Jewish News - November 13, 2023 Issue by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater

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Southeastern Virginia | Vol. 62 No. 5 | 29 Cheshvan 5784 | November 13, 2023

11 Supplies shipped to Israel

Universities and students grapple with antisemitism unleashed after Oct. 7

12 March for Israel Washington, DC Tuesday, Nov. 14 Over 40 Years of Caring, Compassion, and Community

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Education secretary: Colleges could face funding cuts if they don’t address antisemitism Ron Kampeas WASHINGTON (JTA) — Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said colleges could lose federal funding if they fail to address antisemitism and other bigotries, following up on a meeting last month with Jewish leaders alarmed by rising antisemitism on campuses in the wake of the Israel Hamas war. Cardona made his warning in an interview on CNN on Monday, Nov. 6, ahead of the release the next day of a letter reminding federally funded schools of their obligation to protect Jews and other minorities. “I would want to provide support for these universities, provide guidance. And if there are egregious acts, I want to make sure that we’re investigating,” he said. “Ultimately, if we have to withhold dollars from a campus refusing to comply, we would.” Cardona’s comments do not represent a new policy, but they suggest that Cardona is prepared to be aggressive in pressing colleges to act. In a release on Nov. 7 formally announcing the letter, Cardona tied the letter’s instructions to what Jewish organizations have said is a massive spike in antisemitism on campuses since Hamas terrorists struck Israel on Oct. 7, launching the war. “The rise of reports of hate incidents on our college campuses in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict is deeply traumatic for students and should be alarming to all Americans. Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all other forms of hatred go against everything we stand for as a nation,” he said. The letter sent to colleges that receive federal funds, signed by Catherine Lhamon, the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights, describes in its first paragraph “an alarming rise in disturbing antisemitic incidents and threats to Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian students on college campuses and in P-12 schools.” Lhamon then ties the money the schools get from the government to their legal obligations to protect minority students. Both public and private universities receive federal funds through a

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variety of pathways. “I write to remind colleges, universities, and schools that receive federal financial assistance of their legal responsibility under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its implementing regulations (Title VI) to provide all students a school environment free from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics,” Lhamon said in her letter. “It is your legal obligation under Title VI to address prohibited discrimination against students and others on your campus— including those who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, or Palestinian — in the ways described in this letter.” In his Oct. 30 meeting with Jewish leaders, Cardona noted that the Biden Administration had already, prior to the Oct. 7 Hamas deadly attack on Israel, extended Civil Rights Act protections to religious minorities, including Jews and Muslims. Jewish leaders at that meeting noted that the federal government in recent years has expanded Title IX of the same act, which bans gender discrimination, to allow for funding to be withheld from universities that do not address sexual harassment and assault. They suggested that the department could apply similar measures to Title VI as an incentive for compliance. Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Jewish Democrat from Nevada, had sent a letter urging the Education Department to issue “updated guidance to college and university administrators making clear the consequences of failing to ensure the safety of Jewish students,” among other measures. Rosen, who cofounded an antisemitism task force in the Senate, welcomed Cardona’s letter. “I’m glad to see the U.S. Department of Education is taking action at my urging to remind school administrators of their legal responsibility to keep students safe from antisemitism and other forms of discrimination – or face consequences,” she said. “I’m continuing to urge the department to form a task force to counter campus antisemitism.”

About the cover: Vigil at Cornell University, courtesy of Yael Schranz.

Up Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 College campuses during the Israeli conflict ..6 William & Mary students and antisemitism. . 9 Simon Fink travels with JDC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Tidewater sends supplies to Israel . . . . . . . . . . 11 A view from Israel: Levi Margolin . . . . . . . . . 12 Americans March for Israel . . . . . . . . . . . 12 BSV: Embracing change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 TJF: Craft a legacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Shinshinim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Special Section: Happy Hanukkah!. . . . . . . . 17 Daffodil Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Tidewater women donors gather . . . . . . . . . . 34 SIA Fall Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Rabbi Fersko on antisemitism . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 What’s Happening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Mothers Against Antisemitism. . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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BRIEFS ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

German daycare center named for Anne Frank gets re-named

German daycare center named after Anne Frank is changing its name, alleging that children have a hard time understanding the message behind the story of the world-famous Jewish diarist murdered in the Holocaust. The daycare is located in Tangerhütte, a small town in northern Germany. Debate over the center’s name has drawn attention across the country, but Mayor Andreas Brohm defended the school’s move. German media reports that parents wanted the center to push a message more focused on international diversity, hence the new name of World Explorers. The International Auschwitz Committee, which was founded by Holocaust survivors, strongly condemned the renaming. The Jerusalem Post reported that the school had had the Anne Frank name since 1970. “If you are willing to dismiss your own history so carelessly, especially in these times of new antisemitism and right-wing extremism, and if Anne Frank ‘s name is perceived as unsuitable in public space, you can only become fearful and anxious when it comes to the culture of remembrance in our country,” said Christoph Heubner, according to the German MDR broadcaster. Miteinander e.V., a German organization that promotes “open society,” said the renaming “sends the wrong signal in a time of strengthening #Antisemitism.” Antisemitic incidents have spiked across Western Europe since Oct. 7, when Hamas killed over 1,400 Israelis, sparking an Israeli counterattack that has killed thousands in the Gaza Strip. On Oct. 18, two people threw Molotov cocktails at a synagogue in Berlin. (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Israel tells its citizens to ‘reevaluate’ travel and not wear Jewish symbols abroad

oting a sharp rise in antisemitic attacks and expression since Hamas launched a war against Israel on Oct. 7, the Israeli government advised its citizens not to travel overseas and, if they did, to avoid outwardly displaying that they are Israeli or Jewish. “Given the magnitude of this, the National Security Council recommends reevaluating the necessity of foreign travel,” a government warning said, after listing examples of increased risk for Israelis and Jews, including attacks on Jewish institutions and protests in countries that the country has not previously considered dangerous. “The National Security Council and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have identified a significant rise in antisemitism and anti-Israel incitement, alongside life-threatening violent attacks on Israelis and Jews around the world,” it said. It specified several areas as dangerous: the Middle East, Arab countries, the region surrounding Iran and the North Caucasus. Notably, it specified that Israelis should exercise caution around Jewish institutions. “Jewish communities, religious and community establishments (synagogues,

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Chabad centers, kosher restaurants and Israeli businesses), Israeli delegations, and airports with flights to and from Israel are key targets for protests and attacks by antisemitic groups,” it said. It also advised “checking whether there have been anti-Israel protests and violence at your destination, including countries for which no travel warnings have been issued.” (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Brandeis bans Students for Justice in Palestine

randeis University is revoking recognition of the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, saying the group “openly supports Hamas.” The decision means the group will no longer receive university funding or be able to hold activities on campus. The group canceled a “Vigil for Palestine” that had been scheduled on Monday, Nov. 6, the day the decision was announced. “This decision was not made lightly, as Brandeis is dedicated to upholding free speech principles,” the university wrote in its letter. SJP, which has a national umbrella group and campus chapters across the country, has spoken out in support of Hamas’ invasion of Israel. Brandeis said support for Hamas, which the United States has designated as a foreign terror group, is not protected by the university’s free speech principles. “Students who choose to engage in conduct in support of Hamas, or engage in conduct that harasses or threatens violence, whether individually or through organized activity, will be considered to be in violation of the University’s student code of conduct,” the letter says. “Students who wish to express their support for the rights of Palestinian civilians may form another student organization, through established procedures, that complies with University policies.” The decision follows controversy at the university after its student senate voted down a resolution condemning Hamas — a move that others in the university community soundly rejected, including through an open letter that garnered more than 1,000 signatures in one day. The episode attracted national attention, in part because of Brandeis’ history as a non-sectarian school founded by the American Jewish community in the wake of the Holocaust. It also follows pressure by Jewish groups for universities to withdraw funding for SJP in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, when the group described the attack as “a historic win for Palestinian resistance.” Florida’s public university system banned SJP last month at the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Brandeis chapter of SJP called the university’s decision “racist” in a statement. “With heavy hearts, we would like to announce that our chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine has been unjustly de-charted,” the group wrote. “This comes as

a part of Brandeis University, an institution that values social justice, trying to silence us from speaking our truth.” On Nov. 6, Brandeis president Ron Liebowitz published an op-ed in The Boston Globe calling on other universities to combat antisemitism on their campuses. Referring to groups that advocate for “violence against Jews or the annihilation of the state of Israel,” Liebowitz wrote, “Student organizations that do engage in such practices should lose all privileges associated with affiliation at their schools. In no way does this violate higher education’s deep and enduring commitment to free speech.” (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Biden on 5th anniversary of Pittsburgh synagogue shooting: Hamas invasion is ‘deepening the wound’ of antisemitism

n the fifth anniversary of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, President Joe Biden drew a straight line between the worst antisemitic attack in U.S. history and Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 invasion of Israel. “A gunman opened fire on Sabbath worshippers as they prayed, murdering 11 precious souls, wounding many more – including first responders,” Biden said in his statement marking Oct. 27. “Deepening the wound, today’s remembrance comes on the heels of the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Biden said. “On October 7th, a sacred Jewish holiday, the terrorist group Hamas unleashed pure evil against the people of Israel, slaughtering 1,400 Jews and taking hostage hundreds more.” Oct. 7 was the Jewish festival of Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah in Israel. Biden’s weaving the two attacks, one committed by white nationalists, the other by radical Islamist terrorists, into the same cloth, marks a sharp shift from the launch of his campaign and the beginning of his presidency, when he identified the threat of antisemitism as coming principally from the far right. The gunman in Pittsburgh, who was sentenced to death this summer, was influenced by a proliferation of far-right content on social media. Biden rolled out a strategy to counter antisemitism last May, the first by any presidential administration in U.S. history. A number of U.S. Jewish groups who advised on the strategy urged Biden to take into account the threat of anti-Jewish hatred from the left and other sources as well as the far-right, particularly on campuses, where some Jewish students say they face intimidation from the pro-Palestinian left. “Under my presidency, we will continue to condemn antisemitism at every turn,” Biden said. “We are implementing the first-ever national strategy to counter Antisemitism. Because hate never goes away, it only hides until it is given just a little oxygen. And as a nation, we must ensure hate is never given any oxygen.” A White House spokesman specifically called out some campus pro-Palestinian protests as veering into antisemitism. (JTA)

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Forever COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND ISRAEL Helping Area college students reflect on Others

campus atmosphere since Oct. 7 Stephanie Peck srael’s war with Hamas permeates campus life at colleges and universities across the nation with protests and threats upending daily life. Jewish News asked several Jewish students from Tidewater about their reactions to their school’s approach to the conflict, the rallies taking place, and the overall feeling of being members of a minority population on campus. Some students declined to participate; one Tidewater native wrote: “I would really like to participate, but I just don’t feel comfortable right now. A lot of my friends, and their friends, have been targeted by outwardly expressing their Judaism, and though I’m sure I’d be fine, my angst is getting the better of me in this situation.” Those who did respond were thoughtful and thorough with their replies.

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Asher Baum Drexel University – Junior John Fry, Drexel’s president, sent a pretty basic letter. Since it’s a huge school, he can’t anger anyone. I am a very left person, and I attended a peaceful, pro-Palestinian rally. The rally did not call for the death of Jews; it was calling out the occupation of Gaza and the war crimes committed by Israel (cutting off water is against humanitarian rights). It’s a difficult situation to be in, as a progressive Jew in America. The pro-Israel rallies chanted “level Gaza.” _________________

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Micah Baum Tufts University – Freshman I have been attending events at Tufts Hillel since orientation week. It has been among my biggest social outlets as well as a place for me to safely practice Judaism. They have been doing their best to provide a safe space on campus since the violence began, providing dinners and other programs for the Jewish community to relax and escape from the stresses of the conflict, as well as some programming related to the conflict. The first school-wide email regarding the violence emphasized the mourning and sorrow associated with the conflict, and the

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hope for a respectful discourse around it on campus, with links to resources to aid Tufts students in need of mental healing. The next day, the recently inaugurated university president, Sunil Kumar, sent a personal message condemning Hamas’ actions as “heinous” and “barbarism.” Since then, we have received several emails regarding student responses to the conflict, one reminding students about proper procedure to organize a protest, and multiple emails regarding increased university police patrols to ensure campus safety. There have been no reports of Jewish students being negatively targeted on campus, which makes me know that, while things may be uncomfortable here, they could certainly be worse. Hillel and Chabad held a joint vigil the Monday after the initial attacks, which I attended, along with about 200 others. The campus chapter of SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine) held one the next day. A Jewish acquaintance said that while walking past the SJP vigil, she wanted to join them and mourn for Gazan lives lost as well as Israelis, but she didn’t know if she would be

welcome, so she kept walking. Since then, chalk messages in support of Palestine and against Israel have appeared on sidewalks around campus. Posters have gone up outside dining halls, some naming kidnapped Israelis, some saying “stop the misinformation” and calling attention to Palestinians killed by Israeli forces. The major SJP protest took place last Friday, which I could hear from my classroom. The Tufts Daily reports that more than 120 students attended with three demands of the University: to disclose and divest from all its investments in business with profits from Israel, to release a statement condemning the “genocide” in Gaza, and to halt all university sponsored trips to occupied Palestine. I have mixed feelings towards this situation. On one hand, aside from statements seemingly supporting Hamas from SJP (applauding the “creativity necessary to take back stolen land”) and the Tufts Revolutionary Marxist Students group (stating support for “the Palestinian mass-led overthrow of the colonial Zionist Israeli apartheid state”), overt antisemitism on Tufts’ campus

COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND ISRAEL has been relatively absent. That said, this is the first time I can remember opting against wearing a shirt with the BBYO logo (a menorah) because of fear. I’ve since gotten over that fear, and I see as many, if not more, students than before are proudly wearing symbols of Judaism, from Star of David necklaces to kipot to unambiguously Jewish or Israeli shirts and sweatshirts. Still, there is a definite sense of discomfort mixed in with the pain and grief that are universal in the Jewish community now, a discomfort around our identity as well as a discomfort around understanding where we should stand and whom we should believe regarding the conflict. There have not been many major developments, and tensions seem to be easing, but they do not feel likely to disappear. _________________

Blake Brown Duke - Junior I was a little disappointed by the university’s response to the situation. The president of Duke sent out a perfunctory email encouraging students to condemn brutality and hatred. The email did not have much substance and essentially asked students to not fight each other and to refrain from antisemitic and anti-Muslim rhetoric. One pro-Palestinian rally, which was supposed to consist of SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine) from both Duke and UNC, took place at Duke. Preemptively, Duke threatened to bring in police should the protest take place, since non-Duke students were going to be on campus. This deterred them, and only Duke students participated in the peaceful protest. All of the Jewish organizations on campus came together to hold a vigil, uniting Chabad and Hillel (whose heads normally don’t have the best relationship due to disparate beliefs). Likewise, groups like the Jewish Student Union have been holding more events for students to come together or take solace.

