Volume XXV, Issue XXII | www.jvhri.org Serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts
13 Tevet 5779 | December 21, 2018
T Students from Torat Yisrael’s Cohen School enjoyed unpacking the treats from the Israel mystery box.
Looking back …
The year in review 2018 As we bid farewell to 2018, it’s time once again for a look back at the highs and lows of the past year, as covered in The Jewish Voice. What follows are a few of the highlights. For more on each of these stories, go to jvhri.org and search for the article subject.
January
Mystery box from Israel provides a sweet lesson for Cohen School students
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hat’s more exciting than getting a surprise package in the mail? Getting it from Israel! The Cohen School at Torat Yisrael participated in an interactive “What’s in the Box” Israeli program. Providence native Rabbi Elan Adler, who now lives in Israel, shopped for Israeli treats and trinkets to mail to the school children. Upon seeing the box the students determined from the Hebrew words that the box was from Israel. There was an extra surprise for the school – in addition to filling the box, Rabbi Adler donated the box and all its contents in memory of Wendy B. Adler, a Sunday School teacher, and his sister-in-law, who passed away in 1997.
R.I. Army National Guard’s first Jewish chaplain
Capt. Aaron Rozovsky, 31, who has just been appointed the Rhode Island Army National Guard’s first Jewish chaplain in its 380-year history. “No matter where I’ve lived, I have always considered Rhode Island to be home,” Rozovsky said. “I joined the military because I love everything this country stands for – our incredible religious, racial and political and cultural diversity, the freedoms of religion, speech, press, and assembly.”
February
Parkland students begin to heal at Jewish conference in New York
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even survivors of the Parkland school shooting were among thousands of Jewish high school students who attended the annual conference of the Chabad movement’s youth group. Responding to the Feb. 14 shooting became an impromptu theme of the conference, which was hosted in New York City by CTeen, the teen arm of the Hasidic outreach movement. The shooting, which killed 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Capt. Aaron Rozovsky High School, has galvanized a youth-led movement for gun reform.
Ginsburg delights audience
S
upreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was at Temple Beth-El for a public conversation with U.S. Appeals Court Senior Judge Bruce M. Selya. Selya asked questions that prompted Ginsburg to talk about various stages of her life and legal career, which has included teaching at Rutgers’ and Columbia University’s law YEAR IN REVIEW | 12
YEAR IN REVIEW
Out with the old, in with the new
oday’s newspaper may very well turn out to be a collectible. You are reading the last Jewish Voice. The next time you receive your Jewish newspaper, it will feature a brand-new name – Jewish Rhode Island. Whether you’ve called it The Voice, EDITOR The Herald, or The Voice and Herald, you FRAN have probably OSTENDORF been reading this newspaper for years. And so did your parents and maybe even their parents. Through the generations, the paper has changed considerably. If you take a look at The Herald in the 1930s – available at the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association’s website, www.rijha.org – you’ll see a much different paper from the one that combined with The Jewish Voice in the mid-1990s. The Herald was an independently owned paper. It was a product of its times, with a classic nameplate, a lot of advertising, including classified ads, and a social report. Fast-forward to the ’50s and you’ll see a more modern
The Jewish Voice & Herald Nov. 25, 2011 nameplate on the paper and updated content, with more photos and more modern advertising. The Voice also changed in its years as the newspaper published monthly by the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island. Called Federation Voice and The Jewish Voice of Rhode Island, the news was about all things federation. In the early 2000s, the combined Voice and Herald acquired a new nameplate and design. And the changes continued, keeping in line with all newspapers. The last update occurred in August 2013, when the Herald THE VOICE | 8
Poverty vigil scheduled for Jan. 8 at the State House BY JEWISH VOICE STAFF Leaders from faith communities across Rhode Island will gather Jan. 8, 2019, at 3 p.m. for the 11th annual Fighting Poverty with Faith Vigil, sponsored by the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty. As in past years, the vigil will be held at the Rhode Island State House in the rotunda. This year’s vigil coincides with the 55th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s announcement of the War on Poverty.
Rabbi Sarah Mack, of Temple Beth-El in Providence, will deliver the keynote address. Cantors from several congregations will sing and faith leaders from across Rhode Island will speak. The vigil is open to the public. In years past, more than 200 people participated, including leaders from virtually every faith and community in the state as well as state government officials. This year, organizers expect that Governor Gina Raimondo will speak. POVERTY | 7
2 | December 21, 2018
COMMUNITY
The Jewish Voice
Cardozo Society back in business
INSIDE
BY SETH FINKLE
Business 18-19 Calendar 10 Community 2-4, 6, 22 D’var Torah 7 Food 11 Israel 4 Nation 16 Obituaries 20-21 Opinion 8-9 Seniors 16-17 Simchas | We Are Read 23 Year in Review 12-15
THIS ISSUE’S QUOTABLE QUOTE “Happiness comes from mastering the art of appreciating.”
It’s been a number of years since the Cardozo Society gathered for networking and programming. On Dec. 12, 35 people gathered in the board room at the Dwares Jewish Community Center in Providence to hear Judge Netti C. Vogel speak. Wednesday’s event was co-chaired by Ron Markoff and Peri Ann Aptaker. Vogel spoke passionately about her Jewish upbringing in Chicago. Vogel’s Jewish values helped shape her as a professional in the legal field. When asked about her most difficult verdict, she explained it is when she disagrees with the jury’s decision. She clarified that there are times that she feels the jury is wrong in their decision but she has no choice but to uphold the verdict. Prior to taking the bench, Vogel practiced law for 19 years as a civil litigator. During her legal career, she helped break barriers for women in what was once a male-dominated profession. The night ended with a poem about Vogel composed by Markoff. Everyone agreed this was the perfect way to end and to honor Judge Vogel.
In honor of Judge Vogel READY IN COURT! READY IN COURT! So the Bailiff bellows His raspy voice is hardly mellow The Bailiff shrieks all rise As her Honor takes the bench I surmise The clerk calls each case How slow is the pace! A young lawyer comes forward to argue for the day He hopes he will readily earn his pay Her Honor listens from the bench He really hopes she will be a mensch
Judge Netti Vogel takes questions from the audience. But Judge Vogel looks down with a stare I’m sure it gave this lawyer a mighty scare. He begins to argue his motion But nerves make him feel like lotion His legs begin to be unsteady He questions whether he was ready Her Honor stops him in his tracks His arguments are filled with cracks His motion is finished – the decision to be had Win or lose, the lawyer can’t be mad For her Honor may be tough but always she’s fair Notwithstanding the Projo, she didn’t give a care We are so fortunate to have a judge, Jewish and of her kind Who will never hesitate to speak her mind
Her decisions have been just Their readings a must I must say that Judge Cardozo, an esteemed scribe Would be so proud that our Judge belongs to the Tribe. The purpose of the Cardozo society is to strengthen the commitment of Jewish legal and accounting professionals to the global Jewish community through educational and cultural activities. The Cardozo Society offers networking opportunities and programs targeted specifically to members of the legal and accounting professions. For more information, contact Seth Finkle, sfinkle@jewishallianceri.org. SETH FINKLE (sfinkle@jewishallianceri. org) is the manager of development at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.
If we don’t take care of our future, who will? When you create a Jewish legacy, you take an important step toward strengthening Jewish life for generations to come. Planning your gift now will help ensure your children and grandchildren can enjoy the same rich traditions and closeness of community that have given your life so much meaning and purpose.
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For more information about legacy giving, please contact Trine Lustig at 401.421.4111 ext. 223 or tlustig@jewishallianceri.org
COMMUNITY
jvhri.org
December 21, 2018 |
3
Hanukkah all around town
I
PHOTOS | ERIC LEVIN FOR ELEVIN STUDIOS
n Massachusetts, New England Patriots player Julian Edelman, above, lights the menorah in Copley Square (in the lift with him are Governor Charlie Baker and Emily Becker whose family are Chabad supporters). And later, left, at the event that took place Dec. 6, Edelman is pictured with, (left to right)  Governor Charlie Baker, Rabbi Mayer  Zarchi of Chabad Boston,  Boston Councilman Josh Zakim, and Rebbetzin Chenchie Zarchi.
HANUKKAH AT THE STATE HOUSE – Speaker Nick Mattiello, Minority Leader Blake Filippi and Reps. Mia Ackerman, Chris Blazejewski, Camille Vella-Wilkinson and Bill O’Brien all celebrated the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah last night at the State House. Lt. Governor Dan McKee joined in on the fun, which included singing festive Hanukkah songs and eating latkes.
White House Hanukkah
Eve and Ezra Stieglitz at the White House Hanukkah reception
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It was a very special Hanukkah celebration for Dr. Ezra Stieglitz and his daughter, Eve Stieglitz, this year. Eve received an invitation to attend a Hanukkah reception at the White House that was held on Dec. 6. Her dad accompanied her to the reception, attended by about 300 guests and hosted by President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania. A kosher buffet dinner was served. Acccording to Ezra, President Trump spoke about the significance of Hanukkah before lighting the candles. He also recognized and honored seven Holocaust survivors who attended the event. Ezra reports that there was a wonderful display of Jewish unity at the reception.
PHOTOS | BEVERLY PARIS
AT A RECENT MENORAHS AND MARTINIS EVENT hosted by West Bay Chabad, Beverly Paris reports that 40 to 50 ladies attended and all went home with a handmade menorah. Shoshana Laufer hosted and Rabbi Yossi Laufer helped. Paris reports there was good food and good company as well as beautiful menorahs.
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4 | December 21, 2018
COMMUNITY | ISRAEL
The Jewish Voice
Day 2 of the trip was eye-opening. We toured Muslim neighborhoods in East Jerusalem and the Old City. A spokesman from Ateret Cohanim explained the group’s efforts to create a Jewish majority there by buying homes and land from Muslim families, some of whom then retire with ample trust funds and new homes in Europe or the United States. In the Old City, we went to the roof of a 200-year-old apartment complex (recently purchased by Ateret Cohanim) for this stunning view. The golden dome is the Temple Mount.
Adventures in Israel
In November, nine Rhode Islanders toured central and northern Israel for seven amazing days. Here are some of the highlights with photographs by Gary Lieb, who retired as director of community development in Bristol after 30 years. Currently he is a volunteer for Providence Village and on its board. He is also working with friends to create co-housing in Providence.
Below, Lunch and winetasting at the Abouhav Winery, in Tzfat, included views of the western mountains, on the Lebanese border.
Day 5 found us in Tzfat, in the art studio of Avraham Leventhal. His work embodies insights from Kabbalah and his own vision. You can read more about Leventhal and his work at www.kabbalahart.com/artist.
Many of us celebrated Shabbat at the Western Wall, in Jerusalem. Maybe it was the spring-like temperature and breeze that night. Maybe it was the light. Maybe the hush of 1,000 prayers. Maybe the imam from the mosque on top, whose plaintive chant melded with the prayers below. It all blended into a special reverent and sad feeling for us that night.
Day 4 was a different cross-cultural experience and adventure – we drove into the West Bank, to a large mountaintop settlement called Eli. It’s amazing how the ancient and the modern intertwine in Israel. As you can see from this photo, this community looks almost like a suburb in California.
EDITOR Fran Ostendorf DESIGN & LAYOUT Leah Camara ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Chris Westerkamp cwesterkamp@jewishallianceri.org 401-421-4111, ext. 160 Karen Borger ksborger@gmail.com 401-529-2538
CONTRIBUTORS Cynthia Benjamin Seth Chitwood Stephanie Ross
PERIODICALS Postage paid at Providence, R.I.
COLUMNISTS Michael Fink Rabbi James Rosenberg Daniel Stieglitz
PUBLISHER The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, President/CEO Adam Greenman, Chair Mitzi Berkelhammer, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. Phone: 401-421-4111 • Fax 401-331-7961
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COPY DEADLINES: All news releases, photographs, etc., must be received on the Wednesday 10 days prior to publication. Submissions may be sent to: editor@jewishallianceri.org. ADVERTISING: We do not accept advertisements for pork or shellfish. We do not attest to the kashrut of any product or the legitimacy of our advertisers’ claims. All submitted content becomes the property of The Voice. Announcements and opinions contained in these pages are published as a service to the community and do not necessarily represent the views of The Voice or its publisher, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. We reserve the right to refuse publication
TRAVEL
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December 21, 2018 |
5
Experiencing Erev Rosh Hashanah in Tokyo BY MARK KANTER and LYNNE GLICKMAN
our careers. He appeared to be attempting to make a shidduch with the Navy flyer and either of the Israeli lawyers. He also encouraged discussions between the business people. We always enjoy partaking in Jewish activities during our international travels. Celebrating Rosh Hashanah with Jews from all over the globe was a wonderful experience, and proved to be a highlight of our trip. All who attended appeared to have a wonderful time celebrating Erev Rosh Hashanah with the Chabad Lubavitch in, of all places, Tokyo, Japan.
