Federation Star - October 2015 by Jewish Federation of Collier County

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SAVE THE DATES FOR THIS SEASON’S TWO BIG EVENTS:

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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: 6 6 9 14 20 22 25 25 26 28 30 31 34 35

Men’s Cultural Alliance Women’s Cultural Alliance Community Focus Jewish Interest Jewish Book Festival Israel & the Jewish World Tributes Business Directory Commentary Focus on Youth Synagogues Organizations Community Calendar Community Directory

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October 2015 - Tishrei/Heshvan 5776

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Vol. 25 #2

Speaker announced for Evy Lipp People of the Book Event By Carole J Greene

ur annual Evy Lipp People of the Book Event traditionally presents an author of some renown. We expect our chosen speaker to be the author of a couple of good books. How about fifteen – plus even more written with co-authors! Books by the 2016 presenter, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, appear regularly on the bestseller lists, proving that his many fans continue to enjoy his insightful perspectives on Jewish culture and heritage.

A Code of Jewish Ethics, Volume I: You Shall Be Holy won the 2006 National Jewish Book Award. His newest, Rebbe, delves into “the life and teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson,” whom Telushkin calls “the most influential rabbi in modern history.” We’ll reveal more about Rabbi Telushkin in future issues of the Federation Star. This “tease” is meant to get you to put the evening of Wednesday,

February 17, 2016, on your calendar. A free cultural program, the Evy Lipp People of the Book Event is open only to members of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. It always attracts a capacity crowd. Be sure to order your tickets next month. Look for an order form in the November issue of the Federation Star. For more information, call the Federation office at 239.263.4205.

Here is your starting lineup! Jeffrey Feld

5 Campaigners’ Mission: Israel - part 2

9 Picturebook History exhibit at Holocaust Museum

11 Naples Klezmer Revival Band celebrates 15th year

29 BBYO teens explore their own Judaism

Federation President/ CEO

ver the course of the past 12 months, the Jewish Federation of Collier County has experienced a number of positive staffing changes, which have in turn inspired a number of successful events and programming opportunities. I am thrilled to introduce you to our JFCC starting lineup. Julie Hartline is our Administrative Assistant/Receptionist. Julie is the first person you’ll speak with when you call the Federation office. And she is the happy, peppy, perky person who greets you upon arrival at the office. Our next new staff member in the lineup is Stacy Hersha, our Business Operations Manager. All matters related to our bookkeeping and fiscal management will come under Stacy’s purview. Iris Doenias is our Database Manager. Iris completes the unenviable task of tediously documenting the names of each of the members of our community by entering them into the database and constantly updating the information. She records campaign pledges and payments, as well as payments for tributes, events and programs. Renee’ Bialek is our Community Program Coordinator. You may recall

Jewish Federation of Collier County Inc. 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201 Naples, FL 34109

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seeing her picture in last month’s Federation Star when she was being introduced as the newest staff member. Renee’ works with committees and individuals to continue to provide the programs that have existed, including the Kristallnacht Commemoration and the communitywide Chanukah Celebration, and to develop new programs to meet the needs of all of our community members. In addition to these team members, we have Ted Epstein, the editor and designer of our superb publications, the Federation Star, Connections and Community Directory (and he does so much more for our community). Seeking the advertising for these publications is our account rep, Melody Klein. Also, Joel Kessler will continue to serve the JFCC in several roles, including marketing, making the Federation more visible in the general community, and strategic planning. I refer to this esteemed group as our “lineup” because we work as a team. Our team has great bench strength because of the myriad of volunteers who make themselves available to help the Federation accomplish many daily tasks. The Federation is appreciative of its staff and volunteers. It would be impossible to provide the programming and services that we do without this dedicated group. In addition, we have a committed group of officers, board of directors, committee program chairs and committee members, and even campaign chairs and campaign workers who spend countless hours supporting our

community through their volunteerism. I think that it is important for you, the members of the Jewish community of Greater Collier County, to know what it takes in order to accomplish all that we do. I think it is of equal importance to understand the meaning of what we do, and why we do it all. The Mission Statement of our Federation includes the following statements: To enhance and enrich the quality of Jewish life in Collier County. To strengthen Jewish identity and continuity. To maximize the involvement of Jews in communal life. To promote understanding and cooperation within the Jewish community. To promote understanding and cooperation with the non-Jewish communities in Collier County. To recognize and address charitable, educational, humanitarian and social service needs of the Jewish community in Collier County, nationally, overseas and in Israel. To develop the resources to meet those needs. The Jewish Federation, in partnership with community synagogues, as well as the many Jewish organizations in Collier County, benefactors and recipients of our services, shapes and guides the building of a caring community. Naples is our home! As we begin the Jewish New Year, we renew our commitment to making Naples a vital and vibrant Jewish community. It is for this reason that we come together to make this the best home possible. We thank you for your continued support as we become a very special Jewish home!

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Federation Star October 2015

JEWISH FEDERATION

Renee’s community program & events corner Renee’ Bialek

Community Program Coordinator

hank you to those who emailed or called to welcome me to the Jewish Federation of Collier County. It is so nice to hear from you. If you haven’t contacted me yet, please do! It is especially helpful to hear what your interests are. Tell me what programs and events you would like to attend. Ideas and suggestions are welcomed. Volunteers are also needed. Please contact me if you can volunteer at an event or if you want to volunteer at the Jewish Federation office. Why is there an RSVP for some events? They have limited space. So please email me your RSVP at rbialek@ jewishnaples.org in a timely manner to ensure your spot. August 2015 events in review: On Monday, August 17 we had a Koffee Kvell. After the children went off to their first day of school, parents gathered in the Associate Room at the Federation office to enjoy coffee, cupcakes, grapes and cherries. We introduced each other and talked about our children and our interests. On Sunday, August 23 the community came together to celebrate Picnic Time at Vineyards Community Park (see photos below). It was great to see so many familiar faces and meet many new families in the Jewish community. Families brought their own lunches. Refreshments and snacks were provided free by the Federation. We enjoyed petting and feeding the birds that Conni brought with her. (Thank you Conni!) We played ball, kicked a soccer ball and

threw frisbees. The children had a great time in the playground and getting wet in the water play area. The adults had a chance to meet and talk with each other under the Pavilion we reserved. Upcoming events – plan ahead! Note: Unless otherwise mentioned, all events are held in the David G. Willens Community Room at the Federation office, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples. October 2015: Monday, October 19: Join us for Board Games and Bingo time from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Play Othello, card games, Blokus and more. Bring your favorite board game to share. Ages 4 and up with a maximum of 25 people. RSVP by October 13. This free event will have snacks available. Volunteers are needed. Tuesday, October 20: Peter Adam Salomon, author of All Those Broken Angels and Henry Franks: A Novel, will discuss his books from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Ages 12 and up with a maximum of 50 people. RSVP by October 13. This free event will have snacks available. These books can be purchased online or at Barnes & Noble. Monday, October 26: Join us for coffee and tea from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Koffee Kvell. Complete Sudoku puzzles while we chat! Maximum of 15 people. Free event. RSVP by October 20. Tuesday, October 27: Chess Club from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. If you know how to play chess, come on down and challenge each other. This free event is open to all ages. Bring your chess set if you have one. RSVP by October 20. Maximum of 20 people. November 2015: Sunday, November 8: A special Kristallnacht Commemoration at 2:30 p.m. at St. William Catholic Church, 601 Seagate Drive, Naples. All are welcome to attend this free program commemo-

rating “The Night of Broken Glass.” Sunday, November 15: All are welcome to join us for Puzzle Challenge from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Who can put a puzzle together? Challenge your friends and family at this free event. You may bring a puzzle to share; there will also be puzzles available for you to put together. Maximum of 25. RSVP by November 10. Sunday, November 15: Chess Club from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. RSVP by November 10. Maximum of 20 people. Tuesday, November 17: Jewish Professionals meet and greet at ROW Restaurant from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Maximum of 30 people. RSVP by November 4. Free to attend and free flatbreads will be served. Drinks (2 for 1) and food will be available for purchase. ROW Seafood Bar/Restaurant is located downstairs from the Jewish Federation office. Monday, November 30: Join us for coffee and tea from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Koffee Kvell. Share your favorite book or current book you are reading. Maximum of 15. Free event. RSVP by November 24. December 2015: Sunday, December 6: Marco Island Chanukah Festival at 5:30 p.m. at the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island. Monday, December 7: Join us for the Community-wide Chanukah and Menorah Lighting Celebration at 5:45 p.m. at the Mercato. The Naples Klezmer Revival Band, the preschool children and the Religious School children will perform for us on this special night. Don’t miss the fun activities and exciting entertainment! More details will follow soon. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event. Tuesday, December 15: Join us for

coffee and tea from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Koffee Kvell. Let’s talk and catch up. Maximum of 15 people. Free event. RSVP by December 8. Monday, December 21: Building Time with Legos, hexabits, fish connectors and more, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Use your imagination and show us what you can build! This free event is open to all ages. RSVP by December 15. Maximum of 25 people. Tuesday, December 22: Chess and Board Games from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Let’s play a variety of board games. This free event is open to all ages. Maximum of 25 people. RSVP by December 15. Tuesday, December 29: Puzzles and Bingo Time for all ages from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Free event. Maximum of 25 people. RSVP by December 22. Wednesday, December 30: Mandala coloring, Sudoku and Word Puzzles for all ages from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Free event. Maximum of 25 people. RSVP by December 22. January 2016: Save these dates. More details to follow. Monday, January 18: Come march with us at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade. Email me to let me know you are interested. Wednesday, January 20: Naples Klezmer Revival Band Concert at South Regional Library at 6:00 p.m. Here are the steps you can take to ensure you get all the Jewish Federation of Collier County information: 1. Ask me for a Census form 2. Find us online at jewishnaples.org. Renee’s Program and Events Corner is under Major Events 3. “Like” us on Facebook at “Jewish Federation of Collier County” I hope to see you soon!

Picnic Time at Vineyards Community Park

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Alvin Becker Federation Board Chair

eaders of the Federation Star are aware that September contained special days that required their active involvement and participation: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, of course, among the most important Jewish holidays of the year. In the secular world, there was Labor Day, a day for picnics, end-of-summer activities, as well as thoughts about the end of the year which seemed to be rushing at us. But September had many more official “special days “as recognized in the National Day Calendar. Some dealt with observance and commemoration: National V-J Day (September 2), Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance (September 11), Uncle Sam Day (September 13), Trail of Tears Commemoration Day (September 16), Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (September 17), National POW/MIA Recognition Day (September 18) and International Day of Peace (September 21). Family members received their own special day in the Calendar: National Lazy Mom’s Day (September 4), honest!, National Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day (September 13), National Grandparents Day (September 13), National Step-Family Day (September 16), Wife Appreciation Day (September 20) and National Gold Star Mother’s Day

(September 27), among others. Food got lots of attention in September: National Blueberry Popsicle Day (September 2), National Welsh Rarebit Day (September 3), National Macadamia Nut Day (September 4), National Cheese Pizza Day (September 5), National Coffee Ice Cream Day (September 6), and National Acorn Squash Day and National Salami Day (both on September 7), among many others. Some recognized days seem to make no sense at all: National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day (September 1), National Neither Snow Nor Rain Day (September 7), National Ants on a Log Day (September 8), International Dot Day (September 16) and National One-Hit Wonder Day (September 25). Not currently recognized as a national special day but nevertheless extremely important is the day you make your contribution to the Federation’s 2015 Campaign. (If you have already given, give some more.) Your contribution will serve to enhance and enrich the quality of Jewish life in Collier County by strengthening Jewish identity and continuity, and addressing the charitable, educational, humanitarian and social service needs of the Jewish community here, nationally, overseas and in Israel. Your support of those causes has never been more critical. We’ve made contributing easy: visit the Federation’s website at www. jewishnaples.org, call 239.263.4205, or mail your check to JFCC, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples, Florida 34109. Contribute today and make today a special day – for you, for us and for the Jewish community!

Jewish Book Festival: Local authors event added to lineup By Ted Epstein, Jewish Book Festival co-chair

he Jewish Book Festival committee is excited to announce that it has added a local authors event to the festival lineup. On Wednesday, February 24 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., you’ll hear from B.A. Shapiro (The Muralist), Marc Simon (The Leap Year Boy), Bob Mandell (Stroke Victor) and Jerry Greenfield (Secrets of the Wine Whisperer). The event will take place in the Naples Daily News Community Room. The festival will now feature 23 authors in 11 events over a four-week period, from Thursday, February 18 to Monday, March 14, 2016. Beginning with the this issue of the Federation Star, and continuing through the February 2016 issue, we will feature the 23 authors and their books, with synopses, reviews and author bios. See pages 20 and 21 for the first four of these reviews. I’m sure they will whet your appetite. The November and subsequent issues will include a pullout four-page spread with details of all 11 events, ticket prices and an order form. Tickets will go on sale Monday, November 2. The Federation’s website (www.jewishnaples.org) will have additional information on the authors and their books. We’ve worked out an arrangement

with the local Barnes & Noble to have the majority of the festival’s books available in one location at the store (details to follow in the next issue). And each author’s book will be available for purchase and signing at their respective event. Much thanks go to these companies and organizations that have already committed to sponsoring the entire festival or individual events: Hilton Naples, U.S. Bank, Florida Weekly, Women’s Cultural Alliance, JFCS of Southwest Florida, the Holocasut Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida, the Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah, and Naples Jewish Congregation. If your organization or company would like to become a Jewish Book Festival sponsor, please contact me at 239.249.0699 or fedstar18@gmail.com. There are numerous benefits to being involved. The 23 authors are very excited about sharing their books, insights and experiences with the Collier County community. I trust you are just as excited to hear their presentations and read their books.

Save these dates and times for the Jewish Book Festival events:

Thursday, February 18, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Monday, February 22, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 23, 9:00-11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 24, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Monday, February 29, 6:30-9:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 2, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, 6:30-9:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, 6:30-9:00 p.m. Monday, March 14, 6:30-9:00 p.m.

Correction: Due to an editing error, the headline of Phil Jason’s article on page 1 of the September issue of the Federation Star had a typo. It should have read “Federation to host Jewish Book Festival this season.” The editor regrets the error.

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October 2015 Federation Star

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JEWISH FEDERATION

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The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue Of Collier County Presents a Commemoration of the th

77 Anniversary of Kristallnacht “The Night of Broken Glass” Sunday, November 8 2:30 PM St. William Catholic Church 601 Seagate Drive, Naples Keynote Speaker: Martin Goldsmith “Alex’s Wake, My Family’s Saga” 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 Southwest Florida

Federation Star October 2015

JEWISH FEDERATION

Who is “Federation” and what do we do?

The answer is simple: It’s you – and every member of the Jewish community of Collier County and the surrounding areas. The Federation is your center for Jewish Philanthropy. The Jewish Federation of Collier County is the thread that runs through the fabric of our Jewish community, its organizations and services, connecting us all. The Federation supports programs for Jewish people in need in Collier County, Israel and throughout the world, providing food for the hungry and counseling for the troubled, spearheading rescue and relief efforts for isolated Jews in distressed regions, and funding innovative Jewish educational and unity initiatives. The Federation creates a sense of community for thousands of Jewish residents in Collier County and its surrounding areas by creating and supporting programs to further Jewish learning, identity, pride and culture. Federation meets the challenge of providing for the needs of our Jewish brethren, wherever they may be, from young children and families to seniors.

Where does the money go?

The local Campaign allocation process involves a committee of volunteers as well as Federation staff. They take part in this important process, which balances available resources against community priorities through a grant process. Additionally, several national organizations receive support from the domestic allocation. Internationally, your contribution works to support a broad range of social, educational and vocational needs throughout the Jewish world. Locally, the Federation makes a grant to Jewish Family & Community Services of Southwest Florida, in support of the social services they provide for our community. And grants are made in support of a variety of educational and cultural programs conducted by local synagogues, the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida, and other local Jewish organizations. Our allocation to The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) is distributed to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), which brings relief to the needy and works to revitalize Jewish life in 60 countries; the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), which rescues people from countries and resettles them in Israel; and for supplemental grants in support of special programs and projects that our community has embraced like Neve Michael Youth & Children’s Village in Pardes Hana, Israel; the Sapir Community Center in Kfar Saba, Israel, transportation and Shabbat dinners in Cuba; and the Progressive Synagogue Preschool in Kiev, Ukraine.

Federation’s Annual Campaign Supports

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

Youth Programs & Youth Education ÎÎ Beth Tikvah Youth Education ÎÎ BBYO Naples ÎÎ Camp Scholarships ÎÎ Chabad - Camp Gan Israel/Preschool of the Arts/Hebrew School ÎÎ Jewish War Veterans Post #202 ÎÎ Temple Shalom - Preschool & Religious School Scholarships ÎÎ Hillel at Florida Gulf Coast University Israel & Overseas Humanitarian & Social Services ÎÎ American Jewish World Service ÎÎ JFNA - Overseas Core Assessment ÎÎ JFNA - Israel Action Network ÎÎ JFNA - Stop the Sirens Campaign ÎÎ JNF - Sderot Emergency Fund ÎÎ JNF - Red Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center ÎÎ Neve Michael Children’s Village ÎÎ Yad LaKashish ÎÎ Sapir Community Center, Kfar Saba ÎÎ WUPJ - HaTikvah Preschool in Ukraine ÎÎ Birthright Israel ÎÎ ORT (World ORT/ORT America) Local Humanitarian & Social Services ÎÎ Jewish Family & Community Services XX Senior Outreach & Support XX Developing Healthy Socialization Skills XX Counseling & Mental Health Support Cultural Programs & Adult Education ÎÎ Anti-Defamation League ÎÎ Beth Tikvah Scholar-in-Residence ÎÎ Catholic-Jewish Dialogue ÎÎ Evy Lipp People of the Book Cultural Event ÎÎ Fund for Human Needs ÎÎ Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SWFL ÎÎ Israel Advocacy Committee Programs ÎÎ Jewish Community Relations Council ÎÎ Men’s Cultural Alliance ÎÎ Naples Jewish Congregation Cultural Program ÎÎ Stand Up for Justice Grant ÎÎ Temple Shalom Men’s Club ÎÎ Jewish Cong. of Marco Island - Jewish Film Festival ÎÎ Jewish Cong. of Marco Island - Cultural Series ÎÎ Women’s Cultural Alliance

October 2015 Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

Published by

Campaigners’ Mission: Israel - part 2 – Coping with Operation Protective Edge Phyllis Seaman

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

Board Chair: Alvin Becker Vice Chair: Kevin Aizenshtat Vice Chair: Phyllis Seaman Secretary: Wallie Lenchner Treasurer: Jerry Sobelman Immed. Past Chair: Judge Norman Krivosha

Board of Directors Joshua Bialek Rosalee Bogo David Braverman Harvey Brenner Dan Carp Stephen Coleman Karen Deutsch Michael Feldman Alan Gordon Neil Heuer Joel Pittelman Jane Schiff Arlene Sobol Michael Sobol Steve Strome Dr. Daniel Wasserman Beth Wolff Edward Wollman 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 Sue Baum Rabbi Ammos Chorny Phil Jason Rabbi Adam Miller Suzanne Paley Rabbi James Perman Dr. Arthur Seigel Neil Shnider Rabbi Sylvin Wolf Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

Federation President/CEO Jeffrey Feld

Staff

Renee’ Bialek, Community Prog. Coord. Iris Doenias, Database Manager Stacy Hersha, Business Oper. Mgr. Julie Hartline, Administrative Assistant 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 • Educational & cultural programs • Israel Advocacy Committee • Jewish Book Festival • Jewish Community Relations Council • Jewish Russian-American Cultural Alliance • Men’s Cultural Alliance • Publication of the Federation Star, Connections and Community Directory • Strategic Planning • 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.

Federation Vice Chair

y Campaigners’ Mission in July was intense training in the “Gift of Asking.” This was the early morning workshop followed by visits to one or two Partner Agency programs. I truly feel privileged to have had the opportunity to meet with and learn from so many people, and share their stories with you. Obviously, the most moving was meeting with and hearing from those who were in the line of fire during last year’s 50-day war, Operation Protective Edge. This was our most exhausting and emotional day, starting with a training session and then three site visits. We departed the hotel in Tel Aviv for our first stop at the Center for Young Adults in Ashdod. This is a Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) center that offers immigrant and disadvantaged young adults the skills to build productive adult lives. Services include higher education counseling, vocational training, employment readiness, and life skills such as financial literacy. The Center helps participants make decisions in critical areas spanning army, family, education and employment, easing the youth-to-adult transition, and preventing chronic unemployment and poverty later in life. Communitybuilding leadership opportunities allow young adults to give back. We heard from two young Ethiopian women who were the first generation in their families to be out in the “real world” and experiencing the challenges of starting out. Then we got to hear from a few people on their reaction to Operation Protective Edge and how it has empowered them to become community volunteers and leaders. A young mother of two little girls, ages 5 and 7, explained the issues and trauma faced by her family. In Ashdod you have less than a minute to take cover from rockets. These little girls were so traumatized they wouldn’t sleep in their own rooms. They would only sleep together in the safe room. Most homes in Israel have a dedicated safe or shelter room – with either no windows or windows secured with metal shutters. Some use a spare bedroom and have made them very comfortable, outfitting them with emergency needs, food, TV, crafts and, of course, the obligatory gas masks. This mom wouldn’t take a shower if her husband was not at home for fear that if the sirens went off she would not have the time to get her girls into the safe room. One day on the way to the supermarket, a rocket landed 30 meters in front of her car. Think about how traumatizing that is! A young man described the problems he had coping during the 50 days with the almost constant barrage of rockets raining down and sirens blaring. His wheelchair-bound grandmother lives with him in an apartment four stories above the basement shelter. During an attack, the elevators are shut down. Could you imagine these scenarios for yourself or your families? You can’t come away without being in awe of how these people cope and of their love for Israel. Their strength and resilience are inspiring. At this site visit we also met with Gideon Herscher, JDC Director of Development and International Partnerships, to hear and see slides of the

with lots of wine. We had a fabulous role Federations play in disaster relief fun evening with a gourmet dinner in a around the world with emphasis on the forest on a gorgeous evening. I lucked recent work in Nepal. Israel is the first out getting on the winning team. responder with boots on the ground, This was the best ending to an exbuilding field hospitals in most natural hausting and emotional day. disaster areas. I hope these articles give you a feel Our day wasn’t over yet. We were of where your dollars go, and what is off to Hetz Shachor (Black Arrow) being accomplished, with our partner Vista, overlooking Gaza. We were met agencies. Your support of the Jewby Major Daniel, our IDF spokesperson. ish Federation makes all these little (I was asked not to use his last name, but miracles happen. he allowed me to take his picture.) He If you have not made your gift to the related the days leading up to the war. 2015 Campaign, please consider doing Rockets were being fired almost so now. If you have already made your every day, and he received word that atgift, thank you! tacks would be carried out from tunnels. His wife had just given birth to their We Are the Strength of a People first child, and odds were he would not – The Power of Community be at the bris. You are part of the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli nation, so you step back from your family. Since they had a 24-hour wait period, he actually was able to attend the bris. What he wanted most from the U.S. was for its citizens and leaders to understand Gideon Herscher, JDC Director of Development that Israel shares the same problem and war against Radical Islam. When he leaves the IDF, Major Daniel plans on getting his master’s degree and possibly his PhD in physics. We wish him and all the IDF soldiers peace. We had one more stop before dinner – Kibbutz Nir Oz. I told you this was an exEthiopian immigrants at JDC Center hausting and emotional day. This is a Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) program to help the local residents cope with last summer ’s war. Nir Oz is located near the Gaza border. It was one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been to until I approached the electrified double fence and Black Arrow Memorial could see how close Gaza was. This kibbutz has a botanical garden started by one of the founders, and is a large dairy and chicken farm. Then we were off to dinner in the Angel’s Forest. Our dinner was a Top Chef ’s Cooking Competition. We were split into teams Kibbutz Nir Oz fence at border with Gaza

Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies Dedicated to educating all sectors of society about Jewish civilization, the Holocaust, and genocide through: • scholarship • outreach • inquiry • sharing knowledge • preserving the record • helping teachers • encouraging students

Visit www.fgcu.edu/hc/ Dr. Paul Bartrop, Director

Federation Star October 2015

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

WOMEN’S CULTURAL ALLIANCE

A sneak preview of WCA’s 2015-2016 Speaker Series By Elaine Soffer, WCA President

CA members are already looking forward to our very popular Thursday morning Speaker Series. Each season, the series continues to inform, delight and thrill our members. As always, the speakers are volunteers, which enables WCA to offer these wonderful enrichment programs free to our members. This season, in order to accommodate more members, the series will meet in one of two venues: some presentations will continue to be held at the Jewish Federation of Collier County office, while others will be held at the Naples Daily News Community Room. The venue for each speaker will be included in the Thursday eblast announcement of the program. These open-only-to-members events fill up quickly, so sign up early. This season, our members will have an opportunity to hear a wide variety of speakers, including both new and familiar faces, all with wonderful new presentations to offer. The range of topics is far-reaching and encompasses fine arts, literature and music, to history, humor and self-help. We will be exploring areas that will help women to make wise decisions and continue to lead healthy and productive lives. I am confident that many of you will be interested in learning additional

techniques for “Remembering Names and Faces.” Find out why you should become an “Empowered Patient” and why “Everyone Needs a Personalized Medical Plan.” Much has been published on “Getting Healthy and Stress-Free with Essential Oils.” This presentation will offer the opportunity to both sample oils and to ask questions. Have you been reading about the Blue Zone? “Are You Ready For the Blue Zone Journey?” Do you, for example, “Think Kale Is Cool?” Let the Blue Zones Solution light up your path and learn “Why the Blue Zone Is Good For You.” Our Speaker Series will encourage us to examine our world, beginning with “The State of the City of Naples,” and then will widen our perspective as we hear an infrequently presented topic, “Concentration Camp Internment of Loyal American Citizens in WWII.” Moving away from North America there will be presentations about “Fukushima and the Aftermath,” “Being Jewish in the USSR,” and “The Extermination of Jewish Culture by the Soviet Union.”

