December 8, 2017 by Jewish Rhode Island

HAPPY HANUKKAH

Volume XXIII, Issue XX | www.jvhri.org Serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts

20 Kislev 5778 | December 8, 2017

Hadassah gift-wraps the holidays for mall shoppers BY FRAN OSTENDORF

Minting another batch of Hanukkah gelt BY NEAL DROBNIS Many readers may not be aware that when I am not working for Jewish Family Service at the Kosher Senior Café, I am an active glass artist. Every year as part of the Café’s Hanukkah celebration, I mint a new glass coin as a gift to the seniors for Hanukkah. In 2010 I created the fi rst coin depicting a simple Jewish star. In 2011, the coin featured a person holding a menorah with a Jewish star head; 2012 featured a smiling face with Jewish star

eye glasses and menorah hair; 2014 used the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s new logo. In 2015, a Jewish star included a peace symbol in the middle; 2016 featured a raised Jewish star. This year, I created a coin with “Kosher Senior Café 2017” in raised lettering around a Jewish star. These special coins have become a tradition that many of our guests anticipate. I have tried to use the ancient custom of marking

It’s a Hanukkah miracle of sorts. Every year – for almost as long as there’s been a Warwick Mall – a dedicated group of Hadassah members turns out to wrap gifts there during the holiday season. At a time of the year that’s busy no matter how you celebrate, these women give their time to put a smile on shoppers’ faces and raise funds for the worldwide work of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. Judy Silverman, longtime Hadassah member, vice president for fundraising of the Rhode Island chapter, and current gift-wrapping coordinator, said the gift-wrapping project was undertaken by the Pawtucket chapter of Hadassah in 1971 right after the Warwick Mall opened. There were then seven chapters of Hadassah statewide. As the years went by, the group had trouble fi nding

Wrapping a package in 2015. enough members who wanted to participate at night. In the early 1990s, the Pawtucket giftwrappers asked the Kent chapter – with its younger membership – for help.

GELT | 25

Fast forward to 2017. Hadassah in Rhode Island is now one chapter. But Hadassah Rhode Island is still the gift-wrapping provider at the Warwick Mall. Not even the floods of 2010, WRAPPING | 21

Children will enjoy eight new books for Hanukkah BY PENNY SCHWARTZ BOSTON (JTA) – Move over, potato latkes. Make room for dosas. The savory fried Indian lentil and rice pancakes take center stage in “Queen of the Dosas,” a gem of a new Hanukkah book by the award-winning children’s writer Pamela Ehrenberg. It’s among eight new Hanukkah books for kids – one for each night of the holiday – sure

to kindle the flames of imagination in young readers. The bounty of this season’s books travel the globe, from city life to wooded forests, with engaging stories and dazzling illustrations that reflect the diversity in how Jewish families celebrate the popular holiday. Old World traditions mix it up with new rituals taking root in today’s modern American Jewish families.

These new reads showcase the many ways Jewish families from all walks of life celebrate the Festival of Lights, which this year begins on the evening of Dec. 12.

Way Too Many Latkes: A Hanukkah in Chelm

Linda Glaser; illustrated by Aleksandar Zolotic Kar-Ben; ages 3-8 Oy vey! It’s the fi rst night of Hanukkah and Faigel, the best

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latke maker in the village of Chelm, forgot the recipe for her mouth-watering, sizzling potato pancakes, the traditional fried food eaten during the holiday’s celebrat ions. Her husband, Shmuel, races over to the village rabbi for advice. But what does the rabbi know about making latkes? This ticklishly fun adventure, set in the fictional Old World BOOKS | 16

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INSIDE

COMMUNITY

Rhode Islanders recount the JFNA General Assembly

Business 24-26

BY ADAM GREENMAN

Calendar 12-13

On Sunday, Nov. 12, more than 1,000 Jewish leaders from around the country converged on Los Angeles, California, for the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly. The annual gathering included a team of six from the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. Attending on behalf of the Alliance were Mitzi Berkelhammer, board chair; James Pious, Campaign co-chair; Marc Gertsacov, community development chair (allocations); Susan Gertsacov; Trine Lustig, vice president of philanthropy; and myself. Attendees heard from a variety of speakers, including Hollywood producers, rabbis and leaders from Israel and key partner agencies. Reuven Rivlin, the president of Israel, addressed the convention on Monday evening and called the relationship between Israel and the American Jewish community unbreakable and critical to the success of both countries. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the participants via satellite on Tuesday morning. His remarks focused on more hot-button issues of egalitarian prayer space and conversion. With regard to both issues, the Prime Minister stated that he was working toward a solution that would address concerns of

Community 2-4, 7, 12, 18-19, 22, 25 D’Var Torah 7 Food 14-15 Hanukkah 5, 11, 16-17, 20-21, 29 Nation 10 Obituaries 23 Opinion 8-9 Seniors 28 Simchas 30-31 We Are Read 30-31 World 10

THIS ISSUE’S QUOTABLE QUOTE “When people join together to do good, their lights can illuminate a room, a city, a country.”

The Jewish Voice

the American Jewish community. Netanyahu was responding to a resolution passed earlier during the General Assembly by the JFNA board of directors. The resolution called on Netanyahu and the government of Israel to reverse the freeze that they had placed on a plan to create an egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

generations come of age. Rhode Island participants enjoyed the conference. “The positive energy at the GA was palpable and infectious. There is a wonderful feeling of connectedness from being together with Jewish communities from all across North America,” said Pious. “There is a great sense of pride that we support the JFNA when we saw all of the good they are doing to help the

The General Assembly covered many issues in addition to Israel. Several workshops focused on the need for the Jewish community to recognize all those who are Jewish. They argued that attendees must create environments that do not “Jewbarrass” people, a term coined by one of the presenters that refers to instances where people are meant to feel less Jewish than others because of how they practice. Other presentations focused on engaging millennial Jews and understanding the changes coming as new

Jewish communities that were so hard hit by hurricanes this year.” A highlight of the conference was an address by the Director General of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Natan Sharansky. Sharansky, who is retiring next year, thanked the crowd for their continued support of programs that help Jews around the world. He also recounted his time as a refusenik in the Soviet Union and the power of the Jewish community in the United States in the 1980s to bring about change for Soviet

Jews. “Hearing Sharansky recount his story and the role that the American Jewish community played in that story was very powerful,” recounted Lustig. “His words put into context why we support so many overseas agencies.” For first-time attendees like myself, the General Assembly was a bit overwhelming. There were so many new people to meet, so many organizations to learn about and so much to absorb. While the sessions were informative and hearing from distinguished Israeli leaders was important, one of the true values was the time spent learning together with my fellow Rhode Islanders. Ultimately, we were able to talk about the sessions we attended, and we were able to determine how to apply what we learned back home in Rhode Island. We returned from Los Angeles with many ideas on how to improve the Alliance’s ability to engage the larger Jewish community, and I am looking forward to sharing those with the community in the coming months. Next year’s General Assembly is scheduled for Oct. 22-24, 2018, in Tel Aviv. ADAM GREENMAN is the president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance.

Happy Hanukkah ‫חג אורים שמח‬

From all of us at the Jewish Alliance... We wish you a season filled with warmth, light, and miracles.

Adam Greenman President & CEO

Mitzi Berkelhammer Chair of the Board

COMMUNITY

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Rabbi Gouze: People person and community builder BY SAM SERBY Rabbi Andrea M. Gouze was born in the Bronx, New York, and was ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. After living in Israel, she returned to the United States, and came to love New England while she was the rabbi at Congregation Agudas Achim, in Attleboro. After a brief stint in the Midwest, Rabbi Gouze returned to the area and settled in Providence. She has since worked at the Jewish Community Day School and as the rabbi of Temple Shaare Tefilah, in Norwood, Massachusetts. Gouze is now the rabbi of Temple Beth Emunah, in Easton, Massachusetts, as well as director of pastoral care at New England Sinai Hospital, in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Gouze has master’s degrees in social work and Hebrew letters. She was awarded an honorary doctorate of divinity, in honor of her 25 years of service to the community as a rabbi, from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Gouze is a boardcertified chaplain through Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains. Rabbi Gouze is pleased to be both an American and an Israe-

li citizen, having lived in Israel for over four years. She is the proud mother of four children, Eitan, Daniella, Nili and Aurora, and a dog and cat. She is married to Gershon Levine and says she is blessed to have such a supportive and loving family. Q: Favorite Jewish food? A: Chicken soup with really fluffy and light matzah balls. Q: Favorite Jewish holiday? A: It’s a tie between Sukkot and Pesach. I love the magical atmosphere of the sukkah and having friends and family over, eating, sharing and laughing together. But I also love the pageantry and special rituals connected to Pesach and the feeling that I am setting aside a week to eat different foods that connect to my historical community. Q: Favorite Jewish songs? A: “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen and “Yo Ya” by Poogy [an Israeli band]. Q: Favorite Jewish movies? A: “Exodus” and “Bag of Marbles.” Q: Favorite Jewish celebrity? A: Leonard Nimoy. Q: Favorite Israeli city to visit? A: Safed, because there is

A: Sitting in synagogue with my father and playing with his tzitzit and the fringes on his tallis.

something very spiritual about Safed, and the views from the mountains are absolutely incredible, especially when watching the sunset. One can totally imagine the emotions that the rabbis felt that caused them to want to write “Lekhah Dodi” [a song that welcomes Shabbat after sundown and before evening services] while standing on that mountaintop watching the sun go down. Q: Favorite Israeli city to live? A: Jerusalem, because you can feel the history and the spirituality is palpable in the actual stones of the Old City. Q: Favorite Hebrew word and why? A: Kehillah [congregation], because it encapsulates my idea of the importance of community and viewing it as the foundation upon which Judaism is based. Q: Favorite Yiddish word? A: “Nu,” [which means] so, tell me more … what’s happening? Q: Best part of keeping Kosher, worst/most difficult part? A: Best part: The fact that I am maintaining a tradition that has been observed so many thousands of years – and it al-

Q: Greatest piece of advice someone has given you, and who gave it to you? A: My rabbi suggested that I become a rabbi – and it came to fruition.

Rabbi Andrea M. Gouze lows anyone in the community to come and eat at my house. Most difficult part: When I go out to a restaurant and I see a description of a meat item that sounds like it would be incredible and the restaurant is known for – and I’m choosing not to eat that. This helps to strengthen my identity, but also can be challenging. Q: Favorite part of being a rabbi? A: Connecting with people, hearing their stories, and creating a spiritual and joyous atmosphere, which allows them to find meaning and joy in their Jewish identity. Q: Favorite Jewish memory?

Q: If you could have three dinner guests, living or from history, who would they be and why? A: Beruriah – she was quoted in the Talmud and her opinions were respected. Maimonides – he was such an incredibly deep thinker and helped to carry forward the understanding of Judaism the way we are now living it. He was such a wellrounded and well-versed intellect in so many different areas of knowledge. Eleanor Roosevelt – she was an incredible woman. I would love to be able to talk to her about where she got her strength from and how she had such feminist views before feminism was even coined as a word. SAM SERBY is a freelance writer who lives in East Greenwich. He previously worked at the Peres Center for Peace in Tel Aviv.

Temple Emanu-El lecture features medieval Jewish women’s autonomy BY JOHN LANDRY As Jewish women take on duties once reserved for men, there’s growing interest in the history of gender norms. When past rabbinic leaders guided their local communities, how much initiative and responsibility did they give to women? What can we learn about their deliberations – and what women actually did to help us understand the changes now? Professor Elisheva Baumgarten is an expert in medieval Jewish society and religion, and she will speak in Providence on these questions. She will focus on women in northern Europe giving tzedakah (charity), especially independently of their

Elisheva Baumgarten husbands’ wishes. Part of her work is simply

finding evidence of what ordinary women did, since few women left records. She draws on direct evidence, such as tzedakah records with women’s names and women’s tombstones that mention their giving. But also important are rabbinic writings, especially the many commentaries of the period. The biblical story of Abigail, in 1 Samuel 25, is especially fruitful. After her foolish husband refuses to give the future King David the protection “gift” he demands, Abigail goes behind his back to pay David. How did the medieval rabbis respond to the story of a woman disobeying her husband, especially related to money? With a close reading of these com-

mentaries and other sources, Baumgarten traces an interesting development over time. There was more variation in women’s autonomy than we might think. In studying these changing norms, she follows the lead of earlier historians such as Prof. Judith Romney-Wegner, who wrote about the complex status of women in the earlier Talmudic period. Romney-Wegner was a longtime congregant of Temple Emanu-El, and Baumgarten will be giving the 2017 installment of the annual lecture that the temple endowed on her behalf. Baumgarten teaches at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, but this year is a resident schol-

ar at the Institute of Advanced Study in New Jersey. She is the author of “Practicing Piety in Medieval Ashkenaz: Men, Women, and Everyday Religious Observance;” and “Mothers and Children: Jewish Family Life in Medieval Europe.” Her talk, “Yours, Mine or Ours: Understanding Women’s Authority over Married Property,” will be on Dec. 10. Brunch at 10:30 a.m. will be followed by the lecture at 11. Temple Emanu-El is at 99 Taft Ave. in Providence. The event is free and open to the public. JOHN LANDRY lives in Providence and serves on Temple Emanu-El’s adult education committee.

