JEWISH OBSERVER ISSUE OS MAY 23, 2019 by Jewish Federation of CNY

18 IYAR 5779 • MAY 23, 2019 • VOLUME XXXX, NUMBER 11 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY

Multi-agency annual meeting BY KATHIE PIIRAK The Jewish Federation of Central New York announced that there will be a combined 2019 annual meeting with the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, the Rabbi Jacob H. Epstein School of Jewish Studies, the Syracuse Community Hebrew School and a report of agency from the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center on Wednesday, June 5, at the Sam Pomeranz

Jewish Community Center of Syracuse. Refreshments will be at 6:30 pm, with the meeting at 7 pm. The event is free and open to the community. Presiding over the annual meeting will be Board Chair Ellen Weinstein. A dessert reception will be catered by JCC chef Donna Carullo under the supervision of the Va’ad Ha’ir. Federation will hold elections for its

Board of Directors. This year’s nominations include returning trustees for a two-year term ending in 2021: Sidney Cominsky, Miriam Elman, Mickey Lebowitz, Jeffrey Maloff, Todd Pinsky, Neil Rosenbaum, Carl Rosenzweig, Cheryl Schotz and Rabbi Evan Shore. New trustees for a two-year term ending in 2021 are Anick Sinclair, Cindy Stein and Seth Goldberg.

The 2019 Esther and Joseph Roth Award for Outstanding Jewish Community Leadership will be presented to Marc Beckman. The Syracuse Hebrew Day School Chorus will perform. Reservations are requested and may be made by contacting Kathie Piirak at 315445-2040, ext. 106, or kpiirak@jewishfederationcny.org by Wednesday, May 29.

Marc Beckman to receive 2019 Roth Award BY BETTE SIEGEL The Jewish Federation of Central New York announced that Marc Beckman will receive the 2019 Esther and Joseph Roth Award for Outstanding Jewish Community Leadership. He will be presented with the award at Federation’s annual meeting on Wednesday, June 5. The evening will begin with refreshments at 6:30 pm. The award was established in May 1979 by the friends and family of Esther and Joseph Roth. It is a permanent award and is displayed at the Federation’s offices. It is awarded in honor and recognition of those individuals who have demonstrated “outstanding Jewish community leadership” and is always presented at Federation’s annual meeting. It is considered by many to be the major community service award presented by the Syracuse Jewish community. Beckman was born in Buffalo and raised in Westchester, NY, after his father died in a car accident. His mother, Bonnie, was an elementary school teacher and later a business person. His stepfather was a school custodian and aspiring model/ photographer, and later, a manufacturing facility foreman. He met his wife, Karen, in 1986 while they were first-year students at the University of Rochester. He went on to receive his juris doctor degree, cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1994. He and Karen married immediately after he took the bar exam. He got a job in Syracuse, where Karen planned to do her residency after she finished medical school in Albany. Until Karen graduated, he lived with his in-laws in Cortland and commuted to Syracuse. Originally, he admits that he did not wish to move to this area since he “knew no one and had no professional connections to the area.” He is now the first to admit that he loves living in Central New York and does not miss living downstate at all. He loves to root for his adopted Syracuse Orange. He and Karen, a family practice physician and partner in CNY Family Care, LLP, have three children, in whom a love of Judaism has been instilled by their parents. Ian (21), Rachel (19) and Elise (16) attended the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community of Syracuse Early Childhood Development Program, and then the Syracuse Hebrew Day School through graduation. They all

Shaarei Torah Orthodox Con- Roth Award for Outstanding Jewish Comattended or will attend the Rabbi Jacob Epstein School of Jewish gregation of Syracuse in 2017. munity Leadership is the highest honor Studies through 12th grade, Camp At CBS-CS, he has served on bestowed by the Federation. Marc richly the board as recording secretary deserves this award because of his deep Ramah through Nivonim and and financial vice president. and abiding commitment to our Jewish then Ramah seminar in Israel. He was also membership vice community. He truly puts words into acRachel spent her “gap year” in president and started the use tion and we are all the better as a result. I Israel through Nativ, an extenof inflatables at the Back to personally have benefitted by his insights, sion of United Synagogue Youth. Shul barbecue, as well as the wisdom and efforts and am thrilled that Both she and Ian are students at See “Beckman” on page 8 custom of making donations Binghamton University. Elise is to a charitable cause part of the in 10th grade at Fayetteville-Manlius High School. Marc Beckman is event, with the original donation Beckman’s philosophy is this year’s recipient being supplies for the Syracuse “am Yisrael chai” (the people of of the Esther and City School District. He was Israel live) and he can be heard Joseph Roth Award president and longtime treasurer repeating the mantra, “Jewish for Outstanding of the Men’s Club and began Pay it education IS the strategic plan Jewish Community the custom of the annual offforward site picnic at Jamesville Beach of the Jewish people. We, as a Leadership. $1,181,332 and donate as of May 16, 2019 Park (originally a joint endeavor Jewish community, must also to the 2019 remember the first part of Hillel’s famous of the Men’s Club and youth program). quote: If I am not for myself, who will be Under the umbrella of the CBS-CS Men’s Jewish Thank you for me? If I am not for others, what am I? Club, he organized a Jewish community for your Federation outing attended by over 250 people from And if not now, when? support! of CNY “We must and should support others, Rochester, Watertown, Utica, and Central Goal: Annual but in doing so, we must and should New York, with a catered kosher barbe$1,300,000 make sure our own community/family/ cue tailgate party at Hillel preceding the Campaign backyard is first supported. We are unable Syracuse University game. Also under the to support others if our community is not umbrella of the Men’s Club, Beckman cofirst supported and no one will support the chaired separate golf tournaments to raise WOW! Jewish community but Jews. In doing so, funds for Vera House, as well as one to goal reached our we demonstrate our love for those children raise funds for the senior dining program st o We’ve alm cord! last year’s re we will never know.” at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community help us exceed Beckman lives his philosophy. A law- Center of Syracuse. He has further served yer by profession, his practice focuses on on various committees, including the RabFor more information, transactional/regulatory health care law, binic Search, Finance, Human Resources please contact Colleen Baker at primarily representing health care pro- and Nominating committees. 315-445-2040, ext. 102, or Federation Chair of the Board Ellen fessionals. He is one of the five founding Cbaker@jewishfederationcny.org members of Cohen Compagni Beckman Weinstein said, “The Esther and Joseph Appler and Knoll, PLLC. He is a member of the Onondaga County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association, Health Law and Business Law section and listed in “Best Lawyers of America” in the specialty of health care law (one of three in Syracuse) since 2017. Since 2014, he has been included in the @Jewish-Federation-Of-Central-New-York New York Super Lawyers List, Upstate Edition, in the specialty of health care law (one of 14 in Syracuse, and one of @JewishFederationOfCNY five in his firm). For such a busy man, he has managed to make volunteerism, particularly Judaic volunteerism, an important part of his and C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A his family’s lives. He has been a member May 24............................. 8:12 pm...................................................... Parashat Behar of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas May 31............................. 8:18 pm............................................. Parashat Bechukotai since the mid-90s and additionally joined June 7............................... 8:23 pm................................................Parashat Bamidbar

2019 Federation Campaign Annual

Follow the Jewish Federation of Central New York for the latest updates!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Safe Haven anniversary

Shavuot

SHDS gala

The Safe Haven Museum will Local congregations announce Syracuse Hebrew Day School will mark 75 years since Fort Ontario their upcoming Shavuot services honor Diane Kuppermann at its welcomed 982 Holocaust victims. and events. Black and White Cocktail Party. Stories on page 4 Story on page 3 Story on page 8

PLUS Calendar Highlights............... 6 Obituaries................................. 7 Classifieds................................ 8 Summer Fun....................Insert

JEWISH OBSERVER ■ MAY 23, 2019/18 IYAR 5779

JCC preschoolers raise butterflies

BY WILLIAM WALLAK Because springtime is about renewal and growth, it’s a time to learn about and see first-hand the transformation process of butterflies. Every spring, the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center’s Jerome and Phyllis Charney Early Childhood Development Program teaches a science unit where each classroom tends to its own caterpillars and watches them change into butterflies. One of the ECDP’s infant rooms recently read the book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” by Eric Carle. Classroom teachers Alana Raphael and

Breanna Herrmann decided to expand their students’ learning experience by introducing them to their own live caterpillars. Raphael said, “The young children, aged 9-16 months, were engrossed by the process. They loved watching the metamorphosis of the caterpillars into butterflies. It’s never too early to expand on the children’s interests and broaden their learning experience. It was great to see all the children fascinated by the process.” The unit ended when students from the Early Childhood Program’s classes went outside and released their butter-

flies. And just like that, the teachers said, the transformation was complete.

