November 20, 2014 Edition of The Reporter by Becky Schastey

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VOLUME XII, NUMBER 23

NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Jewish Federation sending cards and candy to Jewish servicemen and women in the U.S. armed services

Dassy Ganz, assistant to the executive director of the Jewish Federation, has announced the Federation will join KosherTroops.com in its charitable work for Chanukah. Koshertroops.com was founded by Sara Fuerst and Ava Hamburger of Monsey, NY, to help improve the morale and welfare of members of the armed forces of the United States of America by showing appreciation for their commitment. To accomplish this, it sends

holiday care packages – including items needed to celebrate the Jewish holidays and Shabbat – so that recipients feel “connected” to the Jewish community while away. “The taste and smells of home – as well as personal messages of support – demonstrates care, honor and respect for our fellow Americans,” said a Koshertroops.com representative. “Connecting in this way to our troops can help meet both their physical and spiritual needs.”

The Federation intends to help by collecting Hershey’s chocolate miniatures, as well as letters to the troops. The back of each letter should identify the organization and provide an address for return e-mails. Collection boxes are located in the reception area of the Scranton Jewish Community Center, 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton; and at the Jewish Resource Center of the Poconos, 553 Main St., third floor, Stroudsburgh.

The deadline for the project is Monday, December 1, as KosherTroops.com must receive the contributions early enough so that the troops overseas will receive them by Chanukah, Wednesday, December 17. “Please contribute. They do so much for us. Let’s do something for them,” said a Federation representative. For more information, see the ad on the Federation’s website, http://jewishnepa. org/, and in this issue of The Reporter.

White House aide Jonathan Greenblatt to succeed Abe Foxman as ADL chief

By Uriel Heilman NEW YORK (JTA) – The Anti-Defamation League’s new national director will be social entrepreneur Jonathan Greenblatt – a special assistant to President Barack Obama who earlier in his career co-founded the bottled water brand Ethos. Greenblatt, 43, will succeed Abraham Foxman, who announced in February that he would be stepping down effective July 2015. Foxman, 74, has been the ADL’s national director since 1987. The news was first reported by JTA on November 6 and followed shortly afterward by a formal announcement at the ADL’s annual meeting in Los Angeles. The ADL said the unanimous selection of Greenblatt by the 16-member succession committee was the culmination of a two-year nationwide search led by the Atlanta-based executive search firm BoardWalk Consulting. The firm reviewed hundreds of prospective candidates from the fields of business, law, academic and nonprofit management, according to an ADL news release. Greenblatt, a grandson of a Holocaust survivor who escaped Nazi Germany, but lost nearly all his family in the war, interned for the ADL while in college at Tufts University and later participated in an ADL professional leadership program. His wife, Marjan Keypour Greenblatt, an Iranian-American Jewish immigrant, worked as an associate director at ADL’s Los Angeles office for about eight years. Until last December, she was acting director of the Israel on Campus Coalition. She went on to co-found the new nonprofit Alliance for Rights of All Minorities, which promotes women’s and minority rights in Iran, and serves as its director. “Marjan herself escaped from her native Iran after the Islamic Revolution when this ancient country that

Jonathan Greenblatt (Photo courtesy Anti-Defamation League)

Abraham Foxman (Photo by David Karp)

once championed tolerance instead forged a political ideology in the toxin of antisemitism,” Greenblatt said on November 6 in a speech delivered after the announcement, according to a transcript of remarks provided by the ADL. “Like my grandfather decades earlier, my wife had to flee the land of her birth and came to this country with the help of HIAS as a political refugee because of her Jewish identity. And so our lives and those of our children are shaped by this pernicious force, this longest hatred.” Greenblatt and his wife have three sons. At the White House, Greenblatt serves as director of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation in the Domestic Policy Council, where his portfolio includes national service, civic engagement, impact investing and social enterprise. A veteran of the Clinton administration, Greenblatt has been a serial social entrepreneur. Ethos, the bottled water company he and a business school classmate launched in 2003, donated a portion of its profits to finance water programs in developing countries. After Starbucks bought the company, Greenblatt continued to promote cleanwater funding in the developing world as the coffee company’s vice president of global consumer products. He went

on to serve on the board of the nonprofit Water.org, which was co-founded by the actor Matt Damon. Greenblatt also started an opensource platform for volunteers called All for Good, served as CEO of the media company GOOD Worldwide and founded the Impact Economy Initiative at The Aspen Institute. He has a master’s degree in business from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In the Jewish world, Greenblatt has served on the board of the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, and he was one of the judges in the 2011 “Next Big Jewish Idea” contest of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation. “I have enjoyed a varied career that has spanned business, nonprofit and public service, but the common thread linking these experiences has been a commitment to tikkun olam, to repair the world, whether by building businesses, creating products, driving policy or forging partnerships,” Greenblatt said. Foxman will formally hand over the reins to Greenblatt on July 20. Foxman has been a singular leader for the organization. A child survivor of the Holocaust, he started at the ADL in 1965. Under his leadership, ADL expanded its reach with 30 regional offices across the United States and an office in Israel. In

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Israeli aid group

Farming the Negev

IsraAID is on the frontline of The Young Farmers Incubator humanitarian crises in Iraq and Project seeks to transform the West Africa. Negev Desert through farming. Story on page 3 Story on page 4

News in brief...

2011, the last year for which data is available, the ADL reported nearly $54 million in revenue. But Foxman’s role transcends that of leader of an organization that monitors antisemitic activity, offers discrimination-sensitivity training and runs antibigotry programs, including for law enforcement. He has become the leading global arbiter for what constitutes antisemitism, the go-to person for apologies and exculpation when public figures make antisemitic gaffes or missteps, and a favorite hated figure of antisemites worldwide. He also has been a staunch advocate for Israel. “I’m confident that ADL will continue to thrive and grow under Jonathan’s leadership,” Foxman said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him to ensure a successful and smooth transition.” Greenblatt said he is deeply honored to have been chosen for the post. “The threats that face our community today – including the expanding specter of global antisemitism, the continued legitimization of anti-Zionism and the spreading infection of cyber-hate, are serious and sinister,” Greenblatt said. “Fighting this scourge and advocating for the rights of all is not just an intellectual pursuit – it’s personal for me, a deeply held value, one that has been seared into my soul.”

Federation on Facebook

The Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania now has a page on Facebook to let community members know about upcoming events and keep connected.

Candle lighting November 21............................... 4:20 pm November 28................................4:17 pm December 5..................................4:15 pm December 12................................4:15 pm

Israel as a model of start-up development; European conferPLUS ence on antisemitism; and more. Opinion........................................................2 Stories on page 15 D’var Torah................................................8

THE REPORTER ■ november 20, 2014

a matter of opinion The ABCs of media spin: The NYT and a terror attack

By Ricki Hollander Reprinted with permission of CAMERA – Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America A Palestinian terrorist attack at a Jerusalem light rail train stop that killed a 3-month-old infant and injured eight other Israelis was the subject of a Page 6 news story in the October 23 edition of The New York Times. But instead of presenting the rather clear-cut events in an objective, straightforward manner, reporter Isabel Kershner quickly redirected readers away from the facts of Palestinian violence to focus instead on Israel’s alleged misdeeds. It is just this sort of journalistic manipulation – cherry-picking what facts to share with readers and how to frame them – that is endemic to The New York Times’ biased treatment of Israel. The headline When a violent crime is committed against Israelis by Palestinians, New York Times headlines are at pains to obscure basic facts about the incident by hiding the identities of the perpetrators, and often the victims, and/or presenting the event as mere claims by Israelis. The online and print headlines adhered to this pattern. Print: “Driver Plows Into Group in Jerusalem, Killing Baby” Online: “Driver Plows Into Group at Jerusalem Train Station, Killing Baby, Police Say” Driver? Who is the driver? What baby? Who are the victims? Was the act a deliberate attack or an accident? The headline carefully avoids revealing any of this information, although it was known immediately a Palestinian Arab

