Syr1108 2016

9 CHESHVAN 5777 • NOVEMBER 10, 2016 • VOLUME XXXVII, NUMBER 22 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY

Campaign 2017 kick-off – Change is in the air for the Jewish community

BY MARK WLADIS Last year we introduced a new word into the local Jewish community. That word was “change.”

We changed the old ways that the Jewish Federation did things. We did that by hosting community events and working as a group toward common goals of raising money and, more importantly, fostering a stronger sense of community. Did it work?

You be the judge, based on the following: Attendance at last year’s and this year’s Major Gift dinners was the highest in many years.

Three hundred fifty people came to the Meet at the MOST event last December.

The event at Benjamin’s last Febru-

ary had people going out to this year, although neither has dinner together beforehand any Jewish members. They and then coming to have a sponsor our events because drink and mingle with others they recognize the value of in our community. our community and why it is so important to Central New I met with the Rabbinical York as a whole.

Council, which had not been done by a Campaign chair in � First Niagara Bank made many years. The rabbis, many one of its last local charitable of whom attended the Major donations to the Jewish FederaGifts dinner, have embraced tion of Central New York in the Mark Wladis our mantra of inclusion and amount of $40,000. This is the change that is necessary to allow this largest unsolicited corporate gift received Jewish community to continue to grow by the Federation in years! and prosper.

The point is that many non-Jewish IBEW Local 43 and Plumbers and people are recognizing what our Jewish Steamfitters Local 267 are sponsors again community has done to ensure that the

Central New York community as a whole is a great place to live and work.

Synergy and change combined to bring us a successful 2016 Campaign year.

The 2016 Federation Annual Campaign closed at a little more than $1.1 million ($1,102,600), the highest amount in eight years! The Federation received 129 new gifts this past year. Think about it: 129 new families chose to contribute this past year.

You know what else? We only had one person complain about what we did last year and when I talk about this year, people’s eyes light up because they want to be part of this community and see it succeed. That is the biggest win of all!

IDF to train U.N. peacekeepers on emergency medicine

BY JNS STAFF JNS.org United Nations peacekeepers will take part in a seminar in Israel led by the Israel Defense Forces and leading civilian medical professionals.

The seminar, which grew out of a discussion on improving cooperation

between Israel and the U.N., will focus on emergency medicine and providing first response medical personnel in conflict zones throughout the world. Israel is frequently one of the first countries to respond to worldwide humanitarian efforts by sending missions to disaster zones, with recent examples including Haiti, the

Philippines and Nepal.

“We are proud to welcome U.N. peacekeepers to Israel to learn from the world’s leading professionals and to witness firsthand our cutting-edge techniques for treating medical emergencies deep in the field,” Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, Israel knows all too well about the need for quick and professional medical care in a time of need,” he added. “We hope that these U.N. officials will incorporate the techniques they learn during their visit to Israel into their missions and save lives around the world.”

Earliest reference to Jerusalem found in rare ancient papyrus

BY SAM SOKOL JNS.org JERUSALEM (JNS) – Archaeologists unveiled a 2,700-year-old papyrus fragment, described as “the earliest extra-biblical source to mention Jerusalem in Hebrew writing” the Israel Antiquities Authority said on October 26.

The find, which dates to the seventh century B.C.E., was written at the end of the First Temple period. It was recovered by the IAA after being plundered by antiquities thieves from a cave in the Judean Desert.

The fragment is a rare and original shipping invoice from the time of the Kingdom of Judah. It describes “the status of the sender of the shipment (the king’s maidservant), the name of the settlement from which the shipment was dispatched (Na’arat), the contents of the vessels (wine), their number or amount (jars) and their destination (Jerusalem),” the IAA said in a statement.

N’aratah on the parchment references the biblical city of Na’arot, described in the Book of Joshua as on the border between the tribal territories of Ephraim and Benjamin.

“The document represents extremely rare evidence of the existence of an or-

ganized administration in the Kingdom of Judah,” said Dr. Eitan Klein, deputy director of the IAA’s Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery.

While the fragment’s discovery serves to “underscores the centrality of Jerusalem as the economic capital of the kingdom” at the time, it is impossible to tell which specific king – Menashe, Amon and Josiah all ruled Jerusalem at that time – was the recipient of the wine, he said.

The find is one of only two original documents from that period referencing Jerusalem as the capital city of the kingdom. It also highlights the “unusual status of a woman in the administration of the Kingdom of Judah,” said biblical scholar professor Shmuel Ahituv.

Officials explained the extreme dryness of the Judean Desert is “uniquely suited” for the preservation of ancient papyrus, adding that such finds are “incredibly useful” in understanding life and religion in antiquity.

Archaeologists aren’t the only ones aware of the importance of such finds. IAA officials denounced the daily plundering of “important historical finds” and called for increased government resources for a systematic excavation of “all of the Judean Desert caves.”

The October 26 announcement came as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization passed its second resolution in less than two weeks erasing the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount and Western Wall. Both resolutions refer to the Temple Mount and Western Wall by Arabic names rather than Hebrew ones and condemned Israeli actions on the Temple Mount, “including [those of] the so-called ‘Israeli Antiquities’ officials.”

Israeli archaeologists have spent years sifting through tons of debris removed from the site following excavations by the Waqf, the Islamic endowment that controls the site. Other finds at the site include Herodian tiles believed to have been part of the Second Temple complex and a 3,000-year-old seal from the time of King David.

Israeli officials linked the papyrus fragment discovery with current events.

Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev called it “further tangible

evidence that Jerusalem was and will remain the eternal capital of the Jewish people. ...It is our duty to take care of the plundering of antiquities that occurs in the Judean Desert, and no less important than this is exposing the deceit of false propaganda as is once again happening today in UNESCO,” she said. “The Temple Mount, the very heart of Jerusalem and Israel, will remain the holiest place for the Jewish people, even if UNESCO ratifies the false and unfortunate decision another 10 times.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Arabic language spokesman Ofir Gendelman was even harsher in his comments, calling on UNESCO to pay attention to the find, adding that the U.N. body’s World Heritage Committee “deserves to be condemned, not Israel.”

The fragment, he tweeted in Arabic, was written “1,300 years before the advent of Islam and the occupation of the Middle East by Arab invaders.”

C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A November 11...........4:26 pm.................................................. Parasha-Lech Lecha November 18...........4:20 pm..........................................................Parasha-Vayera November 25...........4:15 pm............................................... Parasha-Chaye Sarah

INSIDE THIS ISSUE SHDS campaign

Coming together

Teen trip to Philly

The Syracuse Hebrew Day School Syracuse community leaders A day trip for teens to visit the will hold a champagne brunch to have formed a Council of Jewish National Museum of American Organizations. kick off its annual campaign.

Jewish History in Philadelphia.

Story on page 3 Story on page 3 Story on page 5

PLUS Calendar Highlights............... 6 B’nai Mitzvah........................... 6 Obituaries................................. 7 Home and Real Estate........... 8

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ NOVEMBER 10, 2016/9 CHESHVAN 5777

Sukkot around the community

Members of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas erected the CBS-CS sukkah.

Children made the decorations while adults did the heavy lifting.

JCC unveils new community sukkah

BY WILLIAM WALLAK The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse obtained a bigger community sukkah for last month’s Sukkot celebration. The new 12-foot-by-20-foot sukkah with schach (roof) was purchased by the JCC with support from all of the area synagogues and the Syracuse Hebrew Day School as part of a new community group called the Council of Jewish Organizations.

This year, the sukkah was erected at the

foot of the JCC’s front yard hill, next to the sidewalk, for easier accessibility. Each year, members of the area’s Jewish community are welcome to come and use to the sukkah during Sukkot. The JCC’s Jerome and Phyllis Charney Early Childhood Development Program and the After School Program incorporate activities in the sukkah as part of their programming. Children from the Syracuse Hebrew Day School assisted in the decoration of the sukkah.

At right: Children in the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse’s After School Program participated in activities in the new community sukkah at the JCC last month.

L-r: Noah Rafkis, Matan Pepperstone, Autumn Keefe, Jonah S a h m , C a ro l i n e Skahen and Mali Lamanna.

At right: Consecration is a celebration of the beginning of a student’s f o r m a l re l i g i o u s education. Temple Concord consecrates its new students during the Simchat Torah service as the congregation finishes reading the Torah and begins again. Each new student received a certificate and a replica Torah to take home.

The event featured music, dancing with the Torah scrolls and candy during the hakafot (the circuits) of the Torah.

At right: On Simchat Torah, Temple Concord Rabbi Daniel Fellman c o o rd i n a t e d t h e unrolling of a Torah and walked around describing it from beginning to end. L-r: Art Bronstein, Sue Gordon, Ernie Wass, Rabbi Fellman and Jesse Kerr-Whitt.

L-r Barbara Simon, Bess Greenberg, Alison Bronstein, Lisa Joseph, Susie Drazen, Ruth Schwartz, Lynn Bronstein, Karen Docter and JoAnn Grower celebrated Sukkot with Sisterhood’s event “Sisters in the Sukkah.” The women discussed ushpizot, the newer tradition of inviting seven female prophets into the sukkah, and talked about what it means to be an egalitarian congregation.

of Central New York

A Palestinian true moderate speaks at SU

BY RICHARD D. WILKINS Mohammed Dajani Daoudi spoke on October 25 at Syracuse University to the student-run group LIME: An Israeli/Palestinian Dialogue Group.

The talk was co-sponsored by multiple academic programs.

Dajani achieved instant international celebrity in 2014, when he took a group of his students from Al Quds University in Jerusalem to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland – a trip that earned him death threats, a suspected attempted assassination car firebombing and the loss of his job. For the past two years, he has been working as a scholar at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He will soon return to Jerusalem to initiate a pioneering program on reconciliation for Palestinian university students.

Dajani reportedly comes from a longtime Jerusalem family, which, for centuries during the Ottoman rule, had been in charge of King David’s Tomb on Mt. Zion – hence, the honorific, “Daoudi.” During the 1948 war, his family fled from western Jerusalem to the eastern part of the city.

Unlike most others, his family refused to accept refugee status and its “mindset of

At right: Mohammed Dajani Daoudi, a Palestinian and former professor at Al Quds University in Jerusalem, spoke at Syracuse University.

dependence.” Nevertheless, he grew up in an anti-Israel milieu, joining Fatah while a student at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon. He later left Fatah and came to the U.S. as a doctoral student, all the while maintaining his distance from Jews and things Jewish. Even while teaching Arabic as a graduate student, he avoided all contact with a Hebrew-teaching Israeli colleague.

In 1993, his cancer-stricken father was hospitalized in Israel. Contrary to the Palestinian propaganda he had heard his entire life, Dajani was said to be “amazed” at how Palestinian patients were treated equally by staff. Years later, on a family outing to Tel Aviv, his mother became gravely ill. Though their intervention was ultimately unsuccessful, Dajani was See “Moderate” on page 8

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AROUND CENTRAL NEW YORK SHDS kicks off annual campaign with champagne brunch

BY MELISSA KLEMPERER The Syracuse Hebrew Day School will hold a champagne brunch on Sunday, November 20, from 11:30 am-1:30 pm, at Temple Adath Yeshurun as part of the school’s annual campaign kick-off.

