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4 ADAR II 5774 • MARCH 6, 2014 • VOLUME XXXVIII, NUMBER 5 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY

Rabbi stand-up comic to perform in Syracuse Campaign thank you event March 12

By Marianne Bazydlo The Jewish Federation of Central New York will present a comedy night to thank donors to the 2014 Annual Campaign on Wednesday, March 12, at 6 pm. Comedian Rabbi Bob Alper will perform at 7 pm, after a 6 pm kosher wine tasting.

Federation President/CEO Linda Alexander said, “We expect 90 minutes of non-stop laughter when Rabbi Alper visits our community. His shows have sold out in other communities, so please call or e-mail to reserve your seat. There will be plenty of free

parking available at Temple Concord and in parking lots close to the synagogue.”

Free parking will be available in the Temple Concord lot, 910 Madison St.; at the 1200 East Genesee Street medical office building; in the parking lot of Grace Church, 819 Madison St., and the parking lot at 404-406 University Ave. A Providence, RI, native, Alper graduated from Lehigh University, was ordained at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and is the first Jew to earn a doctorate from the Princeton Theological Seminary. He

has served congregations in Buffalo and Philadelphia, where he continues to conduct High Holiday services.

He began his comedy career in 1986 when he entered the “Jewish Comic of the Year Contest” at the Going Bananas Club in Philadelphia. Television, radio and personal appearances followed as he developed his approach to stand-up.

Today,Alper performs nearly 80 shows per year, drawing large audiences and response.

In addition to his solo shows, he frequently performs with Muslim comedian Mo Amer.

The event will be open to all donors who have made a minimum gift of $18 to the 2014 Annual Campaign. There will be a minimal fee to attend and reservations will be held at the door. For information or to reserve seats, contact Marianne Bazydlo at 445-2040, ext. 102, or mbazydlo@jewishfederationcny.org.

The event will be sponsored by Berkshire Bank Foundation. “We are very grateful to Berkshire Bank for their sponsorship and for helping us to bring Rabbi Bob Alper and a night of laughter to our community,” said Phil Holstein, 2014 Campaign chair.

Your overseas Federation dollars at work

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to greatly influenced their decisions “to build upon or add a Jewish tradition to their home life,” and that 62 percent said it “increased their families’ positive feelings about being Jewish.”

“PJ Library meets families where they are – in the comfort of their own homes,” said Marcie Greenfield Simons, PJ Library director. “People are turning to ‘do-it-yourself’ everything, including religion, and Judaism is no different.”

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“We hope the Lantern Library will be a long-term partnership that will eventually serve Arab preschoolers in all state preschools throughout the country,” said Galina Vromen, who directs Grinspoon Foundation operations in Israel. “We are delighted that the Ministry of Education recognizes the importance of providing good books to young children in Israel.

Studies show that reading books to children from an early age is vital to emotional and intellectual development.”

A recent Grinspoon Foundation-commissioned survey of more than 20,000 American Jewish parents participating in the PJ Library program found that 58 percent said the program has moderately

To date, we have 1,120 donors.

Federation's 2014 Campaign now stands at $510,777.

Jew

By JTA staff NEW YORK (JTA) – A foundation that distributes free Jewish books to Jewish children in North America and Israel is launching an initiative to deliver Arabic books to Israeli-Arab preschoolers.

The Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s PJ Library and Sifriyat Pajama, PJ’s sister program in Israel, have collectively given away more than 10 million books in nine years. The new initiative for Israeli Arabs is called Maktabat al-Fanoos, Arabic for “Lantern Library,” and will distribute Arabic children’s books to 45,000 preschoolers living in Israeli-Arab communities. Some 215,000 Jewish preschoolers in Israel receive Sifriyat Pajama books.

Our goal is 2014 donors in 2014!

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PJ Library launching program for IsraeliArab children

As Federation worked together with its colleagues at JDC and the Jewish Agency, as well as World ORT, during the last few weeks, its staff have been vividly reminded that core unrestricted gifts to Federation’s overseas partners matter. They matter in times of crisis, when immediate support literally means the difference between life and death, and they matter during times of stability, to ensure this historic Jewish community not only survives but continues to thrive.

This is what the core unrestricted Federation dollars invest in every day, in Ukraine and around the globe. This is what your participation in Federation’s core funding is about. This is what Jewish Federation is about.

Jerry Silverman is the Jewish Federations of North America president and CEO.

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Alena Druzhynina of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, pictured above in white helmet, entered the Independence Square area of Kiev on February 22 to bring a package of food to an 82-year-old pensioner who has been homebound since the worst of the violence began. See related article on page 2. (Photo by JDC)

others in the Jewish community are at risk.

However, Federation and its partner agencies, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency for Israel, are there. Thanks to core unrestricted funding, Federation is ready.

In fact, Federation has been there, and ready, for decades. Because Federation is dedicated to supporting Jewish life and organizations in Ukraine, it was able to step up when the need for help intensified.

In the midst of the violence, JDC’s emergency response network is ensuring continued home deliveries of food, medicine, heating and cooking fuel, and sustained life-saving care at home for the elderly. The Jewish Agency has tapped its EmergencyAssistance Fund, started in 2012, to bolster security at Ukraine’s many Jewish institutions, including synagogues, yeshivas and community centers.

“Central Kiev looks like a war zone – you see the actual fighting,” a local JDC worker told one newspaper. “Many are living in an area where there is violence and cannot leave home... I have seen people here supplying food to elderly clients in areas with snipers and Molotov cocktails. It is real avodat kodesh (holy work).”

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and protestors, dozens of casualties and scenes of destruction that have gripped the world, and it’s not over.

Although the estimated 300,000 Jewish residents in Kiev and throughout Ukraine are not outright targets of violence, it has touched them like everyone else. On February 23, a Ukrainian synagogue was firebombed, and

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By Jerry Silverman This is reprinted from an e-mail sent out to Federation and Campaign executives across the country.

It started in November with peaceful protests against strengthening political ties between Ukraine and Russia. It snowballed into violent confrontations between police

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The 2014 Campaign is underway!

To make your pledge, contact Marianne at 445-2040 ext. 102 or mbazydlo@jewishfederationCNY.org.

C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A March 7....................5:42 pm.............................................................. Parasha-Vayikra March 14..................6:51 pm................................................................... Parasha-Tsav March 21..................6:59 pm.............................................................Parasha-Shemini

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Yom Ha’atmaut

Purim

Israeli NGOs in Africa

The community will celebrate Local synagogues and organizations Israeli NGOs are bringing their Israel’s independence at the JCC announce their Purim celebrations; expertise in a variety of fields to on May 6. and hamantashen recipes. communities throughout Kenya.

Story on page 3 Stories on pages 4, 8 and 12 Story on page 9

PLUS Senior Living............................... 9 Calendar Highlights................10 News in Brief.......................10-11 Obituaries.................................. 11

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ march 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774

After ban, Danish gov’t minister to examine science of ritual slaughter

By JTA staff (JTA) — Danish Agriculture Minister Dan Jorgensen said he was open to reviewing scientific studies that present Muslim or Jewish ritual slaughter as humane.

Jorgensen made the statement during a meeting on February 21 with representatives of Denmark’s Jewish and Muslim communities following his decision earlier that month to ban ritual slaughter, or shechitah, in Denmark.

Danish Chief Rabbi Bent Dov Lexner

wrote in a statement that Jorgensen said he “would let his department evaluate any scientific evidence which could bring more information about the shechitah/halal compared to pre-stunning butchery.”

Ritual slaughter is rarely performed in Denmark and the last known shechitah took place there more than 10 years ago, according to Rabbi Yitzchok Loewenthal of Copenhagen.

Jorgensen also apologized for not having met the communities’ representatives before

issuing the ban, which went into effect on February 17.

The Conference of European Rabbis and the European Jewish Congress said in a joint statement on February 26 that they are launching an international campaign to reverse the ban. Part of the campaign, the groups said, would see members of Jewish communities contacting Danish embassies in European countries to “express the strength of feeling on this issue across the continent.”

Both groups also will be taking responsibility for compiling the scientific material to present to the Danish government. They have contacted the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss ways in which European communities can work with the Israeli government as part of the response.

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, said action was necessary because “this ban could have very serious implications for Jews across Europe.”

Ukraine Jews hunkering down amid turmoil

By Talia Lavin and Cnaan Liphshiz (JTA) – The turmoil in Ukraine has left one of Europe’s largest Jewish communities on edge.

After an outbreak of violence in Kiev that left dozens of protesters and policemen dead, President Viktor Yanukovych fled the capital and parliament installed an interim leader to take the still-contested reins of power.

Like their compatriots, Ukraine’s Jews are waiting to see what the future holds for their country, but with the added fear that they could become targets amid the chaos.

