Look back at our
2018-19 Season! See pages 18–19
Celebrating Jewish Life in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Israel and the World FEDERATION NEWS PUBLISHED BY
The Jewish Federation OF SARASOTA-MANATEE
THE LARRY GREENSPON FAMILY CAMPUS FOR JEWISH LIFE
July 2019 - Sivan/Tammuz 5779 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 11 Community Focus 15 Jewish Happenings 20 Jewish Interest 24 Israel & the Jewish World 28 Commentary 32 Focus on Youth 35 Life Cycle
5 12-year-old Israeli earns top honors at FST’s Young Playwrights Festival
8 Mother and daughter share their International March of the Living journey
24 14 must-read books to help you understand Israel’s history, culture and technology
33 Temple Beth Sholom youth groups’ membership year draws to a close
www.jfedsrq.org
Volume 49, Number 7
Good things on the horizon By Howard Tevlowitz, Chief Executive Officer
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“
love it when a plan comes together.” Remember that line from Hannibal Smith on the ATeam? Six months into 2019, I can honestly say yes, the strategic plan that our Federation developed in 2018 is working. It’s time to do some hakarat hatov, recognizing some good things that are happening. I will just mention a few here, but please know there Howard Tevlowitz are many more. We are executing on more fronts than ever before and making real progress: Through the assistance of Brandeis University, we have completed our first population study in 20 years. Study results will be available in late summer/early fall. Our Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life redevelopment is well underway. We have more than 100 volunteers working on various aspects of this project. To date we have raised well over $11 million. Our LIFE & LEGACY™ program, in partnership with ten local Jewish organizations, has secured more than $15 million in long-term commitments for our Jewish community.
We are engaging parents with children under 18 through Israel experiences with Jewish Women’s Renaissance Program (JWRP) missions, including our first men’s trip. Participation in our outreach and cultural arts programs, like the Jewish Film Festival and the Newcomers Event, continues to grow, and the response to new programs, such as the Just Reel Films series, is attracting sell-out crowds. Our PJ Library program has more than 415 participants, representing 305 Jewish families in our Sarasota-Manatee area. Special thanks to Edie and David Chaifetz for their sponsorship of this important program. Our Heller CRC Interfaith Community Mission just returned from Israel with 14 individuals with a new love and respect for Israel and her people. (See article below and pictures on page 4 for more details.) Federation is working with a security consultant to address the new reality of heightened security and awareness training for our staff, our campus and the Jewish community. This includes physical security, cybersecurity and emergency preparedness.
We produced a new publication, Shalom SRQ, a resource guide to all things Jewish in Sarasota-Manatee. It has garnered rave reviews from readers and advertisers alike. On the horizon: working with county, state and federal government in regards to securing our Jewish institutions; more efforts to fight antiSemitism; grants to help vulnerable members of our extended Jewish family; and an array of teen leadership and philanthropy programs. I know this is a lot, but just in case the term “mission creep” comes to mind, this is all in line with a narrow-focused and tight understanding of our Federation’s mission in terms of strengthening the Jewish community. Each of these items has a home and a strategic place in terms of the 4 Cs that guide the work of our Jewish Federation: Caring for the vulnerable, Connecting those who live in Jewish households to Jewish life and community, responding to Crises, and building Commitment to support a vibrant Jewish future. It’s all about COMMUNITY! And thank YOU! Your ongoing support of the Federation makes all of this possible. I would enjoy hearing from you about feedback or ideas for our community. I can be reached at 941.342.2110 or htevlowitz@jfedsrq.org.
Bridges built by Interfaith Community Leader Mission to Israel By Marty Katz, Sr. Director of Communications and Marketing
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he 2019 Interfaith Community Leader Mission to Israel sponsored by the Federation’s Heller Community Relations Committee (CRC), took place during the first two weeks of May. Jessi Sheslow, Director of Community Relations, said, “The goal of the Israel mission is to bring together leaders in the nonprofit, business and faith communities to learn about each other and Israel, and become advocates in Sarasota-Manatee.” The group spent nine days tour-
A publication of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee The Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232 Annual voluntary subscription: $25
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ing Israel with stops at many of the country’s historical sites – the Western Wall and its tunnels, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Cardo, Israel Museum (to see the Dead Sea Scrolls), Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, 9-11 Memorial, Masada and the Dead Sea. However, the design of this interfaith mission is to include customized visits based on the participants’ backgrounds in education, security, medicine and diversity. Some of the more memorable visits were: ▼
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The Ayalon Institute, a secret, underground ammunition factory disguised as part of a kibbutz to fool the British back in the ’40s. The factory produced two-million bullets in the efforts to fight for the independence of Israel. Shonim B’Yachad at the port of Jaffa, Israel’s version of Embracing Our Differences. The exhibit is partially funded by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota Manatee. continued on page 2 ▼
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Mission to Israel...continued from page 1 The Tel Mond Community Center (Tel Mond is Sarasota’s Sister City), where we were treated to entertainment by Tel Mond youths and learned about living there from local residents. Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya in northern Israel near the Lebanon and Syrian borders, where we toured the hospital’s underground operating rooms which were used
during the Lebanon War. If needed, they can move their whole operation underground in 3½ hours! Moreover, we learned about the hospital’s philosophy of Adom, l’adom, adom or “A man is a man to a man,” illustrated perfectly by the thousands of Syrians they treated during Syria’s civil war. Despite the Syrians’ hatred of Israel, the hospital’s lifesaving work speaks
See page 4 for photos from the Israel Interfaith Community Leader Mission
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FEDERATION NEWS volumes about the humanity of the Israeli people. Kibbutz Misgav Am, which sits yards from the southern Lebanese border. We heard firsthand about life on a working kibbutz on a volatile border region. From the hilltop ridge, we looked right down into the backyard of Hezbollah’s headquarters! While visiting the Har Bental overlook in the Golan Heights, we were honored to hear from Brigadier General Yehiel Gozal (ret.) about the Israel Defense Forces and how it protects Israel. Three days earlier, we felt the anxiety of 250 rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel, just 45 minutes away from where we stood. Hand in Hand school, one of six locations in Israel that mixes Arabs and Jews in classrooms from kindergarten through 12th grade. What a treat to see the students learning side by side with 1,200 kids on the waiting list! The Center for Digital Innovation in Be’er Sheva in the Negev, where entrepreneurial start-ups are using high-tech inventions to dramatically change the world. Having the honor of standing still alongside Israelis for one minute to pay homage to Israel’s fallen soldiers on Yom HaZikaron and then celebrating Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, with song, dance and fireworks. David Millstone, Vice Chair of the Heller CRC who participated on the mission, watched the progression as skeptics and neutrals in the group turned into sympathizers and advocates for Israel. “Together, we grew, and that
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Lo
certainly helped our goal of building bridges in the greater Sarasota-Manatee community,” he said. Jessi Sheslow added, “Now that we’re back home, I am excited for us to continue building the relationships16 o we started in Israel. I am proud thatdrive the group will be ambassadors in ourMar community about Israel and its people,as w and the wonderful work we do here insigh the Sarasota-Manatee area. The bestWalk advocates are passionate advocatesEpis and, without a doubt, we brought homesong advocates who will loudly spread themess word.” B Participating in the Israel Missiontions from our local community were: said, • Pastor Patrick Miller, Bethlehem is ho Bible Church of Sarasota vary • David Millstone, Vice Chair, Heller were CRC Israe • Pam Ramhofer, Chief Information open Officer, Sarasota Memorial Hospital persp • Felice Schulaner, New College of judg Florida Board Chair, and Dennis to im Rees, Board Chair Planned ParentW hood and retired entrepreneur men • Jay Solomon, CEO Aviva – A Cam- fortu pus for Senior Life, and his wife artic Lori Solomon per!) • Charlie Ann Syprett, chair Diversity W Committee, Sarasota Bar Associa- the t tion, and Jim Syprett, Immediate T Past Board Chair, Sarasota Memo- on th rial Healthcare Foundation tal c • Jennifer Vigne, Executive Director, Israe Education Foundation of Sarasota faith County, and Dan Vigne, Wealth rifice Strategist, Northern Trust cons • Pastor John Walker, Bethel Christianor de Methodist Episcopal Church pass • Captain John Walsh, Sarasota tion, County Sheriff’s Office tism • Brenna Wilhm, Director of Opera- a sin tions, Embracing Our Differences brea
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very for m T enric take busi tion, whil of le I ate pass fulne was hope this T tunit deve a lif cal C whic – Pa W don’ know I Israe surro
FEDERATION NEWS
July 2019
3
Love is “our” religion
ding ana-By Marty Katz, Sr. Director of Communications and Marketing
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he best way to describe the Inthat terfaith Community Leader or us Mission to Israel is to picture all hips16 of us (along with the guide and bus thatdriver) belting out the catchy Ziggy ourMarley refrain, “Love Is My Religion,” ople,as we headed out for another day of re insightseeing and learning. Pastor John bestWalker of Bethel Christian Methodist catesEpiscopal Church, had taught us the omesong the night before. It was the perfect d themessage that became our mantra.
Brenna Wilhm, Director of Operations at Embracing Our Differences, said, “What cannot go unmentioned is how a group of 16 individuals of varying ages, backgrounds and beliefs, were all able to share this journey to Israel together. We were able to have open and civil discussions about our perspectives and experiences, without judgment and with the collective goal to impact our community for the better.” What follows are some of the comments provided by participants (unfortunately, I had to edit them or this article would take up the whole paper!): What was your favorite part of the trip and why? The morning spent at the kibbutz on the Lebanese border. It became crystal clear to me how much the people of Israel cherish their country and their faith, and what they are willing to sacrifice to protect that. They live under constant threat yet they are not fearful or depressed. I felt their determination, passion and compassion, faith, dedication, commitment, as well as pragmatism. The Jews of Israel don’t waste a single moment. They treasure each breath and each other. Their faith is so very strong. It was a beautiful moment for me. – Charlie Ann Syprett This trip was the most intensive, enriching and fulfilling trip I’ve ever taken. We experienced culture, history, business, education, religion, innovation, food, people, healthcare and more while doing so with a community group of leaders. I laughed, I cried, I learned, I ate, I loved. I felt joy, sadness, compassion, bewilderment, humility, gratefulness, understanding and respect. I was moved and I am changed. It is my hope I am a better person because of this experience. – Jennifer Vigne The meals. It gave me an opportunity to get to know everyone and develop relationships I know will last a lifetime. Also, the Galilee Medical Center and Hand in Hand school, which confirmed my hope in humanity. – Pastor John Walker What do you want people who don’t know much about Israel to know? I was particularly struck by how Israelis are not deterred by the threats surrounding them and push forward to
try to make their country better for all who live there. – Felice Schulaner That in spite of the daily perils, Israelis go about their daily lives raising families, developing amazing new technology that will benefit mankind throughout the world. – Jay Solomon That Israel is a very warm and loving country, rich in history and in the spirit of its people, despite adversity, wanting to contribute to not only their own country, but to that of the entire world. – Brenna Wilhm The trip gave me a greater appreciation and perspective of the struggles faced by Israel and the region. I would not have called it a vacation but an education that was so dynamic and rich, and provided historical context to current events. – Pam Ramhofer What did you think about Israel prior to the trip and how is it the same or different after the trip? I always thought it was more homogeneous. Jewish. White. With everyone sharing the same values, goals and objectives. I realized that is very naïve and that the truth is much more complicated. – Felice Schulaner I am ashamed to say that I didn’t appreciate the very near and very real threat of the Arab nations. Israel is truly threatened on all sides. – Charlie Ann Syprett What three adjectives describe the people of Israel? Resolute, creative, optimistic – Felice Schulaner Brave, dedicated, diverse – Jay Solomon Resilient, spiritual, tenacious – Brenna Wilhm Passionate, dedicated, determined – Charlie Ann Syprett Prideful, resilient, innovative – Pastor John Walker Resilient, disciplined, blessed – Jennifer Vigne What was your favorite Israeli food? How could I pick? I will say that I think breakfast in Israel is the best in the world. – Felice Schulaner What wasn’t to love at each and every meal? I really liked jachnun and all of the fresh fruits and veggies. – Brenna Wilhm I was in veggie heaven! Shakshuka and any way they made eggplant! – Charlie Ann Syprett Falafel – Pastor John Walker and Pam Ramhofer Shawarma – Pastor Patrick Miller I loved it all! – Jennifer Vigne What more would you like to say? The mission trip to Israel was invaluable because of the opportunity to develop partnerships, connections and positive influences with others who have the same goal to make our own community better. To spend this time
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learning about another government’s history, education and social services systems has opened my mind to the possibilities of a great future in Sarasota that is inclusive of all ideas. I am certain this mission trip to Israel has exposed us all to new people, ideas, environments and opportunities for professional and personal growth. – Captain John Walsh The group I was with made the trip so much more enjoyable. Everyone asked great questions, were friendly, and freely shared of their own personal knowledge and experiences. For me that made the trip a far more impactful experience! – Pastor Patrick Miller The experience was made even greater by sharing it with such wonderful people who I now call friends. – Jay Solomon I took this responsibility and honor to heart and committed myself to see and learn how I could apply this expe-
rience when I returned both professionally and personally. Now that I have returned, I simply want to express my deep, deep gratitude for an opportunity that surpassed my own expectations. This was a life-changing experience that will undoubtedly remain with me and affect my decisions and choices in ways I could not imagine. I promise I will pay this forward in ways that will have a ripple effect on the meaningful work the Jewish Federation does every single day. – Jennifer Vigne As for my colleague, Jessi Sheslow and myself, we were humbled and honored to have shared this experience with the group. Over a period of nine days, we assimilated into a tightly woven, cohesive family where “Love truly became our religion.” We can’t wait to see the bridges that are made in Sarasota-Manatee as a result of this mission. It will forever be etched upon our hearts.
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July 2019
FEDERATION NEWS
h a b a R h a d o T
for the memories!
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY LEADER MISSION TO ISRAEL 2019
Dennis Rees at Tel Aviv overlook
Marty Katz with IDF soldiers
Pastor Patrick Miller, Jim Syprett, Charlie Ann Syprett, David Millstone, Pam Ramhofer, Felice Schulaner in Jerusalem
Felice Schuaner and Dennis Rees at Tel Mond Community Center
Charlie Ann Syprett with Moshe the camel
Brenna Wilhm, Jessi Sheslow, Pam Ramhofer at the Dead Sea
Captain John Walsh with Jerusalem police officer
Jay Solomon, Pastor John Walker, Pastor Patrick Miller, Brenna Wilhm at the Western Wall
Dennis Rees, David Millstone, Jessi Sheslow, Guide Avi, Driver Michel, Marty Katz, Felice Schulaner, Jennifer & Dan Vigne at 9/11 Memorial
Lori and Jay Solomon at Jaffa Port
Dan & Jennifer Vigne enjoying schwarma
Captain John Walsh, Ret. Brigadier General Yehiel Gozal, Jim Syprett at Har Bental
Dead Sea fun
Pam Ramhofer, Jim Syprett and guide at Galilee Medical Center
Avi Eliyahu, Nataly Riech Wolff, Jessi Sheslow, Eran Eizik in Tel Mond
The group in Tel Aviv
July 2019
FEDERATION NEWS
5
Young Israeli playwright wins hearts in Sarasota Established 1971
PUBLISHER The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee The Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road Sarasota, FL 34232-1959 Phone: 941.371.4546 Fax: 941.378.2947 E-mail: jewishnews@jfedsrq.org Website: www.jfedsrq.org Published Monthly Volume 49, Number 7 July 2019 36 pages USPS Permit No. 167 August 2019 Issue Deadlines: Editorial: June 28, 2019 Advertising: July 1, 2019 CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Change of address inquiries can be sent to Paula Ivory-Bishop at pibishop@jfedsrq.org or call 941.371.4546 x0
PRESIDENT Michael Ritter CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Howard Tevlowitz SENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING Marty Katz MANAGING EDITOR Ted Epstein ADVERTISING SALES Adam Kaplan – 941.552.6307 PROOFREADERS Edward D. Cohen, Marianne Mandell, Elliot Ofsowitz, Jeff Sherman, Linda Stern, Bryna Tevlowitz
By Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz
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The Alons were hosted by representatives of the Sister Cities Association of Sarasota (SCAS) and members of our Jewish community who organized outings for them and students from Dunfermline, Scotland (another Sarasota Sister City). They visited the Ringling Norman Cohen, Ariel Alon, Carol Cohen, Keren Alon Museum, Mote Marine, Siesta Key Beach and Sarasota Rich Bergman, Federation’s MaCity Hall, where they were officially jor Gifts Director, informed the Cowelcomed by Mayor Liz Alpert. hens about Ariel’s play. Bergman also “We will remember our wonderspoke movingly to the students at a ful time in Sarasota for the rest of our special lunch in their honor organized lives,” Keren gratefully said. “Everyby SCAS at the Bird Key Yacht Club one was so kind to us. Ariel’s goal is about the highly regarded Embracing that all children, no matter Our Differences initiative he co-foundthe differences between ed. Bergman presented the students them, will be accepted and with several children’s books he has respected.” authored that deal with treating others Ariel’s play was based from different backgrounds and needs on Front of the Class, a with understanding and sensitivity. book he’d read about Brad It was a picture-perfect visit to Cohen, an award-winning Sarasota for Keren and Ariel. “We are teacher and school administaking home great memories,” Keren trator who wrote about havsaid. “We wish to continue to be ining Tourette syndrome that volved in the connection between our was made into a Hallmark two cities.” Hall of Fame TV movRabbi Jonathan R. Katz serves as the Adam Ratner, FST Young Playwrights Festival Coordinator, with Keren and Ariel Alon and Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz ie. The author’s parents, Tel Mond City Director for the Sister Festival for several years. One of SaraSarasota residents Norman and Carol Cities Association of Sarasota. He is sota’s eight sister cities, Tel Mond has Cohen, attended the performance. “I also our area’s Community Chaplain, strong ties to The Jewish Federation really appreciated the chance to meet a position funded by The Jewish Fedof Sarasota-Manatee. Its main library them,” Ariel said. “I look forward to eration of Sarasota-Manatee. was made possible through the generosbeing in touch with their son and sharity of Betty and Alex Schoenbaum (z’’l). ing his story with people in Israel.” he Change, a short play written by 12-year-old Ariel Alon from Tel Mond, Israel, about a student with Tourette syndrome who becomes close friends with a bully who had tormented him, earned top honors at Florida Studio Theatre’s 38th Annual Young Playwrights Festival held in May. Along with several works selected from thousands of submissions from around the U.S. and beyond, The Change was staged before thousands of young people at schools throughout Florida in early spring by a cadre of FST directors and actors. However, for the festival, Ariel and his mother Keren traveled to Sarasota to see the play come to life before their own eyes at FST’s Keating Theatre. Students from Tel Mond have participated in the Young Playwrights
MISSION STATEMENT: The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee strives to be the source of news and features of special interest to the Jewish community of Sarasota-Manatee, to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions in the Jewish community, and to communicate the mission, activities and achievements of the Federation and its Jewish community partners. OPINIONS printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee do not necessarily reflect those of The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee, its Board of Directors or staff. SUBMISSIONS to The Jewish News are subject to editing for space and content, and may be withheld from publication without prior notice. Approval of submissions for publication in either verbal or written form shall always be considered tentative, and does not imply a guarantee of any kind. Submissions must be sent electronically to jewishnews@jfedsrq.org. LETTERS to the editor should not exceed 300 words, must be typed, and include the writer’s name, mailing address and phone number. Letters can be submitted via USPS or email (jewishnews@jfedsrq.org). Not all letters will be published. Letters may be edited for length and content. ADVERTISING: Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement and may require the words “Paid Advertisement” in any ad. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement of products, services or ideas promoted therein.
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July 2019
FEDERATION NEWS
Federation awards $84,000 in education scholarships By Marsha Eisenberg, Education Scholarship Committee Chair
T
he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee recently awarded $84,000 in education scholarships to 19 students from the Sarasota and Manatee region. All recipients are pursuing full-time post-secondary studies at universities, colleges or community colleges, have a strong academic record, and a commitment to religious and community service involvement. Award recipients and their families were welcomed at a reception on The Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life in May, where scholarship committee members were able to meet and present certificates to scholarship recipients. “Helping young people reach their educational goals is paramount to our
scholarships to non-Jewish students. Two years ago, it announced a new Melissa Wides Foundation Education Scholarship, awarding scholarships to students with special needs or majoring in an area of study dedicated to helping those with special needs. And last year, the Federation announced The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee College Scholarship, a new scholarship for full-time, post-secondary students who demonstrate exceptional leadership and involvement in the Jewish community. Other scholarships include: Anne and David Anchin Scholarship Fund, Neil and Sandra Angel Malamud Family Scholarship Fund, Belle and Herman B. Behrenfeld Scholarship Fund, Selma and Sydney Flanzbaum Schol-
mission,” said Federation CEO Howard Tevlowitz. He added that the organization has awarded more than $780,000 in college scholarships in the past 13 years. A few years ago, the Federation expanded its education scholarship offerings to include The Robert Michelson Interfaith Scholarship, awarding
arship Fund, Jacqueline Siegel-Frascella Athletic Scholarship, Ruth and David Gorton Scholarship Fund, Grace and Sam Gorlitz Scholarship Fund, Bernard Isaacs Family Fund, Jerome and Ruth Kapner Scholarship Fund, Edith Becker Lilienfeld Scholarship Fund, Dr. Nelson and Marjorie Newmark Scholarship Fund, Meyer Sar-
kin Scholarship Fund, Ned and Janet Sinder Scholarship, Betty Schoenbaum Scholarship, Schoenbaum Family Scholarship Fund, Marjorie and Earl Sharff Scholarship Fund, Helen A. and Newtown H. Sobin Scholarship Fund, and the Ronald and Geri Yonover Scholarship. The Education Scholarship Committee worked tirelessly to review and evaluate applications and select this year’s recipients. They include Chair Marsha Eisenberg, Laura Briefman, Meredith Ernst, Sharon Feinstein, Vivian Lane, Leslie Podolsky, Ronnie Riceberg, Jacqueline Siegel-Frascella, Marian Strassman and Joan and Brian Wides. “We’re grateful to the generous
2019 Education Scholarship award recipients, committee members and donors
2019 SUMMER LUNCH & LEARN SERIES SPONSORED BY WILLIAMS PARKER
July 23 | August 6 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Michael’s On East, Sarasota Only $28 Per Lecture! (Includes Lunch!) Ari Gordon AJC Director of U.S. Muslim-Jewish Relations TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2019 Do Muslim-Jewish Relations have a Future? Challenges and Opportunities on the American Scene In the 21st Century Jews and Muslims must overcome mutual suspicion and navigate political differences to promote common democratic values, fight extremism, and confront bigotry.
