Federation Star - July/August 2023

Your campaign dollars at work

Nat Ritter Federation Board Chair

CHOOSE FROM THESE SAMPLE GREETINGS:

s I write this in May, 2023, the closing of our 2022-2023 Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN) Annual Campaign approaches. The Allocations Committee, chaired by Jay Weiss, will consider the allocations to be made with our dollars raised. I cannot help being proud of what our community has been able to support … locally, nationally and internationally. This particular year has been difficult for distributing allocations. We have needed to take into consideration that our community has had emergency campaigns for the Ukrainian Jews, the Turkey-Syrian Jewish earthquake survivors and a massive hurricane named Ian. Given these campaigns, distributing well over $200,000 (with the help of Jewish Federations of North America) over the past campaign year, I would say we should be uplifted by what we have done and continue to do.Locally, JFGN supports religious institutions; scholarships to summer camps for children; Baker Senior Center Naples, which assists Jews in need in our community as well as local Holocaust survivors; Jewish War Veterans; the Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida; and the Jewish Education Loan Fund (JELF), among others. And let’s not forget the beautiful Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center that our community has the opportunity to use and enjoy. Other local non-Jewish agencies and programs are also supported such as JCRC, Catholic-Jewish Dialogue and Shop with the Sheriff, among others.

Nationally and internationally, our dollars are shared with agencies that:

1.) assist seniors with work programs

2.) provide children (deemed by a judge who determines the child cannot be returned home or stay with family

members) a home in which to stay under supervised living arrangements, get an education and be mainstreamed

3.) Support abused women and their families with a facility to live in until they can reassemble their lives

4.) Help resettle people all over the world who are displaced or homeless

5.) Support other agencies, worldwide, that provide social services needed to fulfill life’s necessities and a few joys.

Amazing … our dollars do this and more!

When you consider your pledge to our 2023-2024 Annual Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Campaign, remember we are helping ourselves and people worldwide. We do make a difference. Thank you for all that you do!

May 5784 be a new year in which we continue to grow and prosper … from strength to strength.

L’Shanah Tovah

Save the dates for six Elliott Katz lectures that challenge the conventional view of many 20th-century events.

When our Allocations Committee sits down to allocate the dollars our campaign raised, they need to consider that Jewish Federations of North America (which supports Israeli social service agencies, worldwide Jewry and Jewry in the United States … remember the relief JFGN received as Hurricane Ian support!) requires a significant donation. The remaining campaign dollars are then distributed among local, national and international agencies.

#6: $54 Your Name Here Happy Rosh Hashanah Your Name Here

your High Holiday Greeting order using a credit card by calling Janine Hudak, 239-263-4205 OR Send the completed form below in with your payment

family

Join us for Trivia Night on Wed., Aug. 23 (see ad on page 19)

This High Holiday season, say “L’Shana Tova” to friends and family. Order your High Holiday greetings by Aug. 2.

Responding to antisemitism

What can you do?

By Joel Pittelman, Antisemitism Task Force Chair, and Jeff Zalasky, Jewish Community Relations Committee Chair

The Greater Naples community is experiencing an alarming increase in antisemitic expression, just as we are seeing “climate change” toward intolerance of minorities throughout the nation.

Historically, in the U.S., the public schools have been a flash point for conflict among majority and minority students, parents and the school boards who govern. It is not surprising that in this moment of “climate change,” the Collier

County Public Schools has become a breeding ground for antisemitism and a center of potential conflict for all minority populations.

During the public comment period of the May 3 meeting of the Collier County School Board, many speakers reflected the desire to include Christian faith and principles into the public education system. Many expressed the view that our nation’s problems arise from a lack of “traditional values,” a euphemism for Christian values. Public comments included a complaint that prayer has been “taken out” of public schools, and that the school superintendent should be a Christian. In an interview for school superintendent, one of the candidates said that many of today’s problems exist because so many people are “unchurched.”

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Become a Part of Florida Jewish History

collecting old photographs, artifacts, objects, memorabilia, and stories to enhance our collection of Florida Jewish History.

Examples of what we are looking for include: historic ritual objects, artifacts or ephemera related to Sephardic/ Mizrahi communities, LGBTQ+ experience among other topics.

History Harvest is presented by the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU and the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab as part of the project Community Data Curation: Preserving, Creating, and Narrating Everyday Stories. Funding for this program is provided through a grant from the Mellon Foundation.

Use this QR code to submit item for evaluation. For additional information contact JMOF-FIU Curator Jacqueline Goldstein jacgolds@fiu.edu

www.jmof.fiu.edu

The result of creating this climate of Christian “us” and faithless “them” is predictable. Rabbi Adam Miller, the senior rabbi at Temple Shalom, attended and spoke during the public comment period. As he left the meeting, he was verbally accosted in the parking lot by two individuals. Those two individuals shouted antisemitic statements because they opposed the views he expressed at the school board meeting. Closely following this incident, two other incidents were reported, both directing hatred toward those not of the Christian faith.

While our nation values freedom of speech and the right to express preferences, the Constitution also provides that governments can show no preference for any religion. Our courts have strictly interpreted this in the public school setting for the protection of our children.

To show preference for one religion will stigmatize, separate and otherwise cause discrimination against children of minority faiths, or no faith, by their peers. History teaches us that this inevitably escalates to more serious incidents of discrimination.

We are very troubled by what appears to be a growing pattern in our community — an attempt to separate from, or ignore, anyone who does not embrace adherence to traditional Christian values and doctrine. We saw it clearly at the school board meeting and see it, alarmingly, in the increase of reported antisemitic incidents.

There are many wonderful people in the Greater Naples community. They would recoil at the knowledge that a new climate is encouraging hatred and discrimination. We have witnessed incidents where the community has come together when serious incidents require solidarity with minorities in their moments of need. These well-meaning people need only be made aware of the seriousness of the situation, and they will respond favorably.

Making people aware of this situation is what the Jewish community must accept as its immediate responsibility. We can make a significant impact on reversing this climate change of “We versus Them” by working with the non-Jewish community to address it.

Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council has been active in this work for years, but we need everyone’s involvement. Our work with, for example, the Inter-Faith Alliance, the CatholicJewish Dialogue, the NAACP and law enforcement is a good start, but it is not enough.

Get involved now!

Please join us by speaking up at other organizations, both Jewish and nonJewish, to let them know that quiet acceptance of what is happening will inevitably lead to serious incidents that we won’t want etched into the history of our community. Your voice, your involvement, your insistence on being heard, will help to reverse the climate of intolerance in our community.

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The year of the Lions

By Rosalee Bogo, Annual Community Campaign Chair; Women’s Philanthropy Chair

What a season the Greater Naples Lions of Judah experienced. Lions of Judah are women who make a $5,000+ yearly gift to the Annual Campaign. With this commitment, these women make a difference as they engage in making the world a better place. Lions of Judah build and support Jewish life for today and generations to come.

In January, the Lions of Judah and other major donors gathered in the new Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center for a seated dinner to thank and honor this select group. Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America, was the featured speaker. This evening was even more special as it was the first large event in our new Federation home.

On Jan. 22, our Women of Philanthropy gathered for a beautiful luncheon in Schiff Hall to honor women who donate to the Annual Campaign. Gail Smith and Estelle Price, Lion of Judah chairs, and Peggy Brown, chair of the Pomegranates, were in charge of the luncheon arrangements.

Dr. Jacquelyn Faffer, president/CEO of Baker Senior Center Naples, shared stories of how the monies our Federation gave helped seniors and other victims of Hurricane Ian. Funds are allocated annually to the senior center for specific

programing and to help Holocaust survivors in our community.

Later in March, 40 of our Lions gathered for a proper English tea with all the accompanying accoutrements. This was another event planned to show appreciation to this group for their generosity to our Greater Naples Federation. The event’s entertainment was Mikki Williams, a global celebrity speaker, member of the Speaker Hall of Fame and a TEDx speaker. Williams was honored as Outstanding Woman of the Decade by the United Nations. Her humor and life stories brought a variety of emotions to the group. It was a memorable event.

Naples Art Institute’s newest exhibit of Frida Kahlo by Isabelle de Borchgrave was attended by a number of Lions on April 22. Ellaine Rosen, a local Lion, served as docent for the group and shared many “behind-the-scenes” facts, making the tour even more special. Following this, the women gathered at Vergina restaurant for an enjoyable lunch and socializing.

This was the last planned event for this season and, though it will be difficult to follow, plans are already underway to make the 2024 season even more exciting. For more information or to learn how to become a Lion of Judah and/ or Pomegranate, please contact me at Rabogo@comcast.net.

Lions at lunch

Rosalee Bogo, Gail Smith, Ellaine Rosen and Estelle Price

Forty Lions attended the Proper English Tea.

Anne Levin, Felicia Anchor and Phyllis Strome

English Proper Tea with speaker Mikki Williams

Summer programs

Reneé Bialék Program Director

It’s summertime! Please read the weekly e-blast for new and upcoming programs. We have added Scrabble, Super Samba card game, rummikub, chess, bingo, and more.

Summer book discussions

The summer book discussions continue Wednesday, July 26 with author Weina Dai Randel, who will talk about her book, “The Last Rose of Shanghai.” On Wednesday, Aug. 30, author Rachel Barenbaum will talk about her book, “Atomic Anna.” These authors are Zooming in to discuss their books with you and answer your questions. These book discussions are open and free to the entire community.

You can attend in person at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center or via Zoom. Register at www.jewishnaples.org. Books can be purchased on Amazon.com.

Elliott Katz lectures, and more

The Elliott Katz Lecture Series starts in October at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center.

Movies That Matter also start in October.

Magician Joshua Jay will perform on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Jewish Book Festival authors will be announced soon. In the meantime, save the date for the spectacular JBF Opening Event — Sunday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. Registration for these events, along with the cost and details, can be found at www.jewishnaples.org.

Important community-wide events

Sunday, Nov. 5 – Kristallnacht Commemoration program at 2:30 p.m.

Welcome guests to our new center with a brick paver

By Eduardo Avila, Campaign Associate

Would you like to add your name to a brick paver as a welcome to guests visiting our new Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center? Contact me at eavila@jewishnaples.org or 239-263-4205.

BRICK PAVER ORDER FORM

Donor Information

Name

Address

Monday, Dec 11 – Communitywide Chanukah Celebration at Mercato at 5 p.m.

Please register for all events at www.jewishnaples.org.

Dates and times of upcoming events are announced on our website homepage. If you aren’t receiving our weekly (Monday) e-blast, please email me at rbialek@jewishnaples.org. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link, which is emailed two hours prior to the start of each event.

We have a variety of groups and committees at Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, such as PJ Library, Jewish Families with Young Children, Singles Social Group, Cardozo Legal Society, CatholicJewish Dialogue, Israel Advocacy Committee and Jewish Community Relations Council. Please join the group and/or committee that best fits your needs. A taste of each one can be found throughout our website, www.jewishnaples.org.

4720 Pine Ridge Road Naples, FL 34119

Phone: 239.263.4205

Fax: 239.263.3813

www.jewishnaples.org

Email: info@jewishnaples.org

Officers

Board Chair: Nathaniel Ritter

Vice chairs: Marc Saperstein, Arlene Sobol, Beth Wolff

Secretary: Rosalee Bogo

Treasurer: Steve Strome

Immediate Past Chair: Jane Schiff

Board of Directors

Frank Baum, Myra Benedikt, Patti Boochever, Harvey Cohen, Marcia Cohodes, Paula Filler, Cheryl Ginsburg, Steve Iser, Larry Israelite, Tammy Katz, Elliot Lerner, Merlin Lickhalter, Robin Mintz, Joel Pittelman, Stuart Price, Michael Rubinstein, Anne Schuchman, Michael Sobol, Jay Weiss, Jeff Zalasky, Board Member

Emeritus: Alvin Becker, Emerita, Phyllis Seaman

Past Board Chairs

Gerald Flagel, Dr. William Ettinger, Ann Jacobson (z’’l), Sheldon Starman, Bobbie Katz, Rosalee Bogo, Judge Norman Krivosha (z’’l), Alvin Becker, Jane Schiff

Synagogue Representatives

Stan Alliker, Cantor Donna Azu, Rabbi Ariel Boxman, Rabbi Ammos Chorny, Rabbi Mendel Gordon, Rabbi Mendy Greenberg, Rabbi Mark Gross, Joseph Henson, Rabbi Howard Herman, Rabbi Adam Miller, Charles Flum, Rabbi James Perman, Dr. Arthur Seigel, Len Teitelbaum, Rabbi Fishel Zaklos Staff

Jeffrey Feld: Federation President & CEO

Eduardo Avila: Campaign Associate

Reneé Bialek: Program Director

Michelle Cunningham: Receptionist

Courtney DeVault: Accounting Manager

Alicia Feldman: PJ Library Coordinator

Janine Hudak: Admin. Coordinator

Phil Zoltek: Facility Manager

Federation is the central Jewish community-building organization for Greater Naples, providing a social service network that helps Jewish people locally, in Israel and around the world. As the central fundraising organization for Jewish communal life in our area, strength is drawn from organized committees of dedicated volunteers.

