August 2020 by Jewish Rhode Island

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SUMMER DURING A PANDEMIC Learning to live with a different normal

Avi Nevel and the RI-Israel Collaborative

Brisket gets a warm-weather makeover

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Our thanks to the more than 400 donors who collectively helped us reach our fundraising goal of $250,000 to benefit the relief and recovery of Rhode Island’s Jewish community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional thanks to campaign committee chairs, Amanda Isenberg and Richard Glucksman, and to those on the committee who ensured the success of this critical effort: Melvin G. Alperin Susan Froehlich Claire Perlman Jason Bazarsky Marisa Garber James Pious Mark R. Feinstein Jeffrey Padwa Dr. Steven Schechter

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A full list of donors to the COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Campaign will be made available in September.

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JEWISH RHODE ISL AND

EDITOR Fran Ostendorf DESIGN & LAYOUT Leah Camara ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Peter Zeldin pzeldin@jewishallianceri.org 401-421-4111, ext. 160 CONTRIBUTORS Cynthia Benjamin, Larry Kessler, Michael Schemaille COLUMNISTS Michael Fink, Geraldine Foster, Patricia Raskin, Rabbi James Rosenberg, Daniel Stieglitz

VOLUME XXVII, ISSUE VIII JEWISH RHODE ISLAND

(ISSN number 1539-2104, USPS #465-710) is published monthly. 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 James Pious, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. 401-421-4111; Fax 401-331-7961

Embrace the new normal – for now I WISH I COULD ASSURE YOU that this will be my last correspondence about life on hold. But I’m pretty sure there will be more in the months to come. Regular readers might notice that from my first column mentioning the coronavirus, in April, until now, I’ve gone from upbeat and hopeful to a lot less so. In rereading my past columns, I surprised even myself. It’s not that the news has gotten precipitously worse over the last month. Well, maybe it has, but ON THE COVER: not here – the Israeli shlichah Or Cohen plays ball with New England states seem to be J-Campers outside doing a good job near the Dwares in keeping the JCC virus somewhat PHOTO BY GLENN OSMUNDSON under control even while cases and deaths are skyrocketing in other parts of the country. And it’s not that we haven’t had a chance to get out. We can now go to the beach – socially distanced and with masks, of course. And we can dine inside or outside at a restaurant.

But whatever we once considered a normal life now seems to be on hold. After all, for the moment, you can’t have that big, celebratory dinner at your favorite restaurant with all your friends and family, can you? Summer festivals, fairs and concerts are no more. So the challenge is to take what we know is possible right now and make it our new normal. Instead of lamenting, let’s make the best of what we can do. That’s what pulls me back toward hope. In my family, our life went on hold in March, when my brother had to postpone his small wedding. He expected to have a dozen guests in his New York City apartment, but the city was heating up. First the caterer canceled, and then those who had to travel were hesitant to attend (myself included). Then, my niece was due to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah in April. Not a party girl, she had agreed to a nice luncheon after the service.

But by the time of the Bat Mitzvah, she would have been chanting to an empty sanctuary, and she decided that she didn’t want to go on Zoom. The rabbi agreed she could wait. We’ve also missed birthdays and health crises that would normally have seen us hop on a plane to be there to celebrate or help out. Despite all this, my extended family agrees that we feel closer than ever because we have established alternative ways of communicating. Weekly Zoom get-togethers are a welcome break, no matter the technical and scheduling issues. There are new text groups that we make sure to keep going no matter how much energy they take. And where would we be without the masks made by my sister-in-law to help us stay healthy and safe? That is our new normal for now. But someday soon, when the vaccine is ready, I hope there will be a Bat Mitzvah celebration in my family, as well as the delayed wedding, other missed celebrations and many, many more simchot. And I hope there will be in your family, too. Fran Ostendorf, Editor

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Rhode Island Press Association.

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. 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. 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.

Our calendar is Israel offers Lebanon assistance up and running! after massive, deadly explosion in Beirut Our community calendar is online and ready for you! Please remember to post all your virtual and in-person events on our community calendar. That way, the entire Rhode Island Jewish community will know what your organization has planned and when it’s happening. This should help prevent overlapping events and programming. And don’t forget to consult the calendar when you are planning a program. Let’s make this a resource for the whole greater Rhode Island Jewish community. It’s easy to use. Simply register, confirm your email and follow the directions. If you have trouble, give Lynne Bell a call (401-421-4111) and she will walk you through the first time! Each month, we will continue to print a short roundup of events in Jewish Rhode Island. It’s simple; give it a try!

BY RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA) – ISRAEL HAS offered Lebanon humanitarian assistance after a massive explosion Tuesday [Aug. 4] at Beirut’s waterfront killed at least 30 people and injured thousands. Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz announced the offer on Twitter. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli army and at least one Israeli hospital also offered aid. Because Lebanon and Israel are still technically in a state of war, the offers are being extended through third-party diplomatic channels. “Under the direction of Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabi Ashkenazi, Israel approached Lebanon through international defense and diplomatic channels to offer the Lebanese government medical humanitarian

aid,” Gantz tweeted. “This is the time to rise above any conflict,” tweeted the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, Hidai Zilberman. Initial reports said the blast was in a warehouse packed with explosives and may have been triggered by a fire. Videos posted to social media showed the forceful blast cutting a wide swath of damage across Beirut, and area hospitals have been overwhelmed with the injured. The explosion comes as the country is reeling from the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis that has accelerated unemployment and hunger. Israeli authorities told multiple news organizations that the country had nothing to do with the disaster. In recent years, Israel has assisted and received assistance from neighbors that were formerly enemies, or with whom it has difficult relations.

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UP FRONT You came to Rhode Island for your wife’s residency, a four-year program. What kept you here?

When we came [to Rhode Island], I was looking for a job. I’m a textile engineer by trade, and I studied instrumentation. Someone connected me to Lawson- Hemphill, a company that manufactured textile-testing instruments, and I got the job with them. After seven years I bought the company, and then in 2005 I sold the company.

And now you do consulting work with your company, Nevel International; tell me about that. When I sold the company [Lawson-Hemphill], I felt

there was a market for B2B [Business to Business] at the international level. At Lawson-Hemphill, we were a small company, 50 people, not a lot, but we exported all over the world. Around 70% of our business was international; we sold in 67 countries. I felt that I could help other companies do the same, so now I assist companies with strategic planning, help them prepare for trade shows, and serve as a guide and liaison between companies and business resources. Our aim is to help companies achieve their international business goals.

That liaison work is similar to the work you do with the Rhode Island Israel Collaborative; how would you summarize what you do there?

I think I’ll stick to our mission statement. Our mission is to connect Israel and Rhode Island in business, academia and research. Anything we can do to connect [people and organizations], we’ll be happy. And, as I continually say to our board, “It’s not what we do, it’s what other people do as a result of our efforts.” We all volunteer, everyone on the board and myself. It takes a lot of my time, but I see it as a labor of love. Our mission is to help. If you call me and say, “Avi, I want to do something in Israel,” I’ll go to my board. We’ll help you.

RIIC’s website shows that the organization has built connections with Hasbro, IBM and many others. What was the genesis of the collaborative?

Avi Nevel: Building Rhode Island’s name in Israel BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE

vi Nevel, founder and CEO of the Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative (RIIC), was recently named by Providence Business News to its 2020 list of 25 Leaders & Achievers.

Nevel, an Israeli, and his wife, Laura, a native New Yorker, left Tel Aviv for Providence in 1981, when Laura was accepted to an OB/GYN residency at Brown University’s medical school. Although they had only planned to stay in Rhode Island for four years, Nevel quickly found a foothold in the local business community, and the couple decided to stay in the Ocean State. They hold dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship; Avi was naturalized as an American citizen in 1986. The Nevels, who have three adult daughters, celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary in July. The couple lives in Providence’s East Side. Nevel is the head of Nevel International, LLC, an international business consulting company based in Providence. In 2017, he founded the not-for-profit Rhode Island Israel Collaborative for the purpose of building bridges between businesses and government in Rhode Island and Israel.

Well, there’s a lot of history behind it. When I sold the company [Lawson-Hemphill], I wanted to do something at the volunteer level, because I had more time, and an issue that was close to my heart was both Israel and Rhode Island. I said I’d get involved, and someone connected me with the Israeli Consulate; they asked me to help in Rhode Island. Before the Alliance [the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island] was called the Alliance, I was a chair of the Israel Task Force for five years, and I was on the executive board of the New England-Israel Business Council, in Boston, and we organized three business missions to Israel. The Israeli economic minister said to me, “[Rhode Island] has quite a lot of activities. Why don’t we have a chamber of commerce for Israel and Rhode Island?” I said, “Yes.” We felt there was a place to build something in Rhode Island, for Rhode Island, which is unique for being a small state with a big city.

And Rhode Island is a surprisingly vital place for its size?

Yes, and the truth is that we have so much activity going, and it keeps going. [RIIC] took on its own life, and people got involved. I was really happy when I called people and asked them to be on the board, because everyone I called said, “Yes, I would like to be on the board.” Usually, people shy away!

What do you think are some of Rhode Island’s greatest assets?

I love the location. I love sailing, and the sea, and Rhode Island is a heaven for that. I love the food culture. The people are very warm, the quality of life is amazing, and it’s a diverse culture. We’re also very convenient to Boston, but without the daily traffic, so that’s part of what we tell the Israelis. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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But don’t make this story about me, because I really want to give a plug to the RIIC, our board, and what they’re doing. For me, that’s the most important.

It sounds like you’ve got a talent for bringing people together. What are some of RIIC’s greatest successes? Well, no doubt one of the biggest successes is the [business] accelerator which we helped [build] with IBM Alpha Zone Israel. We wanted to be cutting-edge, so I called the Alpha Zone CTO in Israel and I said to him, “Listen, we’re going to have this conference in Rhode Island, and we’d like you to come.” He agreed, we pitched him to the Secretary of Commerce, to Brown University, a few other stakeholders, and they all came to an agreement, which established the Rhode Island iHub. I think that it was a huge coup, because IBM can work anywhere in the world. There were a lot of raised eyebrows; “Why in Rhode Island?” The CTO, he was shocked to see what was in Rhode Island. And this is one of the problems in Israel with Rhode Island, which is that people don’t know enough about what’s here. We tried to get [Rhode Island] governors to go to Israel on a business mission. In 2011 [Gov. Lincoln] Chafee couldn’t go because of the pension crisis. And then [Gov. Gina Raimondo] was supposed to go with us, but she got pneumonia the week before. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the term nudnik. I’m very good at that [being a nudge], so every time I see the governor, I say, “You need

to go to Israel, you need to go to Israel.” And all the stars aligned, and [Raimondo] went to Israel. She saw how much was going on, and for me, I was pretty emotional when we went to the president’s house, and I said, “Gina, you’re fulfilling my dream of I don’t know how many years,” and she kind of gave me a hug and said, “See? Keep on pushing.”

It pays to be a nudnik?

It’s for a good cause, so I don’t feel bad about it. And people know that I really, truly believe it’s a win-win for Israel and for Rhode Island. It’s people to people; it’s not politics. I don’t care if you’re left, right, black, white, whatever. You create friendships through business.

What about challenges?

The challenge is to continue to build our name in Israel, and we’re doing it more and more. We want people to know about us – I mean Rhode Island – and that’s a challenge because literally every state wants to do business with Israel, because it’s a startup nation, a lot of technology, a lot of traffic there. And we’re a not-for-profit, so the other chalenge is money. We don’t take any salaries, and a lot of my time is volunteer time. We can’t take donations, because we’re a 506(c) and not a 503(c); we get money from members and sponsors. But we shall overcome; we’re mana ing. We have a terrific board [with] great people from Rhode Island and two in Israel. I can’t give the board enough credit, they’re terrific.

What is RIIC working on now?

with the executive director of the Rhode Island iHub to try to recruit Israeli companies to move from New York to Rhode Island. There are already around 350 Israeli startups in New York, so we’re trying to see how to bring them here. We’re going to have a webinar with Hope & Main [culinary incubator, in Warren] for Israeli companies who’d like to start a food business in the U.S. We’re working on a new program named “Israel Marketplace,” and every two months we’re going to have three Israeli companies present new, cutting-edge startups in a webinar with us here.

What about RIIC’s plans for the future?

There are two things. One is developing young leadership, because we need that to sustain our mission long-term. Second thing, and it’s not our main mission, but the Jewish community has a disconnect with Israel. That’s no secret, but if you do some business with them, we connect with Israel. If I can connect people, especially young people, with Israel, I don’t need to worry about all the rest; they’ll become friends. So for us, part of the mission is to connect the young people, Jews and non Jews, to work together, because that is our future.

For more information, visit theriic.org and nevelinternational.com. MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@ jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

We’re celebrating three years of RIIC, which is a dream; we’re very successful. I’m working

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D’VAR TORAH

A timeless message from the Exodus D' VA

HAVE YOU EVER PRETENDED Deuteronomy, including this that you were one of the week’s Torah portion: Eikev. Israelites during the 40-year By the time those who had Exodus? Not a pleasant become adults during the thought, perhaps. Exodus heard Moses, After all, if you they had wandered for were an adult at a long time and had the beginning seen or survived of the jourboth battles and ney, it meant disease. that you were If you were once a slave. present to listen to It also meant Moses instruct the that, unless your people of Israel on RABBI JOE how to act when they name was Joshua MURRAY entered the Promised or Caleb, you did not live long enough to enter the Land, would you have rolled Promised Land. your eyes when he stated, You see, the Book of Numfor the umpteenth time, that bers describes how these you should not worship other Israelites were told that, begods, you should fear your cause of their disobedience, God, and you should follow their carcasses would drop all of God’s commandments? in the desert before their Would you be flattered to children would enter the hear that God had stated Promised Land. a reason to be kind to the Of course, if you were stranger (“You, too, were younger than an adult when once a stranger in the Land the journey began, you were of Egypt.”)? present to hear the final As you stood on the edge of speeches spoken by Moses, the Promised Land listening as outlined in the Book of to Moses remind you that the

TO R A H

slaves were freed from Egypt by a mighty hand, would you realize that the adults freed by that mighty hand were all dead? Would you ask yourself if disobedience was the only reason? After all, wouldn’t you realize that you were a part of the origin story of a new people? Might you look around at those poised to enter the Promised Land and ask yourself, “Why us, 40 years after Egypt, and not our parents as soon as they crossed the Red Sea?” Perhaps the explanation for God’s emphasis on the past at this moment is that God knew us better than we knew ourselves. Is it possible that God wanted the people who would enter Canaan – and who would have to conquer Canaan – to be without the memory of slavery? Did God recognize that although his mighty hand could bring their bodies out of slavery, it could not bring their hearts out of slavery?

Here’s the problem God faced: Yes, it is better to begin a new people without the personal memory of slavery, but were those individuals who were ready to enter the Promised Land that much different from those who left Egypt 40 years before? Likely not. So Moses instructed them: “Do not forget how you angered the Lord, your God, in the desert; for the day you went out of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebelling against me.” But this statement, however accurate, was not enough; Moses provides examples. At Horeb, God was so angry at the Israelites that he almost destroyed them. How could they be worshipping an idol while Moses was receiving the Tablets? Moses then provides four other locations where the people of Israel provoked God’s anger. More than a few of us, when hearing these words, might have mumbled to ourselves that we were not responsible for those actions. Sound familiar? Are we not doing the same thing now? In the year 2020, when we see the results of injustices perpe-

trated years ago, do we not tell ourselves that it was not our doing? But if Moses could speak to the people who were set to enter the Promised Land as if they were the ones who had rebelled against God from the beginning, should we not ask ourselves if anything – or anyone – has changed since then? I suggest that God was not interested in the feelings of those who were ready to enter the Promised Land. Instead, God needed Moses to utter a message that would be timeless: We each have the capacity to provoke God’s anger, and we need to remember those times when people just like us have done so in the past if we are to follow God into the future. And now back to the very first question: Have you ever pretended you were one of the Israelites during the 40-year Exodus? No need to pretend. You’re there. RABBI JOE MURRAY is a hospice chaplain and the Jewish chaplain at RI's Adult Correctional Institutions. He also teaches Bible studies to adults and a biblical Hebrew class via Zoom.

Candle lighting times Greater Rhode Island August 2020

August 7 August 14 August 21 August 28

7:36 p.m. 7:26 p.m. 7:16 p.m. 7:05 p.m.

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ARTS

Streaming Jewish shows, movies that are worth a look – or not BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE HERE WE ARE, at the peak of summer, and COVID-19 precautions are still in effect. In any “normal” year, we’d be beating the heat at beaches, movie theaters, parks and malls. Some of these options remain available in the age of coronavirus, but the nonchalance of years past has been replaced with restrictions and due caution. These days, many of our best entertainment options can be found at home. We can partake in active entertainment, with things like baking, making art, gardening and video get-togethers with friends and family, or we can be more passive, doing things like lounging in the yard and watching TV. But, before I give my opinion on what’s good (and bad) in Jewish TV, I’d like to offer another endorsement for video platforms such as Zoom, Google and Skype. In April, Zoom made it possible for my family to enjoy a Passover seder together, even though we were scattered across multiple states. Last month, we reunited for a bris-by-Zoom. (Thankfully, there were no close-ups!) I mentioned in an article in July that I’d been enjoying video get-togethers with some of my dearest friends. Those continue to happen more-or-less weekly, bringing us even closer together than we were pre-COVID-19. I encourage readers to try something similar to ease feelings of isolation – reach out online to friends and family members you haven’t seen in a while and share some laughs, reminisce, play a game, whatever. I also previously mentioned my introvert tendencies. So, when I don’t want to connect with anyone, what do I do? I watch TV, of course! There’s no end to the Jewish-themed viewing options available on Netflix and Prime Video. Here are my picks and pans for August: DOUGH (PRIME): Let’s take a look at this sweet film, set in London, that features veteran actor Jonathan Pryce as Nat Dayan, a Kosher baker beset by low sales and corporate pressure to sell his bakery. When Nat’s new apprentice, Darfur refugee Ayyash (Jerome Holder), accidentally spills marijuana into the dough mixer (unbeknownst to Nat), sales start to go through the roof. Unfortunately, this attracts the attention of both a drug kingpin and a real-estate developer, and complications ensue. “Dough” is ultimately a by-the-numbers film with no real surprises, but it’s well-acted and will make you laugh. Good for a night of easy viewing.

