The American Israelite, November 15, 2012 by Clermont Sun Publishing Company

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012 1 KISLEV, 5773

2012 Cincinnati Chocolate Festival at Xavier’s Cintas Center p.11

CINCINNATI, OH Candle Lighting Times Shabbat begins Fri 5:05p Shabbat ends Sat 6:06p

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Camp Livingston holds annual board meeting, welcomes new board members

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Jewish Foundation places winning bid to purchase Losantiville...

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Spending Election Day with Shmuley Boteach, rabbi and congressional...

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As Obama takes second term, Israelis wonder what the future holds

Experience Israel with six months of Israel@65 In an unprecedented collaboration, more than 40 agencies, organizations and congregations in Greater Cincinnati have come together to create Israel@65, a community-wide celebration of Israel’s 65 years of independence. From November through April, opportunities will be offered to explore, learn about and show support for Israel. Nina Paul, who is co-chairing Israel@65 along with her husband, Eddie, said, “Israel@65 is a fantastic opportunity for our Cincinnati community to come together in support of Israel. This ‘community unity’ gives us an opportunity to connect with each other as we celebrate Israel’s 65th birthday.” Israel@65 will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m., with its first featured event, “Our Star is Born: Celebrate the U.N. Vote to Create Israel,” at the Mayerson JCC. Attendees will experience a reenactment of the U.N. vote and celebrate with live music, free Israeli food and dancing – including Cincinnati’s largest Hava Nagila! “Our Star is Born” is presented by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) and AJA and is chaired by Linda and Gary Greenberg. The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives (AJA) will provide live footage of the U.N. vote and present documents that show connections to the Cincinnati Jewish community. AJA Executive Director Rabbi Gary Zola said, “We also want to hear your stories of this historic event. If you have a strong memory of witnessing this miracle, please join us so we can record it to share with generations to come.” Rabbi Shena Potter Jaffee, director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Mayerson JCC,

Nina and Eddie Paul are co-chairs of the community-wide Israel@65 celebration.

said, “The November 29 opening event will do exactly what Israel@65 is all about: It will connect people and organizations from all across the community, and that collaboration will lead to an inspirational event for everyone!” During the next six months of Israel@65, programs will be hosted by both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, running the gamut from concerts and craft projects to

seminars and Shabbat services, and from dance lessons and the Dead Sea Scrolls to a beach bash and a barbecue. Six additional featured events are scheduled, developed by the Israel@65 committee to appeal to a community-wide audience. “Looking at the range of programs offered, there really is something for everyone,” said Yair Cohen, community shaliach (emissary) from Israel. “I am honored to

be here in Cincinnati to take part in this great endeavor and to see the entire community brought together through a love for Israel.” Cohen, representing the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, and Rabbi Jaffee are the lead professionals for Israel@65. Israel@65 continues through the community-wide celebration of Israeli Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut) on April 21, 2013.

November 2012 - April 2013

Celebrate Israel’s 65 years of

independence! Be there for the

Opening Event:

Israel65Cincinnati.org FACEBOOK: Israel65Cincinnati PHONE: 513-985-1583 EMAIL: info@Israel65Cincinnati.org STOP BY: Israel@65 kiosk at the JCC

Thursday, 7pm November 29

at the JCC FREE!

Thank You to our generous Sponsors! Jointly promoted and presented by

Jerusalem Sponsors N

IG I O T IT U T E O F

IG I O

INS

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CELEBRATE THE U.N. VOTE TO CREATE ISRAEL Info & RSVP: Israel65Cincinnati.org Our Star is Born chairs: Linda & Gary Greenberg

Tel Aviv Sponsors Nina & Eddie Paul Haifa Sponsor

Media Sponsor

Congregation Ohr Chadash Congregation Sha’arei Torah Congregation Zichron Eliezer Golf Manor Synagogue Hadassah, Cincinnati Chapter Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion Isaac M. Wise Temple Jewish Community Education Council Jewish Community Relations Council Jewish Discovery Center Jewish Family Service Jewish Federation of Cincinnati

Jewish Community Relations Council

The American Israelite

These community partners offer Israel@65 programs for the next Access: Young Jewish Professionals Adath Israel Congregation America Israel Cultural Foundation American Jewish Committee Camp Livingston Cedar Village Chabad Jewish Center Cincinnati Children’s Israel Exchange Program Cincinnati Community Kollel Cincinnati Hebrew Day School Cincinnati Museum Center Congregation Beth Adam Congregation B’nai Tzedek Congregation Ohav Shalom

JCRC

Jewish National Fund, Cincinnati Chapter Mayerson JCC Miami University Hillel Na’amat USA, Cincinnati Chapter Northern Hills Synagogue PJ Library - Cincinnati Rockdale Temple Rockwern Academy Sarah’s Place Shalom Family Temple Sholom The American Israelite

6 months:

The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives The Valley Temple University of Cincinnati Hillel University of Cincinnati Judaic Studies Department Xavier University as of November 8, 2012

Israel@65 chairs: Nina & Eddie Paul

LOCAL • 3

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Jewish Foundation places winning bid to purchase Losantiville School The Jewish Foundation successfully bid to purchase the Losantiville School property during a three-day public auction that closed on Nov. 8. In a statement about the Losantiville School bid, Jewish Foundation Executive Director Brian Jaffee said, “The Jewish Foundation purchased this property as part of an overall community planning strategy coordinated with multiple agencies with whom we have been working for several months, especially those within the immediate vicinity. The Losantiville School is located in an area that has seen significant growth and activity in our community, and we see this property as a potential asset to use for the future facility needs of some of our agencies, and possibly for

w/ purchase of Early-Bird dinner (5-6pm). Dine-in only.

9525 KENWOOD ROAD • 513-429-4567

A front view of the school.

other community purposes still to be determined.” The Jewish Foundation’s bid, along with the bids received on the

other CPS properties sold at the auction, is subject to a 30-day negotiated closing process and CPS board approval before the sale is finalized.

(Dec. 6) will discuss the discovery of the scrolls, the 60 year process of making their content public, and the role of Cincinnati’s own scholars in the process. During the second class (Dec. 13), there will be a private tour of the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit and the significance of the discovery will be discussed. The final session (Dec. 20), will be a discussion of how the scrolls changed our knowledge of Judaism and Christianity. Dr. Jason Kalman is Associate Professor of Classical Hebrew Literature and Interpretation at the Cincinnati School of HUC-JIR. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Jewish Studies at McGill University and is a research fellow affiliated with the University of the Free State, South Africa. He specializes in the history of Jewish biblical text, and is the co-author of

Canada’s Big Biblical Bargain: How McGill University Bought the Dead Sea Scrolls. “I’m very excited to have the opportunity to teach this class on the Dead Sea Scrolls, in the Cincinnati Museum Center where they are being housed. The dynamic of studying the scrolls in their presence is what makes this class stand out among the others,” Dr. Kalman said. This compelling class is part of Israel@65, a community-wide celebration of Israel’s 65 years of independence, providing Cincinnati with six months of programs from November 2012 to April 2013. To enroll or to receive more information about The Dead Sea Scrolls: Their Discovery, Content and Significance three-class series or the overall Israel@65 initiative, contact Lauren Kaplan at the JCC.

Cedar Village presents third annual Battle of the Bands Cedar Village will present the third annual Battle of the Bands on Sunday, Dec. 2, from 5 - 9 p.m. at the 20th Century Theater in Oakley. Barb Reed and Merrie Stillpass are co-chairs of the event and Gerald and Nancy Robinson are the honorary co-chairs. Three local bands, The Four Hubcaps, The Mike Heile Band and Leadfoot Johnny will perform during the evening. In addition, there will be a Football Lounge upstairs for guests who would like to watch the Cincinnati Bengals game. Proceeds from the Battle of the Bands benefit the Harkavy Fund, created in memory of Cedar Village’s first board chair, Frank Harkavy. The Harkavy Fund enriches the Cedar Village residents’ lives by providing music therapy; a bell

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JCC hosts Dead Sea Scrolls seminar Register now for a once in a lifetime opportunity to get a behind the scenes understanding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, through the special program The Dead Sea Scrolls: Their Discovery, Content and Significance. This program includes three consecutive Thursday evening classes at Cincinnati Museum Center starting Dec. 6, led by wellknown speaker, author and educator, Dr. Jason Kalman. Admission and a private tour of the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit at Museum Center is included. This series of engaging evenings is brought to you by a partnership between Cincinnati Museum Center and the Mayerson JCC. Registration is underway, and already only a few spots remain. Contact the JCC by Tuesday, Nov. 20 to reserve your seat in this exclusive class. The first of the three sessions

THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL

Co-chairs Merrie Stillpass and Barb Reed

choir; jewelry making, ceramics and exercise classes; concerts and special programs to enrich the lives of

the 300 residents who live in this retirement community located in Mason. Tickets, which include food and beverages, are available in advance and at the door. Valet parking will be provided. “Battle of the Bands is not only a great way to support Cedar Village; it is an evening that is just plain fun! Great music, delicious food, wonderful conversations – what more could you ask for? We hope that you will join us for Battle of the Bands; once you’ve been there once we’re sure it will become an annual tradition for you!” said Carol Silver Elliott, Cedar Village CEO and president. For more information, contact Barb Rothstein, assistant director, Cedar Village Foundation.

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Flowers and stones are placed on the memorial.

The memorial’s inscription reads, “In memory of the 6 million Jewish men, women, and children who perished during WWII (19391945). In Memory of all those who gave their lives and contributed to the great victory and liberation of many nations. ‘No one is forgotten, Nothing is forgotten.’ Olga Bergholz.” Bergholz was a Soviet poet.

Dan Nichols, GUCI summer seminar, share Wise Temple Shabbat On Friday, Nov. 30, Isaac M. Wise Temple will host a very special Shabbat evening that will feature the music of Dan Nichols. Following the service, there will be two options for a congregational dinner, plus a special concert with Dan and master storyteller, Rabbi Mark Covitz. Dan Nichols is a beloved and influential Jewish contemporary musician in North America, whose music has become a vital part of the Reform Jewish world. Furthermore, Dan is one of the most popular and influential Jewish musicians in North America, performing over 200 concerts a year.

His last two albums have garnered critical acclaim and a legion of growing fans. Songs like “L’takein (The Na Na Song),” “B’tzelem Elohim,” “Kehilah Kedoshah,” and “My Heart is in the East” are some of the most popular songs in Reform Judaism today. Thanks to the support of Wise Temple’s Brotherhood and Sisterhood, the congregation is honored to welcome Dan back to Wise Center for this very special musical Shabbat service. During the service, Dan will lead the congregation in song and will share what music means to him through a “sermon-insong.” After the service, participants

who register can attend either a catered family-style dinner, or a boxed camp-style dinner. At this boxed dinner, Rabbi Mark Covitz, who is the director of our regional Union for Reform Judaism overnight camp—Goldman Union Camp Institute—will speak to parents and children about a “GUCI” summer experience. There will be time for the kids to schmooze with Dan Nichols and some teen helpers while Rabbi Covitz speaks to the adults during dessert. Following these two simultaneous dinners, everyone will gather in the chapel where Dan will treat the group to more of his original songs.

During the concert, Rabbi Covitz will share a Shabbat story that will entertain and inspire those who stay. “We are very excited to welcome Dan Nichols back to Wise Temple,” shared Rabbi Lewis Kamrass. “He always brings a joyous energy and a serene sense of Shabbat. We know that our congregation will enjoy this special program.” The service will be a familyfriendly service open to any and all members and guests who wish to enjoy a Shabbat service enhanced by the music of Dan Nichols. Reservations are needed in order to attend the dinner, please contact the Wise Temple office.

Wise Temple presents 92nd Street Y cultural forum nership with the New York 92nd St. Y, one of the foremost centers of Jewish cultural life. The 92nd Street Y returns to Wise Temple on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. with Amoz Oz, Daniel Libeskind, James E. Young and Deborah Dash Moore with Fania Oz-Salzberger: What is Jewish Culture? Central to our understanding of Jewish culture and civilization is a grasp of its many expressive forms – religious and secular, high and low, elite and popular – in the areas of the written word, the visual arts, and the performing arts. Whether it’s a novel, a poem, a building or a piece of music, Jewish expression draws from the same well and, since 1973, has

dwelled on certain themes, among them Israel, the Holocaust, the fall of communism, plurality, women’s expressions, assimilation and reconciling old and new modes of Jewish life throughout the world. Explore the words at the heart of Jewish culture and make the case that Jewish continuity depends on written words and ongoing conversation between the generations. Amos Oz is the award winning Israeli author of novels and essays on politics, literature and peace. Daniel Libeskind is the architect for the World Trade Center site and several Jewish museums in Europe. James Young is professor of English and Judaic Studies and University of Massachusetts. Deborah Dash

Moore is professor of history at University of Michigan. Fania OzSalzberger is a writer and professor at University of Haifa. 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 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. Tickets are available at the door for a small fee, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. at Wise Center.

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

VOL. 159 • NO. 17 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012 1 KISLEV 5773 SHABBAT BEGINS FRIDAY 5:05 PM SHABBAT ENDS SATURDAY 6:06 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 ISAAC 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 JORY EDLIN MICHAEL SAWAN Assistant Editors ALEXIA KADISH Copy Editor JANET STEINBERG Travel Editor MARIANNA BETTMAN NATE BLOOM IRIS PASTOR RABBI A. JAMES RUDIN ZELL SCHULMAN RABBI AVI SHAFRAN PHYLLIS R. SINGER Contributing Columnists JOSEPH D. STANGE Production Manager ERIN WYENANDT Office Manager e Oldest Eng Th

ewish N h-J ew lis

In today’s world, definitions and even organizing principles rapidly change. If Judaism is a culture, as well as a religion and a peoplehood, then how do technology, changing social patterns and new forms of interaction impact the ways in which we see Jewish culture? How does a new social and cultural landscape change the ways in which we communicate, share our story, or transmit our values? These are significant questions for us all as parents, grandparents, and certainly as Jews. Wise Temple is proud to present a fascinating evening with some of the greatest minds in contemporary Jewish life addressing these very questions in a fascinating panel, with our unique part-

The American Israelite

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Zygmund Keller

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“We are both sad and proud of their short but brave lives. Thanks to them we can live our lives.”

