Jewish Observer os August 21, 2014

25 AV 5774 • AUGUST 21, 2014 • VOLUME XXXVIII, NUMBER 16 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY

Todah rabah, Central New York

By Judith Stander The Jewish Federation of Central New York has announced that the local “Stop the Sirens” campaign on behalf of Israel has been more successful than expected.

Todah rabah – thank you very much.

The Jewish Federations of North America established goals for each of its 153 Jewish Federations and 300 network organizations. The goal established for the Central New York area was $33,000.

The Federation Board of Directors met in special session to approve the goal.

Due to contributions from members of the local Jewish and general communities, the targeted goal of $33,000 has been not just reached, it has been exceeded. As of August 18, more than $50,000 has been received.

On reaching this level, Federation President/CEO Linda Alexander said, “This is a clear demonstration of just

how strong our community’s support of the state of Israel truly is. We came together as a community to reach the original goal of this ‘Stop the Sirens’ campaign. In doing so, we not only made ourselves stronger, we also demonstrated to the world-at-large just how important Israel is to us by exceeding that goal.”

All of the donations to the “Stop the Sirens” campaign will be utilized in Is-

rael. Donations can be made by check or PayPal. Checks can be made out to Jewish Federation of Central New York Operation Protective Edge and mailed to the Jewish Federation of Central New York, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt, NY 13214.

Donations can be made online at www.

JewishFederationCNY.org by clicking on the tzedakah box and using PayPal. For more information, contact Marianne Bazydlo at 445-2040, ext. 102.

SHDS Lori Tenenbaum

By Melissa Fellman The Board of Directors of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School has announced the appointment of Lori Tenenbaum as SHDS head-of-school. She began her tenure as head of school on July 1.

SHDS conducted a national search for the head-of-school position. The school search committee sought a “vibrant visionary” to lead it into the future, and said it found “the best candidate in its own family.” Tenenbaum is said to have

Editor’s note: The information in this article is excerpted from information provided by the Jewish Federations of North America, the Israel Action Network – a project in partnership with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. The Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Central New York and the Syracuse University Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism will host a public campus presentation by William Jacobson, professor of law and director of the Securities Law Clinic at the Cornell Law School, who will speak on this topic on Wednesday, September 17, at 7 pm, in the Public Events room of Eggers Hall on the Syracuse University campus. The event will be free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Judith Stander at 445-2040, ext. 114, or jstander@ jewishfederationcny.org.

What are BDS tactics?

BDS refers to boycotts, divestments and sanctions that place economic and political pressure on states to influence their behavior.

Some Jewish communities, along with some international communities, have supported these methods when deemed appropriate, such as with apartheid-era South Africa in the 1980s and Iran today.

However, these tactics have been coopted by the BDS movement, which is said to propagate an “extreme, inflammatory and biased political agenda designed to end the democratic Jewish, multicultural state of Israel.”

What is the BDS Movement (or campaign)?

The BDS Movement is a global network

SHDS for many years. She a “deep appreciation for the taught first grade for 11 years, school’s history, its uniqueserved as vice principal for two ness and commitment to be a years and this past year she first-class school” in secular, served as co-head of school as well as Judaic, studies. She with Dr. Barbara Davis. She also recognizes the benefits and earned a degree in elementary challenges of running a commueducation at Elmira College, nity school, and “is committed and is enrolled in the Day to keeping SHDS a strong and School Leadership Training positive force” for the entire Lori Tenenbaum Institute at the Jewish TheoJewish community.

Tenenbaum has been connected to logical Seminary in New York. She is

What is BDS?

of individuals and organizations that aim to isolate Israel politically, economically and culturally, with an overall objective of challenging Israel’s right to exist as the sovereign homeland of the Jewish people, an effort often called delegitimization.

While its proponents claim to be interested in “an equitable and peaceful” solution to the conflict, their goal is said to be “to undermine the democratic Jewish state of Israel and the two-state solution, and to create one Arab majority and one Arab state.”

To accomplish its goal, opponents of BDS have said it offers “a distorted, intolerant and one-sided picture of a complex situation.”

The BDS movement has been criticized for often attempting to “co-opt well-meaning people who seek an immediate peaceful resolution to a complex, long-standing conflict” and offers a false choice of acting either in Israeli or Palestinian interests, while the goal should be to act in both people’s interests.

What are the goals of the BDS Movement?

While claiming to seek peace, the BDS Movement has been criticized for working “unambiguously” to undermine the “two states for two peoples” solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, which is thought of as the commonly-accepted goal of the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.

The BDS Movement calls for the return of Palestinian refugees from the Arab war against the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 to move into modern day Israel, not a Palestinian state, which would eliminate

the state of Israel as it currently exists and replace it with an Arab majority state in all of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

Omar Barghouti, who recently received his doctorate from Tel Aviv University and is one of the founders of the BDS movement, said, “Good riddance! The two-state solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict

the mother of two day school alumni, Isaac and Sadie, and volunteers regularly in their sports activities. A member of Temple Adath Yeshurun, she is also an organic gardener, a cook and is said to love to travel.

The search committee found Tenenbaum “passionate, vivacious, capable and ready to lead our school into a bright future.” The day school wished Tenenbaum “a hearty b’hatzlacha” as it welcomed her to this new role.

is finally dead. But someone has to issue an official death certificate before the rotting corpse is given a proper burial and we can all move on.”

Will BDS tactics help solve the Arab Israeli conflict?

The goal of peace will depend on Israelis See “BDS” on page 6

Israel is Under Fire.

Please Donate to Help

Stop the Sirens is a community-wide campaign responding to urgent needs in Israel. The fundraising effort is coordinated by the Jewish Federation of CNY in cooperation with the Jewish Federations of North America.

We had originally hoped to raise $33,000, but thanks to the generosity of the community, we have received hundreds of gifts totaling over $50,000.

Our goal was $33,000 To make your pledge, please contact Marianne at 445-2040 ext. 102 or mbazydlo@jewishfederationCNY.org.

thank you!

As of 8/18/14

51,773

$

C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A August 22.................7:39 pm................................................................. Parasha-Re’eh August 29.................7:28 pm............................................................. Parasha-Shoftim September 5.............7:16 pm.............................................................Parasha-Ki Tetze

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Ukrainian aliyah

JMAC

Under the radar

“Hardcore” Jews displaced by the The 15th annual Jewish Music and In the midst of the Gaza-Israel ongoing fighting in Ukraine are Cultural Festival will be held on conflict, Israelis step up to support planning to immigrate to Israel.

September 14 at the JCC . soldiers and southern residents.

Story on page 2 Story on page 3 Story on page 8

PLUS A Matter of Opinion.................. 2 Seniors.......................................10 Calendar Highlights................10 Obituaries.................................. 11

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ august 21, 2014/25 AV 5774

For “hardcore” Jews displaced by Ukrainian fighting, Israel beckons

By Cnaan Liphshiz (JTA) – Each time he dispatches a car into Lugansk, Rabbi Shalom Gopin readies himself for hours of anxious anticipation.

The scene of brutal urban warfare between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists, this eastern Ukrainian city now has no regular power supply, running water

or cell phone reception. Mortar rounds can fall without warning. Much of the population, once 450,000, has fled.

But despite the risks, Gopin, the city’s exiled chief rabbi, has dispatched more than a dozen cars to Lugansk, each one intended to quietly ferry Jews to a camp he runs for the internally displaced in Zhytomyr, near

a matter of opinion letters to the editor Helping the children of Israel and Gaza To the Editor: The children of Gaza are as much victims of the fanatical Hamas ideology as are the Israeli children who are traumatized by the air raid sirens, and the anxiety of destructive rockets raining over them, days on end. The tragedy for the children of Gaza is both psychological and terribly physical. Many of the casualties in this latest conflict are civilians, and hundreds of the dead and injured are children. As reported by the BBC or agencies such as Doctors without Borders, medical supplies are critically low or nonexistent.

Removal of shrapnel and other procedures are being done without anesthesia, while medical supplies of all kinds are virtually gone. Finding ways to help alleviate the suffering of children in Gaza is not only a humanitarian (and Jewish) thing to do, but it also serves Israel’s interest and the interests of Jewish communities in the U.S. If a generation of Palestinian children grows up to be wounded, scarred and traumatized, then what hope will there be for future peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians? If Jewish communities demonstrate that even while Israel is being attacked and Jews around the world face antisemitism we still care about other people and want to help, then that is a powerful message and symbol of what we stand for.

To assist Israel, our Jewish Federation is joining Federations across North America and sending emergency funds (more than $40,000 at this writing from our community) to help during this crisis. This action was

authorized at an emergency meeting on July 30 by Federation’s Board of Trustees.

