Federation Star - February 2015 by Jewish Federation of Collier County

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: 5 Men’s Cultural Alliance 6 Women’s Cultural Alliance 10 Community Focus 18 Jewish Interest 23 Israel & the Jewish World 23 Business Directory 26 Tributes 28 Commentary 31 Rabbinical Reflections 32 Focus on Youth 34 Synagogues 35 Organizations 38 Community Calendar 39 Community Directory

3 FED CUP VI golf tournament a fun outing

February 2015 - Shevat/Adar 5775

7 Jewish Historical Society of SWFL inaugural event

16 Community Chanukah Celebration photos

Thank you for our most successful campaign ever! Phyllis Seaman Federation VP & Campaign Chair

our generous giving to the 2014 Campaign has raised over 10% more than our record-breaking 2013 Campaign, supporting increases in our allocation of grants for 2015. Speaking of allocations, our allocations process takes 12 months, but really gets rolling the last three to four months of the Campaign after requests arrive in our office. Our committee really gets busy with site visits and meetings to as many applicants as possible. We encourage our board to sit in on meetings to become more aware of the needs and what we provide to meet those needs. For 2015 we were able to grant over $520,000 for needs here in Collier County, nationally, in Israel and around the world. Across the board we

increased all our allocations, and were able to provide more for youth programs and youth education, which includes all the synagogue preschool and Hebrew School scholarship programs, BBYO programs, Hillel national and Hillel FGCU. This is our future. During the last two years we have concentrated on increased grants for our youth programing. Israel, overseas, cultural and adult education, including synagogue film festivals, speakers, the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SWFL, as well as Jewish Family & Community Services (our largest recipient), have benefitted from increased grants. Our Allocations Committee has really worked tirelessly, with hours of serious discussion that goes into the responsibility of dispersing our Campaign funds. We are the stewards of your gifts to the Campaign and our community needs. Allocations is serious business, but it sure feels great to give money where the needs are greatest. I personally thank all those involved

in what is probably our most important committee, and the most thanks go to the leadership of Chairman Kevin Aizenshtat. Kevin did a great job keeping us on track and organizing all the meetings and site visits. Todah rabah! On to 2015 In January, we kicked off our 2015 campaign with two events and with gifts already made. These early gifts certainly allow us to plan our allocations more efficiently. I am now wearing a new hat, as Chair of Women’s Philanthropy, Lion of Judah, and Lion of Judah Endowment. I will be available to any woman who wants information on levels of giving and recognition of those levels. I have just become an “LOJE” – Lion of Judah Endowment. Please consider joining me. Endowing your Lion is a legacy gift that will guarantee your gift to Federation, our community, Israel and around the world in perpetuity. We Are The Strength of a People – The Power of Community

Federation approves record amount of funds for distribution

t its December meeting, the Jewish Federation of Collier County Board of Directors approved a total of $520,001 to be allocated to beneficiary and affiliated agencies, organizations and programs. “This sum represents an increase of 17% over the previous year’s record allocation amount and was made possible due to the very generous support of our community and the success of Campaign 2014,” said Jeffrey Feld, Executive of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. “The Jewish Federation of Collier County is proud to be able to support all of the recipient agencies, congregations, organizations and programs that provide necessary and important services to our community in Naples, in Israel and around the world,” said Kevin Aizenshtat, chairman of the Federation’s Allocation Committee.

Read the Federation Star on your tablet!

Visit www.issuu.com. Enter “Federation Star” in the search box and click on the cover image of the issue you’d like to read. Then simply scroll through the pages. It’s that simple!

Vol. 24 #6

Federation 2014 Campaign: $1,155,564

Major Gifts and Lion of Judah event

You can also read Connections on your tablet. Search for “Collier Connections”.

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

The following represents the approved allocations:

$ Funded

Youth Programs & Youth Education ÎÎBeth Tikvah Youth Education ÎÎBBYO Naples ÎÎChabad - Camp Gan Israel ÎÎChabad - Preschool of the Arts ÎÎChabad - Hebrew School Program ÎÎJewish War Veterans Post #202 ÎÎTemple Shalom - Preschool Scholarships ÎÎTemple Shalom - Religious School Scholarships ÎÎHillel - National ÎÎHillel - FGCU

$5,500 $5,000 $7,650 $9,000 $6,000 $1,400 $10,000 $20,000 $1,500 $2,500

Israel & Overseas Humanitarian & Social Services ÎÎ American Jewish World Service ÎÎ JFNA - Overseas Core Assessment ÎÎ JFNA - Israel Action Network ÎÎ JFNA - Stop the Sirens Campaign ÎÎ JNF - Sderot Emergency Fund ÎÎ JNF - Red Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center ÎÎ Neve Michael Children’s Village ÎÎ Yad LaKashish ÎÎ Sapir Community Center, Kfar Saba ÎÎ WUPJ - HaTikvah Preschool in Ukraine ÎÎ Birthright Israel ÎÎ ORT (World ORT/ORT America)

$1,500 $81,225 $450 $5,000 $10,000 $2,500 $28,000 $4,500 $11,200 $2,500 $5,100 $5,000

Local Humanitarian & Social Services ÎÎ Jewish Family & Community Services XX Senior Outreach & Support XX Developing Healthy Socialization Skills XX Counseling & Mental Health Support

$109,729 $54,532 $99,565

Cultural Programs & Adult Education ÎÎ Beth Tikvah Scholar-in-Residence ÎÎ Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SWFL ÎÎ Naples Jewish Congregation ÎÎ Temple Shalom Men’s Club ÎÎ Temple Shalom - Speaker Stephen Berk ÎÎ Jewish Cong. of Marco Island - Jewish Film Festival ÎÎ Jewish Cong. of Marco Island - Cultural Series National ÎÎ Anti-Defamation League

$2,500 $17,000 $3,000 $150 $1,000 $2,250 $2,250 $2,500

Total Funds Distributed: $520,001

Federation Star February 2015

The Wait is Over!

JEWISH FEDERATION

Evaluate…then allocate

Enjoy making my award winning recipes with colored photos.

Alvin Becker

• From appetizers to desserts • Gluten-Free Options

Federation President

• Easy to Follow Numbered Instructions • Pasta, Soups, Salads, Jewish Holiday Favorites, Sunday Brunch, Seasonal & Party, Comfort Food & International Upcoming Book Signings & Tastings Feb. 19th 7:30 pm Beth Tikvah Synagogue 1459 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples, Fl. 34109

Please RSVP to arlene@simpletolavish.com

Feb. 21st 10:00 am -2:00 pm

Author & Book Fest at South Regional Library 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy, Naples, Fl. 34113

You can now enjoy this 240 page hard-covered cookbook that lays flat on every page for ease in preparations. Whether you are a brand new cook or are cooking to expand your culinary repertoire, Arlene’s Simple to Lavish is designed for you.

Purchase your book today at

www.ArleneSimpleToLavish.com

Luxury Knows No Limits.

rinted on the front page of this issue of the Federation Star is a list of the Federation’s grant recipients for 2015. The list is a long one, and allocated amounts reflect the generosity of our donors during the recently concluded General Campaign. Your Federation’s allocations process is a year-long effort by the eight volunteer members of the Allocation Committee who began their work in January. At that time, they reviewed priorities for funding, and recommended areas of importance and emphasis to the Federation board for its approval. Grant request forms were amended and updated before they were distributed to potential applicants in late spring. Beginning in the fall, Allocations

Committee members reviewed submitted grant applications for completeness and compliance, and assessed programs to ensure effectiveness, all against the framework of the Federation’s mission to enhance and enrich the quality of Jewish life in our community and to strengthen Jewish identity and continuity. Site visits were scheduled where possible to give potential recipients the opportunity to discuss their programs directly with committee members. Final recommendations and dollar awards were made to the board in December. The process reflects many hours of work by dedicated and committed Allocation Committee members and Federation staff. My sincere thanks to Kevin Aizenshtat, Chair of the Committee, and members Amanda Dorio, Alan Gordon, Beth Wolff, Neil Heuer, Phyllis Seaman, Karen Deutsch and Stephen Coleman. As a result of their work, Federation supporters can be confident that their donated dollars are being used in the most effective, responsive and responsible manner.

Tu B’Shevat Jeffrey Feld

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This month’s advertisers This publication is brought to you each month thanks to the support of our advertisers. Please be sure to use their products and services, and mention that you found them in the Federation Star. ABG World..............................7 Jewish National Fund.............24 Apele Publishing.....................2 Jewish War Veterans.................7 Beth Adelman, Realtor®.........23 A. Stephen Kotler, Attorney....23 ® Kevin Aizenshtat, Realtor ......2 Dr. Gary Layton, DDS............11 CallSaul-YourPersonalDriver.23 LTCi Marketplace..................23 Classic Transportation...........23 Naples Diamond Service.......23 Coni Mar Designs..................23 Naples Envelope & Printing...23 Entertainment Direct................8 Naples Jewish Congregation.13 Dr. William Ertag, FAAN.......23 Naples Jewish Film Festival..12 Margot Escott, LCSW..............6 Palm Royale Cemetery...........10 FGCU....................................8 Pearl, Freeman & Kuhl...........25 Fuller Funeral Home.........18,23 Preferred Travel.....................17 Dr. David Greene...................27 Stage 62 Delicatessen..............3 Gulfcoast Foot & Ankle.........20 Sheldon Starman, CPA...........23 Gulfshore Playhouse..............15 Temple Shalom...................9,19 Harmon-Meek Gallery.............9 The Samuel Team, Realtors®..18 Hodges Funeral Home...........27 ZOA SWFL Chapter..............29 Jewish Museum of FL.......19,30 Debbie Zvibleman, Realtor®...10

Federation Executive

n the coming days, we will celebrate the holiday of Tu B’Shevat. Many of us remember it from our youth when we attended Sunday school and had the opportunity to plant a tree on the Sunday before the holiday. In many cases, we planted little seedlings/saplings in flowerpots because where we lived – in my case Pittsburgh – it was still the dead of winter and generally the ground was covered with snow. Planting anything in the ground outside was a near impossibility. But there was a lesson to be learned from the notion of planting. As Jews, we should be very concerned with tikkun olam, the repairing of the world. In some cases, that even means the ecologic and environmental well-being of our world. By planting actual trees, we help to rebuild and replenish our world. We should also think of Tu B’Shevat in a virtual way. As a community, what are the things that we need to plant? Trees have roots and branches, but they also start as seeds. We need to plant “seeds of ideas” to grow our community. The Jewish community in Collier County is approximately 52 years old. We are able to identify how the roots of this Jewish community have grown over that timeframe. We can also identify how the Jewish community has been able to branch out. Someone or a group

of people planted seeds for this Jewish community. We need to recognize and appreciate that which has been done for us. We also recognize that in some cases it takes many years for seedlings/ saplings to mature and grow. It may even be the case that the person(s) who plants the seeds doesn’t necessarily get to see the fruits of their labor. There is the story that identifies an old man who is busy planting carob trees. A stranger suggests to him that the carob tree will not bear fruit for many years and in fact not until after this man has met his demise. The stranger asks the man why he would be engaged in this activity if he is not going to enjoy the results. The man responded that he is planting for his children and their children just as his forbearers planted for his parents and him. So we learn a lesson that it is important to plant seeds today for the future our community, even if we may not be here to enjoy it. Identifying goals and leaving legacies in our Jewish community are significant subjects which we will need to address as we grow. We encourage everyone to help us plant more ideas for the growth of our community. This Jewish community has been evolving and now we must continue to plan for its future. The theme for our Community Campaign 2015 is “Building Community Together.” We need the seeds of your thoughts to help us make this the best Jewish community in Collier County that we can possibly be. Thank you for caring about our community.

Create a Jewish Legacy I give, devise and bequeath… Create a legacy to benefit the Jewish Federation of Collier County and our overall Jewish community in your will or trust. Call 239.263.4205. "I did not find the world desolate when I entered it. And as my parents planted for me before I was born, so do I plant for those who will come after me." -The Talmud

ConneCt with your Jewish Community www.facebook.com/ facebook.com/jfedsrq JewishFederationofCollierCounty

February 2015 Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

FED CUP VI golf tournament a fun outing

By Kevin Aizenshtat, Federation Vice President and FED CUP Chair

s n Sunday, December 21, the s Jewish Federation of Collier e County hosted the sixth edition of the Fed Cup Golf Tournament. This is a fundraiser to support the Federation’s Scholarship Program, offering partial scholarships to young Jewish children in eour community to attend Jewish summer ecamps, and teens to attend leadership sconferences and meaningful trips to lIsrael. Keeping our youth connected to stheir Judaism has always been a leading priority of our Federation. Our thanks go to Anthony Solomon, Ian Coleman, Scott Newhouse, Don Vandermillen and all of the staff at TwinEagles who graciously hosted our golf event for the fourth consecutive year. Our gratitude also goes out to all the participants of Fed Cup VI, as with your support you have provided life-changing experiences for our community’s youth to connect them with etheir Judaism. Participants were given a treat as our special guest speaker, Zoe Van Slyke, talked about her experience on March of the Living. Zoe’s heartfelt appeal to the crowd really hit home as her truly passionate speech about how this trip and her affiliation with BBYO has d changed her life, made her confident and given her a calling in life. As a Federation, we are so proud of Zoe and proud e /

of our Federation as we helped mold this young lady into an outstanding member of our community. The Club at TwinEagles is without question one of our area’s most prestigious golf venues. The Jack Nicklaus-designed Talon Course is truly a championship golf course. We had 17 groups of golfers, which included players of all levels coming together to enjoy a beautiful day on a perfect golf course to support a fantastic cause. Fed Cup VI prize winners: ¡¡ Fed Cup Champs: Kyle, Connor & Peter Jaffe and Kevin Aizenshtat ¡¡ Low Gross Winners: Team Grand Woodworking - Brett Fix, Greg Seligman, Michael Gordon and Martin Cullen ¡¡ Low Net A: Nick Bobzien, Jeff Moore, Tate Haire and Ed Calkins ¡¡ Low Net B: Rabbi Adam Miller, Matthew Kelley, Ed Wollman and Steven Browner ¡¡ Junior Closest to the Hole and Long Drive: Max Aizenshtat ¡¡ Women’s Long Drive: Lori Hancock ¡¡ Women’s Closest to the Hole: Marcy Aizenshtat-Bigel ¡¡ Men’s Long Drive: Steven Browner ¡¡ Men’s Closest to the Hole: Ed Wollman

We thank all of our corporate underwriters and sponsors of the Fed Cup VI: • Kevin Aizenshtat, Realtor • First Florida Integrity Bank • Grand Woodworking • The Club at TwinEagles • PRO BAR, The Coleman Family • BCB HOMES • Stage 62 Delicatessen • Fred Astaire Dance Studio • Fresh Fit Foods • RAMM Metals, Inc. • Calusa Pines • Dermatology Naples, Dr. Waltzer • Lutgert Insurance • Brian Wolff, MD, Neurology Center

• Naples Grande Golf Club • Naples Envelope & Printing Co. • VanBuskirk Opticians • Wells Fargo, The Private Bank, Tate Haire • ABG World Video Productions • Rosalee & Jerry Bogo • GardenBleu Landscape Architecture • Wollman Gehrke & Solomon PA At the Jewish Federation of Collier County we are truly “Building Community Together.” I want to thank everyone who contributed to making this golf outing a success, and again thank the participants of Fed Cup VI for another outstanding fundraising effort. I hope you see you all again at Fed Cup VII later this year.

Fed Cup VI winners: Ed Calkins, Ed Wollman, Tate Haire, Kevin Aizenshtat, Kyle Jaffe, Pete Jaffe, Connor Jaffe, Nick Bobzien, Jeff Moore, Adam Miller, Steve Browner, Matt Kelley, Max Aizenshtat and Marcy Aizenshtat-Bigel

o t

b e y n s Jason & Carol Flegel, Ron Klein and Leslie Flegel

Sandy & Len Shuman

y e r d

s r y Connor Jaffe

Max Aizenshtat winner of closest to the hole and long drive for the Juniors division

s e p y

Robert Goodman and Joe Hammerman

Guest Speaker Zoe Van Slyke

Steven Browner, Kevin and Max Aizenshtat, Marcy Aizenshtat-Bigel, Joel Waltzer and Matt Kelley

Norm Krivosha and Dan Fisher

Federation Star February 2015

JEWISH FEDERATION

Major Gifts and Lion of Judah event, January 8, 2015

he Major Gifts and Lion of Judah event of the Jewish Federation of Collier County was held on Thursday, January 8.

Phyllis and Stephen Strome welcomed approximately 80 guests into their home to help kick off the Federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2015 Annual Community

Campaign. The proceeds go to benefit Youth Programs & Youth Education, Israel & Overseas Humanitarian & Social

Services, Local Humanitarian & Social Services provided by Jewish Family & Community Services, and Cultural & Adult Education.

Photos courtesy Ted Epstein

Alvin Becker, JFCC President

The Lions roar

Jerry & Rosalee Bogo and Michael Seaman

Stephen & Phyllis Strome, our hosts

Rhoda Lown and Lea Mendel

Tricia Adkins gets pinned by Phyllis Seaman

Myra & Dr. Mort Friedman

Judge Norman & Helene Krivosha

Susan Feld, Marcy Aizenshtat-Bigel and Jeffrey Feld, JFCC Executive

Ruth & Marty Barber

Michael & Anita Siegal

Nancy & Hank Greenberg

Stan & Karen Deutsch

Annette Pakula and Estelle Price

For more photos from this event, please visit http://jewishnaples.org/major-gifts

Barbara & Ron Balser

Michael & Arlene Sobol and Mark & Adele Cohen

Steve & Nina Iser and Jay & Stuart Kaye

Murray Hendel, Louise & Bill Warshauer and Jack Meyers

February 2015 Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

Me n's C ultura l Alliance of C ollie r C ounty 2014-2015 Mem be rship Form

Published by

2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201 Naples, Florida 34109-0613 Phone: (239) 263-4205 Fax: (239) 263-3813 www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org Officers President: Alvin Becker Vice President: Kevin Aizenshtat Vice President: Phyllis Seaman Vice President: Berton Thompson Secretary: Wallie Lenchner Treasurer: Jerry Sobelman Immed. Past President: Judge Norman Krivosha

Board of Trustees Joshua Bialek Harvey Brenner Stephen Coleman Amanda Dorio Michael Feldman Alan Gordon Neil Heuer Ben Peltz Joel Pittelman Dr. Tracey Roth Jane Schiff Arlene Sobol Michael Sobol Dr. Daniel Wasserman Beth Wolff Barry Zvibleman

Past Presidents Gerald Flagel, Dr. William Ettinger, Ann Jacobson, Sheldon Starman, Bobbie Katz, Rosalee Bogo

Board Members Emeritus Hans Levy Shirley Levy

Synagogue Representatives Cantor Donna Azu Roger Blau Rosalee Bogo Rabbi Ammos Chorny Stuart Kaye Rabbi Edward Maline Rabbi Adam Miller Suzanne Paley Rabbi James Perman Dr. Arthur Seigel Neil Shnider Rabbi Sylvin Wolf Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

Federation Executive Jeffrey Feld

Staff Jill Saravis, Community Program Coord. Iris Doenias, Administrative Assistant Deborah Vacca, Bookkeeper Federation is the central Jewish community-building organization for Collier County, providing a social service network that helps Jewish people in Collier County, in Israel and around the world. As the central fundraising organization for Jewish communal life in our area, strength is drawn from organized committees of dedicated volunteers. Programs include: • Annual Campaign & Endowment fund • Community Relations Committee • Educational & cultural programs • Long Range Planning for expected community growth • Publication of the Federation Star, our monthly newspaper; Connections, our annual resource guide; and Community Directory • Women’s Cultural Alliance • Women’s Division • YAD – Young Adult Division • Youth Activities Committee – sponsoring youth education and scholarships for Jewish Summer Camp and the Israel Experience

The work of the Jewish Federation of Collier County represents both our community and our community’s most generous tradition – to give to others even in the most difficult times.

The membership year is from November 1 until October 31 of the next year. Dues received after April 30 will be applied to the next season.

Please check one: New ☐ Renewal ☐ (PLEASE fill out the form completely and PRINT CLEARLY!)

Name: Spouse or Partner Name, if applicable: Local Address: City: State: Zip: Email (very important): Florida phone: Cell or alternate phone: Northern Address: City: State: Zip: Northern home phone: In Southwest Florida: full-time ☐ part-time ☐ (from to ) Membership fee: $56 (US Funds only, Minimum for the year; includes Federation membership.) NAME BADGES A name badge will be issued to you at no charge if you are a NEW member. I want a replacement name badge: Yes ☐ No ☐ Fee: $8. If you checked yes, submit a total fee is $64. Name as you want it to appear on the name badge Additional donation to the Federation is voluntary and encouraged. Please make your check payable to: Jewish Federation of Collier County and mail with this form to: MCA/ Jewish Federation of Collier County 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Ste. 2201 Naples, FL 34109 I would like to volunteer my services/expertise and would be willing to chair or co-chair a meeting/outing on the following topic or topics: EVENT PARTICIPATION WAIVER By signing below, I accept the terms of this waiver.

As a participant in an MCA event that does not take place at the Federation Building located at 2500 Vanderbilt Road, Naples, Florida 34109, I, acting for myself, my executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin agree as follows: That I waive all rights, claims, cause of action, of any kind whatsoever that I or my heirs, legal representatives may claim to have against either The Federation of Collier County, and or the Men’s Cultural Alliance, their agents, servants, and or employees, for any loss, injury, or damage sustained by me while participating in an MCA event. This waiver and release shall be construed broadly, under the Laws of the State of Florida.

Signature

For more information, email Steve Brazina at sbrazina@aol.com.

Purple Heart recipient to address MCA By Jeff Margolis

hey were considered the “Greatest Generation,” the men and women of America who fought to rid the world of the Nazi menace. Many of our American heroes never came home. Others sustained injuries that altered the rest of their lives. MCA invites members to hear an American hero. World War II veteran and MCA member Gerald Mansbach will speak at the February luncheon about his combat action that led to his receiving the Purple Heart. Join us on Thursday, February 12 at 11:30 a.m. at the Vineyards Country Club for lunch and a presentation from a genuine World War II hero. The cost of the luncheon is $26. Please make reservations by sending a check (payable to Jewish Federation of Collier County) to Meir Kehila, 4751 West Bay Blvd., #804, Estero, FL 33928 (email mkehila@aol.com). The MCA monthly Speaker Series continues with a presentation by Univ. of Minnesota professor Dr. Steve Yussen, who will be speaking about “The Writings of the Great Jewish American Prize-Winning Author Philip Roth.” The presentation will take place on Tuesday, February 24 at 10:30 a.m. in the Community Room of the Jewish Federation. Upcoming events If you haven’t already done so, please sign up for these exciting events: ¡¡ MCA boat trip and picnic to Keewaydin Island on Friday, February 6. Contact Capt. Bob Lubin at rlubin@comcast.net. Cost is $50 per person. ¡¡ Third annual MCA trip to see the Everblades in action on Saturday February 14 at 7:00 p.m. at Germain Arena. Tickets are $20 and may be picked up at the will-call window on game night. Please send checks (payable to JFCC) to Jeff Margolis,

5588 Hammock Isles Drive, Naples, FL 34119 (email jkamcounsel2@ gmail.com). We now have almost 300 members and continue to grow. Join our ongoing interest clubs and be an active part of MCA. Whether your interests are

in biking, birding, bocce, kayaking or cards, there is something for (practically) everyone. For updates on all MCA activities, visit www.jewishnaples.org/ mca or contact our hard-working MCA president, Steve Brazina, at sbrazina@ aol.com.

MCA Bocce Club

Advertising Sales Reps needed

The Jewish Federation of Collier County is looking for outgoing, energetic go-getters who can meet goals and create lasting connections with local businesses. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, enjoy speaking to people, and believe in the work of the Federation, then we want you on our team! This position is 100% outside sales, selling the advertising space in the Federation’s publications (Federation Star, Connections, Community Directory, Annual Report) as well as sponsorships. Commission structure based on experience; 15 hours per week minimum.

If you are interested, or for more information, contact Ted Epstein at 239.249.0699 or fedstar18@gmail.com.

Federation Star February 2015 WOMEN’S CULTURAL ALLIANCE

JEWISH FEDERATION www.WomensCulturalAlliance.com / 215-820-6697

The Women’s Cultural Alliance (WCA) eblast: a weekly gift from WCA By Susan Pittelman, WCA Publicity Director

ach Thursday morning, women throughout Southwest Florida sit poised at their computers waiting for the weekly WCA eblast to appear in their inbox. Some women, in fact, have referred to this email communication as “the gift that WCA gives to its members every week.” The eblast, WCA’s “weekly newsletter,” is sent to each member on Thursday mornings. It announces upcoming programs, lists current programs being offered by WCA, and contains a host of other useful WCA-related information. WCA is very fortunate to have the talented and dedicated Nancy Kahn, WCA Communications Director, as the hidden force behind the eblast. Nancy works closely with WCA President Elaine Soffer and WCA Document Management Director Maureen Schaab to produce the eblast. The eblast is organized into three main sections: New and Upcoming Events, the Monthly WCA Calendar, and the “Sidebar,” which contains a variety of additional information. New and Upcoming Events: WCA programs being announced for the first time appear at the top of the eblast. WCA members have learned to quickly sign up for these exciting new programs, as many fill up right away! In a recent eblast, the range of events included information about: the newest programs in WCA’s popular Speaker Series; “field trips” to interesting places in Southwest Florida, including a swamp walk (!) and several theatre opportunities; an

Ikebana Sogestu demonstration; discussion groups for Gertruda’s Oath, Southwest Florida’s “One Book” program; and an invitation to the newest “Ladies Who Lunch.” (A detailed description of each event is provided as well as a link to the email of the volunteer who is accepting the reservations for the event.) After an event has appeared in the eblast for several weeks, it is moved further down on the list of programs. Information about an event, including whom to contact to register, is kept in the sidebar up until the event occurs. WCA Calendar: This monthly calendar lists special WCA programs/ events, including the Speaker Series, field trips and meetings of some of the interest groups. By clicking on an arrow, you can go to previous months or view future months. The Sidebar (on the right side of the eblast): The top of the sidebar, “Upcoming Programs,” lists all upcoming WCA events. For each event there is a hotlink to further information. The next part of the sidebar contains information about WCA’s wide variety of interest and study groups, which focus on such diverse topics as Couples Activities, Current Films, Dinner Dames, Foodies Group, Mah Jongg (all levels), the Navy, The New Yorker, and WCA Branches – and the list goes on. As with events, each listing contains a hotlink to the contact person. (WCA members must sign up to receive information about the events planned for these special interest and study groups.)

COMPASSIONATE COUNSELING “I am never upset for the reason I think.”

Individual & Group Counseling for Adults

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ISSUES: Anxiety & Stress Geriatric Managment Relaxation Training Co-Dependency Personal Growth Depression Retirement

is dedicated to North of Naples (N.O.N.). This group is organized by – and was created for – women who live in Bonita Springs, Estero and South Fort Myers, although all WCA members are welcome to participate in their activities. Under the direction of N.O.N. Coordinator Dina Shein, they plan and oversee events for N.O.N. The WCA weekly eblast contains much more information than most members realize! After looking through it, you will have an even greater appreciation for all that WCA offers its members. Please be aware that the eblast is a gift given only to WCA memWCA Communications Director Nancy Kahn working on the eblast that she sends each week to WCA members bers, so if you are not already a member of WCA, complete and mail A relatively new and very popular the form on this page. Send in your dues feature of the sidebar is a section where today so that next Thursday you, too, WCA members can easily sell their tickcan receive this information-filled “gift” ets to (community) events that they are in your computer mailbox. no longer able to attend – or buy tickets Nancy welcomes comments and to events, many of which are already any ideas for the eblast. Nancy said, sold out. The sidebar also contains a “We’re always looking for suggestions link to the WCA Membership Directory on how to improve our eblast, although and to other key documents, such as we do think it’s pretty terrific as it is!” the Waiver Form for field trips and the WCA members couldn’t agree Membership Renewal Form. more! The WCA eblast is terrific! The bottom section of the sidebar

Chanukah, oh Chanukah, come light the menorah By Susan Pittelman, WCA Publicity Director

ore than 200 WCA members and their guests came to the WCA Chanukah Dinner Dance on Saturday evening, December 20, to celebrate the fifth night of Chanukah. The event, which was held at Heritage Bay Golf & Country Club, was chaired by Gina Cannon with the assistance of volunteers Sondra Greer, Merle Crystal and Joni Zalasky. Participants enjoyed a traditional Chanukah dinner with latkes, sour cream and applesauce. The evening’s

program featured the traditional lighting of the Chanukah menorah led by Rabbi Michael Raab, as well as singing and dancing (including the hora!) provided by DJ Stevenson. In keeping with the spirit of the holiday, each person brought non-perishable food items for the food pantry at Jewish Family & Community Services of Southwest Florida. Everyone had such a wonderful time that WCA is considering making this an annual event!

