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25 TISHREI 5777 • OCTOBER 27, 2016 • VOLUME XXXVII, NUMBER 21 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY

“Art Days at the J” coming to the JCC November 13-14

BY WILLIAM WALLAK Syracusans will have the opportunity to start their holiday shopping at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse’s “Art Days at the J,” an arts and crafts show featuring Israeli art and jewelry, local artists and vendors, and hands-on workshops. The show will be held on Sunday, November 13, from 10 am-5 pm, and on Monday, November 14, from 8 am-8 pm, at the JCC, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. Admission to the show will be free and open to the public. There will be a nominal fee to attend the workshops.

Israeli art and jewelry will be showcased by Moshe Bar Kochva, an Israeli jewelry designer said to be one of Israel’s “most prominent and well-known” artists.

He will bring a selection of items for sale

from more than 45 Israeli artists, featuring artwork, jewelry, glass pieces, sculptures and more.

Three workshops will be offered on November 13. “Crocheting 101” will be held at 10 am, with “Drumming Circles” presented by Syracuse Jewish Family Service at 12:45 pm and “Mezuzah Making” at 2:30 pm. Discounted pre-sale tickets for Drumming are available by calling Jewish Family Service at 4469111, ext. 234. Registration for “Crocheting 101” and “Mezuzah Making” is recommended by calling the JCC of Syracuse at 445-2360.

“We’re very pleased to have Bar Kochva come back to the JCC and headline another arts and crafts show for us,” said Marci Erlebacher, JCC executive director.

“The quality and variety of the Israeli items

Moshe Bar Kochva, an Israeli jewelry designer who is said to be one of Israel’s “most prominent and well-known” artists, will present the work of more than 45 Israeli artists at “Art Days at the J” at the at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center Syracuse from Sunday-Monday, November 13-14.

that he represents is stunning, and it will be a real treat to have such hand-crafted items available again here in our community.”

Among the items that Kochva will bring to “Art Days at the J” will be original paintings and serigraphs, tallitot, kippot, gold and silver jewelry, glass Judaica, wood and precious metal items, sculptures and ceramics. Items available from the show’s local vendors will include crafts, jewelry and clothing.

“Art Days at the J” will be presented by the JCC and is being organized by the JCC’s PJ Library® Coordinator Carolyn Weinberg, with support from community volunteers Orit Antosh and Nurit Nussbaum.

For more information about “Art Days at the J,” contact the JCC at 445-2360 or visit www.jccsyr.org.

“People and Places of the Syracuse Jewish Community” – an interview with producer Jay M. Lurie

BY ROBIN A. MELTZER The Jewish Federation of Central New York and the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse will present a free communitywide screening of Jay M. Lurie’s documentary, “People and Places of the Syracuse Jewish Community,” on Sunday, October 30, from 2-4:30 pm, at the JCC. “People and Places” is a presentation of the Judaic Heritage Center of Central New York. The video is the culmination of a two-year project by Lurie. As in his first video, he explores the stories of the Syracuse Jewish community.

Through interviews, he presents stories of the people and families who helped Syracuse and its Jewish community “grow and prosper.” Included in the video is one of the last interviews with basketball star Dolph Schayes. Lurie, the producer of “People and Places,” has roots in the Syracuse Jewish community going back to the 1860s. In 2014, he was funded by a grant from the Judaic Heritage Center to produce the film, “Stories of the Syracuse Jewish Community,” documenting events from the 1830s through World War II. Following the success of “Stories,” the Judaic Heritage Center commissioned Lurie to produce “People and Places,” focusing on “outstanding individuals” from the Syracuse Jewish community. Robin Meltzer, who did some of the historical research for “People and Places,” and co-administrates the Jewish Community of the 15th Ward, Syracuse, NY group on Facebook, recently interviewed Lurie about the making of “People and Places.”

Q: How did “People and Places” get started?

A: At the screening of the first film, “Stories from the Syracuse Jewish Community,” just about two years ago, Howard

In a photo taken in March 2015, Jay Lurie (right) posed with Dolph Schayes, before Schayes became ill and passed away in December.

Port and Mike Moss of the Judaic Heritage Center, which funded “Stories,” asked me to do another film. I had to really think hard about starting all over again. It was like climbing to the top of the mountain, feeling really good for two minutes, then starting all over again. But it was well worth the time and I’m glad I did it.

Moss had mentioned to me before that he had an idea for another project focusing on the business community. So at the screening, Howard Port asked me if I was interested in documenting the history of Syracuse Jewish-owned businesses. I thought that was interesting, but I didn’t think it would be enough to fill up an entire film. So I expanded it to include the achievements of Syracuse Jews in many fields: law, politics, theater, sports.

It was also a good opportunity to go into depth a little more on some topics that were only briefly mentioned in the first

film, such as when most of the Jewish community moved to the eastern suburbs, particularly the Fayette-Croly area, which has a profound history for people of our era. A lot of us went to school and grew up in that area.

Sometimes faith has its own currency. I am very grateful to Mike Moss and Howard Port of the Judaic Heritage Center, and the Jewish Federation of Central New York President/CEO Linda Alexander, for believing in me – that I could put together a community documentary not once, but twice.

Q: What was different about making “People and Places” as opposed to “Stories,” telling the story of your own era versus portraying events that occurred more than a century ago?

A: The first film, “Stories,” dealt a great deal with the 15th Ward experience, congregational histories and World War II. In a sense, there was a broader appeal.

Because “People and Places” is not so much documenting the community history but documenting parts of the community, it may not have that universal appeal, but there are individual items that people will relate to. “People and Places” follows the Syracuse Jewish community from the post-war era to the eastward expansion, all the way to the present.

The individuals who were interviewed for “People and Places” knew the people who are featured, people such as Dolph Schayes and Lucille Markson. Those direct experiences, and personal memo-

ries, will have a bigger personal impact and have greater meaning on people who see the film.

Q: Filming “People and Places” took you all the way to Florida. That must have been quite a trip!

A: The Florida trip was when the project was just starting. I thought it was important to include those people, because although they live in Florida, they are still emotionally invested in the Syracuse Jewish community. As the project developed, I was later able to utilize interviews taken down there. It’s like making a sketch. And as you work along, the sketch becomes more defined.

The Florida segment would not have been possible without Bert Maloff. He gathered about 15 former Syracusans and organized that for me. I’m very thankful to him. He was really nice. The key element of that was a meeting of three nice ladies, Harlene Kanthor Gilels, Beverly Cooper Silvers and Marilyn Kamp. I went over to Harlene’s on a Monday, first stopping to buy a lot of Jewish-baked goods. That was a very enjoyable afternoon, watching three longtime friends reminisce about Jewish life in Syracuse.

Q: What were some of the high points for you in making “People and Places”?

A: The Snowflake Bakery section with the Zieglers was a high point. Like everyone else, I loved that place. To document what that bakery meant to people was really important, because, who didn’t go See “Lurie” on page 6

C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A October 28...............5:43 pm....................................................... Parasha-Bereshit November 4.............5:34 pm..........................................................Parasha-Noach November 11...........4:26 pm.................................................. Parasha-Lech-Lecha

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Breast cancer research

Diversity lesson

UNESCO uproar

Hadassah Medic al Cent er As Germany looks to Israel on how A UNESCO resolution ignores any continues its leading-edge re- to cope with terror, some say it Jewish or Christian ties to the search in breast cancer detection. should look at how Israelis coexist. Temple Mount and Kotel complex.

Story on page 7 Story on page 2 Stories on page 11

PLUS Congregational Notes............ 4 Wedding Planning...............6-8 Calendar Highlights............. 10 Obituaries................................11

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 27, 2016/25 TISHREI 5777

Hadassah continues leading-edge research in breast cancer detection

1 in 40 for Ashkenazi women,

BY ROBERT GLUCK compared to 1 in 100 for the JNS.org rest of the population.

One of the leaders in the fight Following this discovery, against breast cancer is said to be Hadassah Medical Organization Dr. Tamar Peretz Yablonski, the developed a simpler blood test daughter of a Holocaust survivor, to detect the presence of these whose tenacity and determination genes, the organization reported. to find a cure is said to inspire her Hadassah’s findings have and countless others. had a major impact on breast “My parents always taught cancer management, according me to fight, to look on the bright side,” Yablonski, director of Dr. Tamar Peretz to Yablonski. “We now know Hadassah Medical Center’s Yablonski (Photo this mutation in the BRCA gene Sharett Institute of Oncology by Renee Young, predisposes to the development, not only of breast cancer, but Hadassah) in Israel, told JNS.org. also to the development of ovarAs Hadassah continues its ian, colon, pancreatic, prostate in males research work in finding a cure, the orand other diseases,” she said. ganization is celebrating 20 years since Genetic testing has potentially saved its researchers discovered that the risk of carrying the BRCA1 gene mutation – the lives of an untold number of women which is tied to increased cancer risk – is whose examples are often highlighted in

news accounts, such as Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, who in 2013 touted the benefits of genetic testing and surgery to prevent hereditary breast cancer.

POTENTIALLY LIFE SAVING Breast cancer survivor Maxx Schube, who lives in Atlanta, GA, and her two grown daughters, Rochelle and Alana, all tested positive for the BRCA genetic mutation, which helped them individually decide their best course of action.