A separate motion was proposed to send $10,000 to a reputable agency to help provide medical supplies to the wounded children of Gaza. The motion engendered much thoughtful discussion. Many legitimate concerns were brought up. How can we be assured that there is in fact a reliable agency capable of directing humanitarian funds to primarily address the children of Gaza’s medical needs? We would not want this act to be understood as criticism of Israel’s right to defend itself. Moreover, the donation of these funds, if authorized, should not be construed as absolving Hamas, the governing authority since 2007, of responsibility for the death, destruction and suffering that the people of Gaza have endured. The motion was tabled for these concerns, but the proposal will be revisited. I believe there is an imperative to help on humanitarian grounds alone. The message of help and caring beyond ideological lines, and the possible inspiration this act might have on others could begin to break down fears and mistrust. When we return to this discussion, it would be very helpful to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Community input will help us chart the right course on this complex issue.

You can express your views by e-mailing Mark.Field@wfadvisors.com or CommunityCommentsJOCNY@gmail.com.

Mark Field Mark Field is a member of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas.

Objectivity needed

To the Editor: The recent war with Hamas has been heartbreaking and all too predictable, with cycles of revenge and no clear near-term solutions. To me, extremism breeds more extremism, and weakens moderation, reconciliation and compromise, all things I think need to be achieved if peace can ever happen. To many Jews, notably many younger Jews, the Israeli occupation of the West Bank is a significant cause of understandable Palestinian anger, and is a barrier to Israel remaining demographically a Jewish-majority democracy. It is a moral dilemma for those with strong Jewish values (e.g. Do not do unto others that which is distasteful to you; e.g. Love the stranger in your midst, for we were once strangers in Egypt).

I do not believe it serves the Jewish community to nurture suspicions and hatreds of other religions and communities in the Middle East. This is not the same as naivete about Arab and Muslim antisemitism and hatred of Israel. I also believe we owe the children and adolescents in the Syracuse Jewish community an honest, Jewish-ethicsbased, and as objective and factual Jewish historical and Middle Eastern education as we can.

Some suggestions are: Read books, opinion columns and articles from sources you respect and which challenge your preconceptions. (For some suggestions, contact me at Joby.Swerdlow@ gmail.com.)

out of your comfort zone and learn something new. The Middle East gets far more nuanced and complex the more one digs.

Reach out to local Muslims and Arabs to talk and share a meal. Learning about “the other” is a two-way street. Hold them accountable for modeling mutually respectful behavior and repudiating hatred and intolerance.

If you can, some day visit non-Jewish communities in the Middle East, including those in Israel, and again, talk and share a meal.

Donate to appropriate organizations.

(Please contact me if you need some suggestions.) I believe that better long-term societal stability is achieved through education, healthcare and environmental restoration, rather than through weaponry.

Try to be respectful to those with whom you disagree, even if it is not reciprocated.

My cousin, who is Modern Orthodox, expressed a beautiful parable at his wedding reception, noting that he and his bride had learned from their unsuccessful first marriages. When he tried to change his family, his community and other aspects of his life, nothing happened. So he looked inward and changed himself, and his family noticed. They changed, and it affected their community. The community changed, and it affected the state, which changed.

The nation noticed, and it changed, which changed the world.

Joby Swerdlow Joby Swerdlow is a member of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas.

Kiev. More than 117,000 people are internally displaced within Ukraine, the United Nations reported earlier in August.

Over a recent weekend, Gopin welcomed several cars to Zhytomyr carrying a total of 13 passengers. For Gopin, each arrival brings relief, but also sadness over the disintegration of a community he has spent 15 years building.

Initially intended to provide temporary shelter for Jews fleeing the fighting in the east, the facility, which functions mainly as a summer camp, is now home to 250 displaced Ukrainians. Gopin says more than half have no plans to return.

“It’s a sad reality,” Gopin told JTA. “Many people are now realizing the bad situation may remain, so people who never even thought about making aliyah are going ahead with it. The city, my home, is emptying of Jews as it slowly consumes itself out of existence.”

The Jewish Agency for Israel, the quasigovernmental agency responsible for facilitating immigration to Israel, is expecting more than 3,000 arrivals from Ukraine this year – a 33 percent increase over the 1,982 Jews who immigrated in 2013. More than 1,550 individuals have immigrated from Ukraine in the first five months of 2014 alone, more than double the 693 who arrived

in the corresponding period last year.

Hundreds of the new immigrants hail from Lugansk, a city of 7,000 Jews. Many others come from Donetsk, a rebel-held city with more than 10,000 Jews that is under constant shelling as government forces prepare to storm it.

“My sense is that 80 to 90 percent of the Jewish population of Donetsk already emptied out of the city, including my own family,” said Sasha Ivashchenko, who fled the city in July and is waiting to make aliyah with his wife. The couple married recently in a ceremony in Donetsk held with the background noise of bombardments by Ukrainian warplanes.

In Zhytomyr, Alexander, a refugee in his 50s who asked to be identified only by his first name, fled Lugansk after three men with rifles entered his small packing factory in the city’s industrial zone and informed him it had been “commandeered for the city’s defense.” One of the men, who Alexander believes were pro-Russian separatists, asked him to leave.

“So now even if the fighting stops, I expect there will be very little for me to come back to,” Alexander said. “I stayed here because this was my place, my business. Now there’s no point.”

See “Ukraine” on page 4

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, met with Jews who fled eastern Ukraine in July. (Photo by Olivier Fitoussi)

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JEWISH OBSERVER

3

AROUND CENTRAL NEW YORK The Jon Nelson Band to help celebrate the 15th Jewish Music and Cultural Festival

The 15th annual Jewish Music and Cultural Festival will be held on Sunday, September 14, from noon-6 pm, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. The event will be free and open to the public.

Kosher food will be provided by Tiffany’s Catering from 11:30 am-5:30 pm. There will be kosher beer tastings, children’s activities – including the Price Chopper Hopper – and local and regional musicians, along with crafters and artists. Local Jewish organizations and

synagogues will be present as well.

Musical acts include ZETZ! from noon-1 pm, West of Odessa from 1:15-1:45 pm and the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band from 2-2:30 pm. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to participate in what is called “Central New York’s largest horah” at 3 pm.

The Jon Nelson Band will entertain the audience from 3-4:30 pm, and Sruli and Lisa’s Family Band will perform from 4:45-5:45 pm, followed by the annual band jam until 6 pm.

Event sponsors include Price Chopper; the Jewish Federation of Central New York; M and T Charitable Foundation; the Paul and Georgina Roth Foundation; CNYArts; Sisskind Funeral Service; Key Bank; Sky Armory; Birnbaum Funeral Service; the Pomeranz, Shankman and Martin Trust; Eagle Newspapers; Raymour and Flanagan Furniture; and a grant from New York State Senator John DeFrancisco. For more information, visit the JMAC website at www.SyracuseJewishFestival.org.

JCC After School Program arts and crafts, sports and recreation,

By Will Wallak games and cultural activities. We The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Comeven have a homework room. Chilmunity Center of Syracuse afterdren can also enroll in enrichment school program offers school-age classes to further their interests or children a place to go for fun, educalearn something new.” tional and recreational activities.

The after-school program covers The flexible program is designed to school holidays such as Columbus meet the needs and schedules of most Day or Veterans’ Day as well. The families. It is open to the children of program’s vacation camps run on both JCC members and non-members, these and other weekday school and runs from the end of school to holidays from 9 am-4 pm. While the 6 pm on school days. Children may children may have the day off from attend any time, from one-five days school, they are kept active at the per week. Most children come from school districts in close proximity The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community program with a variety of activities.

Hagan added, “Vacation and snow to the JCC, such as the east-area Center of Syracuse after-school program days are great for children, but they Syracuse city schools, Jamesville- participant Elias Nevid did homework in can still create a hectic schedule for DeWitt, Fayetteville-Manlius and the program’s homework room. parents. That’s why we offer extended area private schools, including the Syracuse Hebrew Day School. In many cases, the JCC’s care, so parents can drop off children early and let them stay later after the vacation camp day ends. We even open bus can provide transportation to the program.

JCC Director of Children and Teen Services Mick up our program from 7:30 am-6 pm on school snow days Hagan said, “Solid programming that’s fun and full of for those unexpected last-minute closings.”

The JCC’s vacation camps for school holidays, teachable moments is what makes us different from a babysitter or having children sit in front of a TV. We do superintendent days and snow days are available to a lot to keep children active and engaged. This includes everyone. Children do not have to be a regular after-

school program participant to attend with little notice.

“We want to make our program as convenient and affordable as possible for families,” said Hagan. “We offer many different options, including tiered pricing and a sibling discount.”

For more information about the JCC after-school program, call Hagan at 445-2040, ext. 129.

