July 2022

The Voice of Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish Community

JULY 2022 | TAMMUZ 5782

JEWISHRHODY.ORG

Summertime!

Get outside and play Looking back, moving forward at Alliance annual meeting

Bakst reports on a family connection to Walter Winchell

Bake challah with Lisa and go behind the scenes

2 | JULY 2022

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

JULY 2022 | 3

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

Controversy and civil conversation IT’S BEEN A STRESSFUL week among some people who find or so for those who like to themselves on opposite sides keep up to date with the of an issue. news, no matter how you like Here’s where I will advoto consume that news. cate for a specific point of Lots of controversy in view: listen to your neighbor.

Congress, the Supreme It may be difficult. And Court and on the streets it may not change across our country. your mind. But Guns. Abortion. The everybody Jan. 6 hearings. The needs to be economy. Iran talks. heard for Voting rights. our country I’m not interested to move forin using this column ward. We all to discuss the specifics have common of all this news. I’m not ground someadvocating for one opinion where. We just have or another. What I’d like to to find it. Lately the focus point out is our ability – and has all been on the differfreedom – to discuss the ences. issues of the day.

At Jewish Rhode Island, Isn’t it nice to be able we started trying to foster to “discuss among yourselves” in a civil ‘You and I ought to be fashion?

We have something able have a conversation that not every country has: freedom of speech. about controversial It’s guaranteed in our Constitution. issues of the day’ That is why, while protests of all types are difficult to watch, conversation in 2019 with a they are a vital part of our feature called The Conversasociety. tion. Notably, the first topic That’s where the civil part addressed guns. We asked comes in. You and I ought to two community members to be able have a conversation write on the topic “To carry about controversial issues of or not: Guns in the synathe day, listen to each other gogue.” We invited readers and perhaps learn someto respond. thing. It can be energizing to It was right after the Tree have a conversation where of Life shooting in Pittseach participant listens to burgh and the topic was a the other. But that’s becomhot button one. ing more and more difficult Clearly that controversy

hasn’t gone away.

But it was hard to find contributors to have these on-the-record conversations on a variety of topics.

Now we want to offer you, our readers, and the Jewish community of greater Rhode Island another opportunity for safe and civil debate with a revival of The Conversation.

This time, we want to know what topics you’d like to discuss and, perhaps, suggestions of volunteers who would like to write (approximately 800 words) on a question or topic. Our format would include – and encourage – space for reader response.

Community input is a vital part of this discussion.

And Jewish tradition tells us to speak up. As Abraham Joshua Heschel, Jewish theologian and philosopher, famously wrote “the Prophets sought to convey… that indifference to evil is worse than evil itself; that in a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.”

So help us foster some new conversations on topics of interest to the Jewish community. Send your suggestions to editor@jewishallianceri.org or by mail to Editor, Jewish Rhode Island, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906.

Fran Ostendorf, Editor

D'VAR TORAH 5 | CALENDAR 6 | FOOD 7 | COMMUNITY VOICES 8 | OPINION 12 COMMUNITY 16 | GRADUATION 16 | BUSINESS 24 | OBITUARIES 26

JEWISH RHODE ISL AND

EDITOR Fran Ostendorf DESIGN & LAYOUT Alex Foster ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Peter Zeldin | 401-421-4111, ext. 160 pzeldin@jewishallianceri.org CONTRIBUTORS Cynthia Benjamin, Larry Kessler, Robert Isenberg, Emma Newbery, Sarah Greenleaf COLUMNISTS Michael Fink, Patricia Raskin, Rabbi James Rosenberg, Daniel Stieglitz

VOLUME XXIX, ISSUE VIII JEWISH RHODE ISLAND

(ISSN number 1539-2104, USPS #465-710) is published monthly except twice in May, August and September.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID at Providence, R.I. POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Jewish

Rhode Island, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906.

PUBLISHER

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, President/CEO Adam Greenman, Chair Harris Chorney, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. 401-421-4111; Fax 401-331-7961

THE MISSION OF JEWISH RHODE ISLAND 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.

COPY DEADLINES: All news releases, photographs, etc., must be received

on the Wednesday 10 days 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 advertisers’ claims.

ALL SUBMITTED CONTENT becomes the property of Jewish Rhode Island. Announcements and opinions contained in these pages are published as a service to the community and do not necessarily represent the views of Jewish Rhode Island or its publisher, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. We reserve the right to refuse publication and edit submitted content.

ON THE COVER: Fun with bubbles on the David C. Isenberg Early Childhood Center playground. PHOTO | ROBERT ISENBERG

4 | JULY 2022

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

UP FRONT

Bat Ella

PHOTO | JTA

Israeli singer Bat Ella brings her Hebrew versions of Debbie Friedman’s songs to NYC

BY JULIA GERGELY (NEW YORK JEWISH WEEK)

A

fter she finished her compulsory military service as a singer

in an IDF performing arts troupe, Israeli folk singer Bat Ella wasn’t sure how she would incorporate music into the rest of her life.

THAT IS, UNTIL she met Debbie Friedman, the American singer-songwriter who revolutionized Jewish prayer services by translating popular prayers and setting them to unforgettable melodies.

“She wrote melodies that are simple, catchy and touch your heart right away,” Bat Ella, 55, said of Friedman’s impact. “She realized the power of the sing-a-long, of voices com-

ing together and allowed us to bring prayer into our day-to-day lives.”

Bat Ella credits Friedman with reigniting her love for music, and helping her come to terms with her Jewish identity, something she struggled with growing up in Israel, where her only choices, it seemed, were to be completely secular or completely religious.

Bat Ella and Friedman sang together around the United States for decades after meeting in the early ’90s. In the years since Friedman’s death in 2011 at age 59, Bat Ella has translated Friedman’s songs into Hebrew, channeling her joyful and prayerful melodies and putting women at the forefront of her own songs.

Her goal, she said, is to bring Friedman’s inclusive, egalitarian philosophy to Israeli Judaism – a goal that Friedman shared with Bat Ella during her lifetime.

To mark 11 years since Friedman died, Bat Ella

returned to the United States to perform her own versions of Friedman’s music at Park Avenue Synagogue on the Upper East Side, on June 14.

The New York Jewish Week caught up with Bat Ella ahead of her concert in New York to chat about how Debbie Friedman and her music changed the singer’s life, and how she hopes to continue that legacy in Israel.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

New York Jewish Week: Can you tell me a little bit about your relationship with Debbie Friedman?

Bat Ella: I met her around

30 years ago. I was in the beginning of my life, I had just moved from Israel to the States with my boyfriend who has since become my husband. I met her at the main intersection of my life; as a young

woman, as Bat Ella and also as a person that was looking for her identity as a Jewish Israeli person.

Ever since I can remember, I was on stage. In the army I was a singer in the performing arts groups.

But then when I finished I said to myself, “music will be a nice hobby, but not a real profession.” I did my bachelor study in political science at Hebrew University and met my husband.

So you know, I had this fire inside of me, but it was very much in a coma. I had only heard about [Friedman] when I was a teenager in the [Israeli Scouts Friendship Caravan] and as a music specialist at summer camps in the States.

The first time I met her it was a special Hava Nashira workshop for song leaders, chazzanim and singers in the community. When I saw her, she gave my life an injection of energy. She shook everything inside of me and woke me up. I saw

her charisma, her fire, her connection with the audience and the way that she brought everybody together – kiruv levavot – when you put hearts together. She gave me this life again.

Q: What about Friedman’s legacy inspired this tribute?

A: She started a revolution.

I wasn’t sure about my identity as a Jewish Israeli person. I grew up in Dimona, in the desert, which was a town of immigrants. If you’re talking about a melting pot, that was the place.

I lived in a neighborhood of people from all around the world, and I grew up in a house that was Sephardic, very pluralistic, very liberal and not religious. So it was a mix: We celebrated the holidays, we celebrated Shabbat singing zemirot [Jewish hymns] around the table, but I never went to synagogue. I never opened a siddur [prayer book] in CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

JULY 2022 | 5

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

Who do you choose to be your sheriff?

Y

ears ago, I was at a party at the home of some friends. Several of us were sitting on a couch as their five-year-old child was playing noisily

with some toys by our feet. The person next to me told him to move to the far side of the room to which the boy responded: “You’re not my sheriff!” In constructing a “midrash” on this, I heard the child proclaiming

that he has a “sheriff,” actually two, both honest and duly appointed, presumably his parents and not the interloper trying to discipline him.

D’ VA

THE TORAH PORTION of Korach (Korach rebelled against Moses and Aaron) brings forward very significantly the issue of authority: who has it, who doesn’t, what is and is not done with it, what is legitimate authority and what is not.

Who and what are the authorities in our lives?

What voices of authority – inner and external – do we respond to? Who is our “sheriff” or from a different angle, as Bob Dylan puts it: “You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes you are You’re gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”

Whom do we serve? Whom and what are so many Americans serving today that is tearing at the very fabric of our country, our

R

society, and our democracy, including most notably, dangerously and reprehensibly many political and religious leaders?

In the 19th century Immanuel Kant defined what he called the moral imperative as the principle that compels a person to act.

The secular idea and ideal of Utopia and the religious idea and ideal of the Messianic RABBI era are intiIRVIN WISE mately related.

Kant’s moral imperative is a secular conceptualization of mitzvot/ commandments. Secular or religious, moral imperatives or mitzvot are the prerequisite tools for human beings to build a healed and madewhole world. In religious terms, a redeemed world.

Both systems, secular and religious, are dependent upon human beings using their (God-given) free will

TO R A H

to make decisions leading to actions. Those actions will cumulatively contribute to the moral and ethical evolution of society and ultimately to a world of justice and peace for all. From a religious-spiritual-ethical perspective, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel taught that for there to be a Commander who commands the observance of commandments there must be individual people who internalize a deep existential sense of feeling and being commanded. For Kant, Heschel and that little boy, it never was or would be a question of whether we need a “sheriff” in our lives or whether we must serve somebody; the only question is who and what will be that authority in our lives?

What voice of authority do we hear when checking out at the grocery store and the cashier mistakenly gives us a $10 bill and not the $1 bill in change that we should have received? Who and what are authoritative for us when walking down the street and a homeless person reaches out and asks for money? Who is our “sheriff” when we are about to engage in lashon harah/gossip or negative speech about others? What voice of authority tells us to talk about and regard those different from us – people of color, immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ folk – as “those people?”

What voice are we listening to that permits us to look down upon and thereby not care about other human

beings – all created by God, equally in the divine image?

Who is this authority? Why do we give it a “badge” and power to influence how we think, feel and act?

What are the imperatives/ mitzvot that determine for whom we vote and what we vote? When doing so, are we serving “the Lord or serving the devil?” What voices of authority do we hear and listen to as we consider how to respond to issues of global warming, gun control, women’s reproductive rights, mass incarceration and the death penalty? What is authoritative to us as we teach our children (and ourselves) about the truthful history of the United States and the horrific factual record of what white, non-indigenous Americans did, and are doing, to the indigenous people of this land, and what 400 years of slavery did to millions of African people and their descendants? Do we listen to the voice of authority that tells us how threatened our democracy is, and that we will be held accountable if our democracy goes the way of the Roman Empire?

Do we hear the voice of authority resounding within – perhaps at times screaming – telling us that we have free will and we can decide to accept moral imperatives/ mitzvot as the guiding principles of our lives? Someone once said that human beings are a lot smarter than we behave. But it does not have to remain this way provided that we listen to

Kosher certification agency sues JetBlue, saying they lied about a Kosher snack

BY JACKIE HAJDENBERG (JTA) – One of the United States’ largest Kosher certifying agencies alleges that JetBlue airlines sold a snack it falsely claimed was certified as Kosher.

In a lawsuit filed last Thursday, Kof-K said JetBlue put the agency’s hechsher, or rabbinical approval symbol, on an artichoke snack that the agency never certified as Kosher.

The company that makes

the artichoke snack, Elma Farms, was not named in the lawsuit. A JetBlue spokesperson told Reuters on Friday [June 24] the airline is investigating the claims. An attorney for Kof-K declined to comment to Reuters.

There are approximately 1,400 Kosher certifying agencies around the world, but in the United States, the “Big Five” – the Orthodox Union (OU), Organized Kashrut Laboratories (OK), Kof-K, Star-K, and the

Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC) – certify more than 80% of the country’s Kosher food products. Kof-K started certifying food as Kosher in the early 1970s.

JetBlue’s $9 Mediterranean-inspired vegan snack box also included products certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union, the Kashruth Council of Canada and EarthKosher.

This is not the first legal action taken against an airline relating to their provision of Kosher food

this year. In Brazil, a judge awarded plaintiffs $1,759 after they filed a complaint against American Airlines alleging that they were denied Kosher food on board.

Other airlines that have gotten into legal trouble with the Jewish community in recent months also include Lufthansa and Delta, both for refusing to board Orthodox Jewish passengers for different reasons.

the right voices and pay heed to moral and ethical authority. We can choose to serve God and choose not to serve the “devil.” We can choose to allow legitimate authority to influence us, and not to allow self-interest, greed, fear, hate, short sightedness, arrogance and our own ignorance to influence us. We all can choose to have a “sheriff” who carries out only and always what is just and right.

A Midrash tells us that if we go back to the place in the wilderness where the earth opened and swallowed Korach and his followers, and we put our ear to the ground there we will hear Korach say: “Moses was right, and I was wrong.

Moses’ authority is from God; the authority I wanted is not and never will be.”

At the end of each day, and at the end of our lives, when our personal histories are recorded in stone, will we and others read that the “sheriff” got us and to “jail” we went? Or will it record that we got smarter, and our behavior reflected how smart we got? Whom and what do we serve?

RABBI IRVIN WISE, of Barrington, is Rabbi Emeritus of Adath Israel Congregation in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he served for 27 years as Senior Rabbi.