As we were making plans to go on a baseball trip to Japan this past September, we realized that we would be in Tokyo for Rosh Hashanah. We made arrangements to attend Erev Rosh Hashanah services and a dinner sponsored by the Chabad Lubavitch of Tokyo. The holiday service was held at the Tokyo American Club, in the Roppongi area of Tokyo, where many embassies and consulates are situated, as well as the Tokyo Tower. The Tokyo American Club is a private club that has been in existence since 1928. We got to the club about a half-hour before the service’s start time. We had no idea what the evening would bring. While we were waiting, we met visitors from Israel and the communications director from the American Embassy. When we told the communications director that we were on a baseball trip, she became very interested – she is from Chicago and is a Cubs fan. When Rabbi Mendi Sudakevich and his family arrived, they made sure all attendees felt welcome. The rabbi held a half-hour service for Erev Rosh Hashanah. Then, we moved on to an elaborate dinner. We sat at a table with people from Israel and the United States. The person sitting next to Lynne was an Israeli businessman who was in the midst of moving from Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, to Tokyo. He was there with his young daughter. The others at the table were two young Israeli female lawyers of Yemenite descent, three Israeli young men who appeared to be traveling in Japan after a tour in the Israeli military, and a young man who was a U.S. Navy flyer. Besides the people at our table, there were about 140 people from almost all corners of the world, including Australia and South Africa. There were tourists, business people and diplomats. During the evening, Lynne talked with an Australian woman who was there with her young daughter. Her husband worked in the Australian diplomatic corp. They were in the
MARK KANTER and LYNNE GLICKMAN live in Portsmouth.
Mark Kanter and Lynne Glickman with The Voice in Tokyo. process of moving back home. It was a great experience to share a few moments of the holiday with her. The rabbi started the meal by providing a Rosh Hashanah “seder plate” for every attendee. The plate included dates, black-eyed peas, honey, apple, pomegranate and beets. We had never seen this tradition before – apparently, it is Sephardic. The seder plate referenced wishes for a sweet new year. The rabbi had one person at each table recite a prayer for one of the foods on the plate. There was challah and wine on each table. The rabbi said the blessings for the bread and wine before we ate. The food had a Japanese influence in terms of flavoring and portion size. The course following the seder plate included carrots, Israeli eggplant and a cold potato. A plate of small roasted salmon steaks was then passed around the table in lieu of gefilte fish. Matzo ball soup was the next course, with a matzo ball the size of a golf ball. It was served in beautiful glass bowls – however, since it was Rosh Hashanah, we didn’t take any photos. The next course included small pieces of chicken. Sliced Japanese Kabocha squash and
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rice with a dollop of tsimis was then served. Dessert was dairyfree cake. Wine, as well as soft drinks and water, flowed freely during the meal. Before dessert, the rabbi gave a short talk welcoming us to the services and dinner. During his talk, he told a story about a boy who was offered either $1 or $5 daily for work he was doing for a merchant. The boy took the $1. His friends thought that he was a poor negotiator. However,
he informed them that he took the $1 because then the merchant would keep asking for his services, whereas if he had taken the $5, the merchant might have given him more money that one time, but would not ask for his services again. We believe that the story was about the downside of being greedy. The rabbi’s warmth made for a wonderful evening. He walked to each table and inquired why we were in Japan and about
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The Holocaust gave rise to international criminal courts BY LEV POPLOW This is the second part of a Dec. 7 article that examined the influence of the Holocaust on law. In addition to human rights, international criminal law was heavily influenced by the Holocaust. Prior to World War II, there was only one international crime for which individuals could be tried in a court of law: the age-old crime of piracy. “Piracy was such a scourge in Greek and Roman times that anyone who arrested someone for the crime of piracy could punish that person on the theory that they were an enemy of the human race,” Bryant University Prof. Michael Bryant said at a recent Baxt Lecture. “Incidentally, the phrase ‘enemy of the human race’ was the same phrase used by an Israeli court to describe Adolf Eichmann at his trial in 1961.” Prof. Bryant continued, “The Nuremberg trials in 1945, wherein 24 major war criminals were indicted after World War II by the allies to stand trial, is the first true international tribunal in world history. Nuremberg had such an impact on the world that even today we are still surrounded by these images.” The categorization of the crimes and the makeup of the court represented an advance that the United Nations would later use to develop specific international jurisprudence for war crimes, crimes against
eive c e r
Defendants at the Nuremberg trial. humanity and wars of aggression, he said. The Nuremberg indictments also mentioned genocide for the first time in international law. The international military tribunal at Nuremberg met for about a year, and was followed by a sister institution that convened in Tokyo, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. It tried to do with Japanese war criminals what Nuremberg had done with Nazi war criminals. By the late 1940s, these ad hoc courts were disbanded; they came to an end once the defen-
dants were either convicted or acquitted. No comparable international court convened to try humanitarian crimes until 1993. That year, the United Nations Security Council created the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which dealt with war crimes during the Balkans conflicts in the 1990s. During its mandate, which lasted from 1993 to 2017, the ICTY changed the landscape of international humanitarian law. The court provided victims an opportunity to recount
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the horrors they had witnessed and experienced, and proved that those suspected of bearing the greatest responsibility for atrocities committed during armed conflicts could be called to account. In 1994, the Security Council established the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), to judge people responsible for the Rwandan genocide and other serious violations of international law in Rwanda, or by Rwandan citizens in nearby states. The tribunal has jurisdiction over genocide and crimes against humanity. This is also an ad hoc court and will someday conclude its proceedings. The Security Council called on the tribunal to complete its work by 2012, but it continues to operate. “Arguably the most important instrument of international law is the International Criminal Court, at The Hague, which was established by the Rome Treaty in 2007 as a permanent court for the prosecution of humanitarian crimes,” Prof. Bryant said. “International legal scholars had been urging its creation for decades. Looking at Article 6 of the Genocide Convention
of 1948, you see a mention of an international penal tribunal, which the architects of the Genocide Convention thought should be available to try cases involving genocide.” Prior to the 2000s, no permanent international courts existed for the purpose of prosecuting individuals for war crimes. According to Prof. Bryant, “Experience has taught us that national courts will go after the ‘small fish,’ the lower-ranking people, typically avoiding the ‘bigger fish,’ the policymakers, the generals and heads of state that are responsible for humanrights violations. That is one of the reasons why Nuremberg is so important. It was the first time in world history that government leaders were held accountable and prosecuted for international crimes. People like Hermann Göring, who was tried, convicted and sentenced to death (although he committed suicide before his sentence could be carried out). “What are the crimes that defendants were charged with at Nuremberg? War crimes, violations of the Geneva Conventions, genocide, crimes against peace, invading other countries without provocation, crimes against humanity, conspiracy and belonging to criminal organizations like the SS and Gestapo.” Bryant concluded, “What we’ve seen since the end of World War II is the rise of a new paradigm, a paradigm that insists that the nation-state and its leaders really are accountable under international law for what they do to human beings. They do not enjoy immunity from punishment as they did before World War II and the Holocaust.” In short, prosecuting war criminals in international courts is one enduring legacy of the Holocaust. As Prof. Bryant expressed it: “Today, human rights are the coin of the realm.” LEV POPLOW writes on behalf of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, in Providence. He can be reached at levpoplow@gmail.com.
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D’VAR TORAH
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December 21, 2018 |
7
We are Israel when we devote ourselves to God This week’s Torah portion, Vayechi, brings to a close the literary cycle of Genesis. Jacob/Israel, reunited with his son Joseph, bestows his blessings upon his 12 sons, as well as his grandsons, Ephraim and Menasheh, RABBI passes away, BENJAMIN and is buried LEFKOWITZ with the patriarchs and matriarchs in the cave of Machpelah, in Hebron. Subsequently, the brothers are reassured by Joseph that he has forgiven them for their treachery years before, and the children of Israel settle down to life in Egypt. The midrash tells us that when Jacob/Israel’s sons were gathered at his bedside, he expressed fear that they would be led astray in Egypt. But, in unison, they immediately replied, “Hear, O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is one!” In relief and gratitude, Jacob/ FROM PAGE 1
Israel cried out, “Blessed be the Name of God’s dominion forever and ever!” – hence the placement of that sentence immediately after the Shema in our liturgy. Jacob/Israel certainly had cause to worry. Egypt possessed an alluring, world-leading culture and ideologies. In the face of such temptations, it would have been easy for the brothers and their descendants to assimilate. The same has been true throughout our history. It is often utterly inconvenient to be a Jew. Expert in assimilation, we could have disappeared centuries ago. But we have shown the will to perpetuate our existence. Indeed, we have no alternative. There are ways of life that can be allies of Judaism, but never substitutes. Jewish faith consists of devotion to God; adherence to Torah; and loyalty to Israel, both the people and the land. But this, indeed, is the secret of our history: to be ultimately loyal to the God whose uniqueness and unity we were the first to discover.
| POVERTY
According to Victoria Strang, director and lead organizer of the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty, Rhode Island has the highest poverty rate in New England at 12.8 percent. She said that 17 percent of children in the state live in households below the federal poverty level. “Faith leaders and community members play a critical role in bringing voice to the injustices of poverty,” Strang said. “The RI Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty works to make sustainable, long-term change. We believe that our faith calls us to be a community that cares for all, not just some, and we hope to see a big turnout for this year’s event.” During the vigil, the names of all of Rhode Island’s elected officials will be read by clergy from across the state and from a variety of traditions and congregations. They will be asked to govern with wisdom and
knowledge as well as to produce a moral budget that will not be “on the backs of the poor.” The Interfaith Coalition is an advocate for Rhode Islanders who live at or below the “safety net.” This includes people living on the edge of poverty and people living in poverty. The Coalition believes every Rhode Islander shall have: A decent, safe and affordable home; adequate food and nutrition; equal access to affordable and quality healthcare; equal and quality education for all children; and decent work with adequate income. Over the years, the R.I. Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty has been a frequent advocate at the General Assembly, meeting with legislators and participating in hearings on a number of poverty- related issues. These include the issues of homelessness, housing, healthcare, education and predatory lending.
We are Israel when we devote ourselves to the covenant with and experience of God. This experience of God is the result of a mutual search. The midrash says of Abraham that at age 3, he began to wonder what was God. Awed by the radiance of the sun, he thought it was God. When night fell and the moon replaced the sun, he decided the moon was God. When clouds covered the moon, he changed his allegiance, but only until the wind swept the clouds away. Finally, Abraham came to the realization that God was beyond all natural phenomena, and that God was one. It was for that one that Abraham began to reach – and for whom his descendants have continued to reach. The search was not one-sided, though. The midrash portrays God as recognizing that there could be no divine sovereignty without human fealty. And so, at Sinai, God reached out. The covenant established there symbolizes God’s search for humanity. The TANAKH stands as the record of God’s search for us. It is significant to note, in fact, that more statements are found in the TANAKH about God’s love for Israel than about Israel’s love for God. We have sought out God, and, reciprocally, God has sought out us. It is that mutual search, that despite persecution and attempted extermination, has kept us reciting daily, “Ashrenu, mah tov chelkenu; Fortunate
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are we. How good is our destiny, how pleasant our lot, how beautiful our heritage.” We are conscious of the fact that there is meaning and purpose to Jewish living and Jewish existence. We know that we are a living link between the two poles of history: Sinai and the ultimate reign of God. But we often lose sight of our destiny, and allow ourselves to become chullin, profane, in place of kadosh, holy. What we must do is re-establish our sense of holiness, and our dedication to it, in our personal lives and in the life of the community. We owe it to God, to ourselves, to those who have come before, and to those who will come after. Our ancestors maintained this heritage in order that it might be passed on to us. We must do the same for our children, and their children, and their children’s children, so they may take up and pursue the sacred mission whose greatest reward is the link to the ultimate. In the story “The Valley of Echoes,” by Gerard Klein, three astronauts are searching for evidence of life on Mars. Day after day, they travel across unchanging, boring terrain. One of them, named Ferrier, is frustrated almost to the point of despair and madness. Then one day, they come across a natural amphitheater nestled in a range of crystal mountains. And as they cautiously enter the amphitheater,
they begin to detect something. It is voices – unintelligible, but voices nonetheless. They shout, but the only reply is that of their own voices added to the other reverberations. Suddenly, it dawns on them that somehow this valley has preserved the echoes of those who had inhabited the planet untold ages before. It is the one sign and remainder of the civilization they had sought for so long. Ferrier, however, driven to desperation by his search, cannot remain on the outside, but rushes into the middle of the valley, the better to hear the echoes. To his and his companions’ horror, the echoes then become muffled. His body has become an acoustic screen, and before he can be pulled out of the way, the echoes fade, gone forever. Well, the choice is ours. Will we dampen the echoes of eternity, or will we add our voices to the divine chorus? We have meaning, and purpose. We know what we should be doing, and why. How would Jacob/Israel respond to our reply to his concern? Let us lead him again to call out, “Blessed be the Name of God’s dominion forever and ever!” R A B B I B E N J A M I N LEFKOWITZ is an adjunct professor of history at Roger Williams University and the Community College of Rhode Island.
The Time is Already
Documentary Screening & Panel Discussion Tuesday, January 15 | 6:30pm Temple Beth-El 70 Orchard Avenue, Providence
Join us for a screening of the documentary, "The Time is Already." A 32-minute film chronicling the successful efforts of the LGBTQ advocacy group in Rhode Island who passed legislation banning conversion therapy in the state. A panel discussion, welcoming your questions and comments will follow. There is no cost to attend and the event is open to all. To RSVP call 401-331-6070 or email info@temple-beth-el.org. The evening is a collaborative effort of Temple Beth-El and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.