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Wednesday, August 20...................September 4 Wednesday, September 3.............September 18 Wednesday, September 17................. October 2 Wednesday, October 1...................... October 16

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center senior dining menu August 25-29 Monday dinner – roast beef with gravy Tuesday – Southern Day – country-style chicken Wednesday – eggplant parmesan Thursday – fish sandwich Friday – poached egg on tomato over beef brisket September 1-5 Closed for Labor Day Tuesday – chicken chow mein sandwich Wednesday – penne and meatballs Thursday – baked stuffed fish Friday – skirt steak The Bobbi Epstein Lewis JCC Senior Adult Dining Program, catered by Tiffany’s Catering Company at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center, offers Va’ad Ha’ir-supervised kosher lunches served Tuesday-Friday at noon. On Mondays through early September, dinner will be served at 5 pm. 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 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 at 445-2360, ext. 104, or lpaul@ jccsyr.org.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ august 21, 2014/25 AV 5774

congregational notes Congregation Beth SholomChevra Shas CBS-CS annual back-to-SHUL barbecue The Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas annual back-to-shul barbecue will be held on Labor Day, Monday, September 1, from 4-6 pm, at the synagogue, 18 Patsy Ln., Jamesville.

The event will provide an opportunity for members to socialize with old friends and new ones. Those new to the community can learn about the congregation and meet the staff and many congregants. Donations have been encouraged to help defray the costs of the bouncy house for the children and other children’s activities, as well as picnic food. Participants have been asked to bring school supplies – such as pens, pencils and crayons – for Delaware Academy, a school on the west side of Syracuse.

Reservations have been requested by Tuesday, August 26, and can be made by contacting CBS-CS at cbscs@yahoo.com or 446-9570.

Adult Hebrew class starts in September Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas will begin a new adult Hebrew class in September. It will emphasize basic grammar and prayer book and biblical vocabulary.

Participants will be able to practice reading skills and review Hebrew word roots and other basic concepts.

Ruth Stein will teach the class on Tuesdays from 7-8 pm, beginning September 9. For questions about the class, contact Stein at 446-5429, 751-5377 or stein.ruth@ gmail.com. Students who already have a copy of “Aleph Isn’t Enough” should bring it to the first class. There will be a fee for non-CBS-CS members. To enroll, contact the CBS-CS office at 446-9570 or office@ cbscs.org. The class has a minimum required enrollment.

Rabbi Pepperstone to offer understanding Judaism class An experiential Judaism course to be taught by Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone will explore Jewish living, history, practice, cul-

ture, texts and values. It has been designed for those who want to explore Jewish life again, or for the first time, as an adult, including those contemplating conversion.

Community members have been invited to an in-depth introduction or re-introduction to the 3,000-years-old tradition. The course will be held on Sundays at 9:45 am starting on September 7. Each session will last one hour. For more information or to enroll in the class, contact CBS-CS at 4469570 or office@cbscs.org.

Hazak to present the film “The Yankles” The comedy “The Yankles,” will be shown at Congregation Beth SholomChevra Shas on Sunday, September 7, at 2:30 pm. Hazak members will have a meeting for future planning prior to the film at 1:45 pm.

The film will be open to the community at no charge. Refreshments will be served.

In the film, students of a Chasidic yeshiva who have never played baseball find their rabbi wants them to form a team that will eventually compete in a league. They are coached by a well-known baseball player recently released from jail who is required to provide community service. The movie shows the difference between the two cultures and their relationships as they strive to form a competitive team.

CBS-CS apple picking CBS-CS members will go apple picking on Sunday, September 7, at 10 am, at Abbott Farms. Participants will meet at the farm’s greenhouse, which has been reserved for the group from 10 am-noon for cider and donuts.

Alicia Gross, The PJ Library® coordinator, will be present with Rosh Hashanah stories for the smaller children. Afterward, participants may stay for an afternoon of apple-picking, animal-feeding, slides, a bounce house and a hay ride.

There will be a fee to participate in the activities. Reservations have been requested and may be sent to Rebecca Greenblatt at rjgreenblatt@yahoo.com.

Temple Adath Yeshurun TAY Congregational Dinner

By Sonali Eaton The Temple Adath Yeshurun Mishpacha Committee will host a congregational dinner on Friday, September 5, at 6:15 pm. The community has been invited to a traditional Shabbat dinner while ushering in Shabbat, followed by singing Shabbat songs led by Baalat Tefillah Esa Jaffe. Reservations are requested by Friday, August 29.

Committee member Alison Bronstein said, “This dinner is a wonderful way to kick off the school year and the New Year.

We want everyone at temple to reconnect, enjoy a meal together and celebrate Shabbat.

It is a great way to start the celebration of the New Year.”

There will be a modest cost for the dinner, with a reduction for children from 4-10-years-old. There will be no charge for children 3 and younger. Those interested in volunteering for setting up, cooking, baking or cleaning should contact Alison Bronstein at alisonbronstein@gmail.com or Joan Lowenstein at jmglowe@gmail.com.

Jennifer Jordan Hirsh, another committee member, said, “The Mishpacha Committee is a great way to get members to participate in the multitude of volunteer opportunities that Temple Adath offers. Also, when we have functions like this dinner, members can

Ukraine

When Alexander left the city in late July, public transportation was still operating.

But rail traffic ground to a halt on July 26 following the shelling of the train station, effectively trapping much of the population – including hundreds of elderly Jews – in a city that many warn is the site of a looming humanitarian catastrophe.

Currently there are 47 urgent cases of Jews in need of rescue, according to Eleonora Groisman, the founder of a nonprofit that maintains a database of Jews seeking rescue. Among them is a woman in her 80s trapped inside her Lugansk apartment.

Getting such people out is a complex and risky operation that requires traversing a circuitous route through Russian territory and greasing the palms of forces encountered along the way. Using his contacts with rebel leaders, Gopin has established an escape route in which a driver picks up the evacuees in Lugansk, crosses the border into Russia and then returns to Ukraine farther north in an area not held by separatists.

“You have to understand, the rebel-held area and its surroundings are totally lawless,” Gopin told JTA. “So the car could

Robert Mayer climbed the rock wall during the Temple Adath Yeshurun Camp Rothschild’s recent field trip to Big Don’s Wild River Mini Golf in Cicero. get to know other members. It is a great way to socialize within our community.”

To make a reservation, contact the synagogue at info@adath.org or 445-0002 or visit the TAY website at www.adath.org.

Continued from page 2 get stopped and detained or turned back by rebels, suspicious government forces or even thieves preying on the helpless – complications that increase exponentially what is already a serious risk.”

To deal with such possibilities, Gopin provides his drivers with an envelope full of cash for bribes.

“Luckily, we’re talking about bribes at around the $50 or $70, so that’s still affordable,” said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the Jerusalem-based organization that has spent millions providing relief to Jews in Ukraine.

To outsiders – and even to some Ukrainians – the decision by thousands of Jews to remain in a war zone seems incomprehensible. But it’s no mystery to Natan Sharansky, the Jewish Agency’s chairman, who was born in Donetsk.

“The Jews that stayed, they are the hardcore,” Sharansky told JTA. “They’ve watched friends and family leave throughout the 1990s and after, choosing every time to stay. But there comes a time when reality trumps even the hardcore.”

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AUGUST 21, 2014/25 AV 5774 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

Local dancers “dive in” to JCC’s Aqua Fitness class

By Will Wallak Students from the Ballet and Dance Center in DeWitt Summer Dance Intensive Program experienced an aqua fitness class session in the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center pool on July 30.

Aqua fitness instructor Kellie Ellis had the girls jump and shake to upbeat music during a 45-minute session designed to improve overall cardiovascular fitness and flexibility. Ellis said, “The girls did awesome. They even kept me going!”

According to Ellis, using a water environment for workouts has many advantages for young and older age groups. It is said to be good for total body conditioning of the main muscle groups and effective in targeting specific areas, such as abdominal muscles. Due to the body’s natural buoyancy in water, participants have been known to work out harder under water and not feel as sore afterward.

The Ballet and Dance Center Summer Dance Intensive Program takes students through a variety of exercises throughout

The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center’s aqua fitness instructor Kellie Ellis led students from the Ballet and Dance Center in DeWitt during their recent aqua fitness session.

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a three-week period for improved training, conditioning and technique.

The students were said to be “pleasantly surprised” following the aqua fitness workout, which complemented their other cross-training sessions in the studio. Mychal Emmanuel said, “It was a different experience. I tried doing beats like in dance moves, and it was really complicated and not what I was expecting. The resistance under water was a lot different.”

Becca Ziobro said, “It was really fun, but I wasn’t used to it at first. It’s the opposite of doing it on land and takes more balance.

