WJC Voices: Winter 2022-23

RANDY HELLER started playing piano at the age of 6 and hasn’t stopped yet. His favorite activities in life are playing, arranging, conducting and singing at Renewal and Purimshpiel.

| Winter 2022-23

Editor’s Note Jeremy

Blachman

Latkes for Everyone

What comes to mind as you anticipate your upcoming Hanukkah celebration? Is it the presents? The food? The lighting of candles? The blessings you’ll remember from the past year? Do you have a special family tradition over the holidays, or plans you’re looking forward to, perhaps going to a Broadway show, playing or watching sports, or curling up with a good book?

You’ll find articles in this issue—our second Hanukkah issue, as Voices celebrates its one-year anniversary, that touch on all of those subjects and more. The pieces range from Alison Clarick Gottsegen’s marvelous interview with Broadway producer Ruth Hendel; to Barbara Richter’s profile of three congregants who participated in the Maccabiah Games in Israel; to my son Micah’s mouth-watering investigation into our synagogue’s latke-making secrets.

There’s a theme that runs through much of this issue about life at WJC through the generations—from Amanda Wasserstrum’s lovely piece about sending her son off to nursery school at the very same WJC ECC that she attended as a child; to Erica Sigel’s family menorah, lit in memory of her grandfather; to favorite Hanukkah gift memories of congregants young and old.

And all of that doesn’t even include our feature articles. There’s one from Rabbi Arnowitz, about WJC’s 100 Blessings for 100 Days initiative, sharing blessings from more than a dozen congregants; and Evan Schapiro’s exploration of why we give and receive presents on Hanukkah.

Thanks also to Randy Heller for his wonderful piece offering “liner notes” for the music of WJC’s Renewal service; to Caren Osten Gerszberg and Jacques Steinberg for their profile of Jirandy Martinez, executive director of the Community Resource Center in Mamaroneck; to WJC librarian Arlene Ratzabi for sharing her top Hanukkah book picks for young adults; and to Rabbi Dalton for encouraging us all to look for miracles this holiday season.

It has been a privilege to get a sneak preview of these articles as I helped put together this issue, and a pleasure to work with Katie Schlientz, Evan Schapiro, and Jacques Steinberg to get this magazine into your hands in time to light the very first candle on your chanukiah. May you find blessings, miracles, and plenty of latkes on your plate this Hanukkah. Chag sameach.

Jeremy Blachman

SARENE SHANUS is a longtime member and Honorary Trustee of WJC, where she was honored to serve as President. Sarene also volunteers for UJA Federation of NY, Hadar and Repair the World.

EVAN J. SCHAPIRO is proud to be a 4th generation WJC member and looks forward to celebrating his younger daughter’s Bat Mitzvah this spring at WJC.

THE MACCABIAH GAMES SUMMER 2022

Three WJC members take part in the “Jewish Olympics.”

THE GIFTS OF HANUKKAH

A minor Jewish holiday has grown in popularity— all thanks to American commercialism.

GRATE FOR HANUKKAH

WJC congregants share their latke-making secrets.

FINDING OUR CENTER

Linking generation to generation, a menorah still burns bright.

HANUKKAH TITLES FOR YOUNG READERS

WJC’s librarian suggests eight young adult books for eight nights of Hanukkah.

A NEW GENERATION STARTS NURSERY SCHOOL

Sending your child off to a place you remember so fondly.

TRUST THE POWER OF MIRACLES

Rabbi Dalton shares hope that we can use the holiday as an opportunity to find new light.

RUTH HENDEL: FROM BRISKET TO BROADWAY

Reflections on a long career in the theater shaped by childhood wonder, Jewish values, and the WJC Book Fair.

AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO AN EVENING OF RENEWAL

A backstage tour of WJC’s Sunday night staple and a source of ‘comfort food’ for many.

100

BLESSINGS FOR 100 DAYS

What kinds of blessings have we discovered along the way?

OPERATION: TSUR ISRAEL

Sarene Shanus shares photos of her travels to Ethiopia and Israel as the representative of UJA Federation of NY.

MEET THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER’S JIRANDY MARTINEZ

A look at the Executive Director of the Mamaroneck organization.

REWIND

A Hanukkah photo from the archives.

GENERATIONS

Westchester Jewish Center is blessed to have a number of families that are celebrating three generations or more of affiliation with the synagogue. In the next few issues of WJC Voices, we’re acknowledging these families by giving them the opportunity to share family photos and why WJC is their family’s spiritual home.

Segelman to thank for truly bringing our two families together. It was Marla who suggested the two of us meet and look where we are now... Married, with another generation added to the Zweig/Seelenfreund WJC family!

—Risa & David Seelenfreund

Is your family celebrating three generations or more at WJC? We would love to feature you! Please send an email to Katie at KLSchlientz@gmail.com for more information on how to be included in an upcoming issue.

finding our center

Linking Generation to Generation, a Menorah Still Burns Bright

ERICA SIGEL

Our menorah is lit in memory of my husband Zack’s grandfather, Morton Sigel. Morton was an extraordinary man and taught us how to lead, comfort, and protect, as well as, most importantly, an appreciation for the meaning of family. He and his wife Vivian (Zack’s grandmother) were very active in the Jewish community and often brought the family together for Jewish holidays—something we all strive to continue to do. After leading a vibrant life with much success, Morton passed away from ALS when we were in college, shortly before we got engaged. Since his passing, Zack’s family has been involved in many ALS fundraisers. At one of the fundraisers, a family friend purchased us a menorah for our engagement.  The menorah is very simple and made of black metal. It shines bright every Hanukkah in our home and is a constant reminder of Morton and his teachings, the life he led, the importance of family, and the joy of celebrating holidays together.

Erica Sigel has been a member of WJC for 10 years, and lives in Larchmont with her husband, Zack, and their children: Levi, Rubi and Xander. She owns her own interior design business, E Sigel Interiors, and enjoys creating timeless spaces that function for one’s lifestyle.

community Barbara Richter

The Maccabiah Games Summer 2022: A Year Deferred, Dreams Realized

Three WJC members take part in the “Jewish Olympics.”

For two weeks this past July, thousands of participants and spectators from around the globe descended on Jerusalem for the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition. Of the nearly 1400 men and women who competed for the United States, some notable athletes included shoe designer Stuart Weitzman (who served as the team’s flag bearer and won a bronze team medal for masters table tennis), former pro baseball player and World Series champion Ian Kinsler, and three WJC members: past WJC president Mark Jacoby and father-son duo Richard and Reggie Grodin.

The Maccabiah (as the games are called) date to 1932, when nearly 390 athletes from fourteen countries participated in the inaugural event in Palestine. The kickoff year was chosen to commemorate the 1800th anniversary of the Bar Kochba

rebellion, the third and final war between the Jews and the Romans, significant since it was the first time Jews formed a united front and fought for one leader, Simon Bar Kochba. However, the Romans ultimately prevailed, crushing the rebellion and rendering Jews nationless until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

The Games are named for Judah Maccabee, remembered as the priest and facile military tactician who defended Judea from invasion by Antiochus IV Epiphanes from 167 to 160 BCE. This victory preserved Judaism—a fact not lost on the founders of the Maccabiah at a time when antisemitism was sweeping Europe and the Holocaust loomed. Since their inception, the Maccabiah have taken place every four years, earning the moniker of “the Jewish Olympics” with the goal of promoting “the highest possible levels of sports competitions, and strengthening… connection with the State of Israel and the Jewish people.”

