THE JEWISH VOICE AND OPINION Promoting Classical Judaism
February 2015
Vol. 28 • No. 5
Shevat-Adar 5775
Bibi to Address Congress While the Obama Administration Works to Promote His Opponents opponents in particular, are working to have the invitation withdrawn or Mr. Netanyahu forced to decline or reschedule. The pro-Israel camp is trying to convince legislators, especially Democrats fearful of angering President Barack Obama, that it is in the best interests of the US and Israel to hear what Mr. Netanyahu has to say. Mark Langfan, chairman of Americans for a Safe Israel, is encouraging all pro-Israel Americans to call as many Sen-
The turmoil that resulted
from the invitation issued by US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress on March 3 has prompted the involvement of many Americans on both sides of the aisle. His chief topics will be the problems of Islamist terrorism and Iran’s nuclear capability. A slew of Israel’s enemies in general, and Mr. Netanyahu’s
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Muslim Death by Fire Designed to Demonstrate Hell on Earth Many commentators, ranging from President Barack
Obama to the talking heads on TV news programs, dismissed the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as demonstrating a perversion of Islam when it presented its horrifying 20-minute video of an execution of Jordanian pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh by burning him alive. But according to an expert in Arabic culture and political discourse, the film displays a method of eliminating enemies
that is well known and documented in early Islamic sources and is based on a deductive legal principle of Sharia law. In fact, he said, the entire film is meant to justify the scene shown near its end: the fiery execution of the Jordanian pilot. “Islamic sources describe how Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin of Mohammed who married his daughter, Fatima, and became the fourth Caliph, burned two heretics to death,” said Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University.
Inside the Voice Pro-Israel Films..............................................3 Kol Ami: Should Bibi Speak?.............. 6 The Current Crisis............................... 7 Gap Year Website..............................12 Project SARAH...................................14 Kosher Culinary Travel...........................16 HonestReporting Mission....................17
Gili’s Goodies Purim................................18 Building Bridges....................................... 19 Interesting Reading................................ 20 Just in Time for Purim ............................22 The Log..........................................................24 Mazal Tov.............................................31 New Classes This Month................32
According to Dr. Kedar, there is a dispute among Islamic religious scholars as to whether executing a person by fire is allowed. Some say only Allah is licensed to condemn heretics to the flames, that is to burn in Hell. “The Islamic State—which sees itself as the force that will reestablish the original Islamic State—uses Ali’s precedent of burning enemies, and allows punishment by fire on earth,” said Dr. Kedar. Condemned to Hell Dr. Kedar said that the
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Chesed Ops.................................................33 Gemachs ......................................................33 Ess Gezint: Hungarian Purim...............38 What You Can Do .............................39 Index of Advertisers ........................41 Honor the Professional...................43 Letters to the Editor ........................44
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“Body and Soul” and Other Pro-Israel Films Work to “Shore Up” the Committed and Answer the Lies On February 24 in Teaneck
and February 26 in North Brunswick, ZOA-New Jersey in conjunction with a few other groups will present Gloria Z Greenfield’s acclaimed film, “Body and Soul: The State of the Jewish Nation.” It will be shown in a few other local venues as well. In 65 minutes, Ms. Greenfield manages to explain clearly, visually, and documentarily, the more than 3,000-year connection between the Jewish people, the land of Israel, and history. Before the close of the 20th century, this film would
not have been necessary. Those who opposed the birth and support of the State of Israel did so based on political grounds, not on whether or not Jews had a connection to the Holy Land. One of the achievements of the Palestinian-Arabs, certainly since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, has been their promotion of the narrative that, contrary to all evidence—historical, literary, archeological, and religious—the Jews never had any connection to Jerusalem or the land of Israel. According to this narrative, the Kotel is nothing more than
the wall to which the Prophet Mohammed tied his steed before his night-time journey. Jerusalem-based author and columnist Naomi Ragen equated this point of view with denying the Holocaust. “It is so insane, it leaves one sputtering in wordless confusion. It’s like being asked to prove you aren’t dead,” she said. Genocidal Narrative Using maps, illustrated manuscripts, archeological artifacts, ancient coins, drawings, paintings, photographs, legal documents, highlighted newspaper clippings, and videos,
Ms. Greenfield allows 36 prominent experts, including ambassadors, archeologists, authors who have explored and written about antisemitism, historians, journalists, legal scholars, parliamentarians and legislators, rabbis, Christian theologians, and academics to make the point that the anti-Israel propaganda at the heart of the Arab narrative against the Jewish state is, at its core, genocidal against the Jewish people. In the film, Itamar Marcus, founder of Palestinian Media Watch, a group that monitors
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THE JEWISH VOICE AND OPINION, Inc. © 2015; Publisher and Editor-in-Chief: Susan L. Rosenbluth Phone (201)569-2845 Managing Editor: Sharon Beck, Advertising: Rivkie Stern The Jewish Voice & Opinion (ISSN # 1527-3814), POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631, is published monthly in coordination with The Central Committee for Israel. A one-year subscription is $25. Periodicals postage is paid at Englewood, NJ and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Jewish Voice and Opinion, POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631. All advertising in the Jewish Voice and Opinion must conform to the standards of the Orthodox Rabbinic kashruth. Editorial content reflects the views of the writer and not necessarily any other group. The Jewish Voice is not responsible for typographical errors.
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Kol Ami: Should Bibi Speak? Should Dems Go? The Obama administration and its supporters have made it clear that the President wants Israeli PM Netanyahu’s speech to Congress cancelled. On The Jewish Voice’s Facebook page,
Of course Netanyahu will speak to Congress, and of course every Congressman and Senator should show him the respect that he, and this issue of absolute global importance, deserve. Iran has sworn repeatedly to wipe Israel off the face of the map and is completing its nuclear-weapons capacity to commit the genocide. There is nothing more critical than this. Alexis Worlock Salt Lake City, UT
If the Dems have a problem with the GOP, they should deal with that and not involve a foreign guest, especially the PM of Israel. I am sufficiently livid that any Dems might decide to boycott the PM’s address, that I have just changed party affiliation from Democrat to Conservative. Any attempt to delegitimize Israel is an existential threat to me, my family, and my people. If forced to choose between a liberal agenda that forsakes Israel or conservative one that favors Israel, I will always choose the latter. Elizabeth V Wyler Fair Lawn, NJ
the question last month was: Should Bibi decline the invitation, or should he speak? Should Democrats hear what he has to say, or acquiesce to the President and boycott? Y
Let the Dems take a position one way or the other so all of us know where they stand. Netanyahu is not coming to force anyone to choose sides. That is only an effect of his acceptance of the speaking engagement. At the end of the day, everyone will hear or read the speech anyway, and then they can decide if the US is headed in the right direction and whether or not to confront the President. Avraham Leibler Jerusalem, Israel
PM Netanyahu is the leader of the only true American ally in the Middle East and should be treated with respect by all Americans. Those who choose not to attend his speech do so at the risk of their political futures. The American people want to hear what the PM has to say, and we are the ones paying the bills. It is our country that the wonderful PM of Israel is visiting. Kenneth Smith Denison, TX
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The Current Crisis: “Even in Laughter, the Heart Can Ache” When “Je Suis Charlie” popped up everywhere last month, our friend Prof Steve Plaut reminded us that no one had ever worn a “Je Suis Tatiana” button. In 1997, then-26-year-old Tatiana Suskin became perhaps the first person in a non-Muslim country to be convicted and sentenced to two years in prison (hey, the prosecutor wanted twenty-six) for the crime of insulting Islam. She was caught red-handed plastering posters, on storefronts in the Palestinian section of Hebron, with depictions of the Prophet Mohamed as a pig stamping on the Quran. One can only imagine whether last month, she felt satisfaction at the evolution of Western civilization, or envy that it did not come soon enough for her, as she watched copies of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine, complete with unflattering pictures of Mohammed, literally fly off the world’s newsstands. No arrests. People cheered. In 1997, Ms. Suskin’s sin was compounded by the reaction to her posters by rioting Muslims. The incident set off days of street clashes in Hebron between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. In Egypt, a man charged with murdering nine (that’s nine) German tourists said he had been spurred to action by Ms. Suskin’s posters. We don’t know where Ms. Suskin’s sentencing Judge, Zvi Segal, is today, but we’d like to think that maybe he too has evolved, and did not cheer while the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists were murdered. After all, their works also were blamed for countless Muslim riots and murders. Which brings us to President Barack Hussein Obama, the only Western leader in the world who did not travel to Paris to join the protest for freedom of speech.
If you listened to the President’s spokesmen, you’d figure this was just another of his blunders. But no, grasshopper. Our friend Mark Langfan reminds us that on September 12, 2012, in the wake of the murders of US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans by Muslim terrorists in Benghazi, Libya, the White House issued a statement that most assuredly reflected the true feelings of our Commander in Chief: “We are aware that a French magazine published cartoons featuring a figure resembling the Prophet Mohammed, and, obviously, we have questions about the judgment of publishing something like this. We know that these images will be deeply offensive to many and have the potential to be inflammatory. But we’ve spoken repeatedly about the importance of upholding the freedom of expression that is enshrined in our Constitution.” Then-Press Secretary Jay Carney went on to say that while the White House didn’t question Charlie Hebdo’s right to publish the cartoons, the administration did condemn “the judgment behind the decision to publish it.” Mr. Langfan’s conclusion was that Obama’s refusal to join Western Civilization’s leaders in Paris last month was no accident. It was a conscious decision not to memorialize the cartoonists he considers to be slanderers. So, where was Judge Segal when Obama needed him? Maybe he was the one who locked up Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the Coptic Christian behind the video, “Innocence of Muslims,” which the White House initially blamed for the Benghazi murders. We haven’t seen any “Je Suis Nakoula” buttons either. S.L.R.
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Pro-Israel Films
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Palestinian media, recalls a conference of Palestinian historians which met shortly after the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993. The conference publicly concluded that one of the goals of Palestinian historians was to “write a Palestinian history that won’t allow for the existence of any other people in the land.” Aided by their supporters, the Palestinians have managed to make that narrative official, certainly according to many Western intellectuals. In the film, American military historian Victor Davis Hanson says this should not be surprising because, once indoctrinated with a “mythic pseudo-history,” the Western cultural elite, many of whom are, by nature antiWest in general and antisemitic in particular, use this information to their best advantage. “So if I am a classical scholar or…an ancient historian or…a Byzantine historian, I know that
if I insert a particular thought or idea about Israel taking land or Israel being illegitimate,… I understand there are going to be benefits paid to me. I might get a professorship; I might get a medal; I might get a literary award,” he explains. No Christian Ties Either All Israel’s supporters have suffered as a result. For religious Christians, it means their Scriptures have been denuded of meaning. The Christian Bible describes the child Jesus’s studying with the elders in the Jewish Temple, his dismay at the lack of spirituality he saw in the area around the Temple, and his dealings with Jews in Jerusalem, the Galilee, and throughout Israel. “Jesus was a Jew. He was a devout Jew; so were his parents; so were the disciples. So, if you try and negate Jewish history and the claim that the Jewish
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people have to the land, we then as Christians have no faith,” says Luba Mayekiso, national director of the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. Connection Is Not Holocaust-Based Given the proliferation of this basic antisemitic view, which has permeated academia, the media, and many levels of society, Ms. Greenfield’s premise is that it cannot be ignored. Even those who accept the ancient Hebrews’ connection to the land of Israel often reject the modern state, saying that it was illegitimately born on the ashes of the Holocaust due to remorse of guilt-ridden Western leaders who forced the Arabs to pay for Europe’s sins. This point of view was proffered by President Barack Obama in his speech in Cairo in 2009, when he tried to explain that because the Jews had suffered in the Holocaust, they are entitled to Israel. In “Body and Soul,” historian and Israel Prize winner Professor Anita Shapira rejects the cause-and-effect connection between the Holocaust and the birth of the Jewish state. According to Dr. Shapira, Israel was established despite the Holocaust, not because of it. “The great reservoir of the Jewish people that had dreamed about the state of Israel, who
were potentially the citizens of the future state, perished in the Holocaust,” she says. “The Holocaust was important in the sense that it galvanized the American-Jewish community around Zionism, around the idea of the Jewish state.” Ms. Greenfield allows us to wonder whether there would have been a Jewish state at all had America opened its doors to the Jews who were trying to flee Hitler’s persecution. No Palestine Author, feminist leader, and human rights campaigner Professor Phyllis Chesler called the film an “antidote to a world that has been taught to believe that a false history is sacred, namely that the ancient ‘Plishtim,’ or Philistines, were the ancestors of the people recently designated as ‘Palestinians.’” When pushed, most historians concede that this is not true. “Palestine” was the name given to the land by the Romans who were determined to humiliate the Jews who had rebelled against them. According to Prof Chesler, the Romans “linguistically wiped out what had long been known as Israel/Judah/Jerusalem/The Holy Land and renamed it after the Jews’ classic enemy of Biblical times, the Philistines, who had invaded from the Greek Isles.”
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DNA Connection Most historians agree that the contemporary Arab group known as “Palestinians” is not descended from the original inhabitants of what became known as the Holy Land; and current Jewish Israelis are not “Eastern European colonial interlopers.” While many Jewish Israelis—as well as American Jews—have EasternEuropean backgrounds, DNA studies have shown that they also are descendants of dispersed Jews who once lived in ancient Israel. Of course, many Israelis are from the
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of Israeli Aggression, David Meir-Levin recalls that the late Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat was trained by KGB Communists to reframe Arab attacks on the Jews that had been ongoing since the 1920s. Instead of seeing those attacks as a Muslim religious Jihadi obligation, the media was presented with the idea that the violence was an expression of secular nationalism motivated by a quest for political selfdetermination. That is why, to this day, Palestinian leadership never talks about Arabs’ attacking Jews, but, rather, “resisting” them. According to Mr. Meir-Levin, Ho Chi Min’s chief North Vietnamese strategist General Vo Nguyên Giap told Mr. Arafat that the PLO needed to employ “strategic deception” to conceal its real goals and give the appearance of moderation. “Stop talking about annihilating Israel and instead turn your terror war into a struggle for human rights, Then you will have the American people eating out of your hand,” Mr. Giap told Mr. Arafat, according to Mr. Meir-Levin. Similarly, Mr. Ben-Meir cites Ion Mihai Pacepa, a former chief of Communist Romanian intelligence who later defected to the West. Mr. Pacepa recalled that, in March 1978, he secretly brought Mr. Arafat to Bucharest for instructions on how to behave in Washington. According to Mr. Pacepa, RomanianCommunist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu told Mr. Arafat, “You simply have to keep on pretending that you’ll break with terrorism and that you’ll recognize Israel— over and over and over.” Shoring Up the Choir Ms. Ragen was not disturbed that those she called “brainwashed to ignore historical fact” will probably not be convinced by Ms. Greenfield’s film. “It will certainly help most normal people understand the connection between the Jewish people, the Torah, and the land of Israel, all three being fundamental pillars of our faith and our identity as Jews. While some might deride this as preaching to the converted, what I always tell people who use this expression is that even the most pro-Israel person needs to be shored up and strengthened against the gale winds of hatred and disinformation blowing our way these days,” she said.
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Professor Chesler said Ms. Greenfield’s film had confirmed her own view that “the single ‘accomplishment’ of the United Nations may be its legalization of Jew-hatred.” Mandates Last fall, Ms. Ragen saw “Body and Soul” in Jerusalem, where it was followed by a panel discussion moderated by British journalist and strong supporter of the Jewish state Melanie Phillips. A member of the panel, Dr. Eugene Kontorovich, who is an expert in international law and who appears in the film, pointed out that after World War I, the old Ottoman Empire, which subsumed most of the Middle East, was divided into mandates, which were to become independent states. These mandates, established by the League of Nations, created the countries of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. It was supposed to include the Mandate of Palestine for the Jews, which was to comprise all of the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), Jordan, and Gaza. When the UN took over, its partition plan gave 77 percent of the Mandate land meant for the Jewish state to the Palestinian-Arabs, creating Jordan. This means that before the 1967 Six-Day War, Jordan’s occupation of the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) was illegal under international law. Dr. Kontorovich also made clear that if the Palestinians were to succeed in denying the validity of the Mandate that created Israel, it would mean the same is true for all the other Mandates in the Middle East that became states. Asked why the UN’s partition plan led to dancing in the streets of Israel, Prof Kontorovich said there was “Jewish joy” at being given anything at all. Ethnicity Using the current issue of Crimea and Russia as an example, he debunked the Palestinian claim that the Land of Israel should belong to them because of their ethnicity. Crimea, he pointed out, is filled with ethnic Russians and was handed to Ukraine “in a completely arbitrary and dysfunctional way.” Nevertheless, he said, international law holds that Crimea now belongs to Ukraine. “Body and Soul” shows graphically how initially the UK tried to appease both Arabs and Jews, until the decision was made to side with the Arabs. The
information given by Dr. Kontorovich, Irwin Cotler, and Alan Dershowitz demonstrates the legal basis for the creation of the Jewish state and its right under international law to retain land won in wars of self-defense. Countering the Lies The inescapable conclusion of “Body and Soul” as well as those on the Jerusalem panel, is that the only group with a legitimate claim to the land of Israel is the Jews. “Palestinians were given a fictional national identity, a national identity invented solely for the purpose of destroying a true one,” said Ms. Phillips. She acknowledged that many of the people who subscribe to this “mad narrative” are not irrational antisemites. In
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fact, she said, many truly believe in “justice.” However, she said, they have been fed untruths. “They believe lies, that illegality is law. Many millions have been fed a big lie,” she said. Ms. Greenfield’s goal is to counter two of the lies: That Jews had no connection to the Land of Israel prior to 1948, and that Judaism is not part of Israel-Zionism, that one can be anti-Israel without being antisemitic. Local Screenings “Body and Soul: The State of the Jewish Nation” will be shown at Teaneck Cinemas on Cedar Lane on Tuesday, February 24. At 7pm, there will be a wine-and-sushi reception with Ms. Greenfield, sponsored
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by ZOA-New Jersey and American Friends of Yeshivot Bnai Akiva. The film will be shown at 7:45pm. Two days later, on Thursday, February 26, ZOA and a few other organizations will sponsor another showing of the film at Congregation B’nai Tikvah in North Brunswick. There will be a Chinese dinner with Ms. Greenfield at 7pm, and the film will be shown at 8pm. At the conclusion of these screenings, Ms. Greenfield will be available to answer questions. For more information on either screening, call 201-424-1825. On Thursday, February 19, the film will be shown in South Jersey at Congregation Beth El in Voorhees at 7pm. For more information, call 856-675-1166. Other Important Films In addition to “Body and Soul,” a number of other important films will be shown in the next few weeks.
They range from “Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front,” a comingof-age story of five Israeli high school graduates who are drafted to defend their country; to the unusual documentary-within-adocumentary, “Night will Fall.” Several times this month, HBO will air “Night Will Fall,” a film that chronicles the making of the 1945 documentary, shot by Sidney Bernstein, then a British government official, and directed by a young Alfred Hitchcock, about the German concentration camps. Entitled “German Concentration Camps Factual Survey,” the original documentary shows gruesome scenes from the thennewly liberated camps. The film languished in British archives for nearly seventy years, and is now being shown by HBO to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
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The title of the new film was derived from a line in the narration of the 1945 documentary: “Unless the world learns the lesson these pictures teach, night will fall.” “Night Will Fall” will be shown on HBO on Thursday, February 12, at 1:30pm; Sunday, February 15, at noon; and Tuesday, February 24, at 4pm. “Beneath the Helmet” “Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front” understands that at the age of 18, most Israelis will leave their homes, families, and friends to join the IDF and undergo a demanding, inspiring journey, revealing the core of who they are and who they want to be. Many—especially the left-wing anti-Israel camp— portray these young people as ruthless, vicious predators. But supporters of the Jewish state, as well as virtually all Israelis, see them as defending not only their homes but also the values of peace, equality, opportunity, democracy, religious tolerance, and women’s rights. The film will be shown at 7pm on Sunday, February 22, at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston (973929-3096); on Sunday, March 8, at 4pm at the Beth El Synagogue in East Windsor (609443-4454); on Sunday, March 15, at 8pm at Congregation Bnai Tikvah in North Brunswick (732-297-0696); on March 29 at the JCC in West Orange as the closing night’s offering of the Jewish Federation of North Jersey’s Israel Film Festival (973-530-3417); and on Tuesday, April 21, at 7:30pm, at the JCC Rockland in West Nyack (845-362-4400). For other screenings, call the film’s central headquarters at 888-515-5292.
