September 25 Jewish News by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater

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Southeastern Virginia | Vol. 56 No. 2 | 5 Tishrei 5778| September 25, 2017

Betty Ann Levin named UJFT executive vice president

Remembering Harold “Hal” Sacks

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High Holidays Supplement to Jewish News September 25, 2017

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Humans of Tel Aviv

Bruce Smith on Israel Monday, October 30

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UJFT’s 2018 Annual Campaign: reasons to celebrate Dear Community, On behalf of the board of directors the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, I welcome you to the start of the 2018 annual campaign. It is a time that is full of hope, promise, and desire by dedicated people seeking to fulfill the communal mitzvot of Tzeddakah. It is a time when the celebratory spirit and the aura of great anticipation are only bolstered by the knowledge that we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the State of Israel. All of us are privileged to live in a time when Jews and other lovers of Israel do not have to yearn for its promise, but can in so many ways insure and experience its glorious reality. Therefore, I invite you to join us on a community mission to Israel this summer. The annual campaign is an opportunity to express ourselves in ways that are uniquely Jewish. We are spending the High Holidays and Days of Awe making promises to God and to ourselves that we will not only be better people during these days, but throughout the year. The rabbis say that the true test of Teshuva, Tefila, and Tzeddakah is performing the mitzvot not solely during the Days of Awe, but during the ordinary days of the year. In this manner, one can exhibit the proof of their repentance and commitment to the mitzvot in an almost unnoticed manner—unnoticed by all except God. Yes, the start of the annual campaign is a wonderful period— for besides celebrating our unique historic opportunity of living through Israel@70 we are celebrating so much more. We are celebrating the presence of the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus and all the agencies, programs, and services that exist within it. In this building, and in our name, we care for those in need, rescue Jews in danger, enhance Jewish security, and champion the State of Israel. By accepting responsibility for one another, we improve the world with acts of righteous giving and social justice. We understand that through all the affiliate agencies of the UJFT we are one People, responsible for one another. We actively

participate in repairing the world, perform acts of loving kindness and commit to lifelong Jewish learning. We are respecting the individual and different expressions of Judaism and Jewish life. We are welcoming interfaith and other forms of non-traditional Jewish families. We are building a Jewish people and a Jewish community locally, nationally, and internationally. This is why I want you to participate in the annual campaign by not only making your increased gift, but by providing leadership in helping the campaign grow. Solicit and tell the person how we are guaranteeing a Jewish education to any child and family who seeks it. Tell the person to close his eyes and envision the hungry and isolated elderly in the remote corners of the Former Soviet Union. Tell the person that the difference for those Jewish elderly is that they have HOPE— an understanding that they will be discovered and fed because of the hundreds of Jewish community annual campaigns being conducted around the globe. Talk to them about our ability as Jewish communities to respond locally and nationally to disaster relief. Tell him or her about the Jews of Venezuela who understand that they have another home to go to because Tidewater and other Jewish Communities are celebrating Israel@70. I want to also thank the UJFT 2018 Campaign team, Laura Gross, Janet Mercadante, and Danny Rubin for their leadership. I want to thank the agency execs and presidents who work so hard to turn our raised dollars into valued and adored programs and services. Finally, I want to thank the Tidewater Jewish community for what it has done and in anticipation of what it will do to make our 2018 annual campaign a meaningful success.

John Strelitz President

Contents Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Torah Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Hal Sacks Jewish News Archives. . . . . . . . . . . 6 American Jews polled on Trump, anti-Semitism, Netanyahu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 U.S. campuses are more Israel friendly. . . . . . 9 Trump’s Rosh Hashanah call with Jewish groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Federations thank Israel for hurricane dollars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Balfour Declaration was ‘humanitarian’ gesture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Memorial to Israel’s Olympic athletes murdered in Munich dedicated. . . . . . . . . 13

Quotable Betty Ann Levin named UJFT executive vice president . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 High Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Book Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Remembering Hal Sacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Who Knew?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Mazel Tov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Fishing Derby at Simon Family JCC. . . . . . . 38 Camp JCC’s full season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Special Section—High Holidays

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

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Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462-4370 voice 757.965.6100 • fax 757.965.6102 email news@ujft.org Terri Denison, Editor Germaine Clair, Art Director Sandy Goldberg, Account Executive Heather Sterling, Account Executive Marilyn Cerase, Subscription Manager Reba Karp, Editor Emeritus United Jewish Federation of Tidewater John Strelitz, President Alvin Wall, Treasurer Stephanie Calliott, Secretary Harry Graber, Executive Vice-President www.jewishVA.org The appearance of advertising in the Jewish News does not constitute a kashrut, political, product or service endorsement. The articles and letters appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of this newspaper. © 2017 Jewish News. All rights reserved. Subscription: $18 per year For subscription or change of address, call 757-965-6128 or JewishNewsVA email mcerase@ujft.org.

Upcoming Deadlines for Editorial and Advertising Issue Date Oct. 9 Oct. 23 Nov. 6 Nov 20 Dec. 4 Dec. 18

Topic Home Mazel Tov Veterans Business Hanukkah Education

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Candle lighting Friday, September 29/9 Tishrei Light candles at 6:33 pm

“We wish everybody a sweet, healthy, and happy New Year,

Friday, October 6/16 Tishrei Light candles at 6:23 pm

and may you all be inscribed

Friday, October 13/23 Tishrei Light candles at 6:13 pm

in the Book of Life.”

Friday, October 20/30 Tishrei Light candles at 6:03 pm —page 16

Friday, October 27/7 Cheshvan Light candles at 5:55 pm Friday, November 3/14 Cheshvan Light candles at 5:47 pm

jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | Jewish News | 3

Briefs US opens first military base on Israeli soil The United States opened its first official military base on Israeli soil. The base started operating Monday, September 18 following a ceremony at the end of the previous week to inaugurate the facility that included Israeli and American military personnel. It will operate independently from within an Israeli military base in southern Israel that houses an air defense school, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Several dozen American soldiers will be stationed at the base. “For the first time the flag of the United States, our most important ally, will be raised in an IDF base,” Brigadier Gen. Zvika Haimovich, the IDF’s head of Air Defense, said in a statement. “This expresses more than anything the long-standing partnership and the strategic commitment between the countries and the armies.” The opening of the base comes a week after a new Iron Dome anti-missile battery became operational. “There is no coincidence between the two events,” Haimovich said. “They add another layer to the defense of the State of Israel against the high-trajectory threats that surround us from near and far.” Planning for the U.S. base began two years ago. (JTA) Germany drops case against former Auschwitz medic, 96, in what could be last high-profile Nazi trial In what could be the end of high-profile Nazi trials, a German court officially dropped its case against a 96-year-old former Auschwitz medic because he has dementia. The decision on Tuesday, Sept. 12 came after Hubert Zafke was found unfit to stand trial for his role in the murder of more than 3,600 people at the Nazi death camp. German prosecutors submitted a motion last month to the Neubrandenburg state court asking it to dismiss the case. The conviction of John Demjanjuk in 2011 had launched several high-profile trials of Nazi camp guards, including Oskar Groening in 2015 and Reinhold Hanning in 2016, according to AFP.

Zafke was charged as an accomplice to the murders of 3,681 people at the death camp. Prosecutors say the medic’s unit in which he served placed the Zyklon-B pesticide crystals into the gas chambers at Auschwitz, where up to 6,000 Jews were killed per day, and was “supportive of the running of this extermination camp,” according to Deutsche Welle. Zafke was diagnosed with dementia in October 2015, which led to doubts about his ability to stand trial. His trial had failed to begin as planned in February 2016 after a doctor ruled he was unfit to be transported to Neubrandenburg state court, and the next month Zafke was ruled unfit for trial. Zafke does not deny he served at Auschwitz, but he has said he did not see or participate in any of the murders. His attorney says he knew people were being murdered at Auschwitz but never took part in the killings. Reportedly he was on duty when the teenage diarist Anne Frank arrived at the death camp on Sept. 5, 1944. She was transferred later to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where she died of typhoid. (JTA)

Missouri school district votes to change Saturday high school graduations A public school district in suburban St. Louis changed the graduation date of two high schools from a Saturday following complaints by Jewish families with students in the schools. The Parkway School Board voted unanimously to change the graduations from May 19 to the Tuesday and Thursday before. The district’s other two graduations will remain on Saturday, according to reports. The evening of May 19 also is the start of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. A petition circulated by students asking for the date to be changed garnered more than 2,000 signatures. Also, the board said it would revisit having a Saturday graduation for all schools in the future and its president, Beth Feldman, apologized to the district’s Jewish students. The board had tabled a vote on the issue earlier this month. The Parkway district serves eight

4 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

municipalities in western St. Louis County, Missouri. (JTA)

Mayim Bialik, Michael Douglas join Jewish leaders’ call for religious freedom in Israel Dozens of rabbis and community leaders across Judaism’s religious spectrum signed a statement calling for sweeping reforms to Israel’s official religious establishment and its policies. The statement, which was published Friday, September 15, was written by Reform Rabbi Uri Regev, founder of the Israeli religious pluralism nonprofit Hiddush, and Orthodox Rabbi Marc Angel, the former leader of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City. It was signed by nearly 50 prominent rabbis and activists in the United States and Israel, including the actors Mayim Bialik and Michael Douglas. The statement calls for Israel to enact seven reforms Regev has long championed: to establish civil marriage; to officially recognize conversions of all denominations; to abolish local and national chief rabbi positions; to provide equal access to state funding and services for people of all faiths; to privatize the religious court system; to integrate all citizens into the country’s mandatory military and civil service; and to accommodate gender equality at holy sites. It also calls on Israel to continue officially maintaining a Jewish chacter. “While appreciating the efforts of Israel to provide religious freedom to all its residents, the goal of providing total religious freedom remains to be achieved,” the statement’s preamble says. “We, who are committed to Israel’s growing strength and vitality, as well as its bonds with world Jewry, hold that this challenge can no longer be left to politics alone, and we will do our utmost, in partnership between Israelis and world Jewry, to address this challenge and help make it a reality.” The statement comes at the end of a Jewish calendar year that saw Israel’s government freeze a plan to expand an egalitarian space at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest prayer site, in June. The decision, which came at the behest of haredi Orthodox political parties in the governing coalition, sparked a fierce backlash from American Jewish leaders.

The same week as the Western Wall freeze, the Israeli government also voted to advance a reform to official Jewish conversion policy that American Jewish leaders said would strengthen the haredi Orthodox Chief Rabbinate. Following protest from American Jews, that reform was shelved. Along with Bialik and Douglas, Regev and Angel’s statement also was signed by a who’s who of American non-Orthodox Jewish officials and some liberal Orthodox leaders, including Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism; Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly; and Rabbi Asher Lopatin, president of the liberal Orthodox Yeshivat Chovevei Torah rabbinical seminary. (JTA)

Facebook listed ‘Jew-hater’ as category for advertisers A news site was able to target ads at Facebook users who expressed interest in “Jew hater” and “how to burn Jews.” ProPublica, an investigative site, ported that Facebook’s advertisement algorithms generated categories including “Jew hater,” “How to burn jews,” and “History of ‘why jews ruin the world.’” Facebook removed the categories after being alerted to their existence and said it would seek to prevent such categories from popping up for potential advertisers. Facebook said in a statement to JTA that it would remove “self-reported” categories —those generated by users, as opposed to those generated by the company—“until we have the right processes in place to help prevent this issue.” The categories on their own were too small to justify an ad buy, according to the Facebook system, so ProPublica added as targets the SS and the Nazi Party, available on the Facebook’s generated list as “employers,” and the National Democratic Party of Germany, a current far right political party in Germany. ProPublica paid $30 for three targeted posts, which reached 5,897 people. In advising ProPublica on whom to add in order to reach enough users to justify an ad, Facebook’s automated system recommended “Second Amendment,” apparently correlating gun rights advocates with anti-Semites. (JTA)

Torah Thought

The Yom Kippur Cake

hank G-d, I am married to an amazing woman and have five incredible boys. Every year at anniversaries and birthdays we celebrate each other, give gifts, eat cake, or in my wife’s case, a lot of chocolate, and the next day, our lives continue. We celebrate, sing, take pictures, and then we don’t really consider the significance of these days again until they creep up on us the following year. To a certain extent, this is how we tend to treat all significant days that repeat on the calendar: with celebrations or commemorations—and then, we move on. Do these days impact our lives? Do we truly celebrate the person while we are trying to scoop our ice cream and cake on the same spoon? Do we actually think deeply about how this individual impacts our lives? When considering Jewish holidays, we must similarly consider these days’ significance. Do we let the High Holidays creep up on us, just to “eat our apples and honey” and move on? Do we come to Yom Kippur with a sense of awe and trepidation, or do we go through the motions only to participate in a long service after which we can consume an insane amount of lox and feel good about it? I would like to suggest that for most of us Yom Kippur is hard. It is hard not because we do not eat for an entire day, although that is not easy. It is hard because we do not usually feel as though we are gaining something from it. When a person is at a meeting that they do not feel is productive for them, but rather is something that their company dictates they must attend, how engaged are they? When a person is forced to attend a training that they do not want to be a part of, how excited are they about that program? For many Jews, Yom Kippur is a day that

we talk about, but we do not really understand. If we would see this day as a day to reflect on how we have treated others, treated ourselves, and treated G-d, then maybe it would be different. If we would give ourselves time during this holy day to really contemplate our relationships, interpersonal and spiritual, and analyze the past with the purpose of planning for the future, then maybe the day would be different. If synagogue was not about listening to someone else pray, but rather about engaging in a deep relationship with our deepest selves and G-d, using the ancient liturgy as a tool for personal growth and change, then maybe Yom Kippur would be different.