The three WJC participants experienced that deep connection forged through sport: “Each visit to Israel has strengthened my Jewish pride and identification,” said Richard Grodin. “But it was especially poignant watching my son go through the experience for the first time.” In the week prior to the games, Reggie and his teammates toured Israel through an initiative created by Maccabi USA called “Israel Connect.” Youth sport participants were able to connect their Jewish identity to the greater global community via group activities and tourism.

“The Opening Ceremonies reminded me of the Olympics, but better,” recalled Mark Jacoby. “Over 10,000 athletes

marched into a stadium filled with 30,000 spectators, among whom was Joe Biden [the first US president ever to attend]. As I marched in with my team, the realization that everyone there was Jewish was thrilling.”

“It was a bucket list experience,” Jacoby continued, who ultimately won the bronze medal in Grand Masters Tennis. “A contemporary of mine had participated in 2017, so I figured if he could do it, why not try?” Entry is not guaranteed—just like the Olympics, the Maccabiah have a selection process that varies by sport. A call to Maccabi USA revealed that Jacoby had missed tryouts, but through a last-minute scratch, he secured a spot.

Mark Jacoby wearing his bronze medal at the awards ceremony.

Richard Grodin on the basketball court.

“Over the course of two weeks, I competed in ten tournaments,” Jacoby recounted. “My first match was against a competitor from Argentina at 9am the day after an overnight flight from the states.

The two-and-a-half hour match went into a tiebreaker, which Jacoby won despite the 90-degree heat. It would be the first of three consecutive wins.

Jacoby and his wife further strengthened their ties to Israel by renting an apartment in Tel Aviv, which permitted them to live “more like locals” rather than tourists. When not competing, he and his wife enjoyed touring at a leisurely pace. “There were no games on Shabbat, but there were no trains either, so we couldn’t travel. Fortunately, we were staying fifty yards off Dizengoff Square, which was charming and delightful.” A surprise visit from Jacoby’s daughter (and fellow WJC member) Ali Abrams made the experience even more memorable.

Richard Grodin seems to have been training for the games since playing professional basketball for team Maccabi Haifa as a recent college grad. “After that, I knew I wanted to return and play in the Maccabiah.” His first competition was in 2009. “I brought my wife, Staci, both of my

parents, my mother-in-law, my six-yearold daughter, and my three-year-old son.”

Competition was fierce, but Team USA won the silver medal. “We were hardworking, excellent players, but we fell short.” Ever the competitor, Grodin set his sights on 2013, and this time, he and his team earned the top prize.

When Richard’s son Reggie turned sixteen, he became eligible for youth basketball. Unfortunately, Covid restrictions bumped the games to 2022, but rather than viewing it as a setback, the Grodins saw this as a gift of extra preparation time. Both Grodins secured spots on their respective teams.

After two weeks of intense competition, Team USA Masters faced off against Brazil in the finals. “We won bronze. Although I was disappointed not winning a higher medal, I felt complete because I participated three times and won each of the top medals between 2009 to 2022,” Richard said. Youth basketball also made it to the finals, where Reggie and Team USA played Israel in the final game. It was a battle, but ultimately, USA won gold.

“I would encourage anyone who has a passion for a sport to participate,”

said Richard. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience where you have the chance to meet people from all over the world and play a sport in an atmosphere so unique and thrilling.” Jacoby also hopes that more WJC members will consider participating in the next games. “It is an unmatchable experience.”

Better start training, sports fans: the next Games are less than four years away. Registration opens in 2024.

Barbara Richter lives in Larchmont and is the founder of In Ink Ghostwriting.

Americans interested in participating in the Maccabiah should contact Maccabi USA for information on eligibility, tryouts, training camps, and competitions at maccabiusa.com

Craving more competition? The Maccabi World Union organizes the Pan-American Maccabi Games, which also take place every four years. The next games will be in Buenos Aires December 27, 2023, through January 4, 2024.

Reggie and Richard Grodin with their gold and bronze medals, respectively.

Hanukkah Titles for Young Readers

WJC’s librarian suggests eight young adult books for eight nights of Hanukkah.

Hanukkah is a holiday filled with wonderful literature for kids of all ages. While there are many picture books for our youngest children—some of which were featured in the first issue of WJC Voices a year ago—we shouldn’t ignore the rewarding titles for kids just a bit older. These eight books—one for each night of the holiday—should keep your school-aged kids engaged and captivated, and get them feeling the spirit of Hanukkah.

The Maccabees, by Moshe Pearlman

From 1973, this is the ancient tale brought to life for young readers who may not want to dive into the Books of the Maccabees themselves. Full of adventure and excitement, there may be no better way to understand the holiday than to read the story from which it all emerged (age 9+).

Dreidels on the Brain, by Joel ben Izzy

A touching, funny novel about growing up Jewish in Los Angeles in 1971, and trying to make it through middle school. Laugh-out-loud, but also tackling serious questions about being Jewish in a non-Jewish world and fitting in when you don’t quite think you do, the book is a great read for Hanukkah, or any time of year (age 9+).

Alexandra’s Scroll: the Story of the First Hanukkah, by Miriam Chaikin

In this work of historical fiction, Alexandra, a young Jewish girl from Jerusalem, describes her life — including her father joining their neighbor Judah Maccabee’s rebellion — and the creation of Hanukkah, more than 2000 years ago. Hopefully your children’s diary is less action-packed (age 9+).

Chanukah: Eight Nights of Light, Eight Gifts for the Soul, by Shimon Apisdorf

This Chanukah book tackles the bigger questions in a Jew’s heart and mind, the deepest questions around being a Jew: Who am I, and what is this holiday really about? As one reviewer writes, “finally a Chanukah book that explains everything with levity and clarity” (age 9+).

A Different Light: The Hanukkah Book of Celebration and A Different Light: The Big Book of Hanukkah, by Noam Zion

A two-volume set, the first a how-to guide for everything Chanukah (blessings, songs, stories, and more), and the second an anthology with essays about the holiday from contemporary Jewish thinkers ranging from Chaim Potok to Daniel Gordis to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. It all adds up to a crash course in the holiday for kids and adults (age 9+).

The Frozen Rabbi, by Steve Stern

Recommended by author Dara Horn for the website Five Books as one of the best books for Hanukkah, she writes, “A Jewish teen in Tennessee, looking for hamburgers, discovers a 19th-century rabbi in his family’s deep freezer…. It’s just hilarious. It becomes a story about the history of Jews in diaspora and… captures that miraculous element of Hanukkah and the way all Jewish holidays tie modern people to an ancient past” (age 12+).

The Power of Light: Eight Stories for Hanukkah, by Isaac Bashevis Singer

Nobel Prize winner Isaac Bashevis Singer offers eight stories, one for each night of Hanukkah, filled with miracles and magic, and the triumph of light over evil. A powerful book, with tales that take place in 19th century Russia, the Warsaw ghetto during World War II, as well as late 20th century New York (age 12+).

