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Dozens of U.S. university heads have slammed ASA boycott of Israel, Presidents Conf. says

A

t least 90 American universities and colleges have rejected the American Studies Association membership vote in favor of an academic boycott of Israel, according to a Jewish umbrella group.

The number, as of Dec. 31, was tracked by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

The rejections have come in the form of statements by university presidents and chancellors rejecting the decision.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Dec. 31, the Presidents Conference expressed its appreciation to the school chiefs who “stood up against this discriminatory and unjustified measure and rejected the ASA boycott of Israel.”

“This is now a clarion call to reject the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and assure that American campuses are not subverted for extremist political ends,” said the statement signed by Robert Sugarman and Malcolm Hoenlein, the chairman and executive vice chairman, respectively, of the group.

Four schools withdrew their membership in the wake of the vote: Brandeis University, Indiana University, Kenyon College and Penn State Harrisburg.

Two-thirds of the 1,252 ASA members who voted approved the boycott, according to an ASA announcement on Dec. 16, a day after the deadline for online voting. At the time of the vote, there were 3,853 eligible voters, meaning one-third of the ASA membership participated.

Earlier this year, the Association for Asian American Studies announced it would mount an academic boycott of Israel. On Dec. 15, the Native American Studies Association urged its members to boycott Israeli educational institutions. (JTA)

(JTA)—Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife are responsible for the largest on-record charitable donation in the United States in 2013.

For the second straight year, Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan gave away 18 million Facebook shares—a gift worth more than $970 million -- to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in December, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported recently in its annual roundup of biggest donors.

The donation was the largest charitable gift on public record in 2013, and marked the first time that donors under the age of 30 were responsible for the year’s largest donation.

Zuckerberg and Chan’s 2013 donation was equal in shares to the gift the couple gave the same foundation in December 2012. That gift was valued at just under $500 million at the time, but the success of Facebook’s stock over the past 12 months more than doubled the value of the 2013 donation, the news website Mashable reported.

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation serves as a gatekeeper to a number of charitable causes. In 2013, the foundation awarded more than 10,000 grants to over 29 different countries, according to its website.

Nike Chairman Phil Knight and his wife, Penelope, were responsible for the second-largest donation on public record in 2013: a $500 million pledge to the Oregon Health & Science University Foundation for cancer research.

Of the top 16 donors occupying the top 10 spots on the list—six were tied for 10th place—eight are Jewish. In addition to Zuckerberg, former New York mayor and media magnate Michael Bloomberg was third, pledging $350 million to Johns Hopkins University; real estate developer Stephen Ross was fifth, pledging $200 million to the University of Michigan; real estate heiress Muriel Block was sixth, bequesting $160 million to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University; and Irwin Jacobs, the co-founder of communications giant Qualcomm, and his wife were eighth, pledging $133 million to Cornell NYC Tech.

Among those tied for 10th with $100 million pledges were investor Ronald Perelman (Columbia Business School), financier Stephen Schwarzman (Tsinghua University); and real estate heiress Deborah Joy Simon (Mercersburg Academy).

quotable

contents Up Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Snowden and Pollard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2013 News Quiz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Israel Today. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Switch Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A Secret Santa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Hillel at Virginia Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 JFS Chanukah Gift Program . . . . . . . 10 Super Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 AIPAC and Tidewater students. . . . . . 14

Published 22 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Zuckerberg and wife make largest 2013 U.S. donation

Threat of the Muslim Brotherhood . . 15 Israeli-Bedouin diplomat . . . . . . . . . . 16 Teaching techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Book Reviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Mazel Tov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Stephen Baer Music Scholarship . . . . 23 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Tu b’Shvat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

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candle lighting

“What was so concerning is not

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how clear the Brotherhood is in

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proclaiming its goal, but how

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hard so many in the West seem

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deny their clear message.”

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jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 3

briefs U.S. immigration to Israel drops 13 percent Immigration to Israel rose slightly in 2013 to 19,200, but that included a significant drop in immigrants from the United States.

Last year Israel absorbed 18,940 new immigrants.

The most dramatic increase in aliyah came from France, with 3,120 immigrants, a 63 percent increase over the previous year. The Jewish Agency for Israel credited its own programs to introduce French young people to Israel for the rise. Israel’s Ministry of Immigration and Absorption and the Jewish Agency are set to introduce new programs next year to ease the immigration and absorption process and make it easier for Israelis residing in France to return to Israel, the Jewish Agency said.

Some 2,680 immigrants arrived in Israel from the United States in 2013, compared to 3,070 in 2012, a 13 percent decline. Canada sent 321 immigrants, compared to 319 last year. The countries of the former Soviet Union sent Israel 7,520 immigrants, compared to 7,629 last year.

Some 1,240 immigrants came to Israel from Latin America in 2013, a 34 percent increase over last year’s 926.

The new immigrants to Israel were younger than in the past, with 60 percent under the age of 35, including 37 percent between the ages of 18 and 34. The oldest immigrant was a 103-year-old man from the United States. The youngest was a fiveweek-old American baby.

Some 2,400 new immigrants chose to settle in Jerusalem; 1,650 moved to Tel Aviv, according to the Jewish Agency.

Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky said, “This is an era of aliyah by choice, rather than aliyah of rescue.” (JTA) Warren Buffett to donate $10 million to Haifa’s Rambam Hospital American billionaire Warren Buffett is donating $10 million to Rambam Hospital in Haifa.

The gift was announced last month

by Israeli businessman Eitan Wertheimer during a dinner to celebrate Rambam’s 75th year.

Wertheimer and Buffett reportedly have been friends since the 2006 purchase by Buffett of 80 percent of Iscar, a Wertheimer

family company. In May, Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway purchased the remaining 20 percent of the company.

Wertheimer is former chairman of the board of KMR Inc., the Rambam Hospital — Medical School and Research Institute. (JTA)

U.S. Holocaust museum returns barracks to Auschwitz The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has returned a section of wooden barracks that was given on long-term loan by the Auschwitz museum 24 years ago.

The barracks—half of a wooden building in which Jewish prisoners slept while imprisoned in the death camp—will undergo conservation and be joined with their other half before going on display, according to Associated Press.

The U.S. museum borrowed the barracks in 1989; the contract was renewed in 1999 for another 10 years. In 2003, Poland enacted a law barring the loan of Polish historical artifacts abroad for more than five years.

The return of the barracks comes after several years of negotiations between Polish officials and Holocaust museum officials.

The barracks, a centerpiece of the Washington museum’s permanent collection, will be replaced by another set from Birkenau to be owned by the museum. (JTA) Israeli gov’t to fund abortions for women ages 20-33 Israeli women between the ages of 20 and 33 will be eligible to receive government-funded abortions in 2014.

The new eligibility is part of the country’s state-subsidized basket of health services for 2014, approved on Monday, Dec. 30. The government had previously only paid for abortions for medical reasons and for girls under 18.

Some 6,300 women between ages 20 and 33 are expected to have abortions in Israel in 2014. All the women still will be required to receive the approval of a government panel before undergoing the procedure; the panel approves nearly all cases.

The head of the health basket committee, Jonathan Halevy of Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem, said the goal is eventually to raise the covered age to 40.

Contraception is not covered in the health basket.

4 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

The committee announced the approval of 83 new drugs and treatments for 2014.

The basket still must be approved by the Ministry of Health and the Cabinet. (JTA)

Tenn. security guard gets 4 years in prison for defacing Torah scroll A former hotel security guard was sentenced to four years in prison for defacing a Memphis Jewish school’s Torah scroll and prayer books.

Justin Shawn Baker, 25, was sentenced in Madison County Circuit Court, according to the Jackson Sun. Baker pleaded guilty earlier last month, admitting in court to violating the civil rights of students of the Margolin Hebrew Academy’s Cooper Yeshiva High School of Memphis. Baker is an Iraq War veteran.

He also pleaded guilty to federal charges of damage to religious property and obstruction of religious belief. He will be sentenced on those charges in March.

Baker was arrested last January after the school’s students and faculty showed up for a worship service in a conference room of the DoubleTree Hotel in Jackson and discovered the Torah scroll and prayer books damaged and covered with graffiti, including “Gentiles win, Jews lose” and “Submit to Satan.” He also admitted to spitting on the Torah.

Some 50 high school students and faculty from the school were spending the Sabbath at the hotel on their way to a ski trip in the Smoky Mountains. (JTA) American-born rabbi honored

by Queen Elizabeth II An American-born rabbi was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire

by Queen Elizabeth II. Rabbi Mark Winer, a British subject and a U.S. citizen, is believed to be the first American rabbi to be so honored.

The awards, including knighthoods, were announced on Monday, Dec. 30.

Winer, 71, received the honor for services to interfaith dialogue and social cohesion in the United Kingdom. He said in a statement that he was “humbled and thrilled” to accept the honor.

For 30 years, he led congregations in the United States before moving in 1998 to London, where he spent 12 years as senior rabbi of the Reform West London Synagogue of British Jews.

British Rabbi Herschel Gluck, founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum, also received an OBE for services to interfaith understanding.

Another American-born recipient of the OBE award is Brett Wigdortz, 39, for his efforts as founder of the education program Teach First.

Among the other recipients of New Year’s honors from the Queen are several Jews, both born in Britain and elsewhere.

David Kustow, former chair of UK Jewish Film, was awarded an OBE for services to film and for his role in the signing of the British-Israeli film cooperation treaty. Raymond Dwek, an Oxford University professor who co-chairs the UK-Israel Life Sciences Council, was awarded a Commander of the British Empire, for his services to scientific collaboration.

Philanthropist Michael Heller received a knighthood for his charitable services.

An Auschwitz survivor, Mayer Hersh, was honored for his work in Holocaust education.

Penny Ur, a British-born Israeli who studied at Oxford, was awarded an OBE for exceptional work in English teaching.

More than 1,000 people were honored by the queen. (JTA)

Google, Israeli government to cooperate on technology Google and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding in which the tech giant agreed to provide technological services to the Israeli government.

Under the agreement signed Tuesday, Dec. 31 by Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Google Israel CEO Meir Brand, Google will help improve e-government services and open government, as well as support Israeli start-ups.

Israel reportedly will share ideas and information with the company.

The agreement “was formulated as part of the recognition of the importance of technology to access government information and services, to reduce the bureaucratic burden, to improve government services to citizens and businesses, and for economic growth,” the Finance Ministry said.

Google also will sponsor a scholarship program with Ben-Gurion University for engineering, computer science and public policy students. (JTA)

Snowden revelations boost calls for Pollard’s release

by Ben Sales

TEL AVIV (JTA)—The disclosure last month that American intelligence spied on former Israeli prime ministers has given new momentum to the effort to secure a pardon for convicted spy Jonathan Pollard.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several leading Knesset members have called for Pollard’s release following reports that documents leaked by former defense contractor Edward Snowden showed U.S. intelligence had targeted the email addresses of Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert.

Pollard’s case “isn’t disconnected from the U.S. spying on Israel,” Nachman Shai, the co-chair of the Knesset caucus to free Pollard, says. “It turns out, it’s part of life. And what he did is a part of life.”

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein accused the United States of “hypocrisy” for holding Pollard, who as a civilian U.S. Navy analyst spied on the United States for Israel, even as it spied on Israeli leaders. Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz says he wants the Israeli government to demand Pollard’s release and insist the United States cease its espionage operations in Israel. And opposition leader Isaac Herzog says Pollard’s punishment “has long passed the limits of sensibility.”

“We hope that the conditions will be created that will enable us to bring Jonathan home,” Netanyahu says. “This is neither conditional on, nor related to, recent events, even though we have given our opinion on these developments.”

When Pollard’s crimes first came to light in the mid-1980s, his activities seemed like a major act of betrayal given the close alliance between Israel and the United States. But the Snowden revelations show that spying by the United States and Israel was a two-way affair, prompting a new round of calls for the release of Pollard.

Support for freeing Pollard represents a rare point of consensus in Israeli politics, with 100 Knesset members among the 120 signing a letter asking Obama to release Pollard, according to Shai. Eighty members signed a similar letter last year.

But Ronen Bergman, an expert on Israeli intelligence who is writing a history of Israel’s spy agencies, says Israeli pressure is unlikely to convince President Obama to free Pollard in the short term.

“I’m quite positive that it won’t happen tomorrow because otherwise it will look as if the president of the United States accepts the claim that following the recent revelations from Edward Snowden, he should parole Jonathan Pollard,” Bergman says. “But once the Americans were caught with their hands in the cookie jar, it paints the Pollard issue in a different color.”

The clamor for Pollard’s release has grown steadily over the past two years, with the late U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, former Attorney General Michael Mukasey and former Secretary of State George Shultz expressing their support.

Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman Natan Sharansky, a vocal advocate for Pollard’s release who raised the issue in his speech to the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, says that American calls for the release of Pollard hold more sway than Israeli advocacy.

