belong magazine summer 2014

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belong Summer 2014 | Palm Beach

JaneHolzer the nice Jewish girl from Palm Beach who wowed Warhol

At Israel’s

Ziv Medical Center,

humanity trumps politics

combating the evils of sex trafficking | TOMORROW SHINES IN THE FACES OF TODAY’S STUDENT VOLUNTEERS Welcome to the premiere issue of

belong, a publication of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County

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30 Summer Features 30

Modern Day Slavery Jewish women’s organizations speak up on the evils of sex trafficking.

By Joann Plockova

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Healing the World – One Patient at a Time The doctors at Ziv Medical Center in Israel are not concerned with the nationality, politics or religion of their patients, only with their wellbeing.

By Susan Levine

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Kids Today!

Student volunteers are applying the Jewish values they have learned to make a difference.

By Amy Woods

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Local Author Has a Whale by the Tail

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The Book of Jonah by Joshua Max Feldman offers a 21st-century twist on a timeless tale.

By Scott Eyman

Faces of the COMMUNITY

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From Baby Jane to Bubbe: Jane Holzer The subject of an exhibition at the Norton Museum of Art – To Jane, Love Andy: Warhol’s First Superstar – Jane Holzer has lived a rich and varied life.

By Allegra Nagler

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Brian and Lisa Seymour: Crossing the Globe for Good

contents A Palm Beach Gardens family packs meaning into their busy schedule – and their well-worn luggage.

By Susan Levine

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16 Summer Departments 8

A Word from Federation

By David M. Phillips, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County

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From the Publisher’s Desk

By Robert S.C. Kirschner, Passport Publications & Media Corporation

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DEPARTMENTS Be Well Savor information for your health and wellbeing.

Be Entertained Enjoy the many colors of the local leisure landscape.

Be Global Meet locals reaching out to the world.

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Be Local See the community in action.

Be Next Celebrate our youth.

Be There Explore our bond with Israel.

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Be Connected Federation Headlines Community Happenings The Scene

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4601 Community Drive West Palm Beach, FL 33417 561-478-0700 www.jewishpalmbeach.org

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

BOARD LEADERSHIP Arthur S. Loring Board Chair

Michael L. Kohner Treasurer

Hope Silverman Vice Chair/ Annual Campaign Chair

Vivian F. Lieberman Women’s Philanthropy President

Vice Chairs Bente S. Lyons William Meyer Ronald P. Pertnoy

Sanford M. Baklor Immediate Past Board Chair Ira Gerstein Administrative Management & Financial Oversight Committee Chair

Gary S. Lesser Secretary

Lynn Kaston Women’s Philanthropy Campaign Chair

Scott Benarde

Mark F. Levy Past Board Chair

Nancy C. Hart

Paul R. Fine

Miki Leibowitz Libby G. Fishman Community Planning & Investments Chair

Lorraine Rogers-Bolton Rebecca Rothschild

Sam Liebovich Israel & Global Initiatives Chair

Peter Weisz

PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP David Phillips

President & CEO 561-242-6635 • david.phillips@jewishpalmbeach.org

Debra Roshfeld

Sr. Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer 561-242-6644 • debbi.roshfeld@jewishpalmbeach.org

b Helene Lotman

Executive Vice President/Chief Talent Officer 561-242-6659 • helene.lotman@jewishpalmbeach.org

Hope Dunkel

Sr. Vice President Israel and Global Initiatives 561-242-6622 • hope.dunkel@jewishpalmbeach.org

Andrew Fradkin

Sr. Vice President Financial Resource Development 561-242-6656 • andy.fradkin@jewishpalmbeach.org

Ilan Hurvitz

Sr. Vice President Community Planning & Investments 561-242-6606 • ilan.hurvitz@jewishpalmbeach.org

Kathy Sigall

Sr. Vice President Finance & Operations 561-242-6622 • kathy.sigall@jewishpalmbeach.org

Jeff Trynz

Vice President Marketing & Communications 561-242-6611 • jeff.trynz@jewishpalmbeach.org

belong Palm Beach

A magazine of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County

Passport Publications & Media Corporation 1555 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, Suite 1555 West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 561-472-8769 | PassportPublications.com

EDITORIAL STAFF CT Wood David Raterman Richard Westlund

Managing Editor Associate Editor Business Editor

ART & DESIGN Angelo D. LoPresti Rebecca M. Lafita

Art & Production Director Graphic Designer

ADVERTISING SALES Richard S. Wolff Janice L. Waterman Richard Kahn Simone A. Desiderio Donna L. Mercenit

Director of Advertising National Advertising Manager Signature Publications Senior Advertising Manager Contract Administrator

PUBLISHER Robert S.C. Kirschner

Publisher & President

®

a passion for people & publishing

belong is published by Passport Publications & Media Corporation, 1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 1550, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. All rights reserved.

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Welcome The world we live in today is one that few could have predicted just a decade ago.

Cars that drive themselves, robotic remote surgery, handheld computers – all of these dreams are now realities. You can visit anywhere and understand anything in the world with the click of a button on your smartphone. You can have a “face-to-face” conversation and look into the eyes of someone on the other side of the globe.

Our lives are moving at lightning speed with technological advances, at times seemingly outpacing our understanding of their impact. Federation must also keep pace by better understanding the opportunities, challenges, hopes and dreams of the Jewish people. We want to know who you are and what moves and inspires you. At the same time, we bring the stability and safety associated with decades of providing help where needed and running towards problems and not away. In essence we must innovate and at the same time fully appreciate the impact of our advances!

Belong is a prime example of the Jewish Federation of today. This new incarnation of Federation’s magazine is a fun, innovative window into your Jewish community.

This magazine will inspire you to laugh, reflect and (hopefully) share with your friends. The stories have been chosen to touch you, make you think, spark inquiry and empower you to explore the amazing opportunities available to us in the one-of-a-kind place we call Jewish Palm Beach.

Our thanks to the wonderful volunteer editorial team (listed on page 6), to Jeff Trynz, Federation’s marketing vice president, and to our partners at Passport Publications.

With Belong, we will embark on a journey to explore our community as it is today, dream about future possibilities and gain a new perspective on the exciting direction we’re headed together.

There is something in this magazine for everyone. It is a fresh and exclusive look at what Jewish Palm Beach truly is: a place where you belong.

B’Shalom, David M. Phillips President & CEO Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County

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One of the things I love most about the Jewish community is its lack of borders.

As Belong reaches out to embrace the community, we will extend our reach far and wide to bring you stories that, I hope, will allow you to feel connected to that something very special that we all share.

In this, our inaugural issue, we are proud to bring you a report from Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat, one of three “sister” communities in a region of Israel that is supported by Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnership2Gether program. The center is located approximately 25 miles from the Syrian border – about the distance from Federation’s headquarters in West Palm Beach to Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound. Hundreds and hundreds of victims of Syria’s tragic civil war have traveled the road to Ziv; their journey has not been in vain. As you will discover in “Healing the World – One Patient at a Time” on page 34, the doctors at Ziv are not concerned with the nationality, politics or religion of their patients, only with their wellbeing.

In “Brian and Lisa Seymour: Crossing the Globe for Good” on page 26, we’ll introduce you to a Palm Beach Gardens couple who believe in a hands-on approach to philanthropy – on a global scale.

Our community is home to fascinating individuals like Jane Holzer, who made a name for herself as the darling of New York’s 1960s avant garde fashion and art scene. She was a favorite of Andy Warhol’s and she might be a favorite of yours, too, when you meet the Palm Beach resident in “From Baby Jane to Bubbe: Jane Holzer” on page 22.

Of course, you don’t have to have fame, a handy checkbook or a medical degree to make a difference in this world – as some amazing student volunteers in our community clearly demonstrate. You’ll learn more about them and the work they’re doing on page 38 in “Kids Today!”

The arts also have the power to touch people’s lives. An author living in Palm Beach County – Joshua Max Feldman – has wielded his pen to critical acclaim after finding inspiration in the biblical Book of Jonah. In “Local Author Has a Whale by the Tail” on page 43, Belong contributor and noted author Scott Eyman explores this 21st-century twist on a timeless tale.

Page after page of Belong – from the “Be Entertained” department on page 15 to the news from Federation and its partners in the “Be Connected” department starting on page 45 – comes alive with the diverse personalities, accomplishments and colors of our community. There is much to celebrate but there are also serious issues that must be addressed.

South Florida is a major hub in the sex trafficking trade. I hope you will take the time to learn about this evil – and the Jewish women’s organizations that are confronting it – in “Modern Day Slavery” on page 30.

We are extremely proud of this first issue and look forward to producing subsequent editions in the fall, winter and spring. Our commitment is to provide a magazine that will interest, inform and enlighten those in our community who want to be in touch and, simply, belong.

belong Thank you for joining us on this exciting new journey. Please enjoy.

Robert S.C. Kirschner President/Publisher Passport Publications & Media Corporation

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belong | contributors

Jacek Gancarz

Born in the Far East and raised by mystics, CT Wood developed a flair for the creative at an early age. Oh all right, she was born in Wisconsin and tends to be as boringly responsible as she is imaginative. Before launching her career as a freelance writer and editor, she enjoyed a variety of challenges working with both print and broadcast media. She is the recipient of a Golden Ink Award, Communicator Award and numerous Charlie and Addy Awards as well as the President’s Award from the Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition.

Allegra Nagler enjoys a thriving career as a freelance writer covering issues and activities of importance to the Palm Beach County community. Originally from New York, she went on to spend a year on Kibbutz Na'ot Mordechai (yes, Naot sandals), picking oranges, peeling potatoes and learning Hebrew. She now calls Boca Raton home.

Scott Eyman was the books editor of the Palm Beach Post for 25 years. His 13th book, John Wayne: Life and Legend, is a New York Times best seller. He lives in West Palm Beach with his wife, Lynn, and a varied assortment of animals.

Before launching her freelance career, Amy Woods worked as the society editor of Palm 2 Jupiter and as the editor of Notables at the Palm Beach Post, a position she held for 11 years. An experienced editor, columnist, writer and reporter, Amy’s goal is to use her experience as a journalist and skills in public relations for the benefit of our local nonprofit community.