RE-EMERGING: THE JEWS OF NIGERIA (PRIME): Judaism is thriving in West Africa, as shown in this documentary and in “Doing Jewish: A Story From Ghana,” which I wrote about in our May edition. Both films highlight established and nascent African Jewish communities, but while Gabrielle Zilkha was a central figure in her “Doing Jewish,” “Re-Emerging” filmmaker Jeff L. Lieberman takes a backseat to the story, which viewers are guided through by the charming Shmuel Tikvah ben Yaacov (born Samuel Chukwuma). By putting Shmuel front and center, Lieberman allows for a fuller, more natural telling of the Igbo people’s possible Jewish roots, and of Nigeria’s roughly 3,000 observant Igbo Jews and the challenges they face in becoming recognized by the larger Jewish community. Definitely worth a watch. THE KOMINSKY METHOD (NETFLIX): I’m so used to seeing younger actors on TV that I was initially thrown off-guard by this series, which is refreshingly centered on older actors. “Kominsky” follows acting coach Sandy Kominsky (Michael Douglas, 75) and his best friend, Hollywood agent Norman Newlander (Alan Arkin, 86), as they navigate later-life challenges of family, health, romance, virility and more. Despite dealing with these “serious” topics, the show is rife with sharp, laugh-out-loud humor. It’s a treat to watch Douglas and Arkin bicker as only old friends can, and they do so with a distinctly Jewish flavor. The supporting cast is fantastic as well, and the show features performances by Jane Seymour, Danny DeVito and an almost-unrecognizable Paul Reiser, among others. Watch it; you’ll like it. THE SPY (NETFLIX): This six-part series tells the story of how from 1960 to 1965, Mossad spy Eli Cohen, posing as Arab businessman Kamel Amin Thaabet, infiltrated the highest levels of the Syrian government. The story is tensely written and plotted, with solid cinematography and compelling acting, especially from lead Sacha Baron Cohen. As Eli, Cohen (no relation) turns in a compelling, emotional performance

that shows some real acting chops, especially when contrasted with the Bruno/Borat buffoonery that made him famous. Give this one a try. TO EACH, HER OWN (NETFLIX): The trailer for this subtitled French film made me think it was a laugh-out-loud farce. I was wrong; instead, it is an utterly baffling, unfunny story with cardboard characters and no sense of direction, sprinkled with hints of homophobia, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The film follows Parisian bank executive Simone Benloulou’s (played by Sarah Stern) journey of self-discovery(?) as she tries to come out as lesbian to her Conservative Jewish family. Things become complicated when Simone cheats on her fiancée, Claire (Julia Piaton), with Wali (Jean-Christophe Folly), a Senegalese Muslim chef. There’s nothing that really ties the movie together, and the final scene is particularly confounding. I’m angry that I gave this movie 95 minutes of my life. Pass. Note: Due to sexual content, “To Each, Her Own” is not appropriate for all audiences. DISOBEDIENCE (PRIME): In sharp contrast to “To Each, Her Own,” this superbly-acted film presents a nuanced and sensitive look at queer Jewish identity. The story focuses on Ronit Krushka (portrayed by Rachel Weisz) as she returns to London for the funeral of her estranged father, an esteemed Orthodox rabbi. During shivah, Ronit reconnects with childhood friends Esti and Dovid (Rachel MacAdams and Alessandro Nivola), who are now married to each other. The reunion rekindles feelings between Ronit and Esti, causing a crisis that drags Dovid along as collateral damage. The actors’ nonverbal performances are exquisite, and make the film shine. Thumbs up. Note: Due to sexual content, “Disobedience” is not appropriate for all audiences. MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

OPINION Black Lives Matter

Farrel I. Klein Providence

In the latest issue of Jewish Rhode Island, I saw some support of the Marxist group, Black Lives Matter. I don’t know how anyone can view this clip and the subsequent four, and possibly endorse this kind of behavior: https://twitter.com/selfdeclaredref/ status/1282559061167419392 No amount of rationalization can make this acceptable. These are exactly the same tactics that Communists the world over have used to install their regimes. I pray that you find it in your heart to print this to help your readers understand the danger that our nation faces if this radical group should ever come to power. Thank you. David Middlemiss Cranston

MY WIFE AND I had known for well over a year that our granddaughter Clara was going to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, in Newton, Massachusetts, this past April 18, just two days before the annual Boston Marathon. Little could we have imagined back in the early winter of 2019 that the Boston Marathon would be the least of the logistical complications. As 2019 slid into 2020, the first cases of COVID-19 showed up on the West Coast, and within a matter of weeks, our nation was in the grip of a frightening pandemic. Clara’s parents soon realized that they would need to scale back plans for Clara’s “big day.” First to be canceled was the Saturday night party for Clara and her friends. Not long afterward, they realized that it would be unsafe to serve the traditional Kiddush lunch following the worship service. As April 18 approached, and the coronavirus seemed to be spreading out of control, they curtailed the plans even further: there would be a small service at Dorshei Tzedek, led by Rabbi Toba Spitzer. Only Clara, her parents, her brother and sister, her Uncle David and her aunt Gabi – if they could find a baby-sitter – and Sandy and I would be physically present. But even limiting attendance to 10 people proved to be overly optimistic. In early April, Rabbi Toba told the family that the only remaining options were to hold a virtual Bat Mitzvah on April 18 or to postpone the service to some undetermined later date. April 18 dawned with a surprise blanket of heavy, wet, soon-to-melt snow covering southern New England. Rabbi Toba was at the bimah in Dorshei Tzedek, along with an off-screen technical assistant to help with what was to be the rabbi’s first Zoom Bat Mitzvah. The Torah from which Clara was

to chant had been safely delivered to her family’s home in Cambridge. Clara and her family would be participating in the worship service from their dining room. The table was set up to receive the Torah, which was being kept in its living room “ark,” separated from the dining room by pocket doors. I have attended hundreds of B’nai Mitzvah, both as officiating rabbi and guest, but Clara’s was the first such rite of passage I have experienced in the zone of Zoom – with Clara and her RABBI JAMES family in CamROSENBERG bridge, Rabbi Toba in Newton, and Sandy and I in Providence. At first, Sandy and I were saddened that Clara’s Bat Mitzvah would be so “diminished.” But, much to our surprise, at its peak, 193 separate households were linked together by Zoom; in the “gallery view” option, almost eight screens were filled with those attending the service, with 25 individuals or family groups per screen. When Rabbi Toba was leading the service, she was center screen, and when Clara was leading the worship, she and her family filled the screen. With great dignity and self-assurance, Clara led tefilot (prayers), chanted Torah, chanted her haftarah, and delivered a thoughtful and thought-provoking d’var Torah. She bore on her young shoulders the weight of hundreds of fellow worshippers who were logged in from Maine (my brother Bill and sisterin-law Pat) to Florida (family and friends) to California (former Temple Habonim members who have known my daughter Karen since she was an infant) to Israel, and even to Ireland. So many lives to lift up and bind together in love and light during the darkness of coronavirus-caused social distancing. Though throughout most of the service, the focus shifted back and forth between Rabbi Toba and Clara,

S TO M

Reading about current racial politics in Jewish RI is akin to reading Rudyard Kipling’s “The White Man’s Burden” with a diminution of literary style. A false sense of omnipotence over racial disparities is not going to eliminate them. White guilt and good intentions often lead to poor results. While the murder of George Floyd should be condemned, demonizing of police only buys a mistaken feeling of moral superiority. The surging murder rates in Minneapolis, New York and Chicago, to name a few, show that the Black Lives Matter movement is having effects opposite of its stated intentions. Social justice advocates wish to use Floyd’s murder to create more unsound policies, like raising minimum wages. To not go bankrupt, a business has to make a profit in excess of the cost of providing the service. For example, a higher minimum wage makes cashiers more costly. The business owner must cut labor hours to compete, installs self-checkout, and some cashiers suffer unemployment. Unemployment leads to more crime and taxpayer costs. Public sector unions, like those for police and teachers, make their job security and pay better, but make it hard to fire poor performers. The damage done by bad police and teachers can be irreparable. It should be noted that most of these racial problems are occurring in Democrat-run cities and states embracing social justice programs and wealth redistribution that encourages dependency. That comes back to the racist, condescending belief that minorities are helpless victims unable to raise themselves out of poverty. Beware of false messiahs with simple solutions. I would highly recommend the book, “Discrimination and Disparities,” by Thomas Sowell for those blinded by the media narrative. Black lives do matter, but the organization is hurting those it purports to help.

A miracle of intimacy

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LETTERS

the joyfulness of the moment, the simcha, was enhanced during those several occasions in which various combinations of Clara’s immediate family joined together in spontaneous dancing. Sandy and I had our own special moment when we read responsively a prayer/poem blessing our granddaughter, a golden link in the chain of Jewish tradition. I confess that I am not a fan of social media. It is not because I am antisocial that I have refrained from setting up accounts with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, et al. To the contrary, I am vigorously pro-social. I cherish the opportunity to have personal encounters over coffee or lunch with friends, acquaintances, and – under certain circumstances – with total strangers. The social interactions I prefer are face-to-face, not text-to-text, not computer-to-computer. Ernest conversation, conversation that breathes life, that demands that cellphones be turned off, that hand-held electronic devices of all types be stowed out of sight and out of mind. Only then are we “free to be you and me.” Nevertheless, we can’t always get what we want. Especially during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must learn to make the best of what we happen to get. In the case of my granddaughter Clara’s Bat Mitzvah, our family and friends did not need to “make do” or to “settle for.” Despite being physically separated by, in some cases, thousands of miles, Sandy and I heard again and again – at the Zoom “schmooze sessions” following the service, as well as in ensuing days – that people felt vitally connected even while practicing social distancing. The necessity imposed by the pandemic proved to be the mother of magical and celebratory invention. Clara’s Bat Mitzvah, despite some minor technical glitches in the Zoom rooms, turned out to be a miracle of intimacy. JAMES B. ROSENBERG is rabbi emeritus at Temple Habonim, in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.

Israeli government approves $75M bid for major stake in El Al to son of US businessman JERUSALEM (JTA) – Eli Rozenberg, the son of millionaire U.S. businessman Kenny Rozenberg, is closer to acquiring a large stake in El Al Airlines. Israel’s Government Companies Authority agreed to support Rozenberg’s $75 million bid for a 44.9% controlling stake in the country’s flagship airline, which has been laid low by the coronavirus pandemic, the Israeli business daily Globes reported. Now El Al must decide whether to accept the offer or

take a government bailout package that would include a government-backed loan and a stock offering on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Under the bailout, the state would retain a 61 percent stake in the airline, leading again to its nationalization. The airline was privatized in 2004. Rozenberg, 30, is a resident of Israel and an Israeli citizen. His father, who lives in New York, owns the Centers Health Care, a national chain of nursing homes and affiliated services in the United States.

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. Send letters and op-eds to: Jewish Rhode Island, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or editor@jewishallianceri.org. Include name, city of residence and a contact phone number or email (not for publication).

AUGUST 2020 | 9

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

OPINION

LETTERS

Join the battle against domestic violence – it’s a mitzvah BY ADAM CABLE and JON BERENSON THE COVID-19 CRISIS has changed every aspect of our lives, including increasing domestic violence. According to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, calls to domestic-violence crisis hotlines in Rhode Island had increased nearly 30% by April 15. Women in Pawtucket (in May) and Woonsocket (in June) were murdered by men in domestic-violence incidents. And there are similar statistics and stories across the country. As men who are engaged in the fight against domestic violence, we are horrified and outraged by this development. The increase in violence puts an exclamation point on a problem that has been flashing red and blaring sirens for decades. Already, prior to COVID-19, one in four women in the U.S. will experience violence at the hands of a domestic partner during their lifetimes (as do one in seven men), according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC also reports that domestic violence has become a leading cause of death among women in the U.S. Guns are used in the majority of these murders. And in fact, the most predictive factor of someone (almost exclusively white men) becoming a mass shooter is a history of domestic violence, according to a study published in Criminology and Public Policy in 2019. Many of the same barriers to assistance remain or have become worse since COVID-19 began, and new obstacles have arisen. The lack of affordable housing in Rhode Island keeps many women and children in homes with violent men. A low minimum wage also makes it very difficult for survivors to make ends meet, even with the (limited) assistance that is available (a living wage in Rhode Island would be $32.44 an hour for a one-parent home with two children, well above the minimum wage of $11.50, which begins Oct. 1). Furthermore, understandable and justified suspicion of police and other authority figures makes it more difficult for women of color – particularly Black or undocumented women – as well as LGBTQ+ folks; those with mental or physical disabilities; or the unhoused, to escape to safety. In fact, families of police officers experience domestic violence at a 40% rate, much higher than the general population, calling into question officers’ ability to respond appropriately. You may be asking yourself at this point: Why should Jews care about this issue? You may be thinking, surely our deeply held belief in shalom bayit, “peace in the home,” keeps Jewish men from inflicting violence on our partners. Not a chance. Domestic violence in the Jewish community occurs at around the same rates as most other religious/ethnic communities, according to the Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse. That means that one in four women at your shul, your kid’s day school, or at Shabbat dinner might be experiencing domestic violence. So, we ask Jewish men: Are we willing to stand up to domestic violence in our community? According to Chabad.org, the traditional text of the ketubbah (marriage contract) states, “I will work to honor, feed and support you in the custom of Jewish men, who work, honor, feed and support their wives faithfully.” While clearly this text references dated gender roles, and doesn’t address Jewish LGBTQ+ marriages, it is

instructive in its paternalism. It says that, even in a patriarchal society led entirely by men, in which women were often treated like property, there was unambiguous recognition of the sanctity of the home as a place of safety, nurturing and care, and of men’s duty to keep it that way. Even more so, in our supposedly enlightened modern society (where women still make only 79 cents per dollar made by men, and the difference in pay is worse for women of color), it is incumbent upon us to take concrete action towards preventing violence and protecting victims. Treat this as an active mitzvah – its fulfillment requires tangible behavioral change. To that end, here are some great ways to get involved in the movement to end men’s violence against women:

• Do not repeat the false statement that domestic violence (or sexual abuse/assault/rape) does not occur in the Jewish community. Interrupt that narrative when you hear it, especially when in male-only spaces. • Support agunot (women who have been abandoned by their husbands but not given a Jewish divorce, hence leaving them unable to move on) and other women and non-binary people impacted by emotional, financial, physical, sexual or other abuse by their intimate partners. For more information, go to www.getora.org. • Donate time, money, resources and political support to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence and/or their member agencies. www.ricadv.org/en. • For those who identify as men, consider joining the Ten Men program, where you can connect with other men in the fight against violence by men. www.ricadv. org/en/what-we-do/prevention/ten-men. • Fight for policies that protect victims of violence, such as affordable housing, a living wage, universal and comprehensive health care (including reproductive health and abortion services), and fully funded violence-prevention services. • Learn about the movement to defund police. Consider that policing and incarceration have not been able to solve the problem of domestic violence, even with abundant funding and resources. Learn about other models of public safety that are focused on investing in communities. • Speak up when you see something that makes you uncomfortable. Learn the warning signs. A good place for men to start is to watch TED talks by Jackson Katz, a world-renowned expert on domestic violence. REMEMBER: Most men are not violent, but most men are silent about it. To continue,violence depends on our silence. We write this as members of the 2019-2020 Ten Men cohort. We submit it with great humility, knowing that our work in this struggle builds on centuries of effort put in by those directly affected by domestic violence, and with love – for our fellow men, for our Jewish community and for our troubled, broken, beautiful and resilient human species. ADAM CABLE, LICSW, is a clinical social worker. He is a member of the Ten Men program of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and a board member of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and Congregation Beth Shalom, in Providence. JON BERESON is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Providence. He is a member of the Ten Men program of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Karen Borger’s retirement KAREN BORGER was an incredibly important asset to Jewish Rhode Island. When I, as editor of The Jewish Voice, hired her, I knew immediately I had found a gem. Not only was Karen incredibly enthusiastic, her energy, knowledge of the Jewish community, and marketing savvy helped to ensure the newspaper’s viability. With her advertising and marketing prowess, the paper became a more desirable commodity for readers and advertisers, alike. I wholly understand her decision to retire, but it’s a loss to the community. Enjoy your free time, Karen, and thank you again, from your very grateful former colleague! Nancy Kirsch Providence Former editor of The Jewish Voice & Herald and later The Jewish Voice

Remembering a writer The recent death of Albert Memmi, at age 99, has chagrined us greatly. We knew, visited and corresponded with this celebrated French Jewish writer for many years. We even taught his books. French literature is rich and illustrious, and has many outstanding writers. Albert Memmi was surely one of them. After all, his literary oeuvre impressed us greatly and, simultaneously, provided us with great reading satisfaction. Hopefully, Memmi’s books, especially “La Statue De Sel” (The Pillars of Salt), “Le Scorpion” (The Scorpion) and “Portraits D’un Juif” (Portraits of a Jew), will be read and discussed for many generations. They will be, after all, just as remarkable – and important – centuries later. Mel and Cindy Yoken New Bedford, Mass.