“What really matters is what American public opinion and American professionals and the American Jewish community feel,” Sharansky says. “I want to be cautious, but I think we passed a checkpoint. Now we don’t see people thinking [Pollard’s release] is unthinkable.”

Supporters of Pollard have long argued that his three decades of incarceration for spying on an ally is excessive. Revelations of American espionage may strengthen the rhetorical argument on Pollard’s behalf, they say, but the merits of the case for release stand on their own.

“Without any connection to the recent news, there’s no question that the time has already come when the Israeli public and senior officials want this tragedy to come to an end,” says Adi Ginsburg, a spokesperson for the advocacy group Justice for Jonathan Pollard. “American justice and shared values between the two countries, like justice and mercy, necessitate Pollard’s freedom.”

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jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 5

Jewish 2013 news quiz

by JTA Staff

(JTA)—So, you think you know what’s going on in the Jewish world?

Test just how closely you followed last year’s news (and remember it) with this end-of year-news quiz.

1. Berlin’s Jewish Museum provoked controversy this year with… a) a n exhibit exploring the origins of the swastika as an ancient Hindu symbol b) a n exhibit featuring Jews sitting in a glass box answering questions from visitors c) an exhibit featuring selfies taken at Holocaust memorials d) a panel discussion on whether or not Anne Frank would have been a “belieber” 2. Which of the following was NOT among the findings of the Pew survey of U.S. Jews? a) F our percent of Orthodox Jews said they had a Christmas tree in their home last year b) Twice as many Jews said having a sense of humor was essential to being Jewish as those who cited observing Jewish law c) Fourteen percent of American Jews said they ate gefilte fish at least once a month d) Seven times as many Conservative Jews as Reform Jews said they can carry on a conversation in Hebrew 3. Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg’s Supreme Court case against Northwest Airlines concerned… a) t oo many Sabbath-eve takeoffs near Ginsberg’s home b) N orthwest dropping Ginsburg from its frequent-flier program for complaining too much c) Ginsburg’s removal from a flight after putting on his tallis and tefillin d) the distribution of pretzels aboard a Northwest flight that were not strictly kosher

4. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif surprised many when he offered the following public wish: a) t hat Jews worldwide enjoy a happy Rosh Hashanah b) t hat the Zionist regime soon come to a fiery end c) that Ayatollah Khameini take him off speed-dial d) that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “shut up about the Jews and get a life” 5. Jacob Ostreicher, an Orthodox Jewish businessman from New York, was held against his will in Bolivia from 2011 until this December. Under mysterious circumstances, he escaped to the United States and immediately sought the care of: a) M aimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn b) C edars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles c) The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society d) Actor Sean Penn 6. Which of the following headlines did NOT accompany a story this year about Jewish mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner in the New York Post: a) W einer’s Second Coming b) C uomo Beats Weiner… then goes limp c) He’s Got Some Balls d) Weiner’s Rise and Fall 7. A 13-year-old Indian-American boy, Arvind Mahankali, won the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the Yiddish-derived word that refers to a dumpling often found in chicken soup. How did he spell it? a) Kneidel b) Knaidel c) Kneydl d) Knaidle

6 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

8. Which of the following incidents involving former and current Israeli chief rabbis did NOT take place this year? a) The Ashkenazi chief rabbi used a derogatory term to describe black basketball players b) The winning choices for new Israeli chief rabbi were both sons of former chief rabbis c) The Ashkenazi chief rabbi was arrested on suspicion of fraud and money laundering d) One of Israel’s chief rabbis addressed the Limmud-U.K. conference 9. Hawaii’s lieutenant governor, Brian Schatz, was named to replace Daniel Inouye after the senator died last year.

In one of his first appearances, Schatz made clear he was not shy about his background when he introduced himself as a “Jewish kid from the state of Hawaii” and… a) s ang Aloha-He in Hebrew b) accused Republicans of undercutting Israel through budget cuts c) swore that he had never “treifed it up” at a luau d) recited the Shehecheyanu 10. When Benjamin Netanyahu met with Pope Francis, what did the Israeli Prime Minister give him? a) A copy of his father’s book on the Spanish Inquisition b) A diagram of a cartoon bomb c) A red string as a good-luck charm with Kabbalistic origins d) A n IDF T-shirt 11. Which of these parties did NOT compete in Israel’s Knesset elections in January? a) The Pirate Party b) The Free Love Party c) The Green Leaf Party d) The Na Nach Party (Breslover Hasidic)

12. Which of the following did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s household NOT spend more than $1,500 on this year? a. Ice cream b. Scented candles c. Mezuzahs d. The peanut snack food bamba 13. Dor Transilvan, a traditional Romanian folk ensemble, stumbled into controversy this year when… a) i ts director revealed he was of Jewish descent b) i t incorporated an Israeli folk dance into an appearance in Transylvania, upsetting the region’s strident Romanian nationalists c) it performed a Christmas carol on state-run TV that imagined Jews turning into smoke d) Romania’s highest court upheld its longstanding suit against Sacha Baron Cohen for including one of its unwitting troupes in his 2006 film Borat 14. Which of the following was President Obama reported to have done during his visit to Israel in March? a) A t the Kotel, he asked why the women’s section was smaller than the men’s b) P laced a pebble from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the grave of Yitzhak Rabin c) Asked where Ariel Sharon was buried d) Took a pound of dirt from the Holy Land for Michelle to plant in the White House garden

op ed 15. Which Israel-related activity has so far NOT been substantiated by Edward Snowden’s revelations: a) The United States is aware of extensive Israeli spying operations on U.S. soil b) Israel, Cuba, Russia, Iran and China are the five countries that are the focus of U.S. counterintelligence c) The NSA and Israel co-wrote Stuxnet, the computer virus that hobbled Iran’s uranium enrichment program d) Israel is one of several allies that mutually share unfiltered intelligence data with the United States, including names and other sensitive information 16. In July, Martin Indyk, the veteran Middle East peace negotiator, returned to the job and is now steering renewed Israeli-Palestinian talks. He revealed that 15 years earlier, his son Jacob, then 13, designed a screen saver aimed at keeping his computer illiterate Dad on his toes. It read: a) “ When they get on your nerves, imagine Bibi and Arafat in their underwear.” b) “ If not now, when?” c) “Dad, is there peace in the Middle East yet?” d) “If you will it, it is no dream.”

17. After Emory professor and Rabbi Michael Broyde was forced to resign from a leading Orthodox Jewish religious court after admitting he systematically used a fake identity in scholarly journals, he said: a) H e hadn’t really wanted to be a member of the religious court anyway b) H e had been struggling with multiple personality disorder c) He was being framed d) Writing on Torah issues using a pseudonym is an old practice with support from religious sources.

18. Which celebrity made which statement concerning Jews?

1) “Black people don’t have the same level of connections as Jewish people.”

2) “It can’t be like this 70-year-old Jewish man that doesn’t leave his desk all day, telling me what the clubs want to hear. I’m going out, I know what they want to hear.”

3) “Most jokes are about Jewish people, rednecks, black folks … I can’t determine what offends another person.”

4) “I am not going to sit here and say that I hate Jewish people because that is not the case, nor is this about Jews. It is about Hitler and his side of the story that was never told since he was not the victor. All he wanted was to be able to feed his people from the depression, defend his country from being attacked unfairly.” a) Tila Tequila b) Miley Cyrus c) Kanye West d) Paula Deen 19. Which Jewish celebrity was arrested in Paris before Yom Kippur with a live rooster tied to his penis? a) A ctor Gene Wilder, who was in town filming a remake of Woody Allen’s 1972 film Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex *But Were Afraid to Ask. b) A uthor Jonathan Safran Foer, during a protest of vegetarians against the ritual of kapparot. c) Dancer Steven Cohen, in an effort to convey a sense of being pulled between his two homelands. d) Singer Matisyahu, who while waiting to perform kapparot showed that his beard wasn’t all he had shaved.

20. What is Golden Dawn? a) J ewish actress Goldie Hawn’s new one-woman Broadway show. b) A Greek neo-Nazi party. c) Ashkelon’s new basketball franchise. d) Tzipi Livni’s new political party.

Ready for the answers?

Israel: Jewish and Democratic

by Gil Troy and Martin J. Raffel

Martin J. Raffel is the senior vice president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), where he has served as the lead professional on Israel, world Jewry and international human rights for the past 26 years. He also holds the position of project director for the Israel Action Network, a joint project of the Jewish Federations of North America in partnership with the JCPA, created to counter assaults made on Israel’s legitimacy.

Gil Troy is a professor of history at McGill University. His latest book, Moynihan’s Moment: America’s Fight Against Zionism as Racism, was just published.

L

ong confined to the extreme margins, but, in recent times, beginning to seep into mainstream discourse is the odious position that challenges Israel’s legitimacy as both a Jewish and democratic state. Many supporters of Israel sometimes have difficulty articulating why these two sides of Israel’s identity are not only compatible, but complementary.

In response, JCPA senior vice president and the Israel Action Network project director Martin J. Raffel, together with author and professor Gil Troy, penned a new IAN publication entitled, Israel: Jewish and Democratic, refuting the arguments questioning Israel’s Gil Troy dual identities.

The Times of Israel published Troy and Raffel’s series of responses to common challenges to Israel’s legitimacy as a Jewish and democratic state based on their joint publication. (The full publication may be found at http://israelactionnetwork.org/wp-content/ uploads/2013/08/Israel-Jewish-and-Democratic-.pdf.)

Following is one of the five op-eds that appeared in The Times of Israel. It is reprinted with permission. Gil Troy is part of the Community Relations Council’s Israel Today Forum.

T

I’m a Zionist, are you?

he world is a strange place. The United States threatens to punish Syria for gassing its own citizens— and the Syrians and Iranians threaten the “Zionist regime.” Similarly, as Egypt staggers toward civil war—both sides blame the “Zionists” and the Americans. We are all traumatized by living with this constant delegitimization of Zionism. The blame game preys on the Jewish culture of guilt leading too many Jews to forget Zionism’s defining ideals and mission.

Zionism is Jewish nationalism, the Jewish movement of national liberation, to build and now perfect a Jewish democratic state in the Jewish people’s ancestral homeland. This movement believes that Am Yisrael, the Jewish people, can find ultimate individual and collective fulfillment with a thriving, democratic, Medinat Yisrael, a State of Israel, in Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel.

Israel’s centrality to Judaism begins

with the Bible, which developed a Jewish religion, a sense of solidarity, and a Jewish narrative rooted in the Land of Israel, the Promised Land. Great collective Jewish enterprises such as the Holy Temple and the great kingdoms, along with Jewish heroes like King Da­v id, King Solomon, the Prophetess Deborah and the Maccabees, illustrate the ongoing, Biblical and post-Biblical Israel connection. The fact that even when the majority of Jews did not live in Israel—and there was always a Jewish presence there, especially in the four “holy cities” of Jerusalem, Safed, Tiberias, and Hebron—they prayed toward Jerusalem, and called themselves in “exile,” reflects the land’s continuing centrality.

Today, so many Jewish holidays, values and laws remain tied to the land, uniting Juda­ism, the Jewish people and the Jewish homeland, Israel.

The stories of both liberal democracy continued on page 8

jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 7

1. B, 2. C, 3. B, 4. A, 5. D, 6. C—That headline appeared in the N.Y. Daily News, not the Post., 7. B, 8. D—It was the British chief rabbi who addressed Limmud, 9. B, 10. A—Bibi’s gift to Pope Francis: A book on when the church persecuted the Jews.

11. B, 12. D, 13. C, 14. B, 15. A, 16. C, 17. D, 18.—1-c, 2-b, 3-d, 4-a, 19. C, 20. B

op-ed Israel: Jewish and Democratic continued from page 7

and Zionism are intertwined with that great, defining, sometimes ennobling, and yes, sometimes cruel, but absolutely defining modern movement – nationalism.

The founder of modern Zionism, Theodor Herzl, harmonized these three intellectual currents. This enlightened Viennese progressive is best remembered for jumpstarting Zionism in reaction to the anti-Sem­itism of the Dreyfus trial. Yet in his 1896 book The Jewish State, Herzl dreamed of the Jewish state as a liberal model. “We shall live at last as free people on our own soil, and in our own homes peace­ fully die,” Herzl wrote. “The world will be liberated by our freedom, enriched by our wealth, magnified by our greatness.

And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all humanity.”

Herzl’s essential Zionist message still holds true—and most Western liberal

nationalist echo it: only through self-determination can utopian ideals be achieved; a community first must unite and protect itself before helping others. Nationalism trusts the community as the best structure for implementing high ideals—some­times out of broad conviction, sometimes out of sad necessity.

The debate about how to balance universalism and particularism persists. But, perversely, the same anti-Zionist forces celebrating Palestinian nationalism often negate Zionism. We need mutual respect for each people’s collective sense of self.