Programs include:

• Annual Community Campaign

• Celebrate Israel

• Educational & Cultural Programs

Donation Amount (S)

Make your check payable to JFGN and send it, with this completed form, to: JFGN, 4720 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34119. Indicate how you want your engraved brick to read, using the grid below for the size brick you are purchasing. Each square is the space for one letter or number. Each row counts as one line of text, only use the amount of lines specified below for your brick.

12” x 12” Engraved Brick - room for 8 lines of text with 20 characters per line ($1,800)

8” x 8” Engraved Brick - room for 6 lines of text with 20 characters per line ($720)

4” x 8” Engraved Brick - room for 3 lines of text with 20 characters per line ($360)

• Israel Advocacy Committee

• Israel Scouts

• Jewish Book Festival

• Jewish Community Relations Council

• Jewish Young Professionals

• Jewish Russian Cultural Alliance

• Men’s Cultural Alliance

• PJ Library

• Publication of the Federation Star and Connections magazine

• Singles Social Group

• Women’s Cultural Alliance

• Women’s Philanthropy

• Youth Activities Committee –sponsoring youth education and scholarships for Jewish Summer Camp and Israel Experiences

Elliott Katz Lecture Series at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center

By Elliott Katz

Please join me for six more lectures that challenge the conventional view of many 20th-century events. Meticulous research supports critical assessments made, utilizing archival and original documentation to demonstrate that history is often recorded or revised to fit political, public and media prejudices and predilections.

Mark your calendars and sign up for the entire series. Presentations are from 10-11:30 a.m., with Q&A to follow at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center. Series tickets are $145 pp; individual tickets are $30 pp. Purchase series or individual tickets at www.jewishnaples.org.

Lecture lineup

Oct. 6: "Oh, Canada"

From 1933 until 1948, when it came to accepting Jewish refugees from Europe, no Western democracy exceeded Canada in its zeal to limit such immigration. When a Canadian official was asked "How many Jews should be allowed to immigrate to Canada," his reputed reply was "None is too many." Fifty years

later, Canada apologized for its policies.

Oct. 13: "The Universities, The lvys and The Jews"

In the 1920s and ’30s, many Ivy League Universities were anxious to limit the amount of Jewish students allowed to study in their hallowed halls of learning. At the same time, they were rolling out the welcome mat for visiting Nazi officials and Nazi students. Harvard honored Hitler's closest confidant with a welcoming dinner.

Nov. 3: "Hooray for Hollywood"

Hollywood's film moguls decided they had to take some action against the West Coast Nazis who seemed hell bent on spreading their poison and infiltrating the movie industry. One man led the charge and Hollywood's biggest producers joined in. Soon Congress took note.

Nov. 17: "Casablanca"

Set in Morocco and Vichy, France, Casablanca was a city teeming with refugees, collaborationists, spies and the world's most famous entertainer. It was also the

site where Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met to determine the fate of Europe. What FDR said there about the Jews shocked those in attendance. You will be surprised.

Dec. 1: "Hitler's Jewish Princess" Hitler called her "My Princess." He honored her with Nazi medals and invited her to dine with his friends and associates and spend the night at his mountain retreat, Berchtesgaden. He was enamored with

this Jewish woman, FDR despised her. How did she end up?

Dec. 15: "The Farhud"

For thousands of years, Iraqi Jews prospered in their Mesopotamian homeland, arguably the oldest Jewish community in the world, and were respected and admired. Then the acknowledged leader of the Middle Eastern Arabs decided it was time for a pogrom. It happened. It was called The Farhud.

ELLIOTT KATZ LECTURE SERIES

at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center

Oct. 6 – Oh, Canada

Oct. 13 – The Universities, The Ivys and The Jews

Nov. 3 – Hooray For Hollywood

Nov. 17 – Casablanca

Dec. 1 – Hitler's Jewish Princess

Dec. 15 – The Farhud

Seriestickets$145pp

Individualtickets$30pp.

Purchase series or individual tickets at www.jewishnaples.org.

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On writing

By Estelle H. Rauch

As a child, I loved reading and began writing early. My first ‘production’ was an original story using beloved Disney characters. When my second-grade teacher encouraged me to read it to the class, I was permanently hooked on writing and the affirmation it afforded me.

WE CLEAN THEM AL L®

With

Estelle Rauch

However, my career demanded that I write nonfiction — a chapter on group therapy, a journal article on the loss of a treasured therapist and articles, while presenting at professional conferences on trauma, diagnosis or group therapy.

My shift to fiction writing was initially a tough challenge, stimulated by a workshop at what was then International College. That first novel emerged from my work at the site of 9/11, with survivors,

family members having suffered loss and first responders. Unfortunately, it read like nonfiction!

It took my third novel, “Sally’s Dreams,” to truly embrace fiction while still benefiting from my professional background and considerable experience working and living with Jewish families. It is a novel I am proud of.

“Trapped” followed. My next novel, “Masters of Betrayal,” will be submitted shortly for publication.

I hope you’ll join me for a Zoom presentation on “Sally’s Dreams,” Sept. 21 at 10 a.m. This Jewish Federation of Greater Naples program is free to all. Please register at www.jewishnaples.org to receive the Zoom link. “Sally’s Dreams” can be purchased on Amazon.

Annual Kristallnacht commemoration

Save the date: Sunday, Nov. 5

By Ginny Segaloff, Kristallnacht Commemoration Program Chair and Catholic-Jewish Dialogue member

The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County invites everyone to its annual Kristallnacht Commemoration. This year’s event will take place Sunday, Nov. 5, 2:30 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 5225 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples.

Our speaker will be Rabbi David Maayan of Saint Leo University Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies. Rabbi Maayan has dedicated

Rabbi David Maayan

his extensive teaching background to promoting understanding between Catholics and Jews.

This program is sponsored by Jewish Federation of Greater Naples and Diocese of Venice in Florida.

Registration for this free program will start in September.

Mark your calendars and look for more information in future issues of Federation Star.

SAVE THE DATE

Annual Kristallnacht commemoration

Sunday, Nov. 5 at 2:30 p.m.at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 5225 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples

An Introduction to Moorings Park’s Three Communities &

Our Executive Chef’s Top Culinary Delights

Here’s your chance to get a taste of what life is like at Moorings Park’s three stunning Naples communities.

Successful aging expert and Vice President, Tom Mann, will introduce you to our three premier communities, explaining the amazing bene ts you’ll receive when you make the move. Learn valuable details on costs, oorplans, healthcare, dining, waiting lists, and an innovative approach to successful aging.

During this presentation you’ll enjoy a video tour of each of the communities’ clubhouses and model residences. All while enjoying our Executive Chef’s top culinary delights.

RSVP today by scanning the QR code, visiting MooringsPark.org/Events, or calling 239-356-0540.

Discover Our Secret Ingredients to Successful Aging

Thursday | August 3rd | 2:30 PM

Moorings Park in Shef eld Theatre 132 Moorings Park Drive, Naples FL 34105

RSVP by August 1st by calling 239-356-0540, visiting MooringsPark.org/Events, or scanning the QR code.

Unable to attend? Join our webinar on Friday, August 4th at 10:30 AM. To register, visit MooringsPark.org/Webinar.

| MooringsPark.org

National Mission to Israel

Our gifts here impact Jews around the world

By Paula Filler

Ihad the privilege of going on the National Mission to Israel with Jewish Federations of North America for Israel’s 75th Anniversary. Our group of 20 lay leaders from Jewish Federations across the United States received the blessing of witnessing, firsthand, how our Jewish Federations collaborate with affiliated Jewish partners to rescue and support Jews in need around the world.

I learned that my individual gift, and effort to fundraise for our Jewish Federation here in Naples, create the collective power we must have to support a Jewish peoplehood. Our combined contributions provided Jewish Federations with the power required to address unforeseen emergencies and be there for those in need.

Before the Ukraine War, 74,900 Jews arrived in Israel from Ukraine and Russia. The Jewish Agency was responsible for them upon arrival. In the 14 months ending in February 2023, it’s interesting to note that 57,000 Jews came from Russia and 16,000 came from Ukraine. The new immigrants arrived with no material wealth, just the hope in their hearts of being able to live freely as a Jew.

Our National Mission met with Jews recently rescued from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine at Kibbutz Merhavia, a Jewish Agency program, “First Home in the Homeland.” This Kibbutz was where Golda Meir lived with her family when

she first arrived in Israel and it now supports 30 new immigrant families from Russia, Tajikistan, Belarus and Moravia. With Jewish Agency support, Kibbutz Merhavia is equipped to provide immigrant families who arrive in Israel, often traumatized by war and their difficult journey, to make Aliyah, with the support they need. First Home in the Homeland addresses urgent needs such as housing, food, clothing, employment assistance, language classes and cultural activities. Several programs have recently been added for the Russians and Ukrainians that are geared to help them find jobs in their own professions, like medicine and nursing. Families receive the assistance they need to navigate and access Israeli services such as getting their kids enrolled in school and how to get a driver’s license.

One of our hosts at the Kibbutz was a young woman who arrived in Israel from Siberia two to three years ago. With an unusual ability to learn foreign languages quickly, she spoke Russian, English, Ukrainian, Hebrew and Polish. As she was also a recent immigrant, she shared with me how she was finally able to prove that she was Jewish and entitled to make Aliyah. After considerable searching, she found her grandmother’s original documents from when she was deported to Siberia in the 1940s. While she and her family quietly observed Judaism, her

grandmother’s official papers were the only records she could find to prove her Judaism and eligibility to make Aliyah.

The Russian family we met with came with their two sons from Moscow. The wife, 39, was a lawyer and the husband, 41, was an engineer. The main reason they decided to make Aliyah was the desire to live in Israel and build a happy life. The wife always knew she was Jewish. She went to Jewish camps and kept Jewish holidays and traditions. Despite leaving everything behind, they were smiling during their meeting with us.

The second family arrived from Minsk, Belarus. In Minsk, the husband was a musician and orchestral artist; his wife was director of a Jewish community center, actress and concert master. Their two sons, ages 7 and 13, were in school during our meeting. While this family was trying to make Aliyah from Belarus, the wife’s father was living in Ukraine. The wife and her Ukrainian father challenged each other as to who could immigrate to Israel first. He managed to reach Israel first when his home was destroyed by bombs early in Ukraine’s war.

While not an easy adjustment, this family seemed grateful to have the opportunity to arrive in the homeland

and ensure a good life for their children. They graciously played music and led us in traditional Jewish songs. What a magic moment as our voices, from all over the world, sang in unison.

The Ukrainian family arrived from Kharkov. In Ukraine, the husband was employed as a physicist and software engineer and his wife was a geologist and cartographer. Their son is 16. After considering Aliyah for many years, they made Aliyah in 2022 via Poland. The husband explained that his parents also wanted to move to Israel and were preparing their required immigration documents before the Ukraine War broke out. When their home was destroyed by bombs, it was only by looking through the rubble that they found the documents needed to make Aliyah. The pain and trauma on the faces of this family was clearly felt by our entire group.

It is often easy to forget that when Jews need refuge, Israel is the one country where they will be welcomed and can become citizens immediately. I am so grateful that I can play a small part in rescuing and supporting Jews in need here in Naples, the United States and around the world through our Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

Couple from Ukraine

Family from Moscow

Meet Dani Cohen

By Maya Williams, JYP Coordinator

Dani Cohen has been involved with Jewish Young Professionals for nearly two years. Initially from Boca Raton, Cohen graduated in 2020 from Florida Gulf Coast University, majoring in child and youth studies with a concentration in special education. She moved to Naples shortly after and is now a program specialist for the STARbility Foundation, an organization that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Her favorite JYP events have been the Shabbat dinners. “I love having Shabbat dinner together. It is always a great way to connect and relax with my friends who are also Jewish,” she says. After being an active participant at the FGCU Chabad, Cohen looked to Jewish Young Professionals for a community of friends with the same traditions. She says, “JYP has allowed me to make new Jewish friends and feel like part of the community.”

Why I volunteer

By Beth Povlow, JCRC member and Stand Up for Justice Chair

Imoved from a city school to a suburban school in the Philadelphia area in eighth grade. I dressed differently. I spoke differently. I was shaped differently, and I was a different religion. In fact, about a week after entering that school, I was absent for Yom Kippur.

