Syr1010 by Jewish Federation of CNY

22 TISHREI 5778 • OCTOBER 12, 2017 • VOLUME XXXVIII, NUMBER 20 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY

The Jewish Federation of CNY hosts television journalist David Gregory on October 22 The Jewish Federation of Central New York invites the community to listen to television journalist David Gregory, current CNN political analyst and former moderator of NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” at Temple Adath Yeshurun on Sunday, October 22. The event is open to the public, free of charge, and will begin at 7:15 pm. Billed as “Today’s Issues and America’s Future,” the speech will directly follow the conclusion of the Jewish Federation of Central New York’s 2018 Campaign Major Gifts dinner, which will be overseen by Federation’s Annual Campaign Chair Mark Wladis. Gregory will share with the audience his insights on the latest Washington headlines and current events facing the country.

at press conferences. Before A California native, Gregjoining NBC News in 1995, ory was raised by a Catholic Gregory served as a corremother and a Jewish father, and is a practicing Jew today, who spondent based in Chicago and studies Torah regularly. He is Los Angeles, covering the OJ also the author of “How’s Your Simpson trials and the trial of Faith? An Unlikely Spiritual Oklahoma City bomber TimJourney.” Best known for his othy McVeigh. He first came nearly 20 years at NBC News, to Washington, DC, in 1998 he served for six years as the to cover the Clinton impeachmoderator of “Meet the Press” ment story for MSNBC. and before that, as chief White He has covered three presiHouse correspondent during dential campaigns and reported the entire presidency of George David Gregory from Washington and around W. Bush. Washingtonian magthe world on the aftermath of azine named him one of Washington’s September 11, 2001, including the run-up “50 best and most influential journalists,” to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In labeling him the “firebrand in the front addition to his role as a political analyst row” for his “tough yet fair” questioning on CNN, he is the host of the David Greg-

ory podcast that features interviews with newsmakers and “thought leaders.” He is also considered a sought-after speaker on politics and world affairs, as well as faith, since the 2016 release of his book, “How’s Your Faith?” a “critically-acclaimed” memoir about his attempts to deepen his own faith amid the rough and tumble of broadcast news. He will share his insights on the latest Washington headlines and current events facing the country. He “regales audiences” with first-hand accounts of asking “tough questions of some of the most powerful, influential – and infamous – people in the world.” For more information, contact Campaign Associate Colleen Baker at 315445-2040, ext. 102.

ADL – Jewish college students face increased antisemitism BY JUDITH L. STANDER Parents and teens are invited to attend a free “words into actions” seminar to develop an awareness of what to expect and how to deal with antisemitism and anti-Israel bias on the college campus. Barbara Davis, former head of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, as well as the Rabbi Jacob Epstein School of Jewish Studies, and current Epstein School Education Director Cantor Paula Pepperstone are bringing this pre-college program to the community. They hope that it will answer many questions for high school and college students and their parents. The interactive workshop will be held on Sunday, October 22, from 12:30-2:30 pm, and will be led by Stephanie Merkrebs from the Anti-Defamation League. The Jewish Federation of Central

New York is sponsoring this ADL workshop, which seeks to provide high school students with a basis for addressing antisemitism concerns at college. Cantor Pepperstone said, “The Epstein School is proud to Barbara Davis recommend this program to Syracuse teens. It greatly complements our sessions with Dr. Miriam Elman on antisemitism on campus, and our mini-course, ‘Packing for College,’ about life on campus in January and February.” The free workshop will be hosted at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center,

where there is free parking. It is hoped that the workshop will increase understanding, explore effective resources and teach how to strategically respond to issues of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias. A free bagel brunch Cantor Paula will be served to Pepperstone participants. The ADL was founded in 1913 and is considered one of the nation’s premier human relations and civil rights agencies. The organization is dedicated to fighting antisemitism and all forms of bigotry, defending democratic ideals and protecting civil rights. It has often been observed that a large number of students entering college have

experienced hostile behavior and backlash on their campuses for being Jewish. Many have encountered student organizations and some campus educators who have agendas that demonstrate negative biases in the forms of antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric. The ADL has information and options to help prepare students to deal with these situations. Davis said, “Unfortunately, I have heard from too many students that they were not well prepared for the levels of animosity and bigotry that they encountered on college campuses. This workshop will equip our students to deal with this sad situation safely, effectively and meaningfully.” The organizers hope that this workshop will provide a useful tool for college-bound students. To reserve seats, materials and brunch, contact Judith Stander at jstander@ jewishfederationcny.org with “ADL” in the subject line. The deadline to respond is Wednesday, October 18.

New wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic activity emerges on Save the date – Yonah Jeremy Bob to speak on “100 years after campuses across U.S. BY RAFAEL MEDOFF JNS.org Jewish college students returning after their summer break are encountering a wave of swastika daubings and anti-Israel activity on campuses across the country – and there are signs the hostility may intensify in the weeks ahead. The latest incidents coincide with a new campaign by pro-Palestinian activists to portray Israel as a “white supremacist country,” linking the Jewish state to accusations about white supremacist activity in the U.S. At Tufts University, near Boston,

a “Disorientation Guide” prepared by militant students for incoming freshmen accused Israel of “white supremacy” and promoted “Israeli Apartheid Week,” which the Tufts branch of Students for Justice in Palestine holds each spring. The guide also charged that when Jewish groups at Tufts sponsored a talk by the parents of Trayvon Martin – the African-American teenager shot in Florida in 2012 – they were “exploiting black voices for their own pro-Israel agenda.” SJP activists at Columbia University were among the authors of the Columbia

See Campuses” on page 2

the Balfour Declaration”

The Jewish Federation of Central New York will present Yonah Jeremy Bob, foreign affairs lecturer and intelligence, terrorism and legal analyst for The Jerusalem Post, on Wednesday, November 1, at 7 pm, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse.

He will speak on “Israel 100 Years after Balfour: An Update.” The Balfour Declaration was signed on November 2, 1917. For more information, contact Judith Stander at 315-445-2040, ext. 114, or jstander@ jewishfederationncy.org.

