Federation Star - November 2020 by jewishnaples

T O M O R R O W B E G I N S T O D AY

2021 Virtual Kickoff Event

Annual Community Campaign

December 1 7-8:15 p.m.

TO REGISTER, VISIT WWW.JEWISHNAPLES.ORG/KICKOFF

Celebrating Jewish Life in Greater Naples, Israel and the World

Federation Star Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Serving Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding communities

www.JewishNaples.org Y November 2020 – Chesvan/Kislev 5781 Y Vol. 30 #3 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 9 Men’s Cultural Alliance 14 Women’s Cultural Alliance 18 Community Focus 22 Tributes 23 Jewish Interest 27 Israel & the Jewish World 29 Commentary 30 Organizations 31 Synagogues 32 Focus on Youth 35 Community ZoomDirectory in

for Five Fabulous Events in December For full details on these events and others in the 2020-21 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival, including authors, book descriptions, event dates and more, see pages 4, 5, 4A & 5A of this issue.

Lori Gottlieb December 3 7:30 p.m.

Andrew Blauner December 9 7:30 p.m.

Elayne Klasson

Nessa Rapoport

December 11 • 10:30 a.m.

Lew Paper December 17 1 p.m.

Rabbi Corinne Copnick December 22 1 p.m.

To register, please visit www.JewishBookFestival.org.

Send your kids FREE Jewish Book Festival begins Jewish Dec. 3, 2020 withbooks! Lori Gottlieb

Professionally curated, enjoyable stories for the whole family

16 Free Jewish children’s book Sign up today at pjlibrary.org program to expand in Greater Naples Join us on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, for our 2021 Annual Community Campaign virtual kickoff event! Page 11

Our new home

By Federation President/CEO Jeffrey Feld and Federation Board Chair Jane Schiff

he dictionary defines home as “a house, apartment or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family or household.” You have each received a brochure showing our new building. In last month’s Federation Star, there were floor plans for everyone to see what’s in the new space. There are renderings of the outside of the building, the lobby and the to enjoy for the rest of our years here, but THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER NAPLES BUILDING community room for all to see. for those who come after us. There will be art, sculptures, We are building for the future. The PINE RIDGE ROADpaintings VIEW and stained-glass windows. There will future after COVID-19. The future when be meeting rooms, card rooms, a BBYO we get back together and meet and greet lounge and a lounge for the rest of us. each other. Maybe we will hug less, not There will be fabulous light fixtures and shake hands, even still wear masks, but ceilings in the abstract shape of a Magen we will get together. We will have meetDavid. Twelve royal palms will grace the ings. We will have games, lectures, films, outer courtyard, representing the 12 tribes cooking demonstrations and many, many of Israel. A covered drop-off/pickup loggia meetings. If we don’t move forward with will have benches for sitting, meditating, this building now, we will remain homereading or just waiting for a ride or friend. less. We will continue to wander on the It is a place for you to call home—a sands of the Gulf of Mexico. We need a shelter that is the usual residence of the home; we deserve a home, and we will Jane Schiff and Jeffrey Feld Jewish Community of Greater Naples. all feel settled and comfortable in our But this building will not be our new home. home unless and until we all participate synagogues have been founded and are Join in making our new home a reality. in making it happen, by supporting its growing. The Naples Senior Center is Please call Marcy Friedland at 239-263financial needs and its existence. We taking responsibility for Jews in need. Two 4205 and make a pledge or give a gift. all have a collective responsibility to of our synagogues, Temple Shalom and There are naming opportunities available. make this building a home away from Chabad, have preschools and religious There are payment plans available. We home. A place where newcomers get schools meeting the needs of our children. know that when you walk into our new the feeling that they belong here, too. A We have a Holocaust Museum that is home, you will want to see your name place that is welcoming, warm, inviting educating the entire community about on the donor plaques and know that you and complete. hate and discrimination. This building helped build it. You don’t want to be left We are the generation coming to this will meet our needs. This building will be out of this community effort. You do community in the second wave. The our home. This building is not just for us want to help build our new home.

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201 Naples, FL 34109

Non Profit Org U.S. Postage

PAID

Fort Myers, FL Permit No 521

Are you ready to build or remodel the home of your dreams? LEARN MORE ON PAGE 9

Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

Capital Campaign spotlight Q&A about the new building with Marc Saperstein

ending his considerkitchen and sufficient parking Jewish Federation tend to have their highIn October, we rolled out the Capital able career experience for at least 175 cars. est in-season activity at counter cyclical Campaign to the entire community, to spearhead the capital Q. What did you consider hours and days, it looked like an excellent mailing more than 3,300 brochures to campaign building project, as the best location for a larger fit from a traffic flow standpoint. all Jewish Federation members. We held Marc Saperstein and his wife of facility? Q. What arrangement has been two Zoom presentations to update the 48 years, Joan, split their time A. After reviewing the worked out between Temple Shalom and community and will continue to have between Milwaukee, Wisconsin results of the Brandeis UniJewish Federation? monthly articles on the project in this and Naples. versity study, we determined A. After we jointly received an paper. Professionally, Saperstein that 30% of our community appraisal on the property, Temple Shalom Q. Why does the project require rezonretired from General Electric lived in lower Lee County or decided it would rather lease than sell ing the property? after a 33-year career with the Marc Saperstein Marco Island. We also knew the land. A letter of intent was negotiA. The site needs to be rezoned from company, during which he held human that many new residential communities ated, which the vast majority of Temple residential use, to one compatible with resources positions in nearly every major were being developed east of I-75. Thus, Shalom members and the entire Jewish Temple Shalom’s approved usage on its GE business, including aircraft engines, the area between U.S. 41 and Logan Federation Board of Directors supported. developed tracts where the synagogue, appliances, entertainment, financial Blvd. and between Immokalee Road Temple Shalom graciously offered us school and parking lot are located. The services, power systems and transportaand Golden Gate Blvd. was identified as a 50-year lease with a 25-year renewal rezoning process requires the approval of tion. He also served as senior executive central to most of our community. option. This very generous offer made this the Collier County Board of Commisvice president of human resources and Our new planned home at Temple project financially viable. sioners, who will vote on our applications communications for NBC and, later, Shalom is close to this “sweet spot,” avoids Q. How were the architect, civil on Nov. 10. NBC Universal. the heavy in-season traffic west of I-75 engineers, design firm and other key Q. What is your expected timing to Saperstein was GE’s first vice president and collocates us on the same campus as consultants selected? start construction? of corporate citizenship, responsible for the largest synagogue in Greater Naples. A. All the consultants and potential A. In addition to seeking rezoning the company’s overall volunteer initiatives Q. What options did you consider in partners considered went through a approval, we are concurrently going and for developing its innovative $20M+ looking for a larger facility? rigorous process of interviews, reference through the site development and permitphilanthropic effort to bring enhanced ting approval processes, which we hope health care to Africa. to complete by the end of January 2021. Since retiring in 2007, he has served Construction would then commence in on the BBYO International Board of February and should be completed by the Directors. Locally, he initiated and end of December, allowing us to open the co-chairs BBYO Naples, is the current new Jewish Cultural Center in January or secretary of the Contessa condominium February 2022. board of directors and is vice chair of Q. Who has been working on this the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples project over the past two years? (JFGN) board of directors. A. We have a very engaged Building We asked Saperstein some questions Committee that meets monthly with our about the new building, the answers for architect, James Knafo, Project Vice-chair which are shared below. Merlin Lickhalter and me. We have a Q. Where did the idea for a new Jewish small Temple Shalom/Jewish Federation Federation building come from? subcommittee—Ed Alexander, Ed A. In early 2016, it was clear that the Kaufman, Deborah Fidel, Jane Schiff, expanding number of programs offered Jeffrey Feld and me—working on security, by the Jewish Federation and its stakeparking, landscaping and other areas of holders required far more room than the mutual concern. We have the full support 4,000 square feet of office and community and involvement of the Temple Shalom space it had to offer. In November 2016, A. We worked with Investment Propchecks and comparative project quotes. leadership and the Jewish Federation the JFGN board of directors held two THE ertiesJEWISH Corporation, a well-regarded All key consultants recommended by the ROOM Board of Directors. FEDERATION OF GREATER NAPLES BUILDING COMMUNITY visioning sessions to develop a five-year commercial real estate broker in Naples, core project team were also reviewed and We have retained well-regarded local strategic plan. One of the key elements to identify potential options. Four approved by the Jewish Federation Board rezoning and legal consultants to guide us of those sessions was finding a new facilapproaches were explored: land to build, of Directors. through this complex and time-consum W E G M A N D E S I G N G R O U P ity with space for the growing needs of key existing facility to renovate, new or existQ. What is the overall project going ing process. Our construction manager, stakeholders (MCA, WCA, Jewish Book ing space to lease and commercial condo to cost? DeAngelis Diamond, has been involved in Festival, BBYO and the Federation staff.). space, such as the Holocaust Museum A. Current cost estimates for the entire our planning from the beginning to assure This was confirmed by a demographic found. We looked at approximately 40 project, including site development, the their input on the best value engineered study conducted by Brandeis University properties over a four-month period in building, security, landscaping, furniture, design possible. Wegman Design Group, in mid-2017. 2017 and came up empty, because they consultant costs and county fees, are our interior designers, have done many Q. How did you determine how much were in the wrong location, had insufbetween $8.2 and $8.6 million. However, large, well-recognized projects locally space was needed? ficient parking and/or were not large we are still working through our reviews and have been great partners. Finally, A. We met with our key stakeholders enough. Several large, vacant buildings with Collier County, which could increase our key stakeholders have been involved to determine their current and future were considered, but those landlords only our cost projections. Final project cost will throughout the process as well, given their needs for space. The results suggested wanted retail businesses. not be known until mid-December, when members will be the primary users of our that we needed at least 18,000 sq. ft. to Q. How did Temple Shalom’s property we receive our “guaranteed maximum new building. accommodate program and membership come under consideration? price” from our construction manager, Q. What are some of the other aspects growth as well as that of the overall Jewish A. Rabbi Miller and I were meeting, DeAngelis Diamond, after formal bidding of this project that you feel the community Community of Greater Naples. and he asked how the property search was of all the project elements. should know about? Q. What were the biggest needs that going. When I expressed my disappointQ. How will this project be paid for? A. From a security standpoint, we were identified by the key stakeholders? ment with the available options we had A. We have a Capital Campaign have utilized both the Collier County A. They wanted a large community seen, he mentioned that Temple Shalom underway to cover the costs of the projSheriff ’s Office and a security consulting room with flexible seating for close to 400 had 4.3 acres of undeveloped land west ect and to create an endowment to help firm associated with Jewish Federations attendees, a large board room accommoof its parking lot that we should concover operating costs. We have had a very of North America to develop our plans. dating 25-30 participants, two additional sider. This land met our space needs and successful “quiet phase” of the Capital The building will have extensive secuconference rooms, flexible program space location requirements. Shared parking Campaign, which has resulted in more rity aspects, including a badging system for up to 75 participants, a teen lounge addressed both organization’s needs, with than $7 million in commitments from to enter. Members will be required to and office, a minimum of eight staff approximately 380 combined spaces. 65 donors, thus we are more than halfway wear their badges, with their names and continued on page 3 offices, plenty of storage space, a caterer’s In addition, since Temple Shalom and towards our goal of $14 million!

This publication is brought to you each month thanks to the support of our advertisers. Please be sure to use their products and services, and mention that you saw their ad in the Federation Star.

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

Federation Star

A new home for the Jewish Federation A welcoming place for all Jews in the Greater Naples area

odah Rabah Our Capital Campaign total to date is $7.3M! We would like to say Todah Rabah, to the following donors who have contributed $500 or more as of Oct. 6. Interested in adding your name to the list in one of our upcoming issues? Contact Marcy Friedland, Capital Campaign Director, at mfriedland@jewishnaples.org or 239-263-4205. Patricia Adkins Stuart & Tess Axelrod Ronald & Barbara Balser Alvin & Sheila Becker Jerry & Rosalee Bogo Steve & Patti Boochever

Braverman Family Foundation Stephen & Rhonda Brazina Harvey & Katie Cohen Stan & Karen Deutsch Steven & Shelley Einhorn Jeffrey & Susan Feld Ronald & Paula Filler Marcy Friedland Elaine Goecke Bill & Carol Goldman David Goldsteen & Marcia Cohodes Merrill Hassenfeld & Paula Brody Steve Iser Nancy L. Kaplan Ed Kaufman James Knafo Gary & Deborah Kohler Gracia Kuller

capital campaign spotlight...continued from previous page pictures on them, while in the building. programming, yoga, mahjong, canasta Security cameras will be located both and/or book groups. inside and outside the building. The community room will hold The campus frontage along Pine Ridge approximately 400 attendees with theater Road will have decorative fencing. Secuseating and approximately 200 with rity gates at both campus entrances will banquet seating. When divided in half, be open during normal business hours it will accommodate multiple functions and closed during other times. Additional at the same time. State-of-the-art audio/ security protocols will be in place prior to visual and internet capability will the opening of the building. enhance member enjoyment. Other elements of our plan include The building, as well as the covered electrical vehicle charging stations on the and uncovered patios, will provide for a campus. The caterer’s kitchen will be able wide and diverse array of programming, to accommodate food demonstrations. receptions and just casual lounging. The The BBYO Lounge will be utilized by plaza area, lined with 12 royal palm trees our adult members during the day for and donor-engraved pavers, can also

Howard & Gail Lanznar Elliot & Helene Lerner Merlin & Harriet Lickhalter Bernard & Bobbie Lublin MCA Andy & Robin Mintz Les & Gail Nizin Ben Post & Debbie Laites Harvey Oriel Marshall & Elaine Paisner Joel & Susan Pittelman Stuart & Estelle Price Ilya & Kate Prizel Nat & Susan Ritter Richard & Ellaine Rosen Sam & Judy Roth Stephen & Bebe Saks Marc & Joan Saperstein

Rose Saperstein Jane Schiff Schiff Family Foundation Bill & Caroline Schulhof Les & Betty Schwartz Phyllis Seaman Donald & Arlene Shapiro Russell & Gail Smith II Michael & Arlene Sobol Elaine Soffer Howard & Janet Solot Stephen & Phyllis Strome Malcom Thomson Jay & Susan Weiss WCA Brian & Beth Wolff Ed & Ellen Wollman Barry & Debbie Zvibleman

serve as reception space or a quiet place to meditate. Q. Overall, how do you feel about the progress that has been made thus far on the building and site? A. A large community project like this takes lots of time and resources. We have moved forward in a thoughtful, methodical and informed way, utilizing the expertise of our Building Committee and the many volunteers who have shared their knowledge on various aspects of the project. We feel terrific about our progress to date, but we are not over the goal line yet. Rezoning approval and the

Capital Campaign are key to our ultimate success. We hope that the Jewish Community of Greater Naples will rally around this beautiful “cultural center,” which will be a tremendous asset to our growing Jewish population and the general community. Q. How can we make a donation or review naming opportunities that are available? A. You can contact Marcy Friedland, Capital Campaign Director, by email at mfriedland@jewishnaples.org or call her at the Jewish Federation office at 239-263-4205.

Zoom in for Five Fabulous Events in December For full details on these events and others in the 2020-21 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival, including authors, book descriptions, event dates and more, see pages 4, 5, 4A & 5A of this issue.

Lori Gottlieb December 3 7:30 p.m.

Andrew Blauner December 9 7:30 p.m.

Elayne Klasson

Nessa Rapoport

December 11 • 10:30 a.m.

Lew Paper December 17 1 p.m.

Rabbi Corinne Copnick December 22 1 p.m.

To register, please visit www.JewishBookFestival.org.

Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

Happy Thanksgiving! Reneé Bialek Program Director

he Jewish Federation of Greater Naples is honored to offer The PJ Library, sharing books and programs with young Jewish families and their children. Thank you to the Naples Senior Center at JFCS for hosting PJ Library for the last several years. PJ Library sends free Jewish children’s books to families across the world every month. Jewish families raising kids from birth through 8½ years old, are welcome to sign up via our website or our weekly e-blasts.

Important upcoming programs • Sunday, Nov. 8 is the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht, “The Night

of Broken Glass.” The Catholic Jewish Dialogue of Collier County invites the entire community to the annual commemoration service at 2:30 p.m. • Sunday, Nov. 22 at 8:15 p.m.: Internationally acclaimed cellist Amit Peled presents “A Jewish Journey Through Music.”

Please save the dates for these upcoming programs • Monday, Dec. 7 at 7 pm: Ambassador Dennis Ross and David Makovsky in conversation. • Thursday, Dec. 10 is the community-wide Chanukah Celebration. Let’s light our menorahs together. The program begins at 5 p.m. Free event. • The Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival begins on Thursday, Dec. 3. You can find more information on the Jewish Book Festival throughout this Federation Star issue. The above programs are just a sample of programs being offered at the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Additional

Celebrating Jewish Life in Collier County, Israel and the World

programs can be found in our weekly e-blast. If you are not receiving the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples e-blast every Monday, please let me know. It is important that you read the updated news on a weekly basis. All of these virtual programs will take place on Zoom. Some programs are free, while others have a fee. More information on all of the above can be found throughout this Federation Star and in our Monday weekly e-blast. Please make sure to register via the link that is provided in the weekly eblasts. If you need help registering, please ask me. A confirmation email will be sent to you immediately after you register. The Zoom link is emailed to you about one to two hours prior to the start of each program. Please like us on Facebook! I look forward to Zooming with you at the next program. If you have any questions or need help with the use of Zoom, please do not hesitate to ask me. Please contact me at rbialek@ jewishnaples.org with any questions.

Jewish Book Festival offers a spectacular “virtual” season By Susan Pittelman, Jewish Book Festival Co-chair and Carole J Greene, Jewish Book Festival Author Selection Team

eginning in December and concluding in March, the annual Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival will once again offer our community a dazzling series of author events. This year’s festival, however, will be quite different from previous festivals. Challenged by the social distancing requirements of the pandemic, we are offering this year’s book festival virtually rather than canceling it. So, instead of driving to the Hilton Naples or Temple Shalom, you will be able to enjoy this vast array of literary events from the comfort of your own home. By offering the events through Zoom, the Jewish Book Festival, a program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples in cooperation with the Jewish Book Council, will continue to be a key contributor to the cultural life of our community. Our Sixth Annual Jewish Book Festival will offer a Zoom-tastic variety of 19 events, scheduled at various times and days of the week—and will certainly help fill your calendar. You will have the opportunity to hear 21 authors talk about their books, which reflect a variety of genres. From fact to fiction, history to mystery and so much more, we have scheduled something for everyone to enjoy. Most of the festival events will feature a solo presenter giving a dynamic 25- to 35-minute talk, followed by approximately 10 to 15 minutes of Q&A. Two book festival events will include two authors, matched by a common theme or genre, with each author speaking separately. Plan for single-author events to run approximately one hour, and two-author events to run an hour and 15 minutes. Put a “reserved sign” on your favorite chair and be ready to join us as we “zoom along together” through our festival.

The 2020-21 Festival will kick off on Thursday evening, Dec. 3, at 7:30 with author and psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb discussing her best selling book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed. Cary Barbor, host of local (WGCU) NPR’s “All Things Considered,” will moderate. Gottlieb was to be the featured speaker at last year’s Evy Lipp People of the Book Cultural event, so we are thrilled that she will open this year’s festival. Her book peeks behind the curtains to discover the world of both clinician and patient.

Funny and thought-provoking, it reveals what it means to be human, presents an illuminating account of our own mysterious lives, and identifies our power to transform them. Gottlieb is well known for her many television appearances and contributions to such periodicals as The New York Times and The Atlantic’s weekly “Dear Therapist” column. And she will become even better known when the TV series based on her book premieres! Ginsberg Eye is sponsoring this very special event. The following is an overview of the remaining events in date order for your reference.

Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a bit of nostalgia as Andrew Michael Blauner shares his book, The Peanuts Papers: Writers and Cartoonists on Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Gang, and the

Meaning of Life. The Peanuts comic strip by the brilliant Charles Schultz celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. Blauner came up with a unique way to pay tribute. He gathered a star-studded roster of 33 writers to dig into the personal truths revealed in Peanuts and the comic strip’s impact on their lives and the broader culture. The result will blanket you in warm-puppy happiness.

Friday, Dec. 11 at 10:30 a.m. Tw o au tho r s w i l l discuss their novels. Ne s s a R a p o p o r t’s Evening, which was featured in the September/October issue of Hadassah Magazine and exposes complicated family dynamics among three generations of women. The story unfolds day-by-day as a griefstricken family sits shiva. The revelations illuminate the past, shape the present and affect the future. Elayne Klasson’s Love is a Rebellious Bird, is a fictional account of a 60-year love affair. It examines the perennial question of why we love the people we do. This program is sponsored by Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah.

Thursday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. Be sure to finish lunch in time to hear Lew Paper, author of In The Cauldron, reveal this never-before-told story, that recounts the American ambassador to continued on page 5

Federation Star Published by the Jewish Federation of Collier County serving Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding communities

Published by

2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201 Naples, Florida 34109-0613 Phone: 239.263.4205 Fax: 239.263.3813 www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org Officers Board Chair: Jane Schiff Vice Chairs: Karen Deutsch, Marc Saperstein, Phyllis Seaman Secretary: Rosalee Bogo Treasurer: Elliot Lerner Immediate Past Chair: Alvin Becker

Board of Directors Patti Boochever, Harvey Cohen, Amanda Dorio, Paula Filler, Merlin Lickhalter, Robin Mintz, Les Nizin, William Petasnick, Joel Pittelman, Stuart Price, Nat Ritter, Michael Rubenstein, Jamie Satz, Betty Schwartz, Arlene Sobol, Michael Sobol, Steve Strome, Jay Weiss, Beth Wolff, Jeff Zalasky Past Presidents Gerald Flagel, Dr. William Ettinger, Ann Jacobson, Sheldon Starman, Bobbie Katz, Rosalee Bogo, Judge Norman Krivosha Synagogue Representatives Cantor Donna Azu, Sue Baum, Rabbi Ariel Boxman, Rabbi Ammos Chorny, Shelley Goodman, Rabbi Mark Gross, Sue Hammerman, Rabbi Howard Herman, Stephen P. McCloskey, Rabbi Adam Miller, Rabbi James Perman, Dr. Arthur Seigel, Daryl Sissman, Rabbi Fishel Zaklos Staff Federation CEO/President Jeffrey Feld Renee’ Bialek: Program Director Marcy Friedland: Capital Campaign & Planned Giving Director Janine Hudak: Admin. Coordinator Nathan Ricklefs: Database Manager Teresa Zimmerman: Finance & Operations 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 Campaign & Endowment Fund • Celebrate Israel • Educational & Cultural Programs • 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, Connections and Community Directory • Women’s Cultural Alliance • Women’s Division • Youth Activities Committee – sponsoring youth education and scholarships for Jewish Summer Camp and the Israel Experience

JEWISH FEDERATION

Federation Star

November 2020

jewish book festival...continued from previous page Japan’s unrelenting efforts to negotiate an agreement between Japan and the U.S. in the months before the Pearl Harbor attack. This nonfiction look at efforts to avert war is a drama befitting the momentous decisions at stake. Generously sponsored by Men’s Cultural Alliance, this “don’t miss” event is offered at no charge.

Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. Be prepared to be inspired as you listen to Rabbi Corinne Copnick, who, not content with retirement, at age 73, began her six-year journey to ordination as a rabbi. She assumed an unconventional “pulpit” by becoming a guest rabbi on cruise ships. As she explores Jewish life in the ports touched by the cruise liners, Copnick develops insights about the culture and the people encountered in what she calls this “love letter to the gift of being alive.” Temple Shalom Sisterhood is sponsoring this event.

Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 3 p.m. Yo u w i l l h a ve t h e opportunity to hear from Debbie Cenziper, an investigative journalist who earned the 2007 Pulitzer Prize and

the Robert F. Kennedy award for human rights reporting. Her book, Citizen 865: Hunt for Hitler’s Soldiers, tells a gripping story of Nazi hunters, against the forces of time and political opposition, pursuing WWII mass murderers hiding in the U.S.

candor and wit, this reminiscence is an ode to the restorative power of family and friendship. TheatreZone is the sponsor of this event.

Monday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m.

In celebration of the power of women, two authors will explore the struggles women have encountered in making an impact. Janice Kaplan, The New York Times bestselling journalist, asks the plaintive question: “Why do 90% of Americans believe that geniuses are almost always men?” Her book, The Genius of Women: From Overlooked to Changing the World, uses a unique mix of memoir, narrative and inspiration to make surprising discoveries about women geniuses now and throughout history. Jill Wine-Banks, author of The Watergate Girl: My Fight for Truth and Justice Against a Criminal President, was barely 30 when she became the only woman on the team that prosecuted the highestranking White House officials in what the world has forever-after known as “Watergate.” The fact that she was called “the mini-skirted lawyer” and “a girl” demonstrates her need to battle to receive the respect accorded her male counterparts. And she prevailed. This event is

We are delighted to welcome back author Susan Jane Gilman, who captivated us during our first book festival with her bestseller, The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street. Her newest book, Donna Has Left the Building, is an edgy Jewish novel that offers a mix of comedy and tragedy as it takes us on a road trip through friendships, passionate love and Tikkun Olam. And come prepared to toast the Jewish Book Festival as Susan shares a special drink recipe with us. This event is sponsored by Daymaker Hair Salon.

Thursday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Zoom in for Alexandra Silber, who will not only talk about her memoir, White Hot Grief Parade, but will once again enthrall us with a couple of songs. When her father dies after a decade-long battle with cancer, Alexandra, a teenager at the time, feels that his death is the end of everything. Told with raw passion,

Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 10:30 a.m.

FIND

sponsored by Senior Housing Solutions and the Women’s Cultural Alliance.

Monday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m. Author Meg Waite Clayton will talk about her bestselling novel, The Last Train to London. Based on actual events, her book tells the story of a Dutch woman, known as Tante Truus, who faces down Adolf Eichmann to rescue thousands of children from Nazi-occupied Vienna. Clayton’s screenplay of the novel was chosen for the prestigious The Writers Lab, sponsored by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. The Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center is the sponsor of this event.

Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 10:30 a.m. Did you know that Israel’s Mossad operated a luxury diving resort? Author Raffi Berg will fill you in on the details. His book, Red Sea Spies, explains that guests from around the world flocked to the resort, where staff members were undercover spies working for Israel’s secret service. What began with one cryptic message pleading for help morphed into the secret evacuation of thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel. This nonfiction page-turner tells the true story that inspired the recent continued on page 6

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Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

jewish book festival...continued from page 5 Netflix drama, "The Red Sea Diving Resort.” Berg, who is the Middle East editor of the BBC News website, has extensive experience reporting on Israel and the wider region. This event is sponsored by Jewish National Fund.

Monday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. We can all use a good laugh, and Alan Zweibel will not disappoint! Join us when this five-time Emmy Awardwinner once again regales our community with his humor. His new book, Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier, weaves his own stories with interviews of famous friends and contemporaries. The book, thus, becomes a humorous and warmhearted cultural memoir of American comedy. This entertaining evening is sponsored by the Men’s Cultural Alliance.

Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. Steven Zipperstein, author of Law and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: The Trials of Palestine, will provide a historical perspective of this conflict. In the late 1920s and 1930s, the Arab-Jewish conflict in Palestine had become a battle fought in the courtroom as much as in the streets. It played out in three separate, little-known trials. Zipperstein paints a brilliant portrait of how the arguments the parties

made in those three trials continue to resonate today, nearly 100 years later. Zipperstein, a former U.S. federal prosecutor, is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Middle East Development at UCLA’s Global Studies program and School of Public Affairs. Wollman Gehrke & Associates is the sponsor of this event.

Monday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. Get ready to hear about a harrowing nonfiction tale that unfolds like a stirring novel. Bestselling author Howard Blum will talk about Night of the Assassins: The Untold Story of Hitler’s Plot to Kill FDR, Churchill and Stalin. At a top-secret conference in Tehran in 1943, President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Premier Stalin meet to discuss further prosecution of the war. A hand-picked team of Nazi commandos have six days to accomplish their daring assignment. Pitted against them are the head of FDR’s Secret Service detail and a Soviet agent from the NKVD, precursor to the KGB. The Men’s Club of Temple Shalom is sponsoring this event.

Sunday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a lesson in Chinese history from Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author Jonathan Reed Kaufman. His book, The Last Kings of Shanghai, documents

the little-known history of the Sassoons and the Kadoories, two Jewish families originally from Baghdad. They greatly influenced Chinese business and politics for more than 175 years, helping to create Modern China. China bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, Kaufman also describes how the families joined together to rescue and protect 18,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism. This event is sponsored by the Women’s Cultural Alliance.

Wednesday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. Zoom in for the 2021 Evy Lipp People of the Book Cultural Event. Featured speaker Neal Bascomb is The New York Times best-selling author of The Winter Fortress, Hunting Eichmann, and The Perfect Mile. Bascomb’s newest book, Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best, is a compelling tale of three misfits whose prowess gave Hitler his comeuppance. In the 1930s, Hitler dominated the apex of motorsport—the Grand Prix—until this unlikely trio orchestrated the race that Hitler made every effort to erase from history. Some of the author’s research for this book was done at the Revs Institute in Naples.

Thursday, March 11 at 1 p.m. Meet Ariana Neumann, author of When Time Stopped: A Memoir of My Father’s War and What Remains. This true story reads like fiction—and may seem difficult to believe. Of 34 Neumann family members, 25 were murdered by the Nazis. One of the survivors was the author’s father, who built an industrial empire in Venezuela, but could never talk about the unspeakable experiences of the Holocaust. After he died, Ariana found a trove of letters, diary entries and other items, launching her on a worldwide search to discover more. The

Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center is the sponsor of this event.

Monday March 15 at 1 p.m. You will have the opportunity to listen as Bess Kalb tells her story, Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as told to me) Story. Emmy-nominated TV writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live, and contributor to The New Yorker, Bess Kalb saved her grandmother Bobby’s voicemails. When Bobby died at age 90, Bess was not surprised that her voice continued to speak to her. This debut memoir channels the grandmother who regales Bess with stories of four generations of indomitable women and the men who loved them. This event is sponsored by the Naples Senior Center.

Tuesday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. The 2020-21 Book Festival will conclude with Pamela S. Nadell, American historian, researcher, author and lecturer focusing on Jewish history. Nadell’s book, America’s Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today, is a gripping historical narrative in which the author weaves together the stories of a diverse group of extraordinary people, including such luminaries as Grace Nathan, Emma Lazarus, Bessie Hillman and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Together, they showcase how Jewish women maintained their identity and influenced social activism as they wrote themselves into American history. This event is generously sponsored by the Women’s Cultural Alliance. For a complete schedule of events, registration instructions, book synopses and information about becoming a Patron, as well as a list of contributing sponsors, please visit www.JewishBookFestival. org. For questions, email Reneé Bialek at rbialek@jewishnaples.org

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JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

Federation Star

Palmetto Bugs Are Always Unwelcome Visitors by Joe Jayne, Truly Nolen

With Fall already here, one pest that no one is ever happy to see, be it a snowbird or resident of Southwest Florida, is the dreaded cockroach. Florida Wood Cockroaches, also known more commonly as Palmetto Bugs, are native to the southeastern United States and can typically be found in warm, humid areas such as coastal Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, and throughout most of Florida. They measure approximately 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches long and up to 1 inch wide, and their colors range from reddish brown to black. At first glance, this species appears to be wingless; however, the Florida wood cockroach does have very short wings just beneath its head. The wings form short leathery pads which barely meet on the midline of the body and do not extend to cover any portion of the abdomen. Adult roaches can live for more than one year. Compared to other roaches, the Florida wood cockroach is relatively slow moving and not quick to run away from disturbance. This could be due to its large size or lack of urgency it feels due to the presence of defensive chemicals. When disturbed, Florida wood cockroaches often emit a strong, displeasing odor, which leads to its name as the "stinking cockroach." One of the reasons that people dislike palmetto bugs and other cockroaches so much is that

they are known to spread disease. If they get into food, they can contaminate it and make the people who eat it sick. The chemical spray that this species emits can also get on dishes and kitchen utensils, as can roach feces, which contain pheromones that attract more roaches. Some people are also allergic to Florida wood cockroaches. The symptoms of an allergic reaction can include a rash, asthma, itchy eyes, and a sore throat. The Florida wood cockroach feeds primarily on dead or dying plant matter and can typically be found outdoors in stable sheltered areas such as cavities in trees or stumps, leaf litters, or woodpiles. It prefers damp locations, lots of moisture, and does well in warm climates. Around the house, this species prefers the areas around the base of coconut and palm trees and other shaded areas. The Florida wood cockroach also shows no preferences for consuming urban waste or debris. As a result, the species tends to prefer to remain in wooded areas and are usually found in areas around the home only when they are looking for protection from sunlight or foraging for food. Because of these feeding habits, the Florida wood cockroach does not generally benefit from invading urban dwellings and this species has not been shown to commonly colonize inside structures. Its presence in the home is typically a result of being transported indoors on another item, such as firewood. As its name suggests, it is found

mostly outdoors in wooded areas and is not considered a major pest in the home. However, although they are generally found outdoors, the Florida wood cockroach can become indoor problems when they enter human habitats through open windows and doors in search of warmth or are brought inside on firewood. Inside homes, these insects can be found in bathrooms or basements and are particularly attracted to leaking pipes. While an infestation of this cockroach species is unlikely, it is best to take steps to prevent their entry to your home. Often, removal of these outdoor cockroaches from the house is all that is needed for control. Some other ways to prevent a larger outbreak before you may need a pest control professional include eliminating water (do not let water stand in sinks and eliminate outside collection areas), eliminating food sources (dispose garbage properly and wipe off counter tops often), and eliminate harborages (discard unnecessary cardboard boxes and pull mulch away from your home). (Joe Jayne is the Manager for Truly Nolen in Naples. His 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 about our roach control capabilities, please visit https://www.trulynolen.com/pest-control/roaches/ .)

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Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

Join us for the Jewish Book Festival on December 17 to hear Lew Paper Lew Paper, author of In the Cauldron, will be the featured speaker at the Jewish Book Festival event on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. Paper’s articles have appeared in many publications, including The New York Times and The Washington Post. A former adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center, Paper has authored five other books. Generously sponsored by Men’s Cultural Alliance, this event is offered at no charge. To register to receive the Zoom link, please go to the order form in the Federation’s Monday e-blasts and on the book festival website at www.JewishBook Festival.org. In the meantime, enjoy this review of In the Cauldron by Jewish Book Festival Committee member, Irene Pomerantz.

In the Cauldron, by Lew Paper A 23-year-old hunter facing the shining green eyes and deep-throated growl of a tiger in a dark cave in Southeast Asia is the focus of Lew Paper’s latest book about the attack on Pearl Harbor. The adventure of killing the tiger would be the impetus that set Joseph Grew on his career as a diplomat and decade-long tour as ambassador to Japan from 1932 to Dec. 8, 1941, when he and his embassy staff were interned there until his repatriation to the United States in August 1942.

Lew Paper Using many primary sources, including letters, official papers, diplomatic archives, interviews and the diary of Grew, Paper unfolds the life and career of Grew and his many failed diplomatic attempts to find conciliation between Japan and the United States. He incorporates into this drama the background and anecdotes of other important people, both American and Japanese. As Japan increased its military activities in China and Southeast Asia, and even sank the USS Panay on patrol in the Yangtze

River, instead of a military response, the United States’ answer was to impose tariffs on Japanese products while refusing to send essential materials to Japan. Those tariffs had a direct effect on the deterioration of people’s lives: all goods were enormously curtailed and people were poverty-stricken. Despite the appeals of England and Grew for the U.S. to send a portion of its Pacific fleet as a show of force against Japan’s aggression, President Franklin Roosevelt’s response remained staunchly opposed. What the U.S. failed to understand was the Japanese mindset, of which Grew increasingly became aware. The Japanese people viewed their emperor, Hirohito, as a descendant of the Sun Goddess and, therefore, a living god, one who could not even be looked upon from windows

during the empire’s 2,600th birthday celebration on the palace grounds. The people believed that to die for the emperor was a soldier’s greatest glory. Western laws and treaties did not coincide with Japanese thinking. They increasingly developed biases against Westerners, even attacking a U.S. attaché. Grew developed a relationship with Matsuoka Yosuke, Japan’s Foreign Minister, from July 1940 to July 1941. After establishment of the Tripartite Pact of Japan, Germany and Italy, Grew, through Matsuoka, received several warnings about Japan’s intention to unleash formidable new weapons against the U.S. if it became involved in the European conflict. Even in late fall 1940, Matsuoka revealed Japan’s intention to attack American soldiers in Pearl Harbor. The U.S. military deemed Matsuoka insane. Grew’s communiqués never made it beyond State Department Secretary of State Cordell Hull. And although Grew knew FDR from school, he respected the chain of command. Paper has succeeded in an engaging manner to deftly unfold the dayto-day accounting of the events leading up to what the reader already knows is the attack on Pearl Harbor.

ide W y t i n u m m o C

n o i n u t a k h a a h r C C b e e l l a u t r Vi

Let’s light our menorahs together on the first night of Chanukah! Thursday, December 10

Free event starts at 5pm Register at www.jewishnaples.org A link will be emailed to those who register. Please register one per household.

OF GREATER NAPLES

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

MEN’S CULTURAL ALLIANCE

MCA’s bountiful November By Jeff Margolis, MCA Board Member

hen I think of the month of November, one of the words that come to mind is bountiful. While that notion for many of us brings the Thanksgiving holiday to mind, when we look at the November MCA calendar, that, too, is bountiful, with an array of programs offering a variety of opportunities for our members. Here are just a few. On Nov. 3, 2:30 - 4 p.m., Jim Sernovitz continues his popular travelogue series with an up-close-and-personal visit to the Serengeti Plain and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk will address MCA members via Zoom on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Tune in to learn why Collier County is one of Florida’s safest counties. Documentary film chair Steve Brazina has announced a showing of the film “Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles.” Space is limited for this program. There will be a follow-up film discussion on Nov. 10, 8 - 9 p.m. Dates for the screening will be announced to all who sign up. Look for a separate article with detailed information about the film elsewhere in this issue of the Federation Star. The monthly lecture series continues on Monday, Nov. 9, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., with a program titled, “We have a (new) President — Now What?” Join

Union College professor of political science, Terry Weiner, as he analyses the recent election — who won and why. On Nov. 12, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., MCA will host its first-ever virtual luncheon. The featured speaker will be Mark Hetfield, President and CEO of HIAS. A major partner with the United Nations Refugee Agency and the United States Department of State, HIAS has played a major role in assisting and resettling refugees of all faiths. Hetfield earned both his B.S. and Juris Doctor degrees from Georgetown University. To celebrate our first virtual luncheon, the first 100 members who register and attend this event will receive a coupon from Brio worth up to $14 for a flatbread. MCA book discussion group chair Stan Farb has announced that the book selection or this month is “Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope,” by Nicholas Kristof. The discussion will take place on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m. and will be led by Steve Brazina. Those members looking for a COVID19 update are invited to join the medical lecture series. Dr. Peter Boyd will discuss the current pandemic and Dr. Doug Zipes will review COVID-19 medications and their effects on the heart. This program is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Federation Star

www.MCANaples.org / 516.356.2897

There are 3 Ways to Join the MCA!

1. Visit the website at www.MCAnaples.org. Click on the MCA membership form and complete it. You can pay by credit card or check. 2. Send an email with your name, email address and phone number to joinMCA@MCAnaples.org. 3. Mail your name, email address and phone number to Larry Israelite, 8820 Savona Court, Naples, FL 34119. Dues for current year are $90 and include membership in the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Please remember that all the abovementioned programs are virtual, using the Zoom platform. Registration is required to obtain the access codes for

these events. Members should use the Wildapricot platform to register and can do so by accessing the MCA website, MCAnaples.org.

Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

MCA/WCA

Documentary Films Presents:

Award-winning “Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles” to open documentary film series By Richard Prosten, Associate Director, MCA Doc Films Group

All current members of the MCA and WCA are invited to the Southwest Florida exclusive premier of the award-winning new documentary

“Fiddler - A Miracle of Miracles” about the making of the beloved musical "Fiddler on the Roof" featuring a Zoom discussion with the lead producer.

A limited number of tickets have been reserved for MCA and WCA members. You must be a member to participate. Check your weekly eblast on October 15 to register. All those who register will be sent a private link to watch the film at home on November 8, 9 or 10 and to join the Zoom discussion at 8pm on November 10. The Documentary Films group has a blockbuster 2020-2021 season planned! Your membership includes the following monthly films -- some with Zoom discussions:

›› “My Dear Children” with filmmaker LeeAnn Dance JAN 2021 ›› “Shared Legacies” FEB 2021 ›› “Ask Dr. Ruth” MAR 2021 ›› “Holy Silence” with filmmaker Steven Pressman APR 2021 ›› TBD DEC 2020

he MCA/WCA documentary film series will kick off in early November with "Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles." The award-winner traces the history of the beloved Broadway musical "Fiddler on the Roof," from its conception to the iconic status it has enjoyed since it debuted over 50 years ago. This film is an unabashed love letter to the original. Les Nizin and Patti Boochever, the heads of the MCA and WCA respectively, noted their delight that a production based on tradition will headline their groups' traditional collaborative effort to bring festival films to members without charge. Participants will be offered a chance to view the film at their convenience, along with an opportunity to attend a followup Zoom session with Patti Kenner, the Executive Producer of "Miracle." Kenner, president of Campus Coach Lines in New York, is a member of many Jewish and artistic Foundation boards and a noted women's rights activist. As many who appear in the film emphasize, a production about an elderly, impoverished, shtetl-bound Jewish milkman (Tevye) and his family, caught in the pogroms of early 1900's Ukraine — a musical no less — seemed an absurd undertaking when it was first proposed. Who would want to watch such a thing? And a documentary about a half-century old musical seemed equally improbable. Ideas so "far out" that any success they might enjoy would truly be a miracle. "Miracle of Miracles" shows us how the original happened. Artfully pulling together interviews with, and performances by, the producers, writers, cast and crew of the original “Fiddler on the Roof ” musical, the developers of this cinematic event provide an intimate view of the years-long creative process. We get to sit in on the interplay between Jerry Bock, who wrote the music, and Sheldon Harnick, the lyricist whose collaboration produced songs that became instant classics. They were simultaneously working with Joe Stein, who was writing the script — and all of them were concurrently reading Sholem Aleichim for inspiration and authenticity. Joel Gray, one of the many storied directors that have staged the work (Gray's was in Yiddish), opens the film by asking, "What is it that makes it speak in

so many languages and everybody thinks it's about them?" The film proceeds to show us just how universal the story is, collating clip upon clip of performances in unexpected locations and languages. Clips from productions as diverse as those of African-American high schoolers in Brooklyn and kids in Japan are among the examples offered. Oh yeah, talking of cross-culture, did you know that "If I Were a Rich Man" was covered by The Temptations? Watch the film for an amazing clip. Others in the film note that many of the issues addressed by the original play are just as relevant today as they were in Tevye's shtetl over a century ago. Immigrants still flee persecution. Tevye's daughters yearn to be free to make choices for themselves instead of yielding to the whims of the matchmaker, and antiSemitism is a ubiquitous threat. The MCA/WCA documentary screenings, which have been, dare we say, a tradition of the Naples area cultural circuit for many years, have had to adapt to the coronavirus. Instead of attending in-person screenings for over 300 members, viewers will watch the films on their own devices at their individual convenience. Steve Brazina, the head of the Naples Doc Films group, sees the impact of the pandemic as mixed. "We know there was a valued social component to our showings in the past. Unfortunately, we won't be able to enjoy and react to the films sitting together, but COVID-19 has moved us to add new features to the Doc Film experience. Our online, live interview/Q&A sessions with filmmakers, inaugurated last summer, have been a big hit. The Patti Kenner session should be a lot of fun and a great learning experience. She is a busy lady and we were lucky to secure her participation," says Brazina. Brazina wants group members to know that reservations will be available starting on Oct. 15, when signups will be available through the MCA & WCA e-blasts. "By agreement with the distributor, the number of seats allocated to our organizations is limited," he noted, "so please, only one reservation per household." If you’re interested in joining MCA, g o t o M C A n a p l e s . o r g f o r m o re information.

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JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

Federation Star

Join us for the 2021 Annual Community Campaign kickoff! Karen Deutsch Campaign Chair

oin us for the first major seasonal event of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, the 2021 Annual Community Campaign kickoff event on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, live from your iPad or computer via Zoom! Our 2021 Annual Community Campaign Kickoff will be free to the entire community and will feature guest speaker, Mike Leven, a legendary business executive, visionary philanthropist and co-founder of Jewish Future Pledge. We will also have musical entertainment by Rick Recht, one of the top touring musicians of Jewish music, a national celebrity spokesman for the PJ Library and the Director of Songleader Boot Camp. Beneficiaries and community members will also share words that demonstrate the strength of our Federation and the needs and challenges that still face our community!

Tomorrow begins today Your generous donation to our Annual Community Campaign transforms lives and supports individuals, programs, organizations and advocacy efforts in our community, around the world and in Israel. Although we have been tested mentally, physically, emotionally and even financially, we know that by continuing to work together, we can keep our community safe, healthy and supportive today, and for all the tomorrows to come!

Tomorrow begins today Our Jewish Story is about perseverance and continuity. You will unleash the power of Federation when you make your 2021 Annual Community Campaign donation. Your gift to the Annual Community Campaign provides religious school scholarships to our youth and allocations to our Jewish teens, ensuring the future of Jewish education and identity, and building a thriving community youth organization through BBYO. Your gift supports the Senior

Center at JFCS with outreach, mental health counseling, and Holocaust survivor aid for housing, trips to physicians, counseling and daily health supplements. Your gift ensures that the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center will continue teaching lessons of the Holocaust to all eighth-grade students in Florida and continue to inspire action against bigotry, hatred and violence. Your gifts continue to provide favorite and new programming to the community: The Jewish Book Festival, Mix and Mingle, JCRC, Israel Advocacy, Jewish Families with Children, and WCA and MCA programming are just a few!

Tomorrow beings today In addition to the local impact, your gift has a national and world impact. It supports Leket Israel, which provides hot meals for Holocaust survivors and vulnerable seniors; Hatikvah preschool in Ukraine, that enables Jewish life to continue and thrive in Kiev; Neve Michael, a children’s home in Pardes Hanna, Israel, serving youth from 4-18 years old who have experienced trauma and abuse; Susan’s House, which employs youth between ages 15 and 19 and provides many the only warm, encouraging environment they have known; Yad Lakashish in Jerusalem, providing meals and transportation for the elderly to a creative workplace; Yashar LaChayal, providing assistance to the Needy Soldier Fund; and so many more programs!

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Tomorrow begins today Your gift, new or increased, to the 2021 Annual Community Campaign will be part of a Matching Challenge Grant. Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) has launched a Human Services Relief Matching Fund, which was made possible, in partnership with seven national foundations, an $18 million match to the Federation system on a 1:2 basis. JFNA will match $.50 for every new and/or increased dollar commitment to our current Campaign. Please help us raise $50,000 of new and/or increased gifts now, so that we will receive $25,000 from JFNA to help the needy. This challenge is only good through this calendar year! Please donate today for a better tomorrow!

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Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

Ambassador Dennis Ross to address Naples community

Federation Membership

By Jeff Margolis, IAC Committee Member The Israel Advocacy Committee of Greater Naples (IAC) is honored to announce that Ambassador Dennis Ross and David Makovsky will present a Zoom conversation with the community on Monday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. The cost for this special event is $10 per household. The topic of this program is “What can we expect now in the mix of USA, Israel and the Middle East states?” Ambassador Dennis Ross is Counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Prior to returning to the Institute in 2011, Ross served two years as special assistant to President Barack Obama and National Security Council senior director for the central region, and a year as special advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Dennis Ross is the author of numerous books, including “The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace” (2005) and “Doomed to Succeed” (2015). With David Makovsky, he co-authored “Myths, Illusions and Peace”

(2009) and “Be Strong and of Good Courage (2019).” David Makovsky is the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute and director of the Project of Arab-Israeli Relations. He is also an adjunct professor in Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Between 2013 and 2014, Makovsky worked in the Office of the Under Secretary of States, serving as a senior advisor to the Special Envoy for Israel-Palestinian Negotiations. He formerly was an editor of the Jerusalem Post. Please plan to join the IAC for this important informational event. Reservations can be made at www.jewishnaples.org. Please check the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples weekly e-blasts for other upcoming events. For more information about the Israel Advocacy Committee, please contact Harvey Cohen, committee chair, at hwcohen@gmail.com.

According to the bylaws of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, members are those individuals who make an annual gift of $36 or more to the Federation’s Annual Community Campaign. For more information, please call Jeffrey Feld,

For daily news stories related to Israel & the Jewish world, visit the Federation’s website at www.jewishnaples.org.

ISRAEL ADVOCACY COMMITTEE OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER NAPLES

PRESENTS:

President/CEO at

239.263.4205.

COME DYNALISTEN TO CONVMIC DUO THE ERSAT IN ION!

“WHAT CAN WE EXPECT NOW IN THE MIX OF USA, ISRAEL & THE MIDDLE EAST STATES?”

AMBASSADOR DENNIS ROSS & DAVID MAKOVSKY AMBASSADOR DENNIS ROSS

DAVID MAKOVSKY

Ambassador Dennis Ross is Counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Prior to returning to the Institute in 2011, he served two years as special assistant to President Obama and National Security Council senior director for the Central Region, and a year as special advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

David Makovsky is the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations. He is also an adjunct professor in Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). In 2013-2014, he worked in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, serving as a senior advisor to the Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations.

Ambassador/special advisor for multiple US administrations on the Middle East Peace Process

Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, serving as a senior advisor to the Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations, Former Editor of the Jerusalem Post.

Everyone is invited to join us on Zoom to hear Ross & Makovsky in conversation!

, DEC. 7 2020 7:00PM EST. MONDAY Cost: $10 per household Register online: www.jewishnaples.org or click the link in our weekly eblasts

Q&A afte r!

OF GREATER NAPLES

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

You did it your way

Federation Star

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Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

www.WCANaples.org / 215.820.6697

WOMEN’S CULTURAL ALLIANCE

Use the “Zoom highway” to connect with WCA North and WCA South By Susan Pittelman, WCA Publicity Coordinator

he wide range of cultural and social programs, as well as the warmth and comradery that is an integral part of every program, helps to define WCA. Years ago, to make it more convenient for members to reap these benefits, WCA formed two “satellite” groups — one for women who live north of Naples (into southern Lee County) and one for members who live south of Naples (down to Marco Island). All WCA members benefited, as the fabulous programs offered by these two satellite groups are open to everyone. Although COVID-19 forced us to stop meeting in person, both WCA North and WCA South have been successfully using Zoom, not only to educate and entertain our members, but also to keep them connected. WCA South, under the leadership of South Coordinators Leslie Wasserman and Cathy Lone-Dawson, kicked off its sixth season of programming on Oct. 21 with a virtual “Inaugural Luncheon.” WCA North, led by Coordinator Dina Shein, has been using Zoom for months. With all WCA members able to easily “Zoom into” programs and interest groups from wherever they are, more members are looking into WCA North and WCA South’s offerings, an unanticipated, but extremely positive, benefit of going virtual. And when they do, they certainly aren’t disappointed!

Next month’s Federation Star article will focus on WCA South and the exciting events being offered. Read about the wonderful WCA North programs below.

discussions are based on these points. (The list of films is on the sidebar of the WCA e-blast.) Between 30 and 40 women have been participating in this relatively new program.

WCA North dates back to 2012

Ladies who brunch

This satellite was born Traditionally, this when Corkscrew Cocogroup met at various nut Consortium (CCC) restaurants in southModern Israeli Movies address the “Ten Points to Ponder“ was formed to better ern Lee County on serve members who live the second Friday of WCA North has brought a variety in southern Lee County. In 2014, when each month. The women still “meet,” of new and exciting activities to WCA, Elaine Soffer became WCA President, the but now through Zoom. Each month, attended not only by women who live group was renamed WCA North. Under between 12 and 24 women participate. north of Naples, but also by our general the guidance of WCA North CoordinaMarilyn Harris, who organizes the group, membership. WCA North has about tor, Dina Shein, and her dedicated board, explains that Ladies Who Brunch gives 500 women on its list and about one-third WCA North flourished. women an opportunity to chat and of those women live in Naples. The 12 talented and creative women share experiences. When the pandemic struck, North who comprise the WCA North board “No one really wants to discuss a hardly missed a beat — as soon as the include Patti Boochever, Diane Carel, specific topic. We really just want the Federation established Zoom accounts, Diane Greene, Andrea Goodman, opportunity to “be” with each other. WCA North transitioned its programMarilyn Harris, Susan Krohn, June Zoom gives us the ability to stay conming into online offerings. Kruger, Susy Payne, Laurie Rapport, nected. I am so glad that we can do this,” Shein explains, “We had a wide Harriet Schweitzer, Jackie Sherman and says Harris. range of programming planned and Denise Sultan. immediately embraced the opportunity “What makes the board so successful WCA North’s mahjong to use Zoom to continue all of our fabuis that, while each woman concentrates This group used to gather at Grandezza lous programming! A bonus is that we on a special area of interest, board memevery Wednesday to eat lunch and play. have ladies from all over the U.S. and bers truly support each other,” says Shein. “Since COVID-19,” says group Canada attending.” organizer Andrea Goodman, “most of Some of the most popular WCA us having been playing online through WOMEN’S North programs are described below. CULTURAL the app “Real Mahjong,” staying on our ALLIANCE cellphones so we can talk. These games WCA North are not officially organized through WCA Book Discussion North, but even some of our members Women’s Cultural Alliance Led by Shein, WCA North Book Diswho are up north are playing.” Goodman 2020-2021 MEMBERSHIP FORM The membership year is from September 1 until August 31 of the next year. cussion has met monthly on the fourth adds, “While it is fun, I can’t wait until Dues received after March 1 will be applied to the next season. Thursday of the month for several years, we will all be together again—and I hope Please check one:  NEW  RENEWAL (PLEASE fill out the form completely and PRINT CLEARLY!) gathering at Grandezza for lunch and a that it is sooner rather than later.” Is there a change in your information from last year?  YES  NO If you checked NO, just LEGIBLY print your name, fill in payment info, sign Event Waiver below, and mail to WCA/JFGN. book discussion. They are still meeting, Several WCA North activities, howPrint Name Spouse/Partner Name but now through Zoom. Shein explains ever, have been put on hold for now, Email (very important) that using Zoom allows more women including canasta games and lessons. Local Street Address FL Community to participate. Due to space limitations Jackie Sherman, who has been teaching City State Zip at Grandezza, participation was limited canasta for three years, said that she will Florida Phone Cell Phone and there was a waitlist. again schedule lessons when women Northern Address No. Phone “With Zoom, we can now include City State Zip are comfortable getting together. As an In Southwest Florida  Full-time  Part-time from to up to 35 women,” says Shein, “allowaside, Sherman mentioned that she is NAME BADGES: New Members receive a one-time name badge as a welcome gift from WCA/JFGN. ing for an invigorating discussion, yet really enjoying Zooming into the WCA Returning Members: If you need a new or replacement name badge, please increase your fee by 8. still having time for each woman to Speaker Series! Print your name as you want it to appear on the badge express her thoughts.” (The list of book June Krueger typically arranges theater MEMBERSHIP DUES: 90 (US Funds only, Minimum for the year; includes membership to the JFGN):____ $ 90.00 selections is on the sidebar of the WCA outings during the season, and other I am also including a voluntary donation to the Federation in the amount of: _ $ weekly e-blast.) I am including $8 for a replacement Name Badge: __ $ board members schedule a variety of Total enclosed or authorized: __ $ activities and special events throughout  I will be paying by check. Please make your check payable to JFGN/WCA. Sharing Shakespeare the year.  I will be paying by credit card. Card Number Expiration Date Name on Card CVV Led by Diane Carel, Sharing Shakespeare But as Shein says, “For now, those Mail this SIGNED form (with your check or credit card number) to: was one of North’s most popular groups. will have to wait until after COVID-19. WCA/Jewish Federation of Greater Naples When Carel decided to take the year We are moving along — there is always 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201, Naples, FL 34109 off, the Tuesday afternoon time slot was something happening on Zoom! And I I would like to VOLUNTEER my services/expertise and would be willing to chair or co-chair an activity on the following topic or topics. immediately filled by Modern Israeli am certainly open to suggestions.” Movies. The group still meets the second So, grab your calendar and check the Tuesday of the month, but now they meet e-blast for WCA programs occurring EVENT PARTICIPATION WAIVER. By signing below, I accept the terms of this waiver. As a participant in a WCA event,* I, acting for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns agree as on Zoom. Instead of watching the movie in WCA North and WCA South. All follows: That I waive all rights, claims and/or causes of action of any kind whatsoever that I or my heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns may claim to have against either the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, and/or the Women’s Cultural together, women watch it beforehand. WCA members are welcome to particiAlliance, their members, agents, servants, and/or employees, for any loss, injury, or damage sustained by me while participating in a WCA event. This waiver and release shall be construed broadly under the Laws of the State of Florida. Shein, who facilitates the group with Luba pate. After you register, simply “click” to Rotsztain, sends participants information Signature ________________________________________________Date ____________ enter the “Zoom highway” and enjoy about how to access the movie along your destination! For more information contact Membership Director Harriett Kleinman at hmkleinman@gmail.com with “ten points to ponder.” The group’s

W C A

*Note: Certain higher risk events such as athletic activities or trips require an enhanced waiver to be signed. Contact your activity’s director for more information.

2020-21

JEWISH FEDERATION

Antisemitism from the left and right By Joel Pittelman, Jewish Community Relations Council Chair

n email I received from Sheri Zvi, the Florida Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League, included the following message: During last week's presidential debate, President Trump was asked by moderator Chris Wallace: “Are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down…” Rather than condemn white supremacists, President Trump repeatedly dodged the question and responded: “Proud Boys should stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the left.” The president’s response regarding the Proud Boys was astonishing and dangerous. Below are ADL resources that you can read and share. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see resources as they become available. I want to emphasize that this is not a political issue. Rather, it addresses a serious point of discussion when the focus is antisemitism. The question could be stated, “Does the real threat to Jews emanate from antisemitism of radical leftists or from ultranationalist rightists?” Scholarly literature and empirical evidence have yielded different answers to this question. Certainly, I am unable to answer the question here in this brief article. I will, however, urge you to open your minds to all sources of information, so that your thinking does not become polarized. To view the question from a single perspective, such as our strong support for Israel or which party or candidate we support, will leave one with a biased perspective that won’t permit a broad understanding, both of the sources of antisemitism and the actions we should

Federation Star

November 2020

take to mitigate the effects of discrimination against our community. Further, as I reflect on articles I have read and letters I have received following my previously published statements in support of racial justice, there is a racial component to some individuals’ positions. They suggest that we must be cautious in embracing racial justice, because antisemitic statements have been made by a few spokespeople of that movement or that violent acts have been perpetrated upon Jews by people of color. We can no more blame a whole movement or race for the actions of one, or a few, individuals than we would want every Jewish investment advisor, stockbroker or banker to be condemned for the sins perpetrated by Bernie Madoff. When it comes to hating Jews, the far left and far right stand on common ground. The far right spins conspiracy theories about a worldwide Zionist government that controls U.S. foreign policy, while the far left paints AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby, as a uniquely malignant force. In her latest book, “Antisemitism: Here and Now,” Emory University’s renowned historian, Deborah Lipstadt, observes this absence of a dividing line between left and right when it comes to antisemitism. If the abhorrent history of antisemitism teaches anything, it is that the oldest hatred can take any shape and adapt to any ideology. Nazis or Communists, Christians or Muslims, Trump backers or Trump foes, white extremists or Black extremists — hostility to Jews grows in any soil. And if you condemn antisemitism only when it comes from the team you oppose, your condemnation is incomplete.