8 | December 21, 2018 FROM PAGE 1
OPINION
|THE VOICE
name was dropped in an effort to streamline a rather cumbersome title, and a modern nameplate and color palette were adopted. Now, it’s time for another evolution. Three weeks from today, we’ll bring you a new version of the paper, continuing its long history of serving and reporting on our community. As Jewish Rhode Island, we will remain “The Voice of Rhode Island’s Jewish Community.” This time, the change is being driven by a change in our publishing schedule. Long a biweekly, we are switching back to a monthly schedule. Changing times, reading habits and advertising have hit newspapers across the country, and we are not immune. Though we have loyal readers, print editions in many markets suffer from falling readership. Overall, newspaper readership is greater than ever before, but today many readers prefer online editions. The print edition is still critical to connecting our community. Research shows about a third of newspaper readers still prefer a printed newspaper. Print advertising still has much higher readership and recall than other mediums. And having a printed record of events, obituaries and photos helps maintain a community’s record. When the paper was refreshed in 2013, we got a boost from more photos and community involvement. That’s a commitment we take very seriously. What has not changed over the years is the community news, including pictures, that fills the pages. We know our readers value our local, community focus. We have no plans to change that. At the beginning of each month, you’ll still receive your newspaper. During the rest of the month, look for updates and new content online at our website, jvhri.org. And starting in February, you’ll receive an electronic newsletter in your email inbox monthly. Make sure we have your email address so you get that update – register at the website jvhri. org. We hope you’ll enjoy the strengthened local news report in the new Jewish Rhode Island, and that you’ll continue to help us connect
The Jewish Herald December 1935
Rhode Island Herald December 1958
Federation Voice June 1992 with the entire Rhode Island Jewish community. We are always looking for community news and ideas. Send your news, ideas and comments to editor@jewishallianceri.org, or Jewish Rhode Island, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. We are Jewish Rhode Island. And so are you.
OUR MISSION The mission of The Jewish Voice is to communicate Jewish news, ideas and ideals by connecting and giving voice to the diverse views of the Jewish community in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, while adhering to Jewish values and the professional standards of journalism.
The Jewish Voice
‘The Earth is the Lord’s’
Those of us who celebrated Thanksgiving here in Rhode Island do not need to be reminded that despite the warmth of family and friends around our holiday tables, the weather outside was record-breakIT SEEMS ing cold. The big chill was TO ME also felt in New York City, RABBI JIM where both marchers and ROSENBERG spectators at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade braved the lowest temperatures ever experienced at that event. It did not take long for the bitter but brief cold snap to bring out the usual suspects who have been building their careers by denying climate change. Like the crazed congressman who a couple of winters ago brought a snowball into the Capitol to prove to his colleagues that global warming is a hoax, our current climate-change deniers can’t seem to grasp that one day’s weather in one small corner of planet Earth fails to contradict the undeniable fact of the dangerous rise in global temperatures over the past several years. As Bill McKibben, a founder of the climate campaign 350.org and a scholar-in-residence at Middlebury College, pointed out in his article, “Life on a Shrinking Planet,” in the Nov. 26 issue of The New Yorker: “Nine of the ten deadliest heat waves in human history have occurred since 2000.” McKibben argues that our planet is shrinking in that we human beings are finding less and less space upon which to live. Global warming is already causing our oceans to rise, pushing back our coastlines, while the interiors of our temperate and tropical land masses are becoming too hot to inhabit. In many places, “The summer of 2018 was the hottest ever measured …. For a couple of days in June, temperatures in cities in Pakistan and Iran peaked at slightly over a hundred and twenty-nine degrees Fahrenheit … the highest reliably recorded temperatures ever measured …. In July, a heat wave in Montreal killed more than seventy people, and Death Valley … registered the hottest month ever seen on our planet.”
McKibben’s article is grim reading for those who care about the fate of Earth. All the facts he presents, along with the catastrophic consequences of our continuing failure to confront climate change full throttle, are totally consistent with this past October’s special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a collaborative effort of 91 scientists from 41 nations. This past Black Friday, the frenzied shopping day after Thanksgiving, the U.S. government issued an equally stern warning in the form of Volume Two of the National Climate Assessment, a 1,656-page document reflecting the work of 13 federal agencies.
“… our planet is shrinking in that we human beings are finding less and less space upon which to live.” The damage from climate change is already upon us, the report tells us: rising tides flooding our coastal cities, widespread drought in our Western states, crop failures in our country’s bread basket, superstorms like Sandy and hurricane Michael, the obliteration by wildfire of Paradise, California. And it will only get worse! Sadly, the White House has greeted this report, as well as the IPCC’s October report, with a shrug. To continue to insist that climate change is a hoax is to threaten not only the wellbeing of our own country but to put our entire planet in peril. As McKibben writes, to our nation’s everlasting shame, “the particular politics of one country for one-half century will have changed the geological history of the earth.” It seems to me that our need to mitigate the most dire consequences of global warming/ climate change is a religious imperative. As our TANAKH, our Hebrew Bible, reminds us time after time, we human beings are not the measure of all things. While it cannot be denied that a hyper-literalist reading of the first chapter of Genesis places us – created b’tselem Elohim, in the image of God – at the very center of the universe, other
Biblical texts greatly expand our perspective on what it means to be a creature of God, Creator supreme. Consider, for example the words of Second Isaiah, prophet of the Babylonian exile, who reminds us that we are but a small part of the Divine cosmos: “Lift up your eyes and see! Who created these?” (40.26) In a very real sense, we are nothing more and nothing less than the dust from the stars in the heavens above. Or consider the opening verse of Psalm 24: “The earth is the Lord’s, in all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it.” While we are part of God’s creation, the world does not belong to us, but to God. Our sacred task, then, is to treat our planet with loving respect. We are privileged to live out our short lives as sojourners on God’s earth, and bidden to preserve it for our children and our children’s children. The Book of Job, more than any other book in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizes that ultimately the world is not about us. Beginning with Chapter 38, God, addressing Job from out of the whirlwind, begins to show him 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.” The world is not about us. The purpose of the natural world is not to serve the needs of homo sapiens; rather, we exist to serve our natural world – not to exploit it, but to mend it. Our species could do far worse than to turn to the Book of Job for inspiration and direction as we take on the burdensome but necessary task of saving our planet from the consequences of unchecked global warming, from the ravages of climate change. JAMES B. ROSENBERG is rabbi emeritus of Temple Habonim, in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.
COLUMNS | LETTERS POLICY
The Jewish Voice publishes thoughtful and informative contributors’ columns (op-eds of 500 – 800 words) and letters to the editor (300 words, maximum) on issues of interest to our Jewish community. At our discretion, we may edit pieces
for publication or refuse publication. Letters and columns, whether from our regular contributors or from guest columnists, represent the views of the authors; they do not represent the views of The Jewish Voice or the Alliance.
Send letters and op-eds to: The Jewish Voice, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or editor@ jewishallianceri.org. Include name, city of residence and a contact phone number or email (not for publication).
OPINION
jvhri.org
LETTERS Now is the time to align with friends to fight hate On Dec. 2, a vandal defaced public road signs and advertisements in Johnston with hateful images: a middle finger extended over the word “Islam”; a black man and white woman superimposed by a circle with a diagonal line; and a picture of Adolf Hitler with the message, “Next time…no more Mr. Nice Guy.” We could say this was just a prank to anger minority groups, or the work of a sad person with mental health problems. All that is probably true. But we don’t have the luxury of just ignoring it. Last month, the FBI released data showing a 17% spike in incidents of hate crimes over the previous year. The fastest growing category is anti-Semitic crimes, which grew by 37%. The racism growing in America today attacks Black people, Latino people, immigrants, Muslims, and Jews. Most American Jews think of themselves as white (although 10% of American Jews identify as “Jews of Color”) and, as a result, many believe we are immune to racist hatred. We cannot believe that anymore. Jews are now the top target for a racist ideology that is becoming bolder and louder. The Jewish community needs to make common cause with our friends who are also targeted. If American Jews have been wary of aligning ourselves with movements to confront racism, anti-Islamic hatred, and hatred against immigrants, we need to get over it. We are past the time when we can say, “First they came for” somebody else. Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser Temple Sinai, Cranston
Unfortunate turn of events
It is unfortunate that The Vermont State Police, as well as the Northampton, Massachusetts, Police Department, pulled out of the seminar in Israel, titled “Resiliency and Counterterrorism,” due to pressure from the alt-left groups, Vermonters for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. These groups are certainly entitled to their views, but that doesn’t give them the right to dictate policy for the rest of Vermont and Northampton. The seminar offered an opportunity to interact with Israeli and Palestinian law-enforcement agencies and observe the security strategies and systems Israel uses to prevent terror attacks. Are not the police in Vermont and Northampton more qualified to determine for themselves whether or not these security strategies and systems may or may not be helpful, than partisan political groups? Censorship is not the solution. David Middlemiss Cranston, RI
December 21, 2018 |
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A moment in history unlike any other
BY LARRY KESSLER
“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth. And the Earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.’ ” “And God called the light Day and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water. And let it divide the waters from the waters.’ ” – Apollo 8 astronauts Bill Anders and Jim Lovell, respectively, reading from Genesis while orbiting the moon on Christmas Eve 1968. Fifty years ago this month, three astronauts made history, and lifted the spirits of humanity, with an unforgettable live TV broadcast from the moon. Veteran astronauts Jim Lovell and Cmdr. Frank Borman, and rookie astronaut Bill Anders, in 1968 not only became the first humans to orbit the moon – nearly seven months before Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin’s historic lunar landing – but they also accomplished something that a half-century later, in these politically correct times, would be unlikely: They ended their Christmas Eve telecast by reading the opening verses from the Book of Genesis, which is in both Judaism’s Torah and Christianity’s Old Testament. The bold move led to an unsuccessful lawsuit against NASA, filed by noted atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair, who not only challenged the Bible readings, but also added a complaint that NASA had allegedly withheld from the public that Armstrong was an atheist. Although the U.S. Supreme Court tossed O’Hair’s lawsuit, author James R. Hansen, in the 2018 edition of his biography on
Apollo 8 Armstrong, “First Man,” said NASA officials were sufficiently bothered by O’Hair’s suit to advise Armstrong and Aldrin against saying anything with religious overtones after their historic landing. (Aldrin did recite Communion prayers while on the moon, but did so in private, Hansen wrote in “First Man.”) The intrepid crew of Apollo 8, however, had no such worries, which allowed TV viewers worldwide to be inspired by the astronauts’ stirring readings from Genesis while our screens showed us for the first time what our planet looks like
from 250,000 miles away. Anyone 60 or older probably still vividly remembers that telecast and the lunar orbit itself, which was the result of the United States’ and the Soviet Union’s race to the moon during the height of the Cold War. That heated race led to an uncharacteristic move by NASA to take a huge gamble that the Apollo hardware, some of it untested on manned flights, would work well enough for a successful historic first trip to the moon and back. The how and why behind that decision is one of many stories related in the extremely informative book “Apollo 8,” by Jeffrey Kluger. The bottom line, Kluger explains in “Apollo 8,” is that America’s space agency decided in August 1968 to send three men to orbit the moon even before the LEM (lunar module) needed for a moon landing was ready or flight-tested. That decision meant that in the event of a major malfunction on the command module, the trio would have no way of getting home as the lunar lander wasn’t part of the astronauts’ moon ship. To understand what this meant, it’s important to recall what happened on Apollo 13, in April 1970: after an explosion en route to the moon left the command module with just enough power and oxygen for re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, astronauts Lovell, Fred Haise and John “Jack” Swigert were forced to travel most of the quarter-million miles home in the lunar module, before jettisoning it about an hour before re-entry. Fortunately, Apollo 8 had no such issues, but NASA’s approval of the moon-orbiting mission was even more remarkable because it came just 19 months after the Apollo 1 launch-pad fire, on Jan. 27, 1967, which killed veteran astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom
(one of the Mercury 7 crew of America’s first astronauts), Ed White (America’s first spacewalker) and rookie Roger Chaffee. The decision to make Apollo 8 the first manned mission to the moon also came just two months before the revamped Apollo capsule was tested in Earth orbit, and before the powerful Saturn V rocket needed to hurl the astronauts to the moon was tested on a manned flight; Apollo 8 became that flight. The other reason why the astronauts’ Genesis telecast resonated so positively back home was that it provided Americans with an extremely rare upbeat moment during the turbulent and tragic year of 1968, during which: • The Vietnam War was acknowledged as unwinnable after the Tet Offensive demoralized American troops, whose casualties and deaths mounted daily. • Americans witnessed the April assassination of one of the nation’s most respected clergy members and its foremost civil rights leader, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and the June assassination of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy. • We were shocked by the violence that broke out at the Democratic National Convention, in Chicago, in August. That’s why, by the end of that year, Americans were ready for a feel-good moment. And on Dec. 24, 1968 – which beside being Christmas Eve was one day after the end of Hanukkah – the Apollo 8 crew eloquently provided it. That moment is worth toasting before we usher in 2019 and the celebration of Apollo 11’s 50th anniversary. LARRY KESSLER is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro. He can be reached at lkessler1@comcast.net
LETTER Rochelle Shatkin’s recent letter to The Voice added important insights to the Kessler/ Wiseman discussions about the rising trend in U.S. (and global) anti-Semitism. Shatkin did her historic research citing the reality of political neglect by many U.S. governments that have not addressed anti-Semitism with meaningful legislation, not only during our current dangerous
A subscriber responds to Rochelle Shatkin’s letter
political climate but also for the past 40 years. A discussion by Larry Kessler to the longer history of anti-Semitism could, I believe, have strengthened his thesis. Ms. Shatkin suggests a more realistic long-run view of this unforgiving aspect of social hatred. What is needed is better and stronger long-run legislation, which should be prioritized by all adminis-
trations, right and left! This would be very reassuring to both the Jewish and the Muslim communities. Our current President may be encouraging terror and hate groups by his actions and negative tweets, and failing to prioritize the immediate need for bringing the country together with important civil rights legislation. Nevertheless, the message in the
Kessler/Wiseman reporting, also blaming the middle class Jewish communities for their apathy on this complex issue is simplistic and poorly supported. Ms. Shatkin’s reaction should encourage The Voice to do additional reporting on this complex social problem. Marshall H. Cohen, Photojournalist Washington, D.C.
