December 25, 2015

Volume XXI, Issue XXIV | www.thejewishvoice.org Serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts

GENERATIONS

13 Tevet 5776 | December 25, 2015

JTA’s 2015 news quiz: The ultimate test of Jewish and Israeli knowledge

BY URIEL HEILMAN JTA – Bernie Sanders, Jenna Jameson, criminal rabbis: How much do you know about the Jews and their goings-on in 2015? JTA has the answer for you, in exchange for your answer to these 20 questions taken from our coverage of the Jewish and Israeli news of the year.

1. Which U.S. Jewish religious denomination made which landmark decision this year? a. The Reconstructionist movement allowed intermarried Jews to be ordained as rabbis. b. T he Renewa l move ment said it would rename itself in the wake of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s 2014 death.

c. T h e C o n s e r v a t i v e movement allowed so-called patrilineal Jews to read from the Torah. d. The Satmar rebbe in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, said followers should not sport hipster-style beards.

2. Which celebrity-in-Israel news did NOT happen this year? a. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and husband rapper Kanye West baptized their daughter in Jerusalem’s Old City. b. While atop a camel during his Israel visit, Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman said, “Riding these horses here in Israel is a little different.” c. On a visit to Tel Aviv, QUIZ | 23

PHOTO | JEWISH ALLIANCE OF GREATER RHODE ISLAND

Super Sunday co-chairs Mindy Stone and Doug Simon.

A SUPER SUNDAY FOR RHODE ISLAND Successful day for the Jewish community

BY HILLARY SCHULMAN hschulman@jewishallianceri.org

Hanukkah contest winners

(Left to right) Shmuel Rosenthal, Shlomo Lapin, Leah Twersky, Rivka Binjaminson and Yael Bulley (not pictured, Eve Weiner). For more on the contest, see page 4.

Rhode Islanders answered the call on Super Sunday, Dec. 13, to help ensure a strong future for the Jewish community in Rhode Island. Volunteers gathered on Sunday, as well as at follow-up phone-a-thons, to raise $94,547, putting the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s 2016 Annual Campaign total at almost $2.4 million.

The volunteers thanked donors for their past support and were able to reach out, engage and bring many more people into the giving community. In the spirit of a new year, Rhode Islanders were reminded to give back, thus creating a shared philanthropic atmosphere.

Super Sunday volunteers representing many of the agencies and synagogues in Rhode Island participated in

an agency and synagoguewide competition to win money for board development, education and training.

Jewish Family Service won the competition, bringing 10 people from the agency to support the community. The other winners of the various contests during Super Sunday were Sally Rotenberg and Sara Goodwin, both closing the most gifts during the day.

SUPER SUNDAY | 16

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2 | December 25, 2015

INSIDE Arts 2-3 Business 24-25 Calendar 11 Community 4-6, 10, 14-17, 21 D’Var Torah 7 Food 12 Generations 18-20, 22 Israel 23, 27 Nation 10, 23 Obituaries 26-27 Opinion 8-9 Seniors 28-29 Simcha | We Are Read 30

THIS ISSUE’S QUOTABLE QUOTE “It’s such a big book, how can you ‘teach’ it in a single semester?”

ARTS

The Jewish Voice

‘The Lost Shul Mural’ finds a new home

BY LEAH C. BOURAMIA

In the world of Jewish folk art, there are few realities quite as sad as the lost era of beautiful paintings, murals and architecture produced by the Jews of Eastern Europe. These intensely detailed works reflected hiddur mitzvah, making the sacred beautiful. Such artifacts were all but obliterated in the Shoah.

Recently, a mural dubbed “The Lost Shul Mural” resurfaced in Burlington, Vermont.

The enormous three-panel piece (22 feet long by 11 feet high) was initially found in 1986 during renovations to the original Chai Adam Synagogue in the former “Little Jerusalem” section of the city. Many believe this synagogue to be the fi rst in Burlington, and possibly the entire state of Vermont.

The mural, painted on-site in 1910 for $200 by commissioned Lithuanian artist Ben Zion Black, was reluctantly abandoned behind a new wall during the renovation after the Jewish community of Burlington was unable to raise enough money to pay for its removal and preservation.

After exhausting all possibilities for support, the leaders of the Jewish community did what they could to document the piece through photographs.

Aaron Goldberg, a member of local synagogue Ohavi Zedek, spearheaded this process, and dreamed of one day reclaiming the exquisite mural for the Jewish community.

That effort took more than

“The Lost Shul Mural” 25 years. In 2012, Ohavi Zedek began a three-year removal, installation and preservation process, headed by Rhode Island native Robert Schwartz, president of Great Northern Construction of Burlington.

“I wasn’t afraid of this project; I think a lot of other contractors would have been,” Schwartz said in an interview.

Hung like a picture on four 3/4-inch threaded rods, the mural was raised in May by four small winches to hang on a custom, $75,000 steel frame in Ohavi Zedek. And that wasn’t

even the hard part: The front façade of the synagogue had to be completely removed to install the piece, which hangs suspended above the main lobby. There was just 1 7/8 inches to spare above as the piece was gently moved into place.

“At any moment we could have ended up with a big pile of beach sand,” Schwartz says with a laugh.

Featured in the Vermont Building and Architecture’s Historic Preservation issue MURAL | 3

THEY SEE COLOR WAR.

Ben Zion Black, Lithuanian artist, painted the mural.

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ARTS

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The mural resurfaced in the Chai Adam Synagogue in the former “Little Jerusalem” in Burlington, Vermont.

FROM PAGE 2

MURAL this past November, Schwartz was named Remodeler of the Year by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Northern Vermont for his outstanding work removing and installing a piece characterized by project conservator Connie Silver as “like 20,000 tiny cornflakes.”

Before the piece was installed, it needed extensive prep work, including creating a temporary housing arrangement while it awaited the application of a stabilizing compound. The compound, used to stabilize restoration projects in Egypt, prevented the mural from disintegrating further.

“We built a small building

with a heating system to hold the mural while we waited the 30 days for the compound to arrive and be applied,” Schwartz said. The enclosure alone cost $200,000.

Once installation was complete, the 6,500-pound artifact and steel frame hung suspended from another steel frame, built to appear as though it is part of the Ohavi Zedek rafters.

The colorful mural depicts the lions of Judah holding the Ten Commandments upon a throne. The lions are flanked by heavy drapes, musical instruments and prayers written in Hebrew.

After a century of fading, these drapes appear dark green, but pictures from 1986 show that they were actually painted a vivid electric blue.

The sun pours light upon this

December 25, 2015 |

3

The mural is secured and ready for its 1/4 mile ride up the road to Ohavi Zedek Synagogue.

scene, illuminating the entire backdrop, while the Crown of Torah hovers above the throne.

From a preservation perspective, it is quite lucky that these photos were taken in 1986. The years between 1986 and 2010 were deeply unkind to the mural. Coal dust, cigarette smoke and grime had settled over the varnish, which had all but completely deteriorated. The photos will help preservationists restore original colors and hues.

According to international Jewish folk art historian Dr. Samuel D. Gruber, the piece represents “one of only a small number of extent ‘East European’ synagogue murals … it is a gift that adds color, vitality and the immediacy of piety.”

Gruber is director of Gruber Heritage Global, a private con-

sulting firm, which includes the Jewish Heritage Research Center in Syracuse, New York.

His lectures on this type of art and Eastern European religious architecture have kickstarted an aggressive fundraising campaign to help begin the next phase: the actual restoration of the mural.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To support restoration of The Lost Shul Mural, send contributions to “Ohavi Zedek’s Mural Fund” and mail to Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, 188 North Prospect St., Burlington, Vt. 05401. To donate online, go to lostshulmural.org.

LEAH C. BOURAMIA is an educator, wife and the mother of two rambunctious boys. She lives in Warwick.

The roof of the old synagogue was removed and a steel cage was constructed around the mural, allowing it to be lifted out of the building and transported to its new home.

Your life is rooted in Jewish experiences

your legacy can be too.

When you leave a bequest or planned gift, you ensure that the traditions and institutions that mean so much to you today will be there for future generations tomorrow.You leave your children, grandchildren, and the community a precious inheritance and a lasting testimony to your love and values.

Honor Build

your Jewish past. your future.

Create

your legacy.

For more information on ways to create your Jewish legacy, contact Trine Lustig, Vice President of Philanthropy, at 401.421.4111 ext. 223 or tlustig@jewishallianceri.org.

4 | December 25, 2015

COMMUNITY

The Jewish Voice

Students get creative with Hanukkah contest entries

BY FRAN OSTENDORF

ready to recognize one when it happens to you. The judges felt it was a nice message for Hanukkah and the essay was free of errors.

Honorable mentions to Leah Schwartz, grade 5, Providence Hebrew Day School, and Delphine King, grade 8, Temple Beth-El. Awards were presented in a ceremony Dec. 21 at the Dwares JCC. First place was awarded $108; second place, $72; and third place, $36. Honorable mentions received certificates.

The first-place winners’ school in both categories received a $750 technology grant. Awards were funded by Touro Fraternal Association.

Representatives from both Touro Fraternal and The Voice told the audience that they hoped participation would continue to grow in future years.

fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org

The judges for this year’s Hanukkah Art and Writing Contest were impressed by the creativity in the more than 100 entries.

Participation in the contest, sponsored by The Jewish Voice and Touro Fraternal Association, increased from last year.

More than 100 students entered the art contest for Grades 1-4 and more than two dozen entered the writing contest for Grades 5-8. Students were asked to draw or write on the topic of “Hanukkah Miracles” or “How We Celebrate Hanukkah.” The responses showed the diversity of our community, the judges noted.

Judges were Fran Ostendorf, editor of The Jewish Voice; Tricia Stearley, advertising manager of The Voice; Ruth Horton, interim director of the David C. Isenberg Family Early Childhood Center at the Dwares JCC; Gail Putnam, executive assistant and office manager at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island; and Lester Nathan from the Touro Fraternal Association.

Winners of the Hanukkah Art and Writing contest with Stevan Labush, Andrew Lamchick and Jed Brandes from Touro Fraternal Association and Fran Ostendorf of The Voice. grade 5, Providence Hebrew Day School. Her essay started on a light note with jokes that the judges found quite funny. It ended quite seriously as she explained the importance of getting together with family and

friends during Hanukkah.

Second place: Shmuel Rosenthal, grade 5, Providence Hebrew Day School. He told a poignant story about his grandfather, who had a bad accident when he was younger. Miracu-

lously, he only broke both his legs. That message impressed the judges with its wisdom.

Third place: Eve Weiner, grade 8, Temple Beth-El. She wrote about how special miracles are and how you must be

FRAN OSTENDORF is the editor of The Jewish Voice.

Art contest winners

First place: Shlomo Lapin, grade 3 at Providence Hebrew Day School. His entry was a drawing of a beautiful silver hanukkiah featuring oil-burning flames, which the judges felt showed a high level of sophistication.

Second place: Rivka Binjaminson, grade 1, Providence Hebrew Day School. Her mosaiclike drawing of the letters of the dreidel was beautifully colored, the judges said.

Third place: Leah Twersky, grade 4, Providence Hebrew Day School. She turned nine packages into a whimsical hanukkiah that included the name of the holiday. The judges found it well-executed and eye-catching.

Honorable mentions to Jaclyn Haas, grade 2, Providence Hebrew Day School; Talya Davis, grade 4, Temple Beth-El; and Esther Taitelbaum, grade 3, Providence Hebrew Day School.

Third place

Ho n o r

place: Yael

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Irina Missiuro Judith Romney Wegner DESIGN & LAYOUT Leah Camara

Ho n o r a b

le Mentio

n

The winning art entries, including the honorable mention awards.

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Tricia Stearly tstearly@jewishallianceri.org 401-421-4111, ext. 160

CONTRIBUTORS Leah Charpentier BouRamia Arial Brothman Seth Chitwood Stephanie Ross

Honorable Mention

First place

Bulley,

EDITOR Fran Ostendorf

ention

Second place

Writing contest winners

First

able M

Karen Borger ksborger@gmail.com 401-529-2538 VOICE ADVISORY GROUP Melanie Coon, Douglas Emanuel, Stacy Emanuel, Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser, John Landry, Mindy Stone COLUMNISTS Michael Fink, Rabbi James Rosenberg and Daniel Stieglitz

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COMMUNITY

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December 25, 2015 |

5

At the recent Vodka Latke event, sponsored by (401)j, bowling was the centerpiece activity of the evening.

Jewish young adults gather for Vodka Latke event

BY HILLARY SCHULMAN hschulman@jewishallianceri. org Where are all the young Jews in Rhode Island? They’re here, and they were definitely present at Breaktime Bowl, in Pawtucket, for the third annual Vodka Latke on Dec. 10.

(401)j, the brainchild of the Jewish Alliance, Congregation Beth Sholom, Temple Emanu-El and Temple Beth-El, celebrated its second year with bowling, latkes from Blaze restaurant, and drinks. About 100 young Rhode Island Jews showed up for the fun and to connect and network with other young, local Jewish professionals.

Founded by Erin Moseley, Rabbi Barry Dolinger, Rabbi Elan Babchuck and Rabbi Sarah Mack in 2013, (401)j’s leadership has expanded into a full board of dedicated and motivated young leaders. These young leaders, also known as “stakeholders,” are led by chairman Dan Cohen, Ceceley Chambers, Elisheva Stark, Aaron Guttin, Johanna Fleisher, Maayan Harel, Matthew Fleischman, Mira Biller, Nikki Hamburger and Pete Zubof.

Moseley attributes the event’s success to the commitment of the stakeholders, who all brought new faces. “I am very excited to be working with such a wonderful board who invested

in expanding (401)j’s reach and creating deeper connections to the Jewish community,” she said.

Board member Johanna Fleisher shared Moseley’s excitement. “The evening just had a great atmosphere and I met a lot of new friends. I am excited to be on the board as a part of something bigger than myself, and to start to bring even more people together.”

Board member Mira Biller agreed. “It’s so incredible to see Jewish young adults from so many different backgrounds and histories come together to build intentional and meaningful Jewish relationships here.

Plus, latkes are a great motiva-

PHOTOS | ERIN MOSELEY

Rabbi Barry Dolinger and Aaron Guttin tor for such things.”

(401)j is creating a space for young Rhode Island Jews to invest in their Jewish future.

They also hosted Night Out at Gourmet House, on Dec. 24.

Upcoming events include D’var in the Bars in February and

March. For more information, contact Erin Moseley at emoseley@jewishallianceri.org.

HILLARY SCHULMAN is a development associate in Philanthropy at the Jewish Alliance.

6 | December 25, 2015

COMMUNITY

The Jewish Voice

Dolinger selected for Rabbis Without Borders

BY FRAN OSTENDORF fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org

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Rabbi Barry Dolinger, of Congregation Beth Sholom in Providence, has been chosen to join the sixth class of Rabbis Without Borders.

