Jewish News - November 8, 2021

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Southeastern Virginia | Vol. 60 No. 5 | 4 Kislev 5782 | November 8, 2021

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12 Nadiv and YAD join forces to clean cemetery

30 Susan Groner Parenting Workshop Sunday, November 14

The Festival of Lights begins Sunday, November 28

30 Elyssa Friedland Monday, November 15

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Antisemitism fears prompted 4 in 10 American Jews to change their behavior last year: AJC survey

Published 20 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

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Philissa Cramer

(JTA) — Fear of antisemitism spurred 40% of American Jews to change their behavior over the past year, according to a new survey about antisemitism in America.

The survey, released last month, is the latest in an annual series commissioned by the American Jewish Committee to understand how Jewish Americans and the general public experience and perceive antisemitism.

A survey of American Jews found that over the last year, 17% said they “avoided certain places, events, or situations,” 22% avoided making themselves visually identifiable as a Jew and 25% refrained from posting Jewish-related content online.

A companion survey of the general public, meanwhile, found that the proportion of Americans who say they understand what antisemitism is rose sharply in the last year, from 53% in 2020 to 65% this year.

Last year’s survey was taken shortly before the presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump, whom many Jews perceived as stoking antisemitism. At the time, just 4% of American Jews said they felt more secure than they had in the past; this year that proportion was significantly higher, at 10%.

“Almost 40% of Jews have changed their behavior. This is horrible and heartbreaking data,” Holly Huffnagle, the AJC’s

CONTENTS

U.S. director for combating antisemitism, says about this year’s findings.

“But I think we can’t hide the fact that more Jews feel secure today,” she adds, noting that when the surveyors asked for an explanation, “The change in the administration was by far the biggest response to that.”

This year’s surveys were taken in September and early October and included 1,214 Americans overall and 1,433 Jews. The margin of error for each survey was 3.9%. In a shift, the majority of the surveys were completed online, rather than by phone, although Huffnagle says researchers had concluded that the change had not influenced results in any particular way.

Other findings are comparable over time, and suggest that much has remained unchanged in American Jewish sentiment.

The vast majority of American Jews continue to say that antisemitism is a problem in the United States; antisemitism on college campuses remains a concern for many American Jews; and American Jews continue to say they are more concerned about antisemitism emanating from the extreme right than the extreme left.

Half of American Jews say the “extreme political right” poses a “very serious” antisemitic threat, and 91% say they believed the far right poses at least some threat, similar to last year’s finding.

In a shift, however, the proportion of American Jews who say they thought “the

Cover photography: Steve Budman

extreme political left” represents at least a slight antisemitic threat increased sharply, from 61% last year to 71% this year.

Huffnagle says she attributed the increase in the general public’s awareness of antisemitism to multiple high-profile incidents related to right-wing activity, including penetration of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which has antisemitic overtones, and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, where one participant was photographed wearing a “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt.

She also says a broader discourse around combatting discrimination and hate, spurred in part by a response to attacks on Asian Americans, may have played a role.

Three quarters of Jews say they had heard “a lot” or “some” about Jews being attacked in the United States and abroad during Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza in May. Three quarters of those respondents—representing a majority of Jews—said those reports had made them feel less safe as Jews in the United States.

Still, she says, the general public remains notably supportive of Israel— perhaps more so than American Jews.

She points to the fact that the proportion of general-public respondents who say they viewed the statement “Israel has no right to exist” as antisemitic was higher this year: 85% of respondents said the statement is antisemitic, compared to 77% last year.

Workshop on antisemitism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

A prayer for COVID vaccines for kids. . . . . . . . . 6 Ted Cruz defends using Nazi salute. . . . . . . . . . 7

Noa Tishby—on a mission to educate against antisemitism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

NY State bans hate symbols on public property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

White Rose project donates to middle and high schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Women donors celebrate new milestone givers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

What’s Happening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Nadiv leads cemetery cleanup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

“It’s humbling to think of all of the history here in our own Tidewater Jewish community.”

COP 26 conference on climate change. . . . . . . 13

Who Knew?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

—page 12

TJF: Converging holidays offer chance to reflect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Mazel Tov . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Special Section: Happy Hanukkah. . . . . . . . . . 15

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BRIEFS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS CALL ON CABLE AND SATELLITE TV PROVIDERS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO JEWISH PROGRAMMING Five members of Congress are calling on cable and satellite television providers to increase access to Jewish-themed programming as a way of fighting against antisemitism.

“As Members of Congress who represent Jewish communities across the country, we have seen the impact of making programming specifically tailored to these communities widely available.

Culturally specific programming fosters community and, for those outside of the community, exposure to Jewish programming can be an important and effective antidote to the scourge of hate and bigotry against Jewish people,” wrote the members of Congress, who all are Democrats.

The letter was spearheaded by Rep. Kathleen Rice, whose district on New York’s Long Island includes a number of large Jewish communities. She was joined by four other members of Congress who represent parts of the country with large Jewish communities, including Reps. Ted Deutch of Florida, Grace Meng of New York, and Brad Sherman and Ted Lieu of California.

The letters, addressed to seven cable and satellite providers, ask the companies for information about the obstacles they face in providing Jewish programming and about their plans to increase access to that programming.

According to a press release from Jewish Life Television, a Jewish-themed channel that praised the letters, state legislators in 17 states have made similar requests of cable and satellite providers in their areas in recent months. (JTA) DATING SITE FOR THE JEWISH GULF COMMUNITIES LAUNCHES Last month, Bahrain’s Jewish community celebrated the first Jewish wedding in the country in 52 years. The community, along with the Jewish communities in other Gulf countries, is hoping its next project will lead to more weddings.

The Association of Gulf Jewish Communities launched a new dating website for Jewish singles in the Gulf, called Jewish Singles in the Gulf. The

site will allow single Jews in the area to fill out a questionnaire, which a group of matchmakers will then use to match up participants.

The aim of the site is to encourage Jews in the Gulf countries to put down roots there. While countries in the area like Bahrain have long been home to Jewish communities, those countries have historically remained small. But with the increased visibility that has come with normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the Jewish communities in those countries are hoping their numbers will increase.

Leaders of the community hope that dating and marrying other Jews from the Gulf will increase the number of children from those communities who choose to stay there as adults.

“By helping these singles find their spouses in the GCC, they are more likely to get married here and establish their families here, which in turn grows Jewish communal life and the need for more Jewish institutions like schools, kosher food, etc,” Ebrahim Dawood Nonoo, president of the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities said in a statement.

CELEBRITIES SIGN LETTER DENOUNCING CULTURAL BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL More than 200 celebrities, including actors Mila Kunis, Billy Porter, Neil Patrick Harris, and Helen Mirren, signed an open letter opposing efforts to boycott an LGBTQ film festival in Tel Aviv.

The letter published last month is a response to calls from activists with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement to boycott the Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, also called TLVFest, an annual film festival showcasing LGBTQ films that was founded in 2006.

It was organized by Creative Community for Peace, an organization of entertainment industry professionals that works to counter cultural boycotts against Israel.

“In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds in collaboration under a shared love of the arts, working together towards

4 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

the common goal of telling their stories, and building bridges of compassion and understanding,” the letter reads.

In May of this year, Aswat, an organization focusing on Palestinian feminist issues, called on activists around the world to boycott “Israel’s pinkwashing events,” including Pride activities and the film festival. “Pinkwashing” is a term used by pro-Palestinian activists, who use it to argue that Israel uses its openness to the LGBTQ community to deflect criticism of what they deem is unfair treatment of Palestinians.

The film festival has been the target of numerous boycott efforts in recent years.

Several slated participants boycotted the festival in 2017 after John Trengrove, a South African director whose film was set to open the festival, pulled out in protest. In 2020, more than 100 queer filmmakers pledged not to submit films or participate in the festival in response to a call by BDS activists.

Other signees of the letter include former NSYNC singer Lance Bass, actor Jeremy Piven, KISS frontman Gene Simmons, and actress Emmanuelle Chriqui. (JTA)

BIDEN NAMES ATLANTA JEWISH LEADER AS ENVOY TO UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL President Joe Biden named a leader of the Atlanta Jewish community to the United Nations Human Rights Council, a body that has been widely criticized as overly hostile to Israel.

The Atlanta Jewish Times reported that Biden’s choice is Michèle Taylor, who is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, a founder of the Or Hadash congregation outside of Atlanta, a past member of the U.S. Holocaust Museum Memorial Council, and someone who has been involved in the Atlanta Jewish community in other capacities.

She has also been involved in senior fundraising positions for the Democratic Party and is currently a member of the board of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

The Trump administration quit the Human Rights Council in 2018 because of its consistent focus on what the body alleged were Israeli human rights abuses,

while allowing other countries with controversial human rights records, including China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Saudi Arabia, to be members and help set the agenda. Israel has never been on the council and has refused to cooperate in the Council’s investigations.

Biden and past Democratic administrations acknowledge the council’s bias against Israel, but say the United States is better served as a member of the group working to advance its human rights agenda—and to tamp down anti-Israel rhetoric. Biden rejoined the Council last month.

The White House’s nomination statement noted that Taylor is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and said Taylor “has served in a number of roles advocating for protection of fundamental human and political rights.” (JTA)

FLORIDA HALTS NEW INVESTMENTS IN BEN & JERRY’S PARENT COMPANY Florida state entities will cease new investments in Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s parent company, as of Tuesday, October 26, because the ice cream maker plans to stop selling its product in the West Bank.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, in July triggered a 90-day review mandated by Florida law which mandates divestment from companies boycotting Israel. Ben & Jerry’s says it is ending its sales only in the West Bank and is seeking the means to continue sales in Israel, but Florida law does not make the distinction between Israel and the West Bank.

As of today, the 90-day review, during which companies may notify Florida of any plans to reverse course, ends.

Unilever, which has disavowed the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, has previously said it has no control over Ben & Jerry’s business decisions, due to an internal agreement between the conglomerate and the ice cream manufacturer’s independent board.

The ruling over new investments does not affect the $39 million Florida already has invested in Unilever, the Florida Politics website reported.

At least eight states have initiated reviews of investments in Unilever in the wake of Ben & Jerry’s West Bank pullout. (JTA)

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 5

Ruth’s Life Said a Lot About Her As a “pink lady” Ruth Goodman volunteered more hours than anyone else at the Norfolk hospital where she greeted visitors for years.

Before she died in 1995, Ruth arranged for a Hampton Roads Community Foundation bequest to forever give good health to the community she and her late husband Victor loved.

This year 15 students are studying to become physicians, physical therapists, nurses and other medical professionals thanks to scholarships generated by Ruth’s generosity. Many more Goodman Scholars will follow every year.

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COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccines for kids are coming.

These rabbis (and their kids) are ready with new prayers.

Shira Hanau

(JTA)—When Rabbi Lisa Gelber heard that the Food and Drug Administration had approved the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for children ages 5–11, she couldn’t wait for the moment that her daughter would get the shot.

But she also knew her daughter was scared of needles. So, she sat down with her daughter, 11-year-old Zahara, and together they composed a kavanah, Hebrew for intention, to reflect the gravity and gratitude with which they viewed this milestone and process the feelings her daughter had about the shot.

“Holy One of life and love, wrap me in a warm embrace as I prepare to receive my COVID-19 vaccine,” the prayer begins. “I give thanks to the doctors and scientists who are creators like you, for the wise people who approved the vaccine, and for everyone who made sure this was available to kids.”

Gelber, the spiritual leader of Congregation Habonim in New York City, shared the full prayer on Facebook, where her friends and colleagues have been circulating it in anticipation of the vaccine’s likely availability for children.

“This feels like a miraculous moment in time. What a gift that this next expansive cohort will have access to a vaccine,” Gelber says.

When COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States began in December 2020, there was much discussion of which blessing or Jewish prayer to recite when receiving the shot. Several new prayers were even written specifically for that occasion, with many offering thanks to the scientists who created the vaccines.

Now, children ages 5-11 are set to become eligible to receive the COVID vaccine in the United States in the next few weeks, potentially bringing to an end a period when parents have worried about the risks of activities as basic as sending a child to school or going to the playground. And the moment is being marked by a new set of Jewish prayers, with at

6 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

least one, as in the case of Gelber and her daughter, even written by a child.

Gelber says her daughter wanted to thank the people who created the vaccine while noting her fear of needles. “Most moving for me was her gratitude for the opportunity to say a blessing which would ‘make me stronger’ and take her mind off

bring,” Medwed says in an email, referring to Rabbi Joel Levenson of the Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, New York.

“There was no question I had to compose something to recite, just as parents recite a short kavannah upon having the zchut [merit] to arrive with their child to their bnai mitzvah.”

“Holy One of life and love, wrap me in a warm embrace as I prepare to receive my COVID-19 vaccine, I give thanks to the doctors and scientists who are creators like you, for the wise people who approved the vaccine, and for everyone who made sure this was available to kids.”

of pain,” she says.

Rabbi Karen Reiss Medwed, an assistant dean at the Graduate School of Education at Northeastern University, was first inspired to write a kavanah for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine several months ago when a nurse in her community spoke at their synagogue about the experience of being vaccinated. More recently, Medwed was inspired by her rabbi’s sermon to write a new kavanah specifically for parents to recite before their children receive the vaccine.

“He spoke not only as a rabbi, but as a father, expressing the long-awaited relief, as well as the deep religious sense of obligation this next phase of vaccination would

Medwed’s prayer expresses gratitude to God and to those who developed the vaccines and, echoing the shehecheyanu prayer recited over a new experience, expresses the relief many parents feel at the opportunity to finally vaccinate their children.

“With this vaccination I let out the long-held pause and breath I have been anxiously keeping inside for these long months, and passionately affirm, Blessed are you, Adonai, Ruler of this Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and brought us to this moment, and let us all say, Amen,” the prayer reads.

