Volume XXI, Issue I | www.thejewishvoice.org Serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts
11 Tevet 5775 | January 2, 2015
HEALTH &
WELLNESS
Rhode Island puts the ‘super’ in Super Sunday BY HILLARY SCHULMAN hschulman@jewishallianceri.org
Activity is key in the CATCH program.
Everyone is discovering CATCH
Health and wellness program is a hit with ECC, youth and staff at the Alliance
BY ANGELA SULLIVAN asullivan@jewishallianceri.org In the past four months Discover CATCH has become deeply embedded into the curriculum and daily activities of the David C. Isenberg Early Childhood Center (ECC) as well as the CATCH | 17
It’s time to get out your cellphone and take part in the ageold Jewish tradition of tzedakah. On Jan. 11, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., volunteers from across Rhode Island will come together at the Dwares JCC in Providence to make a difference in the Jewish community by raising funds for the 2015 Annual Campaign of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. Super Sunday, the Alliance’s largest phone-a-thon of the year is an annual tradition. This family-friendly event strives raise enough money to help meet the growing needs of local and overseas communities. Super Sunday 2015 is cochaired by Camp JORI President Deb Salinger and Jewish Community Day School
2013 SUPER SUNDAY PHOTO
Brown/RISD Hillel Executive Director Marshall Einhorn and Arielle Angell. President Laurence KotlerBerkowitz. Salinger and KotlerBerkowitz have been working hard to make this Super Sunday a success, driven by their passion and commitment to the agencies they lead, and their appreciation for the Alliance’s tre-
mendous impact in the community. Sharon Gaines, the Jewish Alliance Board chair, said, “By chairing this year’s Super Sunday, Deb and Laurence are demonstrating extraordinary community spirit and commitment. Their collaboration
sends a great message to our community that we are here for each other, standing together in solidarity to help strengthen and sustain our entire Jewish community.” Vice President of PhilanthroSUPER | 18
Test your knowledge with JTA’s 2014 news quiz BY JTA STAFF JTA – What made headlines (in Israel, the U.S. and around the world) in 2014? Here’s JTA’s annual news quiz: 1. Palestinian officials apologized to Czech authorities after the Palestinian envoy to Prague, Jamal Al-Jamal, was killed in an explosion in his home because: a) a cache of illegal weapons was discovered there. b) the explosion damaged a historic
Czech cemetery. c) the ambassador’s residence was being used by Palestinian militants as a safe house. d) Yasser Arafat’s widow, Suha, blamed the explosion on the Czech government.
the Bible from Torah classes. c) permitted girls to wear tefillin during morning prayer services. d) required girls’ dance performances to take place in the dark, under ultraviolet light.
2. SAR, an Orthodox Jewish high school in New York, stirred controversy in January with a new policy that: a) required boys’ yarmulkes to be at least four inches in diameter. b) omitted some of the racier parts of
3. Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, speaking in November at the Israeli-American Council Conference in Washington, surprised audience QUIZ | 6
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2 | January 2, 2015
INSIDE Business 22-23 Calendar 10 Classified 23 Community 2-5, 7, 11, 18, 23 D’var Torah 7 Food 12-13, 21 Health & Wellness 15-17 Nation 7, 20, 23 Obituaries 24-25 Opinion 8-9 Seniors 24 Simcha | We Are Read 26 World 6, 9
THIS ISSUE’S QUOTABLE QUOTE “Spending a small amount of time each day taking stock is just what the doctor ordered.”
COMMUNITY
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21 Plein Air Artists showcase works at Temple Habonim’s Gallery T h e Ja nu a r y/ F e b r u a r y show in the Gallery at Temple Habonim features 36 works by 21 artists, all members of the summer LLC (Lifelong Learning Collaborative) Plein Air class. The show will open with a wine and cheese reception on Jan. 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. and will continue through March 5. Among the displayed works are Helen MacDonald’s, “Trio,” in acrylic, Bob Martin’s, “La Bruja,” in oil, and Joan McConaghy’s, “Sailing School,” in oil. On Wednesday mornings, throughout the summer, artists – from beginners to the most accomplished – wishing to put paint on canvas met in a bucolic setting on Adams Point in Barrington to explore all styles and mediums. The show, which exhibits the Summer of 2014 work, includes oils, acrylics, pastels, pencil and ink. Instructors Bunny Fain, Roberta Segal and Mary Snowden offered instruction and encouraged a variety of styles and voices. The Gallery is at 165 New Meadow Road in Barrington. Hours are Wed. and Thurs. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and by appointment. For information, call 401245-6536 or email gallery@ templehabonim.org.
Joan McConaghy, “Sailing School”
Let them be the
reason
Above, Bob Martin, “La Bruja”
Left, Helen MacDonald, “Trio”
Building community and making the world a better place is what we do everyday. But we need your help to do it for tomorrow. When you leave a bequest or a planned gift at the Jewish Federation Foundation, you touch each one of us. You leave your children and grandchildren a precious inheritance and a lasting testimony to your love and values.
For more information on establishing your Jewish legacy, please contact Trine Lustig, Vice President of Philanthropy at 401.421.4111 ext. 223 or tlustig@jewishallianceri.org.
There are many ways to create your legacy. Let us show you a few.
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(401)j celebrates its first anniversary with vodka and latkes…sort of BY HILLARY SCHULMAN hschulman@jewishallianceri.org PAWTUCKET – One year ago, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, Congregation Beth Sholom, Temple Emanu-El, and Temple Beth-El launched (401)j, Rhode Island’s Jewish young professional collaborative. Originating as an online community, (401)j created cluster groups such as D’var in the Bar, Rosh Hodesh, Mah-jongg, Singles Group and Pastrami on RI to engage more young Jewish community members, forming lifelong friendships and a stronger investment in the local Jewish community. On Dec. 18, (401)j celebrated one year of success at the Foolproof Brewing Company in Pawtucket with Foolproof beer, and latkes provided by The Chubby Chickpea. Nearly 100 Jewish young professionals attended the event. The evening included remarks by host committee member, Pete Zubof, a Navy Seal, who said “(401)j is a community based organization for Jews from across the faith spectrum, from the most religious to those who simply identify with their Jewish roots. (401)j needs your support – no, I’m not asking you for money – the kind of support we need is your enthusiasm and ideas. (401)j functions on the intellectual support of its members.” Ceceley Chambers, another host committee member, gave
a poignant D’var Torah about using the light of Hanukkah to overcome the darkness that has consumed our Jewish community locally and abroad. This was a perfect segue into a performance by (401)j cluster group Pastrami on RI, who debuted their new song, “Burn,” by Ellie Goulding. Attendees were happy to see such a wonderful turnout. Rachel Mersky Woda said, “Great venue, great food, great people … another example of how our community is a unique and special place with so much to offer.” Pastrami on RI member Seth Finkle agreed, “It was such a warm and inviting environment. Our group felt so honored to perform and debut a new song there.” Jewish Alliance Planning Associate Simon Lichter said, “Vodka Latke was proof that (401)j is resonating with the R.I. Jewish community.” With its second annual Vodka Latke a success, (401)j is sure to more than resonate with Rhode Island young Jews in the future. Upcoming events include the fi rst (401)j Shabbaton weekend retreat scheduled for June 12, 2015. For more information on these events, contact Erin Moseley at emoseley@jewishallianceri.org.
PHOTOS | AJI MUSSAFEER
Thomas Hulse, Joanna Korman, Nikki Hamburger, Ken Hamburger, Rachel Mersky Woda and Ceceley Chambers.
HILLARY SCHULMAN is a development associate in philanthropy at the Jewish Alliance.
Jose Montanez, Caroline Stanley, Mira Biller, Zach Gitlin. “The Philly Community Work Trip changed my perception of life.”
THE INVENTOR
THE TRICKSTER
THE THE ANTI-CONJUROR ESCAPOLOGIST
THE FUTURIST
THE MANIPULATOR
– Jeremy, Philly Trip participant
Philadelphia Trip
The
THE WARRIOR
for Jewish Teens throughout greater Rhode Island
February 14 - 16, 2015
This unique experience allows teens to learn about homelessness and hunger and make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most.
צ ד ק צ ד ק ת ר ד ף
pursue e, you shall ic st ju , e ic st Ju y 16:20
For use against a white or light background
m
-Deuterono
The Philly Trip is for any Jewish teen in grades 8-12 who is interested in social action, leadership and putting the value of tikkun olam (repairing the world) into action. This is a great opportunity to connect with other teens from across the state for an inspiring and fun-filled weekend and earn 10 credit hours of community service!
#PhillyTripRI
JANUARY 16 – 18 For use against a black or dark background
(401) 421-ARTS www.ppacri.org
www.TheIllusionistsLive.com
SPONSORED BY
If you are interested in this community work trip opportunity, contact Jana Brenman at 401.421.4111 ext. 181 or jbrenman@jewishallianceri.org.
4 | January 2, 2015
COMMUNITY
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‘Physics, Cosmology and Judaism’ at Temple Habonim
On display at Providence City Hall The Accordionist, pictured at right, is Nathan Gurvitch’s photograph of Sam Gavish, currently on view at The Gallery at Providence City Hall until Jan. 12. It is part of The Artists Loop exhibition presented by Mayor Angel Taveras and the Department of Art, Culture and Tourism, in partnership with The Artists Loop, a program for artists and art enthusiasts created by Pnina Pressburger. Gavish’s passion for the instrument connected with Gurvitch in The Accordionist presents the viewer with a cultural memory. “The sound of the accordionist was unique, festive and pleasing. By utilizing Rockwell’s nostalgic Americana language, I am drawing connections to my own personal cultural experiences. In this way, the work shows that, in happiness, we are all the same, even though we more often see the differences,”
Sam Gavish according to Gurvitch. The gallery, on the second floor of City Hall, is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
BY LOIS KEMP Can the universe be spawned from nothing? What does it mean for time to “begin”? Physicist David Kagan, a faculty member at University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, will address these fascinating questions on Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. at Temple Habonim, 165 New Meadow Rd., Barrington, as part of the Adult Education series. Kagan will explain the best scientific understanding of the universe’s origins, exploring the puzzles that lie at the crossroads of physics and philosophy. David Kagan received a B.A. in physics and mathematics from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Cambridge. He
celebrations 2015 January 25, 2015
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Tricia Stearly tstearly@jewishallianceri.org 401-421-4111, ext. 160 EDITOR Fran Ostendorf CONTRIBUTING WRITER Irina Missiuro
Karen Borger ksborger@gmail.com 401-529-2538
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Irina Missiuro | Judith Romney Wegner
COLUMNISTS Dr. Stanley Aronson, Michael Fink, Rabbi James Rosenberg and Daniel Stieglitz
DESIGN & LAYOUT Leah Camara
MEMBER of the Rhode Island Press Association
has published papers exploring aspects of string theory, in particular focusing on the physical feasibility of realizing “multiple universes.” Dr. Kagan teaches and does research in string theory and quantum theory at U Mass.Dartmouth. This program is free and open to the community. For further information, go to templehabonim.org or call the temple office at 401-245-6536.
Dr. David Kagan
Poverty vigil Jan. 7 at State House
BY MARTY COOPER mcooper@jewishallianceri.org
Shofars will sound Jan. 7 at 3 p.m. to announce the beginning of the seventh annual Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty. The vigil will be held at the Rhode Island State House in the rotunda. Speakers will include Gov. Gina Raimondo as well as Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed and Speaker of the House Nicholas A. Matiello. The Rt. Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, will deliver the keynote address. The vigil is open to the public. Last year more than 200 people participated, including leaders from virtually every faith and community in the state. Also participating were a number of Rhode Island’s elected officials including Gov. Lincoln Chafee. During the vigil, the names of all of Rhode Island’s elected officials will be called by clergy. They will be asked to govern with wisdom and knowledge as well as to produce a moral budget that will not be “on the
THE JEWISH VOICE (ISSN number 15392104, USPS #465-710) is published bi-weekly, except in July, when it does not publish. PERIODICALS Postage paid at Providence, R.I. POSTMASTER Send address changes to: The Jewish Voice, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. PUBLISHER The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, Chair Sharon Gaines, President/CEO Jeffrey K. Savit, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. Phone: 401-421-4111 • Fax 401-331-7961
backs of the poor.” The Interfaith Coalition is an advocate for Rhode Islanders who live at or below the safety net. This includes people living on the edge of poverty and people living in poverty. The Coalition believes every Rhode Islander shall have: A decent, safe and affordable home; adequate food and nutrition; equal access to affordable and quality healthcare; equal and quality education for all children; and decent work with adequate income. Over the years, the R.I. Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty has been a frequent advocate at the General Assembly, meeting with legislators and participating in hearings on a number of povertyrelated issues. This i ncludes the issues of homelessness, housing, healthcare, education and predatory lending. This year, the Coalition expects well over 200 people to attend the vigil. MARTY COOPER is the Community Relations director for the Jewish Alliance.
COPY DEADLINES: All news releases, photographs, etc., must be received on the Wednesday two weeks prior to publication. Submissions may be sent to: editor@jewishallianceri.org. ADVERTISING: We do not accept advertisements for pork or shellfish. We do not attest to the kashrut of any product or the legitimacy of our advertisers’ claims. All submitted content becomes the property of The Voice. Announcements and opinions contained in these pages are published as a service to the community and do not necessarily represent the views of The Voice or its publisher, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.
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January 2, 2015 |
HANUKKAH AROUND TOWN
Jeanette Weiss enjoys lunch at the Kosher Café Hanukkah Party Dec. 19 at the Dwares JCC.
The PHDS Choir performs at the annual Hanukkah performance on Dec. 23.
Activities at the New England Academy of Torah Hanukkah Chagigah Dec. 17. At the annual Hanukkah candle lighting at the R.I. State House, on Dec. 18, State Rep. Mia Ackerman lights a Hanukkah candle with Rabbi Yehoshua Laufer and House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, left
The Winter 2015 Class & Program Guide has arrived!
What will you DISC VER next?
View the Guide at jewishallianceri.org
NEW! Functional Fitness: TRX
New & Impoved! After School Program
Senior Café & Fit Forever Classes
Arts & Culture and so much more!
Unsure of which class to register for? Try one for FREE* before committing!
Our classes are open to all during the week of January 4 - 10. *Space is limited based on class size. Pre-registration is recommended. Contact Michelle Cicchitelli to reserve your spot at 401.421.4111 ext. 178 or mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org.
NEW!
Rabbi Avrohom Jakubowicz, first grade Judaic Studies teacher, makes latkes with his students on Hanukkah at PHDS.
}
Check out what's new at the JCC! Look for this icon throughout the Winter Guide. And don't forget, online registration is now available at register.jewishallianceri.org!