C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A

October 12.............. after 7:08 pm.............................................. Erev Simchat Torah October 13....................... 6:07 pm................................................... Parasha-Bereshit October 20....................... 5:55 pm..................................................... Parasha-Noach October 27....................... 5:45 pm.............................................. Parasha-Lech-Lecha

INSIDE THIS ISSUE In Las Vegas

Jewish exhibit

Congregational notes

The Las Vegas Jewish community The Judaic Heritage Center Local synagogues announce rallied to help in the aftermath has a permanent exhibit at the upcoming classes, trips, concerts, of a mass shooting on October 1. Onondaga Historical Association. talks and more. Story on page 3 Story on page 2 Stories on page 4

PLUS Small Business Profiles.....4-6 Calendar Highlights............... 7 Mazel Tov.................................. 7 Obituaries................................. 7

JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 12, 20176/22 TISHREI 5778

A MATTER OF OPINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR “Sound the great shofar for our freedom” (daily prayers) To the Editor: The sound of the shofar was heard in every part of the world where there is a Jewish community. The shofar notes express our belief that there will be a future redemption when the sufferings of our people will come to an end. On this Rosh Hashanah, as in past years, the sound of faith and hope was also heard at Crouse Hospital and Upstate University Hospital. As a Jewish chaplain, I was delighted to learn how much hearing the shofar meant to patients. On their behalf, I express thanks and appreciation to Rabbi Yaakov

Campuses

edition of the “Disorientation Guide.” The guide brands Israel “an apartheid state” and encourages incoming students to join their campaign, “Columbia University Apartheid Divest.” Meanwhile, New York University students recently published a “Disorientation Guide” of their own, in which they accuse the university of “myriad racist, Zionist and homophobic policies,” and call for ending NYU’s study abroad program at Tel Aviv University. The guide falsely claims “students of Palestinian descent, or Arab descent more broadly, are distinctly prohibited from studying at the Tel Aviv site.” Attacking Israel on stage Jewish students at NYU can expect more tumult in October, when the university will host a 10-day run of “The Siege,” an anti-Israel play performed by a Palestinian theater troupe. The play portrays the Palestinian terrorists who took over Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity in 2002 as heroic fighters who were unfairly forced to leave the church grounds. Also in October, SJP will hold its national conference, hosted by its chapter at the University of Houston. One theme will be that both Israel and the U.S. are “settler-colonial states” that were “built on the ideals of white supremacy.” The SJP website reports that workshops will prepare students “to return to their respective campuses with the tools, connections, and motivation to build new campaigns or fortify work already underway.” According to data compiled by the AMCHA Initiative, which combats anti-Jewish activity on U.S. college campuses, there has been a significant increase in such incidents since the new school year began. Since late August, swastikas have been daubed on the campuses of Stanford, Georgetown, Washington State, Brandeis, Avila and Drake universities, as well as Bowdoin and Williams colleges. At the University of Maryland-College Park, there have been four swastika incidents in the past month. Recent anti-Israel activity by SJP chapters around the country has included a display of BDS posters at the University of Georgia, a meeting at Northeastern University offering “non-apartheid related hummus,” and a line of activists chanting “hey hey, ho ho, the apartheid has got to go” in front of an anti-Israel mural at Eastern Michigan University. At the University of Mississippi, a recent oped in the student newspaper compared the BDS movement to Rosa Parks and the African-American community’s boycott of buses in Alabama in the 1950s. The SJP chapter at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst sponsored a speaker who accused Israel of pursuing

Rapoport, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Central New York, for arranging to have Moshe Mortner sound the shofar for patients at Crouse and Upstate. May they go from strength to strength. I am also grateful to my chaplain colleagues who took time from other responsibilities to bring Moshe to patient rooms. May the sound of the shofar bring healing to the ill and the distressed, and freedom to us all. Rabbi Irvin S. Beigel Jewish Chaplain, Crouse Hospital Associate Chaplain, Upstate University Hospital

Continued from page 1

“ethnic cleansing” and “ethnic purity.” Ironically, most Israelis themselves are “Jews of color,” noted Ron Krudo, director of campus affairs for the pro-Israel education organization StandWithUs, whose family comes from Iraq and Turkey. About 70 percent of Israelis were born in African countries, such as Egypt, Morocco and Ethiopia, or in Middle Eastern countries such as Israel, Syria and Iraq, and thus “would be considered ‘people of color’ in America,” Krudo told JNS.org. Danger to Jewish students Connecting Israel to white supremacy is an attempt by militants “to inject their pet hatred of Israel into whatever’s currently hot on campus,” said David Brog, executive director of the Maccabee Task Force, a network of pro-Israel activists on college campuses. Brog told JNS.org, “The campus left is now laser focused on claims of white supremacy, police brutality and anti-immigrant racism – so Israel’s campus detractors are changing their rhetoric, updating their slogans and aggressively inserting themselves into every new protest.” Some campus extremists are targeting not only Israel, but also fellow students who support Israel, said AMCHA Initiative Director Tammi Rossman-Benjamin. “They are consciously trying to intimidate and isolate Jewish and other pro-Israel students,” she told JNS.org. “There is real reason to fear that these attacks could progress from demonization, to threats, to actual attempts to physically harm Jewish students or limit their rights to free speech or assembly. This trend is new and very worrisome.” SJP activists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recently issued a call to “smash fascism,” adding “there is no room for fascists, white supremacists, or Zionists at UIUC.” The declaration defended the use of what it called “violent resistance.” StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein called the remark “a clear physical threat” to Jewish students. Supporters of Israel are encouraged that some university officials are beginning to recognize the connection between anti-Israel extremism and antisemitism. The University of California regents last year condemned “antisemitic forms of anti-Zionism,” and Robert J. Jones, chancellor of UIUC, recently denounced “antisemitic attacks hidden under the guise of anti-Zionist rhetoric,” following recent hate incidents on his campus. Jones was “absolutely right,” but his statement “highlights how few administrators have demonstrated similar courage and clarity,” said Brog. “Most administrators have been too slow and too reactive. The academic year has just started and students are worried. Now is the time for more administrators to lead by taking a similar stand against this hate.”