“After my sister’s death from ovarian cancer and my breast cancer diagnosis, my doctors suggested I undergo genetic testing,” Schube said. “I tested positive for the BRCA1 mutation. With the knowledge acquired from BRCA genetic research, we realized I could have passed it on to my children. So, when they were in their 20s, it was suggested each one be tested.

Both daughters tested BRCA1 positive;

Maxx Schube (center) with her daughters Rochelle (left) and Alana. (Photo by Renee Young, Hadassah) my son was spared. Hadassah developed the blood test that can detect if a healthy woman carries the BRCA mutation. When See “Hadassah” on page 12

A MATTER OF OPINION What challenges do you see for our strong financial and other support to Israel?

Democrat Colleen Deacon is running for election in New York’s 24th Congressional District.

Israel and the United States have a strong and historical alliance based in our mutual belief in democratic values and our shared interest in creating an enduring peace in the Middle East. Our strong relationship and closer partnership is important to the security of both countries, and as a member of Congress, I will fight every day to ensure that our close and multifaceted relationship remains strong.

A key aspect of the U.S./Israeli relationship has been working toward a lasting peace, and we must continue to act as leaders in this diplomatic peace progress.

The United States must also continue its strong military cooperation with Israel, supporting cutting edge technology and foreign aid to the region.

Finally, we must combat the recent rise of antisemitism, both domestically and internationally. In Congress, I will be vigilant to address this issue and ensure that the words “never again” will not lose their meaning.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Shofar reminded patients they are part of the community To the Editor: “Sound the great shofar for our freedom.” That statement appears in the daily prayers, as well as in the Rosh Hashanah Musaf service. There is no more dramatic symbol of hope for the time when the Jewish people will be gathered by God from the four corners of the earth and brought to the land that God promised to our ancestors and to us. The shofar notes connect us to the Almighty and to our people’s past and future. The notes of the shofar embody our pleas and our hopes for a better tomorrow. We believe that the shofar will be sounded at the end of history, when a time of peace and well-being are about to descend on the world.

When Rabbi Mendel Rapoport sounded the shofar on Rosh Hashanah for patients at Crouse Hospital and Upstate University Hospital, the musical notes brought hope

to those who heard them. Away from familiar surroundings, separated from community on holy days, patients were reminded that they are part of our community. On their behalf, I express gratitude to Rabbi Mendel Rapoport and to Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Central New York, for making this possible. I also thank Reverend Kate Day, managing chaplain at Crouse; Reverend Terry Culbertson, Department of Spiritual Care manager at Upstate; and Reverend Virginia Lawson, chaplain at Upstate; for facilitating these visits.

Best wishes to all for a good and sweet year, a year of health, healing, connection and hope.

Rabbi Irvin S. Beigel, Jewish staff chaplain, Crouse Hospital, and associate chaplain, Upstate University Hospital

CORRECTION

The origin of Tikvah House

In the October 1 issue of the Jewish Observer, an article about Tikvah House, a Jewish residence for women with special needs, omitted some information about the creation of the residence.

The home’s foundation occurred through “the vision and will of very dedicated people,” including Sally Ullman and Sybil Nord, as well as the leadership of the board of Jewish Family Service throughout more than 10 years. In conjunction with Menorah Park, JFS spearheaded the idea and then brought it to fruition. Federation has been called “generous” and is said to provide “vital support that is deeply appreciated.” Menorah Park has been credited as the organization that makes the day-today operation of Tikvah House possible, “without which the house could not exist.”

It was through the efforts of JFS and Menorah Park that the foundation was laid for the house’s creation.

Republican Representative John Katko is running for re-election in New York’s 24th Congressional District.

Israel has remained a steadfast ally of the United States for almost 70 years. Since the founding of the Jewish state, America and Israel have worked closely to build the strongest sustained democracy in the region. However, budgetary restrictions and the Iran Nuclear Deal present significant challenges.

Since being elected to Congress, I have remained committed to supporting Israel and building our unique bilateral relationship. I have supported reauthorizing the expiring military memorandum of understanding between the United States and Israel, providing additional resources for military cooperation and assistance, and the U.S.-Israel Energy Coopera-

of Central New York

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tion Agreement.

However, sequestration and budget cuts jeopardize the continuity of our foreign assistance. Sequestration cuts limit flexibility in how we spend money and risk the regression of diplomatic ties.

Finally, ineffective leadership has allowed one of the greatest state-sponsors of terrorism to continue its ballistic missile program, receive between $100-150 billion in previously frozen assets, and keep roughly 6,000 centrifuges to continue its nuclear program.

The Iran Deal allows Iran to continue its pursuit of a robust nuclear program that jeopardizes the safety of Americans and Israelis alike. Congressional allies of Israel must continue to oppose this deal and seek sound policy in the next administration.

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AROUND CENTRAL NEW YORK Jessica Lawrence is the new Jewish Federation of Central New York campaign associate

BY BETTE SIEGEL When long-term Jewish Federation of Central New York campaign associate Marianne Bazydlo told Federation President/CEO Linda Alexander that she would be leaving the position she had held for almost nine years for a different position in the fund-raising world, Alexander expressed her regret at seeing Bazydlo leave, as she was considered “an integral part” of Federation’s Annual Campaign. She started looking immediately for a replacement and found one in Jessica Lawrence.

Lawrence, Federation’s new campaign associate, has lived in Central New York since 2008, but she is originally from Canton. She attended St. Lawrence University and then moved to Boston. She came to the Central New York area via New Hampshire, and has been here since.

After graduating from SLU, she discovered that she loved working in the nonprofit world, specifically in

planning events. She has always considered As Federation is a new business model for herself as “quite a people person,” and said her, she hopes she will learn a lot about the she loves connecting with people. When she non-profit world and fund-raising in particular. first moved to Central New York, she accepted She said, “I had heard such great things about a job with the Foundation at Menorah Park.

Linda [Alexander] and Linda’s fund-raising From there, she transitioned into the health background showed how hard she works at care side of the business world, and ultimately her job. I am very excited to see how she moved to Loretto, where she did marketing builds relationships and secures monies for for the Coyne Heritage. She stayed there for the community as a whole.” more than six years, and returned to events and Lawrence has only been on the job for a fund-raising because she missed connecting Jessica Lawrence couple of weeks, and yet, she has discovered with people at that level. “how welcoming everyone is.” When she first Lawrence thinks that of all of the things she brings to came to the office, she was “nervous,” but she reportedly the position, the fact that she is “most definitely a people felt much better after the first day. She said, “Change is person” is the most important. She said she loves con- scary. Thankfully, I work in a great and supportive office necting with others and “really tries to make a positive where everyone helps each other.”

Alexander said, “We were very lucky to fill Marianne difference in everything” she does.

[Bazydlo]’s position with someone as qualified as Jessica. I’m sure she’ll fit in and has already hit the ground running. She will be a great addition to our team.”

Children give their piggy bank pennies to Menorah Park

BY JUDY SCHMID In its 104 years, Menorah Park has always depended on the generosity of the community that reveals itself in volunteer time, donated goods and services, and cash contributions. At Menorah Park, every penny has always counted and been appreciated by the employees and the residents.

A small suggested contribution in October is part of that tradition. After visiting a loved one, one family’s young children insisted their parents open their piggy banks to make a contribution. The family wished to remain anonymous.

“This amazing generosity has touched our hearts,” said Susie Drazen, director of development at Menorah Park. “The kindness of these children has simply taken my breath away – it was all they had saved.

“While Menorah Park seeks grants and donations through a number of fund-raisers during the year, this one small yet mighty contribution has truly made a difference and is reminiscent of how the Jewish Home started – pennies and nickels pooled to serve a great need. Menorah Park wishes to thank those children and that family for their generosity,” Drazen added.

For more information, contact Drazen at 446-9111, ext. 141.

Women Transcending Boundaries celebrates its 15th anniversary

BY BETTY LAMB Women Transcending Boundaries is an egalitarian community of women from different faith and cultural traditions, which started in Syracuse after 9/11. Through programs, events and social interactions, WTB has served the Central New York community for 15 years.

S E N I L D A E D Deadlines for all articles and photos for the Jewish Observer are as follows. No exceptions will be made.

DEADLINE

ISSUE

Wednesday, October 26............November 10 Wednesday, November 9..........November 24 Tuesday, November 22, early.... December 5 Wednesday, December 21.............. Janaury 5

THE JCC, CONG. BETH SHOLOM & TEMPLE CONCORD, GLADLY ACCEPT DONATED VEHICLES THRU C*A*R*S (a locally owned Manlius company) “giving to your own” (it’s what you do best)

MIKE LESSEN 256-6167 donatecars@twcny.rr.com Charitable Auto Resource Service In our 12th year of enriching the religious sector

WTB is celebrating its 15 years with a 15 anniversary international dinner on Sunday, November 6, at 5:30 pm, at Temple Concord, 910 Madison St., Syracuse. The organization is said to be known in the community for its international dinners. The anniversary dinner will be an international dinner th

See “Women” on page 10

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center senior dining menu OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 4 Monday – teriyaki crispy baked chicken wings Tuesday – sweet and sour meatballs Wednesday – chicken fried rice Thursday – cheese quiche Friday – fresh salmon with dill NOVEMBER 7-11 Monday – Hawaiian chicken over rice Tuesday – vegetable soup and turkey sandwich Wednesday – hamburger Thursday – fettuccine Alfredo Friday – apricot-glazed Cornish hen The Bobbi Epstein Lewis JCC Senior Adult Dining

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

104, or cstein@jccsyr.org.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 27, 2016/25 TISHREI 5777

CONGREGATIONAL NOTES Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas CBS-CS HAZAK PRESENTS “GROWING UP IN LONDON DURING WORLD WAR II” Joan Burstyn will speak about her experiences growing up in London during World War II on Sunday, November 13, at 2 pm, at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas.