The Matzah Ball: A Novel, by Jean Meltzer

A romance novel with an observant Jew at the center! Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt has been hiding her career from her family. Why? She writes bestselling romance novels… about Christmas! Of course, she seeks the same romance in her own life as her characters are able to find… and when her publisher wants her to write a book about Hanukkah… well, you’ll have to read the book (age 15+).

Arlene Ratzabi has been the WJC Librarian for the past 15 years during which time she fully automated the library. An MLS graduate of Columbia University, Arlene previously worked at the Hebrew University’s Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem, and as an Executive Recruiter for a retained executive search firm in Manhattan.

Grate for Hanukkah

Oil is an essential part of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The origin of the word latke itself goes all the way back to the Greek word for oil, élaion. Although not all countries celebrate Hanukkah with latkes, or with as much oil, other traditions are just as delicious. As Faye Levy says in Faye Levy’s International Jewish Cookbook, “To a Jewish child in the United States, it means Hanukkah parties, potato pancakes, and presents. To his cousin in Israel, it is the time to enjoy fluffy doughnuts filled with red jam.”

One WJC congregant, Louise Cohen, has a unique recipe. First, she peels 4-5 potatoes, and puts the peeled potatoes in a bowl of cold water so that they don’t turn black. She then grates the potatoes and one small onion by hand, and adds 2-3 tablespoons of matzo meal. What makes her latkes so appetizing? Half a teaspoon of baking powder. “I think the baking powder makes the latkes lighter,” she says. After, she adds salt to taste, and puts safflower oil in a 12-inch skillet. “If I’m making a smaller amount, I might use a smaller skillet,” she explains. Once the oil gets hot, she drops a small amount of batter into the skillet, and when it sizzles and gets brown, she knows that the skillet is hot enough. She drops a spoonful of batter in, waits until she sees golden-brown edges, and then she knows that it is time to turn

it over. After the latke becomes brown on both sides, it is ready to eat. “You can use the same recipe to make potato kugel,” she says.

Member Marilyn Weisbrot has a different approach. She grates potatoes and onions with a grater, and, since she can’t strain the mixture, she puts it in a towel, and twists it until it gets tight. “I used to use matzo meal, because that’s what my mother used, but then I switched to flour,” she says. She adds eggs, salt, and a pinch of baking powder (just like Louise!), and then fries them in vegetable oil, in a 10inch skillet. It normally takes 3-4 minutes on each side, but it can vary depending on the thickness of the latke. “I used to be a first grade teacher in White Plains,” she recalls. “With my class I would make latkes around the time of Hanukkah. They would smell up the hallway. It drew a lot of people in for extras.”

I expected that I would hear very similar things from the people I interviewed. But no—everyone has a different recipe. Tami Arnowitz, in the 2001-2002 school year, went with Rabbi Arnowitz to study at a conservative yeshiva in Israel for fun. They hosted a latke cookoff, but she didn’t like the latkes. “I researched, and found this,” she says. A delicious recipe, combining shredded potatoes, mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, and matzo meal. Her trick for

finding the correct temperature of oil (not chicken schmaltz—she doesn’t keep much around) is to look at it. When it gets hot enough, it gets that shimmer, and will move in a certain way. Just like you, eyes shimmering, moving in a certain way to reach for a freshly made latke. “Make sure to adjust the temperature; you want the latke to be cooked all the way through. Once you’ve flipped them over, and they’ve cooked on both sides, make sure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pan, and they are free to move around. You might think they have a lot of room to move around since I typically use a 13.5 inch skillet, but, if you’re making a lot of latkes, that’s not necessarily the case,” she explains. She doesn’t use baking powder, since she likes her latkes to have a more solid feel to bite into, the same as some people feel about matzo balls.

As I have discovered while writing this piece (and as you may have too!), there are so many recipes, so many cultures, so many traditions, but at heart, we are all celebrating the miracle of Hanukkah.

Micah Blachman is a fourth grader at The Leffell School.

WJC congregants share their latke-making secrets.

FAMILY Amanda Luskin Wasserstrum

A New Generation Starts Nursery School

Sending your child off to a place you remember so fondly.

Ihave always loved back-to-school season. I have nothing against the summer months — who could complain about 9pm sunsets, warm weather, and some time off? — but September always brings with it a welcome energy that I find refreshing and reinvigorating after the blink of an eye that is August. I find myself looking forward to the reliable combination of getting back into a routine, reuniting with friends after summer vacations, and celebrating Rosh Hashana with family.

My family’s transition from summer to fall felt particularly acute and surprisingly emotional this year. We were emerging from the newborn haze and finding some semblance of routine after our second son, Teddy, was born in May, and I was gearing up to return to work

following my maternity leave. Our social and professional lives included more and more in-person interaction with each passing day, and we were preparing to host large crowds for the High Holidays for the first time in 3 years. I am hopefully not alone in admitting that between the kids and the pandemic, I had lost some muscle memory in terms of making myself “presentable,” or getting out of the house on time for literally anything.

Perhaps the biggest adjustment for our family this fall was that our older son, Cole, started school. Not just any school; Cole would be attending nursery school at WJC, just like I did, thirty-something years ago. As with each new stage of parenting, I was unprepared for how emotional this milestone would feel; never has that been more true than as I experience waves of

nostalgia at every dropoff or pick up.

The decision to send my kids to my own “alma mater” at WJC is an endorsement itself, but beyond that, I really do have incredibly fond memories of my time there (at least from what I can recall all these years later). Classmates from when I was barely talking or walking turned into decades-long friendships; more often than not, those relationships extended to our parents and siblings as well. Nursery school was my earliest official welcome into the WJC community, a relationship which has been constant through the most exciting celebrations as well as the most difficult challenges of my life. And of course, WJC provided structured exposure to an education about Jewish holidays and traditions, starting as early as Shabbat celebrations in Mommy

and Me in 1987. As far as I can tell, an insatiable appetite for challah appears to run in the family.

Our family attended the ECC Community Shabbat dinner this past Friday. Cole sat with us for a few short minutes before realizing that some of his friends from school were also in attendance. He grabbed his challah and was gone, running circles around the gym and singing in the hallways with his friends. It immediately brought back memories of having done the exact same thing, in the exact same hallways, with my own friends so many years ago.

I was recently going through childhood photo albums ahead of my brother’s wedding. I came across several pictures from my time at WJC, including a few occasions on which my parents or grandparents accompanied me to school. I was struck by yet another wave of nostalgia, especially in thinking about my mom and my grandparents, who have passed away in recent years. What an honor it is to be a part of this full-circle moment with my son and with my family. L’dor v’dor.

Amanda Luskin Wasserstrum grew up at WJC and loves being a member as an adult with her husband Jonathan and her sons Cole and Teddy.

