New York Jewish Life Vol. 5

Assemblyman Lavine Slams State Ed over Nazi Teaching Exercise in Upstate School

A Pastrami Grows in Brooklyn as Katz’s Deli Expands

Four Questions with RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum

VOL. 1, NO. 5 | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NEWS THAT MATTERS TO JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA | NYJLIFE.COM | FREE

Learning the Past Confronting the Present Educating the Future

Museum of Jewish Heritage A Living Memorial to the Holocaust presents

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE COMMEMORATIONS AND EVENTS NEW YORK CITY APRIL 19 – APRIL 30, 2017

#StoriesSurvive EDMOND J. SAFRA PLAZA | 36 BATTERY PLACE | LOWER MANHATTAN DOWNLOAD A COMPLETE GUIDE AT WWW.MJHNYC.ORG/REMEMBER PHOTO BY B.A. VAN SISE

2 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

Social Media Companies Not Doing Enough to Stop Hate Groups, Simon Wiesenthal Center Report Card Shows The Simon Wiesenthal Center released its 2017 Social Media Report Card at the office of NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer

BY STAFF

When it comes to curbing terrorism on its platforms, Google/YouTube received a “C-” from the internationally renowned human-rights nonprofit the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC). The organization released its 2017 Social Media Report Card last week, and took the social media giant to task for allowing the proliferation of “how to” videos that instruct people in the building and deploying of explosives from materials found in the home.

“Google/YouTube is rightfully under fierce criticism for placing digital ads from major international brands like AT&T and Johnson & Johnson next to extremist videos celebrating terrorist attacks that should never have been allowed on its platform in the first place,” stated Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the SWC. The SWC also gave Google/YouTube a “D” for failing to remove thousands of hate-speech posts from its site. It was not the only company to get bad grades on the report card, which focused heavily on the recent deadly attack in

London and the online emergence of extremists from the alt-right. Receiving the lowest grades were social media apps that provide encryption for users, such as WhatsApp and Signal. These apps allow terrorists like the London attacker to hide their activities from law-enforcement officials.

The report card was released at an event hosted by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, who was the first elected official to receive a copy of the annual report. At the event, Rabbi Cooper also spoke about the importance of protecting children from the proliferation of hate speech on social media sites.

“Experience has taught us that we cannot block the terrorists, racists and anti-Semites from targeting our kids with messages promoting hate,” said Cooper. “That is why the Simon Wiesenthal Center will be offering tutorials to New York City high school students to empower young people to deal with the tsunami of hate.”

To learn more about the SWC’s work, go to http://digitalhate.net

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 3

BDSWatch

Operation Fightback Is Underway

BY MAXINE DOVERE

In a strikingly positive atmosphere, some 2,000 opponents of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement—students, dignitaries, diplomats, government officials and representatives of NGOs (nongovernmental organizations)—convened in the General Assembly of the United Nations on March 29 to learn facts and response methodologies needed to combat the BDS. The daylong event was the second annual “Ambassadors Against BDS” conference, organized by the Mission of Israel at the United Nations in cooperation with the World Jewish Congress (WJC).

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, urged the audience not to be silent on the issue.

“The real danger of BDS is not in numbers…but in its ability to cower us into silence,” he said. “We cannot rest even for a moment. My friends, you must remember that silence is weakness. Silence is defeat.”

4 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

Danon praised legislation in both New York State and on the federal level that opposes politically motivated actions that penalize business with Israel.

He was specifically referencing the Combating BDS Act of 2017, introduced by U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat; and Marco Rubio of Florida, a Republican. But Danon also warned that the movement has faced setbacks recently in other parts of the world, including Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Spain.

“The fight goes on. We cannot rest even for a moment,” he warned.

During his speech, Danon declared that “we are winning” the fight against BDS as he discussed Operation Fightback. He noted that in the United Nations, anti-Israel resolutions are passed by countries guilty of human-rights violations and abuses. “How ironic that this is occurring in the United Nations, an organization founded on the principles of objectivity

and humanity,” he said.

Danon also acknowledged the realities of the composition of the United Nations members and where they stand on issues important to Israel.

“We can’t change the majorities in the Human Rights Council, at UNESCO, in the Security Council or in the General Assembly. But we can make our voices heard,” he said.

Danon’s speech also criticized the 2016 Human Rights Council decision creating a “blacklist” of West Bank “settlement” companies, calling it “pure anti-Semitism.”

In less than two years since his arrival at the United Nations, Danon has made a palpable difference in approach and accomplishment. He has exhibited the positive side of Israel and Jewish culture to ambassadors who previously had no connection to, or understanding of, the Jewish State or the Jewish people.

“Winds of change are blowing even here at U.N. headquarters,” said Danon, describing his relationship with the new secretary-general as “promising.” He added, “Secretary-General Guterres is a friend of the Jewish people. He wants Israel to be treated fairly, just like any other country.”

Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, has also been a vocal critic of the BDS movement. Speaking at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington last week, she said that BDS efforts “seek to deny Israel’s right to exist.”

Haley was the first governor of a U.S. state to sign anti-BDS legislation.

“The days of Israel-bashing are over,” she said at the AIPAC. “For anyone who says you can’t get anything done at the U.N., they need to know there is a new sheriff in town.”

Haley also connected the efforts on college campuses to delegitimize the state of Israel with the anti-Israel obsession at the United Nations.

She said, “They both seek to deny Israel’s right to exist. They are both extensions of an ancient hatred.

And how tragic is it that, of all the countries in the world to condemn for human-rights violations, these voices choose to single out Israel?”

She went on to say, “Iran, Syria, North Korea and other barbaric regimes are excused by the BDS movement. It makes no sense. And it has no connection to any reasonable definition of justice.”

Robert Singer is the WJC CEO and executive vice president. Speaking on behalf of the WJC president, Ambassador Ronald Lauder, Singer emphasized that “we must tell all who question Israel’s very right to exist, the state of Israel is not up for negotiation; the state of Israel is here to stay. We will not be silent when Israel is defamed.”

Referring to the positions of BDS proponents, he said, “They are not about peace; not about helping the Palestinians; not about human rights; not interested in a two-state solution.” The real purpose is “to deny

BDSWatch stance with Israel.”

Asked how the American public can influence BDS opposition, Danon said, “They have to be involved on campuses, they have to take to court those who would delegitimize Israel, and they need to speak up. That is the main message today.”

NYJL also asked about the success of the fight against the BDS and whether he believes less of a threat exists in 2017 than in previous years.

Danon cautioned, “It is not clear that we won the fight.

It’s ongoing. When we look at the Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, accomplishments of told the crowd that Operation Fightback is winning the the last year, we are battle against BDS. optimistic, but we still have to fight back.”

The proverbial elephant in the room the Jewish people’s right to a homeland in any diplomatic conversation about in Israel,” he added.

Singer went on to say that Israel is “a Israel is the location of the American state of innovation” and “a country that Embassy.

Asked if he “actually expected” comes to the aid of millions in need around the world. All we hear from the American embassy to be moved them are attacks against Israel….They to Jerusalem, Danon replied that “all embassies should move to Jerusalem, are hypocrites.”

He concluded on a more positive the capital of the Jewish people….Next note, saying, “Israel is not alone in this month we will be celebrating the 50th battle. The Jews in the Diaspora have anniversary of the reunification of joined this fight. No matter where in Jerusalem. We will be very happy to see the world, we are responsible for one the American Embassy in Jerusalem.”

Danon was especially gratified by another.”

During a break in the formal sessions, the developing relationship with Nikki New York Jewish Life asked Ambassador Haley. She “has already made clear that Danon how Israel’s position at the U.N. she stands with Israel,” he said.