Exciting changes are coming to the Jewish Voice.
A new name, a new look — same good source of Jewish information.
10 | December 21, 2018
Ongoing Alliance Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every weekday except holidays. (Closed 12/25/18 and 1/1/19.) Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Noon lunch; 1 p.m. program. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Information or to RSVP, Neal or Elaine, 401-421-4111, ext. 107. West Bay Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every Friday except holidays. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. 11:15 a.m. program; noon lunch. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Information or to RSVP, Steve, 401-7430009. Duplicate Bridge. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Mondays noon-2 p.m.: 0-20 masterpoint game. For less-experienced players. $5 per day. Tuesdays and Fridays 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Open stratified game for players at all levels. $7 per day. Thursdays 1:30-3:30 p.m.: Guided play. Beginners and those seeking to hone skills play under the guidance of nationally known instructor Bart Buffington. $6 per day. Information, Bart Buffington at abarton295@aol.com or 401-390-9244. Game Night: Mah Jongg and Canasta. 6-9 p.m. every Wednesday. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Lessons available for Mah Jongg. Open to all. Free. Information, stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401885-6600. “Bridging the Gap” with Rabbi Raphie. 8-8:45 p.m. every Wednesday. Kollel Center for Jewish Studies, 450 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Explore the development and refinement of our personalities through the eyes of the Mussar movement. Text is “Bridging the Gap.” Free. Information, rabbiraphie@ gmail.com or 401-383-2786. Introduction to Judaism. 7-9 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Thursdays through 2/28/19. The Reform temples of RI (Temple Beth-El, Temple Habonim and Temple Sinai) present an introduction to Judaism. Learn the fun-
CALENDAR damentals of Jewish thought and practice in 18 weeks through a mix of study and discussion. Perfect for interfaith couples, non-Jews considering conversion and Jews looking for an adult-level introduction. Faculty includes Rabbis Jeffrey Goldwasser, Howard VossAltman, Andrew Klein and Sarah Mack, and Cantor Judith Seplowin. Cost: $160 per person | $225 per couple (includes all materials and Joint Shabbat dinner on 3/1/19 at Temple Habonim in Barrington). Information, Judith Gilson at Jgilson@Temple-Beth-El.org or 401331-6070, ext. 113. Children’s Shabbat Programs and Kiddush. 10-11:30 a.m. every Shabbat morning. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Fun and educational programs, grouped by age and led by qualified teens, for ages 2 to 12 years. Kids Kiddush follows. Free. Information, office@bethsholom-ri.org.
Friday | December 21 PJ Library Challah in the House. 9:3010:30 a.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. During the week we work, play and go to school. Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest. Join us as we make challah dough to take home and bake for your Shabbat table. Enjoy stories and songs as well. Price: $5 per loaf | Dwares JCC Members: $3 per loaf. Upcoming dates: 1/25/19, 2/22/19, 3/22/19, 5/10/19. Information or to RSVP (required), Lyndsey Ursillo at lursillo@jewishallianceri.org or 401421-4111, ext. 141. 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 free kid-friendly Shabbat meal. Information or to RSVP, Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600. Shabbat Hallelu. 7 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Information, Temple Beth-El office at 401-3316070. Kabbalat Shabbat Service. 7:30-9 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Service followed by Oneg. Information, stephanie@toratyis-
The Jewish Voice rael.org or 401-885-6600.
Saturday | December 22 Taste of Shabbat. 9-11 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. 9 a.m. Torah discussion and 9:45 a.m. service followed by a light Kiddush. Information, stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.
Friday | December 28 Kabbalat Shabbat Service. 7:30-9 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Service followed by Oneg. Information, stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.
Saturday | December 29 Taste of Shabbat. 9-11 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. 9 a.m. Torah discussion and 9:45 a.m. service followed by a light Kiddush. Information, stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.
Wednesday | January 9 Israel Culture Series: Women in Israeli Cinema Part 1: “Jellyfish.” 7-9 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. “Jellyfish,” which won the 2007 Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, tells the story of three very different Israeli women living in Tel Aviv whose intersecting stories weave an unlikely portrait of modern Israeli life. Directed by Shira Geffen and Etgar Keret. Presented by the Israel Culture Series of the Jewish Alliance and The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration the JCC Association and the Israeli Consulate General to New England. A discussion follows the screening. Free. Information, Nir Cafri at ncafri@jewishallianceri.org or 401421-4111, ext. 121.
Saturday | January 12 Kids’ Night Out: Snow People. Ages 5-12: 5-10 p.m. Ages 2-4: 5-8 p.m. (extended times available). Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Children spend the evening with friends in a fun and safe environment, and parents get night out “kid free.” Themed activities include sports, crafts and more. A pizza dinner and snacks are served, and the evening
See the movie Jan. 9 at the JCC. ends with a movie. The older group of kids enjoys an hour of free swim. For ages 2-4, make sure to send your child with PJs. Price: $40 | Members: $30 | Siblings: $20. Information and registration, Shannon Kochanek at skochanek@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 147.
Sunday | January 13 PJ Library Bookstore Tour. 1-2 p.m. Barnes and Noble, The Crossings at Smithfield, 371 Putnam Pike, Smithfield. Listen to PJ Library favorites and discover the newer stories PJ has to offer. Participate in related crafts
and activities. All are welcome. Free. Upcoming dates: 1/28/19 from 11:30 a.m.-noon at Henry Bear’s Park, 736 Hope St., Providence; 2/11/19 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Barrington Books Retold, Garden City, 176 Hillside Road, Cranston; 2/21/19 from 10-11 a.m. at Barrington Books, 184 County Road, Barrington. Information or to RSVP, Lyndsey Ursillo at lursillo@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 141.
An overseas honor for a local rabbi Recently a guest house in Abuja was named by Tikvat Israel in honor of Rabbi Wayne Franklin of Temple Emanu-El in Providence. The house is a place for overseas visitors to the synagogue who come to teach Judaism. Rabbi Franklin has taught members of the synagogue there via Skype and WhatsApp The guest house was financed in large part by members of Temple Emanu-El, according to William F.S. Miles, who has written a book about the Jews of Nigeria.
Pictured is the dedication stone (left) and Miles, Rabbi Franklin, Ann Franklin and members of the congregation before the ceremony.
jvhri.org
FOOD
December 21, 2018 |
11
Baking giant drops Kosher certification for almost all of its bread BY BEN SALES NEW YORK (JTA) – The largest baking company in the United States will be removing Kosher certification from nearly all of its bread and rolls. Bimbo Bakeries USA confirmed to JTA that it will be removing the certification. The company produces brands including Arnold, Sara Lee, Stroehmann, Freihofer’s and others. Two of its major brands, Entenmann’s and Thomas’, will remain certified Kosher. So, Kosher eaters, your crumb doughnuts and English muffins are still safe. A couple of rye breads also will retain their certifications. “Removing the Kosher certification from some of our products was strictly a businessprocess decision to enable more efficient operations, and it was one we did not make lightly,” Bimbo said in a statement. “Thomas’ and Entenmann’s products as well as Arnold’s and Levy’s Rye Breads will remain Kosher-certified. It is important to note that we have heard our consumers’ concerns and are working with Kosher certification organizations and
discussing alternative solutions.” The company did not say when the decision will take effect, and the Kosher certification agencies do not know, though they assume it will be sometime next year. The decision will make it much harder for those outside major Jewish population centers to buy Kosher bread, say executives at the Orthodox Union and Kof-K, the Kosher agencies that certify the vast majority of Bimbo’s Kosher products in the U.S. Rabbi Ari Senter, Kof-K’s Kosher administrator, said the agency has received hundreds of concerned calls since the decision was first reported earlier this month. “We’ve been hearing from a lot of consumers that they’re concerned about this,” said Rabbi Menachem Genack, the rabbinic administrator of the O.U.’s Kosher division, the largest in the country. “If you live throughout the United States, it’s not always so easy to get Kosher bread. In terms of Kosher bread, Bimbo plays a critical role.” Genack explained that the decision stems from a mix of corporate efficiency and obscure
PHOTO | SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES
Sara Lee and Bimbo bread products displayed together in a Chicago store in 2010. Kosher laws: Bimbo wants the flexibility to produce its breads on the same factory lines as breads that contain dairy products. Because traditional Jewish law says meat and dairy products cannot be consumed at the same meal, breads for the Kosher market must be strictly nondairy unless they appear and are marketed as obviously dairy – like cheese bread, says Senter. “Their primary concern is one of flexibility within their plants, that they can produce it
on other lines that are not necessarily designated for Kosher,” Genack said. Both agencies are in ongoing conversation with Bimbo hoping to salvage some more Ko-
sher brands and clarify when the changes will take effect. Until then, most breads remain Kosher certified. Bimbo Bakeries USA is the U.S. division of Grupo Bimbo, the Mexican company that is the world’s largest bakery. The company, whose name is pronounced “Beem-bo” and is derived from the Italian word “bambino,” capped an aggressive move into the U.S. market with its 2011 acquisition of the Sara Lee Corp. According to KosherFest, a large trade show of Kosher foods, there are 1.3 million yearround Jewish consumers of Kosher foods in the United States and 35 million non-Jewish consumers of Kosher products. According to the Mintel market research firm, more than 40 percent of new foods launched in 2014 claimed to be Kosher.
Fight the cold with better-for-you comfort foods FAMILY FEATURES – Few things go together quite like cold weather and comfort foods. However, those hearty dishes that are typically craved on blustery days are usually not classified as “healthy.” With the right approach, though, you can put a betterfor-you twist on some of your favorite dishes that can keep you cozy and satiated during the winter season. For example, you can put a grown-up twist on grilled cheese and tomato soup with this recipe for Creamy Tomato and Roasted Pepper Soup with Cheddar Cracker Melts. Pairing flavorful seasonal dishes like soups and stews with a wholesome snack cracker like gluten-free, non-GMO Crunchmaster Tuscan Peasant Crackers can help satisfy those comfort food cravings while also contributing to a healthy lifestyle. With 20 grams of whole grains per serving, these crunchy, robust baked crackers are also cholesterol-free, allowing you to take a back-to-basics approach to your diet using simple ingredients and no artificial flavors or colors.
Creamy Tomato and Roasted Pepper Soup with Cheddar Cracker Melts
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the soup: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 pinch chili flakes 4 cups organic no-salt-added vegetable broth 1 can (28 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes 1 cup chopped prepared roasted red peppers 2 bay leaves 1/3 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives, divided 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Cheddar Cracker Melts: 24 Crunchmaster Tuscan Peasant Fire Roasted Tomato Basil Crackers 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
In Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Cook onion, carrot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, paprika and chili flakes about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly softened. Stir in broth, tomatoes, roasted red peppers and bay leaves; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaves. Let cool slightly. Transfer to blender; puree in batches until smooth. Stir in cream, remaining salt, 1 tablespoon chives and vinegar. To make Cheddar Cracker Melts: Heat broiler to high and position rack in center of oven.
Arrange crackers on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Divide soup among six bowls. Sprinkle with remaining chives and serve with Cheddar Cracker Melts. Tip: Use mild, medium or aged cheddar cheese. Smoked mozzarella can be substituted, if desired. Nutrition information per serving: 250 calories; 15 g fat; 7 g saturated fat; 30 mg cholesterol; 730 mg sodium; 22 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 6 g protein.
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12 | December 21, 2018
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ish obligation to help refugees
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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg schools and a stint on the U.S. Court of Appeals. The liberal justice was appointed to the Supreme Court by then President Bill Clinton. She was only the second woman on the court and the only Jewish person at that time.
March
Bringing joy and therapy to hospice patients through Jewish music
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ospice care, is playing an increasingly central role in end-of-life arrangements. It’s music therapy brings human dignity back into the picture. A growing body of scientific evidence supports the use of music therapies in various medical settings, from neonatal intensive care units to end-of-life and palliative care.
I
Security campaign funds 26 projects at 15 institutions
n response to the upsurge in religious and racial acts of hate and violence the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island kicked off a Community Security Campaign last fall, raising $80,000. With an additional $100,000 from the Jewish Federation Foundation and an anonymous donor, the fund total was nearly $265,000. “It is important to the committee that we fund these security upgrades. Meeting the community’s immediate needs is crucial,” said Harold Foster, chairman of the Community Security Committee.
Rabbi Shaya Denburg, center with red beard, Rabbi Moshe Klein, and some of the survivors of Parkland, Florida school shooting. three guests was “the only Irish-born rabbi in the United States.” Each of the three men wore a suit and tie, sported a large black yarmulke, and claimed to be Theodore Lewis. After asking the three men questions, all four panelists correctly identified which of the three was “the real Rabbi Theodore Lewis.”
