CT Jewish Ledger • March 19, 2021 • 6 Nisan 5781 by 2020 Media

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INSIDE

this week

CONNECTICUT JEWISH LEDGER | SINCE 1929 | MARCH 19, 2021 | 6 NISAN 5781

11 Around CT

13 Milestones

17 Crossword

18 Torah Portion

20 Briefs

Conversation with…............................................................ 5 Woodbridge writer Roya Hakakian who arrived in New York from Tehran 36 years ago, talks about her new book A Beginner’s Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Curious.

Arts & Entertainment......................................................... 9 With a choice of many film schools and a penchant for storytelling, Israelis raise ‘super interesting voices’ on screen.

Passover Prep!....................................................................14 New Haggadahs, a new kosher cookbook, and plenty of new children’s books to entertain (and enlighten) the kids. We’re here to help you get in the mood and groove for Passover, which begins on the evening of Saturday, March 27.

At the Head of the Class..................................................... 5 When Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy in Stamford set out to find a new Head of School, they found no need to go further than their own backyard.

22 What’s Happening

24 Obituaries

25 Business and Professional Directory

26 Classified

CANDLE LIGHTING ON THE COVER:

Recently, an outcry over an episode of NBC’s “Nurses” resulted in the network pulling the episode – though they sidestepped an actual apology. Sad to say, this was just part of a growing trend among medical TV shows to bash Orthodox Jews. Why is it that medical dramas keep perpetuating malicious stereotypes about Orthodox Jews? PAGE 10 jewishledger.com

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UP FRONT

CONNECTICUT JEWISH LEDGER | SINCE 1929 | MARCH 19, 2021 | 6 NISAN 5781

CONVERSATION WITH…ROYA HAKAKIAN Woodbridge writer pens a guidebook for immigrants – and a love letter to America

Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy Unveils the School’s New Administrative Team

BY STACEY DRESNER

n her 2005 memoir Journey from the Land of No, Roya Hakakian wrote about her life as a Persian Jew in her native Tehran and her experiences as a teenager during the Iranian Revolution. Hakakian and her mother eventually fled Iran after a rise in antisemitism and other social and economic issues. In 1985, at the age of 19, she arrived in New York as a refugee seeking political asylum. Now, after living in the states for 36 years, Hakakian has written A Beginner’s Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Misinformed (Knopf, March 16, 2021). The book, which will be released next week, includes a cornucopia of need-to-know information for immigrants on topics such as landlords, job counselors, English as a Second Language classes, America’s overthe-top consumerism; how to navigate romance and sex with an American partner, and more. She refers to the book as a guide, but in many ways it is a memoir of Hakakian’s own experience, and that of others who arrived here from other countries. Hakakian graduated from Brooklyn College and worked as a producer for the ABC News’ Documentary Unit, before becoming an associate producer for 60 Minutes. She is also the author of Assassins of the Turquoise Palace, two collections of poetry in Persian, and numerous essays that have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on NPR’s All Things Considered. Since 2015, she has taught at THREAD, a writing workshop at Yale, and is a fellow at the Davenport College at Yale. She lives in Woodbridge with her husband and their two teenage sons. The Jewish Ledger recently spoke to Hakakian about her new book. JEWISH LEDGER: Your new book is called A Beginners Guide to America, but it reads like a memoir. Why did you choose to write the book in this format? ROYA HAKAKIAN: In 2016 when the rhetoric against immigrants started to get dangerously negative, and having been a jewishledger.com

to a new country. That was new to me. So it seems this book is useful even for those of born here.

refugee and immigrant myself, I felt that I had to somehow contribute to the “nonconversation conversation.” It wasn’t really a conversation, it was mostly a conflict. So I thought, if I just wrote a regular narrative, say a book in third person or reportage – which I actually did do – it would go either to the left or the right. I didn’t want it to belong to either one. I wanted to make people feel something that they couldn’t immediately brand or identify as fiction or nonfiction, and that was primarily to get people to see that they need to listen to the immigrants’ accounts; that the immigrant has something to say that transcends the debate. I thought if I use the third person I’m doing what everybody else was doing; something that I had done. And so I thought, what if I went somewhere else. What if I crafted a different voice that made people take a second look or do a second take and say, ‘This is slightly jarring.’ And that’s how I kind of came up with this voice. You write about the loneliness immigrants can feel and the “loss of mastery” they experience when coming

RH: Precisely. There was this talk that migrants are coming here to rape and pillage and do all this damage and I was thinking, “If you only knew how disorienting this process of displacement and uprooting is, then you might think twice that they’re coming to do all of these sorts of dangerous things.” I’ve been told many times, ‘Oh you must be delighted that you’re here because Iran is in a state of crisis economically and politically.’ The truth is that, however delighted anyone might be in coming here, the beginning years are jarring. The idea of [starting] from scratch just upends one’s life. So, I thought it was important to bring people into that experience so that the next time someone turns around and says they’re coming here to commit crime, you would say, “They don’t speak the language and are so bereft by this grand journey that it would be, not impossible, but really difficult for anyone to then find the resolve to go on to commit crimes. Which isn’t to say that immigrants can’t do that. They can, but the idea that I wanted to convey was for people to see that the vulnerability is at such a high level, that in many ways these initial years can become important bonding years between the immigrant and the community of American-born citizens. You feel so vulnerable at first that whoever does a single act of kindness, it kind of becomes etched into your memory. I think that’s pretty much how we all are when we’re new to a place we’ve never been, among people that we feel vulnerable about being among. You write about feeling different and disoriented when you first landed in America. Do you remember how you felt the day you arrived? RH: I don’t remember what I was wearing, or what I was carrying, or what I ate that day. But I do remember exactly what it felt like. And I think most of us are that way –

abbi Tzvi Bernstein, who currently serves as Dean of Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy of Connecticut (BCHA), has been appointed BCHA Interim Head of School, and Rachel Haron, currently the school’s Lower School Principal, has been named Interim Associate Head of School, it was announced by David Pitkoff, President of the BCHA Board of Trustees. Along with these appointments to the school’s top administrative team, Rabbi Josh Rosenfeld, who serves as Middle School Principal of Manhattan Day School, as well as assistant rabbi at Manhattan’s Lincoln Square Synagogue, has been appointed Bi-Cultural’s new Head of Judaic Studies for preK through grade 12. The new team will take over leadership of the school on August 1, when long-time Head of School Jacqueline Herman steps down from her post. During the transition period, Mrs. Herman will serve as an advisor to both Rabbi Bernstein and Mrs. Haron, as well as the Board. “From the beginning of our search for a new Head of School, we pledged to continue the search until we found the right candidate who would elevate our school and make a difference,” Mr. Pitkoff said, in announcing Rabbi Rosenfeld’s appointment and the new make-up of the top administrative team Though the Search Committee first looked outside the school for someone to fill Mrs. Herman’s shoes, said Mr. Pitkoff, they ultimately realized that, along with the hire of Rabbi Rosenfeld, the perfect fit for Bi-Cultural lay within the school’s own walls. “There were other candidates available, but as we started to consider our options, we quickly focused on the stars in our own school – our own highly qualified and experienced academic leadership team, who have already displayed an unparalleled commitment to excellence and the success of every one of our children,” CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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MARCH 19, 2021

Stock your pantry today with Passover essentials. Check out the Passover section in our weekly flyer for deals available in-store and at stopandshop.com.

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ONE CANNOT LIVE BY MATZO ALONE From Seder to Snacking and Everything in Between

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VIRTUAL LEARNING FOR EVERYONE. Tuesday, March 23, 7-8pm CAREERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

The University of Saint Joseph invites you to learn more about the exciting and expanding field of Criminal Justice. Find out what it means to be a member of this in demand and growing field along with the broad range of professional opportunities it offers.

GUESTS INCLUDE: Welcome by Dr. Rhona C. Free, President, University of Saint Joseph Brian Enns, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice, University of Saint Joseph Kendra Herrick, Parole Supervisor, Department of Corrections, Division of Parole and Community Services Emory Hightower, Supervisory Inspector, Office of the Hartford State’s Attorney, State of Connecticut. Hosted by Brian Foley, Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection, State of Connecticut

FREE TO THE PUBLIC Spring topic will focus on TEACHING! Watch for details online.

Registration is free, but space is limited. Contact hillary@20media20.com 8

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WHY ISRAELI SHORT FILMS ARE WINNING INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

BY ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN

hether or not he wins an Oscar on April 25, or even makes the nomination list on March 15, Tomer Shushan has achieved an exceedingly rare accomplishment. The 33-year-old Israeli filmmaker’s first independent short film, “White Eye,” is one of 10 shortlisted in the Live Action Short Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards, out of 174 that qualified. Shushan wrote the script for the 20-minute movie in just 40 minutes, after returning home from an eye-opening incident in a gritty South Tel Aviv neighborhood. “It was like waking up from a dream and writing it down before you forget it,” he tells ISRAEL21c. Shushan’s partly fictional protagonist spots a chained-up bicycle that had been stolen from him a month earlier. While awaiting police, he traces the bike to an African migrant working in a nearby meatpacking plant. The ensuing conflict pits his indignation against his dawning recognition of a hidden underclass. “These people are being watched by the authorities all the time, and on the other hand society doesn’t see them,” says Shushan. “It makes this population unlike any other and I think it’s very important to show and speak about it.” The film’s title reflects that the action “is happening from the viewpoint of a white person and also symbolizes the blindness of the main character to the person in front of him.” “White Eye” has been screened at more than 80 film festivals and won 19 awards, including from the SXSW Film Festival 2020, Urbanworld Film Festival 2020 and Leeds International Film Festival 2020. “To get films into festivals, it’s always about the first one,” Shushan says. “It took

one year before we got accepted. And then SXSW gave us the opportunity to make our world premiere and we won first prize. Afterward, other film festivals approached us.”

Israeli short films tell stories “White Eye” is not only on the Academy Awards’ Oscars shortlist. It is also on the list of short Israeli films that have made it that far. In 2015, “Aya” and “Summer Vacation” had that honor. “Strangers No More,” shot at the BialikRogozin School in Tel Aviv, won a Best Short Documentary Oscar in 2011. Guy Nattiv’s “Skin” won Best Live Action Short Film at the 91st Academy Awards. Omer Ben-Shachar’s “Tree #3” won a Student Academy Award. Aside from the Oscars, Israeli short films have been prolific award-winners at film festivals for the past two decades. A recent example is “Ashmina” by Dekel Berenson, which garnered 28 nominations and 13 wins including the Tehran Short Film Festivals’ Special Jury Prize. “Israeli films and TV shows in general have gotten popular on platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime,” says Neta Ariel, director of Ma’aleh School of Film and Television in Jerusalem. “Israeli filmmaking has become so high quality that it opens a lot of doors. And shorts are part of this phenomenon,” she says, pointing out that the short film form provides “an amazing opportunity” to indulge a national penchant for storytelling. Israel is home to 15 film schools and university film departments, an unusually high number for its size. Says Stanislav Semerdjiev, executive director of CILECT, The World Association of Film and Television Schools, “Yes, compared to many countries Israel has

DAWIT TEKELAEB, LEFT, AND DANIEL GAD STAR IN THE ISRAELI OSCAR CONTENDER “WHITE EYE.” (TOMER SHUSHAN)

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BIRTH RIGHT,” WITH CINEMATOGRAPHY BY RUSSIAN-BORN ISRAELI ILYA MARCUS, WAS SCREENED AT 16 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS.

probably quite a lot of film schools per capita. I believe the reason for this is that in general the Israeli people love to tell stories and tell them well!” Ariel tells ISRAEL21c, “Israel has a lot of ambitious and creative filmmakers and is a very special society that deals with a lot of conflicts. These are stories that give rich content to film. If something is perfect, it isn’t a good story.” Shushan, a graduate of Minshar School of Art in Tel Aviv, agrees. “Israel is a super interesting place politically, historically and culturally, with super interesting voices, all in a very small area,” he says, and this reality provides endless inspiration for Israel’s many film students.