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Allison Comess University of Maryland – Senior UMD’s president has sent two emails to the student body. The first email was sent two days after the attacks. The email recognized the impact of war on all members of the community, encouraged the UMD community to work towards a better world, and offered support and resources. A lot of people in the Jewish community, including myself, were frustrated by this email, because it failed to acknowledge that the events taking place were not war and were in fact senseless attacks carried out by a terrorist group. From my perspective, it seemed the school wanted to provide a statement just to say that they said something. However, the second email our president sent a few days later was much better. The second email fully condemned the acts of terrorism from Hamas and also stated that there will be an increased police presence on campus, along with urging faculty to be flexible with students during this difficult time. There have not been rallies on campus, but there was a vigil for all the Israeli lives taken from the terrorist attacks. I went to the vigil with all of my Jewish friends. More than 1,000 people showed up, and it was great to see the entire Jewish community come together in such a difficult time. Additionally, UMD’s president came and made a statement, showing how much he cares about the Jewish community. _________________ Kacey Cooper Washington and Lee University - Senior The school itself has not said anything directly about the conflict, but Hillel welcomed all students to participate in a candlelit vigil. All of the Jewish students on campus were emailed and given resources to help cope with everything that had happened. It included information on how

to deal with harassment, professors or students who were hostile, social media posts, and more. No rallies have taken place on campus on either side of the conflict. If anything, my campus has been a little quiet about the conflict. The day after our vigil, we lined up small Israeli flags on an open field near the classrooms and they are still up. No one has tried to take them down or vandalize them. _________________

The rally was marked by a somber atmosphere, with instances of significant hostility directed at the Jewish community. Regrettably, a pro-Palestinian supporter resorted to physical violence against pro-Israel advocates, a distressing incident that garnered national media attention. I found the turn of events deeply disheartening, as the rally was intended as a peaceful protest. _________________

Robert Crum Indiana University - Freshman My school sent a message regarding the war in Israel, and it was underwhelming and superficial – just acknowledging the conflict. I attended the joint Chabad and Hillel rally on campus, where Palestinians were driving by saying antisemitic and hate speech. As our rally took place, they had a Palestinian rally nearby, where they were chanting “free Palestine” while we were praying for Israel. When our rally was over, we went to get food and passed their rally, where they were saying antisemitic and other things such as “you get what you deserve” and would try to get aggressive; however, the police walled them off. _________________

Leo Kamer Johns Hopkins University - Junior The university’s president sent a message on October 10 about the war, referring to the October 7 attack as an act of brutality. He also lamented the deaths of Palestinian civilians. The president included links to the webpages of the Office of Student Health and WellBeing, and he promised discussions facilitated by Hopkins’ Middle East experts. If there is to be statement from the university, I am pleased that this one recognized the emotional support students may need. Overall, the president’s letter was appropriate. Some days after the conflict started, around 100 Jewish students, as well as Hillel and Chabad rabbis, gathered on one of our quads to sing and pray. I briefly participated in this gathering, and it was a beautiful display of solidarity. The next week, there was a vigil for the Palestinian dead on another quad; the week after that, there was a protest, a march around campus, that called for a ceasefire and generally represented the anti-Israel or pro-Palestine position. I was not present at either of these events. _________________

Matthew Gross Loyola University New Orleans - Junior Loyola University does not have a sizable Jewish population. However, due to close ties between Loyola and Tulane, Loyola students are welcome to participate in Tulane Chabad activities. As of now, Loyola University has not issued any official communication concerning the situation in Israel. In my perspective, addressing the issue would be beneficial, as it would provide students with a better understanding of the importance of avoiding actions or activities that may have unintended consequences. A notable rally took place on Oct. 26.

Yael Schranz Cornell University - Sophomore We were on fall break when the devastations of October 7 occurred. Our president, Martha Pollack, who is Jewish, sent a disappointing email. Continued on page 8

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COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND ISRAEL She wrote expressing her deep sadness about the attacks in the Middle East but did not condemn Hamas’ acts of terrorism and did not mention the state of Israel at all. She also compared the attacks to other events in the world such as the atrocities in the NagornoKarabakh region and the earthquake in Afghanistan. Although the loss of any human life is tragic, the Cornell president should be focusing on addressing students’ mental health after the October 7 attacks, not comparing them to other world tragedies, making the acts of terrorism as normal as other horrific events. But they are not. The day was beyond horrific; it was inhumane. And it cannot be compared to any other day in history. The following day, President Pollack sent a follow-up email to address the outrage resulting from the first email, where she condemned Hamas’ attack as acts of terrorism and refers to the attacks occurring in Israel, not the Middle East.

There have been many more emails since then relating to the attacks of October 7, as many Jewish donors pulled out from giving to Cornell. A Cornell history professor called the attacks “exhilarating and exciting,” anti-Israel messages were sprayed-painted around campus, and antisemitic threats to our kosher dining hall and Jewish living center were made by a Cornell student. With every week, there is a new wave of antisemitic and anti-Zionist attacks occurring on campus. Our community is still healing from what is occurring in Israel, and simultaneously we must fight for our rights and beliefs as Jews and Zionists. Cornell improved significantly in making the Jewish community feel safe. After the antisemitic threats, the Governor of New York and President Pollack came to the Center for Jewish Living to discuss the matter and see how they can best support students. Even more faculty attended Shabbat dinner that week to show that the Jewish

community at Cornell is strong, and it is not going anywhere. To honor the lives lost in the attacks and pray for the hostages return, we had a Support for Israel vigil. We shared personal stories, sang songs, and came together to support each other. After the vandalism of anti-Israel hate across campus, we had another community gathering to show that the hate that exists on campus is unacceptable, yet we are not scared of it and we will continue to speak up about the truths occurring in Israel. I helped plan both of these gatherings to make sure they fit with what the community needed. We continue to have educational speakers and events updating students about what is going on in Israel. Hillel and Chabad have created more open spaces for people to convene and talk about their feelings. We are proud supporters of Israel, and we will show that pride by visibly being Jewish – such as wearing kippas and Star of David necklaces.

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Rachael Stromberg James Madison University - Senior JMU released a statement regarding the conflict in Israel, basically saying they condemn the violent actions taken by Hamas towards Israel. The announcement remained relatively broad, but it also brought a sense of comfort to know that affected students are being acknowledged by JMU faculty. They also offer support by listing resources like the JMU Counseling Center. JMU Hillel, Chabad, and AEPi (fraternity) hosted a vigil on the quad to honor the lives lost in Israel. The event was well attended and successful in bringing members of the Jewish community together. There was also security in place for extra safety, due to the nature of the event and controversy of the situation. _________________

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Danial Watts Virginia Tech – Junior Hillel at Virginia Tech has been in constant communication with us, offering support, counseling, and opening their doors late in the night. Through Hillel, we have participated in a solidarity walk and vigil, standing with hundreds of other Jews at Virginia Tech. Even at the football game on October 14, a moment of silence was held in support of Israel and the total quiet was extremely moving.

COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND ISRAEL

William & Mary students experience antisemitism Stephanie Peck Prior to the terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7, William & Mary students from various faith groups would come together on campus and a positive relationship existed between Muslim and Jewish students. This peaceful exchange collapsed when Hamas invaded Israel, and some Jewish students on the Williamsburg campus now say they feel intimidated, threatened, and harassed. At a tabling event on October 10 to raise money for Magen David Adom, Rabbi Gershon Litt, director of William & Mary Hillel, experienced overt antisemitism as pro-Palestinian students aggressively confronted Jewish student volunteers and pronounced Hamas as “freedom fighters” and Jews as “genocidal enthusiasts.” Pro-Palestinian students were seen at a later date, dressed in full facemask keffiyeh to mimic terrorists. The William & Mary Hillel boasts 600 Jewish students. “In their lifetime, they have never seen outright antisemitism,” Litt says, responding to the fragile emotions and fear that many

students are experiencing. He is constantly meeting with Jewish students; some students have sought counseling. Litt praises the actions of President Katherine Rowe, whose husband is Jewish. In fact, a mezuzah adorns the front door of the president’s mansion. When banners appeared on campus, exclaiming “from river to sea,” police removed the signs within minutes. (According to jewishjournal.com, one interpretation of the phrase suggests “a Palestine that is Judenrein, where Jews will literally be chased into the river and the sea.”) Extra security has been provided to the Shenkman Jewish Center, home of William & Mary Hillel. The school’s administration is in constant

communication with Litt, and together they are consulting the offices of Virginia’s Governor Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares. On October 31, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive directive aimed at combatting antisemitism and all anti-religious hatred in the state amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. “What we need is effective policy and guidance,” says Litt, referring to conversations on a broader scale. “Students for Justice in Palestine have hijacked the Palestinian narrative, and this causes extremism like we’re seeing at Cornell, Columbia, Harvard, and other campuses. It’s harmful and prevents dialogue.” Litt sees hope within this dark and troubling period in the lives of college students. The events of October 7 and the subsequent clashes on campus are unifying the Jewish community. Students want more education and knowledge. “Being Jewish is meaningful.” Litt also serves the same role at Old Dominion University and Christopher Newport University.

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OPINION

Shehecheyanu, Sarajevo Simon Fink the Jew sitting across from me he last time I wrote for the Jewish News, I shared my possessed deeply held beliefs in experience as one the U.S.’s young adult delegation to conflict with mine. March of the Living. Were they on the other I’ve similarly just returned from a JDC trip to Bosnia and “side?” Even harder was that in Croatia as part of its young adult program, Entwine. It was that moment I knew I could not meant to visit Jewish communities, meet with community try to reason with someone who leaders, and learn about JDC’s work in the region. JDC is the was emotional, to bring nuance world’s largest Jewish humanitarian organization. to someone who literally is Most exciting for me, I’d learned Fiddler on the Roof, the fearing for their family’s life. Sure inspiration for my bar mitzvah theme, facial hair, and love of enough, right after we counted Tradition! was filmed in a little Croatian village that served as off, a participant broke into tears. the fictional Anatevka and I was going to visit it! They were about to be in my That was the plan, at least it was before the October group of three, and being real 7th massacres in Israel. Then the world changed, and honest here, I thought, uh oh, although our trip went forward, we faced the emotional ‘I’ll have to keep my opinions to roller coaster. myself.’ There will be no release As in the greater world, we too, in our small group of 19, for me. I’d again be disappointed despite us all being Jews and all based in Los Angeles, had in myself for not standing up for our swirling differences of opinions, some unspoken, except what I believe in. in overhead whispers. Our trip leaders noted the elephant I assumed her tears were in the room, especially after the Gaza hospital explosion based on fears different from my coverage debate. own. That she was on the other One, a licensed mental health therapist, made space for ‘side.’ Turns out, as I learned in us to talk about it, specifically an evening where we sat in a our smaller discussion, we shared circle and listened to one another. There were folks in pain many of the same fears. We were for reasons I hadn’t even thought of—those who felt alone at even two of the most overlapping JDC Entwine group. work as the only Jew with no one to talk to about the horror in the entire group. My assumption was so wrong. unfolding, those whose friends hadn’t reached out to them, How do we keep our heads above water, our families or worse, who’d had friends block them. and friends together, when we are hit by wave after wave of Others were shouting into the void on social media and divisions? Political extremism, COVID, and now this. in texts with family, all silent screams. But of all the Jews Each wave seems to hit closer to home than the last, in the world, we that night sat and listened to each other, more emotional, higher stakes. It’s that much more halfway through a trip tempting to let go in the Balkans, one of and be carried off one the most infamously way or the other. It’s fractured places on the tribal, even instincplanet. We then counted tual. Holding the line off into groups of three is a lot easier than for smaller discussions. holding hands when That was the part I facing someone that feared the most. disagrees with you. What was my fear? Add in loss and fear Never could I imagine and anger? Almost sitting in a room of impossible. young Jews and think Pride. My grandour bedrocks, our father, Marvin Simon, values, would not be the often said ‘I is a Jew’ same. Here, for the first – where is that pride time in my memory, I sourced? Tevye? Simon Fink where Fiddler was filmed (top). A scene from the film at that location (bottom). didn’t know whether Tradition? Israel? The

10 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

Shema? A synagogue? My March of the Living trip was about survival. This was… is… something else. This is about pride in still finding each other, holding space, holding each other not just despite the waves but because of the waves. On that night in Sarajevo, called the “Jerusalem of Europe” for its proximity of so many religions, we dug down past our differences, past the cracked foundations that we thought formed our Jewish identities to a place where we could recognize one another’s fears and see each other as one again. In that, I found greater pride than even when standing in the remains of the fictional Anatevka. Our trip leader said ‘begin with what we have in common.’ I’m working with other participants from the trip to organize a similar evening for the wider young adult Jewish community in LA. In person. Our bedrock shouldn’t be a rug that feels like it can be pulled out from under us. That’s not a foundation. It’s what we have in common. Don’t try to find it over Instagram or text or email. Listen, face to face. We need it. You need it. For the release, for the churning, and then for the connection. For you to not just say “I is a Jew” but “We is a Jew.” Start there.

JEWISH TIDEWATER AND ISRAEL

Planning for the New Year

Tidewater to Israel: Give Your Loved Ones the Supplies for soldiers Lifestyle They Deserve and families

We all deserve to be surrounded by family and friends during the holidays: sharing stories and traditions, enjoying home-cooked meals, and having the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are loved. Stephanie Peck ighteen pallets filled with toiletries, clothes, tactical gear, and first aid supplies were sent to Israel from Virginia Beach last month for soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces and families displaced by the war in Israel. These items were donated and assembled at the Sandler Family Campus on Monday, Oct. 16, as part of a large community effort sponsored by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Strelitz International Academy, and Chabad of Tidewater. The Sibony family, Israeli owners of Sunsation stores in Virginia Beach, picked up more than 100 boxes from the Sandler Family Campus to be organized and sealed on pallets – for free. According to Nofar Trem, UJFT’s Israel engagement manager, the pallets were sent in two shipments. Interdel GCT shipped the first set, offering a substantial discount in the shipping charges. Volunteers of The Tavor College for Social Leadership received these pallets in Israel and then distributed the contents to IDF soldiers and reservists from different units on the ground. The second shipment, which is for IDF soldiers, reservists, Magen David Adom, and displaced families, was sent to New Jersey on Nov. 7 by Worldwide Express and from there was loaded onto a cargo plane to Israel. Israelis Yarden and Shlomy Peer were so touched by the initiative taken by the Jewish community, that in addition to donating money to the Tidewater Supports Israel 2023 Emergency Fund, they also paid for half of the cost of shipping. Volunteers of the Tavor College for Social Leadership are again distributing the supplies. ZIM, the Israeli shipping company, had offered free delivery by boat, but the three-week travel time did not fit the immediate needs of those in Israel.