Susan and Joel Pittelman

Gina Cannon and Arlene Sobol

Margot Escott, LCSW

Fl. Lic.#1708 Established in Naples 1984 Accepts Medicare & BCBS (239) 434-6558 margotescott@mac.com



Women’s Cultural Alliance Membership Form Please check one: r New r Renewal For more information: Linda Simon, lgsimon2947@yahoo.com

Please make your check payable to: Jewish Federation of Collier County and mail with this form to: WCA Jewish Federation of Collier County 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Ste. 2201 Naples, FL 34109

Membership: $60 for the year includes all programming and Federation membership. r My information below contains new items.

In Southwest Florida: r full-time r part-time (from ________ to ________) Name: _________________________________________________________ Spouse or Partner Name, if applicable: ______________________________ Local Address: _________________________________________________ Community: ___________________________________________________ City: _____________________________ State: _____ Zip Code ____________ Email: _________________________________________________________ Florida home phone:____________________________________________ Cell phone: ___________________________________________________ Northern Address: ______________________________________________ City: _____________________________ State: _____ Zip Code ____________ Northern home phone: __________________________________________

Your membership check is your permission for Women’s Cultural Alliance to take and use photographs/videos for appropriate purposes in accordance with WCA’s mission.

JEWISH FEDERATION

February 2015 Federation Star

Jewish Historical Society of SWFL begins its own history by reviewing Helen Weinfeld’s By Carole J Greene

peaking to the audience gathered for the inaugural event of the Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida (JHSSWF), Rabbi Adam Miller of Temple Shalom noted that the Jewish community in Naples and vicinity did not exist until 52 years ago. Now, it encompasses five synagogues, the Jewish Federation of Collier County, and Jewish Family & Community Services – to support the current population of approximately 10,000 Jews. Jeffrey Feld, Federation Executive, reminded the audience that before we can determine where we want to go, we must know where we have been. Studying history shows us where we’ve been. Marina Berkovich, JHSSWF President, who along with husband Alexander Goldstein founded the society, listed facts about Jews in the early development of what we now know as Southwest Florida. Most of the real estate entrepreneurs who developed land from Sarasota south, including such huge areas as Port Charlotte, Cape Coral, Marco Island and Golden Gate Estates, were Jews. Naomi Goren, curator of education for Collier County Museums, said that we study history so we can become worthwhile citizens, that an education in history is a precursor to understanding political decisions. She defined history not as a list of events and dates but stories of people and their lives. The remarks of these community dignitaries served to introduce the honoree of the evening, Helen Weinfeld, who has always demonstrated a strong commitment to historical accuracy. In fact, for three decades, she has archived activities of the Jews of Naples and

has long carried the title of Temple Shalom’s “Historian.” For the next half hour, the audience sat spellbound by the documentary film Southwest Florida Jewish Pioneers: Helen Weinfeld, an ABG World film directed by Alexander Goldstein to record and preserve some of the history Helen has at the tip of her memory. Helen was matter-of-fact about how she and husband Joseph were “welcomed” in Naples in the mid ’50s. As they looked around Naples with a real estate agent, her husband espied no Jewish names on properties. The agent told them, “If you’re Jewish, just keep on going.” Maybe they couldn’t live here, they agreed, but they could invest. And invest they did – in 640 acres near what is now County Road 951 and Immokalee Road. “We paid $40 an acre and a few years later sold the property for $350 an acre,” Helen said. Both Helen and Joe were raised as secular Jews. “We never lit candles or celebrated Shabbat dinners, but we knew we were Jews. That’s just what we were – and are.” Joe wanted to move to the area, but Helen didn’t want to rear her children as the only Jewish kids in the

Alexander Goldstein presents Helen Weinfeld a certificate designating her as an Honorary Member of the Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida

school system. “So we moved in 1969,” when their children were in college. By then, a few other Jewish families lived here, so they weren’t alone. It was long before anti-discrimination laws, so every time they submitted an offer to purchase, they were turned down. Helen noted that as Jews settled in Naples, they never established a “Jewish neighborhood,” keeping mainly east of

Jeffrey Feld, Julian Milkis, Alexander Goldstein, Marina Berkovich, Helen Weinfeld, Naomi Goren, Rabbi Adam Miller

the Tamiami Trail and particularly in The Glades, an inexpensive new development at a time where “no one cared if they were Jewish.” All the Jewish families combined to forge a Jewish presence in Naples. “We thought the children here at the time, and those to come later, should learn about being Jewish.” Together, the families founded the Jewish Community Center of Collier County, which later morphed into Temple Shalom, with religious education uppermost in their mission. When the documentary concluded, Helen took the podium to add other details and concluded with the advice to get involved, to become a member. Musical guest, internationallyrenowned clarinetist Julian Milkis, performed “In the Jewish Mood,” a composition specially written for this occasion by Mr. Goldstein. That’s how history happens.

Jewish War Veterans Post #202

invites you to its Annual Fundraiser Sunday, February 15 at 10:00 a.m. at Chabad of Naples Jewish Community Center 1789 Mandarin Road

Join us for brunch and a screening of the film Winston Churchill, Walking with Destiny $20 per person contribution to Jewish War Veterans, Post #202 For reservations, please call Gil Block, Commander, Post #202, at 239-304-5953 or 239-272-8112.

Federation Star February 2015

JEWISH FEDERATION

Internationally-recognized terrorism authority to speak at Temple Shalom By Jeff Margolis

he Israel Advocacy Committee (IAC) of Collier County is pleased to announce that they have been able to reschedule the muchanticipated presentation by international terrorism authority Dr. Shabi Shabtai. Born in Israel, Dr. Shabtai served in the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) intelligence branch and was a member of the Israel Foreign Service. He has also acted as a consultant to the motion picture industry in the production of Passenger 57 and The Assignment, a compelling story about a CIA-Mossad sting operation. Dr. Shabtai has been a professor of political science and was appointed a Senior Fellow at the Adlai Stevenson

Institute of International Affairs. This much anticipated event will take place on Monday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Shalom. A large turnout is expected, so please make your reservations today at israeladvocacy committee@gmail.com. At the IAC season opening event on Wednesday, December 10, more than 200 members of the Collier community attended a special preview showing of the documentary film Beneath the Helmet. The film followed the lives of five new recruits as they completed their paratrooper training in the IDF. Following the film, two members of the local community, Motti Tadmor and Meir

“A Dangerous Time: Israel and the New Anti-Semitism” You are invited to an important lecture Featuring

Professor Stephen M. Berk Wednesday, February 4 at 7:30pm Temple Shalom – 4630 Pine Ridge Road No Charge – Open to All Dr. Stephen M. Berk is the Henry and Sally Schaffer Professor of Holocaust and Jewish Studies at Union College in Schenectady, New York. He is the former Chair of the Department of History, Director of the Program in Russia and East European Studies, and helps advise the Hillel organization at Union. Professor Berk is considered an absolutely superb lecturer. He is always informative, interesting and entertaining. He is widely known for his expertise on the Holocaust, Russia, the Middle East and a variety of Jewish topics.

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Kehila, shared their experiences and emotions as soldiers in the IDF when they lived in Israel. Meir saw combat during the Yom Kippur War. Both men fielded questions from the audience and discussed how military training in Israel had changed since they had served. Also during December, the Israel Advocacy Committee presented the first program of the season in the Israel 201 Education Series, the screening of the acclaimed production of The Prime Ministers by Academy Award-winning Moriah Films. As this event quickly sold out, an additional screening was added at 3:00 p.m. in addition to the previously scheduled 1:00 p.m. presentation. Both

screenings were viewed with great acclaim by the capacity audiences. Don’t forget the B.I.G event on Sunday, March 29, when the Israel Advocacy Committee will sponsor its first Buy Israel Goods event. This exciting fair will feature products made in Israel. The community is urged to support the economy and people of Israel by attending this event, which will be held at Vineyards Community Park from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. For more information about this and other events, please contact co-chairs Betty Schwartz at bettyofnaples@gmail. com or Steve Brazina at sbrazina@aol. com.

Catholic-Jewish Dialogue update By Marv Weisberg, co-Chair

y last update focused on the first sentence of Psalm 133, “Hine Mah Tov uMah Nayim, Shevet Achim Gam Yachad,” which translates into “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to sit (dwell) together in unity!” Our December program, Marv Weisberg “Faith Weekend,” took these words to a higher level. On Friday, December 5, our Catholic brethren were invited to attend Shabbat evening services at Naples Jewish Congregation. I can honestly say that the only time I have seen more people at our services is on the High Holy Days. The rabbi and president recognized the members of the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue and gave our guests a very warm welcome from the bimah. And during the Oneg Shabbat, every one of these guests seemed to be in lively conversation with members of the synagogue. Those who I spoke with that evening, as well as many others that I saw during the next several days, told me that this was the first time that they had ever attended a Jewish service and were extremely moved by it. On Sunday, December 7, the Jewish community was invited to attend mass at St. Agnes Catholic Church. As I looked

around, I saw many of my fellow synagogue congregants and other Jewish friends sitting in the pews around me. To be perfectly honest, I had never attended a Catholic mass and had absolutely no idea what to expect. Everyone I met welcomed me with open arms. Fr. Robert Kantor, the pastor at St. Agnes, made sure to welcome all his Jewish guests and also recognized the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue and its members. Just before the mass began, someone called me over and asked if I would accept the honor of taking the wine up to the Pastor during the mass. When I sheepishly told him that I had no idea what to do, he explained that all I had to do was (at his signal) carry the wine up to the altar, hand it to the Pastor who would thank me, and simply return to my seat. I never expected to be honored in that way. After the mass was concluded, we were greeted with a bagel-and-lox reception. I was assured by a number of people that this was not the norm. It was prepared specifically to welcome the Dialogue, its members, and the whole Jewish community. The entire weekend gave new meaning to “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to sit together in unity!” We were able to bring together two diverse religious communities in our little corner of the world. Let’s pray that we can begin to see this type of unity copied elsewhere.

Update on Contemporary Anti-Religious Violence Sunday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m. St. Agnes Catholic Church (Corner of Vanderbilt Beach Rd. & Collier Blvd.) Presentation by Dr. George Blewitt. Discussion to follow. RSVP: CJDialogue@naples.net Marty Gauthier: 239.370.4277 ~ Marv Weisberg: 239.254.8282

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JEWISH FEDERATION

Kiev connection By Carole J Greene

hen Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny of Kiev traveled to Naples last November, he gave generously of his time. He spoke at Temple Shalom about what’s going n on in the Jewish community throughout Ukraine, and he gave me over two hours of interview time. Taking notes as fast g as my chubby fingers could scrawl, I soon discovered I’d recorded more e information than I could cover in one Federation Star article (published in t the January issue). Jeffrey Feld and Ted 0 Epstein graciously gave me the nod for

supported by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Funds to the Kiev Jewish community come from a variety of sources. Major funding comes from JDC and the World Union of Progressive Judaism (WUPJ). World War II reparations from Germany provide some money. Several local Federations throughout the U.S., including ours, also send grants. Temple Shalom helps out too. Young families in Kiev need help to embrace their Jewish heritage. Single mothers also want to rear their children in the faith and traditions of Jud daism, but they know little about s how to establish these traditions . in their own homes. That’s where . camp programs and Hatikvah Preschool of the Progressive Reform Synagogue in Kiev step in to teach holiday observances as well as Reform values. “They want to be Jewish,” Rabbi Dukovny explained, “but they don’t know how. In many cases, there are no records of their parents or grandparents Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny and Carole J Greene being Jews, so they undergo rigorous conversion programs, complete a few more monthly columns to expand with a Bet Din. Our Progressive synaour knowledge of this area of the world. This is the first column. I’ll keep going gogues throughout Ukraine concentrate until I run out of interesting tidbits to on education to aid our people in Jewish tell you. self-identification.” Rabbi Dukhovny reminded us that Our Federation, desiring to encourfor many decades under Soviet dominaage the practice of Judaism by anyone who truly wants to be a Jew, sends a tion, the Jews of Ukraine and other Sogrant to Kiev’s Hatikvah Preschool viet countries could not openly practice their religion. Since the USSR crumbled each year. To help in this effort, all into the dust of history a mere 25 years you need to do is make a donation to ago, many Kiev Jews have begun to the annual Federation Campaign. For return to Judaism. Some are elderly and information, call the Federation office knew they were Jews only by that desat 239.263.4205. ignation on their passport. They never Temple Shalom’s Judi Palay also learned how to “be Jewish.” Today, they corresponds regularly with Rabbi Dukoften require a great deal of financial ashovny about his needs. You can reach her at 239.513.9141. sistance from the Jewish Welfare Center,

February 2015 Federation Star

Federation Star February 2015 HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & ED CTR OF SWFL

COMMUNITY FOCUS www.holocaustmuseumswfl.org / 239-263-9200

Now on display at the Museum – a new original exhibit: Dearest Pauline – A WWII Healer Writes Home Amy Snyder Executive Director

hile the Holocaust is one of the most analyzed events in history, one of the associated stories not widely known is that of the U.S. Army European Civil Affairs Division (ECAD) and its Medical Officers, who treated newly liberated concentration camp inmates, and whose four Regiments helped restore order to chaos in the closing days of World War II and the post-war period. The Holocaust Museum has been working with the family of Dr. Price Duff, an ECAD Medical Officer, to chronicle this story. They have graciously lent their time, memories and memorabilia to bring this story to life.

Dr. Price Duff

The Medical Officers of the ECAD were charged with stabilizing and restoring the health of the civilian population. Initially, it appeared to be a “cushy” assignment for the small team of physicians, dentists and pharmacists sent to Yale University at the end of 1943 to be trained for the task. However, what they encountered by the end of the war was incomprehensible, even to this select group of seasoned professional medical personnel. Dearest Pauline is a firsthand account told by Dr. Price Duff. A young family man, Dr. Duff had been working as a Tennessee State Health Department doctor in a rural, poverty stricken area of the Cumberland Plateau before the Army called him to serve as an ECAD Medical Officer during the liberation of Europe. Using the letters he sent home to his wife, Pauline, the Dearest Pauline exhibit chronicles Dr. Duff’s Army career, from the time he received his

Dr. Duff in French town

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initial orders through his training at various Army posts and specialized training at Yale University. We then follow his journey from the States to Europe, crossing the Atlantic on the USS Argentina to work initially in England, as both a doctor and an Army censor, until his crossing of the English Channel in September 1944. From here, we witness his journey through France, Luxembourg and Belgium, finally crossing the Rhine River into Germany where he encounters the inconceivable horrors of the concentration camps. While in Germany, the young doctor is overwhelmed with bringing humanitarian aid to a war-ravaged population in crisis. But nothing could have prepared him for the horror stories he and his fellow officers encountered as they entered such camps as Buchenwald and Nordhausen. Dr. Duff worked steadfastly and courageously – changing lives in the process, including his own. Through his meticulously and beautifully written personal letters, his official Army orders, records, photographs, memorabilia and family interviews, we relive this personal story Dr. of a healer who was not just a witness to one of history’s defining moments, but an active participant. The Dearest Pauline exhibit is on display through May 3. Our annual Triumph fundraising event on Sunday, March 29, will carry through on the Dearest Pauline theme, with music of the ’30s and ’40s, as well as a dramatic performance highlighting some of Dr. Duff’s letters.

Hand-painted photo of Pauline

Duff (at left in both photos) with other officers

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COMMUNITY FOCUS

February 2015 Federation Star

Jewish Family & Community Services update Dr. Jaclynn Faffer JFCS President/ CEO

e are thrilled to announce that the challenge grant received from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation in the amount of $150,000 has been completed in less than five weeks. Schulze is the founder of Best Buy. (See the related story below.) On Monday, January 12, JFCS said “thank you” to 50 friends at the annual JFCS Patron Dinner held at the JFCS Senior Center. Guests heard from Michael Greenberg and Phyllis Barolsky, both JFCS board members,

about their volunteer experiences on behalf of the agency. As of press time on Tuesday, January 20, 150 guests are expected at “An Evening for Better Tomorrows,” the agency’s 3rd annual fundraiser, chaired by Susan and Dr. Nathaniel Ritter and A. Scott Hansen. As in past years, BMO Private Bank is the presenting sponsor, with Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company serving as the Bronze Sponsor. All present will enjoy a performance by the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra and the debut of JFCS’s first video. The event will be held at the Naples Sailing and Yacht Club. On Tuesday, February 24, JFCS will be beginning a 4-hour respite program for men and women diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The program will be facilitated by Donna Levy, RN, JFCS case manager. Donna

currently facilitates the “Men’s Lunch Club,” a 4-hour program for men diagnosed with early memory loss. Please contact Donna at dlevy@jfcsswfl.org or 239.325.4444 for more information. On behalf of the JFCS Board of Trustees, and all those we serve, I want

to extend a very special “Thank You” to the Jewish Federation of Collier County for its very generous allocation. Through this partnership we can continue to provide assistance to those who need us in our community.

The Naples Jewish Caring Support Group

Next meetings: Mondays, Feb. 9 & 23 10:30 a.m. to noon at JFCS, 5025 Castello Road, Naples

Call Donna Levy at 239.325.4444 for more information.

JFCS of Southwest Florida announces challenge grant completion Over $300,000 raised in five weeks’ time to expand Senior Center’s services

r. Jaclynn Faffer, president and chief executive officer of Jewish Family & Community Services (JFCS) of Southwest Florida has announced that the challenge grant received from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation in the amount of $150,000, has been completed in less than five weeks. Funds raised with the $300,000 are targeted for an extensive expansion at the JFCS Senior Center, the first of its kind in Collier and Southern Lee Counties. Construction is slated for mid-January. Upon completion, the expanded Senior Center will offer additional services and will encompass approximately 6,800 square feet. “We are indeed grateful to Richard M. Schulze and the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation for issuing the challenge grant, which was completed in record time, thanks to the generosity of Patty and Jay Baker of Naples, who donated $100,000, and the Brookdale Foundation, with its donation of $20,000, which completed the match. Other donors included the Community Foundation of Collier County, which donated $8,000, and private individuals,” reported Dr. Faffer. “These philanthropic individuals and their collective vision will allow us to make an enormous difference in the lives of seniors now and in future, who need nourishment of their minds, hearts and souls,” reported Dr. Faffer in making the announcement. “Older residents not only need a hot meal on a regular basis, but they need to keep their minds active so they may fully enjoy life. Our Senior Center members tell us that they are grateful to us for reducing their isolation and loneliness. Plans are underway to move our program and administrative offices upstairs so that the Senior Center can

expand to the adjacent space next door.” The JFCS Senior Center opened its doors on January 22, 2014, and welcomed 88 seniors to the first weekly hot lunch. Today, its membership exceeds 500, and is open five days a week, offering a weekly hot lunch, art classes, computer skills training, cards and Mah Jongg, tai chi, Monday afternoon movies, discussion groups, and the Dakim brain fitness program. Best Buy founder Dick Schulze created the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation in 2004 to support education, basic human services, health and medical research as well as transformational entrepreneurship. A resident of Bonita Springs, Schulze was impressed by the myriad of services that were being offered at the JFCS Senior Center, reported Mary Beth Geier, region coordinator of the Foundation. “The Richard M. Schulze Foundation was pleased to award this challenge grant to JFCS to expand the Senior Center. Mr. Schulze thought it was a priority to address the extensive needs of our older residents in Southwest Florida. It’s rewarding to know that so many more seniors in our community will enjoy the services of this special place – and that the challenge was met in record time,” noted Ms. Geier. Patty and Jay Baker are noted Naples philanthropists, having supported numerous nonprofit organizations in Southwest Florida, including the Boys & Girls Club of Collier County and the Community Foundation of Collier County. The Patient Care Tower at NCH Healthcare System’s North Naples Hospital is named for them, as is the Naples Museum of Art. Patty Baker is a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, and a number of arts organizations, including the Gulfshore Playhouse and the Naples Philharmonic, are also ben-

eficiaries of the Bakers’ financial gifts and dedicated support. Forming partnerships with local cultural organizations, the Senior Center offers lifelong learning opportunities through lectures on a wide variety of topics, as well as arts and music classes and performances. Professionally staffed, the Senior Center’s activities are volunteer-driven and afford many opportunities for community members to “give back” through volunteerism. Jewish Family & Community Services of Southwest Florida empowers individuals and families by giving them

tools to address life’s challenges. JFCS is a non-sectarian human service agency supporting individuals and families of all ages by providing a wide range of social services, including mental health counseling, case management, financial assistance and crisis intervention. The JFCS Senior Center will celebrate its first birthday with a community celebration, to be held on Thursday, February 5 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. More information on JFCS and the JFCS Senior Center is available by contacting Dr. Faffer at 239.325.4444 or jfaffer@jfcsswfl.org.

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West Lake Professional Center 4959 Castello Drive, Naples Mary Beth Geier, region coordinator of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, JFCS Board Chair Richard A. Goldblatt, and Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, president and chief executive officer of JFCS (Photo credit: Charlie McDonald Photography)

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Federation Star February 2015

COMMUNITY FOCUS

The Jewish Cardinal to be presented at Temple Shalom By Ida Margolis

T MARCH 2015 | MONDAYS AT 7:00 pm NORRIS CENTER | 755 8th AVE SOUTH presented by 03.02.15

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In 1948, a group of WWII pilots volunteered to fight for Israel in the War of Independence. The members of “Machal” – volunteers from abroad – not only turned the tide of the war, they also laid the groundwork for the Israeli Air Force.

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G O D ’ S S L AV E

BELLE & SEBASTIAN

In the French Alps during WWII, lonely Sebastian befriends Belle, “the beast” the local farmers think is killing their sheep – an enormous yet gentle sheepdog. With Nazis rooting out resistance fighters, Belle and Sebastian’s loyalties are put to the test.

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UNDER THE SAME SUN

In the near future, two businessmen – a Palestinian and an Israeli – struggle to set up a solar energy company. Their attempts to overcome hostility from their families and the people around them ultimately change the political map.

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installation of a convent by Carmelite nuns on the Auschwitz grounds, prompting Lustiger, who obviously had deep emotional ties to the site, to question his religious allegiances. The screenplay manages to infuse humor while sensitively exploring Lustiger’s position. Steve Brazina, Program Chair of GenShoah Southwest Florida, will present the film at Temple Shalom on Wednesday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. This program is being co-sponsored by Temple Shalom and the CatholicJewish Dialogue of Collier County. A donation of $5 will be requested. For more information and reservations, contact ida.margolis2@gmail. com or 239.963.9347.

Beth Tikvah Scholar-inResidence Weekend with Rabbi Avinoam Sharon

Based on actual events. Trained since childhood as an Islamic terrorist, Ahmed now must suicide-bomb a Buenos Aires synagogue. The investigation by David, the Israeli agent trying to prevent the attack, leads to violent, if unexpected, consequences.

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he Jewish Cardinal is the true story of Jean-Marie Lustiger, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants, who, with his sister, was sent to live with a Catholic woman during the German occupation of France in 1940. Against his parents’ wishes, he decides to convert to Catholicism at age 13. His father survives the war, but his mother is murdered in Auschwitz. The film begins in 1981 when Lustiger is made Archbishop of Paris. While rising within the ranks of the Church, he maintained his cultural identity as a Jew, which earned him both friends and enemies. The story’s chief dramatic element revolves around a dispute concerning the controversial

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he Gerald Sager Scholar-in-Resitions, as well as in interviews with the Israeli and foreign press. dence Program proudly welcomes Rabbi Avinoam Sharon He has written on national security and international law, and has lectured to Beth Tikvah of Naples the weekend on those subjects at Fordham University of February 13-15. Rabbi Sharon has Law School, the IDF School of Military held senior staff and command positions Law, the Israeli Ministry in the Military Advocate of Foreign Affairs, and the General’s Unit of the Israeli Ministry of Justice. Israel Defense Forces. Rabbi Sharon studied As Military Attorney for linguistics and Semitic Judea, Samaria and Gaza, languages at Columbia he was involved in the apUniversity. He pursued prehension and proseculegal studies at the Hebrew tion of terrorists and the University of Jerusalem, related legal and policy issues of counter-terrorthe IDF School of Milism. itary Law, and The Hague Rabbi Avinoam Sharon He also served as Academy of International liaison to Israel’s General Security Law. He earned an M.A. in Talmud Service, the Terrorism and Violent and Jewish Law from the Jewish TheoCrime Section of the United States Delogical Seminary’s Schechter Institute, partment of Justice, and the FBI. Rabbi and was ordained by the Schechter Sharon continues to serve as an officer Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem. He is in the IDF reserves, with the rank of currently pursuing a doctorate in Talmud Lt. Colonel. at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He has represented the IDF before For a schedule and more informaa variety of international fact-finding tion, visit www.bethtikvahnaples.org. commissions and civil rights organiza-

ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter event update By Gene Sipe, VP, ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter he February ZOA SWFL chapter meeting hosts an extremely informative presentation by renowned human rights activist, author and lecturer Noni Darwish. Ms. Darwish was born in Cairo and spent her childhood in Egypt and Gaza before immigrating to America in 1978. Her father died when she was eight years old, while leading covert attacks on Israel. He was a high-ranking Egyptian military officer stationed with his family in Gaza. After he died, he was considered a “shahid,” a martyr for jihad. His posthumous status earned her family an elevated position in Muslim society. At an early age she developed a skeptical eye and questioned her own Muslim culture. Then, after hearing a Christian preacher on television, she converted to Christianity. She has written three critically acclaimed books: Now They Call Me Infidel, Why I Renounced Jihad for

America, Israel and the War on Terror and Cruel and Unusual Punishment. This program will be offered on Tuesday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chabad Jewish Center of Naples, and is open to the public at $20 per person. RSVP by email to info@zoaswfl.org or reserve your seats by prepaying with checks payable to ZOA SWFL, 7550 Mission Hills Drive, Ste. 306, Box 90, Naples, FL 34119-9607. For additional information, call 914.329.1024. The March program will feature a lecture by Robert Spencer. Please visit www.zoaswfl.org for more information on any of our programs or to read commentaries by local supporters of Zionism, and to check the top headlines of the day with links directly to The Jerusalem Post. The site is interactive and you are invited to register and participate with your thoughts and comments.

SIGN UP FOR THE FEDERATION’S WEEKLY COMMUNITY eNEWSLETTER! Get the latest information on upcoming community events and cultural activities, news from Israel and lots more.

Send an email to info@jewishnaples.org.

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February 2015 Federation Star

Collier/Lee Hadassah presents Shana and Shlomo’s Wedding By Iris Shur

edding bells are ringing for Shana and Shlomo, and you are invited. The wedding is the annual major fundraiser of the Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah. The parents of the bride and groom are not entirely thrilled, and you will have to attend to find out why on Sunday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Vanderbilt Country Club. You might cringe a bit, laugh a lot and be thankful you didn’t have such a wedding. These families are a little off the wall so we don’t know what will happen. You will shout “Mazel Tov” as Shlomo breaks the glass – if it

gets that far. This is a wedding you don’t want to miss. “Rabbi” Bernie Lashinsky will attempt to officiate, and Aunt Iris will try to get the families to allow her granddaughter to participate, just to give you a little taste of the drama of the evening. Aside from a few Hadassah member participants, Improv Anonymous of the Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs will be performing professionally throughout the evening, bringing the wedding to life and providing hilarity. Cantorial Soloist Douglas Renfroe from Sanibel Island will also be there to help Shana and Shlomo tie the knot.

Just so we don’t have big fights over the table seating like they do at most weddings, when you RSVP, why don’t you decide who you want to sit with and let us know. And no fights either about who gets invited. You and your friends are ALL invited. You don’t have to be a Hadassah family member to attend. Shana and Shlomo’s families have spared no expense (of yours) on this wedding. There will be a pre-wedding reception with cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by the wedding, a sit-down dinner, and dancing to the tunes we love, spun by DJ Mike Cole from Black Tie Entertainment.

