January 2020 by Jewish Rhode Island

The Voice of Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish Community

JEWISH RHODE ISLAND

JANUARY 2020 | TEVET 5780

JEWISHRHODY.ORG

Fighting poverty together Interfaith leaders call on elected officials Now’s the time to consider health and wellness

Chickpeas are set for world domination

A proud tradition of JCC basketball

BEHIND

THE BOOK a visiting author series

For years, the Jewish Alliance has welcomed authors visiting our community. In the past, we’ve welcomed such notable writers as Martin Fletcher, Jennifer Teege, and Michael Solomonov. This year, we continue the tradition of connecting people with ideas, and with each other, by presenting a wide range of speakers for Behind the Book: a visiting author series. • Goodnight Bubbala, with Sheryl Haft | Sunday, January 26 • Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s Classroom, with Ariel Burger | Wednesday, January 29 • The 30-Day Money Cleanse, with Ashley Feinstein Gerstley | Sunday, February 2 • From Longing to Belonging: A Practical Guide to Including People with Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions in Your Faith Community, with Shelly Christensen | Thursday, February 6 • A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century to 1969, with Noam Sienna | Wednesday, February 26 • The Flight Portfolio, with Julie Orringer | Monday, May 4 • Palestine Posts: An Eye-witness Account of the Birth of Israel, with Daniel Chertoff | Wednesday, May 13

Times and locations vary. For more information or to register for any of the events in this series, please visit jewishallianceri.org/BehindTheBook. This series is made possible with generous support from TW Financial Group.

401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI | 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org

JANUARY 2020

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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 Karen Borger ksborger@gmail.com 401-529-2538 CONTRIBUTORS Cynthia Benjamin, Larry Kessler, Michael Schemaille COLUMNISTS Michael Fink, Geraldine Foster, Patricia Raskin, Rabbi James Rosenberg, Daniel Stieglitz

VOLUME XXVII, ISSUE I 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

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A new decade is cause for reflection AS A NEW DECADE DAWNS, I was curious to look back at the past 10 years. The passage of time becomes something you are more conscious of as you age. I wrote about this last month and it’s come up again as I wonder where the years have gone. Have you taken stock of where you were and what you were thinking about in 2010? You might try looking up statistics or news from the past decade. It will give you a snapshot of what has changed and what has remained constant. Many of them aren’t as grim as you might think. Unemployment is down, women’s pay is up and fewer people are smoking. Technological leaps have been amazing and people are living longer, healthier lives. Some of the cultural trends include Baby Shark, Hoverboards and the Ice Bucket Challenge. There was also the start of the Syrian conflict and a number of major weather events, such as the Haiti earthquake and U.S. hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Many of the events from 2010 and throughout the decade will sound familiar. In 2010, Arizona was pushing for tighter immigration regulation. Tensions were high in the Middle

East. We had conflicts with China over Taiwan. The Supreme Court struck down restrictions on election campaign funding, opening the door to political action committees (PACS) that could throw millions at a favorite candidate. And Steve Jobs released the first iPad. A decade ago, I had one child just beginning college and one who had graduated and decided to come home to work for a year before going to law school. We hadn’t yet grown accustomed to my working from home as I built a freelance business. Suddenly, we were back to having a child in the house, who wasn’t really a child anymore and who probably didn’t want to be at home. The economy was a mess in 2010, and it would stay that way for several more years. It’s safe to say nobody wants to relive those days. But we survived. And, yes, child-at-home moved out and continued on to law school. (Child-at-college was glad to be away.) Between 2010 and 2020, both children matured into adults, finished their degrees, found jobs and started their own households. We’ve added a daughter-in-law and a grandchild to our family and will soon add a sonin-law. One can’t ask for much more nachas! As a parent, I feel pretty good about all that, but even with an empty nest, I still struggle to find enough time to devote to personal and professional

goals. I don’t really remember my specific goals and challenges from 2010. I’m not much of a new year’s resolution-maker. But in the first half of the decade, I would write and edit for a number of steady clients and learn to juggle deadlines in a way that was quite different from newspapers, where I had worked my entire career until then. Finding time to read, exercise and keep up with my chosen profession – which is part of a vastly changing industry – has been frustrating. I have yet to find optimal balance in this empty-nest phase of life. Perhaps I never will. I consider “balance” one of the ongoing challenges in my life. As I look back on each decade, that comes up as a theme. How can you read enough? How much exercise is enough? What kind of ongoing professional development do I need to keep fresh in an industry that is evolving? The one constant for me in the last decade that I hope will continue has been my widely scattered but supportive family, for which I am ever grateful. Our extended family lives all across the country, but we routinely gather for holidays major and minor, often at my house. I am grateful to be able to host these gatherings and happy that so many family members participate. In 2030, the family table will have a very different makeup. For now, I will enjoy it just the way it is.

Fran Ostendorf, Editor

MEMBER of the Rhode Island Press Association and the American Jewish 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. ADVERTISING: We do not accept adver-

tisements for pork or shellfish. We do not attest to the kashrut of any product or the legitimacy of advertisers’ claims.

COVER PHOTO AND PHOTO ABOVE BY JUAN ESPINOZA

Faith leaders renew poverty fight PROVIDENCE – FOR 12 YEARS, at the start of the Rhode Island legislative session, faith leaders from across the state have gathered in the State House Rotunda to remind elected officials of their responsibility to fight

poverty through policy. This annual vigil took place Jan. 7. Organized by the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty, faith leaders addressed the need to fight economic injustice. It is an effort

to advance the coalition’s longstanding vision that all Rhode Islanders deserve a safe and affordable home; adequate, nutritious food; quality and equal education; affordable accessible health care; and work with

decent wages. Rabbi Michele Dardashti spoke at the gathering along with other faith leaders and politicians., including Governor Gina Raimondo.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

UP FRONT What was the path that brought you to where you are now?

When I finished graduate school, I got a job as an assistant administrator in a brand-new Jewish high school in New York. I was there for three and a half years, until we moved to Providence, where I was able to take over for a PHDS teacher who had moved into an administrative position. Over the years, my job there evolved, and when the current dean, Rabbi [Peretz] Scheinerman, was hired, I didn’t know that they were looking for somebody to be more in charge of day-to-day education. I was speaking to the head of the search committee, coincidentally, and said, “Oh, my dream is to do the following …,” and he said, “Well, I have a job for you!”

What would you like the community to know about the day school?

That it’s a very warm and caring place where every student has an individualized relationship with his or her teachers and the administration, and it’s the kind of place where students, parents, teachers all know that my door is open 24/7. It’s not just a job during school hours, and I think we all recognize that we’re a community, and that makes it very special. A large percentage of our students live near the school, and when school lets out, they play in my driveway, hang out with my kids, borrow a cup of sugar, you know?

It sounds like you’ve done a lot to build those relationships and make yourself available. What in-school accomplishments are you most proud of?

I’ve worked hard at accessing as much as we can from federal and state funds for our students. Given that there’s always a need for more money in Jewish education, that’s something that I’m very proud of, and I think that my teachers feel that I’m on their side. Sometimes, when you become an administrator, there’s that sense that you forgot what it’s like to be in front of the room all day, and I’ve worked really hard to not lose that. I involve the teachers in the decision-making process, so it’s not top-down, but everybody working together.

What would you like to accomplish moving forward?

To better individualize instruction as we become more aware of students’ needs, and to further individualize instruction without losing teaching the group. How do we maintain that warm, caring, nurturing, taking-care-of-the-individual while also growing?

Any memorable stories from teaching? PHOTO | GLENN OSMONDSON

PHDS’s principal has high expectations for her students and herself BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE

ewish Rhode Island recently sat down with Miriam Esther Weiner to discuss education, Jewish education in particular and a few of her favorite

things.

How did you get involved in Jewish education?

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, and as soon as I started in college, I knew I wanted to be involved in school leadership, and I was very lucky to find the positions that made that happen.

Miriam Esther Weiner is the principal of Providence Hebrew Day School, which provides secular and religious education for children from pre-K through eighth grade. She and her husband, who is a PHDS graduate, moved from New York to Providence 22 years ago. The couple’s six children are between the ages of 12 and 23; the five oldest are PHDS graduates.

I taught a class on the Book of Jeremiah, and years later I went to a lecture in the synagogue. A former student of mine was there, and the rabbi started speaking, and [the student] turned to me in the middle of the lecture and said, “You taught us that.” And that was an amazing feeling, that she remembered that from years before. In a more general sense, it’s when the kids come to visit, and thank us for where they are today; that we made that connection, and they want to come back and talk to us, I think that’s really special. [Also] There’s a Jewish custom to have a week of festive meals after a wedding, and we’ll do that for a lot of our students after they get married.

You mentioned that funding is a challenge; what about academic challenges?

Keeping up with curricular changes. Math education has become very language-based, which I think is unfair to students who struggle with language. You can know your multiplication facts backwards, forwards, and still fail a math test because of word problems. We’re trying to find that balance to allows the child who may struggle with language to still feel success in math, but also be successful on standardized testing. Finding time in the day to teach everything that’s become the school’s responsibility is a big challenge.

Are there any challenges regarding religious education?

Finding enough time to teach everything. Our school day is longer than the public schools’, but fitting everything in the dual curriculum into the school day, and meeting the needs of all students, is huge. From a religious perspective, making sure that children can be successful in a text-based culture, which most of the religious studies are, is a challenge.

Especially with a completely different alphabet.

Right, an alphabet that goes in the opposite direction! So, if you’re dyslexic … but, if anything, there are more resources now, which makes things easier, but there are higher expectations of what every child is going to come out knowing.

How does technology figure in?

We have very limited screen time in school, and that’s very intentional because we don’t want the students learning from computers; we want them learning from teachers.

Do you have a favorite Jewish holiday?

Pesach, because it’s a tremendous amount of work … but when you sit down at the seder, there’s this sense of accomplishment of working together. It’s not, “I did CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

JANUARY 2020

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COMMUNITY VOICES

Of archives and memories and Zionist youth groups BY GERALDINE S. FOSTER THE RHODE ISLAND JEWISH HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION’S archives are a treasure chest of fascinating aspects of our history in Rhode Island: minutes and notes of organizations present and past; clippings and photos of people and places and events; unusual artifacts; ephemera from all sorts of sources. The archives have a special place in my heart because the collection is named for my father and mother, The Beryl and Chaya Segal Family Archives. My father was one of the founders and a past president of the association. My mother had a profound sense of the importance of remembering, recording and studying Jewish history. RIJHA’s Notes also are a treasure trove, of academic research and folk memories of aspects of our rich history in Rhode Island. The first issues also contained short notes about Jews from Rhode Island, nuggets gleaned from a variety of sources. Missing from the archives and sparsely mentioned in Notes is the existence of Zionist youth groups in the 1930s and 1940s. I remember three of these clubs for teenagers: Hashomer Hatzair, in the 1930s, Habonim, led by Jackie and Joe Teverow in the 1950s, and Young Judaea, to which I belonged during my last two years in high school. I must confess that I remember very little about the meetings, which were held, I

believe, once a month. We had a leader from Junior Hadassah. We elected a president, a secretary to take minutes and read minutes of the previous meeting, and a treasurer to collect dues. Programming, no doubt, dealt with current events and some history of the pioneers working on land purchased by the Jewish National Fund. I vaguely recall meetings with other Young Judaea clubs from the Boston area and from Fall River. Then a name in a website jogged my memory into recalling vignettes of an event from my Zionist youth, a New England region conclave held at the end of the camping season at Camp Young Judaea. Most of us in attendance were about to start our senior year in high school; others were about to leave for college. It was special, in retrospect, because we had the kind of leaders who could stir the mind and the imagination. We plowed the fields in Eretz Israel with the young Halutzim (pioneers) and manned the watchtowers to guard against marauders. We met Arab neighbors against the backdrop of the Mufti’s hate speech. We built roads and drained the Hula swamps to destroy the breeding grounds of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. We showed our unity with the Halutzim by lustily singing one of their songs, “Lo Nelech Mi-po” (“We Shall Not leave”), all the while sitting on the ground in New Hampshire.

FROM PAGE 4 everything,” but “we did.” We make a point of having everyone home; it’s that sense of family.

Do you have a favorite Jewish food?

Anything that we’re eating that’s being shared with family. I don’t think I have a particular favorite.

How about a favorite Hebrew word?

Can I do Yiddish? I would say mensch, because that’s what we’re all striving to be.

What three people, living or dead, would you have at your seder?

I would go first with my namesakes, Miriam and Esther. Miriam, Moses’ sister, was a very behind-the-scenes leader in the Exodus. And Queen Esther was also a leader, but it was her behind-the-scenes role that God used to invoke the miracle. Both of them changed the destiny of the Jewish people, but from a subtle perspective, and I think that’s fascinating. And Sarah Schenirer, who is the reason we have formalized Jewish education for females, and a fascinating woman who never had any children of her own, but is called “the mother of the Jewish learning movement for women.” I don’t need to be in the front of the room, but I can invoke a difference, and I think that’s what these women have done.

MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater RI.

A visit to the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, New Jersey, where my daughter and I now live, is what brought back these memories. On their website is a brief mention of a place called Cream Ridge, a rural area of farmland and horse farms. It was the name Cream Ridge that triggered these recollections. In 1936, an organization called HeHalutz established a training farm on rented land in Cream Ridge. At some time

during my teen years, most likely at that aforementioned conclave, I learned about HeHalutz. Part of its mission in Europe and the United States was to train urban people who wanted to emigrate to Israel to become farmers, members of a kibbutz. The organization had farms in Canada and the U.S., including two in the Northeast, I believe, in New York state and Cream Ridge. For some reason, perhaps the interesting name, I only recall the hachshurah (training farm) in Cream Ridge.

One last memory: At the close of that conclave, we bid each other lump-in-the-throat goodbyes. We promised to keep in touch, and some of us did, for a short while, until our lives took us in separate directions. 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.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES Making Twitter a kinder, gentler place and other new year’s resolutions

G OU K IN

SPE A

WHILE THE JEWISH NEW YEAR often sets us on a soul-searching mission to become more spiritual and to improve our relationships with others, as

LARRY KESSLER well as with God, the turn of the secular calendar to a new year traditionally gets us thinking about making resolutions. Our desire for personal change may produce a slew of resolutions aimed at two old standbys – getting in shape and losing weight. Those resolutions are perfectly fine, but the ones I make lean more toward practical things, as well as the whimsical and wishful – things I’d like to see happen, but which have little or no chance of occurring.

