Jewish News | September 16, 2019 by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater

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Southeastern Virginia | Vol. 58 No. 1 | 16 Elul 5779 | September 16, 2019

Ambassador Alfred Moses Thursday, September 26

7 Jewish community of Selma, Alabama

—page 33

8 S.S. Quanza rescued in Norfolk

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ast September, a room filled with members of our community joined together to kick off our

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2019 Community Campaign and Arts + Ideas season. The results? An accelerated campaign

with a significantly increased level of community support and our ability to meet additional needs in Tidewater’s Jewish community, on college campuses throughout Virginia, and in vulnerable communities around the world. And, a thrilling Arts + Ideas season of authors, artists, experts, films, and

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Israel engagement. (Wait until you see what we have in store this year!) On Thursday, September 26, we are taking it to a new level with IGNITE 2020! which you will read about on page 29. If you attended last year, you saw a different Campaign kickoff. At IGNITE 2020! we are taking it a step further. As our new year approaches and I reflect upon the past year, I think about the impact that each and every one of us makes every day in our community. But the COLLECTIVE impact that we are

Published 21 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Betty Ann Levin

able to make together knows no bounds. We make that impact as a community through a shared set of core values: doing the right thing (tzedakah), taking care of one another (kol yisroel aravim zeh b’zeh), performing acts of loving kindness (gemulit chasadim) and planting seeds today as our fathers and mothers planted before us (l’dor v’dor). Let’s find strength in our shared values and build upon the energy that we created this past year together. Let’s envision our future and ensure that our community remains strong for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come. Each one of us is important and makes a difference. Let’s step forward together. L’shana tova tikatevu to all of you and your families.

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Amy Levy, President Alvin Wall, Treasurer Stephanie Calliott, Secretary Betty Ann Levin, Executive Vice-President jewishVA.org The appearance of advertising in the Jewish News does not constitute a kashrut, political, product or service endorsement. The articles and letters appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of this newspaper. © 2019 Jewish News. All rights reserved.

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Contents Upfront. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Selma, Alabama’s Jewish community . . . 7 Rescue of S.S. Quanza refugees . . . . . . . . 8 Joseph Fleischmann: A life of gratitude and generosity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Protesting rewritten history in Budapest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Patty Shelanski new Arts + Ideas Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sierra Lautman new director of Jewish Innovation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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BRIEFS Rabbi with ALS makes crosscountry trip for son’s bar mitzvah A Southern California father of seven suffering from ALS made the cross-country trip to be at his son’s bar mitzvah with family and friends in his hometown of Brooklyn. Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz, 47, of West Hollywood, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2013. He can no longer move, and cannot breathe without the assistance of a ventilator. Hurwitz communicates using a computer with laser-based software that tracks his eye movements to move the cursor. Hurwitz writes a weekly commentary on the Torah and a blog offering marriage advice. On Monday, Sept. 9, his youngest child, Shalom, 13, read from the Torah in the Brooklyn study of the late Lubavitcher rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson. The family visited the rebbe’s grave the previous day, the New York Post reported. Hurwitz cried at the grave as he prayed for his wife, his children and for a cure. The rabbi’s wife, Dina, told the Post that her husband’s illness has helped the couple reach people that they could not reach before. “There are thousands and thousands of people going through their own hardships, their own sicknesses, their own tragedies, that look to my husband for guidance, for love, for support, for somebody who understands them,” she said. “He knows what’s going on, and he chooses to be happy.’’ A fund has been set up to help the family with medical expenses, including daily care and exploratory treatments, as well as living expenses. (JTA) 2,600-year-old seal bearing Hebrew name discovered A seal bearing a Hebrew name that is 2,600 years old was discovered by a volunteer sifting dirt excavated in 2013 from beneath Robinson’s Arch at the foundations of the Western Wall. The seal, called a bulla, which was used to sign documents, bears the Hebrew name and title Adenyahu Asher Al Habayit,”which literally translates

as “Adenyahu by Appointment of the House”—a term used throughout the Bible to describe the most senior minister serving under the kings of Judea or Israel. Archaeologist Eli Shukron, who conducted the initial excavations on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority just north of the City of David at the Foundation Stones of the Western Wall, in a statement called the discovery, the first of its kind in Jerusalem, “of great significance.” The bulla is approximately 1 centimeter wide, and according to the type of writing that appears on it, dates to the seventh century B.C., which is the period of the Kingdom of Judea. The name Adenyahu also appears several times in the Bible, including one of King David’s sons named in the Book of Kings and one of the Levites in the time of Jehoshaphat. The seal was discovered by a teenage volunteer working with the City of David’s Archeological Experience. (JTA)

Legislation to allow cameras at Israeli polling places won’t be ready for elections Proposed legislation that would allow election observers to use cameras inside polling places likely will not make it on the Knesset agenda in time for this week’s elections. On Monday, Sept. 9, the bill failed to advance out of the Knesset Regulatory committee, which voted on a motion that would have shortened the time required before a vote could be held on the legislation. The committee vote was tied 12–12, which kept the legislation, championed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, from having its first reading later in the Knesset plenum. Lawmakers from Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party voted against the motion after Liberman accused Netanyahu of trying to steal the upcoming elections, saying the measure “is not a voter observer bill, it is an election-stealing bill.” Netanyahu has said the legislation is meant to curb voting fraud. His critics say he is trying to intimidate voters, mostly Arabs. The Cabinet unanimously approved the proposed legislation on Sunday, Sept. 8. (JTA)

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Anti-Semitic and racist graffiti at historic Massachusetts park Dozens of local residents joined by local clergy gathered at the historic Fort Revere Park in Hull, Massachusetts, to protest anti-Semitic and racist graffiti. The gathering on Sept. 5 came several days after the discovery of the vandalism painted on the walls of the fort, including swastikas, messages advocating violence against Jews, the slogan “Hitler 2020” and stickers depicting Anne Frank painted over in red. Joining Rabbi David Grossman of the local Temple Beth Sholom were members of the Hingham-Hull Religious Leaders Association, the daily newspaper the Patriot Ledger reported. Grossman told the newspaper that he has received many messages of condolence and support from the community since the incident. The graffiti was painted over the Labor Day weekend. “This is not something that will be written off as ‘kids being kids.’ There is no place for hate in our society. These kinds of messages instill fear in members of our community,” Hull Police Chief John Dunn said in a statement. The state-owned historic park features the remains of two seacoast fortifications that date back to the Revolutionary War, as well as a burial ground for French soldiers who died fighting during the American Revolution. (JTA) NBA star Enes Kanter hosts Brooklyn basketball clinic for Muslim and Orthodox Jewish kids Boston Celtics basketball star Enes Kanter hosted a free basketball clinic in Brooklyn for Muslim and Jewish kids. The event was organized by Kingsway Jewish Center and the Turkish Cultural Center of Brooklyn to unite the Turkish Muslim community and the Orthodox Jewish community, News12 Brooklyn reported. “It’s just so much fun to go out there and speak one language, and that is sport,” said Kanter, a practicing Muslim. Kanter has been banned from returning to his native Turkey after being publicly critical of its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Turkey revoked his passport in 2017 and issued an arrest warrant for

Kanter, accusing him of being a member of a “terror group.” On Saturday, Sept. 7, Kanter hosted a basketball clinic in El Paso, Texas, to show his support for El Paso and the Walmart shooting victims. Kanter and the Celtics covered the costs associated with the clinic and donated to the Victims Relief Fund. Earlier this year, Kanter fasted for the entirety of Ramadan during the playoffs while playing as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers. (JTA)

Canadian government to appeal court ruling against West Bank wines The Canadian government said it would appeal a federal court ruling that wines made in the West Bank cannot be labeled a “Product of Israel.” A July 29 ruling by the Federal Court of Canada said that Psagot- and Shilohbrand wines made in Jewish-controlled parts of the West Bank were not Israeli since the territory is not considered part of Israel by the international community. Calling the wines Israeli products is “false, misleading and deceptive,” the Federal Court said. The country’s Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act requires that food products, including wines, that are sold in Canada “bear truthful, non-deceptive and non-misleading country of origin labels.” The Canadian Jewish News reported that Ottawa’s decision to appeal the Federal Court ruling was based on Canada’s human rights charter and other issues. The case goes back to 2017, when the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered liquor authorities in Ontario to pull bottles of wine made in Psagot and Shiloh off provincial shelves but then reversed the decision, apparently due to “intense” pressure from Jewish groups. Winnipeg pro-Palestinian activist David Kattenburg then went to court to press the issue. Jewish groups are confident that the federal government’s appeal will succeed. “It is our expectation that the Federal Court of Appeal will overturn the lower court’s decision,” said Shimon Koffler Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. (JTA)

world

Jewish groups provide emergency help to the Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Dorian Marcy Oster

he Israel-based humanitarian group IsraAID, B’nai B’rith International, and Chabad are among those pitching in to help the Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Dorian’s devastation, which has killed at least 50 people, with 2,500 people still missing at press time. “We are in the midst of a historic tragedy in parts of the northern Bahamas,” Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said at a news conference Tuesday, Sept. 3, adding the “devastation is unprecedented and extensive.” The hurricane stalled over Grand Bahama Island for nearly two days, leaving whole neighborhoods, as well as airports and hospitals, submerged. At least 13,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed on Abaco and Grand Bahama islands. IsraAID, a humanitarian aid agency that responds to emergency crises and engages in international development around the world, sent emergency support to the Bahamas. Its emergency response team distributed relief supplies, offered psychological first aid and deployed water filters to restore access to drinking water while conducting further needs assessments in affected communities, the NGO said in a statement. In 2018, IsraAID said its emergency response teams reached 26,300 people with safe water, psychological, and community support, and relief following nine disasters in seven countries. The group has opened an Emergency Response Fund to pay for its work. B’nai B’rith is accepting donations to its Disaster Relief Fund to assist those affected by Dorian. Donations will go to assist local recovery and rebuilding teams, the group said in a statement. Rabbi Sholom and Sheera Bluming, directors of Chabad of the Bahamas in Nassau, have been in touch with the Jewish community in Nassau, which was

relatively unscathed by the hurricane, but have not been able to reach some of those living on Abaco, who still remain unaccounted for, according to Chabad.org. The rabbi said that about 1,000 Jewish expats have made their home in the Bahamas, and that more than 100,000 Jews visit the islands each year.

