Syr0216 by Jewish Federation of CNY

7 ADAR I 5776 • FEBRUARY 18, 2016 • VOLUME XXXVII, NUMBER 4 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY

Federation announces 2016 Community Program Awards BY JUDITH STANDER The Jewish Federation of Central New York has announced that 13 grant applications for specialized community program funding were approved by the Board of Directors at its January meeting. The Federation’s Allocations Committee consists of Co-Chairs Ellen Weinstein and Cheryl Schotz and members Marc Beckman, Fran Berg, Phil Holstein, David Horowitch, Jef Sneider, Steve Volinsky, Ruth Stein and Linda Alexander. Of 17 requests for funding received, totaling $109,230, 13 proposals totaling $62,650 were recommended by the Committee to the Board of Directors for its approval. Each program is said to add “a new or expanded component to Jewish life, heritage and culture in the community.” CHABAD LUBAVITCH OF CENTRAL NEW YORK – $1,100 Project CKIDSGROW utilizes technology to teach about “social justice and getting along with all people.” It teaches about Jewish history and Jewish heroes with the “54 Jewish Heroes” decks of cards. There will be multiple sessions throughout the year.

RABBI JACOB EPSTEIN HIGH SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES – $2,500 “Packing for College: Where Does Judaism Fit?” is a program that seeks to empower high school students to knowledgably choose a college, engage successfully on campus, navigate difficult situations and make decisions confidently from a Jewish perspective. HILLEL AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY – $2,500 Students can apply for scholarship assistance to attend conferences that offer opportunities for honing their leadership skills, networking and accepting leadership roles. These experiences are intended to help enrich individual students and the broader community of Jewish students on campus. It is hoped that students will be able to increase Israel education and engagement on campus as a result of the experiences. Funding will not be used for staff, political meetings or lobbying. THE SAM POMERANZ JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SYRACUSE – $10,000 The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community

Center of Syracuse will use this funding to be able to continue offering kosher meals to seniors five days a week, along with Judaic programming, and continue to foster the socialization and camaraderie of the senior population. This is a onetime grant. JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER AND SYRACUSE HEBREW DAY SCHOOL – $2,300 The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse and the Syracuse Hebrew Day School have collaborated to bring Mainstages to the community. Mainstages is designed to provide Jewish theater for early childhood, Jewish nursery schools and after school programs and the Syracuse Hebrew Day School. JUDAIC HERITAGE CENTER – $2,500 This grant will allow a continuation of the collection of video stories already produced and distributed by the Judaic Heritage Center of Central New York. Part two will include interviews with additional members and former members of the Syracuse Jewish community. It will also include memories of Jewish businesses,

institutions and synagogues. MENORAH PARK OF CENTRAL NEW YORK CATERING AT THE OAKS – $9,000 This project will focus on kosher community building, including the kosher catering services at Menorah Park through the kitchen facilities of The Oaks. The goals of the plan are to increase access to quality kosher food, including food to-go or for home delivery and for family gatherings. It aims to increase the flexibility of holding kosher community events at various locations. Food options are to include an assortment of foods suitable for any type of activity. RABBINICAL COUNCIL OF SYRACUSE – $3,750 A short handbook on Jewish funeral and mourning customs will be prepared. It has been endorsed by all members of the Syracuse Rabbinical Council. It will be designed to help the entire community learn, understand and observe the customs of mourning shared by the Jewish people for centuries. Distribution has been planned for every Jewish home in See “Awards” on page 7

Marc Beckman to be honored at Syracuse Hebrew Day School celebration dinner on March 5 BY LORI TENENBAUM This year, the Syracuse Hebrew Day School’s event “SHDS - Honoring our Past and Planting the Seeds for Our Future” will be a celebration dinner to benefit the school’s scholarship fund, allowing the school to provide financial assistance to families in need. It will be held on Saturday, March 5, at 7:30 pm, in the Temple Adath Yeshurun ballroom. SHDS is said to be committed to “providing an exemplary education” to all who wish to attend, regardless of a family’s ability to pay. Co-Chair Anick Sinclair said, “As a cornerstone of the Jewish community in Syracuse... it is imperative that we all support this truly important and nurturing school to ensure our Jewish continuity and a legacy for future generations.” Parents have said that the Syracuse Hebrew Day School “would not be the educational institution it is without the hard work and dedication of community lay leaders.” At the March 5 event, the school will present the inaugural Jeremy Blumenthal Award forActive Support and Commitment to Jewish Day School Education. Local resident Jeremy Blumenthal died last year at a young age. To remember and honor his accomplishments and memory, SHDS announced the creation of the Jeremy Blumenthal Award, to be given to “a dedicated leader and friend of the school.” Established in memory of a father, husband and supporter of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, it is intended to help ensure that Blumenthal’s dedication to the school will

Jewish organization in Central am so proud to be a part of this amazing be remembered in perpetuity. He event. As a teacher at the Syracuse Hebrew New York. volunteered his time and legal He has served four three-year Day School, I am able to see the direct expertise on the SHDS Board terms on the SHDS board, and beneficiaries of our scholarship fund on of Directors for two consecuthree years as president, during tive terms, spanning five years. See “Beckman” on page 11 which time the school transiThe annual award will aim to recognize those who, like Blutioned from having Barbara Damenthal, “go above and beyond” vis to Lori Tenenbaum as head to support SHDS. of school. As he finishes his last This year’s award recipient two years on the SHDS board, will be Marc Beckman. Since Marc Beckman Beckman is also serving on the moving to Syracuse in 1995, he Jewish Federation of Central has given his time, expertise and resources New York board, its Campaign Cabinet and Goal: $1,200,000 to help ensure the future of SHDS and the Allocations Committee. In addition, he is an Syracuse Jewish community as a whole. active member of AIPAC and the Upstate He spent many years on the Congrega- Pro-U.S.-Israel Political Group. The celebration dinner will begin with tion Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas Board of Trustees, including positions on its ex- cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and an acrobatic ecutive committee as recording secretary, performance from the nationally-recfinancial vice president, membership vice ognized touring company CirqOvation. president and Men’s Club president. He Following the cocktail hour, there will be also served as Men’s Club treasurer and as a short award presentation honoring past $ a member of the 2003-04 rabbinic search and present SHDS faculty. The kosher committee. As Men’s Club president, he dinner will be Va’ad-supervised and has as of Feb 15, 2016 organized a Syracuse University basket- been called “an upscale twist on classic ball game event and kosher barbecue at comfort foods.” Music will be provided Hillel, with more than 225 attending from by the Seneca String Quartet. The event To make a pledge, contact Rochester, Utica, Binghamton, Syracuse will also feature a silent auction, desserts, Marianne Bazydlo at 445-2040 ext. 102 and Watertown. He also co-chaired two after-dinner drinks and dancing with the or mbazydlo@jewishfederationcny.org. “Kiddush Cup” golf tournaments, raising Baby Boomers Band. Co-Chair Melissa Klempere said, “I money for Vera House and the senior kosher meal program at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse. C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A With the JCC as a sponsor, Beckman February 19..............5:22 pm...................................................... Parasha-Tetzaveh and other volunteers helped re-form the February 26..............5:31 pm......................................................... Parasha-Ki Tisa historic Cub/Boy Scouts Pack 40 as the March 4....................5:40 pm........................................................ Parasha-Vayakel only Scout program affiliated with a

2016 Federation Annual Campaign

679,512

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Cantors’ concert

Awards events

“Son of Saul”

A cantors’ concert featuring Temple Concord’s Mensch of the The Oscar-nominated “Son of Jewish and secular music will be Year awards; Menorah Park to Saul” received funding from the honor Shining Stars. held at Temple Concord. Claims Conference. Stories on page 5 Story on page 3 Story on page 9

PLUS Small Business Profiles.....8-9 Calendar Highlights............. 10 D’var Torah............................. 10 Obituaries................................11

JEWISH OBSERVER ■ FERBUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776

First person

My week across Israel in five pictures BY ELIANA RUDEE JNS.org Recently, I had the privilege of traveling around Israel with a group of South Africans who are all journalists, professors and/or editors in the economic field. We have met with some amazing politicians, activists and authors, and will also be meeting current members of Knesset. I am excited to share some of my photos, along with explanations. “SAVE A CHILD’S HEART” WING OF WOLFSON HOSPITAL, HOLON This is a very special picture and one that I believe epitomizes Israel. The doctors: Israeli on the left and Palestinian on the right. The woman being comforted in the back is from Uganda. Her son has just been wheeled out of heart surgery at the children’s wing of Wolfson Hospital in Holon. I got goosebumps as the

little guy was rolled out on his stretcher with machinery way bigger than he. On the right, an Arab family having their child treated as well. Just down the hall was a teenage boy from Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, where many refugees escaping Islamic State live in camps. This moment happened because of Save a Child’s Heart, an Israeli organization that provides free heart surgeries for children in underdeveloped countries. The organization trains doctors and brings children and their families here for surgery without discrimination, regardless of who the child is or where he or she is from. This Israeli organization is the real United Nations. NEW SODASTREAM FACTORY, LEHAVIM SodaStream is a wildly successful Israeli company that makes carbonation

