JEWISH FEDERATION OF the desert 69-710 Highway 111 Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 324-4737
The Jewish Federation of the Desert Wishes You L'Shanah Tova Happy New Year
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit #113 Santa Ana, CA
On the cover.... CElia Norian President
The Jewish Federation of the Desert Wishes You L'Shanah Tova Happy New Year
jewish federation BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers and Executive Committee Celia Norian, President Sondi Green & Libby Hoffman, Vice Presidents, Campaign Vernon Kozlen, Treasurer Bernard Reiter, Secretary Lainie Weil, President, Women’s Philanthropy Allan Lehmann & Phil Glass, Allocations Nancy Ditlove, Major Gifts Roberta Nyman, Immediate Past President Howard Levy, Immediate Past President
In our last issue of the JCN, we focused on Israel. We hope that we gave you a "feeling" for the community mission and the partnership that we have developed with the Ramat HaNegev Regional Council. We're proud of this connection yet we are equally if not more involved in the needs of our local desert community. You often hear us say how “through our annual campaign, we have been able to take care of the vulnerable, feed the hungry and provide opportunities for Jewish learning,” but let me give you some specifics of how we are making a real difference. • We give funds to several local food
distribution programs so that those in need will not go hungry. • Our Special Federation Tzedakah Fund makes it possible for those who find themselves in dire circumstances to get critically needed emergency help. • We provide Shabbat and Holiday Day services for those residents of Desert Hot Springs. • We have worked with ADL's "World of Difference Institute" by providing funds to bring their anti-bullying programs into the Palm Springs, Desert Sands and Coachella school districts. • We co-sponsored an ADL seminar about anti-Semitism in Europe. • We fund many Jewish Family Service of the Desert’s programs as well as giving funds to Desert Aids Project (DAP) for testing and Aids Assistance Programs (AAP). • We provide funds to Hillel, helping support Jewish students on local college campuses. •We sponsored a lecture series
Monday December 9 2013
Jason Novack Allan Nyman Dr. Paul Ross Stephanie Ross Elisa Schwartz Sandy Seplow Amy Stone
Major Gifts Dinner
Bruce Landgarten, Chief Executive Officer
Thursday January 23 2014
Table of Contents Vol. 39 • No. 2
Calendar 14-15 Federation 2-4, 19, 24 Women's Philanthropy 6 Endowment 19 Young Adults (j-connect) 15 Have A Nosh 31 Holiday Greetings 22-26 Jewish Family Service 16 Schools 17 Simchas & Classifieds 30 Temples 14 Tolerance Education Center 16 Tributes 18 2 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
In next month’s issue of the Jewish Community News we will publish our Annual Report, which includes a complete list of our allocations for the 2013-2014 year. You will be able to read in detail what we accomplish with the monies we raise. As the High Holy Days near, you may ask yourself how you can make a difference in the coming year. I urge you to make sure that you include a gift to Federation. With just one gift to the annual campaign, you truly impact so many lives. L'Shanah Tova Tikateivu.
Education Day
Board
Joseph Bernstein Sandra Borns Elliott Cohen Ellen Glass James Graff-Radford Fran Kaufman Marvin Lewis
taught by the local congregational rabbis at the Federation office that was open to the entire community and will do so again this coming February. • We p r ov i d e c o m m u n i t y wide programs each year to commemorate the lives and heroism of Jewish people who died in the Holocaust and celebrate Israel's independence.
Pomegranate Event Monday February 17 2014
Lion of Judah Luncheon Wednesday February 5 2014
INSIGHTS Wednesday February 26 2014
69-710 Highway 111 Rancho Mirage CA 92770 (760) 324-4737 • www.jfedps.org
From the CEO Bruce Landgarten Jewish Federation Chief Executive Officer
Dear friends, Beginning September 4th, Jews around the world will gather to observe Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish New Year 5774. During this time of great reflection, each of us will examine the past year, celebrate milestones and achievements, and acknowledge missed opportunities. We also will look to the year ahead with hope that we and our loved ones are given the chance to live a life filled with meaning, blessings and mitzvot. We in the Coachella Valley have so much to be grateful for this year. While hardships have unfortunately continued to touch many people, it is inspiring to see how others have risen to the occasion with untold generosity. Thanks to the participation of so
many in our Federation campaign, we have been able to strengthen our commitment to help those in need, raise awareness about vital issues and advance Jewish life in our community, in Israel and in more than 70 other countries around the globe. With the beginning of this New Year, our challenge continues to respond to those in need. Your gift to the 2014 Federation Campaign will help the Jewish Federation of the Desert provide for our Jewish community’s needs now and in the months and years ahead. Our arms of support also reach out beyond our own community – assisting Jewish disaster victims, providing rescue, relief and revitalization by offering shelter, safe haven, hope and dignity for so many. This is our appeal to you! Your support of our annual campaign fulfills the ethical responsibility to ensure the welfare of all Jews, wherever they are. By acting together, through Federation, we each make a bigger difference than when we act alone. With your gift this New Year, we can change lives. L’Shanah Tova Tikateivu.
Boycott Divestment and Sanctions’ “Success” Fabricated by Ari Soffer, Arutz Sheva
Pro-Israel activists have derided the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) anti-Israel movement, after a widely-trumpeted "success" in their campaign to isolate Israel was revealed to have been fabricated. In the last few years, anti-Israel activists have embarked on a campaign to isolate the State of Israel politically and economically, calling for international boycotts and sanctions against the Jewish state. Having failed to convince major investors to divest, and in the face of a continuously-strengthening Israeli economy, the movement has largely focused its efforts on small, symbolic battles against Israeli companies which manufacture products such as snacks and beauty products.
But it seems that even that tactic isn't quite working. Last week, Electronic Intifada, a blog aligned with the BDS movement, announced its latest "victory," claiming that Delta Air Lines had decided to stop serving a snack produced in the Barkan Industrial Zone, due to its location in Samaria. Electronic Intifada claimed that the decision was made after a complaint was lodged by a member of the far-left "Coalition of Women for Peace," publishing what it said was the text of an email in which the airline said that it would be dropping the product. The blog's editor, Ali Abunima, claimed that "Delta Air Lines lawyers ruled that Israeli settlement-made snacks should not be served."
Veteran Israeli activist Avi Mayer, however, was unconvinced, and promptly discovered that claims of a boycott were completely false.
In a letter to Mayer (which he promptly published on his Facebook page), the airline explained that the continued on page 4
HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES IN DESERT HOT SPRINGS High Holiday Services with Rabbi Faith Tessler are being offered to Jewish residents of Desert Hot Springs and the High Desert at Mission Lakes Country Club in Desert Hot Springs. Contact The Jewish Federation, 760-324-4737 for a schedule of services and to secure your reservation.
JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 3
continued from page 3 snack in question - a vanilla halva bar had indeed been removed, but only as a result of "a normal catering cycle and review," in which the in-flight menu regularly changes. But there was more. Not only were reports of a boycott unfounded, but Delta's representative explained that more than 1,000 Israeli-made items are "sourced by our local caterer," adding: "the snack (fruit) that replaced the bar is grown locally in Israel. Delta makes a practice of sourcing local goods for catering in most international markets we serve." Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Mayer said he saw the revelation as proof that the BDS movement "has reached the point of desperation," pointing to a number of similarly fabricated claims of BDS "success." "Their efforts continue to rack up one devastating failure after another, and so they find themselves scraping the bottom of the barrel and, when necessary, simply making stuff up. This has happened time and time again," he said, noting that "it seems to be happening with increasing
frequency." "When singer Lenny Kravitz cancelled a trip to Israel last year, BDS activists hailed it as a victory. It didn't really matter to them that Kravitz has said clearly that he was cancelling for totally unrelated reasons, was personally disappointed, and would visit Israel in the near future. "When Sylvester Stallone, Claude Van Damme, and Bruce Willis cancelled a planned appearance in Israel last year, BDS advocates rejoiced. But the actors' cancellation was due to the death of Stallone's son, Sage, and had nothing at all to do with BDS - in fact, Stallone and Willis had both signed a statement of support for Israel several years earlier, along with Danny De Vito, Serena Williams, Nicole Kidman, Michael Douglas, and dozens of other celebrities. "Also last year, Irish writer Gerard Donovan made a point of slapping down suggestions that his cancellation of a visit to Israel had anything to do with BDS. Explaining that he was recovering from cancer, Donovan said he wouldn't be 'bullied or cajoled' into
caving to the BDS'ers' demands. 'If I had been well, I would have gone to Jerusalem,' he said. 'Nobody tells me where I can or cannot read my work.'" In a scathing summary of the BDS movement as a whole, he added: "The BDS Movement's tactics are clear: bully, threaten, and - if all else fails just plain lie. The hallmarks of a failed movement."
JEWISH COMMUNITY NEWS A Publication of the Jewish Federation of the Desert VOL. 39, No. 2
EDITORIAL Bruce Landgarten, Chief Executive Officer Miriam H. Bent, Editor Bailey & Co., Layout & Design JCN STATEMENT The Jewish Community News seeks to provide news and feature material of special interest to its readership, and to create a heightened sense of Jewish identity through the dissemination of information about people, events and issues at home and abroad. The JCN seeks to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions in the Jewish community. The JCN is published monthly, ten months a year by the Jewish Federation of the Desert, 69-710 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, 760-324-4737, fax 760-324-3154. Articles & Advertising, Miriam H. Bent, Editor 760-323-0255, fax 760-320-6085, e-mail-mhbentjcn@earthlink.net ADVERTISING The JCN does not endorse the goods or services advertised in its pages and makes no representation as to the kashrut of food products and services in such advertising. The publisher shall not be liable for damages if, for any reason whatsoever, it fails to publish an advertisement or for any error in an advertisement. Acceptance of advertisers and of advertising copy is subject to the publisher’s approval. The JCN is not responsible if ads violate applicable laws and the advertiser will indemnify, hold harmless and defend the JCN from all claims made by government agencies and consumers for any reason based on ads carried in the JCN.
