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16 CHESHVAN 5776 • OCTOBER 29, 2015 • VOLUME XXXIV, NUMBER 21 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY

BY LYNN HOROWITCH A Jewish Federation of Central New York family program will be held at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (or the MOST), 500 S. Franklin St., Syracuse, downtown in Armory Square, on Saturday, November 14, from 6:30-9 pm. The program will feature magic, music and food.

Participants will have an opportunity to “travel through the human body” in the life science exhibit; become a “human pinball machine” in Technotown; discover geological surprises in the life-size cave at the Earth Science Discovery Cave; or guide a simulation F-16 jet onto the runway in the flight and space exhibit. Participants will also be able to listen to DJ Rick Deyulio; watch Hal Schulman perform magic; see balloon animals created by the Twin Magicians and take home memories from the photo booth. Food will be catered by the Oaks under Va’ad supervision.

Reservations automatically enter attendees in a raffle for several baskets and gift certificates. There will be a charge, with a reduction for reservations. Valet parking for a nominal fee in the crowded

Meet at the MOST

Armory Square area will be available.

The National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Syracuse Section, along with The Junior League and the Technology Club of Syracuse, was considered “instrumental” in establishing a hands-on-science and technology center for Central New York and, in 1979, the University of the State of New York chartered the Discovery Center of Science and Technology, which opened in 1981. NCJW, along with Junior League, received a special award from the Syracuse Federation of Women’s Clubs.

NCJW initiated and co-sponsored with the Discovery Center, now the Milton Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology, the Onondaga County Scholastic Science Fair, which currently has hundreds of students participating.

Milton J. Rubenstein was a lifelong member of the Syracuse community. He graduated from Nottingham High School and Syracuse University with a degree in electrical engineering. He was said to have been “fascinated by scientific principles, always wanting to teach” and to have loved sharing his enthusiasm with others.

He died suddenly in the spring of 1986.

Prior to his death, he was president of United Radio, a family owned electronic repair facility, and of BeepCall, the oldest and largest paging service in Central New York. In addition, he served as the design engineer for the first privately owned cellular telephone system in this area.

His wife, Elaine, and their children, Jeff, Amy (Slutzky) and Jayne (Charlamb), shared his vision for science education.

In 1992, the family decided to honor his memory by facilitating the construction of the new Museum of Science and Technology. Elaine said, “Although not the kind of person who would want to have his name on a building, he certainly would have endorsed the way the MOST would teach people about science and technology by reaching out to people of all ages and lifestyles, and show them that science and technology are relevant, understandable, and even fun.”

The event will be part of a year-long “Friend-Raising” campaign by the Federation. Campaign Chair Mark Wladis said, “This year’s Campaign is different from the ones we’ve done before. Our main objective is to create a welcoming

‘circle’ where those who have sustained Federation for so long can embrace and encourage those who have never been involved before. We are trying some new things, such as the MOST event, which will be an enjoyable way to bring everyone together. We hope to welcome a whole generation of new faces to the circle to join those who have given so much already to the Jewish community.”

Organizers have thanked the evening’s sponsors for their support: Elliott Meltzer; Pomeranz, Shankman and Martin Charitable Foundation; Gregory Baum, MD, of CNY Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery; Cardiovascular Group of Syracuse; OneGroup NY; Wladis Law Firm; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 43, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 267; and Dolph and Naomi Schayes. Committee members include Pam Levine as chair and members Linda Alexander, Eric Rochelson, Lori Golden Kiewe, Lynn Horowitch and Andy Weinberg.

To purchase tickets, visit www.jewishfederationcny.org or call Marianne Bazydlo at 445-2040, ext. 102.

Two new trustees join Foundation board

BY LINDA ALEXANDER The Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York has welcomed Jeffry A. Berman and Jeffrey B. Scheer to its Board of Trustees. Lynn Smith, the Foundation’s chair of the board, said, “We are thrilled to have these two outstanding members of our community join our board. They are both well-respected, proven leaders who honor our board with their presence.

Both of these gentlemen have been active volunteers in both the Jewish and non-Jewish community for many years.”

Berman is the founder and president of Employee Benefit Systems, an ERISA consulting firm specializing in retirement plans, and financial consulting

for individuals and organizations. As a certified financial planner, he has been involved with many local volunteer and civic organizations. He has served as president of the Menorah Park board and as a board member of the Menorah Jeffry A. Berman Park Foundation, Temple Concord, Financial Planning Association of Central New York, Rotary Foundation, March of Dimes and the

National Institute of Pension Administrators. He also served as the board president of the Lafayette Country Club. He and his wife, Patricia, have two daughters and, in his words, two “love-of-my-lifegrandchildren.”

Jeffrey B. Scheer When asked why he agreed to join the Jewish Community Foundation board, he said, “To do my small part in helping to protect and grow our community.”

Scheer is a business law attorney practicing with Bond, Schoeneck and King law firm. He is the immediate past chair of the board of directors of Menorah Park and is a past board member of Syracuse Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Federation of Central New York.

He is also the current chair of the board of trustees of Public Broadcasting Council of Central New York and is a board member of the Green Family Foundation. He and his wife, Abby Kasowitz Scheer, have three daughters who are all graduates of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School. He said he “is looking forward to continuing the great work of the Foundation in our community.”

Jewish holy sites under fire as “classical terrorism and political warfare” collide

BY ALEX TRAIMAN JNS.org Operating on a parallel track to the wave of Palestinian terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians and security personnel, a physical and diplomatic war against Jewish holy sites is also underway.

On October 21, a Palestinian resolution was passed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization by a vote of 26-6, with 25 abstentions, to list two revered Jewish holy sites – the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron and the tomb of the matriarch Rachel in Bethlehem – as Muslim holy

sites. Jewish holy sites are also under siege physically, including the recent firebombing of Joseph’s Tomb.

“This ongoing assault is the merging of classical terrorism and political warfare,” said Dan Diker, director of the Political Warfare project at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs think tank.

The UNESCO bill, which also condemned Israel for archaeological excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem, was a watered-down version of an earlier bill that sought to officially claim that the Western Wall Plaza – the most heavily visited modern-day Jewish prayer site – is “an

extension” of the Al-Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount compound. That language was roundly rejected by UNESCO and the international community. “[The Palestinians] are trying to demoralize the Israeli public, first by fear of terror, and second by mobilizing the international community against the legitimacy of the

Jewish state,” Diker told JNS.org.

For weeks, Palestinian leaders have alleged that the current wave of terror was sparked by Israeli violations of a longstanding and fragile status quo on the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Al-Aqsa Compound. The site is See “Sites” on page 12

C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A October 30...............5:42 pm..........................................................Parasha-Vayera November 6.............4:33 pm............................................... Parasha-Chaye Sarah November 13...........4:25 pm.......................................................... Parasha-Toldot

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Neighborhood advisor Congregational notes

PJ Library

The Jewish Community Center has Talks, book discussions, films, PJ Library® will hold a program re-established a Neighborhood concerts and more are announced at the JCC to celebrate the Global by area congregations.

Advisor Program for seniors.

Day of Jewish Learning.

Stories on page 4 Story on page 3 Story on page 6

PLUS Wedding Planning...............8-9 Calendar Highlights............. 10 Mazel Tov................................ 10 Obituaries.......................... 10-11

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776

Judaica studio Mi Polin casts Polish Jewish history in bronze

BY KATARZYNA MARKUSZ WARSAW, Poland (JTA) – When Helena Czernek and Aleksander Prugar opened their e-mail inbox several weeks ago, they found a message from a customer who had bought one of their bronze mezuzahs as an engagement gift.

“The connection my family now has with the past was so overwhelming that it made my wife cry,” the customer wrote.

“It will now be proudly displayed in our home and I will make sure every visitor knows the story. This bronze will truly be eternal.”

Czernek and Prugar are the founders of Mi Polin, a Polish design studio specializing in the production of contemporary Judaica. For their Mezuzah From This House series, the pair traveled across

Poland searching for traces of mezuzahs in the door frames of homes where Jews once lived. From the depressions left in the frame, Czernek and Prugar produce a plaster cast they then use to create a bronze mezuzah engraved with the traditional Hebrew letter shin and the address where the original mezuzah once hung.

“We decided to use bronze because it is known from antiquity,” Prugar told JTA. “It is completely resistant to external conditions, does not rust. Without any problems our mezuzah will survive 1,000 years. Our casts are eternal.”

Last year, Czernek and Prugar traveled to Sokolow Podlaski, a small town about 60 miles east of Warsaw. They stopped by the building at 4 Wilczynskiego St., which housed a kosher butcher shop be-

A MATTER OF OPINION How to teach kids to support Jewish causes

BY RABBI JEFFREY K. SALKIN Editor’s note: In the local Syracuse community, some congregations have mitzvah programs as part of their bar/ bat mitzvah programs, and the Jewish Community Foundation Teen Funders award grants from their B’nai Mitzvah Funds.

HOLLYWOOD, FL (JTA) – “Hey, Rabbi,” the bat mitzvah candidate said, “can I tell you about my mitzvah project?

