GMW 04_02_20 by rich waloff

NEW JERSEY JEWISH NEWS

G R E AT E R M E T R O W E S T E D I T I O N A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E J E W I S H W E E K M E D I A G R O U P Vol. LXX IV No. 14 | April 2, 2020 | 8 N I SAN 5780

njj ew is hnews . c o m

William Helmreich, 75, wrote authoritative book on MetroWest community The coronavirus claims a sociologist who studied Jews and their neighborhoods Steve Lipman Special to NJJN

Jewish Family Services remain vital State & Local 4

Modern plague, ancient story retold Volunteers safely mobilize State & Local 14

State & Local Passover Opinion Calendar LifeCycle Community Touch of Torah Exit Ramp

4 22 27 30 31 33 36 39

New Haggadahs for a very different Passover Steve Lipman Special to NJJN

he annual seders that commemorate the ancient Israelites’ deliverance from slavery, in which the biblical Ten Plagues play a prominent role, take on special poignancy this year in the shadow of a modern plague, the coronavirus. As families gather (six feet apart) at their Passover tables next week — many in virtual seders

through Zoom technology — they will use a combination of old Haggadahs and new ones that reflect contemporary social and political themes. Here are some members of the new crop. The Promise of the Land: A Passover Haggadah. By Rabbi Ellen Bernstein. Artwork by Galia Goodman (Behrman House) Rabbi Bernstein’s Haggadah is the latest in a series of Passover texts that focus on “the land” rather than the Promised Land. It’s a text for the environmentally and ecologically minded, and it is in step with modern feminism, including in its pages

Continued on page 24

ver dinner in a kosher restaurant in the Borough Park section of Brooklyn a few years ago, Dr. William Helmreich, a professor of sociology and prolific author, was telling some friends and fellow academics a few stories about his latest book, “The Brooklyn Nobody Knows” (Princeton University Press), from 2017. The book was his journal of his walks along the borough’s 816 miles of streets. One particular story had caught his attention — about the Theodor Herzl mural. Helmreich, distinguished professor in the City College sociology department and an instructor at the CUNY Graduate School, had discovered a five-story-high likeness of the founder of the modern Zionism movement along the side of a building in Brownsville, the Brooklyn neighborhood that through the 1950s was largely Jewish. The professor told his friends, Linda and Heshy Friedman of Borough Park, professors in the CUNY system, about the incongruity, and symbolism, of an image of a famed Zionist leader displayed prominently in a black neighborhood, said Heshy Friedman. “He was excited” that young African-Americans were inspired by the resilience message of Herzl’s words — “If you will it, it is no dream” — that were part of the artwork, Friedman said of Helmreich, 75, who died at his Great Neck, N.Y., home on March 28 of coronavirus. “He had a lot of interest in a lot of areas.” Helmreich’s specialty areas were race and ethnic relations, religion, immigration, risk behavior, the sociology of New York City, urban sociology, consumer behavior, and market research. “He was an invaluable asset to the history of this community,” said Linda Forgosh, executive

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NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

From our family to yours...

PASSOVER

happy

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The guy who brought you last year’s “Emoji Haggadah” is tongue-in-cheeking it again this year with a novel (coronavirus) text. Martin Bodek, a 44-year-old language aficionado and IT specialist who lives in Passaic, released his “Coronavirus Haggadah” on social media last week as a seder supplement, satiric commentary, and morale booster during these days of worry (available at tinyurl.com/CoronavirusHaggadah). “I wanted to say to people, ‘This too shall pass over,’” quipped Bodek, who said he was inspired to write this Haggadah by the “five billion” disease-related memes he read in recent weeks, including some with Pesach themes. “Humor will help us get through it.” Is a Haggadah that mocks coronavirus, on a holiday that commemorates freedom from slavery, appropriate? No one who has seen it seems offended, he says. “It seems that humor is the only outlet we have while we’re at home.” And so, to The Wise Child’s question — “‘What are the advisable things we should be doing during the current crisis?’ — you’ll respond by instructing the child in the responsible measures of social distancing, hand-washing,” and so on. Elijah at the door? A no-show. “He was ordered to quarantine with the rest of Israel’s citizens.” The “11th Plague”? Obviously, Covid-19. Next week, the Bodek seder, often “a minyan” of family guests, will only include the five members of the immediate family. Bodek’s main Haggadah will be a facsimile of the “Sarajevo Haggadah,” which he received as a bar mitzvah gift. But he’ll read excerpts from his new text, where it will be intoned, tongue planted firmly in cheek: “Does anyone really need to ask why this night is different from all other nights?” — Steve Lipman/New York Jewish Week

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The coronavirus couldn’t stop the consecration for the first new Jewish cemetery in South Florida’s Broward County in 50 years. The religious ceremony last week preceded the opening of the King David Cemetery in Deerfield Beach. It was scaled back, with just a few people on hand, due to the Covid-19 outbreak. King David is part of the nonsectarian A rendering of the new King David Cemetery. Fairway Memorial Gardens. Rabbi Lawrence Schuval, the funeral director and cemetery manager for Fairway Memorial, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the cemetery will adhere to guidelines laid out due to the coronavirus, including strictly graveside services with no more than 10 mourners in attendance. Schuval said it is “extremely vital” for the cemetery to be open and operating. “People need to bury their loved ones without delay,” he said. — JTA COURTESY FAIRWAY MEMORIAL GARDENS

Vol. LXXIV No. 14 April 2, 2020 8 Nisan 5780 EDITORIAL Gabe Kahn, Editor Shira Vickar-Fox, Managing Editor Lori Silberman Brauner, Deputy Managing Editor Johanna Ginsberg, Senior Staff Writer Jed Weisberger, Staff Writer Abby Meth Kanter, Editorial Adviser CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michele Alperin, Jennifer Altmann, Max L. Kleinman, Martin J. Raffel, Merri Ukraincik, Stephen M. Flatow, Jonathan Tobin BUSINESS Nancy Greenblatt, Manager Sales/ Administration and Circulation Nancy Karpf, Senior Account Executive Steven Weisman, Account Executive Lauri Sirois, Classified Sales Supervisor/ Office Manager GRAPHIC DESIGN/DIGITAL/PRODUCTION Clarissa Hamilton, Janice Hwang, Charles J. Rosenthal, Dani Shetrit EXECUTIVE STAFF Rich Waloff, Publisher Andrew Silow-Carroll, Editor in Chief Gary Rosenblatt, Editor at Large Rob Goldblum, Managing Editor Ruth Rothseid, Sales Manager Thea Wieseltier, Director of Strategic Projects Dan Bocchino, Art Director Arielle Sheinwald, Print Marketing Operations Manager Gershon Fastow, Advertising Coordinator Miriam Groner, Web Director

PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT New Jersey Jewish News, an independent voice, seeks to inform, engage and inspire its readers, covering and helping to build community. The Greater MetroWest edition of NJJN (USPS 275-540) is published weekly by the JWMW, LLC, at 1501 Broadway, Room 505, New York, NY 10036. © 2016, NJ Jewish News. All rights reserved. • Periodical postage is paid at Whippany, NJ, and additional offices. • Postmaster: Send address changes to New Jersey Jewish News, 1719 Route 10, Suite 307, Parsippany, NJ 07054-4515. NJJN was founded as The Jewish News on Jan. 3, 1947. Member, American Jewish Press Association; subscriber to JTA. TELEPHONES/E-MAIL: Main — phone: 973739-8110, fax: 973-887-4152, e-mail: editorial@njjewishnews.com, ■ Manuscripts, letters, documents, and photographs sent to New Jersey Jewish News become the physical property of this publication, which is not responsible for the return or loss of such material. SUBSCRIPTIONS: ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS (INCLUDING POSTAGE): New Jersey: $52. Out of State: $56. Call Nancy Greenblatt, 973-739-8115 or e-mail: ngreenblatt@njjewishnews.com. For change of address, call 973-929-3198. ADVERTISING: NJJN does not endorse the goods or services advertised in its pages and makes no representation as to the kashrut of food products and services in such advertising. The publisher shall not be liable for damages if, for any reason whatsoever, the publisher fails to publish an advertisement or for any error in an advertisement. Acceptance of advertisers and of advertising copy is subject to publisher’s approval. NJJN is not responsible if ads violate applicable laws and the advertiser will indemnify, hold harmless, and defend NJJN from all claims made by governmental agencies and consumers for any reason based on ads carried in NJJN.

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Elijah’s quarantined

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NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Jewish social service agencies struggle to keep up with side effects of Covid-19 Domestic abuse, food insecurity among top concerns Johanna Ginsberg NJJN Senior Writer

s unavoidable side effects of the Covid-19 crisis, domestic abuse, food insecurity, the well-being of seniors, and the overwhelming responsibilities of parenting in this new reality have emerged as the top issues confronting Coronavirus l o c a l a g e n c i e s . I n p a rticular, Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Central New Jersey headquartered in Elizabeth, and Jewish Family Service (JFS) of M e t r o We s t h e a d q u a r t e r e d i n Florham Park are scrambling to meet the growing needs of their clients, with providers working 12- 15-hour days. Unlike many Jewish institutions, JFS of Central NJ is keeping its 10,000-square-foot building

Marty Axelrod, a volunteer for Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey, is ready to deliver groceries from the food pantry in Elizabeth. PHOTOS COURTESY JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF CENTRAL NEW JERSEY

open — albeit with a skeleton staff — in part to keep the food pantry open and to continue offering its home-health-aide service. “There’s a lot going on and we are ready to serve,” said executive director Tom Beck in a telephone conversation with NJJN. According to Beck the front office is open, and the small number of employees — just social work, front office, and nursing staff — and the large building gives them enough space to practice social distancing. (The front doors are locked, so anyone needing services should call ahead and leave a message stating exactly what services are needed.) Overall, JFS of Central NJ is transforming itself to meet rapidly changing and growing needs in Union County. As of last year, its food pantry served approximately

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Fear of unknown feeds ancient and modern hatreds

But another factor is the irrational fear of the unknown and the impulse to find uring this scapegoats. catastrophic That impulse is coronavirus starting to hit home epidemic, ADL rewith our extended ports a rise in racial community now that hatred of Chinesewhite supremacist Americans and their websites and radical businesses, presumMuslim clerics are ably because the pointing the finger at outbreak began in Jews for causing and China. Such base spreading Covid-19. As I See It reactions feed on Ye t e v e n a s t h i s i s generations of racpreposterous and ism in the United States against hate-mongering, there are valid the Chinese, starting with the concerns that too many of our peoChinese Exclusion Act in 1882, ple are refusing to self-isolate or decades before the virtual ex- practice social distancing. Despite c l u s i o n o f E a s t e r n E u r o p e a n s the exhortations of leading rabbis for people to stay home, imin 1924.

