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2 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS: UNION

REFORM JUDAISM

JEWISH NEWS

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Yoffie: Torah yes, Halachah no Exit interview: ‘Extraordinary worship revolution’ — and regrets By URIEL HEILMAN JTA

EW YORK — At the end of this year, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, the president of Union for Reform Judaism, will step down after 16 years at the movement’s helm. Last week, Yoffie sat down with JTA Managing Editor Uriel Heilman at the URJ’s offices in New York ahead of the Reform biennial, Dec. 14-18 outside Washington. JTA: What are you proudest about your time leading the movement? Yoffie: My first biennial I talked about Torah at the center. That was less of a programmatic initiative than it was a theological and cultural assertion. We had to operate with a consciousness of Torah being fundamental to all we do. It was an important cultural change. Second, there has been an extraordinary worship revolution in the Reform movement of joyful, enthusiastic Jewish worship built around participatory Jewish music. It has dramatically changed the worship experience in the movement, and you really see it everywhere. I certainly didn’t create this, but we saw the sparks of this and then tried to support it, accelerate it. That’s Reform Judaism at its best. And camps. In the last 15 years we’ve added five camps and more than doubled our camping population. Any regrets?

I have lots of regrets. I’m not one of those people who say I have no regrets. Are all Reform Jews studying Torah? Celebrating Shabbat? Performing mitzvot? Until such a time that that’s happening, we need to ask why not and what more could we have done. Jews are a dissatisfied people; we cry out all the time. Jewish leaders have to be more dissatisfied than anyone else. Among the elite, we have more observance and commitment than I would have imagined possible, but

WHAT’S NEXT? WRITING ABOUT CHABAD Rabbi Eric Yoffie says ‘an extraordinary worship revolution in the Reform movement of joyful, enthusiastic Jewish worship built around participatory Jewish music . . . has dramatically changed the worship experience in the movement.’ URJ general levels aren’t what they ought to be. Two years ago we started a youth engagement campaign for ages 13 to 18. In retrospect, we should have started that 15 years ago. While individually I’ve been tremendously engaged and involved in Israel, the reality is that too many people don’t feel the connection they should. I’m sorry I wasn’t more successful in creating those bridges. The upcoming Reform biennial is slated to be the largest ever, with nearly 6,000 attendees. What’s so special this year? It’s a time of transition. There’s tremendous enthusiasm about Rick [Rabbi Richard Jacobs, the incoming president of the URJ]. People want to come. Most of these people aren’t rabbis but synagogue lay leaders who come at their own expense. That’s enormously encouraging.

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What’s the role of the president of the URJ? It’s a mistake to exaggerate the influence of the president of the URJ, and for that matter most Jewish leaders. The most important Jewish work is done in local Jewish congregations. We can help shape Jewish consciousness, give priority to important Jewish things, give concrete support, offer legitimacy in cases where there may be some resistance among leaders. If organizations like yours only have a limited influence on Jewish life, who has a great influence? The critical arena for the Jewish world is the synagogue. It’s the anchor. It’s the only place in the Jewish world where you’re valued as an individual Jew no matter who you are or how much money you have. It’s a democratic venue. It’s a place where you study Torah and you pray and you educate your children, where you create community, deal with people who are suffering, celebrate successes. Where else does that happen? Does contemporary Reform Judaism have an ideology? Heschel [Abraham Joshua Heschel, a major Jewish thinker who taught at Reform’s Hebrew Union College for five years before spending most of his career at the Conservative movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary] talked about a three-legged stool of G-d, Torah and Israel. I would say Torah study, observance of mitzvot and faith in the G-d of Israel. We understand you need a balanced Judaism; focusing on any one leg distorts the others. Reform Judaism has become more expansive. What is certainly different is the word mitzvah [commandment]. That word had really disappeared from the Reform lexicon, even as late as the 1970s. That began to change. I spoke a language of mitzvah. We now have a Reform Judaism that is in a certain sense more traditional. We’re also more radical. We live with the contradiction. We’re not a halachic movement and we don’t profess to be. In some

ways, we clearly have adopted polices that by pre-modern standards are a departure: patrilineal descent, gay and lesbian partnerships. If it’s not ethical, it’s not Jewish. As much as we embrace tradition, we remain committed to this notion. Reform Judaism long has struggled to gain a foothold in Israel. Will it ever catch on there? If we’re not a part of Israel, we move to the margins of Jewish history. The key is Israeli Reform rabbis. When we have 100 Israeli-born and -educated rabbis, it’s going be a different country and a different movement. Now we have 40-plus rabbis. In 10 years we’ll have 100. What’s next for Eric Yoffie? I write for The Huffington Post, I blog for the Jerusalem Post, I have some other writing projects. I’m exploring. There’s a lot to do in the Jewish world, even outside of the Jewish world. I’ve thought of writing about Israel, I’ve thought about writing about Chabad. I’ve always thought about writing children’s books. I enjoy the blogging style. It fits my mentality. What would you write about Chabad? Their role in the community is fascinating. I see the intense reactions they elicit, both positive and negative, from people outside of the Chabad world both in Reform and non-Reform circles. There are those who feel it’s undermining other institutions in the community and at the same time people who have been touched by a Chabad rabbi or have found a Chabad connection. There are Reform rabbis who say they specifically target our wealthy members and they feel that that’s outrageous, and other Reform rabbis who say they’re out there offering Jewish services in the competitive, free market society in which we live, and we have to do what we’re doing and we have to do it better.

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December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 3

N E W S : D AY

SCHOOLS

The tuition crisis: a breakthrough?

The Yeshivat He’atid model in Bergenfield yields a K-2 $8,990 tuition with no extra fees By GARY ROSENBLATT New York Jewish Week

EW YORK — Nearly 400 young parents attended an open house for a modern Orthodox yeshiva, planning to open in Bergenfield, NJ, next fall, that not only will offer a bargain-

called Yeshivat He’atid (Hebrew for “Yeshiva of the Future”) apparently has already inspired one stillanonymous donor, representing several wealthy businessmen interested in the effort, to form AJE,

‘Savings come from efficiencies, not from cutting corners’ rate tuition but promises to be a model for Jewish education in the 21st century. The still-to-be-opened school,

Affordable Jewish Education, a fund with the goal of starting schools like Yeshivat He’Atid across the country.

IJN profiled on 9News KUSA 9News profiled the INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS on Dec. 6 after the US Postal Service announced that it might stop overnight delivery of first-class mail due to budget cuts. To view the entire broadcast: http://www.9News.com/news/article/234297/188/Postal-Service-cutbacks-could-hurt-local-businesses. “We’ve been a loyal customer of the post office for 98 years,” IJN Executive Editor Rabbi Hillel Goldberg told 9News. “We want to keep being a loyal cus-

tomer of the post office for at least another 98 years.” Emphasizing that the IJN “takes timely news seriously,” the segment mentioned the paper’s archival coverage of the Holocaust, which published events occurring in Eastern Europe well in advance of the mainstream media. The Postal Service, which has been steadily losing income for five years, faces a congressional mandate to pre-pay health care costs for future retirees.

Gershon Distenfeld, He’atid’s executive vice president (a lay position), told the enthusiastic, overflow audience at the Teaneck shul hosting last month’s open house, “We are not here to discuss the tuition crisis; we’re here to talk about the solution.” The school, which is expected to open with up to 150 children in pre-kindergarten through second grades, will offer a “blended learning” model featuring individualized, “project-based” education that combines computers and face-to-face instruction. He’atid’s model comes as many schools, public and private, are stepping up their use of technology in the classroom, both as a cost-cutting measure and a way of individualizing instruction. A new low-cost and high-tech Jewish day high school, the Pre-Collegiate Learning Center of New Jersey, opened this fall in East Brunswick, NJ, with 20 students and a $5,000 tuition. The school, which like He’atid has received funding from the Avi Chai Foundation, combines online classes with face-to-face instruction, inperson mentoring and courses taught via videoconference. However, some observers have noted, there is only minimal evidence so far demonstrating the effec-

‘SOLUTION’ Gershon Distenfeld, executive VP (a lay position) of Yeshivat He’atid: ‘We’re not here to discuss the tuition crisis; we’re here to talk about the solution’ tiveness of new, high-tech approaches, and have expressed reservations about small children spending too much time in front of a computer screen.

aving already achieved more than half of its planned enrollment, He’atid is offering a $7,990 tuition for pre-

K, and $8,990 for K-2, with none of the additional charges such as a registration fee, building fund or dinner obligation, that are common in other day schools. Rabbi Netanel Gralla, the newly hired principal of the school, told the Jewish Week that “savings come from the efficiencies of the educational model,” where teachers will have some administrational responsibilities, and will deal with remediation and enrichment in the classroom. “Our educational model can personalize and customize so that students can learn at their own pace,” said Gralla, who is currently director of special services at a yeshiva high school for boys in Woodmere, L.I. He also served as head counselor this summer at Camp Kaylie in Woodsboro, NY, said to be “the first integrated camp with equal numbers of typical campers and those with developmental disabilities,” according to his bio on the He’atid website. He emphasized that his operative word is achdut, or unity. The new principal said he was excited by the prospects of putting into practice a new model school that can make full use of the fast-paced Please see $8,990 on Page 23

4 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

L I V E LY O P I N I O N Children of the 1960s still lay seige to the family and Judeo-Christian moorings

picture of how geographically widespread same-sex couples are, and how that portends certain success for them in their push for “marriage equality.”

BY MICHAEL J. NORTON Special to the Intermountain Jewish News

n 1964, Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” spoke to and for a restless generation fighting to counter American culture and traditions. Morality was under siege, and with it, historical institutions like marriage and the family. Fast forward to the year 2011 and many of the children and grandchildren of the restless ‘60s generation are still laying siege to these same institutions; still hoping to move America away from her JudeoChristian moorings and closer to a secular state where anything goes. As far as marriage and the family go, the fight is still for their abolition — which was the cry of so many in the “free love” crowd in Dylan’s day — but now these advocates press to redefine them so that the key characteristic of a marriage or a family is “love” alone.

In other words, a man who “loves” a man should be entitled to be married and because they “love” each other, their union should be considered a family. And why not? Ought we not to be with those we love? (Or so goes

As Kathryn Jean Lopez recently wrote, that’s a flight that ultimately says, “family structure is not that important, [because] love makes a family.” It’s also one which “tends to reduce marriage to a symbol of romantic love, disconnecting it from

‘All human beings are equal in their intrinsic dignity, but not all private relationships merit equal endorsement as a public institution’ the argument.) The problem is that most thinking people understand that “love” by itself doesn’t convert just any combination of people into a marriage and a family. And to claim otherwise is a purposeful flight from reality.

childbearing.” As crazy as all this should sound, those who wish to redefine marriage are not without their allies in the media and in academia. This was recently demonstrated in an article in The New York Times which sought to paint a

HILLEL GOLDBERG: VIEW

FROM

ortunately, Americans as a whole are far more grounded in reality than those who are intent on redefining marriage or those who support them in this endeavor. Therefore, instead of caving in and watching marriage undercut for future generations, the majority of Americans continue to support protecting natural marriage and the family. In fact, a scientific poll conducted by the Alliance Defense Fund and Public Opinion Strategies May 1619 of this year found that 62% of Americans agreed that “marriage should be defined only as a union between one man and one woman.” That means nearly two-thirds of those polled believe marriage should remain what it has been for so many millennia — the union of one man and one woman — rather than be changed to accommodate the demands of the homosexual agenda. The definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is rooted in immutable and empirical facts of nature with respect to human reproduction. Though all human beings are

Michael J. Norton equal in their intrinsic dignity and worth, it has never been accepted that all private relationships merit equal endorsement as a public institution. The marriage relationship makes a unique and essential contribution to the common good of any society. It facilitates the union of men and women in reproducing the human race and the cooperation of mothers and fathers in raising and nurturing the children produced by their union. Because of this, voters in every state that have had the opportunity to pass an initiative to protect natural marriage have ultimately done so, including, in 2006, the State of Colorado. On December 5, 2011, over 100 American-trained Orthodox rabbis Please see MOORINGS on Page 5

DENVER

Jacob’s favors Joseph — a delight from the orchard he Talmud says that four sages entered the “orchard” of mystical teachings. One died, one went out of his mind, one apostatized. Only Rabbi Akiva emerged unscathed. This means that a book that presents, or includes, the mystical teachings of Judaism will attenuate, dilute or blunt them to an extent. The “pure,” unadulterated mystical teachings will damage the unprepared soul. If eminent sages of 2,000 years ago — generations closer to the revelation at Sinai than us — could not properly prepare themselves to encounter the fullness of the mystical teachings, how much more so today. Which makes Rabbi Avraham A. Trugman’s Orchard of Delights, a Torah commentary, a challenge to both author and reader. Author Trugman wants to dig deeply into the mystical teachings, yet in a way that makes them not only accessible but bearable. And, in truth, he wants to do more, for “orchard” is actually a double metaphor. It not only stands for the mystical teachings. The Hebrew for “orchard” is also an acronym for “PaRDeS”: Pshat (the plain meaning of Hebrew Scripture); Remez (the allegorical meaning); Derash (the homiletical or sermonic meaning); and Sod (the mystical meaning). Trugman’s Orchard of Delights aspires to present the mystical meaning of the Torah, but also the plain, allegorical and homiletical meanings. Although Trugman has published five previous books on Jewish thought, this one might be termed his “magnum opus.” Published by Ohr Chadash, it is 667 pages long, including a glossary and three appendixes (on gematria, the six perpetual commandments, and the ten divine emanations or sefirot, all staples of Jewish mystical teaching). The book is beautifully produced,

with little design elements that give the volume a mystical touch throughout. Trugman, who was a youth leader in Denver in the 1990s, divides the book into 54 parts, one for each Torah portion. Within each part are several essays. Tr u g m a n ’s goal is to interpret the same passage within the Torah through its different levels of meaning.

ing and descending on it. “Jacob’s dream and his ability to not only interpret it but to turn it into a driving force in his life were inherited by Joseph,” writes Trugman. Joseph understood his father on a deeper level than his brothers. And father understood son. Jacob rebukes Joseph for his dream of the sheaves in the field bowing down to Joseph’s sheaf because Jacob correctly interpreted this to be a prophetic prediction that both he and Joseph’s brothers would end up bowing down to Joseph. Put a different way, the “plain” meaning of the text is not necessarily a simple or an obvious meaning. The distinction between the “plain” level of biblical interpretation and the other three levels is not necessarily a distinction between simplicity and complexity, or between simplicity and profundity. The “plain” meaning can be complex or profound or both. The other levels of meaning are not necessarily “higher,” just different. Jacob’s favoritism for Joseph, rooted in their common affinity for dream interpretation, explains more than the father-son relationship. It also explains the genesis of Joseph’s troubles with his brothers. “Perhaps that [inheritance by Joseph of Jacob’s ability to interpret dreams] is why Joseph so imprudently shared his dreams with his brothers and his father. His enthusiasm overcame his sense of caution as he knew that his dreams were vessels containing both prophecy and blessing.” And Jacob “guarded the matter” (37:11) because he knew that his son’s dreams would be realized as his own had been. So much for the “plain meaning” of Joseph’s own two dreams. Trugman unfolds the other lev-

One died, one went insane, one apostatized

ake this week’s Torah portion, Vayeshev. It opens with Joseph dreaming two dreams and ends with Joseph interpreting two dreams of Pharaoh. If I read Trugman correctly, he examines Joseph’s two dreams (and his power to interpret other people’s dreams) on all four hermeneutical levels of Hebrew biblical interpretation:

Pshat — plain meaning. Jacob had 12 sons, but Joseph was singled out for special treatment. For example, at the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, only Joseph is named as a descendant of Jacob. “And these are the generations of Jacob, Joseph was 17 years old” (Gen. 37:2). Why is Joseph special in Jacob’s eyes? The favoritism is due to Joseph being “the son of his [Jacob’s] old age.” Trugman also writes, “No doubt this special treatment was also a reflection of Jacob’s deep love for Rachel, his first love, whose oldest son was Joseph.” All true, but we did not need a book by Trugman to tell us this. It’s right there within, or on the surface, of the biblical text. Trugman’s contribution to the conversation, if I understand him correctly, is this: Joseph was attuned to Jacob in a special way. Consider the dream in Jacob’s life — the ladder ascending to heaven with angels ascend-

els not in the order of the acronym “PaRDes.” Derash (homily) comes next (instead of remez, allegory). Derash — homiletical meaning. The midrash says that everything that happened to Jacob also happened to Joseph, and enumerates a long list of parallels in their lives. Jacob favored Joseph because he saw in him the extension of his own life. One parallel between father and son is that both rose to greatness through dreams. “Jacob was promised a glorious future and divine protection in his dream of the ladder, while Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams guaranteed his rise to fame and fortune,” writes Trugman.

Remez — allegorical meaning. Because Trugman’s topic is Jacob’s favoritism for Joseph, and because the plain and homiletical meaning of this favoritism point to Joseph’s insight into his father and the commonality in their lives, allegories within the record of Jacob’s life illuminate Joseph’s life, too. Upon awakening from his dream of the ladder, Jacob took the stone he had placed around his head (as a pillow) “and set it up as a pillar; and he poured oil on its head” (28:18). Now, the midrash has already noted that when Jacob lay down to sleep, he took 12 stones for a pillow, and when he awoke they had fused into one stone. This represented the ultimate union of the 12 sons, which Jacob would bear, into one people. But what might this further symbolize? Is there any deeper allegory here? “Symbolically, the stones’ fusion might also signify Jacob’s own ability to integrate the symbolism of the dream until it became absolutely one with his consciousness.” A further jump from homily (derash) to allegory (remez): The Hebrew word for the pillar that Jacob “set up” derives from the same Hebrew root describing the ladder

Hillel Goldberg of Jacob being “set” firmly in the earth. Now, Jacob poured oil on the head of the pillar he set up, and the head of the ladder reached the heavens. “Thus, in anointing the pillar, Jacob transforms the dream symbols into reality” — just as Joseph would later transform his dreams into the reality of his brothers bowing down to him in Egypt, begging for grain and their brother Benjamin’s release. Sod — mystical meaning. Given all these levels of connection between Jacob and Joseph, Jacob educated Joseph differently from his other sons — “transmitting his deeper inner teachings to Joseph alone.”

learly, every biblical passage is susceptible to interpretation on more than one level; just as clearly, of the four basic levels of interpretation, some apply more amply and some less so to any given passage. This wavular arc, one level now ascending and another descending, interweaves itself throughout Orchards of Delight. The reader is led to the orchard; delights await, in varying levels of intensity. Throughout, Trugman takes the text seriously, takes the reader seriously and takes spirituality seriously. He not only “sets up” the teachings he has carefully crafted over many years, but provokes the reader into examining, acquiring and enriching insights of his own.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 5

THE READERS SPEAK To Thomas Friedman: I wasn’t bought Editor: Thomas Friedman wrote in The New York Times (Dec. 14) that the “standing ovation [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] got in Congress this year was not for his politics. That ovation was bought and paid for by the Israel lobby.” Thomas Friedman’s defamation against the vast majority of Americans who support the Jewish State of Israel is scurrilous, destructive and harmful to Israel and her advocates in the US. Friedman is not only wrong, but he’s aiding and abetting a dangerous narrative about the US-Israel relationship and its American supporters. I gave Prime Minister Netanyahu a standing ovation, not because of any nefarious lobby, but because it is in America’s vital national security interests to support the Jewish State of Israel and it is right for Congress to give a warm welcome to the leader of such a dear and essential ally. Friedman owes us all an apology. CONG. STEVE ROTHMAN Democrat, New Jersey

GOP plays politics with unemployment Editor: The Republican election gains in the 2010 congressional elections were in part the result of our great recession job losses and the GOP’s promise to create new jobs. Since then, the Republican leadership has made it clear that their top priority is defeating Obama in 2012. They have no plans to do anything that would create jobs while Obama is president. If the unemployment rate remains high in the months leading up to the election, Obama’s chances of victory will decline. Should the unemployment rate decline as the election approaches, more voters would think that Obama deserves another term. Right now the battle has turned to the payroll tax cuts, set to expire at the end of 2011, unless there is an extension. Also at stake is an extension of unemployment benefits for 1.8 million long term unem-

L I V E LY OPINION CHANGE from Page 4

reaffirmed Judaism’s view that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman. These rabbis, who have devoted their lives towards helping people “seek a holy path to serve G-d and to fulfill their spiritual needs,” emphasized that a homosexual union is not sanctioned by Torah law and is thus not an Orthodox wedding. Likewise, the Alliance Defense Fund, along with these rabbis and millions of Americans, believes that term “marriage” has only one meaning and that is a marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union. The bottom line — the times might be “a-changin’” but certain aspects of those times are not. And one aspect that is still holding its ground is the G-d-ordained union of one man and one woman in holy matrimony. Michael J. Norton, a former US Attorney for Colorado, is a senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, a legal alliance to preserve religious liberty and the sanctity of life, marriage and the family.

ployed Americans. Both of these bills were passed a year ago at the same time the Bush tax cuts for wealthy taxpayers were extended until the end of 2012. The payroll tax cuts in 2011 totaling $187 billion gave most middle class American families an average of $1,500. If there is no extension, they will have to pay the same $1,500 in additional taxes in 2012. The result will be lost jobs and a slowing of the economy right before the election. Republicans know that defeating this payroll tax extension is a great opportunity for them to sabotage our fragile economy and damage Obama’s reelection chances. $187 billion is a significant amount of money, but it pales in comparison to the unfunded Bush tax cuts that will add $3.9 trillion to our deficit in the next 10 years. Since the wealthy will still be collecting their Bush tax cuts in 2102, how can you stick the middle class with a $1,500 tax hike in the middle of our worst recession ever? It is the power of the middle class purchasing goods and services that stimulates jobs. Businesses create jobs when they believe that because of increased customer demand, they will make more money if they hire an employee. Not only should we extend the payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits, we must make the wealthiest pay the same tax rate that they paid under President Clinton. This is not “class warfare” but a return to shared sacrifice. The new revenues can be used for additional middle class tax cuts and to reduce our national debt. Americans understand that we can’t rebuild the economy without rebuilding the middle class. JERRY KATZ Denver

When there’s no role model for a boy Editor: My 12-year-old son lives with his mother overseas. One Lag b’Omer, when he was 10, I took him to a bonfire. I was watching him as he started crying tears of joy — of belonging. It occurred to me that yes one of my responsibilities is to be a role model. Chanukah is an opportune time to find a role model for children who unfortunately have none at home. The holidays are family time, and to children without a father at home, this is when they feel the void the most. Children don’t like feeling different; a boy needs an adult to replace the on-site role modeling of an absent parent. A designated adult — a role model — is the perfect answer. A role model doesn’t replace a father, but will make it comfortable for your child to join in activities which a father does with his son. I sometimes see boys who end up with a different neighbor or in a different shul every week. That usually doesn’t work. A role model is not a mentor or a private tutor. A mentor takes children or teens out and does activities with them. This can run into a big chunk of time and money. A private tutor is for learning. A role model will do the things that any father does for his sons; he doesn’t need lots of extra time or money. He can just include your son in the activities he’s doing with his own children. How to find a competent role model? • Ask a rabbi for a reference on a person you are considering as a role model. • He should be accessible — a neighbor, grandparent, uncle or cousin. • Give your son’s role model an

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The IJN welcomes letters from our readers. Opinions are the author’s, not necessarily the IJN’s. Letters are subject to editing; must be typed, double spaced; must be signed, with return address and phone number; and must be addressed to ‘Editor’ — no ‘open’ letters, poetry, personal thank you’s or third party letters (copies of letters written to someone else) accepted. Letters can also be submitted by e-mail to email@ijn.com

Obama and the Jews: a dispassionate appraisal With Jewish support at the lowest level of any Democrat since Jimmy Carter, Obama’s supporters have sounded increasingly desperate in trying to rally the usually loyal Jewish base behind the president. Meanwhile, Obama’s opponents have been ramping up their campaign to paint the president as hostile to Israel. The truth is that partisans on both sides have overstated their cases. Polls have shown a precipitous decline in Jewish support for Obama (from 78% to 54%) that is partly attributable to his overall policies — resulting in an even steeper reduction of support in the general population — but is also unquestionably related to his policies toward Israel. Hardcore Democrats find it difficult to believe that Jews have abandoned the president. They emphasize the positive things the president has done, but ignore two years of disastrous policies toward Israel, and the fact that Obama has not visited Israel. It is not only American Jews who are alarmed. Up until Obama’s September, 2011, UN speech, the overwhelming majority of Israelis viewed the president as unfriendly. Administration policies, and the president’s seemingly contemptuous attitude (most recently reflected by Obama’s comment in reaction to French President Sarkozy calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a liar), created a sense of crisis in the USIsrael relationship. Given this history, the partisan apologetics lack credibility. Some of Obama’s detractors are equally dishonest. While rightly highlighting those first two years of policies, they dismiss the 180degree turn in Obama’s positions on Israel during the last year. Though some may argue he has done it reluctantly, or only to pander, the reality is the president has consistently supported Israel in 2011. Obama has: • acknowledged Israeli securiofficial title (“Sam’s role model”); this defines his mission and spells out his responsibility to your child. • Find someone who will be there as he says he will. • Spell out — on paper — exactly what you want the role model to do. A list will show the role model that you’re not asking for a major commitment. This will make it easier to find someone. What can a role model do with your son? • Take him to community events. • Pack boxes at Tomchei Shabbos. • Invite a child to join the Shabbos meal in his home. • Take your child to watch the lighting of Chanukah menorah. • Take your son to shul on Shabbos. We hope that all people who offer to help children have only their best interests in mind. But not everyone models the behavior we want. Also, children from single parent families are more vulnerable to predators. Feel comfortable establishing guidelines. For example, all activities should be arranged in a public place or in your home, not in a private or secluded place. I have a pamphlet for role models. Contact me for copies. RABBI SHLOME EHRLICH Ohr Layesharim Nutley, NJ rabbisehrlich@gmail.com

By MITCHELL BARD JTA ty concerns; • increased military cooperation (including selling Israel bunker busting bombs Bush refused to transfer); • abandoned his counterproductive call for a settlement freeze; • vetoed a UN resolution labeling the settlements illegal; • threatened a veto of the Palestinian unilateral declaration of independence; and • cut off US Mitchell Bard funding of UNESCO after the Palestinians defied him and gained membership in the organization. PERHAPS THE most serious obstacle for Democratic partisans is the impact of Obama’s first two years on the issue of trust. Even Jews who would acknowledge the positives of the last year have been so rattled that many don’t believe the president’s views have changed. Many Jews believe Obama, rather than see the light, has seen the polls, and is pandering out of desperation to secure reelection. These Jews fear that in a second term Obama could turn on Israel with a vengeance. Partisan Democrats also underestimate Jewish concern with Obama’s overall foreign policy and the feeling that the president has weakened the US and increased the risk to Israel. Consequently, the strategy of pointing out the good things that Obama has done with Israel has a marginal impact on voters who worry about Obama’s troop withdrawal from Iraq, failure to stop the Iranian nuclear program,

Dry Bones

unwillingness to help the Syrian opposition, abandonment of Mubarak, unconcern over the Hezbollah takeover of Lebanon and ongoing appeasement of the Saudis. Jews will not decide their vote solely on Israel, but the administration clearly is worried; otherwise, Democrats wouldn’t be investing the resources they are in trying to regain Jews’ support. So those who try to argue Jewish voters don’t matter clearly are not paying attention to the calculations made in the White House. REPUBLICANS have their own problems. With the exception of Ron Paul, the candidates have said what proIsrael voters want to hear, but what is said during a campaign does not always translate into policy. Republican partisans would like Jewish voters to focus on Israel, but many Jewish Democrats looking for an alternative to Obama are put off by the Republicans’ domestic policies. Each presidential election has a potentially profound impact on Israel; therefore, any suggestion that the incumbent and his challengers’ views on Israel should not be rigorously scrutinized and debated is irresponsible and dangerous. The next president will face critical decisions regarding US policy toward new Arab regimes, Iran’s nuclear program, radical Islam, terrorism and Palestinian efforts to achieve independence without negotiations or compromise. Jewish voters will ultimately review President Obama’s record and consider what he may do in a second term when he is no longer constrained by concerns for reelection. They will have to decide if the alternative is likely to be better or worse. Mitchell Bard is a foreign policy analyst in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

6 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS: ISRAELI

POLITICS

Netanyahu calls early Likud election Amid tensions with allies abroad, Netanyahu is shoring up power at home By MATTHEW WAGNER JTA

ERUSALEM — He may be a lightning rod for criticism abroad, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is consolidating power at home. On Dec. 5, Netanyahu announced that elections for leadership of his Likud Party would be held Jan. 31. The decision came as something of a surprise; primaries in Israel were expected to be held closer to the next general elections, which are set for October, 2013. Leading Likud ministers — except for Regional Development Minister Silvan Shalom, who had harbored unrealistic hopes of challenging Netanyahu — strongly supported Netanyahu’s decision, timed to take advantage of the prime minister’s relative popularity. “A strong prime minister makes for a strong Likud,” said Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar. In an opinion poll based on 505 respondents published in Haaretz at the beginning of December, Netanyahu’s approval rate stood at 49%. It has bounced back from 32% in a July Haaretz poll, when demonstrations were raging against socioeconomic inequalities and the cost of living. According to the December poll, if parliamentary elections had been held in November, Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu, the second-largest coalition party, each would have gained two Knesset seats. The poll predicted that leading opposition parties Kadima and Labor would not be able to seriously chal-

OPPORTUNITY PM Netanyahu’s popularity has surged — he wants to lock in the Likud leadership. lenge the right’s dominance. Netanyahu and his coalition — buoyed by a solid base of haredi Orthodox Jews, immigrants from the former Soviet Union, religious Zionists and secular right-wingers — enjoy impressive political stability. For all his strength at home, Netanyahu has had rocky relations with some of Israel’s allies, including the US. Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made separate remarks that were taken by some as implicit rebukes of the current Israeli government, though others have suggested that their remarks were not intended in that spirit.

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In an address to the Saban Forum in Washington, Panetta suggested that Israel needed to “mend fences” with its neighbors. In response to a question about what Israel should do to advance peace, Panetta said “just get to the damn table.” Responding to a question in an off-the-record session at the same conference, Clinton reportedly expressed some concerns over the state of Israeli democracy. She was said to have criticized gender-segregated buses serving the haredi Orthodox community and a proposed Knesset measure aimed at constricting left-wing NGOs. After the comments by Clinton and Panetta were made public, influential Haaretz columnist Ari Shavit accused Netanyahu of sacrificing the support of the democratic West — which he said over the years has supported Israel politically, militarily and economically — to maintain his base of “nationalists,” “nationalreligious” and “haredim.”

Another calculation: possible coalition defections Shavit and other centrists would have preferred to see Netanyahu form a coalition with Kadima and Labor following the 2009 elections. If he had, some argue, Israel may have made more headway in peace talks with the Palestinians and been on better terms with the Obama administration and with Western European countries. But if Netanyahu had formed such a coalition, it is not at all clear that his position within the Likud would have been as strong as it is today. Nor is it clear that Netanyahu would have enjoyed the political stability he has with his current partners.

he apparent tensions between Jerusalem and Washington have fueled speculation that Netanyahu’s call for an early leadership vote was connected in part to the US presidential elections in November. Some commentators have speculated that Netanyahu fears a victory by President Obama. According to the theory, Netanyahu is afraid that Obama in a second term will renew pressure on Israel to freeze building in the West Bank, dismantle outposts or take other proactive steps to jumpstart negotiations — steps that, if implemented, could endanger the

DEMOCRACY David Rotem dismissed claims that Israel is moving away from the West. stability of Netanyahu’s coalition and turn hawkish Likud Knesset members against the prime minister. Some have suggested that a second Obama administration may even attempt to send out signals of dissatisfaction with the Netanyahu government ahead of the 2013 Israeli elections in an attempt to influence the outcome. There are precedents: Bill Clinton, fed up with Netanyahu’s settlement policies, used the tactic to help Ehud Barak defeat Netanyahu in the 1999 Israeli elections. George H.W. Bush, angered by Yitzhak Shamir’s intransigence on peace talks with the Palestinians, did the same in 1992 to help Yitzhak Rabin to victory, according to Zalman Shoval, who was Israel’s ambassador to the US in Likud-led governments during both periods and now heads the prime minister’s advisory forum on US-Israel relations. Holding the Likud leadership race in January would enable Netanyahu to advance the general elections to as early as July, 2012 if he sees Obama doing well in the polls, though the scenario seems far-fetched. Also, moving up the vote would depend on Netanyahu’s ability to muster a majority in the Knesset for early elections — no easy task. Nevertheless, such speculation reflects the perception in Israel that relations between the Israeli government and the Obama administration have deteriorated. Still, Shoval, who recently returned to Israel from a trip to the US, where he met with senior White House officials, said the recent comments by Panetta and Clinton should be taken “with a grain of salt.” Shoval said he was told that the comments were made “off the cuff.” “I’ve never felt such strong support for Israel in Washington,” he said.

hoval also dismissed the idea put forward by Shavit that the Netanyahu government is moving away from the values

of Western democracies. “Unlike in the US, we have no death penalty for criminals, openly gay soldiers have long enjoyed full rights in the IDF, we have no problem with abortions and there is no political intervention in the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court,” Shoval said. Yisrael Beiteinu’s David Rotem, chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, also dismissed claims that Israel was drifting away from the West. “Israel has its own form of democracy, a Jewish democracy,” Rotem said. “And this Jewish democracy is no different from Western democracies — it defends itself when it is attacked.” Though he is widely seen as hawkish, Netanyahu has taken steps to position Likud as a more centrist party.

etamyahu called the snap leadership race to coincide with a previously planned Likud Central Committee election. Doing so is expected to increase the chances of a large turnout from about 100,000 eligible party members since the last Central Committee election, held a decade ago. Many will not want to miss the chance to choose a new committee. A large turnout not only will give more legitimacy to Netanyahu’s victory, it also might help him to further sideline far-right party activist Moshe Feiglin, Netanyahu’s only competition, who garnered 23% of the vote in the last primaries, held in 2007, thanks in part to the mobilization of a highly motivated minority against a more complacent pro-Netanyahu camp. Netanyahu also has taken steps to partially roll back affirmative action measures that have encouraged West Bank settlers to participate in the Likud’s Central Committee by giving them proportionally more representatives relative to their size. While solid, the stability of the current Israeli government is not unshakable. A possible corruption indictment against Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, upon whom Yisrael Beiteinu’s other largely unknown Knesset members rely for political currency, could devastate the party. The Sephardic haredi Orthodox party Shas, another key coalition partner, would be vulnerable in the event of a number of possible developments, including the death of its spiritual leader, nonagenarian Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, or a challenge from its charismatic former political leader Aryeh Deri. These potential dangers to his coalition’s stability, which might lead to early elections, may have provided additional impetus for Netanyahu to consolidate his power now.

Chanukah Sameach from

State Representative

Wishing you a Fun-filled Chanukah Sen. Joyce Foster

Sen. Pat Steadman

Rep. Lois Court

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 7

NEWS: JEWISH

SPECIAL NEEDS FUNDING CONFERENCE

Big push for special needs inclusion Boston philanthropist Jay Ruderman leads new push to focus on the disabled By LISA KEYS JTA

EW YORK — A parent with a child who is deaf; a sister with a learning disabled brother. The most outspoken advocates for people with special needs tend to be those who became active because of a personal connection to the issue. That’s not the case for Jay Ruderman, who works tirelessly to improve the lives of those with disabilities. As president of the Boston-based Ruderman Family Foundation, he helps funnel his family’s considerable wealth toward programs that integrate the disabled into American Jewish life and Israeli society. Special needs, Ruderman insists, is not an issue that concerns only those with a personal stake — a point he stressed at Advance: The Ruderman Jewish Special Needs Funding Conference, the secondever gathering of disability philanthropists. “Focusing on disabilities and special needs as a special interest alone leaves us all the poorer,” Ruderman said during his remarks. “This is a justice issue, it’s a Jewish issue and it’s all of our issue.” The Dec. 6 event drew some 150 participants to the Baruch College Conference Center in New York with the goal of creating partnerships and raising the profile of special needs inclusion within the Jewish world. The room was a cross-section of the Jewish community: young and old, observant and not, lay leaders and Jewish communal professionals. The positive energy was palpable as colleagues from across America and Israel relished the opportunity to connect face to face. Ruderman, 45 and somewhat boyish despite the flecks of salt in his close-cropped beard, exudes a pleasant calm amid the buzz. Speaking to a reporter he is affable and on-message, clearly seasoned in dealing with the media. His demeanor is both passionate and genuine, even as he tells anecdotes he has shared before. “It’s a good, good crowd,” said Ruderman, surveying the room.

hen the Ruderman Family Foundation — along with the Jewish Funders Network, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish Federations of North America and the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston — convened the first Advance Conference last year, “I thought we’d have maybe 50 funders,” he said. But more than 100 showed up — a clear sign that Ruderman and his partners had tapped into an unmet need. Approximately 18% of Israel’s population has some form of disability, and estimates indicate a similar percentage within the American Jewish community, Ruderman said. Ruderman’s nephew was diagnosed with autism. “It brought us emotionally closer to the issue,” he said. “It wasn’t theoretical; it was personal.” Even with many people knowing someone who is disabled — and perhaps becoming disabled themselves at some point in their lives — conference attendees said the organized Jewish community doesn’t do enough to reach the disabled. The Rudermans, however, are walking the walk. One successful project, launched seven years ago, allows special needs children access

to Jewish day schools throughout Boston. In a more recent endeavor, the foundation provided a $2.5 million grant to the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston that provides customized job training and ongoing support for young adults with disabilities. Known as Young Adult Transitions to Work and run by Jewish Vocational Services, the program places its participants in jobs at Hebrew SeniorLife. The challenges facing the community are diverse, from making summer camps wheelchair accessible to offering sign language interpreters at synagogues. Finding common ground among funders was another theme of the conference, along with the notion that such collaboration takes time and patience. Case in point: Last year’s conference led to the creation of the Disability Peer Network, a group of 16 funders committed to the cause incubated at the Jewish Funders Network. It’s been a slow process, though a director was recently hired. “We’re talking about funders who are diverse in size, geographic location and interest,” Ruderman said. Ultimately the goal is to work together on projects. For now, Ruderman says, “the idea is to get to know each other, network, advance the field.”

he shared interests of the group is what sets it apart from many of the Jewish community’s most high-profile projects and philanthropists. “In the interest of Jewish continuity, they run after what they consider the best and the brightest,” Ruderman said. “While doing that, they put aside the people in need who really want to be part of the community. That might be because it’s more expensive, or more complicated, but if we just focus on the best and the brightest, we’re not much of a Jewish community.” This sense of communal responsibility is a lesson Ruderman says he learned from his father, the late Morton Ruderman, founder of the health care technology firm Meditech. He was a “very emotional, very caring person,” Ruderman said. “My father was all about helping people in need.” The elder Ruderman also impressed upon his son the importance of applying business principles to the family’s philanthropic efforts. “The way you are going to be successful, to have the most impact, is to be able to partner and connect with others who have similar interests,” Ruderman recalls his father telling him. It’s a lesson Ruderman has taken to heart: In 2009, in partnership with the JDC and the Israeli government, he launched Israel Unlimited, a four-year, $6 million program aimed at integrating those with special needs into Israeli society.

s for business acumen, his father again was an invaluable teacher, as Ruderman’s professional background is in law and politics. Ruderman graduated from the Boston University School of Law and began his career as an assistant district attorney in Salem, Mass..

the deputy director of AIPAC’s New England office. The Rudermans moved to Israel in 2005, where he did a stint with the Israeli army, serving as a liaison between the military and diaspora Jews. Ruderman then became the leadership director at AIPAC’s Jerusalem office before assuming the presidency of his family’s foundation three years ago. In another “like father, Jay Ruderman stresses that special like son” trait, Ruderneeds is a ‘Jewish issue’ and not one man admits to being a that concerns only those with a personworkaholic, though he al stake. says his unique posiMarian Goldman/Jewish Funders Network tion working in both He grew restless after five years Israel and the US is partially to in the position and in 2000, he blame. took time off and enrolled in an ulpan After saying kaddish for his father, in Israel. who passed away in October, his It was a trip that changed his life. workday begins at 8 or 9 a.m., and There he met his wife, Shira, and he often makes site visits to the founupon returning to the US he became dation’s projects throughout Israel.

“Then, around 3:30 or 4, I begin my work on the phone with our programs in the US,” he says. “I used to be on the phone until midnight until my wife told me to stop that.” With four children at home in Rehovot — they range in age from 3 to 8 — quitting time is now around 7. Still, he confesses, “I consider myself addicted to email.” At the moment, however, Ruderman’s mobile device is tucked away and attention is concentrated on the conference, its goals and new ways to honor his father’s legacy. Launching that day was the Ruderman Prize in Disability, a worldwide competition that will offer a total of $200,000 to up to 10 organizations that serve the disabled in the Jewish community. “It’s gratifying, but I also want to remain cognizant that this is not about us,” he adds. “We’re providing some leadership, but we’re bringing together people who had not come together before. Together, if we can set aside our egos and find common ground, I think we can change the community.”

8 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS: AMERICAN

POLITICS

At RJC forum, Republican hopefuls A foretaste of how Middle East issues will play out in the 2012 presidential election By ADAM KREDO JTA

ASHINGTON — Iran’s nuclear program appears to be racing ahead. The Middle East peace process is in shambles. Recent flare-ups have highlighted tensions between the Obama administration and elements of the pro-Israel community. It was against this backdrop that six Republican candidates took the stage Dec. 7 at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s presidential can-

Rep. Ron Paul was not invited because of his ‘misguided and extreme views’ didates forum. The hopefuls took turns laying out their lines of attack against President Obama, offering a preview of how Middle East issues might play out in a general election battle. The daylong event attracted hundreds of Republican Jews to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here. They heard from the top GOP contenders with the exception of Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who was not invited. (The RJC’s executive director, Matthew Brooks, cited the congressman’s “misguided and extreme views” as the reason for his exclusion.) With less than a month to go until the Iowa caucuses, the current leaders of the GOP pack, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, appeared to cement their status as favorites of

ROMNEY: ‘OBAMA HAS SET BACK PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST’ Mitt Romney at the Republican Jewish Coalition presidential candidates’ forum, Dec. 7. Jewish Republicans, both receiving warm receptions and ample applause. While the candidates touched on economic issues, most avoided addressing the social issues, such as abortion and religion, that tend to push Jewish voters away from Republicans. Instead, their comments focused heavily on foreign policy, with each assailing the Obama administration for its policies toward Israel and Iran, and vowing that they would be better friends to the Jewish state and tougher foes for the Islamic

Republic. The ‘appeasement’ accusation

ormer Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum led off the forum by introducing a theme that the frontrunners would echo. “The president, for every thug and hooligan, for every radical Islamist, has had nothing but appeasement,” Santorum said. Later in the day, Romney accused Obama of an “appeasement strategy” toward America’s rivals and enemies, while Gingrich said he was

“very, very worried about our entire relationship with radical Islam,” saying it is based on self-deception and appeasement. In response to a reporter’s question, Obama fired back the next day. “Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 out of 30 top al-Qaida leaders who have been taken off the field whether I engage in appeasement,” the president said.

Republican Jewish Coalition

activities of Hamas.” Perry’s pre-conditions closely resemble positions previously articulated by Obama. The president has condemned Palestinian efforts to achieve statehood outside of the context of negotiations, called previous HamasFatah unity efforts “an enormous obstacle to peace” and said Israel should be “a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people.”

Obama and Israel

ingrich and Romney both placed their criticisms of Obama’s Israel policies within the context of broader foreign policy critiques. Gingrich said the US needs “a dramatically rethought strategy for the Middle East” and that the country is engaged in a “long struggle with radical Islamists.” The former House speaker took aim at recent remarks by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who urged Israel to “mend fences” with its neighbors. “This one-sided continuing pressure that says it’s always Israel’s fault no matter how bad the other side is has to stop,” Gingrich said. Romney accused the president of having “rushed to apologize for America, but he has hesitated to speak up for democracy and freedom.” The former Massachusetts governor depicted Israel as a case in point. Obama “has immeasurably set back the prospect of peace in the Middle East,” Romney said, and his administration’s policies have only “emboldened Palestinian hardliners” who feel that “they can bypass Israel at the bargaining table.” Texas Gov. Rick Perry said that Obama “has insisted on previously unheard-of preconditions for Israel, such as an immediate stop to all settlement activity.” Perry said he supports “the goal of a Palestinian state, but it should be the Palestinians who meet certain pre-conditions.” First, Perry said, a Palestinian state must be “directly negotiated between Israeli and the Palestinian leaders.” Second, he demanded “Palestinian recognition of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.” Finally, he said Palestinian leaders must “renounce the terrorist

The Iranian threat

he candidates talked tough on Iran — and had some tough words for the Obama administration. “On Iran, the only rational longterm policy is regime replacement,” Gingrich said in response to a question from an audience member. He called for covert action to sabotage Iran’s gasoline supply and said the US should fund Iranian dissident groups. Regarding the country’s nuclear program, Gingrich said, “It’s better to stop them early than to stop them late.” Perry warned that Obama’s “failed policy of outreach to Tehran” has left the US “with only two options: a military strike or a nuclear Iran.” Romney called for keeping the threat of military action on the table while pursuing sanctions. “We should make it very clear that we are developing, and have developed, military options,” Romney said in response to a question. “Nothing concentrates the mind like suffering from sanctions and seeing a military option. It is unacceptable for the US to endure an Iran with a nuclear weapon.” Moving the embassy

residential candidates regularly promise to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Back in 1999, then-candidate George W. Bush told an RJC gathering that he would move the embassy, but he never followed through as president. At the RJC forum, Gingrich reiterated his pledge — made in a June speech to the RJC — to move the embassy to Jerusalem. But it was Rep. Michelle Bachmann of Minnesota who took that

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 9

NEWS: AMERICAN POLITICS

claim pro-Israel policies to the hilt Democrats criticize Republicans for ducking on the issue of foreign aid to Israel

headlines — and sparks — over the Israeli-Palestinian issue came later in the week with the release of an interview that Gingrich did with the Jewish Channel. In the interview, Gingrich labeled Palestinians as “an invented” people. After coming under criticism — including from Romney, who called his opponent’s comments “incendiary” — Gingrich said that he stood

Gov. Perry is against foreign aid but supports defense aid to Israel

GINGRICH ON IRAN: ‘BETTER TO STOP THEM EARLY THAN LATE’ Newt Gingrich at the Republican Jewish Coalition presidential candidates' forum, Dec. 7. promise into uncharted territory with her unconventional proposal to help finance the move. “I already have secured from a donor who said they will personally pay for the ambassador’s home to be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” Bachmann said. Secretary of State Bolton

ingrich offered some red meat to the foreign policy hawks in the house and made the only real news of the night when he said that he would offer the job of secretary of state to former American diplomat John Bolton. Bolton served for less than a year as US ambassador to the UN during the second Bush administration as a recess appointment. Bolton is a favorite of conservatives who take a dim view of multilateral institutions such as the UN, but a pariah to liberals who see him as an undiplomatic diplomat. Bolton, who has not yet endorsed a candidate, later called the offer “very flattering,” but did not say whether he would accept the job in a Gingrich administration. Aid to Israel

ne issue mostly missing from the RJC forum was aid to Israel. The issue became a campaign flash point after Perry said at a debate that all US aid allotments to foreign countries should start at zero and be considered anew each year, and Gingrich and Romney immediately agreed. Asked at the debate whether his framework also would apply to Israel, Perry answered that it would, though he stressed that Israel would likely continue to receive funding at a “high level.” Even the RJC had expressed concern over Perry’s formulation, warning in a Twitter post that it contradicts a previous memorandum of understanding between the two countries. For weeks, leading Jewish Democrats have been highlighting the issue, accusing the Republican contenders of lacking commitment to American aid to Israel. In an interview in advance of the forum, Brooks, the RJC’s exec-

utive director, expressed confidence that the candidates would “put to bed the political smears” from Democrats “that the leading Republicans want to cut aid to Israel.” At the forum, Perry did address the issue head on, saying, “I am adamant that any discussion of foreign aid should start at zero. But let me be clear: Israel is our strategic ally. America long ago ended traditional foreign aid to Israel. Strategic defense aid to Israel will increase under a Perry administration.” Yet the issue of aid was not mentioned by frontrunners Gingrich and Romney — and Democrats pounced. “I am deeply disappointed that Governor Romney refused to state whether he supports the [Memorandum of Understanding] between the US and Israel in his address this morning to the Republican Jewish Coalition,” Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ) said in a statement. “If Governor Romney isn’t willing to support Israel’s military and foreign aid package before an audience of pro-Israel, Republican Jews, many of us believe he simply doesn’t support it!” However, in a follow-up interview, Brooks dismissed the controversy surrounding aid to Israel as nonsense. “The only one who had a perception problem on foreign aid was Perry as a result of his comments at the debate,” Brooks said. “He laid that to rest unequivocally as predicted.” Post-forum headlines

hile Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show” labeled the RJC’s event a “tuchus kiss-off” — and Democrats used the opportunity to accuse the Republican candidates of politicizing the US-Israel relationship — the forum’s organizers said they were pleased with how things went. “All of the candidates used the opportunity to demonstrate their strong pro-Israel credentials, their visions for how they want to lead America and provided a strong contrast between their visions and that of the failed policies of Barack Obama,” Brooks said. But while the RJC forum garnered plenty of media attention, it did not yield much news. Instead the

Republican Jewish Coalition

by his characterization but reaffirmed his support for a negotiated settlement including a Palestinian state. This article was produced in cooperation with the Washington Jewish Week.

10 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS: AFRICAN JUDAISM

Tales of the Abayudaya of Uganda

Aaron Kintu Moses discusses his Jewish community — one of these world’s unlikeliest By CHRIS LEPPEK IJN Assistant Editor

early a century ago, according to an old Ugandan legend, a chieftain of the Muganda tribe stood before his followers, a Christian Bible in his hands. He must have been a strong man, for he tore the book roughly in half, throwing the New Testament away and holding the Old Testament aloft. “This shall be our book!” he is said to have cried. The chieftain — Semei Kakungulu, by name – had several reasons

Testament – the Hebrew Scriptures — was the one true word of G-d. He argued with Christian missionaries, who told Kakungulu that if he devoted himself only to the Hebrew Scriptures and ignored the Christian, it would amount to Judaism. “Then I am Jewish!” Kakungulu is said to have responded. He and his followers fled to a nearby mountain, to a place called Gangama, where he founded a sect that called itself the Kibina Kya Bayudaya Absesiga Katonda (the Community of Jews who trust in the L-rd). “He wanted to observe all the laws,” Moses says. “When he read about sacrifices, he brought in sacrifices. When he read about circumcision, he circumcised himself and his son, then he wanted all the people to be circumcised. When he read about High Holidays, he wanted all the holidays to be celebrated. “We are told that by 1919 – that same year — there were over 3,000 people who were following him.”

interested in international development in post-conflict environments. They specifically sought out the Jews of Mbale, having become curious after listening to a CD of the community’s unique folk music. It was, Hutt recalls, a fascinating and exotic journey. “It’s very typical Ugandan countryside – equatorial, tropical Africa,” she says. “The earth is kind of a red color and the countryside is green and mountainous with banana and guava trees. It took a couple of hours

It’s not uncommon to hear, within the halls of the school, students of various religions singing Hatikvah together for his symbolic action, religious faith being only one of them. But the act – whether apocryphal or historical – has nonetheless come to symbolize the genesis of one of the world’s unlikeliest Jewish communities. They are known today as the Abayudaya – the People of Judah – and they still live in eastern Uganda near the town of Mbale. There are nearly 1,500 of them, and they practice a coherent and mostly halachic form of Judaism, a religion the community adopted, and have long and faithfully kept, by choice. Recently, a leader of that community, a soft-spoken, expressive man with a sparkling smile and a skillful hand at the guitar, visited faraway Denver and discussed with the Intermountain Jewish News his native community and his uniquely African form of Jewishness. By his side was Denverite Evelyn Hutt, who facilitated Aaron Kintu Moses’ November trip to Denver to speak at Rodef Shalom, BMH-BJ and DJDS in a trip sponsored by BMH-BJ and the Abrahamic Initiative, of which Hutt is a member. Hutt traveled to Uganda in 2009 with her daughter, Eliana Mastrangelo, when Eliana was studying there as an NYU undergrad

to get there from where we were traveling from.” When Hutt and her daughter arrived in Mbale, she and her daughter were struck to see “blue and white buildings with signs saying ‘Shalom Center and Internet Café,’ she says. “Then these African people with Hebrew names greet you with ‘Shalom!’ You felt like you’d come home.”

oses speaks quietly, sometimes hesitantly, in his lilting accent, which makes him seem shy. When he starts strumming the guitar and humming melodies, however, the impression of shyness immediately disappears. And when asked to relate some of the history of the Abayudaya, he does not hesitate. As a leader of the Abayudaya – serving as the director of its elementary school and as a member of the elected committee that governs the community – Moses, 46, takes obvious pride in how his people came to be who they are. Semei Kakungulu, the chieftain mentioned above, was a military leader who had served in the army of Uganda’s king “to fight his enemies – the other tribes,” Moses says.

