October 2, 2015 by Jewish Rhode Island

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

SENIORS

19 Tishri 5776 | October 2, 2015

PHOTO | JEWISH ALLIANCE OF GREATER R.I.

Got kids for the day?

favorite fall activities for young and old

BY FRAN OSTENDORF fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org

hen there are children around and it’s time to have some fun, we’ve got the list for you. Are the grandkids in town? Do your kids have some free time? Fall is a perfect time for outdoor activities. Then, the weather turns and what do you do? Our area has a wealth of things that can be enjoyed by all ages. You may want to try a few of these on your own – no children needed! ACTIVITIES | 15

PHOTO | COURTESY ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO

Sukkot around town

If you don’t have a sukkah in your yard, you’ve seen one at the synagogue or perhaps in your neighbor’s yard. Even Roger Williams Park Zoo has a sukkah for the holiday. It’s located across from the Meller-Danforth Education Center. We’re interested in what your sukkah looks like. Send us a photo, and we might just run it in The Voice (be sure to include your name and contact information).

Seven Israeli expat writers to watch BY BETH KISSILEFF JTA – Israelis get around the globe, as anyone who has traveled to Thailand, Goa or Patagonia knows. Writers, too, are known for living outside the lands of their birth – Czech-born Milan Kundera lives in Paris and writes in French; Jhumpa Lahiri moved to Rome in 2012 and wrote her fi rst book in Italian earlier this year, and last year Arab-Israeli writer Sayed

Kashua decamped to Champaign, Illinois, and continues to write in his adopted tongue, Hebrew. So perhaps it comes as no surprise that there’s no shortage of Israeli writers who have made their homes in various corners of the globe. Some have adopted the language of their resident country and choose to write in it; others continue to write in Hebrew.

The proliferation of Israeli writers living abroad hasn’t been without controversy: in January, Israel’s top literary award, the Sapir Prize, was awarded to Reuven Namdar, an Israeli who resides in New York. He was the fi rst writer living outside Israel to receive it, and in the aftermath of his victory Israel passed a new law restricting the prize to writers living in Israel full time.

Though the number of Hebrew authors living abroad and writing prizeworthy books may be small, their work begs the question of whether or not Israeli culture can have global reach. Here are some snapshots of Israeli writers worth following around the world:

WRITERS | 23

Sayed Kashua

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COMMUNITY

2 | October 2, 2015

The Jewish Voice

Learn about cancer with Miriam Hospital women

INSIDE Business 24-25 Calendar 11

The Miriam Hospital Women’s Association Oct. 29 meeting features a program, “Cracking the Code: Using Genetic Codes to Fight Cancer.” Speakers are Susan Korber, MS,RN,OCN,NE-BC, administrative director, and Carolyn Bartley, project director, Rhode Island Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Classified 26 Community 2-4, 10, 13, 15, 17, 28-29 D’Var Torah 7 Food 12 Nation 5, 30 Obituaries 27

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Hurvitz Board Room at The Miriam Hospital, 164 Summit Ave., Providence. A light supper will be served. RSVP by Oct. 21 to 401-7932520. Program managers are Sherry Cohen and Lezli Pious; Co-presidents of the women’s association are Sharon Ferreri and Margaret Lederer.

Opinion 8-9 Seniors 15-16, 18-19, 21-22, 26

Wilma Barshaw, left, Jeﬀrey Padwa and Susan Leach DeBlasio

Sing Out for Peace at Temple Habonim

Simchas | We Are Read 31 World 23

Sing Out for Peace, a multicultural interfaith celebration benefiting Rhode Island for Community and Justice, will take place Oct. 25 at 4 p.m. at Temple Habonim in Barrington. Four groups will present music from a variety of backgrounds in what’s sure to be an inspiring program. Prafulla Velury and her students present classical Kuchipudi dance and Carnatic music from southern India. Waleed Muhammad, a Muslim chaplain, singer-songwriter, guitarist and recording artist will sing songs of spirit and hope. The Prism of Praise Community Gospel Choir, a

THIS ISSUE’S QUOTABLE QUOTE “We all have a narrative, a story that we tell ourselves about ourselves.”

KR A Z

multiracial ethnically diverse Christian choir, spreads good news through song and witness. And the Ruach Singers of Temple Habonim build community by exploring connections between Jewish, African and African-American sacred music. Seating is limited. Ticket information is available online at TempleHabonim.org. Tickets will be available at the door if the event is not sold out. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. For questions, call 401-2456536. All proceeds go to Rhode Island for Community and Justice, fighting bias, bigotry and racism. Temple Habonim is at 165 New Meadow Road.

Coming to the Dwares JCC October 2015!

JSA board meeting and BBQ BY DIANE DOWIOT The Jewish Seniors Agency of Rhode Island and its newly formed Leadership Development Task Force held an end-ofsummer cookout with a quarterly board meeting on Sept. 17 at The Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence in Warwick. The group included board members as well as guests. President Jeffrey Padwa thanked everyone for attending. He said, “When you can put together a gathering such as this, it is an opportunity to showcase the great programs the Agency has to offer.” Jewish community leaders were also invited to attend. A sumptuous buffet, which everyone enjoyed, was served on the patio on a

Meet four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lenny Krayzelburg!

beautiful summer evening. In the end, the number one question from a majority of participants and guests was, “What is the date for next year?” DIANE DOWIOT is executive assistant at the Jewish Seniors Agency of Rhode Island.

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It’s back and it’s better An Evening of Jewish Renaissance: Redesigned BY LARRY KATZ Experience An Evening of Jewish Renaissance like never before! Many certainly remember The Judge Marjorie Yashar and Dr. James Yashar Evening of Jewish Renaissance, which annually attracted hundreds of people to presentations on Jewish life, education and culture on Saturday evenings. Following a hiatus, the Jewish Alliance has redesigned this evening. Joining Rhode Island presenters will be those from out of state for a night of diverse learning opportunities, discussions, presentations and interactive experiences. Participants will have a chance to learn about the many facets of Jewish culture. On the program for the evening of Nov. 14 are authors, representatives of local arts programs, local rabbis and food and wine ex-

perts. There will be a panel discussion on medical ethics, storytelling sessions, and presentations on parenting, politics and Israel. Short films, music and food will be featured, as well as martial arts demonstrations and meditation. Books written by the authors present will be available for purchase. There is no charge to attend the entire evening’s program, thanks to the generosity of The Judge Marjorie Yashar and Dr. James Yashar Fund of the Jewish Federation Foundation and the Jewish Book Council. Registration for the various sessions will take place from Nov. 1-10. You can also register at the door. More details will be available as the event nears. For more information contact Jana Brenman at jbrenman@ jewishallianceri.org.

COMMUNITY

October 2, 2015 |

Powerful human stories from no-man’s land BY LARRY KATZ Where but in Jerusalem would the UN declare a cease-fire so that nuns could search for the lost dentures of a dying woman? Where else would installing a toilet become an international incident? Where else would an Arab on one side of the barbed wire fetch flowers from the Jordanian side for a Jew on the Israeli side? While most books on the Arab-Israeli conflict focus on politics and war, Dion Nissenbaum tells about life along the cease-fire line that divided Jerusalem for 19 years and that was supplanted by ever more daunting cultural, emotional and political barriers separating Arab and Jew in his book “A Street Divided: Stories From Jerusalem’s Alley of God.” Nissenbaum takes readers straight into the human heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This 300-yard dead end street has been the home to priests, prostitutes, poets and spies, where snipers could open up without warning. It has been the stage for an improbable flirtation between an Israeli girl and a Palestinian boy living on opposite sides of the barbed wire that separated enemy nations. It has even been the scene of an unsolved international murder. If some people have their way, this old dividing line will one day become the border separating Israel and Palestine. In a beautiful narrative,

Dion Nissenbaum “A Street Divided” offers an intimate look at the remarkable Israeli and Palestinian families living on one of the world’s most contentious pieces of land. Dion Nissenbaum is an award-winning national security reporter in Washington for The Wall Street Journal. Previously, Nissenbaum served as a senior correspondent in Afghanistan, where he traveled around the country on his own and with the U.S. military. His book, “A Street Divided,” retells stories from along “Barbed Wire Alley,” which was also the home for four years to this winner of the National Press Club

award for diplomatic correspondence. The book was published on Sept. 22. You can find his interview online from that day with Renee Montagne, who quizzed him about the book on NPR’s Morning Edition. Nissenbaum will speak Nov. 14, at An Evening of Jewish Renaissance: Redesigned, brought to you by the Judge Marjorie Yashar and Dr. James Yashar Fund of the Jewish Federation Foundation. Copies of “A Street Divided: Stories From Jerusalem’s Alley of God” will be available for purchase at the event.

Why should you be a member of Jewish War Veterans? The bond that joined your parents and grandparents with JWV joins all veterans today. Whether you served during WWII or Korea, peacetime or stateside, whether you served during Vietnam or the Middle East wars, active or reserve, you are a Veteran that can be heard. Do you want to have a voice? You have a common bond with other veterans of all ages. Join us and keep the tradition alive. Be a part of the long, proud tradition of the Jewish War Veterans. For information contact:

Jewish War Veterans Department of Rhode Island PO Box 100064 | Cranston, RI 02910 by email to: JWV.RI.DEPARTMENT@gmail.com

COMMUNITY

4 | October 2, 2015

The Jewish Voice

Jewish Alliance hosts ‘Beautiful’ evening at PPAC BY HILLARY SCHULMAN hschulman@jewishallianceri. org PROVIDENCE, R.I. – On Sept. 20, more than 80 of the Jewish Alliance’s major donors gathered at the Providence Performing Arts Center for the Pacesetter and Lion of Judah Reception, where they saw “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” Hosting the evening were Pacesetter chairs Susan Froehlich and Ralph Posner, and Lion of Judah chairs Cheryl Greenfeld Teverow and Cindy Feinstein. The musical was preceded by a dinner reception featuring speaker Daniel Combs, a Newport native and graduate student at Columbia University. Combs spent two years in Ethiopia working with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) at a spine center, helping Ethiopians get treatment for debilitating spine diseases. He also spent time in the Philippines with the JDC, working with communities that were ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Combs spoke eloquently

about how the JDC responds to crises in developing countries, and how the Alliance’s support of the JDC is crucial. The host of the event, 2016 Annual Campaign Chair Mitzi Berkelhammer, thanked the Alliance’s major donors for contributing $2.5 million of the $3.2 million raised last year. Attendees were reminded how much their gifts mean to the community and urged to promote philanthropic perpetuity in their families. Alliance Board Chair Sharon Gaines spoke about the specific initiatives the Jewish Alliance is engaged with, including the Dwares JCC Capital Campaign and Living on the Edge. After the dinner reception, the Pacesetters, Lions of Judah and board members in attendance were entertained by the music of Carole King. The superb performance had the audience singing along the entire show. HILLARY SCHULMAN is a development associate in philanthropy for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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(Left to right) Alliance President and CEO, Jeﬀrey K. Savit, Board Chair, Sharon Gaines, Lion of Judah Chair Cheryl Greenfeld Teverow, Vice President of Philanthropy Mitzi Berkelhammer, and Pacesetter Co-Chairs Susan Froehlich and Ralph Posner (Not pictured: Lion of Judah chair Cindy Feinstein).

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October 2, 2015 |

OP-ED

Why Pope Francis has given religion a good name again BY RABBI RICK JACOBS NEW YORK (JTA) – This is a momentous week, not only because it is Judaism’s most sacred season, but also because as we welcome 5776, we in North America are also welcoming Pope Francis, one of the most inspiring religious leaders of our time. Rather than hiding in medieval liturgical texts, this pope has made his home in the modern world. From day one, he has been stripping away centuries of unbending and encrusted rules to uncover a living spark of godliness in an ungodly age. His words are as refreshing as they are unsettling, but his heart is always open, always ready to embrace those who have been driven from the church by morally corrosive scandals and unyielding strictures. Rather than offering abstract sermons on human dignity, Pope Francis washes the feet of the prisoners and kisses those whom society casts out. He’s the real deal, not some carefully scripted religious bureaucrat. People feel the authenticity and depth of his faith, making us take notice, and enabling us to put aside our differences. Without changing one single doctrine, he’s changed everything. Early in his papacy, he refused to wag his fi nger at LGBT members of his flock, asking rhetorically, “Who am I to judge?” The answer might have been, “You’re the pope, and traditionally one of your jobs has been to judge everyone and everything.” But not this pope. Although he could have chosen to sit in papal splendor high above his flock, instead he chooses simplicity and modesty. The word “pontificate” comes from all the traditional associations with his high ecclesiastical office; nonetheless, Pope Francis has

PHOTO | MARSHALL H. COHEN

Pope Francis greeted members of Congress, their families, and thousands on the Mall of the U.S. Capitol following his speech before a joint meeting of Congress Sept. 24. He was accompanied on the Speaker’s Balcony by Vice President Joe Biden (far left), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Speaker of the House John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi. The following day, Boehner announced his resignation from both his leadership and House seat mid-term, eﬀective Oct. 30. yet to pontificate. In his fi rst in-depth interview after his election as pope, he expressed a stunning humility about his own belief and leadership: “If one has the answers to all the questions – that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble.” Imagine if Pope Francis had presided over the Catholic Church during World War II. How many more Jewish refugees might have found shelter in Catholic houses of worship and homes? Just days ago, as Europe’s train stations teemed with refugees from Syria and elsewhere, this pope didn’t need to convene the church’s vast hierarchy to weigh the options. He knew instantly that reli-

gious faith requires welcome, love and care. As an imperative from his clear, genuine faith, Pope Francis’ advocacy is incredibly gutsy. Unafraid to take on the gods of Western civilization on behalf of the poor and voiceless, he connects the plagues of modern society to the systemic causes of poverty by confront-

ing climate change, consumer capitalism and human rights violators. By inviting us all to take up these causes, he not only demonstrates his recognition that taking action is a necessary result of speaking truth, but also that, together, we can have greater influence. Don’t get me wrong. I pray that after redirecting the tra-

JTA – Pope Francis made an unscheduled visit in Philadelphia to a statue that refutes centuries of anti-Semitic imagery in Catholic art. The pope and his friend, Buenos Aires Rabbi Abraham Skorka, on Sept. 27 visited the campus of St. Joseph’s University so that the pope could bless the sculpture “Synagoga and Ecclesia in Our Time,” commissioned by the university’s Insti-

tute for Jewish-Catholic Relations. Two days earlier, Skorka had served as keynote speaker at the dedication of the work by artist Joshua Koffman, the Forward reported. The sculpture shows a female figure representing the church sitting next to another female figure representing the synagogue, each holding their holy scriptures, which they appear to be discussing. It is meant

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Pope Francis visits Catholic-Jewish statue in Philadelphia

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jectory of his church, he will update many of the doctrines and practices that seem so out of touch with the spiritual yearning of those who would otherwise be faithful. In time,he will need to do more than set a new tone. Deep structural change is no doubt required. His critics are not wrong that Pope Francis has not yet offered specific proposals. Of course, the world does not need another policy wonk; it needs a religious leader. Is it possible that he will usher in a new era of Reform Catholicism? Although that may sound like a contradiction in terms or a recreation of the Protestant Reformation, we haven’t yet seen the full effect of this pope’s vision for the church. Like so many others, I will be watching closely – this week and beyond. Pope Francis articulates a religious agenda that is far more profound and elemental than the intricacies of church doctrine. And because he has opened the heart of the church widely to focus on what matters most, he has won the admiration of the faithful and the previously faithless. In so doing, he is giving religion a good name.