Max L. Kleinman NJJN Contributing Writer

ages of large-scale weddings are flooding the internet and stories of crowded shiva houses have made the rounds. That clusters of the epidemic have emerged in chasidic neighborhoods only reinforce this concern. As recent sociological studies have shown, the strength of our community via our social web of contacts can be a source of vulnerability during this plague. Based on data gleaned from two studies — one by the General Social Survey, the other by Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring, as originally reported in The Forward — the average American has 2.1 “intimates” with whom he or she can discuss personal matters, compared to 3.9 intimates for Jews, an 86 percent difference. In other words, by virtue of our large circle

of close friends, we risk exposing more people than most other groups. And the disproportionate spread among Jews in our metropolitan areas has fueled more hatred among those who perceive “Hymietown” as ground zero for the virus. Interestingly, it’s an obverse reaction to the persecution that Jews faced in the 14th century at the height of the Black Plague. Already conditioned to hate the Jewish people as a result of their being falsely accused as poisoners of wells in the previous century, Jews were victimized because, unlike today, too few died from the plague. While Europe was decimated with 40-50 percent fatalities, Jews suffered far fewer casualties. As recounted by Barbara

Continued on page 8

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NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

During these uncertain times, it is of utmost importance

State&Local

NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Two national Conservative groups to share a CEO Move is meant to deepen partnership between organizations serving rabbis and synagogues

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ne chief executive will lead two arms of the Conservative movement as part of a new process of collaboration. U.S. PRIVATE BANKING • INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE BANKING Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, the COMMERCIAL BANKING • COMMERCIAL LENDING chief executive of the Rabbinical UNWAVERING PERSONAL SERVICE Assembly (RA) since April 2019, will also serve as chief executive of the United Synagogue of Con® IDB Bank servative Judaism (USCJ) effec150 JFK Parkway, Short Hills, NJ 07078 973-379-8699 tive July 1. The partnership between the www.idbbank.com rabbinical group and congregaIDB Bank® is a registered service mark of Israel tional body follows a decade of reDiscount Bank of New York. Member FDIC. organization within what was once the largest of the major AmericanJewish denominations. The RA and the USCJ, which have until now had separate professional leadership, agreed to deepen their partnership after 18 months of meetings between the two groups’ staff and lay leaders, according to Blumenthal. (Since July 2019, Leslie Lichter has served as interim CEO of the USCJ, succeeding Rabbi Steve Wernick, who moved from Caldwell to assume spiritual leadIN HONOR OF OUR JEWISH FRIENDSOFWE WILL BE BAKING IN HONOR OUR JEWISH FRIENDS WE WILL BE BAKING ership of Beth Tzedec CongregaIN IN HONOR OFOFOUR JEWISH FRIENDS WE WILL BE BAKING tion in Toronto. Lichter will return HONOR OUR IN HONOR OF OUR JEWISH FRIENDS WE JEWISH WILL BE FRIENDS BAKING WE WILL BE BAKING to her previous position of chief DURING THE PASSOVERDURING HOLIDAYTHE AVAILABLE INHOLIDAY ALL OUR LOCATIONS PASSOVER AVAILABLE IN ALL OUR LOCATIONS operating officer. There have been DURING THETHEPASSOVER HOLIDAY AVAILABLE ALLOUR OUR LOCATIONS DURING PASSOVER HOLIDAY AVAILABLE ININALL LOCATIONS DURING THE PASSOVER HOLIDAY AVAILABLE IN ALL OUR LOCATIONS TRY ONE WITH ANYTRY OF ONE YOURWITH FAVORITE ANY OFTOPPINGS! YOUR FAVORITE TOPPINGS! no layoffs and no immediate staff changes are planned.) 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Livingston, Hills, Orange -pm limited area cording to Ned Gladstein, interam11– am 10 pm Fri. &• Sat. 11 pm • Sun. 12 – 10 pm Mon.-Thurs 11 am – 10Mon.-Thurs pm • Fri. &11Sat. – 11• pm Sun.11 12am – 10–pm national president of the USCJ, Mon.-Thurs 11 am – 10 pm • Fri. & Sat. 11 am – 11 pm • Sun. 12 – 10 pm the umbrella organization of Con379 East Northfield Road,379 Livingston (973) 992-4500 East Northfield Road, Livingston (973) 992-4500 servative synagogues in North 2704Northfield Morris(973) Avenue, Union (908) 964-4600 379 East Road, Livingston (973) 992-4500Union (908) 964-4600 2704 Morris Avenue, 379 East Northfield Road, Livingston 992-4500 America. Gladstein lives in North Freeman WestUnion Orange (973) 669-6777 2704 Morris Avenue, (908) 964-4600 41 Freeman Street, West Orange (973) 669-6777 37941 East Northfield Road, Livingston (973) 992-4500 2704 Morris Avenue, Union (908)Street, 964-4600 Caldwell and is a member of 401 Hackensack St, Carlstadt, (201) 903-0050 401 Hackensack St, Carlstadt, (201) 903-0050 412704 Freeman Street, WestUnion Orange (973)964-4600 669-6777 Morris(973) Avenue, (908) 41 Freeman Street, West Orange 669-6777 Congregation Agudath Israel in 401 Hackensack St, Carlstadt, (201) 903-0050 NOTICE: Not Kosher (201) for Passover • Coupons not valid on Matzo Pizza onnot NOTICE: THIS FOOD ISSt, REPRESENTED AS BEING KOSHER •forCoupons not valid Matzo NOTICE: Not Kosher Passover • Coupons valid Pizza on Matzo Pizza 401 Hackensack Carlstadt, 903-0050 41NOT Freeman Street, West Orange (973) 669-6777 Caldwell. 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Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal in July will assume leadership of USCJ and the Rabbinical Assembly. tackle new projects. “We are stronger now than we have been in the last 10 years,” h e s a i d . “ We p r o p o s e d a b a l anced budget a year ago and it is likely that we will come in cash positive for the first time in over a decade. The United Synagogue has strengthened its staff and programming and we just announced a buying network that will save our congregations money. We are now in a position to be a solid partner to the RA and other organizations in the movement.” Last December, the two groups held a joint convention. “At our next convention in Toronto, we want to partner with all [Conservative] organizations in North America that hold conventions — the Rabbinical Assembly, Women’s League, Men’s Club, the Cantors Assembly, the North American Association of Synagogue Executives, and the Jewish Educators Assembly,” said Gladstein. “We are all in the service of Judaism.”

Continued on page 17

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NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

wishes you a

NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

State&Local As I See It

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Tuchman’s authoritative “A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century” (Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1987), a larger proportion

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of Jews may have survived because their religious practices included attention to matters of sanitation through ritual washing of hands, regular visits to the mikvah, and prompt burial of the dead, and because of their superimposed segregation in restricted quarters. Pope Clement VI attempted to control the massacres of Jews in a papal bull, alleging that Christians who imputed the Jews for the plague were “seduced by that liar, the Devil,” noting that the plague had spread to areas where no Jews lived. But to no avail. With the rationale that Jews had confessed of well-poisoning — false confessions extracted by torture — and lured by the prospect of seizing the Jews’ assets, more than 200 Jewish communities were decimated. Seeing an opening to modernize his economy through banking and commerce, Casimir the Third invited the persecuted Jews from the West to migrate eastward to Poland, opening up another epoch of Jewish history. “History never repeats itself,” Voltaire reminds us, but “man always does.” Even all these years after 9/11, many anti-Semites still believe that Jews or the Israeli government were responsible for the catastrophic attacks on our country that day. Residents of the Garden State have personal experience with this outlandish myth, as a New Jersey poet laureate was removed from his post for writing a poem, “Somebody Blew Up America,” that accused Israel of having prior knowledge of the destruction of the Twin Towers. This despite the fact that dozens, if not hundreds, of Jews were killed in the attack. Fear of the unknown can promote the unity necessary to face a crisis down, or it can feed the paranoia that leads to the search for scapegoats. And Jews have long been one of the most convenient targets for such baseless accusations. As we approach Passover and prepare to recite the 10 plagues during the seder, let’s offer a special prayer for those suffering from the effects of Covid-19, their families, health professionals, first responders, and all humankind. Let not let the fear of the unknown rend our social fabric. Rather, let this modern-day plague, which knows no geographic boundaries, race, religion, or gender, serve to unify us as we seek to defeat the virus and rebuild our communities. ■

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9 NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

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Continued from page 4 2,600-3,000 people per year, but that is changing dramatically. As of Thursday, March 26, food requests had risen by 50 percent from the previous week, and Beck expects that to continue. The food pantry, normally open three days a month, is now open five days a week and one day on the weekend each month, in part to meet the growing demand, but also to minimize people congregating in large groups.

Further complicating the situation, the pantry has had to shift and add food suppliers, as the two it used to work with no longer have the staffing or capacity to do so, and now JFS of Central NJ is using seven different distributors for food, produce, and kosher meats. Also, the agency has had to purchase in larger quantities than in the past, sometimes at a premium price, because the new distributors won’t work with smaller amounts. So far, it’s received an emergency allotment from Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, its umbrella organization, as well as grants from The David Tepper Charitable Foundation and the Wilf Foundation

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Mother-and-daughter-volunteer-team Robin (right) and Lauren Plattman in the Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey’s Passover food pantry, formerly its board room. to meet the increasing costs. (Clients who needs groceries should call ahead. A bag, with a first name and last initial, will be prepared and left outside to be picked up, honor-system style in some situations; other times, a volunteer will meet clients to give them the package.) An increase in funding through federation, The Grotta Fund for Senior Care, and private donations has also enabled the agency to expand the number of Meals on Wheels clients from 85 to 100. Meals are prepared by the YMYWHA of Union County, known as the Green Lane Y. With the holiday just around the corner, there’s also been an increased demand for kosher-for-Passover food, and so the annual holiday food drive under way now is more critical than ever. A drop-off area was created just outside JFS of Central NJ’s main office on Westfield Avenue in Union with boxes, for both Passover and year-round food, and donations of food and money are being accepted to meet the growing need. With the massive increase in food, the 800-square-foot food pantry in the building’s converted garage is no longer big enough, so the board room was reassigned as the Passover food pantry. Despite the risks, JFS of Central NJ’s homehealth aides continue to visit clients. The aides are in direct contact with patients, bathing them, taking blood pressure, and providing short physical exams, so just as with other health professionals, they are in desperate need of face masks, both surgical and N-95 masks. They also need thermometers; each of the 85 home-health aides and seven nurses are now required to take their own temperature before visiting clients to ensure everyone’s safety. JFS of Central NJ is operating remotely for

its other services, using Telehealth methods for mental health services, and Zoom and similar apps for continuing support groups, including Café Europa for Holocaust survivors. “Everything is exacerbated because everybody is anxious,” said Beck. “The current situation adds to anxiety, depression, family problems, and now unemployment is being added to the mix.” The needs of clients at JFS of MetroWest NJ are slightly different from its Central NJ counterpart. All JFS of MetroWest buildings are currently closed and the staff is working remotely, but executive director Diane Squadron said they remain fully operational, which is particularly important during this time as three demographics have emerged with the greatest need for JFS services: seniors, parents with young children, and people in worrisome home situations. As these numbers are likely to increase, Squadron said, JFS of MetroWest is providing free access to virtual support groups throughout the week for anyone, even those who aren’t existing clients. (Times are available on the JFS of MetroWest Facebook page and website.) Older adults who used to have easy access to grocery home delivery services now compete with everyone else for what has become the holy grail of suburban life: a delivery time slot. To meet this new need, JFS of MetroWest is looking for volunteers to shop for their clients’ groceries and deliver the items, and to donate gift cards the volunteers can use to pay. Regarding delivery inquiries, “In the last two days we’ve had over a dozen calls and we expect this to triple and quadruple shortly,” said Squadron. She added that the need for gift cards from other outlets as well, from CVS to Amazon, has also dramatically increased. Additionally, JFS of MetroWest is seeking a kosher caterer to provide meals for seniors on an ongoing basis for Shabbat, and for Passover. At the same time, JFS of MetroWest is providing its regular services for this group, from mental health counseling to Café Europa, its program for Holocaust survivors, via Telehealth and Zoom. With the increase in time at home in close proximity to immediate family, those who have unstable relationships or are victims of domestic violence may be in dire need of outside assistance. According to Shari Bloomfield, clinical director of JFS of MetroWest’s Rachel Coalition, a partnership of eight organizations that provides services to victims of domestic violence, people in this group “can feel particularly isolated now, so it’s important to maintain contact” with these individuals. Like other parents, many are struggling to adjust to the “new normal” of having children at home and homeschooling but, said Bloomfield, “after years of abuse, they feel they are failing and incapable,” so “[O]utreach helps them cope and feel more confident.”

Bloomfield added that women in these situations must take extra safety precautions. “Some of our clients are not in safe situations and can’t talk because they have no privacy,” she said, and suggests they start by reaching out to the Rachel Coalition; The Safe House, a domestic violence shelter in Essex County (Rachel Coalition used to have a dedicated kosher safehouse of its own, but it closed after other shelters opened and the need diminished); or the National Domestic Violence Hotline. (The phone number for the Hotline and the numbers of other social service organizations are listed at the bottom of this story.)

