SAVE THE DATE
2015 FEDERATION COMMUNITY CELEBRATION All Aboard the USS Jewish Federation of Collier County luxury liner on Saturday, January 31 at the exotic port of Wyndemere Country Club. Mark your calendar for a luxurious land-locked “cruise” with fellow travel lovers.
“Cruise Directors” Rosalee Bogo, Phyllis Seaman, Wallie Lenchner and Andrea Tretter will meet and greet you with delightful gourmet fare from our favorite Ports of Call.
Enjoy music, dancing and lavish cocktail extravaganzas with new and retiring Captains.
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: 4 Women’s Cultural Alliance 5 Men’s Cultural Alliance 6 Community Focus 11 Jewish Interest 12 Tributes 16 Israel & the Jewish World 20 Commentary 21 Business Directory 24 Focus on Youth 26 Rabbinical Reflections 26 Synagogues 28 Organizations 30 Community Calendar 31 Community Directory
6 Pledge Riders tour the Holocaust Museum
9 The Naples Orchestra and Chorus’s new conductor
10 Subject of Israeli bestseller to visit Naples
25 Naples BBYO update
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October 2014 - Tishrei/Cheshvan 5775
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Vol. 24 #2
Choices and b’sheirt – a chat with Federation’s new executive By Carole J Greene
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effrey Feld, the Jewish Federation of Collier County’s brand new Executive Officer, had occupied his new office for three days when I hit him with my question for this article: Why you, why here, why now? His answer in our delightful conversation over the next hour boiled down to “choices and b’sheirt” – it’s meant to be, but possibly heavier on the latter. Early in adulthood, Jeffrey Feld chose a career path in Jewish communal service and has never regretted it. From camp director and teen-tween-BBYOsingles program director, to director of suburban services, to YMHA & YWHA director, to executive director of Jewish Federations in both Savannah and Memphis, Jeffrey has climbed the rungs of a career ladder that has spanned 40+ years and several states. Whether in Pittsburgh, Passaic, Nashville, Savannah or Memphis, Jeffrey made choices to benefit the community he served as well as his own family. His decision to come to Naples came because he was ready for “another adventure” in his career. “Every move brought me more opportunities to expand the focus of my career,” Jeffrey said. Every move also involved the hopes and dreams of his family, not merely Jeffrey’s professional ambitions. In each community, he and wife Susan made friends they still have, decades later. He found Susan when he moved from Pittsburgh to Passaic. He’d chatted with a mentor about his various job options and heeded his mentor’s advice: “Go to Passaic. All the cute girls are there.” Jeffrey found the right cute girl for himself and, while creating a team to help him climb his chosen career ladder, married her. “My two children were born in New Jersey,” Jeffrey said, his eyes sparkling with pride. Both those kids have now graduated college and begun their own careers, but it was Susan’s request that Jeffrey stay in one job until they left high school that kept him in Memphis for 16 years. As noted in last month’s Federation Star article about Jeffrey, while executive director of the Memphis Jewish Fed-
Jewish Federation of Collier County Inc. 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201 Naples, FL 34109
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eration he “conducted nine consecutive record-breaking annual campaigns” and “played an extensive role in obtaining significant endowment gifts for the Foundation.” With their children grown and gone, Jeffrey gave the Memphis Federation a date, certain that he would leave his position there, so they could find his replacement and effect an easy transition. Not so easy was Susan’s leaving her position as director of the Barbara K. Lipman Early Learning Center at Temple Israel. She’s still there. Until November. “Throughout my career,” Jeffrey said, “Susan has always helped me determine where I’d go and when.” It was only right and proper that he allow her the same courtesy, so for his first three months, he’s settling in here without his wife. With or without Susan at his side, Jeffrey is getting acquainted with his new community, attending Shabbat services at various congregations, meeting leaders of the local Jewish community.
“My perspective has always been that everyone is important. It’s critical to have good relationships with staff and leaders, as well as to make friends. I feel blessed that, in many cases, the people I’ve worked with have also become dear friends.” After Jeffrey told the Memphis Jewish Federation the date he would depart their employ, he explored several possibilities for his next adventure – in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. “I became aware of this position, explored it and decided. I think it was b’sheirt. I’m thrilled to have this happen – to continue the progress of the Jewish Federation of Collier County and to help it grow. Our decision to come to paradise – and that’s what Naples is – was thoughtful, planful but also fortunate.” Thoughtful, carefully explored options, good decisions among choices, and a sense of “it’s meant to be” have brought Jeffrey Feld and, come November, Susan Feld, to our paradise. We’re fortunate too.
We Wish You a Sweet New Year With the recent crisis in Israel still foremost in our minds, we realize that our unity is more important than ever. So this Rosh Hashanah, let’s look past our labels and work together as one people – for a truly sweet new year.
Shanah Tovah from our family at the Jewish Federation of Collier County to you and yours.
FEDERATION
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CONSER VATIVE
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Federation Star October 2014
Luxury Knows No Limits.
JEWISH FEDERATION
Nurturing a Jewish identity for future generations Alvin Becker Federation President
Consider Me Your Trusted REAL ESTATE ADVISOR I am honored to help you locate your dream home or sell your property.
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he character and quality of the Jewish community – its viability, its responsiveness, its supportiveness, its advocacy of Jewish values – that we leave to the next generation (and future generations) is more critical than the value of the assets we leave to our heirs. Yet we find that discrimination and misunderstanding are still factors in some arenas; and that young Jewish men and women, while looking for ways to connect with the Jewish community, are not demanding that connection. The Jewish Federation of Collier County, recognizing these challenges,
Together, we can make miracles happen!
KEVIN AIZENSHTAT REALTOR®
Jeffrey Feld
JFCC Officer & Board Member Since 2006
Federation Executive
“Kevin provided us with exceptional service. His ability exceeded our expectations.” — Dr. Joel and Jane Waltzer —
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halom! I am extremely honored and excited to become the next Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. The Jewish community has been very warm and engaging as my wife, Susan, and I begin our new life here. We wish each of you a Happy, Healthy, Prosper-
239.777.1451
707 12th Avenue South Naples, Florida 34102 | www.gcipnaples.com
Fed Cup VI
Sunday, December 21 at TwinEagles
has established YOUTH and YOUTH EDUCATION as priorities in its grant and other supportive programs. Through them, we provide local synagogues with scholarship funds for religious education for all ages, at the preschool and grade school levels. We fund Jewish camp, teen Israel experiences, and March of the Living participation, support for the operation of Naples BBYO and its leadership development initiatives, and other Jewish teen activities. Funds are made available in support of Hillel chapters on Florida university campuses, and of Birthright Israel participation since its inception 15 years ago. Nurturing and sustaining a Jewish identity for future generations is a key initiative of the Jewish Federation of Collier County, one in which you can participate through your contribution to our Annual Campaign.
ous and Peaceful Shanah Tovah! The Jewish community is approaching the Festival of Sukkot. In my mind, it is a perfect Federation holiday. In order to make a lulav, it is essential to bring together a variety of entities. Federation has been, and continues to be, the organization that brings together all of the various entities of the Jewish community in order that we work together for a greater, communal good. I look forward to getting to know all of you and working with you. Together, we can make miracles happen! Todah Rabah.
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3 Federation Star October 2014 JEWISH FEDERATION
October 2014 Federation Star
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Speaker set for next Evy Lipp People of the Book Event By Carole J Greene
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or centuries, Jews have proudly our previous speakers, including Rabbi carried the nickname “People of Harold Kushner, Professor Alan Derthe Book.” We Jews guide our showitz, Jeffrey Toobin and Ted Koppel. moral behavior by the laws established After hearing remarks about Dr. by our defining book: Torah. Wollschlaeger ’s Through the ages, we have always previous presentavalued learning. To underscore tions, such as, “We the significance of books and were mesmerized learning, the Jewish Federation by his message,” of Collier County has, for the past “You could literally ten years, sponsored a cultural hear a pin drop,” gathering now named the Evy and “We walked Lipp People of the Book Event. out of there overOur next one – the eleventh – is whelmed,” our set for Wednesday, February 25, Federation had to Bernd Wollschlaeger, M.D. 2015. lure him to Naples. Our presenter, Bernd Wollschlaeger, He will bring to life the compelling M.D., will join the illustrious list of story told in his remarkable book
A German Life – Against All Odds, Change Is Possible. Dr. Wollschlaeger was born in Germany in 1958 to a father who had served as a tank commander in an elite unit of the World War II Wehrmacht. Yes, his father was a Nazi, who refused to answer his curious son’s questions about what really happened to Jews at the hands of the Nazis. His father’s denial of the Holocaust and his blatant anti-Semitism only spurred Bernd’s desire to know more. I won’t steal our speaker’s thunder by telling you the story. And it is quite a story – I’ve read his book. I’ll say only
that in time, Bernd discovered that within his German body lived a Jewish soul, and he defied family and friends to become a Jew by choice. You’ll have to come and hear it for yourself: Temple Shalom, February 25, 2015, 7:30 p.m. The event is open only to members of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. Please hold off making a reservation until you receive the official flyer. Look for it in your mailbox in early November. To learn how you can become a member, call the Federation office at 239.263.4205.
Catholic-Jewish Dialogue update By Marv Weisberg, co-Chair
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his season, the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue is going to be focusing our programs on the rise of religious persecution around the world. As a docent at the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida, focusing mainly on tours for middle school classes, I recently received a packet of “thank you” letters from a Marv Weisberg group of Corkscrew Middle School students. One, in particular, stood out as coming from a child who, in his own way “gets it,” a child who recognizes that persecution of any weak or minority group is wrong. I would like to quote a paragraph from his letter. (Spelling and grammar are as
in the original letter.) “Above all, I believe the best thing to learn about is to not separate. It seems like every book I’ve ever read separates people. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Xenocide, they all have a minority group, each group lucky to get by in a world that does not like them. Don’t believe me? In Harry Potter, the wizards born from no magical families are made fun of by the so called ‘pure bloods.’ In Percy Jackson, demigods of minor status are rarely recognized, and rarely get out of the Hermes Cabin, which is literally overflowing with thieves and people. In Xenocide, a planet with two groups, the super intelligent god spoken, and the less intelligent, not god spoken. The differences between the two can be slight or large. And each minority, or weak group, has their fair share of punishment. Voldemort killed
Internationally-recognized terrorism expert to speak in Naples By Jeff Margolis
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r. Sabi Shabtai, an internationfilm was shown by the IAC in July ally-recognized authority on and is being brought back by popular terrorism, will be speaking in demand. Naples on Wednesday, December 10 at A BIG event is coming! Circle the 7:30 p.m. at Temple Shalom. Dr. Shabtai date of Sunday, March 29, 2015. The Israel Advocacy Committee is proud to was born in Israel and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He has sponsor Buy Israel Goods (BIG) Day. been a professor of political science at The program, to be held at Temple Shalom from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., will feature several universities and was a Senior Fellow at the Adlai Stevenson Institute vendors with products from Israel. The of International Affairs. He has also entire community is invited to particiworked in various capacities for the pate and show support for the economy and people of Israel. Israeli government. This event is free and open to the The members of the Israel Advopublic. Reservations can be made at cacy Committee would like to wish israeladvocacycommittee@gmail.com. everyone a Happy and Prosperous Israel Advocacy Committee co5775. chair Steve Brazina has announced a continuation of his successful film and discussion sessions, Israel 201. Steve is in the process of selecting films that are relevant and thought-provoking, given the current Do you enjoy talking to people? Are you outgoing? situation in the Middle Volunteer to answer the phones, take messages and East. direct calls for a couple of hours a week – Monday The season openthrough Thursday – at the Federation office. ing program will take Requirements: place on Wednesday, A desire to help with the Jewish Federation goals; December 17 at 2:00 p.m., and will feature an interest in donating a few hours of free time each the new Moriah Film week; the obligation to maintain confidentiality. production, The Prime If you are interested, Ministers, which traces the history and chalor for more information, lenges of Israel’s early prime ministers. This call Jill Saravis at 239.263.4205.
plenty of wizards, the minor demigods rarely got to leave or no their parent, the god spoken treated those who weren’t poorly, nothing more but servants to them. I believe if we do not remember our biggest separation, separations like these can, and probably will happen. But that’s enough of drawing lines in books.” These examples, taken from books geared toward children and young adults, may not focus on religious persecution, but they do raise the issue of persecution for no reason other than some type of “birthright” or class structure. But is religious persecution any different? Does being born into one religion or choosing to convert to another make you any less of a person? Would any
rational person think so? If an 8th grade student can perceive the “wrongness” of persecution, why is it such a dominant factor in today’s world? *** On Sunday, November 9 at 2:30 p.m. we will be having our annual Kristallnacht Commemoration at Temple Shalom of Naples, 4630 Pine Ridge Road. I can assure you that our program will be very uplifting and our keynote speaker will be present a topic that is very much a worldwide contemporary issue. As in past years, we look forward to seeing a large crowd. We still have some minor tweaking to be done with the program but we should have full details by next month.
Gary A. Layton, D.D.S.
Gentle Endodontics and second opinions
(Root Canal Therapy)
Volunteer Opportunity Phone/Receptionist
For testimonials please visit: www.GaryLaytondds.com
West Lake Professional Center 4959 Castello Drive, Naples
239-262-2677
For a continuously updated community calendar, visit the Federation’s website at www.jewishnaples.org.
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Federation Star October 2014 WOMEN’S CULTURAL ALLIANCE
JEWISH FEDERATION www.WomensCulturalAlliance.com / 215-820-6697
WCA offers varied and exciting Thursday Speaker Series By Elaine Soffer, WCA President
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his season the very popular Thursday morning WCA Speaker Series will continue to meet weekly and inform, delight and thrill WCA members with original presentations. As always, the speakers are volunteers, allowing WCA to present these wonderful enrichment programs free to its members. These programs fill up very quickly once publicized in the Thursday eblast that all members receive. Sign up quickly to guarantee a seat. There will be a variety of speakers, including both new and familiar faces, all with wonderful new presentations to offer. The range of topics is far-reaching including fine arts, literature, music, history, humor and self-help.
power of humor and laughter in “The Worth of Mirth.” Since moving to Southwest Florida, I have been amazed at the large number of residents whose life experiences are noteworthy. This season David L. Auerbach will return to present “JFK, Kruschev and the Almost Missed Calculation,” concerning that tension-filled period in the 1960s. New faces will include Judd Doyle on “Peace Keeping Along the Sinai,” an exciting look at a mid-career life change as an expatriate in the Foreign Service. Ethan Bensinger will discuss the making of the documentary Refuge, a personal testimony of struggle, survival and rebirth from Kristallnacht to Auschwitz. Cesare Andre Frustaci, a Holocaust survivor, will speak about his book Not a Trace of Smoke. Debbie Doyle, who joined her husband as an expatriate in Egypt, will present a unique look at the people of Egypt from her book Faces of Egypt. Our lives have always been enriched by music and there is so much available to us in Southwest Florida. This Popular WCA Speaker Jeff Margolis will be returning to the season WCA is fortunate to be 2014-2015 Speaker Series with a presentation on the life and lyrics of Yip Harburg and The Wizard of Oz able to present talks on various aspects of music. Jeff Margolis’ presenLaughter is always good for the soul. Frances Huber will open the seatation, “The Yellow Brick Road,” deals son with her presentation entitled “Fewith the life and lyrics of Yip Harburg male Fears and Fantasies; The Writing and The Wizard of Oz. Ellen Katz will be entertaining us with a talk on “Five Deof a Woman’s Tale of Golf,” based on cades of Broadway’s Greatest Songs.” her humorous new book about women Award-winning composer Alexanand golf. Carol O’Flaherty, a nationally der Goldstein, considered an authority loved nurse and humorist, will discuss in incorporating music in sports, will her invaluable experiences about the
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
talk about the shelter. present “An Olympic Journey Through Be sure to read the weekly eblast for Music of 40 Medalists from 1972 to 2014.” the scheduling of these and other exciting programs. Remember that if you are Mystery author Lawrence Dea member of WCA you are eligible to Maria’s talk is entitled “Sound of Blood: The Making of a Thriller.” Holcome to hear these wonderful speakers, but you must register. If you aren’t a lis Chalem is returning to present “50 member of WCA, consider joining by Shades of Grey - The Film: Christian completing the membership form below Steele and Anastasia Grey Come Alive!” so that you can attend the Speaker Series Steve Yussen will discuss “Philip Roth and Friends.” and the many other programs that WCA has to offer. For more information visit Adding even more variety to the 2014-2015 season will be Helene Lerwww.WomensCulturalAlliance.com. ner, who will take us back WOMEN’S CULTURAL ALLIANCE to “The Royal Women of OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF COLLIER COUNTY CORDIALLY INVITES ITS MEMBERS TO ATTEND THE Ancient Greece: Chutzpah and Menschlickeit.” Kristine WELCOME BACK LUNCHEON and Juliana Meek, Assistant THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014 Directors of the Harmon La Playa Beach and Golf Resort Meek Gallery, will discuss 11:00 am – 2:00 pm the gallery and its role in ENTERTAINMENT PROVIDED BY “The History of the Naples Art Movement: Fifty years in Forty-Five Minutes.” Bruce Rosenblatt will present an overview of “Senior Living in Southwest Florida.” Dori Neiss, a skincare and makeup professional, will teach us how “Less is More.” Professional coach Janina Birtolo Kathryn McKenzie’s talk, “Somewhere Over the RainAn award-winning actress and writer who specializes in one-woman shows based upon historical characters bow,” will focus on public speaking. Renowned motivaBy portraying noted and lesser known women from the past, tional speaker Sam Geist will Janina hopes to inspire women of today. present his view of the “Glass For membership information, contact Linda Simon at lgsimon2947@yahoo.com. Ceiling.” Linda OberhauMembers who did not receive their invitation, please contact Nancy Kahn at dearnancykahn@gmail.com. sen, executive director of the Ten dollars of the luncheon couvert is a Shelter for Abused Women, tax deductible contribution to Jewish Family and Community Services. will provide an informational
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.
MEN’S Cultural Alliance Membership Form Please check: r New
r Renewal
r I want to be listed in the MCA membership roster For more information, email Steve Brazina at sbrazina@aol.com 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
Membership: $56 or $64 (includes name badge) minimum
donation for the year, and includes Federation membership. Additional donation to the Federation is voluntary and encouraged. Name as you’d like it to appear on badge: ____________________________ In Southwest Florida: r full-time r part-time (from _______ to _______) Name: __________________________________________________________ Spouse or Partner Name, if applicable: _______________________________ Local Address: __________________________________________________ City: ______________________________ State: _____ Zip Code ____________ Email: __________________________________________________________ Florida home phone:_____________________________________________ Cell phone: ____________________________________________________ Northern Address: _______________________________________________ City: ______________________________ State: _____ Zip Code ____________ Northern home phone: ___________________________________________
5 Federation Star October 2014 JEWISH FEDERATION
October 2014 Federation Star
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Welcome home & New Year appeal Phyllis Seaman
Published by
Federation VP & Campaign Chair 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.
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or many of you, the Naples area is your second home, but you really spend more quality time here, and your hometown has become your second home. Many of you have come to realize with each passing year how much our overall community has grown, especially our Jewish community and how relevant we are to the Greater Collier County (including Bonita Springs and Estero) community. A recent report of small cities stated that the city of Naples has the second largest amount of millionaires in the country. Pretty impressive! That is just Naples, not all of Collier County. That little bit of trivia is a great segue into the subject nearest and dearest to my heart – the 2014 Jewish Federation Campaign – and our goal of $1.5+ million dollars. As I’ve stated over and over, we are a community that could and should raise much more than that and easily. I’m proud of what I do and all that our Federation does in our community, nationally, in Israel and more than 60 countries worldwide. We should all be proud and take ownership in the success of our Federation. Our community raised over $60,000 for the “STOP THE SIRENS” campaign for Israel in July and early August. To those who contributed, thank you for your generous contribution. That donation is not part of the Federation campaign. That special gift is a “pass through” that goes straight to The Jewish Federations of North America for direct emergency funding in Israel. It always amazes me how everyone comes through and reaches into their wallets in times of strife. Right now there are so many needs worldwide. That’s our job – to raise money to fulfill those needs as best we can. With anti-Semitism once again on the rise, we cannot keep our heads in our
golf holes any longer. Those of us lucky have been a friend, mentor, sounding board and cheerleader. Thank you enough to live where we live have to for helping me find my wings. Here’s help our people wherever the needs are. wishing you an exciting journey into That is what your Jewish Federation and retirement and your new community. its partners, the American Jewish Joint Our community has had a lot of sucDistribution Committee and the Jewish cess with you at the helm. Thanks for Agency for Israel, do. the memories. We are in the final quarter of the I would also like to welcome our 2014 Campaign and halfway to our new Federation executive, Jeffrey Feld, goal. We made our 2013 million dollar and his wife, Susan, to our beautiful goal literally in the last hours of 2013. I community. I’m looking forward to would love to have our banner headline, working with Jeffrey, and wish him that we met our campaign goal, in the and Susan lots of luck and happiness December issue of the Federation Star, in Naples. which means reaching our goal by early For 5775 and 2014, consider your November. We need you now! gift or additional gift to Federation. Unfortunately I can’t reach out to all If you have already made your gift or of you individually, so my articles are pledge – Thank You. my sounding board. Our fabulous FedL’Shanah Tovah and Peace. eration Star newspaper, thanks to our tireless and innovative editor, Ted Epstein, keeps you informed of Youth Programs & Youth Education ● Beth Tikvah - Adult & Youth Education everything that is hap● BBYO Naples pening in our Jewish ● Chabad - Camp Gan/Preschool of the Arts/Hebrew School community all year. ● Temple Shalom - Preschool & Religious School Scholarships Our Federation of● Hillel at Florida State University fice, meeting rooms Local Humanitarian & Social Services and Community Room ● Jewish Family & Community Service are in use year round. Israel & Overseas Humanitarian & social services ● JFNA - Overseas Core Assessment The Women’s Cultural ● Neve Michael Children's Village Alliance and Men’s ● Yad LaKashish - Lifeline for the Old Cultural Alliance so● Sapir Community Center - Kfar Saba cial affinity groups are ● World Union - Preschools in Kiev, Ukraine under the umbrella of ● Taglit-Birthright Israel Federation. Over 1,000 ● ORT - school transportation in Eastern Europe Cultural Programs & Adult Education women and men in ● Holocaust Museum & Education Center our community come ● Jewish Congregation of Marco Island - Jewish Film Festival to our “community ● Jewish Congregation of Marco Island - Cultural Series center” to meet for soUnmet Needs cial events, mah jongg, ● Greater Naples YMCA - Disaster Relief canasta, bridge, crafts, ● JFCS - Developing Healthy Socialization Skills discussion groups, lan● Collier County School - "Check It Out: Let's Stop Bullying" ● Typhoon Haiyan Relief Efforts guage study and a myrNational Jewish Advocacy Organizations iad of other activities. ● The Israel Project I am personally ● Anti-Defamation League reaching out to each ● American Friends of Magen David Adom of you to consider a ● Jewish National Fund gift to the Federation ● American Jewish World Service for all that Federation Federation Committees and Activities ● Jewish Community Relations Council means to you and our ● Fund for Human Needs community. ● Stand Up for Justice Grant Before I close I ● Catholic-Jewish Dialogue want to wish David ● Israel Advocacy Committee Willens, Federation’s ● Camp Scholarship Committee executive director for ● Evy Lipp People of the Book Event ● Women's Cultural Alliance the past 15 years, bon ● Men's Cultural Alliance voyage. David, you
WHERE YOUR DOLLARS GO
MCA blasts into new season By Jeff Margolis
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he new season for the Men’s Cultural Alliance of Collier County is commencing with the inauguration of its first Program Guide. The guide, which will be sent to members in October, will have a complete listing of upcoming MCA events, information regarding the newly organized lecture series, interest groups (birding, fishing, biking, etc.), as well as special events like the annual trip to see the Florida Everblades. The Program Guide will also be available online at www.jewishnaples.org/mca. Group Update: MCA is pleased to announce the establishment of a Bocce Club. The group is open to members and will launch on Monday, December 1 at Veterans Community Park in Naples. For more information, please contact Jeff Schein at MCABoccegroup@ gmail.com. Are you interested in poker? The MCA Poker Group is getting together again. The group meets on Monday evenings at Avalon in Pelican Bay. For more information, please contact Stan Tralins at saul4526@aol.com. Don’t forget our Welcome Back Luncheon. The MCA will kick off the 2014-15 season on Tuesday, November 11 at 11:30 a.m. at the Vasari Country Club. The featured speaker will be Carrie Kerskie, President of the Kerskie Group and a nationally recognized authority on personal security. She is the author of the book Your Public Identity:
Because Nothing is Private Anymore. Ms. Kerskie will be talking about identity theft and will provide valuable tips and techniques for protecting your identity. Please plan to join us. It’s time to renew your membership. Dues for the upcoming season are due by November 1. A membership renewal form can be found on the previous page. New members of MCA are welcome to
join and participate in our spectacular season. Be sure to check the MCA weekly eblast sent to all members, and check out our new web page at www.jewishnaples. org/mca. Best wishes to all MCA members and their families for a Happy and Healthy New Year. Welcome back!