2 Israeli Researchers Among Top 10 Rising Stars in Artificial Intelligence By Viva Sarah Press, Israel 21c
Dr. Aviv Zohar and Dr. Ariel Procaccia — both PhD graduates of computer science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem – have been named among ‘AI’s 10 to Watch’ by IEEE Intelligent Systems magazine. Published every two years, the list recognizes 10 researchers who are rising stars in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Zohar is a senior lecturer at the Hebrew University’s Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, and Procaccia is an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Other researchers chosen for the honor hailed from Brown, Harvard, MIT, University of New York, University of Toronto, Tsinghua University and Stanford. Hebrew University was the only Israeli academic institution to have researchers appear on the list. “Despite being relatively junior in their career, each one has made impressive research contributions and had an impact in the literature — and in some cases, in realworld applications as well,” wrote Daniel Zeng, Editor in Chief of IEEE Intelligent Systems. IEEE Intelligent Systems is a bimonthly publication of the IEEE Computer Society, the world’s leading computing membership organization and the trusted information and careerdevelopment source for a global workforce of technology leaders. “The group nominated this year was particularly strong,” said Zeng. “In the end, the top 10 surfaced with unanimous support from the advisory and editorial boards.” JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 5
Women's Philanthropy Education Day Brings Mid-East Expert Alon Ben-David Back to Desert When Israel Channel 10 News Senior Defense Analyst and Correspondent Alon BenDavid spoke at INSIGHTS earlier this year, he predicted that “the next six months will be critical” in the Middle East. And, as he foresaw, today the area is in even greater upheaval. In March Ben-David said that he would love to return to give an update about what the Middle East will be facing
and Women’s Philanthropy is delighted to have him back. Alon Ben-David will be the keynote speaker at the 2013 Education Day program on Monday, December 9, 2013. At that time he will speak on where Israel stands today, with the wide-spread violence in Syria and Egypt, as well as the latest developments in Iran. Education Day will be held at the UC Riverside/Palm
Desert Center auditorium at Frank Sinatra and Cook Streets at 10:00 am. Reservations are required and space is limited. Couvert is $25, due with your reservation, and includes midmorning refreshments. Men are cordially invited to attend. To reserve your place, please call Linn Menne, Women’s Philanthropy Administrative Pictured at Pomegranate Reception preceding INSIGHTS on March 6, 2013, Alon Ben-David with (left to right) Women’s Philanthropy Assistant, at 760-324-4737. President Lainie Weil, Campaign VP Stephanie Ross and Education VP Judy Cohn.
Women’s Philanthropy Prepares Rosh Hashanah Gifts for the Federation’s DHS Program Participants
Women’s Philanthropy Board Member and project co-chair Rina Eliashar assembles gift items for packaging. Special thanks to the Tamarisk Men’s Golf Tournament for underwriting the cost of the holiday baskets.
For more information contact Women’s Philanthropy Director Barbara Ben-David at 760-324-4737 or barbara.bendavid@jfedps.org.
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Israel’s Compugen Signs $10 million Cancer Immunotherapy Deal with Bayer The agreement is for the research, development and commercialization of antibody-based therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy. By Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel 21c
Tel Aviv-based Compugen, a drug discovery company focused on therapeutic proteins and monoclonal antibodies to address unmet needs in immunology and oncology, is getting $10 million at the start of a major collaboration and license agreement with Bayer HealthCare. Their joint preclinical research program aims to research, develop and commercialize antibody-based therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy against two novel “immune checkpoint regulators” discovered by Compugen. Immunotherapy aims to stimulate the body’s own immune cells to better fight cancerous tumors. Compugen researchers are developing specific therapeutic antibodies that block the immunosuppressive function of checkpoint targets they discovered, and to reactivate the natural anti-
tumor immune response. Compugen President and CEO Anat Cohen-Dayag noted at a press conference that her most critical decision as CEO since 2010 was selecting which of many potential areas on which to focus the company’s predictive technology. Based on her experience as a member of the research team since 2002, and later as head of R&D, she chose immunology and oncology. “These appear to have been excellent strategic decisions,” she said. “We were also fortunate that during the period that these decisions were made, the specific area of immune human checkpoints for cancer immunotherapy has been further recognized by the medical community and the industry for their potential to revolutionize treatment.
So we are very excited to initiate this collaboration with Bayer, a leading global life science company.” Bayer will control further development and hold worldwide commercialization rights for potential cancer therapeutics. Compugen is eligible to receive more than $500 million in potential milestone payments for both programs, not including up to $30 million associated with preclinical activities as well as royalties on global net sales of any resulting products. Compugen Chairman of the Board Martin Gerstel noted that more than a decade of research was devoted to the company’s unique approach, which initially was met with skepticism
by most big pharma executives. Since then, the company has signed collaboration deals with Pfizer and Merck Serono as well as Bayer.
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Super Bowl to Offer ‘Glatt Kosher’ By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu, Arutz Sheva
With headlines reading “Touchdown for Glatt Kosher,” this winter’s Super Bowl in New Orleans’ Superdome will feature Glatt Kosher hot dogs and other kosher food for the first time, the Kosher Today newsletter reported.
The vendor will be Kosher Sports Inc., and certified by the Baltimore-based Star-K Kosher Certification. “This is the first time there will be a glatt kosher food offering at the Pro Bowl or Super Bowl," said the company's
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f o u n d e r, Jonathan Katz. He established Kosher Sports after he was fed up not being able to munch on kosher hot dogs at ball games. His company now provides kosher food for Baltimore Orioles baseball games, Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens football games and the U.S. Open Tennis tournament at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. The biggest known event to have kosher food was this summer’s
Olympics in London, where the local Hermolis Caterers provided close to 3,000 packaged meals for the athletes, staff, and journalists, while other kosher vendors offered sandwiches and hot meals for visitors. The “Strikly Kosher” company offers Glatt Kosher fare at Yankee Stadium. Many stadiums now maintain meeting areas where Jews can pray in a minyan of 10 people required for public prayer. Yankee Stadium also offers private kosher dining, providing an elaborate menu that includes a sushi bar, carving station, and fine napkin and silverware, the kosher newsletter stated.
Redefining “In a Family Way” in Israel 760.902.9206 rng.bell@aol.com/www.beverlybell.com
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WWW.ARTISANCAREGIVERS.COM 8 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
Israel is a very family- and childoriented society, and sensitive and open-minded Israeli courts are constantly stretching the limits of how one can have a family. Four years ago, the drive to have a child and the drive to have a grandchild were the catalyst for a unique bond, when the bereaved parents of an only child (who lost his battle with cancer six years ago at the age of 30, after optimistically freezing his sperm), latched up with a young woman in her mid-thirties who wanted more than a child without a
father picked out in a sperm bank. She wanted a family. The three got the court’s approval to bring a child into the world together, based on the repeated ‘oral last wishes’* of the deceased to father a child. Thus, while there are children who have been orphaned by tragedy before they were born, the daughter of this unique union is the first Israeli baby to be orphaned before she was conceived. * Israel now has Biological Wills that formalize such wishes.
Two Leaders in our Local Jewish Community Honored by AFP Jean C. Carrus and Terri Ketover to be Honored at November 13 Luncheon Two honorees of the five individuals/organizations being honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Desert Communities Chapter at their 2013 National Philanthropy Day Luncheon, are members of our desert Jewish community, chosen for exemplifying generous philanthropy, devotion as community leaders, and dedication as volunteers. Jean C. Carrus will be presented the “Outstanding Philanthropist” award for her commitment to “making the world a better place.” She tirelessly supports numerous philanthropic causes, Jewish and non-Jewish, locally and nationally. Her consistent and broad-based financial and volunteer support is exemplary. Beneficiaries of her board service and charitable gifts include a host of cultural and educational institutions and human rights organization. The 2013 “Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer” award will be presented to Terri Ketover, whose professional career and volunteer service demonstrate the power that one individual can have on making a significant difference in the lives of others. Her amazing energy, creativity and passion for "giving back" resonates within the community and the organizations she assists. Ketover
is also the founder of "Do the Right Thing," a nonprofit organization with chapters in 53 cities. The 7th annual National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, November 13th at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage. The luncheon theme is "Change the World with a Giving Heart" which celebrates the spirit of charitable giving and volunteering in the desert cities. Now celebrating its 53rd anniversary, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is an international
Jean C. Carrus
Terri Ketover
association of professionals responsible for generating philanthropic support for a wide variety of charitable organizations. It advances philanthropy through its 30,000 members and 233 chapters throughout the world. The association fosters development and growth of fundraising professionals and
promotes high ethical standards in the fundraising profession. Bruce Landgarten, CEO of the Jewish Federation of the Desert, is a Board member of the Desert Communities AFP. Other honorees from the Jewish community in past years include Barbara Keller (2010), Harold Matzner (2010), Helene Galen (2011) and Annette Bloch (2012). Luncheon couvert is $65 per person; $75 after November 6. For information about attending the luncheon contact Scott Schroeder at 760-464-6107 or scottschroeder47@ gmail.com.
JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 9
Yesh Atid Suspends MK for Abstaining During Knesset Vote By Elad Benari, Arutz Sheva
Member of Knesset (MK) Adi Koll (Yesh Atid) decided to go with her conscience on July 31 and chose to abstain during the vote in the Knesset on the Governance Bill. Koll’s ignoring coalition discipline, however, caused the chairman of her party, Finance Minister Yair Lapid to suspend her from parliamentary activity. Koll abstained in the vote on the first section of the law, angering Lapid. She
then apologized for her actions, writing on her Facebook page, "Today I abstained in the vote on Governance Bill. It was a decision which mainly affected the
MK Yair Lapid
other members of my party, and I apologize." In the subsequent vote on the second section of the law, Koll voted in favor, but Lapid, who was not satisfied MK Adi Koll with her apology and subsequent
vote in favor, ordered the chairman of Yesh Atid’s Knesset faction, MK Ofer Shelah, to inform Koll that she is suspended from parliamentary activity until further notice. MK Ilan Gilon (Meretz) criticized Yesh Atid for sanctioning Koll, saying, “You forced her using blackmail and threats to apologize - this is your new politics? Until now I opposed you. Now I have disdain for you." In response to Yesh Atid’s move, Labor party chairwoman MK Shelly Yechimovich and the chairman of the Labor Knesset faction, MK Yitzchak Herzog, announced that they would provide Koll with a quota so she can submit Knesset bills through the Labor party whenever she wishes. "We will honor any request by MK Koll to propose private bills at the expense of the Labor party’s quota because we respect her worldview and because we feel disgusted by her being silenced," said Yechimovich and Herzog. Bill Changes Israel’s System of Governance The Governance Bill, the first reading of which was approved, will change Israel’s system of government by limiting the number of ministers in a government to 19, including the Prime Minister, and limiting the number of deputy ministers to four. Ministers would be required to hold one, and only one, portfolio. The law would also limit no-confidence votes to one a month, with exceptions made for no-confidence motions that have been signed by at least 61 MKs. It would also give the government 100 days after the elections, in place of the current 45, to approve the national budget. Perhaps the most controversial part of the law is a clause raising the threshold to enter Knesset to four percent of the national vote – up from two percent. The change would have kept some current Knesset factions out.
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JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 11
State to Look Into Ethiopian Birth-Control Controversy
by Maayana Miskin, Arutz Sheva and The Forward
Since a television exposé accusing Israeli officials of putting Ethiopian immigrant women on birth control without their knowledge, Member of Knesset (MK) Orly Levi-Abekasis (Likud Beytenu) has fought for an investigation. While new reports have cast doubt on the accusations, LeviAbekasis told Arutz Sheva that she will continue to follow the case and will make sure it is properly studied. “Evidence points to a very disturbing policy,” she said. The data shows a clear drop in birthrate among Ethiopian immigrants to Israel, she said. She noted that MK Yaakov Margi (Shas) had compared the situation to that among Jewish immigrants from Arab countries in the 1950s, who complained of heavy pressure from Israeli officials to have fewer children. It is not clear if there was an official policy to pressure or trick Ethiopian women into using birth control, or if
JNF Appointment Jewish National Fund announces the appointment of Donna Raider as Campaign Executive for the Palm Springs and Desert Region.
it only happened in individual cases. The investigation that sparked the birth control debate found that Ethiopian women waiting to immigrate to Israel, and new immigrants living in absorption centers in Israel, were given the Depo Provera shot, which prevents pregnancy for several months at a time. Reporter Danny Ababa suggested that the women were given the shot without their knowledge. It was unclear in the report whether the shot was intentionally given without the women’s knowledge, or whether there had been a miscommunication due to language and cultural barriers. Several officials have questioned the idea that the Ethiopian women were unaware of what the shot was for, and say it is more likely that they wanted to use birth control. Levi-Abekasis argued that even if the women wanted birth control, the widespread use of the Depo Provera shot was irresponsible. The shot should be given only if other forms of birth control are not an option, she said. The Health Ministry has denied
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any knowledge of the incidents in question. Following the report, ministry officials ordered doctors to stop using Depo Provera except in cases where the patient can be given a full explanation of the medicine’s use and effects in her own language. In addition, doctors who prescribe the medicine must explain why they did not suggest an alternate form of birth control. Sources who spoke to Haaretz suggested that Ethiopian women may prefer the Depo Provera shot due to its relative ease, and due to the privacy it affords them. Alternate forms of birth control would be harder to conceal from family, they explained. The Joint Israel Organization, which provides care for Ethiopian immigrants, is still investigating the claims that shots may have been given without women’s knowledge. The State Comptroller plans to investigate as well. The Knesset has found evidence that the State of Israel ordered that immigrant women be offered birth control, but there is so far no evidence that birth control was given without women’s informed consent. Israel’s Health Ministry has ordered doctors not to renew DepoProvera prescriptions unless they were convinced patients understood the ramifications, according to a letter from the ministry posted on the group’s website. Ministry Director-General
Roni Gamzu said the decision did not imply he accepted the allegations by the Association of Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI). ACRI said statistics from a major Israeli health provider showed that it had administered DepoProvera injections to 5,000 women in 2008, 57 percent of whom were Ethiopian. Israel has denied any policy to curb the birthrate among the 100,000 Ethiopian Jews who have moved to Israel since chief rabbis determined in 1973 that the community had biblical roots. The documentary, broadcast on Israeli Educational Television, shows a nurse saying on a hidden camera that Ethiopian women were given DepoProvera because they “don’t understand anything” and would forget to take birth control pills. Rick Hodes, medical director in Ethiopia for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, a non-governmental organization that helps to facilitate immigration to Israel, denied the accusation that women are coerced into receiving the injections before leaving for the Jewish state. “Injectable drugs have always been the most popular form of birth control in Ethiopia, as well as among women in our program,” Hodes wrote on Twitter. ““Our family program is, and always (has) been, purely voluntary.”
Israel Waives U.S. 'Iron Dome' Funding by Gil Ronen, Arutz Sheva
Despite pledges by U.S. President Barack Obama and key congressional leaders to shield the Israeli Iron Dome from sequestration cuts, Israel has offered to waive funding protection, reports Defense News, which says Israel has been “insisting it should bear its share of the burden.” “Our position is we must bear the burden that our American friends are bearing,” Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador in Washington, told the website in an interview to be published in an upcoming edition. Sources from both countries told the website that this is “a painful, yet pragmatic price for the goodwill to be generated among longtime supporters in Washington.” Alan Makovsky, who recently retired as senior staff member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was surprised by the news, even using the analogy of "man bites dog" to express the novelty of the idea.
“Assuming this is accurate," he said, "it’s a very magnanimous, yet very wise decision on their [Israel’s] part. It shows friendship, appreciation and sympathy for our fiscal difficulties … even to the point of giving up special favors which it’s fair to say Congress would have been willing to grant, considering the threats they face.” He added, “The goodwill they will engender will be far more valuable than the funds they forego.” During Obama’s visit to Israel last March, he said he was “pleased to announce that we will take steps to ensure that there is no interruption of funding for Iron Dome.” At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Obama emphasized that he intends to work with Congress for funding Israel's
defenses against a growing rocket and missile threat. According to sources cited by Defense News, “the amount that would be shielded from some 9 percent in automatic cuts triggered by sequestration is $607.3 million for Iron Dome over the 2013-2015 threeyear budgetary period. That means Israel is voluntarily forgoing some $54.7 million, given the 9 percent sequester.” Israel is also slated to receive another $65.8 million in Arrow-2 Weapon System funds, $181.7 million for the Upper Tier Arrow-3, $213.9 million for David’s Sling. Similarly, Israel has not requested, nor was it promised, exemption from the approximately 5 percent sequester on its annual $3.1 billion in grant foreign military financing aid scheduled over the next three years. Netanyahu has advocated a
lessening of Israeli dependence on U.S. aid for many years. In his first tenure as prime minister, a process of cancelling non-military aid was embarked upon.
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(Member, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism) Ken Hailpern, Spiritual Leader 79-733 Country Club Drive Bermuda Dunes bethshalom18@wordpress.com 760-200-3636
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(Conservative) Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico Contact: Ron Cohen www.judiosdemexicali.com 760-960-3392 US (686) 216-7152 Mexico
CHABAD OF PALM SPRINGS & DESERT COMMUNITIES Rabbi Yonason Denebeim 425 Ortega, Palm Springs www.chabadpalmsprings.com 760-325-0774
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Beth Shalom
CHABAD OF RANCHO MIRAGE
Shabbat Services: 8:00 pm. Oneg follows. Saturdays: Services 9:30 am, followed by kiddush. Morning minyan October-May.
6:30 pm Holiday dinner in Sukkah. Call for reservations: 760-770-7785. Thursday, September 26: 7:30 pm Simchat Torah – light buffet and dancing with the torahs.