Within 48 hours of Hitler’s invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, Britain and France, both allies of Poland, declared war on Germany. Listening on the radio to that declaration of war was 10-yearold Joan Jacobs, now Joan Burstyn. Her family was on holiday at the seaside. They quickly returned home, to the northwest of London, where they continued to live for the six years that the war continued.

In her presentation, Burstyn will use photos from her own collection and from newspapers, as sound recordings and comments from the diaries she kept as a teenager. The two periods she will focus on are 1940, including the fall of France and the resulting London Blitz, and from 1944-45, when the Allies opened the Second Front in Europe and eventually made public the horrors of the German concentration camps.

Burstyn experienced war as a civilian, experiencing neither the comradeship of serving in the military nor “the valor of combat.” She learned that war meant devastation, sleepless nights at home, day-time lessons in the school shelters, and rationing for food, clothing and the amount of candy she was allowed to buy.

Refreshments will be served at 2 pm, followed by a brief meeting at 2:15 pm and then the program. The event will be free and open to the community. For more information, contact CBS-CS at 446-9570 or office@cbscs.org.

CREATING CARING COMMUNITIES THROUGH BIKKUR CHOLIM Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra

Shas Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone will hold a monthly workshop on bikkur cholim, taking care of the ill, and how to actively take part in spiritually caring for others.

The first session will be held on Wednesday, November 9, at 7:30 pm.

The support of trained volunteers is considered “an invaluable resource” for the community. Organizers hope that participants in the series will be rewarded with “an opportunity to learn, give back to the community and receive spiritual nourishment through the transformative experience of actively engaging with this mitzvah.”

For a list of dates or other information about the series, contact 446-9570 or office@cbscs.org.

RUMMAGE SALE The CBS-CS Sisterhood will hold its semi-annual rummage sale from Sunday-Monday, November 6-7, from 10 am-4 pm, with a bag sale from 3-4 pm on Sunday and all day on Monday. Proceeds from the sale help support scholarships for Jewish summer camping experiences, gifts for b’nai mitzvah students and synagogue needs not in the regular budget.

Items for sale can be dropped off between 9 am-4 pm Tuesday-Friday starting on Tuesday, November 1, as well as on Thursday, November 3, from 7-9:30 pm, and Saturday, November 5, after 6:30 pm.

The rummage sale will feature fall and winter clothing, and various items for sale.

There will be various books of interest to the general public.

CBS-CS also collects toiletries for Vera House and Operation Soap Dish, which collects toiletries and household products for clients of St. Lucy’s Food Pantry. These items can be dropped off at CBS-CS during the above hours.

For more information, contact Steffi Bergman at 632-4905, 243-4009 or steffibergman@gmail.com.

Temple Adath Yeshurun

Temple Concord TEMPLE CONCORD SCHOLAR SERIES TO EXAMINE NAZI WAR CRIMINALS

BY CHANA MEIR Psychiatrist and author Joel Dimsdale will discuss his most recent book, “Anatomy of Malice: The Enigma of Nazi War Criminals,” as part of Temple Concord’s Scholar Series on Sunday, November 13, at 11 am.

During the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, psychiatrist Douglas Kelley and psychologist Gustave Gilbert used Rorschach tests, IQ tests and psychiatric interviews to conduct an examination of Nazi leaders. The study was unprecedented in its scope. At its completion, the two doctors were said to be “at odds,” asking whether the men were psychopaths, as Gilbert concluded, or flawed but ordinary men who had been shaped by extraordinary circumstances, as Kelley thought?

Drawing on his psychiatric experience and advances in psychiatry and neuroscience since the 1940s, Dimsdale examines in detail four of the war criminals, including Herman Goering and Rudolf Hess.

His findings pose the question, are there parallels between today’s mass killers and those of 1945?

Dimsdale, the author of more than 500 publications, has been a consultant to the President’s Commission on Mental Health, the NIH and NASA. He is a distinguished professor emeritus and research professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and lives in San Diego, CA.

Scholar Series events are free and open to the public. Donations are welcome.

For more information, contact Temple Concord at 475-9952 or office@templeconcord.org.

CINEMAGOGUE PRESENTS A THRILLER

BY CHANA MEIR Temple Concord’s Cinemagogue Series will present “24 Days” on Saturday, November 12, at 7 pm.

In January 2006, 23-year-old Ilan Halimi, a French Jew of Moroccan descent, left his mother’s home after Shabbat dinner to meet a young woman at a Paris café. He had met “Emma” that day, when she flirted with him at the cell-phone shop where he worked as a salesman. What he didn’t know was that he’d been set up – his date led him to a Paris suburb, where a group who called themselves “The Gang of Barbarians” kidnapped and tortured the young man while demanding ransom from his family.

The film “24 Days” is the story of the search, involving 400 police officers, to find and rescue Halimi. Based on the 2009 memoir by his mother, Ruth Halimi, the film is an exploration of the different perspectives on the case: was the kidnapping financially motivated, as the police insisted, or was it an antisemitic hate crime, as Ruth suspected?

Cinemagogue events are free and open to the public. Donations are welcome.

For more information, contact Temple Concord at 475-9952 or office@templeconcord.org.

Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation SHAAREI TORAH PRESENTS TALK ON SECURITY The monthly Sunday speaker series at Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse, to be held on October 30, will feature a talk by a DeWitt Police Department officer on “Police Security Policies for Houses of Worship.” The presentation will be geared toward community members concerned about domestic terrorism, which is said to pose potential dangers for the Jewish community. Part of the presentation is expected to relate to the

relationships that the Jewish Federation of Central New York has forged with local and regional police departments, and existing and future measures designed to keep the community safe.

The breakfast will be held at STOCS, 4313 E. Genesee St., DeWitt, starting at 9 am, with the talk scheduled to start at 9:30 am. There will be no charge, but attendees should make a reservation, which can be made by contacting the synagogue at 446-6194 or at info@ stocsyracuse.org.

Chabad

First grade students made decorations for the sukkah at Temple Adath Yeshurun.

Clockwise from the bottom of the picture: Andrew Packard, Tyler Wladis, Jordynn Shapiro, teacher Rachel Soci, Lilah Levy, Sam Sevak and Jocelyn Stadin.

At right: At the Schine Student Center at Syracuse University, students had an opportunity to make their own shofar. SU s o p h o m o re E m i l y Griffith sawed a ram’s horn under Rabbi Rapoport’s supervision.

(Photo by Shira Stoll)

Your ad SHould be here!

To advertise, call us at (315)445-2040, ext. 188 or jewishobserversyr@gmail.com Chabad Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport and Syracuse Hebrew Day School sixth grade students participated in making their own shofar.

See “Yoga” on page 10

Syracuse Jewish Family Service drew more than 20 participants on October 18 to Empowerment Drumming for Health and Wellness with Jimbo Talbot, to begin Family Time with the Family Service. For more information about future events, call 446-9111, ext. 234, or visit Syracuse Jewish Family Service on Facebook or on the web at www.sjfs.org.

“Drumming as a recreational, social and musical expression requires no particular skill sets or training, save for a few simple pre-requisites,” said Jimbo Talbot, of DrumQuest. “You must have a heartbeat and be breathing; in other words, you must show evidence of life.”

He explained, “Awilling (open-hearted) mind determines your level of enjoyment or fulfillment. Drumming elicits parasympathetic responses to sympathetic variables in the body. In other words, whatever you bring to a drum circle (e.g. physical/emotional strain/stress/pain) responds to the effects drumming in a group setting. Energy blockages (at a cellular level) begin to release and move through the body. The resultant effect includes mood changes or altered emotional states. These, in turn, affect the body’s physical functioning. Laughter, tears and overall sense of happiness or well-being are common for those who apply themselves.”

He added, “Group cohesion or connection is possible by allowing personal transformation to be shared with others.

In turn, it is necessary to receive others’ transformative experience in allowing their expressions to be felt in completing the circuit. The more willing one is to seek the best possible outcome for everyone in the circle, the greater satisfaction an individual can achieve.”

JCC seniors celebrate Rosh Hashanah

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BY DEBORAH ELLIS Syracuse Jewish Family Service will continues its Fall 2016 “Family Time with the Family Service” series with a second session of “Yoga for the Family,” to be held on Sunday, October 30, at 12:45 pm, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. JCC yoga instructor Linda Santanam will facilitate the session with a goal of making it inclusive of a large range of ages and experiences.

