The Dayton Jewish Observer, October 2020

New home forMoss Holocaust Resource Center & Frydman Wright State p. 3 David designs Grace After Meals in comic ERC book at form p. 22

THE DAYTON Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton

October 2020 Tishri/Cheshvan 5781 Vol. 25, No. 2

OBSERVER

The Miami Valley’s Jewish Monthly • Online at daytonjewishobserver.org White House/Tia Dufour

A new era of peace

Signing of the Abraham Accords, Sept. 15 at the White House

Remembering Hyla

2

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID DAYTON, OHIO PERMIT NO. 59

Hyla N. Weiskind, June 1, 1948-Aug. 21, 2020

Kosovo’s deal with Israel

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New series

Considering Creation

Address Service Requested

Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton 525 Versailles Drive Dayton, OH 45459

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Hyla Weiskind, retired JFS senior outreach manager, dies of Covid

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Hyla N. Weiskind, a beloved senior outreach manager with Dayton’s Jewish Family Services and the JCC for a generation, died in Cleveland, Aug. 21 at age 72 after a month-long battle with Covid-19.

She had cared for and advocated on behalf of the elderly members of Dayton’s Jewish community — watching out for our parents and grandparents — for 24 years.

Hyla and her husband, optometrist Dr. Ray Weiskind, moved to Dayton from their native Cleveland in 1973. That year, she began volunteering as an advisor with BBYO, and at Covenant House, Dayton’s Jewish nursing home.

In 1991, the JCC and JFS hired Hyla to coordinate daily programs for their senior lunch site at the Jesse Philips Building in Trotwood.

Hyla completed her bachelor’s degree in social work Hyla N. Weiskind, June 1, 1948-Aug. 21, 2020 in 1999 at the University of of Greater Dayton. “She was from 2003 to 2014.

Dayton. so caring. She went beyond “I always thought that Through a grant, she started being a professional. She was a the JFS Bikur Haverim Friendly whoever passed away should caregiver for all the people she always be kept in the person’s Visiting Program, which condealt with.” nects volunteers with seniors in life,” Hyla said. “We felt we Peter said Hyla was always needed something that had a Dayton’s Jewish community. there for him, both as a colJewish tone.”

In 2010, Hyla began managleague and as a friend.

Advocating for her seniors ing senior outreach and case “Hyla had a caring impact on was a sacred obligation to Hyla. management for JFS. three generations of our fam“I’ve known a lot of these “There’s nothing like the ily,” he said. “First, my motherfamilies because the kids were home visits and the stories in-law, who was part of the in BBYO, so I get a call from they (seniors) share and the seniors program, who, like evsomeone and I know the backthings they tell you about their eryone else, loved her, and Hyla ground of the families,” Hyla children and their childhood experiences,” Hyla told The Ob- said. “The kids might have left, took good care of her. Hyla server when she retired from JFS but the majority of parents have helped my wife, Joan, navigate her mother’s aging process. Our stayed.” in 2015. “You learn more from daughter Jennifer was an intern “Hyla has left a lasting this population than you could with Jewish Family Services. learn from anyone. The wisdom imprint on the Dayton JewHyla was her mentor and they ish community over multiple from the elderly population is became great friends. Hyla so enormous, you can never get generations,” said Peter Wells, was also there for us when our retired executive vice presiback what you received from daughter Rebecca died.” dent of the Jewish Federation them.”

JFGD After they retired, Inspired through her Hyla and Ray returned 21 years as a volunteer to live in the Cleveland with Hospice of Dayton area. and the bereavement Hyla described her groups she led for them, work with JFS as putHyla used the format to ting pieces of a puzzle facilitate a twice-yearly together to help people. bereavement group for “You walk in each JFS, which she called morning and we never Hello Again. She led the know what’s going to JFS bereavement groups happen,” Hyla said. at Beth Jacob and Beth Hyla N. Weiskind leads a JCC Senior Songbirds “Because in this job, Abraham synagogues performance at Covenant Manor in 1996 there can be a crisis. We have happy times and we have sad times. God forbid, someone Arts & Culture.........................21 Obituaries.......................23 is sick, dying, needs us to be Family Education........................20 O p i n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 6 there, we are there for them.”

— Marshall Weiss Mr. Mazel..................................18 Re l i g i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 9

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

DAYTON Photos: Erin Pence/Wright State University

New, more accessible home for Holocaust Resource Center & Frydman ERC at Wright State and director of the Dayton HoBy Marshall Weiss locaust Resource Center. “The The Observer space is large and open, and has Wright State University a lot of light. It’s just beautiful. moved its Charles and Renate Frydman Educational Resource And they’re not done. From where we started to where we Center in August from Alare now, we’ve come so far.” lyn Hall to the second floor of Frydman began the Dayton Dunbar Library, where it is now a featured collection within the Holocaust Resource Center out of her own home. university libraries.

From 1993 to 2003, Hillel The Frydman ERC includes Academy Jewish day school, in its holdings the collection of the Dayton Holocaust Resource then in Harrison Township, housed the center at Center. its library.

According The center came to to Wright State Allyn Hall at Wright University LibrarState in 2003. The ian Sue Polanka, university named the move makes the ERC in honor of the collection more Frydman and her late accessible to the husband, Holocaust entire Wright State survivor Charles Frydcommunity. man, in 2007.

“We are open Renate Frydman Polanka said the more hours than the move was a way for the uniERC was, we have seven-day service, we have evenings, and versity to be more financially we have a larger staff to be able efficient and at the same time more effective for the ERC. to help,” Polanka said.

“We’ll have our Instruction The Frydman ERC’s new location, in Room 210 of the Dun- and Research Services handle queries,” Polanka said. “We bar Library, includes display cases to feature works from the have 10 librarians in that department; they can all provide Max May Memorial Holocaust a general level of service. We’ll Art Contest.

Previously, the Frydman ERC have one librarian, Heather Back, and she will be the librarwas housed at Allyn Hall and ian who will learn the collection maintained by the College of Education and Human Services. and do more outreach and in“I’m beyond thrilled that it’s struction with that collection.”

“Wright State has been so found such a good home now,” good to us,” said Frydman, said Renate Frydman, founder

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whose Holocaust education projects with the university go back more than three decades.

She conducted videotaped interviews with local Holocaust survivors beginning in 1986 for the Dayton Holocaust Resource Center’s Faces of the Holocaust series, produced at Wright State’s television center with support from the Jewish Federation. Frydman continued conducting local survivor and liberator video interviews with Wright State a decade later.

Today, the Faces of the Holocaust series of 16 interviews is also available at YouTube and iTunes.

Frydman, who has spoken about the Holocaust at countless schools over more than a generation, is also the project director of Prejudice and Memory: A Holocaust Exhibit, on permanent display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force for the past 21 years.

The Frydman ERC now comprises 19,000 print and nonprint items. Overall, it provides research and instructional materials, media, and equipment for teacher education majors.

Dunbar Library is also where Wright State’s Special Collection and Archives department is based, on the third floor; it’s the home of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton Records collection.

Continued on next page

Since we began publishing The Observer in 1996, it’s been our goal to get each month’s issue through the postal system and into our readers’ mailboxes by the first of each month.

Marshall I’ve heard from some Miami Valley readers that with the current mishegas Weiss involving the USPS, they now receive The Observer solidly past the first of the month.

To ensure that you see each issue of The Observer as soon as it’s available, please like or follow our Facebook page, The Dayton Jewish Observer. To find it, just enter The Dayton Jewish Observer in the search bar at Facebook. The web address for our Facebook page is facebook.com/TheDaytonJewishObserver. As soon as each issue goes to the printer, our Facebook page is where I post the eedition of our print publication. Another benefit: at our Facebook page, you’ll be able to keep up to the minute with the latest Jewish news between our printed monthly issues. We should only have smoother mail delivery on the horizon.

Dayton Holocaust Resource Center founder and Director Renate Frydman (L) signs a copy of her book, Anschel’s Story: Determined To Survive, for Wright State University Librarian Sue Polanka, at the new home of the Charles and Renate Frydman Educational Resource Center, Room 210 of the Dunbar Library on campus. The Frydman ERC includes the DHRC collection.

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OBSERVER daytonjewishobserver.org Editor and Publisher Marshall Weiss MWeiss@jfgd.net 937-610-1555 Contributors Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, Scott Halasz, Candace R. Kwiatek

Part of the Dayton Holocaust Resource Center collection at the Charles and Renate Frydman Educational Resource Center, Dunbar Library, Wright State University

To meet the university’s August deadline to bring the Frydman ERC to Dunbar, 10 librarians made more than 250 trips back and forth through Wright State’s underground tunnel system.

The Holocaust Resource Center component of the collection comprises Holocaust-related materials for teachers and researchers in the Dayton area, including video resources, curriculum materials, research and reference sources, periodicals, books, and artifacts. It also maintains a website and Facebook page for teachers and students.

With Dunbar Library staff working remotely because of the Covid-19 epidemic, Polanka suggests those with queries email them to the university’s Ask A Librarian service via libraries. wright.edu/ask.

“Ask A Librarian gives you instant help,” she said. “It’s an instant way to chat online with a librarian. The people who work that service are the people in the department I mentioned. They’ll provide assistance and if needed, will refer people to Heather Back. That service provides a lot of hours: evening hours, weekend hours.”

People can visit Dunbar Library — which has social-distancing health procedures in place — and may borrow items from the Frydman ERC collection with a Wright State Library Card, available by joining WSU Friends of the Library, at libraries.wright.edu/friends/join.

“We are blessed and honored to have a Holocaust center like this, to be on the forefront of Holocaust education at Wright State,” Frydman said.

“Holocaust education is a large movement now, because it goes along with teaching about prejudice and bullying, things I had hoped wouldn’t still be so much a part of society anymore. We have a mission to fulfill, and being at Wright State’s Dunbar Library expands our mission.”

For assistance with Frydman ERC & Dayton Holocaust Resource Center materials: • Ask A Librarian: libraries.wright.edu/ask

More details available at

THE DAYTON

• Phone: 937-775-2925. With staff working remotely due to Covid-19, phone messages will be transferred to email and staff will return calls.

• Librarian Heather Back will work most closely with this collection.

• Borrowers from Wright State University Libraries must have one of the following:

WSU library card OhioLINK borrowing card Greene County Public Library card WSU Friends of the Library borrowing card, available at libraries.wright.edu/friends/join

Advertising Sales Executive Patty Caruso, plhc69@gmail.com Proofreader Rachel Haug Gilbert Billing Sheila Myers, SMyers@jfgd.net 937-610-1555 Observer Advisor Martin Gottlieb Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton Heath Gilbert President Bruce Feldman Immediate Past Pres.

Mary Rita Weissman Pres. Elect/VP, Personnel/Foundation Chair Beverly Louis Secretary Neil Friedman Treasurer Dan Sweeny VP, Resource Development Cathy Gardner CEO The Dayton Jewish Observer, Vol. 25, No. 2. The Dayton Jewish Observer is published monthly by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, a nonprofit corporation, 525 Versailles Dr., Dayton, OH 45459.

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The Dayton Jewish Observer Mission Statement To support, strengthen and champion the Dayton Jewish community by providing a forum and resource for Jewish community interests.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

DAYTON Marshall Weiss

‘May the All-Merciful One shelter them with the cover of His wings forever’ Civilian deaths in Dayton’s Jewish community from the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-19

ried 23-year-old tailor Nathan Kauffman of Dayton on their three children — Max, Benjamin, and Minnie — Dec. 9, 1917 in Cincinnati. all under age 4, at 229 Allen St. Nathan Berlin is buried Sophia’s husband, Nathan Kauffman, was born at Beth Abraham Cemetery.