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to counter centuries of art in which the Christian “Ecclesia” wearing a crown stands triumphant, while a woman representing “Synagoga” is blindfolded and her staff broken “This statue is exactly a demonstration of two sisters of the same dignity, the church and the synagogue,” Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi told reporters before the pope’s visit to the statue.

6 | October 2, 2015

The Jewish Voice

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D’VAR TORAH

October 2, 2015 |

There’s meaning in the details There is a particularly “Jewish way” of reading the Bible that is notably different from the way that other religious traditions read their sacred texts. Because Judaism sees Torah as being divinely gifted to us, there is an assumption that every RABBI tiny detail of JEFFREY the Torah has GOLDWASSER s i g n i f ic a nc e and meaning. Sometimes, we even search out minute grammatical clues to find hidden secrets within the text. Judaism tends to read the Torah with a figurative microscope. Often, modern Jews view such attention to the Bible’s minutiae as an exercise in hyperpious navel gazing. Sometimes, we think that attention to tiny detail is just a way of finding whatever it is that we want to find in the text. Both of those things, I think, are sometimes

true, but I have found that extremely close readings of the text can often reveal insights that are both profound and clearly part of the Torah’s true intention. This week’s Torah portion contains a classic example of a minute detail that carries tremendous meaning. Let’s start at the beginning… literally. This week’s Torah portion is B’reishit, the first Torah portion that begins our annual reading of the Torah. It’s famous first words are, “B’reishit bara Elohim,” which is usually translated as, “In the beginning, God created…” On the whole, it is not a bad way of putting the words into English. However, this translation fails to convey a stunning fact about Hebrew grammar and the Bible. The very first verse of the Bible, the very first word, and the very first letter, contains what may be called a grammatical “mistake.” One thousand years ago, the great commentator, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (known as Rashi), observed that the word b’reishit cannot be explained grammati-

cally in this verse. The vowel called “sh’va” is under the letter bet in the word b’reishit, which means that the word must be in the “construct state” (s’michut). This is the form of a noun that is the first part of a noun-noun pair. (We have noun-noun pairs in English, too, in words and phrases like “doorknob,” “dining room” and “house-builder.” However, in Hebrew, unlike English, there are complicated grammatical rules for creating such pairs.) Because the word b’reishit is in the construct state, it should be translated as “In the beginning of.” If the text had wanted to say “In the beginning, God created,” there would have been a simple way of saying that by changing the sh’va to a kamatz –”bareishit” instead of “b’reishit.” Rashi points out that in every other place in the Hebrew Bible that contains the word b’reishit (there are four more of them) the word clearly has this meaning. For example, in Jeremiah 26:1 we read, “B’reishit mamlechut Yehoyakim,” “In the beginning of the kingdom of Je-

hoiakim.” The form of the word b’reishit can only mean “in the beginning of...,” and the word that follows it should be a noun that answers the question, “in the beginning of what?” The problem – from a grammatical point of view – is that the word following b’reishit in Genesis 1:1 is not a noun. The next word is bara, a verb that means, “He created.” A wordby-word translation of the whole phrase, b’reishit bara Elohim, would have to be something like: “In the beginning of God created.” Obviously, that is not going to work as a translation into English because it doesn’t make any sense in English. How do we understand, then, the first three words of the Hebrew Bible? Why does the Bible begin with a phrase that is such an untranslatable, ungrammatical mess? Obviously, it is not just a “mistake.” The unusual grammar of the first word of the Bible – even though very small – must have some intentional significance. As Rashi says, the detail is screaming out to be in-

terpreted. When did God create the world? It was in the beginning of God created the world. The tautology makes no grammatical sense or temporal sense, but it makes great spiritual sense. The world was created, but it never stopped being created. The world has a beginning, but it is a beginning that has never ceased. The Torah begins by telling us that it does not exist in time the way that other stories do. It exists in a suspended moment that cannot be pinpointed on a timeline. The difference of one little vowel in the pronunciation of one word can convey a meaning that can change the way we read the entire Torah. “B’reishit bara Elohim.” In the beginning of the beginning that is always beginning, God created the creation that is still. RABBI JEFFREY GOLDWASSER is the spiritual leader of Temple Sinai in Cranston. He is the author of the blog “Reb Jeff,” from which this d’var Torah is adapted.

Why Shemini Atzeret is the pinnacle of the High Holy Days season BY SARAH CHANDLER NEW YORK (JTA) — You might not know it, but Shemini Atzeret is the pinnacle of the High Holy Days season. Not Rosh Hashanah, when our fates for the year are traditionally written, nor Yom Kippur, when they are sealed. Shemini Atzeret, the oft-forgotten coda that comes at the end of the Sukkot festival, trumps them all. That’s not just my opinion. The rabbis and ancient Israelites knew it, too. According to the agrarian roots of the Jewish calendar, the date of Shemini Atzeret is timed to the start of the rainy season in Israel. In the holiday’s Musaf (additional) service, we recite Tefillat Geshem, the prayer for rain, in which we ask God not only for rain but for the right amount of rain — “livracha velo liklala” (for a blessing and not a curse); rain that will sustain a people with fertile crops, not drown them in torrential floods. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur merely functioned as preparation for this precarious time. In the Yom Kippur avodah service, the following prayer of the high priest is recited: “When the world is in need of rain, do not permit the prayers of the travelers with regard to rain to gain

entrance before You.” The prayers and sacrifices of the High Holy Days were meant to prove our worth so that the harvest season continued smoothly and we merited rain once it was time to plant again. In ancient times, Sukkot opened with a water-drawing ritual which, by pouring out the remains of last year’s water, symbolized faith that the coming year’s rains would fall just in time. Today we still beat willow branches on the last day of Sukkot, Hoshannah Rabbah, pleading for salvation in the form of rain. Then, having completed a full week of waving the four species on Sukkot – each of which requires a significant amount of water to produce — we set it down and wait for the ultimate judgment. It makes sense that Diaspora Jews tend not to focus on the agricultural roots of the High Holy Days. As citizens of an industrialized society, praying for rain tends not to be at the top of our to-do lists. Most of us simply take it for granted that substantial food will be shipped in from wherever it can grow. Theologically, we’ve moved away from this as well. Most contemporary religious ideologies no longer equate following God’s laws with receiving enough

rain for our crops to survive. The Reform movement has even removed from its prayer books the second paragraph of the Shema, which links observance of the commandments to the provision of rain, to make the bold statement that as modern Jews, we do not believe we can influence God to change the weather. And yet, scientific research increasingly points to the fact that human actions can have an effect on the climate — and, in turn, the weather. Moreover, no matter how technologically advanced our society becomes, life as we know it will continue to depend on sufficient rainfall. And so we should continue to say Tefillat Geshem — not because we believe that fasting and chest pounding will bring rain, but because it reminds us of the delicate balance necessary for life to thrive on this planet. Our petitions to God are more than requests to act on our behalf. A responsible, modern religious ethos serves two seemly contradictory functions: on the one hand, our request that God reward our weeks of repentance with the blessing of rain affirms our lack of dominion; on the other, calling out to God implores us to act by reminding us of our respon-

R.I. philanthropist announces $15M pledge to local Feinstein leadership schools Alan Shawn Feinstein, CEO of the Feinstein Foundation, announces a pledge of $15 million over the next 10 years to local elementary and middle schools encouraging their students to help others in need. These students, known as Feinstein Jr. Scholars, now number more than 200,000 since Feinstein started this program 22 years ago. In ad-

dition to doing thousands of good deeds helping others every year, these Jr. Scholars and their schools spearhead the Feinstein annual campaign to fight hunger, which has raised over $2.5 billion to date. Several Rhode Island colleges offer special scholarship consideration to these students. There are now more than

150 schools in the Feinstein program. “These funds are to be used solely at the discretion of their schools’ principals for the betterment of their students,” Feinstein stated, “and must not in any way reduce the funding normally allotted these schools by their respective cities and towns.”

sibilities. In modern times, we need both scientists and activists telling us what to do, as well as the faith that there are systems beyond our control. It is both a recognition and a release of our power. As we enter the High Holy Days season, a renewed recognition of ancient Judaism’s relationship to the earth has great potential to bring us closer to the rhythms of the seasons, and in turn can lead to a more sustainable future for the planet. The countdown to Shemini Atzeret can be an awakening for us to recognize the sanctity of our planet’s resources. Through honoring this often overlooked day, by calling out loud that rain should fall, we ask that our community be aligned with the natural cycles of the earth — for blessing and not for curse. SARAH CHANDLER is the manager of Farm Forward’s Jewish outreach campaign, which supports Jewish organizations in promoting conscientious food choices, reducing farm animal suffering and advancing sustainable agriculture. She previously was the director of the earth-based spiritual practice at Hazon’s Adamah Farm.

Candle Lighting Times Greater Rhode Island

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October 23

5:23

8 | October 2, 2015

OPINION

Falling into a comfortable routine A walk in the woods. A stroll on an empty beach. A ride out of town to get pumpkins. An afternoon spent picking apples. The next afternoon making applesauce. Fall has always been my favorite season. I was the kid who always liked to go back to EDITOR school (despite the sleepless nights before FRAN the first day). OSTENDORF And the tradition continued with our kids. The anticipation started when the class lists were posted on the front doors of the local elementary school several days before the start of classes. Discussions revolved around who was in which class and what the new teacher would be like. At some point, several weeks into the school year, we started visiting an orchard somewhere in Rhode Island and spending a little time picking apples. I can’t really explain why or how this happens, but the annual trek became a family tradition. So much so that it continues today, even though the kids have moved out. They come home just to go to a favorite orchard and then they leave again, taking only a few handfuls of our apple harvest. Of course, as the years have gone by, the number of apples filling the bags has grown and grown. Like many family traditions, the apple-picking moments are, well, priceless. We would always return home to bake muffins and make crisps (known as apple stuff in our family). And, of course, applesauce. Now, I sometimes find myself alone in the kitchen making sauce.

But, the sauce is a labor of love – and it just tastes so much better than anything you buy in a store. The last of the homemade sauce always appears on the table at Hanukkah with the latkes: It’s another family tradition. The kids (yes, they are grown, but they’ll always be kids, won’t they?) are sometimes upset that we continue this without them – as though family traditions don’t count if they aren’t involved. But my husband and I have enjoyed trying new orchards and new varieties of apples on our few outings to pick without an entourage. This year, I bought freshpicked apples at a farmers market a few weeks ago. Our apple picking, for the first time, threatens to be a victim of too much to do and too little time. It seemed too early for apples, but the people at the farm stand said they’d been picking for several weeks. They say it’s a great year for apples in Rhode Island. I felt badly about letting go of a tradition and missing out on part of the joy of the season. But the applesauce is still part of the picture. Did I mention I make sauce the old-fashioned way? I’ve got the food mill out, and soon I’ll be quartering the apples and cooking them with a little cider in the big pot. It makes a pretty pink applesauce, no need for color enhancement. There are already some apple muffins in the freezer. And I think a crisp will be on the menu soon. Some traditions, I’ve learned, still work even after a few modifications to accommodate our always busy lifestyles. I’m trying to stick with as many traditions as I can. So, with or without the entire family, I’m always ready for the traditional ride to apple country!

Re: Sketchbook (Aug. 7)

I want to thank Mike Fink and the Rhode Island Jewish Voice for the extremely kind article “Native Son Publishes Treasure of a Book.” I have been a fan of Mike and a loyal reader of his articles for many years, but never imagined that I would be a subject – it didn’t take a village, but a book to get there! I have enjoyed Fink’s style of not only getting to the soul of those interviewed, but also interjecting some association with his personal biog-

raphy into the text – a unique device in biography, used by many well-known authors and journalists. The Voice is a wonderful paper for those of us who, although far from home plate, still remain loyal Rhode Islanders and need to keep our links relevant. Marshall H. Cohen Author/Photographer President: American Scandinavian Association of the Washington Capital Area