Front window of New Mexico Holocaust Museum smashed by vandals (JTA) – The front window of the New Mexico Holocaust Museum in downtown Albuquerque was shattered in an act of vandalism. The incident took place during the funeral of Georgia Rep. John Lewis on July 30. The museum’s window featured a poster of a large photo of an early 1960s civil rights march. The head of the museum does not think it is a coincidence. Executive Director Leon Natker told the Albuquerque Journal that the vandalism “makes the point for why it’s necessary to have this museum – why now, more than ever, this kind of cultural institution is necessary in our current dialogue.” The museum’s logo says it is “Eliminating Hate and Intolerance One Mind At A Time.” Closed for renovations at the time of the attack, the museum is scheduled to reopen on Sept. 1.

10 | AUGUST 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

UP FRONT | CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS FOR COMPLETE MONTHLY LISTINGS, VISIT JEWISHRHODY.ORG

Ongoing

Kosher Senior Café and online programming. Cold box lunches delivered to Café guests who request home delivery during COVID-19. Two lunches delivered on Mondays and Wednesdays; one lunch delivered on Fridays. Zoom programming includes weekly yoga on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m.-noon followed by lunch and either a guest or free-form discussion from noon-1 p.m. The second Thursday of the month is “Susie’s corner” via Zoom with Susie Adler from noon-1 p.m. The third Thursday of the month Neal Drobnis, nutrition coordinator, leads a book chat from noon-1 p.m. Lunches are generously supported by the Jewish Alliance of Greater RI, Blackstone Health and the RI Office of Healthy Aging. Suggested donation: $3 per lunch. Information, Neal Drobnis at neal@jfsri.org or 401-678-6464 OR 401-331-1244. Temple Emanu-El “Beyond Dispute” via Zoom. Tuesdays 7:30-9 p.m. thru 8/18. Debates are at the heart of Judaism and Jewish life. Are religion and reason compatible? A comprehensive curriculum from JTS that offers a substantive, text-based exploration. Suggested donation per class: $36 | $25 for students & seniors. Information, Rabbi Zerin at rzerin@teprov.org or 401-331-1616. Temple Habonim Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman via Zoom. Thursdays noon-1 p.m. Join Rabbi Howard for Torah Study on Pirke Avot: A Modern Commentary on Jewish Ethics. Information, Adina Davies at office@templehabonim.org or 401-245-6536.

Temple Emanu-El Re/Introduction to Judaism via Zoom. Thursdays 7:30-9:30 p.m. thru 8/20. For both potential converts and Jews wishing to learn more. Led by Rabbis Michael Fel and Rachel Zerin and Cantor Brian Mayer. Information, Rabbi Michael Fel at mfel@teprov. org or 401-331-1616. Temple Beth-El Remote Torah Study. Saturdays 9-10 a.m. Zoom meeting led by one of Beth-El’s clergy. Information, Jenn Thomas at jthomas@temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070.

Saturday | August 8

Temple Habonim Torah Study with Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman via Zoom. 9-10 a.m. Join Rabbi Howard for weekly study on the current Torah portion. Information, Adina Davies at office@templehabonim.org or 401-245-6536. Cape Cod Synagogue Presents Virtual Comedy Night with Jeff Shaw. 7-8 p.m. Jeff Shaw is a stand-up comic whose writing is marked both by idealism and humanity. His satire is often infused with poetic beauty. Tickets: $20. Advanced ticket purchase and registration required to receive a unique Zoom access pass. Information, Linda Arnowitt at lindaarnowitt@ gmail.com or 508-542-4830.

Sunday | August 9

Core Connects RI: Torah Yoga via Zoom. 10-11:15 a.m. Study a Torah text that is then woven into 50 minutes of yoga, followed by reflections. Led by Diane Bloomfield, certified junior level Iyengar yoga instructor and Phoenix Rising yoga therapist. For Jewish women. Cost: $18 | $54 for 4 classes (Sundays thru 8/30). Information or RSVP (required),

Elissa Felder at CoreConnectsRI. com or 401-241-9631.

Monday | August 10

Smug Brewery Co. Virtual Tasting. 5-6 p.m. Join Temple Beth-El and the TBE Pride Team for a fun summer night via Zoom. Co-owner Rob will discuss their beers and answer questions. Pick up a mixed 4-pack, coasters and a sticker at Smug Brewing Company, 100 Carver St., Pawtucket. Cost: $25. Advance registration required. Information, Jenn Thomas at jthomas@ temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070. Zoom Book Group: “The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother” by James McBride. 7:30 p.m. The son of a black minister and a white daughter of a failed Orthodox rabbi, James McBride and his 11 siblings grew up in the all-black projects of Red Hook, Brooklyn. For Jewish women. Information or RSVP (required), Elissa Felder at CoreConnectsRI.com or 401-241-9631.

Saturday | August 15

Sunday | August 16

mation or RSVP (required), Elissa Felder at CoreConnectsRI.com or 401-241-9631.

Wednesday | August 19

Jewish Alliance Virtual Book Club: “The Lost Girls of Paris” by Pam Jenoff. 7-8 p.m. Grace Healey finds an abandoned suitcase containing photographs of female secret agents sent to occupied Europe to aid the resistance during WWII. Some of these women never returned home. The Jewish Book Council recommends this book. To register (required), jewishallianceri. org/book-club/. Information, Lisa Maybruch at lmaybruch@jewishallianceri.org. Rosh Hashanah Messages via Zoom. 8:15-9:15 p.m. Rabbi Michelle Dardashti, Sharon Freundel, Rabbi Sarah Mack and Rabbi Rachel Zerin share wisdom and their personal focus as we enter into the Hebrew month of Elul, which precedes the High Holy Day season. For Jewish women. Free; donations appreciated. Information or RSVP (required), Elissa Felder at CoreConnectsRI. com or 401-241-9631.

Saturday | August 22

Sunday | August 23

level Iyengar yoga instructor and Phoenix Rising yoga therapist. For Jewish women. Cost: $18. Information or RSVP (required), Elissa Felder at CoreConnectsRI.com or 401-241-9631. Temple Habonim Outdoor Open House. 4-5:30 p.m. 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington (parking lot). Explore a welcoming, inclusive and spiritual Jewish community. Meet Temple Habonim’s new rabbi, Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman, and Educator and Song Leader, David Perolman. Take a socially distanced outside tour of the synagogue. Information or to RSVP, Adina Davies at office@templehabonim.org or 401245-6536.

Saturday | August 29

Temple Habonim Torah Study with Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman via Zoom. 10-11 a.m. Join Rabbi Howard for weekly study on the current Torah portion. Information, Adina Davies at office@templehabonim.org or 401-245-6536.

Sunday | August 30

Core Connects RI: Torah Yoga via Zoom. 10-11:15 a.m. Study a Torah text that is then woven into a full 50-minute yoga practice, followed by reflections and questions. Led by Diane Bloomfield, certified junior level Iyengar yoga instructor and Phoenix Rising yoga therapist. For Jewish women. Cost: $18. Information or RSVP (required), Elissa Felder at CoreConnectsRI.com or 401-241-9631.

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Stevan Labush elected as board chairman of Touro Fraternal Association CRANSTON – STEVAN LABUSH was elected as the new chairman of the Board of Directors of Touro Fraternal Association at the organization’s June meeting. Jeffrey Davis was elected to replace Labush as the board vice chairman. “Touro has always had a special place in my heart, and I look forward to leading our organization toward a bright future,” said Labush, who succeeds Alan Lury as chairman. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the board has met remotely each month. The crisis forced Touro to hold its first-ever mail-in election, in May, for its board and officers. A total of 153 votes were cast – much higher participation than in-person voting in recent years. Winning the contested election for three-year terms on the board were Larry Berman, Davis, Andrew Gilstein, Lury and Michael Smith. Jeffrey Stoloff run unopposed to fill a two-year vacant board seat. All of the lodge officers ran uncontested. Elected to one-year terms for Harmony Lodge were Berman, president; Jeffrey Harpel, vice president; David Altman, treasurer; and Jonathan Finkle, secretary. Elected for Friendship Lodge were

Stoloff, president; Adam Halpern, vice president; and Peter Silverman, treasurer. Lester Nathan was appointed to continue as secretary on a temporary basis. At the June board meeting, Labush appointed the following as association officers: Bruce Wasser, secretary; Jonathan Finkle, treasurer; Barry Schiff, chaplain; Mitchell Cohen, inside guard; and Ried Redlich, faithful guide. Labush has been a Touro member for nearly 30 years. He was a lodge president and officer, and has been a board member for 25 years, chairing several committees. Labush is an associate professor of accounting and finance at Johnson & Wales University, where he received his undergraduate and master’s degrees. He also runs a tax preparation, bookkeeping and consulting business in Cranston. Labush is the president of the Greater Providence Hebrew Free Loan and a past president and current board member of the Temple Beth-El Brotherhood. He taught Sunday School at Temple Beth-El, in Providence, for 16 years. He is also a past president of the Temple Am David Men’s Club. Labush and his wife, Rhonda, live in Warwick.

Davis, the new vice chairman, has been active in Touro for more than 25 years. He was a lodge president and officer, and has been a board member for 15 years. Davis is the treasurer of the Greater Providence Hebrew Free Loan; a board member at Temple Emanu-El, in Providence; and the president of the River Farms Condo AsStevan Labush sociation, in West Warwick, where he lives with his wife, Cindy. Davis works part time at Shalom Memorial Chapel, in Cranston. More information about the organization is available on its website, at www.tourofraternal.org, or by calling 401-7850066. Submitted by Touro Fraternal Association. Jeffrey Davis

AUGUST 2020 | 11

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY VOICES

New exhibit will bring Holocaust Stamps Project to a wider audience

THE HOLOCAUST STAMPS PROJECT, undertaken by students at the Foxboro Regional Charter School, has always embodied the role of education in keeping history alive. That’s become even more important as debate heats up nationwide LARRY KESSLER over whether to take down statues and memorials that have been deemed uncomfortable or offensive by some. In that context, the Holocaust Stamps Project’s ability to promote understanding of how hatred and anti-Semitism led to the state-sanctioned genocide of religious, cultural

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“My Lord “I pray that these never end, “The sand and the sea, “The rush of the waters, “The light of the heavens, “The prayer of the heart.” – “A Walk to Caesarea” (also known as “Eli, Eli”), written by Hannah Szenes, who was killed in 1944 after refusing to give details about her mission to rescue Hungarian Jews from deportation to Auschwitz.

and ethnic groups in Europe in the 1930s and ’40s has a vital role to play in ensuring that the Holocaust’s atrocities are never forgotten. That’s especially true as more aging Holocaust victims die each day, which has increasingly made preserving the Holocaust’s memories the responsibility of the victims’ children and grandchildren. The Holocaust Stamps Project, for those unfamiliar with it, was the brainchild of Charlotte Sheer, who taught at the Foxboro school before retiring. Sheer, now 69 and living in Plymouth, Massachusetts, started the project in 2009 when her fifth-grade class began collecting stamps after reading the best-selling children’s book “Number the Stars,” by Lois Lowry. The book tells the story of a Danish girl who helps smuggle Jewish families out of German-occupied Denmark during World War II. The project soon took off, and between 2009 and 2017 it reached heights unimagined in its early days. Sheer and a fellow teacher at the Foxboro school, Jamie Droste, who took over the project’s day-to-day duties after Sheer retired, soon were inundated with stamp donations. Stamps poured into the school from across the globe, and the goal of collecting 11 million stamps, once considered daunting, was finally

The stories behind the stamps The following excerpts come from three of the letters received by Foxboro Regional Charter School students and were written by people who donated stamps to the Holocaust Stamps Project. To see more letters, and to learn more about the project, go to https://stamps.org/news/c/news/ cat/local/post/remembrance-connection-witness-the-making-of-a-holocaust-exhibit. https:// bit.ly/3hmfnif. “MY GREAT AUNT, MINDL KOTEL, was killed by the Nazis in front of her home, along with her husband and three children ages 11, 8 and 5. I saved five of the prettiest stamps and am putting them with a page showing the truncated family tree. Thank you for remembering Mindl, Pinya, Vladimir, Abram and Bronya, along [with] the other 11 million killed in the Holocaust.” – S. Radbil “SOME [STAMPS] ARE FROM MY PIANO TEACHER ... Gabriella Kottler, and I will never forget the number burned

on her arm from when she was in the camps. One Christmas, she came to our house for dinner with her husband and ended up telling us her story. I vividly remember her telling us how they wanted to break her as she was a strong woman. Gabriella persevered, even when they took her shoes and made her stand in line in the snow. “There was not a sound around the dinner table for over an hour.” – J. Flynn “I AM SENDING YOU 100 Australian stamps, in memory of my maternal grandparents, Dolec and Jozefa Lurie. Both were survivors of concentration camps, and along with Dolec’s brother, were the only members of both families combined to live through the Holocaust. They were newlyweds before the war, and were reunited afterwards in a displaced person’s camp in Trani, Italy. They chose to emigrate to Australia, and lived there the rest of their lives.” – M. Cole

‘ELEVEN MILLION REASONS TO NEVER FORGET.’ This collage was completed on Jan. 27, 2012, which is observed annually as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The collage contains 850 stamps, and the artwork symbolizes the 11 million victims of the Holocaust. reached before Yom Kippur in 2017. Eleven million stamps was chosen as a goal for the project, Sheer explained, to represent the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust as well as the 5 million people from 21 European countries who were slaughtered as part of the Nazis’ “Final Solution.” The 11 million dead includes the 1.5 million children who were Holocaust victims. The project produced 18 collages made from the stamps, each depicting moments and people of the Holocaust. I last wrote about the project in the fall of 2019, to report that the stamps had found a new home at the American Philatelic Society’s center in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Since that article appeared, all 11 million stamps and the collages have been transported to the center, and the exhibit has been planned and finalized. In the April edition of The American Philatelist, Susan Mills reported that the exhibit will include additional components. Mills wrote that a committee developed a second goal of providing “irrefutable postal history” of the Holocaust by reaching out “to prominent Holocaust-era philatelists, including Justin Gordon, Keith Stupell and Ken Lawrence.” Through those efforts, Mills wrote, the center has enhanced the original Holocaust Stamps Project with a postal history exhibit, which will complement the project’s goals of “remembrance, recognition and a present-day pledge to combat intolerance.”

The exhibit was supposed to open in June, but it has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. When it does open, it promises to be particularly powerful and relevant given the present-day discussions about the deep racial and ethnic divisions that persist in the United States. The project’s role in educating the public is also critical given the rise of Holocaust deniers, along with the worldwide resurgence in anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes in general. The project, is an excellent way to educate people about how and why the raw hatred that fueled the Holocaust can be destructive to society. It also demonstrates why Holocaust museums and memorials are important teaching tools, and why the Nazis’ death camps – including Dachau and Bergen-Belsen in Germany, and Auschwitz in Poland – must never be torn down. The Holocaust Stamps Project was started to help youngsters become aware of the atrocities committed by the Nazis, and in its new home, the project will do the same thing for a much broader audience. But don’t take my word for it; read the excerpts accompanying this column from just three of the many letters that were sent to the school by stamp donors. Those letters provide personal stories about some of the Holocaust’s victims – and if those don’t reduce you to tears, nothing will. LARRY KESSLER (larrythek65@gmail. com) is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro.

12 | AUGUST 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES

Providence JCCs from years gone by BY GERALDINE S. FOSTER BEFORE THE ALLIANCE’S DWARES Jewish Community Center opened its doors on Elmgrove Avenue in Providence, there was a JCC on Sessions Street – which replaced the JCC at 65 Benefit St. Almost as far back as its dedication in 1925, the Benefit Street JCC had its detractors, in large part because of its location. A site in downtown Providence would have been preferable to the Benefit Street site (which was the former home of the Hebrew Educational Institute), and more suitable as the center for the social and cultural programs of the Jewish community. Just nine years later, in 1934, a survey by the National Jewish Welfare Board underscored the vital need for a more desirable location and better facilities if the agency was to meet the needs of the community. Once again, there was debate, but

no decisive action. An expansion and renovation in 1940 was a temporary palliative. Over time, the deficiencies of the building became more obvious. It lacked adequate room and yard space. The aging physical plant required costly repairs. The site was not easily accessible by public transportation, and parking was a problem. By 1949, a move had become imperative. But to where? At about that time, the city of Providence’s administration announced its intention to dispose of the abandoned Sessions Street police station. The site, located in the midst of the largest Jewish population in the state, seemed most desirable for a community center. In 1950, after much study and discussion, the JCC’s board submitted a proposal to the city for an exchange of properties – the land and buildings at 65 Benefit St. for the police station property,

Jewish Community Center, 170 Sessions St., after conversion from a police station acquired in 1951. which included a garage, field house, playground and a portion of a field with unoccupied Browntown buildings that were slated to be demolished. (Browntown was housing built after World War II for married veterans studying at Brown University

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under the GI Bill of Rights.) Providence Mayor Walter Reynolds favored the plan, and, after meetings with various city boards, the transaction was approved in mid-April 1951. A limited campaign was then launched by the JCC to raise funds for renovations. The Jewish Herald in March 1952 carried ads inviting the populace to reserve April 20 for “A COMMUNITY SIMCHAH!,” “a celebration and open house of our beautiful new Jewish Community Center.” The site formerly occupied by the garage now housed an auditorium wing connected to the main building by a glass-enclosed lobby. The transformed field house had become a play school for preschoolers. A ball field replaced the vacant space; the JCC could now have softball teams (in which Harold Foster happily participated) and could compete with other leagues. The facility lacked a gym, but an agreement with the Providence School Department allowed the JCC use of the facilities at Nathan Bishop Junior High School for physical activities, including basketball teams (on which Harold Foster happily competed). A wished-for

health club became a reality two months later thanks to a generous donation. The formal dedication of the Sessions Street JCC took place in the new auditorium on a Sunday night. City and state officials brought greetings and congratulatory messages. Following the ceremony, the star attraction, Molly Picon, accompanied by her husband, playwright and humorist Irving Kallisch, entertained in the Nathan Bishop auditorium. It was a packed house, according to a contemporary report. Picon, “the darling of the Yiddish Theatre,” was well known to Rhode Island audiences through her frequent appearances at local venues. The “Community Simchah” continued for a week, with open-house tours and performances throughout. It was deemed a great success, with high attendance and enthusiastic comments. Yet despite all the festivities and accolades, one question remained: Would the new JCC meet the needs of the next generation? GERALDINE S. FOSTER is a past president of the R.I. Jewish Historical Association. To comment about this or any RIJHA article, contact the RIJHA office at info@rijha.org or 401-331-1360.