There have been a few isolated antisemitic incidents over the past few months of civil strife. On the night of February 23 in the eastern city of Zaporizhia, a synagogue was firebombed with Molotov cocktails, causing minor damage.

While Kiev has been relatively calm since Yanukovych fled the capital, the situation in the country’s eastern and southern regions, where he has his base of support, is more volatile. Tensions between the local governments and revolutionaries continue to rise in the eastern city of Kharkiv, which has a relatively sizable Jewish community.

“It’s still a very fluid situation,” said Mark Levin, chairman of the NCSJ, an American organization that advocates for Jews in the former Soviet Union. “The big concern, I think, is ensuring that there’s adequate security for Jewish institutions throughout the country, but particularly in the large cities. And I think that’s where much of the focus within the American Jewish community and Israel lies – that and making sure the flow of services continues.”

Levin also expressed concern that with elections slated for May 25, a future government could result in ultranationalists gaining power in Ukraine. Svoboda, a right-wing nationalist party, was prominent in the protest movement, and party officials have expressed virulently antisemitic sentiments.

Thus far, though, the conflict has not been marked by incitement against Ukraine’s multiple national minorities, Oksana Galkevich, a representative of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, told JTA from Kharkiv on February 21.

“The overall situation in relation to the Jewish community in Ukraine is tolerant and peaceful,” said Vadim Rabinovich, president of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress, in a statement issued on February 24. “There have been no mass outbursts or exacerbation of antisemitism in Ukraine.”

Rabinovich rejected as untrue foreign press reports of mass antisemitism in the country and called them “not conducive to a peaceful life of the Jewish community.” He vowed that the Jewish community would participate “in building a democratic state and promoting the revival and prosperity of the country.”

Estimates of the size of Ukraine’s Jewish community vary widely. Some commonly cited statistics suggest the

country has only 70,000 Jews, while the European Jewish Congress and the JDC say there are as many as 400,000. Over the past few months, many Jewish institutions have simply gone into hibernation, suspending activity during the turmoil.

Others, though, have carried on their work under heavy security.

The Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, which runs the Orach Chaim day school in Kiev and several other institutions, has been paying $1,000 a day for round-theclock security by teams from two private firms, one of which also provides security for the Israeli embassy in Kiev. Together, staff guard nine buildings, including four school buildings, a community center, a synagogue and a religious seminary, according to Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich, the confederation’s president and a Ukrainian chief rabbi.

“Nobody goes alone at night, so we have three people doing escorts from the synagogue and back,” he told JTA the week fo February 20. Meanwhile, security on the “Jewish campus” – the area around Kiev’s Podol Synagogue – is maintained by a team of nine people. The guards have chased off a few trespassers, but encountered no serious threats in Kiev.

But the cost – 10 times what the community used to pay for security before the violence erupted – means the community cannot afford this level of security for much longer.

The Joint Distribution Committee also has promoted security measures to protect staff and volunteers. After the firebombing of the Zaporizhia synagogue, JDC reinforced security measures for its charity organization in the city. The JDC has been continuing to provide assistance to elderly and homebound Jews living in areas of Ukraine that have been affected by the unrest.

With Yanukovych ousted and avoiding the acting government’s warrant for his arrest for alleged murder, many hope the situation will stabilize as the country prepares for the elections. But if it doesn’t, Bleich’s community may not be able to keep its institutions running for another month. “We already paid the bill for January, and now we have to pay the bill for February, and it’s a big one,” Bleich told JTA on February 21.

His community has launched an online campaign on religious websites in the United States aimed at collecting additional funds. The Lauder Foundation is providing payment for security in three communityrun schools.

“Most communities don’t do any activity that involves congregating,” said Eduard Dolinsky, executive director of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee. In January, his organization canceled its annual January 27 Holocaust remembrance ceremony.

“For a few weeks it’s still OK,” he said, “but if this continues, then it will start to undo the fabric of the community and we will see damage to Jewish life, which has really progressed in this country.”

Rabbi Moshe Azman of Kiev, who is another claimant to the title of chief rabbi of Ukraine and heads Chabad’s activities

in the country, advised Jews in media interviews to keep a low profile until the situation calms down.

Hillel Cohen, who is responsible for the Hatzolah Jewish first aid service in Kiev, did not heed Azman’s advice. On February 21, he and other volunteers were driving in the Hatzolah ambulance in an attempt to help Jews in need of medical attention. But he conceded that driving amid the burning barricades of Kiev was at times a bloodchilling experience.

“Things began getting really uneasy when the rioters started setting up spontaneous roadblocks to keep police and army troops from reaching the action zone,” he told JTA. “It was very uneasy, being pulled over in a car full of Orthodox Jews by clubwielding Cossacks.”

While the prominence of ultranationalists within the opposition protests has caused concern, Jews also have been active participants in rallies held in Ukraine’s Independence Square, or Maidan. Tablet Magazine spoke to a source who noted that a rabbi offered a prayer for peace at the demonstration and that a klezmer band performed Yiddish songs in the square.

Bleich, who is visiting the United States, was asked in a radio interview on February 23, following Yanukovych’s ouster, about concerns over antisemitism within the ranks of the protesters.

“The majority of the protesters are

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grassroots, regular, everyday old people from Ukraine that were fed up with living in a corrupt society, and they came out to protest against it and to try and make change, and they were successful in making change,” he said. “There’s no question about that. That’s the majority.

They’re not antisemites, they’re not rightwing, nationalist, neo-fascists or Nazis, the way the Russians have been trying to paint them.”

But Bleich cautioned that there is a minority element within the opposition that is antisemitic, citing Svoboda. “The Jewish community has to stay vigil [sic] and see what’s going to be,” he said.

“What’s going to happen with this new government? Are they going to be a part of the government?”

Bleich said he has received assurances from opposition leaders that they will not tolerate antisemitism.

Talia Lavin is the editorial assistant at JTA. A recent Harvard graduate and aspiring novelist, she recently returned from a Fulbright grant in Ukraine, where she studied early 20th century Hebrew literature.

Cnaan Liphshiz is JTA’s news and features correspondent in Europe. Based in the Netherlands, he covers the mosaic of cultures, languages and traditions that is European Jewry. Born in Israel, he used to work as foreign news editor for Maariv and as a reporter for Haaretz.

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MARCH 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774 ■

AROUND CENTRAL NEW YORK Yom Ha’atzmaut

By Doug Hornbacker The Jewish community will celebrate Israel Independence on Tuesday, May 6, from 6-8 pm, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse.

The community will celebrate Israel’s 66 years of achievements beginning with Yom Ha’zikaron, which will commemorate the men and women who gave their lives for Israel “lihyot ‘am chofshi b(e)’artzeinu,” “to be a free people in our land,” as said in Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah.”

This will be the fifth consecutive year that Orit Antosh and Nurit Nussbaum have co-chaired the celebration.

This year’s theme will be “Israel and You.” The event’s activities will include an Israeli art show featuring local and Israeli artists, presentations of Israeli innovations, a tasting of Israeli wines and a community chorus of adults and children.

Antosh and Nussbaum said that this year they want people to identify with Israel by drawing attention to modern Israel and its role as a center for world-class, high-tech innovation. Nussbaum said, “Israel is a vibrant and growing member of the world community. We wanted to broaden people’s image of Israel to include the modern Israel, as well as its religious and historical roots.” Antosh added, “Israel is the source of many technological and medical advances and innovations.

The media tends to focus on the turmoil in the region when it comes to covering Israel. We want to make people aware of Israel’s many positive contributions to the world as well.”

Orit Antosh and Nurit Nussbaum The free event will be sponsored by the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center, and funded by a Yom Ha’atzmaut grant from the Jewish Federation of Central New York. The event will be held in conjunction with local area synagogues. In addition to the planned program, there will be music, an Israeli dancing performance, children’s activities and a free Israeli dinner.

Reservations have been requested and can be made by contacting local synagogue offices or e-mailing Israel66cny@yahoo.com.

Dancers wanted for Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration The Yom Ha’atzmaut Committee is seeking dancers of

Shining Stars nominations

By Judy Schmid Menorah Park is accepting nominations for the ninth annual “Our Shining Stars” event, which recognizes residents, volunteers and employees who are said to make the Menorah Park community “a family organization.”

For the eighth consecutive year, the event will be co-chaired by Robin and Steve Sisskind. Steve said, “This event is a terrific opportunity for all of us affiliated with Menorah Park to honor our own, to welcome summer with an informal picnic and raise funds to support the resident activity and special event funds.”

Robin added, “We’re honored to once again gather with spirited individuals who bring joy to the lives of our residents.”

To nominate someone, send their name, Menorah Park affiliation (resident, volunteer or employee) and

JCC bereavement group date change

The date for the upcoming Bereavement Support Group at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center has been changed from Tuesday, March 11, to Wednesday, March 19, from 12:45-2 pm. For more information, contact Leesa Paul at the JCC at 445-2360 or lpaul@jccsyr.org.