Yom Kippur is not about what happens in synagogue. It is what happens in our hearts and minds.

Yom Kippur is a powerful tool in the Jewish arsenal of spiritual weapons. If we want to defeat our deepest internal enemies, we need every weapon we can muster. We need every tool, every part of our being, and every ounce of energy to become the best Jews and the best people that we have the potential to become. Yom Kippur is not about what happens in synagogue. It is what happens in our hearts and minds. May this Yom Kippur be a day of change for all of us individually—and in that merit, may we be unified as a community and as a people.

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jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | Jewish News | 5

from the hal Sacks Jewish News Archives

September 21, 2007 In the Jewish community of Hungary, the Jaffe Family’s (Bernard, Melissa, Karen and Abbi, and Nathan) generous support is funding a new Jaffe Jewish Family Service in Budapest.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and peaceful

5778.

September 26, 1997 Representatives of local Conservative and Reform sisterhoods, Hadassah, Jewish Women International, and Women’s American ORT meet to plan the program, “Understanding the Genetic Implications of Breast Cancer for Jewish Women.”

September 18, 1987 The Tidewater Jewish Forum 1987—1988 series includes Itzhak Perlman, Chaim Potok, Misha Raitzin, Elliot Finkel, Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, and Jeff Greenfield. The series is presented by the Jewish Community Center of Tidewater.

September 1, 1967 150 West Main Street l Norfolk, Virginia 23510 l 757.625.4700 l www.wec-cpa.com

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The Community Relations Committee has recently been advised that the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) will be held on Saturday, October 14, 1967, which falls on Yom Kippur. Although the test is voluntary, it is important as an aid to the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The CRC will discuss the availability of an alternate date for Jewish boys and girls with school authorities. The date set is arranged by Princeton University, and is in no way controlled by the local school authorities.

September 1, 1957 The city’s oldest Jewish cemetery, located on Princess Anne Road and Tidewater Drive, has been taken over by the City of Norfolk, which will henceforth assume full responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the cemetery. Prior to this, the Hebrew Cemetery was managed by a joint board, consisting of equal members from Beth El Temple and Ohef Sholom Temple. The cemetery dates back to the 1850s and there still exists several gravestones of Jewish victims of the Yellow Fever epidemic of that period.

September 1, 1947

6 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

During the High Holiday period—Jewish communities throughout the country will observe “American Jewry’s Ten Days of Remembrance.” As American Jewry marks the High Holy Days in remembrance of its six million dead, every Jew will feel called upon to rededicate himself to the life-saving tasks supported through the $170,000,000 campaign to the United Jewish Appeal. These tasks…the rescue, rehabilitation, resettlement, and reconstruction of the 1,500,000 European Jews who survived the plague of Hitlerism…require the most complete reaffirmation of faith in its aims.

To browse or search the Hal Jewish Archives, To browse or search theSacks Jewish NewsNews Archives, go to to www.jewishnewsva.org www.jewishnewsva.org and and click click on on archives. archives. go

Israel

Netanyahu says non-Orthodox Jews used Western Wall deal to gain recognition JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Reform and Conservative movements in Israel of using their partnership in the Western Wall agreement as a clandestine way to gain recognition. Netanyahu told reporters in New York on Monday, Sept. 18 that the Reform and

Conservative movements wanted to get recognition “via the backdoor, secretly, under the pretext of a technical clause of joint administration of the Western Wall,” Army Radio reporter Ilil Shahar said. Amid pressure by its haredi Orthodox coalition partners, the Israeli government in June suspended the agreement to expand

and upgrade the egalitarian prayer section at the southern end of the Western Wall after passing the deal in 2016. The government had negotiated the agreement with the Reform and Conservative movements along with the Women of the Wall group and the Jewish Agency for Israel. The agreement put the upgraded

egalitarian section on equal footing with the single-sex section and allowed it to be run by a special committee with no input from the Chief Rabbinate. Rabbi Gilad Kariv, director of the Reform movement in Israel, said that Netanyahu was now fully in the haredi camp, accused him of being held hostage to the religious parties.

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Nation

American Jews weigh in on Trump, anti-Semitism, Netanyahu in poll Ron Kampeas

WASHINGTON (JTA)—American Jews overwhelmingly disapprove of President Donald Trump in just about every area, scoring him lower than his predecessor even on topics like Israel, where Jewish approval of Barack Obama was relatively low, according to an American Jewish Committee poll. The survey also shows a sharp uptick in concerns about anti-Semitism in the United States, which may be a reflection of the increased influence of the “alt-right” since Trump’s election. Of respondents in the poll posted Wednesday, September 13 by the AJC, 77 percent said they viewed Trump’s job performance unfavorably and 21 percent said they viewed him favorably. Those are considerably worse numbers for the president than in the general population at around the same time, mid- to late August, when Gallup consistently showed Trump scoring favorable ratings in the high 30s and unfavorable marks in the high 50s. Asked for specifics, respondents scored Trump negatively across the board: 73 to 27 unfavorable to favorable on national security; 69-30 on terrorism; 75-23 on U.S.-Russia relations; 71-25 on handling the relationship with NATO and the trans-Atlantic alliance; 77-20 on race relations; 76-23 on immigration; and 68-26 on the Iran nuclear issue. He came out best on U.S.-Israel relations, though still unfavorable: 54-40. That contrasted with Obama, who scored a dead heat on the U.S.-Israel relations the last time it was asked in this poll, two years ago: 49 percent disapproving and 48 approving, well within the margin of error of 4.7 percent. That survey was conducted after 18 months of tensions in the U.S.-Israel relationship, with the collapse of Israel-Palestinian talks in the spring of 2014. The poll was taken in August 2015, when Obama was pressing hard for the Iran nuclear deal, which Israel’s government and the centrist pro-Israel community vigorously opposed.

Trump has striven to make good relations with Israel a cornerstone of his foreign policy, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly prefers his presidency to that of Obama. Jewish approval of the Iran deal in the 2015 poll was in a statistical dead heat, with 50 percent in favor and 47 percent opposed. Trump wants to scrap the deal, which trades sanctions relief for a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program. He may do so as soon as next month, when according to law, he must recertify Iranian adherence to the deal. Jews continue to identify more as liberal and as Democrat than not. Among respondents, 54 percent said they were liberal, 22 percent classified themselves as moderate, and 22 percent said they were conservative. Party wise, 54 percent said they were Democrats, 15 percent said they were Republicans and 20 percent Independent. Asked whether they voted in November for Trump or Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate, the numbers were statistically commensurate with how respondents in the AJC poll from a year ago—focusing almost exclusively on the election—said they would vote: 64 percent said they voted for Clinton and 18 percent for Trump. Last year the numbers were 61–19. Republicans who believe a candidate more conventional than Trump could score better may take comfort in what this year’s poll reported regarding Vice President Mike Pence, who has a longstanding relationship with the organized pro-Israel community: His unfavorable-favorable rating, 62-30, was more in line with how Jews have voted in recent years than Trump’s negatives. The poll shows a further erosion of U.S. Jewish approval of Netanyahu, who once polled consistently favorably among American Jews. In 2015, the last time the question was asked, U.S. Jews approved of Netanyahu’s handling of the U.S.Israel relationship, 57–42. This year, it’s a statistical dead heat, with respondents disapproving 47 percent to 45 percent approving. Netanyahu has come under

Nation fire in recent months from major U.S. Jewish groups for reneging on pledges to loosen restrictions on the practice in Israel of non-Orthodox streams of Judaism. Asked as in years past how respondents perceive anti-Semitism in the United States, the numbers on the surface show consistency: 84 percent see it as a problem this year, while 16 percent do not. That jibes with 85 percent in 2015 who saw it as a problem, higher than the 73 percent scored last year. There is a notable spike, however, on closer examination: The number who classified the anti-Semitism problem in the United States as “very serious” soared to 41 percent this year from the 21 percent of the past two polls. That may result from associations between Trump and the “alt-right,” a grouping of anti-establishment conservatives who include within their ranks anti-Semites, as well as Trump’s equivocation on condemning anti-Semitism and bigotry, most recently last month when a white supremacist

march in Charlottesville, Virginia, ended in deadly violence. The other notable increase was in which nation posed the “single greatest danger” to the United States. North Korea, which has intensified its nuclear testing as tensions ratchet up with the Trump administration, was by far the leader this year at 57 percent. Next was Russia at 22 percent—a result perhaps of intensified coverage of Russia’s attempts to interfere in last year’s election. In 2015, the last time a similar question was asked, the highest scorer was the Islamic State, the terrorist group, at 51 percent. Also known as ISIS, it did not appear as an option this year. The order behind the Islamic State that year was China (13 percent), Russia (10 percent), Iran (9.5 percent) and North Korea (6 percent), the last of five listed. The telephone poll of 1,000 respondents was conducted by SSRS, a research firm, from August 10 to 28. It has a margin of error of 3.71 percent.

Why US campuses are becoming more Israel friendly NEW YORK (JTA)—Anti-Israel activism on college campuses across the country has declined, according to a new report by a campus pro-Israel organization. The report by the Israel on Campus Coalition, published Monday, Sept. 18, shows that there were nearly three times as many total pro-Israel events on campus as anti-Israel events during the past school term. According to the report, there were more than 3,100 pro-Israel events in 2016-17 and about 1,100 anti-Israel events. And 149 campuses experienced anti-Israel activity last year compared to 185 two years ago. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel also saw falling activity, with 20 BDS campaigns nationwide on college campuses last year compared to 33 the year before. And only one of those campuses saw a recurring BDS campaign, as opposed to eight the

year before. Israel Apartheid Week, a weeklong series of events opposing Israel, declined for a second straight year, to 45 last year from 83 in 2014-15. By contrast, there were five more pro-Israel weeks in 201617 than there were the year before. And there were about 300 anti-Israel speakers last year, compared to about 500 two years ago. Still, the report said that while these actions were declining, the anti-Israel movement was becoming more sophisticated and enlisting the help of outside organizations. The report named American Muslims for Palestine, American Friends Service Committee, Palestine Legal, the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights and Jewish Voice for Peace as external organizations providing support to student activists.

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Nation

n nail it dow

In call with Jewish groups, Trump does not take questions

Ron Kampeas

live it up HOME EQUITY LINES INTRODUCTORY RATE FOR 12 MONTHS

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10 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

WASHINGTON ( JTA)—The debate has gone on for weeks among rabbis and Jewish leaders: If President Donald Trump does not formally renounce white supremacists, is it still worth engaging in a conversation with him? This was on much of the Jewish community’s mind since Aug. 23, when the leaders of three religious streams—Reconstructionist, Reform and Conservative—said they would not organize the annual pre-Rosh Hashanah call with the president, which the rabbinical groups had instituted at the start of the Obama administration. That call, principally for clergy, was aimed at helping to shape High Holidays. But earlier this month, the White House said it would hold a call with Jewish leaders—one that would be in line with the calls and meetings that Jewish leaders have had with the sitting president since the Eisenhower era. It would be initiated by the White House, not the rabbis, and both lay and religious leaders would be invited. On Friday, September 15, Trump delivered his holiday greetings in a conference call with Jewish leaders that barely lasted eight minutes. He took no questions. By contrast, calls and meetings with past presidents have included exchanges —sometimes tough—and generally lasted at least 45 minutes. Some of the participants expressed disappointment after having done public battle with the Reform, Reconstructionist, and Conservative movements over whether one should engage Trump in conversation in the wake of his equivocations over white supremacists. “Everyone would look less stupid if he had just put it on YouTube,” one said, encapsulating the one-way direction of the “conversation.” Not invited to join the call were the Reform and Reconstructionist movements. The Conservative movement did receive an invitation but Rabbi Julie

Schonfeld, the CEO of its Rabbinical Assembly, declined to participate. All the participants who spoke to JTA asked not to be identified because the call was off the record, although the White House released a transcript. Rabbi Avi Shafran, the director of public affairs for Agudath Israel, a haredi Orthodox group, had argued in a Forward op-ed that the rabbis who had opted out of the call with the president were missing an opportunity to raise the painful issue of the white supremacists and neo-Nazis who marched last month in Charlottesville, which culminated in an attack by an alleged white supremacist that killed one counterprotester and wounded at least 20 others. “There is a difference between respectfully asking a president to clarify that he does not equate proponents of white supremacism with protesters against the same and, however one might feel about him, publicly, and starkly insulting our nation’s duly elected national leader,” he said. In the end, there were no surprises. Trump covered the standard range of issues in these calls and did not depart from the script. Anti-Semitism and bias: “We forcefully condemn those who seek to incite anti-Semitism, or to spread any form of slander and hate—and I will ensure we protect Jewish communities, and all communities, that face threats to their safety,” he said. Israel: “The United States will always support Israel not only because of the vital security partnership between our two nations, but because of the shared values between our two peoples,” he said. Trump noted that his ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, was making a priority of keeping international bodies from singling out Israel for criticism. “I can tell you on a personal basis, and I just left Israel recently, I love Israel,” he said. Peace: “This next New Year also

Nation offers a new opportunity to seek peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, and I am very hopeful that we will see significant progress before the end of the year,” the president said. “Ambassador David Friedman, Jared [Kushner], Jason [Greenblatt], and the rest of my team are working very hard to achieve a peace agreement. I think it’s something that actually could happen.” Friedman is the ambassador to Israel, Kushner is his sonin-law and a top adviser, and Greenblatt is his top international negotiator. Kushner, an observant Jew, opened the call by introducing the president, saying his father-in-law “takes great pride in having a Jewish daughter and Jewish grandchildren.” Ivanka Trump, Jared’s wife, is also a top adviser to her father. Trump closed the call by saying he and his wife, Melania, are wishing all “a sweet, healthy, and peaceful new year.” The controversy surrounding the call began last month, when the Reform, Reconstructionist and Conservative movements cast their decision to cancel the call—an outcome of Trump’s equivocation after the Charlottesville violence, when he said “many sides” were to blame for the violence, and that there were “very fine people” among both the white supremacists and the counterprotesters. “The president’s words have given

succor to those who advocate anti-Semitism, racism, and xenophobia,” the joint statement said. On Thursday, September 14, the day before the call, Trump again insisted that there was blame on both sides. Those who participated in the call said that even absent a question-and-answer period, it was still better to be on the call than not. “These are rabbis whose foremost cause should be the Jewish people and Israel,” said Morton Klein, the president of the Zionist Organization of America. Klein, who was on the call, noted that he participated in similar calls and meetings with Obama, even though he rarely agreed with him. “Why stupidly insult the president, who we need for those issues?” he asked. Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said in an email to JTA that because he was not on the call, he had no comment on what was said. But, he wrote, “We stand by our decision to not host a High Holy Days call with the President this year. We are disappointed that the President continues to draw a false equivalency between white supremacists and counter-demonstrators in Charlottesville.”