“Save a Child’s Heart” wing of Wolfson Hospital, Holon. (Photo by Eliana Rudee)

A MATTER OF OPINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Nothing Israel can offer will end Palestinian impasse or incitement To the Editor: It may indeed be that “frustration with Israel is growing here at home” (Gary Rosenblatt, February 4). However, there isn’t “a plan, any plan” that Israel could offer, short of its “politicide,” that would break the impasse with the Palestinians. Israel has accepted serial American demands for “good faith gestures” – gestures that were never reciprocated – to enable fruitless negotiations, and repeatedly has proffered generous peace feelers. It unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, leaving state-of-the-art agricultural greenhouses, only soon to face a Hamas-ruled territorial terror. Leaving the West Bank would produce a far worse existential threat. Palestinians remain unwilling to accept the legitimacy of any sovereign Mideast Jewish state, regardless of size; or to recognize the illegitimacy, in the context of a two-state solution, of “right of return” claims for a rapidly diminishing cohort of real refugees and their multi-generational descendants. Even were there to be an agreement, they wouldn’t declare an “end to conflict.” Though committed under Oslo to educate their population for peace, Palestinian Authority media instead have pursued incessant incitement to enduring enmity. That the current intifada, in which Israelis at random have been stabbed, shot, stoned, firebombed or driven into, has elicited so little international outrage

merely emphasizes general world rank hypocrisy. It bitterly weeps for long dead murdered Jews, but readily countenances the murder of living ones. Anti-Israel agitation, easily sliding into outright antisemitism, particularly on campus, is becoming ever more unhinged from reality. How bizarre that those professing “progressive” values should embrace those who utterly reject them. Those assorted academic associations adopting boycott resolutions blatantly belie their false espousal of academic freedom. The intimidation and marginalization of Jewish students, behavior that if directed at any other group would be treated with zero tolerance, is ignored, lightly dismissed or even, on some campuses, actually rewarded. “Jewish unity” is ever more becoming an oxymoronic expression. Instead of joining the jackals, as some truly contemptible fringe groups have done, this is a time for renewed support of a state that, however imperfect, stands as the fruition of a 2,000-year dream, a place of refuge for an increasingly embattled world Jewry, and one absolutely worthy of enormous pride. Instead of acquiescing in an environment of utterly intolerable lies and defamation, the Jewish community should be “mad as hell and unwilling to take it anymore.” Sincerely yours, Richard D. Wilkins

New SodaStream factory, Lehavim. (Photo by Eliana Rudee) devices along with their syrups to create flavored soda water. Its main manufacturing plant used to be in Mishor Adumim, in the West Bank. Due to pressure by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel, the factory had to close and relocate to a less-controversial region. While this may represent a victory for the BDS movement, the real losers are the Palestinians – approximately 700 Palestinian workers were employed at SodaStream’s West Bank factory, and were paid well above minimum wage or what you would expect from other jobs in the area. But because of the closure and move, more than 600 of them lost their jobs – and many of the people working there also had spouses at the company, leaving many families completely jobless. The new factory is strategically placed next to Rahat, a Bedouin town, which will increase Bedouin employment. This picture, to me, illustrates the BDS campaign’s and anti-Israel activists’ lack of genuine care for the Palestinian people. Unfortunately, they clearly care more about defaming Israel than the well-being of the Palestinian people. SCHOOL IN ESHKOL REGION, A FEW KILOMETERS FROM GAZA I don’t know whose locker this is and neither do you. But here’s why you should care about this child: This child goes to school in the Eshkol region of Israel, just a few kilometers from Gaza. The school itself is a bomb shelter, which unfortunately is necessary. Terrorists

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School in Eshkol region, a few kilometers from Gaza (Photo by Eliana Rudee) in Hamas-ruled Gaza constantly shoot rockets at this school and the community around it. If a siren goes off during school when the children are outside playing, they need to run to shelter and have 15 seconds at most before the rocket hits. Every year, snipers and rockets take their toll here. Ninety percent of the children are under medical care for post-traumatic stress disorder. Sixteen-year-olds still wet their beds. This is obscenely unfair to any child. The child whose locker this is, as you can probably tell, just wants to learn. Inside the locker: math books, Hebrew novels, science worksheets and lessons of peace. What do you think is in the school lockers of the children in Gaza? We know the answer, and it is not optimistic. See “Israel” on page 12

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JEWISH OBSERVER

AROUND CENTRAL NEW YORK Cantors’ concert to be held on Sunday, February 28 Cantor Kari Siegel Eglash and some of her colleagues to visit Syracuse will hold a free and open-to-the-public concert on Sunday, February 28, at 7 pm, in the Temple Concord sanctuary. The program will feature Jewish and secular music from many styles: such as traditional, Broadway and more. Cantor Siegel Eglash, along with Cantors Lisa Doob, of Boston, MA; Brad Hyman, of Plainview; and Seth Warner, of St. Louis, MO; Cantor Seth will be joined by Mary Sugar on the piano and Cantor Kari Siegel Cantor Lisa Doob Eglash Warner Joe Eglash on guitar and bass. Cantor Siegel Eglash has been the Temple Concord cantor since 2014. She is said to bring “her overseeing the transfer of ownership of Transcontinenlove of Judaism, history and teaching,” to her ability to tal Music Publications to the American Conference of “merge the music of today and yesterday in religious Cantors. He also writes the food blog “What You’re Not and musical harmony.” She was ordained as a cantor by Eating” and is a member of ASCAP. Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s Cantor Doob was born and raised in Winnipeg, Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. Those who Canada. She has served Temple Isaiah in the Boston have heard her have said that her “innovative and imagina- area since 2008. She graduated from Hebrew Union tive” programming bring together her love of music and College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Debbie Friedpeople. Congregants have noted that she has “mastered man School of Sacred Music, and has been called the art of leading the congregation” with her “inviting “an engaging and dynamic worship leader, musimelodies and rhythms.” cian and teacher.” She is the recipient of numerous Joe Eglash is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, awards for academic achievement, including the bandleader, arranger and composer. He is said to be Women of Reform Judaism award, a scholarship from trusted by other musical artists as “a jack-of-all-trades” ARZA-Canada and a one-year teaching position in editor, arranger, designer, compositor, engraver and Toulouse, France. Her songs, some of which have publisher, and is thought of as a recognized authority in been published by URJ Books and Music and Synathe Jewish music industry. He is the former director of gogue 3000, include reflective, meditative prayers, Transcontinental Music Publications and URJ Press, with as well as children’s teaching songs and more. She hundreds of publications to his credit. He is currently participated at the 2014 installation of Cantor Siegel

JCC to hold “Kids Night Out” March 5

BY WILLIAM WALLAK The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse will hold a “Kids Night Out” for children in kindergarten-sixth grade on Saturday, March 5, from 7-10:30 pm, at the JCC, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. The supervised program will feature age-appropriate activities, treats and more. Some of the activities planned for the Spring Flingthemed event include crafts, snacks, sports in the gym and a movie on the big screen. Mick Hagan, the JCC’s director of Children and Teen

Service, said, “Children, like adults, occasionally need a night out all to their own to hang out and have fun with friends. We’re very pleased to offer this outlet because it’s a real treat for the kids and also gives parents an opportunity to enjoy their own night out or in.” Discounted Kids Night Out early registration runs through Friday, February 26. Current JCC membership or program enrollment is not necessary for a child to attend the program. For more information or to obtain a registration form, call 445-2360 or visit www.jccsyr.org.

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center senior dining menu FEBRUARY 22-26 Monday – baked ziti Tuesday – hamburger Wednesday – chicken rollatini Thursday – chef salad Friday – brisket FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 4 Monday – spaghetti and meatballs Tuesday – TBD Wednesday – TBD Thursday – TBD Friday – TBD The Bobbi Epstein Lewis JCC Senior Adult Dining

Program at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center offers Va’ad Ha’ir-supervised kosher lunches served Monday-Friday at noon. Lunch reservations are required by noon of the previous business day. There is a suggested contribution per meal. The menu is subject to change. The program is funded by a grant from the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth and the New York State Office for the Aging, with additional funds provided by the JCC. To attend, one need not be Jewish or a member of the JCC. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Cindy Stein at 445-2360, ext. 104, or cstein@jccsyr.org.