Students find 1,400-year-old oil lamp inscribed with menorah
J
ERUSALEM – Students working to build the “Sanhedrin Trail” in Israel’s Galilee unearthed a 1,400-year-old oil lamp bearing the symbol of the Jerusalem Temple’s menorah, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority. “The discovery of a lamp decorated with a menorah, is without doubt exciting, especially at a site with such a unique heritage in part of the Sanhedrin Trail,” archaeologist Dr. Einat AmbarArmon, said. The nearly 45-mile long trail running from Beit She’arim to Tiberias across the lower Galilee is divided into five sections and traces the movements of the sages of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish tribunal that met in the ancient Land of Israel.
May
I
URI Hillel members lend a helping hand in Houston
n March, four students from the University of Rhode Island Hillel traveled to Houston for an Alternative Spring Break Trip coordinated by Nechama, a Jewish disaster relief organization. During this once-in-alifetime experience, these students helped repair homes that were damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Each student returned to Rhode Island with memories that they will never forget.
Israeli firm a global innovator in medical cannabis
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pioneering Israeli company named Tikun Olam is bringing a new dimension to the practice of repairing the world (in Hebrew, tikkun olam) by delivering health benefits from breakthrough strains of medical cannabis. Tikun Olam’s medical cannabis (marijuana) has been taken by more than 20,000 Israelis to relieve chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety and a variety of other symptoms. The use of medical cannabis in Israel is highly regulated by the Ministry of Health. In the U.S. to date, 29 states have approved cannabis for
medical use (nine states have legalized it for both medical and recreational uses). Cannabis remains classified as a Drug Enforcement Administration Schedule 1 drug – considered to have a high potential for abuse and no medical value – and the Justice Department is committed to preserving this status.
June
M
embers of Providence’s Jewish community met at Temple Emanu-El to honor the memories of Jews who died in 1939 when the S.S. St. Louis was forced to return to Europe after being denied entry to Cuba, the United States and Canada. Rabbi Rachel Grant Meyer, the director of Education for Community Engagement at HIAS, presented a talk about the current refugee crisis and an overview of the work HIAS is doing to address it. HIAS is providing on-site services internationally, support that includes legal services, psychosocial support and job training. The second part of HIAS’s work is: domestic resettlement in the United States. This includes helping people to find housing, enroll in schools and other educational programs and access health care. The third part of HIAS’s work involves advocating for refugee rights directly on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and mobilizing American Jews to fight for refugee-friendly policies and laws.
August
PepsiCo to acquire Israel’s SodaStream for $3.2 billion
March of the Living: walking the walk
ore than 15,000 Jews from around the world participated in the 30th anniversary of the March of the Living in 2018. This annual educational program consists of a week in Poland, followed by a week in Israel. This year, 10 local high school students were a part of this lifechanging trip, which was made possible thanks to the generosity of the Ross Family Fund along with Touro Fraternal Association, the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, and the Jewish Alliance.
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epsiCo plans to maintain the Israeli company’s current base of operations in the Negev. SodaStream will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary. The American multinational agreed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of SodaStream International Ltd. for $144 per share. SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaum and his leadership team have built an extraordinary company that is offering consumers the ability to make great-tasting beverages while reducing the amount of waste generated.
Rabbi Meyer talks about the JewYEAR IN REVIEW | 13
April
Former Touro rabbi told the truth on game show in 1959
W
hen Theodore Lewis, the Dubl i n-bor n Or t hodox rabbi who served as spiritual leader of Newport’s Touro Synagogue for 36 years, passed away in 2010, obituaries from Colorado to Rhode Island and Ireland noted that among other events in his storied life, he had been a guest on the popular American television game show “To Tell the Truth.” The episode, aired on CBS on the evening of June 30, 1959. Its celebrity panel was tasked with determining which of
“To Tell the Truth” winner, Rabbi Theodore Lewis, far left.
Sodastream
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FROM PAGE 12
YEAR IN REVIEW “Worth remembering: PepsiCo boycotted Israel until 1991. Today it bought an Israeli firm for $3.2B and pledged it will continue to operate from Israel.”
Jewish Collaborative Services up and running in one building
T
he merger of the Jewish Seniors Agency and Jewish Family Service into Jewish Collaborative Services continues as the two agencies moved into one building, at 1165 N. Main St. in Providence, at the end of July. The new building will house the newly relocated Louis & Goldie Chester Full Plate Kosher Food Pantry. Jewish Collaborative Services will still operate the “West Bay Campus,” which includes The Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk Assisted Living Residences and The Shalom Apartments, in Warwick, and the two Kosher meal sites, one in Providence and one in Cranston. “We hope it will help people know where to go and help us to make appropriate referrals,” said Patty Harwood, chief of programs.
Facebook’s denial dilemma
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olocaust experts want to meet with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the social network’s unwillingness to automatically remove antiSemitic and Holocaust denial material. In late July, Zuckerberg said in an online interview that he would not automatically remove Holocaust-denying posts from the social network he founded. “Facebook must not allow complete and utter falsehoods about the Holocaust, and
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
JUMP – the new way to pedal around Providence. about the Jewish people, to go systematically unchecked,” the letter dated Aug. 7 to Zuckerberg says. Zuckerberg had told tech journalist Kara Swisher: “I’m Jewish, and there’s a set of people who deny that the Holocaust happened. I find that deeply offensive. But at the end of the day, I don’t believe that our platform should take that down because I think there are things that different people get wrong.” Zuckerberg later clarified his comments, saying “I personally find Holocaust denial deeply offensive, and I absolutely didn’t intend to defend the intent of people who deny that.”
September
Israel bans entry of Sukkotrelated plants citing agricultural disease control
I
srael is keeping plants said to celebrate Sukkot from coming into the country. The Agriculture Ministry said the ban on the lulav, leaves from
the myrtle tree and willow branches is rooted in the need to prevent the spread of plant diseases and pests rather than any protectionist policy. Israel is the only country in the world that exports all three plants, and one of a handful where the lemon-like etrog, the fourth of the species, is grown commercially. Inbound passengers may bring a single specimen of the etrog pending an inspection by Agriculture Ministry experts for plant diseases.
Number of terrorist attacks on Israelis rose by 15% in July`
I
sraeli security services documented 255 attacks in July, including 11 in Jerusalem, the Israel Security Service, or Shin Bet, said in its monthly report published recently. The June tally was 220 incidents. Despite the increase, the figures in July were well below those of May, when 365 incidents were documented – the highest number in more than two years of terrorist attacks
on Israelis. Nearly two-thirds of the attacks recorded in July involved firebombs.
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Pedaling in Providence
ecently a bike rack popped on Elmgrove Avenue, across from the Dwares Jewish Community Center. Soon red bikes appeared in the racks. They are JUMP bikes, an electric bike share sponsored locally by Tufts Health, Lifespan, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority and the city of Providence. A Brooklyn, New Yorkbased start-up, JUMP has bikes in 10 U.S. cities. The e-bikes, which arrived in Providence at the beginning of September, have electric assist, which offers a boost when you pedal. According to the JUMP website, you download the JUMP app, locate a bike and unlock it and ride away. You end your ride by locking the bike to a designated rack or hub. Monthly memberships as well as pay-as-you-go plans are available.
T
Too few Jews, Pew!
he Pew Research Center’s new typology of religion puts Americans into seven broad categories ranging from Sunday Stalwarts (“active in their faith and congregations”) to Solidly Secular (“hold virtually no religious beliefs”). In between are the Relaxed Religious, who say religion is important but don’t hold much with traditional practices; the Diversely Devout, who believe in that old-time religion but also psychic crystals and other new age enchantments; and the Spiritually Awake, who seem to
believe in heaven and hell. Most interesting about the typology is the way Jews seem to blow it up. According to Pew, “Jewish Americans are the only religious group with substantial contingents at each end of the typology.” In other words, while most evangelicals are deeply religious, and Catholics and Mormons tend to cluster toward the believer side of things, about one in five U.S. Jews are, Shabbat Stalwarts, and 45 percent consider themselves nonreligious. Every recent study shows that Jews are divided among the affiliated and the unaffiliated, the engaged and unengaged, the Alan Dershowitzes and the Adam Sandlers. That’s a quirk of Jewish identity, which allows a Jew to be defined by belief, biology, religious practice, peoplehood and nationality. It’s why we call Judaism a family.
October
Temple Sinai celebrates its 60th anniversary
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n Nov. 3, Temple Sinai celebrated its 60th anniversary. Phil Segal, 92, the temple’s second president, still lives in the same house in Cranston as he did 60 years ago, and he’s as dedicated to the temple now as he was in 1958, when 10 couples, including he and his wife, Barbara, attended a series of exploratory meetings. “We all wanted a Reform [Hebrew] school for the kids. We wanted a local temple,” Segal said of his and Barbara’s motivation. Founder Ada Winsten, 83, and her first husband, the late Jordan Tanebaum, also had personal YEAR IN REVIEW | 14
March of the Living 2018 – Walking the Walk.
Israel bans entry of Sukkot-related plants.
14 | December 21, 2018 FROM PAGE 13 |
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New Hanukkah stamp issued at Touro Synagogue.
Temple Sinai celebrates its 60th anniversary. reasons for joining the undertaking. “I wanted my children to have a Jewish community,” Winsten recalled. Winsten, who arrived in the United States at 15, after her family fled Nazioccupied Poland in 1939, traveling first to Lithuania and then to Shanghai, has never looked back. The founders’ perseverance eventually led to a groundbreaking on June 4, 1961, and to the temple being dedicated on May 10, 1963. “We kind of just grew from there,” Segal said, adding that they received help from many sources, including Temple Beth-El, in Providence, which loaned the fledgling congregation a Torah and prayer books. Jeffrey Goldwasser, the rabbi since 2014, is upbeat about the temple. “This year, we introduced a new model for our religious school to keep it active and engaging. In addition to religious observances and the religious school, Temple Sinai has a sisterhood, a brotherhood, the Kosher Senior Café, an adult chorus, a tikkum olam (social action) organization, a biblical garden, a youth group and a social worker.
Tamarisk resident donates his hand-carved work of art to Temple Sinai
S
am Nelson is a man of many talents, and at age 99, his creative spirit remains strong. Nelson recently gifted one of his most cherished creations to Temple Sinai, in Cranston – a wood carving in relief that he made several years ago, depicting a 19th-century Jewish wedding held under a huppah.
Asked how he went about creating the artwork, Nelson said, “I saw a beautiful picture and carved it entirely by hand into a single block of wood.” Nelson’s artwork is displayed at the Banyan Springs Club, in Boynton Beach, Florida, at Tamarisk, and now at Temple Sinai.
New Hanukkah stamp issued at Touro Synagogue
T
he U.S. Postal Service issued its new Hanukkah stamp, a joint issue with Israel, on Oct. 16 at Touro Synagogue. The American and Israeli stamps share the same artwork, a papercut created by the American artist Tamar Fishman. During the issuance ceremony, Postal Service Judicial Officer Gary Shapiro observed that papercutting is a traditional Jewish art, and he described Fishman’s techniques and other symbols in the artwork, which is on display in the Loeb Visitors Center at the synagogue. This work of art celebrating the Jewish Festival of Lights will travel on millions of letters and packages, throughout America and around the world,” Shapiro said.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin calls for ‘reverse Birthright’
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sraeli President Reuven Rivlin called for a “reverse Birthright” one that would take Israelis to see the American Jewish communities firsthand. Rivlin made his remarks Oct. 22 at the opening of the General Assembly, the annual conference of the Jewish Federations of North America, in Tel Aviv.
Sam Nelson holds his hand-carved relief of a 19th century Jewish wedding. Titled “We Need to Talk,” the conference focused on the divisions between Israeli and Diaspora Jews. More than 3,000 participants were on hand for the event. Several controversial events in recent years have created rifts between the views of U.S. Jewish organizations and Israeli government policies. The groups have objected to, among other things, the government’s freezing of a plan meant to expand a non-Orthodox prayer area at the Western Wall; the passage of a law this year officially defining Israel as the nation-state of the Jews; a proposed reform of Israel’s conversion policy that would have given more power to Israel’s haredi Orthodox Chief Rabbinate; and a 2017 law barring entry to supporters of the movement to boycott Israel. “We need to create wider circles of answers here in Israel,” he said. “For many young Israeli Jews, being a Jew means being Israeli. We must increase their exposure to your schools, camps and communities. They need to realize and to feel that they have a family, a family that [they] must take into account.” Eric Goldstein, the federation’s CEO, said “The Jewish identity of many young American Jews is reflected through the lens of tikkun olam, social justice values, and they experience a mental discomfort when they use that lens to look at many current Israeli government policies: settlement policy, nation-state law, treatment of asylum seekers, marriage equality and marriage rights – more broadly, the monopoly
that the Orthodox has over religion and state in Israel.”
