Celebrating Jewish Life in Collier County
Federation Star Published by the Jewish Federation of Collier County serving Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding communities
www.JewishNaples.org INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
2A Community Relations Comm. 6A Women’s Cultural Alliance 10A Community Focus 12A Jewish Interest 16A Tributes 17A Israel & the Jewish World 20A Focus on Youth 22A Commentary 23A Rabbinical Reflections 24A Synagogues 26A Organizations 28A Business Directory 30A Community Calendar 31A Community Directory 1B Jewish Happenings
4A Federation presents Human Needs Award
5A Mission to Israel – part three
9A Preschool & synagogue in Kiev, Ukraine
20A Focus on Youth
February 2013 - Shevat/Adar 5773
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Federation: Chesed, Torah, Tikkun Olam and Tzedakah David Willens JFCC Executive Director
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y article this month is about Social Justice – a pillar of the Jewish Federation. In the wake of the events which took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, our partner agency, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), launched a petition, which last reported 16,119 signatures, to help bring an end to gun violence. Contrary to the belief of some and after careful rereading, this petition is NOT about gun control; rather, it is about expressing our community’s pain and our resolve to enact comprehensive reform, including meaningful legislation to limit access to assault weapons and to ensure access to quality mental health care for all who need it. A portion of your donations to Federation is allocated to the JCPA and other advocacy groups, which help protect us as Jews, as well as all Americans. As a member of the JCPA, we felt it appropriate to distribute its message. The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) have for decades had a Washington Action Office to deal with social issues that impact not only Jews, but all Americans. And
JCPA is our partner agency in social justice. We have paid annual dues to JCPA for decades for just this kind of advocacy. JFNA has a robust public affairs agenda advancing the best interests of the Jewish community and the Federation system. With regard to the gun violence petition, all of us remember that the Jewish community is quite vulnerable to mass shootings. We remember the July 04, 2002, incident at the Los Angeles airport when a gunman opened fire and two were killed and three wounded while waiting to check in for an EL AL flight; and, the shootings which took place at the Jewish Federation of Seattle on July 28, 2006, where four were injured and one staff member was killed by a deranged gunman. It is in our interest to advance a public policy to secure ourselves and others. The petition was immediately endorsed by the lay and professional leaders of the Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Orthodox movements. The arguments against the petition have been scarce and misleading (e.g. we are trying to remove guns for self-defense). The petition specifically acknowledges the right to own guns but it seeks a sensible and comprehensive approach to a problem that threatens Jews and all Americans. We were all touched by the story of little six-year-old Noah Pozner, the Jewish child killed in Newtown, who took eleven bullets. We are thought
presents
2013 Annual Community Celebration Monte Carlo Comes to Naples See Page 32A
Jewish Federation of Collier County Inc. 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201 Naples, FL 34109
Prsrt Std US Postage Paid Permit #419 Ft Myers FL
Vol. 22 #6
The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) represents and supports 154 Jewish Federations and over 300 independent Jewish communities with the mission of: ÎÎ Protecting and enhancing the wellbeing of Jews and Jewish communities in North America, Israel and around the world. ÎÎ Leading a bold continental Federations collective to mobilize financial and social resources through its philanthropic endeavors, strategic initiatives and international agencies to strengthen the Jewish people. ÎÎ Taking responsibility for each other according to the principles of chesed (caring and compassion), Torah (Jewish learning), tikkun olam (repairing the world) and tzedakah (social justice).
leaders…not opinion leaders. We allow for conversation. We are a place for dialogue. We feel it is our responsibility, at the very least, to present to our community members the opportunity to take a stand on this issue, as we have on other important issues which affect us as Jews. Our Federation’s Community Relations Committee has dealt with local issues like “Kick a Jew Day,” school activities scheduled on our High Holy Days, the many facets of the Catholic/ Jewish Dialogue of Collier County, Israel Affairs Committee forums to help keep us better informed, and much more…all in the furtherance of social justice. I wish to acknowledge our constituents who took the time to read the gun violence petition in its entirety and then to send a “thank you” email for our having made this most important message available to our community.
presents
Evy Lipp People of the Book Cultural Event FEATURING
Dr. Daniel Gordis
Wednesday, February 20 Purim begins at sundown on Saturday, February 23. Contact the area’s temples for information on Megillah readings and celebrations. See page 31A for a directory of temples and Jewish organizations.