To help our members become aware of the social services available in Collier County, this season will include presentations by JFCS of Southwest Florida, the Alzheimer’s Association, National Alliance of Mental Illness, and Human Trafficking Symposium. WCA is fortunate to have many talented members who are willing to share their talents with us! This season, presentations will include “Memoir and Fiction Writing to Stimulate the Mind and to Discover Oneself,” “The Ghetto Garden,” and “Women of the ’50s in Television.” You also won’t want to miss these presentations: “Provenance: Looted Nazi Art in a Prominent New York City Museum,” “Sholem Aleichem and I.B. Singer: Yiddish Writers of the 20th Century,” “Hinduism,” and “The Music of the Wizard of Oz – Yip Harburg.” Many WCA members are avid readers and WCA supports a variety of book groups throughout the year. WCA is fortunate to also have authors offering programs to discuss their books. We

Women’s Cultural Alliance: 1,000+ members strong and growing!

will be hearing from the authors of Mail Call, a compilation of letters written by a member’s parents to each other during WWII; I was a War Child; and Golden America: a Memoir. In addition to the authors that we are bringing in as part of our own Speaker Series, WCA is proud to be sponsoring the event that features two fiction authors in our community’s Jewish Book Festival. Susan Jane Gilman, author of The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street, and Julia Dahl, author of Run You Down, will be speaking at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, 2016, at the South Regional Library. This program will be open to the entire community – not just to WCA members! Tickets will be available through the Federation beginning November 1. Look for an order form in the next issue of the Federation Star. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to hear all of the wonderful programs offered through the WCA Speaker Series. Remember, only members may attend these programs. To be able to participate, join WCA today by completing the Membership Form below or sign up online at www. womensculturalalliance.org. You will be glad that you did!

Award-winning films selected for the MCA/WCA 2015-2016 Documentary Film Group

By Steve Brazina, MCA President

he MCA/WCA Documentary Film Group is pleased to announce the films for the upcoming 2015-2016 season. The group is open only to MCA and WCA members. Due to space limitations, only the first 60 members who register for each film will be eligible to attend. There is no charge for attending – it is another benefit of your membership! The film series will begin in December and run through April. Films will be shown on the first Thursday of the month at 2:00 p.m. in the David G. Willens Community Room at the Federation office. Because reservations are

limited, anyone who registers for a film and is unable to attend the screening, must cancel at least 48 hours in advance. Members who do not follow this cancellation policy will not be permitted to register for any other films this season. These award-winning films are currently being screened at Jewish Film Festivals across the United States and interest is expected to be high. It will be important to register promptly to reserve a space. No one will be permitted to attend without an advance reservation. Please email me at sbrazina@aol. com if you would like to be part of the MCA/WCA Documentary Film Group.

Members of the group will receive an email announcement when registration opens for each film. And now for the amazing films to be presented this season: God’s Slave - Based on the actual events of the 1994 bombing of the Jewish Center in Buenos Aires that is still making headlines today. The Green Prince - The son of a founding leader in the Palestinian organization, Hamas, becomes a spy for the Israelis. Once in a Lifetime - A dedicated history teacher at a French high school taps lessons of the Holocaust in an effort

to motivate her troubled students. An uplifting drama based on a true story. Honor Diaries - Culture is no excuse for abuse. The first film to break the silence on “honor violence” against women and girls. Deli Man - How deli cuisine quickly found its way into the American mainstream after arriving with 19th century Jewish immigrants. Remember, you must be a member of MCA or WCA to be eligible to see these outstanding films. If you are not already a member, you may join by filling out the MCA or WCA membership forms below.

Women’s Cultural Alliance 2015-2016 Membership Form

Our membership year runs from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016. (Dues for members who joined after March 1 of this Season will also cover the 2015-2016 Season.) This form is for payment by check only. If you wish to pay by credit card, visit www.womensculturalalliance.com and follow the prompts. PLEASE fill out this form completely, PRINTING clearly. Please check: New____ Renewal____ There is NO CHANGE to my contact info from last year______

Men's Cultural Alliance of Collier County Men's Cultural Alliance of CollierForm County 2015-2016 Membership

2015-2016 Membership Form 31 of the next year. The membership year is from November 1 until October The membership year is from November 1 until October 31 of the next year. Dues received after April 30 will be applied to the next season. Dues received after April 30 will be applied to the next season.

Please check one: New Please check one: ☐NewRenewal ☐☐ ☐ Renewal

Name__________________________________________ Spouse/Partner Name__________________

fill the out the formcompletely completely and PRINT CLEARLY!) (PLEASE(PLEASE fill out form and PRINT CLEARLY!)

Name: Name: Spouse or Partner Name, if applicable: FL Street Address_____________________________________________________________________ Spouse or Partner Name, if applicable: Local Address: FL City______________________________________________State____________ Zip_____________ City: State: Local Address: Community in which you live_____________________________________________________________ Email (very important): City: State: Florida phone: Cell or alternate phone: FL Phone_________________________________ Cell _______________________________________ Email (very important): Northern Address: Northern Street Address and City _________________________________________________________ City: State:phone: Zip: Florida phone: Cell or alternate

Email (print clearly!)___________________________________________________________________

Zip:

Northern State/Province _________ Zip__________ Northern Phone____________________________

In Southwest Florida: full-time ☐ part-time ☐ (from to ) Northern Address: Membership fee: $56 (US Funds only, Minimum for the year; includes Federation membership.) City: State: Zip: NAME BADGES

In FL: Full Time______ Part Time______ (from ___________________ to _______________________) Membership Fee: $90.00 (US Funds only) Dues include a $36 donation to Federation

$ 90.00

badgefull-time will be issued you at no charge you are a NEW member. In SouthwestA name Florida: to ☐to part-time ☐if(from

)

I want a replacement name badge: Yes ☐ No ☐ Fee: $8. If you checked yes, submit a total fee is $64. Namefee: as you want(US it toFunds appear on the name badge Membership $56 only, Minimum for the year; includes Federation membe Total Enclosed $_______________________ Additional donation to the Federation is voluntary and encouraged.

I am also including a voluntary donation to the Federation in the amount of $_______________________

NAME BADGES Please your check Federation of Collier County and mail with this form to: name badge willmake be issued to payable you at to: no Jewish charge if you are a NEW member. MCA/ Jewish Federation of Collier I want a replacement name badge: YesCounty ☐ No ☐ Fee: $8. If you checked yes, submit a total fee i Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Ste. 2201 Name as you 2500 want it to appear on the name badge Naples, FL 34109 Additional donation to the Federation is voluntary and encouraged.

Please make your check payable to Jewish Federation of Collier County (JFCC) and mail with this formA to: WCA/JFCC, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., #2201, Naples, FL 34109. You must sign the waiver below, and return this completed membership form with your check. (To be included in the WCA Membership Directory, you must return this form with your check by August 1, 2015.)

I would like to volunteer for WCA: _____ Chair or Co-Chair a Program Please ______Be a Speaker or lead a Workshop on these topics:_____________________________________

I would like to volunteer my services/expertise and would be willing to chair or co-chair a meeting/outing

make on your payable to: Jewish Federation of Collier County and mail with this form to the check following topic or topics: MCA/ Jewish Federation of Collier County EVENT PARTICIPATION WAIVER EVENT PARTICIPATION WAIVER By signing below, I accept the terms of this waiver. By signing below, I am indicating my acceptance of the waiver. 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd,in Ste. 2201 As a participant an MCA event, I , acting for myself, my executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin agree As a participant in a WCA event, I, acting for myself, my executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin agree as follows: as follows: That I waive all rights, claims, cause of action, of any kind whatsoever that I or my heirs, legal I waive all rights, claims, cause of action, of any kind whatsoever that I or my heirs or my legal representatives may Naples, FL 34109 claim to have against The Jewish Federation of Collier County, the Women’s Cultural Alliance, or their agents, servants, and or employees, for any loss, injury, or damage sustained by me while participating in a WCA event. This waiver and release shall be construed broadly, under the laws of the State of Florida.

representatives may claim to have against either The Jewish Federation of Collier County, and or the Men’s Cultural Alliance of Collier County, their members, agents, servants, and or employees, for any loss, injury, I would like to my services/expertise and would be willing to chair or co-chair a meeting/ or volunteer damage sustained by me while participating in an MCA event. This waiver and release shall be construed Your membership payment is your permission for Women's Cultural Alliance to take and use photographs/videos for broadly, under Laws of the State of Florida. on the following topic orthe topics: appropriate purposes in accordance with WCA's mission.

Signature______________________________________________Date__________________________ Any questions? Contact Nancy Kahn, dearnancykahn@gmail.com.

Signature

EVENT PARTICIPATION WAIVER By signing below, accept the terms of this waiver. For more information: Contact Steve BrazinaI sbrazina@aol.com

JEWISH FEDERATION

October 2015 Federation Star

Veteran correspondent to kick off IAC season By Jeff Margolis

oted Jerusalem Post senior journalist Herb Keinon will make his first speaking engagement in Naples on Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom. The event is sponsored by the Israel Advocacy Committee of the Jewish Federation of Collier County. Keinon is an Israeli writer who was born in Colorado. He received his BA in political science from the University of Colorado-Boulder, and his MA in journalism from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He is the author of several books, most notably Lone Soldiers, Israel’s Defenders from Around the World. Keinon currently lives in Israel with his wife and four children. Reservations are required for this event. RSVP to iacnaples@gmail.com. The Israel Advocacy Committee has been quite busy preparing an exciting and stimulating season of lectures, discussions and films for 2015-2016. See the box at right for the schedule of upcoming events. Members of the IAC continue to monitor the situation in Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East, receiving ongoing communications from AIPAC, AJC and other organizations. The committee encourages everyone to

do the same, and to contact their elected officials on issues critical to Israel. Here are the phone numbers for area members of Congress: • Senator Bill Nelson 202.220.5274, Fort Myers 239334.7760 • Senator Marco Rubio 202.224.3041, Naples 239.213.1521 • Congressman Curt Clawson 202.225.2536, Naples 239.252.6225 • Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart 202.225.4211, Naples 239.348.1620 For those of you who are not registered voters in Florida, we ask that you contact the elected officials in your home state. Be sure to join the entire community on Sunday, May 15 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Mercato for the IAC “Celebrate Israel, its Culture and its People” event. Please note that this is a new date and location. This daylong event will include delicious food, fun and games for children, as well as exhibitors of Israel art and products. In order to make this event a great success, we need your help. Please consider volunteering. Send your contact information to iacnaples@ gmail.com.

Israel Advocacy Committee Program Schedule

Please save these dates and plan to join your fellow concerned community members: Î November 1, 2015 - Israel Bonds Luncheon with Alon Ben-David Î November 12, 2015 - Veteran Jerusalem Post Correspondent Herb Keinon Î December 14, 2015 - “The Israel Connection” Education Series, Program #1, 2:00 p.m., JFCC office Î December 16, 2015 - Middle East Analyst and Fellow of the Middle East Forum, Asaf Romirowsky. Topic: BDS, Temple Shalom Î January 5, 2016 - “The Israel Connection” Education Series, Program #2, 7:00 p.m., JFCC Î January 13, 2016 - Former IDF Intelligence Officer and Senior Arabic Lecturer at Bar Ilan University, Dr. Mordechai Kedar, Chabad (cosponsored by ZOA) Î January 27, 2016 - Screening of Body and Soul with Producer Gloria Greenfield, Hodges University (co-sponsored by ZOA) Î February 9, 2016 - “The Israel Connection” Education Series, Program #3, 7:00 p.m., JFCC Î February 23, 2016 - Screening of Moriah Films’ newest production of The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Statesmen, Temple Shalom. This film was shown in a sneak preview in August to rave reviews. Î March 7, 2016 - “The Israel Connection” Education Series, Program #4, 10:00 a.m., JFCC Î May 15, 2016 - CELEBRATE ISRAEL, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Mercato More details to follow in subsequent issues of the Federation Star and in the Federation’s eblasts. “The Israel Connection” Education Series will consist of a small group video and discussion program and will be limited to the first 30 reservations. Reservations are required for all of the above events by email only to iacnaples@gmail.com.

Lots new with the MCA this season By Jeff Margolis

ome good news is coming to MCA members in their mailboxes. The printed version 2015-2016 MCA Program Guide will be mailed to all paid-up members in September and October. In the guide, members will find information about the upcoming monthly luncheon and speaker meetings, the well-received lecture series that began last season. Members will also find information about special events and the ongoing interest and activity groups. Any member who is interested in introducing a new activity group should contact Program Chair Les Nizen at Lnizen@icloud.com Some of the new for 2015-2016 activities include: ¡ The addition of a fifth luncheon meeting in April 2016 ¡ A member/spouse social event, Sweetheart Dinner/Dance, in February 2016 ¡ A tour of the Naples Botanical Garden ¡ Raku art creation ¡ Talmudic Study Group

¡ Shy Wolf Sanctuary Tour ¡ Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Day ¡ Book Discussion Group ¡ Gin Rummy Group ¡ Pickleball ¡ Science Discussion Group These are in addition to the very successful groups from recent seasons that have attracted considerable participation from MCA members. No wonder one MCA member recently commented, “I am looking forward to another great year meeting people and doing creative things I wouldn’t think of myself.” Join fellow MCA members at our season opening Welcome Back Luncheon on Thursday, November 12. Don’t miss out on a great season. Pay your dues today. Use the Membership Form on the previous page. Stay tuned for more details and information about what is shaping up to be a wonderful season meeting new people and having your choice of a HUGE number of fun activities.

CJD presents Kristallnacht Commemorative Service

he Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County, in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of Collier County and the Collier County churches of The Diocese of Venice, will hold the 77th Anniversary of Kristallnacht Commemorative Service on Sunday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m. The service will be held at St. William Catholic Church, 601 Seagate Drive, Naples. Kristallnacht is recognized ership.) by most historians as “The Night the Holocaust Began.” The principal speaker this year is

is $64.

Martin Goldsmith, an American radio personality and author, best known as a classical music host on National Public Radio and Sirius XM. His books include The Inextinguishable Symphony: A True Story of Music and Love in Nazi Germany, about his parents’ experiences as Jewish musicians in Nazi Germany, and Alex’s Wake, the story of the voyage of the ship St. Louis. Mr. Goldsmith’s family was on this ill-fated voyage. The topic of Mr. Goldsmith’s presentation is “Alex’s Wake, My Family’s Saga.”

Saturday, January 31, 2015

The Federation Star delivers!

Introduce your business to a POWERFUL demographic and reach over 6,000 Jewish residents in the Greater Naples area!

/outing

Federation’s Annual Community Celebration

For ad rates and deadlines, contact Melody Klein at 239.633.2895 or mklein@jewishnaples.org.

Read the Federation Star on your tablet!

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

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THIS SEASON’S TWO BIG EVENTS:

* * * * *

Evy Lipp People of T the Book Cultural Event SOLD OU Wednesday, February 25, 2015

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 6 7 14 20 23 23 25 28 30 30 32 34 35

Men’s Cultural Alliance Women’s Cultural Alliance Community Focus Jewish Interest Israel & the Jewish World Tributes Business Directory Commentary Focus on Youth Rabbinical Reflections Synagogues Organizations Community Calendar Community Directory

6 WCA’s “Season” is off to a resounding start!

8 Subject of Israeli best-seller visits Naples

January 2015 - Tevet/Shevat 5775

Federation President

28 Naples BBYO teens at Regional Kallah

later in life. First, he became a scientist and worked in the field of ecology. “I would have preferred studying the humanities, but Jews in the former Soviet Union (f.S.U.) weren’t allowed to be historians or philosophers.” Utilizing his fluency in English, he often acted as a tour guide for American ambassadors and members of congress. He took them to Babi Yar, the infamous ravine in Kiev where, in two September days in 1941, German forces and local collaborators massacred nearly 34,000 Jews. As a rabbi, he says, “I get to combine all of these disciplines, because a rabbi is not only a teacher but also a scientist and a tour guide.” In addition to Judi Palay at Temple

Shalom, another local connection is the Jewish Federation of Collier County, which currently provides a grant to a Jewish preschool in Kiev. The rabbi detailed a wish list of ongoing “pockets of need,” for donations from people he meets on this talking tour who desire their own connection to Jews in Ukraine. “We need money for mundane expenses, like rent for premises and salaries for professionals. We also train lay leaders to conduct Shabbat services and do congregational work. We want to sponsor summer and winter camps that provide education promoting Jewish self-identification.” Noting that in Judaism the primary unit is the family,

continued on page 2

Jeffrey Feld, Steven D. Goldberg, Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny, Judi Palay, Rabbi Adam Miller

The case for giving at the beginning of the year…and for giving more Alvin Becker

Israeli artist to exhibit at Estero Fine Art Show

Vol. 24 #5

Kiev rabbi makes connections By Carole J Greene

eing a journalist provides me opportunities to connect with fascinating people. When Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny visited Naples on November 12, I enjoyed the privilege and pleasure of chatting with him about the challenges and successes of the Progressive Jewish Congregations (i.e. “Reform”) of Kiev, Ukraine. He is chief rabbi of the present 47 (!) congregations, an impressive increase from the eleven existing when he began. As we talked, the word “connections” came up multiple times. Rabbi Dukhovny came to the U.S. to foster connections with American Jews and forge new ones. Temple Shalom’s Judi Palay is one of the former connections and she opened her home to the rabbi, whom she’d met when traveling in Ukraine. When he spoke that evening at Temple Shalom, he likened his role on this whirlwind “talking tour” (if it’s Wednesday, this must be Naples) to fertilizing seeds of Progressive Judaism sown by others in Ukraine. “American rabbis plowed the soil. I’m the fertilizer because I know the culture, the language.” Although he knew all his life that he was a Jew, he came to the rabbinate

number of organizations have as their priority to support the most vulnerable people in our community – children, the aged, and those suffering humanitarian emergencies. Other groups seek to keep Israel safe, strong and prosperous. Still others support Jewish practices and perspectives that enrich our lives and draw us closer to family, friends and community. Finally, some promote advocacy to

Jewish Federation of Collier County Inc. 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201 Naples, FL 34109

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ensure that our voices are a prominent force in policy decisions. But ONLY the Jewish Federation of Collier County includes all of these priorities in its work as an important force in our community – creating, building, supporting and strengthening much needed groups here and elsewhere. Please see page 3 for a list of organizations and programs that were supported, in part or in whole, by Federation dollars last year. I am confident that you will find one or more groups or programs that strike a responsive chord

in your supportive thoughts. Note that the list is long – but so are the needs. And those needs are immediate and continue to grow. Don’t wait to make a contribution to the Jewish Federation of Collier County until later in 2015. The beginning of the year is a wonderful time to be part of a caring community that gives back. Donate now. Volunteer now. Make a difference now. You’ll have the whole year to feel good about what you’ve done. Happy New Year!

GIVE GIVEYOUR YOURBUSINESS BUSINESS GROWTH GROWTHPOTENTIAL. POTENTIAL. ADVERTISE ADVERTISEWITH WITHTHE Federation Star Contact Jacqui Aizenshtat at 239.777.2889 Robin Leonardi • 941.552.6307 • rleonardi@jfedsrq.org or jacqui1818@gmail.com. www.TheJewishNews.org

Federation Star October 2015

JEWISH FEDERATION

Meet your Federation board: Alvin Becker By Jean Amodea

he lifeblood of an organizational body is defined by the strength of its infrastructure, in our case, the Jewish Federation of Collier County (JFCC) board. And, recognizing that board service is indeed a privilege, serving in that capacity is key to the vitality of the Federation and the local Jewish community. Federation President/CEO Jeffrey Feld said that the 26 board members serve as decision makers for the Federation’s goals. They have the opportunity to present ideas for discussion and are charged with oversight of the Federation’s various groups, including the Jewish Community Relations Council and Israel Advocacy Committee, as well as numerous programs. “The board serves as advocates for these programs as well as interpreters of the Federation’s mission to the general community. And, fundraising is a vehicle to meet part of our mission, the objective of enhancing and enriching the Jewish community locally and globally,” Feld said. “Our board members serve out of passion and love for their community. By showcasing them, we want to express our appreciation for them and their service.” To that end, this month and in the coming months, starting with board chair Alvin Becker, then to the newest board members, we will chat with each, to get to know them, their ideals and vision for JFCC. Becker, a native Chicagoan and 16year retired attorney who spent most of his career in commercial banking, shares his time between Chicago, one third of the year, and Naples. He is a member of Temple Sinai in Chicago and Temple Shalom in Naples. Becker has served the board for over five years, the past one and a half

Federation? years as chair. We are about to review our strategic Why did you become involved with plan document regarding the quality of the JFCC? Jewish life in Collier County. We seek I have a strong belief that Naples is to enhance and enrich that quality of life not merely a place where folks live but by engaging in a supportive and colrather a place for Jewish persons to laborative role supporting those Jewish feel welcomed and to call home. Jewand non-Jewish organizations that in ish people look forward to their home turn address the charitable, educational, being in a community that is warm, humanitarian and social service needs of welcoming, responsive and respected. the community and that have the same The JFCC attempts to achieve that kind strategic goals. One of of environment with the more visible goals humanitarian, social, is to support organizaeducational and cultions that provide cultural opportunities as tural opportunities like well as challenges. I festivals, book fairs, am glad to be a part of educational lectures the Federation, which and the Evy Lipp Peohas a lot to do with ple of the Book Event creating that kind of that attract members of environment. our Jewish community. What personal qualWe also try to meet the ity do you bring to the challenges of people board? in need of educational I think I am a good opportunities and ficommunicator as well Alvin Becker nancial support. a good listener. I am Will the JFCC grow in the coming able to convey who we are and where years? we need to go, and I am able to work We are going to grow because the Colwith each board member and officer to lier County population is going to grow. achieve our goals. The most important Projected growth is a reality and the role of chair is to set a tone and a style Jewish portion of that that census will to our process with which our people grow. Much of the effort now is to be can identify and move forward together. sure that the Jewish population grows Even though we have occasional differand to deal with the increase of those ences, once a decision is made, everyone coming to make Collier County their pulls together. It is important for a chair home. We need to be ready to accommoto provide that type of environment that date, deal with and support that growth. fosters a collaborative effort. What values do you hold as most What is the most important function important? of a chair? Most important in dealing with others I was once told that the most important is to hold integrity and to be responsive. words that organization leaders need to One of the keys to success in whatever use are “What do you think?” As I work you do is having the reputation of doing with the members, it is most effective what you say you are going to do when and productive to ask that question. you say you’re going to do it. And, esWhat are the strategic goals of the

pecially for those assuming leadership positions, it is best to always take the high road. I like to think that the JFCC has that reputation. What is something people don’t know about you? I am a very competitive individual, but at the same time I try to be very collaborative in my dealings with associates. How important is it to engage our youth? Jewish continuity is one of our highest priorities. We support religious and Sunday schools, BBYO, summer camps, and Hillel efforts at colleges. We are doing what we can, both financially and otherwise to assure Jewish continuity. We have learned that the young Jewish people who have exposure to Jewish organizations carry those experiences into adult life. What would you like folks to know about the JFCC? Folks should be aware that the JFCC is more than a chair and executive officers and the hard-working board. JFCC is all the Jewish people who support us financially and otherwise. The JFCC strives to be that umbrella organization that brings all other organizations and people under its umbrella. But at the end of the day, we need every Jewish person in the county to help us meet our objectives. It is not a one-man show. It requires the efforts of all those in the community, including our many contributors and volunteers who generously help with their own time and efforts. Jean Amodea, a former school principal from New Jersey is a freelance writer for the Naples Daily News and its community publications as well as director of Peter Duchin Music of Naples/Entertainment Direct. She also performs with her husband Ron’s dance band, jazz ensemble and Caribbean quartet. Reach Jean at jeanamodea@gmail.com.

