Jewish Voice and Opinion July 2011 by Susan Rosenbluth

THE JEWISH VOICE AND OPINION Promoting Classical Judaism

July 2011

Vol. 24 • No. 9

Tammuz 5771

Jewish Student Receives Death Threats and a University Official Calls Him “That Racist Zionist Pig”: ZOA Demands Rutgers Respond to Campus Antisemitism

ast month the Zionist Organization of America issued a statement demanding that Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, rectify “the hostile antisemitic environment on campus, which has had a detrimental effect on Jewish students who have been physically threatened— even with death threats—and made to feel intimidated and unsafe.” At first glance, it seems counterintuitive. With approximately 5,000 Jewish undergradu-

ZOA’s Mort Klein

“The hostility in the room was unmistakable. Every attack against Israelincluding the mention of suicide bombings, which have murdered innocent Jewish civilians, and other forms of violence against Israel-was chillingly greeted with cheering and loud applause. Rutgers needs to start affirmatively addressing the problems that are plaguing the campus and harming Jewish students.”

ates and 1500 graduate students, Rutgers has the fourth largest Jewish population of any campus in the country. Jews comprise a full 16 percent of the student body. Kosher food is readily available, and the campus boasts many Jewish organizations, including an active Hillel with separate services for all Jewish denominations, a Chabad House with a magnificent dining room and dormitory, and Jewish fraternities and sororities. The Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life of-

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Obama Says His Decision to Open Dialogue with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Is Old Policy; Critics Say: Who Is He Kidding?

Almost immediately after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced President Barack Obama’s plan to open a dialogue with the extremist Muslim Brotherhood (MB) in Egypt, the administration learned that, as in any Oriental bazaar, once the customer seems eager to make a purchase, the seller can up the price. “We are ready for dialogue with the US administration, if it so decides, within a framework of mutual respect,” said MB spokesman Mahmoud

Ghozlan. He added that his group, which had been outlawed as too extreme under the regime of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, “hopes the US administration has revised its previous policies and decided to side with the rights of the people and their demands.” Mr. Ghozlan’s first demand was that the US should “stop supporting the corrupt and tyrannical regimes backing the Zionist occupation using double standards.”

Team OneFamily Triathalon............. 3 The Current Crisis.......................... 4 Kol Ami:Recognizing Sharia Law?.. 5 From OK to Israel ......................... 12 Retiring with the Kids.................. 14 Dalia on the Ice............................ 18

Ending Camp David Accords Leaders of the MB have refused to commit to continuing the 1979 Camp David peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. “Israel is a Zionist entity occupying holy Arab and Islamic land, and we will get rid of it no matter how long it takes,” said former MB Supreme Guide Muhammed Mahdi Akef. Some analysts say even if the MB wins the next election, Cairo will not go so far as to abrogate the treaty, mostly

Inside the Voice

LMS for Credit............................. 23 The Log........................................ 32 New Classes the Month............... 29 Mazal Tov ................................... 30 Chesed Opportunities................... 31 Ess Gezint: Norene’s Kitchen...... 38

because it would mean a loss in revenue in tourism, trade, and US aide. But MB leaders have been quoted as saying that the Camp David Accords “have lost all credibility” and run counter to the teachings of Islam. In fact, the MB retains virtually all the virulent antisemitism with which it has historically been associated. Supporters of the Nazis, in 1946, the MB paved the way for Nazi collaborator and Pal-

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Tante Frieda Haberman, z”l . ...... 38 Index of Advertisers . .................. 41 Voca People Off-Broadway......... 42 Honor the Professional................. 43 Letters to the Editor .................... 45 Walk to Shul . .............................. 47

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Team OneFamily Athletes Get Ready for the NYC Triathlon for Love of Sport and Devotion to Israeli Victims of Terror

n Sunday, August 7, some 75 athletes, many of them from the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, will swim, run, and bicycle in the New York City Triathlon, competing as Team OneFamily. Their goal is to raise money for the Teaneck-based OneFamily Fund, an organization dedicated to aiding victims of terror in Israel. Michelle Napell, events and special projects coordinator for the OneFamily Fund, recognizes that many organizations collect funds for victims of terror. Her group is different, she says, because “we collect not only money, but all human resources,

Teaneck’s Binyamin Muller, left, and Jeffrey Berger

bringing together people who have suffered through terror attacks with caring people who thankfully haven’t.” “The athletes competing as part of Team OneFamily are not just pushing themselves merely to see how much they can do and how fast they can go, although that is certainly part of it; they are also dedicating their race to victims of terror. This makes the event a win-win situation for everyone,” says Ms. Napell. Grueling Course All New York City Triathlon participants will swim 1500 meters (almost one mile)

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THE JEWISH VOICE AND OPINION, Inc. © 2011; Publisher and Editor-in-Chief: Susan L. Rosenbluth Phone (201)569-2845 Managing Editor: S. Edelman, Advertising: Rivkie Stall The Jewish Voice & Opinion (ISSN # 1527-3814), POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631, is published monthly in coordination with The Central Committee for Israel. A one-year subscription is $18. Periodicals postage is paid at Englewood, NJ and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Jewish Voice and Opinion, POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631. All advertising in the Jewish Voice and Opinion must conform to the standards of the Orthodox Rabbinic kashruth. Editorial content reflects the views of the writer and not necessarily any other group. The Jewish Voice is not responsible for typographical errors.

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The Current Crisis: “Even in Laughter, the Heart Can Ache” Our dear Charlie Aptowitzer sent us some Jewish Haiku. He assures us he did not write them, so don’t blame him: Lacking fins or tail The gefilte fish swims with Great difficulty. On Passover we Opened the door for Elijah Now our cat is gone. Her lips near my ear, Aunt Sadie whispers the name Of her friend’s disease. Today I am a man. Tomorrow I will return To the seventh grade. Like a bonsai tree, Is your terrible posture At my dinner table. Jews on safari— Map, compass, elephant gun, Hard sucking candies.

The same kimono The top geishas are wearing: I got it at Loehmann’s. Seven-foot Jews in The NBA slam-dunking! My alarm clock rings. Today, mild shvitzing. Tomorrow, so hot you’ll plotz. Five-day forecast: feh Yenta. Shmeer. Gevalt. Shlemiel…Shlimazl…Meshuganah Oy! To be fluent! Quietly murmured At Shabbat Shul services, Yanks 5, Red Sox 3. A lovely nose ring, Excuse me while I put my Head in the oven. Hard to tell under the lights. White Yarmulke or Male-pattern baldness.

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Kol Ami: Recognition of Sharia by US Courts?

Recently, there have been reports that Sharia (Muslim-religious) law has received increased recognition by US courts. Many Americans have reacted with horror. The question last month was: Should observant Jews, who are used to settling civil and marital issues according to halacha, object to Sharia law being used similarly to beit din rulings? Y

Sharia is a Trojan horse. It is part of the Muslim determination to seek hegemony. It seeks to downgrade Jews and Christians to dhimmitude (second-class citizen status), and its ideas, such as its attitude towards women and physical punishment, shade into barbarism. Throughout history, it has shown itself utterly inimical to human rights and, more importantly, Biblical values. The Islamic concept of “separateness” has nothing in

Halacha has never overridden or been accepted in lieu of US law in the courts of this country. Observant Jews hold by the dictum dina d’malchutah dina, the law of the nation [in which you reside] is the law. Marcia Feldman West Orange, NJ common with Jewish values and practices, rather, it is supremacist and coercive. Christopher Barder Oxford, England

I am not aware of any instance in which a halachic ruling has been declared illegal according to the US Constitution. However, there are aspects of Sharia law which are not only unconstitutional, but illegal according to US law. Therefore, Sharia law has no place in the United States. Those who want to live according to Sharia law should move to a country in which it is the law of the land. Joanne Asher West Orange, NJ

Recently, Rabbi Michael Broyde, a law professor at Emory University in Atlanta and a member of the Beth Din of America, noted that, in the United States, there is “freedom of contract.” He explained that if two people agree to conduct themselves according to halacha, the courts will enforce that agreement, “not because the courts believe

continued on page 16 Kimi Wei Fair Lawn, NJ

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Team OneFamily in the Hudson River, which is now recognized as one of the cleanest rivers in New York; bike for 40 kilometers (almost 26 miles), mostly on the Henry Hudson Highway; and then run 10 kilometers (6 miles) in Central Park. The swim will start at 5:50am at 99th Street and the Hudson River, and the run will end at about 2pm at Dead Road in Central Park. The triathlon’s organizers have asked all participating athletes to come to Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, August 6, to prepare their equipment. Team OneFamily, however, which attracts many observantJewish donors and volunteers, obtained permission to instruct its athletes to make all such preparations after Shabbat. On Friday night, August 5, Team OneFamily participants are invited to a Shabbat meal at a kosher restaurant. The participants will then stay at one

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of several hotels on the Upper West Side, with easy access to the many Orthodox shuls in the area. Home Shabbat hospitality has been arranged for many of the athletes. Providing Direct Assistance Each year, the NYC Triathlon draws more than 3,000 athletes to Manhattan. While many come to raise money for a variety of causes, Team OneFamily has set its sights on raising at least $250,000 to fund activities such as sending bereaved and injured Israeli children to a therapeutic summer camp and sponsoring an “orphans retreat,” to allow children who have lost both parents in terror attacks to share a weekend with others who have endured similar tragedies. Born after the August 2001 deadly suicide bomber attack in the crowded Sbarro’s pizzeria in downtown Jerusalem, in which 15 Jewish men, women, and children were murdered

and more than 130 wounded, OneFamily is now a worldwide, volunteer-based non-profit organization that provides assistance to thousands of terror victims throughout Israel on a daily basis. It provides direct financial, legal, and emotional assistance to victims of terrorism in Israel and has become the Jewish state’s central address for offering personalized care and support to victims. “OneFamily forges a sense of family among all survivors and provides a family network for world Jewry to express and actuate their natural sense of brotherhood and respond just as any loving family member should,” says Ms. Napell. Part of the Demographic No one knows that better than 19-year-old Pia Levine, who will be competing as part of Team OneFamily. This past March, the Stern College student who currently resides in Bradley Beach was also a victim of terror. “Terrorism is something most of us are familiar with from a distance, but this year I actually joined that demographic,” she says. On March 23, at 3pm, a bomb loaded with shrapnel and almost four pounds of explosives, went off in a bus station in downtown Jerusalem, near the Jerusalem International Convention Center compound. Placed near a bus stop, the bomb detonated when an Egged bus passed the station. David Amoyal, the owner of nearby kiosk, had noticed a suspicious bag near the bus station, and immediately told a group of people to evacuate the site. While he was attempting to alert the police, the bomb exploded. Two weeks earlier, a pipe bomb had exploded in a garbage bag on a traffic island in southern Jerusalem. In that

blast, a municipal sanitation worker lost his hand. No Warning For Miss Levine, who graduated from Shaarei Tzion elementary school in Piscataway and then Manhattan High School for Girls, Wednesday, March 23, started just like any other day in Israel. A student at Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim, she was registered to run in the Jerusalem Marathon two days later, and then, motzei Shabbat, was scheduled to fly home to New Jersey. She spent the first few hours on Wednesday shopping with her friend, Sara Siegelman, for last-minute souvenirs in the Old City. On the way back, the young women hiked up the hill between the Mamilla Mall and the center of town, and then, pressed for time, they decided to catch a bus back to school. Because their regular bus was running late, they boarded the Number 74, which stops an eight-minute walk from their school. “A combination of laziness and gratis citywide transfers” usually persuaded Miss Levine to switch buses at Binyanei Hauma, a major transfer stop, to one that would take her right to her dormitory. “Sometimes, I would even wait 20 minutes or more, if it meant avoiding that walk. However, on that Wednesday, I decided to stay on the bus. The Number 74 would take Sara to her weekly babysitting job, and I liked traveling with her,” says Miss Levine. Explosion At 3:22pm, the bus pulled in Binyanei Hauma, as scheduled. The doors opened. People got off, and the door closed. Then, there was an explosion. “The bus began to shake. The doors and windows across

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from us shattered from the middle out. There was glass and shrapnel flying everywhere,” says Miss Levine. Miss Siegelman pulled her to the floor. “In my 20-plus visits to Israel, I had never witnessed anything like this, a firsthand act of terrorism, a bus bombing. I recited the Shema, begging G-d to protect me from what was happening,” she says. Bus Driver’s Decision She remembers people screaming in the background, “Open the doors! Open the doors!” She believed it was “only the beginning.” “There was crying and panic. I thought

it would be like all the videos they showed us in school. Soon, I thought, the bus would be engulfed in flames, and I would be burned alive,” she says. She quickly realized that the bus driver understood what was happening. “He just drove and drove, until he thought he was a safe distance from the bus stop, in case there was going to be a second attack, which is not unusual. Then he opened the door,” she says. “Miracle” Immediately upon leaving the bus, the two young women called their parents back in the US. Miss Levine also called her brother who was studying at Bar Ilan University.

“We told them we were alive and on our way to safety,” says Miss Levine. For 15 minutes, they ran, without stopping, until they reached the school. “Only halfway there did I notice the tears streaming down my face. I could have been killed or burnt alive, and yet, I escaped unscathed. It was a miracle,” she says. Victims There was no such miracle for the 39 people who were injured in the blast or for Mary Jean Gardner, a 59-year-old Scottish student at the Hebrew University, who died at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital of wounds sustained in the attack. Ms. Gardner was a Christian Bible translator who, for the past 20 years, had been translating the Bible into the Ifè language of the African nation of Togo. According to Danny Ronning of the Home for Bible Translators and Scholars in Jerusalem, where Ms. Gardner stayed, Ms. Gardner had absorbed most of the bomb’s shrapnel, thereby saving the lives of three children who were on another bus that was pulling up to a stop a few feet away from the bomb. Post-Traumatic Shock But the story for Miss Levine did not end after the bombing and certainly not when she discovered that she and Miss Siegelman were the only ones in the direct line of the explosion who emerged without a cut or bruise. Shaken by the trauma of the incident, the two young women began to experience what Miss Levine calls “trouble coping.” Experts call it post-traumatic shock. “I was scared to go outside. The flashbacks became unbearable. Every time I stopped moving, I could hear the boom and the screaming; I could picture the glass shattering. I did not look back, could not look back, fearing that what I would see would haunt me. I couldn’t accept that others may have been hurt while I had been protected,” she says. “I was scheduled to run the Jerusalem Marathon a day and a half later, but how could I when I could barely go outside?” Treatment When things looked bleakest for Miss Levine and Miss Siegelman, they received a call from Chantal Belzberg, executive vice-chairman of the OneFamily Fund, who insisted the two young women come to the hospital for treatment.

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com “I had not realized that something was wrong, because I couldn’t see the physical wounds. Shock, it turns out, is a serious injury,” says Miss Levine. Helping victims of terror, from the most seriously wounded to those suffering from shock, has been Mrs. Belzberg’s calling since 2002. She had her husband, Marc, founded the OneFamily Fund after their daughter, Michal, opted to donate the money earmarked for her bat mitzvah party to help those who had been affected by terror attacks in Israel. Mrs. Belzberg drove Miss Levine and Miss Siegelman to the hospital, filed the paper work for them, and filled their prescriptions. Finally, she drove Miss Levine to the hotel where she was to meet with the rest of her team’s marathon runners. On March 25, Miss Levine ran the Jerusalem Half Marathon in two hours, ten minutes, and then returned to New Jersey as scheduled. Continued Contact Even after Miss Levine returned home, Mrs. Belzberg continued regular contact with her. Eventually, she introduced Miss Levine to Ms. Napell, who organized trauma counseling for the young woman and then persuaded her to participate in the New York Triathlon. “As much as OneFamily has done for me, they have done so much more for countless others. People who have lost limbs or loved ones, rely on OneFamily. They connect people who need support and provide aid and love to victims and their families,” says Miss Levine. She is determined to raise $3,000 for the fund through people who are sponsoring her participation in the triathlon. “I am happy to be part of such a wonderful organization, despite the horrible attack that caused it. Without OneFamily Fund’s help, I, like many others, would be lost and overwhelmed. I am so excited for my chance to give back,” she says. Training in Teaneck Also preparing to join the NYC Triathlon as part of Team OneFamily are the event’s youngest participants: Jeffrey Berger and his friend, Binyamin Muller, both 17 and from Teaneck. Mr. Berger just graduated from the Torah Academy of Bergen County and is scheduled to attend Yeshivat Torat Shraga in Jerusalem in the fall. Mr. Muller will be a senior at TABC.

Tammuz 57671 Since last September, both young men have been training with their fellowcongregant at the Young Israel of Teaneck, David Roher, who is also competing in the triathlon for Team OneFamily. After biking and running with Mr. Berger for one month, Mr. Roher became convinced the high school senior had what it takes to complete a triathlon. Mr. Muller had a slight edge. The son of a doctor who regularly bikes to work at Mount Sinai Hospital, Mr. Muller, in the summer of 2010, rode his bike from Teaneck to his father’s office, and back. Not to be outdone, Mr. Berger has since biked from Teaneck to his own father’s office in Lower Manhattan. And back.