“The Green Prince” As part of the Jewish Federation’s Israel Film Festival, “The Green Prince” will be shown at the JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly on March 15 at 7pm. Based on the book, Son of Hamas, by Mosab Hassan Yousef, the film is a graphic depiction of how a young man, molded and destined to become a terrorist murderer, rebelled against the senseless violence, became a willing and able Israeli informant, and, in the process, lost his family and friends, but saved his own soul and countless Jewish lives. It is also the story of his tough-as-nails Israeli Shin-Bet handler, Gonen Ben Yitzhak, who ultimately came to understand the human needs of his young informant. In helping Mr. Yousef, Mr. Ben Yitzhak sacrificed his profession but saved his own humanity. For information on “The Green Prince,” call 201-820-3900. “Above and Beyond” Motzei Shabbat, February 14, at 7:30pm, the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale will screen “Above and Beyond,” the story of American pilots who smuggled airplanes into Israel from the US in 1948 and then flew them in the Jewish State’s War of Independence. For information, call 718-796-4730. For information about other “Above and Beyond” screenings, go to http://aboveandbeyondthemovie.com/Screenings These films are all important at this time, which was recently described by author and Prof Emeritus of the University of Washington Edward Alexander, as “the historical juncture, in which millions of Arabs and hundreds of millions of Muslims awaken each morning thinking of ways to
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A New Website Helps Students Navigate How to Make the Most of the Gap Year in Israel The gap year in Israel be-
tween high school and college has become routine for many (if not most) Orthodox youngsters in the United States. Day school high schools and yeshivas boast about the number of graduates heading off to Israel each year the way prep-school headmasters crow about the percentage of their graduates on Ivy League campuses. Parents and students alike often characterize the year spent in Israel after high school as “pivotal” in terms of the student’s emotional and spiritual development. Knowing this, many day schools offer their 11th graders an “Israel Night,” which is as important as “College Night.” Representatives of yeshivas, seminaries, and specialist programs make themselves available to students and their parents, all of whom come with many questions. Making the Decision Trying to help students make the right choice often rests with the individual high school’s team of Israel advisors, experts who are taxed with making suggestions and guiding their young charges. But students frequently are loath to take their advice, instead preferring the Israeli institu-
tions their friends or siblings are attending, or have happily attended in the past. Yoni Mozeson, a marketing professional who made aliyah several years ago from Bergen County, understands the difficulty. “With so many choices, how do you know which one is right for you or your child?” he asks. VirtualIsraelNight.Com To help the decision-making process, he and Moshe Tapnack, an Israeli-based webmaster originally from South Africa, have created a new website they call VirtualIsraelNight.com. Their goal is to make sure that schools, parents, and students can find all the information they need in one convenient place. “There are new programs starting all the time, and many are simply not on the radar of local day schools and yeshivoth. The gap year in Israel is too important for the selection not to be an informed choice,” said Mr. Mozeson. In addition to presenting core information, VirtualIsraelNight.com serves as a forum where students and their parents can develop a philosophy about what will make a great Israel experience. They can discover which
schools and programs in Israel offer college credits that may be transferable to academic institutions in the US, and which offer programs in which the learning is “lishma,” undertaken simply for the sake of Torah learning itself. Outside the Routine There are as many opinions about what should be the ideal goal of a full-year Israel experience as there are schools offering programs to newly arriving students. For example, Rabbi Dani Zwick, director of Chai Israel/ Yesod in Jerusalem, sees the gap year as a time “to step outside of your regular routine and refuel your inspiration and motivation.” His school bills itself as designed for students who are “interested in an amazing year in Israel, but not ready for a full-time yeshiva.” The school attracts students who are interested in “learning and growing in Israel by connecting to Judaism through a diverse Israel experience.” “Our unique gap-year program combines thought-provoking classes, volunteering, touring, exciting excursions,
Pro-Israel Films destroy Israel and murder its Jewish inhabitants; when US Secretary of State John Kerry doggedly unfurls his best Chamberlain umbrella at the latest charade of nuclear negotiations with Iran’s mullahs; when a White House spokesman declares the President’s ‘eagerness to restore Iran to the family of nations;’ when The New York Times finds ever more ingenious ways to ‘explain’ the Islamist murder of Israelis in Jerusalem (or Jewish school-
Israeli culture, and meaningful experiences, all in a comfortable, inspiring Jewish atmosphere,” said Rabbi Zwick. Joy and Creativity Rabbi Avrohom Shimon Weingot, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Shalom Rav in Tsfat, said the gap year should not be about “academic success.” Rather, he said, it is for students to have “a positive, fun experience in their Judaism.” “A student can go back after his or her year in Israel and say, ‘It’s fun to be a religious Jew. I could do this.’ That is our goal,” he said. Tsfat is also the setting of Sharei Bina, the Women’s Center of Jewish Studies. Rebbetzin Tova Weingot, who founded the school with her husband Rabbi Rafael Weingot in 1993, serves as the school’s principal. She sees a year at Sharei Bina as an opportunity “to develop a relationship with Hashem from a fresh perspective.” “It’s a year to think, to acquire tools for life, to appreciate that Torah observance from a deep place of meaning, a place that works for you,” she said. She places emphasis on creativity, which she said is “a way for a girl to understand
cont. from page 10 children and their teacher in Toulouse), and columnists declare in that paper’s magazine that ‘The Palestinian cause has become the universal litmus of liberal credentials,’ or call for ‘a third intifada.’” These films may “provide some assistance in throwing back the concerted attempt to expel Israel from the aforementioned ‘family of nations’ and so destroy the Third Temple— and almost certainly the last,” he said. S.L.R.
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
and express herself, and to make the learning a holistic experience as well as an intellectual one. She encourages relaxation, which when coupled with respect for her individuality, allows a young woman to “delve deeper and develop her own authentic ‘emunah.’” Halachic Challenges For Rabbi Dr. Darrell Ginsberg, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Migdal HaTorah, a new program in the relatively new-but-ancient city of Modiin, the gap year should be about “immersing in an environment unlike any other.” “You are surrounded by the infinite wisdom of the Torah with rebbeim and friends who all share the same desire to grow. It is a year that is life-changing,” he said. In addition to advanced studies in Gemara, Tanach, halacha, Jewish history, hashkafa and Eretz Yisrael, the Migdal HaTorah curriculum focuses on contemporary issues with an emphasis on the many halachic challenges Torah-observant young men will face as they establish careers and confront the complexities of the modern world. The majority of Migdal HaTorah’s rabbis and faculty hold professional positions in the secular world. The school feels this allows them to serve as positive role-models of a lifestyle that balances a commitment to advanced Torah learning and mitzvoth with the demands of college, career, and family. Good and Great The diversity of programs presented on VirtualIsraelNight.com has met with approval from the deans many of the students will encounter after the gap year in Israel. Dr. Karen Bacon, dean of Stern College for Women in Manhattan, said making the most of the gap year depends on the program and the student. “A good Israel experience is one that meets a student’s expectations. A great experience is one that stretches her beyond those expectations to the realization that she is part of something greater than herself, and that greater something is the destiny of the Jewish people,” she said. At Stern, Dr. Bacon said she looks for students “who are ready to live these greater expectations through their commitment to Torah U’madda (the combi-
nation of Torah and secular wisdom) and their passionate support for the State of Israel.” Resonating Growth Dr. Moshe Sokol, dean of Lander College for Men of Touro College in Queens, advises students to spend the gap year seeking “to grow spiritually, to understand more deeply why Judaism should be central to the life they lead, and why the experience of Israel should be so meaningful.” A successful gap year allows students to “discover their own personal Jewish path which resonates with them, not only intellectually, but emotionally as well.”
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“Students should seek to develop the emotional and intellectual independence and fortitude to pursue vigorously the life goals they will eventually come to choose for themselves,” he said. Dr. Sokol’s counterpart at the Lander College for Women in Manhattan, Dr. Marian Stoltz-Loike, said approximately 90 percent of the young women at her branch of Touro College spend one or two “gap years” in Israeli seminaries before returning to the US to finish their degrees. “They return scholastically enhanced and spiritually invigorated by this enriching experience,” said Dean Stoltz-Loike. S.L.R.
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
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Project SARAH Breakfast: Ending Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse in the Orthodox-Jewish Community On Sunday, March 15, Proj-
ect SARAH (Stop Abusive Relationships at Home) will hold its annual communal breakfast in recognition of the organization’s 18 years of serving victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, primarily in New Jersey’s Orthodox-Jewish community. The breakfast will take place at Congregation Keter Torah in Teaneck at 9:30am. Because it focuses on the Orthodox-Jewish community, Project SARAH enables survivors to overcome the cultural, religious, and legal barriers that might otherwise dissuade them from accessing needed services. Project SARAH attributes its 75 percent growth in the number of new clients in just the last two years to the vast communal support it receives. Project SARAH now serves more than 100 clients in individual therapy, with a range of services that includes vocational counseling, psychiatric care, legal referrals, support groups for men and women, and specific therapy services for children who have been exposed to domestic violence and/or sexual abuse. Camps, Schools, and Shuls In addition to clinical services, Project SARAH regular-
ly provides educational and training opportunities for the community. The organization’s staff has trained more than 700 camp counselors on how to maintain a safe environment and how to recognize red flags in order to prevent abuse. More than 1,000 elementary-school students have participated in the nationally recognized Aleinu Safety Kid Program, which is run by Project SARAH. Aleinu is a comprehensive, multimedia presentation for faculty, parents, and children in grades pre-K to 4, designed to increase child safety and prevent sexual abuse of children. Recognizing that religious spiritual leaders often receive the first calls victims of abuse make in their quests to seek outside help, Project SARAH has trained over 200 pulpit rabbis and rebbetizins on how to respond to the allegations of abuse that are brought to their attention. Additionally, the spiritual leaders were shown how to offer proactive help to those whom they suspect might be in an abusive relationship. Mindful of recent studies indicating that one in five female students are assaulted during their college careers, Project SARAH has organized programs for more than 100 college students featuring videos focusing on stalking
as well as emotional and physical abuse that can take place in Orthodox relationships. The videos prompted thoughtful discussions on healthy and unhealthy relationships. Honorees At the breakfast, awards will be given to community leaders who have partnered with Project SARAH in its goals. The Rabbinical Supporter Award will be presented to Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, senior spiritual leader of Congregation Ahavath Torah of Englewood, for his longstanding promotion of Project SARAH’s communitybased work. He has participated in the organization’s rabbinic training programs, seeks Project SARAH’s guidance when a crisis arises, refers congregants to the agency, and has been a vocal supporter of Project SARAH’s mission to members of his congregation. The Aleinu Hero Award will be presented to Rabbi Jonathan Knapp, head of school of Yavneh Academy in Paramus. Rabbi Knapp has invited Project SARAH into his school to train his faculty, students, and their parents on child safety through the Aleinu Safety Kid program. His consistent commitment to this training has placed Yavneh in a leadership role in Jewish Day Schools.
Volunteer-recognition awards will be presented to Aliza Schachter, Rachel Wertentheil, and Rivka Zauderer, all of whom have served as chairs of previous Project SARAH breakfasts, sacrificing their time to ensure that the fundraisers have been successful. In addition, they have worked to help the organization expand the array of services it offers. Before the summer, each of the honorees has hosted “fireside chats” in which members of Project SARAH’s trained staff come into their homes to meet with small groups of parents to offer guidance and language on how to discuss personal safety with their children at summer camps. In Court The breakfast’s keynote speaker will be Jill Starishevsky, author of “My Body Belongs to Me.” In her told as a NYC assistant district attorney, Ms. Starishevsky has prosecuted thousands of sex offenders. She has dedicated her career to seeking justice for victims of child sexual abuse and sex crimes. For more information about the Project SARAH breakfast, call 973-777-7639, email e.stein@ projectsarsh.org, or go to www. projectsarah.org. Y
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
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Kosher Travel with a Kosher Culinary Adventures Twist Kosher Culinary Adventures (KCA) is
a boutique travel company for the discerning Jewish traveler. For the past three years, KCA has offered unique trips all over Europe–from Tuscan agriturismos (quality farm holidays) to five-star Relais-Chateaux resorts in the south of France; from Andalusian country mansions to Swiss ski resorts. KCA offers private and general trips throughout Europe, and last November took guests to Hawaii. The company is eager to break into other markets, with trips to Africa and India on the horizon. The next planned KCA trips include a luxury Pesach retreat in Spain from April
2-12, a Greek Isles Adventure from May 29 to June 5, and a trip to Tuscany from July 28 to August 4. Small Group A recent KCA guest wrote that she did not know what to expect when she joined the company’s trip to the Greek Isles last year. She was expecting a huge boat filled with hundreds of people, organized day trips with a big bus, and mass-produced food. What she found was a small and intimate group of only a dozen people, and the itinerary was strictly up to them. “The food? Some of the best meals I’ve ever eaten were enjoyed in the mid-
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dle of the Mediterranean Sea,” she said. Best Time Onboard The group’s days were spent sailing from island to island, stopping to explore charming villages or enjoy a dip in crystalclear waters. Lunches and dinners were served on-board. “I was blown away by what the chefs created in their small kosher kitchen—freshly caught fish, handmade pastas, and delicious desserts were de rigueur,” she said. Each night the ship docked, allowing the guests to wander on and off the boat and enjoy the local Greek life, sipping a beer at a local tavern or strolling through the village. “Truthfully, we spent most of our time on the well-equipped boat, enjoying the warm summer breeze and cocktails,” she said. Traveling While Kosher In fact, KCA has come on the scene just as kosher travelers are beginning to expect more from kosher restaurants and food outlets. “The range of products available to kosher consumers worldwide would shock our grandparents, and we are certainly taking advantage. Kosher wines are winning awards; kosher chefs are experimenting with new techniques,” said KCA chef Avicam Gitlin. However, it bothered Mr. Gitlin that while cities like New York, London, and Paris—and all of Israel—offer a huge array of kosher restaurants, a kosher traveler wishing to visit Croatia, Tuscany, or other regions finds many fewer options. “It can make traveling while kosher difficult, to say the least. While everyone around you is tucking into incredible local cuisine, the kosher traveler must make do with a potato double-wrapped in foil and roasted in a hotel oven. Other tourists are sampling delicacies ranging from tapas to risottos, and the kosher traveler is enjoying a can of stuffed grape leaves,” he said. Beyond “Roughing It” He doesn’t deny that “roughing it” can be part of the adventure and that discovering a kosher product at a local grocery store—from canned goods to fabulous produce—can be thrilling. “Enjoying the local, natural produce is a wonderful thing, but, now, thanks to Kosher Culinary Adventures, those need not be the kosher traveler’s only option,” he said.
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HonestReporting’s June 2015 Mission to Israel: Advocacy Training at Work From June 2-8, participants in Hon-
estReporting’s 22nd Mission to Israel can expect to tour some of the Jewish state’s best known and beloved sites. But most of the time will be spent meeting face-to-face with some of Israel’s most important policy-makers and touring sites, like the Syrian border and Erez Crossing into Gaza, learning first-hand the complex issues behind Israel’s challenges. Speakers will address issues including incitement in the Palestinian media, the ethics of the IDF, Christians in the Middle East, what Arabs in the region are really thinking, the status of women in Israel, the role of non-governmental organizations in the conflict, and battling terrorism through legal means. Field trips will include an exclusive IDF briefing from a military base in Samaria near Israel’s security barrier, a look at life under fire in Sderot and the Gaza border, an examination of the settlement issue from Gush Etzion, and a full day of military analysis from the Jordan Valley all the way to the Golan Heights. The goal is to help participants not only understand the issues themselves, but recognize how to defend Israel effectively in person and on the Internet.
“We want participants to feel confident in their support of Israel,” says Gary Kenzer, North American director of HonestReporting. Prompted by the Second Intifada Founded by British university students in 2000, at the onset of the Second Intifada, HonestReporting’s mission was to expose bias against Israel in the Western media. The organization is now active in the US, the UK, Canada, Italy, and Brazil. Today, HonestReporting is led by its CEO, British-born Joe Hyams, who brought to the organization his background in Jewish Studies, photography, and public relations and advertising. He made aliyah in 2005 to join the Tel Aviv office of Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising as a strategic planner. Connecting his awareness of media with his desire to improve Israel’s image abroad, he joined HonestReporting in 2005. Apologies and Retractions In Israel, he met another British expat, Simon Plosker, who had worked for a variety of non-profits, including the Jewish Agency and the Board of Deputies of British Jews. In Israel, Mr. Plosker worked for a number of media outlets and then served as managing editor of NGO Monitor.