Today, when the United Nations reflects the fact that nationalism shapes most countries, it is unjust to single out Jewish nationalism, mean­ing Zionism, as the only illegitimate form of nationalism—or as somehow more exclusionary than others.

Zionism began as a bold experiment to save the Jews while finding the perfect ideological mix of Judaism, nationalism, liberalism, idealism, rationalism, socialism,

8 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

and capitalism. The early Zionists were idealists and pragmatists, who believed that “you and I can change the world”—but first let’s build our state.

Israel’s proclamation of independence from 1948 also illustrates the dream of building a happy marriage between Zionism and liberal democracy in the land of Israel, offering a model of how nationalism can be constructive globally. In rooting this new country in the Bible but offering “all its inhabitants” equal civil rights, David Ben-Gurion ping-ponged from universalism to particularism, demonstrating how

Gil Troy

intertwined the two concepts were, and how expansive, ambitious and progressive the Zionist dream could be.

Of course, no nation is perfect—or able to fulfill all its ideals all the time. Israelis acknowledge they are still pushing for the State to fulfill its highest ideals. The Zionist project—like all great nationalist projects—remains a work in progress. Still, Zionism’s legitimacy should be respected and its accomplishments hailed—while condemning those who choose to scapegoat Zionism today, just as anti-Semites traditionally scapegoated Jews.

will be the second speaker in the CRC and community

partners’ Israel Today series. He will speak on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 pm at the Sandler Family Campus. To RSVP for the event, contact Liz Henderson at LHenderson@ujft.org or 965-6107. For more on the Israel Today series, visit www.jewishva.org/crc.

it’s a wrap Switch Day 2013 at Beth Sholom Village with old and new volunteers

F

or the past 30 years, Beth Sholom Village has hosted an annual “Switch Day” on Christmas, since it is a family day for a majority of BSV employees. The community has always played a role in coming together to help others, and this day is no exception when volunteers replace regular employees.

Eighty volunteers walked through the doors on Wednesday, Dec. 25, starting as early at 6:30 am. The team of Sid Pearl, Harvey Eluto and Julia, Claire and Jody Laibstain.

Keith Pearl arrived as usual to begin cooking breakfast.

Sandy Pearl also came as she does every year to set up the dining room and feed some of BSV’s less able bodied residents.

Other people facilitated bingo, decorated cookies and ran roulette.

A lot of new faces also participated this year. Jason Lurie, Rhonda and John Branyan, and Corey Maccumbee enjoyed playing checkers and card games with residents. Rebecca Bickford volunteered in Sara Incheck, Wendy and Lily Auerbach. the Memory Enhancement Unit and made a friend with resident Frances Golden. Leon, the Laibstain family, the Goldners Scott and Lori Alprien’s family were also and the Dobrinskys.

Connections were made between vola new addition to the growing team of volunteers. Regulars also participated as unteers and residents with promises to families: Steve, Caren, Mathew and Mason return before next year to visit.

98

BRITH SHOLOM A Jewish social / philanthropic club for men and women that meets and socializes at Beth Sholom Village, Brith Sholom is celebrating 98 years in Hampton Roads!

For membership information, call Gail at 757-461-1150 or Brith.Sholom1@gmail.com

Jason Capossere and the he gifts delivered.

The Sandler Campus’ Secret Santa

by Laine Mednick Rutherford

V

isitors to the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus frequently see the observant, dedicated and serious demeanor of Jason Capossere, the Campus’s manager of safety and security.

Beneath this professional exterior, rarely seen and largely unheralded, is Capossere’s compassion and devotion to making kids’ lives better—in particular the students at Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and the teenagers in crisis temporarily living at Seton Youth Shelters in Virginia Beach.

By holding carwashes in the Campus parking lot, Capossere raises money for projects to help these children. The majority of funds are designated for a 3D printer for HAT, but every year Capossere sets aside a small amount to help ensure that youths living at the Seton House have a memorable Christmas.

This year, as he has for the past decade, Capossere purchased, wrapped and delivered presents to Seton House residents on December 24, brightening lives and instilling hope for better things to come.

“To see the looks on the kids’ faces,” Capossere says, “when basically they have nothing and have learned not to expect anything--to get something of their own— is why I keep doing it.”

Jason Capossere wraps the gifts.

In addition to a few weeks of carwash funds and his own expenditures on gifts, Capossere had help this holiday season.

Community members and colleagues aware of his mission donated funds, gently used clothing and age-appropriate presents, and fellow employees, including Campus operations coordinator Benita Watts, Deb Segaloff and Sherry Lieberman, Simon Family JCC’s senior adult program coordinator, assisted with wrapping.

“One Christmas Eve, I saw him surrounded by presents and asked what he was doing and if I could help,” says Watts.

“Now it’s something Sherry and I have been doing too, for at least three years.

Jason does so much for others, people have no idea what a good guy he is.”

jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 9

Jewish Family Service’s Chanukah Gift Program 2013

Hillel at Virginia Tech celebrates Thanksgivukkah

by Debbie Mayer, LCSW, JFS clinical director

by Isabel Shocket

Ross Broudy, Ryan Klavan, Sydney Sarfan and Isabel Shocket at the registration.

T

he Malcolm Rosenberg Hillel Center in Blacksburg, Va. was filled with more than 250 students on Thursday, Dec. 5 for a Thanksgivukkah celebration.

Marking a time when two holidays collide, this party was referred to as #VTThanksgivukkah. In preparation for the event, students created a blog post modeled after Buzzfeed for the top reasons to celebrate Thanksgivukkah and a video: http://hillelatvirginiatech.com/blogs/ and http://bit.ly/1CW7ZVN. This event engaged Virginia Tech students from all over campus to enjoy a night of meaningful fun. Hillel at Virginia Tech partnered with popular university and community businesses: the Campus Alcohol Abuse and Prevention Center, Sharkey’s Wing and Rib Joint and The Virginia Tech Poker Club, to put on “the ultimate holiday party.” A local DJ rocked the dance floor and students had the opportunity to play free casino games and win prizes while munching on latkes and Sharkey’s chicken wings.

Hillel students planned the event, reached out to multiple organizations for support, marketed it across campus and even created a radio ad. Follow-ups to continue the relationships and strengthen community are underway.

Jewish students came with their roommates and classmates, leading them straight to the table of latkes and dreidels with pride. The Jewish students felt united in their ability to share their traditions, customs, and heritage with the entire campus community.

J

ewish Family Service’s 21st Annual Chanukah Gift Program was a huge success. Each year, JFS reaches out to local Jewish families in need with gifts and gift cards for their children and teens and with money for those without children.

This year, the JFS staff was concerned that donations might be low since Chanukah came in November. Instead, they were overwhelmingly happy to receive so many donations from individuals, families, groups, companies, organizations, congregations, and schools. Boxes of new clothing, books, games, toys, bicycles, school supplies, and Judaic items filled many of the JFS offices.

JFS’s annual Chanukah Gift and Financial Assistance Program provides direct help to local Jewish families who are struggling financially. Many of the families who seek help are active members of the local community who attend schools and temple with everyone else. Although gifts are collected during Chanukah, many are used all year by these families. Maryann Kettyle, JFS special needs case manager,

To assist JFS help local Jewish families in need year-round: •D onate food, gas and grocery store gift cards, or cash.

• S upport the JFS Special Needs Group activities.

•D onate items needed by JFS to help struggling Jewish families: grocery bags; toiletries, cosmetics, bath and body products; Judaic/Jewish items; school supplies; baby supplies; paper goods; and cleaning/ household supplies.

•P urchase Baskets of Hope centerpieces.

• J oin Hebrew Ladies Charity Society (HLCS) or invest in the HLCS Endowment Fund.

• Volunteer!

10 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

says, “Children need clothes, socks, shoes, and books every day. Some of our families save up the donated gifts to use for birthdays and other family celebrations. This was my first year working on the project with JFS, and it has been such a wonderful experience to work with so many generous donors.”

One of the largest annual group of donors is the students, parents, and teachers from Strelitz Early Childhood Center and Hebrew Academy of Tidewater. JFS also received gifts and/or cash donations from many of the area religious schools and congregations.

One large individual contribution came from Andrew Gross Hebrew Academy Student Government Association officers pose with some of the donated gifts from HAT and Strelitz Early Childhood Center. who created a mitzvah project for his Bar Mitzvah and asked his family and friends to send donations I was stressing on how we were going to JFS for the Chanukah Program. He to be able to celebrate…your generous raised more than $4,000 in donations of donations has given my family hope for a money and gift cards. Another local young brighter future!” donor, Benjamin Katz, used this project to “Thank you again for helping my famiperform one of his monthly mitzvahs by buying gifts and asking his grandmother ly…you have made our Holiday!” to also contribute, all for his upcoming Bar “I just wanted to take a brief second to Mitzvah in 2014.

This year, a total of 122 different fam- tell you thank you so so much. My family is ilies, consisting of 304 people, benefited so grateful. You have all done so much for at Chanukah due to the kindness of local us and it has truly been a blessing...Without community donors. Specific gifts and gift you all, I’d be lost. Thank you, thank you so cards were provided to 43 local Jewish so so much from my whole family!” families with children/teens, consist“Thank you very much for making our ing of 92 different children and teens.

Throughout 2014, these same families will Hanukkah special! My girls were happy to continue to benefit from the donations open a different gift every night of things given at Chanukah, as JFS provides gift that they really wanted!” cards towards medication, food, gas, clothAll donations to JFS are tax-deductible. For ing, and school supplies.

Some of the thank you notes JFS more information about any of these programs, received for the Chanukah Gift Program contact Maryann Kettyle, special needs case manager, Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, include: “Thank you for helping my family this at 757-459-4640 or MKettyle@jfshamptonChanukah. Your generous donations gave roads.org.

Jewish Family Service is a constituent agency of my family the opportunity to celebrate…

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

My family is struggling financially and

The following made donations of clothing, toys, games, gift certificates, food, and/or funds to

Jewish Family Service’s Chanukah Gift Program 2013 Individual and Family Donors

Meyer, Miriam Millen, Bernard & Connie Miller, Mr.

Marc & Rachel Abrams, Sandra Advocat, David

& Mrs. Andrew Moore & Family, Ricardo Moscoso &

& Stacy Aikman, Duane & Marlene Aikman,

Jacqueline Salcedo, Tina Moses, Jonina Moskowitz,

Anonymous, Jeffrey & Tami Arnowitz, Michael &

Trent Moss, Jonathan & Alyssa Muhlendorf &

Mitzi Ashe, Brad & Babbi Bangel, Bruce & Lauren

Family, Kenneth & Diane Muhlendorf, Carole Myers,

Baros Barr, Clay Barr, Susan Barr, Alan & Dolores

Christopher & Christine Grim Neikirk, Katie Oliver,

Bartel, , Brian & Janet Beaulieu, Jon & Susan Becker,

Melvin & Frances Ornoff, Arlene Owens & Family,

Ingrid Benkovitz, Josh Bennett, Lawrence Bernert,

Madisen Patrick, Rhona Peck,Brent Pezzella, Mark

Robert Bernstein &Lisa Ehrich, Carson Birdsong,

& Karen Pomeranz, Jan Bauer Poole, Erinn Portnoy,

Elaine & Herbert Bregman, Jared & Whitney Brooks,

Adam & Sara Rafal, Edwin J. Rafal, Ryan Ramirez,

Arch & Latane Brown, Larry Buckman, Amberly

Scott & Ellen Rosenblum, John & Jane Rosenman,

Butler, Stuart & Marilyn Buxbaum, Stephanie

Philip Rovner, Arthur & Miriam Brunn Ruberg,

Calliott, Beth Campion & Family, Nick Capria,

Leonard & Diana Ruchelman, Jonathan & Sirje

Esther Sarah Carroll, Randi Chernitzer, Chris & Jean

Russell, Stephen & Marcella Ryan, Steven & Jennifer

Clausen, Hugh & Lynn Cohen, Nick & Estie Cohen,

Sabatino, Hal & Annabel Sacks, Anthony & Paola

Amy Converse, Jeff Cooper, Jacob & Todd Copeland,

Salino, Hal & Yana Samberg, Marcia Samuels &

Sheryl Davis, Balthazer Denk, Katie DiBona, Nathan

David Kamer, Steven Sandler , Samuel & Henrietta

& Leora Drory, Scott & Christina Duncan, Dianne

Schatz, Matthew & Brandy Schlossberg, Eric &

Epplein, Lynn Feigenbaum, Lucille Frank, Martin

Susan Schwartzman, Lynn Schoenbaum, Taylor

& Judy Freedman, Alan & Beverly Frieden, Abby

Schoolar, Peter & Deb Segaloff & Family, Alan &

Friedman & Family, Robert & Alicia Friedman,

Sally Shapiro, Cole Shenigo, Heliene Siegel, Michael

Stephen & Melissa Friedrich, Kate Furr, Stephen

& Carin Simon, Chris & Lisa Sisler, Michael & Jenefer

Gershen & Family, Michael & Lisa Gianascoli, Gwen

Snyder, Mark Solberg, Ron & Dorothy Spitalney,

Gilbert, O.L. & Laura Gilbert, Susan Gitlin, Tom &

Briggs Standing, Arthur Steinberg & Kitty Wolf,

Joanne Glass, Michael & Lori Glasser, Douglas &

Lawrence Steingold, John & Renee Strelitz, Marcy

Tiffany Glenn, Linda & Charles Glickman, Bootsie

Terkeltaub, Alan & Linda Troy, Irene Ullman, Patti

& Morty Goldmeier, Mark & Sharon Goldner &

Wainger, Michelle Walter, Mark & Reilly Warlick,

Family, Brenda Gordon, Howard & Sandra Gordon,

Iris Weinstein, Arnold & Beverley Weisman, Scott

Raymond Gottlieb, Helene Grablowsky, Lewis &

& Diana Williams, Sam & Diane Werbel, Stephen

Glenda Greenhouse, Michael & Kim Gross, Jonathan

Wohgemuth & Holly Puritz, Chelsea Worthy, Judy

& Ellen Harris, Howard & Susan Horwitz, Ellen

White & John Young, Sarah & Bennett Yue, Amy

Hundley, Matthew & Marni Voorhees Husson, Ethan

Zelenka, and Ashley Zittrain.