Greg Lovett

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Freelance writer Joann Plockova specializes in design, architecture and culture writing – often with a social or environmental focus. Her curious nature and broad list of interests always has her on the hunt for new and important topics to cover. Among other publications, she’s written for American Craft Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller UK, the Christian Science Monitor and Green Building & Design. She has one foot in South Florida and the other in Prague, Czech Republic.

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Jacek Gancarz is a freelance and fine art photographer based in South Florida. Plucked from the confines of the Iron Curtain at an early age, he found himself in the U.S. poring over the pages of National Geographic and Life magazines, which fueled his passion for photography.

At age 12, he received a camera from his father and began relentlessly following his younger brother around, documenting his every move.

Many travels – and a B.S. from FAU – later, he went to work as a photojournalist, spending seven years with the Palm Beach Daily News.

The photos of his little brother remain in a shoe box but Jacek’s other work has been widely published and exhibited in juried shows.

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It has been our mission to set the standard for excellence in construction in the spirit of the age-old builder/patron tradition. To that end, we have worked to differentiate ourselves from other contractors and have created a corporate culture that is built upon enduring relationships - a place where company personnel, clients, designers and architects are assured that quality, integrity and service are inseparable from our fundamental mission, which is to build enduring value for our clients.

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West Palm Beach, FL 33405

2 NE 40th Street, Suite 401, Miami, FL 33137

(561) 835-0401

(305) 572-1111

www.woolemsinc.com

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Help for Kids with Food Allergies

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According to experts at Food Allergy Research & Education, 15 million Americans suffer from food allergies – 5.9 million of them are kids. In fact, FARE estimates that one in every 13 kids in the U.S. has some kind of food allergy. Kids with Food Allergies, a division of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, offers an online bookstore, stocked with medically reviewed books that can help kids understand their allergies and cope with the health and social challenges they bring.

“While the ramifications of allergen ingestion are high on many affected children’s fear scales, the social challenges of food allergies can be even more daunting,” Kerry H. McManama, co-author of the No Biggie Bunch series of children’s books, recently shared with readers of the Huffington Post. “Children with food allergies often experience social exclusion or bullying.” The No Biggie Bunch books show characters creatively coping with a variety of situations, including birthday parties, play dates and holidays.

For more information, visit KidsWithFoodAllergies.org.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

be | well

Walking is a great form of exercise – at any age. Here are a few tips to help you and your family develop a healthy routine from the wellness experts at the Mandel Jewish Community Centers in Boynton Beach and Palm Beach Gardens: Walk the dog. Dog walking is a great way for kids to get in shape and spend time with their best friend. If you don’t own a dog, offer to have your child take the neighbor’s dog for a walk.

Take family walks. Now that it is lighter in the evenings, it’s a great opportunity to take a family walk. Use the time to talk about your day and spend quality time together. Eventually it won’t even seem like exercise but a fun family tradition.

Parents can burn calories at the little ones’ ball games. Instead of taking your folding chair and a crossword puzzle, wear comfortable shoes and take a jaunt around the field during soccer or baseball games when your child isn’t playing.

Seniors can cruise the mall. Check your mall to see if they offer a mall-walking program or early morning hours for walkers. Invite a friend along! Do one quick lap to get your heart rate up followed by a moderate lap for a little bit of window shopping — then repeat.

be | entertained Charles S. Cohen Receives Prestigious National Order of Merit Award from the President of France Charles S. Cohen, who calls Palm Beach home for part of the year, has been awarded France’s prestigious National Order of Merit. Cohen is, perhaps, best known as the head of a multi-faceted real estate development company (Cohen Brothers Realty and Cohen Design Centers). It is in his capacity as chairman and CEO of Cohen Media Group – the leading distributor of French cinema in the U.S. – however, that he was singled out for the honor, bestowed by French President Francois Hollande. The prestigious Knight of the Order medal will be presented at a ceremony to be held at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.

Cohen Media Group recently released Emmanual Bercot’s On My Way starring Catherine Denueve. Upcoming releases include Cedric Klapsich’s Chinese Puzzle and Le Chef, among others. Cohen also flexes his creative muscle in South Florida as the owner of DCOTA (Design Center of the Americas) in Dania.

Catherine Denueve with Charles Cohen and his wife, Clo

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be | global be | entertained Loesser Is More Palm Beach Dramaworks in West Palm Beach will present a concert presentation of Frank Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella from July 18 through 27. Loesser wrote the lyrics and music for a number of Broadway hits, including Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed in Business without Really Trying; some consider The Most Happy Fella to be his most ambitious – and most romantic – work. Clive Cholerton will direct the show, which tells the story of an older unprepossessing grape farmer who believes that love has passed him by and a young waitress aching to find love. For more information, call (561) 5144042 or visit PalmBeachDramaworks.org.

Theater runs in the Loesser family’s blood.

Frank’s son John is the executive director of the historic Lyric Theatre in Stuart, which will be offering two sessions of its fun-filled summer camp.

“Lyric’s Awesome Summer Camp” is for kids of all backgrounds and interests; students are encouraged to express themselves and to embrace their quirks and individuality as well as their talents.

For more information, (772) 220-1942 or LyricTheatre.com.

Cuban Jews: A Proud and Close-Knit People Nineteen members of The Falls Country Club in Lake Worth recently traveled from Miami to Havana, Cuba, on a mission trip organized by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. A mission is more than just a trip. It's a meaningful travel experience designed to heighten awareness and connection to Jewish identity. The group, which included Federation CEO David Phillips, spent five days exploring a Jewish community of 1,500 in the island country. The majority of the Jewish population lives in Havana.

Anti-Semitism isn’t a problem – the Jewish community is treated just like everyone else – but wages are low and essentials are rationed.

The community relies on the help of Jewish groups, which bring supplies. The Falls Country Club group brought 300 pounds of necessities, including Entrance to the Jewish Cemetery in Havana medicines, eyeglasses, school supplies, hygiene products, food for Jewish holidays and more.

A highlight of the trip was an energetic Shabbat service led by two young adults at one of the three synagogues in Havana with services. The melodies of the prayers were different but everything else about the services was familiar to the visitors.

“At the Shabbat service we saw all colors, all nationalities, all praying together in Spanish or Hebrew, coming together as one community. That was very moving,“ says David Kimball of Palm Beach, who led the trip with his wife, Robin. “We were both struck by what a proud people the Cuban Jews are. They rely on each other and clearly suffer from the lack of resources on the island.”

Looted, Liberated and – Now – Local

be | entertained

The release of Sony Pictures’ The Monuments Men, starring George Clooney and Matt Damon, sparked renewed interest in the fate of Europe’s cultural heritage during and after the Nazi era. The film – based on the story of the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives program, which was established by the Allies in 1943 to help protect cultural property – has also focused attention on a painting in the permanent collection of the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. Titled King Pyrrhus, the 350-yearold painting by Ferdinand Bol – a distinguished pupil of Rembrandt, was looted by Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering.

When the Nazis invaded Holland, the painting was in the private collection of Jewish brothers Marcel and Daniel Wolf. Their collection was appropriated by Goering’s agents, who passed it through the Goudstikker Gallery – owned by Jacques Goudstikker, a preeminent Jewish art dealer in Amsterdam – in a vain attempt to “legitimize” the transaction.

In May 1944, during the final days of World War II, the Allies discovered the work in a bunker near Berchtesgaden. Thanks to the efforts of the Monuments Men, the painting was returned to Marcel Wolf, who had survived the war. In 2007, the masterpiece was donated by Valerie Delacorte, whose family had purchased it in 1960, to the Norton Museum, where it is currently on display.

King Pyrrhus by Ferdinand Bol

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be | global Jewish St. Petersburg

J. Schneider

Jonathan Schneider of Palm Beach Gardens traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, for business in late January. Along with experiencing the bone-chilling winter temperatures, he gained some insights that warmed his heart.

Carving some time from his business activities, Schneider visited the Great Choral Synagogue of St. Petersburg, which is a registered national landmark. “It was inspiring to see the soaring architecture of the synagogue, which is a proud statement that Jewish life is not dead in the former Soviet Union,” Schneider says.

Schneider also saw vibrant signs of culture when he visited the Yesod Jewish Community Center, run by the Joint Distribution Committee, the Federation of Palm Beach County’s global relief partner. For the past two years, Masha Aryeva, 39, has been the director of the center, which is a hub of Jewish life in St. Petersburg.

According to Aryeva, the most unique aspect of Yesod is that their doors are open to all. They do not distinguish between nationalities or inquire how people are coming to Jewish life, history or culture. They simply care that there is a growing interest in Jewish identity. “Without a doubt, Jewish life has changed ideologically here,” she says.

That sounds like a new story for Jewish life in a very old city – one that Schneider is glad he was able to witness.

Jonathan Schneider standing outside of the Choral Synagogue in St. Petersburg, Russia

be | local

Local Rabbi Leads Group to AIPAC

Rabbi Leonid Feldman headed a delegation from Temple Beth El in West Palm Beach to the Spring AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., held in March. AIPAC – the American Israel Public Affairs Committee – is a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies, working with Democrats and Republicans in Congress and leaders in the executive branch to protect and strengthen the U.S.-Israel friendship. In addition to the conference sessions, the group met with U.S. Representative Lois Frankel, herself a member of Temple Beth El. During the visit, the rabbi affixed a mezuzah to her office door.

(From left to right) Alla Weisz, Peter Weisz, Joel Hart, Joanne Warshaver Pinciss, Rabbi Feldman, U.S. Representative Lois Frankel, Nancy Hart, Daisy Merey, John Merey, Martin Weisz.

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NextGen Volunteers Hit the Beach

Twenty volunteer members of NextGen, an initiative of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, joined together this spring to help keep Palm Beach County’s beaches clean. Teaming up with other volunteers from around the community, they helped to remove 550 pounds of trash and other unnecessary items from the sand.

