online at www.stljewishlight.com
24 Av, 5774 / Aug. 20, 2014 / Vol. 67 / No. 34
Alleging bias, Israel keeping distance from U.N. Gaza probe
Inside & online
LOCAL NEWS Federation allocates $8.56 million The total amount of funds allocated to local, national and international agencies is up slightly from last year. See page 3
BY BEN SALES JTA
Local congregations on anonymous donation list Kol Rinah and Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community are set to receive anonymous $10k donations. See page 3
ONLINE
Online video interview with Karen Aroesty Jewish Light Publisher/CEO Larry Levin and Editor-inChief Emeritus Robert A. Cohn discuss recent news with the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League Karen Aroesty. Online at: stljewishlight.com/ multimedia
Index Back to School.................. 16-17 ChaiLights........................ 18-19 D’var Torah.............................16 Healthwatch.................... 13-15 Jewish Lite.............................22 News & Schmooze...................2 Obituaries..............................23 Opinions.......................... 10-11 Simchas.................................21
Candlelighting Shabbat starts Friday, Aug. 22, 7:29 p.m. Shabbat ends Saturday, Aug. 23, 8:27 p.m.
Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation (center) talks to Rev. Traci D. Blackmon (left) of Christ the King United Church of Christ during a march in Ferguson on Aug. 14 organized by the St. Louis Clergy Coalition. Photo: Mike Sherwin
Jewish leaders, clergy rally behind Ferguson BY DAVID BAUGHER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
For much of the world, West Florissant Avenue has become synonymous with rubber bullets and tear gas. But as Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation walks it with hundreds of other demonstrators, she notes that it isn’t her first time here – and it won’t be her last. “I’ll keep showing up,” she said. “This is really personal. It is about all of our kids, and we all have to show up.” Talve was among a small rabbinic contingent to march in an event organized by the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition in response to the deadly shooting of African-American teenager Michael Brown by a white Ferguson police officer named Darren Wilson. The incident Aug. 9 has ignited peaceful protest and violent actions that brought massive international attention to a stunned suburb, which has been the scene of firebombs, looting and gunplay for more than a week.
Now under a state of emergency, Ferguson is under the control of multiple police agencies and the National Guard. Meanwhile, Brown’s death remains under investigation by both St. Louis County and federal authorities, who continue to gather facts on the differing accounts of the shooting. No charges had been filed by press time. Within the Jewish community, reaction to the shooting, the protest and the violence has varied. A letter signed by more than 60 Jewish community leaders was released Tuesday by Jewish Federation of St. Louis. It mourns Brown’s death, condemns the looting in its aftermath and calls for “thoughtful approaches” to law enforcement. “Ultimately, the situation in Ferguson is much broader than the tragic events that we are now witnessing,” the letter says. “We all must redouble our efforts to combat racism, poverty and economic inequality, so that every individual, no matter the circum-
See FERGUSON, page 4
More inside and online • News & Schmooze: Supporting Ferguson — Page 2 • Statement on Ferguson from 60+ Jewish leaders — Page 5 • JCRC, Jewish Federation plan community event on Ferguson — Page 5 • Editorial: Finding the deeper story — Page 8 • Commentary: Why Jews should care about Ferguson — Page 9
online at stljewishlight.com • Commentary from ADL’s Karen Aroesty: Challenge biases, policies in wake of Ferguson • Reactions from Jewish press around the country • JTA: In Ferguson, echoes of Gaza?
TEL AVIV — The United Nations probe into the Gaza conflict hasn’t even begun, but Israel already is convinced that it won’t end well. In a resolution adopted by a vote of 29-1 with 17 abstentions, the U.N. Human Rights Council moved last month to establish a commission of inquiry “to investigate all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The United States cast the sole vote against. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the council for choosing to investigate Israel rather than nearby crisis zones such as Iraq or Syria, and implied he would not cooperate with U.N. investigators. “The report of this committee has already been written,” Netanyahu said following a meeting with visiting New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “The committee chairman has already decided that Hamas is not a terrorist organization. Therefore, they have nothing to look for here. They should visit Damascus, Baghdad and Tripoli. They should go see ISIS, the Syrian army and Hamas. There they will find war crimes, not here.” Israel has been down this road before. Following the end of the last Gaza conflict, in early 2009, its government refused to cooperate with a U.N. investigation led by the South African jurist Richard Goldstone. The probe, dubbed the Goldstone Report, alleged that Israel had intentionally targeted civilians, though Goldstone later personally retracted that allegation. Israel rejected the original report as inaccurate and biased. This time, the commission will be chaired by William Schabas, a Canadian-born professor of international law at Middlesex University in London. Schabas said in an Aug. 12 interview with Israel’s
See GAZA, page 7
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news schmooze BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN
Ferguson and the future I debated writing about Ferguson because I wasn’t sure what I could say that hasn’t already been said by the scores of media covering the tragedy of an unarmed African-American teenager shot and killed by a white police officer. And it’s not just the number of stories. It’s that every conceivable angle has seemingly been put forward. Racial profiling by police. Socioeconomic injustice. The challenges of older communities like Ferguson and the particular challenges of the St. Louis community. The protests and counter-protests, the looting, the curfews, the competing law enforcement agencies. But after all the tearjerking, gutwrenching cries for justice (let alone the question of what justice in this case truly might mean), we’re left with the discussion of what happens next. On Monday, a statement from 13 leading national civil and human rights organizations, including the NAACP, called for action and reforms in the wake of the police killing of Michael Brown, 18. The groups emphasized that “more must be done to prevent future abuses across the nation.” “Violent deaths like Michael Brown’s happen all too frequently and will continue to occur without meaningful community accountability,” the statement continued, calling for the Department of Justice to “utilize its substantial resources to take significant, proactive steps to curb police violence against communities of color.”
True enough. And the issues associated with police violence are hardly the only major changes needed. How do we provide opportunity and education, a ladder to climb? How do we treat everyone in the community with the respect and fairness they deserve? How do we break the cycle of poverty and lawlessness that results in thousands of young black men being killed on the streets of America, year after year? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and impotent to do anything about it all. But, in fact – and this I am sure of – the only way change will come is if each of us does the work. We have to take responsibility ourselves. Long after the daily images and disturbing stories about Ferguson vanish – and they will – we need to remember what happened and be vigilant about doing our part as Jews, as St. Louisans, as humans, to repair the divide there and beyond. There’s work to do in both the short term and beyond. We can get started immediately by helping to feed the people of Ferguson. After all, this is something Jews do well. The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry is collecting canned food items, drinking water and hygiene necessities, which it will deliver to the residents of Ferguson in the days to come, because a good number of them are trapped in their homes and running low on supplies. (Donate 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 10601 Baur Boulevard.) We can also support the businesses
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Open to all St. Louis Jewish teens in grades 8 ‐12 Choose one or two of our amazing courses Dinner Op�on from 6‐6:30 �� for busy teens who may be coming from another ac�vity or who want to arrive early and socialize. Meals include salad, entrée (pizza, pasta, sandwiches, etc.), drink and dessert $55/trimester Three eight‐week trimesters on Thursdays from 6:30 ‐ 8:30 �� Par�cipate for one, two or all three trimesters Pre‐registra�on is encouraged to guarantee your class choice Held at Congrega�on B’nai Amoona, 324 S. Mason Road, 63141 Select and par�cipate in events Classes begin Thursday, September 4 Visit www.cajestl.org to view course descrip�ons and to register Maxine Weil, Director • 314.442.3757 • mweil@cajestl.org
Protesters make their way down Canfield Drive in Ferguson on Thursday during a peaceful demonstration organized by the St. Louis Clergy Coalition. Several hundred protesters took part in the march, which traveled down West Florissant Avenue from Chambers Road, then east on Canfield to where Michael Brown was killed. Photo: Mike Sherwin
and restaurants of Ferguson, both by our presence and our pocketbooks. Consider Saturday morning at Ferguson Farmer’s Market, followed by lunch at the Ferguson Brewery Company or Cathy’s Kitchen (or any one of a dozen restaurants there), then a stroll along the downtown CityWalk. Every third Monday of the month, food trucks descend on CityWalk’s Plaza at 501 (South Florissant Avenue) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. And, on select Friday nights through November, free concerts take place there from 7 to 9. This Friday, vocalist Anita Rosemond is slated to perform. (fergusoncitywalk.com) The last weekend in September marks the 15th annual Ferguson Streetfest, with live music, kid-friendly activities, plenty of food and drink, a washer tournament and “a manly man high-heel keg relay.” Only in Ferguson will you find men hiking up their pants, donning high heels and running as fast as they can with beer kegs in tow. Doesn’t get much better than this; hopefully, the event will go on and we will be in attendance. (fergusonstreetfest.com) A Facebook friend reminded me that on Sunday, as the violence escalated in Ferguson starting about 8:30 p.m., he and a few hundred others were at a gala in downtown St. Louis to celebrate 10 years of Cultural Leadership, an organization that brings together Jewish and
African-American high school teens and teaches them how to become “change agents” for social justice, inclusion and an end to discrimination. Students meet monthly from August through August for Sunday programs, three weekend retreats and a threeweek summer trip to visit sites of both Jewish and African-American historical significance. At each, they spend time talking to, and learning from, civic leaders and activists. So successful is the program that this summer it started a camp for middle schoolers to teach them social justice concepts and leadership skills. (314-725-3222 or culturalleadership.org) The Jewish Community Relations Council also runs a program for high school students that introduces Jewish teens to peers in other schools where there are no Jews. By providing information and personal contact, the Student to Student program hopes to counter bigotry and allow students who never met a Jewish teen to put a human face to Judaism, thus promoting better understanding. (314-721-0391 or jcrcstl.org) Let’s continue to join peaceful rallies and protests hand-in-hand with those who urge positive social change. Form discussion groups now and later at our synagogues, at our schools, at our town
See SCHMOOZE, page 5
The ST. LOUIS JEWISH LIGHT (ISSN 0036-2964) is published weekly, for $45.00 per year by the St. Louis Jewish Light, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, 6 Millstone Campus Drive, Suite 3010, St. Louis, MO 63146. Periodical postage paid at St. Louis, MO. Copyright 2014. Postmaster: Send address changes to the St. Louis Jewish Light, 6 Millstone Campus Drive, Suite 3010, St. Louis, MO 63146.
“Roll Out” Your JOLT Journey August 28, 2014 with Chef Cyndee Levy Traditional Congregation • 12437 Ladue Rd. • 63141
Dinner and schmooze with your friends 6‐6:30 PM Challah Make & Take ‐ 6:30‐8:30 PM Impress your family and friends with your Challah baking powers. Make your own homemade Challah from scratch. Experiment with cool ways to braid your dough and add delicious toppings. Register for Trimester 1 Classes R.S.V.P. to Shirley Wise • 314.442.3765 • swise@cajestl.org
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Jewish Federation allocates $8.56 million BY DAVID BAUGHER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
The Jewish Federation of Greater St. Louis will dole out just over $8.5 million during this year’s allocation process for constituent organizations and efforts overseas. “I think there is a real excitement about the efforts that are being made in this space in terms of focusing on young families, young people in the community, people who are in need,” said Ruth Raskas, Planning and Allocations Committee chair. The $8.56 million total represents a minor bump over last year’s $8.49 million. It also represents a continuation of the move towards directing dollars to priorities outlined in the Federation’s strategic plan. Unrestricted allocations to local agencies remained unchanged while strategic program grants increased by 2.6 percent. These areas include caring for Jews in need — both domestically and overseas — as well as community engagement and “ensuring the Jewish future.”
Raskas said the move is an effort to drive the community in the direction of ideas from the Federation’s planning process. “While the change is not as significant as when we went through the initial jump from core allocations toward strategic programmatic grants, we are still having a shift toward these grants,” she said. “Our sense is that there is a lot of excitement around these opportunities.” She said that core unrestricted allocations would remain a part of the Federation pie however. “Across the country, federations have taken varied approaches to this,” she said. “Some have completely moved over to strategic programmatic grants while others have sat more in the middle but my sense is that there has been more of an overall assessment of Federation allocations across the country to try to figure out how to build each of our communities.” In fact, unrestricted allocations still make up almost 65 percent of the total. Among program grants, ensuring the
Jewish future got the largest share of the pot at $1.1 million. Community engagement saw the smallest amount at under $200,000. “It is really an imperfect science,” Raskas said. “We have gathered people from across the community at the committee level to really think about the different needs of the community and review each of the grants and think about where we have omissions and gaps and what we can do together to try and fill those. I would encourage people to look at this process and provide their voices as to things they see that are missing.” She stressed that the Federation is looking to hear from others about what they feel the community needs. “One thing I would say as we are moving toward this new model is my hope is that there is…a real outreach to the public to say ‘What do you think about this? What could we do that could be improved from what we do now?’” Exact allocations for particular organizations have not yet been released.
Two local congregations on anonymous $10k donation list BY DAVID BAUGHER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
Anyone who has ever received a “You may already be a winner” letter will recognize the dream of receiving a sudden windfall from out of nowhere. But for Shir Hadash, it came true – to the tune of more than $10,000. “Lo and behold, there is this letter with a check,” Rabbi Lane Steinger of Shir Hadash said. “It is a wonderful thing and totally unexpected.” The money may have come out of the blue, but it does have a story behind it, if a rather unusual one. The cash comes from an organization called Chai Minded, which is headed by an anonymous philanthropist who is thought to quietly attend services at various synagogues around the nation. If that person likes what he or she sees, the organization receives a no-strings-attached grant in a multiple of Chai. The current amount is $10,188 – the size of the check Steinger’s synagogue received. At present, 126 Jewish houses of
worship are listed on the group’s website as recipients of Chai Minded’s largess spanning the nation from Alaska to Florida. Along with Shir Hadash, three Missouri synagogues are on the list, including one in St. Joseph and another in Jefferson City. The only other St. Louis area institution mentioned is Kol Rinah, a recently merged Universit y Cit y sy nagog ue. Leadership there said they were not aware of the group’s initiative or of having yet received any check, but because they are listed, they say perhaps they’ll receive one soon. Communications with the mystery philanthropist take place primarily through the group’s website, chaiminded.org. A message posted there Aug. 8 from Steinger gave thanks for his gift, which he said would mean a lot to the small congregation of fewer than 50 members. “Nowadays, congregations are beset and besieged with criticism – not all of it constructive – on every front,” he wrote. “It is heartening and refreshing to know that there are those for whom the synagogue still is considered the
bedrock of Jewish life – and who do something positive and constructive about it!” Chai Minded responded with a message three days later. “Thank you, Rabbi Steinger,” it said. “From looking at your website, it is clear that Shir Hadash is doing a great job serving its community. I particularly like the ‘In Our Own Words’ page. More synagogues should do this.” Allen Karlin, president of Shir Hadash, said he didn’t know the reason for the gift. There is no application process. The money simply arrives. “On the website, he talks about how each synagogue is unique and provides a spiritual haven and comforting community for guests,” Karlin said. “We’d like to think that it is because we are very warm and very welcoming to anybody who comes in our doors.” Use of the funds is at the synagogue’s discretion. Shir Hadash leadership said the money will be used to increase engagement and grow membership.
Jewish Community Center sells 58 acres to home developers The Jewish Community Center (JCC) sold 58 acres of its land to a consortium of Consort Homes, Payne Family Homes and McKelvey Homes, for an undisclosed amount. The acreage, part of the JCC’s I. E. Millstone Campus in the Creve Coeur area, is primarily a wooded, undeveloped section of the property but includes the land that currently serves as the JCC’s softball fields. The consor tium plans to build around 150 single family homes on the property, with entrance to the new homes through an access road at the far west of the JCC. The sale of the property closed last Friday (Aug. 15), but a contract has been p end i n g si nc e Novemb er, said Lynn Wittels, president and chief
executive officer of the JCC. In 2011, the JCC had planned to sell the land to Pulte Homes for $4.35 million, but that contract fell through. Wittels said the sale to the consortium was for more than the amount of the previous Pulte Homes deal. She also explained that Friday’s sale was part of the JCC’s strategic plan adopted in 2005, which included the construction and renovation of its facilities. “We will use some of the money from the sale to rebuild our ball fields and upgrade the drive west of the J campus, but most of it will go to pay down debt so that we can be debt free in 8 ½ years,” said Wittels. In an email Wittels sent to all JCC members Friday, she said she antici-
pated only limited disruptions to traffic during improvements to the road west of the campus. She added that next year the JCC would have “two wonderful new youth baseball fields as well as an additional soccer field; however, our tennis courts will be removed. “There will be some changes as well to the Biblical Playground, but we are working with the developer to determine how to improve that space,” she continued. “We know many of you have great memories of camp in the woods and play dates on the playground. Those memories will continue to be made in our new Day Camp Pavilion, which has served as the home to our day camp for three summers.”
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LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS Still no suspect in Westwood Country Club vandalism Police in Frontenac still haven’t been able to locate a suspect stemming from a July 17 incident of anti-Semitic vandalism and property damage at Westwood Country Club. A swastika and an epithet saying “F*** the Jews” had been carved into the grounds by the golf course’s sixth hole. “We’ve exhausted all of our leads,” said Frontenac Detective Cody Loveless on Monday, adding that the damage was estimated between $10,000 and $15,000. It was cleaned up immediately. Loveless said no further reports of vandalism at the club have been reported.