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

On the uses of violence in fiction Providence-based novelist Jon Land writes the kind of actionpacked books I can’t put down. Once I begin a Land novel, I accept the fact that I will be staying up late the following few nights, turning pages in order to find out what happens next. Land has a IT SEEMS genius for plot development. TO ME In novel after novel – he has RABBI JIM written 36 – he ROSENBERG juggles multiple subplots and somehow manages to bring them all together into a single satisfying conclusion. I have read at least 10 of Land’s novels. Between 2000 and 2005, Land asked me to comment on the pre-publication drafts of five of his novels, all stories that arose out of the seemingly intractable conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. In addition to crafting a complex narrative web for each of these five books, Land explored the evolving personal relationship between his two major protagonists: Ben Kamal, a Palestinian-American detective, and Danielle Barnea, his detective colleague who worked in Israel’s National Police bureaucracy. Land has a way of making us care about his characters. During the past several years, Land has written a series of novels based upon the exploits of Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong. This month, “Strong Light of Day,” the seventh novel in the series, will be published by Forge. The cast of characters from the previous six books has returned: Along with Caitlin Strong, the brash 40ish Texas Ranger, the reader is reintroduced to her lover, Cort Wesley Masters; his teenage sons, Dylan and Luke; Guillermo Paz, the 7-foot ruffian with a sometimes heart of gold; and the ghost of the old man Leroy Epps. Whether “real” or a figment of Cort Wesley’s imagination, Epps manages to turn up at just the right time. As is typical for a Land story, “Strong Light of Day” is continually jumping back and forth in time and place: One moment, it is 1983; another moment, it is the present. We are in one of several different locations in Texas; and then we are in New York City; then Kiev, Ukraine;

then Manhattan, Kansas; then Penza, Russia; then Washington, D.C. The feel of Land’s fiction is cinematic: enhanced by his frequent use of crosscutting, the rapid-fire interweaving of two or more scenes. Indeed, when I interviewed Land in July 2014, he told me that his books “are novelizations of nonexistent movies.” On July 29, I met with Land to discuss the use of violence in his fiction. I wanted to talk about a particularly gruesome scene in “Strong Light of Day.” At the beginning of our give-and-take, Land stressed that “violence for its own sake is exploitive”

a n d that a writer should never use violence “as a bludgeon.” Land went on to draw a distinction between using violence as a “plot point” and using violence as a “character point.” Violence used as plot point advances the story. The prologue to “Strong Light of Day” opens in 1983 with a bar room brawl in San Antonio, Texas; the antagonists are Caitlin’s father, Jim Strong, and Cort Wesley’s father, Boone Masters. On one level, their fight seems extremely violent – “chunks, splinters and shards” of a broken chair “amid a shower of glasses toppled from the shelves;” both men wind up in the hospital. Nevertheless, the scene seems deliberately staged, slapstick, almost cartoonish. At the same time, this violent episode does provide a back story to the relationship between Caitlin and Cort Wesley. In addition, the fight brings “the Russian mob” into the story, and 30 years later the offshoot of this mob will play an integral role in the plot. By way of contrast, some scenes of violence are not plot points but character points;

that is to say, they are created not to advance the narrative but rather to tell us something about the protagonists. In his most recent book, as he proceeds to unfold a number of different plot lines, Land brings us to New York City and introduces us to Calum Dane, CEO of Dane Corp., a behemoth conglomerate with interests in petro-chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and electronics. Dane is perhaps the most frightening villain found in any of Land’s novels – frightening because he is so believable, believable in his narcissism, believable in his cruelty. Deeply scarred by the death of his older son in Afghanistan and by his inability to accept the homosexuality of his surviving son, he is a lost, and therefore dangerous soul, the embodiment of evil. Isolated by his vast financial power, he is a man without any sense of limits, a prisoner of deep and dark emotions, which he cannot control. When Dane goes to the Manhattan hotel room of Brandon McCabe, a young cripple who dared to challenge him at his company’s annual meeting, Land creates a scene of violent fury unlike anything I have read in his other works. It is a scene I cannot forget and do not want to forget; for it warns of our ever-present human capacity to explode into mindless, all-consuming violence. As Land pointed out to me, the violence in Brandon McCabe’s hotel room is visceral and personal – personal because one can imagine oneself being in Brandon’s situation. On more than one occasion, Land has made clear to me that he is a “commercial” rather than a “literary” novelist; he wants to sell books. It is no accident that I have found every one of his books highly entertaining. Should you pick up a copy of “Strong Light of Day” when it comes out later this month, I can almost guarantee that you will be entertained. In addition to experiencing a rollicking roller-coaster ride of nonstop adventure, you will also be taking a more disturbing journey into the heart of our own human darkness. JAMES B. ROSENBERG is rabbi emeritus of Temple Habonim in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.

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OPINION

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October 2, 2015 |

Israel-China romance is based on ancient values BY ALEXANDER B. PEVZNER JTA – The rise of a new global power usually creates tensions with the incumbent superpower, and the United StatesChina duo is no exception. At their summit last week in Washington, D.C., Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping spoke of progress in some areas, such as cyber espionage and climate change, but skirted more contentious issues, such as China’s reclamation of contested islands in the South China Sea and human rights. While the U.S. and China are managing an uneasy relationship, Israel and China are in the midst of a romance. With fewer potentially clashing interests, both countries are invested in boosting the bilateral relationship – and historical and cultural affinities are greasing the diplomatic wheels. On the face of it, Israel and China could not be more different. There is the geographic distance, the huge disparity in size (the entire population of Israel is about one-third that of China’s capital city, Beijing), the thousands of years of cultural divergence and the different political systems. But there is plenty of common ground if the Jews and Chinese want to find it – and they do. Israel and China both see themselves as ancient nations, a commonality that is

BY JERRY FOGEL My name is Jerry Fogel. I live in Providence. I am a recovering Democrat. I, too, have been afflicted long term by the delusion that because they support social programs, Democrats are our friends and allies. Torah teaches compassion for the unfortunate, for strangers. These values are endemic to Jewish teaching, so we should be Democrats. I admit to being party to this folly. I loved JFK. When he was assassinated, I felt I’d lost a family member. Like all Americans, I can picture the exact moment I learned of his murder. When Bobby Kennedy was shot, I screamed at the TV. My parents taught me reverence for Roosevelt. I admire Harry Truman’s courage in supporting statehood for Israel. My son’s name is Harry. I gave Bill Clinton slack for his philandering. In 2008, I made phone calls for moveon.org to break the Republican lock on Congress, and it worked! And, to my shame and regret, I supported Barack Obama in 2006, gave money to his campaign, cried tears of gratitude when he was elected. So you see, haverim, I am a deeply flawed man who has adhered to a destructive belief for too long. We are a stiff-necked people and slow to change. Like an alcoholic, I will always have the worm in my gut. I like social justice. I want universal health care. I help homeless people. But I have seen the light, and I now know the truth: The Democratic Party is not good for the Jewish people or for Israel, the land God promised us if we are faithful, the beautiful, courageous

important to the Chinese, who take history seriously. And the countries actually share quite a few cultural values, such as a strong emphasis on family and education, a work ethic and a passion for learning. Ancient Jewish and Chinese thinkers even independently came to the golden rule. The Talmudic saying by Hillel the Elder, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow” (Shabbat 31:1), and which is said to summarize the entire Torah, has an exact equivalent in a saying attributed to Confucius: “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” (James Legge translation, “Analects,” 15:23) Further, the Chinese have no history of anti-Semitism. Jews, most likely from Persia and Iraq, have been living in China since at least the 10th century without suffering persecution. During World War II, some 20,000 European Jews found refuge from the Nazis in Shanghai. With Jews now facing increasing hostility in Europe, China’s attitude is a welcome respite. Israel and China have certainly had their disagreements – revolutionary China sided with the Arabs in the Middle East during the 1960s and ’70s. But the past few years have seen an unprecedented strengthening of ties spurred by the governments on both sides. Faced with an increasingly challenging international environment and a geopoliti-

cal realignment in the region, Israel understands it must strengthen its ties with China because of the latter’s importance to Israel’s security. There is also the obvious lure of the huge Chinese market. Amid the upheaval in the Middle East, China has realized that Israel is one of its few stable and reliable partners in the region, which it will need help navigating as it seeks to meet its growing energy needs. China is also interested in what Israel has to offer in technological innovation and creativity as it tries to upgrade its industrial base and move away from exportsbased economic growth. The upshot is trade and investment are reaching new highs and relations between the governments have been upgraded to include semi-annual dialogue at the level of deputy foreign ministers. The two countries have agreed to launch talks to conclude a free-trade agreement. From Alibaba to Fosun and Ping An to Baidu, Chinese firms are investing in Israeli technology – providing Israel with funds, thousands of jobs and access to the world’s largest consumer market. The iconic Israeli food and dairy cooperative Tnuva Group was bought last year by the Chinese state-owned conglomerate Bright Food (Group) Co. All this political and economic exchange is driving a mutual interest in the other’s

culture. Academic and tourist exchanges are flourishing. Israelis study the Chinese language in greater numbers, and the Chinese are becoming more and more interested in all things Jewish. Still, China’s political and energy interests in the Middle East and its comprehensive ties with the Arab world dictate a cautious approach to the region. China enjoys good relations with Iran based not on antipathy toward Israel, but on its desire to boost ties with the Persian Gulf and secure its western flank. To keep the romance going, Israel and China must stay focused on their similar traditions as well as their shared interests. At a reception last week for China’s National Day hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin emphasized these points, calling the Israel-China relationship “a friendship which honors and respects the oldest of traditions, but produces the most modern technology and economic development.” Let’s hope his speech was translated into Mandarin. ALEXANDER B. PEVZNER is the founding director of The Chinese Media Center at the School of Media Studies of The College of Management Academic Studies in Rishon LeZion, Israel.

No American Jew should vote Democratic

land which gives sanctuary to ... us. The place where two of my daughters have raised their families, where you can keep Kosher and keep Shabbat with no hassle, because there it is normal. It is the place described in Eikev as: “a good land, a land with streams and springs and fountains issuing from plain and hill; a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey.” This is the country that the Palestinian Authority wants to attenuate with yet one more hostile state on its borders. This is the beautiful land that Iran wants to “wipe off the map.” Right after Obama’s cynical, sinister nuclear deal was approved in Lausanne, Switzerland, Iranian leaders vowed eternal enmity to America and Israel. Iranians massed in the streets, chanting, “Death to America! Death to Israel!” President Obama presses on with his nuclear agreement, which legitimizes Iran’s nuclear program, clears the way for THE BOMB in the not-distant future, frees billions for Iran’s nefarious activities. Democratic functionaries assure us that this will not happen. Have you read “1984” lately? Remember Newspeak and Doublethink? War is peace, freedom is slavery, and letting Iran have a nuclear program and lots of money is the only way to prevent them from making nuclear weapons and sponsoring terrorism. As my teenage daughter would say: “Yeah, right.” This is Obama’s legacy foreign policy. Why? Stop voting Democratic. I have.

Our Democratic president won’t acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and has insulted Israel’s prime minister. His first speech as president was to Cairo, not to Washington. He helped the Muslim Brotherhood take over Egypt. In 2010, Hillary Clinton condemned the building of Jewish homes in Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem. Building Jewish homes in Jerusalem undermines peace, but giving Iran a green light on a nuclear program is OK. In Congress, Lincoln Chafee, a Republican turned Democrat, was described as “a particularly strong opponent of AIPAC [American Israel Public Affairs Committee].” He criticized a “biblical influence on U.S. policy with respect to Israel,” opposes Jewish homes in Judea and Samaria, and is on the advisory council of J-Street, a group notoriously hostile to Zionism. In my mind, the pattern could not be clearer: Democratic politicians have adopted policies and positions that are unfriendly, if not dangerous, to Israel and to the Jewish people. And yet we continue to vote for them and support them financially because liberal ideas mesh with Jewish values of tzedakah. We need to stop being such a stiff-necked people and start giving our political loyalty to men and women who have genuine love and respect for our traditions and for the one and only Jewish state, Israel. One after the other, this is exactly what Republicans have demonstrated. Republicans defend Israel in the halls of Congress instead of picking the nation apart. They are on

our side. Check it out. With the Internet, it is very easy to listen to their speeches. It is refreshing to hear a politician who understands that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and deserves America’s full respect. We have to start giving Republicans a chance and stop supporting people who are

really not our allies. JERRY FOGEL is a Boston native who has lived in Providence since the mid ’80s. He has seven children, most of them grown, two teenagers still at home. He has family in Israel, is a teacher and writer and a registered Independent. He is a member of Temple Emanu-El in Providence.

LETTER Congressman’s decision on Iran Deal

Rep. David Cicilline has chosen to endorse a deal which supports a tyrannical regime that has sworn to wipe both America and Israel from the face of the earth. This is despite concerted and detailed efforts to explain to the congressman why Obama’s appeasement of Iran will be a national betrayal. By supporting the JCPOA, Cicilline is forfeiting our national security and sovereignty to the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose history of inspections in Iran has been an abject failure. This deal gives Iran billions in sanctions relief and also provides the P5+1 the opportunity for billions in trade deals with Iran. These countries will never walk away from remuneration in order to reimpose sanctions. Iran already has the largest chemical weapons arsenal in the region. This deal allows them to perfect their ICBM technology as well – a lethal combination. The Congressman, albeit indirectly, supports nuclear Jihad, the taking of American hostag-

es, the killing of our military; and by proxy Syria’s Assad, Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Muslim Brotherhood. His decision helps guarantee a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Remember Neda AghaSoltan? She was shot through the heart by a Basij militia sniper during the 2009 protests against the election of Ahmadinejad. While Obama did nothing to support those demonstrations, the Iranian mullahs ordered the torture, rape and murder of political prisoners and dissidents. Now the mullahs are flush with cash — and have secured a non-aggression pact from the West. Thanks to Obama’s capitulation with supporters like Cicilline the people of Iran will never know democracy or what it means to live in freedom. It seems clear Cicilline’s more concerned with politics than our national security. America’s going to regret this and we will not forget. Ron Stuart Warwick

10 | October 2, 2015

COMMUNITY

The Jewish Voice

Spend an evening with Tami Goodman ‘Jewish Jordan’ to speak at URI Norman M. Fain Hillel Center Basketball player Tamir Goodman was once dubbed “The Jewish Jordan” by Sports Illustrated. On Oct. 14 at 6:30 p.m., he will be featured in a program, “How to Dunk with Your Feet on the Ground: An Evening with Tamir Goodman” at the University of Rhode Island Norman M. Fain Hillel Center. Goodman will share his unique personal narrative and inspirational stories from his career as a professional basketball player in Israel. He will introduce four basketball techniques as a way of bringing out deeper messages, including the value of hard work, a strong identity, confidence/resilience and giving back. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of giving back to the community, and a fresh perspective on how to view challenges, while also gaining insight on how to use one’s strengths to be an effective leader. Originally from Maryland, Goodman was ranked a top 25 high school recruit in the U.S. He garnered national attention after averaging 35.4 point per game, all the while remaining faithful to his Jewish upbringing. After playing college ball for a year at Towson University, he moved to Israel where he signed a three-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Goodman played pro ball in Israel and again in the United States until injuries forced his retirement in 2009. Since his retirement, Goodman “At EXPO we went to several classroom sessions and saw ﬁrsthand how engaging the teachers are. Clearly, the teachers are great at delivering their expertise to the students.”

– MB upper school parent

expe r i enc e M B o ct . 1 7 , 1 0 a . m.– 2 p. m. L EARN M O RE AT MOS ES BROW N.ORG/A DMI S S I O NS

Moses Brown School

Early Childhood – 12th grade, co-ed | Where Quaker education builds confidence & character

Tamir Goodman has established his reputation as a sought-after motivational speaker, coach and educator. He has coached more than 3,000 basketball players around the world and has partnered with Houston Rockets small forward Omri Casspi on a series of basketball camps around the United States. He is the developer of “Zone190” a revolutionary basketball training device. Tamir is a former soldier in the Israeli

Defense Forces, holds a B.A. in Communications and lives with his wife and four children in Jerusalem. This program is free and open to the public at Hillel, 6 Fraternity Circle, Kingston. It is cosponsored by the Harrington School of Communication and Media. For more information contact Amy Olson at 401-8742740 or amyolson@uri.edu.