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WORLD
QUIZ
members when he: a) called his wife, Miriam, to the stage to wish her a happy anniversary. b) suggested that Israel need not be a democracy. c) detailed a recent 30-minute call with President Obama. d) admitted to coloring his hair. 4. Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported what about Israeli eating habits this year? a) Shwarma had overtaken falafel as the nation’s most popular fast food. b) Per capita annual hummus consumption had reached a record 19.3 kilograms – more than 42 pounds. c) The number of vegetarians and vegans had more than doubled over the previous four years. d) The average Israeli daily caloric intake had grown by a startling 7 percent over the previous decade. 5. Which of the following did NOT occur in 2014? a) A Jordanian teen named Yitzhak Rabin was granted Israeli citizenship and became eligible to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces. b) The Yesha Council, the umbrella body for the West Bank settlement movement, launched a website satirizing attempts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. c) A flight carrying 20 Israe-
li passengers made an emergency landing in Tehran. d) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, after being convicted of criminal charges and sentenced to prison, was caught trying to flee Israel for New York. 6. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow set the Internet abuzz in December when she: a) shared her recipes for pistachio macaroons on her popular lifestyle website, Goop. b) showed up at the White House Hanukkah party. c) took her daughter, Apple, to a public candle-lighting ceremony in London’s Trafalgar Square. d) Told ABC News that she was studying Hebrew with a private tutor. 7. California’s Rialto Unified School District came under fire this spring when it asked eighth-graders studying Anne Frank’s diary to write an essay arguing: a) whether or not the diary actually was written by Anne or her father, Otto. b) whether illness or Nazi brutality ultimately was responsible for Anne’s death. c) whether the Holocaust was an actual historical event or merely a political scheme created to influence public opinion and gain wealth. d) whether or not Americans should shelter Mexican immigrants in America.
The Jewish Voice 8. In May, Urban Adamah’s planned workshop on Jewish ritual slaughter in Berkeley, Calif., involving 15 hens was canceled because: a) a planned protest from animal rights groups would have caused undue stress to the chickens and program participants. b) a planned anti-Israel protest had booked the space Urban Adamah had been planning to use. c) no farm in the area was willing to sell the hens to Urban Adamah. d) turkeys were mistakenly delivered. 9. The late Cardinal John O’Connor, who died in 2000, made news this year when it turned out that: a) he technically was Jewish according to halachah. b) he served a stint in the Hitler Youth. c) he told President Clinton, in 1993, that Yasser Arafat could not be trusted. d) he urged the Catholic Church to sell off its property in the Galilee. 10. Which of the following was NOT among the findings of the Anti-Defamation League’s first global antiSemitism survey, released in May? a) The least anti-Semitic country overall is Laos. b) The least anti-Semitic country in the Middle East is Iran. c) One of the ADL’s measures of anti-Semitism was if
respondents agreed that Jews talk too much about what happened to them during the Holocaust. d) Britain is the most antiSemitic country in Europe. 11. Rabbi Brant Rosen made news this summer when he announced that he would be leaving his pulpit position at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, Ill., after 17 years because: a) he wanted to focus on nonsectarian work helping the poor. b) his outspoken criticism of Israel had become too divisive for his congregation. c) his support for interfaith marriage had become problematic. d) he was offered a job at Google. 12. Rabbi Marc Schneier of The Hampton Synagogue announced an initiative challenging U.S. Jews to increase their commitment to Israel by: a) making Israel their next vacation destination. b) attending the synagogue’s annual white-tie gala, proceeds from which benefit medical equipment in Israel. c) buying a luxury condo in a Tel Aviv suburb. d) subscribing to an Israeli newspaper. 13. Rabbi Jeffrey Fox, the head of Yeshivat Maharat, an Orthodox yeshiva for women in New York, made headlines this fall when he argued that: a) women should be able to read from the Torah at the Western Wall. b) male rabbis shouldn’t be in the mikveh room for female converts’ ritual immersions. c) Israel should recognize conversions performed by Conservative rabbis. d) mechitzah barriers need only be chest high. 14. In his speech in September to the U.N. General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “To say that Iran doesn’t practice terrorism is like saying …” a) Jay Leno has a small chin. b) Beyonce doesn’t know how to sing. c) Kim Kardashian is shy in front of a camera. d) Derek Jeter never played shortstop for the New York Yankees. 15. Radu Mazare, mayor of the Romanian resort town of Constanta, was sued in November by a Jewish group for: a) saying that Israel is worse than the Nazis. b) inciting hatred by celebrating his Hitler-style hairdo. c) prohibiting Jewish ritual circumcision in the town. d) allowing copies of “Mein
Kampf” to be sold at the town’s summer book fair. 16. Two Israeli Air Force combat pilots were sentenced to jail and 12 others were disciplined in February for using their smartphones to: a) post selfies from the cockpit of their F-16s. b) check their email during flight missions. c) use their phones to store classified information. d) check Google Earth to make sure they weren’t straying into enemy territory. 17. New York’s Sen. Charles Schumer wants Israel to lower its tariffs on: a) hummus b) Bamba c) grape juice d) Chevrolets 18. Which of the following statements about David Schwezoff, the newly elected CEO of Budapest’s Jewish community, is true? a) He filed a police complaint alleging that hundreds of thousands of dollars have been embezzled from Budapest’s historic Dohany Street Synagogue. b) He used to be a crossdresser who performed at nightclubs under the stage name Carol Hore Mohn. c) He is a convert to Judaism. d) All of the above 19. Which of the following pejoratives were NOT reportedly exchanged between Obama and Netanyahu government officials in 2014? a) chickenshit b) goyishe kopf c) messianic d) terrorist 20. Lee Zeldin, the only Jewish Republican in the incoming Congress, defeated incumbent Rep. Tim Bishop in part by hammering away at an ethics charge. What did Bishop, whose district covers eastern Long Island, allegedly do? a) used his clout to pay offpeak fares during peak hours on the Long Island Rail Road. b) under the synonym Charlie Golightly, was a paid consultant to Showtime’s Hamptons-set adultery sizzler “The Affair.” c) helped close Entenmanns’ Long Island factory with constant demands for batches of original recipe chocolate chip cookies. d) brokered a permit for a fireworks display at a constituent’s bar mitzvah in exchange for a $5,000 donation to his campaign. ANSWERS: 1) A, 2) C, 3) B, 4) C, 5) D, 6) B, 7) C, 8) A, 9) A, 10) D, 11) B, 12) C, 13) B 14) D, 15) B, 16) C, 17) C, 18) D, 19) B, 20) D
D’VAR TORAH | COMMUNITY | NATION
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Resolutions and revolutions: Mussar and the new year BY RABBI BARRY DOLINGER With the secular new year of 2015 upon us and the new Facebook year in review feature gathering steam, it’s only natural to think of our goals and dreams for the upcoming year. Wishes for a new year quickly turn to resolutions, themselves quickly turning to regrets. What does Judaism have to add to the sometimes useful, often temporary annual craze that is the New Year’s resolution? One answer to the question involves a trip back in time when a then-radical Jewish movement was gaining steam. In early 19th-century Eastern Europe, particularly in Lithuania, Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin Salanter (1810–1883) engaged Jews in a new set of priorities and practices that launched a bona fide revolution of Judaism. Adherence to Jewish law was on the decline and observance of the customs was shrinking as a perfect storm of historical factors left tra-
ditional Ashkenazi Judaism in peril. Taken together, the secularization of the enlightenment, anti-Semitism, widespread poverty and the new possibility of assimilation, among other factors, caused vast numbers to question the efficacy of traditional Jewish practices and associated institutions. Against this backdrop of uncertainty and anxiety, Rabbi Salanter thought to revive Judaism by subtly but strongly shifting focus from the ritual to the ethical. Humility, yashrus (being upright), modesty and ethical business practices were the goals; dishonesty, fraud, self-deception and laziness loomed large as impediments. With a mix of inspiration and realism, he reiterated the messages of the prophets by teaching that it was just as important to earn “Kosher” money as it was to eat Kosher food. Ritual practices were significant and obligatory, but received relatively too much attention and focus. Instead,
a focus on self-improvement and ethical living in daily life would represent both – a corrective to the Judaism of his day and a pragmatic attractive alternative to the secularity of the enlightenment. Rabbi Salanter and his followers didn’t stop there, moving well beyond a formulation of priorities and goals. They developed realistic methods and practices designed to help make real and fixed the changes they sought. The Mussar vaad became an important innovation. Groups of students would meet to study ethical works together, particularly on the Sabbath. Then little known works of sages past were reprinted at Salanter’s request and popularized. The 11th-century work “Chovot Halevavot” (Duties of the Heart), and the 18th-century works “Messilat Yesharim” (the Path of the Just) and “Heshbon Hanefesh” (Accounting of the Soul) became staples of the movement. As Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto notes in the
USY reverses interfaith dating ban BY URIEL HEILMAN NEW YORK (JTA) – United Synagogue Youth voted to relax its rules barring its teenage board members from dating non-Jews. The amendment was adopted Dec. 22 in Atlanta at the annual international convention of the Conservative movement’s youth group. The change affects the 100 or so teen officers who serve on USY’s national board and 17 regional boards. The thousands of teens who participate in USY programs have not been subject to any such bans. After some debate at the convention, the USY board also elected not to adopt a controversial proposal to alter requirements that teen board members be Shabbat and holiday observant when it comes to travel, public functions and taking school exams. While dropping the prohibition against dating non-Jews, board members should “model healthy Jewish dating choices,” the newly adopted amendment to USY’s constitution says. “These include recognizing the importance of dating within the Jewish community and treating each person with the recognition that they were created Betzelem Elohim (in the image of God).” The change on dating policy reflects where most young Conservative Jews are when it comes to dating outside the faith. Some four in 10 Conservative Jews who have married since 2000 have married non-Jews, according to the 2013 Pew Research Center survey of U.S. Jewry. Jordan Dinkin, a USY member from Reisterstown, Md., said she considered running for her region’s board when she was finishing up her junior year of high school until she learned that USY rules precluded board members
from dating outside the faith. Dinkin, 17, has a non-Jewish boyfriend. “It disappointed me a lot that I had to give up that opportunity because of my secular life,” she told JTA. “Obviously people who are active in USY are people who are passionate about their Judaism. I believe that as a progressive youth movement, if we choose in our secular life to date someone who is not of the Jewish religion, I don’t see why there should be limitations within USY.” The constitution that sets standards for USY was written several years ago by the 15- to 18-yearolds who lead the movement, and it always has been their prerogative to change them, according to Rabbi David Levy, the professional director of USY and director of teen learning at the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. The vote tally on the new amendment was kept secret, but the teens who supported the change wanted to ensure that the movement does not come across as judgmental of families who should be welcomed into the movement, Levy said. “While we maintain the value that dating within the faith is key to a sustainable Jewish future, we want to be positive and welcoming to USYers, many of whom are from interfaith families,” he said. The USY vote comes weeks af-
ter Wesley Gardenswartz, the rabbi at one of the nation’s largest Conservative synagogues, Temple Emanuel in Newton, Mass., floated a plan to his congregation that would allow him to officiate at interfaith weddings in cases where the couple committed to raising Jewish children. He later dropped that controversial element of the proposal. The Conservative movement officially frowns on intermarriage, forbidding its rabbis from officiating or even attending interfaith weddings. However, synagogues generally are welcoming of interfaith couples, with some granting membership to non-Jews, and some Conservative rabbis have attended interfaith weddings. Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, said the policy change does not reflect a change in USY’s values. “It continues to recognize what we know to be true: encouraging Jews to marry other Jews is the most successful path toward creating committed Jewish homes,” Wernick said in a statement. “At the same time, we can’t put our heads in the sand about the fact that we live in an incredibly free society, where even committed Jews will marry outside the faith. If they do, we must welcome them wholeheartedly and encourage them to embrace Judaism.”
Candle Lighting Times
Greater Rhode Island Jan. 2, 2015.............4:07 Jan. 9 ................................. 4:13 Jan. 16 ............................. 4:21 Jan. 23.............................. 4:30
introduction to his “Messilat Yesharim,” the importance of the works was not in studying them and knowing their content, but in integrating the ethical messages into the reader’s life. These groups would study and repeat the works together, challenging one another and sharing their struggles to integrate the demanding ethical precepts. Some of the other techniques used and developed by the Mussar movement included journaling, chanting, meditation and other contemplative exercises. Regardless of technique, the common denominator was that attention to progress had to occur with fixed regularity. Meetings and sessions were scheduled to prevent rote and routine from reigning victorious. One of the most common recommendations among Mussar movement leaders was the notion of heshbon ha-nefesh, an accounting of the soul best thought of as a personal performance review. A little time was to be set aside each day to
chart progress, challenges and ensure that lives were being lived intentionally. These days, mindfulness and contemplation are as much a craze as New Year’s resolutions. Humbly, I’d submit that fixed daily times to check in with ourselves and the other practices of the Mussar movement are timeless Jewish techniques necessary now more than ever. With so many draws on our attention and time, it seems increasingly hard make steady progress toward our long-term goals. Spending a small scheduled amount of time each day (perhaps with a journal, with a loved one or friend, or in silence) taking stock is just what the doctor ordered. As John Locke said, “[e]ducation begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him.” RABBI BARRY DOLINGER is rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom in Providence.
Praying with your neighbors Three local houses of worship open their doors to all
The members of the Barrington Interfaith Clergy Association strive to bring people of diverse faith traditions together to nurture their shared spiritual bond. Everyone benefits when people of different faith traditions (or no faith tradition) are able to share their beliefs and learn with and from one another. This year, three houses of worship in Barrington will host open houses, welcoming everyone to get a close view of how they worship. Next year, three different houses of worship will
do the same. These services are sponsored by the Barrington Interfaith Clergy Association. Everyone is invited, regardless of affiliation or non-affiliation. The first service took place at Temple Habonim on Nov. 21. The second service will be held on Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. at Saints Matthew & Mark Episcopal Church, 5 Chapel Road, Barrington. The third service is scheduled for March 25, 7 p.m. at St. James Lutheran Church, 49 Middle Highway, Barrington.
Honor Martin Luther King Jr. BY TOBY ROSSNER “Life’s persistent and most urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ ” Martin Luther King Jr. On Jan. 19, Americans will celebrate the national holiday honoring the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1994, President Clinton signed the King Holiday and Service Act, designed to transform Martin Luther King Day into a day of service that reflects King’s life and teaching, bringing people together around the common focus of service to others and breaking down the social and economic barriers that divide our nation. In the eyes of Dr. King, service was the great equalizer. “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Dr. King’s message is one of urgency as well as hope. “Let us rise up tonight with greater read-
iness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge, to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make a better nation.” Honor Martin Luther King Jr. by making this “a day on, not a day off.” TOBY ROSSNER (tobyross@ cox.net) was the director of media services at the Bureau of Jewish Education from 1978 to 2002.