The JDC is raising funds for supplies as well as for recovery and reconstruction initiatives. The Blumings have joined in the official government relief effort, calling on the Jewish community to help, and are coordinating a shipment of supplies from South Florida that includes food, drinking water and mosquito nets for Abaco. The JDC, or American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee said in a statement that it would provide emergency medical supplies through its partner the Afya Foundation, and is raising funds for the supplies as well as for recovery and reconstruction initiatives. To tailor its response to the evolving situation on the ground, JDC said it has activated its network of partners and is assessing the situation in consultation with these local and international agencies. JDC’s disaster relief programs are funded by special appeals of the Jewish Federations of North America and tens of thousands of individual donors to JDC. Relief efforts of JDC are coordinated with the U.S. Department of State, USAID, the Israeli government, and the United Nations, as well as local and international partners. The Outer Banks of North Carolina also experienced severe destruction. (JTA)

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Nation First Person

The Jewish community of Selma, Alabama Amy K. Milligan, PhD

rior to coming to Old Dominion University, I taught at Elizabethtown College in central Pennsylvania. It was there that I met one of my dearest friends, also named Amy, who is one of the college chaplains. When she told me that she was taking her students on an interfaith Civil Rights trip, I challenged her to find the Jewish voice, and she did. Three years ago, she sent me a text message from the pews of Temple Mishkan Israel in Selma, Alabama. It simply said, “You have got to meet these folks. You will love them.” That small text turned out to be far more significant than either of us could have imagined; it was a message that would change my life for the better. As an academic, my research concentrates on the voices of marginalized Jews, especially with an eye to Jews who live in small communities. Although I am now part of Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk, my previous synagogue had only eight regular members (15, if we were lucky, on the holidays). So, when I heard that Temple Mishkan Israel had only four remaining members, I knew that, if nothing else, we would have a shared understanding of the struggles of small community life. Jews have a long history in Selma, as the backbone of the local industry and downtown shops. There were even three Jewish mayors of the town. And then Selma was put on the map during the Civil Rights movement. I do not want to minimize the importance of what happened in Selma, the march, Bloody Sunday, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech, or the iconic image of King and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marching arm and arm from Selma to Montgomery. But I do want to suggest that this important moment of American history is not the entire story of the Jews of Selma. Over the last two years I have been collecting the stories of the remaining Selmian Jews, their families and friends,

Amy Milligan at Temple Mishkan Israel.

and the community members who support them. It isn’t a story of sadness, as some might suggest, but rather a story of tenacity and hope. Their community includes a brave Korean War tank commander; a man who was recently named his university’s alumni volunteer of the year; someone whose family candy business filled the streets of Selma with the sweetest smells; and a retired educator who also is a talented musician. The plight of closing congregations, especially in the South, is not new for Jews. But there is a certain magic that exists in these small congregations—a spark that many overlook. What is it that keeps a community together? How do we care for one another as we age and our community numbers diminish? Can we even pray without a minyan? Will anyone remember our community when we are gone? In the moments when it is hardest to be a Jew, in the moments when it is easiest to give up hope, the Jews of Selma have continued on. They remain a committed community, caring for each other, and caring for their Selmian neighbors. They

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are examples of a real embodied Judaism, of the heart of living faithfully. It has truly been my greatest privilege to be so warmly welcomed by Temple Mishkan Israel and by my “Selma family.” What was supposed to be a summer project has turned into so much more, and many of you have been following along with me as I work to preserve and tell the history of the Jews of Selma, Jews in the Civil Rights Movement, and of Jews in the South. I hope that my Hampton Roads Jewish community will continue to journey with me as we demonstrate that

regardless of community size or location, we are all one. If you are interested in learning more about the restoration efforts of Temple Mishkan Israel in Selma, Alabama, please follow: https://www.facebook.com/ TempleMishkanIsrael/. Amy K. Milligan, PhD is Old Dominion University’s Batten Endowed Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies and Women’s Studies and director, Institute of Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding. She may be reached at amilligan@odu.edu.

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his past Wednesday, September 11, marked 79 years since a rejected refugee ship arrived on Tidewater’s shores, sparking a battle of wills that reached all the way to the White House, and the narrow rescue of 81 refugees fleeing the horrors of Nazi-occupied Europe. For Elise Margolius, a young wife, mother, and president of the Norfolk Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), the war in Europe was an ocean away. By 1940, Americans had finally begun to emerge from the Great Depression. In New York, the World’s Fair’s official theme song proclaimed, “Better times, here to stay, as we live and laugh the American way.” Yet, the song also contained the lyric “Tell the world, at the door, that we don’t want him ‘round anymore.” While Margolius, along with NCJW members Justine Nusbaum, Doris Kaufman, and Bertha Snyder, to name a few, hosted classes to assist Orthodox immigrants integrate into the community, America’s isolationism had reached fever pitch. Gallup polls showed a majority favored tighter immigration restrictions. Anti-immigration paralleled a peak in anti-Semitism since between 1939 and 1940 “more than 50% of all immigrants to the United States identified themselves as Jewish” according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The outbreak of World War II in 1939 stoked fears of a flood of Jewish immigrants. In response, 20,000 proNazi Americans rallied in Madison Square

Garden. KKK membership swelled. Hotels and clubs posted ‘restricted membership.’ The fact that it was an election year with President Roosevelt running for an unprecedented third term only heightened national tensions. Even in Tidewater’s newly established United Jewish Fund (predecessor to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater), members disagreed on the overseas issue: “We feel that in the zealousness of your desire to aid our stricken brethren in European lands, you have inadvertently placed too small an emphasis on the needs of [our local] institutions.” Into this tension, upheaval, and fear, the S.S. Quanza docked at the coal pier at Sewell’s point to refuel on September 11, 1940. The steamship carried 81 refugees, both Jewish and gentile, who had escaped occupied Europe by purchasing transit visas to reach Mexico. Arriving in Vera Cruz, their visas were denied. Inquiries to other ports were similarly rejected. The situation was quickly shaping up to be a repeat of the M.S. St. Louis. The St. Louis was another refugee ship whose Jewish passengers had also been rejected on arrival the previous year. At the last minute on the ship’s return to Nazi Germany, Western European countries accepted the St. Louis’ passengers. By 1940, the Nazis had invaded, and many of the former passengers were sent to concentration camps. The last refuge in Europe was gone. The Jews of Tidewater had never encountered anything like this before, but they didn’t hesitate. Elise Margolius

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Passengers of the S.S. Quanza, docked in Norfolk harbor, 1940, while their fate hangs in the balance, prohibited by US immigration law from disembarking.

organized an emergency committee alongside the National Refugee Service (NRS) to bring the Quanza fresh supplies. A local maritime lawyer, Jacob Morewitz, filed a libel suit on behalf of the passengers against the shipping company, which would have to pay bail before the ship could be allowed to leave. The action bought the refugees a few days, but they remained stuck on the ship. As soon as the company wired the money, it would return its passengers to Nazi-occupied Europe. Something more needed to be done. Thanks to the outcry from Margolius’ NCJW, the NRS, and other Jewish organizations, word reached First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Deeply disturbed by her country’s failure to help the M.S. St. Louis and driven by her own humanitarianism, Roosevelt implored President Roosevelt to act. The President considered his hands tied by public opinion and an isolationist Congress. He appointed a representative, Patrick Malin, in cooperation with the State Department, to travel to Norfolk to determine whom among the refugees could qualify for entry via the emergency visa program. The qualifications were determined by Assistant Secretary of State Breckinridge Long. An isolationist, Long had quietly begun consolidating his authority over refugee affairs to drastically reduce the numbers admitted to the United States. With only a few days left before the Quanza would depart, Long was confident his list of screening criteria would prevent

the refugees from escaping in time. Immigration officials alongside Malin, Margolius, and other local representatives worked tirelessly to screen and vet the refugees. Malin confirmed that all the necessary paperwork was in order and using the parameters given to him for determining political refugees, certified all 81 passengers qualified to disembark. When Long learned of the refugees’ certifications, he was enraged. As he wrote in his diary, “I remonstrated violently,” and said “I thought it was a violation of the Law…that I would not give my consent.” When Long tried to stop it, Malin informed him it was too late— the passengers were already unloading. The men, women, and children stepped onto American soil, laughing and crying. Margolius took a family home with her that night so they could spend their first night of freedom in a real bed. The next day, Margolius and her neighbor Herbert Gerst invited the passengers to breakfast before they departed for various destinations in the United States. Margolius, who passed away in 2002 at the age of 99 after a lifetime of community service, never forgot that moment—“I can see their happy, smiling faces, waving American flags as they waved goodbye and the bus pulled away… we all just wept.” For First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, whose deepest regret at the end of her life was that she could not have saved more, this was a victory. For the refugees and their descendants, this was the gift of life.

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A life of gratitude and generosity: Joseph Fleischmann Kaitlyn Oelsner

n 1938, Joseph Fleischmann, along with his mother, Ida, and sister, Rachel, fled Nuremberg, Germany. It was the end of a cold November, just weeks after a period of devastating violence known as Kristallnact or Night of Broken Glass. Members of Fleischmann’s family, like many other Jews across Germany and Austria, had been attacked during the episode. It was clear that things would get much worse. During the two days of destruction and bloodshed, a hysterical neighbor had slapped his mother because she was furious over her husband having escaped to the United States before he could be sent to a concentration camp. Then just 13 years old, Joseph was hidden in his

grandfather’s attic to protect him from being sent to the camps in his father’s place. His great uncle, Jakob Schloss was murdered. Samuel Fleischmann, Joseph’s father, was sponsored by distant cousins and had finally been able to send for his wife and children. It was just in time. Other extended family members found refuge in Israel or South America, but many would remain trapped in Europe. The Fleischmanns lost countless loved ones to the Nazis. The family settled in Norfolk. Like many families that fled the Nazis and found themselves in Tidewater, they were welcomed by the community and by one woman in particular, Justine Nusbaum. Described as a “one woman social services department,” Nusbaum helped the

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Fleischmanns settle in to their new home. She made sure the children had school clothes and the family had plenty of food. They would never forget her kindness. Fleischmann attended school for a few years, but in 1940, he left his studies to work and help support his family. At 19, he joined the United States Army and served in the 343rd Infantry Regiment in Europe, where he saw active combat and lost part of his hearing. Janet Gelman and Joseph Fleischmann. After Europe, he was sent to the Pacific and in 1945, he took part in the attack on Iwo Jima. When he died in 2015, his family After the war, Fleischmann returned was surprised to learn that he had quito Norfolk where he attended night school etly amassed a small fortune and had at the satellite campus for the College made arrangements to leave significant William & Mary, now Old Dominion gifts to charity. His gifts include an University. He eventually earned a bachendowed scholarship at his alma mater, elor’s degree in business administration Old Dominion University and continued and his CPA certification. After a long and support to benefit senior programming successful career, he retired as an auditor at the Simon Family JCC. Fleischmann for the United States Treasury. chose his niece, Janet Gelman, to serve as Fleischmann considered himself foran advisor on his fund at the Tidewater tunate. He survived the Holocaust and his Jewish Foundation. His generous spirit years of service in WWII, was supported lives on through her and her sister, Diana, by a generous community when he and and his continuing support of the causes his family were refugees, and benefited he cherished most. from educational opportunities that set “He always felt lucky to be here and him on a path for a successful career. to be alive,” Gelman says. “And he never Despite never marrying or having chilforgot Justine Nusbaum and the generdren, he lived a rich life filled with friends osity she showed his family after they and loved ones. escaped from Nuremburg. I think it made He was a beloved member of B’nai it hard for him to spend money on things Israel and, after his retirement, was a and himself. Despite the wealth he accudaily visitor to the Simon Family Jewish mulated, he lived very frugally. He never Community Center where he participated had a fancy car or apartment. He had a in the Seniors Program and used the comlot but all he wanted to do was give it to puters to keep in touch with his family. people that needed it.” Fleischmann believed in giving back and spent many years teaching accountFor more information about how to make ing in the same night school program that a lasting charitable impact, contact Kaitlyn had made such a difference in his life. Oelsner, director of philanthropy for Tidewater In addition, he volunteered with Jewish Jewish Foundation, at koelsner@ujft.org or Family Service, working with Meals on 757-965-6103. Wheels.

world First Person

Protesting rewritten history in Budapest Aaron Torop

andering through the heart of Budapest, it is easy to stumble across Liberty Square. Entering the Park from the South, you are immediately confronted with a monument for “Victims of the German Occupation of 1944.” Hungary, represented by a helpless angel Gabriel, is depicted as having no choice but to acquiesce to the aggressive German Imperial Eagle. Approaching the monument, a smaller protest installation can be found in front of it. Signs on the protest indicate that this monument, erected overnight in June 2014, is part of a systematic effort to minimize Hungary’s role in the Holocaust. This is far from the truth. Hungary passed one of the first anti-Semitic laws in Europe in 1920 and was the first nation to join the Axis Powers in 1940. The Hungarian National Police and the Arrow Cross Party, which was given control over the government, actively and willingly assisted the Nazis in their attempt to ghettoize the Jews of Budapest and carry out the Final Solution. By the end of the war, more than half a million Hungarian Jews were killed. On the barbed wire fence that is the protest monument, people have attached photos, stories, and left other memorials for the Hungarian Jews that were killed

Monument for victims of the German occupation.