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donors who endow their legacy gifts for scholarship funds so that, year after year, students can pursue their dreams at an institution of higher learning. Many of the young people who received scholarships have found ways to give back to their Jewish community, exemplifying the tradition of L’dor V’dor, or passing good along from generation to generation,” said Tevlowitz. The 2019 recipients of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Education Scholarships are: Eva Bayer The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee College Scholarship Phoenix Berman Ned and Janet Sinder Scholarship Trust – 2nd Year Chloe Colburn The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee College Scholarship Jakob Dubin Ned and Janet Sinder Scholarship Trust – 1st Year, The Belle and Herman B. Behrenfeld Scholarship, Meyer Sarkin Scholarship, Bernard Isaacs Family Fund Mackenzie Dyrda Jacqueline Siegel-Frascella Scholarship, Betty Schoenbaum Family Scholarship Rachel Golden B’nai B’rith Gulf Coast Lodge #2004
Scholarship, Betty Schoenbaum Family Scholarship, The Neil and Sandra Angel Malamud Family Scholarship Fund Rebekah Golden Melissa Wides Foundation Education Scholarship Alex Hanan The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee College Scholarship Erica Lester Melissa Wides Foundation Education Scholarship Roger Main Ned and Janet Sinder Scholarship Trust – 2nd Year, Robert Michelson Interfaith Scholarship, Betty Schoenbaum Family Scholarship, Jerome and Ruth Kapner Scholarship Fund
Seth Morton Ned and Janet Sinder Scholarship Trust – 2nd year Abe Pintchuck Betty Schoenbaum Family Scholarship Haley Rosenthal Melissa Wides Foundation Education Scholarship Zackary Sessa Robert Michelson Interfaith Scholarship Jakob Silver Ned and Janet Sinder Scholarship Trust – 1st Year Kali-Ray Skinner Robert Michelson Interfaith Scholarship Amelia Stern Robert Michelson Interfaith Scholarship Matthew Strauss The Ronald and Geri Yonover Scholarship, Betty Schoenbaum Family Scholarship, Anne and David Anchin Scholarship Fund Alexandra Zirkle Robert Michelson Interfaith Scholarship, Betty Schoenbaum Family Scholarship, Edith Becker Lilienfeld Scholarship For more information about The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee education scholarship program, visit www.jfedsrq.org/educationscholarships, or contact Andrea Eiffert at 941.552.6308 or aeiffert@jfedsrq.org.
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July 2019
FEDERATION NEWS
7
Federation and community leaders attend national legacy giving conference
FamndraStaff Report ship ederation staff and community leaders joined colleagues from across the country who ationare actively implementing the LIFE & LEGACYTM program, in Springfield, Massachusetts, for this year’s LIFE sota-& LEGACY/Create a Jewish Legacy Leadership Gathering. The conference was aimed at building skills, sharing ationbest practices and providing opportunities for networking amongst the participants in order to continue creating Trustsustainable, legacy giving programs in faiththeir local communities. Fam“Providing Jewish communities Kap-with proven tools and training to help them secure their long-term financial goals is absolutely vital. Through the LIFE & LEGACY program, I’m hopeful that we will be able to help sustain vibrant communities that allow future generations to enjoy our rich Jew-
F
ish culture and heritage,” said Harold Grinspoon, founder of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF). In addition to Federation staff, those attending from the SarasotaManatee area were Karen Corbin, Vice President of Philanthropy at Aviva – A Campus for Senior Life; Mark Sharff, LIFE & LEGACY Chair at Temple Emanu-El; and Anne Spindel, LIFE & LEGACY Chair at Federation. “It was a thrill to meet lay leaders from other communities to learn the best practices of this program and its impact nationwide,” said Anne Spindel. Our community’s legacy giving program has secured more than 500 after-lifetime commitments with an estimated value of $15.8 million in future financial gifts to benefit 11 community partners. The commitments are a part
of a collaboration between The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and the HGF to preserve vibrant Jewish life for future generations by ensuring the long-term financial health of Jewish community organizations in SarasotaManatee. Nationally, HGF has helped its partners to secure more than 24,000
legacy commitments valued at more than $878 million of which $96 million has already been placed in organizational endowments. For more information on the LIFE & LEGACY program, contact Gisele Pintchuck at 941.706.0029 or gintchuck@jfedsrq.org.
LIFE & LEGACY conference attendees: Tammy Dolin, HGF Community Consultant; Anne Spindel; Winnie Sandler Grinspoon, President HGF; Gisele Pintchuck; Mark Sharff, Temple Emanu-El; Harold Grinspoon, Founder HGF; Ilene Fox; Karen Corbin
Federation’s Communications and Marketing department expands Staff Report
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e welcome Logan Marr to the Federation staff as our new Communications & Marketing Coordinator. In this position, Logan will handle the Federation’s social media outlets while utilizing proven techniques to help expand our online presence. In addition, he will work closely with our in-house Trust graphic designers in order to streamline the production of event materials, advertisements and brochures. ship “I am thrilled to welcome Logan to our team,” said Marty Katz, Sr. Direcation tor of Communications and Marketing. “We are now poised to effectively
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tackle our communiRelations Intern with cations and marketing Liberty Partners of needs as we expand Tallahassee, a Florida Federation’s campus lobbying firm that and programming.” represents a multitude Logan graduated of companies such as in May 2018 from Uber, Expedia and Florida State UniverAT&T in the state legsity with a bachelor’s islature. degree in Political Logan, a former Science and InternaBob Malkin Young tional Affairs. While Ambassador, has been attending FSU, Logan an active member of Logan Marr worked as a Legislathe Sarasota Jewish tive Intern for the Office of Rep. Dacommunity since he was four years vid Silvers and also as a Government old!
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July 2019
FEDERATION NEWS
International March of the Living program In May, students gathered from all corners of the world to remember the Shoah, as part of the International March of the Living program, an annual educational program that brings teens to Poland and Israel to study the history of the Holocaust and to examine the roots of prejudice, intolerance and hatred. Juniors and seniors attending high school in Sarasota and Manatee counties are eligible each year to apply for a scholarship from The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee to participate in this program. For more information about March of the Living, please call Andrea Eiffert at 941.552.6308. This month, we share two poignant essays from a mother and her daughter. Next month, we hear from more students who attended the program.
Death and renewal during the March of the Living
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By Eileen Hampton e wish to extend a very heartfelt thank you to The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and Temple Beth Sholom for scholarships that helped provide for a once-in-a-lifetime experience for my daughter and me. My family has had a very difficult time recently with the loss of my husband Derin to cancer. Shortly after his passing, my daughter Sydney was diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma during her junior year of high school. During this difficult time, my connection with Judaism was wavering because I could not grasp the reality of why this was happening to my family. In 2016, my son Hunter participated in the March of the Living program with support from the Federation. Upon his return, he raved about his experiences and the profound impact it had on his life. He strongly encouraged Derin and me to go this year with Sydney. Derin and I were looking forward to joining Sydney but then Derin passed away a little over a year before the trip was scheduled. I didn’t know how I was going to accompany Sydney but knew I had to for Derin. Thanks to the Federation, I was given the opportunity to chaperone the students from Sarasota. As part of getting prepared for our journey, we met regularly for education sessions. On one trip we joined the Boca region,
and our bus leader passed around rocks for us to write and draw on. We were instructed to bring them to Poland. I wrote Derin’s name on one rock, along with a red heart. Many of my ancestors were originally from Poland and being there was poignant for me. We marched with 12,000 teens from around the world from Auschwitz to Birkenau. I felt so much pride in my heritage. We also saw evidence of the horror of the Holocaust. Concentration camps, death camps, ghettos, cattle cars, mass graves, ash pits, hundreds of thousands of shoes, and the monumental mountain of ash and bone in Majdanek are brutal visual reminders of those who were mercilessly slaughtered. I carried Derin’s rock throughout Poland. One day, I found myself at a mass grave with the corpses of more than 800 slaughtered children. Because bullets were too valuable to use, these children had been murdered by men who broke their skulls with rocks. As I stood above the grave reciting Kaddish, I suddenly felt Derin’s presence and I bent down to place my stone in that place where these children lost their lives. My grief over Derin’s loss merged with the grief I felt for all the tortured victims of the Holocaust. For Sydney and me, Poland was an emotional and somber experience. The shared grief and piercing sense of loss bonded us even closer than we were before. As we got on the plane to leave Poland, we were emotionally drained. Flying all night with no sleep left us exhausted, but when we arrived in
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Israel, our hearts immediately lightened. It was the difference between darkness and light. Suddenly, we felt joyous, uplifted and safe. We had arrived home. We had a blast in Israel. We visited historic sites and places of worship. We rafted on the Jordan River, biked along the Port of Jaffa and Tel Aviv beaches, joined in a prayer service at the Kotel, enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by a Druze family, and brought toys to a children’s home. Sharing with others and being a part of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’Atzmaut re-lit a spark inside of me that had previously been extinguished. I found my connection again to something greater than myself. Feeling Derin’s presence with us on our journey and knowing that Sydney felt him also is helping us with the process of healing. I am grateful for the enlightening experiences and the amount of knowledge I gained from the March of the Living program. Eileen Hampton served as parentchaperone for this year’s March of the Living delegation from Sarasota and Manatee counties.
From darkness to light: My MOL experience
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By Sydney Hampton he March of the Living program offers Jewish teens from around the world an amazing opportunity to travel to Poland for one week to learn about the Jewish community that once flourished – and perished – there. The second part of the trip is in Israel, offering a sharp contrast with its sense of renewal and growth. It was a trip of a lifetime and I couldn’t be more thankful to the Federation for giving me the support I needed to experience it. Even better? My mother was offered the opportunity to chaperone the Sarasota students so we would be together. Being on this trip with my mom is something I will cherish forever. Stepping off the plane in Poland, a country where most of my ancestors died in the Holocaust, provoked deep emotions in me. Little did I know how much more affected I would be when
we were brought to witness Auschwitz and other concentration camps. I had been told that I would feel emotional and might cry, but I didn’t really understand the impact of that statement until I was standing in the crematorium at Majdanek listening to Rabbi Brody talking about the tens of thousands of children who lost their parents and,
Eileen and Sydney Hampton
ultimately, their lives. Emotion overcame me and I broke into unrestrained weeping. Tears flowed down my face as I remembered my own father, who died from cancer in 2017. The rabbi’s words moved me to be thankful that I had my father in my life for at least 17 years. Stepping off the plane in Israel was liberating. We made it! That’s all I could think. I was ready to enjoy myself after such an emotionally draining week. During this trip, we were fortunate to meet Holocaust survivors who shared their stories with us. Zelda Polofsky or Safta, as we called her, was on my bus. I have so much respect for her. Not once did she complain about her feet being sore or how tired she was, like many of the teens did. I will never forget the conversations we shared and the stories she told me. I went into this trip not expecting to connect deeply with anybody. I couldn’tthe s have been more wrong. The people on F my bus and I will have lifelong friend-oper ships. I truly couldn’t be more thankfuland to each person who helped make thisserv trip so special for me. I look forwardida, to joining Hillel at the University ofand Tampa for the next four years! Sara D Day Ema to ce Kipp kot, to you each month thanks Coll help
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FEDERATION NEWS
July 2019
9
Jewish Healing Program makes strides
witzBy Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz, Community Chaplain and JHP Director had uring The Jewish Federation for extractions and new dentures. onal of Sarasota-Manatee’s board These types of health expenses are not unmeeting in May, board memprovided by the reparations that survimentbers learned about the impact of JFCS vors receive. riumof the Suncoast’s Jewish Healing ProIn total, $42,000 in Federation rodygram (JHP) during 2018. The program funding assisted 27 members of the ds ofis funded by the Federation. Jewish community in need in our area and, For example, a 74-year-old client in 2018. Forty others, who for a range who fell behind on her FPL bill durof reasons did not qualify for this shorting the course of several hospital stays term emergency financial aid, received received funds to pay it from the Fedhelp such as budgeting guidance, couneration through JHP’s Department of seling, access to the JFCS Food Pantry, Jewish Financial Assistance. Publix cards, and referrals for housing, A 68-year-old married man had employment and other needs. It should to close his business to care for his be noted that assistance, which also disabled wife. As she continued to came from the Vandroff and Yanover decline from dementia, their savings family funds, is never paid to clients were spent on in-home nursing before directly but to the vendor, i.e., landshe was moved to a memory care unit lord, dental office, etc. where she passed away a short time At the May meeting, I shared that later. Federation resources covered the in addition to this assistance, the proman’s past-due rent for a month and gram serves several hundred members one additional month. of the Jewish community and beyond A Holocaust survivor living on a through Holocaust survivor care manvery low income received assistance agement and activities, programming,
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Bereavement Support Groups, Friendly Visitors, worship observances organized in senior residence facilities, the Talk Story program, and visitation at local hospitals, nursing homes and hospice. As chaplain, I also perform lifecycle events such as funerals and weddings. I appreciated this opportunity to provide the board with greater insight about the services JHP offers. There are certainly great needs in our community, whether in terms of emergency financial situations, the loss of a loved one, Holocaust survivors, aging-related distress and social isolation. But we are seeking to meet people where they are and help as compassionately and prudently as possible. For more information on the Jewish Healing Program at JFCS of the Suncoast, contact me at 941.366.2224 or jkatz@jfcs-cares.org.
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What’s Jewish about Jewish Chaplaincy?
over-Staff Report ined ommunity Chaplain Rabbi dress, who has worked in the field of face Jonathan R. Katz attended the aging for more than three decades, who annual conference of the Naspoke about the changbbi’stional Association of Jewish Chaplains ing emotional and spiritual hat I(NAJC) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey in needs of the baby boomer st 17May. Rabbi Anne Feibelman of Aviva generation. – A Campus for Senior Life also atThe range of workshops sraeltended the conference. offered at the conference s all In a keynote address that drew on included: What’s Jewish my-personal experience and sources in About Jewish Chaplaincy?, Utilizing ningJewish tradition, Rabbi Joseph Telushthe Mandala Assessment Research Inkin discussed the importance of how strument (MARI) to Identify Stages ortu-chaplains relate to those beset by loss, in Human Change, How Jewish Texts whoanxiety or despair. Rabbi Richard AdCan Help Us Heal and End of Life elda her, pect plain tired id. IBy Sydney Harlow, Program Director, Gulf Coast Hillel s we s Gulf Coast Hillel’s new November brought along opporprogram director, I wanted to tunities to do smaller events that were ng to share some of the highlights of very impactful. We hosted our first ldn’tthe season. Jews & Brews, an event we try to do e on For the first time, Gulf Coast Hillel once a month that allows students to end-operated solely in the Sarasota County get off campus and discuss the Torah nkfuland Manatee County region. We now and Talmud over libations and food. thisserve students at New College of FlorWith December came the end of wardida, Ringling College of Art + Design, the semester and Hanukkah. We were y ofand the University of South Florida able to celebrate together for all eight Sarasota-Manatee. nights and enjoyed delicious latkes on During September’s High Holy Shabbat. Every night we lit candles on Days, we were able to join Temple a different campus. Emanu-el and Temple Beth Sholom In February, we enjoyed an amazto celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom ing Havdalah service poolside, thanks Kippur. We then transitioned into Sukto Federation donors Edie and David kot, setting up a cozy sukkah at New Chaifetz. (It was featured by Hillel InCollege of Florida with decorating ternational on social media.) help from students on all three camIn March we celebrated Purim and were pleased to be joined by the Ringling Royals, who came to learn more about the holiday. Passover came in April this year and we were able to convene a large, interfaith community for the first-night Seder. The story of Passover was told via a skit that engaged the attendees, and the Jacob Brody-Ogborn (NCF ’22), Sarah Pincus (NCF ’20), four questions were asked in Samara Weinberg (NCF ’22), Kenny Kent (NCF ’19), Elly Bovarnick (NCF ’19) and Hillel Program Director Sydney multiple languages. It was a Harlow after volunteering in the community night of fellowship and shargarden on Tu B’Shevat ing traditions. puses. We were able to celebrate our May brought us many graduations first Shabbat in the sukkah as well. and the trip of a lifetime! We were able In October I spent a lot of time to bring students from both Ringing meeting students and we had our first College of Art + Design and New Colsite visit from Hillel International. Melege of Florida to Israel on their Birthlissa Levine, the representative for Hilright trip as part of Taglit-Birthright lel International, visited our campuses Israel. to meet with students and listen to their It has been a wonderful and funideas for the Hillel program. We also filled year and we look forward to concollaborated with the Federation’s tinuing our activities in August when Shapiro Teen Engagement Program students return. (STEP) on an Israeli-themed Shabbat. For more information about Gulf During this busy month, former Israeli Coast Hillel, contact me at sydney@ soldiers from StandWithUs shared gchillel.org or 305.968.6266. their experiences in the military.
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Counseling. The utilization of different types of art therapies in chaplaincy was also a major focus. “Being in the company of so many dedicated, compassionate professional caregivers was a powerful experience,” related Rabbi Katz. Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz can be reached at JFCS of the Suncoast at 941.366.2224 or jkatz@jfcs-cares.org. The chaplain position is underwritten by The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee.
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10
July 2019
FEDERATION NEWS
Volunteer Spotlight Bolstering the Federation’s mission: Mary Collier By Sandy Chase
H
elping to strengthen a cornerSouthside Elementary School and Deflecting the spotlight, Mary stone of The Jewish FederaSarasota Middle School – all for the says, “One of my favorite memories tion of Sarasota-Manatee purpose of advocating for children. has been working with Andrea and laid more than 60 years ago, Mary ColFortunately for the Federation and Susan in developing Hanukkits. We lier sees the importance of eradicating our community, Mary’s hope to encourage discrimination and strengthening comfervent about PJ Library more parents to bring munity relations. Whether by instilling and its events. “I want the Hanukkah story and a knowledge and love of Judaism or my three daughters to traditions into the classbeing an active member of the Heller know they belong to a room next year, helping Community Relations Committee Jewish community that to make our children (CRC), Mary doesn’t waver in sustainextends beyond our feel included during the ing the Federation’s mission. temple.” holiday season.” “Mary passionately advocates for The Federation’s Participating pareducation so our children can live in Teen and Family Proents say it all: a more open, accepting society where gram Coordinator, An“I wish I had been bigotry doesn’t exist,” says Jessi Shesdrea Eiffert, is indebted doing this since my low, Director of Community Relations. to Mary’s foresight, kids were in kindergarMary’s commitment to the Fedcreativity and committen.” Mary Collier eration began with PJ Library. “Gisele ment. “Having inspired “The Hanukkah kit Pintchuck reached out to me 12 years the 2018 PJ Library Hanukkit project, was perfect for the 4th grade.” ago, after I had my first daughter,” says Mary recognized that many parents of “I appreciated the kit, finding it Mary. “My passion for a Jewish conpublic-school needed resourchelpful to share a little bit of HanukThe Bridge Groupchildren meets Thursday nection has grown since then.” es to teach about Hanukkah in their kah in my children’s school, where afternoons from 1:00–4:00 pm Mary has joined the Heller CRC child’s classroom. Through research they’ve been the only Jewish kids in on the Federation Campus and the Women’s Day committee. Reand hard work, Mary made it happen.” their class.” (582 McIntosh Road). cently, she signed up for the Summer Susan Horwitz, fellow volunteer, Mary’s Federation-sponsored JewOpen to intermediate Day Camp committee, saying, “Excitechoes Andrea’s praise. “Mary created ish Women’s Renaissance Project and and advanced players. ing opportunities await our youth andbridge distributed the Hanukkits, com(JWRP) trip to Israel in 2017 has infamilies on the Federation campus!” prising lesson plans, dreidel games and spired her to become involved with soFor more information, Mary’s dedication to call volunteera PJ Library Hanukkah story – helping cial action and political issues affecting Bob Satnick ing also encompasses Temple Sinai, parents share Hanukkah.” our Jewish community. at 941.538.3739 More important, she and her husband, Jason – also supportive of the $ 5 pie Jewish community – want to be role Thursdays / 12pm to 4ish Thursdays / 12pm to 4ish models for their daughters. “SupportHecHt ScHool ing others is the message we strive to Room, Federation Campus Jerusalem tHe larry GreenSpon Family campuS convey,” says Mary. (582 McIntosh Road) For JewiSH liFe For Mary, joining the Heller CRC $5 pie. tHe JewiSH Federation and promoting dialogue with other oF SaraSota manatee faiths and organizations – as proposed 580 mcintoSH road over 60 years ago – has been the anContact Marilyn Oslander swer. Contact Marilyn Oslander 941.951.2029 “I’ve only begun to learn from Jes941.951.2029marasota@yahoo.com si and other committee members. The marasota@yahoo.com Federation can help ensure that our
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voices will be heard. We discuss everything from anti-Semitism, hate groups and crimes, to legislation, educating others about Jewish-related content, and Israel.” As with her Hanukkits, Mary is committed to making a difference, starting with our children. Mary joined Jessi at Sarasota Middle School for The Florida Holocaust Museum educational event, Speak Up, Speak Now (www.flholocaustmuseum.org/learn/ speak-up-speak-now). “Holocaust survivors spoke with our children, visibly affected by the stories. These preteens will never forget what they have learned from this program,” says Mary. Born in Venice, Florida, Mary has had diverse careers, from human resource generalist, hiring and working with employees, to Realtor with the Collier Group at Michael Saunders, collaborating with her in-laws. “Jason and I met at USF. When he attended law school, I followed him to Philadelphia, where I pursued my career at Grant Thornton, a public accounting firm. When we returned to Florida, I worked at SunTrust until my first daughter was born. Volunteering, bolstered by compassion, problem solving and negotiating, comprises Mary’s essence. “I encourage anyone who’s passionate about our Jewish community to reach out to the Federation.” For those interested in volunteering, there are many ways to contribute and be part of the volunteer life at the Federation. For more information, contact Jeremy Lisitza, Director of Innovation and Volunteer Engagement, at 941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org.