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Opinions The views expressed in editorials and opinion pieces are those of each author and not necessarily the views of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Letters The Reporter welcomes letters on subjects of interest to the Jewish community. All letters must be signed and include a phone number. The editor may withhold the name upon request. ADS The Reporter does not necessarily endorse any advertised products and services. In addition, the paper is not responsible for the kashruth of any advertiser’s product or establishment. Deadline Regular deadline is two weeks prior to the publication date. Federation website: www.jewishnepa.org How to SUBMIT ARTICLES: Mail: 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA 18510 E-mail: jfnepareporter@jewishnepa.org Fax: (570) 346-6147 Phone: (570) 961-2300 How to reach the advertising Representative: Phone: (800) 779-7896, ext. 244 E-mail: bonnie@thereportergroup.org Subscription Information: Phone: (570) 961-2300

had veered across the rail tracks to slam into waiting and disembarking passengers, killing a Jewish baby and injuring others. Contrast the evasive treatment of Palestinians as aggressors to recent headlines involving Israelis as perpetrators. In these headlines, there’s no hesitation to directly point out the nationalities of the actors. For example: “6 Israelis Held Over the Killing of a Palestinian” (July 7, 2014) “Killing of Palestinian Youth Puts An Israeli Focus on Extremism” (July 11, 2014) Why is The New York Times afraid to candidly identify Palestinians as aggressors, terrorists, drive-by killers or as perpetrators of any other act of violence committed? The article When it comes to Palestinian attacks on Israelis, the newspaper tends to qualify such violence as a claim by Israelis. This is the case here as well. The initial paragraphs describing the incident are all carefully couched as reports and claims. The reporter begins by presenting a he said-she said scenario, with Israel saying this was an act of terrorism and Palestinians claiming it was a traffic accident. When, later in the story, the reporter cites Palestinian comparisons of this attack to an incident several days earlier in which an Israeli motorist turned himself over to police shortly after his car hit and killed a Palestinian child, she neglects to share with readers that a police investigation found that incident to have been an unfortunate, but inadvertent, car accident. Nor does the reporter provide readers with any details of the Palestinian perpetrator’s long history of violence against Israelis, including hurling firebombs, aggravated assault and rioting. Instead, she qualifies as an Israeli claim that he had “served time in an Israeli prison for security offenses.” Similarly, the perpetrator’s easily verifiable familial relationship to a top Hamas commander is qualified as second-hand information, while information regarding his Facebook messages, pictures and videos about Hamas terrorist attacks, as well as the links he provided to Hamas websites, go completely unmentioned. What is even more disturbing than these initial few paragraphs that omit some of the most incriminating details about the perpetrator while qualifying others is the alacrity with which the reporter turns the story away from the Palestinian attack on Israeli civilians into one of supposed Israeli wrong-doing. Thus, the residency of the Palestinian perpetrator in Silwan becomes a launching point for one of the newspaper’s favorite topics, an indictment of Israelis purchasing property in eastern Jerusalem. And here, by contrast, the reporter apparently feels no need to qualify her statements: “Shaloudy was a resident of Silwan, a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in territory that Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war and later annexed, a step that has not been recognized internationally. An influx of right-wing Jewish settlers who have acquired property in the area in recent years have made the neighborhood a flash point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Why does the reporter use as a starting point Israel’s “capture” and annexation of the territory from “Jordan” in a move not recognized internationally, rather than Jordan’s capture and annexation of the same territory in 1948 in a move considered illegal by the international community? Predictably, Times prefers to frame its narrative from a starting point in which Israel can be indicted. Why does the newspaper cherry-pick the facts about Silwan, erasing Israel’s past when, in fact, Jews lived in Shiloach/Siloam/Silwan not only during the

period of the Temples, but more recently, from the early 1880s until 1939, when British mandatory authorities forced the Yemenite Jews of Silwan out because of violent anti-Jewish riots by Arabs. Jordan made sure to keep the area Judenrein until Israel regained the area in 1967. But the newspaper prefers to conceal this information from readers. Why does the reporter, who so carefully qualifies every statement about the terrorist attack as a debatable claim by Israel, suspend such qualifications when she categorically labels Israelis who legally purchase homes in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem as “right-wing Jewish settlers”? Why does she cast Jewish residency in a predominantly Arab neighborhood as wrong and provocative, but does not portray opposition to Jews living throughout Jerusalem as discriminatory? Why does she write that Jews “acquire properties,” with its nefarious connotation, instead of directly and clearly stating that they “purchased homes.” Would the newspaper similarly present Arabs who move into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in western Jerusalem as “right-wing” and provocative? Would it mention an “influx of right-wing” black people into a white neighborhood? The answer to both is clearly not, as neither fits the newspaper’s preconceived world view in which Israeli actions are cast as illegitimate and measured by a standard different than that applied to others. Similarly, the reporter does not appear to feel any constraint to qualify her words when she pejoratively brands Jews who assert their right to visit their holiest site on the Temple Mount as “hard-right Israelis.” Why does the reporter portray Jews visiting their holiest site as the provocateurs while she presents Arabs violently preventing them from doing so as the victims? Indeed, since its re-unification of Jerusalem, Israel has pledged to allow all faiths freedom to worship at their holy sites. This is in contrast to Jordan, which denied Jews access to their holy sites and Israeli Arabs access to the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, in direct contravention of the 1949 armistice agreements. The New York Times, however, seems to reserve its righteous fury for Israel. Accordingly, when Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ falsely characterized Jews visiting Judaism’s holiest site as “cattle herds of Jewish settlers” that “desecrate” Islam’s holy sites, the reporter did not brand this “right-wing” or provocative. When the Palestinian leader echoed the historic calls of Haj Amin al Husseini in the 1920s and by other Arab

leaders subsequently to “defend Islam’s holy sites” – calls that have successfully triggered anti-Jewish massacres, riots and jihad – she did not label this as inflammatory or malevolent. Instead, she inverted the picture by portraying Abbas’ incitement as an accusation by the Israeli prime minister and justifying it by suggesting “it followed a series of violent confrontations in the mosque compound between Muslim worshipers, protesters and the police.” In fact, these “violent confrontations” were initiated by Palestinian rioters who, on one occasion, barricaded themselves inside the Al Aqsa Mosque, hurling rocks and firebombs and injuring Israeli security forces, and on another occasion, setting up barricades and amassing rocks and firebombs to attack police and Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount. On that occasion, Israeli police locked them into the Al Aqsa Mosque. In other words, Palestinian rioters were trying to prevent Jews from visiting their holy site and were stopped by police. But according to The New York Times, the source of the unrest are the “hard-right Israelis who are increasingly demanding the right to pray” at their holiest site. And when the reporter invokes an event where “Jewish extremists murdered a local Palestinian teenager” as the starting point for tensions in Jerusalem, she places this action above all preceding violence as the trigger for everything that follows. It is telling that it is only the Jewish perpetrators who are labeled “extremists,” while less explicit language is reserved for the Hamas terrorists who abducted and shot dead three Israeli boys. They are simply called “Palestinian militants affiliated with Hamas.” In summary The following steps are routinely used in New York Times articles, either individually or in combination, to create a skewed, misrepresented version of events. A. Diminish Palestinian culpability for adverse events by casting their incitement, hate rhetoric, violence and terrorism as debatable claims by Israel. B. Use pejorative labels for Israelis who assert their legal rights to visit their holy sites or reside in areas of Jerusalem that were under Jordanian occupation between 1948-67. Unlike violence by Palestinians, do not present these Jewish actions as debatable. Cast them as clearly illegitimate and unjust actions. C. Omit the details that most incriminate Palestinian actions. Instead, reduce the story to distribute equal culpability to both sides, or better yet, greater culpability to Israeli Jews.

How Palestinian “lawfare” could backfire

By Danny Danon (JTA) – When it comes to a long-term solution for our conflict with the Palestinians, there is no unanimity among Israelis. Many feel that the two-state solution is the only realistic option, while others believe that a Palestinian state would endanger Israel and therefore a regional agreement is needed to address this complex issue. Nevertheless, despite these divisions, there is widespread agreement in Israel opposing Palestinian diplomatic warfare, commonly referred to as “lawfare.” Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has again presented the United Nations with a unilateral plan for achieving Palestinian statehood. President Abbas’ statement at this year’s U.N. General Assembly, in which he rejected negotiating with Israel, is coupled with

his repeated threats to use international forums against Israel if his demands are not met. It appears that President Abbas is trying to achieve via international institutions what he was unable to accomplish at the negotiating table. He seems to be ignoring, however, that the Palestinians have a lot more to lose from such actions than Israel. In March, as Israel and the American mediators were trying to hammer out an agreement extending the U.S.-sponsored talks, President Abbas decided to sign papers admitting the Palestinian Authority to 15 international treaties and conventions. Many experts in international law see little value in the move. If President Abbas goes ahead with his plans to use international See “Backfire” on page 14

november 20, 2014 ■

THE REPORTER

community news SHDS PTA raising funds through collecting Boxtops Scranton Hebrew Day School PTA participates in the Boxtops4Education program, which helps raise money for schools. Collectible Boxtops can be found on numerous products, including General Mills cereals, Kleenex tissues, Ziploc bags and more. Each Boxtop nets the PTA a minimum of 10 cents, which “adds up quickly,” according to an SHDS representative. The school’s first

At right: Collectible Boxtops found on various products can be donated to the Scranton Hebrew Day School PTA to help fund various events.