Ongoing Alliance Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Noon lunch; 1 p.m. program. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Neal or Elaine, 401421-4111, ext. 107. West Bay Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every weekday. Note new location: Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. 11:15 a.m. program; Noon lunch. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Steve, 401-743-0009.

Through | October 29 Three Artists at Temple Habonim. Bunny Fain, Alice Miles and Marion Wilner exhibit their works at the gallery. 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. Gallery hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and by appointment. For information, call 401-245-6536 or email gallery@templehabonim.org

Wednesday | October 7 Exploring the World of Food: University Whole Foods. 6-7:30 p.m. 601 North Main St., Providence. Take a behind-thescenes tour of Whole Foods and explore each of the departments and the quality standards they uphold. The tour will feature foods that are free of artiﬁcial preservatives, colors, ﬂavors, sweeteners and hydrogenated fats. At the end of the tour, there will be a cooking demo featuring a fall harvest couscous recipe and a gift bag to take home with all of the ingredients necessary to make your own meal. Pre-registration is required and enrollment is limited, so sign up early! Ages: 18+. Price: $20 | Dwares JCC Members: $15. For more information, please contact Erin Moseley at 401-421-4111, ext. 108 or emoseley@jewishallianceri.org.

Friday | October 9 Shabbat Shaboom! 5 p.m. Temple Sinai. Rabbi Goldwasser leads a half-hour of songs, stories, movement, challah and juice for families with children from birth to Pre-Kindergarten on the second Friday of every month. Open to everyone, members and non-members, Jewish and non-Jewish parents. In the chapel. 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston.

Saturday | October 10 (401)j Night Out: Sky Zone Trampoline Park. 10 p.m.-midnight. 70 Pawtucket Ave., East Providence. Sky Zone is the world’s first indoor trampoline park, where you can experience the weightlessness of bouncing, flipping and landing in a pit filled with 10,000 foam cubes. The trampolines provide the pure joy that comes from flying through the sky. Join fellow (401)j-ers for the Saturday Night SkyJam experience, an evening filled with unparalleled, unmatched and out-of-this-world FUN exclusively for adults featuring open-jump, Ultimate Dodgeball, two slices of pizza and a drink. These events often sell out, so sign up early! Ages: 18+. Price: $15, but preregister by Sept. 26 for a special $2 discount! For more information or to register, please contact Erin Moseley at 401-421-4111, ext. 108 or emoseley@jewishallianceri.org. Hope High School Class of 1970 45th Reunion. 6:30 p.m. Radisson Hotel,

October 2, 2015 |

CALENDAR

thejewishvoice.org Warwick. Details, contact Judi Metz Hay at 401-782-0790 or hayjude779@ aol.com. West Bay Havurah Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc Wine Making/Tasting. 1-4 p.m. Watch and learn how to make several varieties of delicious wine with havurah member and amateur wine maker Michael Schlesinger. Taste his vintage 2014 Merlot. Learn all about the craft and process of primary fermentation, secondary fermentation, aging and bottling. Meet at future dates to experience each step of this fascinating hobby. Strict limit of 10 people; no disability access. RSVP to Mike at 914815-1002 to register and for address in Cranston.

Sunday | October 11 West Bay Havurah Fall Foliage Hike in Goddard Memorial State Park/Wine & Cheese Social. 1 p.m. Enjoy crisp air and outstanding fall foliage, as we hike along the gentle bridle trails of beautiful Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick! The 2.5 mile walk starts promptly at 1 p.m., and will end around 2:15 p.m. Bring water. Immediately following, all are invited back to havurah member Howard Brynes’s house for wine, cheese and snacks. Limited to 15. Call Mark Sweberg at 401-248-5010 to register, and for address. If unable to make walk, but wish to join the social, let Mark know.

Tuesday | October 13 Flu Clinic. Jewish Family Service. 9:3011:30 a.m. Available to employees, clients and volunteers of Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island, Jewish Seniors Agency and Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. Oﬀered in conjunction with Rite Aid Pharmacy of East Avenue, Pawtucket. Most insurance accepted; those with medical assistance must use their primary care physician. 959 N. Main St., Providence. Information, call 401-331-1244.

Wednesday | October 14 West Bay Havurah Rhode Island State House Tour/Optional Lunch. 82 Smith St., Providence. Enjoy a FREE, guided tour of the RI State House, led by knowledgeable J&W University students! Stops include the Bell Room, where Rhode Island’s replica of the Philadelphia Liberty Bell is displayed; the State Room, where Gilbert Stuart’s famous portrait of George Washington hangs; and the Rotunda, where you can gaze upward at one of the world’s largest, self-supported marble domes. The main entrance to the State House is on Smith Street. Parking is available at meters on nearby streets and in the lower legislative lot off of Smith Street on a firstcome-first-served basis. Handicapped parking and the handicapped-accessible entrance are located in the upper legislative parking lot at the eastern corner of the State House. There is elevator access on every floor. Please arrive with ample time to get through security. Call Mark Sweberg at 401-248-5010 to register. Afterward, there can be an optional lunch stop at Gregg’s Restaurant, on North Main Street.

Thursday | October 15 Food for Families (Session 2). 7-9 p.m. Dwares JCC. Andrea Wool, a functional wellness practitioner specializing in ﬁtness and nutrition, is giving a two-part educational series aimed at helping families answer the age-old question: How can I cook quick, healthy meals that the whole family will enjoy? Session two focuses on healthy snack and meal ideas that your family will surely love. In addition, you will receive recommendations about how to ﬁnd healthy recipes, how to shop for healthy products and how to transition your family into a healthier lifestyle. This workshop will provide you with practical tips that you can incorporate into your daily habits easily and quickly. Ages: 18+. Price: $10 | Dwares JCC Members: Free. For more information, please contact Michelle Cicchitelli at 401-421-4111, ext. 178 or mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org.

Friday | October 16 Rabbi Amy Scheinerman is the Temple Sinai Scholar-in-Residence. Oct. 16-18. She will teach and participate in programs throughout the weekend, including a special Havdalah and dessert on Saturday night , and presentation for the pre-confirmation and confirmation students on Sunday morning. PJ Library Story and Play Time. 10-11 a.m. Dwares JCC. Come spend some time in the Alliance Family Room Parenting Center to hear stories, play games and make new friends. We will read various PJ Library books and sing songs about different Jewish holidays throughout the year. Children will also be able to make a craft. Ages: 5 and under. Free. To RSVP or for more information, contact Michelle Cicchitelli at 401-421-4111, ext. 178 or mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org.

Saturday | October 17 Kids’ Night Out: Under the Sea. 5-10 p.m. Dwares JCC. Kids’ Night Out is a chance for children to spend the evening with their friends in a fun and safe environment. Kids’ Night Out runs once a month on Saturday evenings. Each month, children will be entertained with a variety of themed activities ranging from sports to crafts, swimming and more. A pizza dinner and snacks will be served, and the evening will end with a movie. This is also a great opportunity for parents to have a night out “kid free!” Ages: 5-12. Price: $35 | Dwares JCC Members: $25 | Siblings: $15. For more information or to register, contact Shannon Boucher at 401-421-4111, ext. 147.

Friday | October 23 October in Providence. Dwares JCC. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Alliance Kosher Senior Café and West Bay Kosher Senior Café. Live Music by The Providence Civic Orchestra of Senior Citizens. Bus leaves Temple Sinai at 10:30 a.m. Program begins at 11; lunch is served at noon. Suggested donation for lunch is $3 for 60 plus and disabled. Reservations,

contact Steve, Elaine or Neal at 401743-0009.

Sunday | October 25 West Bay Havurah and West Bay Community Jewish Center (WBCJC) Present W S Monroe. 2-3:30 p.m. Theatre 82 & Café, 82 Rolfe Sq., Cranston. A New England favorite, folk musician W S Monroe usually performs solo. Performances with others have included his wife, Rebecca Leuchak; as part of a duo with Matteo Casini; and with some larger ensembles, The Providence Wholebellies, and the Quahog Quire. He performs eclectic folk music, mainly in song but he also plays the guitar, mandolin, concertina and mountain dulcimer. Appropriate for all ages. Tickets $10 through Artists’ Exchange Box Oﬃce at 50 Rolfe Sq. and artistsexchange.org. Temple Beth-El World Series of Treasured Family Recipes. 4-5:30 p.m. More than 25 temple members will prepare treasured family recipes and vie for the title of Best Recipe and People’s Choice Award. Fundraiser for religious school scholarship fund. Admission is $10, adults; $5, children; maximum of $30, family. 70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Friday | October 30 Temple Sinai new member Shabbat. 7:30 p.m. Shireinu, will participate, and a new member meet-and-greet will follow the service during a special Oneg Shabbat.

Calendar Submissions OCT. 16 issue, BAR/BAT MITZVAH must be received by OCT. 7 OCT. 30 issue, TRAVEL & LEISURE must be received by OCT. 21 SEND ALL CALENDAR ITEMS TO: editor@jewishallianceri.org with the subject line “CALENDAR.” Calendar entries may be edited for content, length and relevance.

Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association Office Manager Position Location: Jewish Alliance building, Providence Part Time: Permanent 18-20 hours per week, divided between 4 and 5 days Salary: Approx. $18.00/hour The Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association was founded in 1951. The Association is the oldest continuous Jewish Historical Society in the country. The purposes of the organization: To procure, collect, and preserve books, records, letters, photographs, and any other historical material relating to the history of the Jews of RI; to promote the study of such history by lectures and otherwise; and to publish an historical journal yearly. This position takes care of the day to day operations of the organization which include: 1. Secretarial/ computer skills: Microsoft Office and Quickbooks; bulk mailings 2. Good communication skills: phone and in person 3. Organization of events. 4. Archives – learn the location of materials pertaining to RI Jewish persons, organizations and synagogues. There is also a non-lending library. How to apply: Please contact by e-mail: info@rijha.org or letter at 130 Sessions St. Providence, RI 02906

CAN YOU AFFORD TO GIVE YOUR CHILD THE ADVANTAGES OF AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL? CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO?

PCDSlidingScaleTuition.com

OPEN HOUSE Saturday, October 31 • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

12 | October 2, 2015

FOOD

The Jewish Voice

Perfect crumb cake for fall BY MIRIAM PASCAL

Jewish foods: Don’t toss the traditions along with the fat BY PATRICIA RASKIN I grew up on bagels, lox and cream cheese, stuffed cabbage, gefilte fish, brisket, chopped liver and chicken soup. I remember as a child sitting around the kitchen table and eating these foods with PATRICIA great gusto and RASKIN lots of mmms! We would share them with visiting aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and friends. These foods were a big part of my early life, part of my heritage and traditions, and I loved them. It was such a treat to visit my grandparents and watch my grandmother make her own gefilte fish using a food grinder. I loved helping her make teiglach, small knotted pastries boiled in honeyed syrup, twisted and dipped in honey. At Rosh Hashanah, my family gobbled it up as soon as it appeared. Fast-forward 30 or more years and now we have nutritional guidelines to consider. The cream cheese is heavy dairy, the bagels have gluten, there’s canned tomato sauce in the stuffed cabbage, gefilte fish comes in a jar with preservatives, chopped liver is very high in fat and cholesterol, and chicken soup has hidden sodium.

But there is an alternative. You can enjoy fat-free cream cheese, gluten-free bagels, homemade gefilte fish, small portions of chopped liver, and homemade chicken soup with all the fat skimmed off and lowsodium broth. Just keep modifying your choices until you are satisfied with both the taste and the nutritional content. This will work for some people, but others may have too many dietary restrictions to contend with: no-carb diets, lowcarb, no-sugar, high-fat, low-fat, and the list goes on … and on. I think about these foods, now in question, with fond memories of fun, family, learning and community. Food connects us to each other, especially during Shabbat and Jewish holidays. So here’s my personal conclusion: You can find a cookbook with healthy modifications, but if that doesn’t work for you, keep the bagels, keep the cream cheese, keep the fat in the chopped liver and the preservatives in the gefilte fish. Sit down and enjoy the foods of your heritage, culture, traditions, youth and taste buds. Just two words make this work for me … moderation and joy! PATRICIA RASKIN is an award-winner radio producer and talk-show host. “The Patricia Raskin Show” airs on WPRO. She is a board member of Temple Emanu-El. Raskin can be reached at patriciaraskin.com.

(The Nosher via JTA) – Who can resist a crumb cake? The only thing better than the dense cake on the bottom is the thick layer of cinnamon crumbs on top. It’s full of spices, pumpkin, but no sour cream, so it’s non-dairy and just a touch less caloric than traditional coffee crumb cake. Note: Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling, as it has ingredients not needed here. You can also use homemade pumpkin puree. Plan ahead: This cake freezes well in an airtight container. For best results, freeze the whole cake and cut into squares just before serving.

Pumpkin crumb cake

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

1/3 cup sugar  3/4 cup brown sugar  3 teaspoons cinnamon  Pinch salt  1 3/4 cups flour 3/4 cup vegetable oil For the cake: 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar  2 eggs  1 cup canned pumpkin purée (see Note) 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract  2 teaspoons cinnamon  1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda  1/2 tablespoon salt  2 1/2 cups flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch pan or pan with similar capacity; set aside. To prepare the crumb topping: Combine sugars, cinnamon, salt and flour in a small bowl. Add oil and mix until combined and crumbs form. Set aside. To prepare the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together oil and sugars on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, pumpkin purée, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour gradually, beating until just combined. Do not

overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan. Cover entire surface of the cake with prepared crumbs (there will be a very thick layer of crumbs). Bake for about 1 hour, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. MIRIAM PASCAL is the founder of OvertimeCook.com, one of the world’s leading destinations for kosher recipes.This recipe appears in her recently published cookbook, “Something Sweet: Dessert, Baked Goods and Treats for Every Occasion.” The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com.

A perfect pair: Pumpkin and curry

BY SHANNON SARNA

(The Nosher via JTA) – When you think of pumpkin and spices, your mind likely jumps to pumpkin pie spices like ginger, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. But did you know that pumpkin and curry also pair perfectly? A quick Google search for pumpkin curry will reveal an array of recipes such as pumpkin curry empanadas (does someone want to make these for me?), pumpkin curry with chickpeas and slow cooker vegan pumpkin curry. And welcome to the scene my curry pumpkin corn soup. I dreamed up this soup while trying to re-create one of my favorite lunchtime soups I enjoy at a midtown New York City eatery called Dishes. They always have a creamy, pumpkin corn bisque this time of year, and so I wanted to re-create it, but with a bit of my own spin. I added some curry to the mix, and swapped out heavy cream for coconut milk and voila: a nondairy pumpkin curry soup perfect for a Shabbat starter, light lunch or even a dish for Thanksgiving dinner. If you have never cooked with curry before, this is a great introduction, since it really

1 1/2 cups coconut milk  Salt and pepper

Directions

combines the familiar flavors of pumpkin and corn with the slightly exotic taste of curry. You will wonder why it’s taken you so long to combine these delicious flavors.