At the first yoga session on October 9, her approach appeared to resonate with the participants. SJFS Director Judith Huober said, “As someone who has only tried out yoga a few times in my life, and never really ‘took’ to it, I really appreciated the easy flow that allowed my own inner critic to recede and let me get a bit of a workout along with a bit of emotional and physical relaxation. I’ll definitely be back on October 30 and November 20 to learn and do some more.”

The series will recap the painting opportunity with facilitator Barbara Baum on Sunday, November 6; the third drumming circle with Jimbo Talbot will be on November 13; yoga will be held on November 20; painting will be held on December 4; and there will be a finale on December 11 with an art exhibit, yoga and drumming, which will be free to the community.

The series, which began on September 18, aims “to nourish the spirit and senses,” according to Huober, as well as build community. Events are pitched to individuals and families, and people across most of the life span. Community members have been invited to come on their own, with a friend or with the whole family.

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Lurie

Continued from page 1

to Snowflake? And who didn’t get a birthday cake with chocolate diamonds?

Interviewing Dolph Schayes was also a high point, because he also touched many, many people, and was loved and idolized by everyone.

I also really liked the “stuff” on B.G. Rudolph, who in 1970 authored the well-known book “From A Minyan to a Community: A History of the Jews of Syracuse.”

Ron Rudolph gave a very insightful interview into what B.G. was like, and why he undertook writing the book.

Ron had some very good materials.

Because I went to Onondaga Community College – I was there in the early 1970s – it was important to document that as well. That was one of the things that Mike Moss and Howard Port wanted, to document the individuals who had their names on buildings in the area. Al Gordon (of the Al Gordon Student Center at OCC) was one of those people and Ephraim Shapiro had a founding role.

I think to see what someone like Lionel Grossman did in the community is amazing. I don’t think people realize what an impact he has in Syracuse. He’s responsible for starting the Syracuse Cerebral Palsy Clinic,

which became Enable of Central New York and its present-day AccessCNY. He was so ingenious in working with all facets of the Central New York community to get all aspects of what he needed to get done, to build that center. That’s another section, where people might know AccessCNY exists, but not its history or how it is connected to the Jewish community. It is important to document that.

A very important aspect to making “People and Places” was the support and assistance of the Onondaga Historical Association. There are sections in the film that would not exist without their materials. In the section on Lionel Grossman, almost every image is from OHA’s collection.

While researching at the OHA, I came across these huge ads for Wilson’s Jewelers from the 1930s that ended up in “People and Places.” A lot of the OHA’s material shows up in this piece and I am very, very grateful that they allowed me such access.

The LaFayette Hills Country Club was extremely important to a good segment of the Syracuse Jewish community. For me, that was also a highpoint because there was no material. I don’t know if it was because it was lost in the very bad fire they had, but

I couldn’t do “People and Places” and not cover the LaFayette Country Club. It was really the last week I was shooting that I was able to get hold of Brad Blair, the former business director at LaFayette, who had the mother lode of material. That was a huge find.

Not only did he have photographs, but he also had a videotape from an event at the club. That was a very important segment for me.

In making “People and Places,” I contacted former Syracusans all over the country who form a much wider network of people than in “Stories.” I thought that was neat. People were e-mailing me photographs from everywhere, from San Francisco.

Q: What do you hope the community will take away from “People and Places”?

A: I hope they will have a greater appreciation for all the achievements the Jews of Syracuse have made in so many fields – individuals such as Dolph Schayes, Lucille Markson, Lionel Grossman and many others.

Syracuse Jews impacted not only the Jewish community, but the entire community. “People and Places” is a way of documenting those achievements so they will never be forgotten.

A big fat Israeli wedding

BY ELIANA RUDEE JNS.org If you think your Jewish reunions are big, try a gathering with two Jewish families put together, plus friends from nearly every continent. And, with the amount of food served – think life-cycle Jewish event run by Yiddishe Mommes – everyone is bound to come out fat.

My good friend from ulpan (Hebrew language immersion school) made aliyah to Israel to begin his life with his fiancé, whom he met in his home country of Australia when she was a shlicha (Israeli emissary). He was engaged during the five months of ulpan when I got to know him; the bride-to-be came to ulpan many times for Shabbat and to hang out, quickly becoming friends with all of the ulpaners. During that time, in class with the groom-to-be, I got an insider’s view of the wedding planning. Our class heard when the venue was chosen, the band was hired and the details were filled in.

When the wedding approached, our invitation was hand-delivered by the couple. I kept the invitation on my desk, along with the invitation to the wedding of one of my best friends, scheduled for this coming summer. Of course, the invitation for the Israeli wedding came a couple of weeks before the event and the American wedding invitation came over nine months in advance.

This wedding was uniquely shi, dairy-free pizza, soup and the special as it was the first Jewish much-anticipated open bar. At trawedding I have been to in quite ditional Jewish weddings, the bride some time and it was just outside (kallah) and groom (chatan) fast of Jerusalem! For Jews, a wedding from sundown until the marriage is one of the most important and ceremony is over – symbolizing sacred life cycle events, along a personal Yom Kippur in which with the birth and brit milah/baby past transgressions are forgiven, and the bride and groom emerge naming, bar/bat mitzvah, and… as a united soul. After noshing and well… death. schmoozing for a while, the bride My friends and I arranged for came out and sat on a throne-like a van to take us from Jerusalem structure where the guests greeted and back. We all gathered at the her. The groom stood nearby and meeting spot, had a little reunion (many of us haven’t seen each JNS.org columnist Eliana Rudee and Chris greeted guests separately.

Then, the groom and the other since ulpan ended and some Goldenbaum were pictured on a photo magnet had just gotten back from traveling keepsake from the recent wedding of Rudee’s couple’s families gathered around through Europe). We chipped in friend from ulpan. (Photo courtesy of Eliana the bride and placed the wedding veil over her face, symbolizing the for a wedding check, signed the Rudee) groom’s duty to clothe and procard and got on our merry way.

As we entered the venue, we were greeted by name tags, tect his wife, as well as Rebecca covering her face before which spelled our names hilariously wrong. Even with marrying Isaac. This part of the ceremony was amazing easy names like “Chris,” you can’t expect much out of – the couple beamed at each other and the guests could Hebrew-speakers trying to spell names in English. see their love so incredibly clearly. They both teared up A great kosher smorgasbord awaited, with meats, lox, su- and so did the guests.

Everyone made their way toward the chuppah, the open canopy that symbolizes the home they will build together.

The bride followed the groom toward the chuppah and the rabbi recited some prayers over wine. The groom gave the bride the ring and the witnesses signed the ketubah, the Jewish marriage contract. Family members then came to bless the couple over a second glass of wine. The groom broke a glass to symbolize the destruction of the Jewish Temple and everyone cheered.

The couple disappeared to the yichud room to break their fast and signify their new status as a married couple. The guests sat down to eat (ok, feast) with appetizers, a first course of chicken or fish, a main course and dessert. In between courses, a mechitzah (barrier between men and women) came out on the dance floor and ever yone danced. As in most weddings, the mechitzah usually comes down and ever yone dances together after a few drinks.

Popular take-home goodies for guests at Israeli weddings are “benchers” (pamphlets imprinted with the Hebrew grace after the meal), as well as magnets with photos on them See “Israeli” on page 8

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JEWISH OBSERVER

Could Germany learn from Israel’s diversity?

BY ORIT ARFA JNS.org With a spate of ISIS-inspired “lone wolf” terrorist attacks that shocked Germany this summer, German media analysts are increasingly looking to Israel as an example of how to cope with the threat of terror.

At its annual “Natürlich for Israel” (Naturally for Israel) conference, the historic German branch of the Jewish National Fund, Keren Kayemet Le’Israel, hoped to showcase a side of Israel said to be often overlooked by pundits as Germany discusses coexistence. The group hosted a panel discussion during the conference, which symbolically took place on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. The participants, numbering about 1,000, stood for a minute of silence to commemorate the victims. It also celebrated the 115th anniversary of the JNF-KKL, founded in 1901 to purchase land in what was then Palestine for Jewish settlement and development.

“We’ve been working on this already for over a year and we’re thinking we have to show Germany that, in Israel, we live with coexistence, that we all live as people together in harmony and we try to make a better life for everyone in this region,” Sarah Singer, president of

JNF-KKL, told JNS.org.

Outside of Cologne’s Flora event center where the conference was held, a few dozen protestors waved Palestinian flags and handed out flyers accusing JNF-KKL of Palestinian land theft. Singer declined to respond, but, in the spirit of the Congress, she struck a conciliatory tone. “I don’t respond to them because this is the never-ending story,” she said. “I stay positive. If we have some positivity, we could work together.”

One of the event’s keynote speakers, Dr. Masad Barhoum, a Christian Arab and CEO of the Galilee Medical Center, told of the hospital’s racial and religious diversity, “representative of life in the Galilee.” That’s where he lives with his physician wife, who runs her own clinic. Israel’s Arab citizens make up about 20 percent of the country’s population.

“This amazing diversity is reflected in the staff the medical center,” he said, after showing a picture of four sets of twins born on the same day, each to parents of different religions: Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze.