He retired in 2019 after more than 40 years in the rabbinate.

Candle lighting times July 2022

Greater Rhode Island July 1

8:04 pm

July 8

8:02 pm

July 15

7:58 pm

July 22

7:53 pm

July 29

7:43 pm

6 | JULY 2022

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS FOR COMPLETE MONTHLY LISTINGS, VISIT JEWISHRHODY.ORG

Ongoing

Kosher Senior Café and Programming. In-person lunches 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday – Thursday at the Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence; Friday at Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Closed 7/4. In-person and Zoom programming includes “Exercise for Everyone” with exercise science professional Laura Goodwin on Monday and Wednesday from 11-11:45 a.m. and chair yoga on Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m.-noon followed by lunch and a guest speaker or discussion from noon-1 p.m. The second Tuesday of the month is “Susie’s Corner” with Susie Adler from noon-1 p.m. The third Thursday of the month is a book chat with Neal Drobnis from noon-1 p.m. Suggested donation: $3 per lunch for those age 60 and older as well as for younger adults with a disability. Other adults may purchase a meal for $6.50. The Kosher Senior Café is a program of Jewish Collaborative Services and is generously supported by the Jewish Alliance of Greater RI and Blackstone Health. Information and RSVP, Neal Drobnis at neal@jfsri. org or 401-421-4111, ext. 107.

Project Shoresh Ladies Partners in Torah Night. Sundays 7:458:45 p.m. Providence Hebrew Day School, 450 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Partner-based study group. On-site facilitators available.

Free. Information, projectshoresh. com or Naftali Karp at naftalikarp@ gmail.com or 401-632-3165.

Project Shoresh: For Young Professionals – A Walk through Torah. Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. 132 Lancaster St., Providence. Explore the Five Books of Moses with Rabbi Chaim Yehuda and Mrs. Guta Shaps. RSVP (requested but not required) or information, text or call Rabbi Shaps at 732-822-0028.

Temple Habonim “The Wisdom’s Literature.” Wednesdays 11 a.m.-noon. Study the texts found in the Writings, the final section of the Hebrew Bible. These provocative texts offer perspectives on our relationship with God and the meaning and purpose of our lives. Via Zoom. Information, Adina

Davies at office@templehabonim. org or 401-245-6536.

Project Shoresh Men’s Partners in Torah Night. Wednesdays 7:45-8:45 p.m. Providence Hebrew Day School, 450 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Partner-based study group. On-site facilitators available.

Free. Information, Naftali Karp at naftalikarp@gmail.com or 401-6323165.

Temple Habonim Lunch and Learn. Thursdays noon-1 p.m. 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington.

Weekly Torah discussion with Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman. No Hebrew fluency or background in Jewish textual analysis needed.

Via Zoom with limited in-person gathering by reservation. Free.

Information, office@templehabonim.org or 401-245-6536.

Project Shoresh presents “Jew in 2022: Exploring a Meaningful Life” with Rabbi Eli Kasirer.

Thursdays 8-9 p.m. Providence Hebrew Day School, 450 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Rabbi Moshe Don Kestenbaum’s book “Olam Ha’avodah – A guide to understanding and achieving our purpose in this world” will be the basis for our discussions. Information, Naftali Karp at naftalikarp@gmail.com or 401-632-3165.

Music with Raymond Buttero via Zoom. Fridays 3-3:30 p.m. Temple Sinai’s pianist performs. Link at templesinairi.org. Information, dottie@templesinairi.org or 401942-8350.

Temple Sinai Shabbat Evening Service. Fridays 6 p.m. 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Song, prayer and reflection offered in-person or on Zoom. With Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser and Cantor Deborah Johnson.

Zoom link at templesinairi.org.

Information, dottie@templesinairi. org or 401-942-8350.

Project Shoresh Lively Kabbalat Shabbat. Fridays. Services will begin at the commencement of Shabbat. Be in touch for exact timing each week. Providence Hebrew Day School (side entrance), 450 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Welcome Shabbat with

Business, Real Estate, and Personal Injury Litigation

a few inspiring words, melodious songs and traditional services.

Open to all. Information, Naftali Karp at naftalikarp@gmail.com or 401-632-3165.

Cape Cod Synagogue Shabbat Services. Fridays 7 p.m., except second Friday of the month 6:30 p.m., when Family Shabbat Services take place. 145 Winter Street, Hyannis, Mass. With Rabbi David Freelund. In-person and live-streamed on multiple platforms (website, Facebook, Cape Media, YouTube and Community Television Comcast channel 99). Services are in-person with proof of vaccination; masks optional. Information, 508775-2988 or capecodsynagogue. org.

Temple Beth-El Torah Study.

Saturdays 9-10:30 a.m. (No Torah Study second Saturday of the month.) 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Delve into the weekly portion with Rabbi Preston Neimeiser.

Multi-access – join in person or via Zoom. Information, Joie Magnone at jmagnone@temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070, ext. 100.

Temple Beth-El Shabbat Morning Service. Second Saturday of the month 9-11 a.m. 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Shabbat morning minyan with lay participation incorporating study, Torah and Haftarah readings. Multi-access: in-person or via Zoom. Information, Joie Magnone at jmagnone@temple-beth-el. org or 401-331-6070, ext. 100.

Temple Sinai Shabbat Breakfast & Torah Study In-person and via Zoom. Saturdays 9:30-11 a.m.

Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Breakfast followed by interactive discussion at 10 a.m. with Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser or others in our community. Zoom link at templesinairi.org. Information, dottie@templesinairi.org or 401942-8350.

Temple Torat Yisrael Shabbat Services. Saturdays 9:30-10:30 a.m. 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. In-person services with Zoom available. Information or Zoom link, Temple@toratyisrael. org.

Cape Cod Synagogue Shabbat Services. Saturdays 10:30 a.m.

145 Winter Street, Hyannis, Mass.

With Rabbi David Freelund. In-person and live-streamed on multiple platforms. Services are in-person with proof of vaccination; masks optional. Services also available on our website, Facebook and YouTube. Information, Cape Cod Synagogue at 508-775-2988 or capecodsynagogue.org.

Temple Sinai Shabbat Morning Service In-person and via Zoom.

Saturdays 11 a.m. (10:30 a.m. when celebrating a Bar or Bat Mitzvah).

Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Information, templesinairi.org or Dottie at 401-942-8350.

Friday | July 1

Temple Beth-El Kabbalat Shabbat Services. 5:45-6:15 p.m.

70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Multi-access – join in person, via Zoom or on Facebook Live.

Information, Joie Magnone at jmagnone@temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070, ext. 100.

Wednesday | July 6

Temple Shalom presents Newport Classical and Jewish Alliance Conversation. 3 p.m. 223 Valley Road, Middletown. Moderated conversation in collaboration with the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. President & CEO Adam Greenman of the Jewish Alliance will lead a discussion with Holocaust scholar Barbara Wahlberg and the musicians of the Black Oak Ensemble. Free. Advance registration required. Information, templeshalomrhodeisland.org or templeshalomrhodeisland@gmail. com.

Black Oak Ensemble: Silenced Voices. 8 p.m. The Breakers, 44 Ochre Point Ave., Newport.

This string trio will present six works by early 20th-century Jewish composers originally from Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands. Concert dedicated to the Bazarsky Family Foundation. Tickets: $50-$95.

Proof of vaccination or testing must be presented upon entry. Information, info@newportmusic.org or 401-846-1133.

Friday | July 8

6 p.m. 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston.

Picnic dinner featuring beef and veggie burgers, hot dogs, salads, chips and beverages, followed by a brief and lively outdoor service, followed by an ice cream truck with dairy and non-dairy options.

Tickets (reserve by 6/24): Adults $15 | Children $5 | Household limit $40. Information, templesinairi.org or 401-942-8350.

Sunday | July 10

PJ Library and Temple Shalom Playground Meet-up and Story Time. 10 a.m. Wilson Park Playground, off Roosevelt Ave., North Kingstown. Join your friends for a morning full of exploring, playing, stories, snacks and making new memories. Free. Information, Lyndsey Ursillo at lursillo@ jewishallianceri.org.

Friday | July 15

Temple Torat Yisrael Virtual Kabbalat Shabbat Songs & Torah Services. 5:45-6:30 p.m. For information or Zoom link, Temple@ toratyisrael.org.

Temple Beth-El Shabbat Under the Stars. 7-8 p.m. 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Gather together on the Julie Claire Gutterman Biblical Garden patio to greet Shabbat with songs and stories. Information, Joie Magnone at jmagnone@temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070, ext. 100.

Friday | July 22

Temple Torat Yisrael Beach Shabbat. 5:30-7 p.m. Goddard Memorial State Park, 1095 Ives Road, East Greenwich. Informal, interactive family service followed by a potluck dairy picnic with Oneg. Bring your beach chairs and blankets. Information, Temple@ toratyisrael.org.

PJ Library Story Time. 11 a.m.

Garden City Gazebo, 100 Midway Road, Cranston. Read some books, do a crafts project and meet other families. Co-sponsored by Temple Sinai and the Jewish Alliance.

Information and registration, Lyndsey at lursillo@jewishallianceri.org.

Temple Beth-El Kabbalat Shabbat Services. 5:45-6:15 p.m.

70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Multi-access – join in person, via Zoom or on Facebook Live.

Information, Joie Magnone at jmagnone@temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070, ext. 100.

Temple Beth-El Kabbalat Shabbat Services. 5:45-6:15 p.m.

70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Multi-access – join in person, via Zoom or on Facebook Live.

Information, Joie Magnone at jmagnone@temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070, ext. 100.

Friday | July 29

Temple Torat Yisrael Virtual Kabbalat Shabbat Songs & Torah Services. 5:45-6:30 p.m. For information or Zoom link, Temple@ toratyisrael.org.

Temple Sinai Bar’chu and BBQ.

Temple Beth-El Kabbalat Shabbat Services. 5:45-6:15 p.m.

70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Multi-access – join in person, via Zoom or on Facebook Live.

Information, Joie Magnone at jmagnone@temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070, ext. 100.

Temple Torat Yisrael Virtual Kabbalat Shabbat Songs & Torah Services. 5:45-6:30 p.m. For information or Zoom link, Temple@ toratyisrael.org.

JULY 2022 | 7

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

FOOD

It’s a challah celebration

PHOTO | ROBERT ISENBERG

the JCC building. Between remodeling rooms, taste testing, a little movie magic and some editing, our team creates the 4-minute clip that’s eventually uploaded to JewishRhody.org. I hope you have enjoyed watching these videos as much as I have enjoyed making them.

This time we give you a peek at the behind-the-scenes process so be sure to check out the video.

If you have been follow-

creating different shapes or adding different flavorings.

Sometimes I use this recHAPPY BIRTHDAY! ipe to make smaller rolls.

I just divide the dough and CAN YOU BELIEVE it’s been knot it to make the perfect one year since we released snack size challah. Also, this the first episode of “Baking challah doesn’t contain eggs, with Lisa”? I’ve weathered so it’s ideal for those with through some, well, weather allergies or dietary restric(do you know how difficult tions. I hope you give this it is to walk through heavy recipe a try and enjoy your winds while balancing fresh bread! mandelbrot in one hand?).

And keep giving us your I’ve learned what it takes to feedback. Have a baking produce and film a quality question? Want me to baking show. I’ve tested make your family recipe? and baked more than 20 Feel free to email me at recipes between filming ‘This challah doesn’t lmaybruch@jewishalliand practice bakes.

Thank you to our contain eggs, so it’s ideal anceri.org. And check out all my baking videos, at readers and viewers for Jewishrhody.org/bakingembracing our baking for those with allergies.’ with-lisa. journey and giving us the feedback to keep us ing this series, you know I LISA MAYBRUCH (lmaybruch@ going. explore the rich and tasty jewishallianceri.org) is the For this episode, I wanted confections of the Jewish director of Arts, Culture & to give you a little behindDiaspora. Nothing is more Enrichment at the Jewish the-scenes tour of our space traditional and symbolic Alliance of Greater Rhode and process since most of than challah, which is why I Island. Her occasional series, you have been surprised to chose this recipe to celebrate “Baking with Lisa,” appears learn that we film the series in Jewish Rhode Island and in the staff break room at the our anniversary. Challah contains a few ingredients online at Jewishrhody.org/ Dwares Jewish Community that you likely have in your baking-with-lisa.

Center in Providence! We pantry already, and it can don’t have a large enough be made without any spekitchen space, so we use cial equipment. Varieties the various rooms within of challah often involve

BY LISA MAYBRUCH

Challah INGREDIENTS 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 packet active dry) 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water, lukewarm 1/2 tablespoon salt 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola) 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour Optional allergy friendly toppings: cinnamon, honey, or maple syrup. Or use egg wash

DIRECTIONS Place lukewarm water (no warmer than 110 degrees) in mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast, mixing gently. Let yeast proof for about 10 minutes (yeast should be foamy).

Add oil and the rest of the sugar to the yeast mixture and combine.

Add 1 cup of flour to the mixture and combine with a spatula or electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt.

Continue to add flour, one cup at a time, and mix. Once mixture comes together, knead dough by hand or with

an electric mixture.

If the dough is very sticky, add more flour, a few tablespoons at a time. (Try to limit this; add only if necessary.)

Once the mixture turns into a ball, place it on a floured work surface and knead for about 7 minutes or until smooth.

Place in greased/oiled bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm area until doubled in size.

Around 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

After the dough has doubled in size, punch down the ball in the bowl to remove any air bubbles. Divide the dough into equal strands and braid using your preferred method. You can also divide dough into 12 equal strands and knot to make rolls.

Place dough on prepared baking sheet and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If desired, sprinkle challah with cinnamon, or lightly brush with honey or maple syrup. If an egg allergy is not a problem, combine one egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush with egg wash.

Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool, and enjoy!