Eglash at Temple Concord in Syracuse. Cantor Hyman serves Temple Chavarim in Plainview. He holds a master of sacred music from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He grew up in the Reform movement, including the North American Federation of Temple Youth and served as song Cantor Brad leader for many camps. He is a past Hyman board member of the American Conference of Cantors and was a part of many editing teams for Transcontinental, including the best-selling “Shireinu” songbook and chordster series used at all NFTY summer camps. Since 2007, Cantor Warner has served at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis. He also serves on the executive board of the American Conference of Cantors. Prior to his tenure in St. Louis, he served five years with Touro Synagogue in New Orleans, where he produced several successful Jazz Fest Shabbat Services. He was an integral part of the team that helped the congregation regroup and rebuild following Hurricane Katrina. Sugar’s work as a music director, pianist and teacher have taken her to New York City and around the world with Leslie Uggams, Marni Nixon, the Irish Tenors, the Syracuse Symphony and many other musical performances. Among the productions where she has performed are Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” “Hairspray,” “Mamma Mia,” “Annie,” “Cinderella” and the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Venues where she has played include the Kennedy Center, National Theater, Ford’s Theater and Cabaret Network. She has been an instructor at various schools and universities, including New York University, Fordham University, Pace University, Syracuse University, Colgate University and the Mannes College of Music. The cantors’ concert is being presented to the community by Temple Concord. It will be free and open to the public. For more information, call 475-9952.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ FERBUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776

CONGREGATIONAL NOTES Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas CBS-CS TO BAKE THOUSANDS OF HAMANTASHEN As Purim approaches, Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas members are preparing for the tradition of sending out mishloach manot, Purim baskets full of sweets, and the CBS-CS Sisterhood are making homemade hamantashen for the entire congregation, the congregation’s college students and clients of Jewish Family Service. In addition to helping congregants fulfil the mitzvah of giving three types of food as gifts to family and friends, it is the largest annual fund-raiser. The baking marathon will be held on Sunday, February 28, at 10 am. Volunteers will make thousands of hamantashen. No prior hamantashen-making experience will be necessary to participate, and the event will be open to women, men and older children. Volunteers will pack all of the baskets on Sunday, March 20, and assign them to delivery routes. Other volunteers spend the following few days delivering the baskets around Syracuse to each congregational family. INTERNATIONALLY-RENOWNED CHILD DEVELOPMENT EXPERT DR. ALICE HONIG TO SPEAK Parents interested in learning how to raise “happy, well-adjusted children able

to fulfill their developmental potential” can attend a keynote presentation by internationally-renowned child development expert Dr. Alice Honig, followed by a question-and-answer session, on Sunday, February 21, from 10 am-noon, at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas, 18 Patsy Ln., Jamesville. The CBS-CS “OYs and Joys of Parenting” group for parents of children from birth-5-years-old will meet. Babysitting will be available so parents’ full attention can be focused on learning. For more than 45 years, in addition to the many courses she has taught, Honig has written or edited more than a dozen books and more than 600 articles and chapters. She has written and narrated the video “Nurturing young children’s language power” (Davidson Films). Honig presents training sessions and delivers keynote addresses to promote high quality childcare throughout the United States and in several other countries. For more than 35 years, she has been the North American editor for the British journal “Early Child Development and Care.” The program will be open to families of young children. For more information, contact Arel Moodie at arel@arelmoodie. com or call at 347-387-3364. See “CBS-CS” on page 6

STOCS Tu B’Shevat

In conjunction with the Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse Tu B’Shevat celebration, 17 full winter gear packs were donated to the “Standing Together” annual campaign for IDF soldiers serving under freezing conditions in the Golan. These packs, costing $100 each, include operational gloves with retractable trigger finger for easy removal, fleece jackets, ski masks, thermals and fleece hats. In the IDF, cold weather gear is not standard issue. Soldiers are said to be given “only the barest essentials” and must provide anything else they might need themselves. Not all soldiers have the means to purchase such items. Standing Together hopes this year to assist approximately3,000 soldiers. The Tu B’Shevat celebration at the synagogue was said to have attracted “a large crowd.”

Temple Concord TEMPLE CONCORD’S CINEMAGOGUE PRESENTS “CUPCAKES” BY LESLIE BROCKSMITH Cinemagogue, Temple Concord’s film series, will screen “Cupcakes” on Tuesday, February 23, at 7:30 pm. The comedy is about six friends who submit an entry to the UniverSong competition

and unexpectedly sing and dance their way to become Tel Aviv’s entry for the next year. Cinemagogue offers a variety of films with Jewish themes, Israeli filmmakers and Jewish-American stars. The event will be free and open to the public. Donations will be welcome.

Temple Adath Yeshurun “A BLIND HERO: THE LOVE OF OTTO WEIDT” BY BARBARA S. SIMON Temple Adath Yeshurun will show the docudrama “A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt,” sponsored by the adult education chavurah and subsidized by the Abraham and Anita Altman Education Fund, on Sunday, February 28, at 10 am. Following the film, there will be a discussion led by Susie Drazen, who holds a master’s in Jewish education from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. The program will be free and open to the public. The film is one of several programs the synagogue has promoted to call attention to Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month, which is recognized in February. JDAIM was created in 2009 to raise awareness and promote meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities and their families in all of Jewish life. Otto Weidt, referred to as the “unsung Schindler,” was a German brush manufacturer during World War II who employed Jews with vision and hearing disabilities. Blind himself, Weidt was known throughout Berlin “as one of the few employers who treat their Jewish staff well,” according to Inge Deutschkron, one of his employees and the narrator of the film, which is based on her memoirs. Weidt tried to protect his Jewish employees from

persecution and deportation, even creating a secret hiding place in the factory. When deportations began, he fought with Gestapo officials over the fate of every Jewish worker. He is recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations. His factory is now the site of a museum in Berlin that tells his story. “A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt” was an official selection of the Haifa International Film Festival and won a World Gold Medal for Best Docudrama New York Festivals 2015. It has been shown at the Philadelphia and San Diego Jewish film festivals, and will be shown at ReelAbilities Film Festival in New York City, at Baltimore and Chicago Jewish film festivals and at other film festivals throughout the country. For more information, visit the TAY website, www.adath.org or call 4450002. HAZAK Temple Adath Yeshurun’s Hazak has been providing a variety of programs on a monthly basis for the past several years. The next event has been planned for Sunday, March 13, at 1 pm, in the Muriel and Avron Spector Library at Temple Adath Yeshurun. The travel and tourism program will be presented by Sara Greenhouse from the Travel Store, which has offices in Fayetteville and Liverpool. Participants See “TAY” on page 6

The third grade students in the TAY Religious School were consecrated on January 30 during Shabbat morning services. They introduced themselves to the congregation using their Hebrew names and sang several songs. Joan Siegel, interim Sisterhood president, presented each child with a siddur, a gift from the TAY Sisterhood. An extended kiddush was sponsored by the parents of the class. First row (l-r): Maytal Downie, Lauren Malec, Danielle Alpert, Iris Horowitz and Olivia Clark. Second row: Matthew Packard, Nathan Snell, Dylan Friedman and Andrew Wladis. Not pictured: Kaitlyn Cohen, Samantha Shapiro and Annabel Wells.

David Nimmer, copyright lawyer and law professor, spoke about the history of Jewish copyright law at Temple Adath Yeshurun on January 31. The lecture was sponsored by the adult education chavurah.

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JEWISH OBSERVER

Temple Concord’s Mensch of the Year awards to be held May 22 at Drumlins BY VICKI FELDMAN The 2016 Mensch of the Year awards and dinner will be held on Sunday, May 22, at 5:30 pm, at Pascale’s Italian Bistro at Drumlins. Like at the previous two events, “menschen” will be honored.

This year’s honorees include Randi Bregman, executive director of Vera House, a local organization that prevents, responds to and partners to end domestic, sexual violence and other forms of abuse; Cindy Seymour and

Laura Serway, owners of Laci’s Tapas Bar, who are Hawley neighborhood activists who are involved in many other “mensch-like” community activities; David Hoyne, owner of Kitty Hoynes restaurant in Armory Square, who hosts

Menorah Park to hold its Shining Stars celebration on May 26 Organizers have requested nominations for Menorah Park’s 11th annual Shining Stars Celebration, which will be held on Thursday, May 26, from 5:308 pm. The event will celebrate “Older Americans Month.” Anyone knowing of any individual affiliated with any of the Menorah Park programs as an employee, volunteer or resident can submit a person’s name, affiliation and why that person is deserving of

a nomination. Nominations, which should include the name and contact information of the sender, can be e-mailed to Mary Kimberly at mkimberly@menorahparkofcny.com or mailed to her at Menorah Park, Attn: Shining Stars Committee, 4101 E. Genesee St., DeWitt, NY 13214. The 2016 Shining Stars Celebration will be held “under the tent” at Menorah Park. The evening’s hosts will be Robin and Steven Sisskind.