“I’m honored and humbled to have been accepted,” said Dolinger. “I’m excited to learn and study with such an esteemed group of colleagues and teachers, and expect the program to enhance my rabbinate and the work I do on a daily basis.”

Rabbis Without Borders is a landmark initiative of Clal – the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership – that helps rabbis make Jewish thought and practice more available for improving people’s lives.

Participants in the yearlong rabbinic fellowship gather for two in-person retreats and once-a-month webinars and small-group conversations.

Sessions focus on current trends in America and the intersection of religion, politics, technology, identity and meaning.

At the conclusion of the fellowship, the rabbis enter the Rabbis Without Borders Network, a pluralist, innovative network of rabbis grounded by a sense of service to all. Currently, there are 180 rabbis in the network from across the denominations.

The network supports rabbinic growth and innovation and offers services to underserved Jewish communities through the RWB Service Corps. It also supports innovative lay leaders in its Leaders Without Borders program.

Dolinger said he applied to Rabbis Without Borders because he’s known other rabbis who benefited from the program and because “the mission of the program resonated strongly” with him.

Rabbi Elan Babchuck, of

Rabbi Barry Dolinger Providence’s Temple EmanuEl, joined the Rabbis Without Borders Network in 2013.

Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu, RWB director, wrote in the news release announcing Dolinger’s selection that “Interest in the program has only increased over the years. Rabbis recognize that

the religious environment has changed - from family makeup to spiritual practice. To reach people where they are and how they are, rabbis need to apply their skills in new ways. RWB offers that kind of support. It helps rabbis better communicate in both familiar and new venues, and makes Jewish wisdom an accessible resource for the American public to help all people flourish in their lives.”

Dolinger hopes that the fellowship will give him increased exposure to “thoughtful colleagues and teachers.”

He expects Congregation Beth Sholom to greatly benefit from his participation in RWB. “Communities often have a tendency to become isolated as independent silos,” he said.

“This sort of cross-pollination allows for the free flow of ideas and helps enliven and regenerate the next iterations of Jewish life. I expect to come back and share a series of ideas and programs focused on collective Jewish responsibility for each other.

“As the Talmud states, ‘kol Yisrael areivim ze lazeh,’ all of Israel are responsible for each other. At a time of assimilation, a lack of Jewish literacy, and a quest for meaning and identity, addressing the questions headon ought to be the core mission of all synagogues and Jewish institutions.”

FRAN OSTENDORF is the editor of The Jewish Voice.

D’VAR TORAH

thejewishvoice.org

Remembering ‘whom the mitzvah is for’ One of the oldest mitzvot in Judaism is “bikur cholim,” which literally means to “visit the sick.” It is a mitzvah identified in our daily prayers, and is one of the most important obligations that a Jew is supposed to fulfill as often as possible. As any congregational rabbi would confirm, it is a RABBI mitzvah that is integral to HOWARD VOSS-ALTMAN our daily lives.

As a brand new rabbi, I used to lead a monthly service at a local nursing home and, at the time, I felt a certain ambivalence about my role. I was just becoming accustomed to leading a prayer service and already most of my congregants were sleeping through the sermon. Actually, to me it felt more like an afternoon activity in the Catskills.

Sandwiched between lunch and dinner, between the history of show tunes and bingo, Rabbi Howard was here for Shabbat and challah.

At the time though, I never really made a sincere effort to meet the residents. I didn’t have a sense of their history – how they came to live in the community, who their children and grandchildren were, what their professions were, if they felt sad and lonely. I have since learned that leading services is just one part – perhaps the least important one at that – of visiting the sick and the elderly. You see, the mitzvah cannot be found in the recitation of prayer – instead, we find it when we listen attentively to Bubbe’s stories, when we hold Zaydeh’s hand, when we greet Betty with a smile, and maybe even say goodbye to Sam with a gentle hug. As one rabbinic mentor taught me, “Remember whom the mitzvah is for.”

These memories lead me to our parashah, Vayechi, as our patriarch, Jacob, is nearing the end of his life. In this portion, he is attempting to find what has apparently eluded him throughout his life – a sense of peace and contentment with his family. As he contemplates his imminent death, Jacob calls for his son Joseph to visit him.

Joseph not only comes to visit his father, but brings his two sons, Menasheh and Ephraim, with him. Joseph understands that his presence will cheer his father, but that for comfort and smiles, nothing succeeds like grandchildren. Jacob asks Joseph to swear an oath, to take Jacob’s body out of Egypt and bury him with his fathers, with Abraham and Isaac. Joseph agrees to do so. Indeed, he says to his father, “I will do as you

Vayechi 5776

have spoken.”

“I will do as you have spoken.” That’s quite a statement, isn’t it? How many of us – adult children – have spoken words to that effect to our elderly parents? I know I haven’t. And Jacob’s request is hardly a token one. As Rabbi Gunther Plaut reminds us in his Torah commentary – the transportation of a deceased loved one today is a daunting prospect – imagine how difficult it was in Joseph’s day. Joseph does not hesitate, he does not waffle, he does not recount to his father all of the myriad tasks that he, as the Pharoah’s chief of staff, must accomplish. He simply says, “It will be done.”

My guess is that for most of the elderly or the infirm, such words are hardly ever heard.

Usually, when I ask seniors about their children, or their grandchildren, they speak with pride about their accomplishments. But when I ask them about who comes to visit, they often hedge or change the subject, a sure sign that such visits are infrequent or perhaps nonexistent.

The truth is, that as we live longer – as we delay having our children until we are older – we find ourselves in the middle of the proverbial sandwich. When we are the primary caretakers – emotionally and physically – for our aging parents, and at the same time, we are caring for our all-too-dependent children, we are truly in that “sandwich” generation, caught between two generations, both of whom need our love and attention. And it goes without saying that our working lives are busier and more complicated than they were a generation ago, our kids’ lives are busier and more complicated than they were when we were children, and by the way, how about a few hours of personal time?

As more and more people and events compete with each other for less and less time, choices have to be made. These choices are difficult, and they usually involve a measure or two of guilt. Yes, our elderly parents and grandparents feel neglected, yes they feel a sense of loss, and yes they feel a sense of isolation and sadness that they are often unable to articulate.

But Joseph asks himself two

important questions – questions that perhaps we should ask ourselves, vis-a-vis our parents and our grandparents. First, what do they need? In Jacob’s case, he asks to be buried outside the land of Egypt, with his father and grandfather.

Joseph is able to agree. For most of us, the request won’t be quite that difficult – regular visits, regular phone calls, a sympathetic ear, and our presence – a presence that reminds them of our love and gratitude.

The second question is, what would they appreciate? For his father, Joseph takes along his sons to visit their grandfather.

They come along, and Jacob gives them his blessing, once again expressing our covenant with God through the generations. It is a blessing we say to our boys – may you grow up to be like Ephraim and Menasheh.

Of course, today, the blessing may not come from our own family’s patriarchs and matriarchs. Rather, the blessing – and this is what they might appreciate – is in the time shared between grandparents and grandchildren; the blessing is the passing on of the family’s stories – from parent to child, from child to grandchild. The blessing is the visit itself – the encounter – the time together, the hugs and kisses, the gifts of companionship and memory.

Will every visit lead to such dramatic events as they appear to in the Torah? Of course not. Like any great screenplay, the lives of our patriarchs and matriarchs are boiled down to their most significant moments.

Indeed, most of our visits will resemble our lives – a little comical, a little exasperating, a little sad, a little invigorating, and maybe, if we’re fortunate, a little insightful. But as my mentor said to me, “Remember whom the mitzvah is for.”

Let us thank God for the health of our children and our grandchildren, and if we have a parent or parents who are still with us, let us thank God for their continued health and welfare. And let us pray that despite our busy lives – or perhaps because of them – we can take time to honor our elders by our presence and by the presence of our children.

Shabbat Shalom.

Candle Lighting Times Greater Rhode Island December 25 Jan. 1, 2016 January 8 January 15

4:00 4:06 4:12 4:20

December 25, 2015 |

A Classical Christmas Concert at St. Ambrose Church, Albion

Sunday, December 27 ∙ 4PM Pianist Steven Martorella will perform works by some of the greatest classical composers that give musical expression to the hope and peace of the Christmas Season on a concert grand Steinway.

This Classical Christmas Concert is in memory of the Reverend Thomas Trepanier, the former pastor of St. Ambrose Parish and an accomplished classical pianist.

Join the community in the beauty and wonder of the Christmas Season to experience the musical virtuosity of Mr. Steven Martorella on the Steinway joined by the angelic notes of Ms. Christiana Rodi giving voice to the season of hope.

Guest appearance by renowned local pianist — Mr. Joseph Trepanier. Admission to the concert will be a free will offering to benefit the poor and homeless.

Please note that seating is on a first come basis.

For information please call St. Ambrose Parish at (401) 333-1568 WWW.STAMBROSECHURCHRI.ORG

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8 | December 25, 2015

OPINION

Travel with meaning For more than 30 years, at this time of year, my husband and I have traveled to visit his family in Chicago. It hasn’t mattered where we’ve lived, what our work or financial state. I’ve been pregnant; children have been sick. We’ve gone. The family always gathers at this time and that’s what we’ve done. It’s a tradition.

Some people spend this week in warmer climes, on a cruise, at a resort. Not us.

We go where there’s snow, EDITOR sub-sub zero t emp er at u r e s FRAN and cold, bitOSTENDORF ing wind. And crowds.

If you’ve gotten this far in The Voice, you’ve probably read Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman’s d’var Torah about generations.

His message resonated with me.

This is why we go to Chicago.

My husband grew up in Chicago. His parents lived there. His sisters continue to live there, as do most of his nieces, nephews and cousins. We have always felt that it was important to be able to see the whole family at least once a year. Our children have grown up with this tradition and there is no question in their minds that we should try to go, even if it’s only for a few days.

My in-laws passed away more than a dozen years ago. But the generational tradition lives on.

Yes, we have questioned wheth-

er we should continue. Lives are busy. Work gets in the way.

It would be so much easier just to stay home. It’s so alluring to think about just slipping away to somewhere warm. But the trip survives. In fact, it lives on.

Once, we asked our now adult children if they wanted to skip Chicago that year. “What? We have to go! We’ve always gone!” was the universal response.

They have never known anything else.

It’s certainly less satisfying than it once was, when we stayed at my in-laws’ home in the suburbs and had a base of operations near familiar friends and eateries. There was a full kitchen, room to entertain, lots of bedrooms and a fireplace to make the winter a little more bearable. Now we stay in hotels and bounce from downtown to suburban locations. No one can come to us so we’re always driving all over the city.

But some things shouldn’t be easy. Some things are about family. And commitment. And traditions. And consistency. In some ways, the difficulty makes it even more satisfying. When all is done, we’ve never regretted making those trips. Somehow, it always works out.

And we know it means something. Recently, I heard from a nephew who also moved away.

When he announced he wasn’t coming back this year, his mother reminded him that his uncle’s family has made the trip for more than 30 years.

Stick with family. Make it happen. You can’t go wrong.

Let your voice be heard!

We want to tell your story, and we need your help Remember your wedding day? What made it memorable? Give the next generation of brides and grooms some ideas to work with and share your memories with our readers. Our wedding section runs in the Jan. 22 issue, so send us an email with your memories and photo if possible by Jan. 8, and be sure to include contact information.

Then travel back in time to camp. Did you go to camp in the summer? Did you look forward to it or hate it? What

did you like (or hate)? Where did you go? Camp was an important part of so many summers, we want to hear your stories. Our camp issue comes out Feb. 19, so send us your stories by Feb. 1.

And if you know someone who you think would make a good profile for The Jewish Voice, please send us their contact information. We can’t be your voice without community involvement. As always, contact us at editor@ jewishallianceri.org.

OUR MISSION The mission of The Jewish Voice is to communicate Jewish news, ideas and ideals by connecting and giving voice to the diverse views of the Jewish community in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, while adhering to Jewish values and the professional standards of journalism.

The Jewish Voice

Breaking the silence I had the opportunity to spend several hours with Patrick Kennedy in the late ’90s, when he represented Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Represent at ive s. Rev. James Miller, then execuIT SEEMS t ive d i rector of the R.I. State TO ME Council of Churches, and RABBI JIM I were in WashROSENBERG ington, D.C., as guests of Kennedy at the annual National Prayer Breakfast. Both Miller and I were pleasantly surprised that our representative chose to spend a considerable amount of time with us: the breakfast itself, a brisk winter’s walk from the hotel to Capitol Hill, a conversation in his office followed by a gracious lunch in the Congressional Dining Room.

At the time Kennedy seemed so energetic, so attentive, bombarding us with probing and perceptive questions. Until I read his recently published book, “A Common Struggle,” cowritten with Stephen Fried (New York: Blue Rider Press, 2015), I could not have imagined that even as he was playing the perfect host, he was battling inner demons that were threatening to destroy him. “A Common Struggle” is an outpouring of years of personal anguish, a detailed account of his ongoing struggle with mental illness and addiction. From early on, Kennedy was a “vulnerable child,” suffering from debilitating asthma.

As he moved into the teenage years, he developed an anxiety disorder coupled with bipolar II disorder, a form of bipolar disease in which the patient cycles rapidly between deep depression and a mania that falls short of florid psychosis – a mania that in some working environments can be productive. In addition, Kennedy became a binge drinker and addicted to opiates. A classic case of co-morbidity.

What impresses me about Kennedy’s book is his uncompromising honesty, his determination to break the silence about mental illness and addiction. As he tells the reader, “I grew up among people who were geniuses at not talking about things,” despite the fact that both his parents had what he describes as “mental health issues.” His mother

Joan was a diagnosed alcoholic.

According to Patrick, his father Ted suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder along with an unacknowledged drinking problem. Patrick emphasizes that “[o]ur secrets are our most formidable adversaries.”

As many Rhode Islanders will remember, Patrick Kennedy went into the “family business” of politics when he was a very young man; he was only 21 when he ran for a seat in the Rhode Island House back in 1988, winning the election by only 315 votes. Six years later, he won election as U.S. Representative

to our state’s 1st Congressional District at the ripe old age of 27.

Looking back, Kennedy admits that his early political success was a cover for a host of inner insecurities: “I was trying to recreate my insides by recreating my outside – getting my life validated on the surface while minimizing the confusion of my inner life.”

Throughout his career in the U.S. House, from 1995 to 2011, Kennedy continued to be politically successful – winning eight successive elections. He was increasingly a prisoner of himself; his inner life was unraveling, becoming ever more chaotic. By late 2004, he admits to taking 15 to 20 drinks per evening. When he checked into the Mayo Clinic for the second time in eight months just after Christmas of that year, he was taking as many as 50 pills and puffs per day: Lithium carbonate, Lamictal, Prozac, Wellbutrin, Buprenorphine, Docusate, Clonazepam, Ambien, Caffeine tablets, Alka Seltzer, Ibuprofen, Proventil HFA, Advair, Singulair, Intal in-

haler!!