SAVE THE DATES FOR THIS SEASON’S TWO BIG EVENTS: Federation’s Annual Community Celebration Saturday, January 31, 2015 * * * * *
Evy Lipp People of the Book Cultural Event Wednesday, February 25, 2015
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Federation Star October 2014
COMMUNITY FOCUS
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & ED CTR OF SWFL
www.holocaustmuseumswfl.org / 239-263-9200
Holocaust Museum update With its trip to Boca Raton, the boxcar began its annual school year travels. Amy Snyder It is now at the South Regional Library in Naples until the end of October, and Executive then heads off to LaBelle. Director Our exciting Fall Season calendar begins on Sunday, October 12 with two events: the opening of The Last Album eptember started off with a roar! exhibit (on display through November Members of the Pledge Riders 30) and a special 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Galmotorcyclist group visited the lery Talk by The Last Album author Ann Museum on September 4. Composed of Weiss. The exhibit highlights about 400 Jewish and Christian riders, the group of the thousands of pre-Holocaust fampromotes remembrance of the Holocaust ily photographs found by Ms. Weiss in during its annual long-distance rides. a storeroom at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The This year’s ride began in Pennsylvania photos were originally brought to the and ended in Boca Raton the evening of camp by Jewish deportees from all over September 4. The Museum’s traveling Europe. The subjects reflect everything boxcar exhibit, on loan from Jack and from daily life to special family mileF.E. Nortman and the Nortman Famstones. The vitality and happiness of ily Foundation, served as the dramatic the photos stands in stark contrast to the background for the closing ceremony later fate these families shared. While in Boca Raton. Pledge Rider Andy Ms. Weiss did her best to track down Reti also presented the Museum with remaining family members from these a copy of his book, The Son of an Exphotographs, sadly, photos are all that traordinary Woman, for our library. The remain of most of the families shown. book recounts his mother’s Holocaust During her Gallery Talk, Ms. Weiss experiences. will discuss her discovery of the forgotten photos, and her efforts to find surviving family members and uncover their stories. Reservations are required due to space limitations. Tickets are a suggested donation of $15 per person to help defray exhibit costs. RSVP to the Members of the Pledge Riders tour the Holocaust Museum Museum at 239.263.9200
If your information has NOT changed, you do not have to do anything. If your information HAS changed or if you are NOT listed in the 2014 edition, complete and return this form.
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or danielle@holocaustmu seumswfl.org. On Monday, October 13 the Museum will host the first in a series of “One Book, Southwest Florida” discussions to be held in our area. Collier County librarian Denise McMahon will lead a discussion of Gertruda’s Oath by Ram Oren. The book depicts the true story of daring wartime journey made by a young Jewish boy and his Catholic nanny, who promised the boy’s dying mother she would help the boy survive the war. Admission is free, but reservations
are required due to space limitations. RSVP to the Museum at 239.263.9200 or danielle@holocaustmuseumswfl.org. We have an exciting year ahead of us, and hope to see you at our exhibits and events. Please visit www.Holocaust MuseumSWFL.org for more information on the Museum and its calendar.
Jewish Community Directory Our Jewish community continues to grow. To help everyone keep in touch with one another, your Jewish Federation of Collier County will be publishing the 2015 Community Directory. Free copies will be made available to all. But first...
We need your help! We’re gathering information now so we can distribute the new Directory in December 2014. ÎÎ If your information has NOT changed from what appears in the 2014 edition, you do not have to do anything. We will print the same information in the next edition. ÎÎ If your information has changed, or if you are not listed in the 2014 edition, complete and return this form by mail or by fax. All requested information is optional. ÎÎ If we do not hear from you by October 31, we will assume we have your permission to publish your name(s) and contact information as we currently have them in our files.
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY 2015 The Jewish serves 3,200 Jewi Federation of Collier County sh households in Naples, Marc and the surroundi o Island ng communities and addressin by recognizing g the charitabl e, educational, humanitarian, cultural, and social serv ice needs of the in our commun Jews ity and around the world.
Jewish Federat ion of Collier 2500 Vanderb County ilt Beach Road , Suite 2201 Naples, FL 34 109 239.263.4205 www.jewishna ples.org
Copies of the 2014 Directory are available at the Federation office.
Please check one of these boxes
{
Yes! Please include me/us in the 2015 Directory. Only include information you’d like in the Directory. No, please do not include me/us. Please provide us with your name(s) and address.
Contact information: (please print clearly)
(M) Male
(F) Female
First Name(s): (M) ____________________(F)____________________Last:_____________________________ Florida Address: _________________________________________________________________________ City:_______________________________________________ St: ______ Zip: ___________________________ Phone: Local: _________________________________ Northern: __________________________________ (M) Cell: __________________________ (M) Email: ____________________________________________ (F) Cell: _________________________ (F) Email: ___________________________________________
Additional information: full-time resident part-time resident: we arrive in SW Florida on: _____________________ we head north on: _____________________________
Please return by October 31, 2014.
Fax your completed form to: (239) 263-3813
Jewish Federation of Collier County or mail it to:
2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201 Naples, FL 34109
7 Federation Star COMMUNITY FOCUS October 2014
October 2014 Federation Star
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JFCS’s history of growth: part one By Richard A. Goldblatt, Board Chair, Jewish Family & Community Services of Southwest Florida
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y wife and I have lived in a variety of New England locations. Whether it was Connecticut (Bridgeport), Massachusetts (Framingham) or Rhode Island (Narragansett), each community was served by a highly respected Jewish Family Service agency. I’ll bet the same is true of almost 100% of the readers of this article. Jewish Family Service agencies, wherever they are located and however long they have operated, have always stood for the highest quality of services, outstanding professional staffing, committed volunteer leadership and exceptional community support…and this continues to be true right here in Naples and the rest of Southwest Florida. Jewish Family and Community Services of Southwest Florida (JFCS) is our name and in one form or another we have operated in greater Naples for over twenty years. History: During the ’90s and early 2000s, we were a division of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. Our staff was part-time and often volunteer, and our board was advisory in nature. While counseling was limited and short-term, our focus was often on information and referral to other community resources. We maintained a small food pantry (actually a single set of metal shelves) and we provided emergency financial assistance. In the middle of the previous decade (2004-2007) several members of that Advisory Board, using their communities of origin as a model, began to professionalize the programs and staff.
This was supported completely by the Jewish Federation whose board members also reflected on various Jewish Family agencies from their own communities of origin. We hired our first executive director and our first clinically trained social worker. Jewish Family Services, as we were then known, began to provide counseling programs and bereavement groups along with limited outreach into the community. Our connections with referral sources like the clergy, the medical profession and the legal community expanded and we began to be recognized as a growing professional organization. Turning point: Sometimes unplanned events conspire to move one forward in ways never previously considered. In our case there were two such events. Following the unexpected departure of our first executive director, a search for his replacement was undertaken. Among the resumes we reviewed was one from a very experienced, nationally known Jewish Family Service executive. Dr. Jaclynn Faffer was hired in July 2010 and almost immediately this organization’s ascent shifted into high gear. A second, but related, transcendent event followed on November 22, 2011. On this date, with the filing of separate articles of incorporation, an independent Jewish Family and Community Services of Southwest Florida was born. We physically separated by moving out of the Federation offices three and a half months later. Special note needs to be made of the financial commitment
Escape From a Nazi Death Camp to be screened at Holocaust Museum
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obibor, the remote Nazi death camp in east Poland, was the site of an incredible escape story of 300 Jewish prisoners who, in 1943, staged a bloody breakout. The story is told through the firsthand compelling account of four survivors who implore us to remember. The idea of mounting an escape from Sobibor, a camp that was created purely for extermination, began in spring 1943. Determined this would not be their fate, the Sobibor inmates formed an “underground” group. With escape as their only option for survival, they decided to systematically kill key German officers by luring them to their deaths. In the absence of SS authority, the underground would then rally everyone to storm the main gate and escape to freedom. Drama sequences transport
the viewer to October 14, 1943, as the plot unfolds. After the revolt, Himmler ordered that Sobibor be razed and hidden from Nazi records, for fear that details of the outbreak would inspire others to follow suit. All evidence of Sobibor’s existence was to be destroyed. However, this film gives the survivors, now in their 80s and 90s, their last chance to reveal the day they took back control of their lives and escaped certain death to freedom. Steve Brazina, program chair of GenShoah, will present the film on Sunday, October 19 at 5:00 p.m. at the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida. Space is limited and reservations are required at ida.margolis2@gmail. com or 239.963.9347.
Interested in your family’s history?
Do you have a similar photo in your home? Who are these people? Are they related to you? Do you know where your forebears came from? How do you find out? Do your grandchildren know who these people are? Researching your family genealogy can help you find the answers to all these questions. And the answers to questions you don’t even know to ask yet. Want to find out how to get started? Come to 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) on Tuesday, October 14 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.
provided by the Jewish Federation of Collier County. Without its continuing support during the transition, our success could not have occurred. The Federation’s very strong financial support continues today! Today: From our roots in a small suite within the Federation offices, JFCS moved to a 3,000 square-foot suite of offices at 5025 Castello Drive in Naples. Mainly to accommodate the opening of the first Senior Center in Collier County, JFCS now occupies 7,500 square feet including the entire first floor as well as second floor space for community partnership offices and a large board room/community room. It should come as no surprise that the need for additional space continues to be on our agenda. At the time of the move in March 2012, the JFCS staff consisted of two full-time and two part-time employees. Today, in addition to our President/CEO, we employ a Director of Programs and Services, a Senior Center Director, two clinical therapists, one case manager, an Executive Assistant and an Administrative Assistant (all full-time) as well as a Manager of Volunteer Services and a Bookkeeper (both part-time).
Neither staff nor space increase for reasons other than program growth, and our programs have grown exponentially! We operate the very first Senior Center in Collier County. The Senior Center, not yet a year old, provides social and activity programs five days a week, including a “Lunch and More” weekly lunch which draws, on average, 110 people every Wednesday. Our clinical programs usually occur in our offices but also at clients’ homes and/or off-site locations. Growth and expansion of our programs is under constant review and consideration. Many thanks to the Jewish Federation of Collier County for its continuing financial support. Many thanks too to our strong and committed Board of Directors, without whose vision, critical analysis and financial support we would not be where we are today. Thanks also to our multitude of Friends in the community who donate to our food bank, who volunteer at the Senior Center and other programs, and who collectively make up a strong donor base. From all of us at JFCS of Southwest Florida we wish you a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year! Please stay tuned for part two.
The Naples Jewish Caring Support Group Next meetings: Mondays, Oct. 13 & 27 10:30 a.m. to noon at JFCS, 5025 Castello Road, Naples
Call Donna Levy at 239.325.4444 for more information.
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COMMUNITY FOCUS
Upcoming GenShoah events open to the community By Ida Margolis he first meeting and public event sponsored by Generations of the Shoah of Southwest Florida (GenShoah) will be on Sunday, October 19 at the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida. Following a brief GenShoah meeting at 4:30 p.m. the public is invited to attend a screening of the film Escape From a Nazi Death Camp, which will begin at 5:00 p.m. This is the escape story of Jewish prisoners who staged a bloody breakout at Sobibor, the remote Nazi death camp in east Poland. The film, presented by GenShoah Program Chair Steve Brazina, tells this incredible story through dramatic sequences as well as firsthand accounts of four survivors. Mark your calendar for two special events: Wednesday, January 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom: Special appearance of Michael Stolowitzky, the rescued child
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in Gertruda’s Oath, the “One Book, Southwest Florida” selection. The book tells the story of a Catholic woman and a Jewish child (Stolowitzky) trapped in the horrors of WWII as they embark on a journey of survival. This event is co-sponsored by Temple Shalom, the Holocaust Museum and Collier County Library. Wednesday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom: Screening of the award-winning film The Jewish Cardinal. The docudrama is the true story of Jean-Marie Lustiger, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants who found himself as a mediator when nuns want to build a convent in Auschwitz. Temple Shalom and the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County are sponsoring this presentation. Additional events this season: Events to which the public is invited include the screening of the film Six
Temple Shalom events open to the community
For more information on these events, call 239.455.3030.
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he Sisterhood Book Bag: Thursday, October 23 - The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. Facilitator, Nancy Brother. The Lowland is about two brothers bound by tragedy. A fiercely brilliant woman haunted by her past. A country torn by revolution. A love that lasts past death. Set in America and India. The Book Bag meets in the temple library at 1:30 p.m. *** Come to the Cabaret! On Sunday, November 16, the entire Jewish community is invited to join together for wine, delicious desserts and, of course, schmoozing! The festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. with a live music perfor-
mance by Manhattan Connection. The cost is $18 per person for what is sure to be a show-stopping evening. Come one, come all! Call the temple office to RSVP. *** The Temple Shalom Judaica Shop is open for business. Looking for that perfect hostess gift? We’ve got it. Shopping early for Chanukah? Look no further. The shelves are stocked with new merchandise. The Judaica Shop is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wednesday afternoon from 4:00 to 6:15 p.m. (when Religious School is in session), and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Gulfcoast Foot and Ankle Center, Inc. www.gulfcoastfootcare.com
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Million and One on Sunday, November 16 at 5:00 p.m. A discussion will follow after the viewing of this story of siblings as they retrace the footsteps of their late father, a Holocaust survivor. The Emmy Award nominated documentary 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus will be presented at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 18. This film tells the too long untold story of a heroic Jewish couple from Philadelphia, who traveled to Vienna in 1939 to save what would become the single largest known group of children allowed in the U.S. at that time. On Sunday, February 15 at 5:00 p.m., Beth Tikvah (1459 Pine Ridge Road) 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. Helene Gaillet de Neergard, author of I Was a War Child, a memoir of WWII, will be the featured speaker on Sunday, March 15 at 5:00 p.m.
GenShoah meetings are open not only to children of Holocaust survivors (the Second Generation), but to all those who are interested in the mission of GenShoah: 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. Meetings are generally held the third Sunday of each month from October to April, from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Holocaust Museum, and are followed by programs open to the public. Space is limited and reservations are required for all events. If you are interested in attending the meetings, would like more information about GenShoah, or would like to receive email notifications, contact me at ida.margolis2@gmail.com or 239.963.9347. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for this season’s films, speakers and very special events.
ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter’s 2014-15 season By Gene Sipe, VP, ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter
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he 2014-15 season promises to be very exciting for the ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter as we announce the launch of our new online home at www.zoaswfl.org. Here you can easily learn more about the chapter, how to get involved in Zionist activities, and plan for the lineup of top caliber speakers and educational programs. You can read commentaries by local supporters of Zionism and check the top headlines of the day with links directly to the Jerusalem Post. You are invited to register and participate with your thoughts and comments. We open the season with The J Street Challenge, a film about the American Jewish community and its relationship with Israel. The screening will be held at Chabad Jewish Center of Naples (1789 Mandarin Road) on Tuesday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. with a moderated discussion to follow. The J Street Challenge “examines the rise of an activist organization whose idealistic message appeals to many who are frustrated by the Middle East conflict and want peace between Arabs and Jews.” During the hour-long screening, you will see why
the critics of Israel call it “The film you shouldn’t see.” Leaving no stone unturned, producer/writer Avi Goldwasser exposes J Street as fraudulent, claiming to be “pro-peace, pro-Israel when in fact it’s a pro-Palestinian front organization.” On Tuesday, November 18, the chapter presents Jonathan Tobin, Senior Online Editor of Commentary magazine. Other speakers on the schedule include Ambassador Yoram Ettinger, Ret. on Wednesday, January 14; Nonie Darwish on Tuesday, February 17; and Robert Spencer on Tuesday, March 17. The J Street Challenge is open to the public and the charge for attendance is $10 per person. Light refreshments will be served. Students will be admitted free of charge. (Please, no students under Bar Mitzvah age without adult supervision.) RSVP by email to info@zoaswfl.org or by post with your payment to ZOA SWFL, 7550 Mission Hills Dr., Ste. 306, Box 306, Naples, FL 34119. For more information about any of our programs, please visit www. zoaswfl.org.
AUDITION Our 21st Season of performing Classical and Popular music for Naples area communities
Beginning a New Era of Excellence
Introducing our New Conductors:
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Visit one of our four convenient locations North Naples 9955 Tamiami Trail N. Suite 1 Naples, FL 34108 (239) 566-8800
Physicians Regional 6101 Pine Ridge Rd. 3rd Floor Naples, FL 34119 (239) 304-5161
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Shoppes of Pebblebrooke 15205 Collier Blvd. Suite 101 Naples, FL 34119 (239) 300-4230
Max Rabinovitsj, Artistic Director and Conductor Dr. Trent Brown, Chorus Director and Ass’t Conductor
Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM First Presbyterian Church 250 Sixth St. South, Naples, FL ð W E A R E L O O K IN G F O R T A L E N T E D INSTRUMENTALISTS AND SINGERS
ORCHESTRA OPENINGS FOR ALL POSITIONS
CHORUS OPENINGS FOR ALL PARTS (ESPECIALLY MEN)
Call now to schedule your audition Orchestra: 401.884.5598 (Michael Boudreau) Chorus: 239.348.1344 (Sheila Tuthill)
9 Federation Star COMMUNITY FOCUS October 2014
Butter saved his life By Carole J Greene
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t isn’t every day that The Naples Orchestra and Chorus names a new conductor and artistic director. Even rarer is to designate a renowned violinist who says, while hiding from the Nazis during the dark days of the Holocaust, he owed his life to butter. Yes, butter. Max Rabinovitsj says if his refrigerator does not contain butter, he “goes crazy.” As he tells it, “That’s the one residual memory of those times that has stayed with me to this day.” Recognizing that their Jewish family was in jeopardy – that at any time the Gestapo could knock on their door in Brussels, Belgium – his father disappeared into the resistance and his mother made the agonizing decision to hide her children. She placed her daughter with a Catholic family and Max at a convent before she herself went into hiding. “The nuns were nice, but I couldn’t hide there long. I survived, I think, because I never stayed anywhere longer than a few
Max Rabinovitsj
weeks,” he explains. When he encountered another Jew in hiding, who got him started learning to play violin (at age 8), somehow his father found out and made arrangements for an elderly Italian man to provide lessons. “He asked my father to pay him in butter.” At the end of the war, when his father located some Gestapo records, he discovered this violin teacher had reported and received payment for 35 Jews in hiding. He hadn’t turned Max in because, even with all that reward money, he couldn’t buy butter. Instead of dwelling on his harrowing World War II experiences, the new orchestra conductor prefers to speak about making music. He explains that his philosophy of conducting is “quite the opposite from that of a normal maestro. I’ve done very well in my life just being who I am. I want them to call me
Max, not Maestro. I don’t conduct as a dictator. Instead, I ask for the musicians’ ideas and share mine, too. I don’t want anyone to be intimidated by me. I bring my violin when I conduct, so if I can’t explain what I want, I demonstrate it. I want to make music not with tension but with internal relaxation. Then I know the orchestra members will do their best with the music.” He points out that this is the first amateur orchestra he’s ever conducted. “But in Naples, an amateur orchestra is not like one I’d find anyplace else. There’s such a high level of performance and understanding.” The role of a good conductor, according to Rabinovitsj, is to invite the other musicians “to make music with you. “ He intends for his rehearsals to put everyone in the proper spirit – one of warmth and camaraderie. “Then they’ll go home and practice. With orchestras, it’s what they do at home that makes the success.” Because his lifetime of experience is with orchestral music, he told the board members who engaged him that they’d have to get someone else to work with the chorus. “They hired Dr. Trent Brown, a voice professor at FGCU, for that position,” Rabinovitsj says. “He’s a tall, handsome young guy, who will work separately with the chorus. The final two rehearsals for each program will combine orchestra and chorus, so musically everyone will know what I want.” Traditionally, The Naples Orchestra and Chorus has geared its programs more toward pops. “I’m not totally against that,” its new conductor says, “but I want to raise this fine group of musicians to an even higher level. To improve the orchestra, I believe they need to understand how to play the classics.” His first season here will combine both pops and classics. Seeking woodwinds, brass, strings and vocalists, the orchestra and chorus will hold a final audition for the upcoming season on Tuesday, October 7. Visit the organization’s website at www.naplesorchestraandchorus.org for details about auditions, the 2014-2015 concert schedule and guest artists. Tickets for any of the programs will need to be purchased with money, so leave the butter at home.
