The Jewish News August 2014 by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee

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August 2014 - Av/Elul 5774 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 6 Community Focus 11 Jewish Happenings 15 Focus on Youth 21 Jewish Interest 25 Israel & the Jewish World 29 Commentary 31 Life Cycle

9 Keeping History Alive: The Todah Menorah Project

10 Drummers’ mitzvah at KobernickAnchinBenderson

Jewish Federation receives $1,000,000 bequest Staff Report

he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee recently received a generous gift of just over $1 million from Bradenton resident Semha Zimmerman, who passed away in March 2014. Mrs. Zimmerman requested that the funds be used in honor of her husband, Abraham, who passed away in 2002 from Lou Gehrig’s disease. “While Semha left our Federation an extremely generous gift upon her passing, her legacy is not about the money,” says Marty Haberer, Federation’s associate executive director. “Hers is a story of someone whose generosity and love for the Jewish people will have significant impact on Jewish life in our Sarasota-Manatee community.” Semha Zimmerman was born in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 10, 1922, the second of six children. Her ancestry dates to the first Jewish diaspora from the Kingdom of Judah to Babylon, where the Hebrews were allowed to remain a unified community for some 2,500 years. Selma and Semha Zimmerman As a young woman, Baghdad, Iraq, in 1947

she was a sought-after secretary, as she was fluent in Arabic, French, English and Hebrew, and was a self-taught typist. At the end of the British mandate of Iraq and the creation of the State of Israel, life for her family, and the Baghdad Jewish community as a whole, became very difficult. Semha’s father disappeared, likely shot by the Semha and Abraham Zimmerman Iraqis. Her only brother, Sasson, fled to Israel to avoid conscription into the Iraqi Army, leaving Semha, her mother and her youngest sister alone in an increasingly violent and anti‑Semitic Iraq. During this very frightening time, Semha and her family were saved by a heroic Muslim neighbor who turned back a mob looking for Jews, telling them there were no Jews on this street and to go away. In 1951, caught in the crossfire of the Israeli‑Arabic wars, Semha, her mother and her sister, along with some 150,000 Iraqi Jews, were “allowed” to barter their property and

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Community gathers to remember three Israeli teens

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hursday, July 3 was a somber time for Sarasota-Manatee. It was a sign of our strong community that many congregational rabbis and two non-Jewish leaders of the community came together to help soothe the sadness since hearing the news that the three kidnapped Israeli teens had been found murdered on Monday, June 30. Almost 500 people attended the memorial service onbethe Federation Campus, This Proof must signed and returned before in the Beatrice Friedman Shabbatwe can proceed with your This Jerusalem is your Theatre andorder. in the Room via video feed. Proof prior to printing. Please examine all spellLatecomers were able to sit in the lobby and listen to dinner with ing and information carefully. not be were filled to capacity. All the audio asRFJD bothwillrooms 2,226 diners held responsible for any unnoticed errors. Any were there to pray for the memories of Eyal Yifrach, errors found after printing will be customer’s sole in Tel Aviv responsibility. Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel. breaks world These three teens were kidnapped while waitrecord Approval ing at a bus stop on their way home from Yeshiva. ApprovedTheir bodies were found 18 days after the abduction

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and a call to the emergency line in which one of the boys whispered “We’ve been abducted.” The Israeli

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A panel of congregational rabbis and Christian clergy address the audience in the Beatrice Friedman Theatre

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bequest...continued from page 1 assets for freedom in Israel. Because of her linguistic and secretarial abilities, Semha soon landed a job with a shipping company, and was able to rent an apartment. In 1956, Semha met the love of her life, Abraham Zimmerman, a strawberry blond German Jew whose entire family had been murdered by the Nazis. Semha and Abe were married in 1957. Their only child, a son, was stillborn. The two emigrated to the U.S., becoming citizens in 1964. Semha and Abe focused on their careers. After retiring, the two traveled extensively and taught at Hofstra University’s Elder Hostel. The two moved to Bradenton in 2000. Semha spent her remaining years at Freedom Village in Bradenton, teach-

ing a course called “The History Buff,” featuring community residents as speakers on various topics in American history. Semha loved this country and was very proud to be an American. Her heroines were the women who traveled with their husbands in wagon trains to settle the West. Until six months before her death, Semha was full of life, taking a total of 27 cruises with her loving companion, Karl Ahrens. She died at home with Karl by her side on March 11, 2014, one day after celebrating her 92nd birthday. We at the Federation are eternally grateful to Semha Zimmerman. We only wish we had had an opportunity to thank her in person for her generosity.

memorial service...continued from page 1 government has concluded that Hamas is behind the kidnappings. This powerful memorial service was especially meaningful thanks to the interfaith participation in the evening. In the face of violence and hatred over differences, our community came

Young Ambassador with photo of the boys Dr. Alan and Barbara Katz place yellow ribbons on their arms

together as one human family to share prayers for Israel and the families of the slain boys. The death of three innocent boys at the hands of terrorists reflects the vulnerability of any and all families in today’s world. “This community came together in a way that makes everybody proud. Christians and Jews together in a room that was filled to capacity!” said Patti Wertheimer, Federation’s President-elect.

This community-wide memorial service could not have been so powerful without the help and cooperation of area Jewish congregations: Temple Beth El, Temple Beth Israel, Temple Beth Sholom, Temple Emanu-El and Temple Sinai. At a time when many may have felt helpless, we all stood in solidarity with the people of Israel from afar, to honor and remember Eyal, Gilad and Naftali.

The panel of congregational rabbis and Christian clergy at the memorial service

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FEDERATION NEWS

Federation Mini-Series: Israel advocacy By Howard Tevlowitz, Federation Executive Director

elcome to this month’s inHoward Simon and Pastor Joey stallment of the Federation Mimbs. The committee has seven Mini-Series. This monthly representatives from the Christian feature serves to outline the work our community and seven from the Federation does as a result of the supJewish community. port of our generous donors. Each • This committee is responsible component of this series will focus on for both developing programs one aspect of the important role our to further our Federation’s proFederation serves in our local commuIsrael agenda as well as to deepnity and worldwide. This month’s inen relationships with friends in stallment focuses on Federation’s role the Christian community. in Israel advocacy in our community. Program highlights for the 2013-14 It is my feeling that there canprogram year included: not be a strong Jewish community in Project Light – As a result of our Sarasota-Manatee without a strong Is2013 interfaith mission, Federarael. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us tion developed a working relationto support the people of Israel through ship with Project Light. Volunteers a wide range of activities in our local Jewish community. This is the goal of our Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative (Heller IAI). It’s an old-school approach to Israel advocacy: make friends, make more friends and keep them close! FACT: The Robert and Esther Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative was created to advocate for peace and security in Israel Volunteers paint a church in Laurel-Nokomis through education, informataught English as a second lantion and community awareness; raise guage on our campus each week. awareness of and actively confront The community commemoration anti-Semitism; and directly address of the 75th anniversary of Kristallanti-Israel activities in Sarasotanacht, which was presented in Manatee. partnership with the Diocese of I personally cannot thank Bob Venice and the Sarasota Ministeand Esther Heller enough for their rial Association. vision in developing such a critically Faith to Faith – Christians and Jews important program for our comworking together to advocate for munity. This program serves as an Israel was a panel discussion feaexample of what a structured Israel turing five internationally known advocacy program in North America leaders sharing their own experican accomplish in any of our comences with interfaith work and munities! Israel. This program is in partnerAbout the Heller IAI: ship with and hosted by the Church For the past five years, the Heller of Hope. IAI has been responsible for IsThe focus on programming for raeli-themed and focused lectures the 2014-15 year will be educating the and music-based programs that community about anti-Semitism. To have attracted tens of thousands that end, we have planned a number of of participants; outreach programs lectures and educational opportunities such as the Israel@65 “We Love for all ages. The highlight will be an Israel” event at Robarts Arena in insider’s take on the relationship beJanuary 2013 and numerous Israel tween Israel and the UN with Nathan rallies. The Heller IAI has enabled Miller, who was a speechwriter for our Federation to enter into partIsrael’s permanent mission in the UN. nerships with arts/culture organiContact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 zations, including the Van Wezel, or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org for more deFlorida Studio Theatre, Selby Gartails. dens and Mote Marine, to promote This provides just a glimpse into Israel ‘beyond the conflict.’ In adthe work we do daily at our Federadition, the Heller IAI has enabled tion on behalf of the 2,500+ individuFederation to become deeply inals and families giving to our Jewish volved in a number of interfaith Federation and fulfilling our mission associations and alliances in our of saving Jewish lives and enhancing two-county area. Jewish life. I hope this Mini-Series This new incarnation of the Heller helps provide an understanding of the IAI was formed as a result of inimpact your dollars have on the lives of terfaith missions in 2012 and 2013, those in our worldwide community. If involving 30+ Christian clergy you have any questions, please contact from Sarasota-Manatee. The steerme at 941.343.2110 or at htevlowitz@ ing committee is comprised of jfedsrq.org. 14 individuals, chaired by Rabbi

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August 2014

3 August 2014 FEDERATION NEWS

Howard Tevlowitz receives “Good and Faithful Servant” award Staff Report

oward Tevlowitz, Executive Director at The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, recently earned the distinction of being the first non-Christian to receive the “Good and Faithful Servant” award from the Sarasota Ministerial Association. Tevlowitz, a visionary who has dedicated his life to Jewish communal service, had the foresight to begin building relationships with the Christian community a number of years ago through the Federation’s Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative. Howard led the Federation’s first interfaith mission to Israel in 2012. Since then he has been a fixture on the faith-based scene in Sarasota-Manatee. On Wednesday, May 28, representatives from over 30 faith-based organizations and congregations in Sarasota County gathered to honor Howard for his critical and vital interfaith work.

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Last year’s recipient, County Commissioner Carolyn Mason, acknowledged Tevlowitz with kind words and presented him with the award. Friends and colleagues Dennis McGillicuddy, Michael Shelton, Kate Alexander and Rich Bergman spoke about Howard and his vision for an inclusive community. We at the Federation are so proud of Howard for his accomplishments in our community that have accorded him such recognition.

wife, Andrea, and adorable dog, Zoe. Jon Herz-Midler is the organization’s new IT Director. Jon grew up in the New Jersey area, and attended Cornell University in upstate New York. After leaving New York, Jon spent 15 years in North Carolina before settling in Sarasota five years ago. He has worked in the IT field since the late 1990s, including a number of years at Duke and UNC in North Carolina, and most recently at the Center for Building Hope in Sarasota. He is newly married, and lives with his wife and children in Sarasota. Jon is thrilled to use his technical expertise to support a cause he feels so strongly about.

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Mensch of the Month: Who will you nominate? he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee’s Mensch of the Month column has recognized a number of incredibly generous members of our community over the last year. Those who have been honored have selflessly devoted their time, energy and philanthropic dollars for the betterment of our community, and for that we are eternally grateful. We know there are so many generous individuals in our community who are well-deserving of the Mensch of the Month recognition. Therefore, we encourage you to nominate your friends, neighbors and fellow committee members to receive this honor.

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Federation welcomes two new staff members he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee recently welcomed two new staff members to its ranks: Jeremy Dictor is joining our program staff. After graduating from Santa Fe College, Jeremy became the Director of Marketing for Hillel at the University of Wisconsin, and later served as its Director of Programming and Engagement. As a native of Sarasota, and a former participant of the Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors program, Jeremy is excited to give back to the Jewish community that helped raise him. When he isn’t busy working, Jeremy enjoys playing guitar, hanging out at the beach, and spending time with his

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To nominate a Mensch, please provide a short write-up about the individual (250 words or less) that focuses on how this person is making a difference in our community. Please email the information, with a high-resolution photo of the nominee (if you have one), to Chris Alexander at calexander@jfedsrq. org. One submission will be chosen each month for publication in The Jewish News and on the Federation’s blog (www.federationblog.org). We look forward to your submissions and to learning more about all the good work that’s happening in our community!

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5775 High Holidays L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu Come Join Our Conservative Community Kehillah of Lakewood Ranch (a Masorti Congregation) is pleased to announce that Dr. Hal M. Lewis will be our spiritual leader for the High Holidays. He brings his passion and extensive experience to religious services that will inspire, engage and prepare us for the New Year.

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August 2014

FEDERATION NEWS

Staff perspective: Taglit-Birthright By Len Steinberg examples of these memories that I hope met our Israeli peers for the first time, will endure for my students. Of course, and lifelong friendships were formed. All of these memories, whether the Old City in Jerusalem, Masada and grand or personal, make an impression. the Dead Sea were grand highlights, but it is the smaller, less defined moWe may not realize how strongly until ments that truly stand out. later in life. Watching 37 students take For example, I enjoyed seeing the trip through the eyes of the participants when they shared reflections of the experience during a hike on the Israel National Trail, where we pitched tents and camped for the evening. The experience was further enriched Len Steinberg (at top) with Taglit-Birthright students on Masada when the students and I

s someone who has been fortunate to staff a number of Federation-sponsored teen leadership trips to Israel, having the opportunity to staff a Taglit-Birthright trip this summer was a new and exciting adventure for me. For those of you unfamiliar with Taglit-Birthright, it is a free 10day Israel experience for young adults ages 18-26. The group I traveled with ranged in age from 18 to 22, and were mostly students from Williams College, Amherst College and others from the Northeast region. Taglit-Birthright Israel is designed to create 10 days of positive Jewish memories. During this summer trip, several moments stood out as powerful

in so much during this 10-day journey was truly incredible. I am often asked, “You go to Israel all the time. Doesn’t it get old doing the same thing over and over?” The answer is simple, “No, it does not.” Each group and experience is vastly different than the last, and I get to view Israel through their eyes. This is something I will never take for granted. Seeing Israel as a first-time visitor allows me to experience something new. This is why I do what I do, to continue building Jewish identity within our youth and to keep the flame lit. Am Yisrael Chai! For more information about youth travel experiences, please contact me at 941.552.6301 or lsteinberg@jfedsrq. org.

Holocaust survivor speaks to area middle school students By Orna Nissan

n Wednesday, June 4, Holocaust survivor Paul Molnar visited the students at King Middle School in Bradenton. Language arts teacher Jennifer Weingarten-Baty invited Mr. Molnar to talk to her students. Mr. Molnar retired in 1990, however, he continues to educate and share the story of his experiences during the Holocaust with those of all ages. His talk helps to personalize the stories that students read in their history books. The statistics become more than just numbers. “Do not be a bystander,” says Mr. Molnar, and this is his message to all. Students and teachers were in awe dur-

ing his presentation. They were moved by his willingness to field any and all questions. He made a special effort to answer questions with compassion and cited examples from his own story. The Sarasota-Manatee Holocaust Speakers Bureau was established to provide speakers for area public and private schools. A number of Holocaust survivors, eyewitnesses and second-generation survivors and family members are willing to speak to students about the Holocaust. Speakers include those who not only survived camps, but were also hidden children, resistance fighters, kindertransport participants, liberators and children of survivors. Our community is extremely

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fortunate to have so many survivors and family members who participate as speakers. During the 2013-14 school year, approximately 1,500 students and teachers were served by this program. To obtain a Holocaust speaker

for your classroom, please contact Anne Stein at luvhula@gmail.com or 941.923.6470. For more information about Holocaust programs, contact me at onissan@jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6305.

Two scholarships for training at Traditional Aikido of Sarasota By Andrea Eiffert

ikido is a unique martial art that is not about kicking or punching, but rather, a martial art using another person’s energy or aggression to one’s own advantage. With regular practice, students learn effective selfdefense, as well as how to resolve a conflict safely without harming anyone. The essence of aikido goes beyond the resolution of physical conflict. The newest of the major martial arts, aikido was developed in Japan and refined in the 1940s. Aikido is practiced all over the world, including at a major dojo in Tel Aviv. At Traditional Aikido of Sarasota, Sensei Barry Tuchfeld, head of the dojo there, is connected to Kesser Sensei in Tel Aviv so that anyone

who trains in Sarasota can study aikido when in Tel Aviv. Traditional Aikido of Sarasota is pleased to offer two $1,500 scholarships for one year of training (beginning September 1). Each scholarship includes a uniform and any special workshops. One scholarship is available to a child (age 6-16) and the other to an adult. Both candidates must be Jewish. To learn more about Traditional Aikido of Sarasota, visit www.aikidosarasota.com. For more information or to apply for one of these scholarships, please contact me at aeiffert@jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6308.