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n behalf of The Jewish Federations of North America, Richard Sandler, chair of the board of trustees, thanked Israel for allocating $1 million to help the Jewish community of Houston recover from the devastation left by Hurricane Harvey. “As frontline advocates for maintaining and strengthening the bonds that tie Jewish communities together, we are overwhelmed with gratitude. This allocation will go a long way to support the rebuilding of Houston’s Jewish

community,” Sandler said. “We appreciate Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett for bringing this appropriations forward and we thank the Government of Israel—and the people of Israel—for their generosity and support.” Lee Wunsch, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston said, “On August 25, 2017 a hurricane of unprecedented proportions overwhelmed the City of Houston and its dynamic and robust Jewish community. Hurricane Harvey brought catastrophic damage to

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hundreds of Jewish families and multiple Jewish community institutions. The homes of more than 1,000 Jews were damaged or destroyed; many of those families are displaced from their homes for likely eight–12 months. Several of our largest Jewish institutions were heavily damaged and cannot reopen until remediation and rehabilitation is completed. No other Jewish community in the United States has witnessed such widespread devastation. “We deeply appreciate the support

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of the state of Israel during this difficult time—in particular Diaspora Minister Naftali Bennett for putting this forward. The unprecedented decision to support Jews in the Diaspora marks a historic change in our relationship with Israel. It is a profound confirmation of the Talmudic injunction: Kol Yisrael Aravim Ze La Ze— all Jews are responsible one for the other. The extraordinary financial support will help accelerate the recovery process and help make our Jewish community whole and vibrant again.”

jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | Jewish News | 11

israel

Balfour Declaration was ‘humanitarian’ gesture, descendant of British foreign secretary says

descendant of Lord Arthur Balfour said during a visit to Israel that his ancestor’s 1917 declaration about favoring a Jewish state was “humanitarian” in nature. Roderick Balfour, the 5th Earl of Balfour, said Thursday, September 14 at an event in Jerusalem celebrating BritishIsraeli ties and the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, in which the British government vowed to help establish a national home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel without jeopardizing the rights of other area inhabitants. The declaration followed several drafts and extensive negotiations between Zionist leaders and British officials including Arthur Balfour, the United Kingdom’s

foreign secretary at the time. But it did not say why the United Kingdom viewed favorably the establishment of a Jewish home in Palestine. This led to a still-ongoing debate on whether the declaration was a humanitarian gesture following pogroms in Eastern Europe, the result of a political calculus on Britain’s part during world War I or the expression of a scripture-based belief that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. Favoring the humanitarian view, Roderick Balfour said: “I see it very much as a humanitarian gesture against the background of what was happening at the time.” But, he added, “As a reader of the Bible, it is axiomatic that there is a

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connection of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.” Also attending the event, titled “From Balfour to Brexit,” was former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who reiterated in a speech his hope for regional cooperation between Arab countries and Israel that in turn would facilitate the signing of a peace agreement with the Palestinians. “Changes in the region are creating new alliances and new opportunities,” Blair said. “There is an Arab leadership starting to formulate a view of their history which does not involve a demonization of Israel.” David Dangoor, a British-Jewish businessman and philanthropist, said in a speech at the event that Anglo-Israeli ties

have become particularly important and promising following the Brexit vote last year, in which a majority of referendum voters supported a British exit from the European Union. Dangoor inaugurated the Sir Naim Dangoor Center for UK-Israel Relations, a think tank that will operate under the auspices of the Mishkenot Shaananim cultural center in Jerusalem. Also in attendance were Tzipi Livni, a former foreign minister of Israel, who said that despite disagreements between Israel and Britain, in the United Kingdom “we find a better understanding of our security needs” than in other EU member states. (JTA)

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12 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Israel

Memorial to Israel’s Olympic athletes murdered in Munich dedicated

decades-long injustice to the memory of Israel’s Olympic athletes murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games was rectified this month with the dedication of a permanent memorial to their memory in the very same Munich Olympic Park, where those devastating events took place. Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano, widows of fencing coach Andrei Spitzer and weight lifter Yossef Romano, fought tirelessly for this kind of recognition, and have become the leading representatives of all of the surviving family members. It comes a year after the International Olympic Committee finally recognized the murdered Israelis in the Olympic Village at last year’s games in Rio de Janeiro. They created a unique transferable, memorial that will travel every four years to each Olympic site. The JCC Movement played an important part in the enormous effort that ultimately yielded this long sought recognition. In 2012, the JCC Maccabi Games® was hosted by JCC Rockland. Rockland’s CEO, David Kirschtel, and his JCC’s leadership began an initiative intended to push the

International Olympic Committee (IOC) into holding a minute of silence during the opening ceremonies of that summer’s Olympic Games in London. An online petition begun by the JCC generated more than 112,000 signatures, as well as a great deal of publicity and press, drawing the support of then-President Barack Obama and Republican presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney. Though the IOC remained unmoved, the petition left its mark. On the night of the opening ceremonies, Bob Costas, NBC’s voice of the Olympic Games, held his own 12-second silence for the Munich 11—an eternity on live television—as the Israeli delegation marched into the Olympic Stadium. For Spitzer, Romano and any number of others, these efforts and others like them, were instrumental in bringing about the memorial dedication in Munich. Remembering the Munich 11 was made possible through the efforts of countless community members working together. It is this profound commitment to community that is at the heart of every JCC experience.

Jewish Agency volunteers help Mexico recover from earthquake JERUSALEM (JTA)—Volunteers from the Jewish Agency for Israel have mobilized in two Mexican communities to help residents recover from a major earthquake earlier this month. At least 96 people died in the 8.1 magnitude quake that struck off the southern Pacific coast on September 7. The Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas were hardest hit. The Jewish Agency’s Project TEN program, an international development program that operates volunteer centers in developing areas around the world, has sent nine volunteers—eight Israeli and one British, two doctors and two staff members—to work with the

Oaxaca community. The volunteers packed and distributed about 1,000 food parcels, clean water, and early childhood packages consisting of diapers, milk substitutes, and other necessities. The doctors treated injured residents, including many children. Project TEN already had a center located in Oaxaca opened in 2013. In the days following the earthquake, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would provide aid to Oaxaca and Chiapas in conjunction with the International Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Embassy in Mexico.

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fter a national search, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s board made the decision to “go local” with the appointment of Betty Ann Levin as executive vice president upon Harry Graber’s retirement in May 2018. Currently executive director of Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, Levin joined that agency in 2003. With a current $9 million budget and 215 employees, JFS provides a range of home health and social services throughout Tidewater. “We are very excited that Betty Ann will assume the helm of the Federation,” says John Strelitz, UJFT president. “Her management skills, her commitment to and her knowledge of our Jewish community, along with her dynamic personality, and her history of organizational growth, makes us confident that she will be a leader of strength and inclusiveness.” “Betty Ann’s leadership has been instrumental to the significant growth of Jewish Family Service since she became the executive director of the agency,” says Jeff Cooper, JFS board president. Cooper also cites Levin’s knowledge of both the Jewish community and the Tidewater community, “as well as her experience of taking a strategic vision and executing that vision,” that make her “well suited to lead the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater into the future.” “Betty Ann has accomplished a great deal at JFS, making it one of the most admired agencies of its kind in the country,” says Graber, who also served as JFS executive director before joining UJFT. “I believe she possesses the necessary skills and capabilities that UJFT is seeking in a successful executive. Moreover, she has the ability to quickly learn and integrate new experiences, which when combined with her knowledge of our community, will allow her to be a dynamic leader,” says Graber, who has led UJFT since 2003. In her new role, Levin will oversee all aspects of the Federation, including

Betty Ann Levin

development, allocation of funds, and programing. In addition, through a network of local Jewish agencies and overseas service delivery partners, UJFT supports a range of programs and services—from education to food assistance to emergency relief in the wake of war and natural disasters. “I am extremely excited and honored to have been selected to lead the Federation,” says Levin. “I have learned so much from Harry over the last 14 years of working with him in our Jewish community,” she says. Levin says she looks forward to continuing on the roadmap Graber and “our lay leaders have established, but also finding new ways to engage Jews in Tidewater. The more we are all connected to our Jewish community, the more we will have the ability to meet local needs moving forward, as well as those in Israel and other Jewish communities overseas. “My husband, Scott, and I both have our roots in Norfolk and Portsmouth and we care about the future of our Jewish community for our children and for future generations,” says Levin.

High Holidays Supplement to Jewish News September 25, 2017

jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | High Holidays | Jewish News | 15

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High Holidays

Hug a chicken and 4 other twists on traditional High Holidays rituals Ben Sales

NEW YORK (JTA)—Picture services for the High Holidays: A roomful of congregants sitting with heavy books in their laps listening to a rabbi sermonize or a cantor chant is what likely comes to mind. Baking pizza? Embracing a chicken under a tree? Not so much. But those are some of the things that Jewish clergy, educators and activists want Jews to do during their holiest days of the year. Aside from attending synagogue or dipping apples in honey, the extensive body of High Holidays traditions includes rituals that are participatory, intricate, and even acrobatic—but also obscure, inaccessible and sometimes distasteful. In recent years, Jewish educators have tried to reclaim these rituals—changing and innovating them to be more engaging, understandable and relevant. Here are five ways Jews are getting creative with the High Holidays this year.

To merit forgiveness, hug a chicken. If you walk into a haredi Orthodox neighborhood the day before Yom Kippur, don’t be surprised to see men swinging live chickens above their heads. The ritual, called kapparot, aims to symbolically transfer a person’s sins onto the chicken, who then is donated to the poor and slaughtered for food. Some observant Jews, unable or unwilling to gain possession of a live chicken, now swing money over their heads that then goes to charity. Others have taken to protesting communities that still use chickens. But at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, Sarah Chandler has a different response: Instead of grabbing the chicken and whipping it through the air, just give it a hug. Chandler, who was ordained as a Hebrew priestess at the Kohenet Institute and also goes by Kohenet Shamira, will

take a group to the center’s chicken coop on the Sunday before Yom Kippur and begin to recite the kapparot prayers. Then, if the chickens agree, the assembled will take them, retreat to a shaded area and individually embrace them while completing the prayers, confessing their sins or meditating. At the end of the ritual, the worshippers will simply let the chickens walk free.

The crowdsourced confession Every year on Yom Kippur, no matter where he’s lived, David Zvi Kalman has joined other congregants at synagogue in standing through a long list of communal sins recited by the entire congregation. The confessional prayers, known as the Viddui (Hebrew for confession) each begin “For the sin we have sinned before you …” The laundry list of transgressions, covering everything from eating impure foods to berating a friend, is a central piece of the day’s liturgy and is repeated eight times. Worshippers are supposed to gently beat their chests at each line. Kalman had trouble identifying with the prayers, finding the confessions to be overly general and prescriptive. They’re the sins the liturgy says you should feel sorry for, not necessarily the ones you actually committed. So in 2013, he created AtoneNet, a bare-bones Tumblr where people can anonymously post the sins they would like to confess and receive forgiveness for. The past couple of weeks have seen a fresh batch of posts regarding “sins,” such as not giving enough charity or getting angry. One post, for example, reads, “for taking housemates’ food that isn’t mine without asking.” Kalman, a doctoral student in Near Eastern languages at the University of Pennsylvania, prints out the entire site each year as a booklet and ships it to those who order it for use on Yom Kippur. He hopes the booklet allows them to atone for sins they feel are closer to their lived experience.

Casting away pizza crusts One of the more physical rituals of Rosh Hashanah is tashlich—literally, “cast away—a ritual where people take bread to a natural body of water and throw it in, representing the casting away of their sins. (Sensing a theme here?) But Rabbi Jeremy Fine of the Conservative Temple of Aaron in St. Paul, Minnesota, could never get people to come to the Mississippi River for the ritual after they had sat through a long service. So this year he involved the congregation’s kids. The Sunday before Rosh Hashanah, about 100 Hebrew school students came to the synagogue and baked pizza for lunch. Then ate the pizza, but not the crusts—they went into bags marked with the kids’ names to be stored in the synagogue refrigerator. After services on the first day of the holiday, the kids retrieved their crusts, headed with their parents to the river and chucked them in. “If we just did a little piece of bread, we don’t know if it’s so important,” Fine says. “But when the kids see the crust cut off, it’s like there’s actually something we’re giving away.” Yizkor for gun victims Yizkor, the memorial service for deceased relatives, is among the most well-known and attended parts of the High Holidays service. But what to do if you live in a place where people are regularly getting killed? That’s the challenge confronted by Tamar Manasseh, a rabbinical student and anti-gun violence activist on Chicago’s South Side. Manasseh runs Mothers Against Senseless Killing, a group of moms that patrols a street corner in the violence-plagued neighborhood of Englewood. Given the local strife affecting the largely non-Jewish neighborhood, Manasseh felt a service focused only on relatives who passed would be inadequate. So last year, Manasseh organized a Yom Kippur service on her street corner

that along with a shofar blast and prayers included a reading of the names of Chicago’s gun violence victims that year. Just reading the list, she says, took 15 minutes—and she hopes to do it again this year.