When I returned after the absence with the excuse note from my mother saying that I had been absent for a religious holiday, I was told it was an unexcused absence. I was kept after school for detention that day. My parents were not notified.

I never told my parents about it or about the rest of that school year. I was

totally shunned by the other students for a very long time. I was never a shy person and wanted to make friends. At lunchtime, I would sit down at a table with other students and say “Hi.” They would all immediately get up and move to another table without a word. I stopped trying after a few weeks. Socially, school was very lonely, although I loved what I was learning. Then, many months later, in the beginning of May, I was at my locker getting books after lunch when I heard someone softly say my name. It was a girl named Reneé and there was a group of girls behind her, watching….

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“I want to be your friend,” she said.

“But then they won’t be your friends anymore,” I replied looking at the semicircle of girls behind her.

“I don’t care. I have seen the way you have been treated and I want to be your friend.”

Reneé changed my life. We remained fast friends through high school.

To me, the most important thing is for people to be loving and kind to each other. As a high school teacher, on the first day of class, I told my students I had only two rules: kindness and respect. They thought I was referring to how they should treat me. I immediately

corrected that. I told them that I would treat them that way. I then told them that the hardest thing for them would be to treat each other like that. In a short time, my words came true, and I would take the time to explain.

Since moving to Florida, I created Stand Up for Justice (find it at Jewish Naples.org) I also created the Coalition for Quality Public Education when I saw that a new school board was intending to make policies detrimental to education in Collier County. (C4QPE is its website. Check it out!)

Dani Cohen

“Siena Lakes gives me the freedom to live the best kind of life I can live for the rest of my life.”

–Judith M., resident of Siena Lakes

Dani Cohen, second from right, poses for a photo with JYP members at Beach Shabbat

JEWISH RUSSIAN CULTURAL ALLIANCE

How we celebrated VE Day 2023 and Israel’s 75

Jewish Russian Cultural Alliance (JRCA) is part of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. It serves as “home base” for Jews from the former Soviet Union countries that evolved after its collapse who live in Southwest Florida or are visiting.

Peoples of the USSR, concurrently with WWII, fought in the Great Patriotic War from June 22, 1941, when Hitler violated the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a nonaggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, invading USSR.

The end of that war was on the day after victory in Europe was declared by the Allies — the primary reason being that Stalin demanded to find Hitler’s body first. Since then, the USSR and, later, all its former Soviet Socialist Republics celebrate May 9 as Victory Day, a holiday that is still sacred to the JRCA group. The majority of us are second-generation and some first-generation survivors of World War II and its atrocities. Our fathers, mothers, uncles and aunts were bombed, evacuated or imprisoned by the Nazis or Soviets and otherwise suffered during that horrific time, imparting onto us deep respect to war heroes and all the servicemen and women.

During our May 9th commemoration, members of our group who originally

came to the U.S. from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Latvia, Georgia and Uzbekistan shared family stories of survival and heroism during the Great Patriotic War.

One member, Roman Barilko, originally from Zhytomyr, told us of his memories of the pre-dawn bombing of June 22, 1941. Another, Mark Livstone, originally from Belarus, shared his incredible story. Each of his parents witnessed the murders of their respective families, parents, children, siblings. Livstone’s parents met deep in the Belarus partisan area and fell in love.

If you have seen the film, “Defiance,” Livstone’s story is like it. Born in April 1943, his parents refused to kill him after the Nazis surrounded their forest and the commanding partisan gave the order to kill the partisan babies, lest they cry and reveal the hideouts. Livstone was the only hope his parents had left and his life was a testament to their survival as he was the only surviving child from that partisan camp. His story is unique.

If you want to learn more, I personally interviewed him for the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center. More stories of fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles and grandfathers followed. We honor and preserve the legacy of survivors and cherish the memory of the fallen. Our

We Understand the Legal Needs and Traditions Of Our Community.

JRCA volunteers Irene Kharlamov and Elena and Alex Novik set up a beautiful VE Day spread.

intention is to continue celebrating victory over the Nazis as well as our privilege of being alive until the end of our days.

Because such is the nature of our group, we love Israel and cannot let anyone skip the celebration of Israel’s independence. We were able to leave the Soviet Union because Israel was there to invite Soviet Jewry to take the risky steps of parting with the USSR and its depraved

ways of treating the Jews. Israel and the U.S. liberated us, and we are eternally grateful to their partnership in our rescue.

JRCA shared a wonderful community meal and delicious desserts. The group’s next meeting will be the JRCA Rosh Hashanah celebration, which is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 15 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center.

The next few events are tentatively scheduled as follows:

• Hanukkah, Sunday, Dec. 24

• Purim, Sunday, March 24

• VE Day, Sunday, May 12

All events are scheduled for Sundays, noon to 3 p.m. Please join the JRCA email list at JRCAGroup@gmail.com to receive future detailed notifications. Have a wonderful summer!

Attorneys Amanda Dorio and Katie Kohn have represented clients from the Naples community for more than 20 years. Amanda works with her clients in estate planning, trust administration and wills, and Katie assists clients in matters regarding adoption, divorce, marital and family law. They both use understanding, compassion and experience to help with their community’s legal needs – just as we’ve done since 1924.

Katie Kohn Divorce, Marital & Family Law

Amanda M. Dorio Estate Planning and Trust Administration

Alexander Goldstein and Marina Berkovich

The more we get together, the happier we’ll be!

By Susan Pittelman, WCA Publicity Coordinator

What a year it has been for WCA members, filled with social, educational, physical and cultural activities.

With COVID-19 winding down and the opening of the new Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center in January, WCA was able to begin programming “full steam ahead” this past season. Women got together for our Speaker Series, card games and mahjong, golf, biking, bocce, pickleball, birding, field trips, art

tours, book clubs, brunches, lunches, and much, much more!

Thanks to the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center, finding venues is no longer a challenge, and with more and more members volunteering to be liaisons, run programs and create new events, 2023-2024 promises to be our busiest year ever.

Don’t miss out! Renewing your WCA membership (or joining WCA for the first time) is easy. Just watch our e-newsletter

and your email for a renewal reminder or simply go to WCAnaples.org and click on membership. You can renew your membership beginning July 1. The 2023-24 membership year begins Friday, Sept. 1. After that date, only paid members will receive WCA communications. Don’t wait to renew or you might risk missing a WCA e-newsletter or registering for WCA’s wide variety of interest groups and

Whether you are in Greater Naples year-round or have returned north, we hope you are enjoying your summer. We look forward to seeing those of you who are in Naples this summer and to having many more opportunities for all WCA members to get together during the coming year.

Your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends …

The more we get together, the happier we’ll be!

WCA members had numerous opportunities to get together this year!

Golfers gather at Valencia Golf and Country Club for a Chanukah “shotgun event.”

WCA South’s brunch at La Travola on Marco Island

Thanking volunteers at the WCA Appreciation Brunch

WCA women have a ball playing bocce together.

Pickleball drew many women.

WCA North Canasta Day

WCA members modeled at the fabulous Fashion Show in January (Event Chairs Darlene Muller and Debbie Lurie on the far right)

Shabbat Dinner at the home of Sally Ann Endleman and Bruce Cassell

Art Glass tour at the home of Bonnie

Edison Ford Estates

MCA Founders Award honorees

People you should know

By Marc Rosenweig, MCA Member

To capture the heart and soul of MCA, look no further than the five recipients of the MCA Founders Award. Created in 2018, the award is presented annually to the MCA members who, over the years, have contributed and dedicated time and effort to the growth and success of the organization.

Meir Kehila

Meir Kehila, who was honored in 2021, came to this country from Israel in 1978. He served in the Israeli military during the ’73 war. While telling me he was one of the six originals who founded MCA, he admitted “I never thought it would grow to 800.”

He’s best known as the coordinator of the MCA luncheons. He stepped into the role after the second luncheon. Over the years, the luncheons rotated through more than a dozen clubs. They’ve now found a home at Audubon Country Club, which can host 150 members six times a year.

Kehila credits MCA technology maven Larry Israelite with moving the luncheon registration process online. Kehila is pleased there’s no more chasing after registrants for their checks. It’s strictly “choose between chicken or fish.”

“I was totally surprised by the Founders Award,” said Kehila. “I realized it was me when (MCA President) Michael Sobol said, ‘this is the guy that kept saying ‘chicken or fish.’ He runs it like the military.’”

“I’m still dumbfounded,” he added. “They planted 14 trees in Israel in my name. I said, 'why not 18?’”

When Kehila came to the U.S., a contact put him in touch with Jay Pritzker, who then headed Hyatt Hotels and is now the governor of Illinois. After two weeks, Pritzker returned his call and eventually invited Kehila to use his management degree at Hyatt. Eventually, Kehila went into sales for a construction company, then founded his own successful construction company.

“This country is great if you’re willing to work hard,” said Kehila, who moved to Naples from the Chicago area in 2007. When he arrived here, he was familiar with the MCA concept. He belonged to the GEL (Gentlemen Enjoy Leisure) men’s group in Chicago.

“Five women can go shopping and talk for hours. Men can’t,” said Kehila. “They need activities. Many women say, ‘Thank you for MCA. My husband got off the couch.’”

Glenn Perrin

There’s no doubt that Glenn Perrin holds the record for hosting the most MCA events. Among them, the hugely popular couples dine-around dinners, Thursday breakfast group at The Patio Café, dinner and theater with Artis—Naples and the Florida Repertory Group, the walking group, and more.

He has also built up the Soulful Shabbat Dinners at Temple Shalom, which have been beneficial to both MCA and Temple Shalom.

“When I moved to Naples, I didn’t know anyone here,” said Perrin, who taught French and Spanish in Weston, Ma. for 37 years. “Steve Brazina (the late former MCA president and Founders Award honoree) said ‘You’re outgoing. Do some groups for us.’” Perrin didn’t need a second invitation.

He views his MCA contributions as a natural progression. “I was a teacher for 37 years. I motivated kids. Here, I bring people together. It’s a natural skill set,” said Perrin, who also ran his own travel agency.

“I was honored,” said Perrin of receiving the Founders Award. “I get joy knowing (that) people who sat with somebody (at one of the events he organizes) plan to meet again.”

“Glenn is the matchmaker,” said Richard Prosten, the most recent Founders Award honoree. “And it’s not always random. He provides a great service to the community.”

Richard Prosten

Prosten provides service to the community by running the documentary film program, which is now a joint venture with WCA. The group screens six films each year, including interviews with producers and directors of the documentaries. These educational and social events originally were limited to 40-50 people at the old Federation building. Thanks to the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center, they’re drawing approximately 225 attendees.

Prosten says he learned of MCA after seeing a copy of Federation Star in a grocery store. He moved to Naples in 2015 from the Washington, D.C. area where he was a national leader of the AFL-CIO. He was secretary of the MCA Board for six years.

His wife, Lynn, is the co-president of Temple Shalom Sisterhood.

“When I got to Naples, I knew nobody,” said Prosten. “I got to know people through MCA.”

Many have gotten to know Prosten through his world-class barbecue brisket, which he’s cooked for the Soulful Shabbat dinners at Temple Shalom.

“I love to cook,” said Prosten. “People always ask, ‘Where’s your brisket?’” He’d also like to get together with other transplanted Chicago natives.

“I was honored to have my name on the plaque along with guys like Glenn and Steve,” said Prosten. “My contribution doesn’t equal theirs.”

The fifth recipient is the late Dick Janger, a founding MCA member. Perrin may have summed it up best. In addition to organizing a wide range of activities, he spends his “leisure time” participating in kayaking, pickleball, the walking group, and more.

“You can both organize and participate,” said Perrin. “The more you do, the more you’re able to do.”

Meir Kehila

Richard Prosten and Glenn Perrin

Assisting vulnerable seniors

Dr. Jaclynn Faffer President/ CEO

The calendar reads “June 1.” As I am writing this, I am reminded of the many things June 1st meant to me when I lived “up north.” Among them, school would soon be ending, pools and beaches would soon be opening and, for those of us who are fashionistas, we could now wear white!

However, in Florida, June 1st means something quite different … the start of hurricane season. Weather forecasters are having a wonderful time predicting whether or not the season will be better, the same or worse than last year. I know we are all on the same page in hoping that it will be better.

Baker Senior Center Naples (BSCN) has always taken the lead in disaster relief, and we are grateful to the Federation for supporting us in our efforts. I am reminded of our role with the pandemic and Hurricanes Irma and Ian. While we hope this will be a quiet hurricane season, we want to remind everyone

that, should disaster strike, we are here to help.