Jenkins, Hieu & Robert Jones, Marshell Jones & Eli

The team at Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer provides a range of services that will allow you to focus on other matters that impact your organization.

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BOLERO!

JANUARY 24-26

Ravel’s unrelenting rhythmic forces in Bolero will have you PERCHED ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT from the first soft strains to the boisterous conclusion! Plus, Sisters Christina and Michelle Naughton will delight you with the charming Carnival of the Animals.

Siman-Tov, Trent Jones, Sheila Josephberg, Aidan

Organization Donors

Kale, Matthew Kanter, Jerry & Kathy Kantor, Alexis

Beth El Religious School (Mrs. Leiderman’s 7th

Karageorge, William & Janet Kass, Christopher

Grade Class), Congregation Beth Chaverim,

Kastner, Benjamin Katz, Deborah Kaufman, Robert

Hebrew Academy (K-5th Grade Classes & Student

& Nancy Keech, Debra Mervis Keeling, Meryl Lee

Government Association), Hebrew Ladies Charity

Kessler, Stella Kibbey, Michael & Joan Kitchen,

Society, JCC Seniors Club, JFS Knitting for Others

Jodi & Jay Klebanoff & Family, William Klena,

Group, Kempsville Conservative Synagogue (KBH),

Jacob Knapp, Edward & Anne Kramer, Ron & Cindy

Ohef Sholom Men’s Club, Ohef Sholom Temple

Kramer & Family, Michelle Laborde, Adnaar Lagaay,

Religious School Classes, Pincus Paul Charitable

Elle Lambert, Sandra Lefcoe (from the Vann Lefcoe

Trust, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts,

Memorial Fund), Jay & Leslie Legum, Marty & Ina

Strelitz Early Childhood Center (2 year old, 3 year

Leiderman, David & Lisa Leon, Cheryl Levet, Scott &

old, & 4 year old classes), Temple Emanuel Religious

Betty Ann Levin & Family, Mayer & Susan Levy, Mark

School Students, Temple Israel, and United Hebrew

VirginiaSymphony.org

Lipton, Richard & Karen Lombart, Joan K. London

School Students.

757.892.6366

Trust, Adam & Elizabeth Long, Robert & Honey Low, Mike & Janet Malone, Matt & Robin Mancoll and

If we inadvertently left anyone

Family, Ryan Mancoll, Patrick McElroy, John McKee,

off this list, we thank you and

James McNider, Jerry & Deborah Meltsner, Joseph

apologize in advance. Donations

& Ellen Sue Mersel, Bruce & Connie Meyer, Larry

noted as of December 31, 2013

Tickets start at only $22!

Ticketmaster.com | Fergusoncenter.org

jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 11

Super Sunday 9 am–1 pm

From Baby to Bubbe, Tidewater’s community is extraordinary

Take the call, make a gift, volunteer your time

January 26

Super Sunday

Volunteers needed Two shifts: 9–11 am, and 11 am–1 pm.

Babysitting provided.

The Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community, Virginia Beach

Frequently asked questions What exactly is Super Sunday? Super Sunday is the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s annual phone-a-thon. The event is a grassroots, community-driven and community-building effort. On this one Sunday, Tidewater’s extraordinary Jewish community comes together in spirit and action to raise funds, ensuring that Jews in Tidewater, in Israel and around the globe receive quality programming, have a variety of resources to enrich their lives, and get help when it is desperately needed.

Why should I make a pledge? Funds raised on Super Sunday, and throughout the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign, are allocated locally to support children, senior citizens, the community’s health and well-being, a variety of educational and cultural activities, area synagogues and community-building initiatives that promote Jewish values. In Israel, donations help provide services for those most vulnerable. Around the world, gifts support Jews in Eastern European, the Former Soviet Union, and in other countries, and provide much needed aid following natural disasters. Visit JewishVA.org for a complete list.

I’m not very active in the Jewish community. Will I be welcome as a volunteer?

There are never restrictions for who can help on this vitally important day.

Volunteers come from every corner of the community—from different congregations and denominations, from teens to seniors, and from all socio-economic levels. This is truly a community event. Whether a volunteer or a donor, Super Sunday gives everyone the chance to celebrate Jewish life today and ensure a vibrant future for everyone.

How many volunteers does it take for Super Sunday to be a success? At least 100 volunteers are needed to help call members of the community. Sign up online at JewishVa.org/SuperSunday, or call 757-965-6100.

I don’t like answering calls like this, but I’m convinced the Federation does great work. What are my options? Pledge online at any time by visiting JewishVa. org/SuperSunday, or call in a pledge during business hours, M–F, to 757-965-6100.

I can’t afford to give a lot. Will my gift really make a difference? Every gift makes a difference, whether it’s $18 or $18 million. The Tidewater Jewish community’s positive impact on the world is not dependent on the size of each individual gift, but, as Judaism teaches, is most significant in the combined power of all our donations.

To be a part of the 2014 “This is what community looks like” post your own photo or your definition of community on the UJFTidewater facebook page.

12 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

Y

oung Jewish community leaders, representatives of the Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Super Sunday Steering Committee say:

Guy Berkowitz, 36 Community to me is a feeling of belonging between its members that comes with a strong bond to support and help each other and keep our traditions. As an Israeli leaving abroad, I appreciate the importance of our community life here in Hampton Roads. I see Super Sunday as more than a fund raiser, it’s actually an acknowledgement and support from community members to the important initiatives and activities that the UJFT is taking —not only by giving back to our community, but also by supporting others in need, locally and worldwide.

The American Theatre

Jacob Mart, 27 To me community is the common use of resources to create a secure environment that fosters love, learning, laughter, and mutual success (borrowed from Merlin Olsen—of the L.A. Rams Fearsome Four). Super Sunday represents our community’s awareness and empathy toward current domestic and global issues, and a willingness to become part of the solution.

Season of Faves • 2013–14

Danny Rubin, 29 I believe deeply in a strong Jewish community, and I want to do my part to keep our community in Hampton Roads thriving. A strong Jewish presence is not guaranteed. We must be stewards of our community, both here and around the world.

We need to work hard for the things that matter so they will continue to live on.

Shikma Rubin, 26 Community is being there for others when needed. It is a common peoplehood, shared history and vision for the future. Super Sunday is when we all come together— whether we volunteer or make phone calls or contribute—and we strengthen our community and Jewish communities around the world. It’s a powerful day.

Sat. January 18, 8pm

Aquila Theatre Company in Fahrenheit 451 This tour engagement is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Sat. January 25, 11am & 2pm

Theatre IV in Buffalo Soldier BUY TICKETS AT

www.HamptonArts.net (757) 722-2787 jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 13

CALLING ALL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS!

Announcing the 22014 Stein Family College Scholarship The application is now available online at: www.jewishva.org/tjf-stein Applications deadline is April 1, 2014 Questions? Contact Shelby Tudor at: 757.965.6105 or studor@ujft.org ujft.org

it’s a wrap Tidewater teens at AIPAC

F

our Tidewater teens attended AIPAC’s Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit in November.

Each year, AIPAC partners with select Jewish Day Schools, synagogues, national youth groups and teen leadership organizations to bring 400 student leaders from across the country to Washington, D.C. for Israel advocacy and political activism training. Through AIPAC’s Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit, AIPAC identifies and mentors high school students committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship through the American political process.

Tidewater’s students included Elli Friedman, Carly Roesen, Rebecca Schwartzman, and Andie Eichelbaum.

“The AIPAC Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit was an amazing experience. I was able to learn advocacy tools and put them to use while lobbying congressmen,” says Andi Eichelbaum of the experience.

Elli Friedman, Carly Roesen, Rebecca Schwartzman, and Andie Eichelbaum.

“AIPAC was a very eye opening and educational experience for me. I got to learn about Israel from a more advocacy based standpoint. Some of the highlights were lobbying on Capitol Hill and being able to talk one-on-one with many of the AIPAC staff,” says Elli Friedman.

Area college students at AIPAC

F

our Tidewater students attended AIPAC’s Winter Saban Leadership Seminar in Washington, D.C. last month.

They joined more than 400 of AIPAC’s top student activists from more than 140 campuses and participated in four days of intense political programming and advocacy training. During these seminars, students interacted with leading Washington policy makers, Middle East experts and AIPAC leadership development professionals. Local students were Nathan Levy from UVa, Julia Laibstain from Indiana University, Melissa Eichelbaum from Virginia Tech, and Ben Laderberg from UVa. Nathan Levy, Julia Laibstain, Melissa Eichelbaum, and Ben Laderberg.

14 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

it’s a wrap Speaker shares his theory of Muslim Brotherhood as global threat

K

yle Shideler didn’t come to Congregation Beth Chaverim on Monday, Dec. 9 to make the Tidewater Jewish community feel comfortable. He came to make audience members squirm, reciting broad statistics and showing images of terrorists and organizational tracts on a projector during his hour-long presentation about The Threat of the Worldwide Robin Mancoll, Kyle Shideler and Mark Solberg.

Muslim Brotherhood.

Shideler, director of research and com- goal of turning the entire world into one munications at the Endowment for Middle united Islamic empire or Caliphate. Kyle East Truth, spoke about the history of the showed the Brotherhood’s logo, and said Middle East terrorist organization, and its the words on the organization’s flag— intent to wreak global havoc and destruction. Make Ready—is a phrase that comes from Sponsored by the Community Relations the first two words of the Qur’anic verse Council of the United Jewish Federation [8:60] that continues “Make ready for them of Tidewater in partnership with Beth whatever you can of force and horses of Chaverim, Shideler’s presentation attracted war with which to frighten Allah’s enemies more than 80 people, despite extremely and yours.”

Kyle explained that the Brotherhood’s foul weather that evening.

Two audience members share their motto is “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. Qur’an is our law. thoughts on Shideler’s discussion: Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”

Art Rosenfeld One can’t accuse the Muslim I came away from this powerful lecture feeling that I had just heard a Shofar Brotherhood of hiding their intentions. sounding a strong warning of a clear and What was so concerning, and I believe to present danger to America in general and most if not all of the audience, is not how to Israel and the Jewish community in clear the Brotherhood is in proclaiming its goal, but how hard so many in the West particular.

Kyle’s presentation left no doubt that the seem to be working to ignore or even deny Muslim Brotherhood movement is world- their clear message. wide and a serious threat that cannot and must not be ignored. He explained that the Rabbi Michael Panitz Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt From a traditional Jewish perspective: in 1928 as a revolutionary fundamentalist “As a people, we are commanded to seek movement to restore the caliphate and peace, but not at the price of national impose strict Sharia law in Muslim lands suicide. We learned in the history of the today and, ultimately, in the entire world. Maccabees that, at first, the Jewish people Today, the Brotherhood has active chapters did not take up arms to defend themselves in Egypt and in more than 80 countries on the Shabbat. The result was that their enemies attacked and killed us on that worldwide, including the United States.

Before getting into his discussion, Mr. day; so we reinterpreted our commitment Shideler made it clear that he was not to Sabbath rest so as to permit self-defense. talking about the religion of Islam, but Today, the vital lesson is to be forthright rather those particular members of it that enough to call a friend a friend and an felt compelled to join the Brotherhood and enemy, an enemy. Peace is like the tango: it actively work to carry out its long-term requires two partners.”

jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 15

it’s a wrap Israeli-Bedouin diplomat says Israel’s diversity is abundant

by Laine Mednick Rutherford

I

     

          

       

16 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org



f anyone can speak about diversity in Israel, it’s Israeli diplomat, Ishmael Khaldi.