Chavurah seeks new members A local, non-affiliated Chavurah that has been together for over 35 years is seeking new members. Members of the Chavurah come together to celebrate Jewish life through studies and socializing once a month, usually in someone’s home. The group may read and discuss a book, have a guest speaker, celebrate a holiday or visit places that offer insights into religion, education and art. The group collectively plans meetings. Singles and couples are welcome. There is no fee to participate. For more information, contact Buddy at 314-434-1913.
JF&CS seeks volunteeers Jewish Family & Children’s Service seeks volunteers to help during the busy back-to-school season. Volunteer opportunities include: • The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry: volunteer opportunities for assisting clients in the pantry, sorting donations and preparing bimah baskets to raise funds for pantry operations • Community Chaplaincy: Volunteers are needed for making friendly visits with Jewish residents of care communities, providing companionship and a listening ear. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at JF&CS, contact Coordinator of Volunteers Anna Lehrke at 314-812-9386 or alehrke@jfcs-stl.org.
Women’s Philanthropy plans holiday outreach events Women’s Philanthropy of Jewish Federation of St. Louis is hosting an outreach program to engage women in service projects to enhance the Community Chaplaincy Program of Jewish Family & Children’s Service. Participants will put together Rosh Hashanah bags for delivery to community members residing in local care facilities. Women’s Philanthropy has scheduled two assembly times: • Sept. 4, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., drinks and desserts provided • September 11, 10 a.m. to noon, drinks and snacks provided Through this effort to support these community members, Women’s Philanthropy also plans to host a Rosh Hashanah program at a local care facility at 2 p.m. on Sept. 21. Family members, including children, are welcome to participate. For more information or to RSVP, contact Carmen Knowles at 314442-3803 or cknowles@jfedstl.org.
Corrections • The Aug. 13 ChaiLights calendar included an incorrect time for the Sparks Services event on Aug. 28. The event takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. See this week’s calendar on pages 18-19 for full details.
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stances of his or her birth, has a chance to live a decent, meaningful life.” The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) offered condolences to the Brown family and the city of Ferguson. “The Jewish community is committed to working with our fellow St. Louisans in efforts to productively respond to the current crisis while at the same time continuing our ongoing commitment to make our region one that encourages the bridging of our differences and that provides opportunity for all of its citizens,” a JCRC statement says. Some congregations are working to help in more active ways. CRC is collecting donations for the Ferguson Food Pantry, which has been affected by the looting of stores in the area. An email message from Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg to members of United Hebrew Congregation also recommends giving food as well as donating supplies to families in the riot area who often find themselves trapped in their homes. The message also suggests supporting programs such as Cultural Leadership, which brings together Jewish and AfricanAmerican youth. “While Ferguson may seem far from most of our homes, it is still part of our St. Louis neighborhood,” Rosenberg wrote. “When one neighbor hurts, we all hurt. This is not just their problem to solve but one which we can all work on together.”
Rabbi Hershey Novack of Chabad on Campus takes part in the Aug. 14 march organized by the St. Louis Clergy Coalition, which drew several hundred people who walked down West Florissant Avenue from Chambers Road, then east on Canfield to where Michael Brown was killed. Photo: Mike Sherwin
‘Disappointed at the silence’ Yet, some people don’t feel Jews are working hard enough on the issue. In an opinion piece critical of the Jewish community’s response to the tragedy, Andria Danine Simckes, an African-American Jewish businesswoman from Creve Coeur, says Jewish sentiment had seemed lackluster. “I was amazed and disappointed at the silence,” she wrote in an Op-Ed published in the Light last week. “I have been so encouraged by the dialogue in the black community surrounding the situation between Israelis and Hamas, and that many more blacks get Israel’s right to defend itself. Yet, where is the Jewish outcry at an unarmed 18-year-old young man being shot multiple times, right here in St. Louis?” A visibly emotional Simckes also spoke about her feelings during a meeting of St. Louis County’s Human Relations Commission on Friday, expressing disappointment in St. Louis’ inability to bridge its racial gaps. “When I moved here over 21 years ago, I was amazed at how racially segregated St. Louis is,” she said. “After 21 years, I’m still amazed at how racially segregated St. Louis is. Every day, I say I need to get my kids out of here. I need to show them a different world than what I’m seeing here.” However, Simckes said, she also felt some hope from her experiences at a downtown vigil last week. “I can tell you for the first time, I saw true diversity,” she said. “I saw all walks of life talking with one another. For the first time, I felt like the gloom or the heaviness of St. Louis had been lifted. I felt like, for once, we were truly a community.”
‘An ignited burn’ Rabbi James Stone Goodman of Neve Shalom said he took some hope from an earlier meeting at a Florissant church where community leaders, residents and politicians spoke. “There was an ignited burn in the room
ABOVE: A meeting of the St. Louis County’s Human Relations Commission on Friday drew several Jewish leaders. The commission is headed by Robert A. Cohn, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of the Jewish Light. Photo: Philip Deitch BELOW: Rabbi Randy Fleisher of Central Reform Congregation is among the crowd attending a faith community gathering for Ferguson at Christ The King UCC in Florissant on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Fellow CRC Rabbi Susan Talve was one of the speakers at the event, which was planned by the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition and Interfaith Partnership. Photo: Philip Deitch
Philip Deitch, who also attended the Human Relations Commission meeting, said he believed the police response had been too militaristic and felt that law enforcement should follow the model of St. Louis’ handling of Occupy protestors. “The city police chief had his officers show up in uniform,” he said of the Occupy response. “It was never any hard push, no riot gear, no vehicles surrounding them at any point.” Talve, who also attended the meeting, criticized the police response but focused most of her remarks on racial profiling and racial inequalities in the city that she believes this incident has stripped bare. “If this didn’t pull the truth off what we’ve been allowing for so long, I don’t know what will,” Talve said. “This has to stop.” Batya Abramson-Goldstein of the JCRC said her organization is working to keep the community abreast of events as they occur and let people know how they can help. She said she has spoken with Timothy O’Leary of Opera Theatre of St. Louis and several other groups that might plan a concert event of some type in Ferguson.
‘Hard to comprehend’
that we need to get something done here,” he said. “Everybody said pretty much the same thing. They started out with ‘listen.’ Everybody said that. I came here to listen. Everybody followed that with ‘I came here to learn.’ ” Goodman said he felt a lack of media in the building for the beginning of the ses-
sion helped. People were instructed to not even post to social media. “They said, ‘That could have been my son.’ A lot of people said that,” he recalled. “There were a lot of people in that room who said, ‘That could have been my kid.’ It wasn’t theoretical. There was a seriousness about it.”
Abramson-Goldstein also talked of the depth of difficulties the metropolitan area faces on the topic of race. “I think all of us were not surprised by what has been going on because what we have is a festering sore from which the Band-Aid was ripped off,” she said. Karen Aroesty, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League of Missouri and Southern Illinois, often deals with law enforcement through ADL anti-bias advocacy efforts. “This may be a moment in time like we haven’t had, and to let it pass without some substantive follow-up is going to be a shame,” she said. James Bennett of Congregation Shaare Emeth expressed profound sadness and sympathy for the Brown family. “I believe we are witnessing the birth pangs of a new era in the civil rights movement in this country and an awareness of and struggle for racial justice, economic justice, peace, equality and fairness,” he said. Bennett called it a “watershed moment”
See FERGUSON, page 5
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Annual 9-11 interfaith commemoration in music planned for Sept. 7 Arts & Faith St. Louis will hold the fourth annual Sept. 11 Interfaith Commemoration in Music: An Appreciation of Religious Diversity from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7 at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Boulevard. The free event will feature a world premiere from jazz pianist Peter Martin, performed by renowned soprano Christine Brewer and members of the St. Louis Symphony. It will also include musical performances by faith groups, including Greek Orthodox combined choirs, Muslim-Bosnian and Hindu ensembles, Rabbi Amy Feder of Temple Israel and a
gospel choir. Students from Rosati-Kain Catholic High School, a Mormon youth chorus, a Baha’i ensemble and Chief Scott Bighorse and singers of the Osage Nation will also perform. David Greenhaw, President of Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, will deliver the keynote address. Partnering with the International Institute and The St. Louis Mosaic Project, Arts & Faith St. Louis has invited recent immigrants to St. Louis to attend the concert. An original 3-D installation, “Becoming Neighbors” will be on display at the concert. Audiences will have the opportunity to interact with the structure
Protesters gather in front of the Canfield Green Apartments on Canfield Drive, where Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old, was killed on Aug. 9. Photo: Mike Sherwin
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in the nation’s history. “It demands our attention and commands our participation,” he said. “I really believe we have to do everything in our power to respond with empathy, energy, commitment and all the resources we can muster.” At Nusach Hari B’nai Zion, Rabbi Ze’ev Smason expressed deep condolences for the Brown family and said that discrimination should not be tolerated. Yet he also noted that the investigation into the incident remains ongoing. “I’m keeping an open mind as to what it was that occurred until such time as the investigations have concluded and the facts of what it was that occurred are known,” he said, adding that he agrees with the JCRC’s statement. At the rally on West Florissant, Rabbi Educator Deana Sussman of CRC can barely be heard over chants of “No justice, no peace” and “Hands up, don’t shoot” and the honking of car horns in support. “It is heartbreaking. It is really tragic when any person dies,” she said. “My heart goes out to the family and to this community, and I hope that we can figure out how to heal together.”
Community event: A response to Ferguson The Jewish Federation of St. Louis and the Jewish Community Relations Council are sponsoring an event that will feature prayers, songs and reflection as well as practical ways to help the residents of Ferguson at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24. The venue had not yet been decided as of press time, so go to stljewishlight.com for more information.
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halls. Encourage constructive social dialogue between police and the communities they serve. Let’s think about ways we can be part of the solution; there are many, many avenues. On Saturday, I went to Ferguson with a few friends, one of whom is white and has a teenage son who is AfricanAmerican. She lives in an affluent, mostly white St. Louis suburb and fears for her son’s safety. He’s driving now, and she worries that because he is black, he is more likely to get pulled
following the event by attaching their own ribbon, prayer or message of inclusion, welcome or understanding to its threeprong lattice structure. Arts & Faith St. Louis is a collaboration of St. Louis arts and faith leaders. According to a statement from the organization, the event “brings together people of all faiths and ethnicities, encourages respect and understanding and bridges divides through a shared musical arts experience.” The annual commemoration began in 2011, on the 10th anniversary of 9-11. “This concert,” Chair of Arts & Faith St. Louis Carolyn Losos said in a news
Jewish Community Statement on the situation in Ferguson
On Saturday, August 9, Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old was shot and killed after an encounter with police in Ferguson. In the days that followed, our region has experienced violence, along with anger, fear, rage, disbelief and bitterness. Even as the details are still emerging, we recognize the great sadness in our community today. We mourn the loss of a young man. We mourn for a family who will never have the pleasure of watching their son accomplish his dreams. We see the bravery and devotion of our public servants who are attempting to maintain peace in the area. And we respect the hundreds, if not thousands, of non-violent protesters, including leadership from the St. Louis Jewish community, whose presence sends an important message that the citizens of St. Louis support a peaceful and just response to what occurred. We also recognize the difficulties that lie ahead. The continued violence and looting by some individuals is reprehensible and demonstrates that there will be no quick fix. Even as we recognize that something must be done to protect all citizens and property from harm, we support continued thoughtful approaches to law enforcement.
Ultimately, the situation in Ferguson is much broader than the tragic events that we are now witnessing. We all must redouble our efforts to combat racism, poverty and economic inequality, so that every individual, no matter the circumstances of his or her birth, has a chance to live a decent, meaningful life. And we must recognize the political and institutional changes that will be required to help achieve that end and to mitigate future conflicts. Jewish Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council are committed to furthering Jewish values for the benefit of all. As Jews, we offer our prayers (tefillot) for community healing. We ask for mercy (chesed) so that we all may act with kindness and empathy through this grief. Our tradition compels us to do what we can to repair the world (tikkun olam), a world where trust and faith, hope and joy seem, at times, almost unreachable. Federation and JCRC, in coordination with Jewish Family & Children’s Service, our congregations and regional leadership have already supported the residents of Ferguson in multiple ways, including providing contributions of food and supplies. We have been in talks with community leaders to offer our help in a manner that would be productive. May we all join in the hope of healing what is broken; working together to build a St. Louis that is safe, equal and just for all. That is a place in which every person will ultimately be remembered for the life he or she has fully lived, not mourned for a future that will never be.
over by police. “My son could be Michael Brown,” she said as we drove. We joined 1,000-plus protesters from around the country for a peaceful march that began on Canfield Drive, near a makeshift shrine marking where Brown was killed by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson a week earlier. The march continued along West Florissant Avenue, passed the emblematic QuikTrip and wound up behind the Greater St. Marks Family Church, where the Rev. Jesse Jackson addressed the large crowd. Between chants of “No Justice, No Peace” and “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot,” I
found myself talking to strangers. Several said they would continue to march and rally and make noise until justice was served; others, not from Ferguson, said they were there to support the community. They spoke of the need to change the laws so that racial disparity was no longer a factor in traffic stops, arrests and other police action. I listened to several, asked questions and chatted. One woman got a little teary as she spoke. That’s when I realized that the best thing I could do at that moment as a Jew, as a St. Louisan, as a fellow human being, was lean in and give her a hug.
Editor’s note: The Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council released a statement, which contained more than 60 signatories, representing broad staff and lay leadership in the St. Louis Jewish community. For the list of signatories and the complete statement, visit stljewishlight.com/ ferguson-statement.
release, “celebrates our shared values of peace and harmony as we remember the events of September 11th while looking with hope towards the future.” Tickets to the concert are free and will be available beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7 at The Sheldon box office. Quantities are limited, so guests are encouraged to arrive early to secure tickets. Attendees are asked to be in their seats by 5:15 p.m. Ample self-parking is available in several lots adjacent to and across the street from the Sheldon Concert Hall. For more information and a full list of event sponsors, visit www.artsfaithstl.org.
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS JCC announces new youth theater director The Jewish Community Center has added Laura Enstall to its cultural arts staff as Youth Theatre Coordinator and Director of the J Day Camps’ Camp of the Arts. Enstall is currently finishing up camp and preparing for a new season of theater productions for children in grades K-9, all of which begin in August. “We were thrilled to find someone with such impressive credentials and experience — in addition to being such a warm and engaging person,” said Lynn Laura Enstall Wittels, President and CEO of the J. Enstall has a bachelor’s degree in musical theater from the University of Northern Colorado and a master’s of fine arts degree in theater and directing from Lindenwood University, where she is currently an adjunct professor in the theater department. In addition, she teaches private voice lessons. Previously, she taught musical theater at STAGES Performing Arts Academy and Technique Studios. The JCC’s Youth Theatre program has auditions set for Aug. 24. Call 314-442-3239 for more information.
Jewish community adult co-ed bowling league seeking new members All individuals 18 years of age and over are invited to join a Sunday night Jewish community adult co-ed recreational bowling league beginning Sept. 7 at Brunswick Zone Chesterfield. The league, which has been in existence for 20 years, is made up of members from several local congregations as well as unaffiliated individuals. It is held every other Sunday evening from approximately 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Teams consist of four individuals. The league will run from September thru April. The cost to participate is $14 per person. Teams can be formed prior to joining the league, or individuals will be placed on a team as needed. An organizational meeting for all bowlers will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7 at the bowling center, 176 Four Seasons Shopping Center. To join the league or for more information, contact Ken Schwartz at 314-792-2510 or kschwartz1958@gmail.com by Monday, Sept. 1.
