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Met stages vile show as protesters rail Commentary by Seth Lipsky The thing I kept thinking about at the opening night of “The Death of Klinghofferâ€? is that it’s not the ďŹ rst time that the Metropolitan Opera has put on its boards a drama about the murder of a Jew — or Jews. There is, after all, Nabucco, Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece about the conquest of Jerusalem and the exile of the Jews. It features Va, Pensiero, known as the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves — a profoundly sympathetic melodic evocation of Jewish longing. “Klinghoffer,â€? John Adams’ opera about the hijacking of the Achille Lauro, turns out to be a different story. This had already been ďŹ gured out by the Jewish leadership in New York. They have for months been protesting plans to mount this production. The protest Monday, across the street from Lincoln Center, included an ideological cross section of politicians, such as Mayor Giuliani, Representatives Peter King and Carolyn Maloney, Ronald Lauder of the World Jewish Congress, and a former governor of New York State, David Paterson. Jewish protests had already won cancellation of the Met’s plan to broadcast “Klinghofferâ€? globally, but the Met insisted on going ahead with the stage production, using the slogan: “See it. Then Decide.â€? I tried to get several friends to join me for opening night, but one after another they demurred. No one in my circle wanted to see a celebration of

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a Jew being murdered as he sat in a wheelchair. I, however, am besotted with the newspaperman’s vice, even if my heart is with the protesters. Before the opera, I spent two hours with the several hundred gathered in Dante Park across from the Lincoln Center. In front of the Opera’s own plaza, across Ninth Avenue (and

the police lines), a line of more protesters sat in wheelchairs. Their backs were to the Met’s vast windows, through which shone the magniďŹ cent murals by Marc Chagall, the same artist who did the paintings in the Knesset. When, in 1896, the German antiSemite Hermann Ahlwardt came to New Continued on page 4

Everywhere, diaspora Jews are targets Commentary by Ben Cohen The opera “The Death of Klinghofferâ€? opened at the Met. Rightly castigated for its invocation of unpleasant Jewish stereotypes and its apologia for the Palestinian terrorists’ murder of an elderly Jewish tourist in a wheelchair, its staging for the umpteenth time since it was ďŹ rst produced at the Brook-

lyn Academy of Music in 1991 has been interpreted by some in the Jewish community as signaling a “normalization� of anti-Semitism. Indeed, this was the focus of a panel last week, organized by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) in New York, in which I was privileged to participate. Inevitably, our exchange wasn’t re-

stricted to the content of “Klinghoffer,â€? but spanned a range of issues from the perilous situation in the Middle East, presently caught in the pincers of Islamic State atrocities and rising Iranian power, to the explosion of antiSemitic violence in Europe over the summer. Reecting on what was said at the Continued on page 4

Jewish GOP rallies to Blakeman’s side By The Jewish Star Staff The Republican candidate for the 4th Congressional District seat of retiring Democrat Carolyn McCarthy drew 200 voters to the Lawrence Yacht and Country Club on Monday night. Former White House press secretary %UXFH %ODNHPDQ VSHDNV DW 0RQGD\ QLJKWœV IRUXP ZLWK 5-& Ari Fleischer — with relatives in the Five ([HF 'LU 0DWW %URRNV DQG $UL )OHLVFKHU -HZLVK 6WDU SKRWR Towns — brought star power to a forum

event meant to hearten Bruce Blakeman’s chances against the better-known Democratic contender, Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice. Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, served as moderator. Fleischer conceded that Jewish Republicans continued to be greatly out-

numbered by their Democratic bretheren, but said the gap was decreating. Blakeman said he and Rice did not share a common vision for Israel. “I don’t believe Israel should give up land for peace,� Blakeman said, adding that he would not simply speak up for Israel but would be a vigorous advocate. The RJC embraces “a true unadulterated pro-Israel foreign policy,� said board member Eliot Lauer, a local resident, “We defend Israel without appology and without doublespeak. We support the government of Israel, the people of Israel and the land of Israel. There is no equivocation.� Israel wasn’t the only topic discussed. Blakeman spoke strongly of his support of lower taxes and for fracking in New York. In response to a question, Blakeman and Fleischer said it would be unwise to seek the impeachment of President Obama.

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Diaspora Jews are targets worldwide Continued from page 1 panel, it’s clear to me that the issues which animate our side of the debate are utterly removed from the concerns of the opera’s defenders. Our awareness that the source of the savage attacks on Israel is the same genocidal ideology that has caused such appalling suffering to Christians, Kurds, and Yazidis forces us to confront

how anti-Semitism is an integral element of the global assault on human rights. By contrast, for the other side, there’s only one issue that matters, only one obsession that imposes itself on all of us: “Palestine” and the Palestinians. It’s an obsession that manifests itself far beyond the hallowed halls of the Met Opera. Look at the House of Commons, Britain’s

Met stages vile show… Continued from page 1 York, the police commissioner at the time, Theodore Roosevelt, assigned him a bodyguard of officers — all of them Jewish. No such jolly gestures were made in the lobby of the Met, though scores of cops were there along with an opening night crowd sipping flutes of champagne. The house was all but filled, and the audience greeted the conductor with a robust ovation. It happens that I have a high tolerance — even love for — art and literature, and I have tried to learn the tricks it can play. An early lesson was the most famous anti-Semitic drama, Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.” I thrilled to it the first time I read it as a young student, only to be startled by the teacher whom I’d approached after class to say: “But isn’t Shylock the hero?” The teacher glared at me in a way that suggested I was not cut out for education, an opinion widely shared. The truth is that I often look at things through the wrong end of the telescope. Throughout “Klinghoffer” I kept trying to figure out if John Adams’ dirge was susceptible to some positive interpretation. The character of Klinghoffer does at one point make what might be called the only manly speech in the whole spectacle (he rises from his wheel chair and de-

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parliament, which voted overwhelmingly in favor of recognition of a Palestinian state after a debate that kept the honorable members up until the wee hours. I doubt that they would have paid the same courtesy to the Yazidis, 10,000 of whom remain stranded on Iraq’s Mount Sinjar, surrounded on all sides by Islamic State terrorists and without food, clothing, or proper shelter. Similarly, not a single British parliamentarian issued a word of condemnation of Turkey’s bombing of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) positions in Iraq, despite the enormous contribution this socialist organization has made to the war against Islamic State barbarism. Much the same can be said of the U.S. State Department and the White House, both of which go apoplectic whenever Israel builds so much as a bathroom extension in eastern Jerusalem, but are largely silent in the face of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s atrocities. It seems as if our declining western civilization can summon the courage to speak loudly on foreign policy only if the policy question involves our ally, Israel, supposedly punishing innocent Palestinians. But is this anti-Semitism? In my view, yes, it is. At the ISGAP panel, I made the point that what attracts the western intelligentsia to the Palestinian cause is the same dramatic point upon which “Klinghoffer” hangs. It used to be said by the anti-Semites that the “Jews are our misfortune.” Now that has been twisted—the Jews are the cause of their own misfortune as well. Since they “dispossessed” the Palestinians—I’m not quoting the historical record of the 1948 War of Independence here, but one of its tenuous, yet dominant, interpretations—the Jews bring misery on themselves. Klinghoffer was killed because he was seen as a representative of a people whose state was created at the expense of another. Similarly, the Jews attacked in Paris, Malmo, Manchester, and other cities in the last few months were targeted for the same

reason. In other words, the purported victims aren’t actually innocent, and that’s as sexy a theme for a dramatist as it is for a Palestine solidarity activist burning with hatred for the Jewish state. Here’s my overriding point, though, and it’s a sad one to make in the midst of the Jewish festivals that come with the celebration of the Jewish New Year: We can expect much more of the same in the coming months. In January, for example, we will mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. I confidently predict that Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms will be awash with comparisons between Gaza and the death camp crafted by the Nazis, as well as missives from the less subtle Israel-haters complaining that we’re weeping over dead Jews when we should be helping live Palestinians (and nobody else). Diaspora Jews are, when all is said and done, a soft target, and increasingly the “Palestine” solidarity movement understands this. A recent article for Middle East Monitor, a pro-Hamas website, made the point that because the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement can’t hope to eliminate the vibrant, multi-billion dollar trade between the west and Israel, its energies would be better spent on confronting the shadowy “Israel Lobby,” the real power behind the Middle East policies of western governments—far more influential than, I don’t know, the Qataris, who these days own half of London and Paris yet somehow have no voice in policy formation! What does this really mean? It means pick on the Jews, stop them lobbying for Israel, stop them even identifying with Israel. It’s a reflection of the attitude that led, after Israel’s creation, Arab regimes too cowardly and incompetent to win on the battlefield to turn on their defenseless Jewish populations. And it’s the direction that the Palestine solidarity movement, as well as its Arab and Islamist backers, is heading down. We must be prepared. Ben Cohen is Shillman Analyst for JNS.org and author of “Some Of My Best Friends: Journey Through Twenty-First Century Antisemitism.”

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nounces the terrorists). At the end of the day, though, “Klinghoffer” is about watching a Jew get shot to death in the back of the head. Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer’s brave daughters, Lisa and Ilsa, were right to denounce the Met’s staging of the murder. It’s an orgy of violence pornography at the expense of their father and the Jews. It is bizarre to sit in an opera house in the middle of the city with the world’s second largest Jewish population and hear its performance greeted with a long ovation while the conductor and cast take their bows. There is no doubt that some of history’s greatest artists hated the Jews. My own favorite of the ilk is Degas. But Degas did not use his brushes to vent his anti-Jewish sentiments. He made glorious, beautiful paintings. I thought of that as I exited the Met. Walking toward the subway with the crowd, I stopped to chat with two ladies I’d overheard expressing their disappointment. “There was no…” one of them said and paused. “Va Pensiero,” I offered. She nodded. “Well,” she added, “there hasn’t been a Verdi since Verdi.” Seth Lipsky is editor of the New York Sun at NYSun.com. A version of this article appeared at Haaretz.com.