Jessi Sheslow receives master’s in Nonprofit Management Staff Report
M Gratz College is proud of the graduates in our Master’s programs who have completed their degrees with the support of The Midcareer Fellowship
azel tov to Jessi Sheslow, the Federation’s Director of Community Relations, who recently graduated with a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Gratz College in Philadelphia. A recipient of the Legacy Heritage Midcareer Fellowship, Jessi was fortunate enough to complete a majority of the program online with week-long summer intensives. She learned leadership and management skills in law, finance and strategic planning among others. Jessi’s Capstone/Applied Research project topic was “Widening the Pro-Israel Tent; Interfaith Missions Portraitures of Four Participants,”
which was based on her experience CEO Howard Tevlowitz. “The knowlstaffing a Federation edge Jessi gained from interfaith mission to her Gratz studies has alIsrael in 2017. ready been applied in the Her studies in work she is doing and is this master’s program helping her delve deep boosts the work she into government affairs already does in her and interfaith relationcurrent role and helps ships, areas on which we propel the mission of need to concentrate as we the Heller Community grow our Federation and Relations Committee campus.” with more direction For more information on and purpose. “The futhe Heller CRC and how ture of our Federation you can get involved, Jessi Sheslow relies heavily on the strength of our contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 core professionals,” said Federation or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org.
andrew adin bloom
M. S. Nonprofit Management deborah m. chessin
M. S. Nonprofit Management Jewish Educational Administration hannah henza
M. S. Nonprofit Management kara kastan
M. A. Jewish Communal Service tali mirit moscowitz
M. S. Nonprofit Management jessica sheslow
M. S. Nonprofit Management sarah wilschek
M. S. Nonprofit Management keren zilberberg
M. A. Education Jewish Instructional Education elana boses gootson
M. S. Nonprofit Management
Please contact admissions@gratz.edu to learn more about becoming a Midcareer Fellow.
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COMMUNITY FOCUS
July 2019
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“From Brandeis to Ginsburg and Women’s Rights” By Marden Paru, Dean, Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva | This program is Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
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ustices Louis Dembitz Brandeis and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are a source of immense Jewish pride for embracing the great Jewish tenet and biblical injunction “Justice, justice, you shall pursue” (Deut. 16:20). Their legal legacy includes decisions and opinions that were path-clearing routes to major advancements in women’s rights. Theirs is a remarkable trail to traverse, which pursued the upgrading of rights and status of women in the
United States during the 20th century. By now, much of these advances are almost taken for granted, while there is so much more yet to achieve (i.e., equal pay for women, total freedom in women’s health, etc.). How was their fame and success impacted by their Jewish upbringing and values? What has changed since the beginning of the 20th century that is directly attributed to their legal positions, particularly as members of the Supreme Court of the United States?
Aviva embraces the silver screen
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hat do you get when you ing the good and the bad aspects of cross a rabbi with a docutheir subjects. mentary filmmaker? You get Focusing on Israeli cinema, Rabbi Rabbi Anne Feibelman, campus rabbi Anne has chosen the popular Netffor the life plan community of Aviva lix show Shtisel as the center for this – A Campus for Senior Life. Rabbi year’s festival. The show, which has Anne’s unique background, enjoyed widespread including a master’s degree praise both in Isin Documentary Filmmakrael and the United ing from Stanford UniversiStates, focuses on ty, has given life to a special the unseen world multi-week annual program of Israeli Orthodox at Aviva. For four weeks, Jews. Residents will residents at Aviva enjoy have the opportutheir own Jewish Film Fesnity to watch a new tival led and curated by episode of the show Rabbi Anne. every Sunday during Through drama, humor the four weeks of the and groundbreaking Israeli festival. Other films cinema, this year’s festival include Avalon, Next will present the full specStop Greenwich Viltrum of what it means to be lage and The InRabbi Anne Feibelman Jewish in the United States and across Laws. Each film tells the unique story the globe. Exploring the humanity beof a Jewish family as they evolve and hind not only Judaism but the various adapt to the changing world while stayand often at odds sects of Judaism, this ing connected to their faith and their year’s films are meant to show how community. movies serve as a mirror, often reflect-
Let’s look at how far we have come! By also studying the role of justice for women in Jewish history, one can glean an even greater appreciation of their legal achievements and credits. Brandeis and Ginsburg both attended Harvard Law School with Ginsburg completing her law degree at Columbia. A great university is named in honor of Justice Brandeis. Ginsburg honors are occurring with great frequency – including movies – recognizing her lifetime of achievements. You’re invited to join in the study of these two legal minds and their achievements. A new eight-week class, “From Brandeis to Ginsburg and Women’s Rights,” is slated to begin Friday, August 9 from 10:30 to 11:45
a.m. at the Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva. Classes are held in the Hecht Music School building on The Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Registration is required. Scholarships are also available. The tuition fee is $70. To enroll or for additional information, contact me at marden.paru@gmail. com or 941.379.5655. The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva operates, in part, under a grant from The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee. Now in its ninth year, the Yeshiva is an independent, IRS 501(c) (3) non-profit adult Jewish education institute. Classes are open to all, regardless of religion, race, color, national or ethnic origin.
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July 2019
COMMUNITY FOCUS
Jewish Congregation of Venice welcomes Rabbi Benjamin Shull
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he Jewish Congregation of Venice (JCV) welcomes a new spiritual leader as of July 1, 2019. Rabbi Benjamin Shull and his wife, Dr. Stacy Lang, recently moved from Rockville, Maryland, to their new home in the Venice area as he prepares to assume the pulpit at the Jewish Congregation of Venice. Florida’s west coast is not new to the Shull/Lang family. They lived in Tampa, where they met, in the late ’90s, and the rabbi conducted a High Holy Day service at the JCV. They both fell in love with our area and planned to eventually move back here. So when the departing JCV rabbi decided to retire to North Carolina to be near his family, Rabbi Shull applied for the position and was selected from a large field of applicants. The couple is delighted to be back on the west coast. Rabbi Shull is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in Manhattan. He earned a master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University. His wife has a PhD in Social Work. His career includes serving congregations in Virginia Beach and Bergen County, New Jersey.
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He was born in Philadelphia. Sumministering to his congregants’ needs. mers at Camp Ramah, a Conservative Specifically, he believes his function Jewish camp in Pennsylvania, were is to convey wisdom as a teacher and instrumental in steering him toward to be a source of strength and hope to the rabbinate. From an early age, he his congregation as he interprets the believed that being retraditions of Judaligious must go handism. He rejoices in in-hand with moral being involved with decency. milestones in his paDuring his time rishioners’ lives. He in rabbinical school, is focused on the imRabbi Shull broadened portance of representhis horizons by spending his synagogue ing a year in Israel and through community a year in Los Angeles. outreach and interHe served as executive faith activities, and director of the Tampa reaching across poJewish Family Serlitical differences to vices during his three bring people together. years in Tampa. The JCV comRabbi Benjamin Shull Rabbi Shull and munity will officially Dr. Lang have five children between welcome the couple at a Shabbat serthem. Micah, the youngest, just graduvice on Friday, July 5. The rabbi will ated from high school. Zachary recentmeet informally with small groups of ly returned from serving in the Peace congregants to interact on a more perCorps. sonal level. The JCV community is exRabbi Shull believes that his traincited and eager to get to know Rabbi ing in social work gave him the skills Shull and his wife, and welcome them to better deal with the challenges of wholeheartedly. congregational life. He sees his job as community building in addition to
Temple Sinai leadership transition By Gail Glickman
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emple Sinai is delighted to announce that Rabbi Samantha Kahn will be succeeding Rabbi Geoff Huntting on Monday, July 1. With a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from University of Florida, Gainesville, and a master’s degree in Hebrew Letters and Jewish Nonprofit Management from Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles, Rabbi Kahn provides our synagogue with a strong educational background.
Rabbi Samantha Kahn
For the last six years at Temple Temple Sinai welcomes its new board Emanu El in Houston, she taught that installed May 31, and Bethany Lein“Jewish learning is about Jewish livweber, new religious school director, ing.” Years of continued learning and effective July 1. Bethany has playedBy M living a Jewish life along with a very a key role in Temple Sinai’s Religious warm nature are just a few of Rabbi School as 1st, 3rd and 4th grade teacher, Kahn’s many strengths. She has ex5th grade resource teacher and teaching pressed her vision of our congregation mid-week Hebrew class. Her strongBut radiating so much warmth that it awakeducational background, a degree inyou ens the souls of memJudaic Studies and ElY bers and unengaged ementary Education andming neighbors. a master’s degree in Spe-so f Temple Sinai will cial Education adds tosom have a special Rhythm her outstanding qualifica-miss & Jews Erev Shabbat tions. bein service Friday, July Our educational pro-at sw 5 at 6:00 p.m., a welgrams under the leader-dow come reception at 5:15 ship of Bethany, Directormuc p.m., and a community of Early Childhood Edu-wha dinner catered by Mication Laura Freedman Y chael’s On East to weland Youth Director DebBut Bethany Leinweber come Rabbi Kahn and Bryan will continue to beYour her family – husband Matt and children the bedrock of our commitment to trainkids Roey and Stella Mae – and to thank the next generation of Jewish membersguar Rabbi Huntting for his leadership. of the community. were In addition to a change in clergy, leve you mer M hibit toda were for emergencies of all types have taken a safer environment for all by advoM place, including during services. Procating for a reduction in gun violence, do th fessional guards are present for servican embrace of people of color and the forta es, religious school and other temple LGBTQIA community, and the fight That events, especially those involving against anti-Semitism. A children. Also present are Shomrim, “While security measures are reasadul highly-trained temple members who suring and our social justice advocacy Swim interface with the professional security will bear fruit, we must all remain vigibring team. lant, still welcoming the stranger and long In addition to protecting their fastill practicing ‘See something, say cour cility and people, Temple Emanu-El something,’” Marsh concluded. J leaders also engage in efforts to create
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Temple Emanu-El continues to prioritize safety and security
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hile creating a warm and welcoming spiritual home, Temple Emanu-El also creates a place of safety and security. “Our decisions on how best to protect us have been guided by extensive collaborations with experts. The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee has convened multiple meetings with local law enforcement, the FBI, Secret Service and Homeland Security. Interestingly, these agencies’ analyses of the past few years have resulted in changes in their recommendations,” noted Temple Emanu-El President Ken Marsh. In accordance with the most updated recommendations, Temple Emanu-El leaders continue to implement best practices for security, including walk-throughs by a Sarasota Sheriff’s Department specialist. Although several elements of the plan are not widely shared, notable features are the locking, hardening and limiting of access points, including new hardened windows in the sanctuary; multiple panic buttons to send emergency messages to law enforcement; and 30 monitored external and internal cameras. Drills
Temple Emanu-El Senior Rabbi Brenner Glickman, Past President Toby Halpern, Esther Rose and Associate Rabbi Michael Shefrin with Sarasota County Deputy Sheriff Ray Pendleton (center), a temple member, retired Marine and director of the Temple Emanu-El Shomrim
COMMUNITY FOCUS
July 2019
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Renewing Jewish cemeteries By Jeff Cohen
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n Wednesday, May 22, a dedication of Temple Beth Sholom eeds. Cemetery’s new butterfly garction andden took place on its grounds north of pe toFruitville Road and east of the intersecthetion of Beneva and Circus Boulevard. uda-The garden was dedicated to Helene s inKaufman for her commitment to the withcemetery and to Temple Beth Sholom pa-over many years. Cemeteries play an important role He in the cycles of life. They are especialimly important at the end of life as Jewsentogueish law and custom imbue this lifecycle unityevent with a spiritual significance that nter-protects the dignity of the deceased. Established in 1932 with a total and area of over eight acres, it is the only poJewish cemetery in Sarasota. Much of s to ther.the cemetery is lined with decades-old com-oak and cottonwood trees. Over the
past year, numerous and ongoing beautification projects have taken place to further enhance its natural beauty. The operation of the cemetery is entirely overseen by community volunteers. All volunteers have dedicated themselves to serving the Jewish community and those buried on the premises with dignity and compassion. The Cemetery Committee has its own budget and receives its funds from the sale of sites and donations. A large part of each site sold goes to perpetual care of the cemetery. Members of Temple Beth Sholom, non-members and individuals of mixed marriages are welcome to be buried in the cemetery. Members of other temples also use the facility. For further information, call the temple office at 941.955.8121.
ially serwill ps of pers exabbi hem
“Our monthly Jewish-themed film series focuses on real slices of life we can all relate to.” – ROSANN BLACK The family of Helene Kaufman – Aaron Froug, Jenna Froug, Laura Kaufman, Robin Froug and Blair Kaufman – at the dedication
Reasons you might not learn to swim this summer By Melon Dash
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he air is in the 90s for a few more months. For many people, the antidote is going for a swim. But if you don’t know how to swim, you probably won’t take that antidote. You’ve always lived without swimming, so why start now? It’s worked so far. Sure, it’s been embarrassing sometimes or inconvenient. Yes, you missed swimming with the kids. And being invited to socialize on boats and at swim parties has been awkward or downright terrifying. But swim? Too much trouble! You might feel silly. Or, what about your hair? You could learn to swim, of course. But maybe you’ve tried and failed. Your spouse tried to teach you, your kids tried, and your best friend the lifeguard tried. As good as the intentions were, perhaps you weren’t met at your level, and your progress didn’t spur you on. Otherwise, you’d be a swimmer today. Maybe the cost of lessons is prohibitive. But what could you afford today if, heaven forbid, all your tires were slashed? Maybe you thought you’d have to do things in the water that are uncomfortable or frightening in order to learn. That would put anybody off. A beautifully designed pool for adult learning awaits you. Miracle Swimming for Adults gives all it can to bring you the water safety you secretly long for or perhaps gave up on! Our course is carefully designed for adults. Just as everyone needs to know
how to cross the street safely, every single person needs to know how to swim. Deep down, everyone seems to know this is part of life literacy. Is it smart to try to get by without it? What does it teach the little ones? If they absorb your feelings about water, they will become non-swimmer adults, too. If all adults could swim, all children could learn from them for free. You don’t have to know strokes to teach kids to swim. You just need to know how the water works and how to prevent panic. That’s what “being met at your level” means, if you’re a non-swimmer. Then, you will be safe in deep water. Learn to be happy and safe in water over your head. If you’re shorter than 6'8", then learning at our pool on McIntosh Road with Miracle Swimming will work for you. Shallow water first until you beg us to go to the deep! We hope you’ll step forward this summer. Take a chance that’s guaranteed to pay off. Afternoon introductory classes for $50 will give you a taste. Our book will convince you one way or the other whether you want to give our system a try. Call 941.921.6420 or go to www.miracleswimming.org for information. By hook or by crook, we hope you will learn to swim. According to our students, it’s great fun. We absolutely love being caretakers and teachers in your beautiful pool. Hundreds have come from all over the world and paid it the highest compliments.
FIND JEWISH The COMMUNITY DIRECTORY on The Federation website gives you information at your fingertips. Any time of the day or night, you can Search and Click on our database of Jewish congregations, service providers and retail merchants.
CHECK IT OUT TODAY!
JFEDSRQ.org/Community-Directory
WELCOME TO KUTSHER’S
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 • 1:30 pm The last surviving resort in the Catskills. Explore the full Dirty Dancing-era Catskills experience— and how it changed American pop culture in the comedy, sports and vacation industries. Best Documentary Award, Miami Jewish Film Festival
Aviva - A Campus for Senior Life 1951 N. Honore Ave, Sarasota
THE LAST DAYS
Wednesday, Sept 18, 2019 • 1:30 pm
UT O D
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This Oscar-winning documentary, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, focuses on the plight of five Hungarian Jews who survived imprisonment in Auschwitz. Academy Award, Best Documentary
Manatee Community Foundation 2820 Manatee Ave W, Bradenton, FL
BIG SONIA
October 15, 2019 • 10:00 AM Among other things, this film offers a laugh-out-loud-funny portrait of the power of love to triumph over bigotry, and the power of truth-telling to heal us all.
Best Film, Cleveland International Film Festival; Best Documentary, Napa Valley Film Festival
Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Public Library 4143 Woodmere Park Blvd, Venice, FL
ONCE IN A LIFETIME
November 21, 2019 • 1:15 PM Once In A Lifetime demonstrates the enduring impact of the Holocaust in transforming future generations.
Audience Award: New Hamphsire, Boston, Santa Barbara; Best Narrative Film, Toronto
Temple Beth Sholom
1050 S. Tuttle Ave, Sarasota, FL
LIMIT 2 TICKETS PER FILM. THE SERIES IS FREE but audience members are encouraged to bring cans of food as well as new toys and school supplies, which will be donated to All Faiths Food Bank, Toys for Tots and Title 1 Schools.
CHAIR: ROSANN BLACK
For more information, contact Jeremy Lisitza at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2113. R: TO REGISTE
VISIT: JFEDSRQ.ORG/Reel19
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July 2019
COMMUNITY FOCUS
The Florida Holocaust Museum honors exceptional teens with Anne Frank Humanitarian Award
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he Florida Holocaust Museum (The FHM) recently honored the humanitarian efforts of 93 exceptional students with its annual Anne Frank Humanitarian Award (AFHA) receptions, held May 7 and 8 at the Museum. The AFHA program recognizes those humanitarian actions that better the lives of others. By “doing the right thing,” recipients hold true to the spirit of Anne Frank who, in the face of hardships, endured and did not abandon her ideals. The AFHA program was created 18 years ago to focus attention on the positive actions of today’s teens. This year’s receptions featured Senator Janet Cruz and retired co-anchor of WFLA News Channel 8, and AFHA Honorary Chair Gayle Sierens. “Since 2001, The Florida Holocaust Museum’s Anne Frank Humanitarian Award has recognized over 1,100 high school juniors who embody the ideals and principles of the museum and have made a conscious decision to better the lives of others. As role models for their peers and the community during their senior year and beyond, their gifts of kindness, altruism, and community service help to make the world a better place, and remind us that with their leadership our future is
bright and hopeful,” said Irene Weiss, founder of the AFHA program. The award, established in 2001, is presented to one junior in every public and major private high school in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties. The honorees are nominated by their principals, guidance counselors or teachers. These students are recognized both at their schools and at the museum. Legislators, educators, family and friends were invited to join the museum in honoring these students at the receptions. In addition, the AFHA recipients each received a glass plaque and a family membership. “We are extremely proud to honor these 93 young humanitarians for the 2018-2019 school year. While their accomplishments are impressive, especially at this age, what makes AFHA honorees stand out among their peers is how they are already making a difference in their schools, in their communities and beyond,” said Traci Klein, AFHA Committee Chair. Local 2019 Anne Frank Humanitarian Award Honorees: Tayla Rosenthal, Lakewood Ranch High School (Manatee County) Tayla is the co-head of the North American Sexual Violence Prevention Task Force, helping to educate teens about
healthy relationships and the definition of consent. She is also the head of the Teen Board for UMatter, a program focused on empowering youth to shatter the stigma surrounding mental health issues and suicide. Tayla is the Youth President at her temple and she is currently planning a program to help bring Holocaust survivors to schools to share their experiences. On campus, Tayla serves Tayla Rosenthal and Gayle Sierens as Junior Class President and she is the President and Founder of Students Against Destructive Decisions. Isabella Brush, Sarasota High School (Sarasota County) Bella received the Sunshine State Scholar award for her research on the genetic engineering of algae as a source of renewable energy. She is a Mote Marine Isabella Brush and Gayle Laboratory Sierens (photos courtesy a Sherry Keenan, Best View volunteer, Photography, LLC) teacher’s aide
for the Sarasota Middle School Science Department, and a camp counselor at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Bella is assisting in the renovation of the extensive music library at the Church of the Holy Redeemer, she volunteered on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and for the past seven years she has participated in Day of HOPE, benefitting Sarasota County families in need. Bella is president of her school’s Environmental Club and she is a recipient of the Yale Science and Engineering Association Science Fair Award. About The Florida Holocaust Museum 2017 marked a monumental milestone for The Florida Holocaust Museum as it celebrated its 25th anniversary. One of the largest Holocaust museums in the country, and one of three nationally accredited Holocaust museums, The FHM honors the memory of millions of men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. The FHM is dedicated to teaching members of all races and cultures the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides. For additional information, please visit www.TheFHM.org.