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Federation Star

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JEWISH FEDERATION

November 2020

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Free Jewish children’s book program set to expand in Greater Naples

he most exciting day of the month in the Rubenstein home in Naples is the day PJ Library books arrive in their mailbox. Jude is 6 and Matias is 5. “Each month, they get so excited to get their own gift, addressed directly to them,” says Michael Rubenstein, Jude and Matias’s dad. “The books are beautiful. They’re beautifully illustrated and great stories about Jewish holidays or Jewish values.” He loves the books almost as much as the kids. “The boys love reading PJ books and I like them because they help me to be a good parent and raise kind and caring children,” Michael says. PJ Library is an international family engagement program that sends a Jewishthemed children’s book each month to more than 230,000 subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. More than 680,000 PJ Library books are delivered each month around the world in 29 countries and in seven languages. All told, more than 41 million books have been distributed by PJ Library in the past 15 years, 20 million in North America alone. PJ Library is the brainchild of philanthropist Harold Grinspoon, who wants to assure a love for Jewish tradition is passed along to the next generation. What better way to do that than by providing Jewish children’s books so parents and children can snuggle together in their PJs with great bedtime stories? The books are always free to participants, a gift from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, in partnership with a local Jewish organization in each community. Since November 2011, the Naples Senior Center/Jewish Family Service has been the local partner for PJ Library. This November, the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN) will take over as the implementing partner, hoping to grow enrollment and programming. “We know there are many families raising Jewish children in Naples that haven’t yet discovered PJ Library,” says Jeffrey Feld, President and CEO of JFGN. “We want to be sure every eligible family in Greater Naples can enjoy these amazing books. That means families with one Jewish parent or two, traditional or nontraditional, observant or not. Wherever a family is on its Jewish journey,” Feld says, “PJ Library will enhance their lives and help build a stronger Naples Jewish community.” Currently, 183 children are receiving monthly PJ Library books in Naples. In

addition, the Federation is planning to expand PJ Library family programming, so young families raising Jewish children can meet each other and become friends. Reneé Bialek, the Federation’s Program Director, will also serve as the PJ Library Program Professional. “This is so exciting,” Bialek says. “Now, during the pandemic, we’ll do virtual programs on Zoom, but I can’t wait until we can gather again in person for everything from Tot Shabbat to Hanukah parties to Mitzvah days, like clean up the park.” Bialek says she is looking forward to partnering with local synagogues to also host PJ Library programs. “That way, we’re not only connecting Jewish families to each other, we’ll be connecting them

to all the great organizations we have in the Greater Naples Jewish community.” Michael Rubenstein grew up in Fort Myers and has lived in Naples for the last five years. His children went to Preschool of the Arts (POTA) at the Chabad for Prekindergarten. They are currently members of Temple Shalom, where his kids also attend Sunday/Religious School. Additionally, Rubenstein is a board member of JFGN, serves on the Finance Committee and is a member of the Men’s Cultural Alliance (MCA) of JFGN, the Israel Advocacy Committee of the JFGN, and the Families with Young Children group. Children are eligible to receive ageappropriate books from PJ Library from birth through 12 years old. Sign up at www.pjlibrary.org. For more information about PJ Library, contact Reneé at rbialek@jewishnaples.org or call her at: 239-263-4205.

You can almost reach it in two. JEWISH FEDERATION CARLISLE ADVERTORIAL

Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But The Carlisle Senior Living Community is still tantalizingly close to Tiburon Golf Club. It’s just 3,520 yards away—a dogleg northeast, if you will. And Arrowhead Golf Club is only 7.5 miles away as well. It truly is a great location ADVE R T O R to I Alive L for golfers and non-golfers alike. In fact, most folks can’t help but feel a bit inspired when surrounded by the tropical beauty of southern Florida. And The Carlisle itself? With its spectacular views and amenities straight out of a resort you can bet your 5-iron it’ll feel like home. And assisted living services are always available if needed. We invite you to see for yourself at a complimentary lunch and tour. (It’ll be a great walk unspoiled.) Please call 239.444.6891 to schedule.

PROOF

November 2020

Federation Star

17 1

Lessons for living longer Super-agers share keys to longevity

oday, older adults are living longer and leading better quality lives. According to the National Institute on Aging, there are more Americans age 65 and older than at any other time in history. Research shows staying physically active, maintaining social circles and following a balanced diet can play a role in longevity.

Get moving Exercise plays a significant role in the aging process. Even moderate physical activity can improve overall health and keep the mind and body young. Fitness can affect almost every aspect of our lives, from warding off diseases, such as diabetes, to boosting our immune system and mood. Jean Simmons, a resident at The Carlisle Naples, an active retirement community, credits a lifetime of moving as one of the keys to longevity. “It’s important to stay active,” says the centenarian. “I loved cutting grass, shoveling snow and making dresses for my children.” Fellow resident Mary Keith, 102, was also a lifelong fitness enthusiast, participating in water aerobics well into her 90s. At senior living communities such as The Carlisle, residents have a wealth of opportunities for beginning or maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Plus, there is always a neighbor willing to join them for a brisk walk or keep them motivated to attend one of the community’s many fitness classes.

Stay connected

Staying socially engaged is a key component of healthy aging. Although being with others has been limited due to social distancing, it’s important for older adults to be connected and engaged with family and friends. Video chatting apps, such as FaceTime and Skype, are great ways to maintain the lines of communication. At The Carlisle, though residents are social distancing, they aren’t truly alone. There is an entire team onsite, dedicated to their health, safety and well-being. Each day, for example, the Zest team makes one-on-one visits, bringing smiles and activities to help residents stay busy. Our SRG Sentiments program offers yet another way to connect. Residents’ families submit messages, emails and photos, which are printed and delivered to residents. “I’m surrounded by caring staff and have made wonderful friendships at The Carlisle,” adds Simmons. Her neighbor, 103-year-old Rose Posofsky, concurs, “Living at The Carlisle has been very good for me. I get emotional, thinking about staff members, who have worked here for many years and call me “grandma.” Many staff members call me “Rosie” and that makes me smile,” says Posofsky. ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY #9408

Eat well According to New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner, centenarians featured in “Blue Zones” — places with high

I n de p e n de n t & A s s i s t e d L i v i ng R e s i de nc e s • ECC L ic e n s e d

In addition to fitness,

6945 Carlisle Court • Naples, FL • TheCarlisleNaples.com • 239.444.6891 friends and food, The Located just south of Orange Blossom Drive on the west side of Airport-Pulling Road

Carlisle’s centenarians also offered these personal secrets to longevity: • Live a nice, clean life – Rachel Rottenberg, 101 Jean Simmons Rachel Rottenberg • Try to give back to others because it concentrations of super-agers — conwill come back to you and pay off in the sume a mostly plant-based diet, limiting end – Jean Simmons, 100 quantities of meat and eating four to six • Always be honest – Rose Posofsky, vegetable servings daily. 103 At senior living communities, such as • Incorporate a little bit of fun in each The Carlisle, an executive chef ensures day – Mary Keith, 102 residents have well-balanced and nutri“The Carlisle provides the perfect tious options, including fresh salads and environment for successful aging,” says an assortment of fruits and vegetables. Executive Director Bill Diamond. “Many The Carlisle also offers a FreshZest, an of our residents are well into their 90s initiative that encourages a plant-based, and continue to lead active, engaged whole-foods diet that has been shown lives. We also have several residents who to offer numerous health benefits and are 100 years or older and they remain may even reverse some chronic ailments, young at heart, participating in numerous particularly in older adults. FreshZest is activities.” part of the expansive dining choices availLocated at 6945 Carlisle Court in able in the community’s restaurant, The Naples, on Airport-Pulling Road, between Carlisle Room. Pine Ridge and Immokalee roads, The Simmons, who enjoyed volunteering Carlisle offers spacious one- and twowith Meals on Wheels and her church, bedroom residences, weekly housekeepraves about the healthy food and menu ing and flat linen services, basic cable selections offered by Chef Perez. TV, all utilities except telephone and a The Carlisle’s signature cornucopia complimentary full breakfast, plus choice salad, for example, offers a combination of lunch or dinner in the community’s of mixed greens, avocado, celery, apples, gourmet-style restaurant. cranberries, caramelized almonds, bleu For more information about the comcheese and cubed chicken tossed with munity, please call 239-221-0017 or visit white wine vinaigrette, and has become www.TheCarlisleNaples.com. a favorite among residents and families.

Together we thrive. Connection is key to a longer and more vibrant life, and powers everything WE do here at The Carlisle. It’s like being part of a super supportive family of waiters, chefs, housekeepers, ZEST® activity coaches with care & wellness teams, and even

we the power of

a bunch of really friendly & fun neighbors, all helping you thrive. This is what “we’re in this together” is all about. Experience the Power of WE.

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Call 239.444.6891 to schedule your personalized tour!

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Federation Star

COMMUNITY FOCUS

November 2020

Son of a true hero, Kristallnacht commemoration and potluck Ida Margolis GenShoah Chair

G Do not miss this intimate concert in your own home. This event is free to our community. Register at www.jewishnaples.org or click the link in our weekly eblasts

Israeli-American cellist, conductor, and pedagogue Amit Peled, a musician of profound artistry and charismatic stage presence, is acclaimed worldwide as one of the most exciting and virtuosic instrumentalists on the concert stage today. Highlights of Peled’s 2019-2020 season include over twenty concerto appearances around the world; recitals with pianist Noreen Polera and Alon Goldstein; the world premiere of Joshua Bornfield’s Concerto for Cello and Choir with the Händel Choir of Baltimore; Haydn’s Cello Concerto at the Silver Lyre International Festival of Chamber Music in Saint Petersburg, Russia; the Elgar Cello Concerto with the Fundación de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Chile; and more. Peled’s conducting engagements include debuts with CityMusic Cleveland and the Peabody Symphony Orchestra as well as leading his own Mount Vernon Virtuosi. Peled also performs this season with the Goldstein-Peled-Fiterstein Trio in Washington, D.C.; Yellow Springs, Ohio; and New York, NY. Peled is founder of the Amit Peled Cello Gang, a touring group composed of students from his studio at the Peabody Institute, where he has taught since 2003 and was one of the youngest professors ever hired by a major conservatory. Peled is also conductor and artistic director of the Mount Vernon Virtuosi, a chamber orchestra dedicated to launching the careers of recently graduated students. Peled is a founding member of the Tempest Trio with pianist Alon Goldstein and violinist Ilya Kaler. Peled’s discography includes acclaimed CDs on the Naxos, Centaur, CAP, CTM Classics, and Delos labels. Upcoming album releases include a Cassado recording for Naxos and the second installment of the Bach Suites for CTM Classics. In 2017, Peled published a children’s book, A Cello Named Pablo. Peled lives in Baltimore, Maryland and performs on the only known copy of the “Servais” Stradivarius by Vuillaume ca. 1865. From 2012 to 2018, Peled performed on the Pablo Casals 1733 Goffriller cello. For more information, visit www.amitpeled.com.

This program is co-hosted by:

OF GREATER NAPLES

enShoah SWFL, the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center and Catholic-Jewish Dialogue are working to make sure that annual programs will still be available to the community. Even though they cannot be presented in the usual manner, fortunately, they can be brought to you virtually.

Heroes, Heroines and Helpers Last month, in the “Heroes, Heroines and Helpers” series, Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds was featured because of his heroism during WWII, when he risked his life to save Jewish POWs. Hear his son, Pastor Chris Edmonds, tell this riveting story, which is an ideal thing to do this Veteran’s Day. So, on Nov. 11 at 4 p.m., “tune” in to hear the story of a true hero, who is one of only five Americans who have been awarded the title “Righteous among the Nations,” Israel’s highest honor for nonJews who risked their own lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Prior registration is required at HMCEC.org.

Kristallnacht Commemorative Service The Annual Kristallnacht Commemorative Service will be presented at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 8. Kristallnacht is recognized as “the night the Holocaust began.” The commemoration will include a program, candle lighting and a guest speaker. For the Zoom link, please register at jewishnaples.org.

Annual Holiday Pot Luck The GenShoah SWFL Annual Holiday Pot Luck and book discussion has been an opportunity not only for good food, but for GenShoah members to hear an interesting book discussion and socialize, greet old friends and meet new ones. This year, we will try to do all of those things at the Pot Luck—except you will have to prepare your own good food.

We will have a presentation of the beautiful and brilliant book, “Witness” by Ariel Burger, who was a student of Elie Wiesel. A hero in so many ways, Wiesel was a “treasure of humanity” and an extraordinary teacher. This book provides insights into Wiesel’s life and his classroom. You don’t have to read this book to enjoy the discussion, but you may want to. It has been called a “an insightful and winsome love letter,” a treasure, and a book that will turn the reader into one of Wiesel’s students. If you are a 2g, or a member of GenShoah, please join us at the virtual potluck on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. by making a reservation at HMCEC.org. The GenShoah newsletter and Federation Star will be announcing future programs for the “Heroes, Heroines and Helpers” series. The variety of upcoming programs includes those that will feature local survivors and their rescuers. 2gs will have an opportunity to tell a story about a hero in their life. If you would like more information about programs, joining GenShoah or wish to receive the GenShoah newsletter, contact Ida at genshoahswfl@ gmail.com. Some of the Zoom presentations are being recorded and will be available on the Museum’s YouTube channel. To access them, search for Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center in YouTube or click on the link on the Museum’s website. A reminder that GenShoah has asked for children of Holocaust survivors to help accept the responsibility of telling their parents’ stories. We have asked that the stories be written in the format below: • 500-700 words • Include appropriate geographical background • Be certain that historical facts contained are accurate • Include a personal highlight • Include a photograph The stories, which may be edited, will be available to the public and used for instructional purposes, in print and/or digital format, at the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center of Southwest Florida. They may also be printed in a book that can be a valuable keepsake. For more information, contact Rochelle at liebro@gmail.com.

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

COMMUNITY FOCUS

November 2020

Federation Star

Heroes focus on Rabbi Henry Cohen and everyday heroes By Ida Margolis, GenShoah Chair

he theme of “Heroes, Heroines and Helpers” was introduced as the program theme for the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center and GenShoah SWFL. In addition to many films, lectures and programs centered around the theme, each month, the GenShoah e-newsletter and the Federation Star will highlight famous and unsung heroes. In earlier editions of the Federation Star, the featured heroes included Freidl Dicker-Brandies, the beloved and heroic art teacher in Terezin, and WWII hero Master Sgt. Roddy Edmonds, who risked his life while in charge of Jewish POWs in Germany. (The Holocaust Museum will be presenting a program about Edmonds by his son on Nov. 11). During this eighth month of the pandemic and after seeing many media stories focus on unsung or “everyday” heroes, I thought that would be appropriate for this column. Interestingly, a virtual program is being planned in March for the Jewish Community Relations Council by Ken Goldstein, with

focus on a group of everyday heroes, specifically on the work of clergy during the pandemic. Goldstein states, “During this turmoil, we have been reminded of who our heroes are. They are the medical doctors, nurses and EMTs. They are also the men and women who are on the front lines. They are the grocery workers, delivery people and neighbors helping each other in communities throughout our country. They continue to be our military and police, who have to balance maintaining peace and safety with constitutional guarantees of all citizens.” A panel of clergy will be recognized for their efforts, including how they brought comfort and faith when churches, synagogues and mosques were closed, and how they dealt with life cycle events.

While considering all the challenges the clergy have had, I happened to read the story of Rabbi Henry Cohen of Texas. I had never heard of this rabbi, who was known not only for service to the needy, Jews and non-Jews, but also for his service to the Galveston, Texas community for over 60 years. As a young rabbi, he dealt with a huge challenge, being the Galveston rabbi during the “storm of the century,” when a tropical storm nearly destroyed Galveston in 1900, killing approximately one-quarter of the city’s citizens, estimated between 6,000 to 10,000 people. Rabbi Cohen assisted Clara Barton and the Red Cross to meet emergency needs. He distributed food and gave comfort to those who lost homes and family members. While many people left Galveston, Rabbi Cohen stayed.

Along with other works, he was instrumental in the Galveston plan to help Jewish immigrants who left Eastern Europe during pogroms. From July 1907 to September 1914, approximately 10,000 Jews entered the U.S. through Galveston. Only about 300 stayed, along with Rabbi Cohen, who dedicated his life to continuing good works, prison reform, civic life and spirituality. Rabbi Cohen retired in 1949 at the age of 86, having served Congregation B’nai Israel in Galveston for just over 61½ years. After his funeral, flags in Galveston and Houston were flown at half-staff. There is much more to the story of Cohen, which you can find online or in the book, “Kindler of Souls: Rabbi Henry Cohen of Texas.” I found the story of Rabbi Cohen inspirational and heroic, as I do the work of many everyday heroes that I learn about during this pandemic. When we have the opportunity, let’s thank our everyday heroes and let them know that they are appreciated more than ever.

Don’t miss this year’s Jewish Book Festival! For full details on the 2020-21 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival — including authors, book descriptions, event dates, registration and more … visit the Book Festival website: www.JewishBookFestival.org

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Federation Star

COMMUNITY FOCUS

November 2020

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & COHEN EDUCATION CENTER

www.HMCEC.org / 239.263.9200

Museum update Susan Suarez President & CEO

SURVEY SAYS:

It’s Chai Time to Vis JEWISH NEIGHBORS AND KEEP THE FAITH

After an extensive survey, this year’s Jewish Community Relations Council will present a two-part virtual learning experience for a Day and Evening of Learning.

SAVE THE DATES:

MARCH

7 0 SUNDAY

, i s ina, Persia V of Ch -Jews to ws The Jend the Cr yp a

2-5 P.M.

MARCH 10 WEDNESDAY

Join a clergy panel who have:

“Kept the Faith and So Much More During the Pandemic”

7- 8:30 P.M.

OF GREATER NAPLES

“Stand Up For Justice”

Application Deadline: February 12, 2021 For the 11th year a grant has been established by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. The 2021 STAND UP FOR JUSTICE Educator Grant recognizes High School, Middle School and Elementary school educators who are innovative in bringing respect for others’ differences into their activities with students in a transformative, impactful, and caring way. The goal is to create a resource for educators of any discipline to incorporate strategies that promote understanding and respect among students, countering bigotry and bullying. This grant recognizes teachers, guidance counselors, school librarians, media specialists, school psychologists, administrators etc.