Despite his inner turmoil, Kennedy continued to represent his Rhode Island district until January 2011. He worked tirelessly to ensure passage of the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act – his most significant legislative accomplishment.

From the time he entered political life, Kennedy demanded that those suffering from mental illness and addiction receive insurance benefits comparable to those with “purely” physical maladies – a fight for legislative parity fueled by his own personal struggles.

On March 31, 2010, Kennedy met Amy Savell, a middle school history teacher in New Jersey, and married her on July 15, 2011, about six months after he retired from elective office. The couple are raising two young children, Owen and Nora from Amy’s first marriage, in addition to their daughter Harper.

Fortunately, for all who have benefited from his efforts to break the silence, he continues to be an energetic advocate for a host of issues regarding mental health and addiction.

His work with One Mind and the Kennedy Forum are but two examples of his ongoing commitment. At 48, Kennedy should look forward to many productive years ahead.

Though the title of his book is “A Common Struggle,” it seems to me that Kennedy’s struggle with mental illness and addiction has been anything but common. Though in many ways a child of privilege, he has had to bear the burden of being a member of the closely scrutinized Kennedy family, which has played a unique role in American political life. His identity has been informed by an intense vulnerability that comes from being a very public person doing battle with a very private – at times invisible to the onlooker – combination of illnesses.

Shortly after his father Ted’s funeral, Patrick received a condolence note from Minnesota’s Sen. Al Franken, which read in part: “I’ve decided that your vulnerability is a gift to the nation.

I mean that in the most heartfelt way. You are a courageous man.”

Indeed, a profile in courage.

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

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OPINION

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In the last few months, there have been terrorist attacks in Israel and the rest of the world.

One definition of a terrorist attack is a group of politically

LETTERS HOME DANIEL STIEGLITZ motivated people targeting civilians to further an agenda.

While often not politically motivated, mass shootings also fall under the category of terror, since the targets are civilians.

No matter how you paint it, war is a horrible thing, and terrorism is a type of warfare.

Each side perceives the other as being the “bad guy.” Those who abhor the intentional targeting of civilians consider themselves “right,” and everyone who violates this credo is “wrong.” In my opinion, and what I hope is the opinion of the world’s majority, the only thing that dis-

Standing together on our own

tinguishes humans from outright monsters is that we don’t target civilians. Assuming that one side is right and one side is wrong, the good guys should only be targeting the bad guys.

These bad guys never make up 100 percent of a nation’s population. In fact, the true bad guys are usually part of the minority. It is they and they alone who should be targeted.

Unfortunately, civilian casualties are often inevitable. Even more so when the bad guys hide behind and embed themselves among civilians, using them as human shields. In that case it’s a matter of “good guy” militaries making sure they’re doing everything in their power to limit civilian casualties. This is something that I truly believe Israel excels at more than most, if not all, of the other nations of the world.

Recent events show that there is no place in the world that is truly safe and invulnerable to acts of terrorism. (Again, I’m also referring to school shootings, so America is certainly not immune to terrorism.) We are all part of a world community. I believe that most of us are “good guys.” When one of

our fellow civilians is killed in an act of terror, we must stand united and speak out against the death of every civilian who is targeted and killed.

A few weeks ago, dozens of civilians were killed in a terrorist attack. They were going about normal, leisurely activities when their lives came to an end. Yes, what I’m describing sounds a lot like the attack

“Recent events show that there is no place in the world that is truly safe and invulnerable to acts of terrorism.” in Paris that took place on Nov. 13, but that’s not what I’m referring to. I’m referring to the attack that took place in Beirut on Nov. 12, the day before the Paris attack, when two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a Beirut suburb, killing approximately 40 people.

After the attacks in Paris, the world shouted out how they

stood by the country of France.

Countless people posted the French flag on their Facebook profiles. Where was everyone the day before? Why was it not popular to post a Lebanese flag as one’s profile?

This contrast in the world’s selective support hit closer to home on Nov. 19, less than a week after the attack in Paris.

There was yet another terrorist attack in Israel. This time one of the (civilian) victims was a fellow New Englander by the name of Ezra Schwartz. He was spending his gap year here after graduating from the same high school that my sister once attended.

After this attack, and after the many others that have taken place in Israel in the last few weeks, where was the world condemnation? W here were the Facebook posts of Israeli flags? (While not a sports fan, I’m proud that Robert Kraft, a supporter of Israel, and the New England Patriots showed a moment of silence after Ezra’s death.)

My point is that we among the nations of Earth cannot afford to be selective in our causes based on what is popu-

December 25, 2015 |

9

lar and trending. Support for France went viral a few weeks ago. Those civilian victims deserved the world outcry of support and mourning. But so do the victims of every terrorist attack that occurred before and after that.

Terrorism aimed at Israeli civilians is no more justified than terrorism anywhere else in the world, including in Beirut. It doesn’t matter what part of the world, nation or religion we belong to. Terrorism is terrorism, and all civilians are targets. We all must fight the bad guys together. That means we all need to stand together in support of one another. When one of us suffers, all of us suffer.

DANIEL STIEGLITZ (dstieglitz@gmail.com), a Providence native, made aliyah in 2007. He holds a master’s degree in creative writing from Bar Ilan University; is the director of staffing and recruitment at Sachlav/ Israelonthehouse, a Birthright Israel trip organizer; is a certified Life Coach; does freelance content writing; and lives in Jerusalem. He has had two short stories published in FictionMagazines.com publications.

Climate activists welcome deal but rap Israel for ‘minimalist’ commitments

BY BEN SALES TEL AVIV (JTA) – During the recent climate summit outside Paris, the 195 delegate countries – including Israel – committed to implementing plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve their goals every five years.

The aim: Keep Earth from warming more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the 21st century.

“This demands international discipline, which is not easy, but for the good of humanity, I hope that it will be found,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who attended the climate talks, told his Cabinet after the summit. “It will certainly be found in the State of Israel.”

But the historic deal leaves much to be desired, a range of Israeli climate activists, experts and government officials say. They point out that Israel’s plan to help reduce global warming falls short of what other countries have vowed to do. And some Israelis have expressed doubt that the plan will be implemented at all – Israel won’t face concrete repercussions if it fails to meet its goals beyond being excluded from the accord moving forward.

Still, Israeli environmentalists say Israel’s commitments under the deal are a welcome first step. They hope Israel’s proposal will encourage the government to make clean energy a priority. And they expect that the accord will create a global market push to expand environmentally friendly businesses and products.

“Environmentalists should celebrate because the government made its most ambitious statement to date,” said Alon Tal, founder of the Israel Union for Environmental Defense. “Now we hold its feet to the fire.”

Israel, with about 0.1 percent of the

world’s population, contributes about 0.2 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Israel’s plan pledges, by 2030, to keep greenhouse gas emissions at about their current levels. Without implementing the plan it committed to in France, Israel would emit an estimated 105.5 metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2030.

The plan would lower that number to some 82 metric tons, which is around what Israel has emitted this year. Taking population growth into account, the plan amounts to a per-capita greenhouse gas emissions reduction of approximately 26 percent.

The United States, by contrast, has pledged to reduce emissions from a total of about 5.5 billion metric tons of carbon in 2015 to under 5 billion by 2025. The U.S. plans to reduce its absolute number of emissions 26 percent below 2005 levels – not relative to population growth. The European Union has pledged to lower its emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels. China, meanwhile, has pledged to draw 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.

Yosef Abramowitz, an Israeli solar energy entrepreneur and delegate at the Paris conference, called Israel’s plan “scandalous.”

“For a start-up nation to have one of the lowest solar goals on the planet betrays our values and our potential,” said Abramowitz, who called the Israeli goals “so minimalist that it made it difficult for us in Paris” when defending it to other delegates.

Israel’s initiative involves an eightfold increase in renewable energy sources, like solar and wind power. Implement-

ing greener building codes to promote energy efficiency, moving from coal power plants to burning Israel’s abundant natural gas and investing in public transportation are also part of the plan.

Israel’s proposal calls for the government to vote on an implementation plan for the proposal in 45 days, though ministries are still debating whether to enact a carbon tax, which taxes CO2 emissions, or a cap-and-trade program, which limits the amount of greenhouse gases that companies can emit and provides incentives for companies that come in under the threshold.

Israel’s government has had a poor track record on these projects.

The Israeli government had aimed for 5 percent of the country’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2014 and 10 percent by 2020. Now it’s at less than 2 percent and is slated to miss the 2020 target by 2 or 3 percent. A high-speed train to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv that began construction in 2001 won’t provide service until at least 2017, while light rail projects in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv have both experienced delays.

“We claim there is a huge potential, but without stable regulation and planning the investors aren’t going in,” said Gil Proaktor, the Ministry of Environmental Protection’s senior coordinator on climate change. “We have a government decision on plans, but not on implementation.”

While the France deal sets a target of avoiding a rise of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, analyses show that taken together, all the countries’ plans would lead to a

temperature increase of about 4.8 degrees. And Israel’s tiny size means that no matter what it does, it will have a minuscule effect on global emissions.

“It’s not just the Israeli government,” said Moti Shechter, director of Haifa University’s Natural Resource and Environmental Research Center. “Politicians make promises only when they don’t have a choice, when there’s catastrophe.

When the danger isn’t at the door, they can push it off.”

Israeli environmentalists, however, believe the government has missed an opportunity to commit itself to a greener future. Israel’s climate plan aims for solar power to provide 17 percent of Israel’s energy by 2030. Eli Brif, head of the climate protection department at Green Course, an Israeli environmentalist group, says a country that’s mostly sunbathed desert can go further.

No new solar fields have been approved for three years, which officials and experts attributed to bureaucratic delays and a powerful fossil fuel lobby.

“We have the potential and ability to use solar power on buildings, public institutions, barns, chicken coops and in solar fields,” Brif said. “It’s going in the right direction, but we need serious strides, not baby steps.”

Several activists, however, see in the Paris accord a glimmer of hope. The climate issue is now on the national agenda – even if Israel’s commitments, as they see them, are falling short.

“It’s all a question of political will and pressure,” said Yael Cohen-Paran, Israel’s sole lawmaker from the Green Movement who serves as part of the opposition Zionist Union. “I hope and assume there will be global pressure. Israel’s lagging a little, and it doesn’t bother anyone. We need to scream a bit louder.”

COMMUNITY | NATION

10 | December 25, 2015

The Jewish Voice

Jews and Freemasonry: A quest for assimilation

BY SHAI AFSAI Redwood Lodge No. 35, founded in 1878, is often referred to as Providence’s first Jewish Masonic Lodge. The driving force behind its formation was Myer Noot, who, according to Redwood lore, “visualized a lodge wherein the question of religion or race should be no criterion of membership.” In addition to founding Redwood that year, Noot also led the 1877 restructuring of the then-Orthodox Congregation Sons of Israel and David into Rhode Island’s first moderate Reform synagogue: Providence’s Temple Beth-El. Noot subsequently served the congregation in such varied capacities as secretary, vice president, teacher, dues collector, cantor and – though not ordained – rabbi. Most of the other men whose names appear in Redwood’s 1878 petition for a charter from the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island were members of the Sons of Israel and David as well.

Founded in 1854, the Congregation Sons of Israel and David’s 1877 shift from Orthodox to moderate Reform Judaism was a manifestation of its members’ successful acculturation, despite public prejudice against Jews in Rhode Island. Its leadership also hoped that by em-

bracing Reform Judaism, the congregation would be able to draw in more of the city’s Jews and increase membership.

Between 1865 and 1877, the Jewish population of Providence and Pawtucket grew from perhaps several dozen people to about 500. This community was comprised mainly of immigrants from Western Europe, primarily Germany.

In her “The Jews in Rhode Island: A Brief History” (1985), Geraldine S. Foster emphasizes the degree to which these immigrants sought “to acquire those manners and customs that would make them appear more like their American neighbors.” Forming and joining fraternities was one side of this Americanization effort for which the Jews from Germany were especially well-suited. “In addition to an appreciation of social amenities, the German Jews had a genius for communal systems; by tradition they were organizers and joiners,” according to Foster.

The moderate Reform goal in 19th-century Europe and America was acculturation, which the late Brandeis University Prof. Bernard Reisman defines as “the process by which members of a newly arrived or minority culture take on aspects of their host culture, but at the

Abraham Redwood same time seek to maintain a continuing identification and involvement with their original culture. The goal is to achieve a synthesis of the two cultures, for example, to be Jewish and American.” Redwood’s moderate Reform founders sought to be Jews, Americans and Freemasons.

Jew i s h a s s o c i at io n w it h Rhode Island Freemasonry predates the establishment of the Redwood Lodge by more than 100 years. Of early Jewish involvement in American Freemasonry, Samuel Oppenheim

(“The Jews and Masonry in the United States before 1810”) suggests: “The relationship of the Jews to the Order brought them naturally more directly in contact with their Christian brethren than would otherwise have probably been the case, and the respect and esteem with which the individual members of the race were regarded no doubt tended to the advantage of their coreligionists as a body.” Redwood’s Jewish founders sought similar results in 1877, hoping for more amiable contact with their Christian neighbors, while also maintaining Jewish cohesion.

By then there were also nonMasonic fraternal options available to Redwood’s founding members, and several of them already belonged to exclusively Jewish fraternities in Rhode Island, including B’nai B’rith, Free Sons of Israel and Free Sons of Benjamin. However, Redwood’s Jewish founders were not satisfied with directing their energies toward these Jewish fraternities.

Redwood’s founders originally considered calling their Masonic Lodge “Liberty.” Earl H. Mason’s “Historical Sketch and other Pertinent Data of Redwood Lodge” (1953) explains that in deciding to name the lodge after Abraham Red-

wood (1709-1788), “the organizers chose to honor a non-Mason from Newport, famed for his philanthropy, broadmindedness and general good citizenship … a staunch Quaker, who numbered many Masonic and Jewish leaders of his day among his closest and most loyal friends.”

This naming of a mostly Jewish Masonic Lodge after a tolerant Newport Quaker who had “befriended many of the Jewish people in that city” points to the cosmopolitanism Redwood’s founders were striving for, and on which its subsequent members have prided themselves.

Rhode Island’s exclusively Jewish fraternities, though closely associated with the Sons of Israel and David and of great importance to most of Redwood’s founders, were insufficient to satisfy this cosmopolitan aspiration, as were the state’s existing Masonic lodges.

SHAI AFSAI (ggbi@juno.com) lives in Providence. At the invitation of Collegium Luminosum, on Nov. 30 Afsai delivered a lecture at the Freemasons’ Hall in East Providence about the ways Jews have negotiated membership in a sometimes avowedly Christian Masonic fraternity and the reasons why they chose to do so.

Brandeis’ new president: We are going to pursue diversity

BY URIEL HEILMAN JTA – Brandeis University announced Dec. 10 that its next president will be Ronald Liebowitz, the former president of Middlebury College.