Female Russian voices Two of this year’s multi-award-winning Israeli short films come from women, and they both feature Russian-speaking characters. Minshar graduate Inbar Horesh directed “Birth Right,” inspired by Nataliya Olshanskaya’s story of immigrating to Israel after a free organized trip on which she discovers cracks in her Jewish identity. Olshanskaya herself plays the lead. “Birth Right,” with cinematography by Russian-born Israeli Ilya Marcus, was screened at 16 international film festivals. It won the 2020 Moulin d’Ande Award at Cinemed: Montpellier International Festival of Mediterranean Cinema; the 2021 Best Film Award at the Kustendorf Film Festival; and the Oscar-qualifying Best Live Action Over 15 Minutes Award at Palm Springs ShortFest. “Him & Her,” directed and shot by Russian immigrant Daria Geller, is a modern interpretation of “He & She,” a 19th century short story by Anton Chekhov

consisting of letters between two lovers. Geller, 30, moved to Israel seven years ago after graduating from VGIK film school in Moscow – the first cinema school in the world. “I found this story a very long time ago and my mentor said it couldn’t be a film,” Geller tells ISRAEL21c from her home in Jaffa. “When I moved to Israel, I discussed it with [screenwriter] Asia Fix and she thought it could work. She made a first draft and I loved it and took it from there.” “Him & Her,” bankrolled by Iftach Aloni’s Short Story Project, won Best Short Film and Best Actress at Cinalfama in Lisbon; Best Short and Best Cinematography at Indie Short Festin Los Angeles; and the audience favorite award at ARFF Berlin, where it also was nominated for Best Cinematography. Geller’s American-born coproducer, Yuval Orr, tells ISRAEL21c that Israel’s more than one million Russian citizens are an untapped audience. “Daria and I are immigrants, and we feel there is such a strong international feel to the country,” Orr says. Immigration is the focus of a new Israeli-made animated short documentary, “Bear with Me,” by Bezalel Academy of Art and Design graduate Daphna Awadish. The under 5-minute film provides a unique perspective on long-distance romances. It won awards in 2019 and 2020 from the Jerusalem Film Festival, Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, AnimaSyros International Animation Festival in Greece and Ce l’ho Corto Film Festival, Italy. Clearly, the issue of immigration is one element that makes Israeli short films compelling. Will it help Tomer Shushan’s movie bag an Oscar nomination? Stay tuned.

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MARCH 19, 2021

Opinion Why do medical dramas keep perpetuating terrible stereotypes about Orthodox Jews?

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Henry M. Zachs Managing Partner Leslie Iarusso Associate Publisher Judie Jacobson Editor judiej@jewishledger.com • x3024 Hillary Sarrasin Digital Media Manager hillaryp@jewishledger.com EDITORIAL Stacey Dresner Massachusetts Editor staceyd@jewishledger.com • x3008

BY SHOSHANA GOTTLIEB

n Wednesday, the Jewish internet was shocked by a scene from the TV medical drama “Nurses.” The shocking part should be that a clip from a subpar Canadian medical drama only airing on NBC because of a COVIDinduced lack of programming managed to go semiviral. But no. The video went viral because of what many believed was an antiSemitic portrayal of a Hasidic patient. In the clip, a Hasidic man (with the worst fake payes I’ve ever seen) is told that he’d need a bone grafted from a dead body inserted into his leg. “A dead goyim leg,” his father says, “from anyone. An Arab? A woman?” “Or God forbid an Arab woman,” one of the nurses retorts. She later uses a story about King David to help convince the patient to have the procedure done because obviously her Christian understanding of the story would be enough to convince the man to forego his (inaccurate) religious beliefs. This scene would never happen. For starters, the correct phrase would be “goyishe leg,” as a Hasidic man would surely know. Additionally, it’s highly unlikely that hearing a story about King David would change a Hasidic Jew’s religious convictions. But most important, Orthodox Jews have zero issues with accepting organs, or bones, or anything from non-Jews. This scene is frustrating because it relies on harmful, grossly incorrect stereotypes about Hasidim. People were enraged (you can find my own incensed Twitter threads here and here), and rightfully so. NBC ultimately pulled the episode from its online platform, and while the show’s original producers have apologized in a statement, NBC has not. Actually, this clip shouldn’t come as a surprise. On medical dramas, too many episodes have featured some sort of religious Jew refusing medical treatment, essentially trying to martyr themselves. Take, for example, the first season of “Grey’s Anatomy.” One of the storylines on its eighth episode revolves around an Orthodox woman who refuses to get a porcine heart valve replacement because

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SCENES STEREOTYPING ORTHODOX JEWS IN “GREY’S ANATOMY,” “HOUSE,” “NURSES,” “HOUSE” AND “NURSES.” (SCREENSHOTS)

they want to put a “pig, a freaking nonkosher, treif mammal, into my chest, into my heart! The very essence of my being!” (Seriously, I will never forget that line.) Or on the fourth season of “House,” episode 12, in which House claims that a Jewish woman’s decision to become Hasidic is a sign of mental illness, related to her undiagnosed disease. Or the third season of “Private Practice,” the ninth episode, which depicts an Orthodox couple whose Orthodoxy doesn’t let them use birth control, so one of the doctors secretly prescribes the wife birth control pills and tells her they are iron pills for her “anemia.” Why are these shows glorifying medical malpractice and the denial of religious rights? “House” outright equates being religious with mental illness, and a throwaway line in the “Grey’s Anatomy” episode asks why anybody would bother with Orthodoxy – “why couldn’t you be plain old Reform like everyone else we know?” In each case, Orthodoxy is portrayed as unreasonable, as a conflict that must be overcome. So many things about these episodes make me angry. Why do none of these Jewish characters ever call and consult their rabbis? That would be the first thing most frum people would do when facing

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a complicated medical or ethical issue. And why are these shows making broad, sweeping, uninformed claims about things like kashrut or the use of birth control in religious communities? These examples aren’t as dangerous as the clip from “Nurses,” which portrays religious Jews as horribly Islamophobic and misogynistic – a storyline that surely doesn’t help Hasidim in a climate that is already so hostile toward them. But each of these episodes frame Orthodoxy as backward and unwilling to change, and frame Orthodox people as fanatics willing to die for their bigoted beliefs. The writers fail to understand Orthodox Judaism while relying on Orthodox Jews as a cheap plot device. Maybe they look at the huge number of mitzvot (commandments) that are observed by Orthodox Jews and conclude that it’s a rigid, unchangeable structure. They don’t understand that breaking Shabbat to save a life is not only allowed but mandatory. In our tradition, there are only three sins you must die for committing: idolatry, murder and adultery. The concept of pikuach nefesh (saving a life) overrides virtually every commandment. Judaism CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

Samuel Neusner, Founder (1929-1960) Rabbi Abraham J. Feldman, CoFounder and Editor (1929-1977) Berthold Gaster, Editor (1977-1992) N. Richard Greenfield, Publisher (1994-2014) PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and at additional mailing offices. Jewish Ledger (USPS # 131 150) is published 24 times per year by JHL Ledger LLC from our office at: Jewish Ledger 40 Woodland Street Hartford, CT 06105 Phone: (860) 231-2424 • Fax: (860) 231-2485 Toll Free: 1-800-286-6397 Postmaster, send address changes to: Jewish Ledger 40 Woodland Street Hartford, CT 06105 Subscriptions: $36 yearly, $9 Twelve Issue Institutional subscription. Send name, address, zip code with payment. Editorial deadline: All public and social announcements must be received by Tuesday 5 p.m. 10 days prior to publication. Advertising deadline: Wednesday noon one week prior to issue. Advertisers should check ad on publication. JHL Ledger LLC and Jewish Ledger shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad for typographical error or errors in the publication except to the extent of the cost of the space which the actual error appeared in the first insertion. Publishers reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable. The publishers cannot warrant, nor assume responsibility for, the legitimacy, reputability or legality of any products or services offered in advertisements in any of its publications. The entire contents of the Jewish Ledger are copyright © 2021. No portion may be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. JHL Ledger LLC also publishes Jewish Ledger MA, All Things Jewish CT, and All Things Jewish MA. www.jewishledger.com

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AROUND CT West Hartford women honored at Emanuel Synagogue At the Torah Fund Sabbath, held on March 6 at The Emanuel Synagogue, congregants Emily Lebovitz Miller and Beth S. Goldberg were honored by the Torah Fund of the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism and awarded the West Hartford congregation’s Chayei Olam Awards. At the event, co chaired by Sue Bergman and Debbie Mehlman, Miller recited the Maftir and Goldberg presented her original psalm (included below), written in response to the League’s request for original psalms during the Jewish year 5781, the year of Covid. Both women were honored during services with Aliyahs, and Emanuel’s spiritual leader, Rabbi David Small, praised both women for their selfless work benefitting the Emanuel community.

By Beth S. Goldberg

O righteous God bring an end to this evil Covid That strikes down the vulnerable and elderly in our midst. Let us exit our houses and spend time with family and spouses. O mighty one our sanctuaries long to be filled with people again, So give us a sign as to when we can be healthy and secure. How many hardships and deaths can we endure?

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Psalm 5781 O Lord. my God, when will this terrible plague end? When can I unmask and have the sun shine directly on my face. And walk outside where loved ones and friends can embrace.

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LEFT TO RIGHT: TORAH FUND SABBATH COCHAIR DEBORAH MEHLMAN, WITH CHAYEI OLAM RECIPIENTS EMILY LEBOVITZ MILLER AND BETH S. GOLDBERG.

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O Lord shield this world from hate and violence, And be the source of our deliverance, With You as my Rock and Redeemer, I shall be a steadfast believer. O mighty God judge me for my integrity and bless us with longevity. It is then that I will give thanks to thee, And sing thy praises endlessly. Oh Lord ,may we emerge from this deadly blight. And walk in thy Godly light.

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values the sanctity of human life over almost everything else. Your rabbi would encourage you to take a porcine valve or the bone graft. My mother likes to quote one of her favorite rabbis quite regularly. She says: We’re meant to live by our Judaism, not die by it. It’s about time these TV shows got that memo. I understand the need to write good TV and create conflict. I understand (although do not agree with) the desire for out-of-the-box, exotic characters. But if you cannot construct a story without misunderstanding and misrepresenting an entire demographic of people, then it’s simply a story you have no right to tell. Shoshana Gottlieb is a writer, film fanatic, and future Jewish educator who dreams of writing Jewish rom-coms. Her mother thinks she would’ve made a great doctor. You can find her too-niche memes on Instagram @ JewishMemesOnly and her dumb Jewish jokes on Twitter @TheTonightSho. A version of this essay originally appeared on Alma, 70 Faces Media’s feminist Jewish culture site. jewishledger.com

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MARCH 19, 2021

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MILESTONES Danielle Bergman named UConn Hillel development director STORRS – Danielle Bergman has been appointed development director of UConn Hillel, it was announced recently by Edina Oestreicher, UConn Hillel executive director. A seasoned development professional with close to 10 years of Jewish communal fundraising experience, Bergman has served in multiple key development roles serving the senior population in New York at both Selfhelp Community Services, Inc. and DOROT. Most recently, she served as a development executive at Yachad, a Jewish-focused disability inclusion agency. In these roles, Bergman focused on all areas of development including individual giving, online fundraising, event planning, leadership development and grant management. Active in Jewish communal affairs, Bergman also sits on the Board of Trustees for GrowTorah, a non-profit that aims to cultivate a more passionate, compassionate and sustainable Jewish future driven by Torah values. “Dani is excited to bring her experience to UConn Hillel and looks forward to working with students, alumni, staff and leadership to support and grow Hillel’s vital programming,” said Oestreicher in announcing Bergman’s appointment. Bergman holds a B.A. in English Language and

Literature from the University of Maryland, where she was active in the campus Hillel. Currently a resident of New Jersey, Bergman plans to relocate to Connecticut in the near future with her husband and son.

Carolyn Gitlin is named next chair of JFNA National Women’s Philanthropy WEST HARTFORD – Jewish Federation of North America’s National Women’s Philanthropy Division has named Carolyn Gitlin of West Hartford, as its chair designate. Gitlin was selected after a rigorous and competitive application process. At the national level, Gitlin currently serves on the JFNA’s Board of Trustees as an Executive Committee member and co-chairs its Large Intermediate Federation Committee. She joined JFNA’s National Women’s

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Philanthropy Board in 2017 and is its vice chair of education and leadership development. Locally, in addition to chairing the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s Board of Directors, she currently serves on the board of the Max Cares Foundation. Previously, she served on the Board of Kingswood Oxford School; as a member and officer of the Tumble Brook Country Club Board of Directors; and on the Board of the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls. “Carolyn will – especially during these challenging times – lead National Women’s Philanthropy with wisdom, enthusiasm, and strategic focus, “said David Waren, Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s president and CEO. “She is certain to take the division to new heights.” National Women’s Philanthropy raises over $200 million for Federation campaigns annually. Through donations and hands-on community service, its members fight domestic violence, improve women’s health and nutrition, provide shelter to vulnerable children, and protect at-risk seniors – in addition to providing vital support for COVID-19 relief. “I’m deeply humbled and excited to assume this new role,” said Gitlin, who will begin her two-year term as National Women’s Philanthropy chair in June 2021. “Enriching the lives of women both locally and globally is so important to me. I very much look forward to leading the National Women’s Philanthropy Board over the next two years.”