Feb. 28, 1895 in the Russian Empire. He arrived in the “He was helping his uncle — that was Mr. Hyman United States in 1912. On their marriage license, Sophia Schriber — because he was sick, and my grandfather fudged her age to appear younger, claiming she was 23 Nathan caught the flu and died,” Natalie Cohn of Daythough she was 25. The couple lived at 1929 E. Third ton told The Observer. Natalie is Minnie’s daughter; she St. in Dayton, and she took on the role of housewife. was named for her grandfather.

Sophia died at St. Elizabeth Hospital on Oct. 15, 1918 at Natalie’s grandmother Sarah had arrived in the age 26. She is buried at Beth Jacob Cemetery. Her death United States in 1914 from Latvia. After Nathan’s certificate records the cause of death as influenza. death, Sarah opened a grocery store with a relative, Morris Solomon, the son of woodworker Max Samuel Kramer, at 712 S. Wayne Ave. Within a few Solomon of Romania and Leah Cohen Solomon of the

By Marshall Weiss years, Samuel went back out as a peddler and Sarah Grave of Sophia Kauffman, Russian Empire, was born Sept. 2, 1902 in Manchester, was on her own with the store.

The Observer Beth Jacob Cemetery England. Max was a cabinetmaker with the Dayton “It was a deli, with a pickle barrel and all the deli Wright Airplane Company in Moraine. n last month’s Observer, we learned of two Jewish stuff,” Natalie said. As children, Natalie’s uncles and The Solomon family arrived in the United States in soldiers with Dayton connections who died from mother helped their mother, Sarah, in the store.

1910 and lived at 1613 E. Fifth St., Dayton. A student, the Spanish flu in 1918: Private Irvin M. Welt and Natalie said that for a very brief period, her grandMorris died at home Oct. 31, 1918 at Captain Arthur Pereles.

Collection of Natalie Cohn mother Sarah remarried.

Although Public Health — Dayton and Montgomery age 16. He is also buried at Beth Jacob “He was a shochet (kosher slaughterCemetery. The cause listed on his death County’s Department of Vital Statistics is now closed er) who lived next door,” Natalie said. certificate is bronchopneumonia, very to the public for in-person research because of the “He took a liking to my grandmother. likely a result of the Spanish flu.

Covid-19 pandemic, a new project of Brigham Young My mother didn’t like that. Meanwhile, Buried at Beth Abraham Cemetery is University has compiled death certificates of all known he got her to marry him. That didn’t last people who died in 1918 of the Spanish flu in Ohio, via Anna Gorenstein, a housewife, who died long.” at Miami Valley Hospital of bronchoa public database at FamilySearch.com.

In the early 1930s, Sarah moved her pneumonia on Oct. 18, 1918 at age 39.

Eventually, the project will comprise 1918 Spanish grocery to the 1900 block of Home AvShe and her husband, Harry, a salesman, flu deaths from all 50 states; fortunately, the team at enue on the West Side. She died in 1944 Brigham Young’s Record Linking Lab — with faculty at lived at 446 East 5th St. Both were born at about age 50, when Natalie was 5.

University of Michigan and University of Minnesota — in the Russian Empire as were their two “My grandmother was just so sweet oldest children. Harry was left to raise completed Ohio first. and generous,” Natalie recalled. “She their two sons and two daughters: an Through this database, we know of three deaths as lived with us upstairs and she wasn’t a direct result of the Spanish flu and another two likely infant, a toddler, and two teenagers. A well. My mother would make a tray of Sarah Berlin, widow of Nathan food for my grandmother and I would from complications of the Spanish flu in Dayton’s Jew- few years later, he would remarry.

Sam Silberman, who died of influenza Berlin, with their children (L to take it up to her.” ish civilian population at the time. Of these five, two R): Benjamin, Minnie, and Max at Miami Valley Hospital Dec. 17, 1918 at are buried at Beth Jacob Cemetery and three at Beth In 1947, Natalie’s parents, Minnie age 52, is also buried at Beth Abraham Cemetery. Little and George Rudin, would open the Tropics, a PolyneAbraham Cemetery. Here are their stories. else is known about this Jew from Russian Poland Sophia Kauffman was born July 21, 1892 to Israel sian-themed nightclub at 1721 N. Main St., which they whose name never appeared in Dayton’s city direcand Rose Kaufman in the Russian Empire. She immiran for 40 years. Minnie’s brothers also worked there. tory; on his death certificate, his occupation is listed as grated to the United States in 1907 and found work in Of the 20 other Jewish Daytonians who died during Cincinnati as a men’s clothing finisher. Israel and Rose unknown, and his marital status is left empty. the Spanish flu’s peak here — between October 1918 Fruit peddler Nathan Berlin, born in the Russian arrived in the United States in 1909 and in Cincinnati, and January 1919 — up to nine may have also died of Empire, died of influenza at Miami Valley Hospital Oct. the Spanish flu. We’ll have to wait until our local vital Israel became the foreman of a piano factory.

Sophia added another F to her name when she mar- 27, 1918 at age 27. He left behind his wife, Sarah, and statistics office opens for in-person research to find out.

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Community virtual Selichot service

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Clergy and members of Beth Abraham Synagogue, Beth Jacob Congregation, Temple Beth Or, and Temple Israel came together via Zoom after Shabbat on the evening of Sept. 12 for a virtual community Selichot service facilitated by the Jewish Federation. The Selichot service — penitential prayers offered prior to the High Holy Days — featured the Dayton Jewish Chorale, which comprises singers from the local Jewish congregations.

THE COMPASSIONATE CARE AND CLINICAL COMPETENCE YOU DESERVE Independent Living • Assisted Living • Rehabilitation Skilled Nursing • Short Term Stays

Hillel Academy raising funds for playground

Intro. to Judaism course

The Synagogue Forum of Greater Dayton will present its 17-session Introduction to Judaism course on Hillel Academy of Greater Dayton Jewish day school Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom, Oct. 19 and has launched a campaign to provide its students with running through March 15. The annual class is open a playground. The school, with 40 students in grades to anyone interested in Jewish learning, dialogue, and kindergarten through six, is located on the third floor of exploration.

Beth Abraham Synagogue at Sugar Camp in Oakwood.

The course offers an in-depth look at Judaism from Because of seed money already raised from several Conservative, Orthodox, Traditional, and Reform donors, Hillel hopes to install the structure on Beth perspectives. Instructors are rabbis from Dayton’s Abraham’s campus before the end of the calendar year. synagogues. The registration fee is $36 for a single or To contribute to the playground and its maintenance, couple. For more information or to enroll, email Rabbi call Kimberley Schubert at 937-277-8966.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

THE WORLD

White House ceremony celebrates new era for Israel, UAE, and Bahrain

By Ron Kampeas, JTA WASHINGTON — Benjamin Netanyahu has complained for years about Arab leaders telling their people one thing in Arabic and diplomats saying another to Western audiences in English.

Not on Sept. 15.

Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, was on the White House lawn speaking — in Arabic — about the “innate principle” of peace and thanking the Israeli prime minister for helping to bring it about.

If the agreements signed Sept.

15 by leaders of the UAE, Israel, the United States, and Bahrain were historic, it was because of this: Two Arab leaders were praising peace not simply as a means of ending bloodshed, the precipitate for the cold peace that Israel has had for decades with Jordan and Egypt, but as an end in itself.

“We are witnessing today a new trend that will create a better path for the Middle East,” bin Zayed said. “This peace accord, which is a historic achievement for the United States of America. The state of Israel and the United Arab Emirates will continue to have a positive impact as we believe that its reverberations will be reflected on the entire region.”

It was shining moment for Netanyahu — and he was pleased to bask in the vindication.

“This is not only a peace between leaders,” Netanyahu said.

“It’s a peace between peoples.”

Or “peace for peace,” the slogan Netanyahu has long favored and invoked when news

Alex Wong/Getty Images

(L to R) Bahrain Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, President Donald Trump and UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan participate in the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords on the South Lawn of the White House, Sept. 15

realistic and enduring solubroke in August of an impendtion to the Israeli-Palestinian ing deal.

Except bin Zayed clearly saw conflict.”

Reports were circulating that it as peace for something more the United States had provided than just peace. assurances to the UAE that “Thank you for choosing Israel would not move ahead peace, and for halting the anwith annexing nexation of Palparts of the estinian territo- ‘This is not West Bank until ries, a decision only a peace at least 2024. that reinforces The deals, our shared will between leaders,’ released hours to achieve a Netanyahu said. later by the better future White House, for generations ‘It’s a peace not mento come,” bin between peoples.’ did tion annexation, Zayed said. instead pledgNetanyahu, who did not mention the Pales- ing cooperation in a number of tinians in his remarks, could not areas including security, trade, quite shake them or their claims tourism, the economy educato territories he hopes to annex. tion and health care.

That didn’t stop a smilThe agreement with the UAE calls for a “just, comprehensive Continued on next page

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THE WORLD

New era for Israel, UAE, and Bahrain Continued from previous page ing Netanyahu from posting a video on Twitter saying in Hebrew, “I have in my hands the draft of the historic peace treaty between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the historic peace declaration between Israel and Bahrain.”

Gilad Erdan, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations who was present at the ceremony, said Netanyahu’s pledge to annex parts of the West Bank was not moribund, but acknowledged that it was dependent on the Trump administration.

“He said ‘the stopping’ and

not ‘canceling,’” Erdan told The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, referring to bin Zayed’s comments about annexation.

“And I spoke with the prime minister and I know we never gave up on our sovereignty, and that is for now, and we understand everyone understands that when we want to extend our sovereignty over to Judea and Sanaria, we need the support and the cooperation of the

The day was marked repeatedly by signals that Netanyahu owed much to Trump.

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American administration and right now they have decided upon their priorities.”

The other matter of substance that may have unnerved Netanyahu were the talks between U.S. and UAE officials over the sale of F-35 stealth combat jets. The Israeli government is opposed to the sale. Trump made clear he was not.

“We’re going to work that out. We’ll work that out,” Trump said at an appearance with Netanyahu prior to the signing ceremony when he was asked whether he would press ahead with the sale even if Israel objected. “That’s going to be an easy thing.”

The day was marked repeatedly by signals that Netanyahu owed much to Trump. He sat silently as Trump disparaged his rival in the November presidential elections, Joe Biden, as “sleepy Joe” three times, effectively becoming a prop for Trump in his reelection campaign.

Netanyahu, having just shut down his country for the second time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, appeared maskless alongside Trump, who continues to reject strictures to contain the pandemic, and did not maintain a social distance from the president.

For all of those concessions, there was much for Netanyahu to celebrate. As Trump put it, “There’s less isolation right now for Israel than there’s ever been.”

The Trump administration teased some of the contents of the deals in a news release, saying the UAE, Israel and Bahrain “have committed to the exchange of embassies and ambassadors, and to begin cooperation across a broad range of fields including education, health care, trade and security.”

More poignantly, after the ceremony broke up, a television crew from the Emirates filmed an unusual scene: Jewish celebrants, one wrapped in a tallit, praying the afternoon Minchah service on the South Lawn.

NCCJ is dedicated to ending bias, bigotry, and discrimination. Together, we can serve our communities through tikkun olam and tzedakah. Find out more about the work of NCCJ at www.nccjgreaterdayton.org/payt

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

THE WORLD

Details of the UAE and Bahrain agreements with Israel White House/Andrea Hanks

U.S. Chief of Protocol Cam Henderson assists President Donald J. Trump, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani (L), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the United Arab Emirates Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan with the documents during the signing of the Abraham Accords, Sept. 15, on the South Lawn of the White House.