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In wake of rabbi’s murder, Miami Jews fretting over security In North Miami Beach, Fla., a makeshift memorial was created near where Rabbi Joseph Raksin was shot and killed on Aug. 9. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
BY ANTHONY WEISS JTA
The streets of North Miami Beach look different since the murder of Rabbi Joseph Raksin. At Northeast 175th Street and 8th Court, in the heavily Orthodox neighborhood where he was killed, a memorial of candles is arranged in a Star of David that the community keeps lit. Police officers have stepped up their patrols, filling the streets at all hours. Raksin, a member of the ChabadLubavitch Hasidic sect who was in town from Brooklyn, N.Y., to visit his grandchildren, was shot on the morning of Aug. 9 while walking to synagogue on the Sabbath. Though police say no evidence has emerged that anti-Semitism was a motive in the crime, or that the killing was linked to several other recent hate crimes, Raksin’s murder has raised unsettling questions about security in the Miami Jewish community. It also has the community contemplating security measures already common at Jewish institutions throughout Europe and South America. “We don’t know if Rabbi Raksin’s murder was a hate crime or not,” said Jacob Solomon, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. “We do know that it followed local anti-Semitic incidents. We do know that it happened in a climate of a worldwide dramatic increase in anti-Semitic behavior. It happened in a climate of peak concern about antiSemitism.” About two weeks before Raksin was
killed, a North Miami Beach synagogue was spray-painted with swastikas and the word “Hamas.” Cars in nearby Miami Beach were smeared with “Jew” and “Hamas” in cream cheese. The day after Raksin was killed, a vandal scratched a swastika and an iron cross on the door of a car parked for the rabbi’s memorial service. The incidents raised the specter that anti-Semitism, which has been on the upswing worldwide since the start of hostilities in Israel and Gaza, is a growing risk on the sunny streets of southern Florida. The Miami-Dade Police Department has said that all indications in its investigation point to the killing as being an armed robbery gone wrong, and Jewish communal officials have praised the police handling of the matter. Still, the murder has placed the Jewish community on edge. “A lot of people are convinced that this is a hate crime,” said Mark Rosenberg, a local resident and a chap-
lain for the Florida Highway Patrol. As a result, local Jewish organizations have intensified their focus on security. In a joint statement by the AntiDefamation League, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, the American Jewish Committee, the Greater Miami Rabbinical Association and Chabad, local leaders said they were refocusing on coordinating security with police, increasing security training and greater public awareness. A spokesman for the Chabad community of North Miami Beach also told JTA that local institutions were hiring additional armed security guards and planning to install more security cameras. “For decades, institutions in South America and Europe have been hardened, meaning bollards in front of their doors or large cement planters or guards or volunteer groups that provide neighborhood watch services,” said the federation’s Solomon. “Climatically, we are definitely moving in that direction.” Solomon also noted that while there
were anti-Semitic overtones to some local protests of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, the protests generally were small, isolated events. Crime is also nothing new to the residents of North Miami Beach. “North Miami Beach in particular is open to neighborhoods that are not good neighborhoods,” said Rabbi Phineas Weberman, a chaplain with the Miami-Dade Police Department. According to statistics compiled on City-Data.com, the rate of rapes, assaults and robberies in the city of North Miami Beach, which covers part of the area’s heavily Jewish neighborhood, have all been significantly higher than the national average for more than a decade. Alvaro Zabaleta, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade Police, which protects the rest of the neighborhood, said the district had been “an active area” for shootings in 2014. For now, daily life has resumed, but with a fearful edge. CBS 4 Miami reported that on the most recent Sabbath, residents walked to synagogue in clusters for safety. The local community has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Raksin’s two assailants, who remain at large. “From a Jewish perspective, from a moral perspective, of course a hate crime makes a huge difference,” Rosenberg said. “But from a safety perspective, for a residential neighborhood, it doesn’t really matter. You don’t want to live in a neighborhood where people get shot.”
Backed by Bloomberg, Genesis Prize Foundation launches ‘big ideas’ competition BY ANTHONY WEISS JTA
It is now open season for those who would like a chunk of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s change and think they have a big idea up their sleeves. On Tuesday, the Genesis Prize Foundation announced the launch of the Genesis Generation Challenge, a competition offering 10 awards of $100,000 each to teams that can successfully present innovative projects “guided by Jewish values to address the world’s pressing issues,” according to a foundation statement. Teams must have approximately 10 people and be led by someone aged 20 to 36. The money for the prize, which originally was announced in May, had been awarded to Bloomberg as the inaugural Genesis Prize recipient. Bloomberg, a billionaire and the former mayor of New York, promptly regifted the money to Genesis. He set on the competition model after first pledging the money to encourage Israeli-Palestinian trade, changing his mind at the urging of the Genesis Prize Foundation. The Genesis Generation Challenge is the latest in a series of prizes aimed at coaxing a “big Jewish idea” in some form or another. In 2007, philanthropist Charles Bronfman launched a competition for an innovative Jewish idea, with the reward of a book deal and a two-year appointment as the Charles R. Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation at Brandeis University, with a six-figure salary. The first winner, to great fanfare, was Yehuda Kurtzer for “The Sacred Task of Rebuilding Jewish
Memory.” The academic position has since lapsed due to lack of funds. In 2011, the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles started a competition to select the Next Big Jewish Idea, awarding the $100,000 prize to Batsheva Frankel for the LaunchBox, a toolkit designed to provide materials to encourage Jewish practice and exploration. Frankel currently is attempting to raise funds for a second iteration of the LaunchBox via crowdsourcing. Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University and the chair of the selection committee for the Bronfman “big idea” competition, said the recent focus on major transformative ideas in the Jewish world was elicited by the success of Birthright Israel — what he called “Birthright envy.” Sarna also argued that the focus on innovative breakthroughs was spurred by the modern culture of rapid technological change. “People got used to the idea that there are big things — a cellphone, the iPhone — that would truly change our world,” said Sarna. “I do think there is a sense that the world is changing faster than it used to change. It may not be true, but that’s the view.” Wayne Firestone, president of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said the competition’s focus on big ideas came in part from looking at Bloomberg’s own experience in starting competitions to attract the attention of young talent. Firestone noted the Bloomberginitiated NYC BigApps competition, which triggered the creation of smartphone apps using city data to locate high-quality child care, encourage teacher collaboration and trade infor-
Michael Bloomberg, right, receiving the Genesis Prize from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Genesis Prize Chairman Stan Polovets looks on, May 22. Photo: Haim Zach/ GPO/Flash 90
mation about subway service. “Bloomberg saw the benefit of reaching into the target population to come up with target answers,” Firestone told JTA. The Genesis competition also will focus on encouraging collaboration and communication among the competing teams, and on offering mentorship, support and expertise to teams as they develop their proposals. The Genesis Prize, which will be given out annually, is awarded to an accomplished, internationally renowned professional who is a role model in his or her community and can inspire the younger generation of Jews worldwide, according to the Genesis Prize Foundation website.
Although the prize was launched with the explicit purpose of inspiring young Jews, the Generation Challenge is open to applicants of all backgrounds, and teams are encouraged to address global problems. But Firestone was confident that the competition would nonetheless attract the interest of young Jews. “When you go looking in the innovation space, you will find young Jews,” said Firestone, noting that the competition’s online portal already was attracting one of its strongest concentrations of visitors from Tel Aviv. “We think you’re going to find lots of Jewish individuals, but not only by asking people ‘are you Jewish?’ “
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GAZA
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Channel 2 that it would be “inappropriate” to assert that Hamas is a terrorist organization. Last year, Schabas said that Netanyahu would be his “favorite” leader to see tried at the International Criminal Court. Schabas’ father is Jewish and he sits on the advisory board of the Israel Law Review. In the Channel 2 interview, he said he would not let his personal opinions affect his investigation. “What someone who sits on a commission or a judge has to be able to do is to put these things behind them and start fresh, and this is of course what I intend to do,” Schabas said. “It’s in Israel’s interest to be there in that discussion and give its version of events. If it doesn’t, then that leaves an unfortunate one-sided picture of it.” Israeli cooperation could have softened his report’s conclusions, Goldstone wrote in the 2011 Washington Post Op-Ed in which he backed down from the report’s most scathing criticism of Israel. Goldstone noted that subsequent investigations by the Israeli military indicated that it was not Israel’s intent to target civilians. “Although the Israeli evidence that has emerged since publication of our report doesn’t negate the tragic loss of civilian life, I regret that our fact-finding mission did not have such evidence explaining the circumstances in which we said civilians in Gaza were targeted, because it probably would have influenced our findings about intentionality and war crimes,” Goldstone wrote. “Israel’s lack of cooperation with our investigation meant that we were not able to corroborate how many Gazans killed were civilians and how many were combatants.” Among Israeli legal experts, there is broad agreement that Israel must do its part to present its version of events, even while disagreeing about how best to do that. Only Israel’s state comptroller has indicated that he will be investigating the Gaza conflict. Amichai Cohen, an international law expert at the Israel Democracy Institute, said the comptroller’s probe is insufficient and that Israel should launch an investigation by experts. “The comptroller himself doesn’t have knowledge in
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international law, in criminal law, in military law. That’s not his specialty,” Cohen told JTA. “You need something independent and transparent.” Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based NGO UN Watch and a vocal critic of the Human Rights Council’s treatment of Israel, said Israel should do what it did in 2009: publish accounts from the conflict that show its side of the story without directly cooperating with the investigation. “If the U.N. decides to have a one-sided inquiry, they will write a one-sided report,” Neuer said. “I’m confident Israel will make sure that the commission will have no excuse to say they didn’t have the information.” Shlomy Zachary, a lawyer with the Palestinian legal rights group Yesh Din, urged Israel to cooperate with the United Nations, noting that its decision to work with a 2010 U.N. investigation of the so-called flotilla incident helped mitigate criticism of Israel. That probe, known as the Palmer Commission, was charged with investigating the storming of a Turkish boat aimed at breaking Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. The report ultimately condemned the raid, but it also
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criticized the conduct of protesters on board the ship and determined that the Gaza blockade was legal. “When Israel cooperated with international bodies, the results were in favor of Israel,” Zachary told JTA. “When Israel is not willing to cooperate, it creates the suspicion it has something to hide.” Neuer agreed that the 2010 probe was a good model for U.N. investigations, but he noted that it was supervised by the U.N. secretary-general, not the Human Rights Council. Neuer said that given the commission’s record of bias, Israel’s options are more limited. Ultimately, the conclusions of the latest investigation will not be legally binding on Israel. But if its conclusions are harsh, it could further ratchet up international criticism. Cohen said that could put added pressure on Israel to exercise restraint should another round of conflict take place. “The point in these commissions isn’t just to research the past, it’s to tell the future,” Cohen said. “The main problem is that a commission will say from now on, this or that should be prohibited. This is very problematic for Israel. That will make it harder next time.” Actual Spectrum Residents
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opinions Founded 1963 The Newspaper of the Jewish Community of Greater St. Louis 314-743-3600 • Fax: 314-743-3690 E-mail: news@thejewishlight.com Address for payments: P.O. Box 78369 St. Louis, Mo. 63178-8369 General Correspondence: 6 Millstone Campus Drive, Suite 3010 St. Louis, Mo. 63146 BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS Gary Kodner, President; Diane Gallant, Vice President; Jeff Golden, Vice President; Jane Tzinberg Rubin, Vice President; Steve Gallant, Treasurer; Sheri Sherman, Secretary; Jenny Wolkowitz, Immediate Past President COMMITTEE CHAIRS Editorial: Ben Lipman; Business: Jeff Golden; Development: Diane Gallant SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS Teen Page: Peggy Kaplan, Caroline Goldenberg TRUSTEES Diana Iskiwitch, Richard Weiss, Michael Corson, Caroline Goldenberg, Jennifer Schmitz, David Singer, Vicki Singer, Toby Warticovschi, Dr. Lew Chartock, Yale Hollander, Rori Picker Neiss, Avi Rosenzweig, Lauren Sagel, Harvey Hieken, Peggy Kaplan, Jill Mogil, Ed Musen, Gary Ratkin, Laura Silver, Rabbi Lane Steinger ADVISORY COMMITTEE Terry Bloomberg, Nanci Bobrow, Ph.D., Ava Ehrlich, Charles C. Eisenkramer, Richard Flom, Dodie Frey, John Greenberg, Yusef Hakimian, Philip A. Isserman, Gianna Jacobson, Linda Kraus, Sanford Lebman, Michael Litwack, Dr. Ken Ludmerer, Lynn Lyss, Rabbi Mordecai Miller, Donald Mitchell, Milton Movitz, Michael N. Newmark, Adinah Raskas, Marvin J. Schneider, Irving Shepard, Richard W. Stein, Barbara Langsam Shuman, Sanford Weiss, Phyllis Woolen Markus, Vivian W. Zwick. Founder Morris Pearlmutter (1913-1993)
PROFESSIONAL STAFF EXECUTIVE Larry Levin Publisher/CEO Robert A. Cohn Editor-in-Chief Emeritus EDITORIAL Ellen Futterman Editor Mike Sherwin Managing Editor Editorial Assistant Elise Krug Cheryl Barack Gouger Editorial Assistant Copy Editor Barry Gilbert BUSINESS Business Director Kelly Richter Business Assistant Eedie Cuminale Debra Gershenson Admin. Assistant Helen Neuman Admin. Assistant SALES Julie Schack Director of Sales & Events Elaine Wernick Account Executive Account Executive Shane Blatt Account Executive Kelly Morris Beth Feldman Events Coordinator Julie Spizman Sales Coordinator PRODUCTION & TECHNOLOGY Director of Tom Wombacher Operations Myriam Mistrih Production Assistant CONTRIBUTING WRITERS David Baugher, Patricia Corrigan, Repps Hudson, Barry Gilbert, Cate Marquis, Margi Lenga Kahn, Elaine Alexander, Susan Fadem, Renee Stovsky, Laura K. Silver, Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh, Cathleen Kronemer, Burton Boxerman CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kristi Foster, Lisa Mandel, Bryan Schraier, Yana Hotter, Donald Meissner
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Submit letters to the editor to Managing Editor Mike Sherwin at msherwin@thejewishlight.com. Letters may be edited for grammar, length and clarity. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Please include your name, municipality and a daytime telephone number. The Light will publish only one letter from an individual writer during a 60-day period. Anonymous letters will generally not be considered for publication.
JEWISH LIGHT EDITORIAL
Here and There It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing. — Macbeth, Act V, Scene V The metropolitan St. Louis region, covering all or part of 16 counties and the City of St. Louis, sprawls over about 9,000 square miles. If you can believe it, this is almost identical to the size of the State of Israel. Ferguson is about 6 square miles, or less than one-tenth of one percent of the overall area. And the parts of Ferguson and other surrounding municipalities directly affected by terrible recent events are even smaller. In fact, it’s highly likely that other than reading or watching the news, or listening to the sermons and speeches offered in the aftermath, a vast percentage of those who live in the St. Louis region will not be required to have any first-person interaction with the locale where it all happened. But if your friends and relatives in Nebraska or California or even Israel turn on CNN or visit online news sites, they might mistakenly think that St. Louis is burning down, and that you are living in perpetual fear of your life. They may have no idea that you could perform every necessary task in your daily routine without ever visiting a convenience store or apartment complex in Ferguson. In other words, context doesn’t sell much. But for the most part, the media, particularly those from out of town, don’t really seem to care. The inflammatory traveling circus that is the worldwide media runs from one crisis to another, showing the most incendiary pictures possible, stoking ratings, keeping viewers and readers from flipping channels or websurfing. At the end of the day, if there’s a more alarming, more viscerally grabbing story somewhere else, the mob moves on. Does that sound familiar? Perhaps akin to the coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict? How many pictures or videos from Gaza have you seen lead off the telecast or headline the front page, with smoke billowing above the urban Gaza City landscape? Contrast that with how few pictures you see of rockets fired into southern Israel, or of the destruction wrought on the houses or communities where they land. Those “tiny” assaults — now in the thousands upon thousands — don’t tell as monumental a visual story as the big booms from Israel’s retaliatory self-defense, so they are either relegated to the back or dumped altogether.