Makes one loaf or 12 rolls.

8 | JULY 2022

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES

Hope among the flowers How summer fun speaks to BOOK CH Judaism

MIKE FINK (mfink33@aol.com) teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design.

The Jewish Alliance is giving you the opportunity to connect to an Israeli farmer who will create for you your own private brand of boutique olive oil bottles.

To learn more, visit JewishAllianceRI.org/My-Tree/ or scan the QR code with your smart phone.

Promote Israel while supporting Rhode Island’s Jewish community!

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Annual Community Campaign.

WE ARE SO FORTUNATE in Rhode Island. There is so much to do within the Jewish community this summer whether it’s learning, fun, play, health or just getting outside.

The Jewish Alliance has a complete list of synagogues and organizations in Rhode Island and most have a calendar list of events during the summer months. In the Jewish Rhode Island online calendar, several events are listed for Project Shoresh, Temple Beth-El in Providence, Temple Shalom in Middletown, Temple Sinai in Cranston and Temple Habonim in Barrington. Temple Emanu-El in Providence offers hikes and bike rides and Shabbat in the park.

Another great activity for physical and mental health and fun is dancing in the park.

Robin Harris, co-owner of the Arthur Murray Studio of East Bay, says, “We started doing ‘dancing in the park’ during the pandemic. Everyone brings their own chairs, drinks, snacks. We play music and just have fun dancing. We start later in the day and there has always been a nice breeze to keep things cool. Dancing just has a way to put you in a better mood. Over the years, many of my students have brought different articles to my attention regarding the fact that dancing helps prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

There are some great summer activities for children discussed in the article in aish.com “Summer Fun: Simple Sensory Activities” by Adina Soclof.

She writes, “Parents are scrambling for things to do with their children. Sensory activities are important for children, especially

L

reject that idea as well.

I leave it to you, dear reader, to help me out here. My favorite humorist is James Thurber, who wrote, late in his career, a simple anti-war illustrated tale called “The Last Flower,” in which the author/artist sketches the discouraged sagging stem and petal that survives wars and helps to rebuild love and life. That sort of sums up what my own personal peony has come to mean to me!

You may note that “Hope” (with a symbolic anchor) is the motto of our colony/state. Just so, “Hatikvah,” which means “The Hope,” is the name of Israel’s national anthem. Maybe my peony is a prayer…

HEA

T

SKE

Providence, there is a tailor/ cleanser with a nice convenient parking lot in front. On the wall that defines the space, there is a fine mural showing peonies and the motto, “We live off Hope” – or words to that effect. Which makes me think of the odd names of our Bay islands: Prudence, Patience, MIKE FINK Hope, Despair.

Well, in the mural, a flourishing garden of actual, real, peonies contrasts with the symbolic but also realistic images of peonies just beyond.

Somehow there is a metaphorical/allegorical significance posed by all this nonsense.

Does it mean that my memory of my mom is shrinking or fading?

No, it’s not that, not at all. Does it spell out the inevitability of diminishment in all things human? Maybe, but I

TH

during the summer.”

She talks about sensory play using squishy bags, play dough, calming jars or glitter jars, foam, water play, finger painting, rice boxes, shaving cream, silly putty and stress balls. All these help develop language skills in the process.

This all supports our health and wellness. Michael PATRICIA Kaufman, JeruRASKIN salem author and lecturer who has published nine books on Jewish thought, writes about Judaism and health and fitness on aish.com in the article “5 Surprising Facts about Judaism, Health and Fitness.” This is excerpted from his book “Am I My Body’s Keeper?

Torah, Science, Diet and Fitness – For Life.”

Kaufman’s five key principles are 1.You Are Your Body’s Keeper: Physical Fitness is Mandatory in Judaism, 2. “Cleanliness is Next to Godliness” is a Jewish Principle, 3. Exercise is the Best Preventive Medicine, 4. Movement During Jewish Prayer Was Designed to Exercise the Body and 5.

You Can Extend Your Life – Actually Live Years Longer – by Eating Healthily and Being Physically Active.

There are so many activities that we can engage in during these summer months that can bring us connection, wellness, meaning and joy. Try a few for yourself. Happy Summer!

Y L I VI

NG

I READ TOO MUCH meaning in everything, I know it.

So, I am searching for the significance of one single blossom, which I am eyeing to pluck and put in a vase to stare at come breakfast, lunch or dinner.

There used to be two peonies in the backyard.

My mom planted them, and when they stopped blooming after she died, more than half a century ago, I tried to revive the pair by transplanting them ... to no avail.

So there is only one bush now, in front of the house, and it produced a single bud, rather puny, but still. And it grew enough to receive the visit of a solitary ant.

Anyway, I nursed some hope, and now, wonderful enough, the single bud is in full flower – which is what I wished for, almost prayed for.

Well, up on Hope Street, in

PATRICIA RASKIN, owner of Raskin Resources Productions, is a media host, coach and awardwinning radio producer and business owner. She is on the board of directors of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence.

She is a recipient of the Providence Business News 2020 Leaders and Achievers award.

JULY 2022 | 9

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY VOICES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 my life.

The one place in my life that I always felt disgusted was in the manipulation of religion and politics. I wanted to be far away from it. When I met [Debbie] and also my husband – because my husband comes from a Conservative family, his father is a professor and a Conservative rabbi, his uncle was a cantor – suddenly I saw something that was new to me. I think Debbie influenced me to start to feel comfortable and proud and to fall in love with my Judaism.

The way that I grew up, there was a very clear separation – that you were either secular or religious. If you were religious, there is only one way, and that is the Orthodox way.

When I met Debbie, when I got to the States, when I visited [summer] camps, I started to understand that there are different ways to be Jewish.

Her challenge was to try to bring the beauty of Jewish life to teenagers, adults and children so they feel comfortable with it. When I moved back to Israel, I felt that my challenge was to bring this world to Israelis – to start talking about God and Judaism with them without them thinking that I want them to become Orthodox or religious.

Another thing I had learned [from Debbie] was that there was more than one way to be secular. You can have the lifestyle of a secular person, but believe in God and feel comfortable with tradition and with Judaism and feel at home in synagogue and still travel and listen to music and play instruments on Shabbat and it’s okay.

Q: And that sort of Judaism is not easily accessible in Israel?

A: We are beginning to have

this movement of Jewish renewal, but we still have a long way to go for people in Israel to feel comfortable with Reform and Conservative and to understand that the options are not just secular or religious – there’s a wide spectrum of how you can be Jewish. In this way I feel that I continue her legacy and I very much identify with her legacy.

Friedman often combined Hebrew and English in her lyrics, which you translated completely back into Hebrew.

What did you hope to bring to Israeli society, and what had she shared with you about what she wanted to bring to Israeli society?

To make the songs relevant to her crowd, Debbie wrote in the spirit of the prayers and translated them into English.

For a long time, the language was kind of an obstacle, I had no idea what to do with these English songs in Israel.

I know from talking to Debbie that it was her dream to bring her music to Israel and sing it live here. While she was alive, I didn’t feel comfortable touching it, but when she passed away, I said, “let’s do something with [her music],’ because it influenced me so much.” In a way, it’s like her songs made aliyah. I was the first person to translate her iconic songs from English to Hebrew. We killed two birds with one stone – one is that we were able to bring her music here and make it relevant to my crowd. The other is that when we traveled to the States and performed in communities there, people were very grateful because some congregations couldn’t or wouldn’t use her music or melodies because they were in English. In the service and in special events, singing the songs in Hebrew was very important. So now you can sing “Mi Sheberach” and “Lechi Lach” and all the iconic songs in Hebrew.

granted. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in Israel that still don’t understand that there can be a different kind of Judaism. We have to cherish and work on this relationship all the time.

It’s very common today to

talk about Jewish peoplehood.

Instead of just fighting and focusing on the differences between us, let’s embrace the things that we have in common and celebrate them. I feel that I am in a place of not fighting the darkness, but you

know, increasing the light.

I feel very grateful toward American Jewry because it was in the States that I fell in love with my Judaism and I became proud about my Judaism.

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Q: Do you think her music still resonates with Generation Z? A: This is the 11th year of

her yahrtzeit. I feel obligated to bring her back to the forefront, to remind people who she is and to bring her music back, especially for the younger generations. I’m very honored and delighted that my son Nitzan is going to sing with me on the stage at this performance. I’m not sure if the younger generations are familiar with Debbie anymore. This is another opportunity to show her music and the beauty that it brings.

Q: You’ve talked about wanting to build a bridge between Israel and Diaspora Judaism. Why is that important to you and how does this upcoming concert reflect that goal?

A: There’s a museum in Tel Aviv that used to be called “Beit Hatfutsot,” “the home of the Diaspora.” A couple years ago, they changed the whole museum and changed the name to “ANU” — “All of Us.” [Israeli Jews] are not the only story. Our friendship, especially with American Jewry is something significant and important. We can’t take it for

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10 | JULY 2022

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES

Further Jewish encounters with Frank Lloyd Wright

BY GEORGE M. GOODWIN

A

s much as I enjoy writing articles for this newspaper and other periodicals, I seldom hear from readers. Thus, on June 9, I was

astonished to receive several favorable comments about my last article in Jewish Rhode Island. I had wondered if readers would have much interest in my topic: Frank Lloyd Wright and two homes he built in Manchester, New Hampshire.

RECENTLY, I HAD LUNCH in Wayland Square, in Providence, with an old friend from St. Paul, Minnesota, who retired to Little Rhody nearly two years ago. Exact contemporaries, we had last seen each other 35 years earlier.

Having grown up in Cincinnati, it seemed somewhat natural that Rabbi Irvin Wise was ordained at that city’s Hebrew Union College in 1979. Following his leadership of the Hillel chapter at the University of

Minnesota, he returned to his hometown to lead Adath Israel, a Conservative congregation in suburban Amberley Village, and stayed 28 years. The spacious suburban synagogue, designed by Percival Goodman in 1963, was substantially renovated under Irv’s tenure.

I pointed out that one of Goodman’s most impressive synagogues, Providence’s Beth-El, dedicated in 1954, stood only a few blocks from where we were seated. I

suggested how much it has meant to me. I neglected to mention, however, that Goodman had designed the 1955 addition to nearby Temple Emanu-El and, concurrently, a home for Beth-El and civil rights leaders Irving and Macie Fain.

Irv mentioned that Frank Lloyd Wright had built two suburban homes in Cincinnati during the 1950s, toward the end of his illustrious but stormy career. Was I aware of these? Indeed, Irv’s older brother, Hirsch, attended high school with Jane Tonkens, whose parents, Gerald and Rosalie, had commissioned the sprawling Wright house in Amberley Village in 1954.

A discussion of Wright and Jewish geography became inevitable, for I eagerly pointed out that the Tonkens’ younger daughter, Nancy, has spent most of her adult years in Little Rhody.

Thanking our Jewish neighbors for their support over the past 30 years!

Join us for half price appetizers and pizza daily 4-6pm Visit us at Stockfoodgroup.com 762 Hope Street, Providence 421-4114

Abrom’s, in 2010.

Despite having received numerous major and minor commissions from Jews during the last 30 years of his career, Wright seldom expressed gratitude for their patronage. He probably never learned the word mensch. Indeed, he didn’t express gratitude to most of his clients, colleagues or subordinates.

Yet Wright continued to attract numerous Jewish acolytes. One was Percival Goodman, who became the most prolific synagogue designer in all of Jewish history.

‘Percival Goodman...

Goodman, a New Yorker who had also became the most prolific studied in Paris, never ventured to synagogue designer in all Taliesin in Wisconsin or in Arizona, but of Jewish history.’ he did seek Wright’s friendship. Goodman told me in an interAn archivist explained view shortly before his that a guy named Goodwin death, in 1989, that he threw had conducted extensive a surprise birthday party interviews on behalf of the for Wright in New York City archives. Did she happen to during the 1940s, when “the know this person, who also master” was ignored by lived in Providence? most of the local architecNancy and I were soon tural establishment. in touch, and I conducted a In 1956, Goodman lengthy interview about her designed a large Conserprivileged upbringing. vative synagogue, Sons Then Rabbi Irv asked of Aaron, in St. Paul. A if I had ever heard of two few years earlier, Erich Jewish brothers from Mendelsohn, another of Cincinnati named DomWright’s Jewish admirers bar, who had studied with and a German émigré, had and worked for Wright at designed St. Paul’s Reform Taliesin, in Spring Green, synagogue, Mount Zion, Wisconsin, beginning in where my wife, Betsey, and the early 1930s. The name I were members. This was sounded familiar, and the last of Mendelsohn’s then I recalled that I had four American synagogues, interviewed the younger and in 1987 I organized an brother, Benjamin, in 1994. exhibition and symposium He explained that his older to honor the architect’s brother, Abrom, had joined centenary. Mendelsohn’s the Taliesin fellowship in daughter, Esther, came 1932, during his sophomore from San Francisco to year at the University of participate, and she gave me Cincinnati, but remained in a copy of a wonderful photo Wright’s entourage for only of Wright and Mendelsohn two years. taken at Taliesin in 1924. It Benjamin joined the hangs in my study.

Taliesin fellowship in 1934, Later on June 9, while right after graduating from high school. Infatuated with still savoring all these the experience, he remained Wright and Jewish connections, I received an seven years. Benjamin then astonishing email from a became the first Taliesin dear friend and neighbor, apprentice to gain archiJill Tobak, who, with her tectural licensure without husband, Jim, have been university training. deeply interested in Wright After returning to for decades. Indeed, I met Cincinnati, he practiced the Tobaks, our future in a Wrightian style, and neighbors, when I taught resumed his membership a course on Wright at the at Adath Israel. Rabbi Irv former Brown Learning officiated at Benjamin’s funeral, in 2006, and at CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 Not only had she and her husband, Lyle Fain (the son of Irving and Macie), been Beth-El members, but I had spoken, coincidentally, at an Oneg Shabbat preceding their son’s Bar Mitzvah.