• ca

“Today we are opening this memorial here on this wonderful American soil, thousands of miles away from the burial places of those who sacrificed their lives in the battles against Nazi Germany. We are both sad and proud of their short but brave lives. Thanks to them we can live our lives,” said Zygmund Keller, Holocaust survivor and WWII veteran. Keller was addressing an audience of 150 Friday, Nov. 9, at the dedication of a permanent memorial to honor all Jews who lost their lives by the Nazi regime: Jewish soldiers, partisans and innocent victims. The memorial was initiated by Jewish Family Service and the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education and is located at the Mayerson JCC in Amberley Village. It is the first Holocaust memorial in Cincinnati to also honor the memory of Soviet Jewish soldiers and Jewish victims who died during WWII. The dedication occurred on the 74th anniversary of Kristallnacht, which was the first series of state-sanctioned organized attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany.

r in Am ape er sp i

JFS, CHHE dedicate memorial at the JCC

THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE (USPS 019-320) is published weekly for $44 per year and $1.00 per single copy in Cincinnati and $49 per year and $3.00 per single copy elsewhere in U.S. by The American Israelite Co. 18 West Ninth Street, Suite 2, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2037. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE, 18 West Ninth Street, Suite 2, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2037. The views and opinions expressed by the columnists of The American Israelite do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the newspaper.

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Portraits in Faith Several administrative officials from Camp Livingston (L-R): Michael Kadetz, Aaron Slovin, Julie Weisser, Gretchen Myers and Jeff Goldstein.

Camp Livingston holds annual board meeting, welcomes new board members On Nov. 7, Camp Livingston held its annual board meeting to welcome new and re-nominated board members as well as congratulate its new officers. The new board members are Diane Goldstein (Cincinnati), Julie Weisser (Cincinnati) and Andrea Melendez (Louisville). Those being re-elected to a two-year term are Linda Rothstein and Howard Goldwasser. Gretchen Myers was elected as the camp’s new president; Jeff Goldstein was elected as the secretary and Michael Kadetz was re-elected as the treasurer. Sincere and special thanks are extended to Michael Moskowitz for his four years of hard work and dedication as president. “It was a rewarding four years as president of Camp. I am particularly proud of the Israel trip we began three years ago, the revitalization of our Hadracha (counselor in training) program with a greater emphasis on leadership training and skills, and updates to the website including online registration.” Moskowitz will continue on the board for one year as immediate past president. Sincere appreciation and thanks also go out to exiting board members Lauren Della Bella, Cheryl Agranoff, Zach Ratzman, Karen Klugo and Micah Max. Camp Livingston also welcomed its new full-time yearround assistant director, Aaron Slovin, who has a long history

with Livingston as a camper and seasonal staff member. Slovin is a graduate of Indiana University and grew up in Cincinnati. “My days at Livingston began in 1999 as a camper in our youngest unit, Golan. Each of my 13 summers at Camp since has had a profound impact on me and has driven my desire to become a camping professional. Camp Livingston is the perfect place for me because of its remarkable history and beautiful grounds, but most importantly the passionate campers, families and staff. I am extremely excited to help make sure summer 2013 is the best one yet,” states Slovin. Camp Livingston has some great new things happening around its grounds including the beginning of upgrades on its facilities, a revitalization of Camp’s low team-initiative ropes course, the addition of refrigerated water fountains with water bottle filler spouts throughout Camp, the purchase of new emergency vehicles to allow quick and safe access to any camper anywhere on the camp’s 680 acres, improvements to the Rockwern Welcome Center and other essential repairs and upgrades. This past summer, Camp Livingston started a new drama program through a company called Mainstages, which provides a professional theater director, rights to a play, music, props and costumes for campers to put on a full production. Last summer,

campers performed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. There will be a different musical each summer. The Mainstages staff member also serves as Camp’s drama specialist and runs improv and drama activities for the entire camp.

with

Daniel Epstein

Documenting the role of spiritual experience inside and outside of formal religion, expected and unexpected, told in people’s own words, and brought to life with video and photography

Sunday, November 18, 2012 Congregations B'nai Tzedek & Beit Chaverim 6280 Kugler Mill Road, 45236 10:00am-12:30pm RSVP—much appreciated: Call at 513.984.3393 or visit btzbc.com

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Jewish pot activist Mason Tvert hits new high with marijuana legalization vote in Colorado By Ben Harris Jewish Telegraph Agency

The Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act of 2012 is more liberal than even the Netherlandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; famously permissive drug laws, which still consider pot possession a misdemeanor. The new law goes well beyond the medical marijuana provisions now on the books in 18 states that permit use of the drug with a doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s permission, and directly challenges federal authority, which still considers cannabis a Schedule I controlled substance along with heroin and LSD. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have forced a major international, let alone national, discussion on this issue,â&#x20AC;? Tvert, the executive director of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, or SAFER, told JTA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And I truly believe the more people talk about this issue amongst each other, the quicker weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to see broader change in how our country and our state and our world treats marijuana.â&#x20AC;? Tvert grew up in a Jewish family in Scottsdale, Ariz., and attended the University of Richmond. His consciousness around marijuana reform was galvanized in college when, for reasons he claims not to know, he was subpoenaed in a multijurisdictional investigation into marijuana use. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was really just a shakedown, more or less,â&#x20AC;? Tvert said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They start with college kids who probably have a lot to lose. They work their way up from there.â&#x20AC;? Tvert likes to compare that to

mate its use by the young and lead to a range of social ills. After graduation, Tvert moved NEW YORK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Say what you to Colorado and co-founded will about Mason Tvert, the Jewish SAFER, a small group that raised activist behind the marijuana legaljust $132,000 in 2010 and shares ization campaign that passed in office space with Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jewish Colorado, the man clearly has a newspaper, the Intermountain sense of humor. Jewish News. He was instrumental Some years ago, in his efforts to in two earlier legalization efforts in persuade the public that marijuana Colorado: the 2005 adoption of the is far less of a health menace than Denver Alcohol-Marijuana alcohol, Tvert famously challenged Equalization Initiative, which perboth the mayor of Denver and the mitted the possession of marijuana heir to the Coors brewing fortune in Denver, and a 2007 measure that to a sort of intoxication duel: Tvert required officials to make marijuana would smoke pot while the others offenses the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;lowest law drank, and they would see who enforcement priority.â&#x20AC;? State law Mason Tvert was the face of the dropped dead first. remained unchanged, however, and successful campaign to legalize Neither man took up Tvert on thousands of Coloradans still were recreational marijuana in his offer. being arrested each year for possesColorado. But after Colorado voters on sion of marijuana. Nov. 6 adopted a newly permissive Tvert persevered, developing a an earlier incident in which, taken approach to marijuana following a unconscious to the hospital to reputation as someone with a campaign for which the 30-yearhave his stomach pumped after knack for media stunts. old was the public face and a leadIn 2008, after a rash of alcoexcessive alcohol consumption, ing strategist, Tvertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tomfoolery is disturbances at he was later released without any hol-related no longer just a laughing matter. questioning from the police â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Denverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airport, Tvert called a The measure, and a similar one despite being under age. The dis- news conference to urge authoriadopted last week in Washington crepancy informs one of the pro- ties to allow marijuana in the airstate, is a watershed, permitting legalization campaignâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most fre- portâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smoking lounge to cut down residents over 21 to possess up to quent talking points: They say on traveler stress. Two years earlian ounce of marijuana and to grow marijuana is far less dangerous er he had a billboard erected near up to six plants for recreational use. than alcohol, which itself was a speech by the visiting White Though somewhat overlooked once the target of a costly and House drug czar, John Walters, amid the cacophony of a hardfailed effort at prohibition, and that quoted Walters saying that fought presidential campaign, the marijuana is the safest drug should be regulated as such. new laws in Colorado and Critics counter that marijuana around. Tvert has called the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Washington are unprecedented. is a dangerous and addictive drug governor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an owner of a popular Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Amendment 64: whose legalization would legiti- Denver brew pub â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a â&#x20AC;&#x153;drug dealerâ&#x20AC;? whose product just happened to be legal. In another Tvert billboard, a woman in a marijuanacolored bikini appeared above the caption â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marijuana: No hangovers, no violence, no carbs!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is just almost a media force of nature,â&#x20AC;? said Steve Fox, the president of SAFER and the director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project, which provided about 90 percent '$ $4(0' -++2,(16 $* 1(-,0 -2,"(* -% 1'$ of the funds for the $2.2 million $4(0' $#$/ 1(-, -% (,"(,, 1( (,3(1$0 6-2 1- , Colorado campaign. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just been brilliant in terms of being on message at all times, developing relationships 2$0# 5 -3$+!$/ with the media so they trust him and are willing to come out when

. + 1 1'$ 5$/0-, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing some sort of event. And -*(1(" * $5.$/10 4(** 0'-4 6-2 1'$ *-" * 01 1$ ,# )$4(0'"(,"(,, 1( -/& )"/" just the body of communications , 1(-,4(#$ /$02*10 #(0"200 1'$ "-,1/-3$/0($0 ,# skills were just excellent for this. / "-,1 "1 1'$ 1 2.0$10 ,# $5.* (, 1'$ (+. "1 -% 1'$ $*$"1(-,0 Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really where heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excelled.â&#x20AC;? )"/" )%$#"(, -/& -/ As the campaign moved to the /1,$/0 # 1' 0/ $* -,&/$& 1(-, +$/(" , state level, advocates buttoned up $4(0' -++(11$$ $(1 ' 3$/(+ $1' 0/ $* /(" #$+ "'$/ ,(3$/0(16 -% (,"(,, 1( ,01(121$ their image somewhat, attracting

-,&/$& 1(-, +. (3(,&01-, (,"(,, 1( (**$* $4(0' 12#$,1 $,1$/ -,&/$& 1(-, 8, ( 7$#$) %-/ -*("6 $0$ /"' some high-profile support in the 0 " (0$ $+.*$ $4(0' +(*6 $/3("$ (+ 2/*$ +(*1-, -2,16 $+-"/ 1(" /16 ' (/ process. Former Republican con '$ $4(0' -2,# 1(-, -% (,"(,, 1( /$$/ $/3("$0 +(*1-, -2,16 $.2!*(" , gressman Tom Tancredo, who is -/1'$/, (**0 6, &-&2$ $+.*$ '-*-+ /16 ' (/ best known for his staunch opposition to immigration, endorsed the initiative. Actress Susan Sarandon recorded a robocall targeting Colorado voters. Singersongwriter Melissa Etheridge did a radio spot.

LEGALIZATION on page 22

National Briefs Israeli app helps U.S. govt., drivers deal with hurricaneinduced gas shortage (JNS) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The U.S. government recruited the assistance of the Israeli-developed navigation app Waze, which incorporates a social networking element, to deal with gasoline shortages on the East Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Using data posted by Waze users on the conditions of various gas stations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been able to better determine where gas trucks should be sent, the technology news website GigaOM reported. Waze was contacted by the government Nov. 9 and promptly launched a system allowing users to leave chat messages regarding the availability of gas and lines at the stations, the appâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice president of platforms and partnerships Di-Ann Eisnor said. Wazeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s navigational maps have featured pins to indicate gas stations that remain open. IDF to fight zombie invasion in Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;World War Zâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (JNS) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; In 2013, Brad Pitt will star in the Hollywood action flick titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;World War Z,â&#x20AC;? a movie based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name by author Matt Brooks (son of Mel Brooks) about a zombie pandemic threatening to wipe out the human race. In the movie, the U.S., along with almost every other country, is unprepared for the attack. Which country does take the zombie threat seriously? According to the plot, as the infection spreads, Israel is the only country to take the proper measures, initiating a nationwide quarantine and closing its borders to everyone except uninfected Jews and Palestinians seeking a safe haven from abroad. Needless to say, the Israeli governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision in the film to include saving Palestinians nearly leads to a civil war. In the official trailer, actors playing Israeli soldiers can be seen shooting hoards of deadly zombies invading the Holy Land. Israeli actors Noa Bodner (Israel Defense Forces soldier), Gil Cohen-Alloro (IDF general) and Daniella Kertesz (IDF officer) have roles in the film, slated for release in the U.S. next June. As for countries like Pakistan and Iran, according to the plot they destroy each other in a nuclear war after the Iranian government attempts to stem the flow of Pakistani refugees. In the YouTube clip Brad Pitt can be seen on set meeting and mingling with IDF soldiers in the alleyways of Jerusalem. In actuality, the soldiers are actors and the set is located not in Jerusalem, but Malta.

NATIONAL • 7

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Spending Election Day with Shmuley Boteach, rabbi and congressional candidate By Chavie Lieber Jewish Telegraph Agency

Courtesy of Edmon J. Rodman

A Thanksgiving seder plate for an evening of retelling the Pilgrims’ exodus as well as your own family’s going-out.

For a Thanksgiving seder, it’s all about the ‘hodu’ By Edmon J. Rodman Jewish Telegraph Agency LOS ANGELES – Sitting down to the well-set table every November, even though it is filled with family and food, I always feel that something is missing – a Jewish connection to the Thanksgiving story. A dinner without the drama of the Exodus, like the Passover seder, leaves me just with the turkey to send my spirits soaring. It’s not that I need another haggadah – I already know why this night is different: the stuffing isn’t made of matzah meal. But what about borrowing the idea of the seder’s four cups of wine – the Tu b’Shvat seder does this, as well – to help organize the evening in a Jewish way? Liking the idea of repeating an action four times but wanting a change from raising a glass, I played thematically with four feathers, four fall leaves, even sticking four olives – so American, yet a fruit of Israel, too – on my fingers. For inspiration I turned to William Bradford, a passenger on the Mayflower and later the governor of Plymouth colony, who as it turned out was a figure who could bridge the gap between Puritan and Jewish narratives. In “Of Plymouth Plantation,” his journal of the Pilgrims, Bradford made comparative references between the Pilgrims’ voyage and the Israelites’ Exodus. Later in life, according to Stephen O’Neill, the curator of Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth Mass., Bradford “taught himself Hebrew,” even writing a book of Hebrew exercises. According to Bradford’s journal, the Mayflower Pilgrims gave thanks upon their landing: “Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees & blessed ye God of heaven, who had brought them over ye vast & furious ocean,” reads the text.