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Murder at the Met

Rambam again protests Rambam Mesivta For the second time in a month students from Rambam Mesivta expressed their outrage over the decision of the Metropolitan Opera to host the show entitled “The Death of Klinghoffer.â€? Last month, Rambam, as one of the organizers of the rally which drew the support of former Gov. George Pataki, former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, and other dignitaries, brought its entire student population to protest the decision of Peter Gelb, director of the Metropolitan Opera, to stage the notorious opera. The entire student body of Shalhevet High School for girls joined as well in what was a combined show of force of 300 students. As such, Rambam and Shalhevet were the largest group present. On Monday, the night the infamous opera had its debut, Rambam students were again outside Lincoln Center, voicing their protests to Metropolitan Opera ofďŹ cials and the opera-goers for allowing an anti-Semitic

performance to take place in the cultural heart of New York City. Former Mayor Giuliani was on hand to express his disgust over what was taking place inside Lincoln Center. Many speakers called for a cessation of public funding to Lincoln Center because of its decision to “let the show go on.� The rallies received extensive media coverage and were the subject of many editorials in local and national newspapers, according to Rambam Rosh Mesivta, Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, one of the rally’s organizers. “It’s extremely important to teach our students to be leaders on behalf of the Jewish people and to speak out against any form of anti-Semitism, especially those dangerous expressions which masquerade as art,� Rabbi Friedman said. “We are proud that our students rose to the occasion, were involved in helping plan and strategize the events, and truly understood the inner workings of what needs to be done to speak out on behalf of Klal Yisrael.�

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‘Armenian Orphan Rug’ is O’s latest stumble over genocide RAFAEL MEDOFF

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fter nearly a year of protests, the Obama administration has ďŹ nally agreed to permit a rug connected to the Armenian genocide to be publicly displayed. The long ordeal of the Armenian Orphan Rug, held hostage to fears of angering Turkey, has ďŹ nally ended. Or has it? The controversy began in the autumn of 2013, when the Smithsonian Institution announced it would hold an event featuring a new book, “President Calvin Coolidge and the Armenian Orphan Rug,â€? by Hagop Martin Deranian. The 18-foot long rug was woven in 1925 by 400 Armenian orphan girls living in exile in Lebanon. They were survivors of the Turkish slaughter of approximately 1 million Ar-

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menians. The girls sent the rug to President Calvin Coolidge as a gesture of appreciation for America’s assistance to survivors of the genocide. Coolidge pledged that it would have “a place of honor in the White House, where it will be a daily symbol of goodwill on earth.� Instead, it has become a daily symbol of politics taking precedence over combating genocide. The White House refused to loan the rug to the Smithsonian. Neither the White House nor the State Department would give an explanation as to why they were keeping the rug locked up. The only plausible explanation is pressure from the Turkish government, which to this day denies the genocide occurred. As a presidential candidate in 2008, thenSenator Obama said, “America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian genocide.� Yet the statements that President Obama has issued each April on Armenian Remembrance Day have never included the G-word. Instead, he has used an ArmeContinued on page 20

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Tell us about your events: Calendar@TheJewishStar.com Contributing writers: Rabbi Avi Billet, Jeff Dunetz, Rabbi Binny Freedman, Alan Jay Gerber, Judy Joszef. Editorial Designers: Stacey Simmons, Matthew Stammel. Photo Editor: Christina Daly Kashrut: The Jewish Star is not responsible for the kashrut of any product or establishment featured in the Jewish Star. Submissions: All submissions become the property of The Jewish Star and may be edited and used by the Publisher, its licensees and afďŹ liates, in print, on the web, or in any media in any form, including derivative works, without additional authorization or compensation, throughout the world in perpetuity. The individual or entity submitting material afďŹ rms that it holds the copyright or otherwise has the right to authorize its use in accordance with The Jewish Star’s terms for Submissions. Distribution: The Jewish Star is available free in kosher food establishments, stores, synagogues, and street-side news boxes in Nassau County and New York City. To request delivery to your location, or for information about paid subscriptions by mail, write EWeintrob@ TheJewishStar.com.. Subscriptions: One-year by First Class Mail is $150 prepaid. Opinions expressed are those of their authors and do not necessarily represent views of The Jewish Star or its staff. This newspaper contains words of Torah; please dispose of properly. Copyright 2014 The Jewish Star LLC.

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The Comedy Central press. Unfortunately, this is no joke JOE GANDELMAN INDEPENDENT’S EYE

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n what has been a season of jaw-dropping news, the latest bombshell seems like it was ripped from the pages of Mad Magazine. First, the terrorist group ISIS has now unquestionably emerged as a territory-gobbling group offering the same kind of brutal, merciless murder of men, women and children that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis offered during the 20th century. Hitler had a country to back up and implement his ideological and racist blood lust. ISIS doesn’t have a country — yet. Next, another shock: It turns out the Ebola virus isn’t limited to Africa and largely contained. Deadly Ebola dominates the news — and fears — of Americans. Now the news media has a genuinely compelling story, and

partisans have an issue they can use to point to and blame the other side for enabling or bungling. And then came a bit of jaw-dropping news that seemed as if it absolutely MUST be from The Onion, or written by news parody genius Andy Borowitz. NBC was wooing — no joke, not kidding ya, 100 percent for real ‌ really, I’m serious — Comedy Central’s mega-talented Jon Stewart to host “Meet the Press,â€? the longest running show in American television history. They were willing to offer big bucks to do it and, according to the report that revealed the network’s r-e-a-l mindset, had been talking to Stewart’s agent. The revelation, stunning to those who still cherish traditional news values, came in a must-read piece on New York magazines’ “Daily Intelligencerâ€? page. Gabriel Sherman wrote: “One source explained that NBC was prepared to offer Stewart virtually ‘anyContinued on page 20

THIS WEEK PAST: STAR FLASHBACK — An election’s in the air! The Jewish Star leads with “Pataki targets Jewish vote; A whirwind day of heavy campaigning on Long Island’s South Shore,â€? picturing the governor in Cedarhurst Park (signing into law the Workplace Religious Freedom Bill) and on hand at the grand opening of Brach’s Supermarket in Lawrence. — Expanding on a front page story headlined, “Anti-Semitism rears its head in Oceanside; Police investigating two separate crimes,â€? the Star’s editorial ďŹ nds there’s plenty of hate to go around—it’s global, not just local. The editorial reported that at an Asian summit, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reected that “the Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million, but today the Jews rule the world by proxy: They get others to ďŹ ght and die for them.â€? — A Five Towns presidential debate tackled the big question: “Is it good for the Jews?â€? — Combat between the Vaad Hakashrus and Gourmet Glatt owner Mark Bolender was reaching a climax, as the Cederhurst supermarket hired a second kosher supervisor, further irriating the Vaad which had already told Bolender he should sell the business — which he ultimately did. — “New girls’ HS plans debut next Sept.; Midreshet Shalhevet to be third part of Machon HaTorah.â€? — The Jewish Star endorses John McCain for president, in a front page editorial. McCain is “considerably better equipped to react to threats to national security, if for no other reason than because he is more likely to actually see them.â€? — Amid a raging debate over President Obama’s health care proposals, a headline teases, “What G-d really said about health care reform.â€? The article covers a talk in which Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt concluded that “there is no halachic obligation to provide every citizen with equal universal healthcare but there is also no halachic prohibition to provide every citizen with equal universal healthcare.â€? — The Star devoted its cover to coverage of the death of Steven Mayer, “Lost but not forgotten.â€? — “How goodly are your tents,â€? asks the Star, with a front page photo of a sukkah created by Lawrence resident David Stein using Coca Cola crates. A second photo features a trampoline sukkah. — Students from DRS, SKA and Rambam Mesivta met Gilad Shalit during his 10-day visit to the United States. — “Where fogotten Jews lie buried, Touro consecrates sacred groundâ€? adjacent to its Central Islip campus, on the site of a former psychiatric hospital.

ALAN JAY GERBER KOSHER BOOKWORM

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ne of the most charismatic young rabbis in education today is Rabbi Aryeh Cohen, the Mashgiach Ruchani at the DRS High School in Woodmere. Recently Rabbi Cohen assembled in book form (“From The Heart of a Lion,” Penina Press) a series of eloquent and timely essays themed to each parasha in Bereshis, the book of Genesis. The content of each chapter fully lives up to the rabbi’s reputation of combining his analytic learning style with anecdotes relating to life’s experiences. In this week’s parasha, Noach, we find Rabbi Cohen’s gift of relating a personal relationship as a tool to demonstrate respect for authority especially in terms of religious reverence and mentorship. The rabbinical authority in this essay was HaRav Nosson Finkel, zt”l, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, who was in Rabbi Cohen’s words the “foundation of my life as a Jew.” This relationship as described by Rabbi Cohen in the most heartfelt manner will serve as the bulk of this essay demonstrating the author’s style and the greatness of his subject. “From the time I began to attend his weekly Erev Shabbos shmooze in his house while I was still learning in Keren B’Yavneh, I immediately needed to stay close to the Rosh Yeshiva when-

ever possible,” writes Rabbi Cohen. “Eventually, I had the zechus to learn in the Mir for a zeman and further strengthen my kesher. I was constantly asking for advice and learning from the Rosh Yeshiva. It was a relationship that continued after leaving the Yeshiva. … The final time I was zoche to be in the Rosh Yeshiva’s presence was exactly one month before his Petirah [passing] on the 11th of Tishre, 5772, the day after Yom Kippur., and the parting kiss is still felt. So much of who I am today is owed to the Rosh Yeshiva.” This experience with Rav Finkel, of blessed memory, is reflected in the passion of love that permeates throughout the teachings of Rabbi Cohen. Consider the following: “Upon leaving the ark, Noach was seemingly not only overwhelmed by needing to rebuild the world from scratch, but was also doubtful as to how the new generation that would arise would reverse course from the previous and behave in a more dignified way. After living with a generation of wicked individuals which he was unable to influence over many years and attempts, his hope for the next generation of mankind was dimmed.” G-d was to see this otherwise and guided Noach to serve as a partner with G-d in the spiritual reconstruction of the world. Rabbi Cohen goes on to connect this divine relationship with the numerous changes in culinary and dietetic habits and mandates that were to serve to better reinforce a divinely guided society in the years ahead. Rabbi Cohen’s take in this matter is unique and deserves your further perusal. Throughout this work, the human element is demonstrated as a major factor in the des-

tiny of those Biblical personalities who were to serve as role models in service to G-d’s rule. This is the main contribution that Rabbi Cohen makes to Torah learning and teaching, in a way that places him as a role model, a teacher who through example demonstrates the reality of historical experience to today’s world. Rabbi Cohen surely demonstrates to this world, so full of death and tears, fear and dread, how to smile and learn to be confident in the coming of a better day, with G-d’s help. In Rabbi Cohen’s words to this writer he expands further on his life’s work: “The book is a unique combination of an in-depth analytical essay on the weekly parasha coupled with an inspiring personal story. The book is written in a way that all readers could comprehend, but is meant to be appreciated by the most well-versed of learners as well. “The hope is that the sefer will not merely be used to learn from, but to be greatly inspired by. My personal mission in life is to try to inspire others to build a deeper relationship

with Judaism and G-d. I deeply hope and believe this sefer will be a great tool in bringing inspiration to the masses. The synthesis of textual analysis with inspirational ideas based on books of machshava and mussar are enlightening, and the crowning personal story connected to each essay should leave a reader awakened. The truth, I believe, teaches that the heart and emotion of the Torah can be felt in every place and climb. “D’varim hayotzim min halev nichnasim el halev, as the book’s title says it all: ‘Lev Aryeh — From The Heart of a Lion’.” Thus is the name of this work, and such is its goal.