Aaron Kintu Moses “He wanted to bring some of those tribes into the kingdom. This was before the British power came.” Kakungulu had already been converted by Christian missionaries who taught him how to read and write. When his region was colonized by the British in the late 19th century, he was enlisted by the new rulers to help them subdue tribes not yet under their domain. Kakungulu accepted the British offer, having been told that if he successfully overcame these tribes, he would be named king of Uganda’s eastern region. “And he did,” says Moses. “He fought. He fought the western, he fought the central, he fought the north, he fought the northeastern, and finally the east. Then he said,

Photos by Arlen Flax

‘What now? I want to be the king.’ “But they didn’t respect their promise. Why? Because they didn’t want to make him the king of the eastern region. He didn’t belong to that group. He was a Muganda and most of the people in the east were not Muganda. How could they make him the king of other tribes?” Thus cheated out of his throne, Kakungulu retired, devoting his time to reading the Bible he had been given by the missionaries. It took awhile for his faith to fully mature, Moses says. At first he followed a sort of blend between Christianity and Judaism, coupled with a determined rejection of Western medicine. By 1919, however, the chieftain had become convinced that the Old

uring the 1920s, the Abayudaya had contact with a few knowledgeable Jews who helped the Ugandans better understand some of the basics of rabbinic Judaism. Some historians say these Jews were Europeans. Moses says he believes they were observant and knowledgeable travelers from Yemen, possibly journalists. Whoever they were, these sojourners spent time with the community and helped the Abayudaya understand chumash, siddur, Hebrew texts, kashrut and other dimensions of Judaism. By the time Kakungulu died in 1928 at the age of 65, the Abayudaya were practicing an informed and largely authentic form of Judaism. A number of the community’s more knowledgeable individuals, including Moses’ grandfather, helped ease the transition into new leadership after their founder’s death. Their next significant contact with Jews from elsewhere was with Conservative Jews from America, in much more recent years. “The first people we saw were the Conservative rabbis,” Moses says, “and we liked their teaching. They were so happy to welcome us.” It was through the Conservative movement that the Abayudaya finally gained international recognition as a Jewish community, Moses says. That came in the form of the mass conversion in 2002 of 450 community members by five rabbis of the US-based Conservative movement. More conversions have followed. The community is also seeking conversion under Orthodox auspices along with the right to emigrate to Israel. Today, the Abayudaya practice a mainstream form of Judaism very similar to American Conservative Judaism, Moses says. The community’s rabbi – who serves a total of five synagogues in Mbale and several nearby villages – is a graduate of the movement’s American Please see MOSES on Page 11

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 11

NEWS: AFRICAN JUDAISM MOSES from Page 10

Jewish University. Like Conservative Jews, the Abayudaya have changed with the times. In the era of Kakungulu and his grandfather, Moses says, the community followed strict rules of gender segregation. By 2011, however, the Abayudaya allow women to read from the Torah and to lead services. “We still have some kind of mechitzah,” Moses says, “but there is no actual barrier. The women sit on one side, the men on the other. It’s only symbolic.” Such egalitarianism clearly makes Moses proud of his community, as does the historical fact that the Abayudaya are Jews by choice. They claim no “blood connection” to ethnic Jews and make no genetic or historical claims to Jewishness, unlike such African Jew-

I was a little guy at that time, but I knew some of the things that happened when Idi Amin was there ish communities as the Ethiopians and the Lemba of Zimbabwe and South Africa. The Abayudaya, however, do have contacts with the Lemba, a community which has presented a credible genetic case for Jewish ancestry. The Abayudaya have sent teachers, proficient in Judaic topics, to help the Lemba in their efforts to learn and practice normative Judaism. In addition to a few Kenyans who have moved to Mbale in order to study with the Abayudaya, “we also have one boy from Ghana who is studying with us,” Moses says proudly. “So we are spreading the word. Eventually, there might be many Jewish people in Africa.”

hings have not always been easy for the Abayudaya. One of the things they inherited with their decision to practice Judaism, perhaps unknowingly at first, was the curse of antiSemitism. Their neighbors in eastern Uganda, most of whom had been converted to Islam or Christianity during the 20th century, distrusted and sometimes persecuted their Jewish countrymen. During the 1970s, under the reign of the notorious Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, things grew considerably worse. “I was a little guy at that time,” Moses says, “but I knew some of the things that happened when Idi Amin was there.” Amin made Islam the official religion of Uganda and had serious misgivings about his country’s small Jewish community. “I think he didn’t want our community to exist,” Moses says simply. “That was his aim, simply because he thought that we had a connection with Israel and he felt that Israel wanted to attack him. He was already worried about our community. We couldn’t have guns, we couldn’t have any military knowhow.” Members of the Abayudaya were often imprisoned by Amin. Moses speaks of one group who were jailed for doing nothing more than repair the roof of a synagogue which had been blown off in a storm. Synagogues were destroyed under Amin and many members of the

Abayudaya community, fearful of oppression, converted to Islam to escape it. After the Israeli raid on the Ugandan airport Entebbe in 1976, to free hostages aboard a jet hijacked by the PLO, such arbitrary oppression intensified. “My grandfather was put in prison. The police came and searched the whole house after Entebbe had been attacked. They arrested him and took all the books, [anything] that had any element of Israel.” His grandfather, who had studied under Kakungulu in his youth, was released after a few days. “We had to hide,” Moses says. “We held our services underground. We did Shabbat services in a cave or in the bush, out in the jungle.” A few small groups held services, as quietly and invisibly as possible, in their own homes. One of the local chiefs – one of many who had been “empowered” by Amin – arrested Moses’ father when they found a sukkah behind his house. “In this chief’s mind, he thought it was organizing for a rebel movement, something like this. So he took him.” Moses’ father had to purchase his release with a bribe paid in gold. He also had to take his sukkah down. Occasionally, certain Christian groups also were persecuted in such ways, Moses says, “but all Muslims were given freedom. They were privileged.” After Amin’s ouster in 1979, the Abayudaya were understandably relieved. “He left right before Pesach – of course it was in April. We were so happy. We walked to the synagogue in joy.”

oses smiles a dazzling smile when he brings his history lesson up to the present day. “Since then, things have improved,” he says. “We have schools now. We have projects. We are coming up, and I’m sure, within the next five to 10 years, our numbers will double. We’ll have 3,000. That’s what I think.” The school that Moses runs, the Hadassah Primary School, welcomes Jewish, Muslim and Christian students, providing secular instruction to all and religious instruction appropriate to specific groups. A private school, it operates independently of the public education system in Uganda, which allows religious education for Muslim and Christian students but not for Jews and other religious minorities. Moses doesn’t seem to resent this, comparing Uganda’s Abayudaya population of perhaps 1,450 individuals to the national population of some 35 million. At Hadassah, however, the lines of religious distinction are not drawn with absolute clarity. Non-Jewish students often study Jewish subjects there, and vice-versa. He says it’s not uncommon to hear, within the halls of the school, students of various religions singing Hatikvah together. Moses feels the school’s pluralistic approach is an effective means of achieving a measure of inter-communal harmony in the region. “We live in peace,” he says of the differing religious groups in eastern Uganda, “and there’s no problem.” It wasn’t very long ago, he points out, that “the Christians sometimes called us Christ-killers, and the Moslems were regarding us as monkeys.” The Abayudaya have played a central role in changing that. In addition to education, the community has made effective use of commerce to create a regional climate of tolerance. It initiated, for example, the “Mirembe Kawomera” or “Delicious Peace” fair trade coffee pro-

from the Middle East creep into the local consciousness, Moses concedes. “Sometimes, like when Israel has some reaction to the Palestinians, they see the Jews as attacking the Moslems. But it doesn’t go far.” Moses believes that the Abayudaya’s success in interfaith and inter-community cooperation provides an invaluable lesson not only for Uganda but for Africa as a whole. He is an unshakeable optimist about his home continent, despite the huge challenges and obstacles it is sure to face in the next century. The key to African peace and prosperity, he believes, is democracy.

Moses demonstrates a deft hand at the guitar gram, in which regional Jewish, Christian and Muslim farmers cooperate to produce and market organic coffee. “Working together – Muslims, Christians and Jews together – sitting at the same table, discussing how they can get markets for their coffee, is something that really brings a kind of peace. After selling the coffee, we come together and share the profits. That is something that is done in peace.” There are similar joint projects working toward improving the overall educational system in the region, lessening child hunger, improving health care and enhancing ecotourism. All of which has made the region

surrounding the Abayudaya community a relatively peaceful and harmonious place, unlike many other areas in Uganda which are still suffering from political unrest and often violent militarism and terrorism. The Abayudaya, Moses says, fully believe that Jews, Muslims and Christians are all people of the book, with more in common than in contrast. “We believe that we all come from one father,” he says. “This brings us together. We think there are very few differences among us. The Moslems say ‘Salaam’ and the Jewish people say ‘Shalom.’ So what’s the difference there?” There are times when tensions

inally, Moses is asked why he – and, by extension, the entire community of the Abayudaya – have chosen to remain Jewish, in spite of the daunting price they have sometimes paid in order to do so. His answer is eloquent and straightforward. “I look at Judaism being a way of life,” he says quietly. “It’s very special to me the way that Judaism empowers me to speak about my faith. I need to believe something that I understand. “I need to ask questions. I ask the rabbi, ‘Why should we do this?’ That’s why I like Judaism. It makes me feel that I really am part of it.” On a much larger and more profound level, he adds, he and his fellow Abayudaya choose Judaism for the most simple and most powerful of reasons: They believe it to be the truth. “Through his studies, Semei Kakungulu discovered that the Bible was a holy book,” he says. “After careful study, he found it true. They found a way to G-d.”

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12 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

Coloring Contest 25th Annual IJN Doris Sky Chanukah Coloring Contest MANY MEDIA & CREATIVE MATERIALS This year’s crop of entries was particularly interesting, with young artists using crayon, markers, water colors, tempera paints, fabrics, metallic materials, beads, and many more inventive media to create their impressions of Chanukah. Entries came from many Colorado cities: Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Centennial, Commerce City, Englewood, Evergreen, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Bow Mar, Littleton, Parker, Lakewood, Westminster, Longmont, Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs and Crested Butte.

ON DISPLAY & AWARDS CEREMONY The winning entries published in this IJN will be on display at The Children’s Hospital, Monday, Dec. 19-Thursday, Dec. 29. Winners will be honored at a ceremony at The Children’s Hospital 11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011.

THANKS TO PARENTS & TEACHERS Thanks to the parents, principals and teachers who encouraged the young artists in their creativity and Jewish knowledge.

SCHOOLS & SYNAGOGUES PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS Cottonwood Creek Elementary, Campus Middle School, High Plains Elementary, Highline Academy DPS Charter School, Soda Creek Elementary and Strawberry Park Elementary (both Steamboat Springs), DAT, Denver Jewish Day School, Hillel Academy. SYNAGOGUES AND TEMPLES Aish Denver (Shalom School), Bais Menachem, B’nai Butte (Crested Butte), BMH-BJ, DAT Minyan, EDOS, Chabad of Northwest Metro Denver, Har Mishpacha (Steamboat Springs), HEA, Kehilas Bais Yisroel, Temple Sinai, Zera Abraham. A few entries were received with no names, no last names or illegible names. Some notable standout entries, though not winners, appear in various places throughout this Chanukah edition of the Intermountain Jewish News.

2ND PLACE GRADES K-1 MARTHA RUZICKA STRAWBERRY PARK ELEMENTARY STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLO.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 13

Kol Hakavod to everyone who entered the IJN Doris Sky Chanukah Coloring Contest GRADE K TO GRADE 1 Shelly Abramov Yael Abrams Bracha Aknin Ezra Alter Tzipora Sarah Aminova Claire Appel Emi Asarch Benjamin Avner Menachem Bachayev Yonatan Bashari Bracha Baxman Levi Bean Moshe Yosef Berkowitz Meir Borenstein Chaya Borenstein Shmuel Brackman Agam Bublil Akiva Buschman-Perkins Henry Chapman Aryeh Chernitzky Gavriel Clague Moshe Close Hadassah Cohen Yehuda Detwiler Lauren Donald Jonathan Donner Emma Eisen Mollie Eisen Shlomie Erlanger Maayan Eshkenazi Ariel Fine Abigale Fishman Serach Fleischmann Chava Leah Fleisher Efraim Fleisher Mordechai Frank Menachem Freedman Jack Frieman Levi Fyzakov Eli Gien Moshe Gertz Zevy Goldberg Devorah Esther Goldstein Leeba Goldstein Tali Golosow

Halle Guber Gabe Hettleman Dena Heyman Batya Hoffman Eliyahu Jacobs Yehuda Aryeh Jacobson Rivka Joseph Bella Kahn Naomi Kass Benjamin Katanov Aviva Khavasov Dani Klein Dovid Krausz Moshie Krausz Chaya Tova Krausz Eliana Lawrence Chaya Mushka Liberow Abby Lozow Atara Bracha Lustig Max Mackerman Yocheved Makowitz Chava Mandel Yehuda Mandel Shayna Maravilla Isabella Medina Baruch Zalman Mehrenberg Amanda Metzel Yehuda Meyer Shira Miller Elisheva Milobsky Mendel Mintz Yosef Morgan Jacob Morgan Batsheva Muller Elazar Muller Eliana Peckman Yosef Peckman Annie Quezada Nathaniel Rotenberg Judah Ruscha Martha Ruzicka Joshua Salehrabi Ariela Sarikov Fruma Scheiner Eliezer Schwab Dovid Seidenfeld Eli Shohat Josh Shump Jonah Siegel

Yehoshua Simblist Annalise Smith Naava Steinharter Yehuda Sunshine Avishay Szrajber Sima Treister Seth Weiser Mia Wexler Asher Wilhelm Sarah Yagudayev Sruli Zuckerman Kayla Zuckerman

GRADE 2 TO GRADE 3 Michal Abrams Cedar Adelman Elisha Alter Hadassa Aminova Yehudis Amsel Max Aronheim Melanie Avner Levi Bean Levi Bean Sophia Bernard Naomi Bilow Ari Bird Abigail Boyd Benny Brackman Bracha Brackman. Eve Breese Ariella Brown Neshama BuschmanPerkins Caleb Buter Hannah Cantor Brian Chaiken Adam Chaiken Miriam Chernitzky Sarah Bracha Close Liam Corun Molly Crowl Saul Drantch Jake Eisen Moshe Aryeh Engel Zachary Erdley Daniela Felman Nili Fischer

Ezra Fischer Rebecca Fisher Elianna Fishman Aiden Foster Gavriel Fox Maya Friedman Naomi Friedman Mahayon Freedman Ilan Geller-Fine Miri Gertz Talia Ginsberg Daniel Griego Michael Griego Stephanie Halpern Dov Hanssen Noah Hill Harel Hirsch Essie Horne Natalie Huttner Michoel Jacobs Zachary Jacobson Eric Kalashlinsky Shiya Kass Samuel Kaufman Moshe Khalepari Eli Klein Jonathan Kochavi Serena Kopf Cora Kronberg Chloe Landow Moshe Larimer Joshua Lederman Adam Levine Marina Levine Zachary Levy Shira Linkow Dylan List Emma Litvin Elinoa Loewenthal Samantha Lowenthal Halley Mackiernan Isaac Makovsky Ayelet Maravilla Adira Margulies Braden Mayer Zachary Mechanik Charles Mechanik Jack Morse Noam Narrowe

Benjamin Parris Ben Pederson Zoe Petrie Yael Polotsky Yisroel Shalom Potestio Gary Rabinovich Elianna Rabinovitz-Randone Hadassah Sarah Reiffman Talia Richard-Lande Caitlin Robbins Kiki Rosenthal Samuel Rotenberg Noah Rubin Lila Rubin Max Rudofsky Noah Shanker Ava Siegel Jack Sitcoff Mordichai Steinharter Hayley Stern Akiva Sunshine Oriel Szrajber Golda Tkachenko Ianne Veta Max Weiser Gavriel Wilen Levi Wilhelm Ariel Yardeny Gil Yedidya Sam Zeppelin Mara Zucker Miriam Zussman

GRADE 4 TO GRADE 6 Alexandra Alpert Talya Alter Ellery Andersen Ariel Bashari Elior Bilow Tomer Borik Kayla Boxer Estee Brooks Aaron Brooks Leenoy Bublil Jessica Cantor Danielle Carroll Yehuda Chernitzky

Faigy Close Megan Crowl Bas-Sheva Crystal Lauren Ehrlich Aaron Elston Levi Engel Jenifer Engel Uri Eshkenazi Jolie Freeman Perri Freeman Ari Friedman Bracha Goldstein Joyce Gorjous Basya Gross Sarah Golda Gross Yonah Hanssen Brendan Heiman Shimon Heyman Boaz Hirsch Elazar Hirsch Linda Horne Lauren Huttner Shaindel Joseph Reese Kark Madeline Kasztl Amalya Kieffer Eitan Kochavi Shalom Larimer Malka Leban Elliana Lederman Anna Levine Sadya Liberow Daina Loewenthal Josh Magyar Max Makovsky Benjamin Michaels Eytan Michaelson Gavi Michaelson Brendan Neiman Elise Nisonoff Maya O’Grady Dayna Olson Zoe Ovando Molly Parris Hannah Pederson Zachary Petrie Will Pollock Avi Polotsky Esti Polotsky Benjamin Quezada Suzanne Rabinovitch Benjamin Rand Gavriel Asher Reiffman Rivka Miriam Reiffman Shoshana Reiss Isaac Resnikoff Lily Rudofsky Liz Ruzicka Joseph Schneeweis Talya Schreiber Ben Schwartz Dana Sheldon Benjamin Shuman Levi Silverwalker Meira Simblist Taylor Simon Lou Sitcoff Isaac Slavkin Wesley Smith Abbie Snyder Jordan Snyder Sheerley Spitzer Simi Stark Sydney Stewart Shmuel Tessler Jenna Veta Jacob Wedgle Ari Weil Emma Wynn Dora Yagudayev Ariella Zazulia Ellie Zeppelin Aidan Zussman

2ND PLACE TIE GRADES 2-3 MIRI GERTZ HILLEL ACADEMY

14 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

1ST PLACE TIE GRADES 2-3 LILA RUBIN DENVER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL

1ST PLACE TIE GRADES 2-3 BENJAMIN PARRIS HIGH PLAINS ELEMENTARY

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 15

1ST PLACE TIE GRADES 4-6 JACOB WEDGLE DAT

1ST PLACE GRADES K-1 ELIANA LAWRENCE HILLEL ACADEMY

16 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

2ND PLACE TIE GRADES 2-3 MOSHE ARYEH ENGEL HILLEL ACADEMY

2ND PLACE TIE GRADES 4-6 MALKA LEBAN HILLEL ACADEMY

2ND PLACE TIE GRADES 4-6 MEGAN CROWL B ’ NAI BUTTE AFTER SCHOOL SHUL, CRESTED BUTTE, COLO.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 17

3RD PLACE TIE GRADES 4-6 FAIGY CLOSE DAT

3RD PLACE GRADES 2-3 MOLLY CROWL B ’ NAI BUTTE AFTER SCHOOL SHUL CRESTED BUTTE, COLO.

3RD PLACE TIE GRADES 4-6 LAUREN EHRLICH SODA CREEK ELEMENTARY STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLO.

18 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS

IN PHOTOS

THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE The Mughrabi Bridge connects the Western Wall plaza to the Dome of the Rock. Palestinians, in particular Hamas, have been saber rattling over the Israeli closure of the Mughrabi Bridge and Israel’s proposal to demolish it and build a new one in its place. A Hamas spokesman described the Israeli intention as being ‘tantamount to a declaration of war on Muslim Holy sites.’ Israel wants to replace the bridge with a safe, modern alternative in the same location. The bridge is the only access for Jews and non-Muslims to the Temple Mount. Engineers have attested to the fact that the bridge is dangerous. In 2004, the earthen ramp supporting the bridge collapsed into the women’s section of the Western Wall during a snow storm. A temporary wood structure was built in place of the collapsed bridge. In 2007, construction began to replace the bridge, but rioting broke out and a third intifada was threatened. The matter will now be discussed by the Jerusalem District Court next month. Meanwhile, only police and emergency personnel are permitted to use the bridge.

Chanukah expressions CD Lauren Mayer says she hopes Jews will listen to her ‘Latkes, Schmatkes!’ CD and "laugh

BOOK ‘Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles’ tackles the issue of autism in families. Courtesy Kar-Ben

Chanukah in Hungary

KAISER WILHELM’S MUSTACHE Two twin emperor tamarins have been given to the Ramat Gan Safari Park by the Czech government. The tamarins, native to Central and South America, are named ‘emperor’ for the German Kaiser Wilhelm ll due to the fact that the tamarins, like the Kaiser, have a long and impressive mustache. They are expected to be big attractions over Chanukah. Isranet

AS IT WAS IN THE OLD COUNTRY Dinner in Mako, Hungary.

Menachem Kaiser

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 19

NEWS

10,000 Tebowing emails daily Jared Kleinstein collects QB’s signature pose at Tebowing.com By JESSICA LEADER JTA

EW YORK — The biggest story in the NFL this season is Tim Tebow, a devout Christian quarterback who doesn’t throw very well but has helped the Denver Broncos pull off a string of last-second victories. But the rugged Tebow’s signature move comes when play has stopped — taking a knee in prayer after scoring a touchdown. The pose has become a popular Internet meme, with fans “Tebowing” all over the world. That includes Jewish fans. “In Denver, people see football as religion; Tebow unites people of all faiths,” said Jared Kleinstein, creator of the website Tebowing.com, in an interview with JTA.

you can be inspired to be as open about your religion as he is.” During a recent trip to Israel, the 10th-grade class at Denver’s Jewish Day School — Kleinstein’s alma mater, incidentally — was photographed Tebowing in front of the Western Wall. “They knew that their Tebowing would identify them as being from Denver,” said Sara Caine Kornfeld, a teacher at the school. Tebowing, she said, is “clearly a source of pride.”

he Colorado Jewish community has warmed to Tebow despite their difference in religious beliefs. Rabbi Marc Gitler of the East Den-

‘Tebow unites people of all faiths,’ says Jared Kleinstein, who was inspired by the Tebow pose to create the web site. Kleinstein, a Jewish Coloradan, created the site after watching Tebow’s TD celebration and being inspired to re-create the now iconic pose. Although some may think of it as nothing more than a sports-oriented version of planking, an analogous practice in which one lies face down in an odd place, Kleinstein believes that Tebowing is a physical manifestation of how football fans are inspired by the quarterback. Tebowing, Kleinstein said, “is the prime example of someone not having any shame and inspiring people to be OK with whatever religion they follow.” Tebowing has become a popular way for young fans to express pride in their beloved hero. Kleinstein says

ver Orthodox Synagogue described the 24-year-old quarterback as a source of pride for anyone who could be mocked for their devotion. “Even from people who are very [religious Jews], they are happy to just have a guy who is religious and a good role model,” he said. “I think it’s a great story, a person who was doubted and showed that he can win games in this miraculous fashion. It’s great for this country and great for this religious, moral human being.”

s a Heisman Trophy winner and first round draft choice, the Broncos and their fans had high hopes for Tim Tebow when he entered the National Football League last season. But his sloppy form and poor statistics cast doubt on the University of Florida graduate. Tebow saw little action, and many assumed his quarterbacking career would be short-lived. But after the Broncos started the 2011 season with a 1-4 record, new coach John Fox benched Kyle Orton halfway through a game against the San Diego Chargers. Tebow, for better or for worse, now was the starting quarterback. Not surprisingly, Tebow has come up short statistically. His completion rate of 48.5% this season is well below par for an NFL starter, and he has only 1,290 passing yards. By comparison, the Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow’s sigGreen Bay Packers’ nature kneeling move has become an Aaron Rodgers, Internet sensation even among Jews, arguably the best quarwho admire the football player’s strong terback in the league, expression of faith. Jeffrey Beall via CC has a nearly 70% completion rate with 4,125 he receives an average of 10,000 pic- yards. Yet Tebow in his second season has tures per day of people Tebowing and has to sift through piles to seen an astronomical rise to fame based on his late-game heroics. find the exceptional ones. Led by their lefthander, as well While many of the pictures are silly, such as Tebowing in the office as a solid defense, the Broncos or in front of the US Capitol, many have won seven of their last eight games with Tebow as a starter — have inspired others. “Tebowing.com is 100% pride,” some of the victories can only be Kleinstein says proudly. “If you’re described as miraculous — to vault Jewish and you see this, I think into first place in the American Foot-

THE MAN

TEBOWING Photos of people Tebowing in unusual places are submitted to Tebowing.com, the website run by Jewish Coloradan Jared Kleinstein. (courtesy of Tebowing.com) ball Conference’s Western Division. Add in Tebow’s wholesome persona and some fans and commentators are left wondering what role faith has had in his unlikely success. “He isn’t the football player who

‘He isn’t just paying lip sevice to his beliefs, but actually does what he says’ says ‘I love Jesus’ and then is found with a stripper the next day,” Gitler said. “He presumably isn’t just paying lip service to his beliefs but actually does what he says he does, and that is front and center.” Tebow’s public displays of faith are not ecumenical — he is unabashed in stressing his faith in Jesus. But that hasn’t turned off Jewish fans, said Rabbi Hillel Goldberg, executive editor of the INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS. “For those who are Christian, [Tebow’s fame] has been positive,” Goldberg said. “For those who are Jewish, it hasn’t been negative.” Though admittedly ambivalent about football, Goldberg says he recognizes that Tebow has infused a different spirit into the city. “In Denver, for better or worse the Broncos are like a religion. And in recent years the ‘religion’ has failed, the Broncos have played poorly — the city has been football-starved,” he said. “Whoever and whatever revives the football fortunes — the religion — has been appreciated by all.”

20 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS

ADL, AJC reportedly suffer from steep decline in donations

Rocket attack from Lebanon on Israel fails

EW YORK (JTA) — The Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee reportedly have suffered steep declines in contributions over the past five years. According to the Forward, the two prominent American Jewish groups each lost more than $20 million in annual contributions from 2006 to 2010. During that period, contributions to the ADL fell to $51 million in 2010 from $73 million in 2006. The AJC brought in $38 million in 2010 after having raised $62 million in 2006. Also, IRS records show that the ADL has cut more than 100 employees between 2008 and 2010, from 528 to 427, the Forward

Ragen guilty of plagiarism

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli author Naomi Ragen lost a plagiarism suit regarding her bestselling book Sotah. The Jerusalem District Court ruled Sunday, Dec. 11, that Ragen, a Jerusalem-based writer, was in breach of copyright with Sotah because parts closely resembled the 1990 book Growing Up with My Children: A Jewish Mother’s Diary. The court awarded the complainant, US-born author Sarah Shapiro, approximately $250,000 in damages. Ragen was quoted in the Israeli media as saying that while she may have b e e n inspired by Shapiro’s book, it was not plagiaNaomi Ragen rism.

ADL’s Abe Foxman reported. In the same period, National Director Abraham Foxman’s salary has risen from $563,024 to

$624,470. The decline, according to the report, is based on the depressed economic climate coupled with a shift to support from young Jewish philanthropists for single-issue groups that have proliferated over the past decade. Pro-Israel groups such as AIPAC, J Street, the Israel Project and StandWithUs, as well as charities such as the American Jewish World Service, have seen significant jumps in contributions. “There are organizations that have been created to take single elements of what the American Jewish organizations have been doing all along,” Foxman told the Forward. “The pie hasn’t gotten bigger, but the slicing has increased.”

Ehud Barak predicts fall of ayatollahs

Ehud Barak ERUSALEM (JTA) — Iran’s clerical regime is waning but would be boosted by gaining nuclear weapons, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said. Addressing a Vienna conference Sunday, Dec. 11, Barak repeated calls for world powers

to crack down on Iran’s nuclear program with “paralyzing” sanctions. “This regime in Iran, the ayatollahs, they will not be there, I believe, in 10 or 15 years. “It is against the nature of the Iranian people and what happens all around the world,” he said. “But if they turn nuclear they might assure another layer of immunity, political immunity for the regime in the same way that Kim Jong-il assured his,” Barak added, referring to the leader of North Korea. Student-led protests erupted in Iran following the disputed 2009 re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but since then have been mostly suppressed. Barak voiced hope that the anti-regime demonstrations of the Arab Spring would “jump” over the Persian Gulf into Iran.

Palestinian flag flies at UNESCO to mark its entrance into agency

ERUSALEM (JTA) — PA President Mahmoud Abbas raised the Palestinian flag at a ceremony marking its entrance into the UN cultural agency. Abbas raised the flag Tuesday, Dec. 13, at UNESCO, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in Paris. He was scheduled to meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. “This is truly a historic moment,” Abbas said

during the ceremony attended by about 50 guests. “This admission is a first recognition of Palestine. “I hope that this will be a good omen for Palestine’s admission to other international organizations,” he added. The US halted its dues payments to UNESCO following the late October vote to grant full membership to the Palestinians under legislation that prohibits US funding to UN agencies that accord the PLO statehood status. The annual dues from the US comprise more

than 20% of UNESCO’s budget. UNESCO approved the Palestinians’ bid during its general assembly in Paris by a vote of 107 to 14, with the US, Canada and Germany among those voting against the motion. It was the first UN agency that the Palestinians attempted to join since seeking full membership in the UN in September. The Palestinians previously had observer status in UNESCO. The Security Council is still considering the Palestinians’ statehood bid. In November, 2010, UNESCO adopted several proposals by Arab states classifying Jewish and Muslim holy sites. It referred to Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem as a mosque, in addition to using its Jewish designation of Rachel’s Tomb, and said the tomb as well as the Cave of the Patriarchs was “an integral part of the occupied Palestinian Territories.” It called both landmarks “Palestinian sites.”

ERUSALEM (JTA) — A group linked to al-Qaida botched an attempt to fire a rocket into Israel from Lebanon. A Katyusha launched from southern Lebanon fell short Monday, Dec. 12, wounding a woman in the village of Hula, just over the border from Israel, according to Israel’s Army Radio, which cited Lebanese security officials. The Abdullah Azzam Brigades, a terrorist group named after a Palestinian who helped found alQaida, took responsibility. A rocket salvo from Lebanon struck northern Israel late last month, causing no casualties but shaking confidence in the frontier’s quiet holding. Last week, a bomb wounded French troops in a UN peacekeeper force in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops and Hezbollah guerrillas fought a war in 2006.

Moshe Yaalon Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon said in a Jerusalem briefing that the spate of violence “serves Syrian interests” — a suggestion that Damascus, which has been beset by months of civil war and citizen revolts, sought to distract world attention.

Schechter Institute opens new campus

Ada Karmi-Melamede

ERUSALEM (JTA) — The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies opened its new Jerusalem campus. The Beit Legacy Heritage Classroom Building, which was dedicated last week, was designed by Israel Prize-winning architect Ada Karmi-Melamede and built near the old site.

It will house programs for Israelis and foreigners, including the largest master’s program for Jewish studies in Israel. The $8.5 million project was funded by the Jerusalem Foundation and private donors. Although not formally affiliated with the Conservative movement, the Schechter Institute was built on land owned by the Jewish Theological Seminary since the 1950s. “At Schechter I’ve found something quite rare — a streak of modesty and humility — a humility that Israel has somehow lost. Yet I think Israelis are longing to find it again,” Karmi-Melamede said at the induction ceremony. Others on hand for the ceremony included Daniel Shapiro, the US ambassador to Israel; Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat Mayor; Colette Avital, a former ambassador and Knesset member; and Saul Sanders, chair of the Schechter board of trustees.

Iran opt-outs sought by the White House

ASHINGTON (JTA) — A compromise congressional bill targeting Iran’s Central Bank includes opt-outs sought by the White House. The bill agreed upon by the US Senate and House of Representatives negotiators on Monday, Dec. 11, creates more leeway for the administration to opt out of cutting off entities that deal with the bank, Sen. Carl Levin (DMich.), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the upper body’s lead negotiator, told reporters, according to various media. “We have written this language, so it’s tough,” Reuters quoted Levin as saying. Cutting off Iran’s Central Bank would effectively shut off the Islamic Republic’s economy from Western trade.

Sen. Carl Levin The Obama administration sought to moderate the bill, arguing that it needed leeway in order to line up support for sanctions elsewhere in the world before fully shutting out the bank.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 21

22 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS

Obama hosts 550 at Chanukah party

Nobel winner Shechtman stresses education and entrepreneurship

ASHINGTON (JTA) — President Obama hosted 550 people at the White House Chanukah reception. The annual event, held Dec. 8 in Washington, was attended by the president and vice-president and their wives and attracted a mix of Jewish dignitaries from the political, community and cultural worlds. The president reiterated his “unshakable support” for Israel and noted that the festivities were being celebrated a week before the holiday begins. “We’re jumping the gun just a little bit,” said Obama. “The way I see it, we’re just extending the holiday spirit. We’re White House menorah lighting in 2010.

stretching it out. But we do have to be careful that your kids don’t start thinking Chanukah lasts 20 nights instead of eight. That will cause some problems.” The West Point Jewish Chapel Choir performed at the event, while the menorah used was made in a displaced persons camp after WW II and donated by the Jewish Museum in New York. “Let’s extend a hand to those who are in need, and allow the value of tikkun olam to guide our work this holiday season,” Obama said. “This is also a time to be grateful for our friendships, both with each other and between our nations. And that includes, of course, our unshakeable support and commitment to the security of the nation of Israel.”

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Accepting his Nobel Prize, Israel’s Dan Shechtman encouraged entrepreneurship among the young. Shechtman, of the Haifa Technion, became the 10th Israeli to win the world’s most prestigious prize at the Dec. 10 annual Nobel ceremony in Stockholm. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Shechtman’s discovery of quasicrystals, long ridiculed by colleagues, “has created a new cross-disciplinary branch of science, drawing from, and enriching, chemistry, physics and mathematics. This is in itself of the greatest importance.” “It has also given us a reminder of how little we really know and perhaps even taught us some

Dan Shechtman humility,” said academy professor Sven Lidin. Addressing the Nobel banquet, Shechtman said scientists have a duty “to promote education, rational thinking and tolerance.” “We should also encourage our

educated youth to become technological entrepreneurs. Those countries that nurture this knowhow will survive future financial and social crises. Let us advance science to create a better world for all,” he said. Interviewed Sunday, Dec. 11, Shechtman, 70, made clear he worried about education in Israel — specifically that of the haredi Orthodox sector. “You can pray to the heavens, but it doesn’t put bread on the table or provide defense for the country,” he told Israel Radio. Shechtman called for state funds to be denied to schools that neglect the core curriculum and for parents who deprive their children of a rounded education to be “punished under law.”

Baseball MVP Braun disputing positive result on drug test

N Lovely tour to Israel? Arrested for Hamas ties

ERUSALEM (JTA) — A Jordanian-Australian arrested during a visit to Israel confessed to having illegal ties to Hamas. Eyad Abu Arga, 47, was detailed in April after flying to Tel Aviv with his wife as part of what his lawyer, at the time, described as a Mediterranean tour. Israeli prosecutors accused Abu Arga of being a Hamas adviser and spy, but the court at which he was indicted announced a plea agreement Sunday, Dec. 11, under which he was convicted of the lesser charge of “serving an outlawed organization.” “The defendant voiced deep regret for his actions and rued

the way in which others dragged him into taking action and exploited him,” a court statement said. Abu Arga was expected to be sentenced next month to 30 months’ imprisonment, including time already served in Israeli detention. A computer expert of Palestinian Muslim descent, Abu Arga originally was accused of being recruited by Hamas in Saudi Arabia and Syria to improve the group’s capabilities in countersurveillance and rocketry. He was further accused of coming to Israel to test security at Ben-Gurion University and gather information at high-tech conferences.

EW YORK (JTA) — Ryan Braun, who won a Most Valuable Player award, reportedly has tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. The Associated Press cited an unnamed source who said the case was under appeal to an arbitrator under Major League Baseball’s drug program. Braun is disputing the results. “There are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan’s complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program,” said a Braun spokesman in a statement pub-

HAPPY CHANUKAH

Shalit thanks supporters in message

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Gilad Shalit thanked those who campaigned for his release from Hamas captivity. Shalit’s parents convened hundreds of supporters Saturday in Kibbutz Shfayim to celebrate the Israeli exconscript’s Oct. 18 release in a prisoner swap with the Palestinians. G i l a d Shalit did not attend t h e

event, with representatives saying that after more than five years of isolation in Gaza, he was still not ready to face crowds. But in a video address to the activists, Shalit, looking healthier and more composed than when he went free, thanked the activists for their demonstrations, vigils, petitions and media campaigns in Israel and abroad. “While I was in captivity, I heard a lot about your enlistment for my release,” he said. “I know without a doubt that your long and continuous struggle for my release, each according to his ability, the diligence and support for my family over the long road, were one of the decisive factors in the decision to return me

home. “I am grateful to you all, and each individually, and will continue to be grateful for all the days of my life.” View the video (Hebrew): http:// news.walla.co.il/?w=/9/1884067. • • • Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno is set to meet with Shalit, who in 2008 was named an honorary citizen of Rome, last week during his two-day visit to Israel. According to his office’s website, Alemanno was invited by Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom. Italian media said Alemanno would be the first foreign political figure to meet with Shalit since his release. A large picture of Shalit was hung prominently on the wall of Rome’s City Hall building when he was named an honorary citizen.

lished by ESPN. “While Ryan has impeccable character and no previous history, unfortunately, because of the process we have to maintain confidentiality and are not able to discuss it any further, but we are confident he will ultimately be exonerated.” Braun, the son of an Israeli-born

Israeli envoy to Egypt

ERUSALEM (JTA) — A new Israeli ambassador is expected to be installed in Egypt. Yaakov Amitai, a diplomat w i t h extensive experience in the Middle East and East Africa, is scheduled to depart for Cairo this week and present his credentials to Egypt’s interim military government, Israeli sources said Sunday, Dec. 11. Amitai replaces Yitzhak Levanon, whose tenure was curtailed by the mobbing of Israel’s Cairo embassy in October. Since that incident, Levanon’s deputy has remained in Egypt, residing at the US embassy while the Netanyahu government assesses where a new Israeli mission might be set up. Diplomatic sources said Amitai would likely work out of his official residence in the interim, assisted by a skeletal staff.

Yaakov Amitai

Jewish father and a Catholic mother, was named the National League MVP last month. He received 20 of 32 first-place votes and 388 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Los Angeles center fielder Matt Kemp was second with 10 firstplace votes and 332 points. Sandy Koufax, who is Jewish, of the Los Angeles Dodgers won the award in 1963. Other Jewish players who have been named MVP are Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers in 1940 and Al Rosen of the Cleveland Indians in 1953. Braun batted .332 with 33 home runs, 111 RBI and 33 steals to help lead the Brewers to the Central Division title.

Israeli woman takes sailing gold

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s Lee Korzits won the Women’s RS:X competition at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships. The victory by Korzits, 27, in the Sunday, Dec. 11, race in

Australia was her second in the country; she also won there in 2003. “You have proven your considerable talent. I expect to see you at the London Olympics,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office was quoted as telling Korzits in a congratulatory phone call, referring to next year’s Games.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 23

NEWS: AUCTION

SOTHEBY’S

$572,500 is the besht price going

Anonymous bidder places winning bid by phone for siddur of the Baal Shem Tov By ANDREA JACOBS IJN Senior Writer

he siddur used by Rabbi Yisrael ben Eliezer, also known as the Baal Shem Tov or the Besht, was sold at auction for $572,500 by Sotheby’s on Dec. 14. The siddur, “Order of Prayer for the Entire Year According to Rabbi Isaac Luria,” was written in Ukraine in 1750 by the scribe Moses ben Joseph of Luboml. A rare example of a kabbalistic siddur that was used by the first generation of chasidic masters, it is recognized as the Baal Shem Tov’s personal prayer book. The Baal Shem Tov, who lived from 1698-1760, is the founder of Chasidism, a pietistic religious movement that changed Jewish history.

BAAL SHEM TOV The traditional likeness

This Siddur ha-Besht is one of only two extant, handwritten prayer books once owned by the Baal Shem Tov. According to Sotheby’s, it is one of only three or four surviving objects known to have been used by the Baal Shem Tov during his lifetime. Recorded testimonies of the direct heirs of the Baal Shem Tov and succeeding generations of the Twersky dynasty concur that he was the original owner. In addition to meticulous calligraphy and an authentic nusach ha-Ari liturgical text, the siddur ostensibly holds the remnants of one of the rabbi’s penitential tears. A stained page of the High Holiday viduy prayer was analyzed by

The tutition crisis: a breakthrough? $8,990 from Page 3

advances in technology and educational content. “The key point is that we are not offering a no-frills institution,” Gralla said. “We are not cutting corners. Our goal is to create analytical thinkers while maintaining a sense of community and personal responsibility.” Distenfeld said there was “a sizable amount of money” set aside for the Bergenfield school, which will rent space in an existing school with a playground, and will have a separate scholarship fund so that those parents paying tuition will not be burdened by extra dollars to subsidize those in financial need. He said students would be fluent in Hebrew by the end of the eighth grade.

small group of young professionals is the backbone of the new school, volunteering their services in recent months to plan the educational and financial components necessary to launch. One member of the board said small meetings with young Bergen County families concerned about the high, sometimes prohibitive cost of

Jewish day schools created interest in the new model. More than $100,000 was raised from “typical” families over the summer, enough to convince a wealthy, anonymous donor that there was a real interest and need for an affordable but high-quality day school. Distenfeld said that while he and the board initially thought the strongest asset of the new school would be its affordable rates, they now believe it is the blended learning model of combining face-to-face learning and interactive technology. “We discovered that you can have your cake and eat it, too,” he said, asserting that the new model of education offered the added benefit of significant cost saving. With the help of a grant from the Avi Chai Foundation, a proponent of incorporating new technology advances in day schools, Yeshivat He’Atid commissioned Rebecca Tomasini, CEO of the Alvo Institute, active in the education reform movement, and Randolph Ross, general studies principal of the North Shore Hebrew Academy in Great Neck, LI, as educational consultants. The Alvo Institute is a think tank specializing in individualized learning.

One innovation for the new school is to have key data collected and analyzed so that each child can be given individualized assignments to strengthen skills needing extra attention. Acknowledging that other day schools in the area have expressed concern about competition from the new yeshiva, Distenfeld said, “Our goal is not to hurt any of the existing schools. We’d be happy” if they all followed the new model. “At the end of the day,” he said, “if we as a community can’t lower tuition, community growth will slow. There will be fewer children in day schools,” and families will be having “fewer children.” Jewish Week associate editor Julie Wiener contributed to this report.

Sharon Liberman Mintz, Sotheby’s senior consultant for Judaica and curator of Jewish art at the Jewish Theological Seminary Library. She agrees that the stain was created by the rabbi’s tears. The siddur was publicly exhibited only once before, in 1960 in Tel Aviv, to commemorate the 200th

anniversary of the Baal Shem Tov’s death. Sotheby’s estimated that bidding for the rare and remarkably well preserved prayer book would range from $450,000 to $650,000. The winning bid of $572,500 was placed over the phone by an anonymous individual.

24 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS

Yishai set to deport illegal Africans

Eli Yishai

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s interior minister, Eli Yishai, promised to deport the tens of thousands of Africans who have crossed into his country illegally in recent years. “I will safeguard the Jewish majority and the state, and I ensure that the last of the Sudanese, and the Eritreans, and all of the infiltrators, to the last of them, will return to their countries,” Yishai, of the Shas party, told Army Radio. “I have pity on the people of Israel.” Upheaval in neighboring Egypt has stirred concern in Israel over a surge in border jumping by

Sudanese and Eritrean migrants, who make their way across the Sinai with the help of smugglers. Approximately 40,000 of the Africans are now in Israel, though authorities generally grant them neither refugee status nor formal refugee status. The influx has worried some Israelis about a potential demographic threat. Others have argued that the migrants should be taken in on humanitarian grounds. The Interior Ministry, which says most of the Africans come to Israel for work rather than asylum from persecution, has been exploring ways of repatriating them. A few hundred have voluntarily flown out to third-party countries after being paid a small stipend by the Israeli government. Directly returning the migrants is difficult, as Israel has no relations with Sudan. The UN, meanwhile, recommends against sending Eritrean expatriates back to Asmara, which does recognize Israel but has suffered from war. Israel has been erecting a fence along its porous Sinai border, which is scheduled for completion next year.

Hamas reportedly getting out of Damascus

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Hamas is reportedly thinning its ranks in Damascus as pan-Arab pressure builds on the Syrian regime. Diplomats said last week that the Palestinian Islamist group, which has long had its headquarters in the Syrian capital, has been quietly relocating staff to Gaza following the Arab League decision to suspend Syria over its bloody crackdown on anti-regime protestors, according to news reports. A Hamas spokesperson denied the report, according to the Jerusalem Post. According to the diplomats, Hamas has been leaving quietly to avoid Syrian state scrutiny

as well all that of Iran, an ally of Damascus and a financial backer of Palestinian terrorist groups. Another Islamist militia supported by Syria, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, has emphasized that its alliance remains sound. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah lauded Syria as a “resistance regime” during a surprise appearance Dec. 6 before ecstatic crowds of Shi’ite supporters in Beirut. Nasrallah has kept largely out of view since the 2006 war with Israel. “Every day we are growing in number, our training is getting better, we are becoming more confident and our weapons are increasing,” he said.

Israeli military chief apologizes for gaffe

ERUSALEM (JTA) — The IDF chief of staff apologized for joking about boycotts by some religious soldiers of female entertainment troupes. During an inspection of Golan forces on Dec. 6, Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz was asked by Defense Minister Ehud Barak about the duties of several female soldiers standing nearby. “They sing during recesses. We bring them over during recess to sing,” Gantz quipped as television cameras rolled. Barak responded by pointing to one of his civilian aides and saying, “She can sing. She’s not in uniform.” That drew a bawdier joke from the local commander, Col. Ofek Buchris. The exchange, aired on national television, touched a nerve given the military high command’s

efforts to curb complaints within the ranks that performances by conscripted female singers offend Orthodox Jewish sensibilities. The controversy has flowed into a wider debate as to the growing influence of religious soldiers in the armed forces. Gantz exacerbated the affair by telling reporters who observed the Golan repartee that they should not publish it. The Israel Defense Forces issued a statement on Dec. 7 saying Gantz “clarifies that his remarks were made jovially and that the interpretation appended to them contradicts the chief of staff’s outlook and his record of advancing women in the IDF.” “The chief of staff has further emphasized that he apologizes before anyone who took offense at his words.”

Attractive pols get more TV time in Israel

Lieberman calls Russian vote kosher

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Better-looking US politicians receive more television coverage, a new Israeli study found. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Haifa, asked 463 Israeli students to rank the attractiveness of the 110th US Congress, which served in 2007, based on the official photographs posted on the government websites. Presidential candidates, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and majority and minority leaders were excluded from t h e rankings. After controlling for seniority, politi c a l standing, electoral vulnerability, ideology, legislative activity and communication efforts, gender and race, among other variables, the study found that physical attractiveness was the third strongest predictor of television coverage, increasing coverage by 11.6%. The researchers, Dr. Israel Waismel Manor and Professor Yariv Tsfati, speculated in the study that as attractiveness does not correspond to newspaper or radio coverage, television journalists seek out attractive politicians in order to appeal to audiences. According to the study, the top three attractive politicians were Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), and Sen. Saxby Chambliss Jr. (R-Ga.). The top 10 featured eight Republicans, six representatives and six men, as well as a married Republican couple: Reps. Connie Mack IV of Florida, No. 4, and Mary Bono Mack of California, No. 8. Both Democrats were women. No Jewish lawmakers were included in the top 10.

No Jewish lawmakers in the top 10

Beastie Boys to join Hall of Fame

EW YORK (JTA) — The Beastie Boys are to be inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of

Fame. The pioneering hip-hop group made up of Mike D (Michael Diamond), MCA (Adam Yauch) and Ad-Rock (Adam Horowitz) will join a Hall of Fame class of 2012 that includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Guns N Roses, according to the New York Daily News. The Beastie Boys, creators of hits such as “Fight for Your Right (To Party),” “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn” and “Sabotoage,” have released 12 albums that have sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. The ceremony will be held in April at the Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Avigdor Lieberman

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman described Russia’s controversial legislative elections as democratically sound. Lieberman met Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last week in Moscow, which has been rocked by demonstrations against the vote count from the Duma ballot of Dec. 4. Putin’s United Russia party, while losing seats, still had a stronger showing than expected, prompting accusations at home and abroad of electionrigging. The Lieberman-Putin meeting was televised, and the Russian

news agency ITAR-TASS quoted the foreign minister as describing a briefing he had received from the “small but very professional” delegation of Israeli election observers that included a lawmaker from his Yisrael Beiteinu party. “Their answer was quite clear: The elections were absolutely fair, free and democratic. This is my opinion because I rely on our observers,” Lieberman was quoted as saying. In Jerusalem, Lieberman aides issued a statement on the meeting that made no mention of his remarks on the Duma vote. One aide said the foreign minister had been speaking extemporaneously and thus there was no full, official Israeli transcript. The tough-talking, Moldovanborn Lieberman has frequently raised eyebrows as Israel’s top diplomat. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Lieberman had remonstrated with Russia over its support for the unilateral Palestinian statehood drive. “He added that providing the latest weaponry to Syria, particularly in light of the current situation there, could lead to undesirable consequences for all concerned,” the ministry said in a statement.

Sarkozy explains snipe at Netanyahu

ERUSALEM (JTA) — French President Nicolas Sarkozy was quoted as saying he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “liar” after being sidelined on the Shalit deal. Israeli media reported Dec. 8 that Sarkozy, who was embarrassed by the publication of an unflattering private discussion about Netanyahu that he had with President Obama at the G-20 summit in Cannes, met Jewish leaders in Paris two weeks ago to make amends. According to Haaretz, Sarkozy said he had been frustrated by Israel’s failure to involve France in the Oct. 18 repatriation of Gilad Shalit from Gaza, where the Israeli army conscript had been held for more than five years as a Hamas hostage. Shalit has French as well as Israeli nationality, and Sarkozy had campaigned for his release. Israel’s Channel Two television

Nicolas Sarkozy said that Sarkozy, who is considered a lifelong friend of the Jewish state, was considering a visit to Jerusalem next year in which he would demonstrate his continued good will toward Netanyahu. Israeli and French officials had no immediate comment on the report.

Appeals court upholds Islamic conviction

EW YORK (JTA) — A US appeals court upheld the convictions of five Holy Land Foundation organizers on charges of conspiring to send money to Hamas. The ruling was handed down Dec. 7 by a three-judge panel from the 5th Circuit US Court of Appeals in Texas. The Texas-based Holy Land Foundation had its assets frozen by the Bush administration in December, 2001. The Islamic charity and five

Guilty of funneling money to Hamas defendants were found guilty in 2008 on charges of funneling money to Hamas. The charity’s organizers had appealed their convictions, objecting among other things to federal prosecutors’ use of anonymous Israeli witnesses.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 25

NEWS

Matisyahu went overbeard

Matisyahu shaves, says he’s moving to next step on spiritual journey — and on music By ADAM SOCLOF JTA

EW YORK — The world’s most famous chasidic Jew has shaved his beard. With a declaration Tuesday, Dec. 13, that he was “reclaiming” himself, Jewish music star Matisyahu — a.k.a. Matthew Miller — shaved his signature beard and wrote, “No more chassidic reggae superstar.” The musician posted two photos of his newly beardless face to the social networking site Twitter and added an explanation on his website a few hours later. “When I started becoming religious 10 years ago it was a very natural and organic process,” he wrote. “I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules — lots of them — or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself.” Matisyahu’s religious journey has long been an object of speculation

and media fascination. Raised in a Reconstructionist family in White Plains, NY, he became affiliated with the Chabad movement only in 2000, after studying at one of its institutions in Israel. Four years later, after his debut album “Shake Off the Dust . . . Arise” was released by JDub Records, Matisyahu began a rise that ultimately would find him performing on national television as well as at Jewish events. Here was a beat-boxing Chasid borrowing lyrics from Jewish liturgy on television while wearing the black fedora and long black coat typical of members of the Chabad sect. Matisyahu represented a major step forward in the visibility of traditional Judaism in the mainstream media. Chasidic Judaism was always central to his public persona. While on tour, promoters made special

Thai Vegan party held at the musician’s home. The episode explored the intricacies of rules governing the preparation of kosher meals.

B ‘REBIRTH’ Matisyahu posted pictures of himself on Twitter after shaving his signature beard, Dec. 13, 2011. (Photo via Twitter) arrangements to accommodate Matisyahu’s Sabbath observance. As recently as last weekend, Matisyahu’s status as a chasidic cultural icon was on full display. An episode of the Bravo channel’s “Chef Roble & Co.” focused on a kosher

ut Matisyahu’s spiritual exploration didn’t end with his rise to public attention. In 2007, he distanced himself from the Chabad movement, a move that sparked another round of news stories. “My initial ties were through the Lubavitch sect . . . At this point, I don’t necessarily identify with it any more,” Matisyahu told the Miami New Times in 2007. “I’m really religious, but the more I’m learning about other types of Jews, I don’t want to exclude myself.” “Matisyahu was never a part of the movement’s conventional line,” a senior Chabad official told Haaretz later that year. “It’s possible that he felt that his membership in

Chabad caused him to be scrutinized.” Matisyahu went on to explore other schools of Chasidism — including Karlin-Stoliners, a chasidic group known for praying at full volume. It wasn’t a matter of rejecting Chabad, the singer told JTA in 2008, but rather “not feeling bound to one way or one path, but open to many paths within Judaism.” The singer’s latest statement isn’t definitive. It doesn’t rule out belonging to Judaism or even a chasidic movement. At most, the statement seems to indicate another stage of spiritual exploration. “Get ready for an amazing year filled with music of rebirth,” Matisyahu says in his statement. “And for those concerned with my naked face, don’t worry . . . you haven’t seen the last of my facial hair.”

Cleveland stages Israeli art in public venues ‘Israeli art isn’t just for the JCC anymore’; Cleveland shows different face of Israel By DAN KLEIN JTA

EW YORK (JTA) — Cleveland has gained an unlikely new patron of the arts: the local Jewish federation. As part of a new project to help showcase Israeli artists, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland is helping to facilitate Israeli performances at some of the city’s major museums, concert halls and theaters. The program launched earlier this fall aims not just to boost Israel but the Israeli arts with the message that Israeli culture isn’t just for the JCC anymore. “The mission is to project Israel as a source of world-class art and culture,” said Erica HartmanHorovitz, an art appraiser who cochairs the program, the Cleveland Israel Arts Connection. “When most people think of Israel they’re thinking of the conflict, maybe the incredible efforts that Israel goes through to survive. We want to illustrate the Israel arts and culture world as something that is more than that for those who might not be interested in Israel for other reasons.” Made up of volunteers from the Cleveland arts community, the program’s committee has helped bring Ladino singer Yasmin Levy to the Cleveland Museum of Art; the Alon Yavnai jazz quintet to Severance Hall (home of the Cleveland Orchestra); supported a sold-out performance of “My Name is Asher Lev” at the Cleveland Play House; and sponsored talks from Israeli novelist Amos Oz at Oberlin College and Case Western Reserve University. In March, the Cleveland International Film Festival will feature films from Israel. The program to boost Israel is unusual both for its partnerships with non-Jewish institutions and its ambition to bring Israeli culture to a city with a relatively modest Jewish population of about 80,000 and few Israelis. “You don’t need to do this in New York because New York — and probably LA, Washington and Miami — has regular presentations, and

because you have a large Jewish and Israeli population and these things can play there successfully even competing against other cultural options,” said Stephen Hoffman, CEO of the Cleveland Jewish federation. “But once you leave the largest Jewish population centers, you have to work at it. Some of these performers might come to Cleveland anyway, some might not, but some need more help.” The help includes funding of $50,000 in corporate and private donations, as well as manpower help from the federation. Among the components of the program is a parttime Israeli scout for talent who comes to Cleveland every couple of months to suggest collaborations

with particular artists or groups. Meanwhile, non-Jewish venues in Cleveland are turning to the committee for help. Pam Young, the executive director of DANCECleveland, said she had wanted to bring the Israeli Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company to the city a few years ago to perform its new work at the time, “Oyster,” but to do so would have been cost prohibitive. When Young heard recently that the dance company would be reprising “Oyster” during a US tour, she turned to the federation and the shidduch was made. In late January, the Israeli company will perform for two days at PlayhouseSquare, the country’s second-largest performing arts center

H A P P Y C H A N U K A H

after New York’s Lincoln Center. “Federation leadership was essential,” Young told JTA. “It gave us confidence to move forward with the project.” She said performances like these are a great way for non-Jews to learn about Israel. “The arts transcend a lot of things: They transcend age, race, they transcend stereotypes,” Young said. “Israeli artists aren’t always making art about Israeli experiences or Jewish experiences, but they’re mak-

ing work, interesting work.” Attempts to bring Israeli culture to secular venues haven’t always gone smoothly. In 2009, the Toronto International Film Festival came under fire for including Israeli movies. But in Cleveland, organizers say they haven’t encountered such opposition. Young said bringing Israeli artists to town may be heartwarming for Jews, but it also gives non-Jews an opportunity to enjoy great art.