At right: The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center’s Jerome and Phyllis Charney Early Childhood Development Program student Bellamy ByrnesStover checked out some newly-hatched butterflies in her classroom before they were released.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What a great Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration To the Community: Thanks to an incredible group of volunteers and organizations – what a whirlwind week! From start to finish, you were an incredible group of volunteers. A big thank you to: Barbara Applebaun, Jane Beigel, Rachael Chait, Michal Downy, Andrew Goldberg, Yonki and Sharon Hochstein, Yonat Klein, Norm and Joan Poltenson, Fay Rutner, Lucy Salin, Bob and Debbie Shprintzen, Milo Sinclair, Sol and Karen Vaknine. A special thank you to the Jewish Federation of Central New York, the Pomeranz, Shankman and Martin Charitable Foundation, and the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center, as well as the following organizations for their commitment of time, energy and talent: Keyna Hora Klezmer

Band, Syracuse International Folk Dancers, Community Cantors, Costco, Natur-Tyme, Joe Eglash and Band, Catering by The Oaks, Bakergirl Dessert Company, Byrne Dairy, Chabad-Lubavitch of Central New York, Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas, Natur-Tyme, Rabbi Jacob H. Epstein School of Jewish Studies, Sha’arei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse, Syracuse Community Hebrew School, Syracuse Hebrew Day School, Syracuse International Folk Dancers, Temple Adath Yeshurun, Temple Concord, Wegmans, the Va’ad, synagogue Judiaca shops and the PJ Library. The grand success of the evening’s celebration is due to all of you. Thank you, Orit Antosh and Linda Chait Davis

At left: Aiden Weinberg (back to camera) and Kayla Graber at the PJ Library® table staffed by Carolyn Weinberg.

The crowd at the Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration.

of Central New York

Caricatures at the Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration.

Israel joins the race to the moon Dear Editor: Israeli nonprofit, SpaceIL, recently became the first nongovernmental entity to orbit and plant an imprint on the moon. A national triumph, Israel just failed from becoming only the fourth country to achieve a soft landing. The others – the United States, former Soviet Union and China – dwarf Israel in size, population and GDP. Three others – Japan, India and the European Space Agency – have placed objects in lunar orbit. Three Israeli engineers belatedly pursued Google’s Lunar XPrize challenge: $20 million to the first civilian team to build, launch and land a spacecraft on the moon. Thirty teams entered the competition; Israel entered hours before deadline. With philanthropist funding and pledges of tech support, SpaceIL was launched. The team anticipated building a tiny craft, barely a dozen pounds, on a $10 million budget, projecting success in about a year. After several extensions, Google closed the competition and the other four finalists quit. After eight years and $100 million (the price of one F-35), SpaceIL delivered a 6.5 foot diameter, 5 feet tall, 350 lb. (1,300 lb. fueled), four-legged lunar

probe, “Beresheet” (in the beginning), to Cape Canaveral. Launched on February 22, it began a seven-week journey of four million miles and went into lunar orbit on April 4. A controlled descent of ever-closer orbits brought it down a week later, only to have the engine briefly stall on the final descent at the planned landing site. For Israeli technology, this a giant leap forward, and a dramatic demonstration to private entrepreneurs of the vast commercial possibilities of space. In awarding a $1 million Moonshot Award, Xprize Foundation CEO, Peter Diamandis said, “SpaceIL’s mission represents the democratization of space exploration. It should set off a chain reaction of increasingly affordable and repeatable commercial missions to the moon and beyond.” Likely surviving impact was a time capsule, its digital files containing the world’s most celebrated works of art, science, literature and technology, and, at its center, the Hebrew Bible, the Jews’ greatest gift to humanity. It now rests perpetually amidst the rubble. Sincerely yours, Richard D. Wilkins

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MAY 23, 2019/18 IYAR 5779 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

AROUND CENTRAL NEW YORK Safe Haven Museum at Ft. Ontario to commemorate 75th anniversary BY BETTE SIEGEL On Monday, August 5, there will be a 75th anniversary program at the Refugee Memorial Monument (also known as the Safe Haven Museum and Education Center) at the Fort Ontario State Historic Site in Oswego. The program will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of 982 Holocaust victims from Europe on August 5, 1944, at the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter. During World War II, Fort Ontario was the only camp for victims of the Holocaust located in the United States – the location where the “Holocaust came to America,” and where the American public and press first encountered victims of Nazi persecution and their personal stories of survival, resulting in Holocaust stories moving from the back to the front pages of newspapers.

Refugees at the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter on August 5, 1944,during customs processing and baggage retrieval. (Photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt, courtesy of Fort Ontario)

Among the program’s activities will be speakers, a wreath laying ceremony, refugee reunion and a postal cancellation. In 1944, refugees making their way across German lines began impeding military operations in Italy, and allied refugee camps were overflowing. When America’s European allies balked at opening new refugee camps in their own countries and territories, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter to help convince them to respond in kind. Fort Ontario served as the only refugee shelter in the United States during WWII. Upon the refugees’ arrival at Fort Ontario, every-day Americans and the press first encountered the victims and their personal stories of persecution at the hands of the Nazis. Fort Ontario See “Haven” on page 6

Menorah Park’s 37th annual Open golf tournament Aug. 14 BY JUDY SCHMID The Menorah Park Open will go another round on Wednesday, August 14, at Drumlins Country Club. The 37th annual Open is the oldest golf fund-raiser in Syracuse, and benefits programs and residents of Menorah Park of Central New York. Golfers may enjoy 18 holes at Drumlins East, golfer gifts, lunch and dinner from Pascale’s, a raffle and a silent auction. Non-golfing dinner guests are also welcome to participate in the post-golf program and silent auction. Menorah Park CEO Mary Ellen Bloodgood said, “We’ve raised more than $30,000 each of the last two years and, based on the level of satisfaction for this great event, we expect to do even better this year.” Proceeds from the event support Menorah Park’s continuum-of-care pro-

grams, such as entertainment and special events for the residents, a transport van that takes residents to community activities, kosher meals on wheels and financial aid for The Inn’s assisted living residents. Bloodgood continued, “The Menorah Park Open directly helps residents’ quality of life. Our residents are our families, friends and could very well be us some day.” The event starts with lunch at 11:30 am, followed by Captain and Crew golf at 12:30 pm. A cocktail reception will be followed by an awards dinner. Niko Tamurian of CNY Central will once again be the program host. The silent auction will feature local gifts. For example, a custom-made suit from the Mister Shop and gift baskets with restaurant gift cards as in the last few years. Foursomes and individual golfers are

welcome; sponsorships are available; donations of goods for door prizes and the auction are encouraged. The dinner is open to the public. For golf registration, donations and dinner reservations, visit

the Menorah Park website, www.MenorahParkofCNY.com or contact Menorah Park Director of Development Susie Drazen at sdrazen@menorahparkofcny. com or 315-446-9111, ext. 141.