If you know of vulnerable seniors who are living alone or with partners who are vulnerable, with their permission, please let us know. We will add them to our list of seniors who will need hurricane supplies, assistance with evacuation and on-the-ground help after the event. Our Geriatric Case Management staff members are often the first to respond after the storm, delivering food, water and other supplies.

After Hurricane Ian, we formed a partnership with Collier Community Foundation and received $1 million to replace five mobile homes in Moorhead Manor that were destroyed by the surge. To qualify, the home had to be the senior’s full-time residence. As we do with all situations requiring financial assistance, we did a careful review of finances to ensure that we were appropriately stewarding the community’s dollars. I am so proud to share that the first home closed mid-June.

Shifting to happier thoughts, please circle Jan. 13, 2024 on your calendars for our 12th annual Evening for Better Tomorrows, BSCN’s signature fundraising event. I promise it will be a magical evening!

Best wishes for a healthy, safe and calm summer.

Tributes

To: Judy Cardin & Bruce Greenspan In your honor

From: Tammy & Brian Katz

To: Lisa & Sid Freund In honor of your special anniversary

From: Joni & Jeff Zalasky

To: Barbara & Marc Goldberg In honor of Max’s Graduation

From: Eileen Bream

To: Larry Goodman In honor of your special birthday

From: Joan & Marc Saperstein

To: Linda & Larry Levin In honor of your grandson Sam’s Graduation

From: Eileen Bream

To: Jane Schiff In honor of your special birthday

From: Wendy & Brett Avner

Gayle & Marty Dorio

Pearl Fishman-Thall

Helene & Elliot Lerner

Anne Schuchman & Stephen Light

To: Bill Warshauer In memory of Louise Warshauer

From: Rosalee & Jerry Bogo

Tributes require a minimum donation of $18.

To place a Tribute in the FederationStarin honor or memory of someone, please contact Janine Hudak at the Federation office at 239-263-4205 or jhudak@jewishnaples.org. Tributes require a minimum donation of $18. A note will be sent to the person/family you are honoring. Tributes help further the work of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

Ultimately, it’s your experience

that matters.

We do everything with that idea clearly in mind. So, go ahead, enjoy yourself with great amenities and social opportunities. Savor fine dining every day. And feel assured that assisted living services are always available if needed. Call 239.444.6891 today to experience our beautiful community.

ASK ABOUT OUR NEWLY RENOVATED RESIDENCES!

At the Museum

Susan Suarez President & CEO

Ioften think of how fortunate we are to live in Southwest Florida. We have wonderful communities with great schools and universities for our children, and amazing, unique cultural and charitable organizations that enrich our lives and help neighbors in need.

We have daily unlimited access to wonderful natural resources that other people travel from across the nation and the world to visit for just a short time.

When challenges face Southwest Florida, we are resilient. We pull together and help each other, as evidenced by our actions during the pandemic and recent hurricanes.

We are truly lucky because we know that, despite our different circumstances, we can count on each other.

Yet, we don't live in a protective "bubble." Unfortunately, the crime, violence and hatred of the outside world intrudes here, too, always coexisting with all the good around us. The national increase in hate crimes and violence seen across the

nation is now being reflected in Southwest Florida’s statistics.

For more than 20 years, our education programs have shared important lessons of the Holocaust with area schools and communities. We provide historical facts of the buildup to the genocide, along with riveting personal stories of those impacted, to illustrate a very powerful point. During that time, overt acts of hate and bigotry were allowed to grow, resulting in the unopposed vast deportation, imprisonment and murder of 6 million Jews and 6 million others … men, women and children.

Now is the time for us to act against increased incidents of bigotry and hate right here in our Southwest Florida community. Just as we stood together after the wrath of hurricanes, let us stand together against this rising tide of hate. We have more in common than what divides us. Let's reach across our differences and celebrate our common humanity. Let us not be silent bystanders while hatred spreads.

We must realize that no matter how we identify ourselves, we could all be considered as "other." Wouldn't you welcome and hope someone would step up and speak on your behalf if you were being targeted as "different?" Think about it. Should history repeat itself, you do not want to be in the same position as

Weather or not … it’s up to you

By Sol Awend, GenShoah SWFL

Last month, we discussed items of importance to us, Yeedin (food) being near the top of the list. This month, we are taking a look at the weather and how it impacts us.

Unlike our neighbors to the north, who have the four seasons with which to contend, we either have too much water or not enough water but rarely do we have just the right amount. Then again, the

Pastor Martin Niemöller, as he noted in the last line of his famous Holocaust-era statement. He starts by mentioning all the groups he didn’t speak out for when they were targeted by the Nazis. The last line reads “Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

There are many local and national initiatives with helpful information on how we, as individuals and communities, can address this pressing issue. The Community Update recently issued by Jewish Federation of Greater Naples has a number of helpful links.

North Wing project in final stages

The buildout of the North Wing is complete! Our sincere thanks to our architect, David Corban, and the team at PBS Contractors. They began our project facing the toughest of conditions, just as Southwest Florida began to recover from Hurricane Ian. Despite storm-related labor shortages, scarcity of materials and major delivery delays, they completed the project on time.

Capitol Museum Services (CMS) is now installing important new exhibits and displays created for the expanded gallery spaces. It will be a seamless transition as you enter the North Wing, as CMS also created the interior of the

current Museum in 2019. We hope to reopen to the public by approximately Aug. 9, 2023. Please check our website (www.hmcec.org) for updates. During this time, staff can be reached by email. For general questions, please contact us at info@hmcec.org.

We plan to hold a “Grand Reopening” series of events in early November 2023. We hope you’ll be able to join us. More information will be available soon.

A few naming opportunities are still available. Please contact me at Susan@ hmcec.org or call 239-263-9200, x203 for details.

Thank you for your support in 2022-2023

I sincerely thank you for your unwavering support of our Holocaust education mission this past year. Because of your generous financial assistance, and donation of your time and talents, our programs impacted thousands of people, inspiring each one to stand up against bigotry and hatred in our schools, communities and beyond. Your support has a tremendous impact and ripple effect, making our world a better place for all.

The Museum Board, staff and I look forward to working with you in the coming year. We can’t wait to show you our new North Wing! Have a great summer!

same’s true with temperature and humidity.

The weather is fluid and seemingly always worth discussing. The following are a few terms you can use to discuss how Mother Nature is treating you. If it’s too hot and humid, your arthritis acts up and your ankles swell. If it’s too windy, the ladies rage on how their hair will get mussed. After all, they just came from the beauty salon!

As they say in the Old Country… ”Es miz zaan eppes!” It’s always going to be something!

It’s always nice hearing from a friendly voice so, if you’re inclined, drop a line at sdevoyle@ gmail.com. Until next time, thanks for your interest and Zoog mir eppes in Yiddish! (Tell me something in Yiddish!)

Words dealing with the weather

1. Heiss (hot) Siz heiss in drossen! (It’s hot outside!)

2. Raygen (rain) Maac’h t’zee dee fensteh! Ess geit raygenen! (Close the window! It’s going to rain!)

3. VOL-ken-ess (clouds) Zay no vee shein dee vol ken ess zayen oss! (See how beautiful the clouds look!)

4. Himmel (the sky) Deh Himmel is ah zoy blu! (The sky is so blue!)

5. Vint (wind) Kim ah heim! Es bloows’t ah shtarkeh vint! (Let’s go home! A strong wind is blowing!)

6. Ah HOOgl (hail) Un mit daim shtarken raygen iz ooh geh kimen ah hoogl! (And with that strong wind, hail befell us!)

7. Naas (wet) Gei nisht off dee groowez! Siz naas! (Don’t go on the grass! It’s wet!)

8. Ah HOOR-ah-gaan (A hurricane) Deh Eeyan iz geh vayzen ah meeseh hoorahgaan! (Ian was an ugly hurricane!)

9. BLOT-teh (mud) D’ost bloteh aran geh shlep’t in shteep! Tee oss dee sheeyec’h! (You dragged mud into the house! Take off your shoes!)

10. FAAHC’H-tik (humid) Siz zayeh faac’htik in drossen. (It’s very humid outside.)

Sol Awend

What’s next?

By Shelley Lieb and Ida Margolis

One year ago, the volunteers of GenShoah SWFL were plotting the organization’s comeback from COVID-19 limitations. A coordinating committee was formed and met virtually to discuss programming ideas for the October 22 to April 23 season. We used the 2022-2023 programming as a test to gauge the level of GenShoah members’ interest and support. We mixed previously successful programs with new ones that added in some learning, some discussion, some direct involvement and some new exposures, all while not forgetting our mission:

• Promote Holocaust education and human rights

• Preserve the history and memories of the Holocaust

• Connect with other second- and thirdgeneration families

• Support the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

The coordinating committee met again in April 2023 to review the organization’s comeback season results and discuss the 2023-2024 season. Here are some notes from that meeting. Dates listed are subject to change.

• Movies that Matter will come back in October/November with three documentary films on human rights topics to be shown in person or virtually, followed by a panel discussion.

• Zoog Mir in Yiddish (third Sunday afternoons), October-April

• Kristallnacht (Catholic-Jewish Dialogue), November

• Guest speaker in conjunction with “Forgery” exhibit at the Museum, November

• Potluck hors d’oeuvres on Sunday, Dec. 10

• Open house/reception for the newest members, January

• Holocaust Remembrance Day, January

• Our Stories, February

• Genealogy workshops, March/April

• Picnic in Lee County Park, April

• Yom HaShoah and pre-reception (for GenShoah, survivors), May

Other ongoing activities

Estelle Kafer is setting up a GenShoah book group (ekafer520@gmail.com); Judy Isserlis is the go-to person for 2G writers working on their parents’ stories (jisserlis@aol.com); and we continue to request additional information regarding our members. Contact Flo Giltman at lgiltman1@gmail.com.

Additional ideas and suggestions have been offered and are under consideration.

How about you? Is there something else you’d like to explore with GenShoah? Contact Ida Margolis at ida.margolis2@ gmail.com or Shelley Lieb at liebro@ gmail.com.

Other items of interest

Museum of Jewish Heritage “The Ones

Who Remember: Second Generation Voices of the Holocaust.” In this panel discussion, each author discusses how they were affected by the trauma of the Holocaust, regardless of how much their parents had or had not told them, and the myriad ways it affects their lives.

This program is copresented by Descendants of Holocaust Survivors (2G Greater New York). A recording is available on the YouTube website for the Museum of Jewish Heritage: https:// www.youtube.com/results?search_query= museum+of+jewish+heritage+new+york.

The Voices of the Second Generation: Children of Survivors Writing Their

Stories. This program explores the different processes 2G writers take to create their works. Dr. Irit Felsen, a clinical psychologist with extensive experience working with Holocaust survivors and their families, will be in conversation with two authors — Dr. Talila Kosh Zohar, author of “Martha’s Notebooks,” which is currently being translated into English, and Goran Rosenberg, author of “A Brief Stop on the Road from Auschwitz” — about their writing and their experiences as children of survivors. (youtube.com/ watch?v=-gMMuLpzPMg)

The Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center’s fundraising luncheon. Slated for December, the luncheon will feature a live production of “Letters from Anne and Martin.” Developed by a theater company in Washington, D.C., this production creates a conversation between Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and “The Diary of Anne Frank.” If you want to view a recording of the program, let Shelley Lieb know (liebro@gmail.com) and she’ll send the mp4 file to you.

2023 World Federation of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants Annual Conference. World Federation of Jewish Holocaust and Descendants gather in Washington, D.C. at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, Aug. 25-28, 2023. Register online at holocaustchild.org.

Past President of Temple Shalom and Federation Member since 1998. 10% of my net commission will be donated to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples in your honor.

Ida Margolis and Shelley Lieb

GenShoah New Member Welcome event

Stuart Mest

The Varsanos and the Abels

Is there a message in my grandson’s brushed up hair?

Aging Jewishly – What our traditions teach us about growing old

By Rabbi Barbara Aiello

Helen couldn’t help but smile when she received a scan of her grandson Jake’s graduation picture. “I’m printing this out,” she said aloud. “Jake is handsome as all get out and I’m taking this to my bridge club to show the girls.”

Later, around the bridge table, four bubbys “scheped nachus,” extoling the accomplishments of their grandsons, that is, until Grandma Ginny brought the compliments to a halt.

“Look at your photos and notice the hairstyle that’s the rage for all the boys,” Ginny urged. “This brush up thing is troubling. Boys, not only Jewish boys, but lots of boys have it rough right now. I think they’re trying to tell us something by deliberately making their hair stand on end!”

The bridge table went silent, indicating that Ginny’s comments hit home. Could it be that the current rage in men’s hairstyles, sometimes called the “brush up,” is symbolic of the fear men experience as they try to navigate the minefield that has become modern society? Could it be that this fear of saying or doing the wrong thing, this terror of being labeled “toxic,” is played out in the new hairstyle of the modern man – hair that is literally standing on end?