26 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

NEWS

Katsav in prison; awaits appeal

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Still pleading innocent, former Israeli President Moshe Katsav began his seven-year prison term for rape. An ashen-faced Katsav entered Maasiyahu Prison on Dec. 7 after delivering a prepared statement to reporters and supporters who mobbed the doorway of his home in Kiryat Malachi. “Without any evidence, the State of Israel is putting a person to death,” he said. “The day will come when the truth will emerge. I do not know when that will be — whether with or without you, whether with or without me.” Such remarks are likely to worry Katsav confidants, who said

Moshe Katsav they fear the 66-year-old could commit suicide or be persecuted behind bars by inmates whose

clemency requests he turned down while head of state. But Katsav, who was convicted a year ago of twice raping an aide when he was tourism minister in the 1990s and of molesting female staff in the President’s House, appeared to be pinning hopes on his Supreme Court appeal proceedings, which are still under way. “I never hurt anyone,” he said. “The conscience of those who committed this injustice will certainly awaken, and you will see that you buried a man alive.” Israeli law allows for jail terms to be cut by a third for good behavior, but that generally requires the inmate to admit guilt and voice regret for the crime committed.

Explosion at Iranian steel mill unexplained

EW YORK (JTA) — Seven people, including foreign nationals, were killed in an explosion at an Iranian steel mill that has been linked to the country’s nuclear program. The explosion occurred Sunday night, Dec. 11, at the Ghadir steelworks. The p l a n t opened six months ago.

European Jewish unity threatened?

ERLIN (JTA) — A new European Jewish parliament is a threat to Jewish unity in Europe, Jewish leaders from across the continent have charged. Sixteen Jewish leaders warned in a letter to the heads of the European Union that the European Jewish Union “could disturb the current equilibrium, built on years of hard work and cooperation, and as such is something we completely reject.” The letter was hand-delivered late last week to the offices of European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barosso. There has been no official response. In particular, the leaders objected to a European Jewish parliament proposed by the union, which in September initiated an Internet election for the body. The European Jewish Union responded to the letter in an email. “We believe that no one has the monopoly on promoting Jewish interests in Europe,” the union wrote, adding “How can anyone object, in the era we live in, [to] the first ever pan-European, West-

East, popular, democratic, all inclusive and transparent elections using the Internet?” Noting its other actions this year — including launching a Jewish news channel, facilitating a conference for Jewish youth and establishing a task force against anti-Semitism — the email said, “[it] is time to use new approaches and technologies to reach out to all the Jews across the Continent.” The election, which concludes Dec. 15, has been conducted via the European Jewish Union’s website. It has been criticized because numerous candidates, including Jewish celebrities, apparently had been nominated without their knowledge. Tomer Orni, the organization’s CEO, said runner-ups would be contacted in the event that any of the winners do not want to be involved. Orni said the idea of Internet elections was to be as open as possible to Jews of all backgrounds, including those who are not members of Jewish communities. The European Jewish Press — whose editor in chief, Yossi

Lempkowicz, is a candidate — reported that more than 170,000 people had voted as of early November. This week, the union said that “over 300,000 voters have subscribed.” The last figures available from Google Adplanner showed 52,000 unique visitors in October. A signer of the critical letter, Tomas Kraus, president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic, told JTA in a telephone interview that it was “complete nonsense” to suggest that existing Jewish organizations are not representative. “The European Jewish Congress is consisting of representatives of local Jewish communities who have been democratically elected,” said Kraus. He said it was important for European Jews to speak with one voice, especially during tough economic times when anti-Semitic tendencies increase. Asked if he could see working with the union, Kraus said it might be possible “If they would be willing to change their strategy,” including dropping the Internet elections.

‘Eichmann trial shaped history’

Peres promotes moon probe

Partners for Jewish program

ERUSALEM (JTA) — On the 50th anniversary of Adolf Eichmann’s capture for trial in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the event shaped Jewish history. “Eichmann’s capture and bringing to trial were a turning point at which the State of Israel and the Jewish people began to exact justice on their persecutors,” Netanyahu said Dec. 12 at the official unveiling of a Knesset display of memorabilia from the 1961 secret mission in Argentina. Israeli agents tracked Eichmann, the architect of the Holocaust, in Buenos Aires and spirited him to Israel. He was put on trial in Jerusalem and executed, the only murderer ever executed by Israel. The Knesset exhibit includes the syringe with which Eichmann was drugged by his captors, never-before-seen photos from the mission and forged papers used by the agents.

ERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli space enthusiasts are taking part in an international moonprobe competition. President Shimon Peres cut the ribbon Dec. 8 on Space IL, a nonprofit group that will compete for the international Google Lunar X Prize. The challenge is to become the first team to successfully launch, fly and land a robotic spacecraft on the moon. The team also must operate the spacecraft, which will carry an Israeli pennant, across the lunar surface and relay back video. The first prize is a $30 million grant, which has stirred dreams in Israel of mounting a manned moon mission. “The time has come to fly Israel’s flag on the moon,” Peres said at the ceremony, which took place at the Israel Aerospace Industries campus near Tel Aviv.

EW YORK (JTA) — Northwestern University and the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies have partnered to create a Certificate in Jewish Leadership program. The program of the university’s School of Continuing Studies and the Chicago institute is geared toward emerging leaders of nonprofit organizations. It will teach participants to improve leadership and communication skills, articulate personal visions, and plan for the future through a Jewish lens. The aim is to maximize the effectiveness of Jewish leaders through religious and professional contexts. “This innovative program will provide Jewish leaders the opportunity to enhance their professional careers in the context of their personal faith,” said Northwestern President Morton Schapiro.

Some of the foreign dead are believed to be North Korean nuclear experts, according to reports. The mill reportedly is processing North Korean steel in order to produce the proper grade of steel to construct centrifuges for uranium enrichment. Iranian news reports said a gas leak caused the blast, but other reports indicated that the explosion may have been the result of sabotage. The explosion comes weeks after two other unexplained explosions at sites linked to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Palestinian has Israeli booted from panel

Moshe Sakal

ERUSALEM (JTA) — An Israeli author was kicked off a panel discussion in Marseilles at the request of the Palestinian poet Najwan Darwish. Moshe Sakal, the author of Yoland, which was shortlisted for the 2011 Sapir Prize for literature, was removed Dec. 5 from a discussion of the Arab Spring

at a conference of Mediterranean writers, Haaretz reported. French-Jewish author Pierre Assouline, the director of the conference, said Sakal’s participation in the panel “was not crucial.” Darwish had apparently said that he would participate in the conference as long as he did not have to sit with any Israelis at roundtable discussions. Describing the reaction to Sakal’s dismissial, Assouline said, “Half of the crowd got very angry, and the other half was thrilled.” “I entered the hall just as [Moroccan poet] Tahar Ben Jelloun was speaking forcefully against this type of boycott,” Sakal said to Ha’aretz. “He said that there are many Israeli authors who are supportive [of the Palestinian cause] and one should speak to them even if one doesn’t approve of current Israeli politics.” “There were hundreds of people there and there were a lot of hecklers,” Sakal said. “People were very upset.”

Paul Flynn apologizes for bigoted remark

EW YORK (JTA) — A British lawmaker apologized for suggesting that a Jewish ambassador to Israel is biased because of his religion. Paul Flynn, a Labour Party parliamentarian, was recently accused of anti-Semitism after he claimed that Britain’s ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, “was serving the interests of the Israeli government.” On Dec. 7, Flynn referred to his comments as “clumsily expressed remarks” and withdrew them in an interview with the London Jewish Chronicle. “There is no reason that anyone of any race or religion should be debarred from public office,” Flynn said. “That has always been my opinion. The comments were made in a heated exchange in a select committee discussion on probable warmongering. Other informa-

Paul Flynn tion received contradicts criticism I quoted on the conduct of our ambassador. I regret any offense caused.” Flynn has served in the House of Commons since 1987 and represents the Welsh district of Newport West.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section A • 27

F E AT U R E S

‘If not for them, I wouldn’t be here’ For Holocaust rescuers and survivor, it was a Thanksgiving to remember By HILLEL KUTTLER JTA

ALTIMORE — When Dahlia Jakutiene of Giedraicai, Lithuania, developed a brain tumor in early November, Cheryl Rosen offered to fly the woman she has never met to the US for treatment. “I was heartbroken when I heard she was sick,” said Rosen, who lives in suburban New York. “Of course we would have brought

prehended the reality of the other’s presence after 66 years. Erlich’s left hand grasped Bimbirine’s right for nearly an hour, continuing to hold on for dear life. “I feel like we’re one family,” Bimbirine said, her daughter interpreting. “I feel as close to them as [to] family because if not for them, I wouldn’t be here today,” Erlich said.

The Katzes buried themselves in a narrow pit beneath the pantry, or squeezed into the smokehouse out back her here. Whatever was necessary: If she had required financial assistance with [treatment], of course we’d help.” Jakutiene’s tumor proved benign, and she is recuperating nicely. She didn’t need to fly to New York for treatment, but coming through in an emergency is what family members do for one another, and here the matter was personal: Jakutiene’s grandmother, the late Leokadija Ruzgys, and the latter’s three children saved Rosen’s mother, Mira “Mary” Erlich, during the Holocaust. On Nov. 23, at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, Erlich, now 82, got a good look at Ruzgys’ daughter, Egle Bimbirine, 83, and son, Aurimas Ruzgys, 81, for the first time since WW II ended. (Their sister, Meile, Jakutiene’s mother, passed away in 1988.) The siblings embraced their hosts, posed for news cameras and drove off to Rosen’s home in Scarsdale, NY, to spend nine days together. On Thanksgiving night, with the dishes washed and the day’s last football telecast attracting the household’s 20-somethings, Bimbirine and Erlich relaxed in the dining room, nursing dessert with their respective daughters, Ida Juraitieme and Rosen. Ruzgys had retired for the night, fatigued by the long flight. “This is my rescuer,” Erlich said, introducing a visitor to Bimbirine. The older women scarcely com-

“This is what we’ve been talking about all day. You don’t do something like this for someone you don’t care about, only for someone you love.” The two clans were reunited by the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, a New York-based organization that honors non-Jews who rescued Jews during the Shoah. At a Manhattan hotel last week, Ruzgys and Bimbirine, along with their late mother and late sister, officially received the Righteous Among the Nations designation from Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust commemoration institution.

eventy years ago, Israel Katz, a bakery shop owner in Giedraicai, rapped at the window of Leokadija Ruzgys in Dudenai four miles away, seeking refuge. His son, Leibel, had been killed by schoolmates following the German invasion, and Israel survived a mass execution. Ruzgys, a widow, had been Katz’s steady customer. Her three children frequently had frolicked with his daughter, Mira, while Ruzgys shopped or attended church. “We played hopscotch or whatever it is that kids do,” Erlich recalled. Ruzgys hid the three Katzes, including Mira’s mother, Berta. Concerned over the family’s food sup-

ply and the consequences of harboring Jews, Ruzgys tried limiting their stay to three days. Meile, Egle and Aurimas wailed in support of the Katzes, and their mother relented in a scene that played out periodically under the new living arrangements. When a female approached the family’s remote home from the valley, the Katzes buried themselves in a narrow pit beneath the pantry, with one of the hosts replacing the floor and topping it with a bushel of potatoes. A man’s arrival could mean he’d been tipped off and was coming to arrest them, so the Katzes squeezed into the smokehouse out back. The families dwelled Mira Erlich, sitting left, reunites with Egle Bimbirine, sitting right, who together for three years as a teenager rescued Erlich and her parents. Their daughters are Cheryl until an informant blew Rosen, standing left, and Ida Juraitieme. Hillel Kuttler their cover. Leokadija Ruzgys and the Katzes were jailed, alive and can talk about the time their heroism was screened. A threegeneration photograph of Mira Katz but bribes kept them alive. They we spent together.” The next generations take the sen- Erlich and the descendants whose were released at war’s end. After four years in a displaced per- timent to heart. After Bimbirine and existence the Ruzgyses enabled was sons’ camp in Germany, Katz moved Juraitieme climbed the stairs to the presented. By then, Dahlia Jakutiene, her his family to the US in 1950. Until bedrooms they’d call home for nine his death in 1984, Katz correspond- nights, Rosen’s children replaced husband and three children were them at the table beside their grand- likely fast asleep back in Giedraicai. ed with the Ruzgyses. The Jakutienes will continue to “I never got them out of my heart. mother. “I’m not the biggest fan of the term live for many more years, many thouThey were always there,” Erlich said ‘rescuers.’ It doesn’t do justice to sands of multiples of three days, in of her rescuers. what they’ve done for the family,” the modest house they’ve renovatt’s very emotional just see- said Ilana Rosen. “The balance of ed, a dwelling whose doorposts the ing them again. About the universe is so delicate, and every- executive vice president of the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, three or four years ago, thing happens for a reason.” “[Mira] had three children and Stanlee Stahl, swears bear old indenwe almost went there for a visit, but my husband got sick. If nine grandchildren,” said Adam tations for mezuzzot. Dahlia has owned the house since not for [the Jewish Foundation for Rosen, 23. “You keep going further the Righteous], I don’t know if we’d and further down the line, and 1988, when her mother died. Meile have been together for this holiday.” [the Ruzgyses] ultimately will have had lived there since 1964, when Meile’s mother, Leokadija, died. “It is a very special day,” Bim- saved thousands of people.” Daniel Rosen, 21, said, “To see Leokadija had lived there since birine said. “I was so nervous about meeting. I wondered whether we’d them embrace after 66 years, you the late 1940s. That was when Israel Katz signed recognize each other. Mira and I can still see the love.” At last week’s dinner, Israel’s con- the deed over to her. It was the least thought that it’s a pity that my mother and sister, and Mira’s parents, sul general presented the Lithuan- Katz could do to express his gratiare not with us . . . I was so glad I ian rescuers with Yad Vashem’s tude. And it ensured that the home met Mira and that she and I are still award. A 13-minute documentary of remained in the family.

“I

US Jewish fraternities come to the UK While many students welcome them, others worry about binge-drinking reputation By ALEX WEISLER JTA

ONDON — Historically Jewish fraternities are leading the introduction of American Greek culture to the United Kingdom, but not everyone is throwing a toga party for England’s latest import. Over the past year, Zeta Beta Tau and Alpha Epsilon Pi — Jewish fraternities whose membership is open to all — have established the first fraternity chapters in the United Kingdom. ZBT established its chapter in May in Nottingham, followed by a second in Birmingham. AEPi has opened chapters in Birmingham, Leeds and at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Except for St. Andrews, the other chapters are city based and open to members from all nearby universities. The fraternities aim to appeal to Jewish students differently from the country’s existing network of Jew-

ish societies, which operate similarly to Hillel chapters in the US and are organized under the umbrella of the Union of Jewish Students. JSocs, as they are known, focus broadly on serving Jewish students and defending their interests, while the fraternity representatives say their focus will be on social events, volunteering and professional networking. “It’s an unexplored territory for the UK, so when [British Jewish students] see that and understand they can actually do that through their own means, they become really enthusiastic,” said Steven Senft, AEPi’s director of international expansion. The Union of Jewish Students, which promotes Jewish social life on campus, isn’t sold on the new kid on the block. UJS President Dan Grabiner called American fraternities “alien” to Jewish life at Britain’s universi-

ties and cited concerns about their single-sex nature and connection with binge drinking — a problem that has dogged Britain for years. “From reports of fraternity life in the US, it appears that even if it is not their initial intention, they still encourage binge drinking and an elitist culture which is divisive to university life,” Grabiner said. “This, to UJS, does not add to Jewish life on campus.”

aurence Bolotin, the Indianabased executive director of ZBT, said that Jewish fraternities, whether in England or the US, are “as relevant today as ever.” “They provide college men with an opportunity to bond together, provide service to their campus and to their Jewish communities,” Bolotin said. “Our groups at Nottingham and Birmingham have already become active and engaged in their local

Jewish communities and plan on growing that involvement.” Though the fraternities are still small in England — the ZBT chapter at Birmingham has just 11 members and the AEPi St. Andrews branch has nine — they are growing, with expansion efforts planned by both groups to target universities in Manchester and London. Ryan Lipman, 19, a first-year business administration student at Birmingham City University, is the president of the Birmingham ZBT chapter. Lipman said the stereotypes of fraternity and sorority life are not what ZBT is about. “To be honest, all I know about fraternities was literally what I’ve seen in the movies — drinking, the hazing — things that have nothing to do with it at all,” Lipman said. “It’s kind of making friends for life. That’s the main reason I went to university, and I thought this

couldn’t hurt it.” Lipman said the organization also has helped him meet fellow Jews, which can be hard on campuses with small Jewish populations. “There’s 400 people living on my campus and, of that, I know about four Jews and only two of them are guys,” he said of Birmingham, where the ZBT chapter spans several area universities. “You have to make it a kind of citywide one to get the reaction to a Jewish fraternity that we’re aiming to get.” British fraternity life is unlikely to mirror its American counterpart. The chapters are smaller, there are no fraternity houses (yet), and universities offer little support. ZBT’s Bolotin says, “We want to be very intentional about the way that we’re growing there. We want to make sure that it’s going to be students that are going to add to our name.

28 • Section A • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section B • 1

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Jerusalem, Israel invest in Arab classrooms

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A school in Ras al-Amud, an Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem southeast of the Old City. The municipality of Jerusalem and Israel’s Ministry of Education are investing $69 million to build 285 new classrooms in Arab East Jerusalem schools. Providing computers are Intel and Ernst and Young.

to rectify years of neglect in Arab schools By ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN

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Israel 21c

hen the 2011-2012 school year began in the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, millions of shekels in sparkling new or renewed classrooms, computers and sports facilities greeted 42,153 students and their teachers. Many of the 59 public schools approved and budgeted under the Jerusalem Education Authority of the Ministry of Education have been neglected, undersupplied or overcrowded for decades. Since taking office in November; 2008, Mayor Nir Barkat has been implementing improvements to get these facilities on par with schools in the western (Jewish) sector of the city, says Stephan Miller, advisor to Jerusalem’s mayor. “The mayor and municipal professionals work regularly with members of the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem through the leadership of the community centers as well as organized groups of residents such as the Mayor’s Forum of Eastern Jerusalem Principals and the Mayor’s Forum for Welfare in Eastern Jerusalem,” Miller says. “The completion of the mayor’s plan will lead to a significant change in education in eastern Jerusalem.” New schools, including approximately 200 classrooms, have been built in the eastern part of the city. The municipality is currently investing the unprecedented sum of 300 shekels million (about $69 million) in the planning and construction of 285 additional new classrooms

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for Arab schoolchildren. New services for athletes, gifted kids, girls his year alone, 42 new classrooms will be opened in new buildings; 18 were at the start of the year and the remainder in coming months. Six additional kindergarten classrooms were completed in time for September, including one for special education. More than 40 public school classrooms were renovated and adapted to pupils’ needs, with emphasis on the Shoafat refugee area in northeast Jerusalem. The municipality also built new sports facilities in south central Beit Tzafafa and in Isawiya in the northeast. Another 750,000 shekels (more than $170,000) per year has been approved for programs to advance gifted and outstanding pupils, strengthen girls’ education and reduce school violence. An additional 1.5 million shekels is newly designated for the public schools’ organizational expenditures. The municipality and the Education Ministry have shared costs for these initiatives, says Miller, and further upgrades are still to come. “As you can imagine, from vision to construction takes time, and the mayor has moved swiftly since taking office to fast-track these plans,” says Miller, “which is why they are ready so early in his first term.”

Computers and ‘smart’ boards ew classrooms wouldn’t be as valuable without updated equipment inside them. So with the assistance of Israeli branches of companies such as Ernst & Young and Intel, the municipality rang in the new school year by distributing 1,720 mobile and desktop computers to schools, kindergartens and teachers in eastern Jerusalem. An additional 350 new donated computers were given to schoolchildren to take home. There was more good news for teachers: Seven classrooms in six schools in the eastern part of the city were converted into technologically sophisticated learning centers with the installation of interactive whiteboards, which can display educational software, websites, past lessons and other features. Teachers and principals alike have been receiving computer training courses to maximize their use of these new tools. “We are committed to investing in eastern Jerusalem and reducing the gaps, which are the result of years of neglect,” said Barkat upon announcing the improvements at the start of September. “We cannot countenance a situation in which Jerusalem pupils have no classrooms, roads or basic infrastructures. These investments will lead to an increase in residents’ quality of life.”

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Israel’s gourmet chocolate: $5.3 million Sweet N’ Karem was founded by Amsalem’s husband Ofer about six years ago. Though they’re now divorced, Ofer makes the premium ice cream in the retail chocolate store

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Beans grown in Ecuador, Venezuela, Ghana, Indonesia By ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN Israel 21c he brown smudges on Sima Amsalem’s forearms exude a chocolaty aroma as she extends a hand of greeting at her Sweet N’ Karem chocolate factory in Jerusalem’s artsy Ein Karem neighborhood. For a woman whose waking hours are enrobed in chocolate like a fine praline, Amsalem is surprisingly trim. It could be that the demand for her sweets doesn’t leave her much time for munching. “My customer base is always growing,” she says while piping fillings into pralines for a wedding as a coworker rolls truffles for guestrooms at a boutique hotel across the lane.

2001 acquisition of Max Brenner “Chocolate by the Bald Man”. Business partners Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner founded Max Brenner in 1996 with the goal of creating “a new culture of chocolate” in Israel. Inspired by Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka character, they concocted first-class treats from beans grown in Ecuador, Venezuela, Ghana and Indonesia, with accessories to evince a whole-chocolate environment. These days, Max Brenner chocolate boutiques and Chocolate Bar eateries dot Israel and Australia, with additional locations in Singa-

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Pralines on the way at Sweet N’ Karem. “Every time we think we’ve finished all the orders, somebody calls.” The gourmet chocolate scene in Israel is as hot as the molten brown liquid spinning in Amsalem’s tempering machines. It reportedly accounts for about $5.3 million of the overall $40 million domestic chocolate market. The Jewish High Holidays are also high season in chocolate retail sales. The much-loved confection is not new to the region. Elite, Israel’s leading mass-marketed brand of chocolate, was established in 1933 by three immigrant families and is still going strong after merging with the Strauss Group, Israel’s second largest food and beverage company, in 2004. Ornat, founded in 1987, was Israel’s first manufacturer of handmade pralines. Today it runs a visitors center and factory store in Gush Tel Mond, and its elaborately packaged, kosher

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pore and the Philippines, Las Vegas, Manhattan, Philadelphia and Boston. Brenner, now on his own, has relocated to New York and the confections are no longer made by hand. But back at home, the culture he created is going strong. Especially in the larger cities and malls, gourmet chocolate shops have sprung up selling their own or other brands of handcrafted goodies. Often, Israeli-made pralines and truffles are distinguished by their Middle Eastern or Asian flavors and by fillings such as passion fruit, pistachio, chai masala, jasmine, cardamom and ginger.

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For Love of Chocolate

ima Asalem’s intimate relationship with her chocolate rubs off on her workers and the drop-ins who come just for the chance to package the finished products prettily.

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“We speak with the chocolate; we tell it how much we love it. It helps!” says Amsalem, who is selftaught. “It’s all women here,” adds Gil, one of her employees, her palms slick with truffle dough.

around the corner while Sima manages the factory. “We are good friends, because chocolate keeps people together,” smiles Sima, though oddly enough

the couple’s eight-year-old son does not care for chocolate. You’ll hear the same passion in Please see CHOCOLATE on Page 18

4 • Section B • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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Ambucycles Angels: Jewish and Arab

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All volunteer first-response team beats traffic on mopeds

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By KARIN KLOOSTERMAN Israel 21c hen the all-volunteer first-response medical organization Hatzalah starting operating in a religious Jerusalem neighborhood 20 years ago, it had to work in stealth mode. In those days, the group wasn’t officially recognized. “We would listen in to the radio on shifts,” founder Eli Beer recalls. “We had a number of people who would call us [directly], but every time we heard a call that came from our neighborhood we would use our own frequency. “Each volunteer would buy their own radio and oxygen tank, and I used to yell into the radio something like ‘Bayit Vegan No. 65, a child is choking!’ “The volunteers who heard this would run.” Today, any Israeli can call United Hatzalah of Israel by dialing 1221. And anyone can be a volunteer after passing a medics’ course. Beer imported the model to Israel from US Jewish communities because it is neighborhood-based and allows medics to get to patients on foot or moped as they wait for

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Arab and Jewish volunteer medics outside the Hatzalah headquarters in Jerusalem. an ambulance to arrive. Especially in traffic-choked Jerusalem, those extra minutes count. Though it took time for Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical services organization, to warm to the idea, today the two groups enjoy a beneficial partnership. Hatzalah is not intended to replace MDA but to complement it.

Ambucycles whose drivers rely on City. When receiving an alert, they each the Israeli-developed GPS system, Life Compass, to locate the distressed jump on their specially equipped even in winding alleyways with poor- mopeds or run on foot to save the ly marked numbers on homes and day. There are others like them, such apartment buildings stacked togethas an Arab man who saved a Jewer like a mosaic. The award-winning organiza- ish life in a ritual bathhouse, and tion also demonstrates that people who could be enemies prefer instead to save each other’s lives. Among the Hatzalah teams that spring into action from the midst of prayer, Eli Beer, founder of Hatzalah in Israel. work or middle-ofthe-night sleep is an odd couple: an Orthodox Jewish Beer himself, who ran out of the synfish store employee and a Muslim agogue on Yom Kippur to save an worker at a mosque in the Old Arab man suffering from a heart

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Only all-volunteer first-response team

nited Hatzalah Israel now works in all sectors of Israeli society, boasting 1,600 Arab and Jewish trained volun-

teers. The only all-volunteer firstresponse team in Israel that operates nationally, it has a fleet of

attack. “I don’t look at people as Arab or Jewish,” says Beer, an Orthodox American who volunteered with MDA in Jerusalem at age 16 before moving to Israel. The World Economic Forum in Davos lauded Beer as social entrepreneur of the year in 2010, and this year he won the Israeli Prime Minister’s Award for his boundary-breaking and life-saving non-profit organization, which runs on a budget of about $4 million) all of which comes from donations, mainly from Israel and the US. “Anyone can join us. “We are a huge national organization still run from Jerusalem. “You can see an Orthodox Jew, an Arab, a volunteer ‘settler’ and a guy who’s not religious at all — all working together,” says Beer.

SECTION Bring sun (-based energy) to a sunsoaked desert By KARIN KLOOSTERMAN Israel 21c ixty percent of the country happens to be desert, and 30% of the [desert] inhabitants happen to be Bedouin,” says Yosef Abramowitz, president of Arava Power Company in Israel. Abramowitz sees his solar energy company’s success of installing solar units in the desert as intertwined with the people who know Israel’s deserts best: the Israeli Bedouin. He is fighting regulatory bodies on behalf of the Bedouin to make sure they get their share of the sun. Attractive feed-in tariffs in Israel,

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Ketura. A series of additional solar installations in the same area are planned as the company joins other industrious solar power plant entrepreneurs. But getting the rubber stamp from the last regulatory body to go ahead with building the solar field at Tarabin is not proving easy. In the meantime, feed-in tariffs, which cap at 300 megawatts, are getting used up.

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For the sake of the Bedouin with state guarantees on solar energy investments for new solar power plants, have created a small windfall of opportunities for local installers, as well as local and foreign investors. Arava seeks to lease Bedouin land to install solar power plants, with financial backing from companies like Siemens. Step-by-step progress is being made: In the summer, the Southern Regional Planning and Building Committee of the Israeli Ministry of the Interior approved plans for a photovoltaic (PV) solar installation next to the Israeli Bedouin community of Tarabin. This $30 million joint project between the Tarabin tribe and Arava would be the first to be approved on Bedouin land.

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Arava Power is appealing to the government to provide special caps to the Bedouin, a once entirely nomadic people now in transition. Abramowitz says Arava is ready to invest $3 billion in developing solar fields if this happens. “Billions and billions of dollars will be invested in solar installations in the south of the country, and we have a moral obligation to ensure that the solar benefits of the state of Israel will be shared by all the citizens of the desert,” says Abramowitz. He says that allowing the Bedouin to derive a guaranteed income from an Arava-built plant would ease conditions caused by high unemployment. The idea started with Lucy Michaels, a PhD student at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies.

Arava Power’s Yosef Abramowitz, center, with Bedouins at the future Tarabin solar field in southern Israel. She suggested that the solar ener- alyst for resolving these land ownThe first of five anticipated deals, gy business in Israel also benefit the ership claims, which is a govern- the Tarabin project would be an Bedouin people, who tend to be ment priority. eight-megawatt, 37-acre installasocially, culturally, politically and A Bedouin staff currently man- tion. economically marginalized from the ages the planning stages for solarThe eventual full 30 megawatts Israeli majority. energy-leasing agreements with from additional projects would go to “We didn’t start with a business Arava, signed at first over tea, hand- the national grid, and in theory model,” Abramowitz says. “We start- shakes and kisses — the Bedouin would be quickly used by the ed with a mission. We strove to main- way. Bedouin people of Tarabin. tain our mission focus. In the early Once a license is granted by the Every week when Abramowitz years we expanded that mission to goes to visit the Bedouins he has Public Utilities Authority, the first include economic justice.” to make sure his socks are clean plant could be up and running in six with no holes, as it’s customary to months. Community leader Haj Mousa omplicated issues have remove your shoes while entering Tarabin said: emerged about the status the host’s tent. “I am glad there are people who “We choose families and tribes of Bedouin on land that they claim without paper- very carefully, and we are dealing are concerned and are helping the work or formal deeds. According to with honorable people, people with Bedouin improve their lifestyle on Abramowitz, involving Bedouins influence,” he says. “A Bedouin word the economic level as well as with creating various sources of income.” in the solar industry can be a cat- is their word.”

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December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section B • 5

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Ben and Jerry’s began by splitting $5 company that would be both profitable and care about the needs of society has left a lasting impact on both employees and customers. “Simply operating this way had so many benefits for the company,” said Greenfield, as he detailed some of the values-driven business practices that also saw him and Cohen named US Small Business Persons of the Year in 1988. Jerry Greenfield One oft-cited example of Ben & Jerry’s socially conscience business practices is its purchase of $8 million annually of chocolate brownies baked at the Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, NY, a nonprofit that offers job training and hires workers who might have a difficult time finding jobs elsewhere, such as ex-convicts, former substance abusers and welfare recipients. “We came up with this popular flavor [for using the brownies] and the bakery is pretty happy with it, too!” said Greenfield.

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$300 million global ice cream empire has ‘spiritual side’ By SUZANNE KURTZ JTA ASHINGTON — A scoop of Ben & Jerry’s may taste like heaven, and for company co-founder Jerry Greenfield the business of making ice cream has a spiritual side as well. “There is a spiritual aspect to business, just as there is to people,” Greenfield told a crowd of 300 earlier this month at a networking event for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. The ice cream company known for its colorful pint-size containers, funky flavors and creative marketing has implemented smart business practices that have advanced its bottom line as well as its dogood corporate culture. Raised on suburban New York’s Long Island, Greenfield, 60, and his longtime friend and business partner Ben Cohen met in gym class in junior high school after discovering a shared dislike of running track. They were chubby kids who always enjoyed eating, Greenfield said, and both attended Hebrew school and had their Bar Mitzvah at the Reform Congregation of Merrick. Though a self-described “cultural Jew,” Greenfield said that his reli-

gious education helped sensitize him to discrimination, marginalization and the needs of “other people in society and around the world.” In his mid-20s, after being rejected from some 20 medical schools and not content with working as a lab technician, Greenfield split a $5 Pennsylvania State University correspondence course in ice creammaking with Cohen and embarked on a new business venture. In 1978, with $12,000 scraped together from loans and savings, they opened Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vt. Their single storefront venture would grow eventually into a $300 million global ice cream empire owned by the Unilever Corp.

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SECTION N either Greenfield nor Cohen is still active in the day-to-day running of the company. Instead, Greenfield said, his present role with Ben & Jerry’s holds “no responsibility and no authority,” joking that it should be a position that those attending the federation event also strive for in their careers. But their vision for an ice cream

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In 1984, when the company needed to raise additional capital to grow the business, they let their Vermont neighbors “get a scoop of the action” by holding an in-state public offering. “People of essentially any economic situation could participate,” said Greenfield, and one in every 100 Vermont families became shareholders in the company. “As the business supported the community, the community supported the business.” In 1985, the company made a pub-

lic stock offering and also established the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. It began donating 7.5% of pretax profits to nonprofit organizations — the highest percentage of any publicly traded company at the time, he said. “As you give, you receive,” Greenfield said. “As you help others, you are helped in return.” “And just because the idea that the good that you do comes back to you is written in the Bible and not in some business textbook doesn’t mean that it is any less valid.”

6 • Section B • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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Ghetto survivors eligible for payment ERLIN (JTA) — For the first time, some survivors of Nazi-era ghettos are eligible for a one-time payment from the so-called Ghetto Fund in addition to the pensions they receive from the German government. Following negotiations with Germany, the Claims Conference announced that those who meet certain criteria will receive a onetime payment of 2,000 euro, or about $2,600. Germany also has canceled the Dec. 31 deadline for submitting applications for Ghetto Fund payments. In addition, the government is examining 56,000 rejected claims for so-called ghetto pensions, German Social Security payments for work in ghettos. The government decided to approve both Social Security payments and the one-time reparations payment for ghetto survivors who worked as “non-forced” laborers. Julius Berman, chairman of the Claims Conference, said in a news release that the organization wanted to ensure that every eligible survivor who was in a ghetto could apply for both payments. “The decision represents recognition of the suffering and hardship experienced by Jews working in Nazi-era ghettos under unimaginable conditions,” he said. Since 2002, survivors who worked in Nazi ghettos have been eligible for the ghetto pension even if they received payment for their work in the ghetto. The Claims Conference, which is not involved in the implementation of the payments, does provides information on its web-

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Israel-China car venture launching

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ERUSALEM (JTA) — The Qoros Automotive Company — a joint venture of the Israel Corp. and China’s Chery Automobile Company — said it will introduce its first model in 2013. Qoros will introduce a compact sedan in ‘13, the Israeli business daily Globes reported. The Qoros factory is being built in Changshu, west of Shanghai. The two corporations have invested $500 million in Qoros since it was founded in 2007. Qoros, which is targeting the Western European and Chinese markets, plans to generate sales of about 150,000 vehicles a year by 2015 or 2016, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Melanie Einzig/Claims Conference

site about eligibility and the application process.

n related news, a judge in the city of Essen who has spent years interviewing rejected claimants in Israel in an effort to help in their appeal has formally claimed he is being bullied as part of efforts to block payment of ghetto pensions. According to the Bild online newspaper, Social Court Judge Jan-Robert von Renesse, who reportedly has fought for ghetto pensions for thousands of survivors, says the forms that claimants must fill out are too complicated. He said thousands of applicants were rejected for “lack of cooperation” for failing to send back the forms. Renesse also alleged that the court administration regularly destroys documents that could help applicants. Bild confirmed that the president of the Social Court of NorthRhine Westphalia is being investigated for “suppression of documents.”

El Al struck by soaring fuel prices

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ERUSALEM (JTA) — El Al Airlines said it is laying off 200 workers after a steep increase in fuel costs hit its bottom line. Top executives also agreed to pay cuts, Reuters reported, after the airline announced a 51% drop in its third-quarter net profit. Jet fuel prices rose by 47%, raising the airline’s jet fuel expenditure from $160 million to $205 million in the third quarter, the Israeli business daily Globes reported.

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Canada issues Chanukah stamp ORONTO (JTA) — Canada’s post office has issued two Chanukah-themed stamps. One features a lit menorah and the words “Happy Chanukah” in English and French. The other depicts a dreidel, also with the words “Happy Chanukah” in both of Canada’s official languages. The stamps were first issued in October and made available again last week at postal outlets across the country, as well as by phone or mail. The Centre for Israel and Jew-

ish Affairs worked with Canada Post in reviewing the designs and editing the descriptions. “In offering these great products, Canada Post is enabling our community to share the beauty and inspiration of Chanukah with all Canadians,” said Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. Last year, Canada Post issued a stamp marking the 60th anniversary of Ottawa’s bilateral relations with Israel. In 1995, the post office issued a stamp commemorating the Holocaust.

Agency establishes South American fund UENOS AIRES (JTA) — The Jewish Agency has established a Fund for the Jewish Future to strengthen the connection of young South American Jews to Israel and to the global Jewish community. The program, announced Nov. 16 at the Jewish Agency Board of Governors meeting in Buenos Aires, will launch next year. The agency said that $1 million already has been committed to the fund. The fund will focus on local activities for young South American Jews who have visited Israel through Birthright or participated in long-term Israel experiences through Masa; and on sending young people on social action missions throughout the world. More than 1,000 young people from Argentina participate each year in the Masa program. “The Jewish community in Argentina is uniquely Israelfocused and connected,” said Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky. “One quarter of the community has already made aliyah, and for those who remain in Argentina, Israel serves as the glue

Natan Sharansky that keeps the community together and strong. “The fund is a new model developed by the Jewish Agency where the local community finances the Israel experiences for the members of their own community.” It is the first time in a decade that the Jewish Agency Board of Governors has met outside of Jerusalem, in order to observe the activities of the Jewish Agency in South America. Board members held a memorial service for the victims of two terrorist attacks that shook the Jewish community in Argentina: the bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in 1994, which killed 85 and wounded more than 200, and the attack on the Israeli Embassy in 1992 in which 29 people were killed.

Number of poverty stricken Israelis drops ERUSALEM (JTA) — The number of poor in Israel dropped last year to its lowest levels since 2003, but one-third of Israeli children are living below the poverty line, according to a new report. The National Insurance Institute’s 2010 poverty report shows that some 433,300 Israeli households, comprised of 1,733,400 individuals, are living below the poverty line. Some 837,000 of them are children. In 2010, some 19.8% of Israeli families lived in poverty, compared to 20.5% in 2009, according to the report. The percentage of working families living below the poverty line increased from 49% in 2009 to 50.6% in 2010. Thousands of Israeli demonstrated over the summer calling for social justice and more economic equality. A government panel was estab-

lished to respond to the protests. The panel, known as the Trajtenberg committee, recommended expanding social welfare spending by $8 billion over five years. “At the outset, my government set for itself the goal of reducing social gaps and the number of poor in Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following the report’s release. “A main way to reduce gaps and lower the cost-of-living is to participate in the financing of children’s education, provide equal opportunities in education and personally invest in students. “Implementing the Trajtenberg committee recommendations, as well as instituting a negative income tax, increasing participation in the labor force and continuing to lower unemployment will further improve the situation for weaker populations in Israel.”

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Completely solar car visits the Knesset

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Inventor Louis Palmer drives ‘Solartaxi’ around the world By EDGAR ASHER Isranet

warming in front of my eyes. In Africa there were droughts like never seen before. In South America the rain was falling at an all time high. In Afghanistan, dryness and hunger prevailed like at no time before.” Palmer decided to create a car that does not emit any carbon monoxide. He managed to interest many individuals and firms in his project. He and four students from Lucerne Technical University started to experiment and build a solar vehicle to draw attention to the seriousness of global warming. In June, 2006 the solar car received a Swiss roadworthy certificate. A test drive from Lucerne to Swiss environmental activists Louis Palmer relaxes in his round-the-world solar vehicle on the Barcelona was carried out Knesset courtyard. Speaker Reuven Rivlin (not shown) hosted Palmer. Note attached solar panel at with great success. rear end of car. On July 3, 2007, the Solartaxi, as it was now called, set off on its trip around the world — Lucerne to Lucerne. Recently, almost home, Louis Palmer and his Solartaxi arrived in Israel. Palmer and his Solartaxi were hosted by Reuven Louis Palmer, inventor of Solartaxi Rivlin, the speaker of the Knesset. In glorious winter sunshine, perto Lucerne when he was 16 months old. From his early teens he had a fect fuel for the Solartaxi, Palmer dream of driving around the world gave Rivlin a brief explanation of what has he had achieved thus in a car. When he was 23 , he started trav- far on his round the world trip. Then Rivlin was given the opporelling across five continents utilizing many forms of transportation. tunity to drive the solar vehicle He decries, “I have seen global around the Knesset courtyard. he Swiss inventor of a completely solar car was recently in Israel during a stop in his global test drive. Louis Palmer was born in Budapest in 1971. His family moved

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Somewhat like a car pulling a UHaul, the Solartaxi pulls a solar panel in back of it — panel, at left; back of car, at right.

8 • Section B • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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National Museum of the Jewish People

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A museum searches for a home — and a mission By ALLISON HOFFMAN JTA EW YORK — Sometime next year, the US Government Services Administration is expected to announce a winning redevelopment plan for Washington’s Old Post Office. This is a century-old Romanesque Revival building that presides over a grand stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and Capitol Hill. Bidders include big names like Waldorf-Astoria, Trump and the boutique Montage Hotels. But the victor could be Hyatt Hotels, which submitted the only disclosed plan with a public component: the capital’s first museum of world Jewish history. The National Museum of the Jewish People, as the plans call it, would occupy a delicate structure tucked into a hidden courtyard between a

“G-d forbid you create something mediocre and put it in Washington,” said Michael Berenbaum, who oversaw the creation of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum two decades ago and is now a professor of Jewish studies at American Jewish University in Los Angeles. “You either have to do something that is grand and worldclass in terms of size, scope, and mandate, or you have to create a boutique museum, a small gem.”

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he idea man behind the museum proposal is Ori Soltes, a lecturer in theology and fine arts at Georgetown Univer-

sity. He has been fighting for an independent Jewish museum in the capital since the late 1990s, when he was director of the small Judaica

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‘The Holocaust has a major presence in Washington — showing only the tragic side of Jewish history. The uplifting side deserves equal footing’

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new hotel in the hulking, turreted Old Post Office building and the equally imposing headquarters of the IRS next door. “We would be the tail wagging the dog,” said Julius Kaplan, the Washington lawyer who is chairman of the decade-old nonprofit devoted to the museum effort, in a phone interview. The museum’s website mentions support from prominent Jewish figures — Elie Wiesel, Itzhak Perlman — as well as less-obvious supporters like Pakistan’s former ambassador to Washington, Jamsheed Marker. Kaplan recruited Daniel Libeskind, the architect of the Berlin Jewish Museum, who imagined an angular building surrounded by a tiered garden that would include an elevated High Line-style bower over an arcade threaded between the two landmark buildings and out to the street. There, visitors would be welcomed with a sign in Hebrew reading pardes — a word encompassing all levels of Biblical interpretation and by extension all segments of the Jewish people. hat wonders might fill this particular Jewish paradise, should it come to fruition, are a little harder to discern. The project’s backers advertise a handful of existing public commitments — including a promise from Arlette Snyder, mother of Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, to donate her late husband’s music memorabilia — but the general curatorial approach seems to owe something to “Field of Dreams”: Build it, and they will donate. The museum will have to compete with the existing Judaica collections of Washington’s most august institutions, from the Smithsonian to the Library of Congress — and, for ephemera, with Philadelphia’s new National Museum of American Jewish History, which opened last year.

museum held by B’nai B’rith, a no-longer-displayed collection of donations made over the years by the organization’s patrons and items held in trust for other foundations. Soltes, who has a wild corona of salt-and-pepper curls and the didactic energy of a children’s show host, talks excitedly about multimedia or holographic installations that would allow visitors to bat against Sandy Koufax. The museum project’s website mentions a similar idea for re-enacting chess matches played by Bobby Fischer — never mind the grandmaster’s later paranoid fantasies of being pursued by world Jewry. The list of proposed curatorial departments runs the gamut from art and literature to economics, media and the law. Soltes told me he also envisions space devoted to exhibits digitally recreating lost synagogues and temporary shows bolstered with public programs exploring the interplay between Jewish communities and the cultures into which they settled around the world. “We want to explore how the Jewish people have been involved in the societies where they’ve lived, which is everywhere,” Soltes said. Soltes cheerfully acknowledges that he and Kaplan don’t have much to start with by way of a permanent collection. Aside from the music memorabilia, announced commitments include an array of miniature menorahs collected by Kaplan, plus paintings by Jewish artists collected by Baron Oscar Ghez, the founder of Geneva’s Petit Palais Museum.

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A sketch by Daniel Libeskind of the proposed new museum at the Washington’s Old Post Office. since B’nai B’rith sold that building, in 2002, and moved to smaller offices. Even before that, Soltes, who was director from 1991 until 1998, had ideas about the Klutznick collection’s potential as an independent attraction. He worked to raise the museum’s profile both in Washington and among Jewish institutions, joining museum associations and building an independent board to oversee dedicated fundraising efforts under the B’nai B’rith umbrella. One of those board members was Kaplan, a member of Washington’s Explorers’ Club who told me that, aside from representing Israel on trade matters in Washington, he’d had very little involvement in organized Jewish life prior to signing on with Soltes, but found himself captivated by a show at the Klutznick exploring Jewish influence on Moroccan culture. According to Soltes, he and Kaplan made repeated overtures to executives at B’nai B’rith in hopes of partnering on an independent museum, but the idea never gained traction.

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wen Zuares, chair of B’nai B’rith’s Center for Jewish Culture, said in an interview that the organization is actively pursuing discussions with potential partners for the Klutznick, but she declined to disclose details. In any case, Kaplan says, his vision for what a Jewish museum in Washington could be has always been more expansive than simply repackaging the existing B’nai B’rith collection. “The Holocaust having a major presence in Washington only shows one side of the coin, the tragic side of Jewish history,” he said in our

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ut Soltes seems undaunted. There is an obvious prize: the B’nai B’rith’s now-homeless collection. In the 1990s, the Klutznick National Jewish Museum occupied the second floor of BB’s former headquarters near Dupont Circle. It has not been formally displayed

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interview, “and I thought the other side of the coin, the uplifting side of Jews’ contributions to world civilization, deserved equal footing.” When the federal government moved early in the Bush Administration to redevelop the Old Post Office, Kaplan recognized the potential for a golden museum location in the courtyard. He struck up a partnership with Norman Groh, a Virginia-based hotel developer best known for building a $1,400-a-night suite at a Holiday Inn outside Washington in 1972. Groh brought Hyatt into the partnership. (Hyatt referred questions about the proposal to Groh, whom they described as its sponsor; Groh, when reached by telephone, declined to comment until after the government announces the winner of the bid.) In 2003, Kaplan incorporated the nonprofit for the museum, then known as the National Museum of Jewish Heritage. Along with Kaplan and Soltes, the board included Janice Blumberg, who had been active in supporting the Klutznick at B’nai B’rith; Claude Ghez, son of the Swiss collector Baron Oscar Ghez; and Frank Abramoff, Jack Abramoff ’s father, who had offered to help fundraise in California, where he lived. Jack Abramoff had tried to secure the Old Post Office site for one of his Native American tribal clients. That fact subsequently became the centerpiece of the federal government’s case against one of Abramoff’s associates, David Safavian, who was involved with the initial stages of the Old Post Office bid process as chief of staff of the Government Services Administration in the first Bush Administration.

Once the Native American project foundered, Kaplan said, Jack Abramoff encouraged him to talk to his father about the museum. “He did mention to me that his father loved the idea of a Jewish museum,” Kaplan told me in our phone conversation. The former lobbyist was never involved in the Jewish museum project. he government solicited interest in the Old Post Office complex in 2005, but it never moved to a formal bid process, leaving the project in limbo. The next year, Claude Ghez and Frank Abramoff, who had been vicepresident of the museum nonprofit’s board, both stepped down as directors, and the project’s funding dwindled to less than $6,000, according to tax records. Nevertheless, Kaplan and Soltes, by then emotionally invested in the Pennsylvania Avenue location, didn’t look elsewhere for space, even in the midst of the of the subsequent real-estate collapse. “We were waiting for Godot,” Soltes told me. “We felt that if we left this project, we’d be starting from scratch.” The Old Post Office languished until earlier this year, when the District of Columbia’s delegate, Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, pushed the General Services Administration to prioritize its redevelopment in response to President Barack Obama’s request that the government privatize $8 billion in federal realestate holdings by the end of 2012. Now there is nothing to do but wait. “I don’t have any intention of pursuing this further,” Kaplan told me. “I am going to be 78 years old and I don’t have another 12 years to devote to the museum’s creation.”

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Reversing extinction through breeding

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A breeding program for the once near-extinct African antelope species is underway successfully at Israel’s Hai Bar Nature Reserve near Eilat. Visitors can see big, but caged, predators, or cruise in their cars along a 45-minute mini-safari route to see addaxes, ostrichs, byraxes and the bibical oryxes. Shay Levy/Flash90

Successfully bred species released in Senegal Israel 21c

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By KARIN KLOOSTERMAN

t’s an old biblical tenet enacted by Noah: Go forth from the Ark and multiply. In modern Israel, sadly, much of the country’s impressive wildlife that once roamed the region, including the majestic leopards, bears and the mythological “unicorn” — a type of antelope — are now virtually extinct. But not entirely, thanks to Israeli breeding programs. Around 1993, the late Gen. Avraham Yoffe, the first director of Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority, mounted an effort at the Hai Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve to save an African antelope species classified as extinct in the wild. A breeding program for a local species of antelope, believed to be the biblical “unicorn,” was already underway there. At this reserve 30 miles north of Eilat, the scimitar-horned oryx — its Latin name is oryx dammah — got a new lease on life with the help of Yoffe and American-Israeli Bill Clark, an animal conservationist and licensed pilot. The hot, dry weather there proved perfect for breeding African wildlife, even though the Saharan oryx is believed never to have travelled naturally beyond the Nile’s northern limits. In 2003, eight Saharan antelope from Hai Bar Yotvata were reintroduced to the wild at Guembeul Fauna Reserve in northwestern Senegal, a nature reserve devoted to animal diversity. At the time, Demba Mamadou Ba, the head of Senegal’s National Parks Dept. said: “The return of this species [scimitar-horned oryx] is very important to Senegal. We see this as a major success in helping to preserve the country’s fragile biodiversity.” Dr. Ronny King, the veterinari-

eanwhile, breeding programs for native Israeli wild animals, especially the kinds mentioned in the Bible, continue at Hai Bar, which was started in 1968. Some species that have been successfully bred include the Persian fallow deer, the Asian wild ass and the white oryx, King reports. “Whatever you want in Israel

an responsible for the health and welfare of wild and captive animals in Israel, says today that four more oryx were brought from Israel a couple of years ago, in addition to two from France. The success of this animal population in Senegal stems “directly from the reintroduction,” he says. He adds that hunting is just one of the reasons for population decline among wild animals. “It’s practically the same thing everywhere,” King says. “If it’s not the people, then it’s the animals that people bring with them. There is a lack of food for the wildlife due to over-grazing.”

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Mauritania, too

lmost a decade later, the antelope have gone forth and multiplied so well that 10 of them were recently transferred to a nature reserve in Mauritania, where authorities report the herd to be acclimating well to their new home. Israel’s Ambassador to Senegal Gideon Behar joked that although Israel doesn’t have diplomatic ties with Mauritania, a Sunni Islamic republic, Israelis still roam there in the form of the antelope. Behar was accompanied by a film crew from the BBC late last year as he witnessed the introduction of a herd of 60 Saharan oryx, all descended from the Israeli-born group remaining and thriving at Senegal’s Guembeul, into the new Ferlo Fauna Reserve in northern Senegal. And that is how the scimitarhorned oryx, so named because their impressive antlers resemble Arabian scimitar swords, gained hope of a future, thanks to Israeli-backed efforts started by a former military general.

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we have here,” says Shai Kabassa, manager of the Hai Bar reserve. “We have leopards, too, but we don’t want to release them — they are only for people to see. There are also foxes, and wolves we’ve released, and the sand cat,” a wild feline. Kabassa says that “people call us when they find wounded animals. We treat them at the [Ramat Gan] Safari, where we have a hospital for

wild animals. Hai Bar Yotvata (another reserve is in the Carmel region) is Israel’s largest. Visitors on their way to Eilat can stop there and see the big, but caged, predators, or cruise in their cars along a 45-minute mini-safari route to see animals such as addaxes, ostriches, hyraxes and even the Saharan and the biblical oryxes, “walking right next to you.”

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Sparkling new Jerusalem department store p

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The new Hamashbir department store in downtown Jerusalem picks up on the retail trend of displaying merchandise to evoke the feeling of a marketplace, replacing the old-school, traditional department store, which, in the case of Hamashbir, almost resulted in bankruptcy. Photos: Isranet By EDGAR ASHER

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Isranet he Israeli national department store group Hamashbir Lazarchan opened its latest store in November in Jerusalem on Zion Square in the center of the city. The seven-story building was

incorporated into two 19th century buildings which had been designated for preservation. Work on this $33 million project began two years ago. Its interior was designed by one of the leading European commercial Please see HAMASHBIR on Page 11

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e part of Hamashbir’s retreat from bankruptcy

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Customer service has been ramped up at the new department store in an effort to repair Hamashbir’s reputation for inattentive salespeople. HAMASHBIR from Page 10

center and store design companies. This is the 38th store in the Hamashbir group, which was established in 1958. A few years ago the Hamashbir group was said to be on the verge of bankruptcy, but a revamped management was able to keep the group going. Many of the stores around the country such as H & M, Gap, Zara, Top Shop & American Eagle have the appearance of a market rather

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Cosmetics counter at Hamasbir in Zion Square. than the feel of a high class department store. For Hamashbir to survive, it needed a radical redesign of how it displayed its merchandise, and also how it related to its customers. Merchandise in many of the Hamashbir stores today is laid out in an unattractive manner. Paying for goods in many of its stores has always been tedious because the staff was often inattentive to customers. The new store design and layout is open and attractive, and the assistants are helpful and friendly. The new store has a visitors information service to help tourists learn more about Jerusalem. A dairy coffee shop is opening this month on the new Jerusalem store’s top floor. Over the past few years the Hamashbir group has made several important retail acquisitions, including the New-Pharm Drugstores and Office Depot. Plans are also in the pipeline to open a nationwide food chain, which will inject badly needed competition into the supermarket business.