Congregation B’nai Harim program to tell story of Chanukah

Congregation B’nai Harim will present a program telling the story of Chanukah on Saturday, December 13, at 10 am, at the Clymer Library in Tobyhanna. Children and adults are welcome and there will be no charge to attend. There will be an interactive storytelling of the events and characters associated with Chanukah told by Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum. An arts and craft project will follow

and the making and eating of traditional Chanukah latkes will be included. Congregation B’nai Harim is a Reform Jewish congregation located at 1539 Pocono Crest Rd., at Sullivan Trail and Route 940, Pocono Pines. For more information, visit www.bnaiharimpoconos.org or call the message center at 579-646-0100.

From Ebola to Iraqi refugees, Israeli aid group tackles world’s crises By Sean Savage JNS.org Known primarily for their military prowess and hightech ingenuity, some consider Israelis to be overlooked in terms of global engagement. However, IsraAID, an Israeli non-profit and non-governmental organization founded in 2001, has been on the frontline of every major humanitarian crisis of the 21st century, including at current difficult situations in Iraq and West Africa. “Our mission is to efficiently support and meet the changing needs of populations as they strive to move from crisis to reconstruction and rehabilitation, and eventually, to sustainable living,” Navonel Glick, IsraAID’s program director, told JNS.org. Drawing on Israel’s military expertise and healthcare system, IsraAID has lent assistance during humanitarian disasters in 22 countries, including the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti; refugee situations in South Sudan and Kenya; and Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy in the United States. In early October, IsraAID supplied mattresses, blankets, food and hygiene kits to more than 1,000 people in the Dohuk and Erbil refugee camps in Iraq’s Kurdish region. Providing aid to refugees in the Arab world is said to be “no easy task” for an Israeli organization, especially in countries hostile to the Jewish state, such as Iraq, which has been overrun by jihadists from the Islamic State terror group. “This is an issue that is very sensitive, but not for the reasons that one would expect,” Glick said. “More than

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GOLAN CHAPTER

Northeast Pennsylvania

shipment has been sent out, and it is now collecting Boxtops for the next batch to be sent in February. Funds raised from the project go to underwrite various PTA events for the students, Chanukah, Tu B’Shevat and Purim treats; the Back to School Barbecue; Lag B’Omer; and more. It also helps fund a teacher appreciation lunch in the spring and other support efforts for teachers and their classrooms during the year. “Community support in this endeavor would be greatly appreciated,” said an SHDS representative. Boxtops can be brought to the Hebrew Day School anytime, or call Rabbi Dovid Rosenberg at 346-1576, ext. 3, for a pick-up.

DEADLINE

The following are deadlines for all articles and photos for upcoming Reporter issues.

DEADLINE

ISSUE

Thursday, November 20............. December 5 Thursday, December 18................. January 1 Friday, January 2.......................... January 15 Thursday, January 15................... January 29

In early October, IsraAID delivered humanitarian supplies to Iraqi refugees in Kurdistan. (Photo by IsraAID) our security, our concern is how to make sure to protect the people that we are helping. Having people we want to assist become the target of Islamic State sleeper cells within camps would be horrendous.” The plight of Iraq’s Christians and Yazidis is similar to the story of the country’s former Jewish community. The modern persecution and expulsion of Iraqi religious minorities draws many parallels to the waves of attacks on, and eventual expulsion of, Iraqi Jewry during the mid-20th century. Nearly 135,000 Jews were forced to leave Iraq from 1948 onwards. See “Refugees” on page 6

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3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Temple Israel of the Poconos, 711 Wallace St., Stroudsburg, PA 18360 Donation: $5.00 per person Spouses, Significant Others, Family, and Friends are Invited Program: Share your Thoughts and Comments after Viewing The Film: “The J Street Challenge” This documentary is a powerful, must see film for anyone with even a casual interest in learning the truth about Israel and “advocacy” in America. It was produced and released by Americans for Peace and Tolerance, a multi-ethnic organization promoting tolerance in communities across the USA.

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THE REPORTER ■ november 20, 2014

Israel’s new pioneers work to transform the Negev desert through farming

By Maayan Jaffe JNS.org In southern Israel, the next generation of Jewish pioneers is making the desert bloom. A group of young, Zionist, idealistic adults are cultivating a previously uninhabited area in the northwest Negev on Israel’s borders with Egypt and Gaza – growing tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, cauliflower, pomegranates, olives and more. “I am there (in the Negev) because I can make a difference,” said Nava Uner, who lives in Bnei Netzarim, one of three Halutza (pioneer) communities, as part of the new Young Farmers Incubation Project. The Jewish National Fund established the project shortly after the 2005 unilateral disengagement from Gaza, one of the most polarizing events in Israel’s history. The Halutza planned communities are part of JNF’s Blueprint Negev campaign, which is aimed at developing southern Israel through infrastructure and jobs. The Negev comprises about 60 percent of Israel’s land, but only eight percent of Israeli citizens live there. But in recent years, the Negev has rapidly evolved into a hub of activity, with a new cyber-security park, an expanded Israel Defense Forces presence and the growth of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Young Farmers Incubator Project

– co-sponsored by the Ness Foundation, Karen Ferber and Ellen Aschendorf – is part of the area’s innovative spirit, aiming to encourage young entrepreneurs who are looking to make a future working the land to stay and invest in their own farms in the Negev. The area, however, is desert. In fact, the Negev is so dry that in 2001, when former Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Yasser Arafat the area as part of a landfor-peace deal, Arafat turned it down over his concern that it is “a place of death... Nothing could grow there.” But today, these young farmers, with the support of veteran farmer mentors, are changing sand into the blossoms of a new beginning. They use hydroponics and scientific techniques developed in the former Gaza-based Jewish communities of Gush Katif to grow bug-free produce. Yedidya Harush, JNF’s liaison for the Halutza communities, explained that when the communities were founded shortly after the disengagement by residents of Gush Katif, only 30 families took part in the plan. Yet the initiative grew steadily until four-and-a-half years later, there are now close to 400 families living in the three communities, with plans to grow to 15,000 families. The Young Farmers Project brought a younger cohort to the land, enabling first-time famers to lease greenhouse space with minimal capital down and low up-front costs for one

Planning on leaving town for a few months? Going on a long vacation? Moving any time soon? You can help save the Jewish Federation money by informing us of your plans and preventing the U.S. Postal Service from charging us for returned mail and address change notices. Before you go, call the Federation office or send us an email and let us know if you would like the mail sent temporarily to a different address, at no charge to you, or halted for a certain number of months. Give us a chance to get it right for you on the first mailing. Contact Dassy at (570)961-2300 or dassy.ganz@jewishnepa.org

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agricultural season. In other parts of the country, several years’ capital could be required. Uner, a South African immigrant, is one of those younger adults. She converted to Judaism after volunteering in a Negev kibbutz, where she met her husband. She spent the last several years studying in Jerusalem, but she and her husband wanted to return to the south. When they heard about the Young Farmers Project, they latched on. “We became religious and we were looking for a place where we could keep growing spiritually,” Uner told JNS.org. “Everything is so new you feel like you are a part of the beginning of something new and special. It has its challenges, but being able to live and farm here – this is something I really enjoy, that I love. This is pioneering.” Harush compared the 21st-century Israel pioneer to those of the past. He said they both face challenges and opportunities. When the first pioneers came to Israel after the Holocaust, they were tired and disenfranchised, with no government support and no infrastructure from which to draw. But they had world Jewry’s support and belief in building a Jewish state. “The challenges we face today are that people think Israel is built and strong already, meaning we don’t need Zionism, which is very wrong,” Harush told JNS. org. “The second challenge is that we have to attract people to come because most people have the comfort of living in the center of Israel or even Be’er Sheva. Getting people is harder than it seems.” But it is not impossible. Jakir Manela – executive director of the Pearlstone Center, an educational Jewish farm in Maryland – said the impulse to work the land in Israel is deep and “strikes at the core of the Jewish soul.” He explained that many of the Jewish holidays and laws center on harvesting Israel. “[The idea is] livnot u’lehibanot, to build the land and to be built by the experience,” he said. Manela said he has seen children and adults who work on Pearlstone’s farm achieve “tremendous growth and insight... I see an awakening, an excitement and a joy – a connection to the world and to God – through the experience [of be-

Nava Uner works in Bnei Netzarim, one of three Halutza (pioneer) communities in the Young Farmers Incubation Project. (Photo provided by JNS) ing at Pearlstone],” Manela told JNS. org. “Working the land is a window into the Jewish experience. That window is exponentially wider, deeper and really higher in Israel.” Beyond the spiritual and the ideal, there is also a strategic component to the Halutza communities. Harush said the area used to be a magnet for the smuggling of drugs, weapons and women. The Sudanese used the unoccupied border to cross illegally into Israel. Furthermore, terrorists were able to move relatively freely from Gaza to Egypt to Israel to carry out attacks. The Halutza communities were struck hard by the recent war against Hamas; more than 70 rockets fell on their land. JNF provided 40 mobile bomb shelters to keep the population safe. While some residents did flee, Harush said most remained and additional families joined, even in recent months. Until now, JNF has invested more than $6 million dollars in these communities. The organization is currently funding a $4 million medical center and a $2.5 million synagogue. “Israel’s biggest national mission is the Negev,” said Harush. “We are Israel’s pioneers.” Maayan Jaffe is senior writer/editor for Netsmart (ntst.com) and a Kansasbased freelance writer. Contact her at maayanjaffe@icloud.com or follow her on Twitter, @MaayanJaffe.