Las Vegas Jewish community rallies to help in aftermath of shooting BY JTA STAFF (JTA) – Two Las Vegas synagogues held special evening prayers and a GoFundMe page raised more than $50,000 for an injured Jewish woman as the city’s Jewish community rallied to help in the aftermath of the mass shooting on the Strip. Chabad Rabbi Mendy Harlig, a chaplain with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, told the Chabad.org website that he spent time on October 1 at a local hospital with the husband and mother-inlaw of Natalie Grumet, a Jewish California resident who was injured in the shooting, the Times of Israel reported. The GoFundMe page established to help Grumet return to California for further treatment had surpassed its $50,000 goal by October 3. Samantha Arjune, daughter of the recently retired superintendent of the Ramaz Jewish day school in New York City, also was injured in the attack. On October 2, she underwent surgery on her leg; Arjune is not in a life-threatening situation. The two women were among the more than 500 injured in the attack by a lone gunman shooting on October 1 at a concert from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. At least 58 were killed. Harlig said he spent the night of the shooting at the scene of the attack – offering support to police officers in dealing with the horrors they witnessed and the following day at hospitals providing support to victims and their families. He also worked

with Israel’s consul general to help find Israelis visiting or living in Las Vegas who had been unaccounted for; they have all been found and none were injured. Temple Sinai in Las Vegas on October 2 held a service to help the community come to grips with the attack. More than 100 members, young and old, attended the service, The Forward reported. Synagogue members said they planned to visit the injured and their families at local hospitals. Midbar Kodesh Temple also held evening prayers and a nighttime vigil. Todd Polikoff, president and CEO of Jewish Nevada, the state’s Jewish communityFederation, told the Times of Israel that his staff had been bringing supplies to the blood service sites and sending food to the trauma center. “Once the physical wounds heal, there are going to be a lot of people who need a lot of care dealing with this in a mental way,” he said. “There were 22,000 people there. We know there were a number of members of [the] Jewish community who were there who got out unscathed physically. But [we] know they’re going to need help.” A post on the Jewish Nevada Facebook page from October 2 said, “As the sun rises on Las Vegas today, we will be a changed city. What will not change is our compassion for one another, our ability to embrace millions of visitors every year, and our resilience in the face of challenging See “Vegas” on page 3

Mourners attended a candlelight vigil in Las Vegas for the victims of the mass shooting there on October 2. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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Reception to celebrate the Judaic Heritage Center’s permanent Jewish exhibit at the Onondaga Historical Association

BY HOWARD PORT The permanent Jewish exhibit at the Onondaga Historical Association will be unveiled at a reception and open house on Tuesday, October 24, from 4-6 pm. The exhibit is a collaborative effort of the Judaic Heritage Center and the OHA. The reception is open to the community and the exhibit may be seen during the museum’s normal viewing times, Wednesday-Friday, 10-4 pm, and Sunday, 11 am-4 pm. The OHA is located at 401 Montgomery St. in downtown Syracuse (opposite the YMCA). As far back as the mid to late-1800s, the Jewish community of Central New York has nurtured entertainment entrepreneurs: vaudevillians, recording artists and composers (think “The Wizard of Oz”); the Shubert and Schine theater empires; movie-industry moguls who produced “Home Alone” and “2001: A Space Odyssey,” wrote scripts for “Apocalypse Now,” and led MGM and MGM International; and contemporary musicians who co-founded the bands Phish and REO

The permanent Jewish exhibit at the Onondaga Historical Association will be unveiled at a public reception and open house on Tuesday, October 24.

JCC Fitness Center now offers WERQ® BY WILLIAM WALLAK One of the “hottest” group exercise classes has arrived at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center in DeWitt. The JCC’s Neulander Family Sports and Fitness Center offers the WERQ® Dance Fitness class on Mondays from 5:45-6:30 pm. A modified version of the class, WERQ and Core, is offered on Tuesdays from 9-9:45 am. Both classes are free for JCC Fitness members; a drop-in fee applies to non-members. WERQ (pronounced work) was started in 2011 and is a “wildly addictive” cardio dance workout based on the “hottest current” dance music. It can be modified for all ages and all fitness levels. WERQ is a dance term that means “own it.” WERQ routines are a blend of athletic moves and different styles of dance that “invoke an attitude of confidence and empowerment.” “We’re so excited to bring WERQ to the JCC so that

members can experience this fun and exciting class,” said Paula Pacini, JCC group exercise coordinator. “The music and moves of this high-energy workout can burn a lot of calories, although it can also be easily adapted for those wanting a less rigorous pace.” The music for WERQ is based on the “latest trendsetting” pop and hip hop music. Organizers change the play lists often to make the workouts “fun.” New routines are regularly introduced to keep things “fresh and challenging.” “Taking WERQ on Monday evenings is a great way to jump start your week on a positive note,” added Pacini. “This definitely isn’t a throwback to the leg warmer jazzercise classes of the 1980s!” For more information about WERQ at the JCC, call the JCC Fitness Center at 315-234-4522 or visit www. jccsyr.org.

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center senior dining menu OCTOBER 16-20 Monday – vegetable soup, macaroni and cheese Tuesday – chicken rollatini Wednesday – hot corned beef sandwich Thursday – stuffed flounder Friday – Jewish harvest celebration – roast turkey OCTOBER 23-27 Monday – split pea soup, turkey sandwich Tuesday – imitation crab cake Wednesday – stuffed cabbage Thursday – meatloaf Friday – birthday celebration – salmon with dill The Bobbi Epstein Lewis JCC Senior Adult Dining Program at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center offers Va’ad Ha’ir-supervised kosher lunches served Monday 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

LARRY METZGER Owner

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 445-2360, ext. 104, or cstein@jccsyr.org.

Vegas

Continued from page 2

circumstances. This is the greatness that we know persists, in spite of the tragedy that we saw this evening. “We must now turn to our attention those friends, family and strangers who are in the most need. They are the ones who will need to see and experience all of the greatness that we embody in our community. Now, more than ever, we need to remind our fellow community members, the rest of the country, and the world that we are #VegasStrong.” A Facebook post by the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada read: “Our collective hearts are filled with sadness over the senseless act of violence carried out last night. Our prayers are with victims and their families and we thank first responders and everyone that gave support and comfort to those experiencing this horror. #vegasStrong.”

Speedwagon. Many businesses started locally by Jewish immigrants and their descendants expanded to become dominant in their field: SYROCO; Roth Steel; Raymour and Flanigan; United Radio; and Carroll’s, the world’s largest Burger King franchise. Sports also have held a place in the Jewish community from its earliest years, with local youth earning Olympic medals and pursuing successful careers in the National Basketball Association, the National Football League and the National Hockey League. The exhibit’s wall display is divided into four sections: community history, business, entertainment and sports. In addition to the wall display, there are three touch-screen computers that provide information on the display materials, as well as information about the Syracuse Jewish community. Organizers wish to thank Mike Moss and Ann Port of the Judaic Heritage Center and Tom Hunter and the OHA staff for their two-year effort to put this exhibit together. The October 24 open house is free to the public.