Oh yes, the gift registry. Shana and Shlomo are registered with Hadassah and you know what that means! They ask for no wedding gifts but that you donate to Hadassah and the wonderful work it does. So pull out your tux and gown, or dress country club casual (just no shorts or jeans), and plan to have a fun, funny, exciting evening as you become part of Shana and Shlomo’s wedding. Please call the “wedding planner,” Lynn Weiner, at 239.598.1009 or email her at lynninaples@yahoo.com with any questions or for an invitation.

Subject of “One Book Southwest Florida” draws huge crowds By Jeff Margolis

ichael Stolowitzky owes his life to his governess. There is no other way that he could have survived the Holocaust. The truth is that because of his devoted and saintly Catholic nanny, Gertruda Babilinska, Michael survived the separation from his father, the untimely death of his mother, and the relentless pursuit of Nazis against European Jewry. Michael’s story, as told in Ram Oren’s bestselling book, Gertruda’s Oath, is a compelling love story of Gertruda, Michael’s governess and teacher, and her three-year-old charge as they face the odyssey from being the wealthiest family in pre-war Warsaw to having to scavenge and use their wiles to survive the war. Before rapt audiences totaling 1,000 attendees at three events in Fort Myers and Naples, Mr. Stolowitzky recounted vignettes of their travails as Gertruda unwaveringly fulfills a vow made to Michael’s dying mother to protect and raise Michael as her own son and see that he safely arrives in Palestine at the end of the war. Gertruda’s Oath was the first selection in the newly created “One Book Southwest Florida” program that was developed by a collaboration of Gen-

Shoah Southwest Florida Chair Ida Margolis, GenShoah Program Chair Steve Brazina, along with Amy Snyder, Executive Director of the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida, and Pat DeGroot, Administrative Supervisor of the Collier County Public Library. Naples Mayor John Sorrey issued a proclamation declaring January 7 and 8 as “One Book Southwest Florida Days.” Throughout the fall, book discussion groups got together in Collier and Lee counties to review the book – which is now available in eleven languages – and to prepare questions for Michael’s visit. Interestingly, most groups were curious about the vast fortune that Michael’s father, industrialist Jacob Stolowitzky, had amassed prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. According to Michael’s calculations, his family’s fortune was estimated to be about $300 million in 1938, with a value today being in the billions. Stolowitzky has been in negotiations with Swiss banks for many years in an effort to resolve this issue. At great personal risk and peril, Gertruda fulfilled her oath and arrived in Palestine with Michael in 1947. There she took odd jobs and continued to raise

Ida Margolis, whose inspiration and hard work brought the “One Book Southwest Florida” to fruition, introduced Michael Stolowitzky to an audience of 200 at the South Regional Library

Michael Stolowitzky shared his story with 600 people in attendance at Temple Shalom. His presentation brought the audience to their feet with thunderous applause.

Michael and see to his education. Gertruda is honored as a Righteous Among the Nations in Yad Vashem in Israel. Stolowitzky now lives in New York City and also maintains a residence in Miami. In his remarks, he said, “With the life that I had, I can make a choice to continue to live the past or take a path

to live a full life in the future and to be grateful for everything I have.” With the great success of the inaugural “One Book Southwest Florida,” many of the participants are already asking about next year’s book. Stay tuned.

Bigger and Better Than Ever! NJC Sisterhood 4th Annual Game Day MAH JONGG > BRIDGE > CANASTA > DOMINOES Friday, March 13, 2015 Cypress Woods Country Club 3525 Northbrooke Drive Naples FL 34119

Michael Stolowitzky (center) with the “One Book Southwest Florida” Committee: Ida Margolis, Steve Brazina, Amy Snyder and Pat DeGroot

Doors open 10:00 am; Play until 2:30 pm Coffee in the morning > Fabulous Brunch Buffet Soft drinks provided all day > Silent Raffle Door Prizes > 50/50 All this for $30.00 per person! Bring your own game supplies; there will be no supplies offered at Cypress Woods

RSVP by February 27th with the following information: Michael Stolowitzky with Iris Shur - a book discussion leader for Hadassah, Lynn Weiner - Collier/Lee Hadassah President, Elaine Soffer - WCA President, and Paula Handloff - a book discussion leader for WCA

The next meeting of the Jewish Genealogy SIG (Shared Interest Group) at the Jewish Federation of Collier County offices (2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples) is on Tuesday, February 10 at 10:00 a.m. Seating is limited. RSVP to genresearch13@yahoo.com. You will receive an acknowledgement that you have a reservation. Bring a notebook and pen with you to the meeting.

Name; Address; Phone; Email Address; Game you will be playing; Names of people in your group If reserving a table, please reserve the entire table in one envelope. Send information and check made out to NJC Sisterhood to: Elaine Rapoport—NJC Sisterhood PO Box 111994—Naples, FL 34108

COMMUNITY FOCUS

Federation Star February 2015

Temple Shalom Celebrates Mitzvah Day

February 8, 2015

f you are looking to make a difference in helping to combat hunger in our community…don’t miss Mitzvah Day on Sunday, February 8. If you want to experience a unique opportunity to make 50,000 meals with hundreds of our One Family members, young and old…don’t miss Mitzvah Day on February 8. If you want to feel the joy of participating in a great social action event…you don’t want to miss Mitzvah Day on February 8. For the past seven years, Mitzvah Day has been the highlight of Temple Shalom’s efforts towards tikkun olam, which our teaching suggests is humanity’s shared responsibility to heal, repair

and transform the world. Helping to feed the hungry is one way we can help to “heal the world.” Meals of Hope is the organization we are partnering with again to make this event possible. It provides the food and the packaging materials, and we provide the venue and the people to package the meals. The food is distributed to those in need right here in Collier County. Our goal this year is to raise $10,000, which will enable us to pack 50,000 meals. That translates to only 20 cents per meal. Your donation of $18 means 90 meals. $36 will help us make 180 meals; and $72 means 360 meals! We need to collect your donations im-

Temple Shalom events open to the community

For more information on these events, call 239.455.3030. ppearing for the first time ever in Southwest Florida... The Prince and Princess of Kosher Gospel! Temple Shalom is excited to welcome multiinstrumentalist and songwriter Josh Nelson and Grammy-winner Neshama Carlebach for a weekend filled with powerful and energizing music for all generations. Tickets are on sale now for this Saturday, February 28 event. Please see the ad in this issue of the Federation Star or call the Temple Shalom office. *** Join us on Sunday, February 8 for Mitzvah Day! If you are looking to make a difference in helping combat hunger in our community, you won’t want to miss this. Feel the joy of participating in a great social action event and experience the unique opportunity to help make 50,000 meals with hundreds of our One Family members. You can also donate by calling the Temple Shalom office. *** Please find it in your heart to give the gift of life! As part of Mitzvah Day, Temple Shalom will be hosting the Community Blood Center’s Bloodmobile on Sunday, February 8 between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. There is no upper age limit and teens as young as 16 can donate with parental permission. Please contact the temple or Jane Perman (permanjane@comcast.net) for more information. *** What’s in your genes? Also on

Mitzvah Day, The Victor Center invites everyone to an educational presentation and an opportunity to be screened for the latest Jewish genetic disease panel for which 1 in 4 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier. Most insurance accepted. Maximum fee with insurance is $99. The cost without insurance is $349. To make an appointment or for more information, please contact Dr. Karen Erzine at karencme@ gmail.com. *** Through the joint sponsorship of Temple Shalom, the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida, and the Jewish Federation of Collier County, Professor Stephen M. Berk will be appearing at Temple Shalom. Dr. Berk is known for his expertise on the Holocaust, Russia, the Middle East and a variety of Jewish subjects. On Wednesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m., he will be presenting a lecture entitled, “A Dangerous Time: Israel and the New Anti-Semitism.” There is no charge for this event. *** Sunday School for Adults is back! Join Rabbi James Perman on February 22 and March 1 at 10:30 a.m. for this year’s topic, “You’re Jewish – Explain Yourself.” Has anyone ever asked you what Judaism teaches or believes and you felt uneasy because you didn’t have a good answer? Rabbi Perman will demonstrate ways to explain our core Jewish beliefs to others. This program is free and open to the public. Bring your neighbors, friends and questions!

Update on Anti-Religious Violence Speaker: Dr. George Blewitt Sunday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m. St. Agnes Catholic Church Parish Center 7775 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples (Northeast Corner of Collier Blvd. and Vanderbilt Rd.)

This critical topic was reviewed last year as part of the CatholicJewish Dialogue program series. It is a subject of such great consequence and in such evolution that a periodic update was indicated. This year we will review important subject matter from last year’s presentation and report on significant events that have transpired in this past year. This will be followed by, what we hope will be, a spirited audience discussion.

mediately so that the supplies can be purchased by Meals of Hope. You can donate by calling the Temple office at 239.455.3030 with your credit card information, or you can mail a check to Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34119. Please help us reach our goal by contributing whatever you can towards this amazing event. Even more important than your contribution is joining us on February 8 from 9:00 a.m. to noon and share the joy of packing these meals with our One Family and friends. For more information about Meals of Hope, please visit http://meals-of-hope.org. Meals of Hope is one of a number

of other social action events that morning. We will be decorating hats for children with cancer, making puppets for hospital patients, and collecting backpacks, school supplies and travelsize toiletries for the many homeless children in Collier County. Come early at 9:00 a.m. for breakfast supplied by the Men’s Club. There will be an opening “Mitzvah Rally” at 9:30 a.m. and we will start our projects at 10:00 a.m. With your help we will make this year’s Mitzvah Day the best ever. For more information, please call the temple office at 239.455.3030.

Naples Jewish Cong. events open to the community

unday at the Movies We continue our very popular monthly movie series at with the showing of Liberty Heights at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 22. Expanding on the theme “The Jewish Experience of Becoming Americans,” Liberty Heights is a coming-of-age drama that follows various members of the Kurtzman clan, a Jewish family living in suburban Baltimore during the 1950s. All films are shown in the Community Room of the Jewish Federation offices. Everyone is welcome to attend these free monthly movies, but donations are much appreciated. All prior films have been sold out, so reservations are necessary. Please email Les at elias21@gmail.com to ensure you will have a seat. *** Scholar-in-Residence Mark your calendars for the NJC Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Event in March. Our presenter will be Dr. Paul R. Bartrop, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. Dr. Bartrop is the author of numerous books and articles, and his book, A Biographical Encyclopedia of Contemporary Genocide: Portraits of Evil and Good, was recognized as the “Outstanding Academic Title 2013.” He is widely recognized as a leading genocide scholar. Dr. Bartrop will present an overview of the topic of resistance and rescue activities during the Holocaust at the Naples Jewish Congregation Shabbat services (at Unitarian Universalist,

6340 Napa Woods Way) at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20. On Saturday, March 21 there will be a two-part session held at the St. Agnes Catholic Church Parish Center (7775 Vanderbilt Beach Road). The first session will begin at 10:00 a.m. on “Opposing the Nazis during the Holocaust: What can we consider Resistance to be?” There will be ample time for discussion and questions. A box lunch will be available between sessions. Dr. Bartrop’s second session will examine “A Variety of Rescuers: Righteous Gentiles, Audacious Jews, and Conflicted Nazis.” Following the second session, there will be an open forum with light refreshments from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome. No charge. *** NJC Sisterhood Game Day NJC Sisterhood is having its 4th annual Game Day on Friday, March 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Cypress Woods Country Club, 3525 Northbrooke Drive, Naples. There will be a buffet brunch at 11:30 a.m., a silent raffle and a 50/50. Reservations must be received by February 27 at a cost of $30 per person. RSVP for your entire table in one envelope. Write the names of your group with an email for one of your members. Include the game your group will be playing. Make checks payable to NJC Sisterhood and mail with your response to NJC, Attn: Elaine Rapoport, Box 111994, Naples, FL 34108. Parking is limited, so please carpool! For more information, call Pat Levy at 239.597.3124.

YIDDISH CLUB OF NAPLES

meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of December, January, February, March and April at 10:00am at Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples You don’t have to speak Yiddish to enjoy. You just have to enjoy hearing it spoken, read or sung.

Come Schmooze and Enjoy!

COMMUNITY FOCUS

February 2015 Federation Star

JCMI’s events open to the community

All events take place at the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island, 991 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island. To RSVP or for more information, call the temple office at 239.642.0800.

CMI Jewish Film Festival In January, the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of Collier County presented The Outrageous Sophie Tucker, a documentary focusing on the tumultuous early days of this superstar who ruled the 1920s Flapper Era. Before Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Bette Midler, Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Sophie Tucker, who made her audiences fall in love with her bold, bawdy and brassy style. Everyone loved rthe film and the reception that followed. The Jewish Film Festival continues s on Sunday, February 8 at 2:00 p.m. with g -Disobedience. In 1940, as France was sbeing overrun by the Nazis, Aristides de Sousa Mendes, the Portuguese General -Counsel in Bordeaux, gave visas to ethousands of refugees – Jews and nontJews – so they could cross the border sinto neutral Spain and Portugal. Sousa Mendes did this knowing he would face tsevere punishment from Antonio Salazar, dictator of Portugal who had forbidlden visas to Jews and others who could not return to their country of origin.

Today, the survivors and descendants of those he saved have established the Aristides de Sousa Mendes Foundation to tell his story. Robert Jacobvitz of the Sousa Mendes Foundation will speak at the screening. A beautiful reception will follow the film. On Sunday, March 8 at 2:00 p.m. we will present Yiddle With His Fiddle. Tickets are $25 for each of the remaining films. *** JCMI Saul I. Stern Cultural Series The Jewish Congregation of Marco Island’s Saul I. Stern’s Cultural Series kicked off its 21st season in January with Rabbi Marvin Tokayer, who spoke passionately about the Jews of the Far East and Asia Pacific. The event was well attended and all were treated to a delicious reception after the presentation. The Cultural Series continues on Saturday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m. with The Naples Philharmonic Brass Quintet. The Brass Quintet returns with a delightful variety of music – classical and popular – for the ninth consecutive year. A fabulous Viennese table follows

the program along with a sampling from Starbucks. On Wednesday, March 18, the series concludes with a most interesting and inspiring presentation by Harry L. Ettlinger, one of the original Monuments Men. Mr. Ettlinger, who was born in Germany, escaped with his family to the United States shortly before WWII. When the war broke out, Mr. Ettlinger enlisted in the U.S. Army. Because of his knowledge of German, he was sent to Munich to join the Monuments Men. He will tell us how he assisted in rescuing five million works of art and returning them to their rightful owners. *** JCMI Hosts the Barbara P. Katz Mah Jong Tournament The Jewish Congregation of Marco Island will once again host the Barbara P. Katz Mah Jong Tournament on Thursday, February 12. Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. and play begins at 9:00 a.m. with three rounds. A catered lunch will be served at noon and play resumes at 1:00 p.m. for two additional rounds. Prizes will be awarded at 3:30 p.m.

The cost is $40 per person. *** Rabbi Maline’s Adult Education Series 2015 Rabbi Edward Maline began the Adult Education Series 2015 on Sunday, January 11 with “New Questions of Jewish Law That Could Not be Asked in the Biblical and Talmudic Periods. How do we respond to them?” The series continues on Sunday, February 15 with additional interesting and thought-provoking questions such as: Can a Gentile be a member of a synagogue? Can a criminal be called to the Torah? Does Jewish law allow for territory in Israel to be surrendered for peace? Is it proper to tell a dying patient of his impending death? Are organ transplants permitted? If you would like to submit a question to Rabbi Maline, please email him at remmaline@aol.com. The series concludes on Sunday, March 15. Coffee and cake is at 9:30 a.m. with the lecture and discussions at 10:00 a.m. There is no charge for JCMI members; $5 for nonmembers and guests.

GenShoah invites the community to its numerous events By Ida Margolis

he docudrama The Jewish Cardinal will be presented by GenShoah Southwest Florida at Temple Shalom on Wednesday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. Steve Brazina, GenShoah Program Chair, will present this highly-acclaimed award-winning film. The Jewish Cardinal is the true story of Jean-Marie Lustiger, the son of Polish-

At the December 21 GenShoah meeting, Shelley Lieb led a discussion about Primo Levi and his book, The Periodic Table

Jewish immigrants to France who found himself as a mediator when nuns want to build a convent in Auschwitz. Temple Shalom is co-sponsoring this film along with Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County. On Sunday, February 15 at 5:00 p.m., Beth Tikvah will be hosting popular speaker Dr. Phil Jason, co-editor of Don’t Wave Goodbye: The Children’s Flight from Nazi Persecution to American Freedom. The book, which was co-edited by Dr. Jason with Iris Posner, tells the triumphant and tragic story of 1,000 children brought to the U.S. between 1934 and 1945. It demonstrates what a small group of determined people can do, as these rescues were funded and carried out by private citizens, organizations and volunteers. Author of the recently published I Was a War Child: WW II Memoir of a Little French Catholic Girl, Helene Gaillet de Neergaard will be the featured speaker on Sunday, March 15 at 5:00

p.m. at the Holocaust Museum. Prior to Ms. de Neergaard’s talk, local March of the Living participant, Zoe Van Slyke, will talk briefly about her experience. Space is limited and reservations are required for all events. Donations so that GenShoah can continue to present exceptional programming will be requested and are appreciated. To RSVP, email ida.margolis2@gmail.com. In addition to public events, GenShoah holds meetings that are open not only to children of Holocaust survivors (the Second Generation), but to all

those who are interested in the mission of GenShoah which is: Promotion of Holocaust education, preservation of memories of the Holocaust, connection of members of the Second Generation to one another, and support of the Holocaust Museum. There will be brief meetings at 4:30 p.m. prior to the programs on Sundays, February 15 and March 15. If you are interested in attending any events or meetings, or would like more information about GenShoah, contact me at ida.margolis2@gmail.com or 239.963.9347.

KRISTEN COURY, Producing Artistic Director

SPRING 2015 SEASON

VANYA SONIA NIA MASHA Spike

Women join together for 19th Annual Women’s Chanukah Celebration

by by

Christopher Christopher Durang Du g JAN 17-FEB 8

By Susan Pittelman

bout 70 women representing eight Jewish women’s organizations in Naples came together at Temple Shalom on Wednesday, December 17 to celebrate Chanukah. Bobbie Katz, who had coordinated the event, commented that the Chanukah Celebration is the longest-standing women’s tradition in our Jewish community, having been held for 19 years. The event was sponsored by Hadassah, NCJW, ORT, Women’s Cultural Alliance (WCA), and the Sisterhoods of Temple Shalom, Naples Jewish Congregation, Beth Tikvah and the Chabad Jewish Center of Naples. The women were entertained by the (very adorable!) children from the Temple Shalom Preschool, who sang songs from around the world about celebrating Chanukah. In addition, Temple Shalom Preschool Music Director Jane Galler

and Cantor Donna Azu sang a variety of Chanukah songs, including a delightful one that featured the important role of women in this holiday. Rabbi Adam Miller of Temple Shalom, Rabbi Sylvin Wolf of Naples Jewish Congregation, and Rabbi Fishel Zaklos of the Chabad Jewish Center offered remarks. Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, President/CEO of Jewish Family & Community Services of SWFL, spoke about the growth and success of the Senior Center and thanked the women for their support. Proceeds from the afternoon were donated to JFCS. The event concluded with women enjoying a lovely dessert table featuring homemade desserts. Next year will mark the 20th Annual Women’s Chanukah Celebration. We are already looking forward to it!

Israeli and International Folk Dancing Where: When: Why: Teacher: Cost: Questions:

Fleischmann Community Center, 1900 Fleischmann Road, Naples, opposite Coastland Center Mall Thursdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Exercise, relaxation, socializing, learning, good health and fun Richard Eddy, member International Dance Council (CID-UNESCO) and Florida Folk Dance Council Only $5 per session Richard Eddy - 703.303.4719; Fleischman Comm. Ctr. - 239.213.3020

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Federation Star February 2015

COMMUNITY FOCUS

Community Chanukah Celebration at the Mercato

Photos courtesy Ted Epstein

For more photos from this event, please visit http://jewishnaples.org/community-chanukah-celebration

Chabad of Naplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Frozen Chanukah

Marco Island Community Chanukah Celebration at JCMI

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February 2015 Federation Star

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Federation Star February 2015

JEWISH INTEREST

Two complementary views of Jewish strength and vulnerability

By Philip K. Jason, Special to the Federation Star Making David into Goliath: How the World Turned Against Israel, by Joshua Muravchik. Encounter Books, 296 pages, Hardcover $25.99. ~ Flexigidity: The Secret of Jewish Adaptability, by Gidi Grinstein. Gidi Grinstein. 318 pages. Trade paperback $15.00.

ach in its own way, these two recent books consider the interlocking destinies of the Israeli state and the Jewish People. At once impassioned and clearheaded, Muravchik’s abundantly researched discussion of Israel’s decline in world public opinion is necessary reading for all who care about this highly vulnerable country. How is it that an innovative, democratic, peace-seeking nation keeps losPhil Jason ing the propaganda war? Muravchik shows us how in a series of well-crafted chapters. The author begins by reminding readers of the high esteem with which Israel was generally regarded in the first decades following its declaration of nationhood. To some measure, that esteem grew out of how the tiny new nation had overcome seemingly insurmountable odds – and continued to do so. Over time, however, various forces dimmed the luster of the glorious David. The chapter titles outline the story well. One example: “The Arab Cause Becomes Palestinian (and ‘Progres-

sive’)” explores the psychological warfare in Arab/Muslim politics that slowly repositioned David and Goliath. Israel was positioned not as threatened by the Muslim masses, but as the demonical usurper of Palestinian rights. Losing underdog status in world opinion was a major blow. Terrorist assaults on Israel did one kind of damage, constantly diverting resources. Assaults on Jewish institutions in Europe weakened the moral fiber of European nations and also released latent Anti-Semitism. On top of this, Arab countries were able to use the petroleum weapon to make Europe cower. The message was clear: if you want oil, detach yourself from Israel in every possible way. The takeover of the UN by socalled nonaligned nations rendered Israel a pariah, constantly charged and found guilty of crimes against humanity rather than responsibly defending its population from attack. Anything Israel did in retaliation was immediately labeled as disproportionate. National and international Socialist bodies redefined Zionism as both racist and classist. Weighing evidence was rarely an issue. The once-sympathetic political Left moved inevitably to the other side throughout Europe, and that transition became apparent in the United States as well. Edward Said. Need I say more? The moral corruption of academic institutions whose faculties were brainwashed by a smooth charlatan did enormous damage to Israel’s standing. Yes, as Muravchik admits, Israel’s own leaders and political parties made a number of poor decisions. He details several key instances and their conse-

The Samuel Team

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quences. Just as much of a problem is the culture of dissent that has weakened Israel from within. This author sees a severely imperiled Israel whose enemies might succeed. “The result,” he insists, “would be a second Holocaust.” This timely study, puncturing illusions and facing hard facts, is must reading. rinstein’s Flexigidity is truly a most remarkable, original and inspirational book. While aimed at building a body of knowledge and skills for a new leadership of the Jewish People in individual communities and worldwide, it deserves a readership among all Jews and, indeed, all students of the Jewish journey through history. It is nothing less than a map for the Jewish future based upon a keen understanding of the Jewish past and the challenges of the present situation – a mixture of prosperity and power on the one hand, vulnerability on the other. Get past the gimmicky title: the jamming together of the counterpoint traits of flexibility and rigidity that Grinstein sees as the essential character of Jewish experience. Get past the unconventional but highly functional design, an extended outline form laced with text boxes and boldface passages that announce the most important concepts. Forgive what seems like a technical report or systems analysis approach. This book is nothing but good sense writ large. Although the author takes us through almost all of Jewish history to make his points about the processes of Jewish survival, he pays particular attention to the last 130 years “of radical and fundamental transformations” resulting “from the compounded effect of repetitive disasters in Europe, as well as from the dramatic successes of Zionism and Americanism.” Grinstein urges the necessity of a productive respect among Zionists and Israelis for a healthy and growing Jewish diaspora and a powerful understanding in the

diaspora about the essentiality of Israel for the Jewish future. He worries, as others have done, about the concentration of the Jewish population in so few places, while recognizing that there are benefits to that concentration as well. Hebrew literacy, based on the historical transmission of Judaism’s sacred texts and the Zionist insistence on (re)building a Hebrew-speaking nation, is one necessity for which the future might have to find more flexibility in that rigidity. Nonetheless, Grinstein values such literacy as usefully bonding and differentiating. The author ably demonstrates the existing and necessary interconnectedness of all factions of the Jewish People. His thesis, analysis and synthesis ably and stridently portray “flexigidity” – the framing design of a People who are “a network of small units – communities and their institutions – as the most important foundation of Jewish longevity.” I highly recommend this book as a long course – or series of short courses – for leaders and aspiring leaders of Jewish communities and institutions everywhere. These two reviews appear in the Fall 2014 (Grinstein) and Winter 2014 (Muravchik) issues of Jewish Book World (Vol. 32 Nos. 3 & 4). They are reprinted by permission of the Jewish Book Council. Philip K. Jason is Professor Emeritus of English from the United States Naval Academy. He reviews regularly for Florida Weekly, Jewish Book World, Southern Literary Review, and other publications. Please visit Phil’s website at www.philjason.wordpress.com.

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February 2015 Federation Star

JEWISH INTEREST

Stars of David

By Nate Bloom, Contributing Columnist Editor’s note: Persons in BOLD CAPS are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish for the purpose of the column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish parent and were not raised in a faith other than Judaism – and don’t identify with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identified as Jewish.

Oscars Sadly, press deadlines mean I have to submit this month’s column in advance of the Oscar nominations and, of course, the ceremony itself (held this year on Sunday, February 22). However, here is a list of some likely hJewish nominees based on the fact -that they have already been honored twith other award nominations, like the Golden Globe or SAG award. Best Actor: JAKE GYLLENHAAL, 34, -Nightcrawler; and JOAQUIN PHOEeNIX, 40, Inherent Vice; Best Actress (supporting or lead): PATRICIA ARQUETTE, 46, Boyhood. y Best Film Screenplay: GRAHAM nMOORE, 32, for The Imitation Game, which is about British computer expert and WWII codebreaker Alan Turing eand features, as an important character, fellow codebreaker PETER HILTON (a British Jew). Moore, a self-desscribed “Jewish kid from Chicago,” is -the son of SUSAN STEINER SHER, e63. She was Michelle Obama’s chief–of-staff from 2009 to 2011. Also: DAN sFUTTERMAN, 47, co-writer of the Foxcatcher screenplay. The film was directed by BENNETT MILLER, 47. aThe film may also get a best-picture nomination. f Best Original Score: HANS ZIMsMER, 57, Interstellar. One of the most honored film composers of our time, Zimmer was born and raised in Germa4ny, the son of a non-Jewish father and ka German Jewish mother who escaped to England in 1939 and returned after the war. He “outed” himself as Jewish on German TV in 1999, but this fact

was not widely known until he talked to the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles last May. He told them, “The Jews are my people.” Best Original Film Song: “Mercy Is” (Noah), Patti Smith and LENNY KAYE, 67; and “Opportunity” (Annie), GREG KURSTIN, 45, Sia Furler, and WILL GLUCK, 42. Gluck also directed Annie and co-wrote the screenplay. Best Foreign Language Film: Ida (Denmark/Poland). Plot: During the 1960s, Anna, a novice nun, finds out from a relative that her parents were Jewish and died in the Holocaust. She sets out to learn more. Ida was directed and co-written by Pawel Pawlikowski, a Pole who learned as an adult that his paternal grandmother was Jewish and that she died in the camps. Also in this category: Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (Israel). In the words of Variety: “This expertly written, brilliantly acted film documents the painful fiveyear process for one [Israeli] woman attempting to obtain a divorce [in Israel].” The film was co-written and co-directed by RONIT ELKABETZ, 50, and her brother, SHLOMI ELKABETZ, 46. They are Israelis of Moroccan Jewish ancestry. Koenig Heads-Up SARAH KOENIG, 45, produces and sometimes hosts the NPR show, This American Life. But since October, the buzz around her is her podcast show, Serial. Over five million people followed the show’s first season, which focused on a (real) 1999 Baltimore murder over 12 episodes. The last epi-

Interested in Your Family’s History? Ten years of doing a Jewish celebrities column has turned Nate Bloom (see column at left) into something of an expert on finding basic family history records and articles mentioning a “searched-for” person. During these 10 years, he has put together a small team of “mavens” who aid his research. Most professional family history experts charge at least $1,000 for a full family tree. However, many people just want to get “started” by tracing one particular family branch.