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THE REPORTER

New exhibit brings to life 350 years of American Jews in the military By Hillel Kuttler WASHINGTON (JTA) – Mementos of Jacob Goldstein slide across the 3-foot-by-4-foot horizontal screen like cards being dealt at a casino: his photograph, his name, an Operation Urgent Fury headline denoting the 1983 military campaign in Grenada, Goldstein’s explanatory text summarizing his role during the invasion. Even more striking than the photograph showing the uniformed rabbi wrapping tefillin on the Grenada beach with his rifle resting atop a mound of sandbags is his recollection of going from Lubavitch disciple in Brooklyn, NY, to a U.S. Army officer and chaplain attaining the rank of colonel. Goldstein is among the dozens of individual soldiers whose stories are told in an exhibition that opened Tuesday at the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. Titled “Jews in the American Military,” the exhibit engagingly conveys the role of American Jews in defending their country, from Asser Levy’s being

An artifact case shows objects from World War II. (Photo courtesy of National Museum of American Jewish Military History)

granted the right to bear arms in 1657 to help protect Manhattan, to the 55 Jewish men and women killed in this era in Iraq and Afghanistan. The interactive digital table from whence Goldstein emerges is dubbed “Service Around the World.” Pull up a chair, select a decade since the Cold War began in 1945, tap any dot arising across the map and learn about the American military’s involvement in conflicts, events and humanitarian missions. Many items include individuals’ stories. Others, like the peacekeeping force that President Ronald Reagan dispatched to Lebanon, do not, but curators hope that Jewish veterans will write in with information that can be added. Elsewhere, the exhibit presents text, photographs and artifacts in chronologically ordered sections. Display cases present such Jewish gems as medals from the Civil War and the Spanish-American War; an 1899 prayer book; a captured German rifle from World War II; and a Torah ark that a Chinese officer fashioned from teak as a gift to Morris Gordon, whom the officer had befriended after saving Gordon from drowning during World War II. (Gordon would use the ark while conducting services on the Burma Road.) Nearby, from Guam, is the coconut that Seymour Silverman mailed to his daughter Maurita – writing her name, their Portsmouth, VA, address and a sketch of a palm tree on the fruit itself. Maurita Silverman would follow her father into the military, serving as a nurse in the Vietnam War, according to museum archivist Pamela Elbe. “Jews in the American Military” is a permanent exhibition that took eight years to develop at a cost of $750,000. The funding was raised by Jewish War Veterans of America groups and from the national office of JWV, an affiliate of the museum, with which it shares its brick DuPont Circle building. While the museum has mounted exhibitions on such themes as Korean War service and females serving in World War II, it has never presented a comprehensive look at the Jewish presence in the U.S. military from the start to

A U.S. Marine in Vietnam featured a Magen David on his helmet, circa 1968. (Photo courtesy of National Museum of American Jewish Military History) present day, said museum coordinator Mike Rugel. Drawing on figures supplied by the National Jewish Welfare Board, which tends to the needs of Jewish soldiers, JWV and museum officials estimated, for example, that some 10,000 Jews fought in the Civil War, 225,000 in World War I and 550,000 in World War II. Contemporary membership numbers for JWV are modest, however, as older veterans are dying and the number of Jewish enlistees dropped once the compulsory draft was lifted following the Vietnam War. The organization now has 20,000 members, mostly World War II veterans, according to Norman Rosenshein, its treasurer. To remain viable long-term, JWV is recruiting returnees from Iraq and Afghanistan while offering free membership to the 20,000 Jewish soldiers now on active duty. Poor outreach seems to stand in the way, however. JWV’s national chief of staff, Marsha Schjolberg, provided an example. When Schjolberg’s daughter, who works at the nearby Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, sought See “Exhibit” on page 6

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THE REPORTER ■ november 20, 2014

Refugees

Continued from page 3

“We decided to launch this project because of the incredible needs of the displaced populations fleeing death and abuse at the hands of the Islamic State,” said Glick. “They are coming with absolutely nothing but the clothes on their backs.” According to estimates, more than 1.8 million Iraqis have been displaced by Islamic State. Christians in particular have been singled out by the jihadists, with many being forced to convert, leave or die. Most of the refugees living in Iraq’s Kurdish region are Christians and Yazidis who fled from Islamic State during the summer. A video recently posted by IsraAID shows the organization’s truck arriving at a refugee camp in Kurdistan, with relief workers being greeted by the refugees as they distribute the humanitarian items. While Israel does not have diplomatic relations with Iraq, Israel and the Kurds are said to maintain “warm” relations, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has backed Kurdish independence. “We do not want to hide our identity, and to be honest, with those who knew where we were from, we never encountered any animosity whatsoever – quite the opposite at times, in fact,” Glick said. IsraAID is funded by a diverse group of sources, including North American Jewish communities, Christian partners, foundations, corporate sponsors and private individuals. The American Jewish Committee recently announced that it would provide assistance to IsraAID’s efforts in Iraq and

IsraAID (workers pictured at right) is providing training in Sierra Leone amid the Ebola crisis. (Photo by IsraAID)

West Africa. AJC has partnered with IsraAID in the past on a number of humanitarian relief missions. “AJC has long responded to humanitarian crises around the world,” Kenneth Bandler, AJC’s director of media relations, told JNS.org. “Our partnership with IsraAID began about a decade ago to offer an international Jewish response to manmade and natural disasters, and emergency situations. “IsraAID’s ability to send quickly much-needed humanitarian and medical experts and supplies, and to be among the very first on the ground, is impressive and, importantly, demonstrates that Israelis can and do assist others,” added Bandler. Currently, IsraAID is the only Israeli entity present on the ground in West Africa amid the Ebola crisis. Glick, who currently is in Sierra Leone to help lead the organization’s efforts there, described the situation as “very worrying.” The Israeli Foreign Ministry and MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation – have jointly begun sending aid to the region, including the deployment of mobile field hospitals that feature isolation units and protective gear for medical professionals. Despite increasing international assistance, more than 4,000 people have died so far in the Ebola outbreak. “The Ebola outbreak continues to spread, and while an increasing amount of international support is coming, the healthcare workers that have been on the frontline of the fight for more than five months now are absolutely exhausted, burnt out and traumatized,” Glick said. In Sierra Leone, IsraAID is beginning to provide training to address the psycho-social impact of Ebola. “Most people realize the very direct medical efforts necessary to tackle the disease, but only now are people starting to realize the psychological toll that the outbreak has had on huge sections of the population – from fear of infection, to grief for whole families and communities that have been decimated, all compounded by increasing stigma toward survivors and the families of victims,” Glick said. According to Glick, the reaction to IsraAID training has been “very positive” among the people of Sierra Leone and the country’s government – including support from the first lady of Sierra Leone, Sia Koroma, who is a trained psychiatric nurse.

Friends of The Reporter Dear Friend of The Reporter, Each year at this time the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania calls upon members of our community to assist in defraying the expense of issuing our regional Jewish newspaper, The Reporter. The newspaper is delivered twice of month (except for December and July which are single issue months) to each and every identifiable Jewish home in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

columns that cover everything from food to entertainment. The Federation assumes the financial responsibility for funding the enterprise at a cost of $26,400 per year and asks only that we undertake a small letter writing mail campaign to our recipients in the hope of raising $10,000 from our readership to alleviate a share of that responsibility. We would be grateful if you would care enough to take the time to make a donation for our efforts in bringing The Reporter to your door.

As the primary Jewish newspaper of our region, we have tried to produce a quality publication for you that offers our readership something on everythingfrom opinions and columns on controversial issues that affect our people and our times, to publicity for the events of our affiliated agencies and organizations to life cycle events, teen columns, personality profiles, letters to the editor, the Jewish community calendar and other

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In early October, IsraAID delivered mattresses and blankets (among other supplies) to Iraqi refugees in Kurdistan. (Photo by IsraAID) Though the crisis in West Africa is serious, Glick said people around the world need to stop the panic and hysteria surrounding Ebola. He said the sensationalistic global reaction to the outbreak is leading to a growing stigma associated with people from West Africa and hampering efforts to combat the disease. “This disease is indeed dangerous and scary, but it is not easily transmitted, and even in the affected countries, there are still millions of people that are living their lives every day,” he said. Glick said IsraAID is committed to continuing to provide aid to Iraqi refugees as winter approaches, and he believes that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is also a long-term project that may take several years to contain and heal. “The road to containing and eventually beating this disease is still a ways away, and mitigating its psychological impact will probably take years,” he said.