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August 2014

5 August 2014 FEDERATION NEWS

New Palestinian unity government and what it means

By Rabbi Howard A. Simon, co-Chair of The Robert and Esther Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative Established 1971

PUBLISHER The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road Sarasota, FL 34232-1959 Phone: 941.371.4546 Fax: 941.378.2947 E-mail: jewishnews@jfedsrq.org Website: www.jfedsrq.org Published Monthly Volume 44, Number 8 August 2014 32 pages USPS Permit No. 167 September 2014 Issue Deadlines: Editorial: July 29, 2014 Advertising: July 31, 2014 PRESIDENT Nancy Swart EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Howard Tevlowitz ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marty Haberer COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR Linda Lipson MANAGING EDITOR Ted Epstein CREATIVE MANAGER Christopher Alexander ADVERTISING SALES Robin Leonardi PROOFREADERS Adeline Silverman, Stacey Edelman, Harold Samtur, Bryna Tevlowitz, Deb Bryan MIMI AND JOSEPH J. EDLIN JOURNALISM INTERNS Allya Yourish, Jackson Cacioppo MISSION STATEMENT: The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee strives to be the source of news and features of special interest to the Jewish community of Sarasota-Manatee, to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions in the Jewish community, and to communicate the mission, activities and achievements of the Federation and its Jewish community partners.

he date was June 2, 2014, and made by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail it will be remembered for Haniyeh, who stated, “Resistance that liberated the Gaza Strip is also capable quite some time by all parof liberating the West Bank, Jerusalem ties concerned about Israeli-Palesand the rest of our land.” tinian relations. On that To make matters worse, date Palestinian Authority Hamas’s two most senior President Mahmoud Abrepresentatives, Khaled bas swore in a unity govMashaal and Mahmoud ernment joining Fatah and Zaba, have said they will Hamas. Now, a seventeencontinue to use violence member cabinet headed against Israel even after by Palestinian Authority the formation of the unity Prime Minister Rami Hamgovernment. dallah exists, known as As if to give proof to a “government of techthis statement, what was nocrats,” which means a Rabbi Howard A. Simon the first thing that hapgovernment with ministers pened after the signing of the declawho are not senior officials of either ration forming the new government? Fatah or Hamas. This action paves the Three Israeli teenagers, hitchhiking way for a general election in 2015 that in the West Bank, were abducted and will, it is hoped, unite the Gaza Strip killed, it is believed, by Hamas. Thus, and the West Bank, and unite Hamas Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali and Fatah. The newly formed govFrenkel have become the prime examernment will then, after the election ples of what Hamas thinks of this new in six months, rule the area and, it is government. presumed, will deal with Israel and the Forget all that Mahmoud Abbas rest of the world as a unified governhas said. It is business as usual in the ment. world of Hamas, and these Israeli teenIt all sounds so good, so positive, agers’ lives were taken by those who and like it could benefit the entire area. say they want to be a part of a new The problem is Hamas is a recognized government that will work to end the terrorist organization that has stated problems separating Israel and the Paltime and time again its wish to kill estinians. all Jews residing in Israel and destroy Is it any wonder that Israeli Prime the Jewish state altogether. Israel, the Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deUnited States and the European Union nounced this new government and has have all said they will not deal with stated that President Abbas has “said Hamas because it is a terrorist organiyes to terrorism and no to peace.” Israzation. To underscore the true beliefs el’s initial reaction to the new union of of Hamas, the first response to the Fatah and Hamas is to build 1,500 new new unity government was a statement

           

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OPINIONS printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee do not necessarily reflect those of The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee, its Board of Directors or staff. SUBMISSIONS to The Jewish News are subject to editing for space and content, and may be withheld from publication without prior notice. Approval of submissions for publication in either verbal or written form shall always be considered tentative, and does not imply a guarantee of any kind. Submissions must be sent electronically to jewishnews@jfedsrq.org. LETTERS to the editor should not exceed 300 words, must be typed, and include the writer’s name, mailing address and phone number. Letters can be submitted via snail mail or email (jewishnews@jfedsrq.org). Not all letters will be published. Letters may be edited for length and content. ADVERTISING: Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement and may require the words “Paid Advertisement” in any ad. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement of products, services or ideas promoted therein.

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housing units in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Israeli government is now considering putting out bids for an additional 1,800 units in the West Bank. All of these units are in areas Israel believes will be designated as Israeli territory should a peace agreement ever be reached by Israel and the Palestinians. What can we expect to happen in the next six months? Mahmoud Abbas will do his best to talk the world into accepting and working with the new unity government. Hamas will continue its hatred of Israel and will try to gain West Bank support condemning Israel in as many ways as is possible. Israel will have little or nothing to do with the unity government and will look forward to its falling apart because of bickering regarding future policies dealing with Israel, the United States and the world. It is a very serious time for Israeli-Palestinian relations. Do not expect the two to come to terms over this latest move. A heavy, dark cloud hangs over the entire region in a most threatening fashion. We must keep our eyes on that cloud to see what happens next. For more information about the Heller IAI, visit www.sarasotalovesisrael.com or contact Jessi Sheslow at jsheslow@ jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2109.

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August 2014

COMMUNITY FOCUS

Back to school – JFCS seeks volunteers, mentors and school supplies By Jamie M. Smith, MBA, Director of Marketing, JFCS

ater this month thousands of children will return to school, some with excitement and others hoping summer was just a bit longer. As the children and teachers become familiar with each other, teachers will begin to identify those students with needs beyond what the traditional classroom can provide. These needs might include counseling, mentoring, tutoring and school supplies. Through Jewish Family & Children’s Service’s Safe Alternative to Out-Of-School Suspension program,

students at-risk receive individual and group counseling from JFCS social workers stationed at schools. If appropriate, they are matched with trained volunteer mentors and/or tutors who provide guidance and positive adult role modeling – and support with academic challenges, allowing students to remain in school while working to learn alternative coping skills. JFCS is currently seeking volunteer mentors and tutors who are interested in offering a bit of their time this school year to help guide our youth.

Each volunteer receives comprehensive training and has the ability to identify an accommodating schedule. Mentoring and tutoring helps reduce disruptive behaviors, enhances social attitudes and relationships, provides motivation to pursue further education, and improves communications skills. Not able to volunteer to mentor or tutor, or want to do even more? Consider donating school supplies to JFCS for those families that cannot afford them and help a child excel by providing the bare necessities. School supplies need-

ed are crayons, white all-purpose glue, magic markers, #2 pencils, hand sanitizer, folders with pockets, backpacks and the like. Each year, the schools make the supply lists by grades available at our local Walmart and Target stores. Better yet, Floridians will benefit from a back-to-school tax-free weekend expected to be August 1-3. For more information about becoming a mentor or tutor or to donate school supplies, contact Caroline Zucker at czucker@JFCS-Cares.org or 941.366.2224.

JFCS Gala aims to raise awareness for the “Betterment of our Community” By Jamie M. Smith, MBA, Director of Marketing, JFCS

ased on the Jewish tradition of helping all people, Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) empowers individuals and families towards self-sufficiency by providing more than 26 programs throughout the Suncoast region. And the 2014 Gala co-chairs, Jill & Scott Levine and Lisa & Steve Seidensticker, want to be sure that JFCS donors are fully informed about how their donations help JFCS provide services to support individuals in our community. JFCS’ Annual Gala, titled Puttin’

on the Ritz – for the Betterment of our Community, will be held December 14, 2014, at the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota. The Gala will feature a big-band themed musical program provided by the Sarasota Orchestra thanks to Orchestra sponsor Bea Friedman. Guests can also expect to enjoy a swinging-fun evening filled with information about JFCS, its programs and services. “We are excited to be co-chairing this event with Steve & Lisa Seidensticker,” stated Scott & Jill Levine. “Our goal is to inform donors and the

community how their contributions directly impact and benefit children, families, seniors and veterans who turn to JFCS for help. We want to be sure that our donors who value the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam, making the world a better place, know how their donations improve our local community!” For more information about JFCS’ Annual Gala, contact Andria Bilan at abilan@JFCS-Cares.org or 941.366.2224.

JFCS Gala Co-Chairs (left to right, top to bottom): Lisa Seidensticker, Jill Levine, Steve Seidensticker, Scott Levine

Manatee High junior recognized for community service with Anne Frank Humanitarian Award By Allya Yourish, Mimi and Joseph J. Edlin Journalism Intern

osh Zele has been doing humanitarian work since eighth grade. This year, the junior at Manatee High School received the Anne Frank Humanitarian Award in recognition of his work within the community. “I got [the award] because of the homeless ministry that my church puts on,” Zele said. “Every Sunday we feed Allya Yourish the homeless, give them coffee, and say hello to them. On holidays we have big meals and give them clothes and things they need.” Through his church, the First United Methodist Church of Braden-

ton, Zele has also fixed the bikes of the homeless and gone to Africa for seven weeks over the summer to build a house. “My parents do a lot of community work and have supported me,” Zele said. His father, Adam, went on an interfaith mission to Israel with the Jewish Federation. Despite Zele’s continuous hard work serving the community, he was surprised by the recognition. “I found out I got it in early May. My teachers didn’t tell me that I won it. I hadn’t even heard of the award until they told me I won it!” The Anne Frank Humanitarian Award, established in 2001, is granted by the Florida Holocaust Museum. It aims to celebrate the spirit of Holocaust

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his name on it, and was given at an award ceremony with the other area award recipients. Zele doesn’t plan to quit humanitarian service anytime soon, saying, “I want to further help in Africa. I want to get more involved with the people there. I’m going to keep working at the homeless mission I’m currently at. I’m also in Boy Scouts. And I am trying to raise awareness in my school and get other kids helping, so they gain interest and it’s not just me.”

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AJC’S 2014 SUMMER

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victim Anne Frank through celebrating humanitarian efforts of high school juniors in Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough, Sarasota and Manatee counties. The award requires no application process and is distributed on the basis of recommendations from area high school principals and guidance counselors. “It was really nice and felt good to win the award. I don’t put down the hours I do [in service], so it felt good to know that it’s getting noticed,” Zele said. The award is a glass plaque with

Two North Tamiami Trail Suite 1100 Sarasota, Florida 34236

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Welcome Home Rhythm and Jews Shabbat Service featuring The Bruno Trio Friday, August 22

Thursday August 14 Rabbi Noam Marans

AJC’s Director of Interreligious & Intergroup Relations

Muslim-Jewish Relations: The Next Interreligious Frontier During the second half of the 20th century, Christian self-reflection led to a transformation in Christian-Jewish relations. Is a new era in Muslim-Jewish relations similarly possible in the 21st century?

5:15 Welcome Reception, 6:00 PM service Bring friends and enjoy a salad, a cool iced tea and a hot topic!

R.S.V.P. to 941-365-4955 or sarasota@ajc.org Sponsored By

To Learn More About AJC Please Visit www.ajc.org

Wear Shabbat whites as we welcome home all our youth campers and Israel travelers.

7 August 2014 COMMUNITY FOCUS

August 2014

Directory of Local Temples and Organizations Temples

Organizations

CHABAD OF BRADENTON & LAKEWOOD RANCH 5712 Lorraine Road, Bradenton, FL 34211 • Telephone: 941.752.3030 • E-Mail: info@chabadofbradenton.com • Website: www.chabadofbradenton.com • Rabbi Mendy Bukiet

AIPAC (AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE) Jacki Waksman, North & Central Florida Area Director, 954.653.9053 or jwaksman@aipac.org; www.aipac.org

CHABAD OF SARASOTA AND MANATEE COUNTIES 7700 Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL 34238 • Telephone: 941.925.0770 • E-Mail: info@chabadofsarasota.com • Website: www.chabadofsarasota.com • Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz

AL KATZ CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS & JEWISH LEARNING, INC. Lawrence Newman, Executive Director, 941.313.9239

CHABAD OF VENICE & NORTH PORT 2169 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL 34293 • Telephone: 941.493.2770 • E-Mail: info@chabadofvenice.com • Website: www.chabadofvenice.com • Rabbi Sholom Schmerling CONGREGATION FOR HUMANISTIC JUDAISM UNITY, 3023 Proctor Road, Sarasota, FL 34231 • Telephone: 941.929.7771 • Website: www.chj-sarasota.org CONGREGATION KOL HaNESHAMA (Reconstructionist) Services held at South Gate Comm. Ctr., 3145 Southgate Cir., Sarasota, FL 34239 • Telephone: 941.244.2042 • Email: info@congkh.org • Website: www.congkh.org • Spiritual Leader: Jennifer Singer CONGREGATION NER TAMID (Pluralistic) 4802-B 26th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34207 Mailing Address: P. O. Box 10261, Bradenton, FL 34282 • Telephone: 941.755.1231 • E-Mail: shalom@nertamidflorida.org • Website: www.nertamidflorida.org • Rabbinic Advisor: Rabbi Barbara Aiello • Service Leader: Rena Morano JEWISH CONGREGATION OF VENICE (Independent) 600 N. Auburn Road, Venice, FL 34292 • Telephone: 941.484.2022 • E-Mail: jcvenice2@gmail.com • Website: www.jewishcongregationofvenice.org • Rabbi Daniel Krimsky • Cantor Marci Vitkus KEHILLAH OF LAKEWOOD RANCH (Masorti) P.O. Box 110497, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211 • Telephone: 941.349.8604 or 941.355.0173 • E-Mail: kehillahoflakewoodranch@gmail.com TEMPLE BETH EL BRADENTON (Reform) 4200 32nd Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205 • Telephone: 941.755.4900 • E-Mail: tbebradentonfl@yahoo.com • Website: www.templebethelbradenton.com • Rabbi Harold F. Caminker, D.D. • Cantor Alan Cohn TEMPLE BETH EL - NORTH PORT JEWISH CENTER (Conservative) 3840 S. Biscayne Drive, North Port, FL 34287 • Telephone: 941.423.0300 • Email: president@templebethel-np.org • Website: www.templebethel-np.org • Religious Leader: Cantor Lyle Rockler TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL (Reform) 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, FL 34228 • Telephone: 941.383.3428 • E-Mail: info@tbi-lbk.org Website: www.tbi-lbk.org • Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM (Conservative) 1050 South Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34237 • Telephone: 941.955.8121 • E-mail: info@templebethsholomfl.org Website: www.templebethsholomfl.org • Rabbi Michael Werbow TEMPLE EMANU-EL (Reform) 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232 • Telephone: 941.371.2788 • Email: info@sarasotatemple.org • Website: www.sarasotatemple.org • Rabbi Brenner J. Glickman TEMPLE SINAI (Reform) 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34231 • Telephone: 941.924.1802 • Email: office@templesinai-sarasota.org • Website: www.sinaisrq.org • Rabbi Geoffrey Huntting • Hazzan Cliff Abramson

This directory is updated each year in the August issue of The Jewish News as well as in the annual Connections magazine.

AJC (AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE), West Coast Florida Region Brian Lipton, Regional Director, 941.365.4955 or liptonb@ajc.org; www.ajc.org

AMERICAN TECHNION SOCIETY, Gulf Coast Chapter Jennifer Singer, Chapter Director, 941.378.1500 or jennifer@ats.org; www.ats.org ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE 561.988.2900 or florida@adl.org; www.adl.org ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL JEWISH ARTISTS Kim Sheintal, 941.921.1433 or klapshein@aol.com BBYO NORTH FLORIDA REGION nfr@bbyo.org; www.bbyo.org/region/northflorida/ B’NAI B’RITH INTERNATIONAL Programming/membership, 941.302.4500 BRANDEIS NATIONAL COMMITTEE Rookie Shifrin, President, 941.907.0985 or rookies@me.com HADASSAH, SaBra Chapter Lee Ruggles, President, 941.924.1338 or lruggles.sabra@gmail.com THE JEWISH CLUB AT LAKEWOOD RANCH Lenny Drexler, thejewishclubatlwr@gmail.com JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN’S SERVICE OF THE SUNCOAST, INC. Rose Chapman, LCSW, President/CEO, 941.366.2224 or info@jfcs-cares.org; www.jfcs-cares.org JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Kim Sheintal, President, 941.921.1433 or klapshein@aol.com; www.jgsswf.org JEWISH NATIONAL FUND Uri Smajovits, Northern Florida Director, 727.536.5263 or usmajovits@jnf.org; www.jnf.org JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF SARASOTA COUNTY POST 172 Stan Levinson, Commander, 941.907.6720 or loustan50@verizon.net NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN (NCJW), Sarasota-Manatee Section NCJW’s 24-hour answering service, 941.342.1855; www.ncjw.org ORT AMERICA Ann Baum, Area Development Advisor, 941.355.7200 Barbara Berliner, Area Development Advisor, 941.907.0317 or melberliner@aol.com Kim Sheintal, Area Development Advisor, 941.921.1433 or klapshein@aol.com RAFI (RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF ISRAELIS) Harriet Joy Epstein, 941.342.1818 or hjesarasota@yahoo.com SARASOTA JEWISH CHORALE Susan Skovronek, 941.355.8011; Arlene Stolnitz, 941.492.6944; www.sarasotajewishchorale.org SARASOTA LIBERAL YESHIVA Marden David Paru, Dean, 941.379.5655 or marden.paru@gmail.com SARASOTA-MANATEE JEWISH HOUSING COUNCIL, INC., supporting Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson senior living community Heidi Brown, CEO, 941.377.0781 or hbrown@kobernickanchin.org; www.kobernickanchin.org SARASOTA-MANATEE RABBINIC ASSOCIATION Rabbi Jonathan Katz, President, jrkatz1@aol.com SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION OF SARASOTA Linda Rosenbluth, City Director for Tel Mond Israel, sarasotasistercities@gmail.com; http://sarasotasistercities.org/en/city/tel-mond-israel STATE OF ISRAEL BONDS, Florida West Coast Reva Azneer Pearlstein, Assistant Director, 727.539.6445 or reva.pearlstein@israelbonds.com; www.israelbonds.com SYNAGOGUE COUNCIL OF SARASOTA-MANATEE COUNTIES, INC. Laurie Lachowitzer, President; 941.927.3636 or laurietemple@verizon.net; www.synagoguessarasotamanatee.org ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA, Sarasota/Manatee Chapter Dr. Brent Rubin, President, info@ZOAsarasota.org; www.ZOAsarasota.org

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August 2014

COMMUNITY FOCUS

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Robin Leonardi 941.552.6307 rleonardi@jfedsrq.org www.TheJewishNews.org

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E EWISH LNIFATEE THROUGAHL J G IN H IC ENR RASOTA & MA NS, CULTUR IN SA AY CELEBRATIORTUNITIES AND HOLID TRAVEL OPPO S. ARTS, GING PROGRAM ENGA

941.371.4546 TheJewishFederation.org

Out g n i s s i M e r ’ You On Birthda y Pres ents

Please confirm your birth date with us and get a chance to win one of our monthly gifts.

Shalom! We are in the process of updating our database. This information allows us to appropriately plan our yearly programs to better serve you. To make this fun we will have monthly drawings thru December. All who confirm will be eligible in the month that confirmation occurs to win a prize!

Congrats to July winner: Mrs. Florey Miller!

3 EASY WAYS TO ENTER

visit: www.jfedsrq.org/birthday.aspx email: jnew@jfedsrq.org OR call: 941.552.6304 LIMITED TO ONE ENTRY PER PERSON.

Wednesday, August 20 6:30pm

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Cash Bar • Light Snacks

Over 10,000 households and businesses throughout Sarasota-Manatee receive The Jewish News and Connections Magazine

(Ages 50’s - 70’s Welcome)

RSVP at www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx For more info contact Jeremy Lisitza 941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org

TheJewishFederation.org • 941.371.4546

“These we honor” Your Tributes BOB MALKIN YOUNG AMBASSADORS

SKIP (Send a Kid to Israel)

GET WELL Larry Haspel Rebecca and Rich Bergman

IN MEMORY OF Elizabeth Kenner Nadia and Michael Ritter

IN MEMORY OF Chad DeMuth Rebecca and Rich Bergman & Family

MAZEL TOV Bud Mishkin – 85th Birthday Gerry and Larry Ludwig

MAZEL TOV Sandra Hanan – 75th Birthday Rebecca and Rich Bergman

NOTE: To be publicly acknowledged in The Jewish News, Honor Cards require a minimum $10 contribution per listing. You can send Honor Cards directly from www.jfedsrq.org. For more information, please call 941.552.6304.