For those concerned about their safety at home, Suzanne Groisser, director of legal services for Rachel Coalition, reminds people to call the coalition and that court is open for emergency matters. Even during the crisis, temporary orders of protection are available through local police departments, and Groisser said advocates are pushing to make them available via telephone soon. “We’re here to help navigate the legal system and the courts,” she said. Unfortunately, for some challenges that have arisen, there are no quick solutions.

Continued on next page

Yitzak Rabin called Magen David Adom Israel’s second line of defense. With the coronavirus, we’re the first. When the COVID19 coronavirus arrived in Israel, the Ministry of Health knew who could best protect everyone’s health. Because Israelis know Magen David Adom has the paramedics, training, and vision to minimize the spread of the disease. With its innovative home-testing program and cutting-edge video apps, MDA can literally see how patients are recovering — enabling most Israelis to recover at home, where they can infect the fewest people. Support from Americans like you has helped MDA shield almost all of Israel’s 9 million people from this disease. But this fight has depleted the tools and supplies MDA needs to ensure the infection rates don’t rise. Help Magen David Adom continue to protect Israelis and save lives. Make a gift today. Chag Pesach sameach.

afmda.org/protect

11 NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

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Happy Passover! May your Passover be filled with happiness, health, and prosperity. Your friends at Provident Bank

Frequently people who have been in abusive relationships and have young children, afraid to live at home with their significant others, have opted to stay with relatives who are older or have serious medical issues. Worried that they will be exposed to Covid-19, and in turn expose their relatives, they may be hesitant to leave the house to buy diapers, formula, or other essentials. To address this concern JFS of MetroWest is requesting volunteers to shop for them and deliver the items, along with gift cards for Shop Rite, CVS, and Amazon to cover the costs, especially for those whose finances are complicated by having temporary restraining orders issued and are not receiving child support. There’s also an ongoing need for donations of baby and infant products like diapers, wipes, and formula. Visitation rights is also complicated. Under normal circumstances with an abused parent, a third party will often conduct the exchanging children for visitation. “But people don’t want the extra potential exposure,” said Groisser. In at least one such case she knows of, “The abuser is saying, ‘I’ll just keep the kids with me all the time,’” to sidestep the issue, said Groisser, whose client “does not know what to do.” And, of course, even for working parents who live in stable environments and with loving families, having to simultaneously work remotely from home and take care of their children has its challenges. “We are starting to hear from parents not used to being home all day, trying to do their job and be with their kids,” without their usual

childcare arrangements, said Squadron, adding “that’s not just our clients — it’s also our staff.” Moreover, other parents who usually receive JFS of MetroWest support services are finding it’s more difficult to have their regular clinical sessions because they don’t have either the time or a private place to talk. For all these new and other challenges that have emerged during the era of coronavirus, JFS of MetroWest is working toward offering virtual support groups accessible to anyone during the week. “Things are changing day by day,” said Squadron. “But the longer this goes on, the more services people will need.” ■ jginsberg@njjewishnews.com

If you or a loved one needs help, or if you’re interested in volunteering, please call Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey or Jewish Family Service of MetroWest. For matters related to domestic violence call Rachel Coalition, the Safe House, or one of the other numbers listed below: Jewish Family Service of Central NJ: 908-352-8375 Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ: 973-765-9050 Rachel Coalition Hotline: 973-740-1233 The Safe House: 973-759-2378 or 973759-2154 NJ Statewide domestic violence hotline: 800-572-SAFE (7233) National Domestic Violence hotline: 800-799-7233

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HANDLING THE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 OUTBREAK The impact of the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak continues to grow and impact all aspects of our lives. This situation is unprecedented, fluid and evolving. With all the uncertainty, our primary focus continues to be the safety and well-being of the patients, residents, families & staff at Regency Jewish Heritage at The Wilf Campus. After several high-level conversations with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as well as the Governor’s office, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Health and infection control physician specialists, we have implemented a wide range of extensive measures to effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19, including clinical services, sanitation, visitation and staffing.

CARING FOR AN ELDERLY LOVED ONE AT HOME? We understand how much additional stress the coronavirus has caused to at-home caregivers, especially for those also dealing with the added variable of their children being home due to school closures. If your situation becomes too overwhelming, Regency Jewish Heritage is able to provide short-term respite stays. In fact, we have established an Emergency Fund for Elderly community members who need it. Call Marlene at 732-873-2000 for details. We are grateful for the community’s help and support during this trying time.

David Gross Regency Jewish Heritage, President

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13 NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

An open letter to the community from Regency Jewish Heritage at The Wilf Campus

NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

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Volunteers mobilize for food delivery Shira Vickar-Fox NJJN Managing Editor

everal local groups, undaunted by the Covid-19 restrictions, continue to feed those in need, including individuals forced to quarantine, families experiencing food instability, or those who have lost jobs or incomes as a result of the pandemic. More than 30 families volunteered over the course of the afternoon on Tuesday, March 24, to pack hundreds of boxes filled with PassCoronavirus over food in the parking lot of Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange. Following the guidelines of the CDC and in consultation with a local physician, volunteers signed up in advance so no more than 10 people were present at a time. Other safety precautions included social distancing, thorough hand and face washing, and donning of masks, gloves, and disposable ponchos to cover clothing. The packing was organized by the Jewish Relief Agency (JRA), a monthly program founded by the Rabbinical College of America where volunteers pack and deliver boxes of food to 350 recipients throughout the state. Coordinator Michael Diamond, an executive board member at Ohr Torah, said the regular JRA recipients are “most at-risk” during the pandemic. “We think that

A volunteer tapes up cardboard boxes to be filled with kosher for Passover foods. PHOTO COURTESY JRA

even doing something as small as lending our parking lot and some volunteers would go a long way during this extremely difficult time,” he said. The kosher for Passover foods in the boxes included matzah, grape juice, jars of gefilte fish, nuts, tea, jam, and more. Rabbi Moishe Gurevitz, director of JRA, said his commitment is unwavering. “With constant guidance from medical professionals, we need to look for ways to help those in their time of need; otherwise, giving up now is giving up on hundreds of people,” he wrote to NJJN in an email. JRA also initiated a Passover campaign to help those experiencing financial instability as a result of

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the pandemic. To donate visit jrametrowest.com/donate. Another Passover food drive was conducted by a Chesed WhatsApp group comprised of West Orange and Livingston residents. More than $20,000 was raised and some of the money is covering the cost of 40 “Passover to Go” boxes, which include seder food plus lunches and dinners for the entire holiday, prepared by Reuben’s Glatt Spot in West Orange. All funds raised will continue to help local families financially impacted by the virus. For more information, contact Larry Rein, reinlawrence@ gmail.com, or Moshe Glick, mglickus@gmail.com. The number of families helped by the Westfield Fun Club is “growing daily,” according to an email from organizers Jenny Tananbaum and Alissa Berger. The Fun Club, a program at Temple Emanu-El that assists refugee families, has expanded their services to include a twice-weekly home delivery of food and other essential items. The number of families aided by the Fun Club has doubled from 15 to 30. “The coronavirus crisis has created an ever-worsening situation for our food insecure families,” according to the email. The group is collecting non-perishable food, produce, diapers, halal and non-halal meat and poultry, laundry detergent, razors, and more. For information on where to donate, email westfieldfunclub@gmail.com. ■ svickarfox@njjewishnews.com

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Stuck at home?

That doesn’t mean a self-quarantine from helping others

Samantha Rigante Special to NJJN

s Covid-19 continues to sweep across the United States, many have been forced to self-quarantine and isolate themselves from others in an attempt to slow the spread of the highly transmittable disease and “flatten the curve.” After New York, California, and Illinois issued “stayat-home” orders, it seems First Person impossible to do anything except sit at home and watch news about the increasingly worsening pandemic. Being quarantined at home, however, does not mean that you have to be isolated from your community. Online classes have begun, for most schools, and the pandemic seems to have no visible end in sight. For high schoolers, it can be difficult to know how exactly you can best help your community during times like these. There are many ways to get involved and help others during the outbreak, and all from the comfort of your own home. Dealing with a pandemic such as this means that we all need to work our hardest to come together for the good of humanity, and there are a variety of ways to do that. The easiest way, of course, to help those across the country deal with such a crisis is to donate to organizations that help others. Nonprofit organizations such as Feeding America, which helps fund food banks, and Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to the elderly, are essential in times like this and help millions of people across the country. For the politically inclined, there are ways to help, too. Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders has stopped asking for donations to his

Continued on page 20

15 NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

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NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Your Neighborhood Kosher Bakery for Passover

School community rises to the challenges of remote instruction Teachers employ ‘creativity, flexibility’ for academic success

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t was not until Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012 that it became a reality for New Jersey schools to consider the possibility of an extended physical absence from our buildings. Like many of our peer schools did at the time, we had these imFirst Person p o r t a n t c o n versations and considered ways in which we could exist in a remote world. It wasn’t until early March, however, that these plans that had lived in our heads and file cabinets since 2012 would be forced to be implemented. The world has been changing on a minute-by-minute basis over these last few weeks, and there was no way to know that shortly after our Purim celebrations, I would be sending a blast communication out to our entire community letting them know that we’d be closing for — at the very least — five weeks, until the end of our scheduled Pesach break. At the time the announcement seemed a bit excessive; a month later, it feels purely aspirational. The email to our community meant that our students — ranging in age from 4-17 — were leaving school with many books and binders in hand, and our team was beginning the process of changing to a fully remote operation within a matter of days. Under normal circumstances, our team and our entire faculty would have laughed at the idea of flipping the switch to remote instruction in a matter of days. Yet under these circumstances every single member of our Golda Och Academy (GOA) team rose to the occasion. This is not how change works in the educational world. We strive to be deliberate and thoughtful, always planning with the best interests of our students in mind.

In this case, the best interests of our students included continuing their learning from home to provide some modicum of normalcy. As we dove head-first into this process, we worked to consider all the potential problems and pitfalls. What jumped out at us from the start was the need to provide some of our teachers with technical support and assistance. We also examined overcoming the hurdle of some of our youngest students having limited access to technology, the challenge of determining how much screen time was too much, and finding a balance that still enabled our students to feel connected to their learning, teachers, and friends. These were just some of the important questions we considered in these first moments, and have continued to address over recent weeks. To be socially or physically distant is antithetical to our work. In a flash our educational system was turned on its head, and the term “remote instruction” no longer meant a one-off accommodation we might provide for a student with an illness who has been absent for successive days. Accomplishing this metamorphosis required a total team effort. Classroom instruction shifted online to Zoom and Google Meet,

Continued on page 36

CEO

Continued from page 6 Blumenthal noted that both of the organizations have moved their offices to different floors at the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan and that he will have work spaces at both. “We share the same goal of bringing our version of Jewish life to more people in more places and in more ways,” he said. “In the 21st century, the model to get things done is to work as a team and in partnership. It is

DEAR READERS,

What is happening at this moment is unprecedented, and yet the dust shows no sign of settling and the ground beneath us continues to shift. But perhaps there are some silver linings to be uncovered during these trying times. For instance, we’re seeing synagogues step up their volunteerism and organizing chesed groups to assist members in need. Rabbis are teaching classes and hosting study sessions online and via telephone. Our children’s educators are exercising their creative muscles to impart knowledge from screens. We’d like to know how this pandemic is affecting you, your family, and your community. What is your synagogue doing to aid congregants through the crisis? Have you adjusted your Jewish practices, such as livestreaming evening services? Did your family adopt new traditions, like lighting an extra candle on Friday night or coming together to sing Lecha Dodi? Tell us about those who have volunteered to help the elderly and other high-risk individuals, or innovative programs that organizations have launched to maintain a sense of normalcy. Please share these stories with us and we’ll try to include your accounts in future editions of NJJN. Email submissions to editorial@njjewishnews.com and put “SILVER LININGS” in the subject line. You can also call and leave a message with your contact information at 973-739-8110. We pray for the full and speedy recovery of those who are sickened by the virus and wish everyone chazak v’amatz, “strength and courage,” as we navigate this crisis together.

natural for synagogue leadership and rabbinic leadership to come together as partners to do that work.” Blumenthal said there is still much work to be done. “We need to create a staff and programs and structures to get that work done. We have established two joint teams — a joint steering committee with lay people from both organizations to help direct the partnership. And there will be a joint team at the staff level to work day-to-day to achieve our mission, which is to bring our version of Jewish life to more people in more places and in more ways.” That includes reaching out to Jewish college students and 20-somethings who are now underserved, according to Rabbi Debra Newman Kamin, president of the RA. She said she saw a tagline that summed it up perfectly: “More Torah for more people in

more places.” “We will be looking beyond the walls of the synagogue,” Kamin explained. “We are cognizant that a lot of Jewish people don’t come into the synagogue.” (The movement has about 600 congregations, down from a peak of 800 affiliated congregations in the late 1980s.) One plan being discussed includes hiring rabbis trained to “reach out to young 20-somethings. … We are going to focus more on Torah, people, and places and what that would look like. We have a lot of entrepreneurial rabbis who are ready to do that work. And hopefully, when the 20-somethings grow up, they will become part of our movement.” ■ Stewart Ain is a staff writer for The New York Jewish Week, NJJN’s sister publication.