Go to:

jewishnaples.org/outreach/educator-award For additional information please contact:

Grant Coordinator, Beth Povlow 239-363-6306 MarcoPovlow@hotmail.com

OF GREATER NAPLES

risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust and preserves the legacy of these rescuers through its national Holocaust education program. This Zoom program is free of charge to attend, but you must register to get the Zoom link. RSVP at our website, www.HMCEC.org. If you know any local WWII vets, please feel free to share this information with them. Earlier this year, COVID-19 canceled our planned screening of the film. The late Perry Switzen had originally proposed screening "Footsteps of My Father" at the Museum in honor of his father, Liberator Abraham Switzen. Sadly, Perry has passed away, so we dedicate this Zoom program to both their memories. “Footsteps of My Father” is available for viewing and rental on Amazon Prime Video.

ope you and your families are well. Thank you to all who participated in the virtual “Movies That Matter” series last month. Hopefully, next year we will be back in a theater, but if not, we know the virtual format will serve everyone well. Special thanks to our sponsors, expert panelists and partners who made this year’s virtual program such a success: Platinum Sponsor — Sherry and Steve Pino; Gold Sponsor — The Tikkun Olam Council of Temple Shalom; Silver Annual KristallSponsors — Marcy Cotton, nacht community Monica and Allan Goodwin, commemoration Elaine and Fred Kamin on Zoom and Ida and Jeff Margolis; The annual community comPanelists - Dr. William memoration of Kristallnacht Mitsch, Dr. Abe Levy, will take place, via Zoom, Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2:30 M.D., Nancy Dauphinais, p.m. This year, the guest Pam Baker, Joe Myers speaker will be Rev. John and Eileen Wesley; Series Pawlikowski, a leading figco-sponsors: Temple Shalom, Roddy Edmonds ure in the Christian-Jewish Je w i s h Fe d e r a t i o n o f Credit: The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous Dialogue. He is the PresiGreater Naples, GenShoah, dent of the International Naples United Church of Christ, Jewish Council of Christians and Jews, author Community Relations Council, Holoof “Christ in the Light of the Christian caust Museum & Cohen Education Center Jewish Dialogue” and co-editor of “Ethics and sponsored in part by the State of in the Shadow of the Holocaust.” Florida, Department of State, Division of The event is free to attend, but regisCultural Affairs and the Florida Council tration is required. RSVP at www.jewish on Arts and Culture. naples.org. You will receive the Zoom link via email after you register. The Special Veteran’s Day event is co-sponsored by Catholic-Jewish Zoom program Dialogue of Collier County, Jewish ComOn Wednesday, Nov. 11, 4 – 5 p.m., munity Relations Council of the Jewish we will present a special Veteran’s Day Federation of Greater Naples, Diocese Zoom program about the documentary, of Venice, FL, GenShoah of SWFL, and “Footsteps of My Father.” The film the Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and depicts the courageous action of World Harvey D. Cohen Education Center. War II POW Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds. A devout Christian from Customized museum Tennessee, he risked his life to save the programs available lives of 200 Jewish G.I. prisoners of war. for your group This act of bravery would have been Looking for an interesting Zoom proforgotten and lost to history if not for gram for your community, club, religious two reasons — his son, Chris Edmonds, congregation or group of friends? Confound his father’s diary and Chris’ tact us! We can schedule a customized chance encounter with a surviving JewZoom program just for you. Programs ish American P.O.W. Roddie Edmonds vary from a virtual tour of the Museum was eventually honored by Yad Vashem with a docent and a Q&A session, to a as "Righteous Among the Nations," the Zoom discussion with a survivor to an only American soldier ever recognized as overview of the Museum’s mission and such, but passed away before knowing Education programs with me, to a proabout the honor. gram customized to your group’s interests. Our two special guests for the Zoom Programs will be about an hour in length program will be Chris Edmonds and and can be scheduled at your conveStanlee Stahl. Chris is a senior pastor at nience. Please contact David Nelson at Piney Grove Baptist Church in Maryville, David@HMCEC.org for details. Tennessee, and the author of “No SurrenAs always, if you have any questions der: A Father, a Son, and an Extraordinary or would like to discuss how to support Act of Heroism That Continues to Live our mission, please contact me at Susan@ on Today.” Stahl is the Executive Vice HMCEC.org or call 239-263-9200. President of The Jewish Foundation for Wishing you and your families a safe the Righteous. The organization searches and Happy Thanksgiving! out and recognizes those non-Jews who

COMMUNITY FOCUS

November 2020

Federation Star

TOMORROW BEGINS TODAY

2021 December 1 , 7pm-8:15pm Annual Community Campaign

Virtual Kickoff Event st

Free to the entire Jewish Community. Invite your friends and family and learn how your gift touches so many lives. Guest Speaker

Mike Leven

co-founder Jewish Future Pledge

Mike Leven is a legendary business executive and visionary philanthropist. Inspired by Warren Buffet’s and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge, Mike co-founded the Jewish Future Pledge to carry on his family’s commitment to Judaism. Mr. Leven currently serves on the boards of The Marcus Foundation; AEPi Fraternity Foundation; Birthright Israel Foundation; Board of Advisors of Prager University; HERSHA Hospitality Trust; Independent Women’s Voice; Turning Point USA Board of Advisors and SESTRA Group. He has served as chief executive officer of the Georgia Aquarium, president and chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the chairman and chief executive officer of US Franchise Systems, the president and chief operating officer of Holiday Inn Worldwide, and the president of Days Inn of America.

Musical Entertainment by

Rick Recht

Rick Recht is one of the top touring musicians in Jewish music playing over 150 dates each year in the US and abroad. Rick has revolutionized and elevated the genre of Jewish rock music as a powerful and effective tool for developing Jewish pride and identity in youth and adults. Rick is the national celebrity spokesman for the PJ Library and is the Executive Director of Songleader Boot Camp – a national songleader training immersion program held in various cities around the U.S. Rick is the founder and Executive Director of Jewish Rock Radio, the very first high-caliber, 24/7 international Jewish rock online radio station! He is also the Executive Producer of PJ Library Radio. Recht is the Artist in Residence at United Hebrew Congregation in St. Louis, MO.

Your donations to the Annual Community Campaign are vital to the success of our mission; to enhance and enrich the quality of Jewish life by recognizing and supporting the charitable, educational, humanitarian and social service needs of the Jewish community locally, nationally, overseas and in the State of Israel.

DONATE TODAY TO THE ANNUAL COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN visit www.jewishnaples.org

NO GIFT TOUCHES MORE LIVES OF GREATER NAPLES

TO REGISTER VISIT WWW.JEWISHNAPLES.ORG/KICKOFF

Federation Star

COMMUNITY FOCUS

November 2020

Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County invites the community 82nd Anniversary of Kristallnacht Commemorative Service

NAPLES SENIOR CENTER

www.naplesseniorcenter.org / 239.325.4444

Facing challenge with strength

Kristallnacht is recognized by most historians as “The Night the Holocaust Began”

Dr. Jaclynn Faffer

Sunday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m. Zoom Presentation

President/ CEO

Guest Speaker: Rev. John Pawlikowski A leading figure in the Christian-Jewish Dialogue, he is the president of the International Council of Christians and Jews and author of Christ in the Light of the Christian Jewish Dialogue and co-editor of Ethics in the Shadow of the Holocaust

Everyone is invited. Free admission. Register at jewishnaples.org A zoom link will be emailed to those who make a reservation

Sponsored By: Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Diocese of Venice in Florida GenShoah of SWFL Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center

h s i w nt e J e a d u u ? t o 1 S y 2 Are School ay 20 M h g g i H uatin d a r G OF GREATER NAPLES

PRESENTS:

Patricia J. Adkins Youth Leadership Award A one-time award of $2,500 for further education!

TO QUALIFY:

Jewish senior in high school Resident of Collier County Active in a congregation and/or BBYO Strong academic record Active leadership role in the community

Application Deadline: January 1, 2021 jewishnaples.org/scholarships-grants For Questions Contact Reneé at rbialek@jewishnaples.org

f ever there was a time for resilience, that time is now. Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress. COVID19 certainly fits that description. It is important to clarify that being resilient does not mean that one does not experience difficulty or distress. People who have suffered major adversity or trauma in their lives commonly experience emotional pain and stress. In fact, becoming resilient might involve the experience of considerable emotional distress. Since the beginning of March, when this pandemic began, we have witnessed the resiliency of our members, clients, staff, volunteers and board. Among this group are our Holocaust survivors. Currently, NSC is providing comprehensive services to 18 Holocaust survivors. We are grateful to the Federation of Greater Naples for funding this program. Our survivors are showing great resilience as they deal with the ramifications of COVID-19. Our staff is checking in

with them, perhaps on a more frequent basis, as we continue to assess just how they are doing emotionally during these difficult times. Research has shown that current trauma is likely to reactivate memories of past trauma. Through my professional affiliations, I am aware of colleagues working with emotionally fragile survivors experiencing significant emotional setbacks during the pandemic. As NSC professional staff continues their work with the survivors we serve, we have become aware of their resilience. More than one has told us that the pandemic pales before the horrific atrocities they experienced. They are not emotionally overwhelmed by the restrictions of COVID-19. They know we are here to help them handle the challenges they face. The survivors continue to receive food pantry supplies, a hot lunch and financial assistance, where indicated, for home health care, insurance and rent. They look forward to continuing their participation in our virtual senior center programming, combating the isolation and loneliness exacerbated by COVID-19. Naples Senior Center is honored to be able to be here for the survivors and the over 1,600 seniors we serve as they face current challenges, with strength, one day at a time.

Tributes

Tributes to the Jewish Federation Campaign To: From:

Reneé Bialek In honor of your terrific programming for the Jewish Federation Shellie Specter & Bob Davidson

To: From:

Nancy & Hank Greenberg In memory of Andrew Greenberg Ellen & Gary Gush Jane Schiff Gail & Mel Ufberg

To: From:

Carol Halbert & Family In memory of Stanley Halbert Estelle & Stuart Price

To: Stephen Iser & Family In memory of Nina Iser From: David Willens

To: From:

Maureen Schaab & Family In memory of your mother, Bertha Griffith Barbara Barnard Jane Schiff

To: From:

Elaine Soffer In honor of your many years of presidency of the WCA Judith Kargher

To: Richard Rubin In memory of Barbara Rubin From: Gracia Kuller To: From:

Alice Clara Wyman In honor of your 30th birthday Deb & Frank Wyman

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

JEWISH INTEREST

November 2020

Federation Star

Hebrews on the Gridiron Streaming catch-up and look ahead

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 a faith other than Judaism — and do not identify with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identified as Jewish. ere are the Jewish players on an NFL team roster as of Sept. 28 (main source: my friends at Jewish Sports Review magazine). Jordan Dangerfield, 30, Pittsburgh, plays (backup) strong safety. This fiveyear veteran is of Ethiopian Jewish background. Nate Ebner, 32, New York Giants, plays (reserve) strong safety and on special teams. For his first eight seasons, he played for New England, often contributing to the Patriots’ many Super Bowl wins. He signed with New York in the off-season. Julian Edelman, 34, New England. This future Hall of Fame wide receiver doesn’t seem to be slowing down. As I’ve noted before, Edelman had only one Jewish great-grandparent. It’s unclear if he has formally converted to Judaism, but he identifies as Jew in a religious sense and in a “community solidarity” way. Recent examples include raising money for Tree

of Life synagogue shooting victims and publicly reaching out last July to a player who posted something anti-Semitic. “The Christian Science Monitor” called Edelman’s response, “A master class on how to handle hate.” Anthony Firkser, 25, Tennessee, plays (backup) tight end and fullback. This Harvard grad had a good 2019 season. Alexander “Ali” Marpet, 29, Tampa Bay, plays offensive guard. He has started 75 consecutive games since 2015, earns almost $11 million per season, and was team captain in 2018 and 2019. Mitchell Schwartz, 31, Los Angeles, plays offensive tackle. Like Marpet, he is highly paid and has a great streak going (over 130 consecutive starts). Sam Sloman, 23, Los Angeles, is a kicker. He’s a rookie who earned a starting spot. His college teammates nicknamed him “the kosher cannon.” I like the image of ‘the kosher cannon’ kicking the pigskin. “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” an original Netflix film, began streaming on Oct. 16. It opened in a few theaters on Sept. 28 (to be “Oscar eligible”) and has received mostly great reviews. It will get Oscar nominations. The film was directed and written by Aaron Sorkin, 59. In 1968, the Vietnam War was raging and Chicago’s Mayor Daley was determined

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that no demonstrators would get near the site of the Democratic National Convention. The police got carte blanche to beat and/or arrest anti-war demonstrators. All this was later called “a police riot” by a blue-ribbon, nonpartisan commission. Nonetheless, the Nixon Justice Dept. made the political decision to charge (1969) a group of anti-war figures with conspiracy to riot. Here are some Jewish sidelights: Three of the defendants were Jewish— Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen, 48), Jerry Rubin and Lee Weiner (Noah Robbins, 30). The main defense lawyers, William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass (Ben Shenkman, 51), were Jewish, as was the trial judge, Julius Hoffman. During the trial, Abbie joked that he was Judge Hoffman’s illegitimate son. He was more serious when he cried out in court, "You [Judge Hoffman] are a 'shande fur de Goyim’ ["disgrace in front of the Gentiles"]. You would have served Hitler better." Five defendants were convicted on the conspiracy charge, partially because of the judge’s clearly biased conduct. These convictions were reversed on appeal. After the trial, Weiner, now 81, worked for the Anti-Defamation League and was active in protests on behalf of Soviet Jewry.

Also looking for Oscars is, “On the Rocks,” a “dramedy” that opened in a few theaters Oct. 2 and began streaming on Apple Plus Oct. 23. Like “Trial,” it got great reviews. Rashida Jones, 44, co-stars as a wife who suspects her husband (Marlon Wayans) is cheating. Jones’ father (Bill Murray) insists they investigate. The supporting cast includes Jenny Slate, 38, and Barbara Bain, 89. “The Mighty Ones” is a child-friendly animated series that begins streaming on Hulu and Peacock TV Nov. 9. It follows the fun adventures of a group of creatures: a rock, a strawberry, a stick and a leaf. Self-named The Mighty Ones, they live in a backyard belonging to three people whom they mistake for gods. Josh Brener, 36 (“Silicon Valley”) voices one of the Mighty Ones. Much different is “A Teacher,” a nineepisode miniseries that begins streaming on Hulu Nov. 10. In this plot, Claire (Rooney Mara), a popular high school teacher, enters into an affair with a handsome senior and their lives “explode” when the affair becomes known. Ashley Zukerman, 36, plays Claire’s supportive and loving husband. The series was written and directed by Hannah Fidell, 34. Her mother is Linda Greenhouse, 73, the New York Times’ Pulitzer-winning legal correspondent.

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Federation Star

November 2020

JEWISH INTEREST

“The Eternal Jew” and its creator By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD

“T

he Eternal Jew” was one of the most notorious of all antiJewish propaganda movies ever made. Exactly 80 years ago this month, on November 28, 1940, the 65-minute-long movie premiered in Berlin. Its director was Fritz Hippler, a German filmmaker who ran the film department in the Propaganda Ministry of Joseph Goebbels. Born on August 17, 1909, he was brought up in Berlin. In 1927, he joined the Nazi Party, became a law student at universities in Heidelberg and Berlin, and by 1934, had earned his PhD. In 1932, he became a Nazi Party district speaker and was promptly expelled from the University of Berlin for inciting violence. On April 19, 1933, however, the Nazi education minister, Bernhard Rust, overthrew all existing disciplinary actions against students associated with the Nazi Party, enabling Hippler’s return. He then became the district and high school group leader for Berlin-Brandenburg in the National Socialist German Students’ League. On May 22, 1933, he led his fellow students in a march from the student house to Opera Square, with a collection of banned books, which were then publicly burned. In 1936, Hippler became an assistant to the artist, photographer and film director, Hans Weidemann. In this capacity, he worked on the production of newsreels and learned the techniques behind documentary filmmaking. In January

1939, he took over Weidemann’s position, meaning that he now worked directly for Goebbels, and by August 1939, he had been promoted to head the film departDr. Paul Bartrop ment. Among his tasks, he regulated which foreign films would be allowed on German screens and what parts of them would be cut. He also produced movies of his own. In 1940, he directed “Der Feldzug in Poland (The Campaign in Poland),” a propaganda film demonstrating the superiority of German arms in the first phase of World War II from September 1939 onwards. His most famous — indeed, infamous — creative work was undoubtedly “Der Ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew).” The film consisted of documentary footage combined with materials filmed shortly after the Nazi occupation of Poland. Hippler shot footage in the Jewish ghettos of Łódz, Warsaw, Kraków and Lublin, the only such footage, as it turned out, shot specifically for the film. The rest of the film consisted of stills and archival material from other feature films — footage that was presented as if it was additional documentary film. The film itself covered four essential tropes: “degenerate” Jewish life as seen in the Polish ghettos; the nature of Jewish political, cultural and social values; Jewish religious ceremonies,

instruction, worship and ritual slaughter; and Adolf Hitler as the savior of Germany. While the intention of the film was to prepare the German population for the coming Holocaust (even though the Nazis had not themselves yet decided on mass annihilation as the means to destroy Europe’s Jews), the movie did not have the desired impact on the German public, owing to the fact that a major motion picture, “Jud Süss” (directed by Veit Harlan, 1940), had already appeared to rapturous acclaim, employing top box office stars and building on a captivating period drama. By contrast, “The Eternal Jew” was a documentary based on limited original footage, still images and archival film clips. Unlike “Jud Süss,” therefore, which was a great commercial success, “Der Ewige Jude” was something of a failure at the box office. As a propaganda film, it would be shown repeatedly for training purposes to troops fighting on the Eastern Front as well as members of the SS, while a number of foreign language voiceovers were made and the film was exported to countries occupied by Germany. Hippler, for his part, was honored by Adolf Hitler for making the movie. In October 1942, he was given responsibility for the control, supervision and direction of all German movies, making him second only to Goebbels. Such a career trajectory, though impressive, generated resentment in some quarters — no less than from Goebbels himself. He had long kept a watching brief on Hippler, who he saw as sometimes impertinent, often immature,

disorganized and too fond of alcohol. In June 1943, Goebbels finally dismissed him. Hippler was stripped of his SS rank and a trumped-up accusation was brought against him of having denied that he had a Jewish great-grandmother. He was sent to an infantry replacement battalion and underwent mountain infantry training. Released from active duty, he was then given the task of shooting newsreel footage as a cameraman until February 1945. At the end of the war, he was taken by the British as a prisoner of war. In 1946, he was tried for directing “Der Ewige Jude” and sentenced to two years in prison. Staging a comeback after his release, he collaborated on documentary movies under another name. In a 1981 memoir, he claimed that Goebbels was the real creator of “Der Ewige Jude,” having directed large parts of it himself and giving Hippler the credit. Later, he stated that he regretted being listed as the director of the movie because it unfairly resulted in his treatment after the war. In his opinion, he had nothing to do with the killing of Jews, and only shot some footage for a film that Goebbels himself then put together. He claimed further that, at the time, he had little knowledge of the Nazis’ murderous policies towards the Jews and was not aware of the Holocaust as it was taking place. If he was given the chance, he said, he would “annul” everything about the film, which had caused him such personal difficulties in his subsequent life. Fritz Hippler lived in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, until his death on May 22, 2002, age 92.

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By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD

ear Readers, after eight years of writing this column, it falls to me to say that this will be my last. In December, I will be retiring from Florida Gulf Coast University and returning to my native Australia to embark on the next phase of my life’s journey. The COVID-19 pandemic has hastened this decision; it has, let’s face it, caused huge transformations for people the world over, translating, in my case, to bringing forward my retirement plans. My first article in these pages was exactly eight years ago this month. Since that time, my articles have ranged widely across the full spectrum of the tragedy that was the Holocaust, always with an eye to showcasing an anniversary relative to that month’s issue. Judging by the many emails I have received from across Southwest Florida during that time, it would appear that my articles have been

appreciated — notwithstanding the frequently depressing and tragic themes they have covered. There is still a long way to go, however. If you have enjoyed reading my articles, I appeal to you to keep alive the memory of the Holocaust during the dark time in which we are living, and to bear in mind the words of the late Rabbi Hugo Gryn, a survivor of the Holocaust who became an esteemed and much-loved communal leader in the United Kingdom after the war: “Time is short and the task is urgent. Evil is real. So is good. There is a choice. And we are not so much chosen as choosers.” I can think of no better sign-off than that always given at the end of every show from the Irish comedian, Dave Allen, “Thank you, goodnight, and may your God go with you.”