Atonement by meditation and performance art For Ashkenazi Jews, the kickoff to the High Holidays happened this year on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, when congregations gathered to say selichot, or prayers of atonement. Depending on a congregation’s tradition, the prayers range from a lively call-and-response to long, complex poems muttered almost silently. But this year, two people did it differently. At Lab/Shul, an experimental Jewish congregation in Manhattan, Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie noted that Rosh Hashanah this year coincides with the beginning of the Muslim year—so the synagogue’s theme for the High Holidays is interfaith worship. The congregation will be praying with Muslims throughout the holidays, but for the Selichot service, it partnered with the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, a meditation space. Another take on Selichot happened in Providence, Rhode Island, where musician Noraa Kaplan turned the service into a concert. Kaplan invited fellow musicians to perform and ended the night with a piece of performance art that challenged a range of Jewish rituals, including her parodying a bad bar-mitzvah DJ, as well as swinging a rubber chicken over her head. The event benefits charity. To her, there’s not a lot of difference between traditional Selichot and a weekend show. “Selichot is supposed to happen in this late-night setting, and in many communities you see these Jewish people gathering at midnight or later,” she says.

jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | High Holidays | Jewish News | 17

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18 | Jewish News | High Holidays | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

High Holidays

Simchat Torah doesn’t have to be a ‘men’s holiday’ Sarah Rudolph

(Kveller via JTA)—There seems to be a widespread misconception in the Orthodox world that the upcoming holiday of Simchat Torah is a “men’s holiday.” I can understand the confusion, stemming from what we celebrate and how we celebrate it. Simchat Torah has evolved as a celebration of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings—readings that in Orthodox shuls occur purely on the men’s side of the mechitza, or divider. And we celebrate it by taking all the Torah scrolls out of the ark—also on the men’s side—and dancing seven circuits, or hakafos, with them. There is much joyful singing, generally in a masculine timbre, and the dancing men take turns holding the heavy scrolls. With so much action naturally taking place on the other side, I can understand—sort of—why things tend to be much less lively on my side of the mechitza. Depending on the community, the women might dance, but it is rarely as exuberant, as populated or as sustained as the men’s dancing. My childhood memories of the holiday involve a core group of women who enjoyed dancing and would try to get things going, while most of the women might join for a few minutes in between their primary activities of chatting, chasing sugared-up children (did I mention excessive candy often plays a role in the celebrations?) and watching the men. From what I have experienced and heard since, my shul was fairly typical, though in many places the women don’t dance at all—or even show up. My husband likes to tell of the girl he once dated who was surprised at the suggestion that she might go to shul on Simchat Torah. “Why would I go?” she asked. “I have no one to watch!” For her, I think, it was accepted as a matter of course that dancing on Simchat Torah is what men do, and she wouldn’t have ever imagined that she could—or should—have a part in it. For others, the questions around women and Simchat Torah are more fraught—and many focus on the Torah scrolls themselves, arguing that if the women can’t dance with a Torah, then they feel excluded, like their dancing is pointless. Indeed, in more recent years, as this sort of discomfort with gender disparities has increased, many rabbis have concluded that there is no real halachic problem with a woman carrying a Torah scroll, and in some shuls a scroll or two will be passed to the women’s side for the dancing. This is the part where I have a harder time understanding. So often I hear some version of either, “My rabbi lets the women have a Torah, so the women’s dancing is nice,” or “The women in my shul don’t have a Torah, so it’s lame; they just stand around talking and watching the men dance.” It is really easy to blame the men and the rabbis. It is really easy to say, “If only we were granted equal rights and could dance with a Torah scroll, we would dance and celebrate, too.” It is really easy to say, “I’m not going to shul if the women are just going to sit around schmoozing and watching the men. It’s a men’s holiday; I don’t feel a part of it.” It’s really easy to say those things, but if I may be frank, I think it’s all baloney. We have an equal right to Torah. I’m not talking about holding the scroll; that, to my mind, is secondary. The real point is that we have an equal right to rejoice in our sacred heritage. Nobody is making us chat; ultimately, no one is stopping us from dancing. If it’s a men’s holiday, that is because we let it be. We can unite and take back Simchat Torah. We can choose to dance. And we don’t need a scroll to do it. What are we dancing for, after all? On Simchat Torah, I dance for the concept of Torah, not the object. I dance for myself

High Holidays and my love of Torah study. I dance for the joy of the completed cycle of reading, and I dance for the joy of beginning all over again. I dance because I will shortly have tears in my eyes, like I do every year, as I listen to the account of Moses’ death in the last few verses of the Torah. I dance because I will shortly be awed, as I am every year, when we begin again and read, “And it was evening, and it was morning, one day.” The very beginning of everything; something, where there had been nothing. I, too, can make something from

nothing, in my own little way. I can walk into a women’s section full of schmoozing women and wild kids, grab some hands and create a circle of joy. I can rejoice in Torah, and nothing—no object or lack of it, no mechitza, no rows of chairs presenting a logistical challenge—will stop me. I only hope, this year, the other women on my side get up and dance, too. Sarah Rudolph lives in Cleveland with her family. She has been teaching Jewish text studies for over 10 years to students ranging from elementary school to retirement age.

OP-ED

Yom Kippur is a reminder of the awesome, and awful, power of words Joyce Newmark

(JTA)—For nearly 50 years, my father had a best friend named Al. They grew up in the same neighborhood in Brooklyn, and after returning from the service in World War II, they each married and moved to the same Long Island town and opened related businesses. They were closer than brothers. In fact, when my brother and I were growing up, our parents’ wills named Al and his wife, rather than any relatives, as the people who would become our guardians should that become necessary. Even after my parents moved to Nevada, the two couples remained close, speaking on the phone every week or so and visiting back and forth every couple of years. Almost 40 years ago, Al’s daughter was getting married and my parents were planning to travel to New York for the wedding. One day, the two couples were on the phone talking about the wedding. My mother had recently undergone foot surgery and was walking around in ugly post-surgery shoes. “I may have to wear blue jeans and sneakers, but we’ll be there,” she told Al’s

wife. The response: “But the wedding is formal!” My mother was hurt. She thought the only proper response to her statement was, “We don’t care what you’re wearing, we just want you to be there.” Al’s wife was hurt, too. She felt that my mother had to know how stressed she was trying to plan the perfect wedding and shouldn’t have teased her. Neither would apologize. The phone calls became less frequent and my parents began saying that traveling to New York would be expensive and uncomfortable—and in early September it would be hot and humid. They decided not to attend the wedding. Nine months later Al was dead of lung cancer and my father finally flew to New York to be a pallbearer at the funeral. Like many men of his generation, my father wasn’t one to talk about his feelings, but from the day Al died he insisted that when you were invited to a simcha you must go, no matter the circumstances. Still, it was too late to repair what had been broken. continued on page 20

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All this hurt resulted because no one involved could take back a few unthinking words spoken in haste. The power of words has a very real, almost physical presence on Yom Kippur. Look at the list of “al chets,” or confessions, that we recite again and again on this day. We confess our sins of using foul language, speaking falsehoods, idle chatter, slander, disrespecting our parents and teachers, and spreading gossip. On and on; perhaps half the sins we confess are sins of speech. Why? Because, despite our communal confessions on Yom Kippur, most of us are not thieves or doers of violence. We are not evil people, but sins of words are easy to commit. We do it every day. That’s why at the end of every Amidah we recite the prayer of Mar, son of Ravina, “My God, keep my tongue from evil, my lips from lies,” rather than praying “God, help me not to steal, help me not to murder.”

The truth is, you can never take back words, you can’t go back to the time before the words were spoken. There’s a story about a man in a small village in Eastern Europe who didn’t like the rabbi. No one knew why he didn’t like the rabbi; perhaps even he didn’t know. But there was no doubt that he didn’t like the rabbi. So, no matter what the rabbi did, this man had something nasty to say about it—often, and to whomever would listen. One year, as the High Holidays approached, the man realized that his nasty gossip was a terrible sin, so he went to the rabbi’s office to ask for forgiveness. The rabbi said, “Of course I’ll forgive you, but first you must do something for me. Go home, take your fattest pillow up to the roof, open it up, and shake it out.” The man thought this was odd, but he did as he was asked. It was a windy day and the feathers from the pillow were blown in every direction. He returned to the rabbi and asked again for forgiveness.

The rabbi replied, “There’s one more thing. First you have to pick up all the feathers.” Like feathers turned loose, words have a life of their own. You can’t take them back and pretend they were never said because words have power. “Taking back” only happens in children’s games. You can’t forget, but you can forgive. The Torah tells us that the first luhot, the tablets of the Ten Commandments that Moses shattered after the sin of the Golden Calf, were made by God. The second luhot, given after Moses persuaded God not to destroy the Israelites, were made by Moses. God said to Moses, “Carve out two stone tablets like the first ones.” The new ones would not be the same because the people’s sin could not be undone or forgotten, but God could forgive them. Rabbinic tradition holds that the second tablets were given on Yom Kippur as a sign that God forgives and that people

must forgive. Forgive doesn’t mean forget, but it is possible to gather the broken pieces and build a new relationship. The rabbis teach that both the second set of tablets and the broken pieces of the first were placed together in the Holy Ark. Why? To teach us that just as the second tablets could be broken as easily as the first, relationships are fragile, so we must guard our tongues. Moreover, even if a break occurs, the relationship can be repaired. It won’t be exactly the same, but a break should not be permitted to last forever. And most important, the time to do something about broken relationships is now and not next year or someday. Nothing is more precious than love and friendship. Because words have power, not only to hurt, but to heal. Rabbi Joyce Newmark of Teaneck, New Jersey, is a former religious leader of congregations in Leonia, New Jersey, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

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High Holidays First Person

A Legacy for the New Year Barb Gelb

wenty three years ago, my grandfather had the honor of reading a midrash at my daughter’s baby naming ceremony. The midrash described the Jewish people standing at the foot of Sinai, eagerly waiting for God to give them the Torah. Before God will give it to them, however, God demands that the people provide guarantors. After all, until now, the Torah had been in heaven with the angels. Who would be responsible for protecting the Torah on earth? The Jewish people suggested that our ancestors could be the guarantors, but God did not accept that. Then they suggested the Prophets, and God turned them down again. Finally, they offered their children as guarantors, and God replied, “Indeed, these are good guarantors. For their sake, I will give the Torah to you.” If our children are the guarantors for the Torah, we must provide them with Jewish education, places of gathering and worship, and community. If we do not provide that, we are not holding up our end of the bargain. I can still remember the tears of joy in my grandfather’s eyes as he spoke. He had worked his entire life to ensure a Jewish future. He sat on boards, went to meetings, and made donations. He insisted that money not be a barrier to anyone receiving a Jewish education, and put his money where his mouth was in supporting institutions that would ensure a Jewish future. His legacy was very clear to me from the way he lived his life, the stories he told us, his philanthropic activities, and the pride and happiness he demonstrated as he welcomed his first great granddaughter into the covenant. At this time of year, we are reflecting on our lives, relationships, and actions. Many of us are thinking about our ancestors as

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we sit beside them at services, or as we feel their presence among us. Many of us are thinking about our children and the world we will be leaving for them. Are we providing future generations with what they will need for a thriving Jewish community? What I love about the reflective New Year time is that it can steer us towards choices and decisions that will clarify our own legacy. Part of the mission of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation is to ensure the future of the Jewish community and help people create their own legacies. Embarking on the Life and Legacy program has enabled people of all ages and giving capacities to join us in doing that. For more information about the Life and Legacy program, contact Barb Gelb at bgelb@ ujft.org or 757-965-6105. All of us at TJF wish you a sweet and happy New Year! Barb Gelb is development associate and Life and Legacy coordinator for Tidewater Jewish Foundation.

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High Holidays

11 inspiring Jews who died in 5777 Gabe Friedman

NEW YORK (JTA)—It’s always difficult to whittle down the list of influential Jews who died in a given year, but this year the task seemed to be especially tough. The number of Jews who left historic marks on their fields—and, more broadly, on Jewish culture—was remarkable. Here are some members of the tribe— representing areas as diverse as pop culture to politics—we’ve mourned since last Rosh Hashanah.

Carrie Fisher, 60

ost know Carrie Fisher because of her iconic role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars films, but her tumultuous career extended Carrie Fisher, September 2013. beyond that. The actress, who struggled with addictions to cocaine and prescription medications, also wrote four novels and three memoirs along with acting in dozens of other films. Fisher landed the Star Wars role as a relative unknown despite being the daughter of Jewish singer Eddie Fisher and movie star Debbie Reynolds. After she died of a heart attack in December, her only child pointed out that Fisher’s real cause of death was her substance abuse issues.