Happy Passover From Our Family to Yours!

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17 NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

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NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Remembrance Helmreich

Continued from page 1 director of the Jewish Historical Society (JHS) of New Jersey, an agency of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ. She told NJJN that a book committee of JHS hired Helmreich to write what became the authoritative history on the Jews of this region, “Enduring Community: The Jews of Newark and MetroWest” (Transaction Publishers, 1998). His research notes from this project are housed in the JHS archives on the Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus in Whippany. “For me he was indispensable because he did such a thorough job,” said Forgosh. “I admired him.” Helmreich was a featured speaker at several federation events, including the opening of the 2013 JHS exhibit “Federation at 90” and at an opening of “From Memory to History,” once an annual exhibit by the Holocaust Council of Greater MetroWest NJ. He interviewed local Holocaust survivors and their children for his 1995 book “Against All Odds: Holocaust Survivors and the Successful Lives They Made in America” (Transaction Publishers). “He had a great sense of humor and was full

Prolific author and sociologist Dr. William Helmreich died of coronavirus. of anecdotes,” recalled Max Kleinman in an email to NJJN. Kleinman was CEO/executive vice president of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ from 1995 to 2014 and was involved in commissioning Helmreich to write “Enduring Community.” Kleinman added, Helmreich “was a great conversationalist and had an encyclopedic knowledge in many fields.”

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While the Holocaust and other Jewish topics were the subjects of many of his books, he was best known in recent years for the Brooklyn book, as well as “The Manhattan Nobody Knows: An Urban Walking Guide” and “The New York Nobody Knows: Walking 6,000 Miles in the City,” journals that chronicled his travels around New York City, by foot, on all of the streets of the Big Apple. “After his book on New York City, we spent a day together, traversing the Bronx, Manhattan, and several neighborhoods in Brooklyn [Bushwick, Williamsburg, Greenpoint],” said Sandee Brawarsky, culture editor at The New York Jewish Week, NJJN’s sister publication. “He drove like the taxi driver he once was, knew the shortcuts, so comfortable behind the wheel, noticing everything, as when he’d walk down streets. On street level, he struck up con- “The world and the fi versation all along the way, noticed so many sociology have lost a gem, details, remembered every detail. Hella Winston, a sociologi “He was also a gentle, very thoughtful, investigative journalist wh very generous guy, remembering all the small written extensively for The J things,” Brawarsky said. “He still had so many Week. Helmreich was the miles to walk.” dissertation adviser for Wi Rabbi Dale Polakoff, spiritual leader of the who graduated from the C Great Neck Synagogue, said Helmreich was an Graduate Center in 2006. active supporter of the congregation and of the “Dr. Helmreich was a North Shore Hebrew Academy, the local day derful adviser and mento school. “He would do anything we asked of w a s i n c r e d i b l y s upporti him. He wasn’t looking for honor, to be recog- and enthusiastic about my nized for anything. generous with his time an “He loved coming to shul – to daven, to knowledge, and unfailing connect with people,” Polakoff said. beat,” Winston said. “My re When Helmreich’s son Alan died suddenly was on chasidic people who about 20 years ago, during Sukkot, he showed leading ‘double lives’ withi up that night at the rabbi’s house; both Orthodox, they would not use the telephone on yom tov. After he broke the tragic news, Helmreich told the rabbi, “Please keep this quiet. I don’t want to ruin anyone else’s holiday.” “He was thinking of others,” Polakoff said. Curious about a virtually unlimited range of topics, Helmreich over the decades met and befriended people from many religious and ethnic backgrounds, from Black Panthers to chasidic rebbes. Though a member of the Orthodox community, he was at ease with Jews of all denominations. Though a trained academic, he wrote in a style accessible to anyone. Though he grew up in the shadow of the Holocaust, born in Switzerland in 1945 to survivors, he exuded, his friends said, a captivating optimism. He “never forgot that he was the son of survivors — he was acutely aware of the [lost] world he came from,” said Jonathan Sarna, professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University. Like many children of survivors, Helmreich was driven to succeed, Sarna said. “I’ve known other children of survivors. Many of them had seen [the example of] their parents, who had to remake their lives” in this country. “He was a volcano,” Sarna said. “He was a powerhouse.”

Remembrance

19 NJ Jewish News n njjewishnews.com n April 2, 2020

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State&Local

NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

help those locally in need. Another way to help is to stop stockpiling goods, such as hand sanitizer and face masks, so that those who actually need those supplies, such as health-care workers and those currently affected, can have access to them. Similarly, running the grocery store shelves and buying every roll of toilet paper and paper towels in sight is harmful to those who can only afford to buy one roll at a time or others who will also need those items. In terms of helping “flatten the curve,” the most effective way to decrease the risk of infecting yourself and others is to stay at home, avoid seeing anyone, and, of course, wash your hands thoroughly and frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and running water. And, if you are feeling unwell and think you may be having symptoms of Covid-19, try to stay away from people to avoid putting others at risk. This is a time for us to come together as one and help eliminate the risk of coronavirus. The more we work together and help others, the more we can end this crisis and continue on with our daily lives. It’s important to think of others and the ways that you can help them not only during times like these, but especially when life goes back to normal. ■

Helping

Continued from page 15

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Passover

From sacred text to Maxwell House to social justice Vanessa Ochs examines ‘quirky,’ ‘beloved’ Haggadah used in ritual and in innovated rituals, as well as a historical text; I could study it as an object as well as a literary, liturgical text.”

Michele Alperin NJJN Contributing Writer

sked why she was the right person to write “The Passover Haggadah: A Biography” for the Princeton University Press series “Lives of Great Religious Books,” Vanessa L. Ochs might simply have given her bona fides. An ordained rabbi, she is a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and has a doctorate in the anthropology of religion from Drew University in Madison. She has also written, edited, or contributed to numerous Judaism-centered books, including “Inventing Jewish Ritual,” “The Book of Jewish Sacred Practices,” and “The Jewish Dream Book.” But she feels she was particularly suited to author “The Passover Haggadah,” she said, because, with her background, “I was able to consider the Haggadah as a material object

Vanessa Ochs said she wanted to focus on “a particular book that is incredibly beloved to individuals and to families.”

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NJJN: What does a “biography” of a Haggadah mean? Is it the biography of the book or the people who use it? Ochs: As an anthropologist who writes about material culture, I wanted to focus not just on how the words in the text came about; I wanted to do more than account for the history of the generation of a text…. I wanted to focus as well on what it means to have a particular book that is incredibly beloved to individuals and to families. It’s such a quirky book: Unlike a Torah, which has to be stored in a particular way, the Haggadah is usually wrapped with a bunch of other Haggadot that you’ve used at the table. People haven’t fully shaken out the crumbs, the wine hasn’t dried, and there are brisket stains; they stick it in a box with the Passover mixing bowl and take it down into the basement or up into the attic. If you think about a Maxwell House Haggadah, it is a sacred book that has an advertisement for coffee on it. Or, last year, in cooperation with Amazon, Maxwell House featured the “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” along w i t h a s t a i n e d i n d e x c a r d w i t h M i d g e ’s brisket recipe. This is a blurring between life and text, and I was curious to try to grasp how is it that one of our Jewish sacred texts would be in 6,000 versions. NJJN: How do homemade Haggadot fit in?

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Ochs: In the ’60s and ’70s, people were cobbling together Haggadot for their families o r f o r w o m e n ’s or interracial seders. When it was Passover time, you would see other Jews in Kinko’s, copying seders. Now, with available online tools, anyone can make a Haggadah, drawing on all sorts of resources and themes. People are sending their friends and families texts they’ve made, and they are asked, in the name of environmental concerns, to download the text and bring it on their phones and iPads. NJJN: How did you conduct the research for this book? Ochs: It was the hardest thing I ever did, and I worked on it for 10 years. I felt like I had to learn the scholarship in every single phase: Bible, Mishna, midrash, and Talmud. I had to learn about illuminated manuscripts and the first generation of print, just for starters. Once I learned that information, I needed to ask myself — given my perspective as a scholar of ritual and material culture — what new insights could I bring to areas where there has already been incredibly solid research? NJJN: What kinds of sources did you use to create this biography? Ochs: I did a lot of textual research. I went to Chicago to meet with Stephen Durchslag, who has one of the largest personal collections of printed Haggadot. I looked at the collections at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem, The Israel Museum, and at several beautiful kibbutz Haggadot in the Cotsen Children’s Library at Princeton University. In America and Israel I went into people’s houses and saw where and how they stored and displayed their Haggadot and heard the stories of the Haggadot they had. NJJN: How has the role of a Haggadah, which is primarily designed to educate each generation about the Exodus story, changed? Ochs: The Haggadah as an opportunity for pedagogy is usually a failed opportunity. The text is used by people who are not Jewish educators, by everyday people who may not know the Exodus story themselves. It has also become more complicated these days as people who come to our seder table are sons- and daughters-in-law and best friends who are not Jewish. People are coming to see a rite that is not familiar to them, and as hospitable as a

Jewish family might be, it is part of a foreign experience. NJJN: How are new Haggadot being designed to make the seder more meaningful to today’s participants? Ochs: [Some offer interpretations of the text that convey] the human value of caring for the vulnerable; others are created to be more welcoming to interfaith users, or focus on caring for the stranger, “because we were strangers” — recognizing otherness and the need to relieve the pain of otherness. Or [they focus on] social justice; people seize on a problem,

like Israel-Palestine peace, the environment, or food justice, and the issue is made analogous somehow to an enslavement, and then the Haggadah demonstrates how one can liberate the world or a segment of the population of that particular oppression and how you can leave the seder and go out into the world and honor the commitments you’ve made. Even in traditional families, more devices have been brought in…. More and more families are introducing activities or props to address the fact that children and adults both have shorter attention spans and require more stimulus. ■

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Jodi Zolkin Kiste President

Tom Beck Executive Director

23 NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Passover

24 NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Happy Passover and Have a Zissen Pesach.

Passover Haggadah

Continued from page 1

Congregation Beth Israel Rabbi Howard Tilman Cantor Matthew Axelrod Davida Berkowitz, Executive Director Lev Metz, Director of Congregational Learning & Engagement

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tive illustrations by the author, a Philadelphiabased painter and former public school teacher. The Haggadah offers the standard Hebrew blessings (with transliterations), brief explanations of its rituals, some additional social justice readings, a few discussion questions, and a path through the text that can be covered in an hour or less. This is ideal for someone whose seder includes many non-Jewish guests or Jews who are not familiar with the Passover traditions.