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ISRAEL FI R S T PER SO N

A view from Israel

Levi Margolin after they had killed every living being – man, woman, ast month, I joined forces with some amazing people child, baby, dog, cat – inside. to visit soldiers, displaced families, and families sitting • I saw tents and clothing strewn across the endless fields of Shiva. We raised money for Israel Defense Forces units, Re’im. and we transported gear to the necessary places. We cooked • I felt the shock of dreams stopped in their tracks. for families forced out of their homes and for soldiers on • I felt the horror of lives mercilessly and brutally cut short. bases. We visited troops for barbeques, a lone soldier on his But… birthday, and security personnel in various locations. I also saw… So many words are floating through my mind as I try • Dozens and dozens of tanks with their troops aboard, to relive it. We are family. We share each other’s pain. Their facing Gaza, ready for orders. losses are our losses. • Dozens of other armored vehicles with soldiers milling To hug a random person I never met, mourning the loss around and chatting. of their brother, is to hug a brother himself. To visit a lone • Soldiers and security personnel so proud to be protecLevi Margolin at a barbeque for troops. soldier, because his father is in the U.S., is to feel like his ting Israel. father. To give a snack to my brother-in-law’s friend is to give a snack to my sibling! To • People carrying the Rebbe’s picture, or a tehillim wherever they go. share a barbeque with troops on their base is like a barbeque with my own family at home. • Non-religious people with tzitzis, because they wholeheartedly believe that at this Last month, I also visited our “Ground Zero,” to bring some joy and some spiritual time, this is the spiritual protection they need. armor and snacks and goodies to our soldiers on the literal front line. It’s NOT easy being here right now. I was in Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the hardest hit places of the Simchat Torah attacks. I But it feels sooo right to be here right now. was also at Re’im, the site of the Nova Music Festival. We will not cower, we will not hide. I witnessed the aftermath of these atrocities first hand. Indeed, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps! The Jewish people are • I saw destruction. strong. We are united. We are one. • I saw the remnants of a modern-day pogrom – or worse. The Rebbe explains on Megillat Esther: • I saw many burnt down homes. It says in the megillah, we have amongst us one nation that is scattered and dispersed • I saw homes with their roof blown out. amongst the other nations…. • I saw entire walls of homes collapsed to rubble. the Rebbe says that in that very sentence, Haman (the grandfather of Hamas) hinted • I saw cars reduced to a jumble of metal and rubber. at our greatest weapon: ONE NATION! It really is true! • I saw toys and kids’ bicycles abandoned, never to be used again. We. Are. Stronger. Together. Am Yisrael Chai! –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– • I saw a home with a rocket hole straight through the middle, sent by the IDF after determining that the Israelis were all hiding in the safe room. Levi Margolin grew up in Norfolk. He lives in Jerusalem and is executive director of Birthright • I saw homes the IDF themselves destroyed in order to neutralize the terrorists inside, Israel: Mayanot.

Americans March for Israel, to free hostages, and against antisemitism Tuesday, November 14, National Mall, Washington, DC, 1 pm

ncouraging people who stand with Israel to be a voice for those who can’t be heard, the Americans March for Israel is being organized by Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference for Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Locally, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council is spearheading the effort to get people to DC. This pro-Israel rally and solidarity effort enforces support for Israel, while sending a unified message to free the hostages and combat antisemitism. According to Eric Fingerhut, JFNA CEO, the rally aims to show pride for what the U.S. government has

12 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

already done to support Israel, as well as to emphasize the ongoing effort that will be required for the length of this conflict. Join members of the Tidewater community and friends from around the country to support Israel and stand together at this challenging moment. Go to JewishVa.org to register. Seats are limited. $72 per person helps defray the cost of transportation to and from D.C., snacks, and water. The current plan is to leave Tidewater promptly at 7:30 am and return by 10:30 pm. Departure time and location and other details will be shared upon registration.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For more information, contact Julie Kievit, JCRC program coordinator, at JKievit@ujft.org or 757-965-6110.

Local Relationships Matter

JEWISH TIDEWATER

Embracing change: Beth Sholom Village’s new strategic vision Amy Weinstein to more people for more years, and we are fter 43 years of dedicated service ready for the next step in our organizato the community, Beth Sholom tional journey. As we shift our focus and Village has embarked on a transstrategic vision, we also must reshape our formative journey to craft a new strategic call to action; we are learning from those vision. This strategic shift is driven by a who supported us in the past, donors commitment to better meet the evolving who continue to give, and will continue needs of the senior and Jewish commuto seek guidance from those who fund nities, and to ensure a brighter future long-term initiatives supporting seniors for generations to into the future.” come. Change is Developing often met with a new strategic both excitement vision for Beth and trepidation, Sholom Village but in the case is a critical step of Beth Sholom 6 2 DOING IT DIFFERENTLY in ensuring the Village’s new organization’s strategic vision, 5 3 growth and conthe community 4 tinued success, can rest assured and a necessary that these process “to honor changes are the commitment driven by a deep 4 made to our commitment to 5 2 community, our enhancing the parents, grandpalives of its seniors. 3 6 rents, and those By adapting who we will care to evolving for in the future,” demographics, says David Abraham, Beth Sholom Village continuing to prioritize the highest quality president and CEO of care, fostering a sense of belonging, By following these points as guideembracing interdisciplinary approaches, lines, BSV can continue to grow, adapt, ensuring financial sustainability, building and build programs to meet the needs new partnerships and continuing to engage of seniors now and in the future. These with the community, Beth Sholom Village points and guidelines will serve as a is poised to create a brighter future for the roadmap for leadership to make informed entire Hampton Roads senior community. decisions and prioritize actions that align Beth Sholom Village is currently with BSV’s strategic vision. embarking on a comprehensive rebranding Beth Sholom Village has always deliinitiative and website overhaul, following vered exceptional care and maintained the meticulous rewriting of its strategic a well-deserved reputation for integrity, vision. The rebranding effort aims to compassion, and upholding Jewish modernize Beth Sholom Village’s image, values. “We will continue to do that, ensuring it resonates with diverse but we are doing it differently,” says Jay stakeholders, from supporters to the Kossman, incoming BSV chair of the seniors it serves and their families. board. “We will be delivering more care The redesigned website will serve as a

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As the Chief Executive Officer at the Peninsula Foodbank, she believes the Foodbank not only distributes food but is also the spokesperson for those who otherwise don’t have a voice. “There are so many low income individuals who haven’t received any benefit from the recovering economy and those who because of their life circumstances need help every now and then. We are there to help ensure their voices are heard.”

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“Since 2004, when I started with the Foodbank and got to know Payday Payroll, I have always felt that Payday has been involved and helped to build it’s business through positive support for others in the community, both non-profits and start up businesses. I particularly appreciate the generosity that Payday has shown to the nonprofits in our community.”

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dynamic platform, not only reflecting the updated strategic vision but also providing a user-friendly interface for easy access to information, resources, and support services. This initiative underscores Beth Sholom Village’s commitment to adaptability, innovation, and the continuous enhancement of its impact on the well-being of seniors. BSV anticipates unveiling the new look and website during its Annual Meeting and board installation on January 9, 2024. An invitation will be extended to the community to join in the celebration (more details to follow), says Abraham.

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As these changes take shape, the community will ultimately benefit from a more responsive, innovative, and inclusive approach to senior care, ensuring that the legacy of compassionate service endures for future generations. “The hard work of previous generations set the standard, and we continue that work – we continue to serve members of our community who need help and we continue to provide housing and healthcare for seniors,” says Abraham. “We are the Beth Sholom Village of tomorrow, and we are doing it differently.”

jewishnewsva.org | November 13, 2023 | JEWISH NEWS | 13

Local and Experienced…a winning combination!

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We Stand in Solidarity With Israel

Craft a legacy, secure the Jewish future

Naomi Limor Sedek estled beside one of the area’s fastest-growing congregations, a new playground gleams under the sun. While it may appear as just slides and swings, it’s much more for the young Jewish families of B’nai Israel. Funded through a Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s community impact grant, the Low Family Playground embodies the connection between Foundation unrestricted funds and Jewish causes. It’s not just about play; it’s a space where the next generation, the future of Tidewater’s Jewish community, can form bonds, grow, and absorb Jewish traditions and values. In addition to community impact grants, TJF is committed to facilitating meaningful connections between donors and impactful projects, organizations, and community causes. Another TJF community impact grant recently facilitated a unique cultural and educational event, enabling community members to interact with a Sofer who evaluated 30 Torah scrolls from Tidewater’s congregations. This underscores TJF’s commitment to preserving age-old traditions and fostering community unity. This blend of traditional and innovative support showcases the multifaceted ways funding through TJF uplifts the Jewish community. Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s mission is clear: to secure the Jewish future. Through donor-advised funds, fundholder grants, and restricted legacy funds for agencies, programs, and services, TJF offers an unparalleled opportunity for individuals to be an architect of the community’s future. Starting a fund with TJF isn’t merely a financial transaction; it’s a commitment to legacy. Donors are not just contributors, but are influencers, wielding the power to shape the Jewish community in ways that reflect their values and vision. To join this journey, speak with TJF to discuss the creation of a personal legacy so together, the future of a thriving and flourishing community is ensured. It all starts with a conversation. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Naomi Limor Sedek is president and CEO of Tidewater Jewish Foundation. She may be reached at 757-965-6109 or nsedek@tjfva.org.

JEWISH TIDEWATER FI R S T PER SO N

Shinshinim program is successful and important

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Rabbi Ron Koas n the past month I was asked by my colleagues about our Shinshinim, and the secret of their success in our (Congregation Beth El) school, congregation, and community. I realize that not everyone is aware of this program, so please allow me to share a little bit about it. Shinshinim is a play on the Hebrew words, Shnat Sheirut, meaning “year of service.” Shinshinim are talented Israeli high school graduates who are placed in Jewish communities abroad. This program, brought to our community and largely supported by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, exists to build bridges between Israeli youth and Jewish communities to strengthen our ties and build the foundation for a secure Jewish future. In short, the program makes Israel more than just our far-flung homeland – the program makes Israel personal. Alma Ben Chorin and Aya Sever last year, and Naomi Friedland and Maya Ostrov this year, have created meaningful connections with students, bringing their Israeli culture, traditions, and Hebrew to Tidewater. They have developed personal relationships with students and families alike, and especially with their amazing host families. They are always eager to assist and participate in all our events and help some students who are reluctant to go to Junior Congregation on Shabbat. Their passion is contagious, and we are so fortunate to have

them with us. Their influence goes well beyond the day-to-day help they provide. A recent study from the Jewish Agency finds that “Interactions with emissaries from Israel are associated with higher levels of engagement with Israel because Jews who spent years in Jewish schools might have knowledge about Israel, but not necessarily a connection to it. The Shinshinim program can help make that connection.” This study also finds that while relationships with Shinshinim may not be ‘transformative’ in the way that trips to Israel are experienced, they constitute a more intimate and a more continuous part of people’s lives. I completely agree! As someone who has served as an emissary in the past, and who works with one now, I can attest to the power that these personal relationships can have. I have been doing my very best to help the Shinshinim succeed and flourish, giving them the tools and knowledge they need. I encourage you all to do the same – If you haven’t yet met our Shinshinim, find some time to meet and thank them for their service. Yasher Koach to Alma, Aya, Naomi, and Maya! In these difficult times for Israel and the Jewish people, we must open our hearts and homes to the Shinshiniot and support them with lots of love. Am Israel Chai! Rabbi Ron Koas, Congregation Beth El.

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NATION

Senate confirms Jack Lew as US ambassador to Israel Ron Kampeas WASHINGTON (JTA) — The U.S. Senate approved Jack Lew, the Jewish former treasury secretary, to be ambassador to Israel, a process that Democratic leaders sought to accelerate as Israel wages war with Hamas. The 53-43 vote was mostly along party lines, with two Republicans — Rand Paul and Lindsey Graham — joining 51 Democrats. Both sides cited the urgency of the moment in making their cases. Democrats noted Lew’s close ties to Israel, and Republicans said his work on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal made him a poor choice during a time that Iranian proxy groups are engaging in direct warfare with Israel. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Jewish Maryland Democrat who is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Chuck Schumer, the New York Jewish Democrat who is the majority leader, rushed Lew’s nomination to the floor over Republican objections. “The Senate has now taken an extremely important step in its support for Israel,” Schumer said after the vote. “This confirmation is as important and as timely as any

16 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

confirmation in recent times.” Schumer said two-way communication was critical when an ally was at war. “It means Israel’s messages will be relayed appropriately to our government, but it also means our messages will be sent appropriately to Israel’s government,” he said. An accredited ambassador in place will facilitate the delivery of emergency defense assistance to Israel, which is now under consideration in Congress. The office will also play a central role in freeing the dozens of Americans believed to be among the 240 or so hostages held by Hamas after its Oct. 7 invasion of Israel. Lew would additionally help negotiate the terms of delivering humanitarian relief to Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, which is under Israeli attack. Lew, who also served as President Barack Obama’s chief of staff before leading the Treasury Department, has drawn words of support from Jewish leaders in Washington who pointed to his experience in public office, his skills as a negotiator, his involvement in Jewish life and his close relationship with Jewish organizations. He earned a reputation for resolving complex

negotiations during his two stints as director of the Office of Management and Budget under Obama as well as President Bill Clinton. He has spoken publicly about balancing his Orthodox observance with government work and has encouraged young observant Jews to go into public service, Republicans who opposed Lew cited his role as treasury secretary when Obama brokered the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. “I understand it’s important to move as quickly as we can to have an ambassador in Jerusalem,” said Sen. James Risch, the Idaho Republican who is the top Republican on the committee. “We are at an important moment in history with the events in Israel. This makes the stakes so much higher and important that we get it right.” Risch and other Republicans said that as treasury secretary, Lew’s oversight of the Iran nuclear deal, which traded sanctions relief for a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program, overly favored Iran. “Hamas would not exist if it was not for Iran,” Risch said. “Iran arms and trains them, it finances and directs them.”