Congregation Shalom Bayit
Chabad of Palm Springs
Desert Hot Springs Jewish Community
A project of Chabad of Palm Springs & Desert Communities Rabbi Shimon Posner 72295 Via Marta, Rancho Mirage www.chabadrm.com 760-770-7785
(Reform) Rabbis Larry and Linda Seidman 1320 Williams Ave., Banning Contact 951-769-3678/769-7514
HAR-EL
(Member, Union for Reform Judaism) Rabbi Richard Zionts Har-El Cultural Center 47-535 Hwy 74, Palm Desert www.harelurj.org 760-779-1691
TEMPLE ISAIAH
(Conservative) Rabbi Sally Olins 332 West Alejo Road, Palm Springs www.templeisaiahps.com 760-325-2281
TEMPLE SINAI
(Reform) Rabbi Glenn Ettman 73-251 Hovley Lane West, Palm Desert www.templesinaipd.org 760-568-9699
BIKUR CHOLIM
A project of Chabad of Palm Springs & Desert Communities (Community Outreach) Rabbi Yankel Kreiman www.BikurCholimPS.com 760-325-8076
Friday Shabbat services: 20 minutes after candle lighting time. Saturday services: Morning - 9:30 am; Women’s Torah Discussion, led by Sussie Denebeim during Kiddush at noon. Evening: same as evening before.
Chabad of Rancho Mirage
Friday Shabbat services: 7:50 pm Mincha followed by Kabbalat Shabbat: Shabbat morning: 10:00 am followed by sit down Kiddush. Children’s Program/Service 11:15 am. Daily minyan: Shacharit services MondayFriday 7:00 am; Sundays 8:00 am Wednesday, September 18,
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Services resume with the High Holidays. See ad page 3.
Saturday mornings: Services 10:00 am. Kiddush following. Morning minyan 8:30 am Mondays and Thursdays. Wednesday, September 18, 6:00 pm ‘Pizza ‘n’ Pasta’ dinner in the Sukkah. Call 760-325-2281 for reservations. Thursday, September 26, 7:00 pm Celebrate Simchat Torah with the freilach music of the Klezmer King.
Har-El Congregation
Temple Sinai
Member, Union for Reform Judaism. Weekly Kabbalat Shabbat Services Fridays at 5:00 pm resume after Rosh Hashanah.
Shalom Bayit (Banning)
Havdallah the first Saturday of each month at 5:30 pm. Shabbat Services the third Friday of the month at 7:30 pm. Both held 1320 West Williams Street, Banning.
Temple Isaiah
Friday Shabbat services 7:30 pm, followed by an Oneg Shabbat.
Friday Shabbat services at 7:30 pm Friday, September 6 Family Shabbat service at 7:00 pm Friday, September 20, 6:00 pm Dinner in Sukkah (call for reservations: 760-568-9699), followed by Zimra Shabbat at 7:30 pm Saturday: 8:45 am: Torah Study, 10:00 am - Shabbat services.
Centro Cultural Hebreo de Mexicali
Weekly Shabbat Services Friday at 7:00 pm, followed by dinner. Saturday immediately before sunset: Havdallah.
September Community Calendar Wednesdays 10:00 am and 1:30 pm The Tolerance Education Center offers free movies every Wednesday. See schedule for September on page 16. Wednesdays 3:30-5:00 pm Jewish Family Service Jewish Bereavement Group. Meets weekly at the JFS Palm Springs Office, 801 East Tahquitz Canyon. Free to local community and reservations not required. Monday, September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 7:00 pm Chabad of Rancho Mirage Men’s Torah Class with Rabbi Benny Lew. For more information call 760-636-2897 or email rabbibenny@chabadrm.com
Tuesdays, September 3 & 17 Noon. Jewish Family Service “Lunch In and Out Program.” Semi- monthly activity program for homebound seniors at the Joslyn Center, Palm Desert. Transportation is provided and participants take part in activities and lunch. Some restrictions apply. To register and obtain further information contact Lisa Schmid. 760-325-4088, ext. 104. Monday, September 9 2:00 pm Café Europa Program for Holocaust Survivors, held at the Tolerance Education Center, coordinated by Jewish Family Service. Transportation available. For more information call Julie Hirsh, JFS at 760-325-4088, ext. 109.
Wednesday, September 11 Noon Temple Sinai Lunchtime Learning. Wednesday, (August 28) September 11, 18 3:00-4:30 pm Har-El Galen Trimester Course “Enjoying Bible as Literature: Genesis.” Fee. See ad page 10. Monday, September 16 4:00-6:00 pm Desert East Area of Hadassah Season Opening Event at the Tolerance Education Center. See classified ad page 26 for RSVP contact. Tuesday, September 17 10:00 am Temple Sinai Sisterhood Book Club. Tuesday, September 24 5:00-7:00 pm Tolerance Education Center Exhibit
Opening and Reception of the 2013 Holocaust Art and Essay Contest Entrie. See page 16. Tuesday, September 24 5:30-7:30 pm Chabad Rancho Mirage’s weekly BBQ resumes October 24 in the Sukkah! Lots of fun and another great way to meet great people! Choose your own menu from steak to hot dogs to salmon, veggie burgers and salads! It’s affordable, fun, and kosher! Reservations not required, but helpful: 760-770-7785. Friday, September 27 4:00 pm Tolerance Education Center program: Ken Green ‘I Believe in Music’ show, followed by meet-and-greet reception. $15. See page 16.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WELCOMED The Jewish Community News
welcomes letters to the editor Publication will be based on appropriateness of material and available space, at the discretion of the editorial staff. We reserve the right to edit submissions. Submit letters of 250 words or less by e-mail to: mhbentjcn@earthlink. net, fax to 760-320-6085 or mail to the Jewish Federation, 69-710 Hwy. 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, attn: Editor, JCN.
JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 15
Jewish Family Service of the Desert “Count on us… for life”
801 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 202 Palm Springs, CA 92262 (760) 325-4088 www.jfsdesert.org
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
You are invited to the Exhibit Opening and Reception of the 2013 Grades 8-12 Holocaust Art & Essay Contest Entries “NEVER AGAIN: HEEDING THE WARNING SIGNS” Tuesday, September 24, 2013 5:00-7:00 pm The art and essays will be on exhibit at the Tolerance Education Center through November 2013.
For further information about these services and others, please call the JFS office, 760-325-4088.
COUNSELING & FAMILY SUPPORT: Experienced therapists help individuals, couples, and families address life’s challenges. I N T E N S I V E O U T PAT I E N T D R U G TREATMENT FOR ADOLESCENTS: Five week course for teens that are at risk or have been expelled from school due to substance abuse. SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM: JFS counselors serve elementary school children in Palm Springs Unified School District with on-site counseling and now with a new 5th grade curriculum to teach drug refusal and interpersonal skills to prepare them for success in middle school.
The Tolerance Education Center Presents
KEN GREEN
I Believe in Music Remember those great days? "Fun" - "Uplifting" - "Exciting" Songs of the 50's, 60's, 70's and more. Great songs! Great Guitar! Great time! Friday, September 27, 4:00 pm Please join us for “Meet and Greet” Reception after the show: Wine, cheese … and Ken !
SOLUTIONS FOR SENIORS: Serves older adults to maintain independence and help them enjoy a higher quality of life. Please call the office for information.
DESERT HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
JEWISH BEREAVEMENT GROUP: Free to the local community. This group meets every Wednesday at the JFS Palm Springs office, 3:30-5:00p.m. No registration necessary.
ALL TICKETS ~ $15 CALL TO PRE-ORDER 760-328-8252
FRIENDLY VISITORS: For seniors who are isolated and would like companionship, a JFS volunteer can bring care and friendship. Friendly Visitors can also provide companionship and celebration during the Shabbat observation. Call for more information.
Proceeds will benefit the Tolerance Education Center
Free Movies Wednesdays at 10 am and 1:30 pm
September 4: SELENA (1997) (PG) The life of Tejano Singer Selena
CAFÉ EUROPA GROUP: Programming for holocaust survivors. Monday, September 9, 2013 at the Tolerance Education Center 2:00pm. Transportation available, please call Julie Hirsh for more information 760-3254088 X 109
September 11: ANITA (2011) (NR) Down syndrome woman in Argentina suddenly on her own September 18: BEFORE NIGHT FALLS (2000) (R) Autobiography of gay Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas September 25: THE LONGORIA AFFAIR (2011) (NR) The Civil Rights Movement’s Impact on Hispanics
JFS EXPRESS SENIOR RIDE PROGRAM -If you know someone homebound and needing transportation to a medical or important appointment, please have them contact JFS Express for assistance.
The Desert Holocaust Memorial is located in the Palm Desert Civic Center Park at San Pablo Avenue & Fred Waring Drive. Residents and visitors are encouraged to visit this moving memorial, a place of remembrance and monument of hope.