New Haven Jewish federation launches ‘Dignity Grows’ WOODBRIDGE – Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven has announced the launch of Dignity Grows, an organization that pledges to make a difference in women’s lives by providing personal hygiene supplies for women in need throughout the Greater New Haven community. “We are thrilled to become the newest chapter of Dignity Grows,” said Emily Sandberg, chair of Dignity Grows New Haven. “It’s more critical than ever that we band together to meet the basic needs for the people in our community – particularly in such a crucial area that many of us take for granted. We hope this initiative will resonate and we can raise much needed funds to allow us to provide these essential hygiene products to those in need.” New Haven is the most recent community to adopt the Dignity Grows program, which was conceived and created two years ago by Linda Levin and Jessica Zachs of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s Women’s Philanthropy. Since then, Dignity Grows has earned the endorsement of the Jewish Federations of North America National Women’s Philanthropy and has been adopted by several Jewish communities across the country. In addition to Hartford and New Haven, the Greenwich Jewish community has also adopted the program. “We are proud to become the newest chapter of Dignity Grows, and glad to contribute to our local community in this important way. One hundred percent of the donations towards Dignity GrowsTM will support the cause,” said Judy Alperin, CEO of the Jewish Federation, Foundation and JCC of Greater New Haven. In New Haven, Dignity Grows volunteers donate funds to purchase supplies that are packed in totes and distributed to those in need. Volunteers also meet at “Packing Parties” in COVID-safe environments to pack supplies for recipients. Each month, Dignity Grows totes will be distributed to recipients through designated partners such as Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven. “Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation has a long tradition of showing up and making a difference in this community,” says Nancy Cohen, chair of Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven. “It is exciting to see all the positive response for this cause from women throughout the community. I hope that people will join us so that we can fulfill this very real need in our community.” For more information on how to get involved and/or donate, contact Amy Holtz at aholtz@jewishnewhaven.org or visit jewishnewhaven.org/womens-network/dignity-grows.

JEWISH LEDGER | MARCH 19, 2021

PASSOVER PREP!

New Haggadahs, new children’s books and, of course, a new cookbook, to help you get in the mood and groove for Passover, which begins on the evening of Saturday, March 27 (after Shabbat) and runs through sundown on Sunday, April 4.

Paula Shoyer’s gift this Passover: ‘Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook’ BY MARSHALL WEISS

(The Dayton Jewish Observer via JNS) Just in time for Passover, kosher cooking maven/ author Paula Shoyer’s Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook is now in print from Sterling Epicure. The new book includes 46 kosher-forPassover recipes – a number of which are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. A pastry chef who trained in France, Shoyer is the author of The Kosher Baker, The Holiday Kosher Baker, The Healthy Jewish Kitchen and The New Passover Menu. She calls the Instant Pot revolutionary – “ideal for anyone who wants food fast with less cleanup.” In The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook, Shoyer provides detailed directions for how to handle the apparatus, in addition to safety rules and insider tricks. Each recipe indicates Instant Pot pressure time, which buttons to use and release type. Here’s a sampling of the book’s kosher-forPassover (and gluten-free) recipes.

Whole Peruvian Spiced Chicken (Meat) Serves 4-6 This super-easy spice combination comes from Shoyer’s nanny, Betty Supo, who is from Arequipa, Peru. Hands-on time: 17 minutes Time to pressure: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Release type: Natural Release for 15 Minutes Buttons to use: Sauté and Pressure Cook Ingredients: 4 tsp. cumin 1 Tbsp. paprika 2 tsp. garlic powder ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black pepper 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 14

1 whole chicken, about 3-4 lbs. 1 cup boiling water 1 Tbsp. potato starch Directions: In a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Drizzle one tablespoon of the oil over the chicken and rub to coat. Shake the spice mixture onto the chicken and rub all over. Press Sauté and when the display reads “Hot,” add the remaining oil. Place the chicken into the inner pot, breast-side down, and cook for four minutes or until browned. Turn over and brown for another 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the boiling water to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Place the steam rack into the pot and place the chicken on the rack, breast-side up. Secure the lid, ensuring that the steam release handle is in the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the cooking time for 25 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, let the pot sit for another 15 minutes to naturally release the pressure. Turn the steam release handle to the Venting position to release any remaining pressure. Press Cancel. Remove the lid, take out the chicken and place onto a serving platter. Press Sauté and cook the drippings for 4 minutes or more to reduce the sauce. To thicken the sauce further, you can scoop up about ¼ cup of the drippings into a small bowl, add the potato starch, mix and return to the pot and stir. Cut the chicken into serving pieces. Pour some sauce over the chicken and serve the remaining sauce in a bowl alongside. If you make this the day before you are serving it, you can remove the fat from the reserved sauce before reheating.

Spaghetti Squash With Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce (Vegan/ Pareve) Serves 6-8 This recipe has a step outside of the Instant Pot, but Shoyer’s goal was to have the sauce ready by the time the squash was cooked. Hands-on time: 15 minutes Time to pressure: 6 minutes Cooking time: 9 minutes Button to use: Pressure Cook Release type: Quick Release

JEWISH LEDGER | MARCH 19, 2021

Ingredients: 1 cup water 1 spaghetti squash, about 2½ lbs., cut in half horizontally and seeds scooped out 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 3 large cloves garlic, finely minced 2 lbs. cherry tomatoes, different colors preferably, halved the long way ¼ tsp. kosher salt generous pinch Aleppo pepper or freshly ground black pepper Directions: Place the water into the inner pot and insert the steam rack. Place the squash halves on top of the rack. Secure the lid, ensuring that the steam release handle is in the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the cooking time for 9 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute or until a few pieces start to color. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking for 7 to 9 minutes or until most of the tomatoes break down and you have a sauce. Stir occasionally. The mixture should bubble the entire time. Add the salt and pepper, and turn off the heat. When the squash cooking time is complete, turn the steam release handle to the Venting position to quickly release the pressure. Press Cancel and remove the lid. Use a large fork to lift up the squash halves into a colander and let cool for 2 minutes, or until you can handle them; I lift them with a dishtowel. Use the fork to scrape the threads of the squash into the frying pan. Turn the sauce back on to medium heat. Use a fork to mix the squash into the sauce. When it is all mixed in, cook for 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

Mocha Lava Cakes (Dairy or Pareve) Serves 6 Because most lava cake recipes are designed for the cakes to be eaten very soon after they come out of the oven, lava cakes aren’t Shabbat-friendly. But this one, says Shoyer, may be made four hours in advance. Hands-on time: 12 Minutes to cook in batches, plus 30 Minutes to cool Time to pressure: 7 minutes Cooking time: 7 minutes Button to use: Pressure Cook Release type: Quick Release

Ingredients: 7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped ½ cup coconut oil, margarine or butter 2 Tbsp., plus 1 tsp., instant coffee granules 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa 2 large eggs, plus 2 yolks ½ cup sugar ⅓ cup potato starch spray oil 1 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. water, divided Directions: You will need six 6-ounce ramekins. Place the chocolate and coconut oil into a heatproof bowl and microwave for 1 minute, stir and then melt for another 45 seconds, stir and then melt for 30 seconds, if needed. Add the instant coffee, vanilla and cocoa and whisk in. Place the eggs, egg yolks and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to mix at low speed to combine and then turn the speed up to high and beat for 3 minutes. Add the potato starch and beat at low speed to just combine. Add the melted chocolate mixture and whisk gently until combined. Spray the ramekins with spray oil. Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins, a heaping half-cup for each mold. Place the water into the inner pot and insert the steam rack. Place three of the ramekins in a circle around the rack. Secure the lid, ensuring that the steam release handle is in the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the cooking time for seven minutes. When the cooking time is complete, press Cancel. Turn the steam release handle to the Venting position to quickly release the pressure. Carefully remove the ramekins from the pot. Add another two tablespoons of water to the pot and cook the remaining three cakes as you did the first batch. It will take about 2 minutes for the Instant Pot to return to pressure. Let the cakes cool for at least 30 minutes before unmolding. To unmold, run a thin knife or small metal spatula around the edge of the cake, place a plate on top and turn the cake onto the plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired and serve with fruit. Melting the chocolate: Place chocolate chopped into half-inch pieces into a microwave-safe bowl, such as a large glass bowl. Make sure you have discarded every tiny piece of foil that wrapped the chocolate. Heat for 1 minute at high power for 45 seconds to start if you have less than 10 ounces of chocolate. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir well, mixing the melted pieces into the unmelted ones for about 30 seconds. Heat for another 45 or 30 seconds and stir again for about 1 minute. If the chocolate is not fully melted, heat for another 30 seconds and stir. Repeat for 15 seconds, if necessary. Be sure to use oven mitts to hold the bowl when you stir it.

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New Haggadahs to spice up your Seder

NEW Passover children’s books!

BY GABE FRIEDMAN

BY PENNY SCHWARTZ

(JTA) – Keep the kids entertained with some of these standouts in this spring’s crop of engaging new children’s books for Passover. Baby Moses in a Basket Caryn Yacowitz; illustrated by Julie Downing; ages 3 to 7 In simple rhyming verse, Yacowitz reimagines the biblical story of baby Moses as his mother sets him adrift in a basket on the Nile to save him from harm from the Egyptian Pharaoh. The river’s creatures protect baby Moses until he is discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter. Downing’s beautifully colored double-page illustrations bring the story to life. Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul Rabbi Ron Isaacs and Dr. Leora Isaacs; illustrated by Martin Wickstrom; all ages A lively family Haggadah that encourages Seder participants of any age to feel a personal connection to the Passover story. The Haggadah follows the traditional order of the Seder and features Jewish customs from around the world along with thoughtprovoking questions. Plus…tips to include Remote guests. Meet the Matzah: A Passover Story Alan Silberberg; ages 3 to 5 Award-winning cartoonist Silberberg sets the humorous action in an imaginary classroom where the “students” are types of breads. Alfie Koman, a shy matzah, tries to retell the story of Passover, but the school sourdough, Loaf, takes over and stirs trouble. Expect lots of laughs from Loaf’s made-up version of the Ten Plagues (among them no WiFi and broccoli for dessert!). Matzah Craze Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh; illustrated by Lauren Gallegos; ages 4-9 At Noa’s multicultural school, the kids like to swap what’s in their lunch boxes. But during Passover, when Noa has an unusual looking cracker – her matzah – she explains to her friends that she can’t swap. In this delightful rhyming story, the spunky Noa shares her favorite ways to eat matzah.

It’s the eve of Passover at the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, Elle the elephant, Kang the kangaroo and Chimp are eager to find a way to escape and find a Seder. Will the trio get past the locked zoo gate and find a ritual meal? Pamela Moritz’s humor-filled story is embellished with Florence Weiser’s brightly colored illustrations. The Passover Guest Susan Kusel; illustrated by Sean Rubin; ages 4 to 8 Kusel’s story takes its inspiration from Uri Shulevitz’s version of Peretz’s Yiddish tale “The Magician.” On the eve of Passover 1933, young Muriel wanders around the nation’s capital, in no hurry to go home because her family doesn’t have enough money for a Seder. At the Lincoln Memorial, Muriel is enchanted by a magician dressed in rags. When he turns up at her family’s door and is invited in for Passover, their table miraculously fills with an abundance of food for the Seder. Could the mysterious guest have been Elijah? The Magician’s Visit Based on a story by I.L. Peretz; adapted by Barbara Diamond Goldin; illustrations by Eva Sanchez Gomez; ages 4-8 In this retelling of Peretz’s Yiddish tale, Goldin takes readers back to an old world shtetl. In the days before Passover, a stranger dressed in rags mesmerizes the villagers with his spellbinding magic. When he turns up at the door of a couple who have become too poor to make their own Seder, the magician produces a wondrous and full table. Who is the stranger, who has disappeared when they return? The Four Questions Illustrated by Ori Sherman; text by Lynne Sharon Schwartz; ages 8 and up The lavishly illustrated book is a new printing of the original first published in 1989. Schwartz answers the Four Questions with a lyrical narrative of the Passover story and its rituals. Sherman fills the bordered pages with illustrations of whimsical elephants, monkeys, fish, goats and birds. Turn the book upside down for a view of the Four Questions written in Hebrew calligraphy and other illustrations.