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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 and United Way of Central New York. To attend, one need not be Jewish or a member of the JCC. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Leesa Paul or Larry Crinnin at 445-2360, ext. 104, or lpaul@jccsyr.org.

“MAKE IT YOUR NEXT MITZVAH”

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Mike Lessen-256-6167 donatecars@twcny.rr.com

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Wednesday, March 5.......................... March 20 Wednesday, March 19............................ April 3 Wednesday, April 2.............................. April 17 Monday, April 14, early...........................May 1

an explanation of that person’s contribution to Menorah Park, along with the name, address and contact information of the person nominating the individual, to Menorah Park, Hodes Way, 4101 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13214. Nomination forms can also be faxed to 446-3099, dropped at the front desk or e-mailed to khallahan@ menorahparkcny.com.

Menorah Park is a full service continuum of care campus, which includes the Jewish Health and Rehabilitation Center, independent living at The Oaks and supportive living at The Inn. Menorah Park is also home to the Ahavath Achim Apartments, the Rothschild Adult Day Program, Syracuse Jewish Family Services and the Institute for Applied Research on Aging. For more information on Menorah Park of Central New York, visit http://menorahparkofcny.com.

The Jcc and CONg. Beth SholoM Graciously accept Donated Vehicles.

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all ages to form a dance troupe for the upcoming Israel Independence Day celebration at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center. The troupe will meet on Thursdays in April at 7 pm at the JCC. No prior dance experience will be needed. Carl Hanig will teach all of the dance steps.

For more information, contact Antosh and Nussbaum at Israel66cny@yahoo.com.

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center senior dining menu March 10-14 Monday – chicken casserole with apples and raisins Tuesday – Asian Day – beef with vegetarian oyster sauce Wednesday – honey mustard chicken Thursday – individual turkey pot pies Friday – haddock French March 17-21 Monday – hot pastrami sandwich Tuesday – soups and salad bar Wednesday – chicken tetrazzini Thursday – poached egg on tomato over beef brisket on challah Friday – chicken fricassee The Bobbi Epstein Lewis JCC Senior Adult Dining Program, catered by Tiffany’s Catering Company at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center, offers kosher lunches served Monday-Friday at noon. Reservations are required by noon on the previous business day and there is a suggested contribution per meal.

The menu is subject to change. The program is funded

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ march 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774

congregational notes Congregation Beth SholomChevra Shas CBS-CS SNAP Challenge timed with Purim For the second consecutive year, Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone is encouraging congregants to participate in InterFaith Work’s SNAP Challenge. Each person on a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program allocation must live on $29.40 for all of their food for the week. People undertaking the challenge will experience life as though they were dependent on SNAP. The CBS-CS challenge will be held a month later than the official SNAP Challenge, with the selection of the week of March 9-15, which leads up to Purim. The Fast of Esther, which occurs on Thursday, March 13, from sunrise to sundown, recalls Esther’s fast before she went to the king and begged him to spare her people.

Participants have been encouraged to use the SNAP Challenge “to move them to action” and call upon civic leaders to do more to protect the vulnerable in society.

The challenge is intended to show solidarity with more than 45 million Americans for whom the SNAP benefit is a lifeline, one for which Congress recently cut funding by 10 percent.

Purim at CBS-CS Two megillah readings will be held on Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16, at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas.

Ma’ariv and the megillah reading will begin on March 15 at 8 pm, followed by

Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas Hazak presented Samuel Gruber on February 16 in a program on the “Great Synagogues of the World.” More than 80 people attended the program. Gruber is the founding director of the Jewish Heritage Program of World Monuments Fund, president of the International Survey of Jewish Monuments and has consulted on cultural heritage projects for numerous organizations and institutions.

local improvisational comedy group Don’t Feed the Actors, who will perform from 9-11 pm, for those 18 and older. There will be an intermission in the program. Participants have been encouraged to wear a costume.

There will be a cover charge for the comedy, and snacks and alcohol will be served.

The CBS-CS Purim celebration will continue on March 16 with the religious school, Shacharit and Torah reading at 9 am. A family-friendly megillah reading will begin at 9:45 am in the sanctuary for all families, followed by CBS-CS’ homemade hamantashen and other snacks in the social hall. This will be followed by Purim activities for children in the school wing.

Religious School and Purim activities will conclude at noon so that everyone can participate in the Purim carnival at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center.

Both celebrations will be open to the public. For more information, contact the CBS-CS office at 446-9570 or office@ cbscs.org.

Pre-Purim and PESACH classes During the months of March and April, Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone will teach classes leading up to Purim and then Pesach.

The classes will be given in two different formats at different times.

As part of his adult education Wednesday night series, Pepperstone will discuss “Esther: the Book of Hiding” and “The Women of Exodus,” respectively on Wednesdays, March 12 and 26, at 7 pm. As part of his “R-rated Tanakh” series, sponsored by The Women’s Connection, he will teach these same topics in more detail on Thursdays at 10:30 am.

“Esther: The Book of Hiding” will be offered on March 12 at 7 pm, as well as Thursdays, March 6 and 13, at 10:30 am. The classes will explore the book of Esther that “people thought they knew.”

Prospective participants have been invited to come and see a satire that questions identity, salvation, the role of God in the world and the problem of radical evil. Set against a burlesque backdrop, the program has been called “a deeply theological comedy.”

The Women of the Exodus will be held on March 26 at 7 pm, as well as Thursdays, March 27 and April 10, at 10:30 am. In rabbinic times, which have been assumed to be less egalitarian than now, women were also included at the seder table because they were also involved in the Exodus. It has been pointed out that the opening chapter

Temple Adath Yeshurun Adult Education CHAVURAH at TAY offers Jewish art series

By Sonali Eaton The Temple Adath Yeshurun adult education chavurah will offer “Jewish Art Between Modernity and Modernism,” a three-part lecture series by Samuel D. Gruber, Ph.D., on Sundays, March 9, 23 and 30. The programs will begin with a light Sam Gruber breakfast at 9:30 am, followed by the lecture at 10 am.

Gruber said, “The 19th century was a transformative period in Jewish art. It was the century when Jewish art and art by Jews moved from the synagogue and the home into the public sphere. The three lectures address different aspects of the new development in a variety of settings as Jews encountered new media, oil painting, sculpture and photography, and experimented with new themes and styles.”

The March 9 lecture will be “Jewish Artistic Identity and a New Jewish Art: 1825-1925.” At this first session, Gruber will talk about 19th century artists and the Jewish social and political themes, as well as the religious traditions the artists incorporated into their art. He will then move into the 20th century, when many of these trends continued, although artistic styles changed.

Many Jewish artists created works of Impressionism, Art Nouveau, Cubism, Fau-

Molly O’Neil practiced brushing teeth with a giant toothbrush when children of the Temple Adath Yeshurun Rothschild Early Childhood Center learned about dental hygiene. vism, Expressionism and Constructivism, “sometimes distancing themselves from all things Jewish, and sometimes building on Jewish themes,” he noted.

The lectures will be held at the synagogue in the Muriel and Avron Spector Library.

The series, sponsored by the adult education chavurah and subsidized by the Abraham and Anita Altman Fund, will be free and open to the community.

See “TAY” on page 10

Temple Concord

By Stephanie Marshall The Temple Concord Women of Reform Judaism and Brotherhood will present a joint program on Sunday, March 9, at 9:30 am, featuring a breakfast and conversation.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has made numerous changes to the rules applicable to individual health insurance and health plans provided by

employers. Lawyer Aaron Pierce, from Bond, Schoeneck and King, will provide an overview of these changes, with particular focus on the individual health insurance mandate that became effective on January 1 and the health coverage requirements that become effective for some employers in 2015.

See “TC” on page 8

See “CBS-CS” on page 5

Maria Carson demonstrated agricultural laws. L-r: Nicole Engel, Nathan Sonnenfeld, Sara Garrow, Carson, Natalie Eisenson, Jennie Seidberg and Ben Oppedisano.

The Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas Religious School visited residents at Menorah Park on February 9.

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To advertise, contact Patti Puzzo at 315-472-6889, ext. 113 or ppuzzo@scotsmanmediagroup.com Temple Concord Religious School sixth grade students demonstrated what they learned about biblical agricultural laws. L-r: Natalie Eisenson, Nicole Engel, Sara Garrow and Director of Congressional Learning Stephanie Marshall.

MARCH 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774 ■

Holocaust workshop

museum’s building, displaying thousands of

By Alan D. Goldberg individual artifacts and featuring more than 70 The Regional Holocaust and Genocide Iniaudio-visual components. He was the curator of tiative will present a workshop for teachers on the museum’s exhibit, “The State of Deception: Wednesday, March 26, from 4-7 pm, at the WinThe Power of Nazi Propaganda.” He received nick Hillel Center for Jewish Life at Syracuse his Ph.D. in modern European history from University. The workshop, by Steven Luckert, Binghamton University and taught at several will be “The Power and Perils of Propaganda.”