FOR FURTHER STUDY Among the many essays that are to be found concerning Noach and his times are: “The Generation of the Tower of Babel — A New Era of World Management” by Prof. Israel Laulicht of Bar Ilan University; “The Root of the Word ‘Mabul’: A Flood of Possibilities” by Michael First; “The Ethics of Genesis” by Rabbi Dr. Abba Engelberg [Kadosh Press, 2014] especially the extensive and extremely literate Appendix section.

Again we ask, has the world gone mad? RABBI BINNY FREEDMAN THE HEART OF JERUSALEM

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he Yazidi people fleeing into the cold cruel mountains of Iraq to avoid massacre; hundreds of thousands of Kurds running across the borders into Turkey and Jordan to escape beheadings and mass rape in Syria; and hundreds of thousands of people on the move to stay one step ahead of the Islamist fundamentalists in Southern Sudan and the Nuba mountains, all while Iran moves ever closer to joining North Korea in its quest for nuclear weapons of mass destruction. And where are the forces of good while all this mayhem is taking place? What is the West’s response to the violence and terror in Syria, Iraq and Iran, Lebanon and Gaza, the Sudan and the Ukraine, Darfur and North Korea? All of Rome is fiddling, while the world burns. How can this be? Where is America, the supposed leader of the free world for the past 75 years, the same country that fought Nazism all the way to Berlin, and brought the cruelty of Communism to a halt in Korea, and in Russia? Where is Great Britain, whose forces fought the armies of tyranny to a standstill at the Somme in WWI, and whose Royal Air force, greatly outnumbered, fought off the might of the German Luftwaffe over the skies of Europe in WWII? While tens of thousands die every month, and millions lie awake in fear for their futures, the British parliament is busy affirming a Palestinian State, the United Nations establishes committee after dysfunctional committee, and the United States dialogues with Congress on the merits of bombing a despotic gov-

ernment that’s been using chemical weapons against its own citizens, all the while afraid to get “boots on the ground” and in continuing meetings and discussions with Iran. How could a United States presidency that began with so much hope have fallen so far? his week’s portion, the story of Noach, presents a fascinating insight on this topic. Noach is the only individual ever described as a tzaddik (a righteous person) in the entire Torah; he is the only one deemed worthy of saving the world and is picked by G-d to build an ark that will allow humanity to survive. And yet, there are two details that the Rabbis note which suggest that while he is righteous, Noach is also righteously flawed. First, from the moment Noach is told the world will be destroyed and is commanded to build the ark, until he actually gets into the Ark ( a period of 120 years), Noach does not utter a single word — not one. When Avraham is presented with G-d by the decision to destroy those who dwell in the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah, he argues with G-d (Bereishit 18), beseeching Him to spare even the wicked people of Sodom. But not Noach; Noach says nothing. And second, G-d has to order Noach to get into the Ark (Bereishit 7:1) even though it appears the rain has already begun to fall. And, even more incredibly (8:15) G-d has to order him to get out! Even after the dove that Noach sends out does not return (indicating it has found a place to land), even when Noach has removed the Ark’s cover (8:13) and

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seen dry land, still he waits for G-d’s command to actually step out onto the dry land. One would think a person cooped up in an Ark full of animals for a year would not be able to wait to set foot on dry land, and yet, Noach waits. Indeed, this seems to be who Noach is: he never once speaks, throughout the entire story, until he finally curses his son for improper behavior. Perhaps a tsaddik is a person in whom can be found no fault, no mistake, no moment of weakness leading him astray as he falls victim to the temptations of the physical world. And in truth, the only way to stay pure and pristine and righteous, is to avoid that world altogether. Thus, there is no mention of Noach having any interaction whatsoever with the wicked world in which he finds himself. Noach is a pure man of faith, retreating into the harmony of G-d’s word, and away from any interaction with the evil and physical world in which he lives. And perhaps Noach, as such a man of faith, has risen so far above the needs of a physical world, that he can stay in an Ark indefinitely, until G-d’s word bids him come forth. He is a man of faith who dreams of a perfect world. And yet, something goes terribly wrong, because almost immediately upon reentering the world, he finds himself unable to deal with its physical reality, instead becoming drunk and eventually lying naked in his tent, perhaps even allowing himself into some sort of unwitting incestuous relationship with his own son. Did Noach become the same prod-

Judaism does not believe we should be escaping the evil in the world, we are meant to confront it.

uct of S’dom that Lot became when sleeping with his daughters after their escape from the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah? (See Bereishit 19: 29-38) How did the tsaddik who could have saved the old world fall so low as to become the new world’s embarrassment and greatest failure? One wonders if that is the point of the entire story: Judaism does not believe we should be escaping the evil in the world, we are meant to confront it. braham becomes the first Jew because he refuses to accept the destruction of a world, even a world as evil as S’dom. And Noach becomes a missed opportunity precisely because he is waiting for G-d to tell him what to do. We are not meant to wait for G-d, or G-d’s miracles; we are meant to try and make them happen on our own. Seventy years ago, in the shadows of Buchenwald, Auschwitz and Treblinka, a small group of survivors got fed up waiting for G-d to bring us home and left Europe to build that home on their own. And in so doing, they discovered that all this time we were waiting for G-d, G-d was really waiting for us. While Franklin Roosevelt created the New Deal to rebuild America’s economy, six million Jews were murdered. While Richard Nixon visited China, two million were murdered by the Khmer Rouge, and while Bill Clinton sat in meetings, and attended briefings, 500,000 Rwandans died. Will the world ride it out in the Ark yet again? This week’s portion contains a sobering message of what that might mean. May we be privileged to recognize evil in the world, and find the courage to confront it. And may we blessed to experience the goodness in this world and find the fortitude to stand by it. Shabbat Shalom.

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THE JEWISH STAR October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775

Genesis: ‘From The Heart of a Lion’

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October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775 THE JEWISH STAR

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How unique was Noach, how free of sin? RABBI AVI BILLET PARSHA OF THE WEEK

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hen we are introduced to Noach at the beginning of the parsha, Rashi notes that his being called a tzaddik (righteous man) “in his generation” could be interpreted either positively or negatively. Positively, had Noach lived in another generation, he’d have been even greater. Negatively, only because he was compared to such terrible people was Noach considered great in his day. But honestly, I don’t understand the question. The Torah does say in the first verse of Chapter 7, “And G-d said to Noach, ‘Come with your family to the Ark, because I see you to be a tzaddik before Me in this generation’.” Perhaps this verse can be read both ways, but I think the more correct reading is “You are unique in your time.” But not in a different generation. Why is this language used? The Or HaChaim explains that Noach needed to be reminded that he was the tzaddik in comparison to the people of his generation, because maybe Noach would think to bring a whole bunch of people on board,

people he felt were not deserving of punishment when indeed they were not innocent. Don’t we all have friends we’d want to save if we were making a boat big enough to hold dozens of people, if not more? This is why, Or HaChaim suggests, Noach needed to be told to bring his family. Even they were unworthy of being saved. They were only brought on board because they were his family. “Because you are the [only] tzaddik I see in this generation.” The midrash (which Rashi also quotes) goes in a different direction when it claims this is a demonstration of G-d not saying Noach’s complete praise in front of him (earlier he was called a “tzaddik tamim” [a perfect righteous man] when the Torah introduced him, but he was not being personally addressed). Kli Yakar raises a different possibility, that two events transpired which brought G-d to say this to Noach. Firstly, after 120 years of Ark construction, it was apparent that no one was repenting. Secondly, there had been one other righteous person, Noach’s grandfather Metushelach (Methuselah), who passed away right before G-d’s declaration to Noach that he is the only righteous person alive. Kli Yakar even suggests the declaration came after Noach’s seven days of mourning (his father had died five years earlier, leaving

him as the sole mourner for his grandfather), because there was a thought that people who witnessed the death and mourning over the righteous Metushelach would be inspired to return to G-d. Of course, this didn’t happen. Kli Yakar returns to his interpretation from the end of Chapter 6, that Noach was immune to the temptation of robbery, which is what the Torah claims brought about the flood. And while this is certainly an admirable trait of Noach — perhaps even a divine trait in his day — this is the type of thing that is no outstanding accomplishment in a world where people understand that what is mine is mine and what is your is yours until currency and therefore ownership exchanges hands. It is certainly possible that had Noach lived in another time he would have been an amazing man. But the focus in our verse (7:1) seems to pinpoint his specific generation. And if indeed he had no friends worthy of being saved, and not even his family to save were it not for his own merit, then he was unique in his own time. Was there ever a time when there were bad people when not good people as well? Was there a time when there was only one person who lived on a moral high ground? G-d has the right to judge each person. He made them. They owe their lives to him. But

we who all sin through the year, who all experience Yom Kippur, are not Noachs, not in our generation nor in any generation. Kohelet (7:20) said, “There is no human tzaddik in the land who does good but does not sin.” It seems in this sense, that Noach was unique. We have the benefit of thousands of years of distance, tradition, and commentary to look at Noach however we want to. We can read the verses one way and say he never sinned. We can read them another way and say he was nothing to write home about. In our generation, obviously, sins, in the eyes of man, are by degree. Some are the type that people shrug off, some merely raise eyebrows, and some are viewed as heinous and despicable. Opinions are always going to be formed about the actions of others. But before we publish our opinions or scream from the top of the mountain, we need to ask ourselves how self-righteous we really are. “I may not be perfect but I’m better than that person.” I don’t defend sins of a religious nature, and certainly not of a criminal nature. But I wonder how many people who rush to defame sinners would stand the Noach test — Noach who had not a single friend or family member who merited to be saved from the flood, were it not for his merit in his generation.