This space is available. Your ad should be seen here. Contact Peter Zeldin

VISIT GREENWICHODEUM .COM/RENTAL-INFO FOR MORE INFORMATION

pzeldin@jewishallianceri.org 401-421-4111, ext. 160

AUGUST 2020 | 13

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COMMUNITY VOICES

There’s one in every family …

SKE

“EVERY FAMILY HAS a strange aunt.” I borrowed that phrase from a book titled “Was Elvis Jewish?” by Paulette Cooper, a Holocaust survivor I once knew. I use the phrase as a way of saying that there are no perfect “nuclear” kith and kin realms – which brings me to the only relative that I have ever cast aside. “May your name be scattered in the wilderness” is a terrible Yiddish curse, and I therefore use no first, middle or last name, and no image, to identify this person, except the tale of her place in my life. If any snapshots existed, I have not kept them! She was once a frequent guest welcomed in our home with her husband and two sons, my cousins. I was somehow a bit afraid of her: She resembled the fearsome pirates staring from the murals in our lively cellar, giant illustrations from “Treasure Island,” and she smoked cigarettes that hid her eyes and disguised her expression. During two “duration” sumMIKE FINK mers – in 1942 and 1943 – my brother and I were sent to her summer camp in Maine, where I continued to be scared by her routine entrances into the bunk to ask, “Did you move your bowels today?” So intrusive, aggressive, judgmental about such intimate things. I got used to her, however, and grew to admire her political opinions about important matters. She was a member of the American Civil Liberties Union and, I believe, a card-carrying Communist. In high school, where I joined the Debating Society, I was proud of having so active and articulate an aunt, and brought my classmates to meet and greet her. After our first college semester, my brother and I served as counselors in another lakeside camp she owned and ran, in the early midcentury, the Communist “witch-hunt” years that produced the execution of the Rosenbergs, Julius and Ethel, leaving their boys to be adopted. Her brother announced his engagement, and our boyhood home served as a happy haven for tea or sherry, a place where relatives and guests could toast and celebrate together. My “political” aunt behaved in a manner that shocked me. “My brother is not mentally capable or competent and has no business entering a marriage!” She declared this, and, adolescent though I was, I dared to counter her statement with whatever defense I was able to articulate. In 1953, I returned to her camp as a counselor, along with a classmate and chum of mine and my brother’s, despite a warning from a close friend that this familiar person, my father’s sister, often turned on people with a sudden ferocity, a fierce but inexplicable vengeance. My father’s half-brother, and therefore her half-brother as well, was working as the arts-and-crafts counselor, and his wife and two small boys were also at the camp, so I felt safe and secure. I had the youngest boys in my cabin, and I befriended the camp nurse. I was also the birdwatching nature teacher, and I contributed my collections of bird nests and bird cards with information from the Audubon Society to the special hut that served as a natural history museum. I had a brief bit of a romantic interlude at a nearby pond with a pleasant, smiling Jewish girl who sketched our encounter ... and visited my family homestead during a mid-summer break. Then one day, there was a bus trip to a mountain lodge for an adventure in climbing and setting up a tent. I was suddenly told that I was not invited! I was shocked and profoundly disturbed when I realized that I was an outcast, with no idea in the world what I had done to merit such an exile. My little campers trusted and loved me, and their mothers and fathers not only invited me to their homes, but during my forthcoming junior year in Paris, the father of one of those wee campers came to visit and took me to dinner on the Champs Elysees! I made my way home, where my uncle immediately ex-

BOOK

plained to my mother and father that my aunt had gone quite mad! Needless to narrate, I never spoke to her again. If we met on the street here in the tight quarters of the East Side of Providence, we ignored each other. My mother would turn her back on her sister-in-law should they find themselves together at a family function. This aunt said of my brother and me, a dire announcement: “They’re made of nothing and will come to nothing!” Did that imply we were somehow fragile and doomed, unlike her strapping boys? During the Vietnam War decade, she had disowned her own clan and moved out of the U.S.A. to Toronto, Ontario, over the border in Canada, thus disappearing from my community … until a dramatic event created another episode in this story. My mother had died, and we were sitting shiva in the parlor when

another aunt – the half-sister of the aunt who is the focus of this piece – said that “she” was at the front door, about to enter. What did I do? I went through the vestibule to the brick front stairs and said, “You are not welcome in this house. My mother would not have allowed you, and I will not permit it in her honor. Next week you may come in, as my father’s sister, but not during this time of mourning.” The aunt who had told me that “she” was there on the stoop was proud of me for my

'May your name be scattered in the wilderness' is a terrible Yiddish curse.

courage and candor, and told me so several times. “I was always afraid of her, but you were right to put her in her place.” My dad went out to her car briefly as a minimal courtesy. Later, during a “wintersession,” my colleague and I interviewed that uncle who had been so cursed by his sister, and his wife and son. I read a letter he had received from her. “Do not come to see me or write to me,” it said. “I am no longer your sister. Go away. Move to Israel. Leave us alone.” My colleague was appalled, but fascinated, by the intensity of this battle of words between two siblings. Perhaps I can explain it, or maybe not. You see, when this uncle was born, his/their mother died. The birth presaged a death. This uncle was a devout and dedicated orthodox Jewish semi-orphan, in CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

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COMMUNITY

THE BOARD OF RABBIS of Greater Rhode Island recently issued a statement of support of the Black Lives Matter movement. In June, the group “strongly condemned” the anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic vandalism at a cemetery at Providence College. In fact, whenever there is an issue of interfaith or Jewish importance, the rabbis are likely to take a public stance. But, do you really know what this group does? The Board of Rabbis exists for mutual support, according to two of its leaders, Rabbi Sarah Mack, of Temple BethEl in Providence, immediate past president of the board, and the current president, Rabbi Barry Dolinger, of Congregation Beth Sholom in Providence. “We are a group of col-

leagues that gather in fellowship. We choose to be a pluralistic group, and we don’t seek to represent any one group any more than any other,” Mack said. Dolinger said, “Some people look at us as the self-appointed authority of religion. But we aren’t a monolithic group in terms of views on anything. We come together to act for the greater good.” “We mainly study,” Dolinger continued. “It’s a beautiful thing to learn with other rabbis. We have an incredible group of rabbis in Rhode Island.” And the members weigh in on community issues and are actively involved with interfaith work. “We represent Jewish voices to the other faith communities,” said Rabbi Mack. She is currently in a group of clergy advising Gov. Gina Raimondo on reopening

Rhode Island during the coronavirus pandemic. The Board of Rabbis’ statements on public events are often issued in partnership with the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. The board, which is open to all ordained rabbis in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, recently announced leadership changes. In addition to Rabbi Dolinger as president, the current leadership includes Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser, of Temple Sinai in Cranston, vice president; and Rabbi Rachel Zerin, of Temple Emanu-El in Providence, secretary. Zerin replaces Rabbi Andrew Klein, of Temple Habonim in Barrington, who retired in June.

FRAN OSTENDORF ( fostendorf@ jewishallianceri.org) is the editor of Jewish Rhode Island.

HEA

BY FRAN OSTENDORF

R.I.’s Board of Rabbis: When to listen Coming together ‘to act for and when to Y L I VI the greater good’ TH speak

WE ALL HEAR AND WE ALL LISTEN, but there is a big difference between the two in quality and quantity. When we hear, we hear words. When PATRICIA we are not paying attention, we hear sound. RASKIN If we look attentive, we can often get away with not listening, but listening gives us – and the speaker – something far greater. When we listen, we listen for tone and inflections, and we see expressions. We pick up feelings and intent, especially if we listen well. We can even perceive when the words we hear are not sincere or heartfelt. Listening is an art and a great skill. If we learn to listen well, we can often get to the heart of the matter. The words we use also count. The well-known phrase “Treat others as you want to be treated” applies in all situations in both business and our personal lives. In Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks’ article, “The Spirituality of Listening,” at Aish.com, he states, “In revelation, God speaks to us. In prayer, we speak to God. If you want to understand any relationship, between husband and wife, or parent and child, or employer and employee, pay close attention to how they speak and listen to one another. Ignore everything else.” Here are some tips about when to be silent and when to speak, especially when working with clients:

• Talk when you have something to say that the other person wants to hear.

•

Listen when someone has something to tell you and needs to talk.

• Talk when you need to express yourself and the time is right.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

• Listen first in a new situation. Assess the environment and

speak when you can contribute to the topic or have an example to share.

• Set up appointments to talk with people who have busy schedules.

• When calling, don’t immediately launch into an in-depth conversation; ask the person if this is a good time to talk.

To learn more about Summer J-Camp and the measures put in place to ensure the safety of our campers, please visit jewishallianceri.org/summer-j-camp/ 401 Elmgrove Avenue Providence, RI 401.421.4111 jewishallianceri.org

Dwares Rhode Island

I have learned that people tend to listen when the words have meaning for them, and shut down when others talk too much or too fast, are repetitious, or say things that are not of interest. Interestingly, listening well is how we learn what to say and how to say it. Silence is golden – and so is speech when it’s balanced and meets the needs of both the speaker and the listener. “Listening lies at the very heart of relationships,” Sacks writes. “It means that we are open to the other, that we respect him or her, that their perceptions and feelings matter to us. We give them permission to be honest, even if this means making ourselves vulnerable in so doing. “A good parent listens to their child. A good employer listens to his or her workers. A good company listens to its customers or clients. A good leader listens to those he or she leads. “Listening does not mean agreeing but it does mean caring. Listening is the climate in which love and respect grow.” PATRICIA RASKIN, owner of Raskin Resources Productions, is a media host, podcast coach and award-winning radio producer and business owner. She serves on the board of directors of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence. She is a recipient of Providence Business News 2020 Leaders and Achievers award.

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EDUCATION

Outdoors, smaller, livestreaming: Hillels will continue to serve Jewish students Much is a work in progress at this point as the situation is very fluid.

BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE WITH THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR about to start, Jewish Rhode Island reached out to the heads of several of Rhode Island’s Hillels with questions on what changes the pandemic has brought to Jewish campus life. All of the schools we contacted will be open to students, but with some notable changes: these schools have all adopted hybrid classes, which combine in-person and online elements. They are also working to reduce occupancy density in dormitories and are adjusting dining protocols to meet social-distancing requirements. The following responses come from Rabbi Joshua Bolton, executive director of Brown RISD Hillel; Amy Olson, director of the University of Rhode Island Hillel; and Jason Patch, faculty adviser, Roger Williams University.

How has your Hillel responded to the pandemic thus far? What precautions have you taken, and how have these affected student engagement and interaction? Bolton: Brown RISD Hillel supported students in the spring to transition the entirety of its programming calendar to virtual platforms. We are preparing for the coming semester, anticipating that innovative and alternative models of engagement will be included in our pursuit of our mission of supporting and nurturing Jewish students and Jewish life on College Hill. Olson: When the shut-down began, most of our students were already at home. Hillel followed the state of Rhode Island and University of Rhode Island guidelines to close our building to the public and have our staff work mostly from home. But we never ceased working. We have been in touch with all of our students through text, email, phone calls and social media. For the incoming first-year students, [who are] starting at URI during this time of uncertainty, we are reaching out to them, helping them meet returning students who share the same major, and making sure that they know they have a friend and support system in Hillel.

What sort of programming does your Hillel have planned for the fall? Do you plan to have in-person gatherings, virtual events, or both?

Patch: Nothing specific to Hillel. RWU is working to create new common spaces outside. But all extra-curricular activities are still in progress. This will be difficult for Hillel, and all student organizations, as it is not possible to come together physically. But, I plan on recommending to our Hillel board to think about trying to have outdoor activities (such as a picnic Kabbalat Shabbat).

What are your Hillel’s plans for the High Holy Days? Bolton: We are developing a rich set of platforms and landing pads, both virtual and for small groups, for students to connect with the powerful meaning of this season both safely and with depth. Olson: It is likely that we will not be holding in-person High Holiday services. Hillel International, in partnership with Reboot, will be coordinating experiences and providing resources that will address some of our programming and educational priorities. Each experience will be designed to be viewed “watch-party” style with students, and can be used as a stand-alone program or integrated into a menu of options we might offer. Our hope is that each Hillel will find a way to gather students (digitally or in person) for framing, reflection, and personalized moments before and/or after the streaming services. Patch: My family belongs to Temple Emanu-El in Providence. My daughter had her Bat Mitzvah there in June. This was the first minyan and Torah service there since March. It was complicated: 10 people (clergy, family and friends) spread out over the entire sanctuary (which I think usually holds 400+ people), everyone wearing masks when sitting, physical distancing on the bimah, and they had the windows open and AC off. The service was livestreamed. My guess is that most students will take the [High Holy] days off and watch a live stream. That’s what I expect in my own life. MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Olson: We will follow URI and state of R.I. guidelines to determine what sort of in-person programming we can do. We will offer a variety of virtual events and hold many online “coffee conversations” in order to build meaningful Jewish relationships with our students. We are exploring improvements to our patio space to allow for expanded outdoor programming. We are facilitating the formation of micro-communities, so that students with common interests, majors, hobbies, etc. can be brought together for online conversations and activities.

PHDS looks to a safe opening PROVIDENCE HEBREW DAY SCHOOL makes student safety of paramount importance. To that end we have been following the guidelines of the governor and Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) for all reopening considerations. Our first step was the formation of a school reopening committee that consisted of the school’s administrators and education committee chair as well as technology expert, a physician and a lawyer. The school reviewed all the RIDE guidelines and the committee came up with a set of custom written plans that conform to the state’s various levels of opening. These have been posted on our website (www.phdschool.org/covid19) and were sent to all teachers and parents. We opened a two-week comment period that allowed our stakeholders

to ask any questions. Due to the size of our school, creating such plans was easier than for a larger school. The school is investing in sanitization equipment for the building, sanitizing stations throughout the building, plexiglass dividers, masks and other equipment needed to allow school to open should the state allow it. In addition, we have technology in place should we need to return to a distance-learning model or a hybrid model. We are also prepared to offer a distancelearning model to students who need it. We look forward to a safe opening of school, planned for Sept. 1, in the format deemed best by the state’s experts for all students and teachers. – Submitted by Providence Hebrew Day School

Limited spots remain for fall 2020 Barring a stay-at-home order from the Governor, Gordon plans to reopen campus for full-day, in-person classes, Monday to Friday for every grade in the fall.

Learn more and inquire now at gordonschool.org

Nursery through eighth grade • East Providence • gordonschool.org

16 | AUGUST 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

Summer in and arou

PHOTO| PHDS

t hasn’t been a typical summer thanks to the coron community still was able to worship, play and gard the sun, the daily minyan at Providence Hebrew Da at Jewish Collaborative Services’ Phyllis Siperstein fresh vegetables for the dining table. And we are al

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

und the community

navirus pandemic. But the Rhode Island Jewish den. Several day camps gave our children some fun in ay School met with social distancing and the garden n Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence gave residents l learning to be mindful of masks.

PHOTOS | GLENN OSMUNDSON

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

EDUCATION

JCDS adapts to the age of COVID-19 BY JOHN LANDRY Since the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island in March, the school has been adjusting to the new safety requirements while continuing to educate its students. In the spring, that meant learning online. Because children from pre-K to fifth grade learn tactilely, teachers and staff went out weekly to drop off a bag of learning materials at each house. The lessons for the following week incorporated those materials in activities such as creating a Haggadah together. To maintain a sense of community, every student received a “Together But Apart” T-shirt. The annual Zimriyah concert took place online, as did the talent show, which had the “silver lining” of increasing the audience. Teachers also scheduled regular one-onone video chats with students. And instead of a special visitors day, a photographer went around taking porch photos of students to send to grandparents and other loved ones. Even project-based learning, a hallmark of the Providence school, continued remotely. For years, third graders have researched a topic of their choosing. They learn how to find information and look at sources critically, and then how to present their new knowledge in a purposeful way. This student-centered work continued through the spring, with Zoom presentations in May.

For September, the school is tentatively planning to reopen on a full-time basis. The first day of school is Sept. 2. The current plan is for doors to open at 7:45 a.m., and the day will end at 3:15 p.m., or 1:45 on Fridays. All faculty and staff will wear masks. Students will wear masks as much as possible in the classrooms and when traveling between classrooms. When masks are not possible or interfere with instruction, other measures like physical distancing, plexiglass partitions, and outdoor classrooms will be employed. Drawing on a reopening taskforce of parents, community members and staff, including a pediatrician, psychologist, legal expert and technology coordinator, the current thinking is to fully separate classes. Each class will have its own restroom and will eat lunch separately. To give students more opportunity to socialize, outside recess will involve three separate bayteem (houses). Pre-K and kindergarten will be in one bayit (house), first through third in another, and fourth and fifth grades in a third. The school has also set up a separate isolation room in case any student or staff member suddenly develops symptoms.