Leonard Cohen, 82

he grandson of a rabbi who grew up in an Orthodox home in Montreal became one of the most beloved folk artists of the 20th Leonard Cohen, August 2013. and 21st centuries. Leonard Cohen launched his musical

career late, releasing his first album at 33 after writing multiple books of poetry. But he would go on to release 13 more records and often incorporate Jewish themes into his meticulously crafted songs. His song Hallelujah became one of the most covered and revered songs in pop music history. Just weeks before his death in November, Cohen released his final album, which included a track featuring a chorus saying “I’m ready, my Lord.”

Simone Veil, 89

ewer than 70 people have been awarded France’s Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor —Simone Veil, a Holocaust survivor who became a pillar of French Simone Veil, February 2008. politics, was one of them. After making it out of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, Veil became a lawyer and served as France’s minister of health and later as president of the European Parliament. She also was one of the few female members of the prestigious French Academie Francaise and spearheaded the legalization of abortion in France in the 1970s. Veil died in June, less than a month from her 90th birthday.

Jerry Lewis, 91

on’t let the funnyman’s stage name fool you: Jerry Lewis was born Joseph Levitch to parents who performed on the Borscht Belt hotel circuit. Lewis, who died of cardiac disease in August, rose to prominence as part Jerry Lewis, 2013. of a duo with Dean Martin, with whom he made over a dozen wacky comedy films from 1949

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to 1956. He would go on to star in dozens of other films, including The Nutty Professor (yes, the original one, well before Eddie Murphy’s 1996 remake) and Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy.

Zsa Zsa Gabor, 99

hough this legendary Hollywood socialite and sex symbol was buried in a Catholic cemetery, she had Jewish roots. Born to Hungarian Zsa Zsa Gabor, circa 1955. Jewish parents in Budapest, Sari Gabor (her real name) was married nine times and appeared in films such Moulin Rouge and Lovely to Look At. Her love life was a tumultuous public affair, and she has been called the first celebrity to be famous for being famous. Zsa Zsa Gabor died in February, less than two months from her 100th birthday.

Don Rickles, 90

he wellk n o w n comic nicknamed “Mr. Warmth,” who loved to hurl insults at his audience members, was also a serious actor Don Rickles, June 1973. trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He appeared in countless TV shows, performed standup into his 80s and acted alongside legends such as Clark Gable and Clint Eastwood on the silver screen. Younger audiences know him as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story series. He passed away in April from kidney failure.

Vera Rubin, 88

ithout this g r ou ndbreaking scientist, we still might not understand what 27 percent of the universe is made up of: dark matter. Rubin, an astronomer from Vera Rubin, October 2009. Philadelphia, discovered that galaxies don’t rotate the way previous scientific models led us to believe, which led to the proof of the invisible, undetectable stuff that makes up nearly a third of our world. Rubin, who passed away in December, once said that science was separate from religion: “I’m Jewish, and so religion to me is a kind of moral code and a kind of history,” she said. “I try to do my science in a moral way, and I believe that ideally, science should be looked upon as something that helps us understand our role in the universe.”

Otto Warmbier, 22

fter being held in North Korea for more than 17 months for allegedly tearing down a propaganda poster during a student tour, Otto Otto Warmbier. Warmbier was released, comatose, in June. He did not survive the injuries—Warmbier died a week after being returned to the United States. He was an active member at the University of Virginia Hillel, but North Korea’s narrative said that Warmbier stole the poster for an American church. So his Jewish identity was kept under wraps so as not to embarrass North Korea during negotiations for the release of the student—“if that’s what their story is, there’s no point fighting it if your objective is to

High Holidays get him out,” the family spokesperson explained—who had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor.

journalists, Jewish or not, began her career at the New York Herald Tribune in 1947. She lived to 105.

known as the Heimlich valve. He died last December from complications following a heart attack.

Ruth Gruber, 105

Henry Heimlich, 96

Sara Ehrman, 98

mong the i mpr e s s i v e accomplishments on Ruth Gruber’s resume: a pioneering reporting stint in the Soviet Arctic, a trip ordered by President Ruth Gruber, April 2007. F r a n k l i n Roosevelt to comfort post-Holocaust Jewish refugees, and reportage of the Nuremberg trials and Operation Moses. The writer, who will go down as one of the 20th century’s most important

es, that Heimlich— the person who invented the famous H e i m l i c h maneuver that has saved countless numbers of choking people Henry Heunlich. since its inception in 1974. Dr. Henry J. Heimlich was a thoracic surgeon born to Jewish parents in Wilmington, Delaware. Besides the famous life-saving method, he also invented the chest drainage flutter valve,

his longtime Democratic Party activist, adviser on the IsraeliPalestinian conf lict and friend of the Clintons, described herself as “first a Jew, second a Democrat and Sara Ehrman. above all a feminist.” Sara Ehrman may be most famous for advising Hillary Clinton not to move to Arkansas to marry Bill, though she worked on George McGovern’s 1972

presidential campaign and later advised President Clinton on Israel-Arab peacemaking. She also helped organize Bill Clinton’s first trip as president to Israel, served as AIPAC’s political director and later worked with J Street. She died in June, more than 50 years after her entree into politics.

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High Holidays

The top 10 moments that mattered to Jews in 5777 Josefin Dolsten

NEW YORK (JTA)—This Jewish year was not a quiet one, to say the least. From the tumultuous first eight months of Donald Trump’s presidency, to a wave of bomb threats against Jewish community centers, to a neo-Nazi protest in Charlottesville that turned violent, to the twin weather catastrophes of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Jews, like so many others, found it hard to take their eyes off the news. JTA looks back at some of the moments of 5777 that had the most significance for Jews, sorted below by date. Bob Dylan is awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature. In an unexpected move, the Swedish Academy bestowed the iconic Jewish American singer—born Robert

Zimmerman—with the highly coveted prize in October. Though Bob Dylan’s fame is indisputable—he wrote some of the most well-known and culturally significant songs of the 1960s—the decision raised eyebrows because the prize has traditionally been given to novelists and poets, not songwriters. Dylan did not seem as enthusiastic as some of his fans: He took two weeks to acknowledge the award and said he was unable to travel to Sweden for the official ceremony, though he traveled there at a later date to accept the award and present the required lecture.

prospects of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Traditionally, the United States has vetoed such resolutions—but in its waning days the Obama administration chose not to follow suit. The move prompted outrage from Israel, centrist and right-leaning Jewish groups and then President-elect Donald Trump, who called the resolution “extremely unfair.” Samantha Power, then the American envoy to the U.N., defended the abstention, saying the resolution was in line with longstanding U.S. opposition to Israeli settlements.

the slogan—the name of an isolationist and often anti-Semitic movement leading up to World War I—alarmed some Jews, but Trump said the phrase had no connection to the earlier usage. Trump brought with him a cadre of Jewish advisers, including his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner. The couple, both of whom are observant Jews, would take on critical roles in the administration as senior advisers to the president, with Kushner in charge of a thick portfolio that included brokering a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

U.N. criticizes Israeli settlement, and the U.S. abstains. In December, the United Nations sharply condemned Israeli actions in a resolution calling settlements “a flagrant violation of international law” that damage the

Trump takes office, bringing Ivanka and Jared with him. Trump took office in January after his unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton in November, pledging in his inaugural address to put “America first.” The use of

JCCs in U.S. and Canada targeted with more than 100 bomb threats. From January to March, Jewish community centers, Jewish schools and other institutions were hit with more than 100 bomb threats. None of the threats, many

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High Holidays of which were called in, turned out to be credible, but they forced evacuations and spread fear among local communities. Several Jewish cemeteries were also vandalized, prompting some to blame the rise of the “alt-right”—some say the movement was legitimized following Trump’s election—for the threats. However, neither of the two men arrested for making the threats turned out to be motivated by far-right beliefs. One of the accused, Juan Thompson, was arrested for making bomb threats against eight Jewish institutions in the name of an ex-girlfriend in a revenge plot. The main suspect, however, turned out to be an Israeli-American teenager, Michael Kadar of Ashkelon, who was arrested for making hundreds of threats. Kadar reportedly sold his bomb threat services online and suffers from a brain tumor, according to his lawyer. Trump shouts down reporters who ask him about a rise in anti-Semitism. In February, the president shouted at two journalists who asked him about an increase in anti-Jewish sentiments and incidents, and said he “hates” being called an anti-Semite, although neither reporter called him one. After asking for a “friendly” reporter, Trump interrupted a question by a haredi Orthodox journalist—he accused him of lying about his intentions—and claimed to be the “least anti-Semitic person that you have ever seen in your entire life.” Trump’s response drew criticism from Jewish groups, many of which had already criticized him a month earlier for releasing a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day that notably did not mention Jews. His defenders said the president’s critics were politically motivated. On first overseas trip, Trump visits Israel. Trump paid a visit to the Jewish state on his first overseas trip as president in May, which also included stops in Italy and Saudi Arabia. The two-day trip included a stop at Yad Vashem and meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin, as well as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Trump, accompanied by his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner,

High Holy Days • 5778 also stopped at the Western Wall for a private visit, making him the first sitting U.S. president to visit the holy site and earning him high praise across Israel. A few months after the visit, Trump dispatched a team of top aides, including Kushner, Jason Greenblatt and Dina Powell, to visit Israel and other Middle Eastern countries in an attempt to revive peace talks. Israel freezes pluralistic Western Wall agreement. A June decision by Netanyahu’s Cabinet to put a hold on the creation of an egalitarian section of the Western Wall, a deal passed in 2016, drew the ire of American Jewish leaders. Some leaders, also angered by the advancement of a bill to give the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate complete control of conversions performed in Israel, warned of a growing schism between American Jews and Israel. Natan Sharansky, the chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, also joined critics of the decision, saying it “will make our work to bring Israel and the Jewish world closer together increasingly more difficult.” In August, the Israeli Supreme Court said the government must either reinstate the agreement or provide an explanation as to why it had put a hold on it. Chicago Dyke March bans three women for carrying flags with Jewish stars. In June, a Chicago lesbian march ejected three women for carrying Gay Pride flags with Jewish stars, saying the march was “anti-Zionist” and “pro-Palestinian.” The decision drew heated debate, and the Jewish reporter who first wrote about the incident for a Chicago LGBTQ newspaper said she was removed from her reporting job as a result of the article. The Dyke March controversy—as well as similar debates about the role of Zionists in the feminist movement and whether demonstrators could bring banners with Jewish stars to a Chicago feminist march —illuminated a growing challenge for Zionist Jews who feel unwelcome in liberal spaces. Neo-Nazis rally in Charlottesville. Neo-Nazis and white supremacists gathered in a Virginia park in August to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The far-right protesters chanted anti-Semitic and racist

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Virginia Beach’s only Reform Temple slogans, including “Jews will not replace us,” and brawled with counterprotesters. One counterprotester, Heather Heyer, was killed when a suspected white supremacist rammed his car into a crowd. Trump waffled on condemning the protest, calling out neo-Nazis and white supremacists in one remark, but blaming both sides for the violence at other times, and saying there were “some very fine people” in both groups. Jewish groups, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and the president’s top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, criticized Trump for his response, saying he was not doing his part to condemn hate.

Hurricane Harvey floods Houston Homes were flooded and lives were turned upside down as Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in August, forcing mass evacuations across the state. Over 70 percent of the city’s Jews live in areas that experienced high flooding, and synagogues, schools, and other Jewish community buildings sustained significant damage. Recovery from the hurricane is expected to take years, but the disaster also served as a point of coming together for the community, as Jewish groups rallied to distribute donations and local Jewish camps offered housing to those with nowhere to go.

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Book Review

An epic and relevant tale Politics, Faith, and the Making of American Judaism Peter Adams Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 2014, 230 pages ISBN: 978-0-472-07205-7

eter Adams is a former journalist who teaches English at Old Dominion University. His study recounts the story of American Jewry in the Dr. Frederick A. Lubich 19th century and its history of immigration and integration into mainstream American society. The author relies extensively on archival research, substantiating his chosen trajectory with numerous illuminating quotes from a rich variety of seminal newspapers of that period, such as the New York Times, Philadelphia Ledger, Washington Chronicle, Cincinnati Daily, Harper’s Monthly, and Vanity Fair, to mention just some of the most well-known publications. In addition to these primary journalistic sources, Adams also draws from a wide range of secondary literature that explores various aspects of this scholarly itinerary. In order to provide a clearer picture of its multifaceted panorama, a short synopsis of the book’s various chapters follows. The first four chapters explore America as the Jewish “Promised Land,” its first crisis caused by General Ulysses Grant’s expulsion of Jews from his military territory, Lincoln as a supporter of the “Israelites” and the Civil War triggering a wave of anti-Semitism, due to the common prejudice that Jewish merchants were profiting in various ways from this national conflict. The next four chapters deal with the Jewish participation in the rapidly expanding cotton industry, the Confederate ideology, Southern Jewry, and the increasing advice and encouragement by Jewish community leaders to their co-religionists to “Americanize as Fast as You Can.” This slogan targeted especially the swelling

masses of Eastern European Jews, who were sometimes perceived by the already well-established German Jewry as uneducated and old-fashioned and thus a possible embarrassment if not an impediment in their own social success and political empowerment. The final four chapters trace the growing influence of the Jewish vote, the progressive prosperity of the Jewish community, the rise of some of their members into the world of finance and politics, but also their renewed discrimination during the Gilded Age, and—mutatis mutandis—the dramatically escalating violence against Jews in Eastern Europe towards the end of the 19th century and their mass migration into the New World: “Between 1904 and 1908 alone, a total of 672,000 Eastern European Jews disembarked on American shores.” That number incidentally already exceeds the total German-Jewish population at the beginning of the Third Reich. The concluding chapter, “A Judaism for the American Century,” highlights topics such as the government consideration of Jewish settlements in autonomous regions, in other words “Jewish reservations,” the “Galveston Plan,” that intended to divert large numbers of Eastern European Jews away from New York and towards Texas which turned out to be a plan with modest success, Zionism as a movement torn between “oriental aberration,” and ultimate salvation from the Final Solution of the Holocaust, and ultimately the religious re-organization of Judaism as “Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.”