8 | January 2, 2015
OPINION
Taking stock as we move into 2015 As we turn the calendar from December to January and move on to 2015, is change o n y o u r m i n d ? A r e you thinking about making a few resolutions? We live in EDITOR a world that mixes secular with reliFRAN gious. So if OSTENDORF you made your resolutions before the start of 5775, maybe it’s time to take another look and refresh or renew your commitment. And if you skipped that examination, perhaps now is the time to think about what you might do to improve yourself, your life and the world around you. In this issue of The Voice, you can read about health and wellness and about New Year’s resolutions. Even our D’var Torah focuses on resolutions. But do you know how many people make resolutions – and how long do they keep them? According to Statistic Brain research from 2014, 45 percent of all Americans regularly make New Year’s resolutions, 17 percent infrequently make them and 38 percent absolutely never make them. Statistic Brain, a group that researches all sorts of interesting facts and figures, cites the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology as their source. As for success rates in achieving resolutions? Only about 8 percent of all resolution makers are successful in achieving all their goals; 49 percent are infrequently successful and 24 percent fail to keep their resolutions. No wonder we get discouraged. The success rate, the researchers found, was dependent on people actually making resolutions. According to Statistic Brain, “People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions.” So that’s good news. And it means to get anywhere, you have to start by declaring a goal. Things rarely happen without effort in this resolution business. The top 10 resolutions for 2014 should come as no surprise to anyone: 1. Lose Weight. 2. Get Organized. 3. Spend Less, Save More. 4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest. 5. Stay Fit and Healthy. 6. Learn Something Exciting. 7. Quit Smoking. 8. Help Others in Their Dreams. 9. Fall in Love. 10. Spend More Time with Family.
As for who keeps those resolutions, the young do a better job: 39 percent of people in their 20s achieve their resolutions each year as compared with 14 percent of people over 50. And one final statistic that I think is important to the whole discussion: • The number of people maintaining resolutions though the first week: 75 percent; • Through two weeks, 71 percent; • One month, 64 percent; • Six months, 46 percent. I found that last number interesting since we so often hear how many people don’t stick with a New Year’s resolution. I’d say that the fact that almost half the people surveyed were still maintaining those resolutions at six months is pretty impressive. Of course, it means a lot of us fall off the wagon in the final six months of the year. I have to admit that I fall into the category of “infrequent” resolution makers. Years ago, each family member would write resolutions on a piece of paper and seal the envelope. At the end of the year, we’d open the envelope and look at what we’d accomplished. I found that discouraging at best. And, frankly, I hated sharing my list. So you aren’t going to read about what I’ve resolved to do now or at any other time. But I can recommend that you keep a few things in mind as you think about your personal to-do list. None of these ideas is unique. I’ve been doing a lot of reading on this lately. Share. If that works for you, by all means, find a buddy, especially if you are trying to keep up an exercise program or work on healthy eating. Researchers have found that sharing your resolutions with others greatly improves your chance for success. Shop in the app store. This is a major, modern-day change. I can’t believe the number of apps available for your smartphone that will help you keep whatever you’re resolving to do. Whether you need to track finances, a diet, a list or even tzedakah, there’s probably an app for that. Reminders work. Remember tzedakah. Really, it should be a part of your list. The opportunities are unlimited. From Jboost to the food pantry and working with seniors or youngsters, there’s a way to give back to the community that will enhance your life and the lives of those around you. Everyone will feel better. Challenge yourself, but be realistic. Do you really need a dozen goals when you know you can only accomplish a few? Or, perhaps if it is really important, just one. That’s up to you. But making a plan for a better year is probably a good idea. Try it!
The Jewish Voice
Keeping Israel democratic Israel’s new president, Reuven Rivlin, is certainly not a leftist; nor is he a liberal or a centrist. By most accounts, he is a reliably rightwing politician. He is not in favor of the “two-state solution;” he prefers some form confederaIT SEEMS of tion between TO ME P a le s t i n i a n s and Israelis. NevertheRABBI JIM less, Rivlin ROSENBERG has taken a strong position against a bill promoted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – and approved by his cabinet this past Nov. 23 – calling for a Basic Law defining Israel as “the nationstate of the Jewish people.” According to a front page article in the Dec. 9 issue of The New York Times, in addition to this central provision, “[d]rafts of the so-called nationality bills would remove Arabic as an official language alongside Hebrew, increase the influence of Jewish law, reduce the power of the Supreme Court, and entrench the automatic citizenship of Jews worldwide and Jewish symbols of the state.” When Rivlin was elected by the Knesset last June to serve as Israel’s president, a largely ceremonial position, he ended his acceptance speech by affirming, “Long live Israel’s democracy!” Indeed, Rivlin opposes the proposed Basic Law because he sees it as a threat to the delicate balance Israel has long maintained between being both a Jewish state AND a democratic state. In a speech on Nov. 25, Rivlin stated that “[t]he formulators of the (Israeli) Declaration of Independence, with much wisdom, insisted the Arab communities in Israel, as well as other groups, should not have felt as the Jews had felt in exile.” If a right-wing politician such as Rivlin cannot support Netanyahu’s push for the “nationstate” Basic Law, one should not be surprised that Israel’s dovish former president, Shimon Peres, calls it “an unnecessary addendum that could compromise the people’s uniting values” as well as “an unnecessary religious argument instead of a broad national agreement, which could turn a political conflict into a religious upheaval that would be difficult to stop.” I should point out that Israel still has no written constitution;
rather, its “Basic Laws” are seen as the building blocks of an eventual constitution. In 1995 Israel’s Supreme Court declared that these Basic Laws are of higher status than regular laws – in effect, substituting for Israel’s still unwritten constitution. If some version of the nationality bill should become a Basic Law, then the 20 percent of Israel’s l.2 million citizens who do not happen to be Jewish could well be reduced to second-class status; only Jewish citizens would have full constitutional protection, since – in language supported by Netanyahu – “the right to realize national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.”
appropriately balanced.” I am not questioning Netanyahu’s legal right to try to redefine Israeli identity in a way that favors Jewishness over democracy; he is the duly elected Prime Minister of Israel. I am an American, not an Israeli citizen; I live here, not there. Nevertheless, there is something about the current debate over Israel’s proposed nationstate Basic Law that sticks in my craw. What bothers me is Netanyahu’s implication that in his attempt to tilt the balance in Israel toward its Jewish character, he is speaking for me, an American Jew with a profound commitment to democratic principles. Truth be told, I do not wish to count myself within the category of “privileged individuals.”
“Would that today’s leaders in Israel find a way to keep Israel democratic AND Jewish … .” Reuven Rivlin The proposed nation-state Basic Law could well redefine the very nature of Israel: Is Israel to remain both Jewish AND democratic? Or does Israel devolve into a non-democratic Jewish state? One of the reasons that on Dec. 2 Netanyahu fired cabinet members Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Finance Minister Yair Lapid is that they refused to support the proposed Basic Law. As many of the readers of The Jewish Voice know, Netanyahu dissolved the Knesset on Dec. 8; new elections are scheduled for March 17. While the nation-state Basic Law – should it be passed in any form – will have a major effect on the citizens of Israel, many leaders in the American Jewish community have expressed alarm over the law’s implicat ions. T hu s, A r nold Eisen, chancellor of Conservative Judaism’s Jewish Theological Seminary, issued a written statement on Nov. 26, stating in part: “We hope that the State’s lawmakers will have the wisdom to affirm Israel’s character as a democratic Jewish state in a way that does not relegate Israeli Arabs and other minorities to second-class status ... We urge that the bill be withdrawn in its current form and the values of Judaism and democracy, along with a commitment to a Jewish homeland, be
I think that it would be morally wrong for me, should I seek Israeli citizenship, to automatically be granted special privileges – not available to non-Jewish citizens who have lived in Israel their entire lives – because I happen to be Jewish. If such a law were to be enacted, it would be profoundly unjust and undemocratic. Netanyahu is, at this moment, the elected leader of the State of Israel; he is not now, never was, and never will be the leader of world Jewry. He does not speak for me or for my sense of what it means to be Jewish. Jewish identity is complicated and multilayered: no one Jew owns the identity of all Jews. I stand with Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin, in his praise of the formulators of Israel’s founding document, the Declaration of Independence, who “with much wisdom, insisted that the Arab communities in Israel, as well as other groups, should not have felt as the Jews had felt in exile.” Would that today’s leaders in Israel find a way to keep Israel democratic AND Jewish – a delicately difficult but necessary balance. JAMES B. ROSENBERG is rabbi emeritus of Temple Habonim in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.
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OPINION | WORLD
thejewishvoice.org
January 2, 2015 |
9
Grieving for Jewish books BY GEORGE M. GOODWIN It was a most unusual place to grieve: the Dwares JCC, which is devoted to health, energy and strength. It was also a difficult way to grieve: amid shadows, silence and loneliness. When entering the JCC’s auditorium, I never anticipated experiencing such sorrow. After having been alerted by an Alliance staff member, Larry Katz, I intended to select a few books from the former Bureau of Jewish Education’s former library. Hundreds and hundreds of volumes, strewn across tables and buried in boxes, were available to anybody – Jew or gentile, scholar or pupil – who might give them a new home and a little respect. This was not the first time I had attended a wake for the Bureau’s former library, however. Earlier in the fall, a smaller selection of orphaned books, displayed in the JCC’s lobby, had also been available to any reader who might take pity on these old and sometimes feeble friends. As my wife, Betsey, would easily argue, I hardly needed more books. At home, nearly every room, including closets, is piled high with cabinets, cases, and mounds of books. Our place, already awash with art, antiques and photographs, shelters countless volumes of nonfiction and fiction: a few from my childhood, most from
decades of continual reference and other treats not yet opened. As a past president of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association, I am always on alert for old and new books that might shed light on centuries of Jewish life in the Ocean State. But the Association’s sunny new office and archives, housed in the space previously home to the B u r e au’s over f lowing library, is already bursting to c a p a c i t y. As a result, many portions of our priceless col lect ion have been relegated to off-site, tomblike storage. As chair of Temple Beth-El’s library committee, I was also saddened to see the remains of the former Bureau’s former library. With a collection of perhaps 20,000 volumes, the Temple’s collection overwhelms both downstairs and upstairs stacks. Many books, uncataloged for years, await the dignity of proper shelving. Many holy texts, long denied a human gaze or touch, await a proper burial. So why were the former Bureau’s thousand books, which
had offered enchantment, knowledge and illumination to three generations of teachers and students, languishing on the JCC’s stage? The happy news is that, thanks to a population boomlet, the JCC’s downstairs nursery school urgently needed space. As a result, even storage and nearby restrooms have become luxuries.
“This was not the first time I had attended a wake for the Bureau’s former library.” While the former Bureau downsized, some teachers, but many more students, have increasingly turned their backs to bindings, paper and ink.
Regrettably, large numbers of readers, unable to sit quietly and focus their attention for a few hours, have denied themselves the rewards and pleasures of learning for its own sake. How can it be possible that the People of the Book have become estranged from, indifferent to or blasé about what has always defined and sustained us? I, for one, am unable to accept – let alone embrace – excuses. Surely some facets of the former Bureau’s former library would never have appealed to me. Sadly, I read Hebrew poorly and Yiddish not at all. But there are so many other facets of the former library that I would feel privileged to ponder. Alas, I regret that perhaps only a few decades remain for me to acquire several lifetimes of learning – yes, a far deeper and more nuanced Jewish education. While combing through the books, pamphlets and leaflets atop the JCC’s stage, I imagine what this collection might have meant to countless communities where Jewish learning was once forbidden or never attainable. There still must be dozens of tiny and isolated Jewish communities – in America and
UK report shows government progress in combating anti-Semitism JTA — A new United Kingdom government report showed significant progress being made in combating anti-Semitism. The “Government Action on Anti-Semitism” report, published Dec. 29 by the Department for Communities and Local Government, noted advances despite a surge of incidents this summer during Israel’s military operation in Gaza. In July and August, there were 543 anti-Semitic incidents in
the U.K., more than the entire previous year. Incidents included physical assaults, vandalism and graffiti. The report, which notes that anti-Semitism in the U.K. is lower than in every other Western European country, recommends subsidizing extra security measures at Jewish schools and implementing a “zero tolerance” approach to online hate crime, according to the Daily Express.
Eric Pickles, the U.K.’s Communities and Local Government secretary, told the Daily Express that new measures to stamp out anti-Semitism on university campuses will be introduced and that the nation’s schoolchildren will be taught about the Holocaust. Pickles said the public needs to be reassured that hate crime offenders will be punished. The report also documents anti-Semitism on the Internet
and notes that a new committee, the Anti-Cyberhate Working Group, is working to counter the trend. Vivian Wineman, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told the Daily Express that his group is “reassured to see the advances being made to address a number of issues and by the government’s positive attitude generally.”
born during the year and some 23,000 new immigrants arrived. At the end of December 2013, Israel’s population was estimated at some 8,132,000.
by Islamic State. The caption underneath the photo reads “the Taghut of the Jews,” an Arabic term meaning tyrant, heretic, or false leader. In the November interview with “Face the Nation,” Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s support for American military efforts to combat Islamic State, but he also warned against the Iranian threat. “We want them both to
lose,” Netanyahu said, referring to both Islamic State and Iran. “The last thing we want is to have any one of them get weapons of mass destruction.” Dabiq is an online magazine that Islamic State uses for propaganda and recruitment. It was first published in July 2014 in a number of languages, including English.
NEWS BRIEFS Israel’s population at 8.3 million at close of 2014 JERUSALEM (JTA) – Israel’s population on the eve of 2015 stands at 8.3 million. Some 6.2 million of that population are Jewish and 1.7 million are Arabs as 2014 comes to a close, Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported Dec. 29. The population’s percentage breakdown is 74.9 percent Jewish, 20.7 percent Arab and 4.3 percent others, including Christians and people who do not identify with any religion or nationality. Israel’s population grew by 2 percent in 2014, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Some 176,600 babies were
Netanyahu dubbed ‘tyrant’ in Islamic State magazine
JNS.org – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was featured in the Islamic State’s Dabiq magazine, where the jihadist group refers to him as a “tyrant” of the Jews. The article, titled “In the Words of the Enemy,” features a picture of Netanyahu with quotes taken from an interview he gave the CBS program “Face the Nation.” In that interview, the Israeli leader discusses the threat posed
OUR MISSION The mission of The Jewish Voice is to communicate Jewish news, ideas and ideals by connecting and giving voice to the diverse views of the Jewish community in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, while adhering to Jewish values and the professional standards of journalism.
abroad – where the possibility of assembling such riches is fanciful. I also try to calculate what holes will be left in our own Jewish community’s brain and heart. What will happen to younger generations – such as those kids now taking their first steps of Jewish learning within the JCC? Yes, they and their parents can now benefit from the PJ Library, but what, other than a few strong congregational libraries, comes next? So which are some of the treasures that I could not resist? A scholarly history of the Reform movement in Europe and America. A recent demographic study of Italian Jewry written in Italian. A small, illustrated guidebook, written in Dutch and English, to Amsterdam’s Jewish museum. An Israeli cookbook written by a native Rhode Islander. A medieval classic, “The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela,” annotated by one of my favorite, but deceased, professors. Fortunately, I did not see a copy of my own volume, “The Jews of Rhode Island,” published a decade ago. Perhaps it was there, but I was blessed not to find it. GEORGE GOODWIN is in his 11th year as editor of Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes. He has also written for such journals as American Jewish Archives Journal, American Jewish History, and Rhode Island History.