NCJW installs new board of officers for 2019-2020
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he Installation Luncheon of the Sarasota-Manatee National Council of Jewish Women officers for 2019-20 was held May 8 at the Stoneybrook Country Club. Approximately 50 women attended to meet and celebrate their newly elected board. Co-Chairs Barbara Berkowitz and Phyllis Dreyfuss linked each board member’s new responsibilities to a color of the rainbow as a symbol of their strengths. The rainbow is seen as a covenant with those we serve, symbolically, and we know our new board members will embrace their roles. Those attending were asked to bring toiletries for at-risk children attending Camp Mariposa. Myna Stoltz, Co-Chair of the JANET Project, introduced Camp Mariposa’s Program Director, Jeanette Altman, who gave an informative and moving talk about the camp. She described how NCJW’s JANET Project has made a positive impact by becoming supporters of its
programs and active participants in camp activities. Entertainment was provided by Lynne Bernfield, a local writer, performer and psychotherapist, who demonstrated through song and stories how B’Shert (meant to be)
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(Editor’s note: The following names do not match the placement of the women in the photo.) Co-Presidents Cindy Solomon and Joyce Hersh; Administrative VP Joan Bour; Advocacy VP Marcia Schweitzer; Communication VPs Rookie Shifrin, Jill Simons and Shelley Youngelman; Community Service VPs Carol Papish, Barbara Aferiat and Susan Horwitz; Membership VPs Keren Lifrak and Tova Weinstock; Programming VPs Marion Marshak, Roz Hopp and Carole Shaw; Special Events VPs: Janet Alloy, Joan Goodis and Fredda Chalfin; Corresponding Secretary Marian Moss; Financial Secretary Charlotte Miller; Recording Secretary Nathalie Diener; Treasurer Shirley Pollack; Parliamentarian Marge Ellin
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JEWISH HAPPENINGS
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Jewish Happenings TUESDAY, JULY 2 Mindful Yoga at Temple Beth Sholom Join us every Tuesday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Sainer Social Hall, Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota. Cost: $5 for TBS members; $10 for non-members. No RSVP needed. For more information, please contact Lex Calaguas at 941.955.8121 or lcalaguas@temple bethsholomfl.org.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 Men’s Club Morning Minyan Breakfast Join us every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. in the Sainer Social Hall at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota. No RSVP needed for this free event. For more information, contact Kelly Nester at 941.955.8121 or knester@templebethsholomfl.org.
Temple Emanu-El “Lunch with the Rabbis” Are you looking for a great lunch date? Join Rabbi Brenner Glickman, Rabbi Michael Shefrin and friendly, interesting companions for lunch, socializing, and a discussion of current events and subjects of Jewish interest. All are invited to this popular, stimulating and enjoyable program at noon at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Attendees are asked to bring a brown-bag lunch and are also welcome to bring a newspaper article for discussion. Homemade dessert and terrific company are provided! For more information, call the temple office at 941.371.2788.
Chor Firewoal r ks Indepefor nden Day! ce
CHORAL ARTISTS OF SARASOTA
Joseph Holt, Artistic Director
Thursday u July 4 u 4:00 p.m. Sarasota Opera House – 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
SOUNDS Independence
Traditional Patriotic Favorites including Salute to the Armed Forces, Stars and Stripes and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with “cannons” and featuring the Sarasota Concert Band
OF
CONCERT TICKETS $20-$45 (Students $5)
www.ChoralArtistsSarasota.org 941.387.4900
Valet Par kin g Availa ble
FRIDAY, JULY 5 Temple Sinai Rhythm & Jews Erev Shabbat Service Welcoming Rabbi Samantha Kahn Temple Sinai announces Rabbi Samantha Kahn will be the synagogue’s rabbi effective July 1, succeeding Rabbi Geoff Huntting. We will welcome Rabbi Kahn and her family as we thank Rabbi Huntting for his continued leadership. A welcome reception begins at 5:15 p.m.; services begin at 6:00 p.m. Join us, meet our new rabbi and celebrate with the inspirational sounds of the Bruno Family Musicians, followed by a community dinner catered by Michael’s On East. Temple Sinai is located at 4631 South Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota (enter only from Proctor Road between Beneva and Swift). For more information, please call 941.924.1802 or email office@sinaisrq.org.
Patriotic Shabbat and Cookout at Temple Emanu-El The Fourth of July spirit continues at Temple Emanu-El’s special Shabbat celebration. The evening begins with a kiddush of wine, grape juice, challah and sweets at 5:30 p.m., then continues with a Shabbat service that includes a singalong of patriotic American songs and a sermon that combines Judaism and American history. Following services is an oldfashioned Fourth of July-style cookout that features delicious classic cookout and vegetarian options. All are welcome at 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. For reservations and more information, please call the temple office at 941.371.2788.
Patriotic Erev Shabbat Service The community is invited to Temple Beth El as we celebrate America at our Erev Shabbat service. The evening will be filled with prayer, our choir and band. Join us at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Beth El Bradenton/Lakewood Ranch, 5150 Peridia Blvd East, Bradenton. Please bring canned or boxed food for our Meals on Wheels container. For more information, please call the temple office at 941.755.4900.
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Read the current and previous editions of The Jewish News online at www.jfedsrq.org.
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July 2019 SATURDAY, JULY 6
JEWISH HAPPENINGS WEDNESDAY, JULY 10
Shabbat Honoring the Lubavitcher Rebbe, OBM
“Stories with Meaning” at Temple Emanu-El
Join Chabad for a Shabbat honoring the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the towering Jewish leader of the 20th century, in honor of his 25th yahrzeit, the anniversary of passing. Services will begin at 9:30 a.m., and a special Kiddush luncheon and Chassidic gathering will take place at noon. The free event takes place at The Chabad House, 5712 Lorraine Road, Bradenton. For more information, contact Rabbi Mendy Bukiet at 941.752.3030 or rabbi@chabadofbradenton.com.
Understanding the power of narrative, our ancient Rabbis told stories that entertain, but pack a punch. We call this body of literature “Midrash.” In this unique three-session adult learning series, Rabbi Brenner Glickman presents a series of fascinating Midrash, sampling the wit, beauty and power of this unique genre. “Stories with Meaning: An Introduction to Midrash” continues Wednesdays, July 17 and 24 at 10:30 a.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. All are warmly invited to sample, explore and be inspired. This class is free for Temple Emanu-El members, with a $10 donation requested for guests. For more information, email Temple Emanu-El Adult Education Co-Chair Ellen Zipin at ezipin2@comcast.net.
MONDAY, JULY 8 Early Jewish Leaders of Florida Camp This camp, for children in primary or secondary school, runs from Monday, July 8 through Friday, July 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 5710 Cortez Road West, Bradenton. Moses Elias Levy was a Renaissance man, Jewish abolitionist of the early 1800s, and founder in the 1820s of a refuge in central Florida for persecuted European Jews. Levy, an immigrant himself from Morocco, spent his personal fortune on his refuge, Pilgrimage Plantation, located near Micanopy, Florida. He spoke worldwide against the evils of slavery and became Florida’s first Education Commissioner, fervently advocating for quality free public education for all boys and girls, including slave children. Cost: $80 per child; kosher refreshments included. To RSVP, call Beverly at 941.313.9239.
NCJW Book Club The National Council of Jewish Women Book Club will discuss the book Elizabeth Street by Laurie Fabiano at the Gulf Gate Public Library (7112 Curtiss Ave., Sarasota) from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. The NCJW SarasotaManatee section website (ncjwsarasota-manatee.org) has information about the Book Club, the title selections and dates for the current season. Click on Community Services at the top of the page. You will also find Goodreads reviews of the books. Guests welcome. For more information, email Susan Girese at gireseands@msn.com.
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THURSDAY, JULY 11 Lunch & Learn: “Jews Move Out West” Join us on Thursdays through August 8 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota. Cost: free for TBS members; $5 per class for non-members. No RSVP needed. For more information, please contact Kelly Nester at 941.955.8121 or knester@templebethsholomfl.org.
SATURDAY, JULY 13 Trivia Night at Temple Emanu-El Temple Emanu-El Brotherhood and Sisterhood are delighted to host this third annual summer trivia night. All are invited to a festive and fun evening of delicious food, good-natured competition, and socializing with old and new friends. We’ll enjoy pizza, chicken wings, salad, dessert, soda, beer and wine, then rounds of team trivia. We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s trivia night at 6:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Paid reservations requested by Friday, July 5. For reservations or more information, please contact Trivia Night Co-Chair Susan Meisel at susan.meisel@gmail.com.
SUNDAY, JULY 14 Sunday Zionist Brunch Club With the futures of Israel and the United States so intertwined in today’s world, all Zionists must stand firm in their knowledge of true Israeli and Jewish history. All Zionists can and must teach each other and reach together to eradicate myths and manufactured lies against the one Jewish homeland. Learn about young Holocaust Zionist, Al Katz. Join us at 11:30 a.m. at the Al Katz Center, 5710 Cortez Road West, Bradenton. Cost: $10 per adult; $5 per student. To RSVP, call Beverly at 941.313.9239.
MONDAY, JULY 15 Major Jewish Scientists Camp This camp, for children in primary or secondary school, runs from Monday, July 15 through Friday, July 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 5710 Cortez Road West, Bradenton. Jewish scientists have been world leaders in many aspects of science, including medicine, nuclear physics, military defense, agriculture and robotics. Albert Einstein, who published his famous theory of relativity in 1905, left Germany for America after Hitler took power in 1933. He aided in the development of the atomic bomb that ended World War II. Modern Jewish Israeli scientists created the revolutionary drip irrigation system in agriculture and the first successful ballistic missile intercept system. Cost: $80 per child; kosher refreshments included. To RSVP, call Beverly at 941.313.9239.
“Babe Ruth and the Jews” In December 1942, a full-page advertisement appeared in The New York Times and other newspapers signed by, among others, baseball legend, Babe Ruth, declaring, “We Americans of German descent raise our voices in denunciation of the Hitler policy of cold-blooded extermination of the Jews of Europe.” Babe Ruth’s decades of humanitarian acts are little remembered today. Risking his reputation, this American icon spoke out for Jews as the world was silent about, and complicit in, the Holocaust. Join us at 6:00 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 5710 Cortez Road West, Bradenton. Cost: $10 per adult; $5 per student; kosher refreshments included. To RSVP, call Beverly at 941.313.9239.
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July 2019
JEWISH HAPPENINGS TUESDAY, JULY 16
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TUESDAY, JULY 23
Mitzvah Knitting Group at Temple Emanu-El
AJC’s Summer Lunch & Learn
Are you a knitter or crocheter interested in using your talent to brighten the lives of others while making new friends? If so, please come to the Mitzvah Knitting Group sponsored by Temple Emanu-El Sisterhood. We gather monthly to craft and socialize, and our beautiful handiwork has been donated to local new parents as well as needy families in Sarasota-Manatee and in Israel. Bring your needles or crochet hook and a favorite pattern – we’ll supply the yarn and great company! The group meets at 10:00 a.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. For more information, email Susan Bernstein at susanhope22@comcast.net.
In the 21 century, Jews and Muslims must overcome mutual suspicion and navigate political differences to promote common democratic values, fight extremism and confront bigotry. Ari Gordon, AJC Director of U.S. Muslim-Jewish Relations, will discuss “Do Muslim-Jewish Relations Have a Future? Challenges and Opportunities on the American Scene.” Join us from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Michael’s On East, 1212 S. East Avenue, Sarasota. Williams Parker is the generous sponsor of the Summer Lunch & Learn Series. The cost of $28 includes the lecture and luncheon. Advance registration is required. Contact West Coast Florida AJC at 941.365.4955 or sarasota@ajc.org.
Sarasota Jewish Singles Dinner Meeting The Sarasota Jewish Singles is an outreach program at Temple Beth Israel of Longboat Key to give all Jewish singles in the Sarasota-Manatee area the opportunity to meet other men and women who are single. The group meets once a month for dinner, laughter and a time to turn acquaintances into lifelong friends. Join us at 6:00 p.m. at Café Baci, 4001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. To make a reservation or for more information, call or text Rosalyn Fleischer at 941.915.6631 or email rozfleischer@gmail.com.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 17 Just Reel Films: Welcome to Kutsher’s Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Kutsher’s Country Club is the last surviving Jewish resort in the Catskills. One of the legendary Borscht Belt hotels during its heyday, Kutsher’s has been family-owned and operated for more than 100 years. The documentary, Welcome to Kutsher’s: The Last Catskills Resort, captures a last glimpse of a lost world as it disappears before our eyes. The Just Reel Films series is free, but audience members are encouraged to bring cans of food, as well as new toys and school supplies, which will be donated to such community organizations as All Faiths Food Bank, The Food Bank of Manatee, Toys for Tots and Title 1 schools. Join us at 1:30 p.m. at Aviva, 1951 N. Honore Ave., Sarasota. To register, go to jfedsrq.org/reel19. For more information, contact Jeremy Lisitza at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2113.
THURSDAY, JULY 18 “This Month in Jewish History” Significant events during July include: the 1976 Israeli commando raid in Entebbe, Uganda, led by Yoni Netanyahu, freed scores of Jewish hostages on a hijacked airliner; the first Jewish settler in North America arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654; the ship Exodus, holding 4,000 Jewish refugees from Europe, was seized by the British in Palestine; in 1858, Baron Lionel de Rothschild became the first Jew to sit in the British parliament. Join us at noon at the Al Katz Center, 5710 Cortez Road West, Bradenton. Cost: $10 per adult; $5 per student; kosher brunch included. To RSVP, call Beverly at 941.313.9239.
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SATURDAY, JULY 27 PJ Library Family Havdalah Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Meet at 5:00 p.m. at the Sunset Pavilion at Siesta Key Beach with all your beach gear and a picnic dinner. We’ll have a short, musical Havdalah (bring drums, guitars and tambourines!), some activities for the kids, and lots of time to relax and schmooze. Register at jfedsrq.org/events. For more information, please call Andrea Eiffert at 941.552.6308.
Havdalah/Pot Luck at Temple Beth El Join the Temple Beth El family as we say farewell to Shabbat. Please bring a dish to share (fish or vegetarian); no desserts please. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. at Temple Beth El Bradenton/Lakewood Ranch, 5150 Peridia Blvd East, Bradenton. For more information or to RSVP, call the temple office at 941.755.4900.
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SATURDAY, JULY 20 Temple Emanu-El “Splash Shabbat” Temple Emanu-El takes “Splash Shabbat” on the road! Our annual fun morning of water play for young Jewish and interfaith families will be held at 10:30 a.m. at Payne Park, 2050 Adams Lane, Sarasota. Beat the heat at the splash pad, enjoy the playground – then a bagel breakfast and ageappropriate Shabbat prayers, songs and movement with Rabbi Michael Shefrin. An “oneg” of popsicles concludes the morning. “Splash Shabbat” is designed for families with children up to age 6, but all are welcome! Free, but advance reservations requested. For more information or to RSVP, contact Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman at elaine-glickman@comcast. net or 941.379.1997.
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MONDAY, JULY 22 Healthy Habits for Children Camp This camp, for children in primary or secondary school, runs from Monday, July 22 through Friday, July 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 5710 Cortez Road West, Bradenton. This camp will teach students the facts about three major health factors under their control to a large extent, including eating organic foods, avoiding toxic chemical exposures, and refusing to use psychoactive drugs rampant in our society. Dr. Beverly Newman, who has taught students from preschool through university levels, will help participants make safe healthy choices in the present and future, which can save their lives and prevent them from becoming statistics. Cost: $80 per child; kosher refreshments included. To RSVP, call Beverly at 941.313.9239.
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July 2019
What a W nderfu Susan Mallitz, Nancy Spielberg, Michelle Mallitz, Women’s Day
Booker High VPA students, JFSM 60th Anniversary
PJ Our Way Comic Book workshop with author Barry Deutsch
Community Yom Ha’Atzmaut Celebration
Edie Chaifetz, Jeannie Smith, Lion of Judah/Pomegranate Luncheon
International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Honoring the Greek Community
PJ Library Small Hands Give Back
Daniel Gordis, Hannah & Norman Weinberg, Community Lecture
PJ Library Children’s Garden Chanukah Party
Co-Chairs: Evie Lichter, Fremajane Wolfson, Lion of Judah/ Pomegranate Luncheon
Abe Foxman with David Millstone
One Thing I Wish You Knew
STEP and Hillel IDF Shabbat Dinner
JFSM 60th Anniversary Celebration
Jewish Film Festival 2019 Opening Night
Co
July 2019
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! ul 2018-19 Season Rosann Black, Just Reel Films
Co-Chairs: Al & Meredith Ernst, LIFE & LEGACY™ Celebration
2019 High School AIPAC Delegation, Capitol Hill
Co-Chairs: Leon and Marysue Wechsler and Bobbi and Don Bernstein with Daniel Gordis, Major Gifts
Women’s Giving Circle
One Thing I Wish You Knew
Federation Celebration
Community Yom Ha’Atzmaut Celebration, Camel Races: Howard Tevlowitz, Rabbi Michael Shefrin, Rabbi Jennifer Singer
PJ Library Jewsapalooza
Co-Chairs: Sheree & Larry Zaslavsky and Joy Moravitz, Newcomers
Bunny Skirboll, Mayor Liz Alpert, Lauren Glassman, JFSM 60th Anniversary
Yom Ha’Atzmaut 2019: At the Haifa station
Larry Greenspon, Mary Gratehouse, Graci and Dennis McGillicuddy, Major Gifts
Andi Munzer at Jewish Film Festival Closing Night
Fran Braverman, Bunny Skirboll, Cheryl Shapiro, with film producer Jeremy Newberger and Morty the Mensch, Jewish Film Festival Sponsor Party
20
July 2019
JEWISH INTEREST
Jewish “greenhorn” status explored in a stunning series of immigrant tales Book review by Philip K. Jason, Special to The Jewish News
one important marker. The lives of immigrants continue along their varying paths for several more decades – their years of achough the term “greenhorn” has culturation or lack thereof. The a cluster of related meanings, end of WWII is one important at its core, and for the purposes marker for greenhorns, bringing of Slotkin’s book, “newly arrived imawareness of the Holocaust they migrant” will do. It’s a pejorative lahad managed to escape. The bel. Greenhorns seem culturally lost founding of the modern Jewish in their new environments. Youngsters state is another: a pinnacle of often adapt and assimilate with ease. Jewish pride. Older immigrants Slotkin tells stories of famihave a difficult lies and the generation gaps that comtime, some never plicate their lives. One man, back in finding true com“the other side” a prominent wheat fort in the nation broker, cannot reconstruct his success or neighborhood in his new environment. He has lost to which they too much status, too much context for legally belong. the meaning of his life. He becomes They never stop a recluse. Others find ways to fit in, being greenhorns. grasping when possible the helping Phil Jason The six stohand of a cousin already established or ries in this collection, which hovers a friendly neighbor. between fiction and nonfiction, exSome find life in New York just plore the greenhorn exas demeaning as a life perience in the context threatened by Cosof Jewish immigration sacks. Many children to the U.S., particularly and grandchildren make to New York City, from their way and gain the the turn of the twentieth CUNY seal of approval. century through the early One couple rose years of the Great Defrom doing sweatshop pression. Near the outset piecework to business of this span is the imporprominence. Herschel’s tant marker of 1905, as Fine Clothier became Jews escaped the latest a national brand with outbursts of violent antistores in major cities. Richard Slotkin Semitism in Russia and Poland, makOther “off-the-boat” Jewish families ing their way to the promised land. find ruin. However, the year of entry is only Each story is a gem in its renderGreenhorns, by Richard Slotkin. Leapfrog Press. 186 pages. Trade Paperback $16.95.
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separated brothers, and about how much of life is up to chance, like turning the wrong way at an intersection. Can anyone can read this harrowing story without shedding a tear? Greenhorns is a small monument to an epoch not to be forgotten. Reprinted with permission from the Jewish Book Council. Find daily new reviews, reading recommendations and more at www.jewishbookcouncil.org. Philip K. Jason is Professor Emeritus of English from the United States Naval Academy. He reviews regularly for Florida Weekly, Washington Independent Review of Books, Southern Literary Review, other publications and the Jewish Book Council. Please visit Phil’s website at www.philjason.word press.com.