“Let them therfore praise ye Lord, because he is good,” wrote Bradford, quoting from Psalm 107, which in Hebrew begins with the word “hodu,” “give thanks.” Here was my repeating element. Saying hodu, or thanks, four times in my Thanksgiving seder would work, and in a fortuitous Hebrew play on words, hodu also happens to mean “turkey.” First hodu: Begin your Thanksgiving seder with a blessing over a glass of wine or juice. Though historians think the Pilgrims probably drank water at the first Thanksgiving, they were not teetotalers – they later produced a hard cider, even a watered-down version for children. Then say a Shehecheyanu. During their first year in the New World, slightly more than half of the Mayflower’s 102 passengers survived. Sitting together around the table and saying this blessing – especially in a year when nature has made it painfully clear how fragile life can be – reminds us that God grants us life, sustains us and enables us to reach this day. Since the first Thanksgiving followed the corn harvest, the hamotzi blessing is in order. Break some bread – at this seder you don’t even need to dip it once. Say a hodu for a cornucopia of blessings. Second hodu: In 1621, Edward Winslow wrote a letter to a friend in England describing the first Thanksgiving meal shared by the Pilgrims with the Indians: “Our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors.” Adding to the menu, we find in Winslow’s account that to help feed the assemblage, including 90 from the Wampanoag tribe and “their greatest king Massasoit,” the Native Americans “went out and killed five deer.” THANKSGIVING on page 22

TENAFLY, N.J. – “Hey, are you tweeting that?” Rabbi Shmuley Boteach asks. Boteach – the self-proclaimed “America’s rabbi,” author of “Kosher Sex,” father of nine and Republican candidate for U.S. Congress – is standing on the sidewalk next to Tenafly Middle School on the morning of Election Day. Wrapped in a thick black coat and plaid blue scarf to match his eyes, Boteach is careful not to get too close to the polling station inside the school in this well-to-do northern New Jersey borough. A police officer patrols the area, smirking occasionally as he pops his head outside his vehicle to remind Boteach to stay on the sidewalk. Boteach, of Englewood, is making his last appeal to passers-by in his bid to upset Bill Pascrell, an eightterm Democratic congressman. The 45-year-old author and rabbi on TV talk shows acknowledges the uphill nature of his challenge to Pascrell in this solidly Democratic district. “I’m being very optimistic about my campaign, but I know what I’m up against, and if I don’t win it’s not because I didn’t fight hard enough,” Boteach says, pacing. “I’ve had Pascrell only on the defense, and have nailed down all that’s not being done. I’m being as aggressive as I need to be.” Boteach is cut off mid-sentence

Courtesy of Chavie Lieber

Congressional candidate Rabbi Shmuley Boteach talking to Tenafly High School football players outside a polling station in the northern New Jersey borough, Nov. 6, 2012.

when Nancy Moreno, a 48-year-old Tenafly resident, gallops toward him to shake his hand. “Shmuley Boteach! I’ve been watching and listening to you for 15 years!” she gushes. “I just voted for you.” “I can tell you’re a woman of impeccable taste,” Boteach quips before the two get into a heated exchange that touches on some hotbutton issues in the district: the high rate of property taxes and unemployment in the state. “I’m trying to make the tax situation better for Jersey,” Boteach says after Moreno skips off. “I’m trying to

bring a better system of values – Jewish values to be exact. That’s why I’m doing all this. The Lubavitcher rebbe told me to spread Jewish values to the world.” Boteach launches into a laundry list of issues he would target, but he’s stopped after just a few moments when the local high school football team approaches and forms a crowd around him. “Are you the Shmuley Boteach we see on TV?” asks one teenager who towers over Boteach. “You’re, like, a celebrity.” SHMULEY on page 22

8 • NATIONAL

WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM

On the morning after, Jewish Republicans advise the party By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraph Agency WASHINGTON — Think immigration through – again. Forget about gay marriage. And for heaven’s sake, when it comes to rape, shut up! The Republican Party as a whole is having the morning-afters, reconsidering how it might have done better in an election that saw the party fail to win the White House and suffer modest losses in Congress, and Jewish Republicans and conservatives are coming forward with their own insights. “There will be a lot of very frank conversations between our organization and its leadership and the leadership within the party,” Matt Brooks, the director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said last week in a conference call that otherwise addressed gains that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney appeared to have made among Jewish voters. A number of Romney’s financial backers – including Fred Zeidman of Texas, Mel Sembler of Florida and Sheldon Adelson – are among the RJC’s leadership, and Brooks made clear that their voices would be heard. “A lot of the major financial support the candidates received was

Courtesy of Ron Kampeas

Sheldon Adelson, a major donor to Republican candidates, attending a Republican Jewish Coalition event at the party’s convention in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 27. 2012. Jewish Republicans say the party should expect to hear from donors about how to do better in the next election.

from the members of this organization,” Brooks said. “There is a lot of weight behind their message on that.” William Daroff, the Washington director of the Jewish Federations of North America and a former deputy to Brooks at the RJC, said Republican Jews would likely advise the party to moderate. “The conventional wisdom is that the election will result in the shift of the Republican Party to the center, particularly on issues of

immigration,” Daroff said. “To the extent that the party does shift, it would make Republican candidates more appealing to Jewish voters who may be inclined to vote Republican on foreign policy and homeland security issues but who have been turned off by conservative Republicans rigidity on social issues. Some of the leading voices counseling moderation of hard-line Republican policies have been Jewish conservatives. One of the

first post-election posts from Jennifer Rubin, who writes the Right Turn blog for the Washington Post, said it was time to stop opposing gay marriage in the political arena. “Republicans for national office would do well to recognize reality,” Rubin said. “The American people have changed their minds on the issue and fighting this one is political flat-earthism. As with divorce, one need not favor it, but to run against it is folly, especially for national politicians who need to appeal to a diverse electorate.” Charles Krauthammer, the syndicated columnist, noted sharp Democratic gains among Hispanic voters and counseled a change in immigration policy, making clear that the current GOP emphasis on securing the borders should be followed by amnesty for illegal immigrants already in the country. Romney had advocated disincentives, including making it more difficult for illegal immigrants to get jobs and educations, that would push them to leave, or “self deport.” “Many Hispanics fear that there will be nothing beyond enforcement. So, promise amnesty right up front,” Krauthammer wrote in his Nov. 9 column. “Secure the border with guaranteed legalization to follow on the day the four border-state

governors affirm that illegal immigration has slowed to a trickle.” Zeidman, the fundraiser, said Jewish Republicans had a special role in making the case for immigration reform. “The rest of the party has to understand what we as Jews have always understood – that this is a nation of immigrants and to ignore them is to end up losing,” he said. A number of conservatives have lashed back against calls for policy changes, saying that the party was missing the ideas revolution underpinning the 2010 Tea Party insurgency that propelled Republicans to the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. “There’s no point in two Democratic parties,” said Jeff Ballabon, a Republican activist from New York. “Any such victory would be pyrrhic.” Singling out gay marriage or immigration was self-defeating, said Ballabon. “All the postmortems focus on demographics – that’s playing the Democrat’s gem, that’s a loss right there,” he said. Recalling the drawing power of a figure like Ronald Reagan, Ballabon said positions on hot-button issues matter less than a party leader who can appeal across demographic lines.

Sharansky urges Soviet Jewry freedom movement’s inclusion in Jewish education By Jacob Kamaras JointMedia News Service BALTIMORE – Modern Jewish education, according to Natan Sharansky, ignores an event of historic proportions akin to the exodus from Egypt. While in dialogue on Monday with Elie Wiesel, arguably the world’s best-known Holocaust survivor, Sharansky – perhaps the bestknown “refusenik” and now chairman of the executive at The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) – made that statement about what he perceives to be a lack of educational material being conveyed to youths on the success stories of their parents in the movement to free Soviet Jewry. “Why is it not part of the curriculum of every Jewish school?” Sharansky asked, adding that it was “a big, big loss in all of our Jewish education,” and something that leaves him “really puzzled.” “American Jewry lived through this, actively participated in this,” he added. “They did it. That is what is so surprising [about its lack of presence in Jewish education].” During a plenary session at the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) General Assembly in Baltimore, Sharansky and Wiesel reflected on the 25th anniversary of

Courtesy of David Karp

Elie Wisel and Natan Sharansky on stage during the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) General Assembly on Monday.

the Dec. 6, 1987 “Freedom Sunday for Soviet Jews,” which drew 250,000 people in Washington, D.C., leading up to a meeting between Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Misha Galperin – CEO, International Development for The Jewish Agency for Israel – said in an interview with JNS that Sharansky’s comparison of the Egyptian exodus to the Soviet exodus was apt, calling the freedom of Soviet Jewry “one of the great peoplehood actions” of Jewish history.

Galperin was born and raised in Odessa, Ukraine, part of the former Soviet Union. “The Soviet Jewry movement galvanized Soviet Jews, it galvanized American Jews, Australian Jews, Argentine Jews, Jews in Israel,” Galperin said. Galperin also cited the efforts of Freedom 25, which is partnering with major Jewish organizations – including JFNA – to “enlist one million people in an online ‘virtual march’ to mark 25 years since the Freedom Sunday March,” according to its website.

“[The Freedom Sunday March] was a reaffirmation of the idea that we’re all part of the same family, and I think it’s something that unfortunately many in the Jewish world are losing and missing, and here (in Freedom 25) is a way to teach it, to remind us about it, and teach our children about it,” Galperin told JNS, echoing Sharansky’s call for more education on the Soviet Jewry movement. Wiesel, a leading figure in the fight to free Soviet Jewry who said at the 1987 march “We are not silent today,” recalled at the GA plenary that American Jewry initially “didn’t want to hear” about the plight of Soviet Jewry. In 1969, Wiesel said he had to use that year’s GA as a platform to urge Max Fisher, top executive of the Jewish Federation system at the time, to make Soviet Jewry a priority. This stood in contrast to the Israeli Jewish community and government’s immediate embrace of that issue. “Israel is the symbol of Jewish survival, and the fact that the Israeli government was taking this so much to the heart, [that] Soviet Jewry should be defended… It was great, a great medal, a medal of honor,” Wiesel said. Wiesel said there was eventually “a certain guilt feeling in America” among young Jews that the U.S. did

not do enough during the dark years of Soviet Jewry, and those youths did not want to be burdened with the same criticism being levied on their parents and grandparents in that area. Then, when young people proceeded to take up the cause of Soviet Jewry, “the parents actually liked it,” Wiesel said. “We were following a sense of history,” he said. “History in its totality has been moving [people] in a direction of human rights… It appealed to people, it was romantic to work for human rights, and human rights therefore in the Soviet Union.” Sharansky said that in the Soviet Union, Jews were deprived of freedom, but also of their identity, as Hebrew schools, Yiddish schools, and Jewish theaters were all closed. “When I was growing in the Soviet Union…there was nothing that you can touch in your past, in your heritage, in your culture, in your religion – nothing,” he said. The former refusenik – who spent nine years in the Soviet Gulag – said activists on behalf of Soviet Jewry “discovered what we [as prisoners] discovered, in a different way – their identity.” The activists learned “they can make a historical change, and they were devoted to it,” Sharansky said.

NATIONAL • 9

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Renowned Israeli composer Sheriff carries Jewish history on his shoulders By Maxine Dovere JointMedia News Service

Courtesy of Maxine Dovere

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, former Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Israel, speaks at the Nov. 11 Chabad emissary conference in New York.

Former Israeli chief rabbi recalls memorable visits with Lubavitcher Rebbe By Maxine Dovere JointMedia News Service The emissaries of the ChabadLubavitch movement gathered in New York City on Nov. 11 to celebrate their current accomplishments in Jewish outreach and gain strength from one another as they continue to work in virtually every country in the free world. Forty-five hundred rabbinic emissaries, or “shluchim,” from around the world came together at the Hilton Hotel to share their experiences and gain strength from one another and from renowned Jewish community leaders. By bus, by plane or train, they came; by car or carriage, and a few even on foot, they came to share and encourage each other’s work. The Kinus Hashluchim (International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries) is an annual event that has grown immensely since the initial gathering of 65 shluchim from the United States and Canada attended the first North American meeting, held at Chabad headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn in 1987 (informally known simply as “770”). Keynote speaker Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, former Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Israel, fondly remembered his first meeting with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in March 1974 after the “crushing blow of the Yom Kippur War,” and his next meeting with Schneerson eight years later. Lau calls Schneerson a “spiritual mentor.” Upon first visiting “770” in 1974 as a district rabbi in Tel Aviv, Lau spent two hours and 20 minutes with Schneerson before the door was opened and he sensed it was time to leave. At that point, Lau recalled feeling the “very warm and soft hand of the Rebbe” on his hand, and the Rebbe told him “I take responsibility, don’t worry, we have what to talk [about].” “Take responsibility. Be aware. But not only for the whole nation,

or for the whole community, but for every individual,” Lau said, describing the Rebbe’s philosophy. When Lau exited his meeting with the Rebbe about 3:50 a.m., about 100 yeshiva students surrounded him and eagerly asked what the conversation entailed, the Rebbe came out before Lau could answer and informed him “This neighborhood is a little bit dangerous at night… Crown Heights, Brooklyn, at this time, four o’clock in the morning, you need a car to drive you to Manhattan.” Instead of letting Lau get in a “yellow cab,” the Rebbe insisted that his friend Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky personally take Lau to Manhattan. That story showed how the Rebbe took responsibility for every individual, Lau said. In 1982, Lau – then chief rabbi of the city of Netanya – visited with the Rebbe unannounced. The Rebbe, when he saw Lau, smiled widely and said “Eight years you didn’t visit me. Exactly eight years.” They again spent two hours and 20 minutes together, Lau said. Lau, chairman of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Council, addressed the Chabad shluchim while the annual tribute dinner of the American Friends of Yad Vashem was underway less than 300 feet away from the Hilton. That gathering paid tribute to those who survived the attempt to annihilate the Jewish people; the Chabad Kinus celebrated efforts to foster the continuum of Jewish life. “Let’s sit down together, and let’s live together,” Lau said. “We always knew how to die together. The time has come for us to know also how to live together.” Chabad shluchim travel to places around the world to establish Jewish communities. Their mission, according to the directive of the Rebbe, is to discover “the unique needs of their respective communities.” The shluchim and their families work in 75 countries doing Jewish outreach, teaching Torah and establishing bastions of Jewish culture.