LETTER Re: Rita Schwerner (Dec. 19) I found Toby Rossner’s article on Rita Schwerner interesting. I was friends with her sister when we were teenagers which was in the mid 50s. I really didn’t know Rita very well. She was a couple of years younger than her sister. By the early 60s, I was married and came back to New York to visit my family. I called my friend Carolyn who said that Rita was going to be married. She put Rita on the phone and Rita said she and Mickey were going to move to Mississippi. She then put Mickey on the phone. ... The conversation was brief. I asked him why he wanted to move to Mississippi. ... and his brief response was: “I consider myself a Missionary.” Carolyn and I lost touch for several years and when we connected again several years later, I then realized what had happened in Rita’s life. I am guessing if you read up on her life ... she went to Rutgers Law School and remarried. I feel as though I touched upon a bit of history. I am so glad that Mickey was awarded the Medal of Freedom Posthumously ... well-deserved. Judy Geller Wakefield, R.I.
10 | January 2, 2015
Ongoing Alliance Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Noon lunch; 1 p.m. program. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Neal or Elaine, 401421-4111, ext. 107. Am David Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every weekday. Temple Am David, 40 Gardiner St., Warwick. 11:15 a.m. program; Noon lunch. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Elaine or Steve 401-732-0047.
Through | Jan. 8 Encaustics, Prints and Photography. Temple Habonim Gallery. Works by three artists in a variety of mediums. Felicia Touhey, encaustic painter and printmaker, uses materials and manipulation in her creations. Brian Larkin, artist, musician and historian, has perfected the white (or black) line woodblock printing technique used by Provincetown artists in the early 20th century. Richard Jacobs has a passion for travel photography. 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. Hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and by appointment. For information, call 401-245-6536, or email gallery@ templehabonim.org.
Monday | Jan. 5 Bridging the Gap. 7:30-8:30 p.m. Congregation Beth David, Narragansett. Each week, Providence Kollel continues discussions led by Rabbi Raphie Schochet. Topic involves how to align one’s spiritual essence with the activities of daily living. No previous studies required.
Thursday | Jan. 8
Gallery Opening Reception: “Alive” by Liliana Fijman. 7-9 p.m. gallery (401) at the Dwares JCC. Exhibit dates: Jan. 8 – Feb. 20. What can plant fiber do? Liliana has a fascination with plant textures and their forms. When plants die, nothing is lost. Rather, they are transformed into visual expressions. Wine and light snacks will be served. 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. For more information, contact Erin Moseley, director of Arts & Culture, at 401-421-4111, ext. 108, or emoseley@jewishallianceri.org
Sunday | Jan. 11 Super Sunday. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Dwares JCC. One-day community fundraising phone-a-thon to raise money to help those in need. Join and make a difference. Volunteer to make calls. Come by for an hour or for the whole day. In addition to volunteer opportunities, activities planned include PJ Library Story Hour, J-Space Sample Day, JCC and J-Fitness Class Demos, as well as
CALENDAR
The Jewish Voice
an Art Exhibit in gallery (401), Scholastic Book Fair and more. Free babysitting will be available for children of volunteers. Consul General of Israel to New England, Yehuda Yaakov, will speak at 2 p.m. A dessert reception will follow. If you can’t volunteer, answer the call. For more information about becoming a Super Sunday volunteer, contact Michele Gallagher at 401-421-4111, ext. 165 or mgallagher@jewishallianceri.org. Agency teams are encouraged to register. Scholastic Book Fair Clifford Night. 3-6 p.m. Dwares JCC. This is a fun event for the entire family. 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence.
COURTESY | RUSS & DAUGHTERS
Anne and Herb inside Russ and Daughters. See story page 11 and Jan. 14 calendar listing.
Meet the Consul General of Israel to New England. 2 p.m. Dwares JCC Social Hall. The Jewish community welcomes Consul General Yehuda Yaakov to Greater Rhode Island. He will provide an update on the Middle East, including Iran. Free and open to the public. 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Temple Torat Yisrael Sisterhood Book Review. 10:00 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Rd., East Greenwich. 401-885-6600, toratyisrael.org. Join us as we review “Being Esther” by Miriam Karmel.
Monday | Jan. 12 Jewish Alliance Phone-a-thon. 6:308:30 p.m. Dwares JCC. Join the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and help raise money for the Annual Campaign! Learn about partner agencies and their positive impact on our Jewish community and abroad. RSVP to Michele Gallagher at mgallagher@ jewishallianceri.org. 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Bridging the Gap. 7:30-8:30 p.m. Congregation Beth David, Narragansett. Each week, Providence Kollel continues discussions led by Rabbi Raphie Schochet. Topic involves how to align one’s spiritual essence with the activities of daily living. No previous studies required.
Wednesday | Jan. 14 Russ & Daughters Fish Tasting. 6:30-8 p.m. Dwares JCC. Join Mark Russ Federman for an intimate tasting that will span 100 years of appetizing. From humble herring to luscious lox, Mark will dish out a generous side dish of stories, history, and information
Calendar Submissions Jan. 16, 2015 issue, BRIDAL – must be received by JAN. 7. Jan. 30, 2015 issue, FINANCE | PHILANTHROPY – must be received by JAN. 21.
SEND ALL CALENDAR ITEMS TO: editor@jewishallianceri.org with the subject line “CALENDAR.” Calendar entries may be edited for content, length and relevance. Please submit two weeks prior to issue of publication.
behind this New York food tradition and landmark store. Russ & Daughters food is kosher-style. Food will be brought in from NYC. Price: $25; Members: $18. 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Pre-registration required. Fish tasting price includes admission to film “The Sturgeon Queens” at 8 p.m. For more information, contact Erin Moseley at 401-421-4111, ext. 108, or emoseley@jewishallianceri.org. Jewish Culture Through Film: “The Sturgeon Queens.” 8 p.m. Dwares JCC. Four generations of a Jewish immigrant family created Russ & Daughters, a Lower East Side lox and herring emporium that thrives to this day. Produced to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the store, this documentary features extensive interviews with two of the original daughters for whom the store was named, 100 and 92 years old at the time of the filming, and prominent enthusiasts of the shop, including Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mario Batali, and Morley Safer. Admission $5; Members $3. For more information or to RSVP, contact Erin Moseley at 401-421-4111, ext. 108, or emoseley@jewishallianceri.
Monday| January 19 Martin Luther King Day celebration. The Cranston Clergy Association will be presenting the second annual celebration at the Park Theater in Cranston, R.I. The special event, Kol Pacem – Voices of Peace, will take place at 7 p.m. The celebration will feature the Cranston Interfaith Chorus and Band, which includes both Shireinu, the community chorus of Temple Sinai in Cranston, and the chorus of the Woodridge Congregational Church. Additional participants will include groups from other Cranston churches and from youth groups in Providence. This event is free of charge and open to the public. Tickets are available at the Temple Sinai and at the Woodridge Congregation Church, as well as at the door. Please join us as we celebrate the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. Bridging the Gap. 7:30-8:30 p.m. Congregation Beth David, Narragansett. Each week, Providence Kollel continues discussions led by Rabbi Raphie Schochet. Topic involves how to align
one’s spiritual essence with the activities of daily living. No previous studies required.
Tuesday | Jan. 20 TNT! (Tuesday Night Talmud). 8-9 p.m. Open to men, women and teens of all levels and backgrounds. This is a collaborative group study of the first chapter of Masechet Berachot, tractate dealing with blessings. Meets weekly in the rabbi’s study at Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. For information, 401-621-9393.
Wednesday | Jan. 21 Mothers Circle. 7-9 p.m. Dwares JCC. Join the Mothers Circle to learn about Jewish rituals, holidays, ethics and creating Jewish family life at home. This free 15-session course runs through May 13. No experience necessary. Mothers are welcome, and participants do not have to be affiliated with a Jewish institution. For more information, contact Sara Foster at 401-421-4111, ext. 184, or sfoster@jewishallianceri.org.
Thursday | Jan. 22 Suminagashi Workshop. 7-8:30 p.m., gallery (401) | Dwares JCC. Suminagashi or “floating ink” is the process of marbling plain paper with water and ink to transform it into something vibrant and colorful. It originated in Japan as early as the 12th century. Join artistin-residence Liliana Fijman and gallery (401) for this hands-on workshop. Price: $25; Members: $18. Includes all supplies. Pre-registration required. Limited enrollment. Information, contact Erin Moseley, director of Arts & Culture at 401-421-4111, ext. 108, or emoseley@jewishallianceri.org.
Friday | Jan. 23 PJ Library Tu B’Shevat Storytime. 10-11 a.m. Dwares JCC. Enjoy a PJ Library story, songs, movement, crafts and a holiday-themed snack. All children ages 5 and under are welcome. RSVP or more information, contact Michelle Cicchitelli at 401-421-4111, ext. 178, or mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org.
Sunday| Jan. 25
Sprouts Preschool Program in Partnership with the PJ Library. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. 401-885-6600, toratyisrael.org. Our January Topic: Tu B’Shvat.
9:00 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael Men’s Club/ Sisterhood Breakfast and Speaker. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Rd., East Greenwich. 401-885-6600, toratyisrael.org. 9:30 a.m. Guest Speaker: Teny Gross from the Non-Violence Institute. Cost: $7/p.p. Teny Gross, a former soldier in the Israeli Defense Force, is the Director of the Institute for the Study and Practice of Non-Violence in Providence. Open to the public. For more information, contact DaveTalan@ aol.com, or call (h) 401-941-3662 or (c) 401-862-7519. Please RSVP to the Torat Yisrael office at 885-6600 by Jan. 19. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Expo. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Features DJs, florists, caterers, event planners, photographers and more. Sponsored by Temple Sinai and The Jewish Voice. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston.
Monday | Jan. 26 Bridging the Gap. 7:30-8:30 p.m. Congregation Beth David, Narragansett. Each week, Providence Kollel continues discussions led by Rabbi Raphie Schochet. Topic involves how to align one’s spiritual essence with the activities of daily living. No previous studies required.
Tuesday | Jan. 27
Parenting in the Present Moment Workshop. 7 p.m. Dwares JCC. Join Shalom Family and author Carla Naumberg, Ph.D., in a discussion about her book “Parenting in the Present Moment: How to Stay Focused on What Really Matters.” This workshop will include practical tips to use in your own personal situations and is also sponsored by the Isenberg Early Childhood Center Parent Committee, Jewish Community Day School and Camp JORI. For more information, contact Michelle Cicchitelli at 401-421-4111, ext. 178, or mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org.
Wednesday | Jan. 28 Drop-in Crafting. 4-5p.m. Parenting Center at Dwares JCC. Drop in at your leisure to create a special craft. Member price of $1 per child and nonmember price of $3 per child to help cover the cost of materials. RSVP to Michelle Cicchitelli at 401-421-4111, ext. 178 or mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org to ensure enough supplies.
COMMUNITY
thejewishvoice.org
January 2, 2015 |
11
The herring monger of the Lower East Side BY IRINA MISSIURO imissiuro@jewishallianceri.org “This little old Jewish lady approaches me and demands I go behind the counter and make her a herring!” Mark Russ Federman’s vignette illustrates the type of old-timey customer that still shows up at Russ & Daughters once in a while. A grandson of the original owners, Federman has been retired for five years after having run the store for three decades. Even though he passed on the business to his daughter and nephew, that doesn’t stop the regulars from asking him to serve them. He continues, “The place is packed. She doesn’t want to take a number because she feels that the store is hers, and we’re there to take care of her.” The lady doesn’t care that Federman no longer works there, that filleting a schmaltz herring takes too long or that they don’t perform that process on the counter anymore. She wants nothing to do with the herring that the kitchen help has already prepared and placed on the tray. Federman pulls out his trump card, asking the woman, “Madam, do you know who I am? I am Mr. Russ.” The lady is unimpressed, “I know you. Your grandfather was Mr. Russ.” Nothing left to do but make her a herring. Federman explains that there’s no point in arguing with the loyal customers, who feel they have a proprietary interest in the store. It’s better to follow his family’s mantra, which – translated from Yiddish – loosely means, “How do we survive?” This approach has served them well through the years. Federman’s description of what it’s like to run the store epitomizes a Catch-22 situation. Success means always moving forward; however, how does the owner advocate advancement when the customer perceives even the slightest change as existential? Federman says the regulars get bewildered if they notice that a product has been moved. He’d hear admonishments such as, “Your parents never put it there!” In a traditional generational shop, “the customers must be constantly reassured that the world will not come to an end.” When, in 1978 he left a career in law to run Russ & Daughters, he didn’t realize how hard it would be to blend into the milieu of the delicatessen. Federman came into the shop thinking that he’d easily systematize the process to achieve ultimate efficiency. What he learned, however, was that his parents and grandparents were a lot smarter than he had thought. While they were not great at articulating their ideas, they had an experiential sense of running the business. He says, “Their way was almost always the right way to do it.”