And have you noticed how the headlines about Gaza rapidly dissipate from the front pages of international media when the parties sit not behind a mortar but at a negotiating table? After all, where’s the fun in that? It’s the same here. Think about how often the national media has seized on those moments in Ferguson when tear gas has been deployed, or gunshots have issued. And even among the many vigils and peaceable rallies, which ring loudest? Those at which the voices are loudest and most histrionic, of course. That’s the way the story gets told. Bad, loud and irate sells. It’s all about the noise. And with few exceptions, the farther the news source is from the locality involved, the worse and less nuanced it gets. Reading the St. Louis PostDispatch, for instance, is going to give you a much more sophisticated reading of the situation than watching CNN. Our colleagues at the Post (we use them as a far better example than the local TV outlets, which still engage the visual image disproportionately to verbal depth) have done a very strong job of looking at the incident as it sits within the fabric of St. Louis history and culture, for better or worse. Similarly, examining the Jerusalem Post, Haaretz or the Times of Israel — at least if you’re interested in the impact of the Gaza conflict upon Israel, or how the conflict might fit within the long-term narrative — is a far more worthy exercise than trying to understand things in any depth from those who swoop in, shoot their film and swoop out. As media ourselves, we get and support the need to report immediacy, it’s essential and professional. But when it becomes detached from the backdrop of reality, a picture can emerge that’s way inaccurate as best, and highly skewed at worst. By all means, let’s have a community discussion about race relations, about police conduct, about mistreatment of minorities, about the need for longterm social justice and respect for all. Let’s talk about what we each can do (see Ellen Futterman’s News and Schmooze on p. 2). It’s needed and in fact, is needed on an ongoing, insistent basis, regardless of the tragedy that surrounds Michael Brown’s death. But for heaven’s sake, let’s take these stories, and what they mean, seriously. Not as the equivalent of reality TV, not as the flaming eye candy of the day, but as object lessons for how we can together strive to make our community one of which we can all be proud.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Bridging the divide I am a participant in Student to Student, a Jewish Community Relations Council program in which Jewish teens from St. Louis give presentations to students in schools that lack a Jewish presence, describing our lives as Jewish teens to break down stereotypes and combat anti-Semitism. Last spring as a program participant, I visited Normandy High School. I’m writing this in the wake of the shooting in Ferguson of Michael Brown, who graduated from Normandy in May. Since then, there have been cries of accusations of racism and worry about the future of fragmented St. Louis County. And during this time, I’ve been reflecting on the Student to Student program. When you’re a minority, the majority may not understand the way you live, your customs, and your differences. An important step towards ending prejudice is to talk, and this is especially imperative at a time like this. I, as a Jew in Olivette, don’t understand what it’s like to be an AfricanAmerican in Ferguson. What we need is to communicate with each other, not just scream through media, but through programs, like Student to Student, where the community can benefit from having a new network of teens who understand each other. Abby Miller, Participant in JCRC Student to Student Program and Co-Editor in Chief of the Light’s Ohr Chadash Teen Page
Jewish community response to Ferguson I am saddened by the lack of response from the Jewish Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council to the death of Michael Brown. The great Civil Rights leader, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marched arm-in-arm with Dr. Martin Luther King. Rabbi Heschel would have been disappointed in us had he witnessed our silence this past week. This is not just a Ferguson problem, nor an AfricanAmerican problem. This is a Jewish problem too. As Jews, we know the sting of hate and oppression firsthand. Tikkun olam teaches us that we must “repair the world.” The African-American community needs us. It is essential that they know that St. Louis area Jews are by their side to help protest against racism, oppression, and injustice. I urge the Jewish community not to be silent observers to history, but to be a strong, united voice against injustice. Jessica Farber Igielnik Olivette I am writing to express my deep sadness that more of the St. Louis Jewish community has not expressed unconditional outrage over the killing of Michael Brown and the subsequent mishandling of the situation by so many levels of county government. With a few notable exceptions, the overall Jewish response has not been nearly sufficient, and much in the official statements has rung hollow next to patterns of behavior. Please, let us look past distractions to see the moral crisis in front of us: the crisis of a deep and persistent racial divide in our own community and the crisis that many of our fellow human beings (Jews and non-Jews alike) fear for their lives when they routinely encounter the police. History has cruelly prepared us for this moment. We as Jews are all too familiar with what it means to fear a power-
See LETTERS, page 20
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On Robin Williams, suicide and suffering alone BY RABBI JAMES STONE GOODMAN
In the group I lead on Thursday nights, Shalvah (Hebrew for “serenity”) outreach on addictions, we are familiar with the subject of suicide. Whenever it comes up, it tends to take over the meeting. The meeting is basically a teaching and a sharing, support in the simple sense that we show up for each other. We listen, we understand, we are understood. We get why we need each other. Also true: We need each other because we get each other. The first thing we learn in the group is to listen. From there we come to understand – to know and to
be known – each other, and that may be the most important element of our success. We teach wisdom from the Jewish tradition, as well as wisdom from the 12-step anonymous model; we are a bridge between the two worlds. Not all of our members are Jews, but all are dealing with addiction in one form or another, and everyone understands the danger of the kind of pain that leads to suicide. I feel the proximity of laughter and tears at our meetings; they are right next to each other at our table of human responses to the challenges of living. Tears are sitting in one seat at the table.
Rabbi James Stone Goodman of Congregation Neve Shalom directsthe Shalvah Program: Outreach on Addictions. For more information, visit neveshalom.org.
Right next to tears is laughter, and the distinction between the two is subtle. You might think you’re sitting in the tears spot and, a moment later, you’re cracking up and you realize you are in the next seat, laughing. We are alternately serious and silly, sometimes at the same time, one eye laughing, one
Why Jews should care about Ferguson BY JAY MICHAELSON
In many ways, it has always been like this. As long as there has been an American republic, there have been white men in power oppressing everyone else. And more particularly, (disproportionately) white soldiers and cops committing acts of violence against (disproportionately) people of color. Not much new here. And yet, it has never been so simple, either. “Intersectionality,” the understanding that multiple vectors of oppression — race, class, gender, etc. — often overlap, is a recent word, coined in 1989 by law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. But it is an old concept. How old? Bible old. “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor,” says Zechariah 7:10. Gender, class, race. A conflagration like Ferguson, Missouri, cannot be reduced to a single factor. It is a combination of racism, militarization, economic insecurity, the widening wealth gap, disenfranchisement, black rage, and God knows what else. Nor can it be reduced to a few bad guys. The issue is not whether Police Officer
Jay Michaelson is a visiting scholar at Brown University, Director of the LGBT Global Rights Initiative at the Democracy Council and a weekly columnist for the Forward. He is the author of five books, most recently “Evolving Dharma: Meditation, Buddhism, and the Next Generation of Enlightenment,” published in 2013. This commentary originally appeared in the Forward Aug. 19 and is reproduced with permission.
Darren Wilson is a racist or not. What matters is how he and Michael Brown are part of structures of racism and oppression that are far more powerful than any individual. Yes, Brown was shot six times by Wilson. But he was killed by a “Bonfire of the Vanities,” this tragic web of circumstances and power relationships that you and I are part of too. And if you and I are part of that web, then we, too, are implicated in the way in which structures of oppression continue to hurt the most vulnerable — whether the victims are unarmed black men on
the streets of Staten Island or Missouri, or six-year-olds crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, or women whose bodies are controlled by men. A few decades ago, it would have been easy to add Jews to that list of disempowered victims. I could throw in Leo Frank, the victim of mob justice; or otherwise privileged Jewish men denied entrance to elite universities. These days, however, we have to search a lot harder. There are still victims of anti-Semitism, of course — the shooting in Overland Park, Kansas, was only four months ago, and the recent pogroms in Europe have been chilling. But there is a crucial difference between these outbursts of antiSemitic violence and those which marked an earlier era: in America and Europe, they are not part of the systems of power. It’s not the rich and powerful who are spray-painting swastikas. On the contrary, it’s those who perceive themselves to be marginalized. This is an important distinction. AntiSemitism is real, but it is no longer intrin-
See COMMENTARY, page 12
Shedding ‘Light’ on our coverage of the war in Gaza BY LARRY LEVIN AND ELLEN FUTTERMAN
How do you cover a war in Israel and Gaza from St. Louis? When do you give public attention to anti-Semitic acts? How do you cover pro-Palestinian demonstrations? The situation in Israel and Gaza has wrought highly emotional reactions from Jews worldwide, and in a conflict involving death, grief, threats to the very existence of Israel and worldwide anti-Semitism, that's both understandable and to be expected. News outlets receive a great share of criticism during such times, much of it accurate and legitimate, some of it not so much. Readers make assumptions about coverage, ascribing bias and prejudgment to both news stories and opinion pieces. Sometimes those accusations are spot on, and other times, poor journalism can be attributed to, well, poor work by journalists. We are hardly above making mistakes, and part of the somewhat cruel truth of publishing news is that one's errors in fact and judgment are right out there for all to see. As a media organization on the small side, we are fully aware of our limitations and strive to maximize our resources, not to mention our accuracy, for the benefit of our
reader community. On the heels of our recent Can We Talk? event about news coverage of the conflict, we thought it might be useful to turn the tables on ourselves and provide our readers with a Q&A about some of our own coverage choices and why we do what we do. So, with the goal of providing you with some inside baseball about the Light's coverage of events surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict, here we go: How do you decide what news to provide about the conflict? For the most part, we do not generate breaking news about the conflict, as we are not on the ground with reporters present in Israel or Gaza. We largely rely on the JTA wire service and, when affordable, other first-hand sources. Some news sources like JTA require rights payments for stories in print, and others don't. When there's a local angle – like St. Louis' Circus Harmony troupe being stranded in Israel during the no-fly period, or IDF paratrooper Max Levin, who grew up here, being wounded – we will do first-hand, original reporting. When there are offshoot stories that happen here in St. Louis, we will also cover them. So, for instance, when a
Larry Levin is Publisher/CEO of the Light; Ellen Futterman is the paper’s Editor.
grossly anti-Semitic slur was cut into the grounds of the Westwood Country Club, we covered that as well. What opinion pieces and letters do you try to include? Many different ones, both local and otherwise, from as many different sources as we can find that reflect diversity of opinion from the Jewish and Israeli world. The viewpoints are largely, but not exclusively, supportive of Israel, which reflects our overall readership's general views. Not all those supportive of Israel agree with the country's political leadership, and some who are highly loyal to Israel think it's important to address the plight of the Palestinian people as well. We would not seek or provide space for articles that openly advocate the destruction of Israel or support of Hamas, a terror organization, as those
See COVERAGE, page 24
eye crying. Every suicide is a trigger for the discussion of the group, a kind of wrinkle in the cosmic order for all, because everyone around the table has stood at the crossroads of life and death and every person at the table has chosen life. And we all know people who have chosen otherwise. We know that the descent into drug or alcohol abuse is a trip toward death. But taking one’s own life is always a challenge, the breath of the beast rarely if ever that far behind us that we are
See SUICIDE, page 11
As school resumes, how to talk to kids about the Gaza war BY JACK WERTHEIMER
NEW YORK—With the new school year nearly upon us, Jewish educational leaders are scrambling to prepare their teachers to discuss this summer’s Gaza War. The most pressing challenge is to design age-appropriate conversations: At which grade level might classroom discussions include potentially frightening topics, such as the wounding of non-combatants, kidnapping of young Israelis and sirens warning of incoming rockets? And how should teachers address the tough issues of civilian casualties in Gaza and the flagrant hostility toward Jews and Israel that has erupted in many parts of the world? These questions are difficult enough, but are especially freighted with anxiety because they hold the potential to revive stereotypes of Israel that North American Jewish schools have been trying to counter. When Israel was forced to wage three major wars during its first quarter century, its image as an embattled enclave overshadowed everything else about its existence. In recent decades, though, Jewish schools have endeavored to present a more rounded picture of Israeli life. Without denying the existential challenges facing the Jewish state, teachers have drawn attention to the rich tapestry of Israeli culture — its diverse inhabitants, culinary treats and eclectic music, for example — and, of course, its technological wizardry. School trips to Israel have highlighted the country’s natural beauty and its enjoyable recreational scene, even while exploring the strong connections between the land and the Jewish religion. Educators are understandably loath to resurrect the earlier imagery that simplistically portrayed Israel as a country permanently on war footing. Responses to the Gaza war require North American Jewish schools to address a second topic that had been pushed to the background in recent
See DISCUSSING GAZA, page 23 Jack Wertheimer, professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary, co-authored “Hearts and Minds: Israel in North American Jewish Day Schools,” published last spring by the AVI CHAI Foundation (online at http://bit.ly/ hearts-minds). Op-Ed distributed by JTA
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WHAT: “Always Patsy Cline” WHEN: Wednesdays through Sundays through Aug. 31 WHERE: The Playhouse at Westport, 635 Westport Plaza HOW MUCH: $52-$63 THE 411: You have only a couple more weeks to catch this Stages STL acclaimed musical production that tells the touching and true story of country music legend Patsy Cline and her friendship with Texas housewife Louise Seger. MORE INFO: 314-821-2407 or stagesstlouis.org
Pick from a peck of pickle varieties FESTIVAL WHAT: Festival of Nations WHEN: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday WHERE: Tower Grove Park near Grand Boulevard and Arsenal Street HOW MUCH: Free THE 411: From Polynesian hula dancers to African Congo drummers, from Israeli falafels to Afghan sambosas, this annual festival that celebrates diversity and world culture has something for everyone, including four stages of entertainment, an international food village, arts and crafts from throughout the world and much more. MORE INFO: festivalofnationsstl.org
MUSIC WHAT: El Monstero at Art Hill WHEN: Gates open at 5:30 p.m., show at 7 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Art Hill in Forest Park HOW MUCH: $30 advance, $40 DOS THE 411: The monster will emerge from the Grand Basin to entertain the masses in a setting like no other. El Monstero is back for their biggest, baddest concert ever, combining earth, water, fire and air. MORE INFO: 1-800-735-3000, the Pageant box office or arthill. elmonstero.com
BY MARGI LENGA KAHN
Are you reeling from a surplus of jalapeño peppers in your garden? We are. Or perhaps you’ve been to the market and seen the huge baskets of appetizing and relatively inexpensive zucchini. Or maybe you’ve been craving a bowl of pickled cauliflower to enjoy with a glass of white wine. I have a solution: Start pickling. It’s quick and easy, and the flavor and quality will trump anything you can buy in a jar. Not only are pickled foods a great nosh, but their addition to Additional something as ordinary as a recipes turkey sandwich, a pan of scrambled eggs, or even a • Zesty Zucchini grilled steak or fillet of fish Bread-andwill make those items Butter Pickles extraordinary. There’s no Pickled limit to the possibilities. • Pickled When most of us think of Cauliflower and pickles, we think of pickled Green Beans cucumbers. Guess what? Page 14 Just about anything can be pickled, from beets to figs to garlic to plums to herring. And if stored properly in your refrigerator, you can enjoy these pickles for at least a month. Pack them in your picnic basket, serve them with cocktails or add them as an accompaniment to your main course. Pickling at home means that you pick the food and you control the flavors. By simply substituting different spices and seeds, you can customize your pickles. What’s not to like? And, as an added bonus (explained below) the results are healthy. The basic procedure for pickling is relatively simple: Immerse fresh fruits or vegetables
See PICKLES, page 14
Sour Pickles (Fermented) (Adapted from a recipe by Cathy Barrow. Printed in The New York Times, July 10, 2013) INGREDIENTS 2 pounds freshly picked firm, unwaxed, small to medium-size cucumbers 2 cloves garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 1 dill flower, or 5 sprigs fresh dill ½ teaspoon coriander seed 1/2 of a jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into slivers 2 tablespoons pickling salt, or Diamond Coarse Kosher Salt 1-2, 2 qt. jar or 4-5, 1 pint jars Cheesecloth DIRECTIONS Soak cucumbers for 30 minutes in a bowl filled with ice water. Rub them with your hands to remove any dirt. Slice the stem end off each cucumber, then cut each
cucumber into equal size spears. Pack cucumbers into one or two clean quart jars. Tuck garlic, dill, coriander and jalapeño slivers between cucumber spears. Add salt to two cups boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Add two cups of ice (use filtered water to avoid chlorine). Stir well until the ice has melted and the brine is cool. Pour brine into jars, being certain that all of the cucumbers are immersed. Place a double layer of cheesecloth on top of each jar and screw on the cap rims (not tops) over cheesecloth. Place jars into a small, sided pan or dish. Leave pickles on the counter to ferment. The brine will bubble and appear cloudy. Taste pickles after three days. If you would like your pickles to be more sour, leave them on the counter another day or two. Otherwise, transfer them to the refrigerator. The pickles, stored in the refrigerator, will keep for 1 month.
Pickled Red Onions (Recipe adapted from “The Mile End Cookbook” by Noah and Rae Bernamoff) INGREDIENTS 2 medium red onions, peeled, thinly sliced 2 cups distilled white vinegar 1 cup granulated sugar 4 allspice berries 4 whole cloves ½ tsp. yellow or brown mustard seeds 1 tsp. peppercorns, black or a mixture 1 dried bay leaf 2 half-pint jars DIRECTIONS Divide sliced onions between two steril-
ized 8 oz. jars, packing them in tight; set aside. In a medium nonaluminum pan, combine vinegar, sugar and spices. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Remove pan from heat. Carefully remove the bay leaf and, with the aid of a funnel, carefully ladle the hot mixture, along with some of the spices, into each jar. Be sure that the onions are covered by liquid. Screw the lids on the jars and let them cool to room temperature on your countertop. Refrigerate and enjoy within one month. Makes two 8 oz. jars.
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St. Louis native brings NYC school back from the brink BY ROBERT A. COHN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EMERITUS
About 60 years after the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka struck down racial segregation in public schools, many public schools in New York City are still struggling to achieve integration. A St. Louis native leading that effort in New York has been lauded as an example of what can be done to help advance public school integration. At Park Slope Collegiate in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jill Bloomberg (no relation to the former mayor) became principal in 2004. Bloomberg, 50, graduated from Ladue Horton Watkins High School and Northwestern University. She was interviewed for a New York magazine feature this spring titled, “New York State Has the MostSegregated Schools in the Jill Nation” by Jeff Coplon. Bloomberg The article reports that the vast majority of New York public schools have failed abjectly to achieve integration, with more than half of the city’s public schools categorized as “intensely segregated” with less than 10 percent white student enrollment. When Bloomberg arrived at Park Slope Collegiate, Coplon writes, “with a rookie principal’s ambition. She took the elevator to the top floor – and almost cried. Classroom lockers were filled with garbage and mice. Mold crumbled from the walls, and a leaking roof showered paint chips on the desks when it rained. Toilets barely flushed in the dingy bathrooms.