Obama administration’s magical anti-Israel week JEFF DUNETZ POLITICS TO GO

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leight of hand is used by a magician to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly. It’s also a technique used by politicians to hide events or actions taken which may be criticized if widely publicized. This week while much of the country was worried about Ebola, the Obama administration was appeasing Hamas and blaming Israel for the Islamic State. The timing wasn’t intentional but it was serendipitous that while our eyes were on one hand the Obama administration was harming Israel with the other. Last Sunday, when it was announced that Nina Pham was diagnosed with Ebola, news covered her story and ignored almost

all others. She was the second person to be diagnosed in the United States and the first to contract the virus within the country. While the media was concentrating on Ms. Pham, Secretary of State John Kerry was in Egypt donating $212 American dollars to help rebuild Gaza, and coordinating a donors conference which in total pledged over $5.4 billion for the rebuilding ($1 billion of which was from the terrorist and Brookings Institute sponsoring Qatar). It certainly is in America’s interest to help rebuild Gaza. But it is in neither this country nor Israel’s interest to pledge money to Hamas-controlled Gaza without first securing the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza — an action the US, EU, and others agreed to in principle at the end of Operation Protective Edge. When you think about it, is there any greater danger to the future of Gazans than an armed Hamas? Kerry said as much at the conference: “As long as there is a possibil-

ity that Hamas could fire rockets on Israeli civilians at any time, the people of Gaza will remain at risk of future conflict.” And it wasn’t just Kerry. At the Egyptian conference, the potential contributors worried about the inevitability of future military confrontations between Israel and Hamas and called for sustained efforts to resolve the issues between Israel and the Palestinians. Yet no one at the conference including the United States pushed the agreed upon solution — demilitarization — as a condition of giving the money. On Wednesday, the Ebola news took over the coverage again. We learned the second US case of Ebola Amber Vinson flew an airplane from Cleveland to Texas and was given permission by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to get on that plane. Thursday word began to leak out that one of the passengers on a cruise was at risk because she had handled Thomas Eric Duncan’s bodily fluids while working at the

Texas hospital were he died. On Thursday a congressional subcommittee grilled U.S. Health officials about Ebola. There were calls for a travel ban and for the President to appoint an Ebola “Czar.” When Obama appointed a “Czar” on Friday, his choice was roundly criticized, perhaps unfairly, but either way the story dominated the news throughout the weekend. Secondary coverage during the week focused on whether or not our ISIS strategy was working, and on the upcoming midterm elections. s the news media was concentrating on those three stories, nobody in the mainstream media was covering the fact that John Kerry was speaking in front of a Muslim organization pushing the false meme that the lack of an Israeli/Palestinian peace was a factor behind the growth of ISIS. Kerry, the foreign policy voice of the Obama administration, told a reception in Continued on page 20

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Europe forgets: Thoughts About whatchamacallit PETER FUNT

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can’t begin to remember how long I’ve been fantasizing about a law like the one in Europe that now protects a person’s Right to Forget. As best I can recall, the European Court of Justice affirmed this remarkable legal principle last spring after a guy in Spain brought suit against Google, seeking to have certain “personal information” removed from Google’s search engines. To everyone’s surprise, if memory serves, the court ruled against Google and said forgetfulness must be viewed through the lens of law, and not as a byproduct of wishful thinking or the haze of old age.

Google says it now gets an average of 1,000 requests per day from people in the 28 European nations covered by the ruling who want damning information expunged from the Internet. It’s like taking a legal mulligan on life. So far, the folks most eager to have details of their past forgotten tend to be the rich and frequently-Googled, like Greg Lindae, a Netherlands-based private-equity investor who demanded his name be removed from a 16-year-old Wall Street Journal article that carried the headline, “Ancient Hindu Sex Practice Gets a New-Age Makeover.” Mr. Lindae doesn’t dispute that he attended the sex workshop mentioned in the story, he just doesn’t like being reminded of it. (I hope you are able to read the preceding paragraph before Mr. Lindae succeeds in having it deleted.) Legal scholars in the future will undoubtedly look back on this law, assuming they

don’t forget its details, as a turning point for mankind. Imagine, for example, how different our lives will be when statements such as, “I forgot to trim the hedges,” “I forgot to buy milk,” and “I forgot to pick up your mother at the train,” are backed by the full force of law. I expect the courts in Europe to soon ratify a Right to Photoshop law. Bad hair day in the office photo? Fixed. Ex-spouse standing with your kids at the Grand Canyon? Gone. Now, where was I? Before long we’ll vaguely remember Bernie Madoff as a noted philanthropist, John Edwards as simply a great family man, and O.J. Simpson as a mediocre movie actor. Based on the Right to Forget, NBC probably had a raft of hit shows, gas never cost less than three dollars, and the Yankees just finished a winning season. The new law should result in a hiring

boon for senior citizens. Firms such as Google and Yahoo will be eager to employ folks with the skill to compile sensitive news items for search engines and then quickly forget them. Pharmaceutical companies will be forced to abandon research into memory-enhancing potions and focus instead on wonder drugs to foster forgetfulness. None will benefit more from the Right to Forget than politicians for whom, “Let’s look at the record” will no longer be problematic when most of it is redacted. Writers, too, should rejoice when readers reach the end of a column and can’t seem to recall why they intended to email a litany complaints. But if courts in Europe really want to pursue a fantasy of painting over the past they’ll have to Google George Santayana and delete what he forecast over a century ago: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

9 THE JEWISH STAR October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775

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school would use the old one. Also under discussion is a proposal to have school uniforms for first- through eighth-graders, Schall said. Lawrence Teachers Association President Lori Skonberg said the organization is “neither in favor of or against” the restructuring, and doesn’t think the changes will have any impact on academic achievement. “The same teachers will be teaching the same students, only in a different location,” Skonberg said. If the plan is approved by the trustees, work at the high school would likely begin over the holiday break in December, and reconstruction would be expected to be complete by spring break. Central office employees would be working in the high school when the vacation ended, Schall said. Renovation of the lower portion of the middle school would start as the school year winds down, and likely be done by July 1. A music and art suite would also be built. Atlantic Beach resident Jesse Lunin-Pack, who has two sons in the district, said the parents he spoke to are concerned about having grades three through eight in the same building. If those concerns are addressed and the plan creates a financial cushion, however, he said, then it makes sense. “If repurposing the Number Five School and leasing it out provides the district with a revenue stream that takes budgetary pressure off our programs,” Lunin-Pack said, “this seems like a reasonable plan.” Residents can submit suggestions for a new middle school name and ask questions using the email address feedback@lawrence.org. A longer version of this story appears in this week’s Nassau Herald.

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By Jeffrey Nessen, Nassau Herald A restructuring plan that calls for closing the Number Five School in Cedarhurst will be presented at a Lawrence Board of Education meeting on Monday at 8 pm at the Lawrence Middle School, 195 Broadway in Lawrence. Instead of selling the building, as it did with the Number One and Number Six schools, Lawrence would retain ownership, and lease space in it to an agency or institution that caters to special-needs students. “We’re looking for a partner that would have the most lucrative arrangement for the district,” said Superintendent Gary Schall. Third- and fourth-graders from the Number Two and Number Five schools would be moved to the middle school, where a lower school — third through fifth grade — and an upper school — sixth through eighth grade — would be created. The middle school would be renamed. The proposal is based on the Princeton Plan, which assigns students to schools based on grade levels rather than geography. Leasing the Number Five School is expected to save the district approximately $800,000 annually, Schall said. Number Five School Principal Rina Beach would be principal of the proposed lower school, while Willis Perry, the current middle school principal, would head the upper school. Teachers and staff from Number Five would move to the newly created lower school. The plan calls for separate entrances for the lower and upper schools. The upper school would use the new gym, and the lower

THE JEWISH STAR October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775

Lawrence district plans to close another school

2 HAFTR students rise in Siemens science race

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Two students at the Hebrew Academy of Five Towns and Rockaway — senior Russell Charnoff and junior Justin Lish — are regional ďŹ nalists in the prestigious Siemens science competition. “We are thrilled to celebrate these remarkable achievements with both Russell and Justin,â€? said HAFTR High School Principal Naomi Lippman. “The Siemens awards are a reection of the students’ own intellectual ability and hard work, as well as the wonderful mentoring they have received from our science faculty and Mrs. Rebecca Isseroff.â€?

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Charnoff, who conducted his research at the Garcia Center at SUNY Stony Brook, focused on incorporating graphene, which is composed of carbon atoms bonded together in single-atom sheets, into polypropylene, a plastic that usually burns easily, in an attempt to make it more ame-resistant. His teammates were Arun Soni of Conecticut and David Choi of California. “The most amazing part of the whole experience was that we were actually able to manufacture the plastics in the laboratory,â€? Charnoff said. “I hadn’t realized beforehand how many objects used in our daily lives are made out of different types of plastic, but once my eyes were opened, I found it incredibly fascinating to witness the creation and production of new plastic blends.â€? Lish conducted his project together with Lawrence High School juniors Arthur Chen and Lee Blackburn. Their research focused on improving hydrogen fuel cell efďŹ ciency by applying a ďŹ lm of gold and/or platinumgraphene composite to the proton exchange membrane of the cell, which improved its efďŹ ciency by more than 60 percent. “I had a remarkable research experience which allowed me to be exposed to the highest level of original scientiďŹ c research,â€? Lish said. “I had a wonderful opportunity to learn and conduct research in a growing ďŹ eld of study which is becoming increasingly important to developing alternative sources of energy. “Both of my parents are physicians, and have participated in medical education and research, and my sister has engaged in extensive scientiďŹ c research, as well. I have always wanted to study and conduct research to ďŹ nd solutions to modern scientiďŹ c problems.â€?