Here, without further ado, are my 2020 resolutions, listed by category:

Wishful thinking

Chief among these resolutions is having the power to send all scammers, spammers and hackers to a galaxy far, far away, where they’d have to answer to Darth Vader for their shameful actions. Those reprehensible folks are why landlines are going out of style (spam calls are about all we get on ours nowadays), and why you should never click on or reply to any weird emails, even if they appear to be from trusted contacts. (Note to hackers: People who are really “in need” or “in trouble” anywhere in the world would absolutely not sit down and write dozens of emails to everyone they know.) Another resolution in this category would be to stop Twitter and Facebook from being used for vitriol, hatred, bullying, belittling and cheap shots. The current state of social media makes me glad that I’m not on any of the popular

sites. Finally, under wishful thinking, I want people to treat each other much better, and for the warring factions in our country to take a big chill pill so that public discourse can harken back to the days when politicians on both sides of the aisle would, at the very least, respect each other, and, at most, wouldn’t avoid being seen eating dinner or sharing a beverage every now and then.

Practical resolutions

• Clean out my desk and dresser drawers. I resolve to throw out my old pens and notes from years ago, and to shred old personal documents. • Clean my wallet, removing receipts from long-ago Chinese dinners and other meals. • Open and look at all the five- and 10-year-old calendars buried in desk drawers. • Unwrap any gifts that are still hanging around. (As weird as that sounds, I’ve been known to squirrel away

one or two.) • Stop using the handrail in the hallway of my home as a coat and hat rack. Let me acknowledge up-front that this resolution is being made more to promote domestic bliss than out of any deep-seated desire to reacquaint myself with my hall closet. • Don’t create a mini-flood near the sink when rinsing dishes. This resolution is being made both to please my wife and to reduce my water bill. • Make of an effort to fold my T-shirts and turtlenecks in a more civilized manner. • Exercise more patience when attempting to do the impossible: fold sheets without turning them into oversized schmattas. It should be noted that this resolution has failed miserably for the entire 31 years of my marriage, so it would be considered successful if I were able to make any improvement at all. • Comb through the remaining boxes of personal belongings in my basement. Progress was made in 2019, but more work remains to be done. • Throw away used paper cups instead of leaving them

near the sink to be reused until they disintegrate. • Clean out the kitty litter boxes without making a mess all over the floor.

Whimsical resolutions

• Stop kvetching every time I try to bend down to pick up somethingon the floor. (This resolution stands very little chance of being kept because bending down requires me to hold on to chairs, or any nearby piece of furniture, with the result that I look like a human pretzel.) • Move a lot faster when I’m out on my daily run-jogs, which, sadly, have seemed more like walks for too long. • Get a lot more competitive in my 5K races. (Those last two resolutions appear doomed from the start for obvious reasons related to age, body type and the ravages of what, in April, will be 45 consecutive years of running.) And, finally, a serious resolution: I wish all of you and your loved ones a very happy and – above all – healthy 2020. LARRY KESSLER (larrythek65@ gmail.com) is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro.

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Rhode Island’s Governor visits Israel RHODE ISLAND GOV. GINA RAIMONDO visited Israel in November along with state Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor on a trade mission aimed at fostering economic ties between Rhode Island and Israel. The visit yielded an agreement of collaboration between the state and Ben Gurion University. Raimondo and Pryor also participated in an e-health event and other business meetings during their six-day trip.

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

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D’VAR TORAH

Blessings are central to our traditions

D’ VA

VAYEKHI, which means “and a sense of gratitude in are acknowledging God as he [Jacob] lived,” is the last a person. It helps to the source of all blessings; Torah portion in the book cultivate an awareness when addressing people, we of Genesis and concludes and recognition of the are expressing our desire for the saga of the patriarchs Eternal One as the source them to receive that bounty. and matriarchs. It ends the of all blessings in our Speaking of the Friday part of the Torah in which lives. It helps to connect evening blessing bestowed the Jewish presence in the the consciousness of a on our children, the formula world is essentially that of person to the underlying that opens the blessing for an extended family, a clan, spiritual presence that our sons (a different opening before transipermeates the physical formulation is used for our tioning in the world and nourishes daughters, referencing the subsequent our sensitivity to the matriarchs) is taken from book, Exospiritual core of our one of the early verses of dus, to physical existence. Vayekhi, in which Jacob the life of Hopefully, it blesses his grandchildren, a people, facilitates our not Ephraim and Menasheh (i.e. a nation. taking our lives – or “May God make you like In the anything in them – Ephraim and Menashe”). parashah, for granted. Similar to the way Jacob Jacob has Of course, offering the blessing is RABBI MARK lived the last simply reciting described in the parashah, ELBER 17 years of his life the words of a we place our hands on our in Egypt, where he was rebracha (blessing) is not sufchildren’s heads. This is united with his son Joseph. ficient in itself. As the medireminiscent of the way in Three portions back, in eval philosopher and Bible which Moses transfers spirVayeshev, the second verse commentator Isaac ben itual energy and authority of the parashah declares: Judah Abravanel (1437-1508) to Joshua, placing his hands “These are the generations said about prayer (tefilah) in on Joshua’s head. of Jacob, Joseph, seventeen general: “tefilah b’lo kavana After the section in which years old, was tending the kaguf b’lo neshama” (prayer Jacob blesses his grandchilflocks with his brothers.” without kavana – proper dren, he addresses his sons. Vayeshev goes on to deattention, consciousness – is He asks them to gather so he scribe Jacob’s favoring of like a body without a soul). can tell them what will tranJoseph, Joseph’s coat of If you don’t water the spire in the “end of days.” many colors, his dreams, “seed” of the recitation of However, Jacob does not etc. Vayekhi opens near the blessings with consciousend up revealing this. A end of Jacob’s life. It is about ness and intention, it’s a midrash explains that the three years after the end lot to expect it to magically spirit of prophecy, through of the seven years of plencultivate an awareness of which Jacob would reveal ty and the seven years of God’s presence on its own. this “end of days” scenario, famine. But maybe making blessings has left him, symbolized by Among the major things by rote, without kavana, the unique occurrence in that occur, Jacob exacts a may someday lead to saying the Torah in which the bepromise from Joseph to not them with kavana. ginning of parashah Vayekhi let Jacob be buried in the Most of the preceding has no space between it and land of Egypt, but to bring applies to our use of blessthe end of the preceding him back to Machpelah, ings when it’s part of prayer parashah, Vayigash. It is the cave his grandfather, in addressing the Eternal stuma (closed) – i.e., the winAbraham, purchased from One. However, we also use dow of prophecy was closed the Hittites as a burial site. the same word, bracha, to to him. Subsequently, Jacob blessrefer to bestowing a blessing Jacob goes on to assess es Joseph’s sons, Ephraim on other people, such as our the character, strengths and Menasheh, and later children before Kiddush on and weaknesses of each of goes on to bless the rest of Friday nights. The implicahis sons. These strengths Jacob’s sons. This element tion of the word bracha is and weaknesses will largely of blessing is crucial to the clearly not the same when determine their fates, their parashah, as is this connecreferring to bestowing bless- futures. It is a kind of blesstion, this bond, to the land of ings on other people and ing for someone who loves Israel. when addressing God. us to candidly tell us about “Blessing” is clearly a When addressing God, we ourselves, to help us look central pillar of our tradition. The practice of reciting brachot, blessings, is possibly the most comGreater Rhode Island mon spiritual practice in Judaism. The first tractate January, 2020 of the Talmud is Brachot (blessings) which, interestJan. 10 4:14 p.m. ingly enough, begins the Jan. 17 4:22 p.m. first “order” (seder) of the six orders of the Mishnah, Jan. 24 4:31 p.m. called “seeds” (zera’im). The practice of making Jan. 31 4:39 p.m. blessings helps to seed

TO R A H

Candle lighting times

Feb.

4:48 p.m.

at ourselves more objectively than we can see ourselves, to tell us what strengths we should continue to cultivate and what weaknesses we should strive to overcome. We probably all have a need to instill the values we cherish in those who come after us and to discourage the qualities that we perceive as problematic. We have a need to embrace what we love and to affirm it, to bequeath the understanding of life that we have acquired over the course of our lives and to pass that on to subsequent generations. One of the central themes in the Torah is the attachment

to the land of Israel. Jacob gets Joseph to swear to bury him in the cave of Machpelah. Joseph asks that his bones be brought to the land of Israel when God finally brings our ancestors back to the land. The book of Genesis concludes the story of the patriarchs and matriarchs and ends with the sense of exile in the land of Egypt, but with a belief in liberation and a return to the Promised Land. Khazak, khazak, v’nitkhazek! – be strong, be strong, and we will be strengthened! MARK ELBER is the rabbi at Temple Beth El in Fall River.

The Great RI Challah Bake is going pink this year BY FRAN OSTENDORF THAT’S RIGHT – to raise awareness of breast cancer, organizers of the annual challah bake have turned this year’s event pink. On Jan. 23, from 6 to 7 p.m., there will be BRCA screenings, educational resources and breast cancer survivors offering their stories, along with food and beverages, at the bake at Temple Emanu-El, in Providence. At 7 p.m., challah preparation will begin. According to Elissa Felder, of Core Connects R.I., organizer of the event, pink challah bakes are associated with the Shabbat Project, which encourages Jews across the globe to observe one Shabbat together. They are offered in cities across the U.S. where the challah bakes are “smaller,” including Portland, Oregon, and Atlanta. Providence’s challah bake is the 20th pink bake. There are seats for 200 women and girls. Most of the challah bakes took place during the Shabbat Project, which was held in November. But the more than a dozen groups sponsoring this one decided to wait until January. Past events have sold out, attracting women and girls from all streams of Judaism to learn about the mitzvah of baking challah. Participants will learn about challah, and mix and shape two loaves to take home and bake. There will be dancing and socializing along with the challah preparation. Felder encourages those interested to register early and to attend whether or not you are in need of screening. She’s looking forward to a wonderful evening. The Great R.I. Pink Challah Bake takes place Thursday, Jan. 23, at Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Reception and BRCA testing from 6 to 7 p.m. Challah bake begins at 7 p.m. The cost is $36; under 18 is $18. For more information, go to coreconnectsri.com or call 401-241-9631. To register, https://www.coreconnectsri.com/ event-info/the-great-ri-pink-challah-bake . If you are going to be screened, bring your insurance card. FRAN OSTENDORF is the editor of Jewish Rhode Island.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES | OPINION

There are no simple answers in the Mideast

Sharing the dream

BACK IN THE AUTUMN of 2000, in the midst 2019, Executive Order on Combating Anti-Semitism – however well-intentioned of an unfolding tragedy in Israel, the it might be – represents yet another West Bank and Gaza, my daughter Karexample of a failure to acknowledge the en, then 26 years old, phoned me to give complexity of the current situation. This voice to her anger and frustration. executive order is designed to address “Dad, have you seen the daily adver“in particular … anti-Semitic harasstisements which Jewish groups have ment in schools and on university and been placing in The college campuses.” New York Times? The order goes on to say, “DiscrimiNot a single nation against Jews may give rise to a organization Title VI violation when the discrimihas shown any nation is based upon an individual’s understanding race, color, or national origin.” This of the Palesis not to deny that in America, Jewish tinian point of identity is primarily religious, but to view. I am deeply affirm that Jews are frequently disappointed at the failure of AmeriRABBI JAMES perceived by others – and by themcan Jewish leadership ROSENBERG selves – as having marked ethnic characteristics. to accept complexity.” Trump’s executive order quotes the In large part, I agreed with my daughworking definition of anti-Semitism ter, but I did feel the need to point out to her that the Arab leadership was equally adopted on May 26, 2016, by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliculpable in its failure to accept the comance: “Antisemitism is a certain percepplexity of a situation that was extremely tion of Jews, which may be expressed messy and spinning dangerously out of as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and control. Ariel Sharon, the blustery retired gen- physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed towards Jewish or non- eweral who was then the leader of Likud’s ish individuals and/or their property, opposition in Israel’s Knesset, had made toward Jewish community institutions an irresponsibly provocative “visit” to and religious facilities.” the Temple Mount, while Yasser Arafat, In a Dec. 12, 2019, op-ed page in The then chairman of the Palestine LiberaNew York Times, Jared Kushner, a tion Organization, in an equally irresenior adviser to the president, his fasponsible manner, went out ther-in-law, explains Trump’s executive of his way to fulminate bloody and often order, by insisting: “The Remembrance obsessive violence against “the Zionist Alliance definition (of anti-Semitism) enemy.” makes clear what our administration The more things change, the more has stated publically and on the record: they remain the same. Almost 20 years Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. The inhave passed since my daughter’s phone clusion of this language with contempocall. It is still true that the conflict rary examples gives critical guidance to between Arab and Jew is not a battle agencies enforcing Title VI provisions.” between absolute good and absolute evil; What our country does not need at it is not a war between the Sons of Light this time are such simplistic, misguided and the Sons of Darkness. Nevertheless, statements as “anti-Zionism is anti-Semas long as Arab and Jew refuse to see itism.” I will concede that some anti-Zithe complexity in the anguished face of onists are also anti-Semites in both the other, as long as Arab and Jew insist word and deed – but it does not follow upon demonizing each other, the entire that all anti-Zionists are anti-Semites. Middle East will remain sickened by the Adding to the complexity of this issue poison of hatred. is the indisputable fact that there have President Donald Trump’s Dec. 11,

Cantor Dr. Brian Mayer Temple Emanu-El Providence, RI

S TO M

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were close friends back in 1965. They shared the dream that our nation should be “a place where civil and human rights would be inalienable rights, a country where acceptance, tolerance and caring would permeate our culture.” It’s been 55 years since the march from Selma, and our community needs to readdress the persistent and troubling inequality in American society. Yes, legions of Americans participated in that protest, putting themselves in harm’s way for the cause of social justice. But some five decades later, is it okay for us to be content with the status quo? Each January when we remember the legacy of Dr. King, we need to do more than enjoy a three-day weekend in his honor. Temple Emanu-El and the Central Congregational Church in Providence are doing just that. On Jan. 26, these two congregations will come together to form a uniquely ecumenical choir and performance experience called “Singing The Dream” that is multi-faith and multi-racial. We’ll make music, raising our voices to raise awareness about how Dr. King’s dream today remains unfulfilled. It’s my belief that Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel were modern day prophets, whose friendship should serve as a model for our time. Their dreams of social justice for all Americans should inspire us to promote and insist upon racial harmony for all.