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Members of Rosh Hodesh committee with Rabbi Zerin (left to right): Toby London, Rabbi Zerin, Maybeth Lichaa, Cheryl Greenfeld Teverow and Sherry Cohen. Not pictured: Kit Haspel, Marcia Hirsch, Barbara Sheer and Judy Robbins.

Rosh Hodesh program explores light, dark BY STEPHANIE HAGUE As Hanukkah, the festival of light, approaches, more than 65 women gathered Nov. 30 at the Dwares Jewish Community Center for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s Rosh Hodesh program. Rabbi Rachel Zerin of Temple Emanu-El facilitated an inspired, engaging and informative session titled “Lighting up the Dark.” The group compared the thematic values of lightness and dark, Talmudic and Midrashic sources covering similar topics, and discussed the importance of Hanukkah in participants’

daily lives. Additionally, participants had table-top discussions with one another and left feeling motivated to embrace the upcoming holiday with renewed meaning and understanding. Maybeth Lichaa, chair of the Rosh Hodesh program, opened the event by sharing a story from a beneficiary of the Jewish Alliance’s annual campaign. She read a personal letter from the father of a camper who attended J-Camp last summer. Despite his son’s special needs, the father wrote that his son had the most amazing summer

and how grateful he is to the staff for supporting his son and allowing him to thrive at camp. The next Rosh Hodesh program is scheduled for May 22 at noon, at the Alliance’s Dwares JCC and features Rabbi Barry Dolinger, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Sholom and Jewish Alliance board member. For more information, contact Danielle Germanowski at dgermanowski@jewishallianceri. org or 401-421-4111, ext. 109. STEPHANIE HAGUE (shague@jewishallianceri.org) is the philanthropy officer at the Jewish Alliance.

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HANUKKAH

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Check your Hanukkah knowledge BY LARRY KESSLER Given the tense national mood, we could all use an injection of humor, so with that in mind, I offer a Hanukkah quiz, courtesy of my old friend “Chanukah Charlie.” The quiz is for all fans of Hanukkah, which starts Tuesday, Dec. 12, at sundown. For those who dread tests, it’s an open-book exam, so enjoy:

1. We all were taught that Hanukkah is celebrated due to a victory in 164 BCE that preserved our right to practice Judaism. It’s become such a popular holiday in the modern era, because:

A. Retailers must expand Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. B. Bubbes were desperate for another excuse to spoil their grandchildren. C. We all needed another reason for a nosh. D. Kids don’t get enough gifts these days. Answer: All of the above are acceptable.

2. Out of the following, which one is a real part of the holiday, and not a myth?

A. A Hanukkah bush. B. A Happy Holiday tree. C. The showing of the movie, “It’s the Great Menorah, Charlie Brown.” D. Fantastic pancakes made with love. E. The magical delivery of gifts by a gnome-like creature called Hanukkah Harry. Answer: D. Latkes are an edible tribute to one of the best Hanukkah traditions.

3. The victory over the SyrianGreeks was forged by the Maccabees, led by Judah. How long did it take them to emerge victorious and re-enter

the temple after it had been desecrated?

A. Much longer than it takes Patriots coach Bill Belichick to smile at one of his news conferences. B. Less time than it takes government contractors to fill potholes. C. Three years. D. Shorter than it takes bills to get through the Rhode Island and Massachusetts legislatures. Answer: C.

4. The king of the SyrianGreeks, Antiochus IV, prohibited the Jewish people from: A. Eating Kosher food. B. Praying as they saw fit. C. Teaching Judaism to anyone, including their children. D. Reading the Torah. E. All of the above. Answer: E.

5. The miracle of Hanukkah is that:

A. The Maccabees defeated a much larger military force and became the era’s superheroes. B. A one-day’s supply of oil kept the menorah burning for eight days. C. People developed a renewed interest in practicing their religion. D. The temple got cleaned up quickly, and was rededicated. Answer: “B” is what we’re taught in Hebrew School, but they’re all miracles.

left, and light them left to right so the oldest candle is put in first, and the newest candle is lit first. C. Same as B, only reversing the right and left. Answer: B.

7. Kids from toddlers to 118 never tire of playing the dreidel game, which is a long-accepted method of off-track betting. It’s played with and on:

A. Pennies on a table or floor. B. Dried lima beans while waiting for the latkes to cook. C. Poker chips at Twin River or Plainridge Park Casino. D. Any coins on the nearest flat surface. Answer: Bet on all of them except C.

9. Which spelling of the holiday is the proper one in English?

A. C—h—a—n—u—k—a—h . B. H—a—n—u—k—a—h . C. C—h—a—n—u—k—a . D. H—a—n—u—k—k—a—h. Answer: All of them. It’s one word that no English teacher can mark you down for misspelling, although “D” is used most often in the newspaper because it’s the version accepted by the Associated Press.

10. True or false: Hanukkah falls on the same day every year.

Answer: True – and yes, it’s a trick question, because all Hebrew school graduates know that it always falls on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, which will be Dec. 13 this year and Dec. 3 in 2018.

LARRY KESSLER is a freelance writer who can be reached at l ke s s l e r1@ c o m c a s t . n e t .

8. In the game, the winner gets the pot if the dreidel:

A. Spins into whatever happens to be cooking on the stove. B. Rolls underneath the couch and is impossible to reach. C. Falls into a bowl of freshlymade latke mix. D. Lands on “gimel.” Answer: D.

6. It’s a mitzvah to light the menorah in our homes. What’s the proper way of putting the candles in the menorah and lighting them?

A. It doesn’t matter; just light one each night until eight and the shamash candle are lit on the final night. B. You put them in right to

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Tapping into the light When the winter reaches its coldest and darkest days, we tap into the power of light and fire. The R a m c h a l , Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato (18th century) taught that each year when we return to a holiday, we “return RABBI to the original AARON light” of that PHILMUS day in the annual cycle. In the springtime, light and life is increasing. We clean our homes and reenact our original story of liberation. In the Passover Seder, we tap into the original light of freedom. But in the wintertime, days are short, and it

feels like the life force has gone into hiding somewhere underground or under layers of wool and fleece. On the 25th, of Kislev we tap into the powerful energies of Hanukkah: victory through rebellion and the miraculous power of light. The SyrianGreeks sought to erase our traditions so they could have control over the kingdom. “In the era of the Second Temple, the Greek kingdom issued decrees against the Jewish people to nullify their faith by refusing to allow them to observe the Torah and mitzvot.” (Rambam Chanukah 3:1). Although many Jews happily assimilated into Hellenic culture, the Maccabees formed a resistance against the mighty

empire. A great miracle happened (nes gadol) when they defeated the Syrian-Greeks and rededicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. As the Talmud recounts: “When the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all of the oils. After the Hasmoneans [Maccabees] defeated them, they searched and found but one jar of pure oil, untouched and sealed with the sign of the High Priest. The jar had only enough oil for one day, but a miracle occurred and they were able to light from it for eight days.” (Shabbat 21b). During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred and set apart. We are not to use the light for any normal purposes like reading or looking at presents. The great sages urged

Temple Shalom’s interfaith service continues annual tradition MIDDLETOWN – Keeping a longstanding tradition, Temple Shalom of Middletown held its annual Interfaith Service on Nov. 22. This year’s service was dedicated to Rabbi Marc Jagolinzer, who passed away on Oct. 22. Rabbi Jagolinzer began the pre-Thanksgiving tradition 43 years ago as one of his many programs of interfaith dialogue. His absence was deeply felt. Words of praise and prayers in his memory were offered. Cantor Frederick Schiff, who

worked with Rabbi Jagolinzer at Temple Shalom for many years, led the services. Clergy from many different houses of worship on Aquidneck Island participated: Deacon John Silvia of St. Barnabas Roman Catholic Church, Deacon Paul St. Laurent of St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church, Pastor Jae Gil Lee of St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Jill Robertson of United Church of Christ, Carl Crockett of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Rev. Alvin Riley of Mt. Zion AME

Church. Stephen Martorella provided musical accompaniment and interludes. Emily Anthony played a moving violin solo. Choruses from St. Lucy’s Roman Catholic Church and from the Mt. Zion AME Church sang hymns and engaged the congregation in songs. The service concluded with a moment to honor those who serve in the military and in first responder forces, followed by prayers for peace and for the country. Submitted by Temple Shalom

us to gaze at the candles in meditative contemplation to purify the oils burning in our hearts. Reb Zalman z”l taught “the candles are there to cleanse the doors of our perception so that we might again be attuned to the order of the miraculous. So we are taught that ‘…these candles and their light are sacred and we have no permission to make use of them. All we must do is to just look at them.’” When darkness surrounds you, Hanukkah calls you to tap into your inner vision and there you will see a hidden light. The

darkness is like rich fertile soil and on Hanukkah we plant seeds of hope and light. Each night as we increase the number of candles, I urge you to really gaze at the Hanukkah candles and meditate on them for as long as you can. Who knows, maybe a miracle will happen and you will find a spark of light that was hidden in a place you thought was completely dark. Chag Urim Sameach Happy Festival of Lights! AARON PHILMUS is rabbi of Torat Yisrael in East Greenwich.

Candle Lighting Times Greater Rhode Island December 8 December 15 December 22 December 29

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8 | December 8, 2017

OPINION

Technology bridges the distances and generations Do you look at today’s changing technology and feel overwhelmed? You’re not alone. No matter your age, any new technology involves a learning curve. Unfortunately, in the case of computer technology, EDITOR age doesn’t always equate with wisdom. FRAN But it’s also OSTENDORF a myth that older people can’t learn the newest technology. I didn’t grow up with computers and cellphones as my children did. In fact, I taught myself to type on my mother’s Underwood manual typewriter. It was old when I did that; now it would be considered a valuable antique. Like my friends, I went off to college with a modern, portable “Selectric” typewriter, complete with correction tape and carbon paper for copies. Does anybody remember that? That technology is largely gone today, except among collectors. By the time I graduated, newspapers had started to computerize workflows. Thank goodness. Layout and writing is so much easier in the computer age. But through the years, I’ve had to deal with dozens of different versions of word processing, layout and photo-editing software and hardware. Now TVs, cars and home appliances are becoming more and more software-driven. And it seems the learning curve gets steeper with each new machine and every passing year. Every time I think I’m comfortable with the latest and greatest, I realize that there’s something new – and complicated – to get used to. Change is truly constant. The design and production of The Voice is fairly state of the art. We just upgraded to a new version of our design software, Adobe InDesign. For the last issue, something went awry and all of our ads were low resolution. That meant sending the printer a new copy of the pages. I didn’t know how to do that and our layout and design expert was unavailable. Thanks to the good folks at our printer, Graphic Developments Inc.,

and my daughter, who knows how to use the computer program, you received your usual high-resolution copy of the paper. What exactly is low and high resolution? That’s for another column! But there’s always something new to learn. When I interviewed the folks at the Providence Village a few months ago, they told me that their help line gets the most calls for computer problems. That’s because cellphones, email, computers and web browsers are constantly changing, and challenging even to those of us who thought we had mastered them. The Village, a grassroots organization that helps members stay in their homes as they age, has a dedicated team of member-volunteers to help solve tech problems. All of this certainly isn’t intuitive to the generation reared on dial telephones, carbon paper, typewriters and physical buttons to drive appliances. But adapting – and coping with – new technology also is something that can bring people and families together. So, when my parents graduated to smartphones a couple of weeks ago, we were prepared to answer a lot of questions. The whole family had urged them to upgrade their old flip phones to make it easier to communicate with far-flung family members. One grandchild lives abroad and the rest of us are scattered across the U.S. Most of the family communicates via text, on the run: Smartphones allow for easier communication between family members. We all came together to try to make the transition easier. So far, so good. Our computeraverse parent seems to be taking to the phone quite well. The computer-literate parent is right behind. Both overthink the process a little bit. But I think that the ability to get photos and communicate via text message – which is much more immediately rewarding than trying to reach us via voice – will push both to master their new devices. Now, as a family, we will all have to remember to include our parents in our photo sharing and group texts. So next time you’re faced with new technology, don’t think of the learning curve – think of the rewards to come.

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.