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COMMUNITY FOCUS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & ED CTR OF SWFL

p e

October 2015 Federation Star

www.holocaustmuseumswfl.org / 239-263-9200

Picturebook History exhibit – how the Museum impacts children with these stories Amy Snyder

Executive Director

t , e lorida is one of the few states d which mandate the teaching of . the Holocaust in its school syshtems. Our Museum is honored to be an hactive member of the Florida Departsment of Education Commissioner’s Task Force on Holocaust Education (FLHolocaustEducationTaskForce.org). As a Task Force member and Eduscation Center, we are well aware of the need to introduce children to the subject lof the Holocaust in an age-appropriate way. Our education programming reachses students in grades K-12 and through tthe college/university level in five counties in Southwest Florida. Obviously, we eapproach the subject of the Holocaust eand World War II differently with a 5th .grader than with a college sophomore. e , d h

r -

, .

One of the most effective teaching tools we use to inform the upper elementary-age segment is the “picture book.” The main subject of these masterfully illustrated volumes is often a child or group of children about the same age as the youngsters in our programs. Whether primarily set in the era of World War II, or transitioning between the past and the present, the books introduce the sensitive subject matter of the Holocaust in a way that the students can easily comprehend and digest. The stories hold their interest, while clearly defining the fight between the “good” guys and the “bad” guys. Children today are more attuned to the concept of “good” versus “evil” because they are surrounded by the 24-hour news cycle, which features more bad news than good. Students can readily identify those who are victimized, considered “other” and given less respect by society. They also recognize the aggressors and the impact of their actions and policies on the “others.” The combination of personal stories and evocative illustrations also allow students to emotionally connect with the Holocaust. Students are able to see the frightening parallels between past societal aggressions and today’s events. They see the far-reaching impact on people when respect for others is missing, and maltreatment of “others” takes hold. Since the 2001-2002 school year, the Museum’s

education programs have reached over 145,000 students in Southwest Florida. Each child has participated in structured learning activities and/or Museum field trips, specifically designed to help them understand the necessity of treating others with respect, and the consequences when that doesn’t happen. While they find it hard to truly comprehend the vast level of human sufArtist Bill Farnsworth discusses his work at the Museum fering brought on by Nazi policies, they can relate on a personal the paintings created for the book Irena level to the tragic story of the boy or girl Sendler and the Children of the Warsaw and their immediate family members in Ghetto by artist/illustrator Bill Farnthe picture books we use. sworth, who has donated the paintings to At the end of each of our programs, the Museum. A sewhether on-site at a school or in the lection of the picMuseum after a field trip, we ask each turebooks used in student for a commitment. We ask that our programs will they take a small step that can lead to also be on display, a big change, by making a positive and associated impact in their own family and their events are being communities. planned. For more This November the Museum will information, visit present a new exhibit, Picturebook Hiswww.HolocaustMuseumSWFL.org or tory: Telling the Story to Children. contact the Museum at info@Holocaust The core of the exhibit will feature MuseumSWFL.org.

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Screening of The Voyage of the St. Louis

n Sunday, October 18 at 5:00 p.m. at Beth Tikvah (1459 Pine Ridge Road, Naples) there will be a presentation of the film The Voyage of the St. Louis. The film is the story of a tragic and too little known episode in the history of the Holocaust. In an effort to flee Nazi Germany, 937 German Jewish refugees sailed from Hamburg, Germany, on May 15, 1939, on the S.S. St. Louis and reached Havana, Cuba, on May 27, 1939. The Cuban government refused entry to nearly all of the passengers into Cuba. Later, the passengers, who could see the lights of Miami, were denied entry into the U.S. The St. Louis was doomed to sail back to Hamburg. After feverish negotiations, and with the assistance of the ship’s captain, Gustav Schroeder, the governments of Holland, Belgium, England and France agreed to accept the refugees. Soon afterward the passengers shared the fate of other European Jews.

Steve Brazina, Program Chair of GenShoah SWFL, will present this film in cooperation with the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County as the first in a series of events relating to the St. Louis. Martin Goldsmith, NPR radio host and author of Alex’s Wake: The Tragic Voyage of the St. Louis to Flee Nazi German and a Grandson’s Journey of Love and Remembrance, will be the keynote speaker at the Kristallnacht Commemoration on Sunday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m. at St. William Church, 601 Seagate Drive, Naples. On Wednesday, February 10, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom, there will be a presentation of Complicit: The Untold Story of Why the Roosevelt Administration Denied Safe Haven to Jewish Refugees, by Robert Krakow, the producer of the film. For information and reservations please email genshoahswfl@icloud.com or call Ida Margolis at 239.963.9347.

JCMI Women’s Book Club

omen readers searching for a book club to meet their needs are invited to visit the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island, 991 Winterberry Drive. Lively discussions, varied opinions and love of the written word pique the interest and intellect of all who attend. Members choose by consensus works from all available genres. The seasonal calendar begins Tues-

day, November 17 at 11:00 a.m. with a discussion of Orphan Train by Christine Baker Kline. Meetings will continue the third Tuesday morning through April 2016. The book group welcomes the community. There are no membership dues for participants. However, a donation to JCMI by non-JCMI members would be welcome. For more information, please call 239.642.0800.

For a continuously updated community calendar, visit www.jewishnaples.org.

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Federation Star October 2015

COMMUNITY FOCUS

JFCS of Southwest Florida and “Music Makes Memories” Dr. Jaclynn Faffer JFCS President/ CEO

id you ever hear a song on the radio that brought back such vivid memories that you were immediately transported back to a specific place in time? Perhaps your first date? Or the summer of your first job? The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show or maybe Woodstock? If so, then you clearly understand what JFCS’ newest program is all about! Through a generous grant from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, JFCS music therapy will be provided to participants in our two dementia respite programs – our Men’s Group for men with early memory loss, and “Better Together,” our Brookdale model respite program for men and women with more advanced dementia. Through peer-reviewed journals

inside the profession of Music Therapy, such as the Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, and extensive articles in journals outside the profession, there is much research exploring the benefits of music therapy for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This research forms the foundation for the JFCS “Music Makes Memories” program. Research highlights include: ¡ Music therapy reduces depression among older adults. ¡ Music experiences can be structured to enhance social/emotional skills, to assist in recall and language skills, and to decrease problem behaviors. ¡ Music tasks can be used to assess cognitive ability in people with Alzheimer’s disease. ¡ Music is a form of sensory stimulation, which provokes responses due to the familiarity, predictability and feelings of security associated with it. ¡ Studies have found that music has the ability to uniquely activate the

brain. Music provides a way to connect, even after verbal communication has become difficult. “Music Makes Memories” will have the following components: ¡ Sing-a-longs to enhance memory and breathing ¡ Personalized music tapes to decrease anxiety and stimulate memory ¡ Music with motion (dancing and stretching) to increase balance and promote breathing

¡ Compilation of individualized musical histories of favorite recordings to help in reminiscence and memory recall JFCS is working with the Bower School of Music at FGCU to offer this exciting and important program. For more information about the JFCS respite programs for individuals with dementia, please contact Linda Baratta at 239.325.4444 or lbaratta@ jfcsswfl.org.

The Naples Jewish Caring Support Group

Next meetings: Mondays, October 12 & 26 10:30 a.m. to noon at JFCS, 5025 Castello Road, Naples

Call Donna Levy at 239.325.4444 for more information.

Have you been thinking of forgiveness lately? Readers of The Sunﬂower have By Ida Margolis

sking for forgiveness was likely on the mind of many individuals during the recent Day of Atonement. Did you ask someone you wronged for forgiveness? “Why do we forgive? Can we forgive crimes committed against other people? Are some acts just unforgiveable?” are just some of the relevant questions presented in The Sunﬂower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness by Simon Wiesenthal. This book has been selected as the “One Book Southwest Florida” for the 2015-16 season.

Wiesenthal asked readers to put themselves in a position of a prisoner in a concentration camp when a dying Nazi soldier asked for forgiveness. Then Wiesenthal asked, “What would you do?” This question was posed to a number of prominent men and women, and their responses along with Wiesenthal’s brief story were published in The Sunﬂower. This book quickly became a classic of Holocaust literature, as well as a book used at many colleges and in interfaith dialogues. The selection of this world fa-

IMPROV COMEDY PLAY FOR THE HEALTH OF IT Margot Escott, LCSW & The Improv Professionals

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Contact: Margot Escott, LCSW (239) 216-3931 Cost $15 The basic rules of Improvisational Comedy can also be applied to life and our everyday challenges. The most important rule of Improv Comedy is to accept what other players give you and to have fun. With the help of other professional Improv Players at this workshop, participants will experience how these concepts can apply to their lives as well. Audience participation not required but suggested. The workshop will include live Improv Comedy performance and audience participation in “win/win” Improv Games. Escott has had a private psychotherapy practice in Naples for over 30 years and is known for her workshops on “The Healing Power of Humor & Play.”

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mous book follows the highly successful inaugural “One Book Southwest Florida” with hundreds of people in our area discussing G e r t r u d a ’s O a t h by Ram Oren. The One Book committee members Amy Snyder, Ida Margolis, “One Book SouthPat DeGroot and Steve Brazina discuss The Sunﬂower west Florida” reading program is based on the very popular Museum, and by local organizations “One Book One Community” programs throughout Southwest Florida. Discusthat have been held throughout the U.S. sion dates include Tuesday, October 27 The goal of these programs is to engage at 6:30 p.m. at the Holocaust Museum, the community in dialogue, to promote and Tuesday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m. understanding, and to serve as a springat Naples Regional Library. board for the discussion of important In addition to discussions and retopics. The reading of the variety of lated events and films, several exciting responses from individuals of diverse culminating events will take place in beliefs and backgrounds is designed to January when Mark Weitzman, Dichallenge people to define their beliefs rector of Government Affairs and the about justice, compassion and human Task Force Against Hate and Terrorism responsibility. for the Wiesenthal Center, will be in GenShoah of Southwest Florida, Southwest Florida. In addition to apin conjunction with the Collier County pearances in Lee County and the SouthF Public Library and the Holocaust MuRegional Library in Collier County, seum & Education Center of Southwest Mr. Weitzman will be making a special Florida, will be sponsoring the “One appearance at Temple Shalom on ThursBook Southwest Florida” program day, January 21 at 7:00 p.m. Sponsoralong with the Naples Daily News as ship reserved seating will be available the media sponsor. at Temple Shalom. There will be many discussions of For more information, contact The Sunﬂower at local libraries in Colme at onebookswfl@icloud.com or lier and Lee counties, at the Holocaust 239.963.9347.

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COMMUNITY FOCUS

Naples Klezmer Revival Band celebrates 15th year

ifteen years ago, the Jewish Federation of Collier County ran a notice in the Federation Star that Stu Warshauer was organizing a klezmer band. The first meeting, which was held at Temple Shalom, attracted about a dozen musicians. Stu handed out some music manuscripts and the group enjoyed its first session. From that notice, the Naples Klezmer Revival Band was born. Before moving to Naples, Warshauer had been a member of the Cincinnati Klezmer Project band. He became addicted to klezmer music, and when he found none in Naples, he set out to get a “fix.” Stu’s original intention was to form a group that would meet weekly and just play for their own enjoyment. However, after the initial group was pared to six musicians, and a core repertoire developed, it became clear that the group could meet a community need for this type of music. So, the band began to play at bar mitzvah and wedding celebrations, for Jewish holidays and in concert. The band is fortunate to have a talented group that is remarkably stable. Jane Galler (vocals and guitar),

Art Isenberg (keyboard) and Arnold Saslavsky (drums) have been members since the band’s inception. Marty Cohn (clarinet), Perry Switzen (bass), Jason Flegel (keyboard and accordion) and Richard Johnson (accordion) have been members of the band for over five years. Never forgetting its Federation roots, the klezmer band has donated its services to entertain at the Federation’s Community-wide Chanukah Celebration every year since it was formed. This year’s celebration takes place at the Mercato on Monday, December 7 at 5:45 p.m. Filling out the Chanukah week, the band has dates for concerts on Sunday, December 6 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Israel in Fort Myers, and Saturday, December 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Center for the Arts Bonita Springs. The band will also be entertaining prior to the screening of Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem on Sunday, December 20 at 1:30 p.m. at the Jewish Film Festival at the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island. Inquiries regarding future engagements should be referred to Stu Warshauer at stuwarsh@hotmail.com or 239.273.8059.

October 2015 Federation Star

HotWorks.org Presents the 16th Bi-Annual

Estero Fine Art Show

™

November 21 & 22, 2015 At Miromar Design Center

HotWorks.org

Roy Rodriguez, Mixed Media

Juried Fine Art & Fine Craft Show

The Naples Klezmer Revival Band: Martin Cohn - clarinet, Stu Warshauer - ﬁddle, Arnold Saslavsky - drums, Art Isenberg - keyboard, Perry Switzen - bass, Jane Galler - vocals and guitar (not shown: Jason Flegel - accordion)

Temple Shalom events open to the community

All Art is Original & Personally Handmade by the Artists Voted in the Top 100 Art Shows in the Nation

Saturday, November 21, & Sunday, November 22 ~ 10am-5pm Daily Miromar Design Center ~ I-75 & Exit #123 Corkscrew Road $5 donation helps support the non-profit Institute for the Arts & Education, Inc. Youth Art Competition for Grades K-8 or Ages 5-12 Sponsored by Monkey Bars Storage Solutions

See Art, Love Art, Buy Art!

For more information on these events, call 239.455.3030.

orah Talk: Join us the first Shabbat morning of the month for a volunteer-led discussion of the week’s Torah portion. On October 3, the portion is Chol Hamoed. There will be a light breakfast at 8:15 a.m. with a discussion to follow at 8:30 a.m. There is no charge and all are welcome. Simchat Torah Service and Consecration: Join us on Sunday, October 4 at 10:30 a.m. as we rejoice in the beginning and ending of the Torah reading cycle and unroll the entire Scroll around the sanctuary. Also during the service, we will celebrate the Consecration of our kindergarten and new Religious School students. Blessing of the Animals: Temple Shalom is delighted to invite you to our annual Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 11 at noon. Rabbi Adam Miller and Cantor Donna Azu celebrate the wonderful animals that bring so much joy to our lives. Please make sure your pet is leashed or in a carrier. Sisterhood Book Bag: On Thursday, October 15 at 1:30 p.m., Helen

Weinfeld will facilitate a discussion of God Help the Child by Toni Morrison. Dark-skinned Bride is the daughter of Sweetness, a “high-yellow” woman who is revolted by her dark-skinned daughter. Bride is haunted by a lie she told as a child to win her mother’s approval and undone by her relationship with Booker, a young man also in thrall to childhood demons. The Temple Chefs: Temple members are preparing another spectacular dinner for Friday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom. The dinner will include salad and your choice of either pot roasted chicken, onions and carrots and string beans, or vegetable lasagna. Join us for services after dinner. The cost is $20 for temple members, $25 for nonmembers, and $12 for children. RSVP by Friday, October 9. Cabaret Night: Come to the Cabaret on Sunday, November 15 at 7:00 p.m. The event will feature live music by the fantastic NRG band as well as delicious desserts and wine. The cost is $18 per person.

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Send an email to info@jewishnaples.org

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

Are you looking for delicious kosher food? Chabad of Naples has partnered with the well-known Aroma Kosher Market and Catering of Cooper City, Florida, to bring kosher food to you. Please call the Chabad office at 239.262.4474 for an order form and instructions. Aroma Market delivers orders to the Chabad of Naples, 1789 Mandarin Road, once a week.

Federation Star October 2015

COMMUNITY FOCUS

New date and location for event below The Israel Advocacy Committee of the Jewish Federation of Collier County

GenShoah meeting and public screening of film

Invites Your Participation In Our Major Multi-Cultural Community Event

Ida Margolis

“CELEBRATE ISRAEL, its CULTURE and its PEOPLE” Discover the creative spirit and success behind “The Start-Up Nation”

Sunday, May 15, 2016 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Mercato

The event will include delicious foods, Israeli music and dancing, fun games for children of all ages, exhibitors of Israeli art and products, travel opportunities to Israel, vendors and other representatives of the many local organizations that support Israel. Although May seems a long way off, time is of the essence. We need your help now in coordinating this exciting multi-faceted event and getting it off the ground. Those interested in participating with us are encouraged to email iacnaples@gmail.com with your name and contact information, including a statement as to which part of the event you would like to provide your assistance.

Vision 20/20 Looking Back/Looking Forward JMOF-FIU 20th Anniversary Exhibition On view through October 25, 2015 Floridian Jewish families have played an integral part in every area of the development of the Sunshine State, from the pioneers who settled here more than 250 years ago, to contemporary movers and shakers. In honor of our 20th Anniversary, Vision 20/20 provides a glimpse into our collection of more than 100,000 items, documenting the history makers of yesterday to those of today.

Alex Gruss, 1957, Buenos Aires, Argentina Six Days of Creation, 2013 Wood, mother of pearl, copper, ink, 18" x 38"

Formed from the Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director.

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GenShoah President

unday, October 18 at 4:30 p.m. will be the first meeting of the 2015-2016 season for GenShoah of Southwest Florida. At 5:00 p.m., Steve Brazina, GenShoah program chair, will present a public screening of the film The Voyage of the St. Louis. Both the meeting and film will be held at Beth Tikvah, 1459 Pine Ridge Road, Naples. GenShoah meetings are generally held from October to April on the third Sunday of the month from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Meetings and programs are open not only to children of Holocaust survivors (the Second Generation), but to all those who are interested in the mission of GenShoah which is: Preservation of the history and memories of the Holocaust, promotion of Holocaust education and human rights, connection of members of the Second Generation with one another, and support of the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida. GenShoah presents films, speakers and special events throughout the season. (See the box below.) The Voyage of the St. Louis is the tragic story of 937 German Jewish refugees who attempted to reach Cuba in 1939 and were refused haven by every country in the Americas. The ordeal of the refugee ship St. Louis has become

a symbol of the world’s indifference to the plight of European Jewry on the eve of the Holocaust. There are numerous books, films and articles about this event. In fact, the keynote speaker for this year’s Kristallnacht Commemoration, author Martin Goldsmith, will be talking about his book Alex’s Wake: The Tragic Voyage of the St. Louis to Flee Nazi German and a Grandson’s Journey of Love and Remembrance. Because of importance of this event, GenShoah will be bringing a special display about the St. Louis to Temple Shalom on Wednesday, February 10, 2016. At 7:00 p.m., Robert Krakow, the producer of the film Complicit: The Untold Story of Why the Roosevelt Administration Denied Safe Haven to Jewish Refugees, will be presenting his film. Complicit contains archival footage of the St. Louis, and explores the controversial topic of FDR and the U.S. State Department’s response to the Holocaust. The display about the St. Louis will be available for viewing at 6:30 p.m. A discussion with the producer and a St. Louis survivor will take place after the film. Space is limited and reservations are required for all GenShoah events. Donations so that GenShoah can continue to present exceptional programming will be requested and are greatly appreciated. If you are interested in attending meetings or events, would like more information about GenShoah, or would like to receive email notifications, contact me at genshoahswfl@icloud.com or 239.963.9347.

GenShoah of SWFL: Upcoming Meetings & Public Programs Sunday, October 18 4:30 p.m.: Meeting 5:00 p.m.: Film - The Voyage of the St. Louis - co-sponsored by the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue - Tragic story of German Jewish refugees’ attempt to reach Cuba in 1939 Beth Tikvah, 1459 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples Sunday, November 15 4:30 p.m.: Meeting 5:00 p.m.: Film - The Trial of Adolf Eichmann - Actual trial footage and emotional recollection provide insight and contrasting perspectives of the Eichmann legacy Beth Tikvah, 1459 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples Sunday December 20 4:30 p.m.: Potluck dinner at member’s home Sunday, January 17, 2016 4:30 p.m.: Meeting 5:00 p.m.: Film - Facing Fear - Haunting account of an attack on a young gay boy by a neo-Nazi skinhead and their chance meeting twenty-five years later, and their journey of forgiveness and reconciliation Holocaust Museum, 4760 Tamiami Tr. N., Naples Special Community Event: Thursday, January 21, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. Mark Weitzman, Director of Government Affairs and the Task Force Against Hate and Terrorism for the Simon Wiesenthal Center is the keynote speaker on The Sunﬂower, the “One Book SWFL” selection Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples Special Community Event: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 6:30 p.m.: Display about the S.S. St. Louis 7:00 p.m.: Film - Complicit: The Untold Story of Why the Roosevelt Administration Denied Safe Haven to Jewish Refugees; followed by a discussion with the producer and an S.S. St. Louis survivor - Explores the controversial topic of FDR’s and the U.S. State Department’s response to the Holocaust Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples Sunday, February 21, 2016 4:30 p.m.: Meeting 5:00 p.m.: Presentation by Maud Dahme, Holocaust educator, subject of the film The Hidden Child, and inductee in the New Jersey Hall of Fame Holocaust Museum, 4760 Tamiami Tr. N., Naples Sunday, March 20, 2016 4:30 p.m.: Meeting 5:00 p.m.: Film - Hitler’s Courts: Betrayal of the Rule of Law in Nazi Germany Examination, using interviews and archival footage, of how those charged with defending the rule of law betrayed that trust during the Nazi era Holocaust Museum, 4760 Tamiami Tr. N., Naples Sunday, April 17, 2016 4:30 p.m.: Meeting 5:00 p.m.: Program TBA

RSVP required for all events. Contact Ida Margolis at genshoahswﬂ@icloud.com or 239.963.9347.

October 2015 Federation Star

COMMUNITY FOCUS

Naples Jewish Film Festival moves to Sugden

CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS 10150 Bonita Beach Road Bonita Springs, FL Tickets 239-495-8989 artcenterbonita.org

By Carole J Greene

fter two years of presenting films of Jewish content to sellout audiences and needing a wait-list for screenings, a move to a larger venue was inevitable. The 2016 Naples Jewish Film Festival is pleased to announce its new home at the Sugden Community Theatre, located on Fifth Avenue South in the heart of downtown Naples. Widely known as the home of The Naples Players, an acclaimed community theatre, Sugden’s Blackburn Hall has comfortable, tiered seating for more than 300. This venue affords opportunities for an evening out near diverse eateries and convenient parking. Moving its shows to this location and to Sunday evenings on a dispersed schedule of February 28, March13 and 20, and April 3, the NJFF committee anticipates continuing its tradition of a sell-out. According to Jay Kaye, spokesperson for the NJFF, the committee is finalizing its selection of 2016 films. “They’ll be as fascinating as the ones we’ve shown in the past,” she said. “Already locked in is the award-winning film Dough, featuring Jonathan Pryce of Game of Thrones and Pirates of the Caribbean fame, a warm-hearted and gently humorous story of overcoming prejudice and finding redemption

in unexpected places.” This festival has earned a reputation for finding outstanding films that haven’t been shown over and over and are still fresh. “We were fortunate to be the first in Southwest Florida to screen Above and Beyond, last year’s opening film,” said Kaye. This documentary by Nancy Spielberg – Steven Spielberg’s sister – was followed by an extraordinary meet-and-greet with one of the pilots whose story was told in the film. To handle requests for priority seating, the festival is following the lead of other major festivals by offering a “fast-pass” option. This option allows NJFF supporters to access the theatre early for seat selection, a request made by many. Because tickets are not yet available, your call to action amounts to visiting the NJFF website. There you can register your email address to receive information as it is released. “Our email friends will be the first to receive updates on movie selections and the opening of the opportunity to subscribe for tickets. We won’t clutter your inbox,” Kaye promised. Many probably already have this website bookmarked from previous years, but in case you’re new to the community, it is www.naplesjewish filmfestival.org.

G R E AT O C T O B E R E N T E R TA I N M E N T Saturday, October 3 & November 7, 8pm

Improv Tonight!

Southwest Florida’s funniest local improv comedy

Friday, October 16, 6:30pm (DINNER)

“Who Killed the Rabbi?” Murder Mystery Dinner Theater

Sunday, October 18, 11:30am (BRUNCH)

You are invited to eat, dance, and celebrate as an invited guest of this uproriously funny wedding, then solve the mystery to win prizes.

Exciting guest speaker to kick off Collier/Lee Hadassah season By Lanny Rashbaum

he Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah is excited to announce that Professor Bertold Fridlender will be the special guest speaker at its opening Fall Luncheon on Tuesday, October 27 at 10:45 a.m. at The Club at Olde Cypress in Naples. Fridlender is the President of the Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem. The college is rated the number one institute to study at in Jerusalem, and number six among all Israeli universities and colleges. Hadassah Academic College’s programs anticipate Israel’s future needs by offering degrees in Biotechnology, Medical Lab Studies, Optometry, Communication Disorders, Environmental Health Sciences, Computer Science and many more. Some of the amazing facts about the college are that 85% of all students find employment in their field upon graduation, and 92% of all students successfully complete their degrees!