By Ron Kampeas, JTA WASHINGTON — Agreements between Israel and two Arab nations — the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — include security components as well as pledges to expand cooperation in civilian areas.

The White House sent the agreements to reporters hours after the pacts were signed on the South Lawn of the White House.

The deal with the United Arab Emirates, titled Treaty of Peace, Diplomatic Relations, and Full Normalization Between the United Arab Emirates and the state of Israel, was longer and

more detailed: four pages and a three-page annex outlining areas of cooperation.

The Bahrain agreement, which the sides have just begun to negotiate, was one page and broader in its outlines.

Both documents outlined areas of security cooperation. The UAE and Israel “undertake to take the necessary steps to prevent any terrorist or hostile activities against each other on or from their respective territories as well as deny any support for such activities abroad or allow such support on or from their respective territories.”

The Bahrain agreement said

Israel and that Gulf nation will come up with a security agreement in coming weeks.

The agreements, brokered by the Trump administration, formalize existing security cooperation between Israel and the Gulf nations that has existed for years. The agreements also pledge cooperation in a range of nonmilitary areas, including trade, health care, energy, education and the environment.

The agreement with the UAE calls for a “just, comprehensive, realistic and enduring solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” but stops short of calling for a Palestinian state.

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PAGE 9

THE WORLD

Jews have lived in Bahrain for 140 years. The nation’s peace deal with Israel changes their lives.

Courtesy of Khedouri

By Josefin Dolstein, JTA Ebrahim Dahood Nonoo, the leader of Bahrain’s tiny Jewish community, was among the Gulf country’s approximately 50 Jews who thought peace with Israel would never arrive “in our lifetimes.”

“It just didn’t seem possible,” Nonoo told JTA from Manama, the capital city where he lives with his wife.

The Sept. 15 signing of the agreements called the Abraham Accords is expected to open up routes for collaboration, trade and travel between Bahrain and Israel, which had all been restricted. It will have a significant impact on Bahrain’s Jews, many of whom have relatives in Israel they have not been able to visit.

Bahrain’s Jews weren’t the only ones shocked when President Donald Trump announced that he had brokered peace agreements between Israel and two Arab states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, within a month of each other.

Israel only had relations with two other Arab nations in the region, and most of its neighbors have long isolated the Jewish state and at times have even gone to war with it.

“We can talk to our relatives and we can feel more comfortable now about going and coming. It actually changes quite a lot,” said Nonoo, a businessman who in 2001 became the first Jewish person appointed to serve on to the country’s Shura Council, the upper chamber of its National Assembly.

The Jewish community in Bahrain, an island nation of some 1.5 million people, dates back about 140 years to the late 1800s, when a group of Iraqi Jews arrived in

search of economic opportunities. Many were poor and lacked education but found jobs, and eventually success, in the clothing industry.

A smaller number of Jews also settled in Bahrain from Iran at around the same time. At its height in the 1920s and ’30s, the community had about 800 members, according to Nonoo, though others have said the number was as high as 1,500.

Though community members mixed socially with Bahraini Muslims, they mainly married within the community and lived close to each other in Manama. Members continued to speak Jewish representative Nancy Khedouri (2nd from L) and other Bahraini officials meet with foreign representatives including U.S. a Jewish dialect of Iraqi Arabic and still do.

In 1935, a member of the Cartier family, the Ambassador Justin Siberell (L) The few who remained or their descendants make Jewish family who founded the eponymous up the 50 or so Jews living in the country. There is an jewelry company, passed through on a business trip active Jewish cemetery, but the synagogue — rebuilt by and ended up donating money to build a synagogue and bring in a rabbi, according to Nonoo. Over the next Nonoo’s father in the 1980s — never officially reopened 10 years, the community continued to flourish econom- and most of the community continues to pray at home.

Nonoo is renovating the building and hopes to reopen ically and gathered in the synagogue for services. it next year as a house of worship and museum.

But things took a turn for the worse following the On Sept. 14, Jared Kushner, Trump’s Jewish son-in1947 U.N. Partition vote, which recommended the creation of a Jewish state in then-Palestine alongside an law who serves as his senior adviser, gave Bahrain’s Arab one. The move led to antisemitic riots throughout King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa a Torah scroll for the synagogue. the Arab world, including in Bahrain.

Most of the community members today are finanA group of rioters — Nonoo said they were migrants from other Arab countries — burned the synagogue to cially successful and continue to be represented in the Shura Council, which has designated a seat each for the ground and stole the country’s only Torah scroll. representatives of the country’s Jewish and Christian Most of the community left after the attack or in the populations. decade and a half following, settling in Israel.

Jewish Education Continues! Join us this fall for Makor featuring: Safe & dynamic family programming available for PreK-12th grade October 11 - Online Education October 18 - Online Education October 25 - Online Education November 1 - Family Education Parking Lot Program November 8 - Online Education

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Today...and for Generations THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

October JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

SUN

MON

27

28

4

5

11 18

12 19

TUE

29 6 13 20

WED

30 7 14 21

THU

1 8 15 22

FRI

2 9 16 23

SAT

3 10 17 24

UPCOMING EVENTS Connect with us! Check out our events. For more information, check out our calendar at jewishdayton.org.

Thursday, October 1 @ 7:30PM — Global Jewish Cuisine Tuesdays & Thursdays, October 13 - November 12 @ 7PM — JCC Youth Theatre Virtual Theatre Classes Fall 2020 - Acting Technique in Performance Friday, October 16 @ 10:30AM — JCC Book Club Monday, October 19 @ NOON — L’Chaim 2020: What is Your Legacy?

Wednesdays, October 21 - November 18 @ 1PM — Unleash Your Inner Author with Novelist Martha Moody Thursday, October 22 @ 7PM — CABS Opening Night: Steven Levy, Facebook: The Inside Story. For full listing, see page 14.

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Mondays, October 26 - December 14 @ 4PM — JCC Youth Theatre Virtual Theatre Classes Fall 2020 - The Art of Storytelling

REMINDERS! • Medicare open enrollment runs through October. See page 18 for more information.

• Let's do a Knitzvah! Runs through November.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR NOVEMBER 3, 2020 GENERAL ELECTION • • • • •

ABSENTEE/VOTE-BY-MAIL

October 5, 2020 – Deadline to change address October 5, 2020 – Deadline to register to vote October 6, 2020 –Absentee/Vote-by-Mail begins October 6, 2020 – Early-in-person voting begins November 2, 2020 – Absentee/Vote-by-Mail ballots postmark deadline • November 2, 2020 – Early in-person voting ends at 2:00pm • November 3, 2020 – Election Day Polls open from 6:30am-7:30pm. Drop off for Absentee/Vote-byMail ballot to Board of Election Office by 7:30pm

voteohio.gov For more information, visit jewishdayton.org/vote THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

PAGE 11

October JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

GET TO KNOW YOUR PJ NEIGHBORS! Meet The Hoffheimer Family How many kids are in your family?

2 What are their ages?

7 and 4 How long have you been receiving PJ Library books?

6 years What is your family’s favorite PJ Library book?

Meet the Latkes, Found, and How to Heal a Broken Wing Do you have a funny or meaningful story about reading PJ Library books in your family?

The kids get really excited to each get their own book.

Now we have to read them once we take them out of the mailbox.

We also enjoy picking out the holiday books and reading them at the holidays together.

How long have you lived in Dayton?

14 years What do you love about Dayton?

The community! We love that there is a lot to do, from the arts to parks.

What are your family’s favorite TV shows or games?

We enjoy playing Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, Dinosaur Escape, and Life. We like watching The Floor is Lava and Masterchef Junior.

What are you looking forward to this Fall?

We love hiking and look forward to our fall walks in the different parks. We enjoy making apple and pumpkin butter, and baking.

Do you have a favorite Holiday tradition or a new idea to try this year?

We are going to try to build our own sukkah!

If you’d like, share a creative way you’ve found to have fun throughout the past months We have built and set off rockets. We enjoy geocaching and also try to get creative in the kitchen!

We want to learn about YOUR family! Our families are what makes the PJ Library program in Dayton so vibrant, and we want to showcase them! To participate, please contact Kate Elder, PJ Library Coordinator at kelder@jfgd.net

A Biss'l Mamaloshen Beyn

| Bayn | plural beyner

Noun Bone(s) Expression with Gelt: 1 Fun tsar vert der beyn dar. Sorrow makes the bone thinner.

2 Di tsung is on beyner - un zi tsebrekht beyner. The tongue may not have

bones, but it can break them.

Legacies, Tributes, & Memorials FEDERATION

JFS

RESILIENCE SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN MEMORY OF › Dan Weckstein Donald & Caryl Weckstein Helene & Arnold Adler UNITED JEWISH CAMPAIGN IN MEMORY OF › Hyla Weiskind Cheryl Carne HOLOCAUST PROGRAMMING FUND IN MEMORY OF › Hyla Weiskind Cherie Rosenstein JOAN & PETER WELLS JCC

CHILDREN’S YOUTH FUND IN MEMORY OF › Hyla Weiskind Pam & Wayne Driscoll Nancy & Joel Newman IN HONOR OF › Speedy recovery of Cathy Gardner Larry & Cindy Burick

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES IN MEMORY OF › Hyla Weiskind Jane & Gary Hochstein Joe & Elaine Bettman Jeff & Beverly Kantor Bob & Karen Steiger Debby & Bob Goldenberg Felix Garfunkel Scott & Caryl Segalewitz › Erika Garfunkel Felix Garfunkel › Lorraine Kotler Felix Garfunkel IN HONOR OF › David Pierce receiving the Robert Shapiro Award Susan & Joe Gruenberg › Ben Mazer receiving the Allan Wasserman Young Leadership Award Susan & Joe Gruenberg

BBYO LEADERSHIP FUND IN MEMORY OF › Hyla Weiskind Sue & Bruce Soifer

Would you like to honor or memorialize someone in your life, all while making a meaningful impact on the Jewish community?

Consider making a donation to a Jewish Foundation of Greater Dayton Fund. Tribute and memorial donations can be made for a variety of reasons.

Contact us at 937-610-1555 for more information.

PAGE 12

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

October JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

VIRTUAL

Classes for fall 2020

educate

empower

to life!

engage

J E W I S H FA M I LY S E R V I C E S P R E S E N T S

L’CHAIM 2020: What is Your Legacy?

Monday, October 19 @NOON Via Zoom How do you want your children, grandchildren, and loved ones to remember you?

What guiding principles, spiritual beliefs, and family stories do you want to pass on?

Join JFS and Dr. Eric Weiner, author of the book Words from the Heart, Writing an Ethical Will, for guided exercises and discussion about how to have these conversations with family and how to write an ethical will.

No charge. Register online at jewishdayton.org!

Eric Weiner Dr. Eric Weiner is a consultant, speaker, and therapist. He brings a variety of skills to his work with affluent clients and advisors. Services include the facilitation of intergenerational family meetings and clientcentered training for financial advisors. He helps families have values-based conversations about money and inheritance as part of their tax and legal estate planning strategies. His passion is to help families define a legacy that preserves both physical assets and family relationships over time.

ACTING TECHNIQUE IN PERFORMANCE Tuesdays & Thursdays, October 13 - November 12 @ 7-8PM Grades 7 – 12 • Program fee $120 Class is limited to 8 participants In this online class, participants will learn a variety of acting techniques to bring their character to life! Topics include voice and breathing, posture and facial expressions, and pacing and delivery. Participants are asked to prepare a monologue of their choosing for the first day of class. Or if they prefer, we will provide them with one. At the end of the class the monologues will be recorded and streamed to share with family and friends. Instructor - Annie Pesch.