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Serious Routine As Messrs Berger and Muller improved, their bike rides and running sessions were stepped up, and Mr. Roher gave his young disciples athletic and nutritional tips. By May, Messrs Berger and Muller were part of Team OneFamily and training at Asphalt Green Tri Club on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The team swam on Sundays and Mondays, biked on Sundays, and ran on Thursdays. Mr. Berger says the routine was tough. He would awaken at 4:45am on Sundays and bike from Teaneck, across the bridge, to Asphalt Green, ready for swim prac-

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Team OneFamily

tice by 7. He would swim for an hour and then bike from 8 to 10:30am. “I occasionally ran, biked, or swam more depending on how much free time I had,” says Mr. Berger. According to his mother, Sharon, Mr. Berger has always been athletic and enjoyed sports, but, she says, he had never participated in anything as competitively grueling as a triathlon. “As the middle child of three and the only boy, Jeffrey took his love of biking, which is the major part of the triathlon, to a new level. Thanks to the training he’s had, he can swim a mile much more competitively now, and I think he’s just about ready for the running portion of the race,” says Mrs. Berger. Engaging Students Mr. Berger had heard about OneFamily Fund long before he anticipated trying to help victims of terror by participating in a race. When OneFamily visited TABC to raise funds, Mr. Berger found the group “an amazing organization.” “I was 100 percent supportive of their cause and what they do,” he says. Mr. Berger interned for the OneFamily Fund during the school year last year. He says the three or four days a week that he donated to OneFamily “really motivated me to keep at it.”

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“I love to do chesed and tzedakah. If my efforts can put a smile on the face of a victim, it’s worth keeping going,” says Mr. Berger. Continuing in Israel A few weeks after the triathlon, Mr. Berger will leave Teaneck for a year of learning at Torat Shraga. He knows OneFamily has an office not far from the school. “I’m hoping to speak to them about volunteer work I can do over the course of the year, because I really have no intention of lessening my connection with them,” he says. He is aware of the two major terror attacks thus far this year: the one at Itamar in March in which the Fogel family—parents and three youngsters, ages 11, 4, and 3 months—were massacred; and the bus incident in Jerusalem which Miss Levine survived. “It was OneFamily immediately on the scene to assist in any way possible and begin the healing process,” says Mr. Berger. Like Miss Levine, Mr. Berger says his goal is to raise $3,000 for OneFamily. Confidence-Building Experience In any case, Messrs Berger and Muller have already impressed Ms. Napell. “Jeffrey is one of our youngest members, and, from the start, he’s been going to area businesses to ask them to sponsor

him,” says Ms. Napell. According to his mother, Mr. Berger’s confidence has greatly improved. When he started training with Mr. Roher, he had mastered a 50-mile bike ride, but had never raced competitively. “With nearly a year’s training under his belt, Jeffrey isn’t worried that he’ll be unable to pull it off,” says Mrs. Berger. Other Participants In addition to Miss Levine and Messrs Berger, Muller, and Roher, other New Jersey-based athletes participating in Team OneFamily include Tammy Abramowitz, Eli Fuld, Jason Kessler, Daniel Levine, Judah Miller, Adam Napell, Derek Saker, Yoni Saposh, Leya Schwartz, and Eric Silverberg. Those from New York include Eytan Lombroso, David Mann, Yonina Rosenbaum, Suffy and Jonathan Rudman, Ira Rudman, and Jill Schanzer. Four young men from New Jersey—Gilad Amozeg, David Solowiejczyk, David Niewood, and Yitzhak Zahavy—are participating independently, but nevertheless dedicating their races to victims of terror. According to Ms. Napell, Messrs Amozeg and Zahavy “have personal connections to victims who have been assisted by OneFamily and hold our organization close to their hearts.” Bringing People Together Ms. Napell sees the triathlon as just one event for Team OneFamily, “the multi-sports training and fundraising program which facilitates participation in endurance events, while simultaneously incorporating a fundraising element to benefit OneFamily Fund.” Team OneFamily provides programs to train athletes for century (100-mile) cycling rides, walking and running

Pia Levine marathons, half marathons, and other races. “Team OneFamily programs bring like-minded people together of all ages and levels whether beginner or advanced. Our programs are a gateway to get in shape or realize your athletic goals, a way to change your lifestyle and get healthy, all while joining a great group of people who care about the future of Israel. Through each program, Team OneFamily members commit to raising money, which helps alleviate the suffering of victims of terrorism in Israel,” says Ms. Napell. Cheer Sticks All those who pledge support for Team OneFamily will be given cheer sticks to raise during the race to encourage team members. Those who want to pledge support specifically for Miss Levine can go to https://teamonefamily.org/pialevine. For Mr. Berger, the site is https:// teamonefamily.org/JeffreyBerger. For more information about Team OneFamily or the OneFamily Fund in general, visit https://www.teamonefamily.org/Default.asp? or http:// onefamilyfund.org. Mr. Berger understands why he identifies so readily with Team OneFamily and the organization behind it. “I really never like to back down. I never accept failure,” he says. S.L.R.

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America-Israel Friendship League’s Youth Ambassador Student Exchange Program Is a Hit in Oklahoma

ne year ago, Taylor Fogle, a high school senior from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, had the opportunity to meet young Israelis her own age and travel with them in the United States and Israel. She is convinced that, when it comes to news about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, it is wise to take all media reports “with a grain of salt.” “Much of what you see is blown out of proportion,” she said. “Israel is an amazing place, and I want to go back and see more. The people in Israel are the same as the people here. They may have a different culture and lifestyle, but they are basically the same as us.” Her classmate, Melissa Neel, who participated in the same program, agreed. For the most part, said Miss Neel, news reports about Israel and her Arab neighbors are based on “what the

media wants you to know.” Visiting the region, she said, has afforded her “a better view of the reality of the situation between the nations.” “Now that I have experienced the culture and the people, I can relate more when the news comes on and I hear decisions being made or more difficulties facing the country. I can see the anxiety of the Israelis in that they do not want to give up more of their own country that has taken them so long to obtain. The people who live there appreciate what they have wholeheartedly and are willing to defend it. It is more personal to me because now I have friends who live there, will join the IDF in a year or so, and call Israel their home,” she said. YASE The two young women gained this experience by par-

ticipating in the Youth Ambassador Student Exchange (YASE), a program sponsored by the America-Israel Friendship League (AIFL). Since 1977, YASE has been broadening the horizons of thousands of young American students, virtually all of them non-Jewish, as well as Israelis who also represent a wide variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds. A non-sectarian, non-political organization, the AIFL encompasses Americans and Israelis of all faiths, ethnic backgrounds, and political affiliations. Its mission is to promote the mutually beneficial relationship between the United States and Israel. The AIFL’s YASE program is designed to provide approximately 120 high school students each year with the opportunity to participate in an intercultural exchange with students from Israel. One of the program’s goals is to help the Israeli and American students become familiar and friendly with different groups of people. For most of the participants, the YASE trip is a first experience with such a diverse group. OKIE Oklahoma began its affiliation with AIFL in 2005, after the state’s Attorney General, Drew Edmonson, participated in AIFL’s Attorneys General Mission to Israel. But Oklahoma’s exchange programs with Israel go back even further. The state, which has a Jewish population of just over 5,000, or 1/10 of one percent of the total, began its Oklahoma-Israel Exchange (OKIE) in 1992, when thenGovernor David Walters saw the possibilities for mutually beneficial projects. Two years later, the Oklahoma legislature established

the permanent OKIE Commission to develop joint projects in energy, agriculture, trade, water use, and conservation. It also oversees cultural and educational exchanges. “The US-Israel relationship is based on the twin pillars of shared values and mutual interests,” said OKIE executive director Susan Robertson. “Given this commonality of interests and beliefs, it is not surprising that support for Israel is one of the most pronounced and consistent foreign policy values of the American people.” Host Schools and Cities According to Ms. Robertson, the partnership between AIFL and OKIE is “a match made in heaven.” Since 2005, different schools throughout the state have had the opportunity to participate in the YASE program. While only a handful of students each year have the opportunity to experience the entire package, which includes extensive traveling with their Israeli counterparts, virtually the entire school and often the city enjoy the chance to meet the visiting Israeli students and learn more about the Jewish state. The program begins when the Israeli youth ambassadors and their chaperones arrive in the United States in mid-November and are sent to reside with their carefully screened host families in participating cities. Virtually all host families have at least one child who attends the participating high school. “We have found that the visiting Israeli students just love Oklahoma. The host families open their homes and hearts to these youngsters, offering them everything from NBA basketball games and parties to shopping trips and touring,” said Ms. Robertson.

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com Washington and New York After spending time in Oklahoma, the Israeli students and those Oklahoman students participating in the complete YASE program travel to Washington, DC, and New York, where they engage in workshops and seminars aimed at increased appreciation for diversity, tolerance, and an enhanced awareness of international affairs. The youth ambassadors are encouraged to participate in presentations and discussions about their countries and home cities as it pertains to the programmatic theme. There is also ample time for sightseeing in these important centers of American government, history, and culture. For several years, the students from Oklahoma teamed up with their counterparts from Tucson, Arizona, where an independent chapter of AIFL has existed since 1990. Tucson usually sends eight to ten students each year on the YASE program, and OKIE, which usually sends

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“Every Oklahoma student

who has participated has called this a life-changing experience. Given the commonality of interests and beliefs in Israel and the US, it is not surprising that support for Israel is one of the most pronounced and consistent foreign policy values OKIE director Susan Robertson of the American people.” two to four students, found it convenient to share chaperones with the Arizona group. Israel Sometime after their stay in New York, the American youth ambassadors depart for Israel, where they enjoy a week of home hospitality, workshops, seminars, and sightseeing. When the Oklahoma and Arizona students return home from Israel, OKIE and the Tucson Chapter of AIFL expect them to speak and write about their experiences for school and community groups.

“Every student who has participated has called this a life-changing experience,” said Ms. Robertson. She recalled one young woman who participated in the program three years ago. After graduating from high school, she went on to college, but has decided to return to Israel to study. “Not one of our participants has been Jewish, but each of them returns from Israel with a clear appreciation of the country, its aspirations, and its struggles,” said Ms. Robertson.

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“On the Map” It was certainly true for Miss Neel, who said there is a “huge difference” between “hearing reallife stories from people with whom you have a relationship” and “just reading some article.” “Now I feel more connected to the people and feel as if I have some sort of loyalty to keep with them, by supporting their country as a whole. This trip will forever change my perspective, and I am so grateful for that,” she said. Similarly, said Ms. Robertson, Oklahoma’s participation in the YASE program has put the “state on the map” for the young Israelis. “This is a great opportunity for all students participating in the program. Part of OKIE’s mission is educating Israelis and Oklahomans about each other’s culture. To be able to travel and experience not only the educational process in each country, but also how the other students live their lives, is invaluable,” she said. S.L.R.

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion July 2011 Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice & Opinion”

Volunteering for American-Israel Student Exchange Program Makes for a Meaningful Retirement

laine Goldberg, who helps plan the curriculum for the America-Israel Friendship League’s (AIFL) Youth Ambassador Student Exchange (YASE) teenagers when the American and Israeli participants visit Washington, DC, and New York, knew 32 years ago that she was going to volunteer some day for the AIFL. It happened in 1979, when she met her future husband at the B’nai Zion building on East 39th Street in Manhattan. She noticed that AIFL was one of the organizations housed in the building and the group’s mission—to promote the

mutually beneficial relationship between the United States and Israel—appealed to her greatly. “I had been to Israel ten years earlier, when I was 16, and had a phenomenal time in that very special place. I knew helping others have a similar experience would be extraordinarily rewarding,” says Mrs. Goldberg, who retired in 2009 from her position as CEO of the New York City school system, charged with reorganizing 164 public schools in all five boroughs. Before that, she had served as deputy

superintendent of schools for NYC’s Region Eight in Brooklyn, encompassing Williamsburg, Fort Greene, BedfordStuyvesant, and Park Slope. Role Model Her decision to work for the AIFL was strengthened because in 1985 she had the opportunity to hear Dr. Charlotte Frank, then Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the NYC Public Schools. “I thought to myself: oh, my goodness, I want to be just like her, articulate, smart, and self-directed,” she says. In 2009, she met Dr. Frank in another capacity. By that time, Dr. Frank was serving as senior vice-president of research and development at McGraw Hill Education, but it was as chair of AIFL’s executive committee that she drew Mrs. Goldberg’s attention. Mrs. Goldberg had the opportunity to travel to Israel as one of 13 school superintendents on an AIFL mission led by Dr. Frank, and, on that trip, she and Dr. Frank became friends. “Besides having a marvelous time and gaining a great deal professionally, I learned a lot about AIFL from Charlotte. I loved her love for Israel, and I had a chance to discuss my own discomfort with the politics of the New York City public schools,” she said. Two weeks after returning from Israel, Mrs. Goldberg decided to retire from her position with the school system and to devote her time to fundraising and working for AIFL, especially its YASE program. Provocative Themes Among her first projects was the reorganization of the workshop programs in Washington and New York for the American and Israeli student participants. In 2010, recognizing that illegal immigration is a problem affecting not only the US, but also the Jewish state, she presented the students with the theme of “Immigration Reform in the United States and Israel.” “Trips, such as the one we took to Ellis Island, provided them with background for truly fabulous debates. It was thrilling to watch how, over a period of a few days, these students, representing such diversity of backgrounds, could bond

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Elaine Goldberg “We have learned that the exchange program has a transformational effect on the American and Israeli students which follows them for life.” while they learned skills in leadership and debating,” she says. This year’s theme, she says, will be “Democracy in Light of the Arab Spring.” “We are going to explore questions such as ‘is it an overreaching quest?’ and ‘to what extent should democratic governments deal with other repressive regimes?’” she says. Ending Hate She finds working with the YASE program “immensely gratifying.” “It was amazing watching AmericanMuslim students sitting on the bus with Jewish Israelis. They did homework together, and, after a session of heavy debating, the Muslim kids learned Israeli folkdances. They were all so happy and excited,” she says. One of her more memorable recollections was the experience of a Muslim student from Tucson who participated in last year’s delegation. One of his goals was to see the Dome of the Rock, the mosque located on top of the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Unfortunately, there was a disturbance at the time, and the tour guide taking the YASE students around Jerusalem announced that a visit to the Dome of the Rock would be impossible. When the Muslim student arrived back at his Israeli-Jewish hosts’ home in Nahariya, a coastal town about a threehour drive from Jerusalem, he told them about his disappointment. Their response was to pack up the family and drive him back to Jerusalem, speaking to whatever officials were necessary to grant him access to the mosque. “The boy was so grateful. I am certain he will never forget that experience, and, more to the point, it will forever be hard for him to hate Israelis. Even if he may

not agree with certain policies, he will not hate. The one-on-one relationships established by the YASE participants will last a lifetime,” said Mrs. Goldberg. More Participants Her new goal is to increase the number of American high schools participating

in the program. Families or students interested in having their high schools participate in the YASE program can contact AIFL’s executive director, Dr. Alex Grobman, at 212-213-8630 or by email at Agrobman@aifl.org.

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According to Kenneth Bialkin, AIFL’s chairman, the reactions witnessed by Mrs. Goldberg are not unique. “We have learned that the exchange program has a transformational effect on the American and Israeli students which follows them for life. Besides the lasting friendships that are formed, the students return to their schools and later to universities where the seeds of knowledge and awareness flourish and influence those whom they encounter through life. Many of our program alumni recognize the profound impact the program has had in shaping their lives and continue to carry their experience with them in their professional careers. In doing so, they have remained connected and continue to play integral roles in the subsequent growth of the program,” he says. S.L.R.