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Darwin’s Jobian perspective While Rabbi Rosenberg is recovering from back surgery, he has chosen a past column to run in this space. This column originally appeared on April 3, 2009. Ever since I first encountered the “Book of Job” during my high school years, I have been wrestling IT SEEMS with the enormous questions TO ME raised by this biblical masRABBI JIM terpiece: Why ROSENBERG do the innocent suffer? And, conversely, why do the wicked all too often “get away with it”? After Auschwitz, how is it possible to call God just? What, then, is the nature of God? What might it mean to say that God has a relationship with you and with me? Even a superficial reading of the 42 chapters of the “Book of Job” will lead one to a disturbing conclusion: God’s thunderous answer to Job from out of the whirlwind (chapters 38-42) has nothing to do with Job’s questions (chapters 3-37). Briefly put, Job wants to know what he has done to deserve such suffering; he demands his day in court: “God may well slay me, I may have no hope; yet will I argue my case before him.” (13:15) That is to say, Job is looking for God to reveal some dimension of justice in what appears to be a fundamentally unjust world, a world in which God, with apparent indifference, destroys the innocent along with the guilty. (9:22) When at last God does respond to Job, God simply ignores Job’s concern for justice and proceeds to browbeat him with an angry display of cosmic power: Who are you to darken counsel with words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man; For I will question you, and you will answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you can under-

stand this. (38:2-4) God goes on to browbeat Job with a long series of sarcastic questions: “Can you do this, Job? Can you do that?” It is almost as if God is trying to crush Job’s rebellious spirit with a manifestation of overwhelming might, to break him with a display of near infinite creative energy. At first glance, then, it would seem that Job’s questions and God’s response are skewed lines that will never meet. After decades of trying to discover some meaning in what appears to be a divine temper tantrum, I have come to see that the author of “Job” imagines God saying in effect, “Look, Job, you are asking all the wrong questions. You see, the universe is not about you

“As God continues to address Job, the tone of the divine discourse begins to soften.” – or, certainly, not primarily about you.” As God continues to address Job, the tone of the divine discourse begins to soften. God begins to show Job how the world appears through divine eyes, as it were: “Take a look, Job, at all these animals living their lives without ever coming into contact with a single human being: lion, mountain goat, ostrich, eagle. They are part of my world, Job, just as you are.” Finally, as if to add a celestial exclamation point, God shows Job two of his most wondrous creatures: behemoth, a hippopotamus-like giant with a tail as tall as a cedar, and leviathan, a fearsome combination of crocodile and fire-breathing dragon. The world is not about you, Job, and the world is not about us. During the past few months, many of us have taken note of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of his revolutionary “The Origin of Species,” in which he lays the foundation for his theory of evolution

through natural selection. I am struck by how closely Darwin’s vision of the evolutionary tree of life corresponds to the view of divine fecundity found in the concluding chapters of “Job.” Both Darwin and the author of “Job” express their awe at the spectacular variety and intricacy of the web of life. Both Darwin and the author of “Job” find in each particular a unique expression of life’s overwhelming plenitude. Perhaps most significantly, both Darwin and the author of “Job” insist that the primary purpose of our natural world is not to serve the needs of homo sapiens. It is certainly no secret that believers of a particularly narrow stripe find Darwin’s theory of evolution deeply threatening to their religious perspective. People today – like those at the infamous “Monkey Trial” in 1925 who sought to convict John Thomas Scopes for the “crime” of teaching evolution in Tennessee’s public schools – continue to base their case upon a hyper-literalist reading of Genesis. Apparently there was no room then – or now – in the narrow minds of Scopes’ accusers for the broader vision of divine fecundity found in the concluding chapters of “Job.” While of course I make no claim that Darwin considered himself to be a religious person, the enduring irony is that Darwin’s theory of evolution does contain the seeds of a powerful – though admittedly alternative – religious perspective, the perspective of the author of “Job”: Our biological world, as it continues to evolve through the mechanism of natural selection, is an expression of divine fecundity. The vast web of life in which we are immersed can be read as a sacred text. The natural world does not exist to serve our needs, but rather we exist to serve our natural world, to mend it and not to exploit it. Our species could do far worse than to turn to Darwin and the author of “Job” for renewed religious inspiration and direction. JAMES B. ROSENBERG is rabbi emeritus at Temple Habonim, in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.

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OPINION

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WASHINGTON (JTA) – In announcing U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, President Donald Trump spoke loud and clear – except when he didn’t. That’s not to say that Israel and many of its supporters weren’t thrilled with what many called the “long overdue” acknowledgement by the United States that Israel gets to say where its own capital is. But Trump was cautious, celebrating Israel’s control of the entire city, yet insisting that he was not recognizing Israel’s control of the entire city; taking Israel’s side on a decadeslong dispute, but also saying that “we are not taking a position of any final status issues.” Here are a few other things the president said and didn’t say.

The announcement is a significant break.

Congress recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 1995, but the executive branch until now has taken pains – all the way up to the Supreme Court – to resist doing the same. In the wake of the 1949 armistice, the U.S. administration officially sought international status for Jerusalem. After peace talks with the Palestinians began in the early 1990s, the position shifted to leaving it up to the sides to decide what the final status of the city should be. Since then, Trump’s predecessors have signed twice-yearly waivers keeping the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.

The first to unreservedly embrace the 1995 law.

“In 1995, Congress adopted the Jerusalem Embassy Act, urging the federal government to relocate the American embassy to Jerusalem and to recognize that that city – and so importantly – is Israel’s capital,” he said. “That is why, consistent with the Jerusalem Embassy Act, I am also directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.”

Trump embraced Israel’s narrative.

The president seemed to embrace a narrative of Israeli stewardship of the entire city

How I’m rededicating myself every night during Hanukkah

What the Jerusalem announcement really means BY RON KAMPEAS

December 8, 2017 |

BY PAMELA LEBEDDA

that might have been written in the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: It’s not just good for Israel, or for the Jews, it’s good for the city and those who love it. “Jerusalem is not just the heart of three great religions, but it is now also the heart of one of the most successful democracies in the world,” Trump said. “Over the past seven decades, the Israeli people have built a country where Jews, Muslims and Christians, and people of all faiths are free to live and worship according to their conscience and according to their beliefs. Jerusalem is today, and must remain, a place where Jews pray at the Western Wall, where Christians walk the Stations of the Cross, and where Muslims worship at Al-Aqsa mosque.” That’s not a narrative that Palestinians would countenance; they say restrictive security measures keep Muslims and Christians from easily reaching holy sites. A letter Wednesday from 13 leaders of Jerusalem churches, representing the range of faiths in the holy city, reflected a far less rosy picture of interfaith relations there. It urged Trump not to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, saying that tensions in the city argue against such a recognition. “The Holy City can be shared and fully enjoyed once a political process helps liberate the hearts of all people, that live within it, from the conditions of conflict and destructiveness that they are experiencing,” the letter said.

(Kveller via JTA) – I have been musing on how to combat what seems to be the new norm since the election last year of Donald Trump: The news is filled with hate crimes. All over the country I read about how vandals are defacing synagogues, the homes of Jews and even Unitarian churches. Have my fellow Americans always hated this much? Is it just all right to say hateful things now with Trump as president? I don’t want to become more bitter and cynical. I also don’t want this to be the new normal, one that I just accept. I keep coming back to Hanukkah and the menorah – and the metaphor of adding light to the world. The Maccabees rededicated the temple; I plan to rededicate myself. The first night: Beginning with me As I light the first candle, I rededicate myself. I have become too cynical, and that is not the person I want my daughter to emulate. It is time to start with the little things. I don’t need to roll my eyes when someone takes too long to pay in the grocery store. I can count to 10 before I use my horn when the person in front of me daydreams at a green light. Moreover, I can give these strangers who surround me a break. The second night: Taking my spouse’s hand as we face the world. As two candles are lit by the shamash, I can remember how I took my beloved’s hand beneath the huppah. Sometimes it gets lost in all the parenting and work stuff how much better things are when things are good with us. I have a feeling that safe spaces are going to be few and far between. On this second night, I rededicate myself to my spouse. The third night: Valuing our child for the light she brings My 5-year-old is a huge fan of her shoes. They have Anna and Elsa on them, and they light up when she jumps. One evening we were driving back home and she was making her shoes light up by banging her feet together. “Mama!” she said. “I light up the world!” “You sure do, baby,” I said. There are going to be some pretty dark days ahead. On the

The announcement sets a precedent for others.

Until 1980, a dozen or so nations recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and kept embassies in or near the city. That year, Israel passed one of several laws that claimed the entire city as its capital. Countries with embassies in the city, unable to withstand pressure from the Arab world, pulled out. With a superpower’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital and Trump’s stated intention to move the embassy there from Tel Aviv, other countries may be less shy about follow-

third night of Hanukkah I will help my daughter add more light to the world. I will rededicate myself to showing her how she can light up the world by actions and by deeds, and by just being herself. The fourth night: Not allowing the predominant incivility to become my normal My daughter will become politically aware with a president who is a cyberbully. This president has coarsely described women and people of color. Right now my daughter is too young to realize that he is speaking against her, but I am not. I will fight against his way of speaking and acting becoming the new normal. I will speak of the president respectfully as I will try to respect the office, but I will call out him and anyone in his administration if and when they do not treat others with that same respect. The fifth night: Standing with my fellow citizens My husband is not Jewish. I light our menorah next to our Christmas tree. Our loves, our lives, show that two religions can live together in peace. When I light the fifth candle, I will rededicate myself to living in peace with all religions. When I am commuting on the train and I see a woman wearing a hijab, I will move over so she can sit next to me. I can be a safe person for that woman to sit next to – and I will be. I will cross the street to walk with the children of Ishmael because I have friends whose grandparents remembered how people crossed the street to walk away from them as they wore a yellow star. I will fight any and all legislation to “register” Muslims, Christians, pagans or atheists. “Wait,” you say, “no one is talking about registering Christians, pagans or atheists.” Yes they are. If they are talking about taking rights away from one religion, they are talking about restricting all of them, including Jews. I have benefitted by the religious freedom in America; I will not sit by and let it only become religious freedom for some. The sixth night: Standing with the LGBTQ community As I light the candle for the sixth night of Hanukkah, I will thank God for my relative safety. I will think of those for whom

this presidency makes them feel very unsafe, specifically the LGBTQ community. I try to be inclusive when I speak of my child’s future spouse. I always use inclusive pronouns. She sees our friends who are gay, bi, lesbian and trans. To her they are just people who come to the house to play with her and lift her high. It hurts that people can’t see that no one can decide who they love. As a great poet said, love is love is love is love. I will march with my friends. I will stand with them. I will be a safe place for them. I will work so that we do not go backward with the rights that they have won. I will dedicate my energies to helping those who love be able to marry as they wish. The seventh night: I will remember As I light the seventh candle, I will remember those who are no longer here. I will remember my mother and my grandparents and wish they were beside me. I will remember Joe McKnight, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and too many others who died due to a culture of racism. I knew none of these people personally, but I know their families still grieve. I will dedicate myself to becoming an ally. I don’t know if I can qualify as woke yet, but I am waking up and I will not go back to sleep. The eighth night: Being the change Look at that menorah! It is blazing with light. We could shut off the lights and see by its light. I want my mitzvot to shine like this in the coming darkness. I will look at this light and remember that we are not alone, that when people join together to do good, their lights can illuminate a room, a city, a country. On this last night of Hanukkah, I dedicate myself to tikkun olam – repairing the world. I will write letters to my congressional representatives. I will boycott when a boycott is called for. I will not give up. There’s a lot to be done – and it begins with me. What will you dedicate yourself to do this Hanukkah? PAMELA LEBEDDA is a Long Islander by birth, Pittsburgher by marriage, and resident of New Jersey because it falls someplace between the two. After 15 years editing, she is now writing a blog at pagestagerage.blogspot.com.

TRUMP |25

On behalf of the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI), Christians and Jews working together in support of the nation of Israel, I want to publicly thank Rep. David Cicilline for his support and signing of the Taylor Force Act. This bill has been critical to Israel and the

LETTER Kudos to Rep. David Cicilline

Jewish community. By stopping payments to the Palestinian Authority for “pay to slay,” we pray it will halt the incentive to murder innocent victims. On Nov. 15, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, of which Cicilline is a member, approved the bill by unanimous vote.

When we first spoke to his staff at his Washington, D.C., office in July, we were told that he was not supporting the bill. At his town hall meeting in Lincoln, he was non-committal. But after an organized telephone and email campaign by RICI, I received a personal

phone call from him at my home on the very afternoon of the vote to tell me it had passed. I want to express my personal gratitude to Cicilline for his prompt phone call informing me of the unanimous decision to pass HR1164. Kudos! May we all enjoy this holiday

season as we express our grateful hearts to our God for the great country we live in. LuAnn Pezzullo Bristol, R.I. The writer is a member of the Taylor Force Act Task Force of RICI

10 | December 8, 2017

NATION | WORLD

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Mass. man arrested in theft JNS.org – A 19-year-old Massachusetts man was arrested over last year’s theft of a Holocaust memorial sculpture in Milton, Mass. In September 2016, the unnamed suspect stole the “Myriam’s Memorial” sculpture from Milton Cemetery. Sculptor Frank Manasse created the work in memory of his sister and the 1.5 million children who were killed in Nazi death camps during the Holocaust. Acting on dozens of tips, a police investigation led to the recovery of the sculpture and the arrest of the Massachusetts teenager in November.

The Miriam Hospital wishes you and your loved ones a joyous Hanukkah.

Police said they believe that the teenager stole the sculpture to give as a gift to a friend and do not suspect an anti-Semitic motive. The suspect is reportedly cooperating with police. “No information has been developed at this point that would lead the Milton Police Department to believe that this crime was motivated by hate, bias or

anti-Semitic sentiment,” a police statement said. “Should additional information develop, those avenues would certainly be explored.” Police also stated that they would seek a criminal complaint against the teenager and charge him with larceny and destroying a memorial to the dead.

Israeli government hosts travel agents

JNS.org – Israel’s Tourism Ministry this week [Dec. 4] is hosting 130 travel agents from 17 countries for the “Israel Where Else” conference. “The conference is taking place against the backdrop of an all-time high in tourism to Israel, and against the backdrop of solutions that we are creating for accommodation for large groups of tourists,” said Tourism Ministry DirectorGeneral Amir Halevi. “The travel agents and tour

operators, most of whom are on their fi rst visit to Israel, will be exposed to the wide range of attractive options that tourism in Israel has to offer,” said Halevi. During the seven-day conference, travel agents can choose to participate in a variety of government-facilitated tours of major sites and regions.. The number of tourists visiting Israel reached an all-time high of 739,000 in the fi rst quarter of 2017.