I’m raising money to help people join our synagogue if they can’t afford it.” I was impressed. And moved. And shocked.

Many religious schools require that bar/bat mitzvah candidates do a mitzvah project. Once upon a time, those projects were all Jewish in nature. Families would plant trees in Israel in honor of their guests or display material from local Jewish organizations on the tables at the celebration. Kids would donate some of their gift money to local Jewish Federations. For a while, bar and bat mitzvah candidates would symbolically share their ceremonies with Soviet Jewish refuseniks who were forbidden from studying Judaism.

But such specifically Jewish projects have gone the way of the VHS tape and the pet rock – hopelessly passé. Throughout the last decade, bar/bat mitzvah projects have become decreasingly Jewish in their focus and intent. Mitzvah projects are far more likely to be focused on healing disease, or addressing environmental concerns, or raising money for disadvantaged kids. In fact, my young friend’s idea to help subsidize synagogue dues for the less fortunate was, in fact, the only specifically Jewish mitzvah project I had seen in years.

I am all in favor of kids wanting to give to the wider community. Most adults and teachers would probably agree with me: Any kind of altruism, anything that carries kids out of their iPhone, selfieaddled worlds is good. But the flight from specifically Jewish concerns has its own set of worrisome implications.

First, it accompanies a gradual diminishment in Jewish ethnic feeling and connection – a diminishment that is part of larger trends within the American Jewish community. When I have mentioned the importance of particularistic Jewish giving to parents, I get deer-inheadlights stares, as if parents find the very idea of giving to Jewish causes to be an embarrassment – too Jewish, too tribal. It is as if I am speaking a foreign language, which, in fact, I am: a language of Jewish peoplehood.

Second, I find myself reminding Jewish parents of the deeper ramifications of their kids’ choices. Here is what I say: I know that your kids are going to want

to give to various universal, communal and non-Jewish charities. We want to be helpful and to make a difference. That is what being Jewish is all about. But here’s the deal. If your child doesn’t give to the United Way, someone else will step up to that worthy plate. The same is true with the local museum and symphony orchestra.

If we don’t teach our kids how to give Jewishly, they will never learn. No one else will step up for them and those Jewish causes will go unsupported. Eventually they will die. If only one generation of Jewish kids fails to learn how to support the Jewish community, the Jewish people and Israel, Jewish giving will be over.

Because Jewish giving, like any kind of moral engagement, is a muscle. If you don’t develop the muscle, it atrophies.

So what can Jewish parents do to make sure they are keeping the chain of Jewish giving intact? First, teach your kids about local Jewish needs, causes and organizations. Talk to them about the work of Federations, community centers, Jewish family and career services. Take them to see what those organizations are really doing. Talk to them about projects in Israel. Teach them about what Jewish organizations are doing all over the world.

Make it real for them.

Second, link your child’s interests to Jewish causes. Your kid likes baseball?

There’s JChoice.org, a group that provides baseball equipment and supplies to kids in low-income areas. Dance? Give to The Israel Ballet. Horses? Try the Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association, which uses horseback riding to help people coping with disability or injury. There are other opportunities like these, many of them contained in “The Mitzvah Project Book,” by Liz Suneby and Diane Heiman.

(Full disclosure: I wrote the foreword.)

Third, if you cannot find anything Jewish that interests your child, convert your child’s interest to a Jewish value. Give that value a Hebrew name. Your child wants to raise money for a specific disease? Fine.

Welcome to the world of refuah (healing). Your child wants people to donate to help flood victims? Great. It’s called tikkun olam (repairing the world). Your kid cares about animal welfare? Fantastic.

Thanks for supporting tzaar baalei chayim (avoiding cruelty to animals).

Sure, tikkun olam is great. But tikkun ha’am – repairing the Jewish people – is just as important. We do that when we connect our values to our people and to our sense of what we believe.

Jeffrey K. Salkin is the rabbi of Temple Solel in Hollywood, FL, and the author of “Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah.”

A bronze mezuzah made

by Mi Polin from a trace of an old Polish mezuzah.

(Photo courtesy of Mi Polin)

Aleksander Prugar, left, and Helenz Czernek with the remains of a mezuzah they planned to use to create a new piece of Judaica. (Photo by Katarzyna Markusz)

fore the Holocaust. The old door frame wasn’t there anymore, but Czernek and Prugar found a door from the house lying nearby in a dumpster that had a trace of a mezuzah.

Orie Niedzviecki, a Canadian lawyer whose grandparents came from Sokolow Podlaski, bought two mezuzahs made from depressions found there by Czernek and Prugar. One he gave to his parents, the other to a niece who had just moved to Israel.

“The idea that this mezuzah is now in Israel along with some members of my family, and hopefully myself soon, provides some link to the past as the Jewish people move forward to its inevitable future as a free nation in its own homeland,” Niedzviecki said.

Though some three million Jews lived in Poland prior to the Holocaust, most Poles do not realize that the marks still remaining on door posts were likely the spots where Jews had hung their mezuzahs.

When the doors are replaced, one of the last traces of the Jewish inhabitants of those homes often disappears, as well.

In the town of Ostroleka, Czernek and Prugar last year found a home with traces of 10 mezuzahs. During a renovation, the owners had stripped them out and burned them, not understanding their significance.

“In contrast to synagogues and cemeteries, mezuzah traces are the least visible part of the material legacy of more than three million Jews who once lived

of Central New York

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in Poland,” said Krzysztof Bielawski, who runs the Virtual Shtetl project at the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. “Few people are turning attention to them. Helena’s and Alexander’s design is not only a documentation of the traces, it shows that each mezuzah is linked to the history of specific individuals.”

Mi Polin has also produced a crystal mezuzah for the blind, with one of the Hebrew names for God written in Braille.

They are also working on a spice box used in the Sabbath-ending service Havdalah that is based on the shape of the Tower of David in Jerusalem.

Czernek and Prugar have produced 25 bronze mezuzahs from casts made in over a dozens cities and towns across Poland.

They also take special orders from Jews abroad who wish to have mezuzahs from casts made in towns where their families once lived.

For each cast they make, Czernek and Prugar send information about it to a local museum or municipal office to educate local residents about the Jewish legacy in their particular town and to increase the likelihood that more mezuzah traces can be found. They also organize training workshops to teach tour guides how to locate former Jewish sites around Poland.

“We are working so that each of our products is not only a thing,” Prugar said.

“We want to give some content, message, special meaning for each of them. Judaism is full of different meanings. It is tangible through our items.”

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OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776 ■ JEWISH OBSERVER

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AROUND CENTRAL NEW YORK JCC’s Neighborhood Advisor Program assists seniors She said, “I’m here to help seniors and

BY WILLIAM WALLAK their families navigate the system so they The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community can get the right services for their particular Center of Syracuse recently became re-estabsituation. I make house calls to help fill out lished as a Neighborhood Advisor Program forms and deal with issues relating to Social site offering outreach, information and referral Security, Medicare and other benefit programs. services to seniors in the DeWitt, Fayetteville I also make presentations to senior groups so and Manlius areas. The program is part of the that they know this service is available. All Onondaga County Department of Adult and of the Neighborhood Advisor services are Long Term Care Services. provided on an individual basis and at no cost Sharon Kieffer is the JCC’s neighborhood to seniors.” advisor and will assist seniors age 60 and older The Neighborhood Advisor Program is by providing information about programs funded in part by a grant from the Ononavailable in the community and by helping Sharon Kieffer daga County Department of Adult and Long them obtain services so they can remain living independently in their homes. Kieffer has many years Term Care Services. The JCC’s Neighborhood Adviof experience in the health and long-term care fields sor Program has a long history of serving Syracuse’s eastern suburbs. providing case management services.

SCHS

JCC Executive Director Marci Erlebacher said, “I am delighted that we were once again chosen by the county as a partner in providing such a valuable service to seniors. The program nicely complements all of the social and wellness services that we offer, such as our fitness classes and senior kosher meal program.”

For more information about the JCC’s Neighborhood Advisor Program or to make a referral, call Kieffer at 445-2040, ext. 156.

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.

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Wednesday, October 28............. November 12 Wednesday, November 11......... November 26 Tuesday, November 24, early... December 10 Tuesday, December 22, early.......... January 7

THE JCC, CONG. BETH SHOLOM & TEMPLE CONCORD, GLADLY ACCEPT DONATED VEHICLES THRU C*A*R*S (a locally owned Manlius company)

At right:Sixth grade students played Hebrew games together at the Syracuse Community Hebrew School.

“giving to your own” (it’s what you do best)

MIKE LESSEN 256-6167 donatecars@twcny.rr.com Charitable Auto Resource Service In our 10th year of enriching the religious sector

DeWitt’s newest breakfast and deli!