Kosher Culinary Adventures KCA prides itself on offering its guests complete packages. When they land at the airport, a rental car is waiting to take them to a personal villa or small hotel where a luxurious private suite is ready. All meals, wines, snacks, and spirits are provided, including delicious breakfast spreads, take-away lunches (with snacks), and gourmet three-to-four course dinners, all with local wines to complement the food. Personalized Trips Guests who want something different need only speak up. “The sky’s the limit. We can create a dream holiday based on your budget and preferences. No location is too far-out for us,” said Mr. Gitlin. For more information, contact Mr. Gitlin at 1-347-994-9284 or at A@AvicamGitlin. com. The website is AvicamGitlin.com. “It was a trip I will never forget, and I hope to travel with Kosher Culinary Adventures again,” said a guest. Y
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He is now HonestReporting’s managing editor. Mr. Hyams is now studying at Brandeis University’s Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program. They claim that, since its founding, HonestReporting has prompted hundreds of apologies, retractions, and revisions from news outlets. Luxury Accommodations For the Mission to Israel, the HonestReporting team is expecting between two and three dozen participants from the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, and Israel. They will stay in luxury hotels and dine in some of Israel’s finest kosher restaurants, all included in the price of the mission. The seven-day VIP pass is $3,595, based on double occupancy. Those who book before the end of February get the seventh night in the hotel free. For more information, call 1-847-7458284 or hrmission@honestreporting.com. One of last year’s participants said: “This mission has given us such a revelation of where things are on the ground now, and given us so much food for thought about where we’ll go in the future, and how we can help with that. So, we are deeply grateful and would love to come again.” Y
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
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Ordering Mishloach Manot from Gili’s Goodies Is More Than Just a Basket Since 1991, Gili’s Goodies has been
sending gifts of food throughout Israel. Not surprisingly, Purim is the company’s busiest time of the year. From its modest beginnings in the Efrat home of Gail and David Ehrlich, Gili’s Goodies has expanded to include everything from their signature cookies to an entire birthday party-in-a-box and more. According to Mr. Ehrlich, Gili’s is more than “just the delectable variety for every budget.” “It is the warm caring way in which each basket is hand-delivered. People
send care packages to Israel all-year round, but to able to send a personalized mishloach manot across the miles to family and friends in Israel, that is truly one-of-a-kind. We don’t just ‘put the box in the mail.’ Each order receives our individual attention, allowing us to customize orders and attend to every aspect of the delivery,” he said. Connecting Families He sees Gili’s Goodies as connecting families abroad to students, grandparents,
friends, and families who are in Israel, bringing a smile to both recipients and senders. “The smile we feel on the phone when a mom says, ‘Thank you for making my son’s day special’ or ‘Thank you for being there when I couldn’t be,’ that’s what this business is all about,” he said. Although the business is now 24 years old, Mr. Ehrlich said he is still amazed at how connected he feels to his customers. “The Jewish world is very unique. It’s amazing how many of our customers know each other and know us, so the company really feels like family. Many of our customers have become our close friends and often call just to ask for advice on Israel issues, knowing that their ‘man on the ground’ is ready to help,” he said. Supporting the IDF Gili’s Goodies does more than send Purim baskets and year-round treats to family and friends. The company supports many causes in Israel, such as helping Shalva and its special-needs children, or showing appreciation to the young men and women serving in the IDF. During last summer’s war in Gaza, when Gili’s Goodies recognized that the army was inundated with cookies and other food items, the company redirected its resources to supply soldiers with basic necessities and additional combat gear. To order packages for family and friends in Israel for Purim or any other occasion, or to donate packages for IDF soldiers, go to www.gilisgoodies.com or call 1-866-721-7292. “The opportunity to be in Israel and to be a shaliach for others in showing their appreciation for our soldiers—well, what can I say? That is the source of my smile,” said Mr. Ehrlich. Y
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Fiery Executions
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
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continued from page 1
message of the ISIS execution-by-fire film is that anyone who attacks the Islamic State will be condemned to a living hell. “And if he is unsure about what hell looks like or what happens to the wicked there, he now has a movie that answers both questions,” he said. Similarly, he said, a few months ago, ISIS presented a film showing their fighters discussing the rape of Yazidi girls. “That, too, was a clear message: Instead of waiting for 72 virgins after a martyr’s death, whoever joins ISIS gets to enjoy Paradise on earth,” said Dr. Kedar. Justification According to Dr. Kedar, the ISIS execution film opens with attempts to justify the punishment that will come a few minutes later. Jordan’s part in the war against ISIS is described, using photos of what the viewer is told are dead ISIS supporters or fighters, including men, women, and children who were burned to death. The rest of the film is devoted to the condemned pilot’s description of the involvement of the air forces of Jordan, the United Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco, and the US. In the film, he notes that American planes take off from Turkish bases. The film shows him making a silent visit to the ruins of a large building which seems to be the ISIS staff headquarters, hit by coalition airstrikes, possibly even by the plane flown by the Jordanian pilot. The point of the film, according to Dr. Kedar, is that the pilot was burned to death following the Islamic legal principle of mutuality, the punishment must fit the crime. Showing burned victims is meant to justify the method by which the pilot was executed. Burning Christians Italian journalist Giulio Meotti pointed out that while the image of a Muslim being burned to death by other Muslims drew widespread condemnation, the same collective indignation and harsh words were absent two months ago, when, in Pakistan, a Christian couple was burned alive in a brick kiln by an angry crowd of 400 Muslims. Before that, five Christians were burned alive on the island of Java, Indonesia, after being trapped in a church to which a
mob of thousands of Muslims had set fire. A year ago, 42 Nigerian-Christian students were burned alive in a public school in Mamudo by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram. “But these Christians didn’t deserve Western attention,” said Mr. Meotti. He said they have been treated as pariahs by the West. Fire-Bombings Mr. Meotti said that in Israel, Western public opinion believed all the “false stories of Palestinian civilians burned by non-existent phosphorus bombs of the Israeli army.” “But the West not only ignored all the buses, restaurants, cafes, and commercial malls where Israeli Jews were burned
alive by Palestinian suicide bombers. It encouraged them,” he said. At the end of December, 11-yearold Ayala Shapira became the victim of a brutal firebomb attack on her family car. The attack left her in critical condition. Now that she is healing, she faces a long, grueling, painful road to recovery. Avner the child’s father, was also wounded in the attack, though not as severely as his daughter. The two Arab terrorists who carried out the attack have been arrested. Publishing Addresses While the Shapira family probably will not receive justice for their suffering, ISIS is determined to make those
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THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE OF BROOKLYN & MRS. CHANA SHARFSTEIN
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
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Interesting Reading for February: Answering Lies, an Insider’s Account of the Founding of the Jewish State Is Useful Today, and Bracelets Fit for a Queen The Struggle for Jerusalem and the Holy Land: A New Inquiry into the Qur’an and Classic Islamic Sources on the People of Israel, their Torah, and Their Links to the Holy Land by Nissim Dana (Academic Studies Press) Reviewed by Dr. Alex Grobman Nissim Dana, a senior lecturer in the Department of Israel in the Middle East at the Ariel University Center of Samaria, has written a very timely and important corrective to the misinformation about Islam, the Jews, and the land of Israel. Unfortunately, those distortions and at times blatant falsehoods have influenced the way the Arab-Israeli conflict is understood. The Palestinian Arabs are engaged in an ongoing cam-
paign to deny the historic connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and the land of Israel, a drive that is part of unrelenting holy war against Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. While acknowledging Jewish presence for a limited time in Palestine, Sheikh Dr. Yusuf Qardawi, viewed as the most important religious authority among the Sunnis, claims, “When they entered, it was not empty, and when they abandoned it, they did not leave it empty. The Palestinians, who are mentioned in the Torah, lived there before, during the time of the Jews, and after the Jews, and they have not ceased living there to this day.” All archaeological and literary finds notwithstanding, including the sifting through
shards discarded as garbage by the Muslims from the Temple Mount, Qardawi insists that the research and excavations conducted by Jews has not led to remnants of their Temple. Continuing excavations, he says, would seriously endanger the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Following this line of thought, Jews are also accused of erasing Islamic and Christian Arab symbols in the country and stealing Islamic land, while banishing its original inhabitants. Protecting Muslim land and property is the responsibility of every Muslim. They are religiously enjoined to fight the Jewish threat to their history and progeny. The Promised Land was given to them by Allah, not to the Jews. In a systematic, analytic, and dispassionate manner, Professor Dana exposes the myths about Muhammad and the Jews, including the role of Jerusalem in Islam. He discusses the ten sources in
Fiery Executions who attack their forces pay. The film which ends with the death-by-fire also contains a long list of names of other Jordanian pilots, some accompanied by photographs and home addresses. The point is to encourage Jordanians who identify with ISIS to take revenge on these pilots as well and, in this way, to deter others from taking part in the air battles against ISIS. “Without a shred of doubt, the ISIS psychological war machine invested much time and talent in producing this movie, using graphics and other techniques to get its message across,” said Dr. Kedar.
the Qur’an where Allah bequeathed the Holy Land to the People of Israel. The book is an important resource to respond to the lies and distortions, promulgated by the Palestinians and their supporters, which have found their way into the media and the academy. ***
Beautiful Bracelets by Hand by Jade Gedeon (Page Street Publishing) This beautiful-to-look-at book offers 75 pieces of jewelry billed as “one-of-a-kind baubles, bangles, and other wrist adornments you can make at
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He said those commentators and viewers who engage in seeking to demonize ISIS actually give the Islamist extremists exactly what they want. “They want to plant fear in the hearts of their enemies, so that demonizing them plays right into their hands by heightening the fears of other populations, especially in the West,” he said. Staying Detached The correct way to react, he said, is to stay detached while carrying out an in-depth, objective, and balanced analysis of ISIS’s activities and the words of its spokesmen in an effort
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home.” Well, maybe you can make them at home if you’re a natural at do-it-yourself projects or have passed an online course in how to handle chainnose pliers (and maybe a half-adozen other types), a jeweler’s automatic center punch, and gizmo called a dremel. Of all the offerings, the only one that seemed suited for a non-handy bubby who wanted to make something
Welcome to the Place Where Property, Program & of Course People, All Come Together to Create a Pesach that Sets Us Apart
CLUB
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
sweet for a granddaughter was a tiny-gem studded sparkler called a Tremblant Bangle. You’ll need sixteen 4-4.1 mm round drops, which are small beads that come with a small loop attached. Ms. Gedeon used Swarovski in pink. You’ll also need a bangle, which is a bare bracelet also with loops attached. These are available in craft stores. Ms. Gedeon chose one with 16 loops (to
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match the number of dropbeads). Finally, you’ll need sixteen 4mm jump rings with a 16-18 gauge. A jump ring is a gauged round or oval ring used to connect elements of a bracelet (or anything else for that matter). They are available from craft stores soldered and unsoldered in a range of metals, sizes, and finishes. To make this bracelet, get comfortable with a chain-nose
Club Kosher is honored to have Rabbi Zushe Blech, such a respected authority as Rav Hamachshir overseeing the Kashruth and Supervision for our Pesach program.
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pliers and a flat-nose pliers. Use both of them to twist open a jump ring and then slip a drop bead onto it, making sure the bead is facing the right direction. Close the jump ring and continue attaching the rest of the drops until the bracelet circle is completed. Happy Purim to the Queen Esther who gets to wear it. S.L.R.
20 PES 15 A /5 CH 77 5
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Passover 2015-5775
KOSHER
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
Just in Time for Purim Motzei Shabbat, Feb 14
Evening of Wine, wine-tasting, cheese and desserts, discussion about wine-and-food pairing, and jazz by the West Hills Project, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 9pm, atc.sisterhood@gmail.com or 201-568-1315
Sun., Feb 15
“Sundays in Shushan,” Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, 9am, 973-994-2620 Costume Gemach, all costumes free to borrow with small donation (requested, not required), view costumes at www. njcostumegemach.com, sale at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck 10am12noon, for information or to donate costumes, 201-923-7622 Rosh Chodesh Adar Activity, includes face-painting, a Purim project, and refreshments, Young Israel of Riverdale, 2-4pm, 718-548-4765
Mon., Feb 16
Insights of Chazal into Megilas Esther, Rabbi Ya’akov Neuburger, Cong Beth Abraham,
Bergenfield, 8pm, 201-384-0434 Megillat Esther, for men and women, Rabbi Yosef Sharbat, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 8pm, 973-736-1407
Tues., Feb 17
Chocolate-Making, spons by Sisterhood of Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, at Chocolate Works, 8pm, 973736-1407 Megillat Esther, for men and women, Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Berger, spons by Lamdeinu, at Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-906-9124
Wed., Feb 18
“Megillat Esther: What They Did Not Teach Me in Yeshiva,” for women, Rabbi Yaakov Weinstein, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 9:45am, 732-254-1860
Thurs., Feb 19
“The Astrology of Purim: Creating a Betta Fish Habitat (the astrological sign for Adar is fish—Pisces),” for women, Bette Fish Habitat, Chabad of Margate, 7:30pm, 609-822-8500
Sun, Feb 22
“Sundays in Shushan,” Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, 9am, 973-994-2620 Rosh Chodesh Adar: “The Optical Illusion in Our Lives,” for women, Miriam Jaffe, Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic, 9:30am, 973-777-2552 Costume Gemach, all costumes free to borrow with small donation (requested, not required), view costumes at www. njcostumegemach.com, sale at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck 10am12noon, for information or to donate costumes, 201-923-7622 Purim Carnival, includes inflatables, pony rides, FunKart Raceway, DJ, Rutgers Scarlet Knight, face-painting, sand art, tattoos, food, JCC, Bridgewater, specialneeds children and their families, 11:30am-12:30pm; community at large, 1-4pm; Main Stage Theater Company Purim Show, 1:30pm; costume parade, 2:30pm; volunteers needed, 908-725-6994 ext 201 Costume Gemach, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 1-5pm, costumegemach@yahoo.com Pre-Purim Yiddish Musical Program, with Lorin Sklamberg, Rob Schwimmer, and magician Shane Baker, Sholem Aleichem Cultural Center, Bronx, 1:30pm, 917-930-0295 “Mi-Shenichnas Adar: So What? Bringing Happiness and Emunah into our Lives,” Rav Moshe Weinberger, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 8pm, 201-836-8916
Mon., Feb 23
Insights of Chazal into Megilas Esther, Rabbi Ya’akov Neuburger, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 8pm, 201-384-0434 Megillat Esther, for men and women, Rabbi Yosef Sharbat, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 8pm, 973-736-1407
Tues., Feb 24
“Bringing Simcha into Purim,” for womem, Chani Juravel, spons by Project Ochel, Ohr Samayach, Monsey, Tehillim, 10am; shiur, 10:30am, juravelinspiration@ gmail.com
Megillat Esther, for men and women, Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Berger, spons by Lamdeinu, at Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-906-9124 Shiur on Purim, for men, Rabbi Moshe Stavsky, spons by Cong Ahavat Shalom of the Teaneck Apartments, at a private home in Teaneck, 9pm, 201-8363828 or 212-909-6951
Thurs., Feb 26
Special-Needs Adults Purim Program, spons by the Friendship Circle and J-ADD, at the Friendship Circle, Paramus, 6pm, 201-262-7172
Fri., Feb 27
Pre-Purim Tisch, spons by Cong Ohr HaTorah, private home in Bergenfield, 7:30pm, 201-2445905 or 201-385-1761
Motzei Shabbat, Feb 28
Men’s Club Wine Sale, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 7pm, 973736-1407
Sun., March 1
“Sundays in Shushan,” Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, 9am, 973-994-2620 Purim Character Palooza, includes games, crafts, activities, and autographs and photos with costumed characters, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 10am-1pm, 845362-4400 Costume Gemach, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 10am-2pm, costumegemach@ yahoo.com Purim Carnival, includes games, prizes, juggling show, pizza, and costumes, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 11am-1pm, aabjdyouthdirectors@gmail.com Family Purim Carnival, includes costume parade, train rides, rides, games, and treats, JCC, Tenafly, families with special-needs children, noon; others, 1-4pm, 201-408-1411 Purim Carnival, Cong Netivot Shalom, Teaneck 3-5pm, 201357-8378 Chabad CT Meeting: Hamantash Making for Purim, for teens, Chabad of Margate, 5pm, 609-892-7101
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Mon., March 2
Insights of Chazal into Megilas Esther, Rabbi Ya’akov Neuburger, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 8pm, 201-384-0434 Megillat Esther, for men and women, Rabbi Yosef Sharbat, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 8pm, 973-736-1407
Tues., March 3
Purim Celebration, includes Hamantaschen Baking and Dress-Up Parade, JCC, Bridgewater, 5:30pm, 908-725-6994 Megillat Esther, for men and women, Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Berger, spons by Lamdeinu, at Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-906-9124
Wed., March 4
Fast of Esther, Purim Megillah Reading Fast, begins 5:04am and ends 6:31pm Purim Party, for seniors, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201-569-7900 Celebrate Purim, for seniors, includes lunch and entertainment, Riverdale YMHA, 11:45am, 718548-8200 “The Big Quiz Thing: Quiz Show Purim Spectacular, for the family, Noah Tarnow, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, children’s program during Megillah Reading, followed by break-fast, and party, 6pm, 732-247-0532
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Purim Extravaganza, for special-needs children, their families, and the volunteers who work with them, spons by the Friendship Circle, at Yeshivat Noam, Paramus, 6pm, 201-262-7172 Friendship Circle Volunteers Purim Bash, for teens who volunteer to work with specialneeds children and teens, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 6pm, 973251-0200 Purim in the ‘70s Purim Party, includes dinner buffet, music, dancing, and costumes, Chabad of Fort Lee, at the Palisadium, Cliffside Park, Megillah, 6pm; party, 7:30pm, 201-886-1238 Purim in NYC—A NYCThemed Purim Bash, includes masquerade in NYC costumes, Big Apple-style deli dinner, Big Apple-style crafts, and a Times Square Break Dance Show, Chabad of Upper Passaic, Haskell, Megillah Reading, 6:30pm; party, 7pm, 201-696-7609 Riverdale Jewish Center Purim Carnival, includes Looney Louie magician, inflatables, rides, booths, and treats, 7:30pm, 718-548-1850 Asian Theme Purim Chagigah, includes music and dancing, children’s entertainment, costume contest for children and adults, Asian/Chinese buffet, Jewish Educational Center, Elizabeth, 7:30pm, 908-220-1554 Purim Carnival, music with Jeff Wilks and baby sitting during Megillah, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 7:30pm, 732-247-3038 Purim Party, Rutgers Hillel, 7:30pm, 732-545-2407 Father-Son Gemara Megillah Learn-a-Thon, with Rav Yitzchok Davis, any student in
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
8th grade or lower, who has learned the entire Gemara Megillah bechavrusa, with his father or another chavrusa, will receive $100; with a written “peshtel” on any sugya that he learned in Meseches Megillah, he will receive an additional $50; siyum, divrei Torah, kumzitz, and refreshments, Bais Medrash L`Torah, Passaic, 10pm, 848-525-7049
Thurs., March 5, Purim
Last Day of Pack It Up for Purim, the goal is 3,000 packages of non-perishable nutritious items to be distributed to hungry New Yorkers, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 718-796-4730 ext 116 Family Megillah Reading, Chagiga, and Costume Party, Ben Porat Yosef, Paramus, 9am, 201-845-5007 Purim Carnival, includes table to sign pre-nup or post-nup to ensure the end of the agunot problem, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 9am, 718-796-4730 Distributing Mishloach Manot to Those in Need, for teens, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 9:30am, aayouth100@ gmail.com