The second annual celebration event will serve as a kick-off to the school’s only fund-raising event this year.

SHDS Head of School Lori Tenenbaum said, “In the

past, SHDS has run several smaller fund-raising drives such as our grandparent, alumni and friends campaigns.

This year, the need for financial assistance is greater among our families and, as a result, we must raise more funds in order to balance our budget. It became clear that we would need to change our development plan to increase the pledges of existing donors and engage potential first-time givers. The Celebration Champagne

Brunch will be an opportunity for day school supporters to learn how everyone, regardless of experience, can become a fund-raiser.”

The event will include a performance from the SHDS chorus and a Va’ad-supervised brunch, which will include a mimosa and champagne bar. Reservations can be made by contacting the school at celebration@ shds.org or 446-1900.

Syracuse community leaders form CoJO – Council of Jewish Organizations

BY LORI TENENBAUM For the past year, executives and lay leaders from area Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Federation of Central New York, Jewish Community Foundation, Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, Syracuse Hebrew Day School, the Rabbi Jacob H. Epstein School of Jewish Studies, Syracuse Community Hebrew School, Jewish Family Service, Hillel at Syracuse University, Menorah Park of Central New York, Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas, Shaarei Torah Orthodox

Congregation of Syracuse, Temple Adath Yeshurun and Temple Concord, have come together with a common goal that has been described by the recently adopted mission statement as “To develop enduring collegial relationships among Syracuse Jewish organizations to foster collaboration and coordination and to make our community more cohesive and vibrant.”

Through a series of meetings and brainstorming sessions, the Council of Jewish Organizations, originally the Committee on Relational Judaism, was able to focus

on several short- and long-term goals and joint projects.

Among these were ongoing projects, such as coming together for a communitywide service day; providing opportunities for social activities for youth and teenagers from all synagogues and affiliations; and an ambassador program designed to integrate unaffiliated and interfaith See “CoJO” on page 6

Bands sought for 15th annual JCC Battle of the Bands

BY WILLIAM WALLAK The Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse is seeking rock and other musical groups to enter and play in its Battle of the Bands. The 15th annual competition exclusively for high school bands will be held on Saturday, January 14, at 7 pm, at the JCC, 5655

L-r: Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse Director of Children and Teen Services Mick Hagan posed with Ryan Cass, Max Marcy, Joe Russo, Noah Dardaris and Garrit Peck, the members of the 2016 Battle of the Bands winner, The Cuddlefish.

Thompson Rd., DeWitt. There will be a modest admission charge and the event will be open to the public. For every high school student admission, the JCC will donate $1 to his or her school district’s music department.

The winning band will receive a $200 cash prize, eight hours of studio time at More Sound Recording Studio and the opportunity to play in a JCC 2017 Spring Showcase concert. The Battle of the Bands entry form is available online at www.jccsyr.org and at the JCC’s front desk. There is a registration fee for each band and the deadline to enter is Friday, January 6.

“We’re so excited to be putting on our 15th Battle of the Bands concert,” said Mick Hagan, JCC’s director of children and teen services. “Each year, we’ve been very fortunate to have so many talented musicians step up and help us put on a great show. It’s going to be a special evening full of fun and excitement for both the bands and fans in attendance.”

All bands entering the competition are limited to a maximum of seven students and must have a majority See “Bands” on page 6

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center senior dining menu NOVEMBER 14-18 Monday – tomato-basil soup and grilled cheese Tuesday – meatloaf Wednesday – imitation crab cakes Thursday – chicken rollatini Friday – birthday celebration – brisket NOVEMBER 21–25 Monday – baked ziti Tuesday – seafood strudel Wednesday – Thanksgiving celebration – roasted turkey Thursday – closed for Thanksgiving Friday – closed

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The Bobbi Epstein Lewis JCC Senior Adult Dining 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.

SHDS Club 56 members assisted in the decoration of the new community sukkah, donated with the help of the newly-formed community organization Council of Jewish Organizations. Each member agency had pledged to donate a portion of the funds necessary to purchase the new, bigger sukkah. Front row (l-r): Elyssa Ghalchi, Joseph Seidman, AJ Sikora, Jonah Jaffe, Eli Goldstein, Abigail Hinshaw and Ainsley Resig. Back row: Sam Wells, Eden Shirilan-Howlett, Mali Lamanna and India Roopnarine. (Missing from the picture was Ilana Jaffe.)

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ NOVEMBER 10, 2016/9 CHESHVAN 5777

CONGREGATIONAL NOTES Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas JOINT THANKSGIVING SERVICE Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas will hold its annual joint Thanksgiving celebration with Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church on Sunday, November 20, from 4-6 pm.

This year’s theme will be “Thanking those who give through service.” Both congregations have asked for the names of people who work to “improve, heal and mend society.” In addition to sharing “sacred stories,” songs and prayers on this theme, the celebration will acknowledge those who serve the community in a number of ways, and how they do so.

In keeping with the theme, there will be a hands-on service project at the reception following the celebration. The program will include an adult choir and a youth rock band. The reception will include

refreshments and dancing to the music of the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band.