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion July 2011 Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice & Opinion”

Muslim Brotherhood

estinian Mufti al-Husseini to be granted asylum in Egypt. This past May, the MB’s current “Supreme Guide,” Muhammed Badi, said, “Allah warned us the tricks of the Jews and their role in igniting the fire of wars and they labor hard to spread corruption on earth; and Allah does not love the spreaders of corruption.” Wrong Message Such statements prompted Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, to criticize the White House for opening talks with the MB.

continued from page 1 “The political landscape in Egypt may have changed since the end of the Mubarak regime, but the Brotherhood’s hatred of Jews and Israel has not changed at all,” he said. He stressed that the US should not be talking to “an organization that can lay claim to being the world’s leading purveyor of antisemitism and hatred of Jews.” “Legitimizing the MB sends the wrong message that you can hate Jews and still sit and talk with world leaders,” said Rabbi Hier, adding that he hoped this new move does not signal that the “the US will acquiesce to Europe and begin

talking to Hamas as well.” Nothing New? In her remarks concerning dialogue with the MB, Mrs. Clinton did not say anything about Israel, only that “given the changing political landscape in Egypt, it is in the interests of the US to engage with all parties that are peaceful and committed to nonviolence, that intend to compete for the parliament and the presidency.” “We welcome, therefore, dialogue with those MB members who wish to talk with us,” said Mrs. Clinton, adding that the Obama administration is continuing “the approach of limited contacts with the MB that existed on and off for about

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in Jewish law, but because they believe in contract law.” Further, he said, in civil disputes, “the courts can and do enforce binding arbitrations of all stripes, including those carried out by a beth din.” Certainly, the same would hold true for two people who agree to abide by Sharia as interpreted by an imam. I recall that, in 1997, Annette Sorensen, a Danish visitor in New York, was arrested on charges of child endangerment for leaving her baby in the fresh air outside a restaurant, while she relaxed inside the restaurant for an hour. Her baby was next to the restaurant window, and Ms. Sorensen claimed she could watch the child. The charges were eventually dropped against Ms. Sorensen, who did not actually harm her child. Rather, her “misdeed” was only the perception of Americans based on the fact that the Danish woman was not behaving according to American norms. She was, however, behaving according to the custom in Denmark, and her defense was that, as a foreign national, that should be taken into consideration. For me, the line should be drawn when the matter to be adjudicated involves the integrity of families or personal choice and physical-safety issues for women and/or children. Under no circumstances should the US permit religious laws that are used to justify taking children away from loving mothers or that dictate severe physical punishments to force compliance with someone’s interpretation of religious morality. Kimi Wei Fair Lawn, NJ

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com five or six years.” She said the shift “is not a new policy, but it is one that we’re re-engaging in” and added that the US would continue to “emphasize the importance and support for democratic principles, respect for minority rights, and the full inclusion of women in any democracy.” New and Rash The words did not fool columnist Andrew McCarthy, who said, “In typical Obama fashion, this disastrous decision to engage America’s avowed enemies has been couched as the mere continuation of prior policy. But make no mistake about it, this is a new policy.” Without knowing who will be running Egypt’s next permanent government, Mr. Obama has already promised billions of dollars in aid to Egypt. Even though, for months, Middle East experts have warned that the MB is the only group sufficiently organized to win an election, Mr. Obama tried to downplay the prospect of the MB dominating Egyptian politics. He argued that it is just one faction in the country and, he said, it doesn’t have the support of the majority. “There are a whole bunch of secular

Tammuz 57671 folks in Egypt. There are a whole bunch of educators and civil society in Egypt that want to come to the fore as well. It’s important for us not to say that our only two options are either the Muslim Brotherhood or a suppressed Egyptian people,” said Mr. Obama on Fox News last February. Violent Motto After hearing Mrs. Clinton’s announcement, many skeptical observers seemed confused by her use of the terms “peaceful” and “Muslim Brotherhood” in the same sentence. The MB, which has already created a broad super-coalition of opposition parties in hopes of either heading Egypt’s next government themselves or serving as “king-makers” to support the candidates of their choice, has publicly announced that, should they gain power, they will implement Muslim Sharia law in Egypt. Their motto is: “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Qur’an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope. Allahu akbar.” Founded in 1928 for the express purpose of creating an Islamist state, the

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MB’s goal has been to restore the caliphate and strict Islamist law, first in Muslim lands and, ultimately, the world. Today, it has chapters in 80 countries, including Hamas in Gaza. “It is in the nature of Islam to dominate, not to be dominated, to impose its law on all nations and to extend its power to the entire planet,” said MB founder Hassan al-Banna. Jihad Mr. Badi, explained that his group calls for jihad against “the Muslims’ real enemies, not only Israel, but also the US.” “Waging jihad against both of these infidels is a commandment of Allah that cannot be disregarded,” he said last September. He has made it clear he does not mean a PC jihad, but, rather, the violent sort because “the change that the [Muslim] nation seeks can be attained only through jihad and sacrifice and by raising a jihadi generation that pursues death just as the enemies pursue life.” The MB has no problem using democracy to attain power, but once in con-

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion July 2011 Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice & Opinion”

Ice Skater Dalia Rivkin Took Gold Last Winter, but Then She Comes from a Family of Champions

It would be hard to mistake Teaneck resident Cheryl Rivkin’s obvious parental pride when she discusses the achievements of her 11-year-old daughter, Dalia, who, last December, became the 2011 US Juvenile Ladies champion ice skater. But, as significant as Dalia’s accomplishment is, for the Shomer Shabbos Rivkin family it is just one more triumph attained by their quartet of uber-successful children. For starters, all four Rivkin children, which, in addition to Dalia, include older brother, Naphtali, 17; older sister, Ariela, 15; and younger brother Binyamin, 7, are budding piano virtuosos who give frequent recitals at their school, the Lucy Moses School of Music (formerly the Hebrew Arts School) in Manhattan.

The children come by their musical prowess naturally. Both parents play piano, but their father, Oleg, who immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union in 1975 at the age of 11, studied at Juilliard and the New York High School of the Performing Arts, and at one time considered a career as a concert pianist. Instead, he studied law and married Mrs. Rivkin, who is now chief compliance manager at a Manhattan financial firm. Political Conservative But the Rivkin children’s accomplishments extend well beyond music. Naphtali, a graduate of the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey in River Edge and, now, a senior at the Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus, is a prolific political writer with

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his own politically conservative blog. He is a frequent speaker for Tea Party events and serves as the national high school chairman of the politically conservative organization Young Americans for Freedom, founded by the late William F. Buckley. In September, Naphtali will be attending Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, primarily because he is eager to assume the role of builder of observant-Jewish life at the 260-year-old academically elite school while enrolling in the ROTC program at neighboring Virginia Military Institute. “Before the 1960s, when Harvard, Yale, and Princeton dropped their quotas limiting the number of Jewish students allowed on their campuses, there used to be a large number of Jews at Washington and Lee,” said Mrs. Rivkin. Asked why, with all his accomplishments, Naphtali was not looking to attend one of those Ivy League Schools, his mother wrinkled her nose. “We absolutely refused to spend upwards of $40,000 per year so that he could be immersed in a sea of left-wing, politically correct nonsense masquerading as academia. Washington and Lee is much more politically conservative and, through ROTC, Naphtali feels he will be giving back something to this amazing country, which literally saved his father’s life,” she said. Activism Ariela, 15, is no less politically involved. Like her brother, she, too, is a member of Young Americans for Freedom, and this past year she and Naphtali successfully helped in the effort to have Rep Ron Paul (R-TX) removed from the organization’s advisory board, based on his anti-Israel rhetoric. A graduate of Yavneh in Paramus, she was the NJ state-winner and third in the country in the Patriots Pen essay competition, which is sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Binyamin is a student at Yavneh, and this year gave his first recital at the Merkin Concert Hall at the Lucy Moses School. Full Schedule If the rest of the Rivkin children make the household a busy place, Dalia’s schedule takes it to a whole different level. Before the decision was made to homeschool her, the tiny

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com four-foot-six-inch athlete and her mother were up at 4am so that she could be at the Ice House in Hackensack, where she trains, by 5. After three hours of practice, she would change into school clothes in the car and be driven to Yavneh in Paramus. When school was dismissed at 3:30, she would head back to the Ice House in order to participate in the last practice session, which was over at 6:30, Then came her evening activities: besides homework and practicing piano, she had all her important off-ice training sessions, including ballet, jazz dancing, weight-lifting, and jumping exercises. “She does one-arm pushups and crosses the jump rope three times per jump,” said Mrs. Rivkin, who sounded tired just talking about it. But, she said, Dalia has never complained about work related to ice skating. Chance Encounter She was introduced to the sport in the course of a play date four years ago when, on the Presidents Day vacation from school, a friend’s mother took the two little girls to the Ice House. Dalia initially slipped on the ice, but she quickly got up and, after two hours, the friend’s mother reported, “everyone

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Dalia Rivlin was watching her in amazement; that’s how good she was.” Dalia began taking lessons once a week, and, on one occasion, because Ariela also

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wanted to skate, Mrs. Rivkin took both her daughters to a rink in Manhattan. “My heart was in my mouth because they were both pianists and I was afraid they would hurt their hands,” she recalled. In fact, after 20 minutes, Dalia ran breathlessly to her mother to report her bleeding hands. “She had a blade mark on her hand and blood running down four fingers, but she didn’t care. She just ran back to the ice,” said Mrs. Rivkin. Homeschooling At the beginning of the 2010 school year, the schedule became too much for all the Rivkins, and Dalia left the sixth grade to be schooled at home. “She used to call me during the day, and complain, ‘Why am I here when I could do all this at home and have more time to be on the ice?’” said Mrs. Rivkin. Working with Yavneh, the Rivkins found strong curriculum materials online for her secular studies, and, for religious studies, the family depended on Rachel Bednarsh, who had taught both Dalia and Ariela at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey. “She was a favorite of both our daughters at RYNJ and now Dalia has her for one-on-one lessons, lucky girl,” said Mrs. Rivkin.

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Dalia Rivkin

July 2011

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Homeschooling has made mornings a little less hectic. Now, Dalia does not have to be at the Ice House until 7 because she can stay later. The rink empties out when other children head off to school. For her social life, Dalia relies on the computer to keep in touch with her friends from school. On Shabbos, she manages to socialize with youngsters at Teaneck’s Congregation Arzei Darom. This year, when she and most of her friends are turning 12, she has made time for bat mitzvah parties. Competitions But all too frequently, Dalia and her mother are away for Shabbos, traveling to various skating competitions and hoping she can be squeezed in before or after the Sabbath. She does not skate on Shabbat. When obligations of her job preclude Mrs. Rivkin’s ability to travel with Dalia, the little

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girl goes with her coach, Julia Lautowa, a Russian skater who is a seven-time Austrian national champion and world and Olympic competitor. Mrs. Rivkin catches up with them as soon as possible. “We do what we can to make it work,” said Mrs. Rivkin who uses all her vacation days to be with Dalia when she competes, which is usually the only time she sees her daughter skate. When Dalia routinely practices, Mrs. Rivkin is at work. While Mrs. Rivkin and Dalia are away at competitions, Mr. Rivkin manages at home in Teaneck with the other three children. Nervous Mom Like most parents, Mrs. Rivkin faces Dalia’s competitions with a mixture of pride and terror. “It’s nerve-racking. After her competitions, I’m just exhausted because of the anxiety level. My heart just races

all the time,” she said. It is not very different from the way she feels when any of her children perform. “I can’t breathe when they play piano in public, but skating is even worse. A child playing piano can only hurt his pride. The stakes are much higher for a skater,” she said. Afterwards, she feels “exhilaration.” Applications What all of this competing means for Dalia (who is in the qualifying system that eventually may allow her to represent the United States in international competitions) and her mother is the completion of an endless series of applications for competitions throughout the country. “I am constantly working to arrange competition opportunities for her,” said Mrs. Rivkin. Usually, these events are

spread out over several days, but frequently they include a Shabbat or a Jewish holiday. So the Rivkins try to work around it. “No one knows beforehand what the exact schedule of the competition will entail. So we book as many competitions as we can; we book a hotel, if we can; and then we wait,” said Mrs. Rivkin. Hotels Sometimes, when they are lucky, there is a hotel sufficiently near the competition enabling them to leave the rink before Shabbat on Friday and return as quickly as possible after havdala. Sometimes other arrangements are necessary, such as renting a camper to ensure being near enough to the stadium to get back Saturday night. For Mrs. Rivkin, Dalia’s competitions mean hours online, completing tons of paperwork, hauling equipment and costumes, and packing kosher food.

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com “It’s great when we can find a hotel with a kitchenette,” she said. Shabbat Negotiations Before the competition schedule is set, Mrs. Rivkin begins “negotiations,” explaining their Shabbat observance to officials and asking if there is any way to accommodate Dalia’s needs. “About one-third of the time, it just doesn’t work out. Sometimes they return our money, but not always. Often, though, there are very good people who try to help,” said Mrs. Rivkin. On some occasions, Dalia has done sufficiently well during the early part of a competition to merit going forward, only to find out that to participate, she would have to skate on Shabbat. Then the competition is over for her. “It’s hard to leave without a medal she has qualified to win, but the important thing is that just by skating in the competition, she has gained experience, and equally importantly, the judges have seen her skate. There are never conniptions when things don’t work out, no fits or arguments. We just do what we can,” said Mrs. Rivkin. The issue of being seen by the judges is important, she said. Because the same judges show up at many different competitions, the better they know a skater, the more accurate their judgment. Skating Up Sometimes, the Rivkins have been told that while Dalia cannot compete on her own level because that part of the competition is taking place on Shabbat, she would be allowed to compete at a higher level, against girls who are older and, presumably, more experienced. That suits the Rivkins just fine. Dalia has often won competitions under those circumstances. “She performs better when she competes at a higher level. She always wants to win,” said Mrs. Rivkin. North Atlantic Region By this past fall, Dalia, who is a member of the North Jersey Figure Skating Club, had won dozens of competitions. The decision by her mother and coach to allow her to gain experience was bearing fruit. Winning the Juvenile Ladies division at the North Atlantic Region competition last October paved the way for her gold medal performance at the US Junior Nationals in December.

Tammuz 57671 The October competition, held at Lake Placid, began on Shabbat just after Sukkot. “We had explained the situation to them and, without saying anything to us, the officials simply scheduled Dalia to skate on Sunday and Monday,” said Mrs. Rivkin. The year before, Dalia had competed in the North Atlantic Regionals, but missed qualifying for the final round by one point. Salt Lake City Having won at Lake Placid, Dalia and her family prepared for the Junior Nationals, which were held in Salt Lake City. There, Dalia would be competing against the winners of nine other regions. On Monday, December 13, Dalia flew

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to Utah with Ms. Lautowa. By the time Shabbat came, she had already succeeded in the qualifying round. “The officials had agreed to work with us, telling us that if she qualified for the final round, they would schedule her for the last event, at 6pm, right after Shabbat ended, and Dalia was ready,” said Mrs. Rivkin. No Warm-Up It was not as simple as it sounds. While Dalia was able to compete, she could not take advantage of her scheduled official practice time, which would have been on Shabbat. And she had no time to warm up during the day before competing on the ice. This is not unusual for Dalia. Accord-

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion

Dalia Rivkin

July 2011

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ing to Mrs. Rivkin, her daughter has had to get used to being able to “skate cold” right after Shabbat or holidays, with no practice or warm-up time. “If she wants it to work, she must be prepared to be at her best and win whenever she has the opportunity to skate. There is no room for moaning about what can’t be helped. Taking off Shabbat used to hurt her on the ice, but now she doesn’t need a warm-up as much. She just skates,” said Mrs. Rivkin. Stealing the Show That is exactly what she did at the Junior Nationals, where sports reporters said she “stole the show.” Her gold medal-winning program was highlighted by a double Lutz-single loopdouble Salchow combination. Her highest grade of execution came on her Level 4 change-offoot combination spin. Dalia told reporters she felt as if she were flying. “If she was nervous, she hid

it,” said Mrs. Rivkin. “She told herself she was going to land it all—the jumps, the spins, the execution. She is an incredibly hard-working child, and that’s gratifying for us, as her parents. She didn’t just win the competition. She earned it.” Preparing for the Next One But, as all competitors know, winning one competition is simply prelude to the next. Dalia and Ms. Lautowa have spent the months since the Junior Nationals preparing new programs with new music, new costumes, and even some new triple jumps. In April, Dalia was one of four young skaters to perform in a production called “Skating Stars of the Future” at Rockefeller Center, and in May she performed at Ice House along with several top Senior US skating stars in a Skateto-Learn exhibition to benefit Boys and Girls Clubs of NJ and Brooklyn.

Her first competition of the season was at the Southern Connecticut Open where, due to Shabbat scheduling, she was able to participate only in the short programs. She is no longer competing as a Juvenile, but rather in the Intermediate and Novice levels, which include skaters up to age 18. In Connecticut, Dalia took the Silver medal as an Intermediate, and the Pewter medal (fourth place) at the higher, Novice level. “She debuted a triple jump in her program for the first time. There is a lot of work ahead for this season, but it was a very helpful start. We all learned a lot,” said Mrs. Rivkin. Olympic Dreams Dalia’s ultimate goal is to represent the US in the Olympics. “Two,” Dalia told reporters. “If I win one, I’ll try to win another.” While she would love to compete in the 2014 Olympics in

Russia, she will not have reached the qualifying age of 16. She will have to wait until 2018. Her mother said it would have been “poetic justice” for her to compete in Russia, given her father’s history as a refugee from the then-Soviet Union. “To have his child go back there as a strong athlete and strong Jew would have been a sanctification,” said Mrs. Rivkin. Role Model Of course, all this skating does not come cheap. Mrs. Rivkin admitted she and her husband “work like crazy” to finance Dalia’s lessons, trips, and costumes. They are hoping the publicity she has garnered will help find her some sponsorships. She already has a growing list of friends and fans who tell her how much they enjoy watching her on YouTube or at her practices at the Ice House every morning and following her website, www. daliarivkinskate.com.

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Dalia Rivkin

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Perhaps most gratifying to the Rivkins is the number of young Jewish fans and future ice skaters who look to Dalia as a role model because she has not skated on Shabbat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We certainly have spoken to many, many people about Judaism and how we observe it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s given us the most unexpected role of emissary,â&#x20AC;? said Mrs. Rivkin.

Asked if it has enhanced Daliaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sense of Jewish identity, Mrs. Rivkin said she thinks Dalia is increasingly aware of â&#x20AC;&#x153;who she is and what she represents.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;People constantly tell me that Dalia skates with more conviction than anyone they have ever seen. I think that conviction comes from Daliaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skating for a higher purpose,â&#x20AC;? she said. S.L.R.