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Deliver Mishloach Manot to Patients in Various Hospitals, spons by Rutgers Hillel, 11am, 732-545-2407 Purim Bash, for specialneeds children, their families, and the volunteers who work with them, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 4:30pm, 973-251-0200 Purim Seuda: A “Sound of Music” Sing-Along, costumes welcome, to honor the 50th anniversary of the Rodgers and Hammerstein film, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 5:30pm, 732-446-3000
Sun., March 8
PurimFest, for families, includes inflatables, video-togo arcade, carnival games, race cars, nail salon and face-painting, superhero surprises, interactive shows, arts and crafts, and an Italian Food Fest, spons by the Young Israel of East Brunswick, at the East Brunswick Jewish Center, 11am-3pm, 732-257-7070 Purim Party with Yachad, for Rutgers students and specialneeds peers, at Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, noon, 732-545-2407
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
The Log: Do It Now
Passaic County will provide homeowners with a free, in-home test kit for radon, the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. Call 973-225-3651 929 Project Torah Initiative, spearheaded by Rabbi Binyamin Lau. The goal is to unite Jews by presenting a chapter of Torah to be learned each day in order to complete all 929 chapters of Tanach by May 2, 2017, Israel’s 70th Independence Day, www.929.org.il Registration is Open for a free Taglit-Birthright Israel Trip: Shorashim Ultimate Adventure, for Jewish 18-26-yearolds, spons by Jewish National Fund, israelwithisraelis.com Momentum-Birthright Free Trip to Israel, for mothers with limited formal Jewish education and with children under 18 at home, April 26-May 5, 917991-0324 or 917-418-9393
Shabbat, Feb 14
Carlebach Minyan, Cong Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:45am, rabbidonath@gmail.com Tefilat Shlomo: The Car-
lebach Tefila of Riverdale, includes light and healthy Kiddush, at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 9am, 718-796-4730 Educational Prayer Service, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, includes discussions and commentary, prayers in English and Hebrew transliteration, at Cong Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, 9:45am, 201-966-4498 or 201-836-4334 Mekor Chaim/Steinsaltz Ambassadors Program, for boys in grades 4-6, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 10am, 732-247-0532 Rav Mendel Blachman, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton, 10:30am, 973-330-2285 Rabbi Chanoch Waxman, scholar-in-residence, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, “The Many Stories of Sinai,” 10:30am; “Make Your Ears Like a Funnel: Conflict, Truth, and the 49 Faces of Torah,” 5pm, 201-837-2795 Prof Daniel Sinclair, scholarin-residence, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, “Keep Afar from a False Matter, but the Truth May Be
Distorted: Obfuscations and Fictitious Attributions in the Halacha,” 10:45am; “Kiddush Hashem and the Halacha Turn to Non-Jewish Standards in Religious and Moral Matter,” 5:15pm, 201-836-8916 Cholent Cookoff, compete for the finals and the title of Cholent Master, to be held on March 7, at Cong Ahavas Israel, Passaic, 11:30am, 973-472-5172 or 201-463-8933 Dr. Mordechai Kedar, scholarin-residence, Riverdale Jewish Center, “Islam—A Culture in Crisis—Sunnis and Shi’is: Why do They Hate Each Other So?” includes Q&A, 11:30am; “Flawed Intelligence Assessments and Mistaken Policies Resulting from Cultural Differences,” 4pm, 718-548-1850 Siyyum Mishnayos, Young Israel of Teaneck, 4pm, 201-837-1710 Rav Mendel Blachman, Kehillath Bais Yosef, Passaic, 4:30pm, kby613@gmail.com “The Truth the Dead Know: A Literary Reading of Berachot,” Sarah Rindner, Cong Netivot Shalom, Teaneck, 4:55pm, the.rogovins@gmail.com
Motzei Shabbat, Feb 14
Parent-Child Learning, Young Israel of Teaneck, 6:30pm, 201-937-1710 Adult and Child CPR, for grade 7 through adult including families, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 7pm, 201-836-6210 Murder Mystery: “Back to the ‘80’s,” for women, prizes for figuring out the killer, best costume, best actor, spons by Cong Arzei Darom, private home in Teaneck, 7:30pm, sisterhood@arzeidarom.org Saturday Night at the Movies: “The Ingathering: Israel’s First 50 Years,” includes a chocolate festival during intermission, Young Israel of Fort Lee, 7:30pm, 201-592-1518 Film: Above and Beyond, smuggled airplanes from the US for Israel’s War of Independence, with producer Nancy Spielberg, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7:30pm, 718-796-4730 Pre-Nup or Post-Nup Signing, to ensure the end of the agunot problem, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7:30pm, 718-796-4730
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
Page - 25
“Separate Yourself Not from the Community” Young Israel of Teaneck Dinner, honoring Mark and Rachelle Zomick and Matt and Tamar Lowe, at the shul, 8pm, 201-837-1710 Open House for Camp Malchus Sports Camp, for boys entering grades 4-8 and their parents, private home in Teaneck, 8:30pm, campmalchus@gmail.com Shiur, Rabbi Mordechai Willig, Young Israel of Riverdale, 9:30pm, 718-548-4765
Sun., Feb 15
Innate Health Conference: Unconditional Peace of Mind, Marriage, Parenting, Business Success, and Compulsive Behaviors, spons by the Jewish Center for Wellbeing, Fort Lee Doubletree, through Tues., Feb 17, www. jewishcenterforwellbeing.com Davening and Bikur Cholim at Daughters of Miriam in Clifton, meet at Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15am; davening, followed by breakfast and bikur cholim, 8:45am, samapprais@aim.com “Navigating the Changing Systems of Developmental Disabilities,” NJ State Senator Loretta Weinberger, Elizabeth Shea, Gail Levinson, Tom Toronto, Leizer Gewirtzman, Holly Martins, Jennifer Joyce, and Teresa Herrero-Taylor, spons by J-ADD, OHEL, local Jewish Family Service agencies, and others, JCC, Tenafly, registration, 8:30am; conference, 9am, 201-692-3972 or nnjconfregister@ohelfamily.org Adult and Child CPR, for grade 7 through adult including families, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 9am, 201-836-6210 Matzoh-Baking Trip, with Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, to Chareidim Shmurah Matzoh Bakery, Brooklyn, leave Fair Lawn, 9am, 201-791-7910 Breakfast with JM in the AM’s Nachum Segal, Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, 9:05am, 973-994-2620 Jewish Family Service of Greater Passaic-Clifton Breakfast, in honor of launching the Dr. Sandy Rappaport Trauma Center, honoring Rabbi Heshir Hirth, Alan Gutmann, and Dr. Sandy Rappoport, at the Venetian, Garfield, 9:30am, m.wellikoff@jfsclifton. org or 973-777-7638
Fair Lawn Gown Gemach, spons by Chabad of Fair Lawn, 9:30-11:30am, 201-797-1770 Documentary: “Night Will Fall,” untold story of Nazi concentration camp atrocities, commissioned by the Allies, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, HBO, noon Auditions for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” for children in grades 2-12, spons by the Riverdale Children’s Theatre, auditioners should prepare a one-minute or less musical theatre selection, grades 2-5 may sing accapella or with CD accompaniment; grades 6-12 should bring CD accompaniment or sheet music, at the Riverdale Jewish Center, grades 2-5, 1-3pm; grades 6-12, 4-6pm, bezborodko@aol.com Painting Glass-Table Top Pieces, for women, Abbey of Not2Shabbey, at Cong Ohr HaTorah, Bergenfield, 8pm, ohtsisterhood@ gmail.com
Mon, Feb 16 Presidents’ Day
Last Day to Register for “After Liberation: The First Five Years, 1945-1950, held Feb 26 and March 5 and 19, Drew University, Madison, 973-408-3600 or ctrholst@drew.edu Davening and Bikur Cholim at Daughters of Miriam in Clifton, meet at Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15am; davening, followed by breakfast and bikur cholim, 8:45am, samapprais@aim.com “Kings and Presidents: The Makings of a Melech b’Yisroel,” Rabbi Aharon Kahn, includes breakfast, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 8:30am, office@ohavemeth. org or 732-247-3038 Adult and Child CPR, for grade 7 through adult including families, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 9am, 201-836-6210 Children’s Theater Trip: “Jack Hanna’s into the Wild Live,” for children in kindergarten and up, spons by Cong Ohav Emeth of Highland Park, at the State Theater, New Brunswick, 10:15am, oechildren@gmail.com Snow-Tubing Event, for families with children over 42 inches tall and at least 5 years of age, spons
by Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, at Mountain Creek, Vernon Twnshp, 11:30am, 973-827-2000, or http://bit.ly/1zWbdEt An Evening of Torah, Dinner, and Chesed, for men and women, spons by TorahWeb.org and Torah Tuesday, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fairlawn, “Book on the Holocaust,” Doc Ira Cochin, 6:45pm; dinner, 7:15pm; “What I Do vs What I Am: Job, Family, Community… What Defines Me?” Rabbi Mordechai Willig, 8pm; “Middle Age and Beyond: Coming Closer to Hashem as We Get Older (and Wiser!),” Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski, 8:45pm, torahtuesday@yahoo.com Tiferes Program, for women, spons by the Jewish Educational Center, at a private home in Elizabeth, 7:45pm, 908-355-4850
Tues., Feb 17
Yedidainu, for special-needs children, Yeshivat Noam, Paramus, 10am-3pm, 201-262-7172 “Finding Calm in a Frantic World,” for seniors, Nurse Karen Frank, includes lunch, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David,
West Orange, 11:15am, 973-7361407 ext 240 Film: “The Ritchie Boys,” for retirees, includes D’var Torah by Dr. William Gewirtz , introduction by Dr. Max Wisotsky, and a light lunch, Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, noon, 732-317-1786, 732-572-1712, or 732-572-5998 Rafa’enu Peer-Led Mood Disorder Support Group, for those with depression, bipolar disorder, and/or related anxiety and their loved ones, Ben Porat Yosef, Paramus, 7:30pm, dena@ rafaenu.org “Moshe’s Unanswered Question: Evil in Jewish Thought— The Free Will Defense,” Rabbinic Intern Mark Glass, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8pm, 732247-0532 “Study and Schmooze for Young Jews: How Technology Can Be Used to Make Us Better Jews,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, spons by Chabad at the Shore, private home in Ventnor, 8pm, 609-822-8500
continued on page 26
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The Log
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
continued from page 25
Rabbi Ari Rockoff, Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, Beit Medrash Learning, 8pm; talk, 8:30pm, 973-994-2620 Halachos of Taharas HaMishpacha, for married women, Rebbetzin Aviva Wasser, , spons by the Highland Park Mikvah, at Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, 8:30pm, Docdad@ aol.com, adinapruz@gmail.com or rachelle_stern@yahoo.com Planning for the Shabbos Project 2015, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8:30pm, lsf202@nyu.edu “The Ultimate Conversation: Delayed Departures, Dirt, and Driving Carpool: Practical Halachos of Tefilla in Assorted Situations,” for women, Rabbi Tanchum Cohen, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 8:45pm, 201-384-0434
Wed., Feb 18
“Successfully Returning to the Workforce,” for women over the age of 40, Penina Haikins, Sara Brejt Esq, Sori Leshkowitz, Devora Hirsch, and Tova Herskovitz, LSW, spons by the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, Sheraton Hotel, Edison, 9:30am4:40pm, 732-746-0306 or info@
parnassahnetworkseminars.com Fair Lawn Gown Gemach, spons by Chabad of Fair Lawn, 1-2:30m, 201-797-1770 Israeli Technology Showcase, featuring presentations and meet-ups with Israeli start-ups and remarks by Israeli Consul General Ido Aharoni, Lovinger Theater, Lehman College, Bronx, 1:30pm, http://techshowcase.wix. com/bronx-technology “Justice Beyond the Holocaust and Rwanda: How the Memory of the Holocaust Has Shaped Ideas about Justice, Human Rights, Military Intervention, and Property Restitution,” Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life Master Teacher Institute in Holocaust Education, Rutgers, New Brunswick, 4:30pm, 732-932-2033 Teen Scene, for special-needs teenagers, includes games, sports, and dinner with volunteers, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 5pm, 973251-0200 Women’s Night Out: An Evening of Art, Wine, and Cheese, with artist and teacher Abbey Wolin, Young Israel of Fort Lee,
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7:45pm, glbodzin@gmail.com or 201-592-1518 “Become a Love and Logic Parent: Introducing the ‘C.O.O.L. Formula,’” for mothers, Rabbi Dani Staum, at Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy of Rockland (ASHAR), New City, 8pm, 845-641-5094 “Chicks with Sticks Knitting Circle,” hats for preemies, children with cancer, and IDF soldiers in Israel, private home in Highland Park, 8pm, 732-3398492 or 732-246-7366 Shomer Shabbos Boy Scout Meeting, for boys in 6th grade or 11 years old and up, Bais Medrash L’Torah, Rabbi Davis’s shul, Passaic, 8pm, HFishman@rafterpllc.com Makhela Israeli-Style Choir, for those who can read and sing in Hebrew, Zvi Klein, JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-408-1427 “Medical Ethics,” Rabbi Yaakov Weiner, spons by Cong Shomrei Torah, at a private home in Fair Lawn, 8pm, 201-791-7910 Recipe Exchange: Parve and Fleishig Appetizers, spons by Cong Beth Abraham, private home in Bergenfield, 8:30pm, beckyneug@gmail.com
Thurs., Feb 19
“Israel through Film: How Israeli Society Is Reflected in Films,” JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 1pm, 845-362-4400 Food Preparation for Women’s Shabbat Dinner, dinner to be held Fri, Feb 20, at the Chabad Jewish Center, Basking Ridge, 6pm, mherson@chabadnj.com Friendship Circle Teenage Girls’ Night Out, for special-needs teens and volunteers, at the Friendship Circle, Paramus, 7pm, 201-262-7172 “Soulmates: Jewish Secrets to Meaningful Relationships— Navigating Gender Differences,” for women, Rebbetzin Altie Kasowitz, Chabad of West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-325-6311 Paralympics Gold Medalist and Second Lebanon War Veteran Noam Gershony, spons by Friends of the IDF, Cong B’nai Tikcah, North Brunswick, 8pm, 646-274-9650
Fri., Feb 20
Shabbat with Rabbi Gary
Katz, for seniors, JCC, Tenafly, 11:30am, 201-569-7900 Parsha Class: “Show Me the Money—Why G-d Is Obsessed with Fundraising,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Egg Harbor Twnshp Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500 Yachad Shabbaton for the South of Cedar Community, for members of Rayin Yachad, special needs adults ages 25 and older, Teaneck, through Shabbat, Feb 21, president@arzeidarom.org or 201-530-0043 Women’s Shabbat Dinner: Celebrate Shabbat: A Day of Femininity, with singer Susan Glanzberg, Chabad Jewish Center, Basking Ridge, 5:30pm, mherson@ chabadnj.com A Mikdash Experience with Machon HaMikdash: “The ‘Real’ First Mikdash: A Demonstration Using Models of the Vessels of the Mishkan and a Guided Tour of the Mishkan,” Steve Frankel, scholar-in-residence, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8:30pm, 732-247-0532 OU’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus Rosh Adar Tisch, Rabbi Adam Freiberg, private home in New Brunswick, 9pm, 732-545-2407
Shabbat, Feb 21
Membership Appreciation Shabbat, honoring the newest members of the past 20 years, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 732-446-3000 A Mikdash Experience with Machon HaMikdash, Steve Frankel, scholar-in-residence, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, children’s groups build a massive model of the Bayit Sheni, 10am; “Seeing is Believing,” 10:30am; viewing of the children’s work and Kiddush, 11:30am; “Yehuda Glick, the Temple Institute, and The Temple Mount,” 4:30pm; “The Clothes Make the Man: The Bigdei Kehunah,” 5:40pm, 732-247-0532 Cholent Cookoff, compete for the finals and the title of Cholent Master, to be held on March 7, at Cong Ahavas Israel, Passaic, 11:30am, 973-472-5172 or 201-463-8933 Machon Puah Shabbat, dedicated to counseling, refer-
http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com rals, and support on the issue of infertility, Cong Ahavat Shalom of the Teaneck Apartments, at the Torah Academy of Bergen County, 11:30am, 201-836-3828 or 212-909-6951 “Soulmates: Jewish Secrets to Meaningful Relationships— Respecting Your Other Half: Navigating Gender Differences,” for women, Rebbetzin Sarah Shemtov, Chabad House, Riverdale, 12:30pm, 718-549-1100 Seudat Shlishit, for boys and girls in grades 3-4, spons by Cong Arzei Darom, private home in Teaneck, 3:30pm, youth@arzeidarom.org Family Activity, Youth Havdalah, and Melava Malka, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 4:45pm, 732-446-3000 “The Thought of Rabbi Tzadok from Lublin,” Shiur, Prof Alan Brill, private home in Teaneck, 5pm, shalomk@hotmail.com Bnai Akiva Snif, for grades 1-8, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 5:15pm, 718-796-4730
Motzei Shabbat, Feb 21
A Mikdash Experience with Machon HaMikdash: “Wake Up and Smell the Mikdash: Ketoret Seminar, Using Mortars and Pestles,” Steve Frankel, includes Make-Your-Own Sundae Melave Malka, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 7:30pm, 732-247-0532 An Evening of Inspiration and Hisorerus: A Concert and Kumzitz with Eitan Katz, for men and women, separate seating, spons by Kehillas Beis Sholom, Passaic, 8pm, dandrs@yahoo.com Fine Art Auction and WineTasting, Judaica and non-Judaica from Marlin Art, with John Stanisci of Marvel Comics, includes hors d’oeuvres and desserts, Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, preview, 7pm; auction, 8:30pm, 973-251-2464 or 973-994-2620 Parent-Child Learning, includes pizza and prizes, Cong Arzei Darom, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-530-0043 Zayin Adar Melave Malka Siyum Mishnayot, with Rabbi Aaron Cohen, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-736-1407 Cong Rinat Yisrael Dinner, honoring Barbara and Simcha
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Hochman, Sandra and Joseph Greenberg, and Jennifer and Aaron Hoffer, at Cong Keter Torah, 8pm, 201-837-2795
Sun., Feb 22
Last Day to Apply for Shalhevet High School (Long Island) Teacher Fellowship, offering experience, mentorship, and a Master’s Degree in education, n.jacobson@shalhevet.org Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem Breakfast, with HaRav Reuven Feinstein, honoring Fred Koss, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, 9am, 201-862-0699 Yom Iyun: “The Life Cycle through a Torah Lens: Shalom Bayit, Intimacy, and Family Dynamics,” for women, Jodi Wachspress, includes breakfast, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 9am, 717-580-0165 or 201-791-7910 Men’s Club Breakfast: Bagels, Lox, Cream Cheese, and Scotch, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 9:30am, 732-446-3000 Fair Lawn Gown Gemach, spons by Chabad of Fair Lawn, 9:30-11:30am, 201-797-1770 Torah Circle and Hebrew School, for special-needs children and teens, in separate groups, art, baking, sports, music, holidays, traditions, and Hebrew with volunteers, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 9:30am, 973-251-0200 Over the Moon Toys Game Day, for children age 4 through adults, to benefit the Yeshiva at the Jersey Shore, at the Young Israel of East Brunswick, 10:30am, laraweisberg@yahoo.com or ladar73@yahoo.com Sunday Circle, for special needs children, includes activities and lunch, spons by The Friendship Circle, at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, noon, 201-262-7172 Mitzvah Volunteer Program Finale, for sixth graders who completed the Friendship Circle program to learn how to interact with special-needs children, at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, 1pm, 201-262-7172 Navigating the College Process, Abbie Rabin, JCC, Tenafly, 1pm, 201-408-1469 Movie: “The Incredibles,” Smoothies, Free-Play Drop-Off, for ages 5-11, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 1pm, 718-796-4730
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
Friendship Circle Bowling, for special-needs children and their families, Rebbetzin Chani Gurkov, Holiday Bowl, Oakland, 1:30pm, 973-694-6274 Shake It Up Trip to Medieval Times, for special-needs adults over 18, spons by NJ Yachad, includes lunch and transportation, leave Teaneck 2pm, judasr@ou.org or 201-833 1349 Winter Choir Concert, Makhelat HaMercaz Jewish Choir of Central NJ, includes a light dessert reception, at Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 3pm, 732-446-3000 Cong Beth Aaron Dinner, honoring Arlene and Arthur Eis and Erica and Jason David, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5pm, 201836-6210 or 201-530-1712 Bat Mitzvah Club, for girls in grades 5-6 (girls 11-13), Shterna Kaminker, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 5pm, 856-874-1500 Jewish Girls Club, for 8th grade girls, Mussie Mangel, includes crafts, food, and relevant Jewish themes, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 5pm, 856-874-1500 JACS Meeting, 12-steps meeting for Jews in recovery, Rabbi Steven Bayar, Cong B’nai
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Israel, Millburn, 6pm, 973-379-3811 Beyond Bat Mitzvah Club, for girls in grade 7 and up who have recently celebrated their bat mitzvahs, Shterna Kaminker, includes crafts, scrap-booking, and refreshments, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 6:30pm, 856-874-1500 Film: “Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Homefront,” Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, Livingston, 7pm, 973-929-3096 Thank-a-Thon, phone calls to thank donors to Rutgers Hillel, at Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 7-10pm, 732-545-2407 Parenting a Teenager, Rebbetzin Sima Spetner, private home in Teaneck, 7:30pm, RIVKALZ@ gmail.com “Montessori and Mesorah,” Rabbi David Forman, Netivot Montessori School, East Brunswick, 8pm, 732-985-4626 Gals Night Out, for mothers and sisters (grade 4 and up) of special-needs children, The Friendship Circle, Paramus, 8pm, 201-262-7172
Mon, Feb 23
Support Group: “Eat Well,
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The Log
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
continued from page 27
Move Well, Sleep Well—Three Ingredients to Help Cope with Stress,” for mothers with children with special-needs, Bassie Taubes, RN, includes breakfast, spons by Yachad, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9:30am, 201-833-1349 or herrmann@ou.org “Finding the Balance between Hishtadlus and Bitachon,” Chani Juravel, private home in Teaneck, 9:45am, sharonlynn18@ gmail.com Trip to Jewish Museum to Visit the Helena Rubinstein Collection, leave Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 11am, 201-568-1315 Smile on Seniors, for senior men and women, includes brunch, Chabad House, Wayne, 11:30am, 973-694-6274 “Jews and the World after the Holocaust,” Dr. Rachel Korazim, Alex Aidekman Family JCC, Whippany, 7pm, 073-929-3067 “Sacred Music Hits the Israeli Pop Charts: Money, Music, and Identity,” Dr. Galeet Dardashti, Douglass College Center, New Brunswick, 7pm, 848-932-2033 Shiur, for women 21-25, Yael Kaisman, private home in Teaneck, 8pm, shoshanahrubin@gmail.com