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The study is complemented by more than 20 visuals, including various cartoons from satirical journals as well as photos of influential American politicians and important representatives from various Jewish communities. Extensive notes, an exhaustive bibliography including a long list of over 30 newspapers and periodicals and a detailed index of names and topics conclude this erudite and eloquent study. Despite its academic rigor, it is very reader friendly, telling an epic tale in all its complexity with a sparkling clarity. It can

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be highly recommended to anyone interested in Jewish culture, American history, and their common national destiny—and after the recent events in Charlottesville —more than ever. Frederick A. Lubich, PhD is professsor of German at Old Dominon University. This book was also reviewed in Jewish News in the January 12, 2015 issue.

jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | Jewish News | 27

in memoriam

The Commander, The Voice Reflections on the life of Hal Sacks Micheline Brown

“I’m always here for you. Whatever you need. You know that, right?” “Yes, I know that.” “I love you, darling.” “I love you too, Grandpa.”

I sought his wisdom on a successful marriage. Embedded within these interactions was “The Voice” that largely shaped my identity today. My cousins, brother and I all attended Hebrew Academy of Tidewater because of my grandparents. We stayed active in synagogue, NFTY, and BBYO because being part of a Jewish community was so integral to my grandparents’ identity. I interned at the Jewish News at my grandfather’s insistence. I worked at JFS because he deemed it “a great organization.” There was not one major decision I made in my life where I didn’t consider his thoughts, what he would say, how he would do it. Not one. His influence didn’t cease with the boundaries of blood relation. Most people in this community knew my grandfather, Retired Commander Harold “Hal” Sacks as just that, the Commander. As a child, I saw my grandfather as the dynamo he was when I visited him at the old Federation building on Newport Avenue. I watched as he directed others, as they asked him questions, and how he always, whether solicited or not, stated his opinion, most often as fact. He was like this in many arenas in his life: resolute, steadfast, and reassuring. My grandfather Hal and Annabel Sacks (front) with their children: had a deep, abiding Ellen and Skip Sacks and Judy Anderson at a book signing for Hal’s Navy. his exchange was one I had with my grandfather countless times throughout my lifetime. Recently, a family friend referred to my grandfather as “The Voice,” a personification that resonated with me. I can’t remember a time when his voice wasn’t in my head, guiding me towards the right decision, chiding me when I made the wrong decision, informing the opinions I held, the political and ideological stances I should take and most importantly, helping me to discriminate between a truly delicious meal and a “tasty” one. When I read a book that I loved, I could always count on Grandpa to have read it and to want to debate its merits or weaknesses. When I wanted to be a better chef, I took lessons from him. When I questioned my career path, I sought his guidance. When I decided I had found my bashert,

28 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

sense of community, the origins of which I do not know and, insofar as I can tell, were a product of an intrinsic need to create a community where there was none and to enhance one where one existed. When he was stationed in Saigon, as Intelligence Officer on General Westmoreland’s staff, the first American Jewish casualty occurred in Vietnam. My grandfather found a rabbi to lead a memorial service, thereby becoming instrumental in arranging for a Jewish Chaplain to be stationed in Vietnam. In 1968, as Captain of the USS Steinaker enroute to Vietnam, he arranged for a Seder at sea. After his retirement, he began working in the Jewish community

in Tidewater. During a mission to Israel he was introduced to a low resourced immigrant community, Pardes Katz, and was influential in the creation of their independent Jewish Community Center. Ever the North Star, my grandfather’s outreach was not limited and his compassion extended beyond the Jewish community. He had a commitment to kind acts and deeds, no matter how small, no matter how anonymous. Over the years, he took in countless “odd men out,” inviting individuals or couples who didn’t have a place to go for Seders, Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, or other family-oriented holidays. He supported family friends,

in memoriam

Commander Harold (Hal) Howard Sacks, U. S. Navy Retired August 2, 1930–September 8, 2017 Terri Denison

Hal Sacks in Pardes Katz, Tidewater’s sister community in Israel. 1996.

employees, ex-employees, and friends of friends whenever and wherever he could. He gave until he couldn’t give anymore. Three days before my grandfather died, he held his last meeting in his room at Beth Sholom Rehab. True to his word and his commitment to this community, my grandfather made sure to welcome a new Jewish community employee and, I’m sure, share his words of wisdom. My grandfather realized many of his goals in his lifetime, but his life’s work extended far beyond the years he had on this planet. Rather, it reached into perpetuity, in the generations of family and friends he hoped to influence by modeling the behavior he sought in others. In shared reflections on my grandfather’s influence, my cousin, Sam Sacks, summed up Grandpa’s ethos. During a latke cooking session with Grandpa several years ago, Grandpa told Sam that “You judge a man not by what he has, but by what he gives.” And give he did. There are so many beautiful, sweet moments to recollect. Curling up together for a nap on the porch, listening to him recite Whitman, groaning as he crooned reveille to wake us up for breakfast, watching as he deglazed a pan with sherry to make chicken fricassee. To me, Grandpa was larger than life, invincible, incapable of a weak moment. I never saw him when he didn’t have a twinkle in his eye, when he wasn’t quick with a joke, when he wasn’t there for me when I needed him. And so, The Voice echoes in my head: “I’m always here for you. You know that?” “I know that, Grandpa, I know.” Hal Sacks has five grandchildren—Jonathan Anderson, Micheline Brown, Nathan Sacks, Sam Sacks, and Hannah Sacks—all of whom were shaped by his loving guidance, acerbic wit, selfless giving, and frank honesty. “Grandpa lived his life this way and I’ll do the same to honor him.” —Sam Sacks

ith the passing of Hal Sacks, Jewish News has lost a friend, advocate, historian, and visionary—along with a writer and book review editor. As a friend, Hal was always available for advice—and not timid about offering it up—even when it wasn’t requested. As an advocate, he was quick to promote the merits of the newspaper when needed and bolster the staff in ways that only he could accomplish. As the community’s unofficial historian, Hal was often called upon to write about programs, missions, and other events that took place decades ago. As a book reviewer, he shared just the right amount of details with his readers to tease them to read the book, or to pass on it. His wit, his personal experiences, and, his near encyclopedic knowledge of so many subjects…from cooking to Israeli politics—made each of his reviews informative and, often, great fun to read. As a visionary, he offered myriad ideas for articles and themes—often writing them himself. And, his vision that Jewish News should have digital archives accessible via the Internet from anywhere across the globe, came to fruition only due to his insistence and personal funding. Now, through The Hal Sacks Jewish News Archives, it is possible to access the newspapers of the Tidewater Jewish community dating back to 1945. “Hal was somebody who gently offered welcomed guidance to a new professional arriving in Tidewater as the Jewish Family Service CEO,” says Harry Graber, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater executive vice president. “His guidance turned into support and eventually an offered friendship that was based upon mutual respect and a commitment to our people. We debated, we differed, but most of all we agreed on the most important matters of principle, ethics, and professional standards of excellence. He will be greatly missed by me and our community,” says Graber. In his eulogy, Dr. Edward Karotkin noted, “Hal’s obituary…gave an extensive accounting of his accomplishments, both during his distinguished 20-year military service and his entry into the world of business once he retired. How many of us can claim to have two rewarding careers?” (In addition to Hal’s military and business careers, he also worked extensively in the non-profit world, taught English, and authored two books…but, for Hal, those are just details.) “There was much more to Hal than fundraising,” Karotkin said. “Perhaps it was his military service, his experience in the business world, and his keen sense of human nature that gave him an edge in addressing challenges facing Tidewater Jewish Foundation. But we all know, Annabel, that he could not have done any of this without you, his First Mate. Actually, Annabel was not really First Mate for the Commander, but she was in fact, the Admiral.” There’s so much to say about Hal. His granddaughter, Micheline Brown, offers her tribute in the adjoining article, and his obituary is on page 36.

jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | Jewish News | 29

what’s happening 3rd Annual Great Big Challah Bake

Israel Today

Thursday, October 26, 7 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus

Humans of Tel Aviv founder Erez Kaganovitz changes the narrative

Humans in the Public Sphere Sunday, Oct. 8, 10:30 am, Sandler Family Campus Tikun Olam Family Workshop Tuesday, Oct.10, 5:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus Erin Dougherty

hotographs of Tel Aviv and Israelis are seen daily around the world—but how many depict the real Tel Aviv; the Tel Aviv that is a bright and vibrant society filled with writers, thinkers, and innovators? Erez Kaganovitz, creator of photoblog Humans of Tel Aviv, is on a mission to show this Tel Aviv, his Tel Aviv to the masses. “When people see my page, they understand that Tel Aviv and the people who live in it are like the people in New York, Paris, or Toronto. They share similar values, problems, and issues,” Kaganovitz tells ISRAEL21c. The Humans of Tel Aviv project began in 2012 when journalist and photographer Kaganovitz came across a photo from the blog, Humans of New York, which was created by Brandon Stanton in 2010 to show the humanity within New York City. When Kaganovitz saw Stanton’s work, he knew he wanted to create a Humans project in Tel Aviv because what he sees is not the war-torn homeland often presented by the media, but rather, “its multiculturalism, its diversity, its very active civil society, all its complexity.” Kaganovitz has a knack for discovering and setting up the perfect shot. He also has a natural feel for approaching and interviewing his subjects, who all begin as strangers. His ability and desire to connect has allowed him to capture people from all walks of life. “You can see religious orthodox Jews, Muslims and Christians alongside gays, lesbians, and transsexuals; you can see refugees from Africa who fled to Israel, and sophisticated people from Rothschild Boulevard,” he relays to ISRAEL21c. And so, with a monthly reach of 500,000 through social media, Kaganovitz continues to show the melting pot that is Tel Aviv. “The real humans of this city is what makes Tel Aviv such an Interesting, tolerant, and multicultural place.”

Kaganovitz will visit Tidewater as part of the Israel Today series, coinciding with his exhibit in the Leon Family Gallery. On Sunday, October 8, with Humans in the Public Sphere, Kaganovitz will speak about his journey discovering the Humans of Tel Aviv, the influence of the city’s diverse population, and how the perception of Israel is influenced by Tel Aviv. Following his talk, Kaganovitz will lead a discussion and walk through the Leon Family Gallery. On Tuesday, October 10, with Social Fabric of Tel Aviv: Stories Unraveled, Kaganovitz brings children and parents together for a Tikun Olam Family Workshop to discover the stories of the Humans of Tel Aviv in an interactive photography workshop, sharing how to help repair the world through art. Child: $8/$6 JCC members; Adult $11/$9 JCC members; Families: $32/$25 JCC members. Dinner will be served beginning at 5 pm. RSVP is required for both events as space is limited. Visit jewishva.org/IsraelToday to RSVP. For more information, contact Erin Dougherty, director of cultural arts, 757-321-2341.

30 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

ant to enjoy the fragrance of yeast rising, laugh, and share community with hundreds of women, and then experience the deep satisfaction of baking a challah for Shabbat? This year, the 3rd Annual Great Big Challah Bake is slated to take place as a lead-up to the globally scheduled Shabbat

Tidewater participated in the Challah Bake. The women made dough and braided their own challahs to take home, played a Jewish trivia game, heard speakers about the meaning and power of challah, and enjoyed the sisterhood and camaraderie that comes from baking bread with friends —both new and old.

Minna Haber and Shaina Lefkovitz at Challah Bake 2016.

Project, observed from sundown Friday, October 27 until sundown Saturday, October 28. The bread-making event will be just one of thousands of similar events around the world—part of The Shabbat Project —bringing Jews from all walks of life and across the spectrum of religious affiliations to celebrate one full Shabbat, together. The project’s goal is to create an opportunity to rejuvenate family and community life, and strengthen Jewish unity around the world. Last year, 150 women from around

This is an opportunity to reconnect to Jewish traditions and the spiritual joys of making challah. All of the ingredients, bowls, and recipes are provided. Each participant will leave with two challahs ready to bake and enjoy for Shabbat dinner. This event is sponsored by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. For more information and to register, visit www. JewishVA.org/challah-bake or call: 757321‑2304. Women of all ages are invited. Suggested $5 per person donation.

KBH Yard Sale — Sunday, October 15, 9 am to 2 pm Kempsville Conservative Synagogue, Kehillat Bet Hamidrash, will sponsor a Yard Sale at 952 Indian Lakes Blvd in Virginia Beach. Cost to rent a table is $15. Contact: Harriett Eluto at harrietteluto@yahoo.com or Ellen Cohen at ebcohen@juno.com for more information. Rain date is slated for Sunday, October 22.

what’s happening

Ruth’s

Up now and next in the Leon Family Gallery Erin Dougherty

Erez Kaganovitz: Humans of Tel Aviv October nspired by the widely popular blog, Humans of New York, Israeli journalist, photographer, and self-professed feminist Erez Kaganovitz founded Humans of Tel Aviv in 2012. The project aims to capture the bright and inclusive civil society in Israel and show the world that the people of Israel share similar values and issues as those in New York, Paris, or Toronto. Kaganovitz’s photos are unique, creative, and beautifully expressed, featuring people from all walks of life. As he says, “When I upload pictures I am trying to upload stories that capture the intensity of this country, and pictures that have a story to tell.” His one-of-a-kind photographs will be on display in the Leon Family Gallery. Pieces available for purchase. All proceeds benefit the Simon Family JCC. (See article on page 30.)