One day early in her tenure, she opened an ancient classroom door … and it came away in her hand, doorjamb and all.” Bloomberg tackled the many challenges eagerly, starting by asking the custodians to remove the lockers, making sure the students had class schedules on the first day, and hiring more black and Hispanic teachers. She also strengthened the academic curriculum by adding courses in calculus and physics, and offered an elective in Spanish language film. She also made clear her opposition to the school’s metal detectors. After 10 years on the job, Bloomberg’s stewardship at Park Slope Collegiate is held up as shining example of how determined and creative leadership by a dedicated principal could achieve an amazing turn-around in at least one school in the troubled system. The Jewish Light recently caught up with Bloomberg for a phone interview. What challenges did you face when you became principal of Park Slope Collegiate? First of all, the building was over 100 years old and was in horrible disrepair. We had to deal with major repairs to our declining physical plant. We also had to accommodate four separate schools instead of just one. It was really chaos at first. How did New York state come to have the most segregated public schools in the nation some 60 years after Brown v. Board? In the states in the South, the federal government ordered the schools to integrate because of segregationist laws and
practices that did not exist in New York state. The segregation in New York was not a result of officially sanctioned practices but because of neighborhood residential patterns. The UCLA study by Gary Orfield concluded that New York state had the most segregated schools in the nation, based on solid research and statistics. You worked very hard with parent groups, teachers to achieve a truly integrated school at Park Slope Collegiate. The academic improvement has indeed been impressive. Are integrated schools truly more successful educationally than those that are still segregated? New York City has over 1.1 million students in all. Park Slope has an enrollment of 450. My biggest goal was to make our students college-ready, and we have recently reached the 60 percent level of our students going to college. Our goal is to come as close to 100 percent as possible. Integration still matters a great deal, and it worked. Even though busing, which was the most controversial aspect of school integration, did not work, integration did. When you go back and talk to our graduates, who were part of school integration, they agree that it does, almost to a person. It’s working at Park Slope Collegiate. Do you think Park Slope’s successes can be replicated not only in New York City, but elsewhere in the country? It does take lots of hard work and determination, but the results speak for themselves. I do hope that our success can be replicated. It is clearly worth the effort, and we owe that to our students.
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SUICIDE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 immune. Everyone at the table, no matter how much sobriety a person has, is vigilant. Daily. We call it a daily reprieve. I suppose it’s well known that drugs and alcohol were part of Robin Williams’ story, depression was part of his story, and celebrity was part of his story. Depression is present in almost all addiction, and celebrity is an added obstacle to working oneself well. I didn’t know him, but I knew him. I bet his interior was painfully soft and vulnerable, sometimes hidden and unknown. I look at his sweet face and I see his soul, in the relational sense our holy language preserves panim (face) bifnim (inside) – same root. Our group has heart for the stranger because we are all strangers. We do not judge. We show up for each other. I really don’t know what was in that poor man’s heart, but I do believe he died alone. At the moment before it became irreversible, he didn’t call someone. His beloveds will suffer from that for a long time. We don’t have an antidote. We have a program. We have each other. Yes, I think lives are saved around our table, but we have no certainty. We have the group. We do not practice aloneness, and we talk about a higher power. It’s a spiritual thing, not a religious thing. We have a daily reprieve based on our spiritual condition. We have today, and that becomes enough.
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19. Ruach 20. End to Jewish? 21. Something belonging to feminist Lapidus Lerner 22. Eric who played Avner in “Munich” 23. Mo. in which the Omer is counted 25. Director Todd (“Welcome to the Dollhouse”) 27. Leviticus double Torah portion 32. Lucy Dawidowicz’s “What is the ___ of Jewish History?”
Previous crossword answers
ST. LOUIS JEWISH LIGHT 33. Ham’s sibling 34. Had its genesis 37. He drank with Lilith on “Cheers” 39. Structure found at the “Luna Gal” water park in the Golan 42. Nudge 43. Old joke:“What is the difference between ___ and a Jew? Only one tips.” 45.“___ Than Zero” (1987 Robert Downey, Jr. movie) 47. Shortest bk. in the Torah 48. Political talk radio host with a Ph.D. in nutritional ethnomedicine 52. Las Vegas mayor Carolyn 54. First word in the Hebrew version of Hannah Szenes’s “A Walk to Caesarea” 55. Boxer Barney 56. It comes before Iyyar 59. Sound after a Torah is dropped in shul 63. AIDS drug first synthesized by Dr. Jerome Horwitz 64. Some people use them to eat gefilte fish 66. Grade Brandeis undergrads hate getting 67. In 2013, Iran’s president called Israel “___” that has been “sitting on the body of the Islamic world” 68. Acts like an ass - but not Balaam’s 69. Programs that are helpful to “yordim” 70. The ones from the Golan are supposed to be excellent 71. Setting for Sherwood
COMMENTARY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
sic to the systems of oppression that killed Michael Brown. Like it or not, then, most American Jews find ourselves on the side of privilege. We may be “off-white,” as some theorists have proposed, but we’re close enough. If we stand up for the underdog, it will be out of ethics, not self-interest. Yet this, too, is exactly what core Jewish traditions teach us. Yes, there are texts which speak of Jewish supremacy, of conquering everyone else, and of slavery,
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JERUSALEM POST CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Down
1. Many Jews go there for Rosh Hashana 2. It’s north of Haifa 3. Bird sacred to ancient Egyptians 4. Latin translation for “Tsar” 5. Organization with the slogan “Imagine a World Without Hate” 6. Last name of some priestly Jews 7.“The Covenant of Circumcision: New Perspectives ___ Ancient Jewish Rite” 8. Homophone for the role Anne Frank played historically 9.“Panther in the Basement” novelist 10. A Jewish one is Brian Schatz (D-Haw.) 11. It’s often sung in a circle 12.“All-of-__ Family” (Jewish children’s book about immigrants in New York) 13. Frisch competitor among modern Orthodox day schools 18. Michelle Gellar and Jessica Parker, if you will 22. Many a rabbi during a high holiday sermon 24. They’re sewed on the sweatshirts of the members of the largest Jewish fraternity in the United States 26. Court shot from Dick Savitt 27. Charlie the ___ (Cartoon fish voiced by Herschel Bernardi)
By David Benkof, davidbenkof@gmail.com
1. Mississippi location of the URJ’s Henry S. Jacobs Camp 6. What Copland pieces end with 11. ___HaBayit (Temple Mount) 14.“S’licha!” 15. Genre of the cartoon “A Jewish Girl in Shanghai” 16. Dirt Nasty ___ Simon Rex 17. Prime minister dubbed “the bulldozer”
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28.“Singing with ___, in the Jewish manner” (Sholem Aleichem’s description of a violinist) 29. He played Max Bialystock and Pseudolus (hint: it’s not Nathan Lane) 30.“Man of a Thousand Voices” Blanc 31. Famous accuser Zola 35. Oliver Sacks’s “___to Stand On”
36. West Bank settlement ___ Daniel 38. Some King David employees 40. Rehoboth Beach loc. 41. Member of a Dead Sea sect 44. Cable channel that hosts a festival at Grauman’s Chinese Theater 46.“Exodus” actor Mineo 49. Rabbi Judah ___ 50.“Your neck is ___
misogyny, and the rest. But exhortations of non-oppression of foreigners are more numerous: Leviticus 19:3334, Deuteronomy 10:19, Deuteronomy 26:12, Jeremiah 22:3. The list goes on. Most important, I think, is Exodus 22:21: “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” Note the past tense. This is a text speaking to a people no longer victimized, but now with the power to victimize others. It is a text for our time. I cite these texts not for their authority but for their wisdom. They were written at a time in which the Land of Israel was a multiracial society. Jews were in power (sometimes) but non-Jews — “foreigners” — were
sinew” (Isaiah 48:4) 51. Samson eventually lost his 52. ___after meals (“The Birkat,” to many American Jews) 53. Moves like a combination of milk and honey 57. Negev-like 58. Ways to say “Hello” in Aelia Capitolina (a onetime name for Jerusalem)
60. Sea near the territory of the Khazars 61. Ione who was married to Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys 62. It might be said to get someone’s attention in synagogue 64. Extremity at a “bark mitzvah” 65. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. series, with ‘The’
always present. This is why they, like proscriptions on exploiting the poor, are so easily transposed to contemporary America. Let’s not mince words about our choices. Conservatives maintain the systems of oppression I’m talking about. Progressives try to progress beyond them, but conservatives conserve. This isn’t quite partisan politics, but it almost is. Race? Conservatives fight against the Civil Rights Act, push to deport as many Latinos as possible, eviscerate affirmative action. Worst of all, they successfully disenfranchise millions of people of color across the country by inventing a voter-fraud crisis that does not exist. Conservatives are reinstating Jim Crow as a desperate attempt to maintain power in a multiracial America — and black folks know it. Class? Despite a wealth gap unknown in the history of our country, conservatives argue that the wealthiest should pay even less in taxes, while they dismantle the social safety net for everyone else. Our country is quickly resembling a commercial airline, with a small first class full of luxury, a large coach class that’s more cramped than ever, and nothing left in between. And yet Fox News warns of socialism. Then there are those values the Bible didn’t foresee: the militarization of civilian police, the surveillance state, “broken window” policies which force cops to get involved in minor offenses. All, not coincidentally, backed by conservatives. (Setting aside Rand Paul’s ascendant libertarianism for now.) Now, are the protesters on the streets of Ferguson angry because of trickle-down economics? Yes and no. Of course, not on that level of detail. But first and foremost, they are angry. They get intersectionality. They get that the entire system, even under President Obama, seems stacked against those with fewer economic opportunities. Race, class, violence all intersect. They’re angry at the whole system. As well they should be. Yet as complex as the “system” is, the just response is simple. Oppress less. Do not conserve structures of oppression; work to counteract them. Choose the policies that favor the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. Sure, it may not be clear which those policies are — but it should be clear which priorities are just. This is not a utopian program. Inequality is unavoidable, if we also want freedom. Which is why the intersectional biblical imperative remains operative: to counteract these inevitable structures of oppression as best we can. We will never complete this work. But at least we can stand on the right side of history.
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AUGUST 20, 2014
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Healthwatch is a monthly feature focusing on a health- or fitnessrelated topic with a Jewish angle. The feature is published the third edition of each month. Have a suggestion for a potential Healthwatch subject? Email news@thejewishlight.com.
After losing a child, couple find joy with new baby, thanks to NIH breakthrough BY URIEL HEILMAN JTA
NEW YORK — Even before their daughter, Ayelet Galena, was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow disease called dyskeratosis congenita around her first birthday, parents Hindy Poupko and Seth Galena knew they wanted to have more children. But once the diagnosis arrived, the couple had a dilemma: There was a fair chance their next child would have the life-threatening genetic disease, too. Over the course of the next year or so, Galena and Poupko didn’t have much time to think about other kids. They were busy tending to Ayelet, whose struggle they decided to document on a blog, Eye on Ayelet. It quickly gained a following in the thousands. While her kidneys failed her, Ayelet became an Internet sensation. Galena dubbed the
phenomenon Ayelet Nation. When Ayelet died on Jan. 31, 2012, less than two months after her second birthday, thousands of people from around the world who had never met the little Orthodox Jewish girl from Manhattan’s Upper West Side seemed to share in her parents’ grief, overwhelming Poupko and Galena with condolence messages, food packages and gifts. In June, good news finally arrived in the Galena-Poupko household: The couple had a new baby, a healthy boy born two weeks ago. At his bris, they named him Akiva Max Galena. The journey that led to their second child was no easy feat, as Poupko and Galena told JTA this week in an interview squeezed between feedings and diaper changes. When Ayelet was diagnosed, she immediately was tested for the seven known genetic mutations that cause dys-
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keratosis congenita. But the results showed she didn’t have any of them, which meant her illness was caused by an unknown genetic mutation that could not be identified by prenatal screening. “From that moment we always knew that having more children and confidently healthy children would be a challenge,” Poupko said. “They couldn’t even tell us if the disease was inherited or not.” The couple had two options: They could get pregnant again and risk having another sick child who might suffer and die young, or they could wait for the science to catch up. If the genetic mutation that caused Ayelet’s disease could be identified, they could do in-vitro fertilization and test the embryos before implanting them in the uterus to make sure they didn’t carry the disease-causing gene. The couple decided to wait. “A lot of people would say lightning
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doesn’t strike twice, but this is a science,” Poupko said. “Statistically, we knew the likelihood of us having another child with the disease was 25 percent.” They joined a National Institutes of Health study led by Dr. Sharon Savage of the National Cancer Institute to find the genetic causes for a number of inherited bone marrow diseases. The couple was told the process could take a few years, and by the end there would be only a 50-50 chance that the genetic mutation that caused Ayelet’s illness would be found. While they were dealing with Ayelet’s tests, hospital stays and a bone-marrow transplant at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center — and eventually her tragic passing — researchers at the NIH were working on the genetics in consultation with scientists at the
See HEALTH, page 15
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I have irregular periods, every three months or so, and my acne is out of control. I’ve heard about polycystic ovary syndrome—could I have this?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is relatively common, affecting approximately 5-10% of reproductive age women. As you describe, PCOS is characterized by fewer than eight periods a year and signs of elevated androgens, such as acne and excess hair growth in areas like the face and abdomen. While infertility is often what brings women with PCOS in for evaluation, PCOS has important implications for longterm cardiovascular health. The condition is also a prominent risk factor for diabetes and the development of endometrial cancer. Given the myriad of long-term health risks associated with PCOS, it is important for women to be diagnosed early and to arm themselves with education about the condition. It is essential they follow up with their health care provider regularly.
No one knows what exactly causes PCOS, but it is generally associated with inefficient glucose metabolism. Lifestyle interventions consisting of a PCOS-friendly diet and regular exercise are often mainstays of PCOS management. There are also medications that may be helpful in managing PCOS and its symptoms. Aside from PCOS, there are other significant endocrine conditions that can result in the same symptoms you are describing, such as thyroid disease. A boardcertified reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist can work with you to determine your individual diagnosis.
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Zesty Zucchini Breadand-Butter Pickles
PICKLES
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 into a brine of vinegar, salt and spices that has been briefly boiled. Meanwhile, pack sterile jars with your favorite raw fruits or vegetables, add enough of the hot brine to cover them and screw the lids onto the jars. When the jars reach room temperature, place them in your refrigerator. Voila! Your pickles will be ready to eat after just one hour. For fuller flavored- pickles, give them a few days. The flavor peaks in about three days. Doesn’t get much easier than that, right? Well there’s another way to pickle: fermenting. If you’ve ever selected a pickle from a pickle barrel, chances are that the pickle was fermented. The process for fermenting is just as easy as regular pickling. The biggest difference is that food ferments in jars at room temperature after being submerged in a cooled salt-brine. The acidic and saline environment of the brine, working in harmony with the bacteria that live on the cleaned skins of your fruit and vegetables, produces lactic acid. It is the lactic acid that acts as a natural preservative. The fermenting process takes three to five days, and you don’t have to do a thing during that time. These pickles are really good, and they’re really good for you. While they won’t cure everything that ails you, the bacteria have proven health benefits. In short, pickling is a simple and mouthwatering way to transform and preserve the bounty of summer. You create great foods with great flavors, and it’s fun to do, and even more fun to do together as a family. Pickles of all types – cucumbers, zucchinis, green beans, okra, pears, apples – are delicious and good for you. And when you open your refrigerator and see all of those colorful jars of ready-to-eat goodness, you’ll be so glad you gave it try. Margi Lenga Kahn is the mother of five and grandmother of five. A cooking instructor at the Kitchen Conservatory, she is working on a project to preserve the stories and recipes of heritage cooks. She welcomes your comments and suggestions at margikahn@gmail.com.
(Recipe slightly adapted from “The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home” by Nick Zukin and Michael Zusman) Pickling salt is basically fine-ground salt without any additives. Table salt is not a good substitute, as it will hamper the fermentation process. The only other option is Diamond Crystal Coarse Kosher Salt, which is more difficult to find than regular pickling salt. Pickling spice is actually a combination of spices such as bay leaves, chilies, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger, allspice, mustard seed, coriander, black pepper, mace and cardamom. You can make your own or choose from many premade options. I used Penzeys Pickling Salt from Penzeys in downtown Maplewood. Supermarkets will have at least one brand.
Zesty Zucchini Bread-and-Butter Pickles (right). Photo: Mike Sherwin
INGREDIENTS 2 pounds small to medium-size zucchini (save the larger zuc chini for a bread), ends trimmed, and sliced 1/8” thick 1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced 2 tsp. pickling salt 2 cups apple cider vinegar (not apple flavored vinegar) 1¼ cups granulated sugar 1 tbsp. yellow or brown mustard seeds 1 tsp. coriander seeds 1 tsp. pickling spice ½ to ¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1 quart-size, or 3-4 pint-size, canning jars, with lids
Pickled Cauliflower and Green Beans You will need a 1-quart canning jar and two half-pint (8 oz.) canning jars, jars and lids rinsed with boiling water. INGREDIENTS 4-5 sprigs fresh dill 1 tsp. celery seeds 1 tsp. mustard seeds 1 tsp. coriander seeds ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste 1 small to medium head cauliflower, rinsed, trimmed, cored and separated into florets About 12 oz. fresh green beans, rinsed, stems removed and beans trimmed to fit height of pint-size canning jars 4 cups water
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2 cups white vinegar 2 tbsp. coarse kosher salt 6 small, or 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved DIRECTIONS Divide dill sprigs, celery seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and crushed red pepper flakes among jars (more sprigs and spices in larger jar). Pack green beans into pint-size jars; set aside. Pack cauliflower florets into quart jar; set aside. To prepare brine, combine water, vinegar, salt and garlic cloves in a medium, nonaluminum pan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve salt. Continue to boil for another minute. Remove garlic cloves and discard. Using a funnel, carefully fill each vegetable-filled jar with pickling brine. Be sure that all vegetables are immersed. Screw lids onto jars and let them sit on countertop until the contents reach room temperature. Refrigerate. Enjoy pickled vegetables for up to two months.
