Jewish News November 3, 2014

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upfront U.S. condemns Jerusalem terror attack that killed infant JERUSALEM ( JTA)—The United States condemned as “despicable” a terror attack in Jerusalem that claimed the life of a 3-month-old girl. Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral late Wednesday night, Oct. 22 in Jerusalem for Chaya Zissel Braun, who is reported to be an American citizen. Chaya was killed when a driver crashed his car into the light rail stop near Ammunition Hill, in northern Jerusalem, as passengers were disembarking. Eight people were injured. The driver, Abdelrahman al-Shaludi, died early the next morning at Jerusalem’s Shaarey Tzedek hospital from gunshot wounds inflicted by Israel Police officers as he fled the scene. Hours after the attack, the U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, “The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s terrorist attack in Jerusalem. We express our deepest condolences to the family of the baby, reportedly an American citizen, who was killed in this despicable attack, and extend our prayers for a full recovery to those injured. We urge all sides to maintain calm and avoid escalating tensions in the wake of this incident.” Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said that the Jerusalem attack and an attack on the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa are both a result of the rise of radical Islam. “The terror attacks which took place yesterday almost simultaneously at two

sides of the world, Jerusalem and Ottawa, demonstrate again that terrorism is a worldwide epidemic that must be fought strenuously and without compromise,” Liberman said. “Terror is not the result of building in Jerusalem, Ottawa, New York, Madrid, London or Mombasa, but of the war of radical Islam against the Western world. We stand alongside our friends in Canada, who have demonstrated by their firm stand alongside Israel and again recently in joining the war against ISIS, that they will not give in to terror. Israel, too, will remain firm in the fight against terror and terrorists.” Family members told the Palestinian Maan news agency that Shaludi, 21, of the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, had been released recently from an Israeli prison where he served 14 months. He was the nephew of Mohiyedine Sharif, the former head of Hamas’ armed wing who was killed in 1988. Shaludi posted messages and video clips in support of Hamas on his Facebook page, the Times of Israel reported.

Netanyahu vows to secure Jerusalem against terror, international ‘weakness’ JERUSALEM (JTA)—Attempts to attack Jerusalem residents “will be met with a sharp reaction,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Netanyahu held a security consultation Thursday, Oct. 22 at Israel Police headquarters in Jerusalem a day after a terror attack on the city’s light rail killed a

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Up Front. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

JFS Chanukah gifts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Midterm elections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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

The Death of Klinghoffer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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

Beneath the Helmet premier . . . . . . . . . . 11

Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Men’s Major Donors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Temple Israel’s Sunday School. . . . . . . . . 38

Business Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Meet the Candidates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 YAD off to great start. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Book Reviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3-month-old girl and injured seven. “United Jerusalem was—and will remain—Israel’s eternal capital. All attempts to attack its residents will be met with a very sharp reaction; we will restore quiet and security to Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said following the meeting. Netanyahu said he has ordered additional security for Jerusalem, including more Border Police units, lookouts, intelligence and enforcement measures. “These, along with other steps that I will not detail here, can and will restore quiet to the capital,” Netanyahu said. “We have proven that with determination and patience we can achieve these goals in all parts of the State of Israel.” Netanyahu again charged that the attacks in Jerusalem are supported by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, “who both extols the murderers and embraces the organization that the terrorists belong to, Hamas.” He also condemned the international community for showing “weakness” against Abbas’ actions. “They are not prepared to utter so much as a word of criticism against him. We have no such weakness,” Netanyahu said. “We will insist on our rights and on our obligation to defend our capital. We will do strongly—and we will win.” Joining Netanyahu at the security meeting were Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Israel Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino, Israel Security Agency director Yoram Cohen, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Jerusalem District Police Commander Moshe Edri.

INSIDE: Special Business Section, page 15

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briefs Ron Klain appointed U.S. Ebola response coordinator Ron Klain, a former White House official, was tapped to coordinate the government’s response to the Ebola outbreak. Klain previously served as chief of staff for Vice President Joe Biden and for Vice President Al Gore from 1995 to 1999. As Ebola response coordinator, Klain will report to Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Monaco and National Security Advisor Susan Rice. “Klain comes to the job with extensive experience in overseeing complex governmental operations and has good working relationships with leading members of Congress as well as senior Administration officials,” the White House announcement said. “Klain’s talent and managerial skill will be crucial in providing the resources and expertise we need to rapidly, cohesively, and effectively respond to Ebola at home and abroad.” Klain, who is Jewish, grew up in Indianapolis and attended Harvard Law School. Since leaving Washington in 2011, he has worked as president of Case Holdings, an investment company. His appointment followed the infection of two Dallas nurses by the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States. The patient, Thomas Duncan, died Oct. 8. (JTA) U.S.-based Helmsley Trust awards Israeli institutions over $9 million The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust is giving more than $9.6 million in new grants to four Israeli institutions. The grants announced Monday, Oct. 20 are being awarded to the TechnionIsrael Institute of Technology, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. A $1.5 million grant will allow the Technion and south China’s Shantou University to collaborate on field studies in China and train Chinese post-doctoral students studying pollution solutions at the Technion in Haifa, as well as support Technion collaborations with scientists in China. A $2.2-million grant will sup-

port the recruitment of science faculty at Hebrew University and provide laboratories for neurobiology and structural biology research. Two grants to the Weizmann Institute will fund research in the Department of Biomedical Sciences on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and the purchase of a superconducting magnet for the Department of Biological Chemistry. A $191,000 grant to the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, in conjunction with the Center for Jewish Community Studies, will fund “an unbiased, educational report that accurately details what transpired before and during the 2014 Gaza war,” according to the trust. The report will be distributed widely. The New York-based trust, which began awarding grants to Israel in 2009 and holds more than $4-billion in assets, has committed over $131-million to organizations in the Jewish state. It also funds a range of education, health care and environmental projects in the United States. (JTA)

Canadian Jewish institutions ramping up security following jihadist incidents Canadian Jewish institutions are stepping up security after the murder of two Canadian soldiers by homegrown pro-jihadist terrorists. While it is not clear whether the two attacks, which included a shooting at the Parliament in the nation’s capital, were related, they have shaken a country that has experienced few acts of terrorism and has often felt immune from attack. While no direct threats were reported against Jewish institutions, they reportedly are heightening security measures in response. “The Jewish community takes these incidents very seriously,” said Martin Sampson of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs in Ottawa. “We have security protocols in place and remain vigilant.” B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn said, “The attacks this week have demonstrated that Canada is no longer immune to the danger of individuals harboring and propagating radical ideologies.” On Wednesday, Oct. 22 in Ottawa,

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a 32-year-old man identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau stormed a war memorial just off Parliament Hill and shot dead a reservist soldier standing guard with an unloaded weapon. Zehaf-Bibeau, described by some as wearing a keffiyah-like head covering, invaded the main building on Parliament Hill before being shot dead by the Parliament’s sergeant-at-arms. Two days earlier, Martin Rouleau of Quebec ran over two soldiers in a Montreal suburb, killing one before he was fatally shot by police. News reports described Rouleau and Zehaf-Bibeau, both recent converts to Islam, as “radicalized” Canadians. The two were among 90 Canadian-born citizens being monitored by domestic security authorities for their expressed sympathies toward extreme Islam. (JTA)

Jewish Agency investing $13.2M in southern Israel’s recovery The Jewish Agency for Israel will invest $13.2 million to help southern Israeli communities affected this summer by the conflict with Gaza. The aid package, announced at the agency’s Board of Governors meeting in Ashkelon, includes direct assistance to residents and businesses in areas near the Gaza border; grants for victims of rocket attacks; new and refurbished bomb shelters; loans for business owners; and support for new immigrants and students in the communities. The gathering had been scheduled to take place in Mexico but was moved to southern Israel in a show of support for the communities after the summer. (JTA) U.S. spy agencies hired at least 1,000 Nazis, new book alleges U.S. spy agencies hired at least 1,000 ex-Nazis during the Cold War, a new book reports. According to Eric Lichtblau’s The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler’s Men, excerpted in The New York Times, the CIA and other American agencies employed large numbers of Nazis as spies and informants and through the 1990s protected from deportation and prosecution some who were living in the

United States. Citing newly disclosed records and interviews, Lichtblau reports that the FBI and CIA knowingly recruited officials who had occupied high positions in Nazi Germany, including some known to be guilty of war crimes. One such spy was involved in the Lithuanian massacre of tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust; another worked closely with Adolf Eichmann. Several spies were rewarded with U.S. citizenship. On several occasions, the book notes, U.S. intelligence officials refused to cooperate with the Justice Department’s Nazi hunters and urged them to drop investigations for fear of exposing their ties to American spy agencies. (JTA)

Bipartisan bill would end benefits to Nazi war criminals A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would cut off Nazi war criminals from U.S. benefits. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) introduced the bill last month in the wake of an Associated Press investigation that found that dozens of suspected Nazi war criminals and SS guards collected millions of dollars after being forced out of the United States. The measure authorizes new immigration hearings to determine whether suspected war criminals were receiving benefits. Maloney said she hoped Congress would pass the bill in the “lame duck” session, the few weeks between the Nov. 4 elections and Christmas -- the last weeks of this Congress, when it is unusual for new legislation to succeed. “We should work in a bipartisan and expeditious manner to terminate these benefits once and for all,” she said at a news conference. “The American taxpayer should not be subsidizing the retirements of those guilty of the worst atrocities in human history.” There are at least four living beneficiaries, including Jakob Denzinger, a former guard at Auschwitz. Denzinger, 90, lives in Croatia, where he receives approximately $1,500 a month in Social Security payments. (JTA)


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elections

Midterm elections

In New York, eyeing a new Republican Jew in Congress: Lee Zeldin vs. Tim Bishop

Jews facing off and other close races to watch by Ron Kampeas and Anthony Weiss

(JTA)—With midterm elections just around the corner, four races for the House of Representatives in particular are catching our Jewish eyes.

In California, succeeding Waxman: Ted Lieu vs. Elan Carr

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to use when he served in an anti-teralifor nia’s 33rd rorism unit in Iraq. He argues that his Congressional Iraq experiences will serve him well District, stretching as a “shaper of opinion” on foreign along the Pacific Coast policy, and particularly on Iran and and extending into the Israel—key issues in the seventh-most west side of Los Angeles, Jewish district in the country. is one of the wealthiest Carr’s interest in Israel, in pardistricts in Congress and ticular, is something he shares encompasses some of the with supporter Sheldon Adelson, most glamorous real estate in California whom the candidate describes the country: Malibu, Beverly as a “close personal friend.” Hills, Bel Air. When incumAdelson has donated to the bent liberal stalwart Rep. Carr campaign and hostHenry Waxman announced ed a fundraiser for him. his retirement, the 18-candidate Lieu is an immiprimary for the seat turned into grant himself, a national punchline, attracting a having arrived in Kardashian-endorsed spiritual guru, an the United States NPR host and a hard-partying former from Taiwan at age NBC executive. 3 with his parents. But as befits the successor to Waxman, a legislative workhorse, the two candi- He has authored bills on everything from dates who emerged—State Sen. Ted greenhouse gas reductions to indoor tanLieu, a 45-year-old Democrat, and Los ning salons, and he touts his legislative Angeles deputy district attorney Elan Carr, experience as one of his strengths. Voters, Lieu says, are “very aware that a 46-year-old Republican—are decidedly low-key figures who share a number they’re losing a phenomenal legislator” in of similarities. Both are serving members Waxman, who has endorsed Lieu. “With of the military’s JAG corps (Lieu for the Air me, you have a track record.” Registered Democrats in the district Force, Carr for the Army), both belonged to Jewish-founded fraternities (Lieu to Sigma substantially outnumber Republicans, Alpha Mu, Carr to Alpha Epsilon Pi), and 43.4 percent to 26.8 percent. Raphael both are pitching themselves as relative Sonenshein, the executive director of moderates—socially liberal, pro-Israel and California State University, Los Angeles’ Pat Brown Institute—a nonpartisan public business friendly. Carr’s mother emigrated as a child policy institute—says that Carr has the from Iraq to Israel and subsequently to right profile for a Republican to be sucthe United States. Carr himself grew up cessful here, but given the partisan tilt of in New York speaking Hebrew and Arabic the district, he is “a substantial underdog.” —Anthony Weiss with his family, and he put the latter skill