SUNY campuses and George Mason University Using primary sources, he will examine the before joining the USHMM. role of sophisticated techniques of propaganda The workshop, which will be made availin implementing Nazi policies and the contemable through a grant from the Ziering Family porary uses of similar techniques to influence Foundation, will be free and open to the public. public opinion.

However, registration has been requested and can Luckert is curator of the United States Steven Luckert be made online at www.teachingtheholocaust.

Holocaust Memorial Museum’s permanent exhibition, “The Holocaust.” He serves as the director org. For additional information, contact Alan D. Goldberg of the exhibition, which encompasses three floors of the at agoldbe1@twcny.rr.com.

JCC “Tuesdays with Me” The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center’s adult and senior program has instituted “Tuesdays with Me,” a new program about the people who come to the JCC. They have been invited to share their life adventures, as well as stories about themselves and their careers. The series will be held at lunchtime on the second Tuesday of the month.

Shirley Reidenbaugh was the featured speaker of the “Tuesdays with Me” lunch-and-learn on February 11 at the JCC. She spoke about her life in professional theater to an

audience of 24 people as part of the senior lunch program.

Among the topics of her presentation was her participation in the “Senior Reaching Out” program at the JCC. She has received numerous awards, including the Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean’s Alumni Award in 2004, and the Dr. Melvin Eggers Senior Alumni Award in 2012.

For more information about the program, contact Leesa Paul at the JCC at 445-2360 or lpaul@jccsyr.org.

At right: Shirley Reidenbaugh was the speaker at the February 11 meeting of the new monthly series, “Tuesdays with Me,” at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse.

Teen council

By Nick Finlayson The SPOT – Syracuse Project 4 Our Teens – at ShoppingTown Mall will open its doors on Tuesday, March 11, at 6:15 pm, to any teenager interested in earning volunteer time by helping to improve the local center. This year, the SPOT will host several new events, and organizers are looking for help to learn how the venue could improve and what opportunities are missing.

Teenagers will also be able to start building the experience section of their resume with volunteer opportunities.

Katie Sutliff, the assistant director of children, teen services

CBS-CS

and camping at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community of Syracuse, said, “When teens give us their input on the types of programs they are looking for, it gives us the ability to provide fun and interesting functions and activities.”

Anyone who would like to be a part of the committee, but is unable to attend, should contact the SPOT with their feedback.

Sutliff added, “Our teen council can serve as a gateway to opportunities that look great on your resume, while providing a fun, entertaining and safe venue to hang out.”

For questions about the teen council or the SPOT, contact Sutliff at 445-2360 or ksutliff@jccsyr.org.

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JEWISH OBSERVER

JCC bone marrow drive

The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center will hold a bone marrow drive on Sunday, March 16, from noon-4 pm, at the Purim Carnival. The purpose of the drive will be to aid “Ben,” a 14-year-old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in need of a bone marrow transplant. He is the nephew of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas members Norma and Steven Weitman.

Getting tested is painless and usually takes about five-10 minutes. After signing up and answering a few questions, the donor will receive a swab kit, which contains four cotton swab sticks with donor instructions.

Donors then swab each corner of their mouth, and insert the swabs into a provided envelope, seal it and turn it in for testing.

Individuals between the ages of 18-44 may be eligible.

To learn how to help, visit the bone marrow drive table during the Purim Carnival.

For more information, contact Leesa Paul at the JCC at 445-2360 or lpaul@jccsyr.org.

Oaks fine dining

By Stewart Koenig The Oaks at Menorah Park will host an evening of kosher dining with Israeli wine pairings on Sunday, March 23. Cocktails will be served at 5 pm, followed by dinner at 6 pm. The menu will offer a seasonal, four-course meal with traditional kosher food. Each course will include wine pairings chosen by Central New York Business Journal publisher and wine connoisseur Norm Poltenson, and will feature imported Israeli wines.

Poltenson said, “These exceptional selections are based on 15 years of personally exploring boutique wineries that have sprung up throughout Israel. The quality of the Israeli wines has garnered international recognition, and the wines chosen [for this occasion] are available for purchase domestically. This is an opportunity to celebrate the rebirth of Israel winegrowing, which was the country’s chief export 2,000 years ago.”

Jan Edwards, executive director of The Oaks at Menorah Park, said, “This event will highlight our delicious kosher dining that is available to the public seven days a week. This is a choice many locals and those passing through town desire. We’re the only Central New York establishment offering kosher fine dining.”

The Oaks is located at 18 Arbor Ln., DeWitt. There will be a cost for the dinner and reservations should be made by Friday, March 14. Reservations can be made by contacting The Oaks at 449-3309 or jparish@menorahparkcny.com.

The Oaks at Menorah Park is a senior independent living community in Syracuse. Menorah Park’s mission is to “assure maximum independence and dignity while offering a broad range of the highest quality of health, residential and community services.” Menorah Park aims to maintain Jewish values and traditions, and is a member of the Association of Jewish Aging Services.

Continued from page 4

of Exodus is almost exclusively populated by women. The class will look at the narratives of the women of the Exodus: the midwives, Shifra and Pu’a; Pharaoh’s daughter; Moses’ mother, Yocheved; Miriam; Aaron’s wife, Elisheva; and Tzipporah.

Pepperstone hopes that the classes will give new insights into the stories and holidays. For more information, contact the CBS-CS office at 446-9570 or office@cbscs.org.

CBS-CS Religious School goes to Menorah Park

By Julie Tornberg Nineteen adults and 30 students from the CBS-CS Religious School volunteered at Menorah Park on February 9. Barbara Baum, of Syracuse Jewish Family Service, served as the group’s host, introducing Menorah Park and the senior adults the group would meet. The group had a list of 12 family members and congregational friends to meet, and they tried to find as many people on their list as possible.

The group’s purpose in spending the morning at Menorah Park was to perform the mitzvah of honoring those who are older by visiting them. Some of the students had made games to play with the residents, some created sand art projects to share, and others played games with and talked to residents.

The group held Sunday morning worship service in Menorah Park’s synagogue, with Cantor Paula Pepperstone leading the students in song. Menorah Park provided snacks for the group, who shared them with some of the

Ê

residents. When it was time to leave, one student said he wished the group did not have to leave and expressed an interest in returning before the end of the school year. The group agreed they wanted to visit again.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ march 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774

Temple Beth El Community Room opens at Menorah Park

By Stew Koenig Menorah Park of Central New York dedicated its Temple Beth El Community Room in the Jewish Home on February 6. The room is a public space containing artifacts from the former synagogue. An overflow crowd of community and religious leaders, along with people affiliated with the former congregation, were present.

The Beth El Community Room houses various Jewish objects, including four of the synagogue’s stained glass windows. It is also a space, according to Victoria Kohl, Menorah Park of Central New York Foundation vice president, that will be used for “reflection, study and for special events.” She said, “Honoring Temple Beth El’s legacy in our community is just the first phase of what we plan to be the destination for the Jewish art and artifacts of our local families and institutions as we work toward the building of a museum of Judaica on Menorah Park’s campus. This will take more time, more people involved and definitely more space.”

Founded in 1965, Temple Beth El was heavily damaged in an arson attack in 2000 and reopened in 2001. In 2007, the synagogue closed. Later that same year, many of its members joined Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas.

Kohl said, “The city of Syracuse has a rich collection of

L-r: Phil Stein, Menorah Park of Central New York Board President Jeff Scheer, Menorah Park CEO Mary Ellen Bloodgood and Sally Ullman attended the dedication of the Temple Beth El Community Room at Menorah Park on February 6.

Temple Beth El Board President Morey Pollack and former Beth El members Minnie Rossoff and Jules Blank attended the dedication of the Temple Beth El Community Room at Menorah Park on February 6. The room houses a menorah that was in the former Temple Beth El, as well as other artifacts.

Judaic and historic memorabilia that may not be preserved, let alone displayed, if we don’t create a place of safekeeping for our community’s sacred and familiar objects. I’m very excited about the Temple Beth El Community Room and it is my hope that people will visit it and get involved

in our project development.”

The room is open to the public every Wednesday afternoon from 3-5 pm. For other times, call Kohl at 446-9111, ext. 141, to make an appointment.

For more information, visit www.menorahparkofcny.com.

Two Torah scrolls and other artifacts of the former Temple Beth El were presented in the new TBE Community Room at Menorah Park.

ADULT TAP DANCE ON TUESDAYS IS BACK AT THE JCC! Professional Teacher and Choreographer Barry Shulman returns to the JCC of Syracuse!