Though he won’t start until next July, Liebowitz shared some of his ideas about the challenges he faces in an interview with JTA. A condensed version of our conversation follows: Uriel Heilman: How do you anticipate the challenges of leading Brandeis will differ from those you faced at Middlebury?

Ronald Liebowitz: Each institution has its own idiosyncrasies and special challenges. Brandeis has some remarkable human resources and attributes, but it needs an understanding of itself: who it is and what it wants to become. How does it reconcile its rich past with its future?

Brandeis is best known for being a Jewish school, sort of. I believe the language the university uses is “Jewishsponsored, non-sectarian.”

What does that mean to you?

It means we are first in line when it comes to Jewish studies and when it comes to academic excellence. We want to be leaders in Near Eastern

Ronald Liebowitz and Israeli studies as well.

We’re open to Jews of all kinds, but in order for us to be a first-rate university we also need to have diversity. While we celebrate our history and strengthen our commitment to Jewish studies and history, we also are going to pursue diversity of our students, faculty and staff on campus for the sake of creating the rich-

est cultural environment.

Uriel Heilman: Do you have a specific vision for Brandeis?

Ronald Liebowitz: It’s a

little early. I really look forward to a year of listening and learning.

Uriel Heilman: What are some of the big issues universities are grappling with these days?

Ronald Liebowitz: The challenges of access and affordability.

Beyond that, there’s the issue of whether or not the education of today meets the needs of tomorrow.

I think that has become a bigger question and has put pressure on colleges and universities. We have to look at the curriculum and consider not just what we expect the students to learn but what skills we expect them to have when they graduate.

Uriel Heilman: Should defenders of the humanities and liberal arts be nervous?

Ronald Liebowitz: I don’t think we’re doing anything to water down the liberal arts.

We endowed the classics department during my last semester in Middlebury. I see the humanities as the founda-

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tion of liberal arts. We’re talking about what do students need to learn — that includes skills they may not have needed 20 years ago, not replacing liberal arts education.

Uriel Heilman: Until a year ago, you lived in Vermont for 32 years, with the last 11 as Middlebury’s president. You’ve spent the last few months living in Newton, Massachusetts, and doing research for a book you’re coauthoring with your wife, Jessica. What’s that been like?

Ronald Liebowitz: I’ve been able to travel, read and get re-engaged in Jewish life since we moved here to Newton. Living Jewishly in Newton, Massachusetts, is quite easy, and it’s been really welcome. All my kids are now in Jewish day school.

Uriel Heilman: Your bio says you’re 58, yet you look a decade younger and your kids are ages 9, 10 and 11. How do you stay looking so young?

Ronald Liebowitz: Being in a stress-free job.

CALENDAR

thejewishvoice.org

Ongoing Alliance Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Noon lunch; 1 p.m. program. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Neal or Elaine, 401421-4111, ext. 107.

West Bay Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every weekday.

Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston.

11:15 a.m. program; Noon lunch. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Steve, 401743-0009.

Through January 7 Three Artists, 30 Works. Gallery at Temple Habonim features Joan Boghossian, Eileen Horwitz and Elizabeth Bonner Zimmerman. Hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and by appointment. 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. For information, call 401-245-6536. gallery@templehabonim.org.

Thursday | December 31 New Year’s Eve Celebration at Temple Torat Yisrael. 8:30 p.m. – midnight.

Hors d’oeuvres, desserts, chocolate fountain, wine or BYOB, dancing, professional DJ and games. Watch the ball drop on the widescreen TV. Casual.

Bring the kids! No charge for children under 13 with free babysitting (RSVP).

Games, movies, etc., bring sleeping bags. Open to all. $25 per person.

RSVP to Torat Yisrael office at 401885-6600. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich

Friday | January 8 Friday Night Live Honors Shabbat. 6 p.m.

A musical celebration of Shabbat with a chicken dinner to follow. Cost: Adults and Children over 12, $20 pp, Children 12 years and younger, Free, Family max., $60. RSVP to Torat Yisrael office 401-885-6600. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich.

Tuesday | January 12 Temple Torat Yisrael’s Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Philmus. Noon. T’s Restaurant, 5600 Post Rd., East Greenwich.

Each participant orders from the menu, and the group studies Jewish sources addressing current issues. Everyone is welcome, bring a friend!

PJ Library Story and Play Time with “Bubbie Sara.” 3-4 p.m. Dwares JCC. Spend time twice a month to hear stories, play games and make new friends!

We will read various PJ Library books and sing songs about Jewish holidays throughout the year. Children will make a craft. All children ages 5 and under are welcome. For information, contact Sara Foster at 401-421-4111, ext.

130 or sfoster@jewishallianceri.org.

Saturday | January 16 Kids’ Night Out: Party in the USA. 5-10 p.m. Dwares JCC. Calling all parents!

Kids’ Night Out is a chance for children to spend the evening with friends in a fun and safe environment … and an opportunity for parents to have a night out “kid free!” Kids’ Night Out runs once a month on Saturday evenings. Each month children will be enjoy a variety of activities from sports, crafts, swimming and more. A pizza dinner and snacks will be served – the evening will end with a movie. Ages: 5–12. Price: $35.

Members: $25 | Siblings: $15. For information or to register, contact Shannon Kochanek at 401-421-4111, ext. 147.

PJ Library Story and Play Time with “Bubbie Sara.” 10-11 a.m. Dwares JCC. Spend time twice a month to hear stories, play games and make new friends! We will read various PJ Library books and sing songs about Jewish holidays throughout the year. Children will be able to make a craft. All children ages 5 and under are welcome. For information, contact Sara Foster at 401-421-4111, ext. 130 or sfoster@ jewishallianceri.org.

Sunday | January 24 Jewish Culture through Film: “The Age of Love.” 2 p.m. Dwares JCC. “The Age of Love,” an alternately poignant and funny look at the search for love among the senior set, follows 70- to 90-yearold speed daters – recently widowed, long divorced or never-married – as they prepare for the big day, endure a rush of encounters, then anxiously. receive their results. Fearlessly candid about themselves and what they’re seeking, these WWII boomers are forced to take stock of life-worn bodies and still-hopeful hearts. Then, as they head out on dates that result, comic and bittersweet moments reveal how worries over physical appearance, romance and rejection, loss and new beginnings change – or don’t change – from first love to the far reaches of life. “The Age of Love” is a story love and desire regardless of age. A discussion led by the film’s director, Steven Loring, will follow the screening. Admission: $5 | Members $3. For information, contact Erin Moseley, director of Arts & Culture, at emoseley@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 108.

Wednesday | January 27 Unique Stories from the Holocaust, a Panel Discussion. 7 p.m. Dwares JCC. Join the Jewish Alliance, Congregation Beth Sholom, The Holocaust Education and Resource Center of R.I., March of the Living, the Yom HaShoah Committee and the Community Relations Council to hear a panel of speakers talk about unique experiences and stories from the Holocaust. The panel will feature Rita B. Gabis, author of “A Guest at the Shooter’s Banquet,” Dina Judith Gold, author of “Stolen Legacy,” and Lisa Moses Leff, author of “The Archive Thief.” Together these three women will weave true stories about the realities of family secrets, retribution and theft.

For information, contact Erin Moseley, director of Arts & Culture, at emoseley@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 108.

Calendar Submissions JAN. 8 issue, HEALTH & WELLNESS must be received by DEC. 30.

JAN. 22 issue, WEDDINGS must be received by JAN. 13.

SEND ALL CALENDAR ITEMS TO: editor@jewishallianceri.org with the subject line “CALENDAR.” Calendar entries may be edited for content, length and relevance.

December 25, 2015 |

11

12 | December 25, 2015

FOOD

The Jewish Voice

This bread is a winner for Bob Sandy be free of dough.

If the dough is not adhering to the dough hook you have too little flour. If the dough isn’t shiny and smooth then you have too much flour. Add a little more First Clear flour in the first case and add a little more water in the second.

Turn the dough into a very large work bowl that has vegetable oil spread over its interior.

Flip the dough over so that the oil is on both sides. Form by hand into a smooth mound.

Bob Sandy “This bread has an intense sour rye flavor that comes almost entirely from the four traditional bread ingredients: flour, water, salt and yeast.

Some home recipes for pumpernickel rely on cocoa, molasses or even coffee for flavor. My Dad would never have stooped to such artifice.

The mix of flours in this recipe is 50 percent whole grain rye and 50 percent First Clear wheat flour. First Clear flour is somewhere between whole grain wheat flour and white bread flour. The high percentage of rye flour in this recipe yields a strong rye flavor but little rise. Gluten is required to trap the steam and gives the bread its lift, but rye flour has no gluten. Not having access to the high-gluten First Clear wheat flour my Dad used in his bakery, I added a little vital wheat gluten to help with the rise.”

– Bob Sandy

PHOTO | JOHN TAVARES

Bob Sandy’s pumpernickel bread.

Gabor Sandy’s Utterly Authentic Jewish Pumpernickel Makes approximately one 5-pound loaf Sour starter from King Arthur Flour (KAF) for $8.95 or free from Robert Sandy 5 cups Pumpernickel Flour from KAF at $10.95 for 3 pounds or Great River Organic Rye Flour from Amazon for $37.29 for 25 pounds 1 teaspoon dry active yeast 5 cups First Clear flour from KAF for $8.50 for 3 pounds 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt 2 cups cane sugar 1/2 cup cornmeal 2 tablespoons cornstarch 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 tablespoons vital wheat glu-

ten from KAF for $6.95 for 1 pound 4 slices old pumpernickel or rye bread (don’t use a supermarket rye bread, the flavor comes from chemical flavors in a dry mix)

Sour:

Put starter sour in a large bowl and add 2/3 cup of lukewarm water.

Add 1 cup of pumpernickel/ rye flour.

Mix ingredients by hand.

Consistency should be thicker than a batter but softer than bread dough.

Leave for two hours in oven at proof setting or four hours at room temperature. The sour should double in volume.

To the previous ingredients add 2/3 cup of lukewarm water and 1 cup of pumpernickel/rye flour.

Mix thoroughly by hand.

Leave for two hours in an oven at proof setting or 4 hours at room temperature.

It is OK for the sour to have risen and fallen back. That gives it a stronger sour flavor.

Caramel color:

This coloring can be made in a large batch and kept. Put 2 cups of cane sugar into a metal pot.

Add 2 cups water and stir with a wooden spoon.

Bring to a boil.

Stir occasionally until a light amber color appears.

Thereafter stir continuously.

The mix will start to smoke so you will need a kitchen exhaust fan and an open window.

The color of the mixture will turn from light amber to honey to medium brown to a deep brown. Let it cool on the stove.

It will harden into a solid.

Add 1 cup of boiling water on

top of the solid mass. Set pot on high heat.

Stir, working the water into the slowly dissolving solid.

Keep stirring until there are no solids.

Be careful as the hot mixture can burn. Once the mix cools enough to handle, pour into glass jars.

Glaze:

Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/4 cup of water.

Pour mixture into 1 cup of boiling water.

Boil until it thickens.

Altus:

Tear up four slices of old pumpernickel or rye, place in a bowl and soak in water.

Squeeze out the excess water.

Pumpernickel Bread:

If you have the large KitchenAid mixer, you can make this dough in one batch.

If not make the dough in two batches.

Put the sour into the mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of lukewarm water.

Add 1 teaspoons of active dry yeast.

Add 1 tablespoon of coarse kosher salt.

Add 3 cups of pumpernickel flour.

Add 5 cups of First Clear flour.

Add 2/3 cup of caramel color.

Add the altus.

Add 4 tablespoons vital wheat gluten.

Run the mixer with the dough hook at its slowest speed for 20 minutes.

The amount of flour cannot be determined precisely because of ambient humidity, flour settling and age can affect the result.

After 20 minutes the inner sides of the mixing bowl should

Bread on a baker’s peel.

Cover with aluminum foil.

Put into an oven with a proof setting for 90 minutes or leave at room temperature for four hours. Proofing time at room temperatures is sensitive to temperature and humidity of your kitchen.

The dough should double in volume.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface.

Dust hands with flour then knead dough by hand thoroughly.

Form the dough into a round loaf.

Spread cornmeal over a peel and place formed loaf on it.

Put the peel with the loaf into the oven on proof setting or leave it on the kitchen counter covered with kitchen towels.

Proof for 30 minutes in an oven or an hour at room temperature. The ready-to-bake loaf will be 50 percent bigger than the original loaf.

Set oven to 350 degrees. Just before putting the bread into the oven brush its exterior with the cornstarch glaze.

Use a skewer to punch a dozen holes in the bread. Push your thumb into the middle of the loaf to make an indentation the depth of your thumb.

Slide loaf onto an oven stone.

Put 2 cups of boiling water in a iron skillet in the bottom of the oven to generate steam.

Bake for approximately 75 minutes. An internal temperature of 190 degrees on an instant read thermometer indicates that it is done.

Let it cool before trying to cut.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For more on Bob Sandy see page 18.

December 25, 2015 |

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14 | December 25, 2015

COMMUNITY

The Jewish Voice

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. MaxMan shares with youngsters the importance of recycling and waste management.

A Hanukkah party for 8 good causes

BY ARIEL BROTHMAN

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PROVIDENCE – The Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island held its second annual Hanukkah party at the Dwares JCC, on Providence’s East Side, on Dec. 9. The event, named Mitzvahs & Miracles, was a party in the conventional sense, with food, activities and music, but it was also a night focused on giving back to the community.

The co-chairs of this evening of community and good will?

Twelve-year-olds Reese Sock and Annabelle Doyle.

“We wanted to help the other people in our community,” Annabelle explains. “[We wanted to] have the community be together and do mitzvahs for people who are less fortunate.”

Reese and Annabelle, who are alumni of the day school, took key roles in organizing Mitzvahs & Miracles as their b’nai mitzvah projects. This year’s party differed from last year’s in that last year’s cochairs were adults; Reese and Annabelle are the first alumni to take on the role of co-chairs, and the hope is that future cochairs will also be alumni.

Annabelle had been planning to send backpacks full of necessities to children going into foster care when Reese approached her and asked if she wanted

to collaborate on Mitzvahs & Miracles. Annabelle did, and the duo got to work. Stuffing the backpacks and decorating them with inspirational tags was incorporated into the list of eight charitable activities that were available at the party.

You can probably make a good guess as to why there were eight activities at a Hanukkah party, but the idea’s roots are actually in a Sock family tradition.

“We would do eight mitzvahs for Hanukkah,” in addition to receiving gifts, Reese said, “so that’s where the idea came from.”

Sharon Sock, a member of the day school’s Parent Association and Reese’s mother, elaborated: “We would do different charitable [deeds], and we said ‘Hey! That would be a great idea for a Hanukkah party!’ “ So there you have it: eight charitable activities for eight nights of Hanukkah.