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

USYERS SCAVENGER HUNT On October 23, teens from Achla United Synagogue Youth at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas spent an afternoon scavenging around Destiny USA. The group split into teams and traveled the mall in search of items on the list prepared by event chair, Hadar Pepperstone. Teens collected discarded receipts, blue string and buy one, get one coupons (among other items), and bonus points were awarded to teams that found items reminiscent of Sukkot’s lulav and etrog. For more information about Achla’s activities, contact advisor Sara Goldfarb at cbscsusy@gmail.com.

United Synagogue Youth members from Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas participated in a scavenger hunt at Destiny USA on October 23. L-r: Kelvin Porter, Danny Blumenthal, Rachel Beckman, Michale Schueler, Shir Juran, Lillian Schaffer and Hadar Pepperstone.

Temple Adath Yeshurun AUTHOR/INVENTOR TO SPEAK Alan Rothschild will speak on Sunday, November 13, at 11 am, at Temple Adath Yeshurun. He and his wife, Ann, are the co-authors of the 2015 book “Inventing a Better Mousetrap: 200 Years of American History in the Amazing World of Patent Models.” The book catalogs hundreds of models from the Rothschild Patent Model Collection. It also demonstrates how to build a replica of several selected models using Legos, 3-D printing and other materials and techniques.

The Rothschilds’ book was praised by many, including Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. The Rothschilds owned the largest privately-owned collection of publicly-viewable patent models in the U.S., the Rothschild Petersen Patent Model Collection, which encompasses more than 4,000 patent models and related documents, and spans America’s Industrial Revolution. The book features patent models while also offering insight into the cultural, economic and political history of the United States.

Between 2011-13, the Smithsonian American Art Museum gallery featured “Inventing a Better Mousetrap,” which displayed 32 models selected from the thousands within the collection that illustrated a variety of 19 th-century patented inventions submitted by inventors from across the U.S. Twenty-five models were donated from the Rothschild collection to the Smithsonian, and are on permanent display in the Luce Gallery and in the general exhibit area of the museum. The collection is now located at the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, DE. For more information about the Rothschild Petersen Patent Model Collection, visit www.alanwrothschild.com.

The free program is an initiative of the adult education chavurah. It will be open to the community. There will be a light brunch at 10:30 am, followed by the program at 11 am. Reservations have been requested and can be made by contacting the synagogue at info@adath.org or 445-0002.

See “TAY” on page 6

At left: Temple Adath Ye s h u r u n R e l i g i o u s School students harvested vegetables for a Sukkot program with the Syracuse Community Garden. L-r: Sadie Sevak, Ellen Socia, Leo Charlamb and Dylan Friedman.

NOVEMBER 10, 2016/9 CHESHVAN 5777 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

Over 200 people attended Federation’s evening with comedian Judy Gold

BY JESSICA LAWRENCE More than 200 people gathered on October 22 in the Finger Lakes ballroom at the Marriott Downtown Syracuse to see comedian and Emmy winner

Megan Coleman Sykes and Rebecca Bronfein Raphael attended the show.

(Photo courtesy of Stewart Koenig)

Judy Gold in a program presented by the Jewish Federation of Central New York. Gold performed, speaking of her trips to Israel, growing up Jewish and raising her children in New York

More than 200 people came to watch comedian Judy Gold perform.

City. A unique drink was available for guests before Gold took the stage, made possible by the Jewish Federation of Central New York.

The event was chaired by Eric Rochelson, and committee members included Mark Wladis, Lori Golden Kiewe, Pam Levine, Michael Manheim and Jeff Stein. Rochelson said, “It was a great opportunity to bring the community together for this event, and in addition preview the new Hotel Syracuse.”

Event sponsors included the Wladis Law Firm, Pomeranz, Shankman and Martin Charitable Foundation, the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union 267 and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 43, as well as an anonymous donor.

After Gold’s set concluded, guests had cookies, bread pudding and apple crisp made in-house and supervised by the Va’ad Ha’ir.

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A Jewish Federation of Central New York program on October 22 was attended by more than 200 people.

L-r: Jewish Federation of Central New York President/CEO Linda Alexander, comedian Judy Gold and event Chair Eric Rochelson.

Free JCC day trip for teens to American Jewish History museum December 11

BY WILLIAM WALLAK Local teenagers seeking to explore and celebrate their Jewish heritage will have an opportunity to do so during a road trip to Philadelphia next month.

In collaboration with area synagogues, the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse will host a “JCC Teen Initiative” excursion for students in grades eight-12 to visit the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, PA, on Sunday, December 11. The bus will depart at 8 am from the JCC, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt, and return to the JCC at around 10:30 pm.

The free outing will include round-trip travel, museum admission, a guided tour and a kosher lunch and dinner. There are only 35 spots available on a first-come, first-served basis. The registration form is available from the JCC by calling 445-2360 or visiting www.jccsyr.org. The “JCC Teen Initiative” day trip is sponsored

by the Joseph Elman Family Fund for Holocaust Studies at the Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York.

Elman established the Fund for Holocaust Studies in 2010. He dedicated it to the memory of his parents and sisters, whom he last saw in January 1943 and who were lost in the Holocaust. The fund was established to provide support for programs to educate teenagers in future generations about the Nazi regime. The fund’s trustees are Sheldon Kruth, Barry Elman and Linda Alexander.

“We are very excited to coordinate this trip and give local teens a chance to connect with the history of Jews in America,” said Marci Erlebacher, JCC executive director. “With so much to do and see at the museum, this is a wonderful opportunity for our young people to appreciate who they are and discover their place in the Jewish-American experience.”