Professor Fridlender will talk about how diversity can unify. Hadassah Academic College is proud to have students of all beliefs and cultures. The Collier/ Lee Chapter of Hadassah extends an invitation to anyone who would be interested in attending this outstanding program. Nonmembers, spouses, Associates and friends are encouraged to attend. The cost of the luncheon is $28 per person. Reservations are required. For more information, please contact Elyse Morande at 239.498.0623 or amorande@aol.com, or Lynn Weiner at 239.598.1009 or lynninaples@ yahoo.com, or me at 239.591.8624 or langil601@gmail.com. One of our members who recently visited the college stated, “I have never met a man as dedicated, enthusiastic and proud of what he does.” Professor Fridlender is an excellent speaker and we are thrilled that he is making Naples one of his stops in the U.S.

Interested in your family’s history?

Saturday, October 17, 8pm

Deb & The Dynamics Feels So Good Rock & Blues!

Wednesday October 21, 8pm

Tab Benoit - Delta Blues Three-time Grammy nominated Blues Guitarist Tab Benoit brings the Bayou to Bonita Springs with a performance that blends Cajun flavored Zydeco music with up-tempo Blues and Rock.

Friday, October 30, 8:30pm 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 13 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.

Rocky Horror Picture Show

At the Center for Visual Arts Bonita Springs, 26100 old 41 Road, Bonita Springs Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. Curtain Up Sponsor

Season Sponsor

Media Sponsors

Tickets 239-495-8989

www.ar tcenterbonita.org

Federation Star October 2015

JEWISH INTEREST

Historic Jewish Iraqi items rescued and preserved Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU is one of only six institutions to exhibit in the U.S.

he Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU (JMOF-FIU) has the distinct honor in presenting Discovery and Recovery: Preserving Iraqi Jewish Heritage. The exhibition details the dramatic recovery of historic materials relating to the Jewish community in Iraq from a flooded basement in Saddam Hussein’s intelligence headquarters, and the National Archives’ ongoing work in support of U.S. Government efforts to preserve these materials. The soft opening for the exhibition coincides with Art Basel Miami Beach on Thursday, December 3, with a Members’ Reception on Monday, December 7. The exhibition will be on view for a limited time through Sunday, February 14, 2016. In both English and Arabic, the 2,000-square-foot exhibition features 23 recovered items and a “behind the scenes” video of the fascinating yet painstaking preservation process. The

entire collection includes more than 2,700 Jewish books and tens of thousands of documents in Hebrew, Arabic, Judeo-Arabic and English, dating from 1524 to the 1970s. A special website makes these historic materials freely available to all online: www.ija.archives.gov. This work was made possible through generous support from the U.S. Department of State. The National Endowment for the Humanities in partnership with the Center for Jewish History were very helpful in providing key start-up support for the project. On May 6, 2003, just days after the Coalition forces went into Baghdad, American soldiers entered Saddam Hussein’s flooded intelligence building. In the basement, in four feet of water, they found thousands of books and documents relating to the Jewish community of Iraq – materials that had belonged to synagogues and Jewish organizations in Baghdad. The water-logged materials quickly became moldy in Baghdad’s intense heat and humidity. Seeking guidance, the Coalition Provisional Authority placed an urgent call to the nation’s foremost conservation experts at the National Archives. Just a week later,

Tik (Torah case) and Glass Panel from Baghdad, 19th-20th centuries. In Jewish communities throughout the Middle East, the Torah scroll is generally housed in a rigid “tik,” or case made of wood or metal.

National Archives Director of Preservation Programs Doris Hamburg and Conservation Chief Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler arrived in Baghdad via military transport to assess the damage and make recommendations for preservation of the materials. Given limited treatment options in Baghdad, and with the agreement of Iraqi representatives, the materials were shipped to the United States for preservation and exhibition. Since then, these materials have been vacuum freeze-dried, preserved and digitized under the direction of the National Archives. The Jews of Iraq have a rich past, extending back 2,500 years to Babylonia. These materials provide a tangible link to this community that flourished there, but in the second half of the twentieth century dispersed throughout the world. Today, fewer than five Jews remain. Highlights from the exhibition include: a Hebrew Bible with Commentaries from 1568 – one of the oldest books in the trove; a Babylonian Talmud from 1793; a Torah scroll fragment from Genesis – one of the 43 Torah scroll fragments found; a Zohar from 1815 – a text for the mystical

Highlights include a Haggadah (Passover script), siddur (prayer book) and an illustrated lunar calendar in both Hebrew and Arabic (one of about 20 found, dating from 1959-1973); Personal and Communal Life - Selected correspondence and publications illustrate the range and complexity of Iraqi Jewish life in the 19th and 20th centuries. Original documents and facsimiles in flipbooks range from school primers to international business correspondence from the Sassoon family; After the Millennia - Iraqi Jewish life unraveled in the mid-20th century, with the rise of Nazism and proliferation of anti-Jewish propaganda. In June 1941, 180 Jews were killed and hundreds injured in an anti-Jewish attack in Baghdad. Persecution increased when Iraq entered the war against the new State of Israel in 1948. In 1950 and 1951, many Iraqi Jews were stripped of their citizenship and assets, and the community fled the county en masse. This section includes the 1951 law freezing assets of Iraqi Jews; Preserving the Past - It is not surprising that the Coalition Forces turned to National Archives conservators for help. Learn about the transformation of these materials from moldy, waterlogged masses to a carefully preserved, enduring historic legacy. This exhibition was created by the National Archives and Records Administration, with generous support from the U.S. Department of State. Local exhibition sponsor: Congregation Beth Jacob. More information is available at www.archives.gov and www.ija.archives.gov. Passover Haggadah from Vienna, 1930.This colorfully illustrated French and Hebrew Haggadah was published Related Links: in Vienna. Caption on image: “Eating Matzah.” See incredible “before and after” treatment photos: www. and spiritual Jewish movement known archives.gov/press/press-kits/iraqias Kabbalah; an official 1917 letter to jewish-archive/images.html the Chief Rabbi regarding a request See five “behind the scenes” Iraqi to Allow Jewish Prisoners to Attend Jewish Archive videos. IJA website: Worship for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewhttp://www.ija.archives.gov ish New Year); materials from Jewish Peek “behind the scenes” of the schools in Baghdad, including exam state-of-the-art Conservation Lab: grades and a letter to the College Enwww.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzg_ trance Examination Board in Princeton FYn_rZg regarding SAT scores; a Haggadah Members’ Opening: (Passover script) from 1902, hand letDiscovery and Recovery: Preserving tered and decorated by an Iraqi JewIraqi Jewish Heritage ish youth; and a lunar calendar in both Monday, December 7 at 6:00 p.m. Hebrew and Arabic from the Jewish $18 for JMOF-FIU members (Free for year 5732 (1971-1972) – one of the $125 Level+); nonmembers can join at last examples of Hebrew-printed items the door! produced in Baghdad. RSVP: 786.972.3175 or info@ Discovery and Recovery is dividjewishmuseum.com ed into six sections: Discovery - The About JMOF-FIU: The Jewish dramatic story of how these materials Museum of Florida-FIU is the only were found, rescued and preserved museum dedicated to telling the story is one worthy of a Hollywood blockof 250 years of Florida Jewish heritage, buster. A short film captures these arts and culture. The museum is housed heroic efforts. The section includes acin two adjacent, lovingly restored histual metal foot lockers used to ship the toric buildings, at 301 Washington documents to the United States; Text Avenue on South Beach, that were and Heritage - This section explores once synagogues for Miami Beach’s Iraqi Jewish history and tradition first Jewish congregation. The muthrough recovered texts, including a seum’s permanent exhibition is MOTorah scroll fragment, a Hebrew Bible SAIC: Jewish Life in Florida, 1763 to with Commentaries from 1568, and a Present. Its temporary history and art Babylonian Talmud from 1793; Iraqi exhibitions change periodically. For Jewish Life – Constancy and Change more information, call 305.672.5044 - Using recovered texts, this section exor visit www.jewishmuseum.com. plores the pattern of Jewish life in Iraq.

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Federation Star Contact Melody Klein at 239.633.2895 Robin or Leonardi • 941.552.6307 • rleonardi@jfedsrq.org mklein@jewishnaples.org.

Stars of David

Interested in Your Family’s History?

By Nate Bloom, Contributing Columnist

TV/Movie News and Notes Saturday Night Live has announced that just one new member, JON RUDNITSKY, 25, will be added to the cast for the 2015-2016 season, which starts on Saturday, October 3. Rudnitsky’s mother’s brother is MICHAEL OREN, 60, the former Israeli ambassador to the United States. Rudnitsky is a relative unknown, but the work he has posted on YouTube explains his hire. His stand-up routines feature a lot of “millennial” humor (like many social media references) that could be easily converted into SNL skits that would appeal to a younger TV audience (which advertisers covet). His original digital shorts are very much in the SNL mode. One short is a pretty funny movie parody (www.youtube. com/watch?v=qwiJyljS5Ks) called The Jewish Hunger Games: Kvetching Fire. In other words, Yom Kippur meets The Hunger Games. Rudnitsky got some heat when it was recently reported he had tweeted out some unfunny, nasty jokes about women and gays. It’s one thing being offensive and funny, but being offensive and NOT funny is a major comedic sin. I hope Jon atoned for this sin on Yom Kippur. Premiering on Monday, September 21 (8:30 p.m.) was the CBS sit-com series Life in Pieces. It follows the intertwined lives of three generations of the Short family. Each episode will be told in four stories – one for each branch of the Short family – and will tackle the complexities of everyday life, like first-time parenthood and aging gracefully. The oldest generation is represented by John and Joan Short (Josh Brolin and Dianne Wiest). In one premiere vignette, we met Jen, who is married to Greg Short, the son of John and Joan. She’s just given birth. ZOE LISTER-JONES, 33, plays Jen, with Colin Hanks (Tom’s son) playing Greg. Starting on Tuesday, September 22 (9:00 p.m.) was the Fox series, Scream Queens. It’s described as a “new killer comedy-series from the guys who brought you American Horror Story. The premise: Kappa House, the most sought-after sorority for pledges, is being ruled with an iron fist by Chanel Oberlin (Emma Roberts; Julia’s niece). However, an anti-Kappa university official, Dean Munsch, decrees that pledging must be open to all students. Shortly thereafter, a devil-clad killer begins claiming one victim, one

episode at a time. JAMIE LEE CURTIS, 56, plays Dean Munsch. Curtis made her film debut in the classic 1978 horror film Halloween, and her appearance in several other horror films shortly thereafter got critics to give her the then new label, “scream queen.” Director/producer J.J. ABRAMS, 49, was one of JON STEWART’s last guests. He directed the highly-anticipated Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (opening in December). It was long known that HARRISON FORD, 73, suffered an ankle injury while making this film. It wasn’t known that Abrams was injured, too. Ford’s injury, Abrams said, happened when the door of a prop spaceship accidentally slammed down. Abrams told Stewart that he raced to help Ford and heard a “popping sound” as he tried to open the door. Abrams’ doctor later determined that Abrams had broken his back. Abrams told Stewart that Ford recovered within a month, while he was still wearing a back brace under his clothes. He described the scene: “Harrison Ford, from across the stage, sprints at me faster than I will ever run… And he’s like, ‘Hey J.J.!’ And I’m like, ‘Hi, Harrison Ford.’ Ooh, it hurts to talk that way. I felt like the most nebbishy Jewish director ever.” (In case you didn’t know, the secular Ford is the son of a Jewish mother and an Irish Catholic father.) A Top Jewish QB? Oh, my! Quarterback JOSH ROSEN, 18, played so well in UCLA’s first season game (September 5), that he already is being touted for the Heisman award, and nicknames like “Chosen Rosen” and “J-Chosen” are popping up everywhere. Rosen, a “true freshman,” and a Southern California native, was an outstanding high school quarterback who was named the 2014 male Jewish athlete of the year by the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame – and, yes, “the chosen one” had a bar mitzvah. He also had a 4.3 GPA in high school and took such tough classes as AP calculus. Because readers ask, I will note that Rosen is the son of DR. CHARLES ROSEN, a spine surgeon who was once a nationally-ranked ice skater, and Liz Lippincott, the former captain of the Princeton women’s lacrosse team. His mother comes from an old Quaker family, and the famous Wharton School of Business is named after her great-grandfather. Josh was raised Jewish.

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:

Send Nate an email 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. W H Y

“

J O I N E D

N J C

When I moved to Naples in November, I was fortunate to become part of a group of dear friends, but I felt I needed to be part of the Jewish community as well. Fortunately, Ruthie Ruskin was in my book club and invited me to come with her to Naples Jewish Congregation. What a wonderful experience that turned out to be! Members came over to welcome me. Suzanne Paley, the President, even welcomed me from the bema. How did she even know I was there? Rabbi Wolf spoke about important issues with compassion and intelligence. When congregants stood to mention people who needed prayers of remembrance or healing, Rabbi called them all by name. Jane Galler, the cantor, sang with her beautiful voice and a joy that is infectious. At the Oneg, everyone made a point of coming over to welcome me and introduce themselves. No cliques here!

“

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.

October 2015 Federation Star

JEWISH INTEREST

When I asked about membership, I found the dues to be very affordable. And when I inquired about singing in the choir, no one asked if I had a good voice. They just told me when and where to come to rehearsal. I have found a home at NJC with people whom I care about and who care about me. – Augusta Rosenauer, Vineyards

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

Shabbat services are held every Friday night at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6340 Napa Woods Way, Naples More information at 239-431-3858 or www.naplesjewishcongregation.org

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The Federation Star is a monthly nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and the Jewish Federation of Collier County.

Federation Star October 2015

JEWISH INTEREST

Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle “Acting Jewish” By David Benkof & Byron Kerman

Difficulty Level: Easy

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Solution on page 27

This puzzle is about non-Jews who have played prominent Jewish roles. Across means from Seth Rogen 1. Bet preceder? 4. Member of the Roman legion 6. Non-kosher critter with a shell 5. Lubavitch, e.g. 10. It beat Spielberg’s “Lincoln” for 6. ___ Heights riot Best Picture 7. Jeans maker Strauss and others 14. 1956 Frank Loesser musical “The 8. First murder victim Most Happy ___” 9. Actress Dietrich who dated Josef 15. Singer McEntire who starred on von Sternberg Broadway in “Annie Get Your 10. Big name among 20th century Gun” Egyptians 16. Kind of Haifa tide 11. One of many needed to print the 17. Gets a golem under control Talmud 18. Kaput 12. Israeli actress Gadot and others 19. Animator whose character Mickey 13. Make something chosen once did an Orthodox-style dance 21. Chicken part often used as a 20. Armand Goldman in “The Passover shankbone Birdcage” 22. Whence Persian Jews 23. Articles included in “Mein Kampf” 25. City in Congresswoman Debbie 24. Mistake an Amish person for a Wasserman Schultz’s (D-Fl.) Hasid district 25. Website filled with think pieces 26. “The Frisco Kid,” e.g. about Judaism 27. Makes Mt. Hermon whiter 29. Get ___ (succeed at Ida Crown 28. Bit of equipment for Matisyahu Jewish Academy) 29. Plant sometimes buried with 30. Shape of Noah’s rainbow Jewish bodies in the Second 33. Erik Lehnsherr in “X-Men” Temple Period 36. Call a “Dirty Jew” 30. Gloria Allred is this kind of 37. Place on the head to find a attorney yarmulke 31. They’re one way to measure 38. God, to Josephus bagels 39. Actor Alan whose wife Arlene is 32. Sinai sights Jewish 34. Harvey Fierstein’s “Hairpray” role 40. Word you might fine in a limerick 35. Souvenir from Bette Midler’s about Jewish cats home state 41. Tuvia Bielski in “Defiance” 39. Constellation whose name is Latin 45. Org. overseen by Treasury for “altar” Secretary Jack Lew 41. Brandeis bigwig 46. Sandy Koufax’s was 2.76 over his 42. Design movement by Gustave career Kaitz and others 47. They make up 12 percent of 43. 1930s Lion of Judah? Syria’s population 44. Justice Stephen Breyer, when he’s 48. Observed shiva on the bench 49. It’s 20 minutes from the Lower 48. Passover meal that Israelis enjoy East Side just once a year 51. David Greene in “School Ties” 49. Kvetch 57. “I, ___ Scott” (slave bio by Sheila 50. Frequency Jews win Nobel Prizes P. Moses) 51. It’s cut with a milchig knife 58. Delete a photo of a woman from a 52. ___ Belloq, villain in Spielberg’s Haredi publication “Raiders of the Lost Ark” 59. Book that mentions Abraham, 53. Father of 8-Down Joseph and Moses 54. Ford’s character in 2015’s “Star 61. Part of “hagafen” Wars: Episode VII - The Force 62. Part of the costume of Bob Kane’s Awakens” Batman 55. Suez alternative 63. Israeli gum-maker 56. Some characters in “An American 64. “Naftali is a swift ___” (Genesis Tail” 49:21) 57. It might contain a Woody Allen flick 65. Eating carrots on Rosh Hashanah, 60. Brooklyn player, in Silver’s league e.g. 66. Archaic biblical word for “Thou accomplish” Down 1. Org. of educators Rahm Emanuel negotiated with in 2012 2. “All in the Family” creator Norman 3. Muppet who learned what “todah”

What do you think? The Federation Star wants to know! Send your letters and comments to

fedstar18@gmail.com.

JEWISH INTEREST

October 2015 Federation Star

Helmuth James Von Moltke, anti-Nazi hero By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD

A R T O RCH E S T R A CIN E M A C U L IN A RY DA N CE O P E R A FA S H I O N T H E AT E R CH A M BE R M U S IC

elmuth James Graf von Moltke was a man who resisted the Nazi regime and was executed for treason in January 1945. He was born on March 11, 1907, on the family estate at Kreisau, Silesia. He came from a most distinguished family: he was the great-grandnephew of Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, one of Prussia’s outstanding military Dr. Paul Bartrop commanders during Germany’s wars of unification, and grandnephew of Helmuth Johann Ludwig von Moltke the Younger, who served as chief of the German general staff between 1906 and 1914. He studied law and political science between 1925 and 1929, moving between universities in Breslau, Vienna, Heidelberg and Berlin. On October 18, 1931, he married Freya Deichmann, who had also attended seminars at the University of Breslau. For a time, she worked as Helmuth’s research assistant, before receiving her own law degree from Humboldt University in 1935. The same year, Helmuth was offered the chance to become a judge, but he declined on the ground that to do so he would have had to join the Nazi party. Rather than become part of a system he detested, he opened up his own legal practice in Berlin. With the outbreak of war in September 1939, he was drafted into German military intelligence (the Abwehr) in Berlin. It was here that he first began to demonstrate his opposition to the Nazi regime through advocating humane treatment for prisoners of war and the observance of international law. He worked to undermine human

rights abuses in German-occupied territories. In early 1940, Helmuth and Freya, and another aristocrat Helmuth had known since 1938, Peter Graf Yorck von Wartenburg, began to gather around them an informal group of some two dozen opponents of Nazism to investigate options for a new and better Germany. This developed into the Kreisau Circle, a group that became one of the main foci of German opposition to the Nazi regime. Small though it was, it was comprised of many elite members of German society. In a voluminous correspondence with Freya and others, Helmuth asked many questions about where Germany was heading, and what degree of responsibility each person would have to acknowledge after the war. In a letter dated October 21, 1941 – 74 years ago this month – he unburdened himself to Freya about the destruction of communities in occupied Europe as well as the Jews of Berlin, and what it signified for the future of German society and culture. If his letter had been found, such criticism of the regime would have been taken as subversive and could well have led to incarceration in a concentration camp – or worse. Referring to the slaughter of the Jews in Russia, he wrote: “Certainly more than a thousand people are murdered in this way every day, and another thousand German men are habituated to murder… What shall I say when I am asked: And what did you do during that time?” This was the same month in which the Jews of Berlin began to be deported. In the letter, von Moltke wrote: “Since Saturday the Berlin Jews are being rounded up. Then they are sent off with what they can carry… How can anyone know these things and

walk around free?” From his perspective, knowing about these things only served to reinforce his opposition to the war and the Nazi party. Pursuant to this, one of his actions was to disseminate confidential information on Nazi war crimes to those outside the Nazi party, in the hope that it would be passed on to the Allies. On January 19, 1944, von Moltke was arrested by the Gestapo, but released after a short period. Only later was it discovered that he was also involved in the failed coup attempt of July 20, 1944, against Hitler, and was arrested again, this time for high treason. Facing Judge Roland Freisler before the People’s Court, von Moltke found himself in a delicate position. Fighting for his life, it transpired that no evidence could be found that he had actually participated in any conspiracy to bring about a coup. Freisler was thus forced to concoct a new capital charge. Looking over the record of the Kreisau Circle, he ruled that discussions of a future Germany based on moral and democratic principles met the criteria for the death penalty. As von Moltke noted in a letter to Freya, this signified that he was going to his death for his ideas, not for anything he had done – a damning indictment against the regime he was opposing. In what was an inevitable judgment, Helmuth James Graf von Moltke was sentenced to death on January 11, 1945, and executed on January 23 in Berlin-Plötzensee prison. Before his death, his sense of disgust and opposition led him to ponder: “If only I could get rid of this terrible feeling that I have let myself be corrupted, that I do not react keenly

enough to such things, that they torment me without producing a spontaneous reaction.” Knowing what is happening without intervening immediately only served to reinforce his general opposition to the war, and his own sense of impotence. In one of his final letters, written to his sons while awaiting execution, von Moltke gave his reasons for acting the way he did, declaring that ever since National Socialism came to power, he had attempted to make its consequences “milder for its victims and to prepare the way for a change. In that, my conscience drove me – and in the end, that is a man’s duty.” Helmuth James von Moltke – lest we forget. 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.

Jewish War Veterans meeting

Please join us at our next meeting, Sunday, October 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the Federation offices, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201, Naples.

STAY IN MAY

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JEWISH INTEREST

Federation Star October 2015

Ask the Rabbi: What defines a Jew? Jean Amodea interviews Rabbi Sylvin Wolf, Ph.D., D.D., of Naples Jewish Congregation

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 2015 edition, complete and return this form.

n this new column, we will call upon local rabbis to discuss topics of interest affecting Jewish persons and crossing movements, whether they are Reform, Conservative, Orthodox or Humanistic. Through the ages to today, our rabbis discuss and dissect questions of theological import. Many, equally concerned about the religious health of their congregations, have identified a spiritual cancer that seeks to infiltrate and infect some portion of their members – a lack of grounding in what defines a Jew. Woefully, there are too many who pay only lip service to their Jewish identity – and that, too often, in hushed tones – with others who define their Jewishness by their ability to name the top Jewish comedians. Rather, it is who we read, what we study, how we live, how confident we are in public as Jews, and what we teach our children about our foundational beliefs that must define who we are, today, tomorrow and in the future. We chatted with Rabbi Sylvin Wolf, Ph.D., D.D., of Naples Jewish Congregation (Reform), who weighed in on the topic. In a 2013 Pew Research Center survey, U.S. Jews were asked to rate nine items considered “Essential to being Jewish.” Of all Jews, 73 percent rated “Remembering the Holocaust” as most essential. “Having a good sense of humor” ranked higher in importance by 43 percent than “Observing Jewish law” and “Eating traditional foods,” which ranked lowest by 19

and 14 percent, respectively. Your comments? Some of the items are political values, and I am not sure how relevant the others are. How does having a good sense of humor be meaningful as a Jewish value? Does it mean you can laugh at Jewish jokes or at yourself? If you

Rabbi Sylvin L. Wolf don’t know the Talmud or Jewish sources, how do you talk about Jewish culture or values if you are ignorant and illiterate? What do you consider values that are “essential to being Jewish?” For one, adult education. I have been conducting adult education classes for 11 years, which includes our adult enrichment sessions. A member once said, “Can you make the sessions more fun?” I am not interested in The Big Book of Jewish Humor. We’ve done the book of Job, Ruth, Ecclesiastes and some of the global Jewish learning curriculum. If you’re going to have Jewish study, you must have teaching that gets people thinking and questioning, and that is a valid Jewish value – dealing with relevant Jewish issues. So, you have fostered a culture in your congregation that values responsive, pensive discussion and education?