NJC’s “Sunday at the Movies”
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nce again the Naples Jewish Congregation will present its well-attended “Sunday at the Movies” series. The first film of the season, on Sunday, October 26 at 3:30 p.m, is the much-loved Crossing Delancey. Amy Irving stars as Isabel. Her grandmother enlists a matchmaker to find Isabel a proper suitor. If you’ve never seen this 1988 movie, join us and
fall in love with “the pickle man” and New York’s lower east side. The screening will be held at the Jewish Federation of Collier County offices at 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples. No fee is required but donations for future programs are appreciated. For more information, contact Les at elias21@gmail.com or 239.254.9086.
Can we kvell!
Congratulations to Dr. Daniel Wasserman on being selected as one of Gulfshore Business’s Forty Under Forty! Daniel is on the board of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. With the stock markets all-time highs, the time is ripe for a different kind of savings … and giving. If you have marketable securities that have increased substantially in value, now is the time to consider a gift of appreciated securities to the Jewish Federation of Collier County. For securities held longer than one year, you can deduct their full fair market value and avoid paying capital gains tax. This tax-wise benefit in turn means that you can make your donation for as little as fifty cents on the dollar. Please consider gifting appreciated securities to satisfy existing pledges, make a new gift to the 2014 Campaign or even a gift to the Federation’s Endowment Fund. While your gift may have a minimal impact on your portfolio, it will do a world of good for the Jewish Federation and for our community. For more information, please contact Federation Executive Jeffrey Feld at 239.263.4205 or jfeld@jewishnaples.org.
October 2014 Federation Star
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HotWorks.org Presents the 14th Bi-Annual
Estero Fine Art Show
™
November 15 & 16, 2014 At Miromar Outlets
HotWorks.org
Mina Heuslein, Pottery
Juried Fine Art & Fine Craft Show
Free Admission & Free Parking – Saturday & Sunday, 10am-5pm Daily Located at Miromar Outlets www.Miromar.com I-75 & Exit 123 Corkscrew Road/Miromar Outlet Blvd. HotWorks.org Sponsor of the Institute for the Arts & Education, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization Kids join the Youth Art Competition for grades K-8 or ages 5-12, sponsored by Monkey Bars Storage Solutions
Temple Shalom is seeking an Executive Director
Send your resume and cover letter to sberkle@naplestemple.org or Temple Shalom, Attn. Shelly Berkle, 4630 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples, FL 34119. For more information, please contact Shelly via email.
Catholic-Jewish Convocation In Commemoration of the th
76 Anniversary of Kristallnacht “The Night of Broken Glass” Sunday, November 9, 2014 2:30PM Temple Shalom of Naples 4630 Pine Ridge Road Speaker: Hon. Rositta Ehrlich Kenigsberg Sponsored by: Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Collier County Diocese of Venice in Florida Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SW Florida Temple Shalom of Naples
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Federation Star October 2014
COMMUNITY FOCUS
The subject of an Israeli bestseller to visit Southwest Florida By Ida Margolis
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he name Ram Oren is as well known in Israel as John Grisham is in the U.S. Oren learned of the amazing story of a man named Michael Stolowitzky and could have written a suspense novel of his story, but instead wrote a non-fiction book that, if one did not know was true, would certainly be thought to be a fabulous fictional tale. The book, The Oath, was published in 2007 in Hebrew, and was soon on the bestseller list in Israel. Since then the book has been translated into eight languages. The English translation, Gertruda’s Oath: A Child, a Promise, and a Heroic Escape During World War II, is now the selection for the in-
augural “One Book, Southwest Florida” program. This program is based on the very successful “One Book, One Community” programs that have been done throughout the U.S. The goal of this program is to engage the community in dialogue, to promote understanding and to serve as a springboard for discussion of universal topics such as loyalty, justice, family and faith. This page-turner is the story of Michael Stolowitzky, the only son of a wealthy Jewish family in Poland, who was just three years old when WWII breaks out. His father, desperate to settle his business affairs, leaves Michael in the care of his mother, and Gertruda
Bablinska, a Catholic nanny devoted to the family. After Michael’s mother has a stroke, Gertruda promises the dying woman that she will make her way to Palestine and raise Michael as her own son. This book, a story of extraordinary courage and moral strength in the face of horrific events, pays tribute to Gertruda’s relationship between her and the child. This is a gripping part of the story, as Gertruda risked her life for Michael every day. Michael Stolowitzky, a very charming, positive and dynamic individual, has agreed to make appearances in Naples. He is scheduled to speak at Temple Shalom on Wednesday, January
Michael Stolowitzky
7 at 7:00 p.m., and at South Regional Library Branch (8065 Lely Cultural Parkway) on Thursday, January 8 at 1:00 p.m. For additional information, contact me at ida.margolis@gmail.com.
See You At The Movies JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND IN COOPERATION WITH THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF COLLIER COUNTY PRESENTS THE SIDNEY R. HOFFMAN MEMORIAL
JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL 2014-2015 SHOWCASING THE NEWEST AND BEST AWARD-WINNING FILMS ON THE JEWISH CIRCUIT
Opening Day THE JEWISH CARDINAL Sunday afternoon, December 14, 2014
Marco Premiere Film 2:00 PM Reception 1:30 PM
Our opening day film is the true story of Father Jean-Marie Lustiger, THE JEWISH CARDINAL, born the son of Polish Jews in Paris whose mother died at Auschwitz. Although he converted to Catholicism at age 14, later becoming a priest and then appointed Cardinal, Father Lustiger maintained his cultural identity as a Jew. The film reflects Cardinal Lustiger’s personal conflict and soul searching as an obedient son of the Church yet attached to his Jewish heritage. FATHER TIM NAVIN, SAN MARCO CATHOLIC CHURCH and RABBI EDWARD MALINE, JCMI will lead the discussion following the film. 100 Minutes English and French Opening Day Reception with Cake and Fruit
THE OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIE TUCKER Sunday afternoon, January 18, 2015 Film 2:00 PM THE OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIE TUCKER is 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. Born in Russia to a Jewish family Sophie became the “last of the Red Hot Mamas,” with a 60 year show business career. YOU WILL LOVE THE MUSIC AND THE FILM. 96 Minutes English Reception following the Film
DISOBEDIENCE Sunday afternoon, February 8, 2015
Film 2:00 PM
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 punishment from Antonio Salazar, dictator of Portugal who had forbidden 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. IT’S A MUST SEE BEAUTIFUL STORY. Speaker: Robert Jacobvitz of the Sousa Mendes Foundation 104 Minutes French with English subtitles Reception following the Film
YIDDLE WITH HIS FIDDLE Sunday afternoon, March 8, 2015 Film 2:00 PM 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 man, Arye and his daughter Itke, played by Molly Picon, who decide to become traveling Klezmorim. That means they go from shtetl to shtetl playing music, singing and dancing. This is the most successful of all the Yiddish films and a rare gem because all the film’s extras are ordinary Jews picked from the Polish shtetls to show real Jewish life in Poland. ENTERTAINING, AMUSING AND JOYOUS! 92 Minutes Yiddish with English subtitles Delicious Noshes after the Film
All films will be shown at the Jewish Congregation, 991 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island
Clip and Mail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Make checks payable to JCMI Jewish Film Festival, 991 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island, FL 34145-5426 Name___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ________________________________________________________________________ Phone
SERIES TICKETS: _____________ Patron @ $85 _____________ Regular @ $70 Individual Films: _____________ @ $25 each ___________________________________________________ (please specify film) A LL PRO GRA MS S U B J EC T TO C HA N G E WI T HO U T N O T I C E FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE JCMI OFFICE AT (239) 642-0800
11 Federation Star October 2014 JEWISH INTEREST
October 2014 Federation Star
11
East Side Story: A plague on both their houses By Philip K. Jason, Special to the Federation Star
forehead and olive green eyes” is also a cal markers to focus scenes, foreigner; Abu Hassan al Ishmaeli had until she has plotted a series taken a beautiful, much younger Lebaof events that leads them to nese woman as his second wife. meet and fall in love. Juovelists exploring Middle East In sketching this population, Hajaj dith is now eighteen and tension and catastrophe occasmoothly introduces the complexities Salim is twenty-five. One sionally focus on the possibiliof racial and ethnic identities. of the most brilliantly conties of a loving relationship between an Soon, Salim’s family members are ceived episodes along the Israeli (or simply a Jew) and a Palesrefugees, fleeing Jaffa for the relative way takes place in 1956 tinian (or simply safety of Nazareth. One thread of their when Salim’s father atan Arab or Musstory has to do with their dreams about, tempts to obtain justice in lim). The couple’s and attempts to reclaim their Jaffa a Tel Aviv governmental hardships become home and farm. office, aided by his son-in-law Tareq. a microcosm of Salim’s story now begun, Claire The attempt, a dismal failure, reveals the region’s perHajaj next introduces Judith’s story. In that a Jaffa neighbor had betrayed the plexity. Rise: A Sunderland, England (a Luftwaffe infamily’s interests. Novel of Condustrial target), a young girl is born to After their mother abandons their temporary Israel Dora Gold. It’s a difficult birth: “There Nazareth home to return to Lebanon by Yosef Gotlieb was enough blood and ripped flesh and rebuild her fortunes, sister Nadia, Phil Jason (2011) is one imfor a battlefield, and at the end a tiny, Tareq, and Abu Hassan hatch a plan to pressive example of such works. Ishlimp girl born struggling send Salim to his older mael’s Oranges adds new dimensions for oxygen just as the brother, Hassan, who has to this way of examining recent Middle new State of Israel was a small repair business in East history and wraps it in a highly drawing its first breath.” London. Salim, totally evocative poetic style. Named Judit, after her weary of his life as an IsSpanning forty years, 1948-1988, mother’s mother who raeli Arab, takes the opIshmael’s Oranges begins shortly bedied in wartime Budaportunity. He works hard, fore Israel declares statehood but alpest, she adds the “h” studies hard, and earns ready has forces on the move, taking when she is five years old an economics degree at over or threatening Arab population and is later nicknamed University College, Loncenters. A seven-year-old Arab boy, “Jude” by a bossy school don. He becomes a BritSalim, is teased by a slightly older friend. Her other grandish citizen and holds a neighbor: “The Jews are coming for mother, Rebecca, is the British passport. He has you! They’re going to kick you out and true maternal force. That prepared himself for a Claire Hajaj break your skinny arse like a donkey.” harrowing forty-eight new life. Salim is the middle son of a fairly proshour delivery had chilled Dora’s maAt a party, he meets the slight, atperous farmer. Jaffa oranges are the ternal instincts. tractive young woman everyone calls family’s and community’s treasure. Judith shares a room with Gertie, a Jude. Jaffa’s harbor, beaches, orange Holocaust survivor sixteen years older Now comes the heart of the book: groves and downtown square are lavthan Judith who was adopted by Jutheir courtship and marriage; the painishly described, and we receive an dith’s parents long before when Dora ful negotiations with their respective ominous glimpse of Tel Aviv’s skyand Jack thought they were unable families; and the individual sacrifices scrapers. The bully, Mazen, is the son to have children. Growing up, Judith and promises made in the hopes of of a local judge. He knows that the learns that her Uncle Max had fought building their life together and startJews will soon be taking over Jaffa. in Israel’s War of Independence. Her ing a family. They have their eyes wide The only Jew Salim knows is another Jewish identity is formed by these reopen, or do they? neighbor and friend, Elia, son of Isak lationships. Although she studies for Though Salim is climbing the ladYashuv – a man who “was nearly an her Bat Mitzvah, Grandma Rebecca’s Arab. You could never tell him apart death drowns her pleasure in reaching from any other Palestinian.” Elia’s that goal. WORLD CLASS mother was a “white” Jew from outside Hajaj moves back and forth be~ SOUND & world LIGHTING ofENTERTAINMENT Palestine. tween Salim’s and Judith’s Salim’s mother, with&her “white PARTY world, oftenBANDS using important historiSHOW DANCE Ishmael’s Oranges, by Claire Hajaj. Oneworld Publications. 226 pages. Hardcover $24.99.
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der of success working for Western businesses in Arab countries, there is a ceiling for people with his origins. He is betrayed by the big Satan – Western economic imperialism – that won’t fully acknowledge his worth. Slowly, the spouses’ loyalties to their families of origin, their cultures and their national identities make claims that threaten to destroy the marriage. Salim’s guilt over abandoning his Palestinian heritage is played upon by his PLO-influenced younger brother and others. By now the couple has children, a darker twin and a lighter twin, innocents who – through their parents’ personal crises – are victims of the crisis that continues to poison the Middle East. Emotionally and intellectually powerful, and blessed with gorgeously rendered scenes in Beirut, Baghdad, Kuwait City and elsewhere, Ishmael’s Oranges imaginatively tests the limits of crossing boundaries in a world in which one’s personhood remains colored – perhaps tainted – by undying prejudices and conflicting loyalties. 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.
To reach the editor of the Federation Star, send an email to fedstar18@gmail.com.
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Federation Star October 2014
Tributes
Tributes to the Federation Campaign
To: From:
To: Steve Brazina Great appreciation for wonderful films From: Frances Kline
To: From:
The Irizarry Family In memory of a loving husband, father and great grandfather Elaine & Lee Soffer
To: Marilyn Lowitt In honor of your 85th birthday From: Maxine & Harvey Brenner
Tributes require a minimum donation of $18.
To: Linda Gersick & Family In memory of your beloved, Rose Goldsmith From: The Katzs, the Millers & the Sheins Rolly & Adir Jacob
To: Rabbi Danny Allen & Family In memory of Harry S. Allen From: Debbie & Pete Smith
To: Dr. Nathaniel & Susan Ritter In memory of Susan’s beloved father, I.C. Fasciana From: Nancy & Dr. Jeffrey Kahn Rosalee & Jerry Bogo Mary & Gary Kauffman Phyllis & Michael Seaman
JEWISH INTEREST / TRIBUTES
Very Rev. Robert J. Kantor and Marty Gauthier In memory of Bishop John Nevins - Former Bishop of the Diocese of Venice and a champion for the formation of the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County Isabel B. Price Ph.D.
To: Dr. Beth Sulz Azaroff In honor of your special birthday From: Bunny Levere To: From:
Barbara Heimann In appreciation of your warm hospitality and special gift Rosalee & Jerry Bogo
To: From:
Harvey Brenner Wishing you a speedy recovery David Willens Phyllis & Michael Seaman
The Jewish Federation of Collier County extends condolences to: • • • • • • • •
The family of Manford Bear on his passing Susan & Nathaniel Ritter & Family on the passing of Susan’s beloved father, I.C. Fasciana The family of Joseph Rubin on his passing Carolyn Chodock & Family on the passing of her beloved husband, Harvey Chodock Linda & Barry Gersick on the passing of Linda’s beloved mother, Rose Goldsmith Sandra Dadus & Family on the passing of her beloved husband, Audie Dadus The family of Jane & Larry Glazer on the passing of their beloved Freddi & Alan Peltz & Family on the passing of Freddi’s beloved brother, Howard Wichter
Claims Conference reaches landmark agreement with Germany to assist child survivors of the Holocaust
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he Claims Conference has reached a landmark agreement with the German Finance Ministry under which the organization and the German government will together provide assistance to Jewish child survivors of the Holocaust. The Claims Conference negotiating delegation emphasized to the German government that the trauma Jewish children suffered during the Holocaust has overshadowed the rest of their lives. Their experiences included devastating separation from parents, witnessing unimaginable atrocities, malnutrition and a range of physically abusive situations. These early traumas are now resulting in late-onset physical and psychological problems that only now are appearing as concrete symptoms in their old age. “Child survivors” are defined as Nazi victims born on January 1, 1928 or
later. Those who were in concentration camps, ghettos or were, for at least six months in Nazi-occupied territory or 12 months in Axis countries, in hiding or living under false identity will be eligible to receive a one-time payment of €2,500 (approximately $3,280). The fund is expected to become operational on January 1, 2015, and details will be made available after approval by the German Bundestag and the Claims Conference. The agreement reached by the Claims Conference in negotiations with the German government comes on the heels of the first-ever symposium of Jewish child survivors held in Berlin on August 27 at Centrum Judaicum. “Lost Childhood. Jewish Childhood Survivors” was organized by the Claims Conference in cooperation with the World Federation of Jewish Child
Survivors of the Holocaust and Descendents (WFJCSD) and the Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel. Internationally recognized experts provided a broad picture of the special suffering of Jewish children during the Holocaust and shed light on the particular situation of child survivors today. Witnesses who survived the Holocaust as children shared their experiences and spoke about their life after the Holocaust. An exhibit of the same name at Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin - Centrum Judaicum is being presented in conjunction with the symposium. The exhibit – a tribute to the special fate of Jewish child survivors of the Holocaust – was created by the Claims Conference in cooperation with “Agency for Education. History, Politics and Media e.V.” and the “Pedagogical Center of the
Fritz Bauer Institut and Jewish Museum in Frankfurt.” The exhibit will travel throughout Germany over the course of the coming months and panels can be seen at www.jewishchildsurvivors.org. In 2014 the Claims Conference allocated a total of more than $302 million to 120 agencies in 44 countries to pay for homecare, food programs, medical care, dental work, emergency cash assistance and transportation for elderly Jewish Nazi victims worldwide, with substantial financial support (about $185 million in 2014) from the German Government. The needs of Holocaust victims are different now than they were immediately following the war, but no less crucial. And as Holocaust victims age, the Claims Conference support has become even more important in helping every Jewish Nazi victim live out his or her years in dignity and comfort.
Share a joyful break-fast meal with family and friends By Jill Saravis
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et’s face it, after we have spent Yom Kippur repenting, praying and fasting for a day, it is not easy cooking up a storm first thing in the morning for all of your hungry family and friends. The following recipe for Cheese Blintz Soufflé is quick, easy and impressive. Just wake up and pop it in Jill Saravis the oven with some good old-fashioned
bagels. Serve with cream cheese, red onion, ripe tomatoes and smoked salmon (you know all the favorites) along with fresh fruit, and you have an easy festive break-fast that you can enjoy as well. Even the blueberry sauce only takes a few minutes to prepare, and you will really hear some “wow”s at the table. Blintzes are a dairy dish traditionally served at a celebratory breakfast, the meal of cessation – called Seudat Mafseket – before the Yom Kippur fast,
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or even a main entrée at any time during the week. You even find it as a centerpiece during Shavuot. My family looks forward to seeing it on their breakfast table in the morning as a yummy treat the morning after Yom Kippur or to break the fast. Many families have their own specialty blintzes, from fruit to cheese to mushrooms to cabbage. The thin, unleavened pancakes are first lightly fried, then stuffed, rolled, and fried a second time or placed in a type of casserole/soufflé. Depending on the filling and the cook’s fancy, the batter could have some potato, apple or raisins in it. When served, people slather on all types of butters, jams, compotes, or even caviar. By the way, this idea works well for brunch get-togethers on those mornings after or before attending one of our Federation’s fabulous programs and events. Cheese Blintz Soufflé with Fresh Blueberry Sauce • 1/2 cup butter • 2 packages frozen blintzes (unless you care to make it yourself the day before) • 2 cups sour cream • 6 eggs • teaspoon vanilla • 4 tsp. fresh orange juice and some fine orange zest (optional) • 1/2 cup sugar • sprinkle of cinnamon sugar Brush the blintzes with butter. Arrange them in a 13 x 9 baking dish. Beat
together the sour cream, eggs, orange juice, zest, vanilla and sugar. At this point, it may be refrigerated overnight or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for about 45 minutes at 350° until golden and puffy. Hint: If the edges become too browned with the center still loose after 35 minutes, you can drop the temperature down to 300° until firm. Fresh Blueberry Sauce • 2 cups fresh blueberries (reserving a handful) • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/4 cup of water • 1 tsp cornstarch • pinch of salt • pinch of nutmeg and/or cinnamon (optional) In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and stir on medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise heat to medium-high and boil, stirring occasionally, just until about half of the berries burst. Remove from heat and gently stir in remaining blueberries. Now it’s ready to enjoy with your blintzes!