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JEWISH INTEREST

November 2020

Federation Star

Finding happiness

Aging Jewishly — What our traditions tell us about growing old By Rabbi Barbara Aiello Nan looked up from her book and observed the man she’d been married to for over 40 years. “Kurt, you’re pacing, and when you’re pacing, I know something’s not right.” “Okay, so I’m pacing. What’s the big deal?” was Kurt’s defensive response. Undaunted, Nan continued, “The big deal is that something’s bothering you. I’m here. I’m listening. So you’ll tell me.” Reluctant as he was to open up, Kurt knew it was time to talk. After all, it had been five weeks and things weren’t getting any better. In fact, Kurt felt miserable. He said, “Rosh Hashanah usually picks me up, but this year, no. It’s the COVID thing, the lockdown, the restrictions. Okay, so I’m not a regular shul-goer. I mean, twice, three times a year are enough for me. But I had no idea how much I’d miss just sitting in the synagogue. How sad it was that the kids aren’t here and all we’re getting are virtual hugs. I want the real thing. I want our life back to the way it used to be!” Nan looked closely at Kurt. Were those tears in his eyes? Certainly, it had been a difficult year, but only now did Nan realize how deeply unhappy Kurt was. What do our traditions teach us about happiness? What can we do, if anything, to overcome sadness? According to Tzvi Freeman (“How the Baal Shem Tov Changed the Way We Think About Happiness,” Chabad.org), the famous sage, the Ba’al Shem Tov, had an answer. A respected rabbi who lived in Poland in the 19th century, his name means the “man who has an excellent reputation.” He brought about major changes in the

Jewish religion. He encouraged rabbis to refrain from a focus on the negative and instead teach the people how to have a joyful relationship with God. Rabbi Barbara How is hapAiello piness achieved? Rabbinic sages from historical to modern times have interpreted the Ba’al Shem Tov’s teachings and applied them to our lives. According to Leon Zernitsky (“Eighteen Joyous Quotations of the Ba’al Shem Tov, Chabad.org), these teachings emphasize principles that alleviate sadness and lead us to living in joy.

Trust and celebrate Imagine that God’s loving presence is continually with you and protecting you. Remember that you are bound to the Creator and the Creator is bound to you. You are never alone.

Sincerity and joy When you do something out of love for God and your fellow human beings, do so with no ulterior motive. In other words, take an action because it is the right thing to do, not because you expect something in return.

God will save us Be joyful in the knowledge that, when you have troubles, the God of your understanding will come to your rescue

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— with a fresh perspective, a new thought, an idea of how to approach and solve a problem.

Joyous studies Find a subject that interests you and study it with energy and great joy. When you immerse yourself in study, you reduce disturbing thoughts.

Reverence and happiness Don’t torment yourself that you do not know the proper prayers or that you are unfamiliar with rituals. Use your own words and melodies, and be grateful for every opportunity to pray and sing.

The happy ascetic We all want the good things in life, but do not permit an obsession, like a desire for a new car, a bigger house, the latest electronics, more money, etc. They will lead you into depression. On the contrary, celebrate that you have the capacity to overcome these desires and remain grateful for what you have.

Better happy than strict Do not become so obsessed with details that you castigate yourself over every little thing. Do not become obsessively self-critical, because this will bring depression. Living a joyful life does not require perfection in every activity.

God in your words When you pray, meditate or reflect, visualize that God is invested within the letters and the words that you choose. Zernitsky writes, “Words are the clothing for your thoughts.” Clothing that is neat and clean, brings out a person’s inner beauty. Your words of prayer provide the same sort of clothing for God’s presence as well-spoken words bring out your inner thoughts. The Baal Shem Tov taught that, in every word you speak, you should intend to sweeten a relationship. This means that you must let go of the harsh approach of finding fault with everyone and instead enter a mode of compassion, seeking out the positive. Finally, our sages believed that, “The joy we are talking about is not the screaming and shouting of a crazed fanatic. It is joy with a purpose, for when we offer a helping hand to another, when we marshal our efforts to bring happiness to our world, we find that “we are living in joy.” 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, where she is rabbi of Italy’s first Reconstructionist synagogue. Contact her at Rabbi@ RabbiBarbara.com.

Federation Star

JEWISH INTEREST

November 2020

Hanukkah treats Recipe by Chef Dalia

t is that time of year again…Hanukkah. And let’s face it; we’ll be surrounded by food once again. Anyone who celebrates Hanukkah knows that, aside from lighting a Menorah each night, the part of Hanukkah that most people look forward to is the food. Antiochus, the king of Syria, tried to kill us. We survived…let’s eat (and you don’t have to ask us twice). Hanukkah is an extremely special time of year because — you guessed it — fried food. It is common tradition during Hanukkah to eat fried foods (think latkes), to honor the miracle of light which happened in the temple, when just a small bit of oil that should have only lasted for one night, lasted eight nights. The affection for fried foods during Hanukkah is rooted in celebration of the miracle of the oil that kept a menorah lit almost 2,200 years ago. When I moved to the U.S., I learned a lot of things that I didn’t know about the Jewish holidays—which are, in theory,

the same Jewish holidays I grew up with in Israel. I learned that Hanukkah in the U.S. had changed into a commercialized show that was nearly unrecognizable to me. This is not the Hanukkah I grew up with. In Israel, without any other major holiday to compete with, Hanukkah shines strongly, all by itself. Latkes may be the Hanukkah main food here in America, but in Israel, sufganiyot rule the roost. Sufganiyot are donuts filled with jam, eaten during Hanukkah. These deep-fried, jam-filled donuts symbolize the burning of oil lamps in the ancient temples of Jerusalem. While oldfashioned, holeless, jam-filled sufganiyah are still the ones most people eat during the holiday, the fillings and toppings available these days are seemingly endless and simply mouthwatering — fillings made of chocolate spreads and flavored pastry creams to toppings like chocolate and caramel glazes, sprinkles and chocolate curls. The options are many and so are the calories that go along with them!

MixMingle &

Rugelach is another favorite Hanukkah treat that is a must for the Hanukkah dessert table. That literally means “little twist” in Yiddish. Rugelach is a yeast pastry, filled with chocolate, cinnamon and sugar or jam. The origins of this pastry are in the old Jewish communities. Nowadays, you can find it literally everywhere in Israel. If you walked through the “Machane Yehuda” Market in Jerusalem, you would have seen and smelled the huge variety of sweet and sticky pastries and deliciously gooey rugelach on display, especially during the holidays. Rugelach and I go way back, to the holidays of my childhood, when my siblings and I would scarf down batch after batch of jam-filled rugelach at my grandmother’s house. “No Hanukkah gathering is complete without dessert!” she used to say. As an Israeli, it was very difficult for me to decide which pastry or baked good would best inspire my taste this Hanukkah celebration. However, I do have one small and delicious favorite… rugelach! But I also love the classic Hanukkah sufganiyot. There are few greater joys than taking a bite

Personal Chef Dalia Hemed can be reached at daliahemed@msn.com. and letting the jam squirt out the other end, while powdered sugar clings to your lips. That is, until you meet my modern Israeli combination “rugelach sufganiya.” Fried rugelach dough in the shape of a sufganiya filled with strawberry jam and more… They are oh-so-yummy. These delicious Israeli jam rugelach sufganiyot are the highlight of my holiday season!

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Israeli Jam Rugelach Doughnuts

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Makes 18 medium-size rugelach sufganiyot

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Ingredients: For the dough: • 1 lb. bread flour • 3 tbsp. white sugar • 1 tbsp. of active dry yeast • 1 tsp. of lemon zest • 2 medium eggs • ¾ cup milk • 1 tsp. of salt • 1 cup softened butter • extra flour for sprinkling • canola oil (for frying) • strawberry jam For decoration: • 1¼ cups confectioners' sugar • 1 tsp. vanilla • 2 tbsp. milk Instructions: 1. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour. Add the granulated white sugar, the yeast and mix. 2. Make a well in the center. Add into the well, the zest, eggs, milk, salt and butter. 3. Either with a stand mixer or your hands, knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until the dough is elastic, smooth and just a little sticky, but not too much.

4. Grease a bowl, put the dough inside it and cover with a plastic wrap. Set aside to rise for about 45 minutes. 5. Flour a working surface and place the dough on top of it. Divide the dough into two balls. Set one ball aside and work on one at a time. 6. Roll one ball into a very thin dough sheet, approximately 11” x 15”. Fold in half and then fold again. Using a rolling pin, slightly and carefully roll out the folded dough sheet to a rectangle shape. 7. Use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter to cut a round from each rectangle shape. (You can use a 1-inch round biscuit cutter to cut hole in the center for a doughnut shape). Reserve the remaining dough. 8. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill it at least 2 inches deep. Heat over medium heat to 350ºF. 9. Fry the rugelach sufganiyot in hot oil for 60 to 120 seconds on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and allow them to cool before glazing. 10. To make vanilla glaze: in a medium bowl, mix 1¼ cups of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and then add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a smooth, glaze-like consistency forms. 11. To assemble; Split each fried and cooled rugelach sufganiya in half, and place 1 tablespoon of strawberry jam in the center. Sandwich the halves back together and drizzle the glaze of your choice over the top. Serve immediately.

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

November 2020

Federation Star

Over $15 million raised at first-ever virtual FIDF National Gala Thousands of supporters from across the globe joined Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) in saluting Israel’s brave soldiers and veterans at the first-ever virtual FIDF National Gala. Themed “A Night of Heroes,” the gala raised a total of over $15 million to support well-being and educational programs for Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, with donations still being made. This FIDF initiative aimed to enable the global FIDF family to unite for an unprecedented night of giving and extraordinary solidarity, saluting Israel’s IDF protectors, despite the limitations posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program featured several segments to honor IDF soldiers, including Lone Soldiers, who join the IDF with no immediate family in Israel. Among those being recognized at the gala was a female Black Hawk Pilot, Cpt. T., who participated in an opening segment called “Air, Land, and Sea,” in which active-duty soldiers took the audience on a dynamic and action-packed training mission. Another segment, focusing on one family’s multigenerational story, highlighted FIDF’s Witnesses in Uniform Program. The gala featured a live performance by global pop star and active IDF soldier, Noa Kirel, who recently signed a deal with Atlantic Records, the largest ever for an Israeli artist. Israeli singer-songwriter, Idan Raichel, also performed live, as

did the IDF Musical Ensemble, featurfor Life pledged $1 million, Or Lachayal soldiers in need, support for Lone Soldiers ing IDF soldier, Eden Alena, who will pledged $1 million, Momentum throughout their service and, upon represent Israel in the next Eurovision pledged $750,000, Genesis Philanrelease, crucial aid for wounded veterans Song Contest. thropy Group pledged $600,000, and and the families of fallen soldiers, weeks FIDF National Chairman Rabbi the Iranian American Jewish Federation of rest and recuperation for entire IDF Peter Weintraub and Israeli-Ameripledged $600,000. units, as well as educational, cultural and can actress, model and host, recreational facilities. The Moran Atias, presided as masters evening presented a rare “The great transformation of ceremonies. and exclusive opportunity of our people’s history took Other distinguished guests to pay tribute to the state who participated in the gala of Israel and its brave men place when the Jewish people included Israeli Prime Minister and women in uniform. restored the capacity to defend Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s To watch the full FIDF ourselves by ourselves.” Alternate Prime Minister and Virtual National Gala, visit Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. https://events.fidf.org/. (Res.) Benjamin (Benny) Gantz, IDF Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. In addition, notable among the gala’s About Friends of the Israel Aviv Kochavi, Founder and Chairman donations was a pledge from FIDF’s Defense Forces (FIDF) of Christians United for Israel (CUFI) ardent supporters, Cheryl and Haim FIDF was established in 1981 by a group Pastor John Hagee and President and Saban, who will match donations up of Holocaust survivors as a 501(c)(3) notCEO of The International Fellowship of to $500,000, and FIDF National Vice for-profit organization, with the mission of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) Yael President Marc Perlman and his wife, offering educational, cultural, recreational Eckstein. FIDF National Director and Claire, who will also match donations and social programs and facilities that CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir, up to $500,000. That is a total match of provide hope, purpose and life-changing who will be succeeded this month by $1 million, for which donations will be support for the soldiers who protect Israel incoming FIDF National Director, and ongoing post-gala. and Jews worldwide. Today, FIDF has CEO Steven Weil gave a farewell speech “I have no words to express my appremore than 150,000 loyal supporters and after six years of unprecedented organiciation to this big, huge and unique orga24 chapters throughout the United States zational growth. nization. I do not think that anywhere in and Panama. FIDF proudly supports IDF “The great transformation of our the world there is another kind of ties and soldiers, families of fallen soldiers and people’s history took place when the organization like this. Thank you from wounded veterans through a variety of innoJewish people restored the capacity to the bottom of my heart,” said Kochavi. vative programs that reinforce the vital bond defend ourselves by ourselves. This is what Funds raised at the gala will provide between the communities in the United the IDF is all about,” said Netanyahu. much-needed and well-deserved serStates, the soldiers of the IDF and the state Among the major donations, Nefesh vices, such as academic scholarships to of Israel. For more information, please visit B’Nefesh pledged $1.3 million, Brothers combat veterans, financial assistance for www.fidf.org.

Don’t Miss the Opening Event! This hilarious and thought-provoking new book, from New York Times bestselling author Lori Gottlieb, takes us behind the scenes of a therapist’s world, where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she). One day, Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient. The book is a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives and our power to transform them.

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Federation Star

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

November 2020

A tour for the forever young at heart and mind A life-changing excursion to Israel you don’t want to miss By Matt Bernstein, CFP, JNF Chief Planned Giving Officer

hirty strangers from the U.S. met in Tel Aviv on a Sunday evening last November. Many were firsttime travelers to Israel, with little connection to Jewish National Fund. Others had visited many times before; years had passed since their last trip. The reasons for their visit varied, but the common denominator was clear: to reconnect with their childhood memories, Judaism and Israel. Jewish National Fund’s 10-day Sunshine Tour provides that opportunity, and most of the participants characterized the trip as “life-changing.” Jewish National Fund’s Sunshine Tour is unique in that it is designed for people ages 55+ who lead active lives, and it offers more time to explore and experience Israel. Our trip started in Tel Aviv, the modern metropolis home to Independence Hall, the historic location where, in 1948, David Ben-Gurion announced Israel’s establishment as a modern state. We visited sites throughout the city, learning about the pioneering men and women who helped build the country. We felt enormous pride in this tiny country doing remarkable things. In Jerusalem, we walked the ancient cobblestone alleyways of the Old City and met with lone soldiers from the U.S. We visited Yad Vashem (Israel’s national Holocaust museum), where the

group formed a bond while partaking in an emotional journey to better understand this tragic period of our collective Jewish history. We visited the Galilee and learned about Jewish National Fund’s Go North initiative that is growing regional tourism and providing new economic opportunities in the north. In the Negev, we saw the effect JNF's contributions are having on the

revitalization of Be’er Sheva, the crown jewel of JNF’s Blueprint Negev initiative. We also visited JNF’s Sderot Indoor Recreation Center, a signature JNF project, designed to provide a safe playing environment for children against rockets from Gaza. We went back to Jerusalem and welcomed Shabbat at the Kotel. After dinner, we shared our experiences and, while many were aware of JNF’s history

of planting millions of trees, they were in awe at Jewish National Fund’s role in making Israel a strong part of all our lives. Join us in 2021 and help Israel’s economic recovery. We have three tours planned for 2021: April 18–27, May 2–11 and Nov. 7–16. For more information, contact Joshua Mellits, Western Florida Director, at jmellits@jnf.org or call 941-462-1330 x865.

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COMMENTARY

November 2020

Federation Star

The gift Rabbi Howard S. Herman DD

hink back to when you were a kid. At various points in your year, someone would give you a gift. It could be for your birthday, or maybe Chanukah, or perhaps a member of your family went on a trip and brought something back for you. When you received the gift, if you didn’t acknowledge it, your parents would instruct, “Say thank you.” When you were very young, one of the first words your parents taught you, other than “please,” was “thank you.” If someone gave you something, the gift giver was entitled to politeness and acknowledgement. After a while, you caught on and you would utter this phrase habitually,

without needing the verbal cue or even thinking about it first. “Thanks” comes up quite a bit this season of the year. I have always found it curious that all of us, not just Jews, are so focused on “thanks” in November. Yet it doesn’t seem to be much of a priority the rest of the year. In fact, not only is it not a priority, we seem to walk around with an attitude of expectation, where everything we receive is simply coming to us as a matter of course. The prevailing attitude seems to be “I’m a good person, I work hard, I play by the rules, so why shouldn’t everything come my way?” It almost seems there is a “yin and yang” philosophy operating. I do this, so I get that. But where is the gratitude? Judaism has always taken a very strong stand on being gracious and thankful for the blessings and bounty that come our way. The Hebrew word for gratitude, “hakarat hatov,” literally means recognizing the good. Practicing gratitude as a

Jewish value means recognizing the good that is already yours. Gratitude, as a Jewish value from the Torah’s point of view, is an integral part of one’s spiritual life. We say Birchat Hamazon (grace after meals) and the motzi before we eat as a way of daily expressing our gratitude for the food we have. In traditional Judaism, we are to say a minimum of 100 blessings every day. We are to stop and say blessings over a myriad of things we encounter daily. Why? Because saying a blessing means you have to physically stop and notice what is there. Our days shouldn’t just be a blur of objects and activities that we simply pass through without noticing. We have real gifts in our lives. Take something simple like eyesight or breathing. My guess is that most of us never give them a second thought until something goes wrong with them. Then we start praying to be able to go back to when they were working properly.

We rarely ever think about the food we buy. But what happens if it is not readily available to us? It is only then, that we begin to see what a blessing it really was. The ideal of gratitude comes from our very name, “Jew.” The word Jew comes from the tribe of Judah, or in Hebrew, “Yehudah,” which means “thanksgiving.” Leah, Judah’s mother, gave him that name since she wanted to express her thanks to God. The very first words of the very first morning prayer “modeh ani” mean “I thank you.” In “Pirke Avot, Ethics of our Ancestors,” the question, “Who is rich?” is asked. The answer: those who rejoice in their own portion. Please don’t relegate being thankful to one day in November. Open your eyes and heart to the abundant blessings that are yours each and every day, with every breath you take. May you be inspired to embrace gratitude every day of your life. Shalom Uvracha Rabbi Howard Herman serves at Naples Jewish Congregation.

Looking for Eden in a pandemic Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

ell over half a year has passed since our world turned topsyturvy. The question that I wish to pose to us all is, can we find space for gratitude amongst everything we are experiencing? This year has created opportunities for many emotions. And yet, along with the sadness, there is much to be grateful for. Don't you agree? I often think of Adam and Eve — the two people who had everything. They lived in paradise, literally! The world was theirs for the taking. But there was just one tree among millions of others that G-d told them to avoid. They had the whole world, minus one tree, and all they could think about was that one tree. Focusing on the singular forbidden item in their lives was their downfall. Gratitude demands the exact opposite — focus on the beauty, the sweet, the blessings. You might have seen the following anecdote on social media. After a 93-yearold man in Italy recovered from COVID19 in the hospital, he was asked to pay the cost of the ventilator for one day. Upon hearing this, the man began to cry. The doctor comforted him that a bill was not worth crying over. The man's reply made all the doctors tear up. "I don't cry because of the money I have to pay," he said. "I can pay all the

money. I cry because I have been breathing G-d’s air for 93 years, but I never paid for it. It takes €500 to use a ventilator in a hospital for one day. Do you know how much I owe G-d? Why did I take it for granted until now?" I can’t verify the truth of this anecdote, but I choose to share it because of its poignant message. Every day, we can find gratitude for the gift of life itself. The gift of sunshine. The gifts of smell and taste. The gifts of family and friends. We all have many things in our lives that are truly miraculous. There is a wise saying from the Jewish sages, that when it comes to matters of spirituality, we must look at people greater than we are and aspire to uplift ourselves. Yet, when it comes to matters of the physical, we must look at people who have less than us and feel gratitude for what we have. Yes, there is deep pain in our world today. The heart aches for all the suffering in the lives of so many. And yet, in spite of the pain and that which we lack, we can also choose to adopt the attitude that there is still so much light in our world. To focus on what is beautiful and not take the goodness in our lives for granted, for that would weaken our character and the example we wish to present to our children. The focus on what we have is so much better for our health and the quality of our relationships. It brings out a version of ourselves that allows us to live a higher quality of life. Gratitude brings so many benefits. Can we find space for it in our lives? As we awaken each morning, before we do anything, the traditional Modeh Ani

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prayer falls from our lips. With it, we offer thanks to G-d, the living and eternal King for mercifully restoring our souls. Let us concentrate on the commitment we make to G-d as we thank Him for the responsibility He bestows upon us, allowing us

to carry the breath of life in our bodies. Gratitude is an attitude over which we have complete control, and it’s up to us to find our own Eden in the everyday. Rabbi Fishel serves at Chabad Jewish Center.