16 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
LUNCH IN & OUT PROGRAM: Bi- monthly activity program for homebound seniors. Next Sessions Tuesday, September 3 & Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at the Joslyn Center, Palm Desert. Transportation is provided and participants take part in activities and lunch. Some restrictions apply. To register and obtain further information contact Lisa Schmid 760779-9400. X 205
Israeli Instant Harness Used in Miners’ Rescue By Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel 21c
Israeli rescue equipment helped workers save the lives of at least eight trapped miners in South Africa on July 28, after a nightmarish threeday ordeal underground that left three dead, allegedly at the hands of an armed rival illegal mining crew. The Agilite Instant Harness was used by Riga Rescue volunteer Graham Holmquist to lower a South African police interpreter down into the shaft to communicate with the injured miners regarding the procedures to follow. The product is designed for scenarios where military, police, fire, rescue personnel or hikers unexpectedly require a harness, without needing to carry a rappelling harness with them at all times. Agilite’s other popular product, the Injured Personnel Carrier (IPC) or “Human Backpack,” weighs less than a pound and folds down to 10 inches, yet allows a rescuer to carry up to 5,000 pounds on his or her back, hands-free. The IPC shot to fame when it was adopted by top US Marine Corps units a year ago and a video showing the device in use with
Israeli commandos went viral. “There was one point when we thought we would not be able to get the stokes basket safely into the mine shaft and we were going to use the IPC to extract the patients,” said Holmquist. He later tweeted to Miracle Medical, a distributor of Agilite emergency equipment in South Africa: “@Miracle_Medical I can tell you! That is one kick ass harness and every person in EMS, SAPS, FD, should have one.” Growing variety of gear Founded in Jerusalem less than two years ago, Agilite has become a known name in search-and-rescue, firefighting, law-enforcement, military and camping markets across the world. The company makes a growing variety of gear, including harnesses, litters and tactical vests, slings, belts, ropes, packs, pouches and helmet covers. “We have only been supplying Agilite equipment for a number of weeks now, and people’s reactions to it have been both incredible and
immediate,” said Jennie Greenhill of Miracle Medical. “The Agilite products come battle-tested but they’re already facing local challenges of a different kind here.” The company was founded by three Israeli military veterans, British-born Elie Isaacson and U.S. natives Itzhak Oppenheim and Nadav Melichar. It was incubated at TheHive, a project of the non-profit immigrant employment organization Gvahim in Tel Aviv.
Community Schools RELIGIOUS/ HEBREW SCHOOLS Chabad Hebrew School A project of Chabad of Palm Springs & Desert Communities Director: Sussie Denebeim 73550 S. Rosa Way, Palm Desert, CA 92260 www.chabadpd.com 760-341-6501 Temple Isaiah Principal: Rabbi Sally Olins 332 West Alejo Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 www.templeisaiahps.com 760-325-2281, ext. 203 Temple Sinai Director: Miri Ketayi 73-251 Hovley Lane West, Palm Desert, CA 92260 www.templesinaipd.org 760-568-9699
NURSERY SCHOOLS Temple Sinai Tikvah Pre-School Director: Debbie Midcalf 24 mos - Pre-K 73-251 Hovley Lane West, Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-568-6779 JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 17
Tribute Card Donations Sending tributes and memorials is a meaningful way to honor loved ones.
All contributions received by the Jewish Federation for Tribute Cards are placed in our special Tzedakah Fund, which provides direct monetary intervention for needy Jews living in the Coachella Valley.
Honorarium Tributes –
• Cy and Sonny Leventhal, In honor of your anniversary, from Barbara and Herbert Borovsky
• Eric Chipurnoi, Congratulations to my son Eric, President of his synagogue in Olney, Maryland, and best wishes to his beautiful family for happiness and health, from Joyce Yorba
• Cy and Sonny Leventhal, Thank you for a wonderful evening, and happy birthday Cy, from Judy and Marty Cohn
In Appreciation For:
• Rommy Chipurnoi and his daughter Madison, To my son Rommy and my beautiful granddaughter Madison a happy, healthy and successful New Year, from Joyce Yorba
• Marvin Cohen, Wishing my neighbor, 101 years old, a Happy and Healthy New Year, and many more, from Joyce Yorba
• Lillian Fox, wishing you all you wish for yourself, and health and happiness for the New Year, from Joyce Yorba
• Hal Frank, So happy to spend your 80th with you, from Edith and Arnold Familian
• Jim Greenbaum, Happy Special Birthday from Herbert and Loreen Jacobson
• Richard Kahn, Happy Birthday from Lainie and Tom Weil
• Cy Leventhal, In honor of your birthday, from Barbara and Herbert Borovsky
• Jean Mintz, Happy Special Birthday from Herbert and Loreen Jacobson • Larry and Cathy Pitts, Congratulations on the arrival of your new granddaughter, from Ellen and Phil Glass
• Sylvia Alberts, In loving memory of Jayson, from Gabrielle Gartner • Terry Blitz and Family, Our deepest sympathy on the passing of your nephew Jeremy, from Debra and Robert Sawicky • Dr. and Mrs. Melvin Brothman, Our thoughts are with you on the loss of your daughter Leslie, from Richard and Marsha Bernhard • Madeline Cohen, In memory of your father, Malcolm Cohen, from Melinda and Stanley Goodman
Refuah Shleimah –
• Bud Hailperin, In memory of Barbara, from Barbara and Herb Borovsky
• Al Haveson, Wishing you a speedy recovery from Susie and Bob Diamond
• Alyce Klein Family, In memory of Alyce Klein, from Mark and Kate Freiman, Cora and Ted Ginsberg, Melinda and Stanley Goodman, Herbert and Loreen Jacobson
Get Well Wishes To:
• Joan Holland, Wishing you a speedy recovery from Ellen and Phil Glass • Dick Leshgold, Wishing you a speedy recovery from Susie and Bob Diamond, and Herbert and Loreen Jacobson • Bill Osterman, Wishing you a speedy recovery from Susie and Bob Diamond • Barbara Weisberg, Wishing you a pain free recovery, from Melinda and Stanley Goodman
by Gil Ronen, Arutz Sheva
"Israelis" or "Jews"? Arab affairs expert Dalit Halevy explained that when Abbas speaks of “Israelis”, he in fact means “Jews." She pointed out that the PA refers to all of the Arabs who live in what they term “Palestine” – including “Israeli Arabs” – as Palestinians. There is, therefore, no distinction in the PA's approach between “Palestinians” and “Arabs,” and similarly no distinction between “Jews” and “Israelis,” when speaking of residents of the territory of the Land of Israel (“Palestine”). Even now, Jews are not permitted
18 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
Condolences Sent To:
• Howard Schor, Happy Special Birthday, from Margot and Jerry Halperin
Abbas: Palestine will be Judenrein
Palestinian Authority (PA) head Mahmoud Abbas presented a racist and hateful vision of a future Palestinian state when he spoke to reporters in Cairo July 29th. “In a final resolution, we would not see the presence of a single Israeli – civilian or soldier – on our lands,” he told a group of reporters, most of them Egyptians. “An international, multinational presence like in Sinai, Lebanon and Syria – we are with that,” he went on, referring to United Nations peacekeeping forces like UNDOF and UNIFIL.
Memoriam Tributes –
• Sheila Lewis, In memory your beloved Sam, from Barbara and Herb Borovsky, Bobby and Toni Garmisa, Roberta and Allan Nyman, Lainie and Tom Weil • Harriet Sherr, Condolences on the loss of your husband William, from Ellen and Phil Glass • The Zoll Family, In memory of your beloved brother Irving, from Buddy and Libby Hoffman
to live inside the PA-controlled territory, and the sale of land to Jews is punishable by death. It was after meeting Egyptian prime minister Adly Mansour that Abbas laid out his vision for the permanent status arrangement he will insist upon in the talks that opened in Washington between the Israeli delegation headed by Minister Tzipi Livni and the PA delegation headed by Saeb Erekat. "We have already made all of the necessary concessions,” he said, adding that “eastern Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Palestine.” As for the idea of so-called “land swaps” in an arrangement based on the 1949 borders, Abbas said that “If
there is a need to carry out limited exchanges of territories that are equal in their size and value, we are willing to discuss that, no more and no less.” Observers note that while the future “Palestine” in the PA head's vision is apparently to be “Judenrein” (“Jewfree” in the German term employed by the Nazis) Israel will, of course, remain anything but “Arabrein." Arabs make up about 20% of the Jewish state, enjoy full equal rights and regularly elect representatives to the Knesset who openly despise the state in whose parliament they serve, support terrorists, and issue calls to their fellow Arabs to rise up against the Jewish state.
Israeli Study Shows Cellular Phones Could Increase Cancer Risk By Viva Sarah Press, Israel 21c
Scientists, and most m o b i l e phone users, h ave l o n g wondered about the possible harmful effects of regular cellular phone use, but so far no study has managed to produce clear results. Now, a Tel Aviv University study that focuses on the spit of heavy talkers brings bad news. Currently, cellular phones are classified as carcinogenic category 2b (potentially carcinogenic to humans), by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Dr. Yaniv Hamzany, of Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Department at the Rabin Medical Center, set out to explore the relationship between cancer rates and cell phone use by looking for clues in the saliva of major talkers. Since the cell phone is placed close to the salivary gland when in use, he and his fellow researchers — including departmental colleagues Profs. Raphael Feinmesser, Thomas Shpitzer and Dr. Gideon Bahar and Prof. Rafi Nagler and Dr. Moshe Gavish of the Technion in Haifa, assumed that salivary content could reveal whether there was a connection to developing cancer. The findings are not rosy. They found that the saliva of heavy users showed indications of higher oxidative stress, a process that damages all aspects of a human cell, including DNA and considered a major risk factor for cancer.
According to the researchers, a heavy mobile phone user speaks on the phone for a minimum of eight hours a month. Dr. Hamzany notes that most participants in the study took the concept of ‘yadda yadda yadda’ to a higher level, speaking as much as 40 hours a month. Their salivary content was compared to that of a control group,
which consisted of deaf patients who either do not use a cell phone or use the device exclusively for sending text messages. The heavy cell phone users had a significant increase in all salivary oxidative stress measurements studied. “This suggests that there is considerable oxidative stress on the tissue and glands which are close
to the cell phone when in use,” he says. The damage caused by oxidative stress is linked to cellular and genetic mutations which cause the development of tumors. The findings were recently published in the journal Antioxidants and Redox Signaling.