13 Federation JEWISH INTEREST Star October 2014
October 2014 Federation Star
13
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JEWISH INTEREST
Federation Star October 2014
Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle
The Jewish revolt at Auschwitz By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD
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By David Benkof, DavidBenkof@gmail.com Across 1. More than 1,000 work at Mt. Sinai Hospital 4. The King David Hotel’s are considered fancy 9. Big-shot friend of Stephen S. Wise 12. “Hooray, Maccabee Tel Aviv!” 13. In official Hebrew, it’s called “Doar Electroni” 14. Judean king with an edifice complex 16. “The Shop on Main Street” Oscar nominee Kaminska 17. Judea and Samaria, e.g. 19. Women’s ___ (Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, et. al.) 21. He played the grandson of Tambor and Walter in “Arrested Development” 22. Blood ___ (Kind of medieval attack on Jews) 23. “If ___ a Hammer,” frequent song for Peter Yarrow 24. Kind of mask in the news in 1991 27. Harry Golden book celebrating the success of U.S. Jewry 31. A kosher phone won’t send one (abbr.) 33. “The ___ 2” (video game in which a character could wear a yarmulke) 34. Month for Jewish schools and yeshivas to start up 35. Arnold, Bosley, and Segev 37. Place for a sukkah 40. British composer Lionel (“Oliver!”) 41. Adrift on the Exodus, perhaps 42. Ticho who painted the Jerusalem Hills 44. Milwaukee Jewish ___ School 45. Sign-off from Mel Blanc 50. Amazon find (but not from Jeff Bezos’s Web site) 51. It flies to three North American destinations: New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles 52. Lindsay who starred with Jamie Lee Curtis in “Freaky Friday” (2003) 55. Like kosher venison 56. Board at Ben Gurion 58. George Burns, until he was 100 years old 62. “Teach me the entire Torah while I stand on one ___” 63. Lebowitz and Drescher 64. American, Brit, or Canadian in Jerusalem 65. God’s attitude toward the Golden Calf 66. First word in the name of the Jewish holiday on which bonfires are lit 67. Locations of mother birds who must be shooed away 68. Alternative to Z, zed, and omega
Solution on page 26
Down 1. Prop for Orin Scrivello, DDS, in “Little Shop of Horrors” 2. They help you compute how big the bagel is 3. Your rabbi might invite you to his home for one 4. Recites the Haggadah again 5. Prominent Canadian Jewish furniture designer Arbel 6. They were used to get the Jews of Denmark to Sweden 7. “Oy vey iz ___!” 8. How Israelis say, “Sorry!” 9. In Hebrew, it’s referred to as the sixth day 10. John ___ (anonymous person; Ploni Almoni in Hebrew) 11. Abbr. for word #3 in “Blowin’ in the Wind” 14. Mixed multitude 15. BCE part 18. The Dodgers were Sandy Koufax’s 20. Ari ___ Canaan 23. Put programs on your Dell computer 24. Israeli soldier who was a captive for five years 25. Car whose 2012 commercial starred Jerry Seinfeld 26. Lox, taste-wise 28. Lyricist Yarburg (“Over the Rainbow”) 29. Matisyahu’s mom 30. ___ Tevye (phrase in “If I Were a Rich Man”) 31. Herzl’s “The Jewish ___” 32. Rav ___ Feinstein 36. First syllable of the name of the world’s largest Hasidic group 38. Gershwin’s “Concerto ___” 39. Kiryat ___ (city east of Tel Aviv) 43. Lyle Alzado of the LA Raiders, and others 46. Department store chain once led by Julius Rosenwald 47. Tzedaka, in a way 48. He’s definitely not a rabbi 49. ___ ALEPH (newsletter for Renewal Judaism) 53. Jews believe the Messiah will usher in ___ of peace 54. You might like it Eilat 55. ___ Eden (First place, according to the Torah) 56. Hadassah Hosp. tests 57. Tuna ___ (deli order) 58. Org. in which Noah Cantor played for the Toronto Argonauts 59. Flatow who hosts NPR’s “Science Friday” 60. Media order when three Israeli teenagers disappeared in June 2014 61. Number for monotheists
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eventy years ago this month, on October 7, 1944, a most remarkable event took place at Auschwitz. The prisoners fought back. The XII Sonderkommando rose in revolt, blew up Crematorium IV, and killed the guards. Originally an SS term for units designated special tasks, the word Sonderkommando later came to mean those Jewish prisoners in the death camps assigned to work in the gas chambers Dr. Paul Bartrop and the crematoria. These prisoners would help the victims with the removal of their clothing, shave their hair, usher them into the gas chambers and later, after the victims had been murdered, inspect the bodies for hidden coins and jewels, remove any gold teeth, and then take the corpses from the gas chambers to the crematoria. Their job was also to stoke the crematoria and do the “heavy work” involved in such operations. The life of the Sonderkommando prisoners themselves was short, as they would be murdered after approximately three months. As witnesses to the industrialized mass murder of the Nazis, it was believed there was no other way to ensure secrecy. The knowledge possessed by the Sonderkommando men was far too sensitive for anyone in the outside world to know about, so the Nazis would regularly gas the men of a Sonderkommando unit and replace them with a new team. The first task of the incoming group would be to dispose of their predecessors’ remains. On October 7, 1944, the men working at Crematorium IV rose in revolt. Setting fire to the crematorium, they attacked the SS guards with hammers, axes and stones. Upon learning that the revolt had begun, the men working at Crematorium II joined in, killing a Kapo and several SS men. Then the Hungarian prisoners working in Crematorium III also entered what by now had become a full-scale rebellion. The revolt so damaged Crematorium IV that it was never used again. During the revolt, several hundred prisoners escaped from Birkenau, though most were caught and killed by the SS. Later that day, an additional 200 prisoners who took part in the revolt were executed. One month later, on November 7, 1944, the Nazis destroyed the entire gas chamber-crematorium complex, and closed down the operation altogether. Among those who had been instrumental in assisting the men in their preparation were a group of four women: Roza Robota, Ala Gertner, Estusia Wajcblum and Regina Safirsztajn. Before the war, Roza had been a member of the Zionist youth movement Hashomer Hatzair. During the Nazi occupation she engaged in underground activities, but in 1942 she was transported to Auschwitz and assigned to the women’s camp at Birkenau. She was assigned to the clothing shed in the Kanadakommando, right next to Birkenau’s Crematorium III. As she was already known to some of those working in the Auschwitz
underground, she was recruited to smuggle gunpowder to the men working in the Sonderkommando in Crematorium III. She established contact with about twenty women in the Union plant outside the camp who were willing to cooperate, and over a period of several weeks they smuggled the gunpowder into the camp. There was great risk; prisoners were often searched when returning from “outside work” (aussenarbeit). Nonetheless, each day they were able to pass on tiny amounts to the men of the underground. By the time the revolt took place, enough had been accumulated to enable the resisters to blow up Crematorium IV. The uprising was, however, unexpected, breaking out before a hopedfor general revolt could take place. In the chaos, around 600 Sonderkommando men broke through the fences separating the crematorium from the rest of the camp, though ultimately all those who escaped were caught and shot. In the Gestapo investigation that followed, the explosives were traced back to the Union plant where the women had been working, and several suspects were rounded up. In subsequent days, Roza, Ala, Estusia and Regina were arrested and interrogated under brutal torture for information relating to the revolt. All refused to reveal the names of others who had participated in the smuggling operation. They were duly hanged on January 5, 1945 – two women at the morning roll-call assembly, and two others in the evening. Their execution was in public, as a warning to the entire camp. According to some eyewitness accounts, the four women shouted “Nekamah!” (“Revenge!”) to the assembled inmates before they died. Roza’s last message was a note scratched on a piece of paper she managed to smuggle from her cell: “Chazak V’amatz” – “Be strong and have courage.” Estusia died a few days short of her st 21 birthday; Roza was just 23 years old. Regina was 29, and Ala was 32. The revolt of the XII Sonderkommando at Auschwitz was triggered by the imminence of extermination, but many of those involved were no doubt also motivated by a desperate desire to destroy the machinery of death that had murdered so many innocent people before them. It was, however, an isolated incident in the history of the camp; further, it was restricted in scope, and did not involve the entire Auschwitz complex. It was, however, an instance of the most positive form of resistance, demanding our respect and our memory. In their honor, we must all stand by the Hebrew injunction Al tishkach: do not forget. The revolt of October 7, 1944, is something from which we can take inspiration. It did not, however, end with the mass executions that followed, or the hanging of the four heroines on January 5, 1945, for two weeks after their martyrdom, on January 17, 1945, Auschwitz was evacuated. A new chapter in Jewish history was about to begin. 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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15 Federation JEWISH INTEREST Star October 2014
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. TV Premieres: September and October The following shows, which began in September, or will begin in October, have a Jewish cast member. Premiering September 17 (Fox, 9:00 p.m.): Red Band Society. It’s set in the children’s ward of a Los Angeles hospital. There is a “Breakfast Club” type group of patients who have serious or even terminal illnesses. Playing one of the youngish patients is ZOE LEVIN, 20. She was born and raised in a religious Jewish home in suburban Chicago. Levin played Steve Carrell’s pretty teen daughter in the 2013 sleeper hit, The Way, Way Back, and co-starred earlier this year with SARAH JESSICA PARKER, 49, in The Commons of Pensacola, a hit off-Broadway play about a Jewish family that was penned by actress AMANDA PEET, 42. Also in Red Band, playing a hospital doctor, is DAVE ANNABLE, 34 (Brothers and Sisters). His mother is Jewish. Premiering September 21 (CBS, 8:00 p.m.): Madam Secretary stars Tea Leoni as a former CIA agent who unexpectedly is named Secretary of State. BEBE NEUWIRTH, 55, co-stars as the Secretary’s chief of staff. Premiering September 22 (ABC, 10:00 p.m.): Forever is a supernatural drama starring Ioan Gruffudd as Harry, a NYC medical examiner who can’t die. He studies the dead to try and discover why he’s immortal. JUDD HIRSCH, 79, plays Abe, an antique store owner and ladies’ man who is Harry’s best friend and confidant. He
urges Harry to enjoy life, including romance. The same night at 8:00 p.m. on Fox: The highly-touted Gotham, a Batman spin-off of sorts. Benjamin McKenzie plays Detective Jim Gordon, who is fated in later life to become Gotham’s police commissioner. His first big case is the investigation of the murder of the parents of the young Bruce Wayne (much later Batman). The young Wayne is played by DAVID MAZOUZ, 13, a Sephardi actor from Los Angeles. Also starting on the 22nd (CBS, 9:00 p.m.): Scorpion. The plot: a group of tech nerds form a team to solve the world’s most difficult problems. EDDIE KAYE THOMAS, 33 (Finch in American Pie), plays Toby, a team member. Premiering September 24: Mysteries of Laura (NBC, 8:00 p.m.) and Black-Ish (ABC, 8:00 p.m.). Mysteries stars DEBRA MESSING, 46 (Will and Grace), as a brilliant police detective who tries to balance career and single motherhood. Black-Ish was created by, and stars comedian Anthony Anderson. It explores one suburban black father’s efforts (first name “Dre”) to establish a cultural identity for his four kids. His bi-racial wife, Rainbow, is played by TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, 41 (TV’s Girlfriends). She’s the daughter of famous singer Diana Ross and Ross’ ex-husband, ROBERT ELLIS SILBERSTEIN, 67. Dre and Rainbow’s four children include Andre, who really wants a bar mitzvah despite the fact the family isn’t Jewish. By
October 2014 Federation Star
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. the way, when ABC was previewing this “cultural identity” show for a media audience, a reporter referenced “cultural identity” when he stood up and told the head of ABC programming, “I think ‘Black-Ish’ will mention a bar mitzvah before The Goldbergs [on ABC] does.” The programmer’s reply implicitly acknowledged that The Goldbergs had gone a full season without using the word “Jewish.” Paul Lee, the programmer, said, “I don’t think there’s anybody in the country that watches The Goldbergs and doesn’t think it’s about a Jewish family. We have so much support and respect for ADAM [GOLDBERG, the show creator]...When he’s ready to tell that story, he’ll tell that story…” Premiering September 25 (ABC, 10:00 p.m.): How to Get Away with Murder. This drama centers on an African-American law school professor (Viola Davis), her two associates, and her students – and how they get caught
up in a murder case. Playing one associate is LIZA WEIL, 37 (Paris Geller on The Gilmore Girls). Premiering October 2 (NBC, 9:00 p.m.): A to Z, a comedy that shows us a romance from start to finish. The co-stars are Cristin Miloti and BEN FELDMAN, 34 (Mad Men). Premiering October 5 (Fox, 9:00 p.m.): Mulaney. Stand-up comic John Mulaney, like JERRY SEINFELD once did, plays a comedian named John Mulaney who lives in New York. His wacky neighbor is played by ELLIOTT GOULD, 76. Over on DirectTV, in the original show Kingdom, which starts on October 8 at 9:00 p.m., Frank Grillo plays a gym owner and former top mixed martial arts fighter. His two sons are also fighters. Playing one is JONATHAN TUCKER, 32 (whose real-life mother is Jewish).
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Federation Star October 2014
ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
20 top tech inventions born of conflict
Many of Israel’s most amazing contributions to the world – from the DiskOnKey to the PillCam – result from its existential need for innovation in the military. By Abigail Klein Leichman, ISRAEL21c, www.israel21c.org, August 7, 2014
I
srael’s painful reality of 66 years fighting off bullets, grenades, missiles and bombs could easily have led to a spirit of despair and defeat. Instead, living with the constant threat of war has spawned an extraordinary culture of Israeli military research and development. This R&D under seemingly impossible circumstances is responsible for extraordinary innovations for the battlefield that have been transformed into technologies used worldwide to save lives, guard against cyber-attacks, simplify mobile communications and lots of other everyday needs. “How do you approach a complex problem and solve it? We do this in the Israel Defense Forces every day,” says Iron Dome innovator Brig. Gen. Danny Gold in an interview with Israel Brain Technologies. “Many of the people involved in these types of projects, like the Iron Dome for example, then take their skills to industry. What they learned about putting together complex multidisciplinary solutions serves them well in fields such as high-tech and brain-tech.” Some of the most notable successes have come from Rafael Development Corporation (RDC), which incubates and commercializes products based on high-tech defense technologies developed at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, in cooperation with Elron Electronic Industries. Ebit Systems, a large defense electronics/electro-optics firm, also spins off many once-military technologies. Medical devices deserve special mention, says D. Todd Dollinger, chairman and CEO of the Trendlines Group, which invests in, incubates
and supports early-stage, high-promise medical and agricultural technology companies in Israel. “Israel is a major player in this area, to the point where a few years ago MedTech Insight estimated up to 50 percent of all medical devices in the world can be traced back to the State of Israel,” Dollinger says. Indeed, the startup nation leads the world in medical device patents per capita. He explains that signal acquisition and signal processing technologies developed by the military to acquire and process data intelligently led directly to the booming medical devices industry in Israel. We’ve chosen 20 outstanding and diverse examples of Israeli innovation stemming from the military sector. 1. PillCam Given Imaging, the company behind the famous PillCam – a capsule with two tiny video cameras that enables
PillCam by Given Imaging
visualization of patients’ intestines without the need for endoscopy – was founded by Gabi Iddan, an IDFtrained engineer. He used miniature missile-guiding technology to craft this groundbreaking medical-imaging device. 2. Emergency Bandage (a.k.a. Israeli Bandage) Former combat medic Bernard BarNatan invented the Emergency Bandage, considered an essential item in
Opening Doors to Luxury Real Estate
first-aid kits around the globe. Its innovation is a built-in pressure bar to stop bleeding. Developed through Israel’s Technology Incubator Program, the Emergency Bandage saved so many U.S. lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom that it became known as the Israeli Bandage in the North American market. This product was used by Arizona emergency responders to treat Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords after she was shot in January 2011. 3. DiskOnKey USB flash drive Dov Moran, the legendary serial entrepreneur from whose fertile mind grew the DiskOnKey, the DiskOnChip and other ubiquitous computing devices, got much of his knowhow from the Israeli navy, as director of its microprocessors department. His MSystems Flash Disk Pioneers company was acquired by SanDisk in 2006 for $1.6 billion. Moran also invented the first small modular smartphone, Modu, which didn’t catch on – but its patents were acquired by Google for its upcoming Ara modular phone. 4. Selman Surgical Rehearsal Platform Retired Israel Air Force officers Moty Avisar and Alon Geri translated their experience with flight simulators into a revolutionary neurosurgery simulator that lets brain surgeons rehearse challenging microsurgical procedures before making a single incision. The system generates 3D images from the patient’s CT and MRI scans, and provides a preview of how surgical instruments will interact with the patient’s tissue and how the delicate brain structures will respond. It was launched at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in October 2012 and is named after Dr. Warren Selman, the surgeon who commissioned the former officers to devise the system. 5. Visual-ICE This is the newest product from Galil Medical, a world-leading developer
and manufacturer of innovative cryotherapy platforms based on cooling technologies taken from the tip of the head of Rafael missiles. Visual-ICE and other Galil products provide a minimally invasive, easy-to-use system to precisely destroy solid tumor cancers of the kidney, lung, bone, liver and prostate, and they also enable nerve ablation for pain management. 6. Solo Insulin Delivery System Medingo, the company that developed this state-of-the-art miniature, lightweight, tube-free remote-controlled insulin micro-pump for people with diabetes, was fully acquired by Roche for $200 million in 2010. Medingo’s approach was based on a variety of sophisticated technologies stemming from military applications, and was incubated at RDC. 7. Cardiac catheterization A computer-vision tracking mechanism developed for air force pilots at Elbit led to the miniaturized 3D cardiac mapping and navigation technology built inside the revolutionary catheters made by Biosense Webster, an Israeli company acquired by Johnson & Johnson for $500 million. These devices help cardiovascular surgeons navigate within the body with unprecedented levels of insight, precision and safety to better diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias. 8. Check Point Software Technologies Check Point, which pioneered the game-changing Firewall-1 software, is the industry-leading grandfather of a growing Israeli cyber-security sector based largely on technologies developed for national defense purposes. It has offices around the world and thousands of customers, including most Fortune 100 companies. Cofounders Gil Shwed and Shlomo Kramer were members of the IDF’s famed Intelligence Corps Unit 8200; third cofounder Marius Nacht served in Talpiot, an elite IDF physics and mathemat-
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17 Federation Star October 2014 ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
October 2014 Federation Star
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continued from previous page ics training program nurturing R&D standouts. Shwed still serves as CEO. 9. Through-Wall Vision Xaver systems by Camero make the impossible possible: “seeing through” walls. The radar-based products use 3D image reconstruction algorithms, patented signal processing techniques and a unique proprietary sensor to generate 3D images of objects concealed behind cement, plaster, bricks, concrete or wood. The product line ranges from security cameras with advanced micropower radar technology to a handheld device intended for search-and-rescue workers. Founder Amir Beeri drew on knowledge gained during 14-plus years in military intelligence; he once headed the IDF’s R&D department. 10. Digital printing Those 100-meter-tall images of Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli – and, in fact, the entire large-format digital printing industry – are possible because of a mapping technology developed by the Israeli military for cruise missiles. The original company to make commercial use of that technology, Scitex Vision, specialized in producing equipment for large-format printing on paper and other materials. Scitex was sold to Hewlett Packard for $230 million in 2005, and the rest is history. 11. Stylit This website, billed as “Your Personal Stylist,” unites a proprietary predictive technology platform with actual fashion stylists to give users head-totoe outfit recommendations based on their preferences, budget, body type and size. The technology was adapted from algorithms originally developed in Unit 8200 to track and prevent suicide bombings. 12. Any.Do This wildly popular, award-winning to-do-list app made Fast Company’s 2014 Top 10 list for the world’s Most Innovative Companies in Productivity, and is said to have inspired the look and feel of the iOS-7. Any.Do was founded in 2011 by Omer Perchik, who hired his staff from a list of Unit 8200 veterans provided by a friend who’d served in the unit. Their understanding of predictive algorithms for defense purposes enabled them to make Any. Do happen. 13. Image stabilizing The fact that your camera can take a focused picture even if you’re not holding it steady is thanks to military technology developed at Elbit. The image stabilizer feature in virtually every camera on the market today is based on an algorithm devised for long-range imaging systems mounted on unsteady or moving surfaces, such as tanks. 14. ACE IntelliGym Professional basketball and hockey players swear by the IntelliGym braintraining software from Applied Cognitive Engineering (ACE). The software is based on military applications devised by cognitive psychology and engineering expert Daniel Gopher, whose video-game-like training methods improved Israeli Air Force and U.S. Army pilot performance in the air by 30 percent. The same technology helps anyone learn to make faster decisions in a high-stress environment with a lot of incoming data. 15. PlaySight Court Smart A trio of former army buddies took
How Court Smart works
their expertise in top-secret weaponry and war simulators and adapted them to tennis. Their company, PlaySight, devised the Smart Court system based on advanced 3D visualization technology and concepts used to train fighter
pilots. The system provides automatic real-time, event-based visual feedback of a tennis match with the aim of revolutionizing the coaching process in all ball sports. PlaySight intends to bring the world of advanced after-action review, affordable so far only for highprofile professional sports events, to every field sports club around the world. 16. Skylens This cutting-edge Google Glass-style headgear for airline pilots, recently introduced to the market by Elbit based on military technology, projects data from plane-mounted cameras onto the pilot’s visor to provide an augmented 3D image of the view ahead. The wearable technology lets pilots keep their eyes on the “road” – and more importantly, allows for safe takeoffs and landings even in conditions of poor visibility that would normally ground or delay a plane. 17. Drones Your Amazon order will someday soon be delivered via an unmanned drone. Starting in November, you’ll be able to capture midair sports action remotely
The AirDog follow-on drone for GoPro’s camera
with AirDog, a foldable auto-follow drone for the GoPro camera. These space-age achievements wouldn’t be possible without the IDF’s development of the first modern unmanned aerial vehicles – also known as UAVs or drones. Lighter, smaller and cheaper than their predecessors, the Israeli UAVs introduced real-time 360-degree video imaging and other cool bells and whistles. 18. Satellite communications (SATCOM) Starling Advanced Communications was founded at RDC to design, develop and market airborne, low-profile SATCOM antenna systems based on military innovations in communications, aviation and electronics. Its innovative flat-panel antenna technology is built into today’s systems for in-flight connectivity, emergency communications, real-time combat coordination and other fields. In 2011, Starling was acquired by Panasonic for $11 million. 19. Non-stick coatings for aircraft An exceptionally durable non-stick nano-coating developed by Prof. Hanna Dodiuk, formerly of Rafael, was introduced to the international industry last June. Originally meant to solve the problem of ice adhesion on fighter-jet wings, the unique super-hydrophobic coating is eagerly sought by makers of everything from commercial modes of transportation to medical devices. The Massachusetts state government is financing the final development of the coating because ice buildup is a huge problem for aircraft and electrical infrastructure in the cold Northeast. It could also be an anti-dust and graffiti coating for walls and windows. 20. Data storage Five veterans of the 14th cohort of Talpiot took their expertise from the military to found XIV (14 in Roman numerals) in 2002, with the goal of developing a uniquely high-performance digital data-storage architecture. XIV was sold to IBM in 2008 for $400 million. In its newest iterations, this critical digital solution made in Israel continues to address new requirements for next-generation digital content. Abigail Klein Leichman is a writer and associate editor at ISRAEL21c. Prior to moving to Israel in 2007, she was a specialty writer and copy editor at a daily newspaper in New Jersey and has freelanced for a variety of newspapers and periodicals since 1984.