Along with getting in touch with charities, the duo participated in weekly meetings and played key roles in generating ideas for new mitzvahs. While some of the activities and mitzvahs were part of last year’s party, there were also new ones this year, including beautifully decorating 200 cookies for Emmanuel House and writing 100 MIRACLES | 15

COMMUNITY

thejewishvoice.org

December 25, 2015 |

15

FROM PAGE 14

MIRACLES notes of appreciation for teachers.

Activities took place at rectangular tables situated around the perimeter of the social hall at the JCC, where representatives of the charities sat, waiting to greet partygoers and help with mitzvahs organized by Annabelle and Reese. Within minutes, the gym was alive with conversation, laughter, and, well, mitzvahs!

Knitting hats, making toys and other mitzvahs created a warm, fun-filled environment.

According to Annabelle, more people participated in the mitzvahs this year, which she was understandably happy about.

“There are more people at the stations this year; it’s like, wow, it’s working!” she said excitedly.

When asked about the process of planning the party, both Reese and Annabelle brought up the importance of teamwork.

“The process is hard; it takes a lot of people and you can’t do it by yourself. But it feels really good when it all comes together,” Reese said.

“I’m really glad Reese asked me to do this, I would never have done this on my own,” Annabelle said.

Annabelle and Reese were supervised by the day school’s Parent Association and worked with its members as well as its co-sponsor, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, to plan the party. The two sat in on meetings, balanced school/ extracurricular schedules, and helped with the creation of action plans for making the party a reality.

During the evening, the partygoers, some decorated with glitter tattoos, learned about re-

PHOTOS | ARIEL BROTHMAN

Attendees of JCDSRI’s Mitzvahs & Miracles Hanukkah party listen as storyteller Mark Binder shares a story. cycling and waste management from MaxMan, R.I. Resource Recovery’s walking, talking water bottle mascot. About halfway through the evening, with arms a-glitter and tummies full, the partygoers settled down as storyteller Mark Binder took the stage. Later on, a capella group Pastrami on RI performed, with the audience joining in for the grand finale.

As the party wound down, Annabelle and Reese took their places on stage to thank everyone for coming and for their help with the mitzvahs.

“You’ve really helped … a lot!” Annabelle exclaimed.

Asked whether they would do this again, Annabelle summed up the duo’s feelings succinctly: “I would do it again ... but maybe not next week.”

ARIEL BROTHMAN is a freelance writer who lives in Wrentham, Mass.

At the end of the evening, Mitzvahs & Miracles’ co-chairs, Annabelle Doyle and Reese Sock thank guests for helping them to carry out mitzvahs.

Mitzvah by the numbers 120 cans of tuna were collected for the Louis & Goldie Chester Full Plate Kosher Food Pantry 60 fleece baby hats were made to be donated to the Camp Street Ministries Almost a dozen people signed up to donate blood (and more are still signing up) 60 backpacks and dozens of pajamas were donated to children entering foster care and inspirational tags were made for all of the backpacks Dozens of cat toys were made for shelter cats at R.I. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

More than 100 people had a blast doing mitzvahs on Hanukkah!

A party guest receives a glitter tattoo, proceeds going to Save the Bay.

16 | December 25, 2015

COMMUNITY

The Jewish Voice

PHOTOS | JEWISH ALLIANCE OF GREATER RHODE ISLAND

Jake Brier and Dianela Lopes spin their way to success during the Cycle for Good spin-a-thon.

FROM PAGE 1

| SUPER SUNDAY

A special follow-up phone-athon on Tuesday night, Dec. 15, featured students from the New England Rabbinical College.

While volunteers were making calls, families enjoyed Dayat-the-J activities such as a bounce house, crafts, and movies.

The morning of Super Sunday included the Cycle for Good spin-a-thon, a national fundraiser organized by the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America.

Riders across the country joined forces to raise money for important causes in their communities. Rhode Island participants banded together to ride a total of 294 miles and raise $295 for the 2016 Annual Campaig n. Luke Brookner, assistant J-Fitness manager, said, “This is the first time we’ve ever done this, and to see community support for another aspect of fundraising was great.”

Super Sunday was chaired

by Mindy Stone and Doug Simon. Simon and Stone are active volunteers with the Alliance and are both part of the Double Chai Society – the next generation leadership initiative. Their goal was to demonstrate the strength of Jewish Rhode Island, unifying agencies, synagogues and families alike, to make a difference in the local community and abroad, one phone call and one mile at a time. Simon noted, “The collaborations between agencies, synagogues and the Alliance reinforce just how important it is to maintain partnerships and build bridges with strength and commitment to the community.”

Stone agreed, saying, “We are dedicated to our local and overseas partners to sustain and move the community forward today and for the future.

The future depends on us, and it was heartwarming to see

the intergenerational aspect during Super Sunday. That demonstrates how important it is to families to teach their children about tzedakah.”

The 2016 Annual Campaign Chair, Mitzi Berkelhammer, echoed the chairs’ sentiments.

“The campaign pace is ahead of last year, and we are continuing to grow,” she said.

“It’s wonderful to see everyone come together, and to see the total number of dollars raised because of community commitment.”

Dollars raised for the Annual Campaign help fund programs and services that are dedicated to enriching Jewish life in Rhode Island and abroad. Programs such as PJ Library, J-Camp, J-Space, and scholarships for overnight Jewish camp and day schools enable our children to foster Jewish identities and embrace Jewish culture in their lives. Kosher meal sites and the Kesher program allow those who are isolated and vulnerable to live their lives with dignity. In addition, the Jewish Alliance funds social programs such as the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Yesodot and the Joint Distribution Committee’s Atid Summer Camps and Youth Civic Service, which provide immersion in Jewish culture, as well as helping families in Israel and other countries across the globe.

Mindy Stone, Amanda Isenberg, Dan Gamm, Marisa Garber and Rachel Mersky Woda.

Brown student volunteers Brian Solomon and Sam Hainbach with Brown RISD Hillel executive director Marshall Einhorn, and his family, Deborah Skolnick Einhorn, Shira, Elana, Ari and a friend.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information about the 2016 Annual Campaign, the Jewish Alliance or to make a gift by phone, contact Michele Gallagher at mgallagher@jewishallianceri. org or 401-421-4111, ext. 165. You can also make your gift online at jewishallianceri.org.

HILLARY SCHULMAN is the development associate in philanthropy for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Sally Rotenberg, David Leach, Mara Ostro with her daughter Abby and Randi Simon.

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December 25, 2015 |

17

West Bay Community Jewish Center marks 6 months with meeting

BY NAOMI LIPSKY The West Bay Community Jewish Center (WBCJC) held its first congregational meeting on Dec. 17, marking six months since the center came into being. The members in attendance, the board and Rabbi Richard Perlman, regarded the meeting as an occasion for celebration. The meeting was held at the Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk assisted living facility, where the new congregation currently rents space and holds morning minyanim and Shabbat evening and daytime services.

Perlman’s opening d’var was based on the week’s parashah of Vayigash. This Torah portion tells of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers, and his heartfelt forgiveness of their past behavior. Perlman urged those present, and all of Jewish Rhode Island, to “bring the family back together” and rise above the negativities of the past. He expressed certainty that if God is kept foremost, we will achieve shalom (peace).

President Paul Finstein reported that after six months all the bills were paid, including all start-up costs, which met with the crowd’s vocal approval. He said that the six-month “probationary” period allotted by the Jewish Seniors Agency

(JSA) to the new arrangement has been working so well that the agency has asked the WBCJC to continue with it. The congregation’s increasing popularity is causing it to outgrow the space at Tamarisk, but it is possible that a long-term plan in partnership with the JSA will be developed. Finstein said the WBCJC would like to be able to hold all its activities under one roof. Currently, the Hebrew school is located in a donated space in Cranston, and High Holy Day services, which drew a crowd of 200, were held at Pilgrim Lutheran Church.

He urged everyone to continue to make the WBCJC “the focus of expression of your Jewish identity”.

Subsequent reports came from Mark Sweberg, leader of the havura, who stated that the response to the group’s activities has been overwhelming and most have been sold out; Alice Goldstein, who reported on education, and Jerry Kasten who spoke about the newsletter.

Financial Secretary Kit Perlman, and Treasurer Arnie Moses, displayed a detailed budget report and discussed objectives.

Their goal was to gain 100 members in the first year, and there are already 80 members in the first six months. Information on dues per family ($60 per

PHOTO | NAOMI LIPSKY

Michael Goldberg displays the Torah he has been repairing, while Rabbi Richard Perlman and Alice Goldstein look on. month or $660 annual prepaid) and dues per individual ($40 per month or $440 annual prepaid) is readily available on the website or by phone; there are additional set rates for services such as weddings, funerals, etc., with WBCJC members get-

ting a discount. They emphasized that nothing is hidden or arbitrary.

Perlman discussed some of the religious and educational highlights of the first six months, including what has evolved into an interfaith “Lunch and

Learn,” with non-Jewish clergy studying Torah along with WBCJC congregants. The religious school, headed by Sue Sugarman, includes the Michael and Marilyn Smith Pre-School.

One congregant commented on how the school’s homework has brought her family together at the dinner table in an “amazing” way.

Michael Goldberg, a WBCJC member and professional calligrapher, is helping Perlman restore a Torah scroll. Goldberg showed the hand-cut quills he uses, along with special ink.

Anyone can donate $18 or more have a letter written in his or her honor.

A nominating committee was selected. Alice Goldstein asked the congregants to write down the specific Jewish activities and customs they perform.

Responses were wide-ranging, both serious and humorous, from “keeping kosher” to “kvetching,” which Goldstein said made her point that the new congregation can go in any direction; it is up to the members to plan “for new directions in this community.”

NAOMI LIPSKY is a Judaic artist and board member of the West Bay Community Jewish Center.

PHOTO | ELIANNA BRESLER

Ella Krieger, William Krieger, Marina Goodman, David Goodman, Jeremy Goodman and Manocher Norparvar

Celebrating the future

BY JEWISH VOICE STAFF On Dec. 13, the Sunday of Hanukkah, Congregation Beth Sholom (CBS) held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new handicap-accessible entrance to the building’s lower level – the site for weekly prayer, classes, social and cultural activities, and volunteer opportunities. This was followed by a Hanukkah party held jointly with New England Yachad / National Jewish Council for Disabilities, an organization that serves individuals with disabilities and special needs of all ages providing inclusive social and recreational programs.

“Now we can attend all functions as a family,” said Marina Goodman, mother of David who

is wheelchair-bound, “before this, my husband and I had to either split up and take turns, or not go.”

“It’s so much easier not having to carry large vats of soup up and down the stairs,” said Ruthie Kerzer, a volunteer with Judy’s Kindness Kitchen, which uses the lower level of CBS weekly to prepare food for the homeless.

It took a year to raise the $25,000 necessary for the project, and three weeks to build a new side entrance. Funding was made possible by family, friends, the community of greater Providence, and the John D. and Katherine A. Johnston Foundation, Bank of America, N. A., Trustee. Some funds were raised through Jewish community crowdfunding site, JBoost.org.

PHOTO | KATIE O’HANLON

Hanukkah at the State House

Attending the recent State House candle-lighting event, which has taken place at Hanukkah for the last 30 years, are Gov. Gina Raimondo, and her family with Rabbi Yehoshua Laufer, director of Chabad Rhode Island, elected officials and members of the community. The program consisted of prayers for peace in Israel and the whole world, songs of Hanukkah, latkes, dreidels and chocolate gelt.

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18 | December 25, 2015

The Jewish Voice

PHOTOS | BOB SANDY

Gabor, Elizabeth and Robert (Bob) Sandy in the Bergen-Belsen displaced persons camp, 1947.

In 2001, Gabor Sandy at age 86 teaches his granddaughter, Rachel, and her future husband, Sam, how to make challah.

Bob Sandy: A history in bread and cheese

BY ARIEL BROTHMAN Everything has a backstory, from the shoes on our feet (where were they made?) to the angel illustrations in books (who decided what they look like?), so it’s no surprise that there is a story behind Bob Sandy’s award-winning pumpernickel bread and körözött (cheese) dip.

Sandy’s bread and cheese dip won first place at this year’s World Series of Treasured

Jewish Family Recipes cookoff, held at Temple Beth-El, in Providence, on Oct. 25. The judges remarked that Sandy won both for the deliciousness of his bread and dip and for the story behind his recipes.

Sandy’s sampling station stood out visually: perched on a shelf next to samples of bread and dip were several old photographs of his family and himself. He used the photos to introduce the story of his family’s migration, his parents’

lives before World War II, and how his father’s baking fed thousands of Hungarian Jews in hiding.

Sandy said his father became a baker because that way, “he knew he would eat.”

Here is Sandy’s backstory: Sandy, who now lives in Providence with his wife, Elaine, was born to two Hungarian Jews, Gabor and Elizabeth Schwartz, in the Bergen-Belsen displaced-persons camp after WWII. Gabor

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Schwartz was orphaned at 8 years old, along with two siblings, and started working on a farm at around age 14. Soon, however, he opted to apprentice in a bakery so he would always have food.

After five years apprenticing, in 1934, Gabor found work in a bakery. It was during the depths of the Great Depression, and the unemployed would gather outside the bakery, ready to take a no-show’s job. Conditions were tough, and his boss, who had tuberculosis, tried to scare off Sandy’s father. But Sandy said his dad had an iron will to work.

“He spit in my dad’s mouth and said, ‘I’m gonna get rid of you.’ ” But Gabor figured it would be worse to have no job at all, Sandy said, “so he stayed and never got sick.”

Then the war came. Gabor was drafted into the Hungarian army, and went from there into a forced labor camp, as did Elizabeth. Sandy’s parents met during the war, and their paths crossed again in Budapest at a safe house called the Glass House, where the Swedish and Swiss consuls at the time, Raoul Wallenberg and Carl Lutz, housed Jews and BAKER | 19

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Gabor Sandy in a Detroit bakery, circa 1955, before he owned his own bakery.

GENERATIONS

thejewishvoice.org

December 25, 2015 |

19

FROM PAGE 18

BAKER

gave them papers declaring them Swedish or Swiss citizens. Through this ruse, Wallenberg and Lutz protected nearly 75,000 Jews from deportation. In the Glass House, Gabor was both a guard and a baker.

After the war, Gabor and Elizabeth went to a displacedpersons camp, where Sandy was born. When he was 2 1/2, the family moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, where Gabor worked in the famous Widoff ’s Bakery, which closed its doors this past summer after more than 100 years in business.

When Sandy was 7, his family moved to the booming metropolis of Detroit, and by high school Sandy was working part time in the bakery where his father worked, as well as at other bakeries in the city, learning his way around.

“The idea was if I was going to learn, I had to work all over the place. So I worked at about 20 bakeries, always on the low end on the totem pole,” he recalled.