the adoption of “Miriam’s Cup” and an orange on the seder plate. “For every story about peoplehood, there is a back story about land and the natural world,” Bernstein writes in the introduction. “Our biblical holidays commemorate the harvest and the land, the very soil out of which Judaism grew.” Her Haggadah, “traditional in some respects, and modern in others,” Bernstein writes, offers an abridged version of much of the standard Haggadah text; it omits many words and uses only the opening words of some paragraphs. It also reintroduces two biblical verses in the “wandering Aramean” reading about “a land flowing with milk and honey” and “the first fruits of the soil” that do not appear in many Haggadahs. All the extended commentary and interpretations, the rabbi writes, “restor[e] the environmental significance of Judaism’s central story.” Featuring beautiful, full-color nature-oriented illustrations by Galia Goodman, a specialist in ecological Jewish art, Bernstein’s Haggadah offers discussion questions, suggestions for understanding the text, and explanations for the uninitiated of some of the readings and rituals. The rabbi, founder of the Shomrei Adamah (Keepers of the Earth) national Jewish environmental organization, also offers a page of readings about Pesach and Pesach-related topics. The Essential Seder: A Contemporary Haggadah. Text and artwork by Deborah GrossZuchman (Behrman House) Issued by the same publisher as “The Promise of the Land,” this Haggadah, though abridged, covers all the Haggadah basics, with attrac-

A project by the folks at Tablet, the online Jewish magazine, this is a Haggadah that manages to be tradition-friendly, innovation-friendly, and LGBT-friendly; it gears the familiar Pesach text and accompanying readings and explanations to the needs of a seder participant who is thoroughly familiar with the holiday — or of someone attending his or her first seder. Eminently useful, it stands out from the series of edgy Haggadot that have come out in recent years. It is educational without being patronizing, irreverent without being disrespectful, cute without being trendy. “Passover is transcendent precisely because it manages to be traditional — Jews read the same story that our ancestors have been reading for millennia — and personal, with each of us making the Seder our own by incorporating our own interpretations and interests into the timeless tale of the exodus,” the authors write. Like a growing number of recent Haggadot, it presents a few lengthy essays, thoughtfully at the end of the book, not interfering with the flow of the night’s standard narrative. Then, there are such features as “How to Host a Seder: Five Commandments for Doing It Just Right,” “10 Deadly Cocktails” to accompany the Ten Plagues, and “Charosets of the

The Passover Haggadah: A Biography (Lives of Great Religious Books series). By Vanessa Ochs (Princeton University Press) This is to be read before the seder. Not an actual Haggadah, it is, as the title indicates, the story and history of the Passover book, the latest in the series of Princeton University Press’s distinguished series of profiles of “Great Religious Books” of various faiths, like the Koran, the New Testament’s Book of Revelations, and “The Tibetan Book of the Dead.” It’s “The life of the Haggadah … how the Haggadah lived in a distinctive way,” as the author writes. This is a small book (214 pages, including such addenda as index, glossary, and additional background notes), academic but accessible, reflecting Ochs’ “personal, partial and eclectic” tastes. Ochs, an ordained rabbi and professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia, provides a wealth of background that the seder leader can use to explain the Pesach night’s various readings and rituals: the development of the seder; its sources in the Torah and Talmud and other rabbinical texts; its textual differences in different societies and parts of the Jewish world; its expansion from a section of traditional prayerbooks to what it is today; its appeal in illuminated versions; its growing popularity as the most-published book in the Jewish community; the appearance and cultural significance of Haggadot geared toward particular political or sociological or individual orientations; and a focus on such noted past examples as the Sarajevo Haggadah and the Bird’s Head Haggadah. “Celebrity” Haggadot are also mentioned. She cites abridged versions, kid-centered versions and, of course, the ubiquitous Maxwell House Haggadah. A Haggadah is good business, Ochs writes. “Manufacturing a Haggadah could be a savvy investment in time and money for a printing house” because of the near-guarantee that sales will ensue, she writes — witness the large number of secular and academic publishers, like Princeton’s, which have turned out Haggadot in recent decades. The latest count of the number of published Haggadot: “5,000 and counting.”

But, the author stresses, the Haggadah’s primary value is as a tool to be used and treasured at one’s seder, not as a text to be studied by scholars. “While an individual Haggadah may be collected and cherished for its historical or artistic merits, it lives as its most authentic self when it is used, especially on a family’s Passover table,” Ochs writes. “A Haggadah comes to life when it leads those who have gathered to use it to ask hard questions about slavery, exile, redemption, and freeing the oppressed.” Ochs’ book is a good guide to asking these questions. (See page 22, “From sacred text to Maxwell House to social justice,” for more on her book.) Koren Youth Haggadah. Developed by Dr. Daniel Rose. Illustrations by Rinat Gilboa (Koren Publishers) This is for a child from a strong Jewish educational background. It is clearly a pedagogic tool, accompanied by an 83-page parent-educator companion. Both the Haggadah’s language and assumptions about level of Jewish observance suggest a child familiar with the laws and practices of seder night; this is to be expected of Koren, which largely serves an Orthodox readership. With an easy English translation, the book is

equally useable for adults who wish to take part in a traditional seder but do not require erudite, verbose explanations of what takes place on seder night. With an egalitarian nod, the Haggadah speaks of four “Children,” not the Four Sons, which have been the norm in Orthodox circles. The latest member of the Koren Haggadah collection, it is hardcover, lavishly illustrated by Israeli artist Rinat Gilboa with full-color drawings that are designed to serve as their own commentary; the book was “developed” by Daniel Rose, a British-born educator who has a background in informal and formal Jewish education and serves as Koren’s director of educational projects. It is the next generation of Haggadot aimed at young readers, building on the earlier works of such publishers as ArtScroll and the CCAR Press. The Haggadah offers the text in Hebrew and English, instructions in “age-appropriate language,” an icon navigation bar, questions on every page, “reflection text,” suggested experiential activities, and quotes and stories that explore a particular page’s themes. The fonts and graphics are inviting, and all the readings are short, designed for readers with short attention spans. ■ Steve Lipman is a staff writer for The New York Jewish Week, NJJN’s sister publication.

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World” for the palate bored by the usual wine and apples concoction. The charming illustrations by Israeli artist Shai Azoulay, many of them in shades of brown or sepia, add to the somber notion that the story told in the seder is an important link in Jewish history. Everything required for a full seder is contained in this Haggadah’s 144 pages, but it is different enough from other Haggadot to make it a worthwhile addition to this or any year’s seder. A soft-cover book, it is aesthetically beautiful, but one need not fear getting stains on it — it is meant for the seder table, not the coffee table.

Passover

Editorial

NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Death and life, freedom and captivity

On Moses’ ‘horns’

the virus means

In her Touch of Torah column on Ki Tisa, Rabbi Joyce Newmark discussed the translation of the word “keren” into Latin as cornuta/ horned (“How a biblical mistranslation led to anti-Semitism,” March 12.) She draws attention to Michelangelo’s statue of Moses and links it to anti-Jewish bigotry so tragically evident in our day. I draw attention to the work of historian Ruth Mellinkoff, “The Horned Moses in Medieval Art and Thought” (University of California Press, 1970). She distinguishes between the ram’s horn as a symbolic authority (found on statues and coins) and the goat’s horn which in the Middle Ages and later was a symbol of the devil and applied to the Jewish people by those who misinterpreted the New Testament, especially John 8:44. Michelangelo had great esteem for Moses as mediator of the Sinai covenant. Rev. Lawrence Frizzell Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies Seton Hall University South Orange

sacrificing some

The essence of a cook

With friends and colleagues succumbing to virus, Covid-19’s numbers become names

Letters to the Editor

ou knew when Steve Steiner called you at work, it wouldn’t take very much of your time. The long-time public relations director for the Orthodox Union, until his retirement a few years back, Steve would identify himself and say, “I just want to draw your attention to a news release I sent you a little while ago.” No haranguing, no nudzhing. Just a gentle reminder to check your inbox. That gentle Steve, 75, fell victim to a relentless virus this week, becoming one of the more than 900 New Yorkers to succumb to Covid-19 by Tuesday. Although every life lost is precious, the dreadful reality of the pandemic is being felt in the list, sure to grow, of accomplished members of our community who have died from the disease. We’ve already had to say goodbye to William Helmreich, 74, a sociologist of Jewish life who read every street of his beloved New York as if it were a sacred text (see his obituary on page 1) and wrote the authoritative history on the Jews of this region in “Enduring Community: The Jews of Newark and MetroWest” (Transaction Publishers, 1998); and Maurice Berger, 63, a curator and historian who shaped numerous groundbreaking exhibitions at The Jewish Museum. The toll of the disease is often described in the cold but necessary numbers of epidemiology, and the numbers themselves begin to lose meaning as they grow. But the victims, we must always remember, are our friends, our colleagues, and our neighbors. We must do all we can to contain this vi-

rus, not just for the good of our own communities but for everyone, everywhere. If that means sacrificing some of our most cherished rituals, including the rituals that let us mourn our loved ones in ways that our tradition prescribes and their memory demands, so be it. Similarly, this will be a Passover like no other, as we give up the embrace of our extended families for safe, secluded seders. In a season that celebrates freedom, we will contemplate our seeming helplessness before an unseen enemy. A festive holiday will be haunted by illness and death, and chairs will be left empty temporarily and, sadly, forever. We may shiver as we recall the 12th chapter of Exodus, when, during the final plague — the death of the firstborn of Egypt — the Torah describes the wailing that was heard: “Ki ein bayit asher ein sham meit,” for there was no household that was spared. This year demands that we mark Passover as a holiday of contradictions: darkness and light, life and death, freedom and captivity. We will have to learn new lessons from an old text, and connect with loved ones in unfamiliar ways. And mostly, we will need to care for each other, to comfort the mourners, pray for the ill, and cherish the bonds of kinship and biology that attach us to yoshvei tevel — all who dwell on earth. In this period of peril and clashing priorities, we are being asked — no, commanded — to choose life. ■

If containing

of our most

cherished rituals, so be it.

As a Winnipegger, I will say that Shira Vickar-Fox captured the essence of cookbook author Norene Gilletz and many of my feelings and connections to her (“Recipes for life,” March 12). Gilletz autographed my copy of the “yellow cookbook,” telling me to cherish the memories of food and family. So I did, and I do. I use that book all the time and I often emailed Gilletz for comments and questions and to stay in touch. We will all feel her void. Alissa Podheiser Anzarut Via njjewishnews.com

Community coming together

I wanted to respectfully share a thought with you regarding the choice of editorial (“Strong leadership in perilous times,” March 19). I rarely share my opinion, and in my note along with a donation I sent in December I expressed that while I usually don’t agree with the editorials of the paper, the primary importance of having a community newspaper geared toward the local diverse Jewish community is

paramount. I believe, however, that this editorial was misplaced. At a time when the local community, the state, nation, and world are dealing with tremendous change and anxiety including related to financial struggles, isolation, fear of where the elderly will obtain food, what will happen for the holidays, etc., the editors decided to take the opportunity to once again criticize the president. I am not suggesting that the handling of this crisis does not warrant criticism, but perhaps instead of quoting from Berachos (using the timely Daf Yomi), NJJN could have chosen to write about the week’s Torah portion of Vayakhel, of coming together as a community, describing what is being performed in our community and what can be done moving forward — this would been a lot more in line with the benefits of such a publication like NJJN and The New York Jewish Week. Please know I have tremendous respect for you as individuals and the mission of the paper. However, as a reader who understands where the editors stand politically (I don’t think anyone has any question about this), I humbly request that the paper focus its editorials, especially at this time, to what the community is in need of most. And that is not more ways to blame the president. Rather perhaps, words of possible comfort, guidance, perhaps even some pleasure in hearing what some people in our community are doing for each other, would be of greater value. Steven Kirshblum West Orange Send letters to the editor to editorial@ njjewishnews.com without attachments. Indicate “letter” in the subject line of the e-mail. Include your full name, place of residence, and daytime telephone number. If you are referring to an article in NJJN, please include the headline and edition and date of the paper in which it appeared. Letters also can be mailed to Letters to the Editor, New Jersey Jewish News, 1719 Route 10, Parsippany, NJ 07054; or faxed to 973-887-5999. NJJN reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity, content, and accuracy.