THE ART OF STORYTELLING Mondays, October 26 - December 14 @ 4-5PM Grades 3 – 6 • Program fee $120 Class is limited to 8 participants All of us are natural storytellers, even from a young age! In this online class, participants will create their own stories and bring them to life!

Instructor, Annie Pesch, will begin each class with leading theatre games related to the topics covered that week – including characters, plot, conflict, resolution, and theme. In the final weeks, participants will learn how to bring their story to life using acting techniques. The class will culminate with each participant applying what they learned to perform their own story. The stories will be streamed for an audience of family and friends.

$1B COMMITTED NATIONALLY to strengthening the Jewish future Join the efforts of 214 individuals and families in Dayton who have committed 353 legacy gifts, totaling $9,366,397.

To make your legacy gift today, contact: Janese R. Sweeny, Esq. jsweeny@jfgd.net • (937) 401-1542

SAVE the DATE! Community LIFE & LEGACY event on Sunday, November 15!

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

PAGE 13

VIRTUAL

October 22 – May 4, 2021 • Join us for our first Virtual Cultural Arts & Book Series! Register for any CABS event and be entered in a raffle to win a special Meet & Greet with one of our featured authors.

All Author events are free, register today!

OPENING NIGHT Thursday, October 22 @ 7PM Steven Levy, Facebook: The Inside Story What started as a simple website to serve as a college social network, Facebook is nearly unrecognizable from Zuckerberg’s first, modest iteration. It has grown into a tech giant, the largest social media platform and one of the most gargantuan companies in the world. Renowned tech writer Steven Levy has had unprecedented access to Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg for the past three years. Based on hundreds of interviews inside and outside the company, Levy’s sweeping narrative digs deep into the whole story of the company that has changed the world and reaped the consequences.

No cost. Register online at jewishdayton.org.

You can purchase Facebook: The Inside Story through online retailers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BooksAMillion), and in person at Barnes and Noble on 725, across from the Dayton Mall.

For our full Cultural Arts & Book Series lineup, go to Register for special CABS email updates online at jewishdayton.org!

JCC CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMMING IS MADE POSSIBLE BY COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS, COMMUNITY DONATIONS, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL. OUR JCC CULTURAL ARTS AND BOOK SERIES RECEIVES FUNDS FROM AN OHIO ARTS COUNCIL SUSTAINABILITY GRANT.

2 0 2 0

S P O N S O R S

UNLEASH YOUR INNER AUTHOR WITH NOVELIST MARTHA MOODY Wednesdays, October 21 - November 18 @ 1PM For more information and to register, go to jewishdayton.org PAGE 14

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

THE WORLD

We wish you a happy & healthy new year

Kosovo’s Jews cheer their Muslimmajority state’s new deal with Israel Courtesy of Flori Dedoni

a hotel in Pristina that with 72 percent). In this year’s

By Cnaan Lipshiz, JTA is owned by a Muslim Gallup poll, the approval rating For Flori Dedoni, Albanian with an interest in Kosovo rose to 82 percent, a member of the tiny in Judaism — particuagain the highest in Europe.

Jewish community of larly Kabbalah and the Dedoni attributes this to Kosovo, the news that his spiritual book of Zohar, reports of the diplomatic deal country is establishing Dedoni said. now trickling in. formal diplomatic ties Dedoni was born in In Kosovo, “Trump is Ameriwith Israel is cause for Felix Garfunkel Kosovo, but many other ca, and America, and also Israel, celebration. & Family members of his commu- stand for success and freedom,” Until early September, nity are citizens of Israel Dedoni said.

Israel was among the and employed by interdozens of countries that national firms active in had not recognized the Kosovo, he said. About Muslim-majority terri50 people show up tory sandwiched between Early Voting Begins: October 6 Jewish children in Kosovo study Hebrew at a regularly for the Shabbat Albania and Serbia. summer camp in 2020 services, he said. Most “When someone learns Election Day: November 3 of them earn salaries that are semitism. During World War I’m Jewish, they usually ask far above the country’s average sometime during the conversa- II, Kosovars and Albanians famonthly pay of about $500, but mously rescued local Jews and tion why Israel doesn’t recogare on par with the income of helped refugees fleeing from nize us,” Dedoni said. “Now, other Kosovars employed in other Nazi-occupied countries. finally it’s happening and the highly-skilled professions.

Kosovo’s 12-year-long quest feeling is just festive.”

The Kosovar Jews also for recognition, and the consisIsrael’s implied recognition love Donald Trump. The U.S. of Kosovo is part of a three-way tent opposition to it by major president is not known for his world powers, have made deal announced Sept. 4 by the popularity in Muslim countries, Dedoni and his wife question White House. According to the where many believe he harbors whether it’s the best place to announcement, Serbia, which an anti-Muslim animus, includraise their 7-year-old son Lior. claims ownership of Kosovo’s ing because he has limited territory and has fought against Dedoni is a technical engineer travel visas for citizens of sevand member of the World Jewinternational recognition of its eral Muslim-majority countries. ish Congress’ Jewish Diplodeclaration of independence in Learn More: But in a Gallup poll from 2008, has agreed to cooperate on matic Corps.

“It creates all kinds of issues, 2018, support for Trump was some economic issues with the RussJoseph.com about 75 percent in Kosovo, including visa and travel isgovernment of the breakaway higher than anywhere else in sues, when much of the world region.

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF RUSS JOSEPH. MATTHEW COX, TREASURER. The deal stipulates that both doesn’t recognize your country, Europe (followed by Albania, your passport,” Dedoni said. countries will open embassies “We want Kosovo to succeed in Jerusalem — a development that Israel and the United States and wish for it, but with all the ‫ב״ה‬ difficulties we were wonderare advancing despite opposiing whether it tion by the Pal‘Now, finally will ever become estinians and the European Union, it’s happening a fully-recognized because who say that the and the feeling country you also want to city should only be recognized as is just festive.’ give your child the best start in life.”

Israel’s capital after The Dedonis have been cona peace deal with the Palestinsidering immigrating to Israel ians. for a number of years now, but The United States is one of the new Israeli recognition of 116 countries that recognize Kosovo, a landlocked nation of their country, and Serbia’s apabout 1.8 million people with a parent amenability to normalizing relations with Kosovo, are land area roughly half the size giving the Dedonis “new hope” of New Jersey. for staying put, he said.

China, Russia and India, It’s unclear whether Israel among other powers, have not.

Their non-recognition, and that will officially recognize Kosovo of other important countries in- beyond the embassy terms — an anonymous source told The cluding Spain, Israel, Morocco Times of Israel that an official and Ukraine, is believed to be declaration would “destroy” a consistency issue: They fear encouraging unilateral indepen- Israel’s relationship with Serbia.

Either way, the news has dence declarations in territories Reserve a time for the energized the local Jewish comthey control.

Sukkah to come to you! munity of 100 or so, based in Israel’s position had been the Kosovar capital, Pristina, met with incomprehension in www.chabaddayton.com or Kosovo, whose people are over- but has no synagogue there. call us at 937-643-0770 Its members meet for Shabwhelmingly pro-American and bat dinners and on holidays at have a long tradition of philo-

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

PAGE 15

OPINION

Abraham Accords are a paradigm shift of biblical proportions

Palestinian rejectionism

By Alex Traiman, JNS The signing of normalization agreements between Israel and Muslim-majority Sunni Gulf States the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain represents the end of an era of pan-Arab belligerence toward the Jewish state, and the formal acknowledgment that it is a permanent fixture in the Middle East.

Before boarding a plane to attend the historic signings at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “This is a new era of peace, for which I’ve worked for 25 years. These agreements will be a fusion of diplomatic and economic peace and will bring in billions of dollars to the Israeli economy.”

According to Netanyahu’s strategic advisor Aaron Klein, “for too many years, regional peace has been stalled by the tried and failed paradigm of Israeli territorial concessions in exchange for promises of peace.”

“Now we have peace from strength between Gulf states and an Israel that under Netanyahu has become an even greater global economic and military powerhouse,” he told said.

The Netanyahu Doctrine

For Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, these accords represent the intersection of multiple parallel strategic initiatives in the realms of economics, diplomacy and security.

Klein says this merger represents “the culmination of the Netanyahu Doctrine, which can be summarized as peace in exchange for peace, and peace from a position of strength.”

Netanyahu has successfully pivoted Israel’s economy from a resource-poor developing nation with socialist principles into a bustling free market that now operates at a dramatic trade surplus. GDP has grown exponentially, and a small country with less than 10 million citizens has grown into a top 10 global economy.

With dramatically increased tax revenues, the Israel Defense Forces has acquired the world’s best military hardware and developed the world’s most advanced missile-defense systems. Much of this equipment has been purchased with critical military assistance from Israel’s greatest ally, the United States.

And while Netanyahu has been averse to starting or escalating conflicts, Israel is no paper tiger. Israel routinely strikes its enemies wherever they may be operating via traditional military and covert operations.

The country has similarly emerged as a world leader in military intelligence and cybersecurity. Enemies and neighbors recognize that Israel is the region’s superior military superpower.

Jewish state vs. Islamic Republic

Even more critical to Israel’s emergence as a regional power has been the Jewish state’s standing up to the Middle East’s most malign actors, in particular: Iran. Netanyahu’s insistence that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons has flipped the balance of power in the Middle East.

“The seeds for today’s historic deals were planted

by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unrelenting campaign to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” says Klein.

One of the key elements in establishing Israel’s position was a trip by Netanyahu to Washington in early 2015, where he addressed a joint session of

So, what do you think?

PAGE 16

Congress to warn about the dangers of the proposed nuclear deal being discussed with Iran. And while that address placed further strain between Netanyahu and former President Barack Obama — and failed to prevent America from signing on to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA — the address sent a powerful message to Iran’s regional opponents that Israel could be counted to counter Iranian nuclear ambitions.

“It was precisely Netanyahu’s heroic actions to isolate Iran for more than a decade that shifted the Gulf nations’ attitudes towards Israel,” says Klein, noting that the prime minister’s actions have not always been popular. This staunch opposition is “something Netanyahu at times did totally alone, even among other politicians here in Israel.”

Netanyahu’s opposition has not only been rhetorical. Israel has consistently acted to reduce Iranian presence in Syria and to strike hard against illicit Iranian weapons transfers. Furthermore, Israel is widely believed to have engaged in numerous covert actions to hinder Iran’s nuclear-weapons program.

The scope of Israeli penetration deep into Iranian nuclear infrastructure was revealed in the Mossad’s stunning secret raid of Iran’s nuclear archives in 2018.

Netanyahu’s actions demonstrated strength that resonated with Obama’s successor, President Donald Trump. The prime minister’s lobbying played a significant role in Trump’s decision to withdraw from the JCPOA and reinstate harsh economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

“The UAE, Bahrain and other Gulf States must know that if it weren’t for Netanyahu’s heroic leadership, then Iran would already likely possess nuclear weapons,” says Klein. “And if Netanyahu didn’t repeatedly act, Iran would have a much larger terrorist footprint throughout the region.

‘Peace to prosperity’

Now the trust that Netanyahu has built with Trump and his senior advisor, Jared Kushner, are reaping further dividends. The prime minister successfully convinced the administration to recalibrate peace efforts in the Middle East — from the failed land for peace paradigms of the Oslo Accords.

Klein says “the peace deals with the UAE and Bahrain were fueled by President Trump’s revolutionary Peace to Prosperity plan, the most realistic formula for Mideast peace.”

A tenet of the Netanyahu doctrine has always been that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not the source of all or even most of the problems in the Middle East.