DO YOU KNOW? Your Federation dollars at work – Catering at the Oaks residents of Menorah Park. TheAllocations Committee of the There is added demand Jewish Federation of Central New for off-site weddings, bar York awards community Program and bat mitzvahs, Jewish Fund Grants annually during the organizations’ meetings and fall. The grants are available to events, and general commuall Jewish organizations, agencies and synagogues in the Central nity events, conferences and New York community. The funds individual meal orders. An come from Federation’s Annual expanded catering function Campaign and are given out will enable local Jews to Jackie Miron in amounts of $10,000, $5,000 continue kosher observance or $2,500. The Allocations Committee regardless of their access to a kosher reviews the grant requests and makes kitchen or their ability to prepare meals. recommendations to the board, which then The catering equipment purchased votes on the recommendations. includes warmers and extensive serving Menorah Park of Central New York pieces, chafers, trays, stands and more Catering at the Oaks recently received chosen for events where food is prepared a grant of $9,000 to purchase kitchen on-site, and for times when warm food equipment for use in its catering operation. must be transported to a venue. An unusual amount of funding happens The catering service is a known puroccasionally. The kosher catering service veyor of kosher food and can maintain this meets the needs and demands of Menorah important role in the community with the Park to exist as a kosher campus and is a investment of the new equipment, which natural extension of these services to of- further enables the catering service to be fer on-site catering at events throughout a highly sustainable community venture. Outreach and marketing have caused the community. The reason for the funding is to increase the catering service to double its busithe ability of the Oaks at Menorah Park’s ness every year since it began in April catering service to function; to ensure the 2012. Expectations are that with newly accessibility of kosher food for visitors increased capacity and variety, business and residents of the greater Syracuse area; will increase further. and to increase the ability and flexibility Your Federation dollars are hard at of Jewish organizations to offer kosher work to improve the quality of life for meals at large public events. The catering residents and members of the community operation can add to individuals’ options and attract new and interested clientele, for kosher home delivery, and provide while maintaining Jewish observance a greater variety of food options for the and tradition.

For more information, contact Kimberly at 449-3309, ext. 103.

St. Baldrick’s Day activities that have raised close to $500,000 for childhood cancer research; and basketball star Dolph Schayes, who will be honored posthumously for his involvement with, among other things, youth athletics. Entertainment will be provided by Israeli-born Los Angeles comedian Avi Liberman, who was raised in Texas and went to college in New York. He is both creator of and performer on an annual three-week comedy tour in Israel. The event will be open to the public and tickets will go on sale soon. More information will appear in the Jewish Observer and online at www.templeconcord.org.

JCC families serving seniors

The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse seeks to bring families together, such as through the JCC’s Bobbi Epstein Lewis Senior Adult Dining Program. Family members of JCC employees regularly come in to help serve the kosher lunch, which is offered weekdays at noon. During a recent senior lunch, JCC staff and their family member helpers included (l-r) Donna Carullo, JCC chef; her son, Frank Carullo; Susan Garfinkel; her sister, Gail Berlin, JCC adult and senior programming assistant; Emma Stein; her mother, Cindy Stein, JCC director of adult and senior programming; Cindy’s son, Corey Stein; and Berlin’s brother, Joe Heyman.

To advertise in our upcoming Senior Living special ad section, please contact Bonnie Rozen at 800-779-7896, ext. 244 or bonnie@thereportergroup.org. Issue Date: March 3 Ad Deadline: February 24

Visit the JO online at jewishfederationcny.org and click on Jewish Observer

JEWISH OBSERVER ■ FERBUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776

Syracuse Community Hebrew School – music in the classroom

BY DIANE WLADIS Tamar Frieden has always been passionate about bringing the joy of music to everyone, and has done it throughout the years as a dancer, teacher, mother and business owner. The founder and president of Toddlers’ Tango Creative Music and Movement, she has also taught Hebrew throughout the community for 15 years, and now brings her enthusiasm to the third grade classroom at the Syracuse Community Hebrew School. Observing her instruct a lesson of “Hebrew through Movement,” where students respond to Hebrew commands as part of a

language acquisition strategy, she appears as the musical conductor, orchestrating the movement of the children. Keeping bodies in motion as part of the learning process has been called “the perfect medium” for a “sizable and rambunctious” group of children that have already been sitting at their desks for a full day of school. The participants maneuvered within the space of the small chapel while Frieden issued the Hebrew commands of where and how to go next. She explained, “It’s great to see the progress they have made. When we started the year, I had to say all the commands in Hebrew and English. Now I can say everything in

Hebrew and they all understand.” Her challenge has been to unite the group of students, who have converged from three different synagogues, each with a varying level of Hebrew background, within the curriculum goals. She feels the importance of also uniting them as a caring and supportive community. The third grade class is the youngest group in the new Syracuse Community Hebrew School and, as such, they will be the first class to complete the full progression to seventh grade as a group. Frieden pointed out, “They are really starting to gel as a group and real friendships are developing.

I am very passionate about the SCHS. I love the concept of bringing the children in our community together!” When the third grade students were asked what the best thing was about the Syracuse Community Hebrew School, most of them were enthusiastic about their teachers. Frieden is supported in the classroom by Martin Miller, her teaching assistant, and Hadar Pepperstone, who serves as the classroom madricha (counselor or aide). Third grade student Ella Azria said, “I love it here! We get candy and snacks and we have the best teachers.”

Kids Yoga class for preschoolers begins February 24 BY WILLIAM WALLAK The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syarcuse’s Jerome and Phyllis Charney Early Childhood Development Program will offer a weekly Kids Yoga class for 3-5-yearold children on Wednesdays, from 1:15 pm-2 pm, starting on February 24. The four-week class will be held in the Neulander Family Sports and Fitness Center yoga studio at the JCC, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. Kids Yoga is intended to be a childfriendly yoga class and was designed to help children build concentration,

strength, flexibility, self-control and balance. The class aims to provide “a calming journey” and for children to begin to understand “mindfulness” and to “find contentment in everyday life.” Registration for Kids Yoga is ongoing through the classes’ start date. Spots are limited and early registration has been recommended. Children do not need to be enrolled in the JCC’s Early Childhood Program and JCC membership will not be required to take the class. For more information, call the JCC’s Early Childhood Program at 445-2040, ext. 120, or visit www.jccsyr.org.

JCC “adopts” a sloth named Todah

The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse has recently “adopted” Todah, a sloth puppet. Todah regularly appears at the JCC for PJ Library® in Central New York events, as well as on Fridays to help welcome Shabbat in a “Shababa way.” Shababa is an interactive approach for families with small children to celebrate Shabbat, which incorporates singing, dancing and playing instruments to get everyone involved. Organizers said, “Shababa sloths like Todah ‘love Shabbat’ because they move slowly. They know that a lot of people around the world move more slowly on Shabbat and many of them meet in Shababaland to celebrate together.”

CBS-CS MONTHLY SHABBAT DINNER AND A SHABBAT HADOROT Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas will hold its monthly Shabbat dinner on Friday, February 26, at 6 pm. The dinner will feature a selection of entrées and side dishes. Organizers feel that having dinner in a community setting is “a great way to

Todah means “thank you” in Hebrew. Todah is said to have been “born in the Chesed Jungle, where everyone is kind and loving – not just to sloths but to everyone who lives in the jungle or comes to visit.” Todah is said to become “very happy when he hears everyone thanking each other; but it makes him even happier when he knows it comes from the heart, not just for the sake of being polite.” Todah was named after his “very famous grandfather,” Rabbi Todah, the “teacher of teachers” in the Chesed Jungle. He is said to be also known as “Todah Raba” because he “always included the importance of being grateful in all of his teachings.” See “Todah” on page 10

Continued from page 4

begin Shabbat as a community.” The dinner will be followed by Shabbat Hadorot services at 7:15 pm, when CBSCS youth will participate. There will be a cost for the dinner. The community is welcome to attend. For more information, contact the CBS-CS office at 446-9570 or office@cbscs.org.

Instructor Bridgett Langstaff led a Kids Yoga class at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse.

TAY

Continued from page 4

will have an opportunity to ask questions and get information for their own travel plans. Refreshments will be served and there will be no cost to attend. Hazak will soon be starting a tikkun olam project, “Coups for Troops.” Congregants will be encouraged to bring manufacturers’ coupons to the synagogue to be placed in a basket in the foyer. The coupons will be sent to military bases to help reduce the cost of food and grocery items for military families.

At right: Isaac Duchene (front) and Elijah Grifasi (in back) celebrated Tu B’Shevat by making a party hat and tasting fruits from trees during Storah Time, The Rothschild Early Childhood Center’s Jewish enrichment program held every Tuesday morning at Temple Adath Yeshurun. For more information, contact Alicia Gross at alicia@adath. org or 445-0002.