Upcoming happenings for NextGen, which connects, serves and educates young professionals, include Torah on Tap at Cabo Flats in early June. Later that month, 20 young professionals leave for Israel for a Birthright experience, a trip designed to connect 18 to 26 year olds from around the country with their Jewish heritage.

For more information, visit JewishPalmBeach.org/next.

be | next Teens Learn the Power of Political Activism and Advocacy Jewish teens are seeking out experiences to serve and improve their communities in sophisticated ways.

Panim el Panim (Face to Face), a program of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s Jewish Teen Initiative, provides an avenue for this through hands-on service, political activism and advocacy.

The Panim Institute of B’nai Brith Youth Organization brings high school students from throughout the U.S. to Washington, D.C., annually for a three-day seminar designed to expose them to a variety of public policy issues from differing political perspectives. Twenty teens from Palm Beach and Martin Counties participated in this year’s event in March. The students heard from speakers who are experts in issues ranging from homelessness to healthcare and learned about the complexities of public policy issues, how the American democratic system functions and how they can become more active and informed citizens.

For more information, visit JTIPalmBeach.org.

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be | there Just the Spot: Part I

Camp Shalom: Creating Summer Memories One of the most memorable experiences for children growing up in a Jewish community is attending a great summer camp where they can make lifelong friendships and strengthen their Jewish identity. In addition to traditional camp activities, such as swimming, sports games and art classes, the Mandel Jewish Community Center’s Camp Shalom offers an array of Jewish activities, such as Israeli dance classes. This year, the popular summer camp will take place at the Mandel JCC’s expansive new campus in Palm Beach Gardens as well as at the Boynton Beach location.

Camp Shalom runs from June 9 through Aug. 15 in Palm Beach Gardens and June 16 through Aug. 8 in Boynton Beach, with sessions ranging from two weeks to the whole summer.

The Mandel JCC also offers Camp Tikvah, providing a summer camp experience for special needs children and teens with varying exceptionalities, such as cognitive, emotional, developmental and learning disabilities. The low staff-to-camper ratio ensures each child has the opportunity for adventure and accomplishment with the safest supervision standards.

For more information, visit CampShalom.org.

Since 2011, Daniel Estrin, a reporter for Public Radio International, has been taking pictures in Israel of what he calls “Love Notes to Traffic Cops.” Israel, he pointed out in a report that aired on PRI’s The World, is a tiny country with not enough places to park. Hence the notes.

His friend Deborah lives near a soccer stadium in Tel Aviv. According to Estrin, “When she finds herself without a parking space during a game, she writes: Dear ticket giver, Please do not give me a parking ticket because I live here and I can’t park anywhere. Thank you very much, kindly, the neighbor.”

“I think it’s funny,” Jerusalem parking officer Yaniv Avraham told Estrin for the report. “You have times that the note really helps.” Sitting shiva, dropping the kids off for school, attending a wedding – all good excuses that might get you out of a fine. Don’t try pulling rank, though. Cops like Avraham are not easily impressed.

be | next Screen Time Davka Coloring Blast turns your iPhone, iPad or iPadTouch into a coloring book for Jewish children age 3 and up.

The app features 105 images with Jewish themes, including holidays, Shabbat candles and more. With more than 40 different shades and multiple brushes for fingerpainting fun, kids can even create their own masterpieces on their blank “canvas.” The finished products can be shared via email or saved to a camera roll.

AlefBet is a free Hebrew ABC flash card app for Android users. Featuring a collection of pictures with Hebrew letters to draw as well as sounds, additional illustrations with visualization and puzzles to solve, this colorful application keeps children engaged as they learn the Hebrew alphabet and build motor skills.

Just the Spot: Part II With parking at a premium, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that technology companies in Israel are leading the way when it comes to the development of cuttingedge apps that can assist harried drivers.

When it comes to paying for parking, Pango is the leading app in Israel and is winning over American drivers in a growing number of U.S. cities. If time on the meter is about to expire, Pango not only reminds you, it allows you to feed the meter from your phone.

Pango’s popularity (estimates are that nearly half the population in Israel is using it) may give a boost to another Israeli startup. Parko – winner of the 2012 Israel Mobile Challenge competition, sponsored by the Ben Gurion University, Google and Motorola among others – uses crowdsourcing and GPS to steer drivers to spots that are about to be vacated by other drivers.

Reading, Writing and Relationships

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The TZAHAR-Palm Beach School Twinning Network, a school-to-school connection between Palm Beach County and Israel’s TZAHAR region (encompassing the towns of Tzfat, Hatzor Haglilit and Rosh Pina), fosters partnerships between the two communities, resulting in a strengthened Jewish identity for students and adults alike. Part of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s Partnership2Gether program, the Twinning Network contributes to a meaningful dialogue based on a shared curriculum centered on a common religious and cultural heritage.

Several times a year, teachers and students in second through seventh grades on both sides of the ocean interact via Skype video conference. The Israeli teachers recently visited Palm Beach County. “With the advent of the teachers’ exchange and the visits each side makes, we are forging real relationships,” says David Sherman, a teacher at Temple Beth Am in Jupiter, who participates in the program. The American teachers will make a reciprocal trip to Israel next year.

“We are building a bridge between Jews here in the States and Jews in Israel,” says Oslat Raski, the principal at Vilkomitch Elementary School in Rosh Pina. The program gives Israeli children a broader view of the Jewish world, he says. Conversely, it shows American children that in Israel there are children just like them – children who enjoy the same movies, listen to the same music and play the same sports, all while maintaining their Jewish identity.

For more information, visit JewishPalmBeach.org

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belong | Faces of the Community

FROM BABY JANE to B U B B E

r e z l o H e n Ja Jacek Gancarz

By Allegra Nagler

Opposite page photo: Lila Photo

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Jane Holzer touring the exhibition at the Norton Museum, © Jacek Gancarz

Like the biblical Queen Esther, a Jewish girl who won a beauty contest and became queen of Persia, Jane Holzer, a Jewish girl from Palm Beach, became the queen of print media and a darling of New York’s 1960s avant garde fashion and art scene.

Holzer (née Bruckenfeld) dropped out of college, married real estate developer Leonard Holzer and moved to New York City to become a housewife. As a recent exhibition at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach – To Jane, Love Andy: Warhol’s First Superstar – attests, Holzer became anything but a housewife.

According to author and journalist Tom Wolfe, she was “the most incredible socialite in history … a living embodiment of almost pure ‘pop’ sensation.”

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The darling of society columnists, high-fashion photographers and glossy magazines, Holzer – who picked up the nickname “Baby Jane” somewhere in the dash to fame – burst into the limelight.

Gracing the covers of Vogue, the subject of a Wolfe essay, hanging around with the Rolling Stones in London, friends with Sharon Tate and Janis Joplin, Holzer and her beehive blonde hairdo took New York and soon-to-be-superstar Andy Warhol (whom she met on a street corner near Bloomingdale’s) by storm. International media covered her look and Warhol cast her in films at his downtown studio, The Factory.

Now a successful businesswoman and grandmother of two, who once again calls Palm Beach home, seeing the exhibition at the Norton for the first time, took Holzer back. “I love the show,” she says. “It brings back memories.”

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With such a full, illustrious and adventurous life, Holzer has a lot to remember. Some of the items on display at the Norton didn’t make the cut. “Some films and photographs I don’t remember at all,” she freely admits.

Holzer remembers growing up in Palm Beach during the 1940s and 1950s. In those days, if you didn’t come from the right background, no matter your bona fides, you were not fully accepted into Palm Beach society. Her father, Carl Brukenfeld, built the Palm Beach Country Club because, as a Jew, he was excluded from the island’s existing clubs.

Eric Shiner, director of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA, believes that Warhol – from a blue-collar Catholic family – and Holzer – with her wealthy Jewish background – became friends in part because neither felt as if they belonged. “Jane and Andy bonded because of their outsider status against the WASP establishment,” he says. “Beyond that, they were fun, quirky and avant garde, so it was natural that they would be drawn to one another.”

“It was fun,” Holzer says wistfully. “I miss having fun.”

Century Village real estate developer and philanthropist, Irwin Levy, 88, recalls Holzer from childhood. “We called her Honey Bruckenfeld,” the former Sunday school teacher says. “Her father was the largest giver to the Jewish community. He was extremely charitable and her mother was very elegant. Jane was a nice young woman at 13; cute and smart.”

Holzer was smart enough to get out of Warhol’s Factory when it started to attract drugs and crazies.

According to Shiner, who has known Holzer now for many years, she hasn’t lost her edge. “Jane is exactly the same person now as she was, just smarter and savvier.”

Today Holzer’s main interests are family, work, real estate and art – not necessarily in that order.

Once dressed head-to-toe in Chanel, Holzer still loves fashion and admires fashion designers Betsy Johnson (who she wore back in the ‘60s), Michael Kors and Anna Sui. She’s dedicated to her two grandchildren – aspiring actors Harry, 15, and Emma, 17. Holzer celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs but admits she’s not religious.

“I don’t go to synagogue,” she says. “I’m known to be quiet on the High Holy Days and love to go to a Shabbat dinner, if I’m invited.”

She recalls fond memories of her mother, Helen Lande, who was instrumental in the founding of the Palm Beach chapter of Hadassah.

“My mom and aunt were big Hadassah people,” she says. “They worked hard to raise money for Hadassah Hospital.” When the organization lost money to Bernie Madoff, Holzer was very upset. “That makes me angry. That’s bad,” she says in a voice that is still girlish.

She would love to go to Israel, but hasn’t found the time. “I’ve been busy working for the past 30 years,” she says. And she has no plans to retire.

“She’s very dedicated,” says Beth Rudin DeWoody, a friend who has shared Thanksgiving and Seder dinners with Holzer as well as a collector, curator and president of the Rudin Family Foundation.

“Jane is an astute businesswoman. She took over her father’s

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Jane Holzer with her grandchildren, Harry and Emma, at the Norton Museum of Art Gala

business and was savvy enough to understand the value of the Warhol paintings.”

Holzer continues to collect artists she likes based on aesthetics. She admires pop artists Jeff Koons, Frank Stella, Ellsworth Kelly and Claes Oldenburg, who, like Warhol, creates large images of everyday objects. She stays on top of the art scene in Miami and frequents Art Basel.