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DIRECTIONS Combine sliced zucchini and onion in a colander. Sprinkle with pickling salt and use your hands to evenly distribute. Set a bowl under colander and, uncovered, into the refrigerator for at least four hours and up to a day. Drain liquid and place vegetables on a double layer of paper towels; pat dry. (Do not rinse vegetables.) Combine remaining ingredients together in a large saucepan over high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to a boil. Add vegetables, stir and remove pan from heat. Let rest 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, divide vegetables among clean jars. Ladle warm brine over vegetables to cover. Screw lids onto jars and let them reach room temperature. Transfer jars to refrigerator and store there for up to 1 month.
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HEALTH
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 Rockefeller Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. With Poupko in her late 20s, the two figured they could afford to give the NIH study some time before trying for another baby. “At that point we weren’t ready to roll the dice and take a chance,” Galena recalled. “I think in a strange way it was helpful, because it gave us the time to heal from Ayelet’s death. For both of us that was a good time for mourning Ayelet properly. It took me the full two years to really start thinking about things in a forward-thinking way.” In the year after Ayelet’s death, Poupko and Galena grappled with their grief, worked on reconnecting with each other and immersed themselves in routine and adventure. At work, Poupko was busy at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, fighting the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel and keeping up the campaign for public pressure to counter Iran’s nuclear program. Galena went back to work at VML, a digital marketing and advertising agency. After the massacre in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012, Galena and some colleagues built a tribute website, TacosforNoah.com, dedicated to the memory of the youngest Sandy Hook shooting victim, Jewish 6-year-old Noah Pozner. When the 30-day mourning period following Ayelet’s death ended, Poupko and Galena went on a healing trip to Israel, and later they flew to Thailand on a trip Poupko describes as “awesome.” As longtime pillars of the community of young Modern Orthodox Jews on the Upper West Side, they also leaned on their many friends and family members, whom Galena credits with helping the couple through the mourning process. They always were eager for word of progress on the genetic front, but Poupko says they tried not to be consumed by it. “I wasn’t crippled with anxiety,” Poupko said. “I felt like one way or another we would figure out a way to build a family together. I just didn’t know when or how.” But waiting was not easy, and it was made more difficult by inquiries about why the couple wasn’t having more children. “I’m not exactly a patient person. It was definitely a challenging time for our lives,” Poupko said. “We were very open about it even though it was painful. People who were close to us understood that we were waiting to safely have more children.” Unlike with most NIH studies, in this one the researchers doing the genetic work were in direct contact with Galena and Poupko, who would call weekly
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particularly in the haredi Orthodox community. Haredi couples whose genetic screenings show both members are carriers for certain genetic diseases often are told to break up, but Poupko says new genetic research makes it possible for such couples to produce healthy babies. “Modern medicine gives people options they never thought possible,” Poupko says, citing her own experience of being able to screen out problematic embryos before their implantation. “The Jewish community needs to be educated on this. Ashkenazi Jews in particular need to be up to date and knowledgeable.” She recommended JScreen as one Seth Galena and Hindy Poupko, on his right shoulder, celebrate the birth of their useful resource for genetic testing for Ashkenazi Jews. son Akiva at his bris, June 15. Photo: Piha Studio Galena says the experience of the for updates. recent pregnancy and birth was an emotional roller The good news finally came on April 11, 2013. coaster. Poupko remembers where and when she was when “Even when we found out we were pregnant it was she got the call. After the NIH nurse on the phone told still a bittersweet process,” Galena said. “The thought her that Ayelet’s genetic mutation had been found, of being parents again opened up more wounds for us Poupko broke down, sobbing. about mourning Ayelet.” “We had been following up, calling them nonstop, With the new baby boy now at home, his big sister but they had never called us before,” she recalled. “It doesn’t feel far away, Galena said. was amazing. We knew at that moment that we would “A lot of having a new child is thinking about the old have that future we’d always wanted.” one, so Ayelet’s definitely on our minds at all times,” he From there to getting pregnant was a relatively short said. “Akiva should know what a great older sister he road, but not an uncomplicated one. The couple went had.” through a process called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, in which the female’s egg and the male’s All-I nclu sperm are mixed in a laboratory to produce embryos. sive Prici ng Those embryos were then tested for the mutant gene. The healthy ones were implanted via IVF. Late last year, Poupko, now 30, got pregnant. In his bris speech, Galena offered a special thanks to Welcome home! the NIH, “who told us to give them five to 10 years to • Located ½ Mile from the JCC find the genetic mutation” but found it in less than two. • Jewish Holiday Celebrations Now that they have a new baby, Poupko says she • No Additional Care Charges wants to help spread the message within the Jewish community about the importance of genetic testing — • Cable TV Included
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Back To School Jewish Opportunities & Learning for Teens (JOLT) 314-442-3757
JOLT mixes an array of dynamic courses with socializing and refreshments. The 1st Trimester of eight week interac-
tive programs for Jewish teens, grades 8-12, on Thursday nights begins September 4. Join the fun by “Rolling Out” Your JOLT Journey at our Challah Make and Take and Registration Event on August 28. View course descriptions and register at www.cajestl.org or contact Maxine Weil: mweil@cajestl.org.
Merle Scheff School of Dance 10467 Old Olive St. Rd. 314-432-4243
Merle Scheff School of Dance offers classes for beginners through advanced in ballet, tap, jazz pointe, acrobatics, hiphop, lyrical, adult tap and adult jazz. Classes are offered for pre-school children through adults. A certified member of Dance Masters of America, the Merle Scheff School of Dance is open year-round. The annual dance recital is held in June for those studying September through May. Other performance opportunities available throughout the year. Call now! Registration for the fall is held in August.
Paperdolls
Yeshivat Kadimah High School is a college preparatory, religious Zionist, Orthodox Yeshiva High School. With a 21st century approach to Jewish education and top-notch teachers, our highly individualized program incorporates traditional, interactive and online resources, enriched by real world experiences outside the classroom.
636-527-3655 • 314-965-3655
Call 314-942-3166 admin@YeshivatKadimah.org www.YeshivatKadimah.org
Paperdolls Boutique opened downtown in 2005, moved to Kirkwood, and then 2 years ago opened a second store in Ballwin. Next month, a fashion truck “van boutique”and a shop in University City will launch. paperdolls offers affordably priced, one-of-a-kind clothing & accessories for women of all ages. They even offer lil’dolls-a mini-me collection for children, so you will see mothers & daughters shopping together. paperdolls has earned A-List accolades from St. Louis Magazine; voted “Best Women’s Clothing” by Ladue News readers for the past 3 years. Stop by and see what the fuss is all about. We promise to give you an amazing shopping experience!
Photo: Yana Hotter
1142 North Warson Road St. Louis, Missouri 63132
p ksho Worparents for .5 v . No m d e W –9p 7
Sneak a Peek at Mirowitz
Learn how kids grow to become tenacious learners and ethical leaders. A pluralistic Jewish independent school for grades K-8 RSVP online at www.mirowitz.org. Contact Patty for a tour: pbloom@mirowitz.org or 314-576-6177
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Serving children 6 weeks through pre-K Year round – Full day Warm, nurturing Jewish environment Small class size, individual attention and instruction Family and staff work as a team to help children reach their potential CONTACT: Marty Schaeffer, Director • 314.727.2565 • marty@kolrinahstl.org
or Jessica Wax • Jessica@kolrinahstl.org
Kol Rinah embraces the joy of worship, learning and Jewish music, both into our souls and out to our families, friends and community. Come pray, learn, sing and celebrate with us. 314.727.1747 • 829 North Hanley Road • St. Louis, MO 63130 • KolRinahStL.org
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Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop 6303 Delmar Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63130 314-833-4614
Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop, one stop shopping for all of your soda pop and candy cravings. Hundreds of bottled soda pops and candies from all over America, and around the world. Our selection will take you back to when you were a kid, don’t plan on growing up while visiting Rocket Fizz. We carry gag gifts, concert posters and tin signs as well. New items every week so come see us soon.
Yeshivat Kadimah High School
1142 N. Warson Road St. Louis, MO 63132 314-942-3166 admin@YeshivatKadimah.org www.YeshivatKadimah.org
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Merle Scheff SCHOOL OF DANCE
Yeshivat Kadimah is a college preparatory Religious Zionist Orthodox Yeshiva high school servicing the St. Louis Jewish community, offering a uniquely nurturing and supportive environment. The School features individualized, student-centered learning programs in both English and Hebrew studies to maximize the potential of every student, and to assure that each student continues his or her religious and secular educations at a post-secondary level and beyond.
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Register NOW for Fall Classes! Pre-school to advanced classes • Classical Ballet
• Jazz
• Little Ballerina (3-5)
• Pointe
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• Acrobatics
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(314)432-4243
Where Stars Are Born! Stemming the tide of assimilation and Jewish apathy amongst the greatest resource, our teenagers… Clayton Crossroads Ladue Lafayette Marquette MICDS
Mirowitz Community Day School Parkway Central Parkway North Parkway West Pattonville Senator John Danforth Israel Scholars Program Whitfield Servicing 700+ teens To start a JSU Club in your school contact the JSU office.
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Most Recent JSU Survey Highlights As a result of participation in JSU programs:
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95% See Judaism as being more relevant to them as teenagers 72% Have joined or become more involved in Jewish youth groups 95% Reported a greater likelihood of engaging in Jewish campus life at college 85% Say they are now more likely to “date Jewish” and “marry Jewish” 88% Report making new Jewish friends and/or strengthening previous friendships 97% Report say that participating in JSU has increased their pride in being Jewish 93% Report an enhanced understanding and appreciation of Israel and the issues she faces.
JSU is funded in part by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, The Kranzberg Foundation, Lubin-Green Foundation Staenberg Foundation, The Martin Silk Foundation, along with generous donors like you. For more info. Contact Rabbi “Mike” @ 314-696-0578 or info@jsustl.org
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chailights Thursday, Aug. 21 Mom’s Time Out Families with young children — newborn to age 18 months — are invited to sample Mom’s Time Out, a new weekly parent-child playgroup offered on Thursdays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. by the Deutsch Early Childhood Center at Temple Israel, 1 Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Drive. Open to the community; snacks will be provided. For more information, contact Leslie Wolf at 314-432-8076 or lwolf@ti-stl.org.
Ballroom line dancing at Covenant No partner needed: Learn ballroom and traditional line dancing from champion professional Sherry Martin at 3 p.m. in Covenant II’s Bohm Social Hall, 8 Millstone Campus Drive. Wear flat-bottom, comfortable shoes. Free and open to the community but RSVP requested to 314-432-1610.
Nishmah workshop for moms, daughters with Naomi Ackerman Nishmah will welcome actress Naomi Ackerman to St. Louis for the Listen to Me When I Speak! workshop for mothers with daughters in grades 6 to 8, planned by Nishmah and Connect (NCJW’s Girls Division). The workshop aims to give communication tools to mothers and daughters, using drama and interactive exercises to explore the mother-daughter relationship, learn to deal with conflict and look at patterns of interaction. The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21 at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. The cost is $25 per mother-daughter pair (bring your own dinner or purchase a prepared meal for $8 per person). Register online at nishmah.org or contact Simone Picker at 314-442-3166 or spicker@jccstl.org.
Friday, Aug. 22 Film at Covenant Place Covenant Place will screen “Win Win” at 1 p.m. in the Helene Mirowitz Theatre of Covenant House II, 8 Millstone Campus Drive. The 2011 film is about a disheartened attorney moonlighting as a high school wrestling coach who stumbles across a star athlete. Rated R. Free and open to the community; includes refreshments.
St. Louis NORC planning men’s breakfast event The St. Louis NORC is organizing a men’s breakfast event for men looking to meet other active and interesting men and expand their horizons and social networks. Open to the community; call Joan for more information, 314-442-3834.
Saturday, Aug. 23 Moishe House at Festival of Nations Moishe House will lead a carpool at noon to the International Institute’s Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park, which includes a variety of global entertainment, food and activities. Moishe House is located at 8940 Ladue Road. For more information, email moishehousestl@ gmail.com.
Crown trip to Festival of Nations Crown Center will lead a bus trip starting at 9:45 a.m. to the International Institute’s annual Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park. The festival is the region’s premier multicultural celebration, featuring more than 40 ethnic food booths, non-stop dance and music, arts and crafts and an international bazaar with gifts from around the world. Admission is free but the bus fare from Crown is $2. Call 314-991-2055 to RSVP.
To submit calendar items or news releases, contact Managing Editor Mike Sherwin at 314-743-3665 or msherwin@thejewishlight.com For a complete listing of community events, visit www.jewishinstlouis.org
In the spotlight Kol Rinah Shabbat welcome events for Rabbi Arnow Kol Rinah welcomes Rabbi Noah Arnow and his family with a special Shabbat weekend. The event begins on Friday, Aug. 22 at 5:30 pm with “schmooze and appetizers” and continues with a 6 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat musical service, featuring the Kol Rinah band. For Shabbat dinner details and reservations, call the Kol Rinah office, 727-1747. Saturday Shabbat services on Aug. 23 will feature special presentations and a delicious Sisterhood Kiddush. The Shabbat welcome celebration with an evening of music and fun, featuring klezmer band Ezekiel’s Wheels, along with drinks, snacks and desserts, beginning at 9 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 24 JCC’s Youth Theatre auditions The JCC’s Youth Theatre program has auditions set for Aug. 24. Call 314-442-3239 for more information. See related news brief on page 5.
Temple Emanuel and Religious School open house barbecue From 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., join Temple Emanuel’s Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh, members of the congregation’s board of trustees and religious school staff for an open house barbecue at 12166 Conway Road. Prospective members are welcome to meet with leaders of our congregation and tour the temple. Religious school parents and students will have a chance to talk with teachers and learn about the upcoming school year. Free and open to the community; no RSVP necessary.For more information, call 314-432-5877 or email subie@ testl.org.
Crown Center trip to film series at Holocaust Museum Join Crown Center for a bus trip to the Holocaust Museum & Learning Center’s Sandra and Mendel Rosenberg Film Series to view the special movie “Hannah Arendt,” directed by Margarethe vonTrotta. Postscreening discussion facilitated by Erin McGlothlin, associate professor at Wash U. The film screening is free but the bus fare from Crown is $2. RSVP to 314-991-2055.
Monday, Aug. 25 Fireside chats at Moishe House Join Moishe House for a Monday night fireside chat from 8 to 10 p.m. The group will sit around a fire and discuss current events. Moishe House is located at 8940 Ladue Road. For more information, email moishehousestl@ gmail.com.
Single chef series at Covenant Place Covenant Places series teaching simple cooking techniques for one will feature as guest chef/instructor St. Louis restaurateur and chef KT Ayers, best known for the Delmar Loop institution, Riddle’s Penultimate Café & Wine Bar, and now with The Purple Martin at Fox Park. Participants will leave with tasty food and great recipes. The class will be at 6 p.m. in the Milford and Lee Bohm Social Hall of Covenant I, 8 Millstone Campus Drive. Free and open to the community but RSVPs are required as par ticipation is limited. To RSVP or for more information, call 314-432-1610.
ent a Healing Herbs Workshop at 3 p.m. Instructor Carolyn Cosgrove Payne, garden educator at Gateway Greening, will talk about the healing properties of common herbs and how to grow them in your garden to make skin care products, teas and infused oils. Free and open to the community but RSVP requested to 314-991-2055.
Thursday, Aug. 28 YPD’s Thirsty Thursday series
klezmer band Ezekiel’s Wheels All events are open to the community and take place at Kol Rinah, 829 N. Hanley Road in University City. For more information visit kolrinahstl.org or call 314-727-1747.
The Thirsty Thursday series held by Young Professionals Division of Jewish Federation of St. Louis continues with a free happy hour for Jewish adults in their 20s and 30s from 6 to 8 p.m. at Budweiser Brew House in Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Avenue in downtown St. Louis. The monthly series offers a chance for young Jewish adults to meet, network and engage. More information on the series can be found at YPDSTL.org/ThirstyThursday.
Sparks Services plans event for Jewish singles ages 45-65 Baking at Crown Center At 11 a.m. join Crown Center residents, staff and community members and end the summer with a day of baking and creating delicious masterpieces. Free but RSVP requested to 314-991-2055. Crown Center is located at 8350 Delcrest Drive.
Tuesday, Aug. 26 Torah Study at Covenant Place Rabbi Yaakov Gertzulin, director of religious affairs at the Cedars of Town and Country, will lead a discussion of the week’s Torah portion at 10 a.m. in the Harmony Room of Covenant I, 10 Millstone Campus Drive. Free and open to the community but RSVPs requested to 314-4321610.
Wednesday, Aug. 27 Crown Center Yiddish Group Join Crown Center at 1:30 p.m. if you enjoy speaking, listening or learning Yiddish. The group includes residents of Crown Center and participants from the community and is facilitated by Thelma Edelstein and David Levine. Call 314-991-2055 for more information.
Gateway Greening Healing Herbs Workshop at Crown Center Crown Center and Gateway Greening pres-
For Jewish singles ages 45-65, Sparks Services hosts Center of Attention, a fun, interactive communications event led by Dan and Joanie Ziskind. The event is limited to 20 people, held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sparks’ home in Clayton. The cost is $2, which includes light refreshments. RSVP to Paula Sparks at 314-8750001.