The beauty of a Jewish legacy is that it’s yours to create. You can leave a bequest to any program or institution that’s close to your heart. Chances are you already donate to these organizations. But when you make a bequest in your will, you’re making a difference for generations to come. To learn more about Legacy Giving, please call Bruce Landgarten, Chief Executive Officer 760-324-4737
JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 19
Jordanian King Pledges to Fight "Judaization of Jerusalem" By Chana Ya’ar and Ari Soffer, Arutz Sheva
Jordanian King Abdullah II added fuel to the ongoing debate over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount when he told visiting Muslim and Christian dignitaries from Jerusalem that he will continue his efforts to “safeguard” Islamic and Christian sites in the holy city of Jerusalem from what he termed "Judaization." The Hashemite monarch also expressed his willingness to “support the steadfastness of Muslim and Christian Jerusalemites and to preserve their legitimate rights in the city,” according to a statement from the Royal Court, published Sunday in The Jordan Times. According to the statement, Abdullah said that Jordan “will not spare any efforts, whether political, diplomatic or legal to protect the city, highlighting the Kingdom’s historic role in securing the holy sites." The Jordanian king also emphasized his country's cooperation with the Palestinian Authority, in working to assert "Jordan’s role as custodian of the holy sites of Jerusalem and Palestinian sovereignty over all of Palestine, including East Jerusalem." Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Adnan Husseini reiterated the importance of an agreement to this effect signed by Abdullah and Abbas in March, noting that the accord “has given moral support to the people of Jerusalem and helped solve many of the outstanding problems they face.” Husseini said the agreement had boosted Jordanian-PA coordination at local and international levels. Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fuad Twal expressed appreciation for Abdullah’s
King Abdullah
efforts, stating that “despite challenges facing Jerusalem, the people of the holy city prove every day their persistence to cling to the city’s heritage and preserve its identity from Judaization.” Sheikh Abdul Atheem Salhab, head of the Islamic Awqaf Council in Jerusalem, called Jerusalem and the Al Aqsa Mosque a “red line” for the Jordanian monarch. He added that “attacks” against Al Aqsa had increased recently, “especially by settlers storming Al Aqsa under the protection of the Israeli forces” - a reference to ascents by Jewish pilgrims to the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism. He also cited “attempts by right-wing ministers in the Israeli government to legitimize Jewish prayers inside Al Aqsa,” and warned of an unspecified “erabound and location-based” division plan of the mosque, to “eventually rebuild what they allege to be the Solomon’s Temple,” according to the Jordanian royal statement. The Jordanian government is responsible for the Waqf - an Islamic trust which oversees religious sites, including the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is Judaism's holiest place and also the site of a large Islamic complex. The Waqf has been accused of actively working to
claim to Jerusalem whatsoever." "The fact that we kow-tow and grovel before a foreign element like Abdullah and prevent Jews from praying at the Temple ascribe some kind of role to him on Mount through political pressure and Judaism's holiest site, is an illustration threats of violence. Despite the Temple of the low level we are on nationally." Mount being the holiest site in Judaism, Rabbi Richman linked the Israeli consecutive Israeli governments have government's "weakness" on the issue caved into pressure by the Waqf and of sovereignty on the Temple Mount to Islamist groups, banned Jewish prayer its capitulation to American pressure and restricted visits by religious Jews in agreeing to release more than 100 at the site. Religious Jews who do terrorists convicted of murdering Israeli ascend are "screened" to ensure they civilians. "We have no self-respect," he are not carrying any holy items which lamented, "And thus we do not conduct may be deemed "offensive" to Muslim ourselves like any other sovereign worshippers. state... Today, Bibi agreed to release The Waqf has also been accused 104 murderers with the blood of our by archaeological experts and Jewish children on their hands - when would groups of working with Palestinian America agree to release such people Authority to "Islamize" Jerusalem - under foreign pressure? "Similarly, publicly denying the Jewish connection when it comes to this issue [the Temple to the holy city and actively working Mount], which is the heart and soul of to destroy ancient Jewish antiquities. the People of Israel, the government's Sheikh Salhab's comments about the position is one of self-immolation, self"alleged" existence of the Jewish Temples castration." is common practice among PA-affiliated He added, "People feel very vulnerable. religious and political figures. The They feel like the government is not aforementioned "accord" between asserting the authority and sovereignty the Jordanian government and the PA of the Jewish people in our homeland." appears to be an attempt to reaffirm that However, he added, whilst he has little partnership. faith in the political leadership, Rabbi Rabbi Chaim Richman, Director of Richman sees hope in what he says is the Temple Institute, which campaigns a "grassroots awakening." "Despite the for greater Jewish fact that we do not have leadership, rights on the the people are waking up and leading Temple Mount, the way... The Temple Mount is a part expressed his of the Israeli national discourse, after frustration at "the being neglected for so long. That's why absurd idea that Abdullah and his friends felt the need to the government of Rabbi Richman so urgently reaffirm their 'commitment Israel recognizes to Jerusalem.' Their comments only the so-called 'historical role' of Jordan strengthen our resolve." in Jerusalem. Jordan has absolutely no
World Welcomes Israeli-born Asian Elephant Calf By Viva Sarah Press Israel 21c
Latangi, an Israeli-born Asian elephant, is the new star of the endangered species world. The calf, whose name means ‘slim girl’ in Hindi, is the third generation of Asian elephants living at the Zoological Center Tel Aviv – Ramat Gan Safari. Zoos around the world celebrate all births of the Asiatic elephant species because of their endangered status.
Latangi was born on August 2, 2013 and weighed nearly 80 kilograms. The Safari held a name contest and chose Latangi because the female calf is slimmer than the usual 100-kg newborn birth weight.
20 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
Safari zookeepers say Latangi is being cared for by her seven-year-old mother, La Belle, and her 25-year-old grandmother, La Petite (who is also pregnant). Latangi’s father is 53-yearold Motek, also an Asian elephant. The birth was completely natural and Latangi is healthy and fit, report Safari zookeepers.
Iron Dome Intercepts Rocket Bound for Eilat By Yoel Goldman, The Times of Israel
The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted a Grad rocket bound for the southern Israeli city of Eilat overnight August 12th. It was Iron Dome’s first successful interception since the battery’s recent deployment in the area. Warning sirens blared and residents reported hearing two explosions shortly after midnight in the Israeli Red Sea resort town. Three people were treated for shock by Magen David Adom paramedics. The explosions caused no damage. Palestinian sources reported the next morning that a Muslim terrorist group operating in the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip took responsibility for the attack. Majlis Shura Al-Majahedin Fi Aknaf Bayt Al-Maqdis is the same al-Qaeda-linked group that was targeted on three days earlier by what was reported to be an Israeli drone. Friday’s alleged drone strike, which killed four and destroyed a
rocket launcher, came on the heels of a warning from Egyptian security officials, who reportedly conveyed to Israel that jihadists in the Sinai were planning imminent attacks against Israeli targets. Aknaf Bayt Al-Maqdis subsequently took responsibility for the attack on Eilat, saying it was in response to the “Israeli drone strike.” In a statement issued August 13, the group, whose name translates to Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem, said that Eilat and other Israeli cities will no longer enjoy safety, tourism or economic prosperity, and that “the Jews will pay the price for the blood of the jihadists killed.” Egyptian security sources in the Sinai said the Grad rocket came from a desert area near the Israeli border and may have been launched remotely, reported Israel Radio. Local Bedouin are helping Egyptian authorities to locate the exact
launch site. Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi said life in the city had returned to normal and that there were no reports of tourist departures. “Like other Israeli cities, we have become accustomed to the reality of rockets. We expect the IDF to continue protecting our citizens and
find those responsible for the attack,” said Halevi. Meanwhile, clashes between terrorists and Egyptian security forces continued within the Sinai. Gunmen shot up several military outposts in El-Arish overnight, opening fire with rockets and small arms. There were no injuries reported.
JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 21
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L’Shanah Tovah Tikateivu
Happy New Year May you be blessed with a year of health & happiness
Howard and Pat Levy
Order your Wishing You A Sweet Year greetings today! Order your A wonderful greetings today! Julie Fey-Clark and AClark wonderfulto Scottopportunity wish everyone opportunity to a Happy New Year! wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Happy New Year
Lainie and Tom Weil May you be blessed with a year of health & happiness
Celia and Sandy Norian
Allan and Roberta Nyman
22 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
Wishing You A Sweet Year
Eileen Eisenberg Dr. Marc Kashinsky
Libby and Buddy Hoffman
Happy New Year
Mark Elterman
May we all be blessed with a year of health, happiness & peace Happy New Year
Vern and Paula Kozlen
Order your greetings today! Pearl White & Family A wonderful opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Order your greetings today! Order your AYear wonderful Happygreetings New today! opportunity A wonderfulto Judy &opportunity Elliott wish everyone to a Bernstein Happy New Year! wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Order your eetings today! A wonderful pportunity to sh everyone a ppy New Year!
Barbara Platt & Family
Barbara Ben-David Director, Women’s Philanthropy
Dr. Paul and Stephanie Ross Happy New Year
Elaine D. Kravitz
May you be blessed with a year of health & happiness
Roger and Brenda Weinstock
Wishing You A Sweet Year
Gerald Chang, DDS Linda, Andrea, Jenni & Janet
Mary Levine & Alan Goldstein
Bernie & Ginny Frogel & Family JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 23
Order your greetings today! Order your A wonderful greetings today! opportunity A wonderfulto wish everyone opportunity to a Happy New Year! wish everyone a Happy New Year!