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion July 2011 Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice & Opinion” Do It Now

Black Box Studios at the Jewish Center of Teaneck, is seeking submissions of new works for the theater that reflect the lives of Bergen County residents, includes full-length plays and musicals as well as short works, matt@blackboxnynj.com Breicha, a new magazine for observantJewish teens, is accepting submissions of articles and short stories from adults and teens, teenswriting@gmail.com Register for the Mitch Gross Basketball League, for boys and girls entering grades 2-8, in separate divisions by sex and age, with Stephanie Amos and Dovey Forman, to benefit NNJKIDS for Jewish day school education, www.mgblnj.com or 917-293-9128 or 201-928-1267 Nominations open for the Obermayer German-Jewish History Awards, seeking names of Germans who protected Jews during the Holocaust or who have contributed to the preservation of Jewish history, culture, cemeteries, or synagogues, spons by the Berlin Parliament, deadline is Sept 23, 2011, chaired by Arthur Obermayer, 617-244-0180

Wed., July 6

Caregiver’s Support Group, for those caring for a patient with Alzheimer’s Disease, Jewish Home at Rockleigh, 10am, 201-7841414 ext 5340 “Practical Halacha of Tefillah for Women: I Have Only a Few Minutes to Daven, What Should I Say?” Rabbi Ari Zahtz, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 10:15am, 201-836-8916 Women’s Torah Study Group, Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Ventnor Chabad, 11am, 609-822-8500 BBQ for Holocaust Survivors, with Orna Zak, CareOne, Teaneck, 6pm, 201-421-7469

The Log: Simply Tsfat in Concert: Music of Breslov Chassidim and Other Niggunim, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 7pm, 917-747-3240 Confidential Abused Women’s Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-837-9090 Jewish 12-Step Meeting, JACS—Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons, and Significant Others, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201-837-9090, ask for IRA (Information and Referral) or 201-981-1071 Pre-College Learning Center Information Session, new Jewish High School for grades 8-10, East Brunswick, 7:30pm, pclcnj@gmail.com “The Ins and Outs of Baby Naming: Hints from the Torah to Keep This Occasion Joyous,” for women, Yehudis Samet, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 8:30pm

Thurs., July 7

Parenting Shiur: “Isolation vs Inoculation: The Parental Role in Managing the Internet,” for women, Dr. David Pelcovitz, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9:30am, 212960-5400 ext 6350 Riverdale Jewish Center Women’s Installation and Luncheon, Ginger Grill, Riverdale, 12:30pm, 718-884-9494 “Thursday Night Madness: Dinner and Juggling Josh,” for boys and girls grades 1-8, parents welcome, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-5960 Simply Tsfat in Concert, Chabad Jewish Community Center, New City, 7:30pm, 845-634-0951

Fri., July 8

“A Taste of Shabbat,” for parents and

babies under one year, Aviva Kohl, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 10:30am, 845-362-4400 Community Shabbat Dinner, Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Ventnor Chabad Shul, services, 7pm, dinner, 8pm, 609-822-8500

Shabbat, July 9

“But There Are No Jews in Senegal: Why Did I Spend Two Weeks There with Rabbinical Students?” Rabbi Dov Linzer, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 10:30am Women’s Shabbos Shiur, Chana Frumit Stern, Cong Adas Israel, Passaic, 5:30pm “Hilchos Berachos: Homotzi: Cake, Pizza, Wraps, Challah, Pancakes, Waffles, Mezonos Rolls,” Rabbi David Pahmer, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton, 7:20pm, info@yipc. org or 973-778-7117 “Ayin Hara: A Bubbe Maaseh or Halacha Limaaseh?” Rabbi Aaron Kraft, Cong Keter Torah, 8pm Parent-Daughter Pearls of Prayer Learning, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, 718-548-1850 “The Jewish Underworld: Crime in the Medieval Jewish Community—A Synagogue Break-In, Jewish Gangs, and a Priest Shake-Down,” Prof Effie ShohamSteiner, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 8pm, 718-796-4730

Motzei Shabbat, July 9

Tiferes: A Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation Program, for women, speakers and ideas on DVD, private home in Edison, 10pm, 732-572-4713

Sun., July 10

Film: “Everything Is Illuminated,” spons by HudsonJewish, at Temple Emanu-El, Bayonne, 9:30am, 201-437-7926 or 201-436-4499 Kavvanah: A Tefillah Experience with Meditation, Study, and Song, Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 9:30am, 718-796-4730 “The Role of American Jewry in the Destiny of Israel: Understanding Current Events Using Classical Jewish Texts,” Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, includes brunch, Cong Ahavat Yisrael, Wesley Hills, 10:30am, 845-354-3494 NJ Jewish Music and Art Festival, includes Moshe Hecht Band, SoulFarm, Reality Addiction, rides, kosher BBQ, Chabad Jewish Center, Basking Ridge, noon-7pm, yitzchok@ chabadcentral.org Jewish Singles Scavenger Hunt, ages 30+, rain or shine, bring cell phone or digital camera and team up to hunt and then photograph items, registration at Is-A-Berry Frozen Yogurt on Palisade Ave in Englewood, 12:30pm; hunt begins in Englewood, 1pm, 201-264-9515

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com

Tammuz 57671

“Separate Yourself Not from the Community”

Meet the Artist Reception: Stanislav Shpanim, now an adult émigré from Azerbaijan, he was listed, at age 12, in the Guiness Book of World Records as the Young Professional Artist in the World, JCC, Tenafly, 1-3pm, 201-408-1411 Boomer Jewish Singles, 46-64, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 2pm, 845-362-4400 Babysitting Training, for 11-15 year olds, JCC, West Orange, 973-530-3400, 3pm, 973-530-3499 Film: “My So-Called Enemy,” discussion on Israeli and Palestinian women led by Prof Jonathan Golden, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-408-1468 Sunset Walking Tour of Downtown Jersey City Waterfront, Joshua Parkhurst, Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy president, spons by HudsonJewish, meet at Exchange Place PATH Station, Jersey City, rain date, Sun, July 17, 7:30pm, Zhanna@HudsonJewish.org Singles Summer Fest, for Jewish singles 45-60, spons by JCC of Middlesex County, at Mei Garden kosher restaurant, Highland Park, 8pm, 732-494-3232 Lawyers’ Networking and Mentoring Night Out, Judge Mark Friedlander and Ezra Levine, Esq, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, 718-548-1850 One Israel Fund Backyard Event, featuring cigar bar, Israeli wine-tasting, and sushi, private home in Teaneck, 8pm, 201837-7530

Mon., July 11

“Facing History and Ourselves: Holocaust and Human Behavior,” Manhattan College, Riverdale, 9am, through Fri., July 15, 212-992-7380 AARP Driver Safety, for seniors, Lautenberg JCC, Whippany, 9:30am, 973-428-9300 “Acquiring Free Information Technology for Non-Profits,” includes Google docs and Apps, internet marketing, iContact Free, TechSoup, and Smartphones, Richard Luna of Protected Harbour, a computer services outsourcing provider, Volunteer Center of Bergen County’s Non-Profit Training and Resource Center, Hackensack, 10am, 201489-9454 ext 114 “Is Your Child Smart in Everything but Not in School? Neurobiological Research and Exciting Treatment Options,” for parents and professionals who work with children, private office in Monsey, 7pm, 845-369-3235 An Evening of Comedy and Music: Improv Comedy, Play Readings, and Musicals-in-Progress, featuring Black Box Studios, at Teaneck General Store, 7:30pm, 201-530-5046 Screening of the Israeli Hit Series on

Israeli Modern-Orthodox Singles: “Serugim,” spons by West of the Hudson, a new singles group of Orthodox young professionals in their 20s and 30s, at the Jewish Center of Teaneck, 7:45pm, west.huds@gmail.com or 201-833-0515 ext 200 “Just in Time for the Nine Days: Dairy Recipe Exchange,” Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 8pm “Religious Zionism: What Is the Dream?” for men and women, Mrs. CB Neugroschl, Cong Rinat Yisrael, 8pm, 212-9605400 ext 6350 Achdus Teleconference for Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, Rabbi Noach I. Oelbaum, spons by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, 9:30pm, 718-258-2008

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Tues., July 12

Film: “The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob,” spons by Together on Tuesdays, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 11:15am, 973-736-1407 ext 240 Blood Drive, Senior Home Care Services, Morristown, 2:30-8:30pm, 973-538-4357 Parsha and Pizza, for grades 1-8, for boys and girls in separate classes by age, Rabbi Josh Shulman, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-5960 Summer Soul Searching: Psalm 24, Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot, JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201408-1426

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The Log

July 2011

Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice & Opinion”

continued from page 25

Young Israel of Teaneck Sisterhood Spa Night, 8pm, 201837-1710 “From Servitude to Salvation: Connecting the Dots: Semichah Geulah l’Tefillah,” for men and women, Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201791-7910 Positive Parenting: “Parenting for the Three Rs—Rational, Responsible, and Resilient Teens,” Dr. Aliza Frohlich, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 862-377-3375

Wed., July 13

Women’s Torah Study Group, Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Ventnor Chabad, 11am, 609-822-8500 Support Group for Caregivers, those caring for an older adult who is physically frail or suffering from memory loss, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-408-1450 “Chicks with Sticks Knitting Circle,” hats for preemies, children with cancer, and IDF soldiers in Israel, private home in Highland Park, 8pm, 732-339-8492 Community Synagogue of Monsey Book Club: “Cutting for Stone” by Dr. Abraham Verghese, private home in Monsey, 8pm, 845-425-7935 “Jewish Women in 20th Century American History: Boycotters and Balaboostas—Gender and Politics on the Lower East Side,” Shira Kohn, spons by Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, at a private home in West Orange, 8:30pm, 973-669-3742, 973-243-7274, or 973-736-1407 “Churban Beit Hamikdash: Just Ancient History?” Rabbi Aaron Kraft, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8:45pm 212-960-5400 ext 6350

Thurs., July 14

Parenting Shiur: “Healthy Sons, Healthy Daughters: Beyond the Nature/Nurture Debate,” for women, Dr. Shani Bechhofer, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9:30am, 212-960-5400 ext 6350 Book Club: “Wherever You Go” by Joan Leegant, Lautenberg JCC, Whippany, 10:30am, 973-428-9300 “Thursday Night Madness: Dinner and Capture the Flag-Torah Style,” for boys and girls grades 1-8, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-596 Jewish Center of Teaneck Trustees Dinner, honoring Eva Lynn Gans, at the center, 7:30pm, 201-833-0515 ext 200 “Tisha B’Av and Kinos: The Seventh Million: The Survivors’ Unspoken Tragedy—An Analysis of the 23rd Kinah,” Rabbi Steven Weil, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 8pm Challah Baking in Merit of Gilad Shalit, the IDF soldier kidnapped and still held by Hamas in Gaza, baking starts at sundown and continues through Fri., July 15, baking4gilad@ gmail.com

Fri., July 15

Deadline to Apply to the New Global Institute for Values Education, Dedicated to Advancing Jewish Values in Mainstream American Culture, for young adults 18-35, under the leadership of Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, will include training in the art of advancing Jewish values through writing, broadcasting, and entrepreneurship, http://www.thisworld. us/images/uploads/NJVI_Application.pdf or shmuley@shmuley. com, or 201-221-3333

The Log is a free service provided to the Jewish community in northern and central New Jersey, Rockland County and Riverdale. Events that we list include special and guest lectures, concerts, boutiques, dinners, open houses, club meetings, and new classes. Announcements are requested by the 25th of the month prior to the month of the event. Due to space and editorial constraints, we cannot guarantee publication of any announcement. Please email them to : susan@jewishvoiceandopinion.com.

“Positive Jewish Marriage Retreat,” featuring Drs. Scott Chudnoff, Alex Bailey, Nina Glick, Marcy Schaffer, Sylvan Schaffer, and David Pelcovitz; Rabbi Dr Mordechai Glick; Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler, Tobias Jungreis; Rachel Pill; Lauren Roth; and Josh Kohl, spons by the Orthodox Union, at the Woodcliff Lake Hilton, through Sun., July 17, 212-613-8188

Shabbat, July 16

Rabbi Shlomo Weissman, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton, 10:30am, info@yipc.org or 973778-7117 “Choose Your Own Drasha,” Rabbi Steven Miodownik, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 10:30am, 732-247-0532 Scholar-in-Residence Shifra Rabenstein, Cong Ahawas Achim, Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, “Bitachon: A Personal Journey (Beit Midrash),” for women, 4:30pm; seudah shlishit, for women, 5:30pm; “Grudges: Grin but Don’t Bear It,” 5:45pm, 973-736-1407 “Hilchos Berachos: Expired Brachot—Shinui Makom,” Rabbi David Pahmer, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton, 7:20pm, info@ yipc.org or 973-778-7117

Sun., July 17

Explanatory Morning Service, Rabbi David Pietruszka, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9:15am, 201-966-4490 Shechita Event, in connection with the start of Masechet Chullin in the Day Yomi Cycle, includes “Shechita-Ante Mortem: The Knife, the Act of Shechita, Relevant Halachot, and a Demonstration,” “Shechita-Post Morten: Skimming and Eviscerating, Simanim of Kosher Animals, Identifying Helev, Checking the Lungs, and Declaring the Animal Kosher or Not,” and “The Craft of Niqur: Deveining, Defatting, Dealing with Membranes, Nerves, Other Fats, Gid Hanasheh, Full Niqur of the Saddle, Flanks, and One Leg,” at Medina Custom Hallal, Paterson, 10am, 201-287-1077 Babysitting Training, for 11-15 year olds, JCC, West Orange, 973530-3400, 3pm, 973-530-3499

Torah Enrichment Center of Cong Shomrei Torah Young Families BBQ, private home in Fair Lawn, 6pm, 201-797-2126

Mon., July 18

“Facing History and Ourselves: Holocaust and Human Behavior,” Drew University, Madison, NJ, 9am, through Fri., July 22, 212-992-7380 AARP Driver Safety, for seniors, Lautenberg JCC, Whippany, 9:30am, 973-428-9300 Webcast: “Basic Goals for People in Transition: Changing Fields of Employment: Who Can Help You?, Realistic Expectations, How to Get an Interview,” Alex Freund, spons by the Orthodox Union, 5:30pm, www.oujobs. org or 212-563-4000 “Misinterpreting and Reinterpreting the Message of Prophesy,” Shani Tarragin, for men and women, Cong Rinat Yisrael, 8pm, 212-960-5400 ext 6350 Meditation Workshop, Sheri Klugmann, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 8:30pm, 973-736-1407 Achdus Teleconference for Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff, spons by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, 9:30pm, 718-258-2008

Tues., July 19

Fast of 17th of Tammuz AARP Driver Safety, for seniors, Lautenberg JCC, Whippany, 9:30am, 973-428-9300 Together on Tuesdays, for seniors, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 11:15am, 973-736-1407 ext 240 “From Servitude to Salvation: Will the Real Messiah Please Stand Up: Failed Messiahs in History,” for men and women, Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201-791-7910

Wed., July 20

“Managing Large Scale Days of Service,” spons by the Northern NJ Business Volunteer Council, private office in Westwood, 8:30am, 201-4899454 ext 114 “Practical Halacha of Tefillah for Women: My Child Started Crying and I’m in the Middle

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com of Shemoneh Esrei, What Do I Do?” Rabbi Ari Zahtz, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 10:15am, 201-836-8916 Book Club: “The Three Weissmans of Westport” by Catherine Schine, JCC, West Orange, 11am, 973-530-3499 Infant and Child CPR, JCC, West Orange, 3pm, 973530-3499 Book Club: “Unaccustomed Earth” by Jhumpa Lahirir, facilitated by Arlene Sander, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 7pm, 845-362-4400 JEC Elmora Ave Shul Sisterhood Dinner, Glatt Star Restaurant, Elizabeth, 7pm, 908355-4850 Confidential Abused Women’s Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-837-9090 Israeli Film Club: “Metallic Blues,” with English subtitles, discussion led by Daniel Sonnenschein, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 7:30pm, 845-362-4400 Book Club of Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David and Cong Ohr: “As a Driven Leaf” by Milton Steinberg, facilitated by Elaine Woods, private home in West Orange, 8pm, 973-6690938 or 973-669-1247 “Jewish Women in 20th Century American History: Beyond the ‘Feminine Mystique’—Jewish Women’s Involvement in Religious, Social, and Political Life in the Post-War Period,” Shira Kohn, spons by Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, at a private home in West Orange, 8:30pm, 973-669-3742, 973-2437274, or 973-736-1407 “Churban Beit Hamikdash: Just Ancient History?” Rabbi Aaron Kraft, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8:45pm 212-960-5400 ext 6350

Thurs., July 21

Parenting Shiur: “Social Lives and Social Issues: Helping Children with Friendships, Bullying, Cliques, and Popularity Issues,” for women, Dr. Rona Novick, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9:30am, 212-960-5400 ext 6350 La Leche League of Bronx/ Riverdale, Mia Damond Padwa, pregnant women, babies and small children welcome, healthy snacks,

Riverdale YMHA, 9:30am, 718543-0314 “Thursday Night Madness: Fun with the Friendship Circle,” for boys and girls grades 1-8, including those with special needs,” spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-5960 “Helping Your Child Deal with Divorce,” workshop for men and women, OHEL’s Teaneck Regional Office, 7pm, 201-692-3972 Book Club: “The Three Weissmans of Westport” by Catherine Schine, JCC, West Orange, 7:30m, 973-530-3499 “Tisha B’Av and Kinos: The One Man Who Could Have Stopped the Churban—An Analysis of the 11th Kinah,” Rabbi Steven Weil, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 8pm

Fri., July 22

Deadline to Apply for a Grant for the 2011 Kroll Fund for Jewish Documentary Film, http://jewishculture.cuerate.org/orgs/ fjc/kroll/guidelines2011.pdf Call of the Shofar Retreat for Men, for those over 18, program endorsed by Rav Michel Twerski of Milwaukee and Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer of Baltimore will present the Torah’s fundamental principles of healthy relationships, spirituality, and character development, at Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center, Reistertown, MD, transportation available from NJ/NY, 443-827-8420 Uri L’Tzedek Fellows Shabbaton: “Social Justice in a Globalized World,” with director Rabbi Avi Weiss, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, through Shabbat, July 23, 718-796-4730