Exhibit

Continued from page 5 to publicize a talk on this Veterans Day by a Jewish author of a new book on military heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan, a local JWV post refused to help promote the event. Indeed, said Schjolberg, a San Diego-area resident who served in the Naval Reserves for 28 years, she didn’t learn of JWV’s existence until after she had retired. Her late father, Harold Fuchs, a World War II veteran, lived just 10 blocks from a JWV post near Los Angeles and would eagerly have participated in the organization had he known about it, she said. Schjolberg said she hopes the exhibit helps inform non-Jews of the contributions made by this one ethnic segment of America. The exhibition abounds in examples. Col. Teddy Roosevelt, the exhibit text states, held his Jewish soldiers in high regard and became a member of the Hebrew Veterans of the War with Spain, a precursor to JWV. A photograph shows Murray Blum, killed on December 3, 1943, after rescuing a Merchant Marine shipmate when a German U-boat torpedoed their vessel. Then there’s Col. Gerald Fink, a Korean War fighter pilot shown in his plane, “Big G” chalked on its door. The plane was shot down in 1951 and Fink was tortured as a prisoner of war. He passed his time woodworking and, using shattered glass and an improvised knife, sculpted a three-foot crucifix memorializing Father Emil Kapaun, a Catholic chaplain and fellow American POW. “Surely, the crucifix made by a Jew for a deceased priest in a Communist prison camp is unique,” the exhibition’s text states. “It was a point of pride for Col. Fink until his death in 1987.” The National Museum of American Jewish Military History, at 1811 R St. NW, in Washington, DC, is open 9 am-5 pm Mondays to Fridays, and by appointment on Sundays. It is closed on Jewish and federal holidays.

Notice to our Pocono Readers 911 Emergency Management Services has been updating mailing addresses in Monroe County and Lehman Townships in Pike County. Please don't forget to notify the Federation so you will continue to receive The Reporter. Thanks, Mark Silverberg, Executive Director Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania

november 20, 2014 ■

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THE REPORTER ■ november 20, 2014

d’var torah

Holy names/holy laughter By RABBI BARUCH BINYAMIN HAKOHEN MELMAN, TEMPLE ISRAEL OF THE POCONOS, STROUDSBURG Toldot, Genesis 25:19-28:9 Our name is our essence, the keenest description of our most innate aspect of being. In parashat Toldot we experience the birth and the naming of Ya’akov and Esau, the disparate twins of Yitzhak and Rivka. Ya’akov means “supplanter,” or “heel,” the ergonomically accessible point by which to pull another back and pass him by in the process, in the very same instant.The blessings that accrue to Ya’akov give the Divine imprimatur to the biblical idea of merit over birth order, of moral primacy over primogeniture. Yitzhak’s rising over Ishmael was arguably won by dint of the power struggles between Sarah/wife and Hagar/handmaid-concubine, beyond solely the purity of the merit of the children. But with the ascendancy of the younger Ya’akov over the older Esau, there is no question that they shared the same set of parents; all control factors accounted for; everything else being equal. The name Ya’akov in its deepest essence alludes to the ikvei mashiach, the footsteps of the annointed one, the future redeemer.The age of redemption will be characterized by the vainquishing of the stronger by the weaker, of the still small voice of quiet prayer over the gluttonous, raucous, brutish impetuosity of strength and power and might. Hakol kol Ya’akov (“the voice is the voice of Jacob”) will win in the end over hayadayim y’dei Esav (“but the hands are the hands of Esau”). Esav means “done,” already made, his spiritual growth already completed by the time he left the womb. The name Esau has the rank odor of fermentation on the brink of spoilage, of the psychological security of amassed comforting false remembrances of the glory of things past asserting domination over the hope, aspirations and promise of the emerging moment of a new day that is dawning. Yitzhak himself achieves fulfillment by earning in the end his own name. Avimelech is gazing out his window (Genesis 26:8) and saw, and lo and behold, Yitzhak was enjoying himself with his wife Rivka: “...vayar vehiney Yitzhak mitzahek eyt Rivka ishto.” Well, finally Yitzhak himself is living his name, whatever it may mean. Does anyone remember “laughter” in the Torah? In Lech Lecha (Genesis 17:17), Avraham laughs when God tells him that he and the newly named Sarah will have a son in their old age. Further on, in Vayera, Sarah now laughs (Genesis 18:12) when she overhears the angel/man saying, “your wife Sarah will have a son.” Later, however, in the same parasha, Sarah sees the son of Hagar “mitzachek-ing” with Yitzhak, which our holy commentaries say possibly allude to sex-play or scornful mockery. Why was Ishmael’s behavior seen as unworthy by the text in light of Sarah’s insistence that Hagar and her son be expelled on account of it, whereas it is seen as valorized and worthy when performed by Avraham, Sarah and now by Yitzhak himself? That is because, like the gift of speech, laughter itself is holy and must never be misused. In all three of the latter cases, the laughter took place in the presence of the holy. Avraham’s laughter took place in the presence of God, Sarah’s likewise was in the presence of the angels, emissaries of the Divine. Finally, Yitzhak’s holy laughter took place in the presence of Avimelekh’s glimpse into a Divinely granted vision of the future. How’s that? It says (Genesis 26:8), “vayehi ki archu lo sham hayamim,” customarily translated as “when he had been there a long time.” It could also be read deeply and metaphorically as “when ‘they’ made his days long,” alluding to a Divinely granted vision of the eschaton, the end of history, a long day, when all will be in a constant state of Shabbat, a yom shekulo Shabbat, a “day” that is entirely like Shabbat.

At the end of time, Yitzhak will be mitzachek, i.e., we, his descendants, will be in a state of holy bliss brought about by the awareness of being in the presence of the Divine. On Shabbat, we experience a temporary vision of the yom shekulo Shabbat, of the bliss that awaits the righteous at the end of days. And “archu” is prefigurative of the psalmist’s “orech yamim asbiayhu va’arayhu beyeshuati...” (Tehillim 91), “With long life I will satisfy him, and I will show him my salvation.” i.e., “he will witness the salvation I will bring about at the advent of the Messianic age.” This, on the deepest level, is the meaning of Avimelech’s gaze, connecting Yitzchak to the Divine laughter awaiting each of us in the end of days. Here (Genesis 26:8), the “hashkafa” of Avimelekh precedes the ultimate revelation of the end of days. Divine laughter, holy laughter, is the celebration of all life on earth, that everything occurs according to God’s plan, following the teleological timeline to cosmogonic bliss. But Hagar’s son’s laughter was mocking laughter, not the laughter of the Divine Presence. He had crossed that fine line and Sarah’s holy intuition perceived it. He is called (in parashat Vayera) in the text “ben-Hagar” purposely on account that he had learned the art of mockery from his own mother, who had herself scorned and mocked Sarai when she had conceived while Sarai had not. The three angels gazed (vayishkefu) at Sodom (Genesis18:16) immediately prior to God’s revelation of His plans for the city to Avraham. There, “hashkafa” (gazing) immediately precedes revelation. Likewise, Avimelekh’s gaze prefigures awareness of the ultimate redemption. May we all, like Yitzchak, live our true essence, becoming the persons we were destined to be, and in our own worthy way, help bring about the vision of Avimelekh and taste the salvation of that long day, when the great light shall shine forth from Zion and when all darkness shall be banished. Shabbat Shalom. Good Shabbos. This Torah commentary is dedicated to the memory of my holy parents, Israel and Esther Melman, z”l. ©2014 by Rabbi Baruch Binyamin Hakohen Melman

The Charles Bronfman Prize

The Charles Bronfman Prize is now accepting nominations for its 11th annual prize recognizing dynamic young humanitarians, inspired by Jewish values, whose innovation and global impact serves as inspiration for the next generations. It accepts nominations in all areas of humanitarian endeavor across a broad spectrum of disciplines. Nominations will be evaluated against the following criteria: Individuals or teams who created the vision upon which an organization is based. Nominees who have not reached their 50th birthday by the close of the nomination period on Thursday, January 15. Next generation leaders who have a vision for change that will better the world in a meaningful way Nominees who have created a mechanism for acting on their vision in ways that deliver measurable results Nominees who exhibit innovation, leadership and impact in their chosen field; and Nominees whose Jewish values and universal regard for humanity inspire and serve as a model for future generations. The deadline for nominations is January 15. Full guidelines and forms for nomination may be downloaded at www.TheCharlesBronfmanPrize.com.