An Israeli-Bedouin-Arab-Muslim, Khaldi has been a minority his entire life—from the Arab Christian school he attended in the north of Israel, to college, to his service in the Israeli Defense Forces, the police, the Foreign Ministry, and even today in his diplomatic postings around the world.

In Virginia Beach Dec. 12–13, Khaldi spoke to almost 500 people: students, the media, NATO dignitaries, and to an audience that included more than 180 community members on Thursday, Dec. 12 at the Sandler Family Campus.

Khaldi was the first of three featured speakers in the Israel Today Forum, a series presented by the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and individual, business, organizational and synagogue partners. His topic, fittingly, was Diversity in Israel.

“It may be difficult, being a diplomat, but I do believe that people want to hear my story, and they can learn from it—about all of the opportunities there are in Israel and about how it’s flourishing,” says Khaldi.

“We are not perfect. Nobody can ignore there is discrimination there. But the vast majority of people, and the younger generation in particular, enjoy their rights, living in the only democracy in the Middle East.

I believe we’re going in the right direction,” Khaldi says. “People also should remember, Israel itself is a minority in the Middle East.

When it comes to judging Israel, the state, which people do all the time, you have to look at all of those things.”

Khaldi spoke about his childhood, describing his life herding sheep and his home until he was eight—a traditional Bedouin tent. He shared his experiences as a young man visiting New York and America for the first time, his diplomatic appointments in San Francisco, Jerusalem, and, currently, in London.

“I enjoyed hearing Ishmael’s presen-

Rev. Dr. Joel Palser, Ishmael Khaldi and Matt Sharpe.

Elli Friedman, Ishmael Khaldi and Andie Eichelbaum.

tation, very much, as well as having the opportunity to spend some time with him,” says Rabbi Aron Margolin, director of Chabad Lubavitch of Tidewater.

“First of all, he brings a universal perspective that we don’t learn or hear about very often. That’s very important for us.

And it’s very important for others to hear, too. They need to be aware of who’s saying what to whom—here we have a man whose life is successful, who shares with other people the possibilities that are in Israel.”

Khaldi says he feels it is his responsibility to speak honestly about Israel, both its positives and negatives, and to dispel myths and non-truths about his homeland.

When asked by an audience member how to tell good Muslims from a bad, Khaldi responded by stating his own beliefs, shared by—among many—his father, that nowhere in the Koran is violence and hatred a priority over love and peace, and to interpret the Muslim holy book that way is wrong.

• • • The next speaker in the Israel Today series is Gil Troy. This free and open to the public discussion takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 29. See page 20 for more information.

For more information about this and other CRC initiatives, visit JewishVA.org/CRC.

Teaching in today’s modern classrooms and updates change almost daily.”

Building upon the theme of the symposium— IGNITE! Education for Creativity and Character— was keynote speaker Paul Tough, best-selling author and journalist. Tough, whose latest book, How Children Succeed, talked about how today’s society bases the success of students on their ability to score high Hebrew Academy students use a game-based learning technique in the classroom. on standardized tests from preschool all the way to SATs. “He emphasized,” says Rabbi Wecker,

by Dee Dee Becker “that a new generation of researchers and very year Hebrew Academy and educators believe that better indicators for the Strelitz Early Childhood Center lifelong success come from evaluation of administration join hundreds of the ‘non-cognitive’—personality traits. For other educators in Richmond at the Annual example, factors such as a child’s ability to Conference of the Virginia Association of handle stress, natural curiosity, or self-control play a more important role in the Independent Schools.

“Continuing education programs like cognitive development of a child. Tough these,” says Rabbi Mordechai Wecker, head offered that teachers who build an affective of school, “allow us the opportunity to learning environment can help students learn from current research and trends make significant connections and develop and to share tools and best practices for valuable problem solving strategies that teaching in today’s modern classrooms, will serve them well throughout education especially where the use of technology and later with careers. He stressed the use of brain-based lessons, which connect students with positive emotional and personal experiences.”

HAT and the Strelitz preschool have employed brain-based learning for several years. The concept involves helping For more information about students with ‘how to learn’ and not just preschool through fifth grade ‘what to learn.’ “For example,” says Rabbi programs, attend an upcoming Wecker, “the technique of setting languagOpen House: es or literature to music helps students learn more easily, connecting them with For preschool parents: a positive emotional learning experience.”

Friday, Feb. 7, 9 am Brain-based learning also allows for Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 pm using games in teaching. “Math fact and Can’t make an Open House? phonemic awareness games,” says Janet Contact Carin Simon, admissions Jenkins, HAT director of general studies, director, to schedule a private “teach children by making them mastour: 424-4327 or csimon@ ter certain levels of play before they can hebrewacademy.net. advance to the next level. Trial and error teaches us that failure is something to Hebrew Academy of Tidewater/Strelitz Early embrace as part of the learning process, not Childhood Center preschool is a constituent agensomething of which to feel ashamed. cy of the United Federation of Tidewater.

“Today’s digital classrooms,” says

Jenkins, “which employ everything from the internet and computers to tablets and active boards add so much more to the learning experience than that of just five years ago. There are also web based communities, where teachers establish links to educational games and other informative websites which support and enhance the topics they are teaching in class.”

“Continuing education programs like the VAIS conference inspire us,” says Rabbi Wecker. “What better way to teach students than ones in which they are having fun—and in that process they become more passionate about learning.”

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jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 17

BOOK REVIEWS Decision-making National Security through a Cockeyed Lens: How Cognitive Bias Impacts U.S. Foreign Policy Steve A. Yetiv Johns Hopkins, 2013 155 pages, $24.95

W

hen we reviewed Hal Sacks Old Dominion University Professor Steve Yetiv’s 2011 book, The Petroleum Triangle, it was our opinion that it was “scholarly but readable.” The latest monograph from the intellectually creative Yetiv is even more scholarly —yet still readable thanks to a desperately needed glossary, without which even the “educated general reader” would be adrift.

In The Petroleum Triangle, Yetiv frequently referred to the “distorted lens” or the “distorted prism” through which Islamic radicals viewed American actions.

In like manner National Security through a Cockeyed Lens analyzes five U.S. security crises from 1979 to the present and applies the results of cognitive bias research to demonstrate how bias influences the highest level decisions impacting U.S. National Security.

The reader need not enroll in a behavioral psychology course to understand Yetiv’s application of a variety of cognitive biases to an understanding of the decision-making processes in the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and the American reaction; the Iran-Contra affair and the rise of al-Qaeda leading to the 9/11 attacks; the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq; and the development of U.S. energy policy. There has been a surfeit of books dealing with these behavioral issues, from the somewhat simplistic work of Malcolm Gladwell to the very solid work of Nobel Laureate Danny Kahneman. Most notable is Kahneman’s recent Thinking Fast and Slow, which, while acknowledging the need for quick decision making (stepping back from an approaching automobile) to the application of heuristics (shortcuts of thinking) by jumping to conclusions.

Yetiv’s wish that by the end of the book the reader will “understand better how foreign policy decisions are made, the biases that may undermine good decision-mak-

18 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

ing, and also perhaps how to at least try to avoid these errors as leaders and laypeople.”

As a case in point, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan is cited. Moscow’s self perception was as an entity much less hostile than seen by Washington. The U.S. view was that the Soviets had the potential for dominating South Asia and the Persian Gulf in its decision to invade Afghanistan. The Soviets, on the other hand, are now believed to have had far more limited intentions and mistakenly assumed other countries would not be greatly concerned. The United States, perceiving a greater danger than was probable, responded vigorously.

The tendency to assume that others see us as we see ourselves appears to be fed by several biases one of which is the illusion of transparency, wherein it is believed that our internal state is more apparent to others than is actually the case. The other is the fundamental attribution error, in which leaders of nations in conflict perceive themselves as significantly less hostile than their adversaries. The result: Whereas the Soviet Union probably had little intent other than propping up a distressed Communist government without posing a credible threat to the Persian Gulf oil fields of Iran and the Gulf states, Washington, while not unreasonable in fearing the worst, perhaps went too far in its response. Convinced that it faced an “evil empire,” a wily and implacable enemy bent on world conquest, America committed $4–$5 billion in aid to the mujahedeen, with Saudi Arabia matching that amount, and with the unintended consequence of financing and building the al-Qaeda organization.

By now the confirmation biases, which lead to the Bush administration’s false interpretation of information, and the illusion of control, which overestimated our influence over outcomes, are textbook illustrations of our folly in attacking Iraq in 2003.

Yetiv has successfully applied much of the recent spate of scholarship to the high level governmental crisis management in recent decades. One can only imagine the scholarship that could describe our decision-making at the highest level of each branch of government, executive, legislative, and judicial, as we stumble through a decade of economic crises.

Israel Today A Shepherd’s Journey The story of Israel’s first Bedouin diplomat Ishmael Khaldi Prestige PrePress, 2010 131 pages, ISBN 978-965-555-473-1 …God used the descendants of Ishmael to save the Jewish nation

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ould one p e r s o n be a Muslim, a Bedouin, and an Israeli diplomat?

Some would say it’s impossible; some would say it’s a miracle. For Ishmael Khaldi, it’s just his life.

Readers of the great American novel, Moby Dick, will recall that the narrator and protagonist of that 1851 novel is named Ishmael and it is through his eyes that the reader experiences the story of the ship, Pequod. The Bible declares that Ishmael will be the savior of the Jewish Nation.

Ishmael Khaldi is the narrator and protagonist of this slim memoir. While not about Israeli politics, not about war and conflict, and not about economy and culture, this memoir manages to roll all of the above into the wonderful story of Ishmael’s journey from tending his family’s sheep in a small Bedouin village in northern Israel along the winding path that brought him to where he is today.

No longer is Ishmael Khaldi the eager “greenhorn” who narrowly escaped electrocution on his first visit to America —crossing from one subway platform to the other by climbing over the tracks. No longer is he the neophyte representative of the Israeli government—facing down activist students in Berkeley, Calif. However, even today, a polished diplomat in his early 40s, he must figuratively pinch himself to be certain that he is where he is—no longer a prank-loving kid, one of 11 children raised in a technologically primitive, but culturally advanced tent- and shack-housed Bedouin tribal family. Self-described as continued on page 19

What’s Happening Activist in action—Gil Troy talks to Community Wednesday, Jan. 29, 7 pm

by Laine Mednick Rutherford

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egular audience members of the Community Relations Council’s Israel Today Forum say they often get the “news before the ‘news’” by listening to the speaker series’ featured guests.

Whether that’s learning about Israel’s underpublicized medical and social assistance during global natural disasters (Will Recant, March, 2012), or understanding complicated tribal and ancestral relationships in Syria (David Makovsky, April, 2013), the community is afforded the opportunity to hear experts and get firsthand information that helps broaden the scope of understanding about Israel.

With Gil Troy, attendees of the free event at the Sandler Family Campus again will have the advantage of gaining deeper insight into issues relevant to Israel; Troy’s topic is Zionism—the whys and hows of supporting Israel as a Jewish homeland.

Troy doesn’t just speak about Zionism—he demonstratively defines it.

Frequently cited as one of the world’s most prominent activists fighting against the delegitimization of Israel, Troy currently is engaged in a grassroots effort that is reinforcing that designation.

Through a social media campaign, his regular, weekly column in The Jerusalem Post, and additional media coverage and appearances, on Dec. 23, Troy initiated a movement he dubbed, “Troycott.” A play on the word, boycott, Troy is using Troycott to bring attention to and protest the decision—based on a small percentage of voting members—of the American Studies Association to boycott Israeli aca-

demic institutions.

On his Troycott Facebook page, Troy writes, “Let’s get 828 ‘likes’ to repudiate the ASA Israel boycott voted in by only 827 of its 5,000 members— then learn about Gil Troy Zionism as a counter ‘Troycott.’”

The page surpassed the goal of 828 within a few days of the original post; the numbers of “Likes” continues to increase, as does the attention to the campaign. In keeping with Troy’s dedication to Zionist education, he invites those who like the page to view links he provides to texts and study questions that he hopes will facilitate thoughtful and substantive conversations about Zionism.

In addition to his efforts with Troycott, and his upcoming discussion about Zionism in Tidewater, Troy teaches history at McGill University and is a Research Fellow in the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Engaging Israel Program. He is the author of eight books, including the bestselling Why I Am a Zionist: Israel, Jewish Identity, and the Challenges of Today, and the new, highly acclaimed, Moynihan’s Moment: America’s Fight Against Zionism as Racism, as well as books about Ronald Reagan and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The Israel Today Forum is free and open to the community, with RSVP requested; email LHenderson@ujft.org or call 757.965.6107. For more information, visit www.JewishVA.org/IsraelToday.

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continued from page 18

the “Reform” branch of Islam, the northern Bedouins of Israel number about 10,000 and have had a symbiotic relationship with neighboring kibbutzim, dating back to early settlements before the establishment of the State. “Reform,” because although believing Muslims, they tend to be somewhat casual in their observance.