Although the Tanak references hair and hairstyles dozens of times (Ezekiel is only one example: “And you, O son of man, take a sharp sword. Use it as a barber's razor and pass it over your head and your beard. Then take balances for weighing and divide the hair.”), a phrase like “a hair-raising event” derives from what observers have always known – that a physical reaction to raw fear is nothing new.

In fact, the UK’s Gary Martin, founder of the web-based archive “Phrasefinder,” tells us that “The phrase 'make your hair stand on end' first appeared in 1602 in Shakespeare's Hamlet, when he wrote, ‘I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word would harrow up thy soul … thy knotted and combined locks to part and each particular hair to stand on end, like quills upon the fretful porpentine.’”

The “porpentine” is the ancient word for “porcupine” but the phenomenon of abject hair-raising fear was not confined to the Bard of Avon. In fact, it was Thomas Blount, another 17th-century scribe, a lexicographer actually, who included the word “horripilation” in his dictionary of “hard words.” Blount describes the hairraising phenomenon as, “Horripilation, the standing up of the hair for fear.”

YOU'RE INVITED

So, if a man’s hairstyle indicates fearbased “horripilation,” what’s scaring the “Bee-Moses” out of young men? Journalist Maya Salam thinks she knows when she writes in The New York Times that “the concept (of toxic masculinity) has been around forever but suddenly the term seems to be everywhere.”

In fact, dozens of articles give credence to what might promote male misery. Consider journalist Akola Thompson, who writes that “Men are not inherently toxic. However, all men do benefit to some extent from the patriarchal system that was set up to serve them.” Ouch! Get out the hair gel, guys. No matter what you do or say, for some, you’re guilty as charged.

Harry Bruinius writes in a Christian Science Monitor (CSM Jan. 2022) article whose title nails the problem — “Why these men find the phrase ‘toxic masculinity,’ well, toxic.” He writes that “Amid spiking suicide and overdose rates and plummeting college enrollment, are men being held hostage by culture war labels and stereotypes that blame them rather than help them?”

Or, more to the point, could this constant blaming cause such profound fear that men can’t help but maintain an in-your-face symbol of what’s going on inside. The hairstyle seems to symbolize a kind of autonomic reaction to existential fear.

Ryan Carillo, who was interviewed at length for the CSM piece, is a power lifter and self-described “big man” who recently published the Big Man Bible. Carillo,

who emphasizes that his self-help memoir is designed “for the big men of the world who are silently struggling to transform their lives,” notes that large, husky men are often victimized by the stereotype that their looks belie a violent nature.

Over the past few years, there have been wide-ranging discussions about a purported “crisis in masculinity,” another front in the nation’s ongoing political battles over the meaning of sex, gender and the social roles of men and women. Carrillo has a different take. He describes the situation as a “silent pandemic” of men who live in fear because they believe that are not worthy to exist as they are.

I grew up in America and I now live in Europe, and I notice that there are many men on both continents who seem to be immobilized by fear. Which makes me wonder, could it be that brushed up hair indicates something deeper than a fashion statement? Could it be that “hair standing on end” is a plea for understanding and compassion from a society that is often too quick to demonize men as toxic, uncaring and brutish and, then, without getting to know the individual man, dismiss them as such?

For 10 years, Rabbi Barbara Aiello served the Aviva Campus for Senior Life as resident rabbi. Her most popular columns are now published in her new book, “Aging Jewishly,” available on Amazon books. Rabbi Barbara now lives and works in Italy,

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P l e a s e j o i n u s f o r w i n e a n d c h e e s e , f o l l o w e d b y S h a b b a t s e r v i c e s a t 6 : 0 0 p m .

S t a y f o r S o u l f u l S h a b b a t a s p e c i a l m u s i c a l F r i d a y n i g h t w o r s h i p s e r v i c e a t 7 : 3 0 p m f o l l o w e d b y a d e l i c i o u s o n e g p r e p a r e d b y o u r S i s t e r h o o d

Rabbi Barbara Aiello

Stars of David

By Nate Bloom, Stars of David Contributing Columnist

Editor’s Note: Persons in bold are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish for the purpose of this column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish parent and were not raised in, or identify with, a faith other than Judaism. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identified as Jewish.

Last month, I wrote about “A Small Light,” a Disney/Hulu mini-series about Anne Frank, her family and the non-Jews who hid the family for two years. The following is a “happy correction” — I’m sure, now, that Ashley Brooke, 19, who played Margo, Anne’s sister, is Jewish and her father’s mother was a Holocaust survivor. Also, Billie Boulet, 18, who played Anne, is Jewish. I thought otherwise.

Indiana Jones

Opening June 30 is “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” It is the fifth and final “Indiana Jones” movie and everybody associated with the series, like Steven Spielberg, swear there will be no more “Indy” films.

You can find the plot of this almostcertain blockbuster anywhere. So, I will omit it here. As I have noted before, Harrison Ford is the son of an Irish Catholic father and a Jewish mother. He’s always been “very” secular.

The director and co-writer is James Mangold, 59. He’s helmed a lot of hits, including “Walk the Line” and “3:10 to Yuma.” I long thought he could be Jewish, because Mangold “sounds Jewish.”

I recently confirmed that his father, artist Robert Mangold, 85, isn’t Jewish. But his mother, artist Sylvia Pilmack Mangold, 84, is Jewish.

“Theater Camp”

“Theater Camp” opens on July 14 and it really is a “tribe fest.” Here’s the capsule plot: the director and founder (Amy Sedrais) of a scrappy arts camp in upstate New York falls into a coma. Her “out-tolunch” son takes over as camp director. He joins forces with a band of eccentric camp teachers to put on their big summer show.

The most prominent teachers are played by Ben Platt, 29; Mollie Gordon, 27 (“Booksmart”); and Noah Galvin, 29. Gordon, Platt and Galvin wrote “Theater Camp” and Gordon co-directed the film.

Galvin’s mother is Jewish and he identifies as Jewish

You might know that Galvin plays a gay Jewish doctor on the hit ABC TV series “The Good Doctor.” He and Platt are real-life romantic partners and are engaged to marry.

“Barbie”

Opening July 14, “Barbie” is a live-action film about the iconic doll. As you may know, Barbie (the doll) was invented by the late Ruth Handler, who was the first president of Mattel toy company.

Here’s the basic plot: After being expelled from Barbieland for being a less-than-perfect doll, Barbie sets off to the real world to find true happiness.

Margot Robie plays Barbie and Ryan Gosling plays Ken.

12 actresses play different versions of Barbie (like President Barbie and Lawyer Barbie). Six actors play variations of Ken. One Ken variation is played by British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, 37. He’s the son of a white British father and a Black mother who was born in Trinidad.

“On her own,” she converted to Judaism, as did Kingsley and his brother.

“Barbie” was co-written by Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig. Gerwig, who has been Baumbach's romantic partner since 2011, directed “Barbie.” Baumbach, 53, is the secular son of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother. His excellent films include “Margot at the Wedding,” “The Meyerowitz Stories” and “Marriage Story.” The last got a Best Film Oscar nomination.

“Oppenheimer”

A big-budget, big-cast film, “Oppenheimer” is about physicist Robert Oppenheimer. He was the head of the Manhattan Project, the code name given to the successful American program to develop an atomic weapon during WWII. Oppenheimer was not the most brilliant physicist, but he was “very good.” He had the scientific knowledge and administrative skills to make the bomb a reality. However, he was haunted by the terrible power of the bomb (opens July 21).

Probably 60% to 70% of the scientists who were most important to the Manhattan Project were Jewish. A number were European refugees.

The director/writer Christopher Nolan (“Batman”) didn’t cast many real-life Jewish actors as the Jewish Manhattan Project scientists. What Nolan did is mostly cast non-Jews as leading Jewish physicists, giving a bunch of Jewish actors small parts as “other, less important scientists.” Nolan probably did the latter to avoid a “Jew-face” charge — a term used to criticize the practice of “overcasting” non-Jews as Jews.

Cillian Murphy plays Oppenheimer. Here are the Jews who play prominent Jews: Robert Downey Jr. , 58, who is “3/8 Jewish,” has a Jewish wife and calls himself Jewish, plays Lewis Strauss . David Krumholtz, 45, plays I.I. Rabi, a Nobel Prize winner. Benny Safdie , 37, plays Edward Teller, who is often called the father of the hydrogen bomb.

“Golda”

Opening Aug. 25 is “Golda.” Helen Mirren plays Golda Meir, the famous Israeli prime minister. It focuses on Meir’s greatest crisis — the Yom Kippur War.

WishingYouaSweet &HappyNewYear

“As we dip our apples in honey, we pray for an additional measure of sweetness. May we continue to grow in our commitment to our faith, our people and community. May all Jews experience blessings in the year ahead, and may the world become a better place for all your children.”

– Rabbis Bennet Miller & Erik Lankin

Please come visit our Garden of Remembrance

Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens

525 11th Avenue North | Naples, FL 34108 239-597-3101 | www.HodgesNaplesMG.com

HolyHighDays

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

Warm, Reform, Affordable, Adult

COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS available to anyone who has not joined us before Previous attendees may purchase tickets for $100 per person

Please contact Charles Flum at 239-316-8611

Rabbi Howard Herman Cantorial Soloist Jane Galler

EREV ROSH HASHANAH FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 7pm

ROSH HASHANAH SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 10am

KOL NIDRE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 7pm

YOM KIPPUR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 10am All attendees must be vaccinated

Founded in 1998, NJC is a mature congregation offering opportunities for observance, study and fellowship in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Our inspirational and throught-provoking High Holy Days services, led by Rabbi Howard Herman, are infused with beautiful music from Cantorial Soloist Jane Galler, Music Director Alla Gorelick and our choir. Please join us to experience the NJC difference!

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

Nancy Spielberg underscores the power of women in

IDF

Funds from FIDF Women’s Brigade Luncheon to benefit at-risk IDF soldiers

New York, New York (May 18, 2023) – From intelligence officers to tech engineers, pilots and combat soldiers, women play critical roles in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and so do the women who support them. More than 300 Friends of the IDF (FIDF) supporters gathered at the 583 Park in New York City for the 2023 FIDF Tristate Women’s Brigade Luncheon to honor the courageous women of the IDF who are responsible for Israel’s security and its thriving society.

The event, which took place two weeks after Israel’s milestone 75th anniversary, featured Nancy Spielberg, writer and award-winning documentary producer, and Ilana Yahav, world-renowned sand animation artist, and underscored the enormous contributions made by women on and off the battlefield.

From its very beginning, the IDF has leveraged women’s unique strengths, and women in the military have helped to create the most moral and humanitarian army in the world. Co-chairs Elizabeth Winter and Tanya Zuckerbrot reminded guests that their freedom of Jewish expression, and the existence of a Jewish homeland — a reality that our ancestors could only have imagined — is thanks to the brave soldiers who exemplify strength, determination and resilience every single day.

“In supporting the soldiers of the IDF through the Women’s Brigade, we take our place among the millennia of women who poured their strength, resources and love into growing a vibrant, safe and thriving Jewish future in Israel and worldwide,” said Zuckerbrot. “We join our legacy: a long history of female Jewish leadership. From biblical to modern times, women have always been the heart and soul of Israeli society.”

The FIDF Women’s Campaign is a powerful group of women designating female-driven dollars to projects that will best benefit Israeli soldiers serving in the IDF. The group has funded several critical projects including a therapeutic retreat for bereaved family members; a Lone Soldier housing facility; reunions for Lone Soldiers and their families, including flights home; and more. This year, their focus is on funding Project Overcome, a lifesaving program for at-risk soldiers not traditionally considered fit for service and putting them on a path to gaining skills to change their life trajectory.

Guests heard from Maj. Alex, who went from a young girl with a troubled background to a commander in the Intelligence Corps through this program. “There is no doubt that the support I received from the IDF and FIDF, both as a Lone Soldier and a soldier from a unique population, allowed me to fulfill my potential and led to a future where I can continue to thrive and achieve,” she said.

Event sponsors included Jonathan Simkhai, Olya Kislin and Rachel Simons. In attendance were Maj. General (Res.) Nadav Padan, FIDF National Director; FIDF VP of Northeast Region, Galit Brichta; as well as FIDF National Board members Alice Klein, Sharon Mishkin, Wendy Moskowitz, Hyla Ruby and Anthony Westreich.

“The FIDF Women’s Brigade is a leader in connecting American women to Israel through our staunch support of IDF soldiers,” said Orna Sheena, Director of the FIDF Women’s Brigade. “I am thrilled that each year more and more women are joining our Women’s Brigade and, together, making a tangible difference in the lives of IDF soldiers before, during and after their service.”