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12 • Section B • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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Gender separation grows in haredi society women sit near one another.” She added, “Baruch Hashem, maybe this is what will hasten the coming of the messiah.” The bus lines are one of the more visible examples of the growing sep-

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Where is the line between modesty and discrimination?

ration is essential for maintaining traditional notions of modesty, and to prevent men from lewd thoughts or actions and protect women from unwanted glances. The rising number of separated

ing that such buses are illegal but that voluntary gender-separation could not be banned. Since the ruling, signs must be posted on mehadrin buses stating that it is illegal to force anyone to

By DINA KRAFT JTA ERUSALEM — On the No. 3 bus line in Jerusalem, women passengers pay their fare and walk directly to the back to find a seat. Men, most of them haredi Orthodox with long sidecurls that brush the shoulders of their black wool suits, sit in the front section. Behind them, following a space of about two feet separated by the rear doors of the bus, sit the women and girls. The Arab driver tersely explains protocol as he begins his route through a string of largely religious neighborhoods toward the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City.

“This is a mehadrin bus,” he says, using the term for strictly kosher. “Women sit in the back.” Even though an Israeli Supreme Court ruling has banned enforced separate seating, this is one of 63 private or public gender-separated bus lines in Israel, according to Hiddush, an Israeli organization that advocates for religious freedom and equality. “I wish all lines were like this,” said one haredi woman aboard the bus who appeared to be in her 60s. “This is about modesty and ideally how things should work in the Land of Israel. “Chaos follows when men and

SECTION SECTION SECTION Hundreds of secular Israelis demonstrate against the segregation between men and women on buses in certain neighborhoods in Jerusalem. Miriam Alster/FLASH90 aration of men and women in the haredi Orthodox world, part of the larger, long-running battle in haredi society to keep outside influences at bay. In Jerusalem, women have been excluded from billboard advertising so as not to offend haredi sensibil-

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‘It’s not extreme. The temptations men feel are great. It’s hard for them not to look’

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— Rachel, age 20

ities about modesty, and a major haredi neighborhood enforced gender-separated sidewalks over the Sukkot holiday. Recently, hundreds of demonstrators, including Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni, protested the exclusion of women from public areas. “It’s simply become harder to control haredi society now that it has become so big,” said Shahar Ilan, who heads research and public outreach at Hiddush. Increased focus on gender is part of the effort of control, he said.

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here long has been separation of the sexes in this religiously conservative society, from synagogues to wedding halls and schools. But in recent years, gender separation has grown to encompass more public venues. In some Israeli haredi neighborhoods, separation has extended to sidewalks, grocery store checkout lines, dentist office hours and in some cases even family Shabbat meals. Some preschools are gender separated, and one town has separate playground hours for boys and girls. And at a HMO in Jerusalem with separate entrances and waiting rooms for men and women, a posted list of rules advises that girls be examined only by female doctors and boys by male doctors. Haredi leaders say gender sepa-

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venues has coincided with increasingly “modest” dress. In some areas, haredi women have taken to wearing a poncho-type garment intended to make the female form as shapeless as possible. In the Jerusalem suburb of Ramat Beit Shemesh, a few women have donned full-body burkas that cover even their faces. To be sure, there is great variation within the vast camp of religious Jews known in Israel as haredim — a term that means “those who tremble” before G-d. For example, on the most austere and stringent side, among the Gur Chasidim, married couples do not walk together in public and young men are discouraged from conversing with their brothers’ wives. Among the more liberal sects, married couples sit together on buses, and many privately express their discomfort with the widening gender gap. Kimmy Caplan, a professor of Jewish history at Bar-Ilan University who researches haredi society, said the trend toward gender separation is partly a response to the growing number of haredi women entering the workforce. “They are meeting all kinds of people, and some haredi leaders see this as dangerous,” Caplan said. “It has the potential, as far as some leadership sees it, to be a danger because it can bring home questions, doubts, exposure to alternative ways of life. “There are certain leaders who think there is a need to create a balance by having more segregation in the neighborhood to compensate for a drop of segregation by women going out to work every day.” t wasn’t always like this, scholars note. In Europe before the war, haredi women didn’t always cover their hair, and in photos of Agudot Yisrael youth groups from that period, teenage girls and boys can be seen together, Caplan said. A lawsuit was bought by the Israel Religious Action Center, the advocacy arm of the Jewish Reform movement, against the Israeli Transportation Ministry and bus companies that operate the gender-separated bus lines. The lawsuit, heard by the Supreme Court, resulted in a rul-

move from their seat. One woman who agreed to be interviewed on the condition that she be identified only as Hannah became a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the bus lines after she was verbally harassed and threatened for not moving to the back of a

‘I was told I was sitting up front because I wanted to flirt with men’ — Hannah, age 60 bus. She says she still worries that the men who threatened her will make good on their pledge to “track her down and deal with her.” “I am a 60-year-old woman and was told I was sitting up front because I wanted to flirt with men,” Hannah said. “I was told that I was the reason the messiah was not coming and I was doing something vile by not moving.” She says other haredi men and women have approached her to express sympathy, but fear that if they speak out then they and their families will face negative consequences. For women like Rivkah (not her real name), a 20-year-old from the Vishnitz haredi sect who was riding the No. 3 bus to the Western Wall to pray ahead of her upcoming wedding, separate seating was a comfort, not an affront. “It’s not extreme,” she said. “The temptations men feel are great, and it’s hard for them not to look at women. Sitting separately helps them not to look.” In her community, interactions between the genders are highly regulated. She will be marrying a man she met once for an hour after their respective families extensively researched their backgrounds and suitability. “And I won’t see him again until the wedding,” she said before disappearing into the crowded women’s section of the Western Wall.

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Haredim gradually enter Israel workforce

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14,000 haredim turn 18 each year; 1,000 in the Israeli army, 1,500 in haredi colleges, By DINA KRAFT JTA ERUSALEM — At Israel’s first college for haredi Orthodox Jews, lectures on social work and computer programming are conducted just down the hall from a pair of classrooms transformed into a nursery for the students’ babies. The average female student here — women comprise a majority of the 1,100 student body at the Jerusalem Haredi College — will have two babies in the course of her four years of study. It’s one of many indications of Israel’s large and rapidly growing haredi population. Now comprising nearly 10% of Israel’s residents, the community is expected to double in the next decade.

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without alteration. “If we continue to give benefits that the government gives and don’t give the haredim a proper education, then why would other Israelis stick around?” asks Dan Ben-David, a Tel Aviv University economist and executive director of the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel. “There will be wide-scale secular flight, which we have already seen in some professions, like doctors and professors.” Ben-David argues that the absence of many haredi and Arab Israelis from the workforce is perhaps the greatest threat to the country’s survival. “But when you put it into perspective, it’s not all doom and gloom,

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‘If we are able to capitalize on [the haredi birthrate], we have a brighter future than most Western countries, which are growing old’ “I want to do something I love and go into the world with it,” says Brachi Nir, 23, a psychology student and mother to a baby girl. “And here I don’t have to be a trailblazer. I can simply study.” The unique circumstances and growth of Israel’s haredim pose a significant challenge for the country — one this college is attempting to answer. There are a few factors keeping haredim out of the workforce: mainly, the rules of the Israeli army draft, which mandate yeshiva study — and forbid employment — for those not entering the army; plus haredi values, including wariness of the secular world. Some 65% of Israeli haredi men do not work. As their numbers continue to swell, so does a growing sense of alarm that the rest of the Israeli population won’t be able to shoulder the country’s economic or defense burdens if the status quo of full-time Torah study continues

Tevet’s Mafteach center in Jerusalem for haredi Jews. a person confidence, it opens doors for work, and we need it most for our society,” Bar Shalom told JTA.

fforts like the college Bar Shalom founded are part of a new wave of private, public and government initiatives to move more haredi Israelis into the workforce. The Finance Ministry says it has invested some $88 million in the effort. Some of that money is being spent to increase the small number of haredim who serve in the army; 400 were recruited in 2010. Some are assigned to units in which they are trained to provide technological assistance, which can give them skills for civilian jobs later in life. The Air Force, for example, trains haredi recruits in computer programming and electrical work while providing an all-male environment with strictly kosher food and time for prayer and even some Jewish studies. With 14,000 haredim turning 18 each year and only 1,500 students per class of specialized haredi academic programs and colleges annually, plus approximately 1,000 in the army, the challenge is how to make a significant and transformative change, according to Shahar Ilan of Hiddush, an organization that promotes religious pluralism and

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because if we are able to capitalize on it, we have a brighter future than most Western countries, which are growing old,” he says. “We have tons of children. The problem is what will we do with them?” Sitting in the audience during a lecture by Ben-David on the subject several years ago was Adina Bar Shalom, daughter of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the preeminent Talmud scholar and spiritual leader of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party. The lecture helped spark her idea to launch Israel’s first-ever haredi college. It wasn’t easy to get support from the haredi community — or from her father. Haredi Orthodox Jews have viewed higher education as suspect, something that since the Enlightenment period has been viewed by some Orthodox Jews as a potentially dangerous road leading to assimilation and secularism. “But I thought that academia gives

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Please see HAREDI on Page 18

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A haredi Orthodox woman taking part in one of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee's technical training programs. Ofir Ben Natan

Ofir Ben Natan

14 • Section B • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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Canned kosher meat — canned

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Kosher Spam: A breef (and sad) history By ADAM SOCLOF JTA EW YORK — On Nov. 14, 2011, the Israeli media outlet Ynet sounded the death knell for a staple of the country’s military diet: Loof, Israel’s kosher alternative to Spam. Thanks to a policy of mandatory conscription, the Jewish state in effect, had been force-feeding Loof — a colloquially corrupt short form of “meatloaf” — to its citizens since the nation’s founding. The resulting trauma alluded to in Gil Marks’ Encyclopedia of Jewish Food (2010) is understandable: “Many Israeli soldiers insist that Loof uses all the parts of the cow that the hot dog manufacturers will not accept, but no one outside of the manufacturer and the kosher supervisors actually know what is inside.” Loof anecdotes are ubiquitous and diverse. A personal favorite that emerged while researching this topic was a current 20-year-old Israeli soldier who was handed a can of meat dated 1988. “It wasn’t bad,” the soldier said. “It just felt weird eating something that was older than me.” “Loof has a worse name than it deserves,” Israel’s national archivist,

‘It wasn’t bad. It just felt weird eating a can of meat that was older than me’ Yaacov Lazownik, responded in an email. “Everyone I’ve mentioned this to recently comes up with a story along the lines of, ‘The Loof was usually awful, but we had this one guy who knew how to cook it so that it was delicious . . .’” Canned meats and the military have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship for at least a century — ditto for kosher canned meats. “In the late 1940s,” begins the entry for Loof in Marks’ encyclopedia, “the Israeli Defense Forces developed a kosher form of the British ‘Bully beef.’” Bully beef, a generic term used to describe canned meat in Britain, was served to British troops as early as the Second Anglo-Boer War at the turn of the 19th century. n an unrelated development around that time, protests by animal rights groups in Germany and Switzerland led those governments to consider prohibiting the practice of shechitah, Jewish ritual slaughter that distinguishes kosher meat. In 1894, Dr. Isaac Dembo, a Russian physician, began to study and publish works about the science of shechitah. Dembo set out to demonstrate that shechitah should not merely be tolerated; he argued that it represented an improvement over existing slaughter methods in terms of hygiene and humane treatment of animals. Five years later the Hebrew-language periodical HaTsefirah extolled Dembo’s efforts: “And who doesn’t know that from the moment the value of schechi-

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tah was made known to all by the books of Dr. Dembo, a law was given in Spandau next to Berlin by the minister of war to prepare canned meat for troops only from animals slaughtered through shechitah?” As is the case with many industries, wartime proved to be a Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest boon for canned Kosher canned meat, American (Breef) and Israeli style (Loof) meats. Introduced In a collection of Chicago Kosher tributed to the demise of Winnipeg’s in 1926, Hormel Spiced Ham — bet- — very similar texture,” explained ter known as Spam — originally Feinberg, 74, who is retired and Sausage’s documents — located kosher canned meat operation was today in the Jewish Historical Soci- increased competition in Europe. marketed its canned meat based living in Palm Springs, Fla. A July 23, 1948 dispatch announc“Only it was made of beef and had ety of Western Canada — a Nov. on the novelty and convenience that a corned beef flavor to it,” an effect 27, 1947 letter from the executive ing the opening of an Israel trade it did not require refrigeration. “This didn’t make the ground meat more attractive,” Israeli writer Sagi Cohen commented in a 2010 tongue-in-cheek magazine article. “Mountains of these cans were piling up in the company’s warehouses, until in 1939, a miracle happened to [Hormel]: Hitler invaded Poland.” Just as Spam benefited from the war effort — supplying 15 mil- achieved by using the same sea- director of CJC’s Western Division post in London notes that the Jewlion cans weekly to Allied forces — soning from the company’s regular offers anecdotal insight as to how ish state had already been barterthe product was received: ing citrus fruit for Ireland’s canned the demand for kosher canned meats corned beef. “One of the tins of corned beef was meat. Kosher canned meats weren’t limalso began to increase. The annual report of Ireland’s The wartime role of kosher canned ited to corned beef. Feinberg, whose sent to a Hungarian Jew who, you meat was first mentioned by JTA company was started in 1890 by may be pleased to learn, liked it so minister of agriculture dated 1948in a 1942 article about Hadassah his great-grandfather, a Russian rab- much that he wants more. He also 1949 notes that approximately 27% sending food to Palestine from the bi, as a kosher salami operation, also indicated that parcels with other of canned stewed steak shipped to food-stuffs would be gratefully Europe was “Kosher canned stewed produced canned salami. US. steak for the relief of distressed In Pittsburgh, the Jan. 2, 1953 accepted.” Before the war, JTA also had a In 1950, JTA reported that this Jews,” adding that “the tinplate couple of references to canned meat: edition of the Jewish Chronicle During a 1930 taxation dispute heralded the arrival of a new prod- “one Winnipeg company” was doing for the cans was supplied by the between a Jewish slaughterhouse uct by the Penn Kosher Food Com- $2.5 million worth of kosher canned Jewish Organisation concerned in the distribution of the Kosher meat.” in Palestine and the British Man- pany: a 4 1/2-pound “whole chicken meats exports to Israel. In 1949, an Israeli rabbi set out date, “the use of canned meat was in a can.” But Breef, Feinberg says, was top las, the glory days of to oversee a kosher meat-canning resorted to by some while patients kosher canned meat were plant in Poland. in the hospitals suffered from the of the line. As described in the book Coming Whether the Breef sold in Minrelatively short lived follack of fresh meat.” of Age: A History of the Jewish lowing the war. In 1933, JTA reported that kosher neapolis was the same as the one One year before the May, 1950 People in Manitoba, the Winnipeg canned meat would not be on the sold in Winnipeg is unclear. But cermenu of rations during the Depres- tainly it’s feasible: Winnipeg and JTA article was published, a distress company went out with a Manitoba are about 300 miles apart, signal was sent in the form of a heartwrenching thud that reversion. and the Averbuch family that owned letter from A. Averbuch to the kosher berated throughout the Jewish comhe real boom in kosher canned Chicago Kosher were friends of the supervising agency, the Va’ad Ha’ir munity. In 1970, 90% of a beef shipment of Winnipeg: meats took place when kosher family, Feinberg recalls. Breef began selling fast at home “We exceedingly regret to advise destined for Winnipeg’s Chicago canned meat became a crucial component of Jewish orga- and overseas. Early in 1947, the you that due to lack of export busi- Kosher plant was discovered to be nizations’ relief packages for Europe’s Feinberg Sausage Co. announced ness in our canning department, we non-kosher meat from New Zealand. While the company and owner that it would be introducing Breef are compelled to be more or less shut Jewish war victims. were ultimately assessed a small JTA first noted this at the end of to the Minneapolis-St. Paul mar- down for an indefinite period. “Due to the above circumstances, fine, their refusal to apologize taint1945, when the American Jewish ket with a 13-week ad campaign Joint Distribution Committee made through radio and display ads, along we are not in a position to pay our ed whatever fond memories of meat present monthly rate to you, and might have otherwise lingered. canned meat available in DP camps with a recipe contest. In Minneapolis, the Feinberg famAccording to Feinberg, the prod- therefore would appreciate a private in Germany. In May, 1946, the Chicago Kosher uct eventually was distributed in meeting with us to discuss the new ily business ceased canning operations in 1955 due to a lack of demand. Sausage Manufacturing Company North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa arrangement.” A letter of similar tone sent to Six years later the company was sold — a Winnipeg-based company — and later California. On March 7, 1947, JTA reported the Va’ad Ha’ir on July 13, 1951 to Sinai Kosher. registered a word mark with the “The problem with Feinberg Canadian patent office for a canned a shipment from the Canadian Jew- described a “quite desperate” situKosher Sausage,” said Feinberg, “was that we were in a small market. It was difficult to compete against big kosher sausage factories in Chicago,” which had direct access to slaughterhouses. “But we had a good brand,” he added proudly.

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Canned meats and the military have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship. Ditto for kosher.

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Kosher MREs [‘meals ready to eat’) have been produced for the US military since 1996

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meat product called Breef. Neil Feinberg, 74, the last owner of the Feinberg Sausage Co. in Minneapolis, says he’s well familiar with Breef. “That was the best quality product of the bunch” among kosher canned meats, he says. “Canned corned beef is like Spam

ish Congress, the United Jewish Relief Agencies of Canada and the JDC that contained one million pounds of kosher canned meat designated for Jewish war victims in Europe. “The meat is being canned in Winnipeg according to Jewish dietary laws,” said the report.

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ation, where 75% of its 52 employees were laid off. In contrast to a letter sent two months earlier, “the past several months we have not produced anything in Canned Meats, nor is there anything in the offing,” wrote Averbach. One factor that may have con-

he need to replace Loof was accelerated by the realization in 2009 that the longtime manufacturing company Richard Levy, which had declared bankruptcy early in the 2000s, had stopped producing new cans. Upon making the discovery, the

Please see BREEF on Page 18

December 16, 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Chanukah Edition â&#x20AC;˘ Section B â&#x20AC;˘ 15

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Dead Sea may not be so dead after all The divers took samples of the underwater mats, which they are now studying with the aim of issuing more reports on the species and behavior of the microorganisms that seem to derive their energy source from sulfur.

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Divers discover unknown microorganisms By KARIN KLOOSTERMAN

Red-Dead?

Israel 21c massive algae bloom that turned the Dead Sea red in the 1980s convinced scientists that there was life in that famous inland salt lake after all. A new set of studies by underwater researchers indeed shows that Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dead Sea holds a vast number of living secrets waiting to be revealed. Positioned in the lowest spot on earth, more than 1,000 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea offers more

e found that most of the biological biochemical pathways â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all of these things that would occur in a normal environment â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are also found in the Dead Sea. Nobody found photosynthetic microbial mats [before], big mats covering rocks.â&#x20AC;? He is quite sure that these microbes could not survive if they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t surrounded by a layer of fresh spring water.

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onescu says that the novel scientific find could reveal additional environmental information on the consequences of the proposed Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; if it is ever built. This controversial project â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which Theodor Herzl already suggested more than 100 years ago â&#x20AC;&#x201D; would bring Red Sea water up to the Dead Sea via a series of canals. This is one possible answer to the Dead Seaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retreat.

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On the northern tip, Jordan River water no longer runs to the Dead Sea as it once did, due to a prolonged drought. On the south shores of the inland lake, chemical industries from both Israel and Jordan have affected the Dead Seaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delicate balance as well. The result is a major net loss of water every year, causing deadly sinkholes and a threat to the thriving Dead Sea hotel industry. But environmentalists argue that bringing in Red Sea water would upset the delicate balance of salt and minerals that have made the

Dead Sea a unique ecosystem. Could this new research by Ionescu give more firepower to environmentalists seeking to protect the Dead Sea? He believes so. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I agree that the Dead Sea is a national resource and environment unique worldwide, and that should be preserved,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There should be a balance between exploiting its minerals for economic purposes and keeping the Dead Sea [from shrinking]. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an environment worth maintaining with a lot of potential for research and other purposes.â&#x20AC;?

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Danny Ionescu, l, and Christian Lott are geared up for dive. than a nature loverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vista. Its black and slimy mud is a remedy for skin disorders, its salty air a tonic for chronic disorders from asthma to Crohnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease. And now â&#x20AC;&#x201D; while they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find Cleopatraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slipper or old rowboats from Roman times â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the divers did come across a new series of underwater springs that feed the Dead Sea. Remarkably thriving at the mouth of these underwater springs are new varieties of microorganisms, some never before described by science. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We went into deep springs up to 150 meters from shore. One wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect to find artifacts there,â&#x20AC;? says Danny Ionescu, an Israeli doing research at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany. After several dives, he and his research partner, Christian Lott, took pictures and brought up evidence of carpets of bacteria in many of the places surrounding the springs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is not the typical algae that one finds in the Dead Sea,â&#x20AC;? he says.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The system is very diverse,â&#x20AC;? he adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just how many species are there is difficult to say because what defines a species is under debate. We have results, which will be published soon.â&#x20AC;? Ionescuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team also included scientists from the The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Ben Gurion University in Beersheba. Biologists havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put too much emphasis on finding life in the Dead Sea, assuming that its hostile environment, which can kill swimmers if the water is ingested, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t harbor life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In general there is not a lot of work to do in the water of the Dead Sea, but now our work shows it is worth studying,â&#x20AC;? Ionescu says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On the bottom, which is made of a core, a thick layer of salt, one didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect to find life.â&#x20AC;? Diving deep into the waters of the Dead Sea required extreme diving equipment with an unusually large number of weights to counteract the effect of the super-buoyant surface. However, working in extremes is Ionescuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forte, as he previously researched thermal springs in nearby Jordan.

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16 • Section B • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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Israel exports special needs parks tours to municipal officials from across Israel. The July 2011 visit of Ecuadorian Vice President Lenin Moreno Garces stands out in Cohen’s mind. Israeli President Shimon Peres and the Foreign Ministry coordinated the tour for the wheelchair-bound Garces, accompanied by his family and a VIP entourage. “We got the feeling it was really touching for him,” says Cohen. “He took a lot of pictures and asked a lot of questions that politicians who come here

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Ecuador seeks Israeli help for 200 special needs parks By ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN Israel 21c nybody can install a few playground swings adapted for children with physical disabilities. But that is not Israel’s vision of accessible play areas. Though they have only started taking off in the past six years, Israeli parks for children with special needs combine carefully planned physical layout with just as carefully planned companion programs geared to educating the community about acceptance and integration. This formula has inspired the vice president of Ecuador, himself a paraplegic, to seek guidance from Israel in building 200 similar parks in his home country. Uruguay also is following Israel’s lead in this area. “The physical and social part of the park go together strongly,” says occupational therapist Michele Shapiro, a specialist in sensory therapy at Beit Issie Shapiro. This organization provides services to children with special needs, promotes research, training and change in attitudes toward people with disabilities “The education, programming and

Park Chaverim includes paths, swings and carousels that accommodate wheelchairs — but it’s the programming that fosters inclusivity community outreach are what make the park successful,” she says.. “Otherwise, it becomes a white elephant.” Shapiro headed the design team responsible for Israel’s first accessible and inclusive playground, built on a nine-acre area within the large Ra’anana City Park with the help of the municipality and JNF.

This location lets children with and without special needs enjoy the facilities together. Park Chaverim (Friendship Park) includes paths, swings and carousels that can accommodate a wheelchair, as well as adaptations for children (or accompanying adults) with hear-

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Each park costs about $100,000, including the programming ing and sight impairments. Educational activities and community events foster tolerance and inclusive attitudes for children age three to 17 and their families. Volunteers and staff from Beit Issie help facilitate everyday interactions and assure that kids with disabilities get first priority on the equipment, which is popular with all children. “Without any social intervention in the park and the schools, families of children with disabilities won’t enjoy the park as they should and you also won’t effect change,” Beit Issie Project Director Ronen Cohen says. Parents of children with disabilities rarely frequent playgrounds, he says. “After their kids come home from special education classes, they’re going from one therapy or another, they’re very tired, they have other kids to raise, and above all they are concerned about the way the community looks at them. “That’s why they asked us to be there and welcome them when they come to the park.”

usually don’t ask. We explained all the details and the very clear vision behind the park as a place that provides inclusion.” A few weeks later, Ecuadorian Ambassador to Israel Guillermo Bassante contacted Beit Issie and said the vice president wants to build some 200 Friendship Parks, in each city in Ecuador. “It’s pretty amazing just as a statement, and also it’s a very ambitious thing to do,” says Cohen. “I said we will be happy to give all the help we can. I recommended to begin with two or three parks as a pilot and to appoint a professional liai-

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Above and below, Friendship Park in the Ra’anana City Park in Israel. Beit Issie Shapiro

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Visitors from Ecuador

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ince Friendship Park opened in 2005, it has offered hundreds of

Ecuadorian Vice President Lenin Moreno Garces, a quadrapelegic, visited Beit Issie Shapiro in Ra’anana — and then asked for the same kind of parks in Ecuador.

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son for us to deal with.” In addition, the Israeli embassy in Uruguay initiated contact last year to build a Friendship Park there.

Families from All Over ears of planning preceded the establishment of Friendship Park. The concept began with Beit Issue founder Naomi Stuchiner. Once she had raised the necessary money, she and community social workers organized “think tanks” of parents, adults with special needs and therapists. They sought advice from the National Insurance Institute, from organizations working with people with disabilities and from parents all over the world. “When we had our answers, we put up a park that would have equipment suitable for children with any disability and also for typical children, plus parents or grandparents with motor problems,” Shapiro says.

“We organized it in segments as if you’re looking at a watch with a piece of equipment on each ‘number,’ each of a different color to help children with visual problems to define where they are going.” Audible water elements between certain areas help children with sight impairments to orient themselves. For this first venture, they purchased tried and tested European equipment. Israeli companies are now making the specialized apparatus for the Friendship Parks being set up in several other Israeli cities since 2009 with assistance from the National Insurance Institute, Israeli Lottery and the Shalem Fund. Building a park costs about $100,000, and the funders’ ideal is to include community programming. “Not all of them have the social side yet, and those don’t do as well as ours,” says Shapiro. “Families come from all over to use our playground. There’s also a lake and petting zoo in the larger park, so all the kids in a family can enjoy it.”

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section B • 17

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More German funds to Jewish community par with the Catholic and Protestant communities. At the time, the government pledged three million euro, or about $4 million, per year to help the Jewish community meet its infrastructure needs, before raising the allotment to its current levels in 2008. In recent years, as the community has grown, there have been increasing demands on the council to fund additional programs, such as those that train teachers and rabbis for communities. Graumann has said his main con-

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German Jewry five times larger than in 1989

ERLIN (JTA) — Germany ask for additional help. Graumann said the council repreportedly will double its funding to the Central Coun- resents 110,000 Jews who are members of communities. According to cil of Jews in Germany. The decision, which broke last the council, another 140,000 peoweek in the mainstream news before ple who identify as Jews do not being publicly announced, follows belong to communities. The great negotiations that began a year ago majority — some 85% — came to with the election of Dieter Grau- Germany from the former Soviet mann, a businessman based in Frankfurt, to head the council. The German federal government will raise its allocation to the Central Council to 10 million euro, or about $13 million, from about five million euro, or $6.7 million. Speaking with young Jews at a youth congress in Weimar last weekend, Graumann, 61, said he hopes especially to use the new funding to help the younger generation. He The principal task of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, as a corporation said that under public law, is to defend the interests of its members within society as a d e s p i t e whole. It has faced many major challenges in the 60 years of its existence: the new Europe’s diffi- beginning after the war, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the forging of links between cult economic Jewish communities in eastern and western Germany, the integration of immigrants climate, the from the FSU, and the promotion of mutual understanding between Jews and nontiming was evi- Jews. All this is funded by the government, as there is no separation of church and dently right — state. with the current government of Chancellor Union after German unification in Angela Merkel still in power — to 1990. Germany’s Jewish population is more than five times as large as before fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Before Hitler came to power in 1933, there were about 500,000 Jews in Germany. In 2003, the German government signed its first contract with the Central Council, putting it on a legal

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cern as head of the council is to promote the continuity of Jewish life in Germany, with a special focus on youth and on the integration of former Soviet Jews in the communities. The Jewish youth congress in Weimar marked the first time that the event has been held concurrently with the meeting of the Central Council board. Participants had the chance to ask questions of the president in a special forum, and they were to be represented at the board meeting.

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18 • Section B • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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Moving haredi Jews into Israel workforce HAREDI from Page 13

diversity in Israel. Tevet, a partnership between the government and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, is working on several major initiatives to help haredim transition to the workforce. The organization, which is focused on setting haredim on career paths, not simply getting them low-level

‘Ultimately, more people will have to work, and you can feel a shift toward that’ jobs, claims to have made 16,000 job placements. The idea is to develop career programs so people can promote themselves within the labor market, says Yossi Tamir, Tevet’s director general. “We are not doing this just for the sake of the ultra-Orthodox,” he says, “but to increase the resilience of society in Israel.” Within the haredi world, Torah study is considered sacrosanct, but Rabbi Moshe Grylak, editor in chief of a haredi magazine Mishpacha, says the problem has been overstated. “Not everyone studies at kollel,” he said, using the Hebrew term for subsidized Torah study. “Today there is an understanding that some men need to find other professions, and the haredi community understands it needs to help them do that. People are trying to stir up panic because they hate the haredim.” ack Schuldenfrei, one of the founders of Kemach, an organization to train and place haredi men, said there is growing openness within the haredi world to the idea of working for a living. But, he says, it’s difficult for community leaders to publicly endorse the idea because the notion of working for a living is, in some circles, still frowned upon. Since it launched in 2007, nearly 10,000 men have applied to Kemach for help finding work. Kemach has matched haredi men with jobs as locksmiths, plumbers, engineers and physicians’ assistants. One man from a haredi sect dreamed of becoming a commercial pilot, and Kemach is now funding his studies, according to Schuldenfrei. “We see this as an evolution, not a revolution,” he says. “Because we have kept a low profile and never made any noise, rabbis don’t feel threatened by us.” Menachem Friedman, a sociologist and one of Israel’s academic authorities on haredim, says the situation is too dire for anything but

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Saving tips in tough times n this uncertain economic climate, consumers are feeling the strain on their personal finances. Now more than ever, it is important to save on everyday expenses — big or small — wherever possible. Saving does not have to mean making huge sacrifices. There are convenient and easy ways to save on everyday purchases. By making small adjustments, like doing extra research before making a big purchase, you can work toward saving for the future. In addition, by doing something simple like applying for the right cash rewards credit card, you can earn cash back on purchases. Here are three tips for saving on everyday expenses and mak-

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a heavy-handed approach. “Things cannot continue this way,” he told JTA. “I hear people saying we need to proceed slowly, gently, to understand them, but each year their numbers go up and the math just does not add up.” Friedman says a large percentage who do venture into the workforce don’t succeed because they lack the necessary education. Recently there has been a public backlash against the haredi school system over officials’ refusal to teach boys (most of them in Ashkenazi yeshivas) a core curriculum of science, math, English and civics. Haredi figures say they don’t want outsiders interfering in the “purity of Torah learning,” which many of the haredim fear could pave the way toward a secular lifestyle. While men have stayed in the yeshiva, a growing number of haredi women have gone to work — some 60%, according to the Bank of Israel. But with an average of eight children per family, it’s hard for the women to work full-time, well-paying jobs. Yisrael Schulman is one of several haredi men trained by a company called Verisense to be verification engineers for the semiconductor design industry and placed in well-paying jobs. Schulman works as one of the company’s project managers in an office with mostly secular co-workers in Herzliya, a high-tech hub outside of Tel Aviv. Raised in the strictly religious neighborhood in Jerusalem where he still lives, it took Schulman, 30, some time to adjust to daily exposure to secular Israelis. “At first it felt like we were coming from two different worlds, but soon we realized we actually are from the same place,” he says. One of the things that surprised him most, he notes, was how little he knew when he started. He lacked even basic math skills like algebra, which is key to his work as a computer programmer. Now Schulman supplements his work with university studies in computer science and economics. While Schulman’s 28-year-old sister, who has five children, has had her water and electricity cut off several times because she and her husband could not afford to pay for them, Schulman, a father of two, is able to support his family and drives to work in a company car. But within the haredi community, Schulman says he is considered second rate because he works. Of his nine siblings, two brothers work in low-paying jobs selling shoes, and his other brothers are kollel yeshiva students. “Now people are living a very low quality of life,” Schulman says. “I don’t think the community can survive without education and work. “Ultimately more people will have to work, and you can feel a shift toward that. Change will come because people do want to work.”

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ing the most of your money: • Dare to compare. There are numerous websites that allow you to comparison shop quickly and easily to find the best price before buying. A little research goes a long way, particularly for more expensive items. • Buy according to plan. Save money at the grocery store by creating a weekly meal plan and a corresponding shopping list. Adhering to the list will prevent temptations and impulse buys. Search for coupons on products you use and sign up for your supermarket’s loyalty program. If it makes sense for your household, shop at warehouse clubs for additional savings, especially on non-perishable products. • Stretch the dollar at the

pump. Keep your vehicle properly maintained so it runs more efficiently, allowing for better gas mileage and savings. For the same reason, make sure that tires are correctly inflated and aligned. If you use a credit card for purchases, consider one that provides cash back rewards. There are a wide range of programs now available to help people earn cash back when they shop. If you do use a credit card, try to pay the balance in full each month, or make more than the minimum payment, to help save on interest charges.

Gourmet chocolate boom CHOCOLATE from Page 3

the voice of Galit Alpert, another young mother. Her Galita Chocolate Farm at Kibbutz Degania Bet, near the Sea of Galilee, is based on three years of intensive chocolate- and ice creammaking internships she completed in Belgium. “Twelve years ago, I found myself by accident leaving Israel for Belgium for several years,” says Alpert. “I got there and discovered a whole new world of chocolate and I fell in love.” When she came back to Israel, she

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A Woman’s Chocolaty Touch ded Brenner notwithstanding, much of the premium chocolate business in Israel is firmly in the hands of women working on

Studies confirm that chocolate appeals to the female gender in particular

perfected her pralines before moving the operation to Degania. “I love nature, so for me it’s like being in heaven. What I created here is not only a chocolate shop, café and factory, but also a tourist center about chocolate. “We show how chocolate is made, and a workshop area is open all year, every day, for adults and children two and up.” She employs 30-40 female kibbutzniks and area college students, who churn out 27 different kinds of pralines, as well as fun gift items such as chocolate spoons and shot glasses, sold online and to a growing number of Israeli mall stores, hotels and corporations. She’s working on getting Galita into some foreign markets, too.

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The raw materials are sourced from Belgium and the staff is trained by Alpert in Belgian methods. As with all fine chocolates, Galita products are made with fresh ingredients and contain no colorings, preservatives or artificial flavorings.

their own or with their husbands. Though plenty of guys dig chocolate, scientific studies have confirmed that the stuff appeals to the female gender in particular: Women are prominent not only at the Israeli chocolate-makers mentioned above, but also at rising stars such as Trinidad Chocolate of Tel Aviv, Mishi Chocolate Boutique in Kiryat Tivon, Petah Tikvah-based Roy Chocolate, Ruti Chocolates in Ramat Hasharon, Gabrielle’s Madame Chocolate of Ramat Gan, Logochoko in Haifa, Chocolate Dreams in Modi’in and Jerusalembased Nona. Karina Chaplinski, a third-generation Argentinean chocolate confectioner, established De Karina Handmade Mountain Chocolates in

Ein Zivan, a Golan Heights kibbutz, after emigrating to Israel with her husband and children eight years ago. Products are sold in the airport’s duty-free shop and in high-end hotels, wine and flower shops all over Israel, in addition to over the Internet. Like Ornat and Galita, De Karina operates a popular visitor’s center, where adults and kids can watch the preparation of truffles and candies, sculpt with chocolate and sample tantalizing treats in a strictly kosher chocolate dessert café. “We have so many people coming from all around the world that you have to book in advance,” says marketing director Ruth Sade, one of about 22 employees. “Many groups from the [United] States ask their tour operator to schedule a stop here.” De Karina has capitalized on its location to associate its brand with the picturesque Golan Heights. Two of Chaplinski’s creations, for example, are Mount Hermon, a chocolate cone filled with dulce de leche dipped in white chocolate, and Gamla, a popular Rosh Hashanah treat made with milk, honey and hazelnuts. These sell well in the airport dutyfree shops, alongside Ornat and other brands, as gifts to take home from Israel. The appeal is not just sensory, Sade says. “To see someone who made aliyah [emigrated to Israel] and established a company that’s successful and sweet gives tourists a good feeling.” Along with fine wines, olive oils and cheese, chocolate is making Israel into a sweet startup nation.

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Canned kosher Spam BREEF from Page 14

military realized it was now running solely on inventory. After a year of market testing with soldiers and making packaging refinements, the IDF announced last week that “ground meat with tomato sauce” was selected among three varieties of kosher meals ready-toeat (MREs) to replace Loof. Kosher MREs, which have been produced for the US military since

1996, come with special aluminum bags that cook contents through chemical reaction upon contact with water. With the sun setting on Loof — the last great vestige of kosher canned meats — Jewish readers can look to Africa for the future of traditional canned meats: Over the summer, the Kenya Meat Commission designated 600,000 tins of halal canned corned beef for famine relief.

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Abir Sultan/Flash90

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section B • 19

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A lesson in food storage from Joseph

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The same concept, using modern technology By KARIN KLOOSTERMAN Israel 21c hen the Biblical Joseph told Egypt’s Pharaoh that there would be a seven-year famine, he also implemented a plan to store the season’s provisions during the preceding seven years of plenty so the food would last through the hard years. Israel’s modern-day Joseph looks like your grandfather. Prof. Shlomo Navarro has developed decades worth of patents to protect food crops from pesticides and pests. His effective solutions can help communities and countries avert large damages to their stores of cereals and pulses (edible seeds), without using chemicals. With his Cocoon storage bags, Navarro assumes he is applying the same basic scientific principles as the biblical Joseph.

tion in the 1980s, the Cocoon was at first marketed by a kibbutz specializing in plastics. Navarro, formerly a principal scientist in the Dept. of Food Science of the Volcani Center-Israel Agricultural Research Organization in Beit Dagan, Israel, now works as an international consultant in food technology.

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The cocoon is actually a giant plastic bag, without air, hermetically sealed.

Gut-Wrenching Losses of Food Crops

s much as 50% of every grain harvest and 100% of every pulse harvest is lost to pests and mold, Navarro says. Subsistence farmers in developing countries, who consume a large part of what they produce, tend to store their crops in primitive baskets or bags, which are not effective in keeping bugs and micro-contaminants out. “We are trying to help them save crops for the near future, not 50 years later. But perhaps our solution can help educate people too,” he says. “People put their crops in baskets, assuming that nothing will happen. They come to the market with them and see a large part is consumed by insects or mold. “The 50% figure is a normal loss for cereal and pulses. And when the insects enter, they make it

unfit for human consumption.” In Israel, the problem has another dimension. Since Jewish law prohibits eating insects, farmers are eager to bring their produce to market as bug-free as possible, but without harmful pesticides. Navarro’s Cocoons are good for humid and hot climates where farmers have the toughest time storing grains, he says. “The system of hermetic storage is a very simple method, assuming the farmer is able to dry the commodity immediately and then put it inside the cocoon and protect it from mold developing.” Inside, without air, no animal form will live — even if eggs are deposited with the grains.

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Prof. Shlomo Navarro The bags, which keep the water and air out, are now being marketed as GrainPro Cocoons. You can find them all over the developed world, including Africa and the Far East, and even in countries with no diplomatic ties to Israel, such as Pakistan. Developed through the US-Israel Science and Technology Founda-

Integrated Pest Management

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rom an environmental point of view, producing food with high losses is extremely wasteful and carbon intensive. Adding volatile chemical compounds to the problem doesn’t make sense. They are expensive and can have disastrous health consequences for people eating the produce and living near the growing fields. The straightforward, cost-effec-

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the group, doubles their contribution for this year to $10 million. “In light of this announcement, Taglit-Birthright Israel is now sending letters to 2,000 North American young adults who had applied for a trip this winter but were waitlisted, informing them that they will now be able to go on the free, 10-day educational trip in the coming months thanks to the new funding,” the group said. “Nearly 22,500 North Americans had registered for Taglit-Birthright Israel trips this winter and over 10,000 young adults had been waitlisted.” The Adelsons’ foundation has given Birthright more than $100 million since 2007. Adelson, a casino magnate, is a major giver to Jewish and conservative causes.

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Miriam and Sheldon Adelson — so far, $100 million to Birthright. ASHINGTON (JTA) — Sheldon and Miriam Adelson are contributing an additional $5 million to Birthright Israel, which the organization says

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tive solution developed by Navarro more than two decades ago gives farmers crop security with no harmful side effects. Provided that the harvest is dried properly before being

Navarro’s cocoons are good for humid and hot climates hermetically sealed in the large storage bags, it’s safe even in extreme conditions, aside from massive flooding or hurricanes. In Kenya, when individual farmers do not have enough crops to fill their own Cocoons, they can bring

their grain to a seed bank to be stored together with their neighbors’ crops in a collective Cocoon. When they need them, the contributors get their grain returned to them intact. This is one of many projects that GrainPro has developed with the help of Navarro’s Cocoon. Joseph would be proud.

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20 • Section B • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

After six years the IJN is raising its subscription rate

201

For the first time in six years, the IJN will raise subscription rates Jan. 15, 2012, due to many printing and postal increases since Jan. 1, 2006. The new rate is $62 one year; $112 two years; plus applicable taxes in Denver, metro-Denver and Colorado. THERE ARE NO TAXES FOR THE ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION ($62 or $108). All current IJN subscribers (as of Nov. 11, 2011) may renew or extend their current subscription at the current rates of $58 (plus tax) for one year or $108 (plus tax) for two years, regardless of when, in the past two years, they renewed their current subscription;

AND All current, renewing subscribers may give ONE FREE GIFT: EITHER (a) a free, one-year gift subscription to a first-time recipient of the IJN living in the continental US*; OR (b) a free gift subscription to any college-age student currently enrolled, full time, in an undergraduate institution in the continental US, who is a first-time recipient of the IJN, for the remainder of the 20112012 school year.* A LETTER FROM THE IJN STATING THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN A GIFT SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE SENT TO THE RECIPIENT.

CALL OR EMAIL CAROL: 303-861-2234; carol@ijn.com Eligibility for the free gift subscription is limited to A first-time recipient of the IJN only, living only in the continental US; * and, the recipient’s name, address and phone number or e-mail address must be provided. The IJN will contact the gift recipient, one time, at the end of the free subscription to solicit a paid subscription. Excluded are former IJN subscribers and former recipients of a gift subscription to the IJN, and first-time recipients for whom any of the required field information is omitted, inaccurate or outdated; and oneself — a subscriber may not give a gift subscription to himself or herself. Any change in name, marital status, address or any other status of a former IJN subscriber or a former recipient of a gift subscription to the IJN does not thereby qualify one for this special offer. SUBSCRIPTIONS MAY BE RENEWED OR EXTENDED FOR ONE OR TWO YEARS, BUT NOT FOR MORE.

THIS SPECIAL OFFER ENDS JAN. 15, 2012

INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS

DECEMBER 16, 2011

Literary Supplement

Anguish and Quest How does Psalm 22 move from abandonment to embrace? By HILLEL GOLDBERG

The Psalmist’s plea before G-d: ‘Why have you abandoned me?’ FOREWARD n the beginning is clarity: “My G-d, my G-d, why have you abandoned me? . . . ” (22:2). There is no equivocation, no subtlety, only abandonment, “ . . . [why have You remained so] far from delivering me, [from] words of my crying out?” (22:2). In the end is diametrically opposed clarity: “For He has not scorned and He has not spurned the outcry of the afflicted, and He has not hidden His face from him, and in his crying out, He hears” (22:25). Whence this radical transformation? In verse 2, G-d abandons, stands aloof. At the end of Psalm 22, G-d answers, delivers. Psalm 22 does an about-face. The commentator’s burden is to trace the transformation of the perception of the Psalmist, to understand his spiritual logic — his bold seizing of illumination and frightful recoil therefrom, until finally, after two critical turning points, his spiritual blockage gives way to exuberant faith. The commentator’s method is to recover the unstated spiritual progress and regress between and within verses. The Psalmist’s poetry, compressed, finely etched, leaps from existential crisis or exultation to unpredictable heights and depths. Unpredictable, these developments seem, because their arrival is seldom indicated by the verses themselves. This is because the Psalmist’s inner life is too rich to reach complete expression in words. Often his verses are mere guideposts to subterranean rumblings and transformations of spirit. Crucial moments are not directly witnessed in words. It is for this reason that the biblical book of Psalms retains a hold over the imagination in spite of its literary logic, which often seems strained, sometimes even lacking coherence. Psalms’ strength derives from its spiritual logic, its hinting at a world of spiritual confluences and explosions too volatile to be reduced to satisfying coherence. The unarticulated moments

between and within verses are best approximated by respecting the Psalmist’s bald meaning, including his abrupt shifts in tense, voice, and person. Seemingly disjunctive, the bald meaning actually serves, not just necessitates, reconstruction and interpretation. Take, for example, vav. It means (translators and critics remind us) “however,” “yet,” “but,” and “when,” in addition to its preponderant, literal “and.” Or, take the imperfect. It means, we are reminded, the jussive or optative, or a future, habitual, or desired action. What is overlooked in all this is that the ancient listener to Psalms, in hearing vav or imperfect, heard a single sound. If multiple meanings inhered therein, they registered only as mental adjustments to the one sound. Far from being loyal to the original Hebrew, the differentiated translation of vav, for example, robs Psalms’ listeners (and readers) of the undifferentiated — the bald — communication of the original. In investigating Psalms, it is precisely by retaining the literal in meaning, voice, tense, and person that shifts in intention have the best chance of being read out of rather than into the text, for all shifts reside in the Hebrew as it stands. Burden of proof rests on the commentator who would alter the bald communication. In the Musar movement, I was taught to locate the emotional-spiritual power of the Hebrew Bible’s verses, particularly in Psalms; to allow verses to overcome my emotions and speak personally to my soul. Only from this intuitive, subjective level may I then proceed to poetic, historical, or commentatorial perspectives. The sign of the Musar approach is paradox. By initially establishing a subjective link to a psalm, I attune myself to its spiritual level of discourse, the precise nature of which will, under analysis, differentiate in ways sure to enlarge and possibly transcend (or even transgress) my initial response. Spurred by subjective attraction to particular verses in Psalm 22 (especially 2, 4, and

29), my commentary on the whole psalm is an attempt to achieve an enlarged perspective — to retrieve the unspoken spiritual itinerary of the Psalmist as he confronts and transcends G-d’s abandonment. I. or one-and-one-half verses, the Psalmist sustains his unqualified, unyielding sense of abandonment. “My G-d, my G-d, why have you abandoned me, [remained so] far from delivering me, [from] words of my crying out? My G-d, I call out by day and You do not answer . . . ” (22:2-3). The second half of verse 3 begins in parallel to the first half, “and [I call out] by night”; we expect a parallel response, and You do not answer. But the parallelism breaks down. The sense of abandonment falters. The Psalmist takes his first step on the long path to G-d’s embrace. “And [I call out] by night, and I have no silence”

(22:3). Now it is not that I call out and G-d does not answer. It is that I call and I have a problem: “I have no silence.” Silence — dumiyyah — is not the muteness of defiance, or unease; it is the muteness of praising ineffably. Psalm 65:2: “To You, silence (dumiyyah) is tehillah; silence is praise . . . “ Having no dumiyyah, the Psalmist has no unarticulated, confident, sublime posture of praise before G-d. Originally feeling abandoned by G-d, the Psalmist comes to realize that the problem, ultimately, is his own. “I call out by day, say You do not answer; I call out by night and might wish to reiterate, You do not answer; but I can no longer defy. I retreat. I allow truth partially to break through: It is I who lack dumiyyah, I who am incapable of the silence that is praise.” I allow truth — the problem is I — to break through partially, but once given a foothold, truth thunders. Truth overwhelms. Truth temporarily breaks down

all resistance. In surrender I blurt out: “And You are holy, sitting in receipt of praises — tehillot — of Israel” (22:4). Abjectly, as if in prostration, I acknowledge the truth: You G-d, holy, are the object of absolutely faithful, silent bodying forth of praises by the people of Israel. Two verses and what a traversal! From absolute abandonment to absolute faith — or almost absolute. One critical element is missing. I am abandoned, the Psalmist maintains in verse 1; I lack dumiyyah, the Psalmist admits in verse 2. But they body forth praises that are dumiyyah, their praises G-d receives (22:3-4). They. Others. The faith that is praise the Psalmist can acknowledge, but not possess. He has passed his first turning point, seized his first illumination. He has seen that G-d’s abandonment is actually his own deficiency, and that others possess faith and transcend his deficiency. Now that he has See PSALM 22 on Page 3

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Psalm 22: a ‘worm’ achieves rapture PSALM 22 from Page 1

seen this — brought himself confidently close to the ultimate truth of his own faith — he recoils. II.

“I

n You our fathers trusted, they trusted and You delivered them” (22:5). They. Others. The Psalmist cannot seize his own faith. There is faith, he acknowledges; there is deliverance, he knows; but not for him. “To You they cried out and were rescued, in You they trusted and were not shamed” (22:6). Again, they. For two entire verses. Earlier (22:2-3), it had taken only one-and-one-half verses to dent the absolute confidence that G-d abandons, while here the Psalmist’s personal detachment from G-d stretches across two verses. Just because of this, perhaps, his second step on the path to faith explodes with no half-verse transition: “And I am a worm . . . ” (22:7). Now it is not others (with their praises) who come before G-d, it is “I” — the Psalmist himself — who surrenders before G-d. The Psalmist comes before Him in abject submission. Any full sense of the Divine presence entails self-abnegation, but this is compounded here by the shift from sensing Divine abandonment to feeling Divine presence. Nothing to everything, pain to Presence: I am a worm. If I am a worm — I am nothing — G-d is everything; if He is everything, He overwhelms; and if He overwhelms, I am not even human. “And I am a worm and not a person . . . ” Before the Psalmist even completes this verse, he shifts still again. The second turning point reached, the second regression sets in. III.

he Psalmist cannot tolerate the implications of his personal stand before G-d. He cannot undertake the spiritual development dictated by the existential truth of being in, and overwhelmed by, G-d’s presence. Again he is diverted by them; this time, though, not by others who trusted and were delivered, but by others who mock the Psalmist’s spiritual surrender. A worm in comparison to G-d, the Psalmist feels so weak in his faith — or, perhaps, so distressed by the radical reorientation it requires — that suddenly he is a worm in comparison to man: “ . . . scorn of man and denigrated by people” (22:7). First it was what G-d did for others that diverted the Psalmist; now it is what others do against him. Their actions nurture oscillations. The Psalmist swings to and from G-d, the flight to Him not so radical as his two brief moments of surrender before Him, the flight from Him not so radical as his original sense of abandonment. The Psalmist inches his way to sensing Divine concern.

Thus, as others divert him from faith, he hears in their contempt a reminder of faith: “All who see me will mock me, will open the lip, wag the head: ‘Rely on L-rd; He will deliver him, He will rescue him, for He delights in him’” (22:8-9). The Psalmist now turns to G-d less intensely than in his brief moments of surrender, but more

itself that looms large, indeed, that overwhelms. Oscillating, the Psalmist now turns from G-d. “Many bulls surrounded me; bulls of Bashan came as crown around me. They opened their mouths against me — ravening and roaring lion. Like the water I was poured out, and all my

Any full sense of the Divine presence entails self-abnegation — ‘And I am a worm . . . ’ (22:7) enduringly. First he turns to G-d retrospectively, then currently: “For You drew me from womb, placed me securely on my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from the birth, from belly of my mother You are my G-d” (22:10-11). Like a suckling secure in his dependence on someone else, the Psalmist is secure in G-d; not, however, secure enough to be impervious to external threats: “Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is no helper” (22:12). As trouble intensifies, it is not G-d’s power to help but the trouble

bones were out of joint; my heart was like wax, melting within my bowels. Dry like the potsherd is my strength, and my tongue is stuck to my jaws, and to the dust of death You will put me. For dogs surrounded me, pack of evil-doers enclosed me, like a lion [at] my hands and my feet. I shall count each of my bones; they will look, will stare at me. They will divide my garments among them, and they will cast lots for my clothing” (22:13-19).

IV.

f personal detachment from G-d, sustained across two full verses (22:4-5), could bottle up the Psalmist’s latent faith, compelling him to explode, “I am a worm and not a man,” we must expect a decisive turning point after seven verses of detachment from G-d, of attention to external threats (22:13-19). Earlier turning points were temporary; progress to faith no sooner came than it precipitated recoil. Yet, earlier progress indicated an irrepressible yearning for G-d’s concern, and now the sustained, seven-verse turning from G-d — the final oscillation — propels the yearning to realization. Suppressed for seven verses, the yearning can only unfold in stages, each one adding a layer to a commitment richer and more focused than anything the Psalmist hitherto imagined. The vivid, concrete language of the seven verses, especially the reference to impending assault from animals, colors the final stage of the Psalmist’s expression of faith. First the Psalmist turns from external trouble to G-d, resummoning his faith in G-d’s power

to help, “And You, L-rd, do not stand afar . . . “ (22:20). Then the Psalmist advances to the crux: himself. “ . . . my own strength, hasten to my aid” (22:20). My. Not they. Not others. Not even You (“You, L-rd, do not stand afar”). It is my strength I must muster — with hastened assistance from Heaven, of course — but my strength. My aid. This critical threshold — “eyaluti, my own strength, hasten to my aid” — refracts the psalm’s otherwise baffling inscription — “ayelet, gazelle” — through a fresh prism: “Concerning ayelet — strength — of the morning” (22:1). “Strength”: my key to coming to faith; “of the morning”: the time lucidly to pursue aspirations. With its hint of summoning personal strength to retrieve faith, the inscription sets the theme of the psalm. The critical threshold now broached, the Psalmist finally attains permanent illumination, requests the right request, shows himself capable of removing the essential block to faith: “Rescue from the sword of my soul, from dog-grip on my singularity” (22:21). See PSALM 22 on Page 4

THE 22ND PSALM La-menatze’ah. Concerning strength of the morning. A mizmor of David. My G-d, my G-d, why have you abandoned me, [remained so] far form delivering me, [from] words of my crying out? My G-d, I call out by day and You do not answer, and by night, and I have no silence. And You are holy, sitting in receipt of praises of Israel. 5. In You our fathers trusted, they trusted and You delivered them. To You they cried out and were rescued, in You they trusted and were not shamed. And I am a worm and not a person, scorn of man and denigrated by people. All who see me will mock me, will open the lip, wag the head: “Rely on L-rd; He will deliver him, He will rescue him, for He delights in him.” 10. For You drew me from womb, placed me securely on my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon you from the birth, from belly of my mother You are my G-d. Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is no helper. Many bulls surrounded me; bulls of Bashan came as crown around me. They opened their mouths against me — ravening and roaring lion. 15. Like the water I was poured out, and all my bones were out of joint; my heart was like wax, melting within my bowels. Dry like the potsherd is my strength, and my tongue is stuck to my jaws, and to the dust of death You will put me. For dogs surrounded me, pack of evil-doers enclosed me, like a lion [at] my hands and my feet. I shall count each of my bones; they will look, will stare at me. They will divide my garments among them, and they will cast lots for my clothing. 20. And You, L-rd, do not stand afar; my own strength, hasten to my aid. Rescue from the sword of my soul, from dog-grip on my singularity. Deliver me from lion’s mouth, and from horns of remim You answered me. I shall tell Your name to my brothers, in the midst of society I shall praise You. Fearers of L-rd, praise him; all seed of Jacob, honor him; and be in dread of Him, all seed of Israel. 25. For He has not scorned and He has not spurned the outcry of the afflicted, and He has not hidden His face from him, and in his crying out, He hears. From You is my praise among large society, I shall complete my vows in the presence of all who fear Him. Humble people will eat and be sate, His seekers will praise L-rd: may your hearts live eternally. They will remember and they will return to L-rd, all ends of earth; and they will bow down before You, all families of nations. For to the L-rd belongs the sovereignty, and He rules over the nations. 30. All sate of the land ate and prostrated themselves, all descenders to dust will bow before Him; and none can keep alive his own soul. Seed [of all families of nations] will serve Him; it will be declared of G-d unto the [future] generation. They will come and will tell His righteousness unto a people now born; for He has done.