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Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center senior dining menu MAY 27-31 Monday – closed for Memorial Day Tuesday – honey mustard chicken Wednesday – tomato basil soup and grilled cheese sandwich Thursday – baked ziti Friday – stuffed flounder JUNE 3-7 Monday – tomato basil soup, grilled cheese on wheat Tuesday – stuffed cabbage Wednesday – Living Well Series – roasted herbed chicken Thursday – kosher Italian sausage and peppers with rosemary potatoes Friday – fresh salmon with dill The Bobbi Epstein Lewis JCC Senior

ISSUE

Adult Dining Program at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center offers Va’ad Ha’ir-supervised kosher lunches served Monday through Friday at noon. Lunch reservations are required by noon on the previous business day. There is a suggested contribution per meal. The menu is subject to change. The program is funded by a grant from the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth and the New York State Office for the Aging, with additional funds provided by the JCC. To attend, one need not be Jewish or a member of the JCC. For further information or to make a reservation, contact Cindy Stein at 315-445-2360, ext. 104, or cstein@jccsyr.org.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ MAY 23, 2019/18 IYAR 5779

CONGREGATIONAL NOTES Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas SHAVUOT TORAH SAFARI It’s traditional on Shavuot to stay up late and study Torah. On Saturday, June 8, at 7 pm, people are encouraged to come to Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas in their pajamas for a Shavuot Torah safari and ice cream party. The adventure will begin by unrolling the CBS-CS patchwork Torah, and then the “Torah guides” will lead participants through a Torah safari and scavenger hunt. After the Torah safari, there will be an ice cream social. Reservations are requested and may be made by going to tinyrul.com/ torahsafari19. LEARNING TOGETHER WITH OUR NEIGHBORS BY BOB TORNBERG On Shavuot, Sunday, June 9, from 1-8:30 pm, CBS-CS will sponsor “Learning Together with Our Neighbors.” This will be an extended opportunity to join with neighbors from CNY RISE (formerly the Turkish

Cultural Center, a Muslim organization) and University United Methodist Church, to learn about each of the three traditions’ observances of holidays and life-cycle events. During the day, participants will have the opportunity to learn from experts from each of the three traditions and to share their personal perspectives with each other. There will be ample social time to get to know each other and dinner is included. Childcare will also be provided. This program is a pilot project funded by a Philip L. Holstein Community Program Fund grant from the Jewish Federation of Central New York. Anyone from the greater Central New York Jewish community is welcome to sign up, however, each faith-tradition will be limited to 20 participants. Participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. CBS-CS will maintain a wait list should there be a larger response. RSVP by going to tinyrul.com/torahsafari19.

Temple Adath Yeshurun

L-r: Hugo, Lucie and Marianne Thomson joined many other families on May 5 for the annual Potluck on the Playground at the Temple Adath Yeshurun Rothschild Early Childhood Center. In addition to the potluck, families helped prepare the garden for planting and kicked off teacher appreciation week.

Sha’arei Torah Orthodox Congregation SHAVUOT LUNCH On Monday, June 10, at 12:30 pm, Sha’arei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse will host a Shavuot luncheon featuring a talk by Rabbi Evan Shore titled “The Jewish Response to Antisemitism.” As a result of shootings in synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway to an “avowedly Nazi-esque” cartoon in The New York Times, Jews have been asking themselves, “How we should respond to expressions of antisemitism? We need to do more than

beef up security and hold memorial events pledging ‘never again!’ How can the Torah and sages direct us toward deciding where our responsibilities lie? What lessons can we learn from the past?” The cost is $15 per adult (13 and over) and $8 for children 6-11. Reservations should be made by Tuesday, June 4, at www.stocsyracuse.org under events, or by contacting the synagogue at info@ stocsyracuse.org or 315-446-6194. Checks can be mailed to STOCS, 4313 E. Genesee St., DeWitt, NY 13214.

TAY Hazak members toured Hercules Candy on May 1 and learned about the candy-making process.

Temple Concord CELEBRATING TC’S 180TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SHABBAT SERVICES “FROM YESTERYEAR” BY RABBI DANIEL FELLMAN Temple Concord will hold a special Shabbat service on Friday, May 24, at 6 pm. Participants will worship with the 19th century prayer book “Minhag America,” which was used by the synagogue for decades. In 1839, the synagogue founders, immigrants from central Europe, were accustomed to a traditional form of prayer. Within a decade or so, reforms in Europe and America took hold in Syracuse. Influenced by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, Temple Concord adopted the new prayer book, “Minhag America,” which Wise edited. He served in Albany before moving to Cincinnati and becoming a leading 19th century rabbi, who founded the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, (now the Union of Reform Judaism), the Hebrew Union College and the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Wise believed he was creating a new American Judaism, and support from congregations such as Temple Concord was essential. In marking this anniversary, congregants can join three services using prayer books from earlier points in the synagogue’s history. On Friday, June 21, congregants will pray from the “Union Prayer Book,” the dominant Reform siddur of the first half of the 20th century, and on Friday, December 6, they will pray from the “Gates of Prayer,” the siddur that became the pre-eminent prayer book of the second half of the 20th century. A congregational family Shabbat dinner will follow each service. We are excited that these dinners will feature dishes from

the 1915 and 1989 versions of the Temple Concord cookbook. For more information, contact the office at 315-475-9952, office@templeconcord. org or templeconcord.org. CONFIRMATION CLASS ON JUNE 8 BY DIANE SACKS Temple Concord will recognize its 2019 confirmands during Shavuot services on Saturday, June 8, at 7 pm. Alana Jacowitz, Adam Thompson, Sam Myshrall and Evelyn Fay, together with Rabbi Daniel Fellman, have been learning and exploring Judaism and strengthening their Jewish identities. There will be a dairy dinner at 6 pm in their honor prior to the service. There is a small fee for the dinner. Reservations are requested and may be made by contacting the TC office at 315-475-9952, office@templeconcord. org or online www.templeconcord.org. Traditional dairy desserts will be available during the Tikkun Leil Shavuot, beginning at approximately 9 pm. The Tikkun Leil Shavuot will be led by Rabbi Daniel Fellman, Cantor Kari Siegel Eglash and synagogue members. The Shavuot Yizkor service will be on Sunday, June 9, at 11 am. TC ANNUAL MEETING AND VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION BREAKFAST JUNE 12 BY DIANE SACKS Temple Concord’s annual congregational meeting and volunteer recognition breakfast will be held on Wednesday, June 12, at 8:30 am. The meeting will begin with a complimentary continental breakfast and will feature the Knesset Shalom Singers. During the meeting, three awards will

be presented: volunteer of the year will be presented to Leesa Paul, the presidential award will be presented to Joe Greenman and the Margie Markson Johnson Heart and Soul Award recipient will be announced at the meeting. The meeting is open to the public. Reservations are requested and may be made by contacting the TC office at 315475-9952, office@templeconcord.org or online www.templeconcord.org. TC’S SUMMER OUTDOOR SHABBAT SERVICES BY DIANE SACKS Rabbi Daniel Fellman and Cantor Kari Siegel Eglash invite the public to welcome Shabbat under the summer skies. On Friday, July 5, services will be held at Onondaga Lake Park, Saw Mill Creek Shelter, and will feature traditional prayers and patriotic songs. In Fourth of July style, a barbecue dinner will follow services. There is a modest fee for the dinner. On Friday, July 19, participants will

welcome Shabbat at Ryder Park in DeWitt. Participants are welcome to bring along picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs and have a Shabbat dinner together and sing Shabbat songs while keeping an eye on the children using the play equipment. The Friday, August 16, outdoor service will take place in the small shelter at Clark Reservation. Dinner will follow the service and feature fried chicken with traditional side dishes. Vegetarian alternatives will be available on request. There will be a nominal fee for the dinner. The last of the Outdoor Summer Series will be at Temple Concord, where participants can welcome back Syracuse University students, faculty, staff members and administration for services, followed by a food truck dinner. There will be a nominal fee for dinner. All summer Shabbat services will begin at 6 pm. Registration for dinners may be made by contacting the TC office at 315475-9952, office@templeconcord.org or www.templeconcord.org.