This month’s advertisers This publication is brought to you each month thanks to the support of our advertisers. Please be sure to use their products and services, and mention that you found them in The Jewish News. Abrams Dermatology......................21 AJC..................................................6 Arenas Lawn Service......................25 Barach, David M...............................4 Bloom Realty Inc............................27 Brooklyn Knish...............................14 Cat Depot..........................................9 Center for Sight..............................12 Chevra Kadisha...............................31 Classifieds......................................22 Cohen, Rebecca S., MD, LLC.........23 Congregation Kol HaNeshama.......26 Cortez Foot & Ankle.......................22 Cove Cleaners................................27 Dan Dannheisser...............................9 Grad, Stacey, Morgan Stanley............6 Grimefighters...................................3 Hanan, Stacy, REALTOR®..............10 Inspired Living at Sarasota..............26 Jewish Museum of Florida - FIU....29 Kehillah of Lakewood Ranch...........3 Kobernick Anchin Benderson..........11 Koontz & Parkins CPAs....................9 Manatee-Sarasota Eye Clinic.........13 Mary Kay Cosmetics........................9 Michael’s On East...........................14 Mishner, Dr. Harvey........................29 Morton’s Gourmet Market................9

Natural Healing Arts Medical Ctr...23 Nellie’s Deli & Catering.................23 Optical Services..............................26 Palms-Robarts Funeral Home.........31 Sarasota Center for Family Health....3 Sarasota Orthopedic Associates......13 Skyway Memorial Gardens............31 Sleep King........................................3 Stern, Richard - Baird & Co...............2 Sunset Chevy - Jerod McLachlan....24 Tandoor Indian Restaurant..............11 TBE Garden of Abraham................31 Temple Beth Sholom..................20,23 Temple Beth Sholom Schools..........18 Temple Emanu-El Religious School.15 Temple Sinai.....................................6 Temple Sinai Religious School.......19 The Collier Group, REALTOR®.....28 The Family Jeweler...........................1 The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch.....22 The Nilon Report............................22 The Silverstein Institute..................5 TLC Senior Move Experts................4 Toale Brothers Funeral Homes........31 Udell Associates...............................5 Urology Treatment Center..............12 Waterfront 7 Realty..........................14 Westminster Tower & Shores..........25

August 2014

9 August 2014 COMMUNITY FOCUS

Keeping history alive

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch first to donate to Todah Menorah Project By Penny Zibula ex Jensen, President and CEO of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (SMR), is nothing if not decisive. When he learned about the Todah Menorah Project, a tribute in bronze to the Allied Troops who liberated the Nazi concentration camps in 1945, he wasted no time in becoming the project’s first donor with a $2,000 company check. The donation resulted from a conversation Jensen had with Gene Sweeney, the Sarasota representative for the project, who told Jensen about one man’s vision to thank the American, British and Russian troops for restoring hope to the Jewish people. “Like those who fought in World War II,” noted Jensen, “we also have many of the victims who experienced the evils of the Holocaust who are no longer with us, and those who remain won’t be here for long. It incenses me every time I hear someone doubting the existence of those events.” The vision of a sculpture honor-

ing the liberators came to Navy veteran Phil Berkowitz in a dream. This dream blossomed into the reality of a larger-than-life bronze menorah when Berkowitz commissioned a local artist to give his vision substance. The face of the traditional Chanukah candelabra depicts three sets of World War II era boots and rifles. The top of the sculpture is comprised of three sets of American, British and Russian helmets as the bases for the nine candle holders. The focal point is a broken Star of David held together by three hands. Although not Jewish himself, Jensen regularly supports Jewish causes. This, along with his strong belief in learning from past events, has made Jensen particularly sensitive to the purpose of the Todah Menorah Project. “I’m a student of history,” he said, “and sometimes history gets forgotten if it’s not memorialized, and not repeated and not out there for people to keep it in their conscience. If you

don’t have icons that keep things in your memory, you get busy. You tend to forget and then move on with your life. That’s something I’m not certain we can move on from. We shouldn’t move on from it.” Jensen’s hope for the project is that it will reach young people and students, as well as adults who are too young to have experienced the horrors of World War II. By the time the camps were liberated, over 13 million people, including Jews, Catholic priests and nuns, people with physical and mental disabilities, gays and lesbians, and gypsies had been systematically murdered, executed or worked to death. Jensen is steadfast in his belief that the only way to prevent genocide on such a massive scale is to never allow the horrors of the past to be forgotten, and the Todah Menorah Project is one way to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive for future generations.

Jo Ann Koontz, Esquire, CPA Marina Parkin, CPA Business and Personal Tax Planning and Preparation

1819 Main Street, Suite 910 Sarasota, Florida 34236 941.328.3993 www.koontzandparkin.com

Over two thousand attended the dedication ceremony of the new Patriot Plaza at the Sarasota National Cemetery located in East Sarasota County

Miniature display of the Todah Menorah Project (photos courtesy David Taylor Photography)

Rescue Adoption Education Resource Center

Sarasota Jewish Chorale to start new season By Marcia Polevoi

he Sarasota Jewish Chorale will kick off its 16th season this September with a “Welcome Back Singers” evening on the night of its first rehearsal, Thursday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hecht School on the Federation Campus. The singers will get a chance to hear and sing the new cantata, Hear Our Voice, written by two Chorale members, Rivka Chatman and Brenda Lederman. This is a continuation of their first cantata, Esther’s Story, which was introduced to the SarasotaManatee area three years ago by the SJC. Because of its popularity, Brenda

and Rivka were asked to follow up with a sequel to be presented to various groups in 2015. Many familiar Yiddish and Israeli melodies will be included. Linda Tucker, the Chorale’s conductor, is looking forward to rehearsing the chorus for this cantata. In addition, since the Chorale always strives to keep its repertoire fresh and challenging to its members, rehearsals will also begin on choral works brought back from the Zamir Chorale Festival held in July. Several members who attended returned with new compositions by both American and Israeli composers.

The SJC rehearses most Thursday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. from September to April at the Hecht School, courtesy of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. We welcome singers of all faiths and all voice parts, with the ability to read music preferred. Performances are given at temples, churches, schools and social venues during the winter season. For information about bookings or singing with us, call Susan Skovronek at 941.355.8011 or visit www.sarasotajewishchorale.org. Keep track of our activities on Facebook at Sarasota Jewish Chorale.

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For a continuously updated community calendar, visit www.jfedsrq.org.

2014

August 2014

COMMUNITY FOCUS

“Famous Females of the Faith” highlighted at Temple Emanu-El Sisterhood’s Interfaith Tea “

amous Females of the Faith” was the intriguing theme of the fourth annual Interfaith Tea, hosted May 14 by the Sisterhood of Temple Emanu-El. Chaired by Dorothy Quint and attended by 150 women of various religious and cultural backgrounds, the Interfaith Tea featured a panel of four speakers representing Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholicism and Judaism. Each panelist shared stories of outstanding women of their faiths. A question-andanswer period and casual socializing over tea and homemade sweets concluded the program. Dr. Bindu Nair opened the event with a multi-media presentation about Meerabhai, the Hindu mystic renowned for her poetry, renunciation of earthly riches, and devotion to the

god Krishna. According to Dr. Nair, Meerabhai endured isolation from her family and even her mother-in-law’s attempt to kill her in order to serve and celebrate Krishna. Meerabhai’s praises of Krishna are used to this day in Hindu worship.

Speaking next was Buddhist monk Jack Spence, who told the story of Kun Yi Chand, a twentieth-century nun and teacher of meditation also known as Mother Chandra, who founded a school of meditation that is a leading center today. Her name in synonymous

The Temple Emanu-El Sisterhood Interfaith Tea featured Jack Spence (Buddhism), Dr. Bindu Nair (Hinduism), Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman (Judaism) and Evelyn Moya (Catholicism) discussing “Famous Females of the Faith.” Also pictured (center) is event chair Dorothy Quint.

with Buddhist values such as humility. Catholic attorney Evelyn Moya surveyed ancient and modern saints Saint Martha, Dorothy Day and Mother Teresa. All of these women, she explained, found unique ways to fight against injustice and the then-prevailing perception of women. Particularly fascinating was her discussion of Mother Teresa, whose work in Calcutta was not always supported by church leaders and who suffered many “dark nights of the soul.” Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman represented Judaism’s “Famous Females of the Faith” by offering a new perspective on the matriarch Rebekah. Planning is underway for Temple Emanu-El Sisterhood’s fifth annual Interfaith Tea. For more information, please call 941.359.9417.

Temple Beth Sholom to hold its first Shabbat in Lakewood Ranch

emple Beth Sholom, Sarasota’s only Conservative congregation, is pleased to announce its first Shabbat in Lakewood Ranch. Members of the congregation, prospective members, and people who would like to experience a Shabbat in Lakewood Ranch are welcome to attend one or both services to worship with the congregation. Both Friday night and Saturday

morning services will be held at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. On Friday, August 8,

Rabbi Michael Werbow

Cantor Neil Newman

services will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by an “Oneg Shabbat” (sweets and social hour). On Saturday, August 9, services will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will include the reading of the Torah with the special chant used to recite the Ten Commandments. This service will be followed by a light lunch and social hour. Services will be conducted by Rabbi Michael Werbow, recently elec-

ted to be the rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom, and Cantor Neil Newman, Cantor Emeritus of Beth El Synagogue in Minneapolis and a full-time resident of Lakewood Ranch. There are no charges for any of the services or lunch on Saturday. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer to be on the committee for the outreach Shabbat, call Saranee Newman at 612.220.2382.

Drummers’ mitzvah at Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson By Carlene Cobb

ileen Johnson, a home health aide, wanted to bring together two of her loves – the residents of the Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson campus and the Siesta Beach drum circle drummers. The drummers arrived with djembes, shakers and other hand-held percussion instruments. Residents settled into a large circle facing the drummers. First the drummers performed while residents

watched; then the drummers approached each seated person, offering the chance to participate in the rhythmic jam session. Tapping with mallets, palms or fingertips, each person was clearly engaged and fully enjoying the hands-on experience. Some got up and danced. “All the drummers volunteered their time, and they really enjoyed sharing the rhythms with the resi-

dents,” says Eileen Johnson. “This was my mitzvah, to give back to the residents who have given me so much in so many ways.” The fascinating scarf dances and meditative sword balancing feats of Marguerite Barnett, MD, captivated the audience. When the drum circle ended, Anchin Pavilion resident Pearl Goodman was asked if she enjoyed it. She grinned and replied “Magnificent!”

Trudy Clark, Peggy Weissenborn, Pearl Goodman

Al Hernandez, Vicki Bretay, Laura Henry, Shawn Bowen, Jeff Dillon, Marguerite Barnett, MD, and Helen Waldman interact at the recent drum circle in Anchin Pavilion

September 7-10, 2014 The Lions, the most philanthropic, dynamic Jewish women in the world, are returning to New York City, at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square for three amazing days of empowerment and learning.

Join us as Bunny Skirboll is honored as the Sarasota-Manatee recipient of the prestigious Kipnis-Wilson/ Friedland Award.

To learn more about the Lion of Judah or attending the 2014 conference, please contact Ilene Fox at 941.343.2111 or ifox@jfedsrq.org.

Lions from around the world will come together to hear from some of today’s most respected speakers on issues affecting our Jewish community at home and abroad. We’ll share strength and sisterhood, learning and laughter. Engage in tzedakah. And marshal our power to invigorate the Jewish world. In short, we’re going to roar.

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11 August 2014 JEWISH HAPPENINGS

August 2014

Jewish Happenings SUNDAY, AUGUST 10

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30 “Music in the Synagogue”

Temple Emanu-El’s Summer Film Festival

Come share an evening of discussion and music with Temple Sinai’s Chazzan Cliff Abramson, the area’s only ordained Chazzan, and find out why we sing what we sing in the synagogue. All are welcome at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Charley and George Turon, 12524 Highfield Circle, Lakewood Ranch. For more information and reservations, please contact Elana Margolis at 941.966.0252 or at elanatemple@aol.com.

Temple Emanu-El’s popular Summer Film Festival concludes with the provocative and fascinating The Other Son. Filmed in Israel and the West Bank, The Other Son tells the story of two young men – one Israeli and one Palestinian – who discover that they were switched at birth and must navigate the devastating repercussions for themselves, their families and their communities. The film is in French, with English subtitles. The screening begins at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Cost: $5 at the door. For more information, please call Caryl Magnus at 941.378.5055.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 5

Temple Sinai Religious School Meet & Greet

On Tisha B’Av we remember the suffering of the Jewish people throughout the centuries, including the shattered lives of the three recently kidnapped and murdered Israeli children as well as the five IDF soldiers held hostage for decades. Their names, faces and stories should be held dearly in our hearts and prayers each day. You will be given posters with their images and information to display in your home or office…lest we forget. Join us at 2:00 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Donations greatly appreciated; students welcome. To RSVP or for more information, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7 Great Musical Jews: Their Lives & Times The stage of musical Jews contains extraordinarily-talented men and women, often from impoverished backgrounds, who rose to the heights of public acclaim by inspiring and entertaining the world. Sophie Tucker was one of the most memorable entertainers of all time. Do not miss the details of Sophie’s remarkable life from birth in the Soviet Union to the pinnacle of stardom. As a child, she sang between taking orders and serving food, leaving restaurant customers in tears. Join us at 2:00 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Cost: $7 per adult; $3 per student; healthy kosher refreshments included. To RSVP or for more information, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

Join us for a Back to School Meet & Greet from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Menchie’s, River Club Plaza, 5770 Ranch Lake Blvd., #C136, Bradenton. Schmooze with families, kids, Rabbi Geoff Huntting, Chazzan Cliff Abramson and Religious School Director Sue Huntting to find out more about Temple Sinai, our NATE-accredited school, gift memberships, enrollment options for non-members, and our Hebrew School class in Lakewood Ranch. Free frozen yogurt for everyone who brings school supplies to donate to the Y. For more information, call the temple office at 941.924.1802.

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A POWERFUL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY HOLOCAUST, GENOCIDE AND TOLERANCE EDUCATION

MANY INSPIRING SPEAKERS TO CHOOSE FROM INCLUDING:

The Holocaust Speakers Bureau offers teachers a unique opportunity to expand their students’ classroom experience. We have a large number of Holocaust survivors who reside in this community. They are very motivated to visit school children and give their eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust. Also, available are speakers who were hidden children, those saved through the “Kindertransport”, resistance fighters, refugees, as well as World War II camp liberators.

HILDE MANDEL PAUL MOLNAR RIFKA GLATZ MARK SOLENT HENRY TENENBAUM

All speakers are authentic to their respective experiences and feel a strong commitment to bring an awareness of the consequences that result when evil is allowed to flourish. They feel privileged and grateful to live in this wonderful country where their voices are being heard. For Booking Contact Anne Stein, Speakers Bureau Coordinator 941.923.6470 • luvhula@gmail.com

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For Questions Contact Orna Nissan, Director, Holocaust Education and Israeli Programs 941.552.6305 • onissan@jfedsrq.org www.TheJewishFederation.org

All survivors are invited to attend these monthly gatherings of friendship, camaraderie and support. The group meets from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at JFCS, South County Human Services Center, 19503 West Villages Parkway, North Port (next door to the State College of Florida). This is a multi-agency event sponsored by JFCS of the Suncoast, Inc., Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and the Claims Conference. To RSVP or for more information, contact Jan Alston at 941.366.2224 x172 or jalston@jfcs-cares.org.

SaBra Hadassah Lunch & Game Day Join us for a fun day from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Kobernick House, 1951 N. Honore Ave., Sarasota. Plan your table of bridge, mah jongg or whatever you enjoy. Or come alone. There are plenty of us who will play other card games. RSVP before August 8 and make your check ($15) payable to Hadassah. Mail it to Joy Siegel, 13511Montclair Place, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202. For more information, contact Cathy Reinitz at creinitz@gmail.com or 941.306.5735.

AJC’s Summer Lunch & Learn AJC (American Jewish Committee) is proud to present its keynote speaker, Rabbi Noam Marans, at its final Lunch & Learn event of the season. Rabbi Marans, AJC’s Director of Interreligious & Intergroup Relations, is returning to Sarasota by popular demand. His topic will be Muslim-Jewish Relations: The Next Interreligious Frontier. During the second half of the 20th century, Christian self-reflection led to a transformation in ChristianJewish relations. Is a new era in Muslim-Jewish relations similarly possible in the 21st century? Williams Parker is the generous sponsor of this Summer Lunch & Learn Series which takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Michael’s On East, 1212 East Avenue South, Sarasota. The cost of $25 includes the lecture and luncheon. Advance registrations are required. Contact Monica Caldwell at AJC at 941.365.4955 or sarasota@ajc.org.

Great Humorous Jews: Their Lives & Times Millions of youth, adults and elders have been blessed for decades by the brilliance of Jewish humor. The best Jewish humor is impeccably clean, devoid of profanities, and durable across audiences. Among the most hilarious and durable of Jewish comedians are the Marx Brothers. Their remarkable story as the children of humble immigrant parents rising to movie stars will delight you! Appearing in dozens of movies, they were named as among the Top 25 American Screen Legends. Join us at 2:00 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Cost: $7 per adult; $3 per student; healthy kosher refreshments included. To RSVP or for more information, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15 The Mother’s Circle Gathering Parents, grandparents, and professionals working in Jewish organizations are welcome to join us for an overview of the Jewish holidays. This free, one-time informal session takes place from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the Federation Campus, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. For more information and to RSVP (required), contact Flora Oynick at foynick@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2114. Sponsored by

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August 2014

13 August 2014 JEWISH HAPPENINGS MONDAY, AUGUST 18

Bridge... Anyone?

The Bridge Group meets Thursday afternoons from 1:00–4:00 pm on the Federation Campus (582 McIntosh Road). Open to intermediate and advanced bridge players. For more information, call Bob Satnick at 941.538.3739

Opening day for Chabad’s Kaplan Preschool For the 2014-15 school year, the Kaplan Preschool (17th year of operation) will once again be offering the VPK program. The Kaplan Preschool (for children ages 2.5 to 5) provides a top-quality learning environment and an education that reinforces Jewish values and holidays, while meeting each child’s individual learning priorities. For more information or to schedule a tour of the school, which is located at Chabad of Sarasota, 7700 Beneva Road, please call Preschool Director Sara Steinmetz at 941.925.0770.