A student learning at home in the spring

These plans, of course, depend on how the pandemic evolves. The Centers for Disease Control will issue new guidelines for the state in mid-August, and the JCDS will adjust if necessary. Zoom meetings with parents, and one with the kids, are set for August. Should the situation require a return to distance learning, the school will build on the protocols and pedagogy developed in the spring. JOHN LANDRY is a writer in Providence and the father of two alumni of the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island. His wife, Rochelle Rosen, serves on the board.

Jewish Roots Growing Community Through Art

Business Disputes

The “Jewish Roots” community art project is a collection of at-home activities designed to keep people creative and connected while also bringing us together as a community. The centerpiece of the project is a tree-shaped mosaic designed by renowned Judaica artist Nancy Katz. It will feature glass “gems” created by members of our diverse community, and will be permanently installed in the Dwares JCC lobby. Just as each piece of a mosaic is vibrant and unique on its own, so too are the people in our community. And when those individual pieces are brought together with common purpose, they’re able to create something much greater and more beautiful. Join us in building this representation of our amazing community. Everyone is welcome to participate, and no artistic talent is required. Learn more and sign up at jewishallianceri.org/jewishroots

For more information, contact Lisa Maybruch at lmaybruch@jewishallianceri.org

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COMMUNITY

OBITUARIES 25 | BUSINESS 23 | SIMCHAS & WE ARE READ 31

The High Holy Days 2020: ‘There are lots of ways to access our tradition’ BY MARC RUSSMAN WHETHER YOU PLAN TO PRAY ONLINE for the High Holy Days this year, or to dip apples in honey and hear the blasts of the shofar in temple, the Jewish New Year will arrive at sunset on Friday, Sept. 18. Will you be present for services or will COVID-19 keep you at home? Will the holidays be filled with regrets for what they should have been? Will 5781 be a sweet year? While no one can see the future, we can find inspiration and hope right now from rabbis in our community. The High Holy Days are more than just the 10 days encompassing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Hebrew months of Elul and Tishrei (before, during and after the High Holy Days) are full of special days for finding joy and reflecting, says Michael Fel, senior rabbi at Temple EmanuEl, in Providence. “In this trying time, we have to find hope and strength in other sources,” Rabbi Fel said, adding that he finds comfort in Psalm 27, which is read every day of Elul. Rabbi Fel sees the last phrase of the Psalm as a call for resilience. It reads, in part, “… be strong and of good courage.” Preparation for the High Holy Days is an outdoors experience for Project Shoresh, a Rhode Island-based community service organization. “Before Rosh Hashanah, we are going to walk to Israel,” said Rabbi Naftali Karp, the project director, explaining that if 60 participants walk just a mile or so each day for the 60 days leading up to Rosh Hashanah, the collective team of walkers will cover the 5,506 miles from Providence to Tel Aviv. “The walk to Israel is an expression of our unity as a Jewish people and a show of support for our homeland,” said Rabbi Karp. “Our goal is to keep people connected. It’s good to exercise, too.” If you think about it, walking is an important part of our heritage. After all, Abraham was a walker. Walking is also a wonderful way to get outdoors and remain at a safe social distance. Rabbi Yossi Laufer, spiritual leader of Chabad of West Bay, in Warwick, practically bubbles over with enthusiasm about the approaching High Holy Days. If there is a potentially positive outcome from COVID-19, Rabbi Laufer is determined to find it and share it with the community. “You don’t need big buildings, long services, or even rabbis, to be fully Jewish in how you think, act and perform mitzvot,” Rabbi Laufer said. “When it comes to spirituality, you have to have the right state of

mind. Spirituality is very individual.” Rabbi Laufer said that during the pandemic, “We might need to find new avenues to express our Judaism.” He thinks that the most important moment of Rosh Hashanah is hearing the shofar – in person. But Rabbi Laufer makes the point that there is no law requiring a Jew to hear a “professional” shofar blower. He has been teaching Jews how to toot their own horn for more than 20 years. Learning to blow a shofar reinforces Rabbi Laufer’s conviction that Judaism is highly personal. For many American Jews, the High Holy Days are about showing up. Being present confirms membership in the tribe. In a year where physical presence often isn’t possible, what will fill the gap? Temple Emanu-El has a large congregation, making it challenging to reach each family in a personal way. But that’s the plan, explained Rabbi Fel. Each family will receive a gift bag for the holidays with apples and honey, arts and crafts for the kids, study sheets, service schedules and a few surprises to make the holidays at home sweeter. “We need to empower congregants so they can do this comfortably at home. We are working hard to create meaningful experiences,” Rabbi Fel said. Sarah Mack, acting senior rabbi at Temple Beth-El, in Providence, recognizes that her congregants are grateful that the temple has taken their health concerns into account by deciding quite early to offer remote services. A core value of the temple is to do no harm, so remote services were the only choice, she said. “We can find meaning through a mix of worship, including livestreaming, prerecorded music and smaller, more private Zooms,” said Rabbi Mack. “There are lots of ways to access our tradition.” Some Jews look upon the High Holy Days as an opportunity to remember the past, and to reflect on the present and rekindle beliefs. Being present physically isn’t required. “Our job [at Temple Beth-El] is to be there with a connection to the familiar and our

The September issue of Jewish Rhode Island will have a list of area congregations and how they plan to celebrate the High Holy Days this year.

values,” said Rabbi Mack. Tashlikh is one of those fun, memorable family-friendly Jewish activities with a low barrier to participation. It is typically conducted on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, unless it falls on Shabbat, which is the case this year; Tashlikh will take place the second day of the holiday this year. Tashlikh requires throwing pieces of bread into a flowing body of water, thus symbolically casting away your sins from the previous year. Rabbi Fel is embracing this practice during the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, with gatherings of small groups. “You never know when you’ll find a spiritual opportunity,” he said. Rabbi Mack wondered if “maybe there is a silver lining” to the virus.” “It makes you focus on what is most essential and most important,” she said. “With great uncertainty comes great possibility.” MARK RUSSMAN (marc.russman@gmail.com) is a freelance writer on topics of Jewish interest.

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COMMUNITY

Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman is the new leader of Temple Habonim BY FRAN OSTENDORF HOWARD VOSS-ALTMAN is settling into his new role as rabbi of Temple Habonim, in Barrington. No stranger to Rhode Island, Voss-Altman was the senior rabbi at Temple Beth-El, in Providence, for five years. Now, he says

Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman

he’s looking forward to leading a smaller, more intimate congregation. First and foremost, Voss-Altman said, he hopes to continue the warm and welcoming atmosphere that Rabbi Andrew Klein and Rabbi James Rosenberg built over 40 years at Habonim. Rabbi Voss-Altman’s tenure began July 1. Because of the coronavirus, temple activities continue virtually, including worship. “I expected to have a normal transition,” Rabbi Voss-Altman said. “I don’t have a new culture to learn. I’m familiar with the Jewish community.” But, as we’ve all learned, a virtual community is a little different. “For me, the hardest part is that I can’t greet our congregants,” he said. “For rabbis, that’s particularly challenging. That means no giving hugs, shaking hands.” Rabbi Voss-Altman said

his challenge will be to keep congregants engaged until everyone can come together again. “Our work is going to be defined by our ability to keep people engaged virtually,” he said. “We are at a crossroads [in Judaism]. We need greater engagement with Jewish identity. I hope we can establish programming to create that engagement.” He continued, “I feel very privileged to be able to represent the Jewish people in the Reform movement in such a heimish [friendly, familiar] and beautiful community.” He expressed gratitude for the friendship and mentorship of Rabbis Klein and Rosenberg, as well as Temple Beth-El’s Rabbi Emeritus, Leslie Y. Gutterman. “I love Rhode Island,” said Rabbi Voss-Altman, who grew up in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and spent 13 years as rabbi of

B’nai Tikvah in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “I love the quality of life here. We love our neighbors. When this opportunity came up, it enabled our family to stay in Rhode Island and to stay in touch.” Rabbi Voss-Altman and his wife, Annie Voss-Altman, will continue to live in the East Side of Providence. They have three children: Adi is a senior at Classical High School, Judah is in college and Emilie has graduated college and is working. In announcing Voss-Altman’s hiring to the community, Temple Habonim issued a statement saying, “We look forward to a partnership in spirituality, in Jewish education for all ages, in social jus-

tice advocacy, and in nurturing the connection that helps define Temple Habonim.” Rabbi Voss-Altman was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, in Cincinnati. He is a member of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island and serves on the board of the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty. He has been an advocate for legislation on behalf of public health and safety, fair wages, and fair housing, among other issues. FRAN OSTENDORF ( fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org) is the editor of Jewish Rhode Island.

Volunteers sought at two boarding schools in Israel BY JEWISH RHODE ISLAND STAFF COLLEGE GRADUATES through the age of 30 are eligible to volunteer at two boarding schools for at-risk children in Rhode Island’s partner community, Afula, Israel, and the Gilboa region of Israel. This is an opportunity to learn Hebrew, teach English, travel in Israel and make new friends with other 20-somethings from the U.S. and Israel. Accommodations, food and travel within Israel are included, as well as a monthly stipend. Mornings will be spent teaching and tutoring English in small groups. During the afternoons, the volunteers will engage in fun informal activities, along with staff members. Every other weekend will be free. The Emunah Childrens Center is seeking two young religious women, and Beit Singer is seeking two young people regardless of Jewish background. Emunah Childrens Center is in Afula and Beit Singer is in a nearby village, southeast of Afula.

Afula is situated in the Jezreel Valley of the lower Galilee, about an hour from Haifa and an hour and a half from Tel Aviv. The program is sponsored by the MASA division of the Jewish Agency for Israel. In addition to a monthly stipend, all travel expenses in Israel are covered, including field trips, as well as food, accommodations, health insurance, a cellphone and educational seminars. Multiple grants have reduced the participant fee to airfare and $5,000, which the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island will subsidize for residents of the greater R.I. area through age 26. Upon arrival, volunteers will be expected to quarantine at the boarding schools for two weeks to control the spread of COVID-19. The program begins in October and runs to August 2021. Applications are being accepted until Sept. 1. For more details, contact Amir at amir@ jewishnewbedford.org or Achiya at AchiyaB@jafi. org.

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COMMUNITY

Providence Hebrew Day School moves its annual awards program online BY RUCHAMA SZENDRO THE PROVIDENCE HEBREW DAY School’s 73rd annual awards program will be held on Sunday, Sept. 6, but the usual presentation at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center is being replaced by a virtual celebration and drive-up/pick-up family-style dinner. The program will feature the award ceremonies, a performance by world-renowned composer and singer Rabbi Baruch Levine, and a special video presentation celebrating “The Heartbeat of our Community.” The video highlights the Providence Hebrew Day School as home to the Providence Community Kollel, Congregation Sha’arei Tefilla and Project Shoresh – the intersection of four vital Jewish institutions under one roof. The school will also salute Avrohom Dovid Winter, who will be honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award, and Reuven (Russell) Yavner, who will receive the Alumnus Award. Winter is the founder and principal consultant of Winter Solutions, Inc., of Boston, which provides technology consulting and management for small businesses, nonprofits and educational institutions around the country. Winter gave of his time, knowledge and resources to rapidly implement a robust remote-learning solution that meets PHDS’ rigorous internet safety standards, while laying the foundation for educational technology in years to come.

Through the generous funding of NEAT Inc. and a matching campaign, managed Chromebooks were given to each student. Invaluable direction was provided by Winter’s friend and colleague, Muataz Al Mufti, an expert in K-12 internet safety. Winter lives in Sharon, Massachusetts, with his wife and greatest supporter, Esti. He says he is the proud father and stepfather of 10 “unique and incredible young people.” Yavner, a 2002 graduate of the Providence Hebrew Day School and the son of David and Esta Yavner, is assistant general counsel for the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center, where he provides legal counsel for the business and basketball operations of the NBA team and its arena. Yavner graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland, where he was the recipient of the W.E. Sclaretzki Prize for graduating first in the Philosophy Department. He then worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative correspondent for Congressman Patrick Kennedy and later for Congressman David Cicilline, before attending Harvard Law School. At Harvard, Yavner was awarded the Edward C. Smith Scholarship, received the Paul C. Weiler writing prize, and was a senior editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. After graduating from law school, Yavner worked in the litigation department of an international law firm before moving into his current role in

Reuven (Russell) Yavner

Avrohom Dovid Winter

2015. Yavner is an active member of his community and previously served as the president of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Synagogue while his wife, Talia, was a medical student. Yavner resides in Kew Gardens Hills, New York, along with his wife and their two sons, Gavriel and Leo. The awards program promises to be an inspiring event despite being

virtual. To order dinner, get more information about the program or make a contribution in honor of the event, please visit https://phdschool.org/ amudim or send an email to pscheinerman@phdschool.org.

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RUCHAMA SZENDRO lives in Providence and is a member of the Amudim Awards committee at Providence Hebrew Day School.

22 | AUGUST 2020

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Beth-El continues religious school transformation BY FRAN OSTENDORF SEVERAL YEARS AGO, the folks at Temple BethEl’s Rabbi Leslie Yale Gutterman Religious School had a dream of remaking their education program for busy modern families. At the time, Rachel Mersky Woda, now director of BethEl’s Youth & Family Engagement, said, “We feel strongly that people should feel good about being here.” The school instituted flexible programming, working around the needs of families. Requirements like Shabbat dinners were included in tuition. They called it a culture of “yes.” This year, the school is taking the next step in this evolution, announcing to the congregation recently that the school will be available to all members at no cost. There will still be a fee for B’nei Mitzvah preparation. The COVID-19 crisis has forced the school’s leadership, which includes Rabbi Sarah Mack, Mersky Woda, Carl Shulman and Joie Magnone, to rethink the way they teach. Programming will be held remotely for now, in keeping

with programming for the rest of the Temple Beth-El community. “We are thinking about how to navigate the current life situation through a Jewish lens,” said Mersky Woda, adding that this lets all members of the community know that “we see you and we know you are here.” “We want people to feel that this is one less thing they have to worry about. We are going to plan something and do it well.” She said, “Judaism teaches you to do good. We have a tremendous opportunity to remind kids that they are special. Why can’t we do that through Zoom? This is creating Judaism in real time.” Mersky Woda credited a lot of innovation and creativity for the school’s growth. She said students enjoy attending. The investment in Jewish education now, she said, will make children lifelong learners and keep them in the community. FRAN OSTENDORF (fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org) is the editor of Jewish Rhode Island.

Beth-El names new Youth & Family Engagement coordinator CARL SHULMAN is the new Youth & Family Engagement coordinator at Temple BethEl, in Providence. Shulman spent the last five years at Temple Etz Chaim in Franklin, Massachusetts, as their Senior Youth Engagement advisor working with teens, parents and clergy to implement short- and long-term goals for youth leadership and institutional organization. He was also the Haverim Coordinator, creating experiential programming using cooking, the arts, the environment and the media through a Jewish lens for teens from Etz Chaim and Temple Beth Torah, a Conservative synagogue in Holliston, Massachusetts. In 2018, Shulman joined the staff at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, Massachusetts, as a Jewish Learning Guide where he worked on curriculum development, worship planning, service projects, outreach programs and retreats. When not in the synagogue, you will find Shulman on Lake Baboosic in Amherst, New Hampshire, where he has been the Waterfront Director for Camp Young Judaea for almost a decade. Shulman said he loves Jewish education because he “grew up in a community that valued it, went to a Jewish summer camp that lived it and now it is my turn to create the framework and foundation to help grow a generation of cultural producers, not just cultural consumers.”

The Rev. David Kale: Keeping Judaism alive in Northern Ireland BY SHAI AFSAI IN THE SUMMER OF 2018, sponsored by a grant awarded to my synagogue, Providence’s Congregation Beth Sholom, I traveled to Ireland and Northern Ireland to learn about Jewish life and contemporary literature relating to Jews there. I was accompanied by my brother, Amir Afsai, a journalist who teaches Hebrew at Sts. Tarkmanchatz Armenian School, in Jerusalem, and is familiar with conflict zones. Like Jerusalem, Belfast is a city marred by political and sectarian strife, and Belfast’s Jewish residents cannot avoid its engrained societal divisions. Over the past several decades, many Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland have taken to using the Arab-Israeli conflict as a proxy for their own political and sectarian tensions. More Palestinian than Irish flags decorate various Catholic Belfast neighborhoods, while in Protestant areas there are murals praising the state of Israel. My brother and I attended services at the Belfast Jewish Community, Northern Ireland’s last remaining syna-

gogue. When we met the Rev. David Kale, it was only his second Shabbat as the community’s religious leader. The congregation was tremendously warm and welcoming to us, and Kale gave me the honor of delivering the Shabbat morning discourse at the conclusion of the services. I spoke on the topic of Benjamin Franklin’s influence on Judaism. The following day, I visited Kale at his home, which is a short walk from the Belfast synagogue and was also the home of previous religious leaders. The edited exchange below is drawn from that initial conversation with Rabbi Kale at his Belfast home, from a roundtable discussion held at the synagogue with Kale and other members of the congregation, and from ongoing email correspondence. I had hoped for another chance for us to see each other in person, but COVID-19 intervened.

You are a reverend, or minister. Neither of these are titles that Jews today in America would associate with synagogue leadership. A reverend is an experi-

enced and qualified person who is authorized by the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth to carry out all the duties of a rabbi, or to act as hazzan [cantor] of a shul [synagogue], without having semicha [rabbinic ordination]. A reverend carries out all the duties that a pulpit rabbi in America would carry out. Being a trained hazzan also carries with it the title of “reverend.” There are very few reverends today. The position is going to become extinct.