In the beginning: the story of Holocaust education in Rhode Island
T
he Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center (SBHEC) is a well-established organization known throughout Rhode Island for using the lessons of the Holocaust to educate about the dangers of hate, discrimination and indifference. But, like many big successes, the SBHEC came from humble beginnings. Arthur Robbins has been deeply involved in the SBHEC since the beginning, and recently shared some recollections of the early days. “Back in early 1981, I was friendly with Ray Eichenbaum. Ray and Lenka Rose had an idea of creating a Holocaust memorial,” Robbins began. On April 30, 1981, a meeting was held and a committee was formed with Eichenbaum, Rose, Robbins, Zelermyer, Jason Cohen, Sam Kesterman, Louie Rubenstein, Peter Bardack and Mike Fink. The committee reconvened in May 1981. At that meeting, they decided to create, as Robbins describes it, “a living Holocaust education center with four elements.” Those elements were to be an education exhibit, a resource library, an outreach program and a central focal point that people could visit. Today the SBHEC is housed in the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center, but at first they “had a devil of a time trying to determine where the center would be located,” Robbins recalled. But one thing they were
sure of: they wanted a prominent spot in Providence that would serve as a broad-based point for the public to come and learn about the Holocaust. “The main thrust of the organization has always been education. The founders also never conceived of the participation of people from outside the Jewish community, such as Providence College professors Judith Jameison and Arthur Urbano, and Cranston educator Barbara Wahlberg. In the early days, Robbins said he never thought it possible that “someday there would be Christians on our board. Robins likens that early effort to “planting a seed, an acorn that puts down roots and grows into a beautiful tree with branches spreading in many directions.”
November
Anti-Semitism in a new era gets personal
Anti-Semitism has always been around in our country, and it probably always will be; it just didn’t always carry with it deadly consequences for those exercising their First Amendment right to pray as they see fit. Until now, that is, when in this age of lunatics amassing huge caches of weapons, a mad man and hard-core neo Nazi/antiSemite burst into a Sabbath service that ironically included the quintessential welcomingof-a-new-life into this world ceremony, a bris, and gunned down 11 people and wounded six others. That anti-Semitism escalated to such a heightened level of violence thankfully remains shocking in the United States, but make no mistake: anti-Semitism has thrived here for decades. While hatred directed at Jews has always been a part of society, its recent deadly incarnation at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh has escalated it to a frightening level. The rapid spread of antiSemitism on social media is an especially powerful source of bigotry as the suspect in the Pittsburgh massacre, Robert D. Bowers, 46, had posted a slew of anti-Semitic slurs on websites favored by neo Nazis. YEAR IN REVIEW | 15
jvhri.org
FROM PAGE 14 |
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Above all, we as Americans – from the president down to the voters – must be put on notice to pay more than lip service to words such as “civility,” “respect” and “tolerance.” If we ignore that warning, we face years of hatred ripping us apart.
A community comes together at prayer and action vigil
E
lmgrove Avenue outside the Dwares Jewish Community Center, Oct. 29, was packed with more than 1,000 people looking for solace in community. The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island sponsored the early evening vigil honoring the victims of Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As the sun set, leaders from all faiths in Rhode Island, as well as members of the local political delegation, stood on the stairs outside of the JCC and spoke about ending hate and standing together as a community to combat its ugly outreach. Rabbi Sarah Mack, president of the Rhode Island Board of Rabbis, gave an impassioned speech about combating the rise of hate. “Look around,” she told the crowd. “This is how we combat hate.” Eleven candles were kindled in memory of the victims. The crowd began to disperse to the music of “If Not Now.”
Local security on the increase
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n Rhode Island the Jewish Alliance is working with synagogues, day schools, agencies, Chabad Houses and university Hillels to make sure security is at the highest level. The Providence Police Department’s Homeland Security Bureau and Special Response Unit have been instrumental over the past two years in providing guidance and resources that enable us to be a resource not only for the Providence Jewish community but for the Greater Rhode Island Jewish community. We also rely on the expertise of SCN, Secure Community Network, the national homeland security initiative of the Jewish Federations of North America. With the rise of anti-Semitism in the past two years our partnership with these agencies has reached a new level of security. One of the measures taken by the Alliance to help its partners was the 2017 security campaign, where almost $300,000 was raised thanks to the generosity of our community members. It is difficult to estimate what costs will be going forward, but, we know they will be high.
Diplomat says innovation is the key to peace
N
adav Tamir, who served several years ago as Israel’s consul general to New England, spoke about the “Peres Legacy
and Vision of Peace and Innovation – How Israel Became a StartUp Nation and How It Will Eventually Achieve Peace.” Tamir discussed Peres’ vision, which he is working to implement both at the Peres Center and at Peres & Associates Global Advisory LTD. Peres did not believe that peace can be imposed from the top leadership down; instead, he believed that peace begins at the bottom, between people, and works its way up to government. Peres also believed in innovation and risk-taking, which are among the chief strategies Israel has used to become a success, Tamir said. Since these are also tools for creating peace, he added, the center will open a public innovation center in Jaffa in February. He believes that Israel today is stronger than ever. The rockets, ISIS, Hamas, the Islamic jihad and Iran are all major irritants, he said, but they are not existential threats to Israel: The real threat would be losing its identity as a Jewish and democratic state. If Palestinians do not get their own state, the Jews could become a minority in a nation that is neither Jewish nor a democracy, he said. “Israel is the homeland of all Jews, not just of Israelis or the ruling religious parties. Israel must not treat Jews of the diaspora and of Reform and Conservative backgrounds as secondclass citizens,” said Tamir.
December
New partnership gives the Jewish Federation Foundation more resources
A
new partnership with Rhode Island’s largest community foundation will enable the Jewish Federation Foundation (JFF), to better serve its donors and its community. JFF will invest its nearly $60 million endowment with the Rhode Island Foundation – giving JFF access to an investment pool that earned 17.3 percent in 2017 and has an average annual return of 8.4 percent for the 20year period ended Oct. 31, 2018. The Rhode Island Foundation will also provide operational support services to JFF. The new relationship is the product of three years of talks with the Rhode Island Foundation. The Jewish Alliance’s board of directors has ratified the agreement, which gives JFF access to the resources that an organization with $1 billion in assets can offer. JFF will continue to provide personalized customer service and stewardship to its fundholders. The Rhode Island Foundation also will help JFF roll out an enhanced online fund management tool, making it even easier for donors to fulfill their philanthropic objec-
June 22, 2018 |
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tives. JFF’s mission is to support the work of the Alliance and to enhance the quality of Jewish life in the greater Rhode Island community and worldwide.
Netanyahu: Hezbollah tunnels a ‘concrete threat’
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ezbollah is building tunnels “with direct support and funding from Iran” in an effort to capture northern Israel’s Galilee region, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “Capturing parts of the Galilee by Hezbollah is a concrete threat he said in a televised news conference from the country’s defense headquarters in Tel Aviv about Israel’s operation to shut down the tunnels. “The operation will continue until the outcome is achieved.” Netanyahu said the tunnels are being built by Hezbollah “with one purpose in mind – to attack and murder innocent Israeli men, women and children. He added, “Lebanon bears a heavy responsibility for allowing such acts terror on its territory.” The tunnel was built in a civilian neighborhood in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah is sacrificing your well-being to serve the aggressive purposes of Iran,” Netanyahu said. “Israel holds the Lebanese government accountable for all terror activity emanating from Lebanon against Israel.”
Professor details how the Holocaust gives rise to international human-rights law
B
ryant University Prof. Michael Bryant spoke about the influence of the Holocaust on the development of international law at this year’s Baxt Lecture, a program of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center. Professor Bryant began his Nov. 4 talk with the assertion that, “From the point of view of international law and human rights, warfare is humankind’s greatest teacher. Nearly every major international law, treaty and innovation has been a reaction, in some way, to a major calamitous war.” The Crimean War, in the mid19th century, led to the first Geneva Convention and the Red Cross. World War I gave birth in 1919 to the League of Nations; to the Kellogg-Briand Pact, in which countries renounced aggressive warfare as an instrument of national policy; and to the Geneva Conventions adopted in 1929, which became the basis for the Nuremberg trials, in the wake of World War II. “No war in history has more decisively impacted international law and human rights than World War II,” For example, in 1938, victims of the Night of Broken Glass had no national remedy to pursue damages. They could not hire a lawyer and sue the German government. And, prior to World War II, there was no way to pursue a transnational legal
Patrolman Scott Keenan with EDOX at the JCC. remedy after an event such as Kristallnacht. Before World War II, how a state treated its own citizens within its territory was strictly a domestic matter. “Whatever rights people had were entirely dependent on the nation to which they belonged. The international community had no right to intervene to help you. And this was the situation as the world teetered on the brink of World War II in the late 1930s,” Bryant said. By 1945, that situation had drastically changed as policymakers and political leaders around the world came to understand that traditional international law had failed to protect the rights of individuals. This realization was largely driven by the Holocaust. In the years and decades following the creation of the U.N., in the shadow of the Holocaust, there were efforts to come up with more viable ways to defend human rights. In December 1948, the U.N. published the Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted as nonbinding resolution. Prof. Bryant stated, “This is one of the great cornerstones in the history of human rights. “Prior to the Holocaust, none of this was on anyone’s radar,” Bryant said. “Governments today find it nearly impossible to divorce human rights consid-
erations from political and economic decision-making. Such considerations rarely weighed on the minds of political leaders before World War II.”
As the end of 2018 quickly approaches, so does the last biweekly issue of The Jewish Voice
S
ome may have had a wonderful 2018 and some may be glad to see its’ end. We at the Jewish Voice look forward to new beginnings in January, 2019, as we work feverishly to publish the Jewish Voice’s last issue and scramble to get all of our ducks in a row, as we launch a new monthly newspaper. Excitedly, we look forward to bringing you a paper with a new name, a new format, covering more in-depth issues and leaning more toward a magazine format. We will be expanding our website and also launch a new monthly newsletter. To receive the new newsletter please be sure to send us your email. It will cost you nothing, but will keep you up to date and informed on what’s going on in your Jewish community. Look for the new paper around January 11 and monthly thereafter. We at the Jewish Voice wish all of our readers and advertisers a very happy and healthy new year.
16 | December 21, 2018
SENIORS | NATION
The Jewish Voice
Senior-friendly apps and gadgets increase peace of mind
BY NAOMI FINK COTRONE
Technology and seniors sometimes don’t mix. I mean, how many times have you had to call your aunt to tell her she accidentally posted a picture of her lap on Facebook? Younger generations are always learning new ways that tech can help make their lives easier, more meaningful, more entertaining. But seniors can benefit from tech as well – and since much of it is simple or customizable, you shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss this opportunity because you think you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Here’s a brief roundup of the items I recommend for seniors and their families to get the most out of this increasingly connected and high-tech world. Apple Watch Series 4 with fall detection: The latest Apple Watch Series 4 detects significant falls. The watch will display an alert for the wearer to either contact emergency services or dismiss the alert. What I particularly like is that if no action is taken within a minute of the fall, the watch will automatically alert emergency services and then send a notification to the wearer’s emergency contacts. I recommend this product for seniors who are for the most part independent and mobile, but are looking for some sort of safety net. Family members can rest assured that in the event of
an accident, their elderly loved one will get the emergency care they need. The watch comes with a wide array of watch bands that are fastened with Velcro or magnetic closures, so it’s easy even for those with dexterity problems. $399 at apple.com.
Nest Cam: This video-surveillance system works well for monitoring an elderly loved one who lives alone. Nest Cam detects movement and notifies family members of any unusual activity. For an extra $100 a year, you get access to Nest Cam’s video-recording option. I love Nest because it has a two-way audio option, so family members can leave reminders in real time for their loved ones, such as, “Mom, don’t forget to take your afternoon meds with food!” $199 at bedbathandbeyond.com. GoGo Grandparent: This service makes Uber and Lyft available to seniors without requiring a smartphone. It’s low tech meets high tech at its best. Grandma just calls the Gogo Grandparent number on her cell or landline, presses 1 to input her destination, and the service sends an Uber or Lyft. GGG saves the caller’s information, so when they’re ready to go home, they simply call the number again and push 2. This is a fabulous option for those who want to be mobile and independent but no longer
drive. Prices vary by region. gogograndparent.com. MedHelper: This app-based reminder system is more for tech-savvy caregivers than for seniors themselves. If organizing meds feels burdensome and you find yourself looking for a better system than a slotted pillbox, this is worth a download and trial. The app provides reminders and helps track scheduling. medhelperapp.com. Portal: Facebook recently announced the launch of Portal, a smart display geared towards improving the videochat experience. I love Facebook Portal because the device can be used to video call other Facebook users, and follows the movements of the user so you never lose touch with the person on the other side. You don’t even have to move yourself or the camera – it automatically detects and tracks the person on the other screen. It’s perfect for calling the grandkids during dinner time — even if they leave the table. It even comes in two sizes, the Portal and the larger Portal+. $149 or $299 at portal.facebook.com. NAOMI FINK COTRONE runs the Right at Home Rhode Island agency, where she focuses on providing care to elderly and disabled adults. If you need help with anything on social media, she can’t help you – but her teenagers will.