and many special feature Why not do itis today? announcing your gift this withlow, a handsome greeting card sentsections. in advance. advance. At At prices this low, every occasion the perfect in prices every occasion is the perfect Givingoccasion a gift subscription to The Jewish Week cou in advance. At prices this low, every is the perfect in advance. At prices this low, every occasion is the perfect time to to give give aa gift gift subscription subscription to to The The Jewish Week. Week. time Opinion be easieraJewish or more affordable. Just Jewish complete andcou ma Giving gift subscription to The Week time to give a gift subscription to The Jewish Week. time to give a gift subscription to The Jewish Week. Why not do it today? Will OU Oust S Why not do itit today? W ith Wom entire ad or andmore we’llaffordable. take care ofJust thecomplete rest - including en C be easier and ma Why not do Why not do it today? today? announcing handsome ca entire ad andyour we’llgift takewith carea of the rest -greeting including L is the Trump’s Firstoccasion in advance. At prices every Trip: announcing your gift this withlow, a handsome Into Belly Of Th greeting ca e Beast SPECIAL SPECIAL time to give a gift subscription to The Jewish Week L in advance. AtSPECIAL prices this low, every occasion is the L OFFER!! SPECIAL L pandemic. OFFER!! midstWhy of the — keeping their staff on board. I to The Jewish Week notgive doandaitgift today? OFFER!! L dramatic time to subscription Without immediate financial At the same time, demands for our services Expires OFFER!! Expires America’s chariare high. Our schools are still teaching ourI and programmatic assistance,Expires I Why not do it today? 06/30/2017 Expires to serve as On A Jam With children, albeit remotely. And our social wel-I ties will not be able to continue 06/30/2017 27

NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Washington’s stimulus efforts should extend to nonprofits www.thejewishw eek.com

www.thejewishw eek.com www.thejewishw eek.com

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ast week, Congress passed a $2 trillion package to try to support American citizens and the American economy in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. This was Washington’s third effort on this front and it was focused on stabilizing the economy by providing unprecedented financial support to small and large businesses. Unfortunately, the “CARES Act” fell short in supporting one critical sector — America’s charities. While a broad coalition of nonprofit charitable organizations — including the Orthodox Union, Catholic Charities, Red Cross, Goodwill, YMCA, Jewish federations, American Cancer Society, and more — succeeded in our advocacy to have nonprofits eligible to participate in the financial support programs being offered, Congress failed to adopt our boldest proposals in this otherwise ambitious legislation. In the Jewish community in particular, many synagogues and day schools will indeed qualify for some federal support — and it will be a financial lifeline for them in this crisis. But some restrictions may leave others (our “larger” schools, federations, and social service agencies) with little, if any support. Nonprofit charities — including synagogues and day schools — are eligible for the core programs offered in the CARES Act. These include forgivable loans from the Small Business Administration of up to $10 million, the deferral of paying payroll taxes and a refundable tax credit against those payroll taxes if employees are retained on staff, and more. But the legislation fell short in providing the level of support for which we advocated. Thus, even as we work with the Trump administration to make sure the CARES Act programs are implemented via policies that are inclusive of and sensitive to the needs of our synagogues, day schools, and other entities, we are already in discussions with members of Congress about what additional forms of relief they should legislate as soon as possible. The largest costs for most of America’s charitable organizations are personnel costs. In an environment in which Washington is trying to mitigate unemployment, there must be more support for nonprofits — small and midsized

16 IYYAR 5777

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16 IYYAR 5777

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Gottesman dead at 87

of a Washington struggle between moral decency and poJohanna Ginsberg litical expediency. NJJN Staff Writer t’s only fitting that The program, launched “dreamers” are in the during the Obama adminhilanthropist Jerome news on the Local rabbis istration, protects “Jerry” Gottesman, eve of Rosh let Bibi hear it undocumented immiHaShanah, ushering 87, of Morristown, grants who arrived in in a High Holy Day the cofounder and the U.S. as children. chair season that focuses of Edison Properties These are young in Newark, Jerry Gottesman was died in Israel on State & Local 4 us on visions, goals, people — the oldest Sept. and aspirations for 10. The funeral was honored at the Joseph would now be 36 and held the new year. at Gottesman RTW Kushner Hebrew Acadmost are between the Academy The media head- Between in Randolph two emy/Rae Kushner Yeshiva l i n e s h a v e b e e n The Lines ages of 22 and 28 days later, with interment at High School 69th annual — who trusted the B’nai about President Abraham Memorial dinner in May. government and pro- Park Trump’s callous decision to in Union. vided personal information to “We have lost a dear friend end the Deferred Action for and a giant in our commuenroll in the program, which nity,” said Scott Krieger, president Childhood Arrivals (DACA) allowed them to apply for leof the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, program, which could result which spans Essex, Morris, gal status and work permits, Sussex, Union, and parts of in the U.S. deporting about Somerset counties. renewable every two years. through 800,000 so-called “dreamers” the lens of real estate, Jerry understood “Thinking By all indications, these that building Jewish community meant deep who are the innocent victims Las Vegas novel investment today, but always Continued on page 20 with an eye to the future.” has roots in Continued

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A year for ‘dreamers’ ‘We have lost a giant to realize their goals in our community’

ductive “binary” take on what is arguably Shakespeare’s most controversial character. s Shylock a venal vilIn its American premiere, The Compagnia de’ Colomlain, an embodiment of Compagnia de’ Colombari’s bari, including Sorab Wadia negative Jewish stereo- innovative production of “The (Graziano) and Ned Eisentypes, or

41 tim doomed by a tragic vic- Merchant of Venice” will play berg (Shylock #5) in “The his enemies’ at Montclair State University Merchant of Venice.” PHOTOS BY ANDREA MESSANA 42 anti-Semitic antipathy? An Sept. 19-Oct. 1 as part of the

faculty of the Yale School of Drama and whose work has been shown and acclaimed across the United States and around the world, is also founding director of Colombari. The theater company, an international collective of performing artists, is based in New York but was conceived in Orvieto, Italy, in 2004. Coonrod said she discovered that it is the ambiguity that lies at the heart of Shakespeare’s “comedy” — “In the world of the play, a mercy never expressed for the Jew in the street is conveniently required of the Jew in the court” — that “opens the soul

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Peak Performances series. 45 staging of “The Merchant gender play Shylock — was of The revolutionary producinitially 55 Venice” claims that a daring tion — in which five actors ish performed in the JewGhetto of Venice last year casting move helps avoid a reof diverse race, ethnicity, and

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to mark the site’s 500th anniversary and the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. The play “seems to dig deeper into the heart of mankind beneath [the] two uncompromising poles of justice and mercy,” its director, Karin Coonrod, has said. Coonrod, who is on the

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MANHATTAN •

Hannah Dreyfus Staff Writer

16 IYYAR 5777

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Opinion

Experiencing our own War of the Worlds this Passover Rabbi Clifford Kulwin Special to NJJN

hese are strange and difficult times, and this is going to be a strange and difficult Passover. Our seder table usually seats 30. I don’t know how many will actually be present next Wednesday evening, but I do know I’ll be able to count them on one hand. Normally, now, a week out from the holiday, I’d be focused on the Haggadah, preparing for the seder ceremony. This year, too, I have been engrossed in a book, but rather than the Haggadah, it is H.G. Wells’ 1898 novel, “The War of the Worlds.” Perhaps you’ve listened to Orson Welles’ 1938 radio adaption, so realistic it sent the country into three days of free fall, or watched one of the five film versions made since the first in 1953. But if you

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haven’t read the actual book, you’re missing out. Mars is decaying and becoming uninhabitable. The Martians need a new home and choose the planet next door. They invade, organize,

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and conquer the English countryside. With their Heat-Ray and their Black Smoke they are unstoppable, until they are felled by unseen attackers, the microbes to which humanity had developed a natural immunity or, in Wells’ words, “the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, has put upon his earth.” In other words, God is the hero. He saved humanity. Passover is of course also about a heroic God Who saves humanity. We were slaves until God set us free: “With an outstretched arm and a mighty hand, I will redeem you.” At our seders each year we re-enact the story of the Exodus from Egypt to ensure future generations never forget what God did for us. Wells certainly appears to have had a Jewish outlook on life. “The War of the Worlds” ends with what theologians call doxology, praise to God, in this case for having saved the earth. Wells, however, was not Jewish. Nor was he Christian. Nor was he a Muslim or a Hindu or a Taoist. In fact, H.G. Wells was an atheist, which surprised me, because his words, “the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, has put upon his earth,” even in a work of fiction, do not sound like the words of someone who denies the existence of God. We are stuck with a question: If Wells was an atheist, why is his god a hero in “The War of the Worlds,” just like our god is in Exodus? Some background. Until he became a full-time author, Wells was a science teacher, which is no surprise given the detailed scientific knowledge that fills many of his books. A person of enormous imagination, Wells was also perhaps the first futurist. A follower of Darwin — whose theories were still exceedingly controversial — he thought long and hard about what would eventually happen to humanity, how people would evolve. The Martians were one answer: a race that “advanced” so far that it lost any sense of morality or compassion, acting solely in its own self-interest. In the words of Roslynn Haynes, an Australian

scholar of Wells, “the Martians are not ‘evil,’ only amoral and highly efficient. Their fighting machines are simply their means of trapping or overrunning a more vulnerable species.” Wells’ hope was to alert humanity to the dangers the future could hold if it were not careful. For him, God was simply a convenient means of bringing the story to a happy ending. Wells hoped to persuade the people of his age that only by coming together, beyond class, race, and gender, could the future be truly good. Wells was frightened of a future when the already-large gap between haves and have-nots would be even larger, and the haves would become his Martians, taking what they wanted with no regard to anything but their own satisfaction. At first, Passover might seem just the opposite: The whole point of the story is that we should never forget what God did for us “with an outstretched arm and a mighty hand.” However, the Haggadah reminds us that success weathering the wilderness depended upon our being united, that only after 40 years of being forged into a people, 40 years of “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh,” “All Israel is responsible for one another” (Shavuot 39a), could our future be assured. We, today, are proof that unity was achieved. These are strange and difficult times. The challenges are enormous and will likely be for some time. Some of us are more fortunate. We have jobs we can perform remotely, money in the bank, health insurance, a strong personal support system of family and friends. Others are less fortunate, with continued employment in doubt, family members with special needs, challenging access to medical care, and in general, few resources upon which to draw. Especially at a moment like this, closing that gap is paramount. Thinking “we” and not “I” is essential. For the benefit of all, the unity Wells hoped to inspire, the unity our Torah teaches, must be our goal. ■ Clifford Kulwin is rabbi emeritus of Temple B’nai Abraham, Livingston.