What led you to enter the ministry?

I wanted to become a rabbi from an early age. My maternal grandfather was the rav [rabbi] of Machzikei Hadas, in London’s East End. He came from Lithuania. My paternal grandfather came from Lodz, in Poland, and was a founding member of the Ilford Federation Synagogue. I attended Etz Chayim Yeshiva in Golders Green, in Northwest London, and trained privately to become a hazzan, a ba’al koreh [Torah reader] and a ba’al tekiah [“master of the blast”]. I have been a ba’al koreh and ba’al tekiah since the age of 13.

Rev. David Kale I grew up in Bournemouth, a seaside resort, which had about six big Kosher hotels catering solely for Jewish people, similar to the hotels that were in the Catskills [in upstate New York] in America. Every hotel had its own shul and Shabbat services. Sometimes they had weekday services as well. The mashgichim [Kosher food supervisors] were also

retired hazzanim [cantors], and some gave derashot [sermons] too. When these men went out of town on holiday, they needed someone to lead prayers and lein [chant from the Torah] in their place, and my late father, alav hashalom [peace be upon him], would volunteer me to substitute for them. When I was 15, I started shofar-blowing at one of these CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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their big-picture financial goals. On the household front, taking aim at potential sources of financial anxiety with small but meaningful steps is key to relieving pressure and maintaining a firm handle on your finances. Here are some suggestions from financial planners JASON E. SIPERSTEIN around the country: • Start with some deep breathing. Spend a few minutes focused just on breathing from the base of your belly, up, then slowly out. A brisk walk, jog, run, meditation, yoga or some other form of exercise also helps to relieve stress and reframe mindsets to make you feel better about things. • Prioritize what is most important to you financially in the short term. Is it debt reduction? Reducing

IF YOU’RE STRESSED about your financial situation, if you’re worried about covering your expenses from week to week and month to month, if you’re fretting about your employment status or about finding work after losing your job, if you’re concerned about your health and anxious about what the future holds, you are not alone. Pervasive feelings of concern, worry, stress and anxiety have accompanied the coronavirus outbreak. And for many people, the source of these feelings goes well beyond financial issues. Anxiety about finances, health and the like can produce a sense of inertia, an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness that can lead to inaction. This inaction can cause a person to lose a grip on their day-to-day financial responsibilities, as well as

may now be as few as 300 Jews here, most of whom are not young. What drew you to minister to Belfast’s synagogue?

I consider it to be vital to keep alive all shuls, no matter where they are situated. In my personal opinion, it is so hard to build a shul. It is very easy to close one down. Years ago, Northern Ireland had several shuls. It is now down to just one. This shul must not be allowed to disappear. If, God forbid, it was to disappear, there would be no Jewish representation whatsoever in Northern Ireland. I also think that we should strive to keep communities going no matter where they are situated. If we do not do this, then in the United Kingdom, for example, there will only be Jewish life in London and Manchester. If we do not support the smaller communities, they will disappear.

How has it been to be part of such a relatively small

household spending? Finding a job? Applying for some form of government relief? It probably won’t be possible to attack everything at once, so pick what matters most to you. • Visualize what success will feel like. Mentally go into the future and experience the other side of accomplishing your goal. The more real you make that feeling on the other side of the goal, the higher your likelihood of success – so don’t just say you want to get out of debt, go there in your head. How does that feel? Embrace that positivity! • Reward yourself for successes. An action plan with steps gives you a manageable way to reach your goals and plenty of opportunities to celebrate small wins along the way. Be sure to reward yourself (and others in your household) for achieving a goal or taking an important step toward that goal. • Regularly unplug from media.

congregation, with about 70 members?

The Belfast Jewish Community is known for being warm, kind, considerate and caring. It tries very hard to reach out and welcome all Jews. Its doors are always open to visitors, who are welcomed with open arms. Serving a small community is very important. It needs someone to guide them more than a large community. When you are in a small community, a few people carry the burden. Everyone is needed and you feel connected. It is like a family. People look out for one another. They look forward to visitors more and hope people will move in. A small community has a lot to offer.

Were you already familiar with the Belfast Jewish Community before this position opened up? I have known about the Belfast Jewish Community since I was a child. It has an illustrious history. One of

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its former rabbanim [rabbis] was Rabbi Isaac Herzog, who served the Belfast community from 1916 to 1919, and then became the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the state of Israel. Rabbi Herzog’s son, Chaim, was born in Cliftonpark Avenue in Belfast. [A plaque marking Chaim Herzog’s birthplace was taken down in 2014 after anti-Israel graffiti was sprayed on the building and objects were hurled at it.] He later became the sixth president of the state of Israel.

Northern Ireland is known for entrenched sectarian strife. Has this affected how you see your role?

I have done interfaith work for many years. The chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, Ephraim Mirvis, feels there should be interfaith work among rabbis wherever they live. This will also help to combat anti-Semitism and reduce a feeling of being threatened by one another. Relationships between Jewish and non-Jewish people saved lives during the Holocaust. My grandfather … gave tzedakah [charity] to the nuns who came around. He said, and believed, you must also show non-Jews respect. I have a role in interfaith work and in ensuring and promoting better understanding among the faiths. I am here to serve the Jewish population, and maybe make Belfast more religiously vibrant.

The COVID-19 outbreak has deeply altered the Jewish communal experience in Rhode Island. How has it impacted your efforts in Belfast?

We are in total lockdown [since the end of March], so there are no services or meetings in shul. I try to send an email every day to congregants. I also send a very lengthy newsletter, which not only contains news and details of members’ yahrzeits but an in-depth look at the sidrah [Torah portion] of the week and the haftarah. I phone every congregant at least once a week, and sometimes two or three times. There is a saying, “every cloud has a silver lining.” The [COVID-19] silver lining for me is that I have built up a rapport with several members who have not attended synagogue for years. I have discovered a few Jewish people that the synagogue did not know existed – and in a small community, every single person is extremely important. SHAI AFSAI (shaiafsai.com) lives in Providence. His article, “A Persistent Interest in the Other: Gerry Mc Donnell’s Writings on Irish Jews,” was published in Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review (Autumn 2019). A longer version of his interview with Reverend Kale was published in The Jerusalem Report in July 2020.

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY | OBITUARIES Sunya Aiken, 91 BOYNTON BEACH, FLA. – Sunya Aiken, formerly of Providence, passed away on July 6. She is survived by her husband Herbert and children Maxine (Elliott) Freedman and Marc Aiken. She was the sister of Corinne Resnick and Arthur Newman. She was the grandmother of Zissy (Nuriel) Kramer, Levi and Moshe. She was the greatgrandmother of Hadassa.

Sylvia Bloomberg, 96 WEST WARWICK, R.I. – Sylvia R. Bloomberg passed away on July 20 at HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center. She was the wife of the late Sheldon Bloomberg. Born in Central Falls, a daughter of the late Jacob and Rebecca (Miller) Rosen, she had lived in Cranston, previously living in West Warwick and Pawtucket. She was a graduate of Bryant Business College. Sylvia was a member of Temple Beth-El and a life member of Hadassah. She was the mother of Lawrence Bloomberg of Cranston; Anne Young and her husband, Stewart, of Story, Wyoming; and the late Roger Bloomberg. She was the sister of the late Milton and J. Leo Rosen. She was the grandmother of Asher and Abraham. She was the great-grandmother of Jackson, Bella, Madelyn, Garrison, Alivia and Paisley. She was the aunt to three nieces and one nephew. Contributions in her memory may be made to HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center, 1085 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02904 or the charity of your choice.

Jeffrey Bookbinder, 71 WARWICK, R.I. – Jeffrey G. Bookbinder died July 2 at home. He was the husband of Joan Susan (Levine) Bookbinder for 21 years. Born in Providence, a son of the late Richard and Dorothy (Zarum) Bookbinder, he had lived in Warwick for 47 years, previously living in Cranston. He was a master plumber and pipe fitter followed by a long career as a chief estimator. Jeff was a member of Temple Torat Yisrael and Touro Fraternal Association. He was a master orchid grower and a member of the Ocean State Orchid Society, where he had served as president. He enjoyed fishing, boating, golfing and vacationing in Punta Gorda, Florida. He was the father of Evan Bookbinder and wife Kelli,

of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Lyle Bookbinder of Tampa, Florida. He was the stepfather of Jennie Tanner and husband Russell, of Sacramento, California; and of Jonathan Kay and wife Kristin, of Easton, Massachusetts. He was the brother of Bruce Bookbinder and wife Suzanne, of Wrentham, Massachusetts; and Edward Bookbinder of Jamestown. He was the grandfather of Jacob, Elissa, Ari, Benjamin, Dylan and Riley. Contributions in his memory may be made to Hope Hospice, 1085 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02904 or Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Rd., East Greenwich, RI 02818.

Carol Brooklyn, 88 CRANSTON, R.I. – Carol R. Brooklyn died July 9 at Stillwater Assisted Living, in Greenville. She was the wife of Edwin Brooklyn for 65 years. Born in Providence, a daughter of the late John and Annette (Berger) Rouslin, she had lived in Cranston for 60 years, previously living in Providence. Carol was a commercial real estate agent. She was a graduate of Brown University, president of the Brown University Resumed Education Alumni Association, former member of Temple Sinai where she served as vice president, a member of the Cranston School Committee for 12 years, vice chairman of the City of Cranston Charter Review Commission, a Girl Scout leader, member of the RI School Board Association, former president of Volunteers in RI Schools, former president of the Cranston League of Women Voters, member of the NCJW-RI Section and the RI Attorney General’s Domestic Violence Task Force. Carol loved to travel with Edwin and her four children. One of the most memorable was the three-week car ride around the Southwestern U.S. in the ’70s, in a rented station wagon. Family was so important, and there were many happy gatherings through the years. She was the mother of John R. Brooklyn and his partner Cara Hart, of Burlington, Vermont; Alex Brooklyn and his partner Teri Molloy, of Saunderstown; Nancy Brooklyn of Bountiful, Utah; and Susan Brooklyn of East Greenwich. She was the sister of the late Richard Rouslin. She was the grandmother of Chelsea, Amanda, Roshi, Brooklyn, Emma and Kensington.

Contributions in her memory may be made to NCJW, 2055 L St. SW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036 or your favorite charity.

Sanford Coren, 90 CRANSTON, R.I. – Sanford F. Coren died peacefully at home on July 20, surrounded by his family. He was the husband of Esther (Fischer) Coren; the couple celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in June. Born in Providence, a son of the late Barney and Sarah (Frank) Coren, his first five years were spent in New York before his family moved back to Providence. He then moved to Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1940, where he graduated in from Boston English High School in 1948. After school, he served in the Korean War, and shortly after leaving the service he met his lifelong partner, Esther, in Providence. Sanford worked in a variety of industries, including as a salesperson for Gold Bond Mattress and selling men’s accessories for Shield and R.A. Hickok. Sanford owned two Singer stores, and Vacuum & Phones Plus on Rolfe Street in Cranston. He repaired sewing machines and vacuums at All Brands in Cranston for many years, before retiring at 80. Sanford and Esther hosted their extended family for the Jewish holidays for many spirited meals in their home. Everyone looked forward to their brisket and latkes, but the star of those meals were the potato knishes made by Sanford. A member of Temple BethEl, Sanford had a lifelong love of reading, history, Providence College basketball, the New England Patriots, trains, cooking and his family. Sanford is survived by his wife, Esther; son Richard Coren and wife, Carrie, of Cranston; daughter Cheryl Botwick and husband, Steven, of East Greenwich. His grandchildren were his pride and joy: granddaughter Blake Coren; grandson Jeffrey Botwick and his wife Laurel Greenfield; and grandson Zachary Botwick. He is also survived by his sister, Donna Kornblatt of Melville, New York; and many nieces and nephews. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Temple

Beth-El of Providence, Rhode Island.

Seymour Davis, 94 WEST WARWICK, R.I. – Seymour Davis died July 30 at HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center. He was the husband of the late Rosalie (Levy) Davis. Born in Providence, a son of the late Henry and Ada (Broomfield) Davis. Seymour was a WWII Navy veteran. He was the father of Ellen Graboyes (Glenn) of Lake Worth, Florida; Alan Davis of Warwick; Frank Davis of Stoughton, Massachusetts; and Marilyn Glantz (Jonathan) of Cranston. He was the brother of Ruth Perlow of Tamarac, Florida; Roslyn Gabrilowitz of Narragansett; and Maurice Davis of Warwick. He was the grandfather of Sheri, Heather, Lesley, Evan, Joshua, Daniel, Jessica and Andrew. He was the great-grandfather of Rachel and Benjamin Keehn and Theodore Glantz. Contributions in his memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

Seymour Dill, 89 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Seymour (Sy) Dill died July 27. Sy was born Jan. 26, 1931 in the Bronx, New York to Sarah and Jack Dill. He graduated from Taft High School in the Bronx, earned a bachelor’s degree from City College of New York and a master’s degree from The New School for Social Research. He served in the Korean War. He met his wife, Judi, in 1964, and they stayed the most loving of partners for 55 years. After they met, he founded Jack Dill Associates, an executive recruiting firm that he successfully ran for many years. Sy had many passions and was a unique force of life. He was a voracious consumer of books of all kinds and possessed extensive knowledge that he loved to share. Since moving to Providence in 2003, he and Judi immersed themselves in the arts scene. They became the driving force behind the a sculpture of local “son” and Broadway legend George M. Cohan, which can be seen in Fox Point. Sy’s most consuming interest was the continued

success of the State of Israel. As a teen, he raised money to buy arms for Israeli’s prior to the founding of the nation in 1948. He worked tirelessly for Israel throughout his entire life. He traveled with his family to Israel several times and, between 1969-1971, lived on a kibbutz with them where he taught English and worked in the chicken coop. In addition to his wife, Judi, he is survived by three children and their spouses: Pamela (Pnina) and Marc Ardizzone, of Providence; Josh and Jennifer Dill of Baltimore, Maryland; and Mathias Dill and Jenna Mate of Hillsdale, New Jersey. His brother Marvin Dill and spouse Joan Dill live in Franklin, Massachusetts. He leaves behind seven grandchildren: Dahlia, Yaakov, Basya, Ezra, SarahLeiba, Sadie and Ella.

Robert Fain, 76 NORTH SCITUATE, R.I. – Robert Fain died July 18 at home. Born in Providence, a son of the late Daniel and Ruth (Max) Fain, he had lived in North Scituate, previously living in Providence. He was a career social worker for the state of Rhode Island, retiring over 10 years ago. He was deeply committed to social issues, including fair and affordable housing, and equal rights. He donated regularly to the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. Robert was the founder of Stop Wasting Abandoned Property (S.W.A.P.). He was the brother of the late Gilbert and Herbert Fain. He leaves several nieces, nephews and cousins, including Sandi, Steven, Mitchell, Howard, Marc and Jerry Fain; Terri Ciolfi; and Roberta Arsac. Please direct any donations to: SWAP, Stop Wasting Abandoned Property, c/o Carol Varden, Cvarden@swapinc. org, 439 Pine St., Providence, RI 02907 (All donations will be acknowledged).

Susan Field, 84 CRANSTON, R.I. – Susan Linda Field died July 2 at Kent Hospital. She was the beloved wife of the late Lawrence H. Field. Susan was born in New York City, the daughter of the late Bernard and Hilda Kaplan of Swampscott, Massachusetts. She had lived in Cranston for 51 years and raised three sons while teaching elementary school CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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OBITUARIES in the Cranston school system until her retirement. Susan was the original helicopter mom, long before someone invented the term. She sacrificed her own career to raise a family and make sure her children lived their dreams. Some children aren’t fond of helicoptering parenting, but it is undeniable that her technique worked. She gifted her sons with a love of reading, writing and lifelong learning. They returned the favor with four grandchildren who adored their Grandma Shu Shu. Susan is survived by her sons Andrew Field of North Bethesda, Maryland; Scott Field of Center Valley, Pennsylvania; Adam Field of San Diego, California; and her grandchildren Rachael Field of Los Angeles California; and Juliana, Jessica and Joshua Field of Center Valley, Pennsylvania. Contributions in Susan’s memory may be made to your favorite charity.

Marsha Goldfine, 76 NAPLES, FLA. – Marsha Goldfine died July 30 at Aston Gardens in Naples. She was the wife of Dr. Melvin Goldfine for 55 years, mother to Stephanie Goldfine (David Gildea) of Washington, D.C.; Dr. Hilari Dunn (Dr. Timothy Dunn) of Bethesda, Maryland, and the late Seth Goldfine. Her grandsons Connor Dunn, Wyatt Dunn and Benjamin Gildea were her pride and joy. Marsha was born in Bethesda, daughter of the late Kalman and Bernice (Sher) Forman; and dear sister of Spencer Forman (Louise) of New Jersey and Florida and Jeffrey Forman (Kathi) of California. She lived in Naples for over 20 years, after raising her family in Rhode Island. She was an energetic person, who always put maximum effort into all her pursuits. She trained as a medical technician at Northeastern University. Among her many roles, she was the office manager for her husband’s dental office for 12 years and she worked as a fashion model in both Rhode Island and Florida. She was an endless cheerleader for her children and grandchildren, and always maintained an open door to them and their friends. Marsha was also a publicity chairman for the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer of Southwest Florida and on the executive board of the Rhode Island Women’s Golf Association. She was a member of Temple

Emanu-El in Providence and Beth Tikvah in Naples; a life member of Hadassah and on the executive board of Hadassah in Florida. Contributions in her memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

Helen Kilberg, 100 CRANSTON, R.I. – Helen Kilberg died June 27 at Oakland Grove Nursing Home. She was the wife of the late Charlie Kilberg and Elliot Berkowitz. Born in Providence, a daughter of the late Arthur and Maud (Perelman) Harriet, she was a longtime resident of Cranston. Helen was a member of Temple Sinai, Hadassah and various local Jewish organizations. She enjoyed line dancing in her younger years. She was the mother of Jason Berkowitz of Winterhaven, Florida. She was the sister of Melvin Harriet, and Mollie Rich. She was the grandmother of Laura and Evan. She was the great-grandmother of Benjamin and Henry (“Huck”). Contributions in her memory may be made to Chabad of West Bay, 3871 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886.