Other speakers at the opening has changed.

“I believe,” Danon responded, “that included Jewish Agency for Israel we need to come with a new approach Chairman Natan Sharansky and Jay to this building. In the last year, we Sekulow of the American Center for have seen a lot of successes—first, the Law and Justice.

Following the plenary session, fact that I was elected the chairman of the Legal Committee at the U.N. and conference participants attended one of the [start of ] events fighting against two panel discussions: fighting the BDS BDS. I think this building is not going on social and digital media, or fighting to reverse its positions. We can make it on campuses around the world. The changes, especially with the support of closing panel, on fighting the BDS in the new American ambassador, Nikki the public sector, was moderated by Haley. We’re very happy to see a strong Robert Singer.

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 5

Publisher’s Note

News that matters to Jewish communities in the New York City metropolitan area

You have to be from someplace.

Even when you’re out in the world, someplace has to be home. If you’re just speaking for yourself, it’s enough to have been from someplace once.

But when your voice has authority— when you speak for others as an elected official or a news source—you need to keep your foundation.

Everyone, it seems, has a connection to Brooklyn, whether in Los Angeles, London, Israel or Florida, and folks from Chicago have their own “second city” pride thing going on. But if you’re going to present yourself as a voice that matters, you need to point to where home is.

“If you believe you are a citizen of the world, you’re a citizen of nowhere,” said Britain’s new prime minister Theresa May. Or, as I like to say, a voice that speaks for others cannot have a virtual constituency.

Which is why it’s noteworthy that The Forward, once The Jewish Daily Forward , is abandoning its weekly print circulation, preferring to be a pay-for-access online news source with a monthly magazine. I’m not being negative at all; I’m a longtime and current fan of that storied paper.

But it’s a move that deserves a broader discussion.

Everyone says print is dead, but it’s not. The end of print media has been so widely discussed that it’s taken as fact, even though there are print weeklies that are thriving. No doubt it’s difficult—New York Jewish Life is just a month old and already I feel that stress—but it’s very doable. The thing is this: To make it work, you have to be

from someplace. You have to be where the people are.

Again, let’s use The Forward as an example. Its actual constituency and history was in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, in the neighborhoods populated by progressive Jews with a similar mindset interested in politics of the time, theater, history, ideology, books and foreign affairs. Many in that demographic had a personal or family history grounded in far-left activism—whether in labor organizing; communist, socialist or anarchist activities; or community development.

My own history—my father’s parents and their immediate family—was a part of that space.

It bears repeating: I’m a fan of The Forward. I know, and respect, some of its reporters and one of its very talented editors. I’ve met its new publisher.

Turns out she was a college roommate of someone I know. My point isn’t about the paper; it’s about having a base.

Candidates for public office need a base. New services must fill a need.

New products or commodities have to have a market.

Howard Schultz (of Starbucks fame) figured out that consumers would spend 800 percent more for a cup of good coffee. Uber identified a preference in getting a ride, extending the seamless smartphone experience. Airbnb opened up a vacation market separate from hotels. Tesla is attempting to disrupt how we buy cars.

You have to be where the people are, even if you have to first identify and explain where you’re going. That will be the challenge for The Forward:

presenting and explaining its new space as it fills it with news. Change can be exciting, especially when it’s about your identity.

Daniel Patrick Moynihan, New York’s late intellectual U.S. senator, stopped having an actual constituency not long after he took office. His virtual constituency was the the ideal of cerebral New York liberalism.

He was somewhat beloved, and very accomplished, but could the “Senator from Academia” have been elected or kept office in today’s political environment? Is an idea of a constituency enough? Did former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn have this problem?

New York Jewish Life is a community newspaper, but our community is regional. We’re in Brooklyn, but also the Upper East Side. We’re in Riverdale and in the Five Towns. Our paper can be found in Forest Hills and in New Rochelle. You can grab a copy of NYJL in Albany and in Port Washington.

Calvin Trillin, a longtime favorite reporter, once famously quipped about raising his daughters in New York City, “Despite all evidence to the contrary, you are being raised in Kansas City.”

Even if it’s not where you are, someplace has to be home.

PUBLISHER

Michael Tobman LAUNCH EDITOR

Michael Gareth Johnson EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Sara Werden BUREAU CHIEF

Maxine Dovere COPY EDITOR

Marjorie Lipsky CONTRIBUTORS

Jenny Powers DESIGN

LETTER7

CANDLE LIGHTING

Friday, April 7 Candles 7:09 p.m.

Shabbat ends 8:18 p.m.

Monday, April 10 - Passover Candles 7:12 p.m.

Tuesday, April 11 - Passover Candles 8:13 p.m.

Passover Ends 8:15 p.m.

Michael Tobman, Publisher

©2017 929-274-0762 news@NYJLife.com www.nyjlife.com 306 Gold Street Brooklyn, NY 11201

6 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

FourQuestions

STUART APPELBAUM

President, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union

01

03

Are you better off now than you were four years ago?

I worry about what the Trump era means for all people in this country and elsewhere. Prior to the election I felt the country had been moving in the right direction. But in so many ways, that came to a halt on November 8. As a union leader I see workers continue to struggle, and that’s disheartening. As a gay man I’m pleased that marriage equality became the law of the land in 2015, with all that signifies.

And as an American, my heart goes out to all the immigrants who are living in fear.

What was the last television show you bingewatched?

“The Untold History of the United States,” which was produced by Oliver Stone. I watched it on Netflix this past year even though it was produced earlier. In many ways I found the series insightful, presenting another way of viewing events that are etched into the American consciousness. Even if you don’t agree with everything that is asserted in the series, I think it’s well worth viewing.

02

What was your favorite vacation from your childhood?

We didn’t really take vacations when I was growing up in Hartford, Ct., other than to visit my mother’s family in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The last thing we’d do before we would leave Hartford on each trip was to stop at the kosher bakery and buy a loaf of rye bread to bring to Boston. I grew up thinking that they didn’t have bread in Boston and that’s why we had to bring it.

Have you ever been the target of discrimination?

Like many others, I have felt the sting of antiSemitism and homophobia from time to time.

Sometimes people may have not even understood what they were saying and doing; other times it may have been intentional. But nonetheless, I feel that in many ways I have lived a fortunate life, regardless of other people’s attitudes.

04

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 7

H A P P Y PA S S O V E R

The Five Best Exotic Passover Hotels

BY BEN SALES

(JTA)—The Sun Belt is so yesterday.

For decades, the Passover all-inclusive holiday has become a mainstay for a certain subset of Orthodox Jews with expendable income. Families who observe the holiday and its strict dietary laws can ditch the cleaning, the koshering and the cooking for eight days in the sun, with all of their kosher-for-Passover meals taken care of—including two seders and all their trappings.

The stereotypical spring-break locales—think Florida, Arizona, Mexico and the Caribbean—used to own the Passover hotel game, according to Raphi Bloom, founder of TotallyJewishTravel.com, a website that serves as a clearinghouse for Passover vacation bookings. The site lists at least 15 options in Florida alone. In addition, most hotels in Israel become kosher for Passover.

But this year the options are increasing, Bloom said, due in part to a strong economy. The number of Passover hotels advertising with him jumped to 130 from 120 a year ago, and he estimates that the website will serve about 80,000 total customers. Bloom said

visits to his website in advance of the holiday have jumped 33 percent over those in 2016.

With the increased competition, many Passover hotels are upping the ante. Beyond room, board and ritual needs—from seders to daily prayer services— hotels are drawing guests with ever-longer lists of amenities: water sports, golf and tennis, climbing walls, fitness and dance classes, full-day programs for kids, massages and day trips.