‘Roll out your JOLT journey’ kick-off and registration JOLT (Jewish Opportunities and Learning for Teens) will “roll out” its new school year with a night of pizza and a “Challah Make & Take” for Jewish teens, from 6 to 8:30 at Traditional Congregation, 12437 Ladue Road. Participants will make challah from scratch and learn ways to braid the dough and will be able to learn about JOLT programs for the year. JOLT is an interactive program, where 8-12th graders from various congregations come together to learn and socialize on Thursday nights. RSVP to Maxine Weil at 314-442-3757 or mweil@cajestl. org.
St. Louis NORC ‘Brain Games’ Exercise your brain with Joey Boime and Sharon Greenstein of HomeCare Assistance during “Brain Games and Cognitive Therapeutics” at 1 p.m. at The Gathering Place in the JCC Staenberg Family Complex. Light refreshments served. Free and open to the community, but RSVPs required to Laura at 314-442-3255
In the spotlight Jewish Community Center to hold Used Book Sale The Jewish Community Center will hold its Used Book Sale from Sunday, Aug. 24 to Thursday, Aug. 28 at the Jewish Community Center Arts & Education Building, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. Sunday is Preview Day, with hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the only day with an entry fee ($10). The sale continues from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Thursday is Bag Day, where patrons can fill a bag for $5. Bag Day hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The opening day $10 fee helps underwrite expenses for the sale. Books are priced from 50 cents to $3. Special books — collectibles, art books, antique books — are priced
as marked. Ticket sales will begin at 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 26. Children 16 and under are free. There is no cost to shop the remaining days of the book sale. For more information, contact Zelda Sparks at 314-442-3169.
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Friday, Aug. 29 Birthright Next/Moishe House Shabbat dinner Birthright Next and Moishe House will hold a Shabbat dinner at 7 p.m. Participants are encouraged to invite friends to enjoy great food and company. Moishe House is located at 8940 Ladue Road. For more information, email moishehousestl@gmail.com.
Film at Covenant Place Covenant Place will screen “American Hustle” at 1 p.m. at the Helene Mirowitz Theatre in Covenant II, 8 Millstone Campus Drive. The Academy Award Best Picture nominee tells the story of a con-man and his seductive partner, who are forced to work for a FBI agent who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia; rated R. Free and open to the community; refreshments included.
Thursday, Sept. 4 and 11 Women’s Philanthropy plans holiday outreach events See related news brief on page 3.
Starting Thursday, Sept. 4 JOLT trimester begins JOLT begins its first trimester of courses and optional dinner with time to socialize on Thursday nights starting Sept. 4. The courses are for teens in grades eight through 12. The first trimester includes eight sessions on Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A dinner option is available at 6 p.m. Participants may register before or on the first night of classes Sept. 4. Pre-registration is encouraged to guarantee class choice. Course descriptions and registration form are available at www. cajestl.org or contact JOLT Director Maxine Weil at 314-442-3757 or mweil@cajestl.org.
Sunday, Aug. 31
Friday, Sept. 5
Moishe House at Big Muddy Blues Festival
Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy legacy luncheon
Moishe House will meet at 4 p.m. and carpool to the Big Muddy Blues Festival on Laclede’s Landing — the annual outdoor festival over Labor Day weekend. Moishe House is located at 8940 Ladue Road. For more information, email moishehousestl@gmail.com.
Wednesday, Sept. 3 St. Louis NORC trip to history museum The St. Louis NORC will lead a bus trip to the Missouri History Museum to view the 250 in 250 exhibit, commemorating St. Louis 250th anniversary. The trip takes place from 9:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; participants will have lunch on their own. The cost for the bus is $10. Open to the community but RSVPs required to Laura at 3142-3255.
Women’s Philanthropy of Jewish Federation of St. Louis is hosting a Legacy Luncheon on Sept. 5 at 11:30 a.m. at the Jewish Federation Kopolow Building, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, to celebrate the strong history of Women’s Philanthropy in St. Louis. Attendees will enjoy a trip down memory lane and a look ahead to Women Philanthropy’s bright future. The charge for lunch is $36 per person. Register by Aug. 22 at http://wp.jfedstl.org/. For more information, contact Laura Fields at 314-4423805 or lfields@jfedstl.org.
Sunday, Sept. 7 Meeting for Jewish community adult co-ed bowling league See related news brief on page 5.
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ST. LOUIS JEWISH LIGHT
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Fourth annual 9-11 interfaith commemoration in music planned See related news brief on page 5.
JOLT goes ‘Beyond the Classroom’ JOLT (Jewish Opportunities and Learning for Teens) will hold the first of its “Beyond the Classroom” events from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7 at the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, 10601 Baur Boulevard. The service event is for all teens, JOLT participants and youth groups. RSVPs are encouraged. Beyond the Classroom experiences are planned monthly through April and include community service, cultural and educational opportunities.
Monday, Sept. 8 Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group The Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group will meet from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Adult Day Center at the JCC Family Complex. Monthly support groups are sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, in collaboration with the JCC, and led by a trained facilitator. Care for family members may be available but must be made by advance registration. Contact caseworker Elaine Most for more information: 314-442-3261.
Ongoing Judaism for Beginners classes at Temple Israel on Mondays Join Rabbis Amy Feder and Michael Alper on Mondays from 10 to 11 a.m. at Temple Israel for a casual introduction to Judaism class, discussing a wide range of topics, from life cycle and holidays to theology. This class is designed for Jews of all backgrounds, for those considering conversation and those in interfaith families. Open to the community; no RSVP necessary. For more information, call 314-432-8050.
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Classes at Covenant Place The following classes are free and open to the public. For information call 314-432-1610. Covenant Place is located at 8 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. Classes take place in Covenant II’s Milford & Lee Bohm Social Hall, unless noted otherwise. • New offering: A fun fitness class with RPI physical therapists using Nintendo Wii video games at 1 p.m. on Mondays. • Yiddish Club every other Monday at 7 p.m. in the Covenant I Harmony Room. Group facilitated by David Levine. • RPI physical therapists lead Tai Chi at 11:15 a.m. on Mondays, and chair aerobics exercises at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. • Chair yoga at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. • Music therapist Troy Jones leads bell choir the second and fourth Thursday of the month. • Meet with AW Health Care Registered Nurse to discuss medical questions Tuesdays at 2 p.m. in the Covenant I dining room. • The Covenant Place Chorale practices Wednesdays at 1:15 p.m. • Join the “Knit Wits” for a fun, interactive knitting class. The group meets Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Bring your own projects or take up one from the class. Some materials provided.
Yiddish Club Congregation Shaare Emeth’s Yiddish Club explores the beauty and wisdom of the Yiddish language, literature and culture and includes personal experiences shared by members of the club. Schlep to the next meeting and kvell over the Yiddish words you recognize and enjoy, even if you don’t “speak Yiddish.” Yiddish Club is held at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of every month except holidays. All are welcome. For more information, contact Emily Thal at ethal@ shaare-emeth.org or 314-692-5365.
Share your simchas with the community Celebrate your family’s cherished moments with an announcement on the Light’s simchas page
For more information call 314–743–3674 or visit www.stljewishlight.com/simchas
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D’VAR TORAH
LETTERS
Parashat Re’eh: ‘We must hear their cry and respond with open hearts’
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 ful police force who seems to see us as the enemy. We are all too familiar with being portrayed by our society as villains to be scapegoated and misunderstood. We know what it means to not be able to protect our own children from danger and even death. We know what it means to yearn for a state that will protect us and even celebrate us. And, at this time in history, I believe that we who are lucky enough to live in the era of Modern Israel and can count on the right of refuge from persecution, have a moral imperative to understand the same yearning--and its cousin despair--when it is in our own American backyard. This summer is the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer, a fateful turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, a summer during which many Jews risked their safety to stand on the side of justice. When the history is written about this summer in Ferguson, what will the Jewish legacy be? I fear it will barely make the notes, though maybe it is not too late to change this particular story. We could at least prepare to do better the next time this happens, but I pray that we will remember the call of “Never Again” and invest as a community in making sure that there is no “next time.” Sarah Barasch-Hagans, Rabbinical Student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Class of 2018; Solomon Schechter Day School of St. Louis, Class of 2002
must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs…. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will incur guilt.” (Deuteronomy, 15:7-9) Today, in our neighborhood, in our midst, many who are needy are crying out to the Lord. Many are crying against the government that represents us. If we do not hear their call and respond, we are implicit in our guilt. If we harden our hearts to the stranger, to the widow and orphan, to those who are enslaved by cycles of poor education and poverty, than we fail to hear God’s call to us today. Today, as the eyes of the world look to St. Louis and ask the question, “What are they crying about?” We must hear their cry and respond with open hearts. That is the call we are hearing today. This moment will pass, and the world’s attention will turn elsewhere, but the cries will not cease. May we be blessed with receptive ears and open hearts to hear and respond God’s call to us today. May we be partners in bringing about a day that justice for all is our reality rather than our dream. May we see the fulfillment of the ideal God calls to us in our parasha, “Efes ki lo y’hiyeh b’cha evyon” “There shall be no needy among you.” (Deut. 15.4)
BY RABBI ARI KAIMAN
The word “today” is mentioned a total of eight times in Parashat Re’eh. This is how that parasha opens, “See, today I set before you blessing and curse: blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I enjoin upon you today; and curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you today and follow other gods, whom you have not experienced.” The word today breaks through the third wall of the text and calls us to action in every generation. The action we are called to in this parasha is the fulfillment of our Rabbi Ari unique identity through Kaiman God’s people. We are supposed to be strong in who we are, and know who we are not. Some mitzvot, like not eating certain foods, help remind us of our unique identity and live proudly as Jews. We have a responsibility today to understand what it means to live uniquely as Jews. Other mitzvot speak to our responsibility to those who are in our midst. “If there is a needy person among you…do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy brother. You
Ari Kaiman is Assistant Rabbi at Congregation B’nai Amoona.
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Time to step up It is time now for the Jewish community to come forward and be counted. Ferguson is not a distant village on the far side of the world, but a community where members of our own congregations may live and work. We must move forward. One way is to join the Metro St. Louis Coalition for Inclusion and Equity (MSLICE), which is working to remove the barriers that 40 years of neglect and ignorance has created. Since its inception, MSLICE’s work has focused on the north side of St. Louis to address disparities of environmental justice, civic engagement, and equitable community and economic development practices. It is our community that is at stake. Rabbi Susan Talve, in a teaching in front of the governor, stated that at the Red Sea one person waded first into the deep water; his faith led the way, and afterward all the community followed. This could be a metaphor for Holy Ground Collarbrative and MSLICE coalition. Join us. Visit http:// bit.ly/MSLICE or call 314-769-9771 for more information. Rick Isserman, Member Holy Ground Collaborative Creve Couer Submit letters to the editor to letters@ thejewishlight.com. Letters may be edited for grammar, length and clarity. Please include your name, municipality and a daytime telephone number. Call 314-743-3665 for more information.
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simchas
TONS-GERCHEN ENGAGEMENT
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SIMCHAS —CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE announcements are paid submissions and do not reflect any endorsement of the newspaper or its board or the St. Louis Jewish community at large. SUBMIT your simcha announcement online at stljewishlight.com/simchas or contact Editorial Assistant Cheryl Gouger at cgouger@thejewishlight.com or 314-743-3674.
MITZVOT FROM THE HEART Blake Siegel (center) continues to volunteer with two local instructional sports programs, Team Activities for Special Kids (TASK) and Challenger Baseball.
Blake Seigel Staci Patrice Tons, daughter of Bruce and Sherri Tons of St. Louis, and Joseph Irving Gerchen, son of David and Ruth Gerchen of St. Louis, have announced their engagement. She is the granddaughter of the late Eugene and Phyllis Tons, and the late Louis and Harriet Kolchinsky, all of St. Louis. He is the grandson of Shirley and the late Marvin Gerchen, and Genevieve and the late Irving Rondberg, all of St. Louis. The bride-to-be is a 2007 graduate of Parkway North High School, and a 2011 graduate of Bradley University, where she earned her bachelor of arts degree in public relations with minors in business management and leadership studies. She
is currently a fundraising coordinator at the Muscular Dystrophy Association in St. Louis. Her fiancé is a 2006 graduate of Parkway Central High School, and a 2010 graduate of the University of Missouri- Columbia, where he earned his bachelor of science degree in personal financial management, with a minor in business. He is currently the head of a commercial insurance division for Larson Financial Group in St. Louis. The couple met through the Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ Young Professional Division leadership class. A September, 2015 wedding is planned.
Share your simcha in the Light Visit stljewishlight.com/simchas
Congregation Shaare Emeth Every Thanksgiving and winter vacation Blake’s family travels to Florida to visit his grandparents. Because holidays are a difficult time for people who are not as fortunate as he, Blake likes to give back during that time to help the needy. Blake is the son of Heidi and Brian Seigel of Chesterfield. One of the organizations he volunteers with is Boca Helping Hands (BHH) in Boca Raton, Fla., a community-based organization that provides food and emergency assistance. During Blake’s visits he would hand out packages of food and household items to those in need. In addition to BHH, Blake enjoys serving holiday meals to the elderly residents at the Boca Jewish Center. This past school year, Blake volunteered with two local instructional sports programs because he really loves sports and enjoys working with kids that he feels he can directly help. “Blake is compassionate and empathetic,” said Blake’s mother. “He connects and bonds with
people very easily and gains such a sense of accomplishment by connecting with the children.” The first program was TASK, Team Activities for Special Kids, located in Fenton, which provides athletic and social opportunities to kids with special needs to help build self-esteem and skills. Blake helped the kids play kickball, bowling and wiffle ball. “I loved playing with the kids at TASK,” said Blake. “The best part was seeing the smiles on their faces when I helped them play kickball and the other activities we did together.” The other program was Challenger Baseball, a league for kids and adults with disabilities. He shadowed some of the children while they played baseball. Volunteering for these organizations allowed Blake, a student at Parkway Central Middle School, to team up with physically challenged children and help teach them to play the sports he enjoys. These programs also helped Blake gain a greater appreciation for his ability to share with others the blessings he enjoys in life. He will continue to volunteer with both programs this year.
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For assistance in placing an obituary notice, please contact Editorial Assistant Cheryl Gouger at cgouger@thejewishlight.com or 314-743-3674.