Classes: Tuesday Evenings, March 11, 18, 25 • April 1, 8, 29 • May 6, 13, 20, 27 Remedial (Sneaking Ahead) 6:30pm Beginner Class 7:00pm Cost: Intermediate Class 8:00pm $5 per evening Advanced Class 9:00pm For those who have yet to experience a tap class, they attract men and women, with classes ranging from remedial and beginner to those that are more experienced, so there is something for everyone. No experience is necessary and classes are open to everyone over the age of 16, or 12 with prior dance experience. The remedial and beginner class is for students new to tap and starts with teaching the basics. Tap is taught in “New York City” style and students need not commit to every class.

Some of the stained glass windows from the former Temple Beth El were displayed in the TBE Community Room in the Jewish Home at Menorah Park.

Mendy Rapoport

By Joshua B. Dermer Joshua B. Dermer is a senior in public communications at Syracuse University. He wrote this article after 23year-old Mendy Rapoport, the seventh child of Syracuse University Chabad House Rabbi and Rebbetzin Yaakov and Chanie Rapoport, visited Syracuse for a week in late January.

From guard post to guard post he travels, exchanging chocolate chip cookies and hot coffee for smiles.

Mendy Rapoport works as the ratz Chabad, or “Chabad runner,” in Hebron, Israel, on the West Bank. He said, “My daily interactions are mainly with the soldiers.

Their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being are my concern.”

At a crowded Friday evening Sabbath table at the Chabad House in January, Syracuse University students

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listened as Rapoport shared stories of Hebron. His father occasionally made comments to clarify a geographic or historical fact.

In Hebron, Rapoport gets up at midnight. By 6 am, he has encircled the city. Visiting eight individual guard posts, he bears no single mission in mind. “The smiles on these guys’ faces when I show up at three or four in the morning... There’s something about a facial expression that can convey more than words. Even more than a verbal ‘thanks’– it’s by far the most rewarding.”

Night fades to day; the morning light migrates across the city to reveal urbanized antiquity. Buildings reflect a golden glow reminiscent of its sister-city’s, Jerusalem, stone.

At 7 am, Rapoport prays in the Me’arat He-machpelah, the “Cave of the Patriarchs.” According to Jewish tradition, buried within the tomb are the biblical fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as the mothers, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah, in addition to Adam.

See “Rapoport” on page 10

Mendy Rapoport, son of Chabad Rabbi Yaakov and Chanie Rapoport of Syracuse, works as the ratz Chabad, or “Chabad runner” in Hebron, Israel, on the West Bank.

Rapoport visits eight guard posts during the night, offering snacks, drinks and the opportunity for the soldiers to wrap tefillin. L-r: Rapoport and Israel Defense Forces soldier Bar (last name withheld for security reasons).

Mendy Rapoport with Roey (last name withheld for security reasons) at an IDF guard post.

MARCH 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ march 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774

Chabad news

Adath-Concord Purim

Temple Adath Yeshurun and Temple Concord will celebrate Purim “Muppet style” on Saturday, March 15, at 6:45 pm, at Temple Adath Yeshurun. The program will begin with a light dinner and craft activities, followed by Havdalah at 7:30 pm.

The megillah reading and Muppet-themed Purim shpiel will start at 7:45 pm.

Participants have been encouraged to come dressed as a Muppet character or as

a Purim character. The evening will include a traditional costume parade, as well as hamantashen for everyone.

There will be a modest charge for the dinner, with a family maximum. Reservations for the dinner will be required and must be made by Wednesday, March 12, at the TAY office, 445-0002 or info@adath. org; or the TC office at 475-9952 or dcl@ templeconcord.org.

JCC Purim Carnival

By Nick Finlayson The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse will continue its tradition of hosting the annual Purim Carnival, the largest annual community event hosted by the JCC, featuring games and prizes for toddlers-school-aged children. It will be held on Sunday, March 16, from noon-4 pm.

Esther’s Café will open for lunch at 11:30 am in the JCC auditorium, where a variety of gourmet, Va’ad-supervised kosher food will be available. The events will include entertainment, safe ID and car seat safety checks, and a book sale.

Shifts are still available for the volunteer-staffed program, from 11:45 am-2 pm, and from 1:45-4 pm. Volunteers are needed to fulfill various tasks needed at the carnival, such as overseeing games,

serving food and helping in the prize room.

Students seeking to fulfill volunteer credits at school may request a letter showing proof of participation at the completion of their shift.

Mick Hagan, who recently became the director of children and teen services and camping/inclusion specialist, will participate in the event for the first time.

He said, “I’m very excited to be working my first Purim Carnival. The event is a great ongoing tradition for our local community, and I am excited to take on a role in something that is so important to so many individuals.”

Children attending the event have been encouraged to dress in costumes.

To volunteer, contact Leesa Paul at the JCC at 445-2360 or lpaul@jccsyr.org.

TC

Continued from page 4

Sixth grade retreat The TC Religious School sixth grade class gathered at Camp Hoover, the Girl Scout camp in Tully, for the annual sixth grade retreat during the weekend of February 14-16.

The students socialized and participated in activities while learning about Israel and how decisions are made based on Jewish

values. Students had an opportunity to pelt Rabbi Daniel Fellman with snowballs and attend a talent show featuring magic tricks, card tricks, sleeping bag hopping, guitar and clarinet performances, and soccer ball juggling skills.

The retreat culminated with the presentation of the “Paper Plate Awards,” with awards being given in a variety of categories.

P A S S O V E R 2014

Greetings

Deadline: March 26 (April 3 issue) Passover is traditionally a time for sharing with family, friends and strangers. While your seder table may not be large enough to fit all these people, you can share the warmth of this holiday with the entire local Jewish community by placing a Passover greeting in The Jewish Observer.

You may choose from the designs, messages and sizes shown here - more are available. You may also choose your own message, as long as it fits into the space of the greeting you select.

(Custom designs available upon request.) The price of the small greeting is $18 (styles C, E & F), the medium one is $36 (styles A, B & D) and the largest one (style G) is $68.

To ensure that your greeting is published, simply fill out the form below and choose a design that you would like to accompany your greeting, or contact Bonnie Rozen at 1-800-779-7896, ext. 244 or bonnie@thereportergroup.org. Checks can be made payable to The Reporter Group and sent to: The Jewish Observer of CNY, 500 Clubhouse Rd., Vestal, NY 13850.

PASSOVER

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Deadline: March 7 (April 3 issue)

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May you and your family have a joyous Pesach

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on an evening of good food, good friends and good times, with plenty of Purim fun thrown in.”

The event will include a megillah reading, accompanied by a slide show of the Purim story, at 5 pm. There will be a fee to attend, with a reduction for children and no charge for those 3 and younger.

Parking will be available in the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel parking lot. Reservations are required and may be made by contacting Chabad at 424-0363.

Purim Baskets

By Chanie Rapoport Chabad Lubavitch of Central New York will partner with Chayal El Chayal’s Purim campaign to send mishloach manot, traditional Purim baskets, to Israel Defense Forces soldiers in Israel.

Chabad of Syracuse and Chayal El Chayal are seeking local participation in the first “We Care” mishloach manot campaign in support of the IDF. The program consists of two parts: the mishloach manot and a children’s letter writing campaign.

This year, Chabad Lubavitch of Syracuse has set a goal of distributing mishloach manot packages with letters to 1,000 soldiers stationed in the field during the holiday. The children’s campaign will connect as many children as possible with IDF soldiers by having the children write letters and draw pictures to be included in the mishloach manot.

The name of each participating child will be placed into the Chayal El Chayal weekly online raffles. The winners will be announced weekly on the Chabad website, www.idfpurim.org.

To participate, visit http://chabadsyracuse. com and click on “IDF Purim project.”

Chayal El Chayal says its main goal is “to provide a warm and welcoming family for the young Jewish men and women

Wishing you and your family peace, health and happiness this Pesach

Greeting Ad Deadline is March 26

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Checks can be made payable to The Reporter Group, 500 Clubhouse Rd., Vestal, NY 13850.

Megillah readings Chabad Lubavitch of Central New York will give members of the Jewish community a number of opportunities throughout Purim to hear the megillah read. There will be two megillah readings on Purim eve, Saturday, March 15, at 8:15 pm and 10 pm, at the Chabad House. There will also be a megillah reading at the Chabad House on Purim, Sunday, March 16, at 9:15 am.

Two megillah readings will be held at 1 pm and 3 pm during the Purim Carnival, on March 16, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center. There will then be a megillah reading at The Oaks at 2 pm. The final reading will be held at the Sheraton University Hotel before the Purim dinner at 5 pm.

Chabad will also offer megillah readings at area hospitals and nursing homes. Anyone who cannot attend one of the readings should contact Chabad at 424-0363 or Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport at rabbirap@gmail.com to arrange for somebody to come to them.

Purim dinner

By Chanie Rapoport Chabad-Lubavitch of Central New York will hold its 30th annual communitywide Purim seudah/dinner on Sunday, March 16, at 5:45 pm, at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel, 801 University Ave. “Purim in Peking” will once again offer participants an opportunity to enjoy kosher Chinese food and drink “royal” wine, according to the “King’s Bounty.” (Esther 1:7) Asian attire will be optional. The Purim seudah/dinner has been well-attended in the past and is said to draw attendees from a wide cross-section of the community.