Rabbi Daniel Fellman’s 10th anniversary On Tuesday, June 4, from 6-8 pm, Temple Concord, the Syracuse Jewish community and the community at large will celebrate Rabbi Daniel Fellman’s 10th anniversary as the Temple Concord rabbi. Organizers anticipate that this celebration will be a “memorable” event. There will be a Va’ad-supervised kosher buffet dinner, with a cost of $18 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under.

A tribute book is being compiled in appreciation of Rabbi Fellman, and will include messages of meaning and gratitude. To include a message, e-mail diane@ templeconcord.org for options. Submissions for the tribute book and dinner reservations may be made at templeconcord.org, 315-475-9952, or by mailing a check to Temple Concord, 910 Madison St., Syracuse, NY 13210.

Published by the Jewish

Federation of Greater Binghamton

Page 2A - Summer Fun

May 2019

Syracuse Jewish Music and Cultural Festival set for Sept. 15 The 20th Syracuse Jewish Music and Cultural Festival has been set for Sunday, September 15, from noon-5:30 pm, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt, NY. This event is the largest of its kind outside of New York City. “As always, the music is the main draw,” said Marci Erlebacher, executive director of the JCC. “But we have terrific kosher foods that reflect both Middle Eastern and Eastern European favorites, beer and wine to keep you cool, and a variety of artisans and vendors. And there’s free parking on and around the JCC campus.” Kids’ activities will once again include The Kids Tent hosted by the Jewish Community Center, the Robert Rogers Puppet Theater, face painting and PJ Library. The music schedule is as follows: ee noon-1 pm – West of Odessa ee 1:30 pm-2:20 pm – Keyna Hora Klezmer Band – A day

at the Yiddish Theatre 3 pm-4:15 pm – Boichik 4:30 pm-5:30 pm – Farah Catering by The Oaks at Menorah Park will provide a selection of kosher foods, under Va’ad supervision, including corned beef, knishes, hot dogs, falafel, kugel, beer and wine. Carvel will also be on site with its festival ice cream offerings. The event is sponsored by Price Chopper; the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation; Pomeranz, Shankman and Martin Charitable Foundation; Jewish Federation of Central New York; Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center; a state grant secured by Senator John A. DeFrancisco; Paul B. and Georgina H. Roth Charitable Foundation; Jewish Observer; CNY Arts; M&T Bank; Syracuse New Times; and Key Bank. For more information, visit the festival’s website at www. SyracuseJewishFestival.org.

ee ee

The Syracuse Jewish Music and Cultural Festival will be held on Sunday, September 15, from noon-5:30 pm, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center in DeWitt, NY.

The National Soaring Museum at Harris Hill, NY Elmira, NY, is known as the “Soaring Capital of America.” Early soaring pilots found that the terrain over the Chemung Valley was ver y favorable for soaring and Elmira was chosen as the location for the first international soaring contest in 1930. Over the years, the National Soaring Museum has evolved as one of the largest soaring museums in the world, with a significant collection of historical and vintage gliders and sailplanes. From the Wright Brothers’ early glider to the high-performance sailplanes of the present day, more than 30 examples are on display. The museum itself houses not only sailplanes, but also presents a vast array of soaring trophies, memorabilia and

photography. A trip through the National Soaring Museum presents the history of soaring in America and celebrates Elmira’s role in soaring history. Located atop Harris Hill in Elmira, the National Soaring Museum is open year-round. In addition to the museum, there is a large playground, amusement park, swimming pool and picnic area on the Harris Hill campus, including the Harris Hill Soaring Corporation Flight Center, where visitors can purchase a sailplane flight over the Chemung Valley. Flights are available during the spring, summer and fall, weather permitting. For more information, visit www.soaringmuseum.org or call 607-734-3128.

An overview of the National Soaring Museum’s main exhibit hall.

JCC summer camp fun is just around the corner! There’s plenty of summer camp fun and adventure for children and teens to experience at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse this year! The JCC’s Camp Joe and Lynne Romano summer day camp will run weekdays for eight weeks from July 1-August 23. There will be plenty of nonstop excitement, fun and adventure for everyone to experience. Each week, campers will have a blast making new friends and participating in enriching activities. There’s nothing boring about summer camp at the JCC, as campers go swimming and are kept active every day. Camp enrollment is broken out into three different age groups. The early childhood camp is for children 6-weeks old through entering kindergarten, school-age camp is open to children entering grades one-six and the SyraCruisin’ teen travel camp is for young teens entering grades seven-10. Each camp day begins and ends at the JCC at 5655 Thompson

Snake Creek Marine Snake Creek Marine is a third generation, family-run business located in Montrose, PA. It has been a Mercury dealer since 1972 and Starcraft dealer since 1974. Stop in and check out the inventory of Starcraft fiberglass runabouts, Arima fishing boats, aluminum fishing boats and pontoons. Snake Creek Marine also sells boat lifts and boating accessories. Accessories help to make your boat unique to your needs. Items such as global positioning systems (GPS), extra seating, rod storage, draw plugs and bikini tops, just to name a few accessories, are among the many products displayed in the vast showroom. Snake Creek Marine’s helpful staff can get you on the water and keep you there. For further information, visit Snake Creek Marine’s Web site at www.snakecreekmarine.net or call 570-967-2109 or 1-800-453-3820.

Rd., DeWitt. Depending on the camp, some campers may go off-site for scheduled field trips and specialty camp activities. Early and late care options are available for all campers. The JCC’s more than 30 specialty camps for school-age children allow kids to explore a specific interest area for an entire week. In addition to staples such as gymnastics, art, rocketry and fishing, this year’s new Specialty Camps such as Bricks 4 Kidz Coding and Video Game Design and Bricks 4 Kidz Game Over Jr. Engineers are sure to be instant hits. Young teens ages 14 and 15 looking to take on some responsibility should check out the Camp Aide and Counselor in Training (or CIT) programs. They offer many opportunities to hone teamwork and leadership skills. Camp Romano registration is currently in full swing. Register your child anytime right up until the start of camp on July 1 and throughout the summer prior to the start of each camp session. But don’t delay. Spots go quickly and some school-age specialty camp sessions close out early. Except for the Camp Aide and Counselor in Training teen programs, current JCC membership is not necessary for Camp Romano registration. However, JCC members receive discounted camp rates. A discount for siblings is also available.

L-r: Anna Centolella, Scarlett Yaddow and Brian Russell were all smiles while fishing at Willow Bay at Onondaga Lake Park with the JCC’s Fishing Camp last summer. This year’s JCC Camp Joe and Lynne Romano season will run from July 1-August 23. For more information about the JCC’s summer camp, and to request the camp program guide, call 315-445-2360 or visit www.jccsyr.org.

Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park summer events The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park is dedicated to promoting awareness and stewardship of the natural world, locally and globally, through education, conservation and community engagement. Tucked into Binghamton’s south mountain, the Binghamton Zoo provides a plethora of educational experiences, special events and inspiring natural sceneries for the surrounding communities. At the Binghamton Zoo, staff commitment to animal care and wildlife conservation is the top priority. The

zoo participates in more than 25 Species Survival Plans. Its naturalistic exhibits and barriers allow visitors to get up close to see animals from all over the world. Not to mention, there’s a mile-long loop to get your exercise in while enjoying the animals! Guests have another opportunity for an up-close-andpersonal look at the animals by booking a Wild Encounter. The programs allow participants to go beyond the public barriers and behind the scenes with the two-toed sloth, African penguins, snow leopard, or animals in the Children’s Zoo. Participants will learn about the animals featured in the encounter, their adaptations, threats and individual personalities, as well as how zoo staff care for the animals. Program length varies based on animal interest, though is typically 45 minutes to one hour. Each package offers a See “Zoo” on page 3A

May 2019

Page 3A - Summer Fun

Arts and Wine Festival in Cortland Start your holiday shopping at the Cultural Council’s 13th annual Arts and Wine Festival on August 3, from 10 am-5 pm, in historic Courthouse Park in downtown Cortland. You can purchase children’s books, artwork and artisan crafts, while enjoying music and foods throughout the day. Children and adults alike will enjoy listening and moving to music by favorites such as Fall Creek Brass, Answer the Muse, Basin Street Jazz Band, John Melvin and students, Seven Leaf Clover, and Crown City Brass. There are also performances and oodles of fun activities both in and out of the Children’s Tent to enjoy. There will be a puppet show and puppet-making workshop by puppeteer Lily Silly and a performance by Nate Marshall, whom you may know as the entertainer Nate the Great. Children’s author Suzanne Bloom will be here, selling and signing books, reading stories and drawing characters from the “Bus for Us,” “No Place for a Pig,” “A Splendid Friend

Anderson’s Farm Markets, Gwen’s Grill, The Cortland Crush Dog House, Lulu’s Kettlecor n and Oompa Loompyas. There will be a wide assortment of food from which to select: Singapore street noodles; rice bowls; candied yams; duck confit crepes; seafood dishes; tacos; salads of all sorts; barbecued ribs and chicken; fried ribs and chicken; hot The annual Arts and Wine Festival in Cortland will feature dogs; Gianelli sausages; salt potatoes; loompyas; and a variety of artists. more. Milkshakes, juices, Indeed” and her many other books. smoothies and other drinks will be available, You might also enter the sidewalk chalk as well as snack foods. art competition. The Wine Tent, with returning and new A variety of foods will be available for vendors, will be open from noon-5 pm for purchase in the food court from the fol- those 21-plus with valid IDs. There will lowing vendors: The Chef and the Cook/ be new wines and ciders for sampling and Chef4Rent Food Truck, Natural Vibes, Bill purchase that will also make great gifts.

Apple vodka will be available for purchase only. Tickets for the wine tent are $16 online starting on June 1.They will cost $20 at the festival. All other activities are free. This is what you would pay for tastings at just a few wineries. This event is presented by the Cultural Council of Cortland Count y, which thanks its major sponsors, to date, who make this event possible: Equus Advisors, CNYArts, Ralph R. Wilkins Foundation Inc., McNeil Development Co. LLC, Cayuga Medical Center, Chemung Canal Trust, CFCU, The Local Food Market and Café, Cinch Art Space, Cortland Eye Center, NBT Bank and Tompkins Trust Company. For more information about the festival, visit www.culturalcouncilofcortlandcounty. org or contact Executive Director Kat McCarthy at culturalcouncil3@gmail.com or 607753-1188. Festival organizers look forward to seeing you on August 3 in celebration of the arts!

Summer theater season at Auburn Public Theater Auburn Public Theater is a nonprofit performing arts center located in the heart of downtown Auburn. Since 2006, its mission has been to enrich the social, cultural and economic growth of the Finger Lakes region by bringing people together through access to live performance, cinema, arts education and community events. Known for dynamic and engaging live programming, APT offers performance series in comedy, music and theater. You can find comedians along with local openers on APT’s stage. From Ahamed Weinberg to Tammy Pescatelli, APT is committed to bringing high qualit y, diverse comics to Auburn. The line-up of local, national and international music acts on the Main Stage has been called “elite and eclectic.” From local groups like Root Shock to national

Zoo unique feature dependent on the species, and 10 percent of each Wild Encounter admission will be added to the Binghamton Zoo’s Global Conservation Fund, which is supporting the Red Wolf Coalition in 2019. The zoo also offers incredible educational opportunities for local students. The Zoo School program allows students from ages 4-13 to learn all about wildlife conservation and animals. Through games, crafts and hands-on animal encounters, children learn about the natural world and the animals they share it with. The zoo is also offering a Ross Park Rangers session for 14-17-year-olds in conjunction with the Jr. Docent program. The summer is filled with great opportunities to have fun and learn at the zoo. The Summer Zoo School program runs from July 15-August 23, with each week of programming covering a different topic and teaching a different age group. The Binghamton Zoo holds several annual fund-raisers that range from the family friendly, to adults-only, but all of which will create great memories for all! Events include Zoo Brew and Wine Too, Ice Cream Safari,

recording artists like this July’s performance from MacArthur Genius Grammy winner Rhiannon Giddens, APT is committed to providing affordable and accessible musical experiences to Central New York. APT offers theatrical performances yearround, highlighted by the summer theater season. This summer, longtime Auburn favorites The Calamari Sisters will open the season July 3-13. The Summer Theater Season is then crowned by a performance of “Kafka’s Metamorphosis: The Musical” on July 26-27 and August 1-2. This original work was created by The Shylock Project, a theatre company based in Syracuse led by Matt Chiorini and Travis Newton, performing arts professors at Le Moyne College. “Kafka’s Metamorphosis: The Musical,” based on Franz Kafka’s novella, tells the Continued from page 2A

Dyer the African penguin is one of the many Binghamton Zoo residents. Feast with the Beasts, and Boo at the Zoo. The best way to get the most out of the Binghamton Zoo is to become a member. Membership benefits include free admission to the zoo, access to Members Only Nights, discounts to special events and much more. Visit rossparkzoo.com for a full list of membership benefits and package details. Zoo staff hope to see you at the Binghamton Zoo this summer!

stor y of Gregor Samsa turning into a large cockroach and how his family does or doesn’t deal with his metamorphosis. The stor y is inter woven with the real-life stor y of Kafka and excerpts from his heart-breaking letter to his father. This fascinating stor y, told with puppets, shadowplay, black light and an array of low-tech theatrical conventions, has been called a surreal and satisfying musical adaptation that goes from hilarious to haunting, and back again. This show had its world premiere at the Montreal Fringe Festival, garnering rave reviews from Broadway World, Le Nouveau Goliard and more. It was The cast of “Kafka’s Metamorphosis: The nominated for “Best English Production” Musical” performed at a show preview in summer of Montreal Fringe. It will also appear in 2018 at Le Moyne College before heading to the 2019 at the New York Musical Festival. Montreal Fringe Festival to rave reviews. Le Nouveau Goliard said, “If there is one and see the many historic landmarks and show to see this year, this is it!” Auburn Public Theater is committed to cultural sites of Auburn. Tickets are available creating a vibrant atmosphere in downtown at auburnpublictheater.org, Eventbrite.com, Auburn through the arts and is an economic or by calling the box office Mondays 10 leader in Auburn’s renaissance. Come see am-2 pm and Fridays 10 am-2 pm at 315“Kafka’s Metamorphosis” and enjoy dinner 253-6669. The box office opens one hour downtown, one of the many local breweries, before all shows.

Page 4A - Summer Fun

May 2019

MAY 23, 2019/18 IYAR 5779 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

Syndicated columnist and actor Pam Sherman spoke at Lions of Judah event On May 7, local Lions of Judah gathered to socialize and listen to Pam Sherman, global speaker, leadership consultant, syndicated columnist and actor. Robin Goldberg, coordinator of the local Lions of Judah group, presided. The Lions are women of all

ages who say they care deeply about the Jewish future and donate individually or as a family $5,000 or more to the Jewish Federation of Central New York’s annual Campaign. For more information, contact Colleen Baker at 315-445-2040, ext. 102.

Syndicated columnist and actor Pam Sherman was the speaker at the Lion of Judah event.

Guests at the Lion of Judah event chatted before dinner.