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The women of Temple Adath Yeshurun Sisterhood have recently been baking hamantashen on Sunday mornings. The hamantashen will be distributed in mishloach manot bags to the congregation and children in the religious school. L-r: Linda Levy, Arlene Yozawitz, Robin Sisskind, Nadine Berk and Carol Lipson.

JCC tap dance classes start March 1

BY WILLIAM WALLAK Tuesday evening adult tap dance classes will begin again on Tuesday, March 1, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. Four class levels will be offered each night: remedial, starting at 6:30 pm; beginner at 7 pm; intermediate at 8 pm; and advanced at 9 pm. The weekly group sessions will run through May 24. The classes will be open to anyone aged 12 and older, and no prior dance experience will be necessary. The remedial and beginner classes are for those new to tap and teach from the beginning. There will be a modest per person fee for each night’s class. Students do not need to commit to every class and can attend as much as they prefer.

Barry Shulman, local attorney and choreographer, will once again teach the classes. Shulman has led the tap classes at the JCC every spring and fall for the past several years. He teaches “New York City-style.” An attorney with Mackenzie Hughes LLP, Shulman has taught many principal dancers who are on Broadway and with national tours. He seeks to keep the cost of the tap classes to a minimum and donates the proceeds to the JCC. Shulman received the JCC’s Kovod Gadol Award in 2013 for his “commitment, energy and loyalty to the Center.” For more information about the adult tap dance classes, contact the JCC’s Neulander Family Sports and Fitness Center at 234-4522 or visit www.jccsyr.org.

FEBRUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776 ■

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Central New York and for multiple copies in synagogues, senior residences serving Jewish elderly, the JCC and funeral homes providing Jewish funerals. Bulk mailing has been recommended. RELATIONSHIP JUDAISM WORK GROUP – $1,000 This group includes leadership from Jewish agencies and synagogues, and is working together to implement strategies and techniques outlined in Rabbi Ron Wolfson’s book “Relational Judaism: Using the Power of Relationships to Transform the Jewish Community.” Four community ambassadors from key demographics in the community will reach out to under-engaged members of the Jewish community to determine how to facilitate building a relationshipbased engagement model here. SYRACUSE AREA JEWISH EDUCATORS – $10,000 Special education in the Jewish classroom, including training and follow-up, serves the objective of educating each child “according to his or her path.” Syracuse Area Jewish Educators will provide a teacher training day for Syracuse Community Hebrew School, Epstein School of Jewish Studies, Syracuse Hebrew Day School, the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse Early Childhood Development Program, Temple Concord, Temple Adath Yeshurun and Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas. Follow-up workshops and materials will be provided. The goal will be to train all teachers on how to accommodate students with special needs.

Continued from page 1

SYRACUSE COMMUNITY HEBREW SCHOOL – $1,000 The Syracuse Community Hebrew School provides Hebrew education for 102 students from all area synagogues and can accommodate students who are unaffiliated. It includes grades three-seven and provides special education services for all grade levels. The grant will be to help with some of the expenses directly related to an end-of-year dinner commemorating the first year of operations for the SCHS. SYRACUSE HEBREW DAY SCHOOL – $7,000 The Syracuse Hebrew Day School has expressed the need to stay current in the fields of Jewish and secular education, focusing on professional development and resources in the areas of social media, leadership development, health and wellness education and fund-raising and development. The funding will be for a social media liaison, single national conference attendance and special Great Body Shop program. SYRACUSE JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE – $10,000 The “SOS: Save Our (Jewish Family) Service” project will help support some of the direct and overhead expenses of providing family education, crisis and ongoing counseling support to Jewish individuals and families of all ages, and especially to management of services focused on older individuals and their families. The services that are provided to Jews of all ages, demographics and more are considered to be “essential” to the healthy Jewish community. This will be a one-time grant.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ FERBUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776

Israel, California institute sign biotech deal with emphasis on stem cell research

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – Israeli Science, Technology and Space Minister Ofir Akunis has signed the first agreement of its kind between his ministry and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in the field of biotechnology, with an emphasis on stem cell research.

bridge to the Jewish-American community.” The biotechnology deal is the “sharpest response to all the foolish initiatives to make academics boycott Israel, including here in California,” Akunis said at the signing ceremony, adding that “anyone who boycotts Israel – the loss is all his.” Akunis continued, “This agreement will deepen the partnership between Israel and California, bringing together our most talented scientists to push the boundaries of stem cell research and advance medical breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases ranging from cancer and diabetes, to Alzheimer’s and HIV-AIDS.” IAC Chairman Adam Milstein said at the event that the organization is “excited by the opportunity to promote one of the most pressing issues facing humanity, and strengthen the bond between the people of Israel and the American people.” Dr. Jonathan Thomas, chairman of the CIRM board, praised Israel’s scientific achievements. “Israel has become an important center for stem cell research. As part of our new CIRM 2.0 approach to funding stem cell research, we want to attract the best science and most promising projects from everywhere in the world to California,” Thomas said.

The agreement was facilitated by the Israeli-American Council, which encourages cooperation between the United States and Israel, and whose stated mission is “to build an active and giving Israeli-American community throughout the United States in order to strengthen the state of Israel, our next generation, and to provide a

Women of the Wall

TEL AVIV (JTA) – A week and a half after the adoption of a compromise over the future of prayer at the Western Wall, Women of the Wall drew 100 women to its monthly service – more than its typical attendance. Women of the Wall usually attracts several dozen worshippers to the monthly service. Haredi Orthodox protesters shouted insults at the worshippers, according to a news release from the group, which conducts monthly services in the women’s section of the wall. The group was unable to pray with a Torah, as the site’s regulations prohibit Torahs in the women’s section. The deal reached in January will expand a non-Orthodox prayer section south of the traditional, Orthodox

prayer area at the site, which will be run by a non-Orthodox committee. A shared entrance will lead to both sections. The wall’s Orthodox prayer area will remain under haredi control. Women of the Wall agreed to the deal and will move to the expanded non-Orthodox section once it is completed – a process that could take years. Once there, the group will pray behind a partition. A break-off from the group has rejected the deal and vowed to continue praying in the Orthodox women’s section. “We sang with the feeling that now we truly begin a new path to ‘being a free people in our land,’” Women of the Wall Chairwoman Anat Hoffman said in the news release, quoting Israel’s national anthem.

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personal touch Name: Larry Metzger Location: 6340 Danbury Dr. Jamesville, NY 13078-9729 Phone: 315-446-0966 Fax: 315-446-1555 E-mail: LMPainting@aol.com Serving Central New York for nearly 35 years, L-M Painting prides itself on professional, quality and personalized service to its many satisfied customers. Larry Metzger takes the time to discuss every project’s details, assisting customers in color selection with a wide variety of samples. Larry often works alongside his crews – when the job is complete, your home or workplace will be left immaculate. The company repairs water-damaged ceilings and walls, and can do other minor repairs. Wall covering removal and wall preparation, as well as all types of interior and exterior painting, are some of the services offered. Larry is a longtime member of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, serving on the Executive Board as treasurer of the local chapter. L-M Painting is fully insured and offers free estimates. Call today for special winter rates for interior projects.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

“Son of Saul”: For Claims Conference, Oscar nominee was a big gamble BY CNAAN LIPHSHIZ BERLIN (JTA) – Set amid a 1944 prisoner uprising at Auschwitz, “Son of Saul” stood out as a long shot when its producers first applied for funding from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. The film’s director, Laszlo Nemes, had no experience with feature films; its lead actor hadn’t been on a film set in 15 years; and its script included long, silent and Geza Rohrig (left) as Saul in “Son of out-of-focus shots. But the Claims Conference, Saul.” (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures which negotiates restitution Classics)

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for Nazi victims, ultimately decided to help bankroll the film. It’s a gamble that now seems prescient, as “Son of Saul” is favored to win best foreign language film at the Oscars on February 28. Worldwide ticket sales for the Golden Globe-winning film are north of $2 million, already exceeding the film’s slim $1.6 million budget. “People all over the world are realizing we’re facing the last generation of Holocaust survivors, so we’re in a race against time to cling to the

William M. Tucker, M.D.

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experiences of the survivors still amongst us,” Greg Schneider, the Claims Conference’s vice president, told JTA. Since the 1993 release of Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List,” which won the Oscar for best picture, representations of the Holocaust have emerged as an important genre in cinema in and beyond the U.S. market. Other award-winning productions, such as “Life is Beautiful” (1997), “The Pianist” (2002), “Inglourious Basterds” (2009) and last year’s “Woman in Gold,” have followed. In recent years, many filmmakers from Europe have trained their lenses on the same theme, resulting in such critically acclaimed productions as “Phoenix” (Germany, 2014), “Ida” (Poland, 2013), “Suskind” (The Netherlands, 2012) and “Sarah’s Key” (France, 2010). See “Saul” on page 10

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ FERBUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776

Calendar Highlights

To see a full calendar of community events, visit the Federation's community calendar online at www.jewishfederationcny.org. Please notify jstander@jewishfederationcny.org of any calendar changes.