Suzanne Shapero, who has attended many of the dinners, said, “For the past 14 years, my husband and I have enjoyed Purim with Chabad. We actually began attending the Purim dinner very shortly after we first met. It is a fun-filled evening from start to finish, and we can always count

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MARCH 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

Israeli NGOs bringing their expertise to meet Africa’s needs

By Ben Sales NAIROBI, Kenya (JTA) – When they first arrived in northern Kenya in 2011 at the height of a massive drought, the Israeli refugee aid organization IsraAid planned to offer food and other core necessities to the 100,000 residents of the Kakuma refugee camp.

When the drought subsided a year later, IsraAid’s directors saw that this sort of assistance was becoming less crucial. Much larger organizations were providing food, clothing and medicine.

But rather than leave, IsraAid shifted its focus from short-term aid to long-term support through something Israelis do best: post-trauma counseling. Decades of terror attacks have equipped Israeli experts to serve the camp’s residents, many of whom are survivors of hunger, torture or the violent death of relatives. IsraAid has trained 18 camp residents to be social workers; most of them are now helping other camp residents

After completing a training course with the Israeli group IsraAid at Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp, Zainab Hassan works with other camp residents to confront past trauma. (Photo by Ben Sales)

cope with their pain.

“Part of the health of a person is mental health,” said Naama Gorodischer, IsraAid’s Kenya country director. “We can do what we know, and what we do in all our projects is use Israeli knowledge and specialization to perform capacity building.”

IsraAid is one of several Israeli NGOs working to improve the lives of Kenyans by importing Israeli technology and expertise. Their work is enabled by a history of friendly ties between Israel and Kenya and the relative stability of Kenya’s government and economy.

Nairobi, a booming city where new malls and roads intersect with destitute slums and gated communities, has emerged as a center of humanitarian work in East Africa. International organizations from the United Nations to Oxfam have located their regional headquarters there. Even after the terrorist attack on the city’s upscale Westgate mall in September, international aid workers continue to operate in Kenya with little fear.

“Nairobi is an international hub in East Africa for development,” said Gilad Milo, the founder of Israel for Africa, a Kenyabased nonprofit that teaches young people to farm using Israeli technology. “It’s like an entry point, spreading to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Burundi. It’s a good melting pot for ideas.”

Kenya has been a friendly destination for Israelis since it gained independence in 1963. Israeli businesses helped build the country’s infrastructure and boost its agriculture sector, and the two countries coordinate on security issues. Exchange between the two countries has been robust, with Israeli military personnel advising Kenya in the wake of the Westgate attack and Kenyans routinely traveling to Israel for professional

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L-r: Regina Muthoni and Kenneth Gitau, of the Nairobi dance group Kreative Generations, learned to farm with the help of the nonprofit Israel for Africa. (Photo

by Ben Sales) training programs. Israeli experts come to Kenya to lead seminars on everything from agricultural technology to Krav Maga, the martial art developed in Israel.

“There’s a strong sense of affinity with Israel as a country struggling for liberation,” Israel’s ambassador to Kenya, Gil Haskel, told JTA. “Kenyans understood that they could benefit from relations with Israel.”

Such close relations have led to a booming industry in Israeli humanitarian assistance. Israel for Africa provides impoverished young Kenyans with farming kits that include the equipment necessary to raise a small plot of crops, from Israeli-

made greenhouses to Israeli-designed drip irrigation systems.

Members of one of the youth associations with which Israel for Africa partners, a dance group called Ramsa Africa, begin work at 6 am on rows of tomatoes, peppers, spinach and kale, watering the crops with drip-irrigation hoses and checking each plant for signs of disease. After lunch, they have dance rehearsals.

“It doesn’t make any sense that we invented drip irrigation [only] for our little strip of land,” Milo said as he rode a 4-by-4 along the bumpy roads of a Nairobi slum.

See “NGOs” on page 10

Preventing senior falls starts in the bathroom (NewsUSA) – More than one in three seniors over age 65 fall each year, and the National Institute on Aging says 80 percent of these falls are in the bathroom. Due to the multitude of unforgiving and slippery surfaces, bathrooms are very hazardous for the home. Knowing how to get in and out of tubs and showers properly and equipping homes with necessary safety precautions can reduce senior falls, keep them out of the emergency room and possibly extend their life.

According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.6 million older adults seek emergency care each year for fall-related injuries, fractures or head trauma. In addition to potentially losing their independence, seniors 65 years old and up have a 25 percent chance of dy-

up and other senior-friendly features.

Besides a customized shower or bath, the NIA, the American Geriatrics Society and www.safesteptub.com advise the following bathroom safety precautions for seniors: Non-slip rubber mats in front of the sink,

toilet and shower/bath. bars inside and outside of shower/ bath and on either side of the toilet (these are much stronger than towel racks, which aren’t meant to support weight).

Bright lights that are easily accessible.

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ing within six months to a year if they fall and break a hip.

Seniors are vulnerable to falls for many reasons – eyesight and reflexes aren’t as razor-sharp as they used to be, not to mention the balance issues posed by diabetes, heart disease, thyroid conditions and various medications. One of the most effective ways to preserve balance is to stay active with an exercise regimen. Ask your doctor about exercises designed to improve balance, stability and overall mobility, such as moderate yoga.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ march 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774

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.

Sunday, March 9 Temple Adath Yeshurun adult education Chavurah program on Jewish art at 9:30 am Temple Concord Brotherhood and Women of Reform Judaism program on the Affordable Care Act at 9:30 am Tuesday, March 11 TC presents Corinne Smith as part of the Scholar Series lectures at 6 pm Wednesday, March 12 Federation thank you event with comedian Rabbi Bob Alper at 6 pm Thursday, March 13 Fast of Esther Sunday, March 16 Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center Purim Carnival from 11:30 am-4 pm Monday, March 17 Syracuse Hebrew Day School board meeting at 7:30 pm Tuesday, March 18 JCC Executive Committee meeting at 6 pm, followed by board meeting at 7 pm TC presents Judaism and gender discussion at 7 pm Wednesday, March 19 Deadline for the April 3 issue of the Jewish Observer TAY Perk-Up Passover from 4-6 pm Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas board meeting at 7:30 pm Thursday, March 20 Jewish Home board meeting at 5:30 pm TAY board meeting at 7 pm Saturday, March 22 JCC Kid’s Nite Out from 7:30-11 pm Sunday, March 23 TAY adult Chavurah presents Jewish art program at 9:30 am

Chabad

Continued from page 8

who come from around the world to Israel to serve in the IDF, risking their lives to protect the lives of the Jewish nation.” Chayal El Chayal provides a framework of assistance in the spiritual and physical aspects of the soldiers’ daily lives, ensuring that their needs as “lone soldiers,” meaning soldiers without family in Israel, are met.

Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport said, “This program is special to us.” The Rapoports’ youngest son, Menachem “Mendy” Mendel, has been in Hebron this past year, working with the Chabad House of Hebron as the ratz Chabad volunteer to the soldiers stationed in the Hebron area. (See related article on page 6.) His duties run from midnight until dawn, visiting the eight outposts around Hebron and bringing physical and spiritual cheer to the soldiers. On a recent visit to Hebron, one of the soldiers said to Mendel’s parents, “When Mendy comes with a hot cup of coffee, it’s not the coffee that I care about, but Mendy’s concern for me and every soldier.”

For more information, call Chabad at 424-0363 or visit www.idfpurim.org or http://chabadsyracuse.com.

Rapoport

Continued from page 6

Jerusalem, Hebron, Tzfat and Tiberius comprise the four ira’e ha’kedoshim, or holy cities, in Israel.

After morning prayers, Rapoport will take a few hours to catch up on learning from traditional Jewish law to esoteric biblical commentary. He will spend four to five hours studying daily. He said he hopes to complete his rabbinical certification following his work in Hebron.

Rapoport makes rounds to the guard posts again from 3-6 pm. Visiting soldiers with drinks and snacks, he also offers them the opportunity to wrap tefillin, traditional binding straps worn during prayer.

He said, “My favorite spot is the guard post on top of the Avrahim Avinu neighborhood. It’s up a bunch of stairs, then across a few roofs, and then up more stairs.

It’s a great view up there, especially for sunrise – and I’ve seen many.”

The city of Hebron comes from the Hebrew word chibur, meaning friendship or connection. Rapoport said, “Personally, it represents the connections I have made with soldiers in the wee hours of the morning.”

d’var torah

Remembering

By Rabbi Evan Shore The Shabbat prior to Purim is known as parasha Zachor, the parasha of remembering. What is it that we are required to remember so close to the holiday of Purim?