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ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
Federation Star October 2014
A new website for Israel: www.websiteforisrael.com
I
srael is at war on two fronts! There is the physical battleground of death and destruction that has caused the loss of life and suffering, plus dramatic financial and economic setbacks. Fortunately, however, for the moment there is a cease fire but we know this is only temporary. There is a second war that continues to rage that is equally as severe as the physical battles Israel has fought – the psychological public relations war. How can we show the world the true picture of Jews and Israel? How can we make our own people, much less the world, proud of Israel’s accomplishments? What must we do to present the positive aspects of Israel, and what Jews and Israel have contributed to the welfare of the world? We must disseminate more positive information to combat the negative perspective the world has of Israel. We need to show how the average person can assist Israel and why it is so important for all Jews to stand united with Israel. Welcome to a new website for Israel – www.websiteforisrael.com – a very positive perspective of Israel that will
help reverse the negative propaganda. The site is a compilation of many website resources showing the bright side of Israel and how we can assist her in this struggle. We need to have more websites that promote Israel and show the Internet world the best of Israel. The website’s mission is to educate, enlighten and motivate anyone interested in the State of Israel. We need to give our support to Israel – if not now, when? The site has five major categories: “A light Unto the Nations” Isaiah 4055: The Torah tells us that Jewish people will be “A Light Unto the Nations.” The site details major discoveries and inventions in fields such as technology, medicine, science and business. Jews and Israel have made major, significant contributions to the welfare of the world. 18 Aspects of Life in Israel: Various aspects of life in Israel are showcased. Experience life in Israel, from the IDF to the Maccabi games, from the Negev to the Mediterranean, from Masada to Tel Aviv, from hi-tech business to sightseeing pleasure, from klezmer to hip hop, from Jewish to
Christian to Islam to Bahia and more. Israel has it all! 18 Ways You Can Help Israel: There are many things you can do assist Israel. Contact different agencies, publications and government representatives. Be involved with Jewish organizations and attend meetings and Israel rallies. The site provides many ideas on how you can help Israel. 18 Reasons to Visit Israel: Visit Israel and learn more about our heritage. See the miraculous transformation from a desert wasteland to thriving skyscraper cities. Connect and bond with our Israeli brothers and sisters who live and defend our homeland. Visit Israel and feel its energy and see its history 18 Lies About Jews & Israel: Hitler’s propaganda minister, the infamous, Joseph Goebbels, said, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” The Arabs and their allies have been lying to the world for years, and unfortunately people believe these lies. The site exposes, dissects and refutes these lies. In addition, there are five inter-
active categories: Deals & Coupons: A comprehensive list of money-saving deals and coupons available to tourists and local Israelis. Israeli Mitzvah Malls: Merchandise Mall - buy Israeli products and take a virtual shopping spree, Israelstyle. Tzedakah Mall - a comprehensive list of charitable and non-profit organizations in Israel. Shabbos & Holidays: Everything you need to know about Shabbos and the holidays: history, observance, prayers, candle lighting, weekly parsha explanations and interpretations. Jewish Bloggers: A variety of Jewish bloggers expressing their points of view, observations about Jews and the Middle East. Want to contribute? You, too, can become one of the site’s valued bloggers. Free Jewish E-cards: A unique collection of contemporary and traditional Jewish greeting cards for all occasions and holidays. For more information about www. websiteforisrael.com, please contact Eliezer Heyman at 561.213.7826 or emailus@websiteforisrael.com.
BRIEFS NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION IN ISRAEL REACHES PEAK On Wednesday, August 27, natural gas accounted for 57% of the country’s electricity consumption, the Israel Electric Corporation announced. Ever since natural gas from Israel’s Tamar reservoir began to flow in March 2013, there has been a considerable change in the fuel mix for the country’s electricity production, with a major reduction in the use of polluting fuel oils. (Sharon Udasin, Jerusalem Post)
ISRAEL SIGNS $15 BILLION GAS DEAL WITH JORDAN Israel signed a memorandum of understanding with Jordan recently, under which it will supply the Hashemite Kingdom with $15 billion worth of natural gas from its Leviathan energy
field in the Mediterranean over 15 years. The gas field is expected to become operational in 2016. In February, Israel signed a deal with Jordan to supply $500 million worth of gas from the Tamar field. The Jordanians turned to Israel because their supply of natural gas from Egypt had been halted by repeated terrorist attacks on the gas pipeline. Israel has also signed energy deals with Egypt and the Palestinians. (Marissa Newman, Times of Israel)
Egypt will be faster than building LNG plants. “From these LNG plants in Egypt, Israeli gas can reach European and Asian markets,” said David Shrem, a Tel Aviv-based portfolio manager. The deals “are the first significant ones for regional exports.” Noble Energy and Israel’s Delek Group expect to send gas to Egypt through pipelines under the Mediterranean Sea. (Shoshanna Solomon, Bloomberg)
many as the U.S. in 2014. “Surprisingly, given its modest resources, Israel’s defense R&D community succeeds in developing state-of-the-art weapon systems, often the first of their kind in the world,” a study conducted by the University of South Wales in Australia concluded. (Markus Becker, Der Spiegel-Germany)
ISRAELI GAS TO REACH GLOBAL MARKET VIA PIPELINES TO EGYPT
ISRAEL HAS HIGHEST BIRTHRATE IN DEVELOPED WORLD
Egypt and Israel are negotiating deals that may mean the sale of $60 billion in Israeli natural gas to liquefaction plants in Egypt. Executives said recently they expect to finalize the agreements by year-end. For Israel, shipping its gas to
Israel has the highest birthrate in the developed world, with three children per woman, versus an average of 1.7 children born to mothers from other developed nations. (Daniel K. Eisenbud, Jerusalem Post)
Israelis are pouring resources into winning the war of opinion in China. Michael Anti, a prominent Chinese blogger, looks at this issue in Caixin, a respected business magazine. He observes that Taiwanese social media users are generally supportive of the Palestinian cause while many mainland Chinese are rooting for the State of Israel. It is an interesting reversal of their countries’ official positions; Taipei is generally considered to be proIsrael and Beijing pro-Palestinian. In China, the rising popular backlash against Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism is helping Israelis win hearts and minds. China has suffered a string of deadly terrorist attacks recently and many of them are connected with Jihadist-inspired separatist groups in Xinjiang. The Israeli embassy in Beijing maintains one of the most popular social media accounts among diplomatic missions in China, with close to 850,000 followers. By comparison, the U.S. embassy has 890,000 followers. A recent Israeli embassy post which compares Hamas to the notorious IS terrorist organization is drawing many sympathetic comments. The majority of comments support Israel’s attack on Hamas. (Peter Cai, Business Spectator-Australia)
H A D A S S A H T R AV E L
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ISRAEL – A WEAPONS RESEARCH LAB Israel has been in a perpetual state of conflict with its neighbors since the country’s founding. It feels threatened from all sides; it is small and doesn’t possess a massive army. “Innovative military technologies, rather than a massive army, have been viewed as strategically crucial for Israel given its relatively small size,” says Dan Peled, a business professor at the University of Haifa. Data from the Stockholm institute SIPRI shows that Israeli weapons exports more than doubled between 2001 and 2012. “Proven combat performance is still one of Israel’s strongest military technology sales promotions,” says Peled. The label “combat proven” translates directly into healthy global sales of firearms, drones and rockets “Made in Israel.” The vast majority of Israelis view the development of new weapons as a simple necessity in order to ensure their safety and their country’s very existence. Defense industry officials even present their technologies as promoting peace. They argue that precise weaponry can prevent collateral damage, and that the Iron Dome rocket defense system makes milder responses to missile attacks from Gaza possible. Jane’s reported that Israel sold more drones than the U.S. in 2013. It is estimated that it will export twice as
HOW ISRAEL IS WINNING THE SOCIAL MEDIA WAR IN CHINA
IDF MEDICAL CORPS IMPROVED SURVIVAL RATE OF SOLDIERS IN GAZA WAR
The IDF’s Medical Corps said that 64 soldiers were killed and 714 were injured. For the first time in Israel’s military history, the total number of fatalities was less than 10% of the number wounded. The figures represent a significant improvement in the capabilities of field
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19 Federation ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD Star October 2014
October 2014 Federation Star
19
Friends of the IDF launches “Day After” campaign to support needs of soldiers who served in Gaza FIDF to provide array of wellbeing services for Soldiers of Operation Protective Edge grieving their losses. The campaign, which will include fundraising, has been in the planning stages since the needs of Israeli soldiers and their families began emerging during Operation Protective Edge. FIDF will work through its 15 chapters in the United States and Panama to continue tending to the specific needs of combat brigades through the Adopt a Brigade program, particularly focusing on those that participated in Operation Protective Edge. FIDF will attend to the wellbeing of soldiers in these units, with activities such as SPIRIT weeks, providing soldiers with well-deserved rest and relaxation, and DIGNITY aid, which offers monetary assistance to soldiers with financial challenges. FIDF will also sponsor flights all over the world for Lone Soldiers who took part in the operation in Gaza, so that they can reconnect with their families
and friends abroad. FIDF will offer comfort and assistance to the soldiers wounded while fighting, and provide support to families who lost loved ones during this time through its LEGACY program. Finally, FIDF will grant IMPACT! Scholarships to combat soldiers, as they work to further contribute to Israeli society through their education and volunteerism. FIDF is the only official organization raising funds in the United States in coordination with the IDF for the wellbeing of Israel’s soldiers. Thanks to thousands of FIDF supporters, FIDF responded to Operation Protective Edge by delivering tens of thousands of wellbeing packages and items needed in the field to all IDF soldiers. FIDF raises approximately $85 million annually to support the wellbeing of Israeli soldiers.
For more details, please visit www. fidf.org, or contact kristen@puderpr. com. About Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) FIDF was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors as a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing and supporting educational, social, cultural and recreational programs and facilities for the heroic men and women of the IDF. Today, FIDF has more than 120,000 loyal supporters, and 15 regional offices throughout the U.S. and Panama. FIDF proudly offers its support to the IDF soldiers and their families through a variety of unique and innovative programs. These opportunities reinforce the vital bond between the communities in the United States, the soldiers of the IDF, and the State of Israel.
formation of civilian areas into launch pads for some 3,000 rockets blasted wildly into Israel. The IDF also has informed the world about its leaflets, phone calls and text messages that urge Gazans to seek shelter before Israel neutralizes Hamas’ hostile-fire installations. The IDF now has created an outstanding indictment of Hamas: “Hamas War Tactics: Attacks from Civilian Centers - Evidence of Hamas’ Violations of International Law through Use of Civilian Facilities and Densely Populated Areas for Terror.” The report details Hamas rocket blasts from mosques, schools, power plants and hospitals. Beyond maps, photos and text, it includes links to declassified footage from IDF drones and aircraft. Multiple IDF videos and broadcast-news stories show how these militant-Islamic murderers literally commit war crimes by firing from civilian areas in Gaza into civilian areas in Israel, all while refusing to wear uniforms. If Israel is held to Geneva Convention standards, why isn’t Hamas? In just one example, an IDF map shows how Hamas fired a rocket from inside El Azhar Islamic College on July 8 at 2:44 a.m. It exploded in the Israeli town of Ofakim. “Hamas’ tactics flagrantly violate international law and the most basic of moral precepts,” the document concludes. “Given these tactics, the ultimate responsibility for the damage done to civilians as well as the civilian infrastructure of Gaza lies with Hamas.” (Deroy Murdock, National Review)
the final stage of the war were targeted on the basis of human intelligence. Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi, a former security chief in the West Bank, said that “some of those who were executed were former officers with the PA’s security apparatus.” The intelligence source said that rivals are often killed and family feuds settled under the guise of purging society of Israeli spies. (Aaron J. Klein and Mitch Ginsburg, Times of Israel)
nomic boycott, nor will they be affected in the future. This is not because certain European consumer groups are not trying – it is because the unique nature of Israel’s exports simply does not allow for it. Many Israeli companies operate in niche areas. Moreover, 95% of Israel’s exports do not involve individual end consumers but rather business-tobusiness trade, with firms that are only interested in the best product or service at the most competitive price. (Adam Reuter, Ynet News)
BRIEFS continued from previous page medics treating severe wounds immediately after an incident. There were significant upgrades in the emergency medical equipment supplied to every soldier. The kit included an advanced arterial tourniquet for self-use, protective goggles, and a special coagulant-coated bandage. Hundreds of wounded soldiers were given pain-relieving candy instead of morphine. Five of the 400 doctors and paramedics who operated in Gaza were injured. (Yoav Zitun, Ynet News)
NASA CHOOSES ISRAELI MICRO-CAMERA FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
NASA has incorporated the Micro ScoutCam 1.2, the world’s smallest camera produced by Israeli medical device company Medigus Ltd., into its VIPIR robotic inspection tool at the International Space Station. (Globes)
COL. KEMP: PALESTINIAN CIVILIAN CASUALTIES IN GAZA WAR ONE-FOURTH OF WORLD AVERAGE Col. (res.) Richard Kemp, the former British commander in Afghanistan, recently told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the ratio of civilian to military casualties in the Gaza war was only one-fourth of the average in warfare around the world. Kemp said there was approximately one civilian casualty for every terrorist killed by the IDF, whereas the average in the world is four civilians for every combatant. “No army in the world acts with as much discretion and great care as the IDF in order to minimize damage. The U.S. and the UK are careful, but not as much as Israel.” “During the whole operation Israel was very careful under all the limitations of international law. Even if there were exceptions...there was no intention to hurt civilians.” (Lahav Harkov, Jerusalem Post)
IDF DETAILS HAMAS’ USE OF CIVILIAN AREAS AS MISSILE BASES
Throughout the Gaza war, IDF maps, graphics and videos have illustrated Hamas’ consistent trans-
IDF OPERATED UNMANNED APC IN GAZA During the Gaza war, the Israel Defense Forces used an unmanned armored personnel carrier to deliver supplies to soldiers on the battlefield. “This is the first time in history, throughout the world, that such a thing has been done,” said Lt. Avidav Goldstein, the head of the IDF’s unmanned vehicle unit. The unmanned APC can travel 50 km. per hour and hold four tons of equipment. It was operated remotely by soldiers in a control vehicle located inside Israel. (Lilach Shoval, Israel Hayom)
WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG, BAD BOYCOTT? It’s time to calm down. Israeli exports are not affected by the present eco-
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ISRAEL: NONE OF ALLEGED GAZA COLLABORATORS WERE ISRAELI AGENTS None of the Palestinians executed in Gaza on charges of collaboration during the Gaza war were Israeli assets, an Israeli intelligence officer said recently. The Israel Security Agency confirmed that those executed had all been held in prison in Gaza and that none would have had any information that might have played a role in Israel’s locating rocket launch sites or conducting targeted killings. The agency said that none of the Hamas military leaders attacked during
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n the wake of Operation Protective Edge, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) is shifting its emergency Frontline Campaign for the immediate wellbeing needs of Israeli troops during the conflict into a multi-pronged initiative to support comprehensive annual programming for the IDF soldiers and their families. The FIDF “Day After” campaign will begin immediately, with FIDF directing its infrastructure of wellbeing activities and programs toward all the IDF soldiers who took part in this operation and are returning to their units. Israel’s soldiers must now deal with personal losses and the physical and emotional challenges of battle. Many soldiers have been injured during the operation and are still hospitalized or beginning rehabilitation. Furthermore, 64 families of fallen IDF soldiers have paid the ultimate sacrifice and are
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Federation Star October 2014
COMMENTARY
Top five media fails of the Gaza War Reprinted with permission of HonestReporting, August 20, 2014
R
eporting during wartime may be the ultimate challenge for the media. But the conflict between Israel and Hamas revealed, yet again, the severe limitations of traditional journalism. Five media fails stand out in particular. The biggest threats to accuracy and understanding came not from individual pieces of biased reporting but from the mass of articles that adhered to the flawed standards of journalism today. 1. Casualty Figures as Moral Barometer Benjamin Disraeli said there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. Casualty figures cited in virtually all reports on the Gaza war served as all three. The numbers are unreliable, the true percentage of civilians unknown, and their meaning obscured by a lack of context. Reporters often relied on figures provided by the Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry even though Hamas has a strategic interest in inflating the numbers. Reuven Erlich of the Meir Amit Intelligence and Information Center told The Media Line that his organization checked 152 names supplied by the “Gaza government’s Ministry of Health:” The list was done hastily and later changes were made. There were a number of false names listed; the details of the dead are only partial, making identification suspicious. There are names used more than once and some might have been killed by their own fire rather than by the Israeli army. The list doesn’t differentiate between civilians and terror operatives. All the dead are listed as “shahids” [martyrs]. To make sense of the numbers,
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media outlets often included the percentage of those killed considered to be civilians. The number often ran as high as 80%, according to media reports. But as The New York Times noted when it took a deeper look at the figures, a suspiciously high number of people killed were males between the ages of 20 and 29, the primary age of Hamas terrorists involved in the fighting. “At the same time, women and children under 15, the least likely to be legitimate targets, were the most underrepresented, making up 71 percent of the population and 33 percent of the known-age casualties,” the report stated. Another element of distortion was the presentation of the Palestinian numbers alongside the Israeli numbers, which were much lower, as though there was a relationship between the figures, like a scoreboard at a sporting event. These numbers, however, had moral undertones, implying either that Israel was the aggressor because it killed so many more Palestinians, or that the threat against Israel was not so serious, since so few Israelis were killed. But that doesn’t tell the real story. It does not reveal the efforts Israel has made to protect its civilians, and it doesn’t take into account the ways Hamas endangers civilians by turning residential neighborhoods into battle zones. As Bret Stephens wrote in The Wall Street Journal: The real utility of the body count is that it offers reporters and commentators who cite it the chance to ascribe implicit blame to Israel while evading questions about ultimate responsibility for the killing. Presented as raw numbers, the ca-
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sualty figures obscure more than they reveal. 2. The ‘Battered Journalist’ Syndrome Covering Gaza poses challenges for any reporters, not least of which is the ever-present pressure from Hamas to adhere to the Palestinian narrative. Even reporters who never encountered direct threats knew they were operating on territory that offered no protection for free speech. And if their livelihood depended on being able to access Gaza in the future, they knew that reporting facts that Hamas would find objectionable would risk deportation or blacklisting, at the very least. The situation was severe enough that the Foreign Press Association (FPA) issued a scathing condemnation of Hamas’s behavior towards journalists, citing a number of examples that had emerged during the weeks of fighting. Even Hamas admitted it intimidated reporters: Some of the journalists who entered the Gaza Strip were under security surveillance. Even under these difficult circumstances, we managed to reach them, and tell them that what they were doing was anything but professional journalism and that it was immoral. Yet amazingly, the response from some of the most influential journalists covering Gaza was that the entire issue was over-blown. New York Times Jerusalem Bureau Chief Jodi Rudoren even called the FPA statement “nonsense” in a tweet. Why go out of the way to downplay something that had an obvious impact on the stories that emerged from the conflict? Maybe if reporters were complete-
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ly transparent about the challenges they faced, it would point to the fact that they should not have been reporting from Gaza in the first place. As journalist Michael Totten wrote following the publication of the FPA’s statement: The Gaza war was a huge story, of course, and it had to be covered, but it could just as easily have been covered from the Israeli side of the line. Covering both sides of the story is of course preferable whenever possible, but providing balanced coverage from Israel alongside censored coverage from Gaza is a form of journalistic malpractice. Stop it. 3. Failure to Disclose Missing Information While many journalists insisted that their work was unhindered by Hamas, they could not explain credibly why there were noticeable gaps in their coverage. Most prominently missing, of course, were pictures of Hamas fighters in action. When the issue was raised to The New York Times, the response was even more galling than the gap – the paper simply didn’t have any photos to publish. The paper’s star photographer, Tyler Hicks, went even further: If we had access to them [Hamas fighters], we would be photographing them. I never saw a single device for launching the rockets to Israel. It’s as if they don’t exist. Hicks explained that the Hamas terrorists were fighting from the margins, and if they ventured into public areas, they would immediately become targets for Israeli strikes. Fair enough. Hamas fighters were hard to find. But there was no shortage
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21 Federation Star/ BUSINESS October 2014 COMMENTARY DIRECTORY
October 2014 Federation Star
21
continued from previous page 4. Over-Emphasis on Grisly War Photos While there were virtually no pictures of Hamas fighters during the days of heavy fighting in Gaza, there was no shortage of pictures of children or babies hurt in Israeli airstrikes. Those pictures were particularly prevalent across the UK and other European cities and helped inflame the streets of Europe and beyond, where anti-Semitic sentiment ran to a fever pitch. They also badly misrepresented the fighting taking place in the Gaza Strip. Taken together with the absence of photos of Hamas fighters and the message is clear: Israel is an aggressor that targets children. 5. Failure to State Hamas’s Real Goals Throughout the weeks of fighting, and especially during the periods of negotiations for a cease-fire, the media claimed that Hamas’s main motivation was to ease the blockade around Gaza or to open a port or airport.
of photos of Palestinians reacting to Israeli airstrikes or attending funerals. Maybe if the photographers had ventured out to the margins themselves, they may have spotted something. And maybe those who did were stopped by Hamas. The media, however, treated the issue exactly as Hicks said – as if rocket launchers and the people firing them didn’t exist. In photo gallery after photo gallery of Gaza, there was hardly any way to tell that there were two sides fighting, and not just one. Media outlets have an obligation to let the readers know what’s missing. And if they couldn’t show it with pictures, they could have done more to explain that Hamas routinely fired from populated areas. Of course, as the fighting started to die down, pictures and videos of rocket launch sites began to emerge, raising questions about whether the photos really were impossible to obtain or if Hamas threats were responsible for their absence.
But does that really explain why Hamas spent the past several years building a complex of tunnels and bunkers that reached across the border and into Israel? Does it explain why the terror group chose to smuggle or manufacture thousands, if not tens of thousands, of rockets capable of reaching the heart of Israel? Or why it continues to fire them at Israeli civilians? Is it really looking for peace with Israel, or an easing of Israel’s security measures just to improve the lot of the people of Gaza? It would be more honest to point out that Hamas is working towards Israel’s annihilation. It even has a charter that says so clearly. As S.E. Cupp wrote in the New York Daily News: Rarely is it mentioned in a news report that Hamas’s primary objective, its main goal, what it really wants and what its military arm is designed and determined to get, is the total destruction of Israel and
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the annihilation of the Jews. It’s a crucial component that’s regularly left out of news reports. But any story that does not mention this among Hamas’s chief demands is not an intellectually honest or complete one. Few in the media seem to grasp this, the effect of which has been to create a gauzy and nebulous moral equivalency between Israel and Hamas that isn’t really there. Allowing Hamas to maintain its charter but ignoring it and letting the terror group present itself as a moderate force seeking the best for the people of Gaza distorts the reality. The media has an obligation to present the conflict as it is – the aggression of a terrorist group working for the destruction of Israel and Israel’s efforts to defend its citizens. A framework that puts Israel and Hamas on an equal moral plane is another case of journalistic malpractice. Read more at HonestReporting, www. honestreporting.com.
