Celebrating Jewish Life in Collier County, Israel and the World
Federation Star Published by the Jewish Federation of Collier County serving Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding communities
www.JewishNaples.org INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
6A Women’s Cultural Alliance 7A Men’s Cultural Alliance 9A Community Focus 12A Jewish Interest 16A Tributes 19A Focus on Youth 22A Commentary 23A Rabbinical Reflections 24A Synagogues 26A Organizations 29A Business Directory 30A Community Calendar 31A Community Directory 1B Jewish Happenings 9B Israel & the Jewish World
4A Kristallnacht Commemoration
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December 2013 - Kislev/Teveth 5774
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Vol. 23 #4
“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Judge Norman Krivosha President s I read over some of the findings of the recently published Pew Research Center study concerning how Jews in America think about being Jewish, the words of the philosopher George Santayana came to mind. You may recall he wrote, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Before I make further comment, permit me to make a disclaimer. I do not mean to sit in judgment of anyone by my remarks, but only to share my concerns of where the results of the Pew study may be taking us in light of
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what Santayana had to say. I recognize that everyone has a right to do as he or she pleases, and it is not for me to be judgmental. However, having said that, it does not change my concerns for the future. While life in America for Jews today can clearly be called the “golden age” of Judaism, it is not the first time in our history that we have been so fortunate. Anyone familiar with life in Spain just before 1492 is aware of the “golden age” for Jews in Spain, followed by the Inquisition. And Germany pre-Hitler was another “golden age” for Jews only to be followed by the Holocaust. Today we are being made aware of the rebirth of anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe, even though the number of Jews living there are relativity few. And I am old enough to remember when there were Jewish admission quotas to medical
and law schools; and I attended a state university which had a separate “Rush Week” for Jewish students who were not eligible to join non-Jewish fraternities or sororities. I worry that the Pew study disclosed that 73% of those surveyed said that remembering the Holocaust was essential to their sense of Jewishness, but apparently have forgotten how and why the Holocaust occurred. The survey further disclosed that two-thirds of Jews of “no religion” say that they are not raising their children Jewish, as if others would therefore not recognize them as Jewish. Was that not the attitude of many pre-World War II Jews of Germany who believed that they were German and therefore safe? Eighty-one percent apparently reported that observing Jewish law
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Invitations are in the mail for the Evy Lipp People of the Book Event 10A ADL honors Rabbi A. James Rudin
14A Jewish Museum of Florida exhibit
4B GenShoah update
By Carole J Greene
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omplete and return your reservation with haste. Yes, it is only December, but the Evy Lipp People of the Book Cultural Event on Wednesday, February 19 is sure to fill up fast. It is free to all members of the Jewish Federation of Collier County, and you know how people love “free stuff.” Your RSVP is a must. (A reservation form can also be found on page 8A of this issue.) Thanks to the continued sponsorship by the Federation and generous Patrons, this event has become an annual tradition, now counting up to this, its tenth anniversary edition. The presenter is Bruce Feiler, New York Times columnist and author of numerous books: Walking the Bible – A Journey By Land Through the Five Books of Moses; Abraham; Where God Was Born: A Daring Adventure Through the Bible’s Greatest Stories;
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fluence of religion in AmeriAmerica’s Prophet; The can life. Council of Dads; and his His most recent book, most recent, published in The Secrets of Happy FamiFebruary 2013, The Secrets lies, exposes the secrets. It of Happy Families. collects best practices for From his titles, you modern-day parents from might deduce that his books some of the world’s most focus on two areas – the Bruce Feiler creative minds, including role of religion in contemtop computer program designers in porary life, and replicable dynamics Silicon Valley – originators of the of functional families. Your deduction “Agile Programming” concept. He would be correct. candidly describes how Agile ProIn Walking the Bible, Feiler gramming has revolutionized his unlocks the mysteries of some of own family and how it can do the the Bible’s most memorable events. same for ours. Abraham recounts the author’s perThe venue, Temple Shalom, alsonal quest to know the shared ancesways fills to capacity. To be sure you tor of Jews, Christians and Muslims. do not miss this opportunity offered Where God Was Born describes gratis to Federation members, join or Feiler’s year-long trek visiting biblirenew your membership in the Jewcal sites through the front lines of Isish Federation of Collier County. For rael, Iraq and Iran. America’s Prophet details, please call 239.263.4205. is his groundbreaking story of the in-
Chanukah begins Wednesday night, November 27