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LETTER

been, and still are, many varieties of Zionism. Consider the varying, even conflicting, views of such pre-Israel Zionists as Ahad Ha-am (1856-1927), Theodore Herzl (1860-1904), and Ze’ev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky (1880-1940). Or consider the competing worldviews of three of Israel’s prime ministers: David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973), Yitzhak Rabin (1922-1995), and Benjamin Netanyahu (1949-). When we label someone an anti-Zionist, which form of Zionism is that person condemning? And, of course, the Dec. 11 executive order is pregnant with all kinds of free speech issues – who is to decide what forms of anti-Israel or anti-Zionist statements are constitutionally protected and what forms are anti-Semitic and therefore illegal? During the eight years that I taught part time at Connecticut College, in New London, I had the privilege of several times teaching a one-semester course on Zionism. In one of the texts I assigned, “The Making of Modern Zionism,” written in 1981 by Shlomo Avineri, the author describes the much-revered Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky as a fascist. Does assigning a text that portrays Jabotinsky as a fascist make me an anti-Zionist and therefore a rabbinical anti-Semite? Trump’s Dec. 11 executive order is a gateway to pedagogic and legal confusion. We live today in a world that is growing increasingly complex – especially in the troubled Middle East. In such a world, we need men and women who possess the courage, the moral intelligence and the capacity for nuance which will enable us to confront the challenges posed by political, social and economic complexities. Simplistic and tendentious sloganeering cannot save us from our sound-bite selves. JAMES B. ROSENBERG is the rabbi emeritus at Temple Ha bonim, in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.

Record 2.32 million people visited Auschwitz in 2019 BY MARCY OSTER (JTA) – A record 2.32 million people from around the word visited the sites of the former Nazi camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in 2019. The total is about 170,000 more than in 2018, which also

had broken previous records, the Auschwitz memorial reported Jan. 7. Eighty-one percent of the visitors availed themselves of one of 340 guides who conduct educational tours in 21 languages. According to the memorial’s

online reservation system, some 396,000 visitors were from Poland, 200,000 from Great Britain, 120,000 from the United States, 104,000 from Italy, 73,000 from Germany, 70,000 from Spain, 67,000 from France, 59,000 from Israel, 42,000 from Ireland and 40,000

from Sweden. In addition, over 900,000 follow the Auschwitz Museum’s Twitter account, more than 300,000 use its Facebook page, and 80,000 follow it on Instagram.

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 Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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).

JANUARY 2020

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OPINION

Robert Frost and donkeys in the Knesset BY SHAI AFSAI ISRAELIS WILL HEAD to their third parliamentary election in under a year on March 2, due to the repeated inability to produce governing Knesset coalitions. The idiosyncrasies of Israeli politics and this ongoing impasse has reminded me of a visit I made to the Knesset in July 2003 with my brother, Amir Afsai, during which we observed a parliamentary debate about the government’s long-delayed plan to construct a security barrier (geder hafrada in Hebrew) in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank. Curiously, questions about this barrier – a network of fences, ditches, dirt mounds and concrete walls intended to deter attacks by Palestinians – also revolved that summer around the meaning and significance of the poetry of Robert Frost. The speaker in Frost’s 1914 poem “Mending Wall” describes a yearly spring ritual in which he and his neighbor work together to repair the stone wall separating their farmlands. The neighbor is adamant about the need for this annual work, twice repeating the phrase “Good fences make good neighbors.” The poem’s speaker, though, is less certain than his neighbor about the goodness of fences. He twice repeats his conviction that walls are somehow unnatural: “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” Neither he nor his neighbor has grazing animals, and he sees something insulting in insisting on such a separation between them. He wonders: “Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it/ Where there are cows? But here there are no/ cows./ Before I built a wall I’d ask to know/ What I was walling in or walling out,/ And to whom I was like to give offense.” By the end of the poem, the speaker regards his wall-repairing neighbor as dangerously uncivilized and spiritually retrograde, imagining him “like an old-stone savage” who “moves in darkness”: “I see him there/ Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top/ In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed./ He moves in darkness as it seems to me,/ Not of woods only and the shades of trees.” The first Knesset member we heard referring to “Mending Wall” on the day we visited was Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, a famous refusenik and a Likud party member, who expressed his hesitancy about constructing the barrier. Before cementing his argument, he turned to an analysis of Frost’s poem and a lament of Israeli illiteracy: “I just want to call here to the Minister of Education and the Chairman of the Knesset Committee on Education … and to say that the

debate over the fence requires all of us to once again examine, Mr. Chairman, the issue of reading comprehension in Israel, because at least three or four times I have heard it said as an argument in support of the fence – by educated people, apparently – that even Robert Frost wrote: ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ If I hear this once more, Mr. Chairman, I do not know – I will apparently demand a parliamentary committee on reading comprehension.” Edelstein continued, explaining the reason for his ire: “They only forget to mention that the one who says these words is the ‘anti-hero,’ the antagonist of that poem by Frost, that hero with whom the poet is in constant debate. Apparently, Robert Frost claims, as we heard just now from the friend of Israel Tom DeLay, that a good fence does not make good neighbors, but only peace – the fervent desire for peace on both sides – makes good neighbors.” Overall, Edelstein might be said to have provided a correction to the way the poem was often being used in political discussions – but for his additional comment that in “Mending Wall,” Frost conveys the idea that “the fervent desire for peace on both sides” is what “makes good neighbors.” Frost does not offer a key to what makes peace between people. The poem actually suggests the more complex idea that there may be both benefits and negative consequences to barriers, depending on the circumstances, and therefore people ought to consider what they are “walling in or walling out.” In any case, maybe Edelstein should have also contemplated a parliamentary committee on active listening. Shortly after his speech, Amram Mitzna, of the Labor party, a former general, rose to declare that he was in favor of the barrier, mustering “Mending Wall” to his cause. He also demonstrated that he had neither read Frost’s poem nor listened to a word Edelstein had just said. The left-leaning but security-minded Mitzna declared: “It is true that in the world-view I represent, the intention is to separate from the Palestinians and allow the establishment of a Palestinian state. Even in times of peace a fence will be needed, for there is no neighborliness without a fence. This was said before me, of course, by Robert Frost.” As someone with a literary background, it was interesting to see an American poem assume such prominence in an Israeli political debate. But I also wondered why anyone believed that several dozen lines by an American farmer-writer waxing poetic about his interactions with

his neighbor on their idyllic New England farmlands ought to carry weight in discussions about whether to build a barrier between two warring Middle Eastern nations. Perhaps feeling that Israel’s lifeand-death security decisions should be grounded less in early 20th-century American poetry than in biblical exegesis, Rabbi Nissim Ze’ev, of the religious Sephardi Shas party, put aside Frost and instead turned to the Book of Numbers as part of an impassioned plea to build the barrier. Ze’ev spoke about the role of Balaam’s donkey in preventing its owner from cursing the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land: “I am puzzled about many Knesset members who do not understand the indispensability of a fence. Even Balaam’s donkey understood and agreed that in order to block Balaam, his hatred for the nation of Israel, he must be taken and placed between walls – a wall on either side. Then they managed to block Balaam.” But it so happens that in the biblical narrative, the donkey’s attempt to use walls to block Balaam – who had been hired by the Moabite King Balak – from carrying out a nefarious plot to harm the nation of Israel does not work, and so an armed angel must address the wicked man directly. The staunchly secular but erudite Yossi Sarid, of the left-wing Meretz party, who passed away in 2015, lost no time in pointing out the rabbi’s error: “Knesset member Nissim Ze’ev spoke about Balaam, the wall, the donkey and Balak. … And it turns out, for the who-knows-how-manytimes, that he did not comprehend at all what was read. “I suggest you read again the story of Balak, Balaam and the donkey, and then you will understand that you do not understand even this. It is exactly the opposite of what you said, but it is a shame to waste time on this.” A positive way to look at such parliamentary discussions is to see them as signs of Jewish reverence for texts. It has been a tenet of Judaism that the answers to life’s greatest questions may be found in literature. Maybe this turning to American poetry is indicative of Israelis’ continous urge to justify their state’s actions to the nations of the world, which from that perspective might best be accomplished by using those nations’ literary vocabularies. Then again, perhaps this focus on Frost reveals a decrease in shared Jewish vocabulary among Israelis. But when even a learned rabbi in the Knesset misreads a basic biblical text, what can reasonably be expected of other members’ Jewish literacy? SHAI AFSAI lives in Providence.

LETTER West Bank controversy In his defense of the legality of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, Stephen Snow (December 2019) parrots Israeli government talking points. Snow is entitled to share the Israeli government’s legal opinion, but readers should know that it is a minority viewpoint embraced mainly by Israeli lawyers and others who defend the occupation. Every government in the world, except Israel, considers the Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank illegal because they violate Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits a country from transferring its own population into territory it holds through military occupation. The UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Court of Justice, and the 195 parties to the Geneva Conventions have all affirmed that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to Israeli settlements. The U.S. government, up until Trump, shared these views. And why is Israel all by itself on this issue? Because its legal argument is thin. Israel argues that the Fourth Geneva Convention doesn’t apply to the occupied West Bank because, well, it’s not really an occupation since the territory is “disputed.” The rest of the world, which has watched the settlements grow to 400,000 Jewish settlers on territory intended to be a Palestinian state, rejects this strained legal interpretation. In fact, from 1967 to 1981, Israel administered the West Bank under a Military Governorate, which exercised military rule on the basis of the Fourth Geneva Convention. In 1981, after the Egypt-Israel peace agreement, and after Likud had come to power, Israel dissolved the Military Governorate and created the Israeli Civil Administration, a branch of the Israeli army. At that point, the Fourth Geneva Convention became an obstacle to Israeli settlement of the West Bank. The Israeli government – like the Trump administration recently – changed its legal views and held that the Fourth Geneva Convention no longer applied and therefore the settlements weren’t illegal. Snow appears eager to defend an immoral 52-year occupation in which Jews are denying another people their civil and political rights. No legal gymnastics can cover up that reality. Nina Tannenwald Providence, R.I.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

NATION

25,000 march against antiSemitism in New York City BY BEN SALES NEW YORK (JTA) – An estimated 25,000 people marched across the Brooklyn Bridge and held a rally on Jan. 5 to protest rising anti-Semitism in and around New York City. The rally comes following a spate of attacks on Jews — including, most recently, a stabbing attack at a rabbi’s home in the New York City suburb of Monsey and a shooting in a Jersey City kosher supermarket that claimed four lives. There has also been an unending stream of verbal and physical assaults on Jews in neighborhoods of Brooklyn with large Orthodox populations. The rally, organized at the last minute and endorsed by the New York Times Editorial Board, drew throngs of Jews from the state, which is home to nearly two million Jews and delegations came in from cities across the country like Washington, D.C., and Cleveland. And the march included the state’s most senior politicians, including Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish. “What has happened in Brooklyn, what has happened in Monsey, New York, was an attack on every New Yorker and every New Yorker has felt the pain,” Cuomo said ahead of the march. “Racism and anti-Semitism is anti-American and we have to remember that. It is ignorant of our history because to know the history of the Jewish community is to love

and appreciate the Jewish community because New York would not be New York without the Jewish community.” Despite the somber reason for the march, the atmosphere was relaxed and even uplifting. Scores of Jews traversed the bridge, singing and stopping to take selfies amid the occasional chant of “No hate, no fear” — the rally’s slogan. People chatted about television shows, which kosher restaurant they would choose for lunch and how many pounds they were dropping on the mile-and-a-half walk. But marchers interviewed along the route all said they felt a certain measure of fear, as well as the need to display their defiance in the face of the uptick in Jew-hatred. Rabbi Rachel Ain of Manhattan’s Sutton Place Synagogue, which was graffitied with a swastika in 2017, said that she is “in a combination of denial, shock and sadness.” “We had hoped anti-Semitism was a moment of the past and what we’re seeing now is that it’s rearing its ugly head and we can’t ignore it,” Ain said. “I am aware there’s increased hate and I’m conscious of it, but I still walk with my kippah, I still go to shul, I still send my kids where they should be sent for their Jewish learning and I won’t back down.” Nathan Wieder, a 16-year-old who came as part of the Cleveland delegation, said teachers at his Orthodox high school tell their students that the long history of anti-Semitism is repeating itself.

PHOTO | LISA KEYS VIA JTA

Kids at the march against anti-Semitism in New York, Jan. 5, 2020. “I have great-grandparents who survived the Holocaust, and the fact that I would be here right now showing I’m proud to be Jewish and fighting back – their souls are smiling on me right now,” said Wieder, who draped himself in an Israeli flag at the march. “Yeah, bad things are going on. I don’t think you can compare it to [Nazi] Germany, but I think the whole point of their trying to attack us, not make us feel safe where we want to be, that’s kind of similar.” Along with signs bearing the official slogan, people brought homemade signs condemning their chosen ideological targets. One said, “America 2020 not Germany 1933.” Some condemned President Donald Trump for fomenting racism. Another took aim at Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who support the movement to

boycott Israel and have been accused of anti-Semitism. One read “NYT fire Bret Stephens,” the conservative New York Times columnist who recently penned a controversial piece on the roots of Jewish genius. Stephens was reportedly at the march. At the rally afterward, which filled Cadman Plaza on the bridge’s Brooklyn side, demonstrators danced along to Matisyahu and the Maccabeats, a men’s a cappella group from Yeshiva University, amid a chorus of speakers from the New York Jewish community and their allies who all stressed that anti-Semitism should never become acceptable, no matter the source. “The broader community has to stand up and, by the way, we have to stand up for the broader community CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Hundreds gather in Jerusalem for solidarity rally with New York’s march against anti-Semitism. BY MARCY OSTER JERUSALEM (JTA) – Hundreds gathered in Jerusalem for a solidarity rally with a march against anti-Semitism in New York. The rally on Jan. 5 was organized by The Jewish Agency for Israel, the World Zionist Organization, and the Anti-Defamation League. “The Israeli solidarity event was initiated to send a clear message of support to U.S. Jews, particularly following the most recent attacks in Monsey and Jersey City,” the Jewish Agency said in a statement.