A. Young Amanda at the ECC in the mid-80s. B. Fast forward 30 years, and Amanda’s oldest son Cole takes her place.

C. Amanda as the Shabbat Ima with her grandparents of blessed memory.

D. Marty Luskin, Amanda’s father, gets his hands dirty with grandson Cole.

E. Amanda and Cole working on a project together.

Trust the Power of Miracles

This piyyut is one I have been thinking about regularly in meditation as the days have gotten shorter and darker, and as I find myself walking into WJC as the sun is rising faintly over the trees. Pay attention to this fleeting time, the poem reminds me. Pay attention to what is going on right now; pay attention to what is going on inside as the air gets colder and crisper. The bright, evocative language reminds me, too, of Hanukkah evenings spent in my family’s kitchen, by the window, watching as the colorful candles dipped lower and lower, how beautiful the light they cast. Those lights are only there for us to enjoy, the rabbis teach us — we are not to work sitting next to them, we

are not to cook by their light, but we should just enjoy them, remaining present and taking in their beauty. This is one of my favorite mitzvot of Hanukkah, to sit and be totally focused on this beauty for a few brief moments. The sole purpose of those nerot Hanukkah, fleeting as they are, is to publicize the miracle which took place ba yamim ha’hem ba zman hazeh, at that time and in that place.

What was that miracle, and why should we share it with others?

Maimonides teaches that it was God’s intervention in the military fight between the Maccabees and the Greeks that was so miraculous. Maoz Tzur, one of the Hanukkah songs we sing, brings moving support

Spiritual living Rabbi Cornelia Dalton

Rabbi Dalton shares hope that we can use the holiday as an opportunity to find new light.

Rabbi Shema’ayah Kusson, a 16th century North African poet, wrote:

Pay attention to the soul: Opal, amethyst and gold, As bright as the sun’s warm glow, Sevenfold brighter than the light of morning!

to Maimonides’ claim: “And Your word broke their sword / When our own strength failed us.” God’s power and majesty and might are worth celebrating, particularly when we are able to notice them, particularly when we are at our weakest, our most worn down.

Rabbi David Hartman, z”l, however, offers another answer to the question of the miracle, which this year I find especially convincing. The Maccabees entered the temple, destroyed and desolate and impure, and found one jar of pure oil, with enough inside to light for only one night. If you know it’s only got enough oil for one night, Hartman asks, why bother using it? We do not rely on miracles, the Talmud teaches us—why not see the reality for what it is and accept defeat? What a devastating disappointment it would have been if that light had sputtered out—if they had hoped and longed for that miracle, and the jar really only did last for one night. Better, perhaps, to not light it at all.

The miracle, Rabbi Hartman says, was their willingness to light the lamp, to hope for it anyway, and to act on that hope. This is the message I’m taking with me this Hanukkah, and I hope you join me. Hope anyway—be willing to light a lamp and long for the miracle to come.

How often do we shy away from hoping for something, from starting a conversation for fear of being awkward, from doing something different, from trying to reach a far-off goal? The world around us can be dark and cold, and not just because of the season. It can be hard to have hope, to shine brightly against the heaviness that has enveloped our country.

As we celebrate Hanukkah this year, each night lighting candles of all different colors, I invite us to pay attention to the inherent brightness of our soul, as Rabbi Kusson sings, as bright as the sun, in spite of our challenges. I encourage us to lean a little bit more into bitachon, confident trust in God’s saving power; to be willing to light the lamp of hope and connection. As a community, WJC shines bright in so many ways, and if we take the time to look, to notice, and to share that with others, then surely we can bring that light into the larger world.

Chag Sameach, WJC!

Rabbi Cornelia Dalton joined WJC as the Assistant Rabbi in 2020. A Westchester native, she received a B.A. in French and Francophone Studies and Russian Area Studies from Bryn Mawr College in 2011 and ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in May 2020.

My Hanukkah Memory

Voices asked members of the WJC Family about a favorite gift they have received, or given, at Hanukkah.

“Something memorable that I get is a Hess truck each year because it’s a tradition that my aunt and me do for Hanukkah. She has been getting me one each year since I was born. I’m about to get my 12th one this year. I love celebrating Hanukkah with family and friends and eating donuts and Latkes that my mom makes.”

“In 2020 we celebrated Hanukkah by welcoming a cat into our family. We adopted him from a local shelter. The genuine joy and excitement on our children’s faces was unlike their reaction for any toy that was soon forgotten. Gruff brought love, wonder and companionship when we were isolated because of Covid, and every day since then, reminding us that the holidays are foremost about family.”

“During Hanukkah of 2009 my father was hospitalized during the final stages of lung cancer. He was not comatose, but had lost his will to speak. Although my parents would never have considered putting an electric menorah in our front window, as they thought it was ‘too Christmassy,’ I thought he needed one in his hospital room. I plugged it in and left it on the armoire so that he would be sure to see it. ‘Isn’t that beautiful,’ were the last words he uttered before passing two days later. That menorah sits in our front window each Hanukkah since.”

JACK MILLER

JONATHAN BERG

PAM MIZRACHI

RAISE

CURTAIN Alison Clarick Gottsegen

Ruth Hendel: From Brisket to Broadway

Reflections on a long career in the theater shaped by childhood wonder, Jewish values, and the WJC Book Fair.

Ruth and Stephen Hendel, and their three adult children, Abby, Sam and Joe, have been WJC members since 1983. For more than two decades, Ruth and Stephen have been award-winning Broadway producers. Ruth, who is grateful to Stephen for sharing their theater ventures together, recently sat down for a conversation with Voices’ Alison Clarick Gottsegen, from which the following vignettes are excerpted.

A Planted Seed

It all began when 10-year-old Ruth witnessed Robert Morse star in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, her first Broadway musical. After she experienced some bullying in fifth grade, Ruth’s father took her (“just me!” Ruth recalled) on a special outing from Norwich, Connecticut to New York City. Fast forward—to summer 2001—when Ruth found herself in the business. As her son Sam likes to say, “Mom went from Brisket to Broadway!”

Early Days

In 2001, the Hendels were approached about investing in an offBroadway show, ...tick, tick BOOM! by Jonathan Larson of Rent fame. After Jonathan’s tragic death in 1996 on Rent’s opening night, Jonathan’s friends resurrected his …tick, tick BOOM! script and music, which had remained unproduced during his lifetime. The Hendels met with lead producer, Robyn Goodman, and soon enough, they celebrated opening night. But following 9/11, the title ...tick, tick BOOM!, in the downtown Jane Street Theatre no less, would become a bit of a liability, and the show closed prematurely after 215 performances.

While New York City was devastated and shaken to the core, the theater community remained resilient, working tirelessly to keep the uptown shows alive. Producers, actors, stage hands, dressers and the box office did not let tragedy destroy them. Instead, Ruth said, all were motivated knowing “the show must go on.”

“Metamorphoses was Mom’s metamorphosis,” says Abby.

By October, Robyn Goodman invited the Hendels to Metamorphoses at Second Stage Theater, a play with interstitial music developed at Northwestern University, where years earlier, Ruth had received a Master’s degree in drama. The play, set in a pool of water, is based on Greek and Roman mythology. Both uplifting and cathartic, this powerful piece left Ruth mesmerized

and excitedly aware that everyone must see Metamorphoses.