The Shulchan Aruch, written by Rabbi Yosef Karo, says on this Shabbat, “Remember what Amalek did to you.” Who is Amalek, and what did he or his tribe do to the Jewish people?

The Sefer HaChinukh tells us that the problems facing the Jewish people throughout history to today can be attributed to the actions of the tribe of Amalek. When the Jewish people left the land of Egypt, all of the nations were in awe of Hashem and all He did for his nation, Israel. The tribe of Amalek did not fear God and attacked the Jews without cause. This act opened the door for the nations of the world to follow suit.

The Minchat Chinukh, a commentary on the Sefer HaChinuk, quotes the Rambam, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, who wrote, “It is a positive commandment to constantly remember their evil deeds and their ambush.” This is based upon a sentence in Devarim 25:18, “He came upon you on the way and struck those who were in the rear and those who were weak, faint and exhausted and he did not fear God.” Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch wrote, “His attack was entirely unprovoked and was urged by pure joy of massacre.” The tribe of Amalek, in other words, killed for the sake of killing. The Jewish people at this time neither owned land nor controlled natural resources. Nothing is

NGOs

Continued from page 9 “There has to be a bigger picture.”

A similar mission drives Brit Olam, an Israeli nonprofit running an agriculture development program in the semiarid northwest region of Turkana. Droughts have made reliance on grazing cattle impossible, so Brit Olam imported Israeli technology for desert farming to give local residents economic independence.

“This is a change in mentality for people who never had to wake up early and go every day to the field to do a routine,” Brit Olam project developer Millet Biberman said. “But until you have water and food, you can’t do anything else.”

The Israeli nonprofit Save A Child’s Heart, which was founded in 2008 and is active in 44 countries, brings underprivileged Kenyan children in need of heart surgery to Israel. Its Kenya branch went on hiatus from 2009 until this year, when its founding director, Rina Attias, returned to the the helm. According to Attias, the waiting list has 250 children.

Attias, who survived the Westgate attack by hiding in a closet, said that experiencing terror in Kenya only made her more dedicated to saving lives there. “Every place has terror,” she said. “This can happen anywhere. If I was supposed to die, I would have died, but my time apparently has not come yet. So I chose to do more for this community.”

TAY

Continued from page 4

Shabbat, Song and Southwest

By Sonali Eaton Temple Adath Yeshurun will present a musical Shabbat service featuring Baalat Tefilah Esa Jaffe and the TAY adult choir, who will lead the service, on Saturday, March 22, at 9:15 am.

Jaffe said, “The service will be inclusive and participatory. We hope the congregation catches the spirit and joins us in the singing. It is such a pleasure for the choir and me to present music that helps enrich services and the prayer experience.”

Following the service, the congregation will be invited for a Southwestern-inspired kiddush. The service and kiddush will be open to the public.

even mentioned about Amalek taking valuables.

There is a clear Amalek connection to Purim. King Saul was given the task of destroying the nation of Amalek because of the danger it posed to the Jewish people. King Saul had a chance to kill King Agag, the king of the Amalek nation, but was temporarily seized with a misguided sense of mercy and let Agag live, albeit for only one night, during which time Agag had a relationship with a woman. The product of this relationship became the ancestor to Haman himself, the enemy of the Jews in the Purim story.

Though we have a daily obligation to remember Amalek, there is also a yearly obligation to remember Amalek verbally.

The rabbis have chosen this Shabbat due to its proximity to Purim, where once again, the Jews were in danger due to the ugly face and schemes of our Amalek enemy in the guise of Haman the Wicked.

During the megillah reading, when the name of Haman is recited, it is customary to use our groggers and blot out Haman’s name. This action is based upon the verse in Devarim 25:19, “You shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven, you shall not forget.”

Unfortunately, once again today, the ugly and insidious Amalek is attacking the Jews. Our brothers and sisters in Israel are facing attacks on all sides and from within as well.

Please God, let this Purim be the time when all the enemies of the Jewish people are destroyed and blotted out, and let true peace reign in our holy land, the land of Israel.

Rabbi Evan Shore is the rav at Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse. He is also a teacher at the Syracuse Hebrew Day School and an instructor at the Rabbi Jacob Epstein High School of Jewish Studies.

NEWS IN bRIEF From JTA

Accused Nazi war criminal ruled unfit for trial

An accused Nazi war criminal is unfit to stand trial, a German court ruled. Hans Lipschis, 94, who allegedly was an SS guard at Auschwitz, suffers from dementia and will not understand what transpires at his trial, the court in Ellwangen in southwest Germany ruled on Feb. 28, according to reports. The court has refused to open the trial. “The chamber is of the opinion that the 94-year-old is incapable of standing trial,” the decision from the court said, Reuters reported. “It bases this judgment on its own personal impression and the opinion of a psychiatrist.”

Lipschis is living in a nursing home, the Associated Press reported. He has said he was a cook at Auschwitz; prosecutors believe he was a guard. The Lithuania native, who reportedly moved to Chicago in 1956, was stripped of his American citizenship and deported in 1982 after U.S. immigration authorities determined that he had lied about his Nazi past in order to gain entry into the country. His arrest in Germany last May followed the release of information to German courts on about 50 former Auschwitz guards.

Lipschis had been No. 4 on the Simon Wiesenthal Center list of most wanted Nazi criminals and was charged with being an accessory to 10,510 counts of murder.

Soccer players can wear religious head coverings, FIFA rules

The FIFA world soccer association will allow players to wear head coverings for religious reasons during official matches. Under the ruling announced on March 1, a Muslim woman can cover her head with a hijab or her face with a veil, and a Jewish man can wear a kippah, among others.

The head covering must be the same color as the uniform, according to the FIFA board. The decision followed a twoyear trial period first requested by the Sikh community of Canada, the French news agency AFP reported. Head coverings had not been allowed previously because FIFA believed them to be a safety risk. In February, Israel’s soccer association suspended its ban on wearing kippot for its minor leagues.

Ex-Russian chess champ Garry Kasparov granted Croatian citizenship

L-r: TAY Religious School students Matthew Malec, Keenan Brodey, Piper Moskow, Sam Kruth and Jack Kozlowski recently learned about Israel and specific foods related to the Middle East, which included baking baklava.

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, the head of a pro-democracy group in his native Russia, was granted Croatian citizenship. Kasparov reportedly became a Croatian citizen in late February after applying for citizenship in early February. He owns a home in Croatia and speaks the language, according to reports.

The founder and chairman of United Civil Front is a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kasparov was arrested and beaten by police in 2012, and spent several days in jail, according to The Guardian newspaper. Latvia reportedly denied his citizenship request last year.

Kasparov was the No. 1 chess player in the world until his retirement in 2005.

MARCH 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

11

NEWS digest

obituaries Annette Padwa Brezner

Annette Brezner, 79, died on February 6 in Scottsdale, AZ. Born in the Bronx, NY, she loved to read and do volunteer work.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Jerome Brezner; her daughter, Marilyn (Michael) Starrett; her son, Marty (Sharon) Brezner; and two grandchildren.

Services and burial were in Scottsdale. Birnbaum Funeral Service had local arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Congregation Or Chadash, 9096 E. Bahia Dr., Suite 106, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. 

Harold Margolis

Harold Margolis, 87, died on February 12 at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Gail and Warren Alpern, in Pembroke Pines, FL. He was a lifelong resident of Syracuse before moving to south Florida in 2000. He was stationed in the Philippine Islands as a sergeant in World War II. He was a member of Temple Adath Yeshurun and B’nai B’rith. He started his career as a salesman for Cardomones and later became sales manager for Service Liquor Distributors.

He was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Shirley (Jachles); a daughter, Renee Ida Margolis; and a brother, Arthur.

He is survived by his daughter, Gail (Warren) Alpern; his son, Lawrence (Patricia) Margolis; and five grandchildren.

Burial was in Adath Yeshurun Cemetery. Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th Fl., New York, NY 10001. 

From JTA

Norwegian YMCA embraces boycott Israel policy

The Young Men and Women’s Christian Association in Norway aligned itself with the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel, or BDS. The Norwegian YMCA-YWCA “encourages broad economic boycott of goods and services from Israel and Israeli settlements to pressure the Israeli government to follow up on U.N. resolutions and end the illegal occupation of Palestine,” the organization wrote in a statement published on its Norwegian-language website in late February. With 30,000 members in more than 500 chapters and affiliated Scouts groups, the Norwegian Y – KFUK-KFUM in its Norwegian acronym – is among the country’s largest and oldest youth groups. Conrad Myrland, director of Norway’s With Israel for Peace group, or MIFF, told the Vart Land daily that he considers the youth organization’s move “too weak to be considered tragic. Boycott of Israel is stupid and immoral independently of the support it has from YMCA-YWCA. The only result is that YMCAYWCA now supports boycotting the only democracy in the Middle East,” Myrland said. “I encourage all individuals and churches to withdraw their support of YMCA-YWCA until the immoral boycott action is abandoned.” On its website, the Norway Y group wrote that it decided to embrace BDS

“because a long series of U.N. resolutions and negotiations for decades have not yielded results. We believe it is now appropriate to initiate an economic boycott of Israel to put increased pressure on the Israeli authorities.”