Curry Pumpkin Corn Soup

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 small onion  2 garlic cloves  Olive oil  1 tablespoon curry powder  1 cup fresh or frozen corn  3 cups pumpkin puree (fresh preferably, but canned is fine 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onion and corn and saute until onions are translucent, and corn looks plump and yellow. Add curry powder and garlic and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes, until curry is toasted and fragrant. De-glaze the pot with 1/2 cup vegetable broth, scraping bottom of pan until all bits have been cleaned off. Add pumpkin puree and continue to stir until smooth and heated through. Add remaining vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Add coconut milk and salt and pepper to taste. SHANNON SARNA is the editor of The Nosher.

COMMUNITY

thejewishvoice.org

4 Jews win MacArthur ‘genius’ grants

JTA — Four American Jews have been named John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellows. Princeton University historian Marina Rustow, novelist Ben Lerner, health care entrepreneur Gary Cohen and New York-based visual artist Nicole Eisenman each received the so-called “genius grants” of $625,000 on Sept. 29. Rustow, 46, researches Jewish life in the Medieval Middle East. Her 2008 book “Heresy and the Politics of Community: The Jews of the Fatimid Caliphate” upturned notions of how Jews lived under the Islamic Fatimid Caliphate, suggesting a higher level of tolerance and cooperation than had been assumed. Lerner, 36, is the author of the acclaimed novels “Leaving the Atocha Station” and “10:04.” He has also published three books of poetry and is a professor at Brooklyn College. His mother is the noted psychologist Harriet Lerner. Eisenman, 50, is a painter, sculptor and printmaker who explores gender roles, family dynamics and economic inequality through a surrealistic style. Her works, which now sell for around $75,000 each, have been shown at pres-

tigious museums such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City and the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. Cohen, 59, is the founder of Health Care Without Harm, an organization that has helped eliminate the use of harmful toxins such as mercury from the health care system. He has also founded the Healthy Hospitals Initiative and Practice Greenhealth, which provide hospitals with guides on how to responsibly care for patients. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the largest private organizations in the United States and awards 24 grants of $625,000 each year to a mix of artists, scientists, intellectuals and innovators in a variety of fields. The award is one of the most prestigious of its kind in the world, and its winners are nicknamed MacArthur “geniuses.” Lerner told The New York Times that the grant, which is given with no strings attached, will allow him to devote more time to writing and less to teaching. “It takes away all your excuses not to be doing the most ambitious work,” Lerner said.

October 2, 2015 |

Ada Winsten – survivor, leader, social worker BY HILLARY SCHULMAN hschulman@jewishallianceri.org When someone asks you who are the most important people in your life, you probably say your family. For Ada Winsten, this sentiment is true – especially after losing so many family members in the Holocaust. Winsten, her parents and her sister escaped from Poland during World War II and were refugees in Lithuania. From there, they traveled to Japan and then Shanghai – and that’s when her world really began to change. As a young child, Winsten and her family lived off support from American Jewish organizations – there were soup kitchens, clothing closets and other resources for anything they needed. When the Winstens settled in Shanghai, however, Ada began to notice the breadth of need in her community. At a very young age, Winsten understood that there was a huge need for help – and the importance of giving that help. “I was 7 years old, and that’s when I became a social worker,” Winsten remarked. “I used to walk the streets and on every corner we had beggars … every day I’d walk by them and I would cry because I would feel so sad for them. My biggest wish was that when I grew up I was going to become a millionaire so I could give money to all those people.” When Winsten’s family immi-

Ada Winsten grated to the United States, they settled in New York. She finished high school and college, and eventually married and moved to Rhode Island. In Rhode Island, she became a clinical therapist, working on the East Side, which she still does today. She also joined a Soviet Jewry group and from there became heavily involved in the Rhode Island Jewish community. She served on the Board of the Women’s Division of the then Jewish Federation of Rhode Island, the United Jewish Appeal, and on committees in the community. Additionally, for 50 years, first the Federation and now the Alliance has been able to count on Winsten to make phone calls to raise money. “Jewish causes to me are something I probably will always

try to work on,” said Winsten. But Winsten’s need to help others did not stop there. “When I came to the States, I always tried to do something to help other people,” she said. When her children were younger and they had jobs, “I had my kids always take out a week’s pay – a week’s pay for UJA.” Winsten felt it was very important to instill the ideals of philanthropy in the next generation. “They feel very Jewish,” she said of her children. “We’re not religious, so our Judaism doesn’t come from the religious end, but we feel very strongly about the existence of the state of Israel.” Winsten’s ties to Israel come from a deep-seated belief in the need to preserve the Jewish people. “Our whole family was wiped out in the Holocaust, so for me replacing Jews is important,” she remarked. “And I also believe that Jewish values and Jews are pretty special people. I don’t think we’re chosen to be better than anybody else … . I care about people - I happen to be Jewish, so particularly I care about the Jewish people.” Ada Winsten: a woman who embodies what it means to be Jewish – and tikkun olam. HILLARY SCHULMAN is a development associate at the Jewish Alliance.

MEET THE AUTHOR Join us for an

Author Talk and Booksigning with

Ted Merwin

Professor at Dickinson College and author of the new book Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli

Tuesday, October 27, 2015 7:00pm – 9:00pm 80 Brown St., Providence RI Attendance is free for those who pre-register, $5 at the door. Books will be available for purchase. Register online at http://jcdsri.org/pastrami-on-rye

"Merwin’s extraordinarily exhaustive research and his skill in selecting just the right fact, telling detail, quote, and anecdote makes this one of the most enjoyable, enlightening, fluid and fascinating food histories I've ever read.” - Arthur Schwartz, author

14 | October 2, 2015

The Jewish Voice

When Jews around the world need our help, we don’t let borders get in our way. Years of financial troubles have left thousands in desperate need. The poorest Jews around the world have no one to turn to but us. We support agencies that deliver food and medicine along with self-respect and a connection to a caring, global Jewish community. Thousands of poor families, many immigrants, know their children will have a brighter future thanks to our programs. In places where Jews haven’t shared a Sabbath in decades, the Alliance is rekindling Jewish life.

300

The Alliance Annual Campaign funds more than 300 programs & services locally and globally.

Jewish Agency for Israel: dollars raised through the Annual Campaign go towards providing services to new immigrants and at-risk populations.

e v a h You THE POWER TO MAKE A

DIFFERENCE

When you connect with the Jewish Alliance, you put the Jewish values of tzedakah, compassion, and responsibility into action. Contribute to the Annual Campaign and you’re helping to care for our entire Jewish community—at home, in Israel, and around the world. To learn more or to donate today, visit us at jewishallianceri.org or call 401.421.4111. Be part of our vibrant and thriving Jewish community by donating to the 2016 Annual Campaign.

2016 Annual Campaign

SENIORS | COMMUNITY

thejewishvoice.org

FROM PAGE 1

|ACTIVITIES

Come on down to the Dwares JCC

Now I know The Voice has its offices here, but have you visited the Dwares JCC recently? There’s a lot to do here for every age group. Check out the pool; it’s great fun. And don’t forget J-Fitness for a workout with the older kids.  For the younger set, a PJ Library Story time is a great shared experience as is one of the periodic crafting programs.  Camps for a wide range of ages meet on school vacation days and during the summer.  Check out the program guides inserted in The Voice several times a year, or go online to jewishallianceri.org and look at the community calendar. For hours, check jewishallianceri.org/ alliance-jcc/fitness-aquatics.

See the stars

With all the brouhaha about our recent lunar eclipse, maybe the youngsters would like to do a little stargazing. If you haven’t ever paid a visit to the Ladd Observatory, opened in 1891, at Brown University, you’ll enjoy this even more than they will.  In addition to getting a chance to climb up and take a peek through the giant telescope, you can gaze through a variety of small telescopes around the outside of the building (weather permitting) and wonder at how anyone ever figured out anything about the stars while you look at the collection of historic tools on the fi rst floor. Open from 8-10 p.m. every Tuesday, weather permitting. Information, 401-863-2323. 210 Doyle Ave., Providence.

Fall at the beach

You don’t need a bathing suit to enjoy the area’s beaches. The lifeguards have gone home, but so have the crowds.  Take a warm day and walk on the beach. Wiggle those toes in the sand. Wade in the ocean; it’s still warm you know. Collect a few shells. They are great for winter crafts. And the best part? You don’t have to worry about opening and closing hours.

October 2, 2015 |

I scream…

Does anyone NOT like ice cream? From Westerly to Cumberland and out to Somerset, we have our share of places to get the cold delicious stuff.  How about a taste tour? Now I’m not going to advocate any one place, but I can tell you that through the end of October there are plenty of outdoor places still open. And many offer a nondairy alternative for the lactose sensitive among us. So, get out and taste. Make your own rating system. And enjoy the scenery as well.

A real live battleship

Fall River is home to Battleship Cove, with its fleet of historic naval warships. On display are the battleship USS Massachusetts, the destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., the Lionfish, PT 617 and PT 796 and the Soviet-built missile corvette Hiddensee. There’s a marine museum nearby.  This is a perfect outing for the family; there’s history, climbing and lots of activity. And if you have any energy left over, there’s a carousel adjacent to the exhibits that’s open from May to October. Everything is open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is an admission charge. 5 Water Street, Fall River.

Round and round we go

Speaking of carousels, you can pick any of the many carousels in the area for a fun outing with the kids. Try one with a history. For example:  The Flying Horse Carousel in Westerly was built in 1876 and is the only surviving flying horse carousel in the country. It’s in the Watch Hill Historic District and worth the drive. The Looff Carousel in Slater Park, and the Crescent Park Looff Carousel were both designed by Charles I.D. Looff, a master carver who designed carousels around the country. Both date to the late 1800s. Slater Park is in Pawtucket, Crescent Park is in the Riverside area of East Providence. All the carousels are open seasonally for rides. FRAN OSTENDORF is editor of The Jewish Voice.

INNOVATIVE NEW PROGRAM KEEPING RHODE ISLANDERS SAFE AND SOUND According to a study by the Center for Disease Control, there were 2.3 million fall-related injuries in individuals over the age of 65 in 2010. Twenty-five percent of individuals were admitted to the hospital and over 22,000 died. According to Steven Brooks, PT Concord Home Health Services’ Therapy’s Rehabilitation Director since 2006, “most seniors never think they’ll fall. They look good, they feel good - but they aren’t able to identify the ominous signs that may precipitate a fall.” Concord Home Health and Wellness Services, a Rhode Island- based company, is now in its 18th year of assisting older adults in staying strong and healthy. Concord is particularly focused on keeping seniors fall-free with their Safe and Sound Fall Prevention Program. There are certain risk factors associated with the normal aging process that make falling more likely. Concord’s Safe and Sound Fall Prevention program is not a quick fix, but rather a lifelong, multi faceted program designed to identify risks, treat when necessary and provide the on-going monitoring and supervision required to prevent future falls. “Involvement in this program is possibly the single most important decision a senior can make to ensure their independence, safety and peace of mind,” Concord’s CEO David DiFilippo said. For more information about the cost-free Safe and Sound Fall Prevention program, call Concord at 401-725-8400. Visit ConcordHomeCare.com for more background on the organization’s in-home assistance programs and medical services.

BATTLESHIP COVE IN FALL RIVER – Offers lots of climbing – inside or outside the historic naval warships. A sure way to work up an appetite for some great ice cream.

PHOTOS | LEAH CAMARA

16 | October 2, 2015

SENIORS

The Jewish Voice

Living with grief: Telling our stories

BY ROSE MURRIN, LICSW

There is a theory in psychology that we all have a narrative, a story that we tell ourselves about ourselves. It is the way in which we understand the unfolding of our lives, our roles in the world, perhaps the meaning or central themes of our lives. It might begin with when and where we were born, and it continues to unfold with the important moments in our lives. The story I tell about myself might be very different from the story my spouse, my parents or my children tell about me. But that does not make my narrative any less real or true: It is my perspective on the story

of my life. Often a part of this story is a sense of direction, of a particular path. We are not always clear on this expected journey, but it is there. Sometimes a loss can alter the story in a dramatic way. It changes our roles, and our relationships, not only with other people, but with ourselves. A loss can alter both the ways we understand the past and the ways we envision the future. If a loss is sudden, traumatic or especially difficult, your story gets disrupted and can leave you at a loss. You might feel at sea, uncertain where you are or where you are going.

This profound shift can be difficult to manage. So often we defi ne ourselves within the context of relationships (parent, child, sibling, friend). When the relationship is profoundly changed by a loss, we can feel unmoored. While this is incredibly difficult and unique to each person, it is not uncommon or abnormal. At times, being able to reflect on what we had believed about our lives, consciously or unconsciously, can help us understand our grief and the many layers of loss we are experiencing. This process might involve lone contemplation, conversations with a trusted person, or

engaging in a therapeutic relationship. What works for one person might be different from what works for another. If you would like to explore your grief, or how you can best cope with it, know that you can reach out. Jewish Family Service is available to help you fi nd the support you may need. ROSE MURRIN is a social worker who supervises the Kesher and case management programs at Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island. She is the Kesher program representative at Temple Beth Shalom, in Providence. Contact Jewish Family Service at 401-331-1244.

The Miriam Hospital exists thanks to generous Jewish donors; you, too, can continue that tradition.

n 1902, a handful of visionary women went door-to-door, collecting coins to raise $1,000 for the down payment on “a place to care for the indigent sick of the Jewish faith.” Hundreds of local women – the founders of The Miriam’s Women’s Association – along with many men – joined the cause, and The Miriam Hospital opened its doors in 1926 as a gift to all in need. Today, The Miriam is a private, 247-bed, notfor-profit, acute care hospital. A major teaching hospital of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, The Miriam has dedicated, distinguished professionals working in a broad array of medical specialties. For the past four years, U.S. News & World Report has named The Miriam the top regional hospital in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Jewish tradition holds that tzedakah – giving to those in need – is an act of justice and righteousness. You can fulfill your commitment to tzedakah with a planned gift to The Miriam, which will help sustain our mission of providing excellent healthcare to our community. For more information, please contact Noreen Mitchell, Planned Giving Officer at (401) 444-6311 or nmitchell@lifespan.org.