TBS Preschool and Upper School begin At Temple Beth Sholom Schools students are encouraged to think, lead and serve; parents partner as learners; and learning is irresistible. The private day school focuses on project-based learning and serves kindergarten through middle school students. Preschool and infant care programs follow the Reggio Emelia philosophy. TBSS is proud to be accredited by the Florida Kindergarten Council and the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS). The school is located at 1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. For more information about TBSS’s curriculum for kindergarten-middle school, preschool or new Premier Infant Care children, please call 941.552.2770.

Thursdays / 12pm to 4ish Jerusalem Room, Federation Campus (582 McIntosh Road) $5 pie.

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Temple Emanu-El Preschool begins Temple Emanu-El Early Learning Center happily opens its doors for another wonderful year of learning and growing in a loving Jewish environment. Children ages 18 months through five years old thrive at this nationallyaccredited and Gold Seal-certified preschool, which offers traditional preschool hours as well as extended care to accommodate working families. VPK is also offered. Outstanding secular learning is enhanced by weekly Shabbat celebrations, joyful Jewish holiday activities, and the acclaimed “Six-Pointed Stars” Judaic enrichment curriculum. The Center is located at 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. For a schedule and tuition, call Elaine Sharrock, Temple Emanu-El Preschool Director, at 941.377.8074.

Close-up: The Ten Commandments Come to The Al Katz Center for a kosher brunch and discussion of Commandment #2. This is the second in a 10-part series on the Ten Commandments, which are the shortest and single most influential words ever written or spoken in the history of mankind, to which the world owes its moral compass. Join us in delving deeply into the meanings and consequences to our daily lives of each Commandment. Children are also welcome to learn and participate. The event begins at 10:00 a.m. at 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Cost: $7 per adult; $3 per student. To RSVP or for more information, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20 Fifty Shades of “J” Happy Hour Sponsored by

Singles and couples are invited to meet new and old friends at 6:30 p.m. at Carmel Café, 8433 Cooper Creek Blvd., Bradenton. Cash bar; light Snacks offered. To RSVP or for more information, contact Jeremy Lisitza at 941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq. org. You may also register at www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx.

Jewish Iconography class at Temple Beth Sholom Rabbi Danielle Upbin, Jewish Theological Seminary’s Florida rabbinic fellow, will teach a course exploring the history and meaning of Jewish symbols and rituals. This three-week course will take place Wednesdays, August 20 and 27 and September 3 at 1:15 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. There is no fee for this class, but registration is required. For more information or to register, contact the temple office at 941.955.8121 or info@templebethsholomfl.org.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21 JFCS Holocaust Survivors Support Group Sponsored by

All survivors are invited to attend these monthly gatherings of friendship, camaraderie and support. The group meets from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. at Kobernick House, 1951 N. Honore Avenue, Sarasota. This month’s topic is My Greatest Success. This is a multi-agency event sponsored by JFCS of the Suncoast, Inc., Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, The Jewish Federation of Sarasota Manatee and the Claims Conference of Germany. To RSVP or for more information, contact Jan Alston at 941.366.2224 x172 or jalston@ jfcs-cares.org.

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The Federation Invites You To

Tailgate With YA D Sunday, September 14th Tickets: $40 Tailgate: 12:00 pm Kick-Off: 4:05 pm

For young Jewish adults between 21-45 years of age.

“They Survived To Tell: Pieter Kohnstam” Pieter Kohnstam has devoted his life, with his wife Susan, to telling the heroic and miraculous story of his family’s flight through the Holocaust through lectures, a book and a movie. Hear how Pieter began his life with a doting babysitter, Anne Frank, in Holland. His family decided to flee the Nazis rather than go into hiding with the Franks. A Chance to Live is Pieter’s story in book and film. Meet him in person; his incredible book will be available for purchase. Join us at 6:00 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Cost: $7 per adult; $3 per student; healthy kosher refreshments included. To RSVP or for more information, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

Bucs

vs. Rams

For complete information about this event or the Young Adult Division, please contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org

The Jewish News is also available online. Visit www.thejewishnews.org to view this issue as well as an archive of past issues.

August 2014 Save the Date: Community-Wide Synagogue Open House Sunday, September 14 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Ten area congregations will open their doors and show you the best of who they are! Visit www.synagoguessarasotamanatee.org for a complete list of names and addresses. Don’t wait until then to visit. You are welcome any time. Join a Congregation; Find a Community.

JEWISH HAPPENINGS FRIDAY, AUGUST 22 Welcome Home Rhythm & Jews Shabbat Join us at Temple Sinai (4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota) at 5:15 p.m. for a Welcome Reception, and for the 6:00 p.m. service. Wear your Shabbat whites as we welcome home all our youth who attended Jewish overnight camps and visited Israel this summer. There will be uplifting music and lively singing with our youth participating in the service, sharing their experiences. For more information, call the temple office at 941.924.1802.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 Family Picnic and Havdalah at Summerfield Park Sponsored by

Proudly Serving the Jewish Community with Kosher Catering

Jewish and interfaith families are warmly invited to this fun and welcoming evening that begins at 6:00 p.m. at Summerfield Park in Lakewood Ranch, 6402 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. (between University Parkway and SR-70). Enjoy socializing, balloon animals created by Rabbi Brenner Glickman, face painting, crafts, and free treats from the ice cream truck! Cold drinks will be provided, and pizza will be available. A Havdalah service concludes the gathering. The park has a large covered pavilion, so the event is on rain-or-shine. Part of Temple Emanu-El’s Tot Shabbat series, this free event is sponsored by Temple Emanu-El and The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. For more information, contact Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman at 941.379.1997 or elaine-glickman@comcast.net.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24 Co-Proprietors: Phil Mancini & Michael Klauber

STEP Community Event: Jews in Canoes

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Join local Jewish teens for a little picnic and paddle, as we kayak through the beautiful South Lido Key mangrove tunnels and enjoy a picnic on the shore. The event begins at 9:45 a.m. at Bay and Gulf Adventures Launch Site (turn left onto Taft Drive, one mile from St. Armand’s Circle, and follow the signs to South Lido Park). Cost: $15. To register or for more information, contact Jeremy Dictor at 941.371.4546 or jdictor@jfedsrq.org.

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Even though Sukkot does not take place until October, advance planning is required to prepare a traditional sukkah for your home. Rabbi Michael Werbow will help you navigate the process beginning with this class. Everyone is welcome at 9:00 a.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. There is no fee for this class, but please register. For more information or to register, contact the temple office at 941.955.8121 or info@templebethsholomfl.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26 Jewish Victories in History: Deborah the Victor

Saturday: October 11, 2014 SHOP, SAVE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE! COME SEE THE NEW STORE IN THE MALL AT UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER SARASOTA Since 2006, Shop For A Cause has raised more than $48 Million for charities across the country. This is your opportunity to be part of the excitement and help your Jewish Federation!

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Amongst the courageous leaders of the Jewish people was Deborah, prophetess, judge, wife and warrior. She commanded the successful attack against Jabin, king of Canaan, after 20 years of oppression. The Song of Deborah recounts the great victory which helped establish the ancient Land of Israel, entitling Deborah to be called “The Mother of Israel.” For 40 years, she judged Israel and stood as both military and spiritual leader of her people. Join us at 7:00 p.m. for a discussion at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Cost: $7 per adult; $3 per student; healthy kosher refreshments included. To RSVP or for more information, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28 TBS Sisterhood Knitting Mitzvah Group Handy with crochet hooks? Nimble with needles? A group from the Temple Beth Sholom Sisterhood meets monthly to crochet and/or knit newborn hats. Bring your own needles, hooks and acrylic worsted weight yarn. The group meets from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. Please contact Molly Ballow at 941.377.1340 or mollysquilts.bal@aol.com for more information or to RSVP.

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Temple Sinai Men’s Club “Schmooze”

To purchase savings passes or for more info, contact Andrea Eiffert at 941.552.6308 or aeiffert@jfedsrq.org.

Join the Men’s Club for its monthly “Schmooze” at 12:30 p.m. at Valentino’s Pizzeria, 8203 Cooper Creek Blvd. off University Parkway. The cost is whatever you order off the menu; the talk is whatever you wish to discuss. For more information and reservations, contact Rich Goldman at richardjaygoldman@gmail.com or 941.552.9794.

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The Jewish Federation will host this event from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. on the Federation Campus, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. For more information and to RSVP (required), contact Flora Oynick at foynick@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2114.

15 August 2014 FOCUS ON YOUTH

August 2014

Help your child have a successful year at Hebrew School

Education Corner By Sabrina Silverberg

ongratulations! You’ve decided to send your child to Hebrew School! Whether this is their first year or their last, you’ve come to realize that the Hebrew School experience is invaluable in shaping your child’s Jewish Identity, creating lifelong friendships, and contributing to the continuity of our people. You’ve adjusted your student’s schedule, filled out the paperwork, and sent in the check. Now what? Here are a few suggestions on helping your student have a successful year at Hebrew School: Take Hebrew School seriously. A good Hebrew School can be a lot of fun. There are many holiday cel-

ebrations and hands-on activities, and students have many opportunities for social interactions and self-expression. It is important to remember, however, that Hebrew School is also a place of academic learning and, as such, many of the factors that apply to secular learning apply here too. Children emulate their parents’ attitudes, and if you take Hebrew School seriously, they will too. Just like “regular” school, in order for students to succeed academically, they must attend school regularly, refrain from tardiness and do their work. Consistency is of the essence socially as well as academically. Hebrew schools typically meet 2.5 to 4.5 hours a week and children with high absenteeism do not have enough time to reach benchmarks or bond with their classmates. This may lead to negative feelings toward Hebrew School and be counterproductive. Checking to see if your student has homework and encouraging them to complete assignments will ensure that classroom learning is reinforced and that academic progress is taking place. Communicate with your child and with the school often. Open communication with your student and their teacher is of the essence. Check with

your child regularly about their feelings and attitudes regarding Hebrew School. Are they eager to attend, and if not, why? Are they engaged and making friends? Sometimes small adjustments such as doing a little more work at home with your child, or arranging a play date with a classmate can make a world of difference. Many times when children are asked what they learned in school the reply is “nothing.” A good Hebrew School will send periodic reports on classroom learning but nothing can replace a conversation with your child’s teacher. The teacher may not be aware of your child’s particular sensitivities or insecurities and can partner with you in improving the situation. Teachers also appreciate positive feedback, so if your child is happy and learning, let the teacher know! It validates their hard work and motivates them to do even better. Be present. Being present in the school and temple is one of the most important contributing factors to your child’s success. Being present is giving the gift of time, and the gift of time is one of the most precious gifts we can give our children. There are many ways to be present in Hebrew School. Volunteer for special school events such

as holiday celebrations, participate in family education programs, become a room parent, help the teacher with special projects, attend worship services together, join the Religious School Committee, help tutor children, assist with mitzvah projects, share your special talent or skill…the list of participation opportunities is endless. Most teachers and administrators welcome any offer for help. Religious School budgets are typically limited and extra hands are always needed. A final last suggestion on how to be present in the school: drop off and pick up your student in the building and not outside. This will give you an opportunity to chat with your child’s teacher, meet other parents and build a sense of community along with your child. In a few weeks, thousands of Jewish children across the nation will be heading to Hebrew School. By adopting some of the suggestions listed above, we can help ensure that this will be their best Hebrew School ever. Happy learning! Sabrina Silverberg is the Education Director at Temple Emanu-El Religious School. She can be reached at teers@sarasotatemple.org.

A unique Bat Mitzvah project unites a congregation By Rabbi Barbara Aiello

or many Bar and Bat Mitzvah students a mitzvah project broadens the coming-of-age experience, giving the young man or woman an opportunity to relate Torah ethics to modern life. When the student creates a tikkun olam (repair of the world) initiative, she or he opens the door to love, service and a host of other Jewish values that will serve them well for a lifetime. For Ashley Manevitch of Braden-

ton’s Congregation Ner Tamid, her Bat Mitzvah project is accomplishing all this and so much more. As she works directly with Manatee County’s Humane Society, Ashley is not only providing much needed assistance to abandoned cats and dogs, she is also creating a bonding experience for her congregation as well. When Ashley visited the Humane Society she was impressed with the efforts that the no-kill facility had made.

Federation’s 2014

Teen Travel expo Sunday, September 7, 2014 4:00 PM Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, Florida 34232

RSVP Online: www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx

Funded completely by Jewish community as well, as private donations, the young and old made plans to Humane Society depends come together for several toyupon dedicated commumaking workshops. As old nity members like Ashley tennis balls are transformed for help. “They need pet into chew toys, and flannel toys,” Ashley explained, squares are filled with catnip, “or they need materials the abandoned animals at the Humane Society will benefit for making the toys.” And that’s how Ashley’s idea from Ashley’s generosity. But Ashley Manevitch was born. Ner Tamid congregants benefit It’s one thing to collect money as well as they work side by side for an important cause. Cats, dogs and a conto buy the toys, but quite another to gregation – thanks to Ashley, a unique gather the materials and involve the community-building experience and a entire Ner Tamid congregation in a toy-making experience – which is exwinning combination all around. To donate materials or join a actly what Ashley chose to do. Ashley not only gathered yarn, cloth, sisal toy-making workshop, call Elaine at rope and dried catnip, she gathered her 941.755.1231.

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Send-A-Kid-to-Israel Program

FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH n

Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors Teen Leadership Program Alexander Muss High School in Israel Sponsored by Bea Friedman

AIPAC

March of the Living

MASA

Panim el Panim

TheJewishFederation.org The SKIP program is funded in large part by the Betty and Herb Schiff Send-a-Kid-to-Israel Fund.

TEMPLE EMANU-EL TEMPLE ReligiousEMANU-EL School

Religious School

HELPING CHILDREN FALL IN LOVE WITH JUDAISM SINCE HELPING CHILDREN FALL1956 IN LOVE SINCE 1956 • Academic Excellence TEMPLE EMANU-EL WITH JUDAISM • Child Centered Curriculum Religious School TEMPLE EMANU-EL • Enrichment Classes

The Betty & Herbert Schiff Send a Kid to Israel Program (S.K.I.P.)

ServesReligious Jewish children Schoolfrom kindergarten to confirmation Serves Jewish children from

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jeremy Dictor at 941.343.2106 or jdictor@jfedsrq.org

Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road Sarasota, Florida 34232

TheJewishFederation.org THIS PROGRAM IS PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE

SHAPIRO TEEN ENGAGMENT PROGRAM (S.T.E.P.)

kindergarten to confirmation • Academic Excellence • Child Centered Curriculum • Academic Excellence • Enrichment Classes • Child Centered Curriculum • Remedial & Accelerated Programs • Enrichment Classes • Bar/Bat Mitzvah • Remedial & Accelerated Programs • Children Led Services • Bar/Bat Mitzvah • Youth Group • Children Led Services • All School Holiday Celebrations • Youth Group • All School Holiday Celebrations

• Remedial & Accelerated Programs • Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation • Children Led Services • Youth Group • State-of-the-Art Computer Lab • All School Holiday Celebrations

TEMPLE EMANU-EL Religious School TEMPLE EMANU-EL 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, Florida 34232

151 S. McIntosh ReligiousRoad, SchoolSarasota, Florida 34232

FREE KINDERGARTEN TUITION FOR 2014-2015!

phone: 378-5567 • • email: email:tee_ teers@sarasotatemple.org phone: (941) (941) 378-5567 relschl@hotmail.com

August 2014

FOCUS ON YOUTH

Each year, the Federation selects local high school students to participate in the prestigious Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors Teen Leadership Program (BMYA) and two week mission to Israel. This educational and spiritual journey allows teens to develop leadership skills, explore who they are as individuals and as a team, and learn first-hand the importance of Israel to Jews around the world. In addition to the highly subsidized trip, the program includes regular pre- and post- mission meetings, social events, and leadership training, during which the Young Ambassadors will develop their relationships with one another and with Israel, and become ambassadors in our community.

BOB MALKIN YOUNG AMBASSADORS TEEN LEADERSHI P PROGRAM Excerpts from 2014 Bob Malkin Young Ambassador participants

“I want nothing more in the world than to go back to the Holy Land with the other Young Ambassadors. That’s how unbelievable my first trip to Israel was.” Adam Caldwell

“I like to think I was in Israel representing all of my ancestors that never made it… It’s almost magical to touch the same wall my ancestors prayed and cried on. Seeing the leftover tears on the stone really got to me. It was a truly liberating experience to be at the wall, and it was at that moment I realized the importance of this land to the Jewish people as a whole.” Julie Lichterman

“I can honestly say my trip to Israel has been my greatest life experience. Branching off, seeing another country and culture was amazing. What I saw in Israel was eye opening and brought me so much first-hand education from actual experiences. Things like this, you can’t learn from being in a classroom.”

“This trip has allowed me to open my eyes to the beauty that exists in this amazing country. Without the generosity of the Jewish Federation I would never have been able to go to Israel until I am much older. The seven other teenagers on this amazing trip made this experience that much more enjoyable. We left Florida being friends, but we returned to Florida a family.”

Jared Dipsiner

“This trip affected me in only positive ways; I learned about my Jewish roots, I did a lot of exercise, I tried some new foods, and best of all, I made 7 new friendships that I know will last forever.”

Jamie Metzger

Erica Brown

“Our trip to Israel has really changed my life and I know I’ll be ranting about the beauty of Israel on and on and on to my friends. I still remain in absolute awe.” Rachel Miller

Like Us On Our Sarasota Jewish Teens Page THE SHAPIRO TEEN ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY

Te e

M p i h s r e d a e

August 2014

17 August 2014 FOCUS ON YOUTH

Thousands of Jewish teens from around the world shared a once-in-a-lifetime experience when they marched three kilometers from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest concentration complex built by the Nazis. The March commemorates Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, by retracing the steps of the March of Death - the actual route which countless numbers were forced to take on thier way to the gas chambers. Participants experienced a memorial service in Birkenau, which concluded with the singing of the Hatikvah. From Poland, they flew to Israel to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day.