Shabbat, July 23

Bnot Summer Family Luncheon, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, noon, cbybnot@gmail.com “Hilchos Berachos: Dessert—When to Recite a Bracha,” Rabbi David Pahmer, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton, 7:20pm, info@ yipc.org or 973-778-7117

Sun., July 24

Last Day for Art Exhibit: “The Crypto Jews” by Gloria Golden, JCC, West Orange, MonThurs, 9am-6pm; Fri, 9am-4pm; Sun, 10am-5pm, 973-530-3413 “Extreme Makeover: The

Tammuz 5771

The Jewish Voice and Opinion

Beit Hamikdash,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Chabad at the Shore, Ventnor, 10:15am, 609-822-8500 Yeshiva Gedolah of Teaneck Dinner, honoring Dr. Jonathan and Sherry Lewin, Rabbi Menahem Meier, Dr. Mark Apfel, and Dr. David and Susan Richman, in memory of Walter Rubinstein, z”l, at Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 6pm, 201-833-5920 Film: “The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik,” for men and women, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201-791-7910

Mon., July 25

Film: “Schndler’s List,” discussion led by Stan Goldberg, JCC, Tenafly, 1:30pm, 201-408-1456 Nechama: To Understand What Families Experience When They Have Gone through the Loss of an Infant and/or a Pregnancy, Reva Judas, at OHEL Regional Center, Teaneck, 8pm, 201-692-3972 “Post-Exilic Judaism: Continuity and Innovation in Ezra Nechemia,” Yael Leibowitz, for men and women, Cong Rinat Yisrael, 8pm, 212-960-5400 ext 6350 Achdus Teleconference for

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Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, Rabbi Yosef Y. Jacobson, spons by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, 9:30pm, 718-258-2008

Tues., July 26

“Osteoporosis and Your Health,” with the Kessler Institute, spons by Together on Tuesdays, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 11:15am, 973-736-1407 ext 240 Parsha and Pizza, for grades 1-8, for boys and girls in separate classes by age, Rabbi Josh Shulman, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-5960 “Helping Your Child Deal with Divorce,” workshop for men and women, OHEL’s Teaneck Regional Office, 7pm, 201-692-3972 “From Servitude to Salvation: Memorializing the Mikdash,” Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, for men and women, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201-791-7910 Positive Parenting: “Tired of Yelling: Handling Children’s Resistance without Yelling, Bribing, or Punishing,” Aviva Schwab, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 862-377-3375

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The Log

July 2011

Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice & Opinion”

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Wed., July 27

“Practical Halacha of Tefillah for Women: If I Arrive at Shul during Leining, in What Order Should I Daven? Do I Stop to Listen to Leining?” Rabbi Ari Zahtz, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 10:15am, 201-836-8916 Car Seat Safety Check, YMHA, Wayne, 3-7pm, 973-5950100 ext 280 “Chicks with Sticks Knitting Circle,” hats for preemies, children with cancer, and IDF soldiers in Israel, private home in Highland Park, 8pm, 732-339-8492 “Churban Beit Hamikdash: Just Ancient History?” Rabbi Aaron Kraft, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8:45pm, 212-960-5400 ext 6350

Thurs., July 28

Parenting Shiur: “Kibbud Av V’Eim: What Parents Might Not Have the Right to Ask of Their Child,” for women, Rabbi Yosef Adler, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9:30am, 212-960-5400 ext 6350 Teacher Expo, for schools, curriculum enhancement, class trips, and programs, Hilton Garden Inn, Edison, 10am-4pm, 201634-0338

Support Group for Caregivers, those caring for an older adult who is physically frail or suffering from memory loss, JCC, Tenafly, 11am, 201-408-1450 “Thursday Night Madness: Theater in the Park,” performed by the YU Keter Torah Kollel and the Rinat Yisrael Women’s Beit Midrash, for boys and girls grades 1-8, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-5960 Film: “Live from Jerusalem: The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Jerusalem,” delayed live broadcast of concert with conductor Zubin Mehta, soprano Renée Fleming, and tenor Joseph Calleja, at Middlebrook Galleria Cinema 10, Asbury Park; Burlington 20, Burlington; AMC Clifton Commons 16, Clifton; Edgewater 16 Multiple Cinemas, Edgewater; AMC Hamilton 24, Hamilton; Town Center Plaza, Hightstown; Hamilton Commons 14, Mays Landing; Commerce Center 18, North Brunswick; AMC Garden State 16, Paramus; Parsippany Cinema 12, Parsippany; AMC Rockaway 16, Rockaway; Showplace Theatre, Secaucus; Movies

16, Somerdale; and Ritz Center 16, Voorhees, 7pm “Tisha B’Av and Kinos: The Millennial Generation: A Watershed Moment in Ashkenazic Jewry—An Analysis of the 22nd and 25th Kinah,” Rabbi Steven Weil, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 8pm

Fri., July 29

Community Shabbat Dinner, Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Ventnor Chabad Shul, services, 7pm, dinner, 8pm, 609-822-8500

Shabbat, July 30

Carlebach Minyan, Cong Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:45am “I Wish I Understood Everything I Was Saying” Minyan, Rabbi Steven Weil, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8:45am Rabbi Elchanan Adler, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton, 10:30am and 7:20pm, info@yipc. org or 973-778-7117

Sun., July 31

Deadline to Enter GlucoseFree, Lactose-Free, or Kosher Recipe for a Chance to Win a Trip to San Francisco or NYC, other prizes include $100 and $250, spons by My Grocery Master, helping people find specialty food products on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPads, www.mygrocerymaster.com Blood Drive, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 9am-1pm Explanatory Morning Service, Rabbi David Pietruszka, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9:15am, 201-966-4490 Torah Tour of the New York Botanical Garden, Dr. Jon Greenberg, Bronx, 10am, jon@Torahflora.org “Extreme Makeover: The Beit Hamikdash,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Chabad at the Shore, Ventnor, 10:15am, 609-822-8500 JACS Meeting, 12-steps meeting for Jews in recovery, Rabbi Steven Bayar, Cong B’nai Israel, Millburn, 6pm, 973-379-3811

Mon., Aug 1

Films That Struggle with Jewish Identity: “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” Lautenberg JCC, Whippany, 10:30am, 973-428-9300 Café Europa Holocaust Survivor Group, Linda Storfer, Riverdale

YMHA, noon, 718-548-8200 Caddy Camp Workshop for Women, Nancy Siegel, to benefit the Alan T Brown Foundation to Cure Paralysis, Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, 1pm, 201-836-3381 Rosh Chodesh Women’s Circle: “Coping with Challenges and Adversity—a Science and Torah Perspective,” Dr. Ann Borden and Tova Rapoport, Chabad at the Shore, Margate, 7pm, 609-992-4900

Tues., Aug 2

Bike 4 Chai, 50-, 75-, or 100mile ride to benefit Camp Simcha of Chai Lifeline, for children with cancer and other illnesses, begin with a pre-ride pasta party and evening at Berkeley Hotel, Asbury Park, ride continues on Wed. Aug 3 (stop at Crystal Springs Resort, Vernon, NJ), and ends of Thurs., Aug 4, at Camp Simcha, 646-727-8294 Parsha and Pizza, for grades 1-8, for boys and girls in separate classes by age, Rabbi Josh Shulman, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-5960 Contemporary Israeli Poetry Group, in the original with English translation and discussion, Atara Fobar, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7pm, 718-796-4730 “From Servitude to Salvation: Unearthing the Depths of Eichah,” for men and women, Joseph Winkler, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201-791-7910 Cong Ahavas Achim Sisterhood Book Club: “The Postmistress” by Sarah Blake, private home in Edison, 8:30pm, 732-5726634 or 732-819-0296

Wed., Aug 3

Confidential Abused Women’s Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-837-9090 Jewish 12-Step Meeting, JACS—Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons, and Significant Others, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201-8379090, ask for IRA (Information and Referral) or 201-981-1071

Thurs., Aug 4

Teacher Expo, for schools, curriculum enhancement, class trips,

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com

Sundays

The Jewish Voice and Opinion

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New Classes this Month

Gemara Shiur, Rabbi Avrumy Fein, Riverdale Jewish Center, 9:15am, 718-548-1850 Avos U’Banim Learning Program, for boys leaving grade 1 and up and their fathers, includes nosh and raffles, spons by the PassaicClifton Community Kollel, at Kehillas Bais Yosef (Rabbi Hirsch’s Shul), Passaic, 9:30am, 484-620-6187 “Journeys from Exile to Redemption: A Journey into the Book of Jeremiah,” for women, Chaya Lerman, Chabad House, Ventnor, 10am, 609-822-8500 Shiur, Rabbi Michel Klughaput, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 8pm

Mondays

One-on-One Tutoring and Chavruta Learning, for boys and girls, 5-18, Rabbi Josh Schulman, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter

The Log

Tammuz 5771

Torah, Teaneck, 5pm and 5:45pm, 201-923-5960, begins July 11 Hebrew Crash Course, Sara Kinberg, 6:30pm, 718-796-4730 Tai Chi and Karate, for adults, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 7:30pm, 201-568-1315 “Perspectives on Mitzvos Ben Adom LeChaveiro, including Bikur Cholim, Nichum Aveilim, Kibus Av V’Em, Aveilus, and Arvus,” Rabbi Yonason Sacks, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, mincha, 8pm; shiur, 8:15pm, 201-836-8916 Gemara, Rabbi Yossi Adler, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 8:30pm “Become Self-Sufficient in Your Learning,” Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim, Passaic Torah Institute, 8:30pm Gemara Masechet Megillah, Rabbi Steven Miodownik, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 9pm, 732-247-0532

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and programs, Doubletree, Tinton Falls, 10am-4pm, 201-634-0338 “Thursday Night Madness: Beit Hamikdash Scavenger Hunt,” with prizes, for boys and girls grades 1-8, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-5960 Chinuch HaBanim Seminar: “A Foundation to Structure and Run Your Home Smoothly, with the Goal of Instilling Torah Values in Your Child for Life,” for parents of children 3-10, Rebbetzin Sima Spetner, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 7:30pm, 201-232-2390 “Tisha B’Av and Kinos: The Death Knell of Israeli Jewry: The Aftermath of the Roman Genocide and the Hadrianic Decrees—An Analysis of the 21st Kinah,” Rabbi Steven Weil, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 8pm

Fri., Aug 5

“A Taste of Shabbat,” for parents and babies under one year, Aviva Kohl, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 10:30am, 845-362-4400 Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Dr Jonathan Rosenblatt, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, through Shabbat, Aug 6

Shabbat, Aug 6

“A Pre-Tisha B’Av Experience,” Prof Shalom Holtz, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, “Babylon and Jerusalem: The Politics of a Split Community,” 11:30am; “Who Came to Destroy Jerusalem? New and Newer Discovering from Babylonia,” 6:45pm; “Nebuchadnezzar on the World Stage and the Geopolitics of Churban Bayit Ris-

hon,” 8:05pm, 732-247-0532 Ya’ad Raffle, to win two tickets anywhere in the US, an I-Pad 2, or a Flip camera, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 2pm, 732-247-0532 Parent-Daughter Pearls of Prayer Learning, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, 718-548-1850

Sun., Aug 7

“Extreme Makeover: The Beit Hamikdash,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Chabad at the Shore, Ventnor, 10:15am, 609-822-8500 First Aid, for babysitters, JCC, West Orange, 3pm, 973530-3499 Chinuch HaBanim Seminar: “A Foundation to Structure and Run Your Home Smoothly, with the Goal of Instilling Torah Values in Your Child for Life,” for parents of children 3-10, Rebbetzin Sima Spetner, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 7:30pm, 201-232-2390 “Narcissism: Nowadays It Is All about Me,” Rabbi Yissochor Frand, at Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 8pm

Mon., Aug 8, Erev Tisha B’Av

Films That Struggle with Jewish Identity: “Joshua Then and Now,” Lautenberg JCC, Whippany, 10:30am, 973-428-9300 The Fast Begins at 8:04pm

Tues., Aug 9, Tisha B’Av The Fast Ends at 9:32pm

Wed., Aug 10

Dealine to Submit Art Work for Art Response Series; the aim is to create art work which supports the

right of Israel to exist in peace and security, spons by Artists 4 Israel, artforlearning@yahoo.com Teacher Expo, for schools, curriculum enhancement, class trips, and programs, Police Athletic League, Wayne, 10am-4pm, 201-634-0338 Chinuch HaBanim Seminar: “A Foundation to Structure and Run Your Home Smoothly, with the Goal of Instilling Torah Values in Your Child for Life,” for parents of children 3-10, Rebbetzin Sima Spetner, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 7:30pm, 201-232-2390 Support Group for Caregivers, those caring for an older adult who is physically frail or suffering from memory loss, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-408-1450 “Chicks with Sticks Knitting Circle,” hats for preemies, children with cancer, and IDF soldiers in Israel, private home in Highland Park, 8pm, 732-339-8492 “From Servitude to Salva-

tion: Counting the Keitz: Are We Permitted to Calculate When Mashiach Will Come?” for men and women, Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201-791-7910

Thurs., Aug 11

Book Club: “”The Tenth Song,” by Naomi Ragen, Lautenberg JCC, Whippany, 10:30am, 973-428-9300 “Thursday Night Madness: Pre-Shabbat Nachamu Rockout,” includes live music, BBQ, and games, for the entire family, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201-923-5960 Chinuch HaBanim Seminar: “A Foundation to Structure and Run Your Home Smoothly, with the Goal of Instilling Torah Values in Your Child for Life,” for parents of children 3-10, Rebbetzin Sima Spetner, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 7:30pm, 201-232-2390 Y

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion

New Classes

July 2011

Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice & Opinion”

continued from page 29 Tuesdays

Kollel Boker: Gemara, Rabbi Daniel Feldman, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 6:20am Hadassah Walkers, for brisk walkers, three miles, Highland Park Post Office, 7:45am, 732-819-9298 “Gems of Torah,” Rabbi Moshe Goldberger, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8:30am, 732-247-0532 “Mishnayot Yoma/Rosh Hashana,” Rabbi Avigdor Weitzner, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 9:30am, 732-247-0532 Beginners Knitting, Joanna Samad, Teaneck General Store, 10am, 201-530-5046 Summer Kollel for High School and College Students: Exploring the Mitzvot of Tzizit, Tefillin, and Shabbat,” Rabbi Mordechai Gershon, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 10am, 201-568-1315 “Studies in the Weekly Parsha,” Yehuda Goldin, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 10:30am, 201-568-1315 Parshat Hashauva, for women, Rabbi Ari Zahtz, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 10:30am “Topics in Jewish Thought,” Yehuda Goldin, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 11am, 201-568-1315 Coffee and Class, Riverdale Jewish Center, 11am, 718-548-1850 A Touch of Class, Riverdale Jewish Center, noon, 718-548-1850 Baldwin Jazz Series, Jed Levy and Mark Soskin, Whole Foods Market, West Orange, 6-8pm, 973-669-3196 Open Beit Midrash and Parshat Hashavua, Harry Glazer, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 7pm, 732-247-0532 Gemara Shiur, Rabbi Aharon Ciment, Cong Arzei Darom, Teaneck, 8:10pm, 201-530-0043 Partners in Torah, YMHA, Clifton, 8:15pm, 862-591-2920 Women’s Shiur, Dr. Chaim Presby, private home in Highland Park, 8:30pm, 732-572-6231 or 732-572-9455 Parsha, Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8:30pm, 718-548-1850 “The Laws of Shechita and Terefus,” Rabbi Duvie Weiss, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8:30pm Gemara Shiur: Tractate Kiddushin, for men, Rabbi Eliyahu Kaufman, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 9:30pm

Wednesdays

Kollel Boker: Gemara, Rabbi Daniel Feldman, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 6:20am Tanach Shiur: “Philosophical Themes in Bereishit,” for women, Dr. Shira Weiss, Cong Rinat Yisrael, 9:30am, 212-960-5400 ext 6350 Intermediate Spanish, Rhonda Stock, Hebrew Institute of Riv-