MAC’S LOCAL YOLK

Corner of E. Genesee & Erie Blvd. E. DeWitt, NY (former IHOP location)

Some of our favorites:

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center senior dining menu NOVEMBER 2-6 Monday – grilled cheese and tomato soup Tuesday – baked meatloaf Wednesday – “crab” cakes Thursday – turkey sandwich Friday – apricot-glazed chicken NOVEMBER 9-13 Monday – baked ziti Tuesday – hamburger on a bun Wednesday – chef’s salad Thursday – chicken rollatini Friday – salmon with dill sauce The Bobbi Epstein Lewis JCC Senior Adult Dining

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Program at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center offers Va’ad Ha’ir-supervised kosher lunches served Monday-Friday at noon. Lunch reservations are required by noon of 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.

     

corned beef & pastrami sandwiches deli salads lox & bagel lox & egg scramble potato pancakes Grand Openin blintzes Festivit g ie matzo ball soup & Nov. 2-8 s, lots of other delicious dishes 

Open 6am-8pm daily Friday & Saturday 6am-10pm Sunday 7am-8pm Fresh, local, made to order

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

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776

CONGREGATIONAL NOTES Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas CONVERSATION ON ISRAEL AND ANTISEMITISM The Congregation Beth SholomChevra Shas Adult Programming Committee will present two programs in November on the topic of antisemitism.

Both programs will be free and open to the community.

Miriam Elman will speak on “Fighting the Hate: When Does Anti-Israel Become Anti-Semitic?” on Sunday, November 8, at 7 pm. She will speak to the question of how the rise of antisemitism internationally is being “dramatically mirrored” on college campuses across the United States. She will also discuss the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement in the United States and abroad, as well as the Iran nuclear arms deal. There will be an opportunity for participants to break into small groups for discussion.

Elman is an associate professor of

political science at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and the faculty research director of international and intra-state conflicts at the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration. She is also the director of the Project on Democracy in the Middle East at the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, and a member of the Advisory Board and Steering Committees for the Judaic Studies Program, the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism, and the Middle Eastern Studies Program.

Additionally, a lunch and learn facilitated by Mark Field will be held on Saturday, November 14, following the 9:30 am services. Participants will continue the conversation of the widespread criticism of Israel and when that criticism constitutes antisemitism. Those unable to attend Elman’s program may still attend

Temple Adath Yeshurun BOOK DISCUSSION “Journey from the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran”

by Roya Hakakian will be discussed on Sunday, November 1, at 9:30 am, in the Muriel and Avron Spector Library of Temple Adath Yeshurun.

Hakakian is a producer for “60 Minutes” and an Iranian Jew who

emigrated from Iran with her family several years after the Ayatollah came into power. The memoir tells of her experiences growing up in Iran from 9-18-years-old.

The discussion will be led by Carol Lipson and the event will be free and open to the community. The program is an initiative of the TAY Sisterhood.

At right: Two-year-old Nathanael Finkelstein sang “Boker Tov” at the first Storah Time of the Jewish Enrichment program at Rothschild Early Childhood Center at Temple Adath Yeshurun. Storah Time is held every Tuesday from 1010:45 am at TAY and is free and open to the community. For more information, contact Alicia Gross at alicia@adath. org.

See “CBS-CS” on page 6

Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas ACHLA United Synagogue Youth chapter members make jack-o-lanterns in the CBS-CS kitchen.

Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation NOVEMBER 14 POST-SHABBAT SERVICE CHOLENT CONTEST At its Saturday, November 14, postShabbat morning kiddush, Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse will feature a cholent contest. Four “cholent mavens,” Ashkenazi and Sephardi will have their dishes evaluated by a panel of judges, some experienced in catering with others experienced with the dish. Among them will be Keith LeBlank, chef at the Oaks. The winner will receive the first “Cholent Bean” award.

At the kiddush following the contest, those present will be able to sample from the four cholent entries. All will be welcome to attend. Services will begin at 9 am.

For more information, contact the STOCS office at 446-6194 or the Rabbi Evan Shore at rabbi@stocssyracuse.org.

NOVEMBER 22 BREAKFAST PROGRAM Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation

of Syracuse will hold a breakfast on Sunday, November 22, at 9 am, featuring a talk

by Sam Ghalchi, a Jewish man formerly of Iran. The talk will follow breakfast at approximately 9:30 am. There will be a discussion period after the talk. The event will be free and open to the public.

Ghalchi manages real estate properties in downtown Syracuse and has been in the U.S. for 40 years, with the last eight in Syracuse. He has attended services at STOCS and has two children attending the Syracuse Hebrew Day School. He still is in contact with family living in Iran.

He will speak about the Jewish community’s long history in that country, dating at least back to the Biblical Book of Esther, and about the situation Jews currently face there. Having knowledge of Iranian and American societies, he is expected to provide “interesting insights” into both, including his thoughts about the American Jewish community and, specifically, Jewish life in Syracuse.

First and second grade students at Temple Adath Yeshurun Religious School made tzedakah boxes. Clockwise from bottom left: Ari Gnacik, Sadie Sevak, Peri Lowenstein, Eric Kozlowski and Noah Mowers.

Temple Concord CINEMAGOGUE PRESENTS “THE GREEN PRINCE” NOVEMBER 7

BY LESLIE BROCKSMITH Temple Concord’s film series, Cinemagogue, will present “The Green Prince” on Saturday, November 7, at 7:30 pm.

A documentary of recent events in the Middle East, the film details the relationship between the son of a Hamas leader and a Shin Bet agent who risked his life to protect him.

Now in its fifth year, Cinemagogue offers a variety of films featuring Jewish themes, Israeli filmmakers and JewishAmerican stars. The series is free and open to the public, and donations are welcome.

Concession will be available.

SEASONED CITIZENS Seasoned Citizens, a group of congregants and non-congregants aged 70

and older, will hold its next “fun and schmooze” event at Temple Concord on Tuesday, November 10, at 2 pm. The event will be free, and coffee, tea and a light dessert will be served.

The program will include a performance by Foutch and Ferrara on flute and guitar, performing classical, Spanish, and Latin music. For more information, contact Seasoned Citizens Coordinator Janis Martin at jmmartin@twcny.rr.com.

GOLDENBERG SERIES PRESENTS MUSICAL QUARTER ON NOVEMBER 17

BY LESLIE BROCKSMITH Temple Concord’s Regina F. Goldenberg Series will present a virtuoso quartet consisting of Kathleen Roland-Silverstein, soprano; Gregory Wood, cellist; Ann McIntyre, See “TC” on page 7

n Be i oming upc r u o

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Children stood under a large tallit for consecration at Temple Concord on October 5, Simchat Torah.

OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776 ■ JEWISH OBSERVER

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Cantor Paula Pepperstone to speak at Na’amat gathering Na’amat’s Avodah chapter will host a presentation

by Cantor Paula Pepperstone on Sunday, November 8, at 1:30 pm, in the lounge at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. She will speak about her recent experiences in Israel, discussing topics such as Jewish liturgical music and her observations about Israeli women’s concerns.

Na’amat has welcomed community members to Cantor Pepperstone’s presentation, and there will be no fee to attend.

Cantor Pepperstone earned her diploma of hazzan

(cantor), bachelor of music and certificate in Jewish studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary. She earned her masters of Jewish music at Indiana University. She served six years as the first female cantor at Keneseth Israel Congregation in Louisville, KY, and is the baalat korei at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas. As director of the Rabbi Jacob H. Epstein High School of Jewish Studies and music teacher at the CBS-CS religious school, Cantor Pepperstone speaks of Jewish values, heritage, customs and culture to the community’s children through teaching, music and educational administration.

In her capacity as prison chaplain for InterFaith Works since 2011, she shares Jewish values and culture in a setting where her input is intended to comfort and guides Jewish inmates and their family members.

Cantor Pepperstone has been said to “reflect and embody” Na’amat’s aim of making the world “a better place for Israeli women and children, as well as for all people.”

For more information, or to make a reservation, contact Karen Roberts, chapter co-president, at 446-2306 or karher5757@aol.com.

Beginners running program started at the JCC

BY WILLIAM WALLAK The Syracuse Chargers Track Club recently began its weekly “Everyone Can Run Beginners Program” at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse’s Neulander Family Sports and Fitness Center, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. The free program for Chargers

members and JCC members is held on Wednesdays, from 5:30-6:30 pm, at the Fitness Center’s indoor track. The class will run through December 16.

The program is designed to teach beginners the proper way to run. Participants will start out slowly by mostly walking, and then increase running intervals each week

on a set schedule. Information on running and related topics will also be presented during each session. All participants will receive a Syracuse Chargers T-shirt and JCC reusable water bottle.

For more information and to register, call the JCC Sports and Fitness Center at 234-4522 or visit www.jccsyr.org.

JCC to hold Nov. 11 Veterans Day vacation camp for children

BY WILLIAM WALLAK The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse will offer children in kindergarten-sixth grade activities and an opportunity to honor and thank those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the upcoming Veterans Day school break, Wednesday, November 11, from 9 am-4 pm, at the JCC, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. Activities will include games, arts and crafts, sports and other age-appropriate activities. Half-day

programs and early/late care to extend the day from 7 am-6 pm are also available.

Mick Hagan, JCC’s director of children and teen services, said, “We’ll have some creative patriotic-themed activities for the children to enjoy as a way of saluting veterans and recognizing the importance of Veterans Day. We’re also going to get everyone moving and active with a boot camp, team games and kickball in the gym.”