March

OF THE LIVING Excerpts from 2014 March of the Living participants

“Understanding is perhaps the most important virtue that can be taught. We, as marchers, have the task of keeping these stories. We are still here to teach that understanding. There are no more marches of death, but instead marches of 15,000 young students, all in blue, all knowing why we march.” Alex Eiffert

“I came back to Sarasota as a new person with a new understanding of how lucky we all are today and to never take anything for granted. I have learned and vowed to never forget and to never let another tragedy like that happen again. Speak up and stand up for what you believe in. I have planned Shabbat dinners with friends and family and I plan to continue my Jewish traditions.” Brittney Mintz

“I have come back with a stronger sense of my Jewish identity and have been empowered with knowledge about the Holocaust, its aftermath, and our recovery. One of the most frightening moments of this trip was hearing that Majdanek could be fully operational again in only thirty-six hours. I know that it is my duty to pass on what I have learned to those who have not had the opportunity to hear about the Holocaust or visit the sites that I did.” Rochelle Prokupets

“The emotions that you feel on this trip stay with you; I will never forget where I cried, where I laughed, where I was filled with anger and rage, where I smiled and screamed to the world that we still exist. I will never forget how I felt throughout this whole trip because you can’t forget these feelings.” Janae Newmark

“The Israel portion of the march made me appreciate my faith so much more. Being in Israel with millions of other people who share the same faith as me was such a different feeling. I loved it so much, more than I can even begin to describe. After being in that amazing country for just a week, I can’t wait to go back in college and study abroad.”

“I knew that from this trip forth, whenever I felt like it was time to have a conversation with God, that God would be there for me, ready to chat. I’ve never been a religious person, so the richest experience I took away would be my new partnership with God, the driving force for the rest of my life.”

Rachel Metzger

Madison Bryan

“Pictures just simply aren’t the same as actually going to these places. The Holocaust may be over, but continuing to share knowledge about it will never end for me. I will always remember what I have seen and experienced. Never Forget.”

“At one point I took a break from the festivities to walk up to the actual wall. I found a good spot and pressed my cheek against it. I could almost feel the presence of those who had similarly come to proclaim their love for Judaism. Even more strongly, I felt the presence of those who perished in the Holocaust and could not make it to the Western Wall, could not celebrate Shabbat freely with hundreds of other people, could not practice their religion without the agonizing fear of death and persecution. And at that moment, I realized how important it is to proudly identify myself as a Jew.”

Jesse Schein

Jamie Albert

MASA

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Mission sT oI sr

Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232

941.371.5456 • TheJewishFederation.org

August 2014

FOCUS ON YOUTH

Positive momentum building at Temple Beth Sholom Schools By Dr. Wendy Katz

emple Beth Sholom Schools’ (Justin L. Wiesner Early Learning Center and Goldie Feldman Academy) faculty and families are quite excited about the upcoming school year. Together they are generating new programs that are all designed to better serve our extended community. We invite the community to join our new Grandparents Club, FBI - Fathers Being Involved Group, and Parent Learning Academy. Our first Family Holiday Engagement Event will take place on the first day of Sukkot. This year, TBSS will be offering Premier Infant Care from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, expanding Mom’s Morning Out as well as Baby Play. Initial plans are in the works to host an innovative class for prenatal moms and dads with Rabbi Michael Werbow and a local pediatrician en-

titled “We’re Having a Baby!” The preschool is thrilled to return to the Reggio Emilia philosophy primarily geared to young children that began in Italy and has spread worldwide. The values and beliefs of this program align perfectly with the Upper School’s focus on project-based learning. In Reggio Emilia, teachers use this expression: “A child has a hundred languages.” Teachers work to integrate and develop all these languages including innovation, construction, fantasy, art, music, dance, building, writing, talking, signing, science, body and soul. The natural environment is incorporated as much as possible. The Upper School is also offering new options for students including Junior Great Books, Odyssey of the Mind, Habits of Mind (Costa and Kallica), Student Leadership Classes (MS)

Hands-on math learning

Elementary School students participate in music

and Codecademy: Learn to code. TBSS is a school where students are encouraged to think, lead and serve; parents partner as learners; and where

learning is irresistible! For more information, contact Temple Beth Sholom Schools’ Upper School (K-8th grade) or preschool at 941.552.2770.

Mote Marine’s Sea Turtle Patrol visits TBS Schools ote Marine’s Sea Turtle Patrol visited Temple Beth Sholom Schools’ summer camp to teach three to four-year-old campers about sea turtle safety. The visit coincided with TBS Schools’ “Wonderful World of Water” camp session. Mote Marine volunteer Tommy Vaughan-Birch brought along props and a book to teach the campers about several ways to help protect one of our most precious sea creatures in Southwest Florida. Vaughan-Birch showed the campers how to leave the sand flat after a beach day for baby turtles who are entering the water, and brought along a stuffed turtle with a velcro belly that opened up to show kids how plastic bags, fish hooks, bottle caps and soda wrappings can hurt sea turtles if eaten. “We love taking the opportunity to teach our youngsters about ways to protect our ecosystem and our wildlife,” said Vaughan-Birch. “It’s important to lay this foundation at an early

SHA LOM BA BY Families who are expecting or have recently celebrated the arrival of a baby can receive a Complimentary Gift Basket, which includes special baby items and a helpful resource guide for our Jewish community.

TheJewishFederation.org

age so that children know what they are looking at when they see turtle habitats on our beaches,” she said. Fellow Mote Marine volunteers Andy and Kim Rosebrock attended the learning session with their two-yearold daughter, Alexis, who attends TBS Schools. “Alexis has helped us patrol the beach for turtle tracks since she was a baby and we are so pleased that her campmates are getting this hands-on education. We feel it is vital knowledge for children who live near our beautiful beaches,” said Kim Rosebrock.

Miss Tommy shows a turtle to the students

FAMILY TheJewishFederation.org

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Sunday, The PJ Library program supports families in their Jewish journey by sending Jewishrelated books and music on a monthly basis to children for free. Sponsored By:

Karp Family Foundation Follow us at facebook.com/pjlibraryofsarasota Visit the Federation website to sign up!

TheJewishFederation.org Questions?

Contact Flora Oynick 941.343.2114 or foynick@jfedsrq.org

September 14 3:00 pm The Yeladudes theater team puts on an amazing show, seamlessly weaving in Hebrew language with an entertaining lesson about kindness and friendship. Yeladudes is a Jewish educational theater company for children and families. Three Challahs, is an interactive show for the whole family in Hebrew and English. Cost: $5.00 per child (Adults are free of charge) Location: Zell Room, Federation Campus 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota Questions? Contact Flora at 941.343.2114 or foynick@jfedsrq.org

SIGNUP:

www.jfedsrq.org Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Rd Sarasota, FL 34232

August 2014

19 August 2014 FOCUS ON YOUTH

Chabad of Venice Hebrew School announces registration

egistration is now open for the Chabad Hebrew School in Venice. Open to all Jewish children regardless of affiliation or knowledge of Judaism, the Hebrew School meets every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. throughout the school year. The program, used by the worldwide network of Chabad Hebrew Schools, has been tremendously successful in providing children with a joy and love for Judaism in a positive, fun and dynamic atmosphere. Drama, singing, arts and crafts, baking, interactive workbooks, and educational excursions are all used to bring the information to life. The handson learning style encourages children to be active and involved learners, and the world-famous Aleph Champ teaching method motivates students to excel in Hebrew language skills. Also included are classes in Jewish history within the context of world events and the deeper meaning of the

Jewish holidays. Special holiday parties bring each significant day to life and create positive and warm feelings for the child’s first formal Jewish experiences. With years of experience behind them, the teachers of the Chabad of Venice Hebrew School are devoted and trained to use this multi-sensory curriculum for connecting with children in their most comfortable learning style or format. According to a number of studies, Jewish education is a proven factor in ensuring Jewish involvement and continuity. Chabad thanks The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee for providing scholarships to subsidize tuition for families unable to pay. “We seek to ensure that every single child has access to a high-quality Jewish education,” states Rabbi Sholom Schmerling. The school welcomes every Jew, regardless of religious background or

Sponsored by

level of observance, and does not require membership as a condition for enrollment. To register, please call

941.493.2270 during regular business hours, or visit www.chabadofvenice. com.

Students learn how to bake challah at Chabad of Venice Hebrew School

Sinai board approves lowering barriers to youth education

t used to be that 80% of Jewish children received a formal Jewish education at some point in their lives. No longer. Yet, research shows that early engagement of children and their families in Jewish life has a positive long-term impact. With these realities in mind, the Temple Sinai Board of Trustees committed itself this past spring to make it as easy as possible for parents, in partnership with the temple, to provide Jewish children a Jewish education. Following on the success of the temple’s award-winning Gift Member-

ship program, which allows families to doors to non-member families makes it possible for parents who are not discover the value in becoming part of a congregational interested in synagogue membership to give their community without worrying at children the gift of Judathe outset about ism. Hebrew School will paying both dues and school tuition, also be even more convenient for families to fit the Temple Sinai Religious School into their busy lives. Students may attend either will now enroll any child, regardthe original Wednesday less of synagogue afternoons at the temple, the two-year-old Tuesday affiliation. Opening the temple’s Ella at Temple Sinai Religious School class in Lakewood Ranch

Sponsored by

at the Out-of-Door Academy or, starting in the fall, Sunday afternoons at the temple. By giving families a choice of days, Temple Sinai acknowledges the scheduling challenges today’s families face. Tuition abatement for temple members is available from the temple and scholarships are available for all enrolled children from The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. It has never been easier for Jewish children to receive a Jewish education. For more information, please call 941.922.9322.

STAY FIT SPORTS CAMP AT THE J

Ages 12 And UP

stay Fit BeginneR OR exPeRienced this summer and train with the best! We offer professional instruction OUR AcAdemies from coaches in their sport of focus all impact Basketball in one location. Training schedule source Volleyball includes combinations of and Game Ready Baseball/Softball exposure to the following: sportseast Performance Kai Haaskivi soccer Basketball • Volleyball cAmP sessiOns celcius Tennis soccer • Tennis June 16 20 Flag Football July 14 - 18 Baseball/Softball Fitness Training August 11 - 15 Swimming And more

Jews In Canoes!

Sunday, August 24th @ 9:45am Join local Jewish teens for a little picnic and paddle, as we kayak through the beautiful South Lido Key mangrove tunnels and enjoy a picnic on the shore. Come hang out with old friends, and get to know new ones! Launch located 1 mile South of St. Armand’s Circle. Turn left onto Taft Drive and follow the signs pointing to South Lido Park.

Questions?

Contact Jeremy Dictor: 941.371.4546, jdictor@jfedsrq.org

ONLY $200/SESSION

RSVP Online: www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx

SPACE IS LIMITEd! STAYFITSARASOTA .COM • 941-3421600

Bay & Gulf Adventures Launch Site • $15 Per Person

582 mcintosh Road, sarasota, FL

Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232

941.371.5456 • TheJewishFederation.org

August 2014

FOCUS ON YOUTH

Save the date for annual Summerfield Park Family Picnic and Havdalah

ewish and interfaith families are warmly invited to mark Saturday, August 23 at 6:00 p.m. on the calendar. That’s when – for the eighth year in a row – Temple Emanu-El will host a free picnic and Havdalah outreach event especially for young families at Summerfield Park in Lakewood Ranch (6402 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. between University Parkway and State Road 70). This fun, social evening enables young families in the community to get into the back-to-school spirit in a relaxed, welcoming environment. The event also serves as a major outreach

to unaffiliated Jewish and interfaith families in Lakewood Ranch and East County. Families are invited to enjoy socializing with old and new friends, balloon animals created by Rabbi Brenner Glickman, face painting, beading and crafts. Fresh pizza will be available for $1 per slice, or families may bring a picnic dinner if they prefer. Free cold drinks will be provided, and an ice cream truck will offer all of your favorite treats for free as well. A musical Havdalah service will conclude the gathering. The large covered pavilion at the park has been reserved, so the

event will be held rain-or-shine. The Family Picnic and Havdalah at Summerfield Park is a wonderful way to enjoy innovative Jewish programming in a friendly, casual environment. All are warmly welcome! The Family Picnic and Havdalah

Sponsored by

is sponsored by Temple Emanu-El and The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee. For more information, please contact Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman at 941.379.1997 or elaine-glickman@ comcast.net.

MASA ISRAEL TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP The Federation will offer scholarships to applicants who have been accepted to a MASA program! Scholarships are first come, first serve. (Up to $2,000 to cover travel to and from Israel only.) Visit www.TheJewishFederation.org.

At last year’s Family Picnic and Havdalah, Elle (with mom Erin) modeled the latest in balloon hat fashions

Luca loved his balloon sword

Congratulations to the 2014-15 SRQUSY Executive Board:

Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232 Len Steinberg, Youth Engagement Coordinator 941.343.2106 941.552.6301 • aikeman@jfedsrq.org lsteinberg@jfedsrq.org

March

President: Camryn Cohen Executive VP: Jordan Phillips Communications VP: Michelle Silva Programming VP: Gabriella Hazan Religion/Education VP: Jessica Zelitt Social Action/Tikkun Olam VP: Samantha Hanan Membership/Kadima VP: Allison Davis Freshman Representative: Sy Schimberg

OF THE LIVING An unforgettable and life-changing experience! For 11th & 12th Grade Students Selected teens will spend a week in Poland and march from Auschwitz to Birkenau with thousands of fellow Jews on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day). The particpants will then spend a week in Israel on Yom Hazikaron (Israel Memorial Day) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) seeing the incredible sites and sounds of our homeland. Get complete information at www.jfedsrq.org/mol.aspx Questions? Contact Len Steinberg at 941.552.6301 or lsteinberg@jfedsrq.org

“... the trip of a lifetime.” COMPLETE INFORMATION, ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS & APPLICATION:

www.jfedsrq.org/ya.aspx

Questions? Contact Jeremy Dictor at 941.343.2106 or jdictor@jfedsrq.org Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232

www.TheJewishFederation.org

Temple Beth Sholom Presents

shabbat shaboom!

COLLEGE NIGHT 2014 FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-12 & THEIR PARENTS

Join us for an exciting new program happening at Temple Beth Sholom, Shabbat mornings in the TBS Multi Purpose Room. We will have playtime, a snack and an age appropriate service geared toward preschool and early elementary, although everyone is welcome.

Free Workshop! Presented by Jane Robbins Light refreshments will be served along with networking opportunities and Q&A with Jane.

Learn the ins and outs of college affordability, financial “fit,” scholarship and grant eligibility, how to apply for financial aid, PLUS information about Jewish life on campus, college scholarships offered through The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and MORE!

Saturday Mornings - 10:00am—12:00pm

open to the public Playtime n Family Service Time n Shabbat Snacks Temple Beth Sholom 1050 S Tuttle Ave, Sarasota, FL 34237 www.templebethsholomfl.org | (941) 955-8121

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2014 @ 4PM-6PM Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232 RSVP: www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx QUESTIONS? Contact Andrea Eiffert at 941.552.6308 or aeiffert@jfedsrq.org

August 2014

21 August 2014 JEWISH INTEREST

Stars of David

Interested in Your Family’s History?

By Nate Bloom, Contributing Columnist Editor’s note: Persons in BOLD CAPS are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish for the purpose of the column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish parent and were not raised in a faith other than Judaism – and don’t identify with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identified as Jewish. Canadian Landsmen All Over the Tube Working the Engels began airing on NBC on July 10. New episodes air Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. It stars the very funny Andrea Martin (who is Armenian/Canadian; but often plays Jews) with Canadian EUGENE LEVY, 67, her former SCTV co-star. Martin plays Ceil Engel. Her lawyer husband died suddenly and left her family in deep debt. Ceil and the rest of the family go to work at her husband’s storefront law firm. The problem is that only one family member, daughter Jenna, a newlyminted lawyer, is qualified to practice law. Levy appears in a recurring role as Arthur Horowitz, a prominent niceguy (Jewish) attorney who is secretly a bit sweet on his neighbor, Ceil, and is hoping to retire and give a few good clients to Jenna. Levy’s real-life daughter, SARAH LEVY, 27, plays his daughter, Irene. Meanwhile, Martin Short, another hilarious SCTV veteran, plays a pastry mogul who used to be sweet on Ceil when he was a hippie baker in the ’70s. Seed is a Canadian TV comedy that was just renewed for its second season. The CW (American) station picked-up the first season for broadcast, starting July 14. New shows air Mondays at 9:30 p.m. It stars ADAM KORSON, 32, who grew up in a Toronto suburb, as Harry, a likeable bartender who discovers he has offspring from his sperm donations. The series focuses on his relationship with his biological kids and their families. The Holocaust Meets Vampires The Strain, a horror/detective drama, began on the FX channel on July 13. New episodes air Sundays at 10:00 p.m. The series stars COREY STOLL, 38, who is best known for his Oscar nominated role in Midnight in Paris (Hemingway) and his Golden Globe nominated role in House of Cards (Peter Russo). The premiere episode of Strain begins with a plane landing at JFK airport with the lights

off and doors sealed. Epidemiologist Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (played by Stoll) and his team are sent to investigate. On board they find two hundred corpses and four survivors. The situation deteriorates when the bodies begin disappearing from morgues and, shortly thereafter, there’s a mysterious viral outbreak that has the “hallmarks” of vampirism. It turns out that a Professor Abraham Setrakian, a Holocaust survivor turned pawnshop owner, has answers about the outbreak. The backstory on Setrakian: A Romanian Jew, he escaped from a Nazi death camp (there are flashback scenes to the death camp). After WWII, he met and battled vampires and, while elderly, he can still swing a sword and kill them. He knows the habits and biology of vampires and wants to pass on his knowledge to Goodweather. (Not your average zaide type!) Something Funnier Married began on the FX channel on July 17. New episodes air Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. Nat Faxon and Judy Greer co-star as a married couple who try to remember what brought them together as they find themselves overwhelmed with things like child care and bills. Comedian BRETT GELMAN, 37, co-stars as A.J., a newly-divorced guy who is one of the couple’s best friends. Another best friend, Jess, is played by comedian JENNIFER SLATE, 32. Jess is an ex-“party girl” whose much older husband (PAUL Mad About You REISER, 57) tries to keep up with her. Slate’s celebrity quotient, especially among the “intelligentsia,” has risen in the last two months with the strong critical reception her film Obvious Child, a thinking person’s comedy/drama. By the way, Greer is a talented performer who just might break out with this role. While not Jewish, she has a “Jewish persona” and she was really “authentic” as the Jewish girlfriend of the title character in the hilarious 2003 farce The Hebrew Hammer.