As fate had it, Robyn wanted to bring the show to Broadway and inquired if the Hendels were interested in investing, even co-producing. Having turned 50, with two of three children out of the house—her youngest, Joe, was still in high school—Ruth pondered if her long-forgotten

Northwestern Master’s degree

Broadway producer and WJC member Ruth Hendel.

in drama was a sign? She questioned if she should leave her Larchmont “mom routine” and try something new? She had not thought of Northwestern in years. But she now realized that, next to her family, theater is what she most loved. She signed on to Robyn’s producing team and by year’s end, Circle in the Square Theatre became Metamorphoses new home.

Rehearsals began in January 2002 and as a new coproducer, Ruth attended her first team meeting. Until then, Ruth’s identity had primarily been as a mother (now grandmother!), but sitting with the producers, art director, marketing team, publicist and other professionals, a new world opened. As a co-producer of more than 90 shows, plus numerous investments, Ruth officially became a full-fledged member of the Broadway League.

Influences

Ruth’s reflections on her love of theater and life influences led her to thank innumerable people and institutions, and be grateful for her upbringing. “I can only think that my Jewish soul is informing me,” she said. She recognized that as a white Jewish woman, there is a clear connection between productions such as, Fela!, about a famous Nigerian musician/activist that explores themes of social justice—standing up for what is right, being ethical, remaining non-corrupt—and her core Jewish values. “Activism for the betterment of people is something we care about,” she said. “We like to think the show might have inspired a few young people to speak out for justice.”

Ruth has also produced countless shows with subtle and overtly Jewish content, including Golda’s Balcony, Caroline or Change, Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs series, Death of a Salesman, Driving Miss Daisy, The Band’s Visit, The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s Fiddler on the Roof and others.

Ruth shared how her childhood in Connecticut, a state endowed with innovative, quality theater, undoubtedly shaped her. Theaters close to her heart are the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, renowned for launching Shenandoah, The Man of La Mancha and later, Annie at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford where she and Stephen, as childhood sweethearts, saw many new plays and musicals and where they both now serve on the board as vice chair and treasurer, respectively.

After high school graduation in 1969, with Vietnam raging, Neil Armstrong’s moon walk and Woodstock, Ruth apprenticed at Goodspeed. While Ruth built sets, walked on catwalks, ushered and cleaned toilets, Stephen explored Africa on a post-Exeter high school trip. Woodstock fever mounted and Ruth considered venturing to the Catskills, but prioritized her theater responsibilities, forfeiting her ticket! This proved to be a

fortuitous decision as Stephen had made his way back from Africa and headed straight to the Goodspeed. The rest is history.

A Keen Eye

There are many ways to get involved in theater. But with her reputation as an honest, easy-to-work-with, “in-the-business” producer, Ruth is often approached by musicians, directors, writers and theater professionals with an idea or even an entire manuscript and score. Other producers also invite her to countless un-staged readings of plays and musicals. She said: “Out of courtesy, to support my producer friends, and curiosity— to find the next Hamilton—I hop from the New 42nd Street rehearsal space to the Public Theater at a frequent pace.  I follow shows off-Broadway and jet to regional productions across the country and London…to know the full scope of what’s out there.”

Productions-To-Be

A Walk on the Moon takes place during the summer of ‘69 in the Catskills at a Jewish bungalow colony and even includes a Woodstock scene. That summer had significant impact on the Hendels’ lives. “Being involved in A Walk on the Moon, reminds us that nothing much has changed in 50 years,” she said. “The show’s themes are about social justice, women’s rights, gay rights, the ravishes of war, anti-corruption, standing up for what is right and more. This musical is all too relevant today.”

Ruth related another current project, also in development, to her WJC Hebrew school mom days, where she recalled buying a book for her daughter at a WJC Book Fair. It was The Devil’s Arithmetic, about a young New Rochelle girl who almost forgets it’s Passover and time to go to her grandfather’s Seder. One sip of Manischewitz, and she transports back to the Holocaust.

The idea of adapting the book into a play came from an American Black artist from the deep south who read the book in high school. He had never met a Jew, yet he was so moved by the story that he presented the project to Ruth. She thanks the WJC Book fair for helping her come full circle and see this to fruition. And who was that artist? He is Niegel Smith, a director.

Words of Wisdom

Ruth’s advice to those wanting to enter the theater world is to “work hard and follow your passion with a touch of practicality.”

Alison Clarick Gottsegen has been a Museum Educator for 27 years at a variety of museums. She chairs WJC’s Musical Enrichment Committee and enjoys spending family time in NYC and the great outdoors.

MUSIC NOTES RANDY HELLER

An Insider’s Guide to an Evening of Renewal

A backstage tour of WJC’s Sunday night staple and a source of ‘comfort food’ for many.

In the very first book of the Bible, Bereishit, right after Adam and Eve and barely a page after Cain slays Abel, there is a mention of Yuval, the father of music. Yuval is noted to be the inventor of string and wind instruments — the harp, the flute, and more. It seems that music has been with us from the very beginning.

I have had the honor of playing piano and creating vocal arrangements for WJC’s Evening of Renewal for the past 12 years or so. Ellen Walker, Seth Schafler, and I have tried to curate a mix of familiar standards, along with the occasional new addition, to serve as “comfort food” for those whose main religious inspiration comes from music. Over the years, we have developed a following of about 200 congregants who find Renewal to be incredibly moving. For me, it is the highlight of my time at WJC.

We try to find music that is beautiful, easy to listen to, and easy to sing. But we also try to select songs whose meaning is particularly suited for an evening of Renewal. Since we recognize that not everyone will know the origins of the verses or understand the meaning of the Hebrew lyrics, I thought a few “liner notes” for our repertoire might be helpful, whether for loyal attendees or newcomers who might want to give it a try.

It is a long Jewish tradition to ease into prayer with a “niggun”—a wordless melody which can serve as a soulful warmup to the music to come. Our opening niggun has always been a melody behind some version of Adonai S’fatai. After a few lines sung on a neutral syllable like “di-di-di,” we introduce the words: Adonai S’fatai Tiftach Ufi Yagid T’hilatecha—the same words which introduce the silent Amidah in our daily service and on Shabbat. It comes from Psalm 51: “Adonai, open my lips that my mouth may speak Your praise.” That has always seemed like a good way to start.

For many years we have followed that with Oh Guide My Steps, a song written by Julie Silver. It is a simple tune, but a catchy way to move the evening along an arc from softer, more contemplative music to the more rousing tunes ahead. “Oh guide my steps, and help me find my way. I need your shelter now. Rock me in your arms.”

The Hebrew verse takes its words from the Hashkiveinu prayer. It focuses on the image of God’s sheltering protection.

By now we have enjoyed quite a few different melodies for Hashkiveinu. I have sometimes joked that we could do an entire evening of nothing but Hashkiveinu songs. Composers seem to have found in these words the perfect setting for their beautiful melodies—God as our guardian and protector. What could be more healing and renewing than being covered in God’s “sukkah of peace?”

Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav is said to have penned the words to Gesher Tsar M’od. This familiar tune reminds us that although life is a narrow bridge and we are sometimes afraid, we should not be paralyzed with fear. We can walk with confidence across that

bridge. Yes, there are dangers, but we can approach life with happiness and joy.