The hospital cared for about half of the 2,200 wounded Syrians the Israeli government allowed in for treatment.

OPEN BORDERS This month also marked a year since German Chancellor

7

Angela Merkel made the fateful decision to open German borders to hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers from Syria and other Muslim Arab countries. Support for her party, the Christian Democratic Union, has plummeted in the wake of widely-reported violence by Muslim immigrants, including the New Year’s Eve sexual assaults in Cologne and many other German cities, and this summer’s two stabbings and an attempted suicide bombing.

The extent of Germany’s success in integrating its newest Muslim immigrants was discussed by the panel at the event. Armin Laschet, deputy chancellor of the Christian Democratic Union and head of the party in the German state of Rhine-Westphalia, where Cologne is situated, said that extremist violence has overshadowed government wins in integration.

“We have theoretical debates on the national level, but on the ground, people are working in the schools, on social integration, in the labor market, in language courses,” Laschet told JNS.org.

Laschet is confident in German’s historic capability to integrate refugees. Throughout the last few decades, Germany has integrated Turkish, Polish, Balkan, Asian and Jewish

See “Germany” on page 12

Second-time brides share what to wear for your special day

BY MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN JNS.org Every bride wants her wedding day to be special, whether it’s her first or second nuptials. There are many more considerations the second time around. Often, there are children involved. Usually, the couple is paying for the ceremony on their own, so finances can factor in more. There’s also the question of what was done the first time and how you want to make wedding No. 2 the same – or totally different.

But there’s one topic that every bride-tobe considers: what to wear. When a woman gets married the first time, it’s traditional to wear a white bridal gown. Of course, there’s a variety of dresses, but generally she knows – within a range – what she’s looking for.

For wedding No. 2? The message from second-time Jewish brides and their stylists is that anything goes. “The bride should wear what she feels most comfortable in,” says Nicole Borsuk of Nicole Borsuk Personal Shopper in Atlanta, GA. “It all depends on the bride.”

Melinda Michel of Baltimore remarried in June 2015 at the age of 48. She says she used Pinterest to start her bridal dress search. “I thought it was really fun shopping for wedding dresses, and Pinterest was like virtual window shopping,” Michel says, noting that when she explored the virtual photo shop she discovered wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses and cocktail attire in a variety of colors and cuts. She would pin the dresses she was drawn to and then try to find them

ended up with a white bridesmaid dress deeply emblazoned with silver beading.

She says that for two months, she went searching for the perfect ensemble. Her married daughters helped, sending her pictures and suggestions whenever they

found something that might work for the blazing read-head. “I needed something that was a little atypical and that fit my personality – sexy and flirty and fun, but I didn’t want to look like a grown-up tr ying

Second-time bride Shari Klein with her husband, Elie. (Photo courtesy of Shari Klein) in a local bridal store or department store. “I think [second-time] brides should consider bridesmaid dresses,” says Michel.

For one, bridesmaid dresses are significantly cheaper – usually as much as 50 percent less expensive than a bridal gown.

They still have that “bridal party feel,” without the virgin princess look. And there could be more options to fit the bride’s taste. “I don’t know that my taste was as defined at 23 as it is now,” says Michel of the difference between shopping for her dress the first and second times around.

Shari Klein, 50, seconds that notion.

Remarried in June 2015 in New York, she

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 27, 2016/25 TISHREI 5777

Brides

Continued from page 7

to be a kid,” says Klein, whose dress ultimately gave her that “princess feel” she desired, effusing a combination of modesty, sophistication and beauty. She found the dress two days before her wedding.

In contrast to Klein’s white, Michel’s dress was a blush pink. She says she knew the closest she would get to white was ivor y, and in her searches she explored the gamut of colors, considering navies and burgundies if she were to have a winter wedding, and later a series of summer hues.

Nicole Borsuk says second-time brides often opt for their favorite colors or ones they know look good on them. She has helped brides find dresses in trendy seasonal colors, including bright and vibrant colors. For example, pink quartz is in now and she has seen many brides opting for that. There’s also a popular cool blue that’s making its way to the dress scene – and is now available for second-time brides and bridesmaids. Fairskinned brides should go with pastel colors so that they don’t become washed out by their dress. Olive-skinned brides can go more vibrant, Borsuk says, noting, “Orange is really in. So is fuchsia.”

What do the kids wear to a second wedding? “Let’s say a bride is not having a traditional wedding and she’s opted for a blue dress, then I would suggest the children have blue in their wedding outfits,” says Borsuk, explaining that even at a second wedding it is traditional to coordinate between the bride, groom and bridal party.

At Michel’s wedding, her groom wore a pink tie to coordinate with her dress. The flower girl (and only other person who walked down the aisle outside of the couple) wore a dress from the same company that was ivory and pink. Klein’s older daughters wore gowns. She says, “They wanted everyone to know they were the daughters of the bride.”

Another way to consider your wedding gown is based on venue. Michel was married in a historic inn in Baltimore that she says had the feel of an English barn. The dress lent itself to the venue. She notes that if a bride would get married in a funkier venue, a funkier dress might work.

Israeli

Finally, accessorize. Michel says what she found in her exploration is that one can go with a simpler dress and then accessorize with the right bridal belt or shoes. Borsuk recommends that if going with a simpler dress add some fun and tasteful costume jewelry.

In Klein’s case, the shoes were the highlight. She selected high heels with sequence, silver straps and rhinestones. “When you get married the second time around, you need to know this person is always going to be your prince charming,” says Klein. “There is a picture when he is putting the shoe on me. It is a Cinderella moment and a Cinderella picture – the shoes, that picture, captured it all.”

Of course, by the end of the evening, Klein’s shoes were off and she was living it up, dancing with her new husband. The dress was comfortable enough to move so she could enjoy the night – something first-time brides sometimes forgo for beauty.

“To your first wedding, you invite the world. To your second wedding, you are very choosy in who you share it with. It also a celebration of who you are,” says Klein.

“That was the day. That was the dress... It was perfection.”

Continued from page 6

that are taken at the wedding. Many Israelis’ refrigerators are full of these magnets, and there is a common feeling in Israel of “magnets or it didn’t happen.” So of course, this wedding had magnets and my group of new Israelis was all over the photographer, trying to get our fair share to stick on our fridges.

The grace after the meal was read in Hebrew and the guests left after an amazing night full of food, photo magnets, and celebration!

During the week after the wedding, it is customary for friends and family to host a week of celebrations. The couple hosted a pizza party at their apartment and the guests continued to wish the couple the “seven blessings”

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Melinda Michel of Baltimore is pictured in the dress she wore to her second wedding. (Photo by Richard and Tara Photography)

in Hebrew, which are customary to read during the week after the wedding.

The whole wedding celebration was amazing, and one of the things that made it so special was that it was in Israel. Everything seemed to make sense – when the groom placed the ring on the bride, he said, “Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel.” When the glass was broken, the Temple we remembered was in Israel. When the rabbi read the prayers, the language was in Hebrew, the language of Israel. And when the hora was danced and the newlyweds were raised in their chairs, the dance and music style came from Israel.

As the week of my first wedding of a peer ends, the engagements are beginning to trickle into my age group like the steady Seattle drizzle. But I know that the next time I have another big wedding to attend, a summer wedding of a friend in the U.S., I will undoubtedly think of my first time experiencing a big fat Israeli wedding.

Eliana Rudee is a fellow with the Haym Salomon Center and the author of the “Aliyah Annotated” column for JNS.org. She is a graduate of Scripps College, where she studied international relations and Jewish studies.

Her bylines have been featured in USA Today, Forbes and The Hill. Follow her column on JNS.org.

Your Wedding Checklist

6-12 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING ❑ Determine budget ❑ Visit rabbi (ceremony variations) ❑ Set day, time and location of ceremony, rehearsal and reception ❑ Select a caterer ❑ Choose wedding photographer and/or videographer ❑ Draw up guest list ❑ Obtain floral/rental/music estimates ❑ Invite attendants ❑ Discuss honeymoon and new home ❑ Select gown and headpiece ❑ Select music for ceremony and reception ❑ Register with bridal gift registry 4 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING ❑ Order invitations and personal stationery ❑ Plan reception ❑ Plan ceremony and reception music ❑ Choose florist ❑ Mothers choose gowns ❑ Men choose attire ❑ Make honeymoon reservations ❑ Begin trousseau shopping ❑ Arrange motel accommodations for out-of-town guests 3 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING ❑ Make an appointment with gynecologist to discuss birth control, etc.