Protest monument.

by Hungarians. Signs on the protest monument indicate that they are attempting to remind the country of what really happened and counter the attempts to make Hungary blameless for the acts of the Holocaust. In the face of rising anti-Semitism in America and around the world, we must be especially wary of attempts to rewrite history and shift blame of who is responsible for the persecution of Jews. When we create new, sympathetic, sanitized versions of history, we are doomed to repeat history’s mistakes. The protest monument is a call for us to take responsibility for how history is remembered. May we never forget what happened, and work tirelessly to ensure it never happens again. Aaron Torop is a firstyear rabbinic student at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy New Year– L’Shana Tovah Tikatevuh

757-425-9191 · www.FlaxLaw.com 303 34th Street, Suite 7, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Jewish News | 11

Bill’s Legacy Lives Forever Norfolk business owner Bill Goldback valued good health and great arts performances.

Before he died in 2007, Bill arranged for a Hampton Roads Community Foundation bequest to provide grants for performing arts and medicine in Hampton Roads. Goldback grants are helping Chesapeake Care, Hampton Roads Community Health Center, Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Young Audiences of Virginia do excellent work. Thanks to Bill’s generosity he will forever help people in his home region. Connect your passions to the future by ordering a free bequest guide. Learn how easy it is to leave a gift for charity. Adding Charity to Your W or IRA ill

tidewater

Sierra Lautman is UJFT’s new director of Jewish Innovation

Patty Shelanski joins UJFT as Arts + Ideas manager

nited Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s new Arts + Ideas manager, Patty Shelanski, is no stranger to Tidewater. Shelanski and her husband, Herm, recently returned to Norfolk after five years in Washington, DC, and she says, “we are so happy to be back in this wonderful community.” According to Shelanski, her career has been “sporadic and varied over the years—professional and non-paid, but it has led me to where I am today and I Patty Shelanski could not be more thrilled.” In her early years, Shelanski worked in the aerospace industry, first as a facilities analyst, and later as a strategic business planner and consultant. After a rather long break, she reentered the workplace as the administrator and program planner for the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center in Portsmouth, and then moved to Jewish Family Service where she worked with older adults as the volunteer coordinator and ran the Meals on Wheels program and the Food Pantry. Non-paid positions are too numerous to list, she notes, but most, if not all, had to do with children, Scouts (Boy and Girl), schools, and the military. “As the new Arts + Ideas manager I get to surround myself with things I truly love—books, films, interesting people, and most important, all things Jewish and Israel!” says Shelanski. “We have an exciting line up of wonderful visiting authors for our upcoming Book Festival, and movie screeners are being watched daily by our screening committee for another great Film Festival in 2020. Plus, Israel Fest in May 2020 is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever.”

ducation, and particularly Jewish education, has been the focus of Sierra Lautman’s professional life for years. Lautman and her family recently moved to Virginia Beach from Sierra Lautman Pittsburgh, where she was the Religious School director at Adat Shalom Synagogue. Before that, she spent 10 years teaching fifth and sixth grade in a religious school setting and two years as a fourth grade teacher in a public charter school. “I was thrilled to hear about the director of Jewish Innovation position before I even got to the area,” Lautman says. “I had found my time as an educator, and specifically as a Jewish educator, so rewarding as I helped young children find new connections and meaning.” Lautman says she looks forward to the chance to take her experience into this new position at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater as “I develop community events and experiences that open new doors to Jewish engagement and understanding for children, families, and adults of all ages.”

To volunteer on one of the many festival committees, or to share ideas for future programming, contact Shelanski at pshelanski@ujft.org.

Share ideas for classes, workshops, and events with Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org.

New class planned for two-year-olds at Strelitz A quick

guide to the ple of charitab asure and prom ise le bequest s

Inspiring Philanthro py. Chan ging Lives .

www.leaveabequest.org (757) 622-7951

fter reaching capacity this summer, the Strelitz International Academy will open a new class for two-year-olds in January 2020. Once that class is filled, incoming students will have to wait until the June summer camp registration. SIA classes fill up quickly due to community-driven benefits for all members of the family, and an expansive menu of new programs. During the last school year, Strelitz

12 | Jewish News | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

International Academy became an IB Candidate School. But even before that distinction, parents have cited many reasons that SIA is considered one of the best pre-school programs in the area. In addition to its excellent hands-on, experiential curriculum, students enjoy specialty classes such as music, library, P.E., and swimming. SIA welcomes students ages six weeks through grade five, and offers

families with multiple children one central place to learn and grow together. Combined with the Simon Family Jewish Community Center, SIA offers top-tier education, shared values, and a close parent community. For information on enrollment, contact Carin Simon at 757-424-4327 or csimon@strelitzacademy.org.

Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Shanah Tovah 5780

Supplement to Jewish News September 16, 2019

jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish News | 13

14 | Jewish News | Rosh Hashanah | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

From Farm to Table

Rosh Hashanah

A Signature Dining Program

Dear Readers,

hile the holidays feel a bit tardy this year (you know how they’re

never on time…), it is still hard to believe that it’s the season again for apples and honey and shofar calls and sermons and holiday meals. And, for reflections. We asked some folks for their thoughts on the holiday and what the New Year ahead looks like for them. What, we asked, is on the horizon? Their responses are enlightening, heart-felt, fun, and thoughtful and start on page 18. Five hacks for the best Rosh Hashanah ever is a light piece that suggests ways to have fun…and spark meaningful conversations during the holiday season. This section also offers a delicious

B’nai Israel B’nai Israel Congregation

Congregation

The Orthodox Synagogue for ALL Synagogue Jews The Orthodox for in Jews Hampton Roads ALL in Hampton Roads

chicken recipe (page 24), reviews of Jewish New Year children’s books (26) and a complete listing of area holiday services that was compiled by Shalom Tidewater (page 21). The Jewish News staff hopes you have a wonderful, healthy, happy, and most importantly, a peaceful New Year. L’Shanah Tovah!

B’nai Israel is truly a family B’nai Israel is truly a family where Jews of differing levels where Jews of differing of observance feel right at levels of observance home. feel right at home. Call us today and

We are your synagogue for we’ll connect you with every day, Shabbos, and all Shabbos meal the holidays—especially accomodations! the high holidays. For more information, please call:

(757) 627-7358

(757) 627-7358 Terri Denison Editor

420 Spotswood Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 420 Spotswood Avenue23517 Norfolk, VA 23517 office@bnaiisrael.com office@bnaiisrael.com

www.bnaiisrael.com www.Bnaiisrael.org

Commonwealth Senior Living partners with Virginia family farmers for farm-grown fruits and vegetables that give our meals the freshest ﬂavors and our residents a delicious dining experience. We’re excited to share one of our residents’ favorite recipes with you here, but we’ve left out one important ingredient...

Schedule a visit to learn more about our Signature Dining programs, and we’ll give you the complete recipe, including the secret ingredient.

CALL 757-347-1732 TODAY!

Chef Jennifer’s Grown Up Grilled Cheese ing redients • 2 Ciabatta rolls • 4 ounces Brie cheese spread • 8 ounces thin sliced apples • 4 ounces Smithﬁeld Virginia ham • SECRET INGREDIENT

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Welcome Home Independent Living Plus, Assisted Living & Memory Care

7211 Granby St., Norfolk www.CommonwealthSL.com jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish News | 15

Rosh Hashanah Family owned and operated since 1917 Southside Chapel • 5033 Rouse Drive Virginia Beach • 757 422-4000

Chris Sisler, Vice President, Member of Ohef Sholom Temple, Board member of the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village, James E. Altmeyer, Jr., President, James E. Altmeyer, Sr., Owner

Maestas Chapel • 1801 Baltic Ave. Virginia Beach • 757 428-1112

Advance funeral planning Flexible payment plans Financing available Making your arrangements in advance is one of the best ways to show your

Chesapeake Chapel • 929 S. Battlefield Blvd. Chesapeake • 757 482-3311

loved ones that you care about them. Our Family Service Counselors have the training and experience that will help you in the process. Our services include a free funeral cost estimate, and we offer many options for financing. Visit our web site for a three-step Pre-Arrangement Guide or contact the Altmeyer Pre-Arrangement

Denbigh Chapel • 12893 Jefferson Ave. Newport News • 757 874-4200

Center directly at 757 422-4000

www.altmeyer.com Approved by all area Rabbis and Chevrah Kadisha

Business Innovation, advancements and news

Riverside Chapel • 7415 River Road Newport News •757 245-1525

BUSINESS Coming Nov. 25 To advertise call 757.965.6100 or email news@ujft.org

16 | Jewish News | Rosh Hashanah | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

Five hacks for the best Rosh Hashanah ever Beata Abraham

(JTA via Kveller)—I can’t help but wonder why Hallmark and the retail world at large haven’t co-opted the Jewish New Year. True, while there may “only” be some 5 million to 7 million Jews in the U.S. (depending on who’s counting), Rosh Hashanah is a particularly important holiday on the Jewish calendar. Many Jews spend Rosh Hashanah at synagogue immersed in prayer, self-reflection, repentance, kicking off 10 days of “awe.” But it’s a family holiday, too, usually celebrated at home with a big family dinner. So why aren’t there any light-up shofars or tasteful Happy New Year banners to be found leading up to the big day? Of course, depending on where you live, you may come across a dusty box of matzah on the shelf of your local grocery store in a well-intentioned, if misguided, attempt to acknowledge Rosh Hashanah (along with every other Jewish holiday). But fear not. In lieu of tacky, readymade accoutrements, you can design your own Instagram-worthy Rosh Hashanah celebration. Keeping in mind that the goal is to create joy and lasting memories, I have tried and tested a few ideas to make your Rosh Hashanah celebration personal and memorable. Conduct an apples and honey taste test Not all apples—nor honey—are created equal. So here’s a fun way to see which varieties your family really prefers. Procure as many types of honey as you can (but remember, this is not a reality cooking show, so don’t go crazy). Put out a variety of sliced apples to dip and create your own voting method, too. For a bit of extra flair, add a blindfold. The honey with the most votes will receive the honor of the blessing for a sweet new year. Create a Rosh Hashanah craft museum Remember all those New Year’s crafts your kids brought home over the years from Religious School or day school? It’s time to

unearth those boxes filled with clay honey pots, handcrafted Happy New Year cards, and paper apple mobiles. Bonus if you can excavate the childhood Rosh Hashanah relics from your own youth. And if kids never made them—or you tossed them years ago—you can always make new Rosh Hashanah crafts, like a honey jar or shofar. Cluster these items in a special museum-style display for all to enjoy. Heart strings will be tugged, guaranteed. Throw a birthday party for the world Rosh Hashanah is not just a Jewish holiday—according to the Talmud, it is the birthday of humankind and the world. Considering that the universe is a pretty significant creation, some special treats to commemorate this day hardly seem like too much effort. Whether you celebrate with a spherical cake frosted to look like planet Earth or a candle on a single cupcake, or even just a Happy Birthday banner, let it spark a conversation about what each individual’s part can be in making the world a better place—the ultimate birthday gift. Make a Rosh Hashanah tablescape If you are overwhelmed just thinking about setting an elaborate table for the holiday, just remember that you are going to want to eat at some point, so it might as well be at a striking and impactfully set table. But that doesn’t mean an overwrought one. Small touches can go a long way, like an apple-print tablecloth; a few carefully placed honey or bee-themed items; a decorative tray filled with apples and pomegranates; a shofar as centerpiece. Tip: Use your imagination, not Google. Spark meaningful conversation with reflection cards Rosh Hashanah is a mini workout for the soul, so you should probably break an existential sweat self-reflecting, soul-searching and resolution-making. Like any good workout, it will transform, strengthen, and fortify you for navigating