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CONGREGATIONAL NOTES Temple Concord SYMPHORIA WIND ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM AT TEMPLE CONCORD OCTOBER 24 BY STEWART KOENIG Temple Concord’s Regina F. Goldenberg Cultural Series will present the Symphoria Wind Ensemble on Tuesday, October 24, at 7 pm. A wind ensemble typically includes flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn and bassoon. The concert, called “Autumn Serenades,” includes Verdi’s “Preludio dall’Opera “La Traviata,” Mozart’s “Don Giovanni Selections” and Gounod’s “Petite Symphonie.” Goldenberg Series Coordinator Vicki Feldman said, “This is a wonderful opportunity to see Symphoria musicians in concert in an intimate setting.” The event is open to the public and there is a small charge to attend. Students 18 and under are free. Tickets are available online at templeconcord.org by going to

Symphoria Wind Ensemble clarinetists Victoria Krukowski and Alan Kolsky will perform as part of the Symphoria Wind Ensemble’s performance on October 24.

the calendar and clicking on the October 24 event, and at the door. For more information, contact the TC office at 315475-9952 or office@templeconcord.org. SCHOLAR SERIES PRESENTS MARVIN DRUGER ON “THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF BEING AN AUTHOR” BY CHANA MEIR Syracuse University Professor Marvin Druger will talk about his life and professional experiences as part of Temple Concord’s Scholar Series on Sunday, October 29, at 11 am. Druger taught biology and science education to more than 40,000 students over his 47-year career at SU. Among other honors, he has served as president of the National Science Teachers Association and the Association for Science Teacher Education, and has received some of the highest awards bestowed by these international science education organizations. He has also written eight books, spanning the spectrum from children’s books, to poetry, a cartoon book for adults and one he describes as “a memoir of intense love.” He will present insights and excerpts from his books, while discussing what he calls the “the trials and tribulations of being an author.” Copies of his books will be available for sale at a discount. Among many other endeavors, he has a radio program on WAER-FM 88.3, is a columnist for 55-Plus Magazine, organizes and directs a Saturday

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Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas USY AND KADIMA Members of the Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas United Synagogue Youth recently held board elections. Officers include Ella Wilson, president; Hadar Pepperstone, religious/education vice president; Michale Schueler, membership/ programming vice president; Alethea Shirilan-Howlett, communications vice president; and Caleb Porter, social action/ tikkun olam vice president. The USY board will kick off USY with Escape Room and ice cream night at Destiny Mall on Saturday, October 14, at 7:30 pm. Reservations may be made by contacting Programming Director Melissa Harkavy, at director@cbscs.org. On Sunday, October 15, Kadima will

Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation TEA AND TORAH -- TORAH AT OUR OWN PACE Beginning on Sunday, October 15, at 3:30 pm, Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse will offer a class on learning the Torah from the beginning. Participants may progress at their own pace. The group will meet every other Sunday at 3:30 pm. With two accounts of creation, a

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services

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kick off after the 11 am communitywide Six13 program at Temple Adath Yeshurun. Fifth- through eighth-graders are invited to an ice cream challenge at CBS-CS at 2 pm. Tweens will collaborate to plan, sculpt and consume some “cool” confections. Reservations (with any dietary constraints) may be made contacting Kadima Advisor Heather Engelman at director@cbscs.org. SISTERHOOD TRIP TO ANYELA’S VINEYARDS On Sunday, October 22, at 1 pm, Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas Sisterhood members will take a trip to Anyela’s Vineyards in Skaneateles. To make a reservation, contact trip organizer Andi Koss at andikoss@twcny.rr.com or 315-391-8052. All adults are invited.

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OCTOBER 12, 2017/22 TISHREI 5778 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

Annual Menorah Park Open judged a success

BY JUDY SCHMID the committee put together a terrific The 35 th annual Menorah Park Open silent auction and raffle, which helped on August 16 drew 124 golfers and tem- us top last year’s numbers.” All proceeds from the event benperatures in the high 70s to Drumlins Country Club on August 16. efit the programs and facilities of Susie Drazen, Menorah Park director the Menorah Park continuum-of-care of development, said, “We grew the campus. The 36th Annual Menorah Park event this year. Not only did our board Open – “the Double-Chai” – is set for help us commemorate the 35th anniver- Wednesday, August 15, 2018, again at sary with a significant sponsorship, but Drumlins. At right l-r: Along with 120 other golfers, Stephen Koldin, Scott Koldin, Mark Schulman and Leonard Koldin enjoyed helping raise funds for Menorah Park programs.

UJA-Federation of New York delivers humanitarian aid to Puerto Rico, returns with stranded firefighter BY JTA STAFF (JTA) – UJA-Federation of New York delivered a planeload of humanitarian supplies to the JCC in Puerto Rico and returned a stranded retired New York firefighter in time for his son’s wedding. Firefighters in the city of Yonkers collected the supplies that arrived in Puerto Rico on the morning of October 1 in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

The supplies were packed by the Afya Foundation for distribution by the Puerto Rico JCC to Jews and non-Jews, according to UJA. UJA leaders, including President Jeffrey Schoenfeld, CEO Eric Goldstein and Executive Vice President Mark Medin, accompanied the flight and met in Puerto Rico with a Chabad rabbi, Mendel Zarchi, and Jeff Berezdivin, president of the JCC in San Juan.

L-M Painting

Specialty: Quality interior/exterior residential and commercial painting with a personal touch Name: Larry Metzger Location: 6340 Danbury Dr. Jamesville, NY 13078-9729 Phone: 315-446-0966 Fax: 315-446-1555 E-mail: LMPainting@aol.com Serving Central New York for 35 years, L-M Painting provides professional, quality and personalized service to its many satisfied customers. Larry Metzger takes the time to discuss every project’s details, assisting customers in color selection with a wide variety of samples. Larry often works alongside his crew – when the job is complete, your home or workplace will be left immaculate. The company repairs water-damaged ceilings and walls, and can do other minor repairs. Wall covering removal, wall preparation, and interior and exterior painting are among the services offered. Larry is a longtime member of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, serving as treasurer of the local chapter’s Executive Board. L-M Painting is rated a 5-Star Contractor by The Home Depot. L-M Painting is fully insured and offers free estimates. Call today for special winter rates for interior projects.

Laurie Kushner – Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Specialty: Residential real estate in Central New York Location: 7650 Highbridge Rd., Suite 210 Manlius NY 13104 Name: Laurie Kushner Phone: 315-420-2668 E-mail: laurie.kushner@huntrealestate.com Website: RealEstatebyLaurieKushner.com Laurie Kushner is a licensed Real Estate Salesperson working for HUNT Real Estate ERA in Manlius. “I am excited to be working in the real estate industry with this amazing company!” says Laurie. “I have lived in Manlius for the last 30 years and have raised my children here. I am proud to call Central New York my home! As a certified personal trainer, Cancer Exercise Specialist, and a fourth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, I know what commitment and hard work entail. I am ready to work to help you find the home that fits your needs!”