Had my topic been synagogue architecture, I would surely have mentioned Wright.

Shortly thereafter, Nancy contacted the Wright archives at Taliesin West, his compound near Scottsdale, Arizona, asking if somebody might be interested in interviewing her.

JULY 2022 | 11

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY VOICES

Relay For Life offers powerful inspiration

• About 50 cancer survivors

G OU

• The Attleboro Arts Museum

had formed a team in 2020, but COVID-19 stole the members’ chance to do any laps that year. So there was a palpable joy in their steps, as they circled the field Friday night, and each had their own reason for being there.

Attleboro Public Library

Some of the nearly 1,000 luminaries lit in memory of cancer victims and in honor of cancer survivors line the field at the Norton Middle School during the 24th annual Relay For Life of Greater Attleboro, which was held June 17-18.

• Megan DeMoura, the captain of Team Lady Bugs and a member of the relay’s organizing committee, was participating in her 10th relay, the previous nine in Taunton, Massachusetts. “We relay for our many grandparents, friends and family” members, she said.

• John Yoder, of Medway, Massachusetts, not only volunteered on Friday afternoon to help get the field ready for the opening ceremony after the grounds were drenched by a mid-afternoon thunderstorm, but he was still doing laps Saturday morning.

A member of the Bam Bam’s Beauties team, Yoder is a survivor of skin and prostate cancers. He’s been doing relays for more than 30 years. “I just felt like it was a good thing to do to support my friends and relatives,” he said.

• Two poets from the relay’s second Slam Cancer event in May, which invited people to write poems and essays about how the disease affected them, gave inspiring speeches.

Tara Lines of Wrentham,

PHOTOS | LARRY KESSLER

Massachusetts, spoke during differences and unite without the opening ceremony about the need for masks or social being a childhood leukemia distancing in a common survivor and how the side purpose: to contribute to the effects from the treatments effort to eradicate cancer. she received affected her later in life.

LARRY KESSLER Allan Fournier, of North (larrythek65@gmail.com) Attleboro, a member with his is a freelance writer based wife, Margaret, of the Walkin North Attleboro. He blogs ing With Grace team, during at larrytheklineup.blogspot. the luminaria ceremony read com “Unfinished Business: Overtime,” an original BMW AUDI MERCEDES BENZ VOLKSWAGEN MINI poem that invokes the indomitable spirit that’s personified by cancer survivors.

That ceremony felt more “Overall impression is that German Motors is a gem. powerful than ever after a Straightforward, friendly, three-year absence. Led by knowledgeable, professional the solemn tunes of bagand affordable. pipers from the Colonial I may be able to afford this Pipers Bagpipe Band, the used Porsche after all.” walkers paid silent tribute – Seth H., Barrington, Porsche Macan to their loved ones.

“Capable of providing service without any personal contact.”

Perhaps the most – Gerry and Denis Moreau notable miracle of the relay was the fact that in G E R M A N M O T O R S INC this world still afflicted Sales & Service by a pandemic, people of all ages, backgrounds, 879 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904 401-272-4266 religions and races were Email us at: germanmotorshelp@gmail.com able to put aside their

“FIRST IMPRESSION”

BMW AUDI MERCEDES BENZ PORSCHE VOLKSWAGEN MINI COOPER

led the opening lap of the relay on Friday night. The survivors, who are at the heart of relays, were loudly cheered as they circled the field.

For those not familiar, the first relay in the nation was held in 1985, when Dr. Gordon “Gordy” Klatt walked and ran LARRY for 24 hours KESSLER around a track in Tacoma, Washington, raising $27,000. In the 37 years since that first relay, Relays For Life worldwide have raised more than $5 billion.

The Attleboro Arts Museum team takes a break from running laps at the Norton Middle School during the 24th annual Relay For Life of Greater Attleboro, a team fundraiser to fight cancer. Front row from left to right: Kerry St. Pierre, Abby Rovaldi, Museum Executive Director Mim Fawcett, Attleboro Library Director Amy Rhilinger. Back row: Tom and Deb Maher.

BMW AUDI MERCEDES BENZ PORSCHE VOLKSWAGEN MINI COOPER

SPE A

K IN

Throughout the relay, as people walked along a field (the event’s usual site that included a track wasn’t available) lined by luminarias – candles lit by glow sticks in honor of cancer survivors and in memory of victims – there were as many stories of courage, perseverance and determination as there were people. All could be considered mini-miracles. Here are just a few of the stories:

T

WHEN THE DJ at the Relay For Life of Greater Attleboro [Massachusetts], Nate Adams, played that iconic Beatles’ song near the end of the 24th annual team fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, it was the perfect choice. “Here Comes the Sun,” from the Beatles 1969 “Abbey Road” album, perfectly summed up how everyone who attended the mid-June overnight event at the Norton [Massachusetts] Middle School felt.

The relay, the first full one since the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to hold a virtual event in 2020 and two smaller in-person runs last year, brought smiles to participants’ faces. And, as the Beatles first sang 53 years ago, it indeed seemed “like years” since the sun had last shined on the mid-June event. I was a part of that event for the 23rd year, when more than $72,000 was donated to the cancer society.

Spirits were raised along with the money. The nearly 30 teams and about 300 participants and accompanying family members and friends at the 16-hour event did what these relays help them do best: they remembered and embraced loved ones affected by cancer while renewing hope that a cure for the disease will be found.

Director Amy Rhilinger walked for her father Tim, who died of lung cancer.

Museum Executive Director Mim Fawcett did laps for her parents, both of whom died of cancers, her mother from breast cancer and her father from lymphoma.

Kerry St. Pierre, the museum’s office manager, walked for all four grandparents who died of cancer and for her sister Kristin Hoffman, a cancer survivor.

Abby Rovaldi, the museum’s programs coordinator, walked for her uncle Gene, who died of leukemia, an aunt who died of pancreatic cancer and a cousin who died of breast cancer.

Tom and Deb Maher, of Rehoboth, walked to celebrate Deb, a 19-year thyroid cancer survivor.

MERCEDES BENZ VOLKSWAGEN MINI PORSCHE

“Here comes the Sun, doo-doo-doo-doo “Here comes the Sun and I say “It’s all right “Little darling “It’s been a long cold lonely winter “Little darling “It feels like years since it’s been here “Here comes the Sun, doo-doo-doo-doo “Here comes the Sun and I say “It’s all right “Little darling “The smiles returning to the faces “Little darling “It seems like years since it’s been here.”

12 | JULY 2022

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES | OPINION On guns and gun control

Farrel I. Klein Providence, R.I.

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2022, is yet nation’s murdered schoolchilanother day of infamy in the life dren cry out to us; since 1999, 169 of our nation. This time the place children have been shot to death is Robb Elementary School, in in our schools. And yet … and yet Uvalde, Texas, 80 miles or so west the voices of Columbine, Parkland, of San Antonio. You know the toll: Sandy Hook, and so many other 19 fourth-graders, ages 9-11, and American schools, continue to two teachers shot to death by a grow fainter with the passage of deeply disturbed 18-year-old carrytime, as if from our long history of ing a legally purchased AR-15-style sorrow and pain we have learned rifle. nothing.

On the Saturday following the On the very same page on which slaughter, the New York Times Gorman’s poem appears, Michelle devoted its usual lead ediGoldberg penned a column with torial space to a poem the ominous title, “America

by Amanda Gorman, May Be Broken Beyond the young woman Repair.” who transfixed us To highlight the with her inaugural threatening undertow poem back on Jan. of the incivility to which 17, 2021, the day our political discourse Joe Biden became has sunk, Goldberg cites our 46th president. a tweet that Randy Fine, a The first of the five Republican state repreRABBI JAMES sentative from Florida, stanzas in “Hymn for ROSENBERG issued the day after the Hurting” reads as follows: the Uvalde murders: “I have news “Everything hurts,/Our hearts for the embarrassment that claims shattered and strange,/Minds to be our president – try to take made muddy and mute./We carry our guns and you’ll learn why the tragedy, terrifySecond Amendment ing and true./And written in the ‘Because everything was yet none of it is first place.” new;/ The embarrasshurts, now is the We knew it as ment, of course, home,/As horror,/ is not President time for change.’

As heritage./Even Biden, but Randy our children/CanFine, who dared to not be children/ issue such a hateCannot be.” filled threat on a day when not a These very same words could single murdered child in Uvalde have been written almost 10 years had yet been laid to rest. Shame on ago, in response to the massacre of you, Randy Fine – and shame on 20 first-graders, ages 6 and 7, along us for continuing to put people like with six adults, at the Sandy Hook you into elective office.

Elementary School, in Newtown, Goldberg concludes her column Connecticut. with the worry that broken AmerThe voices of the blood of our ica “is, perhaps, beyond repair”:

EM

S TO M

E

AS RELIGION has waned in the culture, various scientific and political fashions have become new faiths. These faiths create new sins, preach end-time warnings about death and destruction of the earth and make messianic promises. The founders of the United States understood passions and tyranny, so the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution as a bulwark to limit government. They understood that those striving for political authority would rarely have the welfare of the people as their first priority.

Politicians adopt the passions of the moment to attain power.

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and religion. Cancel culture, university speech codes and the consolidation of social media and news outlets by national oligarchs have already curtailed free speech. Prayer has been banished from public schools. The Second Amendment was adopted to protect the people from the government and defend the First and other amendments. Other aspects of the Bill of Rights limit government seizure of property, provide for jury trials and reserve for the states or the people any powers not enumerated in the constitution. The founders knew an unarmed population could easily lose life, liberty and property as was demonstrated in the Holocaust.

We do not hear of mass shootings at hard targets like police stations, courtrooms or airports.

You cannot even bring a pocketknife through a metal detector to enter Gillette Stadium. I doubt that any gun control measure will decrease mass shootings.

Gun-free schools are attractive soft targets. While our Israeli contributor to Jewish Rhode Island (June 2022) attributed the absence of such shootings in Israel to strict rules about who may carry a gun, anybody who has been to Israel realizes that armed guards and security measures are pervasive. I have never shot a gun so do not have a personal stake in this. However, I am alarmed by the accretion of power by the government over our lives and the servile acceptance of the erosion of liberty in the name of social justice, climate justice, economic justice and other Utopian agendas. Think for yourself, do not accept political and media narratives as truth and do not easily surrender your rights.

Responding to Uvalde

IT S E

LETTER

“The real nightmare is not that the repetition of nihilist terrorism brings American politics to an inflection point, but that it doesn’t.

The nightmare is that we simply stumble on, helpless as things keep getting worse.”

It seems to me that while many of us can sympathize with Goldberg’s darkness, her despair, her fear that our country may be broken beyond repair, we dare not remain in such darkness lest we condemn ourselves to self-fulfilling doomsday prophecies; our state of despair can never rebuild the state of our union.

And so I turn back to Gorman’s poem, which refuses to despair, but rather urges us to give, to act, to bring about the changes we so sorely need: “May we not just grieve, but give:/May we not just ache, but act …/May we choose our children over chaos ….

“Maybe everything hurts,/Our hearts shadowed &strange./But only when everything hurts/May everything change.”

Because everything hurts, now is the time for change. Now is the time for Americans to come together in pursuit of a more perfect union. As Rabbi Hillel put the question more than 2,000 years ago, “Im lo achshav, ay’matai??” – “If not now, when??”

JAMES B. ROSENBERG is a rabbi emeritus at Temple Habonim, in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.

LETTER More on guns and gun control CERTAINLY WE WOULD like a world where people bent on mayhem and murder could not get their hands on a gun. In a nation of an estimated 400 million guns that are not going away, and 335 million people, creating that world is not a realistic goal.

How then should we protect ourselves and our families? Reflect that we don’t hear of “mass shootings” happening at gun shows and

pistol ranges, which are flooded with guns. The reason is obvious – an attacker would be riddled with bullets. Shooters who want to kill choose as targets places of worship, schools and other sites where the law-abiding are prohibited from carrying arms. We need to eliminate the soft targets, the so-called “gun free zones,” which are death traps.

Given that there will be murder-

ous, armed people in our society, we must encourage anyone willing to take the responsibility to be trained and armed. The knowledge that their potential victims may be armed is a deterrent to felons. At least we should not be depriving people of the right to defend themselves.

Tom Padwa Warren, R.I.

Jewish Rhode Island publishes thoughtful and informative contributors’ columns (op-eds of 500 – 800 words) and letters to the editor (300 words, maximum) on issues of interest to our Jewish community. At our discretion, we may edit pieces for publication or refuse publication. Letters and columns, whether from our regular contributors or from guest columnists, represent the views of the authors; they do not represent the views of Jewish Rhode Island or the Alliance.

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY VOICES | OPINION From the president

Transitions: Looking back and looking forward

BY ADAM GREENMAN The following remarks were delivered June 16 at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s 11th Annual Meeting and have been lightly edited.

ANNUAL MEETINGS PROVIDE an opportunity to look back and to look forward, and that is especially true when there is a transition in board leadership as we have tonight.

So I want to begin, if you’ll indulge me, with a tribute to my colleague, my partner these last three years, and most importantly, my dear friend, Jamie Pious.

Over the last year, Jamie has taken to calling himself

the virtual chair, and because over the last few years I’ve gotten to know him so well, I can hear the slight disappointment behind it. But Jamie, I think you should wear that title with honor.

These three years have been some of the most important and consequential in our community’s history, and that doesn’t even include managing through a global pandemic. You took on this role wanting to lift up the community’s voice, strengthen relationships with agencies and synagogues, and put the Alliance and the community on a firmer financial footing. You’ve accomplished all three, and so much more. Our

strategic plan has set a clear direction for our community. We’ve launched Jewish Rhody Media with podcasts and videos to complement the newspaper and set us apart and ahead of so many communities. We’ve raised over half a million dollars in supplemental campaigns over the last few years, first for COVID relief, then for Ukraine relief, and most recently, our Live Secure Campaign. And this year we were able to give increased allocations to each of our partners, something we haven’t achieved in years.