Rosh Hashanah your daily life in the year to come. Write some open-ended questions on cardstock, and arrange them on your table for your family or friends to select and answer aloud. Some examples: What were your biggest mistakes over the last year? Greatest achievements? What brought you the most joy? Which moments felt deeply meaningful? What have you resolved to do differently next year? What you write is up to you—just make sure that each question can be answered by a responder of any age, and keep in mind that Rosh Hashanah is not just about looking backward, but is an opportunity to look forward, as well. I hope you will use one or all these ideas to set the stage for a sweet and meaningful New Year. And, full disclosure: While they are undoubtedly fun, none of these ideas will absolutely guarantee that you will be written in the Book of Life—but they may get you featured in Martha Stewart Living. Beata Abraham, a lifelong writer and a Jewish educator, is currently the director of education at a Reform temple in Columbus, Ohio. An apples and honey test is one way to make a joyous and lasting Jewish New Year’s celebration. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

High Holidays Youth Programming Choose Your Own Adventure

Want to check out Beth El for the first time? Come as our guests. Infant/toddler care available. Call Pam Gladstone at 757.625.7821. www.bethelnorfolk.com 422 Shirley Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517

e, eractiv t n i r u ut o for Check o ervices s e t a i r rop , age app - teens 3 s e g kids a n your ow y b d e ! follow enture v d a d e aliz person

W il l y o u p la y g a m e s in Hebrew? A M it z v a h P r o je c t? R e la y r a c e s or 4 Square ?

PLUS Shofar Idol on 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah, storytelling and a special presenter on Yom Kippur. All under the watchful eyes of our fabulous team of caregivers.

jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish News | 17

Rosh Hashanah

For the New Year Inspiration at great heights

Sandra Porter Leon

ocky Mountain Chai has new meaning after attending the Shabbat Service at the top of Eagle Nest Mountain in Colorado. For years my dear friend and Norfolknative Debbie Stein Levy has asked our family to attend this special service, led by her daughter-in-law Michelle Kohn Levy who is also the Cantor at Bnai Vail Synogogue. What a joyful experience! Although most of the Vail congregants rode the 10-minute gondola ride from Lionshead Village, several of us hiked the meandering Berry Picker Trail to a destination that locals call the Wedding Deck—a clearing with panoramic views of snow-capped mountains, swaying Aspen trees, and cumulous clouds close enough to touch. As we approached the precipice, we could hear Michelle’s angelic voice, as well as the music of the Nashville bluegrass band Nefesh Mountain, whose soulful harmonies blended with fiddles and mandolins included folksy ensembles, as wells as the familiar Adon Olam. Clad in cowboy hats and jeans, the band members with the help of Rabbi Joel Newman encouraged audience participation with sing-alongs and even dancing in the grassy aisles, but never allowed the informal setting to interfere with the meaningful service. In the midst of the month of Elul, I remember this breathtaking experience 10,350 feet above, grateful for how the power of prayer, song, community, and our glorious environment nourishes the soul before the coming New Year. If you are near Vail Colorado the first week of July or August, don’t miss this special service.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and peaceful

5780.

18 | Jewish News | Rosh Hashanah | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

An empty nest

Rebecca Tall

his New Year is going to feel a bit different for us. For the first time in 18 years our nest is empty. That’s because we just sent our triplets off to college for freshman year. Many people have asked us what it’s like to become empty nesters overnight. It’s funny because we got the opposite question over 18 years ago when we went from 0 to 3 overnight. The answer is the same—it’s a huge change! Just like then—there are good days and bad, there’s crying and tears, there’s sleepless nights and fear of the unknowns. But, there’s also smiles and laughs, and being thankful for the blessings we’ve been given — and a big change in the amount of laundry and the volume level in our house! While this New Year will be different and the empty nest will take a lot of getting used to, it won’t be boring. We already took a vacation and our weekends are filling fast with Parents Weekends, lacrosse games, and long overdue projects in the house. The empty nest isn’t as quiet as we thought it would be!

Rosh Hashanah

For the New Year Refreshing perspective

Congresswoman Elaine Luria

s a Jewish woman, I am lucky to have two new year celebrations—the Gregorian calendar and the Jewish observance of Rosh Hashanah. These days are the time to reflect on how you can be a better person and be a stronger part of your community. Both a time of reflection and optimism, Rosh Hashannah is a time for me to refresh my perspective and prepare for the year ahead.

U.S Navy self-assessments and Jewish reflections

Herm Shelanski

retired from the United States Navy last year and this Rosh Hashanah, 5780, I end my first full year as a veteran and civilian. It all takes getting used to, you know simple things like, what shirts go with the pants I picked out, since I don’t put on the same “uniform” everyday— and not having morning Colors and Flag raising to start the day. My last assignment in the Navy was as the Naval Inspector General, and one of my main tasks was to assess and inspect our Naval Forces. The first part of that process was to request the unit being inspected to do a self-assessment. Though the Navy doesn’t really realize it, it is a very Jewish concept based upon Rosh Hashanah. As Jews, we look back and reflect, how well did I do last year in living up to the values and principles of Judaism in my daily life? And, when I fell short or failed, was I able to realize it and make amends and grow from my experience? Did I meet the minimum requirements or did I do more, did I aspire toward a higher concept and attempt to reach the lofty goals of righteousness and Tikkun Olam? In the Navy, a unit’s score on the inspection, despite falling short in certain areas was never a failure, if, in their self-assessment they realized those areas that needed work and set in place a realistic plan to do better in the next year. And, so it is for me and my preparation for Rosh Hashanah 5780, a good self-assessment of last year’s living, in preparation for the “Lord of all Inspector’s” 5779 inspection results. And of course, my follow-up plan from that assessment for better performance in 5780, now as a civilian, and all those expectations and responsibilities that come from being a Jewish citizen of the United States of America.

Gratitude, memories, and hope

Beth and Nathan Jaffe

s we begin to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Nathan and I find ourselves reflecting on many things. These two holidays almost always fall ON or around my birthday which is the same day as my father’s birthday. Year after year, I find myself sitting in synagogue with an overwhelming sense of gratitude, as I think about about how fortunate we are to still be celebrating simchas with both of my parents. On our birthdays, Dad and I usually talk about what we wish for in the year to come. This year, both Nathan and I pray that we can live in a world where there is less hatred, prejudice, and fear. The mass shootings in our country have become the new normal, which in and of itself is a scary statement. Antisemitism is on the rise and there is a pervasive feeling of anxiety in our everyday lives that never existed before. As recent first time grandparents, we try to envision a better world for our beautiful granddaughter, Carrie, to grow up in—a world where she doesn’t live in fear when she goes to school…a world where there is less hatred, bigotry, and more acceptance and love. The Jewish holidays are also a meaningful time for Nathan because it brings back heartfelt memories of his parents, Bernie and Lee Jaffe (of blessed memory). They always made the High Holidays a special time to celebrate with family and friends and reminded their children of the value of community. It’s a time to reflect on their legacy and hope for a better tomorrow.

Seeing the good in others

Sarah Lipman

ince we moved to Norfolk from New Jersey four years ago, we have had a lot of incredible people come in and out of our lives. We are hoping that everyone will continue to only see the good in others this year, and come together to reach amazing heights as one community. I hope my daughters and their friends have a good school year, and the construction of the new Mikvah goes well and smooth. Looking forward to a new and joyful year ahead!

Changing and challenging Praying for peace

Elayne Axel

I pray that our leaders choose tolerance over hate.

Rabbi Marc Kraus

hen I was a child, I imagined that adults reached adulthood and stayed there. Now I reflect each year on how much I have grown. The strange truth is that we never stop changing unless we stop challenging ourselves. What new experience will you pursue this year? jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish News | 19

High Holy Days • 5780

Rosh Hashanah

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

For the New Year

Rosh Hashanah Eve Service • 7:00pm

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 Rosh Hashanah Morning Worship • 10:30am Followed by a Potluck Lunch & Tashlich

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8 Kol Nidre Service • 7:00pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9 Yom Kippur Worship • 10:30am Discussion with Rabbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill • 4:00pm Yiskor & Concluding Service • 5:00pm Annual Beth Chaverim Sisterhood Break-the-fast to follow

• All Guests Welcome •

L’Shanah Tovah!

Congregation Beth Chaverim

Tidewater Chavurah

Virginia Beach’s only Reform Temple

Hampton Roads’ “Congregation without Walls”

All services will be held in the Parish Hall of Old Donation Episcopal Church 4449 N. Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach

Sharing laughs and tears

Erin Foleck Portnoy

leven years ago Felix and I moved to this area and married two weeks later at Beth El. Time moves so quickly and change is inevitable. Nieces now in university, a nephew starting to drive and our own daughters in first and fourth grade becoming more independent as each day passes. Transitions can be hard, but having our amazing family close and great friends to share laughs, sometimes tears, and make memories with, are what is important to me.

20 | Jewish News | Rosh Hashanah | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

Hope and optimism

Rachel and John Feigenbaum

ohn and I anticipate every new year with hope and optimism. In general terms, we hope for good health and a year with more blessings than difficulties. And, as we grow up and older, those hopes take on more specific ideas. Our family recently visited Ben at his new apartment in New York. We are excited for this next stage of life for him. He is officially “independent” and we are so proud and happy for him. Our conversations are more along the lines of “Should I choose an EPO or PPO insurance plan,” or “Can you help me pick out a rug for my bedroom?” It’s new territory for us, but he’s navigating just fine. Just as soon as we left New York, I was headed to Lexington to move Abby into her sorority house for her second year at college. There’s the anxieties of a new year, new professors and hopes that she will flourish in the months and years ahead. Sandwiched between these two as they get themselves set up, is our youngest, Aiden. He is the easy going third child who just started his senior year of high school. So, while those two have been in his shoes, it’s always a different experience. He will choose his own college path and find his fit (and hopefully not too far away from home). Aside from what occupies our personal lives, we sincerely hope for a community and world that can focus on treating each other as they wish to be treated, extend a helping hand where needed, and be grateful for everything that brings a smile to our face and hearts.

Wins, dialogue, and joy

Betty Ann Levin

fervently hope that Virginia Tech can pull it together and be back to our winning ways this football season! My hope for our country is that, with positive dialogue and proactive action, we can bring an end to hateful rhetoric and acts of violence. I hope that our community comes together to find joy, as we celebrate our strengths and plan for our future—a thriving Jewish Tidewater for our children and generations to come. Shanah Tovah!