The camp’s half-day options will run from 9 am-noon

and 1-4 pm. Full-day campers have been asked to bring a non-meat lunch. An afternoon snack will be provided.

Early registration pricing and a discount for siblings is available through Wednesday, November 4. Registration is discounted for JCC members; however membership or JCC program enrollment is not necessary for a child to attend the Veterans Day vacation camp.

For more information or to obtain a registration form, call 445-2360 or visit www.jccsyr.org.

DO YOU KNOW? Your Federation dollars at work – family wellness confidential. Family wellness encompasses The Allocations Committee of the Jewish improvements in family dynamics and Federation of Central New York awards well-being, cohesiveness, conflict resolucommunity program fund grants annually tion, communication, family leadership and during the fall. The grants are available emotional expressiveness. to all Jewish organizations, agencies Though many families and couples seek and synagogues in the Central New York therapy, this program is unique because it community. The funds come from Federation’s emphasizes wellness. Think of the Family Annual Campaign and are given out in amounts Personality Profile consultation as a check-up, of $10,000, $5,000 or $2,500. The Allocations rather than only as a means to solving a problem Committee reviews the grant requests and Jackie Miron – a way to explore issues before difficulties makes recommendations to the board, which may set in – and also an opportunity to celebrate each then votes on the recommendations.

A $5,000 grant was given to Family Wellness Connec- family’s unique “personality.” The profile is provided tions, a collaborative program that includes the Syracuse after a structured interview by an experienced clinical Jewish Family Service, Syracuse Hebrew Day School, marriage and family therapist, geared to include all the Rabbi Jacob Epstein High School of Jewish Stud- members of the family.

Wellness Connections is provided at no cost to particiies and the new Syracuse Community Hebrew School.

The program is designed to promote social, emotional pants, including the option for up to five follow-up family and psychological health and build community among therapy sessions. Services are flexible and individual, and are meant to create an atmosphere of comfort and Jewish children, teenagers and families.

Syracuse Jewish Family Service is offering this ease, where logistics are manageable and work within program to SHDS, the Epstein School and Community the family or individual dynamic.

Later in this school year, Wellness Connections also Hebrew School families in the interest of fostering individual and family health in the community. As plans to conduct interactive webinars with SJFS and with all services provided by SJFS, the program is other family and parenting experts on some common

issues of concern, such as managing peer influences; raising children who don’t bully or get bullied; bringing up children with a sense of self-worth, not entitlement; how we get the behaviors we want without engaging in behaviors we hate; and building emotional intelligence and resiliency.

SJFS is about healthy Jewish families, not just about aging and services for acute problems. The family dynamic can be improved with minimal intervention. SJFS wants the community to know that a small investment of time to evaluate family relationships can yield great benefits in communication, interaction and enjoyment.

Feedback from one individual using the service described it as “helping to take the stress out of daily living by guiding me to improve small things to enjoy my children more, and confirm I was doing more right than I thought.”

To make an appointment for a free Family Personality Profile consultation, families have been invited to call SJFS Outreach Coordinator Deborah Ellis at 446-9111, ext. 256.

Fostering healthier environments within and among families is a goal of SJFS. Federation dollars are helping the organization promote Jewish values of community, family and respect.

Vote Sam Young for

DeWitt Town Council ENDORSED BY: Democratic Party Working Families Party Veterans Party Greater Syracuse Labor Council Sierra Club Women’s Equality Party New York League of Conservation Voters

LEADERSHIP

SERVICE

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Past President and Member, Jamesville-DeWitt Board of Education Commissioner, DeWitt Police Commission DeWitt Zoning Board of Appeals President, Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas Vice President, Syracuse Community Hebrew School Sam will work to: Maintain our neighborhoods, improving safety and walkability Increased shared services between town, county and school districts Preserve our environment and natural resources Encourage businesses to locate and expand in DeWitt Hold the line on taxes

Vote on November 3 Paid for by The Committee to Elect Sam Young

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776

PJ Library® program for the Global Day of Jewish Learning

Sunday, November 15, will be the Global Day of Jewish Learning, and this year’s theme will be love. A PJ Library® event focused on the theme of love of parents and grandparents, featuring for a love-related craft activity and story, will be held in the lounge of the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt.

The program will conclude with time in the family gym. Reservations have been requested and can be made by contacting Carolyn Weinberg, coordinator for PJ Library in Central New York - A Jewish Community Partnership, at PJcny@jccsyr.org.

The PJ Library ® is a national literacy program, started by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, that gives free

Jewish bedtime stories, CDs and DVDs to families raising Jewish children. The PJ Library Central New York chapter is a program of the JCC and is supported by the Pomeranz, Shankman and Martin Charitable Foundation, Jewish Federation of Central New York, Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York Teen Funders, Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra

Shas, Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse, Syracuse Hebrew Day School, Temple Adath Yeshurun and Temple Concord. The PJ Library in Central New York serves children from 6-months-8-years-old in Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties. For more information or to sign up, visit www.pjlibrary.org or e-mail pjcny@jccsyr.org.

JCC’s pre-k book club class starts November 6

BY WILLIAM WALLAK The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse’s Jerome and Phyllis Charney Early Childhood Development Program will offer a four-week pre-kindergarten book club class for 4-year-old children on Fridays,

CBS-CS

starting November 6, from 1:15-2 pm, with no class on November 27. The program will be held in the ECDP wing of the JCC, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt.

At the pre-kindergarten book club, children will read a chapter book and

discuss the characters, setting, conflict resolution and foreshadowing.

The class will explore the different attributes of the story and write their own book.

Spots will be limited, and early registration has been recommended.

Children do not need to be enrolled in the JCC’s ECDP and JCC membership is not required to take the class, however members receive a discount.

For more information, call the JCC’s ECDP at 445-2040, ext. 120, or visit www.jccsyr.org.

Continued from page 4

the November 14 lunch and learn. Field is CBS-CS congregant and a member of Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue.

For more information, contact the CBS-CS office at 446-9570 or office@ cbscs.org.

CBS-CS HAZAK PRESENTS THE KEYNA HORA KLEZMER BAND For the fourth year, Hazak will host the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band, together with performers from the community. Featuring a Chinese opera singer, the program will be held on Sunday, November 15, at 2:30 pm, at Congregation Beth SholomChevra Shas.

As in the past, singers from the community have been invited to perform and be accompanied by the band. There will also be several selections by the band

alone. The KHKB has grown, acquiring two additional dance leaders and several new instrumentalists, including two cellists, an accordionist and a bass guitar player. Audience participation will be encouraged.

Among the performers participating this year will be Carrie Berse, Chongchun Chen, Aveeya and Jonathan Dinkin, Alice Honig, Megan Mawhinney and Lois Weiner. All are singers except Mawhinney, who is a clarinetist. Cheryl Wolfe will emcee, and she and Mark Wolfe will lead the sing-a-long.

Refreshments will be served prior to the performance. The program is free and open to the community. For more information, contact the CBS-CS office at office@cbscs.org or 446-9570.

Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas members and others participated in the first of four Thursday morning study sessions, “Subversive Sequels in The Bible,” led by Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone. The study sessions are a program of the CBS-CS Sisterhood, although men and non-members are welcome to attend. For a schedule or for more information, contact the CBS-CS office at 446-9570.

C H A N UK AH Once again this year, The Jewish Observer is inviting its readers and local organizations to extend Chanukah greetings to the community by purchasing a Chanukah greeting ad, which will appear in our November 26 issue (Deadline: Nov. 17). Chanukah begins this year on the evening of Dec. 6.

You may choose from the designs, messages and sizes shown here - more are available. You may also choose your own message, as long as it fits into the space of the greeting you select. (Custom designs available upon request.) The price of the small greeting is $18 (styles B & E), the larger one is $36 (styles A, C, D & F ) and the largest one (style G) is $68.

To ensure that your greeting is published, please contact Bonnie Rozen at 1-800-779-7896, ext. 244 or bonnie@ thereportergroup.org. Checks can be made payable to The Reporter and sent to: The Reporter, 500 Clubhouse Rd., Vestal, NY 13850 2015

Style A -$36 • Actual Size: 3.22” x 1.975”

Chanukah Greetings!

May the lights May the lights of Chanukah of Chanukah shine in shine in your your hearts hearts forever forever

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Sisterhood Symposium a huge success

BY WILLIAM WALLAK The sixth Sisterhood Symposium, held on October 13 at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse and attended by more than 130, featured the program “The End: Jewish Views of the Afterlife.” Presented by the Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas and the JCC, the event featured speakers Benjamin Sommer, professor of Bible, department of Bible and ancient Semitic languages at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, and Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas.

As with past Sisterhood Symposiums,

participants were said to have found this year’s topic to be “timely” and “thoughtprovoking.” Sommer and Rabbi Pepperstone explored various sacred texts containing references to the afterlife and discussed their associated implications for modern interpretation and application. The event also featured a full-course kosher dinner.