HANUKKAH

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Lighting up our lives at Hanukkah

When I think of Hanukkah, I think of miracles and bringing light into our lives, our communities and the world. The late Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, wrote in “The Obligation to Illuminate the World,” posted on Chabad.org, “Our sages said, ‘A little light expels a lot of darkness.’ “The Chanukah Lights PATRICIA remind us in a RASKIN most obvious way that illumination begins at home, within oneself and one’s family, by increasing and intensifying the light of Torah and Mitzvos in the everyday experience, even as the Chanukah Lights are kindled in growing numbers from day to day. “But though it begins at home, it does not stop there. Such is the nature of light that when one kindles a light for one’s own benefit, it benefits also all who are in the vicinity. Indeed, the Chanukah Lights are expressly meant to illuminate the ‘outside,’ symbolically alluding to the duty to bring light also to those who, for one reason or another, still walk in darkness.” I felt heartened reading this as we are living in a time of strife and conflict: Light is stronger than darkness. Here are some things to think about as you light each Hanukkah candle: • Light up your own life. • Light up someone else’s life. • Shine a light on the good

you see around you.

• Shine a light around the darkness you see around you. • Combine your light with others who are shining their light. Rabbi Schneerson wrote “The Obligation to Illuminate the World” in 1980, long before our current political landscape, but his words hold truer now than ever before. The article continues, “What is true of the individual is true of a nation, especially this great United States, united under G-d, and generously blessed by G-d with material as well as spiritual riches. It is surely the duty and privilege of this Nation to promote all the forces of light both at home and abroad, and in a steadily growing measure. “Let us pray that the message of the Chanukah Lights will illuminate the everyday life of everyone personally, and of the society at large, for a brighter life in every respect, both materially and spiritually.” I look forward to lighting the Hanukkah candles each year. The menorah I use was given to me by a childhood friend – I have had it for more than 30 years. The lights on my menorah evoke the Maccabees and the symbol is powerful for me. It always reminds me of the strength of our Jewish people and the pride I feel for being among them. PATRICIA RASKIN, president of Raskin Resources Productions Inc., is an award-winning radio producer and Rhode Island business owner. She is the host of “The Patricia Raskin” show, a radio and podcast coach, and a board member of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence.

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12 | December 8, 2017

CALENDAR | COMMUNITY

Happy Hanukkah

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR Ongoing

Alliance Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every weekday. 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, 401-338-3189. 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.

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World Views. Bunny Fain Gallery at Temple Habonim, 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and by appointment. Three artists and their views of the world around them are featured: Anne Kelsey Thacher mixed media; Susan Gallagher photographs; and Carol Beagan oils and pastels. Information, 401-245-6536 or gallery@templehabonim.org.

Friday | December 8 Friday Night Live Celebrates Hanukkah. 6-9 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. A musical celebration of Shabbat followed by dinner. Cost: adults and children over 12 years $20; 12 years and younger free; family max. $60. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600

Saturday | December 9

Classic Shabbat Service and Bat Mitzvah. 9 a.m.-noon. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Classic Shabbat service and Bat Mitzvah followed by a Kiddush luncheon. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600. Children’s Shabbat Program and Jr. Kiddush Club. 9:30-11:15 a.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Shabbat morning program and Jr. Kiddush Club for children. Morning activities include prayer, parashah, play time and a special Kiddush. Three age groups: tots, pre-K thru 1st grade and 2nd grade & up. Located in Kids Room, Social Hall and Chapel on the lower level. Big kids of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to join in prayer services in the main sanctuary. Information, office@bethsholom-ri.org. Community Hanukkah Celebration for Teens. 7-10 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Annual Hanukkah party for grades 6-12. Hang out, make new friends, nosh on a latke, grab a warm drink at the hot chocolate bar and enjoy Israeli-inspired activities. Other activities include karaoke, boys and girls swim, the game Kahoot (so bring your cellphone) and an ugly holiday sweater contest. Cost: $15. Created for and by youth groups in greater Rhode Island, including USY, Junior USY, BBYO, NCSY, PROVTY, CRAFTY, Camp JORI and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. Information or to CALENDAR | 13

Overnight Camp: A rite of passage

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At 9 years old, I discovered that several of my friends were going to overnight camp. Not wanting to be left out, I asked my mother if I could go to camp. She discussed this with my dad and the next thing I knew, I was enrolled for three weeks. A big deal was made of purchasing and labeling “camp clothes.” A footlocker was MAY-RONNY purchased. I ZEIDMAN was given paper and pens for letter writing and stamps to send those letters home. The evening before I left for camp, I came downstairs and asked my mom if I had to go to camp if I did not want to go. She looked at me thoughtfully and said, “Of course not. However, this was your choice so I know if you choose not to go you are not mature enough to make these type of decisions.” Slowly I walked upstairs and realized l had chosen my fate. I spent the next three weeks

crying and wanting to go home. On visiting day, my dad gave me what would be remembered as the “You are no quitter and no daughter of mine is a quitter ” speech. For the next five years I went to overnight camp. I was not forced to go … I wanted to go. My friends were there, but every year I was homesick and spent a great deal of time crying. In fact, my younger brother was also at camp, and he would see me and say, “Could you please stop crying, you are embarrassing me.” On visiting day, I would walk to the camp gate to wait for my parents. As they turned into the camp, I could see the pained look on their faces. Another year, another you are “not a quitter” lecture. In my last year of camp, I waited for my parents and saw their look of dread. I jumped into the car and said, “I love it here. It is so much fun. I don’t ever want to go home.” My mom turned to my dad and said, “She has discovered boys!” MAY-RONNY ZEIDMAN is executive director of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center.

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CALENDAR

RSVP, Seth Finkle at sfinkle@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 146.

Sunday | December 10 Men’s Club Breakfast with Guest Speaker Adam Greenman. 9-11 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Hear what the CEO and president of the Jewish Alliance of Greater RI has to say. All are welcome. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600. Torah Sprouts. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Children ages 3-5 sing songs, hear stories, create arts and crafts, and enjoy snacks. Parents must stay with their children. $10 per session. Information or to register, Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600. Preschool Hanukkah Hoopla. 10:3011:30 a.m. Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island, 85 Taft Ave., Providence. Hanukkah fun for kids 3- to 5-years-old. Includes crafts and activities, music and holiday treats. All activities facilitated by Pre-K staff. Open to the community. Information, Naomi Stein at nstein@jcdsri.com or 401-7512470. Tribe Talk. 10:30 a.m.-noon. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. The first in a series of edgy, informative and engaging conversations on trending news topics through a Jewish lens. Panelists Elisabeth Harrison, news director of Rhode Island Public Radio, and Alan Rosenberg, executive editor of the Providence Journal, discuss the topics of racism, terrorism and free speech in the media. Adam Greenman, president & CEO of the Jewish Alliance, moderates. No cost to attend. Suggested donation of $5 covers the cost of a light breakfast. RSVP to Lynne Bell at lbell@ jewishallianceri.org. Sponsored by The Jewish Voice and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. Information, Larry Katz at lkatz@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 179. Romney-Wegner Brunch and Lecture: “Yours, Mine or Ours: Understanding Women’s Authority Over Married Property.” 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. What authority did Jewish women in medieval Europe have when it came to making financial decisions and owning property? Dr. Elisheva Baumgarten, professor of Jewish Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, will speak. Brunch at 10:30 a.m.; lecture at 11 a.m. Free. Information, Paul Stouber at pstouber@teprov.org or 401-3311616. Summer J-Camp Reunion. 4-6 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Join your friends, former CITs and counselors at the J-Camp reunion. Swim in the pool, enjoy a pizza party, laugh, play games, dance and watch a camp slideshow. RSVP required. Information or to RSVP, Seth Finkle at sfinkle@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 146.

Monday | December 11 Monday Night Meditation. 7:45-8:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Meditation instruction for all levels. If you are look-

ing for accessible spiritual practices to help transform your life, consider this class. Last in a series that has focused on little-known classic and modern Jewish meditation techniques. Open to all. Free. Advance registration required; spots limited. Information, rabbi@ bethsholom-ri.org.

Tuesday | December 12 “Making Sense of Hanukkah.” 10-11:30 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser leads two-session adult education program (also meets 12/19). Information, Dottie at 401-942-8350. “Hanukkah on Ice.” 6-8 p.m. Alex and Ani City Center, 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence. Ice skating with the Beth Sholom community. Kosher food for sale by Chef Freda Baer of Ahava Catering. Hanukkah music and menorah-lighting in the heated room. All are welcome. Purchase ice skating tickets on your own. Admission will be discounted by $2 if you mention “Hanukkah on Ice.” Information or to RSVP (so we how many people to expect), contact Rachel Girard at rachelgrrd@gmail.com. Yoga. 6-7 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Cost: $30 for 3 sessions paid in advance; $12 per session at the door. Open to all. Bring a mat. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600. Tuesday Night Talmud: Hanukkah Mesibah & Siyum. 7:45-8:45 p.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Talmud study with Rabbi Barry Dolinger, finishing the fifth and fourth chapters of Berachot. Free. Information, office@bethsholom-ri.org.

Wednesday | December 13 Purposeful Play. 10-11 a.m. Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island, 85 Taft Ave., Providence. Weekly handson class for 3- to 4-year-olds and caregivers. Open exploration through senses with music, art and play with Ruth Horton, an early childhood educator with over 30 years of experience working with children and families. Each class is unique. Last class 12/20. $15 per class. Information, Naomi Stein at nstein@jcdsri.org or 401-751-2470. Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Howard VossAltman. Noon-1 p.m. Silverstein Meeting Hall, Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Explore Reform Judaism. Where have we been? Where are we going? Bring your lunch; coffee and tea available. Live streaming available. Visit temple-beth-el.org for streaming details. To RSVP, call 401-331-6070 or email Jenn Thomas at jthomas@temple-bethel.org. Mah Jongg. 7-8:30 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Open to members and nonmembers. Bring your friends and your 2017 Mah Jongg card. Free. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Share the successes and hardships you face as a new parent. Learn about the many things the Jewish community in greater Rhode Island has to offer. Each participant receives a free gift for baby. For ages 12 months and under and parents. Free. Information or to RSVP, Michelle Cicchitelli at mcicchitelli@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 178. Grand Hanukkah Event. 5 p.m. Warwick Mall, 400 Bald Hill Road, Warwick. Jewish music by Stan Freedman & Sounds of Simcha, arts and crafts, Hanukkah supplies sale and gift shop, lighting of giant menorah, latkes and Hanukkah gelt. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Information, Yossi Laufer at rabbilaufer@gmail.com or 401-447-8424. (401)j Vodka Latke. 6:30-9 p.m. The Boombox Karaoke Bar at the Dean Hotel, 122 Fountain St., Providence. (401)j’s annual Hanukkah party is the premier event for Jewish young adults in the greater Rhode Island area to celebrate Hanukkah together. Cost (includes one drink ticket for wine or beer, kosher dairy latkes and donuts): $18 in advance | $20 at the door. Information, Dayna Bailen at dbailen@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 108.

Friday | December 15 Shababa Friday/PJ Library Story Time. 10-11 a.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Welcome Shabbat with singing, dancing, jumping and celebrating as a community. Children and their caregivers listen to music, gather for stories, play games, create a craft, eat a snack and make new friends. Newand-improved PJ Library Story Time incorporates more music and movement as Dayna Bailen, Shababa song leader, and Shlomo, the sloth puppet, entertain children ages 5 and under. Guest readers bring PJ Library books, and open art studio time is available. All are welcome. Free. Information or to RSVP, Dayna Bailen at dbailen@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 108. Kosher Senior Café Hanukkah Party. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Festive meal and music by Stanley Freedman and Friends. Buses leave Temple Sinai at 10:15 a.m., returning at 1:45 p.m. Suggested donation $3. Reservations required. Contact Elaine or Neal at 401421-4111, ext. 107. K’tantan. 5:30 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Shabbat and holiday celebration for children ages newborn to 5. Joyful singing and community dinner. All are welcome. Information, Temple Beth-El office at 401-331-6070.

Thursday | December 14

T.G.I.F. Thank G-D It’s Friday. 5:45-7 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Shabbat songs and story with Rabbi Aaron Philmus followed by a kid-friendly Shabbat dinner. Donations welcome. Information or to RSVP, Torat Yisrael Office at 401-8856600

Shalom Baby Get-Together: Hanukkah Edition. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Celebrate baby’s first Hanukkah, and meet other new parents at this new holiday-themed Shalom Baby get-together.

Hanukkah Shabbat. 6-9 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Shireinu will join Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser and Cantor Deborah Johnson at the 6 p.m. service. There will also be a consecration service for new students

in the religious school. At 7 p.m., a Hanukkah dinner will be served in the social hall. Dinner cost: $5 per person | family max. $20. Dinner complimentary for consecration families. Information, Dottie at 401-942-8350. Kabbalat Shabbat Service. 7:30-9 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Kabbalat Shabbat service followed by an Oneg. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401885-6600.

