June 2022 | Sivan - Tammuz, 5782
Volume 24, Number 4
A PUBLICATION OF UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION
Gallery@The J Presents: Westport Astronomical Society
(Courtesy of the JCC) Artists from proceeds will go to provide support for the Westport Astronomical Society will new observatories that are being planned be featured at the Gallery@The J’s Wine for the campus. & Art Opening Reception on Tuesday, The Westport Astronomical Society June 14, at 7:00 pm at the Stamford JCC. supports STEM research, internships The exhibition will run from June 13 to in astronomy and astrophysics for high August 19, 2022. school and college students. There is an “How Beautiful, the Universe” will astrophotography team who can teach consist of astrophotographs taken by the complex techniques needed to take members of the Westport photos of these heavenly Astronomical Society. The bodies; K1WAS, a ham radio images show the depth of group and a geophysics beauty that is just overhead. group supported by the US Over two dozen images of Geological Survey, are on galaxies, nebulae, comets, the campus as well. The the moon and planets facility has been in existence will adorn the walls of since the early 1960s and the gallery. resides on the campus of All images were taken in a former Cold War radar or around Connecticut, and “When Worlds Collide tower that was built in the mostly at the observatory The Whirlpool Galaxy”. 1950s in Westport. The campus at 182 Bayberry (CREDIT: STEVE LABKOFF) observatory’s telescope Lane, Westport, on either the facility’s is housed in the dome above the Bob own 14-inch Celestron telescope or Meadows Observatory Tower that used members’ own equipment. All the works CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 on display will be for sale. Part of the
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Candle Lighting
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Shavuot
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Bits & Pieces
Answering the Call to Serve
(Courtesy of UJF) Mikhail Kalman, his 1977. In 1985 our family, now with two wife Elena and daughter Nadia were able to children - our son Lev was born in 1982 moved to Stamford for a new escape the Soviet Union and employment opportunity,” came to the USA in the fall said Mikhail. of 1979. They came from “Over the years we were Kyiv, which at that time was actively supporting activities the capital of the Ukrainian to help free Soviet Jewry and Soviet Republic but now is supporting Israel as much the capital of Ukraine. as we were able to do. After The story of the Jewish the fall of the Soviet Union emigration from the Soviet in 1991 our hopes were high Union is well known and that freedom may finally was made possible by arrive in that part of the amazing support provided world. Unfortunately, with by the Jewish community the rise of Vladimir Putin’s in the US and Israel. In Mikhail Kalman, a UJF Stamford dictatorship rule, Russia - the addition to that, economic Volunteer in Budapest. biggest part of what used to be pressure applied by the US the Soviet Union - is still not government finally forced Soviet rulers to free and continuously threatens its neighbors allow up to a million Jews to escape and with occupation of parts of Moldova, Georgia settle primarily in the US and Israel during and in 2014 annexation of Crimea and the period from 1974 to 1980. several parts of Eastern Ukraine known as Little did the Kalmans know that they Donbass,” he continued. would be called upon decades later to help This latest aggression by Russia came as refugees fleeing their homeland. a huge shock to the Kalmans, and seeing the “We originally settled in West Hartford scale of devastation in very familiar places CT with the assistance of the local Jewish CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 community. Elena’s uncle arrived there in
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Life & Legacy
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PJ Library
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Voices and Views
On Sunday May 15, hundreds of community members stepped out to support The Friendship Circle’s programs for individuals with special needs and their families. For the first time since 2019, everyone was able to gather on the field at Westhill High School for the annual walk and family day. (See article on page 13)