Leading the “JCC Teen Initiative” ex-

NEWS IN BRIEF From JNS.org

Japan awards two Israelis Order of the Rising Sun decoration

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – Two Israelis are among the among the 96 recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun decoration for 2016, the Japanese government announced on Nov. 3. Professor Meron Medzini of Jerusalem’s Hebrew University and architect Arie Kutz of Tel Aviv University received the award. The Japanese government awards the decoration, which includes a medal and certificate of honor, every year to people who contributed to Japan’s international relationships and promoted its culture globally.

cursion and traveling with the teenagers will be the JCC’s Mick Hagan, director of children and teen services. Hagan leads a number of JCC teenage programs throughout the year, including summer camps and the annual high school Battle of the Bands held each January.

The National Museum of American Jewish History, located on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, was established in

1976 and is the only museum in the nation dedicated exclusively to “exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience.” With more than 25,000 objects, the museum is the repository of the largest collection of Jewish Americana in the world.

For more information about the “JCC Teen Initiative” trip, call 445-2360 or visit www.jccsyr.org.

Bringing Up Day Schoolers (BUDS): meet, greet and eat

BY MELISSA KLEMPERER The Syracuse Hebrew Day School will present a program on the benefits of sending students to the school on Sunday, November 13, from 12:30-1:30 pm, after the family gym program in the SHDS kindergarten classroom at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse.

There will be healthy, “kid-approved” snacks and activities.

Organizers feel that “the leaders of the

community’s future are being created at SHDS.” The school offers a program of general and Judaic studies, including a range of co-curricular programs for children in kindergarten-sixth grade. The class size is said to be small, and the school aims to offer “highly individualized instruction and experienced teachers.”

For more information or to make a reservation, contact the school at shds@ twcny.rr.com or 446-1900.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ NOVEMBER 10, 2016/9 CHESHVAN 5777

Calendar Highlights

To see a full calendar of community events, visit the Federation's community calendar online at www.jewishfederationcny.org. Please notify

jstander@jewishfederationcny.org of any calendar changes.

Saturday, November 12 Temple Concord Cinemagogue Series presents “24 Days” at 7:30 pm Sunday, November 13 JCC arts and crafts show from 10 am-5 pm Temple Adath Yeshurun presents Dharma Yoga led

by MaryJo Proietta-Halpern at 9:15 am Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse arts and crafts show from 10 am-5 pm TC Scholar Series at 11 am TAY adult education chavurah presents Alan Rothschild, inventor and author of “Inventing a Better Mousetrap: 200 Years of American History in the Amazing World of Patent Models” at 11 am Syracuse Jewish Family Service drumming circle at 12:45 pm Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas Hazak program with Joan Burstyn speaking about her experiences as a child in World War II London at 2 pm Monday, November 14 JCC arts and crafts show from 8 am-8 pm TC Board of Trustees at 7 pm Tuesday, November 15 JCC Executive Committee meeting at 6 pm, followed by a board meeting at 7 pm Epstein School meets at CBS-CS at 6:30 pm Wednesday, November 16 Syracuse Community Hebrew School meets at TAY from 4-6 pm CBS-CS board meeting at 7:30 pm Thursday, November 17 TAY Executive Committee meeting at 6 pm, followed by a board meeting at 7 pm Epstein School at Wegmans Café at 7 pm Sunday, November 20 TAY presents Dharma Yoga led by MaryJo Proietta-Halpern at 9:15 am TAY Sisterhood to host a book discussion on Judy Blume’s “In the Unlikely Event” at 9:30 am TC GAN program from 10:30 am-noon Syracuse Hebrew Day School campaign kick-off at Temple Adath Yeshurun from 11 am-1 pm SJFS Yoga program at 12:45 pm Monday, November 21 TC diaspora dinner at 6:30 pm Wednesday, November 22 EARLY deadline for the JO December 8 issue (the only December issue) Tuesday, November 29 Epstein School meets at CBS-CS at 6:30 pm Council of Jewish Organizations meets in the Syracuse Hebrew Day School library at 7 pm Wednesday, November 30 Syracuse Community Hebrew School meets at TAY from 4-6 pm Thursday, December 1 Epstein School at Wegmans Café at 7 pm

CoJO

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couples into the Jewish community.

To date, CoJO has completed several initiatives.

Through the work of the group, area organizations should have “less conflict and greater participation” in their programs due to improvements made to the existing Community Calendar. A leadership development program led by Tony Kenneson-Adams is scheduled for Sundays, January 15 and 29. The free program will be available to anyone in a leadership role in the Jewish community.

At the last CoJO meeting, the issue of the community sukkah was raised. The existing sukkah was said to be old, missing several pieces and “not big enough.” An attempt to raise funds for a new sukkah was made by the JCC, but was unsuccessful. Within five minutes of discussion about the sukkah at the September 28 meeting, most of the agencies present had pledged to donate a portion of the funds necessary to purchase a new, bigger sukkah. This was considered an example of how the local Jewish organizations can come together for a united goal. Credit was given to CoJO for the initiative, and to the JCC for ordering, constructing and maintaining the sukkah, which will be available to the community for many future Sukkot celebrations.

The next CoJO meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 29, at 7 pm, in the library of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School. All community leaders have been encouraged to attend.

For more information about CoJO meetings and upcoming events, contact Erin Hart at ehart@jccsyr.org.

D’VAR TORAH Even failure may be considered a success

BY RABBI EVAN SHORE How does the Torah measure success? This week’s parasha shows us it is counterintuitive. Even if one fails at a task, the act may still be considered a success.