He has consistently worked to reverse the notion that greater peace in the region can only come from ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Gulf nations continue to nudge the Palestinians to change their ways, but the UAE and Bahrain — and hopefully, many others — won’t wait around any longer,” says Klein. “These countries are ready to advance a regional normalization and peace anchored in the best interests of every forward-leaning nation that opposes the regional extremism propagated by Iran.”

Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that peace will come from the outside in; that generating peace between Israel and its other Arab neighbors will dramatically increase the prospects for a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians.

Send letters (350 words max.) to The Dayton Jewish Observer, 525 Versailles Dr., Dayton, OH 45459 • MWeiss@jfgd.net

The signing of the Abraham Accords may ultimately lead to peace with Palestinians if they decide to follow their Sunni brethren in recognizing that the Jewish state is in the Middle East to stay. Israelis, says Klein, are ready to make progress on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“The Trump plan was immediately accepted by Israel as a basis for talks,” says Klein, “while the Palestinians rejected out of hand a plan that would have given them a much better life and put their economy on steroids.”

Palestinians, meanwhile, who have for years been convincing nations to boycott the Jewish state, may recognize that these efforts have failed to stop Israel’s economic and diplomatic progress, while they themselves continue to regress.

The Abraham Accords “deal a decisive blow to the illegitimate, antisemitic boycott movement singling out the world’s only Jewish state,” says Klein.

Mutual interests and moral clarity

Klein insists that the era of peace that is being ushered in will be genuine, as it is solidly rooted in “mutual interests,” including immediate ones.

“It’s clear that we are seeing a warm peace between nations that truly want a relationship with Israel,” says Klein, who notes that Gulf states seek cooperation “in the fields of economy, security, technology, energy, health care, culture, the environment and fighting coronavirus, among other areas.”

Credit must go to the forward-thinking leaders of the Persian Gulf states, who could just have easily remain entrenched in what are quickly becoming outdated anti-Israel positions. The accords “demonstrate the strong leadership and moral clarity of the leaders of the UAE and Bahrain,” says Klein.

Working in sync with a friendly United States administration to isolate Iran, hold the Palestinians accountable for decades of rejectionism and enhance diplomatic relations with nations that once refused formal diplomatic ties is now bearing fruit.

Klein notes that peace between Israel the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain would not be possible without the American president. “Today, we are witnessing the results of President Trump’s bold leadership actions.”

Children of Abraham

The Sept. 15 White House signing between Jewish and Muslim nations is a paradigm shift of biblical proportions. Klein similarly suggests that by continuing on the path of peace, more formerly unthinkable achievements are likely on the way.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu and the U.S. administration have repeatedly expressed confidence that more peace deals with Arab nations will follow,” says Klein, adding that “Netanyahu already previously made advancements in relations with such countries as Sudan, Oman and other nations in the Gulf.”

He points to the recent “Saudi decision to open the country’s airspace to Israeli flights,” as a hint of what may yet be to come.

“It’s clear the Mideast peace train has left the station,” says Klein, “and we are ushering in a new era of peace between Israel and the other children of Abraham.”

Alex Traiman is managing director and Jerusalem bureau chief of Jewish News Syndicate.

Views expressed by columnists, in readers’ letters, and in opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinion of staff or layleaders of The Dayton Jewish Observer or the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

OPINION

Qatar in UAE’s rear view Normalizing relations with UAE doesn’t

By Eyal Zisser Israel’s peace agreements with the UAE and Bahrain are important, historic achievements. They are also proof of the ability to break the artificial obstacle imposed by the Palestinian question on Israel’s path to peace with the Arab world.

First and foremost, however, the treaty brings wonderful tidings for the UAE, potentially turning it not only into a leader in the Persian Gulf but into a key, influential player in the wider Arab world. The daring and courage displayed by the UAE, which not only dropped the jaws of experts and pundits and catapulted it ahead of far larger countries, are not just a testament to its strength, but to the calculated risk it took, that panned out nicely and transformed the tiny Gulf state into a rising power whose sphere of influence will only spread in the coming years.

Peace with Israel is no longer a contemptible necessity foisted upon Arab states, which they then neglect so as not to antagonize public opinion in their countries. The peace agreements between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain tell us that peace has become a source of pride and a winning card Arab states play to solidify and bolster their status.

Over the past two decades, the UAE has blossomed into a leading economic hub in the Gulf. But in the Arab world and the Persian Gulf in particular, money alone can’t buy durability. If it doesn’t come with military and diplomatic clout, a country will be at the mercy of its neighbors. And with “friendly” neighbors such as Saddam Hussein’s Iraq at the time, and Iran of today, one doesn’t need enemies.

In previous decades, Qatar sought that crown. It invited American forces to its territory, launched the Arab world’s first global satellite network, Al Jazeera, and also cultivated relations with Israel. Qatar, however, lost its momentum and fell behind due to a series of wrong decisions: namely, exchanging innovation, modernity, and its ties with Israel for radical Islam.

Qatar’s rulers mistakenly believed that extremism and enmity toward Israel would preserve its influence in the region. The opposite occurred. Qatar squandered its status in the Gulf and wider Arab world. Only Israel unwisely grants it a sliver of legitimacy, allowing it to play mediator with Hamas. The UAE and Bahrain peace deals are an excellent opportunity to return Qatar to its natural place and keep it locked down and isolated as a kingdom of terror and radicalism.

Either way, the UAE has overtaken Qatar and Kuwait, which with typical ingratitude, refuse to help the United States bring stability to the region and peace between Israel and the Arabs. With this treaty, Israel not only gains an ally, but a powerful strategic partner with an increasingly prominent role in the Arab world.

Eyal Zisser is a lecturer in the Middle East History Department at Tel Aviv University. This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.

fix Israel’s existential problems

By Hadar Susskind I’ve been asked why a proIsrael Jewish peace organization like mine is not enthusiastically celebrating the signing of a peace deal between Israel and two important Arab states.

We do welcome the agreement that Israel signed Sept. 15 with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. In and of itself, the trend of Israel’s normalizing relations with Arab states is a positive development.

But this is not happening in a vacuum. It’s happening at a time that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under multiple indictments for corruption and bribery, at a time when tens of thousands are gathering in protest around the nation and calling for his removal.

And most important, it’s happening at a time when his government continues to entrench the occupation and undermine even the hope of a two-state solution.

Normalization with the UAE and Bahrain is great for the venture capitalists who will benefit from it, but does nothing to remedy Israel’s existential problem: its conflict with the Palestinians and the occupation that does so much damage.

I’m not eager to take part in festivities that are intended to paper over the real threat to Israel’s national security by celebrating a “peace deal” with countries that Israel was not at war with, as Israel fails to contain even the immediate threat

reported a new Israeli government initiative to further intensify demolitions of Palestinians homes in Area C. Demolitions in the West Bank and east Jerusalem have displaced over 5,000 Palestinians in the past five years.

These actions are cruel and unnecessary. They do nothing but sow resentment and enmity and further hinder prospects for peace.

Normalization with the Arab world is welcome, but not as a tool to normalize the occupation and the conflict with the Palestinians.

It can and should be used to help pave the way to a conflictending resolution. While we would love to savor the moment and rejoice at the formalization of relations between Israel and the UAE, and Israel and Bahrain, we lament the impact of Israel’s unresolved conflict with the Palestinians.

Frankly, we see little reason for celebration.

We would love to mobilize the current enthusiasm Americans have for peace in the region by working toward a diplomatic initiative that would bring not only “normalization” but genuine peace between Israel and all its neighbors.

Such an effort must include, not supersede, an agreement with the Palestinians and an end to the occupation.

of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s hard to celebrate when the occupation continues and deepens.

As Netanyahu and his aides are discussing normalization with their Emirati counterparts, they are also advancing plans to build a settlement in the strategic area of the West Bank known as E-1, the corridor between Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.

As they are negotiating with Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Israeli officials are pushing plans for a settlement in Givat Hamatos on Jerusalem’s southern border.

These settlements strike at the heart of any plan for a contiguous and viable Palestinian state.

Although the UAE agreed to normalize relations only if Netanyahu committed to halting preparations for West Bank annexation, both the prime minister and alternate prime minister, Benny Gantz, say they are committed to formally annexing large parts of the West Bank in the future.

As nice as it will be to have shorter flight paths, it’s hard to find reason to celebrate while Israel’s occupation authorities step up their demolition of Palestinian homes in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

These homes are built without permission from the Israeli authorities because no permits are issued. In the first eight months of 2020, Israel demolished almost 500 structures.

And on Sept. 11, Haaretz

Hadar Susskind is the president and CEO of Americans for Peace Now. Distributed by JTA.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Note:

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, all programs listed here are presented virtually unless listed as otherwise. For the latest information, check with the organizations via their websites, Facebook pages, and by calling them directly.

Classes

Synagogue Forum Intro. to Judaism: 17 Mondays, 7 p.m., Oct. 19-March 15. $36 single or couple. Email Rabbi Judy Chessin, jchessin@aol.com.

JCC Classes: Thurs., Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m.: Global Jewish Cuisine. Wednesdays, 1 p.m.,

Oct. 21-Nov. 18: Unleash Your Inner Author w. Novelist Martha Moody. Register at jewishdayton.org.

Discussions

Beth Jacob Classes: Tuesdays, 7 p.m.: Weekly Parsha w. Rabbi Agar.

Thursdays, 7 p.m.: Jewish Law w. Rabbi Agar. Email Tammy at bethjacob1@aol.com.

Children & Youths

Temple Israel Classes: Mondays, noon: Coffee w. Rabbi Bodney-Halasz.

Wednesdays, noon: Coffee w.

Rabbi Sobo. Saturdays, 9:15 a.m.: Torah Study. For details, call 937-496-0050.

JCC Book Club: Fri., Oct. 16, 10:30 a.m. Info. at jewishdayton.org.

JCC Virtual Youth Theatre Fall Classes: W. Annie Pesch.

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7 p.m., Oct. 13-Nov. 12: Acting technique in performance.

Mondays, 4 p.m., Oct. 26Dec. 14: The art of storytelling.

Register at jewishdayton.org.

Women

Beth Abraham Zisterhood Zunset in the Sukkah Zoom Celebration: Wed., Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m. bethabrahamdayton.org.

Temple Beth Or Cyber Sukkot: Fri., Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m.

W. Rabbi Chessin & Marc Rossio. templebethor.com.

Seniors

JFS L’Chaim 2020 - What is Your Legacy? Mon., Oct. 19, noon via Zoom. W. Dr. Eric Weiner, author of Words from the Heart, Writing an Ethical Will. Free. Register at jewishdayton.org.

Temple Israel Sukkot & Simchat Torah Drive-Thru Experience: Fri., Oct. 9, 4-7 p.m. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

Details at tidayton.org.

JCC Cultural Arts & Book Series

Temple Beth Or Simchat Torah Streaming Service: Fri., Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m. W. Rabbi Azriel & Rabbi Chessin. templebethor.com.

Steven Levy, Facebook: The Inside Story: Thurs., Oct. 22, 7 p.m. Free. Register at jewishdayton.org.

Sukkot/Simchat Torah

Beth Abraham Zimchat Torah Zoom Celebration: Sun., Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m. bethabrahamdayton.org.

Chabad Sukkah Comes To You: Reserve a time for Chabad’s Sukkah On Wheels.

Go to chabaddayton.com or call 937-643-0770.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

PAGE 17

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Thank you for your attention

Miami Valley School senior William Groger has been named a National Merit Semifinalist, a designation reserved for students in the top 1 percent of all who take the PSAT. William is a leader with the MVS Quiz Bowl, Physics Club, and Math Competitions Club. He recently completed a Physics of Atomic Nuclei summer program sponsored by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics and Michigan State University. William’s parents are Dr. Kaili Fan and Dr. Richard Groger.