So here’s the deal: Email Nate at nteibloom@aol.com, tell him you saw this ad in the Federation Star, and include your phone number (area code, too). Nate will then contact you about doing a “limited” family history for you at a modest cost (no more than $100). No upfront payment. sode aired on December 18, but you can still listen to the series (free) while online, or download the episodes (free) to many devices. Log on to: serialpodcast.org. Koenig’s husband, BEN SCHREIER, 44, is a professor of English and Jewish studies at Penn State. New TV Shows In December, Bravo premiered its first “scripted” series, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce, co-starring LISA EDELSTEIN, 48 (House), and PAUL ADELSTEIN, 45, as a long-married couple with two kids, whose marriage is breaking up. This comedy/drama is, in the words of almost all critics, surprisingly very good and I completely agree. By the way, the divorcing couple is supposed to be Jewish – despite their non-Jewish last name. The first 13-episode season concludes this month. Try and catch up online or through encore showings. Starting Thursday, February 19 is a new version of The Odd Couple,

the famous 1965 stage show authored by NEIL SIMON, 87. The ABC series stars Matthew Perry (Friends) as Oscar, a slovenly sports writer, and Thomas Lennon as Felix, a neat-freak photographer. As you probably know, they are old friends and when Felix’s wife leaves him, he moves into the apartment of Oscar, who is long-divorced. LINDSAY SLOANE, 37, who has been appearing as a TV guest or series regular (Sabrina) since she was a teen, plays Emily, a resident of Oscar’s building who attracts the romantic attention of the guys. While I haven’t seen the pilot, I have no doubt that one of Simon’s most famous lines will be used in an early episode – Oscar: “Stop leaving me notes on my pillow, Felix. It took me weeks to figure out that ‘F.U.’ at the end of the note means Felix Unger.” Simon, by the way, denies that he named the character Felix Unger just to make this joke work.

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Selected Works From Florida Jewish Art Collectors On view through 3.8.15

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Proceeds from the evening will go to support Temple Shalom Mitzvah Day (2016) and Scholarships to Religious School. For further information or to purchase tickets contact: Jeanette Fischer 239-455-3030 or jfischer@naplestemple.org

JEWISH INTEREST

Federation Star February 2015

Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle Unthemed by Martin Ashwood-Smith

Difficulty level: medium

Will Shortz praises upgraded Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle

level of difficulty, rising each week ew York Times crossword ediduring a given month from Easy to tor Will Shortz, the dean of Manageable to Medium to ChalAmerican puzzledom, recently lenging. Then, four times a year, applauded the newly upgraded weekly a 17x17 puzzle will be published. Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzles, The Easy puzzles should be accescalling it a “great product” with puzzles sible to people with little Judaic that are “well-constructed.” Further, he background and crossword expeadded, “the high Jewish content in the rience, and the Challenging clues is very impressive.” puzzles should be a match The Jerusalem Post for the wits of solvers with Crossword Puzzle currently strong backgrounds in both. appears in nearly 20 Jewish David Benkof, who publications worldwide, inhas constructed the crosscluding the Washington Jewwords for the past six years, ish Week, the Atlanta Jewish now serves as editor, workTimes, the New Jersey Jewing with puzzles created by ish Standard, the Connectisome of the top names in the cut Jewish Ledger, and the David Benkof crossword world. Jewish Tribune of Canada. As before, each puzzle’s clues are Southern California solver Chloe 100 percent Jewish-related, which is Ross said the puzzle is “the first thing a nearly unheard-of feat for themed I look at when I open the Jewish Jourpuzzles. nal.” And Ellen Futterman, the editor The puzzle clues continue to use of the St. Louis Jewish Light, praised lots of puns and wordplay, such as: the puzzles for being “both challeng• The Hebrew one has a nun in it ing for veteran puzzlers and also within (8 letters) ALPHABET range for those who are novices.” • It takes guts to cook them Some changes to the puzzle for KISHKES 2015 include: • It had a major part in “The Ten Most puzzles have themes. JanuCommandments” REDSEA ary themes include “Noshing Ven• That’s life? CHAIM tured” and “Amblin’ Actors.” In The new, improved puzzles will beaddition, some puzzles include gin appearing in newspapers throughtwists like the January 2 puzzle, out the world the first week in January. “Inner Sanctum,” which has cirQuestions can be addressed to Dacled letters in some answers, spellvid Benkof at 314.201.1552 or David ing out the names of items found in Benkof@gmail.com. a synagogue. Each 15x15 puzzle is assigned a

Editor: David Benkof, DavidBenkof@gmail.com Across 1. They’re buried together in Hebron 16. Provides leniency in Jewish law 17. Israel became a member in 1949 18. Start of some Jewish names ending with -berg, -blum, and -feld 19. Temple offering, sometimes 20. Mother tongue of many Beverly Hills Jews 23. Tsuris 24. Qassam rocket’s path 27. Attended a 38-Across 28. The Shayetet is the equivalent of this Navy operations force 32. Brownish-yellow color of Lee Krasner’s early 1960s paintings 34. Some Donna Karan products 36. “Demi-___,” the musical revue in which Gershwin’s “Swanee” had its debut 37. 9/11 plotter Mohamed 38. Annual White House event since 2009 40. These critters, and not the Jews, spread the Black Death 41. Prepared a child’s costume for Purim 43. Israeli flyer Danny Shapira, for one 45. Give a bubbe nachas 46. The Kinneret, ___ of Galilee 47. St. whose Jewish Museum was the first in the Pacific Northwest 48. Farm home for a chazer 49. Studio where “The Longest Yard” director Robert Aldrich got his start 51. Appointed as rabbi, perhaps 53. Nazi Dassler whose name was shortened to dub the shoe company he founded 54. Food with a schmear on top 57. Term that has been used for Emma Goldman and Saul Alinsky 64. Madeleine Albright was running it when she learned much of her family died in the Holocaust 65. Area under the Temple Mount Down 1. It’s the largest country in the Arab world (abbr.) 2. Insect in Jerry Seinfeld’s 2007 animated film 3. Tried to join the Knesset 4. Swears on the Holy Bible 5. Trait of Bar Kochba or Yoni Netanyahu

Solution on page 30

6. Jehoshaphat’s father and namesakes 7. First sex in Genesis? 8. “The Case for Israel” author Dershowitz 9. 1948 and 613, e.g. 10. Gave two tablets, perhaps 11. Spread anti-Semitic vitriol, maybe 12. “Oy vey!” 13. Director Reiner (“Stand By Me”) 14. The whole megillah 15. Fifth Hebrew letter 20. Some temples have Moorish ones 21. How to hang your mezuzah 22. Shabbat 23. Evaluate the quality, as an etrog 24. Biblical character whose name, doubled, is a Faulkner title 25. Jews hope to do it regarding the Temple in Jerusalem 26. Like the shield of the Rothschilds 29. Techies who can earn a certificate but not a degree from Brandeis U. 30. Comeback from Kyle on the South Park playground 31. “The Peacemaker” director Mimi 33. One of Anouk Aimée’s quatre 35. Feminist Orthodox activist Rivka 39. El Al path (abbr.) 42. U.S. diplomats in Israel get one for their expenses 44. Obama Defense Secretary who said “all options” were on the table to stop Iran 50. Boychik 52. “ ... like ___ that is led to the slaughter” 53. “Merchant of Venice” quote: “___ thy friends - for when did friendship take a breed for barren metal of his friend?” 54. 1997 Martin Landau/Halle Berry flop that played with stereotypes about Jewish women 55. Near Eastern VIPs 56. Tightened (his loins) 57. Arthur Goldberg’s WWII intelligence agency 58. Some Mormons believe ___-Aztecan languages are related to Hebrew 59. Radio show hosted by Ira Glass, briefly 60. Poet’s erev 61. Literally, “Man-made mound” 62. Number of wives for Isaac 63. Abraham Joshua Heschel was concerned about civil ones (abbr.)

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February 2015 Federation Star

An unlikely Holocaust hero

By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD

n February 25, 1942, an Austrian soldier serving in the Wehrmacht, Sergeant Anton Schmid, was summarily court-martialed for high treason. Soon after that, he was executed by firing squad. Who was this man, and why was he shot 73 years ago this month? Anton Schmid was born in Vienna in 1900, Dr. Paul Bartrop married Stefi, and had a daughter. An electrician by trade, by the time he reached early middle age he owned a radio shop and lived a comfortable life in Vienna. Having been drafted into the German army after the Anschluss (union) with Austria, he was mobilized upon the outbreak of war in September 1939. He was sent first to Poland and, after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, was transferred to Nazioccupied Lithuania. By the autumn of 1941 the now-Sergeant Schmid was stationed near Vilna (Vilnius). Witnessing the creation of the Vilna ghetto (in reality, two ghettos were established) in September 1941, Schmid soon learned what the fate of the Jews was to be. Mass killings had

already been taking place since July 1941, and continued throughout the summer and fall. By the end of the year, about 21,700 Jews had been murdered by Einstatzgruppen units (and their Lithuanian allies) in the Ponary Forest near Vilna. Schmid was appalled, particularly as he saw children being beaten in front of him. From his perspective, it was unthinkable not to try to find a way to go to the Jews’ aid. Schmid’s assignment, which saw him based at the Vilna train station, was to command a unit responsible for reassigning soldiers who had been separated from their detachments. From here, he saw a great deal of the malicious treatment meted out to Jews, and he lost no opportunity to use his position to alleviate their condition. He would take them off the trains and employ them as workers; he arranged for some to be released from prison; he organized new papers for others; and even – at immense personal risk – sheltered Jews in his office and personal quarters. Among those he hid were Herman Adler and his wife, Anita, both members of Vilna’s prewar Zionist movement. Through this link, Schmid was placed in contact with one of the leaders of the nascent Jewish resistance

The Holocaust: How Could It Have Happened?

International Holocaust Remembrance Day event at FGCU

o commemorate United Nadate of the day by incorporating both tions International Holocaust remembrance and education. Remembrance Day this year, a The forum will take place on panel of students at Florida Gulf Coast Tuesday, February 3 in the Cohen University will have the Center, room 247, from 1:00 opportunity to explore the to 2:30 p.m. question “The Holocaust: All FGCU students, faculty How Could It Have Hapand staff are welcome to attend. pened?” with Professor Outside guests are also inAlex Alvarez, an intervited to attend, to join with the nationally-renowned and FGCU community in helping award-winning Holocaust to contribute to our understandand Genocide scholar ing of how the Holocaust could from Northern Arizona have happened. Please note Dr. Alex Alvarez University. that those coming from outside The event will be moderated by should obtain a parking permit from Professor Paul Bartrop, Director of the Information Booth at the university FGCU’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, entrance off Ben Hill Griffin Parkway. and Genocide Studies. FGCU is located at 10501 FGCU Blvd. By scheduling the forum on the S., Fort Myers. For more information, email Dr. FGCU campus during the teaching day, we will be fulfilling the UN manPaul Bartrop at pbartrop@fgcu.edu.

movement in the ghetto, Mordechaj Tenenbaum. The result saw Schmid developing a relationship with the resistance in which he started smuggling Jews away from Vilna to other Jewish cities such as Bialystok – places where it was thought the Jews could have a better chance of survival. The association with Schmid also enabled the various resistance groups to establish contact with each other. Ultimately, Schmid’s actions in hiding Jews, supplying them with false papers and arranging their escape, managed to save the lives of up to 250 Jewish men, women and children. Within resistance circles, news of his activities on behalf of Jews spread. Inevitably, owing to informers, he began to be watched more closely by Nazi authorities. It was obvious that he knew this, but the knowledge that he could be found out only emboldened him to work on behalf of Jews with greater determination and audacity. Eventually, given the military and police state environment in which he was operating, Schmid was found out. He was arrested in the second half of January 1942, and on February 25 he was summarily court-martialed for high treason. The death penalty was the only possible outcome of such a trial, and on April 13, 1942 he was duly executed by firing squad. Anton Schmid was an extremely brave human being. He clearly knew that he was placing himself in danger through his actions, and that, if caught, his fate could have only one possible outcome. For all that, however, he did not see anything particularly special in what he did. In his last letter to his wife, Ste-

fi, written from his prison cell prior to his execution, he wrote: “I only acted as a human being and did not want to hurt anyone.” Sadly, his actions had an unfortunate outcome for Stefi, besides the obvious one of depriving her of her husband, his income, pension and a war hero’s death. When word got back to Vienna, her neighbors shunned her, referring to her husband as a traitor, and socially ostracizing her. At one point, her windows were smashed. The life-saving deeds of Anton Schmid had another outcome, however, when, on May 16, 1967, Yad Vashem in Jerusalem recognized his actions through naming him one of the Righteous Among the Nations. Stefi received the award personally, having been flown to Jerusalem for the occasion. Then, on May 8, 2000, the German government named a military barracks in Schmid’s honor in Rendsburg, northern Germany, as the “FeldwebelSchmid-Kaserne.” At the naming ceremony, Germany’s Defense Minister, Rudolf Scharping, said: “We are not free to choose our history, but we can choose the examples we take from that history. Too many bowed to the threats and temptations of the dictator, and too few found the strength to resist. But Sergeant Anton Schmid did resist.” A man who refuses to acquiesce to darkness, when all those around him are silent, is a man from who we can take inspiration. Anton Schmid was one such man. Dr. Paul Bartrop is Professor of History and the Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. He can be reached at pbartrop@fgcu.edu.

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Federation Star Contact Ted Epstein at 239.249.0699 Robin Leonardi • 941.552.6307 • rleonardi@jfedsrq.org or fedstar18@gmail.com. www.TheJewishNews.org

The Jewish Congregation of Marco Island in conjunction with the Jewish Federation of Collier County presents The 2015 Saul I. Stern Cultural Series – now in its 21st year!



Saturday, February 28, 2015, 7:30 p.m.

THE NAPLES PHILHARMONIC BRASS QUINTET returns with a delightful variety of music – classical and popular – for the ninth consecutive year. A fabulous Viennese table follows the program with a sampling from Starbucks.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 7:30 p.m.

HARRY ETTLINGER escaped to America from Germany, with his family shortly before the war. He returned as a GI. Because of his knowledge of German, he was sent to Munich to join the Monuments Men. He will tell us how he assisted in rescuing five million works of art and returned them to their rightful owners.

THE 2015 SAUL I. STERN CULTURAL SERIES

For more information, call the Synagogue Office at 239.642.0800. Please send this form and payment to the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island, 991 Winterberry Dr., Marco Island, FL 34145. Please send me tickets for the following Cultural Series programs: ____ $20 Single tickets for members ____ $25 Single tickets for non-members ____ Enclosed is my check payable to JCMI

# of tickets:____ The Naples Philharmonic # of tickets:____ Harry Ettlinger ____ Please charge my credit card: Credit Card #_______________________________________ exp. ____/____

Please mail my tickets to the address below: Name_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip____________________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________________________

JEWISH INTEREST

Federation Star February 2015

Add a touch more bling By Jill Saravis

e are now smack in the middle of season and have enjoyed so many wonderful programs and events. We had a proclamation for One Book Southwest Florida and the Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida inaugural event. Our Jewish Community Relations Council, the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, and Israel Jill Saravis Advocacy Committee brought us many wonderful programs that we have all been fortunate to attend. We have been able to enjoy klezmer concerts and watch our local youth groups, BBYO and BBYO-Connect, grow and expand and participate in our activities. Let’s not forget the important programs of the Holocaust Museum and GenShoah, as well as the numerous activities, programs and events that our local synagogues present. At the end of January at our Community Celebration, we will say “Bon Voyage” to David Willens and “Ahoy” to Jeffrey Feld. One of our Champions, Beth Povlow, will be honored at the Collier County Education Foundation Annual Night of Champions for her work in our Stand Up for Justice Award program. Coming up is our famous Evy Lipp People of the Book Event, and don’t forget to look out for the “Buy Israel

Directions: Goods (B.I.G.) Festival,” which will pastry with glaze. Fold over cheese; XX Preheat oven to 400°F make for a fun day. press seams and crimp to seal. XX Line a 9-inch glass pie pan with All of these could not have hapXX Lightly brush pastry with glaze. parchment paper. Place the open pened without our treasured volunteers XX Bake cheese until pastry is deep sheet of pastry on top and center and the community coming together. golden brown (top of pastry may the brie on top. Wow, is it impressive! split open) and the cheese has a little While you are getting dressed up, bubble or ooze, about 30 minutes. take a moment to “dress up” some brie XX Place baked cheese on a serving for a super quick, elegant appetizer that platter. It should be very easy to will add a touch more bling to your slide off. Surround with crackers, evening. This delicious and versatile baguette slices, and fruit garnish. cheese is the perfect little nosh that is This is the perfect quick-and-easy soft, warm and melty, wrapped in a elegant appetizer to serve when your golden puff pastry crust, which goes group gets together to come to one of well with most cocktails, mocktails, our future wonderful programs and fruit and crackers. events. Don’t forget to give yourself a Baked Brie en Croute pat on the back. Ingredients: Jill’s note: “Brie” is named after • ½ cup fruit preserves (make sure it the region of France where it originated is one that is really tasty) from. And, yes, the rind is edible. If XX Spoon the preserves onto the cheese • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of eaten right away, it has a mild buttery and spread it out. 17.3-ounce package), thawed flavor; if you wait until closer to the JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND XX Fold pastry on 2 opposite sides over • 1 13.2-ounce Baby Brie cheese sell by date, it takes on a fuller, nuttier JEWISH F EDERATION OF COLLIER COUNTY IN COOPERATION THE OF MARCO cheese. Brush remaining 2 sides ofISLAND (a whole wheel, aboutJ6EWISH inches WITH in CONGREGATION character. diameter) PRESENTS EWISH FEDERATION OF COLLIER COUNTY IN COOPERATION WITH THE J • 1 large egg, beaten to blend (for THE SIDNEY R.PRESENTS HOFFMAN MEMORIAL glaze) • Raspberries/blackberries for THE SIDNEY R. HOFFMAN MEMORIAL garnish • Serve with your choice of grapes, Enter “Federation Star” apples, pears, figs; crackers and baguette slices in the search box and click on Jill’s hint: I use ¼ cup of apricot the cover image of the issue and a ¼ cup blackberry preserves and you’d like to read. Then simply spread each on half of the wheel to make You can also read ON SHOWCASING BEST FILMS scroll AND through theAWARD-WINNING pages. it two different flavors. Also, you THE can NEWEST Connections on your THE JEWISH CIRCUIT sprinkle some chopped nuts on topTHE of SHOWCASING NEWEST AND AWARD-WINNING tablet.FILMS Search for ON It’s thatBEST simple! the preserves. “Collier Connections”. THE JEWISH CIRCUIT

See You At The Movies See You At The Movies Read the Federation Star on your tablet!

www.issuu.com. JEWISH Visit FILM FESTIVAL JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL 2014-2015 2014-2015

Opening Day Opening Day THE JEWISH CARDINAL Marco Premiere JEWISH CARDINAL Marco SundayTHE afternoon, December 14, 2014 Film 2:00 PM Premiere Reception 1:30 PM Our openingafternoon, day film is theDecember true story of Father Jean-Marie Film Lustiger, THEPM JEWISH CARDINAL, born the son PM of Polish Jews in Paris whose mother Sunday 14, 2014 2:00 Reception 1:30 JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND

See You At The Movies

died at Auschwitz. Although he story converted to Catholicism age 14, later priest and then appointed Cardinal, Father maintained Our opening day film is the true of Father Jean-MarieatLustiger, THEbecoming JEWISH aCARDINAL, born the son of Polish Jews in Lustiger Paris whose mother his identity as a Jew. The film reflects Cardinal Lustiger’s personal conflict souland searching as an obedient son of the Church yet attached Fthen EDERATION OF C OLLIER COUNTY COOPERATION WITH THE Jand diedcultural at Auschwitz. Although he converted toIN Catholicism at age 14, later becoming aEWISH priest appointed Cardinal, Father Lustiger maintained to Jewish heritage. FATHER TIMreflects NAVIN, SAN Lustiger’s MARCO personal CATHOLIC CHURCH RABBIasEDWARD the hishis cultural identity as a Jew. The film Cardinal conflict and souland searching an obedientMALINE, son of the JCMI Churchwill yet lead attached PRESENTS discussion following the film. to his Jewish heritage. FATHER TIM NAVIN, SAN MARCO CATHOLIC CHURCH and RABBI EDWARD MALINE, JCMI will lead the THEDay SIDNEY R.with HOFFMAN MEMORIAL 100 Minutes Opening Reception Cake and Fruit discussion following the film.English and French

JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL 2014-2015

100 Minutes English and French Day Reception with Cake and Fruit THE OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIEOpening TUCKER OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIEFilm TUCKER SundayTHE afternoon, January 18, 2015 2:00 PM THE OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIE TUCKER a documentaryFilm focusing on the tumultuous early days of this superstar who ruled the 1920s Flapper Era. Sunday afternoon, January 18,is 2015 2:00 PM

Before Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Bette Midler, Madonna focusing and Ladyon Gaga, there was Sophie Tucker, who made her audiences in love with Era. her THE OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIE TUCKER is a documentary the tumultuous early days of this superstar who ruled thefall 1920s Flapper bold, and brassy style. Born Bette in Russia to aMadonna Jewish family Sophie became the “last of Tucker, the Red who Hot made Mamas,” with a 60 fall yearinshow Beforebawdy Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Midler, and Lady Gaga, there was Sophie her audiences love business with her career. YOU WILL LOVE THE MUSIC AND THE FILM. bold, bawdy and brassy style. Born in RussiaSHOWCASING to a Jewish family Sophie became the “last of the Red Hot Mamas,” with a 60 year show business THE NEWEST AND BEST AWARD-WINNING FILMS ON 96 Minutes English Reception career. YOU WILL LOVE THE MUSIC AND THE FILM.following the Film 96 Minutes

English

Reception following the Film

THE JEWISH CIRCUIT

DISOBEDIENCE Opening Day SundayDISOBEDIENCE afternoon, February 8, 2015 Film 2:00 PM THE JEWISH CARDINAL Marco In 1940 as France was being overrun by the de Sousa Mendes, Portuguese General Counsel in Bordeaux gave visas to thousands Sunday afternoon, February 8, Nazis, 2015 AristidesFilm 2:00 PM thePremiere of refugees, Jews and non-Jews so they could cross the border into neutral Spain and Portugal. Sousa Mendes knowing he visas wouldtoface severe In 1940 as France was being overrun by the Nazis, AristidesFilm de Sousa Mendes, General Counsel inthis Bordeaux gave thousands Sunday afternoon, December 14, 2014 2:00 PM the Portuguese Reception 1:30did PM

punishment from Antonio Salazar, they dictator of cross Portugal who had forbidden visas and to Jews and others who coulddid notthis return to their country of origin. of and non-Jews the border into neutral Portugal. Sousa knowing would face severe Ourrefugees, openingJews day film is the trueso story ofcould Father Jean-Marie Lustiger, THE Spain JEWISH CARDINAL, bornMendes the son of Polish Jews inheParis whose mother Today the survivors and descendants of those he saved have established the Aristides de Sousa Mendes Foundation to tell his story. punishment from Antonio Salazar, dictator to ofCatholicism Portugal who forbidden visas to Jews andand others could Cardinal, not returnFather to their countrymaintained of origin. died at Auschwitz. Although he converted at had age 14, later becoming a priest then who appointed Lustiger IT’S A the MUST SEE BEAUTIFUL STORY. Speaker: Robert JacobvitzdeofSousa the Sousa Mendes Foundation Today survivors and descendants ofreflects those heCardinal saved have established the Aristides Mendes Foundation to tell his cultural identity as a Jew. The film Lustiger’s personal conflict and soul searching as an obedient sonhis of story. the Church yet attached 104 Minutes French withNAVIN, English subtitles Reception following the Film IT’S MUST SEE BEAUTIFUL STORY. Speaker:CATHOLIC Robert Jacobvitz of the Sousa Mendes Foundation to hisAJewish heritage. FATHER TIM SAN MARCO CHURCH and RABBI EDWARD MALINE, JCMI will lead the discussion104 following the film. French with English subtitles Minutes Reception following the Film YIDDLE WITH HIS FIDDLE Opening Day 100 Minutes English and French Reception with Cake and Fruit

FIDDLE Film 2:00 PM SundayYIDDLE afternoon,WITH MarchHIS 8, 2015 THE OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIE TUCKER This film is a treasure, reflecting the joy Yiddish life before the Holocaust in Poland, home of 3 million Jews. The story is about an impoverished Sunday afternoon, March 8, of 2015 Film 2:00 PM man, Arye and his daughter Itke, played by Molly Picon, who decide to become traveling That means theyisgo fromanshtetl to shtetl This film isafternoon, a treasure, reflecting the joy18, of Yiddish the Holocaust homeKlezmorim. of 3 million Jews. The story about impoverished Sunday January 2015 life before Film 2:00 PMin Poland,

playing music, and dancing. Thisby is the most successful of all to the Yiddishtraveling films and a rare gem because all the film’s extrasshtetl are ordinary man, OUTRAGEOUS Arye and singing his daughter Itke, played Picon, who decide That means to shtetl THE SOPHIE TUCKER is aMolly documentary focusing on thebecome tumultuous earlyKlezmorim. days of this superstar who they ruledgo thefrom 1920s Flapper Era. Jews picked from the Polish shtetls to show real Jewish life in Poland. ENTERTAINING, AMUSING AND JOYOUS! playingMae music, singing and Monroe, dancing. Bette ThisMidler, is the most successful of allGaga, the Yiddish films and Tucker, a rare gem allaudiences the film’sfall extras are ordinary Before West, Marilyn Madonna and Lady there was Sophie whobecause made her in love with her 92 from Minutes Yiddish with English Delicious Noshes after thethe Film Jews picked the Polish shtetls to in show real to Jewish life in Poland. ENTERTAINING, AMUSING AND bold, bawdy and brassy style. Born Russia asubtitles Jewish family Sophie became the “last of Red HotJOYOUS! Mamas,” with a 60 year show business career. YOU WILL LOVE THE MUSIC AND FILM. 92 Minutes Yiddish English subtitles Delicious Noshes the Film Drive, Marco Island All films will be with shown atTHE the Jewish Congregation, 991 after Winterberry 96 Minutes English Reception following the Film

films will be shown at the Jewish Congregation, 991 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island Clip and MailAll ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DISOBEDIENCE Clip and Mail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Make checks payable to JCMI Jewish Film Festival, 991 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island, FL 34145-5426 Sunday afternoon, February 8, 2015 Film991 2:00 PM Make checks payable to JCMI Jewish Film Festival, Winterberry Drive, Marco Island, FL 34145-5426

Name___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In 1940 as France was being overrun by the Nazis, Aristides de Sousa Mendes, the Portuguese General Counsel in Bordeaux gave visas to thousands of refugees, Jews and non-Jews so they could cross the border into neutral Spain and Portugal. Sousa Mendes did this knowing he would face severe Name___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ punishment from Antonio Salazar, dictator of Portugal who had forbidden visas to Jews and others who could not return to their country of origin. Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Today the survivors and descendants of those he saved have established the Aristides de Sousa Mendes Foundation to tell his story. City/State/Zip ________________________________________________________________________ Phone IT’S A MUST SEE BEAUTIFUL STORY. Speaker: Robert Jacobvitz of the Sousa Mendes Foundation City/State/Zip ________________________________________________________________________ Phone SERIES TICKETS: _____________ Patron @ $85 _____________ Regular @ $70 104 Minutes French with English subtitles Reception following the Film

Individual Films: _____________ @ $25 each ___________________________________________________ (please specify film) SERIES TICKETS: _____________ Patron @ $85 _____________ Regular @ $70 YIDDLE WITH HIS FIDDLE GRA S U B J EC T TO C HA N G E WI T HO U T N O T I C E A LL PRO Individual Films: _____________ @ $25 eachMS ___________________________________________________ (please specify film) Sunday afternoon, March 8, 2015 Film 2:00 PM FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT (239) GRA MS S U B PLEASE J EC T TO C HA N GTHE E WIJCMI T HOOFFICE U T N OAT TIC E 642-0800 A LL PRO This film is a treasure, reflecting the joy of Yiddish life before the Holocaust in Poland, home of 3 million Jews. The story is about an impoverished FOR ADDITIONAL PLEASE CONTACT THE JCMI OFFICE ATmeans (239)they 642-0800 man, Arye and his daughter Itke, played INFORMATION by Molly Picon, who decide to become traveling Klezmorim. That go from shtetl to shtetl

playing music, singing and dancing. is the most successful of all thereaders, Yiddishcommitted films and advertisers a rare gemand because all theFederation film’s extras are ordinary The Federation Star is a monthly nonprofitThis newspaper supported by generous the Jewish of Collier County.