GEORGE ALBERSTAT, died August 14, 2014. Beloved husband of Shirley Alberstat; dear father of Susan (Allan) Cohen and the late Mark Alberstat; stepfather of Terry Wesler; loving grandfather of Michael Stewart Cohen; beloved brother of Irwin (Roz) Alberstat, Ellen Alberstat and the late Sherry (Harold) Lending; dear brother-in-law of Ethel Fleishman and the late Alan Fleishman and the late Lenard (th late Sylvia) Fleishman; dear uncle of Carol (Norman) Newmark and Craig (Jan) Lending and the late Scott Lending; beloved greatuncle of Julie, Samantha and Eli Newmark; our dear cousin and friend. Contributions to United Hebrew Congregation, Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Rindskopf-Roth BEN APRIL, died August 14, 2014. Beloved husband of Wendy Rifkin April for 29 years; loving father of Sarah Danielle April and Laura Michelle April; dear son of Max and Ruth April; beloved brother of Paul (Loretta Vitale) April; dear son-in-law of Molly and the late Dr. Shale Rifkin; beloved brother-in-law of Dr. Robert (Rose) Rifkin and Kathy (Bill) Kottwitz; cherished uncle of Tracy (Paul), Sam (Raquel), Katy, Rachel, Kenny and Abe; our dear cousin and friend to many. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Contributions to the Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, Mo., 63110 or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Rindskopf-Roth
JEAN MECHAM BARKER, died August 10, 2014. Beloved widow of Sheldon L. Barker, Jr.; loving mother of Marti Maurer of Chesterfield, Mo. and Sarah Barker of Marietta, Ga.; devoted grandmother of Marissa (fiancée Stephen Fedak) and Hilary Kramer, Hannah Maurer, Matthew (Melissa) Cable and Holly Yancey; sister of Martha (Richard) Pappas, the late Ivan R. Mecham, Jr., and the late Maurice Meacham; sister-in-law of Sarah E. Thomas; loving aunt and great-aunt. She graduated from Brandeis University in 1954 and was a beloved English teacher and guidance counselor in her hometown of Keene, N.H. The role in life she cherished most was that of mother and grandmother. Contributions to the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8111, 4488 Forest Park Boulevard, Suite 130, St. Louis, Mo. 63108, the Temple Israel Interfaith Fund, Faith Aloud, P.O. Box 430070, St. Louis, Mo. 63143, or the charity of your choice. FLORENCE ‘FLOSSIE’ BIERNBAUM, died August 14, 2014. Dear widow of Sidney Biernbaum; dear mother and mother-in-law of Ava (Steve) Schwedt and David (Lora) Biernbaum; dear grandmother of Erica (Mitch) Lefkowitz, Dr. Todd (Emily) Schwedt, Lee (Dina Aronzon) Biernbaum and Renee Biernbaum; dear great-grandmother of Lauren and Taylor Lefkowitz, Maya, Madeline and Julia Schwedt and Sadie Biernbaum; dear sister and sister-in-law of the late Myrtle (the late Al) Spirtas and
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Martin (Craig) Rubenstein; life-long friend of Elly Mitleider; dear aunt, cousin and friend. Contributions to Congregation Shaare Emeth or the Alzheimer’s Association. Berger Memorial FLORENCE BOYER, died August 13, 2014. A native of Chicago; beloved widow of Ben Boyer; loving mother and motherin-law of David (Susan) Boyer of Los Angeles, Calif., Terri (Daniel) Zazove of Highland Park, Ill. and Linda (Edward) Dahl of Creve Coeur, Mo.; beloved grandmother of Benjamin (Joanna) Boyer, Benjamin (Jeanne) and Jonathan (Coecillia) Zazove, Brandon (Stephanie) and Allison Dahl; dear great-grandmother of Mackenzie Boyer, Owen and Clara Dahl and Julian Zazove; dear aunt and friend. Contributions to Foundation Fighting Blindness, P.O. Box 17279, Baltimore, Md. 21297 or to the charity of your choice. META NEUMANN FEIST, died August 15, 2014 in her home in Chesterfield, Mo. Born February 2, 1922, she escaped Nazi Germany in 1938 with her mother, Sophie Neumann and sister, Gerti Strauss and settled in St. Louis where she worked in the needle trades. In 1941 she married Martin Feist and together they built a life in Collinsville, Ill. There they owned and operated the Mary Ann Shop, an upscale high style women’s clothing store. A talented seamstress and knitter, she enjoyed golf and was a skilled bridge player. Her charm, kindness and generosity to others endeared her to all who knew her. In addition to her husband, mother, and sister, she was predeceased by her brothers, Marcel Newman and Kurt Neumann. She is survived by her daughters, Vivian Feist Garfein (fiancé Mike Abram) and Ellen Mandel (Craig Mandel); Rabbi Stanley J. Garfein (for-
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RAE GASKIN, died August 14, 2014. Beloved sister and sister-in-law of the late Dorothy (the late Harry) Chorlins and the late Harry Gaskin; dear aunt of Helene Chorlins Meyer and the late Stanley Chorlins; dear great-aunt. Berger Memorial
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JUDITH ‘JUDI’ GARLAND, died August 12, 2014 after a long and courageous battle with ovarian cancer. Cherished wife and best friend for 46 years of Robert “Bob” Garland; only child of Sanford and the late Ruth Safron; loving and caring mother of three adoring children, Jim Garland, Stacy (Tom) Nehrkorn, and Melanie (Stuart) Imber; devoted grandmother of two darling granddaughters, Brittany and Natalie Nehrkorn and three adorable grandsons, Jack, Jonny and JJ Imber; dear sister-inlaw of Randy Garland (Betsy Rubenstein) and Sherri (Jim) Rosen; our close aunt, niece, cousin and valued friend. She was a teacher at Lucky Lane Pre-school for 25 years and always enjoyed working with children. She left there when she took ill in 2007. She remained a teacher until the very end. She was a role model to all of her family and friends, showing them how to handle adversity with amazing grace, dignity, determination and courage. Her smile, laughter and kind heart will be missed greatly by all who knew and loved her. Contributions to St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness, 12015 Manchester Road, Suite. 130, St. Louis, Mo. 63131 or to the charity of your choice. Berger Memorial
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mer son-in-law); grandchildren, Cantor Rebecca Garfein (Marvin Gellman), Dr. Susanna Garfein (Ross Goldstein), Elliot Mandel and Jordan Mandel; great-grandsons, Max and Jake Gellman, and Bram Feist Goldstein as well as her nieces Rita Worth (Barry Worth) and Carol Shook (Rabbi Mark Shook) and nephew Burton Newman (Representative Stacey Newman). Contributions to the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, 10950 Schuetz Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63146. Rindskopf-Roth
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OBITUARIES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
DR. BYRON GROSS, died August 14, 2014. Beloved widower of Vivian Yawitz Gross; dear father of Karen (the late Howard) Richman and Howard J. (Leslie) Gross; beloved grandfather of Stuart Richman, Stephanie Mitchell, Brian (Danielle) Gross and Adam (Joanna) Gross; loving great-grandfather of Jacob, Chloe, Ella and Alexandra Gross; dear son of the late Sarah and Herman Gross; beloved brother of the late Frieda K. Schramm; our dear brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend. He was a WWII Army Captain who served in England, France and Germany. Contributions to the Israel Defense Fund. RindskopfRoth BRIAN MARK KIDDER, died August 10, 2014 suddenly. Beloved son of Barry and Phyllis Kidder; dear brother and brother-in-law of Louis Scott Kidder, Melanie Beth (Robert) Tamsky and Sarah Stanley; dear father and father-in-law of Pamila (Jeremey) Hinton and Nicholas Kidder; dear grandfather of Madison and Olivia Hinton. He died unexpectedly and will be in our hearts forever. He served our country in the Navy with honor and dignity for 20 years. Services: Internment at Barrancas National Cemetery Pensacola, Fl. Contributions to the Humane Society of Missouri. ARTHUR L. POGER, died August 14, 2014. Cherished husband, lover and friend for 37 years of Fran (née Harris) Poger; beloved son of the late Ann (the late Jack) Poger; loving father of David Poger, Paula (John) Belk and loving step-father of Debi (Loomstein) Blanchard and David Loomstein; beloved Gpa of Eliana and Maya Poger and Madison and Paige Blanchard; loving brother of Lynn (Jon) Olivetti, brother-in-law of the late H. Neal Harris and step-brother of the late Phil (Charlotte) Rosenblum and the late Norman (Barbara) Rosenblum; our dearest cousin and friend. He graduated law school from the University of Missouri in 1959. He was an outstanding lawyer, having completed 49 years as a trial and appellate lawyer, St. Louis prosecuting attorney and mediator before retiring in 2008. He had the honor of practicing law before the U.S. Supreme Court. Contributions to the St. Louis American Parkinson Disease Association, the St. Louis Holocaust Museum & Learning Center or the cancer charity of your choice. Berger Memorial
DANIEL SPIELBERG, died August 13, 2014. Dear son of Edward and Judy Spielberg; beloved brother of Adam and Carly Spielberg, Lisa Broddon, and Andy and Michelle Spielberg; loving nephew of Frank Spielberg, Barbara and the late Michael Spielberg, Cindy and Lawrence Hillman, Susan and Jon Garrett, Joe Fredlich, Ella and Trista; dear cousin of Marissa, Gabrielle, Leah, Noah, Sean, Troy, Stephanie, Stacey and Joanna; beloved uncle of Joel, Connor, Mitchell and Hannah; and a kind friend to very many. Contributions to NCADA, 8790 Manchester Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63144, 314-962-3456. Rindskopf-Roth DEANNA WALLERSTEIN (nee Solomon), died August 12, 2014. Beloved wife of Sheldon L. Wallerstein; dear mother and motherin-law of Neil (Micki) Wallerstein, Eric (Amy) Wallerstein and Michael (Jeffrey Ricker) Wallerstein; dear grandmother of Samantha, Devon, Benjamin, Seth, Ethan and Talia Wallerstein; dear sister and sister-inlaw of the late Martin Solomon and the late Evelyn (the late Alvin) Schucart; dear sister-in-law of the late Miriam Bluestein. Special thanks to her caregiver, Edna Washington. Dear aunt, great-aunt, cousin and friend. Contributions to American Parkinson Disease Association- St. Louis Chapter, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Mo. 63110 or The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, N.Y. 101634777. Berger Memorial EDWARD ZALTSMAN, died August 12, 2014. Beloved husband of the late Diane Zaltsman; dear father and father-in-law of Jocelyn “Jody” (Jon) Rubin and Alicia Lynn Zaltsman; dear grandfather of Jacob Rubin, Jeanne Rubin, Avraham Rubin, Moshe Rubin, Avital Rubin and Naomi Halasey; dear brother of Norman Zaltsman; our dear uncle, cousin and friend. Contributions to the charity of your choice. Berger Memorial
For assistance in placing an obituary notice, contact Editorial Assistant Cheryl Gouger at 314-743-3674 or cgouger@ thejewishlight.com. Obituary notices are $25 and may include up to 200 words as well as a color or black-and-white photograph.
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Israeli filmmaker Menahem Golan dies at 85 JERUSALEM — Israeli filmmaker Menahem Golan, who produced more than 200 movies, including several popular action films of the 1980s, died last Friday in Tel Aviv. He was 85. Golan, a co-founder with his cousin Yoram Globus of the Cannon Group production company, reportedly lost consciousness outside his home in Jaffa while walking with family members. He was pronounced dead after an hour of attempts to resuscitate him. Globus told the Hollywood Reporter that Golan was “undoubtedly a founding member of the Israeli cinematic landscape, locally and all of its appeal internationally.” Golan produced such films as “The Delta Force,” starring Chuck Norris; the “Death Wish” sequels with Charles Bronson; “Masters of The Universe” starring Dolph Lundgren; “Cobra” starring Sylvester Stallone; and “Bloodsport” with JeanClaude Van Damme. He also produced the iconic Israeli films “Sallah Shabati” starring Israeli actor Chaim Topol, and “Operation Thunderbolt,” based on the Israeli raid on Entebbe airport in Uganda. Golan was born in Tiberias in northern Israel, the son of Polish immigrants. He changed his last name from Globus after the 1948 War of Independence for patriotic reasons. He was the recipient of the Israeli Film Academy’s Ophir Award for Lifetime Achievement and The Israel Prize. — JTA
DISCUSSING GAZA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
years — anti-Semitism. Students in all likelihood are not oblivious of the virulent hostility to Israel and Jews surfacing in the media and on the Web. It’s not clear how prepared schools are to address this issue. In reaction to the overemphasis on the Holocaust the 1960s through the 1980s, the pendulum of American Jewish fashion has swung away from discourse about anti-Semitism. Now, with the blatantly negative media coverage of Israel’s prosecution of the war and the resurgence of anti-Semitism around the globe, the subject warrants considerably more attention. The dilemma facing schools in addressing the new anti-Semitism is how to avoid reviving what historian Salo Baron once described as “the lachrymose [tearful] conception of Jewish history.” The saga of the Jews is about a great deal more than persecution. Yet with the barely concealed animosity toward Jews evident in some quarters here in America and abroad, alas, the need to teach young people about the insidious nature of anti-Semitism has become pertinent again. As they formulate a school response to the war, educators might consider three important lessons derived from “Hearts and Minds,” a recent report on Israel education in North American Jewish schools: First, one size does not fit all students. Classrooms this September will contain some students who are largely ignorant about the Gaza war and others who have been exposed to it up close. Students who spent part of the summer in Israel undoubtedly will attest to what it was like to run to bomb shelters or sense the fear aroused in Israel’s populace by
Hamas tunnels. Teachers will face the daunting task of bridging differences in what students heard from their parents and absorbed elsewhere about the war. The diversity of students and their families adds a considerable measure of complexity to an already challenging situation. All of this places a great responsibility upon teachers to prepare differentiated responses to a broad range of students. Second, when teaching about Israel, it is imperative to work with students’ minds as well as their hearts. Jewish schools have focused their attention especially on the latter, an understandable approach with younger children. But by their middle school and high school years, students deserve to be exposed not only to the joyous dimensions of the Jewish state, but also to the complexities within Israeli society and outside of it in the tough neighborhood of the Middle East. And third, teaching about other Jewish communities — their achievements and challenges — does not detract from a connection to Israel but strengthens the ties of students to the Jewish people and also Israel. In some parts of the world, notably in several European countries, Jewish communities are under siege. American Jewish students should not be shielded from these ugly realities. This is the time to teach students about the interconnectedness of all Jews, a lesson that will also strengthen their engagement with Israel and its people. The Gaza war presents Jewish schools with a teachable moment, a time to explore with their students (in an ageappropriate manner) the asymmetrical struggle in which Israel is engaged and the surge in hatred confronting Jews — including children — in many parts of the world.
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COVERAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
include hate speech and are contrary to our mission and editorial policies. If you are supposed to be the local source for Jewish news, how do you ensure timely coverage as a weekly newspaper? Every day, we update our website, stljewishlight.com, with breaking news of interest to our readers. This includes not only international and national news, but also local news. It’s not uncommon for a story to appear on our website before it appears in the paper because of when it occurred in our news cycle. So, for example, when a white
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supremacist gunned down three people in Overland Park, Kan., about 2 p.m. on a Sunday last April, we had a story on our website by 4 that day. We kept updating the story on the website and then for the paper when it went to press Tuesday night. We encourage our readers to go to our website for the latest news. What about local protests and rallies – how do those get covered? When are they news and when are they not? The short and ambiguous answer is: it depends. Really, each instance has its own nuances, which affect its coverage. If the event is one that has significant interest to, or involvement by, the Jewish community, we strive to cover it. So the Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
events have all been covered, but so have those organized by community members on their own. Each event, however, requires a separate analysis about the scope and focus of coverage: • If protesters show up at a solidarity event like the one the Federation and JCRC had July 29, with the apparent purpose of disrupting the event, there’s little value in covering their actions other than in passing. Television stations might like this kind of “hotspot” news from a ratings perspective, but to us, it’s more akin to a streaker running across the field at a ballgame. • If there’s an event that’s intentionally designed to entertain questions from the audience, like the one the Federation and JCRC had July 21, and an audience member asks unpopular
2014 ANNUAL MEETING and Awards Ceremony
09 22 2014
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
6:00 PM Hors D’oeuvre Reception • 7:00 PM Meeting (Dietary laws observed)
JCC Staenberg Family Complex, Arts & Education Building 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146
The Bernard A. Edelstein Memorial Lecture will be given by
STEVEN H. LIPSTEIN, BJC President and CEO
Lipstein leads BJC HealthCare, which serves patients and their families in the greater St. Louis, southern Illinois and mid-Missouri regions through 13 hospitals and other health-service organizations. Come hear his story of how family, tradition and engagement in our community have made a difference in his life and in his leadership capacity at BJC HealthCare.
AWARD PRESENTATIONS David N. and Roselin Fred A. Goldstein Grosberg Young Award for Professional Corporate Leadership Awards Excellence Leadership Award
2014 BOARD NOMINEES BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers
Harvey Wallace, Vice Chair Campaign Jane Roodman Weiss, Vice Chair Financial and Human Resource Development Ruth Raskas, Vice Chair Planning and Allocations Michael Oberlander, Vice Chair Finance/Treasurer Gerald Greiman, Vice Chair Strategic Planning Robert Newmark, Vice Chair At-Large/Secretary
At-Large Directors Gianna Jacobson Susan Godwin Kofkoff Emily Stein MacDonald Ian Silberman Michael Staenberg Timothy Stern Rabbi Susan Talve Toby Warticovschi
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Board of Trustees will also be elected and installed at the meeting.
questions or makes challenging comments, as one did, then reporting the member’s words is fair game. The challenge is to ensure the proper context; in this case, those comments represented a relatively small percentage of the time and program and were reported that way. • If there’s a pro-Palestinian rally and a pro-Israel counter-rally, as happened Aug. 3, it is appropriate to report on both and gather information from both. We know there are readers who disagree – we’re a Jewish publication and thus should only report the pro-Israel side – but our view is that covering news is not the same as offering opinion, and showing our readership that there’s anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric in the community, as there is elsewhere, is very important.
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INSIDE SPORTS by Skip Erwin
Sixty years ago, on Aug. 16, 1954, Sports Illustrated printed its first issue. That issue’s cover boy was Eddie Mathews, later a Hall of Famer after an illustrious career mostly with the Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves. After Mathews’ baseball career, he married the daughter of Gussie Busch. Sports Illustrated was the brainchild of Henry Luce, who also founded Time and Life magazines. The late, acclaimed author David Halberstam, in his book “The Powers That Be,” wrote about Luce’s profound sense of other people’s interests. Even though Luce had little knowledge of sports, he kept Sports Illustrated going when it was a very expensive loser financially, against the advice of his business associates. And although sports didn’t matter to Luce, he recognized how addicted people were to them. Ironically, despite Luce's apathy toward sports, Sports Illustrated lives on, while television would contribute mightily to the death of Luce’s beloved Life magazine. Hall of Fame Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, still calling games at 86, began his 62-year career with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949. He said he read the first issue of Sports Illustrated in the clubhouse at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. “In the beginning Sports Illustrated was a rich man’s magazine with mainly articles on sailing,” Scully said. “I thought, ‘Why aren’t these guys doing all sports?’ ” The magazine did cover baseball and other sports, but in the early days it devoted a lot of space to high society activities. However, Sports Illustrated did adjust its focus back to popular sports coverage and it became the standard for sports magazines. It became and continues to be the most powerful of all sports periodicals. Cardinals Mike Shannon, Willie McGee, Jim Edmonds and Marty Marion were inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 16, the same date commemorating the 60th anniversary of Sports Illustrated. As Mel Allen, the golden-voiced Jewish Hall of Fame broadcaster of the New York Yankees would often say: “How about that.” Skip Erwin wrote & broadcast sports shows for KMOX for 25 years. Member JCC & UMSL Sports Hall of Fame.
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