“It’s incredible,” she says, “the art scene in Miami has grown so much.”

Fate played a hand in Holzer’s life, but she took her opportunities and made the most of them. Living in the past may be tempting for someone with her dramatic experiences, but Holzer is fully ensconced in the present.

Shiner of the Warhol Museum, notes, “Jane is philanthropic, devoted, fabulous at business and a loving mother and grandmother.

She loves being surrounded by quirky personalities in the art and fashion world, and is quick to ‘call shenanigans’ (call out or label as bogus) on societal ills or poseurs.

“In other words,” he says, “she is super cool.” b The To Jane, Love Andy: Warhol’s First Superstar exhibit at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach runs through May 25. For more information, call (561) 843-5196 or visit norton.org.

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Lisa Seymour & Ethiopian JCC children

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BRIAN LISA SEYMOUR Crossing the Globe for Good

By Susan Levine

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rian and Lisa Seymour start their days running, with sons David, 12, and Jacob, 9, keeping pace. One thing seems clear: theirs is a family on the move. Lisa sums up a typical morning at the Seymour house in Palm Beach Gardens a single word – crazy.

“Between schools, everyone’s volunteer activities, soccer, lacrosse, and Hebrew school as well as two working parents, it’s pretty breathtaking.”

What sets the Seymours apart isn’t the hectic pace, though.

What makes this family so special is the fact that they manage to pack a whole lot of meaning into their days, along with all that activity.

Brian and Lisa met after an event hosted by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County in November, 1998. Lisa had dragged her then roommate to this function and Brian’s friend was organizing it. All four ended up going out for dinner that night. Four and a half months later, Brian and Lisa were engaged. By the way, that event? The title was “Does Beshert Really Exist?” How’s THAT for beshert? (Yiddish for “it was meant to be.”)

After they married, the Seymours decided that they wanted to strengthen their family’s focus on Jewish philanthropy – on a global

The Ethiopian Jews began their exit out of their homeland in 1991 with the help of the Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency, world organizations with the respective missions of rescue and resettlement and the integration of new immigrants into Israeli society. The story of the Ethiopian Jews captured the world’s attention when, with world Jewish organizations concerned about their welfare in the face of political destabilization in Ethiopia, the Israeli government and Israel Defense Forces began airlifting them to Israel. Many left with just the clothes on their backs and some rudimentary cooking utensils. Jewish communities around the world contributed to the resettlement effort in Israel. That dramatic immigration event was successful, culminating with the historic trip that Lisa participated in, bringing the last group out.

“The most moving part of that trip was landing in Israel and watching these new Ethiopian olim (immigrants) drop to the ground and kiss the tarmac when we landed,” she says. “I felt incredibly grateful to be able to witness that and to know that the philanthropic work I’m involved in is very powerful. It helps these people start new lives in Israel.”

Friends and colleagues agree, both Brian and Lisa are take charge people with the skills needed to make a difference. “Brian

“The Jewish needs that exist here, right in our backyard, — Brian Seymour exist everywhere.” scale. They became intrigued with the idea of travelling to see firsthand what their philanthropy could achieve.

“Seeing our philanthropy at work in the field always makes us realize how lucky we are to live where we do and to always appreciate the important things in life,” says Lisa. “We’ve clocked a lot of miles in all of our travels and we’ve both gained so much more than we ever could have imagined.”

Last year, Brian, a practice leader and shareholder with Gunster in West Palm Beach, visited Jewish communities in St. Petersburg, Russia, Helsinki and Stockholm. Lisa, an educator at Seminole Trails Elementary in West Palm Beach, headed out to Ethiopia, where she traveled from rural Gondar province with the last group of Ethiopian Jews on their way to a new life in Israel. “When I went to Ethiopia, I was transported not only thousands of miles from where I live, but also back in time,” she says. “I went from remote, agrarian Gondar province to the bustling life of a sophisticated Israeli society.”

is a natural leader,” says Bill Perry, managing shareholder of Gunster. “Brian’s work ethic and service to both our clients and the local communities provide adequate testimony to his character and purpose.”

The couple’s philanthropy and volunteerism is not limited to the international sphere – he serves on the Federation’s board of directors, is involved with Families First and Leadership Florida and was recently appointed by Florida Governor Rick Scott to the Florida Elections Commission, where he serves as Vice Chair; she serves on the boards of the Friedman Commission for Jewish Education, Hillel and Federation’s Jewish Women’s Philanthropy as well as the Timber Trace, Seminole Trails and Dunkin Middle School PTA Boards and the Jewish Federation of North America’s National Young Leadership Cabinet – but there is no doubt that their many trips have affected their lives profoundly.

“The first time I went to Israel, I remember looking out of the

ALL IN A GOOD CAUSE Over the past nine years, Brian and Lisa Seymour of Palm Beach Gardens have followed an intensive international itinerary, largely in support of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s commitment to care for vulnerable populations and strengthen the bonds that connect the global Jewish community.

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Brian and Lisa Seymour in Israel

window as we flew into Tel Aviv Airport and being filled with a sense of belonging that I had never really understood before,” Brian says.

“It was an extraordinary, overwhelming feeling to see this place that I suddenly felt was ‘home.’ I’m really patriotic; I served in the U.S. military – in a combat zone – and I love our country fiercely, but this was different somehow.”

“There are two big things we want our sons to grow up knowing,” Lisa says. “The first is to recognize that there are things much more important than themselves; the second is for each of them to have a love of Judaism. We want them to be proud of who they are.”

“Part of the import for those two things is that, while I was born Jewish, I didn’t have much exposure to Judaism growing up,” Brian adds. “I grew up on welfare and my mother was a very proud woman; she didn’t want to take charity from the synagogue and,

instead, simply walked away, so I didn’t have many Jewish friends.

I think I was in a synagogue maybe twice until I was nineteen. It was then that I realized that there was a big piece of me that had been missing. Neither Lisa nor I want our kids to grow up not knowing who they are fundamentally as people and as Jews.”

“So, while we live a very full and active life as a family,” Lisa says, “we always try to stop, reflect and teach our kids about the power of good values and that each person can make a big difference in the world if they care enough. We want them to care enough.” The Seymours are planning to travel to Israel with their sons this summer.

“After visiting many communities, the thing that struck me most is that regardless of background and where we’re from, we are all alike,” Brian says. “The Jewish needs that exist here, right in our backyard, exist everywhere.” b CT Wood contributed to this story.

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DAY

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Jewish women’s organizations speak up on the evils of sex trafficking

By Joann Plockova

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Katariina Rosenblatt was just 13 when she found herself in a hotel room with a halfdressed, 65-year-old man. She had been coaxed there by Mary, a 19-year-old, who, sensing Katariina’s vulnerability, befriended her by the pool of the hotel in Miami where Katariina, her mother and brother had fled to escape her abusive father. The man offered to pay $550 to have sex with this young virgin. It turns out the hotel housed a sex trafficking ring.

The shaky foundations of her young life gave way as her path veered tragically into the mire of modern-day slavery. By the time she was 15, Katariina was fully immersed in a life of drug abuse and sexual exploitation.

Katariina eventually managed to escape the quicksands of the sex trade. Millions of women and children, even men, around the world are not as fortunate. Controlled by violence, drugs, threats and psychological manipulation, victims don’t come forward easily. Sold for sex by force, fraud and coercion, they suffer in silence.

The numbers are startling. The worldwide human trafficking industry, of which sex trafficking constitutes 79%, is estimated at $32 billion. According to the National Human Trafficking Research Center, 27 million people are enslaved worldwide – many of them in our own backyard.

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Tami Baldinger, executive director of the Jewish Women’s Foundation

“There is a huge sex trafficking trade and South Florida is the third largest destination,” says Tami Baldinger, executive director of the Jewish Women’s Foundation, a partner program of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. As Jewish women doing work based on Jewish values, the group was troubled. “How do you have a holiday that celebrates the national liberation of a people from slavery; how do you promote Jewish values and stand by and allow this to happen?” she says. “We decided to make the issue a priority.”

The worldwide human trafficking industry, of which sex trafficking constitutes 79%, is estimated at $32 billion.

In partnership with the National Council of Jewish Women, JWF decided to host a symposium on sex trafficking in South Florida. A daylong event, “Out of Bondage: Combating Sex Trafficking in South Florida,” saw more than 400 members of the community in attendance. Designed to educate, raise awareness and serve as a call to action, the program included topics such as “Addressing Sex Trafficking in South Florida” and “The Current State of Anti-Trafficking

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Laws in South Florida.”

The most moving component of the event was, undoubtedly, Katariina’s talk. Now in her 40s, the former sex slave is committed to helping other girls who are involved or at risk through her organization There is H.O.P.E for Me. Young runaways are particularly at risk, she told the crowd, pointing out that some 30,000 to 40,000 young girls run to Florida.

Along with a call to action, the symposium ended with the distribution of a petition signed by more than 300 attendees urging Congress to support the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2013 and a panel discussion “Action Plan: Community Service, Awareness and Advocacy.”

“We started raising public awareness that this isn’t a problem just happening somewhere else. It’s a problem right here in our community and we are taking a stand against this form of modernday slavery and sexual abuse,” says Judith Selzer, chair of JWF. Of course the symposium wasn’t a stopping point; it was just the start. As Linda Geller-Schwartz, the vice president of advocacy for the NCJW (Palm Beach), says, “[It] was never designed to be a one-shot deal.” JWF and NCJW, along with a diverse group of more than 20 other local organizations, have formed a coalition focused on instigating change. Their efforts are focused on education and raising

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Paula Lustbader, chair of the Jewish Women Foundation’s Advocacy Committee

awareness about the prevalence of sex trafficking in the community.

“We have the power to make significant changes in how our community thinks and acts about the sale of women and girls for sex,” Selzer says. “Our combination of grant making and direct advocacy will be a catalyst for this change.”

JWF, which is dedicated to fostering social change through the empowerment of women and girls, decided to add advocacy to their grant-making activities as a result of a “re-envisioning process” motivated by the passing of the organization’s 10-year anniversary.