Sandy worked at bakeries on and off throughout his schooling. In 1977, he got a Ph.D. in economics and from then on worked in various positions at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He worked his way up from an assistant professor in economics to working in the president’s office and with the State of Indiana’s Higher Education Commission on new degree programs. He was also the liaison to other universities in the state.

After several years of living part time in Indiana and Rhode Island, Sandy settled permanently in Rhode Island in 2013.

Sandy returned to baking as a hobby in retirement partly because he had the time, and partly in an effort to improve on Providence’s offerings of Jewish-style breads: bagels, pumpernickel, rye and challah. These, he says, are the four staples of a Jewish bakery in Hungary. He learned to bake all of them from his father, and

Bob, his grandson Sol, and his mother Elizabeth make bread in 2015. he continues to think of them as his “four standards.”

But to enjoy home-baked pumpernickel, Sandy had to scale down the industrial measurements he’d learned from working in bakeries. He even created the caramel color himself and says it took around 20 experimental loaves to perfect the recipe.

“I didn’t have to do all the experimenting with the körözött, as with the pumpernickel, because my mom was here this summer,” he said. “So she [would say things like] ‘you’re not putting in enough onion.’

She knew by tasting it.”

While onions are easy to fi nd, the necessary Hungarian cheese, called liptó túró, wasn’t available in the United States. So Sandy and his mother embarked on a quest for the perfect sheep cheese – that is, a cheese that isn’t too salty.

Now a grandfather, Sandy has a little help of his own: his grandchildren, Sol and Matilda, can be found hanging around the counter where Sandy preps and mixes his awardwinning bread.

“My daughter keeps a picture on her mantel of my dad teaching them how to make bread,” Sandy said, explaining that baking has become a family activity. “A lot of times when I make bread, I have my grandson helping me. So if I’m working here and he comes in [and

asks], ‘Papa, can I help?’ I get a little stool, and he starts working, rolling out the dough.”

I left Sandy’s home with some of the pumpernickel and körözött. He said it would help me with my story. It was an over-the-top delicious supplement to his family’s story.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: The photos attached to this story are only a few of hundreds of family photos saved on Bob Sandy’s computer. We looked over all of them together, including several digitized photos from before the war. After being liberated by the Russian army, those who had sought refuge in the Glass House were given a chance to go to their homes.

Bob makes pumpernickel with his grandson, Sol. When Elizabeth Schwartz (they changed their name to Sandy after immigrating) arrived at her apartment, which she said was “about a 20-minute walk if no one is shooting at you,” people were looting the apartment complex, and all

of her valuables were gone. But her photos were, luckily, scattered around the property and she was able to salvage them.

ARIEL BROTHMAN is a freelance writer who lives in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

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20 | December 25, 2015

GENERATIONS

The Jewish Voice

On ‘Family’ with the Bazars

BY LEAH C. BOURAMIA The room is filled with warmth, smiling faces, and three generations of the Bazar family: Banice and his children Karen and Peter, Peter’s son Josh, and nephew Todd. The Bazars own and manage Imperial Pearl, a pearl sourcing, jewelry design and manufacturing company out of their East Providence office, showroom and plant. When a reporter asks them, “How do you stay a family and run a business at the same time?

What is your secret?” Karen says, “There is going to be fighting. You just get over it.”

Karen is one of four children, all with children of their own. The Bazar family is close, prioritizing time spent with one another as much as they can. Imagine traveling to Cancun with your entire family of 25 people. The Bazars have done that trip and more. Peter laughs, “We have to hire buses to get around!”

Indeed the family has traveled to many places together.

Beverly, Karen’s mother and the much-loved matriarch of the family, even went so far as to purchase the Valley Tavern and Inn in Waterville, New Hampshire – just to make sure the family had a getaway that could accommodate them all. True to her intention, the inn has ensured many happy ski excursions and breaks from the work of running a family business.

Beverly and Banice will celebrate their 65th wedding anni-

PHOTO | IMPERIAL PEARL

Imperial Pearl has been run by three generations of the Bazar family. Center, Father, Banice, 87-year-old CEO; right, son and company’s president, Peter; and left, grandson, Josh, chief marketing officer. versary the last week of December. How does the clan stay so close in a time of fraying family relationships? Todd chimes in: “You know how if you haven’t seen your best friend in months it doesn’t even matter? We are all each other’s best friend. No matter when we connect, it’s like no time has passed.”

Fifteen years ago, at an anniversary celebration, Banice noted a similar sentiment, “I don’t know how time went by so

fast … it seems like 15 minutes … underwater.” When asked, “What trait do you admire most in your wife?” Banice pauses for a moment before answering, “Her dedication to the family.”

Karen observes, “Oh mom loves her children and grandchildren!”

At the curveball question, “What about you? If Beverly was in the room (she was not present during the interview), what would she say about you?

Without hesitation, Banice responds in laughter, “She’d say I was a pain in the ass!”

The family’s roots run deep in Rhode Island. In the early 20th century Banice’s father fled the Russian pogroms to build a life for his family in Rhode Island.

Originally living in Woonsocket, Banice settled his family in South Providence while he grew his business, with Beverly supporting them as a teacher. At that time in Rhode Island, married women were not allowed to teach. Karen, the youngest of the Bazar children, smiles as she explains how her mother managed it: “She had to go to court. She was the first married woman to teach in Rhode

Island.”

Many years and a few company acquisitions later, Banice jokes about Imperial’s success; “I went from Blackstone Street on the South Side, to Blackstone Boulevard.” And what about Imperial Pearl? The business has undergone a bit of a facelift in the past few years, with a new website, Home Shopping Network (HSN) presence and a shortened name (formerly Imperial-Deltah, Inc.). Chief Marketing Officer and Rhode Island College graduate Josh Bazar, explains how he got into the family business, “I was asked by the Cultured Pearl Association of America if I wanted to learn about how pearls were cultivated, and about the countries who export them.”

Josh spent a month learning in and touring Japan, Hong Kong, mainland China, Fiji, Tahiti and the Philippines. After the trip, Josh was then featured in a documentary about the pearl industry, which caught the eye of producers at HSN. He now has a regular spot on the network where he features Imperial Pearl jewelry. Peter is now the president of the Cultured Pearl Association of America, in addition to president of Imperial Pearl itself.

Indeed, Imperial Pearl is growing. This growth has attracted companies looking to purchase the company but, as Peter tells it, “My mother always said, no, this is our company, it takes care of my family. It takes care of the employees and their families. This is a family business.”

LEAH C. BOURAMIA is an educator, wife and the mother of two rambunctious boys. She lives in Warwick.

Israel Mission: Personal reflections and impressions

BY MARTY COOPER mcooper@jewishallianceri.org On Nov. 13, 18 Rhode Island community leaders went on a special mission to Israel. The interfaith group included R.I. Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, Speaker of the R.I. House Nicholas Mattiello, Central Falls Mayor James Diossa and other civic leaders as well as representatives of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, sponsor of the trip. The mission was an eye-opening experience, according to everyone who attended.

Activities included speakers and briefings along with visits to Israel’s Independence Hall, Yitzhak Rabin Memorial, the

Knesset, the Sea of Galilee as well as the Golan Heights, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Attendees came back with better understanding of the area.

Come hear about the trip from the perspective of the attendees on Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. The program will be held at the Dwares JCC and is sponsored by The Community Relations Council, the Israel Taskforce of the Community Relations Council and The Jewish Alliance.

Contact Marty Cooper, director of the Community Relations Council, for more information. mcooper@jewishallianceri.org

COMMUNITY

thejewishvoice.org

Members of the PHDS Choir sing the song “Aish is Fire” at the PHDS Hanukkah Performance on Dec. 9.

December 25, 2015 |

21

Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman from Temple Beth-El in Providence joins the David C. Isenberg Family Early Childhood Center children in blessing the Shabbat candles.

PHOTOS | FRAN OSTENDORF

Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman and the ECC children also lit the Hanukkah candles during his visit, and he told the children a Hanukkah story.

Dr. Laura Picraux and her daughter, Rachel, enjoy the Pre-K Hanukkah party at the Providence Hebrew Day School on Dec. 10.

open house empowering young minds

GORDON SCHOOL Thursday January 21 9 am

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www.gordonschool.org/visit PHDS Band Members Meir Mordechai Peromsik, Yirsoel Mordechai Karp, and Meir Twersky perform at the PHDS Hanukkah performance on Dec. 9.

www.gordonschool.org 4 0 1 - 4 3 4 - 3 8 3 3 Nursery to eighth grade, East Providence, RI

22 | December 25, 2015

GENERATIONS

The Jewish Voice

Itzhak Perlman named winner of 2016 Genesis Prize

BY BEN HARRIS JTA – Itzhak Perlman, the Israeli-born violin virtuoso, was named the third winner of the Genesis Prize.

On Dec. 14, Perlman was named the winner of the annual $1 million prize that has been dubbed the “Jewish Nobel.” He joins former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the actor-director Michael Douglas as recipients.

“I was totally dumbfounded,” Perlman told JTA about learning he had been selected as this year’s winner. “I’m a musician.

I play the fiddle. So I was so totally taken aback, and I was obviously so incredibly honored they would even consider me. It was very exciting.”

Perlman, 70, said he was mostly unfamiliar with the prize when he first learned he was being considered. Established in 2012 by a consortium of Russian Jewish philanthropists, the prize is presented annually to someone who has achieved international renown in his professional field and serves as a role model through his commitment to Jewish values.

“I just know who I am,” Perlman said. “In other words, in our family, we are traditional Jews. My entire family is involved in one way or another, whether we go to shul, celebrate Shabbos or whatever it is. We are always in touch … That’s one of the things this prize will bring forth. I don’t have a prob-

Itzhak Perlman lem with who I am. I live it. And my family lives it.”

Past winners have taken an ecumenical approach to disbursing the prize money.

Douglas, the son of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, pledged to use the funds to promote outreach to the intermarried. Bloomberg initially said he wanted to promote IsraeliPalestinian business cooperation, but later backed away from that at the urging of the prize committee, instead funding nine projects “guided by Jewish values to address the

world’s pressing issues.” More than half the recipients were nonprofit organizations based outside the United States and Israel.

Perlman said he is unsure how he plans to use the funds, though he indicated it would likely have some connection to music and helping those with disabilities. Perlman was diagnosed with polio at age 4 and gets around with a motorized cart.

“As far as I’m concerned, that’s what this prize is all about – the opportunity to do

good in the world, to do good as a Jew, to do as they say tikkun olam – to make things better for people,” Perlman said. “My involvement obviously, first, is as a musician, and second, or even first, as a person who has a disability. So these two aspects of what I’m interested in is something that I’m thinking about.”

Born in Tel Aviv in 1945, Perlman has achieved a level of celebrity rarely seen in the classical music world. Identified as a musical prodigy from a young age, he appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” as a teenager in 1958, and went on to study at New York’s Juilliard School. He has won 16 Grammy Awards, played for multiple heads of state and appeared in commercials and television shows.

Perlman also performed the haunting violin solo on the “Schindler’s List” soundtrack, which won both a Grammy and an Oscar. Less heralded is

his violin solo in the Billy Joel hit “Downeaster Alexa,” which went uncredited on the 1989 album “Storm Front” and only came to light earlier this year.

The two performed the song together at Madison Square Garden in March after Perlman wheeled himself onstage and was greeted with a kiss from Joel.

In November, Perlman received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama.

In addition to maintaining a global performance schedule, Perlman teaches young musicians through the Perlman Music Program, an initiative founded by his wife, Toby, to provide instruction and community for players of rare talent. The Perlmans have five children.

“Itzhak Perlman is the embodiment of everything an ideal Genesis Prize Laureate should be,” said Stan Polovets, the chairman and co-founder of the Genesis Prize, in a statement.

“Itzhak has achieved unparalleled professional success, and through his music brings joy to millions of people around the world. He has been an incredible source of inspiration for individuals with special needs by overcoming tremendous personal challenges after having been severely disabled by polio at age 4. And he has given back to society by dedicating virtually all of his free time and significant resources to teaching young talented musicians and to serving as an advocate for individuals with disabilities.”

Perlman will receive the prize at a ceremony in Jerusalem in June. The prize is endowed by the Genesis Philanthropy Group, which endeavors to build Jewish identity among Russian-speaking Jews worldwide.

United Nations to recognize Yom Kippur as official holiday NEW YORK (JTA) – The United Nations will, for the first time, recognize Yom Kippur as an official holiday.

Starting in 2016, no official meetings will take place on the Jewish day of atonement at the international body’s New York headquarters, and Jewish employees there will be able to miss work without using vacation hours, the Times of Israel reported Dec. 11.

Other religious holidays that enjoy the same status are Christmas, Good Friday, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

In a statement issued Dec. 11, B’nai B’rith International, which in a 2014 Op-Ed for The New York Times pushed for the international body to recognize Yom Kippur, said it

“welcomes” the news.

In 2014, ambassadors from 32 countries signed a letter in support of recognizing Yom Kippur.

“This is a modest, commonsense step toward fairness for personnel at the United Nations and respect for Judaism as a major world religion,” the B’nai B’rith statement said.

“It should be emulated at the U.N.’s offices across the world, and built upon across an international system in which politics often supplant mutual respect and equality.”

“We strongly commend the diplomats of the United States, Israel and many other nations who made possible the progress seen yesterday,” the statement added.

NATION | ISRAEL

thejewishvoice.org FROM PAGE 1

QUIZ

ish reggae star Matisyahu disinvited from a Spanish music festival?

d. Use their cash-only Kosher restaurant as a front to launder money.

Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters said, “You know, this place isn’t actually that bad.”

a. For rebuffing a request that he not wear a yarmulke while onstage.

d. Singer Mariah Carey visited her boyfriend’s Israeli spiritual adviser to get his blessing to marry.

b. For rebuffing a demand that he endorse Palestinian statehood.

10. This year, a Spanish town was renamed from the offensive-sounding former name:

3. Which statement did Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., make during the presidential campaign? a. “Last week I bought my second pair of underwear.” b. “It’s true, Hillary probably uses more conditioner than I do.” c. “I spent a year on an Israeli kibbutz in the Galilee, but I’m not sure that particular community still exists.”

c.

Because organizers learned he had performed in the West Bank. d. Because Chabad in Spain declared him persona non grata for quitting the movement.

7. Which of the following was NOT among the fi ndings about Jews in the Pew Research Center’s November survey on American religion? a. Eighteen percent of Jews don’t drive on the Sabbath.

d. “What do I think of Donald Trump? Do I have to talk about his hair?”

b. Eleven percent of Jews believe the Torah is the literal word of God.

4. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court decided on the case of Menachem Zivotofsky. What was at issue?

c. Fifty-seven percent of Jews eat pork.

a. W h e t h e r O r t h o d o x Jews in the U.S. Navy had the right to keep their beards. b. Whether U.S. citizens injured in terrorist attacks in the West Bank could sue the Palestinian Authority. c. Whether U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem could list Israel as their country of birth.

d. Thirty-nine percent of Jews experience deep feelings of spiritual peace and well-being at least once a week.