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COMMENTARY
Federation Star October 2014
What I hope to hear at High Holy Day services By David Harris, Executive Director, AJC, August 17, 2014
I
t’s often said the High Holy Days come either too late or too early, but never on time. This year, they couldn’t be better timed. With all that’s going on now in the Jewish world, there’s an extraordinary opportunity to reach a vast audience during the solemn ten days we know as the Yamim Noraim, or Days of Awe. Two immediate messages need to be shared from the bima. First, anti-Semitism is on the rise. Newsweek magazine devoted a cover story to a young Belgian Jewish woman carrying a suitcase, with the chilling title, “Exodus: Why Europe’s Jews are fleeing once again.” The Wall Street Journal has published at least three recent major opeds on rising anti-Semitism. And three European leaders – the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Italy – issued an unusual joint appeal against the surge in anti-Semitism. We cannot remain indifferent or complacent. We Jews are a people. We share a destiny. We have a collective responsibility to one another. Consider some recent occurrences: Thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Paris, Berlin and other European cities, many chanting: “Death to the Jews,” “Hitler was right,” “Jews to the gas chambers” and “Reopen Auschwitz.” A demonstration in Sweden against anti-Semitism had to be canceled because the organizers were physically afraid. And let’s not forget the Paris synagogue that was targeted by a raging mob, while worshipers were inside. They were saved by the courage of security personnel, until the French police could arrive in larger numbers. It’s important to emphasize that for those threatening from the outside, it didn’t matter a whit what denomination the synagogue was, only that it was a Jewish site and there were Jews inside. Sadly, this is far from a complete list of what’s been going on, primarily in Europe, but elsewhere as well, from South Africa to New Zealand, from South America to Australia. Second, this is a time to reaffirm our enduring bonds with Israel. Once again, we find so many who are either unwilling or incapable of understanding Israel’s profound security challenges. Too often, wherever we look – in the media, diplomatic corridors and elsewhere – we see distortion of reality, political expediency and moral inversion. Israel left Gaza in 2005, giving local residents their first chance in history to chart their own destiny. Tragically, in elections, they chose Hamas, which, consistent with its blood-curdling charter, opted to pursue Israel’s destruction rather than Gaza’s construction.
How is Israel supposed to react, when missiles are being fired indiscriminately at millions of its citizens? What would any other country do in Israel’s place? And what is Israel to do when it discovers more than 30 infiltration tunnels built from Gaza into its territory with the aim of sending jihadists to kill and kidnap as many Israelis as possible? Again, what would any other country do in Israel’s place? Israel is fighting a ruthless, cynical foe, who uses civilians, especially women and children, as human shields, hoping to drive up the casualty count and draw the world’s sympathy and support. And how else could Israel act in defending itself against an adversary that chooses schools, mosques, UN facilities, and hospitals to hide terrorists, store weapons and fire missiles, while counting on the international community to express horror if any of these structures are hit by Israeli strikes? How could so many fail to see the moral clarity of Israel’s struggle? How could they fail to grasp that Israel is on the front line in the battle against jihadist forces, and that all of us – Western nations, as well as moderate Arab countries like Egypt, Jordan and the UAE – have a stake in Israel’s success? And how could they not understand that Hamas is part of the same family tree as ISIS, Hezbollah, AlQaeda and Boko Haram – groups that despise America, target Christians, Yazidis, Baha’i, and Muslims of other outlooks, and want to impose shari’a law wherever possible? We need to remember and thank those that have stood by Israel, including the U.S., Canada and Australia. And we need to remember, as well, those that have assailed Israel – notably Turkey and, among others, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Peru, Uruguay and, of course, Venezuela. Think twice before you make your next overseas vacation plans or business decisions. But most of all, we need to tell Israelis that they are not alone, that we stand with them shoulder-to-shoulder, that we admire their courage, and that, individually and collectively, we will advocate their cause in the halls of power here and around the world. Israel is a remarkable country in a thousand different ways. How fortunate we are to be able to say “This year in Jerusalem,” when, for countless generations, it was always the yearning for “Next year in Jerusalem!” But for all its astonishing progress, Israel remains embattled, surrounded by Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and ISIS. And let’s not forget Iran, which, like Iraq in 1991, is just a missile away. Today, Israel faces challenges on three fronts. First, the military front, where, time and again, the IDF has acted
“Serving the Jewish Community for Over 14 Years” Traditional Jewish Services
heroically. Second, the civilian front. Israel’s enemies have sought to hit cities and towns, only to be met by resilience and determination. And third, the global front, where Israel’s opponents have tried to penetrate the media, universities, unions, politicians, civic groups, the courts, etc., seeking Israel’s isolation. That third front is also our front. Accordingly, in the spirit of our tradition, this is a time for each of us to say “Hineini!” “Here I am!” It’s a time for all of us to say together “Hineinu!” “Here we are!” It’s a defining time. In life, we don’t usually get to choose our moments. But the moment is here. Do we respond to it? Do we show that we’ve learned the lessons of history, that we understand the core Jewish principle of collective responsibility? Do we identify with our Jewish sisters and brothers around the world, who today face a new level of danger and fear? Do we call on world leaders not only to denounce anti-Semitism, but also to take sustained action against it? Do we stand with Israel, affirming our pride, solidarity and support? Or do we let the moment pass, using such excuses as it’s not the right time in our lives, or the issues don’t touch us directly, or we don’t know what’s going on, or maybe if we’re just a bit nicer everyone will like us more, or everything will somehow turn out alright of its own accord?
We are a people who for thousands of years have yearned for one thing above all, shalom, peace. We are all meant to be rodphei shalom, pursuers of peace. We must never abandon that quest, that belief in its possibility. Yet, at the same time, we cannot become so mesmerized by it that we lose all perspective on life as it actually is today. Perhaps our situation is best summed up in the following anecdote: Sherlock Holmes, joined by his trusty aide Watson, left London by horse-drawn wagon for a case in the north. Darkness arrived, so they pitched a tent along the way. In the middle of the night, Holmes woke up, looked around, and elbowed Watson. “Watson, my dear chap, what do you see?” Watson rubbed his eyes before saying: “Why Holmes, I see the beauty of the stars, the transcendence of the universe, and the majesty of eternity.” To which Holmes replied: “Watson, you fool, someone has stolen our tent!” We must never lose sight of the beauty of the stars. But we must also never forget, as we gather in sacred communities for these Days of Awe, that someone is trying to steal our tent. If we, each of us – indeed, all of us – don’t protect the tent, who will? For more information, visit www.ajc. org.
COMMENTARY BRIEFS AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO THE GAZA WAR The way the Gaza war has been described and responded to abroad has laid bare the resurgence of an old, twisted pattern of thought – namely, a hostile obsession with Jews. News organizations believe Israel to be the most important story on earth, or very close. If you follow mainstream coverage, you will find nearly no real analysis of Palestinian society or ideologies, profiles of armed Palestinian groups, or investigation of Palestinian government. The West has decided that Palestinians should want a state alongside Israel, so that opinion is attributed to them as fact, though anyone who has spent time with actual Palestinians understands that things are more complicated. Every flaw in Israeli society is aggressively reported. In one seven-week period (November 8 to December 16, 2011), I counted 27 separate AP articles, an average of a story every two days, on the various moral failings of Israeli society – a tally higher than the total number of critical stories about Palestinian government and society that our bureau had published in the preceding three years. Any veteran of the press corps here knows that Hamas intimidation of reporters is real. As an editor on the AP news desk during the 2008-2009 Gaza fighting, I personally erased a key detail – that Hamas fighters were dressed as civilians and being counted as civilians in the death toll – because of a threat to our reporter in Gaza. The policy remains not to inform readers that a story is censored unless the censorship is Israeli. The fact is that Hamas intimidation is largely beside the point because the actions of Palestinians are beside the point: Most reporters in Gaza believe their job is to document violence directed by Israel at Palestinian civilians. Many of the people deciding what you will read and see from here view their role not as explanatory but as political. Coverage is a weapon to be placed at
the disposal of the side they like. The land that Israel controls consists of the 0.2% of the Arab world in which Jews are a majority and Arabs a minority. The conflict is more accurately described as “Jewish-Arab” – a conflict between the 6 million Jews of Israel and 300 million Arabs in surrounding countries (or, more broadly, 1 billion Muslims worldwide). Yet the “Israeli-Palestinian” framing of the story allows the Jews to be depicted as the stronger party. When journalists cover the Jews’ war as more worthy of attention than any other, when they portray the Jews of Israel as the party obviously in the wrong, when they omit all possible justifications for the Jews’ actions and obscure the true face of their enemies, international press coverage has become a morality play starring a familiar villain. (Matti Friedman, a reporter and editor in the Jerusalem bureau of the Associated Press from 2006-2011, Tablet)
CONDEMNATION OF ISRAEL PREVENTS PEACE
The international response to Israel’s defensive actions against terrorism is disturbingly familiar, and it is galvanizing the Israeli public against making further compromises to their security for the sake of peace. This experience is driving yet another nail into the coffin of Israeli-Palestinian peace, as global condemnation of Israel becomes increasingly disconnected from realistic expectations of how a sovereign nation should handle terrorist rockets raining down on its cities. With no better solution to offer Israel for the protection of its population, international opinion becomes increasingly irrelevant to Israel’s government and alienates moderate Israelis who would support political and territorial concessions to the Palestinians – but not at the cost of their personal safety. That the Gaza war, one of many raging in the world today, has yielded one of the lowest rates of civilian
continued on page 26
23 Federation Star October 2014 COMMENTARY
J’accuse
It is time for Jews to say to The New York Times: we’ve had enough. By Rabbi Benjamin Blech, www.aish.com, July 30, 2014
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write often for Aish.com. I write infrequently to The New York Times. Sometimes they print what I have to say. But this time I knew they weren’t going to publish my letter. Here’s what I said: To the editor: In the conflict between Israel and Hamas, The New York Times has repeatedly insinuated that Hamas enjoys the higher moral ground based on the premise of proportionality – the number of its civilian victims far exceeds that of Israelis. Since my children and grandchildren live in Israel and have thus far been spared from death thanks to their shelter, the Iron Dome, and most certainly God, I beg you for some clarification. To my mind, the thousands of rockets that have targeted six million innocent civilians – a number that somehow resonates for me with great significance – have gratefully not succeeded in fulfilling the stated goal of those who fired them. By charter, Hamas has made clear its intention to slaughter all Israeli residents, men women and children. Were Israel not to respond forcefully to this threat, admittedly and most regretfully killing hundreds of civilians during this war they did not seek or initiate, the results would catastrophically be in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Israeli deaths. Please enlighten me as to how many Israelis need actually die and how many photos of butchered Israeli children would be required for Israel to regain the media’s favor? I can only hope it’s not another six million – because, starkly put, been there, done that. And why was I so sure it was an exercise in futility to send this letter to them? Because it’s now become clear that The New York Times has lost any claim to journalistic integrity by the way it continues to distort its reporting of a war initiated by an internationally recognized terrorist organization against the only democracy in the Middle East. Ignored and completely forgotten by the supposed “newspaper of record” are the simple facts that Hamas started a fight with a clearcut goal, as affirmed in its charter, of killing every Israeli, or to be more precise every Jew. That means men, women and children. By the way, there’s a name for these intended victims. They are called civilians, a term not to be selectively used only for Arab citizens of Gaza. Hamas sent hundreds – by now thousands – of rockets specifically designed to maim and to murder as many of these civilians as possible, and their lack of success in no way diminishes their moral culpability. Hamas has refused to accept every cease-fire offered – and broken every limited humanitarian-based agreement to mutually suspend conflict. Instead what the Times offers its readers to the point of nausea are heartbreaking photos of suffering residents in Gaza without the context of the reason for their grief – a leadership safely ensconced in luxury far from the fighting who praise death and martyrdom as the noblest aspirations for their followers. One can only wonder if the Times would have covered World War II in the same fashion, keeping score as over one million Germans civilians perished as compared to only 12,000 Americans – none of whom it may be recalled were in immediate danger of
missiles over the American mainland. If morality is determined solely by number of innocents dying, The New York Times must truly believe that United States bears an unspeakable measure of guilt for its role in stopping Nazi Germany from its murderous plans because, after all, in order to accomplish its mission it caused the death of innocent victims. What is perhaps most astounding about the Times’ coverage is not only its lack of objectivity and its inability to view events with any semblance of moral clarity but something that Bret Stephens pointedly noted in his column in The Wall Street Journal that smacks either of amateurish incompetence or willful and evil distortion. As source for the numbers of victims in Gaza, as well as for the breakdown between combatants and civilians in this figure, the Times cites the Palestinian Health Ministry and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Just a little digging by a responsible journalist would reveal that the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza is run by Hamas and the United Nations group gets its information from two Palestinian agitprop groups! So even if war has been reduced to a game of numbers by The New York Times, the information it offers its readers is nothing more than propaganda filtered through what is supposed to be a reliable newspaper. It is time for Jews to say we have had enough. It is time for Jews to say what Emile Zola said when he could no longer stand the lies, the fabrications, the deceits and the dishonesty of the press of his day as they falsely accused the Jew Dreyfus of treason when the real reason for their attack was because Dreyfus was a Jew: J’accuse. We, even the liberals and leftists and the intelligentsia who have so long been taken in by the prestige and the esteem The New York Times has for so long enjoyed in their circles, must finally take note of reality. Loudly and clearly, as well as by way of cancellation of subscriptions, we must shout out J’accuse! We accuse the newspaper that has built its reputation on fairness and objective reporting of losing its way as it grants the moral high ground to terrorists and to those whose admitted goals are violence and terrorism. Rabbi Benjamin Blech, a frequent contributor to Aish, is a Professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University and an internationally recognized educator, religious leader, and lecturer. Author of 14 highly acclaimed books with combined sales of over a half million copies, his newest, The World From a Spiritual Perspective, is a collection of over 100 of his best Aish articles. Visit his website at www.benjaminblech.com.
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.
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October 2014 Federation Star
No other explanation than outright anti-Semitism By Gene Sipe, VP, ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter
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hen I was a teen, my favorite literary genre was science fiction. I marveled at the concept of technology that could provide safe environments from the hostile outside world. Well, welcome to life under the dome. Without the Iron Dome, Israel would be in rubble, its population mangled and its continued existence severely in question. In most of those sci-fi stories, the problem necessitating a dome was environmental. In today’s world, the problem is Jew hatred. There seems to be little doubt that the modern State of Israel came to fruition because of the Jew hatred of the Second World War. While that is a time we wish was behind us, it is the only logical reason for the growing anti-Semitism we are experiencing around the world today. Europe notwithstanding, from evicting entire communities from their village in Guatemala to murdering unarmed rabbis on their way to synagogue, there is absolutely no other explanation. Unlike Israel’s neighbors, whose populations are under rule of murderous extremists or in the midst of civil war, Israel has an excelling economy that for the most part is providing for her entire population. When you read that the State of Israel is, after three months of investigation and debate, incorporating 4,000 dunams (988 acres) of over 90% unpopulated land into state-controlled property to solve its housing crisis, you must wonder why the world is in an uproar. Subsequently, the population, who in the 1960s began calling themselves Palestinians, adopted a violent and relentless land grab with the sole intent to evict the Jews. Under the guise of wanting their own state, they proved that that is not their intention at all. This cannot be more exemplified by the situation in Gaza. Today, after four engagements by Israel, which were terminated prior to the point of reoccupation, Hamas’ approval rating exceeds 60% of the residents of both Gaza and
Judea/Samaria. They have no economy to speak of, however they see no problem with receiving billions of dollars funded by outside contributors that are used for weapons and terror tunnels or are stolen by their leaders rather than for the development of social programs and infrastructure. At the same time, they rely upon Israel for their electric, water and sanitation systems. Jews have been forced from every Arab country and their very existence is threatened in Europe and the eastern bloc. The tiny sliver of real estate known as Israel has, and continues to absorb and integrate Jewish refugees from around the world. It is condemned by world leaders and the United Nations, whose purpose is allegedly to: “maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict.” So, let us consider, Israel provides for her citizens (including women and homosexuals) who have equal rights and freedoms, she absorbs Jewish refugees from all around the world, and builds a dome of defense to protect its population. However, when Israel builds homes for her residents, she is condemned. When the Middle East is in turmoil, tanks and bombs are crossing borders by the thousands, entire populations are displaced or exterminated, the reality of the world’s position toward Israel has nothing to do with creating a “Palestinian” state. There can be no other explanation than outright anti-Semitism. As such, we as Zionists must preserve Israel as a refuge for Jewish survival. It is more critical now than ever before to find friends and supporters on Capitol Hill. Let them know how important it is to support Israel’s sovereignty and ask them to provide financial aid and technological support to defend Jewish existence.
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24
Federation Star October 2014
FOCUS ON YOUTH
Preschool of the Arts update By Ettie Zaklos, Preschool Director Do the math ¡¡ 2011-2012: 16 children, two classes, three teachers ¡¡ 2012-2013: 50 children, four classes, eight teachers ¡¡ 2013-2014: 75 children, five classes, ten teachers ¡¡ 2014-2015: 100 children, six classes, twelve teachers, waiting list of 20 children The numbers say it all: In four years, the student population at Preschool of the Arts has grown 525%. Imagination Playground What a wonderful morning we had at our annual back-to-school brunch that was well attended by current students and their families and all of our teachers. We were thrilled to introduce our Imagination Playground to our families during our back-to-school brunch. Our Imagination Playground is an easily
customizable, foam building system that will allow our children to create their own play areas and cultivate the habits of both scientist and artist. Our initiative is an introduction to the STE(A)M program that many schools have adopted nationwide. The program, which started out as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), and has more recently branched out to include Art, gives equal weight to Art. And at Preschool of the Arts, nothing brings us greater joy than introducing our children to the wonderful creative world of the arts! Our preschool promotes the “wholebrained” approach, where we give equal weight to the arts, creativity and the skills of imagination in a balanced curriculum that educates the whole child. Our goal is to provide an environment where there is no one correct answer,
Welcome Maribel and family
an environment where children can see the whole picture with its many possible solutions. The goal of our Imagination Playground is to: XX encourage our children to develop strong skills in creativity, communication and collaboration, as well as physically challenge themselves in a safe environment XX help our children develop language, communication and problem solving skills that are key to cognitive development XX promote cooperation, self-regulation, the development of social relationships and other elements crucial to social-emotional development Art and About Program We were so happy to welcome local artist Maurice T. into our preschool this month as part of our Art and About
Jordy and mom
Program. The program focuses on local Naples artists who visit our preschool to talk about their art and do a hands-on art project with our children. The developmental benefits of these interactions are invaluable, as creativity through arts spans many areas of learning: helping with motor skills, decision making, inventiveness and cultural awareness. A visit from a beekeeper Our own busy little bees had a special visit from a local beekeeper who visited our school campus as part of our teaching component on Rosh Hashanah. Our children learned about bees and where honey comes from, and everyone went home with a bottle of honey to share with family and friends. For more information, contact me at 239.263.2620 or naplespreschool ofthearts@gmail.com, or visit www. naplespreschoolofthearts.com.
Cute Cassat watering garden
Temple Shalom Preschool update By Seyla Cohen, Preschool Director As we dip our apples in honey, we pray for an additional measure of sweetness. May we continue to grow in our commitment to our faith, our people and community. May all Jews experience blessings in the year ahead, and may the world become a better place for all your children. – Rabbis Bennett Miller & Eric Lankin ew beginnings. It’s always so delightful that as the Jewish New Year approaches, our students begin another year of their preschool experience. Here at Temple Shalom Preschool our staff is so excited to start another year of growth, dedication and challenges. We watch the faces of both returning and new students as they enter the building with looks of wonder and eagerness. Their growth, both physically and emotionally, during their absence over the summer months, never seizes to amaze us. With each New Year, our commitment to improvement and develop-
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ment continues. Last year we made advancements and enhancements in our preschool program with our innovative Technology Center, introducing the latest in technology for early childhood education. This year the TSP Experience continues with our own Garden. The children will get a chance to plant vegetables, help them grow, and make yummy and nutritious meals using the vegetables they grow. Working in a garden, the children will experience the satisfaction that comes from caring for something over time, while observing the cycle of life firsthand. Such enrichments not only help to maintain Temple Shalom Preschool’s status as the unsurpassed preschool program in the Naples area, but raise the standards of education, enabling staff to bring out the best in each of our students, raising self-esteem, confidence, and a firm foundation for their school years ahead. Once again, our much loved Miss
Jane is teaching the school’s unique Mommy, Me and More classes. New mothers are provided with a support group and are given the opportunity to meet other mothers and make new friends. Friendships can make an enormous difference in the journey through motherhood, often alleviating the feeling of loneliness and helping new mothers bond and share experiences. At the same time, children from birth to 24 months are provided with a strong foundation for learning through interac-
tive play, music, art and exercise. Little ones begin to develop important skills such as socialization, self-control, and physical and cognitive development, so important for the preparation for their school experience. Here at Temple Shalom Preschool, we wish all a very happy, healthy and productive year ahead. L’Shanah Tovah!