Mazal Tov

Mazal Tov to the Bar Mitzvah Boys: Jacob Adler; Abraham Benjamin; AJ Book; Julius Danishefsky; Ezra Epstein; Nissim Leib Farkas; Zachary Friedman; Zack Greenberg; Arthur Greenfield; Yair Gros;, Aharon Michoel Haas; Ari Hiller; Jeremy Horowitz; Shmuel Kerzner; Sam Korbman; Yaakov, Yosef, and Aron Kurlantzick; Chezkie Lauer; Matan Leff, Yehoshua Naor; Harry Ottensoser; Joshua Ritter; Eliyahu Moshe Solomon and Yeshaya Yehuda Savetsky; Shmaryahu and Akiva Shulman; Menachem Singerman; Yoshi Spivack; and Benjamin Taitel; and the Bat Mitzvah girls: Elisheva Feldman, Leora Gellman, Emily Gross, Shoshana Jeselsohn, Tamar Leah Kinderlehrer, Reva Lewitter, Shandy Marchuck, Aliza Novogroder, Aliza Pavel, Dalia Planer, Shira Chaya Rachlin, Simmi Sausen, Sara Schapiro, Daniella Schulhof, Shira Waltuch, and Avital Miriam Zeldin Y

erdale, 10am, 917-620-5726 Hadassah Walkers, for leisurely strollers, Donaldson Park, 10am, 732-819-9298 “Finding the Black Box: Tefillin and Beyond,” Rabbi Eli Baruch Shulman, Cong Keter Torah, 12:45pm, 201-742-5164 Lunch and Learn, for seniors, Rabbi Michael Taubes, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, lunch, 1pm; shiur, 1:30pm One-on-One Tutoring and Chavruta Learning, for boys and girls, 5-18, Rabbi Josh Schulman, spons by Yeshiva University, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm and 5:45pm, 201-923-5960 Chicks with Sticks, knitting hats for Israeli soldiers, Riverdale Jewish Center, 7:30pm, 718-548-1850 Schmooze on the News B’Ivrit, Daniel Sonenschein, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 7:30pm, 845-362-4400 ext 115 Pottery Class, for women, Michael Preston, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 8pm, 201-836-4750 Intermediate Ulpan, Sara Kinberg, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 8pm, 718-796-4730 “Perspectives on Mitzvos Ben Adom LeChaveiro, including Bikur Cholim, Nichum Aveilim, Kibus Av V’Em, Aveilus, and Arvus,” Rabbi Yonason Sacks, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, mincha, 8pm; shiur, 8:15pm, 201-836-8916 Phone Leadership Workshop: “Clarity,” spons by Aish HaTorah, 8:30pm, info@clarityseminar.com, begins July 13 “Become Self-Sufficient in Your Learning,” Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim, Passaic Torah Institute, 8:30pm Gemara for Women, Rabbi Michael Stein, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8:30pm, 201-575-5691 or 718-548-1850 Topics in Masechta Brochos, Rabbi Yisroel Hoffman, Cong Agudath Israel, Highland Park, 8:30pm, radler@ebglaw.com “Hidden Secrets of the Three Mitzvot of Women,” Mandana Bolour, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 8:30pm, 201-568-1315 Shiur in Moreh Nevuchim, Dr. Isaac Chavel, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8:40pm, 718-548-1850 Parenting Workshop Teleconference: Learn Skills to Help Discipline and Guide Children Simply and Easily, Adina Soclof, 9pm, asoclof@parentingsimply.com Chinuch, Rabbi Tzvi Sobolofsky, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 9:15pm Gemara Shiur, Rabbi Shlomo Ziegler, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 9:30pm

Thursdays

“Summer Kollel for High School and College Students: “Understanding Judaism—The Book of Kuzari,” Rabbi Mordechai Gershon, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 10am, 201-568-1315 Summer Kollel for High School and College Students: “Ask the Rabbi—Q&A on Fascinating Torah Topics,” Rabbi Mordechai Gershon, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 11am, 201-568-1315 Beginners Ulpan, Sara Kinberg, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 6:30pm, 718-796-4730 Gemara Shiur, Rabbi Chaim Poupko, private home in Englewood, 8pm, rpoupko@ahavathtorah.org Gemara Sukkah (Iyun), Rabbi Shlomo Nussbaum, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8:35am, 732-247-0532 Siddur Hebrew, Sara Kinberg, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7:30pm, 718-796-4730 Parsha and Cholent, for teenage boys, Rabbi Becker and guest speakers, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 9pm, 732-247-0532 Chumash Shiur, Rabbi Yissocher Frand, via satellite, Cong K’Hal Zichron Mordechai, Monsey (845-356-7188);Young Israel of Fair Lawn (201-797-1800); Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck (201-907-0180); Cong Ohr

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com Torah, West Orange (973-669-7320); Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic (973773-2552), Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park (732-247-0532), 9pm Internet Shiur: Parsha Plus, Tova Cohen, 9pm, www.jewishradionetwork.net “Searching for a Philosophy of Halacha,” Eli Weber, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 9:15pm Parsha and Halacha, Rabbi Michael Taubes, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 10pm

Fridays

Kollel Boker: Halacha, Rabbi Daniel Feldman, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 6:20am Challah Baking Workshops, for children, spons by Chabad at the Shore, Margate, 10am, 11am, and noon, 609-992-4900

Shabbat

Halacha, Cong Arzei Darom, Teaneck, 8:15am, mwagshul@yahoo.com Parshas Hashavua through the Limmud of Rav Eliyahu Dessler, z”l, Mark Berman, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 10:15am, 201-568-1315 The Shabbos Party, for children, includes games, snacks, and stories, Cong Ohav Emeth, 3:15pm, begins July 9 Mother-Daughter Learning, Cong Ohr HaTorah, Bergenfield, 4pm Parent & Child Learning, for children, parents, and grandparents, with raffles and prizes, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 4:45pm, Bennett.schachter@gs.com Father-Son Learning, Cong Ohr HaTorah, Bergenfield, 5pm Pirkei Avos In-Depth, for men and women, Rabbi Mordechai Becher, Passaic Torah Institute, 5:15pm Women’s Shiur, Cong Adas Israel, Passaic, 5:30pm Gemara Brachos Shiur, private home in Fair Lawn, 7:15pm, avikuperberg@gmail.com

Motzei Shabbat

Teaneck Poker Networking Group, for men and women over 21, includes poker plus networking for professional and job recommen-

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dations in Orthodox communities throughout the NY/NJ metropolitan area, private homes in Teaneck, 10pm, amf1122jr@aol.com Navi, Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, live via satellite, Young Israel of Fair Lawn (201-797-1800); Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park (732-247-0532); Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic; JEC, Elizabeth (908-591-5929); Cong Khal Zichron Mordechai, Monsey (845-356-7188); Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck; Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange (973-669-7320), 10:30pm

Special

Cong Keter Torah Sumer Kollel, Mon-Thurs, Morning Seder: “In-Depth Shiur on Moed Katan,” Rav Eli Baruch Shulman; 9am; lunch, 12:45pm; Afternoon Seder: “Practical Laws of Aveilut,” Rav Eli Baruch Shulman, 1:45pm; Youth Programming, 5pm; dinner, 6:30pm; mincha/ma’ariv, 8pm; Night Seder: “Back from Israel,” Rabbis Eli Belizon and Shalom Baum, 8:45pm; including chavruta opportunities, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, elibelizon@gmail.com Rinat Yisrael Summer Beit Midrash for Women, chavruta opportunities with Stern College undergraduates and shiurim in Gemara, Halacha, and Tanach, at Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 212-960-5400 ext 6350 Krafts for Kids, Spons by Chabad at the Shore, Margate, Sun-Fri, 10am-1pm, 609-992-4900

New Minyanim

Shacharis, Cong Ahavas Yisrael, Edison, Mon and Thurs, 6:10am; Tues, Wed, and Fri, 6:15am,jeff613@verizon.net

Chesed Ops

Jewish Education for Special Children in River Edge is seeking male and female assistants, students in 10th grade and up, to work Sunday mornings in September from 9am-noon. Chesed credit for younger students; salary for older ones. Call Rabbi Schwab, 201-262-1090 Shearit HaPlate collects extra food from kosher restaurants, caterers, and simchas and special events, for distribution to members of the Bergen County community who are having difficulty making ends meet; to be a beneficiary or to recommend a beneficiary, contact fernamper@aol.com Y

ONLY A FEWS SPOT LE

AVAILAB

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion July 2011 Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice & Opinion”

Antisemitism at Rutgers fers courses, lectures and symposia, and Jewish cultural events; students can major or minor in Jewish studies, and the university has a program in Israel. Bias and Bullying Nevertheless, according to ZOA president Morton Klein and Susan B Tuchman, Esq, director of the ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice, Middle East studies courses at Rutgers “are so biased against Israel that Jewish students avoid them or are afraid to speak up in class and express their support for Israel.” One Jewish student, who has written some pro-Israel columns in the Rutgers

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student newspaper, the Targum, has received death threats and been bullied by a self-identified Palestinian-Arab woman who serves as the “Outreach Coordinator” for the Rutgers Center for Middle East Studies. Further, according to Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman, “on a regular basis, an extremist anti-Israel student group called BAKA (Belief, Awareness, Knowledge, and Action)—Students United for Middle East Justice, has sponsored and promoted events on campus that demonize Jews and Israel, thereby inciting hatred of them.”

On the Frontline Hillel is well aware of the problem. At its gala dinner last month, held in Livingston, undergraduate Raffi Mark of Wayne, who was honored at the event, said, “Since November of 2010, we have been subjected to numerous anti-Israel events and a significant increase in campus tensions. Rarely has a day gone by when we have not had demonstrations, op-eds, or events that seek to falsely cast Israel as an aggressive, apartheid state, or even draw comparisons between the Jewish state’s defensive actions and Nazi Germany’s Final Solution.” Rutgers Hillel executive director Andrew Getraer agreed. “Rutgers has found itself on the frontlines of international anti-Israel efforts, as well as some visiting programs that can only be described as anti-Jewish,” he said. According to ZOA, even when university officials were apprised of the situation, they “distorted and dismissed virtually all of the concerns that were raised.” “Rutgers needs to start affirmatively addressing the problems that are plaguing the campus and harming Jewish students. It’s not only Rutgers President Richard McCormick’s moral duty to eliminate antisemitic harassment and intimidation; it’s also his legal obligation under Title VI. The Office for Civil Rights has made it clear that Jewish students are entitled to the kind of college experience that every student needs and deserves: one that’s physically and emotionally safe and conducive to learning,” said Mr. Klein. Feeling Unsafe In a letter to Dr. McCormick, written last April, Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman presented a detailed account of antisemitic events and episodes that took place during the 2010-2011 academic year. On February 7, in a piece published in the Targum, Rutgers Hillel reported that “Jewish students have been threatened with violence, made to feel unsafe in their dorms, and sought formal counseling because of physical threats as well as emotional and verbal attacks on them. This includes individuals who BAKA has publicly targeted.” Mr. Klein said the Hillel report is consistent with information ZOA has received from Jewish students. “One student told us he is afraid to wear anything with the Israeli Defense Forces

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com logo on it. He is even uncomfortable discussing on campus his experience of studying abroad in Israel. Other students describe being afraid even to say on campus that they support Israel,” said Mr. Klein. One student characterized his fear of BAKA protesters as “a constant worry.” Another described feeling physically unsafe at BAKA events. This student told ZOA that when he tried to videotape a BAKA program to document and expose the “hateful falsehoods being promoted on campus about Jews and Israel,” he was forced to leave. A Jewish female student told ZOA that after BAKA had targeted her directly, “she couldn’t leave her house and was so riddled with anxiety that she couldn’t sleep.” Bedouin Diplomat According to ZOA, the tone was set on Oct. 29, 2010, when Ishmael Khaldi, the first Bedouin to serve as an Israeli deputy consul and the Jewish state’s first highranking Muslim diplomat in the state’s foreign service, came to speak for Rutgers Hillel. Hillel members told ZOA that approximately 25 anti-Israel individuals came to the event with the obvious intention of disrupting Mr. Khaldi’s talk. “Their verbal attacks on the speaker were greeted with wild cheers and applause from the rest of the anti-Israel group. The anti-Israel group interfered with Mr. Khaldi’s freedom of speech and also interfered with other students’ right to hear him and express their own opinions, and all because they disagreed with Mr. Khaldi’s views,” said ZOA. Ten Events The letter from ZOA to Dr. McCormick lists ten separate events held by BAKA, some of which may have violated US law as well as university policies and standards. All of them, according to ZOA, contributed to the hostile atmosphere felt by many Jewish students. On November 4, 2010, BAKA sponsored “US to Gaza,” a fundraiser to purchase an American ship to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza. The blockade, which is legal according to international law, was established to prevent weapons from entering the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, where they would be used to attack Israeli civilians in southern Israel. ZOA pointed out that seeking to provide material support to Hamas, which has been designated by the US as a foreign terrorist

Tammuz 57671 organization, is a violation of US law. According to student reports, the event itself incited hatred of Jews and Israel. One of the speakers exhorted the students to “transform this conflict from one between Israel and the Palestinians to one between the rest of the world and Israel.” Another speaker encouraged a boycott against Israel and compared Zionism to “white supremacy.” “The hostility in the room was unmistakable. Every attack against Israel— including the mention of suicide bombings, which have murdered innocent Jewish civilians, and other forms of violence against Israel—was chillingly greeted with cheering and loud applause,” said Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman. Equating Nakba with the Shoah A few days later, on November 10, BAKA, along with two Rutgers academic departments, the Center for Middle East Studies and the Department of Journalism and Media, hosted a program called “Arabs and the Holocaust: A History of Competing Narratives,” during which the speaker, Gilbert Achcar, claimed that denial of the “Nakba” (the “catastrophe,” which is how Palestinians refer to the founding of the State of Israel) is more serious than the Palestinians’ denial of the Holocaust. In their letter to Dr. McCormick, Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman explained that to call the establishment of the Jewish state a “catastrophe” is itself “a distortion of history intended to incite hatred of Jews and Israel.” On November 16, BAKA brought Norman Finkelstein, a notorious Holocaust minimizer and Israel-basher, to campus. The New York Times has compared Mr. Finkelstein’s book, “The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering,” to The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and described it as “verg[ing] on paranoia and…serv[ing] antisemites around the world.” Occupation On November 19, BAKA sponsored a screening of the film “Occupation 101,” whose premise is that Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria, including eastern Jerusalem, amounts to the occupation of Palestinian land. “In fact, Israel, which has an undeniable right under international law to be present in those areas, has the strongest claim to those areas,” said ZOA. On December 5, BAKA sponsored a

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“Palestine Culture Festival” that celebrated the Palestinian “legacy of resistance,” which has become a code for the endorsement of suicide bombings, terrorist attacks, and the murder of Israeli Jews. “Gaza Vigil” On January 20, 2011, BAKA sponsored a “Gaza vigil” to commemorate the “massacres” of Palestinian Arabs in Gaza during the Israeli incursion into Gaza in December 2008 through January 2009. ZOA called this program “another inflammatory falsehood that incites hatred of Jews and Israel.” “The notion that there were any ‘massacres’ is false,” said ZOA, pointing out that most of the Palestinians who died during the three-week war, “were not innocent civilians, but rather operatives for the terrorist group Hamas.” “The truth is that Israel did what any country in its position would and must do—defend its people, after innocent men, women and children in southern Israel were subjected to years of rocket and missile attacks by Palestinian Arabs in Gaza,” said ZOA, pointing out that even Richard Goldstone, who was commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the Israeli operation, recanted his previous findings and concluded that Israel did not intentionally target civilians and that any civilian deaths were inadvertent.

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion

July 2011

Antisemitism at Rutgers The Goldstone report determined that Hamas, on the other hand, had purposefully aimed its rockets at civilians. What Ethnic Cleansing? On January 29, BAKA organized an event entitled “Never Again for Anyone,” which was timed to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day and obviously intended to equate the deliberate and systematic murder of Jews and others during World War II with Israel’s policies toward Palestinians. The program’s goal was to decry the so-called “ethnic cleansing of Palestine,” a piece of propaganda ZOA called “patently absurd.” “The dramatic increase over the years in the number of Palestinian Arabs in Israel, including Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, completely invalidates the ridiculous claim that Israel is engaging in ethnic cleansing: In 1948, there were 200,000 Palestinian Arabs in these areas, while today, there are over two million,” said ZOA. False Advertising The event itself had been advertised as free to the public with a suggested donation. When the organizers saw that a large number of Jewish students and supporters of Israel had shown up, some with tee shirts with the message “Don’t Politicize the Holocaust,” they

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said the advertising had been a “mistake” and that there would be a $5 entrance fee. Observers were convinced that people who, by their attire or the signs they carried, were deemed friendly to BAKA’s cause, were admitted without charge. A very large number of students were given green wristbands and permitted to enter the auditorium without charge allegedly because they were “volunteering” at the event. When the organizers announced that BAKA members would be admitted without charge, some of the Jewish students tried to join the organization. Although Rutgers’ policy is that student organizations cannot deny membership on the basis of religion, ancestry, or other categories protected by law, BAKA refused to admit Jewish students to their group. Discrimination Inside the hall, Sara Kershnar, founder of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN), which had co-sponsored the event with BAKA and American Muslims for Palestine, reportedly told student volunteers to admit without charge anyone who appeared to be a supporter of the program’s agenda. She later reportedly told audience members, “When we saw that there were Zionists outside, we decided to change [the admission policy].”