Did you know

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“We are scraping the bottom, running out of supplies – food, water, medications, diapers,” Zarchi told UJA. “People here need everything. This will benefit the Jewish and broader community – so many are in desperate need right now. We cannot thank you enough. May we all be sealed in the book of life.” Among the supplies delivered were water and water filtration tablets or bottles; hand sanitizer; baby wipes,

Malara Eyecare & Eyewear Gallery

Specialty: “Professional Eye Care With A Personal Touch” Locations: Fayetteville and Liverpool Offices Name: Dr. Richard Malara and Dr. Matthew Durkin Phones: 315-622-3500 (Liverpool) 315-445-9856 (Fayetteville) Faxes: 315-622-3522 (Liverpool) 315-445-9802 (Fayetteville) E-mails: liverpool@drmalara.com fayetteville@drmalara.com Website: www.DrMalara.com Hours: Evenings and Saturday appointments available in both offices Dr. Richard Malara has been providing “Professional Eye Care With A Personal Touch” to the people of Central New York since 1992. He has been involved in numerous “Gift of Sight” community service projects, as well as nine overseas medical missions projects. Dr. Malara is a yearly participant in the “Save Your Vision” campaign through the American Optometric Association. Dr. Malara is a Syracuse native who has chosen to locate his practices here to give back to the community he was raised in. Dr. Matthew Durkin grew up in Central New York and has been practicing in this area for almost 15 years. The experienced and friendly doctors and staff at Malara Eyecare & Eyewear Gallery provide state-of-the-art eye care while keeping your individual needs and concerns as their primary focus. “We’re your local Eyecare and Eyewear Gallery.”

formula and diapers; canned and dried food; pet food; garbage bags; over-thecounter medications for pain, stomach ailments and diarrhea for adults and children; feminine hygiene products; insect repellent; first aid kits; batteries; and work gloves. The plane returned to New York the same evening carrying the retired firefighter, Jose Carabello, who had been in See “Aid” on page 7

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of Howard Hanna • Multi-Million Dollar Producers • Relocation/Broker • Buyer Broker Specialist • New Construction Specialist • First Time Home Buyer Specialists

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Small Business Profiles If you are the owner or manager of a small business, The Jewish Observer has a unique advertising opportunity for you! SMALL BUSINESS PROFILES, the highlight of our February 15 issue, will feature an ad section of display ads in a variety of sizes to suit your copy. Plus, for all ads over 4 column inches, we will include a FREE mini feature using the information you provide. February 15 issue Ad Deadline: February 7 To advertise, please contact Bonnie Rozen at 800-779-7896, ext 244 or bonnie@thereportergroup.org

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“The Manlius Specialists.”

JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 12, 20176/22 TISHREI 5778

D’VAR TORAH

“Betting” on creation BY ROBERT TORNBERG For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with Hebrew letters. The thick and thin lines, the subtle shapes – a curve here, a straight line there, the addition of a tiny tail and the existence of a dot or not make worlds of difference and meaning. Each letter is a work or art in itself and every one carries infinite meaning. In keeping with my love of Hebrew letters, when my wife, Julie, surprised me with the gift of a new tallit that I could design with a weaver, I decided to have the Hebrew word “emet” (truth) woven into the fabric. Why this word? Because its letters tell a story – a truth. The first letter of the word is an alef (the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet), the last letter is tav (the last letter of the alphabet) and the middle letter is a mem (which is one of the letters in the middle of the alphabet). The message: Truth can be found when we use the letters appropriately to put together words that give our lives meaning. And, some would argue, all the words we need are in the Torah. And the theme of letters appears in several pieces of art in our home. As I described in my d’var Torah on

Yitro in the Jewish Observer last February, one of those is a lithograph (http://www.leon-gallery.co.il/catalog. php?act=cat&id=1010#.WHp2qbGZOu4) by Leon Azoulay that hangs on our living room wall. It is the entire book of Bereshit (Genesis) done in micrography. The artist uses the letters and words of the text (in an infinitesimally small format) to create a “portrait” of creation. One of the messages of this piece of art is that the letters and the words of Torah contain the entire universe. There is, in fact, a long tradition of the love of Hebrew letters in Judaism. Many prayers in our siddur are acrostics (with the first letter of each line beginning with the letters in alphabetical order). The rabbis and later mystics converted letters to numbers and used that system to write commentary on our sacred texts. And, at least two modern authors/artists/scholars/rabbis have published beautiful books of art/interpretation based on Hebrew letters: Mark Podwal’s “A Book of Hebrew Letters” and Lawrence Kushner’s “The Book of Letters: A Mystical Alef-bait.” In the introduction to his book, Kushner writes: “The otiyot [letters] have been around since before the creation of the world and are mysteri-

Profiles of SHDS alumni – Daniel Blumenthal BY BARBARA SHHKLIN DAVIS Daniel Blumenthal, who graduated from Syracuse Hebrew Day School in 2011, is a freshman at Harvard University. A twotime winner of the Museum of Science and Technology Rocket Team Challenge, he had the highest cumulative average on Regents exams at Jamesville-DeWitt High School. He was a board member of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas’ United Synagogue Youth chapter, where he organized meetings, recruited new members and led activities for Jewish teenagers at the synagogue. An internship in the Stony Brook University Computer Science Department gave him the chance to analyze language use on social media and learn to code in the Python language. His interest in language is partly a result of

Daniel “Danny” Blumenthal, Syracuse Hebrew Day School class of 2011

his exposure to Hebrew at SHDS. He said, “I want to study linguistics. My teachers at SHDS sparked my interest in this field by cultivating my knowledge of Hebrew, and encouraging me to learn about different countries and cultures.” Blumenthal appreciated the qualities of SHDS. “The small class sizes gave me individualized attention, which allowed me to thrive academically. In addition, they made me closer to my classmates, who have become some of my best friends. Another way SHDS has had an impact on me is by fostering a strong sense of community service. Throughout my time at SHDS, we had many tzedakah projects which benefitted charities. I have continued to volunteer in high school at Menorah Park and really enjoyed the experience.” See “Alumni” on page 8