Luncheon Chair Tanya Zuckerbrot leading Q&A with Keynote Speaker, Nancy Spielberg. Courtesy of FIDF

“Thank you, Naples. We did it!”

By Jennifer Milton, Senior National Communications Manager

Jewish National Fund-USA’s leadership have thanked the Naples’ philanthropic community for its generosity and support in enabling the organization to achieve its $1 billion fundraising goal. Powered by its partners (donors) and ambassadors (lay leaders), the fundraising achievement is fueling the philanthropy’s investments that build a strong, vibrant future for the land and people of Israel through bold initiatives and Zionist education.

“Our One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade initiative has enabled us to positively change the entire trajectory of Israel’s Negev and Galilee,” said Jewish National Fund-USA Naples Board President David Braverman. “Behind every dollar raised is a life changed, a child given hope, and an entire community uplifted through high quality-of-life opportunities that allow them to thrive.”

Driven by a 122-year-old mission, Jewish National Fund-USA connects Naples’ next generation to Israel, creates infrastructure and programs that support ecology, people with disabilities, research and development and heritage site preservation while operating a fully accredited study abroad experience at its Alexander Muss High School in Israel.

Jewish National Fund-USA Director, Western Florida and Orlando, Joshua Mellits added, “Our goals are bold and our vision is clear. Through the construction of fortified schools, medical

centers, parks, playgrounds and R&D centers, we are attracting a new generation of pioneers to Israel’s frontier regions in the Negev and Galilee. And we do all this while supporting over 60,000 Israelis with disabilities in addition to creating resilience centers and therapy facilities for Israeli communities dealing with the stresses of living in the Gaza Envelope.”

Driven by the momentum of its latest fundraising achievement, thousands of philanthropists in Naples and across the U.S. plan to attend the organization’s Global Conference for Israel (Nov. 30-Dec. 3) in Denver, Colorado, where they will celebrate the organization's achievements, meet with the people benefiting from their philanthropy, hear from prominent speakers including the

President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and learn about the philanthropy’s next big campaign to be unveiled during the historic extravaganza. Register today at jnf.org/global.

For more information, contact Jewish National Fund-USA Director, Western Florida and Orlando, Joshua Mellits at jmellits@jnf.org

A MAGIC SHOW WITH WORLD FAMOUS JOSHUA JAY

Itisn’tmagicthatmakesgoodthingshappeninourworld.REALMAGIChappenswhenpeoplesupportothers!

JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER NAPLES PRESENTS:

A Magical Evening with World Famous Joshua Jay

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

Magic Show 7 p.m. • Ticket for Magic Show w/dessert reception afterward | $75 per person

Meet & Greet (w/Joshua Jay) 6 p.m. Ticket for Meet & Greet w/preferred seating at show & dessert reception afterward | $100 per person

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

TOP HAT – $1,800

• 3 months of advertising in the FederationStar newspaper, which reaches 3,560 households (1/4-page – 5” x 7.5” total value $675)

• 3 weeks of your logo appearing in the Federation e-blast, which reaches 4,500 email boxes with a 55-60% click rate ($150 value)

• 4 Preferred Tickets ($400 value)

Thank you in advance

your

MAGIC WAND – $1,000

• 1 month of advertising in the FederationStar newspaper, which reaches 3.560 households (1/4-page – 5” x 7.5” total value $225)

• 1 week of your logo appearing in the Federation e-blast, which reaches 4,500 email boxes with a 55-60% click rate ($50 value)

• 2 Preferred Tickets ($200 value)

DECK OF CARDS – $500

• 3 weeks of your logo appearing in the Federation e-blast, which reaches 4,500 email boxes with a 55-60% click rate ($150 value)

• 2 Preferred Tickets ($200 value)

INDIVIDUAL PATRON – $1,000

• 2 Preferred Tickets ($200 value)

• Name recognition in FederationStar

Contact Renee Bialek at RBialek@jewishnaples.org or (239) 263-4205

Philanthropists from Naples and surrounding regions attended Jewish National Fund-USA’s National Conference in Boston last November.

Credit: Hannah Rose Osofsky

הנש הנש הבוט הבוט Shana

Birthright Israel has first second-generation participant

Parents of Brooke Rubinoff participated in the program in 2001

Jerusalem, Israel (May 9, 2023) – It was bound to happen, given Birthright Israel’s success for an extended period of time: A Birthright Israel participant is the offspring of previous participants.

Brooke Rubinoff, 20, of the Toronto suburb of Thornhill, Ontario, is in Israel this week with a Birthright Israel group from Canada. Today, she received a certificate from the organization marking an historic milestone for the 24-year-old program that transforms the lives of Jewish young adults from around the world — to date, more than 800,000.

Rubinoff is a biological science major with a minor in neuroscience and has just completed her third year at the University of Guelph. She attended Jewish day school and Jewish camp. Her parents, Miles and Hayley Rubinoff, were already a couple when they participated in a Birthright trip in 2001, the program’s third year.

“I never thought that two decades since my husband, Miles, and I were privileged to be among the first Birthright Israel groups — and Miles’ first time in Israel — our eldest daughter Brooke would also be receiving this incredible gift; and here we are today, with her experiencing Israel with her peers as a young adult and, no doubt, gaining insights and experiences she’s never had before, even with previous visits to Israel. We cannot wait for our second daughter, Ashley, to have this same experience next,” said Hayley.

“I am so grateful to be here now and will never take for granted that this experience is a gift from the Jewish community,” said Brooke. “Both my parents were lucky enough to receive this gift

and now I have the same good fortune. I am experiencing Israel in an entirely new and incredible way during my Birthright Israel trip, and I am so honored to be the first of many second-generation participants!”

“We are thrilled and extremely proud to welcome our first second-generation participant. This is a milestone for the most impactful program in modern Jewish life,” said Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark. “The program is so established in Jewish life that it was only a matter of time until Birthright alumni produced a child who also came to Israel on Birthright. Before you know it, we’ll have a third-generation Birthright alumnus.”

Birthright Israel is the largest educational tourism organization in the world that has transformed the lives of more than 800,000 Jewish young adults ages 18-26 with a gift of a 10-day educational tour of Israel. Its mission is to ensure a vibrant future for the Jewish people by strengthening Jewish identity, Jewish communities and connection with Israel. The organization also brings thousands of participants to Israel through its Onward Israel and Birthright Israel Excel Fellowship Programs.

The gift of a Birthright Israel trip is made possible thanks to the support of tens of thousands of donors to Birthright Israel Foundation and Birthright Israel Foundation of Canada, as well as an innovative partnership between Jewish communities around the world and the Government of Israel. Donors who generously support our mission see it as an ongoing investment in the state of Israel, the Jewish future and its relationship with the Jewish world.

Brooke receives certificate from her Birthright Israel tour guide, Moshe Emergui. Credit: Tailor Made

ELLIOTT KATZ LECTURE SERIES

At Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center

Oct. 6: “Oh Canada”

When it came to accepting Jewish refugees from Europe from 1933 until 1948, no Western democracy exceeded Canada in its zeal to limit such immigration, a policy the country later apologized for.

Oct. 13: “The Universities. The lvys and The Jews”

In the 1920s and ’30s, many Ivy League Universities were anxious to limit the number of Jewish students while simultaneously rolling out the welcome mat for Nazi students.

and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples for six more History

Join

Uncompromised presentations that challenge the conventional view of many 20th century events. Meticulous research supports critical assessments made and archival and original documentation is utilized to demonstrate that history is often recorded or revised to fit political, public and media prejudices and predilections.

EVENT DETAILS

TIME: 10-11:30 a.m. with a Q&A following LOCATION: Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center

PRICE: Series tickets are $145 pp

Individual tickets are $30 pp

FRIDAY PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

Nov. 3: “Hooray for Hollywood”

Hollywood’s film moguls decided to take action against the West Coast Nazis who seemed hell bent on spreading their poison and infiltrating the movie industry.

Nov. 17: “Casablanca”

Morocco, Vichy France and a city teeming with refugees, collaborationist’s and spies was also the site where Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met to determine the fate of Europe. You will be surprised at what FDR said there about the Jews.

Dec. 1: “Hitler’s Jewish Princess”

Hitler called her, “My Princess.” He was enamored with this Jewish woman, FDR despised her. How did she end up?

Dec. 15: “The Farhud”

For thousands of years, Iraqi Jews prospered in their Mesopotamian homeland. Then the acknowledged leader of the middle eastern Arabs decided it was time for a pogram. It was called The Farhud.

PURCHASE SERIES OR INDIVIDUAL TICKETS AT WWW.JEWISHNAPLES.ORG

ELLIOTT KATZ

Centennial stats

Marina Berkovich JHSSWF President

Summer has traditionally been Southwest Florida’s time to evaluate the past season and make plans for when the snowbirds return. In 100 years of its history, Collier County went from being a part of Lee County to its own entity when, on May 8, 1923, Florida Governor Cary A. Hardee officially made it the state’s 62nd county. It also changed from restricting Jews settling in it to a Jewish presence of about 10,000 people in the total population of nearly 400,000.

This county is named after Barron Collier, an advertising mogul, who came to Southwest Florida from New York and furthered his wealth through land ownership. In exchange for establishment of the new county, Barron Collier agreed to build the Tamiami Trail through what was

then Lee County, which later became Lee, Collier and Hendry counties.

Another Southwest Florida centennial county is Hendry County. It was founded on May 11, 1923 and named after Francis Asbury Henry, Berry for short, a cattle rancher born in Georgia who served in Seminole wars and became a Confederate officer. He later served two terms as Florida senator (1865-1867; 1875-1878) and in the Florida House of Representatives of Lee County (1893-1904). He died in 1917 in Fort Myers, a city he championed to incorporate and among whose first councilmen he also served.

LaBelle was designated as the Hendry County government seat. It is the city Berry Hendry planned in 1895, naming it after his daughters Laura and Belle Hendry. Its population in 2021 was 40,313.

Lee County was established on May 13, 1887 from Monroe County and named after a distinguished Confederate General, Robert E. Lee, with Fort Myers becoming its county seat. The Battle of Fort Myers was the southernmost and one of the last major battles of the American Civil War, fought February 20-25, 1865.

Fort Myers was named after Abraham C. Myers, a Jewish officer, on Feb. 14, 1850, well over a decade before the Civil War separated the patriotic Americans into Union and Confederate sides. Approximately 761,000 people live in Lee County. Jews have been there since the early 20th century and number about 12,000 together with Charlotte County.

Charlotte County was founded on April 23, 1921, with Punta Gorda being its county seat. Its current population is about 187,000. It was named for the Bay of Charlotte Harbor, which was initially named Bahia de Carlota by the Spanish in 1565 and renamed by the English in 1775 after the wife of King George III, Queen Charlotte Sofia.

Glades County was founded on April 23, 1921 as well and is named for the Florida Everglades. Its government seat is Moore Haven and its population is estimated at just over 12,000.

Sarasota County is the largest in Southwest Florida. It was founded on May 14, 1921, with the city of Sarasota being its seat. Its population is 434,000. The exact origin of the word Sarasota is

unknown, but legend credits the beautiful daughter of explorer Hernando DeSoto, Sara, as the source of the naming. The Sarasota-Manatee Jewish community has a combined population of 35,300 (2019).

Your generosity helps us continue our work. No amount is too small, and you may donate online, by mail or by contacting us at office@jhsswf.org. Members receive announcements, reminders and other wonderful information you won’t want to miss. Family membership is $54; individual membership is $36; student membership is $18; and corporate sponsorship is $300. If mailing a check, please send to The Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida, 8805 Tamiami Trail North, Suite #255, Naples, FL 34108.

We can be reached at 833-547-7935 (833-JHS-SWFL), www.jhsswf.org or office@jhsswf.org. The Virtual Museum of SWFL Jewish History is located online at http://jewishhistorysouthwest florida.org/.

The Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida is a section 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions are deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Organoid technology now being used at Hadassah

Division, started the work to bring organoid technology to Hadassah, where its potential seemed very promising.

will affect the tissues — and the individual patient.

In June, I shared some of the medical programs that were initiated by Hadassah Hospital. We continue to spread healing and hope through breakthroughs, while our advocacy programs improve the lives of all people.

Several years ago, Professor Eyal Mishani, Director of Hadassah Medical Organization’s Research Fund and head of the Research and Development Innovation

From this technology, first developed in the Netherlands in 2009, doctors at Hadassah’s Organoid Center can now take biopsies from patients and grow their tissues in a lab so that the cells multiply, connect to each other and self-organize into three dimensional structures, eventually mimicking the features of the tissue in the patient’s body.