As an older-aged congregation, we have people with a variety of Jewish experiences that range from traditional to classical. For example, since I think of myself as a teacher rather than a preacher – and don’t give a sermon, but a lesson – I often come down from the pulpit and engage the congregation on an issue, subject or question. I get very positive feedback about what they are learning, and I hear comments like “I have never heard that before or explained like that before.” What are you reading now? I am reading Sholem Asch’s trilogy on Jesus, Paul and Mary, about the beginnings of Christianity in Judaism – the Messianists who may have been the first Jews for Jesus, so to speak. It deals with that period of time. And, some of it was not particularly nice, such as the corruption and the tension between the Sadducees and early rabbis. Translated from Yiddish by Maurice Samuel, it takes you back to that ancient world. That type of study is an incredible experience. I am also reading Catch the Jew by Tuvia Tenenbom. It’s funny but actually not so funny. What is a fundamental problem that now exists across Jewish movements? There is an article about the “pathology of American Jewry” that says we are not comfortable being Jews. For example, you are in a restaurant having a conversation and someone wants to say something that includes the word “Jewish” and suddenly the tone drops. The question of why we are not confident as Jews is a point raised by author

Jay Michaelson, and what is, I think, the unstated message of the Pew report. Michaelson says, “The problem with Judaism is that lots of American Jews don’t have a use for it, and the ones who do take its value for granted.” Is there a solution to this “pathology,” and how do we re-instill that sense of Jewish pride? I think that comes out of the sources and the positive elements. The first item in the survey rated highest was “Remembering the Holocaust.” If we think that Jewish life and Jewish experience is going to survive – and, I am not talking about the religious dimension – on the merits of remembering the Holocaust and in caring about Israel, then we are wrong. There have been some attempts to revitalize that pride. In the seventies, we had Haverut, which gave us a model. There is also a modern New York Yeshiva doing creative things in Jewish learning and Jewish liturgy. It is open, with serious study and discussion. It is those kinds of activities that will help us “build survival” and give us a sense of confidence; and it would be an antidote to “American Jewry pathology.” Any parting comments? Jane Eisner, editor of the Forward, wrote something, and I used it as a message. On visits to her husband’s grandmother’s house, they would get into discussions about what and who is a Jew. One time, they asked, “Bubbe, who is a Jew?” Her response was, “A Jew is what a Jew does.”

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 2016 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 2015. Î If your information has NOT changed from what appears in the 2015 edition, you do not have to do anything. We will print the same information in the next edition. Î If your information has changed, or if you are not listed in the 2015 edition, complete and return this form by mail or by fax. All requested information is optional. Î If we do not hear from you by October 30, 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 2016 The Jewish serves 3,300 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

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Federation Star October 2015

JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL

Book reviews and author information 1st in a series of 5

presented by

Over the course of the next five issues (October 2015 - February 2016) of the Federation Star, we will present the Jewish Book Festival committee members’ reviews and synopses of the books (and their authors) that will be featured at the festival. Look for a ticket order form and more information about the festival in the November issue.

Run You Down by Julia Dahl Review by Philip K. Jason, Jewish Book Festival co-chair

t would be hard for author Julia Dahl to match the impact of her novel from last year, Invisible City, let alone provide a fresh experience with a story that mines a similar milieu: the mysterious death of a woman in New York’s Hasidic community. However, she has done it – in part by having left the door open for a continuation of the earlier work’s underplot: a young woman’s quest to find the mother who abandoned Phil Jason her as a baby. One would suspect that Run You Down was in development even before Invisible City was published. In the later book, tabloid stringer Rebekah Roberts, a half-Jewish woman raised in Florida by her Christian father, Brian, has taken a step up the ladder at the New York Tribune. She’s doing rewrite, an indoor job, rather than chasing around the city investigating possible stories.

Rebekah is also fighting a severe bout of depression in the aftermath of her first major assignment. Her roommate, Iris, is pushing her to get help. Rebekah meets with her friend, Saul, a retired policeman and the one person of her acquaintance (besides her father) who had known Aviva, her mother. Aviva had contacted Saul about possibly getting in touch with her daughter. Saul passed on the message, but Rebekah’s nerve failed when it came to picking up the phone; too much fear and anger, too many unknowns. While wrestling with this problem, which is pulling her into a dangerous withdrawal state, Rebekah agrees to meet Levi, a man from the Haredi (extreme Orthodox) world. Levi’s young wife, Pessie, has recently died, but he suspects something has gone wrong with the investigation of her death. (Echoing the circumstances in Invisible City, Pessie was rushed to the funeral home without an autopsy being done.) Levi can’t find out how she died,

though Pessie’s family seems to fear that she may have committed suicide – a scandalous act in their community. Rebekah agrees to look into matters. Suddenly, this half-hidden world of the Haredi has become her beat. But wait, we follow the progress of her investigation only in alternate chapters. The story is developed through two alternating first-person narratives. It begins with the voice of Aviva, as if speaking to Rebekah after having been reunited with her. She explains her experience after having run away to Florida, and the circumstances that led her to marry Brian. Later “Aviva” chapters detail her decision to run off again, abandoning Rebekah and returning to New York, but not intending to reunite with her Hasidic parents and siblings. Slowly, her shadowy life is revealed to Rebekah (and to readers). As happens in small worlds, the investigation of Pessie’s death connects to the cautious efforts of Aviva and Rebekah to dare a meeting. There

Thursday, March 3, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at South Regional Library Julia Dahl writes about crime and justice for CBSNews.com. Her first novel, Invisible City, was named one of the Boston Globe’s Best Books of 2014 and was a finalist for the Edgar Award, the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel. She was born in Fresno, CA, and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. Appearing with Julia Dahl will be Susan Jane Gilman, author of The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street. This program is being generously sponsored by the Women’s Cultural Alliance.

is so much at stake for each woman, so many reasons for leaving their lives manageable, if unfinished and unfulfilled. The linchpin is Sam Kagan, Aviva’s much younger brother, whose explosive rebellion against the Hasidic community has put him into contact with a white-supremacist criminal family. He also had a connection to Levi’s wife. Dahl orchestrates a stunning series of revelations as she maneuvers the reader through the strange duet of two voices, mother and daughter, in search of missing pieces. The author paints her portraits of physical settings and cultural communities with authority and skill. The tenuous rapprochement between Aviva and Rebekah leaves room for further chapters – or books – to explore what they will come to mean to each other and how their identities will be reshaped as they adjust to being part of one another’s lives. Haunted by guilt and seeking (and offering) forgiveness, the main characters in this fine thriller are unforgettable. Supplemented by an intriguing and distinctive supporting cast, Run You Down will make Julia Dahl a strong candidate for more accolades like those she received for Invisible City. And more readers, too. Reprinted, with permission, from Washington Independent Review of Books. 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.

The Art of Grace by Sarah L. Kaufman Review by Carole J Greene, Jewish Book Festival committee member

f you have not given much thought to what constitutes “grace” in your life, author Sarah Lloyde Kaufman’s book, The Art of Grace, will come to the rescue. For youngsters just coming into their own, the book might be a primer: this is how to manifest grace as you mature, without having to bear the trauma typical of the teen and twentysomething years. For readers who have

passed the Sturm und Drang of adolescence, Kaufman’s easy-to-read book shows how to place grace at the center of your existence. The author describes numerous examples of people who exude grace, as well as a few who do not. But, in general, Ms. Kaufman prefers to teach by positive example. She cites Cary Grant as the epitome of grace and re-

turns to him several times throughout the book. She mentions other actors on stage and screen, a few politicians (as one might expect, she did not find many), some sports figures and athletes, certainly dancers. From her examples, she teases out many definitions of grace – all the attributes a graceful, or “gracefilled,” person would demonstrate. Such elements as maintaining good

Monday, February 29, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. at Chabad Naples Sarah L. Kaufman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning dance critic for The Washington Post, where she has written about arts, sports and living for twenty years. A former French-American Foundation fellow, she has lived in France and Germany, and has lectured at universities around the country. She and her husband have three children and live outside Washington, D.C. Appearing with Sarah Kaufman will be Jay Michaelson, author of The Gate of Tears.

posture, walking unhurriedly, wearing clothing appropriate for the time and place, putting others at ease – all contribute in some way to defining “grace.” Since reading this fascinating book, I’ve made a conscious effort to change my gait and posture so I don’t lumber along. Next time you see me, let me know if I’m remembering to manifest that aspect of grace. Finding ways to put others around me “at ease,” I’m still working on – and probably will need to hammer away at it forever. Kaufman appreciates the religious or spiritual side of grace, that gift from God, and consults experts in all the major monotheistic faiths, as well as Hindu. Judaism does not dwell on grace, but the Jewish element shows up in her book. Look for it. I always determine the “take-away” from a book I’ve invested my time in: am I glad I read it? My answer regarding this book is yes. Trusting that the author speaks as well as she writes, I predict she’ll be a standout presenter at the Jewish Book Festival.

October 2015 Federation Star

JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL

Midnight in Siberia by David Greene Review by Irene Pomerantz, Jewish Book Festival committee member

f you were visiting a Russian family, would you know how many flowers to bring to the hostess? If you are traveling on a train in a six-person room, are you allowed to sit on a lower berth during the day? If you visit a steam rbath, should you expect to be whacked with a wet birch branch? Do you know ethe difference between a BAH-booshkah and a bah-BOOSH-ka? These and other traditions and customs, as well as superstitions, food, and travel hardships bring the reader inside today’s Russia. David Greene, NPR’s former Moscow bureau chief and cohost of NPR’s

Morning Edition, is a skilled writer who describes his 6,000 mile journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to the port of Vladivostok. This is more than a travel book. It encompasses history and observations about everyday life in both large cities and in small towns throughout Siberia. Greene intersperses his conversations with fellow travelers and residents of towns with observations about politics, bureaucracy, the justice system, lawlessness, traditions and quotations from historical as well as contemporary writers. He writes about the warmth and endurance of the Russian people comparing their

past with their present, and explaining their present resilience through their past experiences as he engages them in interviews. For example, as the parents of hockey player Nikita Klyukin, who died with his fellow players in a plane crash in 2011, explained, “There is this belief in our country that tragedy is a test for people who are supposed to be strong... we’ve always needed revolutions and wars...because after each of these tragedies, we rise and are reborn again.” The father adds that he “thinks [the plane crash] was ordered not by God but by our leaders. But we have the ability to

Thursday, February 18, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Beth Tikvah David Greene is a cohost of NPR’s Morning Edition. He is NPR’s former Moscow bureau chief and has spent more than a decade covering politics and events from the White House and abroad. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Rose, a restaurant owner and fellow traveler. Appearing with David Greene will be Talia Carner, author of Hotel Moscow.

forgive. That’s how we live on.” Throughout the book, Greene muses about the people’s stoicism in the face of corruption in government, but notices how the farther east he travels from Moscow the more sense of freedom the people feel they have. “Many people in Siberia feel little if any relationship to Moscow and the Kremlin, and throughout history, people have felt relatively more free to think for themselves.” As Tatiana, a local history and literature scholar in the small town of Ishim, says, “We feel like no one can make us do what we don’t want to do.” But there is a consistent duality as expressed by the innkeeper of the Hotel Tranquility in the same town who fights to survive in a system of bureaucratic corruption: “If officials are never clear about what’s actually required, they can say someone is wrong – at any time. And likely collect either a fine or a bribe.” This is a beautifully intertwined history and culture of the Russian people, peppered with colorful anecdotes and interviews with ordinary folks. Large and small details fill this book with warmth and humor alongside the more dramatic events of both the past and present.

Million Dollar Women by Julia Pimsleur Review by Sue Bookbinder, Jewish Book Festival committee member

ulia Pimsleur is an extremely successful and self-made entrepreneur who shares her advice with other women (and I believe men as well) having similar goals, clearly and powerfully. She is the founder and CEO of Little Pim, the leading system for introducing young children to a second language; a blogger for Forbes.com; and a speaker at Stanford University, Yale University, the NYC Stern School of Business, and the Yale School of Management. She earned her BA from Yale and her MFA from the French National Film School in Paris. Ms. Pimsleur’s book shares her advice with the reader in a simple, straightforward manner, making the reader believe that she is truly trying to help them to success by learning from the author’s mistakes and successes. I believe that although her primary focus is on Women in Business, the tools and insights she provides are just as relevant to Men in Business. Ms. Pimsleur provides some interesting “aha’s” that she calls “Signs these are the Best of Times:” XX Studies show women-run companies provide up to a 31% higher rate of return than those run by men

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XX Women are starting businesses at nearly twice the rate that men are XX “Women rule the Internet,” says Angel investor and Women Entrepreneurs Festival co-founder Joanne Wilson, since they account for the majority of purchasers in ecommerce and are starting increasing numbers of e-commerce companies that lead to success XX More women investors are starting their own funds and looking to invest in women, including Cowboy Ventures, Investors Circle, Female Founders Fund, Golden Seeds and 37 Angels. The book provides a valuable learning experience, while still being humorous and offering personal anecdotes. Ms. Pimsleur provides exercises that are fascinating, fun and insightful experiences themselves. The exercises are organized by the book’s chapters, which include: ¡¡ Powerful and Prepared, Not Pretty and Perfect ¡¡ Identify Your Allies, Your Foes, and your Frenemies ¡¡ Turn Moxie into Money ¡¡ Delegate Your Way to the Top

Tuesday, March 8, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. (site TBD) Julia Pimsleur is the CEO and Founder of Little Pim, a leading system for introducing young children to a second language.

And of course, like any good “how to” book, it includes a bibliography and a glossary of business terms. This book never talks down to its audience, nor does it profess knowledge and skills that are beyond the reader’s reach. Readers will definitely feel they have a mentor guiding them toward their entrepreneurial goals. I loved this book not because it

will help me get ahead in a new business (I permanently retired long ago!), but rather because it showed me what I could have done differently to propel my career further and (perhaps) more successfully. I am recommending the book to my nieces (and nephews) who are pursuing business careers, and I recommend all readers do the same.

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Non-local authors appearing at the Jewish Book Festival are Jewish Book Council Network Authors.

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Federation Star October 2015

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

Lab bus helps kids hitch a ride to college Ofanim’s yellow buses bring fully equipped learning labs to Israel’s periphery to give children better opportunities for higher education. By Abigail Klein Leichman, ISRAEL21c, www.israel21c.org, August 16, 2015

right yellow Ofanim buses driving around Israel’s geographic and economic periphery don’t bring children to school; they bring school to children. Inside each bus is a fully-equipped mobile lab outfitted to give each thirdto sixth-grader a hands-on afterschool learning experience in topics they could not otherwise explore: pre-medicine, robotics, comics, computer animation and gaming software. Next year, another bus will be added where children can develop a mobile app to solve a problem they defined in their community. The multiple-award-winning Ofanim also offers twice-yearly discovery and empowerment days for participants at institutions such as the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Bar-Ilan School of Medicine in Safed, and Soroka University Medical Center and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheva. “It’s all aimed at improving their odds of achieving higher education,” says Adir Kan, Ofanim’s chief executive officer. Each program is carefully designed to instill self-confidence and empower underprivileged kids to fulfill their potential. In a letter to his Ofanim teachers last year, a fourth-grader from Migdal HaEmek thanked them for teaching science and technology in a warm and friendly manner. “It’s important to me that you know I came each time full of curiosity and joy,” he wrote. “You taught me that it is possible to make something from anything, and that there is something hidden to discover and learn even from things that seem like nothing at all.” The professor and his protégé The seeds of Ofanim were planted in the 1970s in the Negev city of Beersheva. The Dahan family, including 10 children and two parents of modest means, lived across the road from the new university – though it may just as well have been on a different planet. Mrs. Dahan was a cook at the local community center, where she befriended a ballet teacher named Madeline Bergman. Mrs. Dahan invited Mrs.

Bergman home for lunch one summer day, and she brought along her husband, Prof. Samuel Bergman, cofounder of BGU’s computer-science department. The professor asked Haim, the Dahans’ middle child, if he knew about computers. The ninth-grader could only guess that it had something to do with football (soccer). “So, the professor invited me during that summer break to come over to the university to study and become acquainted with computers,” Haim relates on the website of Friends of Ofanim.

Afterschool sessions are led by college students and professionals

“I was very lucky to receive six private lessons and have the chance to be exposed to computers. Until this day I remember my first visit to the university. Up to that moment, I considered the university to be like Olympus; that it belonged to the gods. When I entered through the campus gates, I felt as if entering a shrine. After my military service, I applied to Ben-Gurion to study computer science.” Haim earned a master’s degree from BGU, then followed Bergman’s advice to study for his doctorate in engineering in the United States. He worked for IBM for four years and then founded his own successful software company, which was sold in 1999. After 13 years abroad, he returned to Israel, earned a PhD from Tel Aviv University, and was eager to give back to children with similar background. “He wanted to replicate the Prof. Bergman experience with other children from the periphery,” Kan tells ISRAEL21c. “He saw how it influenced his entire family; his younger siblings all finished university. As a good business analyst, he looked for a model and saw that in big cities there were good afterschool programs, but not in the little towns of the Negev.”

Ofanim Chairman Oded Hadomi, CEO of Kaizen International Biotech, continues the story: “Every educational nonprofit organization must calculate the cost per child. Many remote villages have only eight The Ofanim buses can reach where other afterschool programs cannot afford to go (photos courtesy of Ofanim) or 12 kids per class, so it doesn’t pay for these organizations portunities. For example, Kan relates to implement programs there. Haim that before starting Ofanim’s Young concluded that to do something for the Doctors program, a group of fifth- and long term it had to have mobility, so sixth-grade girls in an ultra-Orthodox the same program could be presented town all said they wanted to be teachat 3:00 p.m. in one village and in aners. After completing the unit, many of other at 4:00 p.m., and at 6:00 p.m. in the girls said they’d like to learn veterianother. nary medicine, nursing or midwifery. “He decided to come to the chil“We widen their horizons and sucdren with a mobile lab equipped with ceed in showing them the world is high-end computers and everything bigger than they thought,” says Kan. else needed to provide cutting-edge “It’s fine if you want to be a teacher, instruction. He hired a carpenter and but make sure you know what other electrician to outfit a bus to his specichoices you have.” fications.” Two independent evaluation reEstablished in 2004, Ofanim ports have shown that more than 90 serves more than 45 Jewish and Arab percent of Ofanim participants gain areas in southern and northern Israel, greater self-sufficiency, self-confiproviding 86 weekly activities to some dence and motivation along with a 1,200 children, many from low-income more positive attitude toward educaand/or one-parent families. tion in general. The studies also indi“We charge a nominal fee – 50 to 500 cate a high level of satisfaction among shekels per child per year – to instill a parents, teachers and administrators in sense of commitment, but collection of the regions served. fees is done through the local councils The program’s annual budget is and not through us,” Kan clarifies. nearly 6 million shekels, or about $1.5 People power million. Half of this amount must be The sheer novelty of the bus-lab is raised from Israeli sources to match enough to lure many middle-schoolers the half donated by Friends of Ofanim for a few sessions, says Hadomi. If in the United States, “making it a true they choose to continue, it’s due to the Israeli-American partnership,” Hadodedication of the instructors, mostly mi notes. Among the major supportcollege students but also software proers of Ofanim are Applied Materials, fessionals, healthcare professionals the Russell Berrie Foundation and the and academics who see their work with Rashi Foundation. Ofanim as a life mission. For more information, contact “At the end of the day, the most Resource Development Manager Yasimportant thing is the people,” Hadomi min Elad at yasmin@ofanim.org.il or says. “We require our teachers to be +972-52-7350942. role models who allow the children to Abigail Klein Leichman is a writer and dream how they can be university stuassociate editor at ISRAEL21c. Prior dents one day and duplicate Haim Dato moving to Israel in 2007, she was han’s experience.” a specialty writer and copy editor at a Children from these areas typically daily newspaper in New Jersey and has do not expect to earn a college degree freelanced for a variety of newspapers and aren’t aware of professional opand periodicals since 1984.

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ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

October 2015 Federation Star

FIDF brings 141 siblings and children of fallen Israeli soldiers to U.S. summer camps

hen an Israeli soldier dies in defense of the country, the family members left behind struggle with their grief and try to make sense of their new reality. As part of its LEGACY program, Friends of the IDF (FIDF) supports thousands of widows, orphans, siblings and other family members of fallen IDF soldiers through recreational activities, financial support, and life-cycle celebrations that help them carry on and create new memories. One such life-cycle event is the bar/ bat mitzvah. Making sure that children of bereaved families celebrate and experience this important milestone to its fullest, FIDF brings them to the United States for an unforgettable 10-day trip of summer camp activities, bonding with Israeli and American peers, touring famous sites, and forming lifelong friendships. “These kids lost those dearest to them, and their lives changed in an instant,” says Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir

Klifi-Amir, the FIDF National Director and CEO. “The loss they have to deal with as children and teenagers is hard and incomprehensible. The goal of bringing them to America, as part of FIDF’s LEGACY program, is to help them smile again, spend time away from their daily routine in Israel, empower and be empowered in the company of those who share the same fate – their peers, who are also experiencing grief and pain.” This summer, 141 siblings and children of fallen Israeli soldiers – many of whom were killed during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza – visited the U.S. through FIDF’s LEGACY program. For the children, the opportunity to bond with new friends who – just like them – lost a family member in the IDF, was transformative. “In Israel, we were always looked on strangely, and even my closest friends could not really understand what I was going through,” says Matan Eliyahu from Kibbutz Ev-

ron, the brother of Paz, who fought in the Paratroopers’ bomb squad. “Here, everyone can understand me with only one word, and sometimes without even speaking. Here I can share and it’ll feel natural and right.” Linoy Basson, from Holon, is the sister of Gal, a fighter in the Yahalom unit who was killed in a firefight in Beit Hanoun. “Gal was my best friend, and it was hard for me to comprehend this, and mostly I didn’t have anyone to talk to. My friends from Israel, even my best friends who wanted to listen, couldn’t really understand what I was going through. Here, everyone understands me and I now have a new sort of family with a common language and understanding that will accompany us for the rest of our lives.” This LEGACY journey affects not only the children, but also the members of the FIDF community who embrace them and make sure they have a once-

in-a-lifetime experience. FIDF supporters often describe their time with these children as both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as the program allows for time to heal as well as have fun. “Here in the U.S., they are met with love and the warm embraces of the FIDF supporters. Here they are filled with hope, and discover that beyond the support they get in Israel, there are Jews across the ocean who feel an immense commitment to the State of Israel, its soldiers, its fallen soldiers, and their families,” says Klifi-Amir. “We get great joy in seeing them smile, laugh and enjoy themselves. For us this is an emotional and empowering experience that emphasizes the complex reality of life in Israel.” To learn more about FIDF and its programs, please visit www.fidf. org, email Miami@fidf.org or call 305.354.8233.

ZOASWFL

7550 Mission Hills STE 306 Box 90 Naples FL 34119-9607

Kindly, update your billing records accordingly. Many thanks and regards. /Gene Sipe w4eps

Southwest Florida Chapter Join Us For Our First Meeting Of the Year and view a brand new Film

Crossing the Line2 Wednesday, October 21, 2015 7:30 P.M. The Chabad Jewish Center of Naples 1789 Mandarin Rd. Naples, Fl. 34102 Israel is under assault on North American campuses like never before. As antiIsrael activists attempt to alienate, demonize, and delegitimize Israel, this criticism is increasingly ‘Crossing the Line’ into anti-Semitism, in the form of hate speech, harassment and intimidation. This latest Þlm by the producers of ÒIsrael InsideÓ and ÒBeneath the HelmetÓ drives home the point of anti-Israel activity and anti-Semitic rhetoric on North American university campuses. Pro israel students are routinely shouted down and denied freedom of speech. Matt Weisbaum, Associate Producer will

introduce the Þlm and take questions at the end.

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Federation Star October 2015

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

BRIEFS ISRAEL’S POPULATION: 8.4 MILLION

On the eve of the Jewish New Year 5776, Israel’s population numbers 8,412,000, the Central Bureau of Statistics said Tuesday, September 8. The Jewish population numbers 6.3 million (74.9%), the Arab population 1,746,000 (20.7%), and there are 366,000 (4.4%) non-Arab Christians and others. In the past year 28,000 immigrants arrived, mostly from Ukraine, France, Russia and the U.S. (Yaron Druckman, Ynet News)

ISRAEL 6TH IN HEALTHY LIFE EXPECTANCY

A new study published in the medical journal Lancet puts Israel sixth in the rankings for healthy life expectancy among 188 countries. “Healthy life expectancy” takes into account not just mortality rates, but also years of life without terminal disease. (Itay Gal, Ynet News)

POLL: HALF OF JERUSALEM ARABS WANT TO BE ISRAELIS

52% of Palestinians living in Jerusalem told pollsters they would prefer “Israeli

citizenship with equal rights,” while 42% prefer to be Palestinian citizens when a Palestinian state is established, Israel Channel 2 TV reported recently. A similar poll in 2010 found that 1/3 of east Jerusalem Arabs preferred Israeli citizenship to Palestinian. Almost 40% said Jews “have rights to the land, together with Palestinians.” (Times of Israel)

ISRAEL LISTED AS FOURTH BEST PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY

Israel was listed in fourth place out of 41 countries in the 2015 InterNations Family Life Index released recently. The Family Life Index ranks countries according to availability and costs of childcare and education, quality of education, and family well-being. (Jerusalem Post)

TINY ISRAEL IS GIANT WHEN IT COMES TO NOBEL PRIZES

Times Higher Education recently ranked Israel fifth best in the world for overall Nobel performance this century. In a separate table ranking global academic institutions by their Nobel

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

Dream

Prize winners, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology came in eighth, beating Harvard and every British university, and coming just one place after MIT. (Nathan Jeffay, Jewish Chronicle - UK)

EGYPT-ISRAEL ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP A SUCCESS

The Egyptian-Israeli free-trade framework known as Qualifying Industrial Zones, or QIZs, has pumped billions into Cairo’s vulnerable economy over the past decade. QIZs are industrial parks through which Egypt (and Jordan) can export goods under the flag of the U.S.-Israeli free-trade agreement. Egypt is now home to 15 QIZs and Jordan to 13, which together account for some $1 billion in exports a year. Egyptian QIZs now supply fabrics to American brands such as Gap and Levi Strauss, and provide a livelihood for nearly 300,000 people. In February, Cairo announced plans to double its QIZ textile exports within three years. (Oren Kessler, Foreign Affairs)

THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS IN ARAB COUNTRIES

In Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Syria, Palestinians are treated as second- and third-class citizens. After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the Palestinians were the first to “congratulate” Saddam Hussein. When Kuwait was liberated the following year by a U.S.-led coalition, 200,000 Palestinians were expelled from the emirate in retaliation.