This year’s Sisterhood Symposium committee members responsible for organizing the event were Nancy Belkowitz, Marci Erlebacher, Rabbi Pepperstone, Ettarae Alpert, Dottie Goldberg, Karen Morton, Ruth Stein and Kathleen RolandSilverstein.

OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776 ■ JEWISH OBSERVER

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violinist; and Maryna Mazhukov, pianist; performing a program of Jean Sibelius and Dmitri Shostakovich, two of the great composers of the 20th century, on Tuesday, November 17, at 7 pm.

The quartet will perform the “Seven Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok”

by Shostakovich. As this year is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sibelius, the quartet will also perform “Malinconia” for cello and “Opus 90,” Sibelius’ final song cycle.

Now in its 14th year, the Regina F. Goldenberg Cultural Series is made possible with the support of the Regina F. Goldenberg Cultural Fund. The series is free and open to the public, and donations are always welcome.

SIMCHAT TORAH AND CONCORD CAFÉ

BY STEWART KOENIG Temple Concord welcomed new members and students on Simchat Torah, October 5. The program started with a new member dinner, where longtime and new

congregant families had a Dinosaur BarB-Que dinner. This was followed by the Simchat Torah celebration, when children and adults paraded and danced through the sanctuary to the music of Temple Concord’s Simcha Band, led by Joe Eglash.

During the service, 24 new students were consecrated on the bima and awarded a certificate. Cantor Kari Siegel Eglash said, “Our school is growing fast! This year we have a 15 percent increase in students and the building is buzzing with activity. We are using every physical inch of our school.”

With the influx of new members and students, Rabbi Daniel Fellman said that Temple Concord is working to make the temple more inviting and comfortable for parents while their children are attending religious school. He said, “We now have the Concord Café, featuring Freedom of Espresso coffee, being generously donated by a congregant. It’s a big hit and has promoted visiting and interaction.”

KEEP KAREN DOCTER DeWITT TOWN BOARD My family and I have been Town of DeWi residents since 1972 and the Docter Family’s roots in Syracuse go back to 1886. We love DeWi as you do.

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L-r: Present at the October 13 Sisterhood Symposium were Marci Erlebacher, Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse executive director; featured speakers Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth SholomChevra Shas, and Benjamin Sommer, professor of Bible at The Jewish Theological Seminary; and Nancy Belkowitz, Sisterhood Symposium committee chair.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776

Honeymooning the Holy Land way

BY DEBORAH FINEBLUM SCHABB JNS.org After Bernie and Yonah Miriam Schulman’s wedding in 2004, the Baltimore couple took off for their dream honeymoon – in Israel. “We couldn’t imagine being anywhere else,” Bernie says a decade later. “And with the natural beauty, the feeling of being in a Jewish country with Hebrew all around us, and the people, too, the entire experience turned out to be even more amazing than we’d imagined. We couldn’t have planned it.”

As a matter of fact, they didn’t. The couple flew into Ben Gurion Airport, rented a car and took off, letting the trip evolve spontaneously. After three weeks, they’d floated in two inches of water in the Dead Sea, reached the peak of Masada just as the sun was peeking over the mountain, communed with ibex at Ein Gedi, and much more.

In 1999, Josh Tolub and Tabitha May-Tolub took a similar newlywed journey, an adventure they can still enjoy thanks to the video camera they received as a wedding present. “We wanted to record everything we saw for my mother-in-law, who’d never been there,” says Tolub.

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honeymoon packages for a sampling of the offerings, ranging from back-to-nature backpacking tours to five-star opulence. Traditional Jewish couples stay pretty close to home after their weddings for a week’s worth of sheva brachot (celebratory meals) with family and friends. Nevertheless, these couples often wish to take a few days away before getting down to the business of being married.

The 10-day honeymoon of Tolub and May-Tolub in Israel also served as an introduction to Jewish life. As an initially interfaith couple (Tabitha has long since converted to Judaism), they shared the transformative experience of enjoying the Jewish state together. “It was a wonderful place for a honeymoon,” says Tolub, whose family now resides in the Boston area. “It was a true emotional high, going to the Kotel, walking around Ben Yehuda Street, eating kosher Kentucky Fried Chicken, and seeing it all through [Tabitha’s] eyes and the wonderful emotions of her first time in Israel.”

A new program makes it even easier for couples to experience the magic of an Israeli honeymoon. This spring, Honeymoon Israel sent pilot trips of newlyweds on heavily subsidized nine-day honeymoons. Honeymoon Israel’s co-CEO, Avi Rubel, says the chance to honeymoon in the Jewish state is “an opportunity to take people out of their normal atmosphere and give them a Jewish experience.”

However they are able to get there, opportunities abound for newly minted couples to celebrate in Israel and unwind from the wedding hoopla. Here is a sampling of 10: FOR ART LOVERS AND MYSTICS: SAFED It can also be Tsfat, Zefat, Zfat, Safad, Safes, Safet, or Tzfat. But however you spell it, this ancient northern city is elevated enough to command majestic views in every direction: from the Golan to Mt. Meron to Lebanon, Tiberias and the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). For couples seeking to kick off their marriage on a spiritual high, Safed is also home to the mystical Jewish tradition of Kabbalah.

In fact, tradition has it that the Messiah will come from Safed on his way to Jerusalem. Mystic Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (1534-1572), known as Ha-Ari HaKadosh or the Arizal, is among the greats buried in Safed’s Old Cemetery, and Zohar author Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (100-160) is buried in nearby Meron.

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The Kinneret in Tiberias (Photo by Andreas Fjellmann via Wikimedia Commons)

The aqueduct in Caesarea (Photo by Berthold Werner via Wikimedia Commons) sharp contrast to the bracing air of Safed, a short ride to the north. Here one can enjoy water sports and a marina along the extensive waterfront, ancient architecture, and historical and religious sites. Moshe ben Maimon (aka Maimonides or the Rambam) and other giants of Jewish thought are buried here.

FOR HISTORY BUFFS: CAESAREA Standing in the ruins of the Hellenistic and Crusader periods – when Caesarea was a port city and, for many years, the capital of Israel – might be practically the closest thing to time travel. Caesarea was named for Augustus Caesar and was a gift to him from King Herod, complete with a huge port and a thriving metropolis. In addition to a bird’s-eye view of 2,300 years of history, Caesarea also offers such modern attractions as golf courses, deep-sea diving, live music, an art museum, horse racing and a large national park.

FOR NATURE LOVERS: ISRAEL NATIONAL TRAIL The Israel National Trail invites hikers to traverse the country from south to north, from the Gulf of Aqaba in Eilat all the way to Dan, near the Lebanese border. The trail, which measures some 620 miles and takes a decidedly scenic path through the country, was the creation of journalist Avraham Tamir who, having hiked the Appalachian Trail, decided Israel needed its own national trail to show off its natural beauty. The trail was officially opened in 1995.

FOR WINE AFICIONADOS: ZIKHRON YA’AKOV You don’t need to love wine to honeymoon in Zikhron Ya’akov, but it certainly helps. Blessed with the golden sunshine to facilitate grape growing, Zikhron was established at the tip of the Carmel mountain range in 1882 with the help of Baron Edmond de Rothschild, the Jewish philanthropist who supported many of Israel’s early communities. Visitors will find a town rich in histor y (during World War I, it was home to the underground that helped the British defeat the occupying Turks), the Museum of the First Aliyah, quaint crafts shops and eateries, architectural gems, and some of the finest winer y tours in Israel.

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Honeymooning FOR CITY SLICKERS: TEL AVIV Tel Aviv is Israel’s undisputed economic, retail and cultural epicenter. Honeymooners will find theater, a never-ending night life, crafts shows, architectural delights (including the world’s best specimens of Bauhaus architecture from the 1930s), a lively outdoor shuk (market), live music, art galleries and among the country’s finest restaurants. In addition, the pristine white Mediterranean beaches provide a dramatic contrast to the sky scrapers just feet away. Nearby, Old Jaffa combines old and new in a decidedly hip and entertaining fashion.

FOR HEART SPECIALISTS: JERUSALEM Conquerors have fought and died for Jerusalem for thousands of years, but they never vanquished its eternal beauty and splendor. The Kotel (Western Wall) and its Old City neighborhood welcome some 10 million visitors a year. Other attractions include theater, music, synagogues and yeshivas, architectural tours, historical sites, a worldfamous shuk and countless ancient sites. What’s more, getting around the city has never been easier thanks to a modern, sleek and fast light-rail system. One must-see: the Rakevet (Hebrew for train), a popular walking and cycling path through the German Colony that has risen from the wreckage of a deserted train track.

FOR REST-AND-RELAXATION SEEKERS: THE DEAD SEA The lowest spot on earth, the Dead Sea may be the

Continued from page 8

The Dead Sea (Photo by Avishai Teicher/PikiWiki Israel) highest for honeymooners. Couples can wash away the stress of the wedding with therapeutic mud. Located roughly 1,300 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is the world’s saltiest body of water. The salt has eased the pain of thousands who come annually to take in its healing properties. But why is it called the Dead Sea? The high salt content would kill any life form that attempted to survive in these waters.