2 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING ❑ Order wedding cake ❑ Select attendants’ gifts ❑ Plan to keep gift record ❑ Acknowledge gifts as they arrive ❑ Finish invitations -- Mail them 6 weeks before wedding ❑ Plan rehearsal dinner ❑ Check on marriage license ❑ Get rings engraved ❑ Plan luncheon for bridesmaids ❑ Select gift for groom ❑ Go over wedding ceremony details ❑ Gown fitting ❑ Bridal portrait sitting ❑ Arrange for limousine service ❑ Make hairdresser appointment 1 MONTH BEFORE WEDDING ❑ Make up reception seating charts ❑ Check wedding party apparel ❑ Final gown fitting ❑ Get blood tests for marriage license 2 WEEKS BEFORE WEDDING ❑ Make final check on bridal-party clothes and catering ❑ Arrange name changes/get marriage license ❑ Arrange transportation from reception to airport or wherever you are leaving from for the honeymoon 1 WEEK BEFORE WEDDING ❑ Wrap attendants’ gifts ❑ Give final count to caterer ❑ Confirm music arrangements and check selections ❑ Arrange to move belongings to new home ❑ Check that your hairstyle complements your headpiece ❑ Final instructions to photographer and videographer ❑ Final instructions to ushers for special seating ❑ Give clergy fee to best man in sealed envelope (He will deliver it.) ❑ Begin packing for honeymoon 1 DAY BEFORE WEDDING ❑ Give ushers guest list ❑ Do something relaxing and pamper yourself!

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JEWISH OBSERVER

9

Music, food and perfect weather highlight 17th annual Jewish Music and Cultural Festival

BY VICKI FELDMAN The 17th annual Jewish Music and Cultural Festival was held on September 25 at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse in DeWitt. More than 1,000 people attended throughout the afternoon for the Jewish music, homecooked kosher food, shopping at the vendors’ tables and participating in the various activities.

People of all ages attended the event.

Some comments heard throughout the day included, “It was a great day to celebrate our community”; “we loved the intimate setup, the great music and food”; and “it was great to see so many families!”

Ken Frieden and the Wandering Klezmorim Band started the festival and the day’s music. Farah, a group from Buffalo, took the stage next, followed by accordionist Ken Kushner with his band, and Big Galut(e) with Robin Seletsky. Kushner and Seletsky’s bands performed together

at the end of the afternoon. Open Hand Theater’s giant puppet greeted children and adults, who visited the food tent and participated in some dancing.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better day or more festive mood,” said Cantor Francine Berg, JMAC co-chair. “Our community was having a great time enjoying the music, food and activities.

The JMAC committee is very thankful to everyone who makes this festival happen: festival founders Sid and Donna Lipton and Mimi Weiner; Festival Coordinator Vicki Feldman; committee members Steffi Bergman, Sis Zucker and Faith Van Voolen; the volunteers; sponsors; bands; vendors; the JCC of Syracuse; The Oaks Catering; and the JCC’s maintenance operations staff for all of their hard work in keeping everything running so smoothly.”

Again this year, the food was said to be a draw for festival attendees. A menu of See “Festival” on page 10

The band Farah, a group from Buffalo, played on the stage at the Jewish Music and Cultural Festival on September 25. JMAC was held at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse. (Photo by William Wallak)

Festival attendees shopped at the various vendors. (Photo by Vicki Feldman) L-r: Syracuse Hebrew Day School teacher Melissa Klemperer, SHDS student India Roopnarine and Maytal Downie staffed the Syracuse Hebrew Day School booth.

(Photo by Len Levy)

A giant puppet from Open Hand Theater danced with a group of festival attendees.

(Photo by William Wallak)

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Calendar Highlights

Hearing the cry

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, October 29

TC Cinemagogue Series at 7:30 pm Sunday, October 30 Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse brunch and discussion on local security at 9 am SAJE teacher training from 8:30 am-2:30 pm at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas Syracuse Jewish Family Service yoga program at 12:45 pm at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse Judaic Heritage Center presents program on the “People and Places of Syracuse” at 2 pm at the JCC Monday, October 31 Temple Concord Goldenberg Series presents mezzo soprano Naama Liany at 7 pm Tuesday, November 1 Epstein School to meet at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas at 6:30 pm Syracuse Community Hebrew School board meeting at TAY at 7:30 pm Wednesday, November 2 Syracuse Community Hebrew School meets at TAY from 4-6 pm Thursday, November 3 Epstein School at Wegmans Café at 7 pm Friday, November 4 Temple Concord Tot Shabbat at 6 pm Sunday, November 6 TC Brotherhood meeting at 9:30 am TC Sisterhood meeting at 9:30 am SJFS painting session at 12:45 pm Women Transcending Boundaries meets at TC from 1-5 pm Tuesday, November 8 Epstein School meets at CBS-CS at 6:30 pm Wednesday, November 9 Deadline for November 24 issue Syracuse Community Hebrew School meets at TAY from 4-6 pm Thursday, November 10 Jewish Federation of Central New York board meeting at 6:15 pm Epstein School at Wegmans Café at 7 pm Friday, November 11 Concord services at 6 pm followed by dinner at 7 pm Saturday, November 12 TC Cinemagogue Series presents “24 Days” at 7:30 pm Sunday, November 13 JCC craft festival Concord Scholar Series at 11 am SJFS drumming circle at 12:45 pm CBS-CS Hazak program at 2 pm

Women

Festival

common good, the loss is so much more than just the one person. Too often we read of the victims of gun violence, even as we continue to accept a nation in which far too often it is easier to buy a gun than it is to rent a car, buy alcohol or tobacco, or check in to a hotel.

In a real sense, we who live are the survivors like Cain. We do not carry his guilt, thankfully; but we do carry the burden of devaluing human life. God creates humans as partners in completing the world.

God needs us just as we need God. Our nation needs us to return to that core value we humans received from our Creator. The bloods of too many cry out.

Will we hear their call?

We who believe we are God’s partners must do more to stop the violence, to limit the weapons, to increase the value we place on human life. We who believe we are God’s partners must go in to the inner city and into the halls of government and work for change. We who believe we are God’s partners must respond to the cries of the bloods with a renewed sense of responsibility for each other and a relentless commitment to not just heal our world, but make it more whole, more filled with shalom.

Rabbi Daniel J. Fellman is the rabbi at Temple Concord.

Continued from page 9

Jewish, Va’ad-supervised kosher selections was available throughout the day under the festival’s outdoor food tent.

Seating was offered under and outside the tent to help make sure that festival attendees were able to hear the afternoon’s music.

The JMAC children’s area and kids’ tent were said to be “hot spots for family fun.” Staff volunteers from the JCC kept the children busy with arts and crafts. PJ Library®, face painting, the Instrument Petting Zoo by Signature Music, puppet shows by Robert Rogers Puppet Theater and the Price Chopper “hopper” helped to keep the children entertained.

Linda Alexander, president/CEO of the Jewish Federation of Central New York, said, “I’m so pleased with the great variety of activities we had available at this year’s festival. The community organizations and vendors that participated were spectacular. It’s so great to see everyone come together and the sense of community created at this event.”

Another JMAC feature was the Jewish community’s representation by all of the local synagogues. Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport held shofar-making and at the “Rabbi’s Corner” local rabbis led discussions.

JCC Executive Director Marci Erlebacher said, “It was a great day and a great festival. Congratulations to the JMAC committee and everyone involved for creating such a successful event.”

This year’s event sponsors included the Jewish Federation of Central New York; the Sam Pomeranz Jewish

Community Center of Syracuse; the Jewish Observer; Price Chopper; the Paul and Georgina Roth Foundation; the Reisman Foundation; CNYArts; Key Bank; the Pomeranz Shankman and Martin Trust; a grant from New York State Senator John DeFrancisco; the Sheraton, Syracuse University; and the Syracuse New Times.

Organizers have thanked Barry and Debbie Shulman for their support; together with the Mackenzie Hughes Law offices for sponsorship of the Kids Tent; Lynn and Corinne Smith; The Jerome and Phyllis Charney Foundation; Mimi Weiner; and festival community sponsors Birnbaum Funeral Services, Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas, Sisskind Funeral Service, Temple Adath Yeshurun, Temple Concord and Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse.

Organizers also thanked those in the community who supported JMAC with a donation. Sponsors and donors were credited as being responsible for the Jewish Music and Cultural Festival coming back each year.

Photos of this year’s festival and information about next year’s will be made available on the JMAC website, www.syracusejewishfestival.org.

Continued from page 3

buffet, catered by Karen’s Catering. The keynote speaker will be Ruth Colvin, founder of ProLiteracy Worldwide. Colvin is said to have played “a key role” in launching WTB and is celebrating her 100th birthday this year.

The dinner will be open to men and women. WTB co-founders, past presidents and members “who have made what WTB is today” will be honored.

WTB has held numerous programs. One of its events, the “Journey to the Tent of Abraham” program in 2007, was considered so well-received that the group held another in 2013. In 2010, WTB organized and sponsored a weekend of service projects in Syracuse, the A-OK! Acts of Kindness weekend, 9/11. In collaboration with InterFaith Works, WTB

rs! rtise Adve

BY RABBI DANIEL J. FELLMAN The opening chapters of Genesis include both creation and destruction. We read of the birth of the world and, just a few chapters later, we learn of Cain and Abel, and Cain’s killing of Abel. The circumstances of the murder are vague at best. And God’s response? More questions than answers.

After asking Cain about Abel’s whereabouts, God states that Abel’s bloods, in plural, cry out from the earth. Why would the word be plural and what is meant by this strange grammatical form? Midrash offers many answers – the most compelling of which is that the blood of not just Abel, but Abel’s children and grandchildren, cried out.

