20 NISAN 5776 • APRIL 28, 2016 • VOLUME XXXVII, NUMBER 9 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY
Campaign reaches $1 million BY MARIANNE BAZYDLO The 2016 Annual Campaign has reached a milestone at its earliest period in a long time: The Campaign has reached $1 million in pledges earlier than ever before, but that does not mean the Campaign is over. Federation’s President/CEO Linda Alexander said, “As far as we can tell in anyone’s memory, we reached $1 million more quickly this year than ever before, but we have not reached our goal of $1.2 million. In order to provide full allocations to our beneficiary agencies, and provide support throughout the entire Jewish community through Community Program Fund grants, we are still striving for $1.2 million.” Campaign Chair Mark Wladis added, “We ran this Campaign differently than has ever been done in the past. No longer can we simply try to raise money; but now the local Federation Campaign has to be one that includes people and provides them with a sense of community. From day one, this Campaign has tried to do that. Whether it was Ambassador Dennis Ross speaking to the community, the Meet at the MOST event for families
to get together, the Friendship Gathering at Benjamin’s on Franklin or any of the other events the Federation has been involved with, it has been about forging a strong sense of community.” Many people have seen these efforts by the Federation and applauded them, according to Wladis. To date, approximately 35 percent of people giving to the Campaign have increased their pledge. The Campaign also has more than 100 new families donating to it. “You can see not only by the events, but by the financial giving of so many that the local Jewish community is strong and is working to continue to do more. Another important goal is 100 percent participation from our Jewish community members. The Campaign is not there yet, but we are gaining on it,” said Alexander. It is not too late to make a pledge and be included in the Jewish Federation of Central New York Honor Roll of Donors. For more information, contact Marianne Bazydlo at 445-2040, ext. 102, or mbazydlo@jewishfederationcny.org. To make a secure credit card payment, visit www.jewishfederationcny.org and click on the tzedakah box.
Stanlee Stahl to speak at Yom Hashoah commemoration She established Extra Helping, BY JUDITH L. STANDER New Jersey’s first prepared food The main speaker at this transfer program. Not only did year’s Yom Hashoah comshe focus on feeding that state’s memoration of the Jewish hungry, but she opened a kosher Federation of Central New component that was the only York will be Stanlee J. Stahl, one in the United States. executive vice president of Stahl is a 20-year veteran of the Jewish Foundation for the the U.S. Department of Health Righteous. She will speak in and Human Services. She is the Temple Concord sanctuary, considered an expert speaker on 910 Madison St., Syracuse. This year’s Yom Hashoah memorial Stanlee J. Stahl fund-raising and proposal writing, observance will be held on Sunday, May and she consults with non-profit organizations and teaches a grant-writing course. She lived 1, from 3-4:30 pm. The program will begin promptly with in Israel and worked for Magen DavidAdom, the reading of the names inscribed in the Israel’s Red Cross Society. She holds graduate Federation’s Book of Remembrance. degrees from George Washington University Expected participants include Rabbis and New York University. JFR was founded in 1986 by Rabbi Irvin Beigel, Paul Drazen, Leah Fein, Harold Schulweis to fulfill the traditional Daniel Fellman, Daniel Jezer, Andrew Jewish commitment to recognize goodPepperstone and Evan Shore. The mission of the Jewish Foundation ness. Many of the people the organization for the Righteous is “to identify, honor helps are aging and living in poverty. and help support” Christians and Muslims Through its Rescuer Support Program, who risked their lives, as well as the lives JFR provides monthly financial support of their families, to save Jews from death to more than 450 rescuers in 20 countries. Each of these individuals has been in Europe during the Holocaust. Stahl has led the foundation for many recognized as a Righteous Gentile by Yad years and has a professional history of Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the providing leadership by example and victims of the Holocaust. See “Stahl” on page 3 also bringing her experience with her.
Yom Ha’atzmaut 2016 community celebration BY DOUG HORNBACKER Syracuse will c e l e b r a t e Yo m Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, with a free event on Thursday, May 12, from 6-8 pm, at Temple Adath Yeshurun. Nurit Nussbaum, Linda Chait Davis L-r: Music director Joe Eglash, Cantor Kari Siegel Eglash, and Orit Antosh, Cantor Paula Pepperstone, Cantor Marvin Moskowitz, Ba’alat co-chairwomen of Tefilah Esa Jaffe, Cantor Robert Leiberman and Cantor the Yom Ha’atzmaut Francine Berg. (Photo by Sonali Y. Wijesuriya) planning committee, have organized the celebration to honor used in synagogue services and Jewish Israel’s 68th birthday. The event will also events around the world. offer information about Israel’s contriIn addition to the musical perforbutions toward addressing the world’s mance, there will be a free Israeli dinner. water crisis. There will also be children’s activities, The event is underwritten by a Yom Israeli wine tasting, information on Israeli Ha’atzmaut grant from the Jewish Fed- water technology, an Israeli shuk and eration of Central New York and the the Syracuse Hebrew Day School sixth Pomeranz, Shankman and Martin Chari- grade students will give a presentation table Foundation, and is being presented on Israeli inventions. by the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Reservations have been requested and Center of Syracuse, with the support of can be made by contacting the JCC, local local area synagogues. synagogues, the Syracuse Hebrew Day The event will start with a com- School or directly to the Yom Ha’atzmaut memoration to Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s committee at yh68syr@gmail.com. Memorial Day, followed by a Cantors’ Concert, a communitywide adult and youth choir, a cantors and cantorial soloists ensemble and a small pit band. The ensemble will include Cantor Francine Berg, conducting the youth and adult choirs, and vocalists Temple Concord Cantor Kari Siegel Eglash, Temple Adath Yeshurun Ba’alat Tefilah Goal: $1,200,000 Esa Jaffe, Cantor Robert Lieberman, Cantor Marvin Moskowitz and Cantor Paula Pepperstone, director of the Rabbi $ Jacob Epstein School of Jewish Studies. Modern Israeli songs will be performed as of April 25, 2016 alongside classic sing-along titles. This year the event will welcome a new musical director, Joe Eglash. Eglash and his wife, Siegel Eglash, came to Syracuse when she became part of Temple Concord’s new clergy team in 2014. He is a professional musician and Jewish music publisher and editor. Along with his music firm, Eglash Creative, he is director of Transcontinental Music To make a pledge, contact Publications, which is owned by the Marianne Bazydlo at 445-2040 ext. 102 American Conference of Cantors and is or mbazydlo@jewishfederationcny.org. the world’s largest and oldest publisher of Jewish music. He edits, develops and publishes new Jewish music, which is
2016 Federation Annual Campaign
1,014,181
C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A April 28.....................7:45 pm.....................................................................Passover April 29.....................7:46 pm.......................................... Parasha-Passover-Yizkor May 6........................7:54 pm............................................... Parasha-Acharai Mot May 13......................8:02 pm.................................................... Parasha-Kedoshim
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Congregational notes
PJ Our Way
More than just books
Local synagogues announce The PJ Library program is now The new National Library of Israel children’s events, a scholar’s offering PJ Our Way for children is intended to create community ages 9-11. lecture and a concert. and embrace technology. Storiy on page 5 Stories on page 4 Story on page 10
PLUS Wedding and Prom Guide...6-7 Calendar Highlights............. 10 Mazel Tov................................ 10 Obituaries................................11