Some feature prominent Orthodox scholars-inresidence, such as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks or former Sen. Joseph Lieberman. Many advertise their adherence to the strictest levels of kashrut (religious dietary laws).

Such experiences don’t come cheap: Prices for these all-inclusive experiences range from about $1,500 to $8,000 per person, according to Bloom.

But for those with cash to spare, here are five of the most exotic destinations in which to spend Passover this year.

MOROCCO

Mazagan Beach and Golf Resort Passover in a country with no diplomatic relations with Israel? It’s possible.

Morocco has a small Jewish community and a

thriving etrog industry. It’s become a Passover destination for Jews who want a Middle Eastern Passover outside of Jerusalem or Tel Aviv (or Egypt, for that matter).

This offering provides a mix of Western luxe and Middle Eastern history and culture. Located an hour south of Casablanca, the resort has golf (obviously), massages, go-carts, all-terrain vehicles, biking and tennis.

But for those who want to immerse themselves in the country, the program also offers day trips to Rabat, Marrakesh and Casablanca that showcase Morocco’s tourist highlights as well as Jewish historical sites— from Rabat’s Mellah, or Jewish quarter, to the grave of Joseph Caro, a 16th-century Jewish legal sage.

“The country of Morocco, for Jews, is very open relative to [other] Arab countries, and we want to take the opportunity to improve relations,” said Raphael Torjman, who manages the program and whose family hails from Morocco. “There are people who want to see this history.”

Also on offer: a Mimouna, or traditional Sephardic meal held after Passover. It incorporates round challah, eggs, dairy and fish.

AUSTRALIA

Marriott Resorts & Spa on the Gold Coast Passover Down Under! For those willing to brave a seriously long flight, there’s an Aussie Pesach at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa on Australia’s “Gold Coast.”

Along with relaxation and, if you so desire, Torah classes, the resort boasts proximity to top Australian surfing destinations. There are theme parks nearby as well, and guests can also take a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system.

And if you think a nine-day package isn’t sufficient, the program offers “especially designed packages... in both Melbourne and Sydney to cater for our International guests who wish to arrive early.”

SOUTH AFRICA

Mazagan Beach and Golf Resort PHOTO COURTESY JTA

8 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

Arabella Hotel and Spa Go to the seder, and then go on safari.

That’s the pitch for this hotel outside Cape Town, which has the distinction of being the only Passover resort in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to golf, tennis and a swimming pool, the Arabella offers adventurous activities like shark diving, a crocodile farm and a zipline.

Wild animals, however, are the real draw here.

Safari trips offer guests guided tours into the bush where lions, hyenas and elephants await. But what makes this safari different from all other safaris? A kosher-for-Passover picnic basket packed for the ride.

Guests are attracted to “the idea of Africa being luxury in the bush,” said Yechiel Asseraf, who runs the program with his wife, Pammy, a safari guide. “It gives you an opportunity to see wildlife in its authentic form.”

H A P P Y PA S S O V E R

Club Med Lake Paradise in Brazil PHOTO COURTESY JTA

MONACO

Riviera Marriott Hotel If you don’t fancy a stay in a large country like Australia, why not spend the holiday in the world’s second-smallest nation, Monaco?

Passover hotels dot southern Europe from Spain to the Greek islands, but a stay in Monaco puts guests inside the playground of the rich and famous. Those who don’t drive a car during the holiday will have no problem traversing the entire country on foot—it’s smaller than a square mile—and taking in everything from the Monte Carlo Casino to the Grimaldi Palace to the yachts.

And during Passover’s intermediate days, when Jewish law permits spending money, those with bursting wallets can enjoy the country’s high-end shopping.

BRAZIL

Arabella Hotel and Spa

Club Med Lake Paradise If you want to travel far but avoid the jet lag, your best bet may be Club Med Lake Paradise, outside São Paulo. Guests here can climb, swim and kayak. But according to founder Salomão Berô, the resort’s 15-year-old Passover program is different from others in that it largely serves Latin American guests from places like Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Panama.

Berô, a chef, prides himself on the program’s cuisine, which includes kosher-for-Passover takes on Brazilian delicacies like pão de queijo, or cheese bread.

PHOTO COURTESY JTA

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 9

H A P P Y PA S S O V E R

For New York’s Jewish Communities, Passover Is About Convenience STAYING LOCAL FOR PESACH? NYC AREA OPTIONS OFFER A MIX OF CLASS, CONVENIENCE AND AFFORDABILITY.

Yehuda Green performing at Katz Pesach COURTESY: KATZ PESACH

COURTESY: MATZA FUN TOURS

BY STAFF

Is traveling to the Caribbean, Europe or elsewhere for Passover passé?

Decades ago, upstate locales like Grossinger’s offered the chance to swap the noise of the city for the beauty of the Catskills. After the resort closed its doors in 1986, many metro-area Jews observing Passover began to book travel to more exotic locations like Israel or the Caribbean, or to sign up for kosher cruises offered by Kosherica and others.

A renewed interest in local travel for Passover has tour operators and facilities sharpening their pencils to calculate cost and amenities. New York Jewish Life highlights five local options for the last-minute traveler. Send us your favorite travel tips, recipes or Passover memories at news@nyjlife.com.

1) Westchester Hilton (Leisure Time Tours) A quick 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, the Westchester Hilton is a convenient option that goes entirely kosher for Passover. The hotel “is set amidst 45 acres of verdant green landscape and gardens that invite guests to explore its beautiful grounds,” according to the Leisure Time website. Packages range from affordable to luxury, so there are options

10 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

for all budgets. Visit LeisureTimeTours.com for more information and booking.

2) The Long Island Hilton (Katz Family) Also 30 minutes from Manhattan, the recently renovated Hilton in Melville, Long Island, will be under the Katz family’s exclusive control throughout Pesach. On-site entertainment such as Yehuda Green, Uncle Moishy and the Mitzvah Men, and others is a great option for the whole family.

3) Ocean Place Resort and Spa (Matza Fun Tours) Located less than an hour from Manhattan, Matza Fun Tours returns to the Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch, N.J., for Pesach 2017. The “something for everyone” Pesach experience provides a beachfront setting and offers golf; sandy beaches; proximity to Atlantic City, Six Flags Great Adventure, Sandy Hook and Gateway National Recreation area or Tinton Falls Outlet Village; and more. Visit http:// matzafun.com/ for more information and for booking.

4) Honor’s Haven Resort and Spa (Yossi Zablocki) Following a $20 million renovation, the Honor’s Haven Resort is among the top choices for Pesach this year. Honor’s Haven is located in a beautiful upstate setting between the Shawangunk and Catskill

mountains in Ellenville, N.Y. The resort provides everything you need, including box lunches for excursions and on-site entertainment for adults and children alike. For more information and booking, please visit http://passoverathonorshaven.com/.

5) Staying in the city? No problem.

For individuals and families who want to stay close to home, there are many restaurants offering Passover prix-fixe meals and “experiences” within the five boroughs. Some of our recommendations: Talia’s - Talia’s will be open for Pesach 2017, including both seders, Yom Tov, Shabbat and Chol HaMoed lunch and dinner. A full-service bar that is glatt kosher for Passover will also be available. For reservations you can email info@taliassteakhouse.com.

The Russian Tea Room - The Russian Tea Room offers a Passover prix-fixe menu from April 10 to April 18 as it celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. For more information, please visit http://www. russiantearoomnyc.com/menus/passover.