Shehnaz Sheik Abdeljaber: “Racist Zionist pig!!!! I’m a Palestinian. Do you want to take me on? Do you want to fight? I have thick blood. Try me.” “In short, Jews and supporters of Israel were deliberately excluded from an event that was supposed to be open to Rutgers students and the public, and BAKA endorsed this discriminatory and antisemitic policy,” said ZOA. Rather than support BAKA with $5 each, the pro-Israel protesters held their demonstration outside the event’s doors. Exploiting the Holocaust Although BAKA had claimed the event was not intended to exploit the Holocaust or create moral equivalence between World War II’s Jewish victims and Palestinians, during the event, Ms. Kershnar reportedly said that Israel’s policies toward Palestinians “mirror the murder, starvation, and dehumanization that Jews experienced at the hands of the Nazis.” Other speakers maintained that “Zionists” manipulated the experiences of Jews in Europe to justify Israel’s supposed mistreatment of Palestinians. The event’s final speaker claimed, “You have the offspring of the victims of the Holocaust justifying a Holocaust committed against another people.” “In short, the event did exactly what BAKA claimed it would not do. BAKA used the Rutgers campus to distort and exploit the Holocaust, demean its

victims, and promote hatred of Jews and Israel,” said ZOA. Trying to Explain The following day, Rutgers officials issued a statement explaining that American Muslims for Palestine and IJAN, which are not affiliated with the university, had leased the hall and paid for the cost of the event, including security. The school did not take issue with the fact that BAKA had engaged in false advertising or with the fact that admission to the event was discriminatory. There was also no mention of the statements made during the program itself. “To all appearances, Rutgers simply pushed the matter under the rug, at the expense of Jewish students who view the campus as increasingly hostile to them and to Israel. The university’s seeming indifference to Jewish students’ concerns has intensified the climate of hostility,” said ZOA. Promoting BDS On March 1, as part of its “Palestine Awareness Week,” BAKA sponsored a panel discussion entitled “Israel, the Apartheid Analogy, and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement” in which Israel’s treatment of its Arab citizens was equated with South Africa’s treatment of blacks

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com under apartheid. “Speakers falsely accused Israel—the only established democracy in the Middle East, where all citizens, including Arabs, have equal rights to free speech, to practice their religion, and to vote, and where Arabs serve in the government and on the courts—of discriminating against Arabs, and they advocated in favor of hurting Israel by boycotting Israeli products and cultural exchanges,” said ZOA. One day later, as part of “Israel Apartheid Week,” BAKA erected a so-called “apartheid wall,” which it said represented Israel’s security checkpoints. ZOA told Dr. McCormick Israel was forced to construct a security fence to protect innocent Israeli civilians from drive-by shootings and other terrorist attacks. “If there were no Arab terrorism against Israel, there would be no fence,” said ZOA. Competing Attractions According to ZOA, the wall erected by BAKA was set up outside the entrance to one of Rutgers’ main dining halls on campus, making it impossible for students to avoid it. Students in the dormitory adjacent to the dining hall were forced to walk around the wall in order to get to the rest of the campus. “Students were unable to escape the wall and its hateful and false propaganda message,” said ZOA. Hillel students responded by setting up a booth near BAKA’s apartheid wall where they handed out cake with an Israeli flag design in the icing as well as pamphlets, Israeli candy, and snacks. Hillel students said the proIsrael side attracted far more passers-by than did the wall. Death Threat At least one Jewish student leader on campus has stood up to BAKA, and paid for it with

threats and episodes of official bullying. Aaron Marcus, a junior whose column, “Marcus My Words,” appears in the Targum several times a week, was one of the Jewish leaders who organized the protest of BAKA’s “Never Again for Anyone” event. When relevant, Mr. Marcus writes about Israel, and, as a result, he said, he has been subjected to name-calling, harassment, attempts at intimidation, and death threats. After Mr. Marcus published a column entitled “BAKA Must End Hateful Tactics,” another Rutgers student responded with a posted message on Facebook: “As I was reading the Aaron Marcus column this morning, I realized how Im [sic] a pretty angry person. Id [sic] be happy to see him beat with a crowbar. Violence doesnt [sic] solve problems but it shuts up people who shouldnt [sic] speak.” At least seven of the student’s Facebook friends clicked “like” on this message, indicating their approval of the threat of violence. One responded with a threat of his own: “Or makes them martyrs, furthering the strength behind their beliefs. And skinning them alive so they see the afterlife.” Seeking Help Feeling threatened and intimidated, Mr. Marcus sought police protection and removed his contact information from the Rutgers directory. He also filed a bias incident report with the Dean of Students. The Rutgers Code of Conduct specifically states that threatening the use of force against a person is prohibited and the violator is subject to suspension or expulsion. Although Rutgers maintains that victims of bias will be contacted within 24 hours of filing a report, it took school officials

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Antisemitism at Rutgers more than a month before getting back to Mr. Marcus. He was notified by the Dean of Students that, based on the evidence, there were insufficient grounds to formally charge the other student with a violation of the code of student conduct. “The student’s Facebook posting, threatening to ‘shut up’ Aaron by beating him with a crowbar should have been sufficient evidence of a threat,” said ZOA. According to Mr. Marcus, neither the dean nor any other university official reached out to him for more information after he filed his bias report. The Dean of Students said he would meet with the student who issued the threat and give him “a warning.” The second student who threatened Mr. Marcus suffered no consequences at all. Palestine Children’s Relief On another occasion, Mr. Marcus wrote an opinion piece critical of the decision by the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) to support a group called the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF). In his piece, Mr. Marcus raised concerns about PCRF’s ties to terrorist groups and questioned whether this was an appropriate organization for the student government of Rutgers to support financially. PCRF has had financial

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dealings with the Holy Land Foundation, which was shut down by the US government on suspicion of funneling donations to terrorist organizations, and the Zayed Foundation, whose website promoted Holocaust denial and declared that the attacks on Sept 11 were a hoax. PCRF’s spokeswoman, Rosemary David, also known as Shadya Hantouli, ran a website called Palestine4Ever, which featured a photo gallery of suicide bombers. PCRF’s director, Steve Sosebee, has been quoted as saying he thought his organization “was a good way to contribute to the struggle and provide humanitarian service at the same time.” In response to Mr. Marcus’s piece, the then-RUSA treasurer, now president, posted on Facebook a hateful comment, filled with four-letter expletives, saying he wanted to take out a fullpage ad in the Targum to write an obscenity about Mr. Marcus “and all the other people trying to pass off rooster entrails as a smoking gun that PCRF funds terrorists.” Official Antisemitism Even more shocking was the fact that Mr. Marcus’s column prompted antisemitic bullying from a university official. Shehnaz Sheik Abdeljaber, the Outreach Coordinator at Rutgers’ Center for Middle East Studies,

responded to the RUSA treasurer’s comment with a note of her own in which she referred to Mr. Marcus as “that racist Zionist pig!!!!” Ms. Abdeljaber, who has designated herself as a spokesman against bullying, then proceeded to encourage others to post such comments attacking and maligning Mr. Marcus. “It is unacceptable for anyone—particularly a university official—to publicly disparage, malign, and bully a student for expressing his personal views about Israel or anything else,” said ZOA. Physical Confrontation But Ms. Abdeljaber did more than just attack Mr. Marcus in writing. After an RUSA meeting during which PCRF was discussed, she rushed at Mr. Marcus, who was talking with friends, and began yelling, “I’m a Palestinian. Do you want to take me on? Do you want to fight? I have thick blood. Try me.” According to students who were present, Ms. Abdeljaber repeatedly pounded on her chest, pointing to her necklace, which was a silhouette of Israel covered by a Palestinian flag. One of the students with Mr. Marcus described Ms. Abdeljaber’s conduct as “very intimidating and trying to provoke a fight.” Mr. Marcus and his friends urged Ms. Abdeljaber to “calm down,” and, when that was un-

successful, another university official called police to diffuse the situation. ZOA has urged Rutgers to investigate the incident and, if warranted, impose appropriate sanctions. “If the investigation shows that Ms. Abdeljaber did in fact threaten, intimidate, bully, and malign Mr. Marcus, she should be fired. It is elementary that the Outreach Coordinator for Rutgers’ Center for Middle East Studies should be reaching out to all Rutgers students—including those who support the Jewish State of Israel—and not bullying, threatening, or intimidating them,” said ZOA. Unproductive Meeting At the beginning of February 2011, a few Jewish students met with two university officials—Gregory Blimling, vice-president for student affairs, and Kerri Willson, director of student involvement—to discuss their concerns about the hostile campus atmosphere. According to the students, the meeting was unproductive. The students said the university officials put them on the defensive and were dismissive about their issues. When the students tried to discuss what had happened at the “Never Again for Anyone” event, Dr. Blimling said he

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Ess Gezint: Norene’s Healthy Kitchen Dieters—especially kosher ones—rejoice. Norene Gilletz, whose books have become literal “Bibles” for those concerned about health and weight, is back with Norene’s Healthy Kitchen. Published by Whitecap, the book features more than 600 recipes, virtually all of them easy, delicious, family-friendly, heart-smart, and diabetic and weight-loss conscious, complete with calorie counts and as much information as anyone could need. And she strives to keep the frustration level low. “If I can’t prepare a recipe quickly or use easy-to-find ingredients, it probably won’t be in this book,” she says—and we believe her. While Norene’s Health Kitchen does not ignore meat and chicken, here are some of her recipes that are perfect for the Nine Days—or anytime.

Pumpkin Hummus

6 cloves garlic minced ¼ cup fresh parsley or cilantro leaves 1 (19-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed ¼ cup tahini (sesame paste) ¼ cup lemon juice 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

One (15-oz) can pumpkin 2 tsp cumin, or to taste 1 tsp salt, or to taste ¼ tsp smoked or Hungarian paprika ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 1-2 tsp maple syrup (to taste) Pumpkin seeds, for garnish

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the garlic and parsley or cilantro until finely minced, about 10 seconds. Add the chickpeas and process until puréed, about 18-20 seconds. Add remaining ingredients except pumpkin seeds and process until very smooth, about 2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water. Transfer the puréed mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight. When serving, garnish with pumpkin seeds. Freezes well up to a month. Yields about 4 cups. 19 calories per Tbs. Delicious as a dip for raw vegetables.

Bake ‘n’ Fake Tofu Fingers

1½ cups corn flakes ⅓ cup wheat germ ⅓ cup sesame seeds ½ tsp salt ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp Italian seasoning 1 lb extra-firm tofu ⅔ cup bottled BBQ or duck sauce

Preheat oven to 400º. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or sprayed foil. Combine the cereal, wheat germ, sesame seeds, and seasonings in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 6-8 seconds to make coarse crumbs. Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl. Slice the tofu into 1-inch slices. Then cut each slice into strips about 1-inch wide. There should be about 20 strips. Pat the strips dry with paper towels. Dip each strip in a bowl of BBQ sauce and then into the crumb mixture. Arrange the coated strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake uncovered for 7-8 minutes. Turn the strips over and bake another 7-8 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Yields 20 tofu fingers, 56 calories each.

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Antisemitism at Rutgers and other university officials had already heard about the incident and would not address it again. One of the students at the meeting had already filed a bias complaint and had been led to believe by Dean Cheryl Clarke of the Bias Prevention and Education Committee that her complaint would be addressed at the meeting with Dr. Blimling and Ms. Willson. She said that when she and the other students tried to explain why the campus felt hostile to them, Dr. Blimling changed the subject to discuss “Islamaphobia,” “how Muslims are portrayed on Fox News,” and “the objections that have been raised to building a mosque near Ground Zero in Manhattan.” None of these issues had any relevance to the Jewish students’ request for the meeting. Imaginary Speaker According to the students, Dr. Blimling and Ms. Willson repeatedly brought up grievances expressed by the BAKA students. Their chief complaint seemed to focus on a speaker whom the BAKA students said Hillel was planning to bring to campus. In fact, neither Hillel nor, as far as the students knew, any other Jewish pro-Israel group on campus had plans to host this particular speaker. “Dr. Blimling and Ms. Willson made the Jewish students

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feel as if they were the aggressors against BAKA students and that they had engaged in hostility toward Muslims, when nothing could be further from the truth,” said ZOA. Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman said it was unimportant whether Hillel or any other group wanted to bring the speaker whom BAKA found objectionable. “To the Jewish students, who had been forced to endure one hateful antisemitic speaker after the next, all sponsored by BAKA, without one word of condemnation from Rutgers officials, it was difficult to believe that Dr. Blimling and Ms. Willson now appeared to be making a judgment about a speaker that Hillel might have been considering,” said Mr. Klein. Ugly Bias The Rutgers officials had originally suggested a followup to that first meeting, perhaps with leaders of the Jewish students and BAKA, but it never materialized. When the female student who had filed a bias report asked for a meeting to discuss her concerns, Dean Clarke told her, “If Kerri [Willson] has time. But we if we are not going to cover any new ground, what will be the use. We will not say anything you will agree with.” The Jewish students were even unable to broach the issue

of the harassment and intimidation they find in the classroom. They told ZOA that Middle East studies courses are “so unfairly biased against Israel that they are too uncomfortable or intimidated to enroll in any of these courses.” “When they do enroll, they go in expecting that the professor will be biased against Israel and it is simply a question of just how ugly the bias will be,” said ZOA. Suggestions In their letter to Dr. McCormack, Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman offered several concrete suggestions that, they said, could be taken to eliminate “the hostile antisemitic environment on campus.” These included (1) speaking out and publicly condemning antisemitism in all its forms when it occurs at Rutgers, including when anti-Israel and anti-Zionist sentiment crosses the line into antisemitism;(2) investigating Ms. Abdeljaber’s behavior and, if the allegations are substantiated, firing her; (3) investigating thoroughly and resolving fairly every bias report that Jewish students have filed; (4) investigating thoroughly what occurred at the “Never Again for Anyone” event to “determine whether BAKA should be disciplined for violating university policies;” and (5) undertaking a comprehensive

review of university course descriptions and materials “to correct anti-Israel bias that permeates the classroom, creating a hostile learning environment for Jewish students.” In his response to ZOA, Dr. McCormack indicated he was trying to balance Free Speech with the government’s Title Six requirements. He argued that “the First Amendment limits the ability of Rutgers to discipline its students for intolerant statements,” but, he said, the school “addresses allegations of antisemitic statements or offensive expressions that do not constitute violations of the Code of Student Conduct or rise to the level of criminal harassment, with education about how such statements affect other members of the university community.” Other Meetings He explained that, after the “Never Again for Anyone” episode, Dr. Blimling had met with Rutgers Hillel and Chabad House leaders and has been “actively involved in mediating conflicts between Jewish students and students in the Muslim and Arab community.” Regarding the “Never Again for Anyone” event, Dr. McCormack said that while neither American Muslims for Palestine nor the IJAN was affiliated with the university, several Rutgers student groups, including BAKA,

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Antisemitism at Rutgers

supported the program and that the $5 fee was imposed “as a crowd-control measure by one of the non-university hosts against the advice of the Rutgers personnel who attended the event.” Dr. McCormack said that although Rutgers Hillel acknowledged that no one was actually denied access to the event, the university has forbidden the IJAN to use any Rutgers facility until 2013. Unclear Agenda The agenda for the meeting with the Jewish students and Dr. Blimling and Ms. Willson seems to have been misinterpreted by all the players. According to Dr. McCormack, its purpose was not to discuss the Jewish student’s feelings, but, rather, to have them “understand” the Muslim students’ perspective. He said there had been similar meetings held for BAKA students and that while Rutgers officials were prepared to conduct more such sessions, faculty advisors for Hillel and BAKA said they were not necessary because “relationships between the two student groups had improved.” Addressing the Law He would not comment on the legality of the “US to Gaza” event beyond saying that he believed the school “has handled that matter appropriately.” In a letter to Chabad and Hillel faculty advisors, Dr. Blimling said that, on the issue of the fundraiser for the boat to attempt to break the Israeli blockade of

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Gaza, Rutgers had consulted an “out-ofstate law firm with expertise in international law to assist us in deciding the appropriate response to legal questions regarding student financial support for the US to Gaza flotilla.” Regarding the episodes of the death threats against Mr. Marcus, Dr. McCormack said the university “is aware of each incident and has conducted appropriate investigations.” “Any reports of physical intimidation and threats of harm are regularly referred to the Rutgers University Police Department,” he said. Taking Steps Along with his letter to ZOA, Dr. McCormack included one from Dr. Blimling to Rabbi Yosef Carlebach, director of Rutgers Chabad, and Mr. Getraer, summarizing their meeting. Dr. Blimling told Rabbi Carlebach and Mr. Getraer that Rutgers was addressing tensions between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups on campus by: (1) encouraging the Targum to discontinue publishing anonymous comments in its electronic edition and to print only letters that are newsworthy rather than merely provocative; (2) meeting with student groups and their advisors; (3) restricting access to university facilities by the IJAN “for conduct that was inconsistent with our principles of open access to programs and activities;” and (4) engaging “members of the Jewish community and Middle Eastern community in discussions about how we can move forward with civil dis-

cussions on important issues when people of goodwill disagree.” In a follow-up letter to Dr. McCormick from ZOA, dated June 21, Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman said Dr. Blimling’s letter to the Jewish faculty advisors, in which he referred to “Jewish students” on one hand, and “student members of a group dedicated to political and human rights issues in the Middle East” on the other, displayed “possible bias” on the part of the vice-president for student affairs. “What a perplexing and disconcerting way to characterize Jewish students versus the student membership of BAKA. It certainly sounds like Dr. Blimling is implying that Jewish students are not dedicated to political and human rights issues in the Middle East, and that BAKA is. Had Dr. Blimling accurately described BAKA, he would have noted that this group is viciously anti-Israel, advocating harming and even destroying the Jewish State. Dr. Blimling’s characterization of BAKA is preposterous and offensive,” said Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman. While Dr. Blimling did not recommend limiting free speech, he told the Jewish faculty advisors that “membership in the university community carries with it a duty…to respect the rights of those whose views may differ from our own.” “It is not necessary that such dialogues result in agreement, but they must not result in contempt, open hostility, or personal attacks,” he said. Inadequate Response In their follow-up letter, the ZOA called Rutger’s response “inadequate.” Mr. Klein said he was particularly irked that Dr. McCormack “completely ignored the threats, harassment, and intimidation that Rutgers student Aaron Marcus has been subjected to by other students and shockingly by a university official.” “There’s no doubt that if a university official engaged in bigoted and hateful name-calling against a gay or AfricanAmerican student, or threatened and tried to provoke a physical fight with a gay or African-American student, Rutgers wouldn’t tolerate that behavior for one second. And it shouldn’t. We are shocked that Rutgers is allowing someone who’s been given the title ‘Outreach Coordinator’ of Rutgers’ Middle East Studies Center to continue in

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Theatre Review

Intergalactic Music Off-Broadway Courtesy of Israel

few years ago, Lior Kalfo, an Israeli-based awardwinning writer, director, and comedian, and Shai Fishman, a musical director, arranger, and composer, started fooling with the idea of a show built around eight white-faced, ruby-lipped aliens whose energy system is based on music produced solely

by the human voice. These are the Voca People, now performing at the Westside Theater, 407 W 43rd Street, in Manhattan, but Messrs Kalfo and Fishman did not fool 10-year-old Judy Rosenbluth or her 9-year-old cousin Avigayil. After listening to the ferociously talented troupe

Antisemitism at Rutgers that position, after she bullied and threatened a Jewish student simply because he exercised his right to express his views. What Jewish and pro-Israel student would ever feel comfortable taking a Middle East studies course when the coordinator of the center has shown such viciousness toward Jews and Israel?” said Mr. Klein. He noted that ZOA was not the only organization to complain about Ms. Abdeljaber’s conduct. In May, the Anti-Defamation League wrote to Dr. McCormick, urging the school to investigate and take appropriate disciplinary action against the “Outreach Coordinator.” Jayne Grandes, director of Rutgers’ Office of Employment Equity, told the ADL that Ms. Abdeljaber’s comments on Facebook and during her face-to-face confrontation with Mr. Marcus “did not rise to the level of harassment actionable under university policy.”

combine a cappella songs and beat-box music with dance and pure onstage fun, they understood: These “aliens,” who came to New York courtesy of the talented Israelis, were actually performers looking for a Shabbos simcha. Well, it may not be what Messrs Kalfo and Fishman

had in mind, but it works as well as their premise. To hear them tell it, the Voca People are from outer space—somewhere just beyond the sun— who were forced to crash land in upstate New York, at least, that’s what they say now that they’re playing Off-Broadway.