Mark Russ Federman dishes on Russ & Daughters
Mark Russ Federman
Don’t miss:
THE STURGEON QUEENS
Storefront of Russ & Daughters. Federman struggled to explain why he left law to work at Russ & Daughters. He even wrote a book (“RUSS & DAUGHTERS: Reflections and Recipes from the House That Herring Built”) hoping that would help. Federman admitted that his foray into the family business was ironic in the sense that his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles never wanted their children to work as hard as they did. They dreamed that their kids would work five days a week behind a desk, not smelling fishy when they came home. And, of course, the ultimate Jewish immigrant’s dream was that the children would become professionals. Federman says that, while all seven of the Russ grandchildren were collegeeducated, he was the only one to emerge as a professional. He was also the only one to take over the family business. Federman said he stayed with the shop because Russ & Daughters was a special place for him. Since he was a child, Federman was required to work at the store. Through the years, he has internalized the knowledge that the shop was a good thing to keep going. While he never felt comfortable practicing law, at the store, he “felt like [he] was adding some value to the world.” Like his parents, he was establishing relationships that transcended commercial transactions. In the ’70s, Federman was a one-man operation devoted to the store. When he took over the shop from his parents, he remembers that the Lower East Side neighborhood was experiencing a downward spiral. Federman’s challenge was to make sure that the customers stayed loyal despite their fear of being mugged or having their car broken into. He explains that most of the shops moved
either uptown or downtown, so it was a challenge to entice the customers to visit the area just to shop at Russ & Daughters. Unlike now, when high rises dwarf tenement dwellings, and the customers say please and thank you, this was a tougher world where the customers really made you work for their money. While current clientele doesn’t mind taking a number and waiting, the old customers were hard and gritty; they believed that spending their hardearned money entitled them to say what was on their minds, and they didn’t mince words, letting you know you worked for them. Once the relationship was established, they became fiercely loyal, akin to family. Little by little, the regulars became used to the risks Federman was taking. For instance, when he hired two Latino workers to stand behind the counter, some customers took issue with the change. After all, this was a Jewish store in a Jewish neighborhood selling Jewish food to Jewish people! But observing the deferential “Dominican boys” slice the salmon in an artistic way and hearing them speak Yiddish, the regulars understood the appeal. Nowadays, even tofu cream cheese finds acceptance. While the old customers are an endangered species, as Federman calls them, the new ones still appreciate the straightforward products that taste good. New York welcomes hordes of Europeans who are not only grateful and patient, but also contain this food in their genetic makeup. No matter where they’re from, the immigrant story is their story. If you aren’t a frequent visitor to New York City, and yet the name Russ & Daughters is a familiar one, you might have read about the popular delicatessen
COURTESY | RUSS & DAUGHTERS
Inside store in the media. Lately, news of the shop has been all over the place. In addition to the hype surrounding Federman’s book, newspapers have run reviews of a recent documentary on the store. Because so many relate to the tale of a family from a poor shtetl in Eastern Europe the film “The Sturgeon Queens” has become popular. Featuring 100-year-old Hattie Russ Gold and her sister, 92-yearold Anne Russ Federman, the documentary is a brainchild of Julie Cohen. In 2007, she chose the store as one of the six subjects she was filming for a New York PBS documentary called The Jews of New York. The segments, which shared stories of Jewish families who went from immigrant status to an iconic one, proved popular. Federman explains that the director fell in love with the two feisty yet warm women while filming. It’s not hard to believe if you watch the trailer of the documentary, which seems hilarious and entertaining. Because she has never gotten such
Wednesday, Jan. 14 8 p.m FISH TASTING, 6:30 p.m. Guest speaker Mark Russ Federman Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence Price: $25 | Members: $18 Pre-registration is required. Russ & Daughters food is Kosher-style. positive feedback as she did from the food segment of the original film, Cohen decided to expand the segment beyond the 12 minutes. She added some already existing footage and interviews with family members and celebrities who love the shop. The first five famous people Cohen asked agreed to participate right away. Among them is Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who offers memories of visiting the shop with her mother. Referring to the public’s reception of the store and to its status among New Yorkers, Federman says, “You can’t buy that kind of thing!” He still doesn’t regard himself as a celebrity. Categorizing himself under “the transitional generation,” Federman says he has inherited his family’s Depression mentality. He’s cautious – his eye is always on the register, and his hand is always clutching a rag in his pocket. Yet, he’s still the “herring king of the Lower East Side.” The herring is no longer déclassé as it once was. The new customers love its strong smell and the fact that it allows for different preparations. They visit the newly opened café, where they can sit, relax and savor the salty fish, along with other beloved delicacies. Federman acknowledges that Russ & Daughters is seen as a legendary institution and even enjoys the sudden sparks of recognition. In a recent encounter, a woman, who – upon learning who he was – told him that her day can’t get any better. Federman says, “I make people feel good. I don’t want to jinx it – I’m blessed.”
FOOD
12 | January 2, 2015
The Jewish Voice
Easy ‘go’ recipes from Alliance staff BY JEWISH VOICE STAFF
Jewish
GO
Healthy recipes contributed by staff members of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island have been displayed on a bulletin board in the fit-
FOODS GO Foods are lower in fat and/or sugar. GO Foods are whole foods and are the least processed.
Eat more GO Foods than WHOA Foods.
Apples
Chicken Soup
Super Shepherd’s Pie INGREDIENTS 2 carrots (peeled and diced) 1 cup steamed chopped broccoli 1 cup steamed spinach 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped mushrooms 2 large yams 2 pounds ground meat of choice (turkey, chicken, veal or beef) Garlic powder Black pepper Salt Oregano Paprika Olive oil
METHOD
Roasted Chicken
Israeli Salad
Hummus
Gefilte Fish
In a large skillet set on medium high heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and wait for the oil to heat up. Add the chopped onions, mushrooms and carrots and cook until onions have browned. While the three veggies are cooking, start heating 2 cups of water in a large saucepan and add the coarsely chopped yams (keep the skins on!). Raise heat to high and cook until the yams slide easily off of a fork. Once the onions are
The Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island presents an evening of dialogue, learning, and community.
DRASH dessert
Elu v'Elu:
Save the Date Navigating difference while building community.
February 7, 2015 | 7 pm Dwares JCC | 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence There is much conflict in the world and a decreasing opportunity for civil discourse, both in America as a whole and specifically in relation to how Jews talk about Israel. Join us for a look at how Jewish tradition treats disagreements and arguments and holds out the possibility of respectful, yet passionately engaged argumentation. There is no cost associated with this event and dessert will be provided. For more information contact the Alliance Member Services team at 401.421.4111.
ness center since the CATCH program expanded beyond the youngsters in the building. The healthy eating component of the program emphasizes “Go” foods over “Whoa” foods and includes some of the delicious
suggestions in the poster pictured on the left. For more on the Discover CATCH program, see page 1. Following are some easy recipes to try.
browned, add the ground meat and mix everything together, breaking up the meat and adding a tablespoon of mixed herbs (oregano/garlic powder/ paprika) and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until all the meat is broken up and browned, then add the chopped broccoli and spinach and mix everything, taking the pan off the heat. Once the yams are soft, transfer them to a large bowl and mash them together with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add salt/ pepper to taste. Transfer the meat/veggie mixture to a large 8 x 12-inch baking dish and spread the mashed yams on top, like icing on a cake. Transfer to oven and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy a super veggie packed shepherd’s pie, paleo style!
Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper and any additional seasonings on top. Using tongs, mix the veggies around so olive oil and seasonings are evenly distributed. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Mix veggies for even baking after about 15 minutes. Continue cooking until root veggies are fork-tender. Optional: sprinkle freshly grated cheese atop when ready to serve. Add seasonings of your choice
Wicked Easy Roasted Roots INGREDIENTS Winter or root vegetables of your choice – best contenders: yams or sweet potatoes, fennel, red bliss potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, grape or cherry tomatoes, peppers – any kind you enjoy. Extra-virgin olive oil Salt/pepper
METHOD
Spread veggies, cleaned and cut to size of your choice, on cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.
Pickled Vegetables IN- GREDIENTS 2 cups vinegar 1 cup water 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar Spices, such as mustard seeds, dill, peppercorns, garlic, onion or bay leaves.
METHOD Mu lt iply measurements to fi ll jars as needed. Bring all ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and cool completely. Fill a jar with whatever vegetables you would like to pickle and add enough liquid to cover together with desired spices. Make sure to use an air-tight lid, and store in the refrigerator for a minimum of three days.
FOOD
thejewishvoice.org
January 2, 2015 |
13
‘Jewish Food Movement’ comes of age BY MICHELE ALPERIN JNS.org In December 2007, leaders of the Hazon nonprofit drafted seven-year goals for what they coined as the “Jewish Food Movement,” whose emergence has led to the increased prioritization of healthy eating, sustainable agriculture, and foodrelated activism in the Jewish community. What do the next seven years hold in store? “One thing I would like to see happen in the next seven years is [regarding] the issue of sugar, soda and obesity, [seeing] what would it be like to rally the Jewish community to take on this issue and do something about it,” says Nigel Savage, Hazon’s founder and president. Additionally, Savage predicts that Jewish food festivals “will grow the way Jewish film festivals grew” and a generation from now “will be some of the biggest events in American Jewish life.” Hazon hosted its eighth annual Food Conference from Dec. 29 to Jan. 1 at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Falls Village, Connecticut. This year’s conference focuses on the theme of “Poultry, Pollinators and Policy” and explores the topics of ethical eating, the sources of food and ecosystems, and food activism and policy. Savage notes that, so far, the Jewish Food Movement has bolstered initiatives and trends including Jewish community supported agriculture (CSA), Jewish educational farms, Jewish food education as a discrete discipline, a Jewish working group on the U.S. Farm Bill, new ethical practices in the kosher meat business and serious consideration of what observance of the sabbatical (Shmita) year might mean. The annual Hazon Food Conference, Savage says, “is a celebration of everything to do with Jews, food and contemporary life, to bring people together across differences.” “Look at the people [attending the conference]: they are literally kids to 80-somethings, Orthodox rabbis, hippies and people not involved in Jewish life,” he says. “Food is capable of separating people and also of bringing us together.” The food conferences have proven to influence significantly the career paths of many participants. Elan Margulies – the director of Teva, whose programs use experiential education to help participants develop a meaningful relationship with the natural world and deepen their connections to Jewish tradition – recalls that his immediate family members made life-changing decisions after visiting the 2007 Hazon Food Conference. His sister left her job in music administration at the Chicago Symphony
to join Adamah, a three-month farming fellowship and leadership program, and his parents decided to pursue a more sustainable path for the acreage of farmland next to their family business that had been rented to a corn farmer. “They wanted to do something gentler on the earth than corn farming,” says Margulies. Margulies’s parents created garden plots for people in the family business and other community members, and developed a Jewish education project in Chicago as part of their farm. They brought chickens into synagogues and at the farm had people milk goats, go on walks to gather wild edibles, make cheese and ginger beer, and “do Jewish crafts as a way of allowing Jews to develop a connection with the earth,” Margulies says. Leah Koenig, author of “The Hadassah Everyday Cookbook: Daily Meals for the Contemporary Jewish Kitchen,” defines the Jewish Food Movement as “the place where Jewish values and contemporary food ethics merge.” “In recent years food has been a rallying focal point where the environmental and justice movements intersect,” she says, adding that because Judaism has a rich agricultural history, “the connections feel exciting to make because they come from a place of authenticity.” Koenig got involved in the Jewish Food Movement while working for Hazon from 20062009, including eventually running its CSA initiative, the annual Food Conference and other food programs. She says the Food Conference serves as a time to push meaningful conversations forward and cites the slaughtering of three goats at an early conference “with the hopes of teaching about the kosher laws, animal welfare, vegetarianism and sustainable meat consumption.” This was a controversial move, even causing some people to boycott the conference, but Koenig says that for her it was “a very powerful experience” and started “some really important conversations.” Also active in the Jewish Food Movement is the Leichtag Foun-
dation in Encinitas, California, whose mission is “igniting and inspiring vibrant Jewish life, advancing self-sufficiency and stimulating social entrepreneurship in coastal North San Diego County and Jerusalem.” Two years ago, the foundation acquired 67.5 acres of agricul-
tural property for a community educational farm, and it has already donated about 3,000 pounds of organic vegetables grown at the farm to the local food bank. Leichtag also seeks to educate people from disadvantaged communities on basic gardening and cooking skills.
“Our work is about breaking that cycle of poverty and helping people reach a higher level to maintain jobs, family and food security, looking at the systems and organizations that are addressing some of the root causes,” says Naomi Rabkin, the foundation’s director of strategic initiatives. Rabkin got her start in the Jewish Food Movement at the first Hazon Food Conference and chaired the gathering in 2010. The first conference “really opened my eyes to the way that sustainable agriculture and food could bring together a community,” she says. Rabbi Andy Kastner, former director of the Jewish Food Justice Fellowship, points to the Jewish Food Movement’s connection of sacred and agricultural rhythms, which he says enables communities “to JEWISH FOOD | 21
14 | January 2, 2015
The Jewish Voice
HEALTH & WELLNESS
thejewishvoice.org
January 2, 2015 |
15
How to motivate yourself to be healthy and lead a charmed life BY IRINA MISSIURO imissiuro@jewishallianceri.org Every New Year’s Eve, thousands of people vow to lose weight. They go on a diet, join a gym and buy workout clothes …only to fail. By Valentine’s Day, their new sneakers are gathering dust in a closet. Gyms have emptied. So, what goes wrong? Why can’t they stick to their resolutions? Well, it’s quite simple, really – their priorities are in the wrong order. Before attempting to change their bodies, they needed to change their mindsets. Only when the mind and the body are in alignment can the person succeed. To illustrate, if your loved ones pressure you to lose weight, but you couldn’t care less about a six-pack unless it’s beer, you will most likely remain your lovable soft self. The truth is – you are the one who has to want something bad enough to make it happen. Not convinced? Take a look at people who are not dedicated to the goal. If pressed, they will find an excuse to either skip or delay a workout – anything from a lack of time to “my dog ate my shorts” qualifies. It’s much easier to skip the gym if you have a “valid” reason, even if you have to invent one. But if you’re being honest with yourself, you’ll admit that, yes, you could have made the time if you truly wanted to fit exercise into your day. The trick to losing weight is not an expensive gym membership; it’s willpower. So, how does one battle it out with this stubborn strength of
mind? It’s easy! To succeed beating your lazy side that beckons you to spend some time on the couch, you must make exercise a given. You have to understand that every day (or every other day, if you are so inclined) you will perform some sort of exercise. When your conscience
regular basis, barring an injury or emergency. Once that notion is clear and solid, you are on your way to shedding those pounds or to maintaining your already sleek physique. Of course, keeping trim requires dietary savvy in addition to active lifestyle. You can’t ex-
no matter how delicious the meal may be. Common sense tells us that we should stop eating when we feel full and avoid greasy, nutrition-free food. But the realist in us allows for the times when we succumb to our desire to taste those salty fries or to have another slice of cheesecake.