8. Which of the following statements was NOT made by a presidential candidate at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s forum in December?

d. Whether Jews in solitary confi nement in federal prisons are entitled to glatt Kosher food.

a. “The defi nition [of kishka] is: ‘a beef or fowl intestine stuffed into a mixture as of flour, fat, onions and seasonings and roasted ...’ and I thought, that’s the Republican campaign for the nomination!”

5. This summer, an iconic Kosher brand ran a provocative ad campaign that was later pulled. Was it ... ?

b. “Last night I was watching ‘Schindler’s List.’ Everybody here has seen ‘Schindler’s List.’”

a. A Manischewitz campaign featuring scantily clad women pouring the sweet libation over their glistening bodies that ran with the tagline: “Yes, it’s sweet.”

c. “You want to control your own politician.”

b. An Osem campaign showing terrorists making the company’s famed soup nuts by assembling a huge yellow “nut” and then blowing it up. c. A Hebrew National campaign suggesting consumers grill up their hot dogs alongside bacon and clams. d. A Ben’s Deli billboard campaign suggesting the company’s signature pastrami sandwich was certified glutenfree.

6. Why was American Jew-

d. “And the rabbi said: Who said big noses are a bad thing?

A keen sense of smell is something to be celebrated. [laughter]” 9. Two Orthodox rabbis and eight others pleaded guilty in federal court this year to kidnapping and torturing men in an effort to coerce them to do what? a. Donate money Brooklyn yeshiva.

to

a

b. Drop a lawsuit against a prominent Orthodox rabbi accused of sexual abuse.

a. Elders of Zion. b. Kill Jews Town. c. Hitler’s Retreat. d. Jew Lake.

11. What Jewish paraphernalia did Golden State Warriors guard and NBA champion Steph Curry reveal this year that he has? a. A menorah. b. A mezuzah. d. An Israeli-made Uzi. 12. How did the AuschwitzBirkenau museum offend some Jews this summer? a. With an art installation featuring a video of naked men and women playing tag in a gas chamber. b. By being closed on Israeli Independence Day. c. By using cooling misting showers during a summertime heat wave that some visitors said reminded them of the death camp’s poison gas “showers.” d. By featuring photos so graphic that some said they actually dehumanized Nazi victims.

13. Which of the following did Israeli haredi Orthodox politicians say about Reform Jews this year? a. They “portray Israel as Iran.” b. They “stab Torah in the back.” c. They’re “tearing apart the Jewish people.” d. All of the above.

14. How did porn star Jenna Jameson NOT make Jewish news this year? a.

She Judaism.

converted

to

23

b. She got into a Kosher food fight on a reality TV show.

18. What did J Street do this year?

c. She announced she’ll be a doing a reality TV show in Israel.

a. Elected a Muslim as president of its college arm

d. She was detained while trying to bring a Torah into the women’s section at the Western Wall.

15. Under a Law of Returnstyle bill passed in June by the Spanish legislature, what must Jews of Sephardic descent do to get Spanish citizenship? a. Sign a notarized document forgiving King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella for expelling the Jews in 1492. b. Pass tests on the Spanish language and history.

c. A Hebrew tattoo.

December 25, 2015 |

c. Travel to Spain and apply in person with pre-1492 residency documents.

b. Said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should use his speech to Congress in March to announce his resignation. c. Reserved the Washington Convention Center for the weekend next March that AIPAC had planned to hold its conference there. d. Welcomed Israeli Arab Knesset member Ayman Odeh to its national conference by seating him alongside a Palestinian flag.

19. Which of the following things did Donald Trump NOT cite in praise of his daughter, Ivanka? a. She’s Jewish.

d. Take an oath of allegiance to the Spanish king.

b. She’s a great businesswoman.

16. Which Jewish-themed fi lm with a short title won an Oscar this year?

c. She makes the best matzah balls.

a. “Ida” b. “Aya” c. “Ima” d. “Zuz!” 17. Which remark did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu NOT make in March, around the time of Israeli elections? a. “Arab voters are coming out in droves to the polls.” b. “I think anyone who is going to establish a Palestinian state and to evacuate territory is giving radical Islam a staging ground against the State of Israel.” c. “Isaac Herzog is as suited to be prime minister of Israel as Tzipi Livni is to be queen of England.” d. “I don’t want a one-state solution. I want a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution, but for that circumstances have to change.”

d. She’s so good looking, he can imagine dating her.

20. Which of the following is NOT a real explanation a Jewish member of Congress gave for supporting the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear deal? a. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida cited her status as a Jewish mother. b. Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida cited a Yiddish proverb, in Yiddish. c. Rep. John Yarmuth of Kentucky cited a midrash about a chicken. d. Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan cited memories of President Truman’s recognition of Israel.

ANSWER KEY: 1) A, 2) C, 3) A, 4) C, 5) C, 6) B, 7) A, 8) D, 9) C, 10) B, 11) C, 12) C, 13) D, 14) D, 15) B, 16) A, 17) C, 18) A, 19) C, 20) C

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How to pick a healthcare plan if you have a chronic condition STATEPOINT – Choosing a healthcare plan can be difficult, especially when you have a chronic lung disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema and makes it difficult to breathe. It can also be very expensive.

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26 | December 25, 2015 Gloria F. Abrams, 85 GULFPORT, FLA. – Gloria F. Abrams of Gulfport, Fla., formerly of Providence, passed away Dec. 16. Gloria was born in Providence and worked for 35 years in the Providence school system. After retirement, she began her second career as a Realtor in Rhode Island. In Florida, she enjoyed working for the Glass Canvas Gallery in St. Petersburg.

She is survived by her loving daughter, Lisa (Michael) Brennan; and granddaughter, Sarah Brennan. She was predeceased by husbands, Seymour Sax and Philip Abrams; parents, Max and Sophie Weiner; and sister, Janet Karnes.

The family suggests donations in Gloria’s memory to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (lls.org).

Bernard E. Bell, 95 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Bernard E. Bell of Providence died Dec. 20 at the Philip Hulitar Hospice after a brief illness. He was the husband of the late Claire Abrams Bell, with whom he had a loving marriage of nearly 62 years.

He was the father of Deborah Bell of Kansas City, Mo., and Jonathan Bell of Providence, and the late Daniel Bell, and the brother of the late Miriam Smith and the late David Bell.

He was born in Providence, the son of Joshua and Annie (Burke) Bell.

Bernie graduated from Classical High School in 1938 and Brown University in 1942 and served in the Army Air Corps in England and Belgium from 1942 to 1945.

He was the former President of Milhender Distributing Company and a business executive during his working life, but he made charity his life’s work.

OBITUARIES Before and after retirement he devoted himself to philanthropy, working with numerous causes locally, nationally and internationally. He was dedicated to the hospice movement and was named Person of the Year by the National Hospice Organization in 1990.

For more than 20 years he was president of American Friends of The Hospice of the Upper Galilee. He was president of Children’s Friend and Service, vice president of The Providence Chamber of Commerce, president of the Touro National Heritage Trust, a board member of the W.F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research, and was prominent in numerous other organizations. He also had a lifelong devotion to Israel and Jewish causes. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in 1991.

He was a devoted alumnus of Brown University and marched in the commencement procession every year including this year, at age 94. He was honored as Alumni Marshall at commencement four times, and he received the Brown Bear Award and the Nan Tracy ‘46 Award.

He was a most dapper man – his boater hats and ascots were famous, as was the flower in his lapel. He was a friend to many people, helping them in different ways, and had lifelong friends in many parts of the world, with whom he kept in contact. He also loved tennis and played regularly until he was 92.

Contributions in his memory may be made to American Friends of The Hospice of the Upper Galilee, P.O. Box 603048, Providence, R.I. 02906.

Anne-Marie Dansicker, 63 WARWICK, R.I. – Anne-Marie Dansicker died Dec. 10. She

The Jewish Voice was the beloved wife of Eric Dansicker for 40 years. Born in Bremerton, Wash. to the late William and Marguerite (Hardy) Rondeau, she had lived in Warwick for 26 years, previously living in Cranston. AnneMarie was a teacher of arts, religion in public and private education for more than 30 years. She earned a master’s degree from Johnson & Wales College. She was the devoted mother of Isaac Dansicker of Milford, Mass., and David Dansicker, who lives with his family in Warwick.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Anne-Marie Dansicker Endowment Fund, c/o Eric Dansicker, 81 Dahlia St., Warwick, R.I. 02888.

Lilly Flatow, 94 COLUMBIA, MD. – Lilly Flatow died Dec. 19 at Gilchrist Center.

She was the beloved wife of the late Rudi Flatow. Born in Breslau, Germany, a daughter of the late Max and Julia (Elsner) Brandt, she had lived in Columbia for 9 years, previously residing in Cranston and Providence.

She was an inventory controller for the former Van Dell Corp. in Providence for 20 years, retiring 37 years ago. Lilly was a Holocaust survivor. She was an avid reader and seamstress and loved to knit and crochet.

She was the devoted mother of Frances Scheick and her husband Edward of Columbia. Sister of the late David and Heinz Brandt and Nelly Fine. Loving grandmother of Erin Scheick and her husband Brandon Yoder and Melanie Campbell and her husband Elliot. Cherished great-grandmother of Ethan, Elena and Griffin.

Contributions in her memory may be made to your favorite charity.

Annette Segal Hockman, 94 AVENTURA, FLA. – Annette Hockman died Nov. 23 at her home in Aventura, Fla. She was

born in Minneapolis, Minn., the daughter of Beryl and Chaya (Waxman) Segal. Her husband of 67 years, Jack Hockman, predeceased her.

A graduate of Cranston High School, Annette attended Pembroke College in Brown University, and in 1942 she received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Rhode Island College of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences, now part of U.R.I. Shortly thereafter, she joined the Women’s Army Corps, the first woman pharmacist to enlist in the Army. She served at the general hospitals at Fort Devens, Mass., and Fort Dix, N.J. before her discharge. She continued to work in hospital pharmacies in Montreal, where she and Jack lived for a time after their marriage, and then in Florida.

Annette was an avid reader and lifelong student. She received a master’s degree from Barry University in 1988 with a concentration in Jewish History and Bible. A talented artist, she enjoyed sculpting, ceramics and handicrafts of all sorts. In retirement she had the opportunity to pursue these interests.

She is survived by her sister Geraldine Foster of Cranston, her son Peter, her son Alex and his wife Dr. Jan Cantor of Florida, grandchildren Jessica, Melissa, Jeremy and Adam, and great-granddaughter Olivia Rose.

Helene Sylvia Markoff WARWICK, R.I. – Helene Sylvia Markoff of Warwick died on Dec. 14. Helene was the daughter of the late Maurice and Rose (Muffs) Markoff. She is survived by her sister, Phyllis Homonoff; brother, Edward Markoff, and his wife, Leona; Aunt Jan McKernan-Markoff; nephew, Marvin Homonoff, and his wife Linda; niece, Susan Florence, and her husband Mark; nephew, Burt Homonoff, and his wife, Robin; niece, Melanie Margolis, and her husband, Mitch; and niece, Marcy

Markoff. She is also survived by 6 great nieces and nephews, and 4 great great nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her brother-in-law Harold H. Homonoff on March 2, 2014. The two were remarkably close.

A 1949 graduate of Bryant University, Helene began an illustrious 40-year career the following year with the U.S. government. She began with the federal government as a clerktypist, level GS-2, for the Navy in Davisville, R.I. Her combination of strong work ethic, passion and intellect propelled her throughout her career, bringing her to work in places such as Washington, D.C., Spain and Morocco. In 1965, she received a Superior Accomplishment Award for her work on wage surveys in Spain and in 1970 the Navy Civilian Meritorious Award was conferred upon her.

That same year, Helene was named director, Federal Women’s Program, U.S. Civil Service Commission at the EEOC. The following year, she was nominated for The Federal Women’s Award. In 1974, Helene reached what she considered the high point of her career, receiving an Honorary Doctorate in Science & Public Administration from her alma mater.

In 1976 Helene received the Civil Service Commissioner’s Citation of Official Commendation & Praise. That same year, Helene moved to the Department of Energy, where she worked until her retirement in 1990. In 1984, she received the Presidential Rank Award from President Ronald Reagan.

Upon her retirement, Helene remained active in advocacy for all peoples, civil service and education through her work at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and involvement in continuing education at American University.

OBITUARIES | 27

OBITUARIES | ISRAEL

thejewishvoice.org FROM PAGE 26

OBITUARIES Through her entire adult life Helene Markoff was an advocate and scholar who advanced women’s rights. While she could aptly be deemed a feminist by any standard definition, above all she was a humanist. It just so happens some humans are women, of which she was an exemplary one. Growing up in a time when achievement for a woman was commonly measured by being married and raising children, Helene helped to redefine what success for a woman means today. No matter how you define success, her accomplishments, including making it all the way to level GS-15, more than makes the grade. Whether known as Helene or Auntie Helene, Helene Sylvia Markoff will be greatly missed.

Contributions in Helene’s memory may be made to: Children’s National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave, N.W., Washington, D.C. 200102970, Stefanie McAnall, Volunteer Services; or Bryant University,1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield R.I. 02917, Attention: Ed Magro Executive Director, Development; or, the charity of your choice.

Ruth Russian, 90 CRANSTON, R.I. – Ruth Russian, devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died Dec. 21 after a brief illness. Born in New York, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late Dora Adler and Max Radetsky and the loving wife of the late Louis Russian. Loving mother of Renee Taketomo and her husband, Tosh, Sheila Russian and her husband, Roger Marcus, and David Russian and his

wife, Maria Vicens. Dear sister of the late Jack Alter, Florence Phillips and Beatrice Dermer.

Loving grandmother of Anastasia and Pam Fujii, Alexander Taketomo, Katherine Taketomo, Karen Marcus, Eva and Alex Kantor, Dylan Russian, and Adrian Russian. Loving great-grandmother of Zephyr Louis Fujii.

She was a long-time social worker and supervisor at the Rhode Island Department of Human Services.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Temple Torat Yisrael.

Nathan Shwartz, 91 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Nathan Shwartz passed away on Dec. 9.

He was the husband of Beatrice “Bea” (Exter) Shwartz. Born in Providence, he was a son of the late Sam and Sadie (Bilgrier) Shwartz. He lived in Cranston for more than 50 years before moving to Warwick in 2006.

In 1946, with his father, he founded S&W Television and Appliances in Providence, where he worked until retirement. He served in the US Army during WWII – European Theatre.

He was the patriarch of his family and a former member of Temple Sinai. He was a longtime member of the Galilee Tuna Club and won the US Atlantic Tuna Tournament in 1959.

Besides his wife, he is survived by his children Barbara Kaplan (Ira), Sharon, Mass.,s and Larry Shwartz (Roslyn), Cranston; 4 granddaughters; and 5 great grandchildren.