The rally was held outside the Jewish Agency’s offices in Jerusalem. Attendees held signs reading “No hate, No fear,” and “Love Your Neighbor as You Love Yourself.” “Thousands are marching in New York, Jews and non-Jews alike, from a deep sense of both outrage and responsibility in the face of the horrific venom that has recently reared its head – hatred of Jews in the United States. Jews are no longer as safe on the streets of the U.S. as they were over the past hundreds of years. We are here in Jerusalem standing together with them in solidarity declar-

Marilyn and Stephen Kaplan at the Jerusalem rally. ing: No Fear! No hate!” Isaac Herzog, chairman of the executive of The Jewish Agency for Israel, told rally participants. Yaakov Hagoel, vice chairman of the World Zionist Organization, added: “In times of crisis, we were used in the State of Israel to lovingly receive unrestricted support from Diaspora

Jewry. Today, from the capital of the Jewish people, we stand here in solidarity with Diaspora Jewry as one people.” Hundreds of Jewish Agency emissaries serving in U.S. communities joined the march Sunday in New York, which drew at least 25,000 participants.

JANUARY 2020

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

Ongoing

Alliance Kosher Senior Café. Weekdays (except holidays) noon-2 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Kosher lunch followed by program. Information or RSVP, 401-421-4111, ext. 107. West Bay Kosher Senior Café. Fridays 11:15 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Program followed by Kosher lunch. Information or RSVP, 401-421-4111, ext. 107. Duplicate Bridge. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Mondays noon-2 p.m.: 0-20 masterpoint game for less-experienced players. $5. Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and Fridays 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: open stratified game, all levels. $7. Thursdays 1-3 p.m.: Guided play. $6. Information, abarton295@aol.com or 401-3909244. Mah Jongg. Mondays 1:30-4 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Lessons available. Free. Information, Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600. Delve Deeper: “Sacred Space in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” Thursdays 7-9 p.m. 1/16-4/2. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. See story page XX. Information, Temple Emanu-El Office at 401-3311616. Minyan Breakfast and Torah Study. Saturdays 9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Breakfast at 9:30 a.m., Torah study from 10-11 a.m. Shabbat services follow. Information, Dottie@ templesinairi.org or 401-942-8350. Children’s Programs and Kiddush. Shabbat mornings 10-11:30 a.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Ages 2 to 12. Free. Information, office@bethsholom-ri.org. Tot Shabbat. Saturdays 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Sing, dance, learn, craft, play and pray. No RSVP necessary. Challah and juice served. Free. Information or to advise of allergy concerns, Shosh Jacob at shosh@teprov.org.

Friday | January 10

“How Many Bushels Am I Worth?” 10:30 a.m. AS220 Black Box Theatre, 95 Empire St., Providence. Written by Bena Shklyanoy and Kevin Olson, play captures a Kiev family’s agonizing decision in 1976 to flee the Soviet Union for the United States. Based on the life of playwright Bena Shklyanoy. $20. Information and tickets, appledoesnotfall.com/plays/. K’TanTan. 5:30 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Celebrate Shabbat and holidays with children birth to 5 years old. Gather for joyful singing and community dinner. Free. Information, Rachel

Mersky Woda at rmerskywoda@ temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070. T.G.I.F. – Thank G-D It’s Friday. 5:45-7 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Shabbat songs and story with Rabbi Aaron Philmus followed by a potluck dairy meal. Information or RSVP, Torat Yisrael office at 401-8856600. Kabbalat Shabbat. 8 p.m. Congregation Beth David, 102 Kingstown Road, Narragansett. Friday night service. Information, Jerry Kasten at 401-885-1296.

Saturday | January 11

Mothers and Daughters Rosh Hodesh Series: Havdalah, Dinner and Film. 6-9 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Explore the mother-daughter relationship through shared experiences, conversation and a look at famous mother-daughter pairs throughout Jewish text and history. Open to women 13 to 103. $10. Information, Sharon Sock at sharon@ teprov.org or 401-331-1616. “How Many Bushels Am I Worth?” 7:30 p.m. AS220 Black Box Theatre, 95 Empire St., Providence. See Friday, Jan. 10.

Sunday | January 12

Sunday Fundays. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Jewish Community Day School of RI, 85 Taft Ave., Providence. Free play and special activities. This session features sing-along with Chris, JCDSRI assistant teacher and band member of Rock-a-Baby. For ages 1-4. Free. Information, Shayna Fel at sfel@jcdsri.com or 401-751-2470. How Many Bushels Am I Worth?” 2 p.m. AS220 Black Box Theatre, 95 Empire St., Providence. See Friday, Jan. 10.

Tuesday | January 14

Adult Education Course: The Jewish Demographic Time-Bomb. 10-11:30 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Examine implications of declining number of Jews for future of anti-Semitism, for relationship between the American Jewish community and Israel, for liberal and Orthodox Judaism, and for Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Led by Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser. Upcoming dates: 1/28, 2/4, 2/11. Information, Dottie@templesinairi. org or 401-942-8350. Temple Torat Yisrael’s Lunch and Learn. Noon. T’s Restaurant, 5600 Post Road, East Greenwich. Order from the menu, and study Jewish sources addressing current issues. Led by Rabbi Aaron Philmus. Open to all. Information, Temple Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600.

Friday | January 17

Sushi Night. 3-7 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East

Greenwich. Men’s Club Fundraiser with Crown Market sushi. Pick up before 5 p.m. or dine in before 7 p.m. See Temple website for menu options and prices. Information, Larry at l.norin@rockspotclimbing. com. Student-Led Kabbalat Shabbat. 6 p.m. Congregation Beth David, 102 Kingstown Road, Narragansett. Friday night service led by CBD students. Information, Jerry Kasten at 401-885-1296. Visual Tefilah. 6-8 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Pizza dinner will follow 6 p.m. services. Information, Dottie in Temple Office at 401-942-8350. Martin Luther King Jr. Shabbat Service. 6:30 p.m. Temple Shalom, 223 Valley Road, Middletown. Interfaith Shabbat Service with participation from the NAACP and the combined choirs of AME Mt. Zion and Community Baptist Church of Newport. Service followed by a dairy potluck dinner. Information, Temple Shalom office at 401-8469002 or templeshalomrhodeisland@ gmail.com. Shabbat Hallelu. 6:30 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Experience the joy of Shabbat with Cantor Judy Seplowin and the Hallelu Band. Light refreshments and sangria served at 6:30 p.m. Services at 7 p.m. Free. Information, Temple Beth-El office at 401-3316070.

Saturday | January 18

Shabbat Morning Service. 9 a.m. Congregation Beth David, 102 Kingstown Road, Narragansett. Service followed by light refreshments. Information, Jerry Kasten at 401-885-1296. Family Havdalah Dinner & Game Night. 5:30-8 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Musical Havdalah service and light family-friendly dinner, followed by game night. $5 person, $20 family max. Information or RSVP (by 1/15), Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600.

Sunday | January 19

Torah Tots. 9-11 a.m. Temple Shalom, 223 Valley Road, Middletown. Monthly program for children from birth to pre-K. Story, craft or activity, snack and social time. January’s theme is tikkun olam. Information, templeshalomrhodeisland@gmail.com. Sprouts. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Jewish learning for preschoolers including stories, songs, crafts and a snack. $12 per session. Information, Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600. Glassblowing Demonstration with Sheva Chaya. Noon-2 p.m.

Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Glassblowing infused with explanations of how the process is reflected in Jewish mystical sources. For men and women. Suggested donation: $18. RSVP, coreconnectsri.com. Information, Elissa Felder at 401-241-9631, CoreConnectsRI@gmail.com or shevachaya.com. “Children of the Inquisition.” 2-5 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. This film, produced and directed by Joseph Lovett, takes the viewer on a 500-year trek across continents as it follows those forced by religious persecution in Spain and Portugal to convert or flee. Not suitable for children. Free. Information, RIJHA at 401-331-1360 or info@rijha.org.

Thursday | January 23

The Great RI Pink Challah Bake. 6 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. 6-7 p.m. Reception/ BRCA Testing. In honor of breast cancer awareness, educational resources and BRCA screening by Myriad. Bring insurance cards. Food and wine served. 7 p.m. Challah Bake. Adults $36 | 18 and younger $18. Women and girls only. Tickets, www.CoreConnectsRI. com. Information, Elissa Felder at 401-241-9631 or CoreConnectsRI@ gmail.com.

Friday | January 24

Martin Luther King, Jr. Shabbat. 7:30-9 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Shabbat service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. RPM Voices of Rhode Island, with their powerful blend of gospel and African American folk traditions, will join Cantor Deborah Johnson and Shireinu, the Community Chorus of Temple Sinai. Oneg Shabbat follows services. Information, Dottie@templesinairi.org or 401-942-8350. Kabbalat Shabbat. 8 p.m. Congregation Beth David, 102 Kingstown Road, Narragansett. Friday night service followed by light refreshments. Information, Jerry Kasten at 401-885-1296.

Saturday | January 25

Kids’ Night Out. Ages 5-11: 5-10 p.m. Ages 2-4: 5-8 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Sports, crafts and movie. Pizza and snacks served. Older kids enjoy free swim. $40 | Dwares JCC Members: $30 | Siblings: $20. Information and registration, Shannon Kochanek at skochanek@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 147. Hollywood Havdalah. 5:30-8 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Family Havdalah and movie night. Two movies showing for different age groups. Light dinner, movie theater snacks, popcorn. Information, Shosh Jacob at shosh@

teprov.org. Jewish Film Series: “Wish I Was Here.” 7 p.m. Temple Shalom, 223 Valley Road, Middletown. Directed by Zach Braff, comedy concerns a struggling actor, father and husband who finds himself at a major crossroad that forces him to examine his life, his family and his career. (2014) 1hr 46 min. Rated R. Information, templeshalomrhodeisland@gmail. com Craft Beer Tasting. 7 p.m. Congregation Beth David, 102 Kingstown Road, Narragansett. Information, Jerry Kasten at 401-885-1296.

Sunday | January 26

Day-at-the-J! 10:15 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Activities for the whole family on the last Sunday of the month during the winter. Regular programs and special activities throughout the day. Barre and Bubbly. 10:15-11:45 a.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Kim and other fitness staff lead a barre class and a wellness Q&A session with accompanying bubbly beverages. $10 | Members: $5. Information, Dori at dvenditti@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 210. “Rooster Games.” 1-2 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Students in grades 2-6 who have read at least five 2020 RI Children Book Award-nominated books are invited to participate in rounds of a trivia-style competition about the nominees with the Eides Family J-Space After School Program. Free. Information or to RSVP, Shannon at skochanek@jewishallianceri. org or 401-421-4111, ext. 147. Israeli Life from Comedy to Drama: “Ushpizin.” 1-3 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. In this award-winning film, a poor Haredi couple praying for money and a child have their faith tested when visitors from the man’s shady past come to stay with them at Purim. Upcoming dates: 2/2, 3/29, 4/26, 5/17. Free. Snacks provided. Information, Dottie@templesinairi. org or 401-942-8350. Woodworking Workshop. 2-4:30 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Learn woodworking basics, including safety and basic construction. Build your own toolbox/craft box. 18+ years or kindergarten and up with parent or guardian. Pre-registration required. Price per project: $45 | Members: $36. Information or to sign up, contact Aaron Guttin at aguttin@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 140. CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES

The artistry of making the best of what’s left SKE

JANUS WAS THE TWO-FACED divinity of ancient and later returned to retrieve them. But fate Rome, facing backward and forward. The and fortune changed his career as an artist past and future, left and right profile, double and photographer. In time, he would go to New homily and divided. If someone is described as York City’s Central Park with a chicken baster “two-faced,” it’s not a compliand borrow a little water from a puddle. ment! With a chip of mica from a meadow – not a Of course, this Hesquare of glass – he would invite the one-celled brew moon-month, guests into his home, where he would snap Tevet, reminds us a few shots before returning them to their of the loss of a great habitat in the free waters of the Manhattemple and the gain tan park. The theme of his lecture to my of rabbinic freedom students was: Every living thing, no matter to interpret scripture how tiny or seemingly negligible, shares creatively, not only the very same, indeed identical, “emotions” literally. as you. Fear, hunger, longing: the whole MIKE FINK “human” range of feelings. Will it be a stormy season or will we have a After witnessing and experiencing the “January thaw”? Who knows? worship of the technology of murder and of Many, many semesters of life in the past, death, Roman Vishniak determined that the in a previous century, I studied biology as a smallest dot is valuable and sacred! Wow! In pre-med requirement during my sophomore the “scientific” slides he showed us, he mixed year. It was a lab class and we had to “pit” in pictures of his backyard garden with snaps a living frog, dissect it, as well as peering of a grandchild. He was charming, mystical through microscopes at one-celled creatures and at once melancholy and merry! all the way to fetal pigs in vats of formaldeWe have a “wintersession” mini-semester hyde. Yuck! at RISD during which I teach a course on It wasn’t for me, but no elective left me documentary designs; celebrations of the unscathed: I gather memories that last forever, actual, not the fanciful. In the class, students even if merely whimsically. have to share their discoveries. Sometimes, I used to “redeem” whatever I could sneak if I have a free afternoon, I put my camera out of the class, and I raised my rescued brood in my coat pocket and seek little adventures in my fancy Yale dormitory chambers. On my around town. I have noticed that the stumps of windowsill, I had a jar with protozoa, algae, some trees that have been axed and removed one-celled designs and a single green atom remain, and a secret sculptor chops away at with the name “Euglena.” Now, this moving the living corpse, with the roots and lowest item could “eat” the sunbeams. It had a green portion of the trunk intact, and produces chlorophyll hue, but could wriggle and swim … mushroom shapes! That’s what an art about in its glass urn. education is all about, really. Looking at the So: was it classified as plant or animal? troubles of the world and making the best Both! Which meant, somehow, that perhaps of what’s left, with humble humor and with we are derived from cousins we can trace back skills and craftmanship. to the very beginnings of planetary time. MayI dedicate this January, or Tevet, be we are related to trees! column to the anonymous artistry of our This is how my mind works, like a crazy community. And to the weeds that bless our children’s book. But bear with me here. yards and the bits and pieces of wilderness that restore our broken world. I know it’s a We had a guest at the Rhode Island School complicated concept, but somehow when big of Design some time ago, in my classroom. At things go wrong, poets make things right. my invitation, I have a photograph of Roman And, for me, it was Vishniak, and the souls Vishniak with his arm around me. You may of the living things I took away from the recall that he was interviewed on PBS, and slaughterhouse of a lab course, which inspired more recently his photographs were displayed this homily. in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. MIKE FINK (mfink33@aol.com) teaches at the Vishniak was a Holocaust survivor who had Rhode Island School of Design. buried his photographs of the Warsaw Ghetto

BOOK

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

ARTS Netflix airs series on prosecutor Alberto Nisman (JTA) – NETFLIX HAS AIRED a new documentary series about the death of Alberto Nisman, a Jewish prosecutor in Argentina who was assassinated in 2015 ahead of his testimony about Iranian activity there. “The Prosecutor, the President and the Spy,” which went online last week, explores Nisman’s work investigating connections between Iran and Argentine politicians in the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and wounded hundreds. Nisman said that Hezbollah

was responsible for the attack. Later he accused former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who is now the vice president, and other officials of illegally helping to cover up Iran’s involvement in exchange for commercial benefits for Argentina, according to Reuters. Nisman’s body was found on Jan. 18, 2015, hours before he was to present evidence to back up his claim. His death was ruled a likely suicide, but an Argentine federal appeals court later found that he was murdered.