Since 2003, the number of Palestinians in Iraq has dropped from 25,000 to 6,000 due to systematic attacks and intimidation by Shiite militias. Palestinians captured by Shiite militias have been brutally tortured and forced to “confess” to their alleged involvement in terrorism. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have also fled Syria. What is most interesting is the complete indifference displayed by international human rights organizations, the media and the Palestinian Authority toward the mistreatment of Palestinians in Arab countries. PA leaders say they want to press “war crimes” charges against Israel with the International Criminal Court. However, when it comes to ethnic cleansing and torture of Palestinians in Arab countries, the Palestinian leadership chooses to look the other way. Western journalists don’t care about the Palestinians in the Arab world because this is not a story that can be blamed on Israel. (Khaled Abu Toameh, Gatestone Institute)

POLL: PALESTINIAN SUPPORT FOR BOYCOTT OF ISRAELI PRODUCTS DECLINES

There has been a decline in the level of Palestinian support for boycott campaigns against Israeli products, according to a public opinion poll by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center. The percentage of those who support a boycott of all Israeli products dropped from 59% last March to 49% this August. The percentage who said

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October 2015 Federation Star

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they personally boycott all Israeli products dropped from 49% last March to 34% this August. Asked about priorities for the Palestinian Authority, 27% cited the cost of living, 21% mentioned the recon-struction of Gaza, and 20% said en0forcing the law. d 65% said they were unsympa-thetic with the Islamic State or Salafist emovements, while 4% said they were osympathetic. (Jerusalem Media and tCommunications Center) -

ISRAEL EMBASSY eREOPENS IN EGYPT AFTER FOUR YEARS ,

Israel has reopened an embassy in Cairo after four years of closure, the Israeli prime minister’s spokesman to s the Arab media, Ofir Gendelman, an” nounced on Wednesday, September 9. n , o s e y d

l e s

s % d

Dore Gold, the director-general of Israel’s foreign ministry, attended the reopening ceremony along with Israel’s ambassador to Cairo, Haim Koren. In September 2011, a few months after the outbreak of the January 25 revolution, hundreds of Egyptian protesters stormed the former premises in Giza. (Al-Ahram - Egypt)

PALESTINIAN MAN GETS THREATS FOR SAVING U.S. JEWISH STUDENTS

Faiz Abu Hamadiah, 51, of Hebron in the West Bank, says he has been receiving death threats ever since he gave shelter to five American Jewish tourists who were attacked by a Palestinian mob on Thursday, September 3. Hamadiah told Israel Channel 2 TV on Sunday, September 6, that people threatened to “burn his house

Tributes

Tributes to the Federation Campaign To:

Vicky Kriser In honor of your special Birthday From: Pauline & Murray Hendel To:

Carole Soling In honor of your special birthday From: Mae & Judge Morton Riefberg To:

Janice Margolin & Family In memory of your beloved husband, Stuart A. Margolin From: Maxine & Harvey Brenner To:

Susan & Joel Pittelman & Family In memory of Joel’s beloved sister, Maris Bootzin From: Elaine & Lee Soﬀer Lea & Michael Bendes Ida & Jeﬀ Margolis Dee & Dick Bittman Maxine & Harvey Brenner Sue & Phil Dean

down, or cut off his head.” “I’m not a hero; this is what every person should have done. I did it because I’m a human being,” he said. “I did the right thing. We need to live here together.” (Times of Israel)

military ties. “I anticipate that the servants and agents of Iran in the region, who have Persian blood running in their veins... will accuse me of ‘Zionism, collaborating with Israel.’... [But] the scales have dropped from the eyes of the Arab and Muslim peoples, and they have realized...that their only bitter enemies are the Persian Iranians, not the friendly State of Israel.” (MEMRI)

KUWAITI COLUMNIST: ISRAEL IS A FRIENDLY COUNTRY

Writing in the Kuwaiti government daily Al-Watan on Saturday, August 1, columnist Abdallah Al-Hadlaq argued that if Iran attains nuclear weapons it will not hesitate to use them against the Gulf states, whereas Israel, which has possessed such weapons for years, has never used them in its wars against the Arabs. Al-Hadlaq called upon the Gulf states to sever their ties with Iran and form an alliance with Israel, strengthening political, commercial and even

ISRAEL TO DOUBLE ATTACK RANGE OF F-35 STEALTH FIGHTER

Israel has publicly announced the efforts of its air force to double the flight range of the F-35 Stealth strike fighters. The Israeli version of the plane, manufactured by Lockheed Martin

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Tributes require a minimum donation of $18.

To:

Pearl Sugarman & Family In memory of your beloved husband, Gerry Sugarman From: Phyllis & Michael Seaman Rosalee & Jerry Bogo Ted Epstein

To:

Maxine Brenner Best wishes on your good recovery From: Evelyn Lissauer

Michal & Mordechai Wiesler & Family In memory of your beloved son, Adi Gildor From: Gail & Dr. Melvin Ufberg Phyllis & Michael Seaman Rolly & Adir Jacob Ted Epstein Rosalind Skulsky In memory of Ann Massman Fischman From: Maxine & Harvey Brenner

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

Janice Margolin & Family on the passing of her beloved husband, Stuart A. Margolin Joel & Susan Pittelman & Family on the passing of Joel’s beloved sister, Maris Bootzin Pearl Sugarman & Family on the passing of her beloved husband, Gerry Sugarman Michal & Mordechai Wiesler & Family on the passing of their beloved son, Adi Gildor Condolences to Iris Gross & Family on the passing of her beloved husband, Spencer Gross

To place a Tribute in the Federation Star in honor or memory of someone, please contact Iris Doenias at the Federation oﬃce at 239.263.4205 or iris@jewishnaples.org. Tributes require a minimum donation of $18. A note will be sent to the person you are honoring. Tributes help further the work of the Jewish Federation of Collier County.

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Federation Star October 2015

COMMENTARY

The Iran deal: winners and losers? By David Harris, Executive Director, AJC, September 11, 2015

ow that a Senate minority has blocked the bipartisan majority from an up-or-down vote on arguably the most significant foreign policy measure in a generation, some in the media are rushing to judgment about winners and losers. The White House is cast as the big winner, of course. The pro-Israel community is depicted – with barely hidden glee in such outlets as The New York Times – as the big loser. Let me suggest two other ways of looking at the balance sheet. First, the White House indeed achieved what it sought – a clear pathway to implementing the P5+1 deal with Iran reached in Vienna on July 14. That’s unquestionably true. But to accomplish that, here’s what it had to do. It had to declare the accord an “executive agreement” rather than a treaty, which would have required an unattainable two-thirds vote in the Senate. It had to go straight to the UN Security Council after Vienna, giving such countries as Malaysia and Venezuela the chance to vote on the deal before members of the U.S. Congress were able to assess it, thus essentially narrowing the space for legislative review. It had to pull out all the stops with many reluctant Democrats, who even in announcing their support for the deal couldn’t bring themselves to wax enthusiastic about it, and in several cases explicitly criticized what they were voting for. It had to disregard increasingly skeptical American public opinion, ranging from a Pew study that found only 21 percent of those surveyed supported the deal, to a Rasmussen study

that found support among just 32 percent of the respondents. It had to overlook a decisive bipartisan vote of disapproval, 269-162, in the House of Representatives. And it had to ignore the fact that relying on a Senate minority from only one party – itself quite unprecedented – could create risks going forward, depending on future electoral outcomes. So it’s not entirely clear that this was a “stinging defeat,” as the Times phrased it. And I would add two other unintended consequences of the drive to push through the deal. For one thing, virtually the entire Israeli political spectrum, including both government and opposition, spoke out against the deal. Much was made of a very few former officials who voiced support, but in Israel they were totally drowned out by the acrossthe-board political leadership, as well as overwhelming majorities of Israelis who told pollsters they opposed the deal. For anyone who follows Israeli politics, such consensus happens as often as the appearance of Halley’s Comet. And for another, Israel and its Sunni Arab neighbors shared the exact same concerns about the deal and its implications for the region. That, too, doesn’t happen very often, to say the least. But it did in this case, even if the Arab countries, in the end, chose to voice their deep concerns largely in private, while negotiating for new American weapons systems and security guarantees. There’s also a second way of assessing the balance sheet. We may not know the real winners and losers for quite some time, since this deal runs for a number of years.

Only then will we have the one verdict that actually counts. And that verdict will be based, above all, on whether the promises and assurances of the deal’s supporters are fulfilled. Here are some of them: President Barack Obama: “[The Senate vote on the Iran deal] is a victory for diplomacy, for American national security, and for the safety and security of the world.” (September 10, 2015) “After two years of negotiations, we have achieved a detailed arrangement that permanently prohibits Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. It cuts off all of Iran’s pathways to a bomb. It contains the most comprehensive inspection and verification regime ever negotiated to monitor a nuclear program.” (August 5, 2015) “If Iran violates the agreement over the next decade, all of the sanctions can snap back into place. We won’t need the support of other members of the UN Security Council; America can trigger snapback on our own.” (August 5, 2015) “Should Iran seek to dash toward a nuclear weapon, all of the options available to the United States – including the military option – will remain available through the life of the deal and beyond.” (August 19, 2015) Secretary of State John Kerry: “Iran’s nuclear program will remain subject to regular inspections forever. Iran will have to provide access to all of its nuclear facilities forever. Iran will have to respond promptly to requests for access to any suspicious site forever. And if Iran at any time – at any time – embarks on nuclear activities that are

incompatible with a wholly peaceful program, it will be in violation of the agreement forever.” (September 2, 2015) “The agreement gives us a wide range of enforcement tools, and we will use them. And the standard we will apply can be summed up in two words: zero tolerance.” (September 2, 2015) “The people of Israel will be safer with this deal, and the same is true for the people throughout the region.” (September 2, 2015) Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman: “They will not obtain a nuclear weapon, and now we can focus our resources, our relationships, on solving the other problems in the region.” (July 16, 2015) Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz: “In regards to 24 days [for inspections to occur], we are very confident that activities involving nuclear materials will be detectable.” (July 17, 2015) If indeed these promises and assurances are achieved, as I hope they will be, then those of us who have been opponents of the deal will owe a big apology to supporters. But if they’re not, then hold on to your hats and fasten your seat belts – an already dangerous world will become exponentially more so. Meanwhile, a bit of restraint on sweeping judgments of winners and losers might well be in order. For more information, visit www.ajc. org.

The AJC West Coast Florida office, located in Sarasota, can be reached at 941.365.4955.

Now exposed – Iran already waging war against Israel By Benyamin Korn, August 31, 2015

n August 16, the Israeli Army revealed that Iran has been directing terrorist attacks from Syria against Israelis in the Golan Heights region. Nobody paid attention. Four days later, Iranian-sponsored rockets from Syria struck Israel’s Upper Galilee. Is anybody listening now? For weeks, supporters of Israel have been warning that the emerging Iran agreement would give Tehran funds that it could use to wage war against Israel through its proxies. But now it turns out that Iran is already waging that war. The question is, who is paying attention? On August 16, a “senior Israeli Army Northern Command officer” revealed to journalists that for the past twenty months, Iran has “directed” terrorist attacks against Israelis in the Golan Heights. “All of the attacks in the Golan Heights sector since December 2013 have been carried out with Iranian direction,” the officer told reporters, according to the Israeli daily Israel Hayom. All of the attacks. Not one or two. All of them. “Directed” from Tehran. The officer said that “several hundred Hezbollah operatives are currently active on the Syrian side of the border in the Golan Heights.” He said, “Iran sends advisers [to the area] and provides money, weapons and training [to terrorists operating there].” Among the Iranian-directed terrorist cells operating in the Golan, he said, is a cell led by one Samir Kuntar. Does that name ring a bell?

A Lebanese native, Kuntar is a veteran of the Palestine Liberation Front. The PLF, a member-organization of the PLO, was headed by Abu Abbas. Its most infamous attacks were the Achille Lauro hijacking in 1985, and an attempted attack on the Tel Aviv beachfront that resulted in the Bush administration withdrawing its recognition of the PLO. In January 1978, Kuntar and three other PLF terrorists hatched a plan to hijack an Israeli bus traveling from Beit She’an to nearby Tiberias. (Note: It had nothing to do with “occupied territories” or “settlements.” This was to be an attack on a civilian bus within the pre-1967 borders.) The hijackers were arrested by the Jordanian police as they tried to swim across the Jordan River into Israel. In less than a year, however, Jordan set them free. Apparently the Jordanians don’t regard conspiracy to commit mass murder of Jews as a particularly serious crime. In April 1979, four PLF gangsters led by Kuntar infiltrated the northern Israeli coastal city of Nahariya. They murdered an Israeli policeman and broke into an apartment at random. The mother, Smadar Haran, hid in a closet with her two year-old daughter, Yael, and a neighbor. While trying to keep Yael from crying, Smadar accidentally smothered her. The terrorist took the father, Danny Haran, and their four year-old daughter, Einat, hostage, and forced them at gunpoint to the nearby beachfront. There, Kuntar shot Danny in the head and

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.

murdered Einat by crushing her with the butt of his rifle (or with a large rock, according to some reports). Kuntar was captured by the Israelis – and then released in a 2008 prisoner exchange. Now, thanks to the Iranians, Kuntar lives in the Syrian-controlled section of the Golan Heights. Perhaps not surprisingly, he is the recipient of a Syrian Order of Merit from his kindred spirit, the mass murderer Bashar Assad. “Kuntar has recruited local Syrians to join the ranks of his cell,” the Israeli officer said. How serious is the likelihood of attacks from Kuntar’s group and other terror gangs in the Golan? “At any given moment, the IDF Northern Command faces at least two warnings of impending attacks in the Golan region,” the officer said. In fact, just two weeks ago, the IDF “conducted an exercise simulating an Israeli incursion into Syria in response to attacks on the border… The main threat in the area is posed by jihadi groups, not the Syrian military.” “At any given moment.” Sure enough, just four days later, Iranian rockets from Syria struck in the Upper Galilee. Air-raid sirens sounded for the first time in years, as residents of local towns and kibbutzim grabbed their children and ran, panic-stricken, to their bomb shelters. It was bad enough

when it turned out that the Iran deal would give the Iranians hundreds of millions of dollars, which they could use to help Hezbollah and Hamas. And it was bad enough when it was revealed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently authored a 416-page book on the need to destroy Israel. But now it turns out that the danger is not hypothetical, and Tehran is not just using words. It is already engaged in a daily proxy terror war against America’s ally, Israel. Benyamin Korn is chairman of the Philadelphia Religious Zionists, and former executive editor of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent and the Miami Jewish Tribune.

October 2015 Federation Star

COMMENTARY

Standing together Rabbi Adam F. Miller

he New Year of 5776 begins with us still talking about the topic that dominated our summer conversations. After months of passionate debate on the Joint Cooperative Plan for Action (aka the Iran Deal), the path appears set. Whether one supports or opposes this agreement, the outcome is out of our hands. Still, we still have much work to do. As the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (the public affairs arm of the organized Jewish community) noted, “It is time to focus our national energies toward working together across political and ideological divides. We must stand united in order to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran and keep our allies in the Middle East, namely Israel, assured of their safety and security.” There are two important elements behind this statement. We must advocate now on behalf of Israel as hard as ever before, and we must find a way to put aside our political and ideological differences for the greater good of Israel – the state and the people. The notion of lobbying for and supporting Israel appears far easier than its counterpart – standing united. Since arriving in this country, the American Jewish community has been held together in part by our shared sense of identity, our minority status and our love for Israel. These last few years, and the last nine months in particular, have seen that sense of unity fracture. We need to stay together. With all of the external threats – Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, BDS and more – facing the State of Israel, we need to stand together. We don’t have to agree – but we must be civil and respectful. Our sages teach that the 2nd Temple was destroyed in 70 CE because of one thing – sinat chinam – senseless hatred between Jews. It is said that the Jews of that era were so polarized, and despised each other so much, that they began to use the Roman authorities to “report” on each other. This feuding accelerated until the Romans destroyed the Temple and leveled the city of Jerusalem.

The inflammatory language today resonates with that period 2,000 years ago. How many have received or shared vitriolic emails with accusations that some Jews, based on their political views or opinions about Israel, are inherently anti-Israel, anti-Semitic? No one benefits from this. In May, I led a group from Temple Shalom to Israel. While seeing the border with Gaza firsthand, our guide asked us to look out the bus windows and tell him what we saw. In the sand we saw what appeared to be pieces of concrete, some with tiles attached to them. When no one knew the answer, he told us – it was the city of Yamit. After Israel captured the Sinai desert in 1967, the city of Yamit was built to settle Sinai. When Menachem Begin made peace with Egypt, the Sinai was returned, and the city of Yamit dismantled. The concrete remains dumped and buried. Now, years later, the desert wind has started to once again reveal Yamit, a haunting reminder of Israel’s story. A people who have struggled and fought for survival. A nation willing to make difficult sacrifices for the promise of peace and stability. Dismantling Yamit was not easy – and there were opponents then as there were for the withdrawals from Gaza and Lebanon. In the end, what mattered more was the continuity of Israel, and the Jewish people. Israeli society did not fracture, though disagreements abound. It is the hallmark of Israelis that they can vehemently disagree, yet still sit down for a meal and work together toward their shared goal of a better Israel tomorrow. We, too, must learn how to accept our differences, while staying united. This requires separating between an individual’s opinion, which we may not agree with, and recognizing that the same individual shares our passion for Israel. For generations we have said Am Yisrael Chai – the people Israel lives – in the face of all that has befallen our people. Let us remain united in those words and add our own blessing – Am Yisrael Chai, Am Echad – the people Israel lives, one people united. One people around the world. One people across our nation. One people in our community. One people. United we stand, divided we fall.

Sukkot message Rabbi Ammos Chorny

ome years ago I discussed how insane we Jews can be. On Yom Kippur we come out in droves for a day of suppression of all senses, focusing on the denial of our physical selves; yet when it is time to come together for Sukkot, many feel that they are “burned out” because of their Yom Kippur experiences. To be fair, I can understand that. If the focus of our spiritual lives is ascetic denial, then there is not much to command a significant commitment for the vast majority of our people. By overly focusing on a rare experience of enforced asceticism, many Jews miss out on the other half of the equation, the complement to Yom Kippur as it were: Sukkot. Although the Days of Awe actually start with the arrival of Elul, a somber 40-day period focused on turning our lives around in teshuvah, Sukkot brings a shift in attitude by commanding us to gather the land’s harvest and celebrate “God’s Festival.” There’s a new spirit in the air as we enter into an atmosphere of spiritual joy. On Sukkot, all our senses are engaged: with lulav and etrog in hand, gazing on the beauty of the sukkah and arba’ah minim, hearing the blessings for the festival and the songs of Hallel, tasting the delicious festive meals, and smelling the fragrant etrog, and the fresh fruit hanging from the fragile structures that dominate our religious landscape. During Sukkot, we eat, sing, dance and embrace life with every part of our being. In short, we balance the otherworldly-asceticism of Yom Kippur with the full-systems sensuality that undergirds the joy of Sukkot. Regarding Sukkot – after God has forgiven us for our sins – we read a midrash to Kohelet stating the following: “Go and eat in joy your food, and drink with good heart your wine, for this is the will of God expressed in your deeds.” The rabbis understood that after the catharsis of Yom Kippur, it is necessary to re-engage our sense of joy. This joy comes from the celebration of Sukkot in appreciation of God’s innumerable

gifts, expressing our need to celebrate all that is good in our lives. We go into our modest little huts for that glorious celebration. The story is told about a class studying the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Having explored the traditional list, the class was asked what they thought to be the Seven Wonders of the Present World. After some discussion and disagreement, the following got the most votes: the Great Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon, the Panama Canal, the Empire State Building, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Great Wall of China. While counting up the votes the teacher noted that one student had not turned in his list yet, so she asked the child to read out-loud his list. The reply came, “I can’t quite make up my mind because there are so many.” He hesitated, then read, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: to touch, to taste, to see, to hear, to feel, to laugh and to love.” The things we overlook as simple and ordinary are truly wondrous – a gentle reminder that the most precious things in life cannot be bought. While nearly all the magnificent structures of the ancient world are gone, the sukkah and its lasting message endure. Our ability to profoundly experience joy determines what type of people we truly are, what type of souls we nourish. May this upcoming year be one wherein we find countless opportunities to further the joy that this festival inspires.

Look for commentary from Rabbi Sylvin Wolf and Rabbi Fishel Zaklos in the November issue.

Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle Solution to puzzle on page 16

Nostra Aetate at fifty By Jack Conroy, Ph.D.

have spent years imagining what the earliest followers of the charismatic Galilean preacher might have expected in their lifetimes. The religious world of First Century Israel was vibrant and exciting. From the teachings of Hillel and Shammai to those attributed to the “Teacher of Righteousness” in Qumran, the atmosphere was one of focusing on how a Jew could be most fully observant. And the man named Jesus fit in well. Jesus and his early followers were all Jews, accepted Torah, and recited the Shemah. The ideas we find today in Nostra Aetate would have been seen as ludicrous. What happened? Well, the first thing was that within twenty years of Jesus’ death, a relatively small number of Jews affirmed allegiance to Jesus. Perhaps the most effective leader of early Christians, Saul of Tarsus (later recognized as St. Paul) recognized his failure to attract Jews. He wrote in his letter to the Romans, “I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart,” because of his failure to attract “my kin according to the flesh.” (Romans, Chapter 9, Verses 2-3) This lack of success among the Jews of Jerusalem was exacerbated by the destruction of the Second Temple in

70 CE by the Romans. What followers existed in Jerusalem were killed along with the rest of the Jews in the city. Secondly, probably motivated by his lack of success with his fellow Jews, Paul engaged in missionary journeys through what is now Turkey, Macedonia, Greece and ultimately Rome. There, he and his co-workers were successful in attracting a significant number of believers. By the end of the first century, the Church was generally nonJewish, with the Gentile members not recognizing their Jewish heritage. Further, both the Gentile church and the Jewish synagogue adopted attitudes of mutual hostility, which was expressed as persecution of Jews, made possible by the larger numbers of Gentiles and their assumption of political power. We all know that this achieved its logical culmination in the horrors of the Holocaust. This is where Nostra Aetate came about. The Church has been holding “Councils” as meetings to define principles and religious standards almost as long as it has been around. For the most part, each Council would reaffirm and elucidate what had been postulated or taught at prior Councils. However, Nostra Aetate is a Council document that recognizes prior error and rejects

the actions of an anti-Jewish attitude. Most importantly, it affirmed the Jewish patrimony as being at the root of Christianity. Also, it recognizes with relation to Jesus’ death that not all Jews, either then or afterwards, are to be held responsible. Further, among other items, we read here of the Catholic Church’s condemnation of antiSemitism. Specifically, the document says: …in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel’s spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone. And finally, the document affirms the necessity of fraternal dialogue

within an attitude of mutual respect. The document says: Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred synod wants to foster and recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit, above all, of biblical and theological studies as well as of fraternal dialogues. This document was promulgated on October 28, 1965. It offers cause for celebration among both Catholics and Jews as a document that serves as the basis of dialogue among all people, recognizing the respect that both parties extend to each other as to their religious affirmations. Jack Conroy was the co-chair of the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County for seven years.

What do you think? The Federation Star wants to know! Send your letters and comments to fedstar18@gmail.com.

Letters Policy Include your name, full address and daytime phone. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. We reserve the right to edit for length and/or accuracy. Letters do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the Jewish Federation of Collier County, the Federation Star or its advertisers.

FOCUS ON YOUTH

Federation Star October 2015

Temple Shalom camp update

By Seyla Cohen, Preschool Director

ith each New Year, our commitment to improvement and development continues. Our amazing enrichments and superb curriculum 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. On September 11, we held our Preschool Super Shabbat celebrating Rosh Hashanah. Our Preschool families

Our STEM question of the week: “How can we change the shape of this ﬂat piece of paper so it supports a book?”

joined our students, Rabbi Miller, Cantor Azu and Miss Jane to sing special holiday songs and celebrate Shabbat. We also took a moment to remember those who had lost their lives in the terrorist attacks 14 years ago. Did you know that Temple Shalom Preschool is the only preschool in the area to have a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum imbedded in our already incredible program? In 2012, we established Professor Einstein’s Laboratorium – an amazing science lab exposing our children to the wonders of experiments, plants, biology, ecology, the human body and more. In 2013, we opened our stateof-the-art Technology Lab featuring computers, cameras, tablets and other technical equipment geared toward the preschool-age years. For years, our students have been learning math through problem solving, manipulatives and discovery, not just memorization. This year, we are proud to introduce the ‘E’ to our STEM program. Our Pre-K classes will now be exposed to Engineering through building, problem solving, creativity and imagination. They will be given materials and asked open-ended questions on how to solve a problem. Through peer discussion, they will come up with solutions which they will explain. Through trial and error, they will explore what they already know, experiment and come up with the answer. This class will be teacher guided and student led; and yes, they CAN do this.

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 up to 24 months are provided with a strong foundation for learning through interactive 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. For further information regarding Temple Shalom Preschool, please contact me at 239.455.3227.

Temple Shalom Preschool students bake round challahs for Rosh Hashanah

Rising Young Stars sought for “Focus on Youth” feature

The Federation Star has featured about 15 local teens in its pages over the last two years. Below are just a few. And we’re looking for more “Rising Young Stars.”

P Jason Randall

Victoria Meyer

Ben Klausner

Rachel Waltzer

Max Johnson

Cloe Feldman

Want to see your “Rising Young Star” featured in the Federation Star? Send an email to jeanamodea@gmail.com with the details.

BRIEFS continued from page 25

Jewish Bedtime Stories & Songs for Families

The PJ Library program supports families in their Jewish journey by sending Jewishrelated books and music on a monthly basis to children for free.

Sponsered by

Arthur & Susan Karp

Family Charitable Foundation, Th e PJ Library is Inc A Supporting Foundation of brought to the Collier The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee County community the Federation website to sign up! byVisit JFCS of Southwest www.jfedsrq.org Florida. For more information, call Follow us at facebook.com/pjlibraryofsarasota 239.325.4444.

according to Israeli specifications, is called Adir (Awesome). The first two Adirs will be delivered to Israel in December 2016. An Israeli air force officer, one of the initial cadre of pilots tapped to fly the F-35, told Defense News that with the plane, “your options for attacking the enemy are much more numerous and practical. The things that we could do before will entail much less risk, and the things we might not have been able to do before will be rendered doable.” He said that the stealth fighters change “the psychology of the arena by allowing you to hit the enemy without him being able to stop you... It really is a game-changer, and the enemy knows that.” Lockheed Martin is now working with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. to adapt Israeli-made airto-ground weaponry to the plane. At the same time, Lockheed Martin is considering Israeli ideas for (probably detachable) external fuel tanks on the plane’s wings in order to extend their range. (Ran Dagoni, Globes)

HANDHELD RADAR SYSTEM CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS

The Xaver-100 handheld radar system developed by Camero was deployed by IDF special operations units during the 2014 Gaza war. Amir Be’eri, founder and CEO of the company, said the system “enables fighters to determine, in the course of operational activity in an urban environment, in real time, how many people are present behind the wall, how far they are positioned from the wall, what their spatial attitude is, and whether they are moving closer to or away from the wall.” “The system transmits to a range of 20 meters and several such sets may be employed to form a network.” “Camero also manufactures the Xaver-800 system – a larger but still portable system. It offers 3D-imaging of the room space and the people in it, and is used primarily for complex situations in hostage rescue and intelligence collection operations.” (Eyal Boguslavsky, Israel Defense)

Save the Date: CELEBRATE ISRAEL Sunday, May 15, 2016 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Mercato

FOCUS ON YOUTH

October 2015 Federation Star

BBYO teens explore their own Judaism

BYO is back in full swing in Naples. The Negev AZA Sharks g and Sababa BBG Peacocks have been meeting on Thursdays since gthe beginning of September and have had tons of fun at their weekly chapter emeetings. From game night to busisness meetings, Thursday nights at the dJewish Federation of Collier County ooffice is where every Jewish teen wants rto be. “Naples BBYO has had a great start this year with our prospect list growing, g -

our board leading with excellence, our membership soaring, and our weekly meetings becoming increasingly fun and meaningful. It’s an awesome start to an awesome year,” said Jason Randall, President of Negev AZA. Over the weekend of November 6-8, North Florida Region is hosting Regional Kallah, the first regional convention of the term. Kallah is a place where Jewish learning happens the way that works for the individual. Kallah helps find answers to your questions,

and offers more questions about Judaism. It offers an opportunity for teens to explore their own Jewish identity and decide what it means to be Jewish, for them. You’re able to form your own educated opinions about the different meanings and ways of being Jewish through relationships and conversations with peers. There will be teen-led Shabbat and morning (Shacharit) services to create truly meaningful Jewish experiences. The weekend will bring together

Naples BBYO Pool Party Kickoff: Zach Tretter, Sara Klausner, Sydnie Lenchner, Rachel Waltzer, Saige Feldman, Cary Liberman, Jack VanDam

teens in grades 9-12 from Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota and Naples. Don’t forget to check out the community calendar to see our upcoming events open to Jewish teens in the Naples community. Contact Skylar Haas at shaas@bbyo.org for more information. Follow us on Instagram @Naples BBYO and Like us on Facebook at Naples BBYO.

North Florida Region Color War Kickoff: Zach Schiller, Josh Braverman, Brooke Jaffe

Preschool of the Arts update By Ettie Zaklos, Preschool Director

or most students, the new school year brings excitement and eager anticipation. Freshly sharpened pencils and brand new crayons lay neatly lined in their boxes ready for use, and backpacks with their tags still on are lined up by the door. The first day of school represents something of a rebirth. It offers an opportunity for new experiences, new relationships, new knowledge and new skills. For young preschoolers this newness is heightened as they are not only discovering their school routines for the first time but getting to know so much more of the world around them. At Preschool of the Arts we recognize this tremendous responsibility to our students – to teach them about the world around them in a way that expands their knowledge but ensures that they never lose their sense of wonder. Our school’s primary mission is to foster a love for lifelong learning in our students. The curriculum skillfully weaves artistic and academic disciplines, along with Jewish values, into everyday activities. Students learn to follow their curiosity, to think creatively, and to work both independently and cooperatively with others. Our goal is to create a vibrant community of children, teachers and families. Using an arts and play based approach, Preschool of the Arts teachers engage children in activities focused on relationships and inquiry. The environment has been designed to support rich learning experiences and social-

emotional growth. As an emergent, Reggio-inspired curriculum in which Jewish values and the natural cycle of the year form the backdrop, the learning topics are always relevant for both children and teachers. As we anticipate an extraordinary year of exploration and learning for the students and teachers, it is exciting to know that our efforts have recently been recognized by the Naples Daily News, which has once again awarded our school the Gold Award for Best in Childcare and Best in Educational Services 2015. Our school has implemented several innovative and exciting additions to our unique program. We spent a lot of time meeting with our staff to explore and develop our educational goals and techniques, aiming to make the learning processes that happen here authentic and effective for our students. Our teachers participated in professional development sessions with some of the top minds in Reggio philosophy today to ensure that they stay on top of the latest research and studies in early childhood education. We continuously challenge ourselves in new ways to enhance our preschool throughout the year. To supplement our packed program, we are also proud to offer students a wide range of extraordinary specials every week directed by professional instructors. In addition to an award-winning musical program, indoor and outdoor art, developmentally stimulating science activities, child-centered yoga,

and weekly Shabbat celebrations with challah baking, the children also enjoy practicing the culinary arts in our Little Chefs program, playing sports in My Gym, and gardening in our Garden of the Arts with the director of the Naples Botanical Garden. We are honored to have curated such unique offerings for our young students and are pleased to watch as they expand their skillset in so many new ways. Our preschool just celebrated the New Year and all the new possibilities it brings with our wonderful High Holiday programming. Children got to participate in their very own childfriendly Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, and then joyously cel-

ebrated the holiday of Sukkot. A major goal of our Judaics program is to imbue children with a love and joy for Jewish tradition. The customs and history are made relevant and meaningful using a hands-on approach with a focus on Hebrew language and Jewish values. President Eisenhower once said: “Accomplishment will prove to be a journey, not a destination.” We are delighted to be on this journey with our dear children and cannot wait to see all the incredible accomplishments to come. For more information, contact me at 239.263.2620 or naplespreschool ofthearts@gmail.com, or visit www. naplespreschoolofthearts.com.

Happy faces at Preschool of the Arts!

Federation Star October 2015 BETH TIKVAH

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

Beth Tikvah update Phil Jason President

azal Tov to Rabbi Ammos and Aviva Chorny on the birth of a granddaughter, Ella Maayan Chorny, daughter of Rabbi Daniel Chorny and Rabbi/Cantor Hillary Chorny. We hope your High Holiday experience was uplifting and that each one of you is charged with the energy of spiritual renewal needed to enter the New Year. Now that the series of holidays is moving to its close, the calendar of our other activities is growing. Indeed, Beth Tikvah has fashioned a dynamite season of lectures, social doings and other events to attract not only our members, but also the entire Jewish community. Elsewhere in this issue you will find information on our Naples Jewish Film

Festival which will be further detailed by December. In the immediate future, get ready for the following: Rosh Hodesh Group: Sunday, October 18 at 10:00 a.m. This is the first meeting of the new (Jewish) year. Shelly Goodman is the facilitator. Upcoming meetings of this very popular women’s study group are on Sunday, November 15 and December 13. Contact Elaine Kamin at 239.593.6821 for more information. Lecture: On Thursday, October 22 at 7:30 p.m., Beth Tikvah will offer a presentation by Jeff Margolis called “Sosua - A Tropical Haven for Jewish Refugees.” In 1938, President Roosevelt convened a conference in Evian, France, to discuss what to do with European Jewish refugees. None of the 35 nations agreed to accept immigrants except one – Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic. Light refreshments. No charge for Beth Tikvah members, $5 for nonmembers. Book Group: Monday, October 26 at 7:30 p.m. We will explore Julia Dahl’s

TEMPLE SHALOM

second novel, Run You Down. “Aviva Kagan was a just a teenager when she left her Hasidic Jewish life in Brooklyn for a fling with a smiling college boy from Florida – and then disappeared. Twenty-three years later, the child she walked away from is a NYC tabloid reporter named Rebekah Roberts. And Rebekah isn’t sure she wants her mother back in her life.” This is the sequel to Invisible City. See the full review on page 20. Julia Dahl will be part of the Collier County Jewish Book Festival, speaking at the South Regional Library on Thursday, March 3 at 1:00 p.m. Eat and Learn Shabbat: Friday, October 30 at 6:15 p.m. Service is followed by a meal and then a teaching by Rabbi Chorny. This is a great way to combine your worship experience with an opportunity to meet friends new and old around the dinner table and then enjoy a learning experience. $15 payment in advance for the meal. Seating is limited. Succot: A few days of Succot are left before we enter that special 8th day that some feel is a totally distinct

experience and others understand as the crown of the Succot holiday. Beth Tikvah is one of a growing number of Conservative synagogues that celebrates Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret on the same day, as in Israel. However, we use an unusual order, celebrating the Simchat Torah part first, on the evening of Sunday, October 4 at 6:15 p.m., and the Shemini Atzeret part, with Yizkor, on Monday, October 5 at 9:30 a.m. Meanwhile, shake that lulav! 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. Our Sunday morning minyan resumes in late fall. 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, call 239.434.1818, email bethtikvahnaples@aol.com or visit www.bethtikvahnaples.org. Youg can reach Rabbi Chorny directly atL 239.537.5257. i

www.naplestemple.org / 239-455-3030

Temple Shalom provides opportunities for engagement Neil Shnider President

uring the High Holy Days season, we reflect on the past and plan for the future. We evaluate what we have done, why we do what we do, and where we are going. Temple Shalom is a place of gathering, worship and learning. All that we do is rooted in our Jewish values, in living those values. We live our Jewish values when we engage in acts of love and kindness – g’milut chasadim. We live our Jewish values when we provide for those in need – tzedakah. We live our Jewish values when we study Torah. It is important that we never forget our core purposes and values.

But we must also continue to refresh and innovate. The demographics, expectations and needs of the community are constantly changing, and our response to these requires reassessment. Any organization must stay attuned to the changing times of its members and community. Without adjusting their actions and addressing the changing environment, organizations risk becoming stale and outdated. Temple Shalom is addressing such changes in the development of a new position, Director of Congregational Education, to better meet the learning needs of our members. In addition, enhancements to our member engagement opportunities are designed to provide improvements to the connectivity of our members to each other and our temple. A brief list of these new enhancements include, but are not limited to: ¡ The new connection-friendly Perman Library and the Coffee Bean

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

¡ The new Tribute Garden for meditation and quiet conversation ¡ Name badges for all adult members to be worn while in the building, promoting the connectivity of members and integration of new members ¡ Streaming video of the activities and events in the sanctuary to be viewed on the Internet, either live or archived ¡ Techie-Tutors, an intergenerational program designed to connect technologically-savvy youth with older members who find technology challenging ¡ iTemple, an online community that allows members to communicate and engage with each other in new ways ¡ Ambassadors – members reaching out to members and guests at events and services ¡ Home-based Shabbat dinners de-

L S T d J O

y signed to bring small groups ofw congregants together to celebrate the Sabbath d ¡ One Family–Many Stories, one-S to-one planned conversations toR encourage members to share theiri stories, expectations, interests andG passions M These enhancements at Temple Sha-P lom have been implemented to ensure that we are exceeding the expectations of our members and to assure them that their requests are heard and heeded. Temple Shalom invites Southwest Floridians to be a part of our temple family. No one is ever turned away due to inability to meet our annual financial commitment. For more information, contact the temple office at 239.455.3030 or info@ naplestemple.org. Wishing all a very healthy and happy New Year, 5776.

www.naplesjewishcongregation.org / 239-234-6366

Naples Jewish Congregation update

a fl P

By Suzanne L. Paley, President

fter celebrating and observing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we round out this holiday season with Sukkot and Simchat Torah. I, like many others, have very fond memories of these two holidays – decorating and eating in the sukkah, and marching around the sanctuary with flags topped with apples. (Of course everyone worried about eyes getting poked with the flag sticks, but the fear instilled in the children ensured a safe parade!) Other than the High Holy Days, our holiday celebrations are always held during the closest Shabbat service. I hope you will join us on Fridays, October 2 and 9 for these services. As I mentioned last month, there are plans for many fun and informative activities and events taking place in the coming months, starting now – in October. If you are not a member of Naples Jewish Congregation, for $36 you are able to join our Sisterhood or Men’s Club for a year, giving you the opportu-

nity to enjoy the activities of these two groups. The Men’s Club will have its first luncheon meeting on Wednesday, October 14 at the Pelican Marsh Country Club. Please contact Harvey Sandberg at sandbergth@aol.com for more information. On Sunday, October 18, Sisterhood is sponsoring a theatre outing to see The Glass Menagerie. Please contact Thelma Sandberg sandbergth@aol. com for more information. Sisterhood’s Book Club meets the third Monday of every month at Perkins Restaurant on Pine Ridge Road; the book for October is G-d Help the Child by Toni Morrison. Bonnie Zeff and Maraline Rane co-chair the book club. Maraline can be reached at marabil4@aol.com. If you are interested in joining either of these auxiliary organizations, please contact Harvey Sandberg for the Men’s Club, or Helen Blatt at heleninfla@ comcast.net for Sisterhood. Upcoming events include our annual Chanukah Party on Tuesday, De-

cember 8 at Longshore Lakes Country Club; a Roaring ’20s Party on Friday, January 23 at Pelican Marsh Community Center; and an Artist/Scholar-inResidence program on February 4-5, as Rabbi/stand-up comedian Robert Alper returns to Naples with his clean, nonoffensive brand of humor. All of these events are open to the community, so watch this column for more information as we get closer to these dates. Last, but definitely not least, our “Sunday at the Movies” program continues the last Sunday of each month at 4:00 p.m. at the

Federation office, and there is no charge (donations readily accepted). Our Shabbat services begin at 7:30 p.m. and we gather at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples. Please join us for a Shabbat service and find out why “NJC is a place for you to belong!” An Oneg always follows our services, which gives everyone a chance to greet, meet and chat. For further information about Naples Jewish Congregation, please call 239.431.3858 or visit www.naples jewishcongregation.org.

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

Send an email to info@jewishnaples.org.

SYNAGOGUES / ORGANIZATIONS JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND

October 2015 Federation Star

www.marcojcmi.com / 239-642-0800

Jewish Congregation of Marco Island update

sBy Sue R. Baum, President uring the last few months, a h number of significant events f have occurred at JCMI. s On July 3, we held our annual JCMI family barbecue, prepared by the JCMI chefs. The funds raised from the gadmission charge and the funds donated dduring the year to the Tzedakah Box were contributed to JFCS of Southwest

Florida to feed the hungry. The congregation has been named one of the leaders in donations to feed the hungry. On August 14, a delicious Shabbat dinner was prepared by the JCMI Chefs. Guest speaker Tarik Ayasun delivered an informative presentation on the status of the Middle East. On September 4, we observed Seli-

chot. A Shabbat dinner was prepared by the JCMI Chefs followed by a memorable service conducted by Rabbi John H. Spitzer, Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Israel, Canton, Ohio. The High Holy Days followed, conducted brilliantly by Rabbi Spitzer and Cantorial Soloist Hari Jacobson. As we go into this year, we look

forward to a season of meaningful Shabbat services, the 22nd year of the Saul I. Stern Cultural series, the 15th year of the Jewish Film Festival, the 17th year of Monday Night Bingo, the Social and Duplicate bridge programs, Mah Jong, the 3rd year of the Jewish Deli Fest and Shabbat dinners prepared by the JCMI Chefs.

ORGANIZATIONS

. . n t s

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN

239-353-5963 / 239-354-9117

National Council of Jewish Women update By Linda Wainick, co-President

hank you to our wonderful volunteers who have made our , programs so successful. r Thanks to the speakers at our programs: Cpl. Ray Erickson and Connie tLedbetter of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Crime Prevention Unit; Jeff Lyttle, journalist and TV host; Jennifer Singer, Chapter Director of American Technion Society; Judge Lauren Brodie; Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, President/CEO, JFCS; Letitia Cardenas and Kristina O’hern, RCMA. To our volunteers, thank you for your commitment, dedication and hard work. Our Board of Directors: Vice President Fundraising - Carol Emerson; Secretaries: Corresponding - Maraline Rane, Financial - Cheryl Lash, Recording - Carol Klein; Treasurer - Ellen Gurnitz; Trustees - Carolyn Greenberg, Muriel Hurwich, Phyllis Lazear; Past President - Sandy Wolf; Reservations

- Muriel Hurwich, Carolyn Greenberg, Bobbie Katz; Knitting, chaired by Iris Abel; Knitters - Judy Kaufman, Carol Klein, Parker Grossman, Nina Erlich, Marlene Apkon, Fran Nossen, Vi Weinstein, Gayle Dorio, Terry Wachalter, Ellen Gurnitz; Fleece hand tied blankets - Carolyn Greenberg; Friendly Visitors chaired by Bobbie Katz, with Carolyn and Bill Greenberg, Hedy Weinberger, Muriel Hurwich, Millie Sernovitz, Donna Goldblatt, Ellen Gurnitz, Toby Kosloff, Freya Greenspahn, Susan and Nate Ritter, Gina and Tim Cannon, Linda and Jerry Wainick; Fashion Show - Bobbie Katz, Carol Emerson, Linda Wainick, Muriel Hurwich, Carol Klein, Carolyn Greenberg; NCJW Directory chaired by Bobbie Katz, with assistance from Chery Lash and Ellen Gurnitz; School Volunteers: Parkside - Judy Kaufman, Helen Saperstein, Linda Wainick; Golden Terrace - Muriel Hurwich; Holiday Programs - Bobbie Katz, Ellen Gurnitz,

ORT AMERICA – GULF BEACHES CHAPTER

Linda Wainick; Publicity - Maraline Rane; Board Liaison - Carol Klein; EBlast - Wendy Riedel; RCMA - Myra Shapiro, Linda Wainick; Yad B’Yad - Maraline Rane; Israel Affairs - Betty Schwartz; Bulletin Committee - Editor is Carolyn Greenberg; Her proof readers are Carol Klein, Bobbie Katz, Linda Wainick, Sandy Wolf, Lois Rosenberg, Bill Greenberg; Special thanks to Maraline Rane for mailing the bulletin, and to Carolyn Greenberg for all her hard work over the years on the bulletin. Special thanks also go to Jeff Silverman, Naples Envelope & Printing Company, for the beautiful job he always does. Tribute Cards Carol Emerson, Marcelle Reiss; Visions Luncheon - Chaired by Carol Emerson, volunteers are our wonderful cooks Evelyn Cole, Judy Kaufman, Sandy Stone, Helen Weinfeld - and Marcelle Reiss, Bobbie Katz, Gayle Dorio, Muriel Hurwich, Ruth Ruskin, Helen

Saperstein, Rochelle Pollens, Michael Emerson, Linda and Jerry Wainick. Thanks to Jane Galler for the wonderful entertainment, and to Jeff Silverman for printing the invitations. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive over the years! Our section will be disbanding. Life members will become national life members. Annual members will receive dues billing from the national office at the section dues rate for the first year. For more information, visit www.NCJW.org. On Tuesday, November 17 at 11:30 a.m. at the Vineyards Country Club, we will have a Reunion Luncheon. To RSVP, send a check for $25 to Carolyn Greenberg, 6095 Manchester Place, Naples, FL 34110. A special thank you to my co-president, Bobbie Katz, for her leadership, guidance and support.

www.ort.org / 239-649-4000

ORT to eternity Marina Berkovich

ORT Gulf Beaches President

ven those who have followed ORT’s progress for years may be interested in knowing more about its founders and how ORT has influenced Jews and the world since 1880. Part I. The Barons de Günzburg (continued from September 2015 issue) Horace de Günzburg (Naftali-Gerts Evzelevich Gintsburg aka Baron Goratsii Evzelevich Gintsburg) was born on February 8, 1833, in Zvenigorodka, Kiev Guberniya of Russia, and spent most of his life in St. Petersburg and Paris. Horace was home schooled – the only option for a Jew of that time. He also studied Hebrew and the Talmud. “Talmud says…” was one of his favorite conversation openers. At the age of 20 he married a cousin, Anna Rosenberg. In 1863, Horace de Günzburg became one of the founders of the Society for the Spread of Enlightenment among the Jews of Russia, the only society of its kind there. By the end of Horace’s life, there were 30 chapters and 7,000 members. His unrelenting frequent appeals to the Russian government aimed toward the improvement of the legal status of Russian Jewry, and for the securing by

legislation and by other means their economic and moral welfare, made him widely popular among the Jews. From 1868 to 1872, he served as consul-general to Hesse-Darmstadt, when the title “Baron” was bestowed upon him in 1871 by the Grand Duke, with permission from the Tsar to accept that title of nobility. In 1880, together with Samuel Polyakov and Nikolai Bakst, de Günzburg petitioned Tsar Alexander II for permission to start an assistance fund

1880 Society Medal World ORT

which would provide vocational education and training in practical occupations like handicrafts and agriculture for thousands of Russian Jews then living in poverty in the Pale of Settlement and would help them to help themselves. The initiative would eventually evolve into the World ORT. In 1882, he chaired the first Jewish Congress assembled in St. Petersburg. In 1887, he participated in the discussions of the High Commission on the Jewish Question. He was elected president of the Hygienic and Low-House-Rent Society of St. Petersburg in 1890, and Chairman

of the Central Committee of the Jewish Agricultural Society in 1893. Baron de Günzburg was a longtime president of St. Petersburg synagogue. Under his patronage, several prominent St. Petersburg non-Jewish educational institutions were started. He was the benefactor of many Russian painters and musicians. Young Jasha Heifetz was one of his direct beneficiaries. Horace was an honorary member of numerous charitable aid committees founded by Russian nobility. In 1880, 1884 and 1888, he received the titles of Counsel of Commerce, Secretary of State, and member of the council of commerce of the Treasury Department. Once, when de Günzburg was riding next to Tsar Nicholas II in a royal equipage, a peasant shouted out in disbelief, “A kike sits next to our Tsar!” The man was detained. Horace asked to pardon

him, even gifted him a gold ruble, an unattainable wealth for the poor in that era. “I rewarded him for the extra reminder that I am a Jew.” Russian government conferred on the baron the medal of St. Anne, 1st class. In New York, a Baron de Günzburg Fund was started, the interest of which was given periodically as a premium for the best work on Jewish history and literature. Of all the numerous Joseph Günzburg descendants, only Horace’s family remained in Russia until the revolution of 1917. (To be continued in the November issue.) GulfBeaches ORT Chapter 2015 fundraising efforts benefit ORT in Israel. Please help us with our financial challenge by mailing your renewal or donation check, payable to ORT America, to Hella Amelkin, 3200 Gulf Shore Blvd. N, #307, Naples, FL 34103.