Kenen Weiner

Genealogist to speak at fall meeting The fall meeting of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association on Oct. 18 at Temple Habonim, Barrington at 2 p.m. will feature Kenen Weiner, a genealogist. She will speak on “From Ship to Citizenship – Finding our Immigrant Ancestors.” Attendees will learn how to locate immigration and naturalization documents and what you can discover from them. Weiner works on family history projects as well as lectures. She served as the genealogy consultant for the fi lm documentary “Mein Schloss,” an official selection of the LA Shorts Fest. She was the research consultant for “My Dear Governess” a collection of letters by Edith Wharton, published in 2012 by Yale University Press. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Anne Sherman at 401-3311360 or e-mail info@rijha. org.

October 2, 2015 |

COMMUNITY

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Pacesetter and Lion of Judah gathering at PPAC FROM PAGE 4 |

PACESETTER

PHOTOS | SIMON LICHTER

(Left to right) Melvin and Janet Zurier, Barbara Levine, Ernest and Denise Smily.

(Left to right) Scott Chernick, Richard Bornstein, Mel Alperin, Moira Calia, Sandra Bornstein, Patty Alperin.

Come share Shabbat with your family, friends, and neighbors

The Second Friday of every month

11: 00 AM S HABBAT S ERVICE 11: 30 AM T RADITIONAL S HABBAT L UNCH Join us for our monthly Shabbat service, and enjoy a delicious traditional lunch prepared by our chef.

(Left to right) Marc Perlman, Linda and Paul Miller, and Claire Perlman.

2016 Jewish Alliance Annual Campaign Community-Wide Event

An Evening with Dr. Deborah Lipstadt Anti-Semitism in the 21st Century: Overreacting or a Looming Danger? SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, November 1, 2015 @ 7pm Temple Beth-El 70 Orchard Avenue, Providence

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SENIORS

18 |â&#x20AC;&#x201A;October 2, 2015

The Jewish Voice

Active Seniors

On Sept. 4, 70 seniors from the Kosher CafĂŠ in Cranston and Providence, along with 10 from the To Life Center, gathered at Goddard Park for a Rosh Hashanah party in the carousel pavilion. There was good food, camaraderie and live music by Susan McLeod to usher in the new year with friends.

Raise your expectations about senior living!

Laurelmead Cooperative offers beautiful apartments in a vibrant community where residents enjoy delicious cuisine, socialize with neighbors, participate in fitness classes, attend lectures, and much more. Laurelmead is so much more than a place to retire, it is where seniors LIVE! For more Boulevard, information on affordable for sale go to laurelmead.com 355 Blackstone Providence, RI 02906 homes | (800) 286-9550 | laurelmead.com or call (401) 228-8679.

Laurelmead, Where Seniors LIVE! Reduced prices on select apartment styles 355 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, RI, 02906 0003-Laurelmead-LIVE-Ad-Swing-JV-092215a.indd 1

PHOTOS | STEVE SHAPIRO 9/22/15 10:10 AM

thejewishvoice.org

SENIORS

October 2, 2015â&#x20AC;&#x201A;|

PHOTOS | SIMON LICHTER AND FRAN OSTENDORF

Be prepared!

Thanks to an extremely successful JBoost campaign, 120 seniors in the local Jewish community received emergency preparedness boxes this year. According to Neal Drobnis, coordinator of Kosher nutrition at Jewish Family Service, the fundraising goal was set at $2,000. In the end, the project

raised nearly $3,000, including a $1,000 contribution from Ocean State Job Lot. Teens from JSpace helped pack boxes as did seniors from the Kosher CafĂŠ at the Dwares JCC. Boxes included emergency supplies such as batteries, flashlight, peanut butter, shelf-stable snacks and first aid supplies.

20 | October 2, 2015

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It’s never too early for a conversation. Call us. We can answer your questions. 401-415-4200

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Jewish Eagle Scouts: Narragansett Council, 1923-1997 BY GEORGE GOODWIN Jewish Rhode Islanders have been actively and proudly involved in Scouting even before the Boy Scouts of America came to the Ocean State in 1913. For example, Walter Adler (1897-1991) joined the Rhode Island Boy Scouts in 1911. Herman Galkin (1898-1979) was so devoted to Scouting that he organized and led at least five troops sponsored by Jewish organizations. Over the decades, many synagogues sponsored Cub packs and Scout troops. The Jewish Orphanage of Rhode Island (JORI) also sponsored a troop. In small towns and suburbs, many Jewish Scouts belonged to troops sponsored by schools and churches. In 1941, the Narragansett Council organized its Jewish Committee on Scouting. Beginning in 1945, wherever they were based, hundreds of Jewish Scouts earned the Ner Tamid (Eternal Light) award for their knowledge of and devotion to Judaism. For most Jewish Scouts and their leaders, a weekend, a week or a summer spent at Camp Yawgoog, in Rockville, Rhode Island, was a glorious experience. Founded in 1916, Yawgoog is considered one of the nation’s finest Scout “adventurelands.” Since 1949, it has had two Jewish chapels as well as other facilities donated by Jewish families. Rabbi Sol Goodman is the latest of Yawgoog’s long line of Jewish chaplains. Help identify Jewish teenagers who earned Scouting’s highest honor but are missing from the Narragansett Council’s roster. (This list is based on recipients of the Ner Tamid award, members of Jewish-sponsored troops, and Jewish-sounding surnames.) Contact George Goodwin at geomgood@aol.com or Anne Sherman at the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association at 401-331-1360. A more complete and up-to-date list of Eagles will be published in the 2015 issue of Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes, which has published several articles about Scouting. Jay Abraham, Troop 66, Garden City – 1977 Wayne C. Abram, Troop 96, Warwick – 1996 Jordan S. Abrams, Troop 2, East Greenwich –1939 Kenneth L. Abrams, Troop 8, Cranston – 1970 Mark S. Abrams, Troop 20, Providence –1969 Mark J. Adler, Troop 66, Garden City – 1979 Matthew Y. Adler, Troop 66, Garden City – 1984 Steven B. Adler, Troop 66, Garden City – 1982 Toby Alterman, Troop 40, Providence – 1957 Donald Aron, Troop 14,

Providence – 1948 Jay B. Aron, Troop 1, Pilgrim Park – 1969 Robert Berkelhammer, Troop 15, Providence – 1965 David Berlinsky, Troop 14, Cranston – 1971 Everett Berlinsky, Troop 14, Cranston – 1940 Richard K. Berlinsky, Troop 14, Crompton – 1977 Marc A. Berman, Troop 49, Lakewood – 1997 Harvey M. Bernstein, Troop 82, Providence – 1932 Jack Bernstein, Troop 82, Providence – 1926 Larry Bernstein, Troop 82, Providence – 1976 Brock D. Bierman, Troop 61, Warwick – 1982 Alan W. Blazar, Troop 20, Providence – 1968 Marc W. Blazar, Troop 20, Providence – 1963 Carl S. Bloom, Troop 5, East Providence – 1984 Eric R. Bloom, Troop 5, East Providence – 1983 Gregory P. Bloom, Troop 82, Portsmouth –1986 Jason M. Bloom, Troop 7, Bristol – 1995 Robert E. Bloom, Troop 12, Oakland Beach – 1973 Donald Blumenthal, Troop 1, Pilgrim Park – 1964 Eric Bolusky, Troop 40, Providence – 1964 Howard B. Bromberg, Troop 20, Providence – 1966 Malcolm Bromberg, Troop 20, Providence – 1941 Seth Chernick, Troop 20, Providence – 1973 Warren S. Chernick, Troop 3, East Providence – 1943 David M. Cohen, Troop 1, Kingston – 1987 Gregory A. Cohen, Troop 1, Coventry – 1988 John M. Cohen, Troop 1, Gaspee Plateau – 1954 Scott Cohen, Troop 8, Barrington – 1993 Earl Cohn, Troop 10, Providence – 1939 Jeffrey G. Cokin, Troop 40, Providence – 1965 Norman J. Cowen, Troop 20, Providence – 1947 Harlan Espo, Troop Unknown – 1968 Alan R. Feinberg, Troop Unknown – 19?? Jonathan L. Feinstein, Troop 20, Providence – 1971 Mark Felder, Troop 20, Providence – 1974 Howard Feldman, Troop 17, Cranston – 1964 Maurice N. Feingold, Troop 20, Providence – 1948 Norbert Fleisig, Troop 20, Cranston – 1954 Julio Friedman, Troop 6, Barrington – 1984 Saul Friedman, Troop 10, Providence – 1930 Robert Gershkoff, Troop 18, Cranston – 1940 David Gerstenblatt, Troop 20, Providence – 1954 Andrew M. Glucksman, Troop 10, Warwick – 1990 Alfred L. Goldberg, Troop 40,

Providence – 1957 Kenneth Golden, Troop 86, Providence – 1972 Ronald J. Golden, Troop 17, Warwick – 1969 Lewis Goldenberg, Troop 40, Providence – 1959 Alan Goldman, Troop 33, Providence – 1948 Kenneth Goldshine, Troop 14, Providence – 1945 Abraham Goldstein, Troop 5, Providence – 1923 Jonathan D. Goldstein, Troop 1, Kingston – 1987 Stephen Goldstein, Troop 1, Buttonwoods – 1959 Stephen Goldstein, Troop 82, Providence – 1972 Stuart Goldstein, Troop 3, Cranston – 1973 Stephen A. Gordon, Troop 40, Providence – 1960 William Gould, Troop 40, Providence – 1959 Irwin A. Graubart, Troop 50, Providence – 1936

Steven R. Green, Troop 20, Providence – 1973 Howard Greenberg, Troop 1, Governor Francis – 1973 Melvin Greenberg, Troop 14, Providence – 1945 Michael Greenspan, Troop 10, Providence – 1946 Craig S. Grossman, Troop 4, Barrington – 1963 Richard C. Grossman, Troop 50, Providence – 1947 Alan D. Harlam, Troop 20, Providence – 1976 Gary I. Harlam, Troop 104, Providence – 1984 Mark Hochberg, Troop Unknown – 1961 Howard L. Hochman, Troop 8, Cranston – 1969 Melvin Hoffman, Troop 50, Providence – 1946 Richard N. Hoffman, Troop 31, Crompton – 1971 Robert Hoffman, Troop 31, Crompton – 1972

Kenneth E. Hoffman, Jr. – 1997 Murray Horovitz, Troop 14, Providence – 1944 Harold M. Horwitz, Troop 40, Providence – 1958 Joshua E. Israel, Troop Unknown – 1991 Mark S. Jacob, Troop 1, Central Falls – 1970 George P. Jacobs, Troop 82, Portsmouth – 1974 Eric R. Jacobson, Troop 3, Newport – 1984 Karl R. Jacobson, Troop 3, Newport – 1985 Aaron L. Kahn, Troop 66, Garden City – 1996 Joel A. Kahn, Troop 66, Garden City – 1990 Ronald S. Kahn, Troop 44, Providence – 1963 Seth B. Kahn, Troop 8, Cranston – 1996 Jay Katznelson, Troop 20, Providence – 1971 SCOUTS | 26

22 | October 2, 2015

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REMEMBER THE PAST From the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association

The Notes and a birthday

BY GERALDINE S. FOSTER The English noun “archive” came into usage via French, but its origin is Greek. It referred to the place in which important state documents were fi led and interpreted under the authority of the chief magistrate. In more modern times, archives refer to primary-source materials, records of various sorts with cultural, social and historical importance, as well as the place where these materials are kept. In case you have not already guessed, the above discussion of archive and archives is a lead-in to a bit of background about the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association and its role as the depository of the community’s history. RIJHA was chartered on Sept. 11, 1951, and held its fi rst official meeting on Nov. 20, 1951, 64 years ago. Actually, its origins were earlier, in the 1940s. A group of history buffs noted the swift changes taking place

in the Jewish communities of Rhode Island. Aspects of Jewish life, once vibrant facets, were either outgrown or passed over by time, some to disappear entirely. They were part of our history in this state and worth preserving, worth study, worth remembering for their contributions to the rich and colorful tapestry of our communal life. David C. Adelman’s realization that 1954 would be the year of two important celebrations was the stimulus for organizing the Jewish Historical Association: the oldest congregation in Providence was celebrating its 100th birthday and it was the 300th anniversary of the fi rst Jewish arrivals in what would become the United States of America. These events, and the role a historical association could play in celebrating them, were the rallying point. In 1951, with chutzpah and hope, five men and one woman joined with Adelman to found and launch the Rhode Island

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Jewish Historical Association. They were prepared to research and document the celebrations, as well as collect, preserve and memorialize the history of the Jewish community of our state. Three years later, the fi rst issue of The Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes appeared. In the beginning, the archive traveled a great deal. This had nothing to do with exhibiting our treasures: Our archive was the trunk of Adelman’s car, until it was relocated to the attic of the Victorian house where Seebert Goldowsky had his medical office. Thanks to the good offices of Melvin Zurier, the archives now have a home in the Jewish Alliance. The archives are not presided over by a chief magistrate, but by Anne Sherman, the office manager. The primary-source

materials are not limited to state documents, though there are some there, and they are available for study. So what is in the archives? Photos, scrapbooks, minute books, memoirs, oral history tapes, antique and old tzedakah boxes, a century-old tailor’s dummy, a menorah once used in the Massachusetts State House to celebrate Hanukkah, a pinkas, city directories, a list of rabbis who once served congregations in Rhode Island, history books, issues of Anglo-Jewish newspapers more than 80 years old … and so much more. Let us not forget 17 volumes of The Notes, our annual journal and a chronicle of Jewish life in Rhode Island. The welcome mat is always out for more materials relating to people, organizations and

Jewish life in our community. They are the texture of the rich and colorful fabric that is our history in Rhode Island. History is the memory of moments great and small. It is not merely a prologue to the present. It lends significance and meaning to the present and to generations to come. We are the oldest continuing local Jewish historical association and the only one to publish an annual journal, The Notes. Help us celebrate our birthday. Become a member. Please. GERALDINE FOSTER is a past president of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association. To comment about this or any Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association article, email info@rijha.org

Some Israeli universities rise, others drop in rankings; Hebrew U is 1st in Israel (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) – Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, BarIlan University and Tel Aviv University all rose from the previous year in the prestigious QS World University Rankings for 2015-16, published Sept. 15. Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Technion – Israel Institute of Technology saw their rankings drop. The QS ranking system is based on six performance indicators that “assess universities in four areas: research, teaching, employability and internationalization.” Each in-

dicator is assigned a certain weight: academic reputation (40 percent), employer reputation (10 percent), student-to-faculty ratio (20 percent), citations per faculty (20 percent), international faculty ratio (5 percent), and international student ratio (5 percent). Ben-Gurion University stood out among Israeli universities, leaping 33 places from the previous report to come in at 259th. Tel Aviv University climbed eight places to be ranked 203rd. Bar-Ilan University was ranked among the 601-650 top universities (up from the previous

report, when it was in the 651700 group). The University of Haifa did not make the top 700 universities, but is mentioned alongside other universities in the “701 plus” group. Hebrew University dropped 10 places to 148th but was the top-ranked university in Israel, and Technion dropped eight places to 198th. Israel’s top individual faculty sector in the rankings, meanwhile, is Hebrew University’s Faculty of the Humanities, which came in 128th among the world’s arts and humanities faculties.