(JTA) – The pandemic has altered the experience of the Passover Seder, but one thing hasn’t changed: It’s a golden age for creative Haggadahs. Artists, comedy writers, a range of clergy and more have given the ancient text a modern spin in recent years and disseminated them widely online with the help of selfpublishing platforms and aggregation hubs such as Haggadot.com, which also allows users to customize their own. Here are a few new notable examples of new Haggodahs to try if you’re attempting to give your Seder a makeover, whether it’s held on Zoom or in person.

For those who want everything

For the kids who can’t wait for the food already Let’s face it, the Seder can feel a bit long. And so, last year, Rabbi Matt Berkowitz and Dr. Ron Moses conceived a slim, fold-up seven-page pamphlet – aptly named “The Express Haggadah” – not to help families rush through the Seder, but to assist in getting them through the ritual in its entirety. “‘The Express Haggadah’ enables families to ‘get through it’ before food comas and ‘shpilkes’ cut the seder off in the middle,” a press statement explains. True to form, nothing is left out, from the core prayers to the Exodus story, which is told in a series of quick blurbs.

For the artistically inclined

Bari Mitzmann, a Jewish blogger with a sizable Instagram following, for the second year has spearheaded a joint Haggadah project she calls “HaKol B’Seder” – in Hebrew it can mean either “everything in the Seder” or “it’s all good.” She weaves in an array of female voices who either talk about how a specific part of the Seder resonates with them or provide tips on how to fruitfully get through the Passover season. It’s aimed at those feeling overwhelmed by the COVID pandemic, all of the preparations that a Seder entails, the pressure to intellectualize the holiday’s themes – and, several recipes and food ingredient checklists to help with meal prep.

Some Haggadahs of centuries past were illustrated manuscripts – take the Sarajevo and the Golden Haggadot, for example – artist Emily Marbach points out in the introduction to her “Collage Haggadah,” which features her own beautiful pastiche works. Marbach, a London-based collage artist and printmaker, intersperses the pages of prayer and storytelling with dozens of stimulating works, some of them a blend of ancient imagery with a pop art sensibility. Another artful option that could double as a coffee table book yearround is the Asufa Israeli art collective’s Haggadah, available in Hebrew and English. The group has produced a new version each year since 2013.

For those who exhaled when Trump left office

For the history buff

Dave Cowen, who in 2018 published “The Trump Passover Haggadah: ‘People All The Time They Come Up And Tell Me This Is The Best Haggadah They’ve Ever Read, They Do, Believe Me,” has now followed that up with “The Biden-Harris Haggadah: Thank G-d!” Cowen imagines how various figures, ranging from those in the White House to others such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and Merrick Garland, Biden’s attorney general nominee, would narrate a Seder, if all brought together in one room. One example: “Last year was tough. Who else needs a drink?!” Fauci says before reciting the blessing for the first cup of wine.

“Next year may we be free men in Palestine,” Nissim Ben Shimon wrote in 1943. As World War II began to swing in favor of the Allies, Ben Shimon, a Moroccan Jew in Rabat, wrote what has been deemed “The Hitler Haggadah” – a semi-humorous Seder text heavily influenced by the events of the war. Translated this year into English from the local Judeo-Arabic of the time, it offers a running commentary of sorts about the war’s events, cracks Nazi jokes and infuses the Seder prayers with hope for a better future for Europe’s Jews, all from a rare North African perspective. One passage starts: “Wicked Hitler enslaved us; And the Allied Forces rescued us; With a great and mighty outstretched arm …”

The Great Passover Escape Pamela Moritz; illustrated by Florence Weiser; ages 4-9 jewishledger.com

JEWISH LEDGER | MARCH 19, 2021

The Passover Seder concludes with a reminder of the suffering of the past and present — and the hope that in the coming year we will all be set free. What better message for a post-pandemic world. Place your Passover message or advertisement in our Passover issue. Space Reservation Deadline: March 16 | Copy Deadline: March 17

Contact Donna Edelstein | 860.833.0839 | donnaE@jewishledger.com 16

JEWISH LEDGER

| MARCH 19, 2021

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PASSOVER 2021 Orthodox Union releases its ‘Guide to Passover’ 2021

THE KOSHER CROSSWORD MARCH 19, 2021 “Jewish Journey Points” By: Yoni Glatt Difficulty Level: Challenging

(JNS) The Orthodox Union has released its annual “Guide to Passover,” which provides comprehensive guidance about kosherfor-Passover products. This year’s edition, available in both PDF and online database formats, features nearly 30,000 kosher-for-Passover products and charts on ingredient substitutions, halachic times for Passover, required portion sizes at the seder and directions on the “Counting of the Omer” (Sefirat HaOmer). The guide also includes instructions on holiday preparation, articles on spices and how to celebrate Erev Pesach on Shabbat HaGadol (which will take place this year on March 26-27) and the impact of shemittah on the Diaspora, which will affect the next two Passovers. Rabbi Moshe Elefant, who oversaw the creation of the guide, said “we have paid particularly close attention to digitizing the guide over the past few years to make it available on their smart devices as they shop.” The database, as well as the 118-page PDF, is available at oupassover.org.

Curbside pick up and local home delivery available! SHABBAT DINNER TRADITIONAL DAIRY LUNCHEON DELI SANDWICH PLATTER DINNER MENU

OneTable offers help for meaningful, safe Passover seders (JNS) At a time when people are feeling isolated and in need of meaningful connection, OneTable, which empowers people to envision new rituals and build community through Shabbat dinner experiences, is helping boost the Passover seder. To that end, it is supporting people of all ages interested in hosting or attending virtual, household-based or outdoor socially distanced Passover gatherings. “Passover is such a communal holiday experience filled with meaning and memories,” says Al Rosenberg, chief strategy officer of OneTable. “We learned a lot last year about the ways people can be creative and adapt rituals to make meaning in these times of distance. People may not gather together this year, but we can help create those personal connections and interactions that make Passover special, memorable and resonant today.” Young adults in their 20s and 30s can turn to OneTable.org/ passover if interested in hosting or attending virtual, householdbased or outdoor socially distanced Passover gatherings. Passover resources include guides to group and solo Shabbat seders; Haggadot (prayer guides); recipes; playlists; and inspiration boards.

ANSWERS TO MARCH 12 CROSSWORD

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Across 1. Kibbutz cow 6. Nolan of ESPN 11. Button on a 43-Across 14. Humanitarian Sendler 15. Man in the field? 16. Actress Thurman 17. US/Canada tourist attraction for the Vilna Gaon? 19. Battles of ___ ‘Asluj (1948 engagements) 20. Choose 21. It’s found in the Diamond District, even in Summer 22. Great Rav Yosef 23. What some answers to this puzzle are in

26. French tourist attraction regarding the second plague? 28. Judea partner 30. Show respect, perhaps 31. 3 prefix 32. Tragic king of literature 35. Made fun of 36. Italian tourist attraction fit for a festive meal? 39. Total chaos 42. Org. of Judith Resnik and Jessica Meir 43. Binge-watching aid, in brief 46. Seder song 48. Brian who managed the Beatles 51. English tourist attraction of

woe? 54. 1-Across, e.g. 55. You are, in Mexico 56. A time 57. ___ Od Milvado 58. Relax, with “out” 59. Turkish tourist attraction for those who would rather look towards Israel? 64. Notre Dame’s Parseghian 65. Notable Tevet time 66. Lessen gradually 67. TLV locale 68. It actually means “stupid” in Spanish 69. Anti-semitic painter Edgar

Down 1. Kind of code 2. The ___, great kabbalist 3. “V for Vendetta” actor Stephen 4. Cashmere’s kin 5. Phillies superstar 6. Hebrew letter that sounds under the weather? 7. Once more 8. Verizon or AT&T, briefly 9. Narrow passages of water 10. Marvel’s NYC invaders 11. Start of a bath rhyme 12. Abu Dhabi or Qatar 13. Bounced (off) 18. Whenever one wants

22. Many have to be toveled 23. 1948 initials 24. Many musicians have a good one 25. Health measure, for short 27. Pasta sauce brand 29. “___ Flux” (2005 sci-fi film) 33. King of Judah for 41 years 34. Partner of shine 36. They’re pulled by skydivers 37. Enrique’s eight 38. One on the Ark 39. “Would that it would be so!” 40. Lovers 41. Some dressing ingredients 43. Leppard that’s often loud

44. Contend 45. Time off, in mil. slang 47. Discontent 49. Captured 50. It’s mined for bronze 52. Instrument you’ll rarely find in a synagogue 53. Lapid and Netanyahu 59. Brother of 38-Down 60. Letters that can help with an accident 61. Golden Gate hider 62. TV’s Mrs. Morgenstern 63. ‘50s Dem. presidential candidate

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MARCH 19, 2021

TORAHPortion Vayikra

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e live in a world of cell phones and e-mails, blogs, Facebook and Twitter. We have no privacy, for almost anyone can reach us wherever we are, whatever we happen to be doing, at all times of the day. And we have no secrets, because anyone who knows anything about us can spread it to the entire world in a matter of seconds. We once felt entitled to privacy and courtesy, but confidentiality and discretion, but they no longer seem achievable. The right to privacy and the ability to assume confidentiality are universal human values. And they are primary Jewish values as well. Sources for these values in our tradition include this week’s Torah portion of Vayikra.you know that this week’s portion is the introduction to Leviticus. That may see odd, because Vayikra focuses upon sacrifices and Temple ritual. This week’s portion especially seems limited to the comprehensive and complex details of sacrificial offerings. Where is there even a hint of these contemporary concerns, courtesy and confidentiality? The first two verses in the first chapter of Vayikra say it all, albeit between the lines: “The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying: ‘Speak to the Israelite people and say to them...’” The rabbis of the Talmud saw in these simple and direct phrases two subtle messages. First of all, the Lord called to Moses first and then spoke to him. He didn’t surprise Moses. He didn’t intrude on Moses’ privacy and autonomy. First, He called to him. He knocked on Moses door, as it were, ringing the bell first, asking to be invited in. No unwanted intrusion, even from the Lord Almighty, to his favorite prophet! This observation is made by the rabbis in the Talmudic tractate of Yoma. In a less well-known Talmudic source, the tractate of Derech Eretz, the rabbis find that the Almighty’s courteous concern for the privacy of his lowly creatures did not begin with Moses. It goes back to the way He treated the very first man, Adam. Genesis chapter three, verse nine: “The Lord God called to Adam and said to him: ‘Where are you?’” Here too, even when the Lord wishes to rebuke Adam, He first “calls to him”, signaling the uncomfortable conversation which is about to ensue.

God respects Adam’s privacy, and He doesn’t just “barge in” on Moses. Surely a lesson in human values. The rabbis on the same page in the tractate of Yoma find another message in the deceptively simple opening verses of our parsha. “...saying: ‘Speak to the people and say to them...’” From the redundancy here, “say,” and “speak,” and “say,” the rabbis derive the lesson that when someone tells you something, you are forbidden to share it with another unless you are given explicit permission to do so. Moses was not permitted to re-tell even the divine message that he heard until God Himself told him that it was okay to “say it over”. The medieval Rabbi Moses of Coucy actually enumerates this admonition for utter confidentiality as one of the prohibitions comprising the 613 commandments of the Torah. As I have reflected upon these specific teachings over the years of my personal parsha study, I have come away with several conclusions: Firstly, there is much that is implicit in the Torah; much that lies beneath the surface. The long and complicated ritual laws that confront us as we read this week’s parsha are contained in a context that teaches us more than the surface lessons. Our rabbis of old were particularly expert at digging out these unexpected but precious nuggets. Secondly, these nuggets are often of astounding relevance for our contemporary condition. What can be more relevant than a reminder about the values of courtesy and confidentiality? Finally, these lessons are not merely abstract teachings or bits of wisdom for us to ruminate upon as we relax in our armchairs. Rather, they are calls to arms. They are challenges. It is difficult indeed to combat the value system that is foisted upon us by the technology which pervades the world in which we now live. Very difficult. But very necessary. If we lazily submit to the pernicious influence of modern convenience, we risk the ultimate loss of our very humanity. A culture devoid of courtesy can turn into a culture of callousness and cruelty. A world where one cannot trust his confidante is a world where authentic friendship is impossible. Troubling thoughts? Yes, indeed. But they are thoughts which we ignore at our own peril. How fortunate are we that these thoughts are available to us, subtly embedded in the opening verses of this week’s Torah portion!