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IA 1
July 2019
JEWISH INTEREST
21
Aging Jewishly – What our traditions teach us about growing old
What makes Jews so smart? By Rabbi Barbara Aiello
I
“
’m pooped!” Natalie collapsed into her easy chair and fanned herself with her ever-present apron as she recounted her latest trip “up north.” “My son, he’s an editor, and my daughter, she’s a photographer with some of her pictures in National Geographic, and their children, what can I tell you? My granddaughter just graduated from medical school and my grandson got accepted to a top law school. The youngest one, he just won first place in his high school science fair. And I’m not the only one kvelling over how my kids and grandkids made good. My friends could tell you the same stories. So I’m asking, what makes us Jews so Rabbi Barbara Aiello smart?” Natalie’s question is not a new one. In fact, if Nobel Prize winners are any indication, we Jews, a tiny minority of the world’s population, have been among the best and the brightest for decades. In fact, JINFO.org reports that between 1901 and 2018 at least 203 Jewish men and women have won the Nobel Prize, a number that represents 22 percent of all the individual recipients – an accomplishment made even more significant given that Jews are only .02 percent of the world’s population. When we look at Nobel statistics specific to the United States, in particular in the fields of Chemistry, Economics, Physics and Medicine, 39 percent of Nobel winners are Jewish. Then there are recent genetic studies, reported by Lazar Berman of the American Enterprise Institute, who writes, “There is ample scholarly work to suggest that Ashkenazi Jews, at least, have significantly higher IQs than surrounding populations. In their paper, “Natural History of Ashkenazi Intelligence,” Gregory Cochran, Jason
Hardy and Henry Harpending of the University of Utah conclude that “Ashkenazi Jews have the highest average IQ of any ethnic group for which there are reliable data.” Setting aside what some might term “the genetic minefield,” most parents, teachers, sociologists and scientists agree that for native intelligence to manifest itself in accomplishment, it must be recognized, nurtured and appreciated. In fact, renowned psychologist and author Daniel Goleman, in his book Emotional Intelligence, notes that a high IQ does not always lead to a successful career. The “EQ” or the Emotional Intelligence Quotient, which includes traits such as optimism, determination, perseverance and ability to work cooperatively with others, plays an important part in a child’s eventual success – traits inherent in Bar and Bat Mitzvah preparation and celebration. Could the answer to Natalie’s question about how smart we Jews seem to be, be found in one of our oldest Jewish traditions? Having prepared dozens of students and officiated at 181 ceremonies, I suggest that the Bar/Bat Mitzvah journey plays a critical role in the success our children have later in life. Boys become Bar Mitzvah at 13 years of age and girls become Bat Mitzvah at age 12, and both begin their studies during one of life’s most awkward periods – the early teen, middle school years. Much has been written about the emotional turmoil inherent in this period but it doesn’t take a sociologist to observe that standing out in a crowd, speaking before a group, or having any of a myriad of obvious differences, can create emotional havoc for young teens. Yet it is right at this developmental stage when Jewish boys and girls are required to set these obstacles aside and ascend the bimah, to read from the Torah scroll (in another language, no less) and give a speech on
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the meaning of an ancient text. Dr. Thomas G. Plant (Psychology Today) suggests that, because the benefits are so great, not only Jewish teens but all teens should have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Dr. Plant, a Catholic, has attended many Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations and he writes, “I wish that all religious traditions offered some variation on the theme of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. It is a remarkable opportunity for a young teen to carefully learn much about their religious tradition, have the chance to lead many parts of a serious and sacred religious service, and give a thoughtful sermon reflecting on sacred scripture.” Dr. Plant speaks to the benefits when he concludes that the ceremony “sends the message to the teen that there are many adults taking an interest in his or her development. It is a chance for the youth to become a more responsible and thoughtful member of the religious community, (and) if we expect much from our youth in terms of ethics, thoughtfulness and responsibility, we might actually get it.” Not only does the Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience represent a transition from childhood to young adulthood, the entire process from preparation to party gives our Jewish teens a tremendous sense of accomplishment at a critical time in their emotional development. In middle school old ideas and behaviors are replaced by new ones, and decisions are made to go along with the crowd or to stand apart. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience facilitates mental and emotional development at a time when our teens need it most. “Why are we Jews so smart?” Natalie asks. For me the answer lies in one
of our most treasured traditions – the Bar and Bat Mitzvah. For ten years Rabbi Barbara Aiello served the Aviva Campus for Senior Life as resident rabbi. Currently as Rabbi Emerita she shares her experiences on Aging Jewishly. She is also program host of the 18-year Radio Rabbi program, AM 930 The Answer. Contact her at Rabbi@RabbiBarbara. com. Letter to Rabbi Barbara Aiello: I had the distinct pleasure along with my wife, Ilene Fox, to meet Sergio Della Pergola. We sat next to him on a 2008 Tel Aviv flight to New York. I asked him the very question he answered in your article. He answered, “32 million Jews if no Holocaust.” Then he said, “The real question is where would they be living.” Probably Eastern Europe and the U.S. At the time, Pergola was still determining the answer. Also, he heads all of Yad Vashem’s research into the Holocaust. This was 2008. A routine airline flight turned into hours of interesting and thoughtful conversation. An era of frightening 20th century Jewish history is closing with the passing of the last survivors. As you stated, the effects will last many future generations in the Jewish psyche. Unfortunately, history repeats itself and the looming question is, “Will Jewish Americans and Israelis be prepared for the next challenge in their quest for survival?” That’s a political question and not a demographic one that Pergola can answer. But a vital one. Best to you, Michael Fox
22
July 2019
JEWISH INTEREST
K’zohar Ha-Ivrit Sha-ma-yim – Heaven
The passion of Marianne Cohn
ummer is here. It is time for vacations, outdoor recreation, traveling and family gatherings. The hope is that the weather will cooperate, and the heat, humidity and storms will not affect the fun. But summer is very unpredictable and, as we say in Hebrew, ha-kol biy-day Sha-ma-yim, literally, “all is in Dr. Rachel Dulin the hands of Shama-yim” (Y’vamot 4:13). So, what does Sha-ma-yim mean? Sha-ma-yim is a complex term in the Hebraic culture. Sha-ma-yim is mentioned in the Bible 421 times in Hebrew and 28 times in Aramaic. In biblical times, as well as today, the word sha-ma-yim is a physical term, which means “heaven,” “sky” or “firmament.” The original meaning of sha-ma-yim is probably related to the Aramaic sh’-ma-ya or the Akkedian shamai, meaning “ceiling” or “roof.” And, even in the Talmud, sha-ma-yim is used at times to mean a “beam” or a “ceiling” (Baba Metziah 42). In the Bible, sha-ma-yim has several meanings. Many times, sha-mayim refers to the clouds and upper atmosphere, or pointing to the vault, the firmament above the earth, where the luminaries are visible day and night (Gen 1:16-17). Created on the second day (Gen.1:8), sha-ma-yim was perceived as the source of rain and dew (II Sam. 21:10; Ps.147: 8; Zech. 8:12) and the origin of pleasant or inclement weather (Gen 7:11; 8:2; II Chr. 6:2630; Lev. 26:19). However, in the biblical world, sha-ma-yim carried a profound theological meaning as at times it referred to God and his abode. The poet said it succinctly: Ha-sha-ma-yim sha-mayim la- Adonay, or “the heavens belong to the Lord” (Ps 116:16). And in times of prayer even Moses directed his words to God, saying, ha-a-zi-nu ha-Sha-ma-yim, literally, “give ear, O Heavens” (Dt. 32:1). Although, King
n the night of July 7-8, 1944, 75 years ago this month, a young Jewish woman in France, Marianne Cohn, was murdered by the Gestapo. Her life was a remarkable example of selflessness in the service of life. Born on September 17, 1922, in Mannheim, Germany, she moved with her family to Berlin in 1929, and then to Spain in 1934, after the Nazi seizure of Dr. Paul Bartrop power the previous year. With the onset of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, they moved again in 1938, this time settling in France. When World War II started, Marianne’s parents, as German nationals, were detained at the Gurs internment camp in southern France. Marianne and her sister were sent to a farm. In 1940, after the Fall of France, they were subjected to Nazi-imposed anti-Semitic laws and took refuge in a home for Jewish children in Moissac, in the so-called “Unoccupied Zone” centered on the city of Vichy. Marianne was taken under the care of the Jewish Scouts (Éclaireurs Israélites de France), and in 1941 joined the Young Zionist Movement (Mouvement de la Jeunesse Sioniste or MJS). It was through this secret organization that she was brought into resistance activities. By 1942 she was active in producing forged passports and, later, smuggling Jewish children out of France. Volunteers known as passeurs, who escorted the children to Switzerland, undertook hazardous missions under constant risk of detection by Nazis or French collaborators. This led inevitably to Marianne’s arrest, though after three months’ detention in a Vichy prison in Nice, she was released. It was during this period of imprisonment that, in early 1943, she wrote a poem that would become famous in resistance circles, “I Shall Betray Tomorrow” (“Je trahirai demain”). It has become an immortal statement of defiance in the face of the Holocaust: Tomorrow I shall betray, but not today Today, pull out my fingernails, I shall not betray. You don’t know the limits of my bravery. I do. You are five men with knuckledusters. You are five men with nails in the soles of your boots. Tomorrow I shall betray, but not today. Tomorrow. I need night to come to make up my mind, Only one night, To sell out, to give up, to betray. To sell out my friends, To give up bread and wine, To betray my life, To die. Tomorrow I shall betray, but not today. The file is under the window pane. The file isn’t for the bars The file isn’t for the executioner, The file is for my own wrists. Today, I have nothing to say. Tomorrow, I shall betray. At the end of the war, the poem was retrieved by one of the children Marianne had saved. It is a testimony of courage, and one of the great poems of the resistance.
By Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin
S
Solomon realized that this view is limiting God’s presence, observing that the sha-ma-yim and sh’may sha-mayim, literally “the heavens and their uttermost reaches,” cannot contain God (I Kings 8:27; II Chron. 6:18). Nevertheless, the idea of a heavenly God prevails throughout time (Ps. 148:1). Indeed, from a biblical perspective, “the sha-ma-yim declares the “glory of God” (Ps 19:2). It is not surprising that sha-mayim is at the center of many biblical and rabbinic phrases. We will mention but a few. Based on the Bible, to be bein sha-ma-yim va-aretz, literally “between heaven and earth,” refers to an idea without foundation (I Sam 2:18). On the other hand, the phrase lo ba-sha-ma-yim he, literally “it is not in heaven,” indicates an idea which is not difficult to bring to fruition (Dt. 30:12). Sho-moo sha-ma-yim or “the heavens are astonished” is an expression of horror usually as a reaction to bad news or unacceptable behavior (Jer. 2:12), whereas rosho ba-sha-mayim, meaning “his head is in heaven,” describes someone who is thrilled and proud of his achievements (Gen 11:4). From rabbinic literature we will mention the phrase yir-at sha-ma-yim, namely, “awe of heaven,” an expression of faith and respect to Torah and mitzvot (B’rachot 33), as well as the phrase Avinu sheh-ba-sha-mi-yim, namely “our Father in heaven,” which is one way to address God in prayer (Sotah 9:15). We will end with the wise metaphorical phrase, off ha-sha-ma-yim yo-likh et ha-kol, literally “the bird of heaven will carry the sound,” implying that there are no secrets; someone will find a way to carry the message (Ecc 10:20). May Avinu she-ba-sha-ma-yim bring us peace and may we all enjoy a lovely summer under the sha-mayim. Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin is a professor of biblical literature at Spertus College in Chicago, and a retired adjunct professor of Hebrew and Bible at New College in Sarasota.
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After her release, and using the false identity of Marie Colin, she undertook nearly a dozen transfers of children, taking groups of about 30At t over the border on each occasion. InOpe January 1944, she began working withMan a Catholic resister named Rolandeplac Birgy, with whom she ferried furtherers: groups of up to 20 children across theSpid deat border. By the start of 1944, Marianne hadTony taken hundreds of children to Switzer-is re land, but on the evening of May 31,with 1944, a German patrol arrested hermast near Annemasse, just 200 meters fromthe Spid the border. She was at this time escorting aFury group of 28 children ranging in age38, p from four to 15, and was held at the52, a local Gestapo jail, the Prison de Pax.mer Jean Deffaugt, the mayor of Anne-men T masse, who sympathized with the Frid Resistance, intervened. The younger children were sent to local orphanages,film while Marianne and the older childrenthe were paroled to work under guard inhow vis Annemasse during the day. This worked for a short time, butbe t the Resistance knew that Mariannemet… was in extreme danger – as also wasCase the whole escape operation. A plan wassinis arranged to rescue her, but she refusedfilm] to leave the children who were in herlike self care. The underground then sent a mes-But sage to the Gestapo, threatening torolle kill its members if the detainees werein hi harmed. After this, the Gestapo beganto re their interrogation. On July 3, 1944,ing a specially selected squad was sent to[sch Annemasse from Lyon with the as-lect signment of removing six resistancebrok prisoners, including Marianne. In hercom defiance, she now refused to hide be-an u hind her alias, and revealed her iden-curre tity; for her rebelliousness, she was tortured horribly. She did not, however, speak, other than to say that she had no regrets for her actions. On the night of July 7-8, 1944, only three weeks before the liberation of Annemasse, Marianne and the others were taken to nearby Ville-laGrand and murdered. The Gestapo, it was said, struck them with shovels and kicked them repeatedly until they were dead. All the children who had been imprisoned with her were saved and released as a result of the liberation in August. The hastily buried and mutilated bodies of Marianne and the others were discovered in an open grave at La Rape, near Ville-La-Grande. Marianne’s funeral took place on September 26, 1944, in Grenoble. A guard of honor mounted by soldiers of the Resistance and members of the MJS accompanied the bodies. Prayers were recited and speeches were made. After the burial, two salutes were fired, and the ceremony ended with the singing of Hatikvah. Some members of the MJS, together with children saved by Marianne in the Pax Prison, then conducted an all-night vigil over her grave. Celebrated as a heroine of the resistance, Marianne Cohn was just 22 years old at the time of her death. Dr. Paul Bartrop is Professor of History and the Dir. of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. He can be reached at pbartrop@fgcu.edu.
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July 2019
JEWISH INTEREST
Stars of David
By Nate Bloom, Contributing Columnist
Editor’s note: Persons in BOLD CAPS are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish for the purpose of the column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish parent and were not raised in a faith other than Judaism – and don’t identify the with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are unalso identified as Jewish. s of will find it tough to anticipate either the t 30At the Movies jokes or the dark, Fight Club-like turn n. InOpening Tuesday, July 2 is SpiderMan: Far From Home. The film takes things eventually take – all to strikingwith ly original effect.” Indie film director andeplace shortly after the events in AvengDAVID ZELLNER, 45, has a supportrtherers: Endgame. Peter Parker (AKA Spider-Man) is still mourning the ing role as Henry, the least aggressive s the death of his mentor, Avengers’ leader student in the karate school. Jon Favreau is the director of a hadTony Stark, AKA Iron Man, when he new version of The Lion King, the tzer-is recruited by Nick Fury to team up 1994 Disney animated classic. Favreau 31,with Quentin Beck, AKA Mysterio, a had a big hit with his 2016 re-make of hermaster of trickery and illusion to battle The Jungle Book. In that film, he used fromthe Elementals. Tom Holland plays Spider-Man; Samuel L. Jackson plays what’s now called “live action CGI.” In the new Lion King he uses a techng aFury; and JAKE GYLLENHAAL, nique called “photorealistic computer age38, plays Mysterio. JON FAVREAU, 52, appears as Happy Hogan, the foranimation.” Check out the film’s trailer t the mer chief aide of Stark, and now a to see if you think it’s better than traPax. ditional animation. SETH ROGEN, nne-mentor of Parker. The Art of Self-Defense opens on 37, has a starring role as the voice of the Friday, July 12. It got rave reviews at Pumbaa, a slow-witted warthog, and nger BILLY EICHNER, 40, voices Timon, ages,film festivals. Here’s a long quote from a wisecracking meerkat. The Oscardrenthe Variety review that encapsulates how unusually good it is: “Casey Dawinning score from the 1994 film, by d in vis [JESSE EISENBERG, 35] may HANS ZIMMER, 61, is re-used in this re-make. (Opens Friday, July 19). butbe the least macho man you’ve ever met…mugged by thugs on motorbikes. Favreau is the son of a mostly anne Casey hardly puts up a fight….Dark, Italian non-Jewish father and a Jewwas ish mother. His mother died when he wassinister and disarmingly hilarious [the was 12. His whole extended family, on usedfilm] tells the story of how someone like Casey learns to stand up for himboth sides, cooperated in making sure n her self by signing up for karate classes. he had a bar mitzvah, as his mother wished. A practicing Jew, Favreau and mes-But it’s hardly that simple: Once enrolled, he starts to feel more confident his wife of 19 years, physician JOYA g to TILLEM, have three children. werein his personal life, even as he begins HBO Catch-up eganto realize that something bizarre is going on behind the scenes of the dojo The 2nd season of the hit HBO series 944, Big Little Lies is about to conclude nt to[school]: violent night classes for se(Sunday, July 7). The powerhouse as-lect students, weird mind games and main cast includes ZOE KRAVITZ, ancebroken bones…this singular black comedy balances off-kilter humor with 30. ROBIN WEIGERT, 49, returned her in her recurring role as Dr. Reisman, be-an unexpectedly thriller-esque undera therapist. Weigert recently reprised den-current, to the extent that audiences was ever, d no
ated hers ve at Maritemd of ReS acwere After and ng of MJS, Maricted
e ret 22
Hisr Juudies . He edu.
Interested in Your Family’s History? Nate Bloom (see column at left) has become a family history expert in 10 years of doing his celebrity column, and he has expert friends who can help when called on. Most family history experts charge $1,000 or more to do a full family-tree search. However, Bloom knows that most people want to start with a limited search of one family line.
So here’s the deal:
Write Bloom at nteibloom@aol.com and enclose a phone number. Nate will then contact you about starting a limited search. If that goes well, additional and more extensive searches are possible. The first search fee is no more than $100. No upfront cost. Also, several of this newspaper’s readers have asked Bloom to locate friends and family members from their past, and that’s worked out great for them. So contact him about this as well. playing a very different character, Calamity Jane, in HBO’s Deadwood movie. It premiered on May 31. Despite great reviews, the Deadwood series was abruptly canceled in 2006. The movie ties up many hanging plot lines. Sadly, Deadwood creator DAVID MILCH, 74, is suffering from Alzheimer’s. There’s a great article in the May 27 issue of The New Yorker (also online) about how he is coping with the disease with the solid support of his wife RITA STERN, 63. His screenwriter daughter OLIVIA MILCH, 30, helped him write the Deadwood movie. (By the way, the Jewish character in Deadwood, SOL STARR, really lived. Google him.) Platt All Over the Place Broadway star BEN PLATT, 25, who won the Tony in 2017 for best actor in a
musical (Dear Evan Hansen), recently finished a limited tour in which he promoted his debut solo album, “Sing to Me.” It consists of 12 original songs, all written by Platt. Many of the tunes are soulful pop ballads detailing Platt’s journey as an openly gay man searching for love. Platt came out publicly this year. He came out as gay to his parents when he was 12. He told a recent concert crowd that he told his parents, on the phone, when he was in Israel and they were home in Los Angeles. Platt is set to co-star in The Politician, an upcoming Netflix series. It’s described as a “music-driven” satirical comedy about a wealthy politician. There’s buzz that GWYNETH PALTROW, 46, and BARBRA STREISAND, 77, will appear on the show.
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July 2019
Florida governor plants roots in Israel
In the ancient hills of Jerusalem, a tree planting ceremony commemorates Governor DeSantis’ official visit to Israel, his first since taking office.
O
n May 29, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took part in a tree planting ceremony hosted by Keren Kayemet L’Israel-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) and Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) at Yad Kennedy Memorial in Aminadav Forest in the Jerusalem area. The ceremony was part of the Governor’s Trade Mission in Israel, which included a delegation of nearly 100 participants representing Florida’s largest governmental organizations, companies and community professionals. The State of Florida has held longtime ties to the State of Israel, and Governor DeSantis demonstrated on his trip to Israel that the connection has never been stronger. The tradition of planting trees in Israel is a timeless spiritual and national symbol in a nation that has long revered the connection to the land and the planting of some 250 million trees, a reminder of the growth and vibrancy of this young country, which earlier this month celebrated its 71st year of independence. During the ceremony, Governor DeSantis said, “May the tree we plant today grow as tall and as strong as the friendship between Israelis and Floridians. Those who preceded me in this
special tree planting ceremony foresaw a strong and vibrant Israel, and that is no different today.” KKL-JNF Vice Chairman Yair Lotstein addressed the meaningful event and said, ”Governor, you are about to plant a tree here in the Kennedy Peace Forest. This tree will grow and thrive in these Jerusalem foothills. A green, growing reminder of the deep-rooted connection between you and the State of Israel. Between you and the people of Israel.” JNF-USA President Dr. Sol Lizerbram said, “Jewish National FundUSA represents some one-million donors in the United States, including hundreds of thousands of supporters in the State of Florida. We are very proud of that strong connection to the land and people of Israel, and are so pleased to welcome Governor DeSantis and his delegation to this ceremony, one we will always cherish.” JNF-USA and KKL-JNF have established themselves as the conduit between the Florida community and the State of Israel, providing educational partnerships, community programs and an international partner in the promotion of technologies and resources that have become synonymous with Israel, KKL-JNF and JNF-USA.
Executive Director of KKL-JNF Global Resource Development Ronnie Vinnikov; United Israel Appeal Chairman Sam Grundwerg; KKL-JNF Vice Chairman Yair Lotstein; Florida Governor Ron DeSantis; Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (photo courtesy Avi Hayun, KKL-JNF Public Diplomacy Div.)