One of the earliest fixtures on our setlist was the widely popular Misheberach, by Debbie Friedman. It is perhaps our most literal prayer for healing. And as an added bonus, it is clearly egalitarian, appealing to the God who blessed both our fathers and our mothers.

We could perhaps also do an entire evening of Oseh Shalom variations. We’re all familiar with those words from the end of the Kaddish prayer: “May God, who makes peace in the heavens, make peace on earth.” That would bring a lot of comfort to us all.

After raising our voices and spirits with a sampling of more rousing tunes, we send you out into the world with T’filat HaDerekh, the traditional prayer for the safety of travelers. It is considerably more mellow than what precedes it, and helps us return to the here and now.

Folks seem willing to stay and sing all night. But an hour and fifteen minutes seems about right. We’ll keep doing it as long as someone out there needs renewal. I hope you come and join us.

Randy (at the piano) leading the Renewal choir during a practice session.

As I mentioned on Rosh Hashanah, Abraham and Sarah were told that they would “be blessed” and “be a blessing.” During the rest of their story, they journeyed in multiple kingdoms and through harrowing tests. All of it — the whole journey — was their blessing. At WJC, we too have been on a journey of blessing. On Rosh Hashanah we started collecting blessings and, now, as we close the book on this 100-day journey at Hanukkah, we have thousands of blessings to show for it. What kinds of blessings have we discovered along the way? How have we experienced blessing, and been a blessing? The following pages include a few examples submitted to our 100 Blessings website.

—Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz

It was a blessing today at Harbor Island Park during WJC’s first Reverse Tashlich program. The weather was glorious and we had 35 people (plus one dog!) turn out to help clean the waterfront. We even had Stu there to sound the shofar. Very proud to be part of this very special community.

HOWARD ZWEIG

—Kimberly Langus

Hung up pink ribbons around the local neighborhood for Soul Ryeders’ “Tie the Town Pink” October breast cancer awareness campaign.

—Alexander Musicus

I was very blessed to be able to attend Tashlich at the Harbor less than one week after my surgery and on top of that was able to bring my granddaughter to her very f irst Tashlich ever

DEBBIE KATZ

It was a blessing to help make a minyan today at shacharit services

Thank you G-d for all the amazing creatures on Planet Earth!

I want to fly like an eagle…

—Barbara Novick

Jaden ran a 5k in memory of 10 year old Colt Delverne/Robin’s colleague to raise money for DIPG awareness and research for a cure.

—Robin Askins/Jaden Vettorino

[Hannah Klaiber, Gan]

I’m grateful for being able to fulfill the mitzvah of having a sukkah (which Andre bought me for my birthday) and sharing it with Asher’s friends. Also grateful that Jess went to have her smoothie in one of the campus sukkahs at BU!

I am blessed to be thought of when my daughter was watching the sunrise on a college hiking/camping trip in the blue ridge mountains. I was honored and of course blessed that she sent a pic in the wee hours of the morning there, knowing I’d appreciate it.

—Jennifer Winters

—Jacqui Kaplan

Volunteering to pack food with the Larchmont Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force —Justin Mayer

It was a blessing to come to Services at WJC and see so many old friends

A second blessing was to have lunch afterwards on both days with friends who have become more like family

MYRA LEVINE-HARRIS

Volunteering to garden

and

plant f lowers at the Murray Avenue School garden

JUSTIN, AMY, SAMANTHA, AND MAX MAYER

Anita, may you, Pastor Taylor, and the entire congregation of our friends and neighbors at First Baptist Church in Mamaroneck be blessed with peace and joy, and may our shared communities grow together in friendship and harmony.

Blessings B’Shalom Cliff Wolf

[Leora, Gan]

A minor Jewish holiday has grown in popularity— all thanks to American commercialism.

The Gifts of Hanukkah

BY EVAN J. SCHAPIRO

ver since I was little, I would say with pride (and little understanding), that Hanukkah had to be “better” than Christmas; after all, we got eight nights of presents, while those celebrating Christmas received gifts just once. But why are there presents on Hanukkah at all? How did it come to pass that two major world religions have holidays at roughly the same time of year, and both involve gift-giving? There are no biblical roots to gifting on Hanukkah, and yet… somewhere along the way, it became a Jewish version of Christmas. Spurred by my childhood curiosity, I decided to investigate.

First stop: the scripture. Not only are there no biblical roots to gifting on Hanukkah; Hanukkah is not part of the bible at all. The story of the Maccabees, revered in Hebrew School classrooms, is found in Maccabee Books 1 and 2, written around 100 BC by an unknown author. It’s an exciting tale, no doubt — the heroic story of Judah and the gang defeating the Greeks, bolstered by the miraculous fact that their single night’s worth of oil lasted eight times as long.

But the story alone doesn’t explain the origin of the holiday. Upon taking back control of the Temple from the Greeks at the end of the story, the Maccabees created Hanukkah (which means dedication in English) as a way to celebrate the fact that religious sacrifices could now occur once more, having been banned by the Greeks when they were in charge. The origin of the holiday isn’t really about the triumph over the Greeks or even the eight nights of burning oil: it’s about the sacrifices. And despite scarce details in the Books of the Maccabees about what the sacrifices entailed, other biblical sources reveal that sacrifices at the time would typically involve physical objects being brought to the altar as presents.

Presents — aha! Now we’re starting to get somewhere.

Or maybe not. Alas, the Temple was destroyed in 70 CE.

With no more Temple, the rabbis had to rework Jewish celebrations and customs. Hanukkah was transformed from a holiday about sacrifice to one about miracles. Then, during the time of the rabbis, it was refashioned once again, into a holiday about education, especially the education of children. Since the Greeks had set out to rob the Jewish soul, the rabbis declared that education was the way to strengthen Jewish identity. Maimonides suggested that children be given “walnuts, figs, and honey” as a way to incentivize the learning of Torah. Beyond the food, ritual objects and books were given as additional presents to promote studying.

Have we solved the mystery? Not quite yet.

Marvin Tameanko, author of The Original Chanukah Gelt, claims that the idea of giving coins on Hanukkah stems from the Maccabees themselves. Upon defeating the Greeks, the Maccabees, just like other victors at the time, took the war booty and gave it away to their community as a sign of triumph and success. A related belief is that the Jews established their own currency after gaining independence from the Greeks. Thus, gelt celebrates independence and freedom. Fast forward to eighteenth-century Europe, and Hanukkah gelt can be traced to education and study. Historian Eliezer Segal has explained

that parents would give coins to their children to pass onto their teachers in gratitude. It was a token of charitable giving and thanks. But because kids will be kids (no matter the moment in history), children began to want the coins for themselves. Parents obliged as a way to encourage their children to learn more Torah.

Getting closer, it seems.

Rabbi Jill Cummings, in her article “The History of Hanukkah Gifts: Is This Custom Really a Jewish One?,” talks about Hanukkah as a holiday of assimilation. Gift giving was a major part of Greek culture, so the fact that we exchange gifts on Hanukkah may very well be a part of Jews seeking to blend their culture with that of others. In fact, in the Book of Maccabees, Greek gift giving is referenced a number of times, illustrating how widespread in the culture the custom of presents was.

But not everyone agrees that there is any historical link at all — and that’s where things get more interesting.