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Jewish employees play key role in push to cancel Google’s $1.2 billion contract with Israel Eliyahu Kamisher

( J. The Jewish News of Northern California via JTA)—Two Jewish Google employees are playing a key role in a worker petition calling on Google and Amazon to cancel a joint contract to build cloud-based data centers on behalf of the Israeli government.

The massive, $1.2 billion contract, dubbed Project Nimbus, was signed in May and is one of Israel’s largest technology infrastructure ventures. Google and Amazon will transfer Israel’s data into six cloud-based storage centers over the next several years.

The open letter says the deal violates the signers’ “core values” by allegedly fostering surveillance of Palestinians and encouraging the expansion of Jewish settlements.

“For me as a Jewish employee of Google, I feel a deep sense of intense moral responsibility,” said Ariel Koren, who lives in San Francisco and works in Google’s education division. “When you work in a company, you have the right to be accountable and responsible for the way that your labor is actually being used.”

Koren, along with Gabriel Schubiner, a New York–based Google software engineer, helped devise the open letter calling for the two mammoth companies to end the Project Nimbus contract. It appeared in the opinion section of the U.K.’s Guardian news site Oct. 12, claiming it had been signed by 390 Google and Amazon employees.

“As workers who keep these companies running, we are morally obligated to speak out against violations of these core values,” the statement read. “This technology allows for further surveillance of and unlawful data collection on Palestinians, and facilitates expansion of Israel’s illegal settlements on Palestinian land.”

According to Koren, over 1,000 employees have now signed the petition, although they remain anonymous and J. is unable to verify the number of supporters. Koren and Schubiner are two of only three total signatories who have chosen to

identify themselves publicly.

The pair of Jewish Googlers said their identity as Jews is essential to speaking out on behalf of Palestinian colleagues who fear retribution.

“As Jews, we’re relatively more insulated against charges of antisemitism that often come up in these discussions,” said Schubiner. “I do recognize the privilege that comes with my identity and talking about this issue without fear of retaliation.”

The push to end the Project Nimbus contract faces an uphill battle. The contract reportedly contains a safeguard preventing the tech giants from pulling out due to boycott pressure. In a short statement to J., Amazon Web Services said the company is “focused on making the benefits of our world-leading cloud technology available to all our customers, wherever they are located.”

Koren and Schubiner pointed to previous instances when Google responded to employees’ pressure, ending the renewal of a contract with the Pentagon and discontinuing work on a censored Chinese search engine. Schubiner added that if the contract with the Israeli government holds, he hopes the open letter will push Google and Amazon toward more transparency in their business contracts and the adoption of ethical standards for future data storage projects.

Koren and Schubiner told J. they have been working to convince Jewish tech employees who are not currently active in criticizing Israel to take a stance on the contract.

Public support for the appeal has been largely confined to hardline anti-Zionist critics of Israel, including Jewish Voice for Peace and American Muslims for Palestine.

These groups back a complete boycott of the state. Both Koren and Schubiner declined to comment when asked if they want Google and Amazon to divest from Israel outside of Project Nimbus.

This article was originally published in J. The Jewish News of Northern California, and is reprinted with permission.

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Local Relationships Matter

ANTISEMITISM ‘It’s the Jews’: An antisemitic tirade at an Arizona school board meeting spurs a response, and a debate Nicole Raz

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(Jewish News of Greater Phoenix via JTA)—An antisemitic tirade at a school board meeting in suburban Phoenix last month has spurred an extensive response among local officials and Jewish leaders— some of whom say they were distressed that board members did not rebut the comment at the time.

During the public comment portion of the meeting of the Chandler Unified School District board, a woman who identified herself as Melanie Rettler spoke for over a minute about critical race theory and vaccines—topics not listed on the meeting agenda but at the center of heated public debate nationwide.

Her comment crescendoed with an antisemitic claim drenched in the language of right-wing conspiracy theories.

“Every one of these things, the deep state, the cabal, the swamp, the elite—you can’t mention it, but I will—there is one race that owns all the pharmaceutical companies and these vaccines aren’t safe, they aren’t effective and they aren’t free,” Rettler said. “You know that you’re paying for it through the increase in gas prices, the increase in food prices—you’re paying for this and it’s being taken from your money and being given to these pharmaceutical companies and if you want to bring race into this: It’s the Jews.”

The incident was the latest in a nationwide series of school board meeting disruptions, of the sort that the U.S. Justice Department is seeking to curb. But what happened next has spurred the most discussion locally.

After Rettler walked away, Barb Mozdzen, the board president, addressed everybody in the room. “Comments really need to be related to what the school board can do something about, and this was not something we can do something about,” she said. “So please have your comments with something that is within our jurisdiction.”

Some Jewish organizations expressed outrage that Mozdzen and other board

members didn’t respond more strongly to the antisemitism.

The Arizona chapter of the Israel American Council said it wrote to the Chandler board requesting that “in the future the board members themselves speak up the very moment such hateful lies are expressed.”

“Our history teaches us that allowing such racism to pass unchallenged only invites more of the same,” the group said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League sent a letter to the board and each member expressing concern about the remarks and called the district to “publicly demonstrate—in the strongest possible way their commitment to fighting antisemitism and all forms of hate.”

The group added, “The lack of response from board members to last night’s public speaker who used blatant antisemitic tropes and stereotypes to promote anti-vaccine and anti-CRT views is simply appalling and dangerous.”

Exactly what school board members can do about comments like Rettler’s is unclear. Terry Locke, a spokesman for the school district, told the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix that it would be a violation of Arizona’s open meeting law for board members to discuss items that are not on the agenda.

Board members in Arizona are allowed to respond to criticism, but what constitutes criticism is not clear, and board members tend not to engage speakers extensively, a spokeswoman for the Arizona School Boards Association told the Arizona Republic.

The response after the meeting was more decisive. After Chandler’s interim superintendent, Franklin Narducci, learned about what had happened, he got in touch with representatives of the Jewish community.

Paul Rockower, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix, praised the district’s outreach to and collaboration with the Jewish community. So did Rabbi Michael

ANTISEMITISM Beyo, CEO of the East Valley Jewish Community Center in Chandler, who says he is pleased and grateful that Narducci sought to collaborate.

“An ignorant person made an antisemitic comment. That’s not newsworthy,” Beyo says. “What is important is that the superintendent canceled all of his meetings [Thursday] in order to deal with this.”

Narducci collaborated with Beyo to craft a statement that condemned hate speech and denounced the antisemitic statements.

“The district reaffirms its commitment to use its influence as a public educational

institution to teach students the value of an inclusive community and give them the tools to engage in our increasingly diverse society,” the final statement read. “Chandler Unified School District denounces hate speech at all levels.”

Beyo’s statement applauded the district governing board, administration and Narducci for “leading by example and speaking out against the hatred of all people.”

A version of this article originally appeared in the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix and is republished with permission.

New York State bans swastikas, Confederate flags and other hate symbols on public property Julia Gergely

(New York Jewish Week via JTA)—New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation Tuesday, November 2 that bans the selling or displaying of hate symbols on public property and taxpayer-funded equipment.

State Sen. Anna M. Kaplan and Assembly member Michaelle Solages, both of Long Island, introduced the legislation after an incident last year in which a Confederate flag was displayed on a fire truck in Long Island, and another in which a Confederate flag was hung from a fire department window.

The bill defines symbols of hate as including, but not limited to, symbols of white supremacy, neo-Nazi ideology or the Battle Flag of the Confederacy.

Excluded are symbols that serve an “educational or historical purpose,” such as in a museum or book.

“Public property belongs to all of us, and this measure is critical to ensure that our public property isn’t being used to promote hatred,” said Kaplan in a press release. “You would think it was common sense that taxpayer-owned property couldn’t be used as a platform for hate, but shockingly there was no law on the books saying so — until now.”

Public property is defined as a school district, a fire district, volunteer fire company or police department and the

taxpayer-funded equipment they use.

According to the NYC Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, swastikas are among the most common hate symbols displayed in the United States today.

The office has partnered with the AntiDefamation League to provide resources on and histories of common hate symbols in the U.S. The NYPD Hate Crimes dashboard has reported that nearly 35% of hate crimes this year have been antisemitic, the highest portion against any group.

Antisemitic hate crimes in New York City have risen 50% compared to the same period in 2020.

“The recent and disgusting rise in racist, homophobic, and hateful behavior will never be tolerated in New York,” Hochul said. “There is no reason for a symbol of hate to ever be on display, let alone by a police or fire department charged with protecting their community.”

There is an existing New York State law banning hate symbols on state property.

That law raised free speech issues in 2020 among civil libertarians, who noted that the expression of even hateful speech is protected under the Constitution even on state-owned land. However, the Supreme Court has in the past upheld laws limiting the rights of state and municipal employees to make political speeches on work time.

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www.CommonwealthSL.com jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 9

WOMAN’S CABINET

Women donors celebrate new milestone givers at annual event Amy Zelenka

G

iving new meaning to the phrase “open tent Judaism,” United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Division held its annual Lion Tikva Chai Lunch outdoors this year, under a big, wide tent in the “backyard” of the Sandler Family Campus.

Utilizing new, COVID-necessitated technology, Women’s Cabinet co-chair Barbara Dudley broke away from vacation to join the event live on a big screen TV, welcoming participants and bringing greetings from Israel. Together with co-chair Mona Flax, the two opened the event with a brief campaign update then

Deborah Casey.

invited Cabinet Executive Committee member Deborah Casey to announce the Federation’s newest milestone women donors and (as happens each year during this event) to call the names of Endowed Lions of blessed memory (LOJEs).

New milestone donors (women who brought their individual Community Campaign giving to new levels of giving since last year’s lunch) include: • New Emerald Lion ($25,000+) Jeri Jo Halprin • New Ruby Lions ($10,000+) Marcia Hofheimer and an anonymous donor • New Lions of Judah ($5,000+) Lynn Sher Cohen, Susan Cohen, Lisa Delevie, Susan Eilberg, Rachel Feigenbaum, and Ashley Zittrain • New Chai Society Donor ($1,800+) Evelyn Hirsch The Federation’s newest LOJEs (women who created endowment funds at the Tidewater Jewish Foundation (TJF) to ensure that their Lion gifts benefit the Jewish community in perpetuity) were recognized with their beautiful LOJE Boards.

These unique and beautiful boards, created by local artist Perry Deglandon and

Stacie Hofheimer Moss with author, Noa Tishby.

10 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

photographer Steve Budman, express in words and personal symbols, the dedication of our recently endowed Lions, to ensuring the future of this Jewish community for generations to come. New LOJEs include: • Stephanie Calliott • Shari Friedman • Beth Jaffe • Jodi Klebanoff • Marcia Moss • Renee Strelitz The UJFT and TJF can now boast 47 endowed lions—with the newest being UJFT Executive Vice President, Betty Ann Levin.

The endowed Lions of blessed memory include: • Dolores Bartel • Esther Fleder • Helen Gifford • Fay Halpern • Lee Jaffe • Sofia Konikoff • Alma Laderberg • Phyllis Lannik • Telsa Leon • Eleanor Rashkind • Annette Shore • Joyce Strelitz • Sylvia Yavner Cabinet member Stacie Hofheimer Moss next took the stage to welcome and introduce the event’s featured speaker, Israeli-American actress, activist, and author, Noa Tishby, whose new book, ISRAEL: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, was featured during this year’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival.

In a moderated discussion, Moss posed a wide range of questions to Tishby —about the book and about Tishby’s personal journey from young actress and model to worldwide advocate for the Jewish state. Tishby’s message was clear

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Shelly Simon and Stephanie Calliott.

and important. Israel is at risk on the world stage, and we have the collective power and responsibility to advocate. Her response to the question of “…if or when we might next see her on the ‘big’ or ‘little’ screen” was even clearer: “This is what I do now…. I champion Israel and the Jewish people. This is my fulltime job.”

For more information about becoming a milestone giver in the UJFT Women’s Division, contact Amy Zelenka, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s chief development officer, at 965-6139 or azelenka@ujft.org.

If interested in setting up an endowment fund at the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, contact Naomi Sedek at nsedek@ujft.org or 965-6109.

Ashley Zittrain, Marcia Hofheimer, and Susan Cohen.

Recently endowed Lions: Stephanie Calliott, Shari Friedman, Beth Jaffe, Jodi Klebanoff, Marcia Moss, and Renee Strelitz.

Susan Cohen, Susan Eilberg, and Joan London.

Shelly Simon, Ann Copeland, and Jodi Klebanoff.

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JEWISH TIDEWATER

Nadiv leads cemetery cleanup Matt Kramer-Morning and Danny Rubin

I

t was a special day on Sunday, October 24 as the members of Nadiv, the Young Men’s Giving Circle through YAD, led the Jewish community in a cleanup of Mikro Kodesh cemetery in Chesapeake.

Together with the Norfolk Kollel and community members of all ages, more than 50 people cleared out overgrowth that had covered many of the headstones. Nearby, children painted rocks to place on top of the headstones.

During the event, Rabbi Yedidya Koven of the Norfolk Kollel led everyone in a Kaddish for those buried at the cemetery. He spoke of the importance of addressing and tending to life and afterlife matters. Some community members in attendance recognized graves of family friends and shared personal stories and memories.

“The oldest grave we saw dated back to the 1840’s,” says Danny Rubin, chair of the Nadiv Young Men’s Giving Circle. “It’s humbling to think of all of the history here in our own Tidewater Jewish community.” By the end of the event, the group had restored a small,

but important cemetery in dire need of repair.

The cleanup is only the latest community effort from Nadiv, founded in 2016 as a business networking group for Jewish men in Tidewater in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Since then, Nadiv (which means “generosity” in Hebrew) has evolved to become a giving circle in which each member puts in annual dues of $54 (separate from a United Jewish Federation of Tidewater campaign gift). The group hosts a community-wide NCAA bracket pool every March to raise additional dollars.

Nadiv combines the membership dues and NCAA fundraiser and donates the funds back into the Jewish community, targeting programs and community needs based on the collective Jewish values of the Nadiv members. Previous Nadiv gifts include outdoor games for the “white top” behind the JCC, groceries for Jewish Family Service, and financial support for an aide to a child with special needs at JCC Summer Camp.

Nadiv currently has 29 members and continues to grow. At its

core, the group is designed to build camaraderie among members and underscore the importance of the UJFT and the need to make a gift to the annual campaign.

Know someone who should be in Nadiv?

Email Matthew Kramer-Morning, UJFT’s YAD director, at mkmorning@ ujft.org to get connected!

Mikro Kodesh cemetery.

Janet Mercadante.

Naomi Limor Sedek.

Participans say Kaddish.

12 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

Ron Kramer and Art Sandler.

CLIMATE

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Naftali Bennett at COP26: Israeli start-ups should focus their energies on climate change

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Following the incident, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson invited Elharrar (JTA)—At the closely-watched COP26 to join his meeting with Bennett the next conference on climate change in Glasgow, day.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said “I gather there was some confusion Israel’s famed start-up sector could add a with the arrangements yesterday. I am “mighty” contribution towards mitigating very, very sorry about that,” Johnson the climate crisis— told Elharrar at that if its entrepreneurs meeting, The Times focus on it. of Israel reported.

“As the country Also, on Monday, with the most startthe Archbishop of ups per capita in Canterbury, the the world, we must leader of the Church channel our efforts of England, apolto saving our world,” ogized for making is the target scientists say Bennett said in a a statement during speech on Monday, his speech at the is needed to avoid November 1, the opening ceremony climate catastrophe first day of the that critics said United Nations conconstitutes an inapference with dozens propriate Holocaust of world leaders analogy. scheduled to run until Nov. 12.

The archbishop, Justin Welby, said “This is why I say to our entrepreneurs that politicians who fail to tackle enviand innovators: You can be the game ronmental issues would be spoken of by changers. You can help save our planet.” future generations “in far stronger terms The conference has been hailed by than we speak today of the politicians of some international leaders as the “last, the [19]30s, of the politicians who ignored best hope” to produce policy needed to what was happening in Nazi Germany.” keep global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius during this century—a target scientists say is needed to avoid climate catastrophe.

If we’re going to move “Our carbon footprint may be small, the needle, we need but our impact on climate change can be to contribute Israel’s mighty,” Bennett added. “If we’re going to move the needle, we need to contribute most valuable source of Israel’s most valuable source of energy: energy: the energy and the energy and brainpower of our people.”

Bennett’s delegation included more brainpower of our people. than 100 people from Israel—including Energy Minister Karine Elharrar, who was prevented from attending part of the opening ceremony because of accessibility Hours later, Welby wrote on Twitter: issues surrounding her wheelchair. The “I unequivocally apologize for the words I incident exposed the organizers to critused when trying to emphasise the gravicism in social and international media. ity of the situation facing us at COP26. It’s “It’s sad that the U.N., which promotes never right to make comparisons with the accessibility for people with disabilities, atrocities brought by the Nazis, and I’m does not make sure its events are accessorry for the offence caused to Jews by sible in 2021,” Elharrar wrote on Twitter. these words.”

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TIDEWATER JEWISH FOUNDATION FIRST PERSON

Converging holidays provide a chance to reflect and give at TJF Naomi Limor Sedek

T

Naomi Limor Sedek

here is something very apropos and meaningful about the convergence of two beautiful holidays, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah—both of which represent a celebration of religious freedom and are centered on the theme of gratitude for the blessings in our lives. As you gather as a family, it is a perfect time to reflect on what you are thankful for and take stock of the blessings in your life.

What will your philanthropic legacy be? Will it support the community institutions you care about? Will it sustain your family’s values? At the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, we believe that your legacy can do all those things, and we are honored to help you shape it.

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Helping those injured in car, truck, and motorcycle wrecks and other serious injury and wrongful death cases.

333-3333 14 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

Through LIFE & LEGACY, the Tidewater Jewish Foundation partnered with The Harold Grinspoon Foundation to invest in the Tidewater Jewish community and increase the number of donors in this community-wide legacy giving initiative. We encourage legacy donors to share their stories and motivations for leaving a legacy. The Jewish Future Pledge is a worldwide movement working to ensure that vibrant Jewish life continues for generations to come. There is power in using this pledge to spark intergenerational conversations about why the Jewish people matter.

A fundholder shared with me that she was updating her will. Her updates included making one child power of attorney and making her oldest the executor. After spending some time with her kids and grandkids this summer, she told me they had some profound discussions about what was most important to their family.

“Jewish organizations and experiences came up way more than I expected,” she told me. “I was happy to hear how much my kids valued Jewish summer camp and Hillel at college, and it thrilled me that they were thinking about joining a synagogue now that their kids were getting bigger. It’s made me rethink my charitable bequests.”

So, she gave TJF a call. It was a perfect time to tell her about TJF’s participation in LIFE & LEGACY, which encourages and incentivizes community members to support the synagogues, schools, and organizations that make Jewish life in Tidewater rich and meaningful. We also talked about the Jewish Future Pledge, which asks all Jewish donors to pledge half or more of the charitable giving in their estate plan to support the Jewish people and/or the State of Israel. Both of these legacy vehicles send a powerful message to family, friends, and future generations about the importance

We’re big believers in the power of storytelling to inspire philanthropy.

of sustaining the Jewish people.

We’re big believers in the power of storytelling to inspire philanthropy. That is why we have a gift to give you to use around your Thanksgiving tables and Hanukkah gatherings. To get your special gift to enhance your family’s philanthropic conversation, head to https:// bit.ly/tjf-gift. With just weeks to go before the end of 2021, think about your legacy and give TJF a call. We’re here to counsel you, help you achieve your philanthropic goals, and find ways you can have a real impact on the charities and organizations you and your family care about.

For more information, contact Naomi Limor Sedek, Tidewater Jewish Foundation president and CEO at 757-965-6109 or email at nsedek@ujft.org.

Happy Hanukkah!

Supplement to Jewish News November 8, 2021 jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | Hanukkah | JEWISH NEWS | 15

A Perfect Holiday Gift Idea!

Hanukkah Dear Readers,

I

t’s been eight years since we celebrated Thanksgivukah…when the holidays of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah converged. Here we are again…almost.

This year the first night of Hanukkah begins on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, which creates the opportunity for special celebrations for families who normally don’t have the chance to be together to light the festival’s candles.

Latkes do taste good with cranberry sauce, by the way, and I predict there’ll be plenty of tables combining the two holiday favorites.

Last Hanukkah, before COVID vaccinations were available, most celebrations took place over Zoom. Fortunately, with so many people now vaccinated

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(and even boosted), this year will be different. With that in mind, we asked Terri and Lonny Sarfan, Carol and Allan Brum, and Rosanne and Bill Simon what they are looking forward to this holiday. They all had their plans in place and their responses are on page 17.

Also trying to return to a bit of ‘normalcy,’ several synagogues have Hanukkah events on the calendar that are open to the community. The listing begins on page 18.

In addition to some delicious sounding recipes, this section offers articles that range from one about a man in New York who has collected 4,000 tiny

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dreidels to a story about retail Hanukkah goofs. Plus, the Simon Family JCC’s Black Friday Deals are highlighted on page 20.

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However you plan to celebrate—in-person or on Zoom, all of us at Jewish News wish you a Happy Hanukkah…and a Happy Thanksgiving, too!

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Terri Denison Editor

Hanukkah CELEBRATING WITH FAMILY…AND WITH CONGREGANTS ON FACEBOOK LIVE

SEIZING THE MOMENT

Carol and Allan Brum

e’re going to break the norms this year,” says Terri Sarfan.

Playing with the calendar a bit, Terri and Lonny plan to begin their family’s Hanukkah celebration just after Thanksgiving dinner.

Terri says they want to take advantage of having all of the aunts, uncles, and cousins together—something that doesn’t always happen around Hanukkah time.

“We’re melding the holidays,” she says.

Latkes will be served as appetizers and the kids will play dreidel.

“My three-year-old grandson has already asked for a dreidel,” Terri says. They’ve been reading Hanukkah-themed books, she says.

After lighting the menorah, the younger children will all get gifts and the older kids Lonny and Terri Sarfan with their grandchildren. will participate in a fun gift exchange.

And, during the week of the holiday (as printed on the calendar), the Sarfans will have another family Hanukkah dinner in Richmond.

“With everyone traveling from near and far, we’re monopolizing on being together to celebrate as much as possible…even if it is a few days early.”

For the Sarfans, that oil gets to burn three extra days.

W

ith children and grandchildren nearby, Carol and Allan Brum are fortunate to be able to usually celebrate Hanukkah three to five nights with their family.

“We light the candles together most nights,” says Robbie and Emerson, Carol and Allan Brum’s grandchildren.

Carol. “We do presents for a few nights and we then devote one night to tzedakah.”

This year, the couple is adding a public component to their holiday festivities.

Ohef Sholom Temple will broadcast one of the congregation’s annual Chanukah Live! candle lighting events from the Brums’ home. “We’re really looking forward to that, and of course the kids will be here for that, too.”

With her granddaughter, Emerson, age 6, by her side during this conversation, Carol asks her, “Are you looking forward to Hanukkah?” The phone wasn’t necessary to hear her positive response!

Terri and Lonny Sarfan

“W

BRINGING HANUKKAH LIGHTS TO A FESTIVE CORNER OF VIRGINIA BEACH Sharon and Mark Lipton and Rosanne and Bill Simon

T

he North End of Virginia Beach, specifically 43rd Street, has long been a destination for those wanting to marvel at the elaborate array of Christmas lights displayed on this short block of homes.

When Mark Lipton moved to the street, he wanted to ensure that Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, was represented and would become a part of this tradition. He asked his good friend, Bill Simon, a podiatrist and talented woodworker, to build a menorah to be displayed in his front yard.

Three years ago, Bill put his woodworking talents to the test and built a 12-foot-tall menorah out of PVC pipes, helping Mark assemble it on his front yard.

On the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, all of the neighbors on this stretch of 43rd Street traditionally prepare their holiday decorations and walk together from house to house, illuminating each home’s lighted holiday decorations along the way.

As Rosanne and Bill Simon join Mark, his wife Sharon, and his friends and neighbors in celebrating this year’s Grand Illumination, they plan to proudly light the menorah’s candles that the COVID-19 pandemic briefly interrupted, but did not end.

The Margolin family, Mark Lipton, and Rosanne and Bill Simon.

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | Hanukkah | JEWISH NEWS | 17

Hanukkah

Hanukkah Happnings

Congregation Beth El

SIX13, a cappella singing group, in concert at Beth El Sunday, December 5, 4–5:30 pm, in-person and online

Congregation Beth El is celebrating its 171st Anniversary and Hanukkah with a concert by the world-renowned male a cappella singing group, SIX13.

Admission is free and open to the entire community.

Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Deb Segaloff at deb@segaloff. net or 757-285-9009.

For additional information or to RSVP, email www.bethelnorfolk.com or call 757-625-7821.

Social distancing will be maintained; masks and vaccinations, for all adults and children 12 and over, are required.

Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/ Kempsville Conservative Synagogue Celebration Saturday, December 4, 5:30–7:30 pm Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/Kempsville Conservative Synagogue will celebrate with Havdalah, lots of delicious holiday foods, music and singing, as well as fun child (and adult) friendly activities for all to enjoy. The evening concludes with everyone gathering in front of the synagogue to “light” the congregation’s outdoor chanukiyah.

Hanukkah Homecoming weekend KBH will also take part in the program, Hanukkah Homecoming Weekend, an initiative of the Kripke Institute, Center for Relational Judaism. The synagogue will join hundreds of other Jewish organizations in a worldwide “open house” to celebrate Hanukkah together and rededicate Jewish communities post-pandemic. Although everyone’s celebration will be different, the message is the same: “Come back together in reunion, song, ritual, and relationship.”

For more information, email the synagogue at kbhsynagogue@gmail.com or call the office at 757-495-8510.

18 | JEWISH NEWS | Hanukkah | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

Hanukkah Ohef Sholom Temple

Kinda Kosher: Chanukah Cooking with Charles Greenhood of Brutti’s Catering

Chanukah Live

November 28—December 5 Each evening at 6:30 pm via Facebook Live

Sunday, November 21 3–5 pm via Zoom RSVP at reservations@ohefsholom.org.

Each night of Hanukkah, Ohef Sholom will stream the lighting of the chanukiah live on its Facebook page from a different location.

Wiggles & Giggles

Lighting and activities

December 5 T’was the Night Before Chanukah For more information, contact Allena Hurwitz Anglen at allena@ohefsholom.org. This program is FREE and open to the Tidewater Jewish Community!

Sunday, November 28 (1 candle) The home of Sara and Judd Mendelson Monday, November 29 (2 candles) Congregational Zoom Tuesday, November 30 (3 candles) Young Adult D’Bar Torah & UJFT’s YAD at The Veil Brewing Co. Wednesday, December 1 (4 candles) Sisterhood and Men’s Club Saturday, December 4 (7 candles) The home of Carol and Allan Brum with OST’s 2020-2021 New Members

Thursday, December 2 (5 candles) Beth Sholom Village Friday, December 3 (6 candles) Chanukah Shabbat Services with OST’s Board of Directors

Sunday, December 5 (8 candles) Religious School Chanukiah Contest

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Hanukkah Black Friday Deals at the JCC

R

ather than driving to “big box” stores or scouring Amazon for the latest holiday deals, we’re encouraging the community to look at opportunities closer to home. The Simon Family JCC in Virginia Beach has a few fantastic Black Friday deals— each a great chance to increase your (or a loved one’s) health regimen, while supporting “local.” Here’s what’s on the table:

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1. THE GIFT OF SWIM: Although summer is a relatively near memory, the kids in your life can still improve their swimming and aquatic skills at the JCC. One of the most skilled swim instructors (and coaches) in Hampton Roads teaches at the JCC. Jacon Gynan is a wonder with kids of all ages, making them feel comfortable in the water while improving their skillset. FOR ONE MONTH, the JCC is offering a 50% discount on NEW group swim lessons; $35 (non-member; normally $70/month) or $26 for members (normally $52). After the discounted month, prices return to normal.

2. THE GIFT OF GOOD HEALTH: Members who join over the Black Friday period will have the joining fee waived with an activated membership. Call 757-321-2339.

3. THE GIFT OF STRENGTH: The JCC’s tremendously popular “Buddy Up” program is extended for Black Friday. If you reserve a personal training session through Buddy Up, you can bring a friend at no additional cost. Split the rate between two people and save. Contact Tom Purcell at TPurcell@UJFT.org or call 321-2310 to reserve your Buddy Up package.

Look for more Black Friday Specials coming soon.

Call 321-2338 for more information.

’Tis the season of Hanukkah misfires— and chastened retailers Shira Hanau

(JTA)—“Deck the halls with matzo balls”?

Hanukkah menorahs with 12 candles?

Products with misfired Hanukkah messages have drawn gripes for years, but this year major retailers are responding quickly to customer complaints about Hanukkah products they say are culturally inappropriate or misinformed.

It took just one day from when the Instagram account Hanukkah Fails posted about Target’s Hanukkah “Countdown Calendar” before the major retailer changed the product description to “Happy Hanukkah Wall Hanging Menorah.”

The Instagram account, which is dedicated to pointing out culturally inappropriate Hanukkah-related products or product descriptions, posted about the product Sunday, October 31. The original

product description—which suggested a connection between Hanukkah and Advent calendars that count down the days until Christmas—was altered by Monday, November 1 to remove any reference to counting down.

Bed, Bath and Beyond removed a Hanukkah product altogether after customers pointed out that its message mixed up two different Jewish holidays. The product, a pillow printed with the words “Why is this night different from all other nights?

Happy Hanukkah,” used perhaps the most iconic phrase from the Passover seder.

After images of the pillow went viral— and after Alma, JTA’s sister site, wrote about the “worst Hanukkah pillow of all time”—Bed, Bath and Beyond removed the product from its website.

Hanukkah American Girl releases Hanukkah outfit and gift set for dolls, complete with Star of David necklace Shira Hanau

(JTA)—For Jewish fans of American Girl dolls, Hanukkah came early this year.

Last month, the popular doll company released a new set of holiday doll outfits and accessories to diversify its holiday outfits. Kids can now dress up their dolls in special outfits for Diwali, the Lunar New Year, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah.

The Hanukkah outfit includes a sparkly blue dress, silver shoes, a head band, and a Star of David necklace. In addition to the clothing, priced at $36, fans of the dolls can also purchase a Hanukkah gift set that includes a menorah, Star of David

bracelet, dreidel and Hanukkah gelt.

American Girl is known for its lifelike dolls with backstories—and a series of short novels and movies about them— spanning the globe and set throughout history. The company released its first Jewish doll named Rebecca Rubin, whose story was set on the Lower East Side in early 20th century, in 2009.

The new holiday outfits come with a booklet explaining the significance of each of the holidays.

Mattel is set to release an Eid Al-Fitr outfit next year in celebration of the Muslim holiday, according to the Religion News Service.

Jewish News Digital Edition See the paper 3 days before the cover date:

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To have the paper emailed, send your email address to news@ujft.org.

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Rebecca’s Hanukkah outfit for 18-inch dolls

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Hanukkah

A prolific Jewish writer has collected 4,000 tiny dreidels found by Eastern European treasure hunters Shira Hanau

(JTA)—Even when Arthur Kurzweil sits by himself in his study, he doesn’t feel that

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he’s alone. After all, he has the dreidels— all 4,000 of them.

Kurzweil, 70, is a prolific author and editor who has written books about

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Judaism and magic and his car rides with Talmud scholar Adin Steinsaltz, as well as the Kabbalah and Torah installments in the …for Dummies series.

His most significant contribution to Jewish publishing, however, may be his books and teaching about Jewish genealogy: He has exhaustively chronicled his efforts to trace his own family’s lineage, including along the many branches that were broken when family members were murdered in the Holocaust.

The dreidels, pulled from the earth across Eastern Europe, represent an extension of that work, Kurzweil told the JTA from amid the collection in his Long Island home.

“I look at them…and I think, what’s the history of this? And when’s the last time somebody played that game?” he says, adding, “I wonder what this person’s fate ultimately was.”

It’s not just dreidels that surround Kurzweil. Quietly and in collaboration with Eastern Europe’s sizable community of treasure hunters, he has amassed a sweeping collection of Jewish objects unearthed from throughout Eastern Europe. While Holocaust museums and concentration camps bring visitors face to face with the piles of shoes and eyeglasses worn by Jews who were about to be killed, Kurzweil lives with reminders of the lives they lived.

In addition to the tiny dreidels, made of pewter and lead and clearly intended for children, Kurzweil has also collected boxes of metal kosher seals, which would have been affixed to packages of food to attest to their kosher status; dozens of pins that would have been worn by members of Jewish youth and Zionist organizations; and coin-sized metal disks that synagogues would have handed out to people being called to the Torah.

The collection also includes amulets that, while not a typical Jewish practice today, were historically used by Jews seeking to ward off various ailments. Several of the amulets in the collection include a

prayer to protect the wearer from diphtheria. Others were worn to protect the wearer from the dangers of childbirth.

The size and breadth of Kurzweil’s collections paint a unique portrait of everyday Eastern European Jewish life during the late 19th and early 20th century, until the beginning of the Holocaust.

That makes them unique in the context of Jewish history and art collections, which more typically focus on ritual objects, such as Hanukkah menorahs, Shabbat candlesticks or intricately decorated spice boxes used in the Havdalah ritual to end Shabbat.

“It shows everyday shtetl life at its most basic and ordinary and, if you will, when things were going relatively well,” says Beth Weingast, an art and Judaica appraiser who examined the collection for Kurzweil several years ago.

William L. Gross, a collector of Judaica and Jewish art in Tel Aviv for nearly half a century, owns a large collection of amulets himself. He says he had never heard of a collection of workaday items as large as Kurzweil’s, noted that objects such as the ones Kurzweil collected that speak to the daily lives of Jews in pre-war Eastern Europe remain woefully understudied.

“It’s fabulous material because it’s objects of the normal, regular Jew, not the aristocracy, not the merchant class but the people. And that is of extreme importance,” Gross says.

John Ward, who heads the silver department at Sotheby’s, likewise says Kurzweil’s collection of Judaica made from inexpensive metals such as pewter and lead is significant. “To have this focus on the folk art and the utilitarian side, that would be the only one I’ve heard of,” he said.

While Ward spends most of his time working with objects made of expensive materials, he notes that a collection like Kurzweil’s would tell an important story about Jewish communities that were destroyed during the Holocaust.

“There’s something very poignant about the idea that these were things that were

Hanukkah used and loved and brought out at holidays and then essentially became trash,” he says.

Of course, the objects didn’t become trash so much as were turned into it by the Nazis and their collaborators.

“My assumption based on where they are found is that most of the people who were entangled with these objects were murdered in the Holocaust. So, in a sense the collection becomes a Holocaust memorial,” Kurzweil says.

Kurzweil first purchased an unearthed amulet in the 1970s while on a trip to Przemyśl, Poland, a town where several members of his family had lived before World War II. “When I saw my first amulet, my first pendant, I was just drawn to it. I was shocked that they still exist under the ground. I didn’t want them to disappear or to be thrown away,” Kurzweil says.

But it wasn’t until 2015, when Kurzweil traveled to Warsaw on his way to his father’s hometown of Dobromyl, that he learned about the tiny dreidels. The friend who showed him the objects introduced

him to a metal detector hobbyist, part of a network of treasure seekers who comb regions of Eastern Europe that were devastated during the war.

The hobbyists that Kurzweil has encountered largely look for gold and silver coins to sell, though others hunt more specifically for Nazi paraphernalia, as detailed in Plunder, the recent book by Menachem Kaiser. Few are interested in holding onto detritus whose value is largely sentimental, and mostly limited to Jews.

“Suddenly I had myself a network of people who are not really looking for Judaica, but they know that there’s a guy in New York who’s interested in this stuff and they contact me,” Kurzweil says.

For some of the hobbyists, Kurzweil says, the act of sending him the Judaica objects they found, often just for the cost of the postage, and thus interacting with a living Jew was clearly meaningful. “They like the fact that they’re doing something that’s saving the remnants of the Jewish community,” he says .

And for Kurzweil, too, the relationships with people in Eastern Europe

are important. Kurzweil has traveled to Dobromyl 10 times and has gotten to know some of the people who live there over the years. In 2017, he even donated a playground to the town and raised over $22,000 to purchase supplies for the local school.

“Thank you to everyone who made this happen,” he wrote on the GoFundMe page for the school fundraiser. “Standing in front of the house where my father was born, I read each of your names to myself in a whisper. What a privilege it is to help children—anywhere in the world—to learn.”

If the objects Kurzweil collects act as a bridge between him and history, Kurzweil’s donations to the children of Dobromyl are firmly rooted in his desire to correct the relationships between those who hated each other in the past.

“The reason I wanted to build a playground was because these were innocent children,” Kurzweil says. “If it was the other way around, these would have been my neighbors. I don’t want to inherit hatred and bitterness.”

The mayor and the English teacher in

town, who serves as Kurzweil’s interpreter when he visits, send him cards every Rosh Hashanah. He hopes to visit again one day.

“The Lubavitcher Rebbe once said if you encounter something, and you think you can fix it, then fix it,” Kurzweil says.

“So, when I got there, I thought I could fix it a little bit.”

Exactly what the future holds for Kurzweil’s collections is unclear. For now, he’s content to let their presence wash over him as he works on a memoir about his family’s story, including about his father’s prewar life in Dobromyl. But he’s starting to think about whether a museum should one day take them on—and he wonders whether any would.

Weingast, for one, says the collection is of value precisely because the objects within it have no value on their own.

“He’s accumulated a fantastic collection of everyday objects,” Weingast says about Kurzweil. “The objects are free, they’re of no value. But the expense is paying the people to find them and ship them and, you know, enticing people to not throw them away, to not just discard them.”

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | Hanukkah | JEWISH NEWS | 23

Hanukkah

Gluten-free churros for Hanukkah

Gluten-free Churros INGREDIENTS For the churros • 1 cup water • 8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick)

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• ¼ tsp salt

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• 1½ Tbsp granulated sugar •1 cup gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 Gluten-Free Flour, but any gluten-free flour with xanthan gum should work) • 3 large eggs, room temperature • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • Canola, vegetable, or rapeseed oil, for frying For the dipping sauces • ½ cup raspberry jam • ½ cup sour cream • ½ tsp vanilla extract • 1½ tsp granulated sugars

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine water, butter, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Cook until butter is melted, whisking to combine all ingredients.

2. Lower heat to medium, add flour, and stir constantly until mixture comes together into a loose dough, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat.

3. Place dough in the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on high speed to fully incorporate each one. You can do this by hand or with an electric hand mixer, but a freestanding mixer gives the smoothest results. Continue to mix for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture comes together into a smooth batter.

4. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large pan or shallow pot over medium heat.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or paper towels to hold cooked churros.

5. Fit a pastry bag with a 1M or equivalent tip. Place the bag in a tall glass or jar and fold the top of the bag over the edge of the jar.

Fill the pastry bag with dough. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your bag.

6. Check oil temperature by placing a small piece of dough into the oil. If many small bubbles form around the dough, it’s ready. Pipe dough into the hot oil in about 4-inch lengths, using a sharp knife or scissors to cut off the end. Use tongs to turn churros as they fry, until they are golden brown all around, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove cooked churros to the prepared baking sheet.

7. To make sour cream dipping sauce, mix all ingredients (minus raspberry jam) until combined.

8. To make raspberry dipping sauce, heat jam in a microwave-safe bowl until it is slightly runny, about 30 seconds on full power.

9. Serve churros with dipping sauces while they are still warm and fresh.

I

t started with a question for Jonathan Gold. Hanukkah 2011 was nearing, and a friend sent a query to Ask Mr. Gold, the advice column of the late Pulitzer Prizewinning food critic renowned for putting Los Angeles on the map as a destination for culinary diversity.

She told Gold that she wanted to participate in the Hanukkah tradition of eating foods fried in oil, but didn’t want to smell up her apartment frying latkes.

Instead, she sought the city’s best churros. A tradition was born.

One night that week, a small, merry group got together and headed, per Gold’s recommendation, to the Salinas Churro Truck. At the truck, we ran into friends who’d also read the Mr. Gold column and biked over to heed the call for sweet fried dough. Our groups joined forces. Someone’s tinny boom box provided the soundtrack as new friendships were forged on a temperate LA winter night over bag after grease-stained bag of fresh, warm, crisp churros.

A couple of years later, we met again. This time at Mr. Churro on historic Olvera Street, a main square in Los Angeles from back when California was still part of Mexico. In this little shop, you could get churros with fillings like guava paste and cajeta, Mexican goat milk dulce de leche. We played digital dreidel on someone’s phone, tried to remember the words to our favorite Hanukkah songs, and danced in the plaza as Olvera Street lit up with crowds of people for Las Posadas. Our Hanukkah tradition was not just delicious; it embodied the spirit of our city’s pluralism.

Churros have become a special part of my family’s Hanukkah celebrations, too. Since my nephew was diagnosed with celiac disease, sufganiyot can no longer be part of our festivities. Luckily, my neighborhood taco stand has gluten-free churros.

For those who don’t happen to have a gluten-free taco stand within walking distance, this treat is easy to recreate at home. Instead of the classic cinnamon-sugar topping, you can pair them with dipping sauces that nod to traditional Hanukkah flavors: sweetened sour cream and raspberry jam.

Note: You’ll need a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M or other large open star tip.

This recipe is adapted from Boulder Locavore.

24 | JEWISH NEWS | Hanukkah | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

Hanukkah

Andrew Zimmern’s perfect potato latkes recipe Andrew Zimmern

T

hese potato latkes are so good that posting the recipe alone is a mitzvah of the highest order. The Festival of Lights refers to a lamp in the temple that was supposed to have only enough oil to last the Maccabees one night, but instead lasted for eight. The holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil, so fried foods are often featured at Hanukkah feasts. Problem is, most potato pancakes, or latkes, are awful. Luckily for you, these are amazing.

HAPPY HANUKKAH to

OUR NEIGHBORS

Potato Lat kes INGREDIENTS

•1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks • Sea salt • 2 pounds baking potatoes • 1 large onion, finely diced • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten • 1 cup matzah meal •½ tsp freshly ground white pepper • Vegetable oil, for frying •A pplesauce, crème fraîche, smoked salmon, salmon roe, and dill sprigs, to serve

DIRECTIONS 1. In a medium saucepan, cover the Yukon Gold potatoes with cool water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and immediately pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl.

2. Working quickly, peel and grate the baking potatoes on the large holes of a box grater into a medium bowl. Press with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Add half of the grated potatoes to the riced potatoes.

3. Transfer the remaining grated potatoes to the bowl of a food processor. Add the onion and pulse until the potatoes and onions are very finely chopped.

Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve and press with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Add the potato-onion mixture to the large bowl. Stir in the eggs, matzah meal, white pepper, and 2 tsp of salt.

4. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil until shimmering. Working in 3 batches, spoon ¼ cup of the potato mixture into the oil for each latke; press slightly to flatten. Fry over moderate heat, turning once, until the latkes are golden and crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes. Drain the latkes on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve with applesauce, crème fraîche, smoked salmon, salmon roe, and dill.

Note: The fried latkes can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Reheat them on a baking sheet in a 375 degrees F oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp.

Wishing you and your family a joy-filled Hanukkah celebration.

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Hanukkah

The easiest jelly donut recipe ever Shannon Sarna

L

atkes are far more popular during Hanukkah than donuts here in the U.S. While you can find latkes in the freezer section of almost every major supermarket, good quality sufganiyot are much harder to come by, and lots of people I know have a fear of using yeast to make doughs like donut dough.

But there is an easier way to make sufganiyot, and it comes in a can: biscuit dough. What can these doughy babies not do?

Using canned biscuits, you can either make full-sized sufganiyot, or smaller, donut hole-sized bites. Make sure to let them cool before filling, or your jam or pudding will run right out of the hot donuts. I prefer to dust with powdered sugar, but you could also top them with cinnamon sugar if you prefer.

Note: You will need a wooden skewer and a piping bag for this recipe.

Jelly Donuts INGREDIENTS

• 1 package refrigerated biscuit dough • Vegetable oil, for frying • Jam, prepared pudding, Nutella, or other filling • Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat around 3 inches of oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat (oil should be 350 degrees F). To see if the oil is hot enough, use a thermometer or place wooden skewer into the oil. If small bubbles appear, it’s ready for frying.

2. Remove biscuits from the can. To make small donuts, cut into rounds using a soda cap or other small circular device. Or, you can fry the biscuits as is.

3. Drop the small donuts in 5–6 at a time; for full biscuits, 2–3 at a time. Fry for 1–2 minutes on each side, until just golden brown.

4. Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove from oil and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.

5. Stick a wooden skewer into one side of each donut and create space inside by wiggling it around gently.

6. Fill a piping bag with your filling of choice and gently insert into the hole. Gently squeeze filling into each donut.

7. Dust with powdered sugar.

26 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

TORAH THOUGHT

The Joseph saga and the Hanukkah celebration

T

he most compelling and colorful Joseph saga extends over four Torah portions and 13 chapters. How opportune it is that we celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah’s victory along with the reading of Biblical Joseph’s own miraculous survival and thriving adventures.

Indeed, the historical Jewish experience has often been to find ourselves like Joseph and the Maccabees in the seemingly hopeless darkness of the pit… without losing faith in the hopeful light of redemption yet to emerge, against all odds.

Just like Joseph, the dreamer and interpreter of incredible dreams (he should have kept some of them to himself), the Jewish people have believed that noble as well as disturbing dreams have the potential and power to transform reality. In the way of Joseph who was not accepted by his own immature and treacherous kin, begrudging him his unique spirit and grandiose ideas of a dreamy youngster whose father’s favoritism put him at risk, we have felt isolated and alone throughout much of both a trying and triumphant history– though admittedly, we did contribute to it.

We have been rejected for insisting on living our own authentic lives as a minority, yet willing to stand up to the majority if necessary. Our undying faithfulness to the dictates of our faith and conscience has been cruelly interpreted as a negative reflection of superior aloofness rather than one of a proud choice.

Joseph, through his mind’s genius and heart’s compassion, was able to save both his adopted empire of Egypt and his family from neighboring small Canaan.

In the arduous process he taught us that

borders and feelings need not be obstacles to a constructive response to the urgent demands of life and death issues.

Joseph managed to transcend his personal insecurities and apprehensions in order to accomplish the larger and lasting goals of putting his substantial talents to the beneficial use of society rather than dwelling on past hurts and injustices that could have crippled him and others. Thus, he wisely chose the high road allowing him to become a great Egyptian ruler while earning his status as a great Hebrew brother and leader whose early self-centered dreams turned into a blessed reality for all concerned through maturity of character wrought by trials and tribulations.

The ultimate challenge though of this mighty Egyptian, second only to Pharaoh, as is often the human case, was to conquer and control his own raging passions of a young man. Joseph had already proven this with horrific tempting and aggressive Mrs. Potiphar, earning him the Rabbis’ honorific appellation “Hatzadik” (The saintly one) for they were profoundly concerned for sexual and family values. Joseph was able to repeat it with his brothers at the pinnacle of his brilliant career with so much at stake for himself and for them. What a moving moment of victory it is for all concerned when Joseph can no longer hold back his tears and eagerly desires to reveal his true identity to his bewildered and overwhelmed brothers, not quite realizing that they would never recover from the shock of the encounter and/or from the engendered guilt that would continue to burden and pursue them.

Perhaps Joseph’s favorable decision to reach out to them was ultimately prompted by Judah’s display of sincere love for Brother Benjamin (Joseph’s younger brother) as well as for Father Jacob’s well-being. Earlier, Joseph learned of his brothers’ remorse and fear when being challenged by him, acknowledging their past wrongdoing.

Upon reconnecting to his family he was

enabled to rejoin his roots and was thus ennobled and made whole. Joseph could have abandoned his Hebrew background, protecting his painfully acquired identity and high status, but he knew that his remarkable life’s redeeming success had to carry a divine and humbling message of healing and gratitude.

Joseph appeals to us in his touching humaneness, which is not lost, but only grows when he becomes powerful and his survivor’s skills of ascending from the pit’s bottom to the palace’s heights instruct and inspire us. Joseph reflects the historic Jewish challenge to survive and even thrive in a harsh reality, resisting despair. He is the prototype model of the modern Jew, preparing and enlightening us about living in two worlds.

He was able and enabled to perceive

God’s guiding, sustaining, and generous hand in his tumultuous life of enduring lessons, steeled and sensitized by adversity turned into advantage. Remarkable Joseph and the brave Maccabees of all ages have taught us that to be a Jew is to stand up to antisemitism and all forms of baseless hatred and wanton racism, making a radical difference in reducing evil’s darkness and ever rejoicing in the light’s fulfilling promise symbolized by the bright Hanukkah menorah we proudly display, for the entire human family’s sake.

Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman is the founder and spiritual leader of Temple Lev Tikvah in Virginia Beach. He is Honorary Senior Rabbi Scholar at Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church.

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 27

IT’S A WRAP

The Great Big Challah Bake­—is back in-person

Workshop on antisemitism featured national and local experts Elka Mednick

Sierra Lautman

O

T

idewater women from five years of age and up gathered at B’nai Israel Congregation in Norfolk for the 7th Annual Great Big Challah Bake on Thursday, October 21. The annual event is part of the global Shabbos Project and a collaboration between B’nai Israel Congregation and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning.

Even with masks on, attendees’ happy faces shone with smiles. Darcy Bloch, B’nai Israel Congregation’s Sisterhood president and event chair, warmly welcomed the women and walked them through the steps of mixing and kneading their challah dough. As the dough was rising, Aliza Markman, Racheli Kovan, and Rebbitzin Chamie Haber, of B’nai Israel Congregation, shared about the feelings that are infused into a home as a family prepares for Shabbat, and the power of a room filled with women sharing in the mitzvah of challah making.

One of the youngest challah bakers perfects her braiding technique.

To learn more about similar programs, contact Sierra Lautman, director of Jewish Innovation at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater at SLautman@UJFT.org.

Cynthia Kipling and her tablemates show off their six-strand challah braid.

Challah baking was a family affair this year, with many daughters and granddaughters joining in on the fun.

28 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

ld Dominion U n i v e r s i t y ’s In stitute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding, along with Jewish C o m m u n i t y Relations Council and the Konikoff Center for Learning Craig Wansink introduces Meredith Weisel, Rhonda Harris, and Ted Roese. of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater hosted an online workshop to learn about the hidden history of antisemitism and how to respond to it in the present day.

In this fast moving workshop on the evening of Sunday, October 17, participants heard from speakers representing ODU’s leadership includ- Jonathan Zur. ing the Provost and the Chief of Police, as well as Dr. Amy Milligan, Old and UJFT’s annual Lee and Bernard Jaffe Dominion University’s Batten Endowed Family Jewish Book Festival.

Associate Professor of Jewish Studies and Held completely online, particiWomen’s Studies and the director of the pants said the panelists inspired them Institute of Jewish Studies and Interfaith to reevaluate their role as a bystander Understanding, the ADL, FBI, Virginia when encountering bias, hate, and Center for Inclusive Communities. Dr. antisemitism. A toolkit of resources was Craig Wansink, Virginia Wesleyan provided to all participants, which may University’s professor and chair of be obtained by visiting JewishVA.org/ Religious Studies and Joan P. and Macon F. AntisemitismToolkit.

Brock, Jr. director of the Robert Nusbaum Center of Religious Studies, and ODU For more information about the Jewish student Briana Caldwell were also particiCommunity Relations Council and its programs, pants in the program. visit www.jewishva.org/jcrc or email Elka Best-selling author Dara Horn preMednick, assistant director, Jewish Community sented on her new book, People Love Dead Relations Council, United Jewish Federation of Jews, as part of the Simon Family JCC Tidewater at EMednick@ujft.org.

IT’S A WRAP

Noa Tishby discusses truth, social media, and the role she plays Elka Mednick

F

or Noa Tishby, it has become a mission to educate and engage with the rampant antisemitism and anti-Zionist corners of Twitter and other social media platforms.

On Wednesday, October 13, Tishby shared her expertise with Tidewater’s Jewish community as the first speaker in the 11th annual Israel Today series presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council, Simon Family JCC, Embassy of Israel & Community Partners, and the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Book Festival.

In her new book, Israel, A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, as well as in her talk, Tishby emphasizes that most people who take an anti-Israel stance do not understand the historical context in which the state was founded. And, more importantly, much of the anti-Israel “facts” floating around online are simply antisemitic troupes brought into the digital space, and supported by a small contingent of young Hollywood with great reach, and greater misunderstanding of the truth.

Tishby has used her own star power to become a firebrand on Twitter, prompting years of hard work and research that culminated in her new book.

Tishby’s frank style of writing and interacting with the moderator Laura Gross, UJFT’s president, makes it clear how she has garnered a space for herself as the unofficial spokesperson for Israel online. She says she continues to put the work into stopping dangerous myths, because “Israel is the only true democracy in the Middle East, so putting aside everything else, we must make clear what lies are being told.”

When will Tisbhy no longer need to defend Israel? That depends on when the festering of hate ends on the internet, she says.

Laura Gross and Noa Tishby.

To watch the recording of Noa Tisbhy’s Israel Today event, or to learn more about upcoming events, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday.

Elka Mednick is assistant director, Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. She may be reached at EMednick@ujft.org.

Noa Tishby.

Orly Hassid, Naty Horev, and Noa Tishby.

Books for area schools

E

ach year the Holocaust Commission’s White Rose project donates educational materials to ALL middle and high schools in the area. Commission volunteers finish packing up this year’s books to be delivered to school libraries.

Arlene Kessel packaging White Rose books.

Sue Ellen Teach, Rachael Feigenbaum, and Ina Mirman Leiderman.

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 29

WHAT’S HAPPENING Workshop: Parenting with Sanity and Joy with Susan G. Groner

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel with Elyssa Friedland

Sunday, November 14, 2 pm Simon Family JCC

Monday, November 15, 12 pm Sandler Family Campus and online

Nofar Trem

Jill Grossman

S

usan G. Groner, podcaster, author, and founder of The Parenting Mentor, will conduct an interactive parenting workshop aimed to help parents with toddlers through teens navigate some of the everyday parenting decisions that inevitably arise in all family homes.

Parents are invited to drop off their children, ages 2 and up, with Camp JCC counselors for Sunday Fun Day activities and join this free workshop. Coffee, a copy of Groner’s new book, Parenting with Sanity & Joy, and an armful of new tools for a ‘parenting toolbox’ will also be provided.

“I have been lucky enough to have Sue as a mother-mentor in my life for a few years now. Every time I doubt what I am doing as a mom, Sue will not only remind me to be kinder to myself but also gently nudge me in a better direction of mothering that I likely wouldn’t have figured out or discovered on my own.

Every parent in our anxiety-filled culture needs Sue in their lives!” says Liz Raun Schlesinger, founder and CEO of Merit Hill Capital.

This workshop is presented by PJ Library in Tidewater as a part of the Simon Family

S

Susan G. Groner.

JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival.

To learn more about Groner before her visit to Tidewater, go to her website, theparentingmentor.com for links to her blog, podcast, and excerpts from her book.

Seats are limited.

Register today. For more information or to register, visit JewishVA. org/PJLibrary or contact Nofar Trem, PJ Library program coordinator, at NTrem@ UJFT.org or 757-321-2334.

Follow us on Facebook JewishNewsVA 30 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

ecrets and scandals come to light as the last family-owned Catskills resort teeters on the brink of extinction. Longburied secrets emerge and everyone from the traditional grandparents to the millennial grandchildren wants a say in the hotel’s future in this novel by Elyssa Friedman.

In its heyday, the Golden Hotel was the crown jewel of the hotter-than-hot Catskills vacation scene. For more than 60 years, the Goldman and Weingold families—best friends and business partners—have presided over this glamorous resort which served as a second home for well-heeled guests and celebrities. But the Catskills are not what they used to be— and neither is the relationship between the Goldmans and the Weingolds. As the facilities and management begin to fall apart, a tempting offer to sell forces the two families together again to make a heart-wrenching decision. Can they save their beloved Golden or is it too late?

Join in-person or online as author Elyssa Friedland brings this hilarious, nostalgia-filled story to life.

Elyssa Friedand

This event is free and open to the community with online and in-person ticket options available. Preregistration required for both. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest, or contact Jill Grossman, director, Arts + Ideas, at 757-965-6137, or jgrossman@ujft.org.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING Gardening, the ultimate metaphor for life with Meir Shalev

Be A Reader program enters new territory Brainstorming session: Monday, December 6

Sunday, November 21, 2 pm, online Elka Mednick

W

hile Meir Shalev is not a household name in the United States, he is one of Israel’s most celebrated novelists. Shalev will join the community for an online conversation as part of the 11th annual Israel Today series in partnership with the Chrysler Museum of Art’s book club.

Shalev’s prolific writing career is comprised of multiple bestselling books sold throughout the world. His many titles have been translated into more than 20 languages, including the book chosen by the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Book Club, My Wild Garden: Notes from a Writer’s Eden. In this memoir composed of multiple essays, Shalev reflects on his childhood growing up on a moshav, family history, the garden he has cultivated as an adult, and the humor inherent in life.

At the onset of the pandemic, many people began spending more time outside admiring nature and perhaps even cultivating a garden. Shalev beautifully describes his experience of doing just that in this series of essays. When Shalev comes across his home and garden in the Jezreel Valley, it appears parched and dilapidated after years of neglect. Though his grandfather had an orchard and his mother was an avid gardener, Shalev himself was a novice on matters of horticulture. Throughout the collection of essays, which can be read in order or at random, Shalev describes how a hobby quickly becomes a much loved activity.

Though the book’s skeleton rests on all things botanical as Shalev learns what to plant and when from a knowledgeable elder, he expertly draws comparisons between the plants he cultivates and life.

Shalev whimsically extolls the virtues of the lemon and pomegranate tree, referencing the plants named in the Torah, wondering

After 22 years, thousands of books and thousands of readers, the BeAR Literacy Program is ready to reinvent volunteerism.

Robin Ford

Meir Shalev.

why some are included by name and some are not. Shalev describes the pride he takes in all who admire his garden from the potential nuisance of wildlife to bridal parties and kindergarteners who grow before his eyes as they interact with the natural world.

By the end of this poignant memoir, Shalev reflects on the personal growth he has experienced while learning about and supporting his garden’s growth. Noting that the patience and dedication his garden requires is similar to that of his career as a writer, though painful at times, the results ultimately prove beautiful—beginning to end.

Meir Shalev’s online conversation is presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater‘s Jewish Community Relations Council’s Israel Today series, the Embassy of Israel and Community Partners, and as part of the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, in partnership with the Chrysler Museum of Art’s book club.

Free and open to the community; for more information or to RSVP (required), visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday.

T

he Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Be a Reader (BeAR) Literacy Program is refusing to hibernate this winter.

Instead, it is roaring into new territory.

BeAR will host a creative brainstorming session to consider new ways to reinvent volunteerism for the program. Many dedicated people have been involved in the BeAR program, and now looking ahead to 2022 and beyond, ideas and experience from past/present BeAR captains and mentors, local educators, librarians, and reading specialists are being solicited.

The BeAR program offers several ways

to be involved. The first option is when schools are again open to volunteers, join the team of mentors. If the time commitment is a concern, consider the BeAR Share volunteer option where two volunteers share the weekly time obligation for their student. BeAR students need great trainers, and no one ever regrets helping a child

learn to read.

If it’s not possible to donate time, consider financially supporting literacy in Tidewater. BeAR is in eight local Title 1 schools and assists more than 100 students annually, providing books, workbooks, pencils, erasers, crayons, sketchpads, and other materials to help build each student’s personal library.

Contact Robin Ford, BeAR program coordinator, at 757-321-2304 or rford@ujft.org to learn more about BeAR, to participate in the brainstorming session, or to volunteer time or dollars. Visit JewishVA.org/BeAR for more informration.

B’nai Israel plans 75th anniversary celebration Friday, January 14 and Saturday, January 15

T

he Shabbos of January 14 and 15, B’nai Israel will celebrate the congregation’s 75th anniversary with a gala kiddush. B’nai Israel Congregation serves the Jewish community however possible.

To help enhance this very special Shabbos, Simcha Leiner, a world class Chazzan and an inspiring personality, will lead the prayers throughout.

A Commemorative Book is being put together that highlights the congregation’s history in print and pictures. The book will also include memory ad pages. The organizers of the celebration hope to hear from as many past and present members as

possible. A memory may be of a grandparent at Shabbat services, or a friend from a Purim party. A memory may be of a Bar or Bas Mitzvah or of a special High Holiday tune.

“Look through your photos, and as you go down memory lane, send photos of your of B’nai Israel events to memoriesBI75@ gmail.com,“ says Tehilla Mostfosky, an event co-chair.

“We have many surprises planned,” says Amy Brooke, co-chair of the event.

For more information, or to become a donor, contact Amy Brooke at 757-2877238 or Tehilla Mostofsky at 757-572-2581.

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 31

CALENDAR

WHAT’S HAPPENING

NOVEMBER 8, MONDAY

I Had a Brother Once, with Adam Mansbach

Yishai Sarid as he discusses his New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2020, The Memory Monster. Presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and Community Partners’ 11th Annual Israel Today series. 12 pm. VIRTUAL event is Free and open to the community with pre-registration required.

For more information or to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFestival or contact Jill Grossman at 757-965-6137, jgrossman@ujft.org.

Wednesday, December 8, 7:30 pm Sierra Lautman

NOVEMBER 14, SUNDAY

J

oin Adam Mansbach, novelist, humorist, and poet, for his second visit to Tidewater as he shares excerpts from his new memoir, I Had a Brother Once.

The event is presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, as a part of the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival.

Mansbach was in the middle of his own busy life approaching a career-high when the words from his father, “David has taken his own life” opened a chasm beneath his feet. I Had a Brother Once is Mansbach’s way to reckon with the ghost of a brother he thought he knew, confront his unsettled family history and distant relationship with tradition and faith, and reconcile with the desperate need to understand an event that always escapes his grasp.

In the 10 years after David’s death, Mansbach found himself wishing he had more rituals to fall back on to help him through his grief. “That moment of Kaddish is very powerful because you don’t

Susan Groner, parent educator and author of Parenting with Sanity & Joy will present an interactive workshop. Through actionable tips, parenting mentor Groner will share the best parenting wisdom, which can also be found in her easy-to-read book, providing simple, fun, and effective guidance. Parents are invited to join the workshop while their children enjoy Sunday Fun Day activities led

by Camp JCC staff. Presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival in partnership with PJ Library & PJ Our Way. Free and open to the community. In-person and online participation options, with registration required for both. 2 pm.

For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFestival or contact Jill Grossman, director, Arts + Ideas, at 757-965-6137, or jgrossman@ujft.org. See page 30.

Sunday Fun Day: Family-friendly field games and fun at the Simon Family JCC! Crafts, games, activities, and a sweet treat. This event is free to JCC members, Strelitz and Camp JCC families, YAD, and Tidewater synagogue members. 2–5 pm. For more information, or register, visit JewishVA.org/PJLibrary of contact Nofar Trem, PJ Library program coordinator, at nmtrem@ujft.org.

NOVEMBER 15, MONDAY

Adam Mansbach.

need to know the words to understand the history,” says Mansbach. “The fact that this prayer has been recited for millions of people over thousands of years is very powerful.”

For more information or to register visit JewishVA.org/ BookFest or contact Sierra Lautman, director of Jewish Innovation, at SLautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.

Jewish News Digital Version See the paper 3 days before the cover date:

JewishNewsVa.org/digital.

To have the paper emailed, send your email address to news@ujft.org.

32 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel with author Elyssa Friedland. Friedland will share details of her novel about two families presiding over a glamorous resort in the so-called Jewish Alps. What happens when the facilities and the management begin to fall apart? Presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival in partnership with the JCC’s Seniors Club. A Simon Family JCC Book Club pick. 12 pm. Free and open to the community with in-person and online participation. Registration is required for both. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFestival or contact Jill Grossman, director, Arts + Ideas, at 757-9656137, or jgrossman@ujft.org. See page 30.

NOVEMBER 18, THURSDAY Antisemitism: A Bipartisan Problem that Demands a Nonpartisan Solution—How Conservatives Can Counter Antisemitism on the Right, presented by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, the ADL mid-Atlantic/Midwest, and the Jewish Community Relations Council, the second of two in a speaker series featuring leaders who have courageously and powerfully challenged anti-Jewish bigotry from their own political allies. 7 pm. Free and open to the community, registration for this virtual event is required; visit https://jewishphilly.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ebm63LmvR6yHUVQthy2p-A. For more information contact Elka Mednick, assistant director, JCRC, at emednick@ ujft.org or 757-965-6112.

NOVEMBER 21, SUNDAY One of Israel’s most celebrated authors, Meir Shalev, will discuss his book My Wild Garden: Notes from a Writer’s Eden. A Chrysler Museum of Art Book Club discussion, inspired by the Chrysler’s current exhibition, If You Thirst for a Homeland: Flameworked Glass by Dafna Kaffeman. Both Kaffeman and Shalev find inspiration in the beauty and fragility of the natural environment. A Chrysler Museum partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and community partners as part of the 11th annual Israel Today series as part of the Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. 2 pm. This online conversation with the author is Free and open to the community with registration required. For more information or to register, contact the Chrysler Museum by visiting https://3243.blackbaudhosting.com/3243/Chrysler-Book-Club-MyWild-Garden. See page 31.

DECEMBER 5, SUNDAY Community-wide celebration of Congregation Beth El’s 171st Anniversary, featuring 613, a cappella male singing group. 4 pm. Free. Reservation requested. In-person and virtual attendance.

For information on available sponsorships, contact Deb Segaloff at deb@segaloff.net or 285-9009.

For more information on the event or to RSVP, contact Noelle Wright at noelle@bethelnorfolk.com or 625-7821.

DECEMBER 8, WEDNESDAY I Had a Brother Once: A Poem, A Memoir with Adam Mansbach. Mansbach was in the middle of his own busy life and approaching a career-high when the words from his father, “David has taken his own life” opened a chasm beneath his feet. I Had a Brother Once is the story of everything that comes after. Presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning in partnership with the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival and Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. 7:30 pm. For more information or to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFestival or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ UJFT.org. See page 32.

JEWISH TIDEWATER AN INTERVIEW WITH RABBI RON KOAS

Beth El’s new rabbi took the road less traveled Mark Kozak

I

n sports terms, one might call Ron Koas a rookie. In rabbinic circles, the 60-year-old is just a late bloomer. He came to Congregation Beth El in July as his first senior pulpit.

Raised as a secular Jew in Israel, his roundabout path to the rabbinate included IDF officer; drama school dropout; Camp Ramah Canada counselor; outreach ambassador in Australia; Jewish educator on Long Island; education director at Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan; and associate rabbi in Marlboro, New Jersey.

In replacing interim Rabbi Murray Ezring, Rabbi Koas ended Beth El’s nearly two-year search that eventually went outside the Rabbinical Assembly.

Koas cites poet Robert Frost to describe the path that led him to Beth El: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

There was hardly a time in his

post-army life when Koas wasn’t both studying to be and working as a teacher.

He also led trips both within and to Israel, along with trips to the March of the Living in Poland. During a second stint at Camp Ramah Canada, he met his wife-to-be Miriam, the daughter of a Conservative rabbi.

“I was inspired by the kids at Ramah,” he says. “I felt I wanted to do something to connect with Judaism.”

The couple, married in 1988, lived in Israel where Koas got his master’s at Hebrew University, taught high school, and became coordinator of a USY-like youth group. Two sons, Daniel and Yair, were born in Israel. Then in 1999, a Jewish agency asked the family to do a three-year stint in a progressive Zionist program in Melbourne, Australia. “Everything was paid for; I was living a dream,” he says.

But Miriam grew homesick. She wanted to return to Great Neck, N.Y. to be near her parents. Meanwhile, his youngest child, daughter Talia, was born

in the United States.

Koas found a job as an educator on Long Island, then got the job as education director at Park Avenue.

“I call it my alma mater,” he says. “I got to learn from the best rabbis and cantors in the best synagogue in the country.”

There, he was ultimately encouraged to become a rabbi—and began his education at The Rabbinical Academy in Woodmere, N.Y.—both virtual and in-person. Four years later in 2013, upon his ordination, he became associate rabbi of Marlboro Jewish Center.

Another eight years would pass before “I decided I wanted to be a senior rabbi.”

But his marriage was growing apart.

It was dissolved in 2015. He spoke of his anguish during a Rosh Hashanah sermon in 2018.

“After the divorce, I got the quiet time I needed. There was a sense of relief, but at the same time, it was difficult for me.

All my life I was a family man, taking care of my family and now what? It makes me

RABBI RON KOAS Started at Congregation Beth El: July 1, 2021

Last show you binge-watched: Ted Lasso

New home: Apartment near Cafe Stella in Ghent

Favorite thing to do in Israel: Eat my mom’s cooking and spend time on the beach

Hometown: Ramat Gan (but really Tel Aviv Beach) in Israel.…

Lived in Melbourne, Australia three years; NY/NJ for 20 years and vacationed in Virginia Beach Age: 60

Something about you most people don’t know: My parents are from Iraq, and I believe that my great-greatgreat-great-grandparents wrote the Babylonian Talmud.

Children: Daniel, 27; Yair, 24; and Talia, 15

What is your greatest achievement: Being a good father

Parents: Ya’akov (passed away 25 years ago) and Josephaine (in Israel)

What do you regret: Not being able to fix my marriage and not living in Israel

Education: Ordination from The Rabbinical Academy in Queens; master’s degree in education and administration from Hebrew University in Jerusalem; bachelor’s in education from Levinsky College in Tel Aviv

Most essential Torah stories: The story of creation and the story of the Exodus

Hobbies: Going to the beach, water activities, and hiking

Your favorite quote: “If I am not for me, who is for me; and if I am (only) for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”

—Rabbi Hillel

Other skills: Fluent in Spanish, English, Hebrew— and Arabic (kind of)

Biggest challenge facing the Jewish world: Being stagnant and not being able to evolve

Favorite movie: Analyze This

Favorite Jewish/Israeli food: I like both to eat and make shakshuka, especially for my kids and my friends on Sunday morning.

Favorite song: Lean on Me by Bill Withers What book are you reading now: The Midnight Library

by Matt Haig

If you weren’t a rabbi, you’d be… I would probably be an actor, explorer, politician, or a wave surfer.

Rabbi Ron Koas.

very sad to know that my daughter Talia will not have the same family experiences as my sons Daniel and Yair.”

He does find time to visit his daughter, now 15, back in New York.

His sermon style is Torah-based, but often includes a humorous story.

“I rehearse at home, but I speak from the heart, and I’m not tied to the written word. Sometimes it becomes quite different on the pulpit.”

He seeks to bring a progressive approach to Beth El—including instrumentation on Shabbat, casual attire, inclusivity, and diversity.

“I want all Jewish people to feel comfortable—gay, straight, haven’t decided.

We can be inclusive without compromising the tradition.… If we don’t do certain things, others will.”

Already, he has met more than 200 Beth El families at Shabbat lunches and dinners. First and foremost, Rabbi Koas has quickly become a salesman for the shul.

“I really want to establish Beth El as the leading congregation in the Tidewater area. I want it to be the vibrant community that all unaffiliated Jews will join.…

I can bring my heart and soul to it, but I can’t do it alone. You need great staff and great lay leadership.

“I didn’t come here to be in a mediocre congregation; I want it to be the Park Avenue of Tidewater, and I’ll do everything possible to make it happen.”

Not bad for a rookie.

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 33

WHO KNEW?

Israeli noshery Sherry Herring opens in NYC— with ‘no Sherry and no herring’ Rachel Ringler

(New York Jewish Week via JTA)— Imagine arriving at the Pastrami Queen but finding no pastrami, or showing up at Holy Schnitzel to find its signature breaded chicken cutlet off the menu.

To quote Tevye, sounds crazy, no? But that is exactly what will happen if you visit Sherry Herring, the Israeli eatery that recently opened on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It is the first branch of the renowned sandwich bar in the port of Tel Aviv famous for—you guessed it— its herring sandwiches.

But for the moment, to quote Sherry Ansky, the driving force behind Sherry Herring, the New York outpost has “no Sherry and no herring.”

That’s because Ansky is still waiting for her travel documents to enter the United States—and the herring is still aging at a Dutch processor, patiently soaking up the brine and flavors that must meet Ansky’s approval.

Ansky is a food celebrity in Israel, where she has written six cookbooks (one of which was translated into English).

For decades she was a food columnist for the daily newspaper Maariv. But in 2011 she hit a writer’s block. It was at that time that her daughter, Michal Ansky, herself a food journalist, opened the farmer’s market in the port of Tel Aviv, which soon became a draw for tourists, foodies and hipsters. Sherry Ansky decided to create a sandwich shop there that featured herring.

Ansky has had a long-standing love affair with herring, the brined or pickled fish that is a staple of Ashkenazi cuisine.

When she was six years old, she went to synagogue with her father.

“Somebody made a kiddush and brought me a plate filled with lekach [honey cake], kugel and lots of herring,” she told The Jewish Week. “I ate one piece, then another, until I finished it all. I believe that there is a moment when you understand the power of candy. For me,

it happened with herring.”

Ansky’s shop, featuring herring and other fish sandwiches, was an immediate success. Shortly after she opened the sandwich bar, she entered the farmers’ market to find a line snaking through it and out the door.

“I fainted and ran away,” she remembers. “I told the people to go away! I can’t do it.”

Even those who aren’t normally fans of herring may find it hard not be taken

by Ansky’s herring sandwich. It is a carefully constructed work consisting of a fresh baguette, sliced in half and slathered with sour cream and French butter, seasoned with hot pepper, seeds and juice from a tomato, onions and scallions, and finished off with brined herring.

Food celebrity Phil Rosenthal visited the Tel Aviv port for his Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil and declared Ansky’s herring sandwich was “one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had in my stupid life.”

“The taste is precise,” says Ansky. “At the end of the day, I feel like I worked on this sandwich all of my life, until the moment I needed it.”

During the pandemic, Ansky sent her son-in-law and business partner, Eyal Amir, to New York to scout out a location for the first of what they hope will be several Sherry Herring shops.

They chose the Upper West Side, says Amir, “because it is a Jewish neighborhood where our penetration to the market will be easiest.” Their eatery, says Amir, builds on the culture of appetizing stores in New York, including Russ & Daughters on the Lower East Side and Barney Greengrass less than a mile away.

Like the Tel Aviv sandwich bar, the Manhattan shop offers a choice of smoked fish sandwiches: tuna from a smokehouse in the Hamptons, wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon, mackerel from, according to Amir, the “wild waters off of Spain.”

34 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

So why no herring? Because there is herring and then there is Sherry’s herring. During his scouting ventures, Amir brought back samples of all of the herrings he could source in the five boroughs of New York City. None met the approval of Ansky’s discerning palate.

So, she flew off to Holland and worked with a fishery there to select the best herring—creamy with a soft bite—and to create the brine that would give her the flavor she was after.

“We kept on experimenting until we reached the right flavor in July,” says

Amir. Then they had to submit the recipe and process to the FDA for approval.

They started production last month. But the herring, says Amir, “needs 11 weeks in our unique brine to arrive at the flavor, colors and aroma that we want.”

So, the herring will come, in a first shipment of 15,000 filets, in December.

Will that be enough? That, says Amir, “depends on how much New Yorkers like it.”

Sherry Herring is located at 245 W. 72nd St., between West End Avenue and Broadway.

Blood Drive in honor of Sam Sachs Wednesday, December 1, 9:30 am–2:30 pm

T

he United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC are hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive in honor of Sam Sachs. A highly passionate and energetic young man, Sam launched his own team of “Sam’s Warriors” after spending time at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters for T-cell Leukemia treatment.

He made it his personal mission to raise funds—and spirits—for children who often times have to go through intense medical treatment on their own.

It’s in this spirit that the community is

hosting a drive to help the Red Cross reach their local and regional goals for blood donations.

Pre-reserve a donation time at RedCrossBlood.org and enter the Sponsor Code “SAM.” Drop ins are also fine. The Drive will be a safe and spacious experience taking place in the Sandler Family Campus’ gymnasium, and the process will be swift. Share with friends, family, and neighbors. Come donate for a great cause on December 1.

WHO KNEW? MAX FRIED PITCHES ATLANTA BRAVES TO FIRST WORLD SERIES WIN IN 26 YEARS Jacob Gurvis

(JTA)—Jewish ace pitcher Max Fried delivered his Atlanta Braves to their first World Championship since 1995 with six shutout innings in Game 6 of a World Series heralded as the most Jewish in baseball history.

The 27-year-old lefty held the Houston Astros to four hits, overcoming a potentially serious injury to strike out six without surrendering a run or a walk.

The game contained what might have been the most Jewish play in any Major League Baseball matchup ever: In the bottom of the second inning, Astros star third baseman Alex Bregman stepped up to the plate and sliced Fried’s second pitch to right field, where Braves outfielder Joc Pederson easily caught it for out number two.

To most fans, the sequence was a mundane flyout with no significance. But to Jewish fans, the play showcased three Jewish players performing on the sport’s biggest stage.

For Pederson, who entered the series on a red-hot tear immortalized by his nickname Joctober, the victory gave him a second consecutive World Championship. Pederson played for the 2020 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. He celebrated the achievement with a cigar and his trademark pearl necklace.

The fourth Jewish player to appear in the World Series, Astros backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, entered the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning. He did not bat.

Fried’s success on the mound came after a scary moment in the bottom of the first inning. With the lanky pitcher covering first base on a ground ball, the Astros’ Michael Brantley came charging down the base path, stepping on Fried’s ankle instead of the base. Replays showed Fried’s ankle almost flatten under Brantley’s cleat.

For his teammates and coaches, it was a frightening few moments. But Fried popped right back up, and pitched deep into the game.

“I just told myself that I was going to go out there and be 100% me, just try to pitch and try to win a ballgame,” Fried said after the win. “I knew I could empty the tank. I knew it was the last outing of the year. I was definitely running on fumes at the end of the playoffs, but I knew I had to be ready for one more.”

Aside from Fried’s sparkling Game 6 start, the Jewish players had a cold series.

Pederson had just one hit in 15 at bats, while Bregman knocked two, one of them a double, in 21 at bats. Bregman also struck out seven times, to Pederson’s four.

ALEX CLARE SKIPPED TOURING WITH ADELE BECAUSE OF SHABBAT. NOW THE ORTHODOX POP ARTIST IS BACK WITH A NEW SINGLE. (JTA)—British musician Alex Clare burst onto the pop music scene with his debut album in 2011, and was offered a chance to tour with megastar Adele.

But the tour would have required him to travel and perform on Jewish holidays, and Clare is an Orthodox Jew. So he declined the opportunity, then lost his record label representation.

Clare, who released a new single last month, spoke with the BBC about the tumultuous time, and how he leaned on his Jewish faith to get through it.

He’s also gotten an apology from the record label that told him he prioritized his religious observance too much, the BBC reported.

While he got another record deal after his hit single Too Close appeared in a Microsoft commercial in 2012, Clare was burned out on the industry. In 2015, he moved to Israel, where he focused instead on Torah study and raising his children.

“When I signed, they knew that that was happening, but they didn’t quite understand how serious the rules of keeping the Sabbath are,” Clare said.

“They thought I was nuts,” he added.

An Island Records representative told the BBC: “What was said to him 10 years ago was wrong and does not in any way represent our views or policies.”

These days, Clare still lives in Jerusalem and travels to the U.K. for work commitments. He grew up secular and became Orthodox in his 20s.

Clare has long argued that there is little tension between being an observant Jew and a successful career in pop music. He also says he can be a Jewish musician without making music about Judaism.

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MAZEL TOV TO BIRTH Michael and Mattie Brooke on the birth of a daughter, Brocha. Michael and Mattie were married on August 27, 2020.

Michael attended Hebrew Academy of Tidewater, Toras Chaim Yeshiva, and received a bachelor’s degree in Talmudic Studies from Bais Medrash Toras Chesed in Lakewood, N.J. He has also studied at the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He is the son of Amy and Jeffrey Brooke.

Mattie is the daughter of Amy and Kevin Lefcoe. Mattie attended HAT, Cape Henry Collegiate, and received her bachelor’s degree in New Jersey, In addition to serving as a full-time mother to Brocha, Mattie works as a teacher and tutor.

The couple loves their life together and feel fortunate to have found one another in the midst of so much displacement in the previous year. They look forward to transmitting the Jewish values they absorbed in Tidewater to Brocha and to many trips back home to see friends and family.

MAZEL TOV submissions should be emailed to news@ujft.org with Mazel Tov in the subject line.

Achievements, B’nai Mitzvot, births, engagements and weddings are appropriate simchas to announce.

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Contact Taffy Hunter, Human Resources director, at 757-965-6117, resumes@ujft.org or submit resume to

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jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 35

OBITUARIES HARRIET BRESENOFF RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA—Harriet R. Bresenoff, born on September 2, 1931, passed away October 25, 2021 surrounded by her loving children.

Sensing her deep loss, she left this earthly realm a mere 16 weeks after her beloved Morty. Harriet and Mort had 69 years of delight together. Harriet was born and spent her younger years in the hills of Scranton, Pa., the daughter of Frank Isaac and Rose Jacobs, a hard working family.

During Harriet’s teenage years the family moved to the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City where her parents opened The Rose dress shop.

Harriet loved fabric and fashion and received an associate degree in retail marketing. As a young teen she was called upon to do the buying in the garment district for The Rose shop upon her father’s untimely heart attack. Under her mother’s tutelage, Harriet learned how to sew, and learned the cut, color, and quality of fashion. She showed by example throughout her life how to always look immaculate, stylish, and coiffed. Most vividly and impactful to her children was how to set a beautiful holiday table and the importance of Yiddishkeit in the home.

Harriet met her bashert, Mort, while he was in a CCNY college study group with her brother-in-law, Jerome R. Jacobs, of blessed memory. Harriet’s sister, Marilyn, of blessed memory, made an expedient introduction and a marriage quickly ensued. During the Korean War, when Mort was stationed as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy serving on a destroyer based out of Norfolk, Virginia, the young newlyweds made a huge decision to move away from the family in NYC to begin their own family in Norfolk. They spent 42 years there before retiring to Florida and then to Raleigh, N.C. to be close to their children and grandchildren.

Harriet and Mort had a rich social circle, and were inaugural members of a local investment club and the Amity social club.

Harriet was involved either as member or leader in all the various Jewish organizations, including life member of Hadassah, ORT, Temple Israel Sisterhood, Jewish Federation, and Bonds for Israel. Harriet even stepped up to be the “House Mother” of her daughter Lisa’s Jewish teen sorority.