Ten years of doing a Jewish celebrities column has turned Nate Bloom (see column at left) into something of an expert on finding basic family history records and articles mentioning a “searched-for” person. During these 10 years, he has put together a small team of “mavens” who aid his research. Most professional family history experts charge at least $1,000 for a full family tree. However, many people just want to get “started” by tracing one particular family branch.

So here’s the deal: Send Nate an email at nteibloom@aol.com, tell him you saw this ad in The Jewish News, and include your phone number (area code, too). Nate will then contact you about doing a “limited” family history for you at a modest cost (no more than $100). No upfront payment. Briefly Noted Justin Bieber recently posted a short video of Tom Hanks, wearing a tallis and yarmulke, as Hanks sung and danced at the (June 2014) Jewish wedding of SCOOTER BRAUN, 33, Bieber’s manager. Hanks, frankly, looks like a rabbi in the video. It’s up on the Today show site. Log on to Today.com and enter “Hanks” in the search box and you’ll find it. Last month, I reported that DYLAN DOUGLAS, the 13-yearold son of actor MICHAEL DOUGLAS, 69, had a bar mitzvah in May.

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This came as a surprise since Michael has always been secular and Michael’s mother and wife are not Jewish. Then, in mid-June, I was surprised again when Michael and Dylan toured Israel as a kind of post bar mitzvah celebration. My gut feeling: Dylan decided to connect to a Jewish identity and, perhaps, Jewish spirituality. I can see why Michael would wish to foster this pretty healthy impulse. CAMERON DOUGLAS, 35, Michael’s son of his first marriage, found his “solace” in drugs early on and has been in prison since 2010.

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“Who remembers the Armenians?”

K’zohar Ha-Ivrit The month of Av

By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD

By Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin

he summer has reached its zenith and the days are slowly getting shorter. The Jewish year 5774 is approaching its end. We have reached the month of Av, the eleventh month in the Jewish calendar. What do we know about this month? First, the name Av is not recorded in the Bible. As a matter of fact, if we would have continued the biblical system of counting Dr. Rachel Dulin the months of the year, Nissan, the month of spring, would have been the first month (Es 3:7), and Av would have been the fifth month. However, with the rabbinic new configuration of the calendar, the year begins in the fall (Rosh Ha-sha-nah 1:1) thereby Av is the eleventh month. Secondly, like other names of months in the calendar, the word Av is rooted in the Akkadian language, and was integrated into the Hebrew by the returnees from the Babylonian exile. The meaning of the word is unclear. Yet, in Jewish tradition Av is also known as Me-nah-chem Av meaning ‘Av which comforts,’ alluding to the tradition that the Messiah known as Me-nah-chem, ‘comforter,’ was born on the ninth of Av (Eikha Rabati 1). Two historical events which shaped our history took place during the month of Av. In the year 587 BCE the First Temple was destroyed (Jer 52:12-13). And, six hundred years later (70 CE) the Second Temple fell on the same day (Ta-a-nit 4:6). There-

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fore, Tish-ah b’Av, has become a day of fasting, similar to Yom Kippur (Rosh Ha-Sha-nah 18). Traditionally, it commemorates not only the destruction of the Temples, but many other tragedies which befell our people. However, Av is also a month in which tradition records great joy. The rabbis cite that during the days of the Second Temple the young maidens of Ye-ru-sha-la-yim used to dress in borrowed white dresses, not to shame those who did not have dresses, and dance in the vineyards while young men joined them in merrymaking. It was said that “there were no days of greater joy than these in Israel” (Ta-a-nit 1:10). The origin of this custom is obscure, but it is obviously rooted in the universal celebration of nature and is connected with the vintage festivities. Av, then, is a month mixed with sadness and joy. I wish all our readers an easy fast on Tish-ah b’Av and a joyful rest of the summer. In response to a reader’s comment: I wish to thank Mr. Lipschutz for his letter. To be sure, the intent of the article pri ha-ah-dah-mah was not to negate the rabbinic tradition. Rather, it was to highlight the biblical agricultural roots of Sha-vu-ot and thereby discuss the blessing pri ha-ah-dah mah. I commented on the connection between Matan Torah and Sha-vu-ot, based in part on Ex 19:11, in another article. Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin is a professor of biblical literature at Spertus College in Chicago and an adjunct professor of Hebrew and Bible at New College in Sarasota.

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eventy-five years ago this month, German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler addressed his military chiefs and commanding field generals at his mountain retreat, the Berghof, at Berchtesgaden. His speech, made on August 22, 1939, referred to his officers’ need to be brutal and merciless in the campaign against Poland that was about to begin. Hitler intended Dr. Paul Bartrop to motivate his generals through a number of statements in which he would show that only the most vigorous prosecution of the war would be allowed. This would be a war of peoples as much as of armies, a state of affairs completely in keeping with his views regarding the nature of struggle between nations – a racial war in which only the fittest should be permitted by history to survive. Referring to the lessons of history, Hitler noted that “Genghis Khan had millions of women and children hunted down and killed, deliberately and with a gay heart,” but “History sees in him only the great founder of States.” Thus, in order to achieve greatness in this world, states must be brutal, and conquest should be followed through to a glorious end. He dismissed those outside of Germany who would oppose him: “What the weak Western European civilization alleges about me, does not matter.” The most startling part of his statement – that which has gone down in history and is repeated most often – was, in effect, a warrant for genocide. Hitler is reported as having said, “I have issued the command – I’ll have anybody who utters one word of criticism executed by a firing squad – that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death’s head formations in readiness – for the present only in the East – with orders to exterminate without mercy, men, women and children of the Polish-speaking race. Only thus shall we gain the living space [Lebensraum] that we need. Who, after all, today speaks of the annihilation of the Armenians?” (Wer redet heute noch von der Vernichtung der Armenier.) Recognizing that a new Turkish state had been constructed owing to the destruction of the Armenians, Hitler noted that Germany could do the same because “the world believes only in success.” (Die Welt glaubt nur an den Erfolg.) A much-quoted statement, the document’s veracity has for several decades been rigorously challenged by anti-Armenian Turks and their supporters, who claim that it is a forgery prepared by Louis P. Lochner, a Pulitzer-Prize winning United States journalist. Lochner asserted that he had obtained the document through unnamed diplomatic sources, but it is known that he transmitted it to the British Ambassador in Berlin, Sir Nevile Henderson, on August 25, 1939. The speech was subsequently employed at the Nuremberg Tribunal of the leading Nazi war criminals in 1945, though in evidence it was shown

that the account Lochner received and passed on was perhaps a redacted version of two other accounts of Hitler’s address. This is one of the areas of controversy. The other, of course – at least for successive generations of Turks – is rooted in the fact that the Ottoman extermination of the Armenians in 1915 was mentioned at all. Despite these concerns, several Armenian genocide scholars have confirmed the veracity of Hitler’s statement, showing the circumstances and context in which the statement was made. For many, there is no reason to doubt that the remark is genuine, while the motivation for Hitler’s statement would appear to have been well grounded in his understanding of the Armenian Genocide – and of how poorly it was acknowledged by the outside world at the time of World War I and subsequently. Hitler’s speech referred specifically to the forthcoming invasion of Poland, urging a ruthless and single-minded approach in Germany’s treatment of the conquered Polish people. Perhaps, in cutting through the rhetoric, it could be argued that he was foreshadowing – and, perhaps, even sanctioning – a possible extermination of the Poles at some later time. Certainly, he showed that the idea of annihilation was not far from his thinking. It is important to recognize, however, that Hitler was speaking about the Poles when addressing his generals. Often, well-meaning but erroneous commentators and teachers make the claim that Hitler was forecasting the Holocaust when making his reference to the genocide of the Armenians. In fact, the conflation of the Armenian Genocide with the Holocaust, through Hitler’s quote, is now made much more often than is desirable, though perhaps it is understandable in view of the continuity of horror Hitler’s statement bridges. Indeed, the quote is even inscribed on one of the walls of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. When Hitler asked whether anyone today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians, he was issuing a challenge to all generations facing the memory of genocide – any genocide. The memory of genocide is not a simple formula of “Never Again.” The history of the world throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries has shown that this simply doesn’t work. Perhaps, though, if we can add the words “… and Never Forget,” we might go some way to educating future generations about why genocide against any group of people is wrong, and to be avoided. It is worth proving Hitler wrong one more time. When we think of the persecution that has plagued our own history, let us also remember the Armenians, whose fate at the hands of a brutal regime served as his inspiration. Dr. Paul Bartrop is Professor of History and the Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. He can be reached at pbartrop@fgcu.edu.

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23 August 2014 JEWISH INTEREST

Two new biographies offer portraits of Jewish cultural titans By Philip K. Jason, Special to The Jewish News Primo Levi: The Matter of a Life, by Berel Lang. Yale University Press. 192 pages. Hardcover. $25. Norman Mailer: A Double Life, by J. Michael Lennon. Simon & Schuster. 960 pages. Hardcover. $40.

hese trailblazing studies of two very different writer-thinkers suggest the range and intensity of Jewish literary art and its intellectual vigor. Professor Lang has developed an unusual plan to explore the life of an unusual writer. Modeling the approach in part one of Levi’s books, Lang begins with a chapter called “The End” and concludes with Phil Jason one called “The Beginning” followed, naturally, by “Preface.” This somewhat playful strategy enacts Lang’s concern with possible confusions of chronology and causality. It allows him, as well, to guide us with proper tentativeness through such issues as whether or not Levi would have become an author without the experience of surviving the Holocaust. The inside chapters, the meat of the meal, consider “The War,” “Writing,” “The Jewish Question” and “Thinking.” Lang provides the necessary wartime context for understanding the exceptional situation of Italy and of Italian Jews before, during and after WWII. He also examines the transition in Levi’s professional identity from chemist (chemical engineer and chemical plant manager) to writer. In this discussion, he underscores Levi’s insistence that the scientific and artistic

modes are not adversarial. Lang sees Levi as feeling his way into a balancing act. While the precision and clarity necessary in scientific work find their way effectively into Levi’s prose style, perhaps his poetry is handicapped by literalism. For Levi, not just his biographer, the question of Jewish identity is problematic. Certainly Primo Levi can be identified as a Jewish writer. The issue is whether this identification is confining or liberating. Levi’s political leanings were universalist rather than nationalist. This other balancing act, between particularity and universality, Lang also examines with zest and subtlety. This is especially true in “Thinking,” the chapter in which Lang attempts to locate Levi within (or just outside of) the role of moral philosopher. In calling attention to and assessing the variety of genres that Levi explored, Levi’s original cast of mind, the many contradictions in Levi’s own assertions or recollections about important issues, and other intriguing matters, Berel Lang has given us a fresh vision of a fascinating and rather mysterious figure. Fortunately, he has not abolished the mystery, but rather fully respected it. ennon’s authorized biography is free from the sycophancy that often attends such projects. Mailer himself readily admitted to and sometimes celebrated his warts. His biographer’s unrestricted access to resources not previously drawn upon has resulted in a towering, balanced portrait of the man, his achievements and his shortcomings. Mailer told Lennon to “put everything in.” This could be dangerous advice, but it was the same advice that Mailer usually gave himself in his drive to craft comprehensive responses to complex questions.

Lennon captures Mailer’s enormous drive to master his craft, to experiment with form and genre, to build a reputation, and to contend with the large issues of his country and culture for six decades. This biography is not only indispensable for students of Mailer, but also for anyone interested in taking the pulse of the United States through those decades. More and more, Mailer put himself on the stages of literary and political history, shaping both through his participation, and shaping our collective memory through his influential, if sometimes abrasive, representations. The book is fascinating throughout. All readers will benefit from Lennon’s treatment of Mailer’s writing process, his compulsive philandering, his often crass self-promotion, his unexpected discipline, his capacity for violence, his attraction to and sympathy for criminals, his relationships with his many children and his peers, and his risk-taking in all areas of life and art. Compelling too is Lennon’s portrait of Mailer’s role as a public intellectual, a biographer/interpreter of cultural icons (Marilyn Monroe, Pablo Picasso, Lee Harvey Oswald), and as a man whose self-created persona included a dynamic of dualism. It’s not so much that Mailer had a double life, as the title suggests, but rather an identity founded in the energy of contesting opposites. Mailer found this notion of himself to be, as well, a

way of looking at humanity in general and at the character of American civilization. A restless man who thrived on confrontation, Lennon’s Mailer aspired to be a master of theater and film as well as several branches of literature including a few that he helped establish (personal journalism, nonfiction novel). The biographer’s detailed, lively treatments of Mailer’s frustrations as a playwright, screenplay writer and director are among the books many delights. Mailer did, in fact, have a few qualified successes in these areas. Though Lennon captures the strands of Jewish cultural identity in Mailer’s complex personality and selfawareness, these strands are only a minor element in the dazzling weave of his subject’s multifaceted being. *** These two reviews appear as separate items in the Spring 2014 issue of Jewish Book World. They are reprinted with permission. Philip K. Jason is Professor Emeritus of English from the United States Naval Academy. He reviews regularly for Florida Weekly, Jewish Book World, Southern Literary Review, and other publications. Please visit Phil’s website at www.philjason.wordpress.com.

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By David Benkof, DavidBenkof@gmail.com Across 1. Page’s partner at Google 5. Island where Shabbat is sometimes 48 hours long 9. Israeli city favored by asthmatics for its climate 13. “Hebrew at Your ___” by Eliezer Tirkel 14. Hora ditty 16. Sephardi chief rabbi until 2013 17. One of Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Jewish colleagues 18. Academic org. that has considered denouncing Israel 19. Ki ___ (Torah portion in which Moses shatters the tablets) 20. Reitman and Boesky 21. Play about Moss Hart that won a 2014 Tony Award 23. “___ thy neighbor as thyself” (Lev. 19:18) 25. Bob or Carole 26. Jerusalem medical center s upported by many American Jewish women 30. Moses did it to the Jews at the beginning of Numbers 32. Goliath-like 33. Ehrich Weiss ___ Harry Houdini 34. Section of the Jewish Daily Forward focused on social justice 35. For centuries, a center of Kabbalah 36. Emulates the youngest child at a seder 37. One JTA alternative 38. Lag Ba’omer month 39. Noted Maggid-like Greek 40. Purim costume for a child who wants to be a cat that’s not a cat 43. Seder plate shankbone 44. Author Maurice (“The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning”) 45. She represents California in the Senate along with Barbara 47. “Get ___” (Ben Elton TV show) 50. Low-___ (adjective for a Harold Ramis-style comedy) 51. Gershwin whose first name was Israel, at first 53. 10th century Babylonian Jewish scholar 56. Stones are ___ on Jewish graves 57. Chicago Democratic bigwig (and friend of Barack Obama’s) 58. ___ Jews (South American B’nai Moshe, supposedly) 59. The ones in Jewish caskets are usually wooden 60. Non-windy side of The Exodus 61. “___ Liberator” (hopeful descriptor for Alexander II)

Solution on page 26

Down 1. Iron ___ (Israel’s system for shooting down mortar shells) 2. Israeli prison 3. Authority on Conservative halacha who died in 1979 4. “...asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’hadlik ___...” (candles blessing) 5. ___ Messiah (Shabbetai Zvi, e.g.) 6. “___ pair of poodles...” (line from a Jewish lullaby) 7. L.A. black Jewish politician Perry 8. “Mel Gibson is ___ town that’s run by Jews” (recent Gary Oldman quote) 9. They make Vivente’s kosher nectars sweet 10. Isaiah Berlin’s Latvian place of birth 11. He defended Claus in 1984 12. Several Israeli hotels 14. German-Jewish poet Heinrich 15. B’nei ___ (religious Zionist youth movement) 19. One of Jason Robert Brown’s two that he won in 2014 22. Kind of radio Dennis Prager, Dr. Laura, and Gloria Allred are known for 23. He’Brew is one 24. Fehr of “The Mummy Returns” 26. Rare Hebrew grammatical construction (passive-causative) 27. Persian rulers friendly to the Jews 28. Acre, according to some 29. It might help lock a trunk in steerage 30. ___ Mishelo (Friday night song) 31. Sammy alternative on campus 32. Etz ___ (Conservative chumash) 35. Asian country whose American minister (appointed by Herbert Hoover) was Jewish 36. “___ Flux” (2005 film with Sophie Okonedo) 39. “Greenhorn” was the term for ___ newcomer to America 41. Sasha Cohen does it on ice 42. Urbandictionary.com says it’s slang for a big-nosed Jew 43. Ness ___ (city south of Tel Aviv) 45. Transported Miss Daisy? 46. “Fanny” novelist Jong 47. Best time to RSVP for a simcha 48. Sitcom teacher ___ Kotter 49. Called (up) Dial-a-Jewish-Story 50. Prepare challah 52. Month of joy 54. “I ___ Rock” (1966 Simon & Garfunkel hit) 55. Student of the blogosphere 56. Used Shabbat candles

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August 2014

25 2014 ISRAEL & THEAugust JEWISH WORLD

How to learn Hebrew in a hurry

Short-term tourists and business people can pick up Israel’s native tongue in crash courses tailored to visitors’ schedules and needs. By Abigail Klein Leichman, ISRAEL21c, www.israel21c.org

Hebrew in a café, with UlpanOr teacher Yael Gruper

UlpanOr’s one-week Sabra Hebrew Immersion Program, held in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, consists of three hours of one-on-one study in the morning and another two or three hours of interactive outdoor activities in the afternoon, such as a visit to a café. Other options include a VIP course with a cultural element such as Hebrew theater or music. Gebel didn’t expect to become flu-

ent in two weeks, and she didn’t. But she made great progress. “The amount of Hebrew I learned let me speak in the shuk [marketplace] and ask simple questions, even make simple conversation,” she says. The Ganors devised the course after studying how Europeans are able to learn several languages fluently though listening and observing. “Verbal communication is key, and our methodology is based on that,” says Ganor. “Another element is introducing language not in an academic manner but at eye level, providing opportunities to use the vocabulary immediately in real settings. We saw this process does not have to take several months.” Tailor-made Hebrew Ulpan Aviv, also with Jerusalem and Tel Aviv locations, assures tourists that they can complete one level of Hebrew though an intensive, tailor-made program of 10 one-on-one sessions, each lasting two and a half hours in the morning or afternoon, spread over a two-week period. “It is very good for tourists, even those just wanting to get the sound of the language and a little bit of the culture,” co-owner Gil Pentzak tells ISRAEL21c. The course alternates between conversation with the teacher and guided self-study assignments involving reading, writing or listening. Pentzak estimates that at least 35 percent of Ulpan Aviv’s clients opt for this crash course founded in July 2009, and they include Jews, Christians and Arabs of all ages who either are short-term tourists or need to learn Hebrew quickly for professional or personal reasons.