FOR STAR GAZERS: MITZPE RAMON There’s something so romantic about lying on your

back on a sleeping bag and having the entire Milky Way arrayed before you. This is the magic of the Ramon Crater at Mitzpe Ramon, where the absence of city lights means that stars are dazzlingly bright to the eye. If you don’t mind sleeping on mattresses alongside a chorus of snoring strangers, there are Bedouin tents nearby to stay in at a low cost. Besides providing your own private light show, Mitzpe Ramon offers jeep, bicycle and camel tours, rappelling, an array of desert animals and historical sites.

FOR BEACH CRAWLERS: EILAT Head south and when you can’t go any farther without swimming, you’ve hit Eilat. Called the “window on the Red Sea,” Eilat is Israel’s premier resort town, complete with scuba diving (the coral reefs are gorgeous), water skiing, world-class bird-watching, boating and sizzling nightlife.

Thanks to its balmy climate (it rains an average of six days a year), Eilat attracts sunbathers year-round. Look for a busy port and an under-water aquarium, along with land-based activities that include rappelling on steep cliffs, desert hikes and mountain biking.

At right: Eilat (Photo by Ester Inbar via Wikimedia Commons)

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D’VAR TORAH

Hineni – here I am

BY JEANETTE POWELL Parasha Vayera relates to the world we see, hear and read about today in multiple ways. Abraham’s response, “Hineni,” when he heard God call to him, says so much about his actions during the entire parasha.

While hineni is associated with the Akeda (Abraham’s binding of his son, Isaac, for sacrifice), I think that was how Abraham lived his life. Here I am. I am ready to help. I am ready to listen and do what is right. Abraham says he is here for you (God) even in the midst of the most frightening challenges, even as he believed God was there for him. How can we take Abraham as an inspiration and say hineni to all that we need to do to repair the world and face our challenges? How can we say to our world, Here I am?

Look at the world of Abraham, his faith in God, and see his humility. Look at how he welcomed the three strangers despite not knowing anything about them. He did not question or judge. He gave them rest and food.

More than anything, he gave of his kindness, interest and acceptance. How many of us make an effort to welcome

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.

Sunday, November 1 Temple Concord Goldenberg Series presents Itzhak Perlman at the Onondaga County Civic Center at 3 pm Tuesday, November 3 Temple Concord Scholar Series presents Terri Clark speaking on transgender issues at 7 pm Saturday, November 9 Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center holds a Kids’ Nite Out from 7-10:30 pm TC Cinemagogue Series presents “The Green Prince” at 7:30 pm Sunday, November 8 TC Brotherhood meeting at 9:30 am TC Sisterhood presents Samara Hannah speaking on the Red House Theater at 9:30 am Monday, November 9 TC board meeting at 7 pm Tuesday, November 10 TC Seasoned Citizens at 2 pm Wednesday, November 11 Deadline for the November 26 issue of the Jewish Observer Thursday, November 12 Jewish Federation of Central New York board meeting at 5:30 pm Saturday, November 14 Jewish Federation of Central New York Annual Campaign kickoff at the MOST from 6:30-8:30 pm

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the stranger – especially those strangers outside our immediate circles – to even say hello? Abraham used his intelligence and sensitivity, as well as the resources at his disposal, to assist people. Contrast that with the virulent opposition to the refugee question in so many parts of the world today – in spite of us having the resources to accommodate people fleeing from persecution. How many of us have gone out of our way to help deal with the homeless? Have we even noticed people in our community who may need various forms of assistance or even just acknowledgment?

Abraham begged God not to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities that were known for their lack of hospitality, lack of morals, inequality and cruelty.

He felt that they were salvageable if even a few citizens were righteous. How can we imitate Abraham’s courage in confronting God and the universe and stand up for what we feel is morally good?

Look at the way Abraham spoke to God to advocate for the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. He did not back down. It took courage to face God. Abraham had a sense that he was a real partner with God. His actions and pleadings were part of his trust in God and his belief that he, himself, was part of something bigger. Abraham used his mental, emotional and spiritual strength. He knew somehow that he was made in the image of God. That is how Abraham prayed. How can we pray as Abraham did – with courage, respect, confrontation, love and a trust in what is divine about us and about the universe?

Abraham saw action as prayer.

Think about today’s world – the terror, the gun issue, the shootings, ISIS, the hatred promoted by aspiring presidential candidates, politicians and even some clergy; the racism, climate change denial, hatred of migrants, inequality of resources such as water and shelter, as well as healthcare. We are bombarded day and night

MAZEL TOV Rebecca Goldberg marries Maxwell Cantor

Steven and Sondra Goldberg, of Fayetteville, have announced the marriage of their daughter, Rebecca Goldberg, to Maxwell Cantor on August 16 at Temple Rebecca Goldberg Cantor and Adath Yeshurun.

Maxwell Cantor Rebecca’s uncle, Cantor Hal Rifkin, officiated.

Rebecca is the granddaughter of Norma Goldberg, of Fayetteville, the late Bernard Goldberg, the late Francis Rochelson and the late Beverly Rochelson. She recently completed her master’s degree as a physician assistant at The George Washington University and is now practicing medicine in Boston, MA. Cantor is the son of Paul and Helene Cantor, of Needham, MA. He is the grandson of Natalie Cantor, of Del Ray, FL; the late Bernard Cantor; Marcia Siegel, of Columbus, OH; and the late Daniel Siegel. He completed his doctorate in physical therapy in 2012 at Ithaca College and is working as a physical therapist at Wellesley Therapeutic Services in Boston, MA. The maids of honor were Rebecca’s sisters, Dana and Kara Goldberg. The best man was Maxwell’s brother, Ross Cantor.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Greece. They reside in Boston, MA.

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with stories of war, destruction and tragedy. How can we help repair the world and how can the message in the parasha inspire us or offer us wisdom?

We have opportunities to be effective that people in the time of Abraham did not have. We have ways of reaching across the world via the Internet, TV, movies, telephone and other media. We can get good information if we take the time to find good, reliable sources. Our votes, support and our messages can be widely influential.

We can learn from Abraham when we join with others who want to pursue interfaith dialogue that seeks to understand others’ culture and religion. We can offer our home as a place to come together with caring and understanding. We can join discussion groups. We can offer a room at times for someone needing a place to rest. We can advocate via social media for justice and equality.

We can support our synagogues and our communities in promoting interfaith/cultural opportunities for learning.

We can be here and listen, humbly, to others who need to talk, to accept their differences, to learn about them and most importantly, to understand, even if we do not agree. We can promote kindness and peace.

I am reminded of Abraham Joshua Heschel, who wrote, “Prayer is meaningless unless it is subversive, unless it seeks to overthrow and ruin the pyramids of callousness, hatred, opportunism, falsehoods. The liturgical movement must become a revolutionary movement seeking to overthrow the forces that continue to destroy the promise, the hope, the vision.” (In Susannah Heschel (ed.), “On Prayer,” Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity: Essays

by Abraham Joshua Heschel, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1997), p.262.

Our actions, whether marches, meetings, e-mails, Facebook, learning, reading, listening, welcoming, interacting can all be prayers if done in a spirit of partnership with God and a realization of the presence of all that is divine. That is how we can say, hineni.

Jeanette Powell, M.A. religious studies, Canisius College, is a retired mental health services executive director and a member of Congregation Beth SholomChevra Shas.

OBITUARIES LILLIE MUSLOW BLACK

Lillie Muslow Black died on October 9 in Florida.

Born in Shreveport, LA, she graduated from Louisiana State University and taught high school English.

She met her future husband, Asher Black, in Louisiana during World War II. They were married in Yakima, WA, during the war and later moved to Syracuse. She was an avid golfer her whole life and belonged to Lafayette Country Club and Boca Woods Country Club. She was a member of Temple Adath Yeshurun and volunteered at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

She was predeceased by her husband, Asher, in 2012.

She is survived by her children, Harry Black, of Syracuse, and Suzanne Black and Harvey Black, of Fayetteville; her brother, Ike Muslow; five grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

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

DAVID EDGAR COLE

David Edgar Cole, 79, died in his sleep on October 20 at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Born in Marquette, MI, he had been a resident of Syracuse for the past 25 years. He was a graduate of Michigan Technological University with a degree in electrical engineering; San Diego State University with degrees in English and creative writing; and was a doctoral student of drama at Stanford University.

He had a deep love of the Southwest, where his seven novels were set. Tucson was his second home.

He was a trained engineer, an actor, a technical writer, a teacher of computer software, a musician and a published author.

He is survived by his wife, Deborah Pellow; his sisters, Kathryn Cole and Nancy (Dennis) Henderson; his brother, Jack (Jeannie) Cole; three nieces and one nephew.

Sisskind Funeral Home had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to the March of Dimes; or a charity to benefit animals in need. 

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

OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776 ■ JEWISH OBSERVER

11

OBITUARIES HADLEY J. FALK

Hadley J. Falk, 65, died on October 12 at Crouse Hospital.