In 2021, Hadassah established a Bio Bank to store the samples and make them available to researchers in Israel and around the world. They’ve become an essential tool for industry to determine how various drugs and treatments

This personalized approach saves the patient from grueling tests and drugs that may have no effect on their disease. It also reduces the time between the onset of illness and potential life-saving treatments. The treatment is already benefiting some cancer patients and some patients with cystic fibrosis, saving precious time for those who cannot afford the time required for traditional trial-and-error approaches. It will also significantly reduce the need to use animals as preclinical models.

Looking ahead, there is a good chance that these doctors will be able to transplant the patient’s derived organoids to restore the function of a diseased organ.

When you donate to Hadassah, it has a powerful effect. You make broken lives whole. You keep crucial medical research moving forward. You empower women to become advocates and activists who transform our world. You put Jewish values into action.

Please join us for these “Expanding Horizons” events … and expand your horizons on:

July 13, noon – Summer Fun, a book swap and lunch with hostess Leda Lubin Oct. 18, 10:30 a.m. – “Whatever Happened to the Great American Railroad?” presented by Jeffrey Margolis

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Shared responsibility for society

Rabbi Ammos Chorny

Following the festival of Shavuot, most congregations the world-over focus on the words of Parshat Naso, where we find a grammatical curiosity that teaches us an especially important lesson. In Numbers 5:6-7, the Torah states that when a man or a woman sins, they shall confess their sin. Now, in modern parlance, we use the third person plural “they” as a singular gender-neutral pronoun, so the uniqueness of this verse might easily be overlooked. In Biblical Hebrew, however, the third person plural is just that: plural. Why does the text of the Torah move from singular to plural in the middle of this commandment?

The answer given by some commentators is that the shift to plural teaches collective responsibility. When someone commits a sin, others in the community should also ask forgiveness and do teshuvah (repentance), for perhaps there was something they could have done, through education, community services or by paying closer attention, that might have been able to prevent the wrongdoing.

That is not to say that others in the community bear direct and equal responsibility for someone else’s sin. Rather, the lesson is that, as the sages teach, kol yisrael arevim zeh ba-zeh — “all Israel are bound to one another.” Further, in the same way, all members of a community – any community – are bound to one another.

Our actions ultimately affect those around us. We play a role in shaping the community that we live in, its accepted values, its norms, the communal structures through which we function. It may be that we never had the opportunity to

Leading backwards

When I was a kid, back in the 1950s and ’60s, I have the distinct recollection of my

mother instilling into my siblings and me that one of life’s givens is that all people are different by design and our job was to always acknowledge and respect those differences. She said, “to do otherwise was to be disrespectful to that person and to God.” This was not a one-time lesson. It was a theme with her that permeated just about everything she taught us about the world and about life. It was disrespectful to God, she said, “because we are all created

literally stop that person from committing that sin, but did we play a role in creating a society that enabled his action? Or did we fail to work for the communal norms that might have made such an action less likely in our community?

This is what it means to bear collective responsibility. We each are accountable in some measure for the type of society in which we live. That is why the sages taught al tifrosh min ha-tzibbur – do not separate yourself from the community. Engage with it and help create a community that reflects the values of Torah and the will of God.

The lesson of shared responsibility for society is one that we need right now. Our actions can literally save or take away lives. It is extremely easy to look outside of ourselves to identify who we think

is guilty of racism, wanton violence and the indifference that has wrought so much suffering of late. It is much harder to ask ourselves what could we have done to help fight racism, to create better understanding, to demand accountability from our government? What role could we play individually in creating the kind of society that we aspire to?

We may not be able to single-handedly make these problems go away, but each of us can play a role in the struggle to make our world a better place — le taken Olam!

May we be ever cognizant of the power we have to shape our world, and may we use that power for good.

The Cardozo Society is formed as a way to network the many existing and new Jewish attorneys in our legal community. The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples continues to reach out to raise awareness through this association of Jewish attorneys promoting professionalism, cooperation, and identification with our Jewish community.

For more information

contact Joshua Bialek at jbialek@porterwright.com

in God’s image and God loves God’s creations, all of them.”

Being the wise guy that I was, and the rebel, I would goad her and ask how could there be these differences if God only has one unique image? She then opined something that has stayed with me my whole life. She asked me “what makes you think God has only one image and God appears to everyone as that same identical image?” I was stumped. I had never really thought about God appearing differently to different people. And that principal has guided my thinking ever since.

Judaism teaches that all life comes from God as it clearly states in the Book of Genesis that humans are created in God’s image. Life is given by God and so it is sacred. That means all life, not just the life that looks like yours.

Over the last few years, we as a nation, and especially we here in Florida, have been under the leadership of people who consistently denigrate and marginalize those who are perceived as different from what they consider the norm, whatever that might be.

If you are gay or trans, brown-skinned or Jewish, a migrant or disabled, we are all different. But differences in people, whether they be exhibited as language, belief, color, religious practice, sexual orientation, disability or gender, have been an integral part of humanity from the dawn of time.

The Bible, both Jewish and Christian, is replete with those who are different. These differences didn’t just materialize out of thin air. There are many values and concepts in Judaism that emphasize the respecting and learning from others.

“Adam yehidi nivra,” for example, means “every person is a unique creation.” A part of this is appreciating the wonderful things that make each person an individual and celebrating those differences.

Another value and concept is “lomed mikol adam.” It means how much each person has to offer. Everyone has something they can teach us. There is also “kavod,” “respect,” because it is the right

thing to do. If you teach children to celebrate differences, they will grow up greatly aided in viewing the world with great objectivity.

From a Jewish mindset, there are seven values that shape an inclusive community:

• Respect

• Peace in the home

• Being created in the image of God

• Being communally responsible for one another

• Showing caution in our use of language

• Loving your neighbor as yourself

• Not separating or marginalizing anyone from the community These are supposed to be the values that we live by. That is not the case in many states, one of them being Florida. The situation has deteriorated so badly in this state that the NAACP, the Human Rights Campaign and Equity Florida have all issued travel advisories warning those of minority status not to travel to Florida because not only is it not welcoming, it is not safe. We are legislating laws here that are absolutely contrary to the principles we swore to uphold.

Whether Florida leadership acknowledges it or not, we must teach about diversity, inclusion and equity in this state, or suffer setting ourselves back a century or more. They find these concepts to be divisive to America but what they are is real and integral and positive, with a view of reality and truth that actually exists. Passing these abysmal, arbitrary laws only divide us; forcing us to stray further and further from the reality and steadfastness of our value system.

Judaism has never followed the path of least resistance. It is up to us to decide that our communities will no longer leave segments behind. We need to stand up and shout from the rafters that it is worth all our effort to ensure that everyone, no matter who they are, has the opportunity to be recognized, accepted and thrive.

Rabbi Ammos Chorny serves at Beth Tikvah.

Weplayaroleinshaping thecommunitythatwe livein,itsacceptedvalues, itsnorms,thecommunal structuresthrough which we function.

Ifyouteachchildrento celebratedifferences, theywillgrowupgreatly aidedinviewingtheworld withgreatobjectivity.

Rabbi Howard S. Herman DD serves at Naples Jewish Congregation.

Rabbi Howard S. Herman DD

Come worship, study, celebrate and schmooze

Charles Flum President

We human beings are social animals. With few exceptions, we like to be with other people, preferably with people who have similar likes and dislikes. For example, Jews like to be with other Jews who think like they do. That is why we have synagogues. That is why Naples Jewish Congregation was formed. It is a place where Reform Jews can come to worship, study, celebrate, mourn and schmooze together. During the summer, our worship is limited to once a month. However, come the High Holidays, we get into the full swing of the Jewish year.

Speaking of the High Holidays, why not come and join us for worship? If you have never come to our High Holiday services, there is no cost to you. If you are not a congregant and have been to our High Holiday service, it is only $100, which can be applied to your membership. What a fabulous way to hear our great rabbi, Rabbi Herman, and our wonderful choir led by cantorial soloist Jane Galler and music director Alla Gorelick.

If you decide to join, we make it very easy. Your first year is “pay from the heart.” This way, your financial commitment is not great as we get to know each other.

One of the ways we get to know each other is through Flamingle — various activities held throughout the year. We’ve had picnics in parks, where we told funny stories from our lives, how we met our spouse, etc. Our last Flamingle in June was held at a Lebanese restaurant. I have never heard anything but positive comments about this activity.

Education is a cornerstone of Judaism. Rabbi Herman helps keep that foundation strong with his series of adult education classes on a wide variety of topics, from the prophets to current Jewish music. After his talk, we gather for a light supper (Jews love to eat!) and services, followed by the oneg.

A major event sponsored by Naples Jewish Congregation is our Artist in Residence program, usually held in February and open to the public. In 2024, we will have the Chicago-based quartet Listen Up!, who have previously performed as Artists in Residence. Details will be forthcoming. Go to our website, NaplesJewish Congregation.org, for more information about our synagogue. Then, come worship with us. Hopefully, you will become a congregant in “the little congregation with the big heart.”

Federation Star Publication Policy

The Federation Star is a subsidized arm of JFGN. Its purpose and function is to publicize the activities and programs of Federation as well as ongoing activities of recognized Jewish organizations in Greater Naples.

The goal of JFGN is to reach out and unite all Jews of the Greater Naples area. While differing opinions and points of view exist on many issues of importance to Jews, the Federation Star will confine itself to publishing only items that report the facts of actual events of concern to Jews and offer commentary that clearly intends to unite all Jews in a common purpose.

Critical or derogatory comments directed at individuals or organizations will not be published.

To avoid misunderstandings, controversies and destructive divisions among our people, the Officers and Board of Trustees of Federation have adopted the following publication policy:

Advertisements: All advertisements, regardless of their sponsor, shall be paid for in full, at the established rates, prior to publication. The contents of all advertisements shall be subject to review and approval of the Federation board or its designee. Commercial advertisers may make credit arrangements with the advertising

Book Discussion with the Authors!

manager, subject to the approval of the Federation board.

Regular Columns: Regular columns shall be accepted only from leaders (Rabbis, Presidents, Chairs) of established and recognized Jewish organizations in Greater Naples and the designated chairs of the regular committees of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

Special Announcements: Special announcements shall be accepted from established Jewish organizations in Greater Naples and may, at the discretion of the Federation board, be subject to the conditions applicable to paid advertisements, as set forth above.

News Items: Only those news items pertaining to matters of general interest to the broadest cross section of the Jewish community will be accepted for publication.

Note: Items of controversial opinions and points of view about political issues will not be accepted for publication without prior approval of a majority of the Federation Officers and Trustees.

All persons and organizations objecting to the actions and rulings of the Editor or Publications Committee Chair shall have the right to appeal those rulings to the Officers and Board of Trustees of JFGN.

azabbg.bbyo.org/on-demand/home

Latest news from BBYO Naples

By Cayla Schreier, BBYO Southwest Coordinator

The time has come for the teens of BBYO Naples to wrap up their 2022-2023 school year. The month of May has been packed with final exams, school team sports final competitions and State of Florida end-of-course assessment exams. Even though school may be challenging, our teens have been able to take a break from academics with fun BBYO events, community service and a combined chapter board election.

The Naples teens held a Shabbat Beach Cleanup at Lowdermilk Park in Naples. Prior to the cleanup, the 13 teens were excited to recite the Shabbat prayers and Hamotzi over some delicious challah, pizza and chocolate chip cookies while looking at the gorgeous beach. The N’Siah (president), Bella Schaab, spoke about the Judaic connection as it relates to cleaning up the beach and keeping the Earth healthy. Our teens were given trash pickers and garbage bags to collect litter. They split up into groups and spent time walking along the beach picking up garbage and disposing of items such as bottle caps and cans.

The Naples chapter held elections for the upcoming fall 2023 semester. The consensus was that the best route to move forward and grow was to elect a combined chapter board comprised of members of Mishpacha BBG and Negev AZA. Our teens were successful in electing a chapter

board and chairman. They were excited about their new BBYO teen leadership roles and started planning events for the upcoming school year.

Our new Naples BBYO chapter board

N’Siah (President) – Bella Schaab

S’gan (Programming) – Jonah Miller

S’ganit (Programming) – Emily Schaab

Aym Ha’Chaverot (Membership) –MJ Solomon

KATZ

Shaliach (Jewish Enrichment) –Adam Berman

Mazkirah (Secretary) – Mimi Goldberg

Gizbor (Treasurer) – Gabriel Miller

Chairman – Noah Tsipursky

Naples’ final event of the 2022-2023 school year was the Cupcake War. The Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center generously allowed us to hold the tournament in their kitchen. Teens broke into three teams to decorate cupcakes in accordance with four different themes: animals, Jewish holidays, tropical and a judge look-a-like. The creative teens decorated their cupcakes to look like a tiger, matzah, apples and honey, sunset, palm tree, sandcastle, and a great cupcake portrait of one of our judges, Emily Schaab.