The Knickerbocker Bar & Grill - For the downtown crowd, the Knickerbocker Bar & Grill offers a local and affordable option for Passover this year. Its Passover seder is held on one night, April 10, starting at 6:00 p.m. sharp. For more information, please visit http:// www.knickerbockerbarandgrill.com/seder-menu.

YeshivaMemories Once upon a time, not too long ago, an amazing teacher instilled in me a love of writing.

My fourth-grade teacher would encourage us to write our thoughts in a weekly journal. My mother bought me a hot-pink marble notebook that stood out from the many black-and-white ones in the classroom pile.

Each week I would write a message to my teacher about anything I wanted: about my week at school, my plans for the weekend, or my family and friends. Then, each week, she would read my entry and write back her own message.

Our correspondence was very important to me because it built not only my writing skills, but also a sense of pride that my voice, and what I had to say, was being heard and valued.

When my daughter began fourth grade this year, I happily took out my hot-pink marble notebook and we read my journal entries together. I’m thankful that she will have her own journal this year to document her thoughts. I hope she’ll save her book for her own daughter!

LAUREN APPEL Yeshiva of Central Queens Class of 1995

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 11

H A P P Y PA S S O V E R

Temple Tikvah’s Annual Women’s Seder Focuses on Female Role in Passover

BY MAXINE DOVERE

Temple Tikvah describes itself as a dynamic and inclusive Reform congregation that embraces every generation, where all are welcome to take part in a spiritual environment in which joy and personal connections flourish. The temple traces its roots to two Reform Jewish congregations, Temple Emanuel of New Hyde Park and Temple Israel of Jamaica Estates. In 2008, the two congregations joined to form Temple Tikvah, A Center for Reform Judaism.

Congregants come from Queens and Nassau counties.

“We have merged quite seamlessly,” says Arline Cazes, past president of Sisterhood and a current board trustee.

Temple Tikvah sees itself as a “community that welcomes everyone.” The name Tikvah means “hope” in Hebrew. The name was selected to

12 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

underscore the “hope that our congregation will always be a caring community, committed to strong connections to our faith and to each other, an active part of the multicultural community that surrounds us...that will honor its belief in tikkun olam—healing the world—by following a path of social action.”

Its Sisterhood seeks to “promote spirituality and encourage the continuation of education and learning.” One of its major events is the annual Women’s Seder, designed to encourage “women and girls of all ages [to] celebrate the unique role women have played at Passover.”

Cazes told New York Jewish Life that the Women’s Seder started about 10 years ago. “The women felt a little left out because of all the male references in the literature.”

As part of an effort to change that perception,

Temple Tikvah developed the Women’s Seder, using a female-oriented haggadah stressing the crucial role of the matriarchs and the female personalities of the Passover story. The haggadah was written by a Temple Tikvah congregant. Divided into 30 readings, it notes the important contributions of Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, but doesn’t stop with the matriarchs. The essential roles played by Shifra, Puah, Yocheved, Batya and, of course, Miriam, are explained. Only girls—all those under 13 are invited free—are allowed to ask the four questions, characterized as posed by “the four daughters.” The search for the afikoman—or hidden matzoh—gives each girl a chance to win a special seder prize.

Other womanly touches are part of the Temple Tikvah Women’s Seder: The songs of Debbie Friedman are sung, including “Miriam’s Song.”

Cazes explains, “At the very end, when we sing ‘Tefilat HaDerech’—A Prayer for the Journey—we ask that we may be blessed. Every year, it’s very emotional. It represents sisterhood, and how we feel about one another—a beautiful, emotional moment.”

As do many women’s sedorim (seders)—and many “general” sedorim as well—the Temple Tikvah seder adds one more item to the traditional elements on the holiday plate: an orange. Cazes explains that the tradition of including an orange on each seder plate began about 25 years ago. It stemmed from a response by Dr. Susannah Heschel to the supposed remark of an assumed-to-be Orthodox man in Miami concerning the place (or nonplace) of women. The gist of the comment was that having a woman on the bimah (pulpit) was like having bread on the seder plate. (Bread would cause the seder plate to be chametz, i.e., not kosher for Passover.)

Overall, says Cazes, the Women’s Seder emphasizes that women have had a role in Judaism from the beginning, and they certainly have a larger role now.

The orange was the “alternate choice” representing women’s rightful place in Jewish life.

In her 2003 book The Women’s Passover Companion (JPL), Heschel says the tradition was actually based on an Oberlin College event. While on the campus, she read a haggadah created by feminist Oberlin students that told the story of a rebbe (rabbinic leader) who was asked what room there was in Judaism for a lesbian. The rebbe is said to have responded, “There’s as much room for a lesbian in Judaism as there is for a crust of bread on the seder plate.”

Heschel writes that “I chose an orange because it suggests the fruitfulness for all Jews,” referring in particular to those, such as lesbians, who might be feeling marginalized. The orange’s seeds symbolize rebirth and renewal. Moreover, the orange is segmented, not fragmented, just as the Jewish community comprises discrete segments that nonetheless form a whole.

H A P P Y PA S S O V E R

the challenges they face in acclimating to their new homes are provided to accompany the seder.

The Zookeper’s Wife-Inspired Haggadah by the International Rescue Committee

FIVE SOCIAL-JUSTICE-THEMED SEDER SUPPLEMENTS TO TRY THIS PASSOVER

BY JOSEFIN DOLSTEN

NEW YORK (JTA) — At Passover, Jews around the world gather around their dining room tables to remember their ancestors’ plight as slaves in Egypt.

But the seder can also be a time to learn about the hardships facing others today.

For those looking to incorporate social justice themes into their seders—Passover starts this year on the night of April 10—there’s no need to look further than the following five haggadahs and supplementary readings. The texts address various social justice issues—from the noncontroversial, such as fighting global poverty, to the more politicized, such as calling for an end to Israel’s occupation.

Global Justice Haggadah by the American Jewish World Service (AJWS)

This seder guide draws parallels between the Israelites’ suffering in ancient Egypt and the plight of various groups and individuals in the modern world. The haggadah touches on issues such as the refugee crisis and genocide, global hunger, poverty, violence against LGBTQ people and the persecution of minorities.

“When tasting the matzah, the bread of poverty, let us find ways to help the poor and the hungry,” it urges the reader.

Interspersed among the traditional Passover rituals are photos of AJWS beneficiaries from around the world, including children in the Dominican Republic, a family living in a displaced persons’ camp in Burma and an Indian woman who escaped domestic violence.

Refugee Haggadah by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)

This supplement, created by the refugee resettlement group formerly known as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, ties the Jewish refugee experience to that of modern-day refugees. The Passover ritual of breaking a piece of matzah, for example, is likened to how “refugees across the globe experience the consequences of having their lives ruptured, and yet they find ways to pick up the pieces and forge a new, if imperfect, path forward.”

Readings about migrants’ escaping danger and

Here’s another refugee-inspired haggadah, but with an interesting twist: The International Rescue Committee’s seder supplement (created with the help of HIAS) is inspired by the movie The Zookeeper’s Wife. The film—and the haggadah—is based on a reallife Holocaust heroine, Antonina Zabinska (played by Jessica Chastain), who together with her husband saved 300 Jews by hiding them at the Warsaw Zoo, which the couple ran.

The supplement encourages readers to draw on their stories to help refugees today, and includes passages modeled on Passover readings. “The Four Heroes,” for example, is meant to be read after “The Four Sons,” and shows four different ways in which people can help refugees.

Holocaust Hero Haggadah by the Foundation for the Righteous

Every year, the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous releases a haggadah supplement that tells the story of a non-Jew who saved Jews during the Holocaust. This year’s materials tell the story of Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds, an American soldier who refused Nazi orders to separate captured Jewish and non-Jewish soldiers and thus saved 200 Jewish GIs who no doubt would have been killed had Edmonds complied.