Motivational quotes by the J-Fitness professionals at the Dwares JCC: “To have patience, change does not come overnight! It takes four weeks to make a habit and two weeks to break it. The J-Fitness team is here to help you make the change you want to be!” Heather Stearns, general manager “I believe that the most important thing is to have a plan. Develop a goal for three months down the road and a progressive plan of workouts for each week. This will allow you to make the most of your time and keep you on track to meet your goal.” Luke Brookner, fitness manager “Each new day is a chance to be better than the last. Focus on a positive future instead of the negatives of days past.” Rob Castellucci, ACSM certified health fitness specialist “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Jodie Thompson, certified fitness professional. (An anonymous proverb fi rst quoted in “50 Ways to Lose Ten Pounds” by Joan Horbiak) starts reminding you that it’s time to lace up those Nikes, you are not going to ponder or stall. You are going to go and burn those calories. Like Pavlov’s dog that hears the bell, you will hear the roar of victory. Now the only missing element is your designated “bell.” What object, idea, time or sound will be your stimulus? You already know that exercise will take place; what you have to decide is when it will happen. Maybe you will set your alarm to an earlier time to allow for a half-an-hour jog? Perhaps you prefer to let off some steam after work? It does not matter. What matters is that you stick to your plan. You will exercise on a
pect to stay in good shape if you nullify all your hard work at the gym with a constant diet of fast food or unreasonably large portions. Often, people are surprised at the amount of weight they gain despite punishing exercise sessions. Retracing their steps usually reveals that they rewarded their hard work with whatever their stomachs desired, justifying caloric overloads with, “I deserve a treat after sweating for an hour on that treadmill!” Unless you want to end up in the same predicament, you should listen to your body. If you have ever observed how little kids eat, you know that they usually consume food only until they are satisfied,
get healthy | stay fit | live better
Indulgence is a part of life, and it’s fine to treat yourself once in a while. On the other hand, you must understand that if you partake in excessive consumption, you should also alleviate some damage with a particularly grueling workout. Even if you agree with the notion in theory, it’s harder to stay true to it in practice. What do you do on days when exercise seems like the last activity you would want to perform or when it’s particularly difficult to resist that ice cream shake? Well, you rely on your charm bracelet. A metaphorical “bracelet” that boasts dangling motivators instead of charms is a great investment in your health. Now,
before you dismiss this idea as contrived, give it a try. First, figure out what inspires you. Observe yourself on days when your workouts seem especially effective and your meals – particularly healthy. What did you do differently? Did you get more sleep? Did you follow an agenda to make sure you didn’t run out of time for a run? Did you see a really flattering photo of a certain actress? Or, maybe, you saw one of her before the weight loss? Anything that encourages your desire to be healthy becomes a “charm.” So, create a narrative of stimuli that motivate you and break it up into short chunks. Here is an example. “I would love to lose some weight because I recently saw a photo of myself at the beach and got scared. Also, that high school reunion is coming up, and it would be great if I could at least resemble the girl I used to be. Maybe I will even be able to fit into my favorite prepregnancy dress. That would rock!” This thought process becomes a collection of charms: charm No. 1 is the photo, charm No. 2 is the reunion, and charm No. 3 is the dress. As soon as you feel the need for some extra impetus, you put on your bracelet and immediately – you’re ready to sweat/stop eating/stop coming up with unconvincing excuses. Once you change your mindset, changing your body is easy. IRINA MISSIURO is a writer and editorial consultant for The Jewish Voice.
J-Fitness at the Dwares JCC
Our team of health & wellness professionals is committed to providing fitness for everyBODY - people of all ages and abilities - in a friendly and approachable environment. At J-Fitness, you have access to: • Certified Personal Trainers • Indoor heated pool • Water Fitness Classes • TigerSharks Swim Club • Cardio machines • Free-weight area • Fit Forever classes for Seniors • American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim program • Spinning™ • Zumba™ • Yoga • Pilates mat classes, and much more! Visit jewishallianceri.org for membership information. Already a member? Refer a friend and get one month free! Contact our Member Services office for details.
Dwares 401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org
Rhode Island
16 | January 2, 2015
HEALTH & WELLNESS
The Jewish Voice
What to do when disaster strikes Rhode Island Special Needs Emergency Registry to the rescue BY IRINA MISSIURO imissiuro@jewishallianceri.org
can enroll online at kidsnet. health.ri.gov/emregistry/form. html or via a paper form that Coping with disaster is an ex- can be downloaded at health. tremely stressful ordeal. If ri.gov/forms/enrollment/Speyou, or anyone you know, face cialNeedsRegistry.pdf the challenges of disability in After you register, your inaddition to those of a fire or a formation will be shared with flood, you must take extra steps local and state first responders to ensure the highest level of and emergency management preparation for any misfortune officials, who will use it to help that could strike at a moment’s you recover from emergencies. notice. How do you plan ahead? If you have specific questions, First, you need to establish you can email Brittan Batesa go-to arrangement in case Manni, registry coordinator, the necessary services such as at Brittan.Bates@health.ri.gov gas, water and electricity are and James Coyne, communo longer available. It helps to nity initiatives coordinator, organize a support network of at James.Coyne@health. relatives, neighbors, friends ri.gov. and co-workers – the Federal How does Emergency Management Agen- it work, cy (FEMA) suggests you choose then? The at least three people you can D e p a r t count on. ment of Once you have established Health and your helpers’ circle, figure out Rhode Iswhat your options are before, land Emerduring and after a disaster. gency ManStart by listing your needs and a g e m e n t indicating the resources that A g e n c y would allow you to meet them. work with The Rhode Island Department E-911, a of Health and the Rhode Is- s y s t e m land Emergency Management in North Agency have developed a reg- A m e r i c a istry for Rhode Islanders with that links disabilities, chronic conditions e m e r g e n c y and special needs. Designed to callers with the appropriate identify individuals who need public resources, to notify first assistance during emergencies, responders when they are rethe registry “allows first re- sponding to a household that insponders appropriately plan 3:16 cludes enrolled in the jewish voiceto12_24_Layout 1 12/16/14 PM someone Page 1 for, prepare for and respond to registry, allowing them addithe needs of the community,” tional time to consider the best according to its website. response. Strict confidentiality Contact Rhode Island Special is maintained, and only authoNeeds Emergency Registry at rized access of your informa401-222-5960 to gather all the tion is permitted. necessary information. You In addition to enrolling, what
steps can you take to prepare? Learn about the possible hazards in your community, response and evaluation plans, as well as emergency shelters. How will the authorities warn you of the dangers? What is the evacuation protocol for people without private transportation, should that be necessary? Register with your local fire and police departments, as well as with the emergency management office. If you’re dependent on equipment that runs on electricity, register with your local utility company. Most important, develop a backup plan. Figure out how you will behave if you injure yourself or if the power goes out. If you depend on medical equipment, do you know how to start a backup power supply? Decide whether investing in a medical alert system makes sense for you. If you are in a wheelchair, keep a manual one as a backup. Also, label all equipment, attaching usage instructions in case someone needs to assist you. If you are vision-impaired or hearing-impaired, arrange for someone to alert you of the emergency. Keep an extra battery on hand for your cellphone. Since it might prove challenging to place a local call during
ACT LIKE A GIRL
a disaster, choose an out-of-town contact whom the family can inform about your whereabouts. Designate a meeting place in the case of an emergency. To keep everyone i n - t h e - k n o w, complete a commu n ic at ions plan, detailing your contacts, locations and services. A form recording this information can be found on ready. gov. There, you can also take advantage of dow n loadable blank w a l l e t cards for quick reference. Other crucial checklist i t e m s i nclude an escape route and a safe place inside your home for disasters. The Special Needs Registry advises that you draw your home’s floor plan, indicating two escape routes from each room. Then, practice evacuation drills twice a year to refresh your memory and to ensure efficiency.
I f you have p et s, make a list o f people w h o could house t h e m since pets are not allowed in shelters. O t h e r important preparation p o i n t s include learning how to use your fire extinguisher and installing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. If you have a sensory disability, buy alarms that have strobe lights and vibrating pads. Still feeling ill at ease? Request the preparedness materials at fema.gov or by calling FEMA at 800-480-2520. IRINA MISSIURO is a writer and editorial consultant for The Jewish Voice.
ACCEPT the CHALLENGE SEE things DIFFERENTLY Get Your HANDS Dirty FIND Your VOICE MAKE Some NOISE MAKE Something BETTER Fit in by STANDING OUT
PLAY LIKE A GIRL
OPEN CLASS DAY Wednesday, January 14 • 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
OPeN HOuSe • SATuRDAY, JANuARY 10, 2015 • 1-3 P.m.
RSVP: www.lincolnschool.org/openhouse 301 Butler Avenue, Providence, RI • Co-ed: N-K; All-girls: Grades 1-12
#onlyatlincolnschool
college prep | arts | athletics summer programs | grades 6-12 | co-ed 660 Waterman Avenue | East Providence, RI 401.438.5170 | www.providencecountryday.org
HEALTH & WELLNESS
thejewishvoice.org FROM PAGE 1
CATCH growing after-school program at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. The children in both programs have grasped the concepts and seem to like it more than we could have hoped. From September to now, the ECC has created a theme for each month that teaches the children new CATCH vocabulary and focuses on different skills in their physical activity class. The youngest community members are learning the importance of healthy eating and maintaining active lifestyles and having fun while doing it! Discover CATCH – Coordinated Approach to Childhood Health – nurtures a love of physical activity in children ages 3-5 and encourages them to develop lifelong healthy eating habits. Children learn to have fun while exercising and developing locomotor, non-locomotor and manipulative skills in a series of age-appropriate, non-competitive activities – all accomplished through a Jewish lens. The Alliance staff has carried the message of Discover CATCH beyond the ECC. Every day during the after-school program students participate in a 45-minute physical activity session. Each month is focused on a different theme such as parachute games, jump ropes, hula hoops, basketball and many more. Changing the theme each month ensures that students
Fun physical activity is an important part of CATCH. stay engaged and the games do not become repetitive. Since the beginning of the year many students have become much more involved in the physical activity portion of the curriculum. It was evident that some children do not participate in sports or do not get enough exercise in general on a daily basis. One student in particular who would sit out after the warm-up and hesitate to participate in games
is now the fi rst one ready and in line when it is time for CATCH. The goal is to make exercising fun and not seem like a chore to children at such a young age so they grow up learning to love it. Because snacks are provided for the after-school program, it is much easier to teach the students how to make healthy snack choices and steer them away from sugary treats. CATCH is not only engaging
PHOTO | JEWISH ALLIANCE
our youth. The Alliance staff is participating as well. Through the basic premise of Discover CATCH, the employee wellness program assists the Alliance staff to lead healthier lifestyles. To start off this challenge, Alliance staff members shared some of their favorite healthy fall dishes. One huge component of the Discover CATCH program is nutrition and the CATCH team wanted to see how
January 2, 2015 |
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many of our staff members, the ones implementing these values, are following GO, SLOW, and WHOA foods that make up the CATCH program. Many of the recipes are excellent and healthy so we shared them on the CATCH bulletin board in the fitness center and tried one of the recipes at a staff meeting. See page 12 for some of the recipes we’ve enjoyed. These recipes might help community members with their New Year’s wellness goals. An employee challenge was created for the physical activity component. Staff members had from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 to fi ll a 30-space stamp card by completing an orientation at the fitness center, having a nutrition consultation, working out in the fitness center, working with a personal trainer, attending a group exercise class or swimming laps in the pool. With more noontime group exercise classes, employees are able to engage in physical activity during the workday, which was a huge success. All of the participants who completed their stamp card were entered into a raffle with two winners chosen. The challenge will continue into the new year with more events for employees. The Discover CATCH program is teaching young and old the language and importance of staying healthy. ANGELA SULLIVAN is Youth Programming and Sports coordinator at the Jewish Alliance.
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COURTESY | CHABAD OF WEST BAY
Rabbi Yossi Laufer and family stand in front of the giant ice menorah after the Dec. 22 lighting at the Warwick Mall.
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18 | January 2, 2015
COMMUNITY
JSA President Jeff Padwa and JFS President Amanda Isenberg, last year’s Super Sunday co-chairs. FROM PAGE 1
SUPER
py Trine Lustig noted, “We had an incredible 2015 Campaign event last month featuring Joshua Malina at Temple Emanu-El, attracting 250 community members. There is a tremendous amount of excitement and momentum from that event that I know will have a positive influence on the success of our Super Sunday.” Laurence Kotler-Berkowitz said, “I’m proud to chair Super Sunday with Deb Salinger, knowing that we are both working toward the same ultimate goal, even though we are from different agencies. The funds we raise will help those in need, support the people of Israel and ensure a strong local Jewish community for future generations.” Super Sunday not only raises funds crucial to the continu-
ity of the 300 programs and services in Rhode Island and abroad, it also raises awareness of the Alliance’s important role in strengthening Jewish life in Rhode Island. Even as the economic status of many in this country continues its upward trend, times are still tough for most. People locally and abroad rely on the Alliance and its agencies for assistance, now more than ever. Salinger said, “At Camp JORI, our dedicated staff, tireless volunteers and generous donors are committed to providing a high-quality overnight Jewish camping experience that remains available and affordable to all families. Each year, the Alliance contributes in a significant way, increasing our ability to participate in the One Happy Camper program, providing grants to children to attend Jewish overnight camp.” Volunteer callers are needed to
The Jewish Voice
2013 SUPER SUNDAY PHOTOS
Alison Walter, JCDS President Laurence Kotler-Berkowitz, JCDS Executive Director Adam Tilove, and Deb Skolnick Einhorn with daughter Elana. achieve the Alliance’s life-saving and life-enriching mission. This year, Super Sunday is about more than just raising funds. The Dwares JCC will hold an open house with programming all day. The Israeli Consul General to New England will speak at 2 p.m. The Alliance will judge a religious school tzedakah project. Babysitting will be available all day, enabling parents to volunteer their time to make calls and participate in activities. Mitzi Berkelhammer, the 2015 Annual Campaign Chair, remarked, “The 2015 Annual Campaign is off to a great start, having already raised over $2.1 million. We are ahead of last year’s campaign, and it’s all because of the strength of our community. Super Sunday is one of those times where we see Jewish Rhode Island come together and demonstrate the power of the collective. I hope
Maybeth Lichaa and Susan Leach DeBlasio. that each call made on Super Sunday will instill a sense of pride for our community and knowledge that we are making a difference with every gift made.” TO LEARN MORE or to donate online, please visit jew isha l l iancer i.org/supersunday. You can also text SuperSundayRI to 51818. TO VOLUNTEER, make your
gift before Super Sunday or get more information, contact Michele Gallagher at 401-421-4111, ext. 165 or mgallagher@jewishallianceri.org. HILLARY SCHULMAN is a development associate in Financial Resource Development for the Alliance. Contact her at 401-421-4111, ext. 127 or hschulman@jewishallianceri.org.