CALENDAR FROM PAGE 11

you to a party featuring Jewish Book Council author Sheryl Haft. Interactive storytelling of her new book “Goodnight Bubbala.” Music, crafts and snacks. Wear pajamas. $3 | Family Max.: $10. Information or RSVP, Lyndsey Ursillo at lursillo@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 141.

Singing the Dream. 3-5 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Singers of all ages, races and faiths will perform in a chorus with featured guests from the award-winning Sing Harlem Choir of Harlem, New York. The special musical tribute will commemorate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. $18 in advance | $25 at the door. Information, Miriam Ross, Esq. at maross@mrosslegal.com or 401-331-1616. Behind the Book: A Visiting Author Series. “Goodnight Bubbala” Pajama Party. 4-5:30 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. PJ Library and friends invite

Tuesday | January 28

Adult Education Course: The Jewish Demographic Time-Bomb. 10-11:30 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. See Jan. 14. Upcoming dates: 2/4, 2/11. Information, Dottie@templesinairi.org or 401-942-8350.

Wednesday | January 29

Behind the Book: A Visiting Author Series. “Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s Classroom” with author Ariel Burger. 7 p.m. Welcome Center at URI – Hope Room in the Higgins, 45 Upper College Road, Kingston. Gain insights into the influences behind Wiesel’s beliefs. Free. Information, Amy Olson at 401-874-2740 or amyolson@mail.uri.edu; Lisa Maybruch at lmaybruch@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 111.

Friday | January 31

Kabbalat Shabbat. 8 p.m. Congregation Beth David, 102 Kingstown Road, Narragansett. Friday evening service followed by light refreshments. Information, Jerry Kasten at 401-885-1296.

JANUARY 2020

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WINNER OF THE DRAMA DESK AND OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS FOR BEST PLAY

ADMISSIONS BY JOSHUA HARMON DIRECTED BY BRYN BOICE

"A SMART, HILARIOUS AND PROVOCATIVE DRAMA." HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

JANUARY 16 - FEBRUARY 9 GAMMTHEATRE.ORG

Happy Hanu

Hanukkah is a time for celebration throughout the Jewish Rhode Island community. Above, the lighting of the menorah at the Rhode Island State House is always festive. Among the other activities: Kosher Senior CafĂŠ Hanukkah party

PHOTOS | PHDS PHOTO | FRAN OSTENDORF

ukkah 2019

PHOTO | NEWPORT HAVURAH

PHOTO | IRVING SCHILD

(left to and bottom); activities at Providence Hebrew Day School (left middle and below); gathering at the Newport Havurah (right top) and a PJ Library event at Knead Doughnuts (right middle and bottom).

PHOTOS | GLENN OSMUNDSON

16 | JANUARY 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

FOOD & DINING

Chickpeas are set for world domination in 2020 and aquafaba-based desserts, I predict we’ll see lots more:

BY RACHEL MYERSON

This article originally appeared on The Nosher. THE 2010S SAW CHICKPEAS rise to fame in the manner that God always intended. The king of chickpea dishes, hummus, turned from a hippy health food to a fridge staple. This was great in terms of accessibility, but not so great for preserving the authenticity of the dish. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a thousand times: Hummus is not a catchall term for dip. It means “chickpea” in Arabic, so if a product contains little-to-no chickpeas and too many other funky ingredients (edamame, pumpkin and beetroot come to mind), it is not hummus. As for dessert hummus, which strutted into American supermarkets in the latter part of the decade with flavors like chocolate, snickerdoodle and vanilla bean, I don’t know how to feel. Let’s rename it chickpea pudding and agree that it’s actually kind of tasty. Dessert hummus was not the only chickpea-based snack to enter our lives this

Chickpea Ice Cream Vegans and hipsters around the world, rejoice! Micah Camden, the brains behind this trend, has announced plans to significantly expand his Portland-based chickpea ice cream brand, Little Chickpea. It won’t be long until its eight flavors, which include cherry chai and mint matcha, find their way to Los Angeles, New York and beyond. Each flavor is free of dairy, nuts, soy, and gluten.

decade. Riding the wave of the “healthy snack” came Rule Breaker brownies – a deliciously dense chocolaty treat, and Hippeas, puffed chip-like snacks that became a roaring success in the United States and abroad, and are now stocked at Whole Foods. If you can get your hands on the salt and vinegar flavor, you won’t regret it. Canned chickpeas answered the prayers of vegans

and egg-intolerant folk thanks to aquafaba – aka that viscous, slightly funky smelling chickpea brine that whips up just like egg whites. Genius. If you thought that every possibility to consume chickpeas in every way but their original form had been exhausted, think again! These versatile little beans show no sign of slowing down in 2020. Alongside other hummus abominations, healthy snacks,

It’s official! The Rhode Island Kosher Chili Cook-Off is back!

KOSHER RHODE ISLAND

CHILI

COOK-OFF June 7, 2020

Who will be crowned the Chili Champs of 2020? There’s only one way to find out! Join us on Sunday, June 7, from 11:00am – 4:00pm at the JCC: 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence. Enjoy a day filled with Kosher chili, music and entertainment, a beer garden, and activities for the whole family. Attendees will vote for their favorite recipe. It’s going to be a great “thyme!” Volunteer with us! Learn more at jewishallianceri.org/chili

Chickpea Milk We live in the age of nut milks, so it was only a matter of time before chickpea milk became a thing. Chickpeas produce a thick, neutral-tasting milk with numerous benefits over other nondairy offerings. They’re basically free of unsaturated fats, unlike coconut milk, and don’t have the environmental stigma or health concerns related to almond and soy milks. Plus, they’re a cheap base ingredient.

This stuff is ready to hit the market, thanks to Israeli startup InnovoPro, which has raised nearly $5 million in funding. It’s also pretty easy to make at home.

Chickpea Protein ChickP, another Israeli startup, is currently working on a chickpea protein that can act as a base for chickpea milks, an egg substitute or a dairy-free butter, among other things. They seem pretty confident in its marketability, predicting revenue of $300 million by 2025. Watch this space.

Chickpea Flour Though chickpea flour typically doesn’t get a lot of love, don’t underestimate its powers as a substitute for all-purpose flour. It’s gluten-free and packed full of protein. Looking for more chickpea recipes to experience the multipurpose wonder that is this little bean? Try Chickpea Bolognese. Hearty and satisfying, it’s perfect for Meatless Mondays.

Chickpea Bolognese BY EMANUELLE LEE This originally appeared on The Nosher. WINTER MONTHS REQUIRE a steady stream of comfort food for survival. But the start of the year also brings a time when people are more health-focused, perhaps even cutting their meat intake. This hearty pasta dish doesn’t compromise on flavor while using chickpeas instead of ground beef, turkey or lamb. I suggest treating these versatile little beans as you would treat half a pound of ground meat by browning and seasoning well. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how delicious, hearty and meaty this spaghetti really turns out, and let’s face it — that’s exactly what you are craving, right?

Ingredients 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 1 medium carrot, washed and grated finely 1 celery stalk, very finely chopped 7 ounces cooked or canned

garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed if canned) 14 ounce can plum tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup red wine Salt and pepper 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs thyme Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) 1 pound spaghetti

Directions Heat half of the olive oil in a medium pot. Add the garlic and onions, along with the chili flakes and saute for 2-3 minutes until softened slightly. Add the chickpeas and saute for 10 minutes. Allow the chickpeas to soften a little bit and start to mash them and break some of them apart with a spoon or fork, leaving some of them still intact. Add another tablespoon of the olive oil and allow the CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

JANUARY 2020

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

HEALTH & WELLNESS

JCS offers a discount for Lifeline RI, a life-saving service BY JESSICA MURPHY

Chickpea Bolognese FROM PREVIOUS PAGE chickpeas to brown lightly, stirring occasionally. Add the carrot and celery and mix well. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the canned tomatoes and break them apart with a spoon. Add the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and wine, allowing it all to evaporate and absorb into the vegetable mixture. Add the bay leaves and thyme and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste,

brown sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper and leave to cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the bolognese is thick and has darkened. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than directed on the packet, reserving 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water. Drain the pasta and mix with the bolognese sauce along with the pasta water. Mix on low heat until the sauce has once again thickened, about a minute. Top with the remaining olive oil and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

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PROVIDENCE – “Kissing the ground” was never on Stanley Ulbrych’s agenda. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what happened, only minutes after returning from a seven-day trip to Kentucky. Tripping over his own feet, Ulbyrch, 85, of Riverside, went down hard in the middle of a street. Fortunately, he was with his traveling companion, who, along with two strangers, helped Ulbrych to his feet. Unfortunately, the fall left him with a badly sprained hand, a bruised face and damage to his vision, which he hopes is temporary. “When I fell, it truly scared me … because I live alone and, if I fell once, it could happen again,” Ulbrych said. “It convinced me to become an advocate for Lifeline RI and its emergency alert system.” Lifeline RI, offered by Jewish Collaborative Services, is a 24-hour emergency response system that provides prompt and professional help to subscribers with the simple press of a button. Last year, JCS served nearly

2,500 area residents in the program, which is available to individuals throughout Rhode Island and in several southeastern Massachusetts communities. “Lifeline RI enables individuals like Stanley and many others to live with greater independence, peace of mind and dignity,” says Patricia Harwood, LICSW, JCS’ chief of programs. “JCS is waiving one month’s fee to Lifeline RI for those who sign up for a full year of service. With a large elderly population in Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts, JCS is committed to expanding access to this convenient, accessible and affordable emergency response service.” Since Lifeline RI’s Help buttons weigh less than half an ounce, they can easily be worn as a neck pendant or on the wrist. The waterproof buttons can be worn in the shower, bathtub or swimming pool, and are remotely charged, so they’re always activated. While life is filled with surprises, using Lifeline RI can minimize the negative outcomes, both short- and

long-term, of the bad surprise of a fall, an injury or anything else requiring medical assistance. Take it from Ulbrych, who has eagerly welcomed the independence he now feels, after subscribing to an upgraded Lifeline RI service, called Go Safe, which includes a GPS tracking monitor. “It’s reassuring to know that … I can be in Florida, Kentucky or simply down the street from my house, Lifeline will find me,” Ulbrych said. “I told someone who lives alone: ‘Don’t wait for the neighbors or police to find you on the kitchen floor, invest in a medical alert system. It will allow you your freedom, and gives your family, friends and neighbors some assurance that help is there as soon as you need it.’ ” For more information about Lifeline RI or to enroll, contact JCS at 401-331-1244. Visit JCSRI.org/our-services/lifeline-ri to learn more. JESSICA MURPHY is Jewish Collaborative Services’ marketing and communications manager.

GET HEALTHY | STAY FIT | LIVE BETTER

15% OFF when you sign up for a one-year membership!

Welcome to the JCC! An inclusive community center on Providence’s East Side. Our fitness center includes a heated indoor pool, personal trainers, and a variety of group exercise classes. And our community center offers a wide range of social and cultural opportunities such as movies, lectures, family events and more! Offer valid 1/15/20 - 2/15/20. For new and returning members only.

“I have nothing but great things to say. I’ve never enjoyed a gym membership more than I have since joining the JCC!” −Elyse T.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Stop by, give us a call, or email us at memberservices@jewishallianceri.org to learn more!