Yes, Abel’s death was not just the loss of one person, but of a whole line of people starting with Abel. The recognition that each life is a whole world, complete with a past and a future, should compel us to value every life more. Yet we live in a world filled with destruction, with needless killing by wars, violence and too-easily accessible weapons.

Certainly the bloods of so many cry out to us today.

Whether the blood is from an innocent African American gunned down, or an innocent policeman working for the

has sponsored the “World Interfaith Harmony Assemblies” in the first week in February for the last six years.

WTB has received awards from Peace Action of Central New York, Syracuse University, the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse and the Syracuse Federation of Women’s Clubs. On the national and international level, WTB has raised funds for Ibtida, a school in Pakistan, Women for Women International, Stephen Lewis Foundation and Starfish International, which runs a girls’ school in Gambia, West Africa.

For reservations and more information, contact Penny Hart at 457-5904 or Phart03@twcny.rr.com.

Betty Lamb is president of WTB.

Chanukah is coming!

For information on advertising, please contact Bonnie Rozen at 800-779-7896, ext. 244 or bonnie@thereportergroup.org Chanukah Gifts Issue Date: November 24 • Ad deadline: November 15

Chanukah/Health Care/Greetings

Issue Date: December 8 • Ad deadline: November 30

Director Shannon Small posed at the Syracuse Community Hebrew School booth. SCHS is the newest Jewish community organization. (Photo by Len Levy)

Yoga

Continued from page 5

All events take place at the JCC, start at 12:45 pm and end at about 2 pm.

Kosher boxed lunches catered by The Oaks Catering at Menorah Park will be available by preorder for 12:45 pm. There are adult and child menu options, and other kosher snacks will also be available for sale.

Pre-registration has been encouraged, with a discount on prepaid tickets. There will be a modest charge for children. The “grand finale” on December 11 will be free of charge, but reservations will help organizers plan for the right number of instruments.

Ellen and Howard Weinstein have stepped up as “Angel” donors to support the series; all members of the community are welcome to co-sponsor.

For more information, to prepay for admission or to order lunches, contact Deborah Ellis at 446-9111, ext.

256, or at EllisD@sjfs.org; or visit the Syracuse Jewish Family Service page on Facebook.

OCTOBER 27, 2016/25 TISHREI 5777 ■

OBITUARIES MARK ARNOW

Mark Arnow, 84, of DeWitt, died on October 5 at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Born in Romania, he settled in Israel in 1951, and in 1974 he moved to Syracuse. He and his wife, Barbara, founded their business, Arnow Jewelers, in 1983 and worked side by side until retiring in 2007. He was a member of Temple Adath Yeshurun.

He was predeceased by his sisters, Clara Kamer and Liza Neulander.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara; their children, Angelika “Angi” Arnow, Michaela (Yossi) Ben Ezra and Aharon (Esther) Arnon; seven grandchildren; and a large extended family.

Burial was in the Adath Yeshurun Cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions can be made to the Israeli Defense Force in honor and recognition of his grandchildren’s service at www.yasharlachayal.org/donate/ or to the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231. 

GERTRUDE “GIT” RADIN

Gertrude “Git” Radin, of West Palm Beach, FL, and Fayetteville, died at home in Fayetteville on October 2.

Born in Boronovich, Poland, in 1928, she came to this country with her parents, Frieda and Abraham Pearson, when she was 2-years-old. They settled in the Syracuse area, where Git lived most of her life until moving to West Palm Beach.

After World War II, she met and married Benjamin Radin. They enjoyed a wide circle of friends and traveled throughout the world. She took her golf and bridge games seriously. Her husband created the business Ra-Lins Discount with his business partner.

She was predeceased by her husband, Benjamin Radin, in 2007.

She is survived by her children, Lewis (Carol) Radin, of East Syracuse, Marsha (Alan) Poushter, of Fayetteville, and Andrew (Doreen) Radin; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and by her good friend, Irving Wagner.

Entombment was in the Temple Concord section of Woodlawn Cemetery. Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions can be made to Temple Concord, 910 University Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. 

JACOB “JACK” ROSEN

Jacob “Jack” Rosen, 91, of Baldwinsville, died on October 3 at St. Joseph’s Hospital after a brief illness.

Born in New York City, he had been a resident of Syracuse for more than 30 years. He was a U.S. Army Air Force World War II veteran. He retired as the director of the Syracuse division of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles after a career with the DMV of more than 30 years. He was a member of Temple Adath Yeshurun and volunteered at SUNY Upstate Medical University for many years.

He is survived by his wife, Ethel; their children, Shelia (Richard) Woltman and Bruce (Mindy) Rosen; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Burial was in the Adath Yeshurun Cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions can be made to a charity of choice. 

NEAL SCHWARTZ

Neal Schwartz, 75, died on October 8 at University Hospital from ALS. Born in Pottstown, PA, he had been a resident of Syracuse for more than 50 years. He graduated from Penn State University. He was the general manager of Roth Brothers Smelting Co. for more than 30 years; and then was the president of the manufacturing division of O’Brien and Gere until he retired.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Linda; a daughter, Tammy (Tom) Nicholson; two grandsons; his sister, Hedy Mandell; his brother, Lyndell (Suzanne) Schwartz; and his sister-in-law, Paula (Tom) Jablonka.

Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions can be made to the Golisano Children’s Hospital, University Hospital, 1 Children’s Circle, Syracuse, NY 13210, E. Adams St., Syracuse, NY 13210. 

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UNESCO board formally approves resolution denying Jewish holy sites

BY JTA STAFF (JTA) – The Executive Board of the United Nations cultural agency voted to adopt a controversial resolution that denies a Jewish connection to the Old City of Jerusalem. The board reportedly formally approved the resolution on October 18 in the final day of its meeting in Paris.

The approval comes five days after the resolution passed in a preliminary vote of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. In that vote, there were 24 votes in favor and 6 against, with 26 countries abstaining. The United States, the United Kingdom and Germany were among those that voted against the resolution. They were joined

by Lithuania, the Netherlands and Estonia. Other European countries abstained.

On October 17, Mexico changed its vote from “in favor” to “abstain,” saying in a statement, “Changing the vote reiterates the recognition that the government of Mexico gives to the undeniable link of the Jewish people to cultural heritage located in East[ern] Jerusalem. It also reflects the deep appreciation that

this government has for the Jewish community and in particular for their significant contributions to the welfare and economic, social and cultural development of Mexico.”

Mexico fired Andre Roemer, its Jewish ambassador to UNESCO, however, after he in a personal protest walked out of the October 13 vote in Paris, leaving his deputy to cast the country’s vote. Discussion and a vote on the resolution were postponed from the board’s meeting in July.

The UNESCO resolution reportedly refers to the Temple Mount several times as Al Haram-Al Sharif, the Islamic term for the Temple Mount, without mentioning that it is the holiest site in Judaism, according to UN Watch. It also uses the term Buraq Plaza, placing Western Wall Plaza in quotes, appearing to deny a Jewish connection to the site. The Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron is referred to as the al-Haram al-Ibrahimi and Rachel’s Tomb, outside Bethlehem, is noted as the Bilal ibn Raba Mosque.

A similar resolution was adopted by UNESCO’s Executive Board in April.

NEWS IN BRIEF From JNS.org

Israel finalizing deal for three nuclear subs from Germany

The Israeli Navy is reportedly close to finalizing a deal to buy three nuclear-capable submarines from Germany for $1.3 billion. The purchase of the submarines is expected be finalized in November in Berlin and will upgrade Israel’s existing nearly 20-year-old submarine fleet, Maariv reported. “The new submarines are said to be more advanced, longer and equipped with better accessories,” the report said. The Israeli Navy’s Dolphin-class submarines provide the Jewish state with second-strike nuclear capabilities, experts say. They have the ability to travel long distances from Israel’s territorial waters and can reportedly carry long-range cruise missiles tipped with nuclear warheads. Israel has already purchased five nuclear-capable Dolphin-class submarines from Germany with a sixth sub due for delivery in 2017.

Lawmakers from 17 countries denounce UNESCO resolution

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – Lawmakers from 17 countries signed a declaration on Oct. 20 against the Oct. 18 UNESCO resolution and called for international recognition of Jerusalem as the undivided

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and eternal capital of Israel. The UNESCO resolution rejects any Jewish link to the Temple Mount and Western Wall in Jerusalem. In the declaration, 19 MPs representing the 17 countries said that “the U.N. resolution is disconnected from reality and is incorrect. We will work toward the international recognition of Jerusalem, as the undivided, eternal capital of the state of Israel.”

The parliamentarians presented the declaration to Deputy Minister Michael Oren, who delivered it to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Oren called the UNESCO resolution “unacceptable.” He said it “must be fought against every way possible. The signing of the declaration

by MPs from all over the world against UNESCO is one of the steps we will take against this atrocious decision.