Attending a university, a testimony to Khaldi’s own diligence and the vision of

his uneducated parents, may have given him the opportunity to “break out” of the nomadic existence of his tribe, but the decision to enlist in the Israeli Army was strictly his own, and was a defining one. When Israel was created in 1948, Bedouins were exempt from military service; but many Bedouins volunteered to serve, and service burned Khaldi’s identity as an Israeli into his heart. Armed with a bachelor’s degree

from the University of Haifa and a master’s degree from Tel Aviv University, he gained a position in the information department and then as translator in the American Embassy in Tel Aviv, a stepping stone to a career as an Israeli diplomat.

As a personal example of Israel’s achievement in promoting diversity, who better to address the subject than Ishmael Khaldi, Counselor for Civic Society Affairs,

Israeli Consulate in London? He spoke as part of the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s third annual “Israel Today” series on Thursday, Dec. 12. See article on page 16.

—Hal Sacks is a retired Jewish communal worker who has reviewed books for Jewish News for more than 30 years.

jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 19

What’s Happening Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day 2014: an exercise in civics, and more

UJFT grant supports an educational outreach program focused on “Living a Jewish Life in the Reform Way”

Date with the State: Wednesday, Feb. 5 bus departs Sandler Family Campus at 8:45 am CRC Briefing on Date with the State: Thursday, Jan. 30, 6 pm

First session: Tuesday, Jan. 21, 6:30 pm

by Laine Mednick Rutherford

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ix civic responsibility, democracy, political action, Jewish values, and history, add a healthy dose of elbow rubbing with powerful people, and you’ll get an idea of what it’s like to participate in Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day. Held annually at the General Assembly in Richmond, the event brings representatives from all Jewish communities throughout Virginia to hold meetings with their city, county, or regional delegates and senators, and to join in a communal lunch.

In the past, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and/or Attorney General speak during the lunch hour. All are invited.

The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is organizing the area’s delegation for this year’s Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day. In face-to-face meetings, small groups of community members will visit their elected officials’ private offices to share concerns about legislative decisions affecting their cities, relay information about

crucial programs and agencies, and create visible, tangible evidence of a vocal, voting and informed citizenry.

“It is vital that our senators and delegates continue to hear from us in Richmond during the upcoming General Assembly session,” says Betty Ann Levin, executive director of JFS. “At JFS, we are currently working with legislators on a budget amendment to reinstate funding which allows us to provide vital services to our community’s most vulnerable citizens,” Levin says. “We need community members to advocate for us this year, more than ever.”

Space is still available. RSVP by Jan. 17 to LHenderson@ujft.org, or call 965-6107.

The CRC’s Insiders’ Briefing on Thurs., Jan. 30, will provide all registered attendees with detailed talking points and lobbying tips for their “Date with the State.” It takes place at the Sandler Family Campus. $36 helps defray the cost of bus transportation, kosher lunch and materials. For more information, visit JewishVA.org/CRC.

Israeli embassy minister to speak in Virginia Beach

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Saturday, Jan. 18, 10 am–12 pm

oam Katz, minister for Public Diplomacy for the Embassy of Israel will speak as a part of the World Affairs Council’s Great Decisions lecture series at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach.

Katz oversees the public diplomacy efforts for Israel’s missions in the United States and Canada, including out- Noam Katz reach to religious, academic, special interest and cultural organizations.

Prior to his role in Washington, Katz served as director of the Public Affairs Department for the MFA. Katz has also served as the Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, Ghana, and the Economic

Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Under his leadership, his embassy won the MFA’s “Outstanding Embassy” award. Katz is the recipient of several awards and medals: IDF Citation, MFA Award of Excellence, and the MFA Commendation for Excellence.

Great Decisions is a program developed by the Foreign Policy Association that provides the community with opportunities to learn about issues of global importance. Great Decisions begins in January and runs for eight consecutive Saturday mornings. For more information or tickets, visit www.hrwac.org/ greatdecisions.

20 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

by Rita E. Frank, Ph.D

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embers of Congregation Beth Chaverim, as is typical of Reform Jewish congregations throughout North America, come from diverse religious backgrounds Committee members Karen Kendall, Kara Molin, Karen Bennett, Rita Frank, and Linda Sinowitz. Not pictured: Robin Herbol and Jill Mitcham. and experiences. Some are born Jewish; some are not. Some have con- and also to think about the application of verted to Judaism; some have not. Some that practice to their own lives and that were raised in Reform Congregations; of their families. While the actual classes many in a different denominational home. would focus on the tangible and practical, This diversity, while challenging, has also more fundamental questions would be encouraged congregants to ask questions addressed such as: What makes a Reform about approaching Judaism that might not Jew a Reform Jew? What does living a have been asked if everyone was part of a Reform Jewish life mean? What is central more homogeneous group. In asking, Beth to belief systems and practices and what is Chaverim has found that when it comes to peripheral? Is there one way or many to live the customs of home and synagogue, “two a meaningful Reform Jewish life?

The grant was approved, and the proJews, may indeed have three opinions.”

Over the years, conversations about gram, made possible through funding of differences in how to approach lives as the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Reform Jews while animated, have been Tidewater Jewish Foundation and the informal. When the congregation began Simon Family Foundation, will become a to consider applying for a grant through reality.

The first session is scheduled for the Synagogue-Federation Partnership of the Tidewater Jewish Community this past Jan. 21 and will continue biweekly until summer, the grant committee realized it April 22. All sessions begin at 6:30 pm had an opportunity to widen discussion and will last approximately two hours. to a larger audience both within Beth Participants at all levels of Jewish learning Chaverim and to others in Tidewater. Such are welcome. The program’s goal is to have a discussion could make Beth Chaverim everyone increase their knowledge and more cohesive and also provide an oppor- bring whatever background they have to tunity for those outside the congregation the educational conversation. It is hoped to gain a deeper understanding of Jewish that interpersonal ties within the group religious practice and tradition within the will be developed and strengthened. The program is free and all materials will be context of Reform Judaism.

With this insight, the grant committee supplied at the first session. Childcare will enthusiastically went to work. The result be provided upon request.

To find out more about the program or to was the creation of a program of experiential learning modules that taken together register, contact Dr. Rita Frank at 498-5341 or would allow participants to learn about through e-mail at refrank1@verizon.net. key elements of Reform Jewish practice

what’s happening Survivor to speak after Misa’s Fugue at the Roper, accompanied by director and liberator

Goodbye Columbus at the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center

Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 pm

Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 pm

by Leslie Shroyer

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lake Bailey, a Portsmouth resident and an award-w inning author will introduce the movie, Goodbye Columbus, which is based on the novella by Philip Roth. Bailey is in the process of writing a biography of Philip Roth and will answer questions after the film.

Suggested donation is $5 per person.

Popcorn and water are complimentary.

The museum is located at 607 Effingham St. in Portsmouth. For more information, call 391-9266 or visit www. jewishmuseumportsmouth.org.

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o Frank Grunwald, an industrial designer and accomplished sculptor in his spare time, memories of the Holocaust and the 10 concentration camps he endured were something he’d left far behind. Active only in recent years in his Indiana community’s Holocaust speakers’ association, he now speaks about his experiences because he feels it is his obligation. Never did he imagine that his story would be made into an award-winning documentary, Misa’s Fugue, which will be a highlight of the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented

by Alma* and Howard Laderberg.

Grunwald caught the attention of filmmaker-turned-teacher Sean Gaston in 2010. Gaston had spent 15 years in the film business and had recently become a media studies teacher at Fleetwood Area High School in Pennsylvania, when he traveled to Indianapolis for a Holocaust Conference. Grunwald was one of the guest speakers. “I couldn’t believe how eloquently he spoke and how well he told his story,” says Gaston. “When I heard him speak, my mind began to race. He was so adept with his iBook, and had so many photos of his family. I thought: this could be a project, a documentary on this man and his past, but I was also sure that someone this exceptional already had a documentary of some sort made about them.”

After his talk, Gaston approached Grunwald about making a movie, and discovered that nothing had been done.

“I was ecstatic,” says Gaston. “I could see Frank narrating this entire film, using the photographs his family’s housekeeper had passed on to him after the war, and incorporating the letter his mother wrote to his father the day she was taken to the gas chambers.”

When Gaston returned to Pennsylvania, he immediately initiated the collaborative process that would become Misa’s Fugue.

He brought together 10 faculty members spanning six departments along with 200 former or current students from Fleetwood Area High School to create the feature

length documentary.

Fellow teacher Jennifer Goss (the historical consultant and producer), her husband (a photographer), a camera man, and Gaston, set up in Grunwald’s house and let him speak. The five and one-half hours of video footage were edited by students; English teachers had students pull the narrative out of the interview; and Goss’ social studies students searched for primary source documents related to Grunwald’s story, finding such items as deportation papers for his family and identity cards at concentration camps.

The movie is marketed to Holocaust organizations and to schools across the country, including the Holocaust Commission of the UJFT, which invited Grunwald to be its guest speaker at Yom Hashoah last spring.

Profits from the film go to distributing it to more schools and Holocaust organizations. Initially hoping to sell 500 copies, the film has sold more than 3,000 so far, and is still going strong. Through its White Rose project, the Holocaust Commission made a gift of the film to every public and private middle and high school in Hampton Roads this fall.

“I never really wanted to be public with

my story,” says Grunwald. “But it’s too late now. I have sacrificed my privacy for the sake of education. I feel now that there’s no time to be sentimental or retrospective.

I’m more interested in telling the truth. But I’m no one special, I just made it through, and most Holocaust children didn’t, so I’m lucky to have survived.”

The screening at the TCC Roper Performing Arts Center will be the first time Grunwald and Gaston will appear together, due largely to illnesses and scheduling conflicts. Local liberator Bill Jucksch will also be a part of the post film discussion. Jucksch, a liberator of the Gunskirchen camp, from which Grunwald was ultimately liberated, spoke at last year’s film festival.

“Of all the screenings, I am most looking forward to the one in Norfolk,” says Gaston.

“I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished.

As your community will see and hear [once again], he’s a very special guy.”

For tickets, call 321-2338 or go to the film festival page of SimonFamilyJCC. org. The film is free to students and educators and is shown in partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

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jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 21

Bernard is doing good works forever.

How will you help shape the future?

Norfolk architect Bernard Spigel died in 1968 leaving an enduring legacy of homes, schools, theaters and commercial buildings he designed.

In 1983 Lucy Spigel Herman honored her dad by creating at the Hampton Roads Community Foundation a scholarship fund to help future architects.

Today Spigel’s Scholarships are helping three Virginia architecture students learn the profession he loved. Dozens of past Spigel Scholars are busy designing buildings for us to enjoy.

Spigel Scholarships will forever help architecture students pay for their educations.

Design your own view of the future by ordering the free Leave Your Mark guide. Learn how easy it is to honor a family member or create your own permanent legacy. Call 757-622-7951 or visit hamptonroadscf.org.

•

hamptonroadscf.org (757) 622-7951

January 18, Saturday – January 26, Sunday Virginia Festival of Jewish Film. Presented by Alma and Howard Laderberg January 19, Sunday Goodbye Columbus at the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center. 2 pm. Call 391-9266 or visit www.jewishmuseumportsmouth.org. See page 21.

January 20, Monday Family program for Preschool–Grade 2 (Siblings welcome!) A PJ Library event. Story time, activities, art and more. Join in the reading of The Only One Club and learn how to celebrate similarities and differences in friends and what make each person unique and special. 10–11:30 am. $15 Family; $10 at the Simon Family JCC. 321-2338 for more information.

January 21, Tuesday Living a Jewish Life in the Reform Way. At Beth Chaverim. 6:30 pm. Call 498-5341 or e-mail at refrank1@verizon.net for more information or to register. See page 20.

January 29, Wednesday Zionism and Israel Today with Gil Troy presented by the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and community partners. Sandler Family Campus.

7 pm. For more information or to RSVP visit www.Jewish VA.org/IsraelToday or 965-6107. Free and open to the community. See page 19.

February 5, Wednesday Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater travels to Richmond for the annual Jewish Advocacy Day. 8:45 am–6 pm; leaving from the Sandler Family Campus. $36 includes kosher lunch and helps defray transportation. RSVP required by Jan. 17 to LHenderson@ujft.org or 965-6107. An Insiders’ Briefing, providing all attendees with detailed talking points on the issues and lobbying tips, takes place on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 6 pm.

See page 20.

February 9, Sunday Sundae Swim, Sing & Swing For Pre-K–grade 6. A fun afternoon with friends of swimming in the pool, singing karaoke, swinging to Just Dance and swinging on the swings. Then top it off with a sundae bar. Sponsored by Camp JCC. 3–5 pm. Simon Family JCC; $12; $6 for 2013 & 2014 Camp JCCers. 321-2338 to register.