Tues., Feb 24
Documentary: “Night Will Fall,” untold story of Nazi concentration camp atrocities, commissioned by the Allies, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, HBO, 4pm Film: “Body and Soul,” the ancient and modern Jewish connection to the Land of Israel, includes discussion with filmmaker Gloria Greenfield, spons by ZOANJ and American Friends of Yeshivot Bnai Akiva, Teaneck Cinemas, wine-and-sushi reception with Ms. Greenfield, 7pm; film,
7:45pm, 201-424-1825 Parenting a Teenager, Rebbetzin Sima Spetner, private home in Teaneck, 7:30pm, RIVKALZ@ gmail.com “Chaos and Tumult to Calm and Tranquility,” for women, Debbie Lillard, Chabad Center, Cherry Hill, 7:30pm, 856-874-1500 “Taharat Hamishpacha: A Pregnancy and Post-Partum Refresher,” for women, Yoetzet Halacha Bracha Rutner, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, 718-548-1850 Friendship Circle Volunteer Orientation, for pre-teens and teens who want to work with special-needs children and teens, a parent must attend, Cong Beth Tefillah, Paramus, 8pm, 201-2627172
Wed., Feb 25
Video-Conferencing Lunchand-Learn, spons by Tele-Dynamics and its Lifesize Cloud product, kosher food available, at Tele-Dynamics Executive Building, Secaucus, 11am, 201-453-5445 or rweisstuch@tdnyc.com Fair Lawn Gown Gemach, spons by Chabad of Fair Lawn, 1-2:30pm and 7-8:30pm, 201797-1770 Efshar Circle Purim Prep, for independent special-needs young adults, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 3pm, 973-251-0200 Chevra Kadisha Dinner, Rabbi Simcha Krauss, Riverdale Jewish Center, 6pm, 718-548-1850 Second Generation, for children of Holocaust Survivors, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7pm, 201-837-9090 “Liberation of Auschwitz 70th Anniversary,” featuring Tova Friedman, JCC, Bridgewater, 7pm, 908-725-6994 x201
The Log is a free service provided to the Jewish community in northern and central New Jersey, Rockland County and Riverdale. Events that we list include special and guest lectures, concerts, boutiques, dinners, open houses, club meetings, and new classes. Announcements are requested by the 25th of the month prior to the month of the event. Due to space and editorial constraints, we cannot guarantee publication of any announcement. Please email them to : susan@jewishvoiceandopinion.com
Secure Your Synagogue: Security Training Course, for synagogue leaders, spons by the Community Security Service, Jewish Federation of Northern NJ, Paramus, 7pm, 201-820-3914 Zayin Adar Dinner, with Rabbi Chaim Marcus, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 7:15pm, 201791-7910 Abused Women’s Confidential Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-837-9090 Parenting a Teenager, Rebbetzin Sima Spetner, private home in Teaneck, 7:30pm, RIVKALZ@ gmail.com “Dealing with Anxiety in Children (and in Their Parents): Practical Tools for Raising a Happy, Healthy Family,” for parents and educators, Dr. David Pelcovitz and Dr. Yitzchak Schechter, separate seating, private office in Monsey, 7:30pm, admin@ capsdcs.org Webinar Symposium: “Clinical Breast Cancer Trials in a New Age: How You Can Connect,” spons by Sharsheret, with Dr. Susan Domcheck, Shera Dubitsky, and a Sharsheret volunteer, 8pm, 866-474-2774 Makhela Israeli-Style Choir, for those who can read and sing in Hebrew, Zvi Klein, JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-408-1427 “Become a Love and Logic Parent: The Science of Control— Root of Behavior Problems at Home,” for mothers, Rabbi Dani Staum, at Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy of Rockland (ASHAR), New City, 8pm, 845-641-5094 Café and Chavruta, for husbands and wives, Lubavitch on the Palisades, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-871-1152 Tehillim Group, Cong Shaare Tefillah, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-2895474, 917-902-9303, or 201-836-3431 “Israeli/Jewish/American Identity of Our Children,” for Israeli parents raising children in the US, JCC, Tenafly, 8:30pm, 201-408-1427
Thurs., Feb 26 Zayin Adar Fast
Zayin Adar Fast, begins 5:23am (EST) and ends 6:24pm
Trip to the Jewish Museum in New York to See the “Helena Rubenstein: Beauty Is Power” Exhibit, leave JCC, Edison, 10:30am, 732-322-6624 “After Liberation: The First Five Years—Liberation, 1945,” Drs Ann Saltzman and Joshua Kavaloski and Jacqueline Sutton, spons by Drew University Center for Holocaust Study, at the Young Center for the Arts, Union, 4pm, 973-408-3600 Zayin Adar Chevra Kadisha Seudah: “What Factors Produced the World’s Most Perfected Man?” Rabbi Steven Weil, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 6:35pm, 201-723-6540 or 201-923-1430 Film: “Body and Soul,” the ancient and modern Jewish connection to the Land of Israel, includes discussion with filmmaker Gloria Greenfield, Cong B’nai Tikvah, North Brunswick, Chinese dinner with Ms. Greenfield, 7pm; film, 8pm, 201-424-1825 Chicken Soup for the Soul and Mishloach Manot Making, prepare chicken soup for hospice patients at the Stein Hospice in Somerset and mishloach manot packages for patients at Somerset Hospital, Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 7-10:30pm, 732-545-2407 Parenting a Teenager, Rebbetzin Sima Spetner, private home in Teaneck, 7:30pm, RIVKALZ@ gmail.com “Counter-Missionary Education: Introduction and Overview,” Prof Uri Grauman, Chabad of West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-325-6311 The Music and Stories of Yehudah Katz, spons by the Rockland County Jewish Federation, private home in Monsey, 7:30pm, 845-362-4200
Fri., Feb 27
Last Day to Apply for Sharsheret Summer Internship, for college or graduate students, programs to support young Jewish women and families facing breast and/or ovarian cancer, internship@sharsheret.org “Explore the Feminine Side of Judaism; Enjoy Traditional Foods,” with singer Susan Glan-
http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com zburg, for women, Chabad Jewish Center, Basking Ridge, 11am, mherson@chabadcentral.org Parsha Class: “Never the Twain Shall Meet? Bringing Opposites Together,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, Egg Harbor Twnshp Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500 PJ Library Bim Bam Shabbat, for toddlers and pre-schoolers, 16 Handles, New City, 4pm, 845362-4200 ext 180 International Teen Shabbaton, spons by Chabad Houses throughout the world, Brooklyn, NY, 718-467-4400 ext 340 Yachad-Yeshivat Noam Shabbaton, at Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, through Shabbat, Feb 28, marcyglicksman@gmail. com or bethvictor@optonline.net Rabbi Hayyim Angel, scholarin-residence, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, through Shabbat, Feb 28, 201-568-1315 Rabbi Ari Kahn, scholarin-residence, Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, through Shabbat, Feb 28, 732-777-6840 A Musical Weekend Shabbaton: Carlebach Minyan, Yehudah Katz, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 5:35pm, 732-247-0532 Warm the Winter Shabbat Dinner, includes breakout sessions with the rabbinic team and Marc Spear, Riverdale Jewish Center, 6:40pm, genack@gmail.com Oneg Shabbat: “One Act of Chesed—Can I Change the World?” Yehudah Katz, private home in Highland Park, 8:30pm, 732-777-1611 or 732-247-0532
Shabbat, Feb 28
Educational Prayer Service, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, includes discussions and commentary, prayers in English and Hebrew transliteration, at Cong Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, 9:45am, 201-966-4498 or 201-836-4334 Mekor Chaim/Steinsaltz Ambassadors Program, for boys in grades 4-6, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 10am, 732-247-0532 A Musical Weekend Shabbaton: Yehudah Katz, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, Mussaf, 10:30am; “Teachings from the Baal Shem Tov, The Gaon of Vilna, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and the
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Lubavitcher Rebbe on Jewish Unity and the Redemption, 4:45pm; Musical Seudah Shlishit: “Unity, Jerusalem, and Peace: Pushing the Envelope on the Geulah,” 5:45pm, 732-247-0532 Transformative Seudat Shlishit, for boys and girls in grades 1-2, spons by Cong Arzei Darom, private home in Teaneck, 3:30pm, youth@arzeidarom.org Motzei Shabbat, Feb 28 Parent-Child Learning, Young Israel of Teaneck, 6:30pm, 201-937-1710 Cong Beth Aaron Sisterhood Book Club: “The Ugly Sister” by Gila Berkowitz, facilitated by the author, private home in Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201-837-0651 Shiur, Rabbi Mordechai Willig, Young Israel of Riverdale, 7:30pm, 718-548-4765 Moriah School of Englewood Dinner, honoring the schools past presidents and board chairs, also Diane Wolf, Emily Trepp, and Shelly Feit, 8pm, 201-567-0208
Sun., March 1
Davening and Bikur Cholim at Daughters of Miriam in Clifton, meet at Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15am; davening, followed by breakfast and bikur cholim, 8:45am, samapprais@aim.com Soccer Circle, for specialneeds children, spons by the Friendship Circle, Livingston, 9am, 973-251-0200 “A Bat Mitzvah to Remember: Reigniting the Spark Within,” for women, Sarah Karmely, marking the 12th yahrtzeit of Bat Sheva Kanelsky, z”l, Bris Avrohom Center, Hillside, 10:30am, 908-280-0770 Bat Mitzvah Club Trip, for girls in grades 5-6 (girls 11-13), Shterna Kaminker, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 5pm, 856-874-1500 Beyond Bat Mitzvah Club Trip, for girls in grade 7 and up who have recently celebrated their bat mitzvahs, Shterna Kaminker, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 6:30pm, 856-874-1500 Rabbi Benny Lau, includes table to sign pre-nup or post-nup to ensure the end of the agunot problem, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7:30pm, 718-796-4730 “Back to the ‘80s’ Singles
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
Mixer, includes music, light dinner, trivia, and best 80’s costume, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 7:30pm, 201-522-4776
Mon, March 2
Meet-the-Artist Reception for “The Cutting Edge: Paper Cuts by Dena Levie,” JCC, Tenafly, 6pm, exhibit continues through March 31, 201-569-7900
Tues., March 3
Sushiana Restaurant Donates 18% of its profits to CNJKIDS, to support Jewish K-8 day school education, Highland Park, 5-6pm, 732-640-0111 “Last Train to Paris,” Michele Zackheim, Alex Aidekman Family JCC, Whippany, 7pm, 973929-3067 Refa’enu Peer-Led Mood Disorder Support Group, for those with depression, bipolar disorder, and/or related anxiety and their loved ones, Ben Porat Yosef, Paramus, 7:30pm, dena@ refaenu.org Beit Medrash Learning, Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, 8pm, 973-994-2620
Wed., March 4 Fast of Esther, Purim
Jewish 12-Step Meeting, JACS—Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons, and Significant Others, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201837-9090, ask for IRA (Information and Referral) or 201-981-1071
Thurs., March 5, Purim
Kosher Cooking, with the staff of the Fontainview in Monsey, for seniors, making apple strudel, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201-569-7900 “After Liberation: The First Five Years—The DP Camp Ex-
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perience,” Drs Ann Saltzman and Joshua Kavaloski, Lindsay Warren, and witness Fran Malkin, spons by the Drew University Center for Holocaust Study, Young Center for the Arts, Union, 4pm, 973-408-3600
Fri., March 6 Shushan Purim
Shabbat with Rabbi Gary Katz, for seniors, JCC, Tenafly, 11:30am, 201-569-7900 Singles Shabbaton, includes meals, oneg Shabbat, singles mixers, group discussions, and a Motzei Shabbat party, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, through Motzei Shabbat, March 7, 646-529-8748 or 718-575-3962 Bnai Akiva Snif Madrichim Shabbaton, for grades 9-12, Holiday Inn, Budd Lake, through Shabbat, March 7, carolmjacobson@ gmail.com
Shabbat, March 7
Cholent Cookoff Finals and the Title of Cholent Master, Cong Ahavas Israel, Passaic, 11:30am, 973-472-5172 or 201-463-8933 “The Thought of Rabbi Tzadok from Lublin,” Prof Alan Brill, private home in Teaneck, 5pm, shalomk@hotmail.com
Motzei Shabbat, March 7
Kol Isha Vocal Ensemble, in concert, for women, led by Frida Nadav, private home in Monsey, 7:30pm, https://www.facebook. com/events/635451803266623/ Parent-Child Learning, includes pizza and raffle prizes, Cong Arzei Darom, Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201-530-0043 Film: “The Flat (HaDura), Young Israel of Fort Lee, 7:30pm, 201-592-1518
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The Log
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
continued from page 29
Cong Netivot Shalom of Teaneck Dinner, honoring Leah and Alex Moskovitx and Fred Schulman, at the Fair Lawn Jewish Center, 8pm, 201-801-9022 or the.rogovins@gmail.com Comedy Night with Sharon Geller: What’s So Funny?” for men and women, includes dairy fare and dessert, spons by AMIT, DoubleTree by Hilton, Fort Lee, 8pm, 212-477-4720 Comedy Café Night, Modi, Sam Morril, buffet dinner, and open bar, to support the shul’s youth department, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8:30pm, rjcyouthdirectors@gmail.com Ma’ayanot Scholarship Dinner, honoring Rena and Menachem Schnaidman, Chani and David Moss, Sharon and Ari Wieder, and Rabbi Donny Besser, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8:30pm, 201-833-4307 ext 265 Frisch Class of 2009 Reunion, Frisch School, Paramus, 8:30pm, 201-267-9100 Jewish Federation of Northern NJ Israel Film Festival: “Hill Start,” includes dessert reception, Tenafly Cinema 4, doors open, 8:30pm; film, 9pm, 201-820-3900
Sun., March 8
Rockland Federation Mission to Morocco, returns Mon., March 16, 845-362-4200 ext 133 “Shalom Bayis Seminar: Like Yourself—The Key to a Loving Marriage,” with Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski; Lisa Tweski, LCSW; Dvorah Levy, LCSW; and Rabbi Yisroel Roll, LCPC; spons by Soulmark Marriage Seminars, at
Cong Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, 9:30am-4:30pm, 410-585-0497 “Bagels, Tefillin, and Breakfast,” Rabbi Eliezer Zaklikovsky, Chabad Jewish Center of Monroe, NJ, 9:30am, 732-656-1616 Hebrew Free Burial Association Riverdale Community Breakfast, honoring Dr. Donald Liss and David and Beth Braunstein, Riverdale Jewish Center, 9:30am, 718-548-1850 “The Anti-Israel Movement on College Campuses: What You Need to Know and How to Respond,” for adults and teens, includes, “The Delegitimization of Israel on Campus,” former Israeli Ambassador to the US Danny Ayalon; “What You Need to Know and How to Respond,” Samantha Mandeles; “How to Choose a College That’s Right for You,” Johanna Baum; Cong B’nat Tikvah, North Brunswick, 10:15am, 732-640-5086 Beyond Bar Mitzvah Club, for boys in grade 8, Rabbi Yitzchok Kahan, Chabad Center, Cherry Hill, 12 noon, 856-874-1500 Pre-Pesach Wine-Tasting and Wandering BBQ, with Ari White and his Texas Smokehouse BBQ Pop-up, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 12-9pm, mensclub@ bethaaron.org or 201-836-6210 Rabbi Eliyahu Kaufman’s Bowl-a-Thon, spons by Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 2pm, 732247-3038 Film: “Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Homefront,” discussion with Lt (res) Aviv Regev, Beth El Synagogue,
East Windsor, 4pm, 609-443-4454 Friendship Circle Bowling League, for special-needs children and their families, at the Friendship Circle, Paramus, 4pm, 201-262-7172 Trip to Hockey Game: NJ Devils vs Philadelphia Flyers, at the Prudential Center in Newark, spons by Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 5pm, 732-446-3000 Bat Mitzvah Club, for girls in grades 5-6 (girls 11-13), Shterna Kaminker, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 5pm, 856-874-1500 Jewish Girls Club, for 8th grade girls, Mussie Mangel, includes crafts, food, and relevant Jewish themes, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 5pm, 856-874-1500 Cong Ohr Torah Dinner, honoring Honey and Max Wisotsky, Rena and Jeff Klein, and Gabbai Joel Adler, z”l, shul in Edison, 5:30pm, 732-985-2593 or 732-777-6840 Beyond Bat Mitzvah Club, for girls in grade 7 and up who have recently celebrated their bat mitzvahs, Shterna Kaminker, includes crafts, scrap-booking, and refreshments, Chabad, Cherry Hill, 6:30pm, 856-874-1500 Jewish Federation of Northern NJ Israel Film Festival: “Is That You?” with actress Suzanne Sadler, Starplex Luxury Cinemas 12, Ridgefield Park, 7pm, 201-820-3900 “Israel in the Crosshairs: A Zionist Response—Orwellian Lies against Israel and How You Can Help,” Mort Klein, spons by ZOA-NJ, reception with Dr. Klein, private home in Englewood, 6:15pm; talk, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 7:30pm, 201-424-1825 Shiur, for women 21-25, Rebbetzin Rebecca Belison, private home in Teaneck, 8pm, shoshanahrubin@gmail.com
Mon., March 9
“Art of the Ancient Egyptians,” for seniors, Sheryl Intrator Urman, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201-569-7900 Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center Dinner, at the shul in Livingston, 6pm, 973-994-2620 Caregivers Support Group, for those caring for a loved one
with Alzheimer’s disease, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-569-7900 Cooking: Hands-On Holiday Baking, Chef Galit, includes coconut chocolate cake, glutenfree macaroons, flourless mocha roulade, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201408-1457
Tues., March 10
Caregivers Support Group, for those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, JCC, Tenafly, 10:30am, 201-569-7900 Café Europa: “A History of the Catskills,” for Holocaust survivors, with Marty Schneit, includes lunch, spons by the Jewish Family Service, at the Fair Lawn Jewish Center, 11am, 973-595-0111 “Daughter of Righteous Gentile, Irene Gut OpDyke” Jennie Smith, Rockland Community College, Suffern, noon, awinograd@HolocaustStudies.org Bereavement Support Group, Rabbi Bryan Kinzbrunner, Stein Hospice, Somerset, 4pm, 732-227-1212 Ben Porat Yosef Day School Dinner, honoring Jennifer and Shmuel Bieler, Tzivia Bieler, Dr. Warren and Joan Enker, Erica and Arnaud Bensoussan, Kara and Oren Epstein, Amantha Katz, Laerence Koutcher, Morah Yocheved Rappaport, and Morah Robin Yucht, at Temple Emau-El, Closter, 7pm, 201-845-5007 Jewish Federation of Northern NJ Israel Film Festival: “Super Women,” includes discussion with author Boris Fishman, YMHA, Wayne, 7pm, 201-820-3900 Yiddish Princess-Yiddish Rock Band, includes a talk by Prof Jeffrey Shandler, spons by the Rutgers Dept of Jewish Studies, at the Victoria Mastrobuono Theater, New Brunswick, 7:30pm, 848-932-2033 “Eating Disorders in Children and Teens,” for Israeli parents raising children in the US, JCC, Tenafly, 8:30pm, 201-408-1427
Wed., March 11
“Not Fade Away, a Memoir of Senses Lost and Found,” Rebecca Alexander, includes lunch, JCC, Bridgewater, noon, 908-7256994 x201
http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com Efshar Circle, for independent special-needs young adults, includes sports, cooking, and Judaic activities, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 3pm, 973-251-0200 “Justice Beyond the Holocaust and Rwanda: How the Memory of the Holocaust Has Shaped Ideas about Justice, Human Rights, Military Intervention, and Property Restitution,” Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life Master Teacher Institute in Holocaust Education, Rutgers, New Brunswick, 4:30pm, 732-932-2033 Teen Scene, for special-needs teenagers, includes games, sports, and dinner with volunteers, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 5pm, 973251-0200 CPR and AED Course, Jonathan Silver, Chabad of West Orange, 6:30pm, 973-342-2763 Nechama Comfort: A Support Group Dedicated to Helping All Family Members Who Have Experienced Infant and Pregnancy Loss at Any Time in Their Lives, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7pm, 201-837-9090 Holding Hands Support Group, for families who are grieving the death of a child of any age from any cause, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7pm, 201-837-9090 Abused Women’s Confidential Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-837-9090 “Become a Love and Logic Parent: 3 Parenting Styles,” for mothers, Rabbi Dani Staum, at Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy of Rockland (ASHAR), New City, 8pm, 845-641-5094 Makhela Israeli-Style Choir, for those who can read and sing in Hebrew, Zvi Klein, JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-408-1427 Tehillim Group, Cong Shaare Tefillah, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-2895474, 917-902-9303, or 201-836-3431
Thurs., March 12
“Divine New York: A Religious History of New York City,” Ronald Brown, and “Daring: My Passages,” Gail Sheehy, JCC, Tenafly, 10:30am, 201-408-1454 A Multi-Generational Evening of Unity and Inspiration: Mega Challah Bake, for women and girls ages 12 and up, spons
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
by Chabad of Cherry Hill, at the FoxEDU Center, Cherry Hill, 7pm, Dinie@thechabadcenter.org or 856-874-1500 Jewish Federation of Northern NJ Israel Film Festival: “Cupcakes,” includes dessert cupcakes, Kolo Klub, Hoboken, 7:30pm, 201-820-3900
Fri., March 13
“New York’s Lower East Side: A Revolving Door for Immigrants: 1820 to Today,” Prof Thorin Tritter, JCC, Tenafly, 10am, 201-408-1426 Prof Lawrence Schiffman, scholar-in-residence, Cong Anshe Chesed, Linden, through Shabbat, March 14, 908-486-8616 Shabbat across America, includes dinner and a program, Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, 6:40pm, 732-777-6840; “A Shlock Rock Shabbaton, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 732-446-3000 Discover the Suburban Torah Center Shabbaton, at the Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, through Shabbat, March 14, 973-994-2620
Shabbat, March 14
Educational Prayer Service, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, includes discussions and commentary, prayers in English and Hebrew transliteration, at Cong Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, 9:45am, 201-966-4498 or 201-836-4334 Motzei Shabbat, March 14 ATARA Sisterhood Meet the Members Night, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8:30pm, suezelig@ gmail.com Cong Ahavath Torah Dinner, honoring Dr. Francine and Aaron Stein, Rachael and Dov Eisenberger, and Rabbi Mordechai and Shoshanna Gershon, at the shul in Englewood, 9pm, 201-568-1315 NJ Yachad Rocks—An Evening of Music, featuring dueling pianos and dinner, to benefit NJ Yachad programs for special-needs children and adults, private home in Teaneck, 9pm, 201-833-1349 Shlock Rock Concert, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 9pm, 732-446-3000 Shiur, Rabbi Mordechai Willig, Young Israel of Riverdale, 9pm, 718-548-4765