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november 20, 2014 â&#x2013;

(left to right) Sheila Abdo - Jewish Family Service,

THE REPORTER

Esther Adelman - Temple Hesed and Alex Gans - Scranton Hebrew Day School - are holding the gift certificates donated by Krispy Kreme and given to the agencies that gave us the most volunteers for Super Sunday!

thank you

The Jewish Federation gives thanks to all of the Super Sunday volunteers who made telephone calls and helped in other ways to raise the much needed funds for our local Jewish Community and for our brothers and sisters in Israel and other areas of the world. The volunteers include: Campaign 2015 Co-Chairmen Mark & Joan Davis, James Ellenbogen, Super Sunday Chairman, Sheila Abdo, Esther Adelman, Jean Blom, Maggy Bushwick, Bernice Ecker, Esther Elefant, Vera Epshteyn, Nancy Friedman, Alex Gans, Ruth Gelb, Harold Kornfield, Barbara & Louis Nivert, Rabbi Dovid Rosenberg and Mildred Weinberg. A huge thank you to Lou Nivert, who graciously allows the Federation to use his business office, as a base for making the telephone calls for this annual fund raising event.

THE REPORTER ■ november 20, 2014

Book review

Comics: American and Israeli

never given, has not finished building by RABBI RACHEL ESSERMAN the emperor his palace. When pressured, Comics have grown up. While the the architect produces a drawing/paintyounger crowd still reads them, some of ing of the building, which infuriates the us who spent our early years engrossed in emperor. Yet, somehow, the architect is comic books continue to love the graphic able to enter the drawing and never return. format of pictures and words. Part of this The story’s ending is abrupt, leaving the group prefers to read the latest edition of reader wondering exactly what happened their favorite superhero comic. Others have – something I’ve felt about other works graduated to graphic works offering more by Agnon. Yet, once again, the tale is adult content. Two recent books show just redeemed by the illustrations, particularly how wide the world of comics/graphic those showing the architect at work on works has become. While the “Jewish his painting. Comix Anthology” edited by Steven M. While only one illustrator is featured Bergson (Alternate History Comics) conin “From Friend to Foe,” the “Jewish tains stories by more than 45 artist/writers, Comix Anthology” offers a wide variety Israeli illustrator and author Shay Charka of artists and drawing styles. The stories has turned three short stories by S. Y. Agnon range from silly to serious and include into the graphic works in “From Friend to folk-tales, glimpses of real life, superFoe and Other Stories” (The Toby Press). I’ve never been a big fan of Agnon, but A page from “Onions and Garlic” by A page from “My Zayde” by Ellis Rosen natural happenings and rabbinic legends. these graphic versions transform his simple Chari Pere from the “Jewish Comix from the “Jewish Comix Anthology.” Some are reprints from previous decades, while others are offered for the first time tales into something wonderful. The title Anthology.” in this anthology. story struck me as a Jewish variation on With 40 graphic works, it’s difficult to write about all “The Three Pigs,” only in Agnon’s version, a man con- about a man whose doctors order him to drink more tends with the King of the Wind. The unnamed narrator milk. He buys a goat, who, after disappearing for several of them, but ones that stood out include: wants to live in Talpiot, a hilly area outside of Jerusalem days, returns with the sweetest milk he’s ever tasted. The Chari Pere’s clever folktale “Onions and Garlic,” that was unsettled at the time. Unfortunately for the nar- man has his son follow the animal, who travels from the which tells its story without dialogue. rator, the King of the Wind objects to his presence and Diaspora to the land of Israel through a mysterious cave. The sweet “My Zayde” by Ellis Rosen (adopted from a sends him back to Jerusalem after destroying his tent, a The ending, like that of many Yiddish tales, is bittersweet. song by Moishe Yess) that celebrates family and love. wooden hut and a stone house. The wind is finally defeated In my mind, the graphic version is an improvement on Stephen Sheinkin’s “The Rabbi’s New Suit,” by a cement house. The best part of the story, though, the original, since Charka offers images of the cave which transports a Jewish folktale to the American is Charka’s drawings, particularly his personification of through which the boy and goat travel. The depictions Wild West. the King of the Wind. Even though the wind bedevils of the village in Europe and the land of Israel are also The for-adults-only “The Chaste Maiden” by Katherine Pero (based upon “Tzemach Tzadik” by Rabbi Yehuda the narrator, he looks so delightful you’re tempted to beautifully done. root for him instead. The third story, “The Architect and the Emperor,” is Arie Leone da Modena), whose beautiful drawings belie “The Fable of the Goat” is based on a Yiddish folktale more offbeat, focusing on an architect who, for reasons the horror to come. “Bontsha the Silent” by Dov Smiley (adapted from a story by I. L. Peretz), whose hero is offered his heart’s desire in heaven and whose answer shames the heavenly host. Will Eisner’s “Street Magic,” which offers wisdom for new immigrants living in the hostile streets of New York City.

P A C E

Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment

See “Comics” on page 14

Your gift to the Annual Campaign DOES A WORLD OF GOOD. Endowing your gift allows you to be there for the Jewish community of NEPA forever. A Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment (PACE) is a permanent fund that endows your Jewish community Annual Campaign gift as a lasting legacy. A PACE fund will continue to make an annual gift in perpetuity on your behalf. To determine the amount you need to endow your entire campaign gift, multiply your current annual gift by 20. You can fund your PACE by adding the JEWISH FEDERATION OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA to your will, or by making the Federation a beneficiary of your IRA. All contributions to establish a PACE are tax deductible.

Let your name be remembered as a blessing. Endowments can be created through a variety of vehicles, some of which do not necessitate funding during your lifetime yet still provide your estate with considerable tax benefits. They also enable you to perpetuate your commitment to the Annual Campaign in a way that best achieves your own personal financial and estate planning goals.

Examples Of Ways To Fund Your Pace Gift Are:

* outright contribution of cash, appreciated securities or other long-term * capital gain property such as real estate * charitable remainder trust * gift of life insurance * charitable lead trust * gift of IRA or pension plan assets * grant from your foundation * reserved life estate in your residence * bequest

Using appreciated property, such as securities or real estate, affords you the opportunity to eliminate the income tax on the long-term capital gain, will in some instances generate a full income tax charitable deduction and will remove those assets from your estate for estate tax purposes. For more information contact Mark Silverberg at Mark.Silverberg@jewishnepa.org or call 570-961-2300, ext. 1.

A page from the title story from “From Friend to Foe and Other Stories.”

november 20, 2014 ■

THE REPORTER

THE REPORTER ■ november 20, 2014

C H A N UK AH

Style A -$36 • Actual Size: 3.22” x 1.975”

Chanukah Greetings!

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november 20, 2014 ■

THE REPORTER

THE REPORTER ■ november 20, 2014

Comics

November 2014

• Non-Feature Films •

*NEW* Everything is a Present: The Wonder and Grace of Alice Sommer Hertz - This is the uplifting true story of the gifted pianist Alice Sommer Hertz who survived the Theresienstat concentration camp by playing classical piano concerts for Nazi dignitaries. Alice Sommer Hertz lived to the age of 106. Her story is an inspiration. Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story - Yoni Netanyahu was a complex, passionate individual thrust into defending his country in a time of war and violence. The older brother of Benjamin Natanyahu, the current Israel Prime Minister, Yoni led the miraculous raid on Entebbe in 1976. Although almost all of the Entebbe hostages were saved, Yoni was the lone military fatality. Featuring three Israeli Prime Ministers and recently released audio from the Entebbe raid itself. Hava Nagila (The Movie) - A documentary romp through the history, mystery and meaning of the great Jewish standard. Featuring interviews with Harry Belafonte, Leonard Nimoy and more, the film follows the ubiquitous party song on its fascinating journey from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to the kibbutzim of Palestine to the cul-de-sacs of America. Inside Hana’s Suitcase - The delivery of a battered suitcase to Fumiko Ishioka at the Tokyo Holocaust Museum begins the true-life mystery that became the subject of Karen Levine’s best-selling book Hana’s Suitcase. The film follows Fumiko’s search to discover the details of Hana’s life, which leads to the discovery of her brother George in Toronto. *NEW* Israel: The Royal Tour - Travel editor Peter Greenberg (CBS News) takes us on magnificent tour of the Jewish homeland, Israel. The tour guide is none other than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The viewer gets a chance to visit the land of Israel from his own home! Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story (narrated by Dustin Hoffman) - This documentary portrays the contributions of Jewish major leaguers and the special meaning that baseball has had in the lives of American Jews. More than a film about sports, this is a story of immigration, assimilation, bigotry, heroism, the passing on of traditions, the shattering of stereotypes and, most of all, the greatest American pastime. *NEW* Nicky’s Family - An enthralling documentary that artfully tells the story of how Sir Nicholas Winton, now 104, a British stockbroker, gave up a 1938 skiing holiday to answer a friend’s request for help in Prague and didn’t stop helping until the war’s beginning stopped him. He had saved the lives of 669 children in his own personal Kindertransport. *NEW*Shanghai Ghetto - One of the most amazing and captivating survival tales of WWII, this documentary recalls the strange-but-true story of thousands of European Jews who were shut out of country after country while trying to escape Nazi persecution. Left without options or entrance visa, a beacon of hope materialized for them on the other side of the world, and in the unlikeliest of places, Japanese-controlled Shanghai. The Case for Israel - Democracy’s Outpost - This documentary presents a vigorous case for Israel- for its basic right to exist, to protect its citizens from terrorism, and to defend its borders from hostile enemies. *NEW* The Jewish Cardinal - This is the amazing true story of Jean-Marie Lustiger, the son of PolishJewish immigrants, who maintained his cultural identity as a Jew even after converting to Catholicism at a young age, and later joining the priesthood. The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg - As baseball’s first Jewish star, Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg’s career contains all the makings of a true American success story. Unmasked: Judaophobia - The Threat to Civilization – This documentary exposes the current political assault against the State of Israel fundamentally as a war against the Jewish people and their right to self-determination.