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‘G-d spoke one, I heard two’ PSALM 22 from Page 3

The root of G-d’s abandonment: the sword of my soul; the vivid metaphor of the assault of dogs on my singularity. I lacked faith not because G-d abandoned but because I spurned; not because G-d could not hear but because I could not address Him — I savaged my soul with the sword of denial. I could not sustain earlier turnings to G-d because I allowed that the problem was outside me: G-d’s saving others or others’ threatening me, it was all the same. My vision was external, my problem internal: my own assault on my spiritual sensitivity, on my singularity. My options were to close or open myself to G-d. And I closed — but now I have opened. Now I know that G-d’s concern is mine to appropriate, if only I ask for it (“Do not stand afar, hasten my own strength, rescue from sword, dog-grip on my soul”). My sense of abandonment and fear of external threats no longer exist. Having achieved selfknowledge, hence Divine attention, I can only rhapsodize. V. vibration of the seven verses of detachment from G-d moves the Psalmist’s tongue, as if his achievement of selfknowledge — his decisive transcendence of the personal block between him and Him — were too good to be true. The mind changed, the soul changed — the Psalmist changed — but the tongue moves as if by nerve spasm: “Deliver me from lion’s mouth . . . ” (22:22). The spasm is brief, the Psalter did change. He coordinates tongue with soul: “ . . . and from horns of remim You answered me” (22:22). At psalm’s opening the Psalmist did not sense G-d’s answering, but now, at long last, he receives G-d’s answer, concern, embrace. Whereupon, rhapsody. The opening rhapsody is especially laden with meaning: “I shall tell Your name to my brothers, in the midst of society I shall praise You” (22:23). In the Psalmist’s eyes, the others — they — have become his brothers. They are not spiritually superior and inaccessible — separate senders of praises to G-d — because the Psalmist, too, now praises G-d. He even praises G-d publicly, “in the midst of society.” A transformation! And more. The Psalmist no longer stares helplessly at others’ spiritual capacity to praise. He not only praises G-d amidst others, he instructs them. Having pierced the barrier between

G-d and himself, the Psalmist’s spiritual confidence in G-d’s accessibility to everyone, and his feeling G-d’s majesty and awesomeness, veritably brim. He has learned that to fear G-d — to be in dread of Him — is to be ready to see His face and to hear Him: “Fearers of L-rd, praise him; all seed of Jacob, honor him; and be in dread of Him, all seed of Israel. For He has not scorned and He has not spurned the outcry of the afflicted, and He has not hidden His face from him, and in his crying out, He hears” (22:2425). Still more: the Psalmist attains that unique level of praising which, at psalm’s beginning, he could only momentarily discern — the unarticulated, sublime posture of praise. G-d sat in receipt of others’ unarticulated praises (tehillot, 22:4); now He receives them from the Psalmist, too: “From You is my tehillah” (22:26) — my silent praise offered to You. The Psalmist ascends still higher, attaining a level not even alluded to at the psalm’s beginning. He identifies and embodies a relationship between silent praise and an as yet unnamed corollary. Psalm 65:2: “To You, silence is praise . . . and it is to You that a vow will be paid.” Duty to G-d is not exhausted by spiritual posture, by faith that ascends to silent, sublime praise. Duty also entails the discharge of specific obligations, such as vows. Thus, the Psalmist here (22:26): “From You is my tehillah . . . I shall complete my vows in the presence of all who fear Him.” The Psalmist has reached a summit of faith that is more than personal; the Psalmist entwines himself with community. Likewise, the corollary of faith — the discharge of specific obligations, such as vows — occurs in the presence of community. “From You is my tehillah among large society, I shall complete my vows in the presence of all who fear Him” (22:26). (Similarly, Psalm 65:2: “To You, silence is praise, G-d in Zion, and it is to You that a vow will be paid”; the G-d Who receives the praise of silence and to Whom a vow is paid is the G-d in Zion, amidst His people.) VI. rom twists and turns in the Psalmist’s tumultuous journey, a two-stage structure has emerged. It is set down, then reversed. When it is set down, the Psalmist first perceives G-d addressed silently, sublimely; then verbally, cryingly. First, “And you are holy, sitting in receipt of silence praises (tehillot) of Israel” (22:4); then,

“To You they cried out and were rescued, in You they trusted and were not shamed” (22:6). The first address, in its silent sublimity, is spiritual being; the second, in its example of unashamed crying out and rescue, is spiritual instruction. The first address values acceptance, being in G-d’s presence; the second address values initiative, seeking G-d’s presence. The first address is serene and private; the second is agonized and public. The first, in its sublimity, bequeaths beatitude; the second, in its pedagogy, implants responsibility. At psalm’s beginning the Psalmist looks in from the outside, observing others’ faith progress from silence to instruction, from acceptance to initiative. At psalm’s closing, when the Psalmist speaks from the inside, affirming his own faith, he follows the two-stage progression in reverse. First he instructs others, articulating his faith to his “brothers,” to “society” (22:23-25); then he attains the sublime posture of praising silently (22:26). First he assumes responsibility, then achieves beatitude. While from the outside faith seems first to be passive, silent, private; from the inside it seems first to be active, verbal, communal. To the outsider, initiative within faith is its second level; to the insider, initiative within faith is its first level. Why the change in the Psalmist’s perception? As the Psalmist attains faith, he achieves it initially by working his own internal revolution, seeking G-d’s presence. He sees that faith on its first level is essentially initiative. “My own strength, hasten to my aid.” Faith on its second level is essentially acceptance, being in G-d’s presence. The power to praise silently derives from G-d. “From You is my tehillah.” G-d elevates the seeker of faith only after he does his own work. Comprehensive beatitude is vouchsafed to the struggling faithful activist, not the sublimely faithful quietist.

“Humble people will eat and be sate, His seekers will praise L-rd: may your hearts live eternally. They will remember and they will return to L-rd, all ends of earth; and they will bow down before You, all families of nations. For to the L-rd belongs the sovereignty, and He rules over the nations” (22:27-29). Spiritual fullness of G-d and physical prostration before Him precipitate a level of faith reaching beyond even acknowledgement of G-d’s universal sovereignty. They precipitate the stark sensation that life — existence itself — depends on G-d. “All sate of the land ate and prostrated themselves, all descenders to dust will bow before Him; and none can keep alive his own soul” (22:30). With faith fully realized, the Psalmist need make only one more point: transmission of faith to coming generations. He need not enumerate its channels of transmission, so certain is he of faith’s power to sustain itself. His faith in faith is his ultimate conquest of anguish, as he himself becomes living testimony to the endurance of faith by declaring that faith will be declared. “Seed [of all families of nations] will serve Him; it will be declared of G-d unto the [future] generation. They will come and will tell His righteousness unto a people now born; for He has done” (22:31-32). Who is “a people now born”? What is it that “He has done”? A people now born is the future generation of faith existing in the Psalmist’s imagination — a people of whose existence the Psalmist is absolutely certain. He — G-d — has done this: He has led the Psalmist through every stage of faith, from anguish to flashes of insight to self-recognition to beatitude, for himself, his community, and all humanity, for now and for all generations.

VII.

AFTERWORD

he Psalmist’s temporary, solitary, and abject submission before G-d has developed; his faith has become no longer temporary but sustained, no longer in solitude but in the community, no longer abject, compared to a worm, but serene and sublime. His own spiritual world in order, the Psalmist expands horizons. His own faith attained, he becomes rapturous over others’ acceptance of G-d, optimistic about others’ return to G-d, and assertive concerning the universal authority of G-d:

almud’s tractate Megillah locates the matrix of Psalm 22 in the mission of Esther, heroine of Purim. Verses in Psalm 22 both teach halakhot (laws) of Purim (Megillah 4a) and represent responses of Esther to certain events in the Purim story (Megillah 14b). I have read Psalm 22 wholly without reference to Esther, yet I accept the Talmudic interpretation of the Hebrew Bible (including Psalms) as absolutely authoritative. Have I contradicted myself?

Psalm 62:12: “G-d spoke one, I heard two . . . ” Talmud interprets this to mean that while no two Biblical verses can teach one thing, one verse can teach many things (Sanhedrin 34a). Psalm 22 can convey both the authoritative teachings of the Book of Esther and the existential itinerary delineated above. How so? Does it not violate intellectual honesty to insist that one writer, living at one time (such as David the King and Psalmist), can cast extraordinarily different intentions and even temporally disjunctive frames of reference into his verses? Yes, this is intellectually dishonest, provided that the resources of the writer are exclusively his own. The resources of the authors’ of the Hebrew Bible’s Writings (including Psalms), however, are not only their own intellect, but also the Divine intellect. Writings’ authors are both active and passive; generators of their own inspiration and funnels for the Divine Inspiration; manufacturers of intentions and vessels for receiving the Divine intention. Hence their verses contain many intentions, including one or more beyond the authors’ ken. These verses have two authors: an author and an Author. Some non-Orthodox Jewish thinkers affirm this much. Where they depart from Orthodox Judaism is in insisting that all perceived intentions in verses are equally valid, or, are to be distinguished according to various criteria, any number of which can be authoritative, no one of which can be absolutely authoritative. This is consistent, for when any interpretation is latently authoritative, none can be absolutely authoritative. Orthodox Judaism affirms the Talmud’s interpretation of the Hebrew Bible as absolutely authoritative. This both fixes the traditional commentator within definitive, Divine intentions (halakhic and aggadic), and liberates him to view verses through an interpretive prism cast at a variety (potentially an infinite variety) of angles. In interpreting Psalm 22, I have chosen one angle of interpretation — a Musar, existentialist one. Accepting the definitive, Talmudic interpretation of Psalms, I am free to do so. G-d spoke one, I heard two.

The penultimate draft of this article benefitted from an illuminating discussion with Rabbi Nathaniel Lauer. Rabbi Hillel Goldberg, PhD, executive editor of the Intermountain Jewish News and Associate Editor of Tradition and of Jewish Action, taught Jewish ethics and modern Jewish intellectual history at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section D • 1

C O M E D Y

T R A G E D Y

Anna Levine, 5th grade, HEA religious school

Ellie Zeppelin, 4th grade, HEA religious school

MIZEL MUSEUM PAGE 3

CHARIOT OF FIRE PAGE 5

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2 • Section D • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

& The tomboy who wants to be a Jet

West Side Story cast members, l-r: Casey Garvin, Alexandra Frohlinger, Nathan Keen and Jon Drake. © Carol Rosegg 2011

WINNIPEG’S ALEXANDRA FROHLINGER

West Side Story ‘Anybodys’ is Jewish By LARRY HANKIN IJN Associate Editor

ne of the more intriguing characters in the musical “West Side Story” is Anybodys, the tomboy who desperately wants to be accepted as a member of the Jets, a male teenage gang. At the same time, she is acute-

ly aware of her unexpressed desire to find conventional love. For Alexandra Frohlinger, the actress who plays Anybodys in the national tour of “West Side Story,” such a role is “unique — it only exists in ‘West Side Story.’” And Anybodys is so full of depth — “this outcast that

nobody loves in a show where love is the overriding theme” — that Frohlinger never tires of playing her, even after some 400 performances over the past year. “West Side Story” runs at the DCPA Buell Theater through Jan. 1. While the story, the songs and the message remain the same, this production is the North American tour of the 2009 Broadway revival of the 1957 Leonard BernsteinStephen Sondheim-Jerome Robbins Broadway classic. Those who are expecting a clone of the 1957 Broadway play or the 1961 film adaptation with all the musical comedy and cultural trappings of that era will be surprised to find a production that’s been contemporized for 21st century audiences. A story of gang rivalry and forbidden love, “West Side Story” is gritty. Frohlinger, fortunately, finds

playing the confused androgynous Anybodys “a departure from my real life.” However, it can be cathartic. “You take all your burdens and the unpleasantness in your life and get it all out on stage.”

lexandra Frohlinger, grew up Winnipeg, Canada, in “a wonderful Jewish community which is small but closeknit.” Frohlinger’s Jewish upbringing in Winnipeg is entwined with her musical theater career. Her first part was the title role in “Oliver” at the local JCC. She also performed in all the musicals at the Jewish day school she attended through all 12 grades. “As a child, to boost my selfesteem and to reinforce that being petite is a good thing, my parents enrolled me in dance classes at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. “There, I studied and fell in

love with all forms of dance: jazz, tap, ballet, pointe and especially musical theater.” From high school, Frohlinger attended the Boston Conservatory where in 2010, she received a bachelor of fine arts, magna cum laude, in musical theater. She joined the “West Side Story” tour in October of that year. At this point in her career, Frohlinger is both grateful and hopeful and the nomadic lifestyle of a performing artist suits her at this stage in her life. “While my residence is in New York, I’m hardly ever in New York. Fortunately, I am able to travel. I have no husband, no dog. This is my time to travel.” And she’s hopeful that the best is yet to come: “I am looking forward to pursuing my career in New York, across North America and in Europe. I cannot wait for the exciting challenges ahead, and the incredible experiences and people I will encounter along the way.”

Celebrity chef at Manischewitz Cook-Off This year, the national Man-OManischewitz Cook-Off will see contestants prepare their best familyfriendly recipes. Five finalists will compete live in New York City, for the $25,000 grand prize, which includes appliances, cash and a crystal trophy. Contestants will compete in front of a panel of judges with celebrity chef and Food Network star Claire Robinson as head judge. The contest deadline is Jan. 15, 2012. Four finalists will be chosen by the judging panel and five other semi-finalists will be posted on www.manischewitz.com to select the fifth finalist.

Claire Robinson From Feb. 13-24, consumers can vote online, and via Facebook and Twitter, to select the fifth finalist. The competition encourages athome chefs to experiment with

kosher products while preparing delicious recipes that could be a new family favorite or one that has been shared from generation to generation. Perhaps these recipes can be inspired by traditional Jewish fare or a cherished memory of a favorite family meal. The competition is designed to showcase the benefits of using kosher products as part of the home cooking experience and to think about using kosher products in other types of cuisine, whether it is Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Greek or something else. Information: www.manischewitz.com.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section D • 3

& GLENN R. JONES

Mizel Museum dinner

he Mizel Museum announces that Glenn R. Jones is the recipient of its 2012 Community Enrichment Award, which will be presented at the museum’s 22nd annual gala on May 23, 2012. Jones joins the list of notable past recipients, including Sharon Magness Blake, Dean Singleton, Norman Brownstein, Anna and John Sie, Miriam Goldberg, Gov. John Hickenlooper and Rabbi Daniel Goldberger, Jones is the founder of Jones International University and chairman and CEO of Jones Knowledge Group, Jones e-global Library and Jones International, Ltd. A pioneer in the world of distance and online education, he spent four decades extending the reach of technology, first by playing a major role in ushering cable

television into American homes and later fusing education with the Internet to deliver educational opportunities to students worldwide. Jones is the founder of Jones Intercable, which he established in 1967 by borrowing $400 against his Volkswagen to purchase a cable system in Georgetown, Colo. This purchase was the genesis of his cable television company. When he sold the business in 1999, it was one of the 10 largest cable operators in the US. In 1993, Jones founded Jones International University, coupling his expertise in communications technology with his desire to “democratize” education by making it as widely available as possible. The first fully online university to receive accreditation, Jones

Five given Jewish Cultural Achievement Awards

he Foundation for Jewish Culture honored five individuals at its 50th anniversary celebration at the Jewish Cultural Achievement Awards Dec. 13 in New York city. First presented in 1985, the Jewish Cultural Achievement Awards honor a select group of scholars, artists and patrons who have developed and sustained Jewish culture. This year’s honorees in scholarship and the arts were Deborah Lipstadt for scholarship, Albert Maysles for documentary filmmaking and Mark Podwal for visual arts. Joan Rosebaum received the award for cultural leadership, and Jeffrey R. Solomon was honored with the Sandra and Leon Weiner Award for philanthropic leadership. UJA-Federation of New York received a special citation for its support of new artists through the Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists. Presenters included environmental artist Christo; John Nash, immediate past chair of the Jewish Museum; Alice Greenwald, National September 11 Memorial Museum director; Edith Everett, CEO, Gruntal & Co., philanthropist and CUNY trustee emeritus; and Lynn Korda Kroll, life member and event co-chair of the Foundation for Jewish Culture.

Deborah Lipstadt

Albert Maysles

Mark Podwal

Joan Rosebaum

Jeffrey R. Solomon

International University has garnered multiple recognitions, including a ranking as one of the top five of the best online universities in the world, according to the Global Academy Online. As one of the founding members of the James Madison National Council, a private advisory board to the Library of Congress, Jones now serves on the steering committee and is chair of the education committee. He is the author of several books, including Cyberschools, An Education Renaissance and Free Market Fusion. “I’m thrilled to be in the good company of those before me who have received the Mizel Museum’s Community Enrichment Award,” Jones says. “Each honoree of this award is united by the desire to make a positive contribution to the world, each in our own way.”

Glenn R. Jones to receive Community Enrichment Award

4 • Section D • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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#(!.5+!(

Eight Chanukah children’s books

his season, Kar-Ben publishers offers: • Engineer Ari and the Hanukkah Mishap: Deborah Bodin Cohen and Shahar Kober continue adventures of the fictional Engineer Ari and his travels across Israel. The award-winning series was inspired by the first train ride

from Jerusalem to Jaffa in 1892. • Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles: Written by Tami Lehman-Wilzig with Nicole Katzman, this story shows a family’s love for their special needs child and his sibling. Jacob loves his autistic brother Nathan, but when Chanukah comes, Jacob worries that

Nathan might embarrass him in from of his new friend. • Hannukah Moon: Written by Deborah da Costa, this book celebrates a little known custom in the Latin-Jewish community. Isobel, who is invited to her Aunt Luisa’s home for Chanukah, is told she gets to celebrate “the Chanukah moon.”

• It’s Hanukkah Time: Preschoolers prepare for a Chanukah party with their grandparents. This book features large, full-color photographs. The author is Latifa Berry Kropf. Tod Cohen is the photographer. • Harvest of Light: Allison Ofanansky’s book traces an Israeli family that raises olives and uses the oil to light the Chanukah menorah. Photographs are by Eliyahu Alpern. • Dinosaur on Hanukkah: When a loveable, mayhem-causing dinosaur arrives to help a small boy celebrate the holiday, he brings chaos in his wake. Diane Levin Rauchwerger is the author. • Jodie’s Hanukkah Dig: Jodie dreams of becoming an archaeologist like her dad. During her Chanukah vacation, she convinces him to take her on a dig in Modi’in, the ancient home of the Maccabees. The book was written by Anna Levine. • Maccabee! The Story of Hannukah: Tilda Balsley puts the Chanukah story to rhyme. It is illustrated in comic book-style by David Harrington.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section D • 5

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#(!.5+!(

Israeli coin: Chariot of fire . . . behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven (II Kings 2:10-11). hese words, from one of the most famous Biblical scenes, have been an inspiration for Jewish and Christian artists throughout the ages. As Kings I and II tell it, Elijah was weary of his persistent and unsuccessful efforts to correct the ways of the people. He understood that his role as a prophet would soon end; that he would depart this world, and that his disciple Elisha would take over his mission. Elisha refused to accept that his beloved master was to leave him; and the moving parting between the two, as they walked and talked together, is an integral component of the dramatic scene described in the Bible. As Elisha saw Elijah carried off, he cried, “My father, my father . . . And he saw him no more and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him . . .” (II Kings 2:12-13). Elijah, it is recorded, had not died, but had been taken up to heaven, to reappear as a forerunner of the Messiah to come.

he art world knows the many depictions of Elijah’s ascendance — on canvas, woodcuts, mosaics, and stained

glass. With these new legal tender coins from Israel, precious metal joins the list. The artist Yaacov Enyedi created a dramatic rendering of the biblical scene, which was then engraved by Tidhar Dagan. The obverse bears the coin’s face value, “Israel” in English, Hebrew and Arabic, the dates 2011/5772, the biblical inscription in English and Arabic around the border, and at the upper right, in Hebrew in artistic letters resembling flames within the whirlwind. The state emblem is at top center. The reverse shows Elijah going up to heaven in the chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire. Below left is Elisha appearing shocked by the sight of Elijah’s departure. There are four variants (two gold and two silver) of the coin available. One of the gold coins is in the popular “smallest gold coins of the world” catagory, a 1/25 ounce .999 pure gold 1 shekel measuring 13.92 mm. The three others are the traditional .917 gold (22 kt) 10 shekel and sterling silver 2 and 1 shekels. Information: www.israelmint.com or (888) 421-1866.

6 • Section D • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

& Lyrics as teachers: Chanukah’s timeless message

The Maccabeats retell the Chanukah story in a fresh, dynamic and fun way.

MUSIC INFORMS ‘THE JEWISH ROOM’ IN JERUSALEM

The musical side to Chanukah By DASEE BERKOWITZ JTA

EW YORK — My three-year-old son is obsessed with showing people his room, sliding sheepishly over to guests and asking, “Can I show you my room?” My son reminds me how important our “place” is — “A Room of One’s Own,” in Virginia Wolff’s words. Our rooms make us feel secure and anchor us. (Just ask a teenager how important that is.) A room enables us to recharge before heading out into the world to do our work, and contains the objects, pictures and music that entertain us, occupy and preoccupy us, and evoke memories of another time. I’ve been thinking about this room metaphor, especially as Chanukah nears. Chanukah means dedication. What we are celebrating is the courage of the Maccabees to rededicate the “Jewish room,” the Temple in Jerusalem, the center of our Jewish lives, after it was defiled by the Assyrian Greeks in 164 BCE. They re-established the room for the Jews to do their sacred work in the world. Chanukah is an opportunity

to do a little rededication of our Jewish rooms and Jewish lives. But what aspect of Jewish life do we want to rededicate?

lassic and contemporary Chanukah music can help answer the question. One of my favorite Chanukah songs is “Al ha-Nissim” (“Of the Miracles”). Inserted into the Amidah, the standing silent prayer, the Birkat haMazon, the blessing after meals, and sung throughout the holiday, it praises G-d for the “miracles and for the salvation and for the mighty deeds and for the victories and for the battles which You performed for our ancestors in those days, at this time.” Al ha-Nissim affirms G-d’s centrality to Chanukah and the miracle of oil, and renders less central the military victory of the Maccabees. Another classic, “Maoz Tsur” (“Rock of Ages”), written in13thcentury in Europe, briefly recounts Jewish history and also focuses on G-d’s centrality: “Rock of ages, let our song/ Praise Your saving power; /You, amid the raging foes,/Were our

sheltering tower./Furious they assailed us,/But Your arm availed us,/And Your word, /Broke their sword,/When our own strength failed us.” In a world in which we think that our own power, strength and ambition is the cause of our success, how do we let the realm of the spiritual G-d — that which isn’t known, and is out of our control — into our lives when “our own strength fails us”?

more contemporary Chanukah song, “Mi Yemallel,” or “Who can Retell?” has an opening line that goes, “Who can tell of the heroic deeds of Israel? . . . Yes in every generation a hero arises to save the people.” The Russian-born Zionist Menashe Ravina plays here on the words from Psalm 106:2, “Mi yemallel gevurot Ad-nai . . . ” (“Who can tell of the mighty acts of G-d?”). The song places human strength and know-how at center stage. It is not surprising that the Zionist take on the Chanukah story emphasizes human agency over heavenly intervention. The Zionists sought to create the “new Jew” who left the beit midrash (house of study) to work the land. Peter, Paul and Mary’s 1983 folk song “Light One Candle” casts the particular story about the Maccabean struggle for religious freedom in a universal context, linking it to other movements of defiance and protest. With the closing stanza comes the charge to use the memory of the past as a clar-

ion call to do justice. They sing, “What is the memory that’s valued so highly,/That we keep it alive in that flame?/ What’s the commitment to those who have d i e d ? / We cry out ‘they’ve not died in v a i n ’ , / We have come this far, always believing,/That justice will somehow prevail;/This is the burden and This is the promise,/This is why we will not fail!” How does Chanukah’s centuries-old struggle against the Assyrian Greeks to win religious freedom motivate others with their struggles? Of course, some contemporary fare is a bit more lighthearted. Debbie Friedman’s “Latke Song” doesn’t let us forget that our holiday celebration would be nothing without traditional foods with lyrics like “I am a latke, I’m a latke, and I am waiting for Chanukah to come!” The song reminds us how important traditional food can be to help us create rich associations (and full bellies) during the holiday.

Realm of the spiritual

atisyahu takes a different tack. The hip-hopping Chasid’s Chanukah tune “Miracle on Ice” sets up the opposition between Chanukah and Christmas. It confronts us with the threat facing Judaism in a majority culture that seduces us to participate, and urges us to look heavenward for support.

He tells us, “born to struggle and fall but my strength does comes not from man at all . . . eight nights, eight lights, and these rites keep me right/Bless me to the highest heights with your miracle.” While it is easy to morph December into one big “holiday season” (who doesn’t like the eggnog latte at Starbucks?), what are the ways that you want to draw distinctions between your identity and practice and those of your Christian neighbors? How can you turn the discomfort of “difference” into a source of pride? Yeshiva University’s a cappella group the Maccabeats, with its 2010 YouTube sensation “Candelight” (a take-off of Taio Cruz’s No. 1 song “Dynamite”), and the Israeli group the Fountainheads from Ein Prat, with “I Gotta Feelin’ Hanukkah” (a spoof on the Black Eyed Peas hit “I Gotta Feelin’”) present us with a final challenge: How can we make traditions and stories that we tell from year to year fresh, dynamic and fun? The Maccabeats in particular retell the story, singing, “I’ll tell a tale/ Of Maccabees in Israel/ When the Greeks tried to assail/ But it was all to no avail/ The war went on and on and on/ Until the mighty Greeks were gone/ I flip my latkes in the air sometimes sayin ayy ohh spin the dreidel/ Just wanna celebrate for all eight nights singin ayy oh, light the candles.” So this Chanukah season, crank up the volume in that Jewish room of yours. Play the music loud, even wake the neighbors and discover the power of rededication.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section D • 7

& TACKLE FOOTBALL ATTRACTS NATIVES & NEWCOMERS

Israeli Football in its fifth year By ANDREW GERSHMAN JTA

ERUSALEM — It’s a cold Thursday night in Jerusalem and by the looks of it, you’d think there was a meeting of the UN under way. Men are carrying on in Hebrew, English, Arabic, Russian and French, but they’re not talking peace. They’re here to settle the score — literally. The cross-section of Jews, Arabs and Christians are here to play American tackle football as part of the Kraft Family Israel Football League. Entering its fifth year, the IFL has more than doubled since its beginning, in 2007, to 10 teams. The IFL traces its history back more than two decades, to a group of touch football players — mostly American immigrants and post-high schoolers studying in Israel — who established a football league in 1988. Six years later the modest effort would grow into American Football in Israel, a nonprofit organization recognized by Israel’s Ministry of Education as the sport’s governing body, which today encompasses dozens of men’s and women’s flag football teams across the country. With the growth of flag football, a separate group of guys who had been playing tackle football had someplace to call home. “It was these players who came to our organization, American Football in Israel, to set up a more organized league, which led us down the path to where we are today,” said Uriel Sturm, the IFL’s commissioner.

he league consists of two teams from Jerusalem, the Kings and the Lions; one from Gush Etzion, the defending champion Judean Rebels; and two from Tel Aviv, the Sabres and the Pioneers. The Beersheva Black Swarm, Haifa Underdogs, Northern Stars, Petach Tikvah Troopers and the Hatikvah Hammers round out the roster. While the overwhelming majority of players are Israeli citizens, they hail from countries as far afield as Ukraine, France and Barbados. “I think the IFL needs to

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be known in every city, and the way to do so is to expand while keeping a good level of play,” said Roey Ziv, a league veteran who once played for the Haifa Underdogs and now suits up for the expansion Northern Stars. The level of play has continued to improve over the league’s five-year history. Players range in talent from football newbies to Division I college talent. The latter category includes offensive lineman “Big Mike” Gondelman, a former player at Troy University in Alabama. At 6-foot-9 and 402 pounds, Gondelman is an addiction and crisis counselor in Jerusalem who believes football can be therapeutic. “There are thousands of studies proving that, as well as personal stories I’ve seen through my work and in the IFL,” Gondelman said. Jeremy Sable, an offensive lineman-linebacker for the TelAviv-Jaffa Sabres, played a year of football at Cheltenham High School in suburban Philadelphia but had to quit because the games were played on Shabbat. When he moved to Israel following his graduation from the University of Maryland, Sable connected with one of the Sabres players through a fellow Philadelphian. “When I walked away from high school football, I thought I would never have a chance to play again,” Sable said. “Here in Israel, I am able to fulfill my dream of living in the Jewish state, while once again playing the sport I love.” Israeli-born Chen Doron, a wide receiver for the Beersheva Black Swarm, had never played football before the IFL. He took up the sport at age 23. “I was attracted to tackle football because it’s a sport for any given size or speed or weight and so on,” Doron said. “I also like football because of the team play that is required, rather than being a one-man game.”

s an amateur league, one downside of the IFL is the cost to play. Players must buy their own uniforms and equipment, purchase insurance and cover the costs of travel to and

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from games. Ziv says it is the league’s biggest problem. “You can’t ask a guy who has never played football before to spend all that money,” he said. “Brand-new gear costs approximately 2,000 shekels [about $500], and pants, jerseys, insurance and everything else cost around 1,000 [about $250].” Even for an experienced player like Gondelman, the financial commitment can take a toll. “I’ve spent the last seven months rebuilding the Kings, working some months as much as 40 hours a week just to play ball,” he said. The league also struggles with transitory players. Many players are in Israel for just a year of study. Job offers and military service also get in the way of their consistent attendance. Last year’s Most Valuable Player, Alex Swieca of the Judean Rebels, is a walk-on redshirt freshman quarterback this fall at the University of Michigan. The constant turnover also creates excitement. The Rebels lost six key players from last year’s championship squad but have managed to add some new talent. “We are embracing the target painted on our back, although that is no different than last year,” said Betzalel Friedman, head coach of

Jerusalem Lions take on the Tel Aviv Pioneers in an Israeli Football League game at Kraft Family Stadium. IFL File Photos the Rebels. “I am interested in seeing how all of the teams improved.” For some participants, playing football in Israel is about much more than sports. “Our team’s success comes from the fact that the majority of us really loves and cares for each other,” Sable said. “We don’t simply block for each other because we want to win, but

rather because we won’t allow anyone to hit or hurt our friend and teammate. “The greatest moments of my IFL career has to be prior to the Israel Bowl, in 2010 and in 2011. “Nothing beats the emotion I felt standing on the field at Kraft [Stadium in Jerusalem] singing the ‘Hatikvah’ with my teammates prior to the championship games.”

8 • Section D • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

& BETWEEN DREAM AND REALITY

Venice By CURT LEVIANT AND ERIKA PFEIFER LEVIANT Special to the IJN

enice is one of the glories of this world, a city that hovers between dream and reality; a famous art critic called it “a permanent miracle.” And, it might be added, Venice is also one of the glories of the Jewish world. Our view of Venice began with the gorgeous brochure read aboard our comfortable OpenSkies business class only, Paris-bound jet. After several days in the palatial Hotel de Crillon we took the high speed Rail Europe trains to Italy. But the real Venice began at the new Hilton Stucky Molino Hotel, situated on Giudecca island right across from the “mainland,” easily accessible via the hotel’s frequent complimentary motorboat rides to Piazza San Marco, the most famous site in Venice, and one of the most harmonious places one can ever hope to see. Besides its gorgeous rooms and suites, the hotel’s buffet breakfast is so huge one needs a personal porter or taxi to transport you to the acres of offered food. Tired of touring? Go up to the rooftop and enjoy the swimming pool and a stunning view of the great lagoon and much of Venice.

ewish Venice is centered around the open square of the ghetto, which houses the five old synagogues, the Jewish museum, the communal offices, the large old-age home, and the old ghetto “skyscrapers,” the tallest buildings in Venice. Since the ghetto could not expand outward, up was the only place to go. This accounts for the six- and seven-story walkup buildings, some with ceilings so low in the upper stories that one cannot stand up straight. Today, only three Jewish families remain in the ghetto. To sit in the synagogue that dates back to 1555

on Friday night and Sabbath morning and see the ornate, centuries-old ark with its many Torahs, flanked by four ten-foot candles on each side and three huge Baroque chandeliers suspended from the high ceiling, is to partake of the joy of a continuous and historic Jewish presence in this enchanting city. Jews have lived here almost 1,000 years. As you sit in the synagogue, look around at the name plates and see the diversity of national origins: Luzzatto (the current president of the community, the erudite Amos Luzzatto, is a great-grandson of the famous scholar and philosopher, S. D. Luzzatto), Grosz, Brandes, Calimani, Aboaf. The community has a rabbi, currently an Israeli Yemenite who has mastered Italian, and gave the Sabbath sermon in Italian and Hebrew, a cantor (who also teaches in the Hebrew school) and a Torah reader. One used to be able to eat delicious Italian-Jewish Sabbath meals, pre-paying on a Thursday or Friday morning, at the Casa di Riposa, the Jewish Old Age Home. However, Chabad’s offer of free Sabbath meals has literally driven the Old Age Home out of business. (We were told they would soon reopen for Sabbath meals.) Along with the free food at Chabad, be prepared to hear a Messianic sermon during the meal, for the leader of the Venice Chabad and his cohorts believe that the deceased former Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, is the Messiah. The existence of a kosher hotel in the Ghetto is a mystery. One Internet site stated that one had existed but that it had been shut down. Then another site said that a kosher hotel had been reopened; it even gave an email address. We wrote several times to this supposedly kosher hotel in the Ghetto but received no answer. Only two of the synagogues are in use now – one

Gondolas in one of the canals of Venice Italy

Wikipedia

during the winter, the other, the rest of the year. But on the High Holy Days, both are open to accommodate the crowds, as most of the 450 Jews (250 live in Venice, 200 nearby) registered with the community attend. Fifteen years ago there were about 150 more Jews in Venice, but since housing is extremely expensive and college educated children can’t find suitable jobs in Venice, the younger generation flocks to the bigger cities.

he Jews in Venice are in business and the free professions. But are there any Jewish gondoliers? To this we received an ambiguous response. One rabbi said that he had heard of one or two, but the community secretary, a native of Venice from an old Venetian Jewish family, disputed this. He reasoned that gondoliering was a guild years ago and closed to Jews during the ghetto period. After the ghetto was opened up it was too late: the craft had been handed down from father to son for generations. And it wasn’t a thinking profession; Jews usually went into more cerebral activities. Hence, no Jewish gondoliers in this or previous generations. Still, Jews and gondolas were inextricably linked — for hundreds of years Jews, including the rabbis, would travel to Sabbath services by gondola, the only way to attend. Among the great attractions in Venice, besides simply walking, traversing bridges and venturing into side lanes, is the Doge’s Palace and the Peggy Guggenheim museums, with canvases of many of the modern masters. The I Veneziani offer concerts at the Scuolo Grande de San Teodoro, and at the Barbarigo Palace various operas are staged. At this stunning palace at the edge of the Grand Canal we saw The Barber of Seville, where each act took place in a different grand room of the palace; superb singers combined with visual delight. One of the most beautiful — and widest — streets in Venice is Via Garibaldi. As you walk up the street on your right you will soon see a wonderful vegetarian restaurant that serves freshly prepared and delicious meals.

ne of the joys of Venice is visiting the famous nearby islands. For this we went on the Viator tour, taking a boat to the glass-making island of Murano where we saw a display of glass blowing; Burano, where handmade lace is produced (we had been to both before); and to Torcello, the island with vast expanses of green fields and only 15 inhabitants — a beautiful half day tour for a very reasonable cost. Now there is a quick way to get to the Venice’s Marco Polo airport. Rather than the slow vaporetto to Piazzo Roma and then the bus to the airport, go to the Alilaguna ticket booth at the edge of San Marco, near the Tourist Office, and book the pleasant 40-minute scenic ride on a comfortable boat directly to the airport. Within Europe the rails are the most scenic, relaxing and economical way to travel. Moving from one city to another in the modern, comfortable Rail Europe trains, we found that our Eurail Pass (it can only be bought in the USA and Canada) was a convenient and money-saving card. Information raileurope.com or 1-888-382-7245. Curt Leviant’s most recent book is “A Novel of Klass.” Erika Pfeifer Leviant writes travel articles and essays on Jewish art.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 1

#(!.5+!(

2011

Food Aid

Treats

‘Cheesy’ dishes Knishes

Helping those in need

Yummy OODS & doughnuts

Travel Film Jewish Gibraltar

Sladek’s flick Maccabees

Health Odorless Omega-3

CHANUKAH IN JERUSALEM Isranet

Today’s Life • Books • Shmoos • Editorials • Obits

2 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

#(!.5+!( Foods

On Chanukah, it’s okay to be kind of ‘cheesy’ at the dinner table By SYBIL KAPLAN JTA

la and margarine. Mix well. Serve warm. ORANGE SAUCE

ERUSALEM — Latkes and sufganiyot, the jelly-filled doughnuts especially popular in Israel, are well-known Chanukah fare made with oil to signify the holiday tale. Lesser known is the tradition of cheese and the story of Judith. Like the Chanukah story, which is part of the Apocrypha — books not incorporated into the Bible — the book of Judith tells of a beautiful widow whose town was under siege by the army of the Assyrians and decided to visit the commander-in-chief to ask him not to overtake the town. As the story goes, she gives him wine, he gets fall down drunk and falls into a stupor. Judith beheads the king and saves her people and the town. The story is that Judith fed him cheese to make him thirsty, and since she lived in the same period as the Maccabees, Jews of various communities instituted the custom of eating cheese dishes in honor of her heroism. On my cookbook shelf is a a classic written in the 1970s — A Taste of Tradition by Ruth Sirkis, the “Julia Child of Israel.” Sirkis has written numerous cookbooks and was the food editor for a major Israeli women’s magazine; she also had a popular radio show. A Taste of Tradition covered all the Jewish holidays; below are some of her Chanukah recipes. Plus, to celebrate Judith, some cheese recipes are included from other sources (see last two recipes).

&OODS 1 cup orange juice 1/2 cup sugar 1 tbsp. cornstarch Juice from 1 lemon 2 tbsp. orange liqueur 2 tsp. grated orange rind 1 tbsp. unsalted margarine

1. Mix orange juice, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. 2. Remove from heat and let cool. Add lemon juice, orange liqueur, orange rind and margarine. Mix. Serve warm. Author’s note: You can also sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on ponchikes instead of sauces.

CHEESE LAKTES This recipe is from Spice and Spirit, The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook of the Lubavitch Women 3 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup drained cottage cheese 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 5 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup oil 1. Place eggs, milk, cottage cheese, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and mix until smooth. 2. Heat oil in a frying pan (if using nonstick pan, use less oil.) Drop batter by spoon into hot oil. Fry until brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and continue until all batter is used. Keep warm until serving. Serve with sour cream or applesauce.

POTATO LATKES 1 cup mashed potatoes 2 oz. margarine 1/2 cup flour 2 eggs 1/2 tsp. salt Dash white pepper 1 tsp. dehydrated onion flakes 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare mashed potatoes according to packaged directions, substituting water for milk or boil and mash 1/2 pound fresh potatoes. 2. Add margarine, flour, eggs, salt,

Happy Chanukah

Chanukah mini-doughnuts are called ponchiki in Russian and ponchik in Yiddish. Barry Kaplan/Jerusalem

pepper and onion flakes. Mix well. 3. Fill a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip with potato mixture. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Press out latkes on cookie sheet to resemble a 3-inch long ladyfinger. 4. Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Bake latkes for 15 minutes. They should puff a little and have a golden color. Serve immediately. Makes 16-20 latkes.

TRADITIONAL LATKES 2 1 1 2 1

pounds peeled potatoes small onion small apple eggs tsp. salt

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2 tbsp. flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder Oil 1. Grate potatoes on a coarse grater. Peel and grate onion and apple. 2. Beat eggs lightly. Add potatoes, onion and blend well. Add salt, flour and baking powder, and mix thoroughly. 3. Pour one inch of oil in a large skillet and heat. Drop pancake mixture by tablespoons into the hot oil. Fry and brown on both sides. Serve hot with sour cream and applesauce. Makes 20 latkes. Note: You can also use an electric blender for grating. Cut each potato into 8 pieces, put in blender and cover with water. Close lid and blend at medium speed for 5 seconds. Drain through a sieve. Put potatoes in bowl and proceed.

PARADISE PONCHIKES Here are recipes by Ruth Sirkis for the mini doughnuts called ponchiki in Russian and ponchik in Yiddish, which were brought to Israel by Polish immigrants, as well as several types of latkes.

1 cup water 4 oz. margarine 1 cup flour 4 eggs Oil 1. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add margarine and continue boiling until it melts. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan. 2. Remove from heat. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. 3. Heat oil in a pot for deep frying. When oil is hot, drop in pieces of dough from a teaspoon. Let puff and turn as needed to assure even browning. 4. Remove from oil with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with warm sauce. CHOCOLATE SAUCE 1 2 1 1

cup light corn syrup oz. unsweetened chocolate tsp. vanilla extract tbsp. unsalted margarine

1. Combine syrup and chocolate in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until the chocolate melts. 2. Remove from heat, add vanil-

VANILLA RICOTTA FRITTERS This recipe comes from a Chicago chef Gale Gand, who got it from her mother-in-law. Vegetable oil 3 large eggs 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 1 1/4 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder Confectioners’ sugar 1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil. Set a large wire rack over a baking sheet, top with paper towels and position near the saucepan. 2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the ricotta and beat until smooth. Add flour and baking powder and beat until just blended. 3. Using a very small ice cream scoop or 2 teaspoons, slide 8 walnut-size rounds of batter into the hot oil. Fry over moderate heat until deep golden all over and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the rack to drain. Continue frying the remaining fritters in batches of 8. 4. Arrange the fritters on a platter and dust well with confectioners’ sugar. Makes 8 servings.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 3

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4 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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Aronson takes new Birthright role Robert P. Aronson, president and CEO of the Birthright Israel Foundation, will become its chief officer for major gifts. Aronson said he wanted to focus his skill and passion on the critical area of major gifts development. This change follows a recent strategic report, which recommended an enhanced major gifts development effort to achieve the goal of bringing 51,000 participants on Taglit-Birthright Israel trips by 2013. “Bob has made a tremendous impact on our fundraising and in creating a true national campaign in the past three years,” said Daniel S. Och, chairman of Birthright Israel Foundation. “Bob has helped elevate Birthright Israel Foundation’s profile in the philanthropic community and will continue to work with us, focusing on major gifts.” Aronson oversaw a period of dramatic growth at Birthright Israel

in January, 2009, general contributions increased by 80% percent. This year, the general campaign is anticipated to grow by 11%. The foundation’s donor base also has grown dramatically from fewer than 3,000 donors in 2008 to nearly 15,000 this year. During this period, the foundation created innovative partnerships with federations, foundations and individual donors, including the popular “community bus” program. “It is an honor and privilege to work for the greatest program for Jewish young adults in our generation,” Aronson said. “I am eager to focus my time on bringing down the number of Jewish young adults waitlisted for our trips.” Aronson will remain in his current position while a search committee, chaired by foundation board member, Laurie Blitzer, finds a replacement.

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> Õ > ÊÊ >««i }Ã Wyoming

Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming will ignite a public 10-foot menorah erected at the State Capitol Building in Cheyenne, followed by a community-wide celebration on the seventh day of Chanukah, Tuesday, Dec. 27. The ceremony will feature Chanukah songs from the Montessori School of Cheyenne children’s choir, menorah kindling with Holocaust survivor siblings Zolly Gancz and Helen Zigmond, and greetings from community leaders and elected officials. Following the menorah lighting ceremony, many will dance, sing and eat Chanukah treats such as potato latkes and jelly doughnuts. The public menorah lighting was organized by Chabad Rabbi Zalman Mendelsohn, executive director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming. “The menorah serves as a symbol of Wyoming’s dedication to preserve and encourage the right and liberty of all its citizens to worship G-d freely, openly and with pride,” he said. “Specifically in America, a nation that was founded upon

Today’s Life Robert P. Aronson Foundation in a very difficult economic climate. In the three years since taking up his position as president and CEO

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‘Heroes’ award to genetic activist

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and vigorously protects the right of every person to practice his or her religion free from restraint and persecution, the menorah takes on proWyoming State found signifCapitol i c a n c e , embodying both religious and constitutional principles.” Shira Michaels of Cheyenne commented: “I want my kids to grow up with pride in their Jewish heritage and a feeling of equality and selfconfidence as an American. “Chabad’s Chanukah menorahs are arguably one of the most important developments ever to help my child’s education. I wish they had this where I grew up.” Throughout Wyoming, Chabad will present scores of Chanukah events and celebrations, including public menorah lightings, public menorah displays and Chanukah parties. Information: www.Jewish Wyoming.com/Chanukah.

Klezfest downtown Randy Gold and his family — Caroline, Eden and Natanel — receive Randy's $25,000 Heroes grant for Atlanta Jewish Gene Screen. Randy and Caroline Gold founded the organization after Eden was diagnosed with Mucolipidosis Type IV. The check, from the Jewish Federations of North America Jewish Community Heroes program, was presented to Gold in Atlanta on Dec. 7, 2011 by Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta Chair Robert Arogeti (left). Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

A fifth night of Chanukah party will feature Hal Aqua and The Lost Tribe, Saturday, Dec. 24, 8 p.m., at the Mercury Café. The “nouveau klezmer” band will play songs from their new album, “Lost & Found,” steeped in an eclectic blend of reggae, ska, hip-hop, funk, Middle Eastern

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NEW YORK (JTA) — The third annual Jewish Community Heroes Award was given to Randy Gold of Atlanta for his work creating the Atlanta Jewish Gene Screen. Gold was chosen for the award, which was given by the Jewish Federations of North America, by a panel of judges that included Idealist.org founder Ami Dar, television actress Mayim Bialik and Forward edi-

Hailey Banker Bat Mitzvah Dec. 17 at BMH-BJ

Hailey Nichole Banker

Hailey Nicole Banker will become a Bat Mitzvah on December 17, 2011, at BMH-BJ. Hailey is the daughter of Felix and Jenny Banker. Hailey is the granddaughter of Molly Smulian of Los Angeles, California, and the late Hubert Smulian of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and the late Moishe and Allegra Banker of Denver. Hailey is a seventh grader in the Hamilton Middle School IPM program. She attended CTT and is currently enrolled in the Mesorah Learning Center. Family and friends from all over the country are looking forward to celebrating Hailey’s simcha.

tor Jane Eisner. He had received nearly 9,000 online votes among the 240,000 cast to reach the semifinals before going before the panel. Jewish Gene Screen works to educate, doctors, rabbis and community members of testing for Jewish genetic diseases. It has held events for Jewish singles, put brochures on the seats of every synagogue, placed prominent billboards and put posters in Starbucks. According to the nomination for the Community Heroes Award, screening in Atlanta has increased by 400%. Eventually the organization hopes to make screening a standard medical practice for Jewish couples worldwide. Gold, COO at an accounting firm, founded Jewish Gene Screen with his wife, Caroline, in 2010, after their second child, Eden, was diagnosed at 18 months with Mucolipidosis Type IV, a genetic disease that disproportionately affects Ashkenazi Jews. The Golds’ doctors had tested for only eight diseases, unaware of the full complement of diseases to which Ashkenazi Jews are susceptible. One in five Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier for at least one of 11 genetic diseases for which screening was recommended in 2009. Today, some urge that Ashkenazim be screened to see if they are carriers for 19 genetic diseases. “My daughter isn’t going to go to kindergarten, college, walk down the aisle or have kids of her own; we deal with that challenge every day,” Gold told JTA in an interview prior to being informed that he won.

Eden will be 4 in January and is working with physical therapists to learn to stand. She likely will never speak, and by the time she is a teenager she will be blind. It is unlikely that she will live to adulthood. “We don’t want anyone to go through what we did, and that’s why we created Jewish Gene Screen.” Bialik said: “To pick a hero among heroes is a huge responsibility and not an easy one. However, the work that Randy Gold has done is not only one of true menschlicheit and selflessness; and it is not simply a matter of taking a tragedy and turning it upside down. “What Randy has done is lay the groundwork for changing the way Jewish people understand and create future generations with our genetics. “Randy is literally taking one life and turning it into generations and generations of simchas as numerous as the stars of the sky!” The four runners-up were Shana Erenberg of Chicago; Tessa Gerall of Houston; Hart Levine of New York; and Jenine Shwekey of New Jersey. Each will receive $1,000 for their cause. According to Gold, the $25,000 award will go to furthering awareness and pay for screenings for the uninsured and underinsured. He told JTA that by this time next year the program hopes to expand to 10 more cities. “A couple can have healthy children of their own even if they’re both carriers of the same mutation. Why not have this knowledge before it’s too late?” he said. “Eden is saving lives,” said Gold.

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Highlands Ranch

Chai Lands Ranch and South Metro Jewish Community’s 26th annual Chanukah Happening will be Sunday, Dec. 18, noon3 p.m., at the Northridge Recreation Center in Highlands Ranch. The party will feature a potluck lunch with teen and empty

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A giant ice menorah will be lit. “We want to bring the spirit of the Chanukah holiday alive for the kids,” said Rabbi Avraham Mintz, director of Chabad Jewish Center of South Metro Denver. “These are outstanding moments that they won’t soon forget,” he said. Information: www.DenverJewishCenter.com, or (303) 792-7222.

Menorah lightings

Community menorah lighting celebrations will take place in Highlands Ranch and Parker. Both will feature latkes, doughnuts and children’s entertainment. In Highlands Ranch, the festivities will be Tuesday, Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m., at the Eastridge Rec

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nesters tables available. Entertainment for all ages will include music, caricatures, henna, face painting, balloons, games, crafts, edible dreidels, prizes and chair massages. Information: Beth Edelman Horwitz, bethhorwitz@comcast.net or (303) 470-6652.

On Ice

Chanukah on Ice will take place Thursday, Dec. 22, 5:307:30 p.m., at Family Sports Center, 6901 S. Peoria St. Families will be able to skate to contemporary Jewish music and classic Chanukah songs. Judah the Macabbee and friends will entertain the children with on-ice festivities including Chanukah-themed races and games.

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grooves and more. Also on the bill that night will be Rabbi Joe Black with Steve Brodsky and Sheldon Sands’ ensemble, the Boulder Klezmer Consort. The evening will culminate with all the musicians combining forces for a klezmer smackdown.

Center, 9568 S. University Blvd. In Parker, the menorah will be lit, Friday, December 23, 2 p.m., at O’Brien Park, at the northeast corner of Parker Rd. and Mainstreet. Information: www.DenverJewishCenter.com or call 303792-7222

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 5

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Denver JDS holds science fair; ‘C More or C Less’ best of show

Denver’s new top cop

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Mayor MICHAEL HANCOCK introduces the new Denver Police Chief ROBERT WHITE (l) at White’s swearing-in ceremony, Monday, Dec. 12, on the third floor of the City and County Building. White, who served as chief of police in Louisville, Kentucky since 2003, was sworn in by Denver County Judge DON MARCUCCI. White succeeds GERRY WHITMAN, who held the top cop job for 12 years.

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Gerald Mellman

Today’s Life Denver JDS 2011 Science Fair Winners (BACK, L-R): Yaakov Fogel, Talya Goldman, Kyra Lozow Julia Gergely, Ari Asarch, Tommy Gergely, Avi Kaye, Sam Goldman, David Kornfeld, Alex Wise, Molly Auerbach, Adira Brown, Gabi Fabrikant; (FRONT, L-R): Caleb Wedgle, Gilly Halzel, Sam Blum, Ella Grinberg, Hannah Shepard, Melanie Brown, Marissa Senkfor, Liana Brown. Sixth through eighth graders at Denver Jewish Day School participated in the school’s three-day annual science fair, culminating with interview and award rankings by a local panel of judges. Leading up to the science fair, all K-12 students had the opportunity to participate in Little Shop of Physics, a traveling science program. Upper and Lower Division students partnered to explore various interactive science experiments. Little Shop of Physics is an outreach program run by science educators and students at CSU. The 2011 winners are: Best of fair “C More or C Less,” Avi Kaye, chemistry. Sixth-grade physics First place, “Candy Kerplunk!” Molly Berenbaum. Second place, “Turn that Brown Upside Down,” Melanie Brown, Hannah Sidell and Marissa Senkfor. Third place, “Red Wine Stains on Shirts,” Louis Stein. Biology First place, “Nature’s Best Preservative,” Molly Auerbach. Second place, “The Dirt on Soap,” Julia Gergely. Third place, “Spit Shine Sanitizer,” Hannah Shepard. Honorable mention, “Yeast: It’s not Just for Baking,” Abe Rosenthal.