The supplement also honors biblical-era non-Jews who rescued Jews, such as Shifra and Puah; Egyptian midwives who disregarded a decree to kill Jewish baby boys; as well as Pharaoh’s daughter, who took in and cared for the infant Moses.

Jubilee Haggadah by Save Israel, Stop the Occupation

The Jubilee Haggadah, created by a new initiative called Save Israel, Stop the Occupation and supported by the New Israel Fund, connects the Passover story to a call for the end to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. It was named after the biblical concept of a jubilee year, in which every 50 years all land is returned to its original owners. The haggadah comes as a precursor to the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War. It features all the traditional elements of a seder, plus contributions from famous Jewish authors, artists and rabbis, including comedian Sarah Silverman, writer Amos Oz and Women of the Wall president Anat Hoffman.

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 13

A PASTRAMI GROWS IN BROOKLYN K ATZ’S DELI OPENING OUTPOST THIS SPRING

BY JENNY POWERS

This spring, Brooklynites will be able to say, “I’ll have what she’s having” at their very own Katz’s Deli outpost housed inside the new DeKalb Market Hall at Albee Square Mall in Downtown Brooklyn.

Family-owned and -operated since 1888 on the corner of East Houston and Ludlow Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Katz’s is much more than a delicatessen; it’s a cultural and culinary institution among both New Yorkers and the thousands of out-of-towners who visit daily. Last year, Zagat ranked it the number-one deli in New York City and awarded it a food rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Growing up, Jake Dell had his childhood birthday parties and even his bar mitzvah at Katz’s. At one point, he even considered changing his surname to “Katz” after the original owners from whom his father bought the restaurant (or even “Deli”), yet he did not always plan to join the family business.

Set on becoming a doctor, Dell was a pre-med major and decided to take a gap year to help out his father, Alan Dell, at the deli while applying to medical schools. Soon after, Dell withdrew all his applications and became a “deli man.” He has never looked back.

Today, the 29-year-old third-generation owner is at the helm of his family’s pastrami empire.

Since much of Katz’s appeal is the nostalgia, very few things have changed over the years. A pastrami Reuben was added to the menu five years ago. A cheesesteak was added too, but everything else remains pretty much the same. With a millennial armed with an MBA leading the way into the 21st century, Dell knows that access is king. In addition to opening an outpost in Brooklyn, he has recently instituted a nationwide shipping service so people all over the country can enjoy the deli’s food.

Although the iconic deli says the Brooklyn menu will be smaller, you can count on classics like the

14 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

30-day cured pastrami, hot dogs and the same salami that inspired the famous company slogan “Send a Salami to Your Boy in the Army.”

Katz’s is just one of the confirmed food vendors setting up shop in DeKalb Market Hall, which at 60,000 square feet will be Brooklyn’s largest food hall development.

Anna Castellani, managing partner of DeKalb Market Hall, says, “Though we are in a mall, I’m antimall.” She laughs but she is totally serious.

“We have one mission, and that is to really feel like a New York urban food hall and not a corporate food hall. After all, I’m a food person, not a real estate developer,” says Castellani, who owns Foragers Market in DUMBO along with a restaurant and wine shop in Manhattan’s Chelsea area and even her own farm in Canaan, N.Y. Castellani tells New York Jewish Life, “There will be room for 40 local vendors, but we’ll most likely have 38 at the opening, in addition to a Trader Joe’s, two restaurants and a huge bar.”

An artist’s rendering of a bustling DeKalb Market Hall in downtown Brooklyn CREDIT: CITY POINT

“Brooklyn is the fourth-largest city in the country, and is on par with Paris when it comes to food,” she continues. “We really have become a culinary stop-off destination with so many people frequently making the trip over the bridge to eat here. But with everything so far apart, it would take weeks, maybe months, to explore. We wanted to bring everything under one roof—kind of a hodgepodge of New York food ranging from the new kids to the classics like Katz’s that has a lot of street cred. With so many delis closing, Katz’s is like the last man standing.”

Castellani and Dell met in typical New York fashion—they were introduced by their mutual accountant and took it from there.

“Jake enjoys the kinetic energy of New York, and we looked for people who appreciate that kind of craziness. With so much happening in the hall, it’s going to be total chaos all the time, much like it is at Katz’s every day. Jake has a huge personality; he’s the young gun looking for friendly opportunities to experiment with the Katz’s brand going to different places, and we are a major destination hub with every subway station coming here to Downtown Brooklyn,” says Castellani emphatically.

Castellani isn’t the only one excited about the hall.

Regina Meyer, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Business Improvement District, which is actively promoting DeKalb Market Hall, says, “Between the mustard, the pickles and Katz’s cured meats and great pastrami, we hit the trifecta. With the variety of eateries and terrific selections coming to the center of the borough, you’ll never have to leave Brooklyn.”

As Katz’s prepares to open its Brooklyn doors, Dell himself says, “I’m excited to expand to Brooklyn as a lot of our customer base live there. Now they will be able to stop in and get many of the Katz’s classics without having to come to Manhattan.”

Since the outpost will only serve take-out food, the bad news is you won’t be able to reenact the famous Meg Ryan scene from When Harry Met Sally in one of its booths. But the good news is you can’t get in trouble for losing your food ticket, either.

The DeKalb Market Hall is scheduled to open this spring.

“With so many vendors all moving at different paces, sometimes it’s like herding cats,” Castellani offers. “My best guess is we’ll be open in early May.”

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 15

Jewish Community Relations Council Celebrates Relationships at Annual Gala

BY MAXINE DOVERE & MICHAEL TOBMAN

In a world increasingly connected through social media, email, texts, apps and countless other cyber widgets, the most important relationships are still those that are thoughtful and deliberate.

Real relationships take work. The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) excels at developing and maintaining real relationships, and all New Yorkers are better for its efforts.

The JCRC held its annual gala on March 29 at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan. The event, one of New York’s most important “go to” evenings for community activists, politicians and business leaders, celebrates bridgebuilding and relationship development.

The Rev. Jacques De Graff of Canaan Baptist Church in Harlem called the JCRC NY “the convening organization” for leadership in the wider New York community.

The event of the more than 40-yearold organization overfilled the Pierre Hotel ballroom. At one table, representatives of the Ashkenazi

16 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

and Bukharian Jewish communities “broke bread” with Korean community leaders; at another, clergy leaders from Harlem exchanged greetings with Greek Orthodox representatives.

Charles Temel, president of the JCRC and a Colombian-born American, chaired the event along with Marissa J. Shorenstein and Brian M. Cohen.

Temel added a bit of humor to his introduction of Israel’s consul general in New York, noting the unusual reaction he and the Argentinian-born diplomat, Dani Dayan, elicit whenever “we two Ashkenazi-looking Jews greet one another in Spanish.”

The recently appointed Dayan noted the important work done by the JCRC NY in conveying the reality of Israel to the diverse New York community, citing in particular JCRC-sponsored missions: “You cannot exaggerate the value of those missions.”

He also noted the importance of the annual Celebrate Israel Parade, the largest display of support for the

state of Israel worldwide.

The warmth and affection in the room was obvious, as colleagues carved time out of their busy schedules to heap JCRC Executive VP & CEO Michael Miller (right) with Honoree well-earned praise Tom DiNapoli, comptroller of the state of New York on New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, developer headquartered in Israel. Anyone and philanthropist John Catsimatidis seeking to hurt the Israeli economy and financier Sal Maglietta. hurts our investments.”