Mara Charlamb and her mother, Libby Rubenstein.

Attendees at the Lion of Judah dinner.

Standing at the Lions of Judah event (l-r): Sondra Goldberg, Shira Boschan, Robin Goldberg and Leah Goldberg. Matriarch Norma Goldberg is seated in front.

Attendees at the Lion of Judah dinner.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ MAY 23, 2019/18 IYAR 5779

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.

Wednesday, May 22 Deadline for June 6 Jewish Observer Tuesday, May 28 Rabbi Epstein School at Temple Adath Yeshurun from 6:30-8:30 pm Thursday, May 30 Syracuse Hebrew Day School Fourth Annual Celebration Event – Black and White Cocktail Party hon oring Jeremy Blumenthal Award Recipient Diane Kuppermann at Temple Adath Yeshurun at 7 pm Sunday, June 2 Temple Concord day trip to Yiddish Book Center. For infor mation, contact cantoreglash@templeconcord.org. Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center annual meeting and gala at Owera Vineyards in Cazenovia from 11 am-2 pm Temple Adath Yeshurun Hazak to Syracuse Stage at 1 pm Syracuse Jewish Family Service special “Views on Aging” movie event, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” with refreshments, at Hy and Anne Miller Theater at Menorah Park from 2-6 pm Tuesday, June 4 TC honors Rabbi Daniel Fellman for his decade of service to the synagogue at TC from 6-8 pm Wednesday, June 5 Multi-agency annual meeting at the JCC. Refreshments at 6:30 pm, meeting at 7 pm. Deadline for June 20 Jewish Observer Saturday, June 8 TC Shavuot dinner at 6 pm, followed by a confirmation ceremony and Tikkun Leil Shavuot at 9 pm Sunday, June 9 Shavuot Monday, June 10 Federation and JCC offices closed for Shavuot Sha’arei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse Shavuot lunch at 12:30 pm Wednesday, July 3 Deadline for July 18 Jewish Observer

B’NAI MITZVAH Emily Lyon Greenblatt Emily Lyon Greenblatt, daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca Greenblatt of DeWitt, became bat mitzvah at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas on May 4. She is the granddaughter of Matthew and Sally Greenblatt of Albany, NY, and Robert and Anne Murcek of Lewisburg, PA. She is a seventh-grader at the Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School Emily Lyon and attends the CBS-CS Religious Greenblatt School and the Syracuse Community Hebrew School. She loves artwork, dancing and singing in the JDMS chorus, playing flute in the JDMS band and acting in the JDMS musicals. She plans to continue her Jewish education at the Rabbi Jacob Epstein School of Jewish Studies next year.

Haven was not only a safe haven for Holocaust refugees, but it was the only place of refuge offered to these victims. This year, Safe Haven is the subject of a gallery in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. The August 5 event will include a reunion of surviving refugees and families, memorial services at local cemeteries containing the remains of refugees who died at the shelter, commemorative presentations by refugees, religious leaders, Jewish and refugee relief organizations, public officials and others. It will conclude with a memorial service at the site of a monument dedicated to the refugees which was donated by the Syracuse chapter of Na’amat at the refugees’ first reunion in 1981. The Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1989 to interpret the history and historical significance of the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter, and the 982 refugees interned there before, during and after the shelter closed on February 5, 1946. The Safe Haven Museum and Education Center opened to the public on October 6, 2002 and is located in the old Army Guardhouse on the Fort Ontario Military Reservation National Register

D’VAR TORAH Shmita’s importance in 21st century America BY BARBARA DAVIS Some people complain that there are too many rules in Judaism. After all, they point out, there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah – 248 are things you should do and 365 are things you should not. But it’s really not that bad: 244 commandments are specific to the Temple and its rituals and have not been performed since the Temple’s destruction in 70 C.E., and of the 369 remaining mitzvot, 26 are applicable only in the Land of Israel. So there really are only 343 mitzvot to worry about. One of the 26 Israel-specific commandments in the Torah portion Behar/Bechukotai: the mitzvah of shmita, the seventh or sabbatical year in which the land is to lie fallow. The Torah is very explicit about shmita: “When you enter into the land which I am giving you, the land will have a Shabbat – a Shabbat for Hashem.” (Lev. 25:2) Shmita, which means remission, not only stipulates an agricultural remission as spelled out in parashat Behar, but also an economic remission of debts as detailed in Deuteronomy 15:1-6. Shmita is followed to the letter of the law in Israel. Parashat Bechukotai contains a very clear warning about what will happen if Israelites disobey: “And you I will scatter among the nations… Your land shall become a desolation and your cities a ruin. Then shall the land make up for its sabbath years throughout the time that it is desolate and you are in the land of your enemies; then shall the land rest...” A commentator for the Jewish World Service opined: “It is a chilling image and a kind of poetic justice: either follow God’s laws of your own free will and let the land have its rest, or you will be exiled and the land will have its rest without your consent. Shmita will take place either on your terms or on God’s.” So can those of us who live in a country where chemicals have reduced the need for land to lie fallow to recover fertility just ignore this

mitzvah? Should average 21st century Jewish Americans be concerned about an arcane commandment from which we are halachically exempt? The answer, of course, is yes. The shmita warning can be placed squarely within the concept of natural consequences. We cannot ignore the land today any more than could our ancestors. Our warming and polluted earth needs attention now even more than it did in biblical times. We need to apply the concept of shmita in the broadest possible terms, not only by allowing the land to rest, but by considering the infinite value of land to us, and taking steps to enable it to recover its inherent fertility and goodness. Through shmita, we must ask how we can live more sustainable lives. We must review our priorities and see whether it is possible for us to do more to restore a healthy environment. When I worked at the day school, I used to show a movie which had a theme song that went: “I need the earth and the earth needs me.” That was true thousands of years ago and is still true today. Behar/Bechukotai’s message is not out of date, nor is its larger meaning applicable only to Israel. Our Torah is meant to be an eternal document, not just a glimpse into a way of life from the past. The special relevance of the unique shmita commandment proves that point. Barbara Sheklin Davis is professor emerita of modern languages at Onondaga Community College. She served as principal of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School for 27 years and also headed the Epstein High School of Jewish Studies and the Combined School. She is the author of “100 Jewish Things to Do Before You Die,” co-author (with Susan Rabin) of a “A History of the Syracuse Jewish Community” and author of “A History of Syracuse’s African American Community.” She is a member of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas.

Marc Safran receives award from Healing the Children of New Jersey BY BONNIE LEFF On March 29, local ophthalmologist and photographer Marc Safran received the Sue Tiger Memorial Award from Healing the Children of New Jersey (or HTCNJ). The award honors a volunteer humanitarian who donates his/her time and talents to help impoverished children in developing countries receive free surgical care. Since 2004, Safran has participated in more than eight medical missions, where he has performed corrective surgeries on children who would otherwise go untreated. The countries include Bolivia, Ecuador, Vietnam and, most recently, the Dominican Republic, where he was trip chief, leading a team of 17 volunteers. Safran provides this service to benefit the children, including correcting their vision, as well as their appearance. When receiving the honor, he spoke about one child who thanked him for relieving the stigma of being cross-eyed, as well as restoring vision, which would allow the boy “to have a girlfriend.” Safran said he was energized to provide more assistance. HTCNJ co-director of the Medical Teams Abroad Program and President Diane Calesnick, said, “Healing the Children of New Jersey applauds Marc for his compassion, generosity and desire to use his skillset to make a difference in the lives of children.” Safran was

described by colleagues as “having great insight and acumen, as well as being a thoughtful teacher, a devoted father, husband and dear friend.” Safran has donated some of his award-winning photographic work to be auctioned for supplies for future surgical missions. Like the rest of the volunteers, he travels there himself. All of the funds raised go to care for the children. Many local friends have honored him by donating on his behalf, and he is committed to continuing this work for the benefit of others. In addition, Safran has donated his time and talents to SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse Stage and other Central New York institutions.