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

February 2015 Federation Star

Think 2014 was a bad year for Israel? Think again! Source: American Jewish Committee, www.ajc.org, December 15, 2014

f you care about Israel, 2014 might feel like a year you’d like to forget. There was the slow collapse of U.S.-sponsored peace talks with the Palestinians, accompanied by the ill-conceived reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. In June we witnessed the abduction and murder of teenagers Eyal Yifrach, Gilad She’ar and Naftali Frenkel by Hamas terrorists, and the retribution killing of 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir by Jewish extremists. A continuous stream of Hamas and Islamic Jihad rockets from Gaza eventually triggered an Israeli response – Operation Protective Edge – which uncovered a vast tunnel network which was to have been used to infiltrate Israel and kill its civilians. Talks over the Iranian nuclear program did not yield a deal but only a new deadline set for next year. The governing coalition in the Knesset fell apart after less than two years. All-inall, not a good year. Or was it? While the situation appeared grim, there was also a lot of good news out of Israel. Let’s take a look: Iron Dome As Hamas launched volley after volley of rockets from Gaza this summer, rather than rushing into battle, Israel

was able to respond with a measured escalation. This was because although Israeli civilians had to endure the psychological trauma of needing to constantly run for shelter, very few were dying. The game-changer was Iron Dome. This state-of-the-art missile defense system, developed in Israel with U.S. funding, had a success rate of around 90%, affording Israeli civilians a new measure of safety. Iron Dome saved untold lives this summer, and with peace unfortunately nowhere in sight, it will likely be called upon to protect Israelis again in the future. Support from Congress Iron Dome would never have happened without support from the United States. And then, over the summer, Congress acted quickly to ensure that Israel would have all the replacement parts and rockets it needed to beat back Hamas’s assault. The Senate unanimously passed a bill granting an additional $225 million for Iron Dome spending, and the House approved it by 395-8. At a time when unfounded criticism of Israel was spiking worldwide, the American people and their elected representatives had Israel’s back. Natural Gas Prime Minister Golda Meir’s joke held true for half a century: “Let me tell you

something that we Israelis have against Moses. He took us 40 years through the desert in order to bring us to the one spot in the Middle East that has no oil!” This year, though, upon the completion of exploratory drilling in the Leviathan natural gas field off the coast of Haifa, Israel signed agreements to sell gas to Egypt and Jordan, with further deals likely to come soon. This natural gas discovery, coupled with significant investment in alternative energy like the solar farms in the Negev, sets the stage for Israel, for the first time in its history, to become not just self-sustaining, but an energy exporter. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi The new Indian Prime Minister made his first international appearance at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly. In addition to his rock-star tour of New York City, featuring speeches in Madison Square Garden and Central Park, Modi (with an able assist from AJC) found the time to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is no secret that Israel is attempting an economic pivot from Europe to Asia, and India, with its 1.2 billion people, is a major element of that plan. Soon after that meeting, news broke that India would

sign a defense deal with an Israeli company, spurning a competing offer from the U.S. Total trade between India and Israel topped $4 billion this year. Israel’s economic growth has long been a source of pride for the country, and all steps to develop new markets are very good news indeed. High-Tech Investment The story is bigger than just the IsraelIndia relationship. Since Dan Senor and Saul Singer’s 2009 book Start-up Nation, Israel has become known around the world as a high-tech powerhouse. In September, Intel committed $6 billion to upgrade its chip-production facility in Kiryat Gat, leading insiders to speculate that Intel will almost certainly be producing its next-level processors, suitable for the coming surge of wearable technology, in Israel. And in the first half of 2014 alone, 335 Israeli high-tech companies raised a record $1.6 billion in capital, 81% more than in the first half of 2013. As a small but noisy group of Israel-hating activists lobby for countries to divest from Israel, it is heartening to see billions of dollars of investment pouring into the Jewish state. 2014 certainly had its downs, but it had terrific ups as well. Here’s to even better things to come!

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Federation Star February 2015

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

Arab-Jewish art museum opens window on a new world By Viva Sarah Press, ISRAEL21c, www.israel21c.org, December 1, 2014

n a country already boasting the honor of having the most museums per capita in the world, the opening of the Arab Museum of Contemporary Art and Heritage (AMOCAH) in the Galilee is nonetheless eliciting great excitement. The new museum – set to open its doors on December 13 – will showcase “original works of contemporary art alongside items of Palestinian heritage” and host artistic cooperation and collaboration between Jews and Arabs. “Every museum has its uniqueness. Museums today are not just about safeguarding art; there has to be an agenda to the museum. This museum is an opportunity for Jews and Arabs to meet, for their cultures to meet,” Israeli artist Avital Bar-Shay, one of the founders of AMOCAH, tells ISRAEL21c. Bar-Shay and Belu-Simion Fainaru, a Romanian artist who lives in Haifa part of the year, came up with the idea for AMOCAH. The Sakhnin municipality and its mayor, Mazin G’Nayem, jumped aboard the project and helped allot the museum’s new home in Sakhnin’s Old City. The museum has more than 2,000 objects related to Palestinian Arab heritage and some 200 contemporary artworks. Fainaru and Bar-Shay envisioned the museum after curating and running the Mediterranean Biennale in Sakhnin in 2013. They plan to run future bien-

nales under the auspices of AMOCAH. The museum is also launching a residency program with artist Johannes Vogel as its first participant. He will come live in Sakhnin, give workshops and create artworks based on his experiences there. Though this past summer’s Gaza war, Operation Protective Edge, stirred up trouble between the Arab and Jewish populations in Israel and tensions continue to simmer, Fainaru and BarShay decided not to delay the opening of the museum. They wanted to offer something positive to counter the tense atmosphere.

Images by Bashir Borlakov of Turkey will be exhibited in AMOCAH

“Through art, [we] will bridge the conflicts with an emphasis on multidisciplinary arts, self-respect, and a vision of a better future,” reads a press statement announcing the museum’s opening. Window to a world you don’t know There are a number of levels of purpose to the museum, Bar-Shay says. The most obvious is to create the opportunity for Jews and Arabs (Chris-

For daily news stories related to Israel & the Jewish world, visit the home page at www.jewishnaples.org.

tian, Muslim, Druze, Bedouin) to meet, cooperate and talk. “It’s a stage for coexistence and dialogue,” she says. “If you come to the museum, you already open a window to a world you don’t know.” The museum also answers the call for art in the periphery. Bar-Shay says most of the top art museums in Israel are in the center of the country. “It’s not just art on display; it’s good art of local and international caliber. This is wanting in the periphery. In the Arab communities, they’re longing for a place like this,” she tells ISRAEL21c. The museum’s first exhibition is called “Hiwar,” the Arabic word for “dialogue.” It will present contemporary works by Jewish and Arab artists including Marina Abramović, Larry Abramson, Jannis Kounellis, Abeer Atalla, Christian Boltansky, Mohammad Said Kalash, Johannes Vogel, Raed Bwayeh, Hermann Nitsch, Hoda Jamal, Mounir Fatmi, Mahmoud Badarneh, Buthaina Abu Melhem, Micha Ullman, Asad Azi, Dani Karavan, Nidal Jabarin, Tamir Lichtenberg, Meirav Heiman, Zuhdi Qadri, Rani Zahrawi and David Wachstein. Fainaru and Bar-Shay chose the artists, while Amin Abu Raya of Sakhnin is curating the exhibit. Connection to culture The Arab Museum of Contemporary Art and Heritage will exhibit all disciplines of art including painting, drawing, sculpture, digital and multimedia. The emphasis is on Middle Eastern art, says Bar-Shay, but notes that “we’re not just showing Israeli Arab and Jewish art.” Exhibits will also include works by artists from Morocco, Turkey and other Middle Eastern

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countries, she says. “As artists, it’s important for us that we show original and quality art. To show how art can grow from a

This piece by Afghani-German artist Jeanno Gaussi will be featured

place. It’s important that there’s a connection to the local culture,” Bar-Shay tells ISRAEL21c. Fainaru also talks about the importance of helping the city’s residents engage with the art. “In Sakhnin, the museum will be located inside the neighborhood. People live near it. The intention is that the community will have access to it, that art will exist together with the residents and not just for its own sake,” Fainaru told the Israeli daily Haaretz. “So it is also important to choose works that will not offend the residents’ sensibilities, since this is a very sensitive and volatile place. We don’t want to create opposition; we want to create success and attraction.” Viva Sarah Press is an associate editor and writer at ISRAEL21c. She has extensive experience in reporting/editing in the print, online and broadcast fields. Her work has been published by international media outlets including Israel Television, CNN, Reuters, The Jerusalem Post and Time Out.

February 2015 Federation Star

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

BRIEFS

. a8.3

MILLION ISRAELIS AT END OF 2014 At the end of 2014, Israel’s population was 8,296,000 residents, including 6,218,000 Jews (75%), 1,719,000 Arabs (21%) and 359,000 “others,” the Central Bureau of Statistics said Monday, December 29. Some 23,000 new immigrants arrived in 2014. (Yaron Druckman, Ynet News)

SAUDI ARABIA TO ALLOW JEWS TO WORK IN KINGDOM

On December 30, the Saudi daily AlyWatan reported that Saudi authorities are now allowing people of all faiths, including Jews, to work in the kingdom. Saudi Shura Council Foreign Afefairs Committee member Sadaqa bin -Yahya Fadhel said: “We are permitted eto have a connection with Jews, and timporting a Jewish worker is exactly sthe same as importing [a worker] of uanother faith...So long as we have no relationship whatsoever with Israelis, ethen there is no problem with this.” Saudi Arabia is the only Gulf state that still bans the establishment of y thouses of worship for religions other othan Islam. (MEMRI)

EGYPTIAN JEWS: sA COMMUNITY IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION

tMagda Haroun, 62, is the youngest of nine Egyptian Jewish women, most in gtheir eighties, who are all that remains eof a community that numbered 64,000 in 1947 and was one of the most prosperous in the Middle East.

Families like Mosseiri, Quatawi, Rolo and Sawares started the first Egyptian banks (Egyptian Immobile Bank, Egyptian National Bank and Egyptian Commercial Bank). Moreover, Jews were a fundamental pillar of the cinema industry and they contributed to the prosperity of cultural life in Egypt in the beginning of the 20th century. (Dina Darwish, AlAhram - Egypt)

ISRAELI GROUP FILES WAR CRIMES SUITS AGAINST PALESTINIAN LEADERS The Israeli legal group Shurat HaDinIsrael Law Center filed lawsuits on Monday, January 5 at the International Criminal Court against PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, top official Jibril Rajoub, and PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj, all from Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party, for war crimes, terrorism and human rights offenses. The NGO filed cases against Abbas last November and Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in September 2014. “Fatah openly boasted in Facebook pages and other media channels that it launched projectiles that caused the injury and death of Israeli civilians – a war crime under international law,” the NGO said. The case against Faraj and Hamdallah details widespread torture and killings of Palestinian residents in areas under PA control. (Avi Lewis, Times of Israel)

ISRAELI HIGH-TECH SECTOR BOOMING 2014 was a peak year for Israeli hightech in almost every parameter: financ-

ing, stock exchange offerings, exits, and demand for programmers. High-tech accounted for a third of Israel’s economic growth. A comparison of high-tech salaries in Israel with overseas salaries shows that the average salary difference for most jobs was insignificant. (Tzahi Hoffman, Globes)

THE MOST EXCITING ISRAELI START-UPS

Some of the most exciting up-andcoming Israeli start-ups were at a conference in December organized by OurCrowd, the Jerusalem-based crowd-investing platform. VocalZoom has a technology that filters out background noise so that when you talk on your cellphone in a loud public place, the call will sound crystal clear. Cimagine allows shoppers to place a 3D picture of a piece of furniture from any website into an “augmented reality” version of their own living room to show how it would look. Beacons are little plastic devices that broadcast where they are so you can track your luggage, phone, keys or kids. Pixie adds “distance” and “direction” to beacons – you won’t just know your car is nearby, but by using the accompanying cellphone software, you’ll be directed right to it. Up-n-Ride is a wheelchair that rises up into a vertical position so the disabled person can participate more normally in everyday activities. Consumer Physics is a molecular scanner that fits in the palm of your hand. Aim it at the pasta on your plate, and it can tell you the ingredients and

number of calories. It can be used to sense anything other than metals. (Brian Blum, Jerusalem Post)

THE NEW EURO-MUSLIM STATES

The distance between Europe and the Muslim world is becoming increasingly shorter. There are already large cities in Europe which will have a Muslim majority within five to seven years. In Marseilles, the second largest city in France, Muslims already make up 30-40% of the population. In 2016, the city will inaugurate a huge mosque with a 25-meter minaret and a prayer hall for 14,000 worshippers. The percentage of Muslims in France is already 13%. In Barcelona, Spain, 30% of residents are Muslim. In smaller Spanish towns like Salt, 40% are Muslim. In Brussels, Belgium, the capital of the EU, 25-30% are Muslim. In Malmo, Sweden, 25-30% are Muslim, while in the capital of Stockholm, 20% are Muslim. In Rotterdam and Amsterdam in The Netherlands, 25% are Muslim. (Guy Bechor, Ynet News)

ISRAEL NAVY TO EXPAND FLEET OF UNMANNED SURFACE VESSELS

The Israel Navy is integrating a new fleet of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) into its operational force structure. By mid-2015, the Navy hopes to conclude operational certification of three locally-built Protector USVs. Built by Rafael Ltd., the twin-engine Protectors feature a remote weapon

continued on page 27

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TRIBUTES

Federation Star February 2015

Tributes

Tributes to the Federation Campaign

To: Jane Schiff & Lon Gratz In appreciation of your friendship and warm hospitality From: Rosalee & Jerry Bogo

To: From:

Tributes require a minimum donation of $18. Phyllis Seaman In honor of my mother, a true Lion! Your dedication is always inspiring! Jordan Seaman

To: Nancy & Hank Greenberg In honor of your anniversary From: Lynn Apfelbaum

To: Lisa & Sid Freund In memory of Sid’s beloved father From: Arlene & Michael Sobol

To: Anne & Peter Klein & Family In memory of Peter’s beloved mother, Dorothy Klein From: Nancy Kaplan

To: Carol & Dick Polinsky & Family In memory of Carol’s beloved son, Craig Schiffer From: David Willens

To: Ida & Jeff Margolis In memory of Jeff’s beloved father, Alex Margolis From: Arlene & Michael Sobol

To: From:

Susan & Joel Pittelman In memory of your beloved brother-inlaw, Richard Bootzin Jane Schiff & Lon Gratz

To: From:

To: Judy & Dr. Robert Sommerfeld In honor of your granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah From: Susie & Rick Sokolik

To: From:

Estelle Fishbein & Family In memory of your beloved husband, Dr. Ronald H. Fishbein Bunny Levere

David Willens In honor of the great work you did for Collier County. You will be missed. Lanny & Gil Rashbaum

To: Carole T. Roberts & Family In memory of your beloved father, Abe Thompson From: Clark & Alison Yeh To: Elaine & Geoff Porter In honor of your 50th wedding anniversary From: Lynda & Don Insul

The Jewish Federation of Collier County extends condolences to: • • • •

Ellen & Dr. Donald Baseman & Family on the passing of Ellen’s beloved father, Steve Shore Carol & Dick Polinsky & Family on the tragic passing of Carol’s beloved son, Craig Schiffer Estelle Fishbein & Family on the passing of her beloved husband, Dr. Ronald Fishbein Jayne Fishman & Family on the passing of her beloved husband, Syd Fishman

Friends of the Federation Star Thanks to the following supporters of the Federation Star for their contributions to help underwrite the cost of bringing news of the local, national and international Jewish community to your mailbox every month:

EDITORS:

Harold & Cindi Goldfine Jane Schiff & Lon Gratz

Todah Rabah!

REPORTERS:

Ronald & Paula Creed Dr. Michael & Ann Swartz Dr. Nathaniel & Susan Ritter Mona & Jay Brodsky Marc & Fran Schnee Jeff & Ida Margolis A. Martin & Janet Herring Glenn & Jeanette Fischer Gerald & Dena Robbins Dr. Edward & Karen Saeks Dr. David & Fredda Isaacson

WE HAVE A LOT TO SAY Federation Star

WANT TO DISPLAY THE WANT TO DISPLAY JEWISH NEWS INTHE YOUR OFFICE YOUR OFFICE OR IN BUSINESS? OR BUSINESS? CONTACT EDITOR TED EPSTEIN AT FEDSTAR18@GMAIL.COM OR 239.249.0699. Robin Leonardi, Account Executive: 941.552.6307 • rleonardi@jfedsrq.org Volunteer Opportunity Phone/Receptionist

Do you enjoy talking to people? Are you outgoing? Volunteer to answer the phones, take messages and direct calls for a couple of hours a week – Monday through Thursday – at the Federation office. Requirements: A desire to help with the Jewish Federation goals; an interest in donating a few hours of free time each week; the obligation to maintain confidentiality.

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Gerry & Eleanor Bonder Gerry & Pearl Sugarman Jacqueline Minzner Lee & Dr. Sheryl Spielman Marcia Decker Sandra D. Stone Herb & Marciadee Newman Robert Grossman Gordon & Linda Grossman Gracia Kuller Allan & Frances Goldman Monte & Hilary Marco Ron & Paula Meyer Howard & Zelda Solomon Alfred & Fay Shubinsky

How do I get items into the Federation Star? Email your articles and photos to fedstar18@gmail.com. What are the Federation Star deadlines? Items are due the 1st of each month. If the 1st falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the next business day. Where can I get a copy of the Federation Star? If you’re not on our mailing list, send an email to fedstar18@gmail. com with your name and address. Copies are also available at several local synagogues and the Federation office. How do I place an ad in the Federation Star? Send an email to fedstar18@gmail.com or call Ted Epstein at 239.249.0699. For a media kit, visit the Federation Star page at www.jewishnaples.org.

Beth Tikvah

JEWISH PRISONER OUTREACH (not affiliated with Beth Tikvah Conservative Synagogue)

Jewish Prisoner Outreach in our area has been conducted for about 30 years (before 2002 it was under the umbrella of B’nai B’rith and Jewish Prisoner Services International). In order to continue this initiative, support is needed in providing anonymous responses to mail from lonely and forgotten men and women. Work can be done from your own computer. Jewish Prisoner Outreach provides a wide assortment of Judaica to those lacking the funds to make their own purchases. We welcome donations of dormant Judaica (used tefillin, Chumashim, Tanakhim, Hebrew readers, Siddurim, tallaisim, etc.) from individuals and congregations. Through directed giving, we provide kosher edibles at holiday times. We also provide pre-entry and post-release support and counseling for Jewish offenders and their loved ones who request it. Much of our time and energy is devoted to combating rampant anti-Semitism in Florida’s prison system.

We seek a volunteer director to assist in day-to-day outreach programs. For more information, call 239-566-7702 or email skleiner@comcast.net.

continued from page 25 station and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities. Two Protectors are now operational and the third is undergoing “its last months of sea trials,” said Rear Adm. Dror Friedman, vice chief naval officer. “In the end, we’ll see them incorporated into our force for coastal defense and also for the subject of offshore energy sites. Their added value is the ability to remain at sea for prolonged periods and to go to places that are particularly dangerous.” (Barbara Opall-Rome, Defense News)

ISRAEL AND VIETNAM COOPERATE IN THE DAIRY SECTOR There is a state-of-the-art milking parlor, equipped with the latest Israeli dairy technologies and monitoring systems, near Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in Vietnam. The Dairy Demonstration and Experimental Farm was officially launched in August 2013 to increase local milking efficiency and quality. Gonen Harel, the farm’s manager, said recently that cows in Vietnam are only producing 3,500 liters of milk per year, as opposed to the Israeli average of 13,000 liters per year. At the demonstration farm, where cows were producing only 10 liters of milk daily two years ago, the animals are now supplying 23 liters per day, Harel said. Rather than simply “copying and pasting what we are doing in Israel,” it remains important to provide the Vietnamese farmers with the necessary tools to develop their dairy parlors in accordance with local conditions, Harel added. (Sharon Udasin, Jerusalem Post)

Some 50,000 French Jews asked the Jewish Agency for information about immigrating to Israel in 2014, agency chairman Natan Sharansky said recently. “They have a choice, to stay in France, where there is the biggest welfare basket ever, to travel to other EU nations, or to immigrate to Montreal, where there are few cultural adjustments to make and which was until recently their primary destination,” he said. “The overwhelming majority” of Jewish emigres from France, possibly up to 70%, choose to go to Israel. “For the first time...there is a massive exodus from a community in the free world, which has all the doors open to them, and they are choosing Israel.” (Sam Sokol and Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post)

SECRET COOPERATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND GULF STATES Israeli companies are assisting states in the Gulf through security consulting, training of local military forces, and the sale of weapons and sophisticated systems and technologies. At the same time, senior officials from both sides are conducting ongoing meetings in and outside the region. Reports indicate that Israel has softened its policy on weapons exports to states in the Gulf as well as its attempts to restrict sales by the U.S. of advanced weapons to the Gulf countries, in part as a signal that it sees a potential for partnership more than it sees a possible threat. In addition, Israel is enjoying a certain amount of access to markets in the Gulf, as long as the products do not have Israeli labels. (Yoel Guzansky, Ynet News)

ISRAEL BUYING FOUR NEW WARSHIPS FROM GERMANY FOR OFFSHORE GAS PLATFORM DEFENSE Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, December 25, confirmed that Israel had acquired four new corvettes from Germany, reportedly to help protect offshore gas facilities. Israel Channel 2 TV reported that the deal was signed in Germany and that the ships would arrive in Israel in two years. “I want to thank German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the constant commitment and help for our security,” Netanyahu said. Germany subsidizes defense projects for Israel as part of its post-Holocaust commitment to help ensure the country’s security. (Ilan Ben Zion, Times of Israel)

ISRAEL DEVELOPING MORTAR WARNING SYSTEM An alarm system that will detect incoming mortar fire will be installed in Gaza border communities within three to six months, Israel Channel 10 TV reported recently. The system, currently in development, will give residents a five-second warning, but will not be able to intercept the shells. During the 2014 Gaza war, mortars claimed the lives of 10 IDF soldiers as well as several Israeli civilians. (Marissa Newman, Times of Israel)

BOYCOTT FEARS DISMISSED AS UK-ISRAEL TRADE HITS RECORD HIGH

The latest figures from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics – covering the first 10 months of 2014 – show bilateral trade at a record 3.16 billion pounds, with exports from Israel to the UK up 14% and Israeli imports from Britain up 13%. Previous figures for the period showed trade worth 2.5 billion pounds.

British Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould said: “The idea that there is some sort of effective boycott going on isn’t borne out by the facts. Ditto on the academic side.” “There’s a long list of British companies now in partnership with Israeli technology,” he added. (Sandy Rashty, Jewish Chronicle - UK)

INTEL TO PRODUCE NEXTGENERATION COMPUTER CHIPS IN ISRAEL

Intel has promised to spend at least $550 million in Israel in the next five years, part of a commitment by the company to spend $6 billion to upgrade its Kiryat Gat plant for the manufacture of new advanced chips for its next generation devices, Intel and the Economy Ministry announced recently. While Israel is providing the company with grants of $600 million over the next five years as well as a major tax break through 2023, Intel committed to hiring at least 1,000 new employees. “This arrangement will have a very positive effect on hundreds of small businesses and suppliers,” said Ziva Eiger, director of investments at the ministry’s Industrial Cooperation Authority. “As a result of this agreement, Israelis can look forward to thousands of more jobs being available.” Intel Israel CEO Mooly Eden said, “Last year, Intel Israel was responsible for more than 9% of Israel’s tech exports.” Intel already employs 10,000 workers in Israel, with over 30,000 Israelis working at companies that provide products and services to Intel. (Times of Israel)

To reach the editor of the Federation Star, send an email to fedstar18@gmail.com.

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Federation Star February 2015

COMMENTARY

Top 10 non-Jews positively influencing the Jewish future, 2014 By Dovid Efune, Editor-in-Chief, The Algemeiner, January 1, 2015 This article was originally published by The Algemeiner. Please visit www. algemeiner.com. ive years have now passed since I first published my annual list of non-Jews who are worthy of recognition for their positive impact on Jewish lives and the Jewish state. Looking back, it is fascinating to see how the list has evolved, with some personalities fading from prominence and others emerging to take their place. Some have remained constant throughout the years. As I have pointed out in the past, my choices are by no means scientific and are primarily intended to prompt interest in this unique group of individuals. Hailing from various countries, ethnic backgrounds and religious groups, the list includes heads of state, business tycoons and spiritual and political leaders. While some of their contributions came through effort and sacrifice, for others they seemed like second nature, but all are surely worthy of our recognition. As such, I present my fifth annual list of the “Top 10 nonJews positively influencing the Jewish future.” The biggest milestone over the past year was Israel’s summer war against Hamas in Gaza, which saw lines drawn between those that supported Israel’s defensive campaign and those that called for the Jewish state to end its operations. The meteoric rise of renewed anti-Semitic expression during the war should have prompted world leaders to rise up and defend their Jewish populations. Few took sufficient steps, but some of the efforts were notable and are reflected on the list. Also worth noting is that this year saw the publication of a book about philosemitism by one of the list’s alumni. In an article for the UK’s Telegraph, famed British writer Julie Burchill announced that she decided to write Unchosen: The Memoirs of a Philo-

semite after discovering herself on the list. At the time Burchill wrote of the revelation: “I all but hugged my substantial bulk with glee. Gone was the bitter experience of being recently routed from the synagogue. I was officially a friend of the Jews once more!” 10. Anett Haskia Haskia, a Muslim-Arab Zionist hairdresser from the Israeli city of Acre made a name for herself during the summer’s Operation Protective Edge when she regularly appeared on television to defend Israel’s army. A mother of three, her children serve in the IDF and she maintains an active social media presence. Recently she announced her candidacy to run for parliament in Israel’s Jewish Home political party and could serve as a significant positive inspiration to other members of Israel’s substantial Muslim-Arab population who traditionally side with the Palestinian narrative. 9. Eric Pickles Britain’s Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Pickles unveiled new laws this week to combat the country’s rise in antiSemitism. The measures include funding for extra security at Jewish schools, and tough punishments for online hate crime as well as teaching schoolchildren about the Holocaust. The Conservative politician is also a backer of Israeli-British trade and is supportive of the Conservative Friends of Israel group. 8. Manuel Valls France’s Prime Minister Valls, the country’s former interior minister, has been a leader in the struggle against rampant violence facing Europe’s largest Jewish community. Openly recognizing the twinning of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment, in July Valls condemned “an

Opinions and letters printed in the Federation Star do not necessarily reflect those of the Jewish Federation of Collier County, its Board of Directors or staff, or its advertisers.

anti-Semite who hides his hatred of the Jew behind an appearance of antiZionism and the hatred of Israel.” In 2002, while mayor of the Paris suburb of Evry, Valls joined the weekly synagogue walk after the local Jewish community faced violent attacks, signaling to the perpetrators that the Jews had a powerful ally, The Jerusalem Post reported. “To many French Jews, Valls is something of a hero for his unusually robust defense of Israel and the French Jewish community,” the Post said. “His elevation is seen as a reassuring sign amid one of French Jewry’s most troublesome periods.” 7. John Hagee Pastor Hagee’s Christian’s United for Israel has emerged as the world’s largest pro-Israel grassroots membership group. With over 1.2 million members CUFI has made it clear to the leaders of the U.S., Israel’s greatest ally, that support for Israel is far more widespread than just the Jewish community. Outspoken, and criticized for his 1999 assertion that the Holocaust was allowed by God to compel Jews to move to Israel, Hagee later voiced genuine regret and has made contributions to the Jewish people so significant that any past insensitivities can be forgiven. In the early days of Operation Protective Edge, Hagee’s group gathered in Washington, D.C., some 5,000 strong where the pastor told his flock, “We’ve come to Washington to ask our government to stop demanding for Israel to show restraint.” 6. Rupert Murdoch Many of the titles and channels owned by Murdoch’s News Corporation and Twenty-First Century Fox, have, for the most part, covered stories relating to Jews and Israel in a balanced and fair manner, and Murdoch himself has described himself as an ardent Zionist and philosemite. Murdoch has been recognized by a number of major Jewish organizations, including the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Museum of Jewish Heritage. At a dinner late last year for an Israeli charity, Murdoch told the audience, “You know as I do that as Israel goes, so goes [...] our morality and our very existence as freedom loving citizens of the world.” 5. Tony Abbott The government of Australia’s Prime Minister Abbott has been the most pro-Israel in recent memory. In June it resolved to stop referring to East Jerusalem as “occupied” territory and to adopt additional similar steps. During the failed United Nations Security Council vote this week to force an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, Abbott’s Australia was the only country to join the U.S. in opposing the move. During Protective Edge the prime minister was firm in his defense of Israeli actions saying, “The problem in the Middle East is that in the end so many people are not prepared to accept Israel’s right to exist.” Abbot has earned strong support from the country’s Jewish community. 4. Stephen Harper As Prime Minister of Canada, Harper has consistently led those members of the international community who have risen to the defense of the Jewish state. In support of Israel’s Gaza campaign, Harper was forthright. “Canada is unequivocally behind Israel,” Harper said. “We support its right to defend itself, by itself, against these terror attacks, and urge Hamas to immediately cease their indiscriminate attacks on innocent Israeli civilians.”