Saturday | December 16 Children’s Shabbat Program and Jr. Kiddush Club. 9:30-11:15 a.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Weekly program and Jr. Kiddush Club for children. Activities include prayer, parashah, play time and a special Kiddush. Three age groups: Tots, Pre-K thru 1st grade and 2nd grade & up. Located in Kids Room, Social Hall and Chapel on the lower level. Big kids of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to join prayer services in the main sanctuary. Information, office@bethsholom-ri.org. Kids’ Night Out: Light up the Night. Ages 5-12: 5-10 p.m. Ages 2-5: 5-8:30 p.m. (extended times available). Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Kids’ Night Out is a chance for children to spend the evening with their friends in a fun and safe environment…and a great opportunity for parents to have a night out, “kid free.” Children enjoy a variety of themed activities, including sports, crafts, swimming and more. A pizza dinner and snacks are served. For ages 2-5, make sure to send your child with PJs as we end each evening with a movie. Price: $35 | Members: $25 | Siblings: $15. Information for ages 2-5, Jo-Anne DeGiacomo Petrie at jpetrie@ jewishalliance.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 180. Information for ages 5-12, Shannon Kochanek at skochanek@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 147.

Sunday | December 17 Hanukkah Party. Noon-1:30 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Join us for candle lighting, music, crafts, face painting and dreidel games. Bring your menorah and candles to celebrate the sixth night. Potato latkes and a light lunch will be served. Open to the community. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600. Menorah Workshop. 3-4:30 p.m. Home Depot, 80 Universal Boulevard, Warwick. Build a menorah and enjoy Hanukkah treats. Children must be accompanied by an adult. RSVP to mrslaufer@gmail.com or RabbiWarwick@gmail.com. Kosher Catch – New England’s Freshest Kosher Fish. 4:30-7:30 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Hanukkah fish & chips dinner. All you can eat fried haddock, latkes, coleslaw and jelly doughnuts. Adults: $20 | Children under 12: $12 | Family Max: $80. RSVP to the Torat Yisrael office at401-885-6600.

Monday | December 18 Hanukkah Hangout. 4-6 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence.

Celebrate Hanukkah with games, music, crafts and more. Come hang out with us. Information, Michelle Cicchitelli at mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org or 401-321-4111, ext. 178.

Tuesday | December 19 “Making Sense of Hanukkah.” 10-11:30 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser will lead this second adult education session. Information, Dottie at 401-942-8350. Yoga. 6-7 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Cost: $30 for 3 sessions paid in advance; $12 per session at the door. Open to all. Bring a mat. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Wednesday | December 20 Purposeful Play. 10-11 a.m. Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island, 85 Taft Ave., Providence. Weekly handson class for 3- to 4-year-olds and caregivers. Open exploration through senses with music, art and play with Ruth Horton, an early childhood educator with over 30 years of experience working with children and families. Each class is unique. Last class. $15. Information, Naomi Stein at nstein@jcdsri.org or 401-751-2470. Mah Jongg. 7-8:30 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Open to members and nonmembers. Bring your friends and your 2017 Mah Jongg card. Free. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Friday | December 22 Kabbalat Shabbat Service. 7:30-9 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Kabbalat Shabbat service followed by an Oneg. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401885-6600.

Saturday | December 23 Taste of Shabbat Service. 9-11 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. 9 a.m. Torah discussion and 9:45 a.m. Shabbat service followed by a light Kiddush. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600. Children’s Shabbat Program and Jr. Kiddush Club. 9:30-11:15 a.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Weekly program and Jr. Kiddush Club for children. Activities include prayer, parashah, play time and a special Kiddush. Three age groups: Tots, Pre-K thru 1st grade and 2nd grade & up. Located in Kids Room, Social Hall and Chapel on the lower level. Big kids of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to join prayer services in the main sanctuary. Information, office@bethsholom-ri.org.

FOOD

14 | December 8, 2017

The Jewish Voice

Jewish Bow Tie Cookies: An old world treat of fried dough BY RONNIE FEIN The Nosher via JTA – My mother was a first-class baker, and there were always homemade goodies for dessert at our house. So when I went away to college and needed a nosh to remind me of home, I went to a nearby bakery for a little something. It was mostly good: Chinese cookies, hamantaschen, babka. But the kichels? Not so much. Not only were my mother’s kichels world class and nearly impossible to top, but what the bakery called kichel wasn’t at all what I was used to. Bakery kichels, as I learned, are thick, bow tie-shaped pastries that are sometimes sprinkled with sugar. They can be crumbly and dry, or hard and dry, depending on the bakery. They are the kind of cookie a kid, especially one who’s homesick, would never choose. Especially a kid whose mother made world-class kichels. Here’s why my mom’s kichels were so amazing: They were soft and crispy at the same time, and they would melt in your mouth before you even had a chance to chew or even realize they were on your tongue. They were paper thin rolling the dough as thin as possible. It but developed air bubbles that were fun takes some time and patience, but the to pop with my front teeth, especially be- result – crispy, puffy, delightfully light cause a feathery dusting of confection- cookies with just a sprinkle of sifted ers’ sugar would fall from the top of the confectioners’ sugar – is so worth it. bubble into the crevice and give a faint Kichels but definite sweet to all parts. Ingredients We didn’t need milk to dunk and soft1 cup all-purpose flour en these kichels. They were as light as 1/8 teaspoon salt a helium balloon; fried (it is Hanukkah, 2 large eggs, beaten after all) but never greasy, sugar sprin1/4 teaspoon white vinegar kled but never cloying. Vegetable oil for deep-frying TheNE_RIJewishVoice big trick for fabulous kichels is Confectioners’ sugar 11/29/17

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Place the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the beaten eggs and vinegar and mix thoroughly until a smooth dough has formed (you can use an electric mixer or food processor). Let the dough rest, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 30 minutes. Roll out portions of the dough on a lightly floured surface until the dough is very thin, almost like paper. Cut the dough into squares or rectangles or odd shapes.

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Use your Stop & Shop card and save on items on this page. Prices valid Dec. 1 through Dec. 20, 2017. Some items not available in some stores. We sell kosher and non-kosher foods.

Celebrate Hanukkah at the Rhode Island State House on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. as Gov. Gina Raimondo, elected officials and members of the community participate in the yearly menorah lighting and prayers. There will be music, songs, gelt, latkes and dreidels. On Dec. 16, the Grand Chabad Chanukah Café – Melave Malke takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Chabad House, 360 Hope St., Providence. Dr. Adam Myers, professor of political science at Providence College will speak on “How Jews can Improve Our Political Landscape.” For more information: 401-273-7238 or believeinprovidence@gmail.com.

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Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep saute pan (or use a deep fryer) over medium-high heat until the oil reaches about 375 degrees F. (a breadcrumb or tiny piece of dough will sizzle quickly when you drop it into the oil). Drop the cutouts, a few at a time, into the oil (they will puff up) and cook briefly on both sides until they are crispy and faintly browned. Drain on paper towels. Sift confectioners’ sugar on top. Makes 30.

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FOOD

jvhri.org

December 8, 2017 |

Add Blue Crinkle Cookies to your baking repertoire BY RACHEL KOR (The Nosher via JTA) – In many homes, there is a tradition to bake Hanukkah cookies at this time of year. Whether it’s the sugar and butter mixing in the mixer, the blue and white sprinkles or the festive menorah cookie cutters, there is something about cookie baking that propels us into the holiday spirit. This year, I wanted a new Hanukkah cookie to share with family and friends. Although I love the classic sugar cookie with sprinkles, sometimes it’s nice to have a really easy and delicious cookie with limited frills and fuss. These blue crinkle cookies fit the bill perfectly. They are the delicious, soft and chewy cookies we adore, with blue coloring for Hanukkah.

Blue Crinkle Cookies Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup oil 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or pure vanilla extract Blue food coloring 1 cup powdered sugar, for coating Directions Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mix-

er, mix the sugar and oil together for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, and then add the vanilla. Mix until combined. Add the blue food coloring, until the desired color is achieved. Slowly add in the flour mixture, and mix until fully combined. Empty the dough onto a clean and floured surface. Form the dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Set aside. Unwrap the chilled dough. Using your hands, roll 1-inch balls. If the dough gets sticky, add powdered sugar to the palm of your hands when rolling. Then, roll the dough balls in the bowl of powdered sugar, making sure they are completely and generously coated. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, two inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. RACHEL KOR is the author, recipe developer, designer, and photographer behind the blog at rachelkor.com. The Nosher food blog offers new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at TheNosher.com.

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16 | December 8, 2017

HANUKKAH

The Jewish Voice

FROM PAGE 1

BOOKS town of Chelm – the source of enduring Jewish storytelling – will have kids laughing as they wonder how Faigel and Shmuel solve their problem. Aleksandar Zolotic’s large-format, animation-style illustrations are perfectly paired with the lively story, which echoes the classic “Strega Nona” stories by Tomie dePaola about magical pots of pasta.

Little Red Ruthie: A Hanukkah Tale

Gloria Koster; illustrated by Sue Eastland Albert Whitman; ages 4-8 This uplifting spin on “Little Red Riding Hood” features a spirited young girl named Ruthie setting off on the eve of Hanukkah to visit her bubbe, so they can cook up potato latkes for the holiday. In the snow-packed forest Ruthie, bundled up in a bright red hooded parka, meets a not overly menacing-looking wolf. Ruthie summons her courage and smarts as she recalls the brave Maccabee heroes of Hanukkah who fought for religious freedom for the Jews in ancient Israel. Will Ruthie’s clever schemes outsmart the foolish wolf, who has fun dressing up in bubbe’s colorful clothing? This is a perfect read-aloud for those wintry Hanukkah nights, and Sue Eastland’s bright and humorous illustrations bring the warmhearted story to life.

Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas Pamela Ehrenberg; illustrated by Anjar Sarkar Farrar Straus Giroux; ages 4-7

In this humor-filled tale, an endearing school-age boy in a multicultural Indian-Jewish family can hardly contain his enthusiasm for his family’s special Hanukkah celebration of making dosas, Indian fried pancakes made with lentils, called dal, and rice. But his younger sister, Sadie, who can’t resist the urge to climb on everything, may spoil the fun. Anjar Sarkar’s colorful, cartoon-like illustrations add giggles and get readers in on the action. The end pages are embellished with illustrations of Indian groceries, chutneys and spices that will tempt the family foodies. Recipes for dosas and sambar, a vegetablebased filling or dip for the dosas, are included.

The Missing Letters: A Dreidel Story

Renee Londner; illustrated by Iryna Bodnaruk Kar-Ben; ages 4-9

Wooden dreidels come to life in this heartwarming page- turner. On the eve of Hanukkah, in a dreidel maker’s

shop, there are some bad feelings among the Hebrew letters painted on the four-sided spinning toy. The nun, hey and shin are jealous of the gimel, considered the favorite letter in the game of chance, and decide to hide all of them. But later they overhear the dreidel maker explain that all the letters play a special role in celebrating Hanukkah, a holiday of religious freedom. Among Iryna Bodnaruk’s animated illustrations is a double-page spread that is like a puzzle; kids can follow clues to find where the gimels have been hidden.

Hanukkah Harvie vs. Santa Claus: The Christmukkah Kerfuffle

David Michael Slater; illustrated by Michelle Simpson Library Tales Publishing; ages 5-8

On the first night of Hanukkah, Hanukkah Harvie oils up his steampunk-like machinery to produce all the gifts he needs and climbs aboard his flying Hanukkopter to deliver eight nights of presents to children. Placing one family’s presents next to their Hanukkah menorah, Harvie bumps into a redsuited jolly Santa piling gifts under their Christmas tree. Harvey and Santa go on to discover some other homes with both menorahs and Christmas trees and get into a rollicking present-giving competition, out to prove that their holiday is the best. A young girl who spies them in action puts the quarreling pair to shame, and lets them in on the joy of celebrating the two holidays happening at about the same time each year – thus the Christmukkah mashup. Michelle Simpson’s colorful and playful animation-like illustrations match the story’s spirited humor.

Books for toddlers: The Itsy Bitsy Dreidel

Jeffrey Burton and Chani Tornow; illustrated by SanjaRescek Simon and Schuster; ages 2-4 A delightful read-aloud board book for the youngest kids who will enjoy the playful rhymes as the lively little dreidel celebrates Hanukkah. This is the latest in the upbeat Itsy Bitsy board book series

that includes the “Itsy Bitsy Pilgrim,” the “Itsy Bitsy Snowman,” and others.

Grover’s Eight Nights of Light

Jodie Shepherd; illustrated by Joe Mathieu Random House for Young Readers; ages 2-5 Young fans of Sesame Street enjoy a Hanukkah party at Grover’s house along with their favorite Sesame Street characters. The book features

lighting the menorah, eating latkes and playing dreidel. Stickers, Hanukkah cards and a poster with a Hanukkah party game are included.

And a book for teens: Spies & Scholars

Yehudis Litvak Jewish Children’s Book Club; grades 7-8 “Spies and Scholars” is the latest entry in the Hanukkahthemed series – the first was

“Swords and Scrolls.” The historical fiction adventure is set during the reign of the Greek King Antiochus in ancient Israel where the Maccabees are fighting the Greeks. The 200page teen-read is geared to Orthodox Jewish teen readers and published by Jewish Children’s Book Club in conjunction with Torah Umesorah-National Society for Hebrew Day Schools.