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WRITERS

bridge, England, and writing in Hebrew. Her first novel, “Suitcase on Snow,” about a young Israeli woman who travels back to Russia, was well-received in Israel. Her second novel, “The Misplaced,” about Russian immigrants’ difficulties assimilating to Israeli culture in the 1990s, hasn’t fared as well, perhaps because the author’s message is one Israelis don’t want to hear.

Maya Arad

Arad has been the writer-inresidence at Stanford University’s Taube Center for Jewish Studies since 2009, and is best known for her 2003 novel in verse “Another Place, A Foreign City,” which was translated into English. Most of her books are about Israelis who live abroad; in fact, she said readers tell her they often give her books to friends readying themselves to go abroad. Her most recent book, “Suspected Dementia,” is about language and memories.

Ola Groisman

Groisman immigrated to Israel from Russia at age 7. For the past 12 years, however, she has been has been living in Cam-

WORLD

Reuven Namdar

Admiel Kosman

Both a poet and professor of Jewish studies, Kosman grew up in an Orthodox family and is the academic director at the Abraham Geiger College in Potsdam, Germany – the first school to train Reform rabbis in Germany since the Holocaust. His poem, “I Try To Wake You In the Dark,” about his love and longing for Jerusalem, has been used by both right-wing Jewish groups and left-wing Palestinian ones to express their feelings about the city. Now living his day-to-day life in German, he has said that Hebrew now holds a strength it did not have for him when he lived in Israel. His book, “Approaching You in English: Selected Poems of Admiel Kosman” was released in 2011.

One of Reuven “Ruby” Namdar’s greatest joys is to sit in a coffee shop in New York, hearing the buzz of English all around him, while writing in Hebrew on his laptop. Namdar, 52, moved to the United States after his army service, where he discovered JewishAmerican writers like Saul Bellow, Philip Roth and Cynthia Ozick. He says his most recent novel, the Sapir Prize-winning “The Ruined House,” about a professor who hallucinates about Jerusalem’s Holy Temple, is an homage to them. The novel is currently being translated into English.

of postmodern stories, “New York 1, Tel Aviv 0,” which range in topic from an unstable, cohabiting threesome to an artist’s short reunion with the daughter he abandoned, feature characters who are trying to negotiate both cultures, American and Israeli. The book, written in English and published last year, is currently being translated into Hebrew.

Shelly Oria

Oria moved from Tel Aviv to New York to get a master’s degree in fine arts at Sarah Lawrence College. Though she started doing all her assignments in Hebrew and translating them, at a certain point she forced herself to compose in English. Her lauded collection

Lavie Tidhar

Few writers have the chutzpah to write fiction about Osama bin Laden or create an alternate history of Auschwitz, yet the prolific Tidhar has

October 2, 2015 |

done both (in “Osama: A Novel” and “A Man Lies Dreaming.”) Raised on a kibbutz but now a resident of London, Tidhar also edited the recently published anthologies “Jews vs. Zombies” and “Jews vs. Aliens.” Tidhar writes at the intersection of speculative fiction, noir, thriller and fantasy. His newest novel, “Central Station,” about Tel Aviv’s bus station, was written in English, like the majority of his work, and is forthcoming in March 2016.

Ayelet Tsabari

Tsabari received a great deal of attention with her recent win of the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature for her story collection “The Best Place on Earth: Stories.” The book, written in English, has stories from the perspectives of a multitude of characters – a Yemenite grandmother, a Filipina caretaker, a British man of Indian descent, a young woman in the Israeli army. Though she now lives in Toronto, Tsabari often writes about Israel and says that “longing for a place, the sense of being away, is a very Jewish theme.” Tsabari is currently at work on a novel and a memoir.

24 | October 2, 2015

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Jewish coalition for Syrian refugees awards $148K to groups working in Hungary, Turkey JTA — The Jewish Coalition for Syrian Refugees has awarded $148,000 in new grants to address the welfare of refugee women and children and to ensure psychosocial support for first responders. The coalition of Jewish organizations, which two weeks ago expanded to address the needs of refugees and migrants in Europe (including Turkey), as well as in Jordan, announced grants on Sept. 24 to World Jewish Relief, working in partnership with the International Blue Crescent, and to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, working in partnership with the Turkish Jewish Community and IBC as well as with two local Hungarian NGOs, Menedek and the Student Counseling Center of Szeged University. Since expanding its efforts, the coalition, a subgroup of the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief, has raised more than $200,000, on top of the more than

$500,00 it had raised for its work in Jordan since 2013. “While the Jewish humanitarian response to this crisis emerges from the Jewish people’s historic experience of displacement, our focus on vulnerable refugee women and children and the care of first responders represents our desire to provide immediate relief for those whose burdens are disproportionately felt in a situation of this magnitude,” Will Recant, who coordinates the coalition, said in a news release issued by the coalition. Recant is also JDC’s assistant executive vice president. Among the services the grants will cover are providing winter clothing and sleeping bags to refugee children, a mother-child health care unit at a refugee camp and psychosocial support for hundreds of humanitarian first responders working with refugees in Hungary. The Jewish Coalition for Syr-

Fearing for their lives, an estimated 2.5 million Syrians have ﬂed the fighting that has plagued their country. Women and especially adolescent girls have had to ﬂee for an additional reason – it has been their best way to escape an escalating epidemic of kidnapping and rape. For these reasons, the Jewish community has mobilized to support those displaced by war. ian Refugees previously aided thousands of Syrian refugees through more than $500,000 in grants for humanitarian aid in Jordan, helping spur the founding of an interfaith movement advocating for the needs of the

Syrian refugee populations. Coalition member organizations include North American groups like the American Jewish Committee, the JDC and the Anti-Defamation League, as well as the umbrella groups for

the Reform and Conservative movements, and international groups like the World Jewish Congress. For a full list of members or to make a contribution, visit: www. jcdr.org.

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FROM PAGE 21

SCOUTS Bruce J. Kaufman, Troop 1, Diamond Hill – 1983 David Kern, Troop 40, Providence– 1964 Jordan B. Kirschenbaum, Troop 50, Providence – 1947 Edward Krasner, Troop 4, Cranston – 1973 Jay Krasner, Troop 14, Cranston – 1969 John S. Krasner, Troop 13, Rehoboth – 1981 Robert Krasner, Troop 50, Providence – 1947 Stanley Leibo, Troop 20, Providence – 1950 Phillip Lerner, Troop 40, Providence – 1963 Steven Lerner, Troop 40, Providence – 1960 David R. Miller, Troop 40, Providence – 196 Richard Miller, Troop 40, Providence – 1966 Stanley A. Miller, Troop 40, Providence – 1964 Bruce D. Nelson, Troop 40, Providence – 1957 Richard Paisner, Troop 20, Providence – 1963 Neal H. Paster, Troop 20, Providence – 1965 Robert S. Paster, Troop 20, Providence – 1966 Paul R. Persky, Troop 20, Providence – 1966 Edward Robin, Troop 20, Providence – 1950

Douglas Ross, Troop 40, Providence – 1965 Jeffrey A. Ross, Troop 20, Providence – 1967 David C. Rothman, Troop 20, Providence – 1944 Jack Rotman, Troop 20, Providence – 1940 Stanley Rotman, Troop 20, Providence – 1940 Alan F. Sadow, Troop 20, Providence – 1950 David A. Schechter, Troop 20, Providence – 1958 Gerald R. Schneider, Troop 40, Providence – 1958 Ira Schoolman, Troop 10, Providence – 1954 Richard A. Schuster, Troop 20, Providence – 1979 Rene Sternau, Troop 40, Providence – 1961 Mitchell Sugarman, Troop 20, Providence – 1943 Jeffrey Swartz, Troop 40, Providence – 1961 Peter M. Swartz, Troop 40, Providence – 1957 Carles L. Traugott, Troop 20, Providence – 1969 Steven Weisman, Troop 40, Providence – 1958 Fred Wertheimer, Troop 20, Providence – 1973 Peter Workman, Troop 20, Providence –1952 GEORGE GOODWIN, a member of Temple Beth-El in Providence, has edited the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes for more than 10 years.

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Michael A. Berger, 73 NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. – Michael A. Berger, 73, died Aug. 31. He was born in Providence, the son of the late Samuel and Frances (Orleck) Berger. He is survived by his sister Toby Puntar. He was a member of Touro Synagogue in Newport. He was the owner of Newport School of Hairdressing. The epitome of the self-made man, he built a cosmetology school business single-handedly over 40 years, working until a few weeks before died. He was beloved by his staff, students and customers. He was curious about other cultures and languages, especially Spanish. He became adept at conversational Spanish to the delight of the Spanish students and customers who frequented the school. He enjoyed cooking, relaxing at home and swimming at the beach. He enjoyed the news, and was always abreast of current events. His love of travel took him around the globe. He recently completed a dream trip to his beloved Israel. His dry sense of humor and candid observations often put a smile on people’s faces. Beyond his tough exterior, Michael had a compassionate and sensitive heart. He will be greatly missed by everyone close to him. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.

Herbert L. Emers A memorial service for Herbert L. Emers, who died Aug. 14, will be held Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. at Brown RISD Hillel, 80 Brown St., Providence.

Janice A. Gillis, 72 CRANSTON, R.I. – Janice A. Gillis died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends on Sept. 21 at Rhode Island Hospital. Born in Quincy, Mass., a daughter of the late Irving and Sophie (Marentz) Ucran, she had lived in Cranston, previ-

ously living in Warwick. She was active in Friends of the Warwick Library and a supporter of Camp JORI. Devoted mother of Joseph Gillis, Jr. and his wife, Linda, of Bridgewater, Mass., and Julie Gillis Butziger of Warwick. Dear sister of Lois Silverman Yashar and her husband, Dr. James Yashar, of Palm Beach, Fla., and the late Stephen Ucran. Loving grandmother of Kerrin and Matthew. Contributions in her memory may be made to Camp JORI, P.O. Box 5299, Wakefield, R.I. 02879.

Leonard Hershoff, 94

SUNSET BEACH, N.C. – Leonard Hershoff, formerly of Greenville, Worcester, Mass. and Brick, N.J., died on Sept. 26. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Mary Arouh in 2009. His siblings Hyman Hershoff, Solomon Hershoff and Ida Friedman also predeceased him, leaving him as the last of his generation. The son of Samuel and Minnie Hershoff, he was born in Brockton, Mass., in 1921 and was a graduate with high distinction of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, class of 1943, majoring in electrical engineering. A wizard with electronics and vacuum tubes who welcomed challenges, he was most satisfied by his early work in the high-voltage research laboratory at MIT, collaborating with the Lahey Clinic. He also worked for Westinghouse, Amperex and RCA. He completed his career as a development engineer at IBM in Kingston, N.Y., where he co-authored a patent related to CRT display tubes. After retiring in 1983, he and and his wife moved to Brick, N.J., where he served on the Ocean County Older Adults Traffic Safety Councl and volunteered at Brick Hospital. He was active in various Jewish agencies and temples throughout his lifetime. Mary and Len moved to Rhode

Island in 2002 to be closer to their family, later to Massachusetts, and after Mary’s death Len came to North Carolina in 2012. He leaves behind his devoted son and daughter-in-law Lawrence Hershoff and Eleanor Mulford; his loving daughter and son-in-law Andrea and Ken Johnson; his grandchildren Emily Finkel and her husband, Noah, and Gregory Johnson and his wife, Stacey; and g reat-g randchildren, A lden and Madeline Finkel; as well as many nieces and nephews. Contributions may be made to Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester Mass. 01609 or San Miguel School, 525 Branch Avenue, Providence R.I. 02904.

Edward Neidorf, 86 LINCOLN, MASS. – Edward Neidorf, of Lincoln, Mass., formerly of Lexington, Mass., died on Sept. 21. Beloved husband of Rhoda (Bloom) Neidorf. Devoted father of Jeffrey Neidorf and his wife Linda and Kenneth Neidorf. Cherished grandfather of Daniel Neidorf and his wife Hannah, Katherine Neidorf, Alison Neidorf and her fiancé David, and Jonathan Neidorf. Loving brother of Sylvia Chase of West Warwick. Expressions of sympathy in Edward’s memory may be made to the Special Needs Arts Programs, Inc., PO Box 598, Lexington, Mass. 02420.

Ella Persky, 101 NAPLES, FLA. – Ella (Bernstein) Persky died on Sept. 23 at the Barrington Terrace Assisted Living Center in Naples. She was the wife of the late Edward M. Persky. Born in Providence,

OBITUARIES she was the daughter of the late Max and Gussie (Halpern) Bernstein. She was an avid reader and bridge player and enjoyed listening to music. She experienced a fulfilled life and her greatest joy was being a devoted grandmother to her grandsons, Evan and Blake. She was thrilled that Evan would soon be married to Jacquelyn Dougherty. She is survived by her son, Craig Richards and his wife Mary-Frances of Narragansett and Marco Island, Fla; her grandsons Evan and Blake Richards; her nephew Michael Lack and wife Marjorie of Boston and her cousin Anita Stein of Providence. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Loyola School, 980 Park Ave, New York, N.Y. 10028.

Arline Slack

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Arline (Cooper) Slack died Sept. 19. She was the wife of the late Elliot F. Slack; they were married for 60 years. A daughter of the late Maurice and Rose (Titow) Cooper, she recently resided at Tamarisk Assisted Living in Warwick. She was a brilliant contract bridge player and became a Certified Director of the Starr Bridge Club and Bridge Club of RI. She was one of the first female life masters in Rhode Island. Her love for sports is legendary. She was passionate for golf, bowling, Patriots, Celtics, Bruins and her beloved Boston Red Sox. She is survived by her children; Robert Slack and wife Margie, Richard Slack, and Maureen Slack DiCristofaro and husband Paul; grandchildren Morgan and husband Kyle, Matthew, Samantha, Alexan-

October 2, 2015 |

dra and Evan; great-granddaughters, Maggie and Molly; sister-in-law Ann Cooper; and nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by sisters, Shirley Nelson and Doris Kouffman and brother Harvey Cooper. Contributions in her memory may be made to The Jimmy Fund, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, Mass. 02284 and Philip Huiltar RI Home and Hospice, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, R.I. 02904.