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ously linked with the creative process itself. It is told of the master builder of the wilderness tabernacle, Bezalel, that he knew how to combine the letters by which the heavens and the earth were made. And elsewhere we read that one of the last things God did before He rested on the seventh day from His world-work was to determine the precise shape of the letters” (pp. 16-17). Which brings us to creation and this week’s parasha, Bereshit (Genesis), and the very first word of the Torah, which gave this portion (and the first Book of the Torah) its name, “bereshit.” The most interesting thing about the very word that began all of creation is that no one really knows what it means. It doesn’t appear anywhere else in the Torah, so there is no way to compare it to other contexts. The root of the word is clearly resh-alef-shin (the root meaning “head,” or perhaps “beginning”). The prefix is the letter bet that is most often translated as “with” or “in.” The word itself has been translated as “In the beginning [God created]” (old JPS translation), “[When God] began to create” (newer JPS translation), “In the beginning [of God’s creating]” (Art Scroll translation) and “At the beginning [of God’s creating]” (Everett Fox translation). But in trying to sort out the problem of the first word of Torah, we have already jumped past a prior dilemma. Namely, as the rabbis asked, “Why did the Torah begin with the letter bet?” Or, as Rabbi Yonah, who asked the question in the name of Rabbi Levi in “Midrash Bereshit Rabbah,” queried, “Why was the world created with a bet?” After all, wouldn’t logic require that you begin at the beginning of the alef-bet with alef? Wouldn’t it make more sense for the Torah (creation) to actually begin at the beginning? This question kicked off a lengthy discussion among the rabbis which can best be understood if we first take a moment to look at the actual letter bet. Now let’s look at the numerous answers the midrash provides to the question, “Why was the world created with a bet?” “Just as a bet is closed on all sides and open in the front, so you are not permitted to say, What is beneath [creation]? What is above [creation]? What came before [creation]? What will come after [creation]? Rather, from the day the world was created and after [is what humans are permitted to speculate/know about].” The letter bet has the numerical value of two; so another rabbi explained that the Torah (creation) began with a bet See “Creation” on page 8

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OCTOBER 12, 2017/22 TISHREI 5778 ■

OF NOTE

OBITUARIES VICTOR “VIC” GINSKY

Victor “Vic” Ginsky, 86, died on September 19 at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Born in Cuba, he was a resident of Syracuse for most of his life. He graduated from Syracuse University; was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force; and a devoted fan of the Boston Red Sox. He was the chief financial officer for Roth Bros. Smelting Co. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carol; their son, Marc (Elissa) Ginsky; their daughter, Jan Ginsky; two granddaughters; his sister, Pauline Friedman; a niece; and two nephews. Sisskind Funeral Service made arrangements. Contributions may be made to the Jewish Federation of CNY, 5655 Thompson Rd., Syracuse, NY 13214. 

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, October 25 Deadline for November 9 JO Friday, October 13 Simchat Torah - JCC and Federation offices closed Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas Simchat Torah celebration at 5:30 pm with dinner following at 7 pm Saturday, October 14 Temple Concord pizza dinner and Havdallah at TC and then to Holden Observatory CBS-CS USY Escape Room at Destiny at 7:30 pm Sunday, October 15 SAJE all-schools event at Temple Adath Yeshurun at 9 am Federation-funded Six13 a cappella community event presented by Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, Syracuse Hebrew Day School, Syracuse Community Hebrew School, and the Rabbi Jacob H. Epstein School of Jewish Studies at Temple Adath Yeshurun at 11 am Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse Tea and Torah study series at 3:30 pm CBS-CS Kadima ice cream challenge at 2 pm Monday, October 16 CBS-CS Lunch and Learn at SU Hillel at noon Tuesday, October 17 Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse Executive Committee at 6 pm, followed by Board of Directors at 7 pm Wednesday, October 18 Temple Adath Yeshurun Executive Committee at 6 pm, followed by Board of Directors at 7 pm TC Board of Trustees at 7 pm CBS-CS Board of Trustees meeting at 7:30 pm Thursday, October 19 Sisterhood symposium at the JCC at 6 pm Sunday, October 22 ADL program for teens at 12:30 pm the JCC Federation Major Donor dinner at TAY at 6 pm Federation presents David Gregory at TAY at 7:15 pm CBS-CS wine tasting at Anyela’s Vineyards in Skaneateles at 1 pm Tuesday, October 24 Unveiling of permanent Jewish exhibition reception at Onondaga Historical Association at 4 pm Goldenberg Series concert Autumn Serenades with Symphoria Wind Ensemble at Temple Concord at 7 pm Saturday, October 28 Temple Adath Yeshurun Citizen of the Year evening starting at 7:30 pm Sunday, October 29 TC scholar series hosts Professor Marvin Druger at 10 am CBS-CS rummage sale from 10 am – 4 pm Syracuse Hebrew Day School BUDS program, Curious George Gathering, at SHDS from 2-3 pm Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse Tea and Torah study series at 3:30 pm Monday, October 30 CBS-CS rummage sale from 10 am – 4 pm Thursday, November 2 “Concord Cares: a celebration of Temple Concord and our community,” awards and fund-raising event at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown at 6 pm

JEWISH OBSERVER

RICHARD E. SILVERMAN

Richard E. Silverman, 76, of Fayetteville, died at home on October 1. He was born in Ottawa, Canada, and resided in the Syracuse area for more than 50 years. A certified public accountant, he maintained a private practice in DeWitt until his retirement in 2017. He was a graduate of Utica College and a member of Temple Concord. He was active in the local community and was on the Fayetteville zoning board; the board of the Fayetteville Free Library; president of his college fraternity; president of the National Association of Accountants, local chapter; and president of the Eastwood Rotary Club. He was involved in the Eastwood Rotary Club, for the last few years, and was passionate about the organization’s many charitable projects. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Patricia; his daughters, Leslie (Michael) Murphy and Shelly (Derek) Guiley; four grandchildren; and his brother, James (Vincenza) Silverman. Burial was in the Temple Concord section of Woodlawn Cemetery. Birnbaum Funeral Service made arrangements. Contributions may be made to the Eastwood Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 117, Eastwood, NY 13206. 

Continued from page 4 enrichment program for high school students in the Syracuse area. He also co-directs a lecture series with his son, Robert Druger. Scholar Series events are free and open to the public. Donations are welcome. For more information, contact the TC office at 315-475-9952 or office@templeconcord.org. SAVE THE DATE: SU CHANCELLOR SYVERUD TO SPEAK ON DECEMBER 1 Syracuse University’s Chancellor and President Kent Syverud will address the congregation at a Temple Concord Shabbat service on Friday, December 1, at 7:30 pm.

Moving any time soon?