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Federation Star

ORGANIZATIONS

November 2020

www.hadassah.org / 732.539.4011

COLLIER/LEE CHAPTER OF HADASSAH

Banging pots and pans Diane Schwartz Collier/Lee Hadassah President

n this year of COVID-19, we see countries, communities and individuals honoring nurses and other health care workers across the spectrum by cheering them on at set times of the day. From balconies in France and Italy to communities across the country, grateful Americans joined the world to send out love, praise and admiration for nurses and other health care workers by banging pots and pans, singing and creating beautiful music — even opera. Honoring the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife in 2020. The effort seeks to advance nurses’ vital role in transforming

health care around the world. This is so appropriate at this time, during a pandemic. In 1912, Henrietta Szold founded Hadassah. The first effort she created in the new organization was in support of then-Palestine. She sent two nurses to help deal with health issues in the developing land. Hadassah’s roots in the field go back to 1913, when the fledgling organization sent nurses Rose Kaplan and Rae Landy to then-Palestine and laid the groundwork for building a health care infrastructure in Israel. Expanding on that effort, Hadassah led to the inauguration of an Americanstyle visiting nurse program in Jerusalem. It also funded welfare stations, soup kitchens and other services for Palestine’s Jewish and Arab inhabitants. How we have grown! In a Hadassah Magazine profile of Hadassah nurses, we learn that nursing is America’s largest health care profession, with more than three million practitioners in settings as diverse as primary

care offices, schools, midwifery clinics, research laboratories and hospitals. Hadassah’s Nurses Council offers mentorship, networking events, webinars and continuing education to nearly 2,500 members in 35 chapters across the country, including veterans as well as beginners. Council members meet with congressional staffers on Capitol Hill to promote initiatives around Jewish-associated health concerns, like breast cancer. Continuing a more than century-old legacy, Hadassah members, who are nurses, collaborate with the Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) in Israel. Florida’s own Susan Lafer from Tampa is a nurse and past region president of our Florida Central Region. “The group offers profound satisfaction by integrating core aspects of members’ identity,” she says. “Hadassah is for women and it’s about advocacy. Nurses are patient advocates.” To understand the true and deep meaning of nursing as part of Hadassah,

explore the September/October 2020 issue of Hadassah Magazine, where you can learn about and hear from veteran nurses as well as those beginning in the profession here and in Israel. For a further view of how closely HMO and Hadassah nurses were, and are, tied to the development of the state of Israel and Israel’s health care system, you can read a wonderful book, following the life of a Sabra woman who became a Hadassah nurse, trained at the Hadassah School of Nursing, working at Mt. Scopus, the first hospital Hadassah opened. The nonfiction book, “Raquela, a Woman of Israel,” by Ruth Gruber, is a gripping and fascinating look at the life experience of Raquela and the work of Hadassah in the founding and development of Israel. All Hadassah members can be proud of what we have accomplished, but we don’t stop there. We are builders of the future for our children and grandchildren, both here and in Israel.

Zoom link. Watch for the weekly e-blast with registration information. Monday, Oct. 26 at 10:30 a.m. Zoom “Secrets of the Orchid Whisperer,” presented by award-winning orchid grower, Gayle Dorio Monday, Nov. 2 at 3:30 p.m. - Zoom “Dessert Anyone?” A baking demonstration by Bakery Chef Stephani Schwartz. Attendees are eligible for a drawing prize of the personally delivered dessert to the winner’s home in either Collier or Lee County. Monday, Nov. 16 at 11 a.m. - Zoom

Fall Meeting with speaker Kathy A. Feinstein, LMHC, CMPC, discussing “The Mental Edge: Resilience & Coping in Difficult Times” Sunday, Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. - Annual Recognition Keepers of the Gate Zoom event with guest speaker, Dr. Alex Greenberg, an HMO physician currently doing his fellowship in joint reconstruction at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. For information, please reach out to Nancy Wiadro at nwiadro@ hadassah.org or 239-269-3666.

Save the dates Due to coronavirus, all Hadassah meetings and programs are being offered and presented via Zoom. We hope to see you on Zoom at these interesting and diverse programs.

For your convenience, these offerings are being presented as a series of programs, called Expanding Horizons. You may subscribe to any and all programs and share your email to receive the

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JEWISH WAR VETERANS

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Who we are JWV Post 202 update

The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Temple Shalom & Temple Shalom Men’s Club, together offer PARTIAL scholarships for Jewish Summer Camps & the Israel Experience for teens. There are scholarship opportunities for all Jewish children in the community regardless of congregation affiliation. For information and a scholarship application, contact your local synagogue or call the Jewish Federation at 239-263-4205.

Scholarship request deadlines: Summer Camps: December 18, 2020 Israel Programs: February 5, 2021 OF GREATER NAPLES

Harve Sturm Commander JWV Post #202

ounded in 1896, after the American Civil War, the Jewish War Veterans of the United States (JWV) is the voice of Jewish veterans, and friend to all veterans. Our mission is to foster and perpetuate patriotism and respect for the American flag, encourage the doctrine of universal liberty and equal rights, preserve our values for future generations, advocate for civics education in our schools, and protect and defend the rights of those who protect and defend us. As Jewish Veterans, we are proud for serving our country. We are proud that

Martin Cohn Vice Commander JWV Post #202 we brought honor and recognition to our people. And we are proud to be the oldest continuously operating veterans organization in the United States. We invite those who have served in the U.S. military (combat not required) to join us at our monthly meetings. If you are not a veteran, but are grateful for their dedication to our country, you are invited to support and uphold our values as a patron member. God bless America. Contact information is available on our website at jwvpost202.wordpress. com or call 239-261-3270 or email us at jwvpost202@gmail.com.

SYNAGOGUES

November 2020

BETH TIKVAH

Federation Star

www.bethtikvahnaples.org / 239.434.1818

Beth Tikvah update Shelley Goodman and Sue Hammerman, Co-Presidents

he High Holidays have always been cherished as a time of hope, introspection and new beginnings. It is when we think about all that we have done, and all that we continue to do for the people in our lives, our homes, our communities and Israel. It is when we rededicate ourselves to our purpose and mission, as we strive to be a light unto others. This year was no exception. Although the holidays were different, our services were streamed and Zoomed, providing all the uplifting messages and spiritual connections for which we have been yearning. Much appreciation and gratitude to Rabbi Chorny, who diligently worked to make these holidays so special, and Cantor Frani Goodman, who added her musical touch. November is normally the unofficial beginning of a new season for Beth Tikvah. Though many of our congregation have not yet returned, with the use of Zoom, no one is more than a click away. Many of our programs never ended and more are again beginning.

Lecture series Our seasonal lecture series begins on Zoom, with Jeff Margolis discussing “Remember the Ladies,” literary works by First Ladies on Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m.

phone at 239-593-6821. All women who are interested in attending are welcome.

“Jewish Perspectives”

Beth Tikvah Co-Presidents Shelley Goodman and Sue Hammerman

The series continues on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m., when our speaker on economics and finance will be Justin Land. Please contact office@bethtikvah.us or visit our website www.bethtikvahnaples.org to reserve your spot and receive the Zoom links.

Rosh Chodesh Women’s Group Our Rosh Chodesh Women’s Group brings friendship and intellectual stimulation together monthly. This month, we will meet on Sunday, Nov.15, at 11 a.m. Please check the Beth Tikvah website for the Zoom link to join us. If you are interested in being a facilitator, please contact Elaine Kamin at elainekamin@gmail.com or by

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

Rabbi Chorny continues leading the “Jewish Perspectives” course on Tuesdays, Nov. 3, 10 and 17, at 12:15 p.m. If you wish, bring along a dairy lunch and join us for weekly topical discussions. You will be encouraged to participate live on Zoom. The educational link on our website will direct you to how you may join.

Naples Jewish Film Festival Planning is underway for our eighth season of the Naples Jewish Film Festival, scheduled for February/March 2021. This series of four films on Jewish-related themes will be streamed to all Subscribers. Look for more details about the films, showings and subscription opportunities in future Beth Tikvah updates and on our website. This year, you will be able to enjoy these new and exciting feature films in the comfort of your own home! Beth Tikvah is the affiliated congregation in Greater Naples of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). We are grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN) for support of our

Scholar in Residence, Naples Jewish Film Festival and All Things Jewish programs. All Beth Tikvah lectures and events are open to the Greater Naples community. Everyone is welcome to attend. Registration is required for most events.

Beth Tikvah November happenings on Zoom • Sunday, Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m. - Jeff Margolis lecture • Tuesdays, Nov. 3, 10 and 17 at 12:15 p.m. - Jewish Perspectives with Rabbi Chorny • Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. - Justin Land Lecture • Sunday, Nov. 15 at 11 a.m. - Rosh Chodesh Women’s Study Group

Religious services streaming schedule • Thursday and Sunday morning services begin at 9 a.m. • Friday services begin at 6:15 p.m. • Saturday services begin at 9:30 a.m. • We convene Yahrzeit minyanim upon request. You may reach Rabbi Chorny directly at 239-537-5257.

www.naplesjewishcongregation.org / 239.431.3858

A most unusual High Holy Days during a most unusual time By Steve McCloskey, President

Steve McCloskey President

hen we gathered in our sanctuaries in late September and early October of last year to commemorate the High Holy Days, it was not within the contemplation of any of us that we would not be able to congregate together for this year’s High Holy Days services. Our world has literally been “... turned upside down” by the global pandemic and its myriad, rippling effects on every aspect of our lives. The last seven or eight months have been wrenchingly disruptive and emotionally draining. Reaching out to others has become a virtual act, rather than a physical one. Hugs have been supplanted by screen shots of love and friendship. What has remained constant, a “virtual” anchor for us, has been our loving and caring NJC family, which observed this year’s High Holy Days on Zoom and YouTube Live. When we last gathered for Shabbat services on Friday, March 13, we were in the very beginning of the throes of the novel coronavirus. It seems so very long ago — a distant world almost — yet it has been a mere seven months. We at

NJC had to adroitly pivot to a new, and as yet unknown and unexplored, virtual world in order to remain connected with members to provide them the spiritual succor that they craved. We had never live-streamed our services before, nor had we ventured into cyberspace with our NJC family. Led by our intrepid Dick Lechtner, who took it upon himself to learn how to conduct our services on Zoom and YouTube Live, and ably assisted by Rabbi Howard Herman; Jane Galler, our Cantorial Soloist; Alla Gorelik, our Music Director and accompanist; Peter Weissman, one of our revered choir members; and Barry Goldenberg, our Ritual Chair, we were providing members with virtual Shabbat services by early April. We did not have the time for a learning curve with a long arc. Our members have wholeheartedly embraced our virtual services on Zoom and YouTube Live, best demonstrated by the number of views for each of our services. This is a testament to the quality of the services we are providing to members through the stellar rabbinical leadership of Rabbi Herman and the wonderful and spiritually uplifting music from Jane, Alla and Peter. This year’s High Holy Days services were remarkable for their ruach and neshama, embracing the timeless Judaic precepts of justice, mercy and compassion and humility before God.

Rabbi Herman’s messages during our High Holy Days services were steeped in meaning and purposefully powerful, designed to engage us in critically thinking about our Judaism, our lives, and perhaps most importantly, how we can meaningfully touch the lives of others and make our world just a little better by our presence in it. Rabbi Herman spoke about the Judaic obligation to speak truth to power, including from the bima, in order to repair our world; about living the life that we intended; about being a good

ancestor; about the standards of leadership demanded by our faith, particularly as it relates to our treatment of the least advantaged in our society; about the often elusive and ephemeral pursuit of happiness; and about the critical importance of expressing gratitude, especially for those who enrich our lives. We are certainly expecting that we will be able to gather in person again for next year’s Days of Awe, which begin in early Sept. 2021. May our hope for next year’s High Holy Days be that we and our world will be in a better place.

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Federation Star

SYNAGOGUES/FOCUS ON YOUTH

November 2020

JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND

www.marcojcmi.com / 239.642.0800

The 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht By Sue Baum, President

n Nov. 9, 2020, we will commemorate the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht. This day in history is well known for the massive arrests of Jewish males throughout Germany and the destruction of Jewish-owned businesses, with an emphasis on the smashing of glass windows. Some of the males jailed, were later released. Many were not so fortunate

and were sent to concentration camps. Any insurance monies received for the destruction had to be turned over to the German government. I have heard a first-hand account of the happenings. You see, my husband, then only a young boy, and his parents, were still in Berlin. Harold was home with his parents when the call came, “Hide! They are coming for the males.”

Where were they to hide in an apartment with a high German official as the next-door neighbor? Harold’s mother was a smart woman and came up with a quick idea she hoped would keep them safe. She told Harold to get on his bicycle and spend the day riding around. Then she told his father to get to the subways and ride them all day. Because of her quick thinking, both survived the day.

While riding around the city that day, Harold cycled towards a fire in the distance. He arrived at his Synagogue, where he had been bar-mitzvah, in time to watch the burning of the prayer books. A scene he never forgot. How important it is that we never forget this event from our history. It is our history from which we learn how to move forward to the future.

www.naplestemple.org / 239.455.3030

TEMPLE SHALOM

Creatively celebrating together By Deborah R. Fidel, Executive Director

emple Shalom brought in 5781 in a very special and fun way — with an Apples, Honey and Challah drive-thru! We distributed over 300 bags of holiday treats to our members, who also drove off with High Holy Days prayer books. “Holding a prayer book in my hands while watching the services online, made it seem much more real — almost like I was there, reading along with our clergy in the Sanctuary,” said Dan Spintman.

Temple Shalom President Daryl Sissman and First Vice President Ed Kaufman delivered prayer books and gift bags to the Temple’s homebound members. We also wanted to bring some holiday joy to the Jewish residents of our area senior living facilities, who were not able to see their loved ones due to the COVID19 restrictions in place at that time. We know it meant a lot to the residents at The Carlisle, Terracina Grande and Moorings

Park, who have let us know how much they appreciated the gifts. Members of Temple Shalom even made cards to include in their special deliveries.

Have shofar, will travel! While services were virtual, we were also able to include some creative ways to be together — masked and socially distanced of course! Temple Shalom held three different shofar services: in the Temple Shalom parking lot, Depot Park in Bonita

Springs and on the property of Naples Square, downtown. Tashlich was another opportunity to gather safely in person, as we prayed and symbolically threw our sins into a lake. The High Holy Days were unique, that’s for sure! We will continue engaging in new and creative ways as “season” gets underway. Call Temple Shalom at 455-3030 for information on how to join our One Family.

Everyday gratitude By Rabbi Ariel Boxman

ur students a t Te m p l e Shalom Preschool are busy preparing for Thanksgiving. While we spend extra time thinking about all the wonderful blessings in our lives around Thanksgiving, here at Temple Shalom Preschool, we practice gratitude each and every day. As part of our morning routines, students at Temple Shalom Preschool share what they are thankful for. In reflecting on our blessings and naming them Hannah Hyatt playing Bree Mills enjoying learning Sam Caito and Jayden Anderson playing with out loud, we get into on the playground her letters and shapes chalk in our new outdoor classroom the habit of noticing the mundane. Whether it be seeing a rainbow, eating a donut or getthey do so with warmth and kindness. for the opportunity to serve the families presence in this world. What a blessing it ting to be line leader, students are finding Through hugs, cuddles and words of in our school community. is to serve Temple Shalom in this capacity! moments of gratitude in every single day. encouragement, our teachers make each Finally, I am grateful for the chance On this Thanksgiving, I pray for all of As new director of the preschool, I, child feel safe, welcome and loved. to work with our beautiful, bright and us to be blessed with the gift of gratitude. too, have so much to be grateful for. I am I am also grateful for the families who sweet children. There is nothing better As we take notice of our blessings, we especially grateful for the opportunity to have enrolled their children and entrusted than being able to work in a place where realize all the good in our lives. May we work with such a talented and dedicated us with the great task of caring for their children come to play and learn. Their be blessed with health, happiness, and staff. Our teachers are not only wonderful most precious gifts. We do not take this laughter, smiles and genuine sense of hapabove all, peace! at instructing and inspiring young minds, responsibility lightly and we are grateful piness are the greatest reminders of God’s Happy Thanksgiving!

FOCUS ON YOUTH

November 2020

CHABAD JEWISH CENTER OF NAPLES

Celebrating the season By Ettie Zaklos, Preschool of the Arts Founder & Director

espite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our little oasis at Preschool of the Arts continues to be a place of calm, joy and learning. In the first months of the school year, the children have settled into a warm and interactive environment, where they are exploring and thriving. Our staff have successfully incorporated all our new safety and health guidelines into every element of our program, ensuring safety and comfort for all. Even with masks and modifications to our program, the love, warmth and unparalleled care continues unabated. We are so proud that our preschool continues to be a strong foundation for our families, a place where they can rely on constant care, even within the unknowns to come. We are thrilled that, during this difficult time, we have maintained 100% enrollment capacity. This vote of confidence from our parents is deeply appreciated and we honor our responsibility for our community’s health as sacred. Our school places an emphasis on a strong home-school partnership. We are committed to enriching the lives of not only our children, but our families as well. That’s why, despite limitations, we hosted our first-ever virtual Curriculum Night on Zoom. We were honored to welcome Dr. Sherry Walling, an expert psychologist and speaker, to present ideas for how our parent body can best support themselves and their children through challenging times. The theme of the evening was “We Got This,” focusing on finding inner strength and vitality as we parent and educate young children through the unknown. Thankfully, we were able to recreate a large part of our annual parent evening on Zoom, with special take-home carriers filled with treats, a craft that parents decorated at home and many more special touches. Parents enjoyed personal virtual tours of their child’s classroom, with detailed explanations of each classroom center. It was exciting to see the high level of participation at this virtual school event, as parental involvement is essential to promoting the home-school

connection that is a pillar of our educational philosophy. Throughout the end of September and early weeks of October, Preschool of the Arts enjoyed celebrating the Jewish holiday season with students, marking special days and learning all about our beautiful traditions. Our children enjoyed apples and honey, blowed the Shofar and discussed saying sorry on Yom Kippur. The fun continued as we celebrated the joyous holiday of Sukkot. In our classrooms, teachers provided many opportunities for students to explore the different fall, construction and harvestinspired elements of Sukkot and discover the holiday for themselves. A handyman guided the children in using construction tools to build a real-life Sukkah, which they then decorated. Our little engineers practiced their budding STEM skills as they measured and hammered away! Our school community also enjoyed a delicious Spaghetti in the Sukkah event. It was lovely to sit and enjoy a yummy pasta and meatball lunch provided by Preschool of the Arts. Sitting outdoors in the Sukkah that the children had helped build and so beautifully decorated with their own artwork, and enjoying a fun holiday meal, made us all feel like we were one big happy family! These feelings of community will continue throughout the month of November and are underscored by the theme of the month: gratitude. While we teach gratitude every day at our preschool, the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday in November really brings the message to the fore. It is the perfect mid-year opportunity to stop and remind ourselves of how blessed we are and express our heartfelt gratitude to our community. At Preschool of the Arts, we always celebrate in a grand fashion, with a schoolwide Thanksgiving performance. We are excited for our plans this year to conduct an in-person socially distanced event in Cambier Park. Our hope is to remind our community that even when we have to change our plans, when we stop and count our blessings, there is always reason to celebrate.