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Q&A CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

we may forget the physical details, but the emotional truth that we experience, the impactful moments, somehow leave their marks on us. I remember what it was like to arrive at the customs window trembling because I didn’t know if I would I get in. Iran and the U.S. were in a standoff. Would somebody then say, ‘You can’t pass?’ I was thrilled and afraid of everything at the same time, and I think those are some overarching experiences that we all have as immigrants. We keep talking about Mexican immigrants as opposed to Chinese immigrants and Indian immigrants, as if these ethnic identities make us so different that we become completely separate communities of people who don’t share in certain overarching and grand experiences. And I think the experience of arriving here is one of those overarching experiences that we all, no matter where we come from, see in the same way and experience in the same way. You talked about the five stages of arrival: disorientation, despair, fury, acquiescence, and assimilation. Which of these was most pronounced for you? RH: I think for me, because I was so young – I was still a teenager – despite the fact that Iran was in a state of war with another country and it had undergone a revolution and it was under a dictatorship – still, I really I had not wanted to leave. In retrospect, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, because why wouldn’t you want to leave a place like that? But I didn’t. My friends were there. I felt that it was wrong to leave; when things begin to go bad you make a commitment to stay and try to repair things. And so in my teenage mind I thought, we should have stayed. I actually owe it to my mother who dragged me, all the way, despite my best effort to resist coming. Also, I didn’t know English at all, and I had already wasted a year, in my mind, as a refugee in Europe. I thought, “I’m 19 years

old, I should have been in college last year. And even though I don’t know English I’m going to start in college.” Which is exactly what I did, even though I had no idea what anyone was saying. I was angry all the time. I was angry when people were kind to me. I was angry when people weren’t. I think I was just really a very hard person to reach at that time. I think language had a great deal to do with it. I couldn’t articulate any thoughts. And that always comes with a sense of humiliation; you feel that you appear less than you are. You’ve been here now for 36 years and are a naturalized citizen. Do you ever still feel like that 19-year old immigrant? RH: I feel assimilated. This is far more home than Iran ever was. I’ve spent more years here now than I had spent in Iran. But, I think the upshot of all these experiences has been that I find I am more more than the sum of these two countries and these two identities. At the end of the day, it isn’t only that I add up to an Iranian American, there is something bigger than that. And I think that’s a writer; someone who is committed to telling the truth; someone who has lived two lives in some ways, and recognizes that having lived these two lives comes with the responsibility of then transmitting the truth from one side to the other and vice versa. You write about aspects of America that are positive and some that are not so positive,. But the book’s description also calls it a “love letter to America.” Is it a love letter? RH: Yes – and I’m glad you said that the book does talk about the things that I see to be flaws, so to speak. I think my ultimate message is that, despite those shortcomings and flaws and errors, there’s still something here worth building upon and hanging on to. There’s still something here that is,

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in some ways, an important foothold for everyone else, everywhere else. In many ways, I think America is not just important for Americans; I think America is important for so many other people elsewhere around the world who are trying to achieve the freedoms and the kind of democracy that we have, despite whatever still needs improving. So yes, it was a love letter. Given the last four or five years, we as a people are losing sight of these beautiful things that are so important to recognize. There is so much that we take for granted because they’re always here and we assume that they came with the place. They didn’t. There were people a couple hundred years ago who fought for every single bit of these

things that we so richly enjoy. So first I wanted to make people see those things; to recognize that they’re not entitlements. They can be lost. Then allow all of us to cherish and celebrate them, and if they need improving, improve them. Whatever it is that we are disgruntled about, we still have to recognize that there are certain founding principles – certain original ideas – that are still great and make our lives so much more meaningful, beautiful and free than the place that I came from, that it makes it worth trying to come together as a nation and work on them. And so, yes, I probably did intend to write a love letter in the hopes that nativeborn Americans could see what I was seeing.

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wrote Mr. Pitkoff in a letter to the community. “In the end, none of the candidates available could match the quality, commitment, and excellence of our current administrators.” The in-house to administrative team – which also includes Upper School Principal Rabbi Shimmy Trencher and Middle School Principal David Giver, will be immeasurably enhanced by the addition of Rabbi Rosenfeld, said Mr. Pitkoff. Previously, Rabbi Rosenfled also served on the faculty of SAR High School. “Rabbi Rosenfeld brings a wealth of knowledge, talent, enthusiasm, and ruach to his new position,” said Mr. Pitkoff, adding that as an educator, Rabbi Rosenfeld “was known for the energy and excitement he brought to his classroom and the impact he had on teaching his students. When someone of Rabbi Rosenfeld’s caliber became available, we knew we had to seize the opportunity.” Noting that Rachel Haron will be the first Bi-Cultural alumni to serve as Associate Head of School, Mr. Pitkoff said, “As someone who has worked closely with both Tzvi and Rachel these past five years, I can attest to their commitment to academic excellence in both general and Judaic studies, the strong academic and leadership experience they bring to the task, and their commitment to filling the

RABBI TZVI BERNSTEIN

halls of our school and the hearts of our children with joy, and a love of learning. “Rabbi Bernstein and Rachel Haron, along with Rabbi Rosenfeld, Rabbi Trencher and David Giver, deserve our support and appreciation for enriching our children’s lives with a joy of learning and educational excellence that are the hallmark of a Bi-Cultural education.”

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MARCH 19, 2021

Briefs

more dangerous than hate and inviting him to a Shabbat dinner.

70 Democrats, 70 Republicans call for stronger approach to Iran

IDF said to be first army to achieve herd immunity (JNS) The Israel Defense Forces is the first military in the world to have achieved herd immunity against the COVID-19 virus, a top IDF official said on Thursday, March 11. According to Maj. Gen. Itzik Turgeman, the head of the IDF’s Technology and Logistics Directorate, 85 percent of the military will have been vaccinated against the disease by the end of next week. Just 10 weeks after the launch of the IDF’s immunization campaign, 81 percent of service members have already either been vaccinated or are recovering from the disease, while overall morbidity continues to decline, the military said in a statement. The vaccination campaign was logistically complex, due to the restrictions on the transport of the vaccine packets, said Glazberg. Unlike some other COVID-19 vaccines, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine used in Israel must be kept stored at ultra-cold temperatures. Because of this, a unique transport system had to be devised, said Glazberg. The two senior officers stressed, however, that “the coronavirus is still with us, and we will continue to maintain the guidelines with regard to social distancing, wearing masks and public-transportation adjustments.” Preparations are already underway to vaccinate the next waves of recruits.

NBA fines Meyers Leonard $50,000 for using antisemitic slur (JTA) – The NBA fined Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard $50,000 two days after he was caught saying the word “kike” on a video game stream. NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who is Jewish, said Leonard spoke Wednesday with Anti-Defamation League officials, the Associated Press reported, “to better understand the impact of his words. “We accept that he is genuinely remorseful,” Silver added on Thursday. After the video clip circulated widely on social media, Leonard apologized to the Jewish community and specifically to the Heat’s Jewish owner Micky Arison. He said that he was ignorant of what the word meant. Leonard is already missing the rest of this season with a shoulder injury but has also been placed on an indefinite leave of absence. “We have further communicated to Meyers that derogatory comments like this will not be tolerated and that he will be expected to uphold the core values of our league – equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect – at all times moving forward,” Silver said in a statement. Jewish NFL star Julian Edelman posted an open letter to Leonard on social media on Wednesday, saying “casual ignorance” can be 20

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(JTA) – A letter from 70 Democrats and 70 Republicans in the House of Representatives says that if the President Biden plans to enter a new deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program, then the U.S. should push for stronger sanctions threats in the deal and beyond. “As the Biden administration considers negotiations with Iran, we write to express our bipartisan and shared view that any agreement or set of agreements with Iran must be comprehensive in nature to address the full range of threats that Iran poses to the region,” the letter sent Tuesday, March 9, to U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken reads. The letter – which is backed by AIPAC – calls vaguely for “a combination of diplomatic and sanction mechanisms” to clamp down on “their nuclear program, their ballistic missile program, and their funding of terrorism.” Within hours of its release, there was disagreement between Republicans and Democrats over what the letter calls for. State Department spokesman Ned Price welcomed the letter during the daily press briefing, saying “it sure sounds like we are on the same page in broad terms.” Within minutes, the lead Republican signatory of the letter, Mike Waltz of Florida, disagreed. “We are NOT on the same page,” he said on Twitter. The difference appears to be one of sequencing. Biden wants to immediately reenter the nuclear deal, which trades sanctions relief for a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program, and then seek to broaden its provisions to address Iran’s missile program and its military adventurism. Republicans want Iran to meet conditions before reentering the deal. Iran’s behavior “must be addressed from the outset,” the letter reads. On Wednesday, a similar but more Democratic bipartisan group of House reps introduced a resolution condemning Iran’s nuclear program. Some of the signees, including Jewish Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., signed onto both the letter and resolution.

These were Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s favorite opera arias (JTA) – The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was known to be an ardent fan of the opera. So to honor the Jewish justice on what would have been her 88th birthday, the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia held an event featuring performances of some of Ginsburg’s favorite arias. The March 14 event, co-presented by the Opera Philadelphia company and UCLA’s new Jewish music center, included commentary by opera industry guests and an interview with Ginsburg’s two children, Jane and Jim (the latter founded Cedille Records, a classical

| MARCH 19, 2021

music label). “‘For the Love of Opera’ also highlighted operas that deal with legal issues, justice and equality – such as Puccini’s ‘Gianni Schicchi’ and Menotti’s ‘The Consul’ – and those with strong, independent female characters like Despina in Mozart’s ‘Cosî Fan Tutte.’”

Justice Dept. reaches agreement with NJ town accused of religious bias (JNS) The U.S. Justice Department reached an agreement on March 9 with the Township of Toms River, N.J., stemming from allegations that the town’s zoning laws had unfairly targeted Jewish houses of worship and violated the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The Justice Department had put Toms River officials on notice back in September that they had completed an investigation into allegations that the town’s zoning rules placed unreasonable burdens on the growing Orthodox Jewish population in the township. Particularly problematic was a 2017 change to the zoning requirements that houses of worship needed to be built on properties of at least 10 acres. “Zoning regulations that impose unreasonable restrictions or prevent religious faiths from having a place to worship violate RLUIPA,” said Rachael A. Honig, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. “Through the resolution entered today, this office takes another step to put an end to unlawful zoning practices and vindicate the civil rights of minority religious communities in … New Jersey.” Orthodox Jews who have been moving to neighborhoods in Toms River in recent years have been largely unable to build Jewish institutions in the township because of the existing zoning requirements. As part of the agreement, which needs to be approved by the U.S. District Court, Toms River will modify its zoning code to reduce the “minimum acreage” required for a house of worship from 10 acres to two acres; treat houses of worship comparable to other nonreligious places of assembly, including funeral homes and private clubs; and train township officials and employees about RLUIPA requirements and how to respond to RLUIPA complaints. Attorney Marci Hamilton, who is an expert in RLUIPA litigation and had been retained by Toms River to deal with the Justice Department’s complaint, told the Township Council prior to their vote on entering into an agreement with the DOJ that “the Justice Department was right” and that the DOJ “was going to come down with hammer” on the township based on its findings. Town Councilman Daniel Rodrick was the only council member to vote against the agreement, saying that the township should have continued its fight against the DOJ.

TV adaptation of ‘Fleishman Is in Trouble’ novel to stream on Hulu (JTA) – The FX TV network is producing an adaptation of Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s acclaimed novel Fleishman Is in Trouble that will concurrently stream on Hulu, it was announced Thursday. The book follows the dating and other travails of Toby Fleishman, a 40-something Jewish New Yorker recently separated from his wife. Brodesser-Akner, who grew up in an Orthodox family in Brooklyn and became a prominent New York Times culture writer, talked to Kveller about the Jewishness of her own life and the book at the time it was published in 2019. “This is a book about a Jew in New York. I like the idea of not explaining what a Friday night dinner is – just having a Friday night dinner. I like the idea of everyone going only to the school where they’re going to meet other Jews like them. There’s still this huge culture around Jewishness, and I’m very comfortable in it,” she said. The series will consist of nine episodes. No release date has been announced.