Rosh Hashanah

Compiled by Carly Glikman for Shalom Tidewater

High Holiday Services 5780

Beth Sholom Village

bethsholomvillage.com 757-420-2512 Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 29 Evening Services 6:30 pm Monday, September 30 Morning Services 10 am Tashlich (Terrace Pond) 4 pm Evening Services 6:30 pm Tuesday, October 1 Morning Services 10 am Saturday, October 5 Shabbat Shuvah services 10 am Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 8 Kol Nidrei 6:30 pm Wednesday, October 9 Services & Yizkor 10 am Neila 6:30 pm Break-the-Fast 7:35 pm

B’nai Israel Congregation bnaiisrael.org 757-627-7358 Selichos Saturday, September 21 Remarks 12:45 pm Selichos 12:55 pm Erev Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 29 Daf Yomi 6 pm Slichos 7 pm Minchah 6:30 pm Candle Lighting 6:33 pm Rosh Hashanah Monday, September 30 Shachris 8 am HaMelech 8:45 am Sermon and Shofar not before 10:30 am Tashlich 4:45 pm Daf Yomi 5:15 pm Minchah 6:15 pm Class with Kollel Maariv 7:15 pm Candle Lighting not before 7:29 pm

Tuesday, October 1 Shachris 8 am HaMelech 8:45 am Sermon and Shofar not before 10:30 am Minchah 6:15 pm Class with Kollel Maariv / Havdala 7:28 pm Erev Yom Kippur—Kol Nidre Tuesday, October 8 Slichos: 6:30 am Shacharis: after Selichos Mincha 2:30 pm Kol Nidre 6:15 pm Candle Lighting before Kol Nidrei Yom Kippur Wednesday, September 19 Shachris 8 am HaMelech 8:45 am Torah reading 11:20 am Sermon 11:50 am Yizkor (Approximately) 12:10 pm Minchah 4:45 pm Neilah 5:45 pm Havdalah 7:16 pm Services at B’nai Israel are open to all Jews in Hampton Roads. Childcare is provided during all major services.

Chabad of Tidewater chabadoftidewater.com 757-616-0770 Rosh Hashanah Monday, September 30 Morning Services 10 am Shofar Sounding 11:45 am (Kiddush Luncheon after services) Mincha & Tashilich 5 pm Community Dinner 8:15 pm Tuesday, October 1 Morning Services 10 am Shofar Sounding 11:45 am

Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 8 Fast Begins at 6:38 pm Kol Nidrei 6:30 pm Wednesday, October 9 Morning Services 10 am Yizkor Memorial 12:30 pm Mincha & Neilah 4:30 pm Evening Service 6:30 pm Fast Ends at 7:15 pm followed by light dinner

Congregation Beth El

bethelnorfolk.com 757-627-4905 Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 29 Erev Rosh Hashanah Congregational Service 5:45 pm Monday, September 30 Shacharit 8:15 am Babysitting 9:30 am Children’s programming (grades K–7) 10:30 am Tashlich (at The Hague) 5 pm Mincha-Maariv (at Beth El) 7 pm Tuesday, October 1 Shacharit 8:15 am Babysitting 9:30 am Children’s programming (grades K–7) 10:30 am Mincha-Maariv 7 pm Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 8 Kol Nidre 6:15 pm Babysitting 6:15 pm Children’s activities 6:15 pm Youth services 6:15 pm Wednesday, October 9 Shacharit 9 am Babysitting 10 am Children’s programming 10:30 am Yizkor 12:45 pm Study session 4 pm Mincha 5 pm Neilah 6:15 pm Maariv 7:15 pm Blowing of Shofar & Havdalah 7:30 pm Light Processional 7:30 pm

Kempsville Conservative Synagogue Kehillat Bet Hamidrash kbhsynagogue.org 757-495-8510 Saturday, September 21 Selichot (at Congregation Beth El) 8 pm Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 29 Ma’ariv (KBH) 6:30 pm Monday, September 30 Tashlich Services 9:30 am Meet at KBH to walk to Tashlich 6:45 pm Tuesday, October 1 Services (KBH) 9:30 am Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 8 Candle Lighting at KBH 6:20 pm Kol Nidre (KBH) 6:35 pm Wednesday, October 9 Services (KBH) 9:30 am Yizkor 12 pm Mincha and Neilah 5 pm Shofar 7:15 pm

Ohef Shlolom Temple ohefsholom.org 757-625-4295 Babysitting for Early and Late services Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 29 Early Worship 6:15 pm Late Service 8:15 pm Monday, September 30 Early Worship 9 am Late Service 11:30 am Tuesday, October 8 Kol Nidre Early Service Worship 6:15 pm Late Service 8:15 pm Wednesday, October 9 Early Service 9 am Late Service 11:30 am Afternoon Study Session 1:30 pm Afternoon Service 2:45 pm Memorial and Concluding Services 4:15 pm Break-the-fast (free and open to all) 6 pm continued on page 22

jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish News | 21

Rosh Hashanah continued from page 21

Rodef Sholom Temple rodefsholomtemple.org 757-826-5894 Saturday, September 21 Community Selichot 9 pm (Hosted by Temple Beth El, Williamsburg) Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 29 Evening Service 8 pm Monday, September 30 Morning Service 9 am Mincha-Maariv (followed by lite supper) 6:30 pm Tuesday, October 1 Morning Service 9 am Friday, October 4 Shabbat Shuvah Service 6 pm Saturday, October 5 Shabbat Shuvah Service 9:30 am

Celebrate Rosh Hashanah

Sunday, October 6 Graveside Prayers (Jewish Cemetery of the Virginia Peninsula, Rosenbaum) 11 am Tashlikh at Huntington Park Beach 4:30 pm Tuesday, October 8 Kol Nidre Service 6:30 pm Yom Kippur Wednesday, October 9 Morning Service 9:30 am Study Session 4:30 pm Mincha/Neilah Service 5:30 pm Shofar Blowing 7:16 pm Maariv 7:18 pm Break-the-Fast 7:22 pm

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Tuesday, October 1 Morning Service 8:30 am Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 8 Kol Nidre Service 6:30 pm Wednesday, October 9 Morning Services 8:30 am Family Service 9:45 am Torah Services and Yizkor 10:30 am Minha and Neilah 5 pm Community Break-the-Fast 7:40 pm

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Rosh Hashanah Wednesday, October 9 Morning Services 8:45 am Mincha Service 5 pm Ne’ilah 5:45 pm Shofar and Break-Fast 7 pm Children, Ages 3–6 Education Wing 10:30 am Children, ages 7–12, Sandler Hall 10:30 am Arts and Crafts (Sandler Hall) 12 pm Dinner 7 pm (bring a bag and kosher candy for kids)

Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 8 Evening Services 8 pm Wednesday, October 9 Morning Services 10:30 am Discussion 2 pm Afternoon Services 4 pm

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m.me/templelevtikvah23453 757-937-8393 Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 29 Evening Services 8 pm Monday, September 30 Morning Services 10:30 am

Temple Sinai templesinai-nn.org 757-596-8352 Contact Temple Sinai for services times

tidewaterchavurah.org 757-499-3660 Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 29 Evening Service 7 pm Monday, September 30 Morning Service 10:30 am Pot Luck immediately following morning service at ODEC

Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 8 Kol Nidrei 7 pm Wednesday, October 9 Morning Services 10:30 am Rabbi Discussion Group group 4 pm Yizkor Memorial Service 4 pm N’ilah (concluding) service 6 pm Followed by Break the Fast 7 pm in the Parrish Hall at ODEC

Chabad of Virginia Beach jewishvb.org/hh 757-362-2710 Rosh Hashanah Monday, September 30 Morning Service 9 am Children’s Program 10 am Shofar 10:45 am Delicious Kiddush 12:30 pm Family Tashlich at the beach! Meet at Buff’s Garden (corner of Oceanfront Ave. and Bay Colony) 5:45 pm

Tuesday, October 1 Morning Service 9 am Children’s Program 10 am Shofar 10:45 am Delicious Kiddush 12:30 pm Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 8 Kol Nidrei 6:15 pm Wednesday, October 9 Morning Service 10 am–2 pm Children’s Program 11:30 am–1:30 pm Yizkor Memorial Service 12 pm Mincha-Afternoon Service 5 pm Ne’ila-Conclusion Service 6 pm Delicious Break-Fast 7:15 pm

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Rosh Hashanah

Instant Pot Georgian Pomegranate Chicken The easiest chicken for the holidays or any time Sonya Sanford

(JTA via The Nosher)—I was initially an Instant Pot doubter. I love both my Dutch oven and my stock pot, and I love letting the kitchen slowly fill with warmth as things simmer and cook for hours while I putz around the house. Then I got married and an Instant Pot (real talk: Instapot) literally showed up on my doorstep. At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I put it in the closet and forgot about it for at least six months. And then I heard about making rice in the Instant Pot. My first pot of sushi rice instantly made me a convert. My first vegetable stock changed my feelings about how stock can best be made. My first batch of chickpeas led me to making hummus

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on a more regular basis. Rice, stock, and beans are all great in the Instant Pot, but I still carried some skepticism about cooking other things. Chicken? What’s wrong with cooking it in the oven? Turns out, chicken in the pressure cooker is delicious. The chicken ends up deeply infused with any added aromatic or spice, it becomes fall-off-the-bone tender and requires much less attention than cooking it on the stove. As documented by the queen of Jewish cooking, Joan Nathan, and by Georgian food guru Carla Capalbo, the Georgian Jewish community traditionally makes chicken cooked in pomegranate juice for Rosh Hashanah. It’s a perfect recipe for the High Holidays: sweet, tart, flavorful, and eye-catching. This recipe is an adaptation

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24 | Jewish News | Rosh Hashanah | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

from multiple recipes for this dish, but in any variation the chicken is braised in a generously spiced, fruity pomegranate juice-based broth and then topped with fresh red jewel-like pomegranate kernels. The pomegranate juice adds expected sweetness, but there’s also an assertive and awakening tang that comes through, especially with the addition of tamarind and pomegranate molasses. The copious amounts of onion and garlic add deep levels of sweet savoriness to the dish. The coriander, hot pepper (not too hot), and thyme play off each other with their respective aromas, heat, and mintiness. It is Rosh Hashanah, so a hint of honey makes its

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way into the pot to remind you of sweetness without being at the forefront of the show. After 15 minutes at high pressure, the chicken barely clings to its bones and the sauce becomes rich with and fortified by the golden schmaltz left over from browning the chicken. Take out the chicken and let that liquid simmer (still in the Instant Pot), and the mahogany-colored sauce will thicken and become silky and as decadent as a festive meal demands. Once the chicken and sauce are plated, you shower them with the bright green fresh herbs and the glistening ruby red pomegranate seeds. Dark meat works best for this, but you can certainly make it with white meat as well. And like all great holiday dishes, you can make this several days in advance and it only gets better when reheated. It also freezes well, just leave off the fresh garnish until right before serving. And yes, if you really don’t want to cave to culinary social pressure, you can make this recipe the old-fashioned way. Note: This recipe can easily be doubled. You can find tamarind paste and pomegranate molasses at Middle Eastern stores, Whole Foods, or online. Sonya Sanford is a chef, food stylist, and writer based out of Los Angeles.

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Rosh Hashanah

Instant Pot Georgian Pomegranate Chicken Ingredients 12 whole chicken legs, or 6 bone-in thighs, plus 6 legs (about 4 pounds) Sunflower or avocado oil, as needed 3 medium red onions, halved and sliced thin 4–5 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1½ teaspoons aleppo pepper, or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup pomegranate juice 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 2 tablespoons tamarind paste 1 tablespoon honey 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf Arils/seeds of 1 whole pomegranate ½ bunch fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish Salt and pepper, as needed

Directions 1. Start by generously seasoning your chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. 2. Turn your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to the sauté setting, which should produce high heat for browning. If needed, increase the heat to More or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the pot is hot, add a drizzle of oil. Brown each piece of chicken until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes on each side. Cook the chicken in batches so as not to crowd the pot and cause the chicken to steam instead of brown. On the stovetop, brown the chicken in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium high heat. Once all the chicken is browned, transfer it from the pot and reserve. 3. Next, add the onions to the same pot so that they can cook in the remaining chicken fat. If your chicken did not release very much oil, add another tablespoon or 2 of oil to the pot. Season the onions with salt and sauté for 5–6 minutes or until softened and starting to slightly brown. Add the garlic, coriander and paprika to the pot and sauté for an additional 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and stir everything until the onion mixture is well coated in the tomato paste. Nestle the reserved browned chicken back into the pot. Press Cancel to turn off the sauté function on the pot. Follow the same steps on a stovetop.

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4. Add the pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, tamarind paste, honey, thyme and bay leaf to the pot. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, close the pot and seal it. Press the Poultry or Manual setting and set the time to 15 minutes. Let the steam naturally release for 10-15 minutes; shift the valve to venting if more air needs to be released. On the stovetop, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes on medium-low or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. 5. Press Cancel, open the lid and transfer the chicken to a platter and lightly cover with foil to keep the chicken warm. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Turn on the Saute function again. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce by half, or until it has reached your desired thickness. On the stovetop, turn the heat to mediumhigh and simmer. 6. Once the sauce has reduced and thickened, pour the sauce over the chicken. At this point you can keep dish warm in a low oven, or you can cool it and freeze if making in advance. 7. Just before serving, garnish the chicken with the fresh pomegranate and roughly chopped cilantro or parsley. Serves 6–8.

jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish News | 25

Rosh Hashanah

Here are six new children’s books for the Jewish New Year Penny Schwartz

(JTA)—A Rosh Hashanah apple cake bake-off fit for reality television and another installment in the Scarlet and Sam series from the award-winning author Eric A. Kimmel are among the highlights in the crop of new High Holiday books for children. Six engaging and fun reads for kids of all ages seize the spirit of the Jewish holidays and the excitement and anticipation of beginning anew, reflecting on the past, and celebrating the warmth and joy of Jewish traditions with family and friends. Kimmel’s Whale of a Tale provides a modern-day riff on the biblical Book of Jonah read aloud in synagogues on Yom Kippur, preaching forgiveness over revenge. The master storyteller adds his laugh-out-loud wit to this ancient and intriguing story. In Once Upon an Apple Cake, the children’s book debut for author Elana Rubinstein, you get a zany, charming story of the meaning of family and the strength of Jewish tradition. Not to mention a terrific recipe, too. Other offerings bring the Sesame Street characters led by Grover and a brilliantly colorful biblical story of Creation by another award-winning author, Ann Koffsky. Not to mention for Sukkot, an elephant making his way into a sukkah. The Jewish New Year begins on the night of Sept. 29.

Once Upon an Apple Cake: A Rosh Hashanah Story Elana Rubinstein; illustrated by Jennifer Naalchigar Apples & Honey Press; ages 7–10

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26 | Jewish News | Rosh Hashanah | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

n this humor-filled, heartwarming chapter book, readers meet Saralee, an endearing 10-year-old Jewish girl whose cute-looking nose possesses the unusual superpower to sniff out scents and flavors. As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Saralee, whose family owns a restaurant, is excited to bake her zayde’s (grandfather in Yiddish) popular apple cake with a mystery ingredient that even Saralee can’t figure out. Trouble lays ahead when a new family opens a restaurant and threatens to take over the apple cake business. Courtesy of Apples & Honey Press When zayde bumps his head, he temporarily forgets the secret to the cake. Will Saralee rise to the occasion, bake the perfect cakes and win a contest judged by a famous food critic? More than anything, Saralee wishes that her grandfather returns home from the hospital for Rosh Hashanah. The cartoon illustrations by Jennifer Naalchigar add zest to Rubinstein’s efforts. The recipe is included at the end of the book.

Rosh Hashanah Whale of a Tale Eric A. Kimmel; illustrations by Ivica Stevanovic Kar-Ben; ages 6–10

Shanah Tovah, Grover! Joni Kibort Sussman; illustrated by Tom Leigh Kar-Ben; ages 1–4

ravel back in time in the third installment of the Scarlett and Sam Jewish-themed chapter book series for older readers by Kimmel (Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins). The lighthearted adventure begins when the brother and sister twins offer to take their Grandma Mina’s centuries-old carpet to be cleaned at the local rug shop. Engrossed in conversation with their mysterious ride-hailing service driver, Jonah, they forget to take the prized carpet with its aura of Courtesy of Kar-Ben magic that their proudly Iran-born grandmother brought with her as she fled tyranny in her country. Suddenly they find themselves transported to Jaffa in ancient Israel amid carpet sellers in the shouk (market). They stow away on a ship, where they reunite with Jonah, who they learn is the biblical prophet. The stormy caper shines with references to the biblical tale, as the kids and Jonah go overboard and are swallowed up in the slimy belly of a big fish (is it really a prehistoric shark, they fear?). With fierce determination, the clever kids prod the reluctant Jonah to travel to Nineveh, to be faithful to God and justice, and to speak out to the ruthless Assyrian king. Ivica Stevanovic’s animated illustrations embellish the drama.

oin Grover, Big Bird and other beloved Sesame Street characters as they welcome Rosh Hashanah with honey and apples, a shofar, and a festive meal with songs and blessings. Joni Sussman’s simple verse is perfect for reading aloud to little ones and for preschoolers eager to read on their own, paired with veteran Sesame Street artist Tom Leigh’s delightful, colorful illustrations.

Courtesy of Kar-Ben

Creation Colors Ann D. Koffsky Apples & Honey Press; ages 2–5

n this gloriously illustrated picture book of papercut art, Koffsky ( Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor) presents young kids with the biblical story of Creation through the prism of color: from separating light from dark to the continued on page 28

Courtesy of Apples & Honey Press

L’Shanah Tovah

Wishing you and your family a year of sweet blessings filled with an abundance of good health, joy and peace. NANCY EVANS

HEATHER EVANS

jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish News | 27

This New Year, pick a gift that will sweeten the Jewish future.

Rosh Hashanah continued from page 27

bubbling blues of the water, to the yellows of the sun, and the stripes and spots of the animals. After God created the first two people, a world full of people of all shades and hues followed. And then, on the seventh day, God rested. This simple, lyrically told story is perfect for Simchat Torah, the joyful festival at the end of the High Holidays that anticipates the start of the new cycle of the weekly Torah reading that unfolds with Genesis. Jackie and Jesse and Joni and Jae Chris Barash; illustrations by Christine Battuz Apples & Honey Press; ages 3–8

n a crisp fall day, four good friends stroll hand in hand toward the river clutching small bags of sliced bread. The diverse group is following their rabbi and neighbors to tashlich, the custom during Rosh Hashanah of tossing crumbs or other Courtesy of Apples & Honey Press small objects into moving water to symbolically cast away mistakes from the past year. Kids will relate as the friends recall misdeeds, like when Jae shared Jackie’s secret. Chris Barash’s lovely rhyming verse comes to life in Christine Battuz’s cartoon-like drawings in warm autumn tones of browns, orange and green. On the closing page, the friends are seen from behind, walking home, again hand in hand—a palpable reminder of the power of asking for and extending forgiveness, a theme central to the High Holidays.

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28 | Jewish News | Rosh Hashanah | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

The Elephant in the Sukkah Sherri Mandell; illustrated by Ivana Kuman Kar-Ben; ages 3–8 othing will get between a young boy named Ori and Henry, a lively elephant who once was a circus star but now is sent to a farm for old elephants where no one sings or has fun. When Henry wanders out one evening, he is enchanted by the joyful music and singing he hears from the Brenner’s family sukkah. After a few nights, he even learns the Hebrew Courtesy of Kar-Ben words. Young Ori hears Henry singing along outside the sukkah and is determined to find a way to bring the animal inside to fulfill the mitzvah of welcoming guests. The boy’s surprising solution shines with kid-friendly inventive thinking. Kids will chuckle at illustrator Ivana Kuman’s double-page spread as Henry, in his red-checkered shirt and small black cap, tries every which way to squeeze into the sukkah. On an author’s page, readers discover that the out-of-the-ordinary idea of elephants in a sukkah crossed the legalistic minds of the Talmud’s rabbis.

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what’s happening

Together we write our story and envision our future.

Community Campaign and Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival launch Thursday, September 26, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus

veryone has an important story—a story that impacts the community. Together, Tidewater’s Jewish community has a story of transformational impact both locally and globally. The inaugural IGNITE 2020! will be a time for stories to be told and the impact and strength of the community celebrated. Formerly known as Campaign Kickoff, IGNITE 2020! will bring the community together like never before to spark United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Community Campaign and launch the Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, featuring current UN Watch chairman and former U.S. Ambassador to Romania, Alfred Moses (See page 33). “This is our hallmark community event where we celebrate our successes of the past year and spark what has begun and is to come in 2020,” says Betty Ann Levin, UJFT executive vice president/CEO. “We have created an experience that will recognize the important role we all play in building community and ignite more involvement. “All members of the Tidewater Jewish

community are invited to embrace, share, and add to our 2020 Vision as we work to build and strengthen our community and envision our future,” says Levin. Amy Levy, UJFT president, says, “I am hopeful that our message at Ignite 2020! will speak to all members in our community, those who are engaged and those who may be a little less engaged and spark a new connection with our mission, like never before.” “As a long-time community member, kicking off the campaign has always been an exciting time for me because I love and care about this community so much,” says Jodi Klebanoff, UJFT 2020 General Campaign chair. “This year is even more meaningful. I’m stepping into a role as Campaign chair, which is a special honor and privilege. I look forward to bringing the IGNITE 2020! vision to life with so many talented members of the community, some of whom will be dynamic future leaders.”

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what’s happening Leon Family Gallery Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus

A Century of Activity in Romania an American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee exhibit

Through October

he American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee was established on November 27, 1914 following the merger of two American Jewish relief committees, the Central Relief Committee for the Relief of Jews and the American Jewish Relief Committee. Later, a third constituent agency of the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) joined the other two, the People’s Relief Committee. The Joint, as the organization is known, was established to raise funds from Jewish philanthropists in America and help fellow Jews living in Eastern Europe and Palestine, as a consequence of the outbreak of the World War I. In Romania, the Joint became active in 1916. The JDC allocated funds for healthcare to help orphaned children because of World War I, illness, or pogroms. It was also involved in the establishment of childcare centers or vocational training centers. In the 1920s and 1930s, the American Joint Reconstruction Foundation—established by the Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Colonization Association —whose network of credit cooperatives

enjoyed great success in Romania played another important role. In the interwar period, Romanian Jews had gotten grants from the Joint for upgrading the “Ciocanul” (Hammer) vocational school, for the maintenance of the villa in Techirghiol, for erecting the “Morgenroit” school in Czernowitz, for supporting the activity of the Organization for Rehabilitation through Training (ORT), etc. During the Holocaust, the JDC could not openly act in Romania, but they operated under the aegis of the International Red Cross. After August 23, 1944, the Joint increased its aid budget, covering all aspects of Jewish life. Aid was granted to orphans and the sick, to those who had returned from Transnistria, from camps in Central Europe, for rebuilding destroyed communities, for health care and medical equipment or for vocational schools and student dormitories. The Communist Party and the Joint were able to cohabitate, 1944–1948, but relations between the two organizations deteriorated. Given the changed political situation, the Cold War and the fall of the Iron Curtain separating the East and the West, communist authorities banned the Joint’s work in Romania, as well as the ORT and OSE (Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants), by government decision on March 4, 1949. The end of the Joint’s and OSE’s activity considerably worsened the situation of the Jews in Romania,

30 | Jewish News | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

affecting more than 100,000 people who were receiving aid. Given the thawing relations between Romania and Occident, JDC formally resumed its work in Romania in 1967. Using funds allocated by the Joint, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania provided food, clothes, and medical care to the Jewish population, as well as open kasher canteens and endow senior homes. After the 1989 Revolution, new types of activity took place. Emphasis was put not only on social welfare, but also on the organization of cultural and educational activities for various age groups, from children to elders, and especially for Holocaust survivors. By establishing Jewish Community Centers in 2007, favorable conditions for educational activities were created. In this regard, an important role is played by programs such as Bereshit and Keshet. These are held annually and specialists in Jewish history and Judaism, from Romania and Israel, hold lectures on Jewish history, culture, and civilization, thus contributing to the development of the self-consciousness of the Jewish population and of the Jewish identity. Particular attention is paid to the development of communal leadership in compliance with the Jewish spirit. Learn more about JDC’s work in Romania by viewing the exhibit.