Estelle Klemer, 95 LEXINGTON, MASS. – Estelle Robinson Klemer, formerly of Pawtucket, passed away July 18 in Lexington, Massachusetts, where she had lived for the last three years with her daughter and son-in-law, Carol and George Sacerdote. She was the wife

of the late Bernard Klemer and the late Arnold Robinson. Born in Quincy, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of the late Abraham and Minnie (Rubin) Liberman. Estelle received an associate’s degree from Bentley School of Accounting and Finance, now Bentley University. As Mrs. Robinson, she was the co-proprietor of Randall Hardware on Orms Street in Providence and then, after Arnold’s death, the sole proprietor on North Main Street for nearly 30 years at a time when it was uncommon for a woman to take the helm of this kind of business. After the store was sold in 1977 and her remarriage to Bob Klemer, she devoted herself to charitable work, including being chair of the board of the Jewish Home for the Aged; president of the Miriam Hospital Women’s Association and board member of the Miriam Hospital; and vice president of multiple committees and honorary vice president for life at Temple Emanu-El, all in Providence. She was instrumental in the establishment of Tamarisk Assisted Living and Shalom Apartments in Warwick and Jewish Eldercare of Rhode Island. She received the Maurice Glicksman Leadership Award, which recognized her exceptional commitment to the elderly of Rhode Island. She was also honored by the Miriam Hospital Women’s Association and Temple Emanu-El. She is survived by her daughters Carol Robinson Sacerdote and her husband, George; and Lisa Robinson Schoeller and her husband, Richard; grandchildren

David Sacerdote (Dorothy), Michael Sacerdote (Mirinda Gillespie), Melissa Schoeller, and Jonathan Schoeller; and great-grandchildren Nathan, Daniel and Lyra Sacerdote. She was the sister of the late Harold Lazarus. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Bernard and Estelle Klemer Endowment Fund at Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or The Estelle Klemer Healing Artworks Fund at the Miriam Hospital Women’s Association, Miriam Hospital, 164 Summit Ave, Providence, RI 02906 (this fund purchases original artwork for patient rooms at the hospital); or the charity of your choice.

Alvin A. Kurzer, 86

CRANSTON, R.I. – Longtime Rhode Island resident Alvin A. Kurzer died at his Cranston home on July 2, surrounded by family. The Brooklyn native was an engineer, entrepreneur and artist. After graduating as the top textile engineer in his class from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1954, Al married the love of his life, Rosalind (Roz) Silverman, in 1955. After serving two years in the Air Force, Al moved

to Rhode Island to set up a textile thread manufacturing business. Al went on to found Formtex Inc., manufacturing polyurethane reaction injection molding (RIM) products such as shoe soles and armrests. Among many achievements, Al manufactured the inner soles for Nike sneakers, parts for heart valves, parts for NASA’s Apollo program, and he was one of the first to put a design pattern in latex thread, which was used in the Playtex “Fingertip Girdle.” Al was incredibly accomplished, though quite modest, self-effacing and very kind. Besides his professional achievements, he was a wrestler and gymnast in college; he also excelled in the martial arts, ice skating and tennis. Al pivoted from manufacturing, completing his MFA at Rhode Island College in 1993. Al joined the Providence Art Club, where he was known as much for his wisdom, friendship and irreverent sense of humor, as he was for his gifts as an artist. Al loved celebrating life with his family, sharing stories about his journey through life, his overseas trips with Roz and the countless theater productions and museums they attended. He was a great listener and mentor, open to all people and never shy about sharing his opinion. Al was an avid fisherman, gardener and dog-lover. Alvin is survived by his CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

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OBITUARIES wife of 65 years, Rosalind Silverman Kurzer; his children Adam Kurzer (Phyllis), Arjan Khalsa (Waryam Singh) and Hilary Kurzer Farrow (Matt). Alvin is also survived by his grandchildren Harrison Kurzer (Jacqueline), Dylan Kurzer and Grace Farrow. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Judge Howard I. Lipsey, 84 LINCOLN, R.I. – Judge Howard I. Lipsey died July 25 at Roger Williams Medical Center. He was the beloved husband of Paulla (Pelleccione) Lipsey for 32 years. Born in Providence, son of the late Harry and Anna (Gershman) Lipsey, Howard was legendary in the field of law. He was an Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Family Court until his retirement in 2008. Prior to that, he practiced as a trial lawyer for 33 years, representing many notable figures in Rhode Island. A distinguished patriot, Howard proudly served his country as a Captain and Army Reserve Officer. He was a graduate of Providence College, AB; and Georgetown University Law Center, JD. Professionally, his affiliations were too many to mention in their entirety. They included membership in the Rhode Island and American Bar Associations; Rhode Island and American Trial Lawyers Associations; American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; Chair of the American Bar Association Family Law Section; and a founding member of the Edward P. Gallogly Inns of Court. He was a member of Roger Williams B’nai B’rith; RI ADL; Touro Fraternal Association; and Jewish War Veterans. He was the chair of The World Affairs Council of RI; and on the Board of St. Mary’s Home for Children; Meals on Wheels; and Stand With Us, in support of Israel. He was an adjunct professor at Roger Williams School of Law and served at St. Edward Food and Wellness Center. However, his greatest accomplishment was serving as “Dad” to Dr. Lewis R. Lipsey; Bruce S. Lipsey, Esq. (Marcie); Marisa Ricci-Parris; and Carl J. Ricci, Esq. (Syneth); and “Papa-Grandpa” to Adam and Jared Lipsey;

Nolan and Emmanuelle Ricci; James Parris; Maxx and Ty Buor; and Bella Waskiel. Contributions in his memory can be made to St. Mary’s Home for Children, 430 Fruit Hill Ave., N. Providence, RI, or Jewish War Veterans of RI.

Reva Subar, 79 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Reva L. Subar (nee Gorenstein), of Providence, passed away surrounded by her son and daughter on June 29, at her daughter’s home in Maryland. She was the wife of the late Cantor Natan Subar and the late Harold Isserlis; mother of Ilana and Yossi Subar; mother-in-law of Deena Abel Subar; grandmother of Natan and Noam Subar. She is also survived by her sister Libby Gillman and brother Burt Gorenstein. Born in Winnipeg, Canada, Reva was the daughter of the late Joseph and Katie Gorenstein. She moved to Montreal after university, and it was in Montreal where she was introduced to Israeli-born Natan Subar, with whom she fell in love and married in 1969. Shortly thereafter they moved to Warwick, where Natan served as the cantor of Temple Am David. In 1981, after he fell ill, the family moved to Jerusalem, Israel, where he passed away. Reva returned to Rhode Island and raised her two children in Providence, while commuting to Massachusetts for work in the healthcare field as a cytologist. In 1997, Reva was blessed to get remarried to Harold Isserlis of Fall River, Massachusetts, with whom she shared 15 happy years. After retiring from her job at Harvard Vanguard in Boston, she spent a handful of winters in Delray Beach, Florida, where she enjoyed the warm weather, meeting new friends and staying active. There was nothing more valuable to Reva than her family. In particular, she cherished the time she spent with her two grandsons from Brooklyn, New York, whether it was watching them play soccer or practice piano, or hearing about their latest academic achievements in both secular and Judaic studies. Most recently, she received a great deal of nachas listening to her oldest grandson, Natan, prepare

for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah in September. She will be remembered as a loving, caring, energetic and resilient woman. Contributions in her memory may be made to, Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence, RI 02906; or Ben Gurion University of the Negev, AABGU, 1001 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor, NY, NY 10018.

children Aleen Weiss and her husband, Jonathan; Barry Weiss and his wife, Valerie; Craig Weiss and his wife, Carolyn; and grandchildren Marni, Nina, Andrew and Justin. She was the sister of the late Arnold Garick. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Nurse’s Fund at the Highlands on the East Side, 101 Highland Ave, Providence, RI 02906.

Samuel Weber, 34

Donald Yarlas, 85

RUMFORD, R.I. – Samuel M. Weber died July 28 in Fall River, Massachusetts. Born in Rhinebeck, New York, he was the son of William D. Weber and the late Melissa F. (Ohl) Weber. He was the dear brother of Dorsey M. Weber-Mahoney and her husband, Edward Mahoney, of Attleboro, Massachusetts. Samuel is also survived by his niece, Eleanor, and several aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family. He had lived in Rumford for 10 years, previously living in Cranston. He was a 2011 graduate of New England Institute of Technology in Advanced Automotive Technology and was a 2004 graduate of Our Lady of Fatima High School in Warren, where he played varsity soccer and golf. Samuel worked most recently as a data center engineer and previously as an instrument computer technician and as an automotive mechanic. He was accomplished in the martial arts, holding black belts in Aikido and Karate. Samuel enjoyed computer gaming and building his own computers. Contributions in his memory may be made to Autistic Self Advocacy Network, PO Box 66122, Washington, D.C. 20035 (autisticadvocacy.org).

GLEN MILLS, PA – Donald M. Yarlas died July 4 at home. He was born on Aug. 24, 1934, in Providence to Lewis and Rose (Strauss) Yarlas. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Frances (Shatkin) and his three daughters, Beth Heggan, Rhonda Hathaway and Amie Rutstein and his brother Stuart M. Yarlas of Warwick. He also was survived by five grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother Stephen B. Yarlas and grandson Nicholas. Don graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in chemical engineering. He was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.

Saralee Weiss, 81 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Saralee Weiss passed away on July 15. She was the beloved wife of the late Frank J. Weiss; they were happily married for 52 years. Born in Washington, D.C., she was the daughter of the late Harry and Mollie (Alter) Garick. Mrs. Weiss was a commercial lines insurance supervisor for over 25 years at both Starkwether and Shepley, and Ocean Point Insurance Agency. She was an avid mahjong player and accomplished in the art of needlepoint. She enjoyed musicals and Broadway shows. She adored her grandchildren and was devoted to them. She is survived by her

He became a fire protection engineer and spent a 35-year career at Atlas Chemical which became ICI chemical in Wilmington, Delaware. After retirement, Fran and Don moved to Delray Beach, Florida, where they enjoyed many years of traveling and golf. They moved to Glen Mills eight years ago to be near their children and grandchildren. Don was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He loved completely, worked hard, gave the best hugs and spread joy wherever he went.

Dozens of headstones smashed at Jewish cemetery in Russia (JTA) – Dozens of headstones at a Jewish cemetery in the Russian city of St. Petersburg were smashed. The perpetrators left no graffiti indicating that their actions were a hate crime, KP.ru reported. Police are investigating the recent incident at the Aleksandrovskaya Farm Avenue cemetery and indicated they have no suspects. The vandalized headstones were toppled either with a heavy work tool or were kicked over.

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FOOD & DINING

Give brisket a warm-weather makeover BY REBECCA FIRKSER This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I knew brisket as an island of meat in a sea of sweet brownish-red sauce with carrot-plank buoys. Every holiday, this was plunked in the center of the table alongside a loaf of bread. It was … fine. But nothing to write home about. Whoever hosted the meal would lament about how the meat had been in the oven for hours as they sawed through the roast. I couldn’t help but think “all that time for this?” As I sliced through the brisket, I imagined all the ways it could be improved upon: more salt, always, maybe a bit of heat to break up all this fat, and some acid, too, to balance out the sweetness of the sauce. And why such thick slices of brisket? Brisket is a tough cut of meat, but if braised in well-seasoned liquid long enough, it can go

so tender it practically shreds itself when nudged with a fork. I’ll be honest, all I want to do with shredded meat is wrap it inside a warm corn tortilla with a big squeeze of lime. This summer, I dare you to leave the giant platter of meat for the winter months and embrace the warming weather with braised brisket tacos. A note on carrots: You’ll find none in this pot of brisket. When cooked to oblivion along with the meat, carrots become mush. But a crunchy, tangy raw carrot slaw served alongside the meat breathes new life into the familiar flavors. My great-aunt probably wouldn’t stand for it, but I say that once you’re changing one thing, why not just lean into some tweaks that speak to you? Personally, I don’t miss the original at all when this is on the table.

BRISKET TACOS Ingredients

For the brisket:

4 pounds beef brisket Kosher salt and black pepper 1 tablespoon neutral oil 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 medium red onions, quartered or 3 large shallots, halved 1 head garlic, halved crosswise (no need to get rid of the skin) 1 tablespoon hot smoked paprika 1 tablespoon chile powder 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

6 scallions, thinly sliced

For serving:

1/4 cup lime juice

Corn or flour tortillas (small) Diced white onion, pickled jalapeño, sliced radish, hot sauce Lime wedges

1 teaspoon honey

Directions

2 cups chicken, vegetable or beef broth

For the slaw:

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes Kosher salt and black pepper

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Season the brisket all over with salt and pepper and let it sit at least 1 hour at room temperature (or overnight in the fridge, then returned to room temperature before searing). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then sear the brisket fat-side down until well-browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board or plate. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons fat. In a small bowl, dissolve sugar or honey in apple cider vinegar and set aside. Add onions and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they take on some color, about 4 minutes. Stir in paprika, chile powder and tomato paste, and cook until the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste turns brick red, about 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar mixture, tomatoes and broth, then bring to a boil. Season with a big pinch of salt. Let the mixture reduce for 5 minutes, then return the brisket to the pot, fat-side up. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake, removing

the pot from the oven and spooning some of the liquid over the meat every 40 minutes or so, until the meat easily shreds when you pull at it with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Remove pot from the oven and carefully skim off as much rendered fat as you can from the surface of the mixture. Discard fat. Uncover the pot and let cook for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool, then skim fat again. Skim fat every 15 minutes until you’re ready to serve, then use 2 forks to shred the meat and coat entirely in the surrounding sauce. The onions and garlic will have essentially melted into the sauce, but if you spy whole cloves of garlic, give them a smash to incorporate. (Alternatively, remove pot without skimming fat, let the mixture cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight, covered. The following day, scoop off solidified fat from the surface and return to the oven at 325 degrees F. Discard fat. Cover and reheat for 1 hour, then shred meat.) To make the slaw, combine lime juice, honey and red pepper flakes in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Toss in carrots and scallions. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve brisket with warmed tortillas, slaw and desired taco fixings. Serves 6-8.

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SPORTS

For the baseball-starved, a look back on a legendary PawSox game BY LARRY KESSLER BEFORE THE CORONAVIRUS pandemic shut down sports, the Pawtucket Red Sox were about to celebrate their 50th – and final – season at McCoy Stadium. Among the events that had been planned for 2020 was the induction of “The Longest Game in Professional Baseball History” into the Pawtucket Red Sox Hall of Fame. But with the season now canceled, the team has been counting down its top-10 greatest games, including the longest game, in a weekly audio documentary series presented by Cox Communications and WEEI 103.7 FM. The series, called “Solid Gold: Stories of the Best Games in PawSox History,” is available as a podcast on most major platforms and is streaming at pawsox.com and radio.com. The longest game is also featured in the first of a four-part video documentary series, “COX Legendary PawSox Stories,” which can be viewed at pawsox.com. PawSox fans no doubt have already heard about the longest game – which forever transformed the fortunes of the franchise – but with all professional baseball currently shut down by the virus, the 1981 regular-season

game between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings is worth another look. The game was remarkable for many reasons, but none more so than that it took two months to complete. That’s right: The game began on Saturday, April 18, was suspended after 4 a.m. on Sunday, April 19, and was finally finished after 18 minutes of baseball on Tuesday, June 23. But that’s only part of what makes the longest game so intriguing. In 2018, I interviewed Mike Tamburro, the former president of the team and now the vice chairman and a co-owner. He offered the following insights and observations about the storied game:

• It was a cold April night, with 40mph winds blowing straight in from right field. • The game was delayed at the start for a half-hour because one of the light towers wasn’t working. • The game lasted 33 innings, but all of the scoring took place in just four innings: the Red Wings opened up the scoring with a run in the top of the seventh to take a 1-0 lead; the PawSox tied it in the ninth to make it 1-1 and push the game into extra innings; Rochester went ahead 2-1 in the

top of the 21st inning, but the PawSox kept the marathon going by knotting it at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning; the PawSox went ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the 33rd inning, on June 23, for the win.

• The reason the game dragged on all night long is linked to a vastly different era in communications, before texting and cellphones. The delay in halting the game was due to a faulty mimeograph machine, which, for younger readers, is best described as a bulky copying machine. What happened was that the International League’s rules governing the league’s 12:50 a.m. curfew – which mandated that no inning start after that time – was inadvertently missing from the umpires’ copy of the rules, and the umpires refused to halt the game without direct authorization from the league. As the game went on into the wee hours, Tamburro spent several hours calling International League President Harold Cooper on what we now call a landline, but didn’t reach him until after 4 a.m. Cooper immediately suspended the game. By then, 32 innings had been played. • The teams had a regular game scheduled for Sunday, April 19, which

was Easter, but since the players, and especially the pitchers, were exhausted, the decision was made to finish the suspended game on June 23 – the next time the rivals would meet in Pawtucket. That decision proved especially prudent as Sunday’s game was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth – and would have gone into extra innings had not PawSox player Sam Bowen hit a walk-off home run. The longest game is likely to remain the longest in the minor leagues forever because the International League, starting in 2018, revised the way extra-inning games are handled. Now, from the 10th inning on, both teams start their respective extra innings with a man on second base, making an extended extra-innings game unlikely. Test your knowledge of the longest game in the quiz that accompanies this column on the next page. One of the best books to learn more about the game is “The Longest Game,” by Steven Krasner; it’s suitable for all ages. LARRY KESSLER (larrythek65@gmail. com) is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro.