Dwares Rhode Island

401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI | 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org

18 | JANUARY 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

HEALTH & WELLNESS

HEA

I FOUND A FASCINATING article at Aish.com by Jerusalem author and lecturer Michael Kaufman, who has published nine books on Jewish thought and, at 86, has long active days, including daily workouts on his elliptical trainer while reading and studying. In “5 Surprising Facts about Judaism, Health and Fitness,” PATRICIA Kaufman writes that MaimonRASKIN ides, the great 12th-century rabbi, declared that “Having a healthy and fit body is what God wants.” Maimonides ruled, Kaufman continued, that “ ‘one is obliged to refrain from all things that impair the body and adopt those elements that strengthen it.’ ” Kaufman further says that Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan, the 19th-20th-century sage known as the Chafetz Chaim, “ ‘observed that it is a mitzvah to take care of your life and health.’ ” But it is also important to balance physical activity with rest. We are so busy doing and running, and meeting our schedules and those of our families, that before we know it, we

Y L I VI

Rest – it’s the important flip side of physical fitness

often find that the day is done and we are exhausted. So many times we do not stop until we have to. It isn’t until we get sick or have an accident that we pay attention. During cold and flu season, it’s particularly important that we make time to rest. Wouldn’t it be better for us if we paid attention to the signals that we are moving too fast, doing too much and overloading our system before we start to break down? We don’t pay attention because when we get going, our warning

signals get overridden by the activity. It’s not until we have to rest and reflect on our daily lives that we see what has happened. The stress of continual motion affects our body, mind and spirit, and we need time to recuperate. When we feel that we cannot rest, even though we know we need to, mini-breaks will help to replenish ourselves. These can include drinking plenty of fluids (especially water), and calming our nervous system

with soothing music, colors, sounds, food and people. That prescription really works when we are depleted and need rest and healing. Depending on how rundown we feel, healing can take some time. This is challenging for those of us who are used to busy schedules. We need to pace ourselves and stop when we feel tired or low on energy. When we are not feeling our best, it’s time to pause and rest. There are so many ways we can take care of ourselves. There are healing movies, books and programs that inspire and uplift us. Prayer and meditation help, as do appreciating who we are. We can draw, sing, create new visions for our work and use our creative gifts to fortify and rejuvenate ourselves. Rest and sleep are gifts. They bring us an opportunity to refresh our bodies and minds. Benjamin Franklin wrote, “He that can take rest is greater than he that can take cities.” If slowing down seems difficult to you, start with Shabbat; it’s the perfect time for the three Rs: rest, reflection and rejuvenation. PATRICIA RASKIN, owner of Raskin Resources Productions, is a media host, coach and award-winning radio producer and business owner. She has served on the board of directors of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence.

JCC hoops: A proud tradition of 70 years of friendly competition BY HARRIS K. WEINER THE ADVENT OF THE LOCAL basketball season raises the perennial hopes of Bruce Wolpert’s University of Rhode Island’s Rams, Judge Howard Lipsey’s Providence College Friars, Judge Michael Silverstein’s Brown Bears and the author’s Bryant Bulldogs. It is also a good time to feature and celebrate a part of Rhode Island Jewish basketball history – JCC hoops. When the Boston Celtics were winning 11 championships in 13 seasons during the Bill Russell/ Red Auerbach era, a local group in Providence was playing great basketball at the Jewish Community Center. Located in a former Providence police station on Sessions Street, behind the Alliance’s current Dwares JCC, this collection of players probably had more fun than their professional idols. Although they never joined the ranks of the 27 Jewish members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Marvin Homonoff, Bill Levin, Steve Lehrer, Don Katz, Richard Katz and Richard Yoken represented the Sessions Street JCC as the AZA Spartans. (The Grand Order of Aleph Zadik Aleph, or AZA, is an international youth-led fraternal organization for teenagers). Since the JCC only had an outdoor blacktop court, the club team practiced during the winter in the gym at Nathan Bishop Junior High School. “I remember because we won,” remarked Homonoff, whose overtime sharpshooting from

the left side of the key put the Spartans into the championship. Now 69, Homonoff vividly places that game in the mid-1960s, when the boys were 15to 17-year-old high schoolers. The roots of the East Side JCC go back to the Hebrew Jewish Institute, at 65-67 Benefit St., where the AZA youth club hosted informal walk-on games and practiced for league competition. “I played pick-up there a couple of times,” stated Jules Cohen, 85, the legendary Yale tennis star who also captained his Providence Country Day School basketball team. “I think it was built in the late 1940s. It had low ceilings.” Cohen recalled being 14 or 15 when he negotiated that compact court. The Jewish Community Center of Rhode Island acquired the Sessions Street Police Station in the 1950s, after it was decommissioned by the Providence police, and partially repurposed it for community activities, including Sunday clubs for the youngest children and AZA basketball for the teens. Some of the older high schoolers found part-time employment there as basketball referees, basket room attendants and weekend counselors for the youngsters, who played pingpong, bumper pool, board games and kickball. Big, lovable Dave Hochman and Steve Leavitt were key staffers. Elliot Goldstein was the head of physical education and he organized the first adult men’s basketball league, which flourished once the newly constructed JCC on Elmgrove Avenue opened in 1971. Straddling those two epochs is Steve Lehrer, who

still competes despite multiple knee surgeries. He enjoyed playing with his friends during the first few years of the league. “I remember painting the three-point line on the court with Elliot Goldstein. … Things have changed and have not changed. It is still a great group of guys,” says Lehrer. Among the more accomplished players were Kenny Steingold, who was a standout at Clark University, hard-nosed Eddie McGovern, who played at the University of Rhode Island, Tom Pearlman of Amherst College, Brown University’s Ric Landau, and later, David Greenberg, who honed his smooth style at Springfield College. That list also includes Jeff Kent, who grew up on the JCC basketball court, continued at URI and went on to play professionally in Israel. Although the league was predominantly Jewish, others have always been welcome. Today, outside teams can submit rosters for inclusion in league play. Members and sponsored guests are eligible for the informal pick-up games on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. Open play is not limited to men, as several women are regulars, including Lisa Waldman, whose brother Steve was a b-ball devotee. Interest is so intense for those slots, especially on Sundays at 7:30 a.m., that eager athletes line up before the JCC even turns on its lights. “Ten to fifteen guys are waiting when the building opens. Four to six more show up later and have CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

JANUARY 2020

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

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HEALTH & WELLNESS FROM PAGE 18 to wait to play,” Lehrer said. “Early Sunday is a good time if you have Patriots tickets or family plans for the day.” Over the years, as children learned to dribble, many joined their fathers for open gym. Howard Schacter coached his sons, as well as many others, and played with his oldest, David, a.k.a. “Butter.” Jim O’Neil, a former Brown hoopster, hit the court with his son Patrick, a future Colby College gridder. Moses Brown’s Neal Steingold joined Kenny, Joe Cohen shared his love of the game and his deadly outside shot with his boys, Jaimie and Jesse, and Roger Pearlman extended father/son hoops at the JCC to his son Akiva, completing a three-generation legacy. Pearlman’s legacy includes “crazy shots from behind his ear that somehow went in,” according to long-time hard-court enthusiast and tenacious defender Harley Frank, who played “religiously” three times a week for 27 years. Frank discloses that when he started, “Lou Pulner ran the court, broke in rookies, and loved to play with Alan Litwin.” C.P.A. Litwin was one of the few players who passed more than he shot, although he made the first three-pointer in league history. Many statistics were kept, but assists were not. Paul Formal, the unofficial “Dean of JCC basketball,” describes Pulner as his favorite player to draft for his team: “he could shoot, rebound and never gave up.” In his 40 years of JCC ball, Formal identifies Steve Litwin, a swift southpaw, as the best point guard, with David Dorson an outstanding younger version. Tom Foley, Steve Abrams and 6-foot-8 Willie Walters, from Boston College, were dominant big men. Worcester Polytechnic Institute running back Paul Barrette

was explosive. The Wallick brothers, Peter and Dale, were aggressive and competitive. Greg and Keith Marsello were terrific athletes. Other stalwarts were Country Day’s Andy Lewis, Classical’s Dov Pick, Mike Bigney of Pawtucket West, Butler’s Harold Foster, bank-shot specialist Ken Kirsch, banker Lou Amoriggi, “Running” Rob Stupell, “Total Package” Paul Kaplan and “Gentleman” Jim Gadol. Classical captain Richard Bornstein was a versatile player who was a dominant presence for many years. He was talented enough to be a walk-on at URI. Joining Formal as perennial league captains were John Weitzner, Jeff “The Commissioner” Goldberg, Joey Cohen and Roger Pearlman. Certified high school referees were hired, including former player John Scoliard, whom Harley Frank describes as one of the best. No other players would corroborate Scoliard’s basketball officiating skills on the record. His lacrosse refereeing, however, was widely praised. Among Paul Formal’s favorite gym memories are a few guest appearances by the great Providence College All American and NBA Rookie of the Year Ernie DiGregorio. “Swish, swish, swish … from way out. He played no defense but had the quickest release. The greatest shooter I ever saw,” Formal said. Another North Providence native, Joe DiOrio, fondly remembers how he and his brother, Dave, were welcomed at the JCC. “It was well organized, we always had a game, and we met great people. A lot of us were lawyers, a lot of personalities.” For example, Mark Mandell, Esq. (Division I baseball), Doug Emmanuel, Esq. (tennis talent), Doug Neu, Esq. (strong hoopster), Tom Mirza, Esq. (football

speedster), Harris Weiner, Esq. (football QB and tennis), Andy Sigal, Esq. (PCD captain), Marc Decof, Esq. (MB football), Jon Maslin, Esq. (Long Island, New York-style playmaker), as well as the previously referenced Steve Litwin, Pulner, DiOrio and Homonoff. Since many of the nice guys, like Lehrer, did not like picking open-gym teams, the lawyers were happy to choose the squads. “Despite the lawyers, there were no real quarrels,” DiOrio recalled. “It was a fair game and great fun.” Today, physicians outnumber the attorneys. The doctors, though less coordinated, are more useful to the injury-prone Weekend Maccabees. Steve Litwin summed up the magic of JCC hoops: “Guys have been playing together for 50 or 60 years. It is not just the basketball, it is the camaraderie. I love it.” HARRIS K. WEINER is a Providence attorney, adjunct law professor at the University of Rhode Island and Bryant University, and a former sports editor of the Bowdoin College Orient.

JCC Boys basketball probably from 1950s.

PHOTO | RIJHA COLLECTION

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COMMUNITY

OBITUARIES 24 | BUSINESS 22 | SIMCHAS & WE ARE READ 27

Three Jerusalem monuments: Reconstructed image of the Second Temple; Church of the Holy Sepulchre; Dome of the Rock shrine.

What makes a Jewish space holy? BY JOHN LANDRY JUDAISM, PHILOSOPHER AND RABBI Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, emphasizes holiness in time. While that might work well for philosophers, Jews over the centuries have worked hard to make spaces holy as well. They started back in the TANAKH, with multiple references to special places. The work reached its height in the Second Temple, in Jerusalem, but continued in the synagogues built soon after its destruction. Even as the rabbis shifted holiness toward time (and deeds), efforts to make

spaces holy influenced the building of synagogues and other structures for centuries to come. Understanding those efforts is the topic of the next course in “Delve Deeper: A Program of Intensive Jewish Study.” Sponsored by Temple Emanu-El, along with Congregation Beth Sholom, both in Providence, and Temple Sinai, in Cranston, the program recently finished its chronological survey of Jewish history. It is now moving on to thematic courses, and the next one is “Sacred Spaces in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” Joan Branham, an art history pro-

fessor at Providence College, is teaching the class. She is the chairwoman of the board of trustees of the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, in Jerusalem, and has written a great deal about sacred spaces, from ancient times up to present-day re-creations of the Second Temple. With its focus on art and architecture, the classes will be highly visual. The curriculum also includes readings on historical and religious background, as well as theories of holiness. While centered on Jewish sacred spaces, the course will also look at parallel developments in Christian

churches and Muslim mosques. “Sacred Spaces in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam” runs for 11 weeks on Thursdays, Jan. 16 to April 2, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. The course is open to anyone, regardless of religious affiliation. The cost is $250; full and partial scholarships are available. For more information or to register, go to www.teprov.org/form/delvedeepers20, or call Rabbi Rachel Zerin at 401-331-1616. JOHN LANDRY lives in Providence, where he serves on Temple Emanu-El’s adult education committee.

Shabbos Project RHODE ISLAND JOINED thousands of communities across the globe in celebration of the 2019 Shabbos Project in November. The festivities started with a challah bake on Thursday evening and full Shabbat programming including a community meal and Oneg Friday night. Shabbat day offered a kiddush, lunch and even the traditional third meal. Congregation Mishkon Tfiloh in Providence hosted the weekend. PHOTO | PROJECT SHORESH RI

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Alliance to hold inclusion event during Jewish disabilities awareness month BY LARRY KATZ THE JEWISH ALLIANCE of Greater Rhode Island will hold its annual event for Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month on Feb. 6. This year’s topic is “From Longing to Belonging: A Practical Guide to Including People with Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions in Your Faith Community.” The Alliance recognizes that people with disabilities, handicaps and mental-health issues desire inclusion in the Jewish community as much as everyone else, yet all too often are excluded. This program will spark efforts to remedy this situation. The presenter is Shelly Christensen, unquestionably the “go-to” expert on inclusion in faith communities and the author of a book that shares the title with this year’s event. “From Longing to Belonging” is a comprehensive resource for understanding and developing successful inclusion efforts in congregations and all other faith-based organizations. Christensen is the co-founder of Jewish Disabilities

Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). She is a past president of the American Association on Intellectual Disabilities, Religion and Spirituality Network. Christensen, who has a child with a disability, believes that people with disabilities and mental-health conditions want what everyone else wants – to belong, to contribute and to be a valued member of their faith community. She will conduct two workshops at the Alliance’s event. The first, from 12:45 to 5 p.m., will be a professional development workshop for people who work or volunteer in faith communities. The program is based on the two key concepts from her book, the spirit of belonging and the structure of inclusion. First, Christensen will establish why including people with disabilities and mental-health conditions is so vital. Then she’ll focus on how to effectively organize practical steps to move a congregation/organization/school toward inclusion, and how to organize a plan of action. Participants will also learn how to do meaningful assess-

ments that result in quality information and buy-ins from people in the organization; how to determine priorities, set the process in motion, and overcome major and minor obstacles; and current practices and policies that can be expanded, modified and/or eliminated. The evening session, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., is for parents and people with disabilities and mental-health conditions to discuss how to encourage faith communities to become responsive, accepting and inclusive. In preparation for the session, a group of parents and professionals has already been formed and invites those interested to join them in a Facebook group: RI Jewish Disability Network. Nationally, one out of five people has some type of challenge, whether a disability, a handicap or a mental-health issue. Some believe that since Jews often have babies later than the general population, rates of autism, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are higher among our community. The Jewish community cannot afford to ignore the needs of a fifth of our own community. Stephen Mark Shore, Ed.D.,

an internationally known educator, consultant and presenter on issues related to autism, was a presenter a few years ago. He writes that “through a unique combination of personal, professional, and formal study, Shelly Christensen gifts faith-based communities with accessible, easy-to-implement, practical solutions for including people with disabilities and other differences as an integral part of society.