In 2012, Harper ensured that his government was among the few that opposed the Palestinian Authority’s unilateral move for acceptance at the United Nations. At a meeting in New York in 2013, Harper said, “There is nothing more shortsighted in Western capitals in our time than the softening support for Israel,” according to a Wall Street Journal report. Israel, he said, “is the one strong stable democratic western ally that we have” in the Middle East. 3. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Perhaps an unexpected inclusion on the list, El-Sisi actually topped last year’s list for his unrelenting war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, albeit likely for his own purposes. El-Sisi has effectively stunted the flow of deadly weapons to the coastal enclave through shutting down hundreds of smuggling tunnels, and, in 2014, creating a substantial buffer zone between Sinai and the Strip. Despite his heavy handed, autocratic rule, Israeli officials have praised the impact El-Sisi has had, specifically as Hamas has proven to be the single group responsible for the most Jewish deaths over the past two decades. During the summer’s war, El-Sisi all but forced Hamas to accept Israel’s ceasefire terms. Later, he reportedly went so far as to offer a segment of the Sinai Peninsula as land for the establishment of a Palestinian state. 2. Mitch McConnell As the incoming Senate majority leader, McConnell’s commitment to the U.S.-Israel relationship has become more significant than ever. Now spearheading domestic opposition to President Obama’s widely criticized foreign policy, McConnell and his Republicans may serve as the only obstacle to the Administration’s reckless and irresponsible pandering to the Iranian mullahs. Additionally, he could lead the drive to cut funding from the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations in the event that unilateral moves towards Palestinian statehood and demonizing Israel continue apace. During Protective Edge, McConnell ensured that domestic politics wouldn’t interfere in U.S. funding for Israel’s lifesaving Iron Dome missile defense system by introducing an aid package that was independent of a controversial immigration bill. 1. Narendra Modi Since his sweeping ascension to India’s top job, Modi has used almost every opportunity to promote Israel-India ties. In November, Bloomberg News reported that “Modi is openly boosting ties with Israel, strengthening a relationship that has largely grown outside of the public spotlight over the past two decades.” The moves, which began with a meeting between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Netanayhu, include billions in defense deals, and speculation that India is reconsidering its pro-Palestinian stance at the United Nations. In November, the two allies successfully tested an advanced missile system, which was hailed by an adviser to the Indian defense minister as “an important milestone in the cooperation between India and Israel,” The Times of Israel reported. In December, Modi tweeted a Chanukah greeting in Hebrew which wished his “Jewish friends a happy Chanukah! May this Festival of Lights and the festive season ring in peace, hope and well-being for all.”

February 2015 Federation Star

COMMENTARY

Good guys wear white kippot

COMMENTARY BRIEFS

By Gene Sipe, VP, ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter

n the front page of a recent separate organizations actively in operathe oppressed – that is racism. It is TO THE STUDENTS FOR issue of an Israeli newspaper evil. tion worldwide. Of these, less than ten JUSTICE IN PALESTINE, were two photographs almost You see, my people have always are not radical Islamists organizations. s A LETTER FROM AN side by side. One photo had the smiling The commonality of all of the varibeen Zionists because my people t ANGRY BLACK WOMAN faces of a group of cleanly shaved Israeli ous radical Islamist’s agenda is implehave always stood for the freedom s The student organization Students mentation of universal law, Sharia, a of the oppressed. You do not have esoldiers. The other photo was of a group for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is of masked Hamas fighters. The article’s the right to invoke my people’s legal system based on the teachings of prominent on many college camstory lines on this day were unrelated. struggle for your shoddy purposes. the Qur’an, the Sunna and the Hadith of puses, preaching a mantra of “FreeMohammed. Westerners, however, are (Chloe Valdar, consultant for the eHowever, the visual images portrayed ing Palestine.” It masquerades as an undeniable contrast. generally naive in regard to Sharia and Committee for Accuracy in Midr though it were a civil rights group Growing up in America just after the threat of terror and jihad. The pendle East Reporting in America and when it is not. It is thus high time the forming of the State of Israel inalty for leaving Islam in all schools of a fellow at the Lawfare Project, t to expose its agenda and lay bare Tablet) Sharia, whether Sunni or Shiite, is death. estilled a belief in the western spirit of some of the fallacies it peddles. integrity – that an honorable man was Muslims critical of Sharia are If you seek to promulgate the legWHY DO PALESTINIANS intimidated, threatened or killed for eproud to stand up for what he believed acy of early Islamic colonialists REJECT ISRAELI OFFERS in. If his cause was just, there was no expressing independent views. “Fatwas who raped and pillaged the Middle reason to hide his face from the public. of Death” are commonly issued against ever against humanity: November 2009 7:54 AM OF A PALESTINIAN STATE East, subjugated11/21/14 the indigenous The train and bank robbers of the old anyone who deviates from the religious IN RETURN FOR PEACE? e peoples living in the region, and westerns were the “bad guys” who dictates. The radicalism in devotion to With the Palestinian decision to s foisted upon them a life of perseGuantanamo Bayfaces prison,with including Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri (who planned the 2000 like USS Cole bombing) covered their bandanas. Sharia law causes things vigilanenlist the UN to impose terms on t cution and degradation – you do ects the to de-militarize (& hence make political) the behead war on islamic terror. from Btw, what's Sourge now, almost 70 yearstolater, tes to a convert Islamtheto Israel despite objections by the y not get to claim the title of “Freethe incongruity of criminal investigaChristianity, for women to be legally U.S., the question remains: Why dom Fighter.” tions into the IDF’s actions on a field stoned to death for committing adultery, is it that the Palestinians rejected erney General's babbling If you support a racist doctrine of or prostitutes being executed for their Israel’s offer for an independent lof battle is no less disturbing than the Arab supremacism and wish (as a contrast of those photos. The absurdity activities. Palestinian state comprised of vircould have been tried in either military or civilian court, because the 9/11 attacks were both an act of war corollary of that doctrine) to deof Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Because Islam promises heavenly tually all of the West Bank, Gaza nhe end of the day, it was clear to me that the venue in which we are most likely to obtain justice for the stroy the Jewish state, you do not rewards to those who take the law into and a capital in east Jerusalem in ePalestinian Authority (PA), to submit get to claim that the prejudices you an application to join the International their own hands, individual Muslims 2000, 2001 and 2008? peddle are forms of legitimate “reCriminal Court (ICC) in order to bring are encouraged to become enforcers. In his memoir, former President -it is! It's the very foundation of Western justice just as falsification is the basis for Western science). These sistance.” charges against the State of Israel is When very few are arrested or punished Bill Clinton described Yasser Arade will have a contrary result." If your heroes are clerics who sit for personally enforcing Sharia crimes, fat’s rejection of the Palestinian yequally as incongruous. He, along with in Gaza plotting the genocide of a the other leaders of his party, has part- by brutality becomes the trial commonplace fended by the legal privileges given to Mohammed virtue of getting a civilian rather than a state offered by the Israelis at the people; who place their children nered the Palestine Liberation Organizaunder a Sharia governed society. It is unn he's convicted and when the death penalty is applied to him". end of his second term as tragic. h on rooftops in the hopes they will tion (PL) terror wing with Hamas, the derstandable that people are often more In her memoir, former Secretary get blown to bits; who heap praises behind black banafraid oftrial. their"I'm neighbors family yvery addedterrorists that he didhiding not mean to prejudging the outcome of the not goingand to be in thatthan courtroom. of State Condoleezza Rice deupon their fellow gang members jury." danas. Together they are already facing of the police, and hide their faces from scribes the even more favorable when they succeed in murdering public view. offer made by Israel in 2008. “In ycriminal charges levied against them in Jewish school boys and bombing military & civil cases is that for the former (even if it's just a trifling matter of discipline) the U.S. court system terror threaten attacksthe nationShould radical Islamic terrorists the end,” Rice writes, “the PalSaif al-Islam - sword of ations with itsduring individuals. failure to do so doesn't be necessarily the societythe which can will adapt (man places of activity where Jews concommitted the A early 2000s. grantedthreaten membership, ICC estinians walked away from the gregateislam – you do not get to claim o a specified purpose. Has the “good guy” in the white be rendered unable to differentiate benegotiations.” that you are an advocate of human hat been replaced by the “terrorist” between human rights abuses and Sharia The answer is that Israel’s proposvirtue. You are not. hind a black balaclava? Let’s see. One honor killings. This can hardly be a fair als for an independent Palestinian You do not get to justify the calcurrent terrorist watch list includes, in and just organization to determine war state have come with a condition e culated and deliberate bombings, Links toCourts this post Recommend this on Google crimes violations. The Criminal that the Palestinian leadership has eIsrael alone, Hamas, PL, Hezbollah, beatings and lynchings of Jewish Force 17, Comite’ de Bienfaisance et can only be just when they represent med regarded as a deal-breaker: a permen, women and children by rede Solidarite’ avec la Palestine, Holy a society where, when a cause is truly manent end of the conflict, and a ferring to such heinous occurrencjust, its supporters are not afraid for the yLand Foundation, Palestine al-Muslima es as part of a noble “uprising” of continued on page 31 world to see their true face. 009 land Tanzim. The total list includes 163

e s deficiency, islam's racist/sexist Caliph (& his puppet), the Angels of Antichrist Q o

eournalist - her photo ought to be in front of every BBC & other media "executive"), Wafa Sultan, Nonie

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s are so many so their pics won't possibly fit here. Klevius main rival: Mr X "president's" first call, letter to Edit Södergran to get it), the "guardian of islam". He & his pals have blood on their fingers, not m millions of victims for islamic street jihadism all over the world, fueled by Koranic infidel racism.

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Federation Star February 2015

COMMENTARY

Anti-Israel forces losing ground By Moshe Phillips, President, Religious Zionists of America – Philadelphia, January 4, 2015

ritics of Israel periodically issue doomsday warnings about how the Jewish state will face international isolation if it does not quickly give in to Palestinian demands. Last week’s United Nations Security Council vote shows, once again, how wrong they are. Earlier this year, Secretary of State John Kerry warned that Israel’s reluctance to make more unilateral concessions will bring down upon it “an increasing delegitimization campaign.” New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and other pundits likewise declared that Israel is increasingly “isolated” and is being treated as a “pariah” state. But when Palestinian advocates last week presented the UN Security Council with a resolution demanding an Israeli withdrawal from Judea, Samaria and much of Jerusalem, they couldn’t muster enough supporting votes – in a forum which, in the past, was notorious as the scene of international ganging-up on Israel.

The Third World bloc, which is thought of as being uniformly antiIsrael, suddenly cracked. Two African nations, Nigeria and Rwanda, defied the Palestinians and abstained. Further shifts in Third World attitudes toward Israel could be in the offing. According to recent media reports from India, the New Delhi government is seriously considering adopting a more pro-Israel position at the United Nations. As the founder of the Third World / Non-Aligned bloc, India’s possible new orientation would signal that the underdeveloped nations are no longer in the Arab League’s pocket. Important Western countries likewise took a stand at the UN last week. Australia voted against the resolution – despite recent Islamic extremist attacks and threats that might easily have intimidated other governments. Great Britain abstained – despite the recent vote by the British parliament supporting recognition of “Palestine.” At the time of that British parlia-

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mentary vote, there was much handwringing in the Jewish world. The vote seemed to lend credence to claims by the doomsday crowd that Israel’s reluctance to make more one-sided concessions was leading “all of Europe” to turn against it. More sober-minded observers pointed out at the time that symbolic resolutions in parliaments are not the final word. Sure enough, when it came to making an actual policy decision, the British government refused to go along with the UN resolution. Much the same is true with regard to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. The movement’s few successes have generated a lot of attention but do not necessarily indicate some new trend in public opinion towards Israel. Recall that when the American Studies Association voted last year to boycott Israel, it received enormous international media attention. Not many people are aware that the ASA’s action was condemned by the American Association of Universities, the American Association of University Professors, and the American Council on Education (representing 1,800 educational institutions), not to mention the 92 university presidents – including the presidents of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell and Johns Hopkins – who issued a statement denouncing the ASA’s boycott. The American public at large likewise remains firmly in Israel’s camp. This year’s Gallup annual World Affairs survey found fully 72 percent of Americans have a “very favorable” or “mostly favorable” view of Israel. Compare that to the number who have

a favorable view of the other countries in Israel’s neighborhood: Egypt - 45%; Saudi Arabia - 35%; Libya - 19%; Palestinian Authority - 19%; Iraq - 16%; Syria - 13%; Iran - 12%. And this is despite decades of unfriendly news media coverage of Israel. The gloom-and-doom crowd has an agenda. They want to force Israel to retreat. So they promulgate self-fulfilling prophecies about Israel being isolated, in the hope of browbeating the Jewish state and its friends into giving up. They never win at the ballot box, so they look for alternative ways to bring about Israeli concessions. Demoralization is a tactic. Generating despair is their goal. Israel and its supporters understandably worry about how the Jewish state is viewed by the rest of the world. But last week’s events at the UN, and other recent trends, show that skilled diplomacy, reasonable arguments and, ultimately, a just cause, can go a long way towards blunting the international campaign against Israel.

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February 2015 Federation Star

RABBINICAL REFLECTIONS

Let us look for a new way together Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

t might sound like a platitude to say, “We are not strangers. We are all brothers and sisters, we love and respect each other, we are one with you, we are here for you through thick and thin.” Or, “We may have different perspectives and levels of observance, we may have disagreements, and in the process I may challenge you, and be challenged by you, but first and foremost we are internally linked forever.” But there is actually great truth to these words. We are all children of G-d, our souls eternally interconnected like siblings in one family. As we approach the anniversary of the day that the Rebbe, of blessed memory, the most influential Rabbi in modern history, assumed leadership of Chabad, it is fitting to remember this special man whose inspiration and teaching guided us on what makes a community and how it should function like a family. Jacob, our father, was the first to establish a Jewish community, a haven for Judaism, in a remote location. On his journey he encountered a group of shepherds, and addressed them, though they were yet strangers, “My brothers, from where do you come?” With these words, everything changed. Barriers between groups vanished as an honest feeling of friendship and brotherhood evolved to where everyone gained respect for the other. They were no longer mere acquaintances; they understood they were all children of G-d. A simple question: What is the difference between a surgeon and a pilot? When someone needs surgery, G-d forbid, he is very cautious, searching for the best possible surgeon. His life is at risk, and he wants to ensure he has the most qualified expert. When the same person books an airline flight, with all its risks, why doesn’t he search for the best pilot? Why doesn’t he ask for the pilot’s resume and call 10 people for references? If the pilot is inept, the plane will go down. A flight in midair is as dangerous as a knife going into one’s body. Why

are we not more discriminating with pilots before we board an airplane? When it comes to choosing our pilot, in whom we entrust our lives during a flight 30,000 feet over an ocean, we don’t know anything about him, and for all we know, he could be completely incompetent. The answer is obvious: the pilot, flying with you, is exposed to the same risks as the passengers. The surgeon, on the other hand, is not lying on the slab with the patient. If the surgery doesn’t go well, G-d forbid, as pained as he might be, the surgeon can return to his home and continue with his life. The pilot, however, goes where we go, and if he doesn’t know what he is doing, he would never sit in that driver seat. The Rebbe, of blessed memory, would tell us to be like pilots for our community: their problem is our problem; their celebration is our celebration. A man wandered through a forest for several days, lost at nightfall, enveloped in darkness. Alone and frightened, he suddenly saw a glimmer of light in and caught sight of a traveler carrying a lantern. When the two travelers met, he asked the man with the lantern, “Tell me the right way out of the woods. I’ve been roaming in this forest for several days.” The man said, “My friend, I do not know the way out, for I, too, have been wandering for many days. But one thing I can tell you, the way I came will lead you astray.” He said to his fellow traveler, “Brother! Let us look for a new way together.” In many ways all of us are searching and confused, and must declare: Achai! My brothers and sisters, we must hold hands and seek together for the way out of the woods. On a personal note, the Naples community is our dear family and together we can find new ways and fresh solutions. A special “thank you” to our extended family, which includes the Jewish Federation of Collier County, for giving us the platform to share our words, and to David Willens for his incredible years of building the community. Welcome to Jeffrey Feld who has, in a very short time, continued the practice. I thank G-d Almighty for the amazing opportunity to be a part of such a special community, with its wonderful spirit of brotherhood and generosity!

COMMENTARY BRIEFS continued from page 29 commitment to accept Israel’s existence. By contrast, the Security Council end-game sought by the Palestinians is an end-run around any such condition; it would impose on the Palestinians no obligation to end the dispute. As Abbas knows, the Palestinian street opposes any end of conflict with Israel that fails to bring about its disappearance. In May 2009, not long after spurning the “extraordinary terms” described by Rice, Abbas told the Washington Post that he was in no hurry to make peace with the Israelis. Rather, Abbas hoped that international pressure on Israel would force it to capitulate without any corresponding obligation on the Palestinians’ part to agree to live in peace. The Palestinians’ argument that UN intervention is necessary because they cannot otherwise obtain a state represents a narrative that has been adopted wholesale in certain quarters. Sadly, however, it is a narrative that is tough to square with what has actually

occurred. (Jeff Robbins, former U.S. delegate to the UN Human Rights Council, Boston Globe)

THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY’S LATEST CHARADE “Palestinians continue to be plagued by poor leadership. Being unable to get nine votes in the Security Council; losing when they might have won by delaying a month; energizing American opposition to their actions – all to join an organization [the ICC] where they are actually far more at risk than Israel,” observes former U.S. deputy national security adviser Elliott Abrams. “The Fatah leadership in Ramallah is not brave enough to face down Hamas and make peace, nor brave enough to face their own people in an election. So they go for these gyrations in New York instead, hoping to fool Palestinians into thinking these charades constitute courageous action.” Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies notes: “The idea now is to sow fear among

The top five regrets of the dying Rabbi Sylvin L. Wolf

n a recent Torah portion, we read that Jacob sees that his son Joseph is alive. For many years, Jacob thought Joseph was dead. Jacob and Joseph embrace and Jacob says, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are yet alive.” Jacob says that now that he sees Joseph is still alive, he can die in peace. To die in peace is a blessing. How many are there of whom it can be said that they died in peace? Bronnie Ware, an Australian nurse who spent several years working with patients in palliative care, wrote a book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, in which she recorded the observations and patterns that she saw with her dying patients. She found that people close to death had important “clarity of vision” and wisdom. The top five regrets that people appeared to share in common were as follows: 1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. “This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made…” 2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. “This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of

a work existence.” 3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. “Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.” 4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. “Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks, and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.” 5. I wish that I had let myself be happier. “This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.” This wisdom finds itself echoed in Jacob’s words. Did Jacob have his own regrets? Most likely yes, but he did have the opportunity to redeem the failures of his own life, and heal his family before his death. He reaches the point where he can die content, knowing that he has finally accomplished a goal he had put off for so long: to reunite his family. Let us take the time to do that something so that we won’t have to look back with regrets.

ConneCt with your Jewish Community www.facebook.com/ facebook.com/jfedsrq JewishFederationofCollierCounty Israelis that the threat of war crimes lingers. But it’s still unclear whether the PA has a case, let alone standing... The Israelis are not cowering. The Palestinian street is not impressed. The international community has grown weary of these diplomatic stunts...Ultimately, there is little choice for the PA but to return to the tough slog of negotiations.” (Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post)

THE DREAM PALACE OF THE ARAB

In 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza, leaving Mahmoud Abbas in charge and giving him a chance to make something of the territory. Gaza dissolved into civil war within months. In 2008, Israel offered Abbas a state covering 94% of the West Bank. He never took up the offer. Last March, President Obama personally offered Abbas a U.S.-sponsored “framework” agreement. Again Abbas demurred. Now Abbas has moved to have “the state of Palestine” join the International Criminal Court, chiefly in order to harass Israeli military officers and politicians spuriously accused of war crimes. The gambit

will fail for the simple reason that two can play the game. Abbas consistently refuses a Palestinian state because such a state is infinitely more trivial than a Palestinian struggle. So long as “Palestine” is in the process of becoming, it matters. Once it exists, it all but doesn’t. This explains why no Palestinian leader will ever accept such a state on any terms. After the endless stream of Palestinian rejections, one begins to sense a pattern. What if Western leaders refused to take Abbas’ calls? What if they pointed out that, in the broad spectrum of global interests, the question of Palestinian statehood ranked very low? What if these leaders observed that, in the scale of human tragedy, the supposed plight of the Palestinians is of small account next to the human suffering in Syria or South Sudan? In that event, the Palestinian dream palace might shrink to its proper size, and bring the attractions of practical statecraft into sharper focus. Genuine peace might become possible. (Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal)

FOCUS ON YOUTH

Federation Star February 2015

Rising Star: Sophia Davin

By Jean L. Amodea

o you know anything about “Dengue’s capping enzyme?” Maybe not, but Sophia Davin, a senior at Gulf Coast High School who happens to excel in science, knows exactly what it is. Enthralled with the sciences, and with the personal mantra “don’t give up,” Sophia’s future aspirations to enter the medical field as a physician is a viable goal. We caught up with the well-rounded teen to find out more. What fields of science do you most enjoy? I enjoy biological sciences such as microbiology and anatomy. At one point, for one year, I was working in a virology lab at Colorado State University as a lab assistant, before I moved to Florida. I was studying Dengue’s capping enzyme and mutating possible activation sites in order to lower productivity of the capping enzyme. It was a great experience. What are your plans for the future after high school? I would like to attend Florida Gulf Coast University and earn a degree in biology. Later, I would like to transfer to another university that has a medical school, finish my studies and, hopefully, become a rheumatologist.

Do you participate in any sports activities? Not currently. I did, however, when I was in grade school and participated in swimming and soccer. In middle school I was a cheerleader. Tell us about your participation with BBYO. This is my first year with BBYO. I was recently elected Sh’licha for this term. I am extremely excited and plan on organizing many fun BBYO events. What does it mean to you to be Jewish? I view being Jewish as something you

Sophia Davin

can sense in your bones. Like many things in this world, you just know it is special and you have a desire to be a part of the Jewish community. Do you attend a local synagogue, and if so, do you participate in any activities? I currently attend Temple Shalom and observe all of the holidays and Shabbat. I help teach Hebrew music and Hebrew at the religious and Hebrew school. What are your favorite leisure time activities? I enjoy reading, watching movies and hockey. I also enjoy making pottery, especially creating threedimensional sculptures. What is most important to you in your life right now? My family is the most important thing in my life. Do you have siblings? I have three siblings – a younger sister and two younger brothers. My little sister’s name is Sasha and she is 12 years old; my younger brothers are Nicolas, age seven, and Nathan, age four. Who has been your inspi-

ration and why? I would have to say my mother. She is a very strong woman who has done a lot with her life, driven by her ambition to succeed. Do you have a personal secret to your success thus far? My personal secret to being successful thus far is to not give up, and to push through whatever is placed before you. I have experienced that life does not give you more than you can handle and that things will get better. While you may not have realized it then, looking back during tough times, you wonder why you ever doubted yourself, and you might find some pride in being able to get through the difficult experiences. What advice would you like to give others of your age? Don’t give up. This is just the beginning of our lives. Jean Amodea, a former school principal from New Jersey is a freelance writer for the Naples Daily News and its community publications as well as director of Peter Duchin Music of Naples/Entertainment Direct. She also performs with her husband Ron’s dance band, jazz ensemble and Caribbean quartet. Reach Jean at jeanamodea@earthlink.net.

Want to see your “rising young star” featured in the Federation Star? Send an email to jeanamodea@earthlink.net with the details.

Temple Shalom Preschool update By Seyla Cohen, Preschool Director

hank You, Jewish Federation! A special “todah rabah” to the Jewish Federation of Collier County for helping to provide exceptional education to the students of Temple Shalom Preschool. The Federation’s very generous contribution will enable TSP to give financial aid to the Jewish families that want to be part of our Temple Shalom Preschool family, but may need some assistance. As the director of Temple Shalom Preschool, I would like to express a personal “Thank You” to the Federation for this much appreciated grant. Health-Safety Day/Open House Temple Shalom Preschool is hosting its annual Health-Safety Day/Open House on Sunday, February 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a very special activity-packed program educating our young citizens about health and safety within our community. Various community helpers come to present awareness about their individual departments. The children enjoy seeing fire trucks up close and personal. They are able to climb on board and view firefighters’ gear and equipment. EMT shows up in their ambulances for the children to have a clear view of what

is inside their vehicles. The police department brings its mascot, McGruff the Crime Dog, teaching the children about combating crime in the area. Water safety, a major concern for parents in the area, is reinforced. Domestic animal services are present, along with Smokey the Bear from the Department of Forestry. Health-Safety Day is open to the general public, and is a welcome and well-received program for the community each year. At Temple Shalom Preschool we follow good nutritional eating habits, and children are taught about appropriate portion size, the nutritional value of certain foods, and the importance of including fruits and vegetables with every meal. This year, we are adding this important aspect to our Safety Day and making it an even better event by introducing health education, healthy foods, a chance to see and taste our own TSP garden fruits and vegetables, and even participate in a fitness class. Parents will also have a chance to tour our beautiful preschool and meet our teachers. Children will have fun listening to a story in our famous Storyland Children’s Library, singing with our

music teacher, checking out our brand new and futuristic Technology Lab, doing experiments in Professor Einstein’s Laboratorium, having their face painted, jumping in the Bounce House, riding on a pony, or climbing on the rock wall! Upcoming school year Also in February, registration opens up for Temple Shalom Preschool for the upcoming school year. Temple Shalom Preschool has been distinguished for many years as a top preschool in Naples. Its programs for children from birth to age 5 are top quality, dedicated to preparing a firm foundation for students entering kindergarten and successive school years. Beginning with the “Baby and Me” and “Mommy, Me, and More” programs, children begin their formative years in a safe, wholesome, academically-challenging environment, conducive to promoting self-esteem, confidence and individuality. The preschool’s dedicated and well-trained staff provides a caring and loving atmosphere in which each child flourishes and grows to meet his or her full potential. Enrichment in Science, Art, Technology, Storytelling, Puppetry, Drama, Gardening/ Nutrition, Music, Fitness and Foreign

Language are offered. General sign-up becomes available as space permits to the public once current families have had a chance to enroll their children. For a tour or information about TSP, call the preschool office at 239.250.3245 or email preschool@naplestemple.org. Winter Camp TSP Winter Camp was a blast. Throughout the first week, the children made snow, experimented with making different versions of slime, built gingerbread houses, and picked a huge cabbage from the garden and ate it. They created winter artwork and played non-stop with their friends. Week two was even better with the Super Hero theme. Each child picked their own Super Hero and super power and made a costume. They were interviewed about who they were, how they got their super power, what super foods they ate, and who their partner was. They made “super power-up” trail mix, and photos were taken of them flying through the sky.