He was born and raised in California. After graduating from medical school, he served several fellowships in plastic and general surgery until he joined Bruce Shafiroff’s practice in the mid 1980s, when Syracuse became his home.

He was a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specialized in breast surgery for breast cancer patients. His patients said his skills made a tremendous difference in their lives. If he could not achieve the excellent results desired, he would not start a procedure. He was ethical and disciplined.

He played a significant role in wound care at Crouse Hospital, where he was also the former president of the medical staff. He maintained privileges at all of the Syracuse hospitals, and taught at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University.

He was a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the Onondaga Medical Society and Temple Adath Yeshurun. He was a dedicated volunteer and supporter of breast cancer organizations, including the Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund and Susan G. Komen.

He is survived by his brother, Randolph (Cindy); two nephews; and a large and loving circle of friends who were like family.

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

Contributions may be made to the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, 5655 Thompson Rd., Syracuse, NY 13214; or breast cancer research. 

HANS J. GIDEON

Hans J. Gideon, 87, of DeWitt, died on October 9.

He escaped from Germany in 1939, later joined the U.S. Army, and served in World War II and Korea. A decorated war veteran, he was awarded the Purple Heart and was nominated for the Silver Star. Upon his return to civilian life, he became a licensed electrician and member of IBEW Local 43.

He served as a past president of the Kiwanis Club of DeWitt and a past lieutenant governor of the Ontario Division of the New York State Kiwanis. A past master of Philo-Mt. Sinai Masonic Lodge #968 F&AM, he also served as a grand director of ceremonies for the New York State Masons. As a longtime member of the DeWitt Republican Committee, he enjoyed working on many campaigns and was especially proud of campaigning for his son.

He was predeceased by his wife, Rosie.

He is survived by his son, David (Kathy); two grandsons; and nieces and nephews.

Burial was in Beth El Cemetery. Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Shaarei Torah Orthodox Congregation of Syracuse, 4313 E. Genesee St., DeWitt, NY 13214; or to the Syracuse VA Medical Center, CLC Fund, 800 Irving Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. 

ANNETTE GOLD

Annette Gold, 88, died on October 20 at Menorah Park.

Born in New York City, she was a graduate of Averett College with a major in music and a concentration in piano.

She met her husband, David Gold, while he was in the Army Air Corps. They were married in 1949 and settled in Stamford, CT, where they raised their family.

She and her husband loved boating and traveled to Jamaica many times. They owned several boats and cruised on Long Island Sound, heading to Florida and through the locks to Canada. Upon retiring, they spent half their time in North Palm Beach and the other half in Stamford. They moved to the Oaks of DeWitt in 2007.

She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years, David Gold.

She is survived by her daughters, Ellen (Bob) Tartakoff, of Jamesville, NY, and Joanne (Jodie Shapiro) Gold, of Florence, MA; and three grandchildren.

Burial was in Beth El cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to the Employee Fund at Menorah Park, 4101 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13214, or Helping Hounds Dog Rescue, 6606 Kinne Rd, Syracuse, NY 13214. 

HAROLD LERNER

Harold Lerner, 92, a retired cantor, died at home in New York City on October 12.

A descendant of a long line of distinguished European cantors, he decided early in life to follow in their footsteps. From the age of 8, he sang in the synagogue choirs of his hometown, Lynn, MA. He started his formal musical education at age 14.

After serving in World War II, he enrolled at the Juilliard School of Music to study opera. Realizing that he needed to earn a living, he also studied with Cantor Adolph Katchko, the country’s most prominent teacher of cantors at the time.

After attending the Teachers Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary, he assumed his first full-time position as cantor of Temple Beth Hillel in Boston.

After four years, he was called to Temple Adath Yeshurun in Syracuse with his wife, and served there for many decades. Along with his numerous activities at the synagogue, he appeared frequently with all of the major musical institutions of the Central New York area.

Heinvolvedhimselfincommunitylifeaswell,conductingthe Syracuse Jewish Community Center Chorus for several years.

He served on the boards of the JCC and the Syracuse Jewish Federation, and as president of the Syracuse Chorale and the board of the Syracuse Ballet. For many years, he was a member of the Cultural Resources Council of Syracuse and Onondaga County and, at the invitation of the mayor, he served on the Ad Hoc Committee that resulted in the development and construction of the current Onondaga County Civic Center. He was also a member of the DeWitt Rotary, the Cantors’ Assembly and served as chaplain of Onondaga Post 131, Jewish War Veterans.

His principle legacy remains the pulpit. His series of annual cantor’s concerts set an example for excellence and innovative programming among many of the area churches and synagogues. Among his most acclaimed presentations were “Back From the Fair,” based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem; “The Fiery Furnace,” an opera with marionettes that toured the Syracuse Public School system; “And David Danced,” a Sabbath service composed in rock-and-roll style; and “Haggadah, A Search For Freedom,” which was nationally televised on PBS. Upon his retirement in 1992, he was appointed cantor emeritus of his congregation. He came out of retirement to become the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Syracuse for several years. Shortly afterward, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary in recognition of his many achievements.

He had lived in New York City since 2006 with his wife, Ginger, and wrote a Jewish musical, “Kimber Road,” which had staged readings at the 92nd Street Y and the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Marilyn Rubin Lerner, who died in 2003.

He is survived by his wife, Ginger; his daughters, Jamie Lerner (Chuck) Gabriel, and Lisa Lerner; and three grandchildren; as well as his step-family, the Siegels, of Dallas, and the Marlowes, of Jacksonville.

Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Temple Adath Yeshurun Music Fund, 450 Kimber Rd., Syracuse, NY 13224; or the American Cancer Society.

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MAX PEPPER

Max Pepper, 85, died on October 12 at Crouse Hospital.

He was the former owner of Maxton Carpet Co. He was a Lion’s Club member for more than 50 years and was instrumental in raising funds for vision and eye research at State University of New York Upstate Medical University.

He was a dedicated member of Temple Adath Yeshurun.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; their daughter, Phyllis (Ken) Mowers; and one grandson.

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

Contributions may be made to the Upstate Medical Foundation for Vision Research, Neuroscience Research Building, 505 IrvingAve., Room 3603, Syracuse, NY 13210. 

DOROTHY RASKIN

Dorothy Raskin, 102, died at home on October 12.

Born in Brooklyn, she and her husband raised their family in Brooklyn and Bloomingburg.

She moved to Syracuse 10 years ago to be closer to her daughter. She and her husband worked together in their family business, Members Smoke Shop, the only retail business inside the New York Stock Exchange. She designed jewelry that was featured in one of the first mail order catalogs, which they created. She was a board member of Brooklyn Ethical Culture School. She loved Scrabble and cooking.

She was predeceased by her husband, Morris.

She is survived by her daughter, Lynn (Marvin) Koss, of Fayetteville; her sons, Richard (Gloria) Raskin, of Fayetteville, and Arthur (Donna) Raskin; her grandchildren; and her great-grandchildren.

Burial was in Wellwood Cemetery on Long Island.

Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions may be made to American Friends of ALYN Hospital, 122 E. 42nd St. #1519, New York, NY 10017, or at www.alynus.org. 

SIDNEY ROTHENBERG

Sidney Rothenberg, 74, died on October 15 unexpectedly at his home in Charleston, MA. Born in Brooklyn, he lived for many years in Syracuse while he was studying for his Ph.D. in instructional communications.

He worked in many locations as a consultant in the design of instructional materials, including many years for American Express in Jacksonville and Boston, until retiring to the Boston area. He enjoyed biking and spent a summer biking through Europe. He sang in a men’s barbershop quartet for many years.

He is survived by his brother, Martin Rothenberg, of Syracuse; a nephew, Larry Rothenberg, of Boulder, CO; and nieces Marcia Rothenberg, of Syracuse, and Sandra Rothenberg, of Rochester.

Burial was at the convenience of the family. Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ OCTOBER 29, 2015/16 CHESHVAN 5776

NEWS IN BRIEF From JTA

U.N. official: UNRWA staff sanctioned for inciting violence against Jews

Several employees of the United Nations agency handling Palestinian refugees were punished for disseminating content that promoted violence or antisemitism, a U.N. official said. The punishments, which included suspension and loss of pay “in a number of cases so far,” were made public on Oct. 20 on the website of the office of the spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The announcement followed the recent publication of two reports by the Geneva-based group UN Watch, which alleged that at least 12 officials from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA, were engaged in incitement to violence online and on social networks against Jewish Israelis, and in some cases against Jews in general.

“UNRWA condemns and will not tolerate antisemitism or racism in any form,” read the statement, which followed a news conference in which Farhan Haq, Ban’s deputy spokesman, was asked about the report. While noting that “some allegations have been found to be authentic, others not,” the statement also said that “very regrettably, in a number of cases so far, the Agency has found staff Facebook postings to be in violation of its social media rules.