Or just leaving town for a few months? Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, please let the Jewish Observer know so you can stay up to date on community news and quickly receive the paper at your new (or temporary) address! E-mail jewishobservercny@gmail. com with “JO Address change” in the subject line, or call 315-445-2040 ext. 116, to let the JO know about your new address. of Central New

York

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Laurence Segal redeems bottles for cancer research funds

Laurence Segal, son of Laurie and Steve Segal, of DeWitt, started a fund-raising drive for the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of Central New York and the American Cancer Society in 2012 after watching multiple members of his family go through breast cancer and/or colon cancer. He has also had many friends battling cancer. Since he started in 2012, he has raised more than $50,000 for the Carol M Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund and another $20,000 for the American Cancer Society. He often holds can and bottle drives to raise money for cancer research for the American Cancer Society, the Baldwin fund and the Upstate Cancer Center. People can also always drop bottles and cans off at Bottle’s End bottle and can return center, 101 Montrose Ave., off West Genesee St., or Bodow Recycling, 1925 Park St., in Syracuse, near the Regional Market. People can google Real Men Wear Pink Syracuse and click on Segal’s name to donate online. For more information, and to find out when the next drive is, contact Segal at 315-530-7674.

Aid

Continued from page 5 Puerto Rico caring for his hospitalized father when the hurricane hit. He served as the best man for his son, who also is a Yonkers firefighter. Meanwhile, the Florida chapter of WIZO, the Women’s International Zionist Organization, chartered a plane loaded with food, rations and basic necessities collected largely by the Hispanic Jewish community of Miami to send to Puerto Rico. “It was very important for us to show our solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico,” Goldy Retchkiman, deputy director of WIZO Florida, said in a statement. “As Hispanics, we have ties that commit us to help as much as we are able to alleviate this terrible situation, and what is happening on the island is a tragedy that we could not brush aside.” She added: “As mothers and Hispanics, we can only imagine what these women are going through and we cannot turn our backs on them.”

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 12, 20176/22 TISHREI 5778

NEWS IN BRIEF From JNS.org

More than one million Jews expected to take part in global Shabbat observance Oct. 27-28

A global observance of Shabbat with hundreds of events being held in local Jewish communities around the world – including new events in Togo, Mozambique and Venezuela – is slated for Oct. 27-28. The worldwide observance day, started by The Shabbat Project, brings Jews together to keep a single Shabbat. It began as a local South African event in 2013, initiated by South African Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein, who proposed the idea of hosting a communal Shabbat experience. “Over the past few years, it has been nothing short of thrilling and deeply inspiring to witness Jews come together across every conceivable divide – language, culture, ethnicity, geography, observance,” Goldstein said. For the first time this year, the cities of Lome (Togo) and Maputo (Mozambique) are hosting Shabbat Project events, as are Larnaca (Cyprus), Asuncion (Paraguay) and Venezuela. They are joined by nearly 160 cities in Israel and more than 500 cities in the U.S. A combined one million Jews in 1,152 cities in 95 countries are expected to take part in events this year, according to the Shabbat Project.

Netanyahu: “people who deliberately murder babies don’t have freedom on their minds”

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – “People who deliberately murder babies or blow up buses, they don’t have freedom on their minds,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Harvey Levin, the host of Fox News’s fledgling series “OBJECTified,” referring to Palestinian terrorists in an interview that aired on Oct. 8. The hour-long interview focused mainly on Netanyahu’s personal life and his time living in the U.S. in his youth. Asked why he decided to leave the U.S. and return to Israel to serve in the military, Netanyahu explained that it didn’t even occur to him not to return. “I never thought of my life as separate from the life of my people. I think they’re intertwined. I always thought that you have to have a balance between individual ambition and collective responsibility,” he said. Netanyahu added that when he did report for military duty, he brought with him to Israel what he described as American values. “Initiative, meritocracy, these are strong values. That’s the way you advance, is through merit; that society should be open to all to compete; that if you invest effort and ingenuity you are likely to succeed. These are strong American values that resonate in Jewish values,” he said.

Sole remnant of Dutch town’s Jewish community on display at Yad Vashem

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – Stained glass from the synagogue that served the Jews of the Dutch city of Assen, almost all of whom were killed in the Holocaust, is now displayed at the synagogue of Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance center. The glass windows of the now-destroyed synagogue feature symbols related to the Jewish holidays, including a shofar, a sukkah and the four species used in Sukkot rituals. The windows were designed by the local Jewish architect Abraham van Oosten, who died in 1937. According to Yad Vashem’s website, the windows “were completed and installed in 1932, as attested to by the inscription engraved upon them. Five years later, van Oosten died at the untimely age of 40. His widow, Heintje, and their three children, Gunda, Leo and Johanna, remained in the town.” In 1940, after Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands, Leo was deported to Auschwitz, where he was killed. Heintje, Gunda and Johanna were sent to the Westerbork transit camp. During her time there, Gunda married Asher Gerlich, a Zionist activist, and they were sent to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. They both survived and made it to British-controlled Palestine in 1946, settling in Kibbutz Beit Keshet and joining the Palmach, a pre-state Zionist militia.

Watchdog plans protest over Center for Jewish History’s hosting of anti-Zionist group

The grass-roots watchdog group JCCWatch.org is planning a protest outside New York City’s Center for Jewish History over an upcoming event in which the museum will give a platform to the anti-Zionist organization Jewish Voice for Peace. The Center for Jewish History is hosting JVP, which supports the BDS movement, during an Oct. 26 event titled “The Balfour Declaration: Support for a Jewish Homeland or Jewish State? Is there a difference?” Protesting the event, JCCWatch.org is organizing an Oct. 18 rally outside the Center for Jewish History, and is running ads in several Jewish newspapers and on commercial radio garnering support for the planned demonstration. “The Center has really hoodwinked many of their board members, and the staff is amenable to have anti-Israel groups come and put forth their positions,” Richard Allen, founder of JC-

Creation

“to teach you there are two worlds: this world and the world-to-come.” Another interpretation: “Because it is the language of ‘blessing’ [since the word beracha means blessing and it begins with a bet]. And why not begin [the Torah] with an alef? Because it is the language of ‘cursing’ [the word aroor is curse and begins with an alef]. And yet another understanding: “The bet is drawn with two little points – one pointing above, the other pointing behind and toward the right. In this way, when someone asks the bet ‘Who made you?’ it points above, and if they ask, ‘What is His name?’ it points toward the alef [which comes prior it in the alef-bet], as if to say, ‘One is His name.’ [Echad – One – begins with the letter alef.] Finally, the rabbis point up that the bet looks like a house and the word for house is “bayit” [very similar to bet – and the word begins with that letter]. It is of the ground, firmly on earth, and part of creation. All this interpretation – all this meaning – and it is only the first letter of Torah. And

Continued from page 6 I have not even shared all that the rabbis had to say about the letter bet! As we begin a new year and walk out of the letter bet into the creation of the world of 5778, may we pause regularly and often to look at the letters of Torah, the words of Torah, the teachings of our tradition, as we join with God in creating the kind of world that God envisioned when God wrote that first letter. Robert Tornberg, Ph.D., is a member of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas. Following a 40-year career as a Jewish educator in which he led both congregational and Jewish day schools, he works as an evaluation consultant at the Office of Professional Research and Development in the School of Education at Syracuse University. He is a past president of the National Association of Temple Educators, a past vice president of the Jewish Educators Assembly and the author of books and articles on Jewish education. He and his wife, Julie, moved to Syracuse almost two years ago to be near their children and grandchildren.