Ariel Zimmerman Bar Mitzvah Dec. 17 at Bais Menachem

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Behavioral and social sciences First place, “The Laughter Epidemic,” David Kornfeld. Second place, “Reflexercize,” Liana Brown. Third place, “Where’s Waldo: Am I getting Hot or Cold?” Gabi Fabrikant. Honorable mention, “How Does Dance Training Affect Nystagmus?” Kyra Lozow. Chemistry First place, “C More or C Less,” Avi Kaye. Second place, “Split This,” Ari Asarch. Third place, “What do you Lac?” Tommy Gergely. Honorable mention, “Filter it Out,” Adira Brown. Honorable mention, “Light my Fire,” Talya Goldman. Physics First place, “Hot = Float? Or Does it?” Yaakov Fogel. Second place, “Thinking Inside the Box,” Sam Goldman. Third place, “Mix it up,” Natasha Kahan. Honorable mention, “Calibrated Caliber,” Alex Wise. Best board display

Sixth grade: “Extinguish This,” Julia Senkfor and Alison Siegel. Seventh grade: “Bark Don’t Bite,” Sara Dufrene. Eighth grade: “To Trust or Not to Trust,” Adina Halzel. Best use of mathematics Sixth grade: “Dome Pennies,” Ari Kutzer and Julia Greenwald. Seventh grade: “Bark Don’t Bite,” Sara Dufrene. Eighth Grade: “Reflexercize,” Liana Brown, and “Thinking Inside the Box,” Sam Goldman. Student-choice awards “Where’s Waldo: Am I getting Hot or Cold?” Gabi Fabrikant. “What do you Lac?” Tommy Gergely. “Thinking Inside the Box,” Sam Goldman. “Statue of Verdigris,” Ella Grinberg. “To Trust or Not to Trust,” Adina Halzel. “C More or C Less,” Avi Kaye. “C10H12N2O: The Laughter Epidemic,” David Kornfeld. “The Electromagnets,” Jordan Kassanoff. “Soda Balloons,” Caleb Wedgle, Sam Blum and Gilly Halzel.

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Ariel “Arik” Zimmerman

Ariel “Arik” Zimmerman will become a Bar Mitzvah. Dec. 17, 2011, at Bais Menachem. Ariel is the son of Mark and Tali Zimmerman of Aurora, and the brother of Daniel. He is the grandson of Nissim and Sara Bar-Hanoch of Karmiel, Israel, Jeannine Zimmerman of Houston, and the late Frank Virgil Zimmerman of Aurora. Ariel will also celebrate his Bar Mtizvah next summer with family and friends at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where he will also perform his mitzvah project.

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“A Third Generation Family Business”

Family owned and operated for over 82 years

6 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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In tough times, Jews are relying on the community By PENNY SCHWARTZ JTA

OSTON — In August, in the heat of the summer, a Bostonarea mother of three began to worry about how she would pay for Chanukah gifts. Across the country in San Francisco, a 33-year-old Russian-born mother of six said that thinking about this Chanukah made her cry. Both women — Lauren of Boston and Lilya of San Francisco (they asked that their last names not be used) — are struggling in a down economy to provide for their families. They are hopeful that with support of Jewish organizations, they will find meaningful ways to celebrate Chanukah. As American Jews prepare to celebrate Chanukah, which this year begins on the evening of Dec. 20, Jewish social service agencies across the country are gearing up to help the growing number of needy American families. In the five boroughs of New York City, the magnitude of Jewish need is huge, according to William Rapfogel, CEO of the New York-based Met Council, a Jewish anti-poverty agency. Even before 2008, when the recession hit, Rapfogel estimated that one-third of the one million Jews living in New York City live at or near poverty. Since ‘08, more middle-class and upper-tier earners have experienced job loss and other financial crises. “There now really is no unaffected group, except maybe the very top income earners,” Robert Moffitt, a professor of economics at Johns Hopkins University, told AP. “Recessions are supposed to be temporary, and when it’s over everything returns to where it was before. But the worry now is that the downturn — which will end eventually — will have long-lasting effects on families who lose jobs, become worse off and can’t recover.” At Chanukah, Rapfogel expects his agency to distribute 15,000 to 20,000 toys. In New York, kosher pantries serving those in need will offer Chanukah food, he said.

nderstanding the growing need for families, Lauren began calling Jewish groups in the summer hoping to get

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Young volunteers at the Jewish Family and Children's Services in San Francisco help the agency feed the hungry at Chanukah and throughout the year. The agency expects to collect 11,000 pounds of non-perishable food this year for its pantry. JFCS, San Francisco a head start to arrange for her three young sons to receive Chanukah gifts. She has tried to manage the giftgiving expectations, but admits it’s stressful. Three years ago, her middle-class family faced an unpredictable crisis that left Lauren to raise her children on her own. Lauren sold her home and is living in a smaller house with the financial support of her family. She is juggling four part-time jobs, from caring for an elderly blind woman to office work for a seasonal service company. Her children participate in the Jewish Big Brothers and Big Sisters program in New England, which provides some gift cards and will host a Chanukah party for its families. Lisa Cohen, a licensed social work-

As we celebrate the season of miracles, let us believe for the miracle of peace in the land of Israel

er and vice president of programs and services for the organization, says the program is inundated at Chanukah time. “We anticipate a lot of tough stories this year,” she told JTA in a phone interview. Noting that the hard times have hit middle-class

agency, said Gayle Zahler, the agency’s associate executive director. She said her agency will see a 15% increase in the number of families seeking help, with a total of 3,000 families in some kind of economic distress.

‘There now really is no unaffected group, except maybe the very top income earners’ families, Cohen said, “We hadn’t experienced that as much before.” Chanukah once was Lilya’s favorite holiday. She had immigrated to America in 1993 at the age of 14 with her parents and siblings. After she married, she would decorate her home and host a large family gathering, setting a table with special Chanukah dishes. But last year, Lilya ended a difficult marriage and now is the sole support of her children. She is struggling to find work. Lilya, trying to make significant changes in her life, say staff members at JFCS in the Bay Area, have helped with everything from resumewriting assistance to emergency funds and supermarket vouchers. “I don’t feel alone,” she said.

FCS in the Bay Area over the last several years has seen an increase in families who had never utilized a social service

At Chanukah, people feel more isolated, Zahler says. Her agency maintains five regional food pantries, including one at the San Francisco office. For the High Holidays it collected a record 11,000 pounds of nonperishable food. The office is gearing up for a similar drive for Chanukah, she said. Rapfogel in New York says the proximity this year between Chanukah and Christmas has an impact on how the holiday is observed. Even in predominately Jewish neighborhoods, Christmas ornaments and decorations are on full display. “It’s a fact of life. There’s pressure on families to buy gifts,” he said. For retailers, that proximity provides some optimism. Naftoli Versch, who directs Internet marketing for Rite Lite, a large manufacturer of seasonal Judaica, told JTA that when the two holidays fall at approximately the same time,

For the truth about

ISRAEL Visit the website

www.israelnationalnews.com Pastor George & Cheryl Morrison

and the Congregation of Faith Bible Chapel

retailers can market the holidays together. Chanukah already is the biggest season for Rite Lite, which this year is offering 50 new products for the holiday. Expected to be among the most popular are home-related items such as Chanukah cupcake kits and environmentally “green” products, including organic vegetable wax candles in a biodegradable box.

he economy plays an important role in how Americans celebrate Chanukah, according to Dianne Ashton, whose book Hanukkah in America will be published next year. At the end of the 1800s, when Christmas became more child-centered and sentimental, the rise of department stores led to gift giving for children for both holidays. By contrast, in the 1930s, during the Depression, the Jewish women’s magazine Women’s League Outlook featured paper cutouts for a headband for kids that had paper candle holders, like a Chanukah menorah. Throughout American history, Chanukah has offered Jewish families the opportunity to shape celebrations that are meaningful to them in their own homes, Ashton said. “It will continue to be shaped by American Jews as they wish to shape it,” she suggested. Last year, Lilya didn’t decorate her house. Her 14-year-old daughter told her that it didn’t feel like a holiday. That saddened Lilya, so this year she intends to bring her children to community Chanukah programs. “I do have hope,” she told JTA. For Lauren, Chanukah is a time to slow down her family’s hectic pace to celebrate the holiday, using homemade menorahs and dreidels her sons made in Hebrew school — the local Chabad congregation provided a scholarship that allows her sons to attend Hebrew school and summer camp. Lauren sees a positive outcome from the upheaval in their lives. “This has brought me closer to Judaism,” she said. “My boys wouldn’t be in Hebrew school.”

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 7

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In Israel, Chanukah’s in the air — sufganiyot, parties By MARCY OSTER JTA

ERUSALEM — They’re making sufganiyot on the streets of Israel; Chanukah must be near. Actually it started feeling like Chanukah here about two days after Sukkot, when the first vendors started frying the delicious and caloric doughnuts in vats of oil in front of bakeries and on the street in towns throughout the country. As malls in America rush the Christmas season by putting up decorations right after Halloween, some vendors in the heart of Jerusalem were making sufganiyot in the middle of Sukkot. I spend the weeks until Chanukah checking out the sufganiyot offerings — jelly, chocolate, custard, you name it. At a rumored 1,000 calories each, I can only allow myself one or two throughout the whole season, so they had better be good. One of the highlights of my family’s Chanukah is our annual venture to a fancy coffee shop for sufganiyot and hot cocoa (for the kids, coffee for me). Last year’s offerings included sufganiyot filling with flavors such as champagne, taffy and pistachio.

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A woman chooses Chanukah doughnuts in a bakery on King George Street, Jerusalem. Nati Shohat /Flash90 extravaganzas with song-and-dance presentations for parents.

The best part of being in Israel during Chanukah is walking down the streets of many cities and seeing Chanukah lights burning, often in special glass containers, outside, next to the front door But Chanukah in Israel is not all about sufganiyot. With the kids out of school for a week, family fun rules. Workplaces mostly stay open, but

stay-at-home moms and parents who manage to get some end-of-the-year time off do not want for kid-friendly activities during Chanukah.

ities throughout Israel offer many cultural extravaganzas during the holiday: musicals and plays for children, often starring some of the best known old and new Israeli television and music personalities. Malls feature children’s programming like arts and crafts stations, or they set up stages with visits from jugglers, singers and often characters from Israeli children’s shows such as “Yuval Mibubal” (“Yuval the Confused”) or “Kofiko” (a monkey with very human traits). One of our favorite happenings in recent years featured candle dipping. Others included demonstrations of making olive oil and pita (and eating). There are also plenty of Chanukah parties to attend in the evenings, public and private. Synagogues, schools and other institutions host parties, and kindergartens put on pre-Chanukah

Families get together to light candles and fry latkes in celebration of the miracle of the oil. Our extended family gets together every year for Chanukah, though coordinating the event becomes more difficult each year as more of the nieces and nephews marry, move away and have children of their own. One of the highlights of our party is the family sing-along, which begins with songs for Chanukah, moves on to well-loved national Israeli songs and finally moves into a different realm — Simon and Garfunkel and show tunes.

here are plenty of public lightings of the chanukiyah — in the Knesset, on army bases, at the Western Wall. The president and the prime minister travel to significant spots throughout the country, and sometimes the world, to kindle the Chanukah lights. Also as in the US, and throughout the world, Chabad is a palpable presence in Israel during Chanukah, with their menorahs sprouting in town squares, public parks and on the backs of cars. In our own community, the local Chabad lights a tall menorahs in the middle of our open-air mall, inviting children to come each night to sing the blessings and enjoy sufganiyot. Perhaps the best part about being in Israel during Chanukah is walking down the streets of many cities and seeing Chanukah lights burning, often in special glass containers, outside next to the front door. With the mezuzzah on one side and the Chanukah lights on the other, the home is surrounded by mitzvot, according to tradition. It truly makes Chanukah feel like a national celebration.

8 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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Sladek’s film ‘Con Artist’ tackles fame, and more By CHRIS LEPPEK IJN Assistant Editor

ou can’t accuse Denver-born and bred filmmaker Michael Sladek of dodging the big questions. What is fame? What is art? What is wealth? What is love? Titanic questions, to be sure, but not too daunting for Sladek, who asked them, explored them and sometimes even answered them in “Con Artist,” the bio-documentary he conceived and directed and which, after spending a well-received year on the cinema festival circuit and a brief theatrical run, was just released as a commercial DVD. Reviewed as “excellent” by the Hollywood Reporter, “prickly” by the Village Voice and “entertaining” by The New York Times, the documentary focuses on a fellow named Mark Kostabi, who was briefly but spectacularly famous in the 1980s and today, after being unofficially declared a pariah by the art community he once conquered, is desperately striving to make his way back to the top. “Con Artist” is the second featurelength film to be made by Sladek’s New York-based firm, Plug Ugly Films, which he co-founded 11 years ago. The son of longtime Denverites and Jewish community stalwarts Ossie and Selma Sladek, he became fascinated by Kostabi after meeting him a few years ago and working briefly as a cameraman on a self-produced game show that Kostabi was filming in his New York studio. Not a veteran of New York’s hyperhip, punk and hip-hop driven art scene in the 1980s, Sladek had never before heard of Kostabi, or his notorious moment of art celebrity in the midst of that scene. Kostabi became famous (appearing on “60 Minutes,” “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show”) and fabulously wealthy by playing the role of what he himself called a “con artist” – essentially, hiring artists to paint thousands of paintings, signing his own name to them and then selling them in galleries, all the while declaring that he hadn’t actually painted a single one of them. “Modern art is a con,” Kostabi was

ented and money-attracting milieu of the big Hollywood studios. The producers and directors of indie films have to work overtime just to get their movies seen, let alone reviewed. “Con Artist” has made excellent progress since the film premiered in 2009 at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival. It spent a year on the festival circuit (including an appearance at the Starz Denver Film Festival) and then opened in theaters. Along the way, the television rights were sold to Ovation, a cable network specializing in art-related films. It was recently released as a DVD for commercial and “non-theatrical” – mainly educational – consumers. “The critical reception has been fantastic. That’s what’s kept it going. The New York Times said it was great. Audiences seem to love it. “Financially, it’s harder. We’re at the point where we’re finally able to start selling something. Our DVD is out and we’ll start selling as video on demand as well.”

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Michael Sladek fond of telling his fans and critics alike, “and I am the world’s greatest con artist.” It was an anti-art artistic statement, bizarre and gonzo in its core, and New York’s art-hungry population ate it up, buying Kostabi’s quasi-pirated paintings like hot cakes. It didn’t last long, however. The high-brow arts community didn’t much like being mocked and those who were initially impressed by the novelty of Kostabi’s artistic shtick quickly grew tired of the gag. Almost as soon as his star had risen, Kostabi found himself bankrupt and ignored, the ultimate fad gone stale.

y the time Sladek met him, the con artist was doing everything he could to regain that elusive spotlight. “The more I got to know him and his background and the bizarre cast of characters who come in and out of his place,” Sladek told the INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS this week, “I started to think there might be the possibility to make an interesting comedy about the art world and about commodity and fame addiction, all centered around this

very bizarre, fascinating and interesting character. “At the time, in the 80s, when he started doing this, it was a very ironic, sort of in-your-face critique of the art world. Now, the critique

‘He was the flavor of the month, but crashed and burned because of his own behavior — and people tired of the irony’ is a little old and it’s just an interesting relic of a specific time.” “Con Artist” ties Kostabi’s rapid rise and fall into the notoriously selfish and greedy culture of the 80s, symbolized today by the S&L and penny stock scandals and Michael Douglas’ timeless role in the movie “Wall Street.” “Kostabi was very much in the middle of that world,” Sladek says. “The Wall Street guys that were making money hand over fist in the 80s were the people who were fueling the purchase of these paintings. It was all fueled by this Gordon Gekko-style greed.” Sladek’s movie pays even more attention, however, to where Kostabi is today. “He was the flavor of the month,” Sladek says, “but then crashed and burned because of his own behavior and the fact that people got tired of the irony. Then he kind

of rebuilt his business and is still doing the same thing, but he still has this extreme craving, like so many in our society, to be famous, to be as rich as possible and to be recognized by his peers.” It fascinates Sladek how Kostabi – who started out as a very talented artist himself – eventually became consumed by wealth and fame. “Here’s this kid, essentially, who starts out with an amazing talent to paint and draw and a determination to join this amazingly productive art world out there, so he comes to New York and comes up with this kind of joke that made him rich. “In becoming rich, he no longer paints, he no longer picks up a pencil. He refers to himself, and we refer to him, as a business artist, which obviously riffs on Andy Warhol’s ideas that it’s more about the personality and the making of money than the art. That is a critique of our society overall; that it’s more about the industry than the actual center of our own personal humanity.” The story of Kostabi’s rise and fall says a great deal about our perceptions of authenticity and aesthetics, but even more, Sladek says, about fame. “Kostabi equates fame with love, very openly,” he says. “I think a lot of people in our society, especially nowadays with reality TV, truly equate this notion of being on TV with cameras around you, as being love. It’s this kind of hollow concept that our society has for some reason really embraced.” In that sense, Sladek says, “Con Artist” is very much a true-to-life “cautionary tale.”

orn in Denver, Sladek attended Thomas Jefferson High School before his entire family packed up and moved to Newport Beach, Calif. He studied theater, specifically acting and directing, at several colleges in the Los Angeles area but preferred getting into the film industry to waiting for a diploma. In his thumbnail bio, he calls himself “a proud dropout of numerous mediocre colleges.” After a number of creatively-oriented jobs, including a stint at MTV, Sladek ended up in Brooklyn where he and a partner founded Plug Ugly Films in 2000. Plug Ugly is working to earn a reputation in the increasingly popular world of “indie,” or independent, cinema. He acknowledges that it’s a far cry from the glamour-ori-

ladek and Plug Ugly Films, meanwhile, are planning to stay busy. By next spring, he hopes to have finished a feature-length documentary on the backstage reality and colorful history of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, which commissioned the made-for-television film in honor of its 150th anniversary. He has also optioned a novel, The Phantom Limbs of the Rallow Sisters, by Omaha author Timothy Schaffert. Sladek calls it “kind of an American Gothic . . . a really great character study, almost like ‘The Last Picture Show.’” Closer to home, Sladek hopes to soon start work on a project based on a historical story from Colorado’s Indian wars. It will involve collaboration with his brother, Ron Sladek, a historian and film producer living in Fort Collins, and will likely involve shooting in Colorado itself. Still another Sladek brother has found success in movies. Daniel Sladek was co-producer of the 2009 drama “Prayers For Bobby,” which premiered on the Lifetime cable channel and starred Sigourney Weaver. The film was nominated for an Emmy. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that both Daniel and I are in movies,” Sladek says. “I think it’s a coincidence that our other siblings aren’t making movies. “We all come from very creative backgrounds. My father is a musician, my mother is a musician, our grandparents are musicians and performers. Daniel and I grew up doing theater in Denver and California.” Sladek says he was very proud of his older brother’s accomplishment when “Prayers for Bobby” was nominated for an Emmy. “Obviously it was very close to his heart. It was a work of real faith and love.” As to his own faith, Sladek – who spent much of his youth at Temple Sinai where his father, a Holocaust survivor, served for many years as executive director – says he doesn’t usually incorporate Judaism per se into his work, but he suspects that his Jewishness does have an influence upon him. “There’s nothing in ‘Con Artist’ that is Jewish necessarily, but you’d have to say that I approach everything, since it’s my point of view and my eye, from an innate Jewish point of view.” “Con Artist” is available at Amazon.com and Netflix. Information: http://www.pluguglyfilms.com/.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 9

#(!.5+!( F ilm

Maccabee wannabee to Mel Gibson: Very hip By EDMON J. RODMAN JTA

OS ANGELES — Who would have projected that Chanukah could be billed as the festival of lights, camera, action? Mel Gibson, for one, who in the fall announced that he was working with Warner Bros. on producing a movie about Judah Maccabee. Not seeing this as a boffo idea was Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, who was quoted on CNN as saying that “Judah Maccabee is one of the greatest heroes in Jewish history. Mel Gibson is an anti-Semite. He has made anti-Semitic remarks in the past. “I don’t know what Warner Bros. was thinking.” A few months later, the Hollywood Reporter made it known that others in Hollywood had taken note of Hier’s criticism when it announced that producer Bruce Nash was planning on making a competing Maccabee movie or TV miniseries, and had even hired a screenwriter. With two Judah movies in production, I began to wonder: Was there room for a third? A low, lowbudget cable version that would exploit the publicity of the other two? I knew just the guy to do it — me. After all, I had worked for two weeks as a special effects assistant on “China Syndrome” eons ago, and live in sight of the Hollywood sign.

“Very hip,” Siskin responded.

‘Judah Mac, the Movie,’ coming to cable soon . . . maybe. that he had commissioned a dramatic cinematic illustration: a Greek Seleucid battle elephant being attacked by Maccabee insurgents.

The Eleazar and elephant scene would be the end of the second act — ouch, everyone wants a happy ending Inspired by the Hasmoneans, I would strike quickly and stealthily against the pop cultural foes, freeing the box office. But without a bankable star — in fact without anything even remotely related to a bank — I needed a miracle: an alternative way of drawing some attention to my prospective production. What about springboarding my production off a best-selling game? After all, several major films, such as “Street Fighter” and the Laura Croft series, were adapted from games and had grossed $100 million or more. That was the ticket. I speed-dialed a board game manufacturer I knew in Long Beach, Calif. — Flaster Siskin, owner of FlasterVenure — to see if he wanted in. I had checked out his Maccabees board game online and saw

I instantly imagined the movie poster.

ith the Maccabees very much in the news, and with an inventory of Maccabees games, I thought Siskin would be ready to deal. Not so fast. Before entering the gaming business, Siskin had tried his hand at screenwriting. He warned, “Working in Hollywood is difficult. A lot of scripts get optioned but never get made.” “The guy who’s spearing the elephant, is that Judah?” I asked, trying to draw him in. “No, that’s his brother, Eleazar,” Siskin answered. “Would we need to change script, then, keeping Judah as the film’s only action hero character?” I asked, thinking about the costs of two stars

FlasterVenture LLC

plus an elephant. “It doesn’t need a major rewrite. You want to keep Eleazar in the picture,” he answered. Siskin began to warm to his plot outline. “The first act would show how a change in Seleucid leadership brought about oppression of the Jews,” he said. The Eleazar and elephant scene would be the end of the second act. “It was the turning point of the war,” Siskin noted, adding that “Unfortunately, Eleazar, who is under the elephant, dies too.” Ouch. For a holiday film, everyone wants a happy ending. “But then, Judah and his warriors take back the country,” Siskin said, rallying for the film’s third act. “And the climax?” I asked. “The two miracles,” he answered. “The military victory and the oil burning for eight days.” Now we moved to casting. “Who plays Judah?” I asked. “I would rather see a comedic tough guy like Adam Sandler than Mel Gibson,” he answered. “We could even have Sandler sing ‘Eight Crazy Nights,’” I suggested, feeling the showbiz buzz. “And could we update the title. What about something more box office, like ‘Judah Mac?’”

ow that my concept was a go, I needed to audience test it with the Jewish establishment. Since Holocaust museum folks like Hier seemed to be the go-to guys for Jewish reaction these days, I turned to Mark Rothman, director of the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, who also was a film school graduate. For starters, Rothman wanted me to know of his “deep suspicion of Gibson’s telling the Judah story with any Jewish sensitivity,” he said. Then, thinking of how to draw the largest draw for my production, Rothman told me to be mindful of the film’s potential Christian audience. “This clearly has to be a crossover,” he said.

To cut costs, Rothman thought I should restrict the battle scenes to guerrilla-type actions. “Something like sabotaging chariots,” he suggested. Suddenly worried that this was sounding too much like a war movie, I asked Rothman if I needed a love interest. Ever the film school grad, he quickly outlined how I could write in a female warrior who gains acceptance by fighting off several enemy attackers. Then I hit him with my projected title. “Judah Mac” excited him with tiein possibilities. “Maybe Apple will come out with a new laptop, or McDonald’s a new burger,” he said, laughing at his cleverness. However, when I told him about the planned dramatic moment when Eleazer impales the elephant, Rothman blanched. “You’re only going to get in trouble from PETA and the ASPCA,” he warned. There went my second act. “Making ‘Judah Mac’ is going to be much harder than I thought,” I said, frustrated by the new complcation. “Welcome to Hollywood,” said Rothman.

&OODS

10 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

#(!.5+!( Travel Tiny Gibraltar has super-active Jewish community By ALEX WEISLER JTA

&OODS

IBRALTAR — Four synagogues, a mikveh, a kosher coffeehouse and separate boys and girls religious high schools. Combined, they suggest a community far larger than just 750 Jews. But Gibraltar — the tiny British overseas territory of 30,000 that sits at the foot of Spain and at the gateway to North Africa and the Mediterranean — has spent centuries cultivating individuality. “We’ve got an infrastructure that could cope with a community of 2,000, and we’ve only got 700,” said Mark Benady, a native Gibraltarian and vice president of the Jewish community. Gibraltar’s largely Orthodox and Sephardi Jewish community has grown substantially in the past decade, increasing its rolls by 25% in just the last three years. The Jewish primary school now has a record 140 pupils and recently added a floor of modern classroom space with the help of government funding. Along the way, the community has become more religiously observant. About 500 Israelis also live in Gibraltar, but they are largely unaffiliated with the official organs of the territory’s Jewish community. Fueling the growth in part are soft loans of 10,000 pounds ($15,500) repayable over 15 years that were issued by the community to attract newcomers, who arrive mainly from England and Spain. Many, like Jo Jacobs Abergel, who moved here from Leicester, England, are married to native Gibraltarians. Now a mother of three, Abergel says she’s somewhat of an anom-

Members of Gibraltar's largely Sephardi, largely Orthodox community pick up children from the community's primary school, which is seeing record enrollment. The official language is English, but the Spanish influence remains strong. Alex Weisler aly among Gibraltar’s Jewish women. “I’m kind of a heathen because I wear trousers and I don’t cover my hair,” she said.

ews have lived in Gibraltar since at least 1356. For more than 200 years, beginning with the expulsion

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of Jews from the Iberian peninsula in 1492, there was no Jewish life here. That changed in 1713 when Britain took control of the territory affectionately dubbed “Gib” or “the rock.” In the centuries since, Jews have occupied major political positions. In 2008-09, the largely ceremonial post of mayor was occupied by Solomon Levy. Still, some say the walls between Jew and non-Jew in Gibraltar have grown taller. “There are Jews here that have absolutely no contact with nonJews,” Abergel said. “They won’t send them to anything — swimming lessons, ballet, judo, etc. — if it’s not organized by the Jewish community.” That wasn’t always the case. As a student, Benady attended a nonJewish comprehensive school and had many non-Jewish friends — that’s less common for young Jewish Gibraltarians today. But Benady says he appreciates the warmth and closeness brought by a sense of shared purpose. “When it comes to chagim [holi-

days], it’s really lovely,” said Benady, who left to work in Manchester, England, for about a decade but returned because he preferred Gibraltar. “It’s very much a single community where we feel like one family, where we all join together for semachot [joyous occasions] and we all join together, unfortunately, for sad occasions as well.”

ibraltar’s Jews, like the territory itself, straddle two worlds. The territory’s border with Spain was closed in 1967 by dictator Francisco Franco following a referendum indicating that Gibraltarians overwhelmingly wished to remain British. The border, which is marked by Gibraltar’s airport runway, didn’t reopen fully until 1985, on the eve of Spain’s accession to the European Economic Community. Today the territory — its skyline dominated by the famous Upper Rock and its resident Barbary macaque monkeys — is a destination for bargain hunters, who take advantage of its tax-haven status to purchase inexpensive cigarettes and perfumes, among other goods. As a British territory, English is the official language, the queen is head of state and the Gibraltar pound — pegged to its British equivalent — is the official currency. But the Spanish influence remains strong. Many Spaniards cross the runway each day to work, and native Gibraltarians speak their own language, Llanito, a blend of English and Spanish with a sprinkling of Hebrew. Idan Greenberg, an Israeli who

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moved to Gibraltar with his wife three years ago, runs the Verdi Verdi kosher coffeehouse on Casemates Square, an open-air plaza dotted with boutiques, cafes and pubs at the entrance to Main Street. Two of the thoroughfare’s biggest outlets — the S.M. Seruya perfume store and Cohen and Massias jewelers — are Jewish-owned. With its chic brown-and-gold suede seating and vibrant orange chairs, Verdi Verdi wouldn’t be out of place on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. On a recent Friday afternoon, an American Jewish woman studying abroad in Spain popped in to grab a soup and was shocked to discover a Jew running a kosher establishment. “Kvetching about the price of soup?” Greenberg asked her. “How do you know that word?” she responded in surprise. Greenberg says he wants his restaurant to appeal broadly to Gibraltarians, but like Abergel he laments the insularity he associates with the community’s increasing piety. And according to Benady, the isolation is a concern even beyond the confines of the community. “There is a bit of a concern amongst the non-Jewish population that we are isolating ourselves a little,” Benady said. “But it’s very difficult to decide where to draw the line.” That sort of closeness yields little room for unobservant Jews. There are no non-Orthodox synagogues in Gibraltar, and the community observes the religious dicta published by the Orthodox religious court in London. “The social life very much revolves around Shabbat,” Abergel said. “It’s very different from my life in England, completely. In the UK, you could be Jewish culturally. There were dances, there were fundraising events, there was loads of stuff you could get involved in whatever level you were at.” But for Benady, there’s a careful line that must be drawn between assimilation and isolation. “I think,” he said, “we’ve managed to draw the line in a comfortable place.”

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 11

#(!.5+!( Health

On the horizon: odorless Omega 3

is now 60% owned by the Chinese company ChemChina. LycoRed has production facilities in Israel, Europe and the US, and it supplies the food, beverage and cosmetics industries worldwide. The company also produces a food supplement extracted from tomatoes, LycoMato, which is believed to prevent the effects of sun damage from within the body by fighting free radicals before they do damage.

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Nothing fishy (or smelly) lurking here — just unusually healthy candy. By KARIN KLOOSTERMAN Israel 21c

ary Poppins always said a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Now a dose of “fish oil” can actually be made tasty. Omega 3 supplements provide one of the “good” fatty acids nutritionists say can help prevent heart disease and arthritis, while playing an essential role in healthy brain development and growth. But there are a few problems with most Omega 3 capsules. First of all, they stink — like fish. Because the supplement is derived from cold-water fish, it’s not uncommon to taste fishy burps throughout the day after ingesting the oil capsule, roughly the size of an earplug. The capsules are hard for children to swallow and completely unsuitable for vegans. While there are alternative Omega 3 oils on health-food store shelves, a new tasteless and odorless vegetarian variety from Israeli food supplement company LycoRed is designed to be used in baked goods and candies because it is able to survive heating. The company has completed successful trials of its supplement in chocolates, crackers and bread.

Good oil from algae

ycoRed, whose main business is natural nutritional supplements and colorants, launched the new algae-derived Lyc-OMega 10 AL late last year and it is now available worldwide. Dr. Dorit Rozner, R&D manager at LycoRed, explains: “The advantages of Omega 3 to our health are well known, but most of us are challenged to get enough

The new Omega 3 is derived from algae in our diets, especially for children, for whom taking capsules is difficult.” Many organs in our bodies need the cholesterol-busting fat derived from Omega 3, also known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), to maintain functioning. Since the body is not able to manufacture it, this oil must be

obtained from food. Found in walnuts and in lesser amounts in fruit and seeds like flax, Omega 3 is most plentiful in fish and algae. Unfortunately, it’s the oily, pungent ones like herring, mackerel,

nology,” says Rozner. “The resulting product, Lyc-OMega 10 AL, allows the confectionery and bakery industry to create greattasting products — and deliver on DHA.” For example, LycoRed has pro-

Lyc-O-Mega can be baked right into bread. sturgeon and anchovies that contain the most good oils. “As adding Omega 3 directly to foods normally within our diets results in ‘fishy’ tasting products, we saw an opportunity to utilize our unique microencapsulation tech-

duced a five-gram chocolate bar containing one-third of the recommended daily dose of Omega 3. LycoRed’s parent company is Israel-based Makhteshim Agan, the world’s largest maker of generic agricultural chemicals, which in turn

11 PharmacTy 1 6 21 atridge the BESe 4 3 30 At Whe expect servic

12 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

MARRIAGE MEETS GENESIS Boulder rabbi boldly and honestly grapples with love and marriage By ANDREA JACOBS IJN Senior Writer

t’s not uncommon for Jewish authors to scour Genesis for guidelines on how to establish healthy — and avoid dysfunctional — relationships. While there are plentiful examples of loving emotions in the first book of the Torah, we generally focus on the perplexing ones. Cain spills his brother’s blood. Abraham takes Isaac to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him. Rachel disguises her favorite child Jacob so that Isaac will bless the other son. Our challenge as Jews is gleaning the right lessons embedded in both text and experience. Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder of Boulder’s Kehillath Aish Kodesh examines both in his literate and very personal book, Relationship 1:1: The Genesis of Togetherness. “We would be hard pressed to find a single relationship in Genesis that is simple, clear and loving from beginning to end,” he writes. “That’s good news, because our relationships are not simple and loving from beginning to end.” He devotes a chapter to each corresponding portion in Genesis. However, instead of merely recounting events and drawing obtuse conclusions, he pairs them with highly innovative concepts. Bereshit is about transition; Noach, the Other; Lech L’cha, pushing; Vayera, longing; Chaye Sarah, humility; Toldot, maintenance; Vayetze, change; Vayishlach, update; Vayeshev, time; Miketz; shame; Chanukah, the pits; Vayigash, integrity; Vayechi, motion. Taken together, the chapters encapsulate every stage of the mar-

RELATIONSHIP 1:1 By Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder Alternadox Press

ital relationship — including the beginning, when single human beings transition from self-absorbed isolation to love and its attendant responsibilities. The chronology of the Torah narrative is intentional, and instructive. “Adam’s story is common to all men and women,” Goldfeder writes. “Each of us grows up as the most important occupant of our world. We spend two decades or more living in that story, building a sense of who we are, what we want to do, and what pleases us. “G-d gives us time to cultivate our unique identity, power, importance

Goldfeder juxtaposes textual reflection with examples from his own marriage and divinity — everything Adam had before he met Chava. “And then we are meant to get married, where the coin of the realm is humility, caring, compromise and cooperation. “Somewhere between alonedivine-complete and togetherhuman- incomplete, our married life plays out.”

oldfeder juxtaposes textual reflection with examples from his marriage in real time, baring his heart to reveal the bumpy yet ultimately rewarding path toward relationship. Before he married Ketriellah, Goldfeder writes that his days were “filled with Torah study and prayer — bliss! Life was stimulating and fulfilling. I had a sense of purpose

and clear measures of success.” Marriage, while intoxicating, initially challenged his self-contained existence. “I felt inadequate,” he admits, “fumbling through many an interaction. Frankly, I was inexperienced at considering the needs of another person. “I could learn a page of Talmud but did not want to apply myself to Ketriellah’s vocabulary, body language, moods and rhythms. “Given the discrepancy between being a pretty good yeshiva student and a fairly lousy husband, I chose to spend as much time as possible in the yeshiva, where I wasn’t a dunce.” (On a score of pure candor, this admission scores a perfect 10.) In the chapter on Noach (the Other), Goldfeder relates another anecdote that will no doubt fall on familiar ears. He began dating Ketriellah in the fall. When Chanukah rolled around and they exchanged gifts, Goldfeder gave her what he considered a priceless artifact — his Star Wars C-3PO Pez dispenser. “I was shocked that she didn’t appreciate it,” he laments. “Granted, the beautiful hand-made bowl and gloves she gave me were amazing presents, but how could she not see the value of my C-3PO dispenser? “Thank G-d she helped me understand that, though such a prize might well be invaluable in my world, it was a mere trinket in hers. “Giving is hard. To do it properly, we have to look closely at the receiver’s world, letting go of our own fixation on what we value.” Just as Noach focused on understanding and accommodating the animals’ needs, Goldfeder says human beings should spend time practicing partner-absorption on a

daily basis — and act accordingly. Ketriellah Goldfeder’s presence is palpable in Relationship 1:1. As the rabbi says in the introduction, “Most of all I am grateful to my wife, Ketriellah, with whom I have experienced most of what this book discusses. “I appreciate her willingness to allow me to write about our relationship so openly. Her wisdom is woven throughout these pages, explicitly mentioned only occasionally but always there.” For some of us, finding a loving

relationship seems as unlikely as inhabiting Mars. We look at couples that have enjoyed 40 or 50 years of marriage like aliens. But perhaps we are the ones who are strangers in a strange land, unable to hurdle self-imposed boundaries that prevent us from walking through life loved and loving. Goldfeder’s analysis of Genesis and its application to marriage are invaluable. Relationship 1:1 makes Genesis accessible to 21st-century readers of all religions and anyone in search of a lasting union.

TALES OF JEWS IN SCATTERED LANDS Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & beyond By CHRIS LEPPEK IJN Assistant Editor

e can think of no one better prepared to write a book called The Scattered Tribe than veteran travel writer Ben G. Frank, whose Jewishly-focused globetrotting has been entertaining readers for decades. Frank is a classic traveler in the best meaning of the term. He’s an intelligent observer and curious investigator whose endless fascination with the people, things and places he encounters is nothing less than contagious. The author has long specialized in — but never limited himself to — Jewish travel writing. He has an uncanny eye for finding traces and fragments — and often still surviving remnants — of Jewish life in the most unlikely places.

THE SCATTERED TRIBE By Ben G. Frank Globe Pequot Press

His dogged pursuit of all things Jewish (or at least somehow Jewish-related) reminds one of an adage sometimes applied in Jewish journalism: There’s always a Jewish angle to a story. You just have to find it.

Frank discovers Jewish fascinations everywhere from Siberia to Tahiti Finding things is one of Frank’s chief talents. In this breezy and intelligent book, he uncovers Jewish fascinations in such seemingly obscure places as Morocco, Siberia, Algeria, Vietnam, Myanmar, even the tropical paradise of Tahiti. He clearly does his homework on the social, historical and geographic background of the commu-

nities he visits, but Frank is never scholastically dry, his writing never remote or stilted. Instead, he approaches his subjects with a refreshing subjectivity, often interjecting his own reflections, muses or daydreams, into his writing. At one point, he ponders whether the poverty in such countries as Cuba and Myanmar (historical Burma) is responsible for the uncommon friendliness of the people who live there. Ultimately, he concludes that no, it’s not poverty that causes such friendliness and expresses his conviction that the Cubans and Burmese will still be warm and outgoing, even when their nations finally prosper. Such casual and kindhearted expression, coupled with Frank’s lively prose and skillful eye for catching the unusual and hidden streams of Jewish culture, makes The Scattered Tribe an excellent read for anyone interested in Jewish travel, or in travel period.

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 13

#(!.5+!( F oods

Noah Wildman wants to make knishes popular again &OODS

By JEFFREY YOSKOWITZ Tablet

EW YORK — When I was 13 and my father deemed me ready for the kind of education only to be found within the bloated knishes of Brighton Beach, we drove from New Jersey to Brooklyn for the day so he could introduce me to his beloved Mrs. Stahl’s, the crème de la crème of the knish world, nearly a decade before it closed its doors for good in the fall of 2005. The knishes there came hot, right off the warming block, and we took them to eat on the go. I savored my potato spinach knish, blowing on it before each bite rather than waiting for it to cool down, too eager to eat the dense, moist yet flaky-crusted dumpling as we wandered under the train tracks to the Coney Island freak shows nearby. Though Mrs. Stahl’s demise didn’t mean the end of the knish in New York City, it did mean, for many of the food’s devotees, the end of a knish worth traveling for. But the arrival of a new knish maker in town might be cause to reconsider the lament that the golden days of the knish are over. This fall a quixotic 40-year-old Lower East Sider named Noah Wildman launched Knishery NYC, with the hopes of restoring the food’s glory. “The knish chose me,” Wildman told me. He has begun delivering knishes to customers in New York City by bicycle, and his pushcart startup will soon be vending at street fairs around the city this coming spring. (An early snowfall in late October scuttled Wildman’s plans to debut seven types of his knishes at the annual Hester Street Fair.) The revisiting of so simple a food as the knish — a doughy shell usu-

Great knishes can be elusive — but people go crazy for them ally stuffed with potato, kasha, or cheese — has been a long time coming. Great knishes can be elusive, while adequate and sometimes disappointing ones, like those available at Yonah Schimmel in Manhattan and Knish Nosh in Queens, generally prevail. Wildman has no plans to remake the knish, a staple of the working class, into haute cuisine. “Part of Jewish character is to see through the silliness,” he said. “To go for substance.”

ew Jewish foods are as packed with substance as the knish. The baked dumpling came to the US at the end of the 19th century by way of Eastern Europe, with competing accounts tracing the pastry’s origin to either the Polish town of Knyszyn or to a village in Slovakia. The knish fillings offered a terrific way to add variety to a monotonous diet heavy on potatoes,

tencies. “The dough is a vehicle for filling, but you need the vehicle first,” he said. He uses two kinds of dough — one for savory knishes and one for sweet ones, “a kind of Bubbe’s pâte sucrée.” Keeping the right proportion of dough to filling is one of the most critical elements of a perfect knish, Wild-

‘Part of Jewish character is to see through the silliness, and go for substance’ man said. His fillings range from high-quality versions of the standards to savory pumpkin, apple-cheese, and chocolate hazelnut. In addition, he plans future fillings of curry sweet potato, the crispy chicken fat known as gribenes, and mushroom-quinoa. The Knishery NYC is in its infancy, but Wildman is already producing knishes to reckon with, with a sensible dough-to-filling ratio, and in A collection of knishes from Noah Wildman, raised in a Reform household eating frozen knishes — but sizes more baseball than softnever imagining he would one day be baking them. Knishery NYC ball. Served with a Lime Rickcabbage, and buckwheat. nd then there’s Wildman. asm, Wildman tried out four dif- ey and deli mustard, Wildman’s There were also knish varieties Raised in a Reform ferent recipes to find a dough that knishes could be a spiritual expetied to the Jewish holidays, accordhousehold on Staten balanced crisp and elastic textures rience, or at least one that brings ing to Joan Nathan, such as kasha Island, Wildman, who with chewy and crumbly consis- back the memory of Mrs. Stahl. for Chanukah and chicken liver now lives just blocks for Rosh Hashanah. away from Rivington Street on the At the turn of the 20th century, Lower East Side, grew up eating Jewish immigrants in the US would frozen knishes but never imagined bring knishes — a portable and that he would one day be baking filling pocket food — to lunch with them. them at their factory jobs. He had studied sociology at As the food writer Arthur SUNY Albany, but ended up workSchwartz notes in Jewish Home ing in the recording industry as Cooking, knishes, which were cheap, the manager of a record label, after were also popular fare, often paired which his efforts publishing the with hotdogs, at the beaches around zine “The People’s Ska Annual” led New York City. him to a job as a graphic designBack then, Manhattan’s famous er for MTV. Second Avenue, home to the Yiddish When he was laid off in 2008, Wildtheater, was known as Knish Alley. man enrolled in culinary school. In 1910, Yonah Schimmel opened a After a few years making pizza at knish store on Houston Street on the much-loved Franny’s and AmoManhattan’s Lower East Side. rina in Brooklyn, and then workSix years later, The New York ing at Ignazio’s also in Brooklyn, Times reported on a “knish war,” he left last summer to pursue a when rival bakeries on Rivington project of his own. Street slashed prices and introduced A series of serendipitous encouncabaret sideshows to attract cus- ters led him to the knish. Wildman tomers. visited Williamsburg’s weekly food Now a new generation of Jewish festival, Smorgasburg, and was chefs and bakers around the coun- inspired by the new approaches to try are making their claim on such classic ethnic fare that he found classic dishes. there. Kenny and Zuke’s, in Portland, Danny Macaroon, for example, Ore., offers a potato-and-onion vari- had breathed new life into the ety with layers of flaky dough, topped coconut pastry associated with with caramelized onions. Passover, and various kimchi makWise Sons Jewish Delicatessen, ers had successfully re-branded in San Francisco, has its own occa- the Korean fermented vegetable sional potato-onion knish itera- staple for the average New Yorktion, with the onions cooked down er. in schmaltz; the deli also offers potaAt the same time, Wildman stumto with mushroom and kale, and bled into a well-timed lecture series potato with cubes of house-cured on the knish taught by one of food’s corned beef. greatest contemporary champions, “People go crazy for them,” Leo Laura Silver, a writer in New York Beckerman, one of Wise Sons’ pro- City. prietors, said. Reawakened by Silver’s enthusi-

14 • Section E • Chanukah Edition — INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS • December 16, 2011

Sports Tim takes another fourth-quarter (Te)-bow Photos and Cutlines By GERALD MELLMAN IJN Sports Editor

Often times, whether TIM TEBOW will pass or run or both is not predestined. The fourth quarter is his mainstay. By the time he threw to DEMARYIUS THOMAS in the end zone, there was only slightly over two minutes left. But once the Broncos retook the offense, and with only three seconds left, MATT PRATER tied the score at 10-10 with a 59-yard field goal. In the overtime Prater had the crowd jumping out of their seats with a game winning 51-yard field goal. Final score: 13-10, Broncos over Bears. The unlikely, the impossible, the unbelievable, happened again.

Jewish Events Calendar

also listed on www.ijn.com

DENVER & BOULDER

Events MON.-TUES., DECEMBER 19-20 KADIMA EXTRAVAGANZA — Fun on the 16th Street Mall, including a scavenger hunt and dinner. Sleepover follows at the Goldberger Youth Center. For all Jewish middle schoolers. kmorris@headenver.org.

Jewish Learning DAILY DAILY DAF YOMI, EDOS — One folio page of Talmud daily. 5:30 a.m. Ted Gelt. SATURDA Y, DECEMBER 17 SATURDAY CHASIDIC PHILOSOPHY, BAIS MENACHEM — 8:15 a.m.; Rambam after Mincha. CONTINUING JEWISH STUDIES, EMANUEL — The rabbis and cantor. 9-10 a.m. (303) 388-4013. WOMEN’S PARSHA CLASS, DENVER KOLLEL — Yehudis Heyman. 9:45 a.m., Aish Denver. (303) 820-2855. SUNDAY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 TALMUD WITH JUDGE DAVID RICHMAN, HEA — 9-10 a.m. (303) 758-9400. DAF YOMI, BAIS MENACHEM — Sundays -Thursdays, 8 p.m. I VRIT FOR A DULTS , T EMPLE M ICAH — Beginning, intermediate,advanced Hebrew. 10:30 a.m., Denver Campus. PARSHA CLASS — on Ishbitz Rebbe. 10 a.m. Shalom Al Israel. (303) 237-8511. LOX AND BAGELS WITH A PROPHET, BAIS MENACHEM — 9 a.m. TALMUD SUKKAH IN DEPTH (MEN), DENVER KOLLEL — Rabbi Yehuda Amsel. 8 p.m., EDOS. (303) 820-2855. “LIVES AND TEACHINGS OF CHASIDIC MASTERS,” AISH KODESH — Morah Yehudis Fishman. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Boulder JCC. (720) 406-7657. TALMUD LECTURE (MEN), YTC— Rabbi Dovid Nussbaum. 9:15 a.m. (303) 629-8200. “STRIVE FOR TRUTH,” AISH DENVER— Rabbi Moshe Heyman. 9:15 a.m. (303) 820-2850. PIRKE AVOT, DENVER KOLLEL — Rabbi Levi Lebovits. 9:10 a.m., Aish Denver. (303) 820-2855.

MONDAY MONDAY, DECEMBER 19 MITZVAH CLASS, DENVER KOLLEL — Rabbi Yehuda Amsel. 8 p.m., BMH-BJ. (303) 820-2855. SEFER HACHINUCH FOR WOMEN, TJE — The 613 mitzvot. Aliza Bulow. 9:15-10:15 a.m., Aish Denver. (303) 316-6412. NEFESH HACHAIM, DENVER KOLLEL — Rabbi Shachne Sommers. 9:15 p.m., Aish Denver. (303) 820-2855. BASIC SKILL BUILDING, GEMARA, DENVER KOLLEL — Rabbis Levi Lebovits and Mordechai Mandel. 7:30 p.m., Aish Denver. (303) 820-2855. O NE - ON -O NE TORAH S TUDY , M ERKAZ TORAH V’CHESED — With chaburah members of YTC. 8-10 p.m., (720) 881-2768. TALMUD, EDOS — Rabbi Rafael Leban. 7:30 p.m. (303) 629-8200. TUESDAY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20 PARSHA, TJE –– How to read and translate Hebrew in the parsha. Dr. Mordechai Mishori, 7:30 p.m., Zera Abraham. (303) 237-8511. “THE WAY OF G-D,” DENVER KOLLEL –– Rabbi Moshe Heyman. 7:15 p.m., Aish Denver. (303) 820-2855. T ORAH AND K ABBALAH , C HABAD OF NORTHWEST METRO DENVER — 8-9 p.m., (303) 429-5177. TRACTATE SANHEDRIN, DENVER KOLLEL –– Chavruta learning with Rabbis Levi Lebovits and Mordechai Mandel. 7 a.m., Aish Denver. (303) 820-2855. TANYA, BAIS MENACHEM — 7:15 p.m. WOMEN’S SHIUR, MERKAZ TORAH V’CHESED — 8-9 p.m., (720) 881-2768. TALMUD BRACHOS, MERKAZ TORAH V’CHESED — Rabbi Chaim Sher. 8-9 p.m., (720) 881-2768. TALMUD. RABBI GAVRIEL GOLDFEDER — 8:15-9 a.m., Aish Kodesh, Boulder. ISRAELI DANCE CLASS, HEA — Beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. 710 p.m. (303) 759-5549. LAWS OF SHABBOS, AISH DENVER — Rabbi Yaakov Meyer. 8:15 a.m. (303) 220-7200. WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21 PARTNERS IN T ORAH — With Denver Kollel scholars. 8 p.m., Aish Denver. (303) 820-2855.

TORAH STUDY, BMH-BJ — Cantor Joel Lichterman. Following morning minyan, 7:30 a.m. (303) 388-4203. “FIND YOURSELF IN THE STORIES OF THE BIBLE” — 10 a.m.-11:15 a.m., Chabad of Aspen Valley, (970) 544-3770. “TANAKH AND TABLOIDS” –– 3 p.m., Rodef Shalom. PARSHA, BAIS MENACHEM — 7:15 p.m. LITERATURE AND LIFE: JEWISH SHORT STORY DISCUSSION GROUP, HEA — 11:30 a.m.; noon-1 p.m., discussion. (303) 7589400, ext. 213. GEMARA SKILL BUILDING, MERKAZ TORAH V’CHESED — Dr. Mordechai Mishory. 8-9 p.m., 295 S. Locust. (720) 881-2768. MEDITATION, HALACHAH, TORAH STUDY — 7:30 p.m. Shalom Al Israel, (303) 237-8511. TALMUD (MEN), AISH DENVER-TJE. Weekly. Dr. Mordechai Mishory. 8 p.m. (303) 629-8200. THE GOLDEN STUDY GROUP — Bi-monthly Torah class; Kabbalistic perspective. 7-8 p.m. (303) 279-2790 or (303) 429-5177. SIDDUR, RABBI GAVRIEL GOLDFEDER — 7:308:45 p.m., 1805 Balsam Ave., Boulder. T WICE - MONTHLY W OMEN ’ S PARSHA , LUBAVITCH OF BOULDER — 7:30-9 p.m. (303) 494-1638. PARTNERS IN TORAH, AISH DENVER — Denver Kollel scholars. 8-9 p.m., (303) 820-2855. THURSDAY THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22 SHIUR, MERKAZ TORAH V’CHESED — Rabbi Aver Jacobs. 8-9 p.m., (720) 881-2768. B ERESHIT — 10:45 a.m. — 7:30 p.m. Shalom Al Israel, (303) 237-8511. PARSHA — TJE — Rabbi Isaac Wasserman. 9145 E. Kenyon Rd. (303) 316-6412. PARSHA, BOULDER — Morah Yehudis Fishman. Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m. Boulder JCC, (720) 406-7657. WOMEN’S PARSHA CLASS, BMH-BJ — Ellyn Hutt. 11 a.m. (303) 333-0666.

Seniors

TUESDAY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20 CHANUKAH LUNCH, THE FORUM — 11:45 a.m., JCC Perlmutter Room. (303) 316-6359. TUESDAY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27

“DAVID WANDER: IN THE BELLY OF THE WHALE: JONAH, JOSEPH, RUTH, LAMENTATIONS AND S ONG OF S ONGS .” M IZEL GALLERY, THE FORUM — Join curator Simon Zalkind for a personal tour and discussion of this exhibit, featuring the fresco-style works of David Wander. 10:15 a.m. (303) 316-6359.

Ongoing

SUNDAYS SUNDAYS “FROM INNER SMILES TO PROFOUND JOY” — Learn the “inner smile” to create positive emotions. First Sunday of month, 1 p.m., at ALLIED JEWISH APTS. (303) 399-1146. JEWISH WAR VETERANS DENVER POST 344 Second Sunday of month — Veterans and active duty personnel invited. 10 a.m., Temple Sinai. Jim, (303) 791-6114. CANDLEWYCK HARMONIKERS — Harmonica group practice, 10 a.m.-noon at Candlewyck Apts. Gilda, (720) 529-8001. MONDAYS MONDAYS “FROM INNER SMILES TO PROFOUND JOY” — A technique to make you feel better and experience joy. First Sunday of every month, 1 p.m., at ALLIED JEWISH APTS. “THE TEEN EXPERIENCE,” TJE — Fun and activities for teens led by Rabbi Menachem Zussman. 7-8:30 p.m., Aish Denver. (303) 316-6412. MONDAYS AT THE MOVIES, JCC — First Monday of the month, 12:30 p.m., JCC. (303) 316-6359. DROP-IN MAH JONG, HEA — 7-9 p.m., HEA Library. (303) 758-9400, ext. 213. COLORADO HEBREW CHORALE — All vocal parts are welcome. Rehearsals, 7:30-9:30 p.m., at the HEA. (303) 355-0232. PSYCHODRAMA GROUP — Group therapy, Torah insights. Rabbi Howard Hoffman. 7 p.m. (303) 399-3059. TUESDAYS TUESDAYS D ENVER T ECH C ENTER L UNCH AND LEARN, TJE — How Torah relates to business ethics. Noon-1 p.m. Call for location. (303) 316-6412. “CARING FOR THE AGING PARENT,” TOPICS IN JEWISH PERSPECTIVES, HEA — First Tuesday of the month, 7-8:30. Speaker followed by remarks by an HEA rabbi. nkirshner@headenver.org or (303) 758-9400. JEWISH BUSINESS ASSN. OF COLO., LUNCH

— Fourth Tuesday of month. Lunch, networking. 11:30 a.m., 8181 E. Arapahoe Rd., Ste. A-1, Greenwood Village. www.jbacolorado.org. JEWISH REPUBLICANS OF COLORADO (JGOP) MONTHLY MEETING— Third Thursday of month. East Side Kosher Deli. Karen, (303) 668-2737. WEDNESDAYS WEDNESDAYS DROP-IN MAH JONGG — 1-3:30 p.m., HEA Library. (303) 758-9400, ext. 213. LUNCH AND LEARN, EMANUEL — Cantor Regina Heit leads a discussion on the weekly Torah portion. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (303) 388-4013, ext. 309. BAT MITZVAH EXPERIENCE, TJE —For young ladies interested in Jewish adulthood. 7-8:15 p.m., (303) 316-6412. LUNCH AND LEARN, HEA — Discussion of Jewish authors with Abbey Kapelovitz. Lunch, 11:30 a.m.; discussion, noon-1 p.m. (303) 758-9400, ext. 213 SHIR AMI SINGERS, JEWISH FOLK MUSIC — 7:30-9:30 p.m., JCC. (303) 571-0278. KNITTING FOR ISRAEL, JCC — Instructor Delores Flax. 10-11:30 a.m., senior lounge, JCC. (303) 316-6359. MAH JONGG CLASS, JCC — Instructor Sunshine Cohen. All levels welcome. 12:30-3:30 p.m., Perlmutter Room, JCC. THURSDAYS THURSDAYS LUNCH AND LEARN, TEMPLE SINAI — Text from classical Jewish literature with Rabbis Rick Rheins or Jay TelRav. Noon-1 p.m. MAIMONIDES TEACHES JEWISH SPIRITUALITY, AISH DENVER —12:15 p.m. (303) 629-8200. JEWISH PROFESSIONALS LEAD GROUP — Business networking. (303) 459-3026. B’YAHAD, SHALOM CARES — Join residents for an afternoon of refreshments and activities. Transportation provided. 1:30-3:30 p.m. Jody, (303) 680-5000. FRIDAYS FRIDAYS CURRENT EVENTS, JCC — With Susan Jacobs. No charge. 9:30-10:30 a.m., JCC. NESHAMA MINYAN, HEA — Every fourth Friday of the month, Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald leads Kabbalat Shabbat. 6:15- 7 p.m. “YOUR IDEA: CURRENT ISSUES” — For seniors. 9:30 a.m., Loup JCC

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 15

METAMAUS The story behind the story: ‘MetaMaus’ completes the legendary saga of ‘Maus’ By CHRIS LEPPEK IJN Assistant Editor

quarter of a century ago, when Art Spiegelman published Maus, his trailblazing second-generation account of the Holocaust, some critics did an initial double take. How could an artist-writer use the comic book format to tell such a horrible tale? How could so reverent a subject be addressed through such an irreverent medium? Since then, in a classic case of literary vindication, Maus has not only won a Pulitzer, but has come to be regarded as a modern classic.