It was a new experience and fun to do.”

The JCC aqua fitness class will continue in the JCC’s heated outdoor pool on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30-9:15 am through the end of August. There is no cost for JCC members and there is a modest fee per class for non-members. Group rates are also available. For more information, call Paula Pacini at 234-4522. The JCC’s pool will remain open for members through Labor Day, Monday, September 1.

Flemish Jews slam Belgian prime minister’s criticism of Israel

By JTA staff ANTWERP, Belgium (JTA) – The organization representing Flemish-speaking Jews criticized the Belgian prime minister’s allegation that Israel is using disproportionate violence in Gaza.

Elio di Rupo, Belgium’s outgoing prime minister, became Europe’s first head of state to level the accusation at Israel when he made it recently in a statement, the Forum of Jewish Organizations, or FJO, of Belgium’s Flemish region wrote in its statement.

On July 22, the office of Di Rupo, who is a Socialist, published a statement on the prime minister’s website, which said that while Di Rupo “recognizes Israel’s legitimate

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security demands, he criticized the totally disproportionate use of violence by Israeli troops, including the Israeli army’s attacks on the Shejaiyah neighborhood in Gaza.”

FJO wrote that they “read with astonishment Di Rupo’s statement in which criticized in a one-sided manner” Israel’s actions in Gaza.

“Proportional use of force does not mean equal exertion of firepower,” the FJO added.

Belgium is a federal state made up of three autonomous regions: the Flemish Region, the French-speaking Walloon Region and the Brussels region. CCOJB, the organization representing French-speaking Belgian Jews, has not issued a statement in reaction to Di Rupo’s.

“During war, disproportionate use of

force can only occur if the military goals can be achieved also with less force,” FJO wrote, adding: “The prime minister ignores

local circumstances, created by Hamas’ use of Palestinian civilians as shields against Israeli attacks.”

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ august 21, 2014/25 AV 5774

How much has Israel’s war in Gaza cost?

By Ben Sales TEL AVIV (JTA) – After the missiles have stopped, after the troops have come home, even after most of the wounded are out of the hospital, Israelis will still be feeling the burden of Operation Protective Edge – this time in their pockets.

With the recent expiration of a temporary cease-fire, the operation may not be over. (Another temporary ceasefire was put in place starting at midnight on August 11.)

But through last week, including both direct military expenses and indirect hits to the Israeli economy, the total cost of the four-week conflict is estimated at $2.5 billion to $3.6 billion.

The government has maintained radio silence on the war’s military costs and estimates vary, but Israeli media report that they range from $1.2 billion to $2.3 billion. Lost economic activity amounted to an estimated $1.3 billion, with the tourism sector in particular taking a massive hit.

“Along with soldiers, we won’t spare a shekel in reimbursements to residents of the south and reservists,” Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid said at a news conference on August 7. “From our perspective they’re all soldiers, and all deserve special treatment from us.”

Ever the populist, Lapid promised not to raise taxes. But he admitted the money will have to come from somewhere and predicted the 2015 budget deficit would rise.

Here’s a partial look at how all those shekels were spent.

Israel’s pricey weaponry Iron Dome: The U.S.-funded star of the war, the Iron Dome missile defense system limited Israeli civilian casualties to three while shooting down 90 percent of the rockets headed toward Israeli cities, according to the Israeli military. Of the 3,460 rockets fired in total at Israel during the war, Iron Dome intercepted 584 of them – at $50,000 a piece. That comes to a total of $29 million, or about $1 million per day. Congress recently approved another $225 million in funding for Iron Dome.

Smart bombs: Israeli war technology isn’t limited to the

An Iron Dome missile defense battery near the southern Israeli town of Ashdod. Each interceptor missile cost Israel $50,000. (Photo by David Buimovitch/Flash 90) home front. Israeli planes have bombed Gaza approximately 4,900 times during the war – roughly 150 times a day. Yiftah Shapir, head of the Military Balance Project at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, said most of the bombs Israeli planes dropped were likely equipped with computers and cameras to increase accuracy.

Shapir doesn’t know how many bombs Israel used and the IDF won’t say, but he said most Israeli ordnance was likely one of two missiles: the Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM, a GPS-guided missile made by Boeing, and the Tammuz missile, an Israeli-made munition that locates its target with a camera and has a 15-mile range.

According to Shapir, not including the bombs, each of the Air Force’s 4,900 sorties cost $15,000, for a total of over $73 million. Add on a $32,000 JDAM or a $140,000 Tammuz and the price skyrockets. Critics of Israel have accused the IDF of using imprecise – and far less expensive – artillery in strikes that have killed more than 1,000

Backed by Bloomberg, Genesis launches “big ideas” competition

By Anthony Weiss (JTA) – It is now open season for those who would like a chunk of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s change and think they have a big idea up their sleeves.

On August 12, the Genesis Prize Foundation announced the launch of the Genesis Generation Challenge, a competition offering 10 awards of $100,000 each to teams that can successfully present innovative projects “guided by Jewish values to address the world’s pressing issues,” according to a foundation statement. Teams must have approximately 10 people and be led by someone aged 20-36.

The money for the prize, which originally was announced in May, had been awarded to Bloomberg as the inaugural Genesis Prize recipient. Bloomberg, a billionaire and the former mayor of New York, promptly regifted the money to Genesis. He set on the competition model after first pledging the money to encourage Israeli-Palestinian trade, changing his mind at the urging of the Genesis Prize Foundation.

The Genesis Generation Challenge is the latest in a series of prizes aimed at coaxing a “big Jewish idea” in some form or another.

In 2007, philanthropist Charles Bronfman launched a competition for an innovative Jewish idea, with the reward of a book deal and a two-year appointment as the Charles R. Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation at Brandeis University, with a six-figure salary. The

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first winner, to great fanfare, was Yehuda Kurtzer for “The Sacred Task of Rebuilding Jewish Memory.” The academic position has since lapsed due to lack of funds.

See “Genesis” on page 12

BDS

and Palestinians working together with international support toward the mutual goal of a negotiated two-state solution. In contrast, BDS tactics are considered one-sided and focused on pressuring Israel, thus creating a distorted picture of the region. Rather than help improve the situation, BDS advocates subvert an internationally-supported peace process that is founded on the development of mutual understanding and respect.

Economic boycotts and divestment actions will not help the Palestinian people. The path to the two-state solution requires an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation, combined with economic development and political achievement.

Why are academic, trade and cultural boycotts problematic and who has rejected them?

Promoting an academic and cultural boycott of Israel – a central goal of the BDS Movement – contradicts the principles of academic freedom and “the open spirit” of international cooperation among scientists, artists and others. It is considered counterproductive to target Israel’s academic community, which is said to promote honest debate, criticism and self-examination within Israeli society.

Israel’s universities enroll Arab students and are considered important forums for interaction and cooperation between Jews and Arabs.

The American Association of University Professors has rejected any academic boycott of Israel. Likewise, Palestinian academics, such as Sari Nusseibeh, president of Al Quds University in eastern Jerusalem, have been criticized for efforts to boycott Israeli universities and academics.

Similarly, the International Trade Union Confederation, which represents 312 affiliated organizations in 156 countries and territories, representing 176 million workers, rejected calls to support the BDS movement. Instead, it called for a two-state solution to allow both peoples to live in peace and security.

Who has rejected divestment resolutions?

Divestment resolutions promoted by the BDS movement have been rejected by a variety of organizations as being counterproductive to the goal of reaching a peaceful solution to the conflict.

civilians in Gaza.

Calling up the reserves One of the unifying factors of this war was that almost every Israeli knew a few people in uniform. Israel has called up 82,000 reservists during the conflict – nearly half at the war’s start and 42,000 more as it went on.

It’s hard to determine the exact cost of reserves because each soldier receives a reimbursement for lost salary pegged to his monthly paycheck. But according to the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot, each reservist costs the army $174 a day – including food, shelter, a uniform and weapons. If the figure is accurate, the IDF spent nearly $200 million on reservists, not including the salary reimbursement.

Direct hits to the home front Along with Israel’s 65 fallen soldiers and three killed civilians, 674 Israelis have been wounded in Protective Edge, 23 of them civilians. A Health Ministry spokesman estimated that treating the injured would cost $4.4 million.

In addition, the government already has received 2,500 claims for property damage from the missiles and estimates a total payout of $14.6 million. Compensation for lost wages and property damage will come from a $1.5 billion fund taken from taxes on real estate transactions.

The economic costs Israel also will compensate workers from the south who couldn’t do their jobs because of the rockets. The Manufacturers Association of Israel estimates that one in five workers in the south stayed home because of the war, but it couldn’t estimate the total amount of lost wages.