Nita Lowey: Cuomo should remain as gov amid investigation (JTA) – Nita Lowey, the former longtime New York congresswoman, said Wednesday that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo should remain in office while an independent investigation into sexual harassment accusations is ongoing. “I am saddened that recent accusations of misconduct toward women have led to calls for the Governor to resign or be impeached,” Lowey said in a statement shared by the New York State Democratic Committee. Lowey, long known as a champion of women during her 32 years in Congress, said the charges against Cuomo deserve to be heard. “Attorney General Letitia James has appointed two outstanding attorneys to conduct an independent investigation,” she said. “At least until they have reported their conclusions, the Governor should remain in office.” At least six women have accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in the workplace and inappropriate touching. Lowey in her statement noted her long relationship with Cuomo, whom she said she has known since he was a teenager. Cuomo is the son of Mario Cuomo, who served as New York’s governor for 11 years. The younger Cuomo served as his father’s campaign manager and later became the secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton administration before becoming New York’s attorney general and then governor. When Lowey was first elected to the House in 1983, representing Westchester and Rockland counties, she was one of only 22 women in the chamber. In 1991, during the Senate hearings for then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, Lowey was among a small group of congresswomen who marched jewishledger.com

across the Capitol to demand that Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of repeated sexual harassment in the workplace, be allowed to testify. Lowey did not seek reelection in November and retired.

Jewish groups ask Homeland Security chief to maintain ‘Made in Israel’ policy (JNS) Together with 24 pro-Israel Jewish and rabbinic groups, the Zionist Organization of America spearheaded a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday, March 8, urging him to maintain the current U.S. policy of labeling goods from Judea and Samaria as “Made in Israel.” “This is not just a matter of some technical regulations in the Federal Register,” said the 11-page letter. “Real people’s lives and livelihoods are at stake. We would thus be happy to arrange for you to visit the Jewish communities, families, businesses and farms in Areas C and H2 so that you can see for yourself the real people who would be harmed if you rescind the current labeling regulations.” The letter provided historical, legal, legislative and moral background information that explains why the current regulations should not be changed. It also included the assertion that the policy is “essential” for combating antisemitic discrimination and boycotts against Jewish products “made in the historic Jewish homelands of Judea and Samaria.” The policy adopted by the U.S. State Department on Nov. 19 states that products manufactured in Israeli-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria, or West Bank, should be labeled as “Israel,” “Product of Israel” or “Made in Israel” when exported to the United States. The pro-Israel organizations also tried to appeal to Mayorkas on a “personal note,” saying: “We hope that your background as a Jew, as an immigrants’ rights activist and as the child of a mother [who] had to flee from Nazi-occupied Romania and Fidel Castro’s Cuba has given you compassion and consideration for your fellow co-religionists, and that you will not revert to the boycott facilitating regulations that were ultimately aimed at turning 500,000 Jews into refugees from their own historic homeland.” The letter counteracts a request in February by six left-wing Jewish organizations to rescind the current regulations.

Israeli, Egyptian officials hold largest bilateral conference in 20 years (Israel Hayom via JNS) Some 60 Israeli and Egyptian officials and businesspeople recently took part in the largest bilateral meeting held between the two countries in the last 20 years. The meeting in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh was aimed at expanding economic cooperation beyond textile manufacturing and natural gas, the latter of which Jerusalem began to export to Cairo in jewishledger.com

2020. Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen headed the Israeli delegation to the conference, which received little press coverage, at the request of the Egyptians. Delegates included representatives from Israel’s Foreign Ministry, National Security Council, and Water Resources Ministry Director-General Yechezkel Lifshitz. Cohen held a lengthy meeting with Egypt’s Deputy Intelligence Minister Nasser Fahmi to discuss future plans for their economies and security issues. According to Fahmi, “Egypt is interested in promoting cooperation with Israel in all fields. We will continue to act to bolster economic and bilateral ties in the future.” Fahmi spoke to Cohen about the security system in place around Sharm el-Sheikh, and about the joint fight against radical Islamic terror, in particular in the Sinai Peninsula, as well as securing freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. According to Cohen, Sharm el-Sheikh is a safe and secure island inside the Sinai Peninsula, and the Egyptians are doing everything they can to bring Israeli tourists back. According to Cohen, the meeting and the processes that follow will bring bilateral trade back to previous highs of more than $1 billion annually. Delegation members also met with the heads of Egyptian companies, with the aim of opening up Egypt’s market to cooperation with Israel in the fields of agriculture, desalination, power stations, textile, construction materials, food, fish ponds and tourism. Up until 2020, economic cooperation between Israel and Egypt focused mainly on textiles, construction and agriculture.

Residents of ‘South Park’ get vaccinated for COVID, courtesy of Israel (JNS) Just weeks after “Saturday Night Live” aired a “news” segment that said Israel was only vaccinating the “Jewish half” of the country, another comedic television program, “South Park,” is being praised for its take on Israel’s vaccination program. “Hey NBCSNL, this is how you do pandemic humor when it comes to Israel,” tweeted Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United States and the United Nations, with a clip from the cartoon. In the episode “South Park Vaccination Special,” which launched on Wednesday, characters are seen trying to get a COVID-19 vaccination. One man who is tired of waiting says that “you know in Israel they vaccinate everybody. Israel is way cooler than this lame place,” to which he is told, “so then go to Israel.” “I tried,” the man responds. “I couldn’t get in.” Later in the episode, an “Israel Airlines” plane lands in front of the “South Park” school. When the doors open, a man starts throwing out boxes full of the vaccine. Characters, including one wearing a yarmulke, are then seen injecting themselves with the vaccine.

At the Hebrew Center for Health and Rehabilitation, we understand that comfort and familiarity is a key part of the journey to wellness. We also understand that maintaining your religious beliefs and principles is fundamental in continued enrichment of life. Our Kosher meal services allow residents to maintain their dietary requirements throughout their stay with us. At the Hebrew Center, we ensure we follow all principles of Kosher including purchase, storage, preparation, and service.

At the Hebrew Center for Health and Rehabilitation, we also offer a variety of other services and amenities to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE: • Passport to Rehabilitation Program • Long-Term Skilled Nursing Care • Specialized Memory Care • Respite Care Program • Palliative Care and Hospice Services Coordination

OUR AMENITIES INCLUDE: • Barber/Beauty Shop • Café • Cultural Menus • Laundry and housekeeping services • Patient and Family education • Life Enrichment

HKC

‫כשר‬

For more information on our Kosher program, please contact: DIRECTOR, PASTORAL SERVICES - (860) 523-3800 Hebrew Center for Health and Rehabilitation One Abrahms Boulevard, West Hartford, CT 06117

L IKE U S ON

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MARCH 19, 2021

WHAT’S HAPPENING Jewish organizations are invited to submit their upcoming events to the our What’s Happening section. Events are placed on the Ledger website on Tuesday afternoons. Deadline for submission of calendar items is the previous Tuesday. Send items to: judiej@ jewishledger.com.

MONDAY, MARCH 15 Voices of Hope Winter Speaker Series Voices of Hope Winter Speaker Series: Esther Safran Foer, author of I Want You to Know We’re Still Here, will speak on March 15 at 7 p.m. For more information or to register, visit ctvoicesofhope.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 Jewish and Christian Women as Allies in Anti-Racism 15th Annual Lecture in Jewish Christian Engagement: “Lift Every Voice and Sing: Jewish and Christian Women as Allies in Anti-Racism,” with guest speaker Ann Millin, PhD, historian, Ida E King Distinguished Visiting Professor of Holocaust Studies, Richard Stockton University. A FREE webinar presented March 16 at 7:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies and the Center for Catholic Studies at Fairfield University.Registration required at fairfield. edu/bennettprograms. For information: bennettcenter@fairfield.edu or (203) 2544000 x2066.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17 Antisemitism on Campus “Antisemitism on Campus: Are We Ensuring a Safe Environment for the Jewish community?” Is the focus of a Zoom webinar on March 17 at 7 p.m. Experts will discuss the current climate of antisemitism on campus and how we can make a difference. Speakers include: Ethan Felson, executive director, A Wider Bridge; Frederick M. Lawrence, secretary and CEO, Phi Beta Kappa Society, and former president of Brandeis University. Moderated by psychologist and author Dr. Dale Atkins. Presented by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, ADL Connecticut, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Hartford; and co-sponsored by United Jewish Federation Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, UJA-JCC Greenwich, Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut, Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut, Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New Haven, JFS Greenwich, and the Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County. 22

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THURSDAY, MARCH 18 Passover Prep: Passover Cooking James Bear Award-winning chef Michael Solomon will lead an online Passover cooking demonstration, hosted by United Jewish Federation on March 18 at 7:30 p.m. Register at ujf.org. For information: contact Diane Sloyer at dianesloyer@ujf.org, (203) 321-1373 x105. Short Story Coffee Break: The Wind A Zoom discussion of The Wind by Lauren Gross. Hosted by Congregation Beth Israel, March 18 at 11 a.m. To register and receive a copy of the next short story and a link to the Zoom discussion, email kbeyard@cbict.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 21 The Kosher Capones: A History of Chicago’s Jewish Gangsters Explore the lives and criminal careers of “Zuckie the Bookie” Zuckerman, last of the West Side Jewish bosses, and Lenny Patrick, head of the Syndicate’s “Jewish Wing,” on March 21 at 5 p.m. Joe Kraus, author of The Kosher Capones: A History of Chicago’s Jewish Gangsters, will take a fascinating in-depth look inside a hidden society and the men who ran Chicago’s Jewish criminal community for more than 60 years. Joe Kraus teaches creative writing and American literature at the University of Scranton. His grandfather and great-uncles, the notorious Miller Brothers of the Jewish West Side, were among Chicago’s early Jewish gangsters. For more information on this virtual event: cbict. org.

Blacks, Jews, and Black Jews

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23

Susannah Heschel, The Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College, will explore the intertwined dimensions of relations between African Americans and Jewish Americans, Jewish involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, Jewish memory of the Civil Rights Movement in recent decades in light of the rise of white nationalism, and scholarship on racism and what they might contribute to our understanding of antisemitism, in her lecture “Blacks, Jews and Black Jews,” to be held on March 18 at 7:30 p.m. The lecture is part of the 2021 series of virtual lectures surrounding the theme of “The Jewish Roots of Social Justice,” presented by the ALEPH Institute learning initiative and sponsored by the Mandell JCC and UConn Judaic Studies. For more information, visit judaicstudies.uconn.edu or mandelljcc.org.

Passover Prep: Digital Passover

Book Club: Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid Congregation Or Shalom will host a book club discussion of Such a Fun Age, a story about race and privilege, set around a young babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both, led by Toby Zabinski on March 18 at 7 p.m. For the link to register email coshalom@sbcglobal.net

United Jewish Federation will present “Digital Passover: Tools and Tips for Creating Your Own Interactive (Online) Seder,” led by Jonathan Fans on March 23 at 7:30 p.m. Register at ujf.org. For information: contact Diane Sloyer at dianesloyer@ujf.org, (203) 321-1373 x105. Zoom & Learn: “Images of Elijah” Through the ages, the powerful stories of the Bible have been illuminated in legend and on canvas. In this class, to be held March 23 & 30, 11-12 noon, Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus will discuss dramatically different artistic and folkloristic takes on the prophet Elijah. To register or for more information: coshalom@ sbcglobal.net or (203) 779-2341.

THURSDAY, MARCH 25 Voices of Hope Winter Speaker Series Voices of Hope Winter Speaker Series: Ewa Callahan, author of Holocaust and Film, will speak March 25 at 7 p.m. For more information or to register, visit ctvoicesofhope. org.

MONDAY, MARCH 29 SATURDAY, MARCH 20 Virtual Tot Seder Little ones prepare for Passover with our Tot Seder program. We’ll celebrate Shabbat through story and song and experiment with different ways to observe Passover. For more information or to register, visit cbict.org/ calendar.

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“Hitler’s American Friends: The Third Reich’s Supporters in the United States” Bradley Hart, PhD, author and associate professor, California State University, Fresno, will discuss “Hitler’s American Friends: The Third Reich’s Supporters in the United States” at a FREE webinar presented March 29 at 7:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Judaic Studies program and the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at Fairfield University.Registration

required at fairfield.edu/bennettprograms. For information: bennettcenter@fairfield.edu or (203) 254-4000 x2066.

TUESDAY, MARCH 30 Zoom & Learn: “Images of Elijah” See Tuesday, March 23.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31 Normalizing Nazism on the Internet The Open MINDS Institute of Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts presents “Normalizing Nazism on the Internet” with guest speaker Gavriel D. Rosenfeld, PhD, on March 31 1t 1 p.m. Rosenfeld will explore the ways in which the internet offers new possibilities for educating people about the Nazi legacy, while simultaneously promoting its trivialization and “normalizing” the history of the Third Reich in contemporary culture. No registration is required for this FREE virtual program. For more information, visit quickcenter.com or call (203) 254-4010.