Tuesday, February 23 Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse Executive Committee meeting at 6 pm, followed by a board meeting at 7 pm Epstein School at Concord at 6:30 pm Wednesday, February 24 Syracuse Community Hebrew School meets at Temple Adath Yeshurun at 4 pm Thursday, February 25 Epstein School meets at Wegmans Café at 7 pm Temple Adath Yeshurun Board of Directors meeting at 7 pm Sunday, February 28 TAY presents the film “The Blind Hero” at 10 am Syracuse Hebrew Day School Bringing Up Day Schoolers Super Sledding event at 2 pm at SHDS TC cantorial concert at 7 pm at TC Tuesday, March 1 Epstein School at TC at 6:30 pm Wednesday, March 2 Deadline for the March 17 issue of the Jewish Observer Syracuse Community Hebrew School at TAY at 4 pm Friday, March 4 Hillel community Shabbat, with services at 6 pm and dinner at 7 pm. RSVPs required. Saturday, March 5 SHDS celebration dinner at TAY at 6 pm JCC Kids’ Nite Out at 7 pm at the JCC Sunday, March 6 Lecture on Jewish cooking history by Rabbi Daniel Fellman at TC at 10:30 am

Saul

D’VAR TORAH

Being stiff-necked can be a good trait as well as a bad one BY ALAN SUKERT The central focus of this week’s parasha, Ki Tisa, is the sin of the Golden Calf, Moses’ breaking of the first set of tablets and the creation of the second set of tablets, all occurring just after the extraordinary events around the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. These are monumental events in the history of the Jewish people to be sure, and have provided the source for countless commentaries through the years. I want to focus instead on something mentioned in parasha Ki Tisa that occurs when God informs Moses of what has been occurring in the camp while he was away. God tells Moses, “I have seen this people and behold! They are a stiff-necked people.” Most of us would take that as an insult – the thought of being “stiff-necked” means being inflexible, stubborn, immovable and any number of other adjectives one could attribute here. Regardless of the reason for building the Golden Calf (and there are many reasons given by the rabbis), given the fact that after receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai the Jewish people would immediately turn around and blatantly break one of those Ten Commandments, it would be understandable to anyone that God would hurl this insult their way. However, what I found interesting in reading through commentaries on this parasha is that some rabbis looked at this phrase in the completely opposite way – not as an insult to the Jewish people, but as praise. You have to ask yourself why would God “praise” the Jewish people at this juncture, if indeed it was a praise of sorts? When is a rebuke actually praise in disguise? Certainly the Jewish people had committed a grievous sin and deserved the punishment of the plague they were about to receive, but why praise them at the same time? To me, it comes from the fact that being stiff-necked

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The Claims Conference, which since 2008 has devoted a small portion of its budget to funding educational Holocaust films, provided about $50,000 of the “Son of Saul” budget. But even that relatively small contribution was subject to “serious internal debate,” Schneider said. “It was a risk that paid off.” The Claims Conference receives funding requests for about 50 films a year. One factor that helped clinch the deal with Nemes was the quality of a short Holocaust film, “With a Little Patience,” that he had made back in 2007. Another factor was the director’s meticulous attention to historical accuracy, as demonstrated by the “Son of Saul” script. While fictional, the plot uses an accurate backdrop in telling the story of Saul Auslander, a member of the Sonderkommando, a group of Jews whom the Germans forced to work in the gas chambers. In the film, an unemotional Auslander is seen herding transport after transport of his brethren to their deaths before becoming unhinged at the sight of a Nazi doctor suffocating a boy of 14 who had somehow survived the poison. Oblivious to the rebellion being planned around him, Auslander abuses the access that his gruesome job affords him in an attempt to bury the teenager. “Auslander’s story is fictional, the rest is accurate,” Schneider told JTA recently in Berlin, where the Claims Conference organized the film’s premiere in Germany. (The Sonderkommando at Auschwitz did stage a rebellion in October 1944. Separately, two teenagers were murdered after surviving the gas chambers.) Whereas straightforward filming of an Auschwitz-Birkenau

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set would have yielded “a pornography of death,” as the lead actor, Geza Rohrig, said, the camera focuses on the living Sonderkommando and scenery, weaving the carnage around them into an out-of-focus but omnipresent background. Though the Claims Conference provided less than 4 percent of the total production cost of “Son of Saul,” its contribution “came in the final stages of production when we were really lacking money,” “Son of Saul” producer Gabor Sipos said. Since 2008, the Claims Conference has spent a total of $2.25 million, or an average of $282,000 a year, to fund educational Holocaust films. The organization’s total annual budget has ranged from $700 million to $870 million, with the vast majority going toward improving the quality of life for Holocaust survivors. Of the dozens of films funded by the Claims Conference, “Son of Saul” is “by far the most successful in terms of return on investment,” Schneider said. It is the first film funded by the organization that has won a Golden Globe or been nominated for an Oscar. Among others that have received funding from the Claims Conference are the award-winning “Numbered” (2012) and “The Decent One” (2014). The remainder of the budget for “Son of Saul” came almost entirely from the Hungarian National Film Fund. Agnes Havas, the Hungarian fund’s CEO, told the Budapest Business Journal that the film’s commercial appeal makes it “the most successful project supported by the film fund.” “Son of Saul” is also Hungary’s first Oscar nominee since 1988. But the funding from Hungary is also exposing “Son of Saul” to criticism by those opposed to the rightwing policies of the country’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, whose government was recently accused of downplaying Hungarian complicity in the Holocaust and relegating all the blame to Germany. “I wonder if getting money from the Hungarian state is a problem for you, or you just don’t mind,” one critical viewer, who accused the government of antisemitism, said at a post-screening Q&A. In replying, Sipos said the filmmakers were “proud of the film fund,” which they “hope has nothing to do with [the policies of] Hungarian government.” He noted that while requests for funding “Son of Saul” were “rejected in countries that are seen to be less antisemitic,” including France, Germany and Israel, “the Hungarian film fund decided to support us, meaning this film would not have existed if not for their help.”

in the sense of being stubborn can be as much of a virtue, in the right circumstance, as it can be a vice. The stubbornness to carry on and persevere when all seems lost or when the world seems to be against a person can be viewed as a strength and not as a vice. Being a stiffnecked people can mean stubbornly holding onto ideals as a people, and if those ideals are as lofty as the pursuit of Torah, then being stiff-necked is not a bad thing at all. To me, that is what God might have also meant here by calling the Jewish people stiff-necked – yes, you sinned and yes, you will be punished for it; but yes, you also are a people that have pledged yourself to God and the Ten Commandments and will stubbornly protect the Torah though all the generations, which we have. I was thinking about all this as I was watching the presidential debates last week. Not picking on any individuals or political parties, but candidates tend to be stiff-necked in their positions, whether it is to appease their base or because they don’t want to appear to be “flip-flopping” on their positions on the issues. I can understand that to a point, and I am certainly not saying that what politicians do is a sin or is equivalent to what the Jewish people did on Mt. Sinai in creating the Golden Calf. However, stubbornly holding onto positions that can cause hardship and suffering to individuals can lead to any form of discrimination and can lessen the rights of individuals to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It can also infringe on the rights of individuals just to satisfy a certain constituency or to get votes. To me, this is being stiff-necked in all its negative sense. However, holding onto positions, whether or not they are popular or represent the majority, that uphold the Torah principles of showing kindness and respect to all individuals no matter who they are; of treating others as you would like to be treated yourself; of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and housing the homeless; of being fair in all your dealings to people; and of maintaining the dignity of all people; now that’s being stiff-necked in the right way. My wish for everyone is that your candidate for office, regardless of who or what party you support, be stiff-necked in a praiseworthy way. If that is the case, we will all be much better in the long run. Alan Sukert is an engineer with Xerox Corporation in Rochester and a member of Temple Adath Yeshurun.

NEWS IN BRIEF From JNS.org

Suspended Arab Knesset member vows to keep visiting terrorists’ families

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – Member of Knesset Basel Ghattas, one of three Knesset members from the Joint Arab List party who were recently suspended after visiting late Palestinian terrorists’ families, said he will not stop making such visits and referred to the deceased terrorists as “martyrs.” Ghattas was suspended from the Knesset alongside fellow Joint Arab List MKs Haneen Zoabi and Jamal Zahalka when their meeting with families of terrorists, which included a moment of silence in honor of the terrorists, was determined to have constituted “conduct unbecoming.”

Todah

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The puppet is intended for singing, hugs and meeting new friends. Anyone who sees it in the halls at the JCC has been invited to stop and “welcome this newest member of the JCC family.”