Israel’s biggest civilian cost by far will be the $1.3 billion in lost gross domestic product, an estimate provided to JTA by Moshe Asher, the director general of Israel’s Tax Authority.

Asher said the war affected industries across Israel, but one of the hardest hit was the tourism business. Of the 600,000 tourists expected to come on organized tours from July through the end of 2014, the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association expects only 300,000 to make it.

Overall, the tour operators group estimates that organized tours will lose $350 million from July through December, similar to the $375 million loss estimated by the Israel Hotel Association. But the cancellations may have been toughest on private tour guides, who depend on summer tours to make it through the year.

“These months are the months where I make money,” said Gil Shemesh, 28, who lost a quarter of his summer income when a bar mitzvah trip and a Christian pilgrims’ tour canceled. “It took out a whole month. I won’t be working at all in August.”

Continued from page 1

What about sanctions?

Sanctions can refer to attempts by national governments, multilateral organizations and other international bodies to limit or ban trade and other relations with certain states.

The United States and Western countries – as opposed to Iran or apartheid-era South Africa – reject applying sanctions to Israel. Trade, scientific exchanges and cultural relations are said to have flourished between Israel and the rest of the world throughout the last decade. In 2010, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development voted unanimously for Israel to join its ranks, praising its scientific and technological progress as having “produced outstanding outcomes on a world scale.”

What is the Jewish community’s view on applying BDS tactics against Israel?

While the safety and welfare of Israel is regarded as a great concern to the entire American Jewish community, there are diverse views on what will bring peace in the Middle East. The vast majority of the community, including organizations such as Ameinu and JStreet, seeks peace with Israel’s neighbors and has consistently opposed the approach, methods and goals of the BDS movement.

What can people do to advance peace for those in the conflict?

Those seeking to foster peace should support programs and efforts that promote reconciliation and coexistence, rather than those that attempt to eliminate the Jewish, democratic, multicultural, sovereign state of Israel as advocated by the BDS movement. Communities can support efforts that help the parties move toward a “two states for two peoples” solution that would create a Jewish and democratic state of Israel, alongside an independent nation-state of Palestine.

The bottom line on the BDS Movement Israel is a pluralistic and democratic society and BDS is considered to be a dishonest attempt to bring about peace.

The BDS movement is said to tell an anti-Israel story that is “counterproductive, disingenuous and wrong.”

Critics of the movement feel it is necessary to escape from “the old paradigm of the BDS movement that advocates a win-lose approach and unfairly demonizes Israel.” They advocate for “building bridges between different peoples, not burning them.”

AUGUST 21, 2014/25 AV 5774 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ august 21, 2014/25 AV 5774

Israel under the radar

Amid Gaza-Israel conflict, some tales to warm the heart

by MARCY OSTER JERUSALEM (JTA) – Perhaps with the worries about rockets flying and death tolls mounting during the Gaza operation, many lost sight of the myriad heartwarming stories from the conflict. Here are some you may have missed in recent days.

Meet Lt. Eitan, hero Israelis held their collective breath recently after learning that an Israeli soldier was believed to have been taken captive through one of the tunnels leading from Gaza to Israel. Lt. Hadar Goldin was later declared dead based on several factors. One consideration included the partial remains that had been snatched from the kidnappers by a soldier identified as 2nd Lt. Eitan.

At risk to his life and well aware it was against protocol, Eitan chased the kidnappers through the Gaza tunnel that his Givati Brigade company was in the process of destroying when confronted by the terrorists. His actions prevented Israel from being

caught in a new hostage situation, like the one with soldier Gilad Shalit, for whom the government traded more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Eitan left Gaza when the 72-hour cease-fire began and visited Goldin’s home to pay a shiva call even before returning to see his parents, emigres from New York, in Jerusalem.

One person at the meeting described it to Ynet as “chilling and emotional” as Eitan returned to Hadar’s parents some of his personal effects, including his siddur, tefillin and cellphone. Eitan told the parents about the events leading up to their son’s death and that Goldin was a valued officer.

The parents thanked Eitan for the information and for putting his life in danger in the tunnel to retrieve their son.

Personal thanks from soldiers Israeli children sent thousands of letters to soldiers serving in and around Gaza to raise their spirits. Late last month, an army jeep stopped in front of a home in central

S. African union official calls for “wrath” against Jewish leaders

By JTA staff (JTA) – A South African union leader called for “eye for an eye” attacks on Jewish communal officials in retribution for civilian deaths in Gaza.

In a Facebook post on August 13, Tony Ehrenreich, a trade union official and the 2011 Cape Town mayoral candidate for the African National Congress party, condemned the “killings and maimings that have been taking place in Gaza.” He accused the Israel Defense Forces of “attempts to steal the Palestinian lands.”

Ehrenreich wrote that South Africa’s Jewish Board of Deputies, the national Jewish communal organization, should suffer for its support of Israel.

“This makes the Jewish Board of Deputies complicit in the murder of the people in Gaza,” he wrote. “The time has come to say very clearly that if a woman or child is killed in Gaza, then the Jewish board of deputies, who are complicit, will feel the wrath of the people of SA with the age old biblical teaching of an eye for an eye.”

ROSH HASHANAH Deadline: Sept. 10 (Sept. 18 issue) Once again this year, The Jewish Observer is inviting its readers and local organizations to extend New Year’s greetings to the community by purchasing a New Year’s greeting ad, which will appear in our September 18 issue.

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Israel looking for the family’s 9-year-old daughter. The concerned family asked what the solders wanted. They replied that they wanted to thank the girl personally for the letter she had sent. The soldiers met the girl and left with as many baked goodies from the house as they could carry.

My soldier watches over me A 5-year-old boy named Gabi from Karmiel sent a letter accompanied by an action figure to a soldier serving in Gaza.

“I’m sending you my soldier,” said the letter, which was posted on Facebook. “He watches over me at night so I won’t be afraid, but you have it much harder, so I am sending it to you so that he will watch over you guys.

If you get sad, you can also play with him.

Thank you for protecting me and my family.

When I’m older I’ll protect you.”

The soldier is trying to locate Gabi to thank him personally.

Powering up The soldiers serving in Gaza could not call home from the combat zone, but even when they could leave the area and make a call, they often found their cellphone batteries were dead with no way to recharge them. Tzohar, a religious Zionist rabbinical organization in Israel, purchased the stock of 4,000 cellphone stick chargers from the one Israeli company that provides them already fully charged and sent them to the front lines on a recent Friday. It allowed the soldiers to call home before the Sabbath and alleviate the anxiety of their families.

“Being able to call home to wish a Shabbat Shalom to my mother will not only make her feel better, but renews my strength in this important mission,” Ophir, an officer in the Golani Brigade, said upon receiving a charger, according to Tzohar. “You have no idea how much this means to us.”

Hear the one about ...?

American comedians Ari Teman and Danny Cohen brought their talents to Israel to cheer up civilians in bomb shelters and neighborhoods in southern Israel.

The comics called their week of stand-up shows Rocket Shelter Comedy. They also performed free shows in Tel Aviv, Modi’in and Jerusalem joined by Israeli comedians Benji Lovitt and Yossi Tarablus, though they requested donations for lone soldiers.

Supporting the South, feeding the needy Leket Israel-The National Food Bank purchased hundreds of thousands of shekels worth of food products from vendors in southern Israel hard hit by the conflict and delivered the goods to people living in communities surrounding Gaza. While providing the needy with basic necessities, the organization was supporting businesses in the South that have been slammed financially by the barrage of rockets fired on their communities in recent weeks.

Leket Israel, also the country’s largest food-rescue organization, bought the goods from vendors in Sderot, Ofakim, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Nitzan and Netivot, some of the

areas hit hardest by the conflict.

One was Solomon Cohen, the owner of Super Cohen, a mini-market in Sderot. “Because my shop is located on the outskirts of Sderot, where mostly young families live, we have been suffering terribly since more than 70 percent of the community left at the beginning of the war for the center and the north of the country,” he said. Cohen has lived in Sderot for 55 years, since making aliyah from Morocco, and said he could not recall a time as difficult as the past few weeks.

The kindness of strangers Israelis love their soldiers, especially during conflict. During Operation Protective Edge, Israelis went above and beyond in sending food, goodies and toiletries to the soldiers at the front – even socks and underwear. The public also sent thousands of pizzas and bottles of soda. Communities, municipalities and volunteer committees delivered challahs or flowers or cakes to the thousands of families who had a father or son called up for the war effort.

In fact, so much stuff was sent that the Israel Defense Forces called on the public to stop, saying it “could interfere with operational alertness or the fighters’ health.” The donations were directed to the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s Soldiers or the Libi Fund. Some $4.6 million was donated to the association throughout the operation and $725,000 to other funds.