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Disingenuous Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman found that response disingenuous. “We wonder whether Ms. Grandes would have reached the same conclusion had a university official maligned an AfricanAmerican or Hispanic student on Facebook, by engaging in bigoted and racist name-calling. We believe the university would have immediately condemned such conduct and found those comments actionable. Bigotry directed against a Jewish student must be taken just as seriously,” they said. They told Dr. McCormick they were not suggesting that any students be disciplined for “intolerant statements,” but, rather for “violating university policies that prohibit false advertising, engaging in discriminatory conduct, and threatening another student.” “The university’s inaction violates university policy and shows a complete insensitivity

to and lack of concern for the problems that Jewish students are facing,” they said. They noted that Rutgers’ decision to sanction the IJAN demonstrates that there was “wrongdoing” at the “Never Again for Anyone” event. “Why wasn’t BAKA also sanctioned for enforcing and implementing the unadvertised fee?” they asked. What Hillel Programs? To Dr. McCormick’s claim that BAKA, too, had concerns about programs sponsored by Rutgers Hillel, Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman said they would like to know specifically which Hillel programs were problematic. “Hillel sponsors positive cultural programs about Israel, without attacking, maligning, or demonizing anyone. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the programs BAKA has sponsored and promoted,” they said, adding that “it is offensive and wrong” for Rutgers to equate the two groups’ activities. “They are not comparable,” said Mr. Klein and Ms. Tuchman. Among Hillel’s programs were IsraelFest, which included a large inflatable rock wall labeled Masada that could be climbed, and numerous Jewish religious and cultural events. “This year has been stressful with constant reminders of the antisemitic, anti-Israel movement on campus, but Hillel has

remained not only supportive but a true safe haven against the negativity,” said Mr. Mark. Efforts Needed Concluding their letter to Dr. McCormick, Mr. Klein said it was “simply not true” that relations between the Jewish groups and BAKA made a second meeting unnecessary. In fact, ZOA said, there never was even a first meeting because BAKA refused to sit down with the Jewish student groups. “BAKA members have shown contempt and open hostility, and launched personal attacks on other students, which is exactly what Dr. Blimling described in his March 2011 letter as antithetical to the values of the university. If BAKA is going to continue as a recognized student group at Rutgers, it should be held to the standards of respect, tolerance and civility that other student groups adhere to,” said ZOA. ZOA stressed that to comply with the school’s legal obligations until Title VI, Dr. McCormick would have to eliminate antisemitic harassment and intimidation. “The impact has been serious: Jewish students feel threatened and intimidated, their emotional well-being has suffered, and their ability to participate in and benefit from Rutgers’ programs and activities has been impaired,” said ZOA. S.L.R.

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The Counter-Boycott of Scottish Whiskey from West Durbanshire

To The Fine Whisky Distillers of West Dunbartonshire, including Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd., Auchentoshan Distillery, Distillers of Auchintoshan, Loch Lomond Distillery Co. Ltd, Lomond Industrial Estate Distillers of Loch Lomond, Littlemill, Chivas Brothers, Kilmalid, Distillers of Ballantine’s, Something Special, Aberlour, Tormore, Walker Special Old I have enjoyed your fine whisky products for many years, and believe they are truly world-class. Unfortunately, due to the actions of your esteemed West Dunbartonshire council members, I will not be able to enjoy your whisky for the foreseeable future. It has come to my attention that the West Dunbartonshire Council claims to have voted unanimously to boycott Israeli products, arguing that “loss of life in Palestine now numbers well over 1,000” and that officers of the council will “immediately cease the purchase of any goods which were made or grown in Israel. Officers should also ensure we procure no new goods or produce from Israel until this boycott is formally lifted.” I find it disturbing that the esteemed council found no reason to mention the reason for the IDF’s operation in Gaza: the intentional targeting of civilian infants, children, women and men by Gaza’s Hamas government; the thousands of rockets they launched at Israel’s civilian population; and the restraint that Israel employed over the previous years when attacked on a daily basis. The IDF does not target civilians. The vast majority of Palestinians that Israel killed have been terrorists. Palestinians terrorists routinely use hospitals, mosques, and schools to launch their rocket attacks on Israel. Try defending your population from terrorists and see if you can guarantee zero collateral damage. How would you deal with Gazas’ Arabs’ targeting Scotland’s babies? We are not talking about isolated attacks on Israelis, but about thousands of rockets launched at Israel’s civilian population. The restraint of Israel under attack is astounding, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently told the US Congress: “Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel’s Arab citizens enjoy real democratic rights!” Lastly, PA President, Mahmoud Abbas insists the future state of Palestine will be “free of Jews.” The State of Israel, on the other hand, offers equal freedom for all its citizens, Jew, Arab, and Christian alike, but the West Dunbartonshire Council boycott unfortunately attempts to undermine the very success of Israel as a democracy. Therefore, it saddens me to inform you that the global counter-boycott of Scottish whisky products distilled in the West Durbanshire Council region is beginning. When, your local council representatives boycott my country, under the most unethical and immoral of pretexts, you cannot expect your market to sit idly and pretend you are not perverting justice. • The counter-boycott is on the purchase of Scottish Whisky distilled in the West Durbanshire council region. • The counter-boycott is not retroactive and applies only to purchases made from July 2011 onwards. • The counter-boycott will not prevent global residents from purchasing whisky products, distilled outside of West Dunbartonshire.

Letters to the Editor • The counter-boycott is instigated in response to conduct and boycott initiated by the West Durbanshire Council and applies to no specific ethnic or religious group. This is in direct opposition to the West Durbanshire Council which refuses to condemn the actions of Palestinian terrorists targeting Israeli civilians and the antisemitic, racist declarations of the PA, which calls for a “Jew-free” apartheid, State of Palestine. Rabbi Dr. Jeremiah Unterman Fair Lawn, NJ

Rep West: Obama, Don’t Send Israel Back to Pre-1967

The endorsement by President Barack Obama of the creation of a Hamas-led Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, signals the most egregious foreign policy decision his administration has made to date, and could be the beginning of the end as we know it for the Jewish state. From the moment the modern-day state of Israel declared statehood in 1948, to the end of the 1967 Six Day War, Jews were forbidden access to their holiest site, the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, controlled by Jordan’s Arab army. The pre-1967 borders endorsed by President Obama would deny millions of the world’s Jews access to their holiest site and force Israel to return the strategically important Golan Heights to Syria, a known state-sponsor of terrorism. Resorting to the pre-1967 borders would mean a full withdrawal by the Israelis from the West Bank and the Jewish neighborhoods of eastern Jerusalem. Make no mistake, there has always been a Nation of Israel and Jerusalem has been and must always be recognized as its rightful capital. In short, the Hamas-run Palestinian state envisioned by President Obama would be devastating to Israel and the world’s 13.3 million Jews. It would be a Pavlovian-style reward to a declared Islamic terrorist organization, and an unacceptable policy initiative. America should never negotiate with the Palestinian Authority—which has aligned itself with Hamas. Palestine is a region, not a people or a modern state. Based upon Roman Emperor Hadrian’s declaration in 73 CE, the original Palestinian people are the Jewish people. It’s time for the American people to stand by our strongest ally, the Jewish State of Israel, and reject this foreign policy blunder of epic proportions. While the winds of democracy may blow strong in the Middle East, history has demonstrated that gaps in leadership can lead to despotic regimes. I have questions for President Obama: Who will now lead in Egypt? and Why should American taxpayers provide foreign aid to a nation when the next chapter in their history may be the emergence of another radical Islamic state? President Obama has not stood for Israel or the Jewish people and has not made it clear where the United States will stand when the Palestinians attempt to gain recognition of statehood by the United Nations. The President should focus on the real obstacle to security—the Palestinian leadership and its ultimate goal to eliminate Israel and the Jewish people.” Rep Allen West (R-FL) Washington, DC

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“Thought Is the World of Freedom” (R’ Dov Ber of Mazeritch) O Canada

It would be most appropriate for our community to send letters of appreciation to Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, for singlehandedly preventing an unfair statement against Israel at the recent G-8 meeting. Mr. Harper opposed a G-8 declaration reiterating President Obama’s statement regarding the 1967 borders. The declaration as it stood did not include President Obama’s suggestions for Palestinian concessions, such as recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and acceptance of Palestine as a de-militarized state. Mr. Harper, who has a proven record of support for Israel, was the only member of the G-8 to demand a balanced declaration. As a result, no declaration was issued. His address is: The Right Honourable Stephen Harper Prime Minister of Canada Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON Canada His email address is pm@pm.gc.ca Let’s do it. Charles Ickowicz Teaneck, NJ

What We Should Ask President Obama To Do

In his letter to the Jewish Voice and Opinion [“It Would Be a Non-Starter,” June 2011], Rep. Steven Rothman praised President Obama for telling Jews of his “unshakable commitment to the safety and security of Israel.” Jews have heard this mantra many times before from politicians seeking Jewish votes and money. Rep. Rothman would have more credibility if he had: 1. demanded that Obama apologize for his disgraceful treatment of Prime Minister Netanyahu on his recent trips to Washington. 2. demanded that Obama explain why he refuses to obey the law that requires moving the American Embassy to Jerusalem. 3. Protested Obama’s strong preference for the Palestine Arabs over Israel and supplying them with money and an American-trained and armed military force.

4. expressed his shock over Obama’s rejection of all requests to free Jonathan Pollard and not to allow him to visit his 95year-old father before he died or to attend his funeral. It made little difference to the former community organizer that Morris Pollard was a distinguished researcher on viral diseases and a retired biology professor from Notre Dame University. George Rubin New York, NY

1967 Borders [Sic]

When will newspapers begin to add “sic” after each mention of “1967 borders?” There are no such borders, even if journalists, politicians, and writers of “letters to the editor” use the term. The 1967 lines are actually the 1949 armistice lines, which supposedly ended hostilities between Israel and the Arab states which attacked it following our 1948 Declaration of Independence. By repeatedly mentioning “1967 borders,” newspapers add to the confusion surrounding the issue of establishing lawful borders, should genuine peace negotiations ever be held. Mentioning the erroneous borders validates President Obama’s idea of “one-for-one land swaps” between Israel and a future Palestinian state. This is contrary to Security Council Resolution 242, which explicitly and definitively makes no mention of Israel handing over land to the Arabs (Palestinians were not mentioned in the document) following their aggressive war against us. The resolution merely requires Israel to withdraw its armed forces “from territories [some, not all] occupied in the recent conflict,” upon the achievement of a “peaceful and accepted settlement.” Stephen Kramer Alfei Menashe, Israel The Jewish Voice and Opinion welcomes letters, especially if they are typed, double-spaced, and legible. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and style. Please send all correspondence to POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631. The phone number is (201) 569-2845. The FAX number is (201) 569-1739. The email address is susan@jewishvoiceandopinion.com

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The Jewish Voice and Opinion

Voca People

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continued from page 42

When they perform in Spain, Italy, France, England, Israel, Japan, or South America, the landing is someplace else. Extraterrestrials without a smartphone to call home, they can energize their kaput spacecraft only with music, and they do not use any device except the human voice. Their range of sounds and simulated instruments make not only beautiful music, but truly exciting theater. They rarely get through a whole song, but, rather, rifts from every genre, from rock to orchestral classics, show music to country, movie music to 40s and 50s pop and folk. If you listen carefully, you can even hear some Israeli favorites. Those aliens must have picked up something from Messrs Kalfo and Fishman. This is an interactive show. The fourth wall disappears,

ALAN L. MUSICANT

July 2011

and there the aliens are, right in the audience, dancing, singing, and having as much fun as, well, two little girls from New Jersey. Mr. Kalfo knows. He and his wife, Ravital, and their own two little girls, Yasmin, 6, and Mika, 3, live in the lovely town of Binyamina, south of Haifa and north of Netanya, known for its production of wine and honey. Now it will also be known for producing Voca People. Mr. Fishman, who currently resides in Los Angeles, is also originally from Israel, where he taught and served as musical director at the Beit Zvi High School for the Performing Arts in Ramat Gan and the Yoram Levinstein School of Acting in South Tel Aviv. Before moving to the US, he served as musical director and arranger for a host of

shows, ranging from A Chorus Line to West Side Story. Proficient on piano, trumpet, French horn, sax, flute, drums, and bass guitar (all of which he plays as instruments, not with his voice), he is the house composer and music producer for NASA and has scored, conducted, and produced 15 Judy, left, and Avigayil Rosenbluth and the Voca People feature films— before getting a funny and often touching involved with aliens. personality. By the time the show is Messrs Kalfo and Fishman over, you could lose your heart say Voca People is for ages 4-104; to these strange characters, Judy and Avigayil figured six each of whom blossoms into would be the youngest. S.L.R.

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Live Where You Can Walk to Shul

Muslim Brotherhood trol, its leaders say, they will replace Western democratic values with Sharia law because, they say, it is the “true democracy.” Drastic Changes Egyptian women may well be the first to recognize drastic changes. The MB, which supports female genital mutilation, says it will institute a “campaign against ostentation in dress and loose behavior.” Male and female students will be segregated and private meetings between men and women, unless they are closely related, will be a crime. Dancing and other such pastimes will be forbidden. The second group to see changes would be tourists if indeed that industry is ever revitalized in Egypt. Under the MB, visitors would be expected to “familiarize themselves with Muslim religious boundaries so as not to transgress them in public during their stay.” Some observers said that clause in the MB’s platform infuriated Egypt’s tourist agencies who claimed the MB’s goal is to sabotage the Egyptian economy. No Christianity During the uprising, some members of the MB seemed caught up in the ethos of the Arab Spring, announcing to

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the media that they would open their party to participation by all Egyptians, including Christian Copts. In the months since those heady first days, there have been numerous murders in the Coptic-Christian community, which accounts for 10 percent of Egypt’s population of 83 million. Salafi Muslims, members of a Saudi-linked sect related to the Wahhabi-brand of Islam practiced by Al Qaeda, once restricted themselves to preaching hate against all those with whom they disagreed. Now that they are working closely with the MB, the Salafis have been actively persecuting the Copts. “We won’t leave any Christians in this country,” one Salafi member told his torture victim who then reported his story to the Wall Street Journal. His attackers were never arrested. Same Concerns Salafi leader Safwat Hegazy, a Saudi-trained cleric who is also a member of the MB, told reporters, “We found out after the revolution that the Salafis and the Brotherhood have the same concerns.” One of their issues is to prevent any reforms to Egypt’s school curriculum, which is currently laden with antisemitic and anti-Christian sentiments.

“Egypt’s schools present Islam as the ‘only true faith.’ The textbooks define Christians and Jews as infidels,” said Yohanan Manor, chairman and co-founder of the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education, a Jerusalem-based think-tank that just completed a report showing that the Egyptian curriculum needs to undergo “drastic reform” before it can comply with international standards. No Educational Reform Before his expulsion from office, Mr. Mubarak had announced plans for comprehensive reforms to “purge school curricula of erroneous views and material that incites extreme violence,” such as references to “jihad in Allah’s name.” That seems quite out of the picture now. “Terms like civil or secular state are misleading,”

MB’s Sobhi Saleh told the Egyptian daily Al Masry Al Youm. “Islamic Sharia is the best system for Muslims and non-Muslims.” Statements like that prompted Israeli columnist Barry Rubin to dismiss articles which insinuate that only the Jewish state and its supporters would be upset by this development. According to Mr. Rubin, it would affect those who care about US interests, moderate Arab regimes, and Muslims who oppose revolutionary Islamism. “We are supposed to believe that only Israel and the Jews will be upset about the Obama administration moving closer to a radical antisemitic, anti-Christian, anti-American, anti-Western, pro-terrorist group that wants to repress women, kill gays, and overturn pretty much every existing government in the region?” he said. S.L.R.

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