Abraham is informed by God that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are going to be destroyed due to their disgraceful behavior. Abraham immediately goes into action, pleading and negotiating with God to save the cities. Abraham makes an eloquent appeal, leading God to give in a little and finally agree to save the cities if 10 righteous people can be found. In the end, the righteous are nowhere to be found and the cities are doomed.

On the surface, it may seem that Abraham failed. The cities were destroyed; fire and brimstone incinerated the entire area. Yet, we must not see Abraham’s efforts as a failure! Why? The mere fact that he cared about others, prayed for their lives, pushing God to the limit, so to speak, to relent even more. Abraham did not succeed, but he did not miss the mark, either.

There is a great deal to learn from this episode: a prayer that seems to fall on “deaf ears” is not necessarily a waste of time. God desires the prayers of the Jewish people.

B’NAI MITZVAH Pamela Horowitz

Pamela Horowitz, daughter of Laurie and Harold Horowitz, of Jamesville, became bat mitzvah at Temple Adath Yeshurun on October 15.

She is the granddaughter of Sondra and Phillip Schwartz, of Syracuse, and the late William and the late Irene Horowitz.

She is a student at the Temple Adath Yeshurun Religious School Pamela Horowitz and attends the Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School.

She enjoys playing the violin, gymnastics and reading. For her mitzvah project, she adopted three animals at the zoo.

Tobey M. Schulman

Tobey M. Schulman

Tobey M. Schulman, son of Melissa Romano McAllister and Jeffrey Schulman, both of Fayetteville, became bar mitzvah at Temple Adath Yeshurun on October 22. He is the grandson of Lynne and Joseph Romano, of Manlius, and Howard and Doris Schulman, of Dix Hills.

He attends Wellwood Middle School and enjoys baseball, soccer and graphic design.

Bands

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of its band members enrolled full-time at a local high school. Each band entered will have 30 minutes to play on January 14. The Battle of the Bands concert has typically drawn up to 10 bands from all around Central New York. Last year’s winner was an alternative ska band, The Cuddlefish, from Onondaga High School.

Judges for the 2017 Battle of the Bands will be Ryan Gorham, of Gorham Brothers Music, Syracuse; Jose Varona, More Sound Recording Studio; Chris Baker, public policy reporter for The Post-Standard; and Katrina Tulloch, music and culture reporter for The Post-Standard.

For more information about the Battle of the Bands and registration, contact Hagan at 445-2040, ext. 129, or mhagan@jccsyr.org.

TAY

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TAY SISTERHOOD SHABBAT DINNER The Temple Adath Yeshurun Sisterhood will host a Shabbat dinner for the congregation on Friday, November 18. The Sisterhood will use the event to welcome new members to the congregation. Before dinner, there will be regular evening services at 5:30 pm in the Miron Family Chapel, with a tots service at the same time in the Muriel and Avron Spector Library. At 6:15 pm, tots and families can join with the congregation for Shabbat dinner.

Reservations will be required and are due by Friday, November 11. There will be a charge for the dinner.

To register, e-mail sisterhoodoftay@gmail.com or visit www.adath.org to register online.

The times our prayers do not bear fruit only means it was not meant to be. However, it shows to God, ourselves and others that we care. We care about others and are willing to confront God on their behalf.

On the other hand, Noah had the chance to save the entire world, if he had just asked God to relent.

Today we face the same situations; maybe the next prayer we recite will be the one to change the world.

But even if we do not, we have made the world better by just caring.

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

MAZEL TOV Alison Miller married Jonathan Hollander

Jonathan Hollander married Alison Miller on June 4 in New York City.

The groom is the son of Linda and Howard Hollander, of Fayetteville, and the grandson of Rhoda Hollander, of Delray Beach, FL, Howard Pike, of Delray Beach, FL and Flushing. The bride is the daughter Jonathan Hollander and of Carol and Gary Alison Miller Miller, of Sarasota, FL, formerly of Westbury.

Annie Richardson officiated. The reception was held in Houston Hall.

Alison’s honor attendant was her sister, Jackie Miller. She was also attended by her sister-in-law, Danielle Miller. Alison was given in marriage by her father, Gary Miller. Jonathan’s “best woman” was his sister, Aileen Mikolajczyk.

Ushers included Scott Mikolajczyk, Jonathan’s brother-in-law, and Richard Miller, Alison’s brother.

Alison graduated from W.T. Clark High School in East Meadow in 2001, and received her B.A. in 2005 from the University of Delaware. She received her M.P.A. in 2011 at Columbia University. She works at the Earth Institute of Columbia University.

Jonathan graduated from Fayetteville-Manlius High School in 2001. He received his B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2005, and his M.Phil. in 2006 and Ph.D. in 2010, both from the University of Cambridge. He works at Applied Biorefinery Sciences, LLC. The couple honeymooned in the Greek Isles. They live in Astoria.

NEWS IN BRIEF From JNS.org

Technion students win iGem biology competition gold medal

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – A team of students from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology won a gold medal at the iGEM international synthetic biology competition, hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Jewish Business News reported on Nov. 4. This was the third consecutive gold medal for a Technion team.

The International Genetically Engineered Machine Foundation sponsors the annual competition, in which multidisciplinary teams work to build genetically-engineered systems using standard biological parts, called Biobricks. Competitors include undergraduate university students, as well as high school and graduate students. Technion’s team invented a “Flash Lab” – an innovative chip for fast, accurate and simple detection of various substances. The chip is based on chemotaxis, a natural biological process where bacteria responds to the presence of a specific substance by moving toward or away from it, creating clusters of visible bacteria, the report said. The students based their Flash Lab on E. coli bacteria, loaded onto the chip, that reacts to the presence or absence of a particular substance, such as pollutants or heavy metals.