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October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775 THE JEWISH STAR

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JNS.org Eight Israeli high school students from the Ilan Ramon Youth Physics Center at BenGurion University of the Negev have earned the top prizes in the First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics international competition. Some 80 nations participate in the annual competition, which is held in Warsaw. The ďŹ rst-prize winners are awarded a month-long research trip to Poland, a chance to make a presentation to leading physicists, and a certiďŹ cate of merit. But the biggest coup is having their research published in an international physics journal. Two of the eight Israeli winners from the Ilan Ramon Youth Physics Center took the ďŹ rst prize: Idan Fishman and Basel Abu Ganem, both of whom attended the same high school in Beersheba. Fishman’s research is titled “Water crystallization kinetics in porous media: treatment of the experimental results,â€? and Abu Ganem’s is “Instability of the phase front in freezing porous media.â€? Five of the Israeli students were awarded second-place prizes, and one garnered a third-place prize. “This is an impressive achievement that puts Beersheba at the forefront of international physics,â€? said Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich, according to Israel Hayom.

pendent learners, explore their Jewish identity, and practice personal creativity and expression. The integration of learning enables children to understand the world around them through the arts, literature, and oral expression. The curriculum is enriched with many specialty classes, including yoga, music, computers, science, physical education and library visits. The enrichment program includes an iPad lab that allows students to explore the world beyond the school walls while teaching early computer literacy. Early Childhood students are engaged at all times in speaking, listening or “doingâ€? both English and Hebrew. Hebrew language immersion throughout the day gives our young learners quick uency in Ivrit. The Early Childhood years are often called the “building blockâ€? years, and at NSHA, these years are ďŹ lled with meaningful learning and wonder, as children are guided over the threshold into a lifetime of learning. Throughout the elementary grades, the NSHA professional staff nurtures and supports each student’s quest for academic excellence. NSHA provides students with a superior Judaic Studies Ivrit b’Ivrit curriculum with an emphasis on Hebrew language instruction. Teachers and staff also place the utmost importance in imparting midot and menschlichkeit to young learners. Continued on page 15

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THE JEWISH STAR October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775

North Shore Hebrew Acad nurtures young minds at 2 Great Neck locations

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If holiday stuffings got you down — try this JUDY JOSZEF WHO’S IN THE KITCHEN

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ow many of you have said that you would not eat for a week because you were so stuffed from six meals over the three day Rosh Hashanah holiday? What about after the first days of Sukkot? And then the last three, including Shmeni Ateret and Simchat Torah? But we all know the answer to that — we eat, and eat and eat. We groan about how stuffed we are and then comes the next meal and we think we’re just going to pick at something or eat really lightly, but that’s never the case, is it? Right after Yom Tov, my husband Jerry exclaimed that he was so excited to get back to a “regular week.” “Really,” I replied. “Were all the three day Yom Tovim too difficult for you?” Too many gourmet meals? Too many naps in the afternoon? Seriously, What exactly did you miss out on except for work? But I knew what Jerry was lamenting — the fact that he couldn’t attend his beloved gym. That, and running to and from shul and being on the clock. Since he is still saying Kaddish for his mom (and mine, even though my brother is saying Kaddish for her), he has to be in shul the minute it starts, and has to stay till the end, when the last Kaddish is recited. Jerry is not a morning person, or afternoon or evening person, when it come to being on time. If you men can’t wait to get back to a regular week, what should the women say to that? We know it’s difficult for you to eat all those

meals, but trust me, it’s harder to shop, prep and cook them — and, oh, wait, we also have to clean up after them. Why is it I can’t manage to find everything I need in one or two stores. I start out a one or two of the kosher supermarkets, then off to Costco and Trader Joe’s. Add to that Michael’s to add extra artificial greenery for the sukkah and Lowe’s for the missing nut and bolt that was misplaced when we put away the sukkah last year. Then we empty the car, find room in the fridge, which at times reminds me of all the clowns that fit into the Volkswagen at the circus. I have two refrigerator freezers and an extra freezer and still never have enough room! Starting about a week before Yom Tov I try to get rid of things in the freezer and fridge, while Jerry is stocking up on ice cream that is on sale. Memo to Jerry: If you hide it in the back of the freezer, I still know it’s there. Once everything is put away, we have to start prepping the meals, etc. So men, really suck it up. You have it pretty easy when it comes to Yom Tov. Aside from all the shopping and cooking this year, I also catered a party the Sunday after Simchat Torah — not an easy feat with only 21 hours of time from the end of Shabbat until the beginning of the party. To Jerry’s credit, he was very helpful to me, picking up all my orders (after his stint at the gym of course) that couldn’t be delivered. He earned himself a sizeable number of brownie points … which he quickly lost, when I checked all the NFL scores after the party. While I made my picks for my football pool, Jerry insisted that the Giants were going to win, with or without Victor Cruz. He explained that they were so hungry for a win after last week’s humiliating debacle against

the hated Eagles that it was “sure thing” that they would be winners this week … not! That inside info, along with his prediction that the Lions, who I was picking, would lose, dropped me down a few notches in the pool. Not only did he lose those brownie points, but he has to figure out a way to get back on ground. I’m thinking of making him buy a pair of those suede loafers that are called driving shoes, which I love and he hates... maybe paired with jeans, button down shirt and a blazer or sweater tied around his shoulders. That might be more difficult to orchestrate, than preparing for three, three day Yom Tovim.. For those of you still too stuffed to think about food I’d like to share this easy, healthy soup recipe that coupled with a large salad and a light omelet make a great dinner.

Carrot and Sweet Potato soup Ingredients: • 1 pound of fresh or frozen carrots • 3 large peeled sweet potatoes • 3 cubes Osem meat flavored (pareve) cubes • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (or more, according to your taste)

• salt to taste • small piece of fresh ginger! the size of a large gum ball. • enough water to cover the carrots and sweet potatoes and then another 2 cups Place all ingredients in a large pot with enough water to cover vegetables, then add another 2 cups. Bring water to a boil and then reduce flame, making sure water is still boiling. Boil covered for one hour and then use an immersion blender to purée soup, right in the pot. If the soup is a bit too thick for you, try adding a bit of boiling water. This can be made ahead of time, and frozen as well.

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14

learning through the enhancement of textual skills and encouraging students’ questions. Teachers are all experienced in providing for individual needs. The average class size is 21. The Advisory program covers a wide range of issues, including study and organizational skills, wisely navigating social media and the internet, and the issues surrounding the Bar and Bar Mitzvah years. Teachers work as a team to meet each student’s developmental, intellectual, emotional and social needs. NSHA also offers a wide variety of cocurricular programs, which reflects the commitment to Jewish values as well as Western culture. In addition to the strong academic curriculum and specialty classes, such as art, music and computers, NSHA also provides extensive after school programs including the school newspaper, mishmar, basketball, and hockey. All students proudly participate in the annual New York City Celebrate Israel Parade. School trips include Shabbatonim, trips in the local and greater New York area, and grade-wide trips to such cities as Boston and Washington. The three year, extensive chesed program aims at inspiring middle school students to care for others and to respect those who are different or less fortunate, including handson chesed projects and visits with senior citizens and children with special needs. As the students approach their Bar/Bat Mitzvah, they are encouraged to embrace a chesed project as part of their celebration. Today, our graduates attend our 14-year old NSHA High School, where upon graduation, are accepted to top-tier Torah institutions in Israel as well as the finest American universities.

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Continued from page 13 The NSHA General Studies curriculum encourages students to be creative, to explore the world around them and to become critical thinkers. Experienced teachers provide individual attention to each student, and there are assistant teachers in each of the first through third grade classrooms and part-time teaching assistants in our fourth and fifth grades. Through a close partnership with the Great Neck Public School District — one of the finest in the nation — NSHA shares in staff development and acquisition of academic materials. NSHA prides itself on the ability to bring a rich learning experience and superior academics to our students. Students take advantage of our science labs, computer centers, and libraries, and have classes including art, music and gym. Those in need of extra academic attention and enrichment get help in the learning center, which is staffed by highly experienced professionals, in both Judaic and General studies. NSHA offers wonderful chesed and holiday programs designed to enhance students’ learning experiences. The program develops a love for learning in each student. NSHA fosters enthusiastic and independent learning, recognizing that each child is unique. The school encourages children to develop their intellectual, emotional, and physical strengths and talents. NSHA is a nurturing and exciting environment in which students blossom into proud American Jews with a commitment to tikkun olam. From grades 6 through 8, the general and Judaic programs follow a departmental model. NSHA maintains rigorous standards of academic performance and stresses a love of

THE JEWISH STAR October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775

North Shore nurtures…

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October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775 THE JEWISH STAR

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By Rafael Medoff, JNS.org Ex-presidents seldom take an interest in Jewish affairs, with two notable exceptions. One is Jimmy Carter, who has repeatedly clashed with the Jewish community. Another is Herbert Hoover, an unlikely ally of the Jews who passed away 50 years ago this week (Oct. 20, 1964). Most ex-presidents have gone quietly into the sunset, and some have taken issue with the few who have chosen to speak out on current affairs. George W. Bush, for example, last week had some strong words in reaction to fellow ex-president Carter’s public criticism of President Barack Obama’s Mideast policies. “To have a former president bloviating and second-guessing is, I don’t think, good for the presidency or the country,” Bush said. Much of Carter’s post-presidential activity has revolved around Israel. He has repeatedly taken controversial stands, such as comparing Israeli policies to apartheid, urging the U.S. to withhold aid from Israel to force it to change its positions, and praising Hamas as “a legitimate political actor.” Douglas Brinkley’s 1998 book, “The Unfinished Presidency: Jimmy Carter’s Journey Beyond the White House,” furnished some embarrassing details about Carter’s relationship with the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. According to Brinkley, Carter “developed a fondness for Arafat” based on his belief “that they were both ordained to be peacemakers by God.” The former president went so far as to personally draft a speech for Arafat that he hoped would “help him to overcome the deficit understanding” for him in the West. By contrast, Hoover, as ex-president, re-

Presidents Jimmy Carter and Herbert Hoover.

peatedly took positions favorable to the Jewish community—even when it was not in his political interest to do so. In early 1933, Jewish leaders asked president-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt to join Hoover, the outgoing president, in a joint statement deploring the mistreatment of Jews in Nazi Germany. Hoover agreed to do so; Roosevelt declined. Before leaving office, Hoover instructed the U.S. ambassador in Germany, Frederic Sackett, “to exert every influence of our government” on the Hitler regime to halt the persecutions. But FDR soon replaced Sackett with William Dodd, and instructed Dodd that while he could “unofficially” take issue with Nazi Germany’s anti-Semitism, he was not to issue any formal protests on the subject, since it was “not a [U.S.] governmental affair.” Hoover publicly endorsed the 1939 Wag-

Department of Defense and Library of Congress.

ner-Rogers bill to permit 20,000 German Jewish children to enter the U.S. outside the quota system. He also assisted the sponsors of the bill behind the scenes, by pressuring wavering members of the House Immigration Committee to support the measure. The endorsement of the only living former president gave the bill a significant boost. He likely would have been able to accomplish more for Wagner-Rogers if not for some unfortunate partisan sniping. James G. McDonald, chairman of the President’s Advisory Committee on Political Refugees, believed the ex-president could rally important support for the effort. He suggested “that Mr. Herbert Hoover might assume leadership in raising funds and in administering the work of placing the children in suitable homes.” But Roosevelt administration officials blocked the proposal.