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HA PPY HA NU KKA H Dear Readers, Less than one month away, I’m not sure Hanukkah can come soon enough. Won’t it be wonderful to celebrate some light? Israel’s war with Hamas and all the pain and strife it has inflicted around the globe and into our own families’ and students’ conversation battles, along with the early darkness that is brought on each evening by leaving Daylight Savings Time, mean the lights of our hanukkiahs, the silly songs, and the festive foods are bound to bring some cease-fire to our tensions. So, as we begin to plan for the holiday by purchasing gifts, gathering to light Hanukkah candles, and talking about Judah and the Maccabees, we’ve asked several locals who are known for their culinary and/or hosting abilities to share some of their secrets and recipes for preparing traditional, and even some not-so-traditional, fare for the holiday. Check out their suggestions beginning on the next page. For a very different twist, Eitan Altshuler of the Cardo Café/Humusiya, suggests trying a Spanish treat for the holiday as an alternative for sufganiyot. His thoughts on Israel, the holiday, and leches fritta are on page 24. Rabbi Israel Zoberman shares a Torah Thought on Hanukkah, its timeless

tale, and how it relates to wars today in Israel and Ukraine. Page 31. This section is packed with articles, including stories about how the holiday was celebrated around the world last year, how one Jewish organization got around a hotel’s fire rules to light the Hanukkiah, and more. While not in this section, remember that Jewish Family Service is collecting Hanukkah gifts for children and teens through Monday, Nov. 27. For more information, call 757-459-4640. The lighting of the first candle is on Thursday, Dec. 7 at nightfall. Sing a song, spin a dreidel, and indulge in something prepared in oil. And hug your families and friends. Chag Sameach! Happy Hanukkah!

Terri Denison Editor

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HA PPY HA NU KKA H

COOKING FOR HANUKKAH J Stephanie Peck oy is an integral Hanukkah ingredient. The festive, non-religious Jewish holiday celebrates and commemorates the miraculous events experienced by the Maccabees and reminds Jews of the continual fight for religious freedom – a struggle that seems particularly relevant now. Candle lighting, dreidel spinning, and gift-giving excite children of all

Frozen dough works wonders Shari Berman Shari Berman loves a good short cut. When preparing her jelly doughnuts, or sufganiyot, for example, she buys Rhodes frozen dinner rolls (found at Walmart and Wegman’s) instead of making her own dough. The rolls are pareve, egg-free, and allergen-friendly, allowing those with various dietary needs to indulge. Unlike Krispy Kreme donuts, which are dairy, Berman’s recipe can be served with a meat meal. She simply follows the instructions on the back of the package, deep-fries the dough, and then “injects” each donut with grape or seedless raspberry jelly by using a piping bag with a cream puff nozzle. A medical syringe, Berman notes, works great, too. To achieve the effect of a donut hole, Berman uses half of a roll. The finished treat is served with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

A quick tip from mom Anna Fox Burnette

Nix on grating potatoes Alicia Friedman “Skip the grating of the potatoes and buy frozen hashbrowns,” suggests Alicia Friedman. She adapts a recipe from Once Upon a Chef, which provides instructions for both the stovetop and oven method. Friedman bakes her latkes in oil rather than pan-frying them. “They are so simple and delicious.”

As a Jewish family in the South, Burnette and her three siblings were often the only Jewish kids in elementary school. It was up to her mother, then, to go to school to tell the Hanukkah story, make latkes, and share traditions. Burnette’s mother would hand-grate the potatoes and onions for latkes at least one night during Hanukkah. Her mother soon developed a short cut that is just as tasty but sheds the time from start to eat. The “recipe” is built on texture but can be adapted and adjusted as needed.

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ages, and the smells of latkes and sufganiyot combine to create a warm and fragrant environment. But those in the kitchen, leaning over the hot oil, may not feel so celebratory! Jewish News asked a variety of locals known for their culinary skills to share some fool-proof suggestions to make preparation of some Hanukkah favorites a bit easier.

Keep them small Robin and Burle Stromberg

“We make sure the potatoes are dry, and the oil is very hot, before placing them in the pan to fry,” says Robin and Burle Stromberg. The couple also prepares small latkes, so the latke is cooked in the middle. At their Hanukkah meal, the latkes are served piping hot. “I enjoy every minute of it, “says Burle, “except ‘de-oiling’ our kitchen afterwards.”

Latkes Ingredients • 1 package of frozen shredded hashbrowns (not seasoned) • 1 small package frozen diced onions (optional) • salt • corn starch • 2 eggs Directions 1. Scramble two eggs in the bottom of a bowl, add in 1/2 - 1 tsp of salt. 2. Throw in thawed frozen potatoes and onions if using, then add in corn starch until the mixture is “doughy.” 3. Mix well and drop small

handfuls into hot oil in the pan. 4. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. As the mixture sits and the salt releases some of the moisture from the onions and potatoes, it may be necessary to drain the liquid, add more corn starch and squeeze the excess moisture out before putting it into the pan to ensure the latkes come out crispy. 5. Remove cooked latkes to a cookie sheet and store in a 250-degree oven to keep warm and crispy until ready to eat. Top with applesauce, sour cream, or a vinegar-based cabbage, scallion, and celery slaw.

HA PPY HA NU KKA H Sufganiyot by another name are delicious all year Linda Peck and Nancy Peck Mother and daughter, Nancy and Linda Peck, share their recipe for sufganiyot. While they call them ‘sufganiyot’ during Hanukkah, they make them throughout the year as ‘pop ups,’ which are a thinner version of the New Orleans beignets. Although sufganiyot are traditionally filled with jelly, the Pecks do not fill theirs. “The sufganiyot are simply delicious plain!”

Sufganiyot Ingredients • 2 cups milk (can use Dairy Rich for pareve) • 1 cup sugar • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 stick butter (margarine for pareve) • 1 stick margarine • 2 egg • 2 tablespoons of dry yeast • 1/2 cup warm water

A homemade topping Sharon Goretsky When asked for a fool-proof Hanukkah recipe, Sharon Goretsky shared her homemade, crockpot applesauce.

Applesauce Ingredients • 8 medium apples (I use a combination of apples: Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious)

• 8 cups all-purpose flour • Oil for frying Directions Dough 1. Scald milk; stir in sugar, salt, butter and margarine; let stand until lukewarm. 2. In large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. 3. Once yeast is bubbly, add to the lukewarm milk mixture. 4. Add beaten eggs and then incorporate 4 cups flour. Mix well; slowly add remaining flour until dough does not stick to your hands. 5. Cover bowl tightly with silver foil or plastic wrap. Place in a warmish spot to rise for approximately 2-3 hours. Alternatively, the dough can rise in the refrigerator overnight, but it must be brought to room temperature before using the next morning.

squares (no one will complain if they are not perfect!) 3. Drop dough into hot oil. If oil is hot enough, the dough will immediately “pop up.” When brown on one side, use slotted spoon to turn over and brown the other side. Note: It might be necessary to turn the heat down if they brown too quickly. 4. Remove sufganiyot and drain on brown paper bag or paper towels. 5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 6. Serve and enjoy.

Betsy Karotkin For Hanukkah, I use a dreidel, star, Hanukkiah, Maccabee, etc. for the cookie cutters.

Betsy’s Sugar Cookies (for cutouts) Ingredients • 2 ½ cups sifted flour • 1 ½ cups sugar, sifted • ½ t salt • 1 cup butter (I use Smart Balance for ½) • 1 egg beaten • 2 tablespoon milk • 2 teaspoon vanilla

To make sufganiyot: 1. Bring about 2 ½” of oil in a wide fry pan (cast iron is excellent) to 370°. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by dropping a speck of water into the hot oil. If it pops, the oil is ready. 2. Roll pieces of the dough to ¼” thickness and cut into 2”

• 1 strip of lemon peel • 1 teaspoon lemon juice • 3 cinnamon stick • 5 teaspoons light brown sugar (I use brown sugar Splenda)

Cookies in Hanukkah shapes

Directions 1. Sift flour, sugar, and salt. 2. Cut in butter. Add milk, egg, and vanilla and mix. 3. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. 4. Roll out on floured board and use cookie cutters for shapes. 5. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. 6. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Directions 1. Peel, core, and slice the apples. 2. Place the apples in the slow cooker. 3. Add the cinnamon stick, lemon peel, lemon juice, and brown sugar. 4. Set crockpot to low and cook for 6 hours. 5. Stir apples occasionally; apples will slowly cook down. 6. Remove the cinnamon sticks. 7. Use an immersion blender at the end if a smooth sauce is preferred. jewishnewsva.org | November 13, 2023 | JEWISH NEWS | 21

HA PPY HA NU KKA H How Jewish studies scholars navigated Jewish law and fire-code rules to save Hanukkah at their conference Philissa Cramer (JTA) — The email landed like a batch of soggy latkes last year: Hanukkah candle-lighting would not be permitted at the annual conference of the Association for Jewish Studies. “We recognize the sacrifice many of you will make to attend the conference during the holiday of Chanukah. We apologize that the conference hotel will not allow us to light candles in a separate room, as we have done in the past,” the professional group for Jewish studies scholars said in a message to its members, of whom approximately 1,200 were expected at last year’s convening in Boston. Thus began a MacGyverlike scramble by some of the country’s leading Jewish studies scholars to hack a Hanukkah solution that would comply with both halacha, Jewish law, and the Sheraton Boston’s interpretation of Massachusetts fire code. At first, the scholarly group directed conference-goers to details about a Hanukkah celebration at a nearby synagogue where menorahs could be lit, at least on the first night of the holiday. But that was little consolation for those whose personal practice of Judaism is rooted in traditional Jewish law — which says the Hanukkah menorah must be lit in the place one eats and sleeps. Some conference attendees said they would rely on Jewish law’s provision for travelers, which says someone on the road can be considered as having fulfilled the commandment to ignite a Hanukkah light if his family at home does so. But not everyone at the conference has a family, and even some who do were unsatisfied with that option. Electric menorahs offered another possibility. After all, such devices are frequently found in hotels and other public spaces, and Chabad, the Orthodox denomination, sometimes uses them in its famous public Hanukkah celebrations, last year scheduled for more than 15,000 locations around the world. But the use of oil wicks or, in the last few centuries, wax candles that offer a similar experience is considered preferable, according to many interpreters of Jewish law; Chabad says electric menorahs are ideal for symbolic use, not to fulfill the mandates of Jewish law. On Facebook and over email, anger was expressed. Impractical suggestions for the conference to relocate were made. And fear mounted that some conference-goers would smuggle 22 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

HA PPY HA NU KKA H in contraband menorahs and light them in their hotel rooms. “You can’t stop people from breaking the rules, and it’s certainly much less safe to have that than something being watched,” says Joshua Shanes, a historian at the College of Charleston who was part of the behind-the-scenes scramble. Finally, on Friday morning, with some scholars already Boston-bound, Laura Arnold Leibman, a professor at Reed College and a member of the AJS board, announced a solution. “We were able to negotiate with the hotel what I am referring to as the ‘Kaplan-Shanes compr[om]ise’ this morning that should allow for a halachic solution to the candle lighting situation (see details below), and I was able to get a beautiful hanukkiah this morning from the Israel Bookstore in Brookline that will meet the fire code,” she wrote on Facebook, to plaudits from association members. Under the plan, a single Hanukkah lamp can be lit, under supervision, at the hotel. But each candle must be contained within a glass enclosure with at least 2 inches of space above the flame — so Leibman bought glass votives used to hold yahrzeit memorial candles, as well as a massive menorah to which they could be affixed. “This was the only Hanukkiah I could find in Brookline large enough to handle them [and] will clean them up before Sunday and glue them down for safety to the inserts,” Leibman wrote alongside pictures of the brass menorah on her hotel windowsill. That solved the problem of the flames themselves. But what of the obligation to light, which under traditional Jewish law each household must fulfill individually? Enter the “Kaplan” of the compromise: Lawrence Kaplan, a professor of Judaic and rabbinic philosophy at McGill University who is perhaps best known for compiling and editing the teachings of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik of the philosophy of Maimonides, the 12th-century Jewish philosopher. Kaplan wrote on Facebook that he had consulted Rabbi Daniel Fridman, the rabbi of the Teaneck Jewish Center and the top rabbi at the Torah Academy of Bergen County, for a way to have a single conference-goer fulfill the mitzvah of lighting a Hanukkah lamp on behalf of others. He learned that a contribution of a penny (or more) could enable someone to buy into the mitzvah — so a bowl for coins will sit aside the jerry-rigged menorah. “I really appreciate the effort and expense to which you went,” Kaplan wrote on Liebman’s Facebook post. “It was easy for me to suggest the idea, but it was you who transformed it into a reality.” Now, the discussion has shifted to whether contributions in excess of a penny can be turned into donations to the Association for Jewish Studies — and what can be done to prevent such a snafu in the future. This year’s conference in San Francisco starts after the holiday ends, and the 2024 conference will be online-only. But in 2025, the first day of the conference again corresponds with the first night of Hanukkah. Shanes and Liebman both indicated that they expected the right to light candles to be written into the contract with any future conference host, marking a return to the old custom of having conference-goers light candles on their own schedule. “At least for this year,” Shanes said, “we’re all coming together. It’s a silver lining I suppose.”

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HA PPY HA NU KKA H Wishes you and your family a Hanukkah filled with love & light!

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Cohen Investment Group is a relationship-driven, trusted multifamily and self-storage owner and operator. We are committed to our investors’ success by delivering attractive institutional real estate investment opportunities while providing diligent reporting, transparency, and accountability. Cohen Investment Group 2809 S. Lynnhaven Rd., Suite 100 Virginia Beach, VA 23452 (757) 490-1193 www.coheninvestmentgrp.com Eitan Altshuler ou’ve probably heard the saying, “They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat.” But have you heard the saying, which is true only on Tisha B’Av, “They tried to kill us, they won, let’s not eat!?” In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Israel, I definitely felt the latter. For the first time in my life, I feel a deep uneasiness about the security of Israel and its people. While it is hard going on with daily life, what choice is there? When I ask my fellow Jews how they’re doing, I rarely hear, “I’m great!” Rather, it’s more like an unsaid, but understood, “You know…” with a certain shrug of the shoulders. It has been upsetting to see the hostility towards Israel and Jews in the streets of American and European cities and universities. I try to remind myself that these antagonists don’t represent everyone; nonetheless, it feels so isolating when one needs to argue, what should be, the obvious. In any case, Hanukkah is coming. As history repeats itself, Jewish people again have to defend themselves, by themselves… against the odds. Thus, with the timing of the holiday and the war in Israel, I hope that Hanukkah will bring some encouragement to all Jews. Let’s remember the miracle of Hanukkah by eating a little shtickle of fried awesomeness. During these eight days, try to eat more than latkes and sufganiot. May I recommend a Spanish recipe called Leches Fritta? Unlike other Hanukkah recipes, this recipe is shallow fried, rather than deep fried, in an oil/butter combination. Prepare the sweet milk filling a day in advance and have space in the refrigerator for it to thicken. There are many online recipes; add your own creative touches to the flavoring or coating once they are finished. I like a little cherry jam with mine. Consider these fried treats as extended gifts from our ancestors to give us strength. Chag Sameach and B’tai Avon!