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ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
14 must-read books about Israel
To help you get to grips with this fascinating country, we’ve put together a reading list of the 14 best books to help you understand Israel’s history, culture and technology. By Jessica Halfin, ISRAEL21c.org
I
n this advanced digital age sometimes it’s still nice to receive a good book that can be held in your hands, flipped through and used as a learning tool in your household. The following 14 English-language books, all from the last decade, are excellent representations of Israel in food, culture, history, technology and children’s literature, written by leading authors, illustrators and photographers from Israel and the Englishspeaking world. Each one would make a stellar gift for family or friends with a broad range of interests, or would do as just a little something for yourself to learn about one of the most fascinating countries in the world. Nonfiction Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis This refresher course on Israel’s short yet complex history, written by an author and columnist for the Jerusalem Post and Bloomberg View, is a good book to read before passing it on to your friends and family. From his home base in Jerusalem, Daniel Gordis delves into more than just what’s written in the history books, writing about Israel’s political, social and economic developments and other cultural achievements, while asking questions like: “Why does such a small country speak to so many global concerns?” and “Why does Israel make the decisions it does?” It’s a reminder of the facts and triumphs we all need to brush up on now and again. No Room for Small Dreams: Courage, Imagination and the Making of Modern Israel by Shimon Peres A personal account from the man who had a front-row seat for it all, this inspirational autobiography by Israel’s late ninth prime minister is filled with all the wisdom Peres soaked up during his 70-year stint in Israeli politics. Readers get a deeper look into what went on behind the scenes during Israel’s greatest trying moments and moral dilemmas. History/Coffee-Table Books Israel Rising: Ancient Prophecy/ Modern Lens by Doug Hershey Drawing upon biblical prophecy regarding the future blossoming of the land of Israel, this coffee-table book compares pictures from the 1880s to 1940s with modern views of Israel, to show how far the country has come: sandy deserts turned into booming metropolises, fertile agriculture, and a society that has grown to become one of the world’s leaders in technology. Israel Rising is a fascinating reminder that Israel’s achievements of the modern era were built up from scratch on the backs of pioneers. A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars by Walter C. Kaiser Jr. and Paul D. Wegner Reviewers have called this a “personal library” going back thousands of years to explain the history of Israel from the very beginning. An encyclopedia of history from a biblical, historical and archaeological perspective, this
large volume contains over 600 photographs, maps and other sources that will turn your coffee table into an informative museum-like experience. The Story of the Holy Land: A Visual History by Peter Walker The story of Israel through modern photographs, drawings and explanations by a professor of biblical studies at Trinity School for Ministry in Pennsylvania, this book examines Israel and the many conquests of its land from biblical to modern times. Filled with history explained in Walker’s compelling style of factual storytelling, it should have a spot in your library or on your coffee table. Food Israeli Soul by Michael Solomonov This new bible of Israeli food by the unofficial ambassador of Israeli cuisine, American chef Michael Solomonov, is the culmination of his personal travels and experiences in Israel and in running his Jewish- and Israeli-themed American restaurants. You’ll be delighted to find Israeli flavors infused into paletta popsicles; recipes that are lesser known outside of Israel, such as mafroum; and Solomonov’s famous hummus and quick tahini sauce. Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi More than just a cookbook, Jerusalem – by Israeli-Jewish culinary legend Yotam Ottolenghi and his former restaurant partner Sami Tamimi, an Israeli-Arab who grew up on the other side of the city from Ottolenghi – is a book of cultural evaluation, insight and food. Including traditional Jewish and Arab recipes, a plethora of information and stories about the city, and beautiful photographs, this is one book that should be on the shelf of every Israel supporter and culinary enthusiast. Innovation Thou Shalt Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World by Avi Jorisch An updated guide to Israel’s innovative spirit and global goodwill that piggybacks off the famous Start-Up Nation (2009) but with a different angle, Thou Shalt Innovate not only discusses stateof-the-art Israeli medicine, agriculture, water and defense technologies and the developers behind them, but also takes a look at why Israeli culture is so compatible with the spirit of innovation, and how the contributions in each field can continue to change the world for the better in the future. Let There Be Water: Israel’s Solution for a Water-Starved World by Seth M. Siegel Leading the field in water processing and conservation, Israelis are known continued on next page
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ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD 14 must-read books about Israel...continued from previous page around the world trator Rachel Mintz – for the modern for creating agriJewish child or teen. Inside, the stuffy culture and life on pictures of yesteryear are replaced the very little wawith 70 modern scenes of Tel Aviv, Ister that they have. rael’s leaders, Jewish holy sites, and of In Let There course the beach, waiting to be brought Be Water, Siegel to life with the colors of your choice. breaks down the A Year in the Garden (Shana BaGina) science behind Gardening Calendar by Ilana Stein Israel’s greatest A calendar that is a beautiful and inwater technology discoveries, and the valuable resource for beginning homeimpact this knowledge can and will steaders or gardeners in Israel, this have around the world as water shortcalendar – written and illustrated by ages and crises are steadily becoming a forager, master gardener and illustrator daily reality. Ilana Stein – is a must-have for anyone Children’s Books who aspires to grow their own fresh Fast Asleep in a Little Village in Israel fruits, vegetables and herbs according by Jennifer Tzivia MacLeod to the Israeli seasons. It’s filled with Ever wonder what sound a rooster information pertaining to each month makes in Hebrew? You’ll find out in such as what to plant, when and how, this touching children’s book that takes as well as fun facts, bonus recipes place in a small village in Israel. and markers for Jewish holidays and With an infusion of Hebrew words moon-phases. and Israeli cultural nuances, and with DIY Tel Aviv – Your Alternative City soft watercolor illustrations by TiphGuide by Shimrit Elisar anie Beeke, this book will help you An underground city guide that gets hear the sounds of rural Israel and help updated once a year, this DIY guide to your youngster get a peek at everyday Tel Aviv is one way to gain inside info life here – noisy as it can be. on the city’s alternative non-touristy The Colors of Israel by Rachel Raz scene, includEncourage your children to learn their ing all the colors through the vibrant scenes “secret” clubs, of Israeli cafés, clothing cities and boutiques and sites in this more. beautiful Get this children’s book for your book. From family memthe strikber planning ing orange the big move of the fruit bundles at a Tel Aviv juice to Israel, or just to brush up for your stand to the red of the Israeli mail van, next visit to the Holy Land’s modern this book is a fun gift of Israeli culture cultural center. and learning for all. Jessica Halfin is an American immiColoring books, calendars and guides grant who arrived in Israel in 2006. Israel 70 Year Independence Coloring She is an Israeli-trained baker, gourBook by Rachel Mintz met cook, food and culture writer, and Buy this – or any of the many other gives foodie tours to tourists in Haifa Israel-themed coloring books of illusCity.
July 2019
BRIEFS ISRAEL’S ECONOMY BOOMS AT FASTEST PACE SINCE 2016
Israel’s economy expanded at its fastest pace in three years as its gross domestic product rose 5.2% in the 1st quarter of 2019, the Central Bureau of Statistics said Thursday, May 16. This is a jump from a 3.9% gain in the 4th quarter of 2018. (Ivan Levingston, Bloomberg)
ISRAELIS AID VENEZUELAN REFUGEES IN COLOMBIA
Israeli humanitarian aid agency IsraAID has dispatched an emergency response team to Cucuta, on Colombia’s border with Venezuela, where around 5,000 Venezuelans cross every day seeking relief from the continued economic and political crisis in the country. IsraAID’s response plan will include child-protection and backto-school activities, community resilience-building and psychological support, hygiene and sanitation promotion, and relief distribution. IsraAID currently has active recovery teams across the region, supporting communities affected by the 2018 El Fuego Volcano eruption in Guatemala, the 2017 earthquakes in Mexico, and Hurricane Maria in Dominica and Puerto Rico. IsraAID’s emergency response in Colombia is supported by AJC and additional generous donors. (Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel21c)
ISRAEL’S POPULATION REACHES 9 MILLION
The Central Bureau of Statistics on Thursday, May 2, reported that the number of residents in Israel stood at 9,009,000 in March. The number of Jews is 6,738,500, or 74.8%. (Zeev Klein, Israel Hayom)
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There are 539 multinational corporations (MNC) from 35 countries operating in Israel’s tech ecosystem, according to a report by Start-Up Nation Central (SNC) and PwC Israel. 55% of these MNCs are headquartered in the U.S., 27% in Europe and 15% in the Asia-Pacific, including China. There are more than 6,600 startups in Israel, 14 times the concentration of
startups per capita in Europe. While Israel has just 1% of the world’s population, it attracts 19% of global investment in cybersecurity, ranks number one in R&D expenditures per GDP, and attracts the highest rate of venture capital funding per capita in the world. (Shoshanna Solomon, Times of Israel)
NIKKI HALEY: “MOST COUNTRIES ENVY ISRAEL”
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, speaking at the Shaar Hashamayim synagogue in Montreal on Wednesday, April 10, called her veto vote that paved the way for the U.S. Embassy in Israel to move to Jerusalem “one of my proudest moments.” “I felt like I was fighting for the truth and for what was right. And I was mad. Every country has the sovereign right to put their embassy wherever they choose.” “The U.S. always chooses to have its embassy in the capital. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. The rest of the world can’t hide what we know as fact.” continued on page 27
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July 2019
ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
“Twice Promised Land and 100 Years War:” A new century – a new hope? Part 3 A series by Dr. Steven Derfler
N
ew Israeli elections in the fall of 2008 would see tough Israeli politician Tzipi Livni assume the reins of the Prime Ministership. Livni would sit down face to face with her Palestinian counterpoint, Mahmoud Abbas, on November 10. But his role would be hampered by the infighting between HAMAS and Dr. Steven Derfler Fatah. Although the checkpoints in Jerusalem would be tighter than ever in December, Israeli security forces would evict right-wing Jewish settlers from illegal residences in the heart of Hebron. Yet the situation adjacent to Gaza would continue to deteriorate. Rockets would land near Ashkelon, and Israelis would actually “take shelter” out of doors in the bordering communities. Israeli troops would amass along the Gaza District armistice line. Then in late December, massive air strikes aimed at the HAMAS security infrastructure would kill scores, some of them civilians. World leaders called for an end to the violence. The Bush administration issued blistering criticism of HAMAS, saying they provoked the airstrikes on Gaza by firing rockets into southern Israel. Condoleeza Rice would state, “The United States calls on all concerned to restore the ceasefire and address the urgent humanitarian needs of the innocent people of Gaza.” President-elect Obama was in constant communication with both the White House and Israel, but made clear that “there is only one president at a time” and fully supported President Bush’s strategy. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia called President Bush and they discussed the situation. Asked whether the United States had given any green light for the airstrikes by Israel, this statement was issued: “The Israeli cab-
See page 26 in the June issue for Part 2 of this article.
inet authorized this a few days ago, as you’re all aware. So we were aware of that authorization by the Israeli cabinet.” In addition: “Hamas has done nothing for the people of Gaza. They need to stop. They have a choice to make. You can’t have one foot in politics and one foot in terror.” Soon after, in January 2009, a hastily convened summit of the Arab League brought out clear divisions. Moderate states, led by the Saudis, aligned with the west, blamed the situation on Palestinian disunity and internal violence; laying the blame at the feet of the HAMAS political takeover of Gaza in 2007. “This terrible massacre would not have happened if the Palestinian people were united behind one leadership, speaking in one voice,” Prince Saud said at the meeting. “We are telling our Palestinian brothers that our Arab nation cannot extend a real helping hand if you don’t extend your own hands to each other with love.” Many blamed HAMAS for refusing to renew a six-month ceasefire with Israel and being the main cause of the current violence; but they also condemned Israel. Israel once again entered the Gaza District on land, backed by its air force. After only two weeks, they would unilaterally withdraw. But in the process, some of what they discovered was announced to the world. A major network of tunnels beneath the Rafah crossing into Egyptian Sinai was discovered and destroyed. A tremendous amount of humanitarian aid meant for Palestinian civilians was found to be intercepted and stolen by HAMAS for its own use and resale. As a result of this, Egypt would back Israel and seal its border with Gaza. New elections would be one of the great comeback tales in Israeli politics. Netanyahu would see to replace Ehud Olmert and go head-to-head with the centrist, Tzipi Livni. The new coalition government would pay a price to the
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right wing of Israeli politics, forcing Netanyahu to bring in Avigdor Lieberman as Foreign Minister. In May, Netanyahu visited President Obama in Washington with the main thrust being the growing threat of Iran to the region. President Obama was to stress the importance of halting more settlements in the West Bank. Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, would call it a good first step with many more needed to be taken. This was the beginning of what many would call President Obama’s slightly anti-Israel stance. This was even more exacerbated by former President Carter’s visit to Gaza. Already perceived as anti-Israeli in his approach, this would harm negotiations and his fairness and balance in seeking a just and lasting peace in the region for all parties. In September 2009, President Obama would broker a meeting between Netanyahu and Abbas in Washington. Little would be accomplished other than maintaining a nominally open line of communication. But, finally, there was a bit of good news. On October 2, thin and wan, but lucid and very much alive, Gilad Shalit, the captured Israeli soldier whose fate had gripped Israel for more than three years, appeared in a video holding a Palestinian newspaper dated September 14. Israel obtained the DVD in a deal brokered by German and Egyptian mediators. Israel would release 19 political prisoners to the Palestinians. HAMAS hailed the deal as a great political achievement. Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of the Hamas government in Gaza said, “This is a day of victory for the resistance and steadfastness.” By the end of 2009, Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman formulated a compromise agreement based on: a) HAMAS would reunite with the PLO and form a supreme official institution
How
b) general elections would be held in all areas of the West Bank and Gaza c) Joint security units were to be formed d) A reconciliation committee would be formed to ensure cooperation and implementation Not called for was: a) Dissolution of the Ramallah and/or the Gaza government b) No commitment to any particular peace plan with Israel The reaction: There was acceptance by Ramallah with minor changes. There was a total rejection by HAMAS, in part due to its perceived lack of independence. In essence, the military wing it saw itself as was still in a state of war with Israel. Needless to say, Egypt was furious with HAMAS and continued to build a steel security fence and unilaterally close the Rafah border crossing quite often, cooperating closely with its Israeli counterparts. A final attempt at reconciliation between the two rival Palestinian movements led to a bizarre confession by the Fatah movement in the West Bank. For years, it had tortured HAMAS operatives who were captured while spying on and trying to undermine Fatah authority. Mahmoud Abbas would announce that it was bringing to an end the practice of torturing HAMAS prisoners in the infamous Nablus Prison, in order to try to heal this decades-old rivalry. The ‘goodwill’ effort seemed to fall on deaf ears in the Gaza District. Would the second decade of the st 21 century bring about any real movement in the search for a just and lasting peace for Israel and her Arab neighbors? Dr. Steven Derfler is an international educational consultant, public speaker, archaeologist, historian, researcher, teacher and writer. He has been uncovering the histories of ancient civilizations for 40 years.
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ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
BRIEFS continued from page 25 She noted, “If you actually go into the quiet corners of the UN, most countries don’t hate Israel, most envy Israel.” She said of UN resolutions, “I don’t think they matter.” Member states are not actually required to abide by UN resolutions. (Charles Duncan, Kansas City Star)
ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACKS SPIKE, KILLING MOST JEWS IN DECADES
Israeli researchers reported Wednesday, May 1, that violent attacks against Jews spiked significantly last year, with the largest reported number of Jews killed in anti-Semitic acts in decades, leading to an “increasing sense of emergency” among Jewish communities worldwide. Assaults targeting Jews rose 13% in 2018, according to Tel Aviv University researchers. They recorded nearly 400 cases worldwide, with more than a quarter of the major violent cases taking place in the U.S. In Germany, there was a 70% increase in anti-Semitic violence. “There is an increasing sense of emergency among Jews in many countries around the world,” said Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress. “It is now clear that anti-Semitism is no longer limited to the far-left, farright and radical Islamist’s triangle. It has become mainstream and often accepted by civil society.” (Aron Heller, AP-Miami Herald)
ISRAELI ARAB WOMEN JOINING LABOR FORCE IN LARGE NUMBERS
A decade ago, only 22% of Israeli Arab women were working outside the home. Today over 40% are part of the labor force. “The major reason is the increase in the educational level of Arab women and internal changes within Arab society,” says Aiman Saif, director of the Authority for the Economic Development of the Minorities Sector. Arab citizens comprise 17% of the university students in Israel, close to their 20% share of the population. Of these students, 70% are women. A recent study found that 90% of employees in a workplace shared by Arabs and Jews said they had a good relationship with their counterparts. (Linda Gradstein, Jerusalem Post)
WHAT ISRAEL HAS MANAGED TO DO IN RECENT YEARS
Where were we a little over 70 years ago, and where are we now? From a scattered, lowly people that was trampled by anyone who passed by and a third of whom went up as smoke in the crematoria, we rose from the ashes and bloomed into a strong, proud nation that is being courted by many countries. Thirty years ago in 1988, 4.44 million people were living in Israel, compared to 8.96 million last year. Thirty years ago, the gross domestic product stood at $44 billion. Now it is more than 700% higher, standing at over $355 billion. The per capita GDP has increased from $10,000 thirty years ago to over $38,000 last year. Israel’s foreign currency reserves were $4 billion thirty years ago, and now they total $115 billion. In 1988, annual inflation stood at 16%, compared to only 1% in 2018. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Israeli economy has grown
by 90%, more than double the average growth among OECD nations. Exports grew from $10 billion in 1988 to $107 billion in 2018. The discovery of offshore natural gas reserves provides the resources for the production of 73% of the country’s electricity. Israel is ranked third in the world (after Japan and Canada) in the number of college-educated citizens per capita. R&D comprises a bigger percent of Israel’s GDP than any other country in the world. (Dror Eydar, Israel’s next ambassador to Italy, Israel Hayom)
NO ARAB DEMOGRAPHIC TIME BOMB
Contrary to conventional wisdom, the Jewish state is not facing an Arab demographic time bomb. In 2018 there were 1.85 million Arabs in the West Bank (not 3 million as claimed by the Palestinians), 1.6 million Israeli Muslim Arabs, 130,000 Israeli Druze, 130,000 Israeli Christian Arabs and seven million Jews – a 65.5% Jewish majority in the combined area of pre-1967 Israel and the West Bank. By 2017 the Jewish fertility rate had risen to 3.16 births per woman, exceeding the Arab fertility rate in the West Bank of 3 births per woman. Recent years have seen an annual net Jewish immigration of 25,00030,000, while net Arab emigration from the West Bank has been 20,000 annually. (Amb. Yoram Ettinger, Jewish Political Studies Review)
75% agreed it is in America’s interest to have Israel as its closest ally in the Middle East. Almost 60% said anti-Semitism is happening more frequently today than 15 years ago. 37% attributed anti-Semitism in the U.S. to Muslim extremists, 28% to right-wing extremists and 22% to left-wing extremists. A majority considered support for the BDS movement to be anti-Semitic, while a plurality said the U.S. should support Israel in opposing the BDS movement. Over 60% said it is not Islamophobic to criticize Rep. Ilhan Omar (DMinn.) for her views on Israel. (Jeffrey Cimmino, Washington Free Beacon)
SCORECARD ON ISRAEL’S IRON DOME MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM
The most recent round of fighting between Gaza and Israel was a battle between Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system and Hamas and Islamic Jihad rockets. Israel sustained four civilian deaths and 150 injuries. Palestinian rockets have been upgraded signifi-
27
cantly over the years, with some shortrange rockets now carrying dozens of kilograms of explosives, which definitely affected the scope of casualties and damage. At the same time, Iron Dome achieved an interception rate of more than 90% for rockets launched at inhabited areas. This percentage was maintained even when the enemy launched a massive salvo of 117 rockets within one hour at the city of Ashdod. A total of 690 rockets were launched, with 35 reaching populated areas. When Israel first sought to develop Iran Dome, the Defense Ministry had hoped for an interception rate of 70%. During a round of fighting in March, 100% of 50 rockets launched from Gaza were intercepted successfully. “No other system, worldwide, can even come close to the interception percentages of the Iron Dome,” said a senior source at Rafael, which developed Iron Dome jointly with IAI. “The number of deaths would have been hundreds of times higher if the Iron Dome had not existed.” (Amir Rapaport, IsraelDefense)
NATO AND ISRAEL DEEPEN TIES
Israel is fast becoming NATO’s premier partner country. NATO can tap into over seven decades of counterterrorism experience, learn from a cyber powerhouse, and deepen intelligence ties with a tested and vibrant democracy perched on the shores of the Levantine powder keg. Living at close quarters with radical Islamist terrorists is business as usual for Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) can share invaluable experience in asymmetric warfare against terrorist armies that use its own population as human shields, and can give crucial advice to NATO commanders as they face similar challenges. Israel has pioneered advanced techniques to help protect civilians in residential combat zones. On countless occasions, Israel has fed NATO allies life-saving intelligence. Just last year, Israel prevented a blood bath at a political rally in Paris plotted by diplomats of the Iranian regime. Israeli warnings also foiled an ISIS attack at a soccer match between NATO ally Albania and Israel in 2016. (Michael Sieveking, deputy director of the American Jewish Committee Transatlantic Institute in Brussels, New Europe - Belgium)
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POLL: MOST AMERICANS SUPPORT ISRAEL, SAY BDS MOVEMENT IS ANTISEMITIC
According to a new poll of 1,000 likely U.S. voters recently released by the Hudson Institute, 51% held a favorable opinion of Israel, while only 21% held an unfavorable opinion.
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July 2019
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COMMENTARY
Burying Herman Wouk and burying his Zionism By Moshe Phillips
H
erman Wouk, the famed novelist who first became a household name for his 1951 Pulitzer Prize-winning The Caine Mutiny, died on May 17, nearly 70 years after achieving fame. Besides his long career as a writer, he was also a lifelong Zionist. This fact of Wouk’s love affair with the State of Israel has been completely absent from the many articles celebrating his literary career and marking his passing, less than two weeks before what would have been his 104th birthday. In this small space, I will attempt to rectify that. Again and again – from his 1959 first non-fiction work, This is My God: The Jewish Way of Life, through his pair of books about modern Israel, The Hope (1993) and The Glory (1994), until his second nonfiction book, published in 2000, The Will to Live On: This is Our Heritage – Wouk focused much of his literary abilities on Israel. Perhaps no line in any of his books demonstrates his love of Israel more than this one from This is My God: “The first time I saw the lights of the (Israeli) airport in the dusk from the descending plane, I experienced a sense of awe that I do not expect to know again in this life.” Wouk, an Orthodox Jew, synthesized his love of Torah with his love of the reborn Jewish state. And his view of Zionism is also clearly laid out in This is My God: “Zionism is a single long action of lifesaving, of snatching great masses of people out of the path of sure extinction.”
Forty years later in The Will to Live On, Wouk, as he interwove Jewish history and shared stories of his personal interaction with David Ben-Gurion, Yitzhak Rabin and other leading Israeli generals and politicians, showed that his love of Israel was clearly undiminished. “The resurgence of Jewry in the Holy Land is nothing but phenomenal,” he wrote. Wouk had been a U.S. Naval officer during World War II, and his love of the Israeli military and respect for its accomplishments was a large part of his Israel novels, The Hope and The Glory. Those two books can be juxtaposed with his pair of famous World War II novels, The Winds of War (1971) and War and Remembrance (1978). In his Israel novels, the heroine Natalie Jastrow undergoes a long and tortured journey from American Jewish girl to Holocaust victim to Zionist. Herman Wouk penned the introduction to the 1980 English version of Self-Portrait of a Hero: The Letters of Jonathan Netanyahu. Yoni’s brothers, Benjamin and Iddo Netanyahu, put together the book. “My parents like his were Zionists,” writes Wouk. Later in the introduction he explains his connection to Israel. “Like most American Jews we believe in Israel and support it, buy Israel Bonds, make frequent trips there; I give speeches for Israeli causes and so forth,” and then relates how the book allowed him to better understand his own son’s desire to make his home in the modern Jewish state. The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Jerusalem Post as well
Opening remarks for Holocaust service at Jewish Congregation of Venice By Joel Kreiss
T
he Holocaust – the state-sanctioned slaughter of a people, Jews, through the industrialization of murder. As horrific as it was, it is really only that to us, Jews, and specifically to us and our parents’ generation. We are totally invested and identified with the Holocaust and the need for it to be remembered. Yet for most of the world, this is a non-event, of little or no importance. This is an important fact of which we should be cognizant. I became aware of this several years ago when I was working on one of our Holocaust programs. I was, at that time, volunteering my services to the Senior Friendship Center and discussing some problem or other with a coworker of the approximate age as myself. After a while, I noticed she had this puzzled look on her face, and when I asked why, she told me she didn’t know what I was talking about! She didn’t know anything about “this Holocaust thing.” When I recovered from that shock, I asked her where she grew up. She told me she grew up in a small town in Indiana and never heard of the Holocaust.