THURSDAY, APRIL 1 Short Story Coffee Break: The Wind A Zoom discussion of flash fiction and short stories by the renowned Israeli writer Etgar Keret. Hosted by Congregation Beth Israel, April 1 at 11 a.m. To register and receive a copy of the next short story and a link to the Zoom discussion, email kbeyard@cbict.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 5 Sharing Credit: Jewish Loan Societies, Past and Present Prof. Shelley Tenenbaum of Clark University will discuss the significance of Jewish loan associations, and community members will share some recollections of the Kief Protective Mutual Benefit Association which continues to operate today, at a Zoom event to be held April 5 at 7 p.m on Zoom. In addition, Ann Pava, chair of the Jewish Free Loan Fund, will introduce this new fund launched recently by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. The fund provides interest-free loans to help members of Greater Hartford’s Jewish community overcome financial hurdles. Hosted by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford. To register, visit jhsgh.org/ sharing-credit.

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MARCH 15 – APRIL 22 THURSDAY, APRIL 8 Short Story Coffee Break: A Scrap of Time A Zoom discussion of short stories from A Scrap of Time by Polish-Israeli Holocaust survivor Ida Fink with Rabbi Andi Fliegel. Hosted by Congregation Beth Israel, April 1 at 11 a.m. To register and receive a copy of the next short story and a link to the Zoom discussion, email kbeyard@cbict.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 9 Organ Sounds Concert Series Organist Scott Lamlein, director of music for St. John’s Episcopal Church in West Hartford, will perform, April 9 at 6:30 p.m.. Program will be announced. For more information or to register, visit cbict.org/calendar.

University. Registration required at fairfield. edu/bennettprograms. For information: bennettcenter@fairfield.edu or (203) 2544000 x2066.

THURSDAY, APRIL 15 Short Story Coffee Break: The Quiet Americans A Zoom discussion of short stories from The Quiet Americans, led by Erika Dreifus Learning Center (Virtual) Writer in Residence, to be held April 15, a.m. Hosted by Congregation Beth Israel. To register and receive a copy of the next short story and a link to the Zoom discussion, email kbeyard@ cbict.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 18 Israel Food Tour

Havdalah followed by a meet and greet for both of Tribe groups, ranging in age from 20-50. Hosted online by Congregation Beth Israel on March 13, 6:30 p.m. For more information: email Tracy Taback at tracytaback@gmail.com.

A live virtual culinary tour of the foods and culture of Israel on April 18 at 1 p.m. Expert guides immerse you in the history, culture, and people of Israel through unparalleled knowledge and connection to the vendors who make Israeli food come alive. Includes interviews, videos, maps and a Q&A time with a local culinary expert. For more information or to register, visit cbict.org/calendar.

SUNDAY, APRIL 11

THURSDAY, APRIL 22

Seeking Refuge: Shanghai & Beyond

“Hava Nagila” – Film Screening and Discussion

FRIDAY, APRIL 10 The Tribe/Super Tribe Havdalah

The 4th Annual Henny Simon Remembrance: “Seeking Refuge: Shanghai & Beyond” featuring guest speakers Laurence Tribe, Carl M. Loeb Professor of Constitutional Law Emeritus at Harvard Law School, and teacher Helen Elperina. This program will explore the desperate search for refuge from persecution and impending death faced by Jews during the Holocaust through the experiences of Ludwig Rosenbaum z”l (father of Henny Simon), Prof.Tribe and Helen Elperina, whose stories converge in 1941. Hosted by Eastern CT chapter of Hadassah, the presentation will be held April 11 at 2 p.m. For more information and to receive the Zoom link to the program, contact Karen Bloustine at bloustinek@gmail. com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 13 The Rise & Destruction of the Jewish Fashion Industry, Berlin 1836-1939 The Joan and Henry Katz Lecture in Judaic Studies: “The Rise and Destruction of the Jewish Fashion Industry, Berlin 1836 – 1939,” with guest lecturer Uwe Westphal, journalist, and author of Fashion Metropolis Berlin (2019), to be held March 16 at 7:30 p.m. This FREE webinar is co-sponsored by the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at Fairfield jewishledger.com

A screening and discussion of the awardwinning documentary “Hava Nagila” on April 22 at 7 p.m. Follow the story of this infectious party song from the shtetls of Eastern Europe and Ukraine to the Catskills to Greenwich Village to Hollywood in this hilarious and surprisingly deep film. Featuring interviews with Harry Belafonte, Connie Francis, Glen Campbell, Leonard Nimoy, Regina Spektor and more.For more information or to register, visit cbict.org/calendar.

Prof. Laurence Tribe to discuss “Seeking Refuge: Shanghai & Beyond” at 4th Annual Henny Simon Remembrance

arvard Law School Professor Emeritus Laurence Tribe will discuss “Seeking Refuge: Shanghai and Beyond,” as special guest speaker at the 4th Annual Henny Simon Remembrance, to be presented by Hadassah Easter CT Chapter on Sunday April 11, 2 p.m. on Zoom. The program will also include a talk by noted teacher Helen Elperina. This program will explore the desperate search for refuge from persecution and impending death faced by Jews, through the personal stories of Tribe and Ludwig Rosenbaum, Henry Simon’s father, whose stories of survival during the Holocaust converge in Shanghai. Elperina who was born in Minsk, will also discuss her family’s escape and refuge and asylum in the Soviet Union. Their stories begin in 1940, when it was almost impossible to find a destination open for Jewish immigrants seeking a safe home within which to settle. They certainly couldn’t find safe haven in America, whose doors were mostly swung closed as a result of laws passed in 1924 curtailing immigration from Germany and Eastern Europe. As Chaim Weizmann, who would later become Israel’s first president, wrote in 1936: “The world seems to be divided into two parts - those places where the Jews could not live and those where they could not enter.” Before 1940 and the inception of the “final solution,” Henny’s family tried feverishly escape Hitler’s clutches by securing a visa to any country that would have them. With the help of the Jewish Emigration Service, they received a visa for Shanghai, China. Her father left for Shanghai in April, 1940, becoming one of the over 20,000 Jews to find refuge there. Henny and her mother, however, were unable to secure passage for themselves – and so their fate was sealed. They were sent to concentrate camp where her mother was murderec, and Henny’ miraculously survived. When Henny’s father arrived in Shanghai, Tribe’s parents were already living in Shanghai, their families having sought refuge from Belarus years earlier. Tribe, who was born in 1941, spent the first six years of his life there. That same year, in Belarus, where the Tribes were from, Helen Elperina’s father, Oleg Elperin, who was just nine years old, convinced his mother to flee. Oleg, with his mother and brother, escaped to the far reaches of the Soviet empire

in Kazakhstan. Elperina was born in Minsk in 1955. She will discuss her family’s story of asylum and refuge in the Soviet Union. A renowned constitutional law expert, Laurence Tribe counts among his former students former President Barack Obama, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Supreme Court Justice Elana Kagan, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Senator Ted Cruz, Congressmen Adam Schiff and Jamie Raskin. He has written several treatises on constitutional law and is a sought-after expert, often appearing in the media to discuss the burning constitutional and election issues of our day. Tribe credits his Jewish roots and values for the causes he champions. “I developed a sense of the enormous great luck in managing to survive, giving me a strong feeling that I had an obligation to pay it forward,” says Tribe. Helen Elperina comes from a family of teachers in the former Soviet Union. She arrived in New London in 1990, and has been a physics teacher at Branford High School since 1994. In 2007-2008, she was chosen as Branford’s Teacher of the Year. Elperina received an Immigrant Award for her contributions to her community and profession. She serves as the Eastern Connecticut’s Jewish Federation’s vice president for community programs. Henny Simon z”l was a life-member of Hadassah, a Holocaust survivor, and a beloved local Holocaust educator. The Eastern Connecticut chapter of Hadassah established the Henny Simon Remembrance four years ago to highlight the values she championed. The program strives to enlighten and educate on issues of history, culture, and diversity, and to continue her legacy of advocacy for peace, tolerance and justice. The Rose & Sigmund Strochlitz Holocaust Resource Center of the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut is a sponsor of this program. For more information about the program and how to access it on Zoom, contact Karen Bloustine at bloustinek@gmail.com.

JEWISH LEDGER | MARCH 19, 2021

OBITUARIES AISENBERG Gloria (Hurowitz) Aisenberg of Worcester, Mass., died Feb. 20. She was the widow of Howard Aisenberg. Born in Worcester, she was the daughter of the late Max and Edith (Friedberg) Hurowitz. She is survived by her children, Mara Hammerman and her husband Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Stamford, Andrew Aisenberg and his partner Paul Klein,of Pasadena, Calif., and Steven Aisenberg of Worcester, Mass.; her grandchildren Ethan, Michael, Daniel, and Amy; and many cousins. BATT Irma Batt, 96, of Bridgeport died March 5. She was the wife of Harold Batt. Born and raised in New Haven, she was the daughter of the late Dora and Joseph Hourwitz. In addition to her husband, she is survived by two children, Anita Rosnick and her husband Harold of Easton, and Charles Batt of Shelton; her grandchildren, Michael Rosnick and his wife Emily, and Jodi Ross and her husband Jason; five greatgrandchildren, Alexa, Aviva, Mickey, Harper and Poppy. She was predeceased by her sisters, Claire Stamm and Bernice Foster. BERNHEIMER Lena (“Lee”) Bernheimer, 97, of West Hartford, died March 3. She was the widow of the late Justin Bernheimer. Born in Laubach, Germany, she was the daughter

of Albert and Clothilde (Oppenheimer) Kaufmann. She and her husband were among part of the first group of active members of the former Congregation Tikvoh Chadoshoh. She is survived by her sons, Allan, Bruce and his wife Randi, and Richard; her grandchildren, Jason and his wife Stephanie, Allison and her husband Steven Thierfeld, Carly and Justin; and her great-granddaughter, Michaela. COHEN Stuart L. Cohen, 65, died March 1. Born in Hartford, he was the son of the late Samuel (‘Syd Conn’) and Pauline (Rudofsky) Cohen. He is survived by his children, Pauline Weinstein and her husband Alan, Jonathan Cohen and his wife Jessica, and Jessica Cohen and her husband Joseph; his former wife Gila Cohen; and his grandchildren, Lily Weinstein, Davis Weinstein and Theodore Cohen; his sisters, Sheila Levy and Hyla Sklar. He was also predeceased by his sister Iris Rosenberg. FREEMAN Geraldine Freeman, 88, of Bridgeport, formerly of Shelton, died March 4. She was widow of Arthur Freeman. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was the daughter of Frank and Mildred Friedman. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her sons, Bruce and his wife Katharine (“Kipp”), Craig and his wife Laurie, and Gary; her

Honor the memory of your loved one... Call 860.231.2424 x3028 to place your memorial in the Ledger.

grandchildren, Heidi, Brian and his wife June, Adam and his wife Rachel, Amanda, Molly, Meredith, and Scott; her greatgrandchildren, Evelyn, Abigail, Maia, and Samuel; her brother Alan Friedman; and her in-laws, nieces, nephews and their families. She was also predeceased by her daughter-in-law Arlene. FRIEDMAN Alvin Friedman, 93, of West Hartford, died March 10. He was the widower of Beth (Golemba) Friedman. Born and raised in Hartford, he was the son of the late Barney and Anna (Wallad) Friedman. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, for which he received a WW II Victory Medal. He is survived by his daughters, Amy Amaru of Bethel, and Tina Torman and her husband Hal of Reading, Mass.; his sister-in-law Claire Friedman of West Hartford; his grandchildren, Emily Torman and Jennifer Torman of Philadelphia, Penn., Alex Amaru of Newtown, and Alana Amaru of Bethel; and several nieces and nephews and their families. He was also predeceased by his son-in-law Joseph Amaru, his brother Max Friedman, his sister Pearl Gellin and her husband Samuel, his sister Roz Fishberg, and his sister-in-law Joan Reider and her husband. HOFFMAN Rosalind Markowitz Hoffman of West Hartford died March 7, two months shy of her 100th birthday. She was the widow of Saul A. Hoffman. Born in Hartford, he was the daughter of the late Samuel and Sarah (Gelfand) Markowitz. She was also predeceased by her siblings, Joseph, Bertha, Jacob, Gertrude and Raymond. She was an active members of Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford. She is survived by her children, Elliot Hoffman of Gillette, N.J., Deborah Hoffman Zeldis and her partner William MCcCarthy of Orange, and Sheryl Hoffman Simoni and her husband Dennis

of West Hartford; her She grandchildren, Rebecca Brady and her husband John, Dr. Tracy Zeldis and her husband Timothy Slater, Sarah Simoni and her husband Ben Read, Samantha Simoni and her husband Eric Krueger, and Jacob Hoffma; her greatgrandchildren, Alexa Brady and Genevieve Slater; and her special friend, Kenneth Hale of Long Island, N.Y. SALAD Suzanne R. (Freedman) Salad, 82, of West Hartford, died March 5. Raised in Hartford, she was the daughter of the late Isadore and Bessie (Miller) Freedman. She was also predeceased by her former husband Marvin “Babe” Salad, and her step-father George Appleman. She is survived by her children, Jeffrey and his wife Arta of London, England, Stephen of Greenwich, Kenneth and his wife Donna of Coventry, Todd and his wife Donna of Simsbury, Alison Webber and her partner David Orszulak of Enfield, and Ronna Voyer and her husband David of West Hartford; 12 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous extended family members. YAFFA Claire Fannie (Mann) Yaffa, 100, of West Hartford, died March 6. She was the widow of Louis Yaffa. Born in Richmond Hills, NY, she was the daughter of the late Isadore and Ethel (Schreiber) Mann. She leaves her children, Glenn J. Yaffa of Avon, CT, Deborah Y Kotler and her husband Marc of West Hartford, CT, and Marsha J Montmeny and her husband Richard of Carmarillo, CA; her sister, Rozlyn Finkel, and her grandchildren, Elyssa Kotler, Jared Kotler and his fiancée Dana Mazzanti, Andrew Montmeny, and Renee and Paul Cattaneo. For more information on placing an obituary, contact: judiej@ jewishledger.