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January 2, 2015 |
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20 | January 2, 2015
NATION
The Jewish Voice
‘Gone with the Wind’ turns 75 BY ROBERT GLUCK JNS.org The 75th anniversary of the premiere of “Gone with the Wind,” which was marked Dec. 15, presents an opportunity to examine the Jewish influence on one of the most popular films of all time. That influence starts with the American Civil War epic’s famed producer, David O. Selznick. Adjusted for inflation, “Gone with the Wind” remains the highest-grossing movie ever made. It earned the 1939 Academy Award for Best Picture, the same honor another Selznick film, “Rebecca,” garnered in 1940. Selznick was born in 1902 to a Jewish family in Pittsburgh. He worked as an apprentice to his father Lewis, a silent film distributor, until 1923, when Lewis declared bankruptcy. That event may have had something to do with Selznick’s fear of failure – a fear that propelled him toward success. David Thomson, author of the 1993 book “Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick,” believes Selznick had the most interesting career path of the legendary movie producers because he began in the studio system, went independent, and experienced both success and failure. “Dramatically, Selznick was a great story,” Thomson told JNS.org. “His memos showed that he was an extraordinary character. He was smart, egotistical, funny and involved in all aspects of filmmaking.” According to Thomson, Selznick did not observe Judaism in any obvious ways – on the contrary, he enjoyed Christmas. Yet Selznick’s Jewish upbringing did influence his sense of storytelling and character development, especially for female characters like “Gone with the Wind” protagonist Scarlett O’Hara. According to Thomson, it started with Selznick being part of the group of Eastern European immigrants and their descendants who came from poor backgrounds but later became wealthy and successful in the film industry. “They had been very nervous of there being an anti-Semitic reaction to their success and to the film business,” Thomson said of Jewish film industry giants like Selznick. “In the early days of the movies, there was a lot of talk from other churches, academia and government to the effect that the movies were dragging young people down a dark and wrong path. They were nervous about having it identified as a Jewish operation. Not many of them made a big point of stressing Jewishness, and [they] certainly did not like to deal with what you might call Jewish subjects. That said, there is David’s sense of family and of storytelling, which were two great passions in his life. I don’t think you can separate those from a Jewish upbringing and background.” Selznick’s father made a prac-
tice of reading to him as a boy, something the producer routinely described as having had a potent influence on his life, according to Thomson. “He was very conscious of family, and he loved books and writers and the classics,” said Thomson. “With all of that generation, family meant a great deal to them. ‘Gone with the Wind’ is very much about a woman (Scarlett O’Hara) standing up and guarding the home, surviving the war, and being an active person. To David, that was something that came from his mother. David was interested in feminine psychology, and I think that comes from his background.” Adapted from Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1936 novel, “Gone with the Wind” is set in the 19th century American South and tells the story of O’Hara, the strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner, from her romantic pursuit of Ashley Wilkes to her marriage to blockade runner Rhett Butler. Told from the perspective of white Southerners, the story unfolds against the backdrop of the American Civil War and the subsequent Reconstruction era. The movie premiered on Dec. 15, 1939, in Atlanta. British actor Leslie Howard, who portrayed Ashley Wilkes in the film, was a Hungarian Jew. Born Leslie Howard Steiner, he is best known as an actor, but he was also active in anti-German propaganda and was supposedly involved with British or Allied intelligence. In 1943, an airliner on which Howard was a passenger was shot down over the Bay of Biscay, which sparked conspiracy theories regarding the actor’s death. “It is always said that the plane [Howard] went down on was attacked because people knew he was on it,” Thomson said. “I’m not sure how true that is. Still, he’s an interesting figure.” Estel Eforgan – author of the 2010 book “Leslie Howard: The Lost Actor” – said research on Howard continues today, “especially in the area of the plane crash and Leslie’s now-emerged links with British secret service.” “As I and other researchers have found, the more we explore the background, the more mystery emerges. Leslie still keeps his secrets,” Eforgan told JNS.org. Additional Jewish influence on “Gone with the Wind” can be traced to George Cukor, the film’s original director, who was fired and replaced by Victor Fleming. Although Cukor did not work on the film through its completion, his Jewish upbringing may have impacted the movie in its depiction of strong women. Born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to Hungarian Jewish immigrants, Cukor got his big break when Selznick assigned him to
direct several major films of the RKO Pictures production company. “Cukor became famous for his direction of actresses and female parts,” Thomson said. “He had a special understanding of women. He worked privately with [‘Gone with the Wind’ actresses] Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland even after he had been replaced by Fleming.” Though Selznick was known as “an arrogant manipulator, a megalomaniac hooked on Benzedrine, and a brash charmer,” the producer had noble goals, Thomson said.
“Selznick believed he was pursuing perfection as a noble aim neglected by Hollywood,” he said. “He certainly believed the standard and quality of movies needed to be improved. Hollywood would sometimes buy a book for its title or fame and be casual about what they did with it. [Selznick] believed in trusting the book. This mattered to him a great deal, and he was concerned to have Margaret Mitchell’s approval [to make ‘Gone with the Wind’ into a movie]. When Mitchell came to the premiere, she told David she liked the film.” Though some contemporary
critics consider Mitchell’s book a bit dated, especially in its treatment of slaves and slave owners, Thomson said “Gone with the Wind” is much more than a story about slavery – at its heart is an unflinching look at the costs of war. “It’s important to remember that one of the reasons audiences were moved by that film when they saw it in late 1939 was exactly that they knew world war was coming,” Thomson said. “The damage caused by war was a very important message. ‘Gone with the Wind’ had as great an impact on the world as any film has ever had.”
FOOD
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January 2, 2015 |
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COURTESY | HAZON
Staff and participants of the Adamah Jewish farming program wash the harvest in Falls Village, Conn., in 2010. FROM PAGE 13
JEWISH FOOD
put dirt back under their fingernails and engage in a Jewish life that is active, doing and reactive” to agricultural practices. Shamu Sadeh, cofounder of the Adamah fellowship and an environmental educator for 25 years, takes people into the forest and the mountains to try to connect them “to hemlock trees, salamanders, the life out there.” That is often “a leap for a lot of people, especially in this culture,” says Sadeh. “Entering into the gateway of food is more immediate,” he says. “It gives you a connection to the world, how your action affects a hundred different people. It is a perfect nexus. The Jewish Food Movement is about bringing people together who are somewhere in that web of food issues and Judaism.” Anna Hanau – a former Adamah participant and Hazon staffer, and cofounder with her husband of an ethics-focused kosher meat business called Grow and Behold – claims to be the only person who has attended every Hazon Food Conference. She says a critical aspect of the conference is combining hands-on activities with the exploration of ideas and cites a bread class on using
a sourdough starter that went beyond the practical details to examine the “slow food” movement, which uses traditional approaches to make food that might take longer but can be healthier. “The Food Conference was the place where these two things were coming together: exploring and doing/making,” she says. Hanau and her husband, whom she met at Adamah and who is trained in shechita, first thought they would be organic vegetable farmers – but they revised that idea when they started to think about the costs and feasibility of sending their kids to Jewish day school. “We got married in 2009. That winter we realized there are a lot of organic vegetable farms, but what there is a lack of is sustainable kosher meat, raised outdoors with room to move around,” Anna Hanau says. In 2010, the couple started Grow and Behold, which originally only provided kosher chicken but later added beef, lamb, turkey and duck. The business works with farmers to give chickens access to the outdoors so that their manure fertilizes the ground rather than polluting streams. The Hanaus
are also committed to raising meat near slaughterhouses to limit gas usage and reduce stress hormones in the animals during shipping. Grow and Behold tries to help its customers understand that while its meat is more labor-intensive and therefore pricier, it is also “better for you, for the earth and for farmers,” says Hanau. Becca Weaver, the farm and sustainability director at the Boulder JCC in Colorado, is behind the ongoing project to build a community farm next to the JCC’s new facility. The site is a former agricultural property that includes goat and chicken coops. Though the farm is still in the idea stage, it has set at least one concrete goal. “We will grow enough food to be able to donate and make an impact on food insecurity in Boulder,” Weaver says. The JCC’s resident goats, meanwhile, have already been a hit with the synagogue across the street. “Last Purim, one of the goats was giving birth during the party. Almost every single kid got to leave the synagogue and watch the goat being born,” says Weaver. Fittingly, the newborn goat was named Vashti, after the first wife of the Purim story’s King Ahasuerus.
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BUSINESS
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BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | NATION
thejewishvoice.org
‘Jews Embracing Jews’ It is said, “Make yourself a heart of many rooms and bring into it the words of the House of Shammai and the words of the House of Hillel.” (Mishnah Sota 7:12) Jewish identity is expressed through a wide array of beliefs and practices. Jews gain strength from one another, and the Jewish people become richer and stronger when we are able to understand and embrace Jews who believe differently than we do. We have a great opportunity to learn more about each other’s deeply held beliefs, practices and struggles in a safe and respectful environment. On Jan. 10, Rabbi Barry Dolinger of Congregation Beth Sholom will examine the many shades and colors of contemporary Orthodoxy both in the U.S., Israel and abroad, tracing the origins of Orthodoxy as a reaction to the beginning of the Reform movement in Europe.
In particular, he will discuss the views of great Orthodox scholars and describe the social and ideological manifestations of Orthodoxy today. This program will take place at 6:45 p.m. at Temple Habonim, 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. On Jan. 31, Rabbi Andrew Klein of Temple Habonim will examine the beginnings of the Reform movement in Germany in the late 1700s and early 1800. He will delve into how and why it came to be, how the Reform movement changed when it came to the United States in the 1800s and how it has evolved through the years. He will look at ways that the Reform movement has begun to embrace many of the traditions which it had earlier rejected. This program will take place at 6:45 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Rabbi Barry Dolinger received his ordination from RI-
January 2, 2015 |
23
The Jewish Voice Classified
ETS affiliated with Yeshiva University in 2011. Previously, he served as an intern at the Beth Din of America and Adereth El in Manhattan. He currently serves as the Rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom in Providence. He’s a member of the Rabbinical Council of America, the largest body of Orthodox Rabbis in the United States, and also a member of the International Rabbinic Fellowship. He also practices law in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Rabbi Andrew Klein grew up in the Reform movement and was ordained by Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (the Reform movement’s seminary) in 2001. He served Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, as associate rabbi for six years, and he has served as rabbi of Temple Habonim in Barrington for the last seven years.
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Lindsey Graham in Jerusalem: Senate vote coming on Iran sanctions bill JERUSALEM (JTA) – U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said in Jerusalem that the Senate will vote on an Iran sanctions bill next month. Graham, R-S.C., who is expected to take over as chairman of the Foreign Appropriations Subcommittee when the Republicans assume control of the Senate in January, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Israeli capital on Dec. 27. Graham told Netanyahu that “the Congress will follow your lead” and will want to have a say about any final deal.
“In January of next year, there will be a vote on the KirkMenendez bill, bipartisan sanction legislation that says, if Iran walks away from the table, sanctions will be reimposed,” he said. “If Iran cheats regarding any deal that we enter to the Iranians, sanctions will be reimposed.” U.S. sanctions currently in place target Iran’s energy and banking sectors, as well as any trade that might benefit its nuclear enterprise. Some sanctions have been rolled back, allowing Iran to retrieve about $5 billion
of the $100 billion per year that the penalties cost its economy, according to U.S. estimates. Netanyahu in his meeting with Graham also stressed the Iranian threat, noting that Iran on Dec. 27 conducted an exercise with a suicide drone. He said more and stronger sanctions were required. “And I welcome your leadership in this effort,” Netanyahu said. Graham also discussed the possibility of cutting off U.S. funding for the United Nations if the Security Council passes a
pending Palestinian state resolution. “Any effort by the French, the Jordanians or anyone to avoid direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians over the peace process, anyone who tries to take this to the U.N. Security Council, there will be a violent backlash by the Congress that could include suspending funding to the United Nations,” Graham said. “We will not sit back and allow the United Nations to take over the peace process.”
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SENIORS | OBITUARIES
The Jewish Voice
Aging: Looking at the celebration of age and a deeper meaning of life BY NICOLE JELLINEK, LICSW Mention aging and the conversation can veer down two distinct paths – one of losses (poor or ailing health, financial concerns, uncertainty of role after retirement, decline of a peer group, family far away, moving from a cherished home) or one of gains (growth of the extended family, grandchildren, time for relaxation and leisure, financial gains). Each of these is a valid topic but, for this month’s bulletin, I’d like to focus briefly on the idea of aging as a celebration and as a means to finding deeper and greater meaning in our lives.
“Aging has few rituals that mark the importance of growing older and some of the tasks at hand.” Rabbi B. Allison Bergman, Temple Beth-El, San Antonio, Texas, reminds us of an early role model for aging well. “Sarah, our matriarch, lived until she was 127. Sarah had a child at 90! … . Our Bible teaches us a vibrant story about a woman living her life to her fullest, well into her old age. In fact, the simple listing of her age conveys a lesson; every word of Torah teaches us something. That Torah revealed her age may indicate to us that we can, and should, embrace the length of our days. Judaism teaches that one should continue to learn and grow – no matter what age.” Important reflections in the aging process include on how we have succeeded or failed, what we have achieved, how
we have lived and what we still hope and plan to achieve. As we age, we inevitably lose loved ones and come face-toface with our own death and mortality. This self-knowledge can lead to a deeper experience of living, to a more significant sense of connectedness with others, to a felt need to embrace religion or spiritual practice. Unlike our earlier years, which were punctuated by ritual that emphasized getting older (finishing one grade and beginning another, making a varsity team, bar/bat mitzvah, high school and then college graduation, marriage, having children), aging has few rituals that mark the importance of growing older and some of the tasks at hand. Ritualwell (ritualwell.org) is an online source for contemporary Jewish ritual, with hundreds of ritual celebrations suggested for life’s milestones. Its site says, “One of the central tasks of old age is remembering. Remembering means piecing and knitting together the pieces of one’s life; it means honoring and integrating one’s history. It means recalling the past for oneself and passing it on to the next generation.” This passing-on is central to our emotional well-being; it is a means to connecting to the past, present and future, to feeling our achievements and struggles have been witnessed and heard, to feeling that our lives have impact. As I thought about this topic, Marilyn Zuckerman’s poem, “After Sixty,” caught my attention. “The sixth decade is coming to an end. Doors have opened and shut. The great distractions are over – passion, children, the long indenture of marriage. I fold them into a chest I will
not take with me when I go. Everyone says the world is flat and finite on the other side of sixty. That I will fall clear off the edge into darkness, that no one will hear from me again –or want to. But I am ready for the knife slicing into the future, for the quiet that explodes inside, to join forces with the strong old woman, to give everything away and begin again. Now there is time to tell the story, time to invent the new one, to chain myself to a fence outside the missile base, to throw my body before a truck loaded with phallic images, to write, “Thou Shalt Not Kill” on the hull of a Trident submarine, to pour my own blood on the walls of the Pentagon, to walk a thousand miles with a begging bowl in my hand. There are places on this planet where women past the menopause put on tribal robes, smoke pipes of wisdom. fly.” Though in the later years our children have left home, we often continue as caregivers for our aging parents – but also it is a time when we have time and energy again for our own goals and aspirations – and now we have the wisdom of our age to guide and inform us. We gain strength from being active and celebratory, whether individually or as part of a community. NICOLE JELLINEK LICSW, is a social worker and coordinator of the Kesher program at Jewish Family Service.