We will continue to emphasize the eternal connection between the Jewish people and our eternal capital for ever and ever, which nobody in the world, and certainly not UNESCO, can break.” The visiting lawmakers were from countries including the Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, Spain, Switzerland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Malawi, South Africa, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Chile. They were in Israel for the fifth Israel Allies Foundation Jerusalem Chairman’s Conference, sponsored by the World Jewish Congress and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, and held at the Mamilla Hotel in Jerusalem.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 27, 2016/25 TISHREI 5777

NEWS IN BRIEF From JTA

Reform movement gets $5M endowment for Israel high school program

The Union for Reform Judaism received a $5 million endowment gift to expand its high school program in Israel. The endowment from a New Jersey family announced on Oct. 19 will provide scholarships for North American students to study for a semester in Israel with the URJ Heller High: Isaac and Helaine Heller EIE High School in Israel program. The gift will also be used to improve marketing and recruitment for the program. The gift was provided by Helaine Heller of Scotch Plains in memory of her husband, Isaac, who co-founded the major U.S. toy manufacturer Remco. “This is my way of honoring my husband, Ike, preserving his memory, and carrying on the love that we’ve both had for this program for 41 years,” said Heller, whose daughter attended the program, in a statement. “Since we saw its wonderful impact first-hand when our daughter Audrey came home, we have wanted to help even more students to have this important experience.” Union for Reform Judaism President Rabbi Rick Jacobs said the endowment “will have a tremendous direct impact; it will also inspire others to support our sacred work. ...As we make great strides in our continued efforts advocating for a progressive, pluralistic Israel, the Reform Movement is guaranteed to have future leaders passionately committed to Israel because of the continuity and growth of URJ Heller High,” Jacobs said. URJ Heller High participants spend four months on a kibbutz, taking classes, learning Hebrew and traveling around the country. The Union for Reform Judaism is raising additional money for scholarships to complement the gift.

Seven sites near University of Toronto defaced with swastikas

Swastikas were found at seven sites on and near the campus of Canada’s largest university in what appears to be two separate antisemitic incidents. The first three swastikas near the University of Toronto’s downtown campus were discovered in late September. Just before Yom Kippur, two more were discovered on a mural. Two days later, another was found on a nearby sidewalk outside the anthropology building.

Hadassah

my 23-year-old daughter felt a lump in her breast, she wasn’t taken seriously until she revealed she was BRCA positive. I shudder to think she might have been overlooked.”

When Schube speaks at Hadassah’s breast cancer awareness campaign events – including those in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month – she tells audiences that cancer doesn’t discriminate based on a woman’s age.

“We emphasize that even in college, when you are busy with school or focusing on your future, there is no future unless you keep up with your health, medical checkups or do a thorough breast self-examination,” Schube said. “For us, genetics is our cure.

Having the knowledge of our strong BRCA genetic family history saved my younger daughter’s life. With that BRCA knowledge, my older daughter underwent a prophylactic mastectomy at age 28, so she does not have to wait for the ax to fall.”

While detecting breast cancer early is part of the battle against the disease, more research is needed, Yablonski said, and the current testing model that detects the gene mutation needs to change.

LOOKING AHEAD “There were many questions on how we should proceed, since about half of the women diagnosed with breast cancer in Israel are non-Ashkenazi,” Yablonski said.

“The general thought was women of any ethnic origin should be aware of the possibility of developing breast cancer on the background of genetic predisposition. It was suggested the medical [insurance] coverage, as it exists today, will allow women from all ethnic groups to be tested for BRCA. There was also the question of whether other genes were involved, and this is one of the points of the research we are doing today.”

New studies show that other genes

Continued from page 2

should not be ignored in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

“If we look at the prevalence of any mutations in women who develop breast cancer on a background of genetic predisposition, only 40-50 percent will have the BRCA,” Yablonski said. “The rest will have other genes that are involved. It may be a mistake to test only for BRCA. In the last two years, we’ve researched other genes that are involved in the development of breast cancer. We identified specific mutations in the gene, called p53 [a tumor suppressor protein], which predisposes to the development of breast cancer at a very young age. We know there are at least 26 genes that are involved in the predisposition of breast cancer.”

Yablonski stressed treatment, too.

“How genetic predisposition affects treatment is important,” she said. “Those with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 are more sensitive to a specific chemotherapy drug [platinum-based]. If a woman is suffering from breast cancer, we know this drug should be used and is effective.”

While breast cancer is no longer an automatic death sentence, it remains a serious illness.

“We should be very cautious in deciding to give therapy or not and be very precise and personal on what kind of treatments to give, the dosage, the possibility of side effects, close follow-up and when to stop,” Yablonski said. “Newly diagnosed patients and those carrying the mutated gene face a bewildering array of treatment options and opinions. This will change.

Treatment will become increasingly personalized, structured according to the many factors involved, from genetic to emotional. Decisions will be easier and results will be better.”

Similar graffiti were also discovered on the steps of the school’s mining building and on a city-owned road near the campus. A University of Toronto spokesman told the Canadian Jewish News that the university worked to remove the graffiti as quickly as possible. Rob Nagus, director of the university’s Hillel, said his organization appreciated how quickly the university condemned the acts and removed the daubings.

Nagus told the Canadian Jewish News that it appears the earlier acts of vandalism were unconnected to the ones discovered later. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said it was “deeply alarmed” at the vandalism, which “appears to be deliberate acts of hate rather than matters of casual or thoughtless graffiti.”

Arab-Israeli couple charged with joining ISIS in Syria, Iraq

Israel arrested an Arab couple who returned to the country after allegedly joining the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria and Iraq. Wissam and Sabarin Zabidat of the northern Arab town of Sakhnin were indicted on Oct. 20 in Haifa District Court for leaving Israel for an enemy country and joining a terrorist group, according to a statement by Israel’s Shin Bet security service. The Shin Bet, together with the Israel Police, arrested the Zabidats when they returned to Israel on Sept. 22. They had left Israel in June 2015, traveling via Romania to Turkey, where they crossed the border into Syria, the statement said. The couple brought their three children – ages 8, 6 and 3 – with them. In Syria, Wissam was sent to a training camp in Iraq, where he fought with the terrorist group, the Shin Bet said. He was later hospitalized in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The family decided to return to Israel in June this year due to the harsh conditions in Mosul, which included poverty, bombardment and disease. On their way back to the country, they were detained in Turkey. The couple joined the terrorist group after being “deeply influenced” by ISIS content and videos, according to the Shin Bet statement. “It should be emphasized that the phenomena of Israelis leaving for Syria and Iraq is grave and dangerous,” read the statement. “Daesh [ISIS] disseminates mendacious publications designed to construct a distorted image of itself as allowing a good and respectable life under an Islamic regime or, alternatively, of religious and military adventure. However, the investigations of Israelis who have returned from Syria and Iraq present a completely opposite picture about the dangers and harsh living conditions under Daesh.”

Israel gives Taiwanese schools more than 100 tables that provide shelter during earthquakes

Israel donated 117 tables that provide shelter during earthquakes to schools in a Taiwanese city struck by a quake earlier this year. Israel’s envoy to Taiwan, Asher Yarden, decided to cancel a celebration for Israel’s Independence Day in May to use the funds to buy the tables, which were designed by a student at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem. Yarden, who heads the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, decided on the number 117 to honor the same number of people who died in February when an earthquake struck the city of Tainan. During an earthquake, two students can take shelter under each table and protect themselves from debris and other hazards. Arthur Brutter designed the tables as a final project at Bezalel.

They have been displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. “The gift of 117 earthquake tables to the children of Tainan is a wonderful example of the way design can contribute to the safety of children and enhance friendship between people,” said Bezalel Professor Ido Bruno, who served as Brutter’s supervisor. Sixty tables have been delivered to Tainan, with the rest to arrive soon.

Germany

Russian refugees. “The living together of different cultures, it’s nothing that Germany has to learn from anybody because we have coexisted for a very long time, especially here in North Rhine-Westphalia,” he said.

IMMIGRANT ABSORPTION Ahmad Mansour, one of the panelists, was surprised the discussion did not focus more on Israel as a success story in immigrant absorption and Jewish-Muslim coexistence. For example, he said, Germans are largely unaware of mixed Muslim-Jewish cities like Haifa and Akko. Mansour, an Israeli-Arab from the Arab town of Tira, moved to Germany a decade ago and has emerged as a local expert on radical Islam, serving as program director for the European Foundation for Democracy.

He believes that many German politicians, in the spirit of political correctness, downplay the Islamic terror threat that has increased with the past year’s uncontrolled immigration, prompting a rise of the anti-Muslim German right wing.

“Over the last year, we’ve had refugees

Continued from page 7

from outside who also bring different values, and their integration is a difficult task, but a possible one,” Mansour said. “You have to invest the funds there, but there are also those who have lived here for 40-50 years, third generation Muslims, who have studied at universities here. We could learn from that.”

Laschet stressed that Germany’s integration of Muslims predated the refugee influx. “We have four million Muslims in the country living peacefully, living as Germans, as members of Parliament, soccer players, in the economy, and so it has nothing to do with this integration.

They are part of Germany. Today, Islam is part of German society.”

Laschet likened Germany’s treatment of immigrants to the Israeli ideal of aliyah (Hebrew for “go up”) to the Holy Land.

The German equivalent is aufstieg. “You call the huge amount of people coming from all over the world to migrate to Israel ‘aliyah.’ But in Germany it means if you work, if you have education, you can ‘go up’ in the society,” he said.

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