These examples are just scratching the surface.

But it’s the intangibles that have meant the most to

me. When I was offered this miss our Friday morning job, my boss and mentor at meetings. Jamie, thank you United Way took me to lunch for your leadership, thank and shared with me the CEO you for your counsel, thank secret. He said that every you for your generosity and CEO lives in fear that everyall you have done for this one around them will wake up community, and thank you one day and realize that they for your friendship. really don’t know what they I also want to thank all of are doing. That’s been true for our board members whose me on more than one occasion terms are ending. Thank throughout the you to Mitzi pandemic. But Berkelhammer I had a secret for your dedica‘But I had a weapon. I had tion and comJamie. Anyto our secret weapon.’ mitment time I called, community as he provided the chair of our support and counsel, and a Endowment Board these place where I could just say, last three years. And thank I’m not sure. I’ve learned so much from him, and I’ll truly CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Looking back on three years during COVID

BY JAMES PIOUS This speech was given June 16 at the annual meeting of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and has been lightly edited.

I

t is great to see you all and be able to have an in-person annual

meeting for the first time in three years.

LET ME START by saying that, for the last three years, every good thing that has happened for our community is because of WE – not me. It has been wonderful to witness the positive collaboration between the professional staff and the board … as evidenced by the quality and effectiveness of the Alliance committees. These efforts have helped make our board meetings more strategic and constructive.

And for that, I am very grateful to the board, the staff, and all the volunteers for their hard work.

I would like to acknowledge the board members whose terms are ending tonight.

Susan Leach DeBlasio, Michael Eides, Rabbi Barry Dolinger, Miriam Esther Weiner, Tiferet Rose and Oswald Schwartz.

Thank you all so much for your service and support.

As your time on the board is ending – at least temporarily – I am happy to report that all of you have agreed to continue to contribute your knowledge and experience on Alliance committees.

This retention of talent is a great example of an outcome resulting from one of our board meeting strategic discussions this past year.

Tonight also marks the end of Mitzi Berkelhammer’s role as past chair of the Alliance, and chair of the Jewish Federation Foundation.

As I prepare to take on these same duties, I want to thank Mitzi for all that she has done. This past year, Temple Beth El has moved $10 million of their endowment to JFF. In addition, Temple Sinai and United Brothers have also agreed to move their endowments over. Congratulations Mitzi, on these successes. I look forward to working with you to continue to grow our endowment.

My thank yous would not be complete without expressing my gratitude to three very special people.

Gail Putnam: The constant, caring, incredibly capable, and efficient “super professional.” Thank you for always being there for me and our whole community.

Your warmth and friendship

make you such an integral part of the Alliance.

Adam Greenman: For the last three years, we have met nearly every Friday, virtually or in person. Add to that, phone calls, texts, emails, meetings and events, and I can safely say that I have had a front-row seat to your role as our CEO. You lead by example, and continue to make cultivating relationships with donors, volunteers and agencies, a priority. We are truly fortunate to have someone with your energy, passion, vision and commitment to lead us.

Thank you for all you do.

My wife, Lezli: Where do I begin? Thank you for your unwavering support and your understanding of how important this work is to me.

All this – and finding your own way to be involved in the Alliance and share this commitment. I simply could not have done this without you.

One cannot look back on these last three years without talking about the challenges resulting from COVID-19. There were many times when I felt like a “Virtual Chair,” with so many meetings and programs handled through Zoom. All of us got a crash course in Zoom, and I want to especially thank Sara Miller-Paul for teaching this dinosaur how to navigate.

But with challenges come opportunities – and we can all take pride in how the Alliance operated through the pandemic.

During this time, we have raised $270,000 for our Relief and Recovery Fund, $260,000 for Ukraine Relief and $125,000 for PJ Library.

The successes of these supplemental campaigns clearly speak to the caring and commitment of our entire Jewish community.

While we are talking about dollars, we need to acknowledge the incredible work of our finance committee staffed by Dan Hamel.

This committee has met monthly for over two years, securing the PPP Loans, managing our finances, and ensuring that we stay on budget, all while navigating these unchartered waters.

This financial stability has allowed us to move forward on the J-Plan – our path for future success. This has also allowed the Alliance to INCREASE allocations to our local agencies for two consecutive years, something that has not happened for over 15 years.

COVID has not been our only challenge. To respond to the rise in antisemitism, we have helped upgrade security throughout our community, including synagogues and agencies.

In addition, our Community

Relations Council continues its work with the larger Rhode Island community to combat the rising tide of hate.

Now, I would like to take a moment to talk about Harris Chorney, our incoming board chair, and the first board chair from South County.

Harris, from the moment you agreed to take on this responsibility, you have done everything you could to be ready. For the past year, you have been involved in the annual campaign, chaired our allocations committee and been a regular participant in the Friday morning meetings with Adam and me.

We are so fortunate to have someone with your combination of caring, leadership and dedication at the helm. Harris, I have always appreciated your loyalty and support – please know, you can count on mine.

In closing, I want to say that it has truly been an honor and a privilege to be your board chair. Thank you – all of you – together we make our community the special place it is.

JAMES PIOUS is the chair of the Jewish Federation Foundation following three years as chair of the board of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

Rose Oser, left, with family.

COURTESY | ED KAPLAN

All in the family: My connection to Walter Winchell

BY M. CHARLES BAKST

“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. North and South America and all the ships at sea. Let’s go to press. FLASH!”

Y

ou’re listening to the staccato voice of Walter Winchell, whose top-rated radio program and nationally syndicated New York Daily Mirror

newspaper columns made him an institution in the United States of the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s.

AND, OY, he had a way with words. “She’s been on more laps than a napkin’’ was one of his lines.

Yes, he was Jewish. It might not have been obvious, but it was essential to the way he viewed himself and the world. And, whatever failings he had – and he had plenty – give him credit for raising early alarms about Hitler.

Winchell pioneered gossip journalism with inside tidbits on Broadway, Hollywood and the corporate

world, mixing them with news and views of politics, crime and war.

His rapid-fire 15-minute broadcasts crackled with an air of urgency, intensified by the sound of a telegraph key that he would press to transition from one topic to another.

It’s been said Winchell was so powerful he could make or break careers. He could be exuberant. Fawning. Egotistical. Insecure.

Driven. Reckless. And vicious.

He was not a man you’d necessarily pick to be in your mishpachah. But he was in mine – he and my father, Fall River lawyer Lester Bakst, were first cousins.

My grandfather, Michael Bakst, and Walter’s mother, Jennie, were siblings. They also had a sister, Rose. To both my father and Walter, she was Aunt Rose.

And now, Mr. and Mrs. Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts, let’s go to press.

FLASH! Dateline Fall River, Thursday, Jan. 4, 1934. My father writes to Aunt Rose – married name, Oser – to say he listened to Winchell’s program on Sunday night. He refers to the part of the broadcast where Winchell responds to folks who write to him.

“All of a sudden,” my father reports, he heard Winchell call out: “Mrs. Rose Oser, Memphis, Tennessee.” There

Walter Winchell

was some more chatter from Winchell, who then declares, “Get better.”

In his letter, my father tells his aunt, “You can imagine how thrilled I was to hear those words. I sincerely hope that you were listening at the time and what is more important, I hope his words cheered you.

“We at home here trust that you are speedily on the way to recovery…’’

He discusses other family matters and ends with the wish that “all of us will have luck, happiness and health for a good many years to come.’’

A copy of the letter was furnished to me by Ed Kaplan, a retired Memphis lawyer and distant relative who has done extensive research on his family and

its Bakst connection.

Any note from Aunt Rose would surely have drawn Winchell’s attention. He spent considerable time with her in his youth. In his memoir, he said he loved her “very much” and that “she baked such delicious chawklitt and coconut cakes and gave me a nickel every day.”

Winchell sometimes spelled things in odd ways like that. Indeed, he’d often invent new ones: A couple wouldn’t be expecting a child, they’d be infanticipating…

A New York Public Library unit at Lincoln Center has a huge collection of Winchell’s radio scripts and columns you can view on microfilm. Its staff was CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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Lester Bakst, circa 1959.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 kind enough to locate for me the script of that Dec. 31, 1933, broadcast, sponsored by Jergens, that had caught my father’s ear. When it proved difficult to scan from the microfilm, they went back to the original paper manuscript and sent me photographs.

There it is, typewritten, with last-minute handwritten notations, including markings – “ticker” – for where he’d hit the telegraph key.

I knew that Winchell at times modified his opening lines – sometimes, say, it was “Mr. and Mrs. America” instead of “North and South America” – but I’d never seen this introduction before: “Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Yankee Doodle – Canada – Cuba, Alaska – and the Byrd expedition at the South Pole – let’s go to press!”

“FLASH! PEIPING, CHINA – “The war drums in the Far East are rumbling, again…’’

And he was off and running, skipping around the world, speaking in bursts.

“FLASH! MOUNT VERNON, New York. An undetermined number of persons were burned in a 3-alarm fire at the Plaza Theatre in this city today…’’

Then a plug for people to support parties around the country for President Roosevelt’s Jan. 30 birthday. “The entire proceeds from the various affairs in every city and town – will be turned over to the President – for the establishment of an endowment – for the Warm Springs Foundation…So that

COURTESY | CHARLES BAKST

Part of Walter Winchell's radio script from Dec. 13, 1933.

the Foundation may carry on can be of some use in time of its National Crusade against war.’ ” Infantile Paralysis…Try to Over the years, Winchell attend the affair in your city. had ghostwriting help, (ticker).’’ something that pops up in “FLASH! PASADENA, this passage from Winchell CALIFORNIA. It is the biographer Neal Gabler’s consensus of opinion among assessment of his Judaism: the California wisenheimers “With his proper English – that Columbia hasn’t a surname, Winchell was not chance to win tomorrow’s often thought to be a Jew, but game with Stanford…” (Actu- he never denied it or forgot ally, the Lions did win this it…. He certainly wasn’t a Rose Bowl contest.) religious Jew; he hadn’t set “FLASH! NEW YORK foot in a synagogue since his CITY. Five investigators for confirmation. Nor did the Jewish community particuthe State Alcoholic Beverage larly rush to claim him.”

Control Board – were fired Gabler adds: yesterday…’’

“He called himself an ‘intuAre you following all this? itive’ Jew, but his Judaism We’re barely on page 2 of the ran deep. ‘If there was one script. consistent thread in his craSeveral pages in, he indeed zy-quilt life, it was his Jewresponds to people who have written to him, and – FLASH! ishness,’ ghostwriter Herman Klurfield said, citing espe– here it is: cially his ‘radar-like sensitiv“Mrs. Rose Oser of Memity to any form of anti-Semiphis: The new Follies opens tism.’ He was always fighting in N.Y. Thursday. Get better.”

Alas, on March 28, she died, in her 50s. The death ‘He called himself an certificate – Kaplan sent a photo – lists the cause as “intuitive” Jew, but cancer of the uterus.

One important item in his Judaism ran deep.’ the script particularly caught my eye. I take it as a reflection of Winchell’s these battles.”

Jewishness: Gabler quotes Arnold “FLASH! PARIS, FRANCE Forster, a Jewish activist and – One of the royalist newspaWinchell confederate as saypers in France today editoriing, “He thought as a Jew”… ally demanded a restriction and “was self-conscious of Jewish refugees from about his Jewishness.’’

Germany to France…The ediGabler goes on: tor also stated that he doesn’t “And like Klurfield, Forster mean the ban to be applied to believed Walter was never influential Jewish bankers. more Jewish than when Jews He only means, he says, the were under fire. He suffered poorer class. Ominously, he a vulnerability about being added: ‘The Jewish bankers Jewish, a sense that ‘underare welcome because they

neath, they’re all anti-Semitic.’ To him, it was always the latent motive of his enemies: They had to destroy the powerful Jew.” In reality, Winchell destroyed himself with endless feuds, including a celebrated one with Josephine Baker, a Black entertainer, who claimed in 1951 that she had been denied service in Winchell’s hangout, the Stork Club nightclub, and that Winchell did not come to her aid. He said he didn’t know it was happening, and the battle raged on.

Winchell also aligned himself with Joe McCarthy, the loathsome Red-baiting demagogue.

He struggled to catch on in TV. His newspaper base folded in the 1960s – first the Mirror, then the Journal-American, and then the World Journal Tribune. (I was a student at Columbia Journalism School in 1966-67 during the WJT’s brief existence, and I remember telling my father that Winchell’s column was running infrequently and virtually buried.)

You couldn’t be Walter Winchell without a major New York outlet. He became a sad figure whom time passed by. At age 74, he died of prostate cancer in 1972.

Still, if you mention him today to folks of a certain age, they’ll remember those frantic radio programs – and that telegraph key.

M. CHARLES BAKST is a retired Providence Journal political columnist.

COURTESY | NY PUBLIC LIBRARY

A deeper dive into Walter Winchell YOU OWE IT TO yourself to listen to a Walter Winchell frenzied radio broadcast, such as ones from 1941 and 1945 on YouTube. From 1953 to 1955, his program also was on TV; YouTube has 1953 simulcast.

The Winchell radio scripts and columns are part of the Billy Rose Theatre Collection at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY, 10023.

917-275-6975. If you plan to visit, make arrangements in advance.

For reading, I highly recommend Neal Gabler’s “Winchell: Gossip, Power and the Culture of Celebrity.” Extraordinary detailed, although it inexplicably fails to include my grandfather, Michael Bakst, among the siblings of Jennie Bakst Winchell, Walter’s mother.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY

BUSINESS 24 | OBITUARIES 26

Summer J-Camp shlichah brings a little Israel to Rhode Island campers

BY FRAN OSTENDORF

I

t’s not easy being a summer camp shlichah. You arrive in a strange town a week before camp starts,

find housing with a volunteer family and barely shake off the jet lag before camp starts.