With sex trafficking as the focus of this work, it formed an advocacy committee with the decision to partner with other organizations.

“We have already made a difference,” says Paula Lustbader, chair of the Jewish Women Foundation’s Advocacy Committee. “We collected backpacks and filled them with supplies – toothbrushes and toothpaste, slippers, a blanket and sundries – that could be given to the young girls when they were rescued.” Sadly, the average age of trafficked victims is 12-14. “One of the first young girls who received a backpack said, ‘I didn’t know anyone cared.’”

JWF will be dedicating approximately $15,000 to a local grant focused on raising awareness of the issue of sex trafficking in Palm Beach County. The effort will be aided by the coalition. In addition, JWF plans to award a grant to an organization in Israel this year in

support of that country’s work fighting sex trafficking.

NCJW agrees that it will take a multi-faceted approach to eradicate the issue. It is working to spread information throughout the community about how to recognize a potential trafficking situation and where to turn for help. It would also like to develop a program to prevent children from being recruited into trafficking. “We want to make sure that everyone in the educational system from guidance counselors to teachers to the parents and kids themselves understand the danger signs and learn how to avoid them,” says Geller-Schwartz.

Elaine Rotenberg, clinical director of the Alpert Jewish Family & Children’s Service, also one of the symposium sponsors and a member of the coalition, spoke of the significance of Jewish traditions and the celebration of Passover in relationship to the cause. “We need to continue to help the oppressed find their voices,” she says. “There should be zero tolerance for modern-day slavery.”

Speaking up for victims who have been wrongly silenced has been an integral part of the work of JWF and is particularly relevant to its work with sex trafficking. “One of our themes in our advocacy and granting work is giving voice to women who have no voice and to women who are marginalized,” says Baldinger. “We've been focused on that for many years; moving into the issue of sex trafficking is a logical extension for us.” b

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HEALING the

world

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AT I S R A E L’ S Z I V M E D I C A L C E N T E R , HUMANITY TRUMPS POLITICS

By Susan Levine

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Ten-year old Halim* was helping his family clear snow off the roof when the bomb hit. His lower limbs were shattered; members of his family lay dead or injured. With no time to grieve, Halim’s grandmother bundled her grandson up for the 30-mile journey to the border separating war-torn Syria from Israel. From there, an ambulance rushed the wounded child to the Ziv Medical Center, a place where healing is possible.

The doctors at Ziv are not concerned with the nationality, politics or religion of their patients, only with their well-being. “It’s our duty,” says Amram Hadary, M.D., director of the trauma unit at the hospital, located in the storied Israeli town of Tzfat.

Tzfat is about five miles west of the Golan Heights, roughly 25 miles west of the Syrian war zone and only about 10 miles southeast of Lebanon. Renowned both as an artists’ colony and as the center of the Jewish mystical practice of Kabbalah, Tzfat is one of three “sister” communities in a region of Israel that is supported by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnership2Gether program.

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Three years into a conflict that has seen an estimated 150,000 people killed and millions displaced, more than 900 Syrians have quietly received treatment at medical centers like Ziv in northern Israel or at a field hospital operated by Israeli medics along the heavily fortified border. The endeavor has cost Israel approximately $17 million so far, according to government officials, and has been praised as a triumph of humanitarianism.

Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, says that Israel is treating Syrians because it’s the right thing to do. “We don’t know who we’re treating, armed or not armed, wearing uniform or not wearing uniform,” he says. “Because of the critical condition in which many of them arrive, we don’t question who they are. It is irrelevant.”

Ziv Medical Center began receiving casualties from Syria’s ferocious civil conflict in February, 2013. More than 250 patients – many of them children like Halim – have now been treated at the facility, which is the only hospital serving the 250,000 residents of the Upper Galilee and northern Golan Heights, a multi-ethnic and religiously diverse area that is home to Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze.

Oscar Embon, M.D., M.P.A., director of Ziv Medical Center, says that Ziv will continue to provide humanitarian aid to these patients for as long as necessary. “These are civilians, people whose whole world has come crashing down around them. They are suffering not only from severe injuries but come to us with nothing: no food, no clothes and no means of communication with their homes.”

The severe nature of the injuries combined with the shock suffered by the Syrians has made the task of the dedicated staff at Ziv particularly challenging. In addition to their medical duties, Arabic-speaking staff members are working almost around the clock, called upon as translators, serving as counselors to offer comfort and support and communicating with worried family members from as far away as Turkey. “The doctors and all our teams provide the wounded Syrians with high-quality medical treatment as well as psychological and social support, following the traumatic experience they have endured,” Embon says.

A social worker working at the hospital, who requested that his name not be used in fear of reprisals, reports that young Syrian patients like Halim have less interest in the bags of donated chocolate, socks and toys that the medical center staff brings around. “They don’t want money, they don’t want cakes. All they want is touch,” he says.

His grandmother has only gratitude for the Israelis. If all goes well, the boy may be able to walk again. Halim’s life was, indeed, deeply touched during his month-long stay at Ziv Medical Center. b CT Wood contributed to this story.

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Healing the World

Outstanding Physicians Are Behind Outstanding Care In Northern Israel, the Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat is acknowledged as a leader in emergency care. Contributing to this reputation is a professional staff populated with experts in their respective fields.

Director Oscan Embon, M.D., M.P.A., who has led the institution for the past 20 years, is a specialist in urological medicine and a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He also has a master’s degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Director of Pediatrics Anthony Luder, M.D., oversees the care of children like 9-year-old Syrian Halim, who lost both his legs in a bombing. Luder is also a vice-dean at the Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee (Bar Ilan University), with responsibility for clinical sciences, and was recently appointed to the Israeli Minster of Health’s special advisory committee on rare diseases. He is active in research and has published widely in various medical specialties.

Izhak Haviv, M.D., conducts clinical instruction at Bar Ilan University's Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee and is among the first scientists in the world developing personalized medication for cancer. Founder and head of the Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Department at the Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Haviv is also the new chair of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s Partnership2Gether program, in which the Israeli communities of Tzfat, Rosh Pina and Hatzor work with the Jewish community in Palm Beach County to build shared programs and projects focused on widening the circles of leadership and engagement between them. He will be visiting Palm Beach County, along with Luder, in late May to explore new ways to collaborate and enhance the powerful work conducted through the Partnership2Gether program.

Director of Ziv Medical Center Oscar Embon, M.D., M.P.A.

Director of Pediatrics Anthony Luder, M.D.

Director Cancer Genomics-Bar Ilan University, Izhak Haviv, M.D., Ph.D

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KIDS TODAY Young volunteers are making a difference

By Amy Woods

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Josh Berkowitz, a sixth-grader at the Arthur I. Meyer Jewish Academy, has changed the lives of dozens of special needs children because of a program he conceived at age 10. South Fork High School student Lauren Maunus launched a legislative-lobbying campaign on behalf of those with food allergies. Eleven-year-old Sydney Schneider volunteers at Signature Healthcare of the Palm Beaches in Lake Worth, visiting with nursing-home residents.

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hese children and countless others are applying the Jewish values they have learned – from their families, from various community programs and from the Meyer Academy in Palm Beach Gardens – to make a difference.

Through the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s Jewish Teen Initiative, youths form after-school enrichment clubs and collaborate on different kinds of activities to learn about Jewish culture. They also conduct volunteer service projects, one of which saw teens organizing and sorting donations coming in to Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County’s ReStore in Delray Beach.

Josh, an avid soccer player, watched in dismay one day as Vincent, a young student who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, tried out for a community team. Instead of encouragement and support, Vincent faced rejection and ridicule. “So many of the kids were not being nice and making fun of him but I thought that all kids should have the opportunity to play,” Josh says. “I felt really bad for him.”

Josh became Vincent’s buddy. While still in elementary school, he started looking for organizations that offered soccer to special needs children. When he could not find one, he approached the Palm Beach Gardens Youth Athletic Association and asked the president to start a team. “I thought there might be other kids like him,” Josh, 12, says of Vincent.

The league liked Josh’s idea and worked with his parents, Jonathan and Elizabeth Berkowitz, to form the nonprofit TOPSoccer team. Today, TOPSoccer has 54 players ages 5 and up and 86 buddies ages 12 and up. It gathers every Monday night for play.

“I want kids to know that the program is available and they can come and have fun,” Josh says. “The buddies create little relationships with the kids with disabilities. They kind of look forward every Monday to seeing their buddy and playing soccer.”

Josh represents one of a multitude of Jewish youths whose call to service goes above and beyond. Supported by their parents, shepherded by their schools and encouraged by Jewish youth leaders, student volunteers in Palm Beach and Martin counties strive to heal the world.

“Part of our curriculum here is looking at life through the Jewish lens,” says Nammie Ichilov, headmaster of the Meyer Academy, which will open this summer in its new location on Hood Road in Palm Beach Gardens as part of Federation’s Tomorrow Today Campaign. “It‘s part of the educational philosophy.”

Teachers at the Meyer Academy encourage students to complete a mitzvah project as they prepare for their bar or bat mitzvah. Many, though, engage in community service long before they reach that age. “Being active and taking a role in the community isn’t something that should be forced,” Ichilov says.

“Our job is to excite the children and generate that internal motivation to be successful in anything they want to do.”

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Cameron Wallace and Josh Berkowitz on the closing day of the season

Josh’s TOPSoccer program exemplifies the school’s standard of values-based excellence in education. “I was a former soccer player, so it was wonderful for me to see all of that happening and taking place,” Ichilov says. “The fact that it was his initiative – driven by him – is a demonstration of what we teach the children.”

Jonathan and Elizabeth Berkowitz, the coach and president, respectively, of TOPSoccer, can’t say enough about its impact on local families. “We have seen true miracles

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Lauren Maunus, 16 year old International Baccalaureate student at South Fork High School, receiving the Congressional Gold Medal for Volunteerism and Public Service from Congressman Patrick Murphy.

happen on our field,” Elizabeth Berkowitz says. “A 9year-old boy who never spoke before said his buddy volunteer’s name. A 7-year-old girl with cerebral palsy kicked a ball for the first time without anybody controlling her legs. A boy who never dressed himself started dressing himself on Mondays to go to soccer. It’s an amazing program. We are in our fourth season and have grown tremendously.”