It is worth noting that Hoover’s stance on the bill ran counter to his own political interests, since he hoped to win the GOP presidential nomination in 1940, and most Republicans (like most Democrats) opposed increased immigration. Moreover, since Roosevelt was enormously popular in the Jewish community (he won about 90 percent of the Jewish vote in the previous election), Hoover had little reason to think that supporting Wagner-Rogers was going to win Jewish votes. During the Holocaust years, Hoover associated himself with the activist Bergson Group, which lobbied for U.S. action to rescue Jewish refugees. He served on the Sponsoring Committee of Bergson’s protest pageant, “We Will Never Die.” The former president was also honorary chairman of Bergson’s July 1943 Emergency Conference to Save the Jewish People of Europe, and addressed the event via live radio hook-up. Additionally, Hoover played a significant role in the decision to include a plank in the 1944 Republican Party platform urging the rescue of Europe’s Jews and supporting Jewish statehood in the British mandate of Palestine. It was the first time in American history that either major political party took such stands, and it forced the Democrats to adopt similar language at their convention later that year. As a result, support for Zionism and Israel became a permanent part of both parties’ platforms and a cornerstone of American political culture—and has remained so, even when challenged in recent years by another ex-president. Dr. Rafael Medoff is director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies.

Set Your Child on the Path to Good Health Childhood obesity is a serious problem in our country that affects children as young as preschoolers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 5 children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 years old are obese. However, the incidence of obese children between 2 and 5 years old has actually dropped slightly in recent years. The Kohl’s Cares® Keeping Kids Healthy Program and Cohen Children’s Medical Center are committed to improving children’s health by encouraging parents to help their kids make smart food choices and get regular exercise. Starting these good habits early can help children avoid obesity-related health issues as they get older, such as high cholesterol, high blood sugar, asthma and self esteem. Here are great ways to help kids develop healthy habits: • • • • • • • •

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THE JEWISH STAR October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775

Ex-presidents and the Jews: Carter vs. Hoover

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October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775 THE JEWISH STAR

18

TALE OF THE TAPE Two candidates are running for Congress in the Nov. 4th election to succeed retiring Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a Democrat. The 4th CD covers most of the South Shore including the Five Towns. They spoke with The Jewish Star about key issues. Here are abridged versions of those interviews.

Blakeman: Support for Israel and opposing ‘radical Islam’ are key The Jewish Star began its interview with Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate for Congress in the 4th CD, with a question about his visit to Israel at the end of August. During this trip, his gathered his future in-laws at a Jerusalem restaurant where he proposed marriage to his girlfriend, a native of Israel. got to see Israel in wartime (when is it not wartime in Israel?). It was very moving to me, the spirit of the Israelis. There are bombs and mortars and rockets being lobbed into Israel and people are going about their daily business and they’re not afraid and they’re strong and they deal with it. My ďŹ rst day there I met with political leaders, the next day I went to Shamron and met the president of the council there who pretty much oversees all of Samaria, I went to Ariel University, farms and vinyards, businesses, cultural centers, and then I had a tour of some of the military operations. Q: Do you see the expansion in these territories as a problem? A: I don’t look at them as settlements, I look at them as communities, very vibrant communities, mixed communities. There’s a perception that only the very ultra Orthodox religious live in those communities and that’s not true. I think people get a biased point of view about what’s going on there. What I found are communities just like anywhere else in Israel, or anywhere in a free democracy. Q: Do you see any opportunity for a peace settlement between the peoples in the area? A: My belief is that America should support Israel’s decisions with respect to security and defense. My personal feeling is that there is nobody there to make peace with. Fatah or the Palestinian Authority is controlled by Abas [and] in my view Abas does not have control sufďŹ cient to engage in any enduring and stable peace with Israel. Then you look at Gaza and at Hamas — they have no inclination to do it. Q: Do you think there was a lost opportunity at some point over the many years that this conict has gone on? A: Close to 15 or 20 years ago. There was an opportunity for the Palestinians to enter into an agreement [with] probably 98 percent of what they wanted and they couldn’t cross the ďŹ nish line for a deal. The situation has eroded since then. Q: ISIL is on everybody’s mind. If the President says he needs American troops on the ground, will you support him? A: Yes. I don’t understand this concept of

I

Kathleen Rice Democrat Age: 49 Lives in: Garden City Family: Unmarried Education: Bachelor’s degree, Catholic University of America in Washington, DC; law degree, Touro Law School. Career: Nassau County district attorney. Formerly, assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, assistant district attorney in Brooklyn.

Bruce Blakeman Republican Age: 59 Family: Son from a previous marriage; engaged to be married. Education: Bachelor’s degree, Arizona State University; law degree, California Western School of Law. Career: President, Madison Strategies, Ltd., a business consulting firm. Formerly presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature, from 1996 to 1999.

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us being war-weary. The war affects a small group of people, it’s called the military, and most of the people I’ve talked to in the military want to do their job without being interfered with by politicians and outside groups. They want to ďŹ nish the job and they want to do a good job. We’re facing a grave danger and this is not a time to retreat, this is not a time to manage a dangerous situation. I think we should do whatever is necessary to defeat this enemy, and I think there’s a big difference between me and my opponent with respect to that. Q: Your opponent doesn’t want to defeat ISIL? A: I think she would rather manage it, just like the President. Q: When you were in Israel you were quoted as referring to the Islamic belief system as being substantially different than the Judeo-Christian system that is nominally what we have here in the United States. Can you explain how? A: I think the correct quote was “radical Islam.â€? There is a difference between radical Islam and what I believe to be moderate Muslims. There are many Muslims who live here in the United States who embrace the Judeo-Christian set of values that were the foundation of this country, and those values

are not necessarily religious — they’re the values of hard work, the values of religious freedom, the values of civil rights. Those are the pillars that form the foundation of our government. My reference was to “radical Islam,â€? not to those Muslims the majority of which believe — those who live in America believe — in the values that all Americans believe in, or most Americans. Q: Which you deďŹ ne as Judeo-Christian. A: No question about it. ••• Q: What is your plan to simplify the tax code? A: If we lower the taxes sufďŹ ciently across the board then I think we can make the tax code less complicated by eliminating many of the loopholes that allow people who are clever to game the system. When you have a tax code that is thousands of pages long, if you have enough money you can ďŹ gure your way around the tax code. But if you are just a middle class working family, to try to navigate thousands of pages regarding taxes is ridiculous, it’s actually obscene. Also, we have to reduce the corporate tax. It is the highest in the world and we have trillions of dollars sitting overseas. I get a Continued on page 21

19

At the top of her interview with The Jewish Star, Kathleen Rice, the Democratic candidate in the 4th CD, was asked about her visit to Israel during the latest Gaza war. She visited Israel once before, during her college days. had said that one of the first things I was going to do if I won the primary was go to Israel, and that’s what I did. We were there on the 20th of July — and actually got stranded there because that’s when the FAA [barred flights to Israel], I have no idea why they felt the need — with Rabbi [Hershel] Billet [of the Young Israel of Woodmere] and had a pretty intense two days on the ground. We were in Tel Aviv, we went to a hospital that has a program called Save a Child’s Heart; we met with the mayor of Jerusalem, some members of the Knesset; members of the IDF who were giving us a security briefing; we met with families in Israel who moved from Nassau County from this congressional district; we went to see Rabbi Billet’s daughter and all of her neighbors in a settlement there. When we were at the rabbi’s daughter’s house, we talked to his little grandson and asked how long does it take you to get to the safe room in the house — the kid’s 6 years old — and I thought to myself, there’s such a lack of understanding generally among Americans on the day-to-day lives that Israelis have to live and know where the nearest bomb shelter is, and you have to have a safe room in your house… Rabbi Billet and I spoke about how damaging it is, what the FAA did to the economy. … I never felt any danger. The reason why I felt it important to go was that there is a very large pro-Israel Jewish community in this Congressional district, and they care about Israel, obviously, and they want to know how their elected officials are going to support Israel. Are you going to be a support, or a vocal supporter; are you going to go along with whatever your party says and not be vocal in dissent if you do dissent. There’s no more important relationship that America has than with Israel, there’s no question about it. So not only am I going to be a supporter, but I am going to be a vocal supporter. I don’t agree with everything that President Obama has done. I’m sure you’re speaking with [my opponent] Bruce Blake-

THE JEWISH STAR October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775

Rice promises to advocate for Israel and criticize Obama when necessary I

man and I think what you are going to find is that there is very little dissent among us about being strongly supportive of Israel. That’s a draw, if you’re saying who do you think is going to be a better advocate. That’s not going to be a very good indicator because I think legitimately we’re both going to be very strong on Israel. Q: How do you view the relationship between President Obama and the Prime Minister of Israel? A: I don’t think that he has been strong enough in supporting Netanyahu and Israel and, look, I think that Israel has an absolute right to defend themselves and to say anything other than that shows a lack of support that they need. What I try to explain to people who have never been there — everyone thinks that Israel is just fighting all these Arab countries around them that want to kill them; they’re our enemies too and they are the first line of defense to our enemies as well. I don’t think that Obama has been a strong enough supporter of Israel. There’s no reason to talk about any peace talks as long as the Palestinian Authority is in any way associating themselves with Hamas because Israel should not be forced to negotiate with terrorist organizations.