NEW YORK — Noam Sheriff, conductor of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra and 2011 winner of the Israel Prize (largely regarded as the state’s highest honor) in music, believes decades of experience gives him a unique perspective on major prizes. “If I were 20 or 30, the excitement would be overwhelming,” the 77-year-old Sheriff, one of Israel’s leading conductors, said in a recent interview with JNS just before his composition, Mechaye Hametim (Hebrew for “Revival of the Dead”), was performed by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York. “Now, I see things from a different angle – a different kind of excitement. One is the feeling that, on my shoulders, I carry a very long history of the Jewish people. It does not matter from where they come – Poland, Germany Morocco, Syria, Russia Iraq – they are Jewish people.” The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Zubin Mehta, presented Sheriff’s symphony during a historic program that included three major compositions, all written by composers of Jewish heritage at its gala concert Oct. 25. Also performed were Arnold Schoenberg’s Kol Nidre and Felix Mendelsohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor. But Sheriff’s composition, Mechaye

Courtesy of Maxine Dovere

Noam Sheriff

Hametim, commissioned by a Dutch Holocaust survivor as a memorial to Jews murdered in the Holocaust, was the headliner. Following the concert that evening, speaking from a balcony at the Plaza Hotel in New York, Mehta greeted and warmly thanked members of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic (AFIPO). Mehta, who is celebrating more than 50 years as conductor and musical director of the orchestra, was exuberant. “In New York, even in Beijing, we are reaching the people,” he said. The afternoon before the gala event, Sheriff spoke with JNS about the interplay of music and language,

and of music and philosophy. “A composer,” he said, “sometimes is expected to act like a composer.” What does that mean, exactly? “Absent-minded, impractical, a wild look – perhaps a red scarf – like other artists! But composers always look like bank officials – very square… Musicians, classical musicians, are not people of small talk,” Sheriff explained. In July 2012, the Mechaye Hametim composition was played during the opening performance of what Sheriff termed the “shrine” of classical music, the Salzburg Festival in Austria. Sheriff marveled at how “unexpectedly well” the “very selective Salzburg audience” had received his music. “If this work was accepted by the keen musicologists of Salzburg, approved and recommended, it is something which transcends nationality and becomes universal,” he said. “That is my main concern – not about myself, but about all that is known as Jewish music – not only klezmer music or melodies of the hazanim (cantors).” Months after Salzburg, on the day of the symphony’s Carnegie Hall debut, Sheriff’s excitement was palpable. He expressed great gratitude to New York Times music critic James R. Oestreich, whose critique titled “A New Faith in Classical Music,” appeared on the paper’s front page. SHERIFF on page 22

10 • INTERNATIONAL / ISRAEL

WWW.AMERICANISRAELITE.COM

‘Robust’ EU sanctions no match for Tehran’s tricks, experts say By Cnaan Liphshiz Jewish Telegraph Agency BRUSSELS – With embargoes on Iranian gas and oil firmly in place, the European Union seems determined to tighten a net of sanctions around Iran, as even longtime critics of Europe’s trade relations with Iran acknowledge. In a second round of sanctions this year, the European Union announced that it was prohibiting some transactions between European companies and Iranian banks and limit areas of trade “in order to choke off revenue that Iran is using for its nuclear program,” as British Foreign Secretary William Hague put it last month. The Israeli Foreign Ministry called the EU’s new package, which slapped a fresh embargo on gas to complement July’s oil embargo, “an important step” and “strong message.” Still, critics say that the EU’s

net has large holes that allow Iran to penetrate Europe through Turkey, China and even Lebanonbased Hezbollah, among other entities. Only blanket sanctions, they say, will prevent Iran from using money from Europe to fuel its nuclear program. In the EU process, companies suspected of being Iranian fronts can be blacklisted only after review and based on hard evidence. Obtaining such evidence requires much time and effort by intelligence agencies. “By the time one such company is blacklisted, the Iranians have set up 10 new ones,” said Emanuele Ottolenghi of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington. Ottolenghi says that only an American-style trade embargo on Iran can allow the EU to catch up with Iran’s speedy turnarounds. The U.S. has had a near ban on trade with Iran since the 1980s – its trade vol-

International Briefs

As Obama takes second term, Israel Israelis wonder what the future holds Briefs

ume of less than $200 million with the Islamic Republic consists largely of grain exports. By contrast, the EU’s volume of trade with Iran was $15 billion in 2011, which marks a 60 percent decline from 2005. The latest EU sanctions proscribe all import of petrochemical products from Iran; export and import of weapons; nuclear and telecommunications equipment; investment in Iran’s oil industry; and trade in gold with Iran, among other measures. Certain assets of Iran’s central bank have been seized, but transactions “related to foodstuffs, health care, medical equipment, agricultural or humanitarian purposes, personal remittances and a specific trade contract” are permitted. In total, the EU has blacklisted 471 Iranian entities. Ottolenghi, the Italian-born former director of the American Jewish Committee’s Transatlantic Institute in Brussels, says that European companies are abiding by the EU sanctions. He expects a third round

of European sanctions to be announced in the coming months. But the Iranian workarounds to the European sanctions are numerous and ingenious, Ottolenghi says, noting a relatively simple Iranian trick: trading with Europe through Turkey, a preferred trade partner of the EU and a country that Iranians may enter without a travel visa. As Iran’s trade with the EU plummets, its trade with Turkey is reaching record levels: $17.52 billion in the first eight months of 2012 compared to $15 billion in 2011. It stood at a mere $1 billion in 2000, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. Iran is now Turkey’s third-largest trade partner and main country for exports. Part of the exports may be proscribed European goods that Iran is buying from Europe through Turkish front companies that are set up and run by Iranians with Turkish nationality on behalf of the Iranian government, Ottolenghi says.

In response to EU sanctions, he says, Iran is transferring business to companies in Ukraine, Taiwan and Japan, among other countries. “If the U.S. and the EU are serious about sanctions, they need to squeeze these countries about ties with Iran,” he said. Just as European sanctions may be encouraging Turkey-Iran trade relations, they also may drive Iran increasingly to rely on Hezbollah for money laundering and purchases. Hezbollah is not blacklisted anywhere in Europe except in the Netherlands. “By sanctioning Iran and not Hezbollah, the European Union is virtually inviting Iran to do business through hundreds if not thousands of Hezbollah-affiliated agents all over the continent,” said Wim Kortenoeven, a former Dutch lawmaker and ex-Middle East researcher for the Center for Information and Documentation on Israel in The Hague.

By Ben Sales Jewish Telegraph Agency Palestinians working in U.S., South America build luxury homes in West Bank (JNS) – Thousands of Palestinians working in the U.S. and South America have been building luxury homes in the West Bank, Agence France Press (AFP) reported. Rafae Hamida, president of a charity in the West Bank village of Mazraa al-Sharqiya, told the French news agency that just 5,000 of the village’s 12,000 “residents” actually live there. Twothirds of them, Hamida said, live in the U.S., Peru and Brazil and are using the village’s land to build dream houses. “And every one of them wants to build a house that’s better than the next,” Hamida said. The homes “far exceed the regular size of Palestinian houses” and feature facades “covered with stone and adorned with huge pillars,” according to AFP. Palestinians move ahead with unilateral bid for UN status upgrade (JNS) – The Palestinian Authority’s representative to the United Nations submitted to all 193 member states a first draft of the PA’s unilateral bid to upgrade its status from “observer” to “nonmember observer state.” The U.S. and Israel have opposed upgrading Palestinian status at the UN. PA President Mahmoud Abbas spoke at a press conference in Ramallah, saying that he will move forward with the bid despite pressure to abandon it.

TEL AVIV – Most Israelis were asleep as the polls closed in America and voters waited for the results, but on one rooftop in central Tel Aviv a party with loud classic rock music and flashing lights was going strong. It was the pro-Obama electionwatching party of Israel’s left-wing Meretz party. Deviating from a solidly anti-Obama consensus in Israel – a poll showed Israeli Jews preferring Republican challenger Mitt Romney over the president, 59 percent to 22 percent – Meretz’s young members drank, talked and danced around a projection screen alternating between CNN and Israeli news coverage. For members of Israel’s embattled left, the party was a chance to celebrate liberalism. Attendees wore bright green shirts reading “My heart is leftist” or sporting Obama paraphernalia from 2008. A cheer rose as an Israeli TV station presented a photo slideshow of the president’s life. “We identify with the progressive values Obama represents,” said Tomer Reznik, 23, chairman of the Young Meretz group. “On one hand he supports Israel, and pushes Israel with the other hand.” Hours later, past 3 a.m. local time, when the results began coming in from Florida and Ohio, two Israeli political diehards sat at the back of the popular American bar Mike’s Place alongside small groups of American tourists and expatriates. “I saw the four debates,” said Asaf Chen, 27. “Romney hasn’t been president and he came with

Courtesy of Miriam Alster/Flash90/JTA

Haredi Orthodox Jews watching the victory speech of President Obama at the American Center in Jerusalem, Nov. 7, 2012.

lots of promises. Obama had four years to do things and he didn’t exactly do it.” After it became clear that Obama won the election, Israeli officialdom reacted quickly. “The security relationship between the United States and Israel is rock solid, and I look forward to working with President Obama to further strengthen this relationship,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement of congratulations. “I look forward to working with him to advance our goals of peace and security.” President Shimon Peres also offered his congratulations. Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who has praised Obama more than Netanyahu, said he has “no doubt that the Obama administration will continue its policy – whereby Israel’s security is at its very foundations – as well as its efforts to tackle the challenges facing all of

us in the region; all the while continuing to strive for further progress in the peace process.” The Palestinian Authority’s official news service, Wafa, reported that PA President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Obama and encouraged him to continue pursuing Israeli-Palestinian peace. Political analysts, however, warned that there could be obstacles ahead for the two leaders. Netanyahu’s relationship with Obama has been rocky, with public spats over a freeze on West Bank settlement building and the fight against Iran’s nuclear program punctuating the last four years. During the campaign, Netanyahu was seen as favoring Romney, and that could open up Netanyahu to attack in the Israeli campaign leading up to the Jan. 22 election. FUTURE on page 22

Thousands of Jews visit Hebron to mark Cave of Patriarchs purchase (JNS) – Tens of thousands of Jews arrived in Hebron over the weekend to mark a special Shabbat when the Torah reading opens with Abraham’s purchase of the Cave of Patriarchs. Known as Shabbat Chaye Sarah, the Torah reading describes the death of Abraham’s wife Sarah and his purchase of the burial cave that has become one of the most significant sites in Judaism. “There is no Sabbath like this, in which we read about the purchase of the burial cave by Avraham, to send a message to the younger generation of the connection between our forefathers and the roots of the Jewish People,” said Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar. The increased Jewish presence in Hebron coincided with an increase in army and police presence. The city, along with the Cave of the Patriarchs, has been a point of contention between Jews and Muslims. Hebron, along with Jerusalem, Safed and Tiberias, are considered the “Four Holy Cities,” the main center of Jewish life prior to the establishment of Israel. Until the 1929 Hebron Massacre—where 67 Jews were killed, Jews had a continuous presence in the holy city since antiquity. Jewish presence resumed when Israel took control from Jordan in the 1967 Six Day War.

SOCIAL LIFE • 11

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

2012 Cincinnati Chocolate Festival at Xavier’s Cintas Center

Are The Dead Sea Scrolls Dead? UC Department of Judaic Studies presents the 2012-2013 Jacob and Jennie L. Lichter Lecture Series

Monday, November 19, 2012, 7:00 pm University of Cincinnati Annie Laws Hall 407 Teachers College

Norman Golb

Ludwig Rosenberger Professor of Jewish History and Civilization, University of Chicago

ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE

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The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Popular Imagination Norman Golb, Ludwig Rosenberger Professor of Jewish History and Civilization, in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, is well-known in Dead Sea Scrolls research for arguing that Qumran was a fortress, with no connection to the Scrolls. Rather, the Scrolls, originating from Jerusalem independently from the settlement, were hidden in the caves outside of Qumran during the war between the Jews and Romans (66-74CE) that led to the destruction of the Second Temple. Questioning the scholarly consensus, Golb offers an example of alternative interpretations rooted in judicious consideration of the available evidence. Golb has authored several books and over 60 articles in English, Hebrew and French. His books include Methods of Investigation of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Khirbet Qumran Site (with Michael Wise) and Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?–The Search for the Secret of Qumran (New York: Scribner, 1995). In the early nineties, Dr. Golb took a leading role in the freeing of the Dead Sea Scrolls for study by the scholarly community, and in organizing an international congress on the scrolls under the auspices of the New York Academy of Sciences and the Oriental Institute

Sponsored by the Taft Research Center, Department of Judaic Studies, Cincinnati Museum Center, Ohio Humanities Council, and the Mayerson Jewish Community Center.

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14 • DINING OUT

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Stop to shop, stay to eat at 20 Brix By Michael Sawan Assistant Editor I am not a proponent of all of this “happy holiday” nonsense. I was in Kroger a few days before Halloween and – I can’t believe it – they already had Christmas themed food tucked comfortably amongst everything else. It wasn’t ostentatious or fussy. It was just there, waiting patiently, two months early. It is a sign that gift-giving season is just around the corner, which is a shame since there is nothing worse than meandering around a store looking for a gift that you NEED to buy for a person that you may know next to nothing about. Here is a tip I can offer: buy wine. Or beer. Or both. Everyone knows the “bring a bottle of wine to the dinner party” trick, but so few think to take it through the next logical steps: bring a bottle to the boss, bring another to a depressed friend. In fact, I imagine you could give wine under almost any circumstance, as long as it’s the right bottle. This makes a place like 20 Brix extremely valuable. You may find yourself on a deadline, pressed to get a quick housewarming gift. 20 Brix can help, having inexpensive (but expensive looking) table wines for just the purpose. Or maybe you need a significant gift, one that will show you know something about the recipient’s taste. 20 Brix features more expensive wines from bottlers that exude unique styles, perfect for a more intimate present. I saw one bottle – it would have been at home on the set of a Dracula movie – that would have been perfect for a good friend of mine. And, on top of this, 20 Brix also has a decent selection of artisan beers and a fun collection of odds and ends for your favorite wino. Something like stocking stuffers, though for our sake we’ll call them menorah danglers. Oh right, and on top of this 20 Brix is a fantastic restaurant with an honest to goodness capital ‘C’ Chef. His name is Paul Barraco, and he explained to me the factors that go into planning the restaurant’s food. What is perhaps most important is making sure that everything on the menu will pair well with wine. Barraco himself was a patron of the restaurant before he became head Chef, noting that one thing that struck him then and keeps him so pleased now is that 20 Brix has a “phenomenal wine list.” With wine under consideration, Barraco then surveys what produce is available from local farmers. “We try to do about 70-80% of our produce within growing season from within 15 to 20 miles of the restaurant,” Barraco explains. This ends up meaning that the dishes are very seasonal, but the blessing outweighs the curse. It allows Barraco and 20 Brix to focus on three to

(Top-bottom, L-R) The gift table at 20 Brix; The store portion of 20 Brix, with wine and gifts on display; Looking out upon the restaurant after entering; A rack of well stocked wine; Another side of the shop looking out onto the restaurant; A shot of 20 Brix’s dining room as the sun sets; The Tender Kale Salad, heftily decorated; Beth Batten and Lindsay Hastings, two front staff workers at 20 Brix; The Pan Seared Maple Leaf Farms Duck Roast with a truffled omelet and root vegetables.