Michael S. Miller, executive vice In 2017, for the first time, the JCRC president and CEO of the JCRC, chose a family to honor: John, Margo, highlighted Comptroller DiNapoli’s Andrea and John (Jr.) Catsimatidis. important role in protecting Israel’s Introduced by “their rabbi,” Arthur relationship with New York, and with Schneier of Park East Synagogue, the America: “New York State, thanks to family received the JCRC’s Continuing Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Comptroller Legacy Award, recognizing their wideDiNapoli, does not have investments ranging family, faith, community and with companies that support Boycott, philanthropic activities. Catsimatidis, Divestment, Sanctions efforts.” a self-made billionaire, former mayoral DiNapoli added, “We have significant candidate and radio talk-show host, investments in Israel and in companies supported the Celebrate Israel Parade as a float sponsor.

Some say that we are experiencing unprecedentedly toxic times, with dangerous rhetoric shaping political discourse. Others remind us that America has always been divided, with flare-ups around foreign wars, social change and economic distress. Whether it’s business as usual or never before Jay Hershenson, seen—and maybe it’s a bit of both—the CUNY Queens JCRC keeps its finger on the pulse of College; our shared civic life, quick to alert us Dale Nussbaum; if our state and nation are headed too Felix Matos close to real danger.

Rodriguez, The JCRC focuses on differences as President, CUNY our very commonality. We’re all from Queens College; and Bronx Borough someplace else. We’re all trying to make President a better New York for our families and Ruben Diaz Jr. neighbors. That we’re all different is precisely what we have in common—a healthy, accepting foundation upon which the JCRC continues to do tremendous work.

Stewart Cahn, JCRC NY Board Member; Sandra F. Cahn, co-founder, Limmud FSU; and DiNapoli

ABOVE LEFT: JCRC board member Michael Nussbaum and Dale Nussbaum with honoree John Catsimatidis ABOVE RIGHT: Betty Ehrenberg, executive director of the World Jewish Congress, and Jeffrey Wiesenfeld

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 17

‘We need an opposite narrative’:

Chancellor Betty Rosa on Her Year of Trying to Reshape New York’s Education Debate

BY MONICA DISARE FROM CHALKBEAT NY

Betty Rosa, New York’s Board of Regents chancellor, came into power during a period of dramatic change.

Pushed by Obama-era policies, the state spent years engaged in an all-consuming campaign to fundamentally rethink education. Officials adopted new learning standards, a different teacher evaluation system, and made it tougher to earn a high school diploma — before the agenda ran into a wall of parent, teacher and union anger.

In the past year and a half, there has been a big shift in focus. The state’s Common Core learning standards are being revised, certain standardized tests no longer factor into high-stakes teacher evaluations (for now, anyway), and officials found new ways to help students graduate.

At the center of this turn is Rosa, who was elected last March. Her first day as chancellor, she expressed sympathy for the movement to boycott state tests and said she wanted to move away from “so-called … reform.”

Rosa’s critics have accused her of lowering standards. It’s a narrative she finds frustrating, she told Chalkbeat in an exclusive interview about her first year in the post. She wants to combat that criticism with an “opposite narrative,” she said.

“Just because you raise the bar [does not mean] the student can jump over that bar without building the steps to get them there,” Rosa said. “For me, it’s more important to build those steps.”

Rosa seems likely to continue the policy shift she has championed. Simply focusing on test scores or graduation rates is “very narrow,” she said, and at the last Board of Regents meeting, she defended the decision to drop one of four teacher certification requirements, an academic literacy skills test.

As the state creates a plan under the new federal education law, it has also begun to rethink how to define schools as “good” or “struggling.” It’s something Rosa told Chalkbeat she is taking seriously and could shape New York’s education policy for years.

In a wide-ranging interview, Rosa assessed her year as chancellor, talks about the future, and delves into other hot-button issues like charter schools, school segregation and Cuomo’s free college tuition plan.

18 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

When you took over as chancellor last year, you said you wanted to move away from “so-called … reform.” What did you mean by that? Has it happened?

Education news. In your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter The whole emphasis [is] on teaching and learning, on instruction versus the test-based accountability, which I found to be very narrow.

Remember we were transitioning from No Child Left Behind to ESSA and I think that has given us an incredible opportunity to really begin to incorporate the voices of the communities, the teachers, the parents, the legislators … Our ESSA plan and our accountability and assessments [have] really given us an opportunity to rethink how in New York state we want to see our accountability and our assessments.

You have been asked a lot about whether you have lowered standards. I want to ask this: How do you think you have raised standards in the past year or how do you want to raise standards in the future?

I want every single child to aspire to their highest level with all the support systems in place. I think that what people [call] lowering standards [are just] multiple ways of getting there. There are people who take a train to work, there are others who bike to work. I think we have a very narrow sense of what it means to raise standards … Just because you raise the bar [does not mean] the student can jump over that bar without building the steps to get them there. For me, it’s more important to build those steps.

I’ve never sat at that table and said that I expect less for my students in this state, so I think it’s more of a narrative that’s out there. We need an opposite narrative to [promote] the exciting and innovative work that we’re doing in terms of this board. We are building on a lot of the good work that has happened.

The difference, I think, is that we are also, like any good organization, we take stock. So after you’ve done something, you evaluate it and you say, ‘Is this is working?’ And if it’s not, let’s figure out what we need to do to ensure that we’re moving in a positive direction.

When you talk about ‘building those steps’ for students to reach a certain standard, what does that mean? Is that different from raising standards?

Standards are standards. I don’t even understand this notion of raising standards. If all of us agree that these are good, solid standards, and that is what is being taught … then we say, “How do we get there?” To me, the how-do-we-get-there are the opportunities, the resources, the AP classes, the opportunities for extended day, the opportunity for kids who are acquiring the language to have additional types of instruction or models. Those are all part of the equation. We shouldn’t have two separate conversations.

I find it so frustrating when people say you’re lowering the standards. Could you define what you mean?

Because obviously, when we look at kids who have an IEP [individualized education program], and they … may have issues with processing, well you know what?

If a kid has been evaluated and has issues with processing, we need structural strategies to address those needs and that’s very different … [than], let’s say, for a student that may be in an AP class.

The same expectation [is] there for both children, they just have a different way of internalizing the information and so the strategies are not the same.

A lot of times when we talk about opportunities to learn, you’re talking about curriculum, you’re talking about resources. Those things often take funding, but that’s not something you can control as head of the Board of Regents.

Never miss a story. Like us on Facebook.

I beg to differ on that because we do work with state aid and we set priorities.

In fact, as policymakers, we are very actively involved in saying these are the areas that we are very concerned [about] and we want to make sure that these are the areas that we get funding in order to move the educational agenda for the state forward. …

We’re not making policy in isolation.

You have been critical of state tests and graduation requirements as they currently exist. Those are the two most typical ways to judge student progress. So how do you think we should we judge student progress instead? Is it about improving those metrics, or using different metrics, or some combination?

If the only metrics that we use are [the ones] you just mentioned, then … that definition that you just gave is a very narrow [one].

I’m sure that’s not why you went to school and all of us went to school. That was not the only things that mattered to your parents, my parents and most people. The truth of the matter [is], education is very complex and very comprehensive.

If students go to a school, they do projects, they do internships, they engage in a year-long or sometimes even longer process. Some of them go abroad, the very lucky ones who can take another language and another culture. There is so much more to education

Chancellor Betty Rosa, center, at a recent Board of Regents meeting

than just a one, multiple-choice moment in time. That is one aspect. I’m not saying it isn’t important. What I am saying is it’s one variable in measuring success and that’s why I’ve been critical. We need multiple perspectives on measuring a student’s success.