He was the brother of the late Molly Winoker and Walter Schwartz.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Alzheimer’s

Association – R.I. Chapter, 245 Waterman Street, Suite 306, Providence R.I. 02906.

Marjorie A. Zarum, 83 WARWICK, R.I. – Marjorie A. Zarum, formerly of Warwick and Punta Gorda, Fla., passed away peacefully on Dec. 9.

She was the beloved wife of the late Joel Zarum. Cherished mother of Michael Zarum of Warwick and Ella Zarum of Marin County, Calif. Loving sister of the late Jane L. Mayerson, sister-in-law of Dorothy (Zarum) Bookbinder and the late Richard Bookbinder.

Born in St. Louis, Mo., she was the daughter of the late John Marsh and Harriet (Gradwohl) Mayerson.

She graduated from U.R.I. with Highest Distinction, was a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and the Golden Key National Honor Society.

Prior to retiring, Margie was a Sociology Researcher at Brown University, Director of Social Services for Evergreen Health Center, a Substance Abuse and Chemical Dependency Counselor at Talbot Treatment Centers /Providence Center, Sunday School Teacher, Cub Scout Den Mother, and a Save The Bay Volunteer of the Year Award recipient.

A loving wife, mother and career woman, Marge loved life and everyone who came into hers.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the RI Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association.

Andreja Preger, noted concert pianist and anti-Nazi partisan, dies at 104 JTA – Andreja Preger, a noted concert pianist who survived the Holocaust as part of Yugoslavia’s anti-Nazi partisans, has died.

Preger died Dec. 18 in Belgrade. He was 104.

Preger was born in Pecs, Hungary, but grew up in Zagreb, where he attended the local Jewish school. In addition to music, he studied law.

In a wide-ranging interview with Centropa.org, he recalled that as a teen, he was active in the leftist Zionist youth group Hashomer Hatzair. He was mobilized as a Yugoslav army reservist after Axis forces occupied Yugoslavia in April 1941. After the establishment of Independent Croatia, a Nazi puppet state run by the local fascists Ustasha, on April 10, 1941, he hid out in Zagreb, where the fascist authorities “were looking for members of Hashomer Hatzair, lawyers and law clerks, so that they could deprive the community of

its leaders.” He also spent time in Split, on the coast, which was occupied by more lenient Italian forces. His father and uncle were killed at the notorious Jasecovac camp, run by the Ustasha.

In 1943, Preger joined the antifascist partisans led by Josip Broz Tito at Tito’s headquarters in Jajce, in Bosnia, where he was a member of the National Liberation Theatre.

Preger settled in Belgrade after the war. He taught piano at music academies, performed widely and founded the Belgrade Trio, which performed concerts in Europe, the United States and the Soviet Union.

He remained involved in the Jewish community, particularly in its cultural activities, throughout his life. He headed the cultural department of the Federation of Jewish Communities and was active in the programs of Jewish summer camps.

Last year, at the age of 103, he

was described as the oldest member of the Jewish Baruch Brothers choir. “I am always torn between Jewish public work and music,” he told Centropa.

A YouTube video shows him performing on his 99th birthday.

December 25, 2015 |

27

Which Diaspora rabbis does the Rabbinate trust?

It depends on this guy

BY BEN SALES JTA – Remember Itamar Tubul, the mid-level bureaucrat who decides who can marry in Israel?

Tubul evaluates requests from Israeli immigrants seeking a marriage license. To do so, he needs to ensure that they’re Jewish, and receives proof-ofJudaism letters to that effect from around the world.

Tubul made the news two years ago for rejecting a proof letter from liberal Orthodox New York Rabbi Avi Weiss.

Following the controversy, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel decided to accept Weiss’ word.

Since then Itim, an organization in Israel that helps people navigate the religious bureaucracy there, has petitioned a Jerusalem municipal court to have the Rabbinate be more transparent about the proof-ofJudaism process. Itim’s key demand: for the Rabbinate to release the list of Diaspora rabbis whose proof letters it accepts.

The Rabbinate’s response came last week: There is no list. At least not one the Rabbinate is prepared to show.

In its response, the Rabbinate confirmed that Tubul is the sole employee handling proof-of-Judaism letters and marriage requests from immigrants. Tubul alone evaluated all 5,000 such requests from 2013 through 2015. The Rabbinate wouldn’t even say how many were accepted or rejected. That would require having Tubul tabulate three years of cases, which the Rabbinate said would be “an unreasonable expenditure of resources.”

So which rabbis does Tubul trust? The Rabbinate claims there is no list and Tubul judges proof of Judaism on a case-bycase basis.

“Rabbis are not approved; rather, cases are approved,” the Rabbinate said. “Personal status requests have been approved based on all the cir-

Itamar Tubul cumstances in the case, not necessarily based on the rabbi’s identity. And at present there is no list of approved or recognized rabbis.”

To approve or reject requests, Tubul turns to a group of senior rabbis he trusts in each country and confers about the rabbi who sent the proof of Judaism. So according to the Rabbinate, there is some kind of list of accepted rabbis, though it did not identify in its response who those rabbis are. The Rabbinate also doesn’t say what criteria are used to determine whether individual rabbis are reliable enough, though it says it is working on such guidelines.

Until that happens, immigrants seeking to marry in Israel depend entirely on the personal judgment of Tubul, a man the Rabbinate itself portrays as an overloaded bureaucrat singlehandedly managing a heavy caseload.

Itim’s executive director, Seth Farber, called publicizing the list a matter of “basic transparency and accountability.” He’s waiting to hear how the court will respond to the Rabbinate’s claims.

“This doesn’t seem to be an unreasonable request,” Farber said. “If they don’t have the material organized, they have to take part of their budget and get it organized.”

28 | December 25, 2015

SENIORS

The Jewish Voice

An artful approach to teaching Bible to RISD students It’s such a big book, how can you “teach” it in a single semester? My art students at the

SKETCHBOOK MIKE FINK

Rhode Island School of Design put most of their talents and efforts into the studio world, not the classroom realm of ideas.

It’s hard for me even to fi nish the fi rst phrases from Genesis, from Bereshit, in which the Creator shapes the sun and moon, the sky and ocean and earth, the fi sh and birds, the couple in the garden of Eden.

The artist of the universe sighs after each design every day but one, and smiles and says, “It’s all good.” Then he rests and contemplates. I sum it all up with a moral: Admire and respect all things, all beings.

The Holy Land is all earth, so don’t dump on it. Stop littering. Every bug is a jewel, like the pins you wear on your lapel, and is the handiwork and craftsmanship of ...? The God of the Bible is an elusive concept, up to you to fi gure out, knit or unravel.

Go back to your potter’s wheel, or loom, or easel, or

sketchbook, or sculpture pit, or architectural drawing board, and think about a line from scripture. Let’s explore sacred poetry with our hands, slowly, in excerpts.

So, I take my class, or whoever joins our small parade, to Hillel, to hold the silver hand pointer to the calligraphy of a Torah scroll. Or to the Unitarian Church to look closely at the windows, which are not of stained glass but clear – or almost clear – so that you can look out and see the trees, framed and focused by the designer of the fenestration.

We visit the First Baptist Church, the one with the legacy of Roger Williams, who replaced infant baptism with adult baptism, the free choice of a mature person, not the forced conversion of a newborn.

We examine various translations of the stories in Exodus, the struggles between prophets and kings, the good counsel, and sometimes the Poloniuslike platitudes of the proverbs.

And on and on as best we can.

Then, in the last weeks of the semester, the students must get up in front of their peers, and perhaps guests, and show what they have made.

A children’s game based on the personality and progress

of Moses. Or, you can rearrange the blocks and fi nd another biblical character, or even a mixture of several.

A son of a minister read from the Psalms of David with such passion, conviction and eloquence that his classmates spontaneously applauded!

Judaism, of course, does not consist only of the Torah, but our American culture has always gleaned, and projected, its particular needs and experiences. There were Bibles in every pilgrim’s parlor that served as family albums, with

“I like to pretend that the Old Testament is a kind of autobiography for everyone who reads it.” inscriptions recording births and deaths along with the genealogies of Noah and Daniel and all the familiar names we have for our children ... or even our pets.

I have taken students to both famous and hidden temples, from our Touro to the Bible garden and display of Sukkot

Sometimes, they try to mock the ancient texts for the naiveté of their convictions. I hope and pray that they learn to use the words poetically, metaphorically and intimately, to search for private truths useful to artists in any medium.

I have a touch of the Hasidic spirit, which, for me, merely means that you don’t need the skills of a scholar, only the tastes and gifts you brought with you to school. You can sing or dance the Bible, even make a pair of shoes or darn some fancy socks, and your Maker will admire and bless you. My role is to stand up and entertain and then fi nd a way to grade your attempts to make the Bible your own.

I present a positive view of all Jewish perspectives, and, in the interests of the global community of academia, I link all faiths together, through the liberating and generous magic of metaphor. All beliefs are animistic and ancestral, just as all folklore digs into identical human dilemmas.

But there’s really only one student in my classes: myself!

When I read the course evaluations, that’s when I fi nd out how I’m doin’ and what grade I have earned.

lean-tos at Beth-El and the Orms Street shul at Douglas Avenue, Sons of Jacob.

I like to pretend that the Old Testament is a kind of autobiography for everyone who reads it. Sisters and brothers contend with each other like Jacob and Esau, like Rachel and Leah. We must leave home like Abraham and take up our responsibilities, even reluctantly, like Moses. We are also born to be mail delivery persons, and the message we carry is a heavy burden, with its demands and warnings ... .

So, I celebrate the way comic books, funny papers, graphic novels and amusing and entertaining movies tell the eternal tales – “Green Pastures” and “Veggie Tales,” as well as the latest “Noah” movie. I dare to try to offer something quite new, like “The Jewish Cardinal,” or to revive something dated and derivative, like “Samson and Delilah,” for the chance to show off Hedy Lamarr and narrate her life story.

It’s defi nitely the design disciples who bring my class to life. They may come from religious families and sign up for this elective with the approval of their mothers or fathers ... but they’ll soon discover that they have to fi nd new and personal meanings on their own.

MIKE FINK (mfi nk33@aol. com) teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design.

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SENIORS

thejewishvoice.org

December 25, 2015 |

29

Seniors celebrate Hanukkah A good time was had by all at the annual Jewish Family Service Kosher Senior Café Hanukkah party.

The event, on Dec. 11, included 90 guests as well as staff and volunteers at Temple Emanu-El, where a festive meal was served, including latkes.

Everyone enjoyed music by the Sounds of Simcha. Party favors included chocolate gelt, dreidels and special handmade glass Hanukkah coins

New and old friends gathered for the Kosher café celebration at Temple Emanu-El.

Anthony Pisano plays the piano for Sounds of Simcha.

Sunny Weintraub, Lois Cohen and Sylvia Resnick chat before lunch.

PHOTOS | FRAN OSTENDORF

Seymour Ladd and Adell Kaye enjoy the entertainment.

Everyone loves cookies.

Joe Holtzman, left, and Stanley Freedman, right, round out the Sounds of Simcha trio.

Shirley Ladd and Steven Shapiro wait for latkes.

Betty Adler, Ellen Klienman and Herman Rose catch up while listening to the music.

30 | December 25, 2015

SIMCHAS | WE ARE READ

The Jewish Voice

TIME OUT FOR THE VOICE – At the annual Hillel International General Assembly, Dec. 14-17, in Orlando, Florida are members of the Rhode Island delegation (left to right): Marshall Einhorn, Executive Director at Brown RISD Hillel; Abby Klieman, Director of Philanthropy at Brown RISD Hillel; Amy Olson, Executive Director at URI Hillel; Abby Kaye-Phillips, Engagement Associate at Brown RISD Hillel; Yaniv Havusha, Jewish Student Life Associate at URI Hillel. Not pictured: Elan Cohen, Israel Engagement Fellow at Brown RISD Hillel; Rabbi Steven Jablow, Jewish Chaplain at Bryant University; Jessica Lowenthal, Rabbinic Intern at URI Hillel. Einhorn received the 2015 Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence Award at the conference.

Amsterdam pledges $1.27M to protect Jewish buildings

WE ARE READ WORLDWIDE – Voice Business columnist Barbara Kenerson carried The Jewish Voice to a bullet-riddled wall in El Call, the Jewish quarter of Barcelona, Spain. There is a restored ancient synagogue in the area, dating back to the third century CE, believed to be one of the oldest synagogues in Europe.

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Eberhard van der Laan informed the City Council Dec. 11 of his decision to allocate the funds next year to 15 Jewish organizations that asked for security-related subsidies and were deemed to be at risk, the ANP news agency reported.

The subsidy comes on top of

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a $2.2 million commitment by the municipality for protection of Jewish institutions in 201418 and another $820,000 offered by the central government, the Nederlands Dagblad daily reported. A mosque that applied for the funding was declined, with officials saying it was not at risk.

The Dutch Jewish community spends approximately $1 million annually from its own budget on protection, according to its representatives.

City Council members had demanded the extra funding following the slaying last year of four people at the Jewish Museum of Belgium. In 2014, the Hague-based Center for Information and Documentation on Israel, a local watchdog known also as CIDI, revealed that 70 percent of anti-Semitic incidents it recorded are perpetrated by immigrants, many of whom are thought to be Muslim.

Earlier this month, the Anne Frank Foundation released a report that counted 76 incidents of “intentional anti-Semitism” in the Netherlands in 2014 – a 20 percent increase over 2013.

The figures are substantially lower than CIDI’s record of 171 anti-Semitic incidents last year and 100 in the previous year.

Unlike the foundation, CIDI collects complaints directly from victims.

Separately, a well-known Orthodox rabbi from Amsterdam accused the Dutch Jewish community of focusing excessively on anti-Semitism.

“For many Jews, anti-Semitism has become a hobby, something to believe in or to speak about,” Rabbi Lody van de Kamp said in an interview published Dec. 11 in the news site volzin.nu. “In the Netherlands, we are caked in victimhood.”

Anti-Semitism, the rabbi added, was not preventing Dutch Jews from living their lives.

thejewishvoice.org

December 25, 2015 |

31

32 | December 25, 2015

The Jewish Voice

Orchard Cove offers a new retirement.

Far from ordinary, but so close to where you live.

At Orchard Cove, a new retirement means taking a fresh look at what independent senior living can offer. More creative and intellectual activities.

A healthier approach to life. And new friends in a remarkable community.

Orchard Cove offers all this on a beautiful wooded campus in Canton, Massachusetts, just minutes from Rhode Island.

We love all things Rhode Island—including the seniors that live there.

Have lunch with us and take a tour of Orchard Cove. You’ll go home with a sense of what a great senior living community is all about... as well as a basket of Rhode Island treats.

To arrange your lunch, visit orchardcovelife.org or call us at 781-821-1730.

At Orchard Cove, we celebrate diversity and welcome members of all races, faiths, ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientations.

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