MEET NOA BAETL MOSHE, this summer’s J-Camp shlichah.

She arrived in Providence Monday, June 20. Jewish Rhode Island had a chance to talk to her on Thursday, June 23.

She had already settled into life with Rabbi Franklin and his wife Anne, her hosts. She was learning the ropes of camp with staff training. And she’d never been to the U.S. before!

“My dream is to come here and learn about another culture,” she said.

She’s looking forward to meeting the campers and “teaching them about Israel and Israeli culture,” she said.

The 25-year-old from Ramat HaSharon, just north of Tel Aviv, just finished her third year at Reichman University in Herzilya where she is double majoring in psychology and business administration.

She has a lot of experience with children. As a 12-year-old, she was already helping out as a baby sitter and a mother’s helper. In Israel she ran a fitness studio for children. She said she believes that sport is important. “It gives you skills and self-discipline.”

She served two years in the Israel Defense Forces as an Army Commander. There she worked with the younger soldiers, helping them adjust to military life and to being away from home.

She left behind friends and family to learn about American culture. And she’s excited to meet your children.

She’ll be with the 5- and 6-year-olds but all the campers will experience partsof Israel with her.

She’s also hoping to see a little of the U.S., especially from her home base in Rhode Island.

Noa Moshe

Jewish Community Day School graduates move on

The Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island held graduation on June 14 at the Providence school and reported that it’s proud of all the graduates who now move on to other area schools.

PHOTOS | HEATHER CLINE

PHOTO | ROBERT ISENBERG

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY

JCC Early Childhood Center graduates Pre-K class

TO CULMINATE THE END of their journey in the David C. Isenberg Early Childhood Center, children and families from the Pre-Kindergarten classroom held a touching in-person graduation ceremony on the playground on Friday, June 17. After a year full of Zoom classroom orientations, parties and parent-teacher conferences, it was wonderful to be

able to gather together for this milestone.

The children opened the ceremony with two songs they had spent the last few weeks perfecting. Then Mr. Bob, Pre-K teacher, called up each child was called up to receive a diploma.

The children slid down the playground slide amid bubbles and loud applause, catching their diploma in a net given as a gift to them. Families mingled and played on the playground afterward.

PHOTOS | ROBERT ISENBERG

Submitted by the David C. Isenberg ECC

Providence Hebrew Day School, NEAT graduate

Providence Hebrew Day School boys graduated on June 15.

Providence Hebrew Day School girl graduates with some of their teachers at their graduation on June 15.

New England Academy of Torah (NEAT) graduates at their graduation on June 12.

PHOTOS | PROVIDENCE HEBREW DAY SCHOOL

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY From the president — Transitions: Looking back and looking forward CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

synagogues on collaboranow our responsibility to tions that bring innovation continue to grow. To utilize you to Susan Leach DeBlato our community, cutting the strong organization sio, Rabbi Barry Dolinger, the checks to make that we have been gifted, but to Michael Eides, Tiferet work happen, writing the chart a path forward that Rose, Oswald Schwartz and donor thank you notes, keeptakes us even further and Miriam Esther Weiner for ing people safe in the pool continues to meet the needs your steadfast commitment or advocating at the State of our dynamic Jewish comto our community and to the House, our team represents munity.

Alliance. the best of our community, I’m confident that we have And I’m thankful to our and I am so grateful for your all of the pieces in place to partners in this work. The service and so proud to work do just that. In the last five agencies and synagogues beside each of you. years, we’ve launched sucthat are part of the importAs tonight is a night for cessful security campaigns ant fabric of our community. transitions, it is helpful to that have supported synaThank you all for your look to some of our sacred gogues and Jewish agencies partnership, and a special texts for inspiration on how across our state in purthank you to Erin Minior, to manage these effectively. chasing cameras and other the CEO of Jewish CollaboFortunately, there are many equipment that have helped rative Services, who will be examples of transitions from them make their facilities retiring later this year after one leader to the next. But safer. And we’re poised to a long career dedicated to the one that probably fits now lead not just the Jewish our Jewish community. best is one of the earliest. community, but the state, The last three years have Abraham is arguably the in going on the offensive fortified our already solid father of the Jewish peoagainst violent hatred in foundation. Today we are a all forms. For the last stronger, more vibrant year, we’ve been workorganization and a stron‘The last three years have ing with other marginger, more vibrant comalized communities on munity. That is because an anti-hate agenda, fortified our already solid of our wonderful board and this next year we and board leadership, plan to implement that foundation.’ and it’s also because of agenda. Working with our incredibly dedicated schools to implement staff. Every day our staff ple. That legacy had to be anti-hate curricula, working finds new ways to inspire built upon for our people to to hold lawmakers and other me and remind me why I survive and thrive. And the elected officials accountlove this work so much. The Torah tells us that Isaac dug able to an anti-hate agenda, last few years have been the same wells as his father connecting with others incredibly difficult, and yet and kept the course steady, in the faith community to each day our staff comes in but did so in his own way. He share our story of what it ready to make our commukept things moving forward. feels like to be targeted. And nity even better. Whether Harris, as you begin your training our community on it’s caring for our youngest term as chair, I think it’s an a regular basis to make sure community members in apt analogy. What our board we are prepared should the the early childhood center, has built since the Alliance unthinkable happen. working with agencies and was founded 11 years ago is In the last five years, we’ve worked to build stronger, more collaborative relationships with synagogues and agencies throughout Rhode Island. Because I believe, as so many of our community leaders do, that we all benefit from more engagement in our community, wherever it happens.

Last year we increased allocations to all of our local agencies, and we launched a collaborative microgrant initiative to encourage all parts of our community to work together more closely.

In all, the Alliance funded 11 microgrants that, among other things, brought a renowned Jewish musician to Rhode Island for workshops and a concert, helped communities to prepare to support Afghan refugees, and educated the Providence Jewish community on Providence’s Truth and Reconciliation Project to support the Black community. Given the success of the program, this year we’ll be doubling the

amount of funding available to further spur collaboration and innovation within our community.

Innovation is not just happening locally, but overseas as well. Because, by definition, our overseas partners are further away, it often feels like we have a weaker connection to them.

This past year we sought to change that. Working with our partners at the Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish Agency and World ORT, we’ve focused on building partnerships between our local agencies and partners in three regions: Afula-Gilboa in Israel; Warsaw, Poland; and Rosario, Argentina. We’re building people-to-people connections between our Rhode Island community and these communities.

The Jewish Community Day School is partnering with a day school in Rosario to develop connections between their students. Our JCC and Jewish Collaborative Services are partnering with the Warsaw JCC. These relationships are just beginning, and in the next year, we expect them to grow and blossom, creating stronger connections between Jewish communities, and helping us to really feel our value of K’lal Yisrael. When I share this work with colleagues across the country, they see this as a new paradigm, and are excited to try and replicate our model.

We’re also leading nationally on how we communicate and how we tell the story of our Rhode Island Jewish community. We know that newspapers play a critical role in sharing information with our community. It’s why we continue to invest in putting out a great newspaper each month. And over the next few months, you’ll begin to see new features and stories that will make the paper even more local, and even more relevant to the needs of our community.

But we know that today people consume media in a variety of ways, and if we want to tell the story of our community to the entire community, we must embrace these new methods. It’s why last year we launched our first podcast series, Chutzpah and Breakout Sessions. And I’m excited that in just a few weeks, we’ll be launching our third podcast, Breaking the Glass, a podcast focused

on the lived experience of multi-faith couples as they navigate the space where faith and relationships meet.

So many in our community have connections to multifaith couples, or are a part of multifaith couples, but these stories have not traditionally been lifted up.

Now they are, and that’s the power of storytelling in multiple formats. And this coming year you can expect more podcasts and expanded video content as well.

These examples aren’t just innovation for innovation’s sake. In each case, we’re responding to what our community has told us they are looking for. Our strategic plan focuses on building connections, collaboration, and social action and security because the community set those priorities. And we are finding new ways to address old challenges.

We are finding ways to be bold, to innovate, to build our 21st-century Jewish community together. Doing so takes resources though, in the form of dedicated volunteers, great staff and financial resources. Thank you to everyone here. You’ve contributed to our annual campaign, you’ve contributed to our supplemental campaigns and you’ve made all of this work possible.

Tonight was for looking back and celebrating. But it’s also about Kadima, about moving forward. It’s about dreaming about a future where our Jewish community is strong, vibrant, and thriving. As I complete my fifth year as CEO of the Alliance, I could not be more proud of all we have done together, and I could not be more excited for what comes next. I know that everything I’ve spoken about tonight about where we are going is not a dream. It’s possible.

It’s possible because of all of you, because together there is nothing we cannot accomplish. Kadima B’Yachad.

Forward together. Thank you.

ADAM GREENMAN is president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY

Alliance returns to in-person annual meeting

Adam Greenman, Harris Chorney and James Pious

David Bazarsky with Doris Feinberg

BY FRAN OSTENDORF

A

fter two years of virtual meetings, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island gathered in person at the Dwares Jewish

Community Center on June 16 for its 11th annual meeting. Everyone was ready to hear a recap of the year, welcome new board chair Harris Chorney and celebrate community award winners.

MORE THAN 80 PEOPLE listened as James Pious, outgoing board chair, welcomed the group to the meeting, held in the Baxt Social Hall.

Though the meeting was recorded for later viewing, it was one of the first programs in two years that was not livestreamed for viewing at home, a sign of how the community is moving to a post-pandemic world.

The evening began with a powerful video about the Alliance that has been “making a difference together” for 75 years.

Rabbi Preston Neimeiser, who has served as assistant rabbi in the Temple Beth-El community for close to a year, offered a D’var Torah that discussed how the Alliance has made a difference to him, his family and the community.

“Much of the foundational work has been done,” he said. “Our spiritual work remains unfinished. You must continue to do the work … to keep the light lit.”

He admonished the audience to “show up” to keep the lights burning brightly.

One of the highlights of

these annual meetings is the announcement of the leadership awards, and this meeting did not disappoint.

The Reisman Leadership Development Award, established to encourage people to become future leaders, went to Sara Miller-Paul, vice chair of communications for the Alliance.

Said Rabbi Barry Dolinger, who presented the award: “At every meeting, she is the most prepared person in the room. When she is speaking, others are listening.”

Miller-Paul, who continues as vice chair of communications beyond her three-year term, said, “I’m appreciative of all the support that comes with the recognition.”

The Norman D. and Flo Tilles Community Relations Council Award, presented to emerging leaders on the Community Relations Council (CRC), went to Robert Landau, a longtime board volunteer who has most recently been an active member of the CRC. Landau characterized the CRC as “a great group. They are smart and engaged. I am surprised and humbled.”

Presenter Cara Mitnick, chair of the CRC, characterized Landau as “even tempered. A thoughtful voice who always asks a good question.”

The Joseph W. Ress Community Service Award was presented to David Bazarsky. The Ress Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exemplary leadership at the Alliance, at local or national Jewish agencies and in the general Rhode Island community. And the surprise guest presenter for this award was Doris Feinberg, a longtime Alliance and community volunteer who returned from her home in Mexico to honor Bazarsky.

“David, you have assumed the mantle of social responsibility since early in your adult life,” said Feinberg.

She mentioned all the organizations impacted

by Bazarsky’s leadership including the Jewish Federation of RI (now the Alliance), Temple Shalom and Congregation Jeshuat Israel as well as Newport Preservation Society, Salve Regina University, Portsmouth Abbey School, Newport Hospital and others.

“David and Carol have set an example for their adult children, including Jason who now serves on the Alliance board,” she said.

In expressing his appreciation for the award, Bazarsky acknowledged the Ress family and all that Joe Ress did for the community.

In his final address to the Alliance members, Pious recognized those who made

Cara Mitnick, Adam Greenman and Robert Landau his three-year term run so Chorney told the audismoothly and acknowledged ence that he believes in the the effects of the pandemic mission and vision of the on his time as chair.

Alliance. He thanked the “There were many times audience for attending the when I felt like a ‘Virtual meeting, and said “that fact Chair,’ with so many meetthat you are here means you ings and programs handled care.” through Zoom,” he said.

“We are here for the good,” “But with challenges come he concluded. opportunities – and we can Adam Greenman’s all take pride in how the remarks offered a snapshot Alliance operated through of where the community the pandemic. has been and “During where it is ‘It’s also about this time, we going, includhave raised ing specifics Kadima, about $270,000 for on gains made our COVIDwhat’s to moving forward.’ and 19 Relief and come.

Recovery “The last Fund, $260,000 for Ukraine three years have fortified Relief and $125,000 for PJ our already solid foundation.

Library.” You can read Today we are a stronger, Pious’ remarks on Page 13. more vibrant organization In paying tribute to Pious, and a stronger, more vibrant former chair Sharon Gaines community,” he said. said, “The entire Jewish “Tonight was for looking community is better for havback and celebrating. But ing known you.” it’s also about Kadima, about William Kreiger offered moving forward. It’s about the nominating commitdreaming about a future tee’s report and supervised where our Jewish commua voice vote to elect the nity is strong, vibrant and leadership. Rabbi Ethan thriving. As I complete my Adler, rabbi of Congregation fifth year as CEO of the Beth David in Narragansett, Alliance, I could not be more served as installing officer proud of all we have done for the three boards: the together, and I could not be Jewish Federation Foundamore excited for what comes tion, Alliance Realty, Inc. next.” and the Jewish Alliance of To read all of Greenman’s Greater Rhode Island. remarks, see page 13.