Continued from page 3

Area ophthalmologist Marc Safran recently received the Susan Tiger Memorial Award from the volunteer international medical organization Healing the Children. This picture is from his mission trip to Hue Hospital in northern Vietnam.

District. The museum contains exhibits, artifacts, photographs, artwork, videos and more related to the shelter. On Tuesday, September 3, there will be an open house with free admission from 10 am-9 pm. In 1944 the open house celebrated the end of the 30-day quarantine imposed on the Fort Ontario refugees upon their arrival by ship in New York City on August 3, 1944. For the first time since the refugees arrived at Fort Ontario, the shelter was opened to Oswego residents and others to enter and observe refugee living conditions and activities. The open house also marked the beginning of a pass system enabling refugees to leave the shelter on a short-term basis. The open house on September 3 will include daytime self-guided walking tours of the former shelter using 1944-46 photographs and plans, and free admission to the old stone fort and the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum on E. 7th St., Oswego. From 5-9 pm, the old stone fort will open for a program of evening speakers, music, refreshments, games and a sky lantern launch. For more information, go to www.safehavenmuseum. com or contact Judy Rapaport at jcrap53@gmail.com or 315-591-1050.

Healing the Children eye missions offer free surgery to correct lazy eye (strabismus) for needy youngsters. Marc Safran is shown with one of the many patients receiving eye muscle surgery in Guayaquil, Ecuador. (Child’s name withheld upon request.)

MAY 23, 2019/18 IYAR 5779 ■

OBITUARIES JUDITH LEVY ALDERMAN Judith Levy Alderman, 82, died on May 7 at Francis House. She attended Canandaigua Academy, the University of Michigan and graduated from the Syracuse University College of Law. She was active in many community organizations, including the board of the Manlius Library, the Fayetteville-Manlius Board of Education, the Onondaga County Bar Association and the Women’s Bar Association. She retired from full-time practice as a lawyer and as a senior deputy county attorney, spending her last nine years with the county as the head of the Family Court unit. She then served as a consultant for the ABA, and was in private practice, primarily representing children. She was predeceased by her husband, Warren B. Marsula; her parents, Ethel and Samuel Levy; and her sister Nancy Jo Levy. She is survived by her children, Steven, James (Pamela) and Tracy (Karen); her children’s father, Edward Alderman; grandchildren, Julie, Sam, Kelly and Brian; her sister, Bonnie Wertheim; two nieces; and her beloved partner of many years, John Glezen. A gathering of family and friends will be held in the later spring to celebrate her life. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements. 

JEWISH OBSERVER

Yom Hashoah commemoration held on May 5 The Jewish Federation of Central New York and the community commemorated Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, on May 5. The commemoration focused on the Berlin Laws, the anti-Jewish decrees

enacted in Germany during the Hitler years, from 1933 through 1945, up to, and including, World War II. The commemoration service was jointly created and led by the rabbis of the Syracuse Rabbinic Council. Memorial candles were lit and the names of hundreds of Jews lost in the Shoah and recorded in Federation’s Book of Remembrance were read aloud by the rabbis.

Myrna Koldin helped child survivor Monica Dresner Zingaro light a memorial candle at Yom Hashoah.

The Berlin Laws against the Jews were passed until the end of World War II.

PAULINE FRIEDMAN Pauline Friedman, 92, died on May 14 at Menorah Park. Born in New York to Harry and Libby Ginsky, she had been a resident of Syracuse for most of her life. She loved to travel, was a snowbird in Florida and California for many years, and enjoyed playing Mah Jongg with her friends. She was a former member of Temple Beth El and a current member of Temple Adath Yeshurun. Her life centered around her family and gave her great pleasure. She was the force that kept the family together – always teaching her family the importance of family. She was predeceased by her husband, Morris, in 1989; and her brother, Victor in 2017. She is survived by her children, Renee (Howard) Kramer, Jeffrey (Karen) Friedman and Howard Friedman; her grandchildren, Jennifer (Anthony) Cardarelli, Gregory Kramer and Samantha Friedman ; her sister-in-law, Carol Ginsky; her niece, Jan Ginsky; and her nephew, Marc (Elissa) Ginsky. Burial was in Beth El Cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements. Contributions may be made the Employee Fund at Menorah Park, 4101 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, 13214 in appreciation of their loving care and kindness. 

EILEEN TERRY BERNSTEIN TOBIN Eileen Terry Bernstein Tobin, 68, died at Levine and Dickson Hospice House on April 8. She was raised by her adoptive parents, Milton and Helene Bernstein of Long Island, NY. She graduated from North Miami Senior High School in 1968. For more than 20 years, she was the advertising representative for the Jewish Observer of Central New York and the Jewish Federation of Central New York (formerly, the Syracuse Jewish Federation), where she made lifelong bonds and friendships. She was beloved and a friend to everyone she met, always sharing a story, laugh and ear to listen for those who needed it. She welcomed everyone into her home. She was the best mother you could have asked for. She was a former member of Temple Concord. She was always at her children’s sporting events, rooting them on, assisting the coaches, and just being present to let them know she supported them in every aspect of their lives. She will be deeply missed. She was predeceased by her parents, Milton and Helene; and her brother, Norman. She is survived by her daughters, Jennifer (Ken) and Melissa; and her grandson, Jacob. Sisskind Funeral Service had local arrangements. 

Hebrew InterestFree Loan The Jewish Federation of Central New York has instituted the Hebrew Interest-Free Loan program to help Jewish people get past a temporary financial need. To learn more about the program or to see if you qualify, visit the Federation’s website, www. jewishfederationcny.org.

At right (l-r): Myrna Koldin helped Rachel Habib-Wells and Kaye Habib light yahrzeit candles. Marcy Waldauer is on the right.

Victor Hershdorfer read one of the Berlin Laws.

Your ad should be here! To advertise, please contact Bonnie Rozen at 1-800-779-7896, ext. 244 or bonnie@ thereportergroup.org

Cantors and rabbis at the Yom Hashoah commemoration.

birnbaum funeral service, inc. CONTINUOUSLY FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1934 Martin J. & Elaine R. Birnbaum Joel M. Friedman 1909 East Fayette Street • Syracuse, New York 13210 315-472-5291 E-MAIL: birnbaumfs@cnymail.com WEB: birnbaumfuneralserviceinc.com

Wishing everyone a Happy Passover!

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C O N T I N U O U S LY FA M I LY O W N E D S I N C E 1 9 3 4 Martin J. & Elaine R. Birnbaum Joel M. Friedman 1909 East Fayette Street • Syracuse, New York 13210 315-472-5291 E-MAIL: birnbaumfs@cnymail.com • WEB: birnbaumfuneralserviceinc.com

Wishing everyone a Happy Rosh Hashanah!

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ MAY 23, 2019/18 IYAR 5779

Diane Kuppermann to be honored at Syracuse Hebrew Day School Black and White Cocktail Party

BY LORI TENENBAUM The fourth annual celebration of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School will be held on Thursday, May 30, at 7 pm. The Black and White Cocktail Party will begin in the Temple Adath Yeshurun ballroom, with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. There will be music by the Seneca String Quartet. Following the cocktail hour, there will be a short presentation of the Jeremy Blumenthal Award to Diane Kuppermann. The evening will culminate with desserts, after-dinner drinks and dancing with the Baby Boomers Band. Guests are encouraged to dress in black and white attire in keeping with the evening’s theme. SHDS will present the Jeremy Blumenthal Award

NEWS IN BRIEF From JNS.org

Polish PM: Restitution to Holocaust victims a “victory for Hitler” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on May 17 that were Poland to pay restitution for those whose property was stolen in the Holocaust it would violate “international law and would also be a posthumous victory for Hitler;” therefore, “something like this will never happen.” Morawiecki made the remarks at a campaign rally in the city of Lodz, which had the second-largest Jewish ghetto during World War II. That week, a 65-year-old Israeli man was arrested for spitting at Polish Ambassador to Israel Marek Magierowski and has since apologized. Some 380,000 Polish Jews out of 3.3. million – a little more than 10 percent – survived the Holocaust.