THE P HYLLIS S IP E R S TE IN
A S S IS T E D LIV IN G R E S ID E N C E
In a first, Reform rabbinical school won’t be led by a rabbi BY JOSEFIN DOLSTEN NEW YORK (JTA) –The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion has appointed Andrew Rehfeld, a political science professor who has led the Jewish Federation of St. Louis since 2012, to serve as its 13th president. On Dec. 18, the Reform movement’s flagship seminary said Rehfeld would lead its four campuses in New York, Jerusalem, Cincinnati and Los Angeles. When he starts his new role in the beginning of April, it will be the first time the institution is not led by a rabbi. Rehfeld is succeeding Rabbi Aaron Panken, who died in a plane crash in May at the age of 53. Rabbi David Ellenson, who led the institution from 2001 to 2013, has been serving as interim president. With more than 1 million members, the Reform movement is the largest Jewish denomination in North America. Rehfeld, 52, has been an associate professor of political science at Washington University in St. Louis since 2001, where he researches contemporary democratic theory and political theory, including as it relates to Jewish studies. He has been on official leave from the position since 2012, when he accepted the position at the St. Louis federation. He has continued to do research and teach courses on Jewish political thought and Zionism at the university. At the St. Louis federation, he has overseen the creation of a pluralistic adult Jewish education center, raised money to renovate the city’s Holocaust museum and worked on community security. Rabbi David Stern, the president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and a member of the search committee that picked Rehfeld, called him “an unconventional choice for our beloved CollegeInstitute, and precisely the right one.” “His intellectual creativity is manifest in both his impressive academic achievements and the strategic agility with which he has led other programs and institutions,” Stern said in a statement. Rehfeld grew up in the Reform movement. He attended the Union for Reform Judaism’s Kutz Camp and participated in the youth group at the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. After graduating from the University of Rochester in 1989 with a degree in philosophy, he served as regional director of the Reform youth movement in New Jersey. He also spent a year working with the Jew-
PHOTO | COURTESY HUC
Andrew Rehfeld ish community in Mumbai as part of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s Service Corps program. He received a master’s degree in public policy and a doctorate in political science from the University of Chicago. One challenge facing the Reform movement, Rehfeld said in an interview with JTA, is finding ways for it to differentiate itself from other liberal Jewish streams. In 1972, it became the first American Jewish denomination to ordain a female rabbi, but as egalitarianism has become the norm outside the Orthodox world, its work on women’s ritual inclusion is no longer a way to stand out. “We have to remain the leader, but it’s no longer enough to distinguish us as a movement,” Rehfeld said. Similarly, its rabbinical seminary must find ways of setting itself apart from other non-Orthodox ordination programs. “HUC is also dealing with specific challenges of the multiplicity of places that people can get ordained and perhaps some lack of clarity about what it means to be [ordained as] a Reform Jew, compared to other non-denominational trainings,” he said. Other challenges include supporting Jewish engagement, including among millennials. Rehfeld said that the answer lies in creating meaningful ritual practice and learning opportunities. “We’ve adopted in a sense a finger wagging approach – ‘We gotta make sure our kids are Jewish’ – without looking first at what are we doing to regularize Torah study, to regularize Jewish spirituality, to create the kinds of communities that we actually want to model for our kids,” he said. As he prepares for his new role, Rehfeld is also reflecting on the void and contributions left behind by his predecessor. “He has generated in his leadership real commitment and professionalism that will be part of his legacy,” he said of Panken.
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Finding your inner happiness in the new year we bump into the person we really need to talk to, we find the right thing at exactly the right time, or we miss a mishap by seconds. I believe that those are miracles, and that giving thanks for those little miracles when they happen opens the door to big miracles. Rabbi Noah Weinberg writes in “The Secret of Happiness,” posted on aish.com, “People often think happiness is based on what you achieve and acquire. My whole life would improve if I had a new car ... I just need a better job and then I can relax and be happy ... If only I met the right girl .... “You get the car and what happens? For a whole week, you’re walking on air. Then you go right back to being unhappy. Happiness comes from mastering the art of appreciating. Happiness is not a happening; it’s a state of mind. You can have everything in the world and still be miserable. Or you can have relatively little and feel unbounded joy.” Rabbi Weinberg continues, “As the Talmud says, ‘Who is rich? The one who appreciates what he has’ (Ethics of the Fathers, 4:1). That’s why the morning prayers begin with a series of blessings thanking God for the simple and obvious: Thank you, God, for giving me life. Thank God I can see, that I can use my hands and feet, that I can think. Happiness comes from mastering the art of appreciating and consciously enjoying what you already have.”
As the year comes to an end, I want to share some insights that may help you be happier in 2019. These t i p s h a v e worked for me. • Find and become imm e r s e d i n positive energy in people, PATRICIA p l a c e s a n d RASKIN things. “ B i r d s o f a feather flock together” really rings true for me. Finding people whose behavior, values and insights inspire us helps to shape our thinking and our actions. • Honor others by giving them respect. When we understand others’ points of view, it broadens our own viewpoint. When we “get into someone’s head,” and see things from their vantage point, it gives us an opportunity to see and appreciate their gifts – and gain insight into our own thinking. • Be in the precious present. The special, positive moments in our lives only happen once in that exact way. They are snapshots in time. Those moments bring us love and comfort in our moments of fear, despair, loneliness and pain. They are always with us and we use them to create, weave and spin our memories together. When we imprint them in our mind, like an affirmation, we are creating a blueprint of what we want in our daily life. Thinking and talking about those precious moments, being grateful for them and counting our blessings really works. It can bring us many more. • Believe in miracles. There are no coincidences. We’ve all experienced those “coincidences” when someone we have just been thinking about calls us,
SENIORS
December 21, 2018 |
My sorrows, my peevish annoyances, my kvetches One of the pleasures of passing beyond the security of the middle years allotted to us is giving full voice to your petty grievances with hopes that they will be listened to, respected, even enjoyed.
SKETCHBOOK MIKE FINK Here’s a partial list of mine. I don’t like it when the announcer on a fancy music channel says, pseudo-intimately, “I’ve got some Beethoven FOR YA.” I hate that fake friendliness as much as I despise the false big smiles on the faces of models, male, female, or “fluid,” in group shots or fashion trade magazines. I miss the old sepia photographs with thoughtful, or even strained, expressions. I was just in the Palmer House Chicago Hilton hotel, where the upstairs corridors are lined with nostalgic famous faces. Who sang or did comedy acts in its renowned Empire Room? Well, there was Satchmo (Louis Armstrong) and Nat King Cole, and Jack
Benny and George Burns, and Victor Borge and Eartha Kitt, and many, many more – and they all looked elegant, not casual. What else do I get a kick out of scorning? Too much “decaf,” not to mention “gluten-free,” and too many sentences on the radio starting with “Look!” and ending with “at the end of the day.” Cut it out, shut up, and speak carefully and without clichés, please! I can’t bear to order a cup or a pot of tea when I have to work to get at it. I loathe being presented with a box of teabags, black, organic, and herbal. It’s a health hazard for me with my slightly arthritic fingers (or is it Dupuytren’s contracture?). I need a full range of tools, from pliers and scissors all the way to a chisel, to open up the damned box and liberate the lurking bag from its plastic prison and knotted tab/ label. The British Empire, its crowned heads, prime ministers and even its cockney chaps have never forgiven us for our C olon i a l s c ont empt uou sly dumping good tea – so they get even by shipping us inferior leaves ground up and stuffed into soggy sacks. It’s a terrible revenge and it’s turning me into a Tory!
And what about ale and lager presented as “lite?” Vile! Rye or Scotch or any honest whiskey poured onto a taste-killing pile of ice cubes? Feh! So, to sum up, my future travel plans are … to escape from the hollow and insincere “luxuries” of our American culture and take refuge on the isle of “Despair.” You can get there via Bristol, just beyond East Providence and Warren, on a ferry heading toward Block Island with stops at Patience and Prudence islands. “Despair” is where you can find truth itself – grim, grey, grouchy, unsmiling. Then you – or I, at least – can sigh with satisfaction and a slight, sarcastic smile of contentment. Remember when Julie London (her photograph is in the Palmer House) sang “Is That All There Is?” Well, my answer is, “Yes.” I find comfort in escaping from the tyranny of the Big Grin. Gimme “grim” any day. Please don’t cheer me up. Let me enjoy my sorrows, my peevish annoyances, my kvetches. It’s my fuel and my gruel. MIKE FINK (mfink33@aol. com) teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design.
PATRICIA RASKIN, president of Raskin Resources Productions Inc., is an awardwinning 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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BUSINESS
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The gift of education In early August 2003, my parents and I made the journey to Atlanta, where I was to start
JASON E. SIPERSTEIN CFA, CFP college at Emory University. After extensively researching different schools, I applied to Emory “early decision” because
I was desperate to (temporarily) leave the frigid winters behind and attend school on a beautiful campus where there was a good balance between academics and social life. I had a wonderful four years at Emory, making close friends and majoring in business at one of the top undergraduate business programs in the country. I still can’t believe this was 15 years ago! Now, I spend a lot of time thinking and talking with clients about funding higher education. Many parents and grandparents want to help pay
for their loved ones’ college tuitions. One of the best ways to do this is through a 529 Plan. A 529 Plan is an account that can be set up when a child is born and can grow tax-free and be used tax-free to fund educational pursuits. If you are planning to help a child or grandchild, it is best that you either use a 529 Plan or pay their school directly. I would caution against gifting your family member directly, as this may impact their financial aid eligibility. While 529 Plans are thoughtful gifts, it is always important
to first check on your own financial health before gifting to others. If everything checks out, there is little better gift than the gift of education. I hope you all have a wonderful and prosperous new year, and I look forward to connecting again in 2019. JASON E. SIPERSTEIN, CFA, CFP, is vice president, wealth management, at Eliot Rose Wealth Management. Contact him by email, at jes@ eliotrose.com.
Academy Awards turns its back on latest Israeli film BY TOM TUGEND LOS ANGELES (JTA)– Israel’s more than half-century courtship to win an Oscar for best foreign-language film will continue past 2019. Since submitting its first entry – and winning its first nomination – for “Sallah” in 1964, Israel has made the short list of top nominees 10 times, without ever reeling in the prize. This year, tribal boosters can stop biting their fingernails anticipating the outcome. Israel’s entry “The Cakemaker,” a challenging film on bisexual affairs between German and Israeli lovers, was eliminated in the first round. The list of nine semi-finalists among entries from 87 coun-
tries, announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Monday evening, eliminated the Israeli entry. However, Israel was not the only snubbed contender. Looking at the entire history of Oscar awards, the three leading countries in the number of both nominees and ultimate winners – Italy, France and Spain – were all eliminated this time around. Yet, oddly enough, if the themes chosen by a country’s filmmakers reflect in some ways the interests of their movie-going publics, the world’s fascination with the Holocaust, World War II and their aftermaths has never been higher. Eight countries have this year submitted films that deal directly or indirectly with the
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20 | December 21, 2018
OBITUARIES
Marshall Bazarsky, 78
ONSET, MASS. – Marshall L. Bazarsky died Dec. 10. He was the husband of Constance (Martineau) Bazarsky; they were married for 45 years. Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Morris and Shirley (Fields) Bazarsky. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son Bryon Bazarsky; brothers Brenton and Stuart Bazarsky; grandchildren Steven, Alexandra, Kathleen, Brandi, Storm, Blaze and Jules; and great-grandchildren Noah, Remington and Morgan. He was the father of the late Mark Bazarsky. Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Lung Association, National Direct Response Headquarters, 1200 Hosford St., Suite 101, Hudson, WI 54016-9316 or Shriners Hospitals for Children, Attn: Office of Development, 2900 N. Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.
Harvey Beringhause, 83
THE VILLAGES, FLA. – Harvey I. Beringhause passed away Dec. 11. He was the husband of Florence Beringhause; they were married for 60 years. He was born in New York. Harvey had a 35-year career at Grumman Aerospace where he and a team of other engineers designed the Apollo Lunar Module, Navy F-14 aircraft, spacecraft for multiple Apollo missions, and numerous aircraft. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children Bonnie (Roy) Montana, Steven
(Eliza) Beringhause and Kim (Stephen) Peacock; and grandchildren Russell (Dorothy), Aviva, Thomas, Juliana and Cecelia. Contributions in his memory may be made to The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, www.jdrf.org, or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, www.stjude. org.
Dorothy Eisenstadt, 93
Dorothy Buckler Eisenstadt, died on Dec. 1, nine days short of her 94th birthday. Born in Central Falls, she was the daughter of Israel and Ida Buckler. She was a lover of reading, travel, singing and playing the piano and violin. She and her five brothers and sisters made up the Buckler Family Klezmer Band, which was a staple at family Bar Mitzvahs and weddings. During WWII she worked as a secretary at Fram where practice bombs were made. She also directed plays at Bryant College. In 1950, she married Herbert Eisenstadt and moved to Bristol, where sons Michael and Carl were born. She worked as a legal secretary, played in the Barrington Symphony, sang with the Choraleers, and was active with the Bristol-Warren Players, appearing in and directing plays and musicals. In 1967 the family moved to Melbourne, Florida. She
The Jewish Voice was married for 64 years. Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late David and Anna (Levenson) Fox, and sister to the late Aaron M. Fox. She is survived by three children to whom she was a loving mother, Dr. Steven P. Meyers and his wife, Dr. Barbara Weber, of Pittsford, New York, David Meyers and his wife, Beth, of Cranston and Sara Ata and her husband, Edizkan Adil Ata, of Chepachet. Her greatest joy was her grandchildren, Anna R. Meyers of Cranston and Noah D. Meyers of Pittsford. Memorial contributions may be made to Tockwotton on the Waterfront, 500 Waterfront Drive, East Providence, RI 02914.
worked as a secretary for RCA at the Tech Lab at Patrick Air Force Base and also at the Kennedy Space Center. While living in Florida, she played violin with the Brevard Symphony Orchestra. The family moved to Columbia, South Carolina, in 1970 where they met a great group of friends and entertained often. Dorothy and Herb were devoted to each other and enjoyed a very happy marriage of 38 years. Dorothy worked as a legal secretary until retiring at age 71. She was a long-time member of Beth Shalom Synagogue and loved to sing there. For years not a musical program was presented at the shul without Dorothy having a hand in it. Her specialty was singing the Hashkiveinu every year at the High Holy Days. She enjoyed playing bridge, mah jongg, and the great friends she made over coffee at St. Josephs Catholic Church. She is survived by son Carl Eisenstadt and his wife, Terri, daughter-in-law Debbi, grandchildren Emily, Mark (Melissa), and Keith Eisenstadt, and two great-grandchildren, Maxwell and Mackenzie. She is preceded in death by her husband, Herb, her son, Michael, and her brothers and sisters, David Buckler, Ceila Bochner, Sarah Cutler, Ralph Buckler and Bernie Buckler.