Jewish Bedtime Stories & Songs for Families
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25 Federation Star October 2014 FOCUS ON YOUTH
Rising young star: Suzie Waltzer By Jean L. Amodea
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uzie Waltzer, a senior at Barron Collier High School, excels in math – because she loves it. In fact, she is so enamored with the discipline that she is taking Advanced Placement Calculus. Besides academic excellence, she is also adept at tennis, having played on the Barron Collier tennis team throughout her past three years of high school. Also involved in BBYO, Suzie has
chanting Torah during High Holy Day services. Firmly holding family as her number one priority, Suzie enjoys spending time with them, and said that she will cherish family times especially this year, her last year at home before she leaves for college. So far, while she is considering attendance at colleges in the Northeast that have large Jewish populations, she has not yet decided on a major. However, Suzie holds dual interests in psychology and nutrition. In her leisure time, yoga takes the top spot. This past Zoe, Joel, Suzie, Jane and Rachel Waltzer s u m m e r, s h e served as the Mazkira (secretary/treaparticipated in a 200-hour, two-week surer) for the past three terms. “It is a intensive yoga teacher training program. great way to connect with Jewish teens “I love practicing yoga and wanted and to feel a sense of community. I am to strengthen my practice and knowllooking forward to an exciting final year edge. It gave me the opportunity and in this meaningful program,” she said. knowledge necessary to share my love Pensive about her heritage and serifor this practice with others in the fuous about its tenets, Suzie said that being ture,” she added. Jewish “means having a connection with Holding her mother as her source G-d and following Jewish traditions.” of inspiration, Suzie said she has come She cites the importance of sitto admire the strength and positivity ting down with her family (father Joel, that her mom has gracefully displayed mother Jane and younger sisters Rachel, throughout her battle with breast cancer. age 15, and Zoe, age 10) to have a Shab“My mother inspires me to be my bat meal every Friday “to continue their best every day,” Suzie said. traditions and to have that special time Identifying her strongest personal together.” values as her sense of dedication and “My parents have been great role authenticity, she said they have been the models in the Jewish community and secret to her personal success, thus far. have passed down their commitment to “I learned during my Bat Mitzvah Jewish organizations and tikkun olam,” studies that through hard work and dediSuzie added. cation, I can achieve more than I thought Learning well the lesson to give possible. Through yoga, I have learned back to the community, Suzie said that the importance of being true to myself, she has learned through religious school which will help me face the challenges to continue acts of mitzvot. Along with of being a young adult,” she said. her mother and sisters, she has been As to her sage advice to others her a volunteer at the Jewish Family and age, Suzie said that she would advise her Community Services food pantry for peers to work hard, pursue their passion three years. and to be true to themselves. “Every time I leave the food pantry, Jean Amodea, a former school principal I feel a sense of accomplishment and from New Jersey is a freelance writer that I have done a little part in providing for the Naples Daily News and its comfor those less fortunate,” she said. munity publications as well as director Attending Temple Shalom, where of Peter Duchin Music of Naples/Enshe had her Bat Mitzvah and Confirmatertainment Direct. She also performs tion, has also made a deep impression with her husband Ron’s dance band, jazz on this unique young lady who not only ensemble and Caribbean quartet. Reach had served as a teaching assistant in Jean at jeanamodea@earthlink.net. religious school but who also enjoys
Want to see your “rising young star” featured in the Federation Star? Send an email to jeanamodea@earthlink.net with the details.
The Adolescent Journey: A Conversation for Parents and (Grandparents)
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hat’s normal? When should I be worried? Are we the only family going through this? If you find yourself asking questions like these, come join with other parents – and grandparents – to reflect on the challenges of parenting through the teenage years. While there is no clear road map, there are guiding principles to help us navigate life with an adolescent. And confidence comes in knowing we are not alone. Ann Fisher, LCSW, a clinical social worker specializing in working with adolescents and their families, and on the staff of Jewish Family and Community Services of Southwest Florida,
will be leading a parenting workshop, The Adolescent Journey. The workshop is part of Healthy Socialization Skills for Teens, a group program addressing the concerns of today’s pre-teens and teens, made possible through grants from the Jewish Federation of Collier County and the Community Foundation, and offered by BBYO. It will take place on Tuesday, October 21 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Federation offices, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples. Refreshments will be served. For more information or to RSVP, contact Ann Fisher at 239.325.4444 or afisher@jfcsswfl.org.
October 2014 Federation Star
25
Naples BBYO update By Jason Randall, Sophomore at Barron Collier High School
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BYO is a teen-led Jewish movement creating leaders on an international scale. BBYO in Naples began its fall term with an Open House on Sunday, August 24, where teens and parents filled the room and learned more about BBYO and upcoming events. Current Naples BBYO members and prospective members created and ate ice cream sundaes with various toppings correlating to the founding principles of the Aleph Zadik Aleph (high school fraternity) and B’nai B’rith Girls (high school sorority). “The turnout at this event was terrific! Starting the new term with a full house was really inspiring to see,” said high school senior Zoe Van Slyke. Naples teens participated in a region-wide Kick-off Event at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo where more than 60 of their friends from Orlando, Oviedo, Maitland, Sarasota and Tampa joined together to participate in an interactive
scavenger hunt that led them all around the zoo, from the koala exhibit to the manatee pool. Between imitating the seals’ barking laughs and feeding the giraffes, Naples BBYO teens had a “Zoopendous” time! The Naples BBYO teen leaders have planned an inspiring and enlightening Sukkot event for Sunday, October 12. Teens will rejoice and reconnect with their Jewish roots as they celebrate and learn about this ancient festival of the harvest. Additionally, registration is currently open for Regional Kallah, a weekend retreat on November 14-16 for Jewish teens throughout the region. For more information about Naples BBYO, please contact Skylar Haas, Naples Program Associate, at shaas@ bbyo.org. Jason Randall is the current teen chapter President of Negev AZA, the boys’ BBYO chapter in Naples.
Naples BBYO teens at Regional Kickoff at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa: (back row) Skylar Haas (Naples Program Associate), Zoe Van Slyke, Sofia Collins, Cloe Feldman, Rachel Waltzer, Sydnie Lenchner, Saige Feldman, Gabby Van Slyke, (front row) Evan Collins, Taylor Bollt, Jason Randall, Jack Van Dam, Jeremy Goldman (Negev AZA Advisor)
HEY KIDS! What are your plans for the summer of 2015? Would you like to go to a Jewish Summer Camp or visit Israel? The Jewish Federation of Collier County, Temple Shalom and Temple Shalom Men’s Club, together offer PARTIAL scholarships for Jewish Summer Camps and the Israel Experience for teens. There are scholarship opportunities for all Jewish children in the community regardless of congregation affiliation. For information and a scholarship application, contact your local synagogue or call the Jewish Federation at 239.263.4205.
Scholarship request deadline is December 1, 2014.
The Federation Star is a monthly nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and the Jewish Federation of Collier County.
26
Federation Star October 2014
RABBINICAL REFLECTIONS
Thoughts for the High Holy Days Rabbi Ammos Chorny
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ports enthusiasts can be a bit crazy, believing that if they’re not in their special chair, wearing their lucky shirt, their team will lose. I sometimes wonder if they feel the same way about shul. Mr. Shapiro came to his rabbi before Rosh Hashanah: “I don’t know what to do. I haven’t missed a game all season. The Yankees are playing the Red Sox on Kol Nidre night. How can I miss that game?” “Don’t worry,” the rabbi said, “That’s why we have DVRs.” “Thank goodness,” said Mr. Shapiro, “You mean I can record the services?” Don’t be too hard on Mr. Shapiro. There’s something admirable about his attitude. High Holy Day services are at least as important as his favorite
team, and surely he prays whenever he watches the games. For many people the High Holy Days are an ordeal. For many, services are boring, so they come late. Others leave early or spend a good part of the service talking. For rabbis, this can be a bit disheartening. We know that services can be daunting: the Hebrew is hard, and the prayers are confusing. Rabbis spend hours preparing – and then wonder if anyone is listening. Unfortunately, religious services have turned into a spectator sport. Someone once said that football is a sport in which 22 physically fit men run around, while 90,000 who need exercise watch. At High Holy Day services, hundreds of people who are not sure how to daven watch a few people who do. The problem is that too much of the action takes place on the bimah and not enough in the pews. Here are some suggestions to help make the most of this season: ÎÎ When you come to services make noise. Services aren’t supposed to
be quiet. There should be a constant buzz of people davening and singing along with the cantor. I once had an unforgettable experience at an interfaith service. I was shocked when members of the black churches responded vocally to my sermon. I’d make a statement and someone would yell out, “That’s tellin’m, rabbi,” or “Praise the lord.” As disconcerting as it was, there was something powerful about the idea that my sermon was a conversation – not a monologue. Folks were actively listening. ÎÎ To make the most of the holidays, start before services. Before coming to shul, find someone to whom you owe an apology. Perhaps someone at home, or at work, or even here in shul. I don’t mean a generic apology. There are too many of those already. Be specific! Before the holidays, make a sincere apology to someone you care about. ÎÎ Finally, learn these words to help make these days meaningful: “da
lifnei mi atta omed” – “Know before whom you stand.” Every time you get distracted, every time you get annoyed and are attempted to react, say “da lifnei mi atta omed.” These words are on our bimah, under our ner tamid. They can be helpful not only in synagogue but also out in the world. If every time we are tempted to do something dishonest or hurtful we say that phrase to ourselves, I believe it might make a difference. As we welcome the Yamim Noraim, I hope you’ll come to shul early, stay late, and become engaged in services. Most of all, I hope you’ll take the holidays home with you so that they occur not three days a year but all year long. Unlike that football game, your presence makes a difference. You are not a spectator but a player, and what you do today and every day can change your life as well as the world. Shanah Tovah!
How can you believe in God? Rabbi Edward M. Maline, D.D.
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uring this past summer while on sabbatical I visited with several doctors for routine checkups. While examining me, each of them asked me the question: How can you believe in God with all the terrible things going on in the world – such violence, barbarism, hatred, terrorism threatening to destroy Western civilization, etc.?
BRIEFS continued from page 22 casualties, and showcased some of the most valiant efforts in the history of modern warfare to protect the other side’s innocents, seems to matter not one whit to Israel’s critics. Israel scrupulously abides by the laws of war. Israelis have watched the hypocritical international reaction and have concluded that Israel’s very real security concerns are not taken seriously. Israel has a right to defend itself, we are told, but apparently this is a right that exists only in theory, not in practice. Consider the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, during which right-wingers
I really was not in the mood with the first doctor to enter into a theological discussion. So I simply said: I know how you feel and I am sure many feel the same way, and I even sometimes have doubted the existence of God who allows such awful and horrific things to occur. Afterwards, I felt disappointed with my response. When asked the same question by the second doctor, I tried to give a more intellectual response. I said that I do not believe in a personal God who watches over us and can intervene in our lives to alter the consequences of our behavior. God – the cosmic intelligence that created the universe – set
certain laws into motion, and if we are not respectful of those laws we suffer the consequences of our actions. We have free will – God is not a puppeteer who controls us – and Jewish tradition teaches us that we have two inclinations: the Yetzer Tov (the good inclination) and the Yetzer Ra (the evil impulse). They vie with each other for supremacy. Hopefully, with the aid of Torah, the good will triumph over evil. As we look about the world today, the world has these two inclinations. There is a global Yetzer Tov and a global Yetzer Ra. There are evil people, but I believe they are outnumbered by good people. We must as a global, interna-
tional community destroy the radical evil posed by terrorist groups like ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah and other jihadists, and allow the Yetzer Tov to overcome and defeat those who seek our destruction. That is what “God” wants us to do. The doctor then completed his examination and said he hopes I will feel better and he acknowledged that my response made some sense although he had difficulty because he believed all of his life in a personal God. Perhaps my response will strike a positive chord with all of you who read this message and have been asking the same question in these most troubled times.
warned that Gaza would turn into a launching pad for rockets against Israeli cities. Israel’s left, and the international community, regarded the idea as preposterous. That laughable idea has become reality. Now rockets are raining down on Tel Aviv and beyond. (Hilik Bar, deputy speaker of the Knesset and Secretary-General of the Israeli Labor party, Forbes)
members of Hamas. If so, that should block the agency from receiving money from the U.S. The U.S. Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 forbids funding to UNRWA unless it takes “all possible measures” to ensure that no U.S. assistance goes to any refugee who has received “military training” as a member of the Palestine Liberation Army, or any other
“guerrilla-type organization,” or who has “engaged in any act of terrorism.” UNRWA promised to check its staff against specific UN sanctions lists. But those lists are not that relevant to Gaza: They cover al-Qaeda and the Taliban (there is no UN sanctions list for Hamas). (Claudia Rosett, journalist-in-residence with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, National Review)
THE UN: CLUELESS OR COMPLICIT IN GAZA?
Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle
If UNRWA officials knew that Hamas was building terror tunnels, but raised no public alarm, then that should be grounds for a major inquiry into UNRWA complicity with terrorists. There’s also the question of whether UNRWA employs or directly supports
Solution to puzzle on page 14
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JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND
www.marcojcmi.com / 239-642-0800
President’s message
A
Roger Blau JCMI President
s in past years we are delighted to welcome non-affiliated Jews to worship with us on the High Holy Days at the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island. Many of those joining us are visitors
vacationing in our island paradise. But also included are many Jews who live here and are merely interested in being part of the Jewish presence for the High Holy Days. This is beyond sad. It is tragic. Jewish congregations around the country are struggling to survive because membership affiliations are at record low levels for Jews. We are always glad to welcome anyone who wishes to worship with us. That is precisely why Jewish congregations nationwide offer “tickets” to those who
wish to participate for only a few days each year. But “New Year Jews” need to understand what is required for the maintenance of a congregation so that it is available to everyone when they wish to partake of what a shul offers. We are living in an era when the Jewish identity is being challenged across the globe. Harassing Jews is commonplace and may be building up to a fever pitch. We are blessed to live in America where, at least for now, we are free to pursue our faith and openly worship at
synagogues. Precisely because we have that freedom we also have the obligation to support our religious institutions and proudly identify ourselves as Americans and Jews. In order for our voices to be heard, we must identify ourselves as proud Jews. Please affiliate with a congregation as a member. Even if you don’t come to worship weekly, your support will make an important difference. God Bless America!
27 Federation Star October 2014 SYNAGOGUES BETH TIKVAH
October 2014 Federation Star
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www.bethtikvahnaples.org / 239-434-1818
Beth Tikvah update By Stuart Kaye and Rosalee Bogo, co-Presidents
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e hope that your High Holy Day season has begun well and continues to be a period of uplifting introspection and renewal. May you be inscribed in the Book of Life. As we pivot from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur and beyond, we commit ourselves to strengthening our contributions to the local and international Jewish community and to rallying support for Israel. Our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services are enhanced by the talents of guest cantor, Hazzan Elaine Shapiro, the first woman whose studies at the JTS School of Sacred Music led to employment as cantor at a Conservative synagogue. See the Beth Tikvah website for the schedule of Holy Day services through Simchat Torah/Shemini Atzeret. Call 239.434.1818 with your questions or requests. Our Rosh Hodesh Group begins its series of meetings on Sunday, October 26 at 10:00 a.m. On Friday, October 31 we are holding an Eat & Learn Shabbat
at 6:00 p.m. The meal requires registration and a $15 payment. Book Group Monday, October 27 at 7:30 p.m.: We will explore the highly original and provocative I Pity the Poor Immigrant by Zachary Lazar. “At its heart, Lazar’s novel is the story of a handful of characters, some of them fictional, others drawn from real life, whose stories interweave across generations, unfolding like a dream in which each phantom is remade by the tragedy of Jewish history.” – Rich Cohen in New York Times Book Review. Monday, November 24 at 7:30 p.m.: Dig into Ishmael’s Oranges, by Clair Hajaj. “April 1948 in gleaming Jaffa. An older boy mocks Salim for wanting to pick oranges in his family’s orchard, then says, ‘The Jews are coming for you.’ Shortly thereafter, mortars whiten the sky, and Salim’s family loses everything. In the Sixties, as he’s graduating with a degree from University College, London, Salim meets Judith (“Jude”), and what follows is the
NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION
moving story of the complications that inevitably result when a Palestinian man and a Jewish woman marry.” – Library Journal Starred Review Monday, December 29 at 7:30 p.m.: The selection is Ram Oren’s Gertruda’s Oath. “A tender and touching account of genuine, selfless generosity...One begins to understand the true course of history, history as experienced by the people who lived through it.” – Jerusalem Post. This session anticipates the presentation by Michael Stolowitzky, the son in the narrative and the author’s key source, at the GenShoah meeting on Tuesday, January 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom. Beth Tikvah, GenShoah, Hadassah and other organizations are participating in the “One Book, Southwest Florida” program. Yom Kippur, Succot and beyond October 3 Shabbat/Kol Nidre service at 6:30 p.m. / October 4 Shabbat/Yom Kippur service at 9:30 a.m. / October 8 Erev Succot at 6:15 p.m. / October 9 Succot Yom Tov at 9:30 a.m. / October 15 Succot/Simchat Torah service at
6:15 p.m. / October 16 Shemini Atzeret service at 9:30 a.m. Youth Education Program Though the school year is already underway, there is still time – and room – for your children or grandchildren in our program. Contact Phil Jason at 239.287.8921 for information. The registration form can be downloaded from our website. 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. Please join us at any service. 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
President’s message By Suzanne L. Paley, President
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ith Rosh Hashanah passing, we will complete the Days of Awe with Yom Kippur. On Erev Yom Kippur, John Marcy, second cellist of the Naples Philharmonic, will once again play the poignant melody of the Kol Nidre service. At the completion of our Yom Kippur services, we will join together for a special Break the Fast meal. Following on the heels of this solemn period, we will rejoice during Sukkot and Simchat Torah, as we begin to look forward to the events of the coming year. Naples Jewish Congregation, although small in numbers, has an extensive list of planned activities and events. To kick things off, Betty and Les Schwartz will bring back our “Sunday at the Movies” series. The first film, Crossing Delancey, will be shown on Sunday, October 26 at 3:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Federation offices. We do not charge a fee for the
movies (although donations are always appreciated) and they are open to the entire Jewish community. This year’s films will focus on a portrayal of Jews in America. Each film presentation will include a discussion of related topics, the length and direction depending on the participation of the audience. Future films are scheduled for the last Sundays of December through March. Members will have a Brunch in November, a Chanukah Party in December, and a Community Seder in April. Several additional Pot Luck Suppers are also planned. Watch for more information as we progress through the season. In November, Sisterhood will launch the season with a luncheon at Brio in the Waterside Shops. In December, the women will meet with Gayle Dorio, an expert on the care and raising of orchids. Gayle will give a presentation that will be both informative and inspiring to those who aspire to maintain
CHABAD JEWISH CENTER OF NAPLES
orchids in and outside our homes. Sisterhood’s Book Club, now led by Maraline Rane and Bonnie Zeff, meets on the third Monday of each month for lunch and review. Events planned include a gathering in January, the Women’s Weekend in February, the famous Game Day in March, and the Women’s Seder and a closing luncheon and fashion show in April. This last event will be co-hosted by the Men’s Club. For more information about Sisterhood, please contact Marilyn Goldenberg at marilyn goldenberg@comcast.net or Rochelle Pollens at rochelle17@gmail.com. Speaking of the Men’s Club, it has also planned quite a few gatherings and events. Beginning in November, meetings are the third Thursday of every month at the Pelican Marsh Golf Club for lunch and a presentation or discussion. In October, the men will be going to the Collier Automotive Museum to view and hear about an extensive
collection of vehicles of historical and design significance. For tickets to this event, or for further information about the Men’s Club, please contact Harvey Sandberg at sandbergth@aol.com. In future months, the Men’s Club will have a special Shabbat Service in January as well as a BBQ to welcome back our snowbird friends. Tickets for a Red Sox game are in the offing, and of course, the closing luncheon and fashion show with Sisterhood in April. As you can see, NJC has a lot planned for the coming season. We hope you will consider joining and participating in these events. For the minimal cost of membership – $18 for each organization – you can join Sisterhood and/ or Men’s Club to help these auxiliary organizations support out temple while having fun at the same time! I wish you all a very happy, healthy and peace-filled 5775.
www.chabadnaples.com / 239-262-4474
Chabad Jewish Center of Naples update
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xperience - Learn - Celebrate! Bring the entire family to our warm and exhilarating High Holiday services. Whether you are attending for the first time or wellexperienced, you will enjoy the uplifting, inspiring services with our talented cantor. For more information, call the office at 239.262.4474 or visit www. chabadnaples.com. We hope you find the High Holidays experience with us fulfilling and we look forward to welcoming you to more of our unique, inclusive family celebrations. Come and rejoice with us as we participate in the festive events of the coming month. There are exciting holidays ahead! Sukkot Check our website or call the office for details on services for the holiday of Sukkot. You can always drop by to shake the lulav and etrog, and enjoy some delicacies under the sukkah. Our
Grand Sukkot Party will be held on Sunday, October 12. You will want to be a part of this Sukkot family event, enjoying the beautiful sukkah/hut built by the Chabad family and decorated by the Preschool children. Good food, good entertainment and great company. Simchat Torah On Thursday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m. join us for the for the Grand Simchat Torah celebration. Wear your dancing shoes and get ready. Treats for the children and Torahs for all ages. Celebrate Chabad style! For more information, call the office or visit our website. Hebrew School Sign up today! What a change, when your children can’t wait to go to Hebrew School and won’t want to miss a day. Learning is fun with varied stimulating programs that include projects, activities, discussions and special events guided by a special rabbi from the east coast who does phenomenal workshops.
Some kids come with no knowledge and leave a year later with the amazing aleph champ curriculum, confident and knowing how to read Hebrew. A perfect recipe for that special feeling of success and being proud of one’s Judaism. Women’s Circle Ladies, get ready for a full season at Chabad Naples for our 10th year of women enjoying lectures on health to dermatologists to better living. Join and experience the special camaraderie and spirited discussions. Partner Project This year, Partners came together to ‘feel the Love’ – kosher chocolates by Norman Love – at a special annual Partner Recognition Evening. Partners always feel like family, uniting in a cause to support and stand with an amazing organization that contributes so widely to the community. Join over 300 Partners today by visiting our website or calling our office.
Flying Challahs Here is your chance to bring a smile to someone’s face. If you know people who need a visit or just a little caring attention, your suggestion via a phone call will bring a freshly-baked challah flying to their doorstep. Chabad Naples Men’s Club The Men’s Club has become a vital force with all the vivacious energy of Chabad. We have had great discussions, questions and answers with a class by Rabbi Fishel. It will resume after the High Holidays. Weekly services and children’s program Join us every Shabbat at 10:00 a.m. for weekly uplifting services, and bring the kids to the incredible children’s program at the same time. Kiddush and social gathering for the family follow services.
For a continuously updated community calendar, visit the Federation’s website at www.jewishnaples.org.