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HA PPY HA NU KKA H

Eight snapshots of Hanukkah celebrations from around the world from 2022 Jackie Hajenberg (JTA) — Hanukkah may be considered a “minor holiday,” as rabbis will say, but its resonance and unique traditions offer a great window into Jewish communities around the world. We’ve rounded up eight examples, one for each candle of the menorah, that give

a snapshot into how Jews — and, in a couple instances, how a few notable non-Jews — celebrated the festival of lights last year, from Chile to Ukraine to Taiwan. Perhaps some will serve as inspirations for a different type of Hanukkah celebration in Tidewater. There’s still time to prepare as Hanukkah begins on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 7.

Tel Aviv, Israel North Miami Beach-based artist Yitzchok Kasowitz claims that his Lego menorah at the Lego Store in Dizengoff Center, built with around 130,000 pieces, is the largest of its kind. According to the Times of Israel, it took a group of “Lego experts” just two marathon days to put it together.

Kharkiv, Ukraine Most of the Jews of Kharkiv, formerly one of Ukraine’s hubs of Jewish life, are believed to have left since the start of the Russian war in February last year. But residents of the city in northeastern Ukraine found some respite at the Kharkiv Choral Synagogue, where, in an event led by a local chapter of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, participants made wax candles, wrapped tefillin, and ate latkes with applesauce.

Taipei, Taiwan In the weeks preceding Hanukkah, members of the Taiwan Jewish Community in Taipei headed to the Yingge district — an area famous for its production of ceramics — to shape and fire their own menorahs in what has become an annual tradition. The menorahs were then used to ring in the first night of Hanukkah. 26 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

Mumbai, India Mumbai’s Jewish community, led by the Chabad of Mumbai, lit a large menorah at the Gateway of India, an early 20th century monument in the shape of an archway. After the candles were lit, guests were treated to a Hanukkah performance from students at the local Jewish school, featuring dancing and plastic swords. About 5,000 Jews live in Mumbai today. “The gateway to India was closed entirely except for Jews for the celebration,” says Aaron Torop Budman, who attended. “We were lighting the menorah, commemorating when the Greeks were thrown out, at the place where the last British military left the country.” Madeline Torop Budman and Aaron Torop Budman in Mumbai

Helena, Montana For the first time since 1934, the Jewish community of Helena celebrated Hanukkah at Temple Emanu-El, the state’s first synagogue, after a months-long effort to buy back the building from the Catholic Diocese. The interfaith event was attended by nearly 150 guests, who enjoyed a (much smaller) menorah lighting, latkes, a photo booth, arts and crafts, and dreidel-playing. It was the first time in nearly 90 years that Hanukkah lights shone from this building.

HA PPY HA NU KKA H Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and São Paulo

Santiago, Chile Image courtesy of Aish of the Rockies.

Public Hanukkah candle lighting ceremonies took place in Brazil’s two most populous cities, where hundreds of people gathered to watch and the ceremonies were televised. Brazil’s first lady Michelle Bolsonaro posted a photo of a menorah and a bible in front of Brazilian and Israeli flags on her Instagram account, which received more than 420,000 likes. Her caption included the blessing for the Hanukkah candles in Hebrew.

Denver, Colorado The Denver chapter of NCSY, the Orthodox Union’s youth group, unveiled a Lego menorah that was built by more than 425 teens and constructed from 25,000 Lego bricks. Standing at more than 24 and a half feet tall, Denver NCSY’s leader, Rabbi Yonatan Nuszen, claims it is the largest Lego menorah in the world. The menorah was taken apart and the bricks were donated to children in foster care in the United States and in Israel. Another Lego menorah, though, claims it deserves the title of the largest in the world — this one, in Israel.

Chile’s far-left president Gabriel Boric has a complicated relationship with most of his country’s Jewish community, and he sparked a minor diplomatic crisis with Israel last September when he rebuffed the credentials of an Israeli envoy. But on the Friday before Hanukkah, he attended his first official candle-lighting ceremony as president, in what has become a tradition at the La Moneda presidential palace for the last 14 years. Speaking on Boric’s behalf, Chile’s Secretary General Ana Lya Uriarte said, “This celebration reassures the right that everyone has to practice their faith anywhere, anytime. Lighting these candles means illuminating us during easy and hard times.”

Jordyn Haime contributed to this article.

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HA PPY HA NU KKA H The ‘Hanukkah House’ in Brooklyn is a family tradition and a neighborhood treasure Julia Gergely (New York Jewish Week) — Hanukkah, the winter holiday that commemorates the triumph of Judah Maccabee and the miracle of long-lasting oil, has plenty of heroes to celebrate. But in one Brooklyn family’s home, the hero is the “Hanukkah Fairy” — or at least the mom behind it. Starting some 25 years ago, Gail Nalven Fuchs and her husband, David Fuchs, stayed up late the night before Hanukkah began to completely decorate the interior of their Midwood house in tinsel, dreidels, and blue and white decor. When their two kids awoke wide-eyed at the wonder, the Fuchs explained that the Hanukkah Fairy, who came to decorate and spread the light and joy of the holiday, had paid their house a visit. Over the years, what began as a lark has grown into a grand tradition: These days, eye-catching, illuminated Hanukkah decorations can be found on the home’s exterior and front lawn, too, including an oversized menorah, Jewish stars, and inflatables, such as a giant teddy bear wearing a Hanukkah sweater and a spinning dreidel. The “Hanukkah House,” as it is locally known, is now a bona fide neighborhood treasure, attracting neighbors, visitors, and children from around Brooklyn. The tradition of Hanukkah decorating started in 1997 when the Fuchs’ kids, Alyson

HA PPY HA NU KKA H and Harrison, were seven and five. It was one of the family’s favorite holiday traditions to drive through the neighborhoods of Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, where family homes have been bedazzled with over-the-top lights and Christmas decorations since the 1980s. “Isn’t Hanukkah called the Festival of Lights?” her son, Harrison — a playwright whose A Hanukkah Carol, or GELT TRIP! The Musical, a Jewish take on Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic, played at The Green Room in Manhattan — asked one year as they drove through Sheepshead Bay. Fuchs confirmed it was. “Then why don’t I see any Hanukkah lights?” he asked. “Everything is Christmas themed.” Fuchs tried to explain to her son that even though the lights are Christmas themed, they are for everyone to enjoy. “He said, ‘I would enjoy it so much more ifw I saw something that I know about. I don’t know about Christmas,’” she recalls. It was a moment of realization for Fuchs. “New Yorkers always say we live in a melting pot,” she tells the New York Jewish Week. “It didn’t feel that way at Christmastime.” In response to Harrison’s questions, she helped him pen a letter to the New York Post. “It’s very hard to be a five-year-old Jewish boy at this time of year,” the letter, which was published in 1997, opens. “I get very sad when I am driving the car in Brooklyn, and I look at all the lights and decorations hanging across the avenues.” Harrison then goes on to request more Hanukkah decorations in the years to come. The next year, a few weeks before Hanukkah, someone from the New York Post called to let Fuchs and her family know that there would be a large public menorah on Avenue U — sure enough, there it was. “We drove by, and Harrison was so excited. He went home and drew the

menorah with paint, and we hung it on our wall, and he would look at it every day.” Seeing how happy her kids were when they saw their holiday represented, Fuchs decided to start decorating her home with dreidels, menorahs, candles, Hanukkah

art, and tinsel. Enter the Hanukkah Fairy, who Fuchs created to add a sense of magic and wonder to the holiday — and to surprise her young kids. “Every year there were more and more Hanukkah decorations from the Hanukkah Fairy,” Fuchs says. “The kids used to write letters to her before the holiday saying ‘Hi Hanukkah Fairy, I hope you had a nice year, I cannot wait to see my home decorated this Hanukkah.’” The exterior decorating began slowly: David Fuchs, who owns a handmade steel manufacturing and distribution business, built the giant menorah. Over the years, the “Hanukkah Elf,” as he’s known by his family, has since built Jewish stars and

various signs for the house. They also try to add a Hanukkah-themed inflatable to their collection every year — last year’s newbie is a dinosaur wearing a Hanukkah sweater. Harrison and Alyson are now 31 and 33, respectively, but the tradition has carried on. To keep the Hanukkah spirit strong, the decorations typically start going up about a week before the holiday starts, and stay up until a week after it ends, Fuchs says. While Fuchs considers herself a Conservative Jew, many of her neighbors in Midwood are more traditionally Orthodox. Still, she’s noticed that many in the area are eager to take pics with the inflatables — some years, a school bus from a nearby yeshiva even stops in front of the house so kids can look. “I love sitting back on my porch — nobody sees me, and I love watching all the people go by,” she said. “It’s just a joy.” The Fuchs family has always celebrated Hanukkah to the nines — four generations of the extended family

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HA PPY HA NU KKA H gather at their home for a Hanukkah party, complete with a gift exchange — and decorating the house has become one of their favorite parts of the holiday. Fuchs’ adult children will help decorate the house, and Alyson Fuchs now also puts up decor in her apartment in Carroll Gardens, where her two daughters, who are three-and-a-half years old and nearly two years old, now

carry on the wonder and delight at the Hanukkah Fairy. “We have Hanukkah pride,” she says. “But it’s not so much ‘Hey, I’m Jewish. Here’s my house, too.’ It’s ‘Hey, I have a holiday that’s really a lot of fun. Look how pretty it is.’” It’s a tradition that’s become so important to the family that the “Hanukkah Fairy” even features in Harrison Fuchs’

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musical. “I really did believe in the Hanukkah Fairy,” Harrison, who uses the stage name Harrison Bryan, says. “To me, this magical entity was just as real as the Tooth Fairy, or Santa to other kids. It was amazing waking up on Hanukkah morning — my sister and I would marvel at all the decorations — blue and white everywhere, and to such an extent that it felt impossible for this to have been done without actual magic.” “It was only when I got a little bit older that I realized, it was real magic — the magic of having incredibly imaginative parents who wanted their children to feel loved and proud of their cultural identity,” he adds. Bryan made “The Hanukkah Fairy”

a character in his musical — the fairy is the “Spirit of Hanukkah Present” who guides the Scrooge-like protagonist Chava Kanipshin through her night of soul-searching. “Even though it may have been a tradition my parents made up, it was always meant to spark joy in others too,” Bryan adds. “And with the show, alongside the Hanukkah Fairy, we hope to do just that.” ––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hanukkah starts this year on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 7, and Fuchs welcomes visitors to come by, enjoy the decorations and take pictures. Located in Brooklyn on East 14th Street between Avenues J and K, her house will be the one all lit up with Hanukkah gear. “You can’t miss it,” she says.

HA PPY HA NU KKA H TOR A H T HOUGH T

Hanukkah’s timely message Rabbi Israel Zoberman anukkah’s origins in the drama of a small yet determined people with a large vision standing up to the might of the Hellenistic empire of antiquity, is a poignant demonstration and a timeless reminder of Israel’s unique and timely legacy. The heroic Maccabees’ successful revolt of the few against the many in 167 B.C.E. following the dictates of the Syrian Greek King Antiochus IV, that sought to deprive the Jews of practicing their own faith, was truly a stance of a proud conscience. Our refusal to submit to a superior physical power when our spiritual inheritance was at stake, is a clear indication of how deep a bond we held with both our religious convictions and sovereign independence, ready to sacrifice the sacred gift of life for the sake of an ancestral covenant with the compelling God of Freedom and Responsibility. The word Hanukkah and its festive meaning represent the spirit of dedication to irreplaceable ideals and ideas through the cleansing of Jerusalem’s temple of old from pagan defilement. The Talmud’s insisting focus on the miracle of the cruse of oil lasting eight days reflects the rabbis’ aversion to the bloodshed and the Hasmoneans’ intra-political strife associated with the war and beyond. Consequently, the Books of the Maccabees were not included in our own Biblical canon but were fortunately preserved through the Catholic one. In truth, the conflict was not only against the enemy from without, but in response to the experienced assimilation from within. The encounter with the dominant, flourishing, and tempting Greek culture led, however, to a fruitful philosophical engagement influencing rabbinic thought and logic. The flickering lights of Hanukkah have come to symbolize through centuries of

suffering, the miracle of Jewish survival in spite of overwhelming odds, while endowing the human family with an enduring promise for a world transformed and redeemed. The 2020 Abraham Accords offer renewed appreciation for the potential of peace in a troubled region. Let us continue to pray and labor that the ancient promise of prophetic Shalom’s healing, hope, and harmony from the distant hills of Judea, the first such inspiring and pioneering message of universal embrace, will yet be realized. At stake is the well-being of all of God’s children, including the offspring of Isaac and Ishmael whose familial bond cannot be denied. How frustrating and telling that there are Palestinian and other Arab leaders attempting to re-write history with the shameful aid of UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) by removing the incontrovertible Jewish connection, as well as the Christian one, with the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and thus from the Land of Israel, seeking to extinguish Hanukkah’s authenticity. Hanukkah’s celebration of religious freedom of choice is vigorously tested and contested in the controversy over Jewish worship at the Western Wall and its southern end (Robinson’s Arch). The Women of the Wall’s long struggle for equal acceptance, as well as the painful disappointment of the Reform and Conservative streams over the unfulfilled agreement by the Israeli government for egalitarian worship in the southern section, are a cause for concern in the context of Jewish pluralism in Israel along with Israel-Diaspora relations. As the United States, Israel, and the entire free world fight the blight of terrorism with misogynistic Iran’s Ayatollahs

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begrudging the Maccabean victory leading the way, much can be learned from the old and new Maccabees’ saga and spirit. The Hamas terrorists with their Nazilike barbaric assaults on Israel’s civilians, threaten the life-enlightening, pluralistic, and inclusive principles of Hanukkah’s bright menorah daring to challenge the darkness of oppression in all its destructive forms. Putin’s barbaric and criminal assault on Ukraine’s independent sovereignty in the heart of “civilized” Europe brings the world to the precipice’s edge. Europe’s move to the

political far right and the emerging threats to American democracy with the attendant rise of antisemitism’s most resistant virus, should alarm us and be ignored only at our own peril. All humans have now become vulnerable Jews. . .yet empowered with our people’s indomitable faith and noble example to face a formidable foe – physically, spiritually, and psychologically – and prevail. ––––––––––––––––––––––––– Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman is founder of Temple Lev Tikvah and is Honorary Senior Rabbi Scholar at Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church, both in Virginia Beach.