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
Sun., March 15
Davening and Bikur Cholim at Daughters of Miriam in Clifton, meet at Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15am; davening, followed by breakfast and bikur cholim, 8:45am, samapprais@aim.com Project SARAH (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) Breakfast, featuring NYC Prosecutor Jill Starishevsky, honoring Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, Rabbi Jonathan Knapp, Rivka Zauderer, Aliza Schachter, and Rachel Wertenteil, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9:30am, 973-777-7638 Torah Circle and Hebrew School, for special-needs children and teens, in separate groups, art, baking, sports, music, holidays, traditions, and Hebrew with volunteers, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 9:30am, 973-251-0200 Men’s Club Breakfast, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 9:30am, 732-446-3000 Israel and Pearl Stern Memorial Lecture: “Jews for George: What America’s First Jews Teach Us about Americans Today,” Rabbi Dr. Meir Yaakov Soloveichik, includes brunch, Community Synagogue of Monsey, 10:15am, 201-337-0742 Sunday Circle, for special needs children, includes activities and lunch, spons by The Friendship Circle, at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, noon, 201-262-7172 Mitzvah Day, spons by the Jewish Federation of Northern NJ,
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Paramus, telethon, 9am; community-wide food drive, 1pm, 201-820-3947 The Maccabeats in Concert, JCC, Tenafly, 2pm, 201-569-7900 Matan: Discover How the Bat Mitzvah Girl Can Connect to Traits Such as Kindness, Faith, Power of Prayer, and Zionism, for girls nearing their 12th birthday in Essex, Morris, and Union Counties, Jennifer Romanoff, private home in Livingston, 2pm, 305-332-6036 or 973-900-1341 Pre-Pesach Boutique, featuring gifts, The Wandering Que Texas BBQ, and the chance to sell jewelry for cash, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck 4:30-9pm, mkopel35@gmail.com Cong Shomrei Torah Dinner, honoring Sharon and Michael Glass and Ceil and Sam Heller, at the shul in Fair Lawn, 5pm, 201-791-7910 Cooking Demo and Tasting with Jamie Geller, for members and non-members, Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, 6pm, mtkatchen@ yahoo.com or 973-992-9294 Jewish Federation of Northern NJ Israel Film Festival: “The Green Prince,” includes discussion after the film, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-820-3900 “Montessori and Mesorah,” Rabbi Eli Mansour, Netivot Montessori School, East Brunswick, 8pm, 732-985-4626 Film: “Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Homefront,” Cong B’nai Tikvah, North Brunswick, 8pm, 732-640-5086Y
Mazal Tov Mazal Tov to the Bat Mitzvah Girls: Leorah Burack, Esti Davidman, Alexandra Degen, Gabrielle Green, Mia Greenbaum, Sophia Greenblatt, Sarah Insel, Josie Jakubovic, Danielle Maydan, Hadassah Mayerfeld, Dahlia Mohl, Miri Pfeiffer, Bayli Reinheimer, Dina Schiowitz, Adira Sheffey, Maya Stein, and Elana Swinkin; and the Bar Mitzvah Boys: Jakie Birman, Noam Fischberger, Harry Furman, J. Gindi, Yisroel Zev Golzman, Ikey Gutlove, Ephraim Helfgot, Daniel Jaffe, Mendel Kaplan, Jeremy Katz, Menachem Kravetz, Mordechai Levenson, Shaya Lieberman, Aharon Luchins, Yehudah Natan Marcus, Donny Morris, Yonatan Naor, Nathan Orbach, Shlomo Pasternak, Daniel Ritter, Ari Rogers, Nathan Sragow, Yosef Dovid Steinhart, Levi Ukraincik, Ovadya Yaish, Max Zakheim, and Joseph Zeltsan Y
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
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New Classes This Month Sundays
Shiur, Rabbi Aharon Ciment, Cong Arzei Darom, Teaneck, 7:50am, rabbi@arzeidarom.org or 201-530-0043 Israeli Dance, for girls in grades 3-4, Jody Senter, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 9am, 201-384-0434 Israeli Dance, for girls in grades 1-2, Jody Senter, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 10am, 201-384-0434 Tefillah, for women, Rebbetzin Rivka Eichenstein, Cong Agudath Israel, Highland Park, 10am, 732-572-4408 Book Study: “Battle Plan” by Rebbetzin Tzipora Heller and Sara Yocheved Heller, facilitated by Rabbi David Bassous, Cong Etz Ahaim, Highland Park, 10am, 732-247-3839 Zumba, for girls in grades K-5, Cong Rinat Yisrael, 10:15am, 201837-2795 ext 101 Israel Dance Class, for women, Elyse Litt, Cong Etz Ahaim, Highland Park, 11am, rachel@weintraubworld.net Crochet Classes, for girls, Rachel Lewinson, private home in Passaic, 10:30am, RachySellsStuff@gmail.com or rochneb@yahoo.com Zumba, for women, Shaina Stiefel, Cong Shomrei Emunah, Englewood, 8pm, s.stiefel90@gmail.com Pilates, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-837-2795
Mondays
Shiurim, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, 8:50am; Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, 9:20am, 201-791-7910 Women’s Learning Initiative: Parsha, Miri Cohen, private home in Highland Park, 9:15am, 206-376-9027, 732-572-2807, or 732-249-5116 Mommy and Me, for mothers and children ages 3 and under, Shiva Bral, private home in Passaic, 10am, 850-559-6903 “Rambam’s 13 Principles of Faith,” for women, Chani Juravel, private home in Passaic, 11:15am, juravelinspiration@gmail.com “13 Principles of Faith,” for women, Chani Juravel, Cong Ohr HaTorah, Bergenfield, 1pm, 201-244-5905 Adult Intermediate Hebrew Ulpan, Dr. Drora Arussy, Torah Academy of Bergen County, Teaneck, 1pm, tapa@tabc.org Navi, for women, Rabbi Avraham Preil, private home in Elizabeth, 1pm, 908-352-5178 Bereavement Group, for those who have lost a spouse or significant other, Melanie Lester, Jewish Family Service of North Jersey, Wayne, 2pm, 973-595-0111 Jewish Spousal Loss Group, Anna Kirshblum, LCSW, spons by the Shira Ruskay Center, at the Beatman Center, Riverdale, 5pm, 718601-9714 or akirshblum@jbfcs.org, begins Feb 23 Zumba, for girls in grades 1-4, Lauren Greene, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5:15pm, michellebromberg@yahoo.com Women’s Learning Initiative: Shmiras HaLoshon, Leah Drillman, private home in Edison, 7:30pm, 201-410-1893 or 732-777-6787, begins Feb 23 JRecovery Anonymous, peer support group and 12-step program for Jewish alcoholics, addicts, and anyone affected by addiction, including family members and friends, Jewish Family Services, Milltown, 7:30pm, 732-777-1940 Parsha, for women, Rebbetzin Rivka Eichenstein, Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, 8pm, 732-572-4408 Shiur, Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, Cong Shomrei Torah, 8pm, 201791-7910 “‘Emunah and Bitachon’ by Rabbi Avigdor Miller,” for men and women, Rabbi Yaakov Weinstein, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 8:30pm, 732-254-1860 Teleconference: “The Parsha through the Eyes of the Nesivos Shalom,” Chani Juravel, 9pm, 1-857-222-0303, access code 781638
Tuesdays
Shiur, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, Howard Nuer, 8:40am; Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, 9:20am, 201-791-7910 Crochet Classes, for women, Rachel Lewinson, private home in Passaic, 9:30am, RachySellsStuff@gmail.com or rochneb@yahoo.com “The Parsha through the Eyes of the Nesivos Shalom” for women, Chani Juravel, Ohr Somayach Beit Shvidler Conference Center, Monsey, 9:45am, juravelinspiration@gmail.com “Say It in Hebrew: Beginning Hebrew Reading,” Shelley Kniaz, Jewish Home Assisted Living, River Vale, 11am, 201-391-0801 Alateen, an anonymous, confidential 12-step program for frum girls ages 9-19 who have friends or family with any addiction or behavioral disorder, Rikki Wisotsky, LCSW, Cong Tiferet Israel, Passaic, 7pm, 973-249-7435 Free and Confidential Support Group for Divorced Women and Women in the Process of Divorce, Dr. Carol Glaser, private location in Teaneck, 8pm, 201-833-8822 Torah Topic on Tuesdays, Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, spons by Cong Shomrei Torah, private home in Fair Lawn, 8pm, 201-791-7910 Sefer Melachim: “Shlomo Ha’Melech and His Impact on David’s Legacy,” Rabbi Jeremy Donath, Cong Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, jeremydonath@gmail.com or 201-406-7043 Parashat HaShavua, in Hebrew, Rav Meir Goldvicht, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 8:30pm, 201-836-8916
Wednesdays
“In-Depth Tanach Shiur Focusing on Jewish Texts and Philosophy,” for women, Temima Shulman, private home in Passaic, 9am, 201-264-9369 Shiur, for women, Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 9:15am, 201-791-7910 Continuing Jewish Education for Women, Goldie Cohen, spons by Neve Passaic Torah Institute, private home in Passaic, 9:30am, 908-278-4059 “Relationships in Tanach,” for adults, Rachel Besser, Yeshivat Noam, Paramus, 9:45am, psp@YeshivatNoam.org Mitzvah Volunteer Program, for sixth graders who want to interact with special-needs children, spons by the Friendship Circle, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 6:30pm, 201-262-7172 Talmud: Brachot, Rabbi Zev Goldberg, Young Israel of Fort Lee, 7:45pm, 201-592-1518 Shiur, Rabbi Aharon Ciment, Cong Arzei Darom, Teaneck, 7:50pm, 201-530-0043 Crochet Classes, for women, Rachel Lewinson, private home in Passaic, 8pm, RachySellsStuff@gmail.com or rochneb@yahoo.com Torah Topic, Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201-791-7910 In-Depth Talmud Class, Rabbi Yaakov Weinstein, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 8:30pm, 732-254-1860 Chabura: Core Topics in Hakdamas Ha-Rambam: What does Torah She-be-al Peh include? How Did Machlokes Develop?” Rabbi Tanchum Cohen, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 9:15pm, 201-384-0434 Hilchos Kashrus, Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 9:15pm, 201-836-8916
Thursdays
Shiurim, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, 8:50am; Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, 9:20am, 201-791-7910 “Prophets and Prophesy,” Leah Herzog, Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, Teaneck, 11:45am, 201-833-4307 Latte and Learning, for high school students, spons by NCSY, at Lazy Bean Café, Teaneck, 7pm, weitzens@ncsy.org or teens@bethaaron.org Latte and Learning, for high school students, spons by NCSY, at Nosh Pit, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-736-1407
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Parsha Shmooze, Michael Hoenig, includes cholent and Dvar Torah, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:30pm, 201-791-7910
Fridays
Bikur Cholim Hospital Visitation, spons by Rutgers Hillel, meet in New Brunswick, 12:30pm, 732-545-2407
Shabbat
Orthodox Services, Parsha Class, and Lunch, Rabbi Adam Freiberg, spons by the OU’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus, Rutgers Hillel, services, 9am; Parsha class, 11:30am; Shabbat lunch with the Freibergs, 12:30pm, 732-545-2407 or sara@rutgershillel.org Learning Service: Explanations and Discussions, Rabbi Avi Weiss, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 9:30am, 718-796-4730
Motzei Shabbat
Bnai Jazz, featuring Dave Scher (guitar), Steve Wien (bass), Ray Butler (keyboard), Josh Marcus (vocals), and Seth Chosak (percussion), at Tavlin Restaurant, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-871-6060
Chesed Ops
Bridesmaidshare.com is a website that lists used bridesmaid and wedding dresses available to borrow (alterations are frequently permitted). Those who find and use a dress through the website make at least a $36 donation to Yad Eliezer’s Adopta-Wedding program to help needy brides in Israel. Those who lend a dress earn a $10 Starbucks card every two times the dress is borrowed. http://www.bridesmaidshare.com/ or info@bridesmaidshare.com Chaverim of Passaic/Clifton needs volunteers to provide nonemergency roadside assistance to motorists who have flat tires, need boosts, locked their keys in the car or home, or run out of gas. Volunteers needed to man the hotline and dispatch calls. No skills needed, training provided. Text 973-330-1402 or call 201-463-8933 Jewish Family Service of North Jersey needs volunteers for its Kosher Meals on Wheels program. Drivers deliver hot kosher meals for about an hour, once or twice a week, in Fair Lawn, Elmwood Park, or Wayne to isolated and/or disabled seniors, JFSNJ, Fair Lawn, Mon-Thurs, noon; Fri, 11:30am, 973-595-0111 Jewish Family Service of North Jersey needs volunteers for its Friendly Visitors program, to visit homebound clients, 973-595-0111 Jewish Family Service of Middlesex County needs volunteers for Kosher Meals on Wheels in the Edison-Highland Park area. JFS also needs volunteers for its office in Milltown and kosher food and diapers for its pantries, 732-777-1940 ext 154 A gentleman in the Riverdale Hebrew Home for the Aged loves to learn and would greatly appreciate a chavrusa—in person, or by phone. Please contact his daughter at 917-975-3664 if you or anyone you know is interested.
Gemachs
Rinat Chaim Gemach, Teaneck, accepts donations of medical supplies and equipment in good condition to be used by members of the community, 201-357-5495 or yehiel@optonline.net Teaneck Bris Gemach has bris outfits, pillow and cases, and tefilos, not need-based and open to the community, no solicitation of funds, dovid.lobl@gmail. com, zsizzle11@aol.com, or 718-704-6225 Tablecloth Gemach, Teaneck, has specialty cloths in all colors and sizes, donations go to Project Yi’che and are tax-deductible, chayemf@aol.com Chatan and Kallah Gemach, Bergenfield, accepts new, unopened gifts for needy couples, including household items, Judaica, engagement or wedding gifts, 201-801-9028 or candscooper@gmail.com Dress to Impress Gemach, a clothing gemach run by the Jewish Family Services of Clifton-Passaic and Project Chizuk, accepts donations of clothing in good condition for men and women to wear for job interviews and at work, 973-777-7638 ext 145 or abbie@projectchizuk.com Y
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Bibi to Address Congress ators and Congressmen—on both sides of the aisle—as possible to lobby for attendance at Mr. Netanyahu’s address. “These are critical issues for all Americans. And for any group of legislators to put partisan politics ahead of principles and refuse to listen to the Prime Minister of Israel, who arguably knows more about the problems of terrorism and a nuclear-armed Iran than anyone else in the room, is unconscionable,” said Mr. Langfan. Grave Threats His argument is largely the same as Mr. Boehner’s when he invited Mr. Netanyahu in late January. “In this time of challenge, I am inviting the Prime Minister to address Congress on the grave threats radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life,” he said. In his address, Mr. Netanyahu is expected to speak about the stalled US-led nuclear negotiations with Iran and to urge lawmakers to slap Tehran with a new round of tougher sanctions in order to force Iran to comply with international demands. He is expected to address the “bad deal” he fears Mr. Obama and other world leaders in the socalled P5+1 countries—Russia, China, France, Britain, the US, plus Germany—have already made with Iran, an agreement which will allow Iran to achieve nuclear capability. Mr. Obama and those Democrats who support him argue
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continued from page 1
that they will settle only for a verifiable agreement that removes Iran’s nuclear capability. Such an agreement, they say, can increase security for the US and Israel. Mr. Obama recently told lawmakers that only a diplomatic deal could compel Iran to roll back its nuclear program. Mr. Netanyahu and those who agree with him say the Iranians cannot be trusted to abide by any deal and that the Obama administration is not motivated to take a sufficiently hard line with Tehran. Nuclear Progress Mr. Netanyahu has pointed out that negotiations were originally supposed to last six months, but, by June 30, will have gone on for 19 months. During that time, Iran has enriched at least one more nuclear bomb’s worth of material, has advanced its plutonium track to 87 percent completion, and has just announced it will build two more nuclear facilities. Experts say that during the negotiations, Iran kept all of its 19,000 centrifuges and its uranium piles. It was allowed to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles, which can be used to carry nuclear weapons. In addition, monitors were prevented from entering military installations like Parchin, where there is evidence that research and development of nuclear weapons continue. Many experts said that Mr. Obama’s State of the Union comment in which he bragged that the Iranian nuclear program had been halted and its stockpile of all nuclear material reduced was false. They said that at best the
progress of the program has been slowed, but not to the point that it cannot be accelerated again. Iranian Intentions Iranian President Hassan Rouhani insists his country is not seeking to achieve nuclear weapons, but rather to use its nuclear program solely for civilian energy needs. Nevertheless, a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander boasted last month that Iran had provided Syria, Iraq, the Palestinians, and Hezbollah with technology to produce missiles to attack Israel. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that Iran had achieved selfsufficiency in building radar systems and drones and has exported that technology as well. A top Iranian military commander recently declared that weapon-shipments to Palestinians in Judea and Samaria have already begun and that more will be sent to other “Palestinian resistance groups.” No Bad Deal Asked about the fear that his negotiations will lead to a bad deal with Iran, Mr. Obama told CNN that he is confident he can successfully lobby Congress to approve a deal with Tehran once it is struck. “I’ve said before that we will take no deal over a bad deal, but if I can prove that the deal we’ve put in place assures us through indisputable verification mechanisms that Iran cannot achieve breakout capacity, if I’ve got a bunch of scientists and nuclear experts saying this assures us that Iran is not on the brink of being a nuclear-weapons power, then that’s a public debate we should have,” he said. He added that such a deal would be preferable to a “potential military option that would be less effective in constraining Iran’s nuclear program and
would have extraordinary ramifications at a time when we’ve already got too many conflicts in the Middle East.” He said he was “pretty confident I can win that argument.” Disdain for Israel Mr. Obama has made no secret of his disdain for Israel’s concern about the threat posed to the Jewish state by Iran’s quest for nuclear capability, or of his personal animosity towards Mr. Netanyahu. Before Mr. Obama began his rapprochement with Iran, Congress had imposed stiff economic sanctions against Tehran, with the understanding that they could be lifted if Iran relinquished its nuclear program. In conjunction with the diplomatic initiative, Mr. Obama provided Iran with major sanctions relief. Mr. Netanyahu has said this sanctions relief encouraged Iran to continue its nuclear program, and while Israel might be Tehran’s first victim, the US and the entire Western world were at risk as well. No Results So far, the talks between Iran and the P5+1 countries have been extended twice and produced nothing. The most recent round of talks, held for five days behind closed doors in Geneva, Switzerland last month, once again ended with no progress. The world leaders will meet again in February, with the intention of reaching an agreement by March 1. The full technical details are set to be confirmed by July 1 if possible. In many circles, there is great skepticism that a deal—at least one that protects the US and Israel—can be reached at all. Many observers believe that in their eagerness for an agreement, the P5+1 leaders are willing to make great concessions
http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com to Iran which will leave Tehran very close to nuclear capability. At the beginning of February, a number of European foreign ministers argued that Mr. Netanyahu’s criticism of their laxity in face of the upcoming Iranian nuclear agreement is false. The senior European officials said they were dealing “rigidly” with the Iranians and that without Iranian concessions, there will be no agreement.
February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Bipartisan Efforts Mr. Obama has made clear his belief that any Congressional moves indicating lack of full trust in Iran will scuttle the ongoing negotiations. He has already made a commitment to the Iranians that no new sanctions will be imposed by the US during the negotiations. Therefore, his administration is not at all pleased with the bipartisan efforts on the
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
Nuclear Weapon-Free Iran Act of 2015 (S.269), authored by Sen Robert Menendez (DNJ) and Sen Mark Kirk (R-IL). If passed, this legislation will impose sanctions to go into effect if Iran and the P5+1 do not reach an agreement in which Tehran clearly relinquishes the option of developing nuclear weapons. The legislation increases congressional oversight of the
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negotiations with Iran by requiring the President to submit to Congress the text of any final agreement with Iran, as well as a verification assessment report within five days of reaching a final agreement. If there is no final agreement by July 6, 2015, the bill re-imposes sanctions waived against Iran during the interim agreement period and estab-
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Bibi to Address Congress lishes an escalating series of new sanctions starting in August. Although the bill provides the President with the authority to waive new sanctions in order to conclude a comprehensive agreement with Iran, Mr. Obama has made clear his opposition to any part of S.269. Democratic Action At the end of January, ten Senate Democrats sent a letter to Mr. Obama warning that they will vote for S.269 unless the Iranians agree by March 24th to commit to a “political framework that addresses all parameters of a comprehensive agreement.” In their letter, the ten Democrats—Mr. Menendez, Charles Schumer (NY), Richard Blumenthal (NY), Gary Peters (MI), Robert Casey, Jr. (PA), Benjamin Cardin (MD), Christopher Coons (DE), Joe Manchin III (WV), Joe Donnelly (IN), and Debbie Stabenow (MI)—told the President that they believe the bill is “reasonable and pragmatic, respects the nuclear negotiating timeline, and sends a strong signal to Iran and to the international community that endless negotiations under the interim agreement are dangerous, unacceptable, and could leave Iran with a threshold nuclear-weapon capability.” Sens Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Michael Bennett (D-Colo), who had served as co-sponsors of a previous Iran sanctions bill, have not yet signed on as cosponsors of S.269 and did not sign the letter to Mr. Obama. Given the number of Democrats in the Senate who may approve the bill, there is a chance that S.269 will be able to override the Presidential veto promised by Mr. Obama.