Spigel Ad – Jewish News: 4.875” x 5.375” Eric Kline Business Development Danny Kline Vice President

calendar

Send submissions for calendar to news@ujft.org. Be sure to note “calendar” in the subject. Include date, event name, sponsor, address, time, cost and phone.

Andy Kline President

What’s Happening Hospice Support Group on Grief and Loss

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Payroll, Taxes and W-2s • Web Based Time and Attendance NCS Background Checks • Employee Loans • Pay As You Go Workers Comp Insurance HR Answerlink H.R. Legal Resources • Employee Self Service Online Cobra Administration • VISA Debit Payday Cards Call us today to see how we can help, 757-523-0605 or visit us at www.paydaypayroll.com.

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22 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

7/6/11 11:54 AM

Second Wednesday of each month, 11 am–12:30 pm

support group for those dealing with grief, sponsored by Freda H. Gordon Hospice and Palliative Care of Tidewater, will take place monthly in the Glasser Conference Room at Beth Sholom Village.

The facilitators are Chaplain Keya Bhagirath and Meital Jakubovitz, MSW. To register, contact Chaplain Keya Bhagirath at kbhagirath@hpctidewater. com or 757-452-6930.

WE’RE GOING TO ISRAEL THIS SUMMER!

Mazel Tov to Achievement Ilene Leibowitz Lipton for being elected president of the Norfolk Task Force on Aging for 2014. The mission of the task force is sharing ideas to plan and meet the ever-changing needs of the community’s elderly population. Leibowitz is the director of sales and marketing for Leigh Hall Assisted Living in Norfolk, a Commonwealth Assisted Living community. She currently sits on the Mayor’s Commission on Aging for Virginia Beach and has earned her Certified Senior Advisor designation.

She is the daughter of Buddy (of blessed memory) and Barbara Leibowitz of Norfolk.

Randy Parrish, chief financial officer of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, who has been named a “Super CPA” by his peers in the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, who collaborate annually with Virginia Business magazine to recognize those highly-affluent in accounting.

WANT TO COME?

Parrish is one of approximately 340 CPAs in Virginia who has been recognized and honored for 2013, and one of only 20 CPAs statewide under the category of Financial Managers, CFOs and Controllers. He has served in his role at TJF since 2009, where he brought more than 25 years of accounting experience in healthcare, nonprofit financial management and municipal government.

Engagement Rikki Dolsey and Nathan Ingram on their “Chanukah 2013” engagement. Rikki is the daughter of Virginia Beach residents, Robert Dolsey and Ronni Marcus. Nathan is the son of Robert and Melia Ingram, both Norfolk natives. The couple plans to marry in the fall of 2015.

Mazel Tov submissions should be emailed to news@ujft.org with Mazel Tov in the subject line. Achievements, B’nai Mitzvot, births, engagements and weddings are appropriate simchas to announce. Photos must be at least 300k. Include a daytime phone for questions. There is no fee.

Jewish Family Service celebrates the launch of the Stephen David Baer Music Scholarship

W

hen Joan London Baer, David Bryan and Justin Michael Baer wanted to honor their beloved husband and father, Stephen Baer,* they decided to share his passion and talent for music through a scholarship to help deserving young pianists.

The Stephen David Baer Scholarship Fund, which launches this month, is dedicated in loving memory of Stephen Baer.

A publisher, lawyer, entrepreneur and accomplished pianist, Baer played piano all over the world. His talent and ability to entertain made him a magnet for everyone who had the privilege of hearing him play.

“Stephen always said it was his mother who encouraged his music education. When anyone complimented him, he responded by saying, ‘thank my mother.’ I think he would approve of this scholarship to help young people with their musical dreams. We are so pleased to establish this fund in Stephen’s honor and memory,” says Joan Baer.

The fund is through the Jewish Family Service of Tidewater Foundation, which

is managed by the Tidewater Jewish Foundation.

Applications will be accepted March 17, 2014 through May 3, 2014. Scholarships range from $250 to $400 and are intended for children ages nine through 16 residing in South Hampton Roads. To make a donation to the fund or to request an application, contact Jennifer Adut at 321-2240. *of blessed memory

DIG UP YOUR JEWISH ROOTS JEWISH GENEALOGY SERVICE Tidewater Jewish Roots twjroots@gmail.com • 757-641-3006

Depart Norfolk: Wednesday, June 18 Arrive in Israel: Thursday, June 19 Return to Norfolk: Saturday, June 28 $5,500* per person (based on coach class seating and double hotel occupancy) Land only options are available (where participants provide own air travel).

Flight and room upgrades, as well as extensions available. Priced based on requests.

Three nights at the Waldorf Astoria in Jerusalem Three nights at the Ramot Resort in the Galilee Two nights at the Carlton hotel in Tel Aviv Mission price also includes tour buses, admissions, guides, most meals, bottled water, and hostess services at hotels. Does not include tips.

Enjoy a festive and meaningful Shabbat in Jerusalem Study with world-renown scholars • Climb Masada • Explore the Old City of Jerusalem above ground and below • Dig at an archeological site visit to the City of David • High-level briefings with government officials and IDF representatives • Visit Tidewater-funded projects • Tour the mystical city of Safed • Enjoy special wine and chocolate workshops in the Golan • Relive history through sound and lights at Beit Shaen • Meet some of Israel’s newest Olim at a JAFI absorption center • Marvel at ORT’s new Science Center in Kiryat Yam • Check in on friends at the Neve Michael Youth Village .....and more!

• •

Join mission chairs Jodi Klebanoff and Bonnie and David Brand as well as dozens of fellow Tidewater community members for a unique, unforgettable, multisensory experience this summer! But space is limited!

Interested? Want to learn more? Applications and deposits now being accepted.

Call or email Amy Zelenka, UJFT Missions Director at 965-6139 or azelenka@ujft.org. *In addition to the mission fee, a minimum gift of $1,200 per person to the 2015 Annual Campaign of the UJFT is requested from participants.

Camp is a wonde rf ul place to wor k!

SUMMER 2014 Camp JCC: June 16 - August 8 • Post Camp: August 11 - 29

NOW HIRING…..STAFF FOR ALL POSITIONS Counselors (High School Graduates; minimum requirement) Junior Counselors (High School rising Junior; minimum requirement) Specialist (Activities: Sports, Music, Arts, etc.)

Special needs Supervisor • Special needs Assistant • Nurse

Camp JCC provides children with a rich and unique day camp experience. A dynamic program allows every child to explore their own interests and try new activities within a safe camp atmosphere.

Engaging and supportive staff encourages campers to have fun, develop skills, and form meaningful relationships. All staff members are hired for their ability to facilitate memorable experiences for our campers. All camp personnel have a background check and participate in an extensive orientation program.

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(757) 321-2306 (757) 321-2342 (757) 965-6117

Submit completed application to: Simon Family JCC Attention: Human Resources 5000 Corporate Woods Drive Virginia Beach, 23462

jewishnewsva.org | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 23

APPRECIATION

obituaries

Edgar Bronfman: Prince of the Jews — June 20, 1929–Dec. 21, 2013

by Ami Eden

NEW YORK ( JTA)—Many eulogies attempted to capture the magnitude of the loss suffered last month by the Jewish community. Really, though, all you need are eight words: Edgar Bronfman was a prince of his people.

There are other machers who devote much of their time and money to Jewish causes. But none of them boast the same combination of lineage, intrigue, eccentricity, wonder, grandness and love for Judaism and the Jews.

By birth, he was the son of Samuel Bronfman, chairman of Seagram Ltd. and president of the Canadian Jewish Congress, making him the scion of a family renown both for its beverage empire and its tradition of Jewish leadership. And on both counts it showed: He was never quite like the other boys, never quite like the other billionaires.

The differences were on display the first time I met him, at a conference in Chicago in 2000 dedicated to making synagogues more meaningful and attractive. He shared the stage with two other mega philanthropists, financier Michael Steinhardt and oil and gas magnate Charles Schusterman.

Steinhardt berated the Reform and Conservative rabbis in the audience, sounding very much like a Wall Street guy who made enough cash not to suffer fools lightly. But he was balanced by Schusterman, who was more humble and modest than most of the rabbis getting the Steinhardt treatment—not surprising for a self-made man who, though he literally struck it rich, never thought of himself as too big for Tulsa.

And then there was Edgar. He talked about how holding the end-of-Shabbat Havdalah ceremony on Saturday night didn’t feel right to him in the middle of his ski weekends, so he started doing it on Sunday night. High Holidays services were boring, so he started putting together his own in his East Side apartment building. Then mid-session, without comment, he stood up, left the stage and exited the room. When he returned a few minutes later, he let us know—with his particular brand of self-assuredness—that it was just

a case of a man’s got to go when a man’s got to go.

In those moments, I saw the silver spoon side of Edgar and had little trouble comprehending his tabloid-rich family history or his roller-coaster business record.

It also wasn’t hard to see how two other traits—his occasionally vulgar rebuke of political opponents and his reliance on and loyalty to a cadre of lieutenants—helped fuel the controversy and dysfunction that would bring an end to his otherwise storied tenure as the president of the World Jewish Congress.

But in between, and in the years since his stepping down as WJC president, what became clear was that his immeasurable contributions to the Jewish people far outweighed the bumps and were byproducts of the same set of life experiences and character traits.

Edgar’s memory is already a blessing, and will be for decades to come, because he chased big ideas and remained true to himself in a way that few of us could afford to be.

He lived large but was no dilettante, neither in his defense of Jewish rights around the world or his determination to connect young Jews to their heritage. He was passionate about studying Jewish texts and hearing what the policy experts had to say, but at the same time never hesitated to speak out against tradition or convention.

Occasionally I would get a call that Edgar wanted to get together. Almost always the agenda was simply to talk about the state of things in the Jewish world. He asked as much as he answered, talked as much as he listened.

There were other journalists, academics and rabbis with whom he spoke far more often. From time to time he would put us all in a room—when we were really lucky, at a resort in Park City, Utah—and it was the same as our lunches. Sure, he had his two cents, but he was there to learn, to be excited by new ideas.

He would tell you what he thought, however crazy, but he always wanted to know what other people were thinking, however crazy. And in the diversity of bios and backgrounds of the people in those larger get-togethers, you could see the passion and concern he had for Jews of various

24 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

stripes from around the world.

In politics, he was an increasingly rare combination—an unabashedly outspoken liberal with a nearly unparalleled track record of sticking up for the Jews.

You can find plenty of wealthy liberals ready to make the case for electing a Democratic president in the United States or dismantling settlements in the West Bank. But how many of them also can boast of having played a lead role in exposing Kurt Waldheim’s Nazi past? Or fighting for the freedom of Soviet Jews? Or pushing for the repeal of the U.N. resolution equating Zionism with racism? Or battling the Swiss banks on behalf of Holocaust victims?

“In terms of defending Jews, I’m a Jew,” Bronfman said. “And I was in a position to do so, so I did so.”

Unlike many liberals, Edgar was increasingly, deeply curious about Judaism itself.

“As I was growing up, my knowledge of Judaism was limited to lessons for my bar mitzvah and attendance at a junior congregation that I found dull and pointless, especially since I knew my father did not attend synagogue on Saturdays—he went to the office instead,” Bronfman wrote in his 2008 book, Hope, Not Fear.

Not surprisingly, as an adult he avoided Jewish practice, privately raising his children in a home mostly devoid of Jewish life even as he publicly dove into Jewish activism. Over time, that involvement led to a religious awakening of sorts.

“Starting in my 60s, I began to make changes in my life,” Bronfman wrote. “I lit Shabbat candles with my wife every Friday night. I stopped eating pork and shellfish to assert my Jewish identity. I became a proud Jew, in my home and my heart.”

Edgar felt it was time for Jewish organizations and Jewish leaders to let go of fear as a selling point. He also believed ordinary folks needed to take an active role in reclaiming their heritage, to make personal commitments to Jewish religious observance and text study.

In the end, Edgar’s view of the Jewish tradition could serve as a metaphor for his own legacy—he was not without flaws, but he was grand, provocative, tirelessly generous and devoted. Most important, he was ours.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

Edgar Bronfman, philanthropist and Jewish communal leader

By JTA Staff

NEW YORK ( JTA—Edgar Bronfman, the billionaire former beverage magnate and leading Jewish philanthropist, died Saturday, Dec. 21 at the age of 84.

As the longtime president of the World Jewish Congress, Bronfman fought for Jewish rights worldwide and led the successful fight to secure more than a billion dollars in restitution from Swiss banks for Holocaust victims and their heirs. As a philanthropist, Bronfman took the lead in creating and funding many efforts to strengthen Jewish identity among young people.

He died peacefully at his home in New York, surrounded by family.

Bronfman spent the 1950s and 1960s working with his father, Samuel, at Seagram Ltd., the family’s beverage business. He became chairman of the company in 1971, the year of his father’s death.

Just a year earlier, in 1970, Bronfman took part in a delegation to Russia to lobby the Kremlin for greater rights for Jews in the Soviet Union. He credited the trip with inspiring his increasing interest in Judaism.