28
Federation Star October 2014
ORGANIZATIONS www.hadassah.org / 239-598-1009
COLLIER/LEE CHAPTER OF HADASSAH
Hadassah update like to go to Israel with Taglit-Birthright Israel: Young Judaea? Registration is Lynn now open for these free trips to Israel in Weiner December 2014 and January 2015. To find out more, call 866.520.9993 or visit President www.youngjudaea.org/toisraelnow. Hadassah is now offering a new eMembership for the price of $100 (tax ew research on ALS (amyodeductible.) This is a great incentive trophic lateral sclerosis) has for a young woman, daughter, grandbeen initiated at Hadassah daughter or any woman who would like Hospital in Jerusalem by Hadassah communication from Hadassah through stem-cell transplant pioneer Dr. Dimisocial media and the Internet. This is for trios Karussis that has shown promising a woman who may be short on time, but results in 24 patients. Four of the these long on heart! An e-Member can be a ALS patients in an advanced stage of the member of a Chapter if they choose and disease received stem-cell transplants at can upgrade to Life Membership at any Hadassah Hospital starting in 2012 and, time. Annual Memberships are $36, Life as of today, all are still alive! Soon, 48 Memberships and Associates (affiliapatients in the U.S. will participate in tions for men) are $212. Please contact similar Stage 2 ALS trials at MassachuDonna Goldblatt at 239.597.3441 or setts General Hospital, the University mom443@aol.com for more informaof Massachusetts Memorial Hospital tion. and the Mayo Clinic. The study has The Sarah Wetsman Davidson been approved by the FDA and will be Hospital Tower building has been comcompleted in 2016. pleted. Now we need to equip it so that Do you know a young adult bethe state-of-the-art patient rooms and tween the ages of 18 and 26 who would operating rooms can be used. National MONDAY
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Hadassah has urged us to encourage everyone to participate in this challenge! To make a donation or pledge, please contact Nancy Wiadro at 239.269.3666 or nwiadro@hadassah.org, or Lisa Moore at 877.949.1818 or lisa.moore@ hadassah.org. The Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah has been planning an extraordinary season for you. Our first Meeting and Bruncheon will be on Tuesday, October 28 at 10:45 a.m. at the newly remodeled Vanderbilt Country Club in Naples. Hadassah Associate Jeff Margolis will speak about the fascinating story of the Jews of Sosua in the Dominican Republic. Contact Leda Lubin at 239.970.0422 or leda.lubin@gmail.com for details. Our Daytime Study Group will be studying the book, My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, by Ari Shavit. The group meets for lunch (optional) at 11:30 a.m. at First Watch (corner of Pine Ridge and Livingston in Naples) and continues at 1:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom on the third Monday of the month. To RSVP, contact Arlene Yedid at 239.455.1912 or arleney2001@
embarqmail.com. The Evening Activity Group will have its Annual Welcome Back Pot Luck Dinner on Sunday, November 2. Contact Lauren Becker at 239.592.5304. The first of our Knowledge & Nosh @ Noon series will be at Seasons 52 in Naples on Wednesday, November 12 with guest speaker Michelle Sargis, Crime Prevention Officer from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, talking about personal safety. Contact Elyse Morande at amorande@aol.com. The Major Donor/Keepers of the Gate Recognition Event will be on Sunday, December 14 at 10:30 a.m. at Quail West Country Club, Naples. Contact Nancy Wiadro for details. We will participate in “One Book, Southwest Florida,” conducting several book discussions of the incredible book, Gertruda’s Oath, by Ram Oren. Then join us on Wednesday, January 7 at 7:00 p.m. at a community-wide event at Temple Shalom to meet the survivor of the story, Michael Stolowitzky. I look forward to seeing you.
www.jwi.org / 239-498-2778
JEWISH WOMEN INTERNATIONAL
JWI & Hadassah partner to launch “Know Your Worth” program SUNDAY
Millie Sernovitz JWI Past International President
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ewish Women International (JWI) and Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, are joining forces to teach women age 50 and beyond about financial literacy. The new program, “Know Your Worth (Own Your Future): financial education for women in transition,” is being developed by JWI, which has a lengthy track record in developing financial literacy materials for teens and young
adult women. Hadassah will distribute the program to its extensive network of chapters throughout the country. This partnership is a groundbreaking collaboration between two major Jewish women’s organizations to combine programming and membership efforts. Dr. Janice Weinman, Hadassah’s CEO and executive director, said: “Financial education specifically addressing issues critical to women over the age of 50 is of great importance to our membership. JWI has done great work empowering women to understand and take charge of their financial lives, and we are excited to launch this program in partnership with them. The synergy of their expertise and our membership allows us to give an expanded audience
HUMANISTIC JEWISH HAVURAH
of Jewish women knowledge that can potentially change their lives.” At the program’s core will be four modules designed to help women understand and plan for the many transitions they often face in their middle years and beyond, among them workplace shifts, the impact of life changes and ensuring long-term economic security. The program is expected to be piloted from January to June 2015 in four Hadassah chapters with a full launch following in July. “Over the past decade JWI has been working to bring financial literacy to young women at the beginning of their adult lives,” said Lori Weinstein, JWI CEO. “Yet we get so many requests from women over 50 who are at their
own unique financial juncture. Now we are thrilled to be able to turn our attention to this important generation as they plan for new personal and professional adventures. Empowerment is possible in every stage of life. It is exciting to think how now, because of this incredible partnership, we will be able to help all women control their financial futures.” To learn more about the JWI’s new financial literacy program for women over 50 in partnership with Hadassah or other JWI endeavors locally and nationally, please contact Millie Sernovitz at 239.498.2778 or millie@sernovitz.com. Also, please visit the JWI website at www.jwi.org or its companion website for Jewish Woman magazine at www. jwmag.org.
www.humanisticjewishhavurahswfl.org / 239-398-3935
Celebrating the fall holidays Paula Creed President
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ou are invited to commemorate Yom Kippur with members of the Humanistic Jewish Havurah of Southwest Florida at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, October 4 at the Carlisle, 6945 Carlisle Court, Naples. This observance will be followed by “break the fast” immediately thereafter. For details, visit www.humanisticjewishhavurahswfl.org or call Dena Sklaroff at 239.591.0101. The ethical component of Yom Kippur is tied to the idea that human beings are capable of change and are worthy of a good life. It emphasizes our belief that we as human beings are capable of goodness, that we are responsible for our own sins, that we have the power and the responsibility to atone for them and to refrain from repeating them. We acknowledge our ability to change, to grow and to accept responsibility for determining our own direction.
Fall holidays of ancient times As Judaism progresses into the 21st century, what can we choose from our traditions that will have value for us in our current life? The fall holidays serve as important links to our Jewish past, while revealing meaning for our Jewish identity today. Humanistic Jews have developed new explanations for retaining these traditional holidays. The entire fall holiday season comes from a combination of primitive and ancient needs for sustenance and for some measure of control over the environment. This primitive concept was strengthened by the need to reconcile the lunar (pastoral) and solar (agricultural) years so that the harvest holiday actually occurred at the same time as the harvest, and the rainmaking ritual occurred close to the time the rains should begin to fall. Like many cultures, we make a lot of noises at the New Year (Rosh Hashanah). We use the shofar because as a herding people that’s what we had handy in ancient times, while other cultures used bamboo sticks and drums to create noise to scare off evil spirits. Now the festival is recognized as a time of new beginnings, a time for self-judgment
and an affirmation of human power and dignity. The scapegoat, a real goat used in the time of the Temple, was used to take upon itself the sins of the entire community at Yom Kippur. Today we accept responsibility for our own actions and vow to do better. Sukkot was a time to ensure rainfall so that there would be a good harvest year and all could eat. Agriculture was the first step toward human mastery of the environment. As farms grew into settlements, which became towns and cities, human ingenuity and courage propelled civilization toward the secular age and even greater human achievements. Sukkot, then, is a tribute to human prowess. The sukkot, huts built in the fields for shelter during the harvest, now offer an opportunity to recognize our interconnectedness with nature, and remind us to accept responsibility toward the
environment. The ancient symbols of the lulov and etrog are a connection to our Jewish homeland. Simchat Torah brings an echo of the fertility rites we find in wedding-like dancing, circling and celebration. This festival came into being around the ninth century C.E. in Babylonia to celebrate the day when the last Torah portion and the beginning of the first portion were both read. Celebrants sang and danced with the Torah scrolls, touching and kissing them. Humanistic Jewish communities celebrate Simchat Torah as a holiday symbolizing our ongoing commitment to truth and learning, using the holiday as an opportunity to honor all the great literature of the Jewish people, including the Torah. Humanistic Jewish philosophy complements ancient Jewish traditions so they remain relevant for us today.
Read the current and previous editions of the Federation Star online at www.jewishnaples.org.
29 Federation Star October 2014 ORGANIZATIONS
October 2014 Federation Star
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www.ort.org / 239-649-4000
ORT AMERICA – GULF BEACHES CHAPTER
ORT board member Harriet Hirsch: always a working girl By Helene Dorfman Fuchs
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arriet Hirsch always was a working girl. She met her husband, Myron (Mike), when she was a secretary in Esquire magazine’s advertising department and he was a writer in the circulation department. Later Harriet worked for TV producer Jules Powers. The couple married in 1953 and went on to build their bookprinting business, literally from the ground up. It began in the basement of their Park Forest, Illinois, home. Harriet recalls watching their two-year-old son, Jeffrey, from a window as she handled numerous jobs, including proofreading. She describes herself as a “Jill-of-alltrades.” Though a babysitter attended Jeff, Harriet “kept an eye on him” as he played in their backyard sandbox. In 1961 they moved to Highland Park, a northern Chicago suburb. In 1959 Mike founded Whitehall Printing Company in Chicago. For over 55 years, Whitehall has printed books for publishers, authors, schools, universities, associations and industry. It services customers from the U.S., Canada, England, Australia and Israel. Whitehall’s niche currently includes reruns, reprints, back lists, trial editions and limited-market books. Almost everything is done in-house with automated printing and bindery equipment especially designed to do short-run
specialty book manufacturing. And it’s done in the building they built off Radio Road right here in Naples. The company’s move from Illinois coincided with the Hirsch family’s move from Highland Park, where Harriet had been a longtime member of Northwood chapter – “in those days ORT seemed to have chapters on every block,” she recalls. In Naples she became a founding member of Gulf Beaches, along with Jill Goode, Dottie Magen and Midge Rauch. The “working girl” began to work on the Gulf Beaches board, holding several positions before taking on her current job as education chair. “I’m interested in the wonderful work ORT does in educating children, both in the U.S. and Israel,” Harriet says. “Especially now with rockets raining down in Israel, ORT has kept the schools going and the children safe.” Harriet is now a retired “working girl,” although her job with Whitehall lasted for 45 years, including through a long siege with trigeminal neuralgia, which causes debilitating pain on one side of the face. Laser surgery on the affected side finally gave Harriet relief from pain – replaced by numbness. The couple has traveled worldwide, but one trip especially captivated Harriet – a private invitation to a garden party at England’s Hatfield House in
1981 honoring the Queen Mother. Color photos of Harriet, Mike and Jeff were published in Whitehall’s former in-house magazine, Collage. Harriet is resplendent in a white chiffon dress and white feathery hat, surrounded by beautiful English flowers, and walking alongside the Queen Mother. *** Save the date: Our Annual Brunch, hosted by Jill Goode at Arbor Trace, will take place on Sunday, November 16 at 12:30 p.m. Anyone who has donated at least $136 in 2014 is welcome to attend. If your contributions fall short, please send a check, payable to ORT America, to Hella Amelkin, 3200 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., #307, Naples, FL 34103. Harriet Hirsch
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.
239-353-5963 / 239-354-9117
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN
National Council of Jewish Women update By Linda Wainick, co-President
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hank You, Thank You, Thank You! Once again, as we look forward to another season, we would like to thank our wonderful volunteers who made last season so successful. Thanks to our speakers at our programs: Kara Laufer, Director of Business, Naples Botanical Garden; Susan Daugherty, Executive Director, Temple Shalom; Amy Snyder, Executive Director, Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida; Nancy Lascheid (founder) and Leslie Lascheid (CEO), Neighborhood Health Clinic; Amy Cotton, Senior Legislative Associate in the Washington office of NCJW; Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, President/CEO, JFCS; Gloria Padilla, Area Coordinator, RCMA; Ellie Ramirez, Director of PEP. To our volunteers, thank you for your commitment, dedication and hard work. Our Board of Directors: Vice Presidents: Community Service - Marilyn Goldenberg; Fundraising - Carol Emerson. Secretaries: Corresponding Maraline Rane; Financial - Cheryl Lash; Recording - Carol Klein. Treasurer Ellen Gurnitz. Trustees: Carolyn Green-
BROWNSTEIN JUDAICA GIFT SHOP AT JCMI Looking for the perfect gift? Choose from our many items: Mezuzahs Menorahs Travel bags Jewelry Gifts for pets Novelty aprons Designer Hand Bags Silk and Handmade Kippot Mah Jongg Jewelry, Cards & Supplies
991 Winterberry Drive Marco Island (239) 642-0800 Hours: Monday - Friday: 9:30 - 1:30 Friday Evening: Before & After Shabbat Service
berg, Muriel Hurwich, Phyllis Lazear, Edythe Winters (of Blessed Memory). Reservations - Muriel Hurwich, Carolyn Greenberg. Knitting chaired by Iris Abel. Volunteers: Judy Kaufmen, Carol Klein, Parker Grossman, Marlene Apkon, Fran Nossen, Rose Piccinini, Jean Schwerfeger, Terry Wachalter, Ellen Gurnitz. Fleece hand-tied blankets - Carolyn Greenberg. Friendly Visitors chaired by Bobbie Katz. Volunteers: Linda Wainick, Carolyn and Bill Greenberg, Hedy Weinberger, Muriel Hurwich, Millie Sernovitz, Donna Goldblatt, Ellen Gurnitz, Toby Kosloff, Susan Ritter, Gina and Tim Cannon, Beverly and Howard Brower, Freya Greenspahn. Fashion Show chaired by Bobbie Katz. Volunteers: Carol Emerson, Carolyn Greenberg, Carol Klein, Barbara Gootkin, Muriel Hurwich. NCJW Directory chaired by Bobbie Katz. Volunteers: Cheryl Lash, Ellen Gurnitz. Parkside School - Judy Kaufman, Linda Wainick. Golden Terrace School - Muriel Hurwich. Holiday Programs chaired by Linda
Wainick. Volunteers: Ellen Gurnitz, Bobbie Katz. Tribute Cards: Carol Emerson, Marcelle Reiss. Visions Luncheon chaired by Carol Emerson. Volunteers: Evelyn Cole, Judy Kaufman, Sandy Stone, Helen Weinfeld, Debbie Faunce, Marcelle Reiss, Linda Wainick, Bobbie Katz, Gina Cannon, Carolyn Greenberg, Michael Emerson. Thank you to Jane Galler for the wonderful entertainment and Jeff Silverman for the invitations. Bulletin edited by Carolyn Greenberg. Proofreaders: Carol Klein, Bobbie Katz, Linda Wainick, Lois Rosenberg, Bill Greenberg. Mailing - Maraline Rane. Just Lunch - Marilyn Goldenberg. Membership - Gina Cannon. Israel Affairs - Betty Schwartz. JCRC Rep-
resentative - Sandy Wolf. EBlast Coordinator - Wendy Riedel. Board Liaison - Joan Person. RCMA - Myra Shapiro. Yad B’ Yad - Maraline Rane. Thanks to our printer, Jeff Silverman, Naples Envelope & Printing Co., for all his help. And last, but certainly not least, a special thank you to my co-president, Bobbie Katz, for her guidance, assistance and support. Thanks to all of you. *** Please join us at our opening meeting, Tuesday, October 21 at 11:30 a.m. at the Vineyards Country Club. Cpl. Ray Erickson, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, will speak on identity theft and being safe in our homes and environment. Please contact Carolyn Greenberg for more information.
JEWISH WAR VETERANS 239-304-5953
Jewish War Veterans update By Gil Block, Commander Post # 202 ur first meeting of the year will be held on Sunday, October 19 in the Community Room at the Federation offices, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples. Brunch begins at 9:30 a.m.; the meeting follows at 10:00 a.m. This meeting will be very important, as we will be planning our entire
O
year, and we request that our newer members attend this meeting. We are in need of your ideas and energy to keep our Post going. We could discuss a change of officers, among other things. As always, we are looking for additional members. Please talk to your friends and invite them to our meeting.
Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida The Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the preservation of the Jewish history of this region. Currently, the organization is seeking individuals interested in serving on the Board of Directors. For more information, email jhsswf@gmail.com.
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Federation Star October 2014
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Get the Service you Deserve October 2014 – 5775 SUNDAY lighting MONDAY Candle times:
October October October October October
3: 10: 17: 24: 31:
WEDNESDAY
TUESDAY
6:53 6:46 6:39 6:33 6:27
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
1
2
3
1:00pm JCMI Bridge 1:30pm JCRC Meeting 4:30pm BT Youth Ed Program 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Hebrew School 8:00pm BT Adult Ed
11:00am JCMI Mah Jongg
11:30am ORT Board Mtg
Kol Nidre
Call your synagogue for services schedule
SATURDAY 4 Yom Kippur
Call your synagogue for services schedule
6
7
8
9 SUKKOT
10 SUKKOT
11
10:00am NCJW Board Mtg 1:30pm HDH Board Mtg 5:30pm JCMI Bingo
10:00am TS-S Board Mtg 12:15pm BT Torah Study 1:30pm CJD Steering Cmte 4:00pm JFCC Exec Cmte 6:00pm TS Sr Study
1:00pm JCMI Bridge 4:30pm BT Youth Ed Program 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Pizza in the Hut 6:15pm BT Services
9:30am BT 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
10:00am CHA Services 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
12
13
14
15
9:00am BT Religious School 9:30am TS Sunday School 1:00pm CHA Sukkot event
10:30am JFCS Naples Jewish Caring Support Group 5:30pm JCMI Bingo 7:00pm HM GenShoah
10:00am Jewish Genealogy 11:30am TS-S Luncheon 12:00pm JCMI-S Lunch Mtg 12:15pm BT Torah Study 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 6:15pm BT Services
16 SHEMINI ATZERET
17 SIMCHAT TORAH
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
12:00pm NJC-S Book Club 1:00pm HDH Study Group 5:30pm JCMI Bingo
11:30am NCJW Lunch Mtg 12:15pm BT Torah Study 7:00pm TS Exec Comm Mtg 7:30pm CHA ZOA Film
1:00pm JCMI Bridge 4:30pm BT Youth Ed Program 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Hebrew School
1:30pm TS-S Book Bag 7:00pm JCMI Board Mtg
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
26
27
28
29
30
31
9:00am BT Religious School 9:30am TS Sunday School 10:00am BT Rosh Chodesh 12:15pm TS Blessing of the Animals 3:30pm NJC Movie
10:30am JFCS Naples Jewish Caring Support Group 5:30pm JCMI Bingo 7:00pm TS Preschool Night 7:30pm BT Book Group
10:45am HDH Luncheon 12:15pm BT Torah Study 7:00pm TS Board Mtg
1:00pm JCMI Bridge 4:30pm BT Youth Ed Program 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 5:00pm TS Hebrew School
11:00am JCMI Mah Jongg 3:00pm HM Board Mtg 7:00pm CHA Preschool Night
6:00pm BT Eat/Learn Shabbat 6:15pm BT Services 7:30pm CHA Services 7:30pm NJC Services 7:30pm TS Services 8:00pm JCMI Services
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9:00am BT Religious School 9:30am JWV meeting 9:30am TS Sunday School
10:00am CHA Services 6:00pm NJC Pot Luck Supper 6:15pm BT Services 7:30pm CHA Services 7:30pm NJC Services 7:30pm TS Services 8:00pm JCMI Services
9:30am BT Services 10:00am CHA Services 11:00am JCMI Mah Jongg 12:00pm NJC-M Mtg 4:00pm BT Board Mtg 7:00pm CHA Celebration
18 9:30am BT Services 9:30am JCMI Services 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Services
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.
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
• 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.
31 Federation Star COMMUNITY DIRECTORY October 2014 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 653-9874 Email: sylvinwolf@comcast.net 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 • Adult Education • Havurot • Youth Groups • Religious School • Judaic Library • Hebrew School • Pre-School • Adult Choir • Social Action • Outreach
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 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
October 2014 Federation Star
• Sisterhood • Men’s Club • Brownstein Judaica Gift Shop
Suzanne Paley, President Jane Galler, Cantorial Soloist 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
Mail Ego
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. 2 October 2014 32 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: Jacqui Aizenshtat 239-777-2889 November Issue Deadlines: Editorial: October 1 Advertising: October 7 Send news stories to: fedstar18@gmail.com
(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.)
Once again we’d like to air a request for you to be the carrier of a lifetime gift or bequest to the Endowment Fund of the Jewish Federation. Please give it your stamp of approval, by posting it to our office at any time. Such a delivery would be very special.
Jewish Federation of Collier County Phone: 263-4205 Fax: 263-3813 Website: www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org • Federation President: Alvin Becker • Federation Executive: Jeffrey Feld
American Technion Society • Chapter Dir: Jennifer Singer, 941-378-1500
Collier-Lee Chapter of Hadassah • President: Lynn Weiner, 598-1009
In return, your receipt is certified and insured to be a parcel of satisfaction, not to mention tax and estate benefits by following the letter of the law. So weigh in now with a call to the Federation. That would be…First Class!
The Federation Star is published monthly, September through July, by the Jewish Federation of Collier County.
31
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
For more information on charitable giving, contact the Jewish Federation of Collier County 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
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.
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Federation Star October 2014
FEDERATION FEDERATION 12oz pure & natura l hone y
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LG B T LG B T
CONSER VATIVE CONSER VATIVE
RE FORM RE FORM
12oz pure & natura l hone y
12oz pure & natura l hone y
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RECONSTRUCTIONIST RECONSTRUCTIONIST
NOW MORE THAN EVER, IT’S TIME NOW MORE THAN EVER, IT’S TIME TO LOOK BEYOND OUR LABELS TO LOOK BEYOND OUR LABELS With the crisis in Israel foremost in our minds, this Rosh Hashana takes on an even significance. so does unity. With the crisis in deeper Israel foremost in ourAnd minds, thisour Rosh Hashana takes on an deeper significance. And so does our Because no even matter how we may label ourselves—we areunity. all Jews. That’s what matters. Now more than ever. Because no matter how we may label ourselves—we are all Jews. That’s what matters. Now more than ever.
So this Rosh Hashana, let’s make it a sweeter new year by standing together. You can thatitbya giving to So this Rosh Hashana, let’sdo make sweetergenerously new year by Federation. Your gift helps ourgiving brothers and sisters standing together. You can support do that by generously to in Israel and in our entire global community. Federation. Your gift helps support our brothers and sisters in Israel and in our entire global community.
PLEASE DONATE NOW. YOUR IMPACT IS IMMEASURABLE. www.jewishfederations.org PLEASE DONATE NOW. YOUR IMPACT IS IMMEASURABLE. www.jewishfederations.org
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!
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I hereby pledge and promise to pay my Federation for the 2014 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