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tate Sen. Lee Zeldin is adding a new pitch in his second bid to unseat Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop in New York’s 1st Congressional New District: Congress needs a Jewish Republican. Zeldin’s religion, and its scarcity among Republican politicos, is by no means his main focus. Local bread-and-butter issues and the economy have dominated the campaign of this 34-year-old Iraq War vet who has served in the state Senate for four years. But replacing former Rep. Eric Cantor, the former House majority leader, as the only Republican Jewish lawmaker in the Congress has been part of Zeldin’s outreach both in his eastern Long Island district and in making his case to donors nationally. Zeldin, who met with Cantor after Cantor resigned following his primary loss in Virginia in June, called the former majority leader an “important voice in reaching out to the Jewish community here in the United States to encourage them to be more open-minded toward supporting Republican candidates.” Top conservative Jewish figures, including National Review publisher Bill Kristol, former George W. Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer and Republican Jewish Coalition executive director Matt Brooks, have traveled to New York to help make Zeldin’s case. Bishop, who acknowledges facing a tough challenge from Zeldin, says that he did not think Zeldin’s religion would be a factor in the vote. “My understanding is now that Eric Cantor has left the Congress, he is telling others he will fill that void,” Bishop says. “This is not a race about electing someone Jewish.” Bishop notes that both he and his opponent have strong pro-Israel voting records. “One thing we are almost unanimous on is the importance of a strong U.S.-Israel

relationship and that our posture towards Israel will be protective,” Bishop says. This is the fourth time Bishop has faced a Jewish challenger. He York defeated Zeldin in 2008, and in 2010 and 2012 he edged Randy Altschuler, an investment banker. Bishop says he is a more natural fit for Jewish voters, who tend to vote Democratic and hold liberal positions on such issues as immigration, health care and education reform. On each of those issues, Zeldin and Bishop stake out opposing views. Bishop favors a path to citizenship for undocumented migrants; Zeldin says securing the borders must be a primary priority. Zeldin wants to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, while preserving elements like mandating coverage for people with pre-existing conditions; Bishop wants to keep it but tweak it. Zeldin wants to toss out the federal Common Core standards for schools; Bishop wants to reform them. Bishop says he backs continued congressional oversight of any Iran deal. Zeldin says Congress needs more aggressive oversight of the nuclear talks. “We need to be much stronger and more consistent with our messaging to actually stop Iran’s efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon,” Zeldin says, calling for increased sanctions. Ben Chouake, the president of NORPAC, the pre-eminent pro-Israel political action committee in the Northeast, says pro-Israel donors are not focusing on the Zeldin-Bishop race because they are not so impressed with Bishop and Zeldin has been slipping in the polls. “It’s OK to have a good voting record on our issues if you’re from Anchorage, but if you’re from Long Island, people expect more of you than a voting record,” Chouake says. “They expect leadership.” —Ron Kampeas


Colorado

In Colorado, tight race in a changing state: Mike Coffman vs. Andrew Romanoff

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olorado has spent the past two years in political upheaval, and perhaps no district embodies its contradictions better than the 6th Congressional District. The site of the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting, the 6th wraps around the east side of Denver, encompassing upscale suburbs, multiracial working-class communities and old-line conservative Colorado natives. The two candidates—Rep. Mike Coffman, a 59-year-old Republican, and former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, a 48-year-old Democrat— embody that split nature perfectly. Coffman is a Coloradan since childhood and a former Marine who has represented the district since 2008. His maternal grandfather was an Iraqi Jew who moved to the French concession in Shanghai, where his mother grew up until she met his father, a U.S. soldier doing demilitarization in the area at the end of World War II. Long a conservative, Coffman has been forced to moderate his rhetoric since redistricting turned the 6th from a conservative redoubt into a swing district. Coffman has worked to paint the Washington-born, Ohio-raised Romanoff as a snooty outsider, sneering in a September debate, “You went to a private prep school, Harvard, Yale.” A former Wexner fellow, Romanoff presents his career in public service and education—ranging from teaching at the Community College of Aurora to working at the Southern Poverty Law Center to serving in the statehouse— as springing from his Jewish upbringing. “I think it’s shaped who I am in almost every way,” he says. “I take seriously the

obligation we call tikkun olam.” Romanoff and Coffman have focused heavily on domestic issues, particularly economic. Romanoff has also played up his refusal to take money from political action committees, or PACs, as freeing him from special interests. It certainly hasn’t prevented Romanoff from bringing in the big money, as both candidates had raised well over $3 million by the end of the second quarter. However, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced recently that it was cutting off its television advertising in the district—a move that some analysts took as a sign that Romanoff’s chances might be slipping. Nonetheless, the result will likely remain in doubt to the very end. “It’s obviously a very close race,” says Seth Masket, an associate professor of political science at the University of Denver. “Coffman probably maintains a very slight lead, but both are very strong candidates.” Masket says Romanoff may be saved, ironically, by the difficulties of his fellow Colorado Democrats running for re-election as senator and governor. Their close races have caused the state and national parties to pour millions into voter turnout efforts across the state, which might mitigate the greater tendency of Democratic voters to ignore non-presidential elections. That could be a godsend for Romanoff. Asked what would make the ultimate difference in the election, Romanoff bluntly responds, “Turnout.” —Anthony Weiss continued on page 8

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In Illinois, who’s the favorite in Chicago? Brad Schneider vs. Robert Dold

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opponent’s record, score each rad Schneider and Robert Dold, other on these issues. locked in a neck-and-neck race Dold says “there’s no quesfor a Chicago-area congressional tion” that Schneider is pro-Israel, seat, present a dilemma for some but chides him for not speaking Jewish voters. Illinois out more against the adminDold, 45, is a Republican istration—for instance, when social moderate in the tradition Secretary of State John Kerry of now-Sen. Mark Kirk, his prewarned earlier this year that decessor in the 10th Congressional Israel one day could become an District. Dold, who held the seat for apartheid state. one two-year term before losing narSchneider notes that this rowly to Schneider in 2012, represents year he initiated a bipartisan letter what many Jewish community leaders have said they long to see: a pro-Israel hawk pressing the administration to increase who strives to keep a national party that Iran sanctions at a time when it was resisthas tilted rightward since 2010 on a more ing such calls. He also points out that Dold voted to repeal Obamacare during his even keel. Schneider, the 53-year-old incumbent, term in Congress; Dold says he now favors represents a prototype Jewish Democrats bipartisan fixes for Obamacare. Jewish officials say Schneider has the want to preserve: a young, liberal Jewish lawmaker who makes Israel a central edge in part because, with a background focus and casts it as a natural issue for as an activist with the American Jewish Committee and with the American Israel Democrats. Jewish voters “are looking for a fiscal Public Affairs Committee, he is so steeped conservative and social moderate, someone in the community. “You couldn’t ask for a better friend to who can be in the tradition of Mark Kirk,” Dold says. “People are tired of excuses and Israel,” says Marcia Balonick, the director they want Washington to work. I have a of JACPAC, a political action committee track record of working with the other with a focus on Israel, abortion rights and church-state separation. “In his former life side.” Schneider, almost echoing Dold, pitched he was an active member of the Jewish himself in an interview as a “fiscally mod- community, he speaks fluent Hebrew, he’s erate, socially progressive” candidate, and already taken several missions to Israel.” JACPAC in the past has sought out in making his case slips into the Hebrew he moderate Republicans to endorse, includlearned on multiple visits to Israel. “Two things I talk about is tikkun ing Kirk, in part to help preserve that wing olam,” he says, using the phrase for repair- of the party. Dold has told the group that ing the world, and “l’dor v’dor,” from he would resist attempts to overturn Roe v. generation to generation. “We can’t leave Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling enshrining a woman’s right to an abortion, an environment beyond repair.” On issues like the Affordable Care Act but will not vote for funding for abortions and Israel, the candidates sound similar for poor women, which is a non-starter. NORPAC, a leading New Jersey-based notes: Each favors tweaks to Obamacare but not repeal, and each says he will stand pro-Israel political action committee, up to the administration if it gives too endorsed Schneider under the “friendly much away in nuclear talks between Iran incumbent” rule for pro-Israel givers: Do not alienate the lawmaker in office. and the major powers. —Ron Kampeas The candidates, digging deep into their


Global surges of anti-Semitism

The Death of Klinghoffer fails to live up to the controversy by Ami Eden

NEW YORK (JTA)—“See it. You Decide,” the Metropolitan Opera of New York exhorts in a promotional push capitalizing on the controversy over its new production of The Death of Klinghoffer. Well, I saw it. And I’m not sure which was more of a letdown, the hubbub over the show or the show itself. Let’s start with the critics and protesters, since they are responsible ultimately for turning the show into the most buzzed about cultural happening in New York (at least since the close of the Jeff Koons retrospective last month at the Whitney Museum). By the time I settled into my seat on Monday, Oct. 20—after months of cries of “anti-Semitism” and “glorification/humanization of terrorists” filling my email box—I was expecting Shylock meets Natural Born Killers.

Not even close. Whatever the original intentions of composer John Adams and librettist Alice Goodman when they created the opera about 25 years ago, the latest production casts the killers as not particularly likable, violent thugs and puts Leon Klinghoffer at the moral center. So much so that the show’s effort to provide a measure of absolution for the terrorists near the end comes off as contrived and heavy handed, and is immediately trumped by the final monologue from Klinghoffer’s wife, Marilyn. Back in June, the Anti-Defamation League, with the support of Klinghoffer’s daughters, convinced the Met to drop its planned simulcast of the show on the grounds that it might feed anti-Jewish violence in other parts of the globe. But after actually seeing the production, this seems wrong-headed: Compared to the anti-Semitic fare widely available on the Internet and Arabic television, this show could

pass as an anti-terrorism public service announcement. None of this is to discount the objections of Klinghoffer’s daughters to the use of their father’s cold-blooded murder as a dramatic or political device. Or the concerns that ADL officials and other people of good will have over anything that might fuel anti-Semitic violence at a time when Jewish communities around the world are increasingly forced to look over their collective shoulder. It’s just that in the end, this production’s moral equivalence of Palestinian and Jewish suffering does not translate into sympathy for or understanding of the killers. Yes, the show’s title is offensive and morally obtuse (it was a murder, after all), but this production does not sugarcoat what happened on the deck of the Achille Lauro in 1985. In fact, it doesn’t do much of anything—at least on the political level. (I’ll

leave the musical criticism to people who actually frequent the opera.) Maybe when The Death of Klinghoffer first hit the stage in 1991, it put forth some uncomfortable, rarely heard perspectives about root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But in 2014, as an act of political subversion, the opera feels dated. These days, New Yorkers can walk just a few blocks from where the opera is being staged to Lincoln Plaza Cinemas, where they can probably catch an Israeli-made film taking a much deeper look and asking much harder questions about Palestinian suffering and the impact of Israel’s policies in the territories. Even some mainstream Israeli politicians have more challenging things to say than this show does about the conflict and a possible resolution. Forget Merchant of Venice. This show and the controversy surrounding it are much ado about nothing. —Ami Eden is JTA’s CEO and editor-in-chief.

OP-ED

The Death of Klinghoffer an injustice to our father’s memory by Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer

NEW YORK (JTA)—On Oct. 8, 1985, our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father, Leon Klinghoffer, was shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise ship. The terrorists brutally and unceremoniously threw his body and wheelchair overboard into the Mediterranean. His body washed up on the Syrian shore a few days later. Beginning on Oct. 20 for eight performances, a baritone portraying “Leon Klinghoffer” will appear on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera and sing the “Aria of the Falling Body” as he artfully falls into the sea. Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives of suffering and oppression, selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The four terrorists responsible for his

murder will be humanized by distinguished opera singers and given a back-story, an “explanation” for their brutal act of terror and violence. Opera-goers will see and hear a musical examination of terrorism, the Holocaust and Palestinian claims of dispossession— all in fewer than three hours. Since the Met Opera’s decision to stage “The Death of Klinghoffer” by composer John Adams became public several months ago, much has been said and written about our father. Those opposed to the opera’s appearance in New York have elevated his murder at the hands of terrorists into a form of martyrdom. To cultural arbiters and music critics, meanwhile, his tragic story has been seen merely as a vehicle for what they perceive to be artistic brilliance. For us, the impact and message of the opera is much more deeply felt and tragically personal.

Neither Mr. Adams nor librettist Alice Goodman reached out to us when creating the opera, so we didn’t know what to expect when we attended the American debut at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1991. We were devastated by what we saw: the exploitation of the murder of our father as a vehicle for political commentary. Over the years we have been deeply distressed with each new production of “Klinghoffer.” Critical views of Israel permeate the opera, and the staging and props of various productions have only amplified that bias. To have it now produced in New York—in our own backyard—by the country’s most prestigious opera company is incredibly painful. We have always been strong supporters of the arts, and believe they can play an important role in examining and understanding significant world events.

“Klinghoffer” does no such thing. It presents false moral equivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical reality and the senseless murder of an American Jew. The opera rationalizes, romanticizes and legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father. Long ago we resolved never to let the last few minutes of Leon Klinghoffer’s life define who he was as a man, husband and father. Opera patrons will only see Leon Klinghoffer presented as a victim—he was so much more. Our father was an inventor who loved to work with his hands. After his stroke, he continued to use his one good arm to repair anything that needed fixing. Every Saturday night he and our mother, Marilyn, would get dressed up and go out dancing. Family and friends meant everycontinued on page 10

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thing to him. He was on a cruise with our mother, celebrating their 36th anniversary with a group of lifelong friends who summered together on the Jersey shore, when terrorists took over the ship, announced a hijacking in progress, and separated the Jewish passengers from those on board. The terrorist thugs who murdered Leon Klinghoffer didn’t care about the good, sweet man our father was. To them he was just a Jew—an American in a wheelchair whose life they considered worthless. As the years have passed, we have tried to ensure that his murder would not be forgotten or, worse, co-opted or exploited by those with an agenda. We believe his ordeal should continue to serve as a wake-up call to civilized society about the dangers of terrorism. We have dedicated our lives since the tragedy to educating people about the danger of terrorism, and putting a personal face on victims and their

families through the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation of the Anti-Defamation League. Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorism. Today with the memory of 9/11, the reality of al-Qaida and ISIS, and countless other attacks and threats, Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day. Terrorism is irrational. It should never be explained away or justified. Nor should the death of innocent civilians be misunderstood as an acceptable means for drawing attention to perceived political grievances. Unfortunately, “The Death of Klinghoffer” does all of this and sullies the memory of our father in the process. —Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer of New York City are co-founders of the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation of the AntiDefamation League, which they established with their late mother, Marilyn, in 1985, to raise awareness about the evils of terrorism.

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Tidewater premier: Thursday, Nov. 20, 7 pm

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eneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front is a new full-length documentary film from Jerusalem U, the creators of the PBS-featured documentary Israel Inside: How a Small Nation Makes a Big Difference. The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is hosting an early premier of the film in partnership with the Christian Broadcasting Network and Regent University at the Regent University Theatre. The event is free and open to the community. RSVPs are required and IDs will be checked at the door. Introducing the film that night will be the film’s executive producer, Rabbi Raphael Shore. An accomplished filmmaker and founder and CEO of Jerusalem U, a cutting-edge, film-based nonprofit organization created to transform Jewish and Israel education, Shore will offer insight into the making of the film and his goals of outreach with the launch. Shore has produced several highly acclaimed documentaries including the ground breaking, award winning film, Honor Diaries. Beneath The Helmet is a coming-of-age story highlighting the dramatic transformation of five young Israeli high-school graduates who left the comfort of their homes and families to become the defenders of a nation and a people. The filmmakers were granted an unprecedented access into the lives of these young people, allowing them to create a unique and intimate documentary that brings to the screen rarely seen human faces to the men and women who are the soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

The film’s stars Sergeant Coral Amarani is from the affluent seaside neighborhood of Herzliya Pituach. An only child, she originally planned to evade army service, but changed her mind at the end of high school. She is now a drill sergeant at Michvei Alon, a pre-basic training program that helps soldiers successfully integrate into the IDF. She is responsible for the basic military training, education and welfare of 12 soldiers, many of whom come from foreign countries. Private Mekonan Abeba is in basic training with the 101st Paratrooper Brigade. At age 12, Abeba emigrated from Ethiopia. Hours before boarding the plane for Israel, his father passed away, hurling the family into a tumultuous period of grief and having to cope with the unknown in a new land. Abeba is being raised by his mother in a two-room apartment in Bnei Brak, which he shares with nine other family members. First Leiutenant Eden Adler is a commander in the 101st Paratrooper Brigade basic training base. At 21, he is directly responsible for the lives, safety and operational effectiveness of

42 recruits and three sergeants. The son of an American mother and a Yemeni father, he grew up in the Western Galilee town of Kfar Vradim. Private Elon Kohan is a second-generation Israeli, the grandson of refugees who fled Nazi Europe to South America and later moved to Israel. Kohan was raised in Ashdod. As the oldest of three siblings, he is the first to be drafted into the army, a major milestone for both him and his family. Private Oren Giladi is a lone soldier from Switzerland. Giladi is doing basic training with the 101st Paratrooper Brigade in the Negev Desert. He left Israel at the age of five and voluntarily returned at the age of 18 to fulfill his military service. When on leave, he lives with his “adopted” family in Ramat Gan. One of his best friends is Mekonan Abeba, whom he met on the bus while traveling from Michvei Alon to the paratrooper base. To learn more about the film or to RSVP by Nov. 19, visit www. JewishVa.org/CRCBeneaththeHelmet or call 965-6107.

jewishnewsva.org | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 11


Men’s Major Donors

Men gather to show support for Jewish community Tzipi Zipper thanks Tidewater for giving her life a renewed purpose Nechama Zipper, known to all as Tzipi, knows firsthand how donations given to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign help those who may need it most. In Tzipi’s case, the help came for her when she was searching for a way to make life worth living again after a debilitating accident left her wheelchair-bound and alone in Israel. Originally from Colorado, Tzipi moved to Israel at the age of 15. She joined the Israel Defense Forces, and after completing her military service, took a job patrolling security checkpoints. While at work one day, Tzipi was hit by a car, completely by accident, and the resulting injuries left her disabled. In a video message sent to the Tidewater Jewish community this September from Israel, Tzipi expresses her gratitude to UJFT donors for enabling her to once again live a productive and exciting life. She’s doing this through her involvement with the UJFT supported Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. The CIL, which received its initial three-year funding through UJFT—and remains a recipient of UJFT donations—has provided Tzipi with a hub of social, educational and training programs. Her volunteer work there has both empowered and connected her to others in Israel’s disabled community. Through her involvement with the CIL, Tzipi has regained the confidence needed to accomplish daily tasks and achieve her long term aspirations. At the CIL, Tzipi has forged close friendships and a strong support network. “The CIL in Tel Aviv has been so many things to me: a support system, a place to seek help and advice and a community. But most importantly, it was an entrance,” she says. “The CIL was an open door, a place that finally could help me regain who I was after suddenly having to face the world alone and disabled. Every day, I’m grateful that the CIL…has continued to help me find numerous other opportunities that fill my life with the things I am passionate about.” There are six CILs throughout Israel. With careful use of gifts to the Annual Campaign, the CILs are operated and supported by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s (JDC) Israel Unlimited program. Israel Unlimited is a strategic partnership between the Government of Israel, JDC and the Ruderman Family Foundation, designed specifically to meet the needs of Israelis with a variety of disabilities, through the development of innovative social services and programs. Be the one to make a difference today, in lives like Tzipi’s. Make a gift to the 2015 UJFT Annual Campaign at www.JewishVA.org. To watch Tzipi’s video, and to hear her thanks, visit www.JewishVA.org/success-stories. Her blog about completing her first race, is also on the website.

12 | Jewish News | November 3, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

and actions of one another. This year’s event had a special meaning as many of those present had just completed making their gift to the “Stop the Sirens” campaign which was designed to provide emergency humanitarian funds to Jay Klebanoff, John Strelitz and Jeff Saunders. Israel in the wake of Operation Protective here are those who have been Edge. They had, like the rest of the world, witnessed the attack on Israel, the discovclose friends for years. Others ery of the tunnels and the refusal are business associates or of Hamas to retreat from their casual acquaintances It ultimate desire to eradicate the who see each other in synis not their existence of Israel. They too agogue or at community have been worrying about events. Still others are wealth that makes a nuclear Iran and rise in multi-generational memmilitant Islam. bers of the same family. them unique, but The evening and Some reside a substanthe process is relativetial time of the year in the process they ly unadorned, absent of Florida and others live fanfare and particularly throughout the year in undertake year uncomplicated. This year, Tidewater. What they after year that the attendees were treated all have in common is to beautiful violin renditions a fierce dedication to the does so. of the Star Spangled Banner Tidewater Jewish communiand Hatikvah by recent Hebrew ty and to the Jewish people. Academy graduate, Daniel Watts, They are the Men’s Major Donors of the Tidewater Jewish community and as well as to a breathtaking video and with great pride and caring donate almost explanation of her recovery process by U.S emigre and former IDF veteran Tzipi $3,000,000 to the Annual Campaign. These men regularly gather on the Sandler Family Campus around the High Holidays and are usually inspired by their rabbis’ words, their own introspection and the call of the recently chanted prayers. There are those who come for the first time and others who have been coming for years. They come to make their commitment to the UJFT Annual Campaign and to share their convictions. They rededicate themselves to much of what they hold dear about the Jewish community and Miles Leon and Harry Graber. they come to be inspired by the words

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Gerald Friedman and Steve Sandler.

Zipper. Zipper spoke eloquently of the Jay Klebanoff, Karen Jaffe and John Fiegenbaum. reasons for her aliyah to Israel and her abandonment of any special privileges afforded to new citizens or women as she excelled in an elite armed services unit. Tzipper then movingly described a life-threatening accident that caused the onset of her years’ long ordeal of debilitating chronic pain and accompanying long periods of dark depression. She emphasized over and over again how UJFT provided the initial and continued funding for the Center for Independent Living in Tel Aviv that has been the mainstay of her fight and the fight of many other disabled Israelis for their recovery. The men eat, chat and then It participate in the process is a process for which they came. One by one they talk about Wess Sandler. that is available themselves, their dedthat to any two Jews any two Jews or group of ication to Judaism, the jews in the community issues that concern or group of jews in the who have a willingness them, the respect they community who have a to talk to and inspire one have for each other and willingness to talk to and another about their love of their commitment to the Annual Campaign. inspire one another about Judaism and how to support it financially. Many increase their gifts, their love of Judaism Special thanks go to others give the same as Steve and Art Sandler, John last year and some, for a and how to support Strelitz and Jay Klebanoff variety of reasons, have to it financially. who served as chairpersons of give less. All are listened to, this year’s Mens Major event. supported and admired by one another. They are a small community of Jews who come together for a common purpose, to support the Jewish people. It is not their wealth that makes them unique, but the process they undertake year after year that does so. It is a process that Larry Siegel, Adam Foleck and Lonny Sarfan. is available that to

Bobby Copeland, Richard Glasser and Arnold Leon.

Young talent nurtured at Hebrew Academy gives back to community through music Danial Watts drew the bow across his violin once, then twice, and, in an instant, the yarmulked, middle-schooler had the attention of two dozen of the most philanthropic and involved men in the Tidewater Jewish Community. As the opening act for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Men’s Major Donors Annual Dinner, Danial was more than just a guest performer on October 7 at the Sandler Family Campus. Danial stood in the front of these men as a vibrant example of how their gifts of time, energy and finances are invested throughout the Tidewater Jewish community. In his welcoming remarks to the group, Jay Klebanoff, the 2015 Annual Campaign Major Gifts Chair, noted that Danial is currently a 6th grade student at the prestigious International Baccalaureate program at Plaza Middle School in Virginia Beach. “The curriculum is very challenging and Danial is proving that he is an excellent student, just as he has been throughout his educational journey,” Klebanoff said. “You see, Danial is a great example of the kind of strong students that are coming from the Jewish day school your gifts help support.” A 2014 graduate of the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater/Konikoff Center of Learning, Danial started at the Strelitz Early Childhood Center when he was two years old. In kindergarten, Danial began playing violin in HAT’s strings program, and today, the 12-year-old continues to play in the orchestra at Plaza Middle. “Without the Federation, Danial wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn the violin in kindergarten!” says his mother, Benita Watts. “Not only does he play every day in the orchestra, but he is excelling in middle school, where he has straight A’s. He is ahead in every way, but equally important, if not more so, to see how secure he is in his Jewish identity is thrilling for Joe [his father] and me. “We are so grateful for all that the Federation and its donors do for this area, and for the excellent education that Danial received because of the generosity of this community.” At the dinner, Danial played the Star Spangled Banner and the Israeli National anthem, Hatikva, to an extremely appreciative and oddly quiet audience; there was no chatter, and no sign of cellphones, just respectful silence. “I know this young man is destined for greatness,” Klebanoff said, “and I thank him for giving back to the community through this gift to us tonight.” Find out how gifts to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s 2015 Annual Campaign make a difference in the lives of students like Danial, locally and around the world, by visiting www.JewishVA.org.

jewishnewsva.org | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 13


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Business

Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer celebrate 25 years Supplement to Jewish News, November 3, 2014 jewishnewsva.org | Business | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 15


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here in Tidewater. Our profile of Wall, Einhorn and Chernitzer, a CPA firm celebrating their 25th anniversary, is a prime example. The three founders of the firm

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our community. We also have an article on a study conducted by Tel Aviv University on advertising. Even if you have nothing to do with advertising except watch television, you might find this information interesting. It’s only business…

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Cover photograph courtesy of Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer.

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Business

Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer 25, successful, philanthropic and happy

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by Terri Denison

approximately $450 million of assets under management. It is located one floor below WEC’s offices in the PNC Bank Building on Main Street in downtown Norfolk. Chernitzer says that he and his partners would rarely agree when they’d walk into a meeting, “but after discussing, would always come out with a united decision. “We are three very different people, but share the same goal of always doing the right thing and providing great service,” says Chernitzer. Wall always likes to say, “We are a small firm, but we provide big service.” “Our vision,” says Einhorn, who is the firm’s managing shareholder, “was to break the mold of CPAs, to be more like business consultants than bean counters.

hey were three guys in their 30s working at one of the most respected accounting firms in Virginia, one already a partner, the other two ready to become partners, when they shocked their families, friends and their co-workers and packed up and started their own firm, Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer. “Half my friends said I was crazy,” says Alvin Wall, CPA, founding shareholder, “and the other half said I had lost my mind.” That was Nov. 1, 1989. “It was a surprise to a lot of people,” says Marty Einhorn, CPA/ABV, CVA, founding shareholder, “but I felt confident that the three of us would be successful.” After 25 years, it’s obvious that Einhorn was correct in his confidence. “Our initial goal was to be a firm of no more than 20 to 25 people,” says Jeff Chernitzer, CPA/PFS, founding shareholder of WEC and president of Wealthquest, LLC, a WEC affiliate. “We wanted to keep it small and family-friendly, but we realized that as long as we hired the right Jeff Chernitzer, Alvin Wall and Marty Einhorn people, we could get as large as needed.” And, he says, they learned early on We wanted to be active parts of our clients’ business life. And, we wanted to have fun at the same time.” that they couldn’t do it all on their own. Chernitzer echoes those sentiments. “We wanted to Today, the CPA firm employs 85 people. Its wealth management and investment advisory affiliate, be part of our clients’ team and a fun place to work.” continued on page 18 Wealthquest, LLC, opened in 2000 and currently has

Wall, Einhorn and Chernitzer makes charity centerpiece of its silver anniversary year in business “Tzedakah” and “Wall, Einhorn and Chernitzer” have become synonymous in Tidewater. Maybe that’s one reason the CPA firm that Alvin Wall, Marty Einhorn and Jeff Chernitzer founded a quarter century ago is among the most successful in the region with clients in a range of industries, including non-profits. To mark 25 years in business, the firm wanted to make a statement, “to do something more than just throw a party,” according to Alvin Wall. “It had to reflect our commitment to the community, which is such a major part of our mission.” Working with Rubin Communications Group, Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C. (WEC) launched “25 Ways of Giving Back.” Management solicited nominations from clients and staff to select the 25 area charities to which the practice would donate time or money. In typical WEC fashion, it grew to 29 charitable organizations. Employees are teaming up to volunteer at events, collect funds and make donations, including a signature project of the silver anniversary celebration. To kick off the project, the executives of the charitable organizations were all invited to lunch at WEC’s office. “It was great to see them exchange ideas and make plans to coordinate programs and assist each other,” says Susan Einhorn, one of the firm’s shareholders. “We are very excited about our 25th year in business,” says Jeff Chernitzer. “We have always believed in giving back to the community so this really fits in with what we like to do and makes this anniversary very special.” Serving on non-profit boards is not only encouraged at Wall, Einhorn and Chernitzer, it’s expected, and the founding shareholders serve as role models. Marty Einhorn is president of the Simon Family JCC and is on the audit and finance committees for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. He is also on the board of Young Audiences of Virginia, Hospitality for the Homeless, Horizons Hampton Roads, Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, Tidewater Winds, and For Kids. In addition, he has coached youth basketball at the Simon Family JCC for 12 years. continued on page 19

jewishnewsva.org | Business | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 17


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continued from page 17

Both goals have rung true. Clients are long-term and WEC is consistently voted and named one of the area’s best places to work. The typical CPA firm focuses on the number of hours worked, but not WEC, says Susan Einhorn, a shareholder who joined the firm 12 years ago. “We have talented people and a family-oriented atmosphere. We have reasonable hours, which helps to promote community.” The firm’s philosophy allows younger people more opportunities for quicker promotions, resulting in a high retention rate and a generally happier work environment. Wall notes, “We want our employees to understand that to be happy at work, they need to be happy at home. Thus, we encourage everyone to make time for soccer matches, baseball games and piano recitals. We don’t want anyone to feel compelled to miss important life cycle events. Our employees are professionals and they will make up for these hours on their own schedules. Obviously we must meet our clients’ deadlines and demands; however, when we can arrange our workload to incorporate our family responsibilities, we believe it leads to an elevated level of satisfaction within our firm.” “Even though three of us started the firm, it feels like the entire partner group and entire firm is part of the family,” says Marty Einhorn. “The three of us, hopefully, pass the culture down to the other partners—to do the right thing. After all, there’s plenty of business out there,” says Chernitzer. “Ours is not the norm,” Einhorn says, though he notes that throughout the nation there are other firms that share their practice philosophy. The three men had a goal 25 years ago to be able to successfully transition the firm to the next generation of firm leaders and to the next generation of clients. Wanting it to survive beyond themselves, the three principals wrote into their shareholder agreement that they would give up ownership at age 65. “Even though we all agreed to transfer the ownership upon age 65, we all plan to stay actively involved with the firm and our clients,” says Wall. “We still feel like we have a lot to offer.”

“We’re not driven by profits,” notes Einorn. In fact, the three original principals are now minority shareholders in their own firm. “We want the firm to survive beyond us.” Today there are 11 shareholders. “Our real goal,” says Einhorn, “is to be the best at what we do in our market – not the biggest, but the best.” “When it comes to the community, we all feel a tremendous responsibility. All of our partners like that about the firm. While they may not be as passionate as the three of us, it is part of the reason why they are here,” says Einhorn. Chernitzer says they suggest employees join a non-profit organization “that you’re passionate about. Don’t join just to ‘network.’” One of Chernitzer’s first volunteer activities took place at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. “I credit Betsy Karotkin because she encouraged me to be co-chair of YAD (Young Adult Division). That kept me involved with the Jewish community.” After the Walls moved to Norfolk so Alvin’s wife, Nancy, would be closer to her family, it was Morty Goldmeier who convinced Wall he should get involved with the Federation. “I remember sitting between Sam Sandler and Tavia Gordon at Super Sunday worker training. What better way to get introduced to Jewish philanthropy!” says Wall. Ever since, Wall has been trying to set an example by being an active member of the Jewish community. He has served as treasurer and president of the UJFT and is presently the vice chair of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation. The three believe that “you can build your business by helping grow your community,” says Wall. Einhorn’s bar was set high by Lois and Barry Einhorn. “My whole life, people have told me how great my parents are,” says Einhorn. “I’m just trying to live up to the example of my parents.” Twenty-five years ago these three came together to create a work environment and product they could be proud of and pass onto others, and still have time to give to the community and enjoy their lives. From any perspective, it seems they have accomplished their goals.


Business continued from page 17

Since moving to Virginia Beach in 1981, Alvin Wall has been involved with many non-profits. He is immediate past president of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and its treasurer. He chairs the Sandler Family Campus governing committee and serves on the board of the United Way of South Hampton Roads and is immediate past chairman of the United Way Foundation. He is vice chair of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation and chairman of its grants committee. He is also chairman of the finance committee and member of the board of trustees at Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay. In addition, he is a member of the TowneBank Norfolk advisory board and the treasurer and board member at Bayville Golf Club. Jeff Chernitzer is a significant supporter of his alma mater, Old Dominion University, serving on the investment committee for the University’s foundations, the executive committee and is the past chair of the Athletic Foundation. He is also a past board member of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Beth Sholom Home and the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is the past president of the Tidewater Chapter of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, B’nai Brith Youth Organization advisor and coached little league baseball for 11 years. “It’s truly extraordinary to work for a company that believes so strongly in its commitment to the community, “says Heather Sunderlin, director of employee services. “It re-energizes everyone on the team to get involved and find out how they can make a difference.” The organizations that will benefit from Wall, Einhorn and Chernitzer’s 25th year in business are: Alzheimer’s Association Southeastern Virginia Chapter American Heart Association Animal Resources of Tidewater Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia, Inc. Chesapeake Bay Academy Educational Foundation Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters Chrysler Museum of Art d’ART Center Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula For Kids, Inc. Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Hebrew Academy of Tidewater Jewish Family Service of Tidewater Jr. Achievement of Greater Hampton Roads Judeo-Christian Outreach Center, Inc. Norfolk Botanical Garden Society, Inc. Norfolk Collegiate School Portsmouth Community Health Center Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia Susan G. Komen Tidewater The Academy of Music The Up Center United Way of South Hampton Roads Virginia Beach SPCA Virginia Society of CPA’s Virginia Zoological Society VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads Young Audiences of Virginia

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Business

29 projects debut on expanded Slingshot guide highlighting innovation NEW YORK ( JTA)—An alternative Hebrew school program in New York City, a digital repository for Jewish texts and a synagogue-based bakery in Tulsa, Okla., that employs mentally ill adults are among the 29 Jewish groups listed for the first time in the annual Slingshot guide to innovative Jewish projects. The 2014-15 guide published Monday, Oct. 20 features 82 of what it touts as North America’s “most innovative” organizations and projects. This year the list, previously limited to 50 groups, expanded dramatically. In addition, Washington and Midwest editions and a supplement highlighting

women’s organizations also were published. Despite the added slots, Slingshot officials said in a news release, this year’s process for selecting organizations and projects “has been more competitive than ever before, as the total number of applicants has dramatically increased.” Launched in 2005 by a group of donors in their 20s and 30s, the Slingshot guide evaluates North American Jewish organizations based on “their innovative approach, the impact they have in their work, the leadership they have in their sector, and their effectiveness at achieving results.” Leaders of included groups have described the guide as a “stamp of recognition” akin to being listed favorably in a Zagat restaurant guide. Newly included groups are the Altamont Bakery; Asylum Arts; Beit T’Shuvah: Youth Services; Eshel, Inc.; The iCenter; iEngage-The Engaging Israel Project; Jewish Disaster Response Corps; Jewish Kids Groups; Jewish Mindfulness Center of Washington @ Adas Israel; The Jewish Journey Project; Jewish Renaissance Project at Penn Hillel Jewish Student Connection; Jewish World Watch; JScreen; JLens Investor Network; LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture; LE MOOD; Makom; Online Jewish Academy; RespectAbilityUSA; Righteous Conversations Project; Ritualwell; Shabbat Tent; Silverlake Independent Jewish Community Center (SIJCC); SOJOURN: Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity; SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva; TAMID Investment Group; The Sefaria Project; and TI Fellowship. The full guide, including supplements, can be downloaded at http://www.slingshotfund.org/order/.

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jewishnewsva.org | Business | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 21


Business Overdoing It: Multiple perspectives confuse consumers Shifting images in advertisements can create a negative feeling about a product, says Tel Aviv University researcher Tel Aviv—Television commercials for luxury vehicles pack a lot in their 30-second running times: the camera offers quick shots of the soft leather upholstery, the shiny colors, the state-of-the-art entertainment system, and the four-wheel drive. But these multiple angles and shifting perspectives have a negative impact on consumer evaluation of products, according to a new study from a Tel Aviv University researcher. Dr. Yael Steinhart of TAU’s Recanati Business School and her collaborators Yuwei Jiang of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Rashmi Adaval of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Robert S. Wyer Jr. of Chinese University of Hong Kong say that multiple angles and perspectives in commercials may

actually prevent consumers from forming positive associations about the products. The researchers found this to be particularly true for consumers who imagine using the products themselves in the course of evaluating them, according to the study to be published in the Journal of Consumer Research. “We have shown through four different studies that the perspective shift has a negative effect when consumers conjure personal narratives about the advertised product,” says Steinhart. “On the other hand, the effect of perspective shift may be positive if consumers are only intent on collecting information about the advertised product.”

Keep it simple Over 1,000 people took part in four separate studies conducted in Hong Kong and the U.S. Using questionnaires, an eye-tracking system and a memory-based cognitive study, the researchers measured distinct responses to ads featuring pictures from both similar and multiple angles. They then analyzed the impact of these responses on product evaluation. In one study, participants were asked to view an ad for a resort hotel and to form a story about their own experience at the resort. There were two types of ads—each consisting of four photos. In one type, the images were from the same perspective, and in the other, the images were from multiple angles. Participants who viewed the photos

“Marketers want to provide as much information as possible about a product, but too much information from multiple perspectives may backfire.” from different perspectives expressed more difficulty in conjuring a narrative and were also more likely to form a negative impression of the resort. “There are practical implications for this research,” says Steinhart. “Marketers want to provide as much information as possible about a product, but we have shown that the default strategy of consumers is to construct a personal narrative when forming their evaluation, and too much information from multiple perspectives may backfire.” Stay focused “The best thing a company can do is allow the consumer to imagine himself in a scene with the product, without providing too much distracting stimuli—or information from too many perspectives,” Steinhart advises. “The consumer finds it too difficult to move from one perspective to another, remembers less about the product and—ultimately—likes the product less.”

22 | Jewish News | November 3, 2014 | Business | Jewishnewsva.org


Business Business & Legal Society makes waves with lunchtime event at ZIM

Business & Legal Society lunch and discussion took place at ZIM Integrated Shipping Services’ USA headquarters. article and photographs by Laine Mednick Rutherford

A

shipping container has a finite amount of space in which to fit cargo. So, too, does the boardroom at the ZIM USA office building in Norfolk—in relation to how many people it can seat for lunch. Fortunate, then, were the 32 members and guests of the Business & Legal Society of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, who accepted an invitation to attend a special lunchtime discussion on Wednesday, Oct. 8 with the president of the North American and Caribbean branch of the Israeli company, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services. President Lea Bogatch-Genossar was an honest, witty and educational host. The first woman in ZIM’s history to hold this top executive position, Bogatch-Genossar spoke to her guests about some of the realities of running

an international shipping line, the current state of the maritime/shipping industry, commerce, politics, and the recent, troubling, anti-Israeli/pro-Palestinian ‘Block the Boat’ campaign. Despite being part of an industry that can be extremely challenging, Bogatch-Genossar says it’s the only work she can imagine. In fact, she has been with ZIM since 1992 in a variety of positions. The special event was supposed to include a tour of the ZIM headquarters, but when given a choice between hearing more from their host, or seeing offices and cubicles, the guests overwhelmingly chose to continue the discussion. After more than two hours, Bogatch-Genossar said goodbye to her new friends in the community. “I think it’s very heartwarming to see that everyone here took time off from their work—they’re busy people. It’s very impressive that they do this as a Jewish group, and we were so glad to be able to do this today, I hope to see everyone again.” For their part, attendees said they thoroughly

Lea Bogatch-Genossar, ZIM USA president left, meets guests Samantha Golden, Greg Zittrain, Ralph Soussan and Todd Waldman.

At ZIM USA headquarters: Greg Zittrain, Kirk Levy, Lea Bogatch-Genossar, Rick Yarow, David Calliott and Steve Leon.

Deborah Casey introduces Lea Bogatch-Genossar to attendees.

enjoyed the discussion, and the unique opportunity to learn more about the shipping industry and ZIM from its president.

Lea Bogatch-Genossar and Arnold Leon.

The Business & Legal Society offers networking, social and philanthropic opportunities for Jewish professionals. To get involved, or to attend the next Business & Legal Society event—a special evening with Virginia Lt. Governor Ralph Northam on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7 pm at the Sandler Family Campus, visit JewishVA. org/BusinessAndLegalSociety.

David Kamer, Ralph Soussan, Tobias Eisenlohr and Evan Levitt.

jewishnewsva.org | Business | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 23


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Business Social entrepreneur wins 2014 Charles Bronfman prize for bringing solar light to millions NEW YORK—The 10th annual Charles Bronfman Prize was awarded to social entrepreneur Sam Goldman, founder and chief customer officer of d.light design, a certified B Corporation dedicated to providing the most reliable, affordable and accessible solar lighting and power systems for the developing world. Charles Bronfman presented Goldman with the award at a ceremony attended by leaders in government, Jewish affairs, philanthropy and the emerging field of social entrepreneurship. Each year, The Charles Bronfman Prize with an accompanying $100,000 award celebrates the accomplishments of an individual or team under the age of 50 whose humanitarian work is informed by Jewish values and has global impact, changing lives and inspiring the next generations. “Over the past 10 years, our judges have done an exceptional job of selecting a group of laureates who have made, and continue to make, a tremendous mark on the world and Sam is no exception,” said Charles Bronfman, presenting the award to Goldman in a ceremony at the New-York Historical Society. “Like the fellowship he is joining, Sam is truly a remarkable young humanitarian capable of inspiring next generations, and it’s an honor to welcome him into the Prize family.”

Goldman, 34, is the youngest and first Canadian recipient of The Charles Bronfman Prize. He is also the first recipient recognized for humanitarian work pursued through a for-profit social enterprise. d.light designs, manufactures and distributes solar lighting products for the developing world. Today, more than 1.6 billion people live by the light of kerosene because they lack access to reliable electricity. Kerosene is dangerous, dirty and produces a low quality light. As a for-profit social enterprise, d.light has been able to scale rapidly, producing the world’s most affordable and durable solar lighting products, and improving the health, education, earnings potential and overall quality of life for nearly 40 million people in some of the world’s poorest areas—9 million of whom are children. “d.light is a part of a new phenomenon in the world of entrepreneurs who are doing good social work,” said Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat, speaking on behalf of the international panel of judges who selected Goldman for the Prize. “One in four people on this earth have no access to electricity. That means all the devices we use for education and communication are unavailable. Rather than simply wringing his hands about it, Sam decided to do something. If there has ever

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Business been an exemplar of tikkun olam—repairing the world—it is what Sam and d.light do every day of the week.” M. R. Rao, CEO and managing director of SKS Microfinance Ltd.—the largest microfinance institution in India and second largest in the world—gave testimony about the impact that of Sam’s work. “In India, the poor don’t send their kids to school, they send their kids to work. But because of Sam and d.light, the kids are able to study once the sun goes down. Mothers no longer live in fear that kerosene will cause their homes to burn down. That is how the impact of d.light is felt.” “We set out with a goal to reach 100 million people by the year 2020, and in each year we’ve been in business, we’ve reached more people than in all previous years combined,” Goldman said in his acceptance speech. “In all likelihood, 50,000 people will be moved from kerosene to clean, sustainable solar energy today. They are creating a new generation—a renewable energy generation.” At the ceremony, Goldman announced Power for All a new initiative, separate from d.light, that will bring public and private institutions together, dedicated to delivering universal power access before 2030. “Power is fundamental to economic development and to human development,” he said. “The equivalent of what a U.S. household uses in just a few days can make the difference between a country with a high quality of life and a country with a very low quality of life.” “Sam and Dad are so much alike,” says Stephen Bronfman, Charles’ son and a co-founder of The Charles Bronfman Prize. “He is generous of spirit and grew up understanding that helping people is just what you do. He has used business principals to make a difference—and he is a proud Canadian.” “Over the years, we have been fortunate to recognize humanitarians who have made a difference in education, health, the environment, human rights and poverty, and when we were deciding upon this year’s recipient, we were struck by the fact that Sam and his partners at d.light are having an impact in all of these fields,” says Prize co-founder Ellen Bronfman

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26 | Jewish News | November 3, 2014 | Business | Jewishnewsva.org


Community shows up to advocate for Jewish priorities

T

he community recently had the opportunity to hear the 2nd Congressional District of Virginia candidates share their views. The event on Monday, Oct. 20 at the Sandler Family Campus allowed attendees to personally meet incumbent Rep. Scott Rigell (R) and challenger Suzanne Patrick (D), ask them questions face to face, and hear, briefly, their views about Israel and U.S.-Israel policy. The crowd of about 200 consisted of Jewish voters, as well as many friends from other faith communities who support Israel and wanted to learn more about the candidates and their views. Making a significant presence was a group of more than 20 students from Tallwood High School’s Global Studies and World Languages Academy, some of whom traveled with the school last year to Israel, some who will be going to Israel this month and some who vote for the first time in this election. The group gathered before the event, learning from and discussing Israel lobbying with community activist Art Sandler. Robin Mancoll, director of the CRC, says while the candidates did not speak for long, the most important take away from the evening, “is not, voters learning about their next member of Congress, but the next member of Congress learning about the Jewish community and its friends.” “Whoever is heading to D.C. as a result of this election, walked into the Simon Family JCC and saw a community that shows up to make sure that their Representative knows what issues are important to them, and in this case it was Israel, the U.S.—Israel relationship and support for our local Jewish agencies,” says Mancoll. Before the candidates spoke, Megan Zuckerman, CRC chair, outlined the commitments to Jewish values and Israel held by the Tidewater Jewish community. Following are excerpts from her remarks: The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, educates the community on the rights and issues impacting Jews locally, nationally, and globally with particular interest paid to Israel. The CRC

Tallwood Global Studies Academy teachers and students smile after hearing from the candidates and learning more about Israel advocacy from Art Sandler. Greg Falls, Kari Wilson, Nick Wilson, Nauje Jones, Brayon Nichols, Kelly Walker and Art Sandler.

Community member David Brand (right) congratulates Tallwood High School Global Studies Academy students for their civic and community involvement.

transforms issues into action through constructive dialogue, educational opportunities and maintaining positive exchanges with the local community at large including faith and ethnic communities, public and government officials, and the media. Representative Rigell and Ms. Patrick: we have invited you here tonight to hear the priorities of our Tidewater Jewish community and hope you will keep them in mind when representing us in Washington. The Tidewater Jewish Community is comprised of approximately 11,000 people. And while that number seems small, you should know we are a strong, yet collective group of individuals with a shared culture deeply rooted in traditions and a shared set of values including the Jewish belief of Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world we live in. The Jewish people have historically led and joined others in the fight against human and social injustice including: intolerance, hate crimes, segregation, and the persecution or marginalization of others. We spend every day not only preaching the notion that it is our duty to repair the world, but living it through the work being done at Jewish agencies serving the community at large. We appreciate the time you have both taken to tour Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, Beth Sholom Village, the Simon Family JCC and the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater. Our Jewish agencies care for those less fortunate or in need, the aged, and our youth, educating them to carry the torch for future generations of strong American Jews. We teach our children that we are not only Jews but also Americans, living and working amongst our non-Jewish neighbors for the common purpose of a safe, strong and secure nation.

As American Jews it is our duty to ensure America remains Israel’s strongest ally. This is a mutually ben- Joan Benas, Jeff Brooke, Al Benas and Bonnie Brand. eficial alliance for both America and Israel, as the only democracy in the Middle East. It is important that the United States continues to maximize the benefits of an already thriving alliance with Israel by expanding cooperation in military, trade, energy and homeland security. Robert Goodman, Ron Kramer, Margot Miller and Steve Sandler. We believe that America must work to prevent the very real threat of Iran achieving nuclear breakout capability. We will always advocate for Israel’s right to self-defense and we support security assistance for Israel in the current and future Congressional budget. We will continue to work with you and Robin Mancoll, Karen Jaffe and Sara Jo Rubin. Congress on government partnerships between America and Israel help keep both our nation and the State of Israel safe, strong and secure. and joint anti-terrorism efforts. We look forward to hearing from both of (photos by Laine Mednick Rutherford) you, and your thoughts on how we, your friends and neighbors in the Jewish community, can

jewishnewsva.org | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 27


it’s a wrap YAD off to great start for 2014–2015

F

rom Sukkot to Cornhole to business networking to social action, the Young Adult Division of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater offered “something for everyone” with several recent successful kick-off events. For YAD Men’s programming, The 1st Annual Cornhole Tournament had more than 25 partic- Hands on Tidewater at Southeastern Virgina Food Bank. ipants competing to claim the title of the first ever YAD Cornhole News, discussed how they achieved their goals, occupy their current positions and Team Champion. Thinking of those less fortunate, Hands what it took for them to get there. Finally, at the 2nd Annual Sukkah Hop, on Tidewater, YAD’s community service group, gathered at the Foodbank of YAD members from all over Tidewater Southeastern Virginia to unpack and sort came together to celebrate Sukkot. These young adults ate in the Sukkah and enjoyed non-perishable food items. With a nod to the importance of busi- a festive night under the stars with many ness networking for young professionals, new faces in the crowd. To get involved with YAD, contact Amy YAD hosted its first YAD Talks at Vintage Kitchen where Jordan Slone, CEO and Weinsten, YAD director at aweinstein@ujft.org president of Harbor Group International or Benyamin Yaffe, YAD programming associand Dana Rosen, Federal Judge at the ate at byaffe@ujft.org. U.S. Department of Labor in Newport

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YAD Men’s Cornhole participants.


Book Review Just in time for author visit Hanna and Walter Hanna and Walter Kohner With Frederick Kohner iUniverse, reissued 2008 147pp., $14.95 ISBN 978-0-595-46598-9

O

Hal Sacks

n Sunday, Nov. 16, at the Women’s Cabinet PLUS ONE brunch, co-hosted by the UJFT Holocaust Commission, attendees will hear a Holocaust story with a happy ending. Julie Kohner, a scholar of Jewish history and founder of Voices of the Generations will carry on her parents’ legacy by retelling their personal story to school and community groups throughout the country. Not everyone will hear that presentation, but everyone can read the book, first published in 1984 and now reissued. Hanna Bloch was a child barely 15 when she met and fell in love with Walter Kohner, 20. Walter, an indifferent student, was fascinated by “show business” and longed for a career in theatre. Hanna, teen devourer of romantic novels, turned off by the rankly pubescent boys her age idolized her older brother Friedl (who survived and helped his parents edit their book) and was smitten by Walter, whom she met by accident skating on a frozen pond in Teplitz-Schonau, a popular Sudetenland spa in Czechoslovakia. Hanna and Walter is a slim memoir that reads like a novel with a classic romantic plot; boy meets girl; boy and girl fall in love; boy loses girl; boy finds girl; they marry and live happily ever after. This love story, however, unfolds in the context of the Holocaust. Walter emigrates to the United States before the Nazis take over of the betrayed Sudetenland. Hanna escapes to Holland and creates a new life, until Holland too is occupied by the Germans and she is eventually rounded up and deported to what will become a series of concentration camps, the last of which was the dreaded Auschwitz. Told in alternating first person chapters, Walter’s finding his way in America, and Hanna’s miraculous survival of a series of deadly “aktions” are compelling accounts and the reader is rewarded by the truly thrilling story of Walter, now a member of the American army of occupation, finding Hanna in

the maelstrom of the post WWII displaced person scene. Their reunion, marriage and happy life together in America furnishes a bitter-sweet contrast to the murders of most of their families in Theresienstadt, BergenBelsen and Auschwitz. In 1953 on the popular television program, This is your Life, Hanna became the first Holocaust survivor presented to the American public in a national setting. Memory fails to assure me that I read this when first published in 1984, thus I and our readers will be grateful for its reissuance in 2008.

Book Festival cookbook for busy cooks Kosher Cuisine: For a New Generation Cantor Mitch, The Singing Chef Red Portal Press, 2014 168pp., $16.95, ISBN 978-1-938063-53-4

O

n Thursday, Nov. 6, at noon, Cantor Mitch Kowitz will be present in partnership with Beth Sholom Village and Jewish Family Service as part of the Lee and Bernard

Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival at the Simon Family JCC. Cantor Mitch progressed from vegetable cutter to prep chef to sous chef over a decade while performing off-Broadway and attending cantorial school. Your reviewer was immediately faced with a conundrum. Certain to question this cookbook (kosher cuisine and singing?), a collection of recipes using a lot of prepared foods, how would he exercise his reviewerly independence without being negative about a featured Book Festival speaker? A second look at the subtitle, For a New Generation, and at the targeted market for Kosher Cuisine, adults, primarily ages 20–40, and a discussion with my grandson’s wife, Hava, who teaches preschool, has two very active very young children and maintains a kosher kitchen, resolved my concern. Recently, Hava thanked me for the kosher cookbooks I had given her in the past, but commented that many of the recipes were very time-consuming—time she rarely has. Unexpectedly, I experienced a “eureka moment!” Cantor Mitch’s collec-

tion was made to order for her! Are you ready for this? Swedish meatballs using a 12-ounce jar of grape jelly and a 12-ounce bottle of chili sauce? Nine chicken recipes using kosher skinless chicken breasts, almost all table ready in 10 to 12 minutes? Five quiche dishes using prepared pie dough? And the eagerly anticipated brisket recipe using packaged dried onion soup—possibly first introduced in the Women’s Home Companion in 1955 and still a great standard. The Women’s’ Home Companion sadly folded in April, 2014, after 131 years—but four generations of Sacks still use the packaged onion soup. Mitch brings kosher cooking to the current generation of working parents and adds song and music pairings for each dish. Come to think of it, I daresay many older cooks who have done it “from scratch” for two or three generations will welcome some of these simple and delicious-sounding recipes. —Hal Sacks is a retired Jewish communal worker who has reviewed books for Jewish News for more than 30 years.

jewishnewsva.org | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 29


“JFS is like another set of arms around me to keep me safe” by a Jewish Family Service client JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF TIDEWATER’S 22ND ANNUAL

Chanukah Gift Program

Artwork by “Ben,” a 2013 recipient

A

November 2 – 16 Hundreds of Books for Sale. Ten Author Events. Limitless Possibilities.

*of blessed memory

30 | Jewish News | November 3, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

s a Norfolk native and a member of the Jewish community all my life, I was familiar with Jewish Family Service. But I never knew just how much I would desperately need their guidance and financial support for my parents and my own family until 2012. I had lost my dear father and I didn’t have the financial means to cover his final expenses and burial. I had nowhere to turn in my time of grief and mourning. During this desperate time of need, JFS helped my family provide for a spiritual Jewish service for my father. Every year— thanks to the financial support from very generous donors—they have provided for my family for Rosh Hashanah and Passover. I’ve been able to prepare a lovely meal so my family can celebrate each Jewish holiday the way we used to when we all gathered at my parents’ home. JFS allows me to relive many precious memories. Every year at Chanukah, JFS provides my children with gifts that I couldn’t possibly begin to imagine being able to give them. This past year, we received clothing, games, toys and a brand new bicycle. The Jewish community is so generous to my children and it is quite humbling. The true gift is that I have never had to ask for help or feel guilt or embarrassment. JFS was there for me. These simple gestures are like another set of arms around me to keep me safe, protecting me. JFS leaves me with a positive outlook for my myself, my family and my mother. The days ahead will be brighter! Thank you, JFS and the Jewish community—you provide for so many. ‘Thank you’ just doesn’t seem enough.

Give a gift that lights up the world Now in its 22nd year, the JFS Chanukah Gift Program is an opportunity for donors to do a mitzvah for children who have no choice in their family’s financial situation. For young donors, this is a personal way to learn and practice tzedakah, giving to others, as they shop with parents for gifts for other children, knowing that the gifts will make a significant impact. Last year, a total of 122 different families, consisting of 304 people, benefited at Chanukah time from the kindness of local community donors. Specific gifts and gift cards were provided to 43 local Jewish families with children/teens, consisting of 92 different children and teens. Those families continued to benefit from the donations given at Chanukah time throughout the year, as JFS provided gift cards towards medication, food, gas, clothing and school supplies.

How to give to the JFS Chanukah Gift Program • Contact JFS to request a Family Wish List starting Nov. 7. • Create a Mitzvah Day tradition with your family and friends and go shopping together for gifts such as toys, games and clothes. • Consider a tax-deductible monetary donation to JFS and JFS will do the shopping for the items most needed/ requested. • P urchase gift cards from department stores, grocery stores, etc. and families will shop for themselves. All donations should be made to JFS by Dec. 4. For more information, contact Maryann Kettyle at 757-459-4640 or mkettyle@jfshamptonroads.org. Jewish Family Service is a constituent agency of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.


what’s happening Update from the State, Lieutenant Governor Ralph S. Northam visits community Wednesday, Nov. 19, 7 pm, Sandler Family Campus

T

he number of topics Ralph Northam can speak about when he visits the Sandler Family Campus run the gamut from the recent election, to conflicts over Medicaid expansion, to the latest neurological surgery procedures, to the joys of parenthood. Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor, Northam is president of the Virginia Senate and is first in line to take over as Governor, should that need arise. His ability to discuss Virginia politics comes from his current position, as well as from his former role as a state Senator. Northam represented Virginia 6th district, which includes Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Mathews County on the Middle Peninsula and parts of the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach, from 2007 through 2013. Northam’s views and priorities for the state are widely influenced by his background as a native of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, his military background, his work as a doctor, a longtime volunteer, a husband and father and Tidewater resident. A brief synopsis of his career shows a long list of titles the 55-year-old Northam has held, and currently holds, along with Lieutenant Governor. A graduate of Virginia Military Institute and Eastern Virginia Medical School, Northam served in the Army for eight years where he rose to the rank of Major. He treated evacuated casualties as an Army physician during Operation Desert Storm. Since 1992, he has practiced pediatric neurology at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, is an assistant professor of neurology at EVMS, and has been the volunteer medical director of Edmarc Hospice for Children for more than 10 years. Northam’s visit is hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Business & Legal Society, the Maimonides Society and the Community Relations Council. “As a local physician I’m looking forward to hearing what our Lieutenant Governor has to say regarding Medicaid expansion and how different outcomes might affect the uninsured,” says Maimonides Society co-chair Julius Miller, M.D. “We, as Jews, are a community of people

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Lieutenant Governor Ralph S. Northam.

who help other people, and depending on the outcome, the medical industry might need to help our uninsured a bit more,” Miller says. Hearing Northam’s insights and learning about his priorities for Virginia are intriguing for area Jewish business and legal professionals, as well as area medical professionals, says Greg Zittrain, a financial advisor with the Jones Zittrain Wealth Management Group at Merrill Lynch. Zittrain, who is a member of both the CRC and the Business and Legal Society, is looking forward to the evening and encourages others to come, too. Northam’s comments will interest a great variety of people, Zittrain says. “I have now attended several Business and Legal events, and I am increasingly finding them to be great forums to meet other Jewish professionals,” says Zittrain. “The discussions are timely—Lieutenant Governor Northam’s visit will include an update on potential healthcare legislation changes, a topic that directly impacts our clients at Merrill Lynch.” The event is free and open to the community. RSVP by Nov. 17 to sgolden@ujft.org or call 757-965-6124. To learn more about this event, visit JewishVa. org/BusinessAndLegalSociety and like the Society on Facebook: FB.com/BusinessAndLegalSociety. For future programs and the missions of the Business and Legal Society, the Maimonides Society and the CRC, visit JewishVA.org.

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Bill’s will said a lot about him. What does your will say about you? Norfolk businessman Bill Goldback valued good health and good music.

Before he died in 2007, Bill arranged for a bequest to the Hampton Roads Community Foundation to provide grants for arts and medicine in Hampton Roads. ants have helped expand Eastern Virginia Medical Goldback grants School and support 33 area music and arts groups. Thanks to Bill’s generosity he will forever bring music and health to his home region. Connect your passions to the future by ordering a free bequest guide. Learn how easy it is to leave a gift for charity. Call 757-622-7951 or visit leaveabequest.org.

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jewishnewsva.org | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 31

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what’s happening Chill Zone: A new opportunity for Jewish girls

First Person

Keeping an eye on Iran by Robin Mancoll

A

re you keeping your eye on the ball? Or, in this case, are you keeping your eye on Iran’s progress as they head toward nuclear weapons capability? With so much taking place in the Middle East, it’s easy to lose sight of what we thought last year at this time, was the scariest possibility in our future—a nuclear Iran. It’s easy to understand the world’s distraction as news reports share fatalities and casualties across the globe in staggering numbers. Estimated deaths in the Syrian Civil War are more than 191,000. In early October it was reported that in the past six months in Ukraine at least 3,660 people have been killed and more than 8,756 injured. Israel worked to protect her citizens this summer when more than 2,200 people lost their lives. This number is much lower than what could have been, thanks in part to the protection of the Iron Dome, the discovery and destruction of more than 32 tunnels under Israel and the thoughtful and moral practice of the IDF—warning civilians in Gaza—living, worshipping and healing in hospitals above bombs being hidden by Hamas. Last, but certainly not least, and possibly the biggest current distraction for the world, is the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). A recently released report claims that more than 9,000 civilians have been killed and over 17,000 injured so far this year by ISIS. Worth a separate mention (at time of press) is the nine separate beheadings the world has had the opportunity to watch via video over and over again. Israel’s minister of intelligence, Yuval Steinitz, published an op-ed in The New York Times a few weeks ago warning that allowing Iran to keep its enrichment capabilities intact would threaten to “pave the road to nuclear proliferation and herald the dawn of a nuclear arms race in the unstable Middle East.” He advised that while fighting ISIS is a worthy effort, it shouldn’t distract the West from taking a hard line with Iran in nuclear negotiations, as in the

end, “the Islamic Republic of Iran remains the worlds foremost threat.” We must keep our eye on the ball. Last fall I wrote about my lack of sleep due to concern that Iran is developing nuclear weapon capabilities in an extremely deceptive manner, the range with which Iran could accomplish an attack and the uncertainty that the American public is aware of how real this threat is to our nation. At that time we heard from Bob Feferman, a visiting expert from United Against Nuclear Iran on the threat of a nuclear armed Iran and why that should matter to us as Americans. We’ve seen some changes since Bob’s visit, talks continued, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency, under the United Nations umbrella) was allowed into Arak Heavy Water Production Plant, and more, but on the whole, Iran seems to be stalling. All indications show that Iran is not budging in areas that are important to the global community and sanctions should not be relieved unless Iran agrees with the conditions set forth. While official talks continue between Iran and the P5+1, experts say that an extension of the latest deadline, Nov. 24, to make a deal with Iran, would be regarded as a success. As the Nov. 24 deadline edges closer, our eyes should be wide open. This threat of a nuclear-armed Iran is and should continue to be a priority for us all. Israel has not lost focus. A few weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Face the Nation, “If you think ISIS is dangerous, and should be defeated, as I do—and I completely support President Obama’s effort, leadership in this regard —then think how much more dangerous Iran is.” One of my favorite resources for current analysis of foreign policy and national security is the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Their experts focus on the promotion of pluralism, defend democratic values and fight the ideologies that drive terrorism. The executive director of this non-partisan, well-respected, Washington, D.C. think tank is Mark Dubowitz.

32 | Jewish News | November 3, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

Thursdays by Jenny Lefcoe

W Mark Dubowitz Community Relations Council’s Israel Today Wednesday, Dec. 3, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus Speaking in Tidewater as part of the Community Relations Council and community partner’s Israel Today series, Dubowitz will share insight into the sanctions, talks and efforts to prevent Iran from becoming nuclear weapons capable. At FDD, Dubowitz leads projects to counter the threat Iran represents to America and its allies and has testified before Congress and numerous foreign governments. Dubowitz has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and more. He appears frequently on CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NPR. As I continue to lose sleep over the thought of a nuclear armed Iran, and at times the civil war in Syria, ISIS—their movement and growth, and the fear of my sixth grader not having studied enough to get an A on her science test, I look forward to hearing from Mark Dubowitz, getting the facts directly from this expert. I hope you’ll join me that night to hear more about the current situation and learn how to advocate for the safety of Israel and America, to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to obtain nuclear weapons. For more information on the Israel Today series, Mark Dubowitz’s visit or to RSVP by Dec. 1, visit www.JewishVa.org/CRCIsraelToday or call 965-6107.

ith the 2015–2016 school year kicking off, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, exhausted and want to seek an outlet from the endless pressures of daily life. To help Jewish girls with that need for an outlet, Tidewater has a new and exciting program called Chill Zone. A girls’ program taking place throughout the world, Chill Zone has successfully enhanced nearly 50 different Jewish communities. The ultimate goals of hosting this program in Tidewater are to bring Jewish girls within the community together to have fun and to grow in a meaningful way. This is accomplished by creating an atmosphere in which every girl feels special and feels a part of something great. Chill Zone takes place in Dominion Tower every Thursday night, for one hour. Chill Zone is completely subsidized by a greater organization, Oorah, which initially founded it and now works to see it thrive in various communities. Each week generally consists of brief learning, pizza, dancing and different projects. Open to all Jewish girls in the area between the ages of 11 and 16, participants will be divided by age during the program. Chill Zone is a great opportunity for girls to form special bonds with others of all different ages and interests. For more information, contact Jenny Lefcoe jlefcoe96@gmail.com.

Rabbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill

serving Tidewater’s unaff iliated Jews and spiritual seekers as

Lifecycle Officiant Jewish Educator & Tutor rabbicantorejg@gmail.com 215-359-7806


what’s happening

The Lee and Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival ine author events are taking place at the Simon Family JCC during the Lee and Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival. Three are highlighted here. For all events, go to www.SImonFamilyJCC.org.

A musical evening

Sports night

Global Day of Jewish Learning

The Late Starters Orchestra Wednesday, Nov. 5, 7 pm Have you ever considered going back to something you loved doing as a young person, only to talk yourself out of it because you think you’re too old? Ari Goldman shares his personal account of what happens when a middle-aged writer picks up the cello for the first time in 25 years in The Late Starters Orchestra. He’ll share his thoughts, as will other “late starters” from Tidewater, who will perform after his presentation. Alan Bartel and two other musicians will perform Devienne’s Flute Trio after Goldman speaks. Bartel, a cardiologist who serves on numerous boards in the area, is an accomplished flutist who gets together at least once a week with several different groups including a Klezmer band. “We are all late starters, who played earlier in life and want to continue playing to keep active at what we are passionate about,” he says. Following the short recital, Bartel, violinist Roger Gray, cellist Fred Kovner and author Ari Goldman will open a discussion with the audience about returning to something one is passionate about in later years.

The Legend of Red Klotz: How Basketball’s Loss Leader Won Over the World 14,000 Times Tuesday, Nov. 11, 6pm Tim Kelly will present his book, The Legend of Red Klotz: How Basketball’s Loss Leader Won Over the World 14,000 Times. Concession style food, Jody’s popcorn, beer, sodas and water will be served. The presentation is about Red Klotz, who opposed the Harlem Globetrotters thousands of times, beating them just once on his winning shot. This biography traces Klotz’s unlikely journey as basketball’s most traveled man, overcoming his small stature, anti-Semitism, the Great Depression and World War II to succeed in basketball. After the presentation, enjoy games such as a shoot out, complete with prizes. “We are so happy to bring out sports enthusiasts to listen to Tim Kelly and then take some shots themselves,” says Alex Pomerantz, of the UJFT Men’s Division. “It’s going to be fun family night for anyone who plays ball and is interested in the Globetrotters’ history.” The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Men’s Division and Young Adult Division and the Simon Family JCC are co-sponsors of this event.

Sunday, Nov. 16, 1–3 pm Tidewater will join with Jews across the world in celebrating a Global Day of Jewish Learning. “In our tradition, learning is not just about receiving knowledge, but using it to transform our lives and our relationships with others,” says Rabbi Marc A. Kraus of Temple Emanuel, who is leading the Global Day discussion at the JCC following a book presentation. The book presented at this event is Ruth Feldman’s The Green Bubbie, which is about developing and nourishing meaningful, organic relationships. “We hope that the Global Day of Jewish Learning will be a catalyst for developing meaningful intergenerational relationships,” says Kraus. ••••• Can’t come to any of the events? Don’t forget to stop by anyway! Hundreds of books on dozens of subjects are on display and for sale in the Cardo area of the JCC through Sunday, Nov. 16. For more information about the events, call 321-2338 or visit SimonFamilyJCC.org. ••••• Simon Family JCC is a constituent agency of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. *of blessed memory

Proud supplier for the Lee & Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival at the JCC November 2–16,

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Barnes & Noble at TCC

by Leslie Shroyer

levels 2 and 3 of MacArthur Center near Dillard’s

Through Sunday, Nov. 16

*of blessed memory

jewishnewsva.org | November 3, 2014 | Jewish News | 33


UJFT WOMEN’S CABINET +1 BRUNCH Co-hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Cabinet and Holocaust Commission Features Julie Kohner and "Voices of the Generations" A multi-media presentation telling the story of Hanna Kohner (Julie's late-mother) who survived the Holocaust and shared her story with all of America on the 1950's TV show "This is Your Life."

Sunday, November 16 • 10:30 pm Sandler Family Campus $10 Covers brunch. No Solicitation. Julie’s book, Hanna & Walter, will be available for sale and signing during the event. RSVP by November 12 to Patty Malone at pmalone@ujft.org or 965-6115.

calendar November 3, Monday Free five-week Hebrew Reading Crash Course open to community begins at B’nai Israel. 7:15 pm. Call B’nai Israel at 757-627-7358 or NJOP at 800-44-HEBRE(W). November 13, Thursday Author of The Invisible Front: Love and Loss in an Era of Endless War, Yochi Dreazen will speak about his new book at the United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula. 7 pm. Call Temple Sinai 757-596-8352 or the UJCVP at 757‑930‑1422. November 16, Sunday Jewish choral groups from across the central and southern regions of Virginia will perform as a single choir, in the first-ever Virginia Jewish Choral Celebration at Richmond’s Beth Ahabah. The event is free and open to the public. 3:30 pm. Norfolk’s Ohef Sholom Temple is one of the participants. For more information, contact Ken Roeper at roepers@comcast.net or Jan Levin at jan.levin@areva.com. November 19, Wednesday The JCC Senior Club Meeting with guest speaker Attorney Scott N. Alperin. He will discuss elder law, estate planning and asset protection. He is up to date on the new laws and benefits that are available. Board meeting begins at 10:30 am, lunch at 12 noon, general meeting follows. For further information, call 338-2676. November 20, Thursday The Community Relations Council offers an early premier of Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Homefront at the Regent University Theater in Virginia Beach. Appearing at the premier will be special guest, Rabbi Raphael Shore, founder of Jerusalem U and The Clarion Project and executive producer of this film. Watch the trailer and RSVP (required by Nov. 19. IDs will be checked) for this FREE and open to the community event by visiting www.JewishVa.org/ CRCBeneaththeHelmet or contact SMaslin@ujft.org. See page 11. November 23 Sunday PJ Library Pajama Day Make PJ Library Pillow Pals and sleeping bags for the book The Bedtime Sh’ma. 10–11:30 am at Simon Family JCC. Call 321-2338 for more information. December 3, Wednesday The Community Relations Council and area synagogues, Jewish agencies, organizations and partners present the second event in the 2014–2015 Israel Today forum with Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies as he speaks on the topic of Terror from Tehran: Iran as an International Threat, at 7:30pm at the Sandler Family Campus. For more information or to RSVP by Dec. 1, visit www.JewishVa.org/CRCIsraelToday or contact SMaslin@ujft.org. See page 32. Send submissions for calendar to news@ujft.org. Be sure to note “calendar” in the subject. Include date, event name, sponsor, address, time, cost and phone.

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Mazel Tov to Rabbi Israel Zoberman at U.S. Senate To mark the occasion of Rabbi Israel Zoberman’s 40th anniversary of his ordination, Senator Mark Warner will sponsor his delivery of the opening prayer at the U.S. Senate session on Thursday, Dec. 11. The session will be carried live on CSPAN. Engagement Richard and Beth Gross on the engagement of their son, Geoffrey Todd Gross of Boca Raton, Fla. to Leah Hanah Berkowitz, also of Boca Raton. Leah is the daughter of Fred and Cathy Berkowitz of Boca Raton. She is a senior at Brandeis University. Geoff is the youth director at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, and a fellow for Camp Ramah.

Rabbi Israel Zoberman and U.S. Senator Mark Warner.