DC and Marvel, now publish hardcover special editions of their leading titles — “graphic novels” is the preferred term these days — and Hollywood has garnered stellar profits by making movies out of these superhero tales. Like some of those books, MetaMaus — issued this year in honor of the 25th anniversary of the original books — is a special edition, with lots of color, fancy binding features, even a DVD. It has nothing to do with superheroes, however, nor is it a contin-

Spiegelman tells us why he chose the graphic novel as his vehicle Far from being considered irreverent, it is widely seen today as a powerful, moving and thought-provoking evocation of the Holocaust. The so-called comic book format itself has earned considerable respect since Spiegelman — a veteran of the underground comic movement that sprung up in 1960s counterculture — chose to use it to tell a fictional story based on his own father’s experiences as a Holocaust survivor. The old comic book stalwarts,

METAMAUS A

LOOK INSIDE A

MAUS By Art Spiegelman Pantheon Books

MODERN CLASSIC

uation or epilogue of the original Maus tales. Spiegelman apparently said everything he had to say in those two volumes. MetaMaus, rather, is the story behind the story.

e answers many of the questions that historians might one day be tempted to ask of the author, and perhaps many questions that no one would ever have dreamed of asking. We discover, for example, why Spiegelman felt compelled to write about the Holocaust to begin with, why he chose the graphic novel as his vehicle, how accurately his account reflected the real-life experiences of his father, why Jews were depicted as mice, Germans as cats, Poles as pigs and Americans as dogs.

Combining graphic art, photography and text, Spiegelman is as ruthlessly honest, and sometimes as brutally horrific, as he was in the Maus books, but in some ways, MetaMaus has an even sharper edge. It is more directly personal and autobiographical than the original books, with very little artistic distance or metaphor to hide behind. The DVD included with the book is an excellent example of the author’s refusal to sugarcoat. It includes the starkly realistic and painfully unvarnished testimony of Spiegelman’s still living father. All of this might cause some readers — perhaps even including some Maus fans — to think that this book is not for them; that its target audience is limited to extreme fans or collectors. That conclusion would be sadly shortsighted. MetaMaus not only explains and analyzes why Maus became such an effective means for readers too young to have experienced the Holocaust to understand it, but enlarges and clarifies the original story itself. By injecting himself into his own work with such unflinching honesty, Spiegelman has effectively brought his magnum opus full circle. Not only do we know what happened to his father, the symbol

of an entire generation of victims and survivors, but what happened

to his son — the symbol of an entire generation of his own.

STRIKINGLY TRUE Ripley’s Believe It or Not! enters the forbidden zone of the bizarre By CHRIS LEPPEK IJN Assistant Editor

et’s face it. Most of us, even the most intellectual and highbrowed within our ranks, have a secret fascination for the weird. The folks at the venerable multimedia empire of “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” have known this for decades, and have made amazing profits by showcasing their seemingly endless collection of strange facts via radio, television and Sunday morning funny pages. Lately, Ripley’s has expanded into the realm of books, of which Strikingly True is the most recent release. From the front cover — a bright foil affair featuring a holographic human eye within a lightning bolt — all the way through its 200-plus pages, this curious title virtually screams “Weird!” But also, we are compelled to add, and not without a touch of self-conscious guilt, fun. So step right up, ladies and gents! We’re talkin’ weird here! A louse — that’s right, as in lice! — found by oil workers in the Gulf of Mexico measuring more than two feet in

diameter! A Chinese artist who has painted the faces of 42 US presidents on single strands of human hair, using a rabbit hair as his paintbrush! A man, billed as the “Skeleton Dude” when he was featured at Coney Island in 1917, who stood five feet seven inches tall but only weighed 38 pounds! A man who once walked 80 miles around a track in New York with a full milk bottle on his head! A Frenchman who walked from Paris to Moscow, a distance of 1,830 miles — on stilts! The solid 24-carat gold and platinum toy replica of a Bugatti, weighing in at 15 pounds, that costs a cool $2 million, more than twice as much as a real Bugatti automobile! A man from India who can rotate his feet nearly 180 degrees, enabling him to walk backward while facing forward! And much, much more — some of which, it must be said, is being left out of this review because of its highly anatomical nature, inappropriate for a family newspaper, or

STRIKINGLY TRUE By Ripley Publishing

has too high an ‘ick factor’ to be fairly described here. It’s noteworthy that Strikingly True contains a feature depicting the days when Ripley’s was very much into the freak show scene, when what might be called the greatest hits from the carnival circuits were regularly featured in shows. By modern standards, that is way beyond politically incorrect, but it’s safe to say that Ripley’s has never counted itself among the PC crowd

‘Let’s face it. Most of us have a secret fascination for the weird’ anyway and has, in fact, long relished its hard-won reputation for celebrating the lurid, the bizarre and the ghoulish. All of the above, rest assured, are on ample display in Strikingly True so, if you’re not faint of heart and if you’re one of those people who just can’t help but dart into the midway tent, an eerie feast awaits you here. Whether you believe it or not.

16 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

CPAXLP

LEGAL NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2202 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/9/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: PEDRO RIVAS Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR AMERICA’S WHOLESALE LENDER Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BAC HOME LOANS SERVICING, LP FKA COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS SERVICING LP Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/26/2005 Recording Date of DOT: 11/3/2005 Reception No. of DOT: 2005188214 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $144,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $134,245.14 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 6, BLOCK 73, CASE AND EBERT’S ADDITION TO THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 3042 California Street , Denver, CO 80205 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/18/2011 Last Publication: 12/16/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/12/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC REAGAN LARKIN Colorado Registration #: 42309 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-08267 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2236 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/13/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: GREGORIA OCON AND JUANITA DOMINGUEZ Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR AEGIS FUNDING CORPORATION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO BANK OF AMERICA N.A. AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE MLMI TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-HE1 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/6/2006 Recording Date of DOT: 10/24/2006 Reception No. of DOT: 2006169729 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $175,900.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $175,900.00 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 55, BLOCK 1, GREEN VALLEY RANCH FILING NO. 50, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 5568 Jericho Court , Denver, CO 80249 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/18/2011 Last Publication: 12/16/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/14/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC PETER C DECAMILLIS Colorado Registration #: 38929 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-10188 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2253 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/15/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: EFREN ORTIZ JR AND NICHELLE ORTIZ Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR LIBERTY SAVINGS BANK, FSB Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: LIBERTY SAVINGS

BANK, FSB Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/26/2008 Recording Date of DOT: 10/3/2008 Reception No. of DOT: 2008135488 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $158,139.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $153,413.28 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. Said Deed of Trust was rerecorded on 11/25/2008, under Reception No. 2008161020.THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 13, BLOCK 5, GREEN VALLEY RANCH SUBDIVISION FILING NO. 3, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 19301 East 45th Avenue , Denver, CO 80249 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/18/2011 Last Publication: 12/16/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/20/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC REAGAN LARKIN Colorado Registration #: 42309 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-08381 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2260 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/9/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: JANA RAE OLSEN Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR GREENPOINT MORTGAGE FUNDING, INC. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR THE HOLDERS OF BANC OF AMERICA FUNDING CORPORATION, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-A Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 11/23/2004 Recording Date of DOT: 12/8/2004 Reception No. of DOT: 2004250704 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $360,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $359,523.61 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: CONDOMINIUM UNIT 4-F, THE PERRENOUD CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION INC., IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DECLARATION RECORDED MARCH 13, 1986 AT RECEPTION NO. 040572, AND RE-RECORDED JULY 25, 1986 AT RECEPTION NO. 000796, AND THE MAP RECORDED MARCH 13, 1986 IN BOOK 29 AT PAGES 94 THROUGH 101; CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 836 East 17th Avenue #4f, Denver, CO 80218 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/18/2011 Last Publication: 12/16/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/12/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC ALISON L BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-11981 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2281 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/13/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: CHERIE M KRAMER AND MARK J KRAMER Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR TAYLOR, BEAN & WHITAKER MORTGAGE CORP. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, LLC Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/3/2005 Recording Date of DOT: 10/10/2005 Reception No. of DOT: 2005171684 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $302,250.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $316,135.55 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have

been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 10, BLOCK 16, STAPLETON FILING NO. 11, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. *AS MODIFIED PURSUANT TO THE LOAN MODIFICATION DATED JANUARY 10, 2011 Which has the address of: 2616 Emporia Street , Denver, CO 80238 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/18/2011 Last Publication: 12/16/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/19/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: VADEN LAW FIRM, LLC WAYNE E VADEN Colorado Registration #: 21026 2015 YORK STREET , DENVER, COLORADO 80205 Phone #: (303) 377-2933 Fax #: (303) 377-2934 Attorney File #: 11-051-02064 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2290 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/13/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: MAURO VARGAS Original Beneficiary: ARGENT MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF PARK PLACE SECURITIES, INC., ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-WCW1 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 3/10/2004 Recording Date of DOT: 4/2/2004 Reception No. of DOT: 2004082255 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $184,300.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $167,119.30 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 24, BLOCK 7, GATEWAY VILLAGE FILING NO. 5, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 14688 East 52nd Avenue , Denver, CO 80239 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/18/2011 Last Publication: 12/16/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/20/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: ROBERT J. HOPP & ASSOCIATES, LLC NEAL J VALORZ Colorado Registration #: 42496 PO BOX 8689 , DENVER, COLORADO 80201 Phone #: (303) 788-9600 Fax #: Attorney File #: 11-04847CO PUBLIC NOTICE Littleton NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2291 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/15/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: THOMAS A CHAVEZ AND MICHELLE R LAVERY Original Beneficiary: DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS CREDIT UNION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WESTERRA CREDIT UNION Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 8/13/2003 Recording Date of DOT: 8/26/2003 Reception No. of DOT: 2003180600 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $237,500.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $217,009.57 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 23, BLOCK 7, CENTENNIAL ESTATES, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 4300 West Wagon Trail Drive , Littleton, CO 80127 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/18/2011 Last Publication: 12/16/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/19/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: ROBERT J. HOPP & ASSOCIATES, LLC NATHAN S SILVER Colorado Registration #: 28836 PO BOX 8689 , DENVER, COLORADO 80201 Phone #: (303) 788-9600 Fax #: Attorney File #: 11-04683CO PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2335 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/14/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: LEONOR H JIMENEZ AND MICAELA ROBLES Original Beneficiary: FIRSTBANK OF DENVER Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: FIRSTBANK Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/29/2001 Recording Date of DOT: 7/26/2001 Reception No. of DOT: 2001121820 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $140,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $119,618.86 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: the covenant violations under the debt or Deed of Trust or both on which this demand for foreclosure is based is or are as follows: default on payments due under the debt or Deed of Trust. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOTS 23 AND 24, BLOCK 3, BLOCKS 2 AND 3, OF SMEDLEY’S SUBDIVISION, SECOND FILING, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 920 Winona Court , Denver, CO 80204 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/18/2011 Last Publication: 12/16/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/19/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: ROTHGERBER JOHNSON AND LYONS LLP STEPHEN T. JOHNSON Colorado Registration #: 10226 1200 17TH STREET SUITE #3000, DENVER, COLORADO 80202-5855 Phone #: (303) 628-9543 Fax #: (303) 623-9222 Attorney File #: 30362-265 PUBLIC NOTICE Aurora NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2309 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/20/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: COBRETTA L RODGERS Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR HOMECOMINGS FINANCIAL NETWORK INC. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: GMAC MORTGAGE, LLC Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 7/16/2001 Recording Date of DOT: 7/24/2001 Reception No. of DOT: 2001120010 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $77,700.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $66,703.45 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. Said Deed of Trust was rerecorded on 1/16/2002, under Reception No. 2002011018.THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: Condominium Unit Number 204. Building Number 13, Oak Park Condominiums, in accordance with and subject to the Declaration of Convenants, Conditions and Restrictions of Oak Park Condominiums recorded April 2, 1980, in Book 3133 at page 357 and Amendment and Supplement recorded October 24, 1980, in Book 2256 at Page 506 and Map recorded on April 2, 1980, in Book 16 at Page 27 and amended July 7, 1980, in Book 17 at Page 26, and amended, October 24, 1980, in Book 18 at Page 10 and amended, October 29, 1980 in Book 18 at Page 16, County of Denver, Colorado records, together with the right to the exclusive use fo Parking Space(s) No. 502 and 377, Garage Space No. N/A, and Storage Locker No. 11, in Building No. 19. City and County of Denver, State of Colorado. Which has the address of: 10150 East Virginia Avenue #18-204 , Aurora, CO 80231 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 19, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and oth-

More legal notices on pages 16, 17, 18, 19

er items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/25/2011 Last Publication: 12/23/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/22/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC ALISON L BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-11328 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2318 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/16/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: JULIO CAMPOS VERA Original Beneficiary: ABSOLUTE LENDING, INC. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BAC HOME LOANS SERVICING, LP FKA COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS SERVICING LP Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/27/2003 Recording Date of DOT: 11/10/2003 Reception No. of DOT: 2003235993 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $104,800.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $97,307.76 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 5 AND 6, BLOCK 11, OAKLAND, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 3570 Krameria Street , Denver, CO 80207 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 19, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/25/2011 Last Publication: 12/23/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/19/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: ROBERT J. HOPP & ASSOCIATES, LLC NATHAN S SILVER Colorado Registration #: 28836 PO BOX 8689 , DENVER, COLORADO 80201 Phone #: (303) 788-9600 Fax #: Attorney File #: 11-04648CO PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2320 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/19/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: JOANNE R LAH Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR AMERICAN MORTGAGE NETWORK, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE OF LXS 2005-05N TRUST FUND Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 8/4/2005 Recording Date of DOT: 8/15/2005 Reception No. of DOT: 2005137086 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $525,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $575,989.86 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 9, ADAMS COUNTRY CLUB SUBDIVISION, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 2520 East Alameda Circle , Denver, CO 80209 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 19, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 11/25/2011 Last Publication: 12/23/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/20/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC ALISON L BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 09-24965R PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 17

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LEGAL NOTICES Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2333 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/23/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: MATTHEW J SORENSEN Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF CWALT, INC., ALTERNATIVE LOAN TRUST 2005-41 MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-41 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 7/7/2005 Recording Date of DOT: 7/14/2005 Reception No. of DOT: 2005118152*** DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $344,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $374,421.49 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: PARCEL A: CONDOMINIUM UNIT 101, WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUMS, ACCORDING TO THE CONDOMINIUM MAP THEREOF, RECORDED ON DECEMBER 24, 2001, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2001217069, AND ACCORDING TO THE CONDOMINIUM MAP OF WATERTOWER LOFTS AMENDMENT NO. 1 RECORDED ON MARCH 20, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2002054357, AND ACCORDING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL CONDOMINIUM MAP OF WATERTOWER LOFTS, RECORDED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2002218659 AND ACCORDING TO 1ST AMENDMENT TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL CONDOMINIUM MAP RECORDED JULY 24, 2003 UNDER RECEPTION NO. 2003152523 IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, COLORADO, AND AS DEFINED AND DESCRIBED IN THE WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED ON DECEMBER 24, 2001. WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2001217068 IN SAID RECORDS, AND ANNEXATION OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTY AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENT TO THE WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED FEBRUARY 13, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2002030970, AND FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED MARCH 20, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2002054358, AND NOTICE OF ANNEXATION OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TO THE WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED NOVEMBER 19, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 200218658, AND SECOND TECHNICAL AMENDMENT RECORDED JULY 24, 2003 UNDER RECEPTION NO. 2003152522 IN SAID RECORDS, TOGETHER WITH THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE PARKING SPACE NO(S) 77 AND STORAGE SPACE NO(S) F06 AS LIMITED COMMON ELEMENTS. PARCEL B: PARKING UNIT 78, WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUMS, ACCORDING TO THE CONDOMINIUM MAP THEREOF, RECORDED ON DECEMBER 24, 2001, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2001217069, AND ACCORDING TO THE CONDOMINIUM MAP OF WATERTOWER LOFTS AMENDMENT NO. 1 RECORDED ON MARCH 20, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2002054357, AND ACCORDING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL CONDOMINIUM MAP OF WATERTOWER LOFTS, RECORDED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2002218659 AND ACCORDING TO 1ST AMENDMENT TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL CONDOMINIUM MAP RECORDED JULY 24, 2003 UNDER RECEPTION NO. 2003152523 IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, COLORADO, AND AS DEFINED AND DESCRIBED IN THE WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED ON DECEMBER 24, 2001, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2001217068 IN SAID RECORDS, AND ANNEXATION OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTY AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENT TO THE WATERTOWER LOTS CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED FEBRUARY 13, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2002030970, AND FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED MARCH 20, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 2002054358, AND NOTICE OF ANNEXATION OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TO THE WATERTOWER LOFTS CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED NOVEMBER 19, 2002, WITH RECEPTION NUMBER 200218658, AND SECOND TECHNICAL AMENDMENT RECORDED JULY 24, 2003 UNDER RECEPTION NO. 2003152522 IN SAID RECORDS. **LOAN MODIFICATION AGREEMENT SIGNED BY MATTHEW J SORENSEN ON JANUARY 12, 2010.** Which has the address of: 2960 Inca Street #101 , Denver, CO 80202-1102 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/26/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC REAGAN LARKIN Colorado Registration #: 42309 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 10-24360 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2340 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/23/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: MARSHALL L UPJOHN Original Beneficiary: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/29/2007 Recording Date of DOT: 7/18/2007 Reception No. of DOT: 2007113023 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $77,520.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $74,187.73 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together

with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: CONDOMINIUM UNIT 304, TOGETHER WITH THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE PARKING SPACE NO. N/A, AND STORAGE LOCKER NO. 16, ALICIA CONDOMINIUMS, ACCORDING TO THE CONDOMINIUM PLAT THEREOF RECORDED ON AUGUST 15, 2001 AS RECEPTION NO. 2001136892, IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK RECORDER OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, COLORADO AND AS DEFINED AND DESCRIBED IN THE DECLARANTS OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS FOR ALICIA CONDOMINIUMS, RECORDED ON AUGUST 15, 2001 AS RECEPTION NO. 200136878, IN SAID RECORDS, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 50 Clarkson Street #304 , Denver, CO 80218 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/26/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC ALISON L BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-11459 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2358 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/23/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: ANNA P ROBINSON Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR AMERICA’S WHOLESALE LENDER Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF CWABS, INC., ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-21 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/29/2006 Recording Date of DOT: 10/18/2006 Reception No. of DOT: 2006167000 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $184,971.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $184,970.22 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 29, BLOCK 1, PARKFIELD FILING NO. 12, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 15637 Randolph Place , Denver, CO 80239 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/23/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC CHRISTOPHER T GROEN Colorado Registration #: 39978 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 10-20523 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2374 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/23/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: MARIO ANGEL MUNOZ GARFIO AND ROSALBA GARCIA CONTRERO Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR SGB CORPORATION DBA WESTAMERICA MORTGAGE COMPANY Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 12/10/2007 Recording Date of DOT: 1/14/2008 Reception No. of DOT: 2008004728 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $150,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $145,882.87 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property:

LOTS 11 AND 12, BLOCK 58, P.T. BARNUM’S SUBDIVISION OF THE CITY OF DENVER, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 36 Hooker Street , Denver, CO 80219 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/26/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC REAGAN LARKIN Colorado Registration #: 42309 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-05495 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2394 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/26/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: CASSANDRA C SALAZAR AND DAVID J SALAZAR Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR FIRST MAGNUS FINANCIAL CORPORATION, AN ARIZONA CORPORATION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: AURORA BANK FSB Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 2/22/2007 Recording Date of DOT: 3/8/2007 Reception No. of DOT: 2007038741 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $82,500.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $82,498.60 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: the terms of said Deed of Trust have been violated as the required payments have not been made when due. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: ATTACHED HERETO AS EXHIBIT ‘A’ AND INCORPORATED HEREIN AS THOUGH FULLY SET FORTH. Which has the address of: 3550 South Harlan Street #16-274 , Denver, CO 80235 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/27/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: DALE & DECKER, LLC TONI M N DALE Colorado Registration #: 30580 2 INVERNESS DRIVE EAST, SUITE 105 , ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (720) 493-4600 Fax #: (866) 303-8293 Attorney File #: 11-8623 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2407 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/29/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: BRIAN T MCCURDY Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR GREENCO FINANCIAL, INC. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: CITIMORTGAGE, INC. Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 4/22/2009 Recording Date of DOT: 5/5/2009 Reception No. of DOT: 2009054582 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $195,566.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $189,840.51 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 15, BLOCK 21, ATHMAR PARK UNIT NO. 2, COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 984 South Vallejo Street , Denver, CO 80223 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News

Dated: 9/30/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC CYNTHIA LOWERY-GRABER Colorado Registration #: 34145 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-13252 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2412 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/28/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: JEAN C ROSENFIELD Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR OWNIT MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, INC. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF NOMURA HOME EQUITY HOME LOAN, INC., ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-2 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 11/3/2006 Recording Date of DOT: 11/24/2006 Reception No. of DOT: 2006189169 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $388,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $386,696.44 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 19, BLOCK 1, DARTMOUTH HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 3461 West Dartmouth Avenue , Denver, CO 80236 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/30/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC ALISON L BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 08-16267R PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2436 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/26/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: CLIFFORD JOHNSON Original Beneficiary: BANK OF OKLAHOMA, N.A. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: BOKF, N.A. Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 5/30/2007 Recording Date of DOT: 6/13/2007 Reception No. of DOT: 2007091487 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $140,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $133,390.52 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 27, BLOCK 1, GREEN VALLEY RANCH FILING NO. 21, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 4135 Odessa Street , Denver, CO 80249 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 9/28/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC CYNTHIA LOWERY-GRABER Colorado Registration #: 34145 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-13240 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2497 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/28/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and

More legal notices on pages 16, 17, 18, 19

Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: DAVID D LAUMEYER Original Beneficiary: DENVER COMMUNITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: DENVER COMMUNITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/4/2010 Recording Date of DOT: 7/1/2010 Reception No. of DOT: 2010072777 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $61,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $59,270.01 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: the lender declares a violation of the covenants of said Deed of Trust for reasons including, but not limited to, the failure to make monthly payments of prinipal, interest, taxes, and/or insurance as provided for in the Deed of Trust and credit agreement. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 5, DENNING’S SUBDIVISION NO. 2, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 1540 South Ash Street , Denver, CO 80222 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/2/2011 Last Publication: 12/30/2011 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/11/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: SHIVELY, HOLST & DOWLING, LLP BRIAN J HOLST Colorado Registration #: 16901 PO BOX 298 514 KIMBARK STREET, LONGMONT, COLORADO 80502-0298 Phone #: (303) 772-6666 Fax #: (303) 772-2822 Attorney File #: NA PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2459 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/5/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: JOEL J MATEJKA AND LORI L MATEJKA Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR FINANCE AMERICA, LLC, DBA FINAM, LLC Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE UNDER THE INDENTURE RELATING TO IMH ASSETS CORP., COLLATERALIZED ASSET-BACKED BONDS, SERIES 2004-7 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 5/24/2004 Recording Date of DOT: 6/24/2004 Reception No. of DOT: 2004132676 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $160,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $181,012.61 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 8, BLOCK 1, GREEN VALLEY RANCH FILING NO. 12, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. LOAN MODIFICATION AGREEMENT DATED JANUARY 1, 2010 AND SIGNED BY JOEL J MATEJKA AND LORI L MATEJKA Which has the address of: 21121 East 46th Avenue , Denver, CO 80249-7088 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 2, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/9/2011 Last Publication: 1/6/2012 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/10/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC ALISON L BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-10530 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2460 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/30/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: TIMOTHY R GREENFIELD Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR MBNA AMERICA (DELAWARE), N.A. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BAC HOME LOANS SERVICING, LP FKA COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS SERVICING LP Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 7/25/2003 Recording Date of DOT: 7/31/2003 Reception No. of DOT: 2003156467 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $228,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof:

18 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

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LEGAL NOTICES $198,322.53 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: SITUATE, LYING AND BEING INTHE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER AND STATE OF COLORADO; BUILDING EE, UNIT102, PELICAN POINTE AT THE BREAKERS, A PLANNED RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOME COMMUNITY, ACCORDING TO THE DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS OF PELICAN POINTE AT THE BREAKERS, A PLANNED RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOME COMMUNITY, RECORDED ON JULY 6, 1998 IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK & RECORDER OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO, AT RECEPTION NO. 9800105748, AND AMENDMENT TO DECLARATIONS RECORDED APRIL 29, 1999 AT RECEPTION NO. 9900076516, AND CONNUNITY FLAT/MAP OF PELICAN POINTE AT THE BREAKERS, RECORDED JULY 6, 1998 AT RECEPTION NO. 5800105749, AND COLORADO COMMON INTEREST OWNERSHIP ACT COMMUNITY SUPPLEMENTAL PLAT/MAP RECORD APRIL 29, 1999 AT RECEPTION NO. 9900076517, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. ADDRESS: 8300 FAIRMONT DRIVE #EE102; DENVER, CO 80247 TAX MAP OR PARCEL ID NO.: 0616111196000 Which has the address of: 8300 Fairmount Drive , Denver, CO 80247-6533 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 2, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/9/2011 Last Publication: 1/6/2012 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/11/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: ROBERT J. HOPP & ASSOCIATES, LLC NEAL J VALORZ Colorado Registration #: 42496 PO BOX 8689 , DENVER, COLORADO 80201 Phone #: (303) 788-9600 Fax #: Attorney File #: 11-04035CO PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2478 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/5/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: GORDON A GENTZLER AND KAREN M CHAVEZ GENTZLER Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR EQUIFIRST CORPORATION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR RAMP 2005EFC5 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 8/5/2005 Recording Date of DOT: 8/18/2005 Reception No. of DOT: 2005139649 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $280,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $268,721.99 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: THE REAL PROPERTY, TOGETHER WITH IMPROVEMENTS, IF ANY, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER AND STATE OF COLORADO, DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: LOTS, 1,2, AND 3, RESUBDIVISION OF BLOCK 9, POTTER HIGHLANDS, COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. ALSO KNOWN BY STREET AND NUMBER AS; 2709 WEST 36TH AVENUE, DENVER, CO 80211 Which has the address of: 2709 West 36th Avenue , Denver, CO 80211 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 2, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/9/2011 Last Publication: 1/6/2012 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/5/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC CYNTHIA LOWERY-GRABER Colorado Registration #: 34145 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 09-12559 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2503 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/30/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: MARTHA SOTO CHAVEZ AND ARISTEO DIAZ CHACON Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR COLDWELL BANKER HOME LOANS Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/16/2007 Recording Date of DOT: 11/1/2007 Reception No. of DOT: 2007171103*** DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $140,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $144,513.13 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 17, BLOCK 10, HYDE PARK ADDITION, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO. **LOAN MODIFICATION AGREEMENT RECORDED ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 AT RECEPTION NO. 2010100372 Which has the address of: 3605 High Street , Denver, CO 80205 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 2, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/9/2011 Last Publication: 1/6/2012 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/11/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC CYNTHIA LOWERY-GRABER Colorado Registration #: 34145 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-13257 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2535 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/10/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: JAVIER BENCOMO Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR ABSOLUTE LENDING, INC. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: MIDFIRST BANK Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 12/17/2004 Recording Date of DOT: 12/29/2004 Reception No. of DOT: 2004261928*** DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $158,763.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $170,951.84 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 24, BLOCK 29, ATHMAR PARK, UNIT NO. 3, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO ***LOAN MODIFICATION RECORDED ON JULY 16, 2010 AT RECEPTION NO. 2010079363 Which has the address of: 808 South Peterson Way , Denver, CO 80223-2628 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 9, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 1/13/2012 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/10/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC ALISON L BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-12509 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2542 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/12/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: KAREN GILLETTE Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS AS TRUSTEE FOR RALI 2004QA5 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 8/23/2004 Recording Date of DOT: 9/14/2004 Reception No. of DOT: 2004191720 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $105,600.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $105,599.95 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encum-

bered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: Condominium Unit 24, in Condominium Building E, Topaz of Indian Creek Condominiums, according to the Condominium Map thereof recorded on January 8, 1986, at Reception No. 113600, in the records of the Office of the Clerk and Recorder of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, and as defined and described in the Condominium Declaration for Topaz at Indian Creek Condominiums recorded on March 22, 1984, in Book 3051 at Page 205 in said records, and Fourth Statement of Intention to annex additional land recorded January 8,1986, at Reception No. 13598, Which has the address of: 1885 South Quebec Way #E24 , Denver, CO 80231 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 9, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 1/13/2012 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/19/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC CYNTHIA LOWERY-GRABER Colorado Registration #: 34145 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-11530 PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2555 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/10/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: JOSE MUNOZ Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR FIRST FRANKLIN A DIVISION OF NATIONAL CITY BANK Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC. Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 11/22/2006 Recording Date of DOT: 12/7/2006 Reception No. of DOT: 2006195391 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $119,200.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $118,403.39 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Declares a violation of the covenants of said Deed of Truat, as follows: Failure to pay principal payment and accrued interest. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 12, BLOCK 2, MONTBELLO NO. 24, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 5526 Carson Street , Denver, CO 80239 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 9, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 1/13/2012 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/10/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: PATTON & DAVISON JOHN C PATTON Colorado Registration #: 23897 P.O. BOX 945 , CHEYENNE, WYOMING 82003-0945 Phone #: 1 (307) 635-4111 Fax #: 1 (307) 635-6904 Attorney File #: NA PUBLIC NOTICE Denver NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2011-2577 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/10/2011 the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Denver County. Original Grantor: MIGUEL FLORES AND MATILDE FLORES Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR UNIVERSAL LENDING CORPORATION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/20/2004 Recording Date of DOT: 9/29/2004 Reception No. of DOT: 2004204416 DOT Recorded in Denver County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $100,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $90,989.16 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: The covenants of said Deed of Trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make payments of principle and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: Lot 107, Block 1, Raintree, City and County of Denver, State of Colorado, More particularly described on Lot Location Map recorded in Book 548 at Page 474, TOGETHER WITH the rights set forth in Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions recorded in Book 548 at Page 476 and amendment recorded in Book 564 at Page 311; and TOGETHER WITH a Parking and Storage Easement appurtenant shown as Easement No. 3 on Easemant Location Map No. 1 recorded in Book 548 at Page 475, City and County of Denver, State of Colorado. Which has the address of: 1250 South Monaco Parkway #107 , Denver, CO 80224 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by

the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued) at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 9, 2012, at the Denver County Public Trustee’s Office, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 1/13/2012 Publisher: Intermountain Jewish News Dated: 10/12/2011 Debra Johnson DENVER COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: CASTLE, STAWIARSKI, LLC REAGAN LARKIN Colorado Registration #: 42309 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 2201 , DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: 1 (303) 865-1400 Fax #: 1 (303) 865-1410 Attorney File #: 11-12714 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Case No. 11PR1147 In the matter of the estate of JOHNNIE CAROL COLGIN, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, 1437 Bannock Street, Room 230, Denver, Colorado 80202, on or before April 9, 2012, or the claims may be forever barred. KATHRYN KAY VALDEZ Personal Representative 1350 S. Beach Ct. Denver, CO 80219 Party Without Attorney: KATHRYN KAY VALDEZ 1350 S. Beach Ct. Denver, CO 80219 Phone: (720) 327-2498 E-mail: kathyval2004@msn.com First Publication: December 9, 2011 Last Publication: December 23, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News NOTICE TO CREDITORS Case No. 11PR1244 In the matter of the estate of STEVEN SIM ROBERTS, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, 7325 South Potomac Street, Centennial, Colorado 80112, on or before April 18, 2012, or the claims may be forever barred. PAULA ROBERTS Personal Representative 6341 South Troy Circle, Suite D Centennial, CO 80111 Attorney or Party Without Attorney: LAURENCE J. RICH ESQ., Atty. Reg. #: 4003 Laurence J. Rich & Associates 5281 S. Quebec Street Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111 Phone: (303) 721-0700 FAX: (303) 721-0703 E-mail: richlaw7445@hotmail.com First Publication: December 2, 2011 Last Publication: December 16, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News NOTICE OF HEARING Case No. 2011PR1094 In the matter of the estate of MARGARET A. CRISP, Deceased. To: Randnell Jaye Crisp and Roosevelt Jordan Crisp. Last Known Address, if any: 3026 Ivanhoe St., Denver, CO 80206. A hearing on appointment for Personal Representative (title of pleading) for (brief description of relief requested) Christopher Edward Carl Crisp will be held at the following time and location or at a later date to which the hearing may be continued: Date: January 4, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. at Denver Probate Court Denver County, 1437 Bannock Street, Room 230, Denver, Colorado 80202. CHRISTOPHER EDWARD CARL CRISP Person Giving Notice 3026 S. Ivanhoe St. Denver, Colorado 80206 Attorney or Party Without Attorney: LOUIS J. DAVIS, Atty. Reg. #: 3882 5600 S. Quebec St. #148B Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111 Phone: (303) 741-4949 FAX: (303) 741-2238 E-mail: ldavis@louisjdavis.com First Publication: December 9, 2011 Last Publication: December 23, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News NOTICE TO CREDITORS Case No. 2011 PR 1108 In the matter of the estate of MILDRED J. ELLIS also known as MILDRED ELLIS, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, 1437 Bannock Street, Denver, Colorado 80202, on or before April 23, 2012, or the claims may be forever barred. BRUCE H. ELLIS Personal Representative 3616 DeRuyter Circle Charlotte, NC 28269 Attorney or Party Without Attorney: T. MICHAEL CARRINGTON, Atty. Reg. #: 1900 LAW OFFICES OF T. MICHAEL CARRINGTON 5347 So. Valentia Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111 Phone: (303) 804-5355 FAX: (303) 220-0153 E-mail: mike@carringtonlaw.net First Publication: December 2, 2011 Last Publication: December 16, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News NOTICE TO CREDITORS Case No. 2011PR1061 In the matter of the estate of GEORGIA SAROS, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, 1437 Bannock Street, Room 230, Denver, Colorado 80202, on or before April 23, 2012, or the claims may be forever barred. GENEVIEVE CARAVANOS Personal Representative Attorney for Personal Representative: MARK LEE LEVINE, ESQ. Atty. Reg. #: 468 LEVINE SEGEV LLC c/o 44 Cook Street, Suite 100 Denver, Colorado 80206 Phone: (303) 434-8553 FAX: (720) 545-2218 E-mail: mlevine@du.edu First Publication: December 9, 2011 Last Publication: December 23, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News

More legal notices on pages 16, 17, 18, 19

NOTICE: REVIVAL OF JUDGMENT DENVER COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 06C4447 FIRST EAGLE FUNDING CORP. VS DONIELLE JOHNNY BALL YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are required within ten days of your receipt of this Notice to show cause why the Judgment should not be revived by filing an Objection with the Court, which will then be set for Hearing. DATED this 15th day of November, 2011. CLERK OF THE COUNTY COURT First Publication: December 2, 2011 Last Publication: December 30, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News District Court, Jefferson County, Colorado 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401 Division: 3 Courtroom: Case Number: 11 CV 4402 PLAINTIFF(S): MARK ZIRINSKY, as a custodian of the Mark Zirinsky Separate IRA Account vs. DEFENDANT(S): TODD E. THOMAS and ALL UNKNOWN PERSONS WHO CLAIM ANY INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS ACTION. Attorney for Plaintiff: Don D. Jacobson, Reg. No. 7146 LEVIN & JACOBSON, LLC 950 South Cherry Street, Suite 912 Denver, Colorado 80246 Telephone: (303) 504-4242 E-mail: donj@levinjacobson.com SUMMONS TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to file with the Clerk of this Court an answer or other response to the complaint filed in this matter, which seeks to quiet title to real property located in Jefferson County, Colorado. You are required to file your answer or other response within 20 days of the last date of publication of this summons, as provided by the applicable rules. An answer or counterclaim must be accompanied by the applicable filing fee. If you fail to file your answer or other response to the complaint in writing within the applicable time period, the Court may enter judgement by default against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint without further notice. Dated: November 28, 2011. First Publication: December 2, 2011 Second Publication: December 9, 2011 Third Publication: December 16, 2011 Fourth Publication: December 23, 2011 Fifth Publication: December 30, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News WRIT OF GARNISHMENT WITH NOTICE OF EXEMPTION AND PENDING LEVY COUNTY COURT, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO Case No. 2010C312904 Division C2 Courtroom SIERRA RIDGE TOWNHOME ASSOCIATION INC., a Colorado nonprofit corporation Plaintiff(s) vs. CATHERINE A. EVANS Defendant(s) THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. Judgment Debtor’s name, last known address, other identifying information: CATHERINE A. EVANS, 589 South Mobile Place, Aurora, Colorado 80017 1. Original Amount of Judgment Entered 08/09/11: $2,222.47 2. Plus any Interest Due on Judgment (18.0% per annum): $0.00 3. Taxable Costs (including estimated cost of service of this Writ): +130.00 4. Less any Amount Paid: $0.00 5. Principal Balance/Total Amount Due and Owing: =$2,352.47 I affirm that I am authorized to act for the Judgment Creditor and this is a correct statement as of August 9, 2011. Subscribed under oath before me on 08/09/2011 NOTARY PUBLIC JASON P. MARTINEZ Commission Expires May 23, 2015 SIERRA RIDGE TOWNHOME ASSOCIATION INC. Judgment Creditor c/o ACCU, Inc. 2140 South Holly Denver, Colorado 80222 By: MYRA J. LANSKY, ESQ., #24654 LANSKY, WEIGLER & PORTER, P.C. 1401 17th Street, Suite 560 Denver, Colorado 80202 Phone: (303) 297-1900 Fax: (303) 293-8938 Email: mlansky@lanskyweigler.com First Publication: November 25, 2011 Last Publication: December 23, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News NOTICE TO MORTGAGEES Saint Lukes Lofts Homeowners Association, Inc. December 9, 2011 The current Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions for Saint Lukes Lofts, recorded in the real property records of Denver County on April 15, 2002, at Reception No. 2002070441, as may have been amended, is being amended. Pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes §38-33.3-217(1)(b) a copy of the proposed Limited Amendment to Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions for Saint Lukes Lofts may be obtained from: Board of Directors, c/o St. Charles Town Company, P.O. Box 240, Denver, Colorado, 80201. First Publication: December 9, 2011 Last Publication: December 16, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News NOTICE: REVIVAL OF JUDGMENT DENVER COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. L96402 SKYLINE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC. VS RAMON TOMAS MADRID YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are required within ten days of your receipt of this Notice to show cause why the Judgment should not be revived by filing an Objection with the Court, which will then be set for Hearing. DATED this 29th day of November, 2011. CLERK OF THE COUNTY COURT First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 01/13/2012 Published: Intermountain Jewish News PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 11CO2661 IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF: ADULT: James Edward Jeffery FOR A CHANGE OF NAME TO: James Edward Baugh Public Notice is given on December 9, 2011, that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Denver County Court. The Petition requests that the name of James Edward Jeffery be changed to James Edward Baugh. Clerk of the Court District Court, City and County of Denver, CO 1437 Bannock Street Denver, CO 80202 First Publication: December 16, 2011 Last Publication: December 30, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News

December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 19

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#(!.5+!( Judaica No child labor, fair trade, safety at work: the bike chain menorah

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The bike chain menorah, a fair trade product handmade in India, creates a link to Jewish values. By EDMON J. RODMAN JTA

OS ANGELES — When on Chanukah we say “A great miracle happened here,” the “here” isn’t China. I thought it was. With bins of electric menorahs, strings of dreidel lights and flashing LED dreidels, all “Made in China,” I thought I had Chanukah covered. That is, until I found a new menorah, a “Made in India” magic lamp that without even a single rub (you bend it) provides a new way to light up my holiday — and maybe yours, too. Over the years, celebrating the Festival of Lights with stuff made in China, what did I care? Was it my problem that workers making this stuff might be earning the equivalent of $300 a month? Mostly my Chanukah paraphernalia was purchased at an affordable price at chain drug and book stores during a Christmas season when seeing a Jewish flag like these was comforting. As far as I was concerned, Made in China Chanukah tschokes were good for the Jews. But perhaps not good enough.

n a recent trip to New Haven, Conn., I wandered into Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade store where I was surprised to find among the international ceramics, weavings and jewelry a Jewish ritual object that was a different kind of “good” — a metal menorah from India made from a section of a recycled bicycle chain. The menorah, according to the store, was a product that was made without exploitation. Created by a group of artisans, mostly women, who work with Noah’s Ark International in Moradabad, India, a fair trade marketing organization, it was a menorah I could light up for Chanukah and not worry whether the worker who made

it earned enough to light their home as well. Newly enlightened, I wondered whether there was an organization that supported Judaica fair trade products; that led me to Ilana Schatz. In 2007 Schatz launched the Fair Trade Judaica website, which promotes fair trade products and provides technical assistance in designing new ones. It’s a way to connect marketers and retailers in the West with certified artisans and producers who support fair pay, safe work conditions, gender equality, a ban on child labor and environmental sustainability.

s Schatz saw it, the Jewish connection to fair trade was supported by Torah-based law and Talmudic interpretation that called for the paying of wages in a timely manner and not

oppressing workers, as well as not committing fraud or deception. “If Chanukah is a story of liberation, then products made for a fair wage represent a different kind of liberation,” she said in a recent interview. Schatz, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, added, “When you buy a fair trade product, it can lift that family out of poverty.” In addition to the bicycle chain menorah, Schatz also promotes a duck family menorah made in Cambodia; a 16-foot-long Papele Picado banner from Mexico with Chanukah cutouts; a soda can kippah from South Africa; and a string of colorful Jewish blessing flags, each with a hamsa that she had made in Nepal. Fair Trade Judaica also promotes a set of candlesticks from “Israel/ Palestine.” “We would really love to promote Israel products, but there isn’t a fair trade organization in Israel,

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE: REVIVAL OF JUDGMENT DENVER COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 06C0801 FIRST EAGLE FUNDING CORP. VS ROSEANNA MARIE SAN MIGUEL YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are required within ten days of your receipt of this Notice to show cause why the Judgment should not be revived by filing an Objection with the Court, which will then be set for Hearing. DATED this 1st day of December, 2011. CLERK OF THE COUNTY COURT First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 01/13/2012 Published: Intermountain Jewish News

NOTICE: REVIVAL OF JUDGMENT DENVER COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 06C4446 FIRST EAGLE FUNDING CORP. VS JOHNNY M. CORONA YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are required within ten days of your receipt of this Notice to show cause why the Judgment should not be revived by filing an Objection with the Court, which will then be set for Hearing. DATED this 1st day of December, 2011. CLERK OF THE COUNTY COURT First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 01/13/2012 Published: Intermountain Jewish News

NOTICE OF SALE The following individuals are hereby notified that their vehicles are to be sold at Wyatt’s Abandoned Vehicle Sale, 5130-B Brighton Bl, Denver, CO 80216, (303) 777-2448, Sale Date: 12-26-2011: F207 03 CHE P.V. Vin#127771; F206 03 DOD P.K. Vin#615593; F250 82 DOD VN Vin#197314; F271 02 DOD PK Vin#568896; F266 97 FOR UP Vin#A53120; F268 96 FOR VN Vin#A12605; F258 90 FOR PK Vin#A86593; F256 93 NIS SD Vin#218245; E983 92 MAZ SD Vin#204240; F249 95 MAZ SD Vin#321774; F263 04 SUZ SW Vin#252110; F254 75 HMD TU Vin#86COLO. Date of Publication: December 16, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News

NOTICE: REVIVAL OF JUDGMENT DENVER COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 05C33220 FIRST EAGLE FUNDING CORP. VS RONNIE L. BERNAL AND DESERIE LEANN BERNAL YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are required within ten days of your receipt of this Notice to show cause why the Judgment should not be revived by filing an Objection with the Court, which will then be set for Hearing. DATED this 28th day of November, 2011. CLERK OF THE COUNTY COURT First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 01/13/2012 Published: Intermountain Jewish News

though there is a fair trade store in Tel Aviv,” Schatz said. Glittering among this grouping of fair trade products are chocolate coins. Schatz spoke highly of Divine milk chocolate kosher Chanukah gelt made from chocolate grown in Ghana by farmers who receive a fair trade price for their beans and own 45% of the company. These are not “beans of affliction,” she said, shifting to a Passover metaphor. “They are really good chocolate.”

hese goods are goodly, but would you want to buy them? Looking at the Jewish relationship with handmade ritual objects, the handmade bike chain menorah called to mind the intention that goes into the making of mezzuzot (the handwritten parchment), ketubot, tefilin and the handtied tzitzit on a tallit. Reflecting that intention, Schatz, while working with the many international fair trade artisans who

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF SALE The following individual is hereby notified that their vehicle is to be sold at Skyline Recovery Systems LTD, 5130A Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216. Phone (720) 497-1119, Fax (303) 200-8829 www.denvertowing.org: 1997 Mercury Sable VIN #631018; 2002 Saturn SL VIN #125389. Date of Publication: December 16, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News NOTICE: REVIVAL OF JUDGMENT DENVER COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. L00628 WAKEFIELD AND ASSOCIATES, INC. VS JEANETTE D. PEREZ YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are required within ten days of your receipt of this Notice to show cause why the Judgment should not be revived by filing an Objection with the Court, which will then be set for Hearing. DATED this 1st day of December, 2011. CLERK OF THE COUNTY COURT First Publication: 12/16/2011 Last Publication: 01/13/2012 Published: Intermountain Jewish News NOTICE TO CREDITORS Case No. 11 PR 1102 In the matter of the estate of IRENE C. TAYLOR, a/k/a IRENE CHURCHILL TAYLOR, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Denver County, Colorado, or Denver Probate Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado, 1437 Bannock Street, Denver, Colorado 80202, on or before April 17, 2012, or the claims may be forever barred. JAMES A. KAPLAN, #7741 Attorney for Personal Representative, Health Management Systems, Inc. 717 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2300 Denver, Colorado 80202 Attorney or Party Without Attorney: JAMES A. KAPLAN, Atty. Reg. #: 7741 MACHOL & JOHANNES, LLC 717 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2300 Denver, Colorado 80202 Phone: (303) 830-0075 FAX: (303) 830-0047 E-mail: James.Kaplan@mjfirm.com First Publication: December 16, 2011 Last Publication: December 30, 2011 Published: Intermountain Jewish News

More legal notices on pages 16, 17, 18, 19

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make Judaica, has seen their “deep respect” for the work and need to understand what they make. As I turned over the menorah in my hand, I could see also adding to its value was the green beauty of an object made of material that we typically dispose of. As to the ritual correctness of the design, the shamash holder was positioned correctly; higher than the other eight. The chain allows the design to be worked into a variety of intriguing display positions. For the requirements of Jewish law, the menorah easily straightens to that configuration. Unlike conventional chanukiyot, which can be bulky and large, this design is lightweight as a result of the bicycle chain base and can be folded up to fit in your pocket or purse. It’s a design that will travel well, making a great companion for the story of economic freedom that is part of its design.

LEGAL NOTICES District Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado 1437 Bannock St. Room 256, Denver, CO 80202 (720) 865-8301 Division: 203 Courtroom: Case Number: 2011 CV 7365 PLAINTIFF(S): PLAZA DE MONACO TOWERS CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC. v. DEFENDANT(S): BRADLEY W. SHARP Attorney: Wendy E. Weigler, Reg. No. 28419 LANSKY, WEIGLER & PORTER, P.C. 1401 17th Street Suite 560 Denver, CO 80202 Telephone: (303) 297-1900 Fax: (303) 293-8938 E-mail: wweigler@lanskyweigler.com SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO: TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT: You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the complaint (petition) filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response within 30 days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court. If you fail to file your answer or other response to the complaint (petition) in writing within 30 days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the court for the relief demanded in the complaint without further notice. This is an action affecting the property described in the Complaint and is a proceeding in rem. Dated: November 18, 2011. Published: Intermountain Jewish News First Publication: December 2, 2011 Second Publication: December 9, 2011 Third Publication: December 16, 2011 Fourth Publication: December 23, 2011 Fifth Publication: December 30, 2011 /signature/ Wendy E. Weigler Original Signature of Wendy E. Weigler on file at the offices of Lansky, Weigler & Porter, P.C. Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Petitioner(s) (This Summons is issued pursuant to Rule 4(g), Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure. This form should not be used where personal service is desired.) (TO THE CLERK: When this summons is issued by the clerk of the court, the signature block for the clerk or deputy should be provided by stamp, or typewriter, in the space to the left of the attorney’s name.) *Rule 12(a), C.R.C.P. allows 30 days for answer or response where service of process is by publication. However, under various statutes, a different response time is set forth, e.g. §38-6-104, C.R.S. (eminent domain); §38-36-121, C.R.S. (Torrens registration).

20 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

OBITUARIES

NEWS

Larry Gruntfest

Norma Katz

Thelma L. Isenberg

Larry Howard Gruntfest, founder and director of the Allied Players at the Allied Jewish Apartments, passed away Dec. 11, 2011, in Denver. Cantor Joel Lichterman officiated at the Dec. 12 graveside service at Mt. Nebo Cemetery. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements. “Larry was loved by many and spent much of his life spreading joy to those around him,” the family said. “While the last years of his life were difficult, he was the first one to make an amusing remark and share his wry sense of humor. “His smile, sweet nature and thoughtful comments will be missed.” Mr. Gruntfest was born June 6, 1944, in Brooklyn. He earned a degree in English literature from Queens College. After moving to Denver in the early 1980s, he founded the Allied Players and contributed many original plays to the group. In addition to teaching English, German and theater, Mr. Gruntfest was an actor, a comedian, musician, poet and a regional Breslov Chassidus contact. He also was a singer-waiter at Uncle Zalman’s Kosher Emporium. A magician, he enjoyed performing magic tricks for his nieces and nephews. Mr. Gruntfest is survived by his sisters Marilyn (Jerry) Kopelman and Nancy (Alan) Manocherian; nieces and nephews Daniel, Aviva, Matthew, Alissa, Michael and Jesse; and great-nephews and great-nieces Lexi, Arianna, Travis, Reagan, Zoey and Violet. Contributions may be made to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org, www.parkinson.org, www.michaeljfox.org or any programs furthering Parkinson’s research; or Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger.

Norma Katz, a native Denverite and lifelong resident, passed away Nov. 29, 2011, in Denver. Rabbi Steven Foster officiated at the Dec. 2 service held at Temple Emanuel. Interment followed at Mt. Nebo Cemetery. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements. “A loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister, she was a caring friend to all,” the family said. “She was always positive and full of life.” Mrs. Katz was born April 7, 1932, in Denver. She graduated East High School in 1950 and attended DU and the Colorado State College of Education. She married Morey “Sonny” Katz on Dec. 27, 1955. A homemaker, Mrs. Katz volunteered for DPS, the Temple Emanuel Sisterhood, Visiting Nurses Assn., and Seniors Inc. She also was a lifetime member of Hadassah. Mrs. Katz is survived by her husband Morey Katz of Denver; children Mark (Lynn) Katz of Denver, Lori (Steven) Winter of Highlands Ranch, Lisa (Daniel) Freyling of Kirkland, Wash., and Diane (Stephen) Keeton of Highlands Ranch; grandchildren Jennifer Katz, Jeffrey Katz, Scott and Ryan Winter, Brandon Freyling, and Andrew and Katherine Keeton; brother Dr. Lawrence (Karen) Zivin of Portland, Ore.; and brother- and sister-in-law Bernard and Shana Katz of Denver. Contributions may be made to The Denver Hospice or the charity of choice.

T h e l m a “Toby” Isenberg, a Denver resident since 1963, passed away Dec. 9, 2011, in Denver. She was 86. Services were held Dec. 12 at Shalom Cares. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements. Mrs. Isenberg was born May 22, 1925, in Providence, Rhode Island. She married Joel S. Isenberg, whom she met at Brown University while she was working as a “human calculator” for the doctoral candidates. They moved to Denver in 1963. Mr. Isenberg passed away on Oct. 11, 1980. Mrs. Isenberg is survived by her sons Ronn Isenberg of Denver and David Isenberg of Copenhagen, Denmark, and daughters Deborah (Russ) Isenberg Pratt of Englewood and Laurie (Joel Roos) Isenberg of San Francisco, Calif.; and grandchildren Elan and Asher Isenberg, Joel Pratt and Will Roos. Contributions may be made to Shalom Cares or Shalom Cares Hospice.