So what yardstick should we be using? What multiple measures should count?

When you went to school, you obviously took classes. You got grades in your classes, right? If you didn’t live in New York, maybe you didn’t take Regents exams, but the fact of the matter is, there were pop quizzes, there were monthly tests, there were end-ofthe-year tests, there were projects that you worked on. There were multiple ways that your teachers knew that you had been successful in acquiring the materials. So all I’m saying to you is that, I want the system to think about [that].

Last year, you said that you were “very concerned” that some charter schools are not serving students that represent their communities. But at the last meeting, the Board of Regents approved 16 out of 17 charter schools for renewal. Do you feel that, as a board, you are being tough enough on charter schools? Can we expect something different in the future?

The team [at the State Education Department] that has been looking at these charters has really been

are working on this. I know that many communities are developing plans to address this. New York City is also working on this. This is not only for this board — and I will speak for this board and this commissioner — this is critical to the strength of this state.

doing an incredible job in visiting [and] looking at the data … They’re giving us more and more metrics on the charters as they’re coming through. We’ve been able to not only look at the landscape of where they reside, the kinds of students [and] the population in terms of how they’re doing.

In addition to that, I think that more and more charter schools have been much more responsive to the issue of taking on more English Language Learners, more students with special needs.

So I personally feel very proud of the work that’s been done to move this issue, in terms of our charter SED group. The work that they’ve been doing to really be responsive to the board and be responsive to the public.

Are you working on it?

I can’t even imagine anybody not working on this.

Let’s put it that way. This is a universal challenge to all of us, whether it’s work that you do in your own community, work that we do on the Board of Regents, work that we do as educators. I work on it even as a professor, who teaches research … I can’t imagine not thinking about working on this every single waking moment.

New York state schools are some of the most segregated in the country. Is the amount of segregation in state schools acceptable to you? If not, what do you plan to do about it?

I don’t think segregation would be acceptable, honestly, to anybody.

We want to create a diverse culture that really is accepting of differences [and] sees it as a strength … A world-class community is one that believes in tolerance, believes in using the strengths of the various groups and the contributions, so I do think that moving into a much more diverse school system is a major strength for our state and my hope is that we

The legislature is currently deciding whether to adopt Governor Cuomo’s free college tuition plan, but some have criticized it for not providing enough help to low-income students. What do you think about the plan? Do you see a role for the Board of Regents in helping students stay in and finish college if this plan passes?

I think it’s an overall great promise. And we use the word promise. I think that the concept is a good one, but that we all know that the devil’s in the details …

We’re hopeful. I think [the Regents] will wait to see what happens and we will continue to figure out what role we will play in supporting his proposal.

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 19

CLASSIFIEDS HEALTH

ELDER CARE

SPEECH THERAPY

PHYSICAL THERAPY

UNABLE TO TRAVEL TO PHYSICAL THERAPY?

MEDICAID PROFESSIONALS

“We Come To YOU!!”

Medicare Covers the Services!

Schedule with a Licensed Physical Therapist Call for a FREE Consultation Offer!

• Over 18 years experience filing Medicaid Home Care and Nursing Home applications • Protect your income, home, life savings Jack Lippmann • Apply for Medicaid, medical assistance

FREE Consultation

www.eldercareservicesny.com

(718) 575-5700 IN HOME PHYSICAL THERAPY

108-18 Queens Blvd. Suite 801, Forest Hills, NY 11375

800-803-3385 www.iasorehab.org

REAL ESTATE REALTOR

REALTOR

JERRY FINK R E A L E S TAT E

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY

2.5%

DIRECT: 646-786-9982 Landmark International Real Estate

5301 65th Pl. Maspeth, NY 11378

(718) 898-8300

Visit us online to see our recent sales and reviews from past clients

www.landmarkre.nyc

Totally Renovated Hi-Ranch, 3BR, 2Bth, Open Floor Plan, Raised Ceilings, SS Appli, Granite Counter-Top, Deck Leading To Bkyd.

Surround Sound, Security & Alarm System, 3 Skylights.

Hardwood & Tile Flrs, Cac, Anderson Windows, Radiant & Cast Iron Radiators, 3 Heating Zones, Paved Bkyd w/ Beautiful Pond w/ Waterfall, Pvc Fence. MUST SEE!

OFFICE 718-766-9175 • CELL 917-774-6121

EMAIL: Jfinkre@yahoo.com • www.jfinkre.com

TO PLACE AN AD PLEASE CALL

929-274-0762

GENERAL

DJ

$3,350

3 BR, 2 Baths, Just Completely Renovated 2 Car Parking & Garage JDBayside@verizon.net

HOWARD BEACH

LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER

BAYBRIDGE/BAYSIDE

OVERLOOKS THROGS NECK BRIDGE

718-2 25-474 0

LISTING SPECIAL Call For Details

CALL JORDAN DONNER

APARTMENT FOR RENT

GENERAL WANTED TO BUY

intmthb@outlook.com For Price & Information

WE PURCHASE ANTIQUES Furniture, Paintings, Rugs, Sterling Silver, Bronzes, Jewelry, Bric-a-Brac, Marble Figures & Marble Top Funiture, Entire Contents of Estates. Rugs Wanted Any Size, Any Condition.

Your Premier Jewish DJ

ABE BUYS ANTIQUES

20 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

718-776-5050

2 Graves For Sale Mount Hebron Cemetery

917-748-7622 718-762-7448

TO PLACE AN AD PLEASE CALL 929-274-0762

197-30 Jamaica Ave Hollis, Ny 11423 NO BROKERS FEE

GRAVES FOR SALE

A ZAMRA AzamraDJ.com 516-771-9388

STUDIOS APTS AVAILABLE ONLY affordably priced

GENERAL

TOP DOLLAR 4 ANTIQUES

Paid Top $$$

RENTALS QUEENS

Est. 1950

Andrew Korman, Proprietor

Silver, Paintings, Rugs, All Furniture till 1960.

Estates & all contents from homes!

Looking for antiques & Modern Designer Names also, Lucite & Chrome, Iron Garden furniture.

718-332-9709

GENERAL

HOME SERVICES

WE HAVE THE

HELP YOU NEED Child Care, Housekeepers, Elderly Care & Companions Excellent References No Fee to Employers Live In or Live Out Also, Housecleaners (Day Workers)

Evon's Services

516-505-5510

TO PLACE AN AD PLEASE CALL

929-274-0762

Here’s How Israeli Women Are Fighting for Equal Pay in High Tech

BY ANDREW TOBIN

TEL AVIV (JTA) – High-tech workers know there’s no problem that can’t be solved with a spreadsheet.

So a group of Israeli women seeking to combat the gender wage gap in the industry created one last month with data about their qualifications and salaries. They hope to empower one another in salary negotiations.

As of Friday, nearly 200 women had contributed to the survey, and the data showed a wide range of earnings -- even for women with similar qualifications working in similar positions.

“We know from surveys and from personal experience that women tend to name lower salaries than men when we go into negotiations, and obviously employers never tell you to ask for more,” said Liora Yukla, 35, one of two women who spearheaded the effort. “This gives us something substantive we can look at to start feeling more confident about the kind of numbers we can name.”

Yukla’s group, XX+UX Israel, is a 2-year-old community for women who work in the field of user experience, which encompasses a range of hightech jobs. Its some 1,500 members work together to promote women’s status in the industry, including sharing advice and support in their active Facebook group. The group is a largely independent branch of the global XX+UX, which was started by women at Google headquarters in northern California’s Silicon Valley.