Sydney, the sixth-grade Meyer Academy student with an affinity for the elderly, plays her saxophone for them, helps them with their therapy, brings them to activities, serves them coffee and keeps them company.

“The residents and Sydney have a very special bond,” mother Jennie Schneider says. In fact, some of the seniors at Signature Healthcare have asked if they could attend Sydney’s bat mitzvah in November. “She wrote it down on their calendar and has already reserved the driver and the van.”

Lauren – the student from South Fork High School in Stuart – has set the bar high through advocacy efforts in Tallahassee to protect those who have serious reactions to certain foods. Her passion for the issue stems from a traumatic incident involving her younger sister, Rachel, who experienced life-threatening anaphylaxis from a cashew. “She’s definitely been my inspiration throughout this,” the 16-year-old junior says.

“She wasn’t able to eat school lunch.”

Lauren made it a priority to ensure her sister’s safety – and that of others – by drafting a bill in her ninth-grade youth-government club requiring schools to post the food allergens, ingredient information and nutrition values of all meals served in the cafeteria. Her work led to the creation of new state guidelines that 60 of Florida’s 67 counties have adopted.

“The most meaningful thing I’ve taken away from all my advocacy is the power of collaboration,” she says. “I just think that in life, to accomplish your goals, it’s so important to strive to elicit change rather than impose it.” b

Cameron Wallace and Josh Berkowitz meet Disney characters.

BUILDING FOR TOMORROW TODAY This August, when Josh Berkowitz and his classmates return to school, they will be heading to the new educational campus of the Arthur I. Meyer Jewish Academy on Hood Road in Palm Beach Gardens. The state-of-the-art educational facility is part of “Tomorrow Today: A Community Partnership Project,” which is a multi-generational, large-scale capital campaign organized by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County.

“Tomorrow Today” has provided a rare opportunity to reimagine and reposition Palm Beach County’s Jewish infrastructure for future sustainable success. The initiative is being led by a multi-generational group of Jewish community leaders who have put their time and resources behind it to ensure that the growing community has the foundation it needs for tomorrow.

Honorary co-chairs include Sheila and Alec Engelstein, Barbara and Jackz”l Kay, Marilyn and Arnold Lampert, Ellen and Irwin Levy, Barbara and Mort Mandel and Sydelle Meyer. Following in the philanthropic footsteps of their parents, the campaign chairs include Gail Meyer Asarch and Dr. James Satovsky, Patti and Tony Lampert, Stacey and Michael Lampert, Stacey K. and Mark F. Levy, Denise and Bill Meyer, Stacy Mandel and Keith Palagye, Susan and Ron Pertnoy and Debbie and David Shapiro.

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Local Author Has a

Whale by the Tail The Book of Jonah by Joshua Max Feldman offers a 21st-century twist on a timeless tale

By Scott Eyman

Jonah Daniel Jacobstein is a successful lawyer, which is to say he’s over-booked and under-analyzed, at least by himself.

He’s juggling two women and an imminent partnership when God tells him what he expects of him.

Joshua Max Feldman’s bumptious, psychologically acute The Book of Jonah (Holt) took three years to write and began life as a suite of 10 short stories, each one revolving around a book of the Bible. But the story of Jonah – with its themes of defiance, repentance and forgiveness – proved so densely exciting that Feldman jettisoned the other nine stories and stuck with Jonah.

“As a writer, you look for conflict, for drama,” says Feldman, a child of psychologists who lives in Palm Beach County with his wife. “The Old Testament conception of our relationship with God feels true. Things don’t go the way you want in life. In life… you never feel like you have all the answers. Grief, love, the birth of a child – the things that happen force us to look beyond what our senses can tell us.”

Feldman’s take on his besieged character is more naturalistic than the Bible’s version, although it’s similar in that Jonah does everything he possibly can to avoid acting on God’s not-so-gentle requests.

When Jonah is finally forced to carry out his tasks, he continually stalls, prevaricates and complains.

Relationships – especially with God – can be difficult.

Feldman says, “[I] wanted Jonah to believe it’s happening, but to be true to a modern conception of the world I also wanted to have it be in Jonah’s head.” He eases into the story with a dank ride on the subway, where Jonah meets a Hasidic man who warns him about the insupportable superficiality of his life.

It turns out to be a grim preview of coming attractions. “I didn’t want to write a book non-religious readers wouldn’t credit,” the first-time novelist says. “People have read the Hasid as mystical but to me he was just one of those people you meet in New York who may have a lot of learning. Or, he may be nuts.”

The novel’s readers have generally been supportive but some have expected a more slavish retelling of the Bible story. “I didn’t want to write a beat-for-beat retelling,” says Feldman, sensibly pointing out that that wouldn’t leave much room for his own creativity.

The critical success of The Book of Jonah has in some sense freed Feldman; born and raised in Amherst, Mass., he spent years as a playwright but has found fiction to be a comfortable fit. And no, his next book will not have a religious theme. b

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Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County is leading the charge to reimagine the changing needs and dynamics of the Jewish community of the Palm Beaches by relocating and renovating key agency facilities.

Our deepe deepest est gratitude to all the donors d who alr eady stepped ste epped forward forward to ensur re a vibrant already ensure Palm generations.

Jewish Pal m Beach for future future gen nerations.

HONORARY HONO ORAR RY CO-CHAIRS

CA CAMPAIGN AMP PA AIGN CO-CHAIRS

Sheila and a Alec Engelstein Barbara a and Jackz�l Kay n and Ar nold Lampert Marilyn Arnold Ellen and an nd Irwin Levy Barbara a and Mort Mandel e Meyer Sydelle

Patti and Tony Tony o Lampert Patti Sta acey and Michael Lampert Stacey Stacey Sta acey and Mark Levy De enise and William William Meyer Denise Ga ail Meyer Asarch Asarch and Dr r. James Jame es Satovsky Gail Dr. Sta Stacy acy Mandel Palagye and Keith h Palagye Susan Shulman Pertnoy and Ron n Pertnoy Susan De ebbie bb and d David d Shapiro Shapir h o Debbie

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Federation Headlines | Community Happenings | The Scene | Federation Headlines | Community Happenings | The Scene | Federation Headlines | Community Happenings | The Scene | Federation Headlines | Community Happenings | The Scene | Federation Headlines | Community Happenings | The Scene | Federation Headlines | Community Happenings | The Scene

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Federation Headlines Arthur S. Loring Named Federation Board Chair Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County is pleased to announce the appointment of Arthur S. Loring as board chair. He was most recently Federation’s vice president (2011-2013) and president (2008-2010).

Arthur Loring takes the helm at Federation during a particularly exciting time for the organization. For the first time in five years, the 2013 Annual Campaign exceeded its goal and experienced an increase over the previous year. In addition, nearly $17 million has been raised for Tomorrow Today: A Community Partnership Project to relocate and renovate key agency facilities to meet the future needs of our growing and changing Jewish community.

Federation’s new board chair, Arthur S. Loring, with his wife, Vicki Loring is a former member of the Budget Committee of the Jewish Federations of North America and a former member of the Board of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, one of Federation’s overseas partner agencies.

Loring has also served in numerous leadership roles in our community. He was chair of Federation’s Strategic Initiatives Committee and is a past president, board member and community leader at MorseLife and its subsidiaries.

Loring, who currently lives in West Palm Beach with his wife, Vicki, enjoyed a successful 25-year career at Fidelity Management & Research where he was named senior vice president and general counsel in 1983. In 1988, Loring became managing director of Cypress Holding Company and served as the organization’s chief legal officer.

Amy Jonas Wins Prestigious Women’s Philanthropy Award Forty-two years ago, Norma Kipnis-Wilson and Toby Friedland founded what is today the Lion of Judah Society, a distinguished group of women philanthropists who dedicate their time and resources to the communities served by Jewish Federations across North America. Kipnis-Wilson and Friedland’s visionary leadership, passion and commitment to promote women’s philanthropy led to the creation of an annual award honoring women who have set a high standard for philanthropy and volunteerism.

At the Lion of Judah luncheon on Feb. 12, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s 2014 Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award was presented to Amy Jonas. Jonas has served with Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County for almost three decades, becoming a Lion of Judah before her 30th birthday.

In addition to working as a full-time volunteer for the Jewish community, she has served in many women’s philanthropy leadership roles, including president in the mid-1990s and campaign chair for 2010-2012.

She was also Federation’s first Lion of Judah endowment chair.

In September, Jonas and all the 2014 Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award recipients from around the country will be honAmy Jonas (right) accepts the Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award at the ored at the International Lion of Pride of Our Lions Luncheon from Judah Conference in New York.

Sheryl Davidoff, vice president of Women’s Legacy Society/LOJE.

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Kenneth Feinberg Headlines Federation Major Gifts Event According to the New York Times, “In the aftermath of a national tragedy, Kenneth Feinberg has become the essential man.”

The prominent dispute mediator and attorney, famous for administering the Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund, TARP Executive Compensation, the Agent Orange Victim Program and the One Fund Boston Marathon Victim Relief Kenneth Feinberg and his wife, Dede, Fund, spoke at Federation’s at the Major Gifts Event Major Gifts dinner at Trump International Golf Club on Jan. 28.

Feinberg’s responsibility as the decision maker forced to assign a value to human life closely parallels Federation’s role as the central planning organization for the Jewish community.

Federation makes funding allocations from its Annual Campaign to dozens of partner agencies that deliver numerous vital programs and services in the local community, nationally, in Israel and in 70 countries around the globe. Feinberg’s message to the crowd gathered at the dinner, which honors Federation’s largest supporters to the organization’s Annual Campaign, reinforced Federation’s objective to constantly build the strength of the Jewish community.

Claine Levine (left) receiving her Lion of Judah Endowment pin during the pre-event pinning ceremony. Center: Hope Silverman, 2014 Annual Campaign Chair. Right: Dorothy Adler

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Former NBC Correspondent Speaks at President’s Council Dinner A winner of five Emmys, former NBC Israel correspondent Martin Fletcher has reported on some of the biggest, most transformative stories of our time. As David Brodsky, vice chair of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s President’s Council Dinner, puts it, “Martin Fletcher is one of the most respected names in television news.”