four entrées and three to four appetizers, each showcasing what our area has to offer. Then, with the change of the season, there is a change of menu. Barraco first offered me the Tender Kale Salad with roasted cauliflower, golden raisins, aged cheddar cheese, cashews and curried apple vinaigrette. I was struck first by the use of kale, of all things. I know it’s been growing in popularity but I’m still used to other leaves getting top billing. Being true to form, the choice had nothing to do with any of that. “I think it’s a little heartier choice,” Barraco explained, “plus it’s grown right now.... I find it best to let nature decide what you’ll be cooking.” This salad did a great job of saying a lot with little. Not at all bogged down in dressing, the

entirety of the salad was able to breathe freely. The kale offered a thoroughly hearty body, that earthy snap that gives kale its distinct taste. This mingled with the sweetness of the golden raisins and the heartiness of the roasted cauliflower, all while a hint of creaminess hung around the tail end of the taste – the result of the aged cheddar. Throw in the crunchiness of the cashews and it was a medley in which nothing was without purpose and everything contributed to the very tasteful whole. Barraco sums it up nicely: “I just think it’s delicious.” My entrée for the night was the Pan Seared Maple Leaf Farms Duck Roast with a truffled omelet and root vegetables. The presentation of this dish was incredible, I felt like I was suddenly in some rustic nook of Ohio and the meal

had been pieced together out of things growing throughout the woods. The duck itself was cooked expertly, not at all fatty and yet not at all dry. Barraco explained to me that the duck had been cooked “nose to tail,” meaning that as much of the duck as possible had been used. He wasn’t kidding. The dish was accompanied by a hearty jus made from the rendered fat of the duck, condensed down naturally into a gravy that made everything better. The truffled omelet, the consistency of fluffy cornbread, was a perfect sponge for the jus, ending up a sweet and salty, highly textural complement to the duck and root vegetables. These, too, were cooked terrifically, a nice hearty side that tricked you into thinking it wasn’t wholesome. I asked Barraco about this feeling I was having, that the food I

was eating must have been unhealthy. It was just too good and too flavorful not to be bad for me. “There’s almost no fat in that dish,” he explained, noting that other customers had made similar comments. Then, in a dumbfounding statement of something I should have known: “It’s like anything else, if you cook it properly it can be quite delicious.” 20 Brix is wrapping up its fifth year anniversary celebration this week, with special deals every day. Check their website to see what’s up; be it the store or sitting in, this is a place worth celebrating. Their hours are Monday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. 20 Brix 101 Main Street Milford, OH 45150 (513) 831-2749

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

DINING OUT • 15

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16 • OPINION

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Report card: the state of our local Jewish schools By Michael Sawan Assistant Editor A school requires many things, chief among them teachers and students. But who pays the teachers? Who maintains the facilities? Is the grand total a responsible figure? What systems are in place to keep the children healthy, focused and safe? Cincinnati Hebrew Day School (CHDS) and Rockwern Academy, Cincinnati’s two Jewish day schools, have managed to deal with all of these questions in their own way. CHDS is a private school, but it is also “a chartered school that is accredited by the Ohio Department of Education,” according to CHDS’ 2011-2012 Student Handbook. This means that on top of tuition, the school receives funding from the state of Ohio. This total, too, is supplemented by donations from the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. During the 2009-10 school year, tuition to CHDS cost $7,735 per student. (This amount has risen in the 2012-2013 academic year to $8,335.) The school consistently has about 150 students, totaling $1,160,250. The school is supplemented by the State of Ohio, with two re-imbursement programs discovered during the research conducted for this article. In the Ohio Department of Education’s Auxiliary Services Statement concerning CHDS for 2010, the school had been paid a grand total of $91,053.57. There was a second set of reimbursements filed under Administrative Costs, which eventually resulted in $40,312.52. Finally, a sizable donation was made by the Jewish Federation, which gave $373,400. This makes the grand total for the 2009-2010 academic year around $1,665,016.09. Rockwern’s finances for the 2009-2010 academic school year are as follows: • Tuition of roughly $10,000 from roughly 120 students yields: $1,200,000 • Auxiliary Services: $94,928.19 • Administrative Cost: $40,884.32 • The Jewish Federation: $448,337.00 • Also, the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati made a donation of: $14,200.00 • Total budget: $1,798,349.51 Many other sources of revenue have not been included, such as alumni donations, charity dinners and the other services that the school offers (daycare, etc.). Therefore, these totals are most definitely higher. Both schools were contacted for further financial information which both declined to offer.

The final financial note that remains to be uncovered is if this vast amount of money has been spent responsibly. Again, the school would not comment on their financial expenditures, as is their right as private institutions. Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), however, has open and public records, so one can see what that school system has done and with how much money. For the 2009-2010 academic year, CPS had a total budge of $651,413,508. This amount was the sum of several sources, including city tax, state revenue, federal revenue and various other streams. This amount was used to completely fund the education of about 33,700 students, including teachers’ salaries, administrative cost, food costs, everything. This means that it cost CPS $19,329.76 to educate one student. Turning back to the Jewish day schools, by dividing the number of students against the total budget, it is revealed that CHDS spent $11,100.11 to educate one student, while Rockwern spent $14,986.25. For the sake of fairness, again: Several of CHDS’ and Rockwern’s revenue streams remain unaccounted for, so their numbers are artificially low. With money matters semiaccounted for, questions concerning discipline, safety and hygiene may be addressed. Unfortunately, CHDS and Rockwern declined to make official statements on these topics, but The American Israelite was still able to obtain the following information: Official documents from the Hamilton County Public Health office state that CHDS has had four health code violations at the school since 2007, with one series of incidents occurring as recently as May 4, 2011. The furthest back violation, from April 2007, stated that “The physical facilities were not in good repair,” with the recommendation that “The physical facilities shall be maintained in good repair.” CHDS has not since been sited for the same violation. The next violation, occurring on October 19, 2007, states the following: “Food employee was touching ready-to-eat food with bare hands,” with the obvious recommendation that the employee “use suitable utensils.” Again, this problem has not been repeated. The next violation occurred on April 1, 2009. In very convoluted terms, the health code document states that refrigerated food had not been date marked, meaning that there was no way of knowing how long certain items had been in storage. Once more, this problem has not been repeated. May 4, 2011 provided three

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violations. The first concerned improper food temperatures in the refrigerator. The second concerned a dull can opener blade, which might create “metal fragments” to be deposited into food, while the third addressed the cleanliness of the school: “The physical facilities are not cleaned as often as necessary to keep them clean.” There have been no new or repeated violations since these incidents. Rockwern’s record shows two violations occurring in 2009: one in March, concerning the hot foods not being at the proper temperature, and one in September, concerning an improper sterilization of cooking utensils. Again, no new violations have occurred since then. It’s no secret that even without health code violations germs can infect students easily. Three unique stories from three independent news organizations – CBS, NPR and the Associated Press—all make explicitly clear the dangers posed by even moderately unclean surfaces. The articles site everything from door handles to water fountain spigots as harbingers of infection, with consistent implication that only vigorous maintenance can curb student infection. When asked about these issues, CHDS and Rockwern officials made no comment. The schools also chose to withhold comment on their safety and disciplinary policy. Accordingly, the Israelite had to make due with the official student handbooks from each institution. Concerning discipline, CHDS’ student handbook presents the following expectations: “The highest form of discipline is self-discipline, through which a student understands himself, the differences between right and wrong, and acts accordingly.” The handbook also offers practical guidelines, stating that “violent, excessively disruptive, or seriously destructive behavior will be stopped immediately. If physical restraint of a student is required, it will be done in the least restrictive and least embarrassing way possible,” and similarly, “the school continues to maintain a standard of zero tolerance toward hitting, kicking, or other violent activities at school or during school activity.” The handbook continues like this for another four pages, even utilizing a large chart to illustrate the different ways to “be safe, cooperative, respectful, and responsible” in the playground, hallway, cafeteria, classroom and restroom. When asked about any recent incidents, the school made no comment. REPORT on page 19

Dear Editor, Thank goodness the presidential election is over. I was getting depressed from reading the letters to the editor in the American Israelite. Jewish Democrats and Republicans alike engaged in abusive ad hominem insulting one’s opponents in order to invalidate their claims. As a history buff, it reminded me of the rancor among Jewish factions prior to the destruction of the Second Temple, the American Civil War and World War I. We Jews need to come together to resolve problems – the economy, the deficit, Israel’s security, protection against terrorism, the gap between the poor and the wealthy, etc. “May we learn the art of living together and come to understand how to appreciate differences, to reconcile clashing interests and to help achieve a harmonious and abundant life.” Sincerely, Bob Schneider Cincinnati, OH Dear Editor, As a 501(c)(3) organization, AJC remained non-partisan throughout the pre-election campaign. And now AJC congratulates President Obama, wishes him success in his second term, and looks forward to our continued work with his administration to advance the security of the United States and its allies; strengthen the international consensus against terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and human rights abuse; and achieve energy security and immigration reform. We salute Governor Romney for his record of service and commitment to American leadership. After a difficult and too-often negative campaign, we want the leaders of our divided government to rediscover the art of compromise—the necessity of cooperation—to address critical national and global problems. Although foreign policy wasn’t a deciding issue for most voters, the presidential campaign demonstrated the depth and breadth of American support for Israel’s security—identified repeatedly as a high priority by both President Obama and Governor Romney. AJC will work to sustain bipartisan support for Israel. We find convincing evidence that the Jewish community, with unusually high participation rates and substantial populations in swing states (including Ohio and Florida), had an outsized effect on this year’s vote. In meetings with candidates and advisers, in our platform testimony to the two parties, and in our programs at the two national political conventions in the months leading up to the election, AJC pursued an advocacy agenda focused on the Iranian threat, Palestinian unilateralism, energy security, and immigration reform. Without pause or distraction, we will

continue to press forward on these core issues with the administration and the 113th Congress. Sincerely, Michael A. Safdi, M.D., President, AJC Cincinnati Region Barbara Glueck, Director, AJC Cincinnati Region Cincinnati, OH Dear Editor, A few years ago I purchased an apartment building. It was in disarray, but I was sure it could be fixed with the right contractor. I found a guy who said he could fix it. He didn’t have much experience, but I was confident that he could fix my problems, the biggest of which being a major plumbing leak. Not only was the water damaging the structure and cosmetics of the apartments, but the water bills were skyrocketing. My contractor went right to work. The first time I checked in on him I noticed that he had not stopped the leak yet, but he assured me that bailing out the water would work just fine for the time being. The second time I checked in on him he informed me that he had poked more holes in my pipes because what we actually needed to do is flush the house out – the previous contractors had apparently done such a horrible job. This went on and on and on. New problems arose, and he blamed it on the guy who built the house, or installed the plumbing, or poured the foundation. We had agreed to a contract for a certain amount of time with a potential renewal based on progress. I interviewed several others – one has been in this business for years and years, and is actually one of the best contractors around. He has never worked on my apartment building specifically but has performed, successfully, similar work in other smaller apartments. He told me that the first thing I needed to do is stop the leak THEN start repairs. My current contractor disagrees. Nonetheless my wife and I discussed the situation and decided that we will keep our current contractor. I like the way he talks. He has never made a mistake, and even though the apartments are in worse shape than when he started I know deep down that it was the greedy contractor before him who messed everything up. Sincerely, Aaron Binik-Thomas Cincinnati, OH via Facebook With the response: Are your grapes sour? Bush made the mess. Obama and I are fixing it for you. You’re welcome. Sincerely, David Schwartz Cincinnati, OH via Facebook

JEWISH LIFE • 17

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

families on earth. If the wrong son had received the patrimony, the history of Israel would have ended almost before it had begun. The Abrahamic mission of bringing ethical monotheism to the world required profound faith, commitment and intellectual acumen. It would also require courageous physical prowess to defeat enemies of a God of love, morality and peace (witness Abraham’s almost single-handed defeat of the four enemy kings). Rebecca knew her husband very well. The effect of being the son of an ambitious, path-breaking and aggressive father – consummately successful in all his endeavors – is to withdraw from competing, to flee from military conflict, as he does with Abimelech, and to live a more passive, but no less dedicated, life. But Isaac was also obsessed with the aggressiveness of his elder brother Ishmael, who made him feel inadequate and unworthy of the Abrahamic patrimony. He feared that his father really favored this “wild ass of a man” (“Would that Ishmael live before Thee” had been Abraham’s response to God’s message of Isaac’s birth), that his father was only too anxious to take him, Isaac, to the akeda (binding) and get him out of the familial picture. And so Isaac constantly wandered back and forth from Be’er Lahai Ro’i, the place where the angel of God rescued and blessed Ishmael, consumed with jealousy toward his elder brother. Then Isaac and Rebecca are blessed with twin sons: the elder – ruddy red, hirsute and aggressive – a man of the fields and of the hunt; the younger – wholeheartedly naïve – an introspective and studious dweller of tents. Isaac is immediately drawn to his older and more aggressive son; he realizes that the heir to the Abrahamic Covenant requires physical courage, strength and fortitude. The wiser Rebecca, however, understands that the essence of the patrimony is compassionate righteousness and moral justice, spiritual strength and fortitude in faith. She also remembers how Jacob – even

in the womb – grabbed Esau’s heel, attempting to overcome and surpass this physically aggressive first-born. Rebecca realizes that all that Jacob requires are the hands of Esau, the external garb of Esau – and he will be capable of acquiring the essence of the Covenant which is the voice of Jacob, the message of ethical monotheism. Rebecca never sets out to deceive Isaac. She merely wants to prove to him that Jacob has enough of the external virtues of Esau to champion the cause of compassionate righteousness and moral justice even on the battlefield, if need be. Thanks to the yeshivot hesder, Rebecca’s children have emerged victorious in the IDF even as they realize that their essence lies in the words and love of the Divine Vision.