HANUKKAH

jvhri.org

December 8, 2017 |

Bringing light into the depths of despair: Hanukkah during the Holocaust BY LEV POPLOW What was it like to celebrate Hanukkah, a holiday that brings light into the world, during one of the darkest periods in human history? Was it even possible during the Holocaust to observe a holiday that celebrates dedication to a cause and a miracle that allowed the Jewish people to regain control over how they lived their lives? During the Holocaust, observance of Jewish festivals was severely restricted. In some places, Jews were forbidden to observe altogether. In other places, they found it difficult to celebrate the holidays because of the brutal conditions in concentration camps, for example. Yet many Jews still observed the holidays in any way they could. In her wonderful book “Hassidic Tales of the Holocaust,” Yaffa Eliach shares an anecdote about celebrating Hanukkah in the Bergen-Belsen camp: “A seemingly impossible celebration came about on the fi rst night of Hanukkah 1943 in Bergen-Belsen. One of 11 fortunate survivors, Rabbi Israel Shapiro, better known as the Bluzhever Rebbe, was the central figure of that macabre Hanukkah celebration. Living in the shadow of death, and not knowing when their own turn would come, the Jewish inmates were determined to celebrate Hanukkah in the traditional manner and draw whatever spiritual strength they could from the story of the Maccabees. “From their meager food portions, the men saved up some bits of fat. The women, for their part, pulled threads from their tattered garments and twisted

them into a makeshift wick. For want of a real menorah, a candle-holder was fashioned out of raw potato. Even dreidels for the children in the camp were carved out of the wooden shoes that inmates wore. “At great risk to their lives, many of the inmates made their way unnoticed to Barrack 10, where the Bluzhever Rebbe was to conduct the Hanukkah ceremony. He inserted the improvised candle into the improvised Menorah and in a soft voice began to chant the three blessings. On the third blessing, in which God is thanked for having ‘kept us in life and preserved us and enabled us to reach this time,’ the Rebbe’s voice broke into sobs, for he had already lost his wife, his only daughter, his son-in-law, and his only grandchild. “The assembled inmates joined him in a chorus of weeping, for all of them had also lost their own families. In low voices, choked by irrepressible sobs – they struggled to chant the traditional hymn, Ma’oz Tzur, which proclaims steadfast faith in God, the Rock of their strength. “On regaining some composure, the Rebbe tried to comfort them and instill new courage and hope. Referring to the words of the second blessing (‘that God wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old’), the Rebbe asked, ‘Is it not anomalous to thank God for miracles that he had wrought for our ancestors long ago, while He seemingly performs none for us in our tragic plight?’ “In answer to his own question, the Rebbe said, ‘By kindling this Hanukkah candle

Hanukkah in Westerbrok. we are symbolically identifying ourselves with the Jewish people everywhere. Our long history records many bloody horrors our people have endured and survived. We may be certain that no matter what may befall us as individuals, the Jews as a people will outlive their cruel foes and emerge triumphant in the end.’ ”

Libi Astaire, in her article “Hanukkah in Bergen Belsen,” on Aish.com, relates the story of Rabbi Shmelke. During Kislev 1944 the situation seemed hopeless. The rabbi’s job, as he saw it, “was to keep up the spirits of the Jews who were imprisoned in the Bergen Belsen concentration camp.” “Since the beginning of the

month the rabbi had been busy preparing for the holiday. He asked the same question to everyone he met: ‘Can you get us a little oil? Do you know someone who works in the kitchen?’ The answer was always the same: No. …” “He had to fi nd some oil. Even if he found only enough oil to LIGHT | 20

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Rymanow August 13, 1942. Jews in Central Square surrounded by German soldiers just before the final route to Wroblik Railway Station from where they were deported to Belzec where they were all murdered.

A Return to Rymanow, Poland BY EZRA L. STIEGLITZ Picture this scene: An audience of Jews is sitting outside a synagogue in a small Polish town, listening to a concert where the performers are playing Hebrew and Yiddish tunes. The setting is not prewar Poland. This concert took place in August 2017 in Rymanow, a “shtetl” that was the home for some 1,500 Jews before the Holocaust. And not only were there Jews in the concert audience – there were citizens of Rymanow as well.

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This remarkable concert was part of an event known as the Rymanow Encounter. The encounter is the brainchild of Michal Lorenc, a lawyer and advertising company owner who has organized this annual conference for 10 years. My wife and I participated during the 10th-anniversary program. The main objective of the conference is to remember the Jewish society that existed in Rymanow for over 500 years and to commemorate the liquidation of the Rymanow ghetto by the Nazis 75 years ago. According to Lorenc, “The past cannot be erased. The inhabitants of Rymanow must be remembered.” Before the start of World War II, there was a balance of Jews and gentiles living in Rymanow. Generally, Jews lived in the center of town and gentiles lived in a ring outside of town. Jews and gentiles interacted, especially on market day, when both groups congregated in the town’s market square to sell their goods and make purchases. Today, Rymanow and its environs is mono-ethnic, with about 4,000 inhabitants, almost all Polish Catholics. There is currently one Jew, who lives in the center of town – Malka Schacham Doron, an Israeli who bought back and restored her family’s home. Lorenc’s father was born in Rymanow. Years ago, when Lorenc questioned his father about the Jews of Rymanow, he was quite disturbed to learn their fate. Rather than be upset and depressed, he decided to be proactive. Lorenc felt that something needed to be done. He was, therefore, inspired to organize an annual event to commemorate this great loss. Lorenc, who is Catholic, strongly feels that it is his moral and ethical obligation to remember

the Jews who once lived in Rymanow. Some 10 years ago, Lorenc met with public officials to present his proposal for the Rymanow Encounter. The initial reaction of these officials was negative. Concerns were expressed, such as “What if Jews returned to Rymanow for the sole purpose of retrieving their stolen properties?” and “Would this program result in the influx of hundreds of Hasidim?” Lorenc allayed these fears, and convinced public officials and townspeople that this annual gathering would be a positive experience for Rymanow and those who attended the conference. Today, I feel that a strong bond has been created between the residents of Rymanow and those who attend the conference. For example, this year, one of the participants from Israel, who is the son of a Rymanow Jew, was warmly welcomed into the house owned by his parents before the Holocaust. He was even permitted to take photographs of his parents’ former home. The four-day Rymanow Encounter attracts Jewish participants, mainly from Israel and the United States, who have some connection to Rymanow. In the early years of the conference, a number of Holocaust survivors who resided in Rymanow before the war attended. More recently, as the number of survivors has dwindled, participation by second- and third-generation children of survivors has grown. My wife Varda’s mother was born in Rymanow. The mayor of Rymanow, members of the City Council and the priest of the Catholic church, Mieczyslaw Szostak, have also been involved, and up to 500 RYMANOW | 19

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residents of Rymanow attended various activities held during the conference. They are all invested in ensuring that the objectives of the program are met. The Rymanow Encounter has also attracted Polish citizens from other cities who are interested in learning about Jewish religion and culture. Besides organizing this event, Lorenc and others have volunteered to maintain the Jewish cemetery in Rymanow. Funds for this historical site are available from the Foundation of the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland. The Rymanow Encounter Board is charged with organizing and planning this event. Members of the board include the president, Stanisław Materniak, and Michal Lorenc, Joanna Lorenc, Adam Lorenc, Magdalena Zykiert and Malka Schacham Doron. Each year, the conference has a special theme. The theme this year was the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the liquidation of the Rymanow ghetto by the Nazis in August 1942. To commemorate the anniversary, conference participants took part in a 4-kilometer “March of the Living,” from the Rymanow market square to the train station where the Jews of Rymanow were transported in cattle cars to the Belzec death camp. Some of the themes in previous years have been “A Jewish Wedding in Rymanow” and “Celebrating the Sabbath in Rymanow.” Each year, conference participants also congregate at the Jewish cemetery for prayers of

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EZRA L. STIEGLITZ, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Elementary Education at Rhode Island College and chairs the State-Wide Holocaust/Genocide Education Committee. He can be contacted at estieglitz@ ric.edu. For more information about the Rymanow Encounter Program, contact Michal Lorenc at m.lorenc@mediapartner. com.pl.

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remembrance. I had the honor of reciting Kaddish at this year’s event. A ceremony is held at the town’s Catholic cemetery to remember the gentile citizens of Rymanow who protected Jews during the Holocaust. Many participants also joined a walk through the town to learn about Jewish life in Rymanow before the Holocaust – for example, where Jewishowned businesses such as the bakery and butcher shop were situated. Other activities include lectures on Jewish culture, concerts and a havdalah service at the end of the Sabbath. It is Michal Lorenc’s plan to seek more funding for the program. An effort is being made to obtain additional funds from local and federal government agencies and Jewish organizations such as the Lauder Foundation. One objective is to purchase a sefer Torah for the town’s restored synagogue. Once this happens, religious services could be held for Jews who visit Rymanow – and the theme for a future conference could be “Reopening the Synagogue in Rymanow.” In closing, a hearty “yasher koach” (a job well done) to Lorenc and his associates for their efforts to preserve the memory of Jews who lived in the “shtetl” of Rymanow.

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HANUKKAH

The Jewish Voice

Hanukkah in the Lodz ghetto. FROM PAGE 17

LIGHT

kindle the first Chanukah light for a few seconds that would be enough. “The day before Chanukah, Rabbi Shmelke was at work – his ‘other’ job in the camp was to remove dead bodies from the barracks – when he received an order to go to the last barrack, where some people had died during the previous night. While he walked across a field, his foot got caught in a small hole in the frozen earth and he almost fell. He removed his foot

from the hole and noticed that there was something buried inside. After making sure that no guards were watching him, he knelt down to see what it was. “He pulled out a small jar and a carefully wrapped package from the ground. Inside the jar was some congealed liquid. Oil for Chanukah! He undid the paper wrapping. Inside were eight little cups and eight thin strands of cotton. It was obvious that some Jewish prisoner had buried this little menorah and the oil. But who was he? And where was he? Had he been transported to another camp? Had he died? “Rabbi Shmelke hoped that the Jew who had buried these things was still alive. When the prisoners returned to their barracks after the evening roll call they saw, to their amazement, a little menorah standing on one of the bunks. “Rabbi Shmelke recited the blessings and then kindled the light. The group watched in silence while the tiny flame fought its eternal battle against the surrounding darkness. Some smiled, others cried.” “Rabbi Shmelke was one of the fortunate few who survived the war. Several years later he

made a trip to the United States, and while he was there he paid a visit to an acquaintance from the ‘old country’ – Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe. While they reminisced, the Satmar Rebbe mentioned that he had also been a prisoner in Bergen Belsen. “ ‘I was rescued on the 21st of Kislev, four days before Chanukah,’ said the Satmar Rebbe. Before I found out about the rescue plan, I made provisions for the holiday. I bribed several camp officials and put together a package of oil, cups, and wicks, which I then buried in a field. I always felt badly that my little menorah was never put to use. “Rabbi Shmelke smiled. ‘Your menorah was used. It dispelled the darkness for hundreds of Jews and helped at least one of them survive the war.’ ” Hanukkah teaches us that one candle, just one little candle, can dispel the darkness that often engulfs our lives. LEV POPLOW is a communications and development consultant writing for the Bornstein Holocaust Center. He can be reached at levpoplow@ gmail.com.

HANUKKAH

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WRAPPING

which closed the entire mall for five months, stopped Hadassah: The mall reopened before the holidays and the gift-wrapping resumed, in its usual location in the corridor outside the JC Penney store. For the last dozen years, Silverman, of East Greenwich, has spearheaded this enterprise as coordinator. She orders the supplies, including paper, boxes and tape, sends out the email reminders that rally Hadassah members to reserve a spot to wrap or cashier, and makes sure the volunteers are trained. She also makes the bows. At one time, the bows were made by a committee that met weekly. “Bows were fancier then,” she said. Now, Silverman makes close to 3,000 bows herself, often while she’s watching television at night. Small or large bows are available in seven colors. Wrapping paper, on long rollers, comes in plain and sparkly varieties. Thanks to dedicated volunteers, packages are neatly wrapped with double-sided tape and crisp corners. The cost varies by the size of the gift. And the gifts don’t just come from Warwick Mall stores. “People do bring in things they’ve bought elsewhere,” said Silverman. And over the years, there

have been many repeat customers. Occasionally, there are also unusual wrapping challenges. Once, someone wanted a tire gift-wrapped. And Silverman talked about the challenge of wrapping a “very heavy” microwave oven. “One time,” she said, “I wrapped a guitar. That was a weird shape and I had to fit the paper to the shape.” Approximately 50 volunteers wrap for the eight to 10 days before Christmas, during mall hours, even during the extended holiday-shopping hours. This year, they will be working their magic Dec. 17-24. Most are Hadassah members, although some bring friends along to help. Some take one 4- or 5-hour shift, others work many shifts. “Gift-wrapping is fun for the wrappers,” said Betty-Ann Israelit, longtime Hadassah member and current vice president for membership of the Rhode Island chapter. “We get to visit with friends and do a little Hadassah planning.” Shelley Parness said she’s been participating for years. She said she is not the best of wrappers, but views this as “an opportunity for me to help support the medical research at Hadassah Hospital in Israel.” Over they years, the group

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Judy Silverman has raised thousands of dollars for Hadassah’s charitable work. Hadassah, founded in 1912 by Henrietta Szold, connects Jewish women and empowers them to effect change through advocacy, advancing health and well-being, and support of Israel. Funds raised through the local gift-wrapping project go to Hadassah’s many projects, including medical research and to its two world-class medical centers in Israel. FRAN OSTENDORF is the editor of The Jewish Voice.