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Rita J. Abrams BARRINGTON, R.I. – Rita J. (Wasserman) Abrams passed away at her home in Warwick. She was the daughter of the late Rose (Coppersmith) and Mack Wasserman of Providence. She is the beloved mother of four children, Joyce AbramsBall of Cranston, Steven S. Abrams and his wife, Paige of West Hartford, Conn., Lori Abrams of Providence, and Lynn Abrams and her husband Pat Cull of Cranston. She is survived by her older brother, Gilbert Wasserman, of Calif. She will be deeply missed by her grandchildren, Ilanna Ball, Jaime Yetra, and Ellie and Wyatt Abrams. She also leaves two nephews and three nieces. She was the sister of the late Arthur H. Wasserman, and was the former wife of the late Everett J. Abrams. At various times, the Abrams family belonged to Temple Beth-El and Temple Sinai. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Barton Center for Diabetes, “Campership Fund” P.O. Box 356, North Oxford, Mass. 01537.
Edward Bender, 100 SAUNDERSTOWN, R.I. – Edward Bender died Dec. 18, at Scallop Shell Nursing & R eh abi l it a tion Center, South Kingstown. He was the beloved husband of the late Baila (Polofsky) Bender. He was born Nov. 23, in Pittsburgh, Pa. A son of the late Harry and Sadie (Ageloff) Bender, he had lived in Saunderstown since 2007, previously residing in Cranston. Edward and Baila Bender were founding members of Temple Sinai and the Sinai Seniors. They were honored as “Jewish Family of the Year” in 1999. He was a volunteer at Miriam Hospital for more than 10 years. He is survived by his daughter Ann, son-in-law, J. Barry, and grandson, Derek Miller, of Saunderstown, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Albert Bender and Marian Summerfield. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston, R.I. 02920.
Danielle A. Bessler, 25 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Danielle A. Bessler passed away on Dec. 27 while on vacation in Mexico. She was the daughter of Barry and Marian (Markowitz) Bessler; sister of Max and Talia; and granddaughter of Morton and Ruth Markowitz, Siegfried and Lala Bessler, and Lea Bessler (z’’l). Danielle graduated from
Maimonides School in Boston and attended Rhode Island College. She was working as a computer programmer and app developer at Normal in New York City. She was an intelligent and strong young woman. Danielle loved art, cooking, music and especially books. She defended the people she loved and viewed the world in an infectiously intelligent and loving manner. To all who knew her, she will be sorely missed and never forgotten. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be sent to the family for the eventual distribution through the future Danielle Bessler and James Golick Foundation (for the education of young people in computer science). Shiva will be observed at her late residence 1/3/15, 6:30-9 p.m.; 1/4, 8-11 a.m. and 2-6 p.m.; 1/5 and 1/6, 6:35-11 a.m. and 7-9 p.m.; and 1/7, 6:45-7:30 a.m.
David Botvin, 82 BOYNTON BEACH, FLA. – David Botvin died Dec. 26, with his wife and children at his side. He was the husband of Ardean (Dress) Botvin; they were married for 62 years. Born in Providence he was the son of the late Max and Hattie (Sharp) Botvin. He was a part owner of the family business, Colonial Motor Sales for over 50 years. He served for 4 years in the Air Force as an airplane mechanics instructor. He was an avid boater for more than 30 years. He was a member of the E. Greenwich Yacht Club, served as commander of the Power Squadron, and was a member of Temple Beth El. He was the dear father of Lisa Schreiber and her husband Michael and Bruce Botvin and his wife Amy; a loving brother to Burton “Sonny” Botvin and his wife Carolyn; a devoted grandfather to Eric and Allison Schreiber and Emily and Matthew Botvin. He was a brother of the late Marilyn Swartz. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Louis and Phyllis Dress Scholarship Fund at Temple Beth El, 70 Orchard Ave, Providence, R.I.
Beverly F. Goldstein, 93 NEW BEDFORD, MASS. – Beverly F. (Alpert) Goldstein died Dec. 26. She was the wife of the late Sanford Goldstein. Born in New Bedford, she was a daughter of the late George and Rose (Sederholm) Alpert. She is survived by her grandchildren; Nick and Lucas Goldstein, and her great-grandOBITUARIES | 25
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child Logan Goldstein. She was the mother of the late Marc A. Goldstein and sister of the late Frederick and Hershel Alpert and Eileen Siegel. In lieu of flowers contributions in her memory may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, Finance Dept., 30 East 33rd St, New York, NY 10016.
Rosaline Jacobson, 87
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rosaline (Selikowitz) Jacobson died on Dec. 11 at the Philip Hulitar Hospice. She lived at Epoch on the East Side where she received loving and compassionate care for which her family is grateful. She was the devoted wife of the late Charles H. Jacobson, CPA, and raised her sons in Edison, N.J., before retiring to Cranbury, N.J. and Highland Beach, and then moving to Providence. In addition to taking care of her family, Rosaline worked as a bookkeeper for many years. She is survived by her three loving sons: Gary of Washington, D.C., David and his wife Deborah of Providence, and Mark and his wife Karen of Maple, Ontario, and by three granddaughters, Julia, Ana and Carly. She is also survived by three siblings: Ludwig Selikowitz and his wife Doris of Tinton Falls, N.J., Charlotte Roth of Monroe Township, N.J. and Jason Selikowitz of Mission Viejo, Calif. Memorial contributions may be made to the Home and Hospice Care of RI, 1085 North Main St., Providence, R.I. 02904
Paula S. Kaufman, 67
BRISTOL, R.I. – Paula S. Kaufman passed away at home Dec. 21, after a prolonged struggle with cancer. Survived by her husband, Gerhard Leib, of Bristol, and sister, Marsha Kwicinski, Royal Oak, Mich., she was the daughter of the late Irving and Evelyn (Murstein) Kaufman, and twin sister of the late Roberta Kaufman.
Born in Newton, Mass., she grew up in Boston, attended many universities and had multiple graduate degrees in diverse subjects. She was a deeply religious lamed-vavnik, observing Orthodox halacha and custom, while also a modern, liberated, liberal and fashionable lady. She was a modest, unpretentious person who saw good in all people and easily made friends from all walks of life. She treated others as equals and strove to make them comfortable and not feel inadequate. She never spoke about her own educational or professional accomplishments. She advocated for apprenticeship programs and for learning through hands-on experience to help those not being served by an outmoded, overly academic, dysfunctional and expensive college system. She was a very kind and compassionate person, who dedicated four years to serving as a medical advocate for her mother, staying with her day and night in the hospital. She did the same for her fur-babies, both rescued from a life of misery. In the process, she acquired extensive medical knowledge, which she shared, to help others. A fearless, outspoken and deeply honest person, she fought hard to get quality care for her loved ones (and to make sure the right thing was done), even if that entailed confronting doctors, nurses, chief medical officers, or CEOs of major hospitals (or her husband). In that and numerous other ways, she helped those who knew her to become better people. Thank you. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the New England Rabbinical College, 262 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, R.I. 02906 or to American Fox Terrier Rescue, Inc., 8738 Prestwick Parkway, Brooklyn Park, Minn. 55443, in honor of her be-
loved wire-haired fox terriers, Oliver and Lilly.
Brigitte Rose Marie Lasky, 88
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brigitte Rose Marie Lasky, died Dec. 16 at Miriam Hospital. She was the mother of Vivienne and Oliver Lasky, and grandmother of Amanda and Nicholas Freeman. Born in Koenigsberg, East Prussia, she was a ballet dancer and a model. She married the late journalist Melvin J. Lasky in 1945 and together raised their family in Berlin and London. She made Providence her home in 1983. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Rhode Island Good Neighbor Energy Fund.
Alvin Stein, 89
BARRINGTON, R.I. – Alvin Stein died Dec. 20. He was the husband of the late Rita (Malmet) Stein. Born in New York City, a son of the late Jacob and Beckie (Spielman) Stein, he had been a resident of Barrington for 44 years. Dr. Stein was a graduate of Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute with a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII and was a member of Temple Habonim. He is survived by his children, Jeffrey Stein and his wife Eve Colson of Woodbridge, Conn., and Shari Stein of Greenwich, Conn.; and his grandchildren Rebekah, Joseph and Sarah. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Barrington Public Library Corp., 281 County Rd., Barrington, R.I. 02806, Attn: Library Director.
Marcus Rand, 84
NARRAGANSETT, R.I. – Marcus Rand died Dec. 2. He was the son of the late Saul and Betty Finkelstein. He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Eleanor (Tesler), and his daughter, Susan Rand Celico, of Hope
Valley and his son Michael, as well as grandchildren, Marcus Isaac, and Mary Eleanor Rand, all of Narragansett, R.I. He was born in Providence and lived in South County for most of his adult life. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Rhode Island, where he was employed for 29 years as Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admissions. Before working at URI, he was a high school teacher in North Kingstown. He belonged to many civic and educational organizations and served as president of the Indian Lake Shores Fire District and president of the Guidance and Personnel Association of Rhode Island. He was a veteran of the Korean War, proudly serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, lastly on the Buoy tender, SPAR. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc., 135 Parkinson Plaza, Staten Island, N.Y. 10305.
Lester Rand, 91
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Lester Rand died after brief illness on Dec. 17. He was the husband of the late Gloria Levitt Rand of Lakeville, N.J. He was the former husband of the late Bobbie Racklin Rand. He was the son of Regina and Sigmond Rand of Central Falls and Providence R.I. He was the devoted father of Jill Dachman (Gary), and the proud grandfather of Benjamin and Jason Dachman of Fairfield, Conn. He is also survived by his sister Selma Rand of Bridgeport, Conn. He was a graduate of Central
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Falls High School and Brown University, class of 1948. He was a World War II veteran. After graduating from college, he moved to New York City, where he spent more than 65 years. He was the founder and President of Youth Research Institute, one of the first marketing research firms focusing on the habits of teenagers. In the 1960s he wrote a newspaper column “Teens Today.” He had a gift for writing poetry for his family and friends. He was an avid Red Sox fan, and enjoyed traveling, swimming and, most of all, his family, including his beloved late wife Gloria, his daughter Jill, his sister Selma and, especially, his grandchildren Ben and Jason. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, 355 Lexington Ave., 15th floor, New York, N.Y., 10017
Judith S. Weir, 57
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Judith S. Weir, died Dec. 26 at Rhode Island Hospital. She was the beloved wife of the late Terrence Weir. Born in Montreal, Canada, a daughter of the late Manfred and Jeanne (Fish) Weil, she had lived in Providence for most of her life. She enjoyed needlework. She was the dear sister of Cory Fink and her husband, Edward, of Cranston and Simon Weil and his wife, Fran, of Downingtown, Pa. She was the cherished aunt of Naomi, Shira, Aviva, Asher, and Kate. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Temple Am David, 40 Gardiner St., Warwick, R.I. 02888.
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SIMCHA | WE ARE READ
The Jewish Voice
ENGAGEMENT – Lisa Shainberg and Yosef Chodakiewitz were engaged on Nov. 7, 2014. He is a fourth year medical student at Brown University. She is the lead clinical social worker for older adults at an outpatient medical firm in Providence. Both are from Los Angeles, California, and will marry there in August.
Lisa Shainberg and Yosef Chodakiewitz
Personal, Professional In-Home Health Services Since 1978 Skilled Nursing Care Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care Home Therapy
Having a Hip or Knee Replacement? Plan ahead for your care at home after surgery.
IN ISRAEL – Cantor Judy Seplowin and daughter Jessica Kalish are traveling in Israel with Temple Beth-El. She sends us a photo from Ein Gedi, Dead Sea, as they prepare to head north. We’re so pleased that they remembered The Voice.
At the hospital, ask for Cathleen Naughton Associates for your visiting nurse service. We are specialists in Home Nursing and Therapy Care. Medicare and most major insurances accepted.
Social Services Home Support Services Homemaker Services
Providence 751-9660
Wakefield 783-6116
www.cathleennaughtonassoc.com
info@cathleennaughtonassoc.com
TRAVELS – Deb Zuckerman (left) and Karen Borger took The Voice to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, but on-site security guards confiscated the paper … so they share their view in the background and from afar.
Announcing the MERGER of LGC+D Wealth Management of Providence and Eastern Advisors of Fall River. We provide comprehensive wealth planning and investment advisory services with a special focus on important life and family transitions.
Jerry Dorfman CPA, PFS
Ed Siegal CPA
www.convergencewa.com • 844-351-3700 • Providence, RI • Fall River, MA
SAILING ALONG – Cindy Halpern, formerly of Rhode Island and now of Centerport, New York, sailed on the Princess Regal leaving the Port of St. Martin. Of course, The Voice was there.
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January 11, 2015
Super Sunday
Event Co-Chairs Deb Salinger & Laurence Kotler-Berkowitz invite you to Super Sunday.
Volunteer.
Support.
Let’s change the world... Together.
Get Involved.
What is Super Sunday?
It’s our largest one-day fundraising phone-a-thon of the year. A day when the community comes together to do what’s right — to raise money to help those in need and strengthen our Jewish community. Enjoy the feeling of being part of something big!
How can you help on Super Sunday?
Share your time: volunteer to make calls with us to support our Jewish community. Can’t volunteer? Answer the call. Whatever you can do, however you decide to help, let’s change the world... Together.
What makes Super Sunday so super?
You do! Come by for an hour or for the whole day. In addition to volunteer opportunities, we have great activities planned like PJ Library Story Hour, J-Space Sample Day, JCC and J-Fitness Class Demos, as well as an Art Exhibit in gallery (401), Scholastic Book Fair, and more!
Your donation in support of Super Sunday reaches far beyond the walls of the Jewish Alliance. Our Annual Campaign impacts Jewish life across Rhode Island, in Israel, and around the world. Are you ready to make your gift ahead of Super Sunday? There are so many different ways for you to give: • Visit jewishallianceri.org • Text “SuperSundayRI” to 51818 • Call 401.421.4111 ext. 165 and speak with Michele • Mail your donation to Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island 401 Elmgrove Avenue Providence, RI 02906
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Join us at 2:00pm Consul General of Israel to New England Yehuda Yaakov
For more information about Super Sunday visit jewishallianceri.org or contact Michele Gallagher at 401.421.4111 ext. 165 or mgallagher@jewishallianceri.org.
Welcome the Consul General who will speak about: • Current Events in Israel and the Middle East • Israel’s election process • Nuclear negotiations with Iran Followed by a Q & A session and dessert reception
Sponsored by
#SuperSundayRI
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The Jewish Voice