Adler said, “Leadership To watch a video of the demands devotion. Good annual meeting, go to: jewleadership is never autoishallianceri.org/11th-annumatic.” al-meeting/ Of Chorney, he said, “I’ve FRAN OSTENDORF learned to appreciate his wisdom, devotion and loyalty (fostendorf@jewishallianceri. org) is the editor of Jewish and, most important, his Rhode Island. humility.”

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COMMUNITY

Holocaust Center annual meeting includes art and writing awards PROVIDENCE – On Tuesday evening, June 6, the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center welcomed more than 80 people to its first in-person annual meeting since 2019. At this year’s meeting, students received their Art and Writing Contest Awards.

Board members and community members alike were happy to have the awards given on that night. “It is wonderful to see the impact that Holocaust education has on students, through the art and writing submissions. They get so creative; it is extremely impressive,” said Dan Gamm, president of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center.

New this year was the May-Ronny Zeidman Art and Writing Classroom Award. This award was created in honor of retired Executive Director May-Ronny Zeidman’s dedication to the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center over the past 16 years. An 8th grade class at St. Augustine’s School received the award. The class was on a school trip on the day of the annual meeting, so Executive Director Wendy Joering and Director of Programs and Community Engagement Kelly Alpert Vest went to the school to present the award to Donna Vescera’s class. This is an annual award given to the classroom that submits the most creative project, which will be transformed into an exhibit for the school to keep so students can learn from their project for many years to come.

Submitted by the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center

Donna Vescera’s 8th grade class at the St. Augustine School was awarded the First Annual May-Ronny Zeidman Arts & Writing Classroom Award. The students were awarded with an exhibit of their “Heroes of the Holocaust” artwork so that all the students at the St. Augustine School can learn from their project.

The 2022 Volunteer of the Year went to Apollo Rodriguez, a rising senior at the Met School. Apollo spent the semester volunteering at the SBHEC creating an online catalog of all of our media from books to videos of survivor stories.

Holocaust survivor Elizabeth Sandy and her son, SBHEC Board Member Bob Sandy, attend the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center annual meeting.

Board President, Dan Gamm greets the assembly at the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center’s annual meeting.

Young professionals gather for barbecue AFTER A MEMORABLE and uplifting Shavuot, Project Shoresh kicked off the summer with its annual Young Professionals Barbecue. Men and women ages 25-45 from Providence got together in the scenic Lincoln Woods State Park for a delicious meal, pick-up game of Ultimate Frisbee and a chance to connect with the Shoresh staff,

Attendees at the summer barbecue gather in the pavilion.

including eight new rabbis and rebbetzins who have joined the Karps. Stay tuned for our upcoming events throughout the summer. Feel free to reach out to join these upcoming activities by contacting nkarp@projectshoresh.com.

Submitted by Project Shoresh

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COMMUNITY

Taunton congregation celebrates Pride with Shabbat message

BY SETH CHITWOOD TAUNTON – On June 17, members of Congregation Agudath Achim met to light the Shabbat candles and to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

“I want the LGBTQ+ community to know that there is a safe space for them,” said Colman Reaboi, cantor and spiritual leader.

“Whether it’s their synagogue or their churches, I think that more and more places of worship are understanding the need that there is a community that they cannot ignore.”

Reaboi, who recently celebrated one year at the Taunton synagogue, said that during his job interview he was asked by board member Kazumi Almedia, an openly non-binary student attending the University of California, his feelings on LGBTQ+ issues and how it fit into his theology of Judaism.

“Of course, I told them I’m in the positive and that I am absolutely for LGBTQ issues.

There’s a place for everyone in Judaism,” he said.

Later in the meeting, Reaboi passed Almedia a note that read: “Pride Shabbat?”

At this second Pride Shabbat members of the LGBTQ+ community were invited to speak about their experiences as well as offer words about love and acceptance.

Almedia thanked their mom for accepting them when they recently came out. “I’m still figuring it out. I just know that I’m not cis (gender),” they said.

“The support that has come from this community, as a result of me coming out, has been more than I could have ever truly imagined.”

Holding back tears, Almedia called several people who helped with their transition, referring to them as “part of their family,” as well as tipping their hat to how spirituality played a part in their life.

“While I may not have prayed to God every day, heck, I didn’t even know how I felt toward God. I knew that without God, I wouldn’t have all of you,” they said.

“So this spirituality we

share, this belief or love, or whatever it is that brings you here, is a powerful thing. Something so powerful, we can’t deny it. Whether it is Godly or not, I thank you for creating this community.”

Rev. Donnie Anderson, a minister at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in New Bedford, also spoke about coming out as transgender to her family and friends in 2017.

She recalls a special moment, while serving as executive minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, receiving a $250 gift certificate to Nordstrom with the message, “A little something to help you along your way,” signed by five rabbis from the Providence area.

Anderson also shared devastating statistics from a 2020 poll produced by the Trevor Project, which found that 52% of transgender and non binary identifying young people seriously contemplated taking their life and 20% actually tried.

“We are on this journey together,” Anderson said.

Reaboi spoke about how he interprets sexuality and gender identity with regard to the Torah. “Yes, there are words in our scriptures that say it is an abomination to be queer. Because of that, many of our faith institutions don’t want to make the world whole,” he said.

“For them, as well as for you, I have these words: read your scripture again.”

He said that people are all created in God’s image and his many aspects, and while some people are born with different sexual orientations and attractions, we should embrace them. “When we look at somebody, we should be looking at each other. We should be looking at us.”

Judaism, he explained, is a vehicle to attaining spirituality, connecting ourselves with God and with people. “We are one family. May it be God’s will and our goal to create a world where we can truly

love and not just tolerate others. May we respect all life. We can be God-like, by showing love to others.”

“There are so many issues that we like to bring up in life,” Reaboi Coleman Reaboi, cantor and spiritual leader. added. “To use my pulpit to address social justice issues, SETH CHITWOOD (www.

Times, in New Bedford. He is and bringing out the wisdom sethchitwood.com), of also the creative director of the of the Torah to do so, is a privBarrington, is a features award-winning Angelwood ilege and an honor.” reporter for The StandardPictures production company.

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COMMUNITY

Torah partners celebrate four years of study

Mrs. Shira Hochheimer, the speaker at the event.

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FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS, Project Shoresh has sponsored its Partners in Torah Night! program. For one hour each week, “studybuddies” meet for informal exploration of Jewish topics and texts, in English or in Hebrew, ancient or modern.

On June 12, the weekly session was suspended, as Torah Partners Dr. Laura Picraux of West Greenwich and Miriam Karp of Providence celebrated their siyum (completion) of a four-year course of study. They had chosen an in-depth analysis of the last 22 verses in Proverbs, which comprise the famous song written

by King Solomon about his mother: Woman of Valor.

As they mastered each verse in the original text with classic commentaries, they covered the relevant chapters of two volumes on the subject, “Eishes Chayil: Ancient Wisdom for Women of Today,” by Shira Hochheimer and “More Precious Than Pearls,” by Tziporah Heller.

Picraux and Karp achieved their goal, despite the challenges of the last two years. They followed

Mrs. Miriam PHOTOS | PROJECT SHORESH Karp recommended distancing guidelines and during warmer months, met outdoors at Roger Williams Park or Goddard Memorial State Park.

In honor of their accomplishment, Project Shoresh invited one of the authors to attend the siyum celebration.

Shira Hochheimer traveled from Baltimore to address approximately 70 guests at a beautiful dessert reception.

She spoke about another Miriam, the sister of Moses, who impacted her people’s redemption from Egypt, by focusing on the prize no matter the obstacles.

Hochheimer drew parallels to Picraux and Karp, who were dedicated to their endeavor for four years, and she challenged everyone to set goals and emulate that determination.

For more information about Partners in Torah Night! and other Project Shoresh programs, check the Facebook page, visit the website projectshoresh. com or reach out to nkarp@ projectshoresh.com.

Submitted by Project Shoresh

The Voice of Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish Community

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Congregation Sons of Jacob looking for friends, family DO YOU HAVE a friend or family member memorialized on this list? It’s part of a plaque hanging on the wall of Congregation Sons of Jacob on Douglas Avenue in Providence. Leadership of the historic congregation is looking for interested family and friends to

participate in a forthcoming 126th-anniversary celebration. For more information, visit the website www. sonsofjacobsynagogue.net or contact Howard Silverman, president, at 401274-5260.

The wall at Sons of Jacob.

Sons of Jacob - World War II in the Service

More on Frank Lloyd Wright CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 Community, in 1990.

Jill had just discovered that Abbi Seward, her longtime physical trainer, had grown up in a Wright-designed home in Racine, Wisconsin. Did I happen to know about the five-bedroom Hardy House, built in 1905 and overlooking Lake Michigan?

In 1969, as a college student in Lake Forest, Illinois, I had visited this house, and the better-known Wright structures built for the Johnson family (of Johnson Wax) in Racine.

Later that afternoon of June 9, when Abbi introduced herself to me by email, she asked if I was aware of a

series of guidebooks about Wright’s Racine buildings

by Mark Hertzberg, a local photographer. I happily pointed out that I knew Mark, a somewhat younger student, when both of us attended Lake Forest College.

So why and how did so many Jews become entangled in a Wright network?

Or, conversely, why and how did Wright seem to attract so many Jewish devotees?

The answer partially resides in the realm of big and glorious ideas. Wright had not only a utopian vision of architecture and nature, but he sought various ways to implement it. Many Jewish clients, apprentices

and admirers who were also seeking to build a more beautiful and better world became his devoted followers and enablers. Dreamers and activists found one another.

GEORGE M. GOODWIN, of Providence, is the editor of Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes.

The Voice of Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish Community

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BUSINESS

Rhode Island Foundation offers grants to Jewish groups serving greater Providence PROVIDENCE – Jewish community charitable organizations, synagogues and day schools in greater Providence have until July 15 to apply for more than $42,000 in grants through the Bliss, Gross, Horowitz Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.

“We are pleased to offer Jewish charitable organizations serving the greater Providence community additional support,” said Inés Merchán, senior grant programs officer at the Foundation. “We look forward to working with eligible nonprofits in their vital work addressing the

needs of all Rhode Islanders.”

The Bliss, Gross, Horowitz Fund awards grants to proposals that develop connections between the Jewish community and greater Rhode Island, deepen the understanding of Jewish life and culture through scholarship and historic preservation or provide for basic human needs such as food and housing. In addition, Jewish charitable organizations that provide these services can apply for funding to support capacity-building activities such as board development, strategic planning, nonprofit business

development, fundraising or program evaluation.

Synagogues and religious day schools are eligible to apply only for project support, but their proposals must be nonsectarian in nature and designed to reach beyond their own constituents. Capital requests are not eligible for funding under this grant program.

Grants typically range in size from $5,000 to $10,000.

Priority will be given to proposals that have clearly stated goals and objectives, measurable outcomes and a clear sustainability plan.

Organizations that received funding last year include the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island to offer educational programs for audiences beyond the Jewish community; Jewish Children’s Homes of R.I. to provide scholarships to Camp JORI and to encourage interfaith families to attend; and Jewish Collaborative Services to buy Kosher food for the Full Plate Kosher Food Pantry.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Working with gener-

ous and visionary donors, the Foundation raised $98 million and awarded $76 million in grants in 2021. Through leadership, fundraising and grant-making activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential.

For more information about applying for a grant from the Bliss, Gross, Horowitz Fund, visit rifoundation.org.

Submitted by R.I. Foundation

Use your DAF The Vatican will release to pay dues WWII-era ‘Jewish files’ online IF YOU HOLD A donor advised fund (DAF), you probably know you can make grants from it to organizations like food pantries and animal rescues. However, you might not realize that synagogue dues may be paid with DAF grants! So when you receive that reminder in the mail, you don’t need to reach for your checkbook. Just submit a grant request from your DAF. For assistance doing this through a Jewish Federation Foundation DAF, contact Claire Uziel at cuziel@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 109.

Submitted by Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island

BY ANDREW LAPIN

(JTA) – Pope Francis has ordered 170 volumes of Jewish requests for help from the Catholic Church during World War II to be published online, two years after making their physical copies available to historians.

His decision is the latest development in the Vatican’s newfound reckoning of its legacy during the Holocaust.

The correspondence contains 2,700 files specifically recounting Jewish groups and families requesting assistance from the Vatican in avoiding deportation or trying to free relatives from concentration camps, both in the run-up to and during the Holocaust. Pope Pius XII,

who served as pope during the most pivotal years of the war, is often charged by historians with ignoring Jewish pleas for help and cozying up to Hitler and Mussolini in order to preserve the influence of the Church.

The Vatican itself has long insisted that Pius XII should be celebrated for secretly advocating for Jews via diplomatic means, but that narrative is changing as more information about his papacy has been revealed to the public. The Church opened its secret files on Pius’s archives to historians in 2020, but by publishing its Jewish-related files online, it opens them up to easier access and greater scrutiny by the public.

“The Pope at War,” a new book by

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Kertzer, the son of a rabbi, draws on these new archives to make the case that Pius largely ignored pleas from Jews (while keeping a secret back channel to Hitler).

Pius did, however, concern himself with trying to save the small number of Jews who had converted to Catholicism or who were from mixed families, categories that were still considered “Jewish” under Hitler’s racial laws.

Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister, wrote in a church newspaper that the digital release of the files was also intended to help provide closure to the descendants of Jews who had implored the Vatican for help.

TOBI & ZAIDE TOMER VISIT THE SHUK

Art and Dialogue by Kendall Krantz / Story by Amit Moshe Oren, Israeli Shaliach

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

OBITUARIES Tina Feldman, 51

CRANSTON, R.I. – Tina “T.J.” Feldman passed away on May 2, 2022 at the Miriam Hospital. Born in Providence, a daughter of Terrie Mancoll of Cranston and the late Arnold Feldman, she had lived in Cranston since 2015, previously living in Warwick.