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T EST Y OUR T ORAH KNOWLEDGE THIS WEEK’S PORTION: TOLDOT (BRAISHITH 25:19—28:9) 1. What did Ya'akov feed Esav? a.) Food b.) Best fruits of Canaan c.) A cooked dish 2. What did Esav feed Isaac? a.) Venison b.) Cow and goat meat c.) Best fruits of Canaan 3. What did Ya'akov feed Isaac when he got the blessing? a.) Nothing b.) Best Fruits 4. C 26:1 5. A 25:28 Their love was not equal. Isaac loved both of his children even though he knew Esav was not as righteous as Jacob. Rebecca did not love Esav because she recognized his wickedness. Sforno

EFRAT, Israel – One of the most innovative and fascinating creations of Religious Zionism is the educational institution known as “yeshivot hesder.” This refers to yeshivot which have an “arrangement” (hesder) with the IDF allowing observant high school graduates to fulfill their three-year compulsory draft obligation by attending a yeshiva for a year and a half, followed by a year and a half of serving in the army and then a final two years of Torah learning. This was a creative compromise between secular Israeli society, whose members are expected to enter the IDF for three full years after high school, and the ultraOrthodox (haredim), who are automatically exempted from the IDF as long as they are registered as full-time yeshiva students. I would submit that the “spiritual mother” of the yeshivat hesder model was none other than the Matriarch Rebecca of this week’s biblical portion – but we must read between the lines to understand this analogy. Our analysis begins with the very troubling act of deception that Rebecca persuades her son Jacob to perpetrate against her husband Isaac. She informs her beloved younger son that his elder brother Esau is about to receive the blessings/birthright from the blind and aged Isaac, and convinces him to dress and pose as Esau so as to preempt his brother and receive the blessing himself. How could a righteous matriarch pit one brother against the other in an act of subterfuge against her husband? And didn’t Rebecca realize that her deception would be discovered? After all, in only a few hours, Esau would return with the venison, present the dish to his father and expect to receive the blessing, and Isaac would understand what had happened. She and Jacob would be disgraced, at least in the eyes of Isaac – perhaps irreparably. Why go through such a flimsy masquerade? I maintain that Rebecca certainly understood the seriousness of deception and the certitude of discovery, but was playing for very high stakes. The son who would receive the blessings was to be the heir to the Covenant of Abraham, the carrier of a vision of ethical monotheism which would eventually bring blessing and redemption to all the

This was a creative compromise between secular Israeli society, whose members are expected to enter the IDF for three full years after high school, and the ultra-Orthodox (haredim), who are automatically exempted from the IDF as long as they are registered as full-time yeshiva students.

c.) Two goats 4. Where did the King of the Philistines live? a.) Beer Sheva b.) Ashkelon c.) Gerrar 5. How does the Torah describe Isaac's and Rebecca's relationship with their children? a.) Love b.) Fighting c.) Love and fighting

“hunt” to deceive his father that he was more righteous than he really was. Rashi 3. C 27:9 The blessings were given at the time which would be Passover. One goat was for a Paschal offering the other for a festive meal. Rashi

by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin

SHABBAT SHALOM: PARSHAT TOLDOT GENESIS 25:19 – 28:9

Written by Rabbi Dov Aaron Wise

ANSWERS 1. C 25:29 A cooked dish of lentils. Abraham passed away that day and Jacob made lentils for after the burial. Lentils are circular to symbolize a life cycle event. Rashi. 2. A 25:28 Alternatively, Esav used his mouth to

Sedra of the Week

18 • JEWZ IN THE NEWZ

JEWZ

IN THE

By Nate Bloom Contributing Columnist POLITICALLY CORRECT “Nate Silver is the only white male winning tonight.” – So tweeted “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” producer Gavin Purcell on election night, after it became clear that Obama would win. Kudos to these 2012 election journalists: NATE SILVER, 34, DAVID KORN, 53, and CHUCK TODD, 40. Silver, a statistical analyst who writes the “FiveThirty-Eight” blog for the NY Times, correctly predicted the winner of 49 out of 50 states in the 2008 election and the winner of all 50 states in 2012. Silver’s mathematical modeling and evaluation of state and national polls was criticized by many on the political Right–but now we know that he was right. Silver’s father, BRIAN D. SILVER, is a Michigan State political science professor. His mother, Sally, isn’t Jewish. Silver calls himself “half Jewish.” Korn, chief of the Washington Bureau of “Mother Jones” magazine, became much better known after he released the now-famous Mitt Romney “47%” video. James Earl Carter IV, Pres. Carter’s grandson, located the maker of the video (a small, blurry section of which was on the web) and put that person in touch with Korn because, Carter said, he had worked well with Korn before. Korn then worked directly with the video maker and got him/her to release it in full to Mother Jones. No doubt, it influenced the election’s outcome. (The name of the maker of the video has not yet been released). Todd, the NBC political division chief, and host of the MSNBC show, “The Daily Run Down,” distinguished himself with his informative, “down the middle” analysis of the race. He also worked to make sure that NBC’s polls were well-done—and they turned out to be among the most accurate. Todd, whose mother is Jewish, was raised Jewish. LINCOLN AND VAMPIRES These movies open on Friday, Nov. 13: “Lincoln,” directed by STEVEN SPIELBERG, 65, and written by TONY KUSHNER, 56, covers the last eight months of the President’s life, as he worked to end the Civil War and abolish slavery forever via a constitutional amendment. Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis, 55, stars in the title role. Day-Lewis is the son of an Irish Protestant father (the late poet laureate of England, Cecil Day-

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Lewis) and an English Jewish mother (the late actress JILL BALCON). While secular as an adult, I cannot ignore the fact that Day-Lewis was baptized as a boy and, for the purpose of this column, I don’t consider him Jewish. JOSEPH GORDONLEVITT, 31, co-stars as Robert Todd Lincoln, the president’s son. The younger Lincoln, the only child of the president to survive him, finished college and became a Union Army officer a year before (1864) the president’s assassination. Interesting footnote: Robert Todd Lincoln arrived in Washington the day before his father was killed, and while he wasn’t in Ford’s Theater, where Lincoln was shot, he was nearby and rushed to his father’s deathbed. He was present at the 1881 assassination of President Garfield (he served as Garfield’s Sec. of War). He was also present (!) at the assassination of President McKinley (1901). Robert Todd Lincoln was aware of this grim track record and refused presidential invitations after McKinley’s death. Another footnote: Robert Todd Lincoln’s grandson, who died in 1985, without children, was the last “undisputed” direct descendant of Abraham Lincoln. However, sports broadcaster WARNER WOLF, 74, who was born in Kentucky, claims collateral descent from Lincoln. Wolf, who now works for the radio show “Imus in the Morning,” and has worked for the ABC TV network, as well as local ABC and CBS TV affiliates, is the son of a Jewish father and a mother who converted to Judaism. Wolf says his mother is a descendant of a member of the family of Nancy Hanks, the president’s mother. Tom Hanks, the actor, is also distantly related to Nancy Hanks. Some people claim Lincoln, himself, had Jewish blood. I find the evidence dubious. But African Americans were spot-on when they referenced the Bible and called him “Father Abraham.” Well, it’s finally here, the twilight (i.e, the end) of the “Twilight” movie series about vampires. The official description of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn–Part 2” says that it: “illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.” Like the previous four films, the screenplay for this film was written by MELISSA ROSENBERG, 50. NIKKI REED, 24, reprises her costarring role (“Rosalie Hale”). By the way, the first four films brought in $2.5 billion in movie ticket sales, alone. As the Brits would say, “that’s not bloody bad.”

FROM THE PAGES 150 Y EARS A GO National Theater – Mr. J. Wilkes Booth, the eminent Tragedian, is now filling the second week of his engagement at this Theater. The weather, so far, has not been very propitious, but, this considered, the audiences have been very good. Mr. Booth well merits the support of all the admirers of the sterling drama. The matinee for ladies and children, on Saturday afternoon, are well worthy of mention. The programme is large and inviting. Take your family there. Wood’s Theater – Mr. Joseph Proctor, the distinguished Tragedian, is at present filling a successful engagement at Wood’s. The large houses which have greeted him, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather during the first part of this week, are the best evidence of his popularity. He will appear in an entirely new play, translated from the French, entitled “Ambition,” which we anticipate is something grand. – November 21, 1862

125 Y EARS A GO The nephews and nieces of “Uncle Sam” were somewhat startled at the announcement that he has laid down his pen as correspondent of the American Israelite from this city, and surprised at the manner in which his successor “Critic,” consigns him to oblivion. Uncle Sam may have committed errors, but itmust be said to his credit that he took pains to get the latest news, he was impartial on all questions and never one sided. It is however not the purpose of these lines to defend Uncle Sam, but to report a recent social event which “Critic,” in his inaugural, ommitted. – November 18, 1887

100 Y EARS A GO Abe Isaacs, 2856 May Street, son of a well known businessman, recovered his father’s stolen automobile Sunday night. He risked his life in the effort and also received a beating about the face, but he was successful. The machine of Isaacs, Sr., was standing in front of 2534 Moorman Avenue, when two young men, one dressed in blue and the other in brown, leaped into the auto and drove away. Three hours later young Isaacs, who was standing at Peebles corner, saw the machine coming south on Gilbert Avenue. The men put on the speed when they saw him. He made a leap for the running board, missed it, but caught with his hands. He was dragged for two blocks and clung desperately to the machine while one of the men reached over the side of the auto and beat him in the face. Failing to make him relinquish his hold the man kicked at him, but Isaacs threw his head to one side. Then he drew himself upon the running board. Meanwhile Patrolman Riley was pursuing the machine in another. At Symmes Street the men told Isaacs

they would let him have the auto if he would not molest them. He agreed. The machine was stopped and the men took to their heels with Riley in pursuit. He shot at them as they leaped over a bank in the rear of Wheatley’s potter on Reading Road, but they escaped. – November 14, 1912

75 Y EARS A GO Dr. Nathan Isaacs, professor of Business Law at Harvard University will be the guest speaker at the seventh annual dinner of the Bureau of Jewish Education in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Cincinnati Talmud Torah, Sunday, Nov. 14th, at 6:30 p. m. at the Avondale Synagogue Center. Professor Isaacs is a native Cincinnatian. Born in one of the oldest Jewish families of Cincinnati he studied at the University of Cincinnati where he received the degree of doctor of philosophy. He was admitted to the Cincinnati Bar in 1910. From 1912 to 1918 he was professor of law and assistant dean at the Law School, University of Cincinnati. – November 11, 1937

50 Y EARS A GO Rabbi and Mrs. Sylvan D. Schwartzman announce that Dec. 23 has been selected as the date for the marriage of their daughter, Judith, to Mr. James L. Apple, son of Mr. and Mrs. Milton W. Apple, of Hazleton, Pa. The ceremony will be performed by the bride’s father, who is professor of Jewish Religious Education at the Hebrew Union College, and her uncle, Rabbi Allan H. Schwartzman, of Greenville, Miss. The wedding will take place at 11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of the Hebrew Union College. Miss Schwartzman’s attendants will be Mrs. Arnold J. Wolff of New York City, sister of the bridegroom, as matron of honor, and Miss Rose Chasanov of Wilmington, Del., Mrs. Floyd L. Herman of Cincinnati, Miss Freda Miller of Lexington, Ky., and Miss Martha Perry of Cincinnati as bridesmaids. Mr. Apple, a fourth year student at HUC, will have Mr. Floyd L. Herman of Cincinnati as best man. His ushers will be the Messrs. William M. Chasnov of Wilmington, Del., Jack Grubbs and Joel R. Schwartzman of Cincinnati, and Arnold J. Wolff of New York. Following a wedding trip to Miami Beach the couple will reside at 1810 Berkley Avenue in Cincinnati. – November 15, 1962

25 Y EARS A GO Penina Czerkiewicz and William Gilbert Sachs were married Aug. 23 at the Hall of Mirrors, Omni Neverland Plaza. Rabbis Marvin Needle of Chicago and Mark Goldman officiated.

Penina is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Siom Czerkiewicz and the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Max Genzer and the late Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Czerkiewicz. Bill is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Sachs and the grandson of Mrs. Joseph Blackman and the late Mr. Blackman and the late Mr. and Mrs. William Sachs. Mazil Mizrachi, sister of the bride, was the matron of honor. Cathy Hollander, sister of the bridegroom, and Ruth Kaufman were bridesmaids. Malka Mizrachi, niece of the bride, was junior bridesmaid. Lee Sachs, father of the bridegroom, was best man. Ushers were Jack Czerkiewicz, brother of the bride, Gary Hollander, David Mizrachi and Glen Sachs, brother of the bridegroom. The couple reside in Cincinnati. – November 19, 1987

10 Y EARS A GO Rabbi Dr. David Ellenson, President of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion notified faculties of the Jerusalem, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles campuses of the recent passing of Rabbi Dr. Stanley F. Chyet Monday. In his announcement Dr. Ellenson wrote: “It is with profound personal sadness that I share with you the news of the death of our colleague, teacher and friend, Rabbi Stanley F. Chyet, Professor Emeritus of American Jewish History. He passed away in Los Angeles yesterday, Saturday, Oct. 19, after a lengthy struggle with cancer. Stan’s contributions to the translation of Hebrew poetry and American Jewish History were significant and numerous....” Rabbi Chyet was born in Boston, Mass. He was a son of the late Jacob Maurice and Beatrice Lillian (Miller) Chyet. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Geraldine (Hyman) Chyet, of Sherman Oaks, Calif.; and his children, Susan Chyet Ware of Los Angeles and Michael Chyet of Washington, D.C. Dr. Chyet received his bachelor of arts degree, in 1952, from Brandeis University, in Waltham, Mass. In 1957, the M.A.H.L. degree was conferred upon him and he was ordained as a rabbi by the Hebrew Union College -JIR in Cincinnati. At the same time, he was awarded the Frank Research Fellowship in American Jewish History at the College-Institute. The fellowship led to his being awarded the Ph.D. degree in 1960, and to his appointment to the faculty of the College-Institute. Dr. Chyet was a past president of the Cincinnati branch of the Labor Zionists. He also served on the board of directors of the Association of Jewish Studies, the Publications Committee of the Jewish Publication Society and the Academic Council and Publications Committee of the American Jewish Historical Society. – November 14, 2002

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS • 19

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Access (513) 373-0300 • jypaccess.org Big Brothers/Big Sisters Assoc. (513) 761-3200 • bigbrobigsis.org Camp Ashreinu (513) 702-1513 Camp at the J (513) 722-7258 • mayersonjcc.org Camp Chabad (513) 731-5111 • campchabad.org Camp Livingston (513) 793-5554 • camplivingston.com Cedar Village (513) 754-3100 • cedarvillage.org Chevra Kadisha (513) 396-6426 Cincinnati Community Kollel (513) 631-1118 • kollel.shul.net Cincinnati Community Mikveh (513) 351-0609 • cincinnatimikveh.org Eruv Hotline (513) 351-3788 Fusion Family (513) 703-3343 • fusionnati.org Halom House (513) 791-2912 • halomhouse.com Hillel Jewish Student Center (Miami) (513) 523-5190 • muhillel.org Hillel Jewish Student Center (UC) (513) 221-6728 • hillelcincinnati.org Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati 513-961-0178 • jcemcin.org Jewish Community Center (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org Jewish Community Relations Council (513) 985-1501 Jewish Family Service (513) 469-1188 • jfscinti.org Jewish Federation of Cincinnati (513) 985-1500 • shalomcincy.org Jewish Foundation (513) 214-1200 Jewish Information Network (513) 985-1514 Jewish Vocational Service (513) 985-0515 • jvscinti.org Kesher (513) 766-3348 Plum Street Temple Historic Preservation Fund (513) 793-2556 Shalom Family (513) 703-3343 • myshalomfamily.org The Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education (513) 487-3055 • holocaustandhumanity.org Vaad Hoier (513) 731-4671 Workum Fund (513) 899-1836 • workum.org YPs at the JCC (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org