NOVEMBER 10, 2016/9 CHESHVAN 5777 ■

JEWISH OBSERVER

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OBITUARIES VICTOR AZRIA

Victor Azria, 82, died on October 16 at home.

Born in Tripoli, Libya, he came to the United States in 1957. He met his former wife, Margaret, in Connecticut and they married and moved to Syracuse to build their family and business. He will be remembered for his kindness and generosity.

He is survived by his sons, Edward and Seth; his sister, Tina (Moshe) Habib; his brothers, Isaac (Ghuella) and Albert; and a large and extended family.

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

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

THELMA MILLER COHN

Thelma Miller Cohn, 101, died on October 8 in Sarasota, FL. Born in Syracuse, NY, she was the third of seven children.

She was a child piano prodigy and a popular accompanist and arranger until her final days. For 15 years, she and Bea Solomon, her music partner, performed throughout the Northeast, presenting “one-woman interpretations of Broadway shows” for charitable causes.

Since moving to Venice, FL, in the late ‘70s with her husband, Herbert Cohn, she was engaged in many musical endeavors: entertaining at senior centers, giving scholarships to gifted teenagers and performing with Venice Musicals, Suncoast Duo Pianists and more. She was a life member of Hadassah and an active member of her synagogue and condo association.

She is survived by her daughter, Judy (Jack) Bloch, of Longboat Key, FL, and son, Donald (Barbara) Cohn, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; four grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Shirley Kay, of Syracuse, as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.

Burial was in the Jewish Center of Venice Cemetery.

Birnbaum Funeral Service had local arrangements.

Contributions can be sent to the Jewish Congregation of Venice, 600 N. Auburn Road, Venice, FL 34292. 

SYLVIA BARISH GROSKIN

Sylvia Barish Groskin died on October 13 at Menorah Park.

Born in 1921 and raised in Syracuse, she attended and graduated from the Syracuse public schools. Shortly after graduating, she met her future husband, Jacob “Jack” Groskin. They married in 1940, just before he enlisted in the Army to serve in World War II. They lived in many places until her husband left for Europe and the Battle of the Bulge. While he was in basic training, she worked in Syracuse for the Carrier Corporation in the accounting department. She then worked in Quartermaster Market Center in downtown Syracuse.

After their three children were grown, she worked for 31 years as a secretary at Syracuse University in the graduate program in the School of Education. Following her retirement, she volunteered weekly at the Eastside Manor and the Newland Center, formerly the Learning Place.

She was predeceased by her husband, Jack, in 1977; and her brother, Marvin Barish, in 1981.

She is survived by her children, Larry (Sheila), of Tuxedo Park, Stephen (Louise Ellen), of Portsmouth, RI, and Debbie Groskin (Rob), of Littleton, MA; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Betty.

Burial was in Ahavath Achim Cemetery. Birnbaum Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions can be made to The Newland Center/ The Learning Place East, 1443 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13210. 

ERIC H. LAVINE

Eric H. Lavine, 68, died on October 16.

A life resident of Syracuse, he was a U.S. Army veteran and a devoted volunteer with the Disabled American Veterans. He was the founder and owner of Veterans Office Interiors and a member of Temple Adath Yeshurun.

He was predeceased by his wife, Marie.

He is survived by his children, Matt (Amanda) Lavine, Aaron (fiancé Ashley Stachurski) Lavine, and Hava Lavine; three grandchildren; his former wife, Norene Lavine; his brother, James (Carolyn) Lavine; and his sister, Margery (Peter) Lawrence.

Burial was in Beth El Cemetery. Sisskind Funeral Service head arrangements.

Contributions can be made to the Disabled American Veterans: www.dav.org/DONATE or P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301. 

SANDRA” SANDY” LOEWENSTEIN

Sandra “Sandy” Loewenstein, 84, died on October 21 at home with her loving family by her side.

Throughout her life, she had a positive effect on the children of the communities where she lived. While working as a guidance counselor for 40 years at Auburn High School, she was chairwoman of the board of Planned Parenthood of Cayuga County. As a Brownie and Girl Scout leader, a driver education teacher and instructor for the rehabilitation of drunk drivers, she was always striving to improve and encourage children – even in retirement in Florida, as a guardian ad litem.

She was always seeking to improve herself and obtained a bachelor of science at Brooklyn College, a master’s of guidance counseling at SUNY Oswego, a master’s of social work at Syracuse University and had completed all course requirements for her doctorate degree from Syracuse University.

She was predeceased by her husband, Ernie Loewenstein, in 2008; her sister, Eileen Whitlon; and a step-grandson.

She is survived by her children, Debbie (Kevin) Simmons, Sharona (Ed Russell) Loewenstein and Ronald (Ruth) Loewenstein; four granddaughters; a great-granddaughter; two step-granddaughters; and her sister Carolyn Simon.

Burial was in the B’nai Israel section of Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn. Sisskind Funeral Service had arrangements.

Contributions can be made to a charity of one’s choice. 

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

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SIMONA SZAFRAN

Simona Szafran died on October 23 in Las Vegas at the Nathan Adelson Hospice. Her husband, Daniel, had been caring for her 24/7 for more than a year.

Born in Bucharest, Romania, she was the oldest daughter in her family. As a girl, she was an excellent student in many subjects, but she always loved languages. Her family was caught up in the Holocaust. At the height of the war, the school she attended had to go underground. When the children wanted to quit school due to the hardships and danger, her mother insisted that they keep studying. When the children said, “We may die tomorrow,” her mother said, “Then you’ll die educated.” Even in these horrible circumstances, Simona saw the goodness of strangers who tried to help. After the war, she won a scholarship to the Chemical Technical High School in Bucharest.