CWatch.org, told JNS.org. “We can only expect this to keep on going and growing,” he said, adding that the Center has become a “hotbed for anti-Israel activity.” The Center for Jewish History is made up of five organizations: the American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. Each organization has a Board of Directors and, as Allen points out, they not be aware of the ties between the Center and JVP.

Israeli defense firm Elbit wins $570 million in contracts in U.S., Asia-Pacific, Africa

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – The Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems announced a series of recently signed deals worth more than $570 million. Haifa-based Elbit develops defense electronic systems and operates in the fields of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance systems, unmanned aircraft systems, electro-optics, signal intelligence, data links, and communications systems and radios. The company announced on Oct. 3 that its U.S.-based subsidiary, Elbit Systems of America, was awarded a $31.5 million contract by the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, a combat support agency in the U.S. Defense Department, to provide the government with aviator night vision imaging system head-up displays. The work will be performed over a two-year period. The statement came on the heels of two other recently announced deals for Elbit. The company signed a $300 million contract to supply command and control systems to a large Asia-Pacific client. Elbit did not name the client. Additionally, Elbit announced it had inked a $240 million contract to provide a wide array of defense electronic systems to an undisclosed African nation.

Netanyahu: Palestinians must recognize Israel, disarm Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct. 3 spoke out against efforts by the rival Palestinian factions Fatah and the Gaza-ruling terror group Hamas to form a unity government. Netanyahu’s statements came as Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah visited Gaza for the first time since 2014, with the Fatah-ruled P.A. and Hamas initiating the first steps in forming joint governance. “We have a very straightforward attitude toward anyone who wants to effect such a reconciliation: recognize the state of Israel, dismantle Hamas’ military wing, sever the relationship with Iran, which calls for our destruction,” said Netanyahu, speaking from the city of Ma’ale Adumim. P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas, in an interview on Oct. 2 with the Egyptian television station CBC, also demanded the disarming of Hamas. Abbas said he would not allow the terror group to keep its weapons and armed brigades if control of Gaza is transferred to the P.A. under the framework of a unity government. “All control needs to be in the hands of the P.A.,” said Abbas. “The organizations in Gaza needs to relinquish their weapons. We want to be one state, with one governing body, with one law and one military body.”

U.K. home secretary refuses ban on London anti-Israel march

British Home Secretary Amber Rudd rejected London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s request to ban the annual anti-Israel Al-Quds Day march in London, which in recent years has become a pro-Hezbollah demonstration. Rudd’s rejection of the London mayor’s request came in a letter penned in early September that was published for the first time the week of Sept. 29 by London’s Jewish Chronicle. “The group that reportedly organized the parade, the Islamic Human Rights Commission, is not a proscribed terrorist organization,” wrote Rudd. “This means they can express their views and demonstrate, provided that they do so within the law. ...The flag for the [Hezbollah] organization’s military wing is the same as the flag for its political wing,” said Rudd. Therefore, in order for displaying Hezbollah flags to be considered a terror offense under British law, the “manner in which the flag is displayed” must specifically “demonstrate” that it supports the group’s military wing, she said. Khan faced criticism in June over his hesitation to support designating all of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, following the presence of Hezbollah flags at this year’s Al-Quds Day march. He later changed his position and called on the home secretary to blacklist the Lebanese group. The U.S., The Netherlands, France and Canada all designate Hezbollah – in its entirety – as a terrorist organization. But the U.K., like many other European nations, only considers Hezbollah’s “military wing” to be a terror group.

Sea of Galilee approaches lowest-ever recorded water level

Israel’s Water Authority recently warned that the country’s largest freshwater lake, the Sea of Galilee (or Kinneret), is critically low and in danger of reaching its “lowest [water] level ever recorded.” The Sea of Galilee is currently 703 feet below sea level, just a few feet above the historic low of 705 below sea level measured in 2001 – beneath the water source’s so-called “black line.” When water levels in the Kinneret cross below the black line, severe ecological complications can irreversibly contaminate the water and disrupt the lake’s fragile ecosystem. The situation in the Kinneret has deteriorated in recent years, as Israel’s north faces an ongoing drought. Israel has substantially invested in water conservation, reclamation and desalination technology, allowing the Jewish state to significantly reduce its use of water from the Sea of Galilee. Nevertheless, the lack of water flow into the lake has led to deep concern over its vitality, as the drop in water levels causes the salinity of the lake to rise, threatening marine life.

Alumni

Like other alumni, Blumenthal values the friendships he made at the day school. “I met some of my closest friends at SHDS. When I transitioned to middle school, I was initially worried because the middle school seemed daunting. However, my friends from SHDS made the social transition easier, and I was already well prepared academically. I was even ahead of some of my new classmates in many subjects! I am still close friends with many of my classmates from SHDS and I know that we will remain friendly even as we grow older.” He recognizes that the school’s size gave its students leadership opportunities. “When I was in sixth grade, I was the vice president of student council. I was able to provide ideas for activities and changes, which would make the school even better. One of my ideas was a baseball game fund-raiser for all the students. My friend and I got to

Continued from page 6 be team captains and organize the game. In addition, we sold lemonade and snacks to players and students who watched. Not only did we have a fun time playing baseball, but we also raised money for tzedakah. This was the best activity I did at SHDS and is a snapshot of my time at the day school. I became a leader, helped improve the community and had lots of fun doing it.” Blumenthal said he would “highly recommend” SHDS to any family, saying, “The bonds I made with my classmates have held strong because we were able to form true connections in our classroom. The small class sizes allow for customized education for every student, and I felt well prepared and even ahead of my classmates when I arrived in middle school. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at SHDS and would encourage students and their families to participate in the community it creates.”