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Needed, a live-in caregiver for an elderly female home owner in Bloomfield. Duties include trash out, availability at night in case of emergency - attached apartment provided at reduced rent. Applicant must submit 3 references. Call Vivian at 860301-2066.

Compassionate Elder Companion - Driver & Cook Beth: alifeofplantsandart@gmail. com.

CHAUFFEUR, WEST HARTFORD will drive you to New York, Boston, New England tri-state area. Reasonable rates. References. Call Jeff 860-7124115.

CNA - Five or Seven Days - Live In - Seventeen Years Experience - References Available - 860938-1476. Mary and Alex Housecleaning. We have experience and references. We are an insured company. Please call or Txt for a free quote. 860-328-1757 or servicesam.llc@gmail.com. NURSE SEEKING POSITION: GETTING BETTER TOGETHER! Adult care only. Live-in, days or nights and weekends. Responsible and dedicated caregiver with medical education. Leave message: 860229-2038 No Text or Email. Caregiver - Willing to care for your loved ones overnight - Excellent local references Avoid nursing home or hospital in light of Covid 19. Call 860550-0483. Tricia’s Cleaning Service - Residential & Commercial Detailed cleaning for Home & Office - For Free Quote call 860477-8636. Polish certified nursing assistant. Twenty years experience in hospitals, nursing homes and private home settings looking to help your loved ones. Please call 860-803-6007. Certified Home Care Aide - Live-in - HHA Certficate Experience with dementia, stroke, alzheimer’s - Driver’s License - References - Lydia 718864-7600.

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CONNECTICUT September MASSACHUSETTS December For more information on advertising in these magazines, call Donna 860.833.0839 or DonnaE@jewishledger.com 26

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P.C.A. - HHA Caregiver - 17 Years Experience - Available Live In or Live Out - Five Days a Week - Car Available - Have References - Please Call K.B. 860-796-8468. Nurse (LPN, Male). 2 Years Experience in long term care. 4 Years Home Care as CNA and Nurse. Seeks Private duty. Reliable, honest, hardworking. 860-656-8280. Caregiver for your elderly loved one available Thursday evenings to Sunday evenings. Kosher experience, stellar references. Monica - 347-486-0911. Home Health Aide - Two Years Experience - Reliable - Livein seven days. References available, negotiable rates. Call Kwasi 774-253-5479. Driver available for shopping & errands in the greater Hartford area. Reasonable rates, senior discount and references available. Call Ira 860-849-0999. Caregiver looking for full time live-in job - HHA/Precursor CNA - 12 Years experience - Friendly, outgoing, dependable - Please call Janet at 412-527-9285. CNA with 25 years experience, reliable car, live-in or hourly. References available, and negotiable rates. Call Sandy 860-460-3051.

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CT SYNAGOGUE DIRECTORY To join our synagogue directories, contact Howard Meyerowitz at (860) 231-2424 x3035 or howardm@jewishledger.com. BLOOMFIELD B’nai Tikvoh-Sholom/ Neshama Center for Lifelong Learning Conservative Rabbi Debra Cantor (860) 243-3576 office@BTSonline.org www.btsonline.org BRIDGEPORT Congregation B’nai Israel Reform Rabbi Evan Schultz (203) 336-1858 info@cbibpt.org www.cbibpt.org Congregation Rodeph Sholom Conservative (203) 334-0159 Rabbi Richard Eisenberg, Cantor Niema Hirsch info@rodephsholom.com www.rodephsholom.com CHESHIRE Temple Beth David Reform Rabbi Micah Ellenson (203) 272-0037 office@TBDCheshire.org www.TBDCheshire.org CHESTER Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek Reform Rabbi Marci Bellows (860) 526-8920 rabbibellows@cbsrz.org www.cbsrz.org

COLCHESTER Congregation Ahavath Achim Conservative Rabbi Kenneth Alter (860) 537-2809 secretary@congregationahavathachim.org

Temple Sholom Conservative Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz Rabbi Kevin Peters Cantor Sandy Bernstein (203) 869-7191 info@templesholom.com www.templesholom.com

EAST HARTFORD Temple Beth Tefilah Conservative Rabbi Yisroel Snyder (860) 569-0670 templebetht@yahoo.com

HAMDEN Temple Beth Sholom Conservative Rabbi Benjamin Edidin Scolnic (203) 288-7748 tbsoffice@tbshamden.com www.tbshamden.com

FAIRFIELD Congregation Ahavath Achim Orthodox (203) 372-6529 office@ahavathachim.org www.ahavathachim.org Congregation Beth El, Fairfield Conservative Rabbi Marcelo Kormis (203) 374-5544 office@bethelfairfield.org www.bethelfairfield.org GLASTONBURY Congregation Kol Haverim Reform Rabbi Dr. Kari Tuling (860) 633-3966 office@kolhaverim.org www.kolhaverim.org GREENWICH Greenwich Reform Synagogue Reform Rabbi Jordie Gerson (203) 629-0018 hadaselias@grs.org www.grs.org

MADISON Temple Beth Tikvah Reform Rabbi Stacy Offner (203) 245-7028 office@tbtshoreline.org www.tbtshoreline.org MANCHESTER Beth Sholom B’nai Israel Conservative Rabbi Randall Konigsburg (860) 643-9563 Rabbenu@myshul.org programming@myshul.org www.myshul.org MIDDLETOWN Adath Israel Conservative Rabbi Nelly Altenburger (860) 346-4709 office@adathisraelct.org www.adathisraelct.org

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NEW HAVEN The Towers at Tower Lane Conservative Ruth Greenblatt, Spiritual Leader Sarah Moskowitz, Spiritual Leader (203) 772-1816 rebecca@towerlane.org www.towerlane.org Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel Conservative Rabbi Jon-Jay Tilsen (203) 389-2108 office@BEKI.org www.BEKI.org Orchard Street ShulCongregation Beth Israel Orthodox Rabbi Mendy Hecht 203-776-1468 www.orchardstreetshul.org NEW LONDON Ahavath Chesed Synagogue Orthodox Rabbi Avrohom Sternberg 860-442-3234 Ahavath.chesed@att.net Congregation Beth El Conservative Rabbi Earl Kideckel (860) 442-0418 office@bethel-nl.org www.bethel-nl.org NEWINGTON Temple Sinai Reform Rabbi Jeffrey Bennett (860) 561-1055 templesinaict@gmail.com www.sinaict.org NEWTOWN Congregation Adath Israel Conservative Rabbi Barukh Schectman (203) 426-5188 office@congadathisrael.org www.congadathisrael.org

NORWALK Beth Israel Synagogue – Chabad of Westport/ Norwalk Orthodox-Chabad Rabbi Yehoshua S. Hecht (203) 866-0534 info@bethisraelchabad.org bethisraelchabad.org

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Temple Shalom Reform Rabbi Cantor Shirah Sklar (203) 866-0148 admin@templeshalomweb.org www.templeshalomweb.org ORANGE Chabad of Orange/ Woodbridge Chabad Rabbi Sheya Hecht (203) 795-5261 info@chabadow.org www.chabadow.org Congregation Or Shalom Conservative Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus (203) 799-2341 info@orshalomct.org www.orshalomct.org SIMSBURY Chabad of the Farmington Valley Chabad Rabbi Mendel Samuels (860) 658-4903 chabadsimsbury@gmail.com www.chabadotvalley.org Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation, Emek Shalom Reform Rabbi Rebekah Goldman Mag (860) 658-1075 admin@fvjc.org www.fvjc.org SOUTH WINDSOR Temple Beth Hillel of South Windsor Reform Rabbi Jeffrey Glickman (860) 282-8466 tbhrabbi@gmail.com www.tbhsw.org

WALLINGFORD Beth Israel Synagogue Conservative Rabbi Bruce Alpert (203) 269-5983 info@bethisraelwallingford. org www.bethisraelwallingford. org WASHINGTON Greater Washington Coalition Rabbi James Greene (860) 868-2434 jewishlifect@gmail.com www.jewishlife.org WATERFORD Temple Emanu - El Reform Rabbi Marc Ekstrand Rabbi Emeritus Aaron Rosenberg (860) 443-3005 office@tewaterfrord.org www.tewaterford.org WEST HARTFORD Beth David Synagogue Orthodox Rabbi Yitzchok Adler (860) 236-1241 office@bethdavidwh.org www.bethdavidwh.org Beth El Temple Conservative Rabbi James Rosen Rabbi Ilana Garber (860) 233-9696 hsowalsky@bethelwh.org www.bethelwesthartford.org Chabad House of Greater Hartford Rabbi Joseph Gopin Rabbi Shaya Gopin, Director of Education (860) 232-1116 info@chabadhartford.com www.chabadhartford.com

SOUTHINGTON Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation Reform Rabbi Alana Wasserman (860) 276-9113 President@gsjc.org www.gsjc.org TRUMBULL Congregation B’nai Torah Conservative Rabbi Colin Brodie (203) 268-6940 office@bnaitorahct.org www.bnaitorahct.org

Congregation Beth Israel Reform Rabbi Michael Pincus Rabbi Andi Fliegel Cantor Stephanie Kupfer (860) 233-8215 bethisrael@cbict.org www.cbict.org Congregation P’nai Or Jewish Renewal Shabbat Services Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiener (860) 561-5905 pnaiorct@gmail.com www.jewishrenewalct.org

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Kehilat Chaverim of Greater Hartford Chavurah Adm. - Nancy Malley (860) 951-6877 mnmalley@yahoo.com www.kehilatchaverim.org The Emanuel Synagogue Conservative Rabbi David J. Small (860) 236-1275 communications@emanuelsynagogue.org www.emanuelsynagogue.org United Synagogues of Greater Hartford Orthodox Rabbi Eli Ostrozynsk i synagogue voice mail (860) 586-8067 Rabbi’s mobile (718) 6794446 ostro770@hotmail.com www.usgh.org Young Israel of West Hartford Orthodox Rabbi Tuvia Brander (860) 233-3084 info@youngisraelwh.org www.youngisraelwh.org WESTPORT Temple Israel Reform Rabbi Michael S. Friedman, Senior Rabbi Rabbi Danny M. Moss, Associate Rabbi Rabbi Elana Nemitoff-Bresler, Rabbi Educator (203) 227-1293 info@tiwestport.org www.tiwestport.org WETHERSFIELD Temple Beth Torah Unaffiliated Rabbi Seth Riemer (860) 828-3377 tbt.w.ct@gmail.com templebethtorahwethersfield. org WOODBRIDGE Congregation B’nai Jacob Conservative Rabbi Rona Shapiro (203) 389-2111 info@bnaijacob.org www.bnaijacob.org

MARCH 19, 2021

5781

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