Help us report on the Jewish community Do you like to write and would you like to join a small, dedicated publishing team? The Jewish Voice is looking for freelance writers to cover the Jewish community and perspective in Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts. We offer a professional experience with a flexible schedule. The work can be regular or occasional. Enthusiasm, curiosity and inquisitiveness are necessary qualities. We cover events and news as well

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Keren and Haitam visited Bryant University Hillel on Nov. 3

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For the second time, two Israeli reservists who are part of StandWithUs’ Israeli Soldiers Tour came to Rhode Island to talk about their experiences in the Israel Defense Forces. Keren and Haithem were part of six IST teams that traveled across the United States this fall to speak at colleges, high schools, synagogues and churches. “IST is one of the most effective counters to the BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] campaign and the annual campus Israel Apartheid Week. Although anti-Israel students protest the soldiers with accusations and lies, they simply can’t refute their eyewitness experiences. These are stories from the front lines, not the headlines,” said Bracha Stuart, executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of StandWithUs. Keren and Haithem presented at Bryant University Hillel Nov. 3 in a program arranged by Gal Ben-Arush, the 2017-18 StandWithUs Emerson Fellow there. They also spoke at Temple Emeth, in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and the Chai Center, in Canton, Massachusetts. Haitham, 30, is a Bedouin Is-

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raeli, born and raised in Bir al-Maksur, a Bedouin village in northern Israel. Although Bedouins are not required to serve in the Israeli army, many join. Haitham served in the Iron Dome unit of the Israeli Air Force. Stationed in the West Bank, he arrested a Palestinian in his home. The young man did not resist, as if he wanted to get captured. On the way to jail, Haitham, who also goes by Tom, asked the man, “Why? We are both Muslims and the religion forbids murder.” His answer shook Haitham: “You are free, you have a decent life in Israel,” the Palestinian said. “We don’t have that. No one from the Palestinian Authority cares how we live or what we need. I did this for my family. Yes, I will go to jail, but the Israelis take good care of us in jail, and because of this terror attack, I will be a hero and my family will be heroes, and they will get money on a monthly basis from the Palestinian Authority – more than we can get even if I work the whole month back home.” Haitham is getting his degree in law, government and management at the Academic College for Science and Law. He works for Acharai (“Follow Me”), a nonprofit that prepares teens for military service and guides them to be more socially involved and responsible. Keren, 24, was raised in New Jersey, where she experienced

anti-Semitism when a swastika was drawn on her school locker. Keren made aliyah at age 16, on her own, after fi nishing high school. Her goal was to enlist in the IDF and defend Israel, as her parents and grandparents had done. Keren served as a basic training commander and later with paratroopers. She was stationed on the Gaza border near the Erez crossing. She said Hamas steals from its own people – its leaders live in luxury, while the people suffer. Hamas frequently launches rockets into Israel’s southern towns and, one night, the siren went off, giving people 15 seconds to run to the bomb shelter. It was a night of constant shelling, yet in the midst of the fear, the 200 soldiers did what they could – and created a strong bond. This bond lasted. Even after she fi nished her service, Keren was quick to help her fellow soldiers by raising money and bringing them food when the IDF entered Gaza to destroy the underground tunnels that lead to Israel. Currently, Keren is studying politics, government, the Middle East and Israel at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Submtted by the Rhode Island chapter of StandWithUs, a nonprofit Israeli education and advocacy organization.

OBITUARIES

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Esther R. Bree, 99

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Esther R. Bree died on Nov. 25. She was two months shy of her 100th birthday. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a daughter of the late Max and Rose (Druckman) Riesenberg, and the sixth of seven children. Married for 72 years to the late Dr. Max M. Bree, she was the mother of the late Dr. Robert L. Bree (Jacki), Sandra B. Freedman (Alexander), Betsy J. Bree and Mark P. Bree. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Contributions in her memory may be made to Beacon Hospice of Rhode Island, 1 Catamore Blvd., East Providence, RI 02914

Andrew Gershkoff

HOPKINTON, R.I. – Andrew Gershkoff, died Nov. 29. He was born in Providence, the son of the late Aaron and Miriam (Blackman) Gershkoff. He is survived by his sister Barbara Levine and her husband, H. Michael Mogil, of Naples, Florida. Contributions in his memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

Dr. Edward L. Hochman, 91

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. – Dr. Edward L. Hochman died Nov. 7, in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was the husband of Miriam (Flamer) Hochman, to whom he was married for 64 years. He was born in New London, Connecticut, the fourth son of Jacob Hochman and Fannie Glassberg. After serving in the European Theatre in World War II, he graduated from the University of Connecticut and Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine and practiced podiatry in Pawtucket for 50 years. He served as president of the R.I. Podiatry Society, and while in that position, successfully fought to pass the state law allowing podiatrists and maxillofacial dentists in R.I. to be accepted by Blue Cross and Blue Shield. He was a pioneer in bringing podiatric minimal incision surgery and later, podiatric laser surgery to the state. After

semi-retiring to Florida, he continued assisting the elderly with their podiatric needs for 19 more years. In addition to Miriam, he is survived by daughters and sonsin-law Susan and Eli Shachal, Nancy Hochman and Jim Baillie, and Karen and Kerry Grant, and granddaughter Neely Shachal. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Rabbi Leslie Y. Gutterman Religious School Fund at Temple Beth-El in Providence or a charity of your choice.

Alice Leach, 97

WARWICK, R.I. – Alice Leach died Nov. 30 at Sunny View Nursing home. She was the wife of the late Irving Leach. Born in Brooklyn, New York, a daughter of the late Joseph and Anna (Mitchell) Miller, she had lived in Warwick, previously living in Cranston. She was a salesperson at the Ross-Simon Outlet for 14 years, retiring in 2008. She was a member of Temple Sinai and past president of its Sisterhood and former member of Hadassah. She also volunteered at the Cranston Senior Center and Rhode Island Hospital. She was the mother of Jamie Leach of Cranston. She was the sister of Stanley Miller and his wife, Diane. Contributions in her memory may be made to American Heart Association, 1 State St., #200, Providence, RI 02908, Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston, RI 02920, or Alzheimer’s Association, 245 Waterman Ave., Providence, RI 02906.

Bernard Levin, 75

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Bernard “Bernie” Levin died Dec. 1 at home. He was the beloved husband of Bernadette “Bunny” (Croce) Levin. A lifelong resident of Providence, he was a son of the late Max and Dora (Gittleman) Levin. He was a mail delivery person for Fleet and Bank America in the “Superman Building,” retiring in 2013. He was a graduate of Hope High School, Class of ’61. He was the brother of Irwin Levin of Delray Beach, Florida, and the late Barbara

Levin Kortick. Contributions in his memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

Mary Silverman Ravin

SCARBOROUGH, MAINE – Mary Silverman Ravin died at the Maine Veteran’s Home Nov. 17. She was born in Providence to the late Jeanette (Schonfeld) and John Silverman and graduated from Classical High School and the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor of science degree. She joined the Navy as a Pharmacist’s Mate First Class stationed in Chicago and was transferred to the tropical diseases laboratory at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. The GI bill allowed her to attend Tufts Medical School and she was the first female house officer in Medicine at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Later she pursued Emergency Medicine and became Director of Emergency Services at Sinai Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, for 10 years before opening a private practice in New Seabury, Massachusetts. She was predeceased by her brother, Eugene Silverman and her husband, Herbert Ravin, M.D. Her three children, Bart Ravin of Hampton New Hampshire, Daniel Ravin D.M.D. of Scarborough, Maine, and Paula Ravin Rothschild M.D. of Wayland, Massachusetts shared special memories with extended family at a memorial at the National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts. Donations in her memory can be made to the Mary A. Ravin endowed scholarship at the University of Rhode Island, attention James Roehm of the URI Foundation.

in Waltham, Massachusetts. After retiring from SmithKline, he became the director of the Brockton Emergency Management Agency. He also served on the Brockton Traffic Commission. He was a member of the Brockton Rotary. He served on the board of directors of the local chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and was a former member of Temple Beth Emunah. He was the husband of Lois (Chyet) Schleffer for 57 years. He was the father of Gordon Schleffer and his wife, Evelyn, and Jonathan Schleffer and his wife, Lisa. He was the grandfather of Andrew, Lauren, Leah, Joshua, Jacob and Jack. He was the brother of Claire Schleffer. Donations may be made to Brockton Rotary C & E Fund, (charitable and education fund) P.O. Box 537, Brockton, MA 02303.

Sophie Tragar, 86

WARWICK, R.I. – Sophie Tragar died Nov. 25 at Kent Regency

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Nursing Home. She was the wife of the late Sidney Tragar. Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, a daughter of the late Phillip and Sarah (Clott) Pokross, she had lived in Warwick since 1970, previously living in Cranston. She was an inspector for E.E. Weller Company. She was a member of Chabad of West Bay and a former member of Congregation Sons of Abraham and Temple Torat Yisrael. She was a member of the Cranston Senior Guild and was active with Jewish Family Service and the Kosher meal site. She was the mother of Steven Tragar and his companion, Christine Openshaw, of Warren, Elaine Rogers of Providence, and Brenda Tragar of Warwick. She was the sister of Celia Minion of Roselle Park, N.J. She was the grandmother of Benjamin, Sarah, Michael and Rebecca. Contributions in her memory may be made to Jewish Family Service, 959 North Main St., Providence, RI 02904.

Morton Y. Schleffer

BROCKTON, MASS. – Morton Y. Schleffer “Mort” of Brockton died Nov. 24. Born in Providence. He grew up in Providence and Cranston. He attended the University of Rhode Island and served in the Air National Guard of Rhode Island. He was the director of Substance Abuse Testing at SmithKline Pharmaceutical Company

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great events by minting coins. We may not have won a big battle or given birth to a future king, but another year is always a celebration for those in their 80s and 90s. So we celebrate with a new glass coin. Working as a professional glass artist since receiving an

FROM PAGE 9

TRUMP ing suit. Indeed, on Wednesday afternoon, the Czech Republic said it recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel (and the “future capital of both states,” Israel and the future Palestine).

This isn’t the final say.

Once peace talks were launched by Israel and the Palestinians in 1993, the U.S. position has been that the sides should hash out what the boundaries are in and around Jerusalem. Since the Camp David talks in 2000, the operating presumption among U.S. negotiators has been that Israel and Palestine would share the city, with an international arrangement at the most sensitive sites in the Old City. In recent years, Netanyahu has insisted that the city will remain “undivided.” “Undivided” and its synonyms did not make an appearance in Trump’s remarks. Instead, he said, work out the borders yourselves.

MFA in 1985 from the Rhode Island School of Design, I always try to use history as a guide. These coins have allowed me to combine my passion of caring for our senior guests at the café with my artistic endeavors. On Dec. 15, the Kosher Senior Café’s annual Hanukkah celebration will feature

the music of Stanley Freedman and Friends and a festive meal, including potato latkes. Everyone will receive a dreidel, chocolate gelt and, of course, a newly minted glass coin. Please join us from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center Social Hall to celebrate the great miracle of our ances-

“We are not taking a position of any final status issues, including the specific boundaries of the Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem or the resolution of contested borders,” he said. “Those questions are up to the parties involved.”

Netanyahu, who has resisted right-wing members of Israel’s governing coalition who want to ease access for Jewish worshippers, is all about maintaining the status quo. Still, Trump cautioning him to keep it that way – and in language that his predecessors have used – must sound awfully familiar.

The embassy isn’t going anywhere – for now.

Trump, as noted, said he was directing the State Department to start planning the embassy’s move. Top aides, speaking the previous evening to reporters, said it would take years for such a move.

The Temple Mount status quo is ... status quo.

“I call on all parties to maintain the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites, including the Temple Mount, also known as Haram al-Sharif,” Trump said. The status quo on the Temple Mount – holy to Muslims and Jews – right now is that the Wakf, a Muslim authority that Israel’s government sees as hypernationalist, controls access. Jordan also has a say in its running.

December 8, 2017 |

tor’s survival, as well as our thriving for another year. NEAL DROBNIS (ndrobnis@ jewishallianceri.org) is coordinator of Kosher nutrition at Jewish Family Service. For more information, call 401421-4111. Lunch reservations are required two days in advance.

Right, 2012 Hanukkah Gelt

Trump couldn’t resist a dig.

“Presidents issued these waivers under the belief that delaying the recognition of Jerusalem would advance the cause of peace,” Trump said, referring to the waiver option, renewable every six months, built into the 1995 law. “Some say they lacked courage, but they made their best judgments based on facts as they understood them at the time.” Got that? Maybe it was a lack of guts, but let’s be generous – it may just have been a lack of smarts. “While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver,” Trump said. “Today, I am delivering.”

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BUSINESS

The Jewish Voice

It’s possible to manage debt while saving for retirement Happy Hanukkah!

Wishing you a Happy Hanukkah!