FOCUS ON YOUTH

February 2015 Federation Star

Naples teens elected to BBYO leadership positions

n January, ten Naples teens were elected into leadership positions for Naples BBYO’s spring term. a These prestigious positions give teens t oownership over their own programming and chapter growth. In these roles, the rteens will be a part of a ten-member teen board that will help chart the chapter’s lvision for the term, and provide leadership and support throughout their local .community through the BBYO system. “This term, we’re going to focus on inviting eighth-graders to join our d chapter and be a part of BBYO. We want u gto connect some of the younger memrbers with older role models before they graduate,” said Saige Feldman, newly o

elected chapter president. The 2015 Spring Term Board for Negev AZA #2560: • Taylor Bollt, Godol (President) • Jason Randall, S’gan (Vice President) • Zachary Schiller, Moreh (Membership) • Jacob Klein, Mazkir (Secretary) • Brandon Schwartz, Shaliach (Jewish Programming) • The 2015 Spring Term Board for Sababa BBG #2552: • Saige Feldman, N’siah (President) • Rachel Waltzer, S’ganit (Vice President) • Zoe Van Slyke, Aym HaChaverot (Membership)

• Sara Klausner, Mazkirah (Secretary) repair the world). Across the globe, • Sophia Davin, Sh’licha teens will join together to make their (Jewish Programming) community and the world a better place. One highlight of the spring term For more information about BBYO, that the teen leaders are working on is please contact Skylar Haas, Naples J-Serve, an international day of Jewish BBYO Program Associate, at SHaas@ teen-led service held in April. J-Serve bbyo.org or 561.699.6104. provides teens with the opportunity to fulfill the Jewish values of gemilut chasidim (acts of kindness), tzedakah (charitable giving), and tikkun olam (the The 2015 Spring Term Board of Negev AZA: responsibility to Jason Randall, Zachary Schiller, Taylor Bollt, Jacob Klein, Brandon Schwartz

Preschool of the Arts update By Ettie Zaklos, Preschool Director

eflections from the director The New Year has provided me with the opportunity to reflect r on how greatly I value and appreciate my role as director of a vibrant and r growing preschool, and the wonderful families that make up our special school community. Though in the academic z world we find ourselves right in the h middle of our school year, the start of a new year still presents an opportune time to pause and collect our feelings, discoveries and newfound realizations. As an educator, I feel truly blessed to be part of this magical place we call Preschool of the Arts. Whether it’s our outstanding staff, our impressive parent body or the amazing young individuals who I am proud to call our students, I find myself inspired on a daily basis. In our continuous effort to innovate, my staff and I have reflected on previous years, children and experiences, and achieved new inspirations and meaningful avenues to spark discovery that I am excited to implement in the year ahead. The learning environment is an opportunity for children to see themselves as individuals and as members of a larger community. We take great pride in forming strong school-family relationships through dialogue and shared experiences, and by encouraging the individualized growth of each child. This extends to the wider Jewish community as well, as the traditions, customs and moral values of Judaism are naturally woven into our curriculum as meaningful and lasting sparks for our children and families. The newness that comes at this time of year is a time for transitioning from what was to what will be, and we at Preschool of the Arts are thrilled to

be part of what will be for our preschool families as we enter into the year 2015. Registration now OPEN for Preschool of the Arts 2015-2016 More than just your average preschool, Preschool of the Arts is a premiere center for early childhood education committed to creating a safe, happy and healthy learning environment, both indoors and out. We are guided by the Emilio Reggio philosophy, which nurtures and enhances the boundless potential of the early childhood years. Our award-winning school combines the arts, nature, Jewish values, and academic excellence to create a culture of learning and exploration. Your child will be a part of our unique early learning programming which includes: our Art & About Program that focuses on local guest artists who visit our preschool to talk about their art and engage in hands-on activities with our preschool children, and our ever-expanding Visual Arts Program, Performing Arts Program and Culinary Arts Program, where our children are taught important skills to develop their interest in the arts – from learning about different artists and their artistic styles, to learning new songs and musical techniques, to gardening and basic cooking skills and healthy eating habits through hands-on food preparation. In keeping with our healthy body, healthy mind approach, we also offer yoga, ballet, and My Gym, a blend of gymnastics, dance and sports. Registration for the 2015-2016 Preschool of the Arts program is now open for new prospective families. Space is limited. Please call 239.263.2620 for more information or to register. Summer of the Arts 2015 Sign up your child today for our dy-

Dig Quest: Israel

ecome an archaeologist! Use your device to explore Israel’s past! The Dead Sea Scrolls, the most important archaeological discovery of the 20th century, are now available on your iPhone and iPad as the Israel Antiquities Authority launches its first App featuring archaeology games and puzzles for kids. Genesis 1:1 (the account of creation), the Ten Commandments, Psalms and 11 other 2,000-year-old manuscripts are featured in this app that introduces kids ages 7-11 to archaeology with a suite of unique games, featuring beautiful artifacts from the National Treasures of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Dig Quest: Israel for iPhone and iPad is now available to download from the App Store for free. The app transforms a kid’s iPhone or iPad into an archaeological tool and lets them play games to hone their skills, discover secret meanings, solve puzzles, and piece the past together like true archaeologists. Along the way they unlock ancient artifacts and create their own personal collection. The games were developed in

collaboration with the IAA’s team of preeminent archaeologists and researchers. As they play, kids get a feel for what archaeologists do as they experience the excitement of discovery and the creativity and skills involved in solving mysteries from the distant past. Players select between two dig sites – each has a unique game that puts the player in the driver’s seat and

requires using different archaeological skills. At Lod, you clear the dirt to uncover an ancient Roman period mosaic and then play a fast-paced quiz-style game using your smarts and powers of observation to identify and classify the animals and objects on the mosaic. In the Qumran caves, you discover fragments of the 2,000-year-old Dead

namic six-week Summer of the Arts program! Our 2015 program focuses on an international theme in which each week campers will “visit” a specific country and enjoy the music, arts and cooking unique to that country. Integrated throughout our program are opportunities to develop skills and interests in sports (outdoor sports and water play) and culture (arts, music, food, games, crafts and activities, including a Friday challah-baking workshop and Shabbat celebration) under the guidance of experienced teachers. Summer of the Arts 2015 begins

on Monday, June 8 and runs through Friday, July 17. Camp begins daily at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. Pre-care is available from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., and after-care is available from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Parents have the option of signing up their child for all six weeks or for selected weeks. The Minors Program is for children ages 18 months to 4 years; the Majors Program is for children ages 5 to 10 years. For more information or to register, please contact me at 239.263.2620 or naplespreschoolofthe arts@gmail.com.

Preschool of the Arts children perform at the Frozen Chanukah Festival

For a continuously updated community calendar, visit www.jewishnaples.org. Sea Scrolls that you piece together in a puzzle game. Then you scan the scrolls to reveal their text more clearly, mirroring the advanced spectral imaging process performed by the IAA team in the laboratories. Each site features Discoveries for you to uncover that tell you more about the story of the excavation and the artifacts you find. You can collect the artifacts and discoveries in your own Collection box. The game features: 30+ levels in two unique games based on two world famous archaeological discoveries 50+ images of stunning historical treasures Amazing historical and archaeological facts and artifacts Translated and spoken excerpts from the Dead Sea Scrolls A Collection box where players store artifacts and discoveries An archaeologist character host, Gabe, inspired by real IAA archaeologists The app is launching with two games, and additional games are

planned, as well as an Android release. Dig Quest: Israel is made possible by a generous gift from Estanne Fawer and the William Davidson Foundation. About the Israel Antiquities Authority: The Israel Antiquities Authority is the preeminent organization in the field of Israeli archaeology. It is responsible for all matters of archaeology in Israel including land and marine excavations, development and protection of archaeological sites, archaeological research, education, publication, conservation and restoration of objects and sites, and exhibitions of archaeological material in Israel and abroad. It is the keeper of the State Treasures, including nearly 2 million archaeological objects, among them the entire collection of Dead Sea Scrolls, and more than 30,000 archaeological sites. About the Development Team: Created by Producer Maya Cohan and Game Designer Jessica Rosenblatt with development team Crater House, a San Francisco-based game studio that specializes in inventing new ways to play.

Federation Star February 2015 BETH TIKVAH

SYNAGOGUES www.bethtikvahnaples.org / 239-434-1818

Beth Tikvah update

By Stuart Kaye and Rosalee Bogo, co-Presidents n the entertainment and socializing front, we bring back one of last year’s biggest successes – “Yiddishkeit Night” – on Sunday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. This event features Canadian raconteur-comedian Alf Kwinter. Sharing the bill will be a performance of Russian-Jewish music by Boris Sandler and Bella Gutshtein. If time permits, we will fit in a bit of “Adult Show and Tell.” The idea is to tell a brief (five minute) story about yourself based on an object that you bring with you: a family heirloom, a photograph, an award, part of a special collection, etc. Then there are the fantastic desserts. The cost is $25 per person (advance payment requested). To RSVP, call Bob or Shelley at 239.793.6286 or email shelleygoodman@rogers.com. Our Rosh Hodesh Group holds its next meeting on Sunday, February 22 at 10:00 a.m. The leader of this session will be Rabbi Danielle Upbin, singer-songwriter and JTS fellow, who, with her husband, leads Congregation Beth Shalom in Clearwater. For more information, call Elaine Kamin at 239.593.6821.

Beginning on Sunday, February 1, the Naples Jewish Film Festival will sell whatever tickets to individual films are still available, and continue to sell any available subscriptions. Inquire about availability to info@naples jewishfilmfestival.org. Visit http:// naplesjewishfilmfestival.org for schedule, descriptions and other details. Book talks On Sunday, February 15 at 5:00 p.m., Phil Jason will address a GenShoah meeting at Beth Tikvah. He will speak about the “One Thousand Children” and the making of the book Don’t Wave Goodbye: The Children’s Flight from Nazi Persecution to American Freedom. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing. Mark your calendars for “Arlene Levin’s Cooking Journey.” Arlene S. Levin, the author of My Cooking Journey, Arlene’s Simple to Lavish, will have a launch event for her kosher cookbook on Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Beth Tikvah. The main theme will be holiday menus, including Purim and Passover. Mrs. Levin will have recipes and samples for both

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

holidays, and plenty of books on hand for sale and signing. There is no charge, but donations are welcome. RSVP to bethtikvahnaples@aol.com. February lectures On Thursday, February 12 at 7:30 p.m., popular lecturer Gerald Ziedenberg presents “A Blood Libel in Hungary.” This is the second in a 3-part series. From Friday, February 13 through Sunday, February 15, Beth Tikvah’s Gerald Sager Scholar-in-Residence Program is honored to welcome Rabbi Avinoam Sharon. See the article on page 12 for more details. On Thursday, February 26, Dr. June Sochen will speak on “Binationalism or Zionism? Voices from 1920s Palestine.” Dr. June Sochen, Distinguished Professor Emerita of History from Northeastern Illinois University, is the author of many books, including Consecrate Every Day: The Public Lives of Jewish American Women (1880-1980) and From Mae to Madonna: Women Entertainers in 20th Century America. There is no charge, but donations are welcome. For more information or to RSVP, call Phil Jason at 239.287.8921

or send an email to bethtikvahnaples@ aol.com. Artis–Naples event We may still have tickets for the Thursday, March 19 (7:00 p.m.) comedy performance by Steve Solomon: Cannoli, Latkes & GUILT! Tickets are $39 each. Call Phil at 239.287.8921 to check on availability before sending in your check to Beth Tikvah. Religious services schedule Friday services begin at 6:15 p.m.; Saturday services begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude with a Kiddush Luncheon. Sunday morning minyan runs from December through March at 9:00 a.m. We regularly convene Yahrzeit minyanim upon request. Our participatory worship services and most other events are held at 1459 Pine Ridge Road just west of Mission Square Plaza. For more information, please call 239.434.1818, email bethtikvah naples@aol.com or visit www.bethtik vahnaples.org. You can reach Rabbi Chorny directly at 239.537.5257.

www.naplesjewishcongregation.org / 239-234-6366

Naples Jewish Congregation update By Suzanne L. Paley, President

unday at the Movies Members of NJC were joined by guests from the community for the showing of The Chosen, a film based on the book of the same name by Chaim Potok. This thought-provoking story that takes place prior to and after World War II, gave rise to much discussion led by our facilitator, Les Schwartz. Afterwards, many gathered at Il Primo for pizza, and further discussed the conflicts facing fundamental and traditional Judaism in today’s modern world. We are all looking forward to the next movie, Liberty Heights, which will be shown on Sunday, February 22 at 4:00 p.m. in the Federation’s Community Room. As always, there is no charge for these movies, and donations are greatly appreciated. Activities and events February will be a busy month for many of us. A theater party has been organized

for Sunday, February 15 when we will be going to the Marco Players Theater to see The Interview (not to be confused with the current movie of the same title). This will be followed by dinner for those who choose to join us. On Monday, February 16 at noon, the Sisterhood Book Club will meet at Perkins on Pine Ridge Road for lunch, followed by a review of Garden of Letters. On Thursday, February 19 at noon, the Men’s Club will meet at the Pelican Marsh Golf Club for lunch and to hear guest speaker Dr. Alan Galbut. Friday, February 20 will be Sisterhood Shabbat, which is the beginning of Sisterhood Weekend. On Saturday, February 21, Sisterhood members will gather for a day of workshops. In the morning there will be a presentation on Jewish Genealogy – Tracing Your Roots. Following lunch, our own member, Shelley McClosky, will present on Jewish Mysticism and Superstition.

JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND

And last but not least, is Sunday at the Movies, on February 22. A look ahead to March On Friday, March 6, our congregation will celebrate Purim. Plans are underway for yet another super celebration of this serious but fun holiday. On Friday, March 13 (this could be a lucky day for you), Sisterhood’s Game Day will be held at the Cypress Woods Country Club. Look for the ad in this edition of the Federation Star for more information. Be sure to reserve a table for you and your friends. The event is open to the entire greater Naples community. During the weekend of March 20-21, NJC will present its Scholarin-Residence program. The theme is “Resistance and Rescuers During World War II.” Our presenter is Dr. Paul Bartrop, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies at FGCU. The

program will begin Friday evening during Shabbat services and continue on Saturday with a two-part workshop and lunch. Watch for more information to be coming soon, but plan to attend this different focus on the Holocaust. Shabbat services From September through April, Shabbat services are held every Friday at 7:30 p.m. The first service of the month is a Torah service. An oneg always follows our services, which gives everyone a chance to greet, meet and chat. Because we do not have our own facility, we gather at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples at 6340 Napa Woods Way. For more information about Naples Jewish Congregation, please call 239.431.3858. Better yet, come to a Friday night Shabbat service or join us for Sunday at the Movies.

www.marcojcmi.com / 239-642-0800

Jewish Congregation of Marco Island update

Roger Blau JCMI President

ime goes by faster and faster it seems these days. I miss my childhood days when summer vacation from school seemed to last an eternity. And the snow and cold of winter appeared to be endless. I remember the excitement of the arrival of springtime and the fresh scent in the air. Now it seems that the seasons fly by. I try to take things more slowly and savor the many gifts we enjoy. But it’s a struggle to remain “in the moment” when we have spent a lifetime planning ahead. And as we get older, we spend a good deal of our time looking back as well. I am rapidly approaching the end of

my second (non-consecutive) two-year presidency at the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to serve JCMI and our members as president. But this coming March a new president, with a new perspective and leadership skills will take over. I want to thank all of our members for their cooperation and support during my time at the helm. I also want to thank the Jewish Federation of Collier County for their ongoing support of JCMI and its programs. *** The Jewish Congregation of Marco Island has opened its Jewish Film Festival and Saul I. Stern Cultural Series, both in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of Collier County, to rave reviews. The Cultural Series continues its 21st season with The Naples Philharmonic Brass Quintet on Saturday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m. They continue to thrill our audiences with both classical

and pop music. A fabulous Viennese table follows the program with a sampling from Starbucks. Rabbi Maline’s Adult Education Series 2015 began on Sunday, January 11 with “New Questions of Jewish Law That Could Not be Asked in the Biblical and Talmudic Periods.” The series continues on Sunday, February 15 with additional thought-provoking questions. Coffee and cake will be served at 9:30 a.m. with the lecture at 10:00 a.m. No charge for JCMI members; $5 for nonmembers and guests. On Thursday, February 12, JCMI will once again host the Barbara P. Katz Mah Jong Tournament. Five rounds of Mah Jong, continental breakfast, lunch and prizes are included. Bridge continues on Monday nights at 5:30 p.m., duplicate bridge on Tuesday afternoons at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday bridge is at 1:00 p.m., and Mah Jong is on Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Please visit www.marcojcmi.com

for details on all JCMI events. For more information and to reserve tickets, call the JCMI office at 239.642.0800.

991 Winterberry Drive Marco Island (239) 642-0800 Hours: Monday - Friday: 9:30 - 1:30 Friday Evening: Before & After Shabbat Service

February 2015 Federation Star

ORGANIZATIONS COLLIER/LEE CHAPTER OF HADASSAH

www.hadassah.org / 239-598-1009

Hadassah update Lynn Weiner President

xciting news! Hadassah was just named by the Charity Navigator as #3 of the top 10 charities with a 4-star rating! The Charity Navigator rates charitable organizations and publishes a list periodically. We are honored to be named as one of the top charities in the country. Recently, a new drug technology developed at the Hadassah Medical Organization to treat fatty liver disease – a condition with no approved effective drug treatment – was given the go ahead by the United States Food and Drug Administration for a Phase II multicenter clinical trial in the U.S. Current estimates reveal that at least five percent of the Western world’s population suffers from the disease. The new technology was developed by Prof. Yaron Ilan, Director, Department of Internal Medicine and former president of the Israel Liver Association, and his team in Hadassah’s Liver Unit. “The new drug is based on a novel discovery that bacteria in our gut are relevant for the induction of inflammation in our body, which is associated with liver disease, diabetes and obesity,” said Prof. Ilan. “The new therapy is safe and has no side effects, and we hope the results of the Phase

II trial will enable us to move forward with its development as a treatment for diabetes and fatty liver disease.” Hadasit, Hadassah’s technology transfer arm, and Immuron, an Australian biopharmaceutical company, worked together to develop the product. The multi-center clinical trial will involve 120 patients in several leading medical centers in the U.S. and Australia. Clinical trials were already conducted at Hadassah, which confirmed the safety and efficacy of the treatment. This new product is a prime example of the wonderful work of Hadassah that benefits people around the world. Upcoming events February is going to be a very busy month for Hadassah! We start with our Mahj and Card Party on Monday, February 2 that is sold out with a wait list. Our New and Prospective Member Brunch will be on Sunday, February 8 at 11:00 a.m. at the home of Donna Goldblatt. Please contact Donna at 239.597.3441 or mom443@aol.com to RSVP or if you know someone who might be interested in attending. On Thursday, February 19 at 7:00 p.m. at Beth Tikvah, Hadassah and Beth Tikvah will co-sponsor a cooking and book signing event with Arlene Levin, author of My Cooking Journey: Arlene’s Simple to Lavish. RSVP to Beth Tikvah at bethtikvahnaples@aol.com. Hadassah Shabbat will be on Friday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Shalom. Everyone is invited. Home-made baked goods are needed. To RSVP,

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN

contact me at 239.598.1009 or lynn inaples@yahoo.com. We will have another of our Knowledge & Nosh @ Noon series on Wednesday, February 25 at 11:30 a.m. at Bonita Bay. Our guest speaker will be Judy Belmont, psychotherapist and author, who will offer tips on how to stay positive and manage stress effectively no matter what comes your way. Contact Elyse Morande at 239.498.0623 or amorande@aol.com. Mark your calendars for Hadassah’s Annual Fundraising Event on Sunday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. at Vanderbilt Country Club. You are all invited to Shana and Shlomo’s Wedding, a comedy spoof. There will be a reception, wedding, dinner, dancing, laughter and fun as you become a participant in the wedding event! Donations will benefit Hadassah and Hadassah Medical Organization. For more information or to receive an invitation, please contact

me. See the article on page 13 for more details. How would you like to win dining experiences at many of the fine restaurants in this area? That’s exactly what you can do if you buy the winning tickets for the Second Epicurean Adventure. The winning ticket holders will receive complimentary meals that they can savor as they go on their very own epicurean adventure! To buy tickets, contact Rhonda Brazina at 239. 325.8694 or Barbara Kronenfeld at 662.304.5240. We also have the Daytime Study Group, Evening Activity Group, Hike for Health Group and Hadassah Book Clubs. Contact me to find out more about these activities. To join Hadassah or become a Life Member or Associate (male affiliate of Hadassah), contact Donna Goldblatt at 239.597.3441 or mom443@aol.com.

Save these dates: February: XX 2 - Hadassah Mahj and Card Party - 11:30 a.m. - Cypress Woods Country Club, Naples XX 8 - New and Prospective Member Brunch -11:00 a.m. XX 19 - Holiday Cooking Demonstration with Arlene Levin - 7:00 p.m. Beth Tikvah, Naples XX 20 - Hadassah Shabbat - Temple Shalom, Naples XX 25 - Knowledge & Nosh @ Noon - 11:30 a.m. - Speaker Judy Belmont, Bonita Bay March: XX 8 - Hadassah Annual Fundraiser - 5:30 p.m. - Shana and Shlomo’s Wedding XX 24 - Hadassah Meeting and Luncheon - 10:45 a.m. - Kensington Country Club, Naples April: XX 22 - Knowledge & Nosh @Noon - 11:30 a.m.

239-353-5963 / 239-354-9117

National Council of Jewish Women update

By Linda Wainick, co-President

n Monday, December 8, at Temple Shalom, NCJW sponsored a holiday luncheon for the Collier County Association for the Visually Impaired. NCJW has been doing this for 35 years! One guest made the remark, “We are so thankful to NCJW for doing this holiday lunch. It is a chance for us to get dressed up and get out and socialize!” A big thank you goes to the following volunteers: Evelyn Cole, Sandy Stone, Helen Weinfeld and Judy Kaufman, who prepared a delicious lunch. Linda Wainick, Marcelle Reiss, Bobbie Katz, Gayle Dorio, Muriel Hurwich, Ruth Ruskin, Helen Saperstein and Rochelle Pollens for being hostesses. Holiday musical entertainment was provided by Jane Galler and

Brandis Godwin. Special thanks to our chairperson of many years, Carol Emerson. It was a truly rewarding afternoon knowing we made a difference in so many lives. (Thank you to Carol Emerson for the above information.) On Thursday, December 11, we once again partnered with JFCS to provide Chanukah packages to Jewish residents in our community who live in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and private homes. We visit with the residents and gave them a plate of “goodies.” We also distributed lap robes and fun boas that are made by our NCJW knitters. Our visits are really appreciated by those we see. We will visit again for Passover. This ongoing project of many years is organized and chaired by Bobbie Katz.

NCJW in Israel NCJW CEO Nancy K. Kaufman recently released the following statement: “NCJW applauds the Israeli Cabinet’s decision to incorporate gender equality across government. The newly adopted plan to advance gender equality and instill gender awareness in the work of government will be a significant step forward on the path toward achieving full equality between men and women in Israel...NCJW looks forward to continuing our advocacy with those implementing the new approach as we support the grassroots organizations on the ground who have fought for gender equality in all aspects of Israel’s civil society. Full acknowledgement of gender equality is how we ensure that a democratic and civil society thrives in Israel.”

Upcoming events Please join us on Tuesday, February 17 at 11:30 a.m. at the Vineyards Country Club. Our guest is Judge Lauren Brodie. To RSVP, send your check ($25 for members, $28 for nonmembers) to Carolyn Greenberg, 6095 Manchester Place, Naples, FL 34110 On Wednesday, February 25, we will be enjoying West Side Story at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. On Thursday, March 12, a special visit is planned to RCMA in Immokalee. Our fabulous Fashion Show, featuring our members modeling fashions by Casual Connection, is on Thursday, March 19. For more information, please contact Bobbie Katz or Linda Wainick.

Sandy Stone, Judy Kaufman, Evelyn Cole and Helen Weinfeld prepared the lunch at the holiday luncheon for the Collier County Association for the Visually Impaired

Jane Galler and Brandis Godwin provided the holiday musical entertainment

Carol Emerson chaired the event

The current & previous editions of the Federation Star, as well as the 2015 edition of Connections, are now available on your iPad, tablet and mobile! Go to issuu.com and search for “Collier Federation”.

Federation Star February 2015

ORGANIZATIONS

ORT AMERICA – GULF BEACHES CHAPTER

www.ort.org / 239-649-4000

Desserts and other morsels will be on the menu on February 26 By Helene Dorfman Fuchs

he ancient Greeks knew the difference between “naked” and “nude” according to art historian Dottie Magen, and they used that knowledge to make amazing sculptures of athletes and gods. Dottie, a teacher and lecturer as well as a docent at the Baker Art Museum, will elaborate on that theme at the first “Nude in Art from Ancient to Modern” program on Thursday, February 26 in the Jewish Federation of Collier County’s Community Room. The program is part of ORT’s “Just Desserts” series, which features luscious, irresistible desserts at 1:00 p.m. followed by a slide show-lecture at 2:00 p.m. The cost is $60 for the three remaining programs, or $20 each: ¡¡ February 26: “The Nude in Art from Ancient to Modern: Ancient Period” ¡¡ March 26: “The Nude in Art from Ancient to Modern: Renaissance Period” ¡¡ April 23: “The Nude in Art from Ancient to Modern: Modern Period” For reservations, send checks (payable to ORT America) to Marebe Crouse, 3200 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., #109, Naples, FL 34103. All proceeds benefit ORT schools in Israel. The “Just Desserts” series began in December with a slide show-lecture on “Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas,”

and elicited such comments as “I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did” and “I didn’t know that Mary and Edgar knew each other.” Additional “I didn’t knows” responded to a few unsettling behindthe-scenes morsels that only someone as knowledgeable as Dottie Magen could identify: that Edgar Degas was an antiSemite; that Cassatt and Degas argued over the Dreyfus Affair. To fill in your knowledge of “the nude in art,” to learn revealing tidbits about the art and artists, and to help ORT schools in their effort to educate, counsel and enrich the lives of children worldwide, plan to attend this informative series. *** ORT provided safe havens for children and families during the IsraeliHamas war in a myriad of ways. ORT activated its science enrichment programs in Southern Israel in a special format adapted to the security situation, often taking place in shelters and other safe places in cities such as Kiryat Gat and Dimona. Several hundred children took part each day in science and engineering courses, including veterinary science, architecture, astronomy and chemistry. Activities also included sports, theater and robotics. Other ways in which ORT helped: ORT provided practical supplies – flashlights and tactic bags, for example – for

JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SWFL

soldiers in combat; respite for children of the south with alternative educational structures and activities in a secure environment; coaching and trauma counseling for children (ages 6-18) from the area bombarded by rockets; “return-to-normalcy” workshops for teachers, school counselors and parents; and a day of relaxation and enrichment for 450 teachers at the four Kadima Mada (Science Journey) schools in Southern Israel. ORT works and you know it! And your individual involvement helps ORT achieve its goals.