Contrary to the belief that Hanukkah gift giving has historical significance, a number of commentators view the exchange of presents as purely an American construction. Dianne Ashton, a professor of religious studies at Rowan University, and author of Hanukkah in America: A History, has explained that Christmas gift-giving first arrived in the United States with German Christian immigrants in the mid-1800s. “They brought the concepts of Christmas presents, cakes and tree-lighting, and they influenced American culture,” she says. As these traditions and beliefs made their way to the United States in the 19th century, retail stores noticed the burgeoning Jewish community. As Jews in the United States began to succeed in business, they could afford to give gifts like their Christian neighbors. (Interestingly, Arthur Levine, author of The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol, notes that the first English word to appear in Yiddish newspapers was “presents.”)

Author Jenna Weissman Joselit explains that Jews in America in the nineteenth century barely celebrated Hanukkah — and in fact didn’t even know when the holiday occurred. American Jews, including Eastern European immigrants, even began giving Christmas presents. Joselit says that by the 1920s, the Yiddish press advertised Hanukkah presents for the first time, including cars, waffle irons, Colgate products, ginger ale, Aunt Jemima pancake flour (to make latkes), and even stock shares.

Within the nineteenth century Reform Movement, Hanukkah was refashioned as a holiday that would appeal to children and also encourage their involvement in synagogue life. There was a feeling that the Reform Movement at the time was too steeped in preaching, and that children didn’t have enough entry points to develop their Jewish identity. Enter Hanukkah, which seemed to be the perfect holiday for children. Eventually, with the emergence of birthday parties at home, Hanukkah was transformed from a holiday that primarily took place at the synagogue to one that took place at home.

It’s important to recognize that it is an American Jewish phenomenon, this gift-giving that’s part of Hanukkah. It’s not historically part of Hanukkah at all.”

RABBI MENACHEM CREDITOR, AS SEEN IN TIME MAGAZINE

Our 2021 Scholar-in-Residence and WJC member Rabbi Menachem Creditor told Time magazine in 2020, “It’s important to recognize that it is an American Jewish phenomenon, this gift-giving that’s part of Hanukkah. It’s not historically part of Hanukkah at all.” Creditor notes that Jewish parents didn’t want to see their children left out while their friends celebrated Christmas. Thus, gift giving became a central part of the Festival of Lights, not because of any storied tradition but because it was a way to fit into American culture. “I think it wasn’t to be like Christmas,” Creditor adds, “it was so that Jewish children would have joy on Hanukkah. I know it sounds like a narrow difference, but the distinguishing factor is, we didn’t want to do Christmas — we wanted to have joy.”

Even if the purpose of refashioning Hanukkah was meant to bring joy, Rabbi Creditor points out the obvious irony of all ironies. The original story of Hanukkah is all about freedom to practice as Jews and independence from the Greeks. And yet, fast forward centuries, and we now have a holiday that has grown in popularity because of assimilation and commercialism, perhaps the very opposite of those initial values.

Rabbi Arnowitz, commenting on the incongruity of adopting American gift-giving to celebrate the holiday of Maccabean non-Assimilation into Greek culture, said, “We shouldn’t feel too badly about it. After all, after their hard fought victory of the

2022-23

Syrian Greeks, the Maccabees fell into the same pattern. The Hasmonean kings, the heirs of the Maccabean victory, adopted many Hellenistic customs and affects. We can see this in their names. WIthin a generation or two their progeny had names like Aristobulus II and John Hyrcanus - hardly Judah or Matityahu!”

In the end, the story of giving gifts on Hanukkah may come down to a combination of all of these factors, in part because the holiday opens itself to so many different possibilities. In her article, “Hanukkah, Why?” author Emma Green notes that the Hanukkah story is “so simple, so conveniently vague, that it has been used by rabbis, advertisers, Zionists, Hebrew school teachers, and parents to promote everything from ethnic pride and nationalism to engagement in Jewish life and buying stuff.”

So how are we to celebrate this “chameleon” holiday properly? Rabbi Arnowitz suggests, “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t have the chutzpah to suggest we shouldn’t give gifts on Hanukkah. However we got to this point, that ship has sailed. So, my goal would be to make the Hanukkah gifts more authentically Jewish and in the spirit of the holiday. The central mitzvah of Hanukkah is actually publicizing that “a great miracle happened there” (as it says on our dreidels). The ‘there’ being the Land of Israel at the time of the Maccabees. So, I suggest our gifts be in that spirit - a Jewish star necklace or other piece of clothing or jewelry to represent the Jewish pride, a product from Israel to embrace current Jewish independence there. Really, any Jewish themed gift would be appropriate. Perhaps even a trip to Israel on Hanukkah would make a great present, as we at WJC are doing this year.”

In other words, Hanukkah can mean anything we want it to mean. And we, as a society and a culture, have decided that it means presents. Eight nights of them, even! And as I see the joy on my kids’ faces as they open their gifts, I realize: no, maybe Hanukkah didn’t have to be celebrated like this… but it’s kind of nice that it is.

OPERATION: TSUR ISRAEL

In September 2022, Sarene Shanus traveled to Ethiopia and Israel as the representative of UJA Federation of NY on a mission sponsored by the Jewish Agency for Israel and Jewish Federations of North America. The group visited the Ethiopian Jewish community in Gondar and had meetings in Addis Ababa. They then had the privilege to travel with a group of 209 olim (immigrants) from Ethiopia to Israel, part of government approved Operation Tsur Israel, which is bringing threeto-five-thousand Ethiopians to Israel this year. Once they arrived in Israel, they learned about the absorption of Ethiopian immigrants and the efforts that are being made to make them part of Israeli society. In Sarene’s words: “it was a trip of a lifetime, both thrilling and thought-provoking.”

(Left) With Micha Feldmann, Israeli consul to Ethiopia in the 1980s who spearheaded Operations Moses (19845) and Solomon (1991), previous large immigrations of Ethiopians to Israel. At that time, Ethiopian Jews had to walk to Sudan to be airlifted to Israel and we are standing in front of the start of the path to Sudan from Gondar. (Right) An Ethiopian Israeli, who now works for the Jewish Agency, blowing the shofar for Elul outside the synagogue in Woloka, an Ethiopian Jewish village.

At Dulles airport with representatives of federations from across the country waiting to start our journey.

food

five. It also provides both

Although we went to morning services on a Tuesday when the Torah is not read, we were allowed to see the community’s Torah, which is their pride and joy. An Ethiopian Torah is written in the form of a book, rather than a scroll, although it is dressed the same way. Because the synagogue and in fact the whole Jewish community in Gondar operates under Orthodox rules, they only had men holding the Torah.

(Left) After morning services, mothers and their children gather in the courtyard of the Jewish complex in Gondar, where there is

distribution for families with children under

the adults and the children some social time. (Right)

(Left) From the back of the women’s section at the synagogue in Gondar during Shacharit. (Right) After services outside the synagogue complex in Gondar. There is food distribution for families with children under five and classes for older children.

With an Ethiopian family outside their one-room hut in Gondar. Many of the families left their villages to come to Gondar to wait for immigration to Israel. This family has been waiting 14 years but has been approved by the Israeli government

year.