Wounded soldiers were swamped with love, including an overwhelming number of hospital visitors who were mostly unknown to them. Soldiers in uniform throughout the country also reported being treated to cups of coffee, breakfasts and other treats, also by strangers.

Looking out for the women left behind Two soldiers who were killed the week of August 3 in the Gaza operation were to be married in the coming weeks. Their fiancees stood with the soldiers’ families at the funerals and shiva. Several other slain soldiers left behind longtime girlfriends who were devastated by the deaths. These women deserve recognition and support from the Defense Ministry, lawmaker Aliza Lavie of the Yesh Atid party said recently.

The Israel Defense Forces and the Defense Ministry show support and tend to the families of the fallen soldiers, and must do the same for the fiancees and girlfriends, Lavie asserted in a letter to Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, whose cousin, Hadar Goldin, was engaged to be married.

Lavie said officers should visit the women to tell them of their loved one’s death, just as they do for the immediate family, and employers should be required to provide time off to attend the shiva. Psychological assistance should be provided as needed, too.

Twenty-seven of the girlfriends of fallen soldiers in the Gaza operation are soldiers themselves, Lavie noted, and should have had an official escort from their company to the funeral.

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Solomon Cohen, second from right, and his daughter, Penina, at Cohen’s store in Sderot with Avichai Amusi, left, of Mercaz Hachesed and Yedidya Rosenberg of Leket Israel on August 3. (Photo by Guy Yehoshua)

AUGUST 21, 2014/25 AV 5774 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

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Exodus to Egypt: 100 years since the Turkish expulsion of the Jews

By Rafael Medoff JNS.org This year marks the 100th anniversary of the expulsion of thousands of Jews from Turkish-ruled Palestine to Egypt, in a dramatic reversal of the historic exodus from the land of the Pharaohs to the land of Israel. But from that tragic episode in 1914 would emerge a Jewish fighting force that would help liberate the Holy Land from the Turks.

Turkey entered World War I in October 1914, joining Germany in its fight against Russia, England and France.

In Turkey’s eyes, all Russian citizens, including the many Russian-born Jews living in Palestine, were now enemy nationals. Fueled by wartime hysteria and Muslim religious sentiment, the Turkish authorities in the Holy Land turned against the country’s foreign-born Jews. On December 17, the Turkish governor of Jaffa, Beha A-Din, ordered the mass expulsion of the 6,000 Russian-born Jewish residents of that city.

Over the course of the next three months, thousands more Russian-born Jews were expelled from Palestine or fled just ahead of the deportations. By the spring of 1915, more than 11,000 Russian Jewish exiles were living in British-occupied Egypt.

Yaakov and Frieda Brodetzky were among the deportees.

“My parents were newlyweds when the expulsion was ordered,” Moshe Brodetzky, 88, of Los Angeles, told JNS. org. “They spent their ‘honeymoon’ – and the next three years – in exile in Egypt.”

With generous support from the Egyptian Jewish community, the exiled family built a new life for itself in the Mafruza and Gabbari refugee camps near Alexandria. “My father earned a living by becoming a teacher in a Talmud Torah that the refugees established for their children,” Brodetzky noted.

Meanwhile, back in Turkish Palestine, the rest of the local Jewish community struggled to survive. Some, including two of Frieda’s brothers, went into hiding to avoid being inducted into the Turkish army, where anti-Jewish discrimination was rife. Others, such as future Israel Prime Minister Moshe Shertok (Sharett), sought to ingratiate themselves with the authorities by volunteering to serve in the armed forces.

At right: Jewish refugee camps in Egypt became the birthplace of a Jewish armed force that would help take back Israel from the Turks. These recruiting efforts were spearheaded by, among others, Russian Zionist leader Vladimir Ze’ev Jabotinsky (pictured). (Photo courtesy of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies)

Frieda’s father devised a unique way to elude the Turkish censors and communicate with his exiled daughter. “He would write a message on the inside of a bandage, which would be wrapped around the arm of someone who was traveling from Jerusalem to Egypt,” Moshe Brodetzky explained. “My mother saved those bandages for the rest of her life. When she passed away more than a half-century later, we found some of them among her treasured possessions.”

A number of Palestine’s Jews were forced into Turkish labor brigades, where they paved roads and worked in stone quarries without pay, barely subsisting on meager food rations. Zionist political parties were outlawed and newspapers were shut down. When David Ben-Gurion – who would later become Israel’s first prime minister – protested these measures, he, too, was deported to Egypt.

With thousands of Palestine’s Jewish farmers trapped in Egypt, their crops back home withered on the vine. To make matters worse, wartime naval blockades prevented the importation of many foods. As a result, from 19151916, thousands of Jews in Palestine died of starvation or diseases aggravated by the lack of food.

Henry Morgenthau Sr., America’s ambassador to Turkey, played a critical role in rescuing Palestine Jewry from utter devastation. He persuaded President Woodrow Wilson to let U.S. ships bring food and medicine to the Palestine Jewish community, even though that technically meant providing supplies to a country with which the U.S. was at war.

By contrast, his son, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr., was unsuccessful in his attempt, 25 years later, to convince President Franklin D. Roosevelt to permit food shipments to Jews who were starving in the Warsaw Ghetto

and elsewhere in Nazi-occupied Europe. The Roosevelt administration said it could not permit shipping supplies to a country with which the U.S. was at war.

In a remarkable historical twist, the Jewish refugee camps in Egypt became the birthplace of a Jewish armed force that would help take back the land of Israel from the Turks. Advocates of the creation of a modern-day Jewish army found large numbers of eager volunteers among those exiled.

These recruiting efforts were spearheaded by Russian Zionist leader Vladimir Ze’ev Jabotinsky, war hero and Zionist pioneer Yosef Trumpeldor, and a Christian ZionSee “Egypt” on page 10

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Henry Morgenthau Sr. pictured in Turkish-ruled Palestine. From 1915-1916, thousands of Jews in Palestine died of starvation or diseases aggravated by the lack of food, but Morgenthau played a critical role in rescuing Palestine Jewry from utter devastation. (Photo courtesy of the World’s Work via Wikimedia Commons)

Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse proudly announces

Community Shabbaton August 29-30 Featuring

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the Ingeborg and Ira Rennert Global Distinguished Professor of Judaic Thought at New York University and the Kressel and Ephrat Family University Professor of Jewish Thought at Yeshiva University • Former Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth • World-renowned spiritual leader and scholar • Prize-winning author of 25 books on Jewish liturgy and thought • Trans-national, inspiring speaker and U.K. major media personality

Program: Speaking at Kabbalat Shabbat (7:30 P.M.) and during dinner (9:00 P.M.) and again on Shabbat morning (9:00 A.M.) and Seudat Shlishit (7:45 P.M.)

All events, except Friday night dinner, are free and open to the public.

For dinner reservations, contact STOCS by Aug. 22 at (315) 446-6194 or stocs18@aol.com

Ê

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

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ august 21, 2014/25 AV 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.

Saturday, August 23 Temple Adath Yeshurun Simcha Shabbat at 9:15 am Friday, August 29 Temple Concord parking lot Shabbat at 6 pm Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks at Shaarei Torah

Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse at 7 pm Saturday, August 30 Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks at STOCS at 9 am and

7:15 pm Monday, September 1 Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas back-to-shul barbecue at 4 pm Tuesday, September 2 Syracuse Hebrew Day School pool party from 4-6 pm Wednesday, September 3 Deadline for the September 21 issue of the Jewish Observer Sunday, September 7 TAY Hazak garden party at 1 pm CBS-CS Hazak planning meeting at 1:45 pm,

followed by screening of “The Yankles” at

2:30 pm Sunday, September 14 Jewish Music and Cultural Festival at the Sam

Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of

Syracuse from noon-4 pm

Egypt

d’var torah

Reacting to the message of the shofar

By RAV Evan Shore For many, the shofar is associated with Rosh Hashanah.

Each day of the holiday, 100 sounds are blown. However, for a full month prior to Rosh Hashanah, during the month of Elul, the shofar is sounded every morning except for Shabbat and the last day of Elul.

The shofar is not just a ram’s horn; it is the vehicle for unique sounds that are meant to resonate with every single Jew. The sounding of the shofar during Elul is in response to a biblical occurrence. On the 40th day after Moshe ascended Mount Sinai to receive the tablets, the Jews became impatient and had a lapse in faith. They chose to pursue a course that proved they had not yet properly internalized the sounds of the shofar that were blown at Mount Sinai when God revealed Himself to the Jewish people. God’s response was one of anger. Moshe implored Him to forgive the Jewish people and grant them a second chance. God agreed and Moshe ascended the mountain yet another time to receive the second set of tablets.