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obituaries Aaron Brewer Portsmouth—Aaron Brewer, 91 years old, a native of Portsmouth, Va., passed away Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. He was one of eight children born to Ida and Benjamin Brewer. He was a photographer for the Portsmouth Star newspaper before being drafted into the army in 1943 and served in North African and Italian theaters. Later he attended the Modern School of Photography on the GI bill and he and his brother Sol operated Brewer’s PhotoService for over 20 years. He owned Carney’s grocery store and the Buy and Sell furniture store. A member of Gomley Chesed Synagogue since the 1950’s, Aaron served on the board of directors, the Mens Club, the Chevra Kadisha and the cemetery committee. He also was the synagogues’ unofficial photographic historian. As a member of the Jewish War Veterans since WWII, he served as Commander of Post 453 in Portsmouth and was twice Commander of the Department

of Virginia and North Carolina’s Jewish War Veterans, as well as served on the national executive committee. An eternal optimist, he loved and celebrated the many facets of life. He enjoyed song writing and observing nature. Aaron is survived by a wife he cherished for 60 years, Renee Hirt Brewer, their two children Lawrence D. Brewer and Ilene B. Anderson (Mattthew V. Anderson) and two granddaughters Megan Rose Anderson and Morgan Alyssa Anderson. Funeral services were held at Gomley Chesed Synagogue by Rabbi David Goldstein. Burial was in Gomley Chesed Cemetery. Sturtevant Funeral Home. Ruth Virginia “Ginny” Goodman Norfolk—Ruth Virginia “Ginny” Harfield Goodman died on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014. Ginny was born in Norfolk in 1926, the daughter of Rose Salsbury Harfield and Eugene Eliot Harfield, and graduated from

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Maury High School in 1944 and Syracuse University in 1948. She was a substitute teacher in Norfolk public schools for many years and a volunteer at the Chrysler Museum and the Beth Sholom Home. Ginny was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Leonard “Lenny” Goodman to whom she was married for 60 years; her brother, Alfred Harfield; her sisters Justine Harfield and Matilda Saunders; her brother-in-law, Louis M. Saunders; her nephew, Harvey Ronald Saunders; and her grandson, Joshua Keith Goodman. She is survived by her sons, Judge Allan (Susy) Goodman, Lloyd (Helene Rosenberg) Goodman, and Sanford (Kathy Bradley) Goodman, her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews, and many devoted friends. Her love of life, energy, enthusiasm, independence and happy disposition were an inspiration to all. The funeral was held at H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts. Contributions to Beth Sholom Home, 6401 Auburn Dr., Virginia Beach, VA 23464. Online condolences may be offered at hdoliver.com. Ira Gould Virginia Beach—Dr. Ira Gould passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, at the age of 94. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Frances Ruth Lasting Gould, his children, Robin, Bruce (Jennifer), and Randy (Natalie). He is also survived by his grandchildren, Aaron (Jennifer), Lindsay, Josh and Clay. He was born in Brooklyn, N. Y. on March 12, 1920. He graduated from Samuel Tilden High School and Long Island University, where he played on the basketball team. Ira was a lifelong athlete and played basketball and softball in the Navy. He was an avid tennis player late into his 70s,and he loved to golf. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in World War II and subsequently entered the V12 program. He graduated in 1944 from MCV School of Dentistry, where he also served on the faculty. Ira had a distinguished Navy career and was a Veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He had fond memories of serving with Captain Arleigh Burke on the USS Gilmore.

He settled in his wife’s hometown of Norfolk, Va. after his naval service. Ira practiced dentistry at his Wards Corner office until the age of 78. He volunteered for many years at the DePaul Dental Clinic and the Florence Crittendon Home for Girls. He was very engaged in his community and served as president of the Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues. He also served on the Norfolk Public Library board. He and his wife and daughter were very involved with the Military Order of the World Wars and the Reserve Officers Association. He served as ROA national Dental Surgeon. Ira, Frances and Robin traveled extensively after retirement and they attended many NATO reservist meetings overseas. Ira was a member of the Tidewater Dental Association and served as its president. He was a recipient of the Richard F. Simmons award in recognition of extraordinary contributions to the Association, the dental profession and the general community. He was a fellow of the Virginia Dental Association, where he served as a state delegate for many years. He was also a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, The American College of Dentists, and the International College of Dentists. Ira was a kind and gentle man, and a precious child of God. He lived a full life because of his servant mentality. He never said an unkind word about anyone. He always offered those around him words of hope and encouragement. He was adored by his family, his friends and his patients. He will be fondly remembered by all who knew him. A memorial service will be planned for a later date. Gifts of remembrance may be made to the Eastern Virginia Medical School Foundation or a charity of your choice. Lt. Col. Joseph Howard Keller Norfolk—Lt. Col. Joseph Howard Keller, U.S. Army retired, 99, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014 at Beth Sholom Home in Virginia Beach. He was a retired civil engineer for the Dupont Corporation. Born in Portsmouth, Va., he was the son of the late Belle Becker Keller and Samuel Keller. He was predeceased by his first wife, Frances Amelson Keller.


obituaries Joe was a U.S. Army veteran who retired as a Lt. Colonel and served during the Battle of the Bulge in the Calvary and Armored Divisions. He also received the Bronze Star. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and V.M.I., Class of 1936. He was a longtime member of Congregation Beth El, was a past Master of the Fraternal Masonic Lodge No. 53 in Richmond, Va. and was a 50-year member of the Norfolk Scottish Rite Bodies. Left to cherish his memory is his beloved wife, Raye Zfass Swartz Keller; two daughters, Emmy Lou Kreger and her husband, Arthur of Virginia Beach and Sue Ann Berlin and her husband, Kenneth of Bethesda, Md.; three step-children, Jeffrey Swartz of Austin, Texas, Susan S. Hookman and her husband, Perry of Potomac, Md., and Charles Swartz and his wife, Paula of Richmond, Va.; three grandchildren, Jacqueline Kreger Ris and her husband, Peter of Adamstown, Md., Jennifer Sara Berlin of Washington, D.C., and Theodore Elliott Berlin of Arlington, VA; thirteen step-grandchildren, Heidi Brodsky and her husband, Michael, Shari Hookman Berger, Dr. Wendy Vassa and her husband, Tony, Aimee Robbins and her husband, Brian, Kinberly Swartz, Tracy Wynne, Jennifer Swartz, Robert Nomberg, Matthew Swartz, Jessica Swartz, Dee Dee Swartz, Steven Swartz, and Stephanie Swartz; and fourteen great grandchildren. A funeral service was conducted at the Norfolk Chapel of H. D. Oliver Funeral Apts. with Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz and Cantor Gordon Piltch officiating. Burial followed in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Congregation Beth El or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be offered to the family through hdoliver.com. Herman P. Simon NEWPORT NEWS—Herman P. Simon, 93, passed away on Thursday, October 16,2014. He was born in Brooklyn, N. Y. and was a resident of Newport News since 1949. He was a graduate of New York University with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1946 and received an MBA from George Washington University. He was a World War II veteran serving in the

army as a 1st Lieutenant in both Europe and the Pacific. His professional career was spent at Fort Eustis as a civilian engineer, first at Land Transportation and then as chief of Aviation Labs until his retirement in 1981. He was also the treasurer and a board member of the Fort Eustis Federal Credit Union (now 1st Advantage FCU) for almost 30 years. He was married to the late Ethel Simon for 55 years. He is survived by their children Lois (Michael Steindam) of Brooklyn, N.Y., Robert (Claudia) of Richmond, and Dr. William (Rosanne) of Virginia Beach; grandchildren Gina (Adam Edwards), Joseph, Douglas, Rachael, Marissa, Natalie and Jordan; and great-grandchildren Conor and Emily. Services were held at Rodef Sholom Temple, followed by internment at Rosenbaum Memorial Park, Hampton. The family requests donations to the charity of your choice.

Rabbi Dr. Judith Abrams, pioneering online Talmud teacher Rabbi Dr. Judith Abrams, the founder and director of the online Talmud learning website MAQOM, has died. Abrams, who made a career of Jewish teaching and learning, died of a heart attack on Oct. 22 in Houston. She was 56. She was a relative latecomer to Jewish study. Inspired by a semester studying in Soviet-era Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), where she met Jews in synagogue and on the streets, Abrams entered the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion with practically no Jewish education and quickly excelled in her studies, according to Jonathan Sarna, a professor of Jewish history at Brandeis University who wrote a tribute to her on the H-Judaic email list. Abrams graduated at the top of her class in 1984 and was ordained as a rabbi the following year. Her rabbinic thesis, on the image of America in the Russian-language Jewish

press, was published in the American Jewish History journal in 1986. In 1993 she earned a doctorate in Jewish studies from Baltimore Hebrew University. Abrams pioneered online teaching of Talmud to adults through MAQOM and authored over 20 books for adults and children. Her most recent book, The Other Talmud (Jewish Lights), was published in 2012. (JTA)

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Marriage Ending?

Temple Israel’s Sunday School is off and running under new education director by Joel Rubin

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38 | Jewish News | November 3, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

I

t’s the second Sunday in September, but the first for Sunday School at Temple Israel this year. Walking swiftly from room to room, with his roll sheets Leon Chovitz in hand and a big grin on his face, is the new principal, Leon Covitz. “We started off the morning with an assembly that included Havdalah,” said the transplanted Scot. “My goal is to establish a sense of community and give the children what may be their only exposure to Judaism all week. I want this experience to be both educational and fun.” In Rita Yashaev’s Hebrew class, fifth and sixth graders were already into the aleph-bets, filling in missing letters in an exercise involving words from the siddur. In her daughter-in-law (and fellow teacher) Amy’s room across the hall, the third and fourth grade children were learning about each other and getting ready to focus on the creation story. Last year they were into the prophets. Nine-year-old Jacob Brauner recalls being entranced by Jonah, who was swallowed by a big fish “because he deserved it.” What these kids deserve, and need, is a welcoming start each Sunday, and then throughout their pre-teen years, to Jewish customs, holidays and history and of course the Hebrew language. Covitz is dedicated to their success, as are his instructors, including Temple Israel’s rebbetzin, Sheila Panitz, a veteran teacher at Hebrew Academy of Tidewater, who this day was holding court before the oldest group of students at Temple Israel, those 8th through 11th graders who have made

the choice to continue their education, well after their B’nai Mitzvot gifts were unwrapped, spent or invested. “You are the successes for us,” said Sheila. “You are still here, which is more than I did after my Bat Mitzvah.” She recalled the minimal encouragement she received from her parents to keep her nose in the Jewish texts, noting that her happy meeting with Michael at age 16 set her on the course of Jewish life she enjoys today. Covitz also praised the teens for being responsible young adults and prospective leaders of the next generation in a synagogue that traces its roots back six decades. “The younger children will feel it’s cool to be here if they see that you are enthusiastic.” There should be no lack of interaction because Covitz will have the older kids working as volunteer aides in the other classrooms, 9-10 am each Sunday. “My goal is to help them develop a love for Judaism,” says Eli Bilderback. “I want them to keep coming back because they like it,” says Katie Ponack, “and not because they feel like they have to.” Ditto says Arielle Rosenberg who hopes the children will develop “a sense of pride in their people’s history.” Gizella Wade and Julie Rose just like “working with kids,” and Saderiah Wright, at 16 the elder stateswoman in the group, hopes to impart to them “how far we’ve come” as a Jewish people. Haley Bosher says she has never stopped making Sunday School a ritual because “it’s amazing what you can learn each week, especially from a great teacher like Mrs. Panitz.” Panitz intends to use her hour every Sunday with the teenagers to give “a Jewish hook to contemporary topics,” using the Torah and other writings as source material, but also movies and newspapers. Sounds like the Covitz era is off to a good start.


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3D Mammography finds 35% more cancer.

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hen you switch to a 3D mammogram for your next screening appointment, you’ll hardly notice a difference – but our highly skilled radiologists will see things very differently than ever before. The advanced technology of 3D mammography is revolutionizing the fight against breast

cancer. This groundbreaking new diagnostic tool has been shown to increase the early detection of cancer by 35%.* And it has also been proven to reduce the need to have women called back by 38%.* That means fewer follow-up exams, fewer biopsies and less worry for you. In Hampton Roads, 3D mammography is now

available from the Sentara Cancer Network. Our physicians follow the American Cancer Society recommendations for all women to have screening mammograms annually, starting at age 40. To schedule your screening appointment, please go to www.sentara.com/3Dmammogram or call 1-800-SENTARA.

Another first from the Sentara Cancer Network *June 2013 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology

sentara.com/3Dmammogram Your community, not-for-profit health partner 40 | Jewish News | November 3, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org SEN-8393 3d mammo ad.indd 1

10/21/14 2:35 PM


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