• Feature Films •

Fill the Void - This is the story of an eighteen-year-old, Shira, who is the youngest daughter of her family. Her dreams are about to come true as she is set to be married. Unexpectedly, her sister dies while giving birth to her first child. The drama of the story reaches its peak when the girls’ mother proposes a match between Shira and the young widower. Shira will have to choose between her heart’s wish and her family duty. Footnote - The winner of the Cannes Film Festival (Best Screenplay) is the tale of a great rivalry between a father and son, two eccentric professors, who have both dedicated their lives to work in Talmudic Studies. Each has a need for recognition in his chosen field and the day comes when father and son must look deeply inside themselves for the truth- advancement of his own career or of the others. Hidden in Silence - Przemysl, Poland, WWII. Germany emerges victorious over the Russians and the city comes under Nazi control. The Jews are sent to the ghettos. While some stand silent, Catholic teenager, Stefania Podgorska, chose the role of a savior and sneaks 13 Jews into her attic. Noodle (compatible only on PAL – DVD players - Hebrew with English subtitles) This film was a beloved entry in the Jewish Federation of NEPA’s Jewish Film Festival. It tells the heartwarming story of an Israeli stewardess, Miri, whose personal life as a war widow leaves her without much joy. Everything changes for Miri when her Oriental housemaid disappears one day leaving her with her young Oriental child! The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - Based on the best- selling novel, this movie is unforgettable. Set during WWII, the movie introduces us to Bruno, an innocent eight-year-old, ignores his mother and sets of on an adventure in the woods. Soon he meets a young boy and a surprising friendship develops. *NEW* The Concert - Andrei Filipov was prodigy- at 20 he was the celebrated conductior for Russia’s renowned Bolshoi Orchestra. Thirty years later, still at the Bolshoi, he works as a janitor. Ousted during the communist era when he refused to fire the Jewish members of the orchestra, a broken Andrei now cleans the auditorium where he once performed in front of thousands. The Debt - In 1966, three Mossad agents were assigned to track down a feared Nazi war criminal hiding in East Berlin, a mission accomplished at great risk and personal cost- or was it? The Other Son - As he is preparing to join the Israeli army for his national service, Joseph discovers he is not his parents’ biological son and that he was inadvertently switched at birth with Yacine, the son of a Palestinian family from the West Bank. This revelation turns the lives of these two families upsidedown, forcing them to reassess their respective identities, their values and beliefs. *Just added to the Jewish Federation’s Film Lending Library!

Continued from page 10 “I See the Dogs,” written by Clifford Meth and illustrated by Michael Netzer, whose dark drawings tell the story of a wise and holy cat in 1939 Poland just before the arrival of the Holocaust. Art Spiegelman’s “Prince Rooster,” which illustrates a story based on one of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov’s parables. Six tales feature the golem (a manlike statue of clay that comes to live), including a modern feminist variation, “Workin’ Girl Golem” by Joe Infurnari. The biggest surprise is that the longest story, “Golem” by Joe Kubert, was originally published in 1946. It opens in Prague in 1944 before going back in time to 1513 in order to explain the original version of the legend, which features the real life Rabbi Judah Loew. The breadth and depth of the works featured in the “Jewish Comix Anthology” are impressive. It would make a perfect gift for anyone who loves comics; the book also serves as an excellent introduction to the contribution Jewish artists are making to Jewish literature.

Backfire

Continued from page 2 institutions to force concessions from Israel, then Israel, the United States and other fair-minded countries should demand that the Palestinian Authority be held accountable to the treaties and conventions it has signed. If he proceeds down this route, President Abbas will soon find that his own P.A. is in blatant violation of at least 11 of these 15 treaties and conventions. In April, just a few weeks after rejecting the American efforts to continue the peace talks, President Abbas announced that his Fatah faction was forming a unity government with the Hamas terrorist organization. It is well-documented that during its battle with Israel this summer, Hamas regularly used area inhabited by Palestinian civilians to launch attacks on Israeli civilians. This put it in direct violation of the Geneva Convention that the Palestinian Authority signed for both firing from civilian locations and purposely targeting civilian population centers. Another treaty that the P.A. is likely to find itself in direct violation of is the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. President Abbas apparently signed this convention without closely examining the legal system of the Palestinian Authority, which includes a law forbidding selling land to Jews. Those who have broken this law have been sentenced to the death penalty. It is hard to see how President Abbas would defend such a law in international legal forums. One more example of legal trouble President Abbas might find himself in relates to the U.N. Convention Against Corruption that he signed in March. Even the biggest financial supporters of the P.A. regularly report blatant irregularities regarding the funds they contribute. In September, the European Union reported “significant shortcomings” in the P.A.’s management of the $2.5 billion in aid that was provided from 2008-2012. Close observers of the P.A.’s budget know that this is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mismanagement and outright corruption. I raise these issues not to threaten the Palestinian Authority, but to make clear that there is legal and diplomatic recourse for unilateral Palestinian action. Regardless of one’s positions on Palestinian statehood, it should be made clear that this 100-year-old conflict will not be resolved if President Abbas continues on his path of unilateral action and attempts to circumvent direct dialogue with Israel. The latest conflict in Gaza and the newfound public awareness of the evils of Hamas have afforded the Palestinian leadership with the chance to improve the condition of its people. Instead of once more validating Abba Eban’s statement that the “Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity,” we can only hope that President Abbas will change course. Now is the time to disassociate himself and the P.A. from the terrorists of Hamas and join with the moderate forces in the region who are striving to end Islamic fundamentalism, and move the entire region forward on a path of progress and hope. Based on his most recent actions, it is doubtful that President Abbas will have the moral courage needed to make the hard choice and put his people on the right side of history. Personally, I am even more skeptical than many of my colleagues that President Abbas will make such a move. What needs to be made clear, however, by the governments of Israel and the United States is that unilateral actions and diplomatic warfare by the Palestinians will no longer be met with defensive hesitation. There can be real tools that can be used against such actions and we should not shy away from using them. Danny Danon, a Knesset member, has served as Israel’s deputy minister of defense.

november 20, 2014 ■

THE REPORTER

NEWS IN bRIEF From JTA

Argentine conference looks at Israel as model of start-up development

An Argentine municipality hosted a conference with Israel as its model for start-up development. On Nov. 11, the Israeli flag was flying over the Vicente Lopez district for a conference titled “Start-up Nation: Israel as a paradigm of the entrepreneurship ecosystem.” The municipality, with a population of some 271,000, is located about 12 miles north of Buenos Aires City and is part of the Buenos Aires province. More than 60 businessmen heard from a panel of Argentine and Israelis presenters about Israel’s model to develop start-ups. “The Israeli model has a lot to bring to our society, the panel was inspiring for our entrepreneurs and we want to improve the institutional links with Israel,” Eduardo Vinales, general director of economic development for Vicente Lopez, told JTA. “After this success, we want to continue showing here the Israeli model in order to transfer to Vicente Lopez Israeli methodologies and experiences. Argentinians and Israelis share a basic personality trait, which is the ability to challenge the limits, and think we are capable of achieving great things without fear of failure,” he said.