Science summer school in Israel

ORT America (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training) Did you know that: ¡¡ ORT supports 300,000 students annually in 56 countries by providing technical education that emphasizes employable skills? ¡¡ ORT’s most famous (and least publicized) mission was to educate Holocaust victims in DP camps so they were able to move on with their lives? ¡¡ ORT America has four college campuses in the U.S., including two in New York, one in Chicago and one in Los Angeles, that serve the most vulnerable communities? ¡¡ ORT America is active in Southwest Florida? Please attend Gulf Beaches Chapter events and support ORT’s educational mission. Help ORT raise funds to save lives through education. To join/renew/transfer, please contact ORT America Gulf Beaches Chapter President Marina Berkovich at 239.566.1771, or Membership Chair Marebe Crouse at 239.263.4959. Please visit www.ortamerica.org for a virtual ORT experience.

www.jhsswf.org / 239-566-1771

Focus on the future By Marina Berkovich, President and Founder

hat do Sanibel, Cape Coral and Port Charlotte have in common? You guessed it! They were started or developed by Jews in the mid 20th century. So recent is the origin of Jewish history for most of Southwest Florida, that witnesses are still able to relate stories of the initial settling and share some early settlers’ anecdotes about the inconvenience of travel, the absence of shopping variety or medical specialists. I am, in relative terms, new to Southwest Florida. My family moved here only ten years ago. But on the other hand, that was pre-Mercato, pre-Whole Foods, pre-Trader Joe’s and even preSouthwest Florida’s spectacular new airport. I remember my first trip there to meet a 12:05 a.m. flight, when a sounder of a hundred or so wild pigs, large and small, crossed the road right in front of

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my car in the wee hour fog rising from the swampland. The pigs kept popping out at night for a year or so on their old beaten trails, but the airport squeezed them out, just as it squeezed out the cows last year, due to the new exit ramp being built off I-75. Everything moves so quickly in the ever-escalating whirlwind of Southwest Florida’s progress, that often history can be neglected, forgotten, misplaced, rewritten or distorted, because people are simply too busy with progress itself to take time for contemporaneous historical preservation. Lucky for our future generations, this will not happen in Southwest Florida. The foundation, so wonderfully forged on Monday, January 12 between the Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida, the Jewish Federation of Collier County, the Jewish popula-

Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida Membership Form

Please send your check (payable to JHSSWF) and this form to: Jewish Historical Society of SWFL 899 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 116 Naples, FL 34108 Phone: 239.566.1771 Email: jhsswf@gmail.com Online: www.JHSSWF.org

tion and the “snowbird” community of Southwest Florida, will serve as an excellent start. In a letter written by Jules Freedman to Rabbi Bloom in the early 21st century, which Helen Weinfeld, Temple Shalom of Naples first historian, preserved and shared with us, Mr. Freedman writes: “Perhaps never in U.S. history (even in New York in the late 19th century) have so few Jews provided to the development of an area devoid of Jewish life, as these few Jews in Southwest Florida, who built such a major bastion of Jewish life.” As initially suspected by me, every community has a historian or two and many would be historians who will join in the effort as the goals and objectives crystallize. The work continues and the community grows, but to keep clear focus on our mission, The Society wants you

to help us in the following ways as soon as possible: 1. Identifying Jewish residents of Southwest Florida who lived here in 1972 and prior, their descendants and/or friends, who can document their story for our testimony collection. 2. Sharing photographs, event announcements, newspaper clippings or publications for The Society’s historical archives of Jewish contribution in Southwest Florida development. 3. BECOMING A MEMBER to show your support of this initiative. The only membership requirement is to pay annual dues. Members will receive newsletters, information about upcoming events and programs, and special alerts.

Membership Application 2015 Membership Level: r Student - $9 r Individual - $36

r Family - $54 r Sponsor - $162

Name(s): _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Company (if applicable): _________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________ City: _____________________________ State: _____ Zip Code ____________ Florida home phone:____________________________________________ Cell phone: ___________________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________________

The Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida, Inc. is a Section 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

February 2015 Federation Star

ORGANIZATIONS

www.humanisticjewishhavurahswfl.org / 239-398-3935

HUMANISTIC JEWISH HAVURAH

Humanistic Jewish Havurah to discuss U.S. Supreme Court decisions: Town of Greece and Hobby Lobby Paula Creed President

wo recent United States Supreme Court decisions that deal with the separation of Church and State will be the topic on Sunday, February 15, when the Humanistic Jewish Havurah of Southwest Florida meets at 2:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. The public is invited. Our distinguished speaker will be Douglas L. Wilson. A graduate of the Law School of University of Arkansas, Mr. Wilson was admitted to the Arkansas bar in 1970 and to the Florida bar in 1992. He has argued civil rights and employment issues before the U.S. Court of Appeals, and has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In Town of Greece v. Galloway the Court found the town’s practice of beginning legislative sessions with prayers does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby is considered a landmark Supreme Court decision. This decision states that pursuant to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), owners of a closely held for-profit corporation have religious rights that permit them to refuse to provide some contraceptive insurance coverage to employees. If you are curious to learn more

our country was built on.” Shortly thereafter, in June 2014, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case popularly known as Hobby Lobby. On that occasion SHJ issued another press release expressing its disappointment and stating, in part, “As Humanistic Jews, we recognize that all people have a fundamental right to determine the course of their own lives. Contraceptive choice is only one of the many components of this personal freedom. A woman’s ability to access contraception shouldn’t depend on where she works

about these Supreme Court cases, Dena Sklaroff will accept your reservation to attend this event at denas27@aol.com or 239.591.0101. In October 2013, our national organization, the Society for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ), joined the American Humanist Association, Americans for Religious Liberty and others in filing a friend-of-the court (amicus) brief in the Town of Greece matter. Simultaneously, a press release was issued stating in part, “This case centers on the constitutionality of official prayers in local government settings, such as invocations at city council or school board meetings. This practice goes to the heart of our core interests in the separation of Church and State. The Society is concerned with protecting religious freedom for all, including those who do not espouse a traditional religious belief, and for ensuring that our members will not be discriminated against by government favoring of theistic religion.” In May 2014, following the announcement of the Court’s decision in Town of Greece, the Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America, who represented the plaintiffs, said, “We are extremely disappointed that the Court chose to ignore the very blatant burden sectarian prayer imposes on the conscience of citizens with diverse religious beliefs and those without religious beliefs. Our founders went to great lengths to ensure that no American would be disenfranchised from civic participation due to their personal religious beliefs or lack thereof. This ruling violates the founding secular principles

JEWISH WAR VETERANS 239-304-5953

Jewish War Veterans update By Gil Block, Commander Post # 202

e have been a very busy Post the last several months. We had a very successful “Veterans Shabbat Service” at Temple Shalom in November, commemorating Veterans Day. We also attended the Veterans Day Celebration at Cambier Park, where we presented our flags – Post and American – carried by Marty Rubin and Harvey Sturm. We are planning our big annual fundraiser on Sunday, February 15 at 10:00 a.m. at the Chabad Jewish Center of Naples. We will have a fabulous brunch and screen a first-run movie, Winston Churchill, Walking With Destiny. Those of you who attended last year’s brunch will know that it was a superb event. The cost of $20 per person is a great deal,

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and you will be helping to support our Jewish war veterans. Please consider joining our Post so that you may help to continue our programs. One of our biggest accomplishments will take place in April and May when we attend JR ROTC assemblies at all seven high schools in Collier County and present scholarships to two outstanding cadets at each high school. This year we are very fortunate to have The Jewish Federation of Collier County support this program. It is nice to know that our Federation is interested in all facets of our community. I hope to see you at Chabad of Naples on February 15 for our fundraiser!

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or on the beliefs of her boss or the company’s owners.” In addition, the SHJ joined more than 40 fellow member organizations of the Coalition for Liberty and Justice in a statement denouncing discrimination and supporting real religious liberty for all. The groups wrote, “We are united in our belief that public policies should both respect religious liberty and protect against the use of religious beliefs to discriminate or undermine equality.”

Celebrating

Jewish Lif

uary 25, 20

Federation Star e in Collier

County, Is

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Published by serving Na the Jewish Federa ples, Marco tio Island and n of Collier County the surrou www.Jew nding com munit ish

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INSIDE TH IS 4 Men’s Cultura ISSUE:

6 Women’s Cul l Alliance 7 Community tural Alliance 14 Jewish Inte Focus 20 Israel & the rest 23 Tributes Jewish World 23 Business Dire 25 Commenta ctory 28 Focus on ry You 30 Rabbinical th 30 Synagogue Reflections 32 Organizat s ion 34 Community s 35 Community Calendar Directory

6 WCA’s “S eason” is off to a resound ing start!

8 Subject of Isr best-seller aeli visits Naple s

13 Israeli art ist to exh ibit at Estero Fine Art Sh ow

Naples BB YO teens at Regiona l Kallah

ies

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January 20

15 - Tevet/S hevat 5775

Kiev rabb

By Carole

J Greene

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Vol. 24 #5

eing a jou rnalist pro vides opportuniti later in life es to connec me . First, he bec fascinating t with ame a scie and worked people. Wh Alexander ntist en Rabbi in the field Dukhovny Shalom, ano would hav of ecology. visited Nap November ther local con e preferr “I les on 12, I enjoyed Jewish Fed nection is the man ities, but Jew ed studying the hueration of and pleasure the privileg Col s in the form which cur of chatting e Uni on (f.S.U.) rently provid lier County, er Soviet wit the challen weren’t allo es ges and suc h him about Jewish pre hist oria wed school in Kie a grant to a Progressiv ns or philoso to be e Jewish Con cesses of the v. phe The his rs.” rab fl uency in Eng Utilizing gregations bi detailed “Reform”) a wish list (i.e. of Kiev, Ukr lish, he ofte going “pocke a tour guide of onn acted as aine. He is rabbi of the ts for Americ chief from people of need,” for donatio pre an ambassa and member tions, an imp sent 47 (!) congre ns he meets on dors s of congre gatour who des ressive incr ss. He took to Babi Yar eleven exis ire their own this talking ease from them , the ting when the Jews in Ukr connection where, in two infamous ravine in Kie he began. talked, the aine to v As we wor mundane exp . “We need money German forc September days in 194 for multiple tim d “connections” cam enses, like 1, es and loca e up es. ises and sala rent for pre l collaborato mas sac mries red Rabbi Duk nearly 34,0 for profess rs also train lay 00 Jews. As a rabbi, to foster con hovny came to the U.S leaders to con ionals. We he says, “I services and nec . duct Shabba bine all of get to com Jews and forg tions with Americ do congre t thes gational wor an We want to e new ones. a rabbi is not e disciplines, becaus sponsor sum lom’s Judi k. e only a teac Palay is one Temple Shamer and win camps that scientist and her but also pro ter connection of the form vide education pro a tour guide.” a s and she Jewish self er moting opened her In addition -ide to the rab ntifi cation.” Not home to Judi Pal bi, in Judaism ing that ay at Temple the primary traveling in whom she’d met wh unit is the fam en Ukraine. Wh ily, that evenin en he spoke continued g at on page 2 ened his role Temple Shalom, he likon this whi rlwind “tal tour” (if it’s king Wednesday, Naples) to this mu st be fert sive Judaism ilizing seeds of Progre ssown by oth “American ers in Ukraine rab . the fertilizer bis plowed the soil. I’m because I kno the languag w the culture e.” , Although he was a Jew he knew all his life that , he came to the rabbinate Jeffrey Feld

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ensure that our voices are a promin force in pol Becker ent icy dec in your sup But ONLY isions. portive the Jewish Note that the thoughts. of Collier Cou Federation Federation list is long the needs. – but so are priorities in nty includes all of thes And Presiden its e diate and con those needs are imm t force in our work as an importa etinue to gro nt community to make a w. Don’t wai building, sup – creating, contributio porting and number of n to the Jew t Federation much nee stre organizatio ngt of Collier Cou ish hening ded groups ns have as their prio in 2015. The nty until late here and where. Ple rity to sup beginning r elsease see pag port the most vulner of the year wonderful e org 3 able for aniz is tim community a list of people in a ations and our community e to be part of a cari – progra supported, ng that giv those sufferin children, the aged, in part or in ms that were and g humanitaria Donate now es back. whole, by eration dol cies. Other n emergenFed. Volunteer lars groups see a difference now. Make that you wil last year. I am confiden k to keep safe, strong now . You’ll hav l fi t Isra and prospe year to feel programs that nd one or more groups rous. Still oth el support Jew good about e the whole or strike a resp ers ish done. what you’ve onsive cho tives that enr practices and perspe rd cich our live Happy New closer to fam s and draw Year! us ily, Fin ally, som friends and community e pro mo te . adv oca cy to

Jewish Fed 2500 Vandereration of Collier Cou Naples, FL bilt Beach Rd., Ste. nty Inc. 2201 34109

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Federation Star February 2015

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Get the Service you Deserve February 2015 – 5775 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY 4 Tu B’Shevat

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

11:30am ORT Board Mtg 5:30pm HJH Potluck Shabbat 6:15pm BT Services 6:30pm CHA Services 6:30pm TS Shir Shabbat 7:30pm NJC Services 8:00pm JCMI Services

8:30am TS Torah Talk 9:30am BT Services 9:30am JCMI Services 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Services

11:00am JCMI Mah Jongg 1:00pm NJC Board Mtg 3:00pm HM Exec Cmte Mtg 7:00pm HDH Evening Group 7:30pm BT Lecture

6:15pm BT Services 6:30pm CHA Services 7:30pm NJC Services 7:30pm TS Services 8:00pm BT Scholar-in-Res. 8:00pm JCMI Services

9:30am BT Services 9:30am JCMI Services 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Services 11:00am BT Scholar-in-Res.

9:00am BT Minyan 9:00am BT Religious School 9:30am JCMI Rabbi’s Adult Ed 9:30am TS Sunday School 1:00pm HM Exhibit Opening

10:00am NCJW Board Mtg 11:00am HDH Mahj & Card Party 11:00am HM Coffee Talk 5:30pm JCMI Bingo

10:00am TS-S Board Mtg 12:15pm BT Torah Study 1:00pm JCMI Duplicate Bridge 1:30pm CJD Steering Cmte 4:00pm JFCC Exec Cmte 6:00pm TS Senior Study

9:00am BT Minyan / Rel Schl 9:00am BT Religious School 9:00am TS Mitzvah Day 9:30am JCMI Rabbi’s Adult Ed 9:30am TS Sunday School 10:30am NJC Adult Ed 2:00pm JCMI Film Festival 7:30pm BT Yiddishkeit

10:30am JFCS Naples Jewish Caring Support Group 1:30pm HDH Board Mtg 5:30pm JCMI Bingo

10:00am Jewish Genealogy 11:30am TS-S Luncheon 12:00pm JCMI-S Lunch Mtg 12:15pm BT Torah Study 1:00pm JCMI Duplicate Bridge 1:00pm TS/WCA Jewelry Show 7:30pm JFCC Board Meeting

1:00pm JCMI Bridge 4:30pm BT Youth Ed Program 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Hebrew School 6:30pm TS B’nai Mitzvah Class 7:00pm GenShoah Film Event

16 President’s Day 17

9:00am BT Minyan 9:00am BT Religious School 9:30am JCMI Rabbi’s Adult Ed 10:00am JWV Fundraiser 11:00am BT Scholar-in-Res. 2:00pm HJH Comm Mtg 4:30pm GenShoah-BT Event

12:00pm NJC-S Book Club 1:00pm HDH Study Group 5:30pm JCMI Bingo

11:00am JCMI Book Club 11:30am NCJW Lunchoen 12:15pm BT Torah Study 1:00pm JCMI Duplicate Bridge 7:00pm TS Exec Cmte Mtg

8:00am CHA Grandparent’s Day 9:30am HJH Board Mtg 1:00pm JCMI Bridge 4:30pm BT Youth Ed Program 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Hebrew School 7:30pm ZOA Film 8:00pm BT Adult Ed

11:00am JCMI Mah Jongg 12:00pm NJC Men’s Mtg 1:30pm TS-S Book Bag 4:00pm BT Board Mtg 5:30pm TS Rosh Chodesh 7:30pm BT Lecture

6:00pm CHA Shabbat Dinner 6:15pm BT Services 7:30pm CHA Services 7:30pm NJC Services 7:30pm TS Services 8:00pm JCMI Services

9:30am BT Services 9:30am JCMI Services 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Services 7:00pm JCMI Fundraiser

11:00am CHA Women’s Circle 11:00am JCMI Mah Jongg 3:00pm HM Board Mtg 7:00pm JCMI Board Mtg 7:30pm BT Lecture

6:15pm BT Services 7:30pm CHA Services 7:30pm NJC Services 7:30pm TS Services 8:00pm JCMI Services

9:30am BT Services 9:30am JCMI Services 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Services 7:30pm JCMI Cultural Event

9:00am BT Minyan 9:00am BT Religious School 9:30am JCMI Rabbi’s Adult Ed 9:30am TS Sunday School 10:30am NJC Adult Ed 10:30am TS Adult Sunday Schl 3:30pm NJC Movie

10:30am JFCS Naples Jewish Caring Support Group 1:00pm HDH Study Group 5:30pm JCMI Bingo 7:30pm BT Book Group

8:00am CHA School Garden Day 11:00am JCMI Mah Jongg 1:00pm JCMI Bridge 1:30pm JCRC Mtg 4:30pm BT Youth Ed Program 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Hebrew School 6:30pm TS B’nai Mitzvah Class 7:30pm TS-JFCC Speaker Event 8:00pm BT Adult Ed

12:15pm BT Torah Study 11:30am HDH Knowl & Nosh 1:00pm JCMI Duplicate Bridge 1:00pm JCMI Bridge 7:00pm TS Board Mtg 4:30pm BT Youth Ed Program 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Hebrew School 6:30pm TS B’nai Mitzvah Class 7:30pm JFCC Evy Lipp People of the Book Event

Candle lighting times: February 6: February 13: February 20: February 27:

5:56 6:01 6:05 6:09

Throughout the year, some holidays fall within the normal work week. The Federation office will be closed in observance of those holidays which are listed in all CAPITAL LETTERS.

Key: • AJC: American Jewish Committee • ATS: American Technion Society • BT: Beth Tikvah • CHA: Chabad Jewish Center of Naples • CHA-M: Chabad Men’s Club • CJD: Catholic/Jewish Dialogue • HDH: Hadassah • HJH: Humanistic Jewish Havurah • HM: Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida • JCMI: Jewish Congregation of Marco Island

Federation Star Publication Policy The Federation Star is a subsidized arm of the Jewish Federation of Collier County (JFCC). Its purpose and function is to publicize the activities and programs of the “Federation,” and to publicize the ongoing activities of the established and recognized Jewish organizations within Collier County. The mission of the JFCC is to reach out and unite all Jews of the greater Collier County area. While offering opinions and points of view do, and will continue to, exist about many issues of importance to Jews, the Federation Star will confine itself to publishing ONLY items that report the facts of actual events of concern to Jews and will only offer commentary that clearly intends to unite all Jews in a common purpose or purposes. Critical or derogatory comments directed at individuals or organizations will NOT be published in the Federation Star.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ADVERTISERS WHO HELP MAKE THE FEDERATION STAR POSSIBLE. Be sure to mention you saw their ad in the Federation Star.

• JCMI-M: JCMI Men’s Club • JCMI-S: JCMI Sisterhood • JCRC: Jewish Community Relations Council • JFCC: Jewish Federation of Collier County • JFCS: Jewish Family & Community Services • JNF: Jewish National Fund • JWV: Jewish War Veterans • MCA: Men’s Cultural Alliance • MDA: Magen David Adom • NCJW: National Council of Jewish Women (Adopted by the Officers and Board of Trustees of the Jewish Federation of Collier County 1/98) To avoid misunderstandings, controversies and destructive divisions among our people, the Officers and Board of Trustees of the “Federation” have adopted the following publication policy: Advertisements: All advertisements, regardless of their sponsor, shall be paid for in full, at the established rates, prior to publication. The contents of all advertisements shall be subject to review and approval of the Federation Board or its designee. Commercial advertisers may make credit arrangements with the advertising manager, subject to the approval of the Federation Board. Regular Columns: Regular columns shall be accepted only from leaders (Rabbis, Presidents, Chairpersons) of established and recognized Jewish organizations within Collier County and the designated Chairpersons of the regular committees of the Jewish Federation of Collier County.

• NJC: Naples Jewish Congregation • NJC-M: Naples Jewish Congregation Men’s Club • NJC-S: Naples Jewish Congregation Sisterhood • NJSC: Naples Jewish Social Club • ORT: Organization for Rehabilitation/Training • TS: Temple Shalom • TS-M: Temple Shalom Men’s Club • TS-S: Temple Shalom Sisterhood • WCA: Women’s Cultural Alliance • ZOA: Zionist Organization of America

Special Announcements: Special announcements shall be accepted from established Jewish organizations within Collier County and may, at the discretion of the Federation Board, be subject to the conditions applicable to paid advertisements, as set forth above. News Items: Only those news items pertaining to matters of general interest to the broadest cross-section of the Jewish Community will be accepted for publication. Note: Items of controversial opinions and points of view, about political issues, will not be accepted for publication without prior approval of a majority of the Federation Officers and Trustees. All persons and organizations objecting to the actions and rulings of the Editor or Publications Committee Chairman shall have the right to appeal those rulings to the Officers and Board of Trustees of the JFCC.

February 2015 Federation Star

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY TEMPLE SHALOM OF NAPLES (Reform) 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34119 Phone: 455-3030  Fax: 455-4361 Email: info@naplestemple.org www.naplestemple.org Rabbi Adam Miller Cantor Donna Azu James H. Perman, D.D., Rabbi Emeritus Neil Shnider, President Caren Plotkin, Religious School Dir. Seyla Cohen, Preschool Director Peter Lewis, Organist/Choir Director

JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

BETH TIKVAH

(Reform)

(Conservative)

991 Winterberry Drive Marco Island, FL 34145 Phone: 642-0800  Fax: 642-1031 Email: mgr.jcmioffice@embarqmail.com Website: www.marcojcmi.com

Services are held at: The Unitarian Congregation 6340 Napa Woods Way Rabbi Sylvin Wolf Ph.D, DD 431-3858 Email: rabbi@naplesjewishcongregation.org www.naplesjewishcongregation.org

1459 Pine Ridge Road Naples, FL 34109

Rabbi Edward M. Maline, DD Hari Jacobsen, Cantorial Soloist Roger Blau, President Shabbat Services Friday 8:00 p.m. Torah Study and Saturday Services

Shabbat Services: Shabbat Eve - Friday 7:30 p.m. Shabbat - Saturday 10:00 a.m.

• Sisterhood • Men’s Club • Brownstein Judaica Gift Shop

• Sisterhood • Men’s Club • Adult Education • Havurot • Youth Groups • Religious School • Judaic Library • Hebrew School • Pre-School • Adult Choir • Social Action • Outreach

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos Dr. Arthur Seigel, President Ettie Zaklos, Education Director Shabbat Services Shabbat - Saturday 10am • Camp Gan Israel • Hebrew School • Preschool of the Arts • Jewish Women’s Circle • Adult Education • Bat Mitzvah Club • Friendship Circle • Smile on Seniors • Flying Challah • Kosher food delivery

The Federation Star is published monthly, September through July, by the Jewish Federation of Collier County. 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road Suite 2201 Naples, FL 34109-0613 Phone: 239-263-4205 Fax: 239-263-3813 E-mail: info@jewishnaples.org Website: www.jewishnaples.org Volume 24, No. 6 February 2015 40 pages USPS Permit No. 419 Publisher: Jewish Federation of Collier County Editor: Ted Epstein, 239-249-0699 fedstar18@gmail.com Design: Federation Media Group, Inc. Advertising: Ted Epstein 239-249-0699 March Issue Deadlines: Editorial: February 2 Advertising: February 6 Send news stories to: fedstar18@gmail.com

Shabbat Services Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. May - August: services once a month Sisterhood • Men’s Club Adult Education • Adult Choir Social Action • Community Events

Happy Hunting Ground

Naples’ only Judaica Shop

CHABAD NAPLES JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER serving Naples and Marco Island 1789 Mandarin Road, Naples, FL 34102 Phone: 262-4474 Email: info@chabadnaples.com Website: www.chabadnaples.com

Suzanne Paley, President Jane Galler, Cantorial Soloist

(just west of Mission Square Plaza)

Phone: 434-1818 Email: bethtikvahnaples@aol.com Website: www.bethtikvahnaples.org Rabbi Ammos Chorny Stuart Kaye & Rosalee Bogo, co-Presidents Phil Jason, Vice President Sue Hammerman, Secretary Shabbat Services Friday evenings at 6:15pm Saturday mornings at 9:30am Youth Education - Adult Education Community Events

Jewish Organizations to Serve You in Collier County (All area codes are 239 unless otherwise noted.)

Jewish Federation of Collier County

Bear with us if we remind you not to worm or weasel your way out of our request of you to consider a gift to the Endowment Fund of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. Or play possum if and when you are asked.

Phone: 263-4205  Fax: 263-3813 Website: www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org

It’s easy to squirrel away assets and groundhog them for oneself.

• Chapter Dir: Jennifer Singer, 941-378-1500

But hare’s a solution where your charitable giving can do a lot of good and skunk the tax collector at the same time.

• President: Lynn Weiner, 598-1009

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, we would like you to make a lifetime gift or bequest to the Federation’s Endowment Fund. Gopher it. Make your gift a real killer. Be a deer!

For more information on gift planning, call Jeffrey Feld at the Federation at 239.263.4205.

Please note our email addresses: Jeffrey Feld, Federation Executive – jfeld@jewishnaples.org Jill Saravis, Community Program Coord. – jill@jewishnaples.org Iris Doenias, Administrative Assistant – iris@jewishnaples.org Deborah Vacca, Bookkeeper – deborah@jewishnaples.org General information requests – info@jewishnaples.org Federation Star advertising – jacqui1818@gmail.com Ted Epstein, Editor, Federation Star – fedstar18@gmail.com

• Federation President: Alvin Becker • Federation Executive: Jeffrey Feld

American Technion Society Collier-Lee Chapter of Hadassah Friends of the IDF • Exec. Dir.: Dina Ben Ari, 305-354-8233

Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida • President: Joshua Bialek, 263-9200

Humanistic Jewish Havurah of Southwest Florida • Paula Creed, 495-8484

Israel Bonds • Reva Pearlstein, 800-622-8017 • Tyler Korn, 354-4300

Jewish Family and Community Services of Southwest Florida Phone: 325-4444 • Chairperson: Richard A. Goldblatt • President/CEO: Dr. Jaclynn Faffer

Jewish National Fund • West/Central FL Office, 800-211-1502 Uri ext 8910, Beth ext 8911

Jewish War Veterans Post 202,Collier Co. Chapter • Commander, Gil Block, 304-5953 • Senior Vice Commander, M/Gen. Bernard L. Weiss, USAF Ret. 594-7772

Men’s Cultural Alliance

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• President: Steve Brazina, 325-8694

Naples Friends of American Magen David Adom (MDA) • SE Reg Dir: Joel Silberman, 954-457-9766

National Council of Jewish Women • Co-President: Bobbie Katz, 353-5963 • Co-President: Linda Wainick, 354-9117

ORT - Gulf Beaches Chapter • President: Marina Berkovich, 566-1771

Women’s Cultural Alliance • President: Elaine Soffer, 431-7905

Federation membership

According to the By-Laws of the Jewish Federation of Collier County, members are those individuals who make an annual gift of $36 or more to the Annual Federation Campaign in our community. For more information, call the Federation office at 239.263.4205.

Federation Star February 2015

We’re restoring Jewish life where it was lost .

In places where Jews haven’t shared a Sabbath in decades, Federation is reviving the Jewish soul. Supporting Jewish cultural festivals in Bulgaria. School programs in Ukraine. And thousands of our elderly in the former Soviet Union. At home, in Israel and around the globe we’re strengthening Jewish life. Seeking innovative approaches to nurturing and rescuing our people wherever they’re in need.

Your Federation Federation gift gift enables us to to Your enables us accomplishall allthis thisand andmore. more.You’re You’rean an accomplish

integral part of of all all we we do. do. Give integral part Give to to the the Annual Annual Campaign today. us at www.or Campaign today. Visit us Visit at website.org jewishnaples.org, call (xxx) xxx-xxxx.call 239.263.4205 or complete and mail the form below.

Donate. Volunteer. Get involved. www.jewishnaples.org • 239.263.4205

YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE!

Everything Federation does is made possible through the generous donations from members of the community. Please consider making a gift today!

FS0215

 I hereby pledge and promise to pay my Federation for the 2015 JFCC/UJA Annual Campaign a contribution of:  $36  $72  $180  $540  other $_________  Contribution enclosed (Check #__________)  Please charge my:

 MasterCard

 Visa

 Please bill me  American Express

Jewish Federation may add a 3% donation to my payment to offset credit card service fee _____ (initials or √ denote authorization)

Account #___________________________________________________ Exp. Date____________ ccv#__________ Name: ____________________________________________________ Signature:__________________________________________ Billing Address:______________________________________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________ ST: ______ Zip: _______________ Phone: __________________________________ Please send to: Jewish Federation of Collier County, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Suite 2201, Naples, FL 34109-0613 JFCC/UJA CAMPAIGN OF JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA