The Reflector 10/19 by Frederick News-Post

Jewish Community Federation

Reflector

the

in this

issue FEDERATION

Volume 67 | Issue 10

OF RICHMOND

L’ Shana Tova 5780

Tishrei/Chesvan/ 5780

| October 2019

Proud History for 170 years

IN MEMORIAM PAGE 2

AGENCIES

NEW KINDERGARTNERS PAGE 11

COMMUNITY

FUN AT THE GAME

TABLE of CONTENTS

PAGE 25 FEDERATION

AGENCIES

SYNAGOGUES

COMMUNITY

HADASSAH

FOUNDATION

Jewish Family Services has been “Transforming Lives and Strengthening Our Community” since 1849. L’ dor V’ dor, from generation-to-generation, JFS has served the needs of our community. Throughout 170 years, Richmond has turned to JFS for compassionate care, to transform lives and build a stronger community.

See page 18

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • Oct. 6 | 10 a.m. Hadassah: A Day at the Museum Virginia Holocaust Museum

• Oct. 16 | 7:30 p.m. Documentary: “Joseph Pulitzer” Weinstein JCC

• Oct. 7 | 11:15 a.m. EnRich for Life/Food for Thought Weinstein JCC

• Oct. 20 | 2 p.m. Beth Sholom Annual Meeting Beth Sholom - Parkside Assisted Living

• Oct. 10 | 5:30 p.m. Rule of Law Award Day Virginia Holocaust Museum

• Through Dec. 30 ‘Holocaust by Bullets’ Exhibit Virginia Holocaust Museum

Visit www.jewishrichmond.org for a complete calendar of Jewish community events.

Sara Belle and Neil November during the 1976 Israel Showcase where she was instrumental in obtaining the ongoing entertainment, scheduled the plays and more. File Photo

In Memoriam Sara Belle November 1928 • 2019

Sara Belle November (OBM) at the Federation Grand Event in 2011. Photo by Adrienne Epstein.

“She does not sit on the sidelines watching the younger generations make their mark. She continues tirelessly without skipping a beat.”

he Jewish Community of Richmond and the Greater Richmond Community mourn the passing of Sara Belle November, a devoted community servant who spent most of her life trying to make the world, especially the Richmond community, a better place for all. Her generosity of time and resources were a blessing to both the Jewish and general communities. A longtime Richmond arts and theater benefactor and leader, she passed away on Sept. 18. Along with her husband, Neil November (OBM) who died in 2018, Sara Belle November, supported the Richmond Jewish community through numerous volunteer and philanthropy endeavors. In particular, she was an ardent, tireless and dedicated supporter of the arts community in Richmond. Longtime community leader and family friend, Ric Arenstein told the Richmond Times-Dispatch on her passing, “She was a lovely lady. She was a perfect partner for Neil and him for her. They were two strong, dominant personalities ...”. In the 70th Anniversary Commemorative Book, “The Center - From Generation to Generation” published by the Weinstein JCC, it noted, “Although

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impossible to quantify, Neil and Sara Belle may have given more of their time, enthusiasm, and resources to the JCC than any other volunteers since the Center opened.” In 1988, Mrs. November received the Esther, Edith & H.J. Bernstein Award, the highest annual honor by the JCC. The award recognized her for “devotion to the objectives and guiding principles of the JCC through the rendering of significant volunteer service to programs and purposes.” At the JCC, she established the Spotlight West Theatre, where she selected the plays, hired the directors and sold tickets. The theatre was later renamed in her honor. In lasting tribute to her commitment to performing arts, six other theaters in Richmond bear her name – The Sara Belle November Theater at Westminster Canterbury Richmond, the Sara Belle November Educational Theatre at SPARC, the Sara Belle Theatre at Beth Sholom Senior Living, the Sara Belle November Lobby at the Barksdale Theatre, the Sara Belle November Theatre Cultural Arts Educational Center in Glen Allen and the Neil and Sara Belle November Theatre (formerly the Empire Theatre) in downtown Richmond. In several recognitions by the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, she received the L’Dor V’Dor Women of Valor Award, and in 2000, Sara Belle and Neil November were honored with the Federation’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2006, Sara Belle and Neil November received the Anne & Sidney Meyers Endowment Achievement Award from Richmond Jewish Foundation. In a 2000 issue of “Richmond Magazine,” she was listed as one of the ten most influential

Richmonders in the past 50 years. She also served on many boards, including the Federation, the Center and was president of Jewish Family Services. In a nomination letter for a major community award received by Mrs. November, a young community member wrote, “She does not sit on the sidelines watching the younger generations make their mark. She continues tirelessly without skipping a beat.”

REFLECTOR

THE

How good & pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity. The Reflector is published monthly by the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond. Copy must be received two-and-a-half weeks prior to the date of publication. The Reflector reserves the right to edit or refuse any copy or advertisement submitted. Views expressed by guest writers and reader’s letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond. Call for information about advertising in The Reflector at 545-8620. Acceptance of advertising does not endorse or guarantee Kashruth.

Ellen Renee Adams, President Daniel Staffenberg, Chief Executive Officer Raymond (Skip) Kozakewicz, Editor Sara Rosenbaum, Director of Impact and Community Planning Jesse Feld, Director of Development and Engagement

Jewish Community Federation OF RICHMOND

5403 Monument Avenue • Richmond, VA 23226

(804) 545-8620 Email: reflector@jewishrichmond.org

www.JewishRichmond.org

Federation happenings

Looking inward A

Daniel Staffenberg Chief Executive Officer Jewish Community Federation of Richmond

s you have likely read in the Reflector, the Jewish Community Federation and Richmond Jewish Foundation jointly commissioned a community study that was finalized in late 2017. After nearly 900 responses through community interviews, a volunteer survey and focus group meetings, the study was delivered to our community partners. We shared the study with Synagogues and agencies, and convened six community meetings to discuss the findings and learn together. The meetings were robust and engaging with conversations about the findings of the study, how it impacted our community and how we could work together to strengthen our community as a result. Key themes of the study included a desire for increased collaboration, more effective marketing and communication, addressing the costs of living Jewishly and expanding engagement and education opportunities in our community. Many of the leaders of those agencies and Synagogues who attended the meetings have begun implementing changes here. The results include marketing initiatives, increased programming and strengthening our work together. This summer, it was Federation’s turn to do some self-investigation and strategic thinking. The Federation strategic planning

group, led by our Chair Jim Weinberg, was tasked with identifying three concrete and clear initiatives and findings of the study that the Federation was uniquely positioned to address. The result of these initial meetings was the establishment of three implementation teams tasked with researching, identifying and creating strategies that the Federation will align itself around. They are; 1- Outreach and Engagement The task of this Implementation team is to develop outreach and engagement strategies for the following demographics: - Interfaith families and couples - Less affluent - Non-Native Richmonders - Emerging adults - Under affiliated 2 - Adult Jewish Education The task of this Implementation team is to conduct a market study of current adult Jewish education offerings in the community, identify gaps in those offerings and offer recommendations to address those gaps. 3 - Community Information and Technology Infrastructure By studying best practices, the task of this Implementation team is to create a mechanism that will enable individuals to easily access information and promote their

engagement in community programs and activities. We have worked quickly to launch the teams, with representation from our community, agencies and Synagogues. Meetings are underway and the implementation teams are surveying, researching and identifying best practices throughout the country. The teams are expected to deliver their findings and suggestions to our board in October. The suggestions will include ideas and guides for community investment, marketing and communication improvements and ways to engage and connect with a broader cross section of the community. Great organizations take the time to look inward – to examine how they can identify and realize growth opportunities and meet their mission. There is no better time of year to look inward. Rosh Hashanah and our High Holidays are perfect. I look forward to sharing more of our findings in the coming months and working with our outstanding board and professional team to begin implementing our plans. Stay tuned, it is going to be exciting. Wishing you a meaningful High Holiday season. To reach out to me, email daniel@ jewishrichmond.org.

Rabbi’s Reflections

‘A spiritual check-up’ T

he High Holy Day season is upon us, the time when Jews respond to the call to join their communities for prayer and renewal. When we come together for the Yamim Nora’im, the Days of Reverence, we come with certain expectations: the Hazzan (Cantor) will sing the same familiar melodies to our favorite prayers, the Rabbi will deliver an engaging and meaningful sermon, and we will see the same faces we have always seen at synagogue, greeting our long-absent fellow-congregants with a joyous, “Shanah Tovah!” As Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur stand out as far as synagogue attendance goes. Jews fill synagogues on these two holidays more than any other, more so than Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Hanukkah, and Purim, and the rest of our holidays in the year cycle. Why is this? To steal a phrase from another Jewish ritual: why are these holidays different from all other holidays? www.JewishRichmond.org

The answer lies in the other Jewish cycle: the life cycle. As little as Jews might attend Synagogue on holidays, Jews want a Synagogue community for their life cycle events. Synagogues are packed with family and friends on a Shabbat morning for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Jews want Rabbis to officiate at Brit Milah and covenant naming ceremonies for girls, and to officiate at weddings for our sons and daughters. Jews want rabbis to conduct funerals and the community of a synagogue to be present at times of loss. My teacher Rabbi Arthur Green explains that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not exclusively part of the year cycle. They are also part of the life cycle. These days are a time to contemplate the past, think about the future, and pray that we will be here next year, to do it all over again. We come together to see our community and acknowledge that our making it to this year was not all our own doing. Most Jews

feel a sense of duty to attend Synagogue services on these days, even if we can’t articulate why we feel obligated to show up. Like an annual visit to our internist, the High Holy Days are a spiritual check-up for the community and the individual. Related to this idea is that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur give us time to reflect on our inner lives. Most of our holidays celebrate or commemorate something that happened to the Jewish People in ages past. On these days, however, we celebrate the birthday of the world and God’s judgment of all humanity. We step Rabbi Hal Schevitz outside of “time,” as it were, pausing to look of Congregation Or Atid File Photo at the world around us, and inward as we strive to become our best selves. As we begin the year anew, I wish you blessings and health, and a good New Year in 5780. Shanah Tovah! To reach Rabbi Hal Schevitz, call the Or Atid office at (804) 740-4747.

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 3

School info from JCRC T he Education Committee of the Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Committee reminds parents that we can be of assistance to both students and staff as they continue to navigate the new school year and observance of Jewish holidays and traditions throughout the year. Through many years of meeting with and developing healthy relationships with public school staff throughout Central Virginia, we believe we are poised to assist families and professionals when issues arise. We have ongoing relationships and open lines of communication with all the local schools systems and have already assisted parents with various issues during the first month of the school year. We also have assisted in bringing resources to districts to support diversity and inclusion and have encouraged continued conversations. As well, we annually provide school

districts with a calendar of the current years Jewish holidays. If issues arise or if you have any questions or concerns, please contact Federation CEO Daniel Staffenberg at (804) 545-8622 or daniel@ jewishrichmond.org. Also it is helpful to inform us of those issues that you are able to handle within the school without our assistance. It is always great when that occurs and we appreciate knowing about and thanking staff when things work out right. Also, if you would like to secure a copy of the Jewish holiday calendar that we distribute to area schools, please reach out to Staffenberg Best wishes for great school year. We wish you a wonderful and productive year. We are here to support students, families and school professional staff.

REGISTER TODAY Three Perspectives on Anti-Semitism Thursday, November 7, 4-5:30 p.m. The Jepson Alumni Center, Robins Pavilion University of Richmond

Featured Speakers:

• Humberto I. Cardounel Jr., Henrico County Chief of Police • Ethan Felson, Executive Director of Israel Action Network • Johnny ‘Chip’ Lavender, Special Agent, FBI, Richmond Office

SEATING IS RESERVED ONLY AND IS LIMITED The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register, visit Osher.richmond.edu This event is co-sponsored by the University of Richmond’s Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning, the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, and the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Jewish Community Center.

4 | the Reflector | October 2019 Tishrei/Chesvan 5780

Thank you Friends of Reflector The Reflector staff and

Jewish Community Federation of Richmond thank Susan and Ronnie Adolf, Susan B. Hapala and Hattie Shocket for their recent donations to the Friends of Reflector. As always, we thank the community for supporting the Reflector.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2019 GRAND EVENT CORPORATE SPONSORS

www.JewishRichmond.org

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 5

Impact of Federation work seen first-hand during Argentina/Uruguay JFNA special Mission

The Richmond group is welcomed to the LeDor VaDor Senior home in Buenos Aires The facility opened in 2007 and is sponsored, in part, by JDC. (From left) Pictured are Jesse Feld, director of Development and Engagement; CEO Daniel Staffenberg and Federation President Ellen Renee Adams. (On the right) Posing with a resident of the senior home are Federation Women’s Division Chair Amy Nisenson and Sandy Katz, director, strategic relations, JDC, based in New York. The 330 Jewish senior citizens have a warm and safe place to call home. They have access to comprehensive medical services, a range of programs that minimize isolation and the opportunity to connect with the wider Jewish community. The model has been so successful that it has been replicated by other communities in the region, such as Uruguay.

Editor’s Note: Amy Nisenson is a longtime community leader. She serves on the Federation Board of Directors and is a former chair of its IMPACT GRANTS initiative. She is the current Women’s Philanthropy Chair of the Annual Campaign. This article is her reflection on the recent special Mission she took part in to Argentina and Uruguay. The purpose of the trip was to dig deep into the cultural significance of the two countires to better understand the past and celebrate the bright Jewish future of South America through the unique lens of Federationfunded programs. y name is Amy Nisenson. I have been in Richmond for about 36 years and have been involved in the local Jewish community almost the same amount of time. I have been on the board of many of the local Jewish agencies, and also have received services from them. My adult children are graduates of the Weinstein JCC preschool, after-school programs and camps. My daughter also attended Rudlin Torah Academy from kindergarten to second grade. Both of my children also traveled to Israel on Birthright. My husband’s grandmother moved here from Brooklyn, and lived at the Gardens and the Beth Sholom Home for over 15 years, and was also a recipient of services from JFS. I could continue to list the full range of the local work of our agencies, but I didn’t understand the full impact of the work of our Federation until about a month ago. I was fortunate to travel on the Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA) recent Finance and Resource Development Leadership

6 | the Reflector | October 2019 Tishrei/Chesvan 5780

Mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay. I traveled with our CEO Daniel Staffenberg, Jesse Feld, director of Development and Engagement, and Federation President Ellen Renee Adams. There were professional and lay leadership from 35 other Federations, as well as leaders from many of the Jewish agencies that work with JFNA. As we arrived in Argentina, I immediately had to learn all of the acronyms associated with the different agencies the Federation works with oversees - JDC (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee); JAFI (Jewish Agency for Israel); and many others. I also saw first-hand what each of these agencies do for Jews and Jewish Communities around the world. During our week in Argentina and Uruguay, we visited Hillel and ORT and met participants from many of the programs the overseas agencies support. We also met Shlichim (Israeli emissaries) who are volunteering in the Buenos Aires community. In Uruguay, we met a Shinshin named Yural (Israeli emissary who is 18-years old and defers his or her IDF service for oneyear to volunteer in Jewish communities abroad to help educate people about Israel and Israeli culture. The Shinshinim program is a partnership between the JAFI and JFNA. This young girl was beloved by the youth in the Jewish day school that we visited. We met and spoke with two young Argentinian

JCFR Women’s Philanthropy Chair Amy Nisenson stands at the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina Memorial in the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires that honors the 85 people who were killed in a 1994 bombing. The attack by a suicide bomber in a van is Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack to date. JCFR Photos

Argentina/Uruguay More on next page www.JewishRichmond.org

The group visited Hillel Argentina that is a hub for young Jews in Buenos Aires to come together and participate in a multitude of different programs, including Birthright Israel and Masa of the Jewish Agency for Israel. JCFR Photo

The group visited the Holocaust Memorial (Memorial Del Holocausto Del Pueblo Judio) in Mentevideo, Uruguay. Montevideo is home to 10,000 – 15,000 Jews, much like the Richmond Jewish Community.

Argentina/Uruguay Continued from page 6

women, Olivia and Julieta, who were making Aliyah to Israel and actually leaving for Israel less than 24 hours after we heard them speak. The Jewish Agency had put together a touching video for them, filming Israelis welcoming them with open arms. Everywhere we went, we met members of the community, young and old who had been touched by the work of the Jewish Agencies that local Federations support. We also attended a Friday night Shabbat Service at the Amichai Synagogue. There was a young man celebrating his Bar Mitzvah and more than 1000 young and old members of the Buenos Aires’ community singing familiar Hebrew prayers in Argentinian Spanish. The emotions were free-flowing that evening! There were so many memorable moments during the week that I could write for pages. One of the most impactful was learning about the horrible situation the Jews in www.JewishRichmond.org

Caracas, Venezuela, are facing. Apparently, there are now only about 5,500 members of the community left. This once-wealthy community is reeling from the effects of the country’s current socioeconomic crisis. A shortage of food has seen three-out-of four Venezuelans’ experiencing significant weight loss in recent years. In addition, many medicines are unavailable, which affects the elderly and those with chronic illnesses most of all. Finally, the community in Venezuela is facing hyperinflation (with a projected rate of 1,000,000 percent for 2018), unemployment projected at 40 percent for next year and a minimum wage below $5 per month, the destruction of the national currency, and increased insecurity and crime. JDC is helping those Venezuelan Jews who cannot cover their basic material needs by themselves. This includes providing food and sending regular shipments of critical

JCFR CEO Daniel Staffenberg, Women’s Philanthropy Chair Amy Nisenson, JCFR President Ellen Renee Adams and JCFR Director of Development and Engagement Jesse Feld – Richmond’s delegation on the Jewish Federations of North America FRD Leadership Mission pose at the home of U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Edward C. Prado. Ambassador Prado was one of the many people the group met to dig deep into the cultural significance of Argentina and Uruguay to better understand the past and celebrate the bright Jewish future of South America through the unique lens of Federation-funded programs. JCFR Photo

medications to over 100 Jews suffering from illnesses including high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Hearing about this crisis made me realize the importance of supporting our own, whether they live in Richmond or in South America. It made me understand why our Federation programming grants support the Jewish Care Line at JFS and the needy members of our community who take advantage of it. The entire week in Argentina and Uruguay was about the power of the collective. It really bought home the importance of supporting our agencies and communities abroad. I learned so much from the other lay and professional leaders about what they are doing in their local communities and what programs they are supporting abroad. I am now charged with the ominous task of sharing what I learned with everyone in Richmond. I will continue to share my memories and thoughts of this special trip over the next few months as I work to help raise funds to support our local and overseas work in this year’s Annual Campaign. For information on the JCFR Annual Campaign, reach out to Jesse Feld at (804) 545-8623

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 7

Saluting Israel’s Heroes: the Benson Family G

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES VIRGINIA CHAPTER INVITES YOU TO

A N GHT OF HEROES SECOND ANNUAL VIRGINIA GALA HONORING THE SOLDIERS OF THE IDF

ON BEHALF OF CHAIRS

ILANA AND NATHAN BENSON

AND THEIR HOST COMMITTEE, PLEASE JOIN US AS WE SALUTE OUR HEROES

T H U R S D AY, D E C E M BE R 5 , 2 019 5:30 VIP RECEPTION 6:15 DINNER/COCKTAIL RECEPTION

HILTON NORFOLK, THE MAIN TO REGISTER, VISIT:

FIDF.ORG/VAGALA19 For more information please contact A l ex P o m e r a n t z , D i r e c t o r o f VA , Midatlantic Region a t a l ex . p o m e r a n t z @ f i d f. o r g o r 757-472-9054.

8 | the Reflector | October 2019 Tishrei/Chesvan 5780

lenn Benson of Bethesda, Maryland, grew up in an ardently Zionist home, the son of South African immigrants who cared deeply for Israel. In high school he attended Jewish day school, participated in a B’nai B’rith Youth Organization summer trip to Israel, visited close relatives who’d emigrated from South Africa to Israel, and, as an adult working as a mortgage lender, supported his local Jewish Federation. But about eight years ago Glenn, now 39, discovered a new passion – an exciting, different way he could devote himself to helping Israel. Glenn was attending a charity golf event with Bobby Cohen of Potomac. Cohen, today the National President of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), a not-for-profit started by Holocaust Survivors in 1981 to provide educational, cultural, recreational and social programs for the men and women of the IDF, mentioned that FIDF’s Mid-Atlantic Region was launching a new chapter in Washington D.C. “Something just clicked for me. It connected right away,” Glenn says. For Glenn, FIDF represented a way he could directly support the very people who were defending the Jewish homeland. “This idea, that if you can help people who are fighting for Israel’s security and freedom – I viewed it as not just Israel’s freedom, but Jews’ freedom everywhere,” he says. In fact, Glenn felt so strongly that he began talking about FIDF with friends, and in 2017 they decided the best way to spread the word was by sharing the story of FIDF over latkes and vodka with their contemporaries. The initial idea was not to just hold a one-off fundraiser, Glenn adds, but to generate “brand awareness” among perhaps 30 peers. He figured if he and his friends somehow gathered 100 others “it would be a big win.” Some 200 attended, and afterward many told him they were so excited they thought he should seek contributions for FIDF. Last year, Glenn and his friends not only organized a packed event, but attracted more than

30 families to join one of FIDF’s signature programs, the Adopt-a-Unit initiative, in which people directly support the humanitarian needs of the soldiers of a specific IDF brigade or battalion. Those types of FIDF programs, which tie supporters to the men and women of the IDF, “make the connection extremely tangible,” Glenn says. For Glenn’s father, Nathan, 66, of Virginia Beach, that’s also one of FIDF’s big differentiators. FIDF allows supporters to help the IDF’s men and women directly through educational programs like post-army IMPACT! Scholarships for combat veterans; Fallen and Wounded Programs like STRIDES, which provides athletic prosthetics, and LEGACY for the widows, children, siblings and other family members of fallen soldiers; and assistance for Lone Soldiers – those who join the IDF without having an immediate family in Israel. “You can pick where you think you can be important, so FIDF’s different than a lot of other organizations,” Nathan says. “It could be an IMPACT! student, it could be taking care of a Lone Soldier. FIDF is something through which you can have a direct impact and you can see the benefit.” Nathan, who works in consumer finance, learned about FIDF and got involved through his son. When FIDF decided to launch a Virginia Chapter as well, Nathan did not hesitate to follow in his son’s footsteps. Like for Glenn, it was really FIDF’s overall credo about the men and women of the IDF – “their job is to look after Israel. Our job is to look after them” – FIDF More on next page www.JewishRichmond.org

Shalom Newcomers offers community connections By Jesse Feld Director of Development and Engagement, JCRC

Richmond newcomers talk with representatives of Jewish agencies and Synagogues at the Shalom Newcomers open house on Sept. 12 at the Weinstein JCC. JCFR Photos

ichmond’s Jewish community goes back hundreds of years, and over those years there have been many changes. One thing that has stayed the same is the Jewish community here in RVA has always been strong and vibrant! There is so much happening in the Jewish community, that being tasked with looking it all up online would be daunting to newcomers. Enter the Shalom Richmond Newcomers event hosted by Jewish Community Federation of Richmond. At this year’s event, more than 15 Jewish agencies and Synagogues

came together at the Weinstein JCC with professionals and lay leaders to represent their respective groups. This open house made it easy for those who were new to town, or new to a stage in life, to peruse through the room and connect with places where they may be interested in getting involved. The effort is chaired by JCFR Outreach and Engagement Chair Robin Jackson, who has championed the effort of welcoming new folks to town to make sure they feel like part of the community. A big thank you to all who came and participated in the event. If you are interested in more information, contact Jesse Feld at jfeld@jewishrichmond.org. Rabbi Yossel Kranz of Chabad of Virginia blows a Shofar at Shalom Newcomers event.

A new community member talks with Robin Jackson, chair of the JCFR Outreach and Engagement committee and chair of Shalom Newcomers.

FIDF Continued from page 8

that deeply resonated with Nathan. “Without a strong IDF, Jews around the world won’t be as strong,” Nathan says. For both men, FIDF is inextricably linked to their Zionist ideals of supporting Israel, a link that connects and unites every Jew, and spans cultural, political, or religious lines. “Israel ties us together. If there’s no Israel, what does that mean for Jews around the world?” Nathan concludes. Glenn is heading the FIDF Next Group in Washington D.C. as its Co-Chair. Nathan and his wife, Ilana, www.JewishRichmond.org

are chairing the Second Annual Virginia Gala that will take place on December 5, at the Hilton Norfolk, the Main. The gala will begin with 5:30 p.m. VIP reception, followed by a dinner reception and cocktails at 6:15 p.m. The funds raised at this event will go toward FIDF well-being and educational programs for IDF soldiers. For more information or to support FIDF, please visit: https://www.fidf. org/events/second-annual-virginiagala, or contact Alex Pomerantz, FIDF Director of Virginia, at Alex. Pomerantz@fidf.org, 757-472-9054.

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October 2019 Elul/Tishrei 5780 | the Reflector | 9

Beth Sholom happenings

EVENTS THIS FALL AT

BETH SHOLOM 2019 ANNUAL MEETING Sunday, October 20th 2:00 - 5:00PM RSVP by October 14th (804) 421-5355 or email communications@bslcc.org

PARKINSON’S W E L L N E S S WORKSHOP R e s ea rch & Te ch n o l o g y w i t h Pa rki n s o n’s

Tuesday, October 22nd

10:00AM to 2:30PM (Registration begins at 9:30AM) This workshop includes: n guest speakers n lunch n roundtable discussions n concludes with movement Register at https://BethSholomParkinsonsWorkshop2019.eventbrite.com This workshop is FREE and sponsored by Beth Sholom Lifecare Community’s Push for Parkinson’s Program which is supported by an Impact Grant from the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.

I'M STILL HERE DEMENTIA PROGRAM

Help us celebrate!

Sunday, November 3rd 2:00 - 5:00PM

Beth Sholom is now a certified Center of Excellence for Hearthstone Institute’s “I’m Still Here™” approach in dementia care! Come and meet our special guest speaker, Dr. John Zeisel, co-founder and CEO of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care, internationally known expert on dementia care and treatment innovations and author of

I’m Still Here: A New Philosophy of Alzheimer Care

Tickets are free, seating is limited.

Beth Sholom Senior Living Community at Parkside Assisted Living in the Sara Belle November Auditorium 1550 John Rolfe Parkway |Richmond, VA 23238

For information or to register for any of the events above contact (804) 421-5355 or email communications@bslcc.org 1600 John Rolfe Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238|www.bethsholomliving.org |(804) 421-5140

10 | the Reflector | October 2019 Tishrei/Chesvan 5780

Beth Sholom Leadership team fills backpacks. They are (from left) Jeannette Collins, John Bellotti, Sybil Parker, Tiffany Coughlin and Patty Thompson. Beth Sholom Photos

Giving back at Beth Sholom! B

ack to School purchases can be expensive and place a strain on household budgets. This year Beth Sholom instituted our first Back to School Backpack Drive for our employees with schoolage children. We would like to thank everyone who donated Backpacks are stacked and ready. supplies to benefit our back to school drive. money was a Hot Dog Sale where we After reaching out to our staff and raised almost $300! residents, Beth Sholom received an We are confident our next event, overwhelming amount of support. Taco Friday will be just as successful. We were able to donate 81 backpacks Each month going forward we plan to filled with notebooks, pencils, pens, have an event to continue the fund and highlighters and more! support our employees. Our employees are especially Through generous donations, we will grateful! We’re hopeful this school year once again be providing a Thanksgiving will be a little more special and successful turkey to each employee at Beth Sholom! for our employees and their families. At Beth Sholom individually, Daisy Fund we are special but together we are In keeping with the giving theme, SPECTACULAR! Beth Sholom is proud to announce we Beth Sholom Senior Living is have developed a Daisy Fund. The Daisy supported, in part, by a generous Fund is our emergency empowerment contribution and a programming resource that helps our employees with grant from the Jewish Community emergencies and issues that sometimes Federation of Richmond. cannot be managed alone. In the coming months we will continue to solicit donations and ideas to Beth Sholom More on next page grow the fund. Our kickoff event to raise www.JewishRichmond.org

RTA Happenings Jennifer Williams and Jane Samora pose with the 2019-20 Kindergarten class. RTA Photos

The Daisy Fund Hot Dog Sale at Beth Sholom raised nearly $300.

Save the Dates

Events in 2020 An Afternoon of fun at the new golf Drive Shack: Friday, February 7 Mah Jongg Madness: Sunday, March 29 For information or to register for any of the these events, call (804) 421-5355.

Beth Sholom Continued from page 10

Beth Sholom Senior Living has been caring for Richmond seniors for over 73 years. We pride ourselves in providing

RTA total enrollment highest since 2004 M

ore Jewish parents in RVA are finding a home for their children at Richmond’s only Jewish Day School. For the 2019-20 school year enrollment has increased by 15 percent with 118 students attending kindergarten through eighth grade. RTA’s dual program offers an accelerated and enriched curriculum in both general and Jewish studies. Multiple research studies have shown that a dual curriculum allows children to master significant cognitive benefits derived from early language learning. The Jewish Studies curriculum includes modern conversational Hebrew, the study of Torah in the original text with commentaries, Talmud, Jewish philosophy, liturgy and history. In general studies, students in upper middle school perform on a high school level, taking classes which include algebra, civics and economics. With growing enrollment, exceptional teachers, and a full complement of extra-

curricular programs, there has never been a better time to RUDLIN TORAH ACADEMY consider RTA RICHMOND HEBREW DAY SCHOOL for your child’s Stellar Education education. We for Every Jewish Child offer generous financial aid, and our new scholarship program makes a priceless private school education easily affordable for qualifying families. RTA is looking forward to an inspiring year of educating and nurturing Richmond’s Jewish children and reaching ever greater heights in the coming years. For more information on RTA or to schedule a school visit, call (804) 353-1110 or visit www. rudlin.com Rudlin Torah Academy is supported, in part, by a generous contribution and programming grant from the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.

comprehensive, compassionate health care for individuals of all faiths and strive to accommodate their personal and lifestyle needs as well. Beth Sholom residents enjoy a home-like setting in a campus atmosphere. Located at 1600 John Rolfe Parkway Henrico County. For information, call (804) 750-2183 or visit bethsholomliving.com. RTA students at an assembly the first day of school. www.JewishRichmond.org

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector |11

Jewish Book Fair brings authors, events not to be missed

or over 40 years, The Weinstein JCC has celebrated Jewish Book Month with books, author events and gift items. With the ease and availability of Judaic items and books online and in local stores, the book fair committee made some much-needed changes to this year’s event. While The Fife-Davis Family Annual Jewish Book Fair & Gift Shop will run from Nov. 6-19, the Gift Shop will only be set up during the new Art & Gift Boutique from Sunday, Nov. 10 - Tuesday, Nov. 12 in the Sisisky Room. In addition, the gift selections will focus on the most popular and best-selling items. Those who are eager to purchase Chanukah items such as candles, chocolate gelt and decorations will find those items set up in the lobby after Thanksgiving. In similar fashion to gift items, the book fair committee

Amy Blumenfeld, author of “The Cast,” co-hosted with Hadassah Richmond, will speak on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. This also is the Community Read. Contributed Photo

has pared down the number of book titles that will be available for purchase, focusing on visiting author books, local author books and children’s books. And, for the 3rd consecutive

i n st e i e W

Russ & Daughters’ “NY bagels, Bialyis and Babka” event is set for Friday, Nov. 8 at 8 a.m. Contributed Photo

year, the Weinstein JCC will partner with the Richmond Jewish Coalition for Literacy and the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond to offer members of the community the opportunity to purchase specific children’s books to donate to Swansboro and Laburnum elementary schools through the Giving

n JC C prese

nts

The

R P L E T ATE N E C A Cultural Culinary Experience with

Alon Shaya Featuring food and stories inspired by his cookbook/memoir, “Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel”

February 27, 2020

Tree Initiative. The Fife-Davis Family Annual Jewish Book Fair will host seven authors this season with its featured author event, “An Evening with David Makovsky,” taking place on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Ziegler Distinguished Fellow and Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Project on the Middle East Peace Process, Makovsky has authored numerous books, Washington Institute monographs and essays on issues related to the Middle East Peace Process and the Arab-Israeli conflict. He also is co-author, with Dennis Ross, of the newly released book, “Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel’s Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny.” The book discusses how the extraordinary acts of leadership of modern Israel’s founding fathers, David Ben-

Gurion, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, and Ariel Sharon’s safeguarded the country’s future. Today, with such uncertainty around the political destiny of Israel, “Be Strong and of Good Courage” celebrates this defining generation of leaders. Additional author events include: • John Simon, “Strangers from a Stranger Land” co-hosted with Congregation Beth Ahabah on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.; • Inbal Arieli, Chutzpah, “Why Israel is a Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship” “on Thursday, Nov. 7 at noon.; • Russ & Daughters’ “NY bagels, Bialyis and Babka” event with Mark Federman, co-hosted with Jewish Community Federation of Richmond’s Enterprise Circle on Friday, Nov. 8 at 8 a.m.; Book Fair More on next 14

Born in Israel and raised on cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, chef Alon Shaya now calls New Orleans home. Nominated for five James Beard Awards, he has been named “Best Chef, South” and won “Best New Restaurant.”

Founder of Pomegranate Hospitality, Chef Shaya was named one of the “50 People Who Are Changing the South” by Southern Living magazine, and one of the “50 Most Influential Jews in America” by The Forward. He currently has two restaurants, Saba in New Orleans and Safta in Denver.

Doors open at 6pm • Tickets at weinsteinjcc.org .

12| the Reflector | October 2019 Tishrei/Chesvan 5780

www.JewishRichmond.org

Arts + Ideas introduces October events T

he Weinstein JCC’s Arts + Ideas series continues into October with more programs and events that tell the stories of the people and topics that are relevant to our lives today. October 16 On Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m., the Weinstein JCC will show the thought-provoking documentary, Joseph Pulitzer, “Voice of the People,” as the second film in the Arts + Ideas Jewish Film Series presented by The Arenstein Family. Narrated by Adam Driver, the documentary tells the story of Pulitzer’s life and accomplishments through a combination of archival footage, reenactments and interviews with authors, journalists and scholars. Joseph Pulitzer championed what he regarded as the sacred role of the free press in a democracy. At the end of Pulitzer’s life, President Theodore Roosevelt sued him for “criminal libel,” citing the ongoing investigation of potential corruption in the building of the Panama Canal.

Pulitzer’s little-known Supreme Court victory in 1911 established important precedent for the First Amendment right to free speech and resonates strongly in today’s fraught political environment. October 24 Next, on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m., the Weinstein JCC will welcome Rabbi Shlomo Pereira to discuss his book, “Jewish Voices from Portugal.” Co-written with Rabbi Eli Rosenfeld, Jewish Voices from Portugal focuses on Torah commentaries written by

Weinstein JCC Happenings

six Rabbis with direct connections to Portugal. Their works span two centuries, from the middle 1400’s to the middle 1600’s and were written through tragic historical times and challenging personal circumstances. Their message, however, is universal and highly relevant to our lives today. Immediately following Rabbi Pereira’s presentation will be a question and answer session moderated by Sandra Pires, Cultural, Education and Protocol Attache, Embassy of

PHOTO: DIXIE THAMRIN PHOTOGRAPHY

get your tickets Now! weinsteinjcc.org NARRATOR: ADAM DRIVER

VOICE OF PULITZER: Liev Schreiber

SPONSORED BY THE ARENSTEIN FAMILY

Joseph Pulitzer

Portugal to the U.S. October 30 Lastly, the Sara D. November Gallery, sponsored by Hirschler, will exhibit the artwork of Lynn Goldstein. Goldstein has exhibited widely, winning awards, in nationally juried exhibitions and galleries. Her work is enjoyed in private and public collections throughout the United States and Europe. This includes the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the Schar Cancer Institute, and the United States Department of State. Goldstein’s exhibit, Transitions, features her vibrant, textured landscapes and will be displayed from Oct. 30 through Dec. 20. The community is invited to meet the artist on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Gallery Opening Reception. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call (804)2856500.

10.30 - 7:00PM ART GALLERY OPENING AND RECEPTION: LYNN GOLDSTEIN, TRANSITIONS

SUNDAY 10.27 - 3:00PM

9/12/19 11:11 AM

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 13

The Pink Hulk Arrives in the RVA V alerie David is a Richmond hometown gal who attended Henrico County Public Schools and spent her summers working as a camp counselor at the Weinstein JCC’s Camp Hilbert. After moving to Virginia Beach with her family and eventually to New York City to pursue her acting career, no one expected that Valerie’s return to RVA would be on the Israel November Auditorium stage performing her award-winning onewoman show portraying her experience as a three-time cancer survivor. “The Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find the Superhero Within,” presented by Massey Cancer Center and VCU Health, will take place on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. in support of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The show is a funny yet touching exploration of a woman’s life after lymphoma and breast cancer. Facing the fear of perhaps losing “the girls,” Valerie takes them out for one last hurrah. Does she succeed? Can a “cancer three-timer” experience a happy ending? The audience follows her adventurous journey as she discovers “hulk-like” strength emanating from her superhero within. The performance, co-hosted by

Hadassah Richmond, will be followed by a talkback and panel discussion moderated by Dr. Vanessa B. Sheppard, Ph.D. VCU professor and Co-Leader Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Massey Cancer Center. For tickets and additional info, go to weinsteinjcc.org or contact Leslie McGuigan at lmcguigan@weinsteinjcc.org.

5400 Club October Programs Oct. 7 - EnRich for Life/Food for Thought, Dr. Tracy Roof, associate professor of political science, University of Richmond, “The Status of Healthcare Reform.” (Kosher Lunch at 11:15 a.m.; speaker at noon; Following the program, people are invited to take part in a behind-the-scenes tour of “The Library Of Virginia” with Gregg Kimball, director of Education and Outreach. The tour begins at 2 p.m. Transportation from the Center is provided at 1:30 p.m. This trip is free and limited to the first 49 people who sign up. RSVP is a must to Shari Menlowe-Barck at 545-8611 or sbarck@weinsteinjcc.org. Make your reservations today!! Oct. 14 - Sukkot: No Meeting Oct. 21 - Simchas Torah: No Meeting Oct. 28 - Chris Van Tassell, program coordinator, Education Department, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, “A History of Crime and Punishment in Virginia.” For club details, contact Norman Sporn at n.sporn@gmail.com.

14 | the Reflector | October 2019 Tishrei/Chesvan 5780

Exciting new format to Chanukah Book & Gift Shop T he Center will be hosting the inaugural Weinstein JCC Art & Gift Boutique, featuring over 25 premier, well-known artisans and vendors selling art, jewelry, home décor, accessories, bath and beauty, photography, children’s clothing and more! With Chanukah items and books available from so many online retailers, the Center is trying something new for The Fife-Davis Family Annual Jewish Book Fair & Gift Shop this year! The boutique will take place in the Richard A. Arenstein Lobby on the following dates: Sunday, Nov. 10 Noon - 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11 11a.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. This event will be free to attend and open to the public. For those looking to buy Judaica, the Weinstein JCC will participate in this event as a vendor with a focus on artisan items such as menorahs, mezuzahs, Judaic jewelry, tzedakah boxes, Shabbat candlesticks, etc. The Center will also carry

books written by visiting authors as well as select children’s titles. For the third consecutive year, the Giving Tree initiative will sell new secular books by Jewish authors to be donated to two local public elementary schools. Chanukah candles, decorations, wrapping paper, and children’s items will not be available at this event, however, they will be sold in the Richard A. Arenstein Lobby from Tuesday, December 3 to Thursday, December 26. For a list of participating artisans and vendors or additional information, visit weinsteinjcc.org. For questions, contact Jennifer Adams, Weinstein JCC Special Events manager, at jadams@ weinsteinjcc.org or (804) 545-8659.

Book Fair Continued from page 12

• Peter Gethers, My Mother’s Kitchen co-hosted with the Jewish Woman’s Club on Tuesday, November 12 at 11 a.m.; • David Makovsky, “Be Strong and Of Good Courage” co-hosted with Temple Beth-El on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m.; • Rebecca Erbelding, “Rescue Board” co-hosted with the 5400 Club on Monday, Nov. 18 at noon and Community Read: Amy Blumenfeld, “The Cast” cohosted with Hadassah Richmond on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. For the full listing of book fair author events and for tickets, visit weinsteinjcc.org. The Weinstein JCC is supported, in part, by a generous contribution and programming grant from the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.

Once again this year, people will be able to purchase books to be donated to Swansboro and Laburnum elementary schools as part of the Giving Tree Initiative. File Photo

www.JewishRichmond.org

Global Day of Jewish Learning for community: Nov. 17 “How we say and hear words matters” he theme of the first Global Day of Jewish Learning at the Weinstein JCC. In the spirit of Jewish tradition and quest for knowledge, the Weinstein JCC will be hosting the Global Day of Jewish Learning (GDJL) on Sunday, Nov. 17, with support from Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, Richmond Rabbinical Council, and Virginia Holocaust Museum. Community Rabbis and Jewish educators will provide learning experiences related to this year’s theme “Speaking Volumes” – from ancient arguments to modern meanings, from raising our voices to remaining silent, explore how and why words matter. GDJL will provide tracks of learning opportunities: Family and Children activities, Adult Education, and Young Professional programming. Learning experiences will provide participants an opportunity to engage with Jewish texts

and learn alongside fellow community members. GDJL is open to everyone regardless of educational background and religious affiliation. The classes are created for all audiences; no prior knowledge of Hebrew or Jewish text is necessary in order to participate. Featured speakers and teachers include: Rabbi Scott Nagel (Congregation Beth Ahabah), Rabbi Yossel Kranz (Chabad of Virginia), Rabbi Hal Shevitz (Congregation Or Atid), Rabbi Michael Knopf (Temple Beth-El), Rabbi Ahuva Zaches (Congregation Or Ami), Rabbi Adam Winston (Keneseth Beth Israel) and more. Programming for GDJL is free and open to the public, however, registration is required as space is limited. For more information, to register, and for a full schedule of the day, visit weinsteinjcc.org. For questions, sontact Victoria Sheridan at vsheridan@ weinsteinjcc.org.

april 21 - 30, 2020 RVA

Israel

8 5 t h A N N I V E R S A RY M I S S I O N www.JewishRichmond.org

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 15

Or Ami happenings in October By Lenette Howard ur Religious School opened on Sunday, Sept. 8. With the addition of several new families, our roster continues to grow. Even though classes have begun, our creative and enthusiastic teachers, along with the support of our dedicated Rabbi and Education Committee, wel-come new students throughout the year. In addition to religious education for school-age children, Or Ami offers Torah Tots for preschoolers every other week. For more information, visit http://Or-Ami.com/school. Family Play Dates For even younger children, Or Ami recently began family play dates. The first play date was held on Aug. 25, and an enjoyable time was had by all. Future play dates will be ongoing on a monthly basis except for September due to the holidays. Two playdates are planned for October. For information, check out our new Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1323496451160067/. You do not have to be an Or Ami member to attend. Book Club The Or Ami Book Club will meet at 7 p.m., on Monday, Nov. 4 to discuss “Dinner at the Center of the Earth” by Nathan Englander, which is described as, “a powerful, wryly funny, intensely suspenseful portrait of a nation riven by insoluble conflict, and the man who improbably lands at the center of it all.” On Dec. 2, the book is “Devotion” by Dani Shapiro;

Synagogue Happenings

on Jan. 6, 2020, the book is “Matzah Ball Gumbo: Culinary Tales of the Jewish South” by Marcia Cohen Farris, and Feb. 4, 2020, the selection is “The Color of Water” by James McBride. All book lovers are welcome. The Big Dixie Swingers Mark your calendars for a return engagement of The Big Dixie Swingers on Oct. 19. Known as “New Orleans Finest in Western Swing!” the group is brought to Or Ami by Richmond Folk Music. The Dixie Swingers have created a terrific blend of string band, jazz, and pre-war pop tunes in a westernswing, dance band style. Past performances were very popular. Advance tickets are $10 and are available at https:// RichmondFolkMusic.com. Tickets at the door are $12. All are encouraged not to miss this event. SAVE THE DATE! New Year’s Eve arrives on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Celebrate with us at our annual New Year’s Eve Party with live music, food, a silent auction, and great company. This event is a fun fundraiser, so come join us and

bring your friends to ring in the New Year. You might score with the silent auction along with having a great time. For information, contact Congregation Or Ami’s office at (804) 272-0017. Stay tuned for more updates. Or Ami Services Congregation Or Ami is located at 9400 Huguenot Road, Richmond, 23235. Join members and guests as we explore Jewish wisdom, customs, and celebrations. Friday evening Shabbat Services begin at 7:30 p.m. with a potluck Oneg afterward. A potluck brunch and Torah Study is held most Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. with a diverse group of lively learners. All are welcome, and membership is not a prerequisite. For more information on any of our programs, or to verify the dates of the next Torah Study Brunch, Torah Tot schedule or any other activities, please call our office or check the calendar on our website. Want to know more about Or Ami? Contact us at Belong@Or-Ami.com or check us out at www. Or-Ami.com, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ OrAmiRichmond, or catch us on Twitter@oramirichmond. We are happy to answer any questions you have and welcome you to the supportive community of Or Ami.

Or Atid Invites the Greater Richmond Community to Yom Kippur and Festival Services C ongregation Or Atid invites you to join our congregational family for Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah services. Our traditional services are egalitarian and participatory, welcoming all Jews, including interfaith and LGBT families. We are using the modern Conservative High Holy Day prayer book, Machzor Lev Shalem, with 21st century translations, insightful commentary, and egalitarian sensibilities. Yom Kippur Services Kol Nidre services will begin at 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 8 and Yom Kippur services will start at 9 a.m. on Oct. 9. Engaging Yom Kippur Children’s Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Oct. 9, led by the dedicated staff of Or Atid’s Helen and Sam Kornblau Religious School. Children and their families will reflect on the past year through mindfulness, taking a meditative spiritual walk

through the past year as we apologize, forgive, and reflect together. After the journey, we’ll all participate in a watercolor Tashlikh ceremony as we leave behind the past to look forward to a new year. Sukkot Services Sukkot Festival Services will be held on Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. A Simchat Torah Festival service and dinner will be held at Or Atid on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. Children and families are welcome to attend this uplifting service as we dance around the sanctuary holding the Torah Scrolls in celebration of the Torah. A celebratory dinner will follow the service. On Monday, Oct. 21, Festival Services with Yizkor will begin at 10 a.m. Or Atid congregants Dan Miller and Ellen Bernstein will be the honorees this year. All are welcome to attend our High Holiday Services. If you are new to the area, or have never attended our

16| the Reflector| October 2019 Tishrei/Chesvan 5780

High Holiday services, we welcome you to join us. If you are a returning non-member guest, we are happy to have you join us again, and we suggest a contribution to our Congregation to help offset administrative and security expenses Given the need for tightened security at Jewish institutions, we ask that all non-members, whether new or joining us again, make reservations in advance by contacting our office at (804)7404747 or visiting www.oratid.org, so we will know to expect you. Please bring a valid ID to present on your arrival at the Synagogue. Congregation Or Atid uses a Sustaining Share pledge model of membership rather than structured dues. Any guests attending the High Holidays who decide to join our Congregation can apply their High Holiday gift to their Sustaining Share pledge. Congregants choose their own

level of giving to help sustain our Synagogue rather than be bound by typical synagogue dues. It’s more than a financial commitment; it is an emotional commitment that each individual or family wants to be a part of our community. For more information, please call (804) 740-4747. We would love to have you participate in our warm and welcoming services and community. L’Shana Tova! www.JewishRichmond.org

Happenings at Congregation Brit Achim C

Or Atid students and family members create collages, which will form Or Atid’s first family quilt. Or Atid Photos

Or Atid Helen and Sam Kornblau Religious School News

ith classes back in session, Congregation Or Atid students are settling into routine and enjoying the new programs and opportunities the new year has to offer. After one year of growth, the school’s Kindness Garden is thriving, and includes a Havdalah herb section, fruit bushes, root vegetables, healthy greens, and a butterfly box to attract pollinators. In the center of the garden lies a Makom Kodesh, a sacred space the students created together B’tzelem Elohim, in God’s image. This special place is available for students to go to for private thoughts and reflections, and classes may visit the space for special discussions and prayers. Students also decorated the fences surrounding the garden with Peace Plates, adding spots of color all around the garden. Behind the garden lays the completed mural from last year’s Voices + Visions poster contest; decorating the garden with a rainbow of colors and showcasing students’ growth and accomplishments over the past year. Sukkot is just a few weeks away, and this year families have a unique decoration for Or Atid’s Sukkah. On the first day of school, families www.JewishRichmond.org

Fabric collages created by Or Atid students and family members.

participated in a crafting workshop using fabric scraps to create a collage that represented their family. Each collage has been stitched together, and the completed quilt will be on display for the first time in the Or Atid Sukkah. The squares highlight the creativity and individuality of each student and family at Or Atid, and the quilt is a beautiful representation of all we can be when we are together. Even after the holiday passes by and the sukkah is put away until next year, the quilt is a meaningful display of art that will continue to hang in Or Atid’s halls. On Sunday, Oct. 20, students will have the chance to sleep in. Instead of attending morning classes, they will celebrate Simchat Torah with the

ongregation Brith Achim is a small Conservative and egalitarian synagogue located in Petersburg. We welcome all Jews to our community including interfaith and LGBTQ families. r Rabbi Dennis Beck-Berman is knowledgeable and informative on the Torah and prayers and will comment on both during services. If you need a place to go for Kol Nidre, Yom Kippur, or any holiday, come, you will not be turned away. There is no charge to attend for the High Holidays, but we do ask you to make a donation. Please go to our web page for dates and times for services. Our Sisterhood has been active. On Craft Days you can sit and schmooze as you work on your craft. There is usually someone there who can help with crocheting, knitting, needlework or some sewing questions. On Game Days, we get together for Mah Jongg and other card or board games. Near the end of October, Sisterhood will have a tea and officer elections. Watch our bulletin or web page for upcoming dates and times for all Sisterhood events.

congregation starting at 5 p.m. With help from students, Rabbi Hal Schevitz will unscroll the Torah all around the room, sharing fun facts and pointing out specific Parashot throughout the Torah. Students will march in a Torah parade, singing songs as we celebrate reaching the end of the Torah and begin the cycle anew. The Simchat Torah service will conclude with a family dinner. This October students will continue a new tradition, celebrating Challahween on Oct. 29; the last class of the month. Students will braid and decorate their own loaves of Challah, and then reimagine well-known Jewish fairy tales through music while the challahs are baking. In the prior weeks, students will be learning about and researching the various figures in Jewish folk tales,

On Sept. 14, Men’s Club kicked off its fall movie series showing wellknown, public domain videos from popular Jewish bands, an episode of “Shaboom” for the kids, and an Israeli documentary, “Steal the Sky.” Each Saturday evening movie event begins with a short Havdalah service followed by a potluck nosh and then family-friendly movies. We will be showing Israeli and Jewish NGO (non-governmental organization) sponsored films, music videos and cartoons on our big screen. Oct. 26 will feature Israeli and Jewish videos with a slightly spookier feel after a Halloweenthemed Havdalah and potluck. The playroom will have a carnival-like atmosphere as an alternative to the spookiness at our film. New members are welcome at any time. If you have any questions regarding membership at Brith Achim, please contact Helen Gutworth at hgutworth@yahoo.com. Visit our web page, www. CongregationBrithAchim.com for more information. If you would like to receive a copy of our bulletin via email, please send an email to: BrithAchim@aol.com with your name and request.

including the Golem, Og the Giant, and the Unfinished Corner of Creation. These folk tales help to explain and symbolize elements of Jewish culture, encouraging students to explore beyond what they already know about Judaism. And a little challah doesn’t hurt! The Kornblau Religious School is always open to interested families who are looking to start, continue, or explore their own Jewish Journey. In class, students discover new ways to interact with Jewish holidays and traditions, Israeli culture, Hebrew and Tefillah, and the weekly parsha. For more information about the school and to schedule a tour, please contact Education Coordinator Alison Litvin at relschool@oratid.org, or call Congregation Or Atid at (804) 740 - 4747.

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 17

Congregation Beth Ahabah’s first Rabbi, Maximilian Michelbacher in an 1867 photo.

Since the 1950s, JFS Adoption, a small, passionate staff of social workers, has helped take the complexities out of the adoption process for couples. JFS Photo

Courtesy of Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives

A copy of a painting of Fanny Heller Straus, believed to be around 1849.

Courtesy of Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives

Committed to practicing Tikkun Olam for 170 years By Wendy Kreuter CEO, JFS hen Fanny Heller Straus took office in 1849 as the first president of the Ladies’ Chebrah, there were no telephones, no cars, no televisions or radios. Richmond was a city of 30,000 in the largely agricultural Commonwealth of Virginia and its capital for less than a century. Congregation Beth Ahabah’s first Rabbi, Maximilian Michelbacher, arrived from Philadelphia only four years prior. The city, people and problems of Richmond have changed again and again between Jewish Family Services’ first year and its 170th. From the Civil War to the tuberculosis epidemic, the Great Depression to WWII, the tumultuous 1960s to Perestroika to today’s crisis of a rapidly aging population, JFS responded to meet the needs of the moment. J JFS changed from a small membership organization, to an all-volunteer charity, to the modern social services agency we are today, but one thing remained the same: our commitment to practicing Tikkun Olam. Now in our 170th year, JFS strives to create a better world through dedicated service to more than 1,300 people regardless of race, religion, age or income. What began as small group of Jewish women is now a $4 million agency providing the best options in homecare, customized care for seniors and adults with disabilities, guardianship, counseling across the lifespan and adoption services. And, we’ve never stopped evolving. JFS added three new programs and nurtured many new partnerships in just the past two years. JFS, in partnership with the entire Jewish Community, launched the Jewish Care Line in 2018 to provide individuals and families in crisis confidential access to services and limited financial assistance. A total of 19 families and 47 individuals received help in its first year.

18| the Reflector| October 2019 Tishrei/Chesvan 5780

In 2019, after two years of successful Personal Care Aide trainings held in our West End offices, JFS expanded the program to an East End location, for East End residents, with the goals of providing a workforce development opportunity and to serve more East End seniors and adults with disabilities. Without the help of our East End partners, Peter Paul Development Center, Richmond Redevelopment Housing Authority, Richmond Public Schools Head Start, and VCU Health, the East End Personal Care Aide school would be only a dream. Finally, after a year-long partnership, Connecting Hearts became part of JFS. The small but powerful organization, founded by Debbie Johnston, helps recruit families to adopt children in foster care, connecting kids with loving, permanent homes. Last year, almost 20 percent of the Central Virginia families who adopted a child in foster care participated with Connecting Hearts. Since 1849, JFS has pursued our mission to transform lives and strengthen our community by adapting, collaborating and growing. JFS will meet the challenges of the next 170 years in partnership with diverse individuals and organizations throughout Richmond. It’s hard to imagine what the problems of 2189 will be, but we’re confident JFS will be there to address them. We invite you to celebrate JFS’ 170th anniversary on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 4-6 p.m. at the Virginia War Memorial. The Birthday Party will honor JFS’ leaders, volunteers and staff, our friends and supporters and you: the lives we transformed and the community we strengthened. To RSVP or volunteer, please visit www. jfsrichmond.org, contact Morgan Goad at mgoad@ jfsrichmond.org or call (804) 282-5644 ext. 231. Jewish Family Services is supported, in part, by a generous contribution and a programming grant to support the Jewish Care Line from the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.

An elderly woman who was assisted by JFS. Courtesy of Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives

A Russian immigrant family arrives in Richmond. Courtesy of Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives

Sydney Fleischer of JFS poses with two Russian immigrants at the JFS office. JCFR Photo

www.JewishRichmond.org

JFS happenings The photos on this page illustrate the wide variety of services JFS has offered to the Richmond community from the resettlement of new Russian families, to a long history of assisting seniors as well as offering an important and needed Personal Care Aide Training classes. Also reprinted is an Editorial from the Richmond Times-Dispatch saluting JFS on its 170th anniversary. Photos courtesy of Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives and JFS.

YO U ' R E I N V I T E D ! Jewis h F a m i l y S e r v i c e s ' 170t h B i r t h d a y P a r t y October 6, 4:00 - 6:00 PM Virgi n i a Wa r Me m o r i a l RSVP: jfsrichmond.org or 282-5644 ext. 231

Presented by:

Richmond Times-Dispatch Saturday September 21 2019 Congratulations to Jewish Family Services (JFS)

as it celebrates 170 years of service to the central Virginia community. Originally started in 1849 as the Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Association — a group of women who focused on helping the local Jewish community — the organization has evolved into a modern organization that serves the broader greater Richmond area. According to JFS CEO Wendy Kreuter, “As the needs of the Richmond community have grown, we’ve expanded our mission, organization, and capabilities to be able to reach the greater population — all faiths, ethnicities, and incomes.” That mission has included providing care to injured Civil War soldiers, those suffering from tuberculosis outbreaks and flu epidemics and assisting struggling families during the Great Depression. In the 1930s and 1940s, JFS welcomed Jewish immigrants fleeing European persecution. The organization’s mission continues today, as they provide area residents with adoption and in-home care and care management services for seniors and the disabled. We wish this wonderful group many more years of success. Happy birthday. www.JewishRichmond.org

Responding with Care to those in Need

Richmond Jewish Care Line

(804) 525 - 8299 Connecting People with Help.

Confidential. Compassionate. Understanding.

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 19

All are welcome at ‘A Taste of Judaism’

A TASTE OF JUDAISM Mondays, October 21, 28 and November 4 • 6:30pm-8:30pm Three FREE weekly classes about Jewish spirituality, values and community, led by Rabbi Scott Nagel. All are welcome, Jewish or not! Contact 646.793.3169 or Intro@URJ.org Register at ReformJudaism.org/Taste/Richmond

Free Concert in Honor of Yom HaShoah RESCHEDULED FROM MAY 5, 2019

A special concert by Jocelyn Vorenberg and Friends in honor of Yom HaShoah TWO Opportunities to See this Concert Free and Open to the Entire Jewish Community Tuesday, November 19, 2019 • 7:00pm Wednesday, November 20, 2019 • 12:30pm Both in the Sanctuary

RENBERG

JOCELYN VO

1121 W Franklin Street • Richmond, VA 23220

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ongregation Beth Ahabah is pleased to be offering the Union for Reform Judaism’s ‘A Taste of Judaism®’ program, which is a 3-week course FREE and open to the public on Oct. 21, 28, and Nov. 4 from 6:308:30 p.m. The course is designed for those who would like to learn about the foundations of Judaism or those who may be searching for an entryway into Jewish life. Jewish or not, ALL are welcome. For individuals who have little or no experience with Judaism, entering a Synagogue can be overwhelming and intimidating. They may worry: Will I be accepted? Will my questions be welcomed? Will I be pressured to make a commitment? In A Taste of Judaism® all will be welcomed, all questions will be welcomed and answered, and there will be NO pressure to make any commitment. A Taste of Judaism® aims to ease those concerns and eliminate any perceived barriers and makes it easy to explore Judaism. The course is just three sessions with no course books and no homework, is offered free of charge, and course content assumes no previous knowledge of or exposure to Judaism. Each two-hour class explores a different aspect of Judaism: Jewish Spirituality, Jewish Ethics, and Jewish Community. The course will serve to strengthen the Jewish community itself, by giving couples from multiple faith backgrounds, adult children of interfaith couples, and non-affiliated Jews an easy, low barrier way to connect with each other and the Jewish community and start the conversation about what Judaism means personally for each one of them and their families. Additionally, in our rapidly growing, increasingly mobile, and more universal society where Jews and Judaism come into contact with almost every part of our culture, Congregation Beth Ahabah believes it is important to invite the entire community in to learn about what it means to be a progressive Jew in 2019.

Rabbi Scott Nagel, who will be teaching the course, explained that the course is designed for everyone: For Jews who are looking to build a foundation for further and/or deeper study; For people who have recently discovered Jewish roots in their family, or who are welcoming a Jew into their family through marriage and want to understand what this means; and for people who are not Jewish who want to learn about Judaism and their Jewish neighbors. Welcoming the stranger is an integral part of Judaism and one of Judaism’s most time-honored virtues. Our tradition commands us to be welcoming, warm, open, inclusive people. This command appears in the Torah 36 times, more than any other commandment. Additionally, welcoming guests is one of the few Mitzvot described in the Talmud for which we receive the rewards both in this world and in the world to come. In this day and age, the reason for welcoming the stranger is clear. If we take the time as community to engage in a comfortable and informal educational gathering explaining what Judaism is today and starting relationships with Jews of modernity, we are building a safer world for everyone tomorrow. It is much harder to hate a human being whom you know and understand. The Union for Reform Judaism has been running A Taste of Judaism® for more than 30 years in hundreds of communities across North America. In this time, A Taste of Judaism® has helped over 100,000 people deepen their knowledge and connection to Judaism. Congregation Beth Ahabah is proud to offer this program to the greater Richmond Community. If you or someone you know would be interested in registration or learning more about the program, please visit: ReformJudaism.org/Taste/Richmond www.JewishRichmond.org

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Rabbi Michael Knopf blows the Shofar to open the first day of Religious School.

Beth-El school happenings By Ramona L. Brand Director of Youth Learning Beth-El Religious School Beth-El Youth Programming Receives Grant hanks to a generous Rachel B. Banks grant from Richmond Jewish Foundation, we are pleased to announce the inauguration of the One Tree, Many Branches Interfaith Friendship Club. This collaborative program between Jewish, Christian and Islamic Faith communities will sponsor events that provide an intentional, mindful space where children and families can engage across communities and build relationships that blossom into friendships. We will gather together for social events that celebrate our unity while honoring our diversity. The friendship club will provide the necessary insights and experiences to dissolve cultural barriers and to spark a communal sense of compassion and understanding. Events will include: • Cultural programs such as: holiday celebrations, food, clothing, language • Art or music projects promoting peace • Games, stories, traditions from different countries, different faith backgrounds • Team building games and activities, or visits to local recreational activities • Joint charitable projects - such as planting trees together or doing a cleanup at an area park Our communities have gathered together for mutual support in recent times of pain and grief. Let us resist pain and hate by joining hearts in joy and understanding.

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Interfaith Friendship Club Community Thanksgiving Celebration, Sunday Nov. 24 Celebrate what makes us American with a community pot-luck dinner and social gathering – 5-7 p.m.; Location: TBD For details, email r.brand@ bethelrichmond.org October Religious School Calendar: Sundays: Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27 Wednesdays: Oct. 2, 16, 23 and 30 Pre-K meets: Oct. 6 and 20 KOACH (grades 8&9) Oct 6 and 20 (meets from 10 a.m. -noon) Confirmation class meets: Oct. 6 (meets from 10:30 am - noon) Contact Ramona Brand at (804) 3553564 ext. 111 or r.brand@bethelrichmond. org to learn more about our vibrant Jewish education and our remarkable congregation or visit http://www. bethelrichmond.org/education/brown-religiousschool/ to find a registration form. Temple Beth-El Tot Shabbat Services Saturday, Oct. 5 For families with children from infants to age 5. Open to the entire community. Families can enjoy a Shabbat service geared for young children and filled with music, stories, movement and more. A musical service designed for wiggles. Meet at 11:15 a.m. in the Kiddush Room at 3330 Grove Ave. Stay for Kiddush lunch after services. Beth-El More on page 23

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Richmond Beth-El Cemetery Company, Inc. Each year the Richmond Beth-El Cemetery Company, Inc. has a Cemetery Service the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Throughout our lives the example our loved ones modeled for us, good or bad, simple or complex, shape our lives forever. Even when they are no longer on this earthly plane, the need to connect, remember, and honor them lives on. One of the many ways we can express that need is through participation in Kever Avot services. Kever Avot v’lmahot (literally, the Graves of our patriarch and matriarch) is a service honoring our departed loved ones and their memories. Historically, Kever Avot was a superstitious occasion when Jews would take advantage of the auspicious timing before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when the Book of Life was open and God’s judgment was open to argument, to ask their departed loved ones to intercede on their behalf and make sure that their names were recorded for another year of life. In our time, Kever Avot is not so much

about soliciting heavenly intervention as about reconnecting with our personal history and honoring those who shaped it. As we look to the future, we should acknowledge the past and our debt to it, especially to those special people who helped mold our lives; who helped make us who we are. This year the Kever Avot Services will be held on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 10:30 a.m., both at Richmond Beth-El Cemetery located at Forest Lawn and at B’nai Shalom (Star of David) at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. We invite you to join us as we pray together, support one another, and honor the memory of those who have passed at our Kever Avot Memorial Services. Our services are open to all members of the community. Whether your loved ones are buried with us or far away, all are welcome. • Sunday, Oct. 6, at 10:30 a.m. - Richmond Beth-El Cemetery at Forest Lawn • B’nai Shalom Cemetery at Greenwood Memorial Gardens If you have any questions, please contact Bette Rose Webne at brp124@comcast.net.

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 21

KBI’s Food Cooperative

KBI welcomes all to Jewish Mysticism classes

ome two-and-a-half centuries ago, in the snow-capped Carpathian mountains of Ukraine, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov – the Master of the Good Name – founded the Chassidic movement. It was to become the largest and most influential movement in modern Jewish history, the most recent link in a long line of Jewish mysticism and mystical teachings. These teachings sought to bring powerful words of comfort to a Jewish community shattered by false messiahs and pogroms and anti-Semitism. And it worked. Now, at Keneseth Beth Israel, Rabbi Adam Winston is offering a ten-part series designed to share the depths and wisdom of Chassidic teachings with the Richmond Jewish Community. Rabbi Winston has given hundreds of classes on these topics all over the world. The classes will track the Jewish calendar and will bring insights and interdisciplinary connections to fields like psychology, behavioral science, art, music, and more. One of the

central tenants of Chassidic thought is that one can connect to G-d through everything, and the series is designed to bring that home. “Deep, intellectually stimulating study with the goal of bringing a connection to G-d to the emotional foreground; that’s our goal,” emphasizes Rabbi Winston. The first two classes were held at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19 and Thursday, Sept. 26 in KBI’s downstairs chapel. The next three dates – all at the same time and location – are: Thursday, Oct. 3; Thursday, Oct.24; Thursday, Dec. 19. For questions or to RSVP, email Rabbi Winston at adam.winston@ richmond.edu. May we all be written and sealed for a wonderful, sweet, new year

KBI invites community to Shabbat Dinner to honor veterans

eneseth Beth Israel warmly invites you along with your family and friends to join us on Friday, Nov. 15 at 5:45 p.m. after Shabbat services, for a special Shabbat dinner, during which we will honor our esteemed veterans. This dinner will be part of a new series, entitled KBI Shabbat Shalom Dinner Series, during which KBI plans

Can you help another Richmond family this year?

t the time this Reflector is distributed, many families in central Virginia will have started to celebrate the fall High Holidays, which include Rosh haShana, Yom Kippur, and Succos. As we connect with the Creator and our families, the KBI Food Cooperative would like the community to know that donations of food, food cards, and financial contributions are greatly appreciated. If you or a family you know would like to donate to the KBI Food Cooperative, please contact the Kenesth Beth Israel Synagogue office via phone or email 804-288-7953 or kbi@kbirichmond.com). For most families, the Food Coop reaches out and delivers food monthly. The monthly distributions assist those in the greater Richmond area who are struggling to provide wholesome food to their families. Weekly distributions are also available for those of greater need. In general, the families are employed, though under employed, and often have young children. The gifts they receive include gift cards to ALDI, frozen kosher chicken, and kosher cheese. Although clients are not required to keep kosher, the goal of the KBI Food Coop is to supply kosher food. The KBI Food Coop is the only Food Bank in the greater Richmond area that distributes strictly Kosher food.

The director of the KBI Food Cooperative is Julia B. Roth. The cooperative was formed in memory of Irving Roth and also Elaine, Joseph, and Jeffrey Bauchner. About the Food Coop, Roth says that, “As the director, I was trained by the Virginia Food Bank, FEEDMORE. I worked closely with Feedmore to set up and implement the Cooperative.” Roth also says this about the KBI Food Coop, “I am touched by the generosity that I see in our community: willing financial donors, volunteer delivery people, and folks willing to bring surplus food supplies. I am in awe of the donors. That being said, we always need more help financially. All accepted donations go directly to clients, as we have zero operating costs. Our organization is run completely by volunteers.” Please support this worthy cause by contacting Rivka Bart of Keneseth Beth Israel, by calling (804) 288-7953 or emailing kbi@kbirichmond.com. Food donations are also acceptable, as long as they are Kosher, non perishable or frozen. Any gift cards to grocery stores such as Aldis, Publix, and Wegmans are also accepted for donation as well. Wishing you and your family a healthy, sweet year!

to host, on a semi-monthly basis, Shabbat dinners open to the entire community, each with a unique feature. Please join us for a delicious dinner, great company, and a special program to honor our veterans. Please contact the KBI Synagogue Office for pricing and to reserve seats at (804) 288-7953 or email kbi@kbirichmond.com.

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www.JewishRichmond.org

Beth-El teens at an ice breaker session.

Beth-El Continued from page 21

Girls enjoy painting.

Boys take part in a painting activity.

Family Yom Kippur Services: Wednesday, Oct. 9 Tap, Tap, Tap Your Heart! Making Teshuvah together! Family friendly worship services will be held in the Social Hall at the Synagogue. Ramona Brand and Claudia Sachs will lead a musical, joyous service for families. Tot Kippur: 9:30-10:15 a.m. For families with children from infants to age 4. Family Yom Kippur: 10:45 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; noon. For families with children grades K- 6 Youth Programs Our Youth Groups offer social programs after Religious School hours. Participates have fun while deepening their engagement with each other and to their Judaism. Some events are only for the kids and teens, some are for the entire family! Some events will be free, while others will have a small fee or donation to support the activity/ project.

The teen group is led by our teen board under the guidance of our Youth Programs Coordinator. Our Youth Programs are open to any child in the Jewish Community Ruach: For students in grades 2-5 Kadima: For students in grades 6-8 Teens: For students in grades 9-12 / include participation in USY programs Teen and Kadima Kick-Off Havdalah, Oct. 26 Enjoy a potluck dinner, team building games, bonding activities and a beautiful Havdalah ceremony led by the Teen Board. Time and Location: TBD Upcoming Events: Save the Date Nov. 17: Kadima Fun Fall Festival: Apple Pie Bake-off Dec. 8: Ruach Rugrats Hanukah Party For more information or to RSVP, contact Maddie Berger at madboutart@gmail.com. For more information about our vibrant Religious School education program, email r.brand@bethelrichmond.org. or call (804) 3553564 ext. 111.

A young boy in the Pre-K class expresses himself.

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October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 23

Teens making lasting memories this summer By Sara Rosenbaum Director of Impact and Community Planning JCFR ach summer Richmond teens have the opportunity to participate in an exchange program with Israeli teens, both in Israel and Richmond. This program, called Tikkun Olam Teen Partnership, is an initiative of the Partnership2Gether SouthEast Consortium with Hadera-Erion in Israel. The Federation has been an integral partner in this initiative for more than 6 years. At the beginning of the summer, teens from the entire partnership region representing 10 communities join together with their Israeli peers for a 2-week program of touring, programing and learning about Israeli life first hand. Later, teens from Israel come to Richmond and the other Partnership communities to learn and share in American Jewish life and community. This summer in July, three Richmonders, Nancy Alexander, Claudia Sachs and Olivia Whitbeck had the amazing experience in Israel (see Claudia’s article in the August

issue of the Reflector for more on that experience). In August, these young women and their families along with other hosts welcomed 5 Israeli teens – Lihi Cohen, Usha Goldshmit, Aviv Malka, Adi Weinberger, Tomer Ben Yaish and their chaperone – Efrat Lapid, a teacher in Israel. While in Richmond, they toured sites, volunteered, spent a day in Washington, D.C., and developed activities and interacted with the campers at the Richmond Council for Jewish Education’s Camp Sababa, always a highlight of the trip for all involved. A busy summer can make the best memories and lifelong friendships. These program grow and solidify our connection with Israel and Israelis connection with Richmond, we continue to grow our diverse and wonderful family. If you are interested in taking part in this amazing exchange or other Partnership programs, contact Sara Rosenbaum at (804) 545-8629 or srosenbaum@jewishrichmond.org

The teens help serve lunch to the campers at Camp Sababa. JCFR Photos

At the Virginia State Capitol, the teens hold the P2G banner.

At FeedMore, Israeli and Richmond teens and other volunteers gather for a photo.

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Federation CEO Daniel Staffenberg welcomes the teens to Richmond at the JCFR office and discusses the importance of the Israeli teens learning more about the Jewish community here in RVA to bring back to Israel.

Community Happenings

Community members of all ages enjoy the Jewish Community Night at the Ballpark.

Summer Shalom Squirrels Success M

ore than 100 community members came together for the second Jewish Community Night at the Ballpark to watch Richmond’s Flying Squirrels baseball game at The Diamond. The crowd included new members of the community alongside those who have been in the Richmond area for decades. Joined by co-sponsors across Jewish agencies and Synagogues from the greater Richmond area, all ages came to the park for an outdoor evening of fun. Many wore shirts and caps featuring their favorite teams - some with the team names in Hebrew. The community shared an excellent view from the first-base side with snacks and schmoozing abounding. The evening game on Aug. 21 had the home team facing off against the Erie SeaWolves. At the seventh inning stretch, the stadium crowd was

www.JewishRichmond.org

treated to Cantor Sarah Beck-Berman of Congregation Beth Ahabah’s beautiful rendition of “God Bless America.” Thank you to the great co-sponsors for the event: Aleph Bet Preschool, Congregation Beth Ahabah, Temple Beth-El, Beth Sholom Senior Living, Congregation Brith Achim, Chabad of Virginia, Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, Jewish Family Services, Kehillah, Keneseth Beth Israel, Congregation Or Ami, Congregation Or Atid, Richmond Jewish Foundation, Rudlin Torah Academy, and the Weinstein JCC . For more information about events in the community, contact Amanda Braun at abraun@JewishRichmond.org or (804)545-8621.

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A week of fun,making new friends F

or the 10th consecutive summer, campers enjoyed another fun-filled week at Camp Sababa. The week-long program is designed and run by the Richmond Council for Jewish Education, a committee of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond. The group of educators from all the local Synagogues and agencies gather together to put on this amazing one-of-a kind camp each summer. During the session, campers explore their Jewish heritage and Hebrew through different themes. This year, Temple Beth-El Religious School hosted the campers. For the 45 campers, themes during the week in-

cluded Israel Day, Pirate Day, Celebrating Shabbat and others. Campers had time for arts and crafts, games, cooking and meeting friends from different congregations and around Richmond. A highlight of the week was when the campers were joined by 5 Israeli teens visiting Richmond as part of the Partnership2Gether Tikkun Olam Exchange program along with 3 Richmond teens who were their hosts. For more information on the camp, contact Sara Rosenbaum at (804) 545-8629 or srosenbaum@ jewishrichmond.org

As the pictures on the two pages show, the weeklong Camp Sababa was filled with fun programs and activities enjoyed by the 45 campers and the Israeli and Richmond teens. JCFR and contributed photos

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www.JewishRichmond.org

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 27

Education is the key to ending anti-Semitism T he Board of Emek Sholom Holocaust Memorial Cemetery invites you to join us for our annual Kristallnacht Memorial Service at our Memorial Site, Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. It is our mission to teach the Holocaust because … “Education is the key to ending anti-Semitism.” By Claudia Sachs When I first heard about the murder of 11 Jews at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, I was outraged, but not surprised. Part of me wanted to believe that events like these were exclusive to Pittsburgh. Here in Richmond, we have a Jewish community that seems safe and welcoming. But more recently, my Synagogue has hired a full-time security guard, and I fear for my life during worship. As a high school sophomore in Richmond, my body has never physically been shot with a bullet, but my heart has been wounded by the anti-Semitic behavior of my peers. A few months ago, I was conversing with a boy in Spanish class, and he jokingly stated, “Take a shower.” I said “Why, do I smell?” He chuckled, “No Claudia, I meant the showers of the Holocaust.” I was furious, but these comments

are all-too common. Students have asked if I have a “Jew nose” and “Jew smarts.” These kids are not malicious; they are ignorant. And in Richmond, their ignorance could stem into violence. How can Richmond stop these “jokes” before they go too far? The answer is self-motivated education. People of all faiths should educate themselves about Judaism, visit Synagogue services, and learn about the inaccuracy of Jewish stereotypes. Community members must abolish anti-Semitism though peer education and classroom engagement. At lunch tables and in the classroom, children, teens, and adults must form one bulletproof safety shield against hatred. After the events in Pittsburgh and the neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville last year, we know the plague of antiSemitism is slowly circulating around Richmond. A mirror attack to Pittsburgh could be right around the corner if people remain ignorant. Education may be the only thing left that can save us all. Claudia Sachs was “Correspondent Of The Day” by Richmond Times Dispatch. This letter to the editor is reprinted by permission.

The annual Kristallnacht Memorial Service will be held Nov. 10, 2 p.m., at Emek Sholom Holocaust Memorial Cemetery. The entire community is invited. Holocaust Survivor Tommy Baer places a stone on a gravestone following last year’s service. Photos by Rachel Loria.

Frances Goldman to receive Humanitarian Award F rances Goldman, longtime community leader and current chair of Richmond Jewish Foundation, will receive a 2019 Humanitarian Award from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. The 57th Richmond Humanitarian Awards Dinner is set for Oct. 28 at the Hilton Hotel & Spa in Short Pump. The awards celebration honors individuals and organizations for making significant humanitarian contributions to the Richmond community. Goldman, JD, CPA, co-founded The Tax Complex, LC, in 1995. She has over 30 years of tax experience in the preparation of trust, estate, gift, and individual income tax returns as well as income, post-mortem, and estate tax planning.

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Devoted to her community, she is actively involved with numerous organizations. She is past president of the Community Tax Law Project, and has served as treasurer of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond and chair of the Security sub-committee of the its Jewish Community Relations Committee. She was recently appointed as a member of the first Community Advisory Board of the “Richmond Times-Dispatch.” She also is a member of Altrusa International Women’s Service Organization, Temple Beth-El (where she serves on the Endowment Committee); Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association; Estate Planning Council of Richmond, the Virginia Bar Association, and ABA.

Frances Goldman Contributed Photo www.JewishRichmond.org

‘Soul Witness’ to be screened at Byrd Theatre, Oct. 22 M ore than 80 hours of witness interviews, conducted by Lawrence L. Langer, one of the world’s foremost authorities on Holocaust testimonies were locked in a metal closet for decades and have never been seen by the general public. The nearly 30-year old testimonies have been finally thrust into the spotlight in the documentary film “Soul Witness, The Brookline Holocaust Witness Project.” The film sold out several screenings in the New England /New York area following the release of the Soul Witness trailer. A special screening of “Soul Witness” will be shown at Virginia’s Grand Motion Picture Palace, Byrd Theater on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. The evening will include an introduction by Samuel Asher, executive director of the Virginia Holocaust Museum and a Q&A with Soul Witness Director, R. Harvey Bravman. In commenting on the screening, Bravman said, “ We are honored to screen our film in the historic Byrd Theatre. We hope that screenings like this will play a small part in helping to remind ourselves of the consequences of not being present and vigilant in the face of all forms of intolerance and unjustifiable hate.” The documentary features a collection of interviews of Holocaust survivors, conducted in the early 1990s. Witnesses describe their lives before the war, growing intolerance; their lives during the war and the affect their experiences still had on them at the time

of the interviews. Some witnesses survived death camps, some hid, others fought in resistance movements and many saved the lives of others. “Boston Globe” Film Critic Peter Keough wrote, “R. Harvey Bravman’s Soul Witness is a quietly devastating oral history. This film is a tribute to the Survivor’s courage, resiliency, and an all too timely reminder that it always can happen again.” Mark Skvirsky and Tracy O’Brien, Facing History and Ourselves on the film, “This film is important both for the stories that survivors share, but also for the way their voices are presented. The structure and tone of the film “humanizes” these individuals who might otherwise be perceived simply as victims.” Bravman continued, “These interviews contain some of the most epic and noble words I’ve ever heard. I tried to be a vessel for those who shared their experiences with us more than 25 years ago. The stories and lessons from those who survived this unimaginable tragedy provide an important message for our society. They talk directly to us about issues of intolerance, racism and genocide, as well as their immigrant and refugee experience.”” The film is intended for a general audience with an advisory for children under 13. Tickets to the screening are available at Soul Witness Tickets. More information on the film can be found at https://soulwitness.org.

Jews, Race, and Public Memory 44th Annual Conference of the Southern Jewish Historical Society October 25-27, 2019

Charlottesville, Virginia

Did you know that a Jewish woman is buried on the grounds of Monticello? Or that Thomas Jefferson learned about Judaism from storekeeper David Isaacs? To learn about these stories and many others, join The Southern Jewish Historical Society for their Annual Conference. The SJHS is comprised of professional historians and lay people who are interested in all facets of the histories of southern Jewish communities. To attend, go to www.jewishsouth.org. Click on the “Conferences” and “Upcoming Conference” headings to register and see the schedule and membership information. If you become a member of the Southern Jewish Historical Society your conference registration fee is reduced! The early registration deadline is September 25. See you in C’ville!

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 29

The Paula Carl Mega Challah Bake draws 160 women for a special day of sisterhood O

n Sunday, Sept. 15, 160 women from across the Richmond Jewish community gathered to honor beloved community member, Paula Carl, OBM, at the Paula Carl Mega Challah Bake, a partnership program between Chabad of Virginia and Hadassah Richmond. It was a beautiful afternoon of sisterhood, connection, Jewish unity and pride. Mothers, daughters, grandmothers, sisters and friends joined together to make delicious round Challahs for the Jewish New Year. Each participant made two Challahs - one to keep for their holiday table and another to share with a friend or someone in need. Each person also took home some wonderful Challah baking gifts to use at home. Raizel Deitsch, of Chabad at George Mason University, spoke about the spirituality of making Challah, and the significance of making round Challahs, symbolizing our wish for a year in which life and blessings continue without end. She also taught the women about the importance of being present in our busy everyday lives and how making Challah helps us accomplish this goal. Paulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beloved sister, Marcy Mostofsky and daughters, Lauren and Katherine Flax shared special words about Paula, who was devoted to both Chabad of Virginia and Richmond Hadassah. The following women served on the Paula Carl Mega Challah Bake, representing both Chabad and Richmond Hadassah: Melissa Brownstein, Ann Eisenberg, Ruth Greene, Fay Kranz Greene, Robin Jackson, Shields Jackson, Abby Klein and Nechomi Kranz. A special thank you to all of the generous Sponsors of the Paula Carl Mega Challah Bake. If you are interested in learning more about our next Paula Carl Mega Challah Bake or Sponsorship opportunities, please contact, Melissa Brownstein, Program Director at Chabad of Virginia at (804) 740-2000, ext. 2 or by email at melissa@chabadofva.org.

Posing with their Challahs are (from left) Yael Kranz, Tamar Kranz, Maia Zasler, Lisa Zasler, Maytal Zasler and Nechomi Kranz. Contributed Photos

Rabbi Yossel and Nechomi Kranz with Katherine Flax and Lauren Flax, daughters of Paula Carol (OBM).

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World renowned Cantor coming to Richmond for High Holidays C habad Community Synagogue is excited to announce that worldrenowned Cantor Moti Boyer will be leading High Holiday services this year. Cantor Boyer, who hails from Beit Shemesh, Israel, is Israel’s brightest Cantorial voice in decades. His incredible voice and range inspires audiences throughout the Holy Land and around the world. “Chabad is always looking for new ways to make Judaism come alive, said Rabbi Kranz, the Synagogue’s Rabbi and executive director. “Not surprisingly, the old tried and true is once again fashionable. Chazanut, Jewish cantorial

music, is experiencing a renaissance, and we are excited and honored to welcome a Cantor of this caliber to the Richmond Jewish community.” With the onset of the Jewish New Year, the question of where to attend services is high on the list for many Jews who don’t belong to a Synagogue. Chabad Community Synagogue offers inclusive, friendly and welcoming services, with no membership required. “According to Jewish tradition, the gates of Heaven are open on the New Year, and G-d accepts everyone’s prayers,” said Rabbi Kranz. “Chabad firmly believes that Jewish traditions

Chabad Happenings

and customs are the birthright of every Jew, and our synagogue is open to both Jewish and interfaith families, affiliated and unaffiliated, observant and nonobservant, alike.” Rosh Hashanah begins this year at sundown on Sunday, Sept. 29, and extends until nightfall on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Yom Kippur begins Tuesday, Oct. 8 at sundown and extends until nightfall on Wednesday, Oct. 9. For more information about Chabad Community Synagogue’s services or to reserve a space, visit www.chabadva.org. Yom Kippur Services are listed on Page x.

Cantor Moti Boyer Contributed Photo

Richmond Jewish Readers WORRIER TO WARRIOR All are welcome to join us for coffee and conversation at our next Richmond Jewish Readers Book Club scheduled for Monday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. Rabbi Yossel Kranz will lead a lively discussion of the book “Ben-Gurion Prophet of Fire,” by Dan Kurzman. This book chronicles the creation of the entire nation of Israel as it provides an unforgettable portrait of the life and times of this great leader. The free program is at Chabad Community Synagogue, 212 North Gaskins Road, 23238.

Game Night in the Sukkah

On Saturday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m., bring your favorite game, bring a friend, bring your competitive spirit as we challenge each other at some of our favorite board games. Refreshments served. Open to all. This event was so much fun last year – you won’t want to miss it!

Simchat Torah Hakafot Dance Party Don’t miss the best Simchat Torah Dancing! Join us on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m., for a fun night of Hakafot dancing, snacks and l’chaim with your friends. You’ll be glad you came.

JLI is Back!

Register today for the new Jewish Learning Institute course WORRIER TO WARRIOR with Rabbi Shlomo Pereira. Beginning Nov. 12, it is set for six consecutive Tuesdays, 9:30-11 a.m. or 7-8:30 p.m. The cost, including textbook and all course materials will be $120 for general admission; $90 for Chabad of VA members. The Course We yearn to feel happy, self-assured, and enthusiastic, yet we’re consumed by feelings of doubt, regret, insecurity, and suffering. Do our delicate positive emotions have a fighting chance at being in control? This course explores negative emotions in a completely new light, offering spiritual mechanisms that allow us to remain upbeat no matter what life brings. For more information or to register please contact Rabbi Pereira at shlomo@chabadofva.org or (804) 740 2000, ext. 2, or visit myjli.com.

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Richmond Jewish

Care Line

• Short-term emergency assistance for necessities like food, rent, medications, utilities, and car repairs • Financial counseling • Case management services including planning for future stability • Career counseling and job search coaching • Navigation of the public benefits process

www.JewishRichmond.org

October 2019 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5780 | the Reflector | 31

The Honeymooners

Info session held on 2020 Honeymoon Israel trip E

ver wanted to see Israel with your spouse? More than 30 community members attended a Honeymoon Israel Information Session on Sept. 10. Held at Blue Bee Cider, a representative from Honeymoon Israel came to answer questions and give a brief overview of the application process and trip that will leave from Richmond early next year. Honeymoon Israel is a unique program for couples with at least one Jewish partner, who are committed and within the first five years of marriage, to explore

Israel together. Additional funds for the trip will come from gifts to the JCFR Annual Campaign and from several generous private community donors. This trip allows the couples the experience to better understand Israel and live Jewishly, while creating a micro-community of fellow Richmond-area couples. While the application process closed on Sept. 26, the trip will depart in March of 2020. For information about Honeymoon Israel or eligibility for the trip, visit HoneymoonIsrael.org or contact Amanda Braun at JCFR at abraun@jewishrichmond.org.

The Richmond Honeymoon Israel group pose for a photo during their 2017 trip. File Photo

Some of the donated school supplies were stacked and then placed in backpacks.

Thank you for the school supplies F

RJCL co-founder and longtime mentor Miriam Davidow holds one of the backpacks donated. JCFR Photos

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or the 4th year in a row, Richmond Jewish One hour of your week can make a difference Community members have stepped forward in a child’s life! and donated school supplies and full backpacks RJCL has mentoring opportunities at for the new school year for students at Laburnum Swansboro Elementary School in Richmond and Swansboro Elementary schools. and and Laburnum Elementary School in Students and staff at these two schools also Henrico County. No experience is needed! benefit from the wonderful volunteers and Please contact Sara Rosenbaum at (804) mentors of the Richmond Jewish Coalition for 545-8629 or srosenbaum@jewishrichmond.org. Literacy, a program now entering its 21st year. The following donated to the recent School Supply Drive for the two schools - Thank You! Lisa Plotkin Phyllis Ellenbogen Diane Hurwitz Katy Yoffey Ellen Moncure Daniel Staffenberg Amy Melnick-Scharf & Jeff Scharf Bobbie & Jeff Levin

Diane Moore Lynn Schwartz Sara Cone Harry Deutsch Anita Kozakewicz Gail Plotkin Marci Linas Susan Davis Barbara Goldberg

Judy Markowitz • Mahjong Group: Eileen Strulson, Janice Freed, Barbaragae Joffe, Judy Kowler, and Carol Wheatly • Lynn Kessler and granddaughters: Carly & Eli Gerring & Sammy & Ali Rubinstein www.JewishRichmond.org

Fall events set for Hadassah

Dr. Charles Sydnor will speak at the Oct. 6 event at the Virginia Holocaust Museum.

he fall is full of events for Richmond Hadassah and our friends. Everyone is welcome! • Oct. 4 - Hadassah & Friends Lunch Bunch - 12:30 p.m., Grape Vine Restaurant, Cox and Three Chopt Roads. Contact Marian Winer to RSVP or for more information at (804) 270-7898. • Oct. 6 - A Day at the Museum Together - 10 a.m. - with Hadassah Charlottesville at

www.JewishRichmond.org

the Virginia Holocaust Museum. The morning will start with a coffee session with world renowned Holocaust and World War II historian Dr. Charles Sydnor followed by a behind the scenes tour of the VHM Archive Collection or a private docent tour of the Museum and special exhibit. Spaces are limited on both tours. Box lunches will be served. The keynote speaker for the day will be Halina Zimm, beloved Richmonder and Holocaust survivor. For questions or info, contact Elaine Ragone at talk2el@aol.com, 804-740-8673 or Claudia Biegler at claudiabiegler@gmail.com, or (804) 928-5888. • Oct. 13 - Book Club, 1 p.m., Weinstein JCC. Members and guests will discuss “The Unwanted: America, Auschwitz, and a Village Caught In Between” by Michael Dobbs. For details, reach out to Deborah Cohen at deborah.cohen2468@gmail.com.

Hadassah Happenings

• Oct. 18 - Shabbat Under the Stars - 5:45 p.m. Join Hadassah Richmond for our annual event to be held at the beautiful home of our gracious hosts Hannah and Allan Cohen. Enjoy an evening of friendship and a delicious Kosher meal during Sukkot, generously provided by the Cohens. RSVP by Oct. 10 (space is limited) to Marilyn Trownsell (mtrownsell@aol. com) or Elaine Ragone (talk2el@aol.com). Any questions, please contact Marilyn at (804)467-7798 or Elaine at 740-8673. While there is no charge for the evening, we encourage and appreciate your generous Tzedakah donations at the door, in honor of Hadassah’s life-saving 360° of Healing. • Oct. 27- The Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find the Superhero Within, 3 p.m. - Weinstein JCC. Hometown gal and three-time Cancer survivor, Valerie David will be bringing her award-winning one-woman show to town. Hadassah Richmond has $35 VIP tickets to sell, courtesy of Cintas Uniform and Frona & Alan Colker. The tickets are reserved seats and include a VIP reception with Valerie David. See Page 14 for more.

Karen Levitt will teach a yoga class on Nov. 3.

To purchase tickets or for information, contact Leslie Baron at (804) 305-7695 or Bubbielou57@gmail.com. • Nov. 3 - Lunch n’ Learn with Karen Levitt. Noon. Bring your yoga mats to the Weinstein JCC. Karen will teach a class on yoga. It will be a beginner level session. Wear comfortable clothing.

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Virginia Holocaust Museum Happenings

Rule of Law Award Day set for Oct. 10 at VHM T

he Virginia Holocaust Museum and the Virginia Law Foundation will honor John Grisham with the 2019 Rule of Law Award, and David Bobzien posthumously, with the 2019 Civility in the Law Award on Thursday, Oct. 10. The free program will begin at 5:30 p.m., and reservations must be received by Monday Oct. 7. RSVPs should be made to Brett Schrader at bschrader@vaholocaust. org or by calling (804) 257-5400 ext. 243. The award presentations will follow the Virginia Law Foundation’s CLE workshop entitled: “Hate Crime Legislation and Prosecution in Virginia.” The workshop is also free if not seeking CLE credits, and begins at 4 p.m. The guest speaker is Professor Kami N. Chavis, professor of Law and Director of the Criminal Justice Program at Wake Forest University School of Law. About the program A central lesson of the Holocaust is the centrality of the Rule of Law in the preservation of civil societies. This program established by the VHM’s Nuremberg Courtroom Committee and the VLF honors individuals whose life and work emulate the highest ideals enshrined in the principals of the Nuremberg Military Tribunal and later the International Court of Justice. Schedule CLE Workshop - 4- 5:30 p.m. Dinner - 5:30-6:30 p.m. Award Presentations - 7 p.m. The museum is located at 2000 East Cary St., Richmond. There also is free off-street parking

Violins of Hope Spring 2020

irginia Holocaust Museum and Virginia Museum of History and Culture will partner to bring violins played by Jews during the Holocaust to Richmond next year. Amnon Weinstein began curating his collection just over two decades ago, which debuted in North America in 2012. The museums will tell the stories of the violins while on display in interactive exhibits and in live concerts played by Richmond Symphony and other local musicians across various venues in Richmond. More details coming soon.

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www.JewishRichmond.org

Foundation Happenings

By Robert Nomberg president & ceo richmond jewish foundation

www.JewishRichmond.org

Donor Advised Funds – The Perfect Giving Vehicle L ike most nonprofits, RJF receives a lot of donations in the last quarter of the calendar year. Most of these donations are made to donor advised funds (DAFs). These funds allow for immediate tax deductions but gradual distributions to nonprofits and synagogues. These charitable giving vehicles are easy to create and provide tremendous flexibility. We currently manage 83 DAFs. DAFs can serve as a great charitable option to manage your generous philanthropy. We work with a host of professional advisors, including certified public accountants, wealth advisors, and estate planning attorneys. Upon their advice, many donors decided to donate several years’ worth of donations at one time. Such bunching of donations are becoming a common charitable practice because donors would concentrate donations to exceed the standard deduction every other year or so. Donors now have more reason to concentrate giving in certain years. If you donate appreciated assets like stocks and mutual funds that you have held for over a year you receive the added benefit of avoiding the capital gains tax. Donors also receive a deduction against their income taxes for the fair market value of the assets donated. If you typically make annual contributions to your synagogue, the Federation’s Annual campaign, the local animal shelter, and other charities, you would normally write individual checks to these varied worthwhile causes. This can be extensive record keeping for tax purposes and personal tracking. Instead, you can establish a DAF at RJF and make these same donations online from one location—the RJF donor portal. Checks will be sent from RJF to your favorite charities and you will receive an email indicating that the process is in the works. You will also receive a quarterly statement with contribution and grant information, and you can check online to see your balance and giving and donation history. What’s more, your DAF can be constructed to allow for access to the DAF so your spouse and children can make gifts to their favorite charities, as well. And to get your children involved in philanthropy, you may want to open a DAF for each of them when they are at an appropriate age. You can contribute money to the funds, and the kids can award grants as they see fit. It’s a wonderful way to pass on your values of Dor l’Dor, Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam. The RJF DAF offers competitive fees and confidential and individualized attention to our donors. DAFs can be established with $5,000 and we work with donors to establish funds with cash, appreciated securities, real

Make the choice today to impact the future. Call (804) 545-8656 to include a gift in your will or trust.

robert@rjfoundation.org www.createlegacy.org

estate, and other assets. While e-philanthropy may be of interest to many of our donors, we know that many people want to have a friendly voice to speak with on the phone. Our attention to detail and customer service sets us apart. At RJF you will always have the ability to pick up the phone and

speak to me or one of our staff whenever you have a question or a concern. To learn more about RJF’s DAFs, please visit www.rjfoundation. org, contact me at (804) 545-8656 or robert@rjfoundation.org for a confidential discussion.

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www.JewishRichmond.org

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