T.J. was a proprietor and senior advisor at Arnold College Advisors. She was also a human resources absence manager. T.J. was a member of Temple Sinai. She graduated from the Lincoln School in 1989. Tina had a love for learning that enabled her to graduate cum laude from the University of Hartford, earning a bachelor’s degree in mass communication in 1994. She continued her education to pursue a master’s in applied communication, which she completed in 1997. She loved learning and was always seeking out new courses of further education and erudition. Though her degrees were completed, her desire to learn never wavered, and she was often seeking new courses to complete and further her education. TJ had friends from all around the world and was loved by so many people.

After the unexpected passing of her father, T.J. was blessed with the love of her “bonus dad” Dr. Harry Mancoll, whom she adored deeply. She was the dear sister of Michael Feldman

and his wife, Rachel Breuer, of San Francisco, California.

She was the cherished aunt of Abe and Ollie Feldman.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 245 Waterman St., Ste, #306, Providence, RI 02906, Dana Farber Children’s Cancer Center, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02115, or The Jimmy Fund, 10 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA 02445.

Yetta Glicksman, 91

DEDHAM, MASS. – Yetta Glicksman passed away June 7, 2022, at NewBridge on the Charles. She was the beloved wife of the late Maurice Glicksman. Born in London, Ontario, Canada, daughter of the late Sam and Gert Leich, she lived in Warwick for several years, before moving to Dedham. Yetta was a member of Temple Emanu-El and a supporter of the Jewish Seniors Agency, Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, and the Jewish Senior Living organizations.

She was the devoted mother of Howard Glicksman and his wife, Lois, of Durham, North Carolina, Roslynn Glicksman and her husband, Michael, of Brooklyn, New York, and Marcie Glicksman and her husband, Scott, of Salem, Massachusetts. She was the dear sister of the late Myron Leich. She was the loving grandmother of Julia, Abigail, Max, Sam, Rosanna and Henry. She was the cherished great-grandmother of Lucy, Owen, Cassidy and twins, Michael and David.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or Tamarisk Assisted Living, 3 Shalom Drive, Warwick, RI 02886.

Peter Kane, 79

HIGHLAND BEACH, FLA. – Peter D. Kane died June 20, 2022.

Self-styled as “Agreeable Pete,” he was the loving and devoted husband of Marcy Doctor, beloved father of Matthew (Tamar) Kane and the late Elizabeth Kane, adoring grandfather of Kayla and Hailey Kane, loyal brother of Joel Kane and the late Harris Kane, and fond uncle of nephews Charles and Jeremy Kane.

He was a proud graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (’64), a former board member of Charlton Memorial Hospital, an avid tennis fan and supporter of the Tennis Hall of Fame, an avid traveler of the world and the seven seas with his darling Marcy, and enamored for over five decades by all things Newfie.

He will be greatly missed by his entire family, including his partners and colleagues at Kane and Kane CPAs. Memorial donations may be made to the ACPMP Research Foundation (www.acpmp.org) or the Newfoundland Club of America Rescue Network (www.ncarescue.org).

Eli Kupitz, 85

WARWICK, R.I. – Eli Kupitz passed away June 22, 2022, at Sunny View Nursing Home.

He was the beloved husband of Dorothy “Dotty” (Flaxman) Kupitz for 37 years. Born in Bronx, New York, a son of the late Shimon and Tillie (Brier) Kupitz, he had lived in Warwick for 11 years, North Kingstown for 10 years and Des Moines, Iowa.

He was a graduate of RIT, class of ’58 with a bachelor’s degree. Eli worked meticulously his entire career as a printing estimator for various companies across the U.S., retiring in 2000. He was a member of Temple Emanu-El and CCOD in North Kingstown, assisting with community projects. Eli enjoyed going to flea markets and yard sales on weekends and finding a bargain to add to his collections. He collected an assortment of items, including baseball cards, records, comics, stamps and other

memorabilia.

He was the devoted father of Robert Kupitz (Kari Ward), Elizabeth Swanson (Douglas) and James Kupitz, all of Des Moines, and Carol Fox of North Kingstown. He was the dear brother of Ann Nejman (Sam) of Florida and Marilyn Eiler of New York. He was the loving grandfather of Zachary, Rachel, Rebecca, Kelsey, Lauren and Megan. He was the cherished great-grandfather of Iris.

Contributions may be made to Temple Emanu-El Library Fund, 99 Taft Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or to the charity of your choice.

Ronald Markoff, 73

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Ronald Charles Markoff passed away on June 13, 2022, surrounded by family.

Ron was born in Providence on March 25, 1949, the son of the late Florence (Shapiro) and Henry W. Markoff. He was a lifetime resident of Providence who often recounted fond memories of growing up on Burlington Street in the home designed by his father, a renowned local architect. He was a gracious host and eager tour guide for out-of-town guests, quick to share how Providence, built on seven hills, was just as esteemed as Rome.

After graduating from Classical High School, Ron first studied Classics, receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brown University in 1971. He then earned a J.D. from Boston College Law School in 1975. While law became both his passion and profession, Latin remained dear to his heart, and he loved to quiz his daughters, nieces and nephews about the Latin they were learning in school.

Ron was constantly inspired by his mother, Florence, for her passion and dedication to her work as a radio personality and her gumption to work until she was 98 years old. He, too, loved and was dedicated to his career, spending an astounding 46 years practicing and teaching law.

After opening his first firm in downtown Providence, he went on to found the Law Offices of Ronald C. Markoff and Associates in Wayland Square. He shared his love of law with his twin brother Gary, also an attorney in Boston. He received innumerable accolades throughout his distinguished career, includ-

ing recently being honored

by Rhode Island Monthly for excellence in practicing law,

by Martindale Hubbell for his preeminence in the practice of law, the Lifetime Service Award from Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island, and many more.

Ron had a passion for life: his love of family, dedication to his career and community, and especially his lifelong love of trumpet and classical music. Inspired by his brother Joe, Ron became an avid fan and performer of classical music collecting orchestra conductor cards in lieu of baseball cards in his youth.

The sound of trumpet practice could often be heard throughout Ron’s home, enjoyed not only by his family, but by his neighbors too! He went on to found and be the principal trumpet player for the Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra, play with the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble and perform alongside his brother Joe with the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra.

Ron was deeply grounded in his Jewish faith, and shared these core values with his daughter Stephanie. After the loss of his late wife Lynn in 1998, both Ron and Stephanie found strength in their community at Temple Emanu-El in Providence. Together, they have served the Jewish community of Rhode Island for many years as board members for Jewish Collaborative Services and recently joining hands to lead JCS’s Moes Chitim fundraiser.

Ron’s family knows how proud he was of his accomplishments and the joy that he felt being able to provide for them. They also know and hold in their hearts the little things that made Ron who he was. His wife, Karen, will continue to search for the perfect banana pancake, as Ron set out to do by bringing her to different diners throughout the state. Ron’s daughters Stephanie, Sidra and Allegra will make sure to continue Ron’s tradition of writing and reading heartfelt, if not slightly embarrassing, poems at every family event.

Ron is preceded in death by his mother and father, Florence and Henry Markoff, and by his late wife Lynn C. Markoff. He is survived by his wife Karen Triedman, daughters Stephanie Markoff Cohen (C.J. Cohen), Sidra Scharff (Geoffrey Potter) and Allegra Scharff (Travis Sherman); brothers Gary (Eliane) and Joe (Phylis); and by his beloved grandchildren Lyla,

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OBITUARIES Ellie, Harrison and Henry. He is also survived by the many friends whom he held dear to his heart.

Donations to Jewish Collaborative Services of Rhode Island, Temple Emanu-El Providence, and Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra.

Dorothy Namerow, 92

CHANDLER, ARIZ. – Dorothy (Newman) Namerow, of Chandler and Cranston, passed away on June 15, 2022, in Arizona with her daughter by her side. She was the wife of the late Ernest Namerow.

Born in Newport, a daughter of the late Benjamin and Ida (Friedman) Newman, she had lived in Cranston for many years before moving to Arizona 10 years ago.

Mrs. Namerow was a teacher and guidance counselor for the Cranston School Department for many years before retiring and was a member of Temple Beth Torah in Cranston for many years.

Survivors include: two children, Lawrence R. Namerow of Riverside and Leslie D. Namerow of Chandler; two grandchildren, Jessica Clar and Craig Namerow; and two great-grandchildren, Shane and Carter. She was the mother of the late Maxine Weiss.

Contributions may be made to the Arizona Humane Society, 1521 W Dobbins Road, Phoenix, AZ 85041.

Paula Pabian, 75

TAMARAC, FLA. – Paula Feiler Pabian passed away peacefully in Sunrise, Florida, on June 7, 2022. She was born to Max and Anna Feiler-Labush in Brighton Beach, New York, on Sept. 25, 1946, and grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Paula was a longtime resident of Plantation, Florida, previously living in Pawtucket and Somerset, Massachusetts.

Paula loved deeply and was deeply loved by many. Paula leaves behind her daughter Wendy Pabian, her son and daughter-in-law Brian and Ilene Pabian; two grandchildren, Lauren and Devin; sister and brother-in-law Glenda and Leonard Labush; brother and sister-in-law Allan(d.) and Lois Feiler; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may

be made to the Ann Storck Center, 1790 SW 43rd Way, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33317.

Burton Priest, 90

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Burton H. Priest, of Providence, died June 18, 2022, surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of the late Phyllis (Kesselman) Priest.

Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Irwin and Janette (Goldsmith) Priest.

Burt was a graduate of Brown University, class of 1953 and Bentley College, class of 1957.

A veteran of the Korean War, he served in England from 1954 to 1955 at the Colliers End Air Force Base.

Burt was the founder and an officer of Priest, Kortick, Demerchant & Brough Ltd, CPAs, since 1963, now merged into DiSanto, Priest, and Company CPAs. He was a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Rhode Island Society of CPAs. For several years he served on the Ethics Committee of the RI Society of CPAs. A member of Temple Emanu-El, he served in the past as a member of the board and on several committees.

He served on the board of directors of the Attleboro Pawtucket Savings Bank.

He was the loving father of Jeffrey Priest (Nazly Guzman) and Mara Priest Scoliard (John Scoliard); cherished grandfather of Nicholas Scoliard, Jacquelyn Scoliard and Benjamin Priest and brother of Lawrence (Harriet) Priest and the late Shirley Priest Nasberg.

He was a loyal and honest advisor and friend; he will be greatly missed by all.

Contributions may be made to, Temple Emanu-El. 99 Taft Ave., Providence, RI 02906 and/or the Wolf School, 215 Ferris Ave., Rumford, RI 02916.

Nancy Rosenbaum

WARWICK, R.I. – Nancy Rosenbaum died June 23, 2022, at Tamarisk Assisted Living. She was the beloved wife of the late Elwin Rosenbaum. Born in Providence, a daughter of the late David and Gertrude (Seidman) Luber, she had lived in Cranston for over 57 years.

She was a bookkeeper for National Trading Company, as well as a Diamond Life Master bridge player who was a teacher and lecturer, retiring in 2015. Nancy was a member of Temple Beth-El. She was also an avid golfer and former member of the

Ledgemont, Crestwood, and Potowomut country clubs.

She was the devoted mother of Barbara Rosenbaum of Providence and Steven Rosenbaum and his wife, Sara, of Newport. She was the loving grandmother of Joanna, Molly and Lucy. She was the devoted great-grandmother of Abbott and Maisie. Aside from her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Robert Luber and her son in law, Paul Levitt.

Contributions in her memory may be made to American Lung Association, 260 W. Exchange St., #102B, Providence, RI 02903, or Temple Beth-El Minyan, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence, RI 02906, or St. Mary’s Home for Children, 420 Fruit Hill Road, North Providence, RI 02911.

away on June 22, 2022, at The Miriam Hospital. He was the beloved husband of Louise (Ruderman) Zuckerman for 21 years. Born in Bronx, New York, a son of the late Nathan and Devorah (Schoenfeld) Zuckerman, he had lived in Providence for 22 years, previously living in Sharon, Massachusetts. Robert was a member of Congregation Beth Sholom.

He was the devoted father of Rachel Lebowitz (Mark) of Chicago, Illinois, and David

Zuckerman of Brockton, Massachusetts, and stepfather of Laura and Jonathan. He was the loving grandfather of Shira, Dena, Mira, Jocelynne, Hannah, Amelia and Lily. He was the cherished great-grandfather of two.

Contributions may be made to Congregation Beth Sholom, 55 Cromwell St., Ste. 1-D, Providence, RI 02907 or Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or Boys Club of NY, 321 E. 111th St., New York, NY 10029.

Phyllis Weiner, 88

FALL RIVER, MASS. – Phyllis Weiner passed away at home on June 7, 2022.

Phyllis was the beloved wife to the late Richard Weiner. Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Samuel and Helen (Udin) Shindler.

Prior to her retirement, Phyllis was co-owner of Michelle Realty, owner of Beth’s Plants & Gifts, and she worked in the sales department at Swansea Oil Company. She enjoyed spending time with her family, going to the casino, watching cooking shows and scrolling through Facebook to keep up with all the happenings of her friends and family. She was a wonderful mother, sister and grandmother and will be deeply missed.

Phyllis is survived by her children: Mark Weiner and his wife, Joann, of Barrington; Beth Anctil and her husband, Roger, of Fall River; Michelle Biancuzzo and her husband Brad of Fall River; her sister Florence Nachbar; her grandchildren: the late Brian Biancuzzo, Leslie Rego Biancuzzo, Benjamin Weiner, Hannah Weiner, Christopher Anctil and Ryan Mallif; her nephews Neil Nachbar and Harris Nachbar as well as her grand fur baby Teddy.

Phyllis was excitedly anticipating the arrival of her first great-granddaughter Emery Mae.

Robert Zuckerman, 78

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Robert Neil Zuckerman passed

Certified by the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island Jacquelyn Aubuchon, Funeral Director

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