(In the United States, yesterday was Equal Pay

Day—the date when women’s salaries, on average 20 percent lower than men’s, “catch up” to men’s from the previous year.)

“It’s about helping women and solidarity,” said co-founder Anat KatzArotchas, who also runs a consultancy that advises tech companies about how to build female-friendly products. “Rather than dictating to women, we listen and let them tell us, ‘This is what we need and this is how to do it for us.’”

Katz-Arotchas said the survey, although unscientific, could serve as a much-needed reference for group members and empower them to be bolder in their salary demands. Professional industry surveys have not looked at women’s salaries separately, she said.

Despite narrowing in recent years, Israel’s gender wage gap is among the widest in the developed world, according to a report released last year—with women making less than three-quarters of what men earn.

The gap is even wider in high tech, where women have been found to earn a little more than half as much as men.

According to a recent Taub Center study, the biggest reason for the disparity is that on average, women work fewer hours than men. Another key factor is that women are more likely to be employed in lower-wage occupations and industries. Many have argued that those factors are influenced by

discrimination as well.

The challenge of asking for higher pay came up recently in a discussion on the XX+UX Israel Facebook group. Shortly thereafter, two members of the group posted a Google spreadsheet for members to share information about their job, professional experience and monthly pay.

“We’re basically just a group of women who work in high tech, and this is the kind of thing we talk about,” Yukla said. “It was a really long, vibrant discussion, so we realized a lot of us are probably interested in what the standard is.”

The survey, which the group plans to systematically analyze, showed monthly salaries ranging from 6,000 shekels (about $1,700) for a starting designer to 46,500 shekels (about $13,000) for a veteran product manager. It also found that some women with similar jobs and qualifications reported significantly different incomes. One project manager at a large company said she made 20,600 shekels (about $5,700) per month, along with bonuses and a company car. Another with the same education and six more years of experience said her salary was 16,000 shekels (about $4,400).

“One thing that was sort of surprising was you saw different salary levels for the same job, the same skill set,” Yukla said. “I think the question here is: Would it be different for our male colleagues?”

Group members responded enthusiastically to the survey.

In comments on Facebook, one woman wrote, “Well done, finally the real data and life.”

Another said, “Fabulous activism! This is super important and I’m sure it’s going to help many girls negotiate better in their next salary negotiations.”

Another commenter noted that despite what many agreed was wage discrimination in their industry, the women were fortunate to be part of Start-up Nation.

The average Israeli high-tech worker’s salary was 24,000 shekels last year, according to an industry survey, compared to 10,000 shekels for all Israelis.

“Amazing! Fabulous!” she said. “Even though there are gaps, our situation compared to the market is really good!!”

“It’s about helping women and solidarity.

Rather than dictating to women, we listen and let them tell us, ‘This is what we need and this is how to do it for us.’”

- Anat Katz-Arotchas, co-founder of XX+UX Israel

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 21

Assemblyman Decries Oswego School Project that Forced Students to Defend Holocaust

BY STAFF

Long Island Assemblyman Charles Lavine has called on the Commissioner of the NYS Education Department, Dr. MaryEllen Elia, to clarify her apparent defense of a detestable assignment given to students attending the Oswego New Visions Program.

The assignment effectively forced children to take a position defending the Nazis’ slaughter of six million Jews during the Holocaust. In addition to the clarification, Assemblyman Lavine demanded an apology from administrators and leadership of the New Visions Program.

Lavine is the president of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Jewish Legislators, and a member of its National Board of Directors.

22 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 – 11, 2017

OPINION

The Case for Opting In

OBITUARY

Susan Lincoln, of Blessed Memory

BY MAXINE DOVERE

BY STEPHEN SIGMUND

New York’s assessment season kicked off last week for 1.1 million students across the state.

Last year, a vast majority of parents opted to have their children take the tests—approximately 80 percent, or 900,000 students across the state.

Following last week’s English Language Arts tests, participation rates are trending even higher.

Each year, however, there has been a clear trend: The epicenter of opting out is the school districts on Long Island.

But rather than focus on the controversy and negative side of the opt-out movement, it is important for parents— both on Long Island and across the state—to see and understand the importance of the tests.

If it’s not enough that proficiency in English increased by 8 percent in Nassau and 5 percent in Suffolk County since 2015, here are three more reasons why parents should opt their kids in.

First, the assessments provide both an annual checkup and a second opinion on student progress.

Doctors recommend an annual physical because they want to identify, and treat, problems early. The same principle holds for our students’ understanding: The assessments provide teachers and parents with a very clear and impartial sense of what students have learned—and what they haven’t learned—over the course of the year. If test scores don’t align with student grades, for example, teachers and parents can investigate the reasons why and adjust teaching strategies accordingly.

Second, the assessments help identify and close achievement gaps. Critics of testing often forget that annual state assessments were designed to ensure that all children, particularly poor, minority and specialeducation students, were counted equally and treated

fairly. Results from these tests represent a critical source of objective data that can be used to highlight disparities and target resources to those most in need.

Third, the assessments build on progress. Since the state implemented the combination of high standards and annual assessments, reading and math scores on Long Island have improved. By having more students opt in to the assessments, teachers will have more information to help more students build on this progress.

And since parents have voiced their concerns about the format, logistics and execution of the assessments loud and clear, the state has listened and taken steps to implement their recommendations. The tests are now shorter, are more age appropriate and no longer have a time limit, and each question is reviewed by classroom teachers—all because the state listened to parents and educators.

Opting out undermines the ability of schools and teachers to identify the material students have failed to grasp and address the problem. And if parents opted their children out of last week’s English tests, they still have the chance to opt in to the Math assessments in May. As parents, we can agree that we want the best for our kids—stronger classroom instruction and the idea that every child, regardless of community, receives a high-quality education. Opting students in to the assessments will continue to move the state closer to that goal.

Stephen Sigmund is the executive director of High Achievement New York.

“A woman of elegance, one of true beauty of the rarest kind, whose presence elevated the soul of the beholder.” These are the words of Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, which represent the experience of all who were privileged to know Susan Lincoln.

The wife and life partner of Rabbi David Lincoln for 51 years, Susan died Sunday, April 2, at the age of 72. She was the mother of Sara, Simon and Jonathan, and grandmother of seven.

Susan was rebbetzin — and so much more — in Portsmouth, U.K.; Kansas City; Wilmette, Illinois; and of Manhattan’s Park Avenue Synagogue. “She had an indescribable grace and possessed patience, humility and kindness,” the rabbi said.

David and Susan Lincoln came to Park Avenue Synagogue in 1987, after 18 years in Chicago. She was “a woman who knew the importance of family and knew good friends became family,” said her granddaughter, who also spoke of Susan’s humor and her love of art and ballet.

Jonathan, her son, recalled the open welcome at her Shabbat table, and her love of community and appreciation of a bit of mischief.

“She married into the business,” mused Rabbi Cosgrove, “and took care of us all.” Susan Lincoln, he said, “was entrusted with the ability to convey the teachings of a mother and to fill the soul of our Jewish lives.”

Shoshanah bat Abraham and Golda: Eshet Hayil Mi Yimtaz.

Susan Lincoln was truly a woman of valor. A woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

APRIL 5 – 11, 2017 | NYJLIFE.COM | 23

Open a Charter School: Apply Right!

This intensive two-day seminar is packed with the expert insights, tools and resources needed to ensure your charter application is ready for submission.

Register today!

The next Apply Right seminar takes place on April 28-29, 2017.

Learn more and register today at http://www.nyccharterschools.org/ apply-right.

It’s about great public schools

24 | NYJLIFE.COM | APRIL 5 - 11, 2017