Jeremy Klaben was named one of 36 Under 36 by Oy! Chicago. Jeremy is the CEO and founder of Brightwok Kitchen, an Asian-inspired fast casual restaurant in the Loop and River North. When Covid-19 hit, he helped his employees file for unemployment and provided them with bags of groceries and cleaning supplies. Jeremy has partnered with Off Their Plate to donate thousands of meals to hospitals in the Chicago area and has provided discounts to hospital

workers. He and his wife, Miriam, are members of Anshe Emet Synagogue and are active with Jewish United Fund Professionals Network and jBaby Chicago.

Hillel Academy fifth grader Lior Glaser came up with a great way to raise funds for this year’s Dayton Walk to End Alzheimer’s: he’s been performing socially-distanced magic tricks in his Oakwood neighborhood. Neighbors watch his acts, go home, and come back with donations.

So far, Lior has raised nearly $500 for the Oct. 3 walk.

Because of Covid-19, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging participants to walk as individuals or in small groups in their neighborhoods.

Lior is the son of Juliet and Danny Glaser. Juliet is the Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter’s development specialist.

Avi, Chava, and Zeke Gilbert made their outdoor theatre debuts in August with roles in INNOVAtheatre’s production of the musical Newsies, directed

by Richard Lee Waldeck, who has directed several musicals for JCC Children’s Theatre.

Tamar Fishbein, also a regular on the JCC Theatre production team, was Newsies’ producer.

Held at Caesar Ford Park in Xenia, it was an ambitious undertaking.

Avi played the role of Romeo, and Zeke and Chava were in the ensemble. Being on stage is nothing new to them.

Questions?

Ohio Genealogy News published an article by Dayton Jewish Observer Editor & Publisher Marshall Weiss — A Fair Shake

by Dayton’s Dailies — in its summer issue. The piece shows how daily newspapers covered Jewish life in Dayton decades before the presence of a Jewish newspaper here. Along with The Observer, Marshall is project director of Miami Valley Jewish Genealogy & History, a program of the Jewish Federation.

Send your announcements to scotthalasz1@gmail.com.

LIFECYCLES

ANNUAL MEDICARE ENROLLMENT PERIOD 1-800-686-1578

But performing during a global pandemic is new to everyone.

“It felt so good to see people again even though we had to wear masks,” Avi said. “It felt good to do something.”

Zeke said he was “100-percent happy.” Chava said it made her “very happy because I love acting.”

Masks were required off stage and at one point on stage, according to Avi and Chava.

That made it a little difficult for the cast to gel.

“It took much longer for us kids to get to know each other, since we had to social distance as much as possible at rehearsal and wear masks,” Avi said.

Even so, they loved their outdoor opportunity. “It was fun because it was something different,” Chava said.

“Hot, but it was still fun to do because I’ve done theatre in the round and ‘regular’ venues, so it was fun to try a different way of performing a show,” Avi said.

October 15–December 7, 2020

This is the time when people on Medicare can review their current prescription drug and/or Medicare Advantage Plans and decide whether to retain www.insurance.ohio.gov them or select different ones that will go into effect January 1, 2021.

To view a complete listing of Medicare Check-Up Day webinars, running from September 14 – October 14, visit OSHIIP’s registration page, https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/4987248812118591502.

This year, OSHIIP, the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program, which offers free, objective health insurance counseling to Medicare beneficiaries, will not be holding their usual in person “Medicare Check-Up Days” at Senior Centers. However, OSHIIP is excited to announce that Medicare beneficiaries can now schedule one-on-one counseling sessions with an OSHIIP representative through its online scheduling portal (see below).

1-800-MEDICARE 1-800-772-1213 You can schedule one-on-one counseling by: www.medicare.gov • Scheduling a session with an OSHIIP representative through its online scheduling portal https://ohiomedicarecounseling.as.me/ www.socialsecurity.gov • In Kettering, residents can be helped by Vickie Carraher, Senior Resources Coordinator at the Kettering Connection, inside Town and Country www.mymedicare.gov Shopping Center, at 937-296-3330.

24 • JFS volunteer and OSHIIP counselor Connie Blum will be counseling and helping with 2021 plan selection via phone; she can be reached at 937-503-1979, and at scblum@earthlink.net.

Larry Rosen, now of DeLand Fla., is a grandfather once again. Son Ryan and his wife Kiro welcomed another baby boy, in August, Caden Nicholas. Big brother Lochlin David is 21 months old. Greataunt to the boys is Judy Rosen Gossett now of Columbus, and her BFF Kim Howell.

Send lifecycles to The Dayton Jewish Observer 525 Versailles Dr. Centerville, OH 45459 Email: MWeiss@jfgd.net.

There is a $12 charge to run a photo; please make checks payable to The Dayton Jewish Observer.

Are you reading this? So is the entire Jewish community. Contact Patty Caruso at plhc69@gmail.com to advertise in The Observer.

PAGE 18

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

RELIGION

Note:

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, worship schedules have been adjusted and some services are offered virtually instead.

For the latest information, check with the organizations below via their websites, Facebook pages, and by calling them directly.

CONGREGATIONS Beth Abraham Synagogue Conservative Rabbi Joshua Ginsberg Cantor/Dir. of Ed. & Programming Andrea Raizen 305 Sugar Camp Circle, Oakwood. 937-293-9520.

BethAbrahamDayton.org Beth Jacob Congregation Traditional Rabbi Leibel Agar Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.

7020 N. Main St., Dayton. 937-2742149. BethJacobCong.org Temple Anshe Emeth Reform Rabbinic Intern Tzvia Rubens Fri., Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m. via Zoom.

320 Caldwell St., Piqua.

Contact Steve Shuchat, 937-7262116, AnsheEmeth@gmail.com. ansheemeth.org Temple Beth Or Reform Rabbi Judy Chessin Asst. Rabbi/Educator Ben Azriel 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 937-435-3400. templebethor.com Temple Beth Sholom Reform Rabbi Haviva Horvitz 610 Gladys Dr., Middletown.

513-422-8313. templebethsholom.net Temple Israel Reform Senior Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz Rabbi/Educator Tina Sobo 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

937-496-0050. tidayton.org Temple Sholom Reform Rabbi Cary Kozberg Fridays, 6 p.m.

2424 N. Limestone St., Springfield. 937-399-1231. templesholomoh.com

ADDITIONAL SERVICES Chabad of Greater Dayton Rabbi Nochum Mangel Associate Rabbi Shmuel Klatzkin Youth & Prog. Dir. Rabbi Levi Simon, Teen & Young Adult Prog.

Dir. Rabbi Elchonon Chaikin.

Beginner educational service Saturdays 9 a.m. adults, 10 a.m children. Sundays 9 a.m.

2001 Far Hills Ave. 937-643-0770. www.chabaddayton.com Yellow Springs Havurah Independent Antioch College Rockford Chapel.

Contact Len Kramer, 937-572-4840 or len2654@gmail.com.

O ctober T C

Vote early, vote safely

ishri/ heshvan

By Rabbi Karen BodneyHalasz, Temple Israel Election Day is almost upon us. With real health concerns due to Covid-19, I fear some might decide it’d be easier to stay at home than to head to the polls.

This is, of course, why we’ve seen numerous debates about early and mail-in voting. Those may be the only ways for some people to fulfill this mitzvah of voting safely.

Much of the Jewish community has rallied around this important issue. Whether left, right, or anything in between, Jews across the nation have

God created the (Sanhedrin 56a). world, humanThrough govkind was crafted ernment we are in God’s holy able to care for likeness. the stranger, the All of us widow, and the contain sparks of orphan, pursue the Divine. There justice, and susare midrashic tain our world. stories that raise Jewish engagethe question of ment in local why we were all politics goes back descended from to antiquity. Like one couple. in a midrash The response in which God Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz is beautiful. It is consults the so that none of Israelites before us can claim that the merit of appointing Bezalel to work on our ancestors was greater than the Tabernacle, Rabbi Yitzhak anyone else’s (Mishnah Sanhetaught, “a ruler is not to be drin 4:5). appointed unless the commuWe know that every person nity is first consulted (Berachot in our community has a voice 55a).” taken to phone banks, texting and that all voices need to be Even God would eventually apps, and postcards to encourincluded in our elections. age full participation in voting. not select rulers without conThis is why we are comsulting the people. In this paraWe, the Jewish people, are mitted to protecting the rights digm, declining to vote could a diverse lot with more opinof all people to vote and to be understood as abrogating ions than people. But for now, actively fight voter disenfranour partnership with God. we can at least agree it is our chisement. And this year, in We learn from Hillel: “Al responsibility to vote and to be particular, why we are pushing tifrosh min hatzibur, Do not informed about the content of hard to facilitate safe voting. separate yourself from the the elections.

In keeping with our sacred community (Pirke Avot 2:4).”

Where does this unifying tradition of civic engagement, This is because perspective In keeping with we are all inter- I hope our Jewish community come from? will be sure each and every one connected.

Why is civic our sacred of our voices is heard. You are The rabbinic engagement so able to fulfill this duty in three principle of important in our tradition of civic ways: “dina d’malchuta lives as Jews? engagement, I 1. Vote early at your board dina, the law of Our tradiof elections between Oct. 6 and the kingdom is tion teaches us hope our Jewish Nov. 2. the law,” was to be agents of community will 2. Vote by mail and either established durchange, to acmail your ballot or take it to tively repair the be sure each and ing the Talmuyour local board of elections, or world, engaging every one of our dic period. It 3. Vote on Nov. 3 at your taught us that in tikun olam. designated polling location. the Jewish comThe prophet voices is heard.

And when you do so, I munity must Jeremiah, who encourage you to reflect on the recognize and honor all civil wrote during the exile to significance of that act with the laws.

Babylon, taught that wherever following meditation provided In a democratic society like we find ourselves, we are to ours, our vote is the most pow- by T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call engage deeply in our commufor Human Rights: truah.org/ nities in order to “seek the wel- erful tool we have to ensure the safety and well-being of the resources/a-meditation-onfare of the city (Jer. 29:7)” and voting. community under those laws. work toward a better world.

Please don’t forget to verify The right and obligation to This is why the Talmud asthat you are registered to vote, serts that it is our duty to create vote is not reserved for an elite at ohio.gov. class. We are taught that when and support our government

Candle Lightings Shabbat, Erev Sukkot Oct. 2, 6:59 p.m.

First Eve Sukkot Oct. 3, 7:55 p.m.

Shabbat, Erev Shemini Atzeret Oct. 9, 6:48 p.m.

Erev Simchat Torah Oct. 10, 7:44 p.m.

Shabbat, Oct. 16, 6:37 p.m.

Shabbat, Oct. 23, 6:27 p.m.

Shabbat, Oct. 30, 6:18 p.m.

Perspectives

Torah Portions Oct. 17, Bereshit (Gen. 1:1-6:8) Oct. 24, Noach (Gen. 6:9-11:32) Oct. 31, Lech Lecha (Gen. 12:1-17:27)

Sukkot

Festival of Booths

Oct. 3-9 15-21 Tishri Named after the huts the Jews lived in while wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Marked by building sukkot to eat meals in during the festival, and in the synagogue by processions with the lulav (palm branches with myrtle and willow) and etrog (citron fruit).

Shemini Atzeret

Eighth Day of Assembly Oct. 10/22 Tishri Historically, it allowed an extra day in Jerusalem for Jewish pilgrims on their journey to the Temple.

Tefillat Geshem (the prayer for rain), Hallel (Psalms of thanksgiving and joy), and Yizkor (memorial prayers) are recited.

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Simchat Torah

To see each issue as soon as it’s available, like or follow our Facebook page, The Dayton Jewish Observer.