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Simon Levy, director of Casablanca’s Jewish Museum and one of the last in a generation of prominent Moroccan Jews, died Dec. 2 at 77 in Rabat. Levy, a founder and later secretary general of the Moroccan Judaism Foundation, was Morocco’s “foremost authority on Moroccan Jewish culture,” an Englishlanguage website from Morocco wrote, and “his work will continue to guide future generations, academia, and researchers all over the world.” The Fez-born Levy had been a professor in the Spanish Department of Mohamed V University in Rabat after being imprisoned because of his resistance to the French rule at the time and demands to grant independence to Morocco. Levy, a leading figure in Morocco’s Communist Party, also was imprisoned later during Morocco’s “Years of Lead,” a period of opposition to King Hassan II, who ruled until 1999. Like other Moroccan Jewish political activists, many of whom also were affiliated with the country’s Communist Party, Levy often was critical of Israel.

To place an OBITUARY NOTICE in the INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS® Call Andrea Jacobs at (303) 861-2234. Due to space constrictions, editing of copy may be necessary. There is no charge for a standard obituary.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND

JEWISH NEWS

EAST: Aharon’s Books, 600 S. Holly Street, Suite 103 • Aurora Newsland, Iliff & Chambers • Allied Jewish Apartments, 22 S. Adams Street • East Side Kosher Deli, Inc., 499 S. Elm Street • Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia Street • Pete’s Fruit and Vegetables, 5600 E. Cedar Avenue • Columbia-Rose Medical Center, Gift Shop • Tattered Cover Bookstore, 2526 E. Colfax Avenue • Zaidy’s Deli, 121 Adams Street SOUTH (of Alameda): Bagel Deli, 6439 E. Hampden Avenue • Bagel Store, 942 S. Monaco Parkway • Boutique Judaica, 5078 E. Hampden Avenue • DeliTech, 8101 E. Belleview Avenue • Jewish Family Service, 3201 S. Tamarac Drive • King Soopers, 4910 S. Yosemite Street • New York Deli News, 7105 E. Hampden Avenue • Tattered Cover Bookstore, 9315 Dorchester Street WEST: King Soopers, 1725 Sheridan Boulevard • Raleigh Professional Pharmacy, 4200 W. Conejos Place DOWNTOWN: Denver Press Club, 1336 Glenarm Place • Intermountain Jewish News, 1177 Grant Street, Suite 200 • Tattered Cover LoDo, 1628 16th Street BOULDER: Boulder JCC, 3800 Kalmia Avenue • Eads News & Smoke Shop, 1715 28th Street WESTMINSTER: Westminster Newsland, 9295 Federal Boulevard

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EW YORK (JTA) — A New Brunswick, NJ, man who was charged in the vandalism of several Jewishowned shops in nearby Highland Park reportedly is Jewish. Richard M. Green, 52, was charged with numerous counts of bias intimidation and criminal mischief for allegedly smashing the windows of five Jewish-owned businesses. The vandalism took place at the end of November and Green was arrested Nov. 30. According to the New Jersey Jewish News, Green’s face was familiar to owners of Jewish establishments and institutions. Green also has been identified by authorities as the person who allegedly accosted a kipah-wearing Rutgers University student in a

Dunkin Donuts on Nov. 30. Andrew Getraer, the Rutgers Hillel’s executive director, said that Green was Jewish and “known to be mentally ill and has been treated for his mental illness,” the newspaper reported. “We’ve met this individual,” Rabbi Yosef Carlebach, executive director of the Chabad House Lubavitch of Central and Southern New Jersey, told the New Jersey Jewish News. “We’ve had some recent experience with him. It’s really a very sad story of someone who appears to be mentally deranged. We communicated that to law enforcement. We left it to the police to do their work. We told anyone who called that we contacted law enforcement and have a handle on it.”

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ERUSALEM (JTA) — The Palestinians said Israeli police killed a man taking part in a protest against the West Bank security fence. Mustafa Tamimi, 21, died Saturday, Dec. 10, after being hit in the eye with a tear-gas canister during a demonstration near the Ariel settlement, where Palestinians have been protesting against the seizure of their farmlands for fence construction, witnesses said. Yediot Achronot ran a photograph appearing to show a

masked Tamimi running after an Israeli border police jeep, whose open rear door emits a trail of smoke. The distance between man and vehicle appears to be about 15 feet. Tamimi was injured Dec. 9 and died in an Israeli hospital the next day. Anti-fence activists have complained regularly that Israeli forces sometimes fire tear gas at dangerously close ranges. The Israeli military said the incident was under investigation.

Australia’s Sir Zelman Cowen passes away

YDNEY (JTA) — Australia’s Jewish former governor-general, Sir Zelman Cowen, has died. Cowen, Australia’s head of state from 1975 to 1982, passed away in Melbourne Dec. 8 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 92. A state funeral at Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne, where he was married 66 years ago, will be held next week. Cowen was only the second Jew to hold the highest monarchical office in the country. The other was Sir Isaac Isaacs, the subject of a biography written by Cowen in 1967. Cowen was knighted in 1977. A Rhodes scholar at Oxford, Cowen became a jurist, constitutional lawyer, university vice-chancellor as well as an ardent republican. He was also a proud Jew and a staunch Zionist, once saying that if Israel had been destroyed in the Six Day War, “it would have destroyed me as a person.” Tributes have flooded in from representatives of the myriad Jewish and Israeli organizations he was connected to. Among them, the

Sir Zelman Cowen Council of Christians and Jews, the Jewish Museum of Australia, the Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, the Weizman Institute of Science and the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem. Born in Melbourne in 1919, he was the son of refugees from czarist Russia. He is survived by four children, 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

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December 16, 2011 • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • Section E • 21

S Y N A G O G U E METRO DENVER Aish Denver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-220-7200 9550 E. Belleview Ave. Englewood, CO 80111 . . . . . aishdenver.com Rabbi Yaakov Meyer, Lisa Berkow, chair . . . . ymeyer@aish.com Allied Jewish Housing Chapel . . . . . . . 303-355-0232 22 S. Adams, Denver, CO 80209 - Dr. Seth Ward sward@uwyo.edu Bais Menachem . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-329-0213 400 S. Holly, Denver, CO 80246 . . . www.baismenachemdenver.com Rabbi Yisroel Engel . . . . . info@baismenachem.com Beth Evergreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-670-4294 2981 Bergen Peak Dr., POB 415, Evergreen, CO 80437-0415 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bethevergreen.org Rabbi Benjamin Arnold, Alan Rubin, Pres . . . shalom@bethevergreen.org Beth Shalom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-794-6643 6116 So. Penn. St., Centennial, CO 80121 . . www.cbsdenver.org Rabbi Jeffrey Kaye . . . . . . . . cbsdenver@yahoo.com BMH-BJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-388-4203 560 S. Monaco Pkwy., Denver, CO 80224-1227. . . www.bmh-bj.org Rabbi Selwyn Franklin, Cantor Joel I. Lichterman, Michael Engleberg, Pres. B’nai Chaim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-697-2668 4716 So. Coors Ln., Morrison, CO 80465 . . . . . www.bnaichaim.org Rabbi Severine Sokol, Sophie Gross, Pres. . . . . info@bnaichaim.org B’nai Havurah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-388-4441 6445 E. Ohio Ave., Denver, CO 80224-1459 . . . www.bnaihavurah.org Rabbi Evette Lutman. . . . . . . office@bnaihavurah.org Chabad of NW Metro Denver . . . 303-429-5177 4505 W. 112th Ave., Westminster, CO 80031 . . . www.thechabadhouse.com Rabbi Benjy Brackman. . . . . . MileHighChabad@aol.com Chabad of South Metro Denver . 303-792-7222 9950 Lone Tree Pkwy., Lone Tree, CO 80124 . . . info@DenverJewishCenter.com www.DenverJewishCenter.com . . . . Rabbi Avraham Mintz Colorado Bukharian Center . . . . 720-628-1141 1930 S. Havana St., Aurora, CO 80014 Rabbi Aryeh L. Steinman, mentor; Rabbi Refael Mordechayev Congregation B’nai Torah . . . . . 303-692-5234 3990 W. 74th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030 . . www.bnai-torah-colroado.org Rabbi Anat Moskowitz, Mark Harvey, Pres . . bnaitorah@mindspring.com Congregation Emanuel . . . . . . . 303-388-4013 51 Grape St., Denver, CO 80220. . . www.congregationemanuel.com Rabbis Joe Black, Mitchell Delcau, Cantor Regina Heit Jim Cohen, Pres. . . . . shalom@congregationemanuel.com Congregation Kohelet . . . . . . . . 303-321-7729 428 S. Forest St., Denver, CO 80246. . . . . www.kohelet.org Adam Hirsch, Pres. . . . . . . koheletadmin@gmail.com DAT Minyan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-281-8999 6825 E. Alameda Ave., Denver, CO 80224 . . http://www.datminyan.org Rabbi Asher Klein; Scott Friedman, Pres. . . info@datminyan.org East Denver Orthodox Synagogue . . . 303-322-7943 198 S. Holly, Denver, CO 80246 Rabbi Marc Gittler, Rabbi Yaakov Calm, Pres. Hebrew Educational Alliance (HEA) . . 303-758-9400 3600 S. Ivanhoe St., Denver, CO 80237 . . www.headenver.org Rabbi Bruce Dollin, Cantor Martin Goldstein, Rick Rubin, Pres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@headenver.org Kehilas Bais Yisroel. . . . . . . . . . 303-720-0818 295 S. Locust St., Denver, CO 80224 Rabbi Aver Jacobs. Elly Zussman, Pres. Ohr Avner — Bukharan Community . . . . 720-435-5906 11275 East Missippi Ave., Aurora, CO Rabbi Yaakov Abayev, Yaakov Bachaev, Pres. Rodef Shalom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-399-0035 450 S. Kearney St., Denver, CO 80224 . . . www.rodef-shalom.org Rabbi Bernard Gerson, Cantor Dr. Saul Rosenthal Scott Fisher, Pres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . crsoffice@aol.com Shalom Al Yisrael . . . . . . . . . . . 303-399-3059 694 S. Flamingo Ct., Denver, CO 80246 . . . www.rabbihenochdov.com Rabbi Howard Hoffman Shir Chadash Southeast Denver . . . 303-779-6741 Hilary Palmer, President . . www.shirchadashdenver.org Tehilat Hashem (WCRJ). . . . . . 303-355-8223; 303-399-8917 295 S. Locust St., Denver, CO 80224 Rabbi Aharon Sirota. Barry Karp, Pres. Temple Micah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-388-4239 2600 Leyden St., Denver, CO 80207-1009 . www.micahdenver.org Rabbi Adam Morris. Judith Cassel-Mamet, Pres. Temple Sinai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-759-1827 3509 S. Glencoe, Denver, CO 80237 Rabbi Richard Rheins, Rabbi Jay TelRav, Rabbi Raymond Zwerin, Emeritus; Neil Culbertson, Pres. Zera Abraham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-825-7517 1560 Winona Ct., Denver, CO 80204 Chaim Abrams, Pres.

BOULDER B’nai B’rith Hillel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-442-6571 2795 Colorado Ave., Boulder, CO 80302 . hillelcolorado.org hillelcu@colorado.edu Chabad at CU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-444-2775 718 14th St., Boulder, CO 80302 . . www.jewishcu.com rabbi@jewishcu.com Congregation Bonai Shalom . . . . . 303-442-6605/FAX 303-442-7545 1527 Cherryvale Rd., Boulder, CO 80303. . . http://www.bonaishalom.org Rabbi Marc Soloway. Bruce Wildman, Pres. Congregation Har HaShem . . . . . . . . . 303-499-7077 3950 Baseline Rd., Boulder, CO 80303 . . . . . . . www.harhashem.org Rabbis Joshua Rose, Deborah R. Bronstein, Andre Halpern, Pres. Congregation Nevei Kodesh . . . . . . . . 303-271-3540 POB 21601, Boulder, CO 80308-4601. . . . www.neveikodesh.org Rabbi Tirzah Firestone . . . . . . info@neveikodesh.org Kehillath Aish Kodesh. . . . . 303-443-2497, 720-406-7657 1805 Balsam Ave., Boulder, CO 80301 . . www.BoulderAishKodesh.Org Morah Yehudis Fishman, Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder heyrabbi@comcast.net Lubavitch of Boulder County . . . . . . . . . 303-494-1638 4900 Sioux Dr., Boulder, CO 80303. . . www.lubavitchofboulder.org Rabbi Pesach Scheiner . . . . . . . . . lubavbldr@cs.com Pardes Levavot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-530-4422 7077 Harvest Rd., Boulder CO 80301 Rabbis Victor and Nadya Gross . . . pardes@ecoisp.com

COLORADO Aspen Jewish Congregation . . . 970-925-8245 Aspen Chapel, 0077 Meadowood Dr., Aspen, CO 81611 Rabbi David Segal . . . . . . . . . . www.jewishaspen.com Beth Israel Congregation. . . . . . 970-353-0869 POB 867, Greeley, CO 80632-0867 . . . Rabbi Sara Gilbert Barry Shelofsky, Pres. . . . . . www.bethisraelgreeley.org B’nai Butte Congregation . . . . . 970-349-7742 PO Box 2537, Crested Butte, CO 81224 . www.bnaibutte.com Bruce Alpern & Tami Gitin, Co-Pres. . . . bnaibutte@crestedbutte.net B’nai Or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 719-543-5289 106 W. 15th St., Pueblo, CO 81003 . . . Paul Aviles-Silva, Pres. Rabbi Dr. Robert Saunders . . . . . . . shatzka1@earthlink.net B’nai Vail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970-477-2992 Vail Interfaith Chapel, 19 Vail Rd. Vail, CO 81657. www.bnaivail.org Rabbi Debrah Rappaport, Brad Cohen, C.J. Tenner, Pres.’s. . info@bnaivail.org Chabad Jewish Center of Longmont . . . 303-678-7595 195 S. Main St., Ste. 4, Longmont, CO 80501 . www.JewishLongmont.com Rabbi Yakov Borenstein . . . rabbi@JewishLongmont.com Chabad Jewish Center of Northern CO . 970-407-1613 940 Pioneer Ave., Ft. Collins, CO 80521 . www.jewishnco.com Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelik. . . . . . rabbi@jewishnco.com Chabad of Aspen . . . . . . . . . . . . 970-544-3770 435 W. Main St., Aspen, CO 81611 . . www.chabadaspen.com Rabbi Mendel Mintz. . . . . . . . . aspenchabad@aol.com Chabad of Vail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970-476-7887 1000 Lionsridge Loop, Suite 3B, Vail, CO 81657 . . www.jewishvail.com Rabbi Dovid Mintz . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@jewishvail.com Congregation Har Shalom . . . . . 970-223-5191 725 W. Drake Rd., Ft. Collins, CO 80526 . . . www.congregationharshalom.org office@congregationharshalom.org Congregation Ohr Shalom . . . . . . . 970-243-2491 441 Kennedy Ave., Grand Junction, CO 81501 David Eisner, Pres., Rabbi Jamie Korngold Har Mishpacha . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970-879-2082 POB 774362, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 Bert Halberstadt, Pres.; Rabbi Steve Booth-Nadav Har Shalom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970-375-0613 2537 County Road 203, POB 9199, Durango, CO 81302-9199 Rabbi Eliot J. Baskin . . . www.harshalomdurango.org Judaism in the Foothills . . . . . . 303-679-0613 3959 Ponderosa Ln., Evergreen, CO 80439 . . . www.judaisminthefoothills.com Rabbi Levi Brackman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@jitf.org

S H U L

D I R E C T O R Y Longmont Shabbat Group . . . . . . . . . . 303-651-6822 Susan Scruggs . . . . . . . . . . . . shablong@comcast.net Synagogue of the Summit . . . . . . . . . . 970-668-0670 PO Box 4625, Frisco, CO 80443 . . . www.synagogueofthesummit.org Carol Barrons, Pres. . . . . . . . . . . . cbarrons@aol.com Temple Aaron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 719-846-2781 309 S. Maple, Trinidad, CO 81082 Kathryn Rubin Temple Emanuel . . . . . . . . . . . . 719-544-6448 1325 N. Grand Ave., Pueblo, CO 81003. . . . mikeeaa@coloradobluesky.org Michael Atlas-Acuna, Pres., Cantor Birdie Becker Temple Or Hadash . . . . . . . . . . . 970-407-7896 PO Box 272953, Ft. Collins, CO 80527 . . . . . www.templeorhadash.org Rabbi Ted Stainman, Marty Goldberg, Pres. United Hebrew Center . . . . . . . . 719-544-9897 106 W. 15th St., Pueblo, CO 81003 Gerald Rosenblatt, Pres.

COLORADO SPRINGS Air Force Academy . . . . . . . . . . 719-333-2636 2348 Sijan Dr., Suite 100, USAF Academy, CO 80840 Chaplain Rabbi Joshua Narrowe Chabad Southern Colorado . . . . . . . . . 719-634-2345 410 Allegheny Dr., Colo. Spgs., CO 80919 . . www.thejewishflame.com Rabbi Moshe Liberow . . . . Rabbiliberow@gmail.com Temple Beit Torah . . . . . . . . . . . 719-573-0841 P.O. Box 25909, Colo. Spgs., CO 80936 . . . . www.beit-torah.org Rabbi Don Levy, Kim Gilbert, Pres. therabbi@beit-torah.org Temple Shalom . . . . . . . . . . . . . 719-634-5311 1523 E. Monument St., Colo. Spgs., CO 80909 Rabbi Mel Glazer, Dan Mirer, Pres.

IDAHO Ahavath Beth Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208-343-6601 11 North Latah St, Boise, ID 83706 . . . www.ahavathbethisrael.org Rabbi Daniel Fink, Sharon Katz, Pres. . . rabbidan@ahavathbethisrael.org Chabad Jewish Center of Idaho. . . . . . . . . . . . . 208-853-9200 6114 North Cape Arago Place, Boise, ID 83714-4029 Wood River Jewish Community, Ketchum . . . . . 208-726-1183 Box 837, Ketchum, ID 83340

MONTANA Aitz Chaim POB 6192, Great Falls, MT 59406-6192. http://uahc.org/mt/aitzchaim Marjorie Feldman, Pres.. . . . . . . . . . . . . quack@sofast.net Jewish Community of Flathead Valley, Bet Harim . . 406-756-5159 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . website: betharim.com Eric Kaplan, Pres.. . . . . . . membership@betharim.com Beth Shalom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406-556-0528 2010 W. Koch St. Bozeman MT, 59718 . www.bethshalombozeman.org Rabbi Ed Stafman . . . . . . . rabbi@bethshalombozeman.org Chabad Lubavitch of Montana . . . . . . . 406-585-8770 8755 Huffman Ln, Bozeman, MT 59715 . . www.JewishMontana.com Rabbi Chaim Bruk . . . . . . . rabbi@jewishMontana.com Congregation Beth Aaron. . . . . . . . . . . 406-248-6412 POB 187, Billings, MT 59103 . . . . . . . . www.cbamt.org Rabbi Barbara Block . . . . . . . rabbiblock10@gmail.com Congregation B’nai Israel. . . . . . . . . . . 406-723-7993 327 W. Galena St., Butte, MT 59701 Paul Blumenthal, Pres., Janet Cornish . . . janallyce@aol.com Har Shalom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406-549-9595 POB 3715, Missoula, MT 59806-3715 . www.Har-Shalom.org Bert Chessin, President . . . . . . info@Har-Shalom.org

NEW MEXICO B’nai Shalom Havurah . . . . . . . . 505-737-2878 c/o S.J. PO Box 1108, Taos, NM 87571 Jeremy Powell, President Chabad Jewish Center of Santa Fe . . . 505-983-2000 242 W. S. Mateo., Santa Fe, NM 87505 . . www.chabadcenters.com/santafe Rabbi Berl Levertov, director. . ChabadSantaFe@aol.com Chabad of New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-880-1181 4000 San Pedro NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. . . www.ChabadNM.org Rabbi Chaim Schmukler Congregation Albert . . . . . . . . . 505-883-1818 3800 Louisiana Blvd. N.E. Albuquerque, NM 87110. . . www.congregationalbert.org Cantor Barbara Finn, Marcia Lubar, Pres. . . . . . . . . . . . admin@congregationalbert.com Congregation Beit Tikva. . . . . . 505-820-2991 POB 24094, Santa Fe, NM 87502 . . www.beittikva.info Rabbis Martin W. Levy, Leonard Helman; Cantor Michael Linder; Kate Shane, Pres. . . . . . . . Rap1818@aol.com Congregation B’nai Israel. . . . . . . . . . . 505-266-0155 4401 Indian School Rd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 . www.bnaiisrael-nm.org Rabbi Arthur Flicker, Wayne Bobrick, Pres. . . rabbi@bnaiisrael-nm.org Congregation B’nai Israel . . 505-622-5814; 505-625-9883 712 N. Washington, Roswell, NM 88201 Richard Sidd, Pres. Congregation Nahalat Shalom . . . . . . . 505-343-8227 3606 Rio Grande Blvd., NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107. . www.swcp.com/~rweisz Rabbi Deborah Brin. Marg Elliston, Marc Wunder, Co-Pres. Los Alamos Jewish Center . . . . . . . . . 505-662-2140 2400 Cannon Rd., Los Alamos, NM 87544 Rabbi Jack Shlachter, David Izraelevitz, Pres. Rio Rancho Jewish Center . . . . . . . . . 505-892-8511 2009 Grande Blvd., Rio Rancho, NM 87124 Norman Koplowitz, Pres. Temple Beth El . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-524-3380 PO Box 1029, Las Cruces, 88004-1029 . . http://nm002.urj.net Rabbi Gerald Kane, David Steinborn, Pres. . jercyrl@aol.com Temple Beth El of Carlsbad . . . 575-885-3699 1002 Pate Street, Carlsbad, NM 88220 Joel Siegel, Pres. Temple Beth Shalom . . . . . . . . . 505-982-1376 205 E. Barcelona Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501 Rabbi Marvin Schwab. Bette Yozzell, Pres.

SOUTH DAKOTA Synagogue of the Hills . . . . . . . 605-348-0805 417 N. 40th St, Rapid City, SD 57702 . . . www.synagogueofthehills.org Barb Ames, Administrator . . . . . bhshul1@gmail.com

UTAH Brith Sholem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 801-392-7688 2750 Grant Ave., Ogden, UT 84401 Judi Amsel, Pres. . . http://uahc.org/ut/ut004/index.html Chabad of Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 801-467-7777 1433 S. 1100 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84105 www.chabadutah.org Rabbi Benny Zippel Chavurah B’Yachad . . . . . . . . . . 801-325-4539 PO Box 9115, Salt Lake City, UT 84109-9115 Alan Fogel, Pres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.cbyachad.org Kol Ami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 801-484-1501 2425 E. Heritage Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84109 Rabbi Elana Shvartzman, Cantor Laurence D. Loeb, Richard Rappaport, Pres. Sha’arei Tefila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 801-553-4196 851 E. 1300 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84105 Micha Barach Temple Har Shalom . . . . . . . . . . 435-649-2276 1922 Prospector Ave., POB 681236, Park City, UT 84068 Rabbi Joshua Aronson. Bill Tumpowsky, Pres. Drora Oren, Admin. drora@templeharshalom.com

A C T I V I T I E S

Aish Denver

DAT Minyan

9550 E. Belleview Ave. Rabbi Yaakov Meyer (303) 220-7200

6825 E. Alameda Ave. Rabbi Asher Klein

Orthodox congregation. FRIDAY, EREV SHABBOS — Mincha, 4:25 p.m. SATURDAY, SHABBOS — Shacharis, 7:45 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Daf Yomi 11:30 a.m. Kiddush sponsored by Bill Waldman in memory of his father on his yahrzeit, Geroge Gumbiner in memory of his mother on her yahrzeit, Zvi Gelt in memory of his grandfather on his yahrzeit, and Alan and Sheera Palmer in honor of the bris of their son. Mincha, 4:10 p.m. WEEKDAYS — Shacharis, Sun., 7:45 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. Mon., Thurs., 6:45.Tues., Wed., Fri., 6 and 7 a.m. Mincha, Sun.-Thurs., 4:20 p.m.

Bais Menachem 400 S. Holly St. Rabbi Yisroel Engel (303) 329-0213 Orthodox congregation. FRIDAY, EREV SHABBOS —Mincha, 4:25 p.m. SATURDAY, SHABBOS — Chassidus, 8:15 a.m. Shacharis, 9 a.m. Kiddush sponsored by Mark and Tali Zimmerman in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of their son Ariel. Mincha, 4:15 p.m. Children’s Melavah Malka, 6:30 p.m. Daf Yomi, 8 p.m. WEEKDAYS — Shacharis, Sun., 8 a.m. Lox and Bagels with a Prophet, 9:10 a.m. Mon., Thurs., 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m. Tues., Fri, 6:45 a.m. Wed., 6:25 a.m. Mincha, Sun.-Thurs., 4:25 p.m.

(303) 366-7850 Orthodox congregation. FRIDAY, EREV SHABBAT — Mincha, 4:20 p.m. SATURDAY, SHABBAT — Shacharit, 9 a.m. Kiddush sponsored DAT Minyan. Mincha, 4:10 p.m. Havdalah, 5:19 p.m. WEEKDAYS — Shacharit, Sun., 8 a.m. Mon., Thurs., 6:35 a.m., 8 a.m., Tues., Wed, Fri., 6:45 a.m. Mincha, Sun.-Tues, 4:20 p.m.

East Denver Orthodox Synagogue 198 S. Holly St. Rabbi Marc Gitler (303) 322-7943 Orthodox congregation. FRIDAY, EREV SHABBAT —Mincha, 4:20 p.m. SATURDAY, SHABBAT — Shacharit, 9 a.m. Kiddush sponsored by EDOS. Mincha, 4:10 p.m. Havdalah, 5:19 p.m. WEEKDAYS — Shacharit, Sun., 7:30 a.m. Mon., Thurs., 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., Tues., Wed., Fri., 6:45 a.m. Mincha, Sun.-Thurs., 4:25 p.m.

C A L E N D A R December 16 - December 24 Kislev 20 - Kislev 28 F RIDAY, December 16, 2011 Light Shabbat candles (Denver): 4:18 p.m. Light Shabbat candles (Boulder): 4:19 p.m. Light Shabbat candles (Aspen): 4:28 p.m. Torah portion: Vayeshev Pentateuch: Genesis 37:1-40:23 Prophets: Amos 2:6-3:8 S ATURDAY, D ECEMBER 17, 2011 Shabbat ends (Denver): 5:21 p.m. Shabbat ends (Boulder): 5:22 p.m. Shabbat ends (Aspen): 5:31 p.m. T UESDAY, D ECEMBER 20, 2011 Erev Chanukah First light in the evening W EDNESAY, D ECEMBER 21, 2011 First day of Chanukah Two lights in the evening T HURSDAY, D ECEMBER 22, 2011 Second day of Chanukah Three lights in the evening F RIDAY, December 23, 2011 Third day of Chanukah Four lights in evening, before Shabbat candles

Light Shabbat candles (Denver): 4:21 p.m. Light Shabbat candles (Boulder): 4:22 p.m. Light Shabbat candles (Aspen): 4:30 p.m. S ATURDAY, D ECEMBER 24, 2011 Fourth day of Chanukah Five lights in the evening, after Shabbat Shabbat ends (Denver): 5:24 p.m. Shabbat ends (Boulder): 5:25 p.m. Shabbat ends (Aspen): 5:33 p.m. MORNING

TIME LIMIT FOR RECITATION OF

SHEMA YISROEL (sof zeman keriat shema, GRA) 8:34 a.m.-8:38 a.m. D AILY TALMUD S CHEDULE Sat.-Fri., Bechoros 33-39 E RUV H OTLINES E AST S IDE E RUV: (303) 836-3788 W EST S IDE E RUV: (303) 767-3788

S OUTHEAST E RUV: (303) 220-7200,

EXT.

Chabad starts online Jewish dating sites

makers view suggestions EW YORK (JTA) — made by an algorithm. Chabad has entered After individuals are interthe world of online viewed, their contact inforJewish dating with mation is released. three new websites and Matchmakers also offer plans for 10 more. members guidance throughThe sites, which were out the dating process. launched in Dallas, Boston Bernath plans to roll out and Miami over the past 50 sites worldwide, all of two months, aim to help which will be connected in young singles find love in a global network so that Jewtheir own towns, Haaretz ish singles have the choice of reported. meeting someone at home The effort is inspired by or abroad. the success of Rabbi Yisroel Bernath “It’s an extraordinarily effiJMontreal.org, which was founded by Rabbi Yisroel Bernath, who cient way for Chabad representatives to tap has reportedly made over 250 introductions. into their networks of young professionals Bernath said his system differs from com- and make Jewish marriages happen,” petitor websites like JDate because match- Bernath said.

WYOMING Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming. . . . 307-462-0847 POB 9818, Jackson, WY . . . . . . . www.JewishWyoming.org Rabbi Zalman Mendelsohn . . . . . info@JewishWyoming. org Congregation Kol Ha’Am . . . . . . 307-265-5962 PO Box 51526 Casper, WY 82605-1526. . . . . www.WyomingJews.com Barb Watters, pararabbinic fellow . . . . . info@WyomingJews.com Jackson Hole Chaverim . . . . . . . 307-734-4754 PO Box 10667, Jackson, WY 83002 . . www.jhjewishcommunity.org Rabbi Mike Comins. Phyllis Turtle, Pres. Laramie Jewish Community Center. . . . 307-760-9275 POB 202, Laramie, WY 82073-0202. www.laramiejewishcommunitycenter.org. Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman, Mike Wasser, Pres. . . . ljwy@starband.net Mt. Sinai Synagogue . . . . . . . . . 307-634-3052 2610 Pioneer Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001 . . www.mtsinaicheyenne.org Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman. Marv Wolf, Pres. Temple Beth El . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307-237-2330 4105 S. Poplar; mailing address: POB 50933, Casper, WY 82605-0933. www.jewishcasper.org Sam Wiseman, Gen. Sec . . . utopialtd1@aol.com

Bais Menachem lights menorah

ais Menachem will sponsor the following Chanukah events: • Menorah lighting next to Macy’s at Stapleton Northfield, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 5:30 p.m. • Grand Chanukah party with menorah lighting, a latke melava malka, music,

juggling, prizes and raffles, 6:30 p.m., at Bais Menachem. Information: (303) 329-0213.

22 â&#x20AC;˘ Section E â&#x20AC;˘ INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Chanukah Edition â&#x20AC;˘ December 16, 2011

Carole is passing her daughter Jessicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apartment around dinnertime and decides to stop by for a chat. Jessica happens to be Caroleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest child â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and the only one who isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t married yet. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sore subject they rarely mention to each other. Carole and Jessica are drinking some coffee at the kitchen table when the doorbell rings. Jessica excuses herself and answers the door. Carole hears a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talking so quietly she canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hear what heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s saying. But she can hear her daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reply: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thanks for asking,â&#x20AC;? Jessica says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very flattered. I have to admit that I fall in love easily â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but somehow I frighten men and they run away. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand it. All I want is to get married and become a mother. Believe me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my highest priority. And although we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t known each other long, I truly believe

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you are the man Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been waiting for.â&#x20AC;? Well, Carole canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand the suspense, so she stands next to the kitchen door so she can hear better. After all, this young man might be her next son-in-law! But her heart sinks when she catches his reply. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Listen,â&#x20AC;? the man says to Jessica, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand here chatting all day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just pay me for the pizza and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be on my way.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ Michael Zeitlin, owner of Zeitlin & Associates CPAs, was born at Rose Hospital. He earned a BS in accounting from CU and an MA in taxation from DU. A former Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nai Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;rith

Michael Zeitlin then and now president, he had his Bar Mitzvah at Beth Joseph. Michael served for three years as president of the Autism Society of Colorado. He received the 2008 Heroes & Heroines Award for community service and was honored with the Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Service Award in 2009. Now a member of Temple Emanuel, Michael excels at tennis, bridge and ping pong . . . Correct guessers are brother Shelley Zeitlin of New York (who tells us last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s picture was taken in 1956 in the family living room on Grape Street on the seventh night of Chanukah), aunt Bea Towbin, aunt Joan and uncle Iran Emeson, Joe Wolf, Bob Davidson, Sid Milzer, Debra Smith, Alisa Garner, Jack Greenwald, Phil Michaelson (calling from Hot Springs Village, Ark.), Ida Goldberger, Scott and Barbara Hailpern, Suzanne Fraitag

IJN WEBSITE EDITOR SHANA R. GOLDBERG

www.ijn.com & blog

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rocky Mountain Jewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; HAPPY CHANUKAH! Rocky Mountain Jew wishes all its readers a wonderful eight days of Chanukah! Complementing this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colorful Chanukah section, find recipes for latkes and RĂśsti on the IJN blog, plus on our Community Calendar, holiday events taking place across the Rocky Mountain area, including Denver, Boulder and New Mexico. And make sure to vote in our Facebook poll â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which Shana Goldberg flavor of sufganiya will you be sampling this Chanukah? (www.ijn.com/community-calendar/61 and www.facebook.com/IntermountainJewishNews) AFTER SPRING, WINTER Events in the Middle East have gone from a hopeful spring through a traumatic summer, and now an uncertain winter. On the blog weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve collected links that we find to be insightful analyses, providing a good overview of the situation, including The Spectator and the Wall Street Journal. (www.ijn.com/blog)

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Shapiro, Estee Fraitag, Barb and Irwin Suson, Barry Rosenblatt (calling from California), Judy Segal, Myrna and Mel Engbar, David Hoffman, Ed Bernstein, Michael Gundzik, Dr. Ray Gottesfeld, Becky Hayutin, Eileen Schechter, Pearl and Jerry Neiman, Jeff Wilson . . . Michael Grazi, Dr. Floyd Russak, Ed Bernstein, Barbara and Irwin Suson recognized Sheera Gumbiner last week . . . Next weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guess Who, known for her gabby affinities, has been an on-air personality for more than three decades. You may have seen her restaurant show on KMGH-TV or read her annual restaurant guide. A former cooking teacher, Guess Who? she is active in fundraisers for Meals on Wheels and helped organized Denverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Taste of the Nation benefit for Share Our Strength. She shares her first name with that evangelical firebrand Mr. Robertson, and her last name with Mitch, the bearded bandleader who helped us sing along by â&#x20AC;&#x153;following the bouncing ball.â&#x20AC;? Now this is just a taste, but it should get you going. (303) 861-2234 or shmoos@ijn.com. â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ EVALEE GERTZ, daughter of Bonnie and David Gertz, did eight illustrations for the novel The Battle of the Crater by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen. Evalee, who attended the Denver School of the Arts and Otis College of Art and Design, is an actor, artist and a writer in LA. She is the granddaughter of Clara and Ben Gertz. â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ BRAD SCHNEIDER, who is facing off against fellow Jewish Democrat Ilya Sheyman for Illinoisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 10th District congressional seat, has some impressive Denver connections. He is the son of Frank and Dena Schneider, longtime members of Temple Sinai. Schneider, 50, is a business con- Brad sultant with Schneider close ties to the Jewish community. The race is viewed as a litmus test for the future direction of the Democratic party. â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ TZIPI LIVNI, Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opposition leader, recently visited Shalva: The Association for Mentally and Physically Challenged in Israel. Based in Har Nof, Jerusalem, Shalva empowers hundreds of c h i l d r e n through after Tzipi Livni school activities and programs. When Lipni heard the Shalva Band, she

Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle By David Benkof

The answers will be 67. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Threeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Companyâ&#x20AC;? 31. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Square Pegâ&#x20AC;? Gertz 32. ___ Zâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;mirot (Shabbat actor Richard printed next week 68. Legalist Moses Isserles, for short 1. In Isr., the second day 69. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Guide to Jewish Prayerâ&#x20AC;? author Steinsaltz of the week 70. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Yiddish King ___â&#x20AC;? 4. 4-Down rival 8. Elon who wrote â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 71. Bar-___ University 72. Aliyah ___ (illegal immiPity of it Allâ&#x20AC;? gration, 1934-1948) 12. Author/actress Almagor 13. Actress Perlman DOWN (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cheersâ&#x20AC;?) 14. Comics Rogen and 1. Brit ___ 2. Kind of branch or oil Meyers 3. Mishnah redactor Rab16. Yishai and Cohen bi Judah Ha-___ 17. Actor Klugman (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 4. See 4-Across Odd Coupleâ&#x20AC;?) 18. TV personality Couric 5. Captive Gilad 19. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aliceâ&#x20AC;? actress Linda 6. Historian Roth (â&#x20AC;&#x153;A History of the Marranosâ&#x20AC;?) 21. Actor Schreiber (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Defi7. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brokeback Cowboyâ&#x20AC;? anceâ&#x20AC;?) actor Gyllenhaal 23. Novelist Jaffe 8. Intone the Four Ques24. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gimpel, ___ Foolâ&#x20AC;? tions 25. Canadian theologian 9. Stillerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parter in comFackenheim edy and life 27. U.S. Pro-Israel grp. 29. Avraham, Yitzchak, 10. Director Preminger 11. ___ Bet (security service) and Yaakov 12. Chanukah bread? 30. Put on, as tefillin 31. Fran Drescher stereo- 15. Mediterranean or Galilee type 20. Actress Campbell 34. Deaf actress Matlin (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Screamâ&#x20AC;? movies) 37. J___ 38. ___ Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;amin (â&#x20AC;&#x153;I 22. ___ HaBeracha (last Torah portion) believeâ&#x20AC;?) 39. Genesis name, liter- 26. Larry, Curly, and ___ 28. God, e.g. ally â&#x20AC;&#x153;mortal manâ&#x20AC;? 40. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cuando El ___ Nim- 29. Franken and Capp 30. Unit of Creation rodâ&#x20AC;? (Ladino song) 41. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mizrachi FedSolution to last weeks eration in America 42. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Land of milk ___ honeyâ&#x20AC;? 43. Grp. headed by Rabbi Irwin Kula 45. Centrist political party 47. Yiddish letter after Ches 48. Like very early years 49. Creator of Oscar and Felix 50. Suffix for Jew 51. Bernanke and Shahn 52. Broadway actor Josh (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Book of Mormonâ&#x20AC;?) 55. ___ Haâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;am (pen name for Asher Ginzburg) 58. Second word in a blessing 60. Magician Houdini 62. ___ Square, in Tel Aviv 64. Ezek. alternative 66. Prominent voice in the gemara

ACROSS

jumped on stage, grabbed a drum and began playing with the youthful performers. Shalva has won the Israel Prize. â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ CARLY-JOE Spirio, daughter of Felicia and Dane Spirio, will

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Song of Gloryâ&#x20AC;?) 33. You might put shwarma in it 34. Milk alternative 35. Margotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister 36. Staffs 37. State where Rehoboth Beach is: abbr. 40. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Facts of Lifeâ&#x20AC;? actress Charlotte 41. Anti-bias grp. 43. Mike Wallaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s network 44. ___ Dodi 45. Former Republican National Committee leader Mehlman 46. ___ HaTorah (yeshiva near the Kotel) 49. Tanakh expert Leibowitz 50. Broadway actress Menzel 51. Russian writer Isaak 52. Yiddish novelist Chaim 53. Prayer after mincha 54. Actress Cannon (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Honeysuckle Roseâ&#x20AC;?) 55. Noahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ship 56. Annie ___ 57. â&#x20AC;&#x153;___â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Irish Roseâ&#x20AC;? 59. Geometric shapes of bagels 61. Saudi, e.g. 63. â&#x20AC;&#x153;...lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;hadlik ___ shel Shabbatâ&#x20AC;? 65. ___ Panorama Hotel

IJN Crossword puzzle

perform in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beauty and the Beastâ&#x20AC;? on Dec. 17, 7 p.m., at the Center Stage Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theater in Colorado Springs. Carly-Joe will play the part of Lumiere. Felicia is president of the Temple Beit Torah Sisterhood. â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

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December 16, 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Chanukah Edition â&#x20AC;˘ Section E â&#x20AC;˘ 23

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tehilla.r.goldberg

ijn columnist

Chanukah and the Joseph stories his week in the Torah we begin reading about the sale of Joseph. For the next three Shabbos readings, we will be immersed in this story of the conflict between Joseph and his brothers. Every year, the story of Joseph and his brothers fall during the Chanukah holiday. We read about the contentiousness of the brothers parallel to the kindling of 36 candles (in total) on the Chanukah menorah. Interestingly, in the Talmud as well, these two times of year are linked together. When the Talmud discusses the laws of Chanukah, out of seemingly nowhere it goes off on a tangent, discussing the pit that Joseph was thrown into. There must be a thematic connection between Chanukah and Joseph and his brothers. The story of the brothers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; particularly Judah â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is a story of a conflict cutting across Jewish history like a patched up seam threatening to come undone.

t all began with the story of Rachel and Leah. Rachel is Jacobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true love. Jacob literally labored for 14 years out of his love for her, and so he could marry her. It is Rachel whom Jacob considers to be his primary wife. But Leah, not his destined one as Rachel was, is the woman whom Jacob marries first. Leah becomes Jacobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first bride, and the first to bear his sons, a cluster of boys â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the future tribes of Israel. Before

Rachel gives birth to her first son Joseph, the roots of the Jewish people have already begun to take form with the children of Leah. hese children feel this tension. The sons of Leah, especially Judah, know they are destined for future Jewish leadership. But along comes Joseph, the son of Rachel, and asserts that he is the destined for the future leadership. The sons of Leah carry the knowledge of their mother being the inferior wife to Jacobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true love. Jacob transfers his special love for Rachel to her sons, and this only fans the flames of the existing jealousy or defensiveness in Leahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sons. The tension and conflict between this small family plays out throughout Jewish history, on the national stage of our people. Starting with the configuration of the tribes travels in the dessert, it is Judah who is in the East, at the head, with Leahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other sons also in prominent positions. This tension is replayed when King Saul â&#x20AC;&#x201D; descendant of Rachel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; becomes the first king of Israel, only to lose it to the house of Judah, to King David. When there are hostilities between the Davidic dynasty and King Saul, it is the same schism and tension playing out: Which house of Jacob will prevail, the descendants of Rachel or the descendants of Leah? Finally, under the Davidic dynasty, comes unity. David, the destined leader of the Jewish people, prevails.

There is peace and unity among all the tribes, the descendants of both Leah and Rachel. The First Temple is built in a part of the land of Israel that straddles and represents all the tribes. But not for long. During the era of the First Temple, Jerobam the son of Nevat, descendant of Joseph, comes along and divides the kingdom. The uni-

ty of the kingdom is torn into pieces. The prophet Ahiya the Shiloni rips Jerobamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new garment into 12 pieces, one for each tribe, and says to Jerobam: Take the 10 pieces, but one piece will be for Judah. This is how Judah gets his portion, literally ripped from Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

AMERICA

Edited and compiled by elaine.goldberg

ijn feature writer

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rabbi Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Orthodox Jews â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are screened regularly at film festivals worldwide, consistently winning top awards. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The school was started 22 years ago by a group of people who saw there must be a film school for Orthodox people,â&#x20AC;? said Neta Ariel, its director. Ariel was in Pittsburgh recently to address groups at both Duquesne University and Rodef Shalom Congregation, and to screen â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Jerusalem Tale.â&#x20AC;? Her visit was presented by Classrooms Without Borders, a Pittsburgh-based group that provides experiential, extended term professional development for teachers in the metropolitan Pittsburgh region. A group of local educators visited Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh last summer as part of a Classrooms Without Borders trip. Eighty-five students are currently attending the four-year program at Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh, with about 20 to 25 enrolled in each class. The students typically enter the school following their army ser-

The story of Chanukah is the story of the Jews reclaiming the Jewish Temple, the Jewish sovereignty. It is the story of a Temple rebuilt, reclaimed. But only temporarily. As we all know, that very same Temple rededicated in the Chanukah story was destroyed in the year 70

because of baseless hatred. And it will be rebuilt only when we, the Jewish people, can mend the rifts, the conflicts, between Jews. Perhaps the confluence of Chanukah and the reading about the painful, dramatic conflict between Joseph and his brothers is there to remind us of this core Jewish value, upon which depends the very rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the final redemption of the Jewish people. There is a glimpse of redemption within the story of Joseph. Although, painfully, Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother Reuben eventually loses his birthright due to a later sin he commits, and his status as the eldest is supplanted and divided among three of his siblings (the priesthood is transferred to Levi, the kingship to Judah, the birthright itself to Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sons Ephraim and Menashe), it is Reuben who is the human heart of brotherhood in the story. When some of Jacob and Leahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sons, the older brothers, see their younger half-brother Joseph coming toward them from afar, they plot to kill him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes. Come now, and let us slay him . . . And Reuben heard it, and he delivered Joseph out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood . . . â&#x20AC;? Although Reuben is not seen as the paradigm of leadership in this tale of Joseph â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it is Judah who is credited with that â&#x20AC;&#x201D; when all is said and done it was Reuben who prevented his brothers from committing an act of fratricide. Bottom line, Reuben saved Joseph. When we kindle the lights of Chanukah next week, let the light of the menorah illuminate the darkness of conflict, of unnecessary conflict, within our own family, the Jewish people. Let the light of Chanukah illuminate the darkness that sometimes lives between brothers and sisters. Let us each take a step, lighting just one candle, literally or with any other gesture, to dispel that darkness. Happy Chanukah!

who might find traditional film schools difficult to navigate, given the limitations imposed by their religious observance, such as not working on Shabbat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I knew from the beginning this is where I wanted to go because I am religious,â&#x20AC;? said Oshrat Meirovits, a recent graduate of Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh whose film, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sister of Mine,â&#x20AC;? is currently on the film festival circuit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sister of Mineâ&#x20AC;? tells the story of a young haredi woman for whom it is difficult to find a marriage match because she has a sister with Down syndrome. Meirovits believes Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh provides the support necessary to create films with themes linked to issues in the Orthodox world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh supports you being religious, and lets you talk about these issues, and get these issues out,â&#x20AC;? Meirovits said. Although Meirovits is not haredi, she spent some time in her haredi grandmotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neighborhood when she was growing up. Situa-

tions like that explored in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sister of Mineâ&#x20AC;? are not uncommon, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Things like that do happen; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true,â&#x20AC;? she said of young people being judged by who their family is when it is time to arrange a marriage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The movie is about the fact that people are judging [the central character], but not by who she is. And people do that â&#x20AC;&#x201D; judge you because of where you live, and because your family has this or that. I want people to judge me for who I am.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I make movies on whatever is burning in my gut, whatever activates me,â&#x20AC;? she continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I guess religious issues are within me. I love being religious, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not always easy.â&#x20AC;? Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;alehâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aim is to make things easier for Orthodox Jewish filmmakers, said Ariel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If a student wants to do a story based on Jewish culture, we have the staff to help them,â&#x20AC;? she said. Toby Tabachnick The Jewish Chronicle, Pittsburgh

e are meant, as a people, to be reconciled. Literally to be grafted one onto another, as a hybrid. Ultimately it is Judah who reigns, but part of the definition of Judah reigning is having Joseph be a part of him. Ultimately, it is a blending, a synthesizing of our two dominant components into one, that is the vision of the Jewish people. Rav Kuk, first chief rabbi of Palestine, talks about this in a famous eulogy he made for the secular Israeli leader Theodor Herzl.

The pit believed by some to be the one into which Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brothers threw him, in Amiad, Israel. Kobi Zilberstein

Across

azar, an Orthodox American man transplanted to Jerusalem with his wife, is a bit of a schlemiel. He has trouble holding a job. He tries to be a tour guide for English speakers, but no one will hire him after he wrecks his car. It is late December, the season of both Chanukah and Christmas. When he is offered a job posing as Santa Claus at a local hotel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; looking the part with his long beard â&#x20AC;&#x201D; he faces a dilemma: Did G-d send him this job to help him provide for his wife, or should he, as an Orthodox Jew, decline the offer? The story of Lazar, and his unlikely stint as Santa, is the subject of â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Jerusalem Taleâ&#x20AC;? (or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rabbi Santa,â&#x20AC;? in Hebrew), written, produced and directed by students at the Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh School of Television, Film & the Arts in Jerusalem. Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh is the only film school in the world devoted to exploring the intersection of Judaism and modern life, and the unusual films created by its students â&#x20AC;&#x201D; mostly

This symbolic interaction between the prophet of G-d and Jerobam portends exactly what comes to pass. Eventually, these 10 tribes that Jerobam ruled over are exiled and lost, while the tribe of Judah remains. Ultimately, there will be a reconciliation between these two descendants of Jacob. In the prophecies of Ezekiel he is commanded to take a stick and write the name of Judah on it, then to take another stick and write the name of Joseph on it, and then â&#x20AC;&#x153;to join them one to the other and make one stick.â&#x20AC;?

vice. Lectures are conducted in Hebrew, and 70-80% of the students are Orthodox. Each student is expected to complete a short film as his or her graduation project. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We never tell them what to make their movie about,â&#x20AC;? Ariel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The movies cover a lot of issues; they deal with Jewish issues. Some are Israeli issues, some are international things, and some are human rights.â&#x20AC;? aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh is a unique place to learn, even in Israel, according to Ariel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh is a very special film school,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a lot of film schools in Israel, but most of the students there are secular. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;aleh, the movies are very original. They have a very special point of view. I think we have the right combination between professional filmmaking and original issues.â&#x20AC;? The school has provided a creative outlet for Orthodox Jews in Israel

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24 • Section E • INTERMOUNTAIN JEWISH NEWS — Chanukah Edition • December 16, 2011

Editorial Are the Palestinians an invented people? Yes and no Congratulations to Republican presidential candidate Newt Gilngrich for raising the question: Are the Palestinians an invented people? If the term “Palestinian” is rendered meaningless by defining it as “Arab and Muslim and Christian and Jewish and Ashkenazi and Sephardi,” the Palestinians are an invented people. If everyone is a Palestinian, no one is a Palestinian. To be meaningful, the question — are the Palestinians an invented people? — must define “Palestinian” as Arab (whether Muslim, Christian or Druze). On this definition, then yes, the Palestinians are an invented people because, for millennia, no one knew the Arab population of the land of Israel as “Palestinian.” Including the Arabs. Including Arabs whose ancestors lived in what is now called Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. Take the four-century Ottoman Turk era ending in 1917. It was not just the ruling Turks who did not call the Arab population living on the land of Israel “Palestinian.” Neither did the Arabs themselves — not those actually living there and not the Arabs anywhere else. When the British Mandate took over what it called “the Jewish homeland” after WW I, the British, too, did not refer to the Arabs there as Palestinians. Nor did the Arabs actually living there. They regarded themselves as part of the “Arab nation.” In the aftermath of WW I, the Arab nation acquired independence in Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. All of the residents of these newly created states — and of what they took to be the future Arab state on the land of Israel — regarded themselves as part of the

“Arab nation.” Keep in mind that these post-WW I Arab states were entirely artificial. They represented no nationalistic tradition. Before WW I, not only were there no “Palestinians,” there were also no “Iraqis,” no “Saudis” and no “Jordanians,” either. The Arab states that came into existence did so only by the luck of the military or the diplomatic draw. Whichever individual Arab leader had conquered the most territory during WW I, or had mounted the most effective diplomatic campaign after WW I, got a state. Jordan, for example, was strictly a sop to a Hashemite family branch whose relatives had beaten it out of control of what became Saudi Arabia. The Arab mentality then was not to see Arab peoples as citizens of different states but as one, panArabic nation. Under this concept, there was no Palestinian people any more than there was a Jordanian people. Then, when the British mandate ended in 1948 with the transformation of the “Jewish homeland” into the “State of Israel,” Jordan won, in battle, the West Bank, and Egypt won, in battle, Gaza. Neither Jordan nor Egypt nor Israel referred to the residents of the West Bank and Gaza as Palestinians. Nor did these residents themselves — until 1964, when Yasir Arafat founded the Palestine Liberation Organization. One of the reasons Arafat turned to terrorism to bring attention to his cause was because the term “Palestinian” was utterly alien to the wider world, to the Arab world and to Israel. Yes, the reference to a “Palestinian people” before 1964 is a reference to an invented people. Even 1964 is a date with only retroactive import. In truth, only with the

Chanukah, 2011 We shall light the lights of freedom — amidst awareness of a growing darkness. We recall and celebrate the right to be observant Jews — the agenda of the ancient Maccabees — while observing an increase of anti-Semitism in Europe and a marked attempt to delegitimate Israel. We value the the three mitzvot that the ancient Syrian Greeks denied the Jews — circumcision, Shabbat and rosh chodesh — and see an attempt to ban circumcision in San Francisco, and, on the other hand, a growing awareness of

the centrality of Shabbat to the Jewish mind, soul and family, and a growing observance of Jewish holidays, for which rosh chodesh is indispensable. Chanukah this year is a time of increasing concern for the Jewish people externally, and increasing optimism for the Jewish people internally. We should like to celebrate with only a positive awareness. If that cannot be, we may surely see the candles as the harbinger of the ultimate Jewish future of unalloyed freedom and Divine blessing.

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Six Day War in 1967, when Israel won, in battle, the West Bank and Gaza, did it become convenient for the rest of the Arab nation to refer to “Palestinians,” and for the residents of the West Bank and Gaza themselves to refer to themselves that way. Observe: After 1948, the Arab refugees from the land of Israel were purposely confined to “refugee camps” by the rest of the Arab nation, and now, after the Six Day War of 1967, it became o so handy, o so convenient, to place the onus on Israel. What better way than to claim that Israel was denying another people the same rights of national liberation that it claimed for itself? Yes, with reference to very many and very long historical eras, the use of the term “Palestinian” is a reference to an invented people. However, after 1967, things began to change. The residents of the West Bank and Gaza began to see themselves as a people. Jordan, in 1974, washed its hands of responsibility for the residents of the West Bank and Gaza. That is, Jordan refused to be the negotiating address on behalf of these people, saying they were now their own people. Ironically, these residents were also aided in the transformation of their identity by Israel itself, beginning with Gen. Moshe Dayan. As Defense Minister of Israel, Dayan was not only a military hero of the 1967 war; he was also responsible for Israeli policy in the West Bank and Gaza after the war. He said: Let Israel stay out of

Dry Bones

the lives of these Arabs as much as possible. Let them enjoy municipal autonomy and run their lives as they liked. While this policy broke down later as these Arabs turned to terrorism, making Dayan’s laissez faire policy impractical, Dayan played a major role in encouraging these residents to see themselves as a distinct people. The Palestinian identity grew by virtue of its incessant resort to terrorism, by the gradual shift in international sympathy away from Israel (originally seen as the underdog after the Holocaust), by the first intifada (1987-1991), and by the official beginning of a peace process in 1991 — with Israel on one side, and the “Palestinians” now on the other. The real question is, of course, whether this long-invented people with current political legitimacy can lay legitimate claim to any part of the land of Israel. Whatever the rights or wrongs in an absolute sense, Israel will have to come to terms with a permanent Palestinian presence, one way or another. For all practical purposes, the residents of the West Bank and Gaza are now a people. A backward, anachronistic logic chop, however, cannot make this people’s ancestors who fled the area in 1948 and whose own descendants now live all over the world (the socalled “Palestinian refugees”) a part of the Palestinian people, any more than the Jews who fled Europe after the Holocaust are Europeans any more.