Fletcher, now a historical novelist, spoke to more than 150 major gifts donors at the dinner on Feb. 27 at the Four Seasons Palm Beach Resort.

He emphasized the importance of caring for Jewish victims of the Nazi atrocities, like Century Village resident Clara Jacob, who was also in attendance at the event. She receives help with groceries, meals, laundry and other chores twice a week from Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family and Children’s Service, a Federation partner agency that provides care and services for the estimated 12,000 Holocaust survivors living in Palm Beach County. “I know the Jewish Federation is a great organization that helps a lot of people,” Jacob told the crowd. “My hope is that all you lovely people here tonight will be generous in doing your share.”

The President’s Council Dinner was chaired by Robin and David Kimball. Vice chairs were Marjorie and Barry Berg and Carolyn and David Brodsky.

Martin Fletcher and Holocaust survivor Clara Jacob

Martin Fletcher signing his book, Jacob’s Oath, for event chairs David and Robin Kimball

More than 500 Guests Attend the Main Event, featuring Chelsea Clinton More than 500 guests attended Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s inaugural Main Event on March 18. Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the Clinton Foundation, was the featured speaker.

“It was inspiring to hear from a young national leader about how each of us can make a real impact on our local and global community,” said Ted Leopold, who moderated a Q&A session with Clinton and who chaired the event along with his wife, Roslyn.

“There is great synergy between Federation’s work and Chelsea Clinton’s message,” said Federation President & CEO David Phillips. “Chelsea spoke about engaging the younger generation in the fight against hunger, poverty and disease. Federation is focused on developing and empowering the next generation of community leaders who recognize our collective responsibility to help make the world a better place.”

Event attendees contribute more than $2.5 million in donations to Federation’s Annual Campaign, which raises funds to enrich Jewish life,

care for vulnerable populations and build global Jewish community. Funding from the Annual Campaign is allocated to dozens of local, national and international partner agencies that deliver vital programs and services in the community, in Israel and in 70 countries around the world.

“Our aim is to reach and help as many people as possible who rely on Federation and our partner agencies for vital services and programs,” said Board Chair Arthur Loring. “We are grateful for the many generous individuals who demonstrate the same steadfast passion as Chelsea Clinton. It’s the cumulative effort that makes positive, lasting change for those around us who need it most.”

The new flagship event, held at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, was chaired by the Leopolds with honorary chairs Ewa and Dan Abraham, Cynthia Friedman, Lori and Bruce Gendelman and Elaine and Jerry Schuster. Stacey and Steve Ellison, Susan and Chick Glabman, Elizabeth and Ben Gordon, Miki and Michael Leibowitz, and Lisa and David Lickstein served as vice chairs.

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Federation Headlines Sanctions Against Iran, Medicaid Cuts Discussed at JCRC Legislative Breakfast At a recent Legislative Breakfast, Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council, together with MorseLife and Alpert Jewish Family and Children Services, promoted legislation to uphold funding for care and assistance programs for the elderly and people with disabilities. Several representatives and staffers from the Florida State Legislature were in attendance. They listened to proposals for the continued funding of various community services and potential new programs before legislative sessions begin in early March.

Jenny Frumer, associate executive director of Alpert Jewish Family and Children Services, raised the issue of public service and transportation difficulties that the elderly and people with disabilities often face. She requested that funds for Holocaustsurvivor programs and isolated seniors continue receiving support.

Alan Sadowsky, senior vice president of community-based services for MorseLife, a nonprofit organization providing health care, housing and support services for Palm Beach County seniors, articulated concerns over possible Medicaid cuts, which would impede hospitals’ abilities to provide quality care and services to low-income Floridians who remain without insurance.

JCRC’s Luis Fleischman advocated for legislation in Florida that would increase sanctions on Iran if the Islamic Republic doesn’t stand by the terms of the Geneva Interim Agreement on the Iranian Nuclear Jenny Frumer, associate executive director of AJFCS; Tara Laxer, Florida director of United Against a Program or if it fails to reach a satisfactory Nuclear Iran (UANI); Missy Wesolowski, JCRC's agreement that would dismantle its nuclear legislative affairs chair; Luis Fleischman, vice president of JCRC; Representative Patrick Rooney capabilities. and Representative Mark Pafford

Anne Frank’s Stepsister: A Rarely Heard Voice

Eva Schloss

On Feb. 12, Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council teamed up with Chabad of West Palm Beach for a landmark event: an evening with Eva Schloss. Schloss, a Holocaust survivor, is the stepsister of Anne Frank. She spoke at the Palm Beach County Convention Center about her childhood experiences and her relationship with Frank, undoubtedly one of the most compelling figures in history, and about the publishing of her stepsister’s famed diary. The event’s major sponsor was the Richard and Lesley Stone Family Fund; the event was co-sponsored by Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, Attorneys at Law.

MOSAIC: The World’s Most Prominent Jewish Voices “Why did you leave office in Israel?” Barbara Kay asks Ehud Barak, the former prime minister and defense minister of Israel. “They need you.” So begins a memorable interview on MOSAIC, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s weekly self-produced public service television program.

Barak joined a long list of impressive guests on the show, which include the world’s most prominent Jewish leaders, authors, artists and schools.

Past guests include Madeline Albright, Alan Dershowitz, Ted Koppel and Elie Wiesel.

MOSAIC is hosted by Kay, a Federation past president, and Susan Pertnoy. For more than a quarter century, the program has informed, entertained and enlightened the Jewish community of the greater Palm Beaches. The program airs every week from September to April on WPTV/NewsChannel 5, the local NBC affiliate.

To see the interview with Barak or to view other past episodes, visit Federation’s website, JewishPalmBeach.org, and click on the “Socialize” tab.

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Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak (left) talks to host Barbara Kay during a taping of MOSAIC.

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Temple Exec Honored for Excellence Susann Ferrara, executive director of Temple Beth David in Palm Beach Gardens, was honored in recognition of her 18 years in synagogue administration at the conference of the North American Association of Synagogue Executives recently held in Toronto. Ferrara’s tenure at Beth David has been distinguished by her efforts of body, mind, spirit and heart, which have always exceeded the usual boundaries of her position, and by her expenditures of energy and hours, which have always extended far beyond the norm. She has served as mentor, guide and inspiration to scores of temple lay volunteers, sustaining them with patience, good cheer and kindness, and has made the path of its clergy smoother and more pleasant.

Susann has earned and won the devotion and affection of Beth David’s congregants by living the credo of leading by serving, as well as serving by leading.

Susann was further recognized at the NAASE conference by being chosen as one of the leaders of a question-and-answer session entitled “Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Being an Executive Director but Were Afraid to Ask.” This program was specifically geared to newcomers to her profession, to afford them the opportunity to dialogue with and learn from the expert synagogue professionals on the panel.

Preschool Children Oversee Community Garden When the children at The One School, a preschool program at Temple Beth Am in Jupiter, sat together for lunch, they enjoyed a fresh salad from the produce that was grown in their very own garden. Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers and fresh herbs are just a few of the items cultivated in the garden.

The garden at Temple Beth Am is a temple-wide community effort and brings members and friends of all ages together. With support from The One School Parent-Teacher Organization, the garden has become an important element of the school’s nature-inspired curriculum. The interactive garden and outdoor learning Students tending to their garden at Temple Beth Am center inspire observational science and communication skills and complement the school’s emphasis on healthy living. “Children learn better with hands-on experience and are empowered by their ability to grow food and care for the garden,” says One School Early Childhood Director Paula Deakter. “The ‘Green Schoolyard’ brings children closer to the environment and the value of tikkun olam - repairing our world.”

A New Voice at Judea Cantor Alicia Stillman has been installed by Temple Judea in Palm Beach Gardens as its first ordained cantor. Cantor Stillman is a graduate of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. In 2012, HUC announced that for the first time since establishing its cantorial school in 1948, it would ordain rather than invest its graduating class of cantors. Temple Judea was honored to welcome Rabbi and Cantor Angela Buchdahl, interim chief rabbi and senior cantor from Central Synagogue, New York, to conduct the installation.

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Community Happenings Educators Discover a Natural Way to Teach More than 150 teachers and directors at the area’s synagogueand agency-based early childhood centers and preschools learned about nature-related tools and resources at “Roots of Nature: A Friedman CJE Early Childhood Nature Education Conference.”

The event, held at the Arthur I. Meyer Jewish Academy in Palm Beach Gardens, highlighted ways to move learning from inside the classroom to outside in the rich natural environment available year-round in South Florida.

The educators learned how to use nature to inspire curiosity in children from nationally renowned experts. “Children are born with a sense of spirituality,” says Debra Schein, Ph.D., an early childhood educator and consultant from Cleveland, Ohio, who Participants in “Roots of Nature: A Friedman CJE Early Childhood conducted a hands-on workshop.

Nature Education Conference.” Photo by Jason Rogers, Argonaut Studios “It is up to parents and educators to nurture that sense.

Having fun in nature increases a child’s sense of well-being,” says Patti Ensler Bailie, Ph.D., whose keynote address was sponsored by the Jack and Harriet Rosenfeld Foundation Program in Jewish Education at the University of Miami.

The conference was planned by the Early Childhood Educators Council chaired by Paula Deakter, director of The One School at Temple Beth Am in Jupiter, and Bobbi Sadow, Temple Beth David’s preschool and summer camp director, along with Friedman Commission for Jewish Education professional staff members Robyn Hurvitz, director of professional development, and Lynne Lieberman, senior director.

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Meyer Academy does not discriminate discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and/or ethnicc origin in the administration of its educational educational policies policies, s, admissions, financial aid, athletics, and other school-a school-administered administered programs.

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Anti-abuse Luncheon Draws Record Crowd The largest audience in the 10-year history of the Alpert Jewish Family and Children’s Service’s celebrated annual No Excuse for Abuse Luncheon gathered on March 12 at the Cohen Pavilion at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. The event, which benefits the agency’s Rosenberg Domestic Abuse Outreach and Support Program, drew nearly 500.