German envoy to visit Dutch cemetery with SS soldiers’ graves

Germany’s ambassador to the Netherlands is slated to attend a commemoration at a cemetery where many SS soldiers are buried. Franz Josef Kremp is scheduled to attend the Nov. 16 ceremony at the Ysselsteyn cemetery near Eindhoven in the eastern Netherlands, a cemetery for victims of World War II. He is aware that it contains the remains of SS soldiers, according to a report Wednesday by the Dutch De Telegraaf daily. “I think this is an affront,” Herman Loonstein, founder of the Federative Jewish Netherlands group, told the daily. “Mr. Kremp should not be presenting SS soldiers as victims. Jews were the victims.” Loonstein is a Jewish activist against commemoration in the Netherlands of Nazis and soldiers who fought for Germany. De Telegraaf reported that it had obtained a letter written by Kremp about the Ysselsteyn cemetery – where neo-Nazis have gathered in the past to honor Nazi soldiers buried there – in which he stated, “Among the dead resting here are German and Dutch war casualties, including Waffen SS.” The report did not say to whom the letter was addressed and in what context. The Waffen SS was an elite Nazi unit whose men are responsible for the murder of countless Jews during the Holocaust. Holland, which saw heavy battles between soldiers fighting for Nazi Germany and Allied forces, has many cemeteries where combatants from both camps are buried. In recent years, Jewish groups like Loonstein’s have protested an emerging trend in which commemorations are extended not only to the Allied forces’ casualties and Holocaust victims, but also to the German soldiers. Organizers of such events have justified them as promoting reconciliation. The Center for Information and Documentation on Israel, the Jewish community’s watchdog on antisemitism, has criticized the practice, warning it blurs the line between victim and perpetrator.

hate-crimes legislation, and vigorously pursue and prosecute perpetrators; and uphold the clear distinction between legitimate political protest and antisemitism. “[A] Europe where anyone feels afraid or endangered because of the actions, beliefs or speech of a neighbor is a Europe where everyone’s rights are at risk,” Power said.

Israel bars U.N. investigators of Gaza operation

Israel denied entry to members of a commission appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate possible war crimes committed during Israel’s Gaza operation this summer. Israel on Nov. 12 did not permit the so-called Schabas Commission to enter Israel from Jordan, then announced it would not cooperate with the investigation. In July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the council for choosing to investigate Israel rather than nearby crisis zones such as Iraq or Syria, and implied he would not cooperate with U.N. investigators. The operation was ongoing at the time. The Human Rights Council moved that month to establish a commission of inquiry “to investigate all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” while Operation Protective Edge was still going on. The commission is named for William Schabas, a Canadian-born professor of international law at Middlesex University in London. Schabas said in an Aug. 12 interview with Israel’s Channel 2 that it would be “inappropriate” to assert that Hamas is a terrorist organization. Last year, Schabas said that Netanyahu would be his “favorite” leader to see tried by the International Criminal Court. Following the end of the last Gaza conflict, in early 2009, Israel refused to cooperate with a U.N. investigation led by the South African jurist Richard Goldstone. The probe, dubbed the Goldstone Report, alleged that Israel had intentionally targeted civilians, though Goldstone later personally retracted the allegation. Israel rejected the original report as inaccurate and biased.

Metal detectors to scan Muslim visitors to Temple Mount “when necessary”

Israeli police will use metal detectors to scan Muslim worshippers going to the Temple Mount, Israel’s public security minister said. The detectors will scan for guns and other weapons made out of metal, Yitzhak Aharonovich told Israel’s Channel 1 on Nov. 12. Muslim worshippers have had free access to the site since 2000, when the use of detectors was discontinued. The Temple Mount has been the site of escalating violence of late. “We’ll use them when necessary,” Aharonovich said. “Any suspect will be inspected. For crowds we’ll use cameras – we’ll increase the supervision of people entering the compound, both Jews and Muslims.” He said that a facial-recognition surveillance system also would be installed. Aharonovich also said that he would prevent Jewish lawmakers and other Jewish visitors from going to the Temple Mount when necessary to prevent tension or rioting. “Those who want to make things hotter on the Temple Mount, from the right or the left, be it the Islamic Movement, Fatah or Israeli rightist movements, including lawmakers, we have the authority to prevent them from going,” he said.

Suspected Paris shul bomber can be extradited from Canada

Canada’s Supreme Court declined to hear the case of the prime suspect in a deadly 1980 synagogue bombing in Paris, paving the way for his extradition to France. The nation’s top court on Nov. 13 did not give reasons for its refusal to hear the case of Hassan Diab, who was seeking to appeal lower court rulings that called for his extradition. French authorities allege that Diab was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and took part in the bombing of the Rue Copernic synagogue that killed four and injured more than 40. Diab, 60, a dual Lebanese and Canadian citizen, has repeatedly denied the allegations. He and lawyers appealed an extradition order charging that France’s reliance on secret information raised issues of constitutionality and procedural fairness in Canada. French authorities also cite fingerprint and handwriting evidence against Diab. In case before the Supreme Court, Canadian authorities had argued that it “raises no issue of public importance.” In 2011, an Ontario judge upheld a French request for Diab’s extradition even though he said the case against him was weak. Since then, Diab has been living under house arrest. He had been working as sociology professor in Ottawa. The lower court’s decision was upheld by Ontario’s Court of Appeal and the federal justice minister. The high court’s ruling “sends an important message: that diligent, committed authorities will never cease in their pursuit of justice against terrorists on behalf of their victims,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a statement.

Rising antisemitism threatens all of Europe, Samantha Power tells Berlin confab

Rising antisemitism in Europe threatens not only Jews but overall European values, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said at a conference on antisemitism in Berlin. The event, which concluded on Nov. 13, was organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to mark the 10th anniversary of the first OSCE conference on antisemitism and its concluding declaration, which underscored that political events in the Middle East were no excuse for hate crimes. That admonition of 2004 remains relevant today, Power said, adding that “robust steps must be taken” to combat the problem. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, confirmed at the conference that “bold and brutal anti-Semitism has shown its ugly face again” in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. While noting it is the right of all citizens of a democracy to protest, Power, who headed the U.S. delegation to Berlin the week of Nov. 13, said demonstrations in Europe “increasingly feature vicious antisemitic rhetoric and, in some instances, even transform into antisemitic mobs.” If leaders do not act to ensure the safety of their citizens, “they will provide Hitler with a posthumous victory of a ‘Judenrein’ Europe,” Abraham Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League’s national director and a member of the U.S. delegation to the conference, said in a statement. Power urged European leaders to appoint high-level envoys to focus on antisemitism; pass

Effective immediately, send all articles and ads to our new E-mail address,

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please note!

Dear Friend: PROJECT JOY, through the Scranton Jewish Community Center, was the “brainchild” of a very special woman, RoseBud Leventhal. Although RoseBud has passed on, the project continues in her memory. The monies come solely from private donations. The goal is a simple one. We want every child to experience a special Holiday season. Through your generosity, we can do this. This year in our area the economic situation has worsened. Our gift might be the only one a child receives. Last year, over 75 children benefited with wonderful gifts we purchased from wish lists that we received from Jewish Family Services, the Catherine McCauley Center and Saint Joseph’s Center. In this northeast Pennsylvania region, one out of every three children lives at or below the poverty level. In 2009 we added Children and Youth Services and Children’s Advocacy to our list of needy children and were thrilled that we were able to help even more kids. And, as always, we still visited the pediatric departments of our three local Scranton hospitals to give their patients gifts of cheer over the holidays. Once we were made aware of specific needy families in the area, we were fortunate to have the monies to assist them too. In 2013, due to your generous giving, we were able to add United Neighborhood to our list. We hope this year to give even more gifts with your help. Each year we receive so many “thank you letters and notes,” which just confirms how extremely vital and special this project has become. This all depends on you! Please send a donation to “PROJECT JOY” in care of the Scranton JCC, 601 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510. Or you can just drop off a new unwrapped toy at the JCC’s office. We will be wrapping the gifts on Thursday, December 11th at the JCC starting at 9:00 am. All volunteers are welcome. Please call Carol Leventhal at 570-587-2931 or 570-586-0241 if you will be able to help us wrap gifts this year. It’s fun and worthwhile! Thank You! Carol Leventhal, Chairperson Project Joy

ÊVisit the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania on the web at www.jewishnepa.org or on Facebook

THE REPORTER ■ november 20, 2014

What will be your Jewish Legacy?

A Program of the

For more information about leaving your legacy, legacy gifts or bequests contact:

Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania TEL: 570.961.2300 (ext. 1) E-Mail: Mark.Silverberg@Jewishnepa.org With the true spirit of kehilla and our commitment to tikkun olam, the Jewish Federation’s CREATE A JEWISH LEGACY Initiative is a community-wide partnership established between the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania and its many UJA-funded educational, social service, cultural and recreational agencies and institutions including the State of Israel and the needs of world Jewry – all with a shared vision of ensuring a strong and sustainable Jewish future.

TODAY. TOMORROW. TOGETHER These include world-wide Jewish needs (JDC), the State of Israel, Scranton JCC, Jewish Family Service of NEPA, Scranton Hebrew Day School, Scranton Mikveh, Temple Hesed Religious School, Scranton Temple Israel Religious School, Yeshiva Beth Moshe/Milton Eisner Institute, Bais Yaakov of Scranton, B’nai Harim Religious School, Jewish Fellowship of Hemlock Farms Religious School, Jewish Discovery Center/Chabad, Bnos Yisroel of Scranton, Jewish Resource Center of the Poconos and Temple Israel of the Poconos Hebrew School