How many more of her were there in this world I wondered? Which led me to ask: How invested are we in the genocide in Armenia, Rwanda, Myanmar, the Native Americans? The sanctioned killing of Jews has become part of human history for at least 1,800 years with the rise of Christianity. Therefore, perhaps we should look at the Holocaust in broader terms, as beginning with the rise of the Church, its teaching of deicide and Contempt for the Jew (see Nostra Aetate, 1965) culminating in the Shoah! All that preceded the Shoah was practice, perhaps to see how much one could get away with. Could that happen again? Yes, and we, as Jews, have to be ever vigilant. It seems to me we are living in such times again. We have to educate our younger generations and make them aware of the signs and symptoms of coming disasters. Every successive generation gets further and further away from the emotional impact of the Shoah, and therefore we have a mission, similar to our “story” of our slavery in Egypt. We must not forget the testimony of the
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as wire services and other newspapers all managed to leave Zionism out of their summations of Wouk’s life. Whether deliberate or not, this missing piece of his life surely matters as one simply cannot understand Wouk without realizing the central place Zionism occupied in his life, no less than his love of Torah and his deep faith. Wouk’s passion for the well-being of his fellow Jews and for Israel should serve as a reminder to American Jews of how the Greatest Generation also bore witness to the horrors of the Holocaust and the rebirth of Israel. Those who reflected on what they saw were forever changed. Wouk loved Israel and America, and we should emulate that attachment to the Land of the Free as well as to the reborn Jewish state. Postscript: Self-Portrait of a Hero is a must read. It contains Yoni Netanyahu’s letters to family and friends from 1963 when he first entered high school in the Philadelphia suburbs to just days before the rescue of hostages at Entebbe. His intellect, patriotism, compassion, dedication to duty and leadership are all on full display, amplifying the loss of someone who had just turned 30. The book had a profound effect on Wouk. If you have not read it, do yourself a favor and read it, and you too will be forever changed by it. Moshe Phillips is national director of Herut North America’s U.S. division. Herut is an international movement for Zionist pride and education and is dedicated to the ideals of pre-World War II Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky. Herut’s website is https://herutna.org/.
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survivors, and somehow change the emphasis to a watchfulness: a. Signs and symptoms that preceded the Holocaust be called out. An example: Poland just passed a law making it an offense to accuse Poland of participating in the Holocaust. If followed to its logical conclusion, soon there will be no mention of a Holocaust and it will become a non-event there. b. Confront those stirring up emotions based upon falsehoods in order to retain or take power. c. Keep alive the narrative of the Shoah in the same manner we have kept alive our Egyptian story. That in spite of all efforts, we have survived and prospered. On this point, we have recently become aware, thanks to Pieter Kohnstam, who just came into possession of a letter from his maternal grandmother Clara Habermann, after she was liberated by Allied troops after three years in hiding. A copy will be available on the desk in the lobby when you leave. It’s real, it’s understated and extremely powerful. Thank you Pieter for allowing us this window into hell. Our history, in spite of the Holocaust in its broader usage, has been one of greatness and one of truly amazing accomplishments. We must recognize that this is the result of the shift in emphasis from a templar sacrifice-based religion to a Torah-based one with the mandate to teach its lessons, and pass this concept along to the generations that will follow us. We have succeeded in spite of all efforts to eradicate us. This is a heritage to be proud of. This is the thrust of today’s program and one that should fill all with hope and pride in our Jewishness. Joel Kreiss is a past president of the Jewish Congregation of Venice.
July 2019
COMMENTARY
29
Why history still matters: The 1967 Six-Day War By David Harris, CEO of American Jewish Committee (AJC), June 4, 2019
M
ention history and it can trigger a roll of the eyes. Add the Middle East to the pers outequation and folks might start running life.for the hills, unwilling to get caught up miss-in the seemingly bottomless pit of ders astails and disputes. But without an understanding of Wouk what happened in the past, it’s impose Zisible to grasp where we are today – and less deepwhere we are has profound relevance for the region and the world. Fifty-two years ago this week, the l-besraelSix-Day War broke out. While some wars fade into obscumeririty, this one remains as relevant today neraas in 1967. Many of its core issues rers of rael.main unresolved. Politicians, diplomats and joursaw nalists continue to grapple with the d Isemu-consequences of that war, but rarely f theconsider, or perhaps are even unaware wishof, context. Yet without context, some critically important things may not Heromake sense. First, in June 1967, there was no Nestate of Palestine. It didn’t exist and ends highnever had. Its creation, proposed by the bs toUN in 1947, was rejected by the Arab agesworld because it also meant the estabism,lishment of a Jewish state alongside. Second, the West Bank and eastand ern Jerusalem were in Jordanian hands. mplijustViolating solemn agreements, Jordan d ef-denied Jews access to their holiest ad it,places in eastern Jerusalem. To make youmatters still worse, they desecrated and destroyed many of those sites. Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip was unor of der Egyptian control, with harsh milision. t fortary rule imposed on local residents. And the Golan Heights, which dedwere regularly used to shell Israeli War nsky.communities far below, belonged to org/. Syria. Third, the Arab world could have created a Palestinian state in the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip any day of the week. They didn’t. There wasn’t even discussion about it. And Arab leaders, who today profess such attachment to eastern Jerusalem, rarely, if ever, visited. It was viewed as an Arab backwater. Fourth, the 1967 boundary at the time of the war, so much in the news these days, was nothing more than an armistice line dating back to 1949 – familiarly known as the Green Line. That’s after five Arab armies attacked Israel in 1948 with the aim of destroying the embryonic Jewish state. They failed. Armistice lines were drawn, but they weren’t formal borders. They
couldn’t be. The Arab world, even in defeat, refused to recognize Israel’s very right to exist. Fifth, the PLO, which supported the war effort, was established in 1964, three years before the conflict erupted. That’s important because it was created with the goal of obliterating Israel. Remember that in 1964 the only “settlements” were Israel itself. Sixth, in the weeks leading up to the Six-Day War, Egyptian and Syrian leaders repeatedly declared that war was coming and their objective was to wipe Israel off the map. There was no ambiguity in their blood-curdling announcements. Twenty-two years after the Holocaust, another enemy spoke about the extermination of Jews. The record is well-documented. The record is equally clear that Israel, in the days leading up to the war, passed word to Jordan, via the UN and United States, urging Amman to stay out of any pending conflict. Jordan’s King Hussein ignored the Israeli plea and tied his fate to Egypt and Syria. His forces were defeated by Israel, and he lost control of the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem. He later acknowledged that he had made a terrible error in entering the war. Seventh, Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser demanded that UN peacekeeping forces in the area, in place for the previous decade to prevent conflict, be removed. Shamefully, without even the courtesy of consulting Israel, the UN complied. That left no buffer between Arab armies being mobilized and deployed, and Israeli forces in a country one-fiftieth, or two percent, the size of Egypt – and just nine miles wide at its narrowest point. Eighth, Egypt blocked Israeli shipping lanes in the Red Sea, Israel’s only maritime access to trading routes with Asia and Africa. This step was understandably regarded as an act of war by Jerusalem. The United States spoke about joining with other countries to break the blockade, but, in the end, regrettably, did not act. Ninth, France, which had been Israel’s principal arms supplier, announced a ban on the sale of weapons on the eve of the June war. That left Israel in potentially grave danger if a war were to drag on and require the resupply of arms. It was not until the next year that the U.S. stepped into the breach and sold vital weapons systems to Israel. And finally, after winning the war
of self-defense, Israel hoped that its newly-acquired territories, seized from Egypt, Jordan and Syria, would be the basis for a land-for-peace accord. Feelers were sent out. The formal response came on September 1, 1967, when the Arab Summit Conference famously declared in Khartoum, “No peace, no recognition, no negotiations” with Israel. More “no’s” were to follow. Underscoring the point, in 2003, the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. was quoted in The New Yorker as saying, “It broke my heart that Arafat did not take the offer (of a two-state deal presented by Israel, with American support, in 2001). Since 1948, every time we’ve had something on the table, we say no. Then we say yes. When we say yes, it’s not on the table anymore. Then we have to deal with something less. Isn’t it about time to say yes?” Today, there are those who wish to rewrite history. They want the world to believe there was once a Palestinian state. There was not. They want the world to believe there were fixed borders between that state and Israel. There was only an armistice line between Israel and the Jordanian-controlled West Bank and eastern Jerusalem. They want the world to believe the 1967 war was a bellicose act by Israel. It was an act of self-defense in the face of blood-curdling threats to vanquish the Jewish state, not to mention the maritime blockade of the Straits of Tiran, the abrupt withdrawal of UN
peacekeeping forces, and the redeployment of Egyptian and Syrian troops. All wars have consequences. This one was no exception. But the aggressors have failed to take responsibility for the actions they instigated. They want the world to believe post-1967 Israeli settlement-building is the key obstacle to peacemaking. The Six-Day War is proof positive that the core issue is, and always has been, whether the Palestinians and larger Arab world accept the Jewish people’s right to a state of their own. If so, all other contentious issues, however difficult, have possible solutions. But, alas, if not, all bets are off. And they want the world to believe the Arab world had nothing against Jews per se, only Israel, yet trampled with abandon on sites of sacred meaning to the Jewish people. In other words, when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict, dismissing the past as if it were a minor irritant at best, irrelevant at worst, won’t work. Can history move forward? Absolutely. Israel’s peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 powerfully prove the point. At the same time, though, the lessons of the Six-Day War illustrate just how tough and tortuous the path can be – and are sobering reminders that, yes, history does matter.
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30
July 2019
COMMENTARY
In need of healing
THERE WERE
59
anti-Semitic assaults in 2018, including the 13 victims of the Tree of Life shooting on October 27, 2018* *Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents:
Year in Review 2018, ADL.org
Photo by Matt Rourke, AP
What are we doing about it?
EDUCATION.
The Robert and Esther Heller Community Relations Committee takes a firm stand against anti-Semitism. We use community resources and influence to combat a rise in anti-Semitism and anti-Zionist sentiments, which often result in aggressive acts and rhetoric against Jews. Through education, advocacy, and building relationships with the greater community and law enforcement, together we can combat hatred, bigotry, and harassment of Jews and other minorities.
For more information contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org
jfedsrq.org
140 kosher characters:
From the Bimah Rabbi Michael Shefrin Associate Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El
R
“
abbi, will you say a Mi Shebeirach?” This request comes when someone has taken ill or is need of healing for another reason. They are asking for prayers for a friend or loved one. There are times when this request comes for prayers on their own behalf. A Mi Shebeirach can be said for a particular person whose body, mind and spirit are needing healing, or just as meaningfully for all who are unwell. As a rabbi, it is my honor to offer these prayers. Sometimes this occurs bedside. Other times it happens out loud or silently during services. It always comes with a sense of gravitas. It is difficult when someone is ill or in distress. Our greatest fears come forth. When we or someone we care about suffers, we find ourselves in the midst of doubt or confusion. We don’t want to think of the possibilities. We want to find comfort. Judaism does not want us to despair in illness or worry, rather we are a people of hope. One important act that manifests hope is our prayers. We might sing “Mi
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Shebeirach” by Debbie Freidman at services, or we might offer a traditional or innovative prayer for healing. It isBy R my belief that offering an individual’s name in the midst of these prayers holds special power. It is a loving endeavor to offer a plea to God to “bless19-y those in need of healing with r’fuahtered sh’leimah, the renewal of body, the re-one newal of spirit.” three Another significant action that canrabb fuel hope, and a particularly reward-The ing mitzvah, is bikur cholim, visitingbeen the sick. This commandment extendstwo to people of all backgrounds and re-tack ligious groups. There are times whenfrom simply showing up for one in need can T bring healing. It is difficult to measureexac the benefit of this kindness, and it ismem most worthwhile. Our Sages teach thatsyna the person who visits one who is illwere takes away 1/60th of their pain. That is H a worthy deed. mos It is not always convenient or comfortable to visit someone who is sick. At Temple Emanu-El, I am continually inspired by our Caring Committee. They make hospital and rehab visits, place phone calls and send cards to so many, including many who are homebound and alone. Their sacred work is pure and good. Have you been ill? Who looked in on you? Has someone you care for been sick? What are your prayers and hopes for them? Until the day comes when all who are sick are healed, we should visit those who need us, and we should pray to our God, the healer of the sick. And let us say – Amen.
A
The phenomenon of interfaith marriages From the Bimah
twitter.com/jfedsrq
Rabbi Michael P. Sternfield Temple Beth El of Bradenton & Lakewood Ranch
H
ow are synagogues and other Jewish institutions to deal with the now-widespread phenomenon of interfaith marriages and children being raised in such family units? This is not so much a question of halacha (Jewish law). Rather it is a challenge to Jewish viability. Not that long ago, children of such households, when asked “What is your religion?,” would usually respond, “I am half Jewish,” which basically was a way of saying that only one of their parents was Jewish. Today, when asked that same question, the answer more likely is, “I am both.” The conventional wisdom is that this is nonsense. One cannot be both Jewish and Christian, we protest (leaving aside for now the more problematic issue of the Messianic Jews/ Jews for Jesus). This is truly the question that will cross the rabbis’ eyes. Everything we have learned and assumed about Jewish identity has turned out to be incorrect. There are so many dual identity young people today that we must deal with this reality, rather than deny its validity. For example, most synagogues have as policy that parents who wish to send their children to Christian religious schools should not be permitted to send them to a Jewish religious school. Perhaps that was a functional policy in years past. It is no longer the case. Speaking personally, I would
D W
much prefer having such children taught about Judaism some of the time rather than none of the time. These parents are dealing with their children’s religious identity in a manner that they find acceptable and respectful. It may not fit our institutional mindset, but it is their decision and their right to do so. Castigating them or denying them access is a total non-starter. What can possibly be gained by pushing them away? Their children do not become hopelessly confused, as is often alleged. Besides, what do we have to fear? I will gladly place Judaism in juxtaposition to any other religion with full confidence that Judaism sells itself. We do not try to regulate personal belief. We encourage questioning and even doubt. We do not instill fear of eternal damnation to those who are not true believers. Ours is a beautiful, ethically efficacious and rational faith. The practice of Judaism is joyful and rich in meaning. “Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace.” (Proverbs 3:17) Do I wish that things were otherwise? Of course I do. But wishing will not make it so. Our times have changed dramatically, in ways even recent forebears could not have anticipated. Judaism, I believe, has remained viable for so long, against all odds, not because of rigidity but because of resilience and flexibility. The strategy of exclusion will only drive away potentially committed Jews from our already diminishing Jewish population. We used to claim that the U.S. had a Jewish population of around six million. Now, the most generous estimate is 5.5 million. However, even if we accept this questionable statistic, we should be looking deeper, inquiring about more practice and participation than mere statistical identity. Need I ask: Do we have so many Jews that we can afford to throw away an entire generation?
Opinions printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee do not necessarily reflect those of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, its Board of Directors or staff.
July 2019
COMMENTARY
31
Death, destruction, heartache: When will it end?
n at onal It isBy Rabbi Howard A. Simon ual’s gain, and again and again. On yers the last day of Passover, in the g entown of Poway, California, a bless19-year-old anti-Semitic terrorist enfuahtered the Chabad synagogue and killed e re-one person and injured
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after year, month after month. On September 24, 2017, the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee, was attacked, leaving one dead and seven wounded. On November 5, 2017, 26 worshippers three others, including the were killed and 20 othcanrabbi of the congregation. ers wounded at the First ward-The dreary toll would have Baptist Church in Sutheritingbeen much higher had not land Springs, Texas. This endstwo men confronted the atpast March, two hateful d re-tacker, forcing him to run attacks were launched whenfrom the synagogue. at two Christchurch can This attack occurred mosques in New Zeasureexactly six months after 11 land leaving 50 dead and it ismembers of the Tree of Life scores injured. On Easter thatsynagogue in Pittsburgh Rabbi Howard A. Simon Sunday in Sri Lanka, ters illwere killed and six others wounded. rorists struck again, attacking churchat is Hate crimes leveled at churches, es, mosques and hotels, leaving a mosques and synagogues occur year country dumbfounded by the hundreds comsick. tinuttee. By Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz, Community Chaplain isits, ears ago, Beth Schwartz, the left his career track to go in a much o so president of the congregation different direction: social work. While omeI led in Northern Virginia, Beth studied for the Reform rabbinate rk is and her husband Larry Washington inin Cincinnati, he earned his MSW at vited me to dinner. Entering their open the University of Kentucky. As a menoked tal health therapist, he assisted struge forfront door, a voice from the other end of the house said gling families and people affected with and they’d be out in a AIDS in rural Tennessee, and later at few minutes. Sita shelter for abused women in Columwho ting down at the bus. visit kitchen counter At the service, I shared that Larry pray to wait, I noticed embraced the wilderness. Rather than a piece of paper harboring unease about pursuing a carrying rows of new religion or life course, he regardnames. ed such journeys into the unknown as Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz The one at a source of intrigue, excitement and the top immediately drew my attenwonder. With his self-confidence and tion – George Washington. No names determination, he knew he’d manage appeared below his since our nation’s to find his way. first president did not father any chilInterestingly, the Hebrew word dren. However, another row, headed by midbar means both wilderness and one of Washington’s brothers, had sevword. Why? Recall that it was at a deseral listed underneath it. When I spied olate mountain named Sinai that the the name Larry Washington on the sevIsraelites received the Revelation. enth line, I realized I’d be sharing dinIn conjunction with this linguistic ner with George’s sixth great nephew. insight, a well-known Midrash states Indeed, with his fair complexion that a person who does not make himand rounded face, Larry did share a self hefker (ownerless), like the desert Washington family resemblance. But, wilderness, cannot acquire Torah. In due to his humility, I never knew of his other words, the wilderness serves as considerable yichus until that moment. a necessary crucible for personal truth After meeting Beth, he convertand growth. ed and became an avid student of all That the wilderness is ownerless things Jewish, including teaching reexcited Larry because he could make ligious school. Beth subsequently left a claim on it through his willingness to a position in the business world to beexplore, gain knowledge and then apcome a rabbi. ply what he’d learned. Like the desert At the vanguard of the development wilderness, he himself became ownerof computer science, Larry worked on less by shedding preconceived notions, sophisticated sonar systems for nuclear hearsay and propagated uncertainties submarines. While he would answer about what entering it would bring. some questions I posed about it, he In reality, all of us face aspects of was pretty tight-lipped because of the the wilderness on a fairly regular basis. top secret nature of his assignments. We wake each morning not knowing According to Larry’s daughter, when what our fate will be for that day. Our they together saw the film The Hunt personal and professional lives find us for Red October, Larry whispered for confronting many terra incognita chalher to look closely at a certain piece lenges. The more we try to avoid or of equipment that appeared in a scene. hide from them, the more anxiety and “See that?” he pointed at the screen. “I turmoil they engender. did that.” The young teenager let out an Dealing with these situations reaudible gasp as she had no idea what quires an openness to their possibility his job entailed. for demonstrating our resourcefulness, Recently, I traveled to Columbus, resilience and savoir faire. Of course, Georgia, for the sad privilege of ofthis isn’t easy. We have to overcome ficiating at Larry’s funeral at the confears of the unfamiliar and rely on our gregation Beth leads. Like her, Larry instincts and intuition.
of deaths that occurred. What are we to do in the face of these worldwide attacks on houses of worship that create heartache and leave cities, states and countries mourning, weeping, and scared of what will happen next? Anti-Semitism is on the rise throughout the world. Hatred of those defined as “different” has risen to panic levels. In the face of this, it is best that we, as a nation, listen to the words of Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who in the face of the tragedy that befell his congregation in Poway, said, “The Constitution of the United States guarantees freedom of religion for all faiths. We are so grateful to live in this country that protects our rights to live openly and proudly as Jews. We will not be
intimidated or deterred by this terror.” Every church, mosque and synagogue will remain open, will worship as they choose and will teach their faith openly. Terrorists will not win the day. Belief in the God to whom each faith prays will prevail. Hatred will be defeated. We will go forward, armed with trust in one another and in the ideals that strengthen us. No, hatred will not prevail! We will not give in to terror. Trust in one another will lead us to continue to lift our heads in prayer as we live our lives and live our faith. Rabbi Howard A. Simon is the founding chair of the Robert and Esther Heller Community Relations Committee, formerly known as the Heller IAI.
A Jewish Washington and the wilderness
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But when a venture into the wilderness is made, support and guidance often arise which otherwise would not have been possible. “A whole stream of events issues from the decision,” prominent Scottish writer W.H. Murray wrote, “raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.” In becoming increasingly comfortable entering the various wildernesses
we inevitably face in life, we recognize how these experiences serve to evince our authenticity in numerous and fulfilling dimensions. Larry Washington represents a powerful example not of the wilderness’s foreboding but its sublime potential for meaning. Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz serves as a Community Chaplain and Director of JFCS’s Jewish Healing Program, a partnership between The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and JFCS of the Suncoast.