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is the world’s leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization, impacting millions of lives in more than 70 countries. JDC leverages a century of experience confronting poverty and crisis around the world to help the world’s neediest Jews, build Jewish life and leaders, empower all Israelis, and respond to global emergencies. JDC receives significant funding support from Jewish Federations across North America, including the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater (UJFT), through cooperation with JFNA and UIA Canada and major funding partners including the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, the Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Charitable Foundation, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, World Jewish Relief (UK) and tens of thousands of generous individual donors and foundations. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is a major operational partner. United Jewish Federation of Tidewater works to meet the challenges facing today’s Jewish community at home and around the world through a network of local Jewish agencies and overseas service partners, including the JDC.

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what’s happening Tidewater Chavurah and Congregation Beth Chaverim meet for holidays

I want to pray, but what do I say? Lunch & Learn with Amy Lefcoe

Wednesday, September 25, 12 pm

oint High Holidays services will be held this year with Tidewater Chavurah and Congregation Beth Chaverim. Both congregations, without their own buildings, will worship and enjoy the holidays together. Rabbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill and Jim Hibbard will officiate. The Beth Chaverim choir will lead these congregations in prayer and joyful songs, using prayer books of the Reform movement. Services will be held in Old Donation Episcopal Church Parish Hall in Virginia Beach.

For information about dates, times, location address and more, contact Carol 757-499‑3660 or Karen 757-636-8474.

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Simon Family JCC, free

n a world with increasingly more questions than answers, more and more people are seeking the serenity that comes from a relationship with G-d. Explore this unique opportunity to open one’s heart and find the words with “I want to pray, but what do I say?” a discussion led by community member and teacher, Amy Lefcoe. Free and open to the community, lunch is included. RSVP required by Monday, September 23. To register, visit jewishva.org/whatdoisay, call 757-321-2304, or stop by the Simon Family JCC front desk. To learn more about similar programs, contact Sierra Lautman, UJFT’s director of Jewish Innovation, at 757-965-6107 or slautman@ujft.org.

Amy Lefcoe

L’Shanah Tovah!

Wishing you a year of health, happiness, and peace.

May each of us strive to bring out the best in ourselves and others, and may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life. From your friends at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC

32 | Jewish News | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

what’s happening

For Alfred Moses, luck comes in threes Lisa Richmon

hen three teenage Jews approached an American lawyer on the streets of Bucharest with three bold questions, they unknowingly inspired a future U.S. Presidential advisor, UN Watch chairman, and U.S. ambassador to Romania who changed the lives of countless Romanian Jews looking for a way out of a brutal existence. Alfred Moses answered yes to three questions that day and did more than keep his promise by helping thousands of Jews get out of an Iron Curtain country. A random encounter dating back to 1976 continues to be transformative for Moses, former president of American Jewish Committee, fin-tech entrepreneur, attorney, and 90-year-old book-tour author. Those three questions marked a life-altering moment that led him to write Bucharest Diaries, From Darkness to Light. It was a miracle that shaped the arc of his life and re-configured a country shrouded

in darkness. The reflex to step up is reflective of Moses’ basic doctrine as an observant, non-believing Jewish universalist…one who beholds the sanctity of the individual. In an article published on Medium.com, Moses said, “My Judaism, stripped of all the mythology, is that the only commandment given to Abraham was that his sons and his household ‘will do what is right and just.’ And that is the whole of Judaism. This idea has been the foundation of my life, my work and my service to others.” “It is true that all of us have the opportunity at one time or another to free the oppressed, to relieve the needy in big ways and small. ln, our prayer we say “matir asurim,” to free the oppressed. That is not an option. It is obligatory. So when people came up to me on the streets in Romania in 1976 and asked for my help, I had no hesitation, it was truly instinctive,” he says.

oses is a prominent Washington D.C. attorney. For decades since the

chance meeting, he has approached the plight of Romanian Jews with an investment of resources and vigor typically reserved for a major corporate client. His trailblazing work shepherding Romania to democracy and nurturing the creation of a Jewish community led to an unexpected invitation to become U.S. Ambassador to Romania in the Clinton administration, where he served for three years, 1994–1997. Meshing with Moses’ professional life as an influential DC figure and Jewish philanthropist is a fun, and physically active strategist who still walks to appointments, and engages millennials and their grandparents with his signature storyteller’s wit and wisdom. “I think I have a good American, Jewish, and human story,” says Moses. “I like to share it with people and get their reaction. Any day I can learn from other people and listen to them is a great day. How many people are in the Tidewater community? Tell them all to come.” Moses will speak to the community as part of IGNITE 2020! the launch of the Community Campaign and the Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, in partnership with the Jewish Book Council. Annie Sandler met Ambassador Moses in Romania when the rebuilding of the

Alfred Moses, Former Ambassador to Romania Featured speaker for IGNITE 2020! Thursday, September 26, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus

Alfred H. Moses

Jewish community was in its infancy. After the Holocaust, the numbers were terrible. “He was a major part of the resurgence and re-establishment of a vibrant Jewish community, representing our country in an amazing way at an amazing time. Romania is the biggest success story in JDC (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) history,” says Sandler. “He represents all of us,” says Sandler. “He is an all-around amazing guy who worked overtime being Jewish and a stellar American representative.” The community is invited to spend time with and get to know this lifelong champion for change and human rights. His stories are relevant to anyone interested in U.S. foreign policy, Romania, Jewish history, and Eastern Europe. Be sure to visit the Leon Family Gallery throughout September and October to see A Century of Activity in Romania, an American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee exhibit, upstairs at the Simon Family JCC. To RSVP (required) for this free Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffee Family Jewish Book Festival event, visit the JCC front desk or call 757-965-6124.

jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Jewish News | 33

Now Enrolling!

Calendar Through OCTOBER A Century of Activity in Romania, an American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee exhibit in the Leon Family Gallery on the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus. SEPTEMBER 19, THURSDAY BE A Reader Opening event for all present, past, and future volunteers. BEAR is a volunteer literacy program, sponsored by UJFT, which pairs a volunteer with an elementary student from a Title 1 school to meet once per week during the school year. Sandler Family Campus. 9:30 – 11am. To RSVP or for more information, contact Ronnie Jacobs Cohen at rcohen@ujft. org or 757-321-2341. SEPTEMBER 23, MONDAY Klezmer Conservatory Band to perform at 7:30 pm at Old Dominion University’s University Theatre, located at 4600 Hampton Boulevard. Tickets are available online at ODUArtsTix.com.

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SEPTEMBER 24, TUESDAY Free workshop with Klezmer Conservatory Band’s founder and artistic director, Hankus Netsky. Attendees are encouraged to bring a musical instrument and participate. ODU’s Chandler Recital Hall is located at 1339 West 49th Street in the F. Ludwig Diehn Center for the Performing Arts with parking in Garage E at the corner of 49th Street and Bluestone Avenue. 12:30 pm. SEPTEMBER 25, WEDNESDAY I Want to Pray but What Do I Say? Lunch and discussion with Amy Lefcoe. 12 pm at the Simon Family JCC. Free, RSVPs required by September 23 at jewishva.org/whatdoisay, or 757-321-2304. See page 32. SEPTEMBER 26, THURSDAY IGNITE 2020! Campaign Kickoff featuring Ambassador Alfred Moses. Sandler Family Campus. 7:30 pm. For more information and to RSVP, go to jewishva.org/ignite2020 or contact Patty Malone at 757-965-6115. See page 29. OCTOBER 6, SUNDAY Ohef Sholom Temple Men’s Club Carpool Café will show the documentary, Nobody Wants Us: S.S. Quanza at 10:30 am. RSVP to reservations@ohefsholom.org. For more information, call 757-625-4295. Send submissions for calendar to news@ujft.org. Be sure to note “calendar” in the subject. Include date, event name, sponsor, address, time, cost and phone.

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Who Knew? Couple who met online wins Israel trip

lanna liked Nir’s online dating profile because he said he can cook, and her cooking prowess extended to warming up frozen soup. The couple met through the Jewish dating site JWed. On Monday, Sept. 9, they were awarded a free trip to Israel by the organization to celebrate its 3,300th match. Alanna, 38, from Los Angeles, was divorced 11 years ago and several years later had a broken engagement. That turned her off of dating, she said in a statement on the site. Her family and friends encouraged her to keep trying. She said she was attracted to Nir’s profile, which opened with “Ladies, I’m an ex-chef and yes, I can cook for you.” Nir, 45, from New Jersey, had logged on to JWed to delete his profile but was intrigued by Alanna’s reply: “Does warming up Tabachnik’s soup count as cooking?” The rest is history. The couple continued chatting, met in person and recently were married. JWed, founded in 2001, calls itself a “Jewish-only dating site for marriage-minded men and women.” (JTA)

Roman Polanski’s film about Dreyfus affair wins 2nd place at Venice Film Festival

ewish director Roman Polanski’s film about the wrongfully convicted Jewish French army officer Alfred Dreyfus won second place at the Venice Film Festival. An Officer and a Spy made its debut at the festival this month. Polanski, 86, who has lived outside of the United States and avoided extradition since pleading guilty in 1977 to unlawful sex with a minor, did not attend the festival. His wife, the French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, who appears in the film, accepted the prize on his behalf. Polanski has come under fire for drawing parallels between his legal ordeal and that of Dreyfus. Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French military, was sentenced in 1894 to life in prison for allegedly passing secrets to the German Embassy in Paris. He was imprisoned for five years before being exonerated when evidence of the prosecution’s partially anti-Semitic motives was discovered. Raised in Poland, Polanski survived Krakow’s Jewish ghetto as a child and, after launching his film career in Poland after the war, moved to the United States in 1968. Joker, which delves into the backstory of the comic book villain and Batman nemesis, won the Golden Lion for best film. (JTA)

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Obituaries Milton Rubin Richmond—Milton was born on December 25, 1920 and passed away on Friday, August 30, 2019. At age 16, Milton entered the University of Delaware where he earned a math degree. He enlisted in the Army, serving in the Pacific theater and was there on VJ Day. A funeral service was held in the chapel at Richmond Beth-El Cemetery at Forest Lawn. Donations in Milton’s memory can be made to Temple Beth-El. Richmond Beth-El Cemetery at Forest Lawn 4000 Pilots Lane Richmond Va.; Beth Sholom Gardens 2001 Lauderdale Dr., Richmond, Va. 23238. Leonard Visotski Basking Ridge, N. J.—Leonard Visotski, age 88, passed away on Friday, September 6, 2019 at Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown, N.J. Leonard was born in Throop, Pa., and resided in Warren for 23 years before moving to Basking Ridge 26 years ago. Leonard served in the US Navy during the Korean Conflict as a radar operator aboard the USS Oriskany. Upon separating from the Navy, he became a police officer in Hillside, N.J., and rose to the rank of Captain. Leonard served as the commander of the Union County Tactical Police force during the race riots of the 1960’s. In 1972, he started the Warren Police Department and served as the first Chief of Police. He was active in community organizations and was in both the Jaycees and the Lions Club, even serving as the chairman of Expo Warren for several years. His family was recognized as the New Jersey Family of The Year in 1978, the only time that honor was ever bestowed. He was an active communicant of Our Lady of The Mount Catholic Church, serving as a long-time usher and president of the Pastoral Council. He was a charter member of Knights of Columbus Fr. James Russel Council #11409. Leonard is survived by his wife, Lorraine Visotski; his son Raymond Visotski and wife Alicia; his daughter Donna Remaley; his daughter Debra Yarow and her husband Richard; eight grandchildren: Kelliann Visotski, Elissa Creech, Megan Visotski,

Matthew Remaley, Gracie White, Faith White, Ben Yarow, and Hannah Yarow and one great-granddaughter, Adeline Louise Creech. He is also survived by his brother, Joseph Visotski, and his sister, Mary Ann DiSabato Funeral Services were held at Higgins Home for Funerals, followed by a Mass of the Resurrection at Our Lady of the Mount Catholic Church. Entombment and Committal Prayers followed at Somerset Hills Memorial Park. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society. To send condolences, go to www.higginsfuneralhome.com.