“The schedule and materials are tailor-made and can involve music, culture, Bible – anything at all, according to the interests and preferences of the individual student,” says Pentzak. Ulpan Israeli in Netanya offers a customized group option for learning Hebrew in a hurry. Director Frida Fisher says she and her other teachers work with tour groups, business people, families and even athletic delegations from all over the world in groups of one to six at a time, provided they are all on the same level. “The course can be as long as Young tourist learning they want – one Hebrew with teacher Adi Amram week or two or three,” Fisher tells ISRAEL21c. “For example, I have a group from Finland that wants to come for three weeks. We’ll work with them from 9 to 12:30 on the weekday mornings before their day trips.” Clients can choose to have their lessons in the classroom, at their hotel, in a touring bus or in everyday settings. Fisher once did a culinary ulpan for a British family who were renting a house for the summer in Herzliya. They went to market together and

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prepared meals in the kitchen, all the while interacting in Hebrew to give the family appropriate vocabulary for buying, slicing, chopping, cooking, frying and baking a variety of edibles. Retaining what they have learned is a different issue. Jackie Gebel admits she lost much of her Hebrew after a few months back in New York. Ganor of UlpanOr encourages “graduates” of crash courses to continue studying via guided distance-learning courses after they’ve gone home. “Hebrew is an objective by itself, but we also see ourselves as ambassadors of Hebrew as a national language that brings Jews closer to their identity, and brings all our students closer to Israeli culture,” says Ganor. For more information, visit www. ulpanor.com, www.ulpanisraeli.com or www.ulpanaviv.com. Abigail Klein Leichman is a writer and associate editor at ISRAEL21c. Prior to moving to Israel in 2007, she was a specialty writer and copy editor at a daily newspaper in New Jersey and has freelanced for a variety of newspapers and periodicals since 1984.

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ackie Gebel, 24, of New York spontaneously decided to move to Israel for a month in November 2013. “I needed a change of scenery,” she explains to ISRAEL21c. “I had only been to Israel once before, on Birthright, and everyone said I should take a Hebrew class. I had basic reading skills but not conversation.” How much of the spoken language could Gebel expect to pick up in ulpan (the Hebrew term for an intensive language class) during the two-week period she allotted? After Googling around, she signed up for a one-on-one crash course at UlpanOr, one of a few private Hebrew-teaching companies that offer classes for short-term visitors. “It is possible for people with no prior knowledge of Hebrew – Jews and Christians – to learn reading, writing and verbal communication in a week,” says Yoel Ganor, who cofounded UlpanOr with his wife, Orly, in 1995.

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ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

BRIEFS U.S. TOURISTS FLOCKING TO ISRAEL IN RECORDBREAKING NUMBERS 32% more Americans arrived in Israel in May 2014 than in May 2013, Haim Gutin, Consul and Israel Tourism Commissioner, North and South America, has said. Overall, American tourism to Israel is up 14% for the five-month period, January-May. (Nelson Alcantara, ETN Travel News)

ISRAELI MINI-FARM COULD FEED THIRDWORLD HUNGRY An Israeli-developed mini-farm that can grow vegetables anywhere has won a prize as the most promising project to help developing countries improve their economies. Project co-creator Nitzan Solan says the Livingbox “is the perfect system, because it lets anyone anywhere grow vegetables without the need for fertile soil, or running water and electricity, and with minimal farming skills.” “The five square meter size is perfect for a family of four or five.”

Livingbox is based on hydroponics – the science of growing vegetables in water. Vegetables can take root in water when the right nutrients are added. Once it’s set up, the system is self-sustaining, requiring nothing more than household waste. “We can grow vegetables using three types of organic waste – from fish waste, with leftover organic waste like rotten vegetables or peels, and even using (animal) waste.” All three systems generate the nitrogen plants need to thrive, said Solan. (David Shamah, Times of Israel)

ISRAELI COMPANY PARTNERS WITH ALCOA TO EXTEND RANGE OF ELECTRIC CARS BY 1,600 KM

store enough energy to take a car 3,000 km. with 100 kg. of aluminum-air batteries, as compared with the Tesla Model S battery which weighs 500 kg. (CBC News - Canada)

ISRAELI CYBER EXPORTS 2ND ONLY TO U.S. Israeli exports of cyber-related products and services last year reached $3 billion, some 5% of the global market and more than all other nations combined apart from the U.S., according to Israel’s National Cyber Bureau (NCB). “In June, Prime Minister Netanyahu noted that Israel is “a land flowing with milk and cyber.” (Barbara OpallRome, Defense News)

UNTOLD STORIES OF ISRAELI INNOVATION

Israel-based Phinergy and Alcoa Canada demonstrated an electric car recently in Montreal with a battery that extends the range of the vehicle by 1,600 km. The range for electric cars now on the market is 135 km. for the Nissan Leaf and 480 km. for the Tesla Model S. Aviv Tzidon, CEO of Phinergy, said the new battery technology can

Marcella Rosen, a marketing professional from New York, created Untold News about Israel (www.untoldnews. org) that disseminates news stories about the myriad ways Israeli innovation brings help, hope and healing to the world. “It’s true: Israel is a barrier-breaking dynamo of a kind never before witnessed in history. Acre-for-acre, citizen-for-citizen, no place is churning out more ideas, more products, more procedures and devices and technologies.... And the work that Israel is turning out is saving and improving lives around the world, every day,” she says. Visit the Dead Sea region, and gaze upon acre-after-acre of palm groves, rising from what was once a moonscape. A chemist at the Bar-Ilan University Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Aharon Gedanken, created an anti-bacterial “coating” for hospital gowns, sheets and pajamas to fight hospital infections. In 1965, a standard drip irrigation system used from two to four liters of water per hour. Today, a Netafim system from

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Israel uses only a half-liter per hour. “Israel has quietly become the little country that changed the world – and your life – for the better...without you even knowing it,” says Rosen. “Imagine what it could achieve if it were released from the shackles of warfare. If this little country of fewer than eight million souls could focus the entirety of its energy and resources and resilience on the problems and puzzles facing us all, how much better a place would this world be?” (Jim Fletcher, FrontPage Magazine)

HEBREW UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PLACE 2ND IN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL COMPETITION

Forty-nine teams from 35 countries took part in a competitive International Criminal Court contest at The Hague. A team of four Hebrew University students finished second. All of the top three finishers – India, Israel and China – are countries that have not joined the ICC. (Yonah Jeremy Bob, Jerusalem Post)

ISRAEL TO VICE-CHAIR UN COMMITTEE ON PALESTINIAN REFUGEES

Israel recently overcame a coordinated effort by Arab states to thwart its appointment as vice chair of a UN committee dealing with issues such as Palestinian refugees and human rights. Mordehai Amihai won the appointment to represent the Western European and Other Groups voting bloc on the 4th (Decolonization) Committee with 74 votes, while 68 countries abstained and two voted for other candidates. He received staunch backing from Britain, Canada and the UK. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor thanked countries that supported Israel’s bid and accused the Arab Group of hypocrisy. Prosor noted, “The Arab Group did not see anything wrong with the membership of Iran, a state that arms Assad and Hizbullah, in the Committee on Disarmament and International Security.” (Spencer Ho, Times of Israel)

ISRAEL BUILDS TRADE GATEWAY TO ARAB WORLD

A Turkish freighter carries 37 trucks to the Israeli port of Haifa, bringing goods from Europe to customers in Jordan and beyond. According to numerous international businessmen,

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27 2014 ISRAEL & THEAugust JEWISH WORLD

continued from previous page goods continue from Jordan into Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Until three years ago these trucks would have come through Syria, but the civil war has made that journey too perilous. The number of trucks crossing between Israel and Jordan has jumped some 300% since 2011, to 10,589 a year. Transit containers shipped to Israel from Turkey for passage on to other countries increased to 77,337 tons in 2013 from 17,882 tons in 2010. “Israel is returning to its historic role, as a transit country, as a bridge between continents, where historic trade routes passed through,” said Yael Ravia-Zadok, head of the Middle Eastern Economic Affairs Bureau in Israel’s Foreign Ministry. Israel has “not even begun to scratch at the potential.” (Ari Rabinovitch and Tova Cohen, Reuters)

ANTI-SEMITES ROCK COLLEGES

Members of a pro-Palestine student organization are trying to stifle pro-Israel views and terrorize Jewish students across the nation. A slew of anti-Semitic online postings by Vassar College’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine have brought the group under investigation by school administrators. SJP began in 2001 at the University of California, Berkeley. Its founder, UC Berkeley lecturer Hatem Bazian, is a West Bank-born Palestinian who earlier headed Berkeley’s Muslim Student Association, which the Muslim Brotherhood had helped to establish. (Molly Wharton, National Review)

ISRAEL CROWNED WORLD’S TOP CLEANTECH INNOVATOR Israel is the country with the most potential to produce and commercialize entrepreneurial cleantech start-up companies, according to the 2014 Global Cleantech Innovation Index. The report, by the Cleantech Group and World Wildlife Foundation, compiled data on 40 countries and found that Israel “generates the culture, education and ‘chutzpah’ necessary to breed innovation, plus it has the survival instinct.” (Niv Elis, Jerusalem Post)

ISRAEL’S ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE U.S. More than 200 Israeli-founded businesses located in Massachusetts booked over $6 billion of revenue and generated nearly $12 billion in economic benefit to the state, representing 2.9% of the state’s GDP in 2012. These companies directly employed 6,600 people and supported more than 23,000 jobs. In Pennsylvania, one Israeli company, TEVA Pharmaceuticals, employs 2,400 people in eight locations, generating 15,800 direct and indirect jobs, $1.2 billion in local income, $4.4 billion in economic output and $115 million in state and local taxes. Moreover, TEVA made $2.9 million in corporate charitable donations and in its advocacy and medical education programs in Pennsylvania in 2013 alone. (Sherwin Pomerantz, Baltimore Jewish Times)

CYPRUS INAUGURATES ISRAELI-BUILT WATER DESALINATION PLANT Cyprus inaugurated its sixth desalination plant at Vassilikos on June 30, built by the Israeli company IDE Technologies. “The desalination plant inaugurated today, along with units already operating and those already upgraded, guarantee that Cyprus will not face the problem of drought again,” said President Nicos Anastasiades. (Cyprus Mail)

ISRAEL MILITARY INDUSTRIES UNVEILS SELF-DEFENDING ARMORED TROOP TRANSPORT Israel Military Industries (IMI) has concluded initial prototype testing of the armored CombatGuard, built to deploy up to six infantrymen while the Bright Arrow active protection system (APS) independently defends against anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. The APS system embodies central, hard-learned lessons from Israel’s 2006 Lebanon War, said Brig.-Gen. (res.) Alon Fridman, manager of IMI’s Infantry and Special Forces Directorate. Israeli forces in the 34-day war against Hizbullah suffered significant setbacks due to poor maneuvering capabilities in the face of anti-tank missiles and other threats. The system’s multi-layered countermeasures include neutralizing threats through electro-optical jamming, deflecting them by smoke or destroying them by firing hard-kill projectiles. (Barbara Opall-Rome, Defense News)

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TECHNION’S NANOSE CATCHES LUNG CANCER 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME A cancer-detection technology that “sniffs out” malignant tumors is set to be commercialized, after a study showed that a device based on the Technion-developed “NaNose” system successfully detected lung cancer in patients with up to 90% accuracy. By detecting the special “odor” emitted by cancer cells, the NaNose system can detect the presence of both benign and malignant tumors much more quickly, efficiently and cheaply, said Dr. Hossam Haick of the Technion, who helped develop the technology. Lung cancer diagnoses require invasive procedures such as bronchoscopies, computer-guided biopsies or surgery. The NaNose-based breathalyzer, on the other hand, doesn’t require anything more than a patient’s breathing into the device in order to come up with an initial diagnosis. (David Shamah, Times of Israel)

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White City Shabbat breaks Guinness World Record for largest Shabbat dinner with 2,226 diners in Tel Aviv riday, June 13, 2014, Tel Aviv – On Friday night, June 13, White City Shabbat set the Guinness World Record for the largest Shabbat dinner ever with 2,226 attendees at the Hangar 11 in the port of Tel Aviv. Notable diners included Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv Rav Yisrael Meir Lau, Professor Alan Dershowitz, Ambassador Michael Oren, Israeli basketball legend Tal Brody, Canadian MP Irwin Cotler, MK Elazar Stern, and Mayor of Tel Aviv Yafo Ron Huldai. At 11:00 p.m., a jubilant crowd cheered on as the adjudicator from Guinness World Records™ (GWR), Mr. Pravin Patel, announced the final result. Patel, who was flown in from London especially for the occasion, kept the crowd in suspense as he went through the Guinness rules again and reminded everyone that in order to set the record, GWR demanded that a minimum of 1,000 diners must be in attendance. Consequently, when Patel finally announced that 2,226 diners were included in the record, the crowd erupted in cheers and hollers, before singing Am Yisrael Chai.

Patel, who has been an adjudicator for GWR all over the world, said, “This is my first time visiting Israel and first time experiencing a Shabbat dinner. It has been ‘officially amazing.’ Congratulations to White City Shabbat and the city of Tel Aviv.” To make the Guinness World Record Largest Shabbat Dinner happen, it took almost a year of preparation, 60 days of crowd-sourced fundraising, 800 bottles of wine, 80 bottles of vodka, 50 bottles of whiskey, 2,000 challah rolls, 80 long tables, 1,800 pieces of chicken, 1,000 pieces of beef, 250

vegetarian portions, 2,300 diners signed up and another 3,000 on the waiting list. In addition to organizing a dinner for over 2,000 people, White City Shabbat also had to contend with the laws of kashrut, Shabbat and, of course, those of Guinness World Records itself. GWR stipulated that all attendees must be seated and have had The tables are set prior to Shabbat (photo by Steven Winston) tourists had booked tables in advance their first course served by the waitso they could sit together, including ers all within five minutes, and thereNefesh b’Nefesh Lone Soldiers, Hilafter must remain at the table for the lel Latin America, Sackler Medical full hour that it took to School and the Israel Lacrosse team. eat the traditional ShabA range of strategic partners were also bat meal. Table captains involved, including the Municipality were appointed to reof Tel Aviv-Jaffa, the Israeli Ministry port to Patel and verify of Religious Services, ROI Commuthat everyone adhered nity, and Chabad on Campus who sent to the rules. It was also a group of young rabbis to help guide important for the Guinthe crowd. ness judge to know that White City Shabbat co-Director the meal adhered to traDeborah Danan quoted early Zionditional Jewish customs Co-Director White City Shabbat Deborah Danan, basketball player ist thinker, writer and Tel Aviv resifor Shabbat, including Tal Brody, Professor Alan Dershowitz, Canadian MP Irwin Cotler, dent, Ahad Ha’am. “Ahad Ha’am said, the proper prayers, Kidunknown, co-Director White City Shabbat Eytan White, ‘More than Jews kept Shabbat, Shabbat dush, HaMotzi (beneJay Shultz, President of Am Yisrael Foundation kept the Jews’ and White City Shabbat dictions over wine and bread), and that has proven this over and over again in the organizers weren’t breaking any the last few years by providing an alJewish religious laws. ternate family for those that don’t have The evening began with short loved ones close by. In Tel Aviv, vispeeches from Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, brant Jewish life is becoming the fabric Alan Dershwitz, Irwin Cotler and Jay FROM OUR “MISHPUCHA” TO YOURS of the city in the way that hi-tech has. Shultz, President of Am Yisrael FounSelling Real Estate to Every Generation One of the reasons we started White dation, White City Shabbat’s umbrella City Shabbat is because we don’t beorganization, and was followed by a SERVING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY lieve that Shabbat was given only to giant Kabbalat Shabbat prayer service FOR 31 YEARS one particular Jewish denomination. outside of the Hangar. Once the meal Make Your Next “Smart Move” Shabbat is a gift given to all types of was underway, organizers controlled contact The Collier Group today Jews and it’s time all of us learn to take the crowd by holding up large signs Selling Waterfront n Golf Course n & Other advantage of it.” at strategic times throughout the meal, Residential Communities Danan’s co-Director, Eytan White, including “Shalom Aleichem,” “Stand said, “Tonight’s epic dinner was the up” and “Sit down.” Many of the key THE result of a lot of beautiful chutzpah prayers were projected along the inside and I couldn’t be hapwalls of the venue. pier. It is no coincidence After the Golan that 613 was the date on Heights Winery sponJanis Collier, REALTOR n 941.313.1212 today’s calendar just as sored Kiddush, Jay JanisCollier@michaelsaunders.com it’s no coincidence that Shultz stood on a stage Mary Collier, REALTOR n 941.400.7015 a famous sentence in this in the center of the room, MaryCollier@michaelsaunders.com week’s Torah portion hoisted a two-meterRon Collier, REALTOR , JD n 941.321.9045 of Shelach is, ‘We shall long challah above his RonCollier@michaelsaunders.com surely ascend and conhead and roared out the 1801 Main Street | Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941.951.6660 quer it, for we can surely HaMotzi benediction do it!’ That is the magic which kicked-off the of White City Shabbat.” official start of the meal White City Shabbat and Patel’s stopwatch. “Tonight, we all Guinness World Record Certificate is a volunteer-run non(photo by Jay Shultz) profit organization that came together in the acts as the portal for Jewish life in Land of Israel to celebrate Shabbat in Tel Aviv. The organization serves as unity and strength. There has never a matchmaker for Shabbat hospitality, been an easier time in history for the connecting guests with hosts throughJewish people to live here, and it is out the city each week in addition to clear that Tel Aviv is the most exciting hosting large young professional comthing happening in the entire Jewish munal dinners each month, holiday world,” said Shultz, a New Jersey nacelebrations, a Jewish learning series, tive who has been living in Israel for beginners learning minyan, and interthe past eight years. “May our unity of community programming. voice tonight reach and reassure all of For more information about the orAm Yisrael living around the globe, so ganization, visit www.WhiteCityShab they too will soon be as blessed as we bat.com. For more information about are, to come home. L’Shana HaBa’ah the Guinness World Record dinner, B’Tel Aviv!” visit www.worldslargestshabbatdinner. Various organizations, families, com. synagogues and groups of visiting