Morton Paige
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Morton Yale Paige died at Philip Hulitar Hospice in Providence on Nov. 29. He was the son of the late Philip and Elizabeth (Young) Paige and brother of the late Hope (Paige) Finkle. He lived in Cranston until moving to Wingate Residences on the East Side, following the passing in 2011 of his wife of 38 years, Sylvia (Greenstein) Paige. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and raised in Providence, Morton graduated from Hope High School (1942), and was a soldier on the Italian front during World War II. After the war, he went on to receive a BA from Brown University (1948). Morton was an insurance executive with United Life and Chubb Life for many years, and was a partner in Young Paige Insurance Agency of Pawtucket. Morton was active in many Jewish and civic organizations in the Rhode Island community he so loved, including Temple
Wilma Meyers, 93
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Wilma M. (Fox) Meyers died at Tockwotton on the Waterfront in East Providence on Dec. 7. She was the wife of the late Morton L. Meyers to whom she
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Joseph Shansky, 73
WARREN, R.I. – Joseph Shansky died Dec. 6, at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. He was the husband of Janet (Rubinstein) Shansky for 47 years. Born in New York City, a son of the late Daniel and Nora ( M ate sk y) S h a n s k y, he had lived in Warren for 12 years, previously living in Barrington. He was freelance graphic designer. Joseph was a member of Temple Habonim and its Ruach Singers. He was the father of Rebecca Shansky and her husband, Jesse Schomer, of Boston, Massachusetts, and Sara Kaye and her husband, Adam, of Austin, Texas. He was the brother of the late Bernice Weinberg. He was the grandfather of Miles and Ruby. Contributions in his memory may be made to Temple Habonim, 165 Meadow Road, Barrington, RI 02806 or The DanaFarber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02115.
Beverly Sugerman, 92
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Torat Yisrael and Temple Emanu-El, Cranston Senior Guild, Touro Fraternal Organization, Jewish War Veterans, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is survived by his children, Robin (Paige) Polishook and her husband, Bruce, and Marc Paige and his husband, Rene; his grandchildren, Stacey Polishook, Lindsey (Polishook) Sherer and her husband, Jeremy; his sister, Ruth (Paige) Levin, and many loving nieces and nephews. Morton also leaves behind his shared family with Sylvia, Sheri Sosner, Brian Sosner and his wife, Carol, and four grandsons, Lenny and Jonathan Sosner, and Justin and Jordon Blotcher. In his last years, Morton enjoyed a wonderful life with the residents and staff at Wingate Assisted Living. Contributions in his memory may be made to Temple EmanuEl Kiddish Fund, 99 Taft Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant AID Society), 1300 Spring St., Suite 500, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Beverly (Gomberg) Sugerman wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother of Providence went on what she called her “next journey” on Dec. 16. A woman of grace, beauty, dignity, strength and compassion, she was born on March 8, 1926, to Ruth Anna and Aaron Gomberg in Worcester, Massachusetts. Beverly was the oldest of two daughters. She went to school in WorcesOBITUARIES |21
OBITUARIES
jvhri.org ter and later moved with her father and sister, Joyce, to East Hartford, Connecticut, where she graduated from East Hartford High School. She worked for the Office of Price Administration in Hartford. She married Nathaniel (Nat) Sugerman on January 5, 1947, in Cranston. They were married for 44 years until he passed away in January 1991. They were loving parents to their four children. Bev worked alongside her husband Nat when he started the Beatrix Jewelry Company and was closely involved with Nat’s second business, the Providence Metallizing Company, Inc. After their first child was born, she was a homemaker and volunteer for organizations, including the League of Women Voters. She was predeceased by her parents and her husband, Nathaniel Howard Sugerman. She leaves four children: Ruth Ann Sugerman of Riverside; Claudia Akerstein of San Francisco, California; Betty (Alan) Sugerman Weintraub of West Hartford, Connecticut; and Richard Sugerman of Portsmouth. She leaves her grandchildren: Ari (Michelle) Akerstein; Ilana (Pablo) Calderon; Eli (partner Christine Hurley) Akerstein; Justin and Lia Weintraub; and Samantha and Nathan Sugerm a n . Gr e at- g r a ndch i ld r en Nicholas Akerstein and Saul, Lev and Lua Akerstein. She leaves her sister, Joyce Aaron; cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family across the country. She was predeceased by her daughter-in-law Amy Leiter Sugerman. Memorial donations may be made to the Beverly Gomberg Sugerman and Nathaniel Sugerman Memorial Garden at Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence, RI 02906.
Betty Webber, 91
WARWICK, R.I. – Betty Webber died Dec. 8, at Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center. She was the wife of the late Marshall Webber. Born in Providence, a daugh-
ter of the late Jacob and Eva (Pearl) Cantoff, she had lived in Warwick for 8 years, previously living in Cranston. She was the mother of Alan Webber and his wife, Lori, of Warwick, Paul Webber and his fiancé, Kate Moran, of East Greenwich and the late Steven Webber and the late James Webber and his surviving wife, Emily, of Cranston. She was the sister of the late Rose Comras, Martha Zitkin and Sydney Cantoff. She was the grandmother of Jessica, Jamie, Rebecca, Danielle, Joshua, Stephanie and Jake. She was the greatgrandmother of Mia and Meredith. Contributions in her memory may be made to Hope Hospice & Palliative Care, 1085 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02904.
Albert N. Winograd, 91
WARWICK, R.I. – Albert N. Winograd died Dec. 15 at South County Nursing Center. He was the husband of the late Estelle (Bochner) Winograd for 64 years. Born in Providence, a son of the late Maurice and Etta (Godfrey) Winograd, he had lived in Boynton Beach, Florida, previously living in Warwick and Cranston and summering in Narragansett. He was an accountant for Stanley Bostich in East Greenwich and National Bottle of Coventry, retiring 30 years ago. Albert was a WWII Merchant Marine veteran and Korean Conflict Army veteran, serving in Japan. He graduated from Bentley College with an accounting degree and was a member of the Bentley Alumni Association. He was the father of Lauren Gabrilowitz and her husband, Alvin, of Narragansett and Stuart Winograd and his wife, Debbie, of Alamo, California. He was the brother of Ruth Winograd and the late Gerald and Marshall Winograd. He was the grandfather of Marcy and her husband, Eugene, Adam and Alexa. He was the great-grand-
father of Eliza. Contributions in his memory may be made to RI Food Bank,
200 Niantic Ave., Providence, RI 02907 or Alzheimer’s Association, 245 Waterman St., #306,
December 21, 2018 |
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Providence, RI 02906.
JANUARY EVENTS
invites you to... PJ Library Bookstore Tour Sunday, January 13 | 1:00 - 2:00pm Barnes & Noble, 371 Putnam Pike, Smithfield PJ Library Author Visit with Jamie Korngold Author of Sadie’s Snowy Tu B’Shevat Tuesday, January 15 | 4:30 - 5:30pm Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence
For more information contact Lyndsey Ursillo at 401.421.4111 ext. 141 or lursillo@jewishallianceri.org.
PJ Library Story Time: Stay & Play at JCDS Wednesday, January 23 | 9:30 - 10:30am Jewish Community Day School, 85 Taft Ave., Providence PJ Library: Challah in the House Friday, January 25 | 9:30 - 10:30am Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence Price: $5 per loaf | Dwares JCC Members: $3 per loaf
You do not need to be a PJ Library subscriber, member of the Dwares JCC, or a family at JCDS to attend. PJ Library is a program of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.
22 | December 21, 2018
COMMUNITY
The Jewish Voice
Scenes from the Providence of my youth On any given day, you could hear the fruit and vegetable man walking next to his truck yel l i n g, “Apple s, ba n a n a s, string beans” – and so much more. There was also the f i s h m o n g e r, selling his fish. But the best was t h e r a g m a n . This man had a horse and wago n . H e wou l d clop down the MAY-RONNY street yel l ing, “Rags, rags, ZEIDMAN rags!” I am not sure, but I think he was buying rags, not selling them. But maybe even better was the Hood Milk man. The milkman had a truck, where the milk was kept cold with ice cubes. The children on the street would wait for him to go into a house and then jump on the truck and grab a piece of ice. The poor man was always yelling at kids to get off his truck. During the summer after supper, the kids on the street would play outside. We played hopscotch, jump rope, hide-andgo-seek or maybe blind man’s bluff. No one had to be called to come home; the rule was that you went home when the street-
lights came on. My dad owned three newsstands in downtown Providence. These were the days when there were no malls. There were stores, movie theaters, restaurants, banks and offices in “the city.” Crowds of people would go downtown to work, shop, see movies (which ran continuously all day) or meet friends for lunch. Most homes had only one car, so the bus was a major mode of transportation for many people. Most of the buses picked up and dropped off riders in Kennedy Plaza. Working at a newspaper stand meant my dad, and all newspaper-stand workers, could not leave until someone came to relieve them. My dad hated the cold. He spent so many years outside in the cold, snow and rain, as well as heat, that one of his greatest joys in his later years was avoiding inclement weather. When going downtown, women got dressed up. This meant dress clothes, a hat and gloves. I remember my dad telling me that he didn’t want to see me in the city in slacks. Shortly after telling me, however, this all changed and people began dressing much more casually. Not as casual as today, however.
This is not a judgment, just an observation. Going downtown with my mother meant going shopping and out to lunch, maybe seeing a movie, and most definitely buying something at a fiveand-dime store. When I was a child, there was an F.W. Woolworth, W. T. Grant and Kresge downtown. Our favorite places to eat were Shepard’s restaurant and Miss Dutton’s Tea Room. Shepard’s department store was famous for its orange drink. There were four movie theaters downtown: the RKO Albee on Westminster Street, next to Grace Episcopal Church (the theater is now gone); Lowes State Theatre, now the Providence Performing Arts Center; The Strand, which became Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel and is now the Strand Ballroom and Theatre; and the Majestic Theatre, now Trinity Repertory Company. We would go into a theater and watch the movie from whatever point it was at until the end, then continue to watch as it repeated, until it got to the place it was at when we came in. Who would do that today? I loved going into the Boston Store from the back, where the sheet music was located. There
was always someone playing the piano. You could give the pianist sheet music and it would be played for you – if you liked it, you would buy it. I also remember some of the stores on Douglas Avenue. There was Guttin’s bakery, the Star Deli, Zeidman’s dry goods, Aron the butcher, the drug store and Mr. Berman’s store, just to mention a few. Mr. Berman’s was the kids’ favorite. He sold penny candy (which really cost a penny). I would stand in front of the case for a long time deciding how I wanted to spend my nickel. With some candy, you got two for one penny. If you bought a strip of colored dots, you got a lot. Wax teeth cost a little more, and there was nothing to eat. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Mr. Berman was always patient and never rushed you to make a choice. Sometimes you might feel like having some nuts. However, you had to buy 5 cents worth of nuts. At 6 years old, this was very difficult. Did you want pumpkin seeds, pistachios or Indian nuts? Cashews were way too expensive – you did not get very many for your nickel. One morning, my bubbe asked me to go to Guttin’s bakery to buy yeast. She gave me two
pennies. Even as a small child, I thought this was very little money, and I asked if she would give me a nickel and I would buy 5 cents worth of yeast. Bubbe said, “Are you meshugga? You want I should buy 3 cents more than I need?” Mr. Kaplan’s store was on our street. I guess it was a convenience store. I went there when something was needed “in a pinch.” However, Mr. Kaplan had fresh Vienna rolls every day. I never minded running over to get a fresh roll for breakfast when I was asked. It seemed to me that my bubbe was always in the pantry, cooking, and she always listened to her soap operas on the radio – “Stella Dallas,” “Our Gal Sunday” and “One Man’s Family,” to name a few. Sometimes she would shake her head and say, “Such Americana problems.” When TV soap operas became popular, and a few soap operas were still on the radio, walking into Bubbe’s house was very noisy … she had the radio on in the pantry and the TV on in the kitchen. Somehow, she managed to keep track of all the characters’ lives. MAY-RONNY ZEIDMAN is executive director of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, in Providence.
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| WE ARE READ
December 21, 2018 |
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MARILYN AND MICHAEL SMITH of Warwick celebrated 50 years of marriage this year. After a celebratory dinner with their children and grandchildren, they embarked on a trip to Spain.
Hanukkah at the Senior Café
WE ARE READ IN ISRAEL – Phyllis Solod’s son-in-law,Yariv Bloomberg, grandson, Sivan A. A. Solod, daughter, Dr. Lynne A. Solod, (Front row) granddaughter, Ofri, grandson, Adi, and granddaughter, Aviya Bloomberg visited from Tel Aviv, Israel, recently.
WE ARE READ IN ISRAEL – Susan and Howie Bromberg relax recently at Mitzpe Ramon after a few busy weeks in Israel.
24 | December 21, 2018
The Jewish Voice
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