L’Shanah Tovah Tikateivu
Happy New Year Happy New Year
May you be blessed with a year of health & happiness
Judy and Marty Cohn
With Best Wishes from the Board, Staff and Volunteers of Jewish Family Service
Order your eetings today! A wonderful pportunity to sh everyone a ppy New Year!
Order your eetings today! A wonderful pportunity to sh everyone a ppy New Year!
Order your greetings today! Order your A wonderful greetings today! opportunity A wonderfulto wish everyone opportunity to a Order yourHappy Happy New Year! wish a Neweveryone Year greetings today!Happy New Year!
Evie Edidin
A wonderful The Hon. Lewis & opportunity to Helene Kent wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Happy New Year
May you be blessed with a year of health & happiness
Lee Nokleby & D.G. Cook Marvin and Phyllis Eisenberg
Happy New Year
Sherry and Alan Salzman 24 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
Evelyn Binsky
The Gerry Rossman Family
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Order your greetings Ordertoday! your Agreetings wonderful today! A wonderful opportunity to opportunity wish everyone to a wish New everyone Happy Year!a
Congregation Beth Shalom
Happy New Year!
Edith and Arnold Familian
May you be blessed with a year of health & happiness
Diane Piekarsky Your Israeli Connection
Order your reetings today! A wonderful opportunity to ish everyone a appy New Year!
Bikur Cholim of Palm Springs & Rabbi Yankel & Rochel Kreiman & Family
L’Shanah Tovah Tikateivu Happy New Year
May you be blessed with a year of health & happiness
Order your greetings today! A wonderful opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Florence and Sid Bogin JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 25
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L’Shanah Tovah Tikateivu
Happy New Year
a r! !
Order your greetings today! A wonderful opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year!
May you be blessed with a year of health & happiness
Harold, Joan & Brian Kramer Order your greetings today! A wonderful opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Douglas & Beverley Jackson
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Trevor and Lynda Bailey
Archaeologists Uncover Temple-Era Jewish Village by Maayana Miskin, Arutz Sheva
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of the ancient Jewish village of Sichin in the Galilee. The village was found near the northern edge of the Tzipori National Park. The discovery was made by a team led by Dr. Mordechai Aviam of the Galilee Archaeological Institute at the Kinneret academic college.
Happy New Year
The village of Sichin was mentioned
26 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
by the ancient scholar Josephus (Yosef Ben-Matityahu) as one of the first Jewish towns established in the Galilee in the times of the Second Temple. The village was later mentioned in the Talmud (Gemara) as one of the Jewish villages near Tzipori. Archaeologists found evidence of a synagogue at the site, as well as many pottery fragments and other
items confirming historians’ reports of pottery production in the village. “Those of us at the dig were very surprised to find seven stone molds for the creation of pottery holders for wax candles,” said Dr. Aviam. “One of the fragments was decorated with a menorah and palm [lulav] fronds.” The dig will continue, he said, with an emphasis on uncovering more of the synagogue, pottery workshops and homes.
Opinion/Editorial Too Good to Last
Time to pay our respects to what was, and for European Jews to move elsewhere? Public Diplomacy Network / David Pryce-Jones (Mosaic Magazine)
Michel Gurfinkiel is in the tradition of the great French essayists who put the issues squarely before the public. It is a bold thing to do, especially when the subject under discussion is the fate of the Jews. “You Only Live Twice” argues that, in the relatively short term, Jews are likely to have left Europe. The Jewish contribution to European civilization has been “a crowning glory of the human spirit,” but now the majority of European Jews and also those non-Jews who are paying attention to the march of history “insist that catastrophe may lie ahead.” The causes of this coming catastrophe are already evident to Gurfinkiel, and they tend toward an unhappy ending. In any case, the wise will not linger, awaiting certain submission. The time has come to pay our respects to what was once but is no more, and for Jews to move elsewhere as they have done through so many centuries. In the aftermath of the Holocaust, Europeans adopted the phrase “Never Again,” implying shame for the perpetrators and at least a shading of guilt for the many who had stood by and taken no notice. For some years, survivors of the Nazi genocide, along with Jewish refugees expelled from the countries of the Middle East, were able to remake their lives everywhere across the continent. This was all too good to last. Since 2000 in France alone, as Gurfinkiel notes, 7,650 anti-Semitic incidents ranging from petty insults to brutal racist murders have been reported, and this statistic ignores many more incidents that are known to have occurred but were not reported to the authorities. Things have come to the point where the chief rabbi of France advises Jews not to wear a kippah in the street because it makes them recognizable as Jews. “Never” has dropped out of the slogan of solidarity, leaving “Again” to stand on its own.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WELCOMED
The Jewish Community News welcomes letters to the editor Publication will be based on appropriateness of material and available space, at the discretion of the editorial staff. We reserve the right to edit submissions. Submit letters of 250 words or less by e-mail to: mhbentjcn@earthlink.net, fax to 760-320-6085 or mail to the Jewish Federation, 69-710 Hwy. 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, attn: Editor, JCN.
JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 27
Neturei Karta Jew Offered to Spy for Iran by Maayana Miskin, Arutz Sheva; and Haviv Rettig Gur, Times of Israel
An Israeli man from Jerusalem was indicted August 1st for making contact with Iranian officials and offering to betray his country. The man, 47, is a member of the extremist anti-Israeli sect Neturei Karta. The sect has been repudiated by the vast majority of Jewish leaders, including those in the hareidi-religious community. Members of the small splinter sect receive significant media attention due to their frequent meetings with Arab leaders and participating in anti-Israeli rallies, all while wearing traditional hareidi Jewish garb. According to the indictment, the man took the initiative to spy on Israel, without having been contacted by enemy agents. He looked online to find out where Iran has embassies. In
January 2011, he flew to Berlin and went to the local Iranian embassy, where he presented himself as an Israeli citizen interested in speaking to Iranian officials. He was allowed to enter. He met with three Iranian men who did not give their names; one presented himself as “Hajj Baba.” He explained to the Iranians that he is an Israeli citizen who believes the state of Israel should not exist, and that he wishes to see Israel governed
by non-Jews. He offered to gather information and pass it on to them. During the conversation, the man asked the Iranians why they were unable to protect their people from assassination by Israel within Iran. One of the Iranian men asked him why he was mocking them, while he sought refuge in Iran. The Neturei Karta man countered by saying that he does not want refuge in Iran, and that he is even willing to murder a “Zionist.” The Iranians ended the conversation by telling the Neturei Karta man that they needed to discuss the matter with their superiors. “Hajj Baba” gave the man an email address and password, and told him to enter the email account to see their response.
He also told the man to stay in touch using the embassy’s phone number. On January 20, 2011 the man returned to Israel. He checked the email account he had been given several times, using a computer at an internet café in Jerusalem. He also called the Iranian embassy in Berlin twice, each time from a public phone. On one occasion embassy officials did not answer. On the other, the man asked to speak to “Hajj Baba” and was told he was not present that day. The man, whose identity is currently under a gag order, served in the Israel Defense Forces but was released for reasons of mental health.
Donald Duck Tweets Anti-Zionist Vitriol
Egyptian man behind the Arab voice of the popular Disney character can’t keep his beak shut when it comes to Israel The Times of Israel
An Egyptian radio host who identifies himself as the official voice of Donald Duck on Disney Middle East called on Twitter for Israel to be “demolished.” The discussion that began August 4th on the Twitter feed of Wael Mansour. “I truly wish #Israel is demolished, I hate Zionism, I have so much hate inside me with every single child they murder or land they seize!” Mansour
tweeted. The tweet followed one that read: “I saw a video of Israeli soldiers brutally arresting a palestinian woman in front of her 3 children coz they seized her home & she objects!” which could explain his Twitter outburst.
Mansour responded to some critics by tweeting: “I don’t know why insulting #Israel & #Zionism is “AntiSemitic”?! They are just a bunch of Polish/ Ethiopian immigrants roughly 70 years old” and “There are Jews who hate Zionism; does it make them Jews Anti-Jews?! Of course NO! We respect Jews & disrespect Zionism, there’s a difference.” The Algemeiner Journal (a New York-based weekly newspaper covering American and international Jewish and Israel-related news) called on Disney chairman Bob Iger, who is
To apply for Emergency Funds from the
TZEDAKAH FUND
call the Jewish Federation 760-324-4737 28 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
Jewish, to respond to the controversy. Disney owns the rights to Donald Duck. Contacted directly via Twitter by the Algemeiner, Mansour told the paper, “The Zionist entity is a racist entity by definition, performing crimes of hate by the power of its criminal law. I stand firm by what I said.” Mansour said Egypt “dictates an overwhelming Islamic sentiment that happened normally. On the other hand, the Zionist entity is a bunch of immigrants stealing lands and creating a state based on a racist difference.”