jewishnewsva.org | November 13, 2023 | JEWISH NEWS | 31

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Daffodil Project is planted at Jewish Museum and Culture Center

Myrna Amdursky he stars lined up correctly on Sunday, Oct. 22 for Tidewater’s 2nd Annual Daffodil Planting Day at the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center in Portsmouth. The sun was shining brightly, the temperature was comfortable, Bob and Jeanne Zentz played music, and there were plenty of brownies – so everyone had a great time. The goal of the International Daffodil Project is to plant 1.5 million bulbs to remember and honor the 1.5 million children murdered during the Holocaust, as well as all children everywhere who are victims of violence. The JMCC continues to support this Living Memorial effort and spearheaded the planting of nearly 5,000 additional bulbs this year. More than 3,000 bulbs were planted at the JMCC and another 500 bulbs were planted at The Moses Myers House. Bulbs will also be planted in Portsmouth on High Street and Western Branch Blvd. as designated by Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover and at these Portsmouth churches and Norfolk and Virginia Beach synagogues and schools: St. John’s Episcopal Church, Court Street Baptist Church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Mayor Shannon Glover Fourth Street Baptist Church, Ohef Sholom Temple, Congregation Beth El, and Strelitz International Academy. Individuals also purchased bulbs to create their own private memorial gardens. The planting on began at 11 am, followed by a program at noon. After remarks by Karen Plotnick, acting JMCC president, Brendan Wagner and David Goodman carried the American and Israeli Flags for the ceremony. With the accompaniment of Bob and Jeanne Zetnz, the Star-Spangled Banner and Hatikvah were sung, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Allan Zeno read Mayor Glover’s proclamation, designating Sunday, October 22, 2023 as “Daffodil Planting Day.” Mayor Glover then spoke, thanking JMCC for sponsoring this very important Daffodil project and noting the relevance of this project to today’s world events. Next, Rabbi Michael Panitz offered an historical overview Rebecca of the different ways Jews were required to dress throughout history to distinguish themselves from others. This segued into the Jewish Star required to be worn by Jews during World War II, highlighting the similarity between the shape of the daffodil and the Jewish star. This year, the definition is expanded to include all children who have and continue to be victims of violence. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– After Rabbi Panitz’s remarks, a reception of delicious brownies followed. Then, all in attendance planted the bulbs. Daffodil Blooming Day is planned to take place in March.

The group of planters at Moses Myers House.

Daffodils planted at the Moses Myers House

he Chrysler Museum of Art gallery hosts at the Myers House in Norfolk were hard at work under the expert guidance of Kate Melhuish, master gardener and Myers House board member, planting 500 daffodil bulbs in partnership with the Daffodil Project. The planting took place on Sunday, October 22. The Daffodil Project aspires to build a worldwide Living Holocaust Memorial by planting 1.5 million Daffodils in memory of the children who perished in the Holocaust and in support for children suffering in humanitarian crises in the world today. The setting of the new daffodil garden is an appropriate one. The Myers House was built in 1792 and is the most intact, best documented, and surviving known Jewish residence in the United States of any period before 1800. Moses Myers, an early American entrepreneur, and his wife Eliza were the first permanent Jewish residents of Norfolk. The Myers family were instrumental in expanding trade and shipping in the region and five generations of the Myers family owned the home before it became a museum in 1931. As a partner institution with the Daffodil Project, the Myers House commits to maintaining this daffodil garden as a Holocaust Memorial Garden and hosting at least one Holocaust/genocide awareness program each year. The yellow color of the daffodil is a color of remembrance. The shape and color of the daffodil represents the yellow stars that Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust. Daffodils bloom in early spring and are a symbol of hope, renewal, and beauty, as such they also honor those who went on to build new lives after this dark and difficult period.

jewishnewsva.org | November 13, 2023 | JEWISH NEWS | 33

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Tidewater women donors come together in support of Israel and the Jewish People Amy Zelenka Jodi Klebanoff, past Women’s Philanthropy chair, ozens of women gathered at the Sandler Family announced the community’s newest milestone givers, Campus for the annual United Jewish Federation which included: one new Zahav Lion ($50,000+); one of Tidewater’s Lion Tikva Chai lunch on Monday, new Amethyst Lion ($36,000+); One new Emerald Lion Oct. 23. The lunch is a ‘Thank you’ for all women donors ($25,000+); Two new Ruby Lions ($10,000+); Three at the $1,800+ level of giving. The event’s featured new Israel@75 Lions ($7,500+); Six new Lions of Judah speaker was Rabbi Diana Fersko, author of We Need to ($5,000+); and Two new Chai Society donors ($1,800+). Talk About Antisemitism. Klebanoff also announced In her welcome remarks, a New Endowed Lion of Betsy Karotkin, UJFT Judah – this is a Lion of Women’s Philanthropy Judah who has established chair, recognized the a fund at the Tidewater moment in time where “we Jewish Foundation to confind ourselves, as a commutinue her gift at the Lion nity and as a People. level, in perpetuity. “These are not normal “Mazel tov ladies,” times,” said Karotkin, said Klebanoff, “to each “Israel has a job to do,” and of you, for reaching these once again, the young men wonderful new levels and women of the IDF will of giving within the find themselves leaving Women’s Division. May family and homes to fight you continue to go ‘from Speaker Rabbi Diana Fersko with program moderator, Laura Gross. for the future of the Jewish strength to strength’ in state; becoming once more, the “Silver Platter” on which your philanthropy and your commitment.” Israel’s future will be served. It was quite sobering and Klebanoff then recited the names of the Endowed Lions apropos of the moment. Karotkin encouraged the women of blessed memory – an annual reminder of the women in the room to support Israel through the Federation’s who came before and supported Tidewater’s wonderful Israel Emergency Campaign and introduced the commuJewish community with passion and commitment during nity’s young Israel emissaries, Maya Ostrov and Naomi their lifetimes and beyond. “Each of them,” she said, “an Friedland, describing them as “our local Israel connection Eshet Chayil – a woman of valor… Their memories remain here in Tidewater.” a blessing for our community and for each of us.” After delivering a campaign update, Karotkin thanked Following Klebanoff, another past Women’s the members of Women’s Philanthropy who do the “not Philanthropy (and current Campus chair), Laura Gross, always easy” work of asking others for money and the took to the stage along with Rabbi Fersko, to facilitate a women in the room “for saying YES when asked.” discussion of Fersko’s book, asking such questions as: What

Alicia Friedman, Shelly Simon, and Rosanne Simon.

Amy Levy, Joan Joffe, and Stephanie Calliott.

34 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

Helen Aleck with her daughter Deb Aleck.

led you to write this book? What factors do you feel have played into the rise in antisemitism and hate in general? Do you think that COVID played a major factor? Political divides? Social media? What do you say to the elite colleges and universities across the country which have been silent or slow to respond in calling out pro-Hamas, anti-Israel, and antisemitic protests on campus? Fersko’s responses to these and other questions were incredibly timely and contemporary. She did not sugar-coat the problem and did not have a single solution. But her book is designed to act as a resource for dealing with antisemitism, responding to it, and offering up ideas for how to discuss it with kids, as well as with Jewish and non-Jewish friends and colleagues. Her messages were helpful, if not particularly hopeful, and at such a time as this, provide important perspective and practical responses (if not solutions). Karotkin closed the event with some final thoughts: “These are not normal times,” she reiterated. “We cannot pretend that the world is the same today as it was on October 6th when we were full of the joy of Simchat Torah. [The world] has changed, and I think we’ve all changed.” After another appeal to support Israel with a gift to the Emergency Campaign, Karotkin encouraged all to pay those gifts as quickly as possible, to get the dollars and the help needed to Israel as soon as possible. “Thank you all so much for coming, for caring, for doing what needs to be done for Israel and for the Jewish People. Am Yisroel Chai.” –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Rabbi Fersko’s Book, We Need to Talk About Antisemitism, is available for purchase online or at the Simon Family JCC as part of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Amy Zelenka is UJFT’s chief development officer. She may be reached at azelenka@ujft.org.

Naomi Sedek with Anne Fleder.

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Linda Spindel with Carol Brum.

Martha Glasser with Miriam Seeherman.

Laura Gross (Center) with Tidewater Shinshineem Maya and Naomi.

New Milestone Givers Helen Aleck, Betty Berklee and Robin Mancoll with Jodi Klebanoff.

Robin Mancoll, Debbie Casey, and Betty Ann Levin.

Terri Sarfan with Susan Cohen.

Kristy Foleck, Rachel Feigenbaum, Judy Rosenblatt, Betsy Karotkin, Shelly Simon, and Jodi Klebanoff.

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Strelitz International Rabbi Diana Fersko shares Academy Fall Festival: message of hope, urges A new event in Tidewater

Carin Simon eyond the games, the food, and the festivities, the Strelitz International Academy Fall Festival demonstrated the power of community with more than 750 people attending. Held on Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Sandler Family Campus, the event exceeded expectations. For several years, the SIA Early Years program put on a festive “Falling into Shabbat” for young students and parents on a Fall Friday morning. This year, Strelitz International Academy chose to combine their signature and popular fall event with food, vendors, activity rentals, and live music to create a Fall Festival for the entire community. As families walked through the Sandler Family Campus Cardo’s doors, they were greeted with a Fall Wonderland, complete Checking out the llama in the petting zoo. with hay bales, pumpkins, and scarecrows lining the grounds. Admission to the festival gave children unlimited access to carnival games, pony rides, barrel train rides, and more. The festival offered many activities for toddlers including SIA’s signature Diaper Derby, fall crafts, pumpkin pounding, and sensory bins. Families ate hot dogs and hamburgers fresh off the grill, along with lots of parve treats including cotton candy, brownies, and popcorn. Current and former parents, faculty, and volunteers helped – supporting the festival with set up, check-in and food sales, while middle and high school SIA alumni and other former students showed up to run the carnival Ben Oliszewki explores a cinnamon stick in the fall the sensory bins. games and see their SIA friends and teachers. Brad Bangel, an SIA grandparent, Lonnie Slone, Kenny Berklee, and Lance Epstein of Freetomology added the live music – delivering the perfect festival vibe, along with the great fall weather. Thanks to generous Fall Festival sponsors, the school was able to make the first annual event a successful fundraiser, while also providing a wonderful way for families, students, alumni, and community members to come together for a fun afternoon. In addition to sponsorships, the festival hosted community partners and business Mason Antonucci and friends race along on the Barrel Train vendors such as Camp JCC, Beth Sholom Village, PJ Library, Sharkeys Cuts for Kids, Virginia Business Systems, and others. Raffle prizes with items all donated by local businesses were displayed in the Marty Einhorn Pavilion. Winners were announced at the close of the festival. In such a difficult time for the Jewish community, many attendees expressed their appreciation for having an event for families to enjoy together. Since the First Annual Strelitz Fall Festival was such a great success, next year’s Strelitz Fall Festival is already planned to take place on Sunday, November 3, 2024. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Carin Simon is director of advancement at Strelitz International Academy.

community to speak up against antisemitism

36 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

Mia Klein n a visit to Tidewater, Rabbi Diana Fersko, author of We Need to Talk About Antisemitism and the rabbi at the Village Temple in Manhattan, shared a message of hope amid the ongoing war against Hamas in Israel and rising antisemitism around the world. “I can’t fix it. You can’t fix it. But we can make it better,” said Fersko. “One thing I suggest doing is not only knowing what you’re fighting against, but what you’re fighting for. Now is the time to learn more about Judaism. . . We need to lean into our traditions. . .more Torah Rabbi Diana Fersko and Avraham Ashkenazi study, more Shabbat, more this,” she said, referencing the crowd gathered at the Sandler Family Campus’ Fleder Multipurpose Room. The event, which was the first program of the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival’s 2023 season, was the perfect way to begin the Festival, says Hunter Thomas, director of Arts + Ideas at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. “The Festival is bookended with a conversation about antisemitism and an event celebrating the National Library of Israel,” says Thomas. “These programs, even before October 7, were incredibly important conversations to have. Now, with rising antisemitic hate, and growing anti-Israel sentiment, these conversations are even more urgent.” Esther Diskin, outreach chair of UJFT’s Jewish Community Relations Council, served as the evening’s moderator. Fersko also stressed the importance of speaking to each other about antisemitism. “When I grew up, we learned about antisemitism as a history; it was something that happened in the past,” she said. “Perhaps what’s happening now is the first time you’ve ever directly encountered antisemitism. This is why it’s essential to be having a multilayered intergenerational conversation, because we have a lot to learn from each other.” Fersko also spoke at an annual luncheon for UJFT’s women donors and met with a group of Jewish teens and their families from Congregation Beth El’s Bogrim, Ohef Sholom Temple Youth, and Tidewater BBYO. The Festival’s concluding event with the National Library of Israel is slated for Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 pm at the Sandler Family Campus. For more information, to register, or learn more about the Festival, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org. The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and is held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mia Klein is program department/seniors program coordinator at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. She may be reached at MKlein@UJFT.org.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

The National Library of Israel: Nurturing the Soul of a Nation Wednesday, November 29, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus Hunter Thomas he National Library of Israel planned to celebrate the opening of its brand-new building in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Oct. 17 with a formal event, international news coverage, and crowds of visitors. Instead, following the horrific attacks by Hamas terrorists on Saturday, Oct. 7, the Library postponed its opening and opened its doors to visitors for the first time on Sunday, Oct. 29, with a much smaller ceremony. Some 100 visitors attended, and stood together to recite the Shehecheyanu prayer, thanking God for having reached the moment. This small gathering is a testament to the Library’s emergency mission – to nurture the soul and spirit of a nation at war and to showcase Israel’s humanity in the face of inhumanity. The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival will celebrate the incredible work of the National Library of Israel with a conversation featuring Adina Kanefield, NLI USA CEO; David Makovsky, NLI USA co-president, and Art Sandler, a member

of NLI USA’s board. The event is also the first in the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and Community Partners’ 13th annual Israel Today Series. Kanefield will discuss the mission of the Library and the incredible artifacts it holds, some of which have been replicated in high-quality prints and are currently on display in the Leon Family Gallery. The exhibit includes a number of curated treasures from the Library’s four main collections: Israel, Judaica, Islam and the Middle East, and the Humanities. Kanefield, Makovsky, and Sandler will discuss the importance of the Library’s work and its role as a gathering place for “the people of the book,” and how that role has changed since October 7. One hundred and one of the Library’s most precious artifacts are shared in the new book 101 Treasures from the National Library of Israel, which includes items such as Maimonides’ autograph copy of