Yoni Alter, Windows.

Yoni Alter September srael-born Yoni Alter’s work is characterized by his bold use of color and his integration between the graphic and artistic, between the figurative and the abstract, and between form and space. Alter studied art and design in Jerusalem before completing his MA in graphic design at University of the Arts, London. Alter has impressive clients, having created the iconic branding for London’s TV channel London Live. He also has a best-selling range of merchandise at the prestigious Tate in London and MOMA in New York. His exhibit, Shape of Cities, where his eye-catching posters of city skylines around the world has been much celebrated, has created a keen following. It is currently showing at the Leon Family Gallery. Pieces are available for purchase. All proceeds benefit the Simon Family JCC.

Erez Kaganovitz: Humans of Tel Aviv.

The Perfect Storm: What regional turmoil means for the State of Israel Monday, October 2, 7:30 pm, Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus ith constant uncer taint y and change in the Middle East, it is difficult to stay updated with the most current developments. Still, it is important Ed Miller to stay alert to the difficulties Israel faces from her neighbors. “Serious developments are occurring on Israel’s borders that are not widely

Said a Lot About Her.

What Does Your Will Say About You? As a “pink lady” Ruth Goodman accumulated more hours than any

AIPAC briefing, in partnership with UJFT’s Community Relations COuncil

Will

reported in the news. All of us must be aware of them,” says Art Sandler, AIPAC national board member. The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and AIPAC are presenting an informative, off the record, community briefing featuring Ed Miller, AIPAC’s National Deputy Political director. Miller will discuss recent developments in the Middle East and how they affect the US-Israel relationship. Sandler believes this briefing by a senior

AIPAC policy analyst is very important. “We must be informed and stay vigilant. Lebanon and Syria, both backed by Iran, may lead to war,” continues Sandler. This event is free and open to the community. Registration is required.

other volunteer at the Norfolk hospital where she greeted visitors. Before she died in 1995,Ruth arranged for a Hampton Roads Community Foundation bequest to forever give good health to the community she and her husband Victor loved. This year 15 students are studying to become physicians, physical therapists, nurses and other medical professionals thanks to scholarships generated by Ruth’s generosity. Many more Goodman Scholars will follow every year. Write your prescription for a better future by ordering a free bequest guide. Learn how easy it is to leave a gift for charity.

For additional information or to RSVP, contact Staci Eichelbaum at 678-254-2631 or seichelbaum@aipac.org.

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jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | Jewish News | 31

what’s happening Lee & Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival November 5–19 Erin Dougherty

imon Family JCC’s annual Lee & Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival returns with the promise of a great series of author engagements and to expand participants’ minds on such topics as: • Mindfulness and de-stressing, • How the short stories of the Forward helped inspire and inform readers of immigrant life, • The impact of tracing one’s family history, • The dynamic society and culture that is Israel today, and • How students are changing what it means to live a Jewish life.

To view the full line-up and to RSVP, visit simonfamilyjcc.org/jewishbookfestival or contact Erin Dougherty, Simon Family JCC director of cultural arts, at 757-321-2341. *of blessed memory

Touchdown, Israel Monday, October 30, 7:30 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus

hat would you say to your childhood hero if you had the chance to meet? In June, thousands of Israelis got the opportunity to do just that when Bruce Smith, Joe Montana, “Mean” Joe Greene, and 16 other NFL Hall of Famers went to Israel. Over the last 18 years, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has sponsored the sport of football in the state of Israel. Kraft has helped to build the sports facilities, reputation, and culture in Israel through the American Football in Israel league. The pro-football players were in Israel as part of Bruce Smith and Joe Montana in Israel. an eight-day goodwill mission led by Kraft, which culminated in the grand opening of the Kraft Family Sports Campus in Jerusalem. “It is so special to bring the best of the best to ever play my favorite sport to my favorite country in the world,” Kraft told The Jerusalem Post. Tidewater native, Virginia Tech legend, and NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Smith and his wife, Carmen, visited sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Western Wall, and Yad Vashem, and were baptized in the Jordan River, among their many experiences in Israel. Hear directly from Bruce Smith about his time in Israel at this free, open to the community event. RSVP required. Contact Melissa Eichelbaum at meichelbaum@ujft.org for more information, or visit jewishva.org/touchdownisrael to RSVP. (required)

32 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

Employment Oppor tunity

what’s happening

Jewish Life & Learning/Senior Program Coordinator Creative self-starter with proven organizational skills needed for full-time position of Jewish Life & Learning/Senior Program Coordinator. Works collaboratively with staff/ teams in multiple areas of the UJFT/Simon Family JCC to bolster opportunities for Jewish education and seniors programming experiences in our various communities.

Dr. Mark Goldfeder Attorney, rabbi, and law professor to educate different audiences

For job description, visit www.jewishva.org or www.simonfamilyjcc.org.

Tuesday, October 17, Simon Family JCC

Submit resume w/salary requirements to: resumes@ujft.org

Continuing Legal Education: 12–4 pm, $150 includes class and lunch Society of Professional networking event: 6–7 pm, $10 cover Community event: 7:30–8:30 pm, free

quick, one-day trip to Tidewater by Dr. Mark Goldfeder will include three opportunities to learn and engage—a Continuing Legal Education course, a networking event, and a community event. Goldfeder, a senior lecturer and Spruill Family Senior Fellow for the Center for the Study At the United Nations Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon and Mark Goldfeder, of Law and Religion at along with students from the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University, will Emory University,. photo credit: Patti Ghezzi discuss the comparative approach of secular law versus Halacha examines the hypocrisy and perceived bias when he leads a three-credit CLE class for toward Israel. He’ll discuss this during the attorneys. This event is In partnership with free and open to the community event and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s also speak about Israel’s relationship with Community Relations Council and Society the United Nations and how it relates to of Professionals, together with the Norfolk the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Kollel. movement. “Rabbi Goldfeder is uniquely qualified Prior to the community event, Goldfeder as a lecturer—he is an ordained rabbi, law will lead a brief discussion on the legal school professor, attorney, and leading aspects of boycotts and de-legitimization advocate against the BDS movement,” says for the UJFT’s Society of Professionals. This attorney Jeffrey Brooke. networking event will include wine, beer, Goldfeder has been an adviser to the and light appetizers. United Nations on Israel, and he runs an “I am excited to hear what he has to Israel fellowship program for freshmen at say and to welcome him as the Norfolk Emory. Last November, Goldfeder gave a Area Community Kollel’s first ever continukeynote lecture at the United Nations on ing legal education (CLE) presenter,” says drawing lines between religious discrimiBrooke. nation and the First Amendment. His CNN op-ed, Obama administration was hypFor more information or to RSVP for these ocritical on UN’s Israeli settlements vote, events, visit JewishVA.org/Goldfeder.

Tidewater Limmud Festival of Jewish Ideas Sunday, November 12, 1–5 pm, Simon Family JCC

ringing people together of all backgrounds, religious affiliations, and ages to nurture, mentor, and celebrate Jewish life and learning for an afternoon is Tidewater Limmud’s goal. In addition to offering interactive breakout sessions led by community members and professional educators, Tidewater Limmud includes discussions facilitated by Rabbi Michael Panitz, author Ezra Glinter, and Rabbi Barry Schwartz, director of The Jewish Publication Society. Tidewater Limmud is presented in coordination with Global Day of Jewish Learning and the Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival, in partnership with the Board of Rabbis and Cantors of Hampton Roads. Join the journey with Tidewater Limmud— after all, everyone has something to learn and something to share. For more information or to register, visit SimonFamilyJCC.org/Limmud or contact Melissa Eichelbaum at 321-2341.

A Call for Presenters: Tidwater Limmud Based on the concept that everyone should be a student and that anyone can be a teacher, Tidewater Limmud offers an opportunity for community members to teach a workshop on any and all areas of Jewish content. Take part in this festival of Jewish culture through shared learning by teaching about a favorite Jewish topic such as Jewish art, texts, food, literature or Israeli politics, technology, culture, or any other Jewish or Israel-related topic. Since diversity is a core principal of Tidewater Limmud, the workshop can be presented in a variety of ways (lecture, workshop, film, panel, or debate, for example). Presenters of all backgrounds and ages are welcome. $18 to attend or present as Limmud’s success depends on its band of presenters. Without presenters there would be no Limmud! Presenters are not paid. For more information on becoming a presenter, or to submit a proposal, visit SimonFamilyJCC.org/Limmud or contact Melissa Eichelbaum at 321-2341.

*Of blessed memory

Tidewater Chavurah’s second Friday Shabbat service • Friday, October 13, 7 pm

abbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill will lead Tidewater Chavurah’s second Friday of the month Shabbat service with prayers and joyful songs at the home of Hal and Elaine in the Great Neck Meadows area of Virginia Beach.

A “congregation without walls,” events are held in members’ homes or at other locations. An Oneg will follow. New people are always welcome to Tidewater Chavurah’s events.

For event information and location address, email carita@ verizon.net or dlqt@cox.net or call 499-3660 or 4682675. Visit www.tidewaterchavurah.org or Tidewater Chavurah Face book page for upcoming events.

jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | Jewish News | 33

who knew? 2017 Emmy Awards: On a historic night for diversity, SNL quietly wins big

he 2017 Emmy Awards presentation, which is being hailed as a historic night for diversity in Hollywood, honored some Jewish talent. Saturday Night Live led the way with eight of the TV awards, which were handed out Sunday, Sept. 17 in Los Angeles. SNL winners included Kate McKinnon and Alec Baldwin, for best supporting actress and actor in a comedy, respectively, for their portrayals of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump throughout the 2016 presidential campaign and its aftermath. Melissa McCarthy also won

for her work as a guest actress on SNL, notably portraying former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. The show’s Jewish creator, Lorne Michaels, was a winner as the show took home the award for best variety sketch series. Michaels, who has produced the show for much of its Lorne Michaels four decades, now holds the record for most Emmy nominations. Jewish filmmaker Ezra Edelman won the nonfiction directing Emmy for his work on the ESPN documentary O.J.: Made in America.

Abisl Theater

Auditions!

OCTOBER 1-2, 2017 - 7:00 P.M.

BETH SHOLOM VILLAGE - 6401 AUBURN DRIVE, VIRGINIA BEACH

READY TO

STRUT YOUR STUFF?

The new Abisl Theater at Beth Sholom Village will be Music, Comedy and Stageplays with a Jewish Twist! There will be a sneak preview December 10 featuring an entertaining sampling of what’s to come. On October 1 and 2 at 7:00 p.m., The Abisl (meaning “little” in Yiddish) will have auditions at Beth Sholom to create a standing company of individuals who can sing, act, dance, tell jokes, play instruments or have other talents around which producers can build shows, including the December event. If you have skills to share, at whatever level, please attend.

RSVP to Steve Suskin at 420-2512 or ssuskin@bethsholomvillage.com to choose an audition date and time, or for any questions.

34 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

The Emmys also paid tribute to those in the industry who have died during the last year, including Jewish actresses Carrie Fisher and Zsa Zsa Gabor. However, the night was most notable for other reasons. Donald Glover became the first African-American to win best directing in a comedy series and the first black actor to win best lead actor in a comedy since 1985. He is the star and creator of the FX show Atlanta. Lena Waithe, who co-wrote the Netf lix sitcom Master of None with Aziz Ansari, became the first black woman to win best comedy writing. Riz Ahmed became the first South Asian man to win an Emmy with his performance on the HBO miniseries The Night Of. Leonard Cohen And Sterling Brown, a star of NBC’s This Is Us, became the first African-American man to win outstanding lead actor in a drama series since 1998. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who has French-Jewish heritage, broke the record for most consecutive wins in any Emmy category with her sixth straight best lead actress in a comedy award. The former Seinfeld star is the driving force behind HBO’s political satire Veep.

Leonard Cohen memorial concert in Montreal to feature Sting, Elvis Costello

he family of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen has announced a benefit concert in Montreal to mark the first anniversary of his death. The concert, called “Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen,” will be held Nov. 6 in Cohen’s hometown, his family said. It will benefit the Canada Council, which awards grants to Canadian arts projects, and helped Cohen in the early days of his career. Among the artists signed on to perform are Elvis Costello, Lana Del Rey, Philip Glass, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers, k.d. lang, Feist, Sting, Patrick Watson and Damien Rice, Billboard reported. Actors also will read Cohen’s poetry. “There were so many groups of people expressing beautiful interest in commemorating and memorializing and paying tribute to my old man,” Cohen’s son, Adam, told Billboard. “Instead of having it be a whole bunch of candles burning in various places, we wanted to pull a bunch of disparate pieces together and make a big bonfire, a big sight on a hill.” Cohen said his father wished to be buried in Montreal with a small memorial service, but gave his son permission to organize a large public event after his death with the condition that it be held in Montreal, the Montreal Gazette reported.

mazel tov to Achievement Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman on the insertion of his article on his summer trip to Poland, Lithuania, and Israel, along with Charlottesville’s tragic events, into the Congressional Record by Congressman Scott Taylor. Mazel Tov submissions should be emailed to news@ujft.org with Mazel Tov in the subject line. Achievements, B’nai Mitzvot, births, engagements and weddings are appropriate simchas to announce. Photos must be at least 300k. Include a daytime phone for questions. There is no fee.