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NORPAC, the NJ-based pro-Israel political action committee, is encouraging supporters of Israel to thank those Senators who are already sponsoring S.269 and to encourage the others to join their colleagues as sponsors. Iran as the Solution? According to Israel Army Radio, despite Mr. Obama’s displeasure, Mr. Netanyahu hopes that by addressing Congress he will prompt Congress to deepen sanctions against Iran. A source in Jerusalem told Army Radio that Mr. Obama’s approach is to see Iran as “the solution and not the root of the problem.” According to the source, Mr. Obama is “betting on the Iranians at the expense of the moderate Sunni states,” which the source said is “a serious strategic mistake.” Blaming Protocol Although the issue of their different perspectives on Iran lies at the root of Mr. Obama’s ire at Mr. Netanyahu’s upcoming address, the White House initially blamed protocol, claiming that the Israeli Prime Minister had violated diplomatic procedures by agreeing to address Congress without clearing it—or even informing—the White House. In fact, while Mr. Boehner did not inform the White House before issuing the invitation, Mr. Netanyahu accepted the invitation only after the administration had been informed. Mr. Netanyahu then waited to hear any objections, and when none were forthcoming, he accepted the invitation. According to Washington-based commentator Omri Ceren, the resulting fracas has been a “kabuki outrage manufactured” to hurt Netanyahu’s image in the US, and if possible, help his competitors in the upcoming Israeli elections.
Originally, Mr. Netanyahu had been invited by Mr. Boehner to speak on February 11. The date was changed to March 3 because Mr. Netanyahu is due to be in Washington that week anyway to address the AIPAC conference. Israel is scheduled to hold its elections on March 17. “The reality is that it really doesn’t matter what Netanyahu says or what Israel does. If it wasn’t this, Obama would have set up something else, and there will certainly be more of this coming no matter who gets elected in March and no matter how many of Mahmoud Abbas’s demands Israel submits to. This President wants very much to curtail America’s alliance with Israel. That’s the goal, and it has been ever since President Barack Hussein Obama first entered the White House,” said Mr. Ceren. Pressuring Democrats In any case, the President’s views on both the Iran Sanctions bill and Mr. Netanyahu’s upcoming address have put a great deal of pressure on the Jewish state, and also on those Democrats who still position themselves as pro-Israel. Adding to their dilemma is the undeniable fact that Israel in general and Mr. Netanyahu in particular are still very popular with the American people as a whole, although support is lower among Democrats and young people. According to the most recent Gallup poll, fully 72 percent of Americans have a “very favorable” or “mostly favorable” view of Israel. According to a Rasmussen poll, likely voters support Mr. Netanyahu’s address to Congress over the objections of Mr. Obama by a margin of 42 to 35 percent, with 23 percent undecided. The poll also found that 44 percent of voters worried
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
that relations between the US and Israel have deteriorated during Mr. Obama’s presidency, while only nine percent think the relationship has grown stronger. On the issue of Mr. Obama’s policy on the Iranian nuclear capability issue, the poll shows that Mr. Netanyahu’s speech may be the only way to convince Americans: 38 percent support the President’s policy; 35 percent disapprove. Unsurprisingly, most of those who support him are Democrats and those who disapprove are Republicans. No Meetings White House press secretary Josh Earnest’s insistence that Washington remains committed to Israel’s security, despite the disagreements between the Obama White House and the Netanyahu-led government, did not make it any easier for Democratic legislators to decide whether to sign onto S.269, or whether to attend Mr. Netanyahu’s address. At the same time, the White House announced that during Mr. Netanyahu’s visit, there would be no meetings with the President, Vice-President Joseph Biden (who conveniently said he would be out of the country), or Secretary of State John Kerry (who said Mr. Netanyahu was welcome to give a speech in the US “any time” even if this particular trip did not follow the “usual protocol” of informing the White House first). According to Mr. Earnest, the nomeeting announcement was based not on the lack of protocol, but because “the visit is before the Israeli elections, and we do not want to create a false impression of interference in the elections.” Ignored Policy If avoiding that appearance is policy, it has often been ignored. Just last month, Mr. Kerry met with Nigerian presidential candidates barely two weeks before the Nigerian election, and the President himself spent three days with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi just ten days before India’s elections on February 7. Just after announcing that neither Mr. Biden nor Mr. Kerry would meet with Mr. Netanyahu in Washington, word came that the Vice President and the Secretary of State were meeting with Yitzhak Herzog, the head of the Labor Party who is Mr. Netanyahu’s chief opponent for the Prime Minister’s seat. Mr. Herzog met with Mr. Biden and Mr. Kerry separately on the sidelines of the
Munich Security Conference. The meetings, which seemed designed to interfere with the Israeli election in support of Mr. Herzog, were described as “informal.” Planned Meeting The meeting in Munich came as leaders from the Israeli left, including Mr. Herzog, attacked Mr. Netanyahu, blaming him for Mr. Biden’s decision to boycott his speech. Labor MK Shelly Yechimovich said the meeting with Mr. Biden “shows that when Herzog speaks, the world listens and that the only bridge for normal and harmonious communication with the international arena is to elect Herzog prime minister.”
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Likud MK Miri Regev called Mr. Herzog “an indefatigable subversive,” the term used by the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in his autobiography to describe Shimon Peres. Hoping Bibi Loses In general, the White House has made no secret of its hope that Mr. Netanyahu will lose his election and be replaced by two left-wing Israeli politicians, Mr. Herzog and Tzipi Livni, who have merged their Labor and Hatnua parties into a coalition they call “the Zionist camp.” Mr. Herzog and Ms. Livni have agreed to serve as Prime Minister in rotation. During a January 23 press briefing, Mr.
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
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Ess Gezint: Hungarian Purim Food, Family, and Tradition: Hungarian Kosher Family Recipes and Remembrances by Lynn Kirsche Shapiro (The Cherry Press) joins the ranks of cookbooks that are one part recipes, one part history, and one part family memoirs. Whatever the accuracy of Ms. Shapiro’s claim that the more than 150 dishes are “original, never-before-published recipes,” the book is undeniably a welcome collection, especially for Purim.
Stuffed Chicken or Goose Neck (Helzel)
The memories of her parents, Sandor and Margit Kirsche— Holocaust survivors who went on to found Hungarian Kosher Foods of Skokie, IL, the largest all-kosher supermarket in the Midwest—serve in Ms. Shapiro’s narrative as the voice for so many who lived through that time and then had the courage to start anew and rebuild. In every generation…Happy Purim, everyone! Y
Chicken Patties
1 to 1¼ lbs coarsely ground ¹/8 tsp pepper 1 chicken or goose before frying chicken breast meat ¹/8 tsp salt neck skin (helzel) 2 hardboiled eggs, 2 eggs ¹/8 tsp seasoned salt Mix for chicken patties, shelled, optional Rinse and clean the helzel, pat dry with paper toweling. (Ms. 3-4 slices dried challah (¼ lb) 3 Tbs vegetable oil, or as soaked and squeezed dry needed Shapiro’s mother used the neck meat and bones for soup.) Stuff 1½ cups diced onion, divided the neck to capacity with the chicken patty mixture. If using the 1 clove garlic, minced In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken with the egg, start with the stuffing, then add one egg lengthwise, and repeat, ending with the stuffing. Sew the ends closed, using eggs, challah, garlic, and seasonings. Stir to mix well. Form into a needle and thread. Add the stuffed helzel to a pot of soup 2½ to 3-inch round patties, about ¾-inch thick. In a 12-inch and cook with the soup; or add the helzel to a roasting pan skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add half the onions, with chicken and roast along with the chicken. When done, sauté for 2 minutes. Add half the patties and cook until done, remove the helzel from the pot or roasting pan, remove and 7 minutes on each side, turning once and stirring the onions as the patties cook. Repeat discard the thread. Slice the helzel into portions. with the second batch of Seasoned Salt, a Hungarian Mainstay onions and patties. Serve 4 Tbs salt 1 tsp garlic powder on individual plates with 4 tsp sugar 1 tsp onion powder mashed potatoes, a small 1 Tbs sweet Hungarian paprika ½ tsp cornstarch or potato green salad, or on a bun. 1 tsp turmeric starch They can also be served Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to mix well. cold or at room temperaTransfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dark place. ture with potato salad.
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Bibi to Address Congress Earnest was asked: “The President wants the Israeli Prime Minister to share his view on Iran. Is it safe to say that you would welcome a change of Israel’s Prime Minister?” Mr. Earnest replied, “In fact we would. And that’s a case that we’ve made to him on many occasions. And a case has been made at a variety of levels. But ultimately it’s the responsibility of the Israeli Prime Minister to pursue a national security strategy that he believes is in the interests of his country. The President happens to have a difference of opinion, which is: he believes it is worth pursuing this diplomatic option with the Iranians. And he believes that doing so is not just in the national security interests of the US, but it’s in the national security interests of our closest ally in the region, which is Israel.” The follow-up question came quickly: “So you’d welcome a new person in the Prime Minister’s job in Israel after March 17?” Flustered, Mr. Earnest tried to explain that he had misunderstood the question. “What I had thought that you asked me was whether or not we’d welcome the Prime Minister taking a new position on Iran,” he said. Approved by the President But there was no misunderstanding that Jeremy Bird, who served as the national field director for Mr. Obama’s 2012 Presidential campaign, is now working for an Israeli group, Victory 15 (V15), whose goal is to see Mr. Netanyahu defeated. Mr. Bird is now head of a political consulting firm, 270 Strategies, which helps election campaigns throughout the world using grassroots efforts. According to the Washington-based Daily Caller, Mr.
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Bird would not be working against Mr. Netanyahu unless it had been sanctioned by the President. “If Bird were working against Obama’s wishes, it would threaten the future of his firm—and of his fellow employees—because Obama has such sway within the Democratic Party’s internal economic marketplace for election and polling services,” said the Daily Caller. No Wake-Up Call Since protocol and the coming elections were eliminated as the basis for Mr. Obama’s opposition to Mr. Netanyahu’s address, some observers said Rep Robert Dold (R-IL) got it right in an op-ed that appeared in the Chicago Tribune: “Iran’s nuclear program is the greatest national security threat facing the US, and it poses an existential threat to Israel. I hope that Netanyahu’s speech serves as a wake-up call about the urgency of this situation.” Mr. Boehner, who has remained unapologetic about not consulting the White House or State Department before issuing the invitation to Mr. Netanyahu, said the Prime Minister’s address was important because of “the serious threat that exists in the world” that “the President is papering over.” According to Mr. Langfan, that is what lies behind the President’s fury. “A wake-up call on the issue of Iran is the last thing Mr. Obama and his supporters want,” he said. Insulted Part of the problem seems to be that Democrats—like Mr. Obama himself—feel slighted in that they were not consulted regarding the invitation. In his first public appearance since suffering an eye injury in early January, Senate Democrat leader Harry Reid
What You Can Do The list of Senators who should either be thanked for sponsoring the Nuclear Weapon-Free Iran Act of 2015, or asked to sponsor can be obtained from NORPAC by calling (201) 788-5133 or emailing avi@norpac.net. To encourage legislators to attend Mr. Netanyahu’s address to the joint session of Congress, the full list of all US Senators, along with their phone numbers, can be found at: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm US Representatives can be found at www.house. gov/representatives. Clicking on the legislator’s name will take you to his or her website, where the suggestion can be left that he or she attend Mr. Netanyahu’s address. Sen Cory Booker (D-NJ) can be reached at 202-2243224 or at www.booker.senate.gov/?p=contact. Sen Robert Menendez (D-NJ) can be reached at 202-224-4744 or at menendez.senate.gov/contact/. Sen Kristen Gillibrand can be reached at 202-2244451 or at www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/. Sen Charles Schumer can be reached at 202-2246542 or www.schumer.senate.gov/contact/email-chuck. The Democrats in the NJ Congressional delegation who can be contacted are: Rep Frank Pallone, 202-225-4671 Albio Sires, 202-225-7919 Bill Pascrell, 202-225-5751 Donald Payne, 202-225-3436 Bonnie Watson Coleman, 202-225-5801 (NV) said he had not been consulted, but nevertheless intends to attend the speech. “I have a good relationship with Netanyahu,” Mr. Reid told reporters. “He called me as a matter of fact about my injury, which I appreciated. But you know, he’s a leader of a country. He’s going to come to give a
joint session of Congress. We’ll listen to what he has to say.” Too Busy House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) saved her ire for Mr. Boehner, whom she blamed for having issued the invitation. But when asked if she would
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Bibi to Address Congress boycott the speech, her spokesman, Drew Hammill, said, “The leader attends every joint meeting and, of course, will attend should this speech take place.” According to Ms. Pelosi, however, some lawmakers may be “too busy” to attend. “I don’t think anybody should use the word ‘boycott,’” she said at a press conference. “When these heads of state come, people are here doing their work, they’re trying to pass legislation, they’re meeting with constituents, and the rest. It’s not a high-priority item for them.” When reporters laughed, she said, “Things happen in people’s schedule. You just never know.” Mr. Schumer and Rep Eliot Engel (DNY), the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also pledged to attend. “Frankly, the strong US-Israel relationship, bipartisan relationship, through the years, is stronger than any perceived slight or dispute,” said Mr. Engel. “I care about the US-Israel relationship. It has always been bipartisan and will continue to be.” No Commitment Although Rep Steve Israel (D-NY), whose district includes Great Neck and other heavily Jewish areas, bemoaned Israel’s being used “as a political football,” he has not said he would stay away from Mr. Netanyahu’s speech. Neither has Sen Dick Durban (D-IL), who called Mr. Boehner’s decision to invite Mr. Netanyahu “a terrible disaster for Israel.”
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“I won’t speak for any other members, but they’ve been talking to me about what is the right way to react to what could turn out to be a divisive event,” he said. Sen Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said there have been discussions of a mass boycott, but she did not offer any names. While Mr. Obama has not publicly said that is the route he expects from them, he is also not suggesting they attend. “We defer to Democratic members if they’d like to attend or not,” a White House aide told the press. Still Considering At the beginning of February, Rep Steve Cohen (D-TN) said he was still considering staying away, and Rep John Yarmouth (DKY) said he “hadn’t thought about” whether he will go or not. “I just don’t know if it’s the proper response or not,” said Mr. Cohen. “With his election being so soon, and with the negotiations we have going on with Iran, he’s put himself in a political situation here that’s probably adverse to the best interest of Israel,” he said. Mr. Yarmouth said he did not know “what else is on my schedule.” “It wouldn’t be an official boycott. I wouldn’t announce that I wasn’t going. But I don’t really blame Netanyahu—although I’m not a fan of Netanyahu—but I don’t blame him for coming,” he said. A spokesman for Rep Bill Pascrell (DNJ) said he also had not made up his mind whether to attend or stay away. But the spokesman said that his office was hoping to
hear from constituents to help him decide. The spokesman for Sen Cory Booker (DNJ) did not return phone calls on the issue. Name-Calling Other Democrats were less sanguine. According to the website Politico, at a meeting hosted by Mr. Israel, several Democratic lawmakers, including Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), vented their rage at Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, who was accused of working with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to engineer the invitation. Politico said the meeting devolved into personal name-calling, with at least one self-avowed pro-Israel representative calling Mr. Dermer “a liar” when he said he did not realize the “partisan mess” that would be created from the invitation. According to some sources, although Mr. Dermer was asked about bringing Mr. Netanyahu to address Congress, the idea had been under discussion in Republican leadership circles since before the 2014 midterm election. According to Mr. Israel, none of the Democrats at the meeting he hosted were planning to boycott the speech. Only One So Far The only Senator who has said he will not attend is Bernie Sanders, a Jewish Independent from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats. He made his announcement during a speech to the left-wing Brookings Institution. However, he said, he “may watch it on TV.” According to Benjamin Korn, chairman of the Religious Zionists of America, Democrats won’t stay away from the talk in droves. This is chiefly because Israel’s popularity remains high and her enemies’ favorability numbers in the US remain low—despite decades of critical news media coverage, the Obama administration’s frequent statements of sympathy for the Palestinians, and the torrent of anti-Israel resolutions by the UN, radical academics, and some religious groups. According to the Gallup Poll that gave Israel a 72 percent favorable rating, Egypt rated 45 percent, followed by Saudi Arabia (35 percent), Libya and the PA (19 percent each), Iraq (16 percent), Syria (13 percent), and Iran (12 percent).
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
Index of Advertisers Events/Entertainment
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Miscellaneous
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Catering Hall
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Not Standing Idly By Asked if the anger from Democratic legislators and the White House had prompted him to reconsider the invitation, Mr. Boehner said no. “Obama expects us to stand idly by and do nothing while he cuts a bad deal with Iran. We’re going to do no such thing,” he said. “As the leader of a co-equal branch of our government, I don’t have any problem at all in doing what I did to invite the Prime Minister to come to Congress and address those concerns.” Republican Representatives Trent Franks (AZ), Leonard Lance (NJ), and Lee Zeldin (NY, and the only Jewish Republican in Congress) circulated a letter of their own among House members backing Mr. Boehner’s invitation and urging their colleagues to attend. Mr. Zeldin said he believes the only reason Democrats are voicing concern about the speech is to give Mr. Obama “cover.” “There really isn’t any debate as to what the right decision is. Israel is our strongest ally, and in an area of the world that is facing the rising tide of radical Islamic extremism and state sponsors of terrorism in pursuit of nuclear capability. It really should be a no-brainer to warmly embrace
the leader of Israel, no matter who that person is, without missing a beat,” he said. AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel lobby in the US, is nonpartisan and its conference, which Mr. Netanyahu will be addressing, boasts among its participants as many Democrats as Republicans. The group is officially encouraging members of Congress to attend Mr. Netanyahu’s speech, but has not issued any further comments on the controversy. No Choice Ari Fleischer, who served as press secretary to former President George W. Bush, said that in the end, the Democrats have no choice but to show up, even if protocol was violated or the Israeli election comes too soon after. “Whether that’s true or not, what difference does it make? At this point, the Prime Minister is coming. Are you really going to boycott him?” he said. He suggested those who don’t show will be succumbing to political pressure from their liberal base that will lead to more partisan discord in the America-Israel relationship. “If they boycott the speech, they’ll be casting their lot with the more liberal, not pro-Israel base of the party, and that would be a shocking development. It would be a radical break,” said Mr. Fleischer.
Musician
Jeff Wilks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Club Kosher Passover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Costa Rica Kosher Adventures . . . . . . 26 Honest Reporting Inside Israel . . . . . . . 8 Kosher Culinary Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Kosherica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Leisure Time Tours Pesach . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Marco Polo Pesach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 MatzaFUN Tours Passover . . . . . . . . . . 16 Mendy Vim’s Holidays Passover . . . . . . 4 Passover Resorts Valencia . . . . . . . . . . 24 Passover with “Flakey” Jake . . . . . . . . . 15 Quality Hotel, Montreal . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Like Winston Churchill Former GOP Presidential candidate and publishing executive Steve Forbes called the invitation to Mr. Netanyahu “fitting, proper, and indeed essential for our very security.” “Like Winston Churchill in the 1930s with Nazi Germany, Netanyahu has been sounding the alarm about Iran’s ominous nuclear and terrorist activities,” he said. The President’s opposition, said Mr. Forbes, is based on “his intense dislike” of Mr. Netanyahu and the Prime Minister’s “refusal to keep quiet about Obama’s desire to conclude a Neville Chamberlainlike deal with Tehran.” “Congress needs to hear first-hand the truth about what Iran is doing and the dreadful implications of those activities,” he said. Going Anywhere For his part, Mr. Netanyahu insisted that he would go anywhere to discuss the existential threats facing Israel. “In the coming weeks, the major powers are liable to reach a framework agreement with Iran, an agreement that is liable to leave Iran as a nuclear threshold state, which would endanger—first and fore-
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Bibi to Address Congress most—the existence of the State of Israel. This is the same Iran that has taken over Lebanon and Syria, and is now taking over Yemen and Iraq. This is the same Iran that is preparing an active front against us both on the Golan Heights and in southern Lebanon. This same Iran cannot advance towards nuclear weapons,” he said. To accomplish this, he said, he would “go anywhere I am invited in order to enunciate the State of Israel’s position and in order to defend its future and its existence.” Israeli Positions His message resonated well with some in Israel. Eli Yishai, who is running in the elections as head of the YachadHa’am Itanu bloc, which is expected to receive about five seats, called on the Obama administration “to see Israel as a Western country that is under threat, not as a coun-
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try in the midst of elections.” “It is too bad American government officials are choosing to intervene in Israeli elections,” he said. “When Iran is a second-and-a-half away from becoming a real nuclear threat, the Prime Minister does not need the pretext of elections to speak to the US Congress on behalf of the country most affected by the threat.” Others in Israel said that although they agreed with Mr. Netanyahu’s reasoning, it would be better to cancel, especially since there is little chance that it will change Mr. Obama’s strategy. “The US President may be on the wrong path, but Netanyahu’s speech will not deflect its course. It will only broaden the existing chasm between the Israeli PM and the American Administration,” said Israeli talk-show host Dr. Avi Perry.