CONGREGATIONS Adath Israel Congregation (513) 793-1800 • adath-israel.org Beit Chaverim (513) 984-3393 • btzbc.com 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 • btzbc.com

Congregation Ohav Shalom (513) 489-3399 • ohavshalom.org Congregation Ohr Chadash (513) 252-7267 • ohrchadashcincinnati.com Congregation Sha’arei Torah shaareitorahcincy.org Congregation Zichron Eliezer 513-631-4900 • czecincinnati.org Golf Manor Synagogue (513) 531-6654 • golfmanorsynagogue.org Isaac M. Wise Temple (513) 793-2556 • wisetemple.org Kehilas B’nai Israel (513) 761-0769 Northern Hills Synagogue (513) 931-6038 • nhs-cba.org Rockdale Temple (513) 891-9900 • rockdaletemple.org Temple Beth Shalom (513) 422-8313 • tbsohio.org Temple Sholom (513) 791-1330 • templesholom.net The Valley Temple (513) 761-3555 • valleytemple.com

EDUCATION Chai Tots Early Childhood Center (513) 234.0600 • chaitots.com Chabad Blue Ash (513) 793-5200 • chabadba.com Cincinnati Hebrew Day School (513) 351-7777 • chds.shul.net HUC-JIR (513) 221-1875 • huc.edu JCC Early Childhood School (513) 793-2122 • mayersonjcc.org Kehilla - School for Creative Jewish Education (513) 489-3399 • kehilla-cincy.com Mercaz High School (513) 792-5082 x104 • mercazhs.org Kulanu (Reform Jewish High School) 513-262-8849 • kulanucincy.org Regional Institute Torah & Secular Studies (513) 631-0083 Rockwern Academy (513) 984-3770 • rockwernacademy.org Sarah’s Place (513) 531-3151 • sarahsplacecincy.com

ORGANIZATIONS American Jewish Committee (513) 621-4020 • ajc.org American Friends of Magen David Adom (513) 521-1197 • afmda.org B’nai B’rith (513) 984-1999 BBYO (513) 722-7244 Hadassah (513) 821-6157 • cincinnati.hadassah.org Jewish Discovery Center (513) 234.0777 • jdiscovery.com Jewish National Fund (513) 794-1300 • jnf.org Jewish War Veterans (513) 204-5594 • jwv.org NA’AMAT (513) 984-3805 • naamat.org National Council of Jewish Women (513) 891-9583 • ncjw.org State of Israel Bonds (513) 793-4440 • israelbonds.com Women’s American ORT (513) 985-1512 • ortamerica.org.org

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REPORT from page 16 Rockwern’s codification of conduct is similarly thorough, with sections concerning expected behaviors, consequences for when they are not met, and a section devoted specifically to cheating. Through a system of “Category I” and “Category II” behaviors, different punishments are dolled out. For instance, a student can expect a “demerit” if he/she uses technology inappropriately, which is a Category I violation. A single demerit has no consequences, but if the student manages to receive two more then he/she will be punished with an after school detention. Our hypothetical student takes a turn for the worse and uses an obscene gesture. This is a Category II violation, and accordingly will result in “parent notification and can also include 3-5 days of detention, a 1-3 day suspension and/or restitution.” Unfortunately, Rockwern’s handbook does not define “restitution.” For serious enough transgressions – i.e. if a student performs or attempts to performs arson – the handbook states: “In addition to parent notification, restitution and suspension, students who engage in any of these behaviors face expulsion and/or being referred to law enforcement personnel.” With discipline on lockdown, the rest of the student body can breathe easily. But what about threats from outside of the school, from natural disasters or otherwise? Both schools have safety sections in their student handbooks, with CHDS dedicating one third of a page to the topic. The bulk of this is used to explain how to bypass the school’s locked doors, as well as how to acquire a visitor’s pass. From there the handbook explains that CHDS is equipped with security cameras and that “the driveway must remain clear at all times to allow for emergency vehicles.” Finally, the handbook states the following concerning natural disasters: “Fire drills and tornado drills are practiced regularly with the assistance of Golf Manor Police and Fire Department.” When asked how regularly these drills are performed CHDS again declined to comment. Also left unaddressed was the lack of a system in place

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

(513) 531-9600 to deal with a human disaster, such as a school shooting or a terrorist attack. Rockwern presents roughly half a page of similar material beginning with the following statement: “One way to ensure the safety of the children and staff is to have well-thought-out and fully documented emergency procedures.” The handbook does not give details, though eventually claims that tornado, fire and lockdown drills are performed with regularity. The school did not provide further details on just how regularly these drills are performed. Both CHDS and Rockwern did make one joint statement to the Israelite: “if people in the public are asking [the American Israelite] questions about our schools [we] would appreciate you directing them to us[...].” One important factor remaining to be determined is if these complex systems of finance and administration have resulted in a satisfactory set of students. One way to answer this question is through test results. In the state of Ohio, most test scores are available to the public. Anyone with an internet connection can go to the Ohio Department of Education’s website and download reams of standardized test scores from across the state. Rockwern has bypassed this system. They have opted to use a test from outside of the Ohio Department of Education for the majority of their students, the TerraNova. The American Israelite requested these scores from Rockwern but the institution was unwilling to provide them, instead offering only a general statement praising the high caliber of their students. CHDS, too, only offered a statement in lieu of their test results. Their situation is different, however, as they do utilize Ohio’s standardized tests but their small class sizes merit confidentiality under the state’s regulations. Confidentiality is one thing and accountability is another. The American Israelite has been unable to verify if any third party has access to these test scores, including current parents, prospective parents or any other group outside of the schools’ administration.

20 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Gettler leaves his ‘Visible Footprints’ With Farsi album, Israeli By Benjamin Gettler with Michael G. Rapp Guest Writers When Benjamin Gettler first seriously considered writing his autobiography, he admitted to his wife that he “felt the need to be remembered,” and that he has tried to do so by leaving “clearly visible footprints.” While Gettler’s many meaningful contributions to Cincinnati and Israel will long be remembered – and deservedly so – his personal and family story, told with remarkable candor, is a fascinating study for anyone interested in Cincinnati history. Gettler was born in Louisville, Ky. in 1925. His parents were born in present-day Israel, and met after coming to the United States in early adulthood. His father entered the U.S. illegally and his mother legally; his father received citizenship after the marriage. Before moving to Cincinnati in 1938, the Gettlers lived in Terre Haute, Ind. for several years, years which Gettler says were of lasting importance to the direction of his later life. While in Terre Haute, Gettler developed his keen interest in history, anti-semitism, Israel and security for Jews worldwide. The Terre Haute of the 1930s was an odd mixture of Klu Klux Klan activity and radical trade unionism and in this environment the young Gettler

read history and everything he could find about the plight of Jews in Nazi Germany. Gettler also listened to the Sunday morning radio broadcasts of Father Charles Coughlin and “dreaded” the possibility that Americans would react to Coughlin’s anti-semitic harangues as the Germans did to Hitler’s. While Gettler’s lifelong passions for both Israel and combating antisemitism were born in Indiana, one can argue that his meaningful life began after moving to Cincinnati as a teenager. Gettler’s story after the move is a classic Cincinnati story: after graduating from Walnut Hills summa cum laude, Gettler began his association with the University of Cincinnati, serving as Editor of the News Record, in ROTC and graduating in three years. While his success at UC led to a Frankfurter scholarship at Harvard Law School, after graduation Gettler chose Cincinnati as the place to leave his “visible footprints.” Considering the breadth of Gettler’s legal, business and community achievements, one can only wonder at his energy and commitment. Gettler built a successful law practice and also owned and operated businesses, including a long run as CEO of Vulcan International. At the same time, when Gettler served in leadership roles in community organizations, he did not merely serve, he worked to redirect their

focus so that the organizations would have a more meaningful and lasting impact. Under Gettler’s prodding and direction, the Jewish Community Relations Council concentrated on supporting Israel and combating anti-semitism. As Chairman of Jewish Hospital, Gettler urged the purchase of the Epps Hospital in Kenwood, the shift of hospital operations to Kenwood, and the Hospital’s entry into the Alliance. Gettler also took a leadership role in the historic creation of the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati. Gettler admits that along the way, in both business and community affairs, he frequently ran into others who opposed his ideas. It is clear, however, that once Gettler was convinced that his position was right, gaining a consensus in favor of his position, while always preferable, was not necessary. If Gettler’s leadership caused some hard feelings and bruised egos along the way, he believes that the success and stability of the organizations he left behind are well worth this cost. In addition to the narrative of Gettler’s personal, business and community life, the book contains many attributes of an autobiographical scrapbook, with texts of speeches, and foreign policy resolutions from the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, as well as dozens of photographs. Footprints all, of a life lived – and told – well.

La Rafle (The Roundup) movingly portrays a dark corner of France’s history By Jory Edlin Assistant Editor In July 1942, over 13,000 Jewish people were arrested. Entire families, not just men, but women and children as well. They were taken to the Velodrome d’Hiver, then to the camp of Beaune-LaRoande, then to Auschwitz. Out of that number, only 25 came back. None of the over 4,000 children returned. In September 2012, French President Francois Hollande inaugurated a Holocaust memorial in Drancy, at the location of the former internment camp from where those thousands of French Jews were deported. Hollande declared France’s work “was no longer about establishing the truth,” but to inform current and future generations of this truth. How ironic when viewed in light of current events in France. In July 2012, Hollande apologized for the 1942 raid, saying, “The hard and cruel truth is that not one German soldier, not a single one, was mobilized for any of this operation. The truth is that this crime was committed in France, by France.” The truth and that “crime” are now revealed for all to see and for all time in “La Rafle” (“The Round

Up”), a film by Rose Bosch. During the German occupation of France, the Vichy government rounded up many of its Jewish citizens to be sent to the death camps in Germany. La Rafle, produced by Ilan Goldman, distributed by Menemsha Films, and winner of over a dozen Jewish Film Festival awards, is a very well written and directed historical drama depicting the first case in which women and children were included in the French arrests. Bosch spent nearly three years researching the events leading up to, during and after the “roundup” when the families were separated and eventually sent to die in Auschwitz. She met with several people who were there, including a survivor who escaped from the Vel’ d’Hiv, and Joseph Weismann, with whom she consulted. She wrote this movie to educate future generations so they will not have to “repeat the past,” but also to “teach them how to disobey. When a ruling is wrong... If the French authorities had refused to organize this round up, it could not have happened.” The story centers around Annette Monod (Mélanie Laurent), a Protestant nurse who is sent to

the Velodrome d’Hiver and stays with them until they are loaded onto the trains and sent to Auschwitz. She works tirelessly and without resources alongside Dr. David Sheinbaum (Jean Reno) in a futile attempt to lessen their suffering. The story is told through the eyes two children, Jo Weismann (Hugo Leverdez) and Noe Zygler (played by twins, Mathieu and Romain DiConcerto). Gad Elmaleh (Schmuel Weismann), and Raphäelle Agogué (Sura Weismann) also did an excellent job playing Jo’s parents. Bosch also spent a good deal of time and effort to make sure the cast would portray their characters accurately and sincerely, and that they did. Although she took liberties to combine personalities and events, “in order to have a full description of the characters,” Bosch has created an accurate portrayal of the events surrounding this horrific event in France’s history. In an interview, Joseph Weismann said of the script; “... even if it was close to my life, it was not all of my life. That did not prevent my children, when they read the script, from saying, ‘Daddy, we can hear your voice behind each sentence!’”

singer Rita finds herself a fan club in Iran By Chavie Lieber Jewish Telegraph Agency NEW YORK – It’s not every day an Israeli wakes up to an email inbox full of love letters from Iran. Yet they come in droves to the Israeli singer Rita Yahan-Farouz. The 50-year-old Iran native, who performs under the name Rita, is arguably Israel’s most popular female entertainer. She has put out 12 albums since hitting the Israeli music scene in 1985, many of them going platinum on the country’s charts. Rita’s latest album, “My Joys,” is sung in Farsi, in which she is fluent. By including old folk tunes from Iranian culture, like the traditional Persian wedding song “Shah Doomad,” Rita has won legions of listeners in a land whose leaders regularly call for her adopted country’s demise. “You wouldn’t believe some of the emails I get from people in Iran,” Rita says laughingly during a phone interview with JTA while traveling from Los Angeles to San Francisco as part of her U.S. tour through mid-November. “They tell me how much they love me and how much they love Israel.” Rita describes her musical vibe as a “gypsy band,” infusing classic Mediterranean spirits of complex percussion rhythms and upbeat tempos with unusual instruments of the genre like woodwinds, ouds and violins. Growing up in Tehran under the shah’s rule, Rita remembers a vibrant childhood filled with Persian music. Still, the family kept their Jewish identity a secret from neighbors. In 1970, when Rita was 8, her family moved to Israel. “My sister came home from school one time in tears because her teacher asked her to recite a Muslim prayer in front of the class. The teacher was shocked when she didn’t know it,” Rita recalls. “After that incident, my father decided we should leave Iran.” Rita says she has dreamed of creating an album that could serve as a bridge between two countries that have seen nothing but tension in recent years. “The songs on my album in Farsi are the soundtrack of my childhood,” she says. “My mother had a beautiful voice and was always singing these traditional songs to me, even when we were in Israel, so there was always a piece of Iran in me. There’s more to the region than violence, bombs and darkness, and I want to share the rich culture I am a part of.” Since Iran’s Internet is heavily censored by the government, Rita’s album is sold on the black market,

Courtesy of Araham Joseph Pal

The Israeli singer Rita is hoping to have her next concert in Iran, where many fans buy her music on the black market.

fans have told her. But her music is played at weddings and nightclubs in Iran, and she says her fans love the fact that she’s Israeli. Rita says the power of music has already created a dialogue with the people of Iran: Many who email her write that they don’t hate Israelis and want nothing more than to hear her perform. “I’m completely in love with your voice – you have no idea how hard it was to send you this email!” one fan writes. “My wish is that one day I can see you perform in Israel – even if this means that upon returning to Iran, I would have to be beaten, and imprisoned for 3 years.” And another: “I’m writing you from Shiraz in Iran, and just wanted to tell you that you’re a source of great pride for us. The beautiful and emotional songs you sing in this time of war, this crazy time of Islamic control gives an overwhelming feeling of closeness and love between the countries of Iran and Israel. I ask from the great and merciful god to send you happiness and health.” Rita is happy that she can send positive messages about Israel to the rest of the world, and would like to perform in Iran. “There’s a good chance I will perform in Iran very soon, as soon as the borders are easy to open,” she says. “I have a strong connection to the people of Iran and it would send an incredible message.”