Calendar October 1, Sunday Brith Sholom’s regular members meeting at 11 am. Beth Sholom Village in the Pincus-Paul Hall. Meeting followed by a deluxe Kosher Brunch at noon with speaker Rabbi Sender Habor from B’Nai Israel Congregation. $3 for members ($5 at the door) $10 for guests and free if exploring possible membership. Contact LeeAnne Mallory at 757-461-1150 or email at Brith.sholom1@hrcoxmail.com for information. OCTOBER 2, MONDAY AIPAC and CRC host community briefing at the Reba and Sam Sander Family Campus. 7:30 pm. Free. For more information or to RSVP, contact Melissa Eichelbaum at 757-321-2304 or meichelbaum@ujft.org. See page 31. October 8, Sunday Humans in the Public Sphere. Inspired by the widely popular blog Humans of New York, Israeli journalist and photographer, Erez Kaganovitz, founded Humans of Tel Aviv in 2012. Join Kaganovitz for a free community event as he speaks about his journey discovering the Humans of Tel Aviv. Immediately following the event will be an artist led walk and discussion about his featured exhibit in the Leon Family Gallery. 10:30 am. Simon Family JCC. Free and open to the community with RSVP required. To RSVP, visit www.jewishva.org/IsraelToday or contact Melissa Eichelbaum at 757-321-2304. See page 30. Brith Sholom Chinese Dinner Buffet affair at Beth Sholom Village at 5:30 pm. Many Chinese Kosher entree choices and all the trimmings followed by entertainment by Sid Sward, accordion impresario and singer. $10 for members and $20 for guests. Contact LeeAnne Mallory at

757-461-1150 or email at Brith.sholom1@hrcoxmail.com for reservations.

OCTOBER 10, TUESDAY Social Fabric of Tel Aviv: Life Stories Unraveled A Tikun Olam Family Workshop. As the human behind Humans of Tel Aviv, Erez Kaganovitz goes beyond the media narrative, revealing a city openly embracing individuals of different faiths, skin colors, and lifestyles to Facebook users worldwide. His images carry the message that we are all far more alike than different. During this interactive, family friendly workshop in the Sukkah, Erez Kaganovitz leads children and parents in a discussion to discover who makes up the social fabric of Tel Aviv and how we can help repair the world through art. RSVP required as space is limited. 5:30–6:30 pm; dinner served beginning at 5 pm. Simon Family JCC. To RSVP, visit www.jewishva.org/IsraelToday or contact Melissa Eichelbaum at 757-321-2304. See page 30. NOVEMBER 1–20 The Lee and Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival. Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus. For more information, contact Erin Dougherty at 757-321-2341 or edougherty@simonfamilyjcc.org. Tuesday, November 14 Israel Today featuring activist, ivy-league educator, and documentarian Rachel Fish at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus. Fish sheds light on the nuance of Israel’s internal and external conflicts and encourages exploration of debates on key issues embedded in a richly evoked sociohistorical context. Free. For more information, contact Melissa Eichelbaum at meichelbaum@ ujft.org or 757-321-2304. 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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obituaries Harold Howard Sacks Norfolk—Commander Harold (Hal) Howard Sacks, U. S. Navy Retired, died on September 8 after a long illness. Hal will be mourned by Annabel, his wife of 65 years, his daughter Judy and son Skip (Ellen), his five grandchildren, Jonathan (Hava) Anderson, Micheline (Roger) Brown, Nathan, Samuel and Hannah Sacks, and his great-grandchildren Eli and Noa, as well as numerous cousins. He will be remembered by members of the Tidewater Community and especially the Jewish Community which he served for more thatn 40 years in both lay and professional roles. He will also be remembered by his former shipmates with whom he served during a 20 year naval career, in particular the loyal crew and officers he commanded in Vietnam, who continue to value the experiences and associations they shared. Hal was born August 2, 1930 in The Bronx, New York City, New York. He attended public schools there and graduated from De Witt Clinton High School before his 17th birthday; he went on to Syracuse University where he majored in English and graduated shortly before turning 20 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950. Hal immediately entered Columbia University and received a Master of Arts degree in American Literature and was awarded a New York State High School English Teaching Certificate based on studies at Columbia Teachers’ College. Deferred from military service to finish his education at Columbia, Hal enlisted in 1952 and graduated from Naval Officer

Candidate School in December of 1952 with a reserve commission, reported to his first ship (USS Owen–DD536) and immediately deployed in January of 1952 to the combat zone in Korea. The USS Owen, operating in Wonsan Harbor, was taken under heavy fire more than 10 times—Ensign Sacks was cited for his cool behavior while standing watch on the open bridge during enemy fire. Hal went on to become a regular naval officer and served on USS Stickell (DDR888) as Fire Control Officer, on the heavy cruiser USS Des Moines (CA134) as Combat Information Officer, at the Fleet Training Group, Guantanamo Bay Cuba, as Combat Information and Navigation Instructor/ Inspector, and as Staff Operations Officer on the Staff of Commander Destroyer Squadron Twelve. Ordered to postgraduate school in 1960, Hal then served as officer in charge of the Electronics Intelligence Unit of the Naval Scientific and Technical Intelligence Center, prior to commencing a one year in-country tour in Vietnam as Chief of Special Research on the staff of General Westmoreland (Commander U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam). Hal was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal. He then served as Executive Officer of USS Gyatt (DD-712) and Commanding Officer of USS Steinaker (DD-863) which deployed to Vietnam in 1968. Hal was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V for his service in Vietnam, and then reported to Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Force, Atlantic Fleet, as Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence) from which

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billet he retired in 1972, having been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. An 11-year career in business followed as Hal became general manager of Checkered Flag Motor Car Company and subsequently general manager of Checkered Flag Honda. Hal retired from that position to become assistant executive director of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater in 1983 with primary responsibility as Campaign director, having served as volunteer vice chairman of the Annual Campaign in prior years. Over the years Hal served as adjunct faculty, teaching college freshman English for George Washington University, San Diego State University, and Tidewater Community College. Having served as UJFT Campaign director for six years, during which the Annual Campaign almost doubled in size, Hal created the Tidewater Jewish Foundation (TJF). Beginning with a fledgling endowment fund of about $300,000, the Foundation grew to more than $20 million by the time he retired in 1995. As executive director emeritus, Hal was able to participate in the growth of the Foundation to its present stature with assets in excess of $100 million. After retirement, Hal created the Dominion Consulting Group through which he personally facilitated the creation of over a dozen foundations, including the United Way of South Hampton Roads Foundation, the Virginia Opera Foundation, as well as Jewish foundations in North Carolina, Florida, New York, California, and Utah. Among Hal’s fundraising legacies is the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, which was created to provide a central location for Jewish community agencies in Tidewater. Hal’s volunteer service includes: membership on numerous local charitable agency boards, founding member of the United Way Keel Club, member and panel chair of the United Way Fund Distribution Committee, member Norfolk Public Library Foundation Board, member Jewish War Veterans Post 158, and a dedicated Lion for many decades. Hal was an accomplished chef as well

as a writer, and served as Book Review editor of the Jewish News and its various iterations for 33 years. He published Hal’s Navy, a military memoir, and Passing in Review, a selection from three decades of reviews. Hal donated the proceeds from sales of his books and raised additional funds to create an archive for the Jewish News, which was subsequently named the “Hal Sacks Jewish News Archive” in his honor. A memorial service conducted by Hal’s beloved family took place at H.D Oliver. Hal spent his life in service to his family, his friends, his community, and his country. His life was extraordinarily full and there should be no tears shed for this fortunate man who lived life to its fullest. Memorial donations are requested for the Annabel and Hal Sacks Unrestricted Fund of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation. Online condolences may be shared at www.hdoliver.com. Stephen Allen Schneider VIRGINIA BEACH—Stephen Allen Schneider passed away on September 5, 2017. He was born on December 31, 1935 to Larry and Henrietta Schneider. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and later became a successful salesman and business owner. Steve was an avid poker player, loved old movies, music, and sports. He always had a good joke to share with everyone. He loved to laugh and lived life to the fullest. He certainly was one of a kind. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Maurice, and two children, Karen and Kevin Schneider. He is survived by the love of his life June Williams; his three children, Stephen M. Schneider and wife Sheila, Joseph D. Schneider and wife Maria, and Rebecca Kraemer; and his five grandchildren, Jessica, Madison, Stephen James, Jordan and Rebekah. Cantor Elihu J. Flax officiated his service, which took place at Altmeyer Funeral Home. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.altmeyerfh.com.

obituaries Edie Windsor, whose Supreme Court victory paved the way for LGBTQ marriage WASHINGTON ( JTA)—Edie Windsor, whose fight for marriage equality ended with a historic victory and was suffused with her Jewish sensibility, has died at 88. The New York Times quoted her second wife, Judith Kasen-Windsor, as confirming her death. In 2009, Windsor was denied a spouse’s exemption and forced to pay federal taxes on the estate of her late wife, Thea Spyer, who also was Jewish, although their Canadian marriage was recognized as legal by the State of New York, where they resided. She pursued her case all the way to the Supreme Court, and in a narrow ruling in 2013, the court decided that the federal government must abide by the laws of individual states in its dealings with couples from those states. That set the stage for a ruling two years later that removed all barriers to equal marriage rights. “Because of today’s Supreme Court ruling, the federal government can no longer discriminate against the marriages of gay and lesbian Americans,” she said then in a statement. “Children born today will grow up in a world without DOMA,” the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that denied federal benefits to partners of gay people. “Those same children who happen to be gay will be free to love and get married—as Thea and I did—but with the same federal benefits, protections and dignity as everyone else.” After her win, she attended services at her Manhattan synagogue, Beit Simchat Torah, which was founded to serve the gay community, and listened to her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, deliver a sermon on the win. Kaplan said Windsor’s victory was a landmark for Jews, particularly. “The Jewish Theological Seminary, for the first time in its entire history, submitted an amicus brief in a court case,” Kaplan said in the sermon. “Which case, one might ask? Edie Windsor vs. the United States, when JTS, along with the entire Conservative movement, joined an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to

strike down DOMA as unconstitutional. “Think about this for a moment if you will—less than 10 years ago, any gay rabbi ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary had to be in the closet. Today, JTS signed on to a brief at the United States Supreme Court arguing that the marriages of gay people should be respected under the law.” Windsor, who retired as a senior programmer at IBM, remained Jewishly involved. In 2016, she was one of 90 Jewish LGBTQ activists who signed a letter saying that anti-Israel protesters who forcibly shut down a reception at the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Creating Change conference displayed “dangerous” behavior. Her first date with her second wife, Kasen-Windsor, whom she married last year, was at a Hanukkah party. Former President Barack Obama marked her passing, saying in a statement that he had spoken with Windsor in recent days. He also recalled the 2015 Supreme Court decision removing bars to marriage equality two years after Windsor’s win. “I thought about all the millions of quiet heroes across the decades whose countless small acts of courage slowly made an entire country realize that love is love—and who, in the process, made us all more free,” Obama said.

to the Olympic Games in London, he got himself to Czechoslovakia and then on to the new State of Israel to volunteer his services. “I’m Jewish, Israel desperately needed trained fighter pilots, so I thought I could perhaps do something to sustain the state,” Flint told JTA in 2012. He flew in refurbished German fighter planes that had been captured during World War II alongside a couple of Israeli pilots who had served in Britain’s Royal Air Force, and augmented by volunteers from the United States, Canada and South Africa. In memory of his work for Israel’s 101st Squadron, Flint last year flew a special sortie over Israel for Independence Day. After the War of Independence, Flint returned to the United States, moving to Los Angeles and becoming a lawyer. Flint and his son, Mike, flew to London for the 2012 Olympic games. (JTA)

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Mitchell Flint, US fighter pilot who helped create Israeli Air Force Mitchell Flint, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot who helped create the Israeli Air Force in 1948, has died. Flint died Saturday, September 16 in Los Angeles at the age of 94. He served in Israel’s first fighter squadron as one of the founding members of Machal, a group of non-Israelis who fought in Israel’s War for Independence. He also helped to train Israel’s first military pilots. Flint volunteered at the age of 18 to serve as a U.S. pilot, serving in the Pacific theater during World War II, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a Navy combat flyer in World War I. In 1948, using the ruse of traveling

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it’s a wrap

Camp JCC: a full season

Catch-And-Release Fishing Derby reels in the fun at Sandler Family Campus

he first-ever Catch-and-Release Fishing Derby at the Simon Family Jewish Community Center took place on Sunday, September 17. With more than 60 official registrants and many more family and friends as supporters and participants, the turnout exceeded expectations for a first time event. The weather was welcoming, the fishing was abundant, and everyone had a fun morning along the banks of Lake Sandler. The Derby featured three different age groups and three different categories—first catch, largest catch, and

most catches. Prizes for landing catfish, sunfish, and largemouth bass were won by anglers from ages 5 to 68 years old. The Derby raised money toward the creation of a nature walk trail around Lake Sandler—another beautiful addition to the Sandler Family campus. Organizers hope to make the Fishing Derby an annual event.

photography by Aaron Glover 38 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org

imon Family JCC’s sold out Camp JCC gave participants—from toddlers to teenagers—an opportunity to create memories and friendships throughout the entire summer. With a theme of Adventures Through Time, campers experienced activities tailored to different decades each week. Activities included dress up days, a color run, Israeli day, a petting zoo, magic and talent shows, and a special visit from Caravan Noga. Israeli Shlichim also joined Camp JCC to teach Israeli culture and dance to all campers.

photography by Aaron Glover

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Join today and enjoy all that the JCC offers, including a full calendar of fitness classes and state-of-the-art gym, indoor and outdoor pools, children’s classes, youth athletics, the Leon Family Gallery and other exciting community programs. For more information, please contact: Tom Purcell, Wellness Director • (757) 321-2310 • tpurcell@simonfamilyjcc.org

jewishnewsva.org | September 25, 2017 | Jewish News | 39

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40 | Jewish News | September 25, 2017 | jewishnewsva.org