Before ascending the mountain, Moshe instructed Yehoshua (Joshua) to sound the shofar every day Moshe was on Mount Sinai. The sounds of the shofar were meant to be a warning and message to the Jewish people: have faith in God and Moshe, do not repeat their previous mistake and have patience. When Moshe descended 40 days later, on the 10th of Tishrei, with the second set of tablets, the Jewish people realized they were forgiven for the sin of the Golden Calf.

The message of the shofar in Elul is very clear: are we willing to listen to warnings or reminders? During the month of July, my wife and I were in Eretz Yisroel during the daily rocket attacks by the terrorist organization Hamas.

On three occasions, upon hearing the az’ahkah – warning siren – we rushed to the nearest miklat – bomb shelter.

It occurred to me then when one’s physical life is in danger, a person will not only listen to the alarms, but

will do everything possible to protect oneself. The same is true for our ruchniyot, spiritual well-being. God gives us nudges, signposts and the beautiful sounds of the shofar to awaken us to our spiritual predicament.

Rabbi Jacob Kassin explains Maimonides’ description of the mitzvah of the shofar: “The sounding of the shofar is intended as a kind of ‘alarm clock’ to ‘awaken’ us from our spiritual ‘slumber,’ from our preoccupation with the vanities of the world. People have a tendency to focus their minds upon the pursuit of physical pleasures and material acquisitions, rather than upon ‘avodat God’ – the service of God. The sounding of the shofar is thus intended to ‘awaken’ us from this mind set and remind us to make Torah and mitzvot our highest priority.”

Why was the month of Elul designated for the extra shofar blowing? In the Book of Song of Songs we read, “I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me.” This, in a nutshell, describes the love relationship between God and his nation, Israel. The 30 days of Elul, coupled with the first 10 days of Tishrei, leading to Yom Kippur are very auspicious. It is during this time period that our desire to return to God out of love and His acceptance of our teshuvah (repentance) is the easiest to attain.

After my experience with the Code Red siren in Jerusalem this summer, the sounds of the shofar during the month of Elul will have an entirely new meaning and message.

Please God, let all of klal Yisroel take up the challenge to heed the clarion call of the shofar in the correct manner!

Let us return to God in love. May we all enter the new year of 5775 with peace, health and happiness for all.

Rabbi Evan Shore is the rabbi of Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse and an instructor and the rabbi at the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, as well as an instructor at the Rabbi Jacob Epstein School of Jewish Studies and chaplain at Menorah Park.

Continued from page 9

ist, the British lion-hunter Col. John Henry Patterson. The latter personally signed up the first 500 volunteers in the Gabbari camp. “Even many years later, my father still vividly recalled, and told me about, the stirring speeches that Jabotinsky gave, to inspire the refugees to sign up,” Brodetzky recalled.

The British agreed to create a relatively small unit known as the Zion Mule Corps, then expanded it into the Jewish Legion, consisting of five full battalions. It was the first Jewish army in nearly 2,000 years. The legion played an important role in the battles that brought about the liberation of Palestine from the Turks in 1918.

Jabotinsky served as a lieutenant in the Jewish Legion.

Other legionnaires included David Ben-Gurion, future Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, Zionist leader Berl Katznelson and future Jerusalem Mayor Gershon Agron.

Jewish Legion members took part in the defense of Jerusalem against Arab rioters in 1920. After the British disbanded the legion, some of its veterans joined up with the Jewish underground militias that ultimately fought for the creation of Israel.

The Brodetzky family, for its part, in the 1920s lived in Michigan City (Indiana), Chicago and Brooklyn, where young Moshe became active in Hashomer Hadati, the

youth wing of the Mizrachi movement (today known as the Religious Zionists of America). The family returned to British Palestine in 1934 and Moshe later served with the Irgun Zvai Leumi, headed by Menachem Begin, in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence.

It was historical irony, twice over: the first generation of Jews exiled to Egypt had helped bring about the liberation of Palestine from the Turks, and the second generation played its own part in freeing the land of Israel from the British three decades later.

Dr. Rafael Medoff is director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies (www.WymanInstitute.org).

Tips for talking with aging parents about their future (StatePoint) – Sometimes the most important family conversations can be the most uncomfortable to initiate, especially those concerning the health and well-being of an aging loved one. But such discussions shouldn’t wait, say experts.

“Ignoring the inevitable will only leave you unprepared for the future,” says Virginia Morris, eldercare expert and author of the book “How to Care for Aging Parents.”

“Remember, talking about the worst-case scenarios won’t make them come true, and refusing to talk about them

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won’t make them go away.”

Here are some of Morris’ tips for broaching these subjects: Listen: However you launch the conversation, start by listening, even when you have specific issues you want to discuss or firm convictions about what should be done. Don’t interrupt. Acknowledge that you’ve heard what he or she has said. Your parent likely has previously unvoiced fears and hopes that you haven’t even considered. If you listen first, you will probably learn something, and your parent will be more likely to listen to your views.

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11

obituaries Kate Abrams

M. Hyman Hodish

Kate Abrams, 97, died on August 10 in Denver, where she had been living since 2006.

She was an active member of Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse and was a life member and past president of the Syracuse chapter of Hadassah. Throughout her life, she worked on behalf of numerous Jewish organizations, including the Magen David Adom volunteer ambulance service in Israel and the Jewish National Fund.

She was predeceased by her husband, Isadore “Izzy,” in 2004.

She is survived by her son, Lewis (Jeanne); her daughter, Devorah (Benjamin) Gasner; nine grandchildren; 39 greatgrandchildren; and her sister-in-law, Macky Goldstein.

Burial was in the Shaarei Torah section of Oakwood Cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse, 4313 E. Genesee St., DeWitt, NY 13214 or the Goldstein Family Perpetual Loan Fund at Ozer Dalim, 1301 Avenue K, Brooklyn, NY 11230. 

Dr. M. Hyman Hodish, 92, of Norwalk, CT, died on July 31.

Born in Syracuse, he practiced dentistry in Norwalk for more than 40 years and was a member of Congregation Beth El in Norwalk.

He was predeceased by his wife, Harriet Levenson Hodish, in 2012.

He is survived by his son, Michael (Julia) of Bethel, CT; a granddaughter; his sister, Shirley Rifkin, of DeWitt and Jerusalem; and several nieces and nephews.

Burial was in Beth El Cemetery, Norwalk, CT. Collins Funeral Home had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Congregation Beth El, 109 East Ave., Norwalk, CT 06851; or to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 8th Ave., 7th floor, New York, NY 10001. 

Robert W. Case

Continued from page 10 Things to Avoid: There are several common conversational mistakes to avoid that could leave your parent feeling defensive – from nagging and lecturing to making promises you may not be able to keep. “There are few more effective ways of blocking any further conversation than by making decisions and presenting them as a master plan to a parent,” says Morris. Additionally, don’t arrive armed with paperwork. Pages of legal documents and brochures about retirement homes will likely overwhelm your parent.

Get Specific: Talk – really talk – to your parents about their medical states and wishes concerning aggressive medical care. Get them to sign a living will and health care proxy, but realize that these documents are just a starting point. Don’t accept vague comments like “don’t drag it out.” Push the conversation further. It may not be pleasant to discuss end-of-life scenarios, but knowing your parent’s wishes could help save your family from future untold agony and grief.

Robert W. Case, 84, of Highland Beach, FL, and formerly of East Amherst, NY, died on August 7 at Boca Raton Community Hospital.

He grew up in Rochester, NY, and graduated from the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy. He was employed as the chief pharmacist at Roswell Park for 25 years. Having a knack for science and entrepreneurship, he was involved in cancer research and the reproduction of blood cells. He loved to travel the world with his wife, dabble in electronics and, in his earlier days, cook gourmet foods.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Cele (née Koffman); sons Edward (Carin) and David; daughter, Susan (Joseph) DeMari, of Jamesville; five grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Norma (Jack) Erdle; a niece and nephew; and several Wynar cousins.

Burial was in The Gardens of Boca Raton. Weiss Memorial Chapel had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt, NY 13214; the Jewish Community Center, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt, NY 13214; or Menorah Park, 4101 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13214. 

Parents

Marilyn L. Nord

Marilyn L. Nord, 80, died on August 10 at Menorah Park.

Born in Wilmington, DE, she was educated in the Wilmington public schools and graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor of science degree.

She began her career in the textile division of the DuPont Co. in Wilmington following college. In 1970, she moved to New York City, where she held successive positions in merchandising management with Lowenstein and Sons; served as vice president of Gene Robbins, Inc.; and was a bridal consultant at Bergdorf Goodman. She retired in 2008 and moved to The Oaks in DeWitt, to be near her family, but maintained her condominium in the Murray Hill section of New York City.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Samuel and Sybil Nord, of Fayetteville; nephews, Michael (Ann Kresge) Nord and Daniel (Fran Siegel) Nord; a niece, Elizabeth Nord; and a great-niece.