These postings have been removed and the staff have been subject to both remedial and disciplinary action, including suspension and loss of pay.” The remaining allegations, the statement read, “are under assessment.” UN Watch’s September report featured material from the Facebook page of a user named Ahmed Fathi Bader. Identifying himself as a deputy principal at an UNRWA school, he praised the murder of “a group of collaborators with the Jews” by Hamas last year, an incident Amnesty International harshly condemned. Mohammed Abu Staita, who also identified himself on Facebook as working for UNRWA, posted a cartoon last year depicting a hook-nosed Orthodox Jew with long ear locks and a black hat stamped with a Star of David cowering behind a tree as the tree alerts a gunwielding man to the Jew’s presence.

Spanish town fetes name change from Kill Jews Town

A town in northern Spain held an official ceremony to mark its name change from Kill Jews Town. On Oct. 23, Israel’s ambassador to Madrid, Daniel Kutner, joined representatives from the Jewish and Sephardic communities in Spain for a ceremony during which the town’s new name signs were installed, The Local-Spain reported. The town formerly known as Castrillo Matajudíos returned to its original name, Castrillo Mota de Judios, or Castrillo Jews’ Hill. In June, the town used Castrillo Mota de Judios in the official state gazette. The name change was approved by the regional government of Castilla y Leon.

Last year, some 50 residents of the town voted for the name change at the suggestion of Mayor Lorenzo Rodriguez, who submitted the proposal to return to the original name.

Rodriguez said the name was changed during the Spanish Inquisition in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. A massacre of Jewish people is believed to have taken place near the town in 1035, while another massacre happened inside the village in 1109, according to The Local. In parts of Spain, especially in the north, locals use the Spanish

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term for “killing Jews” to describe the traditional drinking of lemonade spiked with alcohol at festivals held in city squares at Easter, or drinking in general.

Rabbi, two worshippers stabbed outside French synagogue

A rabbi and two of his congregants were stabbed outside a synagogue in Marseilles, France. One of the victims in the Oct. 24 morning attack was stabbed several times in the abdomen and is in serious but not life-threatening condition, the French daily Le Figaro reported. Police arrested the assailant, who shouted antisemitic epithets at the victims and reportedly was drunk at the time of the attack.

According to Le Figaro, the assailant is known to local police and is considered mentally unstable. Marseilles, in southern France, has some 80,000 Jews, making it the second largest Jewish community in the country. Jews make up about 10 percent of the population in the port city, which has about 250,000 Muslims.

Key House panel unanimously condemns Palestinian incitement

The U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously called on Palestinians to end incitement against Israel. The nonbinding resolution passed on Oct. 22 after a hearing on Palestinian incitement says “the Palestinian Authority has not fully lived up to its prior agreements with Israel to end incitement and should do more to prepare the Palestinian people for peace with Israel.” It “urges President [Mahmoud] Abbas and Palestinian Authority officials to discontinue all official incitement and exert influence to discourage anti-Israel and antisemitic incitement in Palestinian civil society.” The hearing was convened by the committee chairman, Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA). “This wave

Sites

recognized by Jews and Muslims alike as the site of First and Second Jewish Temples.

Since the Six-Day War in 1967 – in which Israel conquered the Temple Mount, only to return the site days later to a defeated Muslim custodianship – Jews have been permitted under Israeli law to visit Judaism’s holiest site, but are not permitted to pray there. Muslims are allowed to both gather and pray on the site. Palestinians contend that Israel seeks to revoke Muslim rights on the Temple Mount and permit Jews to pray there, with the intention of replacing Al-Aqsa with a third Jewish Temple.

While Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have continuously denied any change to the regulations and visitation patterns of Jews on the site, Palestinians have used Al-Aqsa as a rally cry to incite Arabs to violence against Israelis.

Before a recent trip to address the U.N. Security Council, Netanyahu stated, “Israel wants peace with the Palestinians, but regretfully lies continue to be spread about our policy toward the Temple Mount. Israel is maintaining the status quo. It is the Palestinians bringing weapons to the Temple Mount who are harming the site’s sanctity and disturbing the status quo.”

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin stated at a recent joint press conference with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, “The Temple Mount is held captive by people who want to ignite a religious war. Israel won’t let this happen and won’t change even a single letter of the status quo.”

According to Diker, the narrative that Al-Aqsa is in danger has been used by Muslims as a “pretext to incite violence” against Jews for nearly a century. “The ‘Al-Aqsa is in danger’ libel traces back to the mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini. This is the same Husseini who conspired with Hitler on the Final Solution,” Diker told JNS.org. “He mobilized thousands of Arabs to the Temple Mount in the 1920s and ‘30s using the Al-Aqsa Mosque as a staging ground for terror against the Jewish communities of that time.”

More recently, said Diker, “Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have adopted this rhetoric, and have used it regularly. In September 2000, Yasser Arafat rallied terrorists under the false claims that Al-Aqsa was in danger.

They named their terror wave the Al-Aqsa Intifada. It’s the same libel.”

Earlier that same year, in July 2000 at the Camp David Summit, Arafat famously denied that any Jewish Temple ever stood at the Jerusalem complex – despite the fact that a guide to the Temple Mount published by the Supreme Muslim Council in 1925 (and again in subsequent years) states explicitly, “Its identity as the site of Solomon’s Temple is beyond dispute.”

“That was Arafat using Al-Aqsa to mobilize Muslims in Israel and throughout the Muslim world. And today we are seeing the exact same thing,” Diker said. “Instead of condemning the Palestinian Authority for incitement

of violence isn’t some random flare-up,” said Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), the top Democrat on the committee, at the hearing. “It’s the product of years and years of anti-Israel propaganda and indoctrination – some of which has been actively promoted by Palestinian Authority officials and institutions.” With tensions rising in Israel, and a spate of deadly Palestinian attacks on Israelis, each side has accused the other’s leaders of spurring incitement. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is maintaining a list on its website of U.S. lawmakers condemning Palestinian incitement. One lawmaker speaking during the hearing, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), excoriated Palestinian incitement, but also lamented Israeli incitement, particularly related to the Temple Mount, also known as the Noble Sanctuary, the Jerusalem site holy to Muslims and Jews. “Back in the days of the Roman Empire, those zealots who claimed to be the most proIsrael did enormous harm,” said Sherman, known for his closeness to the pro-Israel community, in remarks first noted by Americans for Peace Now in its weekly legislative roundup. “So now we see a few fringe Israeli leaders who want to disturb the status quo on the Temple Mount,” he said. “They, too, are harmful. They provide a pretext for those who incite terrorism in Israel and those who seek delegitimization abroad.” Separately, the State Department cut its economic aid to the Palestinian Authority from $370 million to $290 million annually, al-Monitor reported. What’s behind the cut is not clear, but the Middle East news website noted approbation from lawmakers, including Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), the chairwoman of the foreign operations subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, who the week of Oct. 23 wrote Abbas with her Democratic counterpart, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), warning that such a cut might be in the offing if the incitement is not ended.

Continued from page 1

to murder, the international community buys the current Islamic narrative… For decades, Arabs have used the Al-Aqsa mosque compound as a sanctuary for terror.”

While the Temple Mount has been at the epicenter of Arab terror and narrative warfare, other significant Jewish holy sites have been dragged into the militant and diplomatic assault. Over recent weeks, nearly a dozen separate incidents have been recorded near the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron (the burial site of Jewish forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob); the tomb of the Jewish matriarch Rachel in Bethlehem; and the tomb of Joseph in Shechem. Attacks have included stabbings, firebombings, pipe-bombings and an attempted lynch mob.

On a tour of Joseph’s Tomb following the recent firebombing attack there, Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel Yitzchak Yosef cited a verse from Psalms stating, “‘The nations came and desecrated your sanctuary.’”

The chief rabbi himself added, “What was done here was quite simply the work of ISIS. The heart cannot grasp the evil.”

At the same time as the Jewish sites are being attacked by Palestinian rioters, the Palestinian Authority’s diplomatic team is trying to claim that the sites are part of Islamic heritage. Harold Rhode – a retired adviser on Islamic affairs in the Office of Net Assessment at the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as the department’s former Turkish Desk Officer – suggests that the key to understanding these moves is wrapped up in the narrative. “From an Islamic point of view, there is only one narrative. And it is the Islamic narrative,” Rhode told JNS.org.

According to Rhode, claims that Jewish holy sites such as Joseph’s and Rachel’s tombs also are holy to Muslims have no historical significance in Islam.”The claims are invented in the battle to de-Judaify Israel,” Rhode said.

Rhode notes that Muslims have historically made claims on Christian and Jewish sites across the Middle East, including in Syria, Iraq, and Turkey. “This is taking place all over the Middle East,” he said. “They take places holy to other religions and they Islamify them. The goal is to snuff out, slowly but surely any other religions.”

Rhode adds that Israel and other societies have difficulty coming to terms with false Muslim claims on other religions’ holy sites, as it would be uncommon for any Judeo-Christian society to manufacture such claims about another religion without historical basis. “They are not using reason. They are using Islam. This is not right and wrong in the way Westerners would understand it.

According to Muslims, if it advances Islam, it is right,” Rhode said.

That phenomenon is now taking hold in Israel, said JCPA’s Diker. “It’s the total inversion of history to detach by force of terror, as well as by force of non-military means, any Jewish connection to Jewish holy sites in the land of Israel,” he said.