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Looking to Dictate Mr. Obama’s biggest problem will be Democrats such as NY State Assemblyman Dov Hikind who said he was “thrilled” that Mr. Netanyahu would be delivering a speech to Congress. “Unfortunately, Democrats and Republicans in Congress don’t trust Obama,” he said, adding that “it hurts me to say this about my President.” Asked if he sees Mr. Obama as an enemy of the Jewish state, Mr. Hikind said, no. However, he added, “I also don’t think he’s the kind of friend we need in such difficult times.” On the other hand, he said, only Mr. Netanyahu could lead Israel at this time. Mr. Hikind suggested Mr. Obama was pushing for the left-wing candidates “because if Labor is in power, Obama will be able to dictate to the people of Israel what exactly should be done. Obama has nightmares regarding Netanyahu getting re-elected.” Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic Party operative who served as an advisor to former President Bill Clinton, suggested the poor relations between Mr. Netanyahu and both Messrs Clinton and Obama could be chalked up to “ideological inconsistency.” “American Presidents are used to dealing with Jews who are Democrats and liberals, and that is not the case with Netanyahu. He’s much more like a Republican,” he said, citing Mr. Netanyahu’s history as the head of the Finance Ministry. “He was very much free-market based, and that’s something the Democrats have some problems with as well in the US.” Makes No Difference The polls show that Mr. Netanyahu is probably the only candidate for Prime Minister who will be able to form a government, and while the speech
in Washington might help him, especially if he speaks well and receives the expected standing ovations, polls indicate that he will not be hurt. A full 63 percent of Israelis said whether they will support Mr. Netanyahu or not has nothing to do with whether or not he speaks to Congress. Nineteen percent said the speech would reduce the likelihood of their voting for him, while 12 percent said it increased the likelihood. Six percent said they knew nothing about the speech. On February 10, a Teleseker poll for Israel Channel 1 found that 45 percent of Israeli respondents, including Israeli-Arabs, believed it is “crucial” for him to go, while 36 percent said he should cancel the speech. A full 19 percent abstained from answering. Threats Mr. Earnest denied that Mr. Obama’s refusal to meet with Mr. Netanyahu was related to their poor personal relationship, although in Israel and the US, there were reports that the White House was outraged because Mr. Netanyahu had “spat” in Mr. Obama’s face by failing to coordinate his trip with the administration. An unnamed senior US official reportedly told Ha’aretz that “Netanyahu ought to remember that President Obama has a year and a half left to his presidency, and that there will be a price.” According to the Ha’aretz report, White House sources said an offensive epithet used against Mr. Netanyahu a few months ago by an administration official was “mild” compared to the language used in the White House when news of the Prime Minister’s planned speech arrived. Messing with the Mossad A few days after Mr. Ne-
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February 2015 / Shevat-Adar 5775
Dignified Differences: A Special Soul
Chana Sharfstein is a fighter. Throughout much of her life, she endured tragedy, struggles and many obstacles. This never deterred her, always fighting for what was right and in her eyes just. When her autistic daughter, Zlatie, passed away last year at the age of 53, it propelled her to continue to fight on behalf of people with special needs. “When Zlatie was diagnosed with autism, the diagnosis was in its infancy,” Mrs. Sharfstein recalls. “There were no occupational therapists, physical therapists, or early intervention to assist the child. Few resources such as day camps, schools or residential centers were available.” Most painful for her and her family was the lack of support and understanding of the needs of this population. While many in the 1960’s chose to hide their children from the public, Mrs. Sharfstein took no such actions and treated her like every other member of the family, taking her to the park, restaurants, and public events. As a result, her family, was mocked by classmates, belittled by teachers and heard negative undertones from neighbors. While today, Mrs. Sharfstein says, things are much better, with community support, schools catering to this population, and such organizations as the Chabad-run Friendship Circle, but the community at large still needs to learn about people with special needs and how to be more sensitive to them and their families. In a new book Dignified Differences: A Special Soul, Mrs. Sharfstein and her family talk about their pain, triumphs, and feelings. In addition Mrs. Sharfstein tells of her encounters with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, z”l, and his approach to people with special needs. “Zlatie’s life impacted our family in a most painful and heartbreaking way,” her brother Sruli Sharfstein writes. “People with special needs were not understood. Our neighbors, associates, and mentors teased me, and at times blamed me for her ‘blemishes.’ I still feel the pain. I still live with the insults and ridicule I endured as a child.” For Sruli, it was tragic, but he triumphed and sees Zlatie as not only a challenge for those who encountered her: “I feel that Zlatie was placed on this earth to test our humanity and compassion. Some failed; others greatly succeeded.” Zlatie’s sister, Seema Gersten, describes Zlatie as one unable to communicate with those she loved the most, yet able to tell us which songs she wanted on the record player and what foods she would enjoy for dinner. “When you judge someone based on a diagnosis,” she writes, “you miss out on their abilities, uniqueness, and beauty. Zlatie was so much more than a woman struggling with autism.” With raw emotions, Zlatie’s mother writes about being the caretaker, the emotional struggle when she had to decide to send her to a residence, and facing her granddaughter who came face-to-face with someone who spoke condescendingly about Zlatie. With all that, she writes: “Thank You, G-d, for entrusting me with this special human being. Zlatie impacted my entire life, and helped me grow in so many ways, teaching me to appreciate the small things, to love unconditionally, to be strong.”
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Letters to the Editor
On Sunday, March 8th, 2015, Mrs. Sharfstein together with The Friendship Circle of Brooklyn, in commemoration of Zlatie’s yahrtzeit, will hold an “Evening of Awareness: Building Bridges,” at the Jewish Children’s Museum, 792 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY, from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Dignified Differences: A Special Soul will be distributed to all attendees. Call 718-907-8841. Dovid Zaklikowski Brooklyn, NY
The Israeli Chicken
Your front-page article last month “Israeli Elections: No ‘Centrists’—Just a Right Wing and a Left Wing with Nothing in the Middle,” (Jan 2015) was excellent, as are all your writings. The article’s title is actually the punch line of a joke, which you probably know and is a subtle part of your message. If not, here goes: A man enters an Israeli restaurant and orders a chicken dinner. The dinner arrives and the man says to the waiter, “I have a problem with the chicken in my dinner. All there is is a wing on the left and a wing on the right with nothing in the middle,” to which the waiter responds: “That is an Israeli chicken!” Samuel Bahn New York, NY SLR responds: Thanks so much for your kind words. And here we thought we invented that joke.
Still Dreaming
The latest Palestinian terrorist attack against Israelis commuting on a city bus is a reminder that there can be no compromise with extremists who think violence is the best way to achieve their goals. The Palestinian leadership, which now includes Hamas, must decide if it is interested in peace, which can be pursued only through direct negotiations with Israel. Instead of running around the world with blood-stained hands to various international forums, Palestinian leaders must realize the only path to peace and security for two peoples in two states is to abandon terrorism and adopt a new approach: genuine, sincere give-and-take that takes into account the interests of all parties. Almost 67 years after Israel was founded and the Palestinians rejected their own state, it should be clear that killing and terrorism will never be the answer. Jack Rosen New York, NY Mr. Rosen is chairman of the American Council for World Jewry.
Hadassah Marcus, z”l
The Women in Green Movement mourns the death of Hadassah Marcus, z”l, a noble woman, imbued with ideals, the mother and grandmother of children who walk in her path, the path of total self-sacrifice to the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. Dassie Marcus was for us an inspiration, as mother-teacher-hero-warrior, who, together with her husband Arthur (may he be rewarded with a long life), imparted to her sons and daughters the love of the Land and the ideal to “take it upon yourself to finish the work.” Thanks to her educational efforts, her children continue to defend the People of Israel and the Land of Israel as valued principles.
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“Thought Is the World of Freedom” (R’ Dov Ber of Mazeritch) We owe her and her children much gratitude. With her leaving, more and more of her activities become revealed. Mrs. Marcus left behind a clear path; may we be faithful to it and lead others in her footsteps. May her memory be blessed and bound up with the other great leaders of the People of Israel from whom we draw our strength to climb this goodly mountain. To the entire dear Marcus family, may you find consolation in the building of the Land of Israel. Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar Jerusalem, Israel Ms. Katsover and Ms. Matar are co-chairs of Women for Israel’s Tomorrow-Women in Green, dedicated to safeguarding the G-d-given Biblical Homeland.
President El-Sisi’s Courage
Upon a world marred by Islamic turmoil, terror, and violence, a gift of inestimable value has been bestowed. On December 28, 2014, in a speech directed at Islamic religious scholars and clerics, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said, “It is inconceivable that the ideology we sanctify should make our entire nation a source of concern, danger, killing, and destruction all over the world. Honorable Imam (the Grand Sheik of Al-Azhar, the recognized center of Muslim scholarship), you bear responsibility before Allah. The world in its entirety awaits your words, because the Islamic nation is being torn apart, destroyed, and is headed to perdition. We ourselves are bringing it to perdition. We need to revolutionize our religion…” The extraordinary, unprecedented courage of President ElSisi in taking this position, endangering his life, stands in stark contrast to the misguided message of world lay, political, and religious leaders, who deceive the public by denying that the atrocities, which President El-Sisi seeks to correct, are of Islamic origin. The significance to world peace of these momentous words, spoken not by a Western head-of-state or religions, but, amazingly, by a leader of the Muslim world, and the head of the most populous Arab nation, preposterously, fell on deaf ears in the US. It is incumbent on our President, Congress, their equivalents throughout the Free-World, and lay and ecclesiastic leaders, to express appreciation and support to President El-Sisi for his stance. Criticism his government’s sometimes necessarily harsh measures against Muslim Brotherhood operatives, opponents
of his regime, should be set aside. In any society, order must come before justice and freedom. In like vein, the American-Muslim community must be exhorted to endorse and support openly and positively President El-Sisi’s courageous, selfless action to bring peace to the world. Robert I. Lappin Swampscott, MA
Self-Defense for European Jews
I am writing on behalf of the European Jewish Association and the entire European Jewish Community. The Paris attacks, as well as the many challenges and threats which have been presented to the European Jewish community in recent years, have revealed the urgent need to stop talking and start acting. We hereby ask that gun licensing laws be reviewed to allow designated people in Jewish communities and institutions to own weapons for the protection of their communities, and to receive necessary training to protect their members from potential terror attacks. We are asking that all weapons be issued for self-protection only to designated personnel who will undergo thorough investigation and training by local authorities. The danger has grown as many Europeans travel abroad to be indoctrinated into radical Islam, before returning to their European homelands to use their military training to devastating effect. We need to recognize the warning signs of antisemitism, racism, and intolerance that once again threaten Europe and our European ideals. I truly hope that together, we can ensure the safety of European Jews and secure for them a peaceful future. Rabbi Menachem Margolin Brussels, Belgium Rabbi Margolin is director general of the European Jewish Association The Jewish Voice and Opinion welcomes letters, especially if they are typed, double-spaced, and legible. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and style. Please send all correspondence to POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631. The phone number is (201) 569-2845. The FAX number is (201) 569-1739. The email address is susan@jewishvoiceandopinion.com
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Bibi to Address Congress tanyahu’s upcoming address was announced, a report from Bloomberg News said the Israeli intelligence agency, the Mossad, had advised US Senators visiting Israel to follow Mr. Obama’s line—that is, to hold off on further sanctions against Iran because they would hamper, not help, efforts to persuade Iran to relinquish or allow full international supervision of its nuclear program. In Israel, it was assumed that the leak had come from the White House, and was considered a dangerous breach of security. The Senators who met with Head of Mossad Tamir Pardo at their request and with Mr. Netanyahu’s approval, were: Bob Corker (R-TN), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Lindsay Graham (RSC); John Barrasso (R-WY); John McCain (R-AZ); Joe Donnelly (D-IN); and Tim Kaine (D-VA). Fraudulent Claims A few hours after the Bloomberg Report broke, a senior Israeli official issued a harsh attack on the Obama administration, accusing it of issuing “fraudulent claims” against Mr. Pardo. The official said that the minutes of the meeting between Mr. Pardo and the delegation of senators had been studied, and that at no time did the Mossad head say any-
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thing about opposing additional sanctions on Iran. In a statement, the Mossad said, “At the meeting, the head of Mossad stressed the extraordinary effectiveness of the sanctions that have been placed on Iran for several years in bringing Iran to the negotiating table. The head of Mossad noted that in negotiating with Iran, a policy of ‘carrots and sticks’ must be adopted, and there are not enough ‘sticks’ nowadays.” The statement quotes Mr. Pardo as having said “specifically that the agreement that is being formed with Iran is bad and could lead to a regional arms race.” Sources in Jerusalem told Army Radio that the Bloomberg story about the supposed disagreement between Mr. Netanyahu and the Mossad regarding sanctions on Iran was “the Obama administration’s revenge for Netanyahu’s invitation to address Congress.” Another source told Army Radio that the Senators who attended the briefing wanted to hear specifically about the Iranian threat and that some of them had asked Israeli officials to “save us from our own mistakes.” APN Those seeking to lobby Congress on behalf of Mr. Netanyahu have a great deal of catching up to do. The political left has been actively work-
ing against the joint session address for weeks. The first group to weigh in was the far-left Americans for Peace Now (APN), which supports all the positions of its Israeli parent organization, including virulent opposition to Mr. Netanyahu and his candidacy for re-election. APN has excoriated not only the Republicans who want Mr. Netanyahu to speak, but also the very idea that an Israeli who believes Iran is an existential threat should address Congress at this time. “Boehner must rescind his invitation to Netanyahu and reissue it such that Netanyahu, or whoever the next prime minister of Israel may be, is invited to address Congress at a date that is after negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program have concluded, and after elections in Israel are complete and a new Israeli government is sworn in,” said Lara Friedman, APN’s director of Policy and Government Relations. In a mass email, Ms. Friedman urged recipients to click on two links. One took recipients to a list of Senators and Representatives and allowed them to send APN’s pre-written note, urging them to oppose Mr. Netanyahu’s speech. The other link connected them to Mr. Boehner’s office with a note urging him to rescind the invitation. J-Street Not to be outdone, APN’s colleagues at J-Street, a group tied to the left-wing billionaire George Soros, promptly launched its own campaign against the Israeli Prime Minister, asking American Jews to sign a petition stating that Mr. Netanyahu “doesn’t speak for me.” J-Street, which promotes itself as “pro-Israel and propeace,” is widely seen as just anti-Israel. Last spring, its attempt to join the mainstream
Conference of Presidents of Major American-Jewish Organizations was defeated. Before the petition campaign, J-Street had been promoting a letter written by Mr. Cohen; Rep Maxine Waters (DCA), and Rep Keith Ellison (DMinn), the only Muslim member of Congress, urging Mr. Boehner to reschedule the speech after Israeli elections. Timing was not their only issue. They also opposed “inviting a foreign leader to rebut our President on a foreign policy matter.” J-Street and APN were joined in their outrage against Mr. Netanyahu’s speech by other left-wing American-Jewish leaders. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, called it “a bad idea;” Seymour Reich, a former chairman of the Conference of Presidents, asked Mr. Netanyahu to “bite the bullet” and postpone his address; and Abe Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, called the speech “a tragedy of unintended consequences.” Only with a Doctor’s Note In the end, it seems that the Democrats will have to decide how pro-Israel voters will react if they don’t show up, and how pro-Obama voters will react if they do. There is no doubt that on both sides, people will be taking attendance and there will be consequences. The ZOA’s Mr. Klein said his group will expose those Democrats who, when given the chance to stand with Israel and Mr. Netanyahu in opposition to a nuclear Iran, chose instead to support Mr. Obama. “We will publicly condemn any Democrats who don’t show up for the speech, unless they have a doctor’s note,” said Mr. Klein. SLR
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Fiery Executions to determine the cultural and religious sources. The goal is to find the ISIS’s weak points to use them against the group. For example, according to Dr. Kedar, ISIS fighters believe that if they are killed by a woman, they cannot be counted as shahids (martyrs) and will not be sent to Paradise. The Kurdish army in northern Iraq, the Peshmerga, made use of this belief by enlisting women fighters who would shout and ululate as they approached ISIS positions. “When the ISIS fighters heard the Kurdish women’s battle cries, they fled to prevent being killed by a woman,” he said. Cutting Down Recruitment While perhaps the threat of death by a woman’s hand might throw cold water on ISIS’s recruitment endeavors, the Obama administration thinks the way to cut the number of ISIS fighters is to shut down the Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) detention center for foreign Islamic terrorists caught by American forces. According to Brian McKeon, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, ISIS’s forcing its condemned prisoners to wear orange jumpsuits is evidence that Gitmo is being “used as a recruitment tool by terrorists” and must be shut down, even if it means releasing murderous terrorists back into the Middle East. Mr. McKeon said the administration doesn’t believe it’s a coincidence that the Jordanian pilot and, before him, two Japanese hostages, selfemployed military contractor Haruna Yukawa and freelance journalist/photographer, Kenji Goto, were placed in orange jumpsuits. The outfit, said Mr. McKeon, is a symbol of the Gitmo detention facility. “The greatest action the US can take to fight terrorism
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continued from page 20 is to close Gitmo,” Mr. McKeon told the Senate Armed Forces Committee. More Not Fewer Beds This is the latest argument advanced by the Obama administration, which is eager to find a way to make good on one of the President’s first campaign promises. Not all the Senators were convinced. Sen Tom Cotton (R-Ark), a former Army officer who served several tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, pointed out that terrorists had no trouble recruiting well before the Gitmo facility opened in 2002. These terrorists, he told Mr. McKeon, “don’t attack us for what we do. They attack us for who we are.” “In my opinion, the only problem with Guantanamo Bay is there are too many empty beds and cells there right now,” said Mr. Cotton. “As far as I’m concerned, every one of them can rot in hell, but, as long as they don’t do that, they can rot in Guantanamo Bay.” Returning to Battle Although there have been many reports of released prisoners from Gitmo returning to the battle fields on the side of Islamist extremists, Nicholas Rasmussen, director of the National Counter-terrorism Center, said the number of released detainees confirmed to have returned to battle against the US was 19 percent under Mr. Bush, but has dropped to 6.8 percent under Mr. Obama. Lt Col Myles Caggins III, Defense Department spokesman for detainee policy, said Gitmo is mentioned in Inspire, the publication of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Keeping Gitmo open, he said, hurts national security by draining resources, damaging relationships, and emboldening extremists.
“The benefits to national security of closing Guantanamo in many ways outweigh the risk posed by releasing prisoners,” he said. Two Opinions Sen Tim Kaine (D-VA) said those who don’t believe the prison helps recruit radical terrorists to attack the US are ignoring reality. Republicans intent on keeping the prison open to detain and interrogate suspected terrorists have introduced legislation with more restrictions that could effectively end all transfers for the remaining two years of Mr. Obama’s presidency. Mr. McKeon said the White House will oppose such legislation. Necessary Vengeance ISIS was not the only Islamic group utilizing clothing as symbols last month. Before Jordan retaliated by hanging a man and woman who were members of Al Qaeda and whose lives ISIS wanted saved, King Abdullah, dressed in a red Bedouin keffiyah, gave a short speech on Jordanian TV, vowing to avenge the blood of the executed pilot. King Abdullah had no choice but to go to war, said Dr. Kedar. Otherwise, he would have suffered “strong criticism from the Bedouin tribes for whom avenging the blood
of their brother pilot is a holy mission.” In addition, the king was intent on giving a clear signal to the increasing number of Jordanians who identify with ISIS that his long arm would catch up with them and deal with them harshly. Next Step According to Dr. Kedar, if there is an escalation of hostilities between Jordan and ISIS, the Jordanian police will probably arrest a significant number of their own citizens suspected of ISIS sympathies, especially those living in the southern city of Maan and the Syrian refugees in the Alzatri camp in the North. It is in Israel’s interest to support King Abdullah in the coming war between Jordan and ISIS, “because its results will determine who stands opposite the Jewish State on the other side of the Jordan River,” said Dr. Kedar. It will either be the sovereign nation of Jordan with whom Israel enjoys a peace treaty, or “a terror organization par excellence, totally devoid of ethical limitations.” “Israel and Jordan are in the same pit in the war against an organization that wants to bring the fires of hell to the Middle East so as to destroy whatever is not in line with their world view,” he said. S.L.R.
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