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COMMUNITY

QUIZ FROM PAGE 29

Longest game quiz

Now you can Walk to Israel with Project Shoresh PROJECT SHORESH, a Providence-based organization that helps Jews connect to their roots, is participating in “Walk to Israel,” a fundraiser organized by Olami, a global Jewish organization with similar goals. The fundraiser was designed to mobilize Jewish communities worldwide and promote healthful outdoors activities, while also supporting local Jewish organizations. “Walk to Israel” participants are challenged to walk 100 miles in 30 days, but those who prefer a slower pace are also welcome to join in. The $18 individual registration fee includes a free t-shirt, and walkers

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 an assimilationist family that had lost respect for ritual. He was distressed, but during World War II he proved his patriotism nobly as a medic capable of saving lives and protecting the wounded. I loved him for his profound kindness. His sister may have blamed him for their mother’s death, but my conclusion is that

are asked to seek sponsors to make progress-based pledges; participants are expected to track their progress with a pedometer and the fitness-tracking app of their choice. The fundraiser, which began on July 15, is scheduled to end in September; participant registration will remain open through August 15. As of this writing, more than $1 million has been raised by 138 local organizations in 15 countries. For more information, please visit https://www.walktoisrael. com/shore-to-shore-with-project-shoresh.

there is no “normal” or “typical” family history. In some poetic sense, we are all orphans seeking a lost ancestry of affection, regard, respect and dignity. One last glimpse from my memory: I am a graduate student at Harvard and my aunt’s elder son is an undergrad. I am stepping into the Widener Library and there he stands. He steps toward me

– Jewish Rhode Island staff

with a look not of surprise but of kindly remembrance as he greets me with an amiable smile. A nostalgic expression that heals … that helps to end this account and seals it with a silent understanding without need of words. MIKE FINK (mfink33@aol.com) teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design.

1. The game started on April 18 and was suspended at 4:07

a.m. on April 19, Easter Sunday, after the Rochester Red Wings and PawSox had played 32 innings. Why did the June 23 finale receive unprecedented news coverage worldwide? 2. Name the two Hall of Famers, one from each team, who played in the longest game. 3. The score was 1-1 until both teams scored in the 21st inning. Who knocked in the PawSox run to make the game 2-2? 4. Former Boston Red Sox southpaw Bruce Hurst pitched the 27th through 32nd innings in the early-morning hours of April 19. Which Red Wings player did he strike out at 4 a.m.? 5. Which PawSox pitcher got the win after pitching a scoreless 33rd inning? Hint: As a member of the Red Sox, he was traded before the 1986 season to the New York Mets. 6. Which Red Sox second baseman, who was named the MVP of the 1986 American League Championship Series, scored the winning run to end the game on June 23? 7. Whose bases-loaded single knocked in the winning run? 8. The Pawsox’ longest-game team was managed by which future Red Sox manager? 9. Which three former PawSox players are in the PawSox Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York? 10. Name the owner of the PawSox who turned the franchise around in the mid-’70s.

Answers 1. Major League baseball players, for the first time in history, struck during the season, on June 10, and with no end in sight to the strike two weeks later, the Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings were at the epicenter of the baseball world on the evening of June 23. 2. Cal Ripken for Rochester, then a Baltimore Orioles affiliate, and Wade Boggs for the PawSox. (Although Ripken became a Hall of Fame shortstop, he played third base in the game, as did Boggs.) 3. Wade Boggs 4. Cal Ripken 5. Bob Ojeda 6. Marty Barrett 7. Dave Koza 8. Joe Morgan (who was inducted into the PawSox Hall of Fame in 2017.) 9. Wade Boggs, Jim Rice and Carlton Fisk. (Boggs and Rice were inducted into the PawSox Hall of Fame in its first year, 2016, and Fisk was inducted in 2017.) 10. Ben Mondor (who’s enshrined in both the International League and PawSox Halls of Fame.) – Larry Kessler

AUGUST 2020 | 31

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SIMCHAS Susan Leach DeBlasio receives Judge Florence K. Murray award SUSAN LEACH DEBLASIO has received the prestigious Associate Justice Florence K. Murray Award from the Rhode Island Bar Association. This award is presented to an attorney or jurist who has shared his or her legal talents and time to influence women to pursue legal careers, opened doors for women attorneys, or advanced opportunities for women within the legal profession, and has been a recognized mentor for women in every sense of the word. The award is named in honor of the first recipient, the Hon. Florence K. Murray, who, in a distinguished 56 years at the Bar, pioneered the causes of women in the law as the first woman attorney elected to the Rhode Island Senate, the first woman

justice on the Superior Court, the first woman presiding justice of the Superior Court, and the first woman on the Rhode Island Supreme Court. DeBlasio is a past president of both the Rhode Island Bar Association and the Rhode Island Bar Foundation, and continues to serve on the Bar’s House of Delegates and the Foundation’s Board of Directors. A Fellow of the American Bar Association, member of the Rhode Island Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline, and a past Chair of the Rhode Island Supreme Court Disciplinary Board, DeBlasio has received many honors and recognitions, including the Bar Association’s Award of Merit, as well as the Ralph P. Semonoff Award for Professionalism, and is

MAZEL TOV! Erik Brenner graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University on May 19, with a Bachelor of Arts in New Media Studies and a minor in Film Studies. He is the son of Sandi and Jeremy Brenner of Smithfield.

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the first and only woman to receive that distinction. DeBlasio practices corporate, construction, and health care law at Adler, Pollock and Sheehan offices in Providence and Boston and is a frequent pro bono speaker to legal, charitable, and community groups as well as a published author on legal and ethics topics. She serves on the board of directors of the Jewish Alliance of Greater RI.

COMMUNITY

Temple Sinai offers trial membership TEMPLE SINAI IN CRANSTON believes that if people give membership a try, they will like it. So the congregation is offering a free membership to the end of December 2020. “For many people, especially those who have never been a member of a Temple, making a financial commitment seems like a big risk,” says Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser. “We understand that many people want a chance to get to know a congregation first.” The offer of free membership includes access to the congregation’s High Holy Days services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. New members are still required to pay tuition for Religious School for their children from the beginning of the school year. “We are living in a new era,” says Goldwasser. “Once upon a time, Jews joined synagogues just because it was ‘what you are supposed to do.’ Those days are over. Jewish families and individuals want to know that being a member is going to improve the quality of their lives. They want to experience being part of a real community, engaging in real learning and attending services that are meaningful and fulfilling.” For more information on Temple Sinai, contact the congregation at 401-942-8350 or dottie@templesinairi. org. – Submitted by Temple Sinai

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Jewish Rhode Island 2020 Thank Todah Gracias A Danke You Rabah Patron Honor Roll

n behalf of the Jewish Rhode Island team, I want to thank every contributor to the annual Patron Campaign.We are grateful for your generosity in the middle of the coronavirus crisis. Jewish Rhode Island relies on your support, along with advertising revenue and an allocation from the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, to stay strong and viable. This year, 411 donors gave $20,641. We hope you like what you are reading. If you do, please tell your friends and relatives. If you have ideas and suggestions, let us know.

Fran Ostendorf, Editor Beverly Abowitt Marsha Addessi Ruth (Jaffa) Albert Cecilia Alkalay Allan & Herma Altman Karen Asher Paul & Esta Avedisian, in memory of Ben & Hannah Rabinowitz M. Charles & Elizabeth Bakst Joyce Abrams Ball Esta Barcohana John J. Barry III Amira & Stephen Baum Ann Bazar Karen Wasser Beraha & Nathan Beraha Francine & Stephen Beranbaum Judy Berg Judith & Arthur Bergel Moshe & Ilona Berman Peter & Hana Berman Michele L. Keir & Richard S. Blackman Arnold & Ruth Blasbalg Mrs. Sylvia Blazar Dr. Neil L. Blitz & Roslyn Birke Rich Brandt Bart & Elise Bresnik Alexandra Broches Neal Bromley Seymour & Marsha Brooks Ida & Tom Brown Jeffrey & Barbara Horovitz Brown Cantor Remmie & Marjorie Brown Sandra & Fred Brown Michael Burk & Seena Franklin Edward & Maureen Canner Deborah Josephson Catone Leslie Stern-Charis & Philip Charis Cary J. Coen Dr. David Cohen & Barbara Weindling

Dr. Elie J. (z”l) & Mrs. Marcia Cohen Lois Cohen Dr. & Mrs. Martin L. Cohen Pauline Cohen Katherine M. Cowett Franklin Curhan Dr. Robert (z”l) & Mrs. Adele Curhan Arline Cusick, in memory of my grandparents, Lillian & Charles Bresler Barry & Rosanne Dana Michael Deaett David & Karen DeForest Ms. Patricia Del Padre-Myers Mr. & Mrs. Malcolm Denniss Ms. Elaine Dickstein Sandra Bresler Dolan Sally T. Dowling, Esq. Rona & Max Dressler Neal Drobnis Dr. Robert & Diane Ducoff John R. Duhamel Abraham & Marilyn (z”l) Ehrenhaus Alexander & Mira Eides Norman (z”l) & Arline Elman Helga Elsner Bev & Jerry Engel Carol Engel Janet H. Engelhart & Rabbi Leslie Y. Gutterman Adele G. Espo Ruth & Jonathan Fain Mark Faiola Barbara Feibelman & Kenneth Orenstein Lotte & Ross (z”l) Feinberg David Feinman Fred Felder Jocelyn & Carl Feldman Gertrude & Morton (z”l) Fine

Jonathan & Judith Finkle Charles & Billie Fischer Arthur J. Fixler Natalie & Melvin Fleischer Henri Flikier & Ann Miller Herbert & Judith Fogel Joan & George Foley Ryan Forman & Barbara Dunder Fred J. Franklin Rabbi Wayne & Dr. Anne Presser Franklin Carl I. Freedman & Beverly Ehrich Dr. Fredric Friedman & Cathy Demain Mann David & Florence Futtersak Roslyn Gabrilowitz Mr. & Mrs. Harold Gadon Michele D. Gallagher Joan & Stephen Garfinkel Phillip & Sylvia Geller Marcia Gerstein Norman Getz Mrs. Alan Gilstein Mr. & Mrs. Seymour Glantz Elaine Glick Esther M. Gold Sanford & Estelle Gold David & Robin Goldblatt Robert & Beverly Goldblatt Marian Golditch Arlene Goldstein Richard & Donna Goldstein Sidney (z”l) & Alice Goldstein Judith & Norman Goodman Pearl Gorden Mrs. Charlotte Gorodetsky Lenore Gorodetsky Sanford H. Gorodetsky Joan Gray David & Helen Greene Burton & Carol Greifer Patricia Griffin Sharon Groh-Mintz Gerald Grossman Rhoda Grover Louis & Katherine Gumbiner Rosalie Guttin Dr. Melvin Hershkowitz Lawrence Hershoff & Eleanor Mulford Dr. & Mrs. James K. Herstoff Larry Hirsch Alan Holoff Toby Horowitz Walter & Doranne Horowitz Sheila & Dom Indindoli Dr. Raymond & Marion Irizarry Arleen & Marvin Jacobson In memory of Joseph A. Jacobson Betty R. Jaffe Judith Jamieson Dr. Charles B. & Sue (z”l) Kahn Evan Kaiser & Karen Tashima Mr. & Mrs. Fredric S. Kamin Lila & Kevin Kane Sanford & Esta Karp

Lawrence & Marilyn Katz Trudy Katz Norma & Bob Kaufman W. Robert & Lois Kemp Dr. Martin J. Kerzer Alan & Linda Kerzner Aron & Sima Khaytin Shirley Kirsh Helene Klein Lon Kopit David, Brenda & Philip Korn Beth Kovar Hope R. Krichmar Bernice & Richard Kumins Dr. Audrey Kupchan & Mr. Sam Havens Greta (z”l) & Bernard Labush Tamara Labush Jeffrey & Elaine Land Ronald Lang Alan Lappin John G. Laramee Jerrold L. & Barbara S. Lavine Freda Lehrer Dr. David & Peggy Leibowitz Sandra Levey Barry & Fran Levin Ruth Paige Levin Dr. Mayer & Judy Levitt Steven & Donna Levy Elly & Elliott Leyman Mrs. Frank Licht Moshe & Toby Liebowitz Jordan & Helene Liner Leonard & Barbara Linsky Sheldon Lipson Allen Litchman Mrs. Henry Litchman Michael & Jane Litner Alan & Marianne Litwin Toby & David London Louis & Valerie Long Jerome (z”l) & Frances Magner Marilyn Malina Sandra Marcowitz Dr. Ronald Margolin Mr. & Mrs. Ronald C. Markoff Sam & Lillian Mendelowitz Sanford & Joyce Miller Philip Mintz, Esq. Ms. Elayne Moe Sharon & Michael Monsour Susan Morin Marion l. Myers Dianne & Martin Newman Grace Beiser Novick Seth Novick Paula Olivieri Ruth Oppenheim Ronna Orleck Tillie Orleck James & Ashley Ostendorf Dr. Lawrence & Ruth Page Laura Freedman Pedrick & David Pedrick Marjorie & Robert Pelcovits Sheela Percelay James & Lezli Pious

Miriam & Arthur Plitt Jason & Jo-Ann Polsky Dr. Roy M. & June Poses Ellen & Lloyd Rabinowitz Ried & Mindy Redlich Corrine & Albert (z”l) Resnick Maxine Richman Roberta Richman Marcia S. Riesman, in loving memory of Robert A. Riesman Elana, Nancy & Sam Riffle Judy & Arthur Robbins Susan & Michael Rodrigues Peter & Beverly Rosedale Myrna K. & Harris N. Rosen Rabbi James Rosenberg & Sandra Mattison Rosenberg Mindy Rosenbloom, M.D. & Stuart Schwartz, M.D. Eleanor Ross Susan & Darrell Ross Dr. Fred & Sally Rotenberg Mark Rotenberg Mr. & Mrs. Edward D. Rotmer Daved & Paula Rubien Hilarie Rubin Sandra L. Rubin Noel & Amy Rubinton Beverly Rudman Richard A. Saltzman Bernice F. Salzberg Alan & Sandra Samdperil Elaine & Robert Sandy Dr. Steven & Mrs. Naomi Schechter Ellen & Harold Schein Barry & Libby Schiller Ken & Roberta Schneider Schoen Books Mark (z”l) & Helaine Schupack Harold (z”l) & Lillian N. Schwartz Dr. Ronald & Carol Schwartz Fran R. Scribner Paul & Roberta Segal Betty & Michael Seidman Mr. & Mrs. Yehudah Selinger Shalom Memorial Chapel, Michael Smith, Adam Smith, & Sarah Joly Dr. Aaron J. & Rochelle Shatkin Arthur & Barbara Sheer Ellen & Barry Shepard Anne & Gerald Sherman A. Harvey & Jane (z”l) Silverman Ira Silverman Rabbi Lawrence Silverman & Meredith Hoffman Linda & Richard Silverman Max & Ida Silverman Adam Sinel Matthew Skaling-Stein Dr. S. Frederick (z”l) & Joan Slafsky Leon Sloane Rita Slom Marcia Smith David & Kristin Soforenko Edwin S. Soforenko Foundation

Ronald & Marcia Sohn Phyllis B. Solod Selma Stanzler Joyce & Bob Starr Dr. Penney Stein Cliff Stern & Karen Drucker-Stern Dr. Ezra & Varda Stieglitz Jeff Stoloff Isabelle Stoto Marilyn Strauss Sylvia Strauss Leonid & Faina Stukalov Daniel & Rose Subotnik Brian Sullivan & Justin Foster Marcia Szymanski & Sharon Friedman David Talan Herchell & Patricia Talan Jerome Tesler Joyce Schreiber Tesler Cheryl Greenfeld Teverow Jill & Michael Thaler Jill & James Tobak Rabbi Herb & Suzy Tobin Mel A. Topf Deborah Trust Rosa & Victor (z”l) Tulenfeld Moses Mordecai Twersky Susan & Irwin Vederman Lynn & Bruce Vinacco Ilya & Irena (z”l) Vinarskiy Randy & Jane Vogenberg Joyce & Larry Wacks Ellis & Debbie Waldman Dr. Alan & Carol (z”l) Wartenberg The Bernard Wasserman Family Eugene Weinberg David & Ann Weiner Ruth & Irving Weinreich Morris Weintraub David & Jing Weisberg Howard & Judy Weiser Jerry Weisman Amy L. Weiss Robin Weiss Beverly Wexler Bernard Whitman Phyllis G. Williams Jerrold & Rita Winer Henry & Arlene Winkleman Dorothy R. Winn Professor Mel & Mrs. Cindy Yoken Rhoda Zaidman Etta Zasloff Charles & Rochelle Ziegler Dr. Steven & Beth Zipin Michael & Wendy Zucker Faye Zuckerman Robert & Carol Zurier Morrisa & Joseph Zwetchkenbaum Anonymous (91)

Contributions received after July 17, 2020, will be listed in next year‘s Patron Honor Roll.