(Left) After Gondar we had half a day of meetings in Addis Ababa, then went to the airport to meet the families who would travel with us to Israel. Here I am in the airport with one family. (Right) Arrival in Israel, what a thrilling moment

for immigration this

Meet the Community Resource Center’s Jirandy Martinez

As Executive Director of the Mamaroneck organization, Jirandy and her colleagues serve thousands of people from immigrant and lowincome backgrounds, in partnership with WJC.

When the sun went down on October 27, 2018, and Shabbat came to a close, Rabbi Jeffrey Segelman received two urgent phone calls. Both were in the aftermath of the attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

One was from the Mamaroneck Chief of Police. The second was from Jirandy Martinez, Executive Director of the Community Resource Center, or CRC.

Founded in Mamaroneck in 1998, and originally known as the Hispanic Resource Center, the CRC has broadened its mission over the last quarter century to advocate for, and empower, individuals and families from immigrant and low-income backgrounds across Westchester. But on this particular day, Jirandy was reaching out to Rabbi Segelman, then WJC’s senior rabbi, to offer words of comfort to a trusted partner.

“We wanted WJC to know how valuable our partnership is and that no one was alone,” recalled Jirandy, the CRC’s executive director since 2016. “A direct attack on the Jewish community felt so personal to us.”

The ties that bind WJC and the CRC are long and deep, representing a relationship that is founded in, and bolstered by, Jewish ideals such as tzedakah and tikkun olam. “Helping the stranger is a biblical obligation of Jews,” said Rabbi Segelman, in an article for The Larchmont Ledger about anti-immigrant sentiment.

While the primary points of contact for WJC in the partnership have included Ruth Obernbreit-Glass, Sharon Silver and Sondra Levy of WJC’s Social Justice Action Committee (SOJAC)—as well as Rabbi Segelman’s successor, Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz— their counterpart at the CRC is, more often than not, Jirandy.

And she, too, sees parallels in the experiences of our respective communities.

“We identify so much with WJC and other local Jewish communities because we have a lot of the same struggles,” she said in a recent interview with Voices. “Not exactly the same. But WJC members have opened their arms to our community because they understand that our families are here, maybe not even by choice, but are asylum seekers or refugees or just starting to build a life and certainly have felt ‘other-ed’ by communities. It’s been really important for us to have that community-building with WJC.”

In its current iteration, Jirandy and her colleagues and volunteers at the Community Resource Center serve 4,000 individuals a year. Among the “basic safety net” services they offer are assistance with housing, healthcare, legal advice and access to enrollment in local schools. But the CRC also provides people with an array of supports in the area of workforce development, ensuring CRC clients have the skills to undertake good jobs in construction, domestic work and restaurant services, in particular, as well as roadmaps to learn about openings in those sectors, and opportunities to advance in those careers.

“It’s really about empowerment,” Jirandy says.

In early September 2021, the CRC’s portfolio expanded suddenly and dramatically when the heavy winds and rains of Hurricane Ida struck and swamped the region. More than 1,000 people in the Village of Mamaroneck were immediately displaced. More than 300 of those families were clients of the CRC, and nearly all would require long-term support. The CRC’s headquarters on 134 Center Avenue in the Washingtonville

section of Mamaroneck was also badly damaged, and it continues to operate, temporarily, out of St. Thomas Church.

SOJAC, which has traditionally organized annual toy drives for CRC members, among other activities, sprang into action, rallying WJC members to collect an array of basic, much-needed toiletries.

But just as important, Jirandy says, is the strategic thinking and other thought partnership that WJC and its members provide.

“WJC has been a really important partner in how we think about preparing our community for the next crisis,” Jirandy says. “We need to have an important housing game plan for anyone who would be displaced at that magnitude. WJC has helped us organize our local houses of worship, which will, in turn, help us connect to the host families who will benefit from those plans.”

Jirandy, a 2006 graduate of Mamaroneck High School who was born in White Plains and raised in Mamaroneck, began working at the CRC following her graduation from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her mother, Carmen, is an immigrant from Colombia who has been a domestic worker for 35 years. Carmen is also a CRC client.

After reading “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society,” by Jonathan Kozol, in a college English course, Jirandy asked her sister, Kemberly, a mentor at the CRC, to recommend her for a volunteer role teaching English as a Second language in the evenings. Within a month, she had been hired as a coordinator of those programs.

That was in 2008, and within 8 years Jirandy would be promoted to Executive Director. Among her recent accolades: Crain’s New York named her a “Notable Hispanic Leader of 2022 ” and New York State Senator Shelley Mayer presented her with a “Women of Distinction Award.”

With a ready smile and palpable humanity, Jirandy would prefer to turn the spotlight on others.

In October, The Rye Arts Center hosted a bilingual exhibition “The Magic of Storybook Animals.” The participation of the many CRC children and families in their summer art and music program and the importance of inclusivity helped motivate the in initiative. Martinez (center) snaps a quick photo with a participating family.

When fears of eviction in the Latino community rose due to an increasing number of pandemic-related job losses, Rabbi Arnowitz connected the CRC with a WJC congregant who is a real estate attorney, who brought in a team that provided pro bono services to help with eviction prevention.

The CRC is a grassroots nonprofit empowering immigrant and low-income families by providing the resources and advocacy to help them become self-reliant and thriving members of the community. Here, Martinez congratulates a student who recently completed a 100-hour hybrid training to gain knowledge and skills about hygiene and food handling while simultaneously improving English language skills.

CARING FOR THE WORLD

“He just wanted to help,” she said. “And he did help us save so many of our families from eviction.”

Indeed, over the last two decades, WJC and the CRC have built bridges of connection, and are ready and willing to show up for one another, as Rabbi Segelman experienced first-hand in the wake of the Tree of Life shootings.

“We are no longer just the givers for the CRC,” says Sharon Silver, SOJAC’s current co-chair, with Sondra Levy. “When there is a need, they reach out to help us. It used to be, ‘What can WJC do?’ And now we are true partners in this community.”

WJC members who wish to volunteer through SOJAC on behalf of the CRC, or provide other support to it, should reach out to Sharon Silver at sraplata@msn.com or Sondra Levy at  sklevy8@gmail.com.

Caren Osten Gerszberg, a member of WJC since 1993, is a writer, certified life coach and meditation teacher. She has written for The New York Times, Psychology Today, Travel & Leisure, and other publications.

Jacques Steinberg, a member of WJC since 2003, is a New York Times Best-Selling author, most recently of The College Conversation: A Practical Companion for Parents to Guide Their Children Along the Path to Higher Education, written with Eric J. Furda.

This fall, WJC’s SOJAC and Larchmont Temple helped the CRC donate 250 backpacks to the local community. Students show off their new donated backpacks.

Voices, the magazine of Westchester Jewish Center Mamaroneck, NY 10543

rewind from the archives

OPENING NIGHT, HANUKKAH 2017: With guitar in hand, Cantor Ethan Goldberg celebrated his fourth Hanukkah at WJC by leading the blessings for the candles. “It felt great to gather as a large multi-generational community to begin the holiday together,” he recalled.

—Jill Caslin, WJC Archivist, and Jacques Steinberg

WJC