Edith H. Ajello Representative District 1

Thank you for your support in 2017 Paid for by the Committee to Elect Edith H. Ajello Jennifer Kiddie, Treasurer

It’s a catch-22: You feel that you should focus on paying down debt, but you also want to save for retirement. It may be comforting to know you’re not alone. According to an Employee Benefit Research Institute survey, 18 percent of today’s workers describe their debt level as a major problem, while 41 percent say it’s a minor problem. And BARBARA workers who KENERSON say that debt is a problem are more likely to feel stressed about their retirement savings prospects. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that the largest proportion (21 percent) of those who take a loan from their employer-sponsored retirement plan do so to pay off debt. But borrowing from your plan can have negative consequences on your retirement preparedness down the road. Loan limits and other restrictions generally apply as well. The key to managing debt repayment and retirement savings simultaneously is to understand a few basic fi nancial concepts that will help you develop a strategy for both.

Compare the potential rate of return with the interest rate on your debt

Probably the most common way to decide whether to pay off debt or to make investments is to consider whether you could earn a higher rate of return (after accounting for taxes) on your investments than the interest rate you pay on the debt. For example, say you have a credit card with a $10,000 balance that carries an interest rate of 18 percent. By paying off that balance, you’re effectively getting an 18-percent return on your money. That means your

HAPPY HANUKKAH! SENATOR

investments would generally need to earn a consistent, aftertax return greater than 18 percent to make saving for retirement preferable to paying off that debt. That’s a tall order for even the savviest professional investors. Also, bear in mind that all investing involves risk; investment returns are anything but guaranteed. In general, the higher the rate of return, the greater the risk. If you make investments rather than pay off debt and your investments incur losses, you may still have debts to pay, but you won’t have had the benefit of any gains. By contrast, the return that comes from eliminating high-interestrate debt is a sure thing.

Take advantage of an employer match

If you have an opportunity to save for retirement via an employer-sponsored plan that matches a portion of your contributions, the debt-versus-savings decision can become even more complicated. Let’s say your company matches 50 percent of your contributions up to 6 percent of your salary. This means you’re essentially earning a 50-percent return on that portion of your retirement account contributions, so it might make sense to save at least enough to get any employer match before focusing on debt. And don’t forget the potential tax benefits of retirement plan contributions. If you contribute pretax dollars to your plan account, you’re immediately deferring anywhere from 10 percent to 39.6 percent in taxes, depending on your federal tax rate. If you’re making after-tax Roth contributions, you’re creating a source of tax-free retirement income.

Consider the types of debt you have

Your decision may also be influenced by the type of debt you have. For example, if you itemize deductions on your federal tax return, the interest you pay

on a mortgage is generally deductible — so even if you could pay off your mortgage, you might not want to do so. Let’s say you’re paying 6 percent on your mortgage and 18 percent on your credit card debt, and your employer matches 50 percent of your retirement account contributions. You might consider directing some of your available resources to paying off the credit card debt and some toward your retirement account in order to get the full company match, while continuing to pay the mortgage to receive the tax deduction for the interest.

Other considerations

There’s another good reason to explore ways to address both debt repayment and retirement savings at once. Time is your best ally when saving for retirement. If you say to yourself, “I’ll wait to start saving until my debts are completely paid off,” you run the risk that you’ll never get to that point, because your good intentions about paying off your debt may falter. Postponing saving also reduces the number of years you have to save for retirement. It might also be easier to address both goals if you can cut your interest payments by refi nancing debt. For example, you might be able to consolidate multiple credit card payments by rolling them over to a new credit card or a debt consolidation loan that has a lower interest rate. Bear in mind that even if you decide to focus on retirement savings, you should make sure that you’re able to make at least the minimum monthly payments on your debt. Failure to do so can result in penalties and increased interest rates, which would defeat the overall purpose of your debt repayment/ retirement savings strategy. BARBARA KENERSON is fi rst vice president/Investments at Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and can be reached at BarbaraKenerson.com.

Happy Hanukkah!

December 8, 2017 |

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Learn to swim at the JCC!

Your child can learn to swim with our comprehensive & result driven swim method that stresses water safety... Parents love it and kids do too!

All are welcome! For more information contact our Aquatics Office at 401.421.4111 ext. 162 or LKSA@jewishallianceri. org or visit jewishallianceri.org/LennyKSwim.

Dwares Rhode Island

401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI 02906 | 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org

ESTABLISH YOUR LEGACY TODAY.

Invest in our Jewish community tomorrow.

Creating your legacy shows the ones you love most just how important they are to you because you are committing to their future. A legacy gift—such as an endowment—promises that your generosity and vision will have an impact far beyond your lifetime. With a Jewish Foundation Federation legacy, you guarantee that the most vulnerable among us know they are not alone. You support community programs and services that welcome everyone. You show your children and grandchildren how precious they are to you. Through your Jewish Federation Foundation legacy, you have the power to ensure Jewish families will not just survive—they will thrive. And that is timeless.

Your investments should grow with you—and for you. For more information on ways to leave your Jewish legacy, please contact Trine Lustig, Vice President of Philanthropy, at tlustig@jewishallianceri.org or 401.421.4111 ext. 223.

Let’s grow together.

28 | December 8, 2017

SENIORS

The Jewish Voice

Greek and Latin among the Jews BY RUTH BREINDEL G enesis. Pentateuch. Bible. Aphikoman. What do these words have in common? They are all originally Greek, and have been used by Jews for centuries.

In the ancient world, the common language was either Aramaic, if you lived in the Eastern Mediterranean, or Greek, if you lived in the West. As Jews moved to various countries between the second century

B.C.E. and C.E., common words were picked up from the vernacular. Everyone in those days knew where the words came from; we, in modern America, have forgotten our roots in the ancient Near East.

Best wishes for a Happy Chanukah! - The Executive Committee, staff and parents of the Providence Hebrew Day School

PROVIDENCE HEBREW DAY SCHOOL 450 Elmgrove Ave. 401-331-5327 www.PHDSchool.org

Vodka Latke

(401)j’s ANNUAL HANUKKAH CELEBRATION

The Bible itself is the Greek biblos, meaning “book.” Another term for the Bible, the Septuagint, comes from the Latin number 70: septuaginta. The story is that it took 70 (or 72 in some versions) men to translate the Hebrew into Greek in 70 (or 72) days. When we speak about the five Books of Moses, we use the word Pentateuch: penta, added to teuchos, a case to hold scrolls; thus, the Case of the Five Scrolls. Within those scrolls are Genesis, or “origin,” Exodus, which means “a going out,” especially in the context of an army or on a difficult journey; and Deuteronomy, from the Greek deuteros, second, and nomos, which means “law.” The word Testament, as in Old or New, comes from Latin, meaning a legal document, often a will. Another word frequently used in the Bible is angel, from angelos, which actually means “messenger.” Thus angels are really messengers of God. The Apocrypha, the “hidden” books of the Bible, whose authenticity and value were sometimes questioned, comes from the Greek apokrupto – apo meaning “away,” and acting to intensify the verb, and krupto, meaning “hide.” The synagogue is a place of worship, and in Greek it is sunagoge. The word is based on the Greek verb sunago: sun meaning “together” and ago meaning “come,” for a combined word: to “come together” or “unite.” The word “temple” is from the Latin templum, and has the same meaning in English as in Latin. Phylactery is the composite term for tefillin. In Greek, phulakteria, a feminine singular noun, is the word for “guard” or “watch.” My Greek dictionary,

dated 1858, also lists the word phulakteria (as a neuter plural noun) separately, with the following meaning: “bands with the sentence of the law of Moses on them, worn on the forehead by the Jews, phylacteries, preservers, charms, amulets.” Some dictionaries add “believed to be of efficacy against evil spirits.” A Jew who is a non-believer is called an apikoros. While the origin of this word is not defi nite, many believe it is a form of the name of the Greek philosopher Epicurus. Because the Epicurean philosophy was so contrary to that of Judaism – that one should follow pleasure over pain, and withdraw from society in order to maximize that pleasure – a follower of Epicurus would be considered a heretic, or one who is involved in heresy. One of my favorites is afikoman. When I fi rst studied Greek, I had a “eureka” (from the Greek for “I have found it”) moment: The word comes from the verb afikneomai in its past tense: afikoman, meaning “I have arrived.” It is often translated as “dessert” or “entertainment,” but its basic meaning is that we have arrived at a certain point – in this case, at the end of the meal. This is a brief discussion of some of the words from Greek and Latin that appear in our texts and common usage. Nun eis telos afikoman – now I have arrived at the end! RUTH BREINDEL is the president of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association. She taught Latin and Greek at Moses Brown School before retiring in June 2015. For more information, contact the RIJHA via info@rijha.org or 401-3311360.

NETWORK, NOSH AND CELEBRATE WITH OUR GROWING GROUP OF NEXTGEN'ERS!

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HANUKKAH

December 8, 2017â&#x20AC;&#x201A;|

Holidays on Hope Street The dreidel stopped for a photo with Seth Finkle, director of Camp Haverim and teen programming at the Jewish Alliance, during the Hope Street Stroll Dec. 3.

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30 | December 8, 2017

WE ARE READ | SIMCHAS

Emily Mayim MAZAL TOV – Dianna Heitz and Jonathan Rubin of Arlington, Vir-

ginia, are proud to welcome Emily Mayim, born Nov. 16. Grandparents are Leon and Phyllis Rubin, of Cumberland, Sandy Rubin, of Pawtucket, and Bill and Denise Heitz, of Carol Stream, Illinois. Emily has shown an early interest in food, naps, and she is super curious about the world.

WE ARE READ – Noam Spector, summer shlichah (emissary) with her family and Seth Finkle, during Finkle’s recent visit to Israel.

David C. Isenberg Family

Early Childhood Center

The Jewish Voice

MAZAL TOV – Ashley Elizabeth Frost and James Aaron Ostendorf were married Oct. 29 at OceanCliff in Newport. Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman performed the ceremony and a reception followed.The bride, a title paralegal at Liberty Title & Escrow in Warwick, is the daughter of Richard Frost of Brattleboro, Vermont. She is a graduate of Providence College. The groom, an associate at Miller Law Group in Southborough, Massachusetts, is the son of Fran and Bill Ostendorf of Seekonk, Massachusetts. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Vermont Law School. The couple lives in Providence.

MAZAL TOV – Blake Coren, granddaughter of Sanford and Esther Coren of Cranston, is engaged to Steven Stuart of Boston. She is an architect at Fennick McCredie Architecture in Boston. He is a Certified Public Accountant with Price, Waterhouse, Cooper in Boston. Richard and Carrie Coren of Cranston are the parents of the bride and Cheryl Botwick is the aunt of the bride. The groom’s parents are Daniel and Nancy Stuart of Braintree, Massachusetts.

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Children ages 3 months - 5 years. Early arrival and extended day options available. Tuition includes: Meals & snacks, swim lessons, art, music, creative curriculum infused with Judaic values and so much more!

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WE ARE READ | SIMCHAS

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December 8, 2017 |

WE ARE READ – Dr. Randy Vogenberg, formerly of Sharon, Massachusetts, now living in Greenville, South Carolina, traveled recently to the historic Jewish Quarter of Prague.

MAZAL TOV – Aaron D. Kerzner, son of Scott and Mariann Kerzner of Pawtucket, and Allison N. Browning, daughter of Gary and Michelle Browning of Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, were married Aug. 19 at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, Stevensville, Maryland. The officiant was KeriLee Ibbitson. A reception followed. The couple resides in Boston after recently relocating from Arlington, Virginia.

Tribute to an educator

PHOTO | CRANSTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD – Cranston Historical Society

President Sandra Moyer congratulates Anne Sherman, who was named CHS Volunteer of the Year and presents her with a special citation on behalf of Mayor Alan Fung and the City of Cranston recognizing her contributions and dedication. Sherman also received special congressional recognition from Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.

On Nov. 18, a bentwood rocker was presented to the Apponaug Branch of the Warwick Public Library. The rocker was provided by friends of Norman Tobin, a long-time elementary school teacher in the Warwick school system and frequent

visitor to the library. Tobin’s passing in early September had a profound effect on his family, co-workers, friends and former students. To provide a lasting tribute to his passion for education and love of books, a group of his friends invited his wife

Judy (Scavitti) Tobin, son Bradley, daughter Meredith and grandchildren to the library for the presentation. It is their hope that library visitors will enjoy the addition for many years to come and to “Relax, Rock and Read.”

Happy Hanukkah to all of our four-footed friends and their families. May your Menorah shine a spotlight on the miraculous privilege of being a pet owner.

Providence River Animal Hospital Dr. Jane Linden, DVM

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131 Point Street - Providence, RI | 401-274-PRAH (7724) providenceriveranimalhospital.com

32 | December 8, 2017

The Jewish Voice

Jewish Alliance 2018 Annual Campaign: Donate. Volunteer. Make a difference.

How does faith fit into my life? What does being Jewish mean? There are thousands of young people asking important questions—and every one counts. Through Jewish day schools and camps, Birthright and gap-year trips to Israel, and PJ Library books, the next generation is connecting with their history and with one another. As young people awaken to the power and promise of their Jewish identity, our legacy is strengthened—and our world becomes kinder and more compassionate. The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island is dedicated to building a stronger and more inclusive community here at home, in Israel and around the world. We are fueled by Jewish values and driven by tradition—reimagined for today’s world. Together, with your support, we are committed to strengthening lives and communities everywhere.

everyONE counts

100 DAYS OF GIVING

Make your donation by December 31, 2017 and you’re helping to better serve our partner agencies—locally and globally— by addressing needs and allocating dollars sooner.

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