Deliverance from fear: freedom from emotional captivity during Passover Joanne Gerr Special to NJJN

s Passover approaches, it may seem difficult to celebrate deliverance from slavery during this time when so many of us are feeling anything but free. Whether we are in self-quarantine or simply practicing social distancing, it can feel like Coronavirus bondage. However, there is at least one kind of slavery we can control — being slaves to fear and negative thinking. At this time it is absolutely essential to take precautions, follow protocols, and stay aware of current circumstances. Yet, if we spend too much time watching the news, talking about the situation, researching the latest statistics, and ruminating about what may happen, we may become unable to function. The challenge is to be vigilant and responsible without falling into negativity and depression. It is possible to avoid becoming a slave to our own fears, but it requires a commitment to self-reflection and deliberate action. First, it is important to examine the lens through which we view the world. The history of Jewish oppression has created a sense of disease for many of us. Way before the threat of the coronavirus, our people have been on edge, waiting for impending disaster. This mindset is not unreasonable given our history and the recent resurgence of anti-Semitism, and many of us have been brought up to believe that the world is unsafe, and catastrophe is likely at any moment, especially for children of Holocaust survivors. While this fear may be valid in some cases, it is not empowering. An alternative is to reflect on who and what informs our thinking. It can be useful to ask ourselves, “Is my fear exacerbated by my assumptions about the world? Am I scaring myself? Do I tend to focus on the negative? Do I miss signs of compassion and hope such as the online communities trying to support one another? Is this negative thought consistent with my own experience or is it colored by the views of someone else who had very little hope?” Once we examine our assumptions, we can

take our cues from the field of what’s known as “positive psychology,” founded by psychologist Martin Seligman, which emphasizes the power of shifting to an optimistic outlook. Far from being a Pollyanna approach, research shows that individuals who focus on gratitude, look for signs of hope, and help others usually experience an increased sense of well-being and in many cases are more likely to be welcomed into the lives of others. It is important to pay attention to our actions so we don’t fall into negative behaviors that undermine our ability to stay positive during stressful times. As a psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders, I have seen many individuals who choose to overindulge in food, alcohol, or other self-destructive (or addictive) behaviors in order to push down feelings of anxiety. For emotional eaters, externally imposed isolation is the perfect excuse to overeat or eat unhealthy food. This can lead to a negative spiral of self-loathing and hopelessness. Even those without a tendency toward selfdestructive behaviors must take action to stay in the best possible frame of mind. Though outside opportunities are limited, we can look at what is in our power to control. In other words, how can we best take care of ourselves given our circumstances? • Consider limiting your exposure to the news. Designate a certain time for news consumption each day — ideally no more than 20 minutes of TV/internet news in the morning and again in the evening, and a maximum of 40 minutes of news in print. Don’t worry about being uninformed — if something big happens, the news will find you. • While practicing physical distancing, it is essential to maintain healthy social connections through all available channels, including video chats with family, virtual classes, support groups, and synagogue services. • Think about how to be part of the solu-

Joanne Gerr, licensed clinical social worker, is a psychotherapist in Highland Park. Visit ny-njeatingdisordertherapy.com.

Wishing

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tion. Is there someone you can help, an elderly relative who could use a phone call or groceries? Ask your synagogue for virtual volunteer opportunities. • Exercise, even if that’s doing sit-ups in your bedroom, an exercise or yoga video, or dancing to music in your kitchen. It is important to keep those endorphins up. • Pay attention to right now. If you find your mind wandering and catastrophizing, try to pull yourself back to the present, and focus on the task at hand. One day at a time, or even one hour at a time. For meditation resources, try mindfullivingsummit.com or calm.com. • Look for virtual entertainment such as zoo, museum, and theme park tours, or broadwayhd.com, a streaming service for theater performances now offering a free one-week trial. • Start a gratitude list, possibly focusing on gratitude for many of the things taken for granted in the past. Research shows that gratitude is linked to increased well-being and resilience. This year’s Passover will look quite different from usual. But whether that means small gatherings of our immediate household or virtual seders with extended family, we can still keep the spirit of the holiday in mind. Possibly our work this year is to celebrate the gift of freedom by not enslaving ourselves to our fears, and holding onto a sense of hope. n

252 Mountain Avenue Springfield 973-376-9381 Under the Rabbinical Supervision of Rabbi Chaim Marcus

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29 NJ Jewish News n njjewishnews.com n April 2, 2020

Passover

NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

Calendar Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, most synagogues and organizations have cancelled all in-person activities for the rest of the month. Some are offering online learning opportunities or plan to reschedule. Please email calendar@njjewishnews.com with online events open to the community. Temple B’nai Abraham, Livingston — Shabbat services are held via Facebook Live each Friday and Saturday on the temple’s Facebook page. The schedule is Fridays, tot Shabbat services for children under 5 and their families, 5:45 p.m.; erev Shabbat services, 6:30. On Saturdays, Shabbat services are at 10 a.m.; Havdalah, 8 p.m. For more information, go to tbanj.org. B’nai Shalom, West Orange — Weekday morning and evening services are being live streamed via Zoom, at 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.; and at 9 a.m. on Sundays. Friday evening Shabbat services will be offered through Zoom at 6 p.m. Shabbat morning youth services led by Rena Casser will be on Zoom, 10-10:30 a.m. Rabbi Robert Tobin will lead a Shabbat morning service via Zoom at 10:45 a.m. Call 973-731-0160 or go to bnaishalom.net.

For updates, go to bnaishalom.net/events. php#flyers.

The following national and international organizations are offering general online resources:

Temple Sholom, Scotch Plains — A virtual second night seder on Thursday, April 9, will be offered via Zoom. Contact office@sholomnj. org for the link.

Adopt-A-Safta, which pairs volunteers to make check-in calls on elderly Israelis, is seeking additional volunteers to make weekly calls. Responsibilities include taking notes on each call, alerting the organization to the need for social services, and following up. Conversational Hebrew skills are required. Seder boxes may also be donated to seniors at SederBox. eventbrite.com.To donate or volunteer, go to AdoptASaftaPhoneCall.eventbrite.com.

Other national and international organizations are offering Passover resources and virtual seders: Orthodox Union (OU) Kosher, the world’s largest kosher certification agency, has launched a free online Passover toolkit with videos, tips, and articles for people preparing for Passover that includes free digital access to the OU’s 2020 Passover Guide, a nationwide kosher-forPassover product listing. Visit oukosher.org/passover-toolkit. The Blue Dove Foundation is offering mental health resources for handling the Covid-19 crisis, including Building Your Mental Health Passover Seder Plate, at thebluedovefoundation.org.

The following synagogues will offer Passover seders via Zoom:

Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, Short Hills — A virtual communal seder will be held Wednesday, April 8, at 5 p.m. To register and receive a Zoom link, go to tbj.org/event/ virtualseder. B’nai Shalom, West Orange — Rabbi Robert Tobin is preparing a video recording online for a seder that people can take part in at home.

Partners in Torah has matched over 76,000 people from 29 countries all over the world for one-on-one study partnerships to explore a variety of Jewish topics. The free program will match participants with teachers via FaceTime, Skype, phone, or other preferred platforms; no previous Jewish knowledge is required. Go to learn.partnersintorah.org. PJ Library, a nationwide program that sends Jewish books to young families, is offering “Resources for Quarantined Families,” including live storytimes, virtual field trips, and other activities. Go to pjlibrary.org/familyactivities or visit the PJ Library Facebook page for more information.

JCC of Central NJ, Scotch Plains — A “Virtual JCC” lists daily activities being held online at jccnj.org.

Congregation Beth Hatikvah, Summit — A one-hour virtual community seder will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, led by Rabbi Hannah Orden and Lay Cantor Steve Wetter. After participants eat their seder meal, they are invited to log back on at 8 for dessert and discussion. The Zoom link for the seder is zoom. us/j/345755740, meeting ID: 345 755 740. The link for dessert and discussion is zoom. us/j/899485648, meeting ID: 899 485 648. Contact 908-277-0200 or office@bnaitikvah. org.

Israeli-American Council (IAC) has launched IAC@Home, which offers free online educational experiences to children, teenagers, college students, young professionals, young families, schools, and adults that focus on connecting people to Israel, Jewish heritage, the Hebrew language, innovation and entrepreneurship, and activism. Visit IACHome.org.

Havaya Summer Programs, the Reconstructionist movement’s summer camping program, will hold a second-night virtual family seder via Zoom on Thursday, April 9, at 7 p.m. Go to tinyurl.com/uvz6tnl. Kosher.com offers a variety of online resources to prepare for Passover, including “How to Make Passover during Quarantine” (kosher.com/lifestyle/pesach-cleaning-in-quarantine-1088); and “65 Non-Product Passover Recipes”(kosher.com/lifestyle/41-non-productpesach-recipes-89). OneTable, a virtual community for young Jewish adults, will offer resources for those of all ages looking to organize their own digital seders, “Seder2020,” at Seder2020.org.

YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is now offering free online courses, including “Fantastic Journeys,” which will be taught via Zoom for eight weeks starting April 20 with executive director Jonathan Brent. Conducted on Mondays/Wednesdays, 1:30-3 p.m., this course will investigate the great historical transitions and transformations of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Eastern Europe and Russia through the avant-garde literature of those lands that may be called the literature of the “fantastic.” The role that Jewish thinkers and writers such as Kafka, Ansky, Capek, and Schulz played in its development will be discussed. To register, visit yivo.org/ Fantastic-Journeys. Other courses to be offered include “A Seat at the Table: A Journey into Jewish Food” (May 1), as well as courses that delve into the evolution of Yiddish theater, the history of Jewish life in Eastern Europe, and Ashkenazi folklore. Go to yivo.org/shine.

Richard M. Goldrosen

Obituaries Elaine Philipse

Elaine Philipse, 84, of Rahway died Feb. 13, 2020. She was born and raised in Newark and also had lived in Linden. Mrs. Philipse worked for Union County until her retirement in 2006. She worked the voting polls for many years. She was a lifetime member of Hadassah and active with the Relay For Life of Rahway for the past 12 years. Predeceased by her husband of 44 years, David, in 2003, she is survived by her daughter, Rita (David) Saunders of Manalapan; her son, Stephen (Patti) of Virginia; a sister, Diane Foss of Somerset; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Services were held Feb. 16 with arrangements by Menorah Chapels at Millburn, Union.

Sheila Wiener

Sheila Renee Wiener, 86, of Monroe Township died Jan. 5, 2020. Born in the Bronx, she lived in Brooklyn, Matawan, and Columbus before settling in Monroe in 2016. Mrs. Wiener was a substitute teacher for the Matawan Regional school system, from which she retired 32 years ago. Previously she had worked as a bookkeeper for Arzee Tire. She held a B.A. in sociology from Brooklyn College. She was a life member of Hadassah and was active in Congregation Beth Israel of Scotch Plains. Predeceased by her husband, Jack, she is survived by two sons, Susan (Stuart) Wohl of Maryland and Stephen (Marcia) Wiener of Scotch Plains; and four grandchildren. Services were held Jan. 7 with arrangements by Ross’ Shalom Chapels, Springfield.

Richard M. Goldrosen, 91, O.D., of Somerset died Dec. 8, 2019. Born in Newark, he lived in Elizabeth and Union before moving to Somerset 15 years ago. Dr. Goldrosen maintained an optometry practice in Elizabeth since 1952. He earned his optometry degree from the Pennsylvania School of Optometry. For over 60 years he had been an active member of the Elizabeth Port Lions Club and the Westfield Lions Club. He was also an active member of the men’s clubs of Temple Israel and Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael. He is survived by his son, Neil (Melissa) of Bridgewater; his daughter, Bari-Kim Goldrosen of Somerset; two grandchildren; and a first cousin, Eugene Tendler. Services were held Dec. 11 with arrangements by Ross’ Shalom Chapels, Springfield. Memorial contributions may be made to Matheny School and Hospital, Peapack.

Melvin Feldman

Melvin Feldman, 91, of New Providence died Jan. 3, 2020. Born in Pittsburgh, he resided in Cambridge, Mass.; Dayton, Ohio; Syracuse, N.Y.; Silver Spring and Bethesda, Md.; and Berkeley Heights and Millington before moving to New Providence over three years ago. Mr. Feldman worked at AT&T’s Bell Laboratory in Berkeley Heights for over 25 years before retiring in 1995. He held a B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from M.I.T. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War in the 1950s and

Continued on next page

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31 NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

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NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

LifeCycle Continued from previous page attained the rank of captain as a mechanical and aeronautical engineer. He received the National Defense Service Medal. He was an active member of the Summit JCCCongregation Ohr Shalom and its men’s club since 1972 and ROMEO’s (Retired Old Men Eating Out) club. He is survived by his wife, Sandra (“Sandy”); two daughters, Ellen (Michael Sittenfeld) of Rye, N.Y., and Amy of New York City; his son, Arnold (Lila Rasekh) of San Francisco; and two granddaughters. Services were held Jan. 8 with arrangements by Ross’ Shalom Chapels, Springfield.