“[Her] book brings the day so much closer when people of all abilities are meaningfully included – with a full sense of belonging – as the rule rather than the exception.” “From Longing to Belonging: A Practical Guide to Including People with Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions in Your Faith Community” will take place at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, on Thursday, Feb. 6. The event is free. For more information, contact Larry Katz, at LKatz@ jewishallianceri.org or 401.421.4111. People may register by phone or at jewishallianceri.org/ Christensen/ LARRY KATZ is director of Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Author series comes to URI Jan. 29 ‘Behind the Book’ series brings authors to community BY JEWISH RHODE ISLAND STAFF

BEHIND THE BOOK comes to URI on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. when author Ariel Burger discusses “Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s Classroom,” a testament to the way Wiesel shaped the thoughts and principles of a generation. The brook grants insights into the influences behind Wiesel’s own beliefs. Burger entreats readers to remember that Wiesel sought to spur people to act; that it is not enough to just be mindful of the existence of good and evil. A central question of “Witness” is whether the experience of being a witness can be transferred to another person. Wiesel claimed it could: “Listening to a witness makes you a witness.” But this complex book asks many more questions, such as: What does it mean to be a teacher? What does it mean to be a student? How can you lead a moral life? Like Wiesel, Burger combines stories and questions in his writing. Burger is a writer, teacher and rabbi whose work combines spirituality, creativity, and strategies for social change. A lifelong student of Wiesel, Burger now applies those teachings to

urgent contemporary questions. URI Hillel Director Amy Olson said, “Dr. Burger is a compelling speaker for the times in which we live. We were particularly inspired by Dr. Burger’s website, which states “At a moment when the loss of civility is eroding human connection, I draw on my teachers’ lives and wisdom to help promote civility and kindness.” This event, co-sponsored by the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, takes place during the week of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is made possible by a partnership with URI Hillel and these organizations: College of Arts and Sciences, Health Services, Women’s Center, Gender and Sexuality Center, Multicultural Student Services Center, Chaplains Association, Office of the Provost, Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies, Kappa Delta Pi: International Honor Society in Education, Psychology Department, Housing and Residential Life, Office of Community, Equity, and Diversity, along with Congregation Beth David. For more information, or to RSVP, go to https://www.jewishallianceri. org/burger/

ON SUNDAY, JAN. 26, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island will kick-off its “Behind the Book” visiting author series, which was produced with the Jewish Book Council and a number of local partners. The series welcomes seven Jewish authors to discuss their books, which span a broad range of subjects. Unless otherwise noted, all events will be at the Dwares Jewish Community Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence.

Sunday, Jan. 26, 4-5:30 p.m.: “Goodnight Bubbala,” with Sheryl Haft

Haft will read from her book at a pajama party for young children; attendees should bring a favorite stuffed animal or blanket to snuggle with! Admission: $3/person, $10/family

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m.: “Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s Classroom,” with Ariel Burger

Burger, a student of Wiesel, offers insights into Wiesel’s own beliefs and teachings. No cost to attend; this event will be held at the University of RI, Hope Room in the Higgins, 45 Upper College Road, Kingston.

Sunday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m.: “The 30-Day Money Cleanse,” with Ashley Feinstein Gerstley

Gerstley will work with attendees to help them take control of their finances and improve financial wellbeing. Admission: $15 (includes book & refreshments)

Thursday, Feb. 6, 12:45 p.m. & 7 p.m.: “From Longing to Belonging: A Practical Guide to Including People with Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions in Your Faith Community,” with Shelly Christensen

There will be two events. The first is a workshop for people working in faith communities; the second is a forum for discussion on inclusivity. No cost to attend.

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m.: “A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century to 1969,” with Noam Sienna Sienna will read selected stories from his anthology of queer Jewish texts. No cost to attend.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

BUSINESS

The 3 most important people in your financial life fiduciary, an adviser who is obligated under the terms of their professional license or designation to always put the interests of their clients first, above their own interests and those of their firm or the company (or companies) whose products and services they represent. To find a CFP professional in your area, check out the Financial Planning Association’s JASON E. SIPERSTEIN searchable national database, at www.PlannerSearch.org. From investing wisely to planning for retirement and tackling all of the nuts and bolts of your complex financial life, your financial adviser is your guide.

D O LL

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1. A financial planner

Just as a person needs a primary care physician to serve as the focal point for their health care, they need a point person to support their financial health and provide a general plan to connect their goals with their resources. Make sure that person is a Certified Financial Planner. Working with a CFP professional ensures that you’re getting a true

WARREN BUFFETT, one of the world’s wealthiest people and most influential voices in investing and finance, acknowledges that he wouldn’t have reached those heights without guidance from three individuals: his father, Howard Buffett; his late first wife, Susan Buffett; and his mentor, Benjamin Graham. While advice and guidance may not make you a billionaire like Buffett, it can benefit you in profound ways. Everyone needs somebody who understands their lives, their goals, and their concerns and wishes. Having someone to turn to for guidance or answers can offer peace of mind that money cannot buy. Aside from your significant other, here’s a look at three likely candidates to play that important role in your financial life:

2. An accountant or tax specialist

Depending on your needs, the complexity of your circumstances and your stage in life, you might benefit from specialized tax advice from an accountant or tax specialist. Tax strategies can play a significant role in preserving your assets. However, remember to not let the “tax tail wag the dog.” By that, I mean don’t let the amount of capital gains tax owed on the sale of an asset – whether a stock, bond, real estate or business – dominate your decision-making process. That’s one of the most common mistakes investors make. By having a well thought-out and coordinated plan with all

your advisers, this mistake is easily avoided.

3. Your executor, successor or co-trustee

In the context of estate planning, an executor or trustee is responsible for making sure all assets are accounted for and transferred to the right party (children, charity, etc.). An executor is legally obligated to follow your instructions and to act in the best interest of all beneficiaries. This is a huge responsibility. Choose wisely and review your choice every few years or so to be sure the person is still in your life and up to the task. JASON E. SIPERSTEIN, CFA, CFP, is the president-elect of the Financial Planning Association of Rhode Island and president of Eliot Rose Wealth Management. He can be reached by email, at jes@eliotrose.com.

HIGHRIDGE SWIM & TENNIS CLUB NOTICE TO ALL BONDHOLDERS AND SHAREHOLDERS If you believe you are a shareholder or a bondholder of Highridge Swim & Tennis Club, and you wish to participate in any distribution of the Receivership Estate, you are required to file a claim with the Receiver before 5:00 p.m. EST on March 5, 2020. If you already filed a claim, you do not need to re-file your claim. If you do not file a claim, you may be precluded from receiving a distribution. This advertisement summarizes information more fully set out in a Claims Notice that describes the process for you to confirm and preserve your rights as a claimant. You may view the Notice at: https://crfllp.com/cases/highridge-swim---tennis-club If you cannot access the Notice electronically, you may obtain a copy of the Notice from the Receiver’s office by calling (401) 453-6400 and asking for a copy of the “Highridge Notice.”

24 | JANUARY 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY | OBITUARIES Bella Aron, 96 WARWICK, R.I. – Bella Aron died Dec. 22, 2019, at Greenwood Center. She was the wife of the late Abraham Aron. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, daughter of the late Abel and Sarah (Kadesevitiz) Silver, she was a longtime resident of Warwick. She was a cashier for Anderson Little for 26 years, retiring in 1990. Bella was a graduate of Commercial High in Worcester. She was a charter member of the former Temple Am David, former president of the Warwick Social Seniors and the Shalom Tenants Association. Bella also volunteered at RSVP and the RI Blood Center. She was the mother of Jay Aron and his wife, Mary, of Warwick, Richard Aron and his wife, Linda, of Naples, Florida, Ronna (Aron) Schaffer and her husband, Howard, of Attleboro, Massachusetts. She was the sister of the late Solomon Silver, Jack Silver and Tillie Sterling. She was the grandmother of Tara Schaffer and her partner Frank Crisafulli, Elana Schaffer and her partner Walt Callenius, Abraham Aron, M.D., and his fiancee Maggie Stevenson, M.D., Elizabeth

(Aron) Gruenbaum, Ph.D. and her husband, Kory, and the late Sara Aron. She was the great-grandmother of Michael and Adam Gruenbaum and Max Crisafulli. Contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Howard Goldblatt, 89 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Howard F. Goldblatt died Dec. 25, 2019, at HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center. He was the husband of the late Lenore (Kaufman) Goldblatt. A lifelong resident of Providence, he was a son of the late Carl and Belle (Frank) Goldblatt. He was a manager for Tru-Kay Manufacturing and worked for Admiral Packaging for over 25 years. Howard was a graduate of Hope High School. He was the father of Linda Breslin and her husband, Jim, of Providence and Meryl Rose and her husband, Bob, of Alpharetta, Georgia. He was the brother of the late Muriel Judd, Burton Goldblatt and Arlene Schwartz . He was the grandfather of Gary, David, Lisa, Lauren, Ocean, Sarah, Forrest and the late Sarah Whited. He was the

great-grandfather of Cameron, Joe, Lydia, Logan Sarah, Finn, Walker, Edie, Henry and George. Contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.

Phyllis Greenfield, 94 BOYNTON BEACH, FLA. – Phyllis B. Greenfield of Boynton Beach, formerly of Brockton and Hull, Massachusetts, passed away on Dec. 31, 2019. She is the wife of the late Theodore B. Greenfield, M.D. Phyllis is survived by her three daughters: Karen (Jeffrey) Coffman of Delray Beach, Florida, Cheryl Greenfield, M.D. (David Hirschberg), of Providence, and Lisa Moskowitz of Los Angeles, California. She is also survived by her brother Barry Brooks (Linda) of Delray Beach; eight grandchildren: Michael, Eric, Jonathan, Max, Alec, Hayden, Ashton, and Griffen; and four great-grandchildren: Chase, Slone, Jacob, and Max. She is a graduate of Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and Boston University School of Practical Arts and Letters. Contributions may be made to Hadassah or Trustbridge Hospice Foundation (561-4946887).

Helen Jacobson, 90 CRANSTON, R.I. – Helen M. (Lombardo) Jacobson, of Cranston, passed away on Dec. 12, 2019, at Sunnyview Nursing Home in Warwick. She was the wife of Bernard Jacobson. Born in Johnston, she was a daughter of the late Frank and Mary (Iafrate) Lombardo. Helen was a member of the ITAMS, Veterans Auxillary organizations and was a volunteer at the IMH during the strike. In addition to her husband, Bernard, she is survived by her children, Linda A. Jacobson and her husband, James Myers, of North Kingstown, and Gregory S. Jacobson and his wife, Evelyn, of East Greenwich; grandchildren, Rebecca M. Jacobson and Gregory S. Jacobson, Jr. Helen was the sister of the late William Lombardo, Margaret DiSesso, Anna Lund and Dolores Deady.

Ruth Kahn, 95 WARWICK, R.I. – Ruth Barry Kahn, 95, died Dec. 4, 2019, at Tamarisk Assisted Living in

Warwick. She was the wife of the late Norman Kahn. Born in New Rochelle, New York, she was the daughter of the late Jack and Gertrude (Ritter) Barry. She had lived in Warwick for 10 years, previously living in Providence. Ruth was a member of Temple Emanu-El and a huge Patriots fan. She was the mother of Jake Kahn and his wife, Midge, of South Kingstown, Marilyn Bloom of Chicago, Illinois and Lisa Kahn and her husband, Bruce MacDonald, of Coventry. She was the sister of the late Fred Barry. She was the grandmother of Ben Kahn (Alexis), Andrew Bloom (Ashley), Keila Carvalho (Timothy) and Ariana Rafanelli (Barry). She was the great-grandmother of Nehven Carvalho, Olive Bloom and Lily Rafanelli. Contributions may be made to Tamarisk Assisted Living, 3 Shalom Drive, Warwick or Jewish Collaborative Services, 1165 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02904 or the charity of your choice.

Semion Kapustin, 51 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Semion Kapustin died Dec. 28, 2019, at Rhode Island Hospital. He was the husband of Alla (Otman) Kapustin for 30 years. Born in Gomel, Belarus, a son of the late Lev and Bella Kapustin, he had lived in Rhode Island since 2000, previously living in Israel and Belarus. He was an auto mechanic and truck driver until his retirement. He was the father of Alina and Daniel Kapustin, both of Providence. He was the brother of Nelli Gulbit and Boris Kapustin, both of Israel. Contributions in his memory may be made to https://www.gofundme. com/f/zude7x-funeral-medical-expenses?utm_source.

Gloria Ladow, 86 WARWICK, R.I. – Gloria Ladow died Jan. 1, 2020, at Sunnyview Nursing Home in Warwick. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of Max and Sara Siegel. Her husband for 58 years, Joseph S. Ladow predeceased her, as did her brother Sidney Siegel and her sister Jeannette Silverstein. Gloria and Joe had lived in Cranston for over 50 years. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island,

Gloria was initially employed as a social worker, later became a substitute teacher in the Cranston school system, and, after some years as a homemaker, a juvenile probation officer for the State of Rhode Island. Subsequently, her longest tenure (she retired at 75) was working for the State of Rhode Island Adult Probation Department where she was responsible for writing sentencing reports for the state court about convicted felons. This included interviewing many of the families affected by the 2003 Station nightclub fire tragedy. Gloria was quick-witted, irreverent and funny. She loved the fine arts, movies, fiction, jazz, humor, Narragansett Beach and the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle, but took greatest delight in her beloved grandchildren Max and Sam Ladow. She is survived by her son Dan Ladow and his wife Mona Salzillo of Larchmont, New York, and her two grandchildren. Contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s research at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Barbara Lappin, 95 WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. – Barbara Lappin passed away Dec. 15, 2019, in West Palm Beach. She was the wife of the late Harold Lappin, to whom she was married for 59 years. Born in Biddeford, Maine, she was the daughter of the late Louis Balkan and Mamie (Goldberg) Balkan, and sister of the late Arthur Balkan. Barbara and Harold had been residents of Providence, Cranston and then West Palm Beach for several years. They enjoyed traveling, and made several visits to Israel and California. Barbara had been employed as a bookkeeper for the Providence Gravure Company, retiring after 13 years. Prior to that, she was employed for several years as a bookkeeper for United Way, and was involved in the operation of her family’s resort hotel in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. She had attended Bryant College in Providence. She was a member of Temple Emanu-El in Providence for more than 60 years, was an avid reader, and a member of her MahJong club for more than 30 years. Barbara is survived by her daughter Frances Prisco; son Alan Lappin; granddaughter Alexis Prisco; three great-grandsons, and her cousins, nieces and nephews. Contributions may be made to Hadassah Medical Organization, Temple Emanu-El in

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OBITUARIES Providence, or to the charity of your choice.