JFS collecting Hanukkah gifts for local Jewish children and teens

ewish Family Service’s annual Chanukah Gift Program is underway. This program provides holiday gifts to local Jewish children and teens in financially struggling families. JFS asks the community to again continue its tradition of helping. Many gifts are used by these children during Hanukkah and throughout the year. JFS expects to serve more than 50 local Jewish children and teens in 2023. The wish list of what these children and teens need is long. Help JFS bring them some joy. For donors, this is an opportunity to do a mitzvah for children who have no choice in their families’ financial situation. For young donors, this is a personal way to learn and practice tzedakah, giving to others, as they shop with parents for gifts for other children, knowing that the gifts will make a significant impact. How to help? • Purchase new, unwrapped gifts – both fun and practical – for specific children and teens in need. Donors may call JFS at 757-459-4640 for children’s wish lists. • Shop with family and buy some extra items for those in need. • Send JFS gift cards from local department stores, electronics stores, Amazon, Target, and grocery stores, so that families can shop themselves. • Send JFS a tax-deductible cash/check/credit card donation, and JFS will do the shopping. Hanukkah donations must be received by November 27. Checks should be made payable to Jewish Family Service of Tidewater and sent to: JFS, Attn: Maryann Kettyle, 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 400, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. Gifts may also be dropped off at JFS’s counseling office: Embrace Counseling, 260 Grayson Road, Suite 200, Virginia Beach. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Jewish Family Service assists local Jewish families in need at all times of the year and will keep any surplus donations for use throughout 2023-2024. For more information, contact Maryann Kettyle, case manager, at 757-459-4640 or MKettyle@jfshamptonroads.org.

his Commentary on the Mishna; the Damascus Crowns, including a vitally important 10th century Hebrew Bible codex; theological ruminations of Isaac Newton; love poetry by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent; manuscripts from leading Jewish and Israeli writers such as Martin Buber, Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka, Naomi Shemer, and Shai Agnon; and rare materials documenting Israeli history. Copies of the book will be available for purchase following the program. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For more information about the event, to register, or to learn more about the Festival, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas, UJFT director of Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and is held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature.

Barr Foundation’s yad collection on the road The Guiding Hand: The Barr Foundation Collection of Torah Pointers is on a three-city tour. Through the end of July, the yads are making stops in Atlanta, Newport News, and Cincinnati. Clay Barr’s personal collection of antique and commissioned yads contains works by jewelers, sculptors, furniture makers, craftspeople, glass blowers, and ceramicists, among others. The Collection is now on view through December at the Breman Museum in Atlanta, Ga. in the museum’s newly updated Discovery Gallery. From Atlanta, the collection will travel to Torggler Fine Arts Center at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va. Next, the collection will be exhibited at the Skirball Museum Cincinnati, located on the campus of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. Abby Schwartz, curatorial consultant at Skirball Museum, says the museum is dedicated to Jewish history, art, and culture, from archeological finds to contemporary Israeli art. “This exhibit will appeal to non-Jewish museum goers, too. They are not just ritual objects but also beautiful objects of material culture.” The Guiding Hand: The Barr Foundation Collection of Torah Pointers exhibit at the Chrysler Museum of Art took place in the summer of 2022.

jewishnewsva.org | November 13, 2023 | JEWISH NEWS | 39

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Making a case for good apologies with Marjorie Ingall Thursday, November 16, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus Hunter Thomas pologies, or the lack thereof, have long been a pervasive issue in interpersonal relationships, societal dynamics, and even the public sphere. But why is it so challenging to deliver a meaningful apology? How is it possible to foster a culture that embraces the value of genuine remorse and forgiveness? Author Marjorie Ingall will join Tidewater for a community event to explore the intricacies of the art of apologizing and its profound impact on society. Moderated by Steve Zuckerman, the evening will venture into the psychological, sociological, and ethical dimensions of apologies, drawing from Ingall’s latest book, co-authored with Susan McCarthy, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies. Ingall and McCarthy are also co-founders of the apology watchdog site SorryWatch. Through the lens of their distinctive six-and-a-halfstep framework for crafting impactful apologies, Ingall and

40 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

McCarthy shed light on various topics, including the anatomy of a poor apology, the societal challenges surrounding corporate and governmental apologies, and the nuances of teaching children the art of a good apology. They also explore the intersectionality of gender and race in the realm of apologies and forgiveness, highlighting how these factors influence the giving and receiving of apologies. A compelling apology, as Ingall and McCarthy assert, can mend fractured relationships, heal emotional wounds, and foster a more harmonious social environment. Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies presents a compelling case for the transformative power of well-crafted apologies, emphasizing their capacity to pave the way for healing and reconciliation on both an individual and communal level. Ingall, an accomplished writer renowned for her insightful works such as Mamaleh Knows Best: What Jewish Mothers Do to Raise Creative, Empathetic, Independent Children

and The Field Guide to North American Males, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this discussion. A former columnist for Tablet and the Forward, as well as a frequent contributor to The New York Times Book Review and various other esteemed publications, Ingall’s unique blend of wit, introspection, and humor promises to offer a thoughtprovoking evening. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For more information, to register, or to learn about other events featured as a part of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@ UJFT.org. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and is held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Unsung SHEroes of History: Celebrating hidden legacies of remarkable women Monday, November 13, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus Monday, January 29, 6:45 pm, online Monday, March 25, 6:45 pm, online

Sierra Lautman istory has a way of shrouding the contributions of women, casting them into the shadows of anonymity. To honor these uncelebrated heroines, the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is presenting the Unsung SHEroes of History series, which aims to shed light on remarkable women who have shaped the course of history. Through three events moderated by Dr. Amy Milligan, a distinguished scholar in Jewish Studies and Women’s Studies at Old Dominion University, this series explores the untold narratives of extraordinary women who have long been overlooked. Milligan, the Batten Endowed Associate Professor and director of the Institute of Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding, brings her expertise and passion for uncovering obscured histories to the forefront. The series kicks off with an in-person event, as part of the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. Jacqueline Friedland, author of The Stockwell Letters, the inaugural guest, will explore the captivating narrative of female abolitionist Ann Phillips and her connection to Anthony Burns, a young man who briefly escaped American slavery and rocked the Christopher C. Gorham nation with his heroic story. The second event in the series will feature Christopher C. Gorham, author of The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America. Gorham’s work delves into the life of Anna M. Rosenberg, illuminating her pivotal role in the trajectory of the World War II and its aftermath, and her lasting influence on America. The series’ third event features Allison Gilbert, co-author of Listen, World! How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman. Gilbert’s presentation unravels the life of Elsie Robinson, a figure whose impact on American society has been profound, yet largely overlooked. Through this series, the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater continues its commitment to fostering appreciation for the oftenoverlooked narratives that have shaped the past and continue to inspire the future. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Learn more or register at JewishVA.org/UnsungSHEroes or by contacting Sierra Lautman, Ssenior director of Jewish Innovation at SLautman@UJFT.org.

Explore the entangled history of land and legacy at the Chrysler Museum of Art Sunday, Nov. 19, 2 pm Hunter Thomas ebecca Clarren, author of The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance will speak at the Chrysler Museum of Art as part of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. Clarren will engage in conversation with Hans VonKruger, a member of the Chrysler Museum’s Native Advisory Committee, which was established in 2022 to help shape the institution’s programming and indigenous collection. Clarren and VonKruger will share the intertwining family narratives and the complex history of land ownership in the American West. The Cost of Free Land examines how Clarren’s family’s story relates to the troubling history of land dispossession endured by the Lakota people, who were forced off their ancestral lands by the United States government. Clarren unravels the tale of her great-great-grandparents, who fled persecution in Russia to establish themselves on a 160acre homestead in South Dakota at the turn of the 20th century. Their toil and resilience ultimately paved the way for a classic American immigrant success story. However, the revelation that their prosperity was built upon the land forcibly taken from the Lakota people casts a stark light on their legacy. Clarren’s impressive career as a writer, spanning more than two decades, has been marked by a commitment to illuminating the complexities of the American West. Her intelligent and impactful articles have been featured in High Country News, The Nation, and Indian Country Today. Her literary endeavors have also garnered critical acclaim; her debut novel, Kickdown, was shortlisted for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Her work of creative nonfiction, An American Inheritance, was honored with a Whitin Nonfiction Award. For more information, to register for this event, or to learn about other events featured as a part of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and is held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature.

jewishnewsva.org | November 13, 2023 | JEWISH NEWS | 41

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Birthright Israel calls on its 850,000 alumni to volunteer in Israel during war For a period of two weeks, alumni will pick fruit and vegetables or pack boxes of supplies Jerusalem, Israel – Birthright Israel announced a vital effort to assist the Jewish state as it defends itself from Hamas. The initiative arose from the many alumni who have contacted Birthright Israel offering to volunteer during this crisis. Birthright’s initiative involves placing volunteers on kibbutzim and moshavim to harvest crops in the absence of the thousands of foreign field workers who returned to their countries during the war. The volunteers will make a crucial contribution to saving the hundreds of family farms whose residents were evacuated or called into reserve duty since Hamas massacred southern-Israel residents on October 7 and launched its war. Participants will also work in donation centers to help with sorting, packing, and distributing boxes of supplies for civilian evacuees and military units. Birthright is coordinating the effort through its Onward Volunteer Program. First round of applicants will volunteer for two weeks in 2 rounds in November and more spots are expected to open in December. The program will fully cover Tel Aviv-area accommodations, all of which have fortified rooms; transportation from and to the airport, and to and from the volunteering sites; and a small stipend. Participants will pay the cost of their flights and travel insurance. The volunteers will work up to six hours daily, during which they’ll meet Israeli peers who also are lending a hand in farms and warehouses. Applicants need to be between 18 and 40 years old, regardless of their previous Israel-program experience, with preference given to those who have already participated in Israel programs and who are ages 25 and up. All applicants will need to identify themselves as Jewish. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For more information and to apply to volunteer, visit:www.birthrightisrael.com/beyond/resource-center

42 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Corie Adjmi’s debut novel offers unique look into Syrian-American Jews and 1970s New York Monday, November 20, 12 pm, Sandler Family Campus; Tickets: $12 ($8 for JCC members and adults 55+); includes lunch Hunter Thomas s might be expected, life for a Syrian-American Jewish teenager in the 1970s is very different in Louisiana than it is in New York City; at least, that’s how novelist Corie Adjmi depicts the culture shock that her protagonist experiences in her debut novel, The Marriage Box. Casey Cohen is a 16-year-old Middle Eastern Jew, growing up in 1970s New Orleans. She starts hanging out with the wrong crowd, gets into trouble, and her parents turn her entire world upside down by returning to their Orthodox Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn. Thrown into a culture completely different than what she’s used to, Casey begins to gather with other families for Shabbat dinner, begins receiving invitations to extravagant events, and finds out that the Marriage Box is a real place, a pool deck designated for teenage girls to put themselves on display for potential husbands. Looking for love and a place to belong, Casey marries at 18, believing she can adjust to these new ways. But she begins to question her decision when she discovers that her husband doesn’t want her to go to college; he wants her to have a baby instead. Can Casey integrate these two opposing worlds, or will she have to leave one behind in order to find her way? Former Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival guest Lisa Barr, New York Times best-selling author of Woman on Fire says of The Marriage Box, “[it is] an unputdownable tale of Old World traditions-meets-New World desires. Adjmi doesn’t hold back in this comingof-age tale of a young woman who loses herself early on, shaped by a destructive past. The writing is rich, immersive, and seamless. You will root for Casey as she forges her own way in a patriarchal world. A must-read.” Adjmi will discuss the process behind writing her book with Jodi Klebanoff at the Jewish Book Festival. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For more information about the event, to register, or to learn more about the Festival, visit JewishVA.org/ BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas, UJFT Director of Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org.. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and is held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature.

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Jacqueline Friedland, The Stockwell Letters. This book addresses the obstacles faced by abolitionists who fought to eradicate slavery. The kick-off event to the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Unsung SHEroes of History series. 7:30 pm. Free. Sandler Family Campus. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/BookFest or hthomas@ujft.org. See page 41.

NOVEMBER 15, WEDNESDAY JCC Book Club’s Susan Katz Memorial Library opening ceremony. Sandler Family Campus. 9 am. Marjorie Ingall, author of Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case For Good Apologies. Why a good apology is hard to find, and why it doesn’t have to be. 7:30 pm. Free. Sandler Family Campus. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/ BookFest or hthomas@ujft.org. See page 40.

NOVEMBER 18, SATURDAY Kids Night Out at the Simon Family JCC. Games, crafts, snacks, and swimming for children 4-12 years. 6 - 10 pm. Register at https://federation.jewishva.org/ children-family by 4 pm on Friday, Nov. 17. Middle School Lock-In at the Simon Family JCC. Sixth - 8th graders will enjoy a Saturday evening after hours. Bring a bathing suit, towel, warm clothes, and a flashlight for snacks, songs, and an after-dark adventure. 6 pm. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/Lockin or dflagler@ujft.org.

NOVEMBER 19, SUNDAY Rebecca Clarren, author of The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance. Intertwined stories of family and the Lakota, and a devastating loss of Indigenous land and culture. 2 pm. Chysler Museum of Art. Free. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/BookFest or hthomas@ujft.org. See page 41.

NOVEMBER 20, MONDAY Corie Adjmi, The Marriage Box. The world of a teenage Jewish Syrian girl growing up in the 1970s, looking for love and a place to belong. 12 pm. $8 for JCC members and adults 55+, $12 for non-members. Lunch included. Sandler Family Campus. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/BookFest or hthomas@ujft.org. See page 42.

NOVEMBER 29, WEDNESDAY A celebration of the National Library of Israel. A discussion of the important work of the National Library of Israel and an exploration of some of its most valued treasures, shared in the newly published book 101 Treasures from the National Library of Israel. 7:30 pm. Free. Sandler Family Campus. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/BookFest or hthomas@ujft.org. See page 39.

Apply at bit.ly/tjf-simonfamilypassport through November 15 The Tidewater Jewish Foundation can help fund the trip through the Simon Family Passport to Israel Fund! • Grants are available for students age 13 to 22, traveling to Israel on an organized and staffed peer trip. • Incentive grants awards are up to 30% eligible expenses (maximum of $6,000 per student).