Q: What’s your view about the settlement policy of the Israel government that’s been attacked by the United States? A: Look, I think that’s an issue that Israel feels they have right. I understand the other side, that if you’re going to give land back then what are you doing building settlements. I get both of those arguments, but the last time they gave land back it didn’t work out very well. I’m not surprised that Obama is not being very supportive of Israel on that issue. I’m going to be heavily steeped in these matters. This is the first time I’ve ever had to take a position because in my position as DA I’ve never had to weigh in on Israel or any foreign policy issues, but I’m going to educate myself and be a vocal supporter of Israel. That’s how I feel. It’s easy for me to say that I disagree with anyone who says anything negative about Israel but there are going to be times that I do disagree and I’ve already stated those disagreements with Obama and the Administration. Q: On the question of anti-Semitism in Nassau County, do you think this is a significant problem? A: By the way in that I don’t just count bias crimes against members of the Jewish community but also the LGBT community

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and in other communities as well. I don’t think it’s an epidemic — this is why we try to get into the schools to teach kids about tolerance; kids learn these kind of biases when they are very very young when they’re living in their home and hearing their parents talk. I don’t think it’s an epidemic, but I think it’s a problem, and that’s why I assigned one prosecutor to be able to handle all these cases because they were significant enough that I felt they should all be handled by one person who comes directly to me to talk about these cases. I wouldn’t say it is a problem that’s out of control, but it’s a problem nonetheless. Q: Which communities in Nassau County are most impacted by bias crimes? A: The Jewish community, there’s no question about it. But I don’t want to alarm people to say that it’s epidemic that it happens every day, because it does not, but obviously we have a big Jewish community in this county — not just in the Congressional district — but I would have to say that’s the majority of the bias crimes that we see. And some are race oriented and others are sexual and gender and that kind of stuff. ••• Q: You’re running to succeed [Carolyn McCarthy], an incumbent who made gun control a key part of her existence — what about the right of people to defend themselves with guns and other means? A: My approach to the issue of gun safety has never been from the perspective of attacking the Second Amendment. I believe that the Second Amendment, people have a right to own a gun, as long as they do it by law; I don’t have any problem with that. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about getting common sense legislation. Now Carolyn McCarthy came to this issue from a victim perspective; no one want to be her, the way she got involved in politics. I come to this from a law enforcement perspective and I’m going to bring a lot of credibility to this issue because of that fact. We’re talking about gun safety here. So under the umbrella of gun safety, does it make sense to mandate background checks, mental health checks for people before they go into a gun show and buy 10 handguns. Yeah. I think most Americans regardless of what their political background is would say yes, that makes sense. Do you think it’s a good idea to restrict the number of bullets Continued on page 21

October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775 THE JEWISH STAR

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Armenian Orphan Rug… Continued from page 6 nian expression—“Meds Yeghern,” meaning “the great calamity.” Fear of displeasing the Turks appears to be the only plausible motive for that rhetorical evasiveness. Armenian-Americans are not the only ones who should be outraged. American Jews should be up in arms, too. Not only because of the sympathy that all victims of genocide naturally share, but also because if the White House can permit political considerations to take precedence over recognition of the Armenian genocide, there is a danger that memorialization of the Holocaust could one day suffer a similar fate. Indeed, Adolf Hitler reportedly once assured his subordinates that their atrocities would not be remembered since “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” Last week, after numerous protests, the Obama administration announced that it will permit the rug to be displayed for six days in November—kind of a week-long furlough from its imprisonment in a White House closet. But there is a catch. A big one. The rug will not be part of a display concerning the Armenian genocide. Instead, it is being mushed together with other foreign gifts to the White House, in a display called “Thank You to the United States: Three Gifts

to Presidents in Gratitude for American Generosity Abroad.” The genocide rug will be sandwiched in between a Sevres vase presented by France to the United States after World War One, and a piece of artwork called “Flowering Branches in Lucite” sent by Japan after the 2010 tsunami. Grouping victims of genocide together with those who drowned in a tsunami or were left homeless by World War One disguises what happened to the Armenians. It blurs the distinction between something that was inevitable and something that was not. Weather-related disasters and damage caused by wars are inevitable. But the Armenian genocide was different: it was an act of mass murder, systematically planned and implemented by evil men driven by religious and ethnic hatred. The Armenian Orphan Rug is a work of great beauty. But the point of displaying it is not for the sake of its aesthetic value. Its power is its message. Its significance is as a symbol. It is a reminder of the genocide that the Turks perpetrated against the Armenians. Six days in an exhibit about gifts to the White House is no victory. On the contrary—it is a defeat for everyone who cares about historical truth and everyone who seeks to learn the lessons of the past so that

Magical anti-Israel week… Continued from page 7 honor of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha Thursday night, that the absence of peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority is “a cause of recruitment and of street anger and agitation.” He added the anger “has something to do with humiliation and denial and absence of dignity,” words usually spoken by the Palestinians to describe Israeli rule over the Judea and Samaria. “And so we have to stop and think about that in the context of this challenge that we face today. I think that it is more critical than ever that we be fighting for peace, and I think it is more necessary than ever. As I went around and met with people in the course of our discussions about the ISIL coalition, the truth is we — there wasn’t a leader I met with in the region who didn’t raise with me spontaneously the need to try to get peace between Israel and the Palestinians, because it was a cause of recruitment and of street anger and agitation that they felt — and I see a lot of heads nodding — they had to respond to. And people need to understand the connection of that. And it has something to do with humiliation and denial and absence of dignity, and Eid celebrates the opposite of all of that.” The creation and growth of ISIS has nothing to do with Israel or the Palestinian territories. First of all, it formed in Iraq. In fact one of the reasons Democrats and Republicans have been able to blame the other for the rise of the terrorist group is that

ISIS used to be al Qaeda in Iraq; they were thrown out of the Bin Laden group because the ISIS leaders did not play nice with the al Qaeda leaders. Most experts will tell you that the single most important factor in the growth of ISIS was the conflict between Iraqi Shias and Iraqi Sunnis. ISIS fighters themselves are Sunnis, and the tension between the two groups is a powerful recruiting tool for ISIS. The Shia government of Iraq refused to share power with the Sunnis (who held power under Saddam Hussein). The Shia/Sunni fight began as a battle over who would take power after the Prophet Muhammad’s death and has been going on for almost 1,400 years — way before ISIS, and long before the Six-Day War. Observers, including Bob Gates and Leon Panetta who were part of the Obama administration, believe ISIS grew because American troops pulled out of Iraq too early and didn’t help out in Syria until it was too late. That American policy had nothing to do with Israel and the Palestinian Territories. So it was a lucky magical week for the Obama administration while the mainstream media was watching their actions toward Ebola, the other hand — Secretary of State John Kerry — was appeasing Hamas, giving them money without insisting they disarm, and inciting greater hatred against Israel by blaming Israel in part for the growth of ISIS. Even when unintentional, sleight of hand works very nicely in politics.

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been to seriously consider hiring a talented comedian to take over what has long been a solid news franchise? What next? Could CBS try to get David Letterman to take over for “Face the Nation’s” Bob Schieffer? Could clowns take over for members of Congress? (Wait, that already happened.) NBC’s choice of Chuck Todd means Meet the Press remains the show that for more than a half century has symbolized the phrase “broadcast journalism.” For now.

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Kathleen Rice…

Continued from page 18 kick out of Democrats who say, well, you just want to help out corporations. No; they’re not paying the taxes — the money’s over there, they’re not bringing it here. So if we lower the tax code, and give them an incentive to bring the money back, not only will we get more tax revenue, which will help the middle class, we’ll also expand the economy because we’ll have trillions of dollars in new capital to invest in people, technology and equipment. Our tax code is counter-productive to the middle class and to expanding the economy. It hurts the economy and it hurts middle class families. Here’s the bottom line: If there’s trillions of dollars in capital added into the economy for investment purposes, people will build things, they’ll invest things, they’ll hire people, and you’ll really see the economy come around. Q: Do you have a view about businesses investing in their people by increasing the minimum wage? A: Increasing the minimum wage could have a counter effect for young people. Right now the unemployment rate among 18 to 26 year olds is approaching 15 percent; in the African-American community it’s closer to 50 percent. I wouldn’t object to a gradual increase in the minimum wage, and I think we’ve already done that in the state of New York, so really what we’re talking about is nationally. A sharp increase of 30 percent as Kathleen Rice has suggested — what’s going to happen, there’s not going to be jobs for 15, 16, 17, 18 year old kids. You’re not going to fix the economy raising the minimum wage. You’re going to fix the economy if you get people making $60,000 to making $65,000 and people making $70,000 to making $75,000. Q: The minimum wage federally hasn’t been increased in years. A: We’re already covered here in the state, so it’s not a state issue, I don’t know why she’s discussing it. Q: Well, you’re running for Congress. A: It doesn’t affect the 4th Congressional District. Q: Some social issues: Abortion is an issue that doesn’t seem to leave the pages of the general newspapers. Republicans have been accused of having a “war against women” because of opposition to abortion rights. How do you stand on the question of abortion rights. A: I support a woman’s right to choose. However, I do not believe that right should be without any restrictions whatsoever. I’m against late term abortion; Kathleen Rice is for late term abortion. I think it’s safe to say that she’s for federal funding of abortion, although she refuses to say, but since she’s got NARAL’s backing I’m sure that she is. I’m against federal funding of abortion. And I’m also for parental consent for minors. So I think if you characterized us, in terms of labels, I would be pro-choice and she would be pro-abortion. Q: If abortion is legal then why shouldn’t the federal government pay just as it pays for other medical procedures? A: Federal taxpayers dollars would be better spent looking for a cure for pediatric cancer, pediatric cardiology and juvenile diabetes, rather than spending money on abortions. For me, it’s a priority of how do you spend your health care dollars. Q: How do you react to the label of “war against women” that is spewed against Republicans by some people on the left? A: My record is more pro-woman than Kathleen’s. I established the first breast cancer learning resource center in America at Hewlett House back in 1997 that has treated

Continued from page 19 you can hold in one clip? Yeah, I think that makes sense so you don’t have those Newtown murders. Most Americans agree [on this, but] these issues have become overly politicized by a very powerful lobby, the NRA, and they’ve made it all about “they’re coming to take your weapons away.” I have no interest in taking someone’s gun away if they want to protect their business, their home, as long as they get the appropriate license and they do it by the book. Most people also agree that AR-15s should not be purchased by a regular civilian, that those military-style assault weapons should be restricted to members of the military or law enforcement, not John Q Public who says they want to protect their house. I have friends who are avid hunters. They own shotguns, they hunt dear, they hunt pheasant; they don’t own an AR-15, nor do they want to. And they’re Republicans. So we have to get back to trying to appeal to peoples’ common sense. Q: How would you grade government action in relation to Hurricane Sandy recovery? A: I think if you put that question to people in the 4th Congressional District, I don’t think they would give the federal government a failing grade, but I don’t think it would be above a C. You have people who are still out of their homes, you have people who were given money and now they’re being told we gave you too much you have to give it back. Really awful awful stuff being done. Carolyn McCarthy has told me this is the single biggest constituent issue she has had to deal with in the almost two years since superstorm Sandy happened. Q: Is there a rationale for encouraging people to rebuild in these flood areas that are subject to future devastation? A: Well, they’re subject to future devastation if we don’t spend whatever money we get from Sandy wisely in terms of rebuilding the infrastructure. I don’t know if we’re being smart in terms of how we’re rebuilding the infrastructure to prevent us from being hit this hard again, but look, Long Island, 60 years from now could be under water. So are we rebuilding the infrastructure strong enough? Are we investing in green energy enough so that we don’t have these hundred year storms every year? Q: But realistically, investing in green energy now is not going to stop the storm in five years or ten years. A: That’s the infrastructure argument. I don’t know enough about how it’s being spent because I’m not the one doling it out and how things are being rebuilt, but my hope is that people who are doing those plans are doing it in such a way that we’re building better. The Governor made the decision that there are certain places where we’re buying your house because you’re never going to build a house here in the Rockaway area. But I don’t think that people in the South Shore should necessarily say we’ve got to pack up and move somewhere else. I think there are ways we can strengthen the infrastructure to not have the level of devastation that we did after Sandy. Q: You’ve spoken about the availability of decent jobs. Would you define what a decent job is? A: If you’re talking about jobs, we have to first talk about the ones that we have. We have to have a serious conversation