Federation Star

www.chabadnaples.com / 239.262.4474

Federation Star

FOCUS ON YOUTH

November 2020

Shalom Naples families! By Jessica Zimmerman, Associate Regional Dir., North Florida Region

BYO is actively moving into inperson programming. In October, Mishpacha BBG and Negev AZA met for a board meeting at Temple Shalom, immediately following the first day of Religious School. A special thank you to Temple Shalom for allowing us to use their beautiful garden for our programming. The girls went on to host a virtual “Top Ten’s List” program open to all girls on Jessica October 18. The Zimmerman boys hosted a successful in-person, socially distanced Mini Golf event on October 25! Both the BBGs and the Alephs want to continue welcoming prospective teens to join their brother and sisterhood in Naples. Come be a part of something very special! As a part of North Florida Region BBYO, Naples teens are invited to participate in NFR’s first official virtual convention of the year, the weekend of Nov. 13-14. Convention will include a fully teen-led weekend, complete with a Friday night opening ceremony, candle lighting, services, onegs, amazing teenled programming (I can’t spoil the fun), in-person chapter competitions, havdalah, exclusive international celebrity moments, and more. Do not miss this opportunity! Conventions are open only to BBYO members. To register for BBYO membership, visit bit.ly/memberbbyo.

Membership lasts through 12th-grade graduation, so it is never too early to join. Naples BBYO’s next event, Bob Ross Painting Party, will be on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 2 p.m. Location to be determined. If you’d like additional information about future in-person and virtual events, please connect directly with me, the staff in Naples. Brand new this year, BBYO is offering Israel Vouchers that will reduce the price by $3,000 to all Israel-related BBYO travel for 2021! That’s right, $3,000 to use toward any Israel-related travel program. This opportunity is available by

application only to BBYO members and offered to teenagers in grades 9-12. To learn more, visit bbyopassport.org. To contact Jess Zimmerman, Associate Regional Director, North Florida Region, email jesszimmerman@bbyo.org or call and/or text 941-677-3018. We hope to see you soon! Stay safe, from your friends at Naples BBYO. P.S. We are actively searching for volunteer chapter advisors in Naples. The position requires about 8 to 10 hours a month and the benefits are far too many to list. With interest, visit https://bbyo. org/get-involved/become-an-advisor.

See the following special section for full details on the 2020-21 Greater Naples Jewish Book eFestival

Federation Star Publication Policy The Federation Star is a subsidized arm of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN). Its purpose and function is to publicize the activities and programs of the Federation, and to publicize the ongoing activities of the established and recognized Jewish organizations in Greater Naples. The goal of the JFGN is to reach out and unite all Jews of the Greater Naples area. While differing opinions and points of view do, and will continue to, exist about many issues of importance to Jews, the Federation Star will confine itself to publishing ONLY items that report the facts of actual events of concern to Jews and will only offer commentary that clearly intends to unite all Jews in a common purpose or purposes. Critical or derogatory comments directed at individuals or organizations will NOT be published.

(Adopted by the Officers and Board of Trustees of the Jewish Federation of Collier County 1/98) To avoid misunderstandings, controversies and destructive divisions among our people, the Officers and Board of Trustees of the “Federation” have adopted the following publication policy: Advertisements: All advertisements, regardless of their sponsor, shall be paid for in full, at the established rates, prior to publication. The contents of all advertisements shall be subject to review and approval of the Federation Board or its designee. Commercial advertisers may make credit arrangements with the advertising manager, subject to the approval of the Federation Board. Regular Columns: Regular columns shall be accepted only from leaders (Rabbis, Presidents, Chairs) of established and recognized Jewish organizations in Greater Naples and the designated Chairs of the regular committees of the 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 the JFGN.

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY TEMPLE SHALOM OF NAPLES (Reform) 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34119 Phone: 455.3030  Fax: 455.4361 Email: info@naplestemple.org www.naplestemple.org Rabbi Adam Miller, MAHL Cantor Donna Azu, MSM Rabbi Ariel Boxman, MAHL, MARE, Rabbi Educator Rabbi James H. Perman, D.D., Rabbi Emeritus Deborah Rosen Fidel, J.D., MAJPS, Executive Director Daryl Sissman, President Jim Cochran, Music Director Shabbat Services: Shabbat Eve - Friday 7:30 p.m. Shabbat - Saturday 10:00 a.m.

November 2020 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

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

BETH TIKVAH

Services are held at: The Unitarian Congregation 6340 Napa Woods Way Rabbi Howard Herman 431.3858 Email: rabbi@naplesjewishcongregation.org www.naplesjewishcongregation.org

1459 Pine Ridge Road Naples, FL 34109

(Reform)

Rabbi Mark Gross Hari Jacobsen, Cantorial Soloist Sue Baum, President

Stephen P. McCloskey, President Jane Galler, Cantorial Soloist

Shabbat Services Friday 7:30 p.m. Seasonal: Saturday Talmud-Torah at 9:30 a.m. and Shachrit at 10:30 a.m.

Shabbat Services Friday evenings at 7:00 p.m. May - August: services once a month

Rabbi’s Life Long Learning Series Sidney R. Hoffman Jewish Film Festival Saul I. Stern Cultural Series JCMI Book Club

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

Sisterhood • Men’s Club • Adult Education Havurot • Youth Groups • Religious School Judaic Library • Hebrew School • Preschool Adult Choir • Social Action • Outreach

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos Dr. Arthur Seigel, President Ettie Zaklos, Education Director Shabbat Services Shabbat - Saturday 10am • Camp Gan Israel • Hebrew School • Preschool of the Arts • Jewish Women’s Circle • Adult Education • Bat Mitzvah Club • Friendship Circle • Smile on Seniors • Flying Challah • Kosher food delivery The Federation Star is published monthly, September through July, by the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road Suite 2201 Naples, FL 34109-0613 Phone: 239.263.4205 Fax: 239.263.3813 E-mail: info@jewishnaples.org Website: www.jewishnaples.org Volume 30, No. 3 November 2020 44 pages USPS Permit No. 419

(Conservative)

(just west of Mission Square Plaza)

Phone: 434.1818 Email: office@bethtikvah.us Website: www.bethtikvahnaples.org Rabbi Ammos Chorny Shelley Goodman, Co-President Sue Hammerman, Co-President Roberta Miller, Secretary Shabbat Services Friday evenings at 6:15 p.m. Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. Youth Education Adult Education Community Events

(All area codes are 239 unless otherwise noted.)

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Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Phone: 263.4205  Fax: 263.3813 Website: www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org • Federation Board Chair: Jane Schiff • 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

Friends of the IDF • Exec. Dir.: Dina Ben Ari, 305.354.8233

GenShoah SWFL

WILL

• President: Ida Margolis, 963.9347

BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION

Ellen Weiss, Executive Director phone: 813.769.4785 email: ellen@topjewishfoundation.org

Marcy Friedland, Planned Giving Director phone: 239.263.4205 email: mfriedland@jewishnaples.org

Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah

• President: Diane Schwartz, 732.539.4011

Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center • President/CEO: Susan Suarez, 263.9200

Israel Bonds

• Monica DiGiovanni, 727.282.1124

WWW.TOPJEWISHFOUNDATION.ORG Together, we are ensuring a Jewish future.

Tikkun Olam

Publisher: Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

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

• Commander, Harvey Sturm, 261.3270 • Senior Vice Commander, Marty Rubin, 716.863.5778

Men’s Cultural Alliance

• President: Les Nizin, 653.9259

Naples BBYO

Editor: Sharon Hood, 239.591.2709 sharon@marketcrank.com

• Jessica Zimmerman, 263.4205

Naples Friends of American Magen David Adom (MDA)

Design: MarketCrank, Inc.

• SE Reg Dir: Joel Silberman, 954.457.9766

Naples Senior Center at JFCS

Advertising: Joy Walker 941.284.0520

Phone: 325.4444 • Chairperson: Alan S. Jaffe • President/CEO: Dr. Jaclynn Faffer

December 2020 Issue Deadlines: Editorial: November 2 Advertising: November 6 Send news stories to: sharon@marketcrank.com

Jewish Organizations to Serve You in Greater Naples

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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

Federation Star

Women’s Cultural Alliance

• President: Patti Boochever, 518.852.3440

www.jewishnaples.org

Zionist Organization of America • President: Jerry Sobel, 914.329.1024

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21 Authors • 19 Events December 3, 2020 through March 30, 2021

A message from your Book Festival Co-Chairs

e are excited to bring you the 2020-21 Jewish Book Festival! While COVID-19 certainly impacted our planning, it also resulted in some new opportunities. This year, as with Book Festivals throughout the country, our Festival will be held virtually. The good news is that with virtual presentations, we will not have to be concerned about delayed flights, travel schedules, or even the cost of airfare! We were even able to invite authors from other countries. So rather than focusing on what we might not be able to do, we considered this Festival as an opportunity to try new things. As a result, we will bring you an even more impressive array of authors than ever before. Several authors will be revealing surprising stories about

little-known historical events that up to now seem to have been best-kept secrets. Whether you are an avid reader or just enjoy a fascinating speaker, this Festival provides something for everyone. From December through March, the Jewish Book Festival, brought to you through the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples in cooperation with the Jewish Book Council, will continue to be a key contributor to the cultural life of our community. The Festival would not be possible without our Patrons, our Sponsors and, of course, YOU – all the community members who have attended. Your generosity and overwhelming support are a testament to our amazing community – a community that understands the value of cultural arts.

We are also most appreciative of the dedicated members of our Book Festival Committee and of Reneé Bialek, the Federation’s Program Director. We are all working hard to ensure that you have a wide array of opportunities to be educated, inspired and entertained. If you missed the Book Festival Preview Event, during which Committee members introduced us to each of the twenty-one books that will be presented during the Book Festival, you may watch the recording on the Festival webpage at www.JewishBookFestival.org. As you read through this Jewish Book Festival section of the paper, you will find a complete schedule of events, registration information, book overviews and information about becoming a Patron. You will

also find a thank-you to both our Patrons and Sponsors, without whom this Festival would not be possible. (For questions or general information, please contact Reneé Bialek at rbialek@jewishnaples.org) The 2020-21 Jewish Book Festival will kick off on Thursday, December 3 at 7:00 pm with Lori Gottlieb, psychotherapist and author of the bestselling book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. So put a “reserved sign” on your favorite chair and be ready to join us as we Zoom along together through our Festival. We don’t want you to miss a word!

Susan & Robin

Susan Pittelman and Robin Mintz Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival Co-Chairs

Federation Star

November 2020

It’s not too late to become a Patron of the Jewish Book Festival! Being a Patron of the Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival is certainly a winwin! The financial contributions from Patrons provide support and funding to bring you an outstanding array of authors each year. (Over the five festivals, 108 authors have spoken to our Greater Naples community.) At the same time, Patrons gain the personal satisfaction of knowing that their dollars and attendance at the JBF events are instrumental in the Festival’s ability to continue to offer these quality cultural programs. As of October 12, 157 community members have become Patrons of the Jewish Book Festival – a strong affirmation that our community considers the Festival a highly-valued component of our Federation’s cultural programming. Patron support of the Jewish Book Festival enables the Federation to bring our community together and keeps us engaged with exemplary literary programming that celebrates authors and their

significant contributions to cultural and Jewish life. There are three Patron levels: Platinum at $500, Silver at $225 and Bronze at $118. The Bronze level was added this year due to the unusual circumstances caused by the pandemic, providing a significant discount on registration. If purchased separately, the events would total $212, while the cost of being a Bronze Patron is $118. The generosity of our Patrons helps to underwrite expenses of our Jewish Book Festival. In addition, money raised helps our Federation to fulfill its mission of building a vibrant Jewish community in Greater Naples and supporting the social service needs of the Jewish people in our community, in North America, in Israel and around the world.

Benefits to being a Book Festival Patron In addition to knowing that your support

Platinum and Silver Patrons receive three additional benefits

is integral to the success of the Jewish Book Festival, you receive several other benefits to being a Patron. You will be preregistered for each event; you simply sign up once. Unlike non-Patrons, you won’t have to individually register for each event. • Patrons will have an opportunity to greet each other in an informal chat following the conclusion of one or two of the presentations. • Patrons will be acknowledged in the Federation Star as well as on the Jewish Book Festival webpage. • Patrons receive advance notification (prior to the announcement in the Federation Star) of the authors who will participate in the Festival.

• The heartwarming feeling that you are helping financially support the Jewish Book Festival above and beyond the cost of your tickets to the events • Invitations to two exclusive (virtual) Patron gatherings with Book Festival authors, following their presentations • A copy of Lori Gottlieb’s bestselling book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

How do you become a Patron? Simply check the appropriate box on the JBF Registration Form on the webpage: www.JewishBookFestival.org. A link to the Registration Form is also in the Federation’s Monday e-blasts. It’s that easy. Please consider being a Patron for the 2020-21 Jewish Book Festival. It’s going to be Zoom-tastic!

Question: How do I register for a Book Festival event? Answer: To register for an event, visit the Book Festival website: www.JewishBookFestival.org. Fine print • You will receive a confirmation email after you register. The Zoom link will be emailed one to two hours prior to each event and is good for your entire household. • Event reservations are not transferable. Please do not forward the Zoom link. • Payments are not tax-deductible. • If a start time or author needs to be changed, you will be notified via email. • If an author cancels, an attempt will be made to reschedule the author; your original reservation will be good for the rescheduled event. (No refunds unless the entire event is canceled.) • Books may be purchased at Barnes & Noble at Waterside Shops and online at barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com. If you have any questions, please email Reneé, Program Director, at rbialek@jewishnaples.org.

s r u o Y ly aples Virtual Greater N

Meet the 2020-21 Jewish Book Festival Committee!

Book 0-21 Jewishva 202 eFesti l

While you won’t see members of the 2020-21 Book Festival Committee this season greeting and checking in guests, ushering Patrons to their seats and selling books, please be aware that they are having a strong impact on the 2020-21 Festival. Committee members have been instrumental in reviewing the books, offering guidance in selecting the authors and providing invaluable input on other key decisions. Please be sure to thank them when you “see” them!

Book Festival Co-Chairs Robin Mintz and Susan Pittelman Carole Greene, Author Review Team • Phil Jason, Jewish Book Festival Co-Chair Emeritus Patti Boochever Steve Brazina Gayle Dorio

Judith Finer Freedman Susie Goldsmith Lenore Greenstein

Jewish Federation

OF GREATER NAPLES

Lee Henson Carol Hirsch Bobbie Katz

Ellen Katz Ida Margolis Irene Pomerantz

Reneé Bialek, Program Director

Dina Shein Iris Shur Elaine Soffer

November 2020

Federation Star

A Special â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank Youâ&#x20AC;? to Our Patrons*

We would not be able to host the Jewish Book Festival without your generous support. P L AT I N U M Karen Deutsch

Merrylee Kandel

Jane Schiff

Shelley Einhorn

Robin Mintz

Arlene Shapiro

Jeremy Freedman

Susan Pittelman

Donald Shapiro

Judith Finer Freedman

Estelle Price

Gail Smith

Norman Foster Family

Stuart Price

Phyllis Strome

Rosie Hyman

Ellaine Rosen

Irene Thompson

Larry Israelite

Judy Roth

Deborah Waranch

Wendy Israelite

Samuel A. Roth

Ellen Wollman

Nancy Kahn

Joan Saperstein

S I LV E R Phyllis Barolsky Jill Binder Terri David Barbara Druckman Geraldine Feldman Arnan Finkelstein Marlene Finkelstein Louise Forman Spencer Forman Myra Friedman Priscilla Gerber Jan Goldman Susie & Ron Goldsmith Carole Greene

Sherry Greenfield Lenore Greenstein Linda Grusin Ronna Hain Linda Hamburger Carol Hirsch Judy Isserlis Pamela Karll Bobbie Katz Deborah Kohler Toby Kosloff Fran Kroll Gracia Kuller Debbie Laites

Dana Lefkowitz Marci Margolis Bob Mensch Iris Podolsky Steve Podolsky Irene Pomerantz Susan Rabin Mae Riefberg Barbara Ross Adrienne Russ Mark Shiffman Bernie Lashinsky & Iris Shur Arlene Sobol Elaine Soffer

Harriet Spirer Fritzi Thorner Heidi Thorner Allison Tucker Linda Wainick Laurie Weinberger Joan Werhane Barbara Winthrop Leona Wreschner Susan Yale Judy Zahn Deborah Zvibleman

BRONZE Belle Agronin Alvin Becker Lea Bendes Harriet Berneman Rose Bernstein Penni Blaskey Sonya Bloom Patti Boochever Rosalee Bogo Steve Brazina Cipora Brown Melissa Chalfin Jacqueline Chizever Nan Ciralsky Susan Dean Gayle Dorio Benjamin Dubin Eloyse Fisher Gerald Flagel Darryl Garfinkel

Barbara Goldenziel Fran Goldman Diane Goldstein Donna Goldstein Hannah Goodman Elaine Griver Jean Haven Howard Herman Mona Herman Susan Horowitz Rolly Jacob Arline Kaplan Bunny Kaufman Melissa Keel Sayde Ladov Barb Lefkowitz Bettye Leibowitz Hilda Levine Arlene Litow Dorothy Litt

Leda Lubin Marcia Maloni Ida Margolis Stephen McCloskey Audrey Meyer Marsha Moranz Karen Mullins Sara Newman Judi Palay John Reiches Sue Reiver Deedee Remenick JoEllen Rubenstein Diane Schwartz Harriet Schweitzer Millie Sernovitz Linda Shapess Dina Shein Linda Simon Merrill Solan

*As of October 12, 2020. Updated lists will be published in several issues of the Federation Star.

Gail Solomon Tracey Sosnik Barbara Suden Ann Swartz Ann Varsano Joan Vazakas Lisa Vogel Gail Volk Leslie Wasserman Sydelle Weinberger Linda Wertheim Jack Wiadro Nancy Wiadro Phyllis Winski Beth Wolff Suzann Yussen Cathy Zacks Joni Zalasky

Federation Star

November 2020

M E M O I R

A candid and remarkably relatable account of what it means to be a therapist who also goes to therapy, and what this can teach us about the universality of our questions and anxieties. —Thrive Global

2021 Book Festival Kicks Off with Lori Gottlieb, December 3, 2020 at 7 p.m. Registration fee is $18 (per household). Go to www.JewishBookFestival.org

In development for a TV series with Eva Longoria at ABC An O, The Oprah Magazine’s Best Nonfiction Book of 2019

Federation Star - November 2020

Articles inside

It’s not too late to become a Patron of the Jewish Book Festival!

A message from your Book Festival Co-Chairs

Shalom Naples families!

Celebrating the season

Everyday gratitude

Creatively celebrating together

The 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht

A most unusual High Holy Days during a most unusual time

Beth Tikvah update

Who we are

Save the dates

Banging pots and pans

Looking for Eden in a pandemic

The gift

A tour for the forever young at heart and mind

Over $15 million raised at first-ever virtual FIDF National Gala

Hanukkah treats

Finding happiness

A fond farewell

The Eternal Jew” and its creator

Hebrews on the Gridiron

Facing challenge with strength

Museum update

Heroes focus on Rabbi Henry Cohen and everyday heroes

Son of a true hero, Kristallnacht commemoration and potluck

Free Jewish children’s book program set to expand in Greater Naples

Antisemitism from the left and right

Use the “Zoom highway” to connect with WCA North and WCA South

Ambassador Dennis Ross to address Naples community

Join us for the 2021 Annual Community Campaign kickoff!

Award-winning “Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles” to open documentary film series

MCA’s bountiful November

Join us for the Jewish Book Festival on December 17 to hear Lew Paper

Jewish Book Festival offers a spectacular “virtual” season

Happy Thanksgiving!

A new home for the Jewish Federation

Capital Campaign spotlight

Our New Home