Shalom
Parents Sue Massachusetts School District for anti-Semitic Bullying of Son Public Diplomacy Network & The Boston Globe
The parents of a 13-year-old boy are suing their Massachusetts school district for ignoring verbal and physical attacks on their son by other students for being Jewish. Jennyfer Sordillo and Robert Groezinger filed the lawsuit in late July against the Carver public schools in U.S. District Court in Boston. It was first reported in the Boston Globe August 10th. They claim their son was subjected to daily anti-Semitic attacks by a group of boys at his school. The abuse included religious slurs and Nazi salutes, having pennies thrown at him, and being punched and kicked. Most recently, Shalom the abusers drew a swastika in chalk The finest inoutside Jewishthe Living family home, the Boston Globe reported. The lawsuit claims the abuse has
been occurring for two years and school officials “have done nothing to stop it,” according to the newspaper. An attorney for the school district, which is approximately 50 miles from Boston, told the newspaper it would respond to the charges in court. According to the lawsuit, which was brought under the Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law, the boy was called names such as “stingy Jew,” “dirty Jew,” and “Jew boy” and was told after being saluted with the Hitler salute that he needed to “get in the oven.” The parents, according to reports, complained repeatedly about the school bullying. There is only one other Jewish student in the class of 155, according to the lawsuit.
JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774• www.jfedps.org • 29
American Students for Israel. He is also the Vice President of Communication at UCSB’s Hillel ... M a z e l t o v t o J e r e m y Last month Simchas’ included the Ginsberg, son story of Cora and Ted Ginsberg’s of Lynda and grandson going to Israel as part of Trevor Bailey, the United States’ baseball team a junior at for the 2013 Maccabiah Games. the University Robert Scherl “earned” getting of California his picture into Simchas again Santa Barbara, this month because the team won on his election the gold medal! Congratulations as President to Robert and to his very proud Jeremy Ginsberg grandparents! ... This summer we o f U C S B ’s
Simchas
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JFS VOLUNTEERS WELCOME: Rewarding Volunteer Opportunities; Interested in expanding your life by volunteering? JFS has volunteer openings and is now accepting applications for the following positions: Lunch In & Out Driver, Lunch In & Out Program Volunteer, Friendly Visitors, JFS Express Senior Ride Transportation program, provide rides for seniors to medical appointments. For more information and to apply now contact Julie Hirsh, 760-3254088 X109 FOR ALL OF YOUR CLOTHING NEEDS – call Arlene, at Rosenthal of Palm Springs. From casual to couture, for men and women. Can make and or copy anything. Huge variety of fabrics. In your home appointments. Since 1989 – making people look and feel good in perfectly fitted clothing. 760-323-8353. Har-El, Member, Union for Reform Judaism, introduces ‘HaHochem’ / ‘The Sage’ (see page 15) to announce special programs offered by Har-El this coming year. The year-long Galen Trimester course “Enjoying the Bible as Literature” focuses on Genesis for its fall sessions. See ad for this and other fall courses on page 10. KRISTINE A. KAUFFMAN - SENIOR CARE SPECIALIST. Driving for appointments, shopping, dining, etc; Errands (groceries, banking, etc); Bill paying and other miscellaneous tasks; Companionship. Dog sitting, walking. References available. 4-hour minimum 760-902-3490.
30 • JCN • September 2013 • Elul/Tishrei 5774 • www.jfedps.org
Proud dad David Scherl with Robert
got a happy email from Jacqueline Drucker from Michigan where she attended the brit milah of her ninth great grandchild, Efrayim Daniel Th e D e s e r t E a s t A r e a o f HADASSAH INVITES YOU TO OUR SEASON OPENING EVENT on September 16 at 4:00 pm at the Tolerance Education Center. No charge. Reservations please to Nancy Singer, 760-202-2838 or nancys827@aol.com.
Klein, son of Shira and Noah Klein of Southfield, Michigan, born July 11 th. Jackie went on to say that Efrayim is the 101 st descendant of her parents who left Poland in 1921, arriving in the United States November 1st of that year. Quite a family legacy! Mazel tov to Jackie and all her family ... Share your simchas with us. Contact Miriam Bent at mhbentjcn@earthlink.net or 760-323-0255.
TRAVELING NOTARY PUBLIC for all your Health, Financial and Real Estate Documents. Available 7 Days. Ernest Sussman 760-408-9338.
P R I VAT E D U T Y N U R S E LV N available for home health care. Extensive hospital and doctor’s office experience. Call Joanie 760-776-6752.
Candle Lighting Times Wednesday, September 4 Erev Rosh Hashanah Thursday, Septmber 5 2nd day Rosh Hashanah Friday, September 6 Shabbat Haazinu Friday, September 13 Shabbat/Kol Nidre Wednesday, September 18 Erev Sukkot Thursday, September 19 2nd day Sukkot Friday, September 20 Shabbat Sukkot Wednesday, September 25 Shemini Atzeret Thursday, September 26 Erev Simchat Torah Friday, September 27 Shabbat B’reshit
6:27 pm After 7:51 pm 6:24 pm 6:15 pm 6:08 pm After 7:31 pm 6:05 pm 5:58 pm After 7:22 pm 5:55 pm
We Mourn the Passing of... Shirley Bailin, Robert (Bob) Becker, Evelyn Dubrow, Pat Hammers and Margot Hertz. Our deepest sympathies to their families and friends. May their memories endure for a blessing.
Laugh out Loud Stories in the news that bring a smile!
Final Photos
Moran Mordo, a 31 year old Tel-Aviv single has a singular occupation: She’s a family photographer but doesn’t do bar mitzvahs or weddings. Mordo runs Olamot-Art, which documents funerals in video or stills. The strange funeral service began when a colleague quietly took some arty cemetery photos at Mordo’s mother’s funeral; soon afterwards, Mordo had the opportunity to return the favor in a roundabout way, by offering the same to one of the mourners at the event, 60 year-old Shuli Cohen, whose husband died. Cohen admitted this wasn’t exactly on her husband’s ‘bucket list’ and certainly wasn’t his last wishes... “I don’t think [he would like it] since “he didn’t like to be photographed in his lifetime” admitted Cohen, but she figured it wouldn’t kill him. “He won’t be the one enjoying or not enjoying the photos.” Some clients order a published album as a family legacy, said Mordo, others simply place the prints on a table in the living room for friends and relatives to leaf through when making a shiva (condolence) call.
Hummus Ice Cream?
Israel may not be traditionally thought of as an ice cream capital, but it’s time for a rethink. After all, the average Israeli eats about 10 liters of ice cream per year, compared to 6.2 liters per capita in Italy, home of gelato. Of course there’s vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, and Israeli Prime Minister, Bibi Netanyahu’s favorite flavor, pistachio, but at Aldo Gelato in the Tel Aviv Port, cheesecake is the most popular flavor among 130 choices. Itay Rogozinsky, chef and co-owner of Vaniglia in Tel Aviv, says it’s important to produce ice cream that matches the area and the people. “I like to work with many ingredients from all over the world, but still to build and to invent the Israeli style, because we are here.” This has led to some unusual flavors, including a 10-spice ice cream reminiscent of chai latte, and a new favorite, hummus ice cream, made from 70% chickpeas (garbanzos) and topped with olive oil and pine nuts.
EVERTHING COMES TO THOSE WHO WAIT
Valerie Ben-Dov, a police officer with the juvenile division walked into an interrogation room for a friendly talk with a kid detained for packing a knife, only to find the youngster was also carrying BenDov’s cell phone, which had been stolen three months earlier at the beach. Freak coincidence? Soon afterwards, traffic cop Michael Firer pulled a Subaru over at a random checkpoint, only to discover the vehicle was his own car, stolen from him two years earlier.
Recipes for the High Holidays
Have A Nosh With Miriam By Miriam H. Bent
I’m breaking my own rule about not giving you recipes with too many ingredients but this cake is so special I decided to take a chance that a few brave souls will assemble the ingredients and make it. I had decided that while honey and/or apple cakes are traditional for Rosh Hashanah, there is nothing against having a cake that also has chocolate as an ingredient! And for a break-the-fast dessert it seemed like espresso was intuitively a good ingredient after a day of fasting! Hope these cookies hit the spot in your home. The warmest of wishes for a good and sweet year. Shana Tova! MHB ROSH HASHANAH HONEY CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE HONEY CAKE BATTER 1 3/4 cups flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice ½ cup oil ½ cup honey 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 eggs ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup brewed tea 1/4 cup orange juice * In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Stir with whisk, then make well in center and stir in oil, honey, granulated and brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, tea and orange juice. Stir well to make smooth batter. Set aside.
CHOCOLATE BATTER 1 ½ cups flour 1/3 cup cocoa, sifted 1/4 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed ½ cup oil
2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup flat cola-flavored soft drink * In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Make well in center and whisk in granulated and brown sugars, oil, eggs, vanilla and cola. Blend well to make smooth batter.
ASSEMBLY ½ cup semisweet chocolate, grated Powdered sugar, optional * Pour Honey Cake Batter into well-greased 9- or 10-inch tube pan. Pour Chocolate Batter on top. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until cake springs back when gently touched, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes. * Cool 10 minutes, then unmold and place on serving platter. While cake is still warm, sprinkle on grated chocolate and allow to melt. If you like, chill cake to set chocolate and then dust with powdered sugar. CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO COOKIES 2 1/4 teaspoons espresso powder or instant 6 Tablespoons matza cake meal coffee powder 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup chocolate chips 8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 1 cup walnuts, finely ground (prepackaged ½ cup unsalted pareve margarine finely ground gives the best texture 2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix together cake meal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl melt bittersweet chocolate and margarine. In a third bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla until very thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Stir the egg mixture into the warm chocolate. Mix in dry ingredients, chocolate chips, and ground walnuts. Let the batter sit for at least ten minutes, up to an hour. (This is very important. The batter stiffens as it sits and makes much better cookies the longer it sits. It does not need to be refrigerated.) Then drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto nonstick baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, and allow to cool for five minutes before removing.
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