White House: Mideast plan begins with economic workshop in Bahrain

The Trump administration will roll out the first part of its “highly anticipated” Mideast peace plan between Israelis and Palestinians, dubbed the “deal of the century,” in late June at a conference in Bahrain to promote stimulating the economy in the Palestinian territories, announced the White House on May 19. “The Palestinian people, along with all people in the Middle East, deserve a future with dignity and the opportunity to better their lives,” said White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, also the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, in a statement. “Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved.” Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh told the Associated Press in April that the administration’s peace plan initiative is similar to “financial blackmail, which we reject.” The Palestinian Authority appears ready to reject the proposal even before its reveal.

for Active Support and Commitment to Jewish Day School Education to Kuppermann. Established in memory of a father, husband and supporter of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, the award ensures that his dedication to SHDS will be remembered in perpetuity. Blumenthal volunteered his time and legal expertise on the SHDS Board of Directors for two consecutive terms spanning five years. The annual Jeremy Blumenthal Award recognizes those who, like Blumenthal, go above and beyond in support of SHDS and Jewish day school education.

JCC pools open May 25, group lessons start June 1 BY WILLIAM WALLAK After a long winter and wet Central New York spring, it’s finally time to get excited about the start of the outdoor swimming season. The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse will kick off this summertime tradition with the opening of its outdoor heated pools on Saturday, May 25, at 10 am. The JCC’s learn-to-swim group swimming lessons will begin on Saturday, June 1, and continue throughout the summer. The pools will remain open through Labor Day. The JCC has two outdoor heated pools. The small pool is shallow and ideal for small children who are non-swimmers. The large pool features both shallow and deep ends, and a designated diving area and lap swim section. The JCC will offer group swimming lessons for children, and semi-private and private lessons for children and adults seven days a week. The lessons are taught by certified instructors, and swimmers of all skill levels are welcome. Infants as young as 6 months old, older children and adults can get started learning to swim. JCC membership is not required to take swimming lessons; however, members receive a discount. Pamela Ranieri, JCC director of children’s programming, said, “We’re excited to be opening up the pool and offering another form of summertime recreation. The pool is such a focal point here over the summer for children attending camp, families spending time together and people taking swim lessons. I think everyone is looking forward to getting out in the sun and making a splash.” Exercising in the JCC pool can get the body moving and heart pumping. Once again this summer, the JCC’s Neulander Family Sports and Fitness Center will offer its aqua fitness class three times a week, on Mondays from

GEN-350 tech provides 120 orphans in Uzbekistan with fresh water from air

Beckman

Watergen, an Israel-based company that creates clean water out of air, is now providing a source of freshwater for more than 120 children living in an orphanage in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. The technology comes in the form of an atmospheric water generator known as the GEN-350, which can produce up to 900 liters of water per day. Bukhara has recently been experiencing serious water shortages.

he is being publicly recognized as this year’s award recipient. Marc is a mensch in every sense of the word.” Beckman was instrumental in forming the only local Boy Scout program affiliated with a Jewish organization in Central New York, developing Cub Scout Pack 40, serving as a den leader, cubmaster and Council president. He was also a member of the re-established Troop 40 Inaugural Council, the Boy Scout troop developed to continue the work of Pack 40. For this endeavor, he was recognized by the National Committee on Jewish Scouting with the Ner Tamid Award. In addition, the Longhouse Council, Onondaga District, gave him the Sparkplug Award. The actual golden sparkplug on a red, white and blue neck ribbon hangs proudly in his office to this day. Another Jewish cause close to his heart has been the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, where he was a member of the Board of Trustees and president. He attended three national day school conferences while president. One important and difficult initiative of his presidency was a board pledge expectation: board members had no minimum giving requirements to sit on the board, but they were expected to make SHDS one of their top charitable gifts. As SHDS president, he oversaw and coordinated the re-branding of the school with a new logo and website, as well as chairing the two separate searches to replace the SHDS head of school after Barbara Davis retired. He created the concept and solicited funding to implement the original CNY Discover Day School Program. For his efforts at SHDS, he was recognized with the inaugural Jeremy Blumenthal Award. Never one to sit still, Beckman also devoted time to the JCC, where he has been a member since 1999. He feels strongly that every Jew should be a JCC member in their own community. To this end, he has solicited ads annually for the JCC ad book and initiated a solidarity membership drive after bomb threats against JCCs.

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L-M PAINTING Residential/Commercial 6340 Danbury Drive Jamesville, NY 13078-9729 (315) 446-0966 Fax (315) 446-1555 Email:LMPainting@aol.com

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Kuppermann is the executive director of the MakeA-Wish Foundation of Central New York. She is an avid supporter of SHDS, having served on the Board of Directors and other committees, when her daughters, Elana and Leah, were SHDS students. She continues to go above and beyond in service to the school, from leading board advancement sessions to speaking to classes on the importance of community service. For more information, to purchase tickets, or to place an ad or tribute, contact the school at 315-446-1900 or celebration@shds.org.

The JCC’s large outdoor heated pool. The JCC also has a small, shallow heated pool (located between the large pool and the building) which is ideal for small children who are non-swimmers. The JCC’s pools will open on Saturday, May 25, at 10 am. 6-6:45 pm, Tuesdays from 12-12:45 pm and Thursdays from 8:15-9 am. The Tuesday class is geared toward those with arthritis, although everyone is welcome to attend. Aqua fitness is designed to improve overall cardiovascular fitness and flexibility. This group exercise class is set to music and is intended to get participants moving. It is open to people of all ages. The class is free for JCC Fitness members and $10 per drop-in for non-fitness members. The JCC of Syracuse pools are a members-only benefit featuring open free-swim and lap-swim times. Guests are welcome to purchase a pool pass and swim when accompanied by a member. The JCC pools also may be booked by members and non-members for pool parties celebrating birthdays and other special occasions. For more information about the JCC of Syracuse pools, including swimming lessons and other schedules, call 315-445-2360 or visit www.jccsyr.org.

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He has been an active Super Sunday solicitor during the Jewish Federation of CNY annual Campaign. He has also served on the Federation board, where he initiated changes in Federation’s budget allocation methodology to increase available funds for local allocation (i.e. Federation is no longer treated as a “local” agency). He has served on Federation’sAllocations, CEO Evaluation and Strategic Planning Committees. He initiated a change to Federation’s method of making available new funds for strategic initiatives, so a larger percentage goes toward local value-added initiatives. As chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, Beckman helped develop the Community Ambassador Initiative and helped update the CNY Discover Day School Initiative and the Joint Youth Programming Initiative. Beckman is a participant in the local chapter of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, of which he has been a strong supporter, as well as a member of the AIPAC Washington Club. As a Jew, he feels strongly about Israel, and as an American, about the United States/Israel strategic alliance, and has demonstrated that interest in his membership and involvement in AIPAC. Federation President/CEO Michael Balanoff said, “Marc has an astounding, often ‘under the radar,’ active Jewish service record that distinguishes him in our community. The intent of the Roth Award is to honor such service.” Of the Roth award, Beckman said, “As a pure lay leader and volunteer, I am deeply honored to be considered worthy of such recognition. Nevertheless, I think it critical that we keep this in proper perspective. My heroes are the men and women who have devoted their professional careers to their respective Jewish communities. While they may be paid, it is often too little money for too much work, while budgets are stretched to the breaking point. It is in their honor that I accept the Roth Award for what I consider just doing my bit over an extended period of time.”