Following a reception and silent auction, event co-chairs Jennifer and Gary Lesser and Barbara and Peter Sidel welcomed attendees and recognized the past chairs. The program featured a domestic-abuse survivor recounting her efforts to escape from an abusive relationship and to speak out and help others.

Keynote Speaker Kit Gruelle also shared a story of survival; she left an abusive husband and has since worked to seek justice for domestic violence survivors. Her work is the subject of a documentary film, Private Violence, which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be aired on HBO this fall. She congratulated the agency and the local community for its support of programs to prevent domestic violence and to provide therapeutic programming for its victims.

No Excuse for Abuse Luncheon sponsors include Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith; Marilyn and Arnold Lampert; Barbara and Peter Sidel; A+ Home Health Care; Vivian and Erwin Lieberman; Karen Levy-Lutner; Susan and Ronnie Pertnoy; Hope and Gene Silverman; Phoebe and Sam Shochat; Slaton Risk Management; Lesley and Rick Stone; and Carolyn and Michael Yasuna.

AJFCS is a nationally accredited social service agency strengthening our communities by helping people during challenging times in their lives through more than two dozen programs and services. For more information call (561) 684-1991 or visit jfcsonline.com.

Alpert Jewish Family and Children’s Services teen trainers Jessie Baldinger and Lillian Lesser

From left: Carla Fine, Hope Silverman and Tracy Nemerofsky at the No Excuse for Abuse Luncheon

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Community Happenings Local Students Learn from Holocaust Survivors It’s not every day you get to meet a survivor of the Holocaust – but in early February, students from Temple Judea in Palm Beach Gardens had the incredible opportunity to “Eat N’ Schmooze” with 20 such remarkable individuals. The students, who were in fifth, sixth and seventh grades, ate lunch with the survivors and had an invaluable experience. The event was made possible by Temple Judea’s Youth Education Program in connection with Alpert Jewish Family and Children’s Services.

A Night at the Cabaret

Synagogue Celebrates 90 Years Temple Israel in West Palm Beach was proud to celebrate its 90th Anniversary at a dinner at the Palm Beach Country Club earlier this year. Two hundred people were present to acknowledge this milestone as Palm Beach County’s oldest Jewish organization moves into its 91st year.

The event consisted of a Shabbat dinner and special service honoring founding members. Eleven of the temple’s past presidents were honored and presented with a gift in recognition of their service. A timeline of the temple’s history was created by volunteers and displayed around the entire sanctuary. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Reform Movement’s Union of Reform Judaism, was an honored guest.

Broadway star Alix Paige performs at Temple Beth David

More than 200 people heard the call to “come to the cabaret” at Temple Beth David in Palm Beach Gardens as the temple filled with music and song for the second annual Cantor’s Concert earlier this year. Cantor Danielle Bensimhon led the cabaret review, featuring Grammy Award-winner Paul Shipper and Broadway actress and singer Alix Paige. Marian Wiseman served as mistress of ceremonies.

Kyra Gerber, Rebecca Suskauer and Talia Suskauer – three talented Temple Beth David/Dreyfoos School of the Arts students – added their stellar voices to the evening; fellow Dreyfoos student David Greenhouse accompanied them on piano. Guests stayed long after the music ended, reveling in the exciting evening of music and laughter.

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(Left to right) Chairs of Temple Israel’s 90th anniversary celebration Barbara Ackerman, Nancy Horowitz, Judy Shuster, Zelda Mason and Judy Goldblatt

(Left to right) Rabbi Emeritus Howard Shapiro, Rabbi Sheldon Haar, Rabbi Cookie Lea Olshein and Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union of Reform Judaism

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Opening Night of Jewish Film Festival Draws more than 1,000 Guests The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival, the largest and longest running cinematic event of its kind in Florida, drew film enthusiasts to the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach earlier this year for opening night festivities.

“There was a palpable excitement in the air at the opening night. I became more involved in the festival to expand the love of film and Jewish culture in our community. My hope is that more people are exposed to the magic of film through this 11-day festival,” said Donald Ephraim, the new name-sake of the film festival.

Ephraim was honored at the opening.

Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival Chairs Bernie Meyer & Sandra Meyer; Special guests also inMaxine Marks; Film Festival Honoree Donald Ephraim cluded comedian Dick Capri and Arnold Graham, a talent agent and producer for shows on and off Broadway.

Sandra and Bernie Meyer served as the festival chairs.

This year’s festival screened feature films, documentaries and short films that examine Ray Golden and Linda Golden Jewish culture and history as well as religious, social and political issues at four theatres from Delray Beach to Palm Beach Gardens.

For more information, visit pbjff.org.

JWF Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary In recognition of its 10th anniversary, Jewish Women’s Foundation honored its founders and chairs at a luncheon at Café Boulud on Palm Beach. The event featured guest speaker Ruth Messinger, founder and executive director of the American Jewish World Service.

The Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County uses social change, philanthropy, advocacy and education to ensure that women and girls can reach their full potential. The anniversary event paid tribute to the accomplishments of the group’s leadership during the past decade as the advocacy and grant-making arm of the Jewish Federation.

Attention was paid to JWF’s future plans to affect positive change for women and girls.

“JWF gives me the opportunity to make educated decisions about how to invest my philanthropic dollars,” said luncheon Co-chair Sandy Krakkoff.

“I believe in the importance of empowering women and girls. I know we make an impact with our social-change grant making and advocacy.”

Jewish Women’s Foundation Trustees Barbra Francisco, Venita Ackerman, Paula Newmark

Michelle Jacobson, event co-chair; Tami Baldinger, JWF executive director; Sandra Krakoff, event co-chair

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More than 170 guests gathered at the Four Seasons Palm Beach Resort earlier this year for the annual Pride of Our Lions Luncheon, where Women’s Philanthropy members were thanked for their commitment to dedicating themselves and contributing their time, talent and tzedakah to aid and provide for those in need.

Several women shared personal stories about what inspired them to become involved in philanthropy. Women’s Philanthropy Campaign Chair Lynn Kaston told about a mission to Russia and Israel last summer.

During the trip she spoke to a young child named Shoham, who captured her heart. Nancy Lublin, founder of Dress for Success, speaks at the Pride of Our Lions Luncheon.

Katson spoke about the community’s responsibility to be agents of positive change and the meaningful, personal connections that are made in the process.

The luncheon culminated with an address from Keynote Speaker Nancy Lublin. At 23, Lublin founded Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization that provides interview clothing and career development training for women in need. Lublin spoke about her grandparents, formerly of Delray Beach, and how they inspired the way she operates as a philanthropist and as a Jewish woman. The event was a shining example of how women can – and do – change the world.

Robert Sadler Clark

Robert Sadler Clark

A Celebration of Women’s Philanthropy

Susan Pertnoy (left) recognizes the work of her mother, Barbara Kay, Federation’s past president.

Bonfire Sparks Connections

NextGen members enjoy the Light up the Night bonfire.

Left to right: Adam Hecht, Marisa Pepper, Daryl Pepper, Rachel Needle

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At the recent Light up the Night bonfire, people connected with one another while enjoying signature Israeli drinks at The Rum Bar in North Palm Beach. Almost 50 people gathered around the fire for a unique, fun-filled evening with NextGen, an initiative of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County that connects, educates and serves the needs of the younger professional community in the greater Palm Beaches through philanthropic, community and volunteer opportunities.

“Light up the Night was an excellent event for Palm Beach young professionals to try some Israeli spirits,” said NextGen’s Joey Abrin. “They got to network in a casual Jewish environment and even learn a little bit about Israel from our community’s amazing shlichim, Shani and Nir Boneh.”

The event was free for those who registered online.

For more information, please visit JewishPalmBeach.org.

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I Thought My Dancing Days Were Over Until The Orthopedic & Spine Program at Jupiter Medical Center Got Me Back Into The “Swing of Things.” Beth Popp led a very active lifestyle: golf, tennis, lots of outdoor activities.

She was also an avid ballroom dancer. Over the years, Beth’s knee pain forced her to give up the activities she loved, including dancing. Beth knew she needed help.

“It’s a miracle! I never thought I’d be able to dance again.”

–Beth Popp

She had MAKOplasty® partial knee resurfacing at the Orthopedic & Spine Center of Excellence at Jupiter Medical Center. Beth was so impressed with the care she received throughout her stay, she recommended this surgery to several of her friends. Today, Beth is pain-free and back on the dance floor.

From Pre-hab to Re-hab, Nobody Does Orthopedics Better Than JMC. To learn more about our comprehensive orthopedic and spine program, visit jupitermed.com/ortho, or please call Judy Dellosa, Orthopedic & Spine Nurse Navigator, at (561) 263-3633. To find an orthopedic or spine surgeon who’s just right for you, call our Physician Referral Service at (561) 263-5737.

Certified by the Joint Commission for Total Joint Replacement for Hips, Knees and Shoulders

The Anderson Family Orthopedic & Spine Center of Excellence 1210 South Old Dixie Highway, Jupiter, Florida 33458 • jupitermed.com/ortho Total Shoulder • Hip & Knee Replacement • Sports Medicine • MAKOplasty® Partial Knee Resurfacing Spine Surgery • Arthroscopic Shoulder Repair • hana® Table for Anterior Hip Replacement

So Much More Than Medicine

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Ahhh... blintzes.

Ancient Slavic people served up round, golden blins as a symbol of the sun. Hungarians like to take the credit for adding a variety of fillings to create the blintz. Latvians, Lithuanians and Russians are among those who might argue the point. We’re not taking sides; let’s just say that Eastern European Jewish immigrants were responsible for popularizing blintzes in this country. When stuffed with cheese, they are perfect for a Shavuot (June 4-5) celebration, when dairy is traditionally eaten.

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Executive Dual Time Self-winding. Patented time zone quick setting.

Black ceramic bezel and 18 ct rose gold case.

Water-resistant to 100 m. Rubber band.

W W W . U LY S S E - N A R D I N . C O M