BMB

Rejoicing of the Torah

Oct. 11/23 Tishri Annual cycle of reading the Torah is concluded and a new cycle begun. Celebrated in the synagogue with singing, dancing, and Torah processionals.

Enter The Dayton Jewish Observer in the search bar at Facebook and click ‘like.’ As soon as each issue goes to the printer, we post the latest e-edition of our print publication there.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

PAGE 19

JEWISH FAMILY EDUCATION LOC

In the Beginning

of Creation Day One, when the Torah has no interest in it was the size of a mustard the question of God’s oriseed. But that’s just the begins; its interest is only from ginning of the one day. the moment of Creation The Torah’s first two onward. verses suggest answers to Professor Leon Kass obquestions like what can we for you the first of the months.’ served that science, normally know and how shall we live?

So why does the Torah begin full of theories and calculaWhat can we learn from with Creation?” tions, is also surprisingly Genesis 1? What did you Rabbi Isaac’s point is that a silent on what came before learn? Disorder is the natubook’s purpose and the quesCreation and its ultimate ral state of the universe. tions it will answer become ap- cause.

Chaos becomes more and parent in its opening pages.

The remaining Hebrew more dense, and ultimately The Creation narrative word, reshit, connotes “the explodes. teaches the purpose of Torah is part that stands for the The first word of the Torah, Bereshit, in The Five Books of the Torah, published Bring order to the chaos. to answer the questions: What whole, the foundation, the

by Soncino Gesellschaft in Berlin, 1933.

Stand on good principles, not exists? What can we know? principle,” Rabbi Jonathan Intended as the first volume of a complete whims, to direct your life and How shall we live? What kind of Sacks emphasizes, rather decisions. person should I aspire to be? than chronological sequence. published Hebrew Bible, the Nazis ended the project in 1937.

There are at least two If we really want to underThe Hebrew for “God credimensions to everything in stand it, we must read the Torah ated,” rendered as a singular verse and its cosmic wonders, or as Torah — not as science or his- verb with a plural noun, reflects perhaps the spiritual world and the universe: heavens and earth, tory or even law. the physical world, as Dr. David physical and spiritual, chaos and the universal order. There are also two sides “Bereshit — In If we really want Medved prefers. abstract God of to every story. Look and listen to the beginning The enigmatic second senCreation who both sides, and choose well.

God created the to understand it, embodies all the tence zooms in on the physical Look forward, like the letter heavens and the we must read the “powers, mights, world, perhaps primordial earth, Bet of Bereshit. Don’t be like earth. The earth variously described as chaotic, and influences Torah as Torah — used to create Lot’s wife, looking back, because was unformed unformed, and lifeless, even not as science and void, with intolerable and full of contradic- the answers aren’t there. and maintain Everything in the cosmos has darkness over tion and struggle — tohu vavohu the universe,” or history or a beginning and comes from the surface of the — whose origins are shrouded explains theodeep and a wind even law. in mystery. An enveloping dark- something. Treat others as you logian Charles would like to be treated, with from God sweepness, a physical presence like Ellicott. ing over the water (Gen. 1:1-2).” that described by Isaiah, is mir- respect, kindness, and generosExclusive to the Divinity, How are we to understand rored by a watery deep, broken ity of spirit, for we are all made biblical scholar Nachum Sarna the first sentences of Genesis? only by the vibrating of a Divine of the same stardust. adds, the Hebrew word for According to a midrash, the Midrash tells us the oversized spirit, a life-giving, sustaining creation here, bara, connotes very first letter of Genesis emfirst letter, Bet, closed on three creation of a novel product, un- energy. And perhaps all very, bodies the Torah’s purpose. sides and open in front, is a like anything previously known, very tiny.

When God was about to visual reminder that we cannot and beyond human capacity to Modern science says so. “As know what came before time theoretical physicists attempt to create the world, each of the 22 reproduce. letters of the Hebrew alphabet zero.

“The Heavens and the Earth” describe the very early uniapproached God to plead, “CreUnlike pagan cosmologies, expresses the totality of the uni- verse,” Dr. Gerald Schroeder ate the world through me!” writes, “they describe a condiOne by one, no letter was tion in which all the matter is pressed into a space of zero size found suitable. Eventually, Bet approached God and said, “May and infinite density.” you create your world through They have some catching up me, for through me all the to do. Over 700 years ago, the world will bless you daily.” God Jewish philosopher Nachmanides — and others — repeatedly agreed and began, “Bereshit.”

May your new year be filled asserted that the only physical every day with blessings.

Creation was at the beginning

Considering Creation: A New Series For centuries, scholars and scientists, clergy and commoners have argued about the Creation story.

Are the Bible’s opening verses about the unfolding of the cosmos, the origins of life, and the birth of humanity meant to be taken literally? How could it have taken just six days? Why

Candace R. Kwiatek do light and darkness appear before suns and stars? Is it possible for something to come from nothing? What role does science play?

But we’re asking the wrong questions. History answers the questions of what happened and when. Science answers the questions of how did it happen and why.

So what questions does the Torah answer? In his commentary on Genesis, Rashi offers an answer in the form of a puzzle posed by Rabbi Isaac: “As the Law book of Israel, the Torah should have begun with the first commandment to the Israelites (Ex. 12:2), ‘This month shall be

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Literature to share A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum. All Albert Einstein needed in 1914 was a photograph of the Russian eclipse showing that gravity bends light, and he would have had the final proof for his theory of relativity. Inspired by this remark in a 2014 Scientific American, A Bend in the Stars is an improbable but beautifully-crafted tale of a young Jewish Russian physicist and his assertive physician sister who attempt to beat Einstein to the proof. Filled with love and adventure alongside animosity and disillusion, this novel explodes with both Jewish and Russian history, culture, science, and — above all — memorable characters.

Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story by Lesléa Newman. Based on a true story, this expressively illustrated book for elementary grades exquisitely captures the experience of leaving home and family in Eastern Europe and immigrating through Ellis Island from a child’s perspective. It raises notions of bravery, kindness, and the power of traditions. At the end is an adult explanation of the original journeys of the author’s relatives, with photographs, upon which this story is based.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

Arts&Culture

Bring in this ad and receive $10 off your next in-store purchase of $60 or more*

JCC’s 2020-21 Cultural Arts & Book Series opens virtually, Oct. 22

Expires 12.31.2020. *Some exclusions apply. Not valid on wine, candy, or delivery.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For its 2020-21 season, the JCC will present its Cultural Arts and Book Series virtually, with 15 programs spread out from Oct. 22 through May 5.

As with last season’s Dayton Jewish Film Fest, the JCC will offer these programs free.

“At this point in time, we have scheduled all events to be Steven Levy (L), author of Facebook: The Inside Story, will talk about the social virtual,” said JCC Dimedia empire of Mark Zuckerberg (R) for the CABS virtual kickoff, Oct. 22 rector Jane Hochstein.

How the Code Rebels Beat the ogy, Jewish women, comedy, The CABS season begins at Government — Saving Privacy in emerging Jewish culture, and 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 22 with the Digital Age. He’s written for ethical dilemmas.

Steven Levy — hailed by The Rolling Stone, Harper’s Magazine, For details about the comWashington Post as “America’s Macworld, The New York Times plete series, go to jewishdayton. premier technology journalorg/2020-virtual-cabs-line-up. ist” — discussing his new book, Magazine, Esquire, The New Yorker, and Premiere.

Facebook: The Inside Story.

He is the founder of Backchan— Marshall Weiss Billed as a definitive history of Mark Zuckerberg’s powerful, nel online magazine, and former ever-present social media com- chief technology writer and senior editor for Newsweek. pany, Facebook: The Inside Story In Facebook: The Inside Story, pulls together a narrative of its rise, far-reaching influence, and Levy digs deep into how Facebook has navigated Russian controversial policy decisions, attempts at influencing elecbased on Levy’s hundreds of tions via the site, “fake news” interviews with sources inside accounts, and how it handles and outside Facebook.

Levy, Wired magazine’s editor users’ personal data.

The 2020-21 CABS season at large, is the author of Hackfeatures novelists, and authors ers, which PC Magazine named of books about self-help, history, “the best sci-tech book written in the last 20 years,” and Crypto: the Middle East conflict, geneal-

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Arts&Culture

How a former slave became part of New York’s Jewish elite ‘Judaism teaches us that the highest obligation of the living is to take care of our deceased.’

F

— Linda & Steve Horenstein

or Linda and Steve Horenstein, their first personal experience with the Beth Abraham Synagogue cemetery was after the devastating loss of their 8-year-old son Joel in 1986. Since then, it has become a place of solace and reflection for them.

Although there was a family plot in the greater Boston area, almost 20 years later, Steve brought both his parents to Dayton to have them buried in the Beth Abraham cemetery, fulfilling their wishes to be buried alongside their beloved grandson.

Both Linda and Steve find comfort in the magnificently maintained cemetery; but understand the financial burden of perpetual care. So, they contributed to the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Dayton campaign to ensure that all necessary funding and resources will be available to keep the cemetery a serene and tranquil place for all future families seeking the same consolation.

Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Dayton was created to preserve our three Jewish cemeteries in perpetuity: Temple Israel, Beth Abraham and Beth Jacob. Please join us as we strive to maintain the sanctity, care and integrity of these sacred burial grounds.

Preserving our Past Ensuring Our Future daytonjewishcemeteries.org 937-496-2311 • rgolden105@aol.com 525 Versailles Drive • Centerville, OH 45459 PAGE 22

New book undoes assumptions about race and identity.

people of color who are also Jews according to halacha, Jewish law. The synagogue there records Sarah and her brother as Portuguese Jews, like their father.

Her conversion is another step in the reassignment

By Andrew Silow-Carroll, New York Jewish Week of Sarah’s race according to the laws and customs of In 1815 or ’16, an artist in London created a miniathe day, when Jews occupied a middle ground beture ivory portrait of a Jewish teen named Sarah, who tween White and Black. “Sarah’s ability to be recatwears the kind of dress and hairstyle familiar from egorized as White relies on her ability to be seen as Jane Austen novels. There is little else familiar in the racially ambiguous,” Leibman said. “It’s not a privistory of Sarah Brandon Moses — or at least familiar in lege but an opportunity.” the conventional ways many of us tend to think about Her status assured, Sarah’s father sends her to an race, class, and Jewish identity. elite Sephardic boarding school south of London, to be In her new book, The Art of the Jewish Family (University of Chicago Press), historian Laura Arnold Leib- groomed for marriage into Jewish society. Sarah is restyled yet again — as someone who will have servants man unravels the complex family tree of Moses, born instead of being a servant. enslaved to a Sephardic Jewish family, converted to The restyling extends to that ivory miniature, made Judaism, and eventually married into the upper ranks about that time. Often exchanged by paramours of New York’s Jewish community in the early 1800s. around the time of weddings, the tiny portraits could Sarah’s story is one of five Leibman tells in her be more expensive than full-size oil paintings. Sarah book, which examines objects Jewish women in New presents in the portrait not only as a demure English York owned between 1750 and 1850. Each object reveals something about Jewish women’s status in pre- Jewish woman, but as White: The artist used a technique meant to emphasize the fair skin of portrait Civil War America, but Sarah’s story seems particusubjects. “It imparts a sort of magical larly relevant at a time when Jews of color insist on American Jewish whiteness, to which Jews in general their rightful place in Jewish life.