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Part of the record-breaking crowd (photo by Casey Kelbaugh, renowned art photographer visiting from NYC, who is not Jewish and was therefore able to photograph on Shabbat)

29 August 2014 COMMENTARY

August 2014

Belzec: Past and present By David Harris, Executive Director, AJC, June 22, 2014 As several speakers noted at the time, the project was unique, arguably the most ambitious, creative and fitting effort of its kind anywhere. This week, we mark the tenth anniversary of the Belzec project, with Polish, Israeli and American guests in attendance. Somehow, the gathering seems even more timely and necessary than ever. To be sure, it is an occasion to recall what happened in 1942, lest anyone forget – or trivialize, rationalize or deny – the lives that were extinguished for the sole reason that they were Jews. It is also a stark lesson that we must never suffer from a failure of imagination about man’s capacity for evil. And it is an opportunity to remember that, had Israel existed prior to the Second World War, many Jews might have found refuge there instead of deportation to the gas chambers of Belzec. But, alas, there was no Israel. Nor were the ruling British in Mandatory Palestine ready to ease entry for Europe’s trapped Jews, nor were other nations lining up to issue visas to Jews, when emigration from Europe was still possible. The event at Belzec also has lessons about the present. There are clouds on the horizon. However different the times may be, there’s reason for concern. As President Barack Obama noted, we are witnessing a “rising tide of anti-Semitism” today, most notably in Europe (the tide has always been dangerously high in important parts of the Muslim world). EU surveys document the growing anxiety of Europe’s Jews. Anti-Semitic attacks are on the increase, including the murder of four people at the Jewish Museum in Brussels in May. The New York Times (June 21) reported that emigration from France to Israel, driven largely by fear for the future, is running well ahead of previous years. Several neo-Nazis and other racists have just been elected to five-year terms in the European Parliament. Meanwhile, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has chosen this moment – when vast swaths of the Arab Middle East are experiencing chaos and mayhem, when three Israeli youngsters have been kidnapped by terrorists, and when Israel’s putative peace partner, the Palestinian Authority, has entered into a “unity” government with Hamas, a group openly bent on the Jewish state’s total destruction – to single out democratic Israel, of all the world’s nations, for divestment. Moreover, despite the international community’s hopes for a credible diplomatic solution, Iran continues to advance its nuclear ambitions and develop its ICBM capability, while calling for the elimination of Israel – and its eight million citizens – from the global map. And, reflecting a troubling moral fog, New York’s legendary Metropolitan Opera is planning eight performances of The Death of Klinghoffer. The opera takes the 1985 murder by Palestinian gunmen of a 69-year-old, wheelchair-bound American Jew, on an Italian cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea, and, in the words of his two daughters, “rationalizes terrorism and tries to find moral equivalence between the murderers and the murdered.” In other words, the gathering at Belzec this week is very much about remembering the past – but also about grappling with the present and preparing for the future. For more information, visit www.ajc. org.

Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU CURRENT EXHIBITIONS CINEMA JUDAICA: The War Years 1939-1949 March 4 - August 24, 2014

Exhibition on loan from Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion Museum and is curated by Laura Kruger. Pumpernik’s Child’s Menu, Miami Beach, c. 1965

elzec. It’s not exactly a household name. But during World War II, Belzec, a small town in southeastern Poland, was one of the main Nazi death camps in the occupied country, along with Auschwitz-Birkenau, Chelmno, Majdanek, Sobibor and Treblinka. As many as 500,000 Jews were murdered there by the Nazis. Astonishingly, the camp operated for no more than ten months. By the end of 1942 it was shut down, and an extensive effort was undertaken to hide any trace of it. The Nazis almost succeeded, helped by the jarring fact that only two people were believed to have survived Belzec. One was killed in a postwar pogrom in Poland, the other took his own life years later. For decades after the war, the camp, the size of a couple of football fields, was little more than an open area strewn with litter, used as a shortcut in the town, and marked only by a modest plaque. The communists, who ruled Poland at the time, had little interest in highlighting the Holocaust as a genocide against the Jewish people, though it was the Soviet army that liberated Auschwitz. The Kremlin and its satellites were not eager to generate potential sympathy for the Jews. But after the remarkable events of 1989-1991, when the USSR, Warsaw Pact and Berlin Wall all saw their last days, dramatic opportunities emerged to write new pages of history – and revisit old ones. Miles Lerman was a Polish-born Jew who had fought with the partisans against the Nazis, while losing most of his family at Belzec. After the war, he came to the U.S., but never forgot what happened from 1939 to 1945. That explained his drive to help create the Holocaust Museum in Washington, and then, he hoped, a memorial to the victims of Belzec. Knowing of AJC’s close ties with Poland after 1989, he approached us and asked if we would undertake a project at Belzec, in partnership with the Polish government. What had previously been unimaginable became possible. In an entirely new spirit of PolishJewish cooperation, we worked together over the course of several years. It was a massive undertaking, fraught with any number of challenges. Throughout, there were two driving forces. For Poland, it was Andrzej Przewoznik, the Secretary-General of the Polish Council for the Protection of Struggle and Martyrdom sites. Tragically, he was on the plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his entourage that crashed near Smolensk in 2010. For AJC, it was Rabbi Andrew Baker, who heroically persevered, through thick and thin, to spearhead the effort. In June 2004, a thousand invited guests, including the president and prime minister of Poland, the ambassadors of Israel, the United States and several other countries, a special envoy of Pope John Paul II, Jewish and nonJewish survivors of the Nazi camps, and 150 officers of the Israel Defense Forces, gathered at Belzec. More than 60 years after serving as the location of mass murder – where nearly 2,000 women, men, and children were killed daily – the site had been demarcated, protected and memorialized, with a museum added to educate future generations about what had happened there. (See the AJC film about Belzec.)

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August 2014

COMMENTARY

Boycott Israel at your own peril By William Sheslow, June 30, 2014

overage of the BDS movement might lead you to believe Israel is an isolated island with no partners in the Middle East or Central Asia. The recent vote by the Presbyterian Church to divest from Israel has understandably raised concerns within the Jewish community. This disgraceful act feels like betrayal. But let’s look at who we’re friends with. To many the world over this divestment decision appears as if the BDS movement is gaining momentum given this example of a seemingly Israel ally turning its back on us. However, concrete examples illustrate a rise in investment in Israel and continued partnerships with Muslim allies. The first robust counterexample is the growing relationship with the

world’s largest democracy, India. India is a country of over one billion and is home to many millions of Muslims who actively participate in representative democracy. Given this form of government, Indian leaders would be unlikely to celebrate ties with the object of supposed Muslim oppression. Surely the elected leaders in India don’t want to alienate their voters or fall prey to extremist Islamist violence. But the contrary has occurred. India’s new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has lauded the close relationship between his nation and Israel. In fact, Modi has conveyed to Prime Minister Netanyahu his wish to “deepen” India’s relations with Israel. This is not a surprise considering trade between the two countries amounted to

COMMENTARY BRIEFS A CULTURE THAT CELEBRATES KIDNAPPING IS NOT FIT FOR STATEHOOD The mother of Amer Abu Aysha, one of the accused kidnappers of the Israeli teens, told Israel’s Channel 10 news: “If he did the kidnapping, I’ll be proud of him.” What kind of society produces such mothers who cheer on their boys to blow themselves up or murder the children of their neighbors? I’m not the only Western journalist to encounter the unsettling reality of a society sunk into a culture of hate. I have yet to meet the Israeli mother who

wants to raise her boys to become kidnappers and murderers. As for the Palestinians and their inveterate sympathizers in the West, perhaps they should note that a culture that too often openly celebrates martyrdom and murder is not fit for statehood, and that making excuses for that culture only makes it more unfit. Postwar Germany put itself through a process of moral rehabilitation that began with a recognition of what it had done. Palestinians who want a state should do the same. (Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal)

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$ 407.17 million in 2012. Currently, India and Israel are actively negotiating a free trade agreement to strengthen ties. The desire to deepen relations between the two States illustrates a real world example of a populous country with over 177 million Muslim followers actively investing in the State of Israel. Other examples abound. Recent reports suggest Jordan has requested Israel’s assistance in combatting the scourge of the nascent Muslim terrorist group, ISIS. This provides another poignant reminder that Israel is not alone in protecting its people from jihadist violence. Jordan, a country with a large number of Palestinians, recognizes who the destructive forces in the region are, and based on its realistic approach to foreign policy, believes the greater

danger is not closer ties with Israel, but in not engaging it for help. The BDS movement is foolish and disgraceful. It ignores the realities of extremism faced by Muslim populace states. The examples of India and Jordan demonstrate states eager to advance their societies by partnering with the State of Israel, and forging stronger ties in the face of dangers from Islamic radicals. Will Sheslow lives in Sarasota and is an assistant public defender in Manatee County. He serves as the Vice President of the Manatee County Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Will is also an active member of the Federation’s Young Adult Division and a member of its Ezra Society.

THERE IS NO “CYCLE OF VIOLENCE”

and-take of parliamentary discourse, protection for minorities, the emancipation of women, a free press, independent courts and universities and trade unions. Economic stagnation bred dissatisfaction. Monarchs and presidents-forlife defended themselves with secret police and goons. The mosque became a source of public services and one of the few places where people could gather and hear speeches. Islam was radicalized and the angry men who loathed their rulers came to hate the Western states that backed them. These wrongs cannot easily or rapidly be put right. Only the Arabs can reverse their civilizational decline, and right now there is little hope of that happening. The extremists offer none. Today the outlook is bloody. But ultimately fanatics devour themselves. Meanwhile, wherever possible, the moderate, secular Sunnis who comprise the majority of Arab Muslims need to make their voices heard. (Economist)

Three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and murdered in cold blood on their way home from school only because they were Israeli Jews. So it has been for some 100 years in this long war against Jewish national sovereignty and equality among the nations. Long before the 1967 war and the “occupation” provided an excuse for hate and murder, such acts of inhuman violence were common. In 1929, when the Jewish community of Hebron was massacred (ethnically cleansed in modern parlance), there was no cycle of violence – this was an entirely unilateral act. In November 1947, when all Arab leaders rejected the minimalist UN Partition Plan and launched a wave of mass terror against the Jewish community, there was no cycle. And the 1967 war was triggered by Nasser’s renewed effort to destroy the Jewish state, and was not part of an action-reaction cycle. When diplomats repeat the “cycle” analogy, and issue calls “to both parties to exercise restraint,” they are endorsing a dangerous fiction. When journalists invent an artificial balance and an equivalence between attacker and victim, this is fundamentally immoral. (Gerald M. Steinberg, professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University and president of NGO Monitor, Times of Israel)

THE TRAGEDY OF THE ARABS Why Arab countries have so miserably failed to create democracy, happiness or (aside from the windfall of oil) wealth for their 350 million people is one of the great questions of our time. What makes Arab society susceptible to vile regimes and fanatics bent on destroying them (and their perceived allies in the West)? Islam, or at least modern reinterpretations of it, is at the core of some of the Arabs’ deep troubles. The faith’s claim, promoted by many of its leading lights, to combine spiritual and earthly authority, with no separation of mosque and state, has stunted the development of independent political institutions. Arab countries have not yet succeeded in fostering the institutional prerequisites of democracy – the give-

THERE IS NO MORAL EQUIVALENT TO THE MURDER OF THREE ISRAELI TEENAGERS

There is no moral equivalence between the purposeful kidnapping of teenagers hitching a ride and the inadvertent killing of teenagers who are hurling grenades at armed soldiers searching for the boys. Everyone has an opinion on what Israel can’t do to defend itself, but those very same people remarkably find themselves tongue-tied when asked what Israel can and should do. Palestinians must be held accountable for their love affair with terror. No one would have excused the murder of white teenagers by AfricanAmericans as justified retribution for years of racism and slavery. Neither the Kurds, Tibetans nor Sudanese have responded with acts of terror against their far worse persecutors. Why are Palestinians granted a license of bloodlust? Palestinian mothers who push their children toward jihad and martyrdom are not the same as the three grieving Israeli mothers whose boys never made it back home. (Thane Rosenbaum, law professor at New York University, Daily Beast)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following statement on Meet the Press regarding the Presbyterian Church (USA) vote to divest from three American companies because of their sales to Israel: “It should trouble all people of conscience and morality because it’s so disgraceful. You know, you look at what’s happening in the Middle East, and I think most Americans understand this: They see this enormous area riveted by religious hatred, by savagery of unimaginable proportions. Then you come to Israel and you see the one democracy that upholds basic human rights, that guards the rights of all minorities, that protects Christians. Christians are persecuted throughout the Middle East. So most Americans understand that Israel is a beacon of civilization and moderation. You know, I would suggest to those Presbyterian organizations to fly to the Middle East, come see Israel for the embattled democracy that it is, and then take a bus tour. Go to Libya, go to Syria, go to Iraq, and see the difference. And I would give them two pieces of advice: One is make sure it’s an armor-plated bus. And, second, don’t say that you’re Christians.”

31 LIFE CYCLE

ANNIVERSARIES th

August 2014

55 Arnold & Bette Hoffman Temple Emanu-El 55th Doris & Herbert Kanter Temple Sinai 50th William & Nancy Behrenfeld Temple Emanu-El 50th Dr. Leonard & Barbara Bloom Chabad of Bradenton 50th Sue Ellen & Robert Levene Temple Sinai 50th Lewis & Leslie Levine

45 Joanne & Alan Trachtenberg Temple Sinai 40th Sue & Alan Loring Temple Sinai 25th Dawn & Mitchell Epstein Temple Sinai 25th Susan & Julius Frager Temple Sinai 20th Dr. Louis & Dr. Rebecca Cohen Temple Sinai 15th Michael & Tammy Gorn Temple Emanu-El

BAR MITZVAH

Sarasota-Manatee Chevra Kadisha

Yonatan Regev (pictured) recently graduated from HUC-JIR in Los Angeles. He was one of two students who were sponsored by their rabbi fathers. Yonatan was sponsored by his father, Rabbi Uri Regev, CEO of Hiddush (for Religious Freedom and Equality). (The other father/son was the President of the College, David Ellinson, and his son, Micah.) Yonatan’s grandparents, Al and Bib Grossman, are Sarasota residents.

IN MEMORIAM Timothy Lee Baldwin, 55, of Sarasota, June 23 Arthur Burgman, 85, of Sarasota, June 4 Rolla Eisman, 85, of Sarasota, formerly of Chicago, IL, June 17 Donald G. “Don” Kertman, 85, of Sarasota, formerly of Buffalo, NY, June 20 Dr. Gerald Moller Lurie, 89, of Sarasota, formerly of Rochester, NY, June 10 Robert Bruce Mandell, of Sarasota, June 24 Benjamin Robert Nathanson, 79, of Sarasota, June 3 Lewis Pollock, 98, of Sarasota, formerly of Highland Park, IL, June 3 Ruth Cooperman Lederman, 95, of Sarasota, June 23 Barbara Rose Slavin, (nee Vallin), 89, of Sarasota, June 2

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August 2014

How YOU Can Help Israel

“ON ONE SIDE ARE ISRAEL’S ENEMIES

like the Iranian regime - which denies the Holocaust and calls for Israel to be ‘wiped off the map’ while actively developing the means to do so.

ON THE OTHER SIDE IS A RESPONSE

OF INTERNATIONAL SILENCE,

coupled with a growing willingness by goverments and media alike to discuss Israel’s existence as a mistake, an anachronism, or a historical provocation.” Howard Tevlowitz Federation Executive Director

THE ROBERT & ESTHER HELLER

ISRAEL ADVOCACY INITIATIVE

SARASOTALOVESISRAEL.COM DONATE VIA www.JFEDSRQ.org Money raised goes to support vulnerable populations in Israel; bring Israeli culture to Sarasota-Manatee; fight anti-semitism and more!

BECOME AN ALLY-ACTIVIST-ADVOCATE The best way to advocate for Israel is to be a knowledgeable and composed individual when confronted by opposition. The last thing you want to do is become loud and offensive. • Read your local newspaper every day and pay attention to news coverage of the Middle East, and Israel in particular • Know the facts and history • Get involved: Respond to coverage that is unfairly critical of Israel Social-networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer an unprecedented opportunity to share articles that reflect positively on Israel with friends and family. We urge supporters of Israel to always check the accuracy of any internet message before sending it to others. INFORMATION LINKS: www.SarasotaLovesIsrael.com www.FederationBlog.org

LOBBY YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS By phone: Call the Capitol switchboard, 202.224.3121, to connect to your Member’s office. By letter or email: Address only one issue per letter so the letter is directed to a specific staffer. Be concise and state the purpose of the letter up front. - Visit: www.senate.gov OR www.house.gov - Learn about what the Member has done or said about Israel and the current situation. - Prepare background material or articles of interest. You may not have time for a full discussion and should leave behind additional resources. - Be brief and request a specific action of support. - Describe local support for Israel including from other allies in your community. - Send a thank you note.

RETHINKISRAEL.COM Social Judaism. Cultural Israel. This innovative site outlines the great achievements made by Israelis and Israeli companies that make the world a better place. By taking the politics out of Israel you have the foundation to ReThink Israel.

BUY ISRAELI PRODUCTS LOCALLY “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!” ~ Anne Frank

A Taste of Europe 2212 Gulf Gate Drive Pickles, Olives, Couscous & Coffee Bed, Bath & Beyond 6567 S Tamiami Trail or 111 N Cattlemen Rd Ahava Beauty Products, SodaStream Home Carbonation Systems Comfort Shoes Siesta Key 5128 Ocean Blvd Naot Sandals Garden Argosy 361 St Armand’s Circle Ayala Bar Jewelry Katy Rose Olive Oils Lakewood Dr, Lakewood Ranch Olive Oil - Galilee & Golan Heights

Publix Various locations Kosher section with Israeli products Reasons Shoe Store 20 N Lemon Ave or 57 Boulevard of the Presidents Israeli shoes Total Wine Cooper Creek Blvd, University Park Israeli wine Ulta 103 N Cattlemen Rd or 6515 S Tamiami Trail Ahava Beauty Products The Walking Company 3501 S Tamiami Trail or 380 St Armands Circle Naot Sandals

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