She and her family immigrated to Israel in 1950.

In 1953, while at a party, she met Daniel Szafran, an Auschwitz survivor who had immigrated to Palestine after World War II, joined the underground army and then fought in Israel’s War of Independence. After a whirlwind courtship, they married three months later.

In 1959, the family moved to Syracuse so Daniel could be with his brother, Nathan, who had settled there earlier.

As the children grew up, Simona returned to school, earning an associate’s degree from Onondaga Community College, and a bachelor’s in modern languages and a master’s in secondary education from SUNY Cortland.

She taught French in the Syracuse public schools for a year, and then taught first and second grades at the Syracuse Hebrew Day School from 1975 until retiring in 2001. She leaves a legacy of more than 1,000 students.

After retirement, Daniel and Simona lived in Las Vegas during the winter months and Syracuse in the warmer weather. Each spring, they would drive cross country to see their children, and then to Syracuse to spend the summer with their friends. When Zvi became president of SUNY Canton in 2014, they bought a house together and spent the warmer months there.

She is survived by her older brother, Reuven Avihai; two younger sisters, Shulamit Ronen and Dina Rubin; her husband of 63 years, Daniel; their children, Zvi (Jill Goldstein) of Canton, and Drorit (Suzanne Cotton); and one grandson.

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

Contributions can be made to the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt, NY 13214. A scholarship endowment in her name will be established at SUNY Canton.

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NORMAN J. KASSEL

Norman J. Kassel, 94, died on October 24 in Syracuse.

Born in Syracuse, he began working with Karch Beauty Supply in 1946, immediately following his honorable discharge from the United States Army, where he was a corporal. His son, Richard, later joined him, and together they ran the company – later named Nationwide Beauty and Barber Supply – for 30 years. His hardworking spirit was reflected in his commitment to vendors and customers alike, and by working into his late 80s.

His passions were his family; Syracuse University sports, especially basketball, football and lacrosse; Montana fly fishing; playing golf; bicycle riding; travel; and shopping local farmers markets.

He was predeceased by his brothers, Irving and Hyman.

He is survived by his wife, Zelda; sister, Selma; son, Richard; daughter, Jackie (Lionel) Gilels; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

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

Contributions can be made to Menorah Park, 4101 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13214.

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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ NOVEMBER 10, 2016/9 CHESHVAN 5777

Moderate

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reportedly impressed as to “how feverishly Israeli first responders worked to revive her.” Such experiences led him to embrace a philosophy of empathy for, and reconciliation with, the “Other.” It led him to discard Palestinian “big victory dreams of destroying the Jewish state,” in favor of “small hope of a negotiated modus vivendi between Israelis and Palestinians.”

He later glimpsed an instance of this from his Jerusalem home window, when a busload of Palestinians, wanting to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque, arrived at a city entrance checkpoint. Lacking the appropriate passes, the Israeli officer in charge did not let them proceed.

After some heated negotiations between him and the passengers, a compromise was found. They could proceed after surrendering their IDs, which would be returned upon their return. Believing that Muslims, not Islam, needed reform, Dajani created a Moderate Muslim Movement to promote a middle course between extremist Islam and secularism. Its reading of pivotal

Koranic verses are said to “differ radically” from that of the extremists. Whereas they consider statements referring to “moderates” to mean Muslims exclusively, in contrast to Jews “who killed their prophets” and Christians “who deified their prophet,” he reads such verses as inclusive of all those in Islam’s sister monotheistic religions that embrace moderation.

Dajani’s Al Quds University students’ visit to Auschwitz was said to have produced “mixed reactions.”

Some fixated on Auschwitz’s physical structure, conjuring up Israeli prisons, while still disregarding the “Zionist narrative” of genocidal horror that occurred there. Others, though, were said to have realized “how poorly they had been taught about Jews and the Holocaust.”

Current Palestinian society is considered “radicalized,” a condition with multiple causes, most prominently the “occupation,” Palestinian political infighting, radical agitation and media incitement to hatred and violence against Israel and Jews. Dajani has vowed that

“the Palestinian Authority isn’t going to silence me.”

Seeing the current conflict as having been passed down from his grandfather’s generation, he indicated that he would rather pass down to his grandchildren “a legacy of peace.” To that end, he favors dialogue, not BDSstyle boycotts. He was the only Palestinian to sign a statement circulated by former Israeli parliamentarian Einat Wilf recognizing the Jewish people’s right to a homeland in Israel.

Dajani views himself as a Palestinian nationalist, and his followers have been called the “partners for peace” for which Israeli leaders have been waiting. However, current portents are considered “highly unfavorable” for their cause. Influencing against them are ascending Islamism, increasing international enabling of Palestinian intransigence strategies and Palestinian opinion poll findings that show no weakening of unwillingness to compromise. Their work is considered to be “an uphill struggle.”

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Clean your gutters: Branches, leaves and debris have likely been falling onto your roof and making a permanent home in your gutters. It’s important to keep gutters free of debris so water drains properly. Blocked gutters can create ice dams, letting water leak back into the house and cause roof damage.

Inspect the furnace: The last thing anyone wants to deal with when colder weather arrives is the furnace not working.

Get your furnace inspected every autumn to check functionality and efficiency. A proactive inspection also keeps you safe from allergens and excess levels of carbon monoxide.

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