I B L E RAL YESHIVA a t o s a r a s PRESENTS AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2019 COURSES
JEWS IN CINEMA MONDAYS 3:15 PM – 4:30 PM Starting August 5 (Eight Weeks) Cinema is an industry started and dominated by creative and artistic Jews. How did it all begin? Who were the pioneers? It would not surprise anyone that the first talking movie was Jewish in theme: a cantor’s son who wants to go into show business. Al Jolson and a whole cadre of Jewish actors, many who changed their names, went on to great fame. The Jewish impact on the cinema is still present in our day. This course will explore the fascinating history of cinema. Instructor: Marden Paru; $70.
JEWISH HISTORY OF ITALY TUESDAYS 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM Starting August 6 (Eight Weeks) When did the first Jews arrive in Italy and what was the condition that brought them there? There is an illustrious history regarding their arrival to Italian shores. Did they stay? Many did, but we will also study the continued migration into western and eastern Europe including expelled Sephardim from Spain. Yet, a Romani Jewish community stayed put and survived ghettoes and harsh treatment by Roman clergy and despots. This course will also assess the contributions of notable Italian-Jewish scholars and their legacy. Instructor: Marden Paru; fee $70.
BRANDEIS TO GINSBURG AND WOMENS RIGHTS FRIDAYS 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM Starting August 9 (Eight weeks) There is a remarkable trail—from Justice Louis D. Brandeis to Ruth Bader Ginsburg—which pursued the rights of women in the United States. How was their fame and success impacted by their Jewish upbringing and values? What has changed since the beginning of the 20th Century that is directly attributed to their legal positions as members of SCOTUS. Look at how far we have come! In the Torah it states: Justice, justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20). One of the most exemplary implementation of this injunction is the legal legacy left by Brandeis and Ginsburg. You’re invited to join in the study of these two legal minds and their achievements. Instructor: Marden Paru; fee $70.
Inquire about multi-course discounts. Scholarships are also available.
Classes are held at The Jewish Federation on The Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. To register or seek more information, please contact Marden Paru, Dean and Rosh Yeshiva at 941.379.5655 or marden.paru@gmail.com. Please make checks payable to the Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva and mail to Marden Paru, 5445 Pamela Wood Way #160, Sarasota, FL 34233. NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs. The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva is a 501(c)3 non-profit agency. It is funded, in part, by a grant from The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
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July 2019
FOCUS ON YOUTH
Making the world a safe place for our children
Education Corner
A
By Chanie Bukiet
s parents and educators, the upsurge of synagogue shootings, as well as shootings at schools and other places of worship, and the rise in anti-Semitism hits too close to home. One of our biggest concerns as parents is to keep our children safe and secure, yet there seems to be an escalation of violence and evil in the world that is truly frightening. How do we keep our children safe? Moreover, how do we educate our children to be responsible, caring
and loving? How can we teach the next generation to be selfless, peace loving, good people? The Lubavitcher Rebbe, OBM, towering Jewish leader of the 20th century, addressed this issue in the early 1980s. The Rebbe believed that the only healthy and true foundation for a child’s education is to know that G-d Himself created this world, and He is aware of, and directs everything that occurs in this world. And that G-d wants this world to be governed by righteousness, morality, kindness and justice – light, purity and holiness. The Rebbe cited the example of Germany. Germany was a highly intelligent nation, including the study of morals and ethics, the study of philosophy, and the ethical values derived from philosophy. It was the most advanced academically. But this led to the most shocking actions against humanity, evils which no one ever believed human beings to be capable of – certainly not an ethical society that preached ethics, as it did,
to the entire world. This happened because it pursued wisdom without its foundation. King David writes in Psalm 111 that, “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of G-d.” True wisdom begins with the fear of G-d and the acknowledgment that there is a Supreme Being of Absolute Truth. It is up to each and every one of us to ensure that we live in a civilized world. We can do this by teaching our children from a very young age, obviously catered to his or her individual needs, to begin each day by acknowledging G-d. Our children must know that there is an “eye that sees and ear that hears” everything that they do and that they are held accountable. The Lubavitcher Rebbe was a big proponent of the moment of silence in schools as a means to foster G-d awareness for children. During this moment of silence, students may think or do as they wish, as long as they stay seated quietly. For some, it will be a chance to contemplate on whatever their parents have instructed them, while for others
Temple Emanu-El celebrates Confirmation ceremony and students
T
he sanctuary of Temple EmanuEl – like the hearts of all present – was filled with pride and love as 10 wonderful students participated in a beautiful service of Confirmation on Friday, May 17. Formally accepting the Torah and vowing to live a life devoted to God, Judaism, the Jewish people and deeds of lovingkindness were Abigail Alcock, Katelin Alcock, Jacob Carnes, Kaila Cohen, Owen Eiseman, Sam Herz-Midler, Russell Kramer, Noah Kunkel, Lucas Nahon and Lucas Podolsky. The Confirmands also partici-
pated in the service by reading prayers, beautifully chanting Torah and delivering inspiring sermons. “For three years, these students have been preparing for this ceremony of Confirmation,” Temple Emanu-El Senior Rabbi Brenner Glickman stated. “Up to now, they have not chosen to be Jewish. Their parents made that decision for them and set them on a course. But now, as young adults of sound mind, they get to confirm that click here decision. “Our ancestors first made this choice when they stood at the base of
CALLING ALL TEENS s e r u t n Leadership adve e yours! can b STEP AND TEEN TRAVEL OPEN HOUSE August 22, 2019 • 7:00 PM
Zell Room on The Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life 580 McIntosh Rd, Sarasota, FL
Sarasota and Manatee High School Students—
Come find out what the Shapiro Teen Engagement Program (STEP) is all about and how you can receive scholarships to go to Israel, Washington D.C., and more! — This event is free and dessert will be served — For more information, contact Andrea EIffert at: 941.552.6308 or Aeiffert@jfedsrq.org.
To register,visit jfedsrq.org/events
Mount Sinai,” he added. “In a way, we all make that choice again each day we continue to live our lives as Jews, and every time we fulfill a mitzvah.” The Confirmands also received shofars and mezuzot from Temple Emanu-El, and donated a new challah board to the temple and a Cuisinart to
this will be seen as an opportunity to pray. Instituting a moment of silence in our public schools teaches a student to first think of what is beneficial for others, and only then, what is good for himself or herself. A student then learns to choose what is best for the world, and the result will be that he or she will grow up to make good choices. We can also institute daily prayer in our homes if we do not do so already. We can discuss with our children how G-d is watching us and holding us accountable for our actions. Holding these discussions fosters a suitable environment for a child to mature into a kind, responsible and caring adult. Let us all work together in educating those around us, especially the next generation, about G-d-driven morality and decency to make the world a better and safer place for generations to come. Chanie Bukiet is the program director at Chabad of Bradenton & Lakewood Ranch.
the religious school as their gift to the congregation. Temple Emanu-El’s Confirmation class will begin again this fall for postB’nai Mitzvah students. For more information about Confirmation and enrollment and scholarship opportunities, please call 941.378.5567.
Temple Emanu-El’s Confirmands with Director of Education Sabrina Silverberg, MARE, Senior Rabbi Brenner Glickman and Associate Rabbi Michael Shefrin
Sarasota BBYO happenings
This program is Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee By Jessica Zimmerman, Associate Regional Director
I
n May, Sarasota BBYO elected two new AZA and BBG boards. Mazel tov to the new boards: BBG Board: Bianca Gruber: N’siah Dani Rudd: S’ganit Ava Einstein: Morah Jayme Rudd: Mazkirah AZA Board: Josh Cappelli: S’gan Michael Lunin: Gizbor This summer, while BBYO teens are away at leadership summer camps or traveling the world with BBYO Passport, we will be on hiatus in terms of local programming until early August when school is back in session.
We look forward to welcoming the community to Sarasota BBYO programming at that time. If you are interested in being added to our email list to receive information about middle and high school programs, please email me at jesszimmerman@bbyo.org. We continue the search for two advisors for our girls’ and boys’ chapters. Advising is a volunteer position and asks anywhere from six to ten hours of your time per month. Be in touch if you are interested. Your friends at Sarasota BBYO wish you a lovely summer.
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FOCUS ON YOUTH
July 2019
33
Community Day School students enjoy Common Table lunches with women’s group
y to
F
ce in or the fourth year, members of dent the Women’s Interfaith Network l for (WIN) held a Common Table goodprogram at the Hershorin Schiff Comthenmunity Day School. A small group of the7th and 8th grade girls spoke and broke he orbread with the diverse group of women ices.so they could get to know one another. ayerOver the course of the program, they eady.found they had much in common. how WIN is a group in its 11th year, with s ac-more than 140 women of all ages, racdinges, beliefs, cultures, faiths and abilities. e en-The group works to eradicate stereonto atypes and prejudice in order to promote our common humanity and build ucat-a peaceful world. next The Common Table lunches proality betns to
vided a forum for open and honest discussion regarding today’s issues, with topics including immigration, bullying, heroes, race and homelessness. There were 10 Common Table events at the school this past school year. “We could not be more pleased with the evolution of the Common Table program at Community Day School,” said WIN founder Arlene Pearlman. “We learn as much from the students as they learn from us because they live in a time we could never have imagined, just as they can’t imagine our lives decades ago.” “Studies have proven that students in diverse learning environments are much more likely to understand issues
Temple Beth Sholom youth groups update
ector wood
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s our membership year draws to a close, our youth groups have been reflecting on this past year. They have been on many adventures, explored a myriad of topics through out-of-the-box learning, and practiced tikkun olam as well. A few of this year’s activities included: tapping into their creative side during “Paint Twister,” going to Smuggler’s Cove mini golf, and enjoying some friendly competition during bowling. They delved into the meaning and symbols of Passover through a chocolate Seder,
and impacts of social injustice, and display lower levels of prejudice throughout their lifetime,” said Community Day Head of School Dan Ceaser. “We
are so grateful to the Women’s Interfaith Network for enabling our students to spend time with its diverse members.”
(Front row) Nazia Abid, Alice D’Souza, Arlene Perlman, Sue Tharp, (back row) Natalie Ceaser, Meghan Cox, Maya Werbow, Robin Sweeting, Gail Coppock, Ava Gekht, Sophia Hyrniewicz, Anjali Seshadri (not pictured: Lillian Lincon Lambert)
Where GARDENS and YOUNG MINDS grow!
and learned to make slime while eating kosher tacos! Our youth groups also helped prepare the synagogue during the High Holidays, and packed and distributed Hunger Drive Bags. As our students plan for this coming year, we are immensely excited to see what they create. Whether or not you are a Temple Beth Sholom or youth group member, all youths are welcome at all of our Chalutzim, Kadima or USY events!
Call (941) 552-2770 or email admissions@communityday.org to schedule a tour.
• Preschool - 8th grade • Rigorous, project-based curriculum • Individualized instruction • Competitive athletics • Multiple foreign languages • Fine arts programs daily • Intensive outdoor learning and play • Variable Tuition Model – affordable for every family • Accredited by FCIS, FKC & PRIZMAH
Hershorin Schiff Community Day School 1050 S. Tuttle Ave. Sarasota | (941) 552-2770
www.CommunityDay.org
2018-2019 USY Board: Alex Hanan, Sadie Vitkus, Melanie Green, Michela Hazan, Jordyn Saltzberg
READ—SING—DANCE—GATHER—GROW
Alivia Graber, Ashton Graber, Lev Werbow, Mirav Stekel and Paul Alan Daniel show off some of their sweets during the Youth Chocolate Seder
Chabad Kaplan Preschool
PJ Library® has partnered with The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee to provide families raising Jewish children with the gift of free, high-quality children’s books, music, and resources that foster deeper engagement with Jewish life in our community.
Join one of our PJ programs below to start enhancing your family’s Jewish journey.
Children Ages 6 mo. thru 8 years
Learn • Grow • Play Sign-up at
JFEDSRQ.org/PJ
Children Ages 8 thru 11 years
• Ages 2.5 - 5 years • Caring & Professional Staff • Weekly Music & Yoga • Judaic and Secular Curriculum • Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm • Option For Extended Day Until 5:30 pm • Home–Away–From–Home For Your Child
For Further Info Call: 925-0770
Sign-up at
pjourway.org
For more information, contact Andrea Eiffert aeiffert@jfedsrq.org 941.552.6308 PJ Library Sarasota-Manatee is generously funded in part by Edie and David Chaifetz.
34
July 2019
FOCUS ON YOUTH
Temple Sinai youth group’s Annual Mitzvah Project concludes By Gail Glickman
T
emple Sinai concluded the religious school and youth group’s Annual Mitzvah Project, Satchel’s Last Resort, on April 28. Deb Bryan, Youth Group Director, said it was awesome! This was the third collaboration of the year between the religious school and youth group. Satchel’s Last Resort is an animal shelter/sanctuary whose mission is to rescue, rehab and rehome dogs and cats. The purpose of the project was to foster empathy, teach respect and learn what the Torah teaches about our pets. The kids worked on dog toys and several baked dog treats to donate to
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
SCHOLARSHIPS
Satchel’s Last Resort. Deb delivered donations earlier in the year, and another large donation was made at this event. Representatives of Satchel’s, including its co-founder, spoke about the organization and did a wonderful job with the kids. Rabbi Michael Werbow of Temple Beth Sholom presented Torah Talk, reflecting on what the Torah teaches us about caring for animals. The students discussed how it all ties together and relates to the Torah. This was one of the most important takeaways for the kids. Included in the discussions were considerations before adopting a pet. The youngsters were
advised to ask themselves what a pet would want, to think from the animal’s perspective and to always be a responsible pet owner. The concluding event made the entire project more meaningful and more tangible for the Religious School and youth group students. The members of Satchel’s loved being in our synagogue and sent a gracious email with thanks and recognition of our “great kids.” Bethany Leinweber, Jack Silver, Liza Collier, Eli Winters, Alix Leinweber and TJ Prada show off freshly-made dog treats
2019 Rabbi Michael Werbow of Temple Beth Sholom with his students
Need-based Scholarship Assistance
for Sarasota and Manatee County Students Let us help make religious school a reality for your child. In the past four years, The Jewish Federation has funded more than $221,390 to assist 573 children to attend religious schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Call us to learn how your child can benefit from attending a Jewish religious school.
APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 — NO EXCEPTIONS Apply Online at JFEDSRQ.org/religious-school QUESTIONS? Contact Jeremy Lisitza
at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2113
Ambassador Walter loves our great kids: Madeline Gersh, Ava Lenerz, Phoebe Winters, Daniella Band and Dylan Weitzner
“FOCUS ON YOUTH” PHOTOS OF THE MONTH
Temple Emanu-El kids Brooks Protigal, Woodrow Bryant and Oliver Daniel showed their Mitzvah Day spirit at the day of hands-on community service on Sunday, May 5
The Lipton family made toys to be donated to dogs and cats at local animal shelters during Temple Emanu-El’s Mitzvah Day on Sunday, May 5
FAMILY jfedsrq.org
THE STRENGTH OF A PEOPLE. THE POWER OF COMMUNITY.
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July 2019
LIFE CYCLE ANNIVERSARIES 55 Dr. Karen & Mr. Jerry Weiner Temple Sinai 50th Edwin & Celia Nachlas Temple Beth Sholom 50th Sheila & Warren Wolheim Temple Sinai th
TY.
30th Steve & Amy Weinberger Temple Emanu-El 20th Emilie Weil & Alan Frost Temple Emanu-El 10th Shaun & Gina Benderson Temple Emanu-El
IN MEMORIAM Stuart Alexander, 80, of Sarasota, April 29 Cantor Richard Berlin, of Venice, formerly of Pittsburgh, PA, May 1 Philip A. Cuny, of Sarasota, May 6 Jasmine Bloom Fraser, 26, of Palmetto, FL, May 5 Diane Halpern, 88, of Sarasota, formerly of Cleveland, OH, April 25 Carole Grace Kenyon, 81, of Sarasota, formerly of Belle Mead, NJ, April 29 Dr. Bernard Levine, 94, of Sarasota, formerly of Floral Park, NY, May 4 Dr. Guillermo Oynick, 64, of Sarasota, May 27 Mark C. Richmond, 63, of Sarasota, May 29 Dr. Jehuda Steinbach, 81, of Sarasota, May 21 Paul M. Wallis, 98, of Sarasota, formerly of Wilton, CT, April 23 Stanford L. Weiss, 92, of Sarasota, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, PA, May 3
Please submit your life cycle events to jewishnews@jfedsrq.org Celebrating Jewish Lives As our liaison to the Jewish community, Rabbi Howard A. Simon provides guidance and outreach keeping with the traditions and customs of Judaism.
stay connected @ www.jfedsrq.org
ToaleBrothers.com • 941.955.4171
Sarasota-Manatee Chevra Kadisha FUNERAL SERVICES
TAHARA
The Area’s ONLY Jewish Owned & Operated Funeral Home
men 941.484.2790 941.224.0778 women 941.377.4647
Specializing in local burial, out-of-state transfers, and burial in Israel
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ROBERT TOALE & SONS,
Welcome to the Dignity Memorial® family. is pleased to welcome Robert Toale, Debbie Toale and their sons, Jason and Jeff, to our family of firms in Sarasota and Manatee County. As proud members of North America’s largest network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers, the Toale family will continue their commitment to serving families with personal, compassionate care.
THE DIGNITY MEMORIAL NETWORK
Please RECYCLE this newspaper!
In honor of the Toales and in recognition of their longstanding dedication to the Sarasota and Bradenton area communities, three local funeral homes will be renamed to reflect this change in leadership, and two of the funeral homes will undergo renovations to better serve our community with beautiful new facilities and enhanced capabilities. Rely on the Toale family and your local Dignity Memorial professionals to help you and your loved ones celebrate each life like no other.
For more information, call or visit today.
You can also read The Jewish News online at www.jfedsrq.org.
DignityMemorial.com
ROBERT TOALE & SONS
ROBERT TOALE & SONS
ROBERT TOALE & SONS
FUNERAL HOME AT PALMS MEMORIAL PARK SARASOTA
FUNERAL HOME AT MANASOTA MEMORIAL PARK BRADENTON
FUNERAL HOME – WIEGAND CHAPEL SARASOTA
941-371-4962
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July 2019
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Whatever you cherish most about our Federation… community building, Israel advocacy, cultural programs, Holocaust education, caring for those in need or social justice...by leaving a legacy you ensure that what you value most is sustained for future generations.
Please consider making a legacy gift in your will, trust, retirement account or life insurance policy to The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
To discuss creating your Jewish legacy, contact:
Ilene Fox 941.343.2111 | ifox@jfedrsq.org | JFEDSRQ.org/Legacy
NOW AVAILABLE AT OVER 80 LOCATIONS! SARASOTA
• 1217 East Ave Medical Plaza • 1219 East Ave Medical Plaza • Aviva Independent Living • Aviva Memory Care • Bayfront Park • Brookdale Waterside Retirement • Brother Geenen Way (across from Sarasota Ford) • Chabad of Sarasota • Davidson Drugs • Desoto Beach Club • Desoto Palms • Einstein/Caribou Café • Friendship Centers • Fruitville Library • Gulf Gate Library • Integraclick • Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) • Landings Racquet Clubhouse • Main Street (across from Hollywood 11) • Medical Arts Building • Midtown Plaza • Morton’s Gourmet Bakery • Nellie’s Deli • Overture Grand Oaks • Poet’s Walk
SARASOTA
• Publix at the Landings Plaza • Ringling Post Office • Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Outpatient • Sarasota Visitors Center • Selby Public Library • Silverstein Institute, 2nd floor • Temple Beth Sholom • Temple Emanu-El • Temple Sinai • The Jewish Federation Campus • The Meadows
VENICE
• Chabad of Venice & North Port • Friendship Centers • Jacaranda Public Library • Jewish Congregation of Venice • Venice Community Center • Venice Public Library
LAKEWOOD RANCH/BRADENTON • Bradenton Chamber of Commerce • Bradenton Library • Bradenton Post Office • Cyprus Springs Retirement
LAKEWOOD RANCH/BRADENTON
LAKEWOOD RANCH/BRADENTON
• University Park Office • Inspired Living at Lakewood Ranch • Wildwood Professional Park • Integrative Medicine • Women & Children’s Center • Intercoastal Medical Group • John Cannon Homes BEACHES • Lakeridge Falls Clubhouse • Bird Key Park • Lakewood Ranch Chamber of Commerce • Longboat Key • Lakewood Ranch Pharmacy - Longboat Key Education Center • Legacy Golf Club - Temple Beth Israel • Palm Aire Clubhouse • St. Armand’s Circle • Palmetto Library - Fillmore Drive • Parkway Cleaners - Adams Drive & John Ringling • Publix at LWR Shopping Center - Madison Drive & Blvd. of the Presidents • Siesta Key • Publix University PKWY Plaza - Morton’s Siesta Market, 205 Canal Rd. • San Marco Plaza - Davidson’s Drugs, Siesta Key Village • SMR Corporate Park - Davidson’s Drugs, South Siesta Key • Temple Beth El Bradenton • The Family Jeweler • The Sheridan at Lakewood Ranch 19 • The Windsor 6-17, 20 MARCH L GUESTS IA EC SP D JF F19 S AN • Town Center Parkway SR Q.OR G/ NDING FILM VI SI T JF ED 18+ OUTSTA tion 1 OR Op , 53 th e W or ld 8.718.42 - Bank of America Is ra el an d S CA LL 88 Co un ti es , FOR TICKET ee at an M ta an d - FCCI Insurance in Sa ra so JeNwNisEhWLiSfe ish RAinTgIO Eat leDbr Ce FE The Jew on - Northern Trust Bank ti a r e d Fe • University Cleaners by Publix
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