thousands of women and their families. That was probably my chief project in the four years that I was presiding officer [of the Nassau County legislature] and I’m very proud of that. I’m also proud of the fact that I established the first childcare commission here in Nassau County to help families — women and men — find affordable and safe childcare for their kids while they’re working. So my record is very solid on issues that are important to women and families. Kathleen’s record is not good at all. Her first few weeks as district attorney she told women who were working flexible hours, who had children, that they had to choose between their children or their job; they had to work full-time or find another job. And unfortunately 12 women had to leave and find another job. You can’t say that you’re for families and that you’re for women when you do something like that. Q: One more social issue: Same sex marriage. Maybe the train’s already left the station on this one, but what’s your position. A: I personally believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. It’s probably based on my religious upbringing, but I understand that here in New York marriage is legal between people of the same sex and I can live with that. Q: You said on your website you would be willing to repeal Obamacare and you talk about a common sense approach that would work for everybody. What would that be? A: Since I have a background in business and I actually served on the board of an insurance company, I’ve given it a lot of thought over the past two years. We had a situation where approximately 30 million people were either uninsured or underinsured; for many of them, the reason was because they had a preexisting condition. When you look at another insurance model, such as automobiles, people who have a lot of accidents or a lot of speeding tickets, they’re put into what is called an assigned risk program, and in that program they’re guaranteed the insurance but they have to pay a higher price. I would do that for people who had a preexisting condition, but for people who could not afford to pay the higher premium I think the federal government could then come in and subsidize them. So there was a way to handle the issue of the uninsured and the underinsured without destroying the whole health care system which Obamacare is in the process of doing. It’s the greatest healthcare provider system in the history of mankind and we’re now in the process of dismantling it. After talking with a number of people whose deductibles have gone up, whose copays have gone up, whose premiums have gone up, who have lost the choice of their doctor and hospital — they’re getting less and they’re paying more — I don’t understand how that’s an improvement. There was a way to help people who needed insurance; I don’t think that was President Obama’s goal. President Obama’s goal was to restructure health care, make it a quasi-governmental agency, and eventually become a single-payer system, aka socialized medicine. Q: You would support the Republican position in Congress, which is to eliminate the entire legislation? A: I would vote to repeal it and start over, because sometimes it’s like a house — sometimes the house is too far gone and you’re better off just knocking the house down and rebuilding it. So if I had the best of all worlds, I’d say repeal it and replace it with something better. If that’s not possible, I would be amenable to any kind of significant changes that would improve things.

about raising the minimum wage. You can’t have the cost of living increase year after year and allow wages to remain stagnant. You have more people, disproportionally women, who are working full time and fall under the category of working poor, they’re living in poverty. Number one, we have to talk about increasing the pay of people who already have full time jobs. Number two, we have to do more to support small businesses. That’s why I took such a strong position on the Export-Import bank, and called for Congress to extend the funding for it. … This is a way to encourage people to expand their businesses which is going to increase jobs and put more money into the economy. … The majority of people making minimum wage right now are working for big corporations who can afford to absorb the increase to $10.10 an hour. We’re not talking about it going to $30 an hour. You can have a common sense piece of legislation that recognizes the need to encourage businesses to be successful, have a carveout for any business — whether you do it by revenue or employees — and put more money into people’s hands so they can help the economic recovery that we need. Q: The president is under constant attack because of the Affordable Health Care Act. We’re about to get increased rates and probably more aggravation. Do you regret the whole process we’ve gone through with the Affordable Health Care Act? A: I think how it was enacted and rolled out is regrettable, because [Congress]people now are saying, well we didn’t read it, which I think is a huge dereliction of your duty as someone who is voting on a law. I believe that we as a country have a moral obligation to provide affordable health care to every single person — not just from a personal health standpoint but from a national security standpoint, from an economic standpoint. So I do believe that we had to do something to address the 40 million Americans who had no health care. Was it rolled out well? No. Did they probably debate it enough? No. Was it overly politicized? Yes. Is the answer to throw the baby out with the bathwater — which I believe is my opponent’s position, he says repeal, repeal, repeal — I don’t subscribe to that theory. I think you have to embrace what’s good about it, like the preexisting conditions, like the fact that all these parents whose kids are graduating from college who don’t have jobs and all they can afford to do because of the crushing student loan problem is move back home, that they can keep them on their insurance for an extended time, and that’s a good thing. But again, all the bad things — they either put them off or they’re trying to fix them before they become too onerous. Q: What would you fix? A: I’ve heard from people in the health care industry that there are burdensome regulations — and by the way they can’t even tell me how bad they’re going to be because they haven’t been implemented yet, so no one really knows what to fix because all of the things that were supposed to be catastrophic, their implementation has been put off until at least next year or the year after — other than I didn’t get to keep my doctor and I really wanted to keep my doctor, my premiums went up astronomically.

THE JEWISH STAR October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775

Bruce Blakeman…

21

Done deal: Sale of Long Beach Hospital is final

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By Anthony Rifilato, Long Beach Herald The sale of Long Beach Medical Center to South Nassau Communities Hospital was finalized last week, after South Nassau reached an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to release nearly $180 million in Hurricane Sandy aid to SNCH to redevelop health care services in Long Beach and surrounding communities. In a meeting with editors of the Herald newspapers last week, South Nassau President and CEO Richard Murphy said the two facilities had concluded the $11.8 million sale on Oct. 16, which not only allows South Nassau to move forward with its takeover of the facility and the establishment of a freestanding emergency department, but will lead to a public forum with the state Department of Health that residents have been calling for. South Nassau is acquiring 5.5 acres of property, as well as LBMC’s buildings and equipment. The sale does not include LBMC’s Komanoff Center for Geriatric and Rehabilitative Medicine. “This closing signifies major progress in our effort to fulfill our mission to meet the need for patient-centered health care services in Long Beach and surrounding South Shore communities,” Murphy said. “We’re moving from a complex transactional stage, with intricate legal and regulatory requirements, to a transformational one in which we will focus on how we can provide new medical services.” The sale closing, Murphy said, hinged

on FEMA’s agreement to release the Sandy funds to South Nassau. Murphy said that South Nassau remained committed to establishing a 911-receiving emergency department with ambulance services, and that the facility might include 20 to 30 beds for short-term care in order to hold patients until they are stabilized, at which point they would be transferred to South Nassau or a hospital of their choice. While it would not function as a fullservice hospital, Murphy said, South Nassau is looking to develop a broad-based health care delivery system for the barrier island, and other services being considered include a medical campus or satellite facilities with specialty outpatient geriatric, pediatric, dialysis, family medicine, and imaging services. An emergency department alone, he said, is not sustainable financially. “People talk about a free-standing emergency room — and I think that’s the main goal of the community — and our commitment is to do that, and we will provide that service,” Murphy said, “but we also want to broaden the scope of what we will provide here with a much larger facility.” SNCH hired Blitch Knevel Architects, based in New Orleans, to conduct an assessment of the LBMC campus and its facilities to determine where the emergency department could be located, and whether an alternativeuse plan must be submitted to FEMA to determine how the agency’s funds will be spent. A longer version of this story appears in this week’s Long Beach Herald.

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Carlebach Friday Night - F=85M (=;<H T TP *' h'=B7<5<i 3CIB; #GF59@ C: &5KF9B79 985F<IFGH l W -DFI79 -HF99H 985F<IFGH Carelbach Style Davening - T TS *' h'=B7<5<i %9<=@@5G 5=G 39<I85 .NJ= h.<9 ,98 -<I@i l RXP )5?@5B8 J9BI9 985F<IFGH Communal Dinner - F=85M (=;<H V OO *' <5658 C: H<9 T .CKBG l VS '5D@9 J9 985F<IFGH Oneg in Mesivta Ateres Yaakov Community - F=85M (=;<H W RO *' "CA9 C: @= 5B8 -<5B5 "9FA5B l RUQ )5? J9 985F<IFGH Special Womens Shiur from Rebbetzin Chatzinoff: Shabbos & the Family - -<556CG 5M C@@CK=B; H<9 W RO ' 5J9B=B; CB;F9;5H=CB .=:9F9H< 4J= l QU C@IA6=5 J9 985F<IFGH Shalosh Seudos Shabbos Shiur from Rabbi Chatzinoff - T RO *' h'=B7<5<i CB;F9;5H=CB .=:9F9H< 4J= l QU C@IA6=5 J9 985F<IFGH

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Friday Night Lively Davening - T TR*' h'=B7<5<i .<9 1<=H9 -<I@ l VQW AD=F9 J9BI9 5F ,C7?5K5M Friday Night Oneg - X RO *' ;I85G 3=GF59@ C: 19GH &5KF9B79 l URP &5B9HH J9 5F ,C7?5K5M Shabbos Afternoon Speaker - Gavriel Sanders, "A Minister's Journey to Judaism" - 2:30 PM 3CIB; #GF59@ C: 5F ,C7?5K5M l VPU 957< XH< -H 5F ,C7?5K5M Friday Night Oneg - X PTlPP OO *'

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Carlebach Davening - T TO *' h'=B7<5<i 3CIB; #GF59@ (CFH< 1CC8A9F9 URS "IB;FM "5F6CF ,8 05@@9M -HF95A Community Wide Oneg - X OO *' 5GG ,9G=89B79 l VVO *@5=B:=9@8 &5B9 (CFH< 1CC8A9F9

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Carlebach Friday Night Davening - T TQ *' h'=B7<5<i CB;F9;5H=CB 5=G D<F5=A 3=HN7<C? l WPQ *9B=BGI@5 @J8 =B 1CC8A9F9 Special Friday Night Davening - T TQ *' h'=B7<5<i =G< %C89G< l WXS 1CC8A9F9 *@ 1CC8A9F9 Friday Night Oneg - W RO *' CB;F9;5H=CB 5=G D<F5=A 3=HN7<C? l WPQ *9B=BGI@5 @J8 =B 1CC8A9F9 Shabbos Afternoon Shiur from Rabbi Moshe Weinberger: A Day in the King's Palace - 4:30 PM =G< %C89G< l WXT 1CC8A9F9 *@ 1CC8A9F9

www.theshabbosproject5tfr.c om

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October 24, 2014 • 30 Tisrei 5775 THE JEWISH STAR

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