Harriet was a devoted daughter to her mother, Rose Jacobs, of blessed memory, who lived in Norfolk, and whom her grandchildren remember being part of weekday lunches, every family gathering and holidays.

Harriet’s grandchildren remember her for her love of speaking Yiddish and teaching them the “less Kosher” Yiddish words, showing them how to be mensches. Her love of family and her Jewish faith and how that faith looks, smells, and feels is Harriet’s most memorable legacy.

Harriet is survived by her children, Lisa (Steven) Feierstein and Marc Bresenoff; grandchildren Alison Bresenoff (Carla), Aaron (Sarah) Feierstein and Joshua (Mollie) Feierstein; and great grandsons Ethan and Theodore who all strive to follow in the Jewish heritage that was so close to their Bubbe’s heart.

CHARLES STUART HEYMAN NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS—It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Charlie Heyman, on Friday, October 22, 2021 in Needham, Massachusetts.

Charlie was the loving husband of Renee Heyman (of blessed memory). Charlie is survived by his daughter Joanne Heyman (Joe Green), son Richard Heyman (Anne), and daughter Beverlie Marks (Morris), and his cherished grandchildren Scott and Julia Heyman, Andrew, Ilana and Alex Marks, Sydney and Morgan Greene, and Rashid Perkins.

Charlie served as president of Temple Emanuel from 2007 through 2009. He remained an active board member until he moved back to his home state of Massachusetts.

A graveside service was held at Plainville Cemetery in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

We ask that you join us in offering comfort to the Heyman family at this difficult time: May God comfort and embrace you alongside all those who grieve.

MORTON J “KAPPY” KAPLAN VIRGINIA BEACH—Morton J. “Kappy” Kaplan, 91, passed away on Tuesday, October 19, 2021.

A native of New York, he was the son of Harry Kaplan and Mary Levine Kaplan.

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Kappy was a paratrooper with of the 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagles in the U.S. Army. He was transferred to Fort Belvoir, Virginia in 1950 where he supervised troop movement to Korea during the Korean War. Shortly after leaving his discharge from the Army, Kappy went to work for the Hecht Company, and it was there he was trained to a carpet buyer. Eventually he was offered a job as a buyer in Norfolk, Virginia which is was what brought him to the area over 60 years ago. In the early 1960s Kappy opened Thalia Carpet and Drapery Shop directly across the street from Willis Wayside. Kappy ended his career in carpet just weeks before his passing as the flooring department manager for the last 16 years at the very same Willis [Wayside] Furniture. He loved his job, but even more he loved the people he worked with.

In addition to his parents, Kappy was predeceased by his brother and sisterin-law, Richard and Norma Harrison, and by his grandson William Boswell III; Kappy is survived by two daughters Marcy Smith (Ron) and Paula Rodgers (Chuck); two sons Micah Kaplan and Ryan Asher Kaplan; stepson Brock Davenport (Dawn.); nephew Robert Harrison; niece Nancy Harrison; nine grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.

A funeral service was conducted at Altmeyer Funeral Home, followed by a burial in Forest Lawn Cemetery officiated

by Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg of Ohef Sholom Temple.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.altmeyerfh.com.

STEVEN SHAWN LAZERNICK CHESAPEAKE—Steven Shawn Lazernick passed away October 18, 2021, in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Steve was born March 25, 1956, to Albert and Thelma Fay Goldman Lazernick, the third of six children.

Steve was a graduate of Granby High School and attended Tidewater Community College. He retired from the Ford Motor Company and was also a licensed painting contractor, leaving his mark in numerous homes throughout Hampton Roads. Steve never knew any strangers, as he would immediately welcome and talk

with anyone within hearing distance.

Steve was predeceased by his father Albert and brothers Eugene and Lee. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 31 years Joanne, daughters Samara (Shane), Jennifer (Kleyton) and Mandy (Philmore), and son Joshua, and eight grandchildren.

He is also survived by his mother Thelma Fay, sister Marlie (Dave) and brothers Brad (Judy) and Ernie (Joe). Steve also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, cousins, and life-long friends.

A graveside service was conducted at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Donations in Steve’s memory may be made to Beth Sholom Village, where Steve raved about the care he received.

PHILLIP ALLAN UNGAR BRIDGEWATER, VIRGINIA—Phillip Allan Ungar, 82, of Bridgewater, Virginia passed away Saturday, October 23, 2021 at his home.

He was born in Norfolk, Virginia on June 15, 1939, a son of the late Max and Martha (Cooper) Ungar.

Phill was a gentle soul who loved life, his family, and his friends. His greatest gift was teaching and telling stories. His passion was for making pottery. Phill also loved teaching and guiding young people into the field of food service. In Phill’s words he wrote, “He loves the air, the sun, the moon, smiles, laughter, and rain on his face, flowers and their fragrance, the earth, all of mankind, the universal energy, his children, family, and most of all—Pam.” He was united in marriage to his best friend, Pamela Lynn (Klein) Ungar for 49 years of love.

Surviving in addition to his wife are his children, Eric Andrew Ungar of San Francisco, Calif. and Bryan David Ungar, of Harrisonburg; his sister, Barbara Ungar Krampf, his sister-in-law, Jackye Abbott, and many wonderful loving nieces and nephews and cousins and life-long friends.

A time to celebrate the life of Phillip Ungar will be held at a later announced date at his home in Bridgewater and another celebration in Virginia Beach.

Please remember Phill when you take a walk outside, hear laughter, and hold a piece of his pottery. Donations to St. Jude’s Research Hospital for Children, Pleasant

OBITUARIES View Homes, Blue Ridge Community College, and Beth El Congregation of Harrisonburg.

JAY BLACK OF JAY AND THE AMERICANS (JTA)—When Jay Black wanted The New York Times to understand that he was a hell-raiser, he said he was thrown out of New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn.

When he made the same point to The Forward, he added that he was subsequently tossed out of three yeshivahs.

“Three yeshivas,” Black said twice for emphasis in a 2014 interview. “I was a bad kid.”

Black, born David Blatt, died in Queens, New York, on Oct. 22 at 82, of cardiac arrest brought on by pneumonia.

He was selling shoes in 1962 or 1963 at Thom McAn when a buddy, Marty Kupersmith, who knew Blatt from the Jewish doo-wop circuit, asked him to take the place of Jay Traynor, who had quit Jay and the Americans, a group that had scored a single hit in 1962.

There was a condition: Blatt had to take on the first name Jay. There are differing accounts of how he got the name Black; there’s evidence he was using it professionally before he joined Jay and the Americans, but he insisted he muttered “Jay Blatt” when Mike Douglas, the daytime talk show host, asked him his name, and Douglas repeated “Black” and it stuck.

Black, raised in an Orthodox family, had sung as a youngster with the choir of Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky. He became known for his powerful reach-for-therafters voice and his dramatic delivery.

Bandmates dubbed him “The Voice” and it stuck.

With his dark good looks and his operatic delivery, he affected a Latin persona; one of the band’s most popular numbers was Cara Mia, in which he pledges to his presumably Italian object of adoration that “I will be your love until the end of time,” escalating into a heart-stopping falsetto. The song peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

There were other hits: Come a Little Bit Closer (which peaked at #3 on the charts), about an encounter with a seductress in a Mexican border town that ends badly;

and their cover of the Drifters’ This Magic Moment (peaked at #6). The group was big enough to open for the Beatles in 1964, at the Fab Four’s very first U.S. concert.

The band wore sweaters and were clean-cut, but Black liked to project a mysterious, bad-boy affect: he boasted of his friendship with the Mafia boss John Gotti, and in a 1994 profile refused to tell The New York Times what his name was before “Black”—in fact, nothing in the long profile refers to his Jewishness. (He also made sure the reporter knew that female fans were, in his sixth decade, still delivering panties to him.)

He toured across America for decades, but New Yorkers loved their native son best. He sported a flag on his jacket, and said he was proud of the band’s 1963 hit, Only in America, recorded just when the counterculture was about to take off.

“Only in America can a guy from anywhere go to sleep a pauper and wake up a millionaire,” he sang.

In his 2014 interview with The

Forward, Black seemed taken aback that the reporter even knew he was Jewish.

But then he went all in, noting that the interview was taking place hours before the onset of Simchat Torah, and saying that he would light yahrzeit candles for his parents to mark the day.

The group broke up in 1973, but Black continued to perform under “Jay and the Americans” until 2005, when a

chronic gambling habit drove him into bankruptcy. Debts forced him to sell back the name to three original founders of the group, who were ready to reunite and take the show on the road.

The revived group let him continue performing as Jay Black, but he never quite forgave them for taking the band name from him. continued on page 38

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OBITUARIES continued from page 37

“We shared both wonderful and very contentious times, and much like an ex-wife, we are so proud of the beautiful children we created,” the group said Saturday on its Facebook page. “We’ll always remember The Voice.”

Taking his place fronting the band is a younger guy named John Reincke. Now known as Jay. Jay Black, thrice-married and thrice-divorced, is survived by three sons, a daughter and five grandchildren.

MORT SAHL, JEWISH COMEDIAN WHO FUSED STAND-UP WITH POLITICAL SATIRE AND INSPIRED THE LIKES OF LENNY BRUCE (JTA)—Mort Sahl, a Jewish satirist who was credited with making caustic political and social satire popular in stand-up comedy, died Tuesday, October 23 at 94.

Often walking on stage holding just

a rolled up newspaper, Sahl liked to riff on the headlines of the day in extended improvised monologues. At a time when comedians tended to steer clear of politics, Sahl took aim at politicians and was known to end his sets with the line: “Are there any groups I haven’t offended?”

Steve Allen, the first host of The Tonight Show, once introduced Sahl as “probably the only real political philosopher we have in modern comedy.”

Though Sahl was not religious and did not discuss his Jewishness in routines or often in public, he inspired a wave of fellow Jewish stand-ups. Woody Allen named him as a major influence and commented in interviews how Sahl also influenced the fellow Jewish pioneer Lenny Bruce—who would take Sahl’s freeform style and cutting satire to crude new heights.

Sahl was born in Montreal in 1927 to Jewish parents from New York’s Lower

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Apply at bit.ly/tjf-simonfamilypassport through November 15 The Tidewater Jewish Foundation can help fund the trip through the Simon Family Passport to Israel Fund!

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38 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

East Side and eventually moved to Los Angeles. As a teenager, Sahl dropped out of high school there and tried to enroll in the ROTC program by lying about his age, but his mother found him out after two weeks and brought him home. Sahl was married three times and a had a son, Mort Jr., with his second wife. Mort Jr., died of a drug overdose at age 19 in 1996.

The elder Sahl got his break performing in San Francisco years after graduating from college, performing sets at a club known for attracting an intellectual crowd. His jokes about national politics eventually earned him a following and he started appearing on late night shows and performing in clubs across the country.

After appearing in several movies in the 1950s and early ’60s, his career took a dive after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, which Sahl came to believe had been orchestrated by the CIA. But he continued to act and perform stand-up into his 90s.

In 1982, Sahl played the role of Werner Finck, a German-Jewish satirist, in a 5-hour TV special. In 2003, the National Foundation for Jewish Culture honored Sahl with the Alan King Award in American Jewish Humor.

But Sahl explained to J. The Jewish News of Northern California in 2004 that he never emphasized his Jewishness on stage because it wasn’t a major part of his upbringing.

“I never stressed it,” he says, “because I didn’t have those kinds of parents. I grew up in a homogenized neighborhood, and was a kind of a mail-order, cardboard Jew.” Speaking with the paper not long after the premiere of Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ, Sahl opined on the movie and antisemitism.

“Terrible movie,” he said. “Two hours of unrelieved sadism. But the Romans are nice! I think everyone’s second nature is anti-Semitism, so all the anxiety [over the film] is justified.”

TYLER HERRON, FORMER TEAM ISRAEL PITCHER (JTA)—Tyler Herron, a former major league baseball prospect who pitched for

Team Israel during their Cinderella run in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, died last month at 35.

No cause or exact date of Herron’s death have been reported. Several of the minor league teams he played for posted tributes to Herron on social media.

Herron, who grew up in Florida, was of Puerto Rican descent, according to El Nuevo Dia, one of Puerto Rico’s largest circulation newspapers. But a YouTube video from Team Israel explains that his aunt also discovered in 2014 that he had a Jewish grandmother, which made him eligible to earn Israeli citizenship and play for the team.

Herron appeared in three games during the 2017 World Baseball Classic and called it “the best experience I’ve ever had in baseball.” Team Israel finished sixth in the international tournament, despite being ranked outside of the top 40 countries in the world before entering.

Team Israel Baseball posted a note on social media: “He is remembered fondly by all his teammates and coaches from Team Israel. Israel Baseball sends its deepest condolences to Herron’s family and loved ones.”

A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Herron was a standout high school pitcher. During his senior year, the right-hander led the country with a 0.25 earned run average, striking out 81 batters in 57 innings.

He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 2005 Major League Baseball draft, and in 2007 was ranked by Baseball America as the organization’s 10th best prospect. But he never made it to the major leagues.

During a 16-year career, Herron played for several minor league teams in multiple organizations, as well as in foreign and independent leagues— including in Puerto Rico. The head of the Puerto Rico Players Association told El Nuevo Dia that an investigation into Herron’s death is underway.

This year, Herron pitched for the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the independent American Association league, his fourth separate stint with the team.

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Application is open Dec 1, 2021 to March 1, 2022 To apply or for more information, visit:

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ELIGIBILITY This annual college scholarship of up to $10,000 per year is awarded to Hampton Roads Jewish students entering college. Applicants are evaluated on financial need, Jewish/community engagement, and academic potential. Scholarship applicants must: • Identify as Jewish • Maintain residency in the Tidewater region • Demonstrate academic ability • Demonstrate a history of service and engagement in their academic, Jewish, and broader communities through extracurricular and volunteer activities

5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, VA, 23462 | tjfinfo@ujft.org | 757-965-6111 jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 39

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