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D ECEMBER 2 3 , 2 0 1 6 | 2 3 K ISLEV 5 7 7 7 | V O L. 9 7 | NO . 1 2 | c a nd LeLi g H ti ng | FRID AY , D ECEMBER 2 3 , 4 : 4 1 P. M.
Dance as Holocaust education
B’nai Israel Synagogue: ‘Just Jewish’ page 3
A Kidsummer Night’s Dream page 6
was somebody. Survivor testimony – both live and recorded – provides the listener with a real face and identity with which they can connect. Testimony restores to the victims their unique and rightful individuality. Poems, artwork, letters, and myriad other primary source materials can be used to round out an understanding of this dark period of history, providing the context necessary to understand the historical events and
to construct meaning from them. Shulamit Imber, Pedagogical Director of the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem has written eloquently about the need for Holocaust education to evoke empathy. She writes: “... the aim of the educator must be to see the victim as an individual rather than as a statistic, and to communicate this idea to students. Doing so See Holocaust education page 3
Interdenominational dialogue Jewish media summit
A Syrian Jew’s message to Aleppo page 12
inside Viewpoint Synagogues Life cycles
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Liz FeLdSteRn Executive Director, Institute of Holocaust Education olocaust education can, and should, take many forms. History lessons share the chronology and military and political events of WWII. Diaries, memoirs, and other forms of literature serve to humanize stories of the Holocaust – reminding readers that every one of the six million
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nancy coRen for Jewish Federation of Lincoln Rabbi Shalom Hammer will address members of the Lincoln Jewish Federation on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. He will discuss Why Can’t We Get Along? Interdenominational Dialogue. His presentation will give an Orthodox perspective as to why the Orthodox rabbinate in Israel must necessitate interdenominational dialogue. He will explore what the source for resistance is and why it is mistaken. He will present a practical analysis of how differences in Judaism can be beneficial and how unity must be facilitated. At the end of his presentation, Rabbi Hammer will also show a short film about the important work he does in the Jewish identity branch of the Israel Defense Forces. Rabbi Shalom Hammer has lived in Israel for 27 years. He served under the Rabbinate Division of the Israeli Defense Forces and currently serves as a lecturer for the IDF to help motivate troops in all divisions and infuse Jewish identity. In addition, he is cur-
Rabbi Shalom Hammer rently involved in his own initiative offering lectures throughout the country on the basics of Judaism to many secular Kibbutzim and Moshavim. He also serves as a lecturer for The Israel Government Fellows of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center and has authored five books. Rabbi Hammer is a contributing writer for the Jerusalem Post and is a renowned guest lecturer for communities throughout the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia. Rabbi Hammer will also work with the students of the Lincoln Jewish Community School on the afternoon of Jan. 11. At that time, he will tell A Soldier’s Story, focusing on Jewish unity as we relate to Israel.
teddy WeinbeRgeR For three days in early December, 50 editors, correspondents, and publishers from the world’s top Jewish media outlets gathered in Jerusalem for the second Jewish Media Summit. I and several other Israel-based writers attended, along with participants from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Uruguay, Australia, Turkey, and many European countries. A highlight of the Summit was our meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Right from the start the Prime Minister was impatient. It was clear that he had something important that he wanted to tell the Jewish world. He interrupted the very first question put to him by moderator Jane Eisner (editor of
The Forward), asking “Is this a speech or a question?” (It was, in fact, a question, concerning antisemitism and the Trump Administration. Netanyahu answered by saying that “Antisemitism is a fringe phenomenon in the United States of America,” though it should be opposed wherever it does appear.) And before Eisner could formulate her next question, Netanyahu again interrupted the proceedings and said (playfully, as we were soon to realize): “What about Israel’s growing isolation in the world? You’ve got to ask me about that. If you don’t, I’m going to ask it.” Before Eisner took the bait and asked about Israel’s isolation, there were a few questions about other See Jewish media summit page 2