Historical “Today, a lot of times we say that the Society are aspiring,” Leibman said. “At this time they are racially being called story of Jews of color is something that into question, particularly in the began in the 1970s. It is so important to Caribbean. Jewish civil rights are being go back and tell those earlier stories,” obtained when free people of color are Leibman, a professor of English and getting their rights.” humanities at Reed College in PortSarah marries at 18 to prosperous land, Ore., said. ”Otherwise it is a American Jew Joshua Moses; the secret that falls out of the discussion, wedding takes place at Bevis Marks, as opposed to saying this is part of London’s Portuguese synagogue. the American story and Jews of color Despite her background, the Sephardic have been important to synagogues Sarah has a higher status than her for a long time.”

Ashkenazi husband. As for that backSarah Brandon’s story begins in the ground, Leibman doesn’t think it would British colony of Barbados, where she have been a secret in her world, where was born in 1798. Her father, Abraham friends and neighbors from Barbados Rodrigues Brandon, was a well-toAn ivory miniature of the formerly were familiar with her family history. do merchant who would become the enslaved Sarah Brandon Moses Her wedding contract says “conwealthiest Jew on the island. Her vert.” Her father’s wealth may have also quashed any mother and grandmother were enslaved to another gossip: Sarah came into the marriage with a £10,000 Jewish family in Bridgetown, who were friends to dowry, about $30 million today. “She is super wealthy Brandon. “Female slave owners often lent out their and she is quite beautiful,” Leibman said. “And that female slaves for sexual purposes,” said Leibman. “He their children would have Sephardic ancestry is very might be thought of as the rapist; what we know is that he and the mother have a long-term relationship,” meaningful.”

Sarah’s husband, who worked for Stephen Girard, although they never marry. one of the wealthiest people in America, takes her to With her African ancestry, Sarah would have been Manhattan, to live near his parents. She’ll be either considered “colored” or “mulatto,” although such pregnant or recovering from childbirth for the next categories prove remarkably fluid. The “Portuguese” 10 years, until her early death at age 30. Sarah has 10 Jews of Barbados, as the Sephardic community was children, including two sets of twins. called, were tolerant of community members sleeping Nearly all will not just survive into adulthood but and bearing children with slaves. Abraham Rodrigues thrive: One will marry into the family of Gershom Brandon was a member of the Ma’amad, the council Mendes Seixas, the famed cantor of Shearith Israel, of community elders, and even served as the parnass, The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue. Her sons president, of the local synagogue.

In 1801, her father took Sarah to the Anglican church serve in the Mexican-American War and become Civil War heroes. One son, Israel Moses, became a surgeon, where she had been baptized as an infant and set her the first former slave to graduate from what becomes free. Her status improves yet again when her mother’s father, who is also White and Anglican, dies and leaves Columbia Medical School. A few of her sons become presidents of Shearith Israel. a house to his children of color. Sarah’s mother is not “It is important to realize that in each of the places only freed but inherits slaves of her own. she lived she is not alone. There are other people with Sarah and her siblings were relatively comfortable mixed Jewish and African ancestry,” said Leibman. “It but still on the outskirts of the Jewish community of is an important reminder about how we create comBarbados, which would not allow people of color to munities and what barriers get set up for people and convert and join the Nação, or Nation. Fed up, in 1811 what parts of their lives people have to leave behind. or 1812, her brother Isaac Lopez Brandon led the famWhen we talk about how can we be more inclusive ily to Suriname, the Dutch colony off the northeastern and welcoming, we can learn about the past and what coast of South America, then controlled by the Britpeople felt they had to leave behind to be accepted.” ish. Living there is a substantial community of freed

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2020

OBITUARIES Bernice Ezekiel Brant died Sept. 9 in Dayton. Born in 1927 in New York City, her warm and loving family consisted of parents Lilian and Edward, and little brother David. She adored the city: roller-skating over the Washington Bridge and spending summers at Brighton Beach with her grandmother.

When her union-organizer father got blacklisted in 1941, Eleanor Roosevelt got him a job in Washington, D.C. There, she fell in love with Herbert Ezekiel and with his whole family. In the early 1950s, Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel moved to Dayton View with sons Michael and Jonathan; daughter Judith was soon born. The couple was politically active in the community particularly in the Dayton View Neighborhood Council and each served as PTA president. Mrs. Ezekiel worked as an administrative assistant at Beth Abraham Synagogue and was involved in the Jewish community, including serving on the board of Hadassah into her 90s.

After her husband died in 1974, Mrs. Ezekiel returned to school at Wright State, became a social worker, and worked for Catholic Social Services.

She married Bertram Brant and inherited a second wonderful family. Mr. and Mrs. Brant shared three decades of love and adventure until his death in 2008.

Mrs. Brant, warm and optimistic, sincerely loved people and cared deeply for her family, her extended family of friends, and her community. Her granddaughter, Clara, wrote that she “glowed from the inside” and brought “joy and warmth to anyone lucky enough to cross paths with her.” Niece Rachel wrote, “she had the ability to make each and every one of us feel like we were important, special, and loved.” Her late brother-in-law Raphael Ezekiel said he learned “how to be a good person” from her. She was tremendously resilient, remaining upbeat after the death of two husbands, her two sons, her baby brother, and many close friends, and fighting multiple cancers.

Mrs. Brant is survived by her daughter, Judith; grandchildren, Clara and Eizo Lang-Ezekiel, Edward Ezekiel, and Simone and Justin Brant; sister-in-law, Ramune Watkins; daughters-in-law, Mary Jane Colyer, Lisa Croen Quaid, and Renee Brant; and nieces and nephews, Aaron, Daniel,

Joshua, Margalete, Danah, Gideon, and Michal Ezekiel; Samuel and Nechama Bernhardt, Rachel Ezekiel-Fishbein, and Tamar Ezekiel Granor.

Donations in Mrs. Brant’s memory may be made to Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Hadassah, Hospice of Dayton, to help achieve universal health care, or to support Democrats in the upcoming election.

Thelma B. Karp, age 84 of Centerville, passed away Sept.

4. She was born Dec. 25, 1935 in Cleveland to the late Shirley and Jenny Rein. Mrs. Karp is survived by her children, Allan Karp, Esther and Jay Weiss, Robert and Lynette Karp; grandchildren Rachel and Chris Dillon, Evan Weiss, Sarah and Blake White, Josh Karp, Matthew Karp, Tiffany and David Alvord, Sophia Karp; great-grandchildren, Addison Dillon, Riley Dillon, Hunter White; sister Donna Swerdlow; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Karp was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Karp, in 2019, granddaughter Leah Karp, and her sister, Elaine Bloom. Interment was at David’s Cemetery.

Beverly (Sanderson) Geisenfeld, age 83, was born on April 4, 1937. Our beloved family matriarch, stellar wife of 61 years to the late James; adored and honored mother of Nancy, Diane (Rick), and Ricky (Mama to Millie); adopted son Scott (Deirdre); grandmother to Melanie, Jennifer, Jeremy, Marissa, Michael, Alyssa, Jenna, Audrey, and Lydia; sister of Robert, sister-in-law of Sharon and Mary; aunt of Jill, Jeff, Darrell, Elizabeth, and Mark.

She joined her parents, Irving and Mildred, and in-laws, Milton and Sara, in the light of perfect peace, on Aug. 23. Mrs. Geisenfeld was an artist as a very young child and became a poet, seamstress, fabulous cook and hostess extraordinaire for many celebrations. May her memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved her.

Sarah Snyder, age 96, died peacefully on Aug. 29 in Atlanta. Mrs. Snyder was born March 13, 1924 in Boston. She grew up in Akron with her parents, of blessed memory, Max and Rose Kantrovitz, where she was the oldest with three younger siblings. She married Sam Snyder, who grew up on her street in Akron, in 1943. He joined the Army the day after their wedding.

After the war, they moved to Dayton. Their three children, Gary, Larry, Marilyn, all grew up in Dayton. Mrs. Snyder was very popular in Dayton, had may friends, and was active in Jewish community activities.

She was a member of Beth Abraham Synagogue and a life member of Hadassah. In 1986, Mr. and Mrs. Snyder moved to Atlanta to be closer to their grandchildren. Mr. Snyder passed away in 2001. Mrs. Snyder is survived by children Gary (Ellen Monk), Dr. Larry (Rene), and Marilyn (David) Flemming; grandchildren Nikki (Randy) Weisburd, Dr. Marla (Jeff) Barkoff, Robyn (Jonathon Shirley) Flemming, Tim Flemming, and Justin Snyder (Danielle Wolfe); greatgrandchildren Hilary Weisburd, Ryan Weisburd, Emmett Barkoff, and Raina Barkoff.

Also surviving are a brother, Jack Kent in Akron, a brother, Mel Kent in Boynton Beach, Fla., and many nephews and nieces. Interment was at Anshe S’fard Congregation Cemetery in Akron. Donations can be made to the William Breman Jewish Home.

Henry G. Stern, age 61, passed away Sept. 3. Mr. Stern was the beloved husband of 38 years to Gail Stern nee Roman; devoted father of Sarah (Deran) Stern and Hannah Stern;

loving brother of the late Joyce Ferreiro and brother-in-law to Jorge Ferreiro; loving brotherin-law to Denis Roman, Robert (Brenda) Roman, Jill (Chris) Anderson; and dear uncle to Elle Ferreiro, Thom (Virginia) Anderson, Ryan (Brooke) Anderson, Scott (Eliza) Roman, Lance (fiancé Isabelle Haas) Roman and Brad Anderson.

Memorial contributions to Northern Hills Synagogue in Cincinnati or the charity of one’s choice would be appreciated.

literally anyone who needed something extra in dealing with life’s challenges. She mailed countless greeting cards to all those who were ill, even after they recovered. She would give Tootsie Pops to every smiling face she encountered. Mrs. Weiskind was someone who conveyed that she really cared.

She volunteered from the age of 12, starting as a candy striper at Doctor’s Hospital in Cleveland.

Her volunteerism continued her entire life. She was active in B’nai B’rith Youth, Jewish Federation, Hadassah, Chevra Kadisha, Hospice Camp for Children, Erma’s House for Special Children, and she was president of the Beth Jacob Congregation Sisterhood for two terms. She was a Woman of Valor at Beth Abraham Synagogue. Her friends say this about her: “She was an Angel,” “A Gift,” and “She never met a stranger.” “She will be sorely missed.”

Mrs. Weiskind is survived by her husband, Ray; her children, Adam Weiskind (Sabrina), Rachael Weiskind, Benjamin Weiskind (Rachel) and Miriam Weiskind; and her grandchildren, Sarah Naomi, Devora Meira, Joseph Gabriel, and Yehuda Gabriel; her sisters, Elaine Markowitz (Steve) and Judy Molcilnicar (Joseph); as well as extended family and friends in Cleveland, Dayton, California, Arizona, and elsewhere.

Please consider a donation to Temple Israel Ner Tamid, 1732 Lander Rd, Mayfield Hts., Ohio 44124 c/o the Kari Friedman Memorial Education Fund; Hospice of Dayton Children’s Camp; Erma’s House in Dayton or the charity of your choice.

Hyla Weiskind nee Nebel, 72, of Cleveland, passed away Aug. 21. Mrs. Weiskind was born June 1, 1948 to Dorothy and Joseph Nebel. She graduated from Brush High School in 1966 along with many of her lifelong friends. She attended Ohio State and Case Western Reserve Universities.

She met her lifelong soulmate, Ray Weiskind, Christmas Eve 1968, and they married on Aug. 23, 1970. Twenty-seven years later, after raising four children and volunteering for numerous organizations, she resumed her studies and graduated from the University of Dayton. Pursuing her passion, she became a geriatric social worker, and worked for the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton for 24 years. In 2016, Hyla and Ray returned to their roots in Cleveland.

Mrs. Weiskind was someone special to all who knew her.

She exuded compassion, kindness, and humility. She would spend six to seven hours every Friday before Shabbos sending texts to family, friends, and

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