Burial was in Wilmington, DE. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Syracuse Jewish Family Service, 4101 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13214; or Vera House, 6181 Thompson Rd., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206. 

NEWS IN bRIEF From JTA

Israel-hosted Davis Cup match moved to FL

Israel’s Davis Cup playoff with Argentina will be held in Sunrise, FL, after being moved out of Tel Aviv. The Sept. 1214 match was ordered out of Israel earlier in August by the International Tennis Federation at the request of the Argentine Tennis Association due to the conflict in Gaza. On Aug. 15, the Davis Cup Committee approved the neutral venue of the Sunrise Tennis Club proposed earlier that week by the Israel Tennis Association. Israel, which lost an appeal to keep the match in Tel Aviv, will still serve as host.

Lorie J. Chavkin

Former Syracuse resident Lorie J. Chavkin, 76, of Victor, NY, died on August 6.

She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Robert S. Chavkin; children Nisan (Sarah) Chavkin, Amy (Jenn) Chavkin, Lynda Chavkin and Brian (Maria) Chavkin; five grandchildren; and a sister, Joanne (Galen) Tharp.

Interment was private. Lucey-VanVoorhis Funeral Home had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Serenity House, 1278 Brace Rd., Victor, NY 14564; or Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester, P.O. Box 278966, Rochester, NY 14627. 

NEWS digest From JTA

Al-Qaida threat: U.S. must act or Warren Weinstein will die

Al-Qaida called on the family of captive U.S. government contractor Warren Weinstein to pressure the U.S. government to negotiate his release or risk his “dying a lonely death. If you want Warren Weinstein to be released, do whatever you can to pressurize your government,” the terror group said in a statement posted on Islamist websites, the French news agency AFP reported. “Your continued silence on the inaction of your government will only lead to your prisoner dying a lonely death in prison after this deliberate and prolonged neglect on the part of your government.”

Weinstein, 73, of Rockville, MD, was kidnapped in August 2011 outside Pakistan while he was working for J.E. Austin Associates, a private company that advises Pakistani businesses. The United States has said it will not negotiate with al-Qaida, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization. Al-Qaida is demanding the release of several Islamists held in jail in the U.S., including Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, the blind sheik who is serving a life sentence for his part in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. In January, a video message featuring Weinstein, a former Peace Corps and USAID official, was sent to journalists and news services in Pakistan along with a link to a photo of a handwritten note.

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NEWS IN bRIEF From JTA

Israeli negotiators in Cairo talks told to insist on nation’s security needs

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Israel’s delegation to the Cairo cease-fire talks has “clear instructions” to “insist on the security needs of the state of Israel,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “Only if there is a clear response to our security needs will we agree to reach understandings,” Netanyahu said on Aug. 17 at the start of the regular weekly Cabinet meeting. “If Hamas thinks that it can cover up its military loss with a diplomatic achievement, it is mistaken. If Hamas thinks that continued sporadic firing will cause us to make concessions, it is mistaken,” Netanyahu said as Israeli negotiators returned to Cairo for indirect negotiators through Egyptian mediators on Aug. 17. “As long as quiet is not restored, Hamas will continue to take very harsh blows.

If Hamas thinks that we cannot stand up to it over time, it is mistaken.” A five-day cease-fire was to end at midnight Aug. 19. The talks on Aug. 17 reportedly were centered around an Egyptian proposal calling for an indefinite cease-fire, with talks on Palestinian demands, including a Gaza seaport and airport, to begin in a month. Under the proposal, negotiations for the remains of two Israeli soldiers held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners would be postponed. On Aug. 16, Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said his group would not back down from any of its demands, which include opening all border crossings with Gaza; building a seaport and an airport; and an end to Israeli settlement building. Hamas’ foreign affairs spokesman, Osama Hamdan, said on Aug. 16 that Israel could accept the group’s terms or prepare for a prolonged war of attrition. He also said that Hamas tunnels will continue to be a “strategic threat” to Israel and its rockets will be more precise “next time.”

Yahoo buys small Israeli start-up company

Yahoo purchased a small Israeli start-up company, ClarityRay, for an estimated $15 million to $25 million. The Tel Aviv-based ClarityRay, founded in 2012, creates software to enable content publishers to dodge ad-blocking programs, and also focuses on ad security and fraud detection. “This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity enables the mass scaling of our technology, impact and ideas to the absolute forefront of our field, while working with an amazing team who shares our passion. We’re proud to call Yahoo ‘home,’” the company said in a statement on its website. ClarityRay was founded by CEO Ido Yablonka, Vadim Zak and Guy Pitelko, who all served in the Israeli military’s Intelligence Corps, the Israeli business daily Globes reported. “We’ve been working on building up security capabilities and making Yahoo! a safer place for users and partners,” Yahoo said in a statement. “Advertising is an essential part of our business here at Yahoo, and we’re committed to getting it right.

ClarityRay is a company with deep expertise in ad-malware detection and prevention.” The company is expected to remain in Israel. In July, Yahoo acquired an Israeli company, the video-streaming start-up RayV, for an undisclosed sum, according to Globes.

Israeli rights group loses national service slot

Israeli human rights group B’Tselem is no longer eligible for Israeli national service volunteer placements because it has acted “against the state and its soldiers.” In a letter to B’Tselem, the head of the national service program, which coordinates placements for young Israelis doing national civilian service as an alternative to military service, said he objected to the group’s actions during this summer’s Gaza war, Haaretz reported. B’Tselem’s full name is B’Tselem: The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. B’Tselem is Hebrew for “in the image,” a reference to the Bible saying that humans were created in God’s image. During the war it sought unsuccessfully to broadcast the names of Palestinian children killed as a result of Israeli missiles. The national civilian service program places volunteers in organizations across the political spectrum. B’Tselem has received one volunteer each year through the program since 2012, according to Haaretz. Earlier this year, national service head Sar-Shalom Jerbi said national civilian service would be available “only to bodies that do not subvert the existence of the state as a Jewish and democratic state.” In his letter to B’Tselem, Jerbi added that “there is a clear line separating a legitimate political opinion in the Israeli political discourse and the dissemination and publication of lies and slander in Israel and worldwide ... Therefore I see no possibility of continuing to approve your organization as a participating body in the national civilian service, which receives assistance from the state of Israel.” According to The Jerusalem Post, Jerbi’s letter also criticized B’Tselem for refusing to call Hamas a terrorist organization. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel sent a letter to the national service chief warning that if he did not reverse his decision, the group would challenge it before the High Court of Justice.

Genesis

In 2011, the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles started a competition to select the Next Big Jewish Idea, awarding the $100,000 prize to Batsheva Frankel for the LaunchBox, a toolkit designed to provide materials to encourage Jewish practice and exploration. Frankel currently is attempting to raise funds for a second iteration of the LaunchBox via crowdsourcing.

Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University and the chairman of the selection committee for the Bronfman “big idea” competition, said the recent focus on major transformative ideas in the Jewish world was elicited by the success of Birthright Israel – what he called “Birthright envy.” Sarna also argued that the focus on innovative breakthroughs was spurred by the modern culture of rapid technological change.

“People got used to the idea that there are big things – a cellphone, the iPhone – that would truly change our world,” said Sarna.

“I do think there is a sense that the world is changing faster than it used to change. It may not be true, but that’s the view.”

Wayne Firestone, president of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said the competition’s focus on big ideas came in part from looking at Bloomberg’s own experience in starting competitions to attract the attention of young talent. Firestone noted the Bloomberg-initiated NYC BigApps competition, which triggered the creation of smartphone apps

Continued from page 6

using city data to locate high-quality child care, encourage teacher collaboration and trade information about subway service.

“Bloomberg saw the benefit of reaching into the target population to come up with target answers,” Firestone told JTA. The Genesis competition also will focus on encouraging collaboration and communication among the competing teams, and on offering mentorship, support and expertise to teams as they develop their proposals.

The Genesis Prize, which will be given out annually, is awarded to an accomplished, internationally renowned professional who is a role model in his or her community and can inspire the younger generation of Jews worldwide, according to the Genesis Prize Foundation website.

Although the prize was launched with the explicit purpose of inspiring young Jews, the Generation Challenge is open to applicants of all backgrounds and teams are encouraged to address global problems. But Firestone was confident that the competition would nonetheless attract the interest of young Jews.

“When you go looking in the innovation space, you will find young Jews,” said Firestone, noting that the competition’s online portal already was attracting one of its strongest concentrations of visitors from Tel Aviv. “We think you’re going to find lots of Jewish individuals, but not only by asking people ‘are you Jewish?’”