FIRST PERSON / AUTOS • 21

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

My dining room molding Audi allroad—terrain and taste in Incidentally Iris

by Iris Ruth Pastor Okay. I have this deep, dark, dirty secret to share with the world. While Hurricane Sandy was wreaking havoc across 1,000 miles of our fair country – including the domiciles of three out of my five children and every one of my grandchildren – I was also distracted by another matter. In between compulsively tracking the storm trajectory, obsessively texting my kids for hourly updates on storm surges and power outages, I was also consumed with my dining room. The carpenter was coming on Halloween night to discuss different molding options for the wall space above the chair rail. Should I go carved and fancy or moderately restrained? Thick fluted molding or thin and tailored molding? After berating myself with my petty concerns for my dining room molding in the face of such widespread disaster, I started examining my feelings for my home and the great need I have always had to nest, to putter, to keep my home in an orderly and ever-evolving state that accurately reflected my own personal growth and evolution. Clearly the physical attributes of my living space inordinately impacts me emotionally, physically, professionally and mentally. And I am not alone. Think about our ongoing fascination with New York City – the city where so many of our ancestors first set foot on this country’s soil via Ellis Island. Many of us wonder how tenement conditions in the Lower East Side of New York produced so many resourceful, ingenious individuals, while at the same time teeming with poverty, gross overcrowding and poor sanitation. Is there an innate connection? New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg seems to think so. Small cramped living spaces historically led to people socializing outside the home – in public places – contributing to all types of explosive ideas in the arts, the sciences and in social movements, literature and music. So Mayor Bloomberg is reviving the concept

of tenement living – with a new twist. It’s not that he advocates human suffering, but because he believes in human capital that he is advocating a revival of tenement-style living. Recognizing that few young people can afford the astronomical Manhattan rents, Bloomberg believes smaller spaces and cheaper rents will appeal to budding yuppies, who can then flock to New York City and begin contributing a rich array of ideas and a vast amount of physic enthusiasm to his city. (Why should Brooklyn continue to be young people’s locale of choice for re-gentrification?) This past June, Bloomberg announced a contest open to developers to design a building containing 80 units – all with apartments averaging 275-300 square feet. Not a typo. You read correctly. These will be micro units housing both a bathroom and a kitchen and a little space left over for living. Tiny home fever is catching. So far 33 designers have submitted entries. Michael Bloomberg clearly has greater concerns to deal with in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy than the winner of his design contest. I know that. But it is also interesting to note that after loss of life, one of the most critical needs natural disaster victims have is to re-establish their roots – to rebuild on their original site, to reconnect to their communities and neighbors. The media reports countless examples of this phenomenon in the days following Sandy’s chaotic destruction. It gives me pause for thought. We are so attached to our towns, our streets, our homes and yards and finished basements and to the keepsakes sheltered within. How tragic it must be that the chronically homeless have none of these comforts to rely on anytime – not just in a time of crisis. It gives me a whole new perspective on what it feels like to have no personal space to brush your teeth, prop up a long-cherished family photo or simply kick off your shoes and plop on the couch to watch TV. A dedicated place, a space to call “your own,” fosters security and stability and can then spark innovation and creativity – leading to entrepreneurship and innovative enterprises. After all, Hewlett Packard began in a detached garage behind an inventor’s house and Facebook originated in a Harvard dorm room – neither sprang forth from a homeless shelter, a non-descript park bench or a protected alcove. Keep Coping, Iris Ruth Pastor

an elegant package When creating a vehicle as versatile as the allroad, the designers considered its extensive capabilities. Its raised suspension offers 7.1 inches of ground clearance to help you tackle the wilderness, and the stainless steel front and rear skid plates are built to take a beating. The available adaptive xenon plus headlights add a unique look to the vehicle while helping improve your ability to see in the distance. The exterior of the allroad is all outdoors, offering a rugged variety of colors in both full-body and twotone paint finishes. The stainless steel underbody offers protection that makes the allroad at home on almost any terrain, with the proven capability of the Audi quattro allwheel drive managing the trials of the road with grace. The interior of the allroad is exactly what the world has come to expect from the refinement of an Audi luxury car. You’ll comfortably sink into the supple leather seating surfaces, softening every bump you’ll encounter. With each twist and turn, you’ll appreciate the support from the available sport seats and the feel through the multifunction steering wheel. The expansive Panorama sunroof bathes the cabin in natural light, bringing you closer to the outside. It’s a vehicle that’s built for both on the road and off, while being comfortable and luxurious for anyone inside. Whether the road is paved or

Audi allroad

unpaved, the allroad stands equipped to take it on. To produce dynamic acceleration, the 2.0-liter TSFI engine’s power flows through an eight-speed transmission with optimally spread gear ratios and a Tiptronic mode for manual control. In addition to being fuel-efficient, it packs 258 lb-ft of torque to pin you to your seat. Every allroad also comes with Electronic Stability Control with an off-road mode, helping to maintain stability without impeding your adventure. To help keep every expedition a safe one, six airbags (including two at knee-level) keep occupants protected from the front and sides, while stability control helps secure your trajectory at all times. In the

event of a collision, intelligent sensors automatically unlock the doors, switch on interior and hazard lights, and cut off fuel flow to the engine. The standard audio system features 140 watts of power, 10 speakers, MP3 capability, a CD player, dual SD card slots and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. A series of packages makes the allroad as unique as your own calling, offering upgrades such as power four-way lumbar adjustment for driver and front passenger seats, multifunction sport steering wheel with shift paddles, Audi drive select, dynamic steering, Audi adaptive cruise control and a plethora of other niceties. The MSRP is $40,495 – $57,170.

22 • OBITUARIES D EATH N OTICES LEBOWITZ, Minette E., age 92, died on November 12, 2012; 27 Cheshvan, 5773. CAHN, Henry, age 96, died on November 12, 2012; 28 Cheshvan, 5773. FUTURE from page 10 “Left-wing parties will say Netanyahu committed himself to Romney, and now it’s going to deteriorate the relationship between Israel and the U.S.,” said Avraham Diskin, a Hebrew University political science professor. But public pressure from Obama could strengthen Netanyahu’s hand in the Israeli contest, which the incumbent is predicted to win. “If he’s too rough with Netanyahu, it will be counterproductive,” said Bar-Ilan University professor Shmuel Sandler. “It will make people rally around Netanyahu. People don’t like when someone from outside pressures us.” In any case, Israeli analysts said Obama is unlikely to rock the boat of mostly positive U.S.-Israeli relations during his second term, both because he has been chastened by his failure to make progress on the IsraeliPalestinian front and is likely to be preoccupied with domestic concerns. “Obama at the beginning of the first term is not Obama now,” Diskin said. “Obama was a great believer in all kinds of solutions, and the reality was quite disappointing. Concerning Iran, the Muslim world, the Palestinian Authority, he’s much more sober today.” Tensions could flare between the two countries should Obama attempt to pressure Israel to make concessions in return for U.S. action on Iran, Sandler said. But Sandler said that any U.S. pressure will come only next year or later, as Obama first must set up his new administration and deal with domestic battles.

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LEGALIZATION from page 6 The group also upgraded its message from one that emphasizes marijuana as a safer alternative to alcohol to one that emphasizes the potential tax revenues of regulated marijuana, misplaced law enforcement priorities and overcrowded prisons. Amendment 64 specifically requires the first $40 million in marijuana tax revenues be used to support capital funding for Colorado schools and, unlike a THANKSGIVING from page 7 At your table, ever thankful that someone else has done the “fowling,” and that you haven’t hit a deer with your car, somebody should hold up the turkey (or Tofurky) platter and thank the “greatest” cook. To add a sense of family tradition to the meal, also hold up the other dishes, acknowledging what the guest households – the tribes – have contributed to the meal. One

similar but failed attempt in 2010 in California, requires the state to design a tight regulatory regime. The legalization campaign in Colorado no doubt benefited from a sea change in American attitudes toward the drug. A 1969 Gallup poll found that 84 percent of Americans opposed legalization; by last year the number was down to 46 percent, with 50 percent favoring legalization. It’s unclear exactly what happens next for Tvert and the wider

marijuana legalization campaign. Washington could justify a crackdown under the doctrine of federal supremacy, but it’s still unclear how the administration will react to the new laws in Colorado and Washington. After years of looking the other way at the budding medical marijuana industry in California, the Justice Department last year cracked down on pot shops in the state. But it may not have the same incentive to repeat that in

Colorado, marijuana activists say. “There’s no need for a knee-jerk federal response,” said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance in New York and one of the country’s top marijuana activists. “There is ample time for rational discussion of how state regulatory authorities will accommodate federal concerns.” Besides, Nadelmann added, “Colorado is an important swing state. Why make enemies unnecessarily?”

should ask, from whom was the recipe passed down? For tables with children in elementary school, it’s also a good time for show and tell. One should ask, from what did you make that lovely centerpiece? Go ahead and kvell. Say a hodu of recognition and dig in to your Thanksgiving meal. Third hodu: Before dessert, talk about the perilous journey of the Pilgrims toward religious freedom from England to Holland and final-

ly to Plymouth. Each person at the table can introduce the story of their own family about coming to America; one should tell of the going out. Say a hodu of freedom and feel free to indulge in pie. Fourth hodu: Last year, having a guitar-playing guest at our Thanksgiving dinner really gave us a chance to sing out our feelings. After dessert we sang old American favorites like “Turkey in the Straw” and “If I Had a Hammer.”

This year I want to add a passage from “Birkat hamazon,” the grace after meals that begins with the words “Kakatuv, V’achalta v‘savata,” “And you shall eat and have enough, and then you shall thank the Lord your God for the good land He gave you.” Say a final hodu: As a guest, for the hospitality of your hosts. As a host, for the opportunity to bring together your family and friends. Then pray you can get up from the table.

Signs endorsing Rabbi Shmuley Boteach were seen throughout Englewood, N.J., where he lives.

mining factor in his vote. “I don’t even know the policies he stands for. I just voted for him because he’s Jewish,” Spadin said with a laugh. Boteach support was far from universal, however, even among this crowd. “Personally, I don’t have anything against the man, but Pascrell is a strident candidate and Boteach is not the right choice,” said Stephen Press, a chiropractor from Englewood. “Honestly, he’s a little too loud and outspoken, and some of his positions are unfair and unrealistic.” Boteach says he’s not sure what’s next for him, but one thing is certain: He’ll be sure to tweet about it.

Sheriff is deeply engaged in Judaism. About the Jewish state, he said “To me, it was always Israel. I was born in Israel [in 1935]. I grew up in Israel. Israel is where I live… First I am a Jew, second I am Israeli.” He continued, “Being a Jew is not only a religion or a nationality. It is the yearning to achieve another dimension trying to combine the dualism built in nature – the physical and the spiritual of the human being. This is not easily understood… For me, the senses are built so that you can combine them to give a virtual third dimension. Each sense contributes something different.” Referring to the physical, he noted that, “The dichotomy is reflected in the two hemispheres of the brain. When the brain is in perfect harmony, another dimension is achieved.” Sheriff called the Hebrew language “something that actually looks like a miracle.” He spoke about its influence on the creation of music.

“The knowledge of the theoretical – of music, notes, and the technical part – is only 50 percent. The other 50 percent is a question of personality and idiosyncrasies.” The conductor speculated that perhaps he did not have a strong reaction to the Israel Prize because he was “spoiled,” recalling moments such as “being in the limelight with ‘Lenny’ Bernstein at the 1957 opening of the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv (when Sheriff’s Festival Prelude made its premier).” JNS also asked Sheriff for his thoughts about politics and peace. “Scher tsu zein a Yid (it’s difficult to be a Jew)” he said. “I’ve been through five wars [in Israel]. One cannot hold a dialogue unless one creates the ground for a common terminology and defines the terms. Words are very important – they are vehicles of thinking – points of knowledge that influence a pattern of thinking. All I wish now is good health and clearness. Will there be peace? I don’t know what is peace.”

SHMULEY from page 7 Boteach went down to defeat Tuesday night, with Pascrell garnering 75 percent of the vote (with 239 of 424 precincts reporting) to win a ninth term in Congress. But the rabbi’s candidacy did generate some excitement among local Jews. “Shmuley would make me feel safe as a Jew, and the fact that he’s religious makes it even better,” said Page Grossman. “We need to be careful which Jews we put in office because not all of them represent us well.” Outside the Orthodox Ahavath Torah synagogue in Englewood, Daniel Sapadin, 27, said Boteach’s religion was the deterSHERIFF from page 9 Sheriff told JNS that the composition “is a portrayal of the Jewish people” and offers a melodic narrative of Jewish history, including Diaspora Jewish life before the Holocaust and the Holocaust itself, as well as Jewish revival and renaissance in Israel. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra premiered the piece in Amsterdam in 1987. “For me, it is subjective – like closing a circle,” Sheriff said. “Gustav Mahler, I believe the greatest Jewish composer, practiced conducting in New York. In Mahler’s compositions, you find the quintessential element of what I understand is being a Jew.” With a bit of laughter, he added: “Being a conductor and a composer is very Jewish… I am speaking of composing and conducting as two sides of the same coin. In the end, it is the composition that remains. Yet, it will stay dormant on paper – it needs someone to bring it to life.”

Courtesy of Chavie Lieber

“It is a language that came back to life – something extremely rare,” he said. “Little children speak the language of the Bible… Language is the territory of the Jewish people, not only land. The real place of a nation is where its language came to life. Music has to be based in language: in this respect, I write my music from the very ancient bases.”

Courtesy of Mahler 1234/Wikimedia Commons

Noam Sheriff conducting.

When Sheriff was awarded the Israel Prize in 2011, he said he “had no feelings at all.” After 50 years teaching conducting, “they made it official,” he said of the honor. “I know how [teaching music] should be done,” he said.

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