Lawrence Prinz, 64 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Lawrence “Larry” D. Prinz died Dec. 25, 2019, at the Miriam Hospital. Born in Providence, a son of the late Maurice and Edith (Stachelberg) Prinz, he had lived in Providence, previously living in Warwick. Larry was a salesman for the former K. Gottfried Inc. for 35 years. He was the father of Jessica Prinz of Vancouver. He was the brother of Nicole Squillante and her husband, Charles, of Providence. He was the grandfather of Stella. He was the uncle of Derek Lacombe and Ian Lacombe and his wife, Angie, and great uncle of Max, Lana and Edie. He was the longtime companion of Linda Gray. Contributions may be made to Jewish Collaborative Services, 1165 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02904.

Larry Rubin, 73 CRANSTON, R.I. – Larry A. Rubin died Dec. 18, 2019. He was the husband of Gloria (DeRita) Rubin for 50 years. Born in Providence, the son of the late Irwin and Dorothy (Bronstein) Rubin, he was a lifelong resident of Cranston. For over 10 years, he worked at the Centre Court Tennis Club in East Providence. Larry was a sports enthusiast, a well-rounded athlete and an avid fan of Boston sports teams. He also loved tennis, golf, bowling, NASCAR, billiards and horse racing. He was the father of Brooke Crowther and her husband, Mark, of Warwick. Larry was also an expectant grandfather of twin boys. Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 931 Jefferson Blvd. #3004, Warwick, RI 02886.

Daniel Siegel, 84 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Daniel G. Siegel of Providence passed away on Dec. 18, 2019. Dan was a devoted father, grandfather, uncle and friend. He was known for his generosity, kindness, intellect and wit, all of which he main-

tained until the very end. Dan is survived by his son Matthew Siegel and daughterin-law Amy of Natick, Massachusetts, his son Stephen Siegel and daughter-in-law Jennifer of Falls Church, Virginia, and his three loving grandchildren Rachel, Jason and Andy. He is also survived by his loving companion Sheila Hughes, who together with her daughters Meghan and Kathleen and their families gave him great pleasure and joy in his later years. Dan was the sole proprietor of both M & S Rare Books and M & S Press of Providence and an icon in the book collecting world for over 50 years until he retired in March 2019 at the age of 83. Dan was a graduate of Brown Universi-

ty and maintained a strong connection with the John Hay Library. The Daniel G. Siegel, ’57 Fellowship was recently created in honor of his generous support to the library throughout his life. Dan had many interests, which he pursued with passion. He served on the board of Common Cause of Rhode Island for many years with a special interest in separation of powers. He was also an avid sprinter who competed in master’s track events both locally and around the country until his late 70s. Donations may be made to: Common Cause Rhode Island, 245 Waterman St., Suite 400A, Providence, RI 02906 or to the Brown University Library, 10 Prospect St., Box 10 A, Provi-

dence, RI 02912.

Helene Silver, 91 DELRAY BEACH, FLA. – Helene E. Silver died in Boca Raton, Florida, on Nov. 28, 2019. She was predeceased by the love of her life, Philip Silver, with whom she spent 66 years. Born in New York City, she and Phil spent most of their years together in Rhode Island before moving full time to Florida. She was a graduate of New York University and taught elementary school children for over 30 years in the Warwick Public School system. She is survived by her children: Richard Silver and his wife, Liz, Laura Lang and her

husband, Steve, and Wendy Buckler and her husband, Steven, by her grandchildren: Jeffrey Buckler and his wife, Natasha, Rebecca Buckler, Max Silver and his wife, Marissa, and Alex Miller and her husband, Seth, and her great-grandsons Sammy and Ethan Buckler. She and Phil traveled the world together and enjoyed a wonderful retirement life in Florida ... always closely connected to family. Donations can be made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation online at BCRF. org., or by mail to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 28 West 44th St., Ste 609, New York, New York 10036.

9 inspiring Jews who died in 2019 BY JTA STAFF

(JTA) – THE END OF EACH YEAR offers the opportunity to remember the Jewish figures we lost over the past 12 months who left outsized impressions on our world. This year, there were victims of violence and old age, survivors who made it through the Holocaust to tell their fateful stories, and others who revolutionized their fields. Here are some whose stories inspired us the most:

Harold Bloom

Born to Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish immigrants in New York City, Harold Bloom didn’t learn to speak English until age 5. He would grow up to become one of the most influential American literary critics of all time, a fierce defender of the Western literary canon and perhaps the leading authority of his time on what belongs in it. But he never shook his affinity for Yiddish, telling an interviewer shortly before his death that he still dreamed in the language of his youth. Bloom died on Oct. 14 at 89.

Lori Gilbert-Kaye

When a gunman burst into the Chabad of Poway synagogue on April 27, Lori Gilbert-Kaye reportedly leapt in front of the rabbi to shield him from the bullets. Gilbert-Kaye, 60, was the only fatality in the attack on the San Diego-area congregation. Remembered as a pillar of the community and a regular hostess of Shabbat meals filled with guests, Gilbert-Kaye is survived

by her husband, Dr. Howard Kaye, and their daughter, Hannah.

Robert Frank

Robert Frank was among the most influential photographers of the 20th century. His groundbreaking book “The Americans” was produced from 28,000 photos he took on road trips across the United States in the 1950s. According to The New York Times, the Nazi threat raging in neighboring Germany during his youth formed his understanding of oppression. Frank died on Sept. 9 at 94.

Peggy Lipton

Actress Peggy Lipton was descended from Russian-Jewish immigrants and raised in a heavily Jewish enclave on Long Island, New York, but she became the quintessential American flower child as the star of the crime drama “The Mod Squad.” In 1974 she married the legendary music producer Quincy Jones, with whom she had two daughters – including Rashida Jones, the actress and writer. She died of cancer in May at 72. CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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NEW YORK RALLY FROM PAGE 10 infighting all sorts of hatred,” said Eric Goldstein, CEO of UJA-Federation of New York. “Too many people are pointing fingers at the other, at the other community, the other political party. We need to call out inappropriate conduct in our own communities, in our own parties.” UJA was one of many Jewish groups that lent its name to the event, along with the local Jewish Community Relations Council, the Anti-Defamation League and a host of others. But the event was notable for having apparently few marchers from the Hasidic community, despite Hasidic Jews being the victims of most of the recent attacks. “The reason why they’re not here, there’s no reason other than because there was no outreach, but I’m not thinking into it,” said Chesky Deutsch, a community activist in the Orthodox Jewish community of Jersey City who attended the march and praised it. “There wasn’t a broad outreach? That’s OK. Everyone shows sympathy and support in their own way.” Officials also used the demonstration to present FROM PAGE 25

Moshe Arens

Over the course of his three decades in Israeli public life, Moshe Arens served as a lawmaker, ambassador and defense minister under three prime ministers. Born in Lithuania, Arens immigrated to the United States in 1939 and served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. Prior to enter-

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their plans for fighting anti-Semitism. Speaking before the march, Cuomo vowed to introduce a law that would define anti-Semitism as domestic terrorism, as well as increase the ranks of the state police force and the state Hate Crimes Task Force. Speaking to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Gillibrand also pointed to Congressional efforts to increase funding for security at houses of worship, as well as a parallel federal bill on domestic terrorism. “I’m going to work very hard to increase our funding for the not-for-profit security grants both for rural and urban areas,” Gillibrand told JTA. “We’re going to try to exponentially increase the amount of resources we have to protect this city.” Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the ADL, said that defining anti-Semitism as domestic terror would allow the government to bring to bear the full brunt of its force. He called out elected leaders in both major parties for having “given permission for people to use prejudice.” “I think we need to call out these acts,” he said, referring to anti-Semitic attacks. “When you attack someone because

of how they pray or where they’re from, that’s an act of terror. That doesn’t just affect the individual but it impacts the entire community.” Jumaane Williams, New York City’s public advocate, told JTA that he disagrees with the idea of increasing police presence in Brooklyn to stem anti-Semitism. He attributed the spike in anti-Semitism to hatred “being pushed in the highest halls of our country,” and said that putting more police on the street would not solve the root causes of the problem. He called for increased education against hate, as well as enhanced mental health treatment. “I think cops should be used for acute situations and we have to work with our police officers, but anytime we directly go there and we have to have more cops for everything that means the rest of us are failing,” Williams said. “I don’t know if it’s a problem that cops can solve. We as a community have to get together and make sure people are not just tolerating folks but understanding and accepting the beauty of everyone’s culture.”

ing politics, he was a professor of aeronautics and an executive in the Israeli aerospace industry. Arens died on Jan. 7 at 93.

Yechiel Eckstein

Herman Wouk

When Time put Herman Wouk on its cover in 1955, it found the Orthodox novelist’s blend of literary achievement and religious practice to be paradoxical. But over the course of his nearly seven-decade career, Wouk would help usher Judaism into the American mainstream through more than two dozen novels and works of nonfiction, several of which were adapted for the screen. He died on May 17 at 103.

Barbra Siperstein

On Feb. 1 the Babs Siperstein law went into effect in New Jersey, allowing residents to change their gender identity without proof they had undergone gender reassignment surgery. Two days later, the law’s namesake died at 76. Barbra Siperstein was a fierce advocate for gender equality and transgender rights. In 2009, after completing gender reassignment surgery, she officially changed her Hebrew name from Eliezer Banish to Baila Chaya at a ceremony at her Conservative synagogue in Freehold.

History will remember Yechiel Eckstein as the man who raised hundreds of millions of dollars, mostly from Christians, to benefit needy Jews in Israel and beyond. To thousands of Jews in conflict zones who he helped bring to Israel, Eckstein was a guardian angel. Eckstein founded the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews in 1983, and through a combination of pluck, charisma and tireless legwork made unprecedented progress in raising money for Jewish causes from evangelicals. In February, he died of heart failure at 67 in Jerusalem.

Eva Mozes Kor

Eva Mozes Kor was born in Romania and, along with her twin sister, sent to Auschwitz in 1944. At the concentration camp, they underwent medical experiments at the hands of the infamous Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. But Kor was not the type to hold grudges, even against Nazis. She publicly forgave Mengele and made headlines in Germany for embracing Auschwitz guard Oskar Groening at his trial in 2015. Kor died in July in Poland while on a trip organized by the Candles Holocaust Museum and Education Center, which she founded in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1995.

JANUARY 2020

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

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SIMCHAS | WE ARE READ

ENGAGED – Faye Zuckerman and John Martin of Riverside and

Barrington announce the engagement of their daughter, Melanie Hunter Chitwood to Raphael Adam Gutmann Sherak, son of Hannah and Don Sherak of New York City and Brookline. Mel and Raf are both graduates of Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts, and each has a master’s degree from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In June, Raf will graduate from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. Mel works as a research associate for the Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at Yale in New Haven, Connecticut. They reside in New Haven.

WE ARE READ IN AUSTRIA – Jewish Rhode Island made it to Innsbruck, Austria, after Thanksgiving 2019. Dr. Randy Vogenberg is outside a tour bus in Austria. Vogenberg, a graduate of the University of Rhode Island who lived in Sharon, Massachusetts, for over 30 years and had an office in Providence, currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.

WE ARE READ IN CANADA – Lynn E. Taylor, MD, took Jewish Rhode Island with her to a global meeting on viral hepatitis in Montreal. She reports that the September medical conference was scheduled to avoid the High Holy Days.Taylor is a research professor at the University of Rhode Island and director of RI Defeats Hep C.

BEHIND THE BOOK FROM PAGE 21

ENGAGED – Ried and Mindy Redlich of Cumberland are pleased

to announce the engagement of their daughter, Sarah Redlich, to Jason Shore, son of Steven and Marcia Shore of Simsbury, Connecticut. A spring 2021 wedding is planned. Sarah is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, and received a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Connecticut where she is a college administrator. Jason is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY) and received a master’s degree in accounting and taxation from the University of Hartford. He is a financial analyst at PW Power Systems.

Monday, May 4, 7 p.m.: “The Flight Portfolio,” with Julie Orringer

Orringer will talk about Varian Fry, whose work saved the lives of thousands of Jewish artists and others fleeing the Holocaust. Admission: a gift to the Jewish Alliance Annual Campaign

Wednesday, May 13, 7 p.m.: “Palestine Posts: An Eye-witness Account of the Birth of Israel,” with Daniel Chertoff

Chertoff’s presentation, based on his father’s letters from Palestine, revisits select historical events from Israel’s War of Independence. No cost to attend.

For social change to happen, we must all have a seat at the table. The Jewish Alliance’s Community Relations Council (CRC) strives to combat hatred and ensure equality for all, but this cannot be done in a vacuum. Your continued support allows this critical work to strengthen our community and the world. “In these challenging times we can play an important role, based on our Jewish values and ideals, to protect and promote a fair and just society for all.”

The Jewish Alliance’s Community Relations Council (CRC) works closely with interfaith groups throughout the state on matters of public policy and serves as a partner to the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty.

community relations council

2020 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN

At the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island we play many different roles for our diverse community: we nurture, partner, educate, enrich, serve, and convene. Through the generosity of donors to the Alliance Annual Campaign, we are able to enrich the lives of thousands of people locally and around the world through programs, services, and partnerships. We care for the most at-risk in our community, energize Jewish life, respond to critical needs, and inspire future generations. Together, with your support, we translate Jewish values into wide-reaching impact. To make your meaningful gift, please visit jewishallianceri.org or call 401.421.4111 ext. 165. 401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI | 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org