the vinegar, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Bring soup to a boil, stir 1/4 of a cup of the soup into the roux. Mix well and add the roux into the soup. Stir well. 3. Reduce the heat to simmer, adjust the seasonings and add the vermicelli, cover and allow the soup to cook until the meat and the lentils are soft, about 1 to 2 more hours. Serve the soup very hot.
The Range Rover Evoque, alluring and magnetic The Range Rover Evoque, an SUV? Hardly. Land Rover has pushed the boundaries of what an SUV can be when combined with raw sensuality. At first look this car will capture anyone’s eyes. The way the smooth chic design moves with such raw power, it’s bound to grab your attention. This car is not just superficial in nature. The inside is loaded with features that add to the car’s stunningly gorgeous personality that can only be described as magnetic. Birthed from the LR2 (Land Rover 2), the Evoque changes the face of crossovers everywhere, with its 240-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It’s coarse on the go, with plenty of drivetrain noise and noticeable turbo lag, but the smallville drivetrain loses nothing to the heavier, less strong LR2 and it sets the Evoque apart from the bigger Rovers that luxuriate in eightcylinder streams of torque. It’s an eye-grabbing piece of work no different than a lady in red and as peppy as an Acura RDX, with similar fuel economy of 19/28 mpg. With an engaging blend of dynamic handling and refined engineering, it’s also the most sustainable Range Rover ever. Its compact footprint and advanced technology deliver exciting performance together with reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, according to Land Rover.
www.landrover.com
Range Rover Evoque
With EPA fuel economy estimates of 18 mpg city/28 mpg highway. There are three packages: the Pure, the Prestige, and the Dynamic. Each one has its own accent and speciality that will give you the style and choice you want in this sleek automobile. Land Rover took their time in designing the interior. Through this time, they have done their customers a great service, with an efficient yet elegant design. The instrumentation is arranged smartly behind the steering wheel. In the middle dash is a 5-inch color LCD driver information center. This is, of course, optional, at a price of $1,750. Hard disc-based GPS navigation comes through
clear with an 8-inch high-definition touch-screen display, mounted in the center stack. The screen is big and clear and the system is easy to use. With a new partnership with high-end audio provider Meridian, this has resulted in an available 825-watt sound system that ranks among the best in class, complete with a hard drive-based jukebox, single CD player and AM/FM/HD/Sirius tuner with dual device Bluetooth Audio streaming and iPod control via USB connection. Your media needs should all be satisified. If you want to treat yourself to a car worthy of being called magnetic, the MSRP starts at $43,995 and goes to $52,895.
22 • OBITUARIES D EATH N OTICES GELTNER, Herbert B., age 82, died on October 18, 2011; 21 Tishrei, 5772. LIEBERMAN, Bernard W., age 88, died on October 23, 2011; 25 Tishrei, 5772. DREYFUSS, Lester, died on October 25, 2011; 27 Tishrei, 5772.
O BITUARIES BONIFACE, William (Bill) William (Bill) R. Boniface, M.D., passed away on September 24, 2011 — the 26th day of Elul, 5771. Born August 11,1927, in St. Louis, Mo., he was the son of the late Raymond M. and Thelma L. Boniface. Dr. Boniface was preceded in death by his sister, Jane B. Clark, and his first wife, Joan H. Boniface. Dr. Boniface graduated from Washington University in St. Louis where he also completed medical school. His internship was at the University of Utah College of Medicine, after which he returned to St. Louis for a residency in neurology. He relocated to Cincinnati to take further studies in psychiatry, both adult and child. Once in Cincinnati he took a position with the Department of Neurology at the College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, where he remained for most of his career. His positions included director of the LETTERS from page 16 Dear Editor, AJC, ADL Co-Sponsor National Pledge Calling for Unity on Israel New York, NY, October 19, 2011. The American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the AntiDefamation League (ADL) have joined together to encourage other national organizations, elected offi-
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Neurology Clinic for many years, as well as consultant positions with the Veterans Administration Hospital and a joint appointment as associate professor of Neurology and assistant professor of Child Psychiatry. He was also employed for some years at the Hamilton County Center for Developmental Disorders. After his retirement from UC, he served as consultant to a number of group homes for the developmentally disabled. Dr. Boniface’s family was the center of his life. He is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Kathryn (K), and his dearly loved children, Andrew, Zoe (Eric Feigelson), George (Helene Frankel) and Tsvi (Sheila), as well as his grandchildren, Micah and Clara Feigelson and Mahalia Stoneman and many nieces, nephews and extended family in Texas. Dr. Boniface was an eloquent poet, inveterate punster, competent graphic artist and musician and was interested in almost everything. He kept up with science, politics, music and the arts to his last days. He died after a heroic struggle with Multiple Systems Atrophy, an extreme form of Parkinson’s Disease which, along with its other ravages, destroyed his beautiful tenor voice and calligraphic handwriting. Dr. Boniface was an active member of Temple Sholom. The funeral took place graveside at the United Jewish Cemetery on September 26 and was conducted by Rabbis Miriam Terlinchamp and Gary Zola. cials, religious leaders, community groups and individuals to join them in signing the “National Pledge for Unity on Israel.” This initiative aims to rally bipartisan support for Israel while preventing the Jewish State from becoming a wedge issue in the upcoming campaign season. “If there is one thing candidates for high office, and people of all political stripes can agree on, it is the importance of the long tradi-