Naples BBYO had a very successful year. Our membership increased with a total of 38 teens registered as members. Naples BBYO is excited to increase its future membership goals.

Mazel tov to our graduating seniors and newly elected Naples BBYO Chapter Board. We wish our graduating seniors great success as they become BBYO alumni and enter a new and exciting chapter in their lives.

Thank you to our Naples advisor, Ben Yaffe, for supporting the teens. We’re excited to have him return in the fall.

New news

Any teen transitioning from seventh to eighth grade this summer can become a BBYO member starting July 1, 2023.

If you know of someone who has a teen who might like to join BBYO or

For all of our full-time residents, we will continue to have our full menu of Corned Beef, Pastrami, Turkey, Matzoh Ball Soup and all of your favorites.

As a reminder, please go to katznydeli.com and click on the orange button to see the menu and order, or call (239) 291-8340. It will be delivered to your door. Also, we are offering 10% discount on your entire order!

you know someone who might want to become an advisor to our chapters, please email me at cschreier@bbyo.org.

Follow us for updates on Instagram at Mishpacha_BBG and Negevaza.

Supporting our teenage Jewish community

Post-B’nai Mitzvah-age teens' involvement in BBYO and eagerness to create and confidently continue their own Jewish community within their greater Jewish communities is critical to our future. BBYO Naples is partnering with Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, Temple Shalom, Chabad of Naples and Beth Tikvah. We thank everyone for providing a great environment for our teens.

Please email us at mjs0821@aol. com if you would like to be included in our friends and alumni of BBYO mailing list.

New York-style deli sandwiches and more brought right to your door!

Summer of the Arts in full swing

Ettie Zaklos Founder & Director

Our campus was abuzz with the sweet sounds, tastes and smells of summer as the 19th annual Summer of the Arts camp program swung into full gear in early June. Year after year, SOTA becomes an epicenter of creativity, bringing together children from all walks of life for an immersive and unforgettable

summer experience. This year, we had the pleasure of welcoming over 250 children to our vibrant community.

One of my favorite aspects of SOTA is that, during this special time of year, we not only welcome our younger campers but also embrace our older children and former Preschool of the Arts students. It is such a delight to see old and new faces alike. It often feels like we are welcoming our children back home, creating a sense of continuity and family that spans the years.

This summer program’s exciting theme is "STEAMsational," promising an unforgettable adventure. Throughout the six weeks, children delve into the worlds

of science, technology, engineering, art, math and music, igniting their imaginations and expanding their horizons. Each week focuses on a different field, providing immersive and sensory experiences that captures their curiosity and fuels their enthusiasm.

From creative arts and science explorations to engaging in sports like soccer, tennis and golf, from Little Chefs honing their culinary skills to water play and captivating weekly entertainers, our campers are delighted by new and exciting discoveries at every turn.

Each weekly theme offers an array of thrilling activities. For instance, during

the "Mad Scientists" week, campers explore the strength of paper and create edible DNA strands. In the "Einstein Engineers" week, they engage in openended engineering challenges and have the opportunity to cook solar oven s'mores. The "Music Maestros" week allows them to discover melody and song, while the "Little Artists" celebrates the Beauty of Shabbat through gravitydefying painting challenges.

As "Math Wizards," campers tackle mathematical challenges and express their artistic side through pendulum painting. Finally, as "Tech Titans," they embrace

continued on page 30

Fueling curiosity and igniting fun: exploring a steamsational summer at Summer of the Arts

the digital realm, creating circuits and maneuvering through Tracerbot Mazes. Each week brings new excitement and unique learning opportunities.

However, Summer of the Arts is about more than just the weekly activities. It's about fostering a sense of belonging and creating a space where young minds can thrive. We take great pride in building a warm and inclusive community that not only meets the physical and social needs of our campers but also celebrates their unique talents and strengths.

Witnessing the transformations that take place within our campers is aweinspiring. We see the timid child discover their artistic prowess and the introverted thinker blossom into a confident team player. Summer of the Arts has a remarkable way of bringing out the best in each child, nurturing their critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities while fostering a deep appreciation for collaboration.

Our program goes beyond providing exceptional summer experiences; it's about igniting a lifelong love of learning through play and discovery. By immersing children in the world of arts and creativity, we empower them to explore their passions and unlock their true potential. The skills they acquire and the memories they create with us shape their future.

But, the most rewarding aspect of Summer of the Arts lies in the sense of community it fosters. Joining the SOTA family means becoming part of a community that values education, childhood play, creativity and inclusivity. It's about giving our children the gift of a nurturing

environment where they can thrive and grow alongside their peers.

At POTA, we understand the incredible opportunities and special magic that only summer can offer. It is our delight to provide our children with camp memories that will last them all year long and beyond.

If you're interested in learning more about the transformative experiences we offer, we invite you to join our Preschool of the Arts family and start your child on a lifelong educational journey. Together, let's create a future filled with boundless possibilities and cherished memories.

summer of the arts...cont. from page 29 TRIVIA

TEMPLE SHALOM OF NAPLES (Reform)

4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34119

Phone: 455.3030  Fax: 455.4361

Email: info@naplestemple.org

www.naplestemple.org

Rabbi Adam Miller, MAHL

Cantor Donna Azu, MSM

Rabbi Ariel Boxman, MAHL, MARE, Director of Lifelong Learning

Rabbi James H. Perman, D.D.,

Rabbi Emeritus

Deborah Rosen Fidel, J.D., MAJPS, Executive Director

Len Teitelbaum, President

Jim Cochran, Music Director

Shabbat Services:

Shabbat Eve - Friday 7:30 p.m.

Shabbat - Saturday 10 a.m.

Sisterhood

Men’s Club

Adult Education

Havurot

Youth Groups

Religious School

Judaic Library

Hebrew School

Preschool

Adult Choir

Social Action

Naples’ only Judaica Shop

CHABAD NAPLES JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

serving Naples and Marco Island

1789 Mandarin Road, Naples, FL 34102 Phone: 262.4474

Email: info@chabadnaples.com

Website: www.chabadnaples.com

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos Co-directors

Dr. Arthur Seigel, President Shabbat Services

Shabbat - Saturday 10 a.m.

Camp Gan Israel

Hebrew School

Preschool of the Arts

Jewish Women’s Circle

Adult Education

Bat Mitzvah Club

Friendship Circle

Smile on Seniors

Flying Challah

Kosher food delivery

CHABAD OF BONITA SPRINGS & ESTERO

24611 Production Circle

Bonita Springs, FL 34135

Phone: 239-949-6900

Email: chabad@jewishbonita.com

Website: www.JewishBonita.com

Rabbi Mendy & Luba Greenberg

Co-directors

Services:

Sunday 9 a.m.

Monday through Friday 8 a.m.

Shabbat 10 a.m.

Adult Education

Challah of Love

Community Events

Daily Minyan Services

Hebrew School

Kosher Grocery

Kosher Meals on Wheels

Smile on Seniors

JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND (Reform)

991 Winterberry Drive

Marco Island, FL 34145

Phone: 642.0800  Fax: 642.1031

Email: tboxma@marcojcmi.com

Website: www.marcojcmi.com

Rabbi Mark Gross

Hari Jacobsen, Cantorial Soloist

Stan Alliker, President

Shabbat Services

Friday 7:30 p.m.

Seasonal: Saturday Talmud-Torah at 9:30 a.m. and Shachrit at 10:30 a.m.

Rabbi’s Lifelong Learning Series

Sidney R. Hoffman Jewish Film Festival

Saul I. Stern Cultural Series

JCMI Book Club

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION (Reform)

Services are held at:

The Unitarian Congregation

6340 Napa Woods Way

Rabbi Howard Herman 431.3858

Email: rabbi@naplesjewishcongregation.org

www.naplesjewishcongregation.org

Charles Flum, President

Jane Galler, Cantorial Soloist

Shabbat Services

Friday evenings 7 p.m.

May - August: services once a month

Sisterhood • Men’s Club

Adult Education • Adult Choir

Social Action • Community Events

BETH TIKVAH

(Conservative)

1459 Pine Ridge Road Naples, FL 34109 (just west of Mission Square Plaza) Phone: 434.1818

Email: office@bethtikvah.us

Website: www.bethtikvahnaples.org

Rabbi Ammos Chorny

Joseph Henson, President

Roberta Miller, Secretary

Shabbat Services

Friday evenings 6:15 p.m.

Saturday mornings 9:30 a.m.

Youth Education

Adult Education Community Events

Jewish Organizations to Serve You in Greater Naples

(All area codes are 239 unless otherwise noted.)

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

Phone: 263.4205

Website: www.jewishnaples.org

Email: info@jewishnaples.org

• Federation Board Chair: Nathaniel Ritter

• Federation President/CEO: Jeffrey Feld

American Jewish Committee

Regional Dir: Brian Lipton, 941.365.4955

American Technion Society

Chapter Dir: Kelley Whiter, 561.395.7206

Baker Senior Center Naples

Phone: 325.4444

Chairperson: Prentiss Higgins

President/CEO: Dr. Jaclynn Faffer

Friends of the IDF

Exec. Dir.: Dina Ben Ari, 305.354.8233

GenShoah SWFL

263.9200

Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah

President: Joyce Toub, 518.330.1559

Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

Chairperson: Stuart Price

President/CEO: Susan Suarez, 263.9200

Israel Bonds

Monica DiGiovanni, 727.282.1124

Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida

President: Marina Berkovich, 566.1771

Jewish National Fund

Joshua Mellits, 941.462.1330 x865

Jewish War Veterans Post 202

The Federation Star is published monthly, September

Commander, Harvey Sturm, 261.3270

Men’s Cultural Alliance

President: Michael Sobol, 508.733.9427

Naples BBYO Cayla Schreier, 845.405.1991

Naples Friends of American Magen David Adom (MDA)

SE Reg Dir: Joel Silberman, 954.457.9766

PJ Library Coordinator: Alicia Feldman www.jewishnaples.org/pj-library

Women’s Cultural Alliance

President: Patti Boochever, 518.852.3440

Zionist Organization of America

President: Jerry Sobel, 914.329.1024

WHY INSULATION PROVIDES PEST PROTECTON & CAN HELP HOMEOWNERS SAVE MONEY

by Anna Wallace, Truly Nolen

Last time, I discussed mosquitoes and steps you could take to keep them at bay.

For my summer column, because saving money is always top of mind, I wanted to highlight how proper insulation can help reduce your overall energy footprint.

As temperatures increase, proper insulation can help keep your house cool. In fact, according to the Department of Energy, over 70 percent of homes in the U.S. are under-insulated. Our Truly Insulation Plus (TIP) provides homeowners with a long-term preventative approach to reducing energy consumption while protecting your home from many common household pests.

TIP services combine high-grade insulation with naturally occurring minerals to provide our customers with one of the most unique and effective insulation services on the market. In attics, our company uses blown cellulose insulation (recycled newsprint) infused with borates (naturally occurring minerals) which provide a superior pest

barrier, all while maintaining your desired climate. We can also insulate crawl spaces and under floors. In addition to climate control and added pest protection, TIP also has superior acoustic qualities and high-level fire retardation.

To that end, every building material has an insulation value called an "R-value." An object's R-value measures how well that object resists the transfer of heat. Simply put, it rates how effective a material is at stopping warm air from passing through it. Insulation materials start at around R-2/inch and range up to R-7/inch, with higher values being better or requiring less material to stop the heat transfer.

The R-value of Truly Insulation Plus is rated as a 3.7, making it a higher R-value than many other types of insulation materials. Additionally, TIP offers pest protection, a secondary barrier against termites and it leaves you with the ability to treat and inspect the area for termites or other pests.

Therefore, TIP aims to reduce energy costs and prevent infestation, both of which save our customers money while making their homes safer and more comfortable. Whether it is removing corrupted and antiquated insulation, or just adding to the R-Value and efficiency of the current insulation, Truly Insulation Plus has a significant impact on our customers’ lives.

As a reminder, a FREE home, lawn, or insulation inspection is always just a phone call away by calling us or by visiting www.trulynolen.com and clicking “Schedule Free Inspection.” Ask us about TIP when you schedule!

(Anna Wallace is the Manager for Truly Nolen in Naples. Her service office can be reached at (239) 643-2555. Founded in 1938, Tucson-based Truly Nolen of America (www.trulynolen.com) is one of the largest family-owned pest control companies in the United States. To learn more about our Insulation Division, please visit https://trulynolen.com/truly-insulation-plus/)