ORT America (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training) Did you know that: ¡ ORT supports 300,000 students annually in 59 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.

For a continuously updated community calendar, visit the Federation’s website at www.jewishnaples.org.

Federation Star October 2015

ORGANIZATIONS www.jwi.org / 239-498-2778

JEWISH WOMEN INTERNATIONAL

JWI expands Young Women’s Leadership Network to New York and Denver Millie Sernovitz

JWI Past International President

fter successfully launching in Washington, D.C., Jewish Women International (JWI), a leading Jewish organization addressing the empowerment of women and girls, announces the expansion of its Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN) to New York City and Denver this fall. With support from the Bender Foundation, Inc., as part of JWI’s Sondra D. Bender Leadership Institute, the Network brings together women in their 20s and early 30s to build their professional skills, strengthen their personal and career networks, advance their leadership on critical issues that impact women and girls, and give back to the community.

Launched in Washington, D.C., in 2013, the Network has attracted well over 1,000 participants with more than 25 programs and two conferences. The Young Women’s Leadership Network creates the opportunity for participants to meet and grow with an incredible group of peers while learning from dynamic women leaders who are mentoring the next generation. JWI’s network of Women to Watch honorees has been an invaluable resource for young women looking to grow professionally and connect with a community of smart and strong Jewish women. Monthly events include briefings with Jewish women who run businesses, lead start-ups, and hold key leadership positions in corporations and nonprofits. Additional workshops focus on financial literacy and economic security. Shabbat dinners, volunteer opportunities and yoga classes round out the diversity of programming for the group. Network members have the op-

portunity to listen to and learn from distinguished leaders such as Julianna Goldman, CBS news correspondent; Hilary Rosen, managing director of SKD Knickerbocker; Dr. Bonnie Hartstein, colonel and chief of family and community medicine at San Antonio’s Brooke Army Medical Center; Kathy Manning, the first woman chair of the Board of Trustees of The Jewish Federations of North America; and Amanda Steinberg, founder of Daily Worth. JWI board members who sit on the advisory board for the Young Women’s Leadership Network and are also keynote speakers at the YWLN Conference every year include Toby Graff, senior vice president of public affairs for USA Network/NBC Universal; Ellen Stone, executive vice president of marketing for Bravo & Oxygen Media; Vivian Bass, JWI Board Chair-Elect and CEO of the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes; and Kim Oster-Holstein, JWI Board Chair and food entrepreneur.

Each December, the Network hosts its annual conference in conjunction with the JWI Women to Watch luncheon. The honorees, as well as honorees from the past, come to the conference to speak in panels, breakout sessions and one-onone with the younger women. This is JWI’s mission as an historic Jewish women’s organization with more than 100 years of empowering women leaders. The Young Women’s Leadership Network gives our young women the tools for leadership as well as the practice of leadership. They are not only learning, they are walking the talk. For more information about JWI’s Young Women’s Leadership Network or other JWI endeavors 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.jhsswf.org / 239-566-1771

JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SWFL

All roads lead to Rome, and some to Naples Marina Berkovich JHSSWF President

n my recent trip to Rome, I explored the roots of its Jewish community and found plenty of fascinating information, which I want to share with you. Rome has the oldest Jewish community in the Diaspora. In fact, the Roman Jewish community predates the Diaspora. Jews began settling in Rome in 196 B.C. They were mostly merchants whose dealings led them to Rome during the collaboration between the Roman Empire and Judea. After the conquest of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., about 10,000 Jews were brought into Rome and marched under the Arch of Titus in 82 A.D. to submit to the conquerors. Most of them were the slaves who built the Coliseum. Others were used in the many entertainment battles. From then on, the Jews of Rome were required to walk under the Arch of Titus annually, to submit to Rome and, subsequently, to the Pope. The Italian Jews gathered for prayers in temples, which did not face



Jerusalem. They did not have to. That tradition was born after the Diaspora and introduced to Italy only with the appearance of the Spanish Jews fleeing the Inquisition in the Middle Ages. After the Holocaust of WWII, many of the Ashkenazi Jews stayed in Rome. There are many Italian Jewish families who are neither Sephardic nor Ashkenazi. They are the descendants of the pre-Diaspora Jewish families of Rome and their followers. In the former ghetto area, right on the bank of the River Tiber, there stands the magnificent Synagogue of Rome. It was built in 1904 to replace two older,

Italian Synagogue of Rome

Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida Membership Form

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

smaller synagogues (Italian and Spanish), which were located previously on the same spot. The “new” building also houses two synagogues, on different levels – one for the Sephardim, in the basement, and one for the Italians. The Italian Synagogue is for 800 people and is one of the largest in Europe. There is also a very unique Jewish Museum in the back of the heavily-guarded complex. I found there were some interesting parallels between Rome and our Floridian Naples. Temple Shalom, for instance, also sits about 800 people. The Jewish community of Rome is the oldest in the world, since the Jews of Israel were uprooted by the Judean War, and the Roman Jews were not. In the modern day region (Rome’s region is Lazio) of three million, the Jewish population is about 10,000, less than one half of one percent and the same number as those who entered Rome under the Arch of Titus. History is present everywhere in the Ghetto, making one wonder whether anything really changes there. Except for curious visitors. In Southwest Florida, by contrast, everything changes daily. After only a brief absence, one can spot a new building rising, or an old stretch of stores demolished. The growth is often

Sephardic Synagogue of Rome

so rapid, one forgets yesterday as soon as tomorrow dawns. It is then, perhaps, somewhat unexpected, that in Collier County, which is only 92 years old and has a population of approximately 340,000, that there are already about 10,000 Jews, which would be three percent of the residents. What will happen to our community in another millennia or two, I wonder? Who would come digging for the remnants of its beginnings? What will they discover? Preserving our short history is our mission at the Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida. Become a member, a sponsor, donate or volunteer. Take a step to participate. Email me at jhsswf@gmail.com or visit www.jhsswf.org. Save the date for our next big event: Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at the Collier County Museum.

Membership Application 2015 Membership Level:

 Student - $9  Individual - $36

 Family - $54  Sponsor - $162

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

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

October 2015 Federation Star

ORGANIZATIONS HUMANISTIC JEWISH HAVURAH

www.hjhswfl.org / 239-398-3935

Humanistic Jewish Havurah’s 2015-2016 events Paula Creed HJH President

he Humanistic Jewish Havurah of Southwest Florida has planned a very stimulating season. Although the majority of our members are year-round residents, most of our activities take place during season. Our new website was completed this summer. Visit www.hjhswfl.org to fully acquaint yourself with our organization and our upcoming events. The user-friendly website includes a membership application and instructions for submitting your dues. Last month’s commemoration of Yom Kippur, a time of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others, concluded with an opulent break-the-fast meal appropriate to the holiday. The experience of observing this traditional holiday in a meaningful fashion offered a unique opportunity for like-minded Southwest Floridians. Chanukah will be celebrated on Tuesday, December 8 with a traditional

holiday meal at Vasari Country Club. Details will be posted on our website and in in the November issue of this publication. Much as the Maccabees seized control of their own lives, Humanistic Jews take their future into their own hands. We celebrate Chanukah as a reminder that human beings can use their abilities to enhance their quality of life. Later that month, at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 20, Robert Levy, Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Cato Institute, will speak on “God, Politics & Constitution - A Libertarian Point of View.” Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and freedom of choice, emphasizing political freedom, voluntary association, and the primacy of individual judgment. Does a humanistic philosophy overlap with this definition? Humanists share some ideals with libertarians, like support for same-sex marriage and separation of Church and State, but we may differ on their other political ideas such as foreign policy, the libertarian interpretation of the Second Amendment clause with respect to the rights of individuals to bear arms, and the libertarian position on abolishing our public welfare system. This will

be a very thought-provoking program. Because Robert Levy is such an articulate, erudite and entertaining speaker, this will be a most interesting meeting. The Havurah purchased a block of tickets for the matinee performance of Informed Consent at Gulfshore Playhouse on Sunday, January 10, thus seating will be available below the box office price. The play addresses the ethics of genetics. A theater discussion prior to the play will be an added attraction. Another provocative program is planned for the afternoon of Sunday, January 17. We have invited Hassan Shibly, Executive Director of the Florida Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Tampa, as our speaker. Shibly has appeared numerous times on both local and national media outlets, including NPR, Voice of America, The New York Times, The Toronto Star and The Buffalo News, for his work protecting civil liberties and promoting understanding of the Muslim faith. Has-

san’s work has earned him the attention of various Islamaphobic publications, which criticize Hassan for “deceiving the American people” by “promoting a peaceful and tolerant image of Islam.” The weekend of February 19-21 brings a visitor from our national organization, the Society for Humanistic Judaism. Rabbi Miriam Jerris will be involved in several activities during her visit, most notably her Sunday afternoon program titled “Living Authentically.” Immigration is the topic at on Sunday afternoon, March 20. We are planning to discuss the impact of immigrants on the American economy. Our Seder will be held at the Bonita Bay Club on Saturday, April 23, and in May the Havurah typically presents an award-winning film depicting a humanistic theme. These programs reflect topics pertinent to Humanistic Judaism. We invite the community to participate. Please mark your calendars now, so as not to miss our outstanding programs.

Check out our redesigned website at www.hjhswﬂ.org www.hadassah.org / 239-598-1009

COLLIER/LEE CHAPTER OF HADASSAH

Hadassah update Lynn Weiner

Collier/Lee Hadassah President

he first Hadassah Meeting and Luncheon of the season will be held on Tuesday, October 27 at 10:45 a.m. at the Club at Olde Cypress in North Naples. You won’t want to miss hearing our esteemed speaker, Professor Bertold Fridlender, President of Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem. Prof. Fridlender was born and raised in Chile. He holds a master’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Chile and a doctoral degree in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from UCLA. He was founder and Chair of the Biotechnology Program at Hadassah Academic College and also served as visiting professor at Rutgers University. Prof Fridlender is the author of over fifty scientific publications in prestigious journals, and has served as Managing Director and CEO of several biotechnology start-up companies in Israel, Italy and the U.S. He is also the coordinator of the research consortium, “Bio-Xplore,” which identifies Mediterranean plants with medicinal capabilities. This consortium includes scientific partners from Israel, Spain and Greece. Associates (male affiliates of Hadassah) are encouraged to attend. Please join us as we hear about the future of Hadassah Academic College. We will also be electing our 2016 Slate of Officers at the Luncheon. Nominees include co-Presidents - Karen Cohn and Gayle Dorio, Membership Vice Presidents - Donna Goldblatt, Carol Hirsch and Roberta Ury, Education/Program Vice President - Elyse Morande, Fundraising Vice President - Ruth Barber, co-Treasurers - Elissa Goldstein and Fran Nossen, Corresponding Secretary - Iris Shur, and Records Administrator

- Carol Weisberg. For details about the luncheon, contact Elyse Morande at 239.498.0623 or amorande@aol.com, or Lanny Rashbaum at 239.591.8624 or langil601@gmail.com. Our Daytime Study Group will resume on Monday, October 19 at 1:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom. Members will be studying the book Jews, God and History 2nd Edition by Max Dimont. Join the group for lunch at 11:30 a.m. at First Watch on the corner of Pine Ridge and Livingston Roads in Naples. To add your name to the group list, contact Arlene Yedid at 239.455.1919 or arlene2001@embarqmail.com. The Evening Activity Group will have its Welcome Back Pot Luck Dinner on Sunday, November 1 at 5:30 p.m. at a private home. Our guest speaker will be Susan Lafer, President of Florida Central Region of Hadassah. She will fill us in on the latest in Hadassah. Associates, spouses, prospective members and friends are welcome. Space is limited. To RSVP and to be put on the email list, call Lauren Becker at 239.592.5304. We are having a New, Prospective and Transfer Member Brunch on Sunday, October 25 at 11:00 a.m. at the home of one of our members. Learn about Hadassah and meet new friends. RSVP to Donna Goldblatt at mom443@ aol.com. Give the gift of a Hadassah Membership to a friend or relative! Under Hadassah’s “Gifting Campaign,” any Hadassah Life Member or Associate can give free gift memberships. The gifted member must be a U.S. resident and at least 17 years old. The membership is valid for a new member and cannot be used to renew annual memberships. It is an annual membership and runs for one year from the date of enrollment of the gifted member. For more information, contact Donna Goldblatt at mom443@ aol.com. Have you seen our new Hadassah Happenings e-bulletin? Each month, Shelley Skelton, our bulletin editor,

Send your comments and Letters to the Editor to fedstar18@gmail.com

works tirelessly to create and send out our full color e-bulletin. If you are a member and are not receiving the ebulletin or if your email address has changed, please let Shelley know at 239.301.0509 or shellskel@mac.com. If

you would like to receive the e-bulletin only (not the mailed hard copy), please contact Shelley. Hope to see you at a Hadassah activity soon!

SAVE THE DATE:

¡ Monday, October 19: Daytime Study Group, 1:00 p.m., Temple Shalom ¡ Sunday, October 25: New, Prospective, Transfer Member Brunch, 11:00 a.m. ¡ Tuesday, October 27: Fall Opening Meeting and Luncheon, Speaker Prof. Bertold Fridlender, President, Hadassah Academic College, 10:45 a.m., The Club at Olde Cypress ¡ Sunday, November 1: Evening Activity Group Welcome Back Dinner, 5:30 p.m. ¡ Thursday, November 5: Evening Activity Group ¡ Monday, November 16: Daytime Study Group, 1:00 p.m., Temple Shalom ¡ Wednesday, November 18: Knowledge & Nosh @ Noon, 11:30 a.m., BRIO, Speaker: Journalist David Silverberg ¡ Thursday, December 10: Evening Activity Group Chanukah Pot Luck Dinner, 6:30 p.m. ¡ Saturday-Sunday, December 12-13: Installation of Chapter Officers and Region Board Meeting, Tampa ¡ Sunday, December 20: Major Donors/Keepers of the Gate Recognition Event, 10:30 a.m., Quail West Country Club, Speaker: Prof. Eyal Banin from Hadassah Hospital ¡ Monday, December 21: Daytime Study Group, 1:00 p.m., Temple Shalom ¡ Thursday, January 14: Evening Activity Group, 7:00 p.m. ¡ Tuesday, January 19: Daytime Study Group, 1:00 p.m., Temple Shalom ¡ Thursday, Jan 21: One Book Southwest Florida Speaker, Temple Shalom ¡ Tuesday, January 26: Chapter Installation Luncheon, Blue Zones Speaker, 10:45 a.m., Bonita Bay Country Club ¡ Monday, February 1: Annual Mahj and Card Party, 11:30 a.m., Cypress Woods Country Club

JEWISH WAR VETERANS 239-304-5953

Jewish War Veterans update

By Gil Block, Commander Post # 202

he Jewish War Veterans, Post # 202, will be holding its first meeting of the season, on Sunday, October 18 at 9:30 a.m. in the David G. Willens Community Room at the Jewish Federation office. It is important to attend this meeting, as we will be discussing changes to our meetings. Marty Rubin and his committee have come up with an idea to increase

our membership and awareness of what our Post does during the year. We intend to hold our meetings at all the temples in our community. We feel that by reaching out to the Jewish community we will be able to add to our membership. If you were in the service, it does not have to be during a war. We will accept anyone who has served. Thank you for your attention.

Federation Star October 2015

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Get the Service you Deserve October 2015 – 5776 SUNDAY lighting MONDAY Candle times:

WEDNESDAY

TUESDAY

9:00am BT Sunday School 9:30am BT Succot Services 9:30am TS Sunday School 10:00am TS-S Board Meeting 11:00am TS Consecration/ Simchat Torah Svc 6:15pm BT Simchat Torah

FRIDAY

October 2: 6:55 October 9: 6:47 October 16: 6:40 October 23: 6:34 October 30: 6:28 4

THURSDAY 11:30am CHA Spaghetti in the Sukkah 6:30pm BBYO Youth Activity

5 SHEMINI ATZERET

6 SIMCHAT TORAH

9:30am BT Svc w/Yizkor 10:00am CHA Services 5:30pm JCMI Bingo 7:00pm CHA Simchat Torah

10:00am BBYO Board Mtg 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Yizkor Svc 12:15pm BT Torah Study 1:30pm CJD Committee Mtg 4:00pm BT Torah Study

9:00am WCA Board Meeting 6:15pm BT Services 7:30pm NJC Services 7:30pm TS Services 8:00pm JCMI Services

9:30am BT Services 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Services

10:30am JFCS Naples Jewish Caring Support Group 1:00pm JCRC Commitee Mtg 5:30pm JCMI Bingo

10:00am Jewish Genealogy 11:30am TS-S Luncheon 12:15pm BT Torah Study 1:00pm HDH Board Meeting 4:00pm BT Torah Study 7:30pm JFCC Board Meeting

12:00pm NJC-M Meeting 1:30pm TS-S Book Bag 1:00pm JCMI Bridge 4:00pm BT Board Meeting 1:00pm WCA TS Canasta 6:30pm BBYO Youth Activity 1:30pm IAC Commitee Mtg 4:30pm BT Hebrew School 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 4:30pm TS Hebrew School 6:30pm TS Adult B’nai Mitzvah 7:30pm BT Torah Study

9:00am BT Sunday School 9:30am TS Sunday School 10:30am NJC Adult Enrichment 11:00am HDH Brunch 3:00pm NJC Sunday Movie

9:30am JFCS Koﬀee Kvell 10:30am JFCS Naples Jewish Caring Support Group 5:30pm JCMI Bingo 7:00pm TS Preschool Back-toSchool Night 7:30pm BT Book Group

10:30am NJC-S Art Tour 10:45am HDH Luncheon 12:15pm BT Torah Study 4:00pm BT Torah Study 5:00pm JFCC Chess Club 7:00pm TS Board Meeting

12 Columbus Day

10:00am JFCC Author Event 12:15pm BT Torah Study 4:00pm BT Torah Study 7:00pm TS Exec Comm Mtg

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

2:00pm NJC Board Mtg 3:00pm HM Exec Cmte Mtg 6:30pm BBYO Youth Activity

9:00am BT Sunday School 9:30am TS Sunday School 12:15pm TS Blessing of the Animals

10:00am JFCC Board Games and Bingo 12:00pm NJC-S Book Club 1:00pm HDH Daytime Study 5:30pm JCMI Bingo

5:30pm TS Table Shabbat 6:15pm BT Services 6:30pm TS Shir Joy Shabbat 7:30pm NJC Services 7:30pm TS Services 8:00pm JCMI Services

1:00pm JCMI Bridge 1:00pm WCA TS Canasta 4:30pm BT Hebrew School 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 4:30pm TS Hebrew School 7:30pm BT Torah Study

9:00am BT Sunday School 9:30am JWV Monthly Meeting 10:00am BT Rosh Hodesh Women’s Group 3:00pm NJC-S Theater Trip 4:30pm GenShoah Meeting 5:00pm CJD-GS Film

SATURDAY

1:00pm JCMI Bridge 6:30pm BBYO Youth Activity 1:00pm WCA TS Canasta 7:00pm JCMI Board Meeting 4:30pm BT Hebrew School 7:30pm BT Educational Prog 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School 4:30pm TS Hebrew School 6:30pm TS Adult B’nai Mitzvah 7:30pm BT Torah Study 7:30pm ZOA-CHA Film 1:00pm JCMI Bridge 3:00pm HM Board Meeting 1:00pm WCA TS Canasta 6:30pm BBYO Youth Activity 4:30pm BT Hebrew School 7:00pm CHA Preschool 4:30pm CHA Hebrew School Curriculum Night 4:30pm TS Hebrew School 6:30pm TS Adult B’nai Mitzvah 7:30pm BT Torah Study

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

9:30am BT Services 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Services

9:30am BT Services 10:00am CHA Services 10:00am TS Services 6:30pm BBYO Havdalahween

9:30am BT 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 • GS: GenShoah of SWFL • HDH: Hadassah • HJH: Humanistic Jewish Havurah • HM: Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida

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: Jewish Congregation of Marco Island • 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 • JRCA: Jewish Russian-American Cultural Alliance • JWV: Jewish War Veterans • MCA: Men’s Cultural Alliance (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 • 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.

October 2015 Federation Star

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY TEMPLE SHALOM OF NAPLES (Reform) 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34119 Phone: 455-3030  Fax: 455-4361 Email: info@naplestemple.org www.naplestemple.org Rabbi Adam Miller Cantor Donna Azu James H. Perman, D.D., Rabbi Emeritus Neil Shnider, President Dr. Anna Solomon, Dir. of Cong. Ed. Seyla Cohen, Preschool Director Peter Lewis, Organist/Choir Director 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 The Federation Star is published monthly, September through July, by the Jewish Federation of Collier County. 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road Suite 2201 Naples, FL 34109-0613 Phone: 239-263-4205 Fax: 239-263-3813 E-mail: info@jewishnaples.org Website: www.jewishnaples.org Volume 25, No. 2 October 2015 36 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: Melody Klein 239-633-2895 November Issue Deadlines: Editorial: October 1 Advertising: October 7 Send news stories to: fedstar18@gmail.com

JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

BETH TIKVAH

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

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

1459 Pine Ridge Road Naples, FL 34109

Hari Jacobsen, Cantorial Soloist Sue Baum, President

(Reform)

Shabbat Services Friday 8:00 p.m. Torah Study and Saturday Services Sisterhood • Men’s Club Brownstein Judaica Gift Shop

(Conservative)

(just west of Mission Square Plaza)

Phone: 434-1818 Email: bethtikvahnaples@aol.com Website: www.bethtikvahnaples.org

Suzanne Paley, President Jane Galler, Cantorial Soloist

Rabbi Ammos Chorny Phil Jason, President Sue Hammerman, Secretary

Shabbat Services Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. May - August: services once a month

Shabbat Services Friday evenings at 6:15 p.m. Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m.

Sisterhood • Men’s Club Adult Education • Adult Choir Social Action • Community Events

Youth Education Adult Education Community Events

Mail Ego

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.

Jewish Federation of Collier County Phone: 263-4205  Fax: 263-3813 Website: www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org • Federation Board Chair: Alvin Becker • Federation President/CEO: Jeffrey Feld

Please give it your stamp of approval, by posting it to our office at any time.

• Regional Dir: Brian Lipton, 941-365-4955

Such a delivery would be very special.

• Chapter Dir: Kelley Whiter, 561-395-7206

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! 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 President/CEO – jfeld@jewishnaples.org Renee’ Bialek, Community Program Coord. – rbialek@jewishnaples.org Iris Doenias, Database Manager – iris@jewishnaples.org Stacy Hersha, Business Operations Mgr. – shersha@jewishnaples.org Julie Hartline, Administrative Assistant – jhartline@jewishnaples.org General information requests – info@jewishnaples.org Melody Klein, Advertising Account Rep – mklein@jewishnaples.org Ted Epstein, Editor, Federation Star – fedstar18@gmail.com

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ConneCt with your Jewish Community

www.facebook.com/ facebook.com/jfedsrq JewishFederationofCollierCounty

American Jewish Committee American Technion Society

Collier-Lee Chapter of Hadassah • President: Lynn Weiner, 598-1009

Friends of the IDF • Exec. Dir.: Dina Ben Ari, 305-354-8233

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

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

Israel Bonds

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

JFCS of Southwest Florida Phone: 325-4444 • Chairperson: David Rutstein • 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

• President: Steve Brazina, 325-8694

Naples Friends of American Magen David Adom (MDA)

• SE Reg Dir: Joel Silberman, 954-457-9766

ORT - Gulf Beaches Chapter

• President: Marina Berkovich, 566-1771

Women’s Cultural Alliance

• President: Elaine Soffer, 431-7905

Zionist Organization of America • President: Jerry Sobel, 914-329-1024

Federation membership

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

Federation Star October 2015

A people who have been around as long as we have know a thing or two about bringing in the new year. We know that it’s not only about celebration. It’s about reflecting on our past year and resolving to be kinder and more generous in the coming one. And here’s a sure way to do that—give to Federation. You’ll be nurturing and sustaining our people wherever they’re in need. Helping thousands to connect to their Jewish identity wherever there’s a longing. Sweetening the new year for our entire global Jewish community. Please give as generously as you can. You’ll make 5776 very sweet indeed! www.JewishFederations.org Donate. Volunteer. Get involved. 239.263.4205 www.jewishnaples.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 2015 JFCC/UJA Annual Campaign a contribution of:  $36  $72  $180  $540  other $_________  Contribution enclosed (Check #__________)  Please charge my:

 MasterCard

 Visa

 Please bill me  American Express

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

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