“It was on those trips to Russia that my curiosity was piqued,” Bronfman said. “What is it about Judaism, I asked myself, that has kept it alive through so much adversity while so many other traditions have disappeared.

Curiosity soon turned into something more, and that ‘something more’ has since turned into a lifelong passion.”

In 1981, Bronfman became the president of the World Jewish Congress, stepping up the organization’s activism on behalf of Jewish communities around the world. From his perch at the WJC, in addition to battling with the Swiss banks, he continued the fight for Soviet Jewry, took the lead in exposing the Nazi past of Kurt Waldheim and worked to improve Jewish relations with the Vatican. In 1991, he lobbied President George H.W. Bush to push for the rescission of the United Nations resolution equating Zionism and racism.

A staunch supporter of the IsraeliPalestinian peace process, after leaving WJC, he continued to be a vocal and public backer of liberal politicians in the United States and Israel. And as president of the Samuel Bronfman Foundation, he ded-

obituaries icated most of his final years to Jewish philanthropic causes.

He founded the Bronfman Youth Fellowship in 1987, a young leadership program that brings together Jewish high school students from Israel and North America. In the 1990s he worked to revive Hillel, serving as the founding chair of the campus organization’s board of governors.

In 2002, he provided the funding to launch MyJewishLearning, a digital media entity that now also includes the Jewish parenting site Kveller and boasts one million visitors per month.

Bronfman and his first wife, Ann Loeb, had five children: Sam, Edgar Jr., Matthew, Holly and Adam. He and his second wife, Georgiana Webb, had two daughters, Sara and Clare. In 1994, he married the artist Jan Aronson. He is survived by Aronson, his seven children, 24 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, as well as a brother, Charles, and a sister, Phyllis Lambert.

• • • Adele Gilbert Norfolk—Adele Gilbert, 89, passed away on Dec. 24, 2013 after an extended illness.

She was born in New York City to Joseph and Dora Okyle, and moved to Hampton Roads in 1946. Her husband of 68 years, Dr. Arthur Gilbert predeceased her, as did her brothers, Leonard and Aaron Okyle.

Adele was active working with Hadassah, and volunteered as a pink lady at both Portsmouth General Hospital and Maryview Hospital.

She is survived by her children, Mark and Karen Gilbert of Virginia Beach, Susan and Gerry Maggiora of Tucson, Ariz., Janet

Gilbert of Virginia Beach and Seth and Gwen Gilbert of Virginia Beach; grandchildren, Drs. David and Deena Gilbert, Rachel and Jeremy Krupnick, Leah Weisel and Max Weisel, Grace and Sarah Mezzy, Ethan Gilbert; and three great-grandsons, Perrin and Noah Gilbert and Henry Krupnick.

A graveside service was held at Gomley Chesed Cemetery by Rabbi David Goldstein.

Donations to the Gomley Chesed Synagogue Cemetery Fund or Jewish Family Service. Sturtevant Funeral Home.

Lorraine Adele Hurwitz Norfolk—Lorraine Adele Hurwitz, 89 died Dec. 23, 2013.

Mrs. Hurwitz was born in Baltimore, Md. to the late Goldie Ginsberg. Goldie’s brother, Allen, was a father figure for Lorraine.

Mrs. Hurwitz was a founding member of Temple Israel and a member of the temple sisterhood. She was a Life Member of Hadassah and a member of the Hebrew Ladies Charity Society of Norfolk. She also volunteered many hours at Beth Sholom Home of Eastern Virginia and various other organizations.

Survivors include her sons: Jeffrey Bruce Hurwitz and his wife Bettye of Richmond, Va.; Norman Irving Hurwitz and his wife Nancy of Mt. Pleasant, S. C.; Ronald Joseph Hurwitz and his wife Sharon of Norfolk and six grandchildren: Ezra, Shira, Danielle, Benjamin, Andrew, and Allena.

A graveside service was conducted at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens by Rabbi Michael Panitz.

Memorial donations may be made to the Beth Sholom Home. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments.

Joshua David Weiner Virginia Beach—Joshua David Weiner, 15, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 25 at the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters.

Joshua loved listening to all genre’s of music and was an active member of both the marching and jazz bands in Ocean Lakes High school. He was also a member of the Boy Scouts, Troop Number 660.

He is survived by his parents, Scott and Arlene Weiner; brother, Joel Weiner; grandparents, Dale Webster, Ellen Yonts, Michael Weiner and Kelly Weiner; great-grandparents, Tillie Schoonmaker and Morris Weiner, as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins.

A memorial service took place at Congregation Beth Chaverim with Rabbi Israel Zoberman officiating.

Donations to JDRF Hampton Roads or Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. Online condolences may be offered to the family at smithandwilliamskempsville.com.

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At Tu b’Shvat, digging for spiritual growth — January 16

by Edmon J. Rodman

LOS ANGELES (JTA)—While my neighbors were putting their Christmas trees to the curb, in what seems like a ritual of replacement, I was preparing to plant for Tu b’Shvat.

My friend Freda recently presented me a cutting from an Angel’s trumpet—a small tree with beautiful, large, pendulous white flowers that grows in her yard—and to observe the New Year of the Trees on Jan. 16, I wanted to get it in the ground.

Looking around the garage for a shovel, I wondered if there were a Jewish ceremony for planting a tree.

A Tu b’Shvat seder introduces philosophical concepts into the holiday. But could I skip the four cups of wine— you start with white and gradually add more red to each cup— and just do something shorter, and well, more down to earth to help observe

what some have called Jewish Arbor Day? The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life published a tree-planting service in a guide called To Till and To Tend: A Guide to Jewish Environmental Study and Action.

“There is an order to this, God’s universe, that is beyond our comprehension,” read a passage from the ceremony. Picking out the right spot to plant had often been beyond mine.

Freda had told me her trumpet tree had done well in a spot that was full sun to part shade. I found a similar spot.

Clearing the area of leaves and debris, I found something brown and pebbled sticking out from the ground. Pulling it out, I realized it was a chewedup football that our dog, Oliver, used to bite and shake into submission.

B e for e l ap s ing into backyard nostalgia, I recalled what Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai had to say about tree-planting interruptions: “If

you are in the midst of planting a tree and word reaches you that the Messiah has arrived, do not interrupt your work; first finish your planting and only then go out to welcome the Messiah.”

Snapping back to my shovel, I began to dig. Almost immediately, another line from the tree-planting ceremony—“Take care not to spoil or destroy My world, for if you do, there will be no one to repair it after you,” from Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah—assumed a different shading as I struck a root from a nearby plum tree.

Gauging that the loss would not be fatal, I chopped it out.

The service’s warning “And do not wound your neighbors, for they, too, are part of the interdependent whole,” reminded me that when you plant near a property line, you are planting for two. Who could be upset by the tree’s sweet-smelling flowers that are only fragrant at night? And by day, the Angel’s trumpet called to hummingbirds.

However, after some research I also discovered that the Angel’s trumpet, like other common landscape plants such as azaleas,

rhododendron and oleander, is poisonous if ingested. I would have to remember to keep it from growing into their yard.

As I pulled the 2-foot shoot from the plastic pot, I saw that it had already developed a good set of roots.

“People can sense God’s presence in nature,” read the text. “We pause in awe at nature’s elegance.”

I lowered the plant into the hole, filling in around it with a mixture of earth and potting soil.

“Originally, we got this plant as a cutting from our neighbor,” Freda’s husband Stuart said a few days earlier. I wondered how many generations this plant, which is native to South America, had traveled to reach my backyard.

The service said that we protect the world “by planting and by remembering and by connecting, from generation to generation.” As I watered the planting, I wondered, once it grew large enough for a cutting, who would be renewed by the next generation.

—Edmon J. Rodman is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish life from Los Angeles.

Are you living a Jewish life just because your parents did?

Are you searching for what Judaism means to you on a personal level?

Congregation Beth Chaverim is introducing

“Living a Jewish Life in the Reform Way” to help you answer these questions.

Join us for 7 hands on sessions that will have you and fellow participants exploring our traditions, culture and dilemmas in thought provoking ways.

Sessions will be held from 6:30pm-8:30pm on the following Tuesdays: January 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 18, March 4, March 18, April 1 & April 22, 2014. Free onsite childcare is available upon request.

The program will take place at 3820 Stoneshore Road in Virginia Beach. For more information or to register today, please contact Dr. Rita Frank at 757-498-5341.

Made possible through funding of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Tidewater Jewish Foundation and Simon Family Foundation.

26 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 7:15 pm Naro Expanded Cinema 1507 Colley Avenue, Norfolk

Follow Me

Directed by Jonathan Gruber and Ari Daniel Pinchot 2012, Israel, 84 mins., English Jonathan Gruber, director, will speak after the screening.Shown in partnership with the Community Relations Council of the UJFT.

Thursday, Jan. 23, 7 pm

Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach 6 pm reception with Mal Vincent

*of blessed memory

Catered by Village Caterers

Sophie’s Choice

Saturday, Jan. 18 Opening Night Movie and Reception, 7:30 pm

Mal Vincent’s Pick Directed by Alan J. Pakula 1982, United States, 150 mins., English

Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 201 Market Street, Va Beach

Saturday, Jan. 25, 7 pm

Doors open at 6:45 pm, reception following film

Date Night at the Roper!

TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, 340 Granby Street, Norfolk

The Zigzag Kid

Directed by Vincent Bal 2012, Netherlands, 95 mins. English, Dutch and French with subtitles

All In

Directed by Daniel Burman 2012, Argentina, 113 mins.

Spanish with subtitles

*Appropriate for children ages 12 and over.

Opening Night film and party sponsored by Patricia and Avraham Ashkenazi, Catered by Village Caterers

Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 pm

Saturday, Jan. 25, 7 pm

TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, 340 Granby Street, Norfolk

Date Night at the Beach Bistro!

Beach Movie Bistro 941 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach

Misa’s Fugue

Directed by Sean Gaston 2012, United States, 97 mins., English

Double Feature, SPECIAL Young Adult Division of UJFT after-party at Eurasia

Shown in partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the UJFT. The director, Bill Jucksch (a local liberator of Gunskirchen), and Frank “Misa” Grunwald will participate in a post film discussion.

Punk Jews

Directed by Jesse Zook Mann 2012, United States, 60 mins., English

Poisoned

Tuesday, Jan. 21, 7 pm

Directed by Didi Lubetzky 2011, Israel, 45 mins.

Hebrew with subtitles

Beach Movie Bistro, 941 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach

Kidon

In partnership with the Young Adult Division of the UJFT. Reservations required: tickets only available in advance. Arrive by 6:15 pm to order dinner, drinks. Kosher meal available upon request by contacting mgoldberg@simonfamilyjcc.org.

Directed by Emmanuel Naccache 2013, Israel, 97 mins.

English, French, Hebrew with subtitles To guarantee seating, please arrive no later than 6:15 pm. Dinner and drinks available for purchase.

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 12 pm Simon Family JCC 5000 Corporate Woods Dr., Va. Beach (Also shown on Sunday, January 19 at 2 pm at Beth Sholom Village)

Sturgeon Queens (Free)

Directed by Julie Cohen 2014, United States, 45 mins., English

Sunday, Jan. 26, 7 pm 5:45 pm Closing Reception TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, 340 Granby Street, Norfolk

In The Shadow

Directed by David Ondricek 2012, Czech Republic, 97 mins.

Czech, Polish and German with subtitles Catered by TCC Culinary Arts students

Lunch available at the Cardo Cafe.

Film Festival tickets Full Festival Pass — $90 (7 days of movies and receptions)

Film Festival special pricing

Opening night film and reception — $35

All students and faculty (with valid ID) are FREE for TCC Roper film showings.

Closing night film and reception — $18

To purchase tickets and passes visit www.simonfamilyjcc.org, stop by the JCC Front Desk or call 757 321-2338.

Individual film tickets — $10

Sponsored by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with major support from Old Point National Bank, and Patricia and jewishnewsva.org Avraham Ashkenazi. | January 13, 2014 | Jewish News | 27

February 7 at 9 a.m. and February 20 at 7 p.m.

OPEN Preschool: K – 5: Call to schedule a private tour.

HOUSES

Jewish Day School Education yields lifelong benefits both tangible and intangible: • A strong Jewish identity, a love of Judaism, and a commitment to Jewish life

• Unwavering dedication to the Jewish people and the State of Israel

• Academic excellence • Critical and independent thinking

• A lifelong love of learning • Confidence and preparedness as they continue their education

• Moral education and character development • Values, integrity and leadership

Call today to schedule a tour at

757-424-4327

5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 | www.hebrewacademy.net The Strelitz Early Childhood Center is an educational partnership of Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and the Simon Family Jewish Community Center. The preschool is open to students of all faiths.

28 | Jewish News | January 13, 2014 | jewishnewsva.org