L-r: Karina Zilberman, founder of Shababa, posed with Carolyn Weinberg, local Shababa coordinator, and the Todah the Sloth puppet.

FEBRUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776 ■

OBITUARIES HERBERT “HERB” ISAACS

ROBERT “BOB” RALPH

Robert “Bob” Ralph, 72, of East Syracuse, died on January 29 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo. He was the son of the late Shirley Langer and Hyman Ralph. He was employed as a wealth manager of Deutsche Bank in New York for many years. He loved to travel with his wife, Lenore, enjoyed photography, was an avid swimmer and cyclist, traveled to Civil War battlefields and was a member of the Knights of Pythias. He is survived by his wife, Lenore; daughter, Amy (Jason) Pierce, of Manlius; and two granddaughters. Burial was in Beth Moses Cemetery, Farmingdale. Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements. Contributions may be made to the FM/JD Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 72, Manlius, NY 13104. 

BERKELEY “BUD” ROTH

Berkeley “Bud” Roth, 81, died on January 30 at Avow Hospice of Naples in Florida. An outstanding student athlete at Nottingham High School, he earned letters in baseball, football, basketball and track. At Dartmouth, he played varsity football and baseball, and was tapped to join Casque and Gauntlet, the prestigious honorary society. He was a member of the Naval ROTC in college, went to flight school in Pensacola and became a pilot and then a flight instructor. In 1959, as a lieutenant, Roth was honored as Flight Instructor of the Year. After his service, he returned to Syracuse, worked in the family furniture business and later established the Ethan Allen store in Camillus, followed by stores in Rochester and DeWitt. In retirement, he continued to ski and play tennis and golf. He gave back to the community through his volunteer work as president of the Men’s Club of the YMCA and his work with SCORE, an organization that connects entrepreneurs with seasoned executives to benefit from their advice and experience. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Margery “Margie”; and their children, Wendy Jo, Rick, Robin, Clifford and Heather. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery. Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements. Memorial contributions can be made to a charity of choice. 

SELMA SCHULTZ

From JNS.org

Selma Schultz, 98, died at Highland House on February 1. She was a life resident of Syracuse. An avid reader, she often said she traveled through her books. She loved gardening and fashion. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert Schultz; and her grandson, Gregory Dobbertin. She is survived by her son, Steven (Donna Kaplan) Schultz; her daughters, Adrianne (Jerry) Dobbertin and Rosanne (Raymond) McDougall; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Burial was in Frumah Packard Cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements. Contributions may be made to PACE CNY, 100 Malta Lane, Syracuse, NY 13212. 

Israel, Russia to sign free trade agreement

DOROTHY “DOTTIE” WALKER

Israeli to create sculpture in outer space

Dorothy “Dottie” Walker, 82, died at home on January 29. Born in New York, she had been a resident of Syracuse since 1961, when her husband, Larry, accepted a position at Upstate Medical Center. She was an art teacher in the Liverpool School District for more than 30 years until retiring in 1995. She was an accomplished potter and was for many years a part of Clayscapes. She was a past president of the Twins and Triplets Club, and a volunteer with the American Cancer Society. A breast cancer survivor herself, she became a counselor and ambassador to other women who were fighting the same disease that she had conquered. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Larry; their son, Scott; their daughters, Carrie (Mark) Sayler, Leslie (Edward) Ashcraft and Ellen (Jim) Reidy; nine grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Burial was in the Beth Sholom section of Oakwood Cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements. Contributions may be made to Hospice of Central New York, 990 7th North St., Liverpool, NY 13088. 

NEWS IN BRIEF From JNS.org

Israeli-Arab gets 20 months in prison for transferring funds to Hamas

An Israeli-Arab dentist was sentenced on Feb. 11 to 20 months in prison for transferring funds to the Gazaruling Palestinian terror group Hamas. Malak Khatib, a 32-year-old dentist from a predominantly Arab village in northern Israel, was convicted of using property for terrorism-related activity and illegally transporting several Palestinian workers in Israel.

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Russia and Israel are planning to sign a free trade agreement that will allow for the establishment of joint ventures in the high-tech and agriculture sectors, the Russian news agency TASS reported on Feb. 12. Both Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel and Russian Deputy Agriculture Minister Sergey Levin confirmed that the agreement is expected to be finalized. “We’ve discussed the prospects of forming a free trade zone, which the government plans to put on paper within the shortest period of time,” Levin said. Israel officials told Ma’ariv that Ariel visited Russia with Member of Knesset Yoel Razvozov (Yesh Atid), who together with Israeli Ambassador to Russia Zvi Heifetz met with Kremlin officials – among them Russia’s deputy prime minister, Arkady Dvorkovich – to discuss the agreement. An Israeli artist plans to create a “laughing” piece that will be beamed up to outer space this year, becoming the first-ever sculpture in space, The Jerusalem Post reported. Eyal Gever is a concept artist working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on a project called #Laugh, which will take a digital representation of human laughter and send it space, where it will be formed into a “sculpture” by the Made in Space company on a 3D printer designed to work in zero-gravity conditions. The #Laugh project is intended to help create an environment where astronauts can work easier in space, for instance, giving them the ability to upload images and print them in 3D. “One of the areas that we are excited a lot about is art and how we can design new types of art that maybe we can’t even bring back to Earth, because we’re building a sculpture that wouldn’t even survive in gravity,” said Made in Space’s chief technology officer, Jason Dunn, in a video promoting #Laugh. Gever spoke on Feb. 10 at Tel Aviv’s International Mediterranean Tourism Market conference about wanting to create a sculpture of something that does not exist in space. “I realized, you know, maybe I shouldn’t even think about using a person or a certain language ...and then a friend of mine said, ‘Why don’t you do a human laughter?’” he said. As part of the NASA project, people will be able to record and submit their laughter online, and then vote on which digital representation of laughter should be used in the sculpture.

Iran says supporting terrorist groups is state policy

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein JaberiAnsari said that it is Tehran’s policy to support terrorist groups, Iran’s Tasnim NewAgency reported. The Iranian government sponsors terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. “Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution [in 1979], the Islamic Republic of Iran has declared that supporting the Palestinian nation and the Palestinian Resistance Movement (Hamas) is among its fixed policies and has continuously taken some measures on this path,” Ansari said.

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a daily basis. SHDS is changing the lives of students and families every day, and we consider ourselves so fortunate to be part of such a supportive community. The celebration dinner promises to be an evening not soon forgotten.” For more information, to purchase tickets or to place an ad or congratulatory announcement, contact SHDS at 446-1900 or celebration@shds.org.

NEWS DIGEST

Herb Isaacs, 91, of Syracuse, died on February 6. Born in Scranton, PA, he finished high school and enlisted in the U.S. (Army) Air Force to become a pilot. After extensive B-17 training, he and his crew were shipped to Europe, where they flew more than 20 missions over Germany before World War II ended in 1945. Herb (or Sonny Boy, as he was called) was a born salesman with a great sense of humor, a talent that led him to various positions throughout his career. He was a top salesman at the Mohawk Carpet Co. in Binghamton; spent almost 20 years in the liquor business as the general manager of the family business, Siegelman Liquor Store in Syracuse; and more than 35 years in the furniture industry as a manufacturers’ representative, until his early 80s. He was active in a number of community organizations, including the Syracuse Jaycees, the Optimist Club of Syracuse, National Ski Patrol (more than 40 years) and extensive volunteering for the Crouse- Irving, and Upstate Medical University hospitals. He was an avid skier, tennis player and pilot throughout his life. He was predeceased by his wife of 59 years, Lois, in 2010. He is survived by his children, Beth, Larry (Theresa) and Marc (Judy); five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and his sister, Harriett Gelb, of Scranton. Burial was in the Temple Concord section of Woodlawn Cemetery. Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements. Contributions can be made to the Stanley D. Leslie, MD ‘51 Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Upstate Medical Alumni Foundation, Leslie Scholarship, Setnor Academic Building #1510, 750 E. Adams St., Syracuse, NY 13210; or online at medalumni.upstate.edu/donate-endow. 