1942, two years after the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, according to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust commemoration authority. They worked in what was known as the Hein, a group that provided Jews with hiding places and food, among other services. Eman died this month at her home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1998, Yad Vashem recognized Eman as a Righteous Among the Nations, Israel’s title

for non-Jews who risked their lives to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. Sietsma received the title posthumously; he was arrested and murdered by the Nazis in 1945. Eman also was arrested and sent to the Vught concentration camp. She survived the war and married an American man, Egon Erlich, according to the Washington Post obituary about her. They had two children and later divorced. (JTA)

Berendina Eman, a Dutch rescuer of Jews and concentration camp survivor

erendina Eman, a Dutch-American woman who helped save dozens of Jews during the Holocaust and survived a concentration camp, has died. She was 99. Eman and her fiance, resistance hero Hein Sietsma, began their rescue efforts in

36 | Jewish News | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

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Books

He met Bob Dylan at a Jewish camp, and they stayed good friends for 50 years Stephen Silver

ewish summer camp is such a crucial part of the American Jewish experience that many Jewish adults, even in their older age, likely remember the names of many of the kids in their cabins from when they were 11 years old. One of those cabins more than 60 years ago contained a couple of interesting young Jewish boys. Louie Kemp would go on to head his family’s seafood company and played a key role in introducing imitation king crab to the United States. Robert “Bobby” Zimmerman, went on to become Bob Dylan. Kemp has now written a memoir called Dylan & Me: 50 Years of Adventures, detailing his decades-long friendship with the iconic singer. The journey begins when they were preteen campers at the Jewish Herzl Camp in Webster, Wisconsin, from 1953 through 1957. In ’54, Kemp witnessed a cabin rooftop concert that he considers the then-11-year-old Bobby’s first public performance. Following the stories of summer camp concerts and hijinks, the book follows Dylan and Kemp’s time together as teenagers in Kemp’s hometown of Duluth, Minnesota, where Dylan was born, and later in Minneapolis, where Kemp attended college and Dylan briefly moved to pursue music. Even after Dylan went to New York and became one of America’s most famous men, they continued their friendship. Kemp frequently stepped away from his lucrative business, which sold fish to the restaurant industry, to hang out with Dylan for weeks at a time in the city, Malibu, Mexico or wherever the singer was on the road. Dylan was the best man at Kemp’s wedding. Kemp says he hadn’t always intended to write a book about his friendship with Dylan, but he had been telling the stories at parties and Shabbat dinners for years

and was told frequently that he should collect them. “After a while it dawned on me—these were special stories,” Kemp says. A close friend of Kemp’s—a former television producer who was dying of cancer—made him promise to write the book, so he agreed. Kemp didn’t want to break the promise once the friend passed away. Kemp produced Dylan’s famous Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1975 and ’76, and his remembrances—about the nontraditional lineup and promotional structure, and concerts featuring several famous guest musicians—take up much of the book’s middle section. The tour was the subject of a slightly faux-documentary, Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese, which debuted on Netflix earlier this year. Kemp appears a few times in vintage footage in the film. A talking head describes him as “a longtime friend of Bob’s and a fishmonger” before declaring that Kemp was “out of his element, unprepared and wasn’t too well-liked on the tour.” However, the person who says that, Jim Gianopulos, playing the part of “The Promoter,” wasn’t actually involved with the tour—he was one of several fictional characters Scorsese invented for the movie. Kemp says he enjoyed the documentary, especially the live footage of the musical performances, which feature what he described as “Bob in his prime.” But like a lot of people, he noticed that some things in the film weren’t what they seemed. “Bobby and Marty decided to spice it up a little bit and be tricksters,” Kemp says about the fictitious flourishes. “So they put in four bogus talking heads. When I saw it [I said] ‘who are these people? They weren’t on the tour!” He also challenged the film’s implication that the Rolling Thunder Revue tour was a money-losing endeavor.

Kemp lived with Dylan for a time in Los Angeles in the early 1980s during the period when Dylan briefly became a Christian. Kemp, who at the time was beginning to become a more observant Jew, which he remains to this day, claims credit, along with some rabbis, for bringing Dylan back into the Jewish fold a couple of years later. The book is full of delightful, specifically Jewish details, such as the time Kemp and Dylan attended a seder at a Los Angeles synagogue with Marlon Brando (Brando, like Frank Sinatra, was an Italian American who was known for his love of the Jewish people). There were also Dylan’s years of participation in Chabad telethons, the time he opened the ark on Yom Kippur while being mistaken for a homeless man and the story of how Kemp arranged for Kaddish to be said for Allen Ginsburg each year on his yahrtzeit. All that, and many, many visits to Canter’s Deli. Dylan wasn’t Kemp’s only famous Jewish friend. Among those thanked in the book’s acknowledgements is Larry David, a one-time neighbor of Kemp. (“You can’t move! You are the best neighbor I have ever had—even better than Kramer!” David said, according to the book.) In the book, Kemp talks specifically about how he believes Dylan’s Jewish background informed his later success. “[Jews] have a passion to seek out meaning and give it new expression, morally and artistically,” Kemp wrote. “That drive—along with another Jewish trait known as chutzpah—have always been strong in Bobby, and his gifts have made his expression worthy of the ages.” “Growing up in a Jewish household kind of instills in you a tendency to be pro-underdog because for so many years we were suppressed,” Kemp says.

Herzl Camp, where it all began, has taken notice of Kemp’s book. “Part of our mission is to build lifelong Jewish friendships, so it is wonderful to see the story of a group of camp friends and how their friendship spanned decades,” Holly Guncheon, the director of development for Herzl Camp, says. She adds that Dylan sent his children to the camp. At Herzl, like many camps, campers write their names on walls for posterity, and Guncheon says that “for many years, searching for ‘Robert Zimmerman’ written on a cabin wall was a common activity.” While the two men, now both in their late 70s, have known each other for more than 60 years, the book’s subtitle is 50 years of adventures, and it’s notably missing any stories from after 2001. Kemp admits that he and Dylan have lost touch of late, although he says it wasn’t due to any particular falling out, and he did send Dylan a copy of the book. “I would think he’d enjoy it, it’s all positive, fun adventures that we had together over a 50-year time period,” Kemp says. “To me, it’s like a modern-day Jewish version of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.”

jewishnewsva.org | September 16, 2019 | Jewish News | 37

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United Jewish Federation of Tidewater invites you to join us as we

SPARK our 2020 Community Campaign and

the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival with special guest Alfred Moses, author of Bucharest Diary: Romania’s Journey from Darkness to Light

Thursday, September 26, 7:30 pm RSVP Patty Malone, at 757-965-6115 or pmalone@ujft.org.

American-Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s Romania exhibit now open in Leon Family Gallery www.jewishva.org

OUR

2020VISION

38 | Jewish News | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org

Theater There’s a lot you can learn about the Talmud from kung fu movies, according to a new play Josefin Dolsten

NEW YORK (JTA)—In trying to understand the often esoteric arguments of the Talmud, people often turn to teachers, dictionaries and a range of other study aids. Jesse Freedman has found another helpful, albeit unexpected source: kung fu movies. Five or six years ago, the Jewish director and playwright was watching the martial arts film Canton Viper when he realized that it reminded him of something in the Talmud, which he spent some time studying in college. “Then I learned more Talmud and watched more kung fu movies and then I thought, ‘The Talmud reminds me of kung fu movies and kung fu movies remind me of the Talmud,’” he says. Among the many similarities Freedman found between the two are the relationships between students and teachers, who often debate and feud over the small intricacies of their respective traditions. The structure of the works are similar, too: In kung fu movies, narrative scenes are interspersed with choreographed fight scenes that propel and comment on the plot. In the weighty compendium of Jewish law and lore, legal discussions are interspersed with anecdotes and parables that may illustrate a principle. “The relationship between narrative and choreographic material in kung fu movies provides an interesting opportunity to interpret the Talmud for the stage,” Freedman says. So, Freedman, 37, decided to do what he does best: write a play about it. The result is The Talmud, which is running through Sept. 28 at the Target Margin Theater in Brooklyn. The 75-minute play was created by Meta-Phys Ed., a performance company that Freedman founded with Rabbi Bronwen Mullin and for which he is the artistic director. “That is basically just how I make work,” say Freedman, a Brooklynite who grew up in Stamford, Connecticut. “There are a couple things I’m interested in and I

kind of just smash them together.” The play’s plot comes from the Talmud tractate Gittin, which primarily deals with laws related to divorce. Freedman focuses on a digression in the text concerning land confiscated by Romans from Jews during the First Jewish-Roman War, which ultimately led to the destruction of the Second Temple. In a reimagined Talmudic academy, rabbis talk about the law—in dialogue taken from the English translation of the text—with choreographed sequences inspired by kung fu. It features a four-person cast and a musician playing the pipa, a traditional Chinese lute. There are also video projections and dance, ranging from postmodern to hip hop. Though there are no actual fighting sequences in the play, Freedman drew inspiration from the way duels and fighting sequences are structured. As he and the cast worked on the play, they watched a number of Chinese kung fu movies from the 1970s to the present. In the Talmud, “people challenge each other in order to sharpen their skills or in order to defend their techniques or their traditions or the understanding of the tradition, or in order to keep the tradition alive and to expand it and move it forward.” Freedman says. To better understand those dynamics, he adds, “I can watch kung fu movies because that is often what kung fu movies are about.” It’s not the first time Freedman has combined unlikely topics in a play. His 2018 performance work Wake…Sing… drew inspiration from a Depression-era drama by the Jewish-American writer Clifford Odets, biblical books about the resurrection of the dead and zombie movies. “Most of my projects tend to have some kind of a Jewish thread,” he says. The director says he has enjoyed the education about the richness of two unique cultures. “It’s been great to learn about thousands of years of Jewish and Chinese tradition together,” he says.

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40 | Jewish News | September 16, 2019 | jewishnewsva.org