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OBITUARIES Mary Rose Foxworth Becker NORFOLK - Mary Rose Foxworth Becker, 70, died peacefully on the morning of Saturday, October 28. She was born to the late Rosetta Foxworth and William Johnson, Jr. on May 9, 1953, in Norfolk, Virginia. She was predeceased by her husband, Bryan Rall Becker. Mary graduated from Granby High School and received a B.A. in foreign

language, minoring in education, from Norfolk State University. She was also a member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Mary was a natural musician, dedicating her gift as a pianist and organist to the African Methodist Episcopal Church, specifically New Mount Zion AME Church of Norfolk, Virginia; St. John AME Church of Norfolk, Virginia; and Macedonia AME Church of Suffolk, Virginia. Mary dedicated 17 years as

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the Virginia Conference Branch YPD Director. In addition to her love of God and fellowship, she was an avid educator with a passion for learning and reading. Mary was employed by Norfolk Public Schools for more than 35 years where she mentored hundreds, if not thousands, of elementary school students. To cherish her memory, Mary leaves her devoted children, Kristin Marie Clay of Chesterfield, Va., Jonathan Becker of Virginia Beach, Va., one sister, Rev. Vergie McCall of Virginia Beach, Va., two brothers, Douglas Sykes (Helena) of Norfolk, Va. and John Foxworth (Ada) of Norfolk, Va., two devoted grand dogs, Rocco of Chesterfield, Va., Benji of Virginia Beach, Va.; and a host of cousins, aunts, nephews, nieces, extended family, and friends. A wake was held at Beach Funeral Home. The service was held at Enoch Baptist Church. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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and Mary. She always cherished the friends and relationships she made in those early years in Portsmouth. She married Cantor Harry Sterling in 1958 before starting a family in Utah. Daughter Debbie and son David were born in Salt Lake City prior to moving to Sioux City, Ia. The Sterlings were an integral part of the Sioux City Jewish community and thoroughly enjoyed their years there. They remained in Sioux City until moving back to Virginia in 1985, to be closer to Helen’s family. Helen was very active in Jewish organizations and causes, including Congregation Beth El, Beth El Sisterhood, and was a lifetime member of Hadassah. Helen worked for Congregation Beth El and previously worked for the Midwest Region of United Synagogue of America. Throughout her life, Helen was extremely close to her wonderful siblings, who all preceded her in death: Bernard Katz, Sol Katz, Irene Janow, and Herbert Katz. Helen was the last remaining Katz family member who made the journey from Lithuania to Virginia in the early part of the 20th century. Her husband, Harry, passed away in 2015. Helen is survived by her children, Debbie and David. Funeral services were held at Forest Lawn Cemetery. H.D. Oliver. The family requests that, if desired, contributions may be made to Congregation Beth El or a charity of your choice. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.hdoliver.com.

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Jacob Gurvis THOUSAND OAKS, California (JTA) — Elena Colomba was on her hands and knees, covered in chalk, drawing a large blue Star of David on the sidewalk on Tuesday, Nov. 14 — a tribute to Paul Kessler, the Jewish man and pro-Israel protester who died Monday, Nov. 13 after an altercation with a pro-Palestinian protester. The middle of the star framed bloodstains from Kessler’s fall that were still visible. “I am a Jew by choice, and I’m here to hold space for my brother from another

mother,” Colomba, who completed her conversion to Judaism in June, says. Colomba, who lives in nearby West Hills and is a member of Hamakom Synagogue, says she had come to the scene of the incident Monday night around 8:30 pm and stayed until 1 am before returning later, on Tuesday morning. Her star was surrounded by Israeli and American flags, yahrzeit candles and printouts of news stories of Kessler’s death. There were also signs featuring Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

OBITUARIES And there were flowers. Bouquets and bouquets of blooms in all colors, part of a $400 haul purchased by a man named Marcus who says he felt compelled to do something, anything, in response to Kessler’s death. A Jewish father who declined to share his last name, Marcus says he had bought out a local grocery store’s flower supply with

“The attacks are on our doorsteps,” she says after placing flowers on the sidewalk. “It’s coming to us on all fronts.” The woman says she felt relatively safe there compared to in other neighborhoods, but on the whole her sense of security has been shattered. “I want the person who was involved to be held accountable,” she adds. “I want the

May the Source of Peace send peace to all who mourn, and comfort to all who are bereaved. the ambition of covering the sidewalk at this intersection in Thousand Oaks, a suburb north of Los Angeles. “When a man who’s in his 60s gets pounded in his face for standing up for Israel, every Jew needs to do something,” Marcus says. “I would rather put flowers on this corner, and put so many f—ing flowers, so there’s nowhere for these assholes to stand,” he said, referring to pro-Palestinian protesters. He says he planned to buy more and continue to line the sidewalks until each of the four corners of the large intersection where the rally had taken place were “covered with love.” At the local Sprouts Farmers Market store where Marcus shopped, an employee confirms that Marcus had purchased the store’s entire stock of flowers. The employee says he was unable to comment further due to his company’s policies, but says he was glad to help. “If I didn’t do something, I felt like it was 1930 again,” Marcus says. Colomba says people had walked by throughout the day cursing at her and yelling “Free Palestine.” “And my response is, ‘I’m sending you love,’ because we need more love in this shattered world,” she says. Colomba says she also volunteers with her local chevra kadisha, a group that facilitates Jewish burial efforts. Another local woman, who declined to share her name, says she was Israeli and had family members who had been killed at the music festival where Hamas massacred 260 people on Oct. 7.

world to know what happened here. I want people to wake up.” Rabbi Moshe Bryski, the executive director of the Chabad of Agoura Hills, just a few miles down the road from the scene of the altercation, says that his community was experiencing a mix of emotions, including “sadness, outrage, concern, but at the same time resolute and strong and united.” Bryski, who had just spent a week in Israel, during which he met with the families of some of the hostages, says he did not know Kessler personally. He says a community vigil would be planned, in coordination with the family, which had been requesting privacy. Speaking to JTA moments before the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference on the matter, Byrski says the incident was “sure looking like a hate crime. If someone goes with an Israeli flag to an event and comes back dead, that sounds like hate to me.” Sheriff James Fryhoff says investigators had not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime. A 50-year-old suspect has been identified but not arrested, and an investigation is ongoing, he says. Later in the afternoon, the sidewalk, situated in front of a Shell gas station, was crowded with reporters and news cameras as a makeshift press conference was held, featuring remarks from Rabbi Mark Blazer, president of the Jewish Life Foundation and rabbi at nearby Temple Beth Ami in Santa Clarita; Jonathan Oswaks, who had attended the rally with Kessler and witnessed the altercation; and Elan Carr, the CEO of the Israeli American Council and former antisemitism

envoy under President Donald Trump. As the speakers each addressed the cameras, there were repeated pleas for law enforcement to act and for continued support of Israel and Jews in light of the continuing war in Gaza. The tone turned noticeably more urgent and outraged. “Stop killing us!” Blazer exclaimed at the end of his remarks. “Whether it’s in Israel or here in Southern California.” He said he was leaving for Israel and would bring Kessler’s story with him. Oswaks, who was visibly shaken and angry, spoke for nearly 20 minutes, detailing his experience at Sunday’s rally and at a prior gathering two weeks ago. He said he attended both events with Kessler. “None of you are safe!” Oswaks shouted into the cameras at one point during his remarks. Oswaks says he met Kessler two weeks ago on the NextDoor hyperlocal social networking app and didn’t know him well — adding that he didn’t even know Kessler’s last name when he attempted to visit him in

the emergency room. “He was a passionate Jew,” Oswaks says of Kessler, who he says had insisted on holding the Israeli flag they had brought that was later seen in photos of the altercation. Kessler was also a dedicated author of letters to the editor to the Thousand Oaks Acorn, according to an editor there, who characterized him in a social media post as “an ardent Democrat” with a “sharp wit.” The press conference concluded with the chanting of “El Maleh Rahamim,” the prayer traditionally recited at Jewish funerals, by Kenny Ellis, the cantor at Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks, where Kessler was a member along with his wife. Kessler’s funeral was also held on Tuesday. Ellis says that Kessler and his wife Cheryl had been more active in the synagogue when they were younger. While he says he does not know Kessler personally, Ellis says he had “only heard wonderful things about him,” adding that he was “kind and giving.”

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ANTISEMITISM

Mothers Against College Antisemitism, a new Facebook group and movement, has 42K members and counting Philissa Cramer (JTA) — As Elizabeth Rand watched an unnerving number of incidents pile up at colleges where her son was considering applying, she felt she had to do something. The longtime administrator of a Facebook group for people interested in discussing the Holocaust, Rand knows the power of online community. So, the New York City lawyer, who has a son in his senior year of high school, created a new Facebook group for mothers like her. Within days after its Oct. 26 launch, Mothers Against College Antisemitism was exploding with posts from across the country expressing alarm about what was happening at colleges and universities in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israel’s ensuing war in Gaza. Mothers exhorted each other to share reports from their children’s schools. They uploaded pictures taken by their children of activities and posters they found distressing. Some make pitches for their own children’s schools where, they say, nothing but support for Israel has been expressed. Several have offered to make their own homes available as safe havens for local Jewish college students who feel unsafe on their campuses. Within one week, the group had more than 42,000 members, all pouring out their own anxieties at a time when even the White House has decried a surge in “grotesque” antisemitic incidents and has vowed to make a plan to curb them. “I’m just stunned by this, and I have no idea what to do,” Rand says. “I’m getting these messages all day, every day. I have a day job — it’s not like I can just drop what I’m doing and do this.” Rand has begun taking steps to turn the group’s members into a movement. She recruited a communications manager, appointed a team of administrators and moderators, and scheduled a meeting with members who possess legal and nonprofit know-how. For now, everyone involved is unpaid. Her goal, she says, is to form a legal entity, potentially to represent students who have been harmed by antisemitism on their campuses. If Mothers Against College Antisemitism enters the legal sphere, it will have company. The Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and the Lawfare Project each use litigation and federal complaints to pressure universities into responding more aggressively to antisemitism on their campuses. They have both announced their intention to sue over incidents that have taken place in the last month. Other pro-Israel advocacy groups have filed similar federal complaints. “Do we join forces with a group that’s already doing it? Do we become sort of an add-on to them?” Rand says. “You know, I started this less than a week ago, so I don’t have all the answers.” 46 | JEWISH NEWS | November 13, 2023 | jewishnewsva.org

Multiple organizations already take responsibility for documenting and responding to antisemitism on college campuses. In addition to the legal advocacy groups, the Anti-Defamation League and Hillel International have partnered to catalog incidents, adopting a process that they say differentiates pro-Palestinian sentiment from anti-Zionist or antisemitic activity. On the ground, the Hillel chapters serving Jewish students on 850 campuses have been helping them cope with a challenging climate. And Jewish on Campus, founded by a college student in the summer of 2020, harnesses student voices in the fight against campus antisemitism. That group bears certain similarities to Mothers Against College Antisemitism: It too was founded as a social media presence, was created to meet an anxious moment, and did not enlist the backing or expertise of an established organization until later. Julia Jassey, Jewish on Campus’ founder and CEO, says she understands the rapid emergence of Mothers Against College Antisemitism. She has seen the anxiety among parents even in her own family, as her younger sister applies to college this year. But Jassey cautions that Jewish students, not their parents, are best equipped to raise awareness about antisemitism on their campuses. She also emphasizes that parents making long-term decisions for their children about college enrollment based on what’s happening on a campus right now, as some in the group say they are doing, might not be helpful. “The last thing that I would ever tell a parent or a student is not to go to a certain school because it’s antisemitic. All that will do is self-select ourselves out of spaces where we want to be able to offer our experience and perspective,” Jassey says. “It’s really more important that when students go to school, they’re educated about what antisemitism is, how to combat it and what to do when they experience it.” The arrival onto the scene of Mothers Against College Antisemitism offers a window into how significantly the current moment, in which campus incidents are radiating into public view at a relentless pace, may have activated a new wave of warriors against antisemitism. While some group members are already affiliated with Jewish groups active on antisemitism issues, many others say they had never realized that antisemitism could be a challenge their college-aged children would encounter. Rand is one of them. She says that before Oct. 7, when Hamas attacked Israel and kicked off a war along with an international backlash against Israel, she had never been active in efforts to fight antisemitism — though as someone steeped in Holocaust conversations, she was well aware of its potential consequences. She says it was the pro-Palestinian messages projected onto the wall of a library at George Washington University, which included “Glory to the Martyrs,” that convinced her

she had to do something. The pictures of student protesters carrying signs showing Israeli flags in trash cans that have pushed her to keep going. “It just seems very simple that you don’t want your child going to a school and seeing the imagery of a Star of David in a garbage can,” Rand says. “And you certainly don’t want to pay for that. You don’t want to give somebody $60- or $80,000 a year and see that.” Rand says she takes inspiration from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, formed in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was seriously injured by a drunk driver. (She later died from her injuries.) The group was instrumental in getting the drinking age in the United States lifted from 18 to 21, and drunk driving deaths fell sharply in the wake of its activism. “They were just a group of ordinary mothers, and they really changed the world,” Rand says. “In addition to changing federal law, they made it completely and totally socially unacceptable to drink and drive. I’m old enough to remember when that was not the case. So, I want to make it socially unacceptable to display Jew hatred on college campuses.” Posts in the group offer a view into how members aim to press for action. Some are posting pictures of their responses to alumni donation requests where they say they won’t give to a school they see as supporting antisemitism — a lower-budget version of the boycotts some prominent donors have announced. Others are exhorting fellow group members to sign petitions and open letters to demand that colleges condemn Hamas and provide additional security for Jewish students. An inchoate effort is underway to create an antisemitism rating system for colleges based on what gets reported inside the group. Emma Law-Oppman, an Indiana mother who trained as an attorney, is one of four administrators hand-picked by Rand to monitor and manage the flurry of activity. Law-Oppman is a member of a synagogue and active in Jewish organizations, including the Indianapolis Jewish community relations council and the Hillel at her alma mater, Butler University. She says she long believed that antisemitism on college campuses was a problem. The administrators have been hammering out rules for the group and trying to harness its energy, each day suggesting a specific action for members to take, such as signing an ADL petition and texting their representatives to support a congressional condemnation of campus antisemitism that passed. “If 40,000 people call a state governor, or 40,000 people call a school administration, or 40,000 people read an email, or 40,000 people do anything, that’s hard to ignore,” Rand says. “The big thing right now is we’re focused on concrete, positive social action,” Law-Oppman says. “We’ve made it very clear that you don’t tolerate any hatred, bigotry, or political infighting.”

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