Memorial contributions may be sent to Temple Sholom, American Parkinson’s Disease Association, Special Olympics or the charity of one’s choice. DREYFUSS, Lester On October 25, 2011, Mr. Dreyfuss passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Beloved husband of Phyllis Coleman Dreyfuss. Loving father of Michelle (John Herman) Dreyfuss, Stephanie (William Good) Dreyfuss and Daniel (Karen) Dreyfuss. Brother of Diane Judell. Brother-in-law of Morton and Greta Coleman. Grandfather of Ellis, Lydia, Camille, Sam, Max, Charlie, Gadi, Eliyahyu, Zohi, Rafi and Neshama. Also survived by a niece, nephews and many friends. Born in 1923, in New York City, he lived most of his life in Cincinnati and Paris, France. His work as an aeronautical engineer for General Electric took him to Paris for 10 years. A “Francophile” at heart, Mr. Dreyfuss enjoyed everything French, including his family connection to the Dreyfus Affair. He traveled extensively and was fascinated by the world. A man of many interests, he truly embraced his family and friends. In his words, “Adieu, mes amis.” Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., Pittsburgh, with interment at Beth Shalom Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Forbes Hospice, 4800 Friendship Avenue, Pittsburgh, Penn. 15224, or a charity of the donor’s choice. tion of bipartisan support for our friend and ally, Israel,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “We want the discourse on U.S. support for Israel to avoid the sometimes polarizing debates and political attacks that have emerged in recent weeks, as candidates have challenged their opponents’ pro-Israel bone fides or questioned the current administration’s foreign policy approach vis-à-vis Israel,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. “The last thing America and Israel need right now is the distractions of having Israel bandied about as a tool for waging political attacks.” Visit www.adl.org/unitypledge to sign “The National Pledge for Unity on Israel.” As more sign on to the pledge, a list of the individuals, organizations and elected leaders will be made public by ADL and AJC. The following is the full text of the ADL-AJC pledge: National Pledge for Unity on Israel In an ever-changing world, the enduring friendship between the United States and Israel has been a constant, supported overwhelming-
IRANIUM from page 3 The 92nd Street Y Live series originates and is broadcast live via satellite from New York’s prestigious Jewish cultural center, the 92nd Street Y. The broadcasts are fed into the Wohl Chapel or Social Hall at Wise Center, equipped with a large screen and digital ACTIVISTS from page 8 For their part, Jewish activists involved in the protests acknowledged that an Israeli organizer of the social protests that swept Israel over the summer was booed when he came to speak at Zuccotti Park. But, they noted, the heckler was kicked out. “Anti-Zionists come and try to make it about Israel,” Sieradski said. “We accept them into the movement, but we don’t allow them to hijack the movement.” Overall, the Jewish protesters argued, the focus on anti-Semitism is exaggerated. “Wherever you go to a public demonstration,” said Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of the left-wing Tikkun Magazine, “you always have a few nutcases standing on the side.” Lerner, who is based in San Francisco, helped organize Occupy Wall Street protests in Washington state. He said the strategy should be to ignore the occasional anti-Semite. “Unless you’re a movement that beats up outsiders, you’re going to have people on the periphery show up,” he said. But detractors say the antiSemitism is not just a fringe element. Among other things, they cite support for the protests by the Canadian ly by the American people since the founding of the Jewish State. Americans from across the political spectrum consistently identify with and care deeply about Israel. America’s friendship with Israel is an emotional, moral and strategic bond that has always transcended politics. Support for Israel has never been merely a plank in a Republican or Democratic Party or candidate’s platform. It is a core American policy that serves our nation’s most fundamental national interests. Indeed, for the past six decades, every American President and Congressional leaders in both parties have championed the shared values and outlook that bind the two nations. This broad bipartisan backing has been vital to America’s interests and to Israel’s security throughout decades of war and a constant struggle for survival. We salute the long line of American leaders who have moved beyond their often bitter policy differences over issues of the day to stand shoulder to shoulder together on the side of a strong and enduring U.S.-Israel relationship. The Jewish community has had a strong interest in ensuring that
video technology. Also, the Cincinnati audience at Wise Temple is able to ask questions directly to the guest speakers. The event is open to the Greater Cincinnati public. There is a small fee and tickets are available at the door at 7 p.m. at Wise Center. For further information and to RSVP, contact Wise Temple. magazine Adbusters, which was widely condemned for a 2004 story that focused on the influence of Jewish neoconservatives in drumming up support for the Iraq war and featured a list of 50 neoconservatives with asterisks next to the names of the Jews. In 2010, the magazine published a story comparing the Gaza Strip to the Warsaw Ghetto. Protesters say that beyond promoting the protests in its magazine, Adbusters has had no influence on their actual content. Defenders of the protests also note that some Tea Party rallies have had offensive messages, including Hitler analogies. Pressure by Jewish organizations and others have helped marginalize those voices. After being inundated by concerned calls after anti-Semitic manifestations at the Occupy Wall Street protests, the ADL issued a statement saying it is keeping an eye on the protests but does not believe that there is significant anti-Semitism. “While we believe that these expressions are not representative of the larger views of the OWS movement, it is still critical for organizers, participants and supporters of these rallies to condemn such bigoted statements clearly and forcefully,” ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said. American support for Israel is one of the critical strategic issues that unites rather than divides parties and officials. U.S. – Israel friendship should never be used as a political wedge issue. At a time when Israel is confronting new dangers and challenges in a fast changing Middle East, the United States must continue to project to the world the solid support of the American people and their elected representatives for Israel’s rights and quest for peace and security. U.S. leadership in the efforts to achieve an agreement resolving the conflict that results in two states — the Jewish state of Israel and a Palestinian state, living side by side in peaceful coexistence — is more critical than ever. Now is the time to reaffirm that Israel’s well-being is best served, as it has always been, by American voices raised together in unshakeable support for our friend and ally. Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League David A. Harris, Executive Director, American Jewish Committee
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