Beckman

JEWISH OBSERVER

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ FERBUARY 18, 2016/7 ADAR I 5776

NEWS IN BRIEF From JTA

Israeli mikvahs must allow non-Orthodox conversions, Supreme Court rules

In a landmark decision, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that mikvahs in the country must open up to non-Orthodox conversion rites. Until now, Israeli mikvahs have denied access for conversion immersions to Reform and Conservative converts. Israel’s mikvahs are run by Israel’s Religious Services Ministry, which operates in lock-step with the Orthodox-dominated Israeli Rabbinate. The Feb. 11 ruling, based on a case brought in Beersheba, forces all Israel’s public mikvah ritual baths to allow access to groups wishing to perform non-Orthodox conversions. The vice president of Israel’s Supreme Court, Elyakim Rubinstein, said the justices sought to reach a deal that would have given non-Orthodox converts access to three public mikvahs in various regions in Israel, but the Religious Services Ministry refused to compromise. As a consequence, the ruling applies to all public mikvahs. The court struck down all of the ministry’s arguments in favor of denying access, including the contention that mikvahs are open to all Jews and that these converts are not Jewish. Neither are Orthodox converts until they immerse, Rubinstein noted, concluding that the denial of access to those undergoing non-Orthodox conversions was unlawful. “I think this is one of the most important constitutional rulings by the Supreme Court,” Gilad Kariv, the president of Israel’s Reform movement, told JTA. “This ruling really goes beyond the issue of immersion in the mikvah. The justices are saying that even if we have an Orthodox establishment, this establishment cannot impose any policy that goes against the basic democratic values of the state.” Kariv said he believes the ruling will help the non-Orthodox movements score victories in other areas related to religious discrimination in Israel, such as lack of public funding for non-Orthodox streams of Judaism and restricted access to other public religious facilities by nonOrthodox Jews, clergy and institutions. Until now, non-Orthodox conversion immersions were conducted in natural mikvahs – that is, the sea. For that reason, Kariv said, his movement has refused to convert children in the wintertime. Hundreds of Israelis convert to Judaism under year under the aegis of the Reform and Conservative movements, according to Kariv. Though the converts are not considered Jewish by Israel’s Rabbinate and therefore have problems when it comes to marrying Jews, they are recognized as Jewish by Israel’s Population Registry. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism, hailed the Supreme Court ruling. “This is a breakthrough. Government-supported religious institutions must now, in a sense, move to a more pluralistic practice,” he said. “This changes some of the really difficult realities for non-Orthodox Jews and Judaism in Israel.” Jacobs added that this fight exists in the United States, too. Most mikvahs in America are Orthodox-run and do not allow Reform or Conservative conversion immersions, according to Jacobs.

Haredi man burns Reform prayer book at Western Wall

A haredi Orthodox man burned a Reform prayer book while protesting a women’s prayer service at the Western Wall. The man, Itamar Gadassi, set the book on fire during the monthly service on Feb. 10 of Women of the Wall, which meets at the wall’s women’s section. Protesters regularly shout epithets at the group and have thrown things at them in the past. According to a press release from Women of Reform Judaism condemning the incident, Gadassi was stopped by police, but allowed to stay at the site. “My claim isn’t against Itamar Gadassi, it’s against those who incite against Women of the Wall and Reform and Conservative Jews,” Women of the Wall Chairwoman Anat Hoffman told JTA. “This incitement can lead to acts. There’s a connection between incitement and what happens in the street.” Women of the Wall was party to an interdenominational agreement on Jan. 31 to expand the wall’s non-Orthodox section. In the wake of the agreement, several public figures made statements denigrating non-Orthodox Jews. Tourism Minister Yariv Levin said, “Reform Jews in the United States are a dying world” on Jan. 31, while Deputy Education Minister said the following day that Reform Jews and Women of the Wall should be “thrown to the dogs.”

Israel Police appoints first Arab Muslim deputy commissioner

The Israel Police has appointed its first Arab Muslim deputy commissioner, who will lead a new unit charged with law enforcement in the country’s Arab sector. Jamal Hakrush, from the northern Israeli Arab town of Kafr Kanna, will lead the 1,300person unit, for which the police are currently recruiting officers, the Times of Israel reported on Feb. 11. Arab Israelis make up one-fifth of Israel’s population but are involved in the majority of its crimes. Dozens of new police stations will be built in Arab communities. “This picture is not only of concern to the police, but also to the Arab community itself,” Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich said on Feb. 9 in a Knesset meeting. “There is a strong desire to strengthen policing in the Arab community. I met dozens of heads of Arab local authorities and discovered that there was great willingness.” Kafr Kanna Mayor Mujahid Awawida said Hakrush is the right man for the job. “Hakrush is a good and faithful man, and he can do the job properly,” he said, according to the Times of Israel. “He is a son of the village and my friend, and I congratulate him on the appointment.”

Antisemitic educational videos pulled from NY schools

A New York state legislator is calling on all state districts to avoid using an educational publisher whose videos inaccurately depict Judaism. On Feb. 10, New

York State Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski spoke out against the California-based Study.com, after the Jewish Federation of Rockland County raised concerns about two of its videos shown at public schools at two separate districts in the suburbs north of New York City recently, The Journal News reported. In one video, Jews were described as being “aloof,” whereas in another, about first-century Palestine under Roman rule, Jews are depicted as aggressors, according to The Journal News. In a letter to the company, Zebrowski urged it to review its videos to ensure its materials are “accurate and appropriate, especially when the materials are being used to introduce young, impressionable students to complex topics such as religion, race and ethnicity.” The superintendent of Rockland County’s Nyack district told The Journal Newsthat district officials had removed the two videos from use because they contain “historically inaccurate information and misrepresentation of the nature of Judaism.” Jennifer McHam, a spokeswoman for Study.com, told The Journal News that the company is modifying at least one of the videos and that it “was not intended to offend or be antisemitic.”

Refugees in Greece get medical equipment from Jewishfunded group

A New York-based humanitarian organization, funded by several Jewish groups, has begun supplying a Greek island with desperately needed medical equipment to help cope with the influx of tens of thousands of refugees. The Afya Foundation has already dispatched a container full of aid to hospitals and rescue organizations on the island of Lesbos, said the foundation’s executive director, Danielle Butin, who has just returned from a visit to the island to assess the needs. The situation she found was dire: Hospital wings stand empty for of lack of equipment, doctors lack medicine to treat the ill and Greek Coast Guard boats that are pulling drowning refugees out of the sea, don’t have basic resuscitation equipment like defibrillators. “The simply don’t have enough medical supplies and equipment,” Butin said. Over the past year, hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants, most of them from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, have landed on Lesbos in the northern Aegean Sea as they try to reach Europe. Afya – which means “good health” in Swahili – has in the past sent medical supplies for humanitarian relief to Haiti, Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Malawi and Sierra Leone. “We decided on this trip that our response is going to be to send as much as possible and we want to support the already existing systems with concrete supplies to benefit the locals and the refugees,” said Butin. In Lesbos, Butin said she saw a newly renovated hospital standing empty, because local authorities don’t have the equipment to run it, while the existing medical facilities are stretched beyond their abilities. She returned to New York with dozens of pages of handwritten lists in Greek of the supplies each hospital department was short of. The first shipment was funded by the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief, a coalition of American Jewish groups led by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. The coalition has so far raised more than $1.2 million to fund projects dealing with the Syrian refugees, according to the the JDC, including funding to the Israeli aid agency IsraAid, who have been operating in Greece since September, providing medical and psychological assistance to the refugees. Israel also donated 1.5 tons of medication to the Greek Ministry of Health. Butin said she is trying to raise further funds for additional shipments and has already had “extraordinary support from the Jewish community and [New York-area] synagogues. ...We are trying to raise a couple hundred thousand dollars, the goal is to raise as much money as possible to keep the containers flowing.”

Israel

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DINNER WITH FORMER KNESSET MEMBER PNINA TAMANO-SHATA, JERUSALEM Pnina Tamano-Shata is an Israeli lawyer, journalist and former Knesset member. The first Ethiopian woman in the Knesset, she prides herself on representing the Ethiopian community in Israel through politics and law. She emigrated to Israel from Ethiopia at the tender age of 3. She remembers coming to Israel in a van, crossing Sudan, and being taken by plane to Israel in a secret operation. She remembers being told that her mom and sisters had died in a vehicle accident on the way over. She also remembers when, a while later, her mom unexpectedly arrived in Israel, emaciated and coming from a refugee camp. Pnina was trained as a lawyer, but found politics a more suitable field. Pnina’s past is compelling, and her future even more so. When asked about potentially running for prime minister in the future, she says with a smile, “Why not?”

CITY HALL, JERUSALEM I have met Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on several occasions recently, and this time, when I introduced myself, he said, “I remember you! I’ve met you before!” I believe that Jerusalem is transforming, in large part, because of this man. He has brought more innovation, entrepreneurship and young people here, and to be a part of that transformation is incredible. Barkat recently joined the Likud party and there has been speculation that he will likely run in the next election for prime minister, to succeed Benjamin Netanyahu. For more on the South African delegation’s visit to Israel, check the Times of Israel for an upcoming feature article. Eliana Rudee is a fellow with the Haym Salomon Center and the author of the “Aliyah Annotated” column for JNS.org. She is a graduate of Scripps College, where she studied international relations and Jewish studies. Her bylines have been featured in USA Today, Forbes and The Hill.

Eliana Rudee and Pnina Tamano-Shata (Photo by Dov Lipman)

Mayor Nir Barkat and Eliana Rudee (Photo by Dov Lipman)