Shirlee Silverstein

Shirlee Silverstein (Max), 97, of Union died March 25, 2020. Born in Jersey City, she resided in North Bergen and Irvington before relocating to Union. With a love of photography, Mrs. Silverstein opened “Shirlee Studio” in Hillside in the early 1940s. She was the program chair of the Hillside, Irvington, and Kenilworth art studios. Her artwork was exhibited and sold in various art shows in those areas and also accepted into over 18 juried N.J. shows, winning a first-place award for an original collage. Several of her works are also in private collections. She is survived by her son, Barry (Janet) of Milton, Del.; two daughters, Linda of Union and Gail (David) Kingsburg of Monroe Township; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Services were arranged by Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, East Brunswick.

She graduated from Douglass College in 1963 with a degree in Spanish and French. Predeceased by her husband, Alan, she is survived by three sons, Robert, Marc, and Eddie (Debra); a brother, Alan Goldberger; and two grandchildren. Services were held March 17 with arrangements by Menorah Chapels at Millburn, Union.

Cary Wische

son, Craig (Wendy); and seven grandchildren. A private funeral was held with arrangements by Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, Livingston.

Rochelle Rotenberg

Rochelle M. Rotenberg (Rubin), 66, of Denville died March 25, 2020. She was born in Baltimore. Mrs. Rotenberg received her pharmacy degree from the University of Maryland in Baltimore in 1976 and was licensed to practice in Maryland and New York. She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Keith S.; her daughter, Beth (Matthew Snyder) of Denville; her son, Markus (Allison) of Carver, Mass.; a brother, Joseph; and three grandchildren. Services were held March 27 with arrangements by J.L. Apter Memorial Chapels. Memorial contributions may be made to Chai Lifeline, Adath Shalom Synagogue of Morris Plains, or St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center.

Cary Mark Wische, 65, of Bradenton, Fla., died Feb. 26, 2020. He was born in Newark and raised in South Orange, moving to Florida six years ago. Mr. Wische owned Firehawk Industries and Brutus Roller, both originating in New Jersey. He graduated from Columbia High School in Maplewood and attended Lehigh University and the University of Miami. Predeceased by his father, Sande, he is survived Sheldon Becher by his wife, Susan Nassberg Wische; three children, Melanie (Luis), Jared (Juliana), and Angela; his mother, Toby Marcia Fine; two sisters, Jodie and Lori; and two stepbrothers, Glenn and Todd Richard. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of choice. APTERCHAPELS.COM

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ZOOM! — YM-YWHA of Union County, Union, has begun offering its early childhood classes over the ZOOM! online platform.

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SHMURA MATZAH — Despite the global coronavirus pandemic, Bris Avrohom in Hillside is continuing to help families with obtaining shmura matzah for Passover, shipping hundreds of pounds of it as well as holiday guides to hundreds of families. Shown with the matzot are Rabbi Dovid Wilansky and his son.

NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

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NJ Jewish News ■ njjewishnews.com ■ April 2, 2020

| SHABBAT CANDLELIGHTING | April 3: 7:07 p.m.

A new day, a new beginning Tzav Leviticus 6:1-8:36 Rabbi Joyce Newmark

n last week’s parasha, we read about the various types of korbanot, sacrifices. This week, in parashat Tzav, the korbanot are repeated, this time in the form of a priests’ manual telling the Kohanim how they are to perform their tasks. The first thing they are told is that every morning, before the new day’s sacrifices begin, the Kohen is to remove the ashes remaining from the previous day. And like everything else in the Torah, even this homely little task doesn’t escape explanation. The Sefer HaHinuch (attributed to Rabbi Aharon of Barcelona, 14th century, Spain) explains: “The purpose of the mitzvah is to enhance the sanctuary and beautify it to the utmost of our ability.... Beauty is added to the altar by cleaning out the ashes from where the fire has to be kindled; moreover, the flame burns well when there are no ashes beneath.” Perhaps, but as the korbanot have become ever more remote, commentators have looked for less mundane explanations to make these ancient rituals meaningful. This is how Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888, Germany) understood the sym-

bolism of taking up the ashes: While the “taking up” of the ashes is meant to introduce the new day’s service in terms of what was accomplished on the preceding day, as a permanent reminder of these past accomplishments, the removal of the ashes from the camp conveys the thought that, at the same time, the Jewish nation must begin its task anew each day. The start of every new day summons us to set out upon our task with full, renewed devotion as if we had never accomplished anything before. The memory of yesterday’s accomplishments must not detract from the energy with which we must do our duty today. Thoughts of what has already been accomplished can spell death to what has yet to be done. Woe to him who rests upon his laurels in smug complacency, who does not begin the work of each new day with new, complete devotion as if it were the very first day of his life’s work. I like this image — that built into the sacred system is a reminder that each new day is a new beginning, an opportunity to start over — but I think that Rabbi Hirsch has misidentified the danger. In my experience, most people don’t suffer from smugness and complacency, from a prideful belief that they have already accomplished so much that there’s no need to do anything more. I rarely see people “resting on their laurels.”

Rather, the danger in holding on to the past is that, for many people, it is demoralizing, even destructive. Too many people are trapped by the belief that their accomplishments and, indeed, the significant events of their lives, are all in the past. Since it will never be that good again, there’s no point in trying. But just as allowing ashes to pile up on the altar would, in a short time, choke the fire of new sacrifices, holding on to the past can have terrible consequences. You don’t need me to tell you that loss goes hand-in-hand with getting older. Most of us experience some diminishing of health and physical abilities as we age. And that means there is a choice to be made. You can cut yourself off from activities you used to love and refuse to pursue new ones because nothing will be the same now that you don’t see, hear, or get around as well as you once did, or you can choose to use all your abilities, diminished though they may be, to get as much out of life as possible. So take everything you have learned and accomplished and experienced in the past with you and go forward to greet each new day as a new beginning.

however, it has enabled our teachers to shine. With creativity, flexibility, and responsiveness, our teachers have moved forward without missing a beat. They have explored new ways to motivate and inspire students while modeling for them what it means to be a life-long learner. The full impact that this extended absence from school will have on our students is unknown. They have had to create new routines and make changes to their learning styles while balancing their own stress and anxiety. We spend a tremendous amount of time supporting the social-emotional well-being of every student, and that doesn’t end with remote learning. Quite the contrary; the importance is now greater than ever. As a result of this pandemic, the need for physical distancing is paramount, but it is incumbent upon all of us to ensure that physical distancing does not lead to social isolation. We have encouraged all of our families to continue to find ways to engage with one another, whether during virtual tefillah (prayer) or communal Havdalah celebrations, in an effort to remain connected. Parents also play a critical new role in the

education of their children. As we remain in our homes during this period, our parents have had a much higher engagement level with their children. We recognize and appreciate the stress that the majority of our parents now face. Balancing their own work from home with kids to care for all day long is no easy feat and requires patience — from all sides — for us to ultimately succeed. Our new (ab)normal is upon us, and I am in awe of our community. It is at the difficult moments that our mettle is tested. While the world around us is filled with uncertainty, we have been given the opportunity to take our school to new heights. No, it will not be perfect and there will continue to be bumps along the way; however, the authentic learning that’s happening in our virtual classrooms will continue to inspire and influence our students for many years to come. When this is all said and done, we will remember how much we’ve been tested and will no doubt come out stronger on the other side. ■

Rabbi Joyce Newmark, a resident of River Vale, is a former religious leader of congregations in Leonia and Lancaster, Pa.

State&Local School

Continued from page 16 our students had to shift their thinking and approach, and many of our tech-savvy parents stepped in to provide support and guidance in this new frontier. This collaboration has been inspirational and highlighted the importance of our home-school partnership. Our teachers are superheroes. Like the majority of adults in our country, teachers began their own “work from home” journeys just a few short weeks ago. The problem, however, is that the majority of teachers did not choose the profession in order to teach through a computer screen. By definition, educators are social creatures who thrive on interactions with students. This new reality that included working remotely, teaching on an unfamiliar platform, and balancing responsibilities at home with their newfound commitments at work could have proved to be an unsuccessful endeavor. Yet we have seen the opposite to be true. Yes, it has not been without stress and anxiety and a few technical glitches along the way;

Adam Shapiro is head of school at Golda Och Academy in West Orange.

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Abby Meth Kanter NJJN Editorial Adviser

ne hundred years ago, my grandmother was a victim of the Spanish flu, among the many millions who lost their lives in that crushing pandemic. She was 31, and her fourth child, my father, was 2 years old. But we — I, my siblings, and the other grandchildren — did not know that key piece of family history. To us, Grandma Sophie, who lived just minutes away from my family in Passaic, was our beloved and loving grandmother. The ﬁrst hint of a missing branch to my family tree may have been a comment someone made to me when I was about 12. I was at a friend’s house, and a woman was there visiting my friend’s mother. When I was introduced to her in the standard way — by noting my parentage (it seems all Jewish adults in Passaic knew of each other in those days) — the woman said, “Oh, you’re Bernie Meth’s daughter; I knew your grandmother.” You mean, I replied, you know my grandmother. Grandma Sophie was alive and well, a widow since the death of my grandfather a dozen years earlier, right before I was born. There were other clues. One year, when I was in my late teens, we were planning a 75th birthday party for Grandma. It suddenly occurred to me to do the math: I knew my father was then 54 — and he had three older siblings! Had my grandmother been a child bride? One of my aunts concocted a plausible explanation: Her mother lied about her age; she was actually closer to 80. But my mother, it seems, had never been comfortable with the secret, so when my cousin Susan pressed

her, she revealed the truth. The real story was that when Ida, the mother of the four siblings — the oldest not yet 12 — died, her husband, Adolph, unable to care for the youngsters on his own, brought a young cousin of his wife’s from Brooklyn to help out (perhaps before her death; that part is unclear). Within the year, the 24-year-old cousin, Sophie, had married Adolph, who was 15 years her senior. Their only child (my dear Uncle Morty, who died last year at 98) was born soon after. The decision made later to conceal the truth, insisted on by my father’s two sisters, who believed the grandchildren would love Grandma Sophie less if we knew she was not our “real” grandmother. So what was the outcome of the big revelation? Very little. We cousins wondered among ourselves how our parents could have imagined we would love our sweet, gentle Grandma Sophie one bit less because she was not a “blood” relation. What we didn’t do was ask our parents, aunts, and uncles what their mother was like and what was it like to lose her at such a young age. Either we lacked curiosity about the lives of our forebears or we implicitly understood that such an exercise — revealing the scars of old wounds, plumbing long-buried feelings, reckoning with unsettling life choices — was something members of “the greatest generation” were unwilling to engage in. We also did not ask how they could do what was tantamount to an exceedingly un-Jewish act: We are enjoined to honor our parents; what they did was, in effect, erase — or at best obscure — the memory of their mother. They had no pictures of her on display; a couple of the grandchildren were named for her, but

when we asked who our namesake was, we were told, “a relative who died long ago.” (Even in my grandfather’s obituary there was no mention of his having been “predeceased by his ﬁrst wife.”) Years after learning the truth, after my parents were gone, I attended a funeral and burial at the Passaic Junction cemetery — the ﬁnal resting place now of four generations of my family members — and decided to seek out Ida’s grave. What a jolt, what a testament to loss and love that stood in stark contrast to her effacement from our family. The stone, deep in the oldest part of the cemetery’s Tifereth Israel section, dwarfed the others around it. Beyond the standard inscription giving dates of birth and death, it included a heartrending outpouring of grief and a paean to “My Beloved Wife and Our Dear Mother” — “Day and night, tears pour from our eyes,” it reads, with tributes to an “eshes chayil” who is a “crown to her husband,” a “beautiful adornment to her children,” whose “soul shall rest in peace.” Now that I am a grandmother I mourn even more keenly the denial of the “dor l’dor” ties that in our tradition were due that beloved young wife and mother. I have made some attempt at mending the broken chain. I am committed to telling my grandchildren the rich, including the painful, stories of our family. When I attend our synagogue’s Rosh Chodesh gatherings, I remember all my grandmothers in the prayer we recite to honor the women who came before us. I have assumed the privilege of lighting a candle to mark Grandma Ida’s yahrtzeit. And when my father passed away, I broke with custom and had inscribed on his gravestone not just his father’s name, but the names of both his mothers. ■

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