Myron T. Winoker, 91 WARWICK, R.I. – Myron T. Winoker died Sept. 26 at Greenwood Center. He was the beloved husband of Sophie (Pepper) Winoker for 67 years. Born in Pawtucket, a son of the late Israel and Sarah (Levenson) Winoker, he had lived in Warwick for 54 years. He was a freight clerk for ACME Fast Freight for 25 years, a wholesale bagel distributor for 9 years and was a school bus driver. He was a WWII veteran serving stateside. He was a member of the Jewish War Veterans Post #23, Chabad House, the Arthritis Foundation and was a past president of the Warwick Chapter of AARP. Devoted father of Sanford Winoker of Tulsa, Okla. and Merrill Winoker of Warwick. Dear brother of James Winoker of Providence and loving grandfather of four. Cherished great grandfather of three. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, 1330 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta, Ga. 30309, RI Hadassah, 17 Pocahontas Dr., Middletown, R.I. 02842 or West Bay Chabad, 3871 Post Rd., Warwick, R.I. 02886.

COMMUNITY

28 | October 2, 2015

The Jewish Voice

New England teens join almost 2,000 on BBYO summer experiences BY SAMANTHA WALSH This summer, 68 New England teens joined nearly 2,000 of their peers at BBYO Summer Experiences. These summer programs offer Jewish teens

the opportunity to lead, learn, serve communities, travel, strengthen their Jewish and personal identities and meet peers from around the world, forming authentic and lifelong

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bonds. The 68 New England teens have just returned home from CLTC, a 12-day leadership program; ILTC, a three-week advanced leadership program; ILSI, a 21-day elite leadership program in Israel; Kallah, a program for teens to fi nd their Jewish selves; and BBYO Passport, and various travel programs from Israel to Europe to Latin A mer ic a . The lessons learned there, ranging from leadership development to fi nding their Jewish identity to meeting teens from around the world, will stay with them throughout the rest of their lives, helping them to become strong leaders in the Jewish community and beyond. “It took a great push to get me to register for Chapter Leadership Training Conference (CLTC), but it’s the greatest push I have ever gotten. I learned so much about how capable I am as a person, but mostly how capable I am as a Jew. This 12-day program strengthened my Jewish identity and helped me embrace my culture,” said Julia Keizler,

16, a student at Classical High School in Providence, about Chapter Leadership Training Conference. “Not to mention that I met my best friends in the entire world who I still talk to daily. If you are looking for something meaningful to do, CLTC is without a doubt the best choice.” “A picture may be worth a

thousand words, but the experience you have and the people you meet are what you learn from,” said Stephanie Margolis, 17, of Acton (Mass.) High School about International Leadership Seminar Israel (ILSI). “ILSI was one of the most impactful experiences on my Jewish identity and myself as a leader.” BBYO is the leading pluralistic Jewish teen movement aspiring to involve Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. For more than 90 years, BBYO‘s programs, the Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA,

high school fraternity) and the B’nai B’rith Girls (BBG, high school sorority) have been providing exceptional leadership programs and identity enrichment experiences, shaping the confidence and character of more than 400,000 alumni. Now, BBYO’s network of Jewish teens, alumni, parents, volunteers and philanthropists serves as a valuable platform for delivering to the post Bar/ Bat Mitzvah audience fun, meaning fu l and affordable experiences. With year-round activities in hundreds of local communities and worldwide travel experiences, BBYO’s broad program menu enables teens to explore areas of leadership, service, civic engagement, Israel education and Jewish values. FOR MORE INFORMATION about BBYO Summer Experiences or BBYO New England Region, contact Samantha Walsh, MSW, regional director, at 401-490-1030 or swalsh@ bbyo.org.

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COMMUNITY

October 2, 2015 |

Arts Emanu-El hosts events honoring reawakening Jewish culture in Poland BY LINDA SHAMOON Fact: Prior to World War II, there were at least 1,000 wooden hand-built synagogues scattered throughout Poland – on the outside, drab and ordinary, but on the inside a world of color, ornate decoration, and beautifully rendered Hebrew calligraphy, with elements of the exotic and fantastical. Fact: By 1939, every one of these Jewish architectural treasures was gone. Almost no records remain of what they looked like or how they were built. Fact: In 2005, American art Professors Rick and Laura Brown and their students aimed to research and reconstruct, in Poland, one of these grand wooden synagogues, using authentic materials and methods. But with almost no historical or visual record about the techniques, art, culture and everyday life of these buildings, they faced a daunting task. Fact: In 2014, the breathtaking, colorful, ornate and fantastical roof of the reconstructed Gwozdziec Synagogue was installed as the central exhibit in Warsaw’s POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Fact: On Oct. 24, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, in Providence, Rhode Islanders will have a chance to learn the story, encounter the challenges and feel the deep rewards that the Browns and their team experienced while bringing Gwozdziec Synagogue back to life. Their remarkable project is preserved in the visually stunning documentary “Raise the Roof,” a film filled with close-up views of a rescued Jewish cultural treasure. In fact, viewers would not be able to get a closer, more vibrant look at the synagogue’s wonderful roof and bimah unless they traveled to Warsaw. The film begins with the Browns, founders of Handshouse Studio and faculty at the Massachusetts College of Art, as they explore the beauty and cultural significance of Poland’s 18th-century wooden synagogues and as they decide to reconstruct the elaborate roof and painted ceiling of the Gwozdziec Synagogue. Along the way, they grapple not just with the echoes of World War II, when these buildings were destroyed by the Nazis, but also with warped timber, tricky paints and period hand tools. But that is not all. The story continues as their all-volunteer team of 300 young artists and architects learn to hand-carve building frames from raw timber, mix paints from crushed seeds and bark, decipher colors from faint photos, and write in the Hebrew calligraphic style of that time. Eventually, the project turns into a grand mission as the

The wooden Gwozdziec Synagogue before it was destroyed.

Jason Loik paints the reconstructed ceiling. team digs into Polish archives to learn about the synagogue’s original artists, as they meet with the chief rabbi of Warsaw for help in deciphering the Hebrew in faint photos, and as they tour Poland to engage its citizens in the project. The film also focuses on several of the young Jewish volunteers as they awaken to and deepen their roots in Polish Jewry. Then, at the climax of the film, this remarkable artistic team must hand over their treasured work to a construction crew so it can be installed in Warsaw’s new museum dedicated to Polish Jewry. What a triumphal moment, yet also a painful moment, as power drills and machined screws dig into the lovingly wrought, handcrafted panels, tiles and boards. What a story! To enhance the audience’s appreciation of the Gwozdziec Synagogue project, the screening of “Raise the Roof” will start with a short preview by Krista Lima, a Massachusetts artist who served on the Browns’ artistic leadership team and who appears in the film. She will speak about her experiences in the field and then respond to questions after the film. Earlier in the day, Rabbi Wayne Franklin, of Temple Emanu-El, will share his photos and talk about his encounter with the synagogue this past summer, when he led a group to Poland. Franklin’s talk is part of the Lunch and Learn series at Temple Emanu-El; Polish treats will be featured on the

Shabbat Kiddush menu for that day. The Oct. 24 screening of “Raise the Roof” is one of two events that Arts Emanu-El at Temple Emanu-El is presenting this fall and both events are open to the community. On Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m., Arts Emanu-El will host an evening of music and film with a screening of “The Return of the Violin,” another amazing story in the history of Polish Jewry, this time focused on a violin and a Polish Jewish violinist, and with ties to the birth of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and American violinist Joshua Bell. After the film, violinist Maya Ramchandran, of the New England Conservatory of Music, will perform two movements from the piece featured in the film: Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major. Tickets for both events go on sale three weeks prior to the event. To purchase tickets for the Oct. 24 screening of “Raise the Roof” at Temple Emanu-El, go to TEProv.org or send a check to: Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence, RI 02906. Ticket prices include the film, the preview and post-film discussion, and light refreshments. Early purchase, $8; at the door, $10. (“Raise the Roof” is made available to Arts Emanu-El by the National Center for Jewish Film, Brandeis University.) LINDA SHAMOON is co-chair of Arts Emanu-El at Temple Emanu-El.

NATION

30 | October 2, 2015

Celebrating Sukkot in a time of drought

BY EDMON J. RODMAN LOS ANGELES (JTA) – While preparing for Sukkot in drought-ridden California, I hoped that the holiday’s joy had not dried up alongside much of the state’s water supply. For a holiday also called “the season of our joy,” one that celebrates the harvest and is fi lled with greenery and fruit, I worried about how the lack of rain would affect our celebration here and in other areas of the parched West. In my Los Angeles neighborhood, trees were dying all around, including a birch in my front yard that reminded me of one from my childhood home. And in a season when the shaky sukkah is meant to represent the fragility of life, fi re was giving us the shakes as well. At Rosh Hashanah, we heard that the entire town of Middletown, in Northern California, had burned down. A my wife’s fi rst cousin lives there; luckily he and his wife were not home at the time and their home was one of the few not destroyed. Southern California is in the fourth year of drought. From 2011 to 2015, the recorded total for rainfall in downtown L.A. was a record low 29.14 inches. Forests and hillsides across the state are brown, parched and ready to go up in flames, as they did in the Valley Fire in Lake County. The Valley Fire has blackened more than 75,000 acres, making it the fourth most

The Jewish Voice

Andy Lipkis, founder of TreePeople, is building cisterns to collect rainwater in Los Angeles destructive wildfi re in California history. To adapt to the water shortage, some of my neighbors were removing their green lawns and replacing them with rocks, bark and artificial grass. Would my sukkah need to adapt as well? According to the Rabbinical Assembly and other sources, the skach, or roof covering of the sukkah, must be of material that grew from the ground. But with everyone in Los Angeles required to cut back on their watering, would there still be enough palm fronds around – most Angelenos use the fronds for skach, since windy days often fi nd my neighborhood

streets littered with them – to cover my sukkah roof? Would my celebration of Sukkot somehow endanger the trees, even the palms? Wondering how my city’s trees were faring, I spoke with Andy Lipkis, the president of an organization called TreePeople, which he founded in 1973. Lipkis – who began planting trees when he was 15 years old – and his nonprofit have been leaders in the citizen-forestry movement, helping to plant about 2 million trees, and are working to “transform L.A.’s landscapes into living, healthy watersheds.” Lipkis told me that in terms of sukkah roofi ng, I need

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not worry. “The palm trees are not dying from the drought. There is no shortage of palm fronds or other potential greenery,” he said, much to my relief. But just as quickly he added that due to the drought, we were at a “point of risk.” Lipkis had seen the trees dying around L.A., including the ones in the park surrounding his organization’s headquarters. “We’ve lost dozens of big old trees,” including oaks, he said. The situation is exacerbated because ground squirrels and other rodents, looking for water, eat the tree roots, which results in the trees turning brown and eventually toppling, he said. He reminded me that especially in this time of drought in semi-arid Los Angeles, “we are in the sukkah to connect with the sources of our lives, our food and our water.” Lipkis also wanted me to think about why Sukkot, his favorite holiday, was created. “The rabbis, way back, knew that people forget about the vital importance of trees in sustaining our lives, including producing our food,” he said. Trees “act like tanks capturing the rain in their sponge-like area of their roots. Instead of the water running off, they put it back in the aquifer,” said Lipkis who has used his expertise in water management and technology to influence policymakers in city government. Realizing that water-wise, “the infrastructure we built can no longer be relied on to meet all our needs,” and acting very much like a tree, Lipkis has come up with his own plan to capture rainwater – a plan to which city agencies have been paying attention.

Using a system built from a connected series of plastic, hollow highway barriers – in their usual use, are fi lled with water to give them weight – Lipkis has devised and placed on the side of his house a “temporary, experimental, 1,000-gallon” cistern to catch rainwater running off the roof via a downspout. “You do a little re-engineering,” said Lipkis, who recalled that in the Bible, the kings who built cisterns in the arid land of Israel were celebrated. During a recent storm here on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Lipkis, awakened by the rain, rose at 3:45 a.m. to fi nd the system already had 200 gallons, he said. By 7 a.m., when Lipkis went off to observe the holiday, the cistern was full, he said. As a result, the lemon, lime, olive and fig trees that have been struggling in his front yard are now being sustained with the water he has collected. Lipkis – who usually builds a sukkah out of giant timber bamboo and a few palm fronds thrown on the top – said he won’t be constructing a sukkah this year. Instead he’ll be using his energy to help 10 other households to install a similar cistern system in their yards. Later that day, inspired by our conversation and with cisterns on my mind, I went into my backyard. I found a wheelbarrow fi lled with four inches of water from that same Rosh Hashanah storm. I poured it onto a struggling lemon tree that would soon fi ll my view from the opening of my sukkah. EDMON J. RODMAN is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish life from Los Angeles. Contact him at edmojace@gmail. com.

thejewishvoice.org SIMCHAS

| WE ARE READ

October 2, 2015 |

50TH ANNIVERSARY – Helen Abrams, holding the Jewish Voice, visited Greensboro, North Carolina, with her family to celebrate her daughter Anne and son-in-law David Schwartz’s 50th wedding anniversary. She also welcomed her grandson, Rabbi Michael Schwartz and his family to Greensboro from Israel for a new position at the American Hebrew Academy.

SHARE YOUR JOYFUL EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS

by submitting them for Simchas or We Are Read publication in The Jewish Voice. Email to: editor@jewishallianceri.org or mail to: The Jewish Voice, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, R.I. 02906 CANADA TRAVELS – Barbara Dwares, along with two friends, recently visited Niagara on the Lake in Ontario, Canada, and also visited Niagara Falls, Canada.

Your life is rooted in Jewish experiences

your legacy can be too.

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

Honor Build

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

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32 | October 2, 2015

The Jewish Voice

Orchard Cove offers a new retirement. Far from ordinary, but so close to where you live. At Orchard Cove, a new retirement means taking a fresh look at what independent senior living can offer. More creative and intellectual activities. A healthier approach to life. And new friends in a remarkable community. Orchard Cove offers all this on a beautiful wooded campus in Canton, Massachusetts, just minutes from Rhode Island. We love all things Rhode Island—including the seniors that live there. Have lunch with us and take a tour of Orchard Cove. You’ll go home with a sense of what a great senior living community is all about... as well as a basket of Rhode Island treats. To arrange your lunch, visit orchardcovelife.org or call us at 781-821-1730.

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

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