Kenyans win Tel Aviv Marathon

Kenyans took the top three spots among some 40,000 runners in the Tel Aviv Marathon. Koech Ezekiel Kiprop was the overall winner on Feb. 28 in a record 2 hours, 14 minutes and 40 seconds. Kiprop was followed by Keter Emmanuel Triop and Sammy Limo, The Jerusalem Post reported. Margaret Mjugna, also a Kenyan, finished first among the women in 2:44:20. Emergency medical services treated 65 runners, Army Radio reported, most from heat exhaustion. One was in serious condition. The Tel Aviv municipality said there were 150,000 spectators. Last March, a 29-year-old man died and dozens more were hospitalized with heat stroke and dehydration while running the half marathon in Tel Aviv. The run was in unseasonably warm weather and led the city to cancel the full marathon that was to be held a few days later.

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Mildred Miller

Mildred Miller, 90, died on February 16 at Menorah Park.

She and her husband had lived on Long Island. She was a teacher in the East Meadow School District for many years. She moved to The Inn at Menorah Park within the past year to be closer to her daughter.

Burial was in New Montefiore Cemetery on Long Island.

Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

She was predeceased by her husband, Norman.

She is survived by her daughter, Anita (Sam) Waite, of Fayetteville; her son, Richard (Ellyn) Miller, of New York City; and three granddaughters. 

NEWS IN bRIEF

Ginsburg - Maloff Funeral Home

From JNS.org

IAEA nixed report on Iran’s nuclear program

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, reportedly nixed a sensitive report on the Iranian nuclear program last year over fears that it would anger Iran amid negotiations with world powers. A source told Reuters that the new report would have probably included “updated information on possible military dimensions,” which could have “reinforced concern” about Iran. The report would have included extra details about alleged research and experiments that were originally covered in a November 2011 report by the IAEA. The November 2011 IAEA report said the agency found information that Iran was carrying out tests that could be used to develop a nuclear bomb trigger.

Syrian jihadist group forces Christians to submit to Islam or face death

A Syrian jihadist group with links to al-Qaida has forced Christian leaders in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa to sign a contract of submission and enter into the medieval Islamic term as “dhimmis” in exchange for their protection. The jihadist group – Islamic State in Iraq and Levant, which is mostly composed of foreign terrorists – is widely considered to be the most radical group fighting in the Syrian Civil War. According to the document, which was posted on a Twitter account of a member of the ISIL, Christians in Raqqa were given the choices to convert to Islam, remain Christian, but submit to Islam, or face death. According to Islamic law or “sharia,” Jews and Christians living under Muslim rule must pay a tax or “jizya” in return for protection, and become “dhimmis.” The document also demands that Christians must not make renovations to churches or display religious symbols, own weapons or sell pork or wine to Muslims.

Finally, it demands that every Christian man must pay a tax of up to 17 grams of gold, a tax that was common during the Middle Ages on Christians. According to AFP, ISIL also imposed similar rules on Iraqi Christians during the Iraq War. “If they adhere to these conditions, they will be close to God and receive the protection of Mohammed his prophet… none of their religious rights will be detracted nor will a priest or monk be wronged,” the document stated, the Times of Israel reported. “But if they disobey any of the conditions, they are no longer protected and ISIL can treat them in a hostile and warlike fashion.”

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

12

JEWISH OBSERVER ■ march 6, 2014/4 ADAR II 5774

Hold the jam: Hamantashen from “Queen of Kosher” Jamie Geller

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By JNS.org For the cookie dough: We all recognize that 2 cups whole wheat poppy seed or jam taste flour when we bite into hamen1 cup all purpose flour tashen on Purim every year. plus more fore dusting But given the right filling, or 1 tsp. baking soda dough, the traditional pastry ¼ cup brown sugar, has a lot more to offer. packed The following recipes, ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon scented edited by JNS.org, were C a r d a m o m 1½ tsp. ground ginger recommended by best-sell- hamentashen with pear and ½ tsp. ground allspice ing cookbook author Jamie goat cheese filling. (Photo ½ tsp. ground cloves Geller and have appeared on from “Joy of Kosher: Fast, ½ tsp. salt JoyofKosher.com and in Joy Fresh Family Recipes by ¼ tsp. freshly milled of Kosher with Jamie Geller Jamie Geller”) black pepper magazine.

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted margarine, Cardamom Scented room temperature Hamantashen with Pear and ¼ cup vegetable shortening, at room Goat Cheese Filling

By Pessy Haskelevich, writer for Joy of temperature ½ cup packed light brown sugar Kosher with Jamie Geller 2 /3 cup unsulfured molasses For a pareve version, simply replace Large egg the butter with canola oil and omit the For the filling: goat cheese.

6 Tbsp. margarine, cut in 1-inch pieces Prep Time: 40 minutes ½ vanilla bean, cut lengthwise and Servings: 2 dozen scraped of seeds For the Pastry: 3 large or 4 medium apples, peeled, cored 2 eggs and cut into eighths ½ cup sugar ¼ cup brown sugar, packed ½ stick butter, or ¼ cup canola oil Directions for gingerbread cookie Juice and zest of 1 lemon dough: ½ tsp. vanilla extract 1. Sift the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, 2½ cups flour ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper 1 tsp. baking powder through a wire sieve into a medium bowl.

1-2 tsp. cardamom or hawayij Set aside.

Pinch of salt 2. In a stand mixer, beat the margarine and For the filling: shortening on high until well blended, about ½ cup water 1 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat /8 cup sugar until the mixture is light in texture and color, Juice of 1 lemon 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix minced 1 lb. firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough.

Divide the dough into two thick disks and and cut into ¼-inch diced pieces wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate ¾ cup apricot jam until chilled, about 3 hours. (The dough can ½ cup chopped walnuts be prepared up to two days ahead.)

8 oz. soft goat cheese (optional) Filling: Preparing the pastry: 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the margarine and vanilla bean and seeds, sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook about 5 minutes. Add the apples and let them caramelize on one side, then turn and mix well.

3. Divide the dough in half and chill in cook until it begins to caramelize. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the apples and cook, plastic wrap for half an hour. turning occasionally while it softens about Preparing the filling: 1. Combine the water and sugar in a 10 minutes. Remove from heat and remove medium saucepan and simmer over low vanilla bean, then puree in food processor and cool until ready to use. heat until sugar has dissolved.

2. When ready to assemble and bake the 2. Add the lemon juice, ginger and pears, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or cookies, position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. until pears are tender. Set aside to cool.

3. To roll out the cookies, work with To assemble and bake: one disk at a time, keeping the other disk 1. On a generously floured surface, prefrefrigerated.

Remove the dough from the reerably on baking paper, roll out the dough frigerator and let stand at room temperature to a quarter-inch thickness. Roll once, then until just warm enough to roll out without pick up the flattened dough and turn it 90 cracking, about 10 minutes. (If the dough degrees. Sprinkle with more flour if neceshas been chilled for longer than 3 hours, it sary and roll it out again. Repeat until dough is of sufficient thickness. (This procedure may need a few more minutes.) Place the helps prevent the dough from sticking.) Use dough on a lightly floured work surface and a round cookie cutter or glass with a 2-3 inch sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 3-inch diameter to cut out circles of dough. circles and use a spatula to place circles on 2. Smear a very thin layer of apricot a baking sheet lined with parchment. preserves in the center of each circle.

4.

Spoon a teaspoon of filling into the cen3. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon walnuts and a ter of the circle of dough and fold together small piece of crumbled goat cheese. to form a triangle.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, 4. Top with 1 teaspoon of pear jam.

5. Lift up the edges of the circle to form remove to wire rack to cool, and enjoy.

Jamie Geller is a best-selling author a triangle. Pinch the corners securely so that and the founder of the Kosher Media they don’t open in the oven.

6. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper Network, publisher of Joy of Kosher with and place the assembled hamentashen on Jamie Geller magazine and JoyofKosher. the cookie sheet. Chill the hamentashen in com. Geller’s online cooking videos have garnered more than one million views. the freezer for about half an hour.

7. Repeat with second half of dough.

8. Bake the hamentashen in the oven at 375°F for 20-24 minutes or until golden.

Cool on rack.

Gingerbread Hamentashen with Spiced Apple Filling

By Tamar Genger, executive editor of JoyofKosher.com Gingerbread hamantashen with spiced apple Prep Time: 30 minutes filling. (Photo from